Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 22 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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Having suffered immense injustice, Hailan arrived at the Cold Palace, her hand injured and her heart filled with despair. Ruyi, despite her own hardships, comforted Hailan, urging her to learn to protect herself. Ruyi reminded Hailan that she had once successfully advocated for Ruyi during the cinnabar incident, demonstrating her own strength.
Hailan, however, felt helpless, explaining that those who bullied her – the Empress, Noble Consort Hui, and First Attendant Shen – were either highly powerful or favored by the Emperor. Ruyi then advised Hailan that if she could not protect herself alone, she must learn to leverage the power of others, such as the Empress Dowager or the Emperor.
Ruyi acknowledged Hailan's fear of the Emperor but implored her to overcome it and to live well, so Ruyi could rest assured in the Cold Palace. Later, on her way back to her palace, Hailan stumbled upon Noble Consort Hui. She overheard Noble Consort Hui confessing to her maid that she had framed Ruyi and caused the miscarriages of Imperial Concubine Yi and Imperial Concubine Mei, all to secure Second Prince Yonglian's position and ease the Empress's burdens.
Overwhelmed with shock and rage, Hailan collapsed in the rain, but her maids eventually found her and brought her back to her palace. During this ordeal, a sachet Hailan wore, made for Ruyi, was discarded, and she was forced to kneel in the rain. Upon waking, Hailan reflected on Ruyi's words, her resolve hardened by the injustices she and Ruyi had endured. She decided that she must become strong to seek vengeance for Ruyi and herself.
Meanwhile, Imperial Physician Jiang Yubin attempted to visit Ruyi in the Cold Palace but was intercepted by Eunuch Ma, who sternly turned him away. Eunuch Ma, secretly in the pay of Noble Consort Hui, continued to ensure that Ruyi's daily meals, though appearing innocuous, were subtly tampered with to cause her prolonged suffering, having been rewarded by Noble Consort Hui's maid for his cooperation.
Hailan met with Pure Consort and Imperial Concubine Jia, and Pure Consort revealed that Second Prince Yonglian's severe asthma had worsened significantly because the Empress, driven by her ambition for him, had relentlessly pushed him to study day and night. Pure Consort also mentioned that despite the Empress's desperate measures, including transcribing scriptures with her own blood, the royal physicians held little hope, suggesting Yonglian might not survive beyond the next summer.
Seeking an opportunity to gain favor, Hailan learned about the embroidery workshop's struggle to create a long-life blanket for the Empress Dowager's upcoming Chongyang Festival birthday, specifically with the intricate phoenix feather design that the Empress Dowager found tacky. Drawing on her keen observations of the Empress Dowager's Buddhist beads, made of purple sandalwood and tourmaline, Hailan visited the workshop.
She advised the embroiderers on a color scheme that was both subtle and elegant, incorporating dark purple silk with silver threads, purple crystal beads, tourmaline (also known as "longevity stone") beads, and beeswax stones (amber) for auspicious prayer. Her thoughtful guidance impressed the Emperor, who, upon seeing her work, realized her quiet intelligence. Admitting his past neglect, the Emperor decided to spend the night with Hailan.
During their night together, the Emperor remarked on a faint, unique fragrance in Hailan's room. Hailan explained it was from a special pillow technique Ruyi had taught her, made with foxtail millet and calamus leaves. The mention of Ruyi's name caused the Emperor to abruptly declare his weariness and cease further conversation. Hailan understood that the Emperor still harbored feelings for Ruyi but was sensitive about her.
She pondered whether to reveal Ruyi's injustice but concluded that without concrete proof against powerful figures like Noble Consort Hui and the Empress, rashly speaking out could harm Ruyi rather than help her. Suddenly, the Empress's distraught cries for Yonglian echoed through the palace, followed by a eunuch's urgent report that Second Prince Yonglian had passed away. He was posthumously named Crown Prince Danhui.
The Emperor was heartbroken, lamenting the loss of his legitimate heir, who was destined to succeed him. The Empress, consumed by profound grief and guilt, blamed herself for Yonglian's death, believing her relentless academic demands had weakened him. She also regretted her decision to reduce staff at Xiefang Hall, suspecting that fewer attendants meant reed pollen was able to enter his room and obstruct his breathing. Later, Hailan was found secretly burning paper offerings for Second Prince Yonglian.
She declared that his death was a just retribution for the Empress's cruelty and harm to others, stating that the Empress had "reaped what she sowed." Unknown to others, Hailan herself had previously orchestrated Yonglian's death by having reed flowers brought in to obstruct his breathing. When warned of approaching visitors, Hailan quickly extinguished the fire and departed. Subsequently, while Noble Consort Hui was in the garden with Princess Hejing, the princess discovered some unburnt paper offerings.
Noticing the offerings were found near the Cold Palace, Noble Consort Hui's maid speculated that someone might be cursing the deceased Crown Prince Danhui. Noble Consort Hui immediately suspected Ruyi, concluding that Ruyi was "troublesome alive." She decided this was an opportune moment to eliminate Ruyi for good but resolved to wait for the Empress to recover before enacting her plan, also noting that the Crown Prince's death elevated the prospects of her own potential child.
Later, Ruyi's joint swelling worsened, and she asked Hailan to discreetly seek out Imperial Physician Jiang Yubin, as he was Suoxin's compatriot and had previously sent medicine, hoping they could find a way to help her despite the restrictions of the Cold Palace.
