Princess Agents Episode 5 Recap, Plot

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> Princess Agents Recap

In a secluded room, Yuwen Yue gazed intently at a message from his grandfather, who urged him to remember to use, guard against, and eventually abandon those with untamed characteristics, fearing they might cause him harm. Yuwen Yue then wrote a letter to his younger brother, Yu'er, reflecting on the tumultuous times. He noted that navigating this chaotic world, rife with dangers, was like finding a path through thorny vines, arduous and fraught with danger.

He expressed that only a free-spirited person like his brother, who moved with the clouds and sailed the Jianghu, could truly find peace. Following her selection as Yuwen Yue's bedchamber maid, Chu Qiao woke up to find him lying nearby. She screamed in surprise, prompting Yuwen Yue to calmly mock her, asking if this bedchamber opportunity wasn't what she desired.

Chu Qiao responded with fierce resistance, which Yuwen Yue used as an opportunity to teach her martial arts, engaging in close physical contact, even lifting her and spinning her around. He then questioned her why she had hesitated to make a move earlier, reminding her that he had once told her he killed her brother. She replied that she didn't dare.

Yuwen Yue then revealed that he had brought her two younger sisters, Xiaoqi and Xiaoba, to Qingshan House, easing her concerns. Yuwen Yue then explained a vital lesson: one should only hand over a sword's hilt to another if they possess that person's weakness. He then bestowed upon her a new name, Xing'er, instructing her to never again use her old name.

He taught her the importance of feigning a smile and never trembling, no matter how terrified, in the presence of a stronger opponent. Later, after resigning herself to her fate as his bedchamber maidservant, Yuwen Yue asked her to retrieve a bamboo scroll from his bed, informing her that she would face double punishment the next day.

He later demanded a full set of dining ware for his midnight fish soup, despite eating alone, insisting that not a single piece should be missing, including the plum blossom design dining set. While serving him, Yuwen Yue suddenly took her hand, instructing her to obey him unconditionally.

Their interaction grew intense, with Chu Qiao crying out in pain as Yuwen Yue seemingly put her through a form of painful training, which he cryptically referred to as experiencing the Jianghu world. The next morning, the household was abuzz with whispers about Yuwen Yue’s first bedchamber guest. Hearing commotion outside his room, Yuwen Yue deliberately displayed affection towards Xing'er, affectionately feeding her porridge while embracing her intimately, just as Jin Zhu, a silver bell maidservant, arrived to deliver soup.

As Jin Zhu departed, Yuwen Yue immediately pushed Xing'er away, his demeanor turning cold as he ordered her to wash the bed linens she had "stained." Xing'er retorted that he had intentionally dirtied them, glancing at the bloodstains on the bed. Jin Zhu, brimming with jealousy, openly mocked Xing'er for still being an iron bell servant after serving Yuwen Yue, equating her status to that of a house prostitute. Xiaoqi and Xiaoba quickly jumped to Xing'er's defense.

Jin Zhu escalated the confrontation, but Xing'er deftly used the grappling techniques Yuwen Yue had taught her to subdue Jin Zhu, proving their effectiveness. Meanwhile, Princess Chun'er, dressed in an uncharacteristically sharp, masculine attire that mirrored Yan Xun's style, gathered with Yan Xun and Royal Prince Yuan Song for a game of stick-tossing. Yan Xun, bored, dozed off, prompting Chun'er to playfully tease him with leaves. In his semi-conscious state, Yan Xun murmured about a "Little Wildcat," piquing Chun'er's curiosity.

Yan Xun vaguely dismissed her questions before excusing himself to "feed the cat," causing Chun'er to ponder his words. Later, by the river where Xing'er was doing laundry, Yan Xun approached her, teasing her about her new name, Xing'er, which he found "pretentious" when paired with Yuwen Yue's "Yue" character. He further mocked Yuwen Yue, suggesting his cold demeanor stemmed from failure to consummate his night with Xing'er due to Yuwen Yue being in a period of mourning.

Xing'er dismissed his taunts, preparing to leave. Yan Xun, however, was undeterred, playfully coercing her into leading his horse, Storm, as he preferred to walk. Yan Xun, impressed by Xing'er's spirit, later confronted Yuwen Yue, demanding to take Xing'er with him and threatening to remain indefinitely at Qingshan House if Yuwen Yue refused.

