Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 28 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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Upon Consort Xian Ruyi's return to the palace, Pure Consort intended to visit her at Yikun Palace with First Prince Yonghuang. However, she encountered Imperial Concubine Jia at the entrance, who stated that the Emperor had just left, instructing that Consort Xian needed rest and was not to be disturbed. Imperial Concubine Jia then subtly suggested to Pure Consort that, while First Prince had been under her care for years, his past with Consort Xian made his future uncertain.
She questioned if Pure Consort would simply return a "half-grown son" to Consort Xian, reminding her that her own promotion to Consort was partly due to raising First Prince, in addition to giving birth to Third Prince Yongzhang. Imperial Concubine Jia emphasized First Prince's importance as the eldest heir until the Empress bore a legitimate son. She also mentioned her own Fourth Prince Yongcheng, who was the Emperor's favorite, hinting at the political power of having a favored son.
Imperial Concubine Jia warned Pure Consort to be vigilant, suggesting that someone else might seize an opportunity. She further advised Pure Consort to carefully consider First Prince's upcoming marriage, stressing that a good match would secure strong backing, citing the example of Emperor Shengzu's Eighth Son. Pure Consort acknowledged her advice. Meanwhile, Noble Lady Hai eagerly visited Ruyi, expressing her relief at Ruyi's return.
She noticed Ruyi had grown thinner and expressed guilt for not realizing Ruyi had been poisoned with arsenic. Ruyi, however, dismissed it as a past event. Noble Lady Hai insisted on a thorough investigation, questioning whether the Empress, A'Ruo, or Noble Consort Hui was responsible. Ruyi then sent her maid out and confessed to Hailan that she had orchestrated her own poisoning to create a reason to leave the Cold Palace.
Hailan, in turn, revealed that she too had poisoned herself with cinnabar, a dangerous substance, to aid Ruyi, assuring her that Royal Physician Jiang had monitored the dosage to prevent severe harm. She believed their shared "spiritual connection" ultimately led to Ruyi's release. Hailan then confided in Ruyi about her physical appearance, showing her abdomen covered in stretch marks. She explained that constant hunger had caused her stomach to grow excessively and that midwives had confirmed these marks were permanent.
Despairing, Hailan declared, "The palace is only a place based on looks. Sister, I know my favor has come to an end." Citing her low status and the unlikelihood of keeping her child, she proposed that Ruyi raise her unborn baby, emphasizing that Ruyi, unlike the Empress, Consort Jia, or Pure Consort, needed an heir. Ruyi, initially hesitant given Hailan's difficult pregnancy, ultimately agreed, promising to do her utmost if she were to raise the child.
Later, Ruyi paid a visit to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager, known for her sharp intellect, astutely observed that Ruyi had deliberately taken a risk by orchestrating her own poisoning to escape the Cold Palace. She noted that this move had cast suspicion across the palace, even on the Empress herself, regarding who might have truly provided the white arsenic. Ruyi acknowledged the Empress Dowager's wisdom and subtly agreed that those under suspicion had "done it before."
When asked about her future plans, Ruyi expressed her continued reliance on the Empress Dowager's mercy. The Empress Dowager then articulated her philosophy for the inner palace: she did not favor one concubine's dominance, but rather "a hundred pots of flowers all blooming alluