Royal Nirvana Episode 21 Recap, Plot

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As Xiao Dingtang prepared to leave the capital, he bid farewell to Lady Jiang, entrusting his mother to her care. Lady Jiang assured him she would. Soon after, Lady Jiang reported back to Zhao Guifei, who was visibly distressed by her beloved son's departure. Her mind was elsewhere, and she lost her appetite. A maid attempted to encourage her, "The fish is delicious. It's from grandpa, right? You should eat some." Zhao Guifei then expressed her concern, "It's cold outside.

Did he wear enough?" to which a maid replied, "Not much." When Xiao Dingkai attempted to comfort his mother, he was sharply rebuked, simply hearing, "Behave." He stood by her side, looking upset and wronged. Lu Wenxi and Lu Wenjin departed the capital with Li Ming'an. Xiao Dingquan, having dispatched Gu Fengen to secretly escort them, watched as they passed through the city gates. Gu Fengen, observing Xiao Dingquan's dispirited state, playfully suggested he go see them off himself.

Xiao Dingquan sighed, explaining he had promised the Emperor that he would never again have any connection with Lu Wenxi, lamenting that if she couldn't stay, they should simply forget each other. Unbeknownst to Xiao Dingquan, Lu Wenxi was a resolute woman. Mid-journey, she secretly disembarked the carriage. She tenderly advised her younger brother, Lu Wenjin, to "listen to madam, behave, and not make troubles for them."

She encouraged him to "study well" and "practice your calligraphy more," hoping he would write as beautifully as his brother when they next met. Lu Wenjin, upset by her departure, asked, "Sister, why do you leave me?" Lu Wenxi explained her unwavering resolve: "Because I don't understand. I will go back to find brother and dad. And we will pick you up together. Our family will never be separated again." She instructed Wenjin to wait for Madam Li.

Little Lu Wenjin, weeping, begged her to wait and asked why she broke willow branches. Lu Wenxi replied, "Because some people don't understand. We don't need any fortune. We just don't want to be separated from our family. So we want to keep them stay with the willows. Even if they have to leave, it won't be too long." She promised to return quickly, even "on horseback." Shortly after, Madam Li discovered Lu Wenxi was missing.

Her servants only found Lu Wenjin, who was crying, "Where is sister? She left me." Madam Li immediately ordered a widespread search, but to no avail. Xiao Dingkai, also a son of Zhao Guifei, struggled to gain his mother's affection, unlike his older brother, Xiao Dingtang. In an effort to please her, he intentionally consumed fish and shrimp, foods he was allergic to, simply because they were Xiao Dingtang's favorites.

Lady Jiang, who always held a soft spot for Xiao Dingkai, noticed his red rashes and brought him medicine from the palace late at night. When he asked her to apply it, she chided him gently for eating things he shouldn't and suggested he have his younger sisters do it. He also lamented, "Anyway, minister Lu died. Who will I write it to?" At this moment, a servant announced that a "prefectural governor Li's servant" was seeking an audience.

This servant was, in fact, Lu Wenxi, disguised as a man, having nowhere else to turn, she sought refuge with Xiao Dingkai. Xiao Dingkai was utterly astonished to see Lu Wenxi in disguise. She knelt before him, pleading for his help to enter the palace. Xiao Dingkai immediately recognized her, asking, "Sister, you have left the capital with prefectural governor Li, right? Why are you dressed up like this? You run back behind their back?"

Lu Wenxi, having overheard a conversation between Li Ming'an and his wife, revealed that while her father and brother were temporarily spared from execution, their ultimate fate hinged on the struggle between the Eastern Palace and Li Baizhou. She explained, "I want to serve in the Eastern Palace," believing that entering the Eastern Palace was the only way to help them. Xiao Dingkai vehemently chastised her, exclaiming, "Ridiculous!" and asked if she understood the implications.

He tried to suggest other solutions, such as appealing to the Emperor or seeking help from prefectural governor Li. But Lu Wenxi stated, "You helped me a lot. I don't want to cause you any troubles again," and insisted on her plan. Xiao Dingkai flatly refused, saying, "I am not afraid of being implicated, but I absolutely disagree." He confessed, "Because I want to call you sister, not sister in law." He further probed her, "You are very smart.

You are here to see me tonight, also because you know this right?" Lady Jiang, having witnessed the entire exchange from the shadows, emerged after Xiao Dingkai had Lu Wenxi settled in a guest room. Xiao Dingkai grumbled, rebuking Lady Jiang for teasing him about Lu Wenxi, "Don't make fun of me, lady. I have said I don't want to be sandwiched between them. You think it's so easy to send a living person into the Eastern Palace?"

