Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 10 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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It was Ruyi's birthday, and the Emperor, being occupied, sent Eunuch Li Yu to deliver a gift: a twin-lotus gold hairpin. Inside Yanxi Palace, First Attendant Hai presented Ruyi with a newly embroidered sachet, replacing a previous one she considered to be bad luck, expressing her sincere affection. Before leaving, Li Yu sought out Suoxin in the kitchen, giving her a velvet flower.
He mentioned that since Suoxin was often overshadowed by A'Ruo, she rarely got to adorn herself with nice things, and hoped the flower would bring good luck, glory, splendor, and promotion. Li Yu reminded Suoxin that they, along with Imperial Physician Jiang Yubin, were from the same hometown and should always look out for each other. Later, A'Ruo ordered Suoxin to fetch mugwort leaves for First Attendant Hai from the Bureau of Imperial Physicians.
There, Suoxin witnessed Imperial Physician Jiang Yubin being harshly reprimanded by Imperial Physician Zhao for daring to modify a prescription based on his own judgment. Zhao warned Jiang Yubin that if he continued to be so presumptuous, he would not be allowed to remain in the bureau. Suoxin comforted Jiang Yubin, acknowledging his diligent study of medicine and expressing confidence in his future success.
She then gave him a handmade sachet, suggesting he put mint inside to stay alert during consultations, which Jiang Yubin promised to carry always. That evening, the Emperor arrived at Yanxi Palace to celebrate Ruyi's birthday. During their meal, they discussed the gifted hairpin. Ruyi playfully noted that while lotus typically symbolized marital bliss, the Emperor had chosen roses, indirectly implying she was "thorny." The Emperor, however, found roses beautiful and thorny, making them even more tempting to pick.
Ruyi then seized the opportunity of her birthday to make a bold request: she asked the Emperor to posthumously confer titles on the late Emperor's unnamed consorts, particularly Lady Li Jingui, whom she subtly hinted was the Emperor's birth mother. Ruyi proposed a modest title, like Noble Lady Dowager, purely to honor her memory and ensure her reputation. The Emperor, visibly upset, angrily questioned her motives, asking why she would make such a request.
Ruyi explained that she did not want others to suffer a similar fate to her aunt, who was buried haphazardly and without proper status due to treason. The Emperor then abruptly left Yanxi Palace and went to First Attendant Hai's room. Inside, A'Ruo and Suoxin tried to comfort Ruyi. Ruyi dismissed A'Ruo but kept Suoxin, explaining that while the Emperor couldn't openly acknowledge his birth mother, she knew he wished to show filial piety.
She hoped her plea would help him fulfill this unspoken desire. Suoxin, however, worried that the Emperor's departure, leaving their birthday meal unfinished, indicated his anger and that Ruyi's efforts might be in vain. Meanwhile, First Attendant Hai was initially flustered by the Emperor's unexpected arrival but, out of consideration for Ruyi's birthday, politely declined to serve him that night, instead arranging to sleep in the warming room.
In the days that followed, Ruyi remained out of the Emperor's favor, a fact noticed by other consorts like Noble Consort Hui, Noble Lady Jia, and Noble Lady Yi, who openly discussed Ruyi's diminished standing, noting the Emperor's continued absence from Yanxi Palace and his brief visit to First Attendant Hai's room on Ruyi's birthday.
The Internal Affairs Department, led by Eunuch Qin Li, took advantage of Ruyi's diminished standing by deliberately delaying Yanxi Palace's monthly allowance and delivering rotten summer fabrics. A'Ruo, incensed, confronted Qin Li at the Internal Affairs Department but was met with ridicule and further insults, with Qin Li claiming Yanxi Palace owed money from past extravagant requests. Ruyi, despite the hardships, maintained her composure, continuing her embroidery.
First Attendant Hai offered her own savings to Ruyi, who refused, understanding everyone's difficulties. Ruyi instructed A'Ruo to keep the damaged fabrics, believing they might eventually serve a purpose. Concerned, Suoxin privately sought Li Yu's help, who acknowledged the difficulty due to Head Eunuch Wang Qin's constant presence near the Emperor but promised to find a way. The Emperor, still distant from Ruyi, visited Pure Consort, who unfortunately mentioned Ruyi, leading to the Emperor's abrupt departure.
While listening to Concubine Mei play the pipa, the Emperor remained distracted. He found Concubine Mei's quiet company preferable to Noble Consort Hui's "noisy" presence. Li Yu, seizing an opportune moment, subtly informed the Emperor about the Internal Affairs Department's practice of "worshipping those above and trampling on those below," implicitly highlighting Yanxi Palace's plight.
This reminded the Emperor that Ruyi's earlier request regarding Lady Li likely stemmed from her understanding of how the unfavored suffer, and his own suppressed filial feelings. Reflecting on this, the Emperor decided to visit the Empress Dowager the following morning.
The next day, news spread throughout the palace: the Emperor had decreed an increase in monthly allowances for the living dowager consorts in Shoukang Palace and, crucially, ordered posthumous titles for all deceased, unnamed consorts of the late Emperor, with their remains to be moved to the Imperial Consort tomb. Ruyi and Suoxin were elated, seeing this as the fulfillment of Ruyi's wish and a sign of her impending return to favor.
The Empress Dowager, recognizing the Emperor's subtle move to honor Lady Li, accepted the decree, albeit acknowledging that Ruyi's proposal, while ultimately successful, might lead to future challenges for her in the harem. Later, Noble Consort Hui brought the Emperor to the library to observe the princes' studies. She brought hibiscus flaky pastries for First Prince Yonghuang, but the Emperor, noticing the boy's distraction, instructed him to write before eating.
As Yonghuang prepared to write, he accidentally pulled up his sleeve, revealing numerous large, painful-looking injuries on his arm. Noble Consort Hui was horrified, and the serving nannies immediately fell to their knees, begging for mercy.