Yuwen Yue, calmly practicing calligraphy, explained that he kept Xing'er because, despite her lack of martial arts, she possessed remarkable reaction speed, agility, observation skills, memory, and resourcefulness. He highlighted her unique background as the sole survivor of the human hunting grounds, lacking any backing in Chang'an City—qualities he deemed essential. Back in the servants' courtyard, Xing'er's preferential treatment, fueled by Jin Zhu's jealousy, led to her and her sisters, Xiaoqi and Xiaoba, being ostracized and constantly troubled.

When Xing'er stood up for her sisters, Jin Zhu, full of rage, spilled dirty water on Xing'er’s laundry. She then poured honey on Xiaoqi and Xiaoba to humiliate them, attracting ants. When Xing'er confronted her, Jin Zhu unapologetically admitted her intent to bully and shame them, asserting her authority in Qingshan House. As the situation escalated, Jin Zhu even attempted a sneak attack to injure Xing'er.

At that critical moment, Yuwen Yue intervened in time to prevent Xing'er from being harmed, sternly commanding Jin Zhu to stop. Jin Zhu, however, immediately accused Xing'er of starting trouble and disrupting the courtyard's peace. Yuwen Yue, unmoved, declared that Jin Zhu had failed to learn the rules and ordered Xing'er to come with him to receive her punishment.

After they departed, Jin Zhu's followers gloated, believing Yuwen Yue's actions confirmed her favored status and that Xing'er, despite her special night, remained inferior. Xing'er, refusing to accept punishment unjustly, explained to Yuwen Yue that she simply couldn't tolerate those who twisted truth and bullied the weak. Yuwen Yue coldly told her that in a world ruled by the strong, the weak had no right to seek justice.

Unconvinced, Xing'er challenged him, asking if those who subverted right and wrong and oppressed the weak were truly the strong. Yuwen Yue, intrigued by her defiance, decided to satisfy her craving for strength. He led her to a secret chamber, instructing her to throw pebbles. Four panther heads began firing headless arrows indiscriminately.

Xing'er struggled at first, but with a warning from Yuwen Yue that Xiaoqi and Xiaoba's lives depended on her mastery, Yue Qi activated six panther heads, intensifying the challenge. Yuwen Yue explained that she needed to train to be precise, swift, and accurate, warning that if her skills were insufficient, the arrows alone would serve as her punishment for the next three hours.

Despite being repeatedly hit, Xing'er endured, her resolve hardening with the thought that to exact revenge, she must tolerate unimaginable pain and hardship. While Chu Qiao was enduring this rigorous training, Yuwen Yue returned to his bedroom for an afternoon nap, only for Yan Xun to playfully disturb him. Their playful scuffle left Yuwen Yue’s usually neat bed in disarray.

Yan Xun, using all his skills, eventually escaped Yuwen Yue's grasp, and casually brought up Xing'er, warning Yuwen Yue not to blunt the claws of such a rare "Little Wildcat." Following the brutal training, Xing'er returned injured to the servant quarters, her body aching. She was assigned to live with Jin Zhu and others, and being weak and injured, she and her sisters could only endure silently, suffering from the cold wind by a broken window.

Seeing Chu Qiao's weak appearance, Xiaoqi was indignant, but Xiaoba found it strange, noting that usually, maids who commit offenses are beaten to death, so it was peculiar for a master to personally torture someone until midnight. During a restless sleep, Xing'er seemed to recall fragments of ceaseless childhood training, which in her dream helped her devise a clever method to block the panther heads by stuffing them with pebbles.

Although she found a way, she didn't fully grasp the underlying principle, meaning her punishment would continue the next day. On a tranquil morning, Xing'er stood motionless on a large rock in a secluded courtyard, while Yuwen Yue sat below, serenely playing his flute. It appeared to be a punishment, but in truth, he was subtly imparting martial arts techniques.

Observing this, Jin Zhu, being meticulous, reported her suspicions to Zhu Shun, who, after deliberation, decided to have her further test Xing'er's capabilities. Jin Zhu soon provoked Xing'er into another fight. Thanks to Yuwen Yue's rigorous training, Xing'er's movements had become swift and agile, allowing her to easily handle Jin Zhu.

This rapid progress, however, deepened Yue Qi's suspicion, as he recognized it as the result of extensive training from a young age, a fact he, as Yuwen Yue's trusted aide, noted with concern. The following morning, in front of all the female servants in Qingshan House, Yuwen Yue personally placed a silver bell on Xing'er, signifying her promotion. He then announced that Jin Zhu's room would now be given to Xing'er.

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