Lady Jiang then offered a solution, explaining that as she was responsible for selecting the female officials to serve the Crown Princess at the upcoming wedding, it wouldn't be difficult to send Lu Wenxi into the Eastern Palace. She further pointed out the advantages, noting Lu Wenxi's knowledge of the Tea and Horse Road affairs and her family's connections, suggesting that if Lu Ying were rescued, prefectural governor Li would be forever indebted to Xiao Dingkai.

However, Xiao Dingkai remained unwilling, questioning the benefit for him since he would be leaving the capital after the wedding. Lady Jiang playfully teased him, "I said it wrong. You are not grown up. You are still a child," and then left for the palace, instructing a maid to apply medicine for Fifth Prince. Despite Yanzuo Palace being fully repaired for his impending marriage, Xiao Dingquan was determined not to move back.

The Emperor inquired about his well-being, even offering incense for his insomnia, to which Xiao Dingquan demurred, though he did joke that Gu Fengen was now the one with insomnia. The Emperor then pressed him, "You want to move back or not?" regarding his wedding location, Yanzuo or Baoben Palace. Xiao Dingquan tactfully replied, "You should make the decision for me," and the Emperor deferred the decision to a court discussion the day after tomorrow.

Gu Fengen discussed the matter with Xiao Dingquan, pointing out that while the Eastern Palace, also known as Dongfu Palace, might not have a pleasant name, it was "half the court after all." He warned Xiao Dingquan that if he returned to the palace, his days of staying out all night would be over.

Gu Fengen elaborated on the practical difficulties, explaining that it would become "so difficult" for Xiao Dingquan to ride horses, view paintings, or meet with outside ministers at night if he were confined within the inner palace. Xiao Dingquan firmly stated, "I can't go back." Within the palace, maids gossiped about the Crown Prince's potential return to Yanzuo Palace, wondering if he would willingly move. They speculated that despite the palace being ready, he might not use it.

One maid's comment on her "eating what" (likely referring to jealousy) was overheard by Kouzhu. Enraged, Kouzhu declared, "It doesn't matter that you gossip about me. As the maid, how dare you to gossip about the crown prince? Even about the state affair." She ordered the maid to be beaten and sent to the garment department, stating, "Crown Princess is coming. We should set the rules straight."

To dissuade Lu Wenxi from her dangerous plan, Xiao Dingkai asked Lady Jiang to test her on palace etiquette, believing that if she failed, she would abandon the idea of entering the palace. Xiao Dingkai specifically asked Lady Jiang to quiz her on rules like "who should show the courtesy when the imperial concubine and the Crown Princess meet," aiming to make her give up. Lady Jiang agreed.

Lu Wenxi proved to be exceptionally knowledgeable, answering all of Lady Jiang's questions flawlessly. When asked if the Crown Prince would return to the palace after his wedding, Lu Wenxi confidently asserted, "No. He won't." Impressed by her sharp intellect, Lady Jiang decided to take her into the palace immediately, telling her, "What are you waiting for? Get changed and go to the palace."

Xiao Dingkai was agitated by this turn of events, but Lady Jiang reassured him with a smile, promising, "I will return her to you." On their way to the palace, Lady Jiang, impressed by Lu Wenxi's intellect, encouraged her to elaborate on why she believed the Crown Prince would not return to the palace.

Lu Wenxi articulated that Dongfu Palace, being a residence outside the main imperial complex, offered greater flexibility for the Crown Prince to interact with ministers and conduct affairs. She argued that if the Emperor truly intended to leverage the Crown Prince against Li Baizhou, he would grant him this freedom, as "if the emperor wants to keep the chancellor at bay, he needs to help the crown prince to give him the freedom."

Lady Jiang nodded in approval, stating, "Keep it." They soon arrived at Donghua Gate, the east entrance of the imperial palace. Lady Jiang noted that this was the gathering point where the Crown Prince and Li Baizhou were scheduled to meet with the Emperor to discuss the Crown Prince's post-wedding residence.

While observing the ministers arriving, including the unperturbed Chancellor Li Baizhou, Lady Jiang observed Lu Wenxi and mused to herself that she reminded her of a former female historian named Gu Sese, who had left due to illness. Lady Jiang pointed out the chancellor and other participating officials to Lu Wenxi, explaining their roles in the upcoming discussion.

She then instructed Lu Wenxi to lower her head and told her that they were waiting to witness the outcome of the discussion. Lady Jiang concluded, "If your answer is right, your name will be. . ." implying Lu Wenxi's future in the palace depended on the accuracy of her prediction.

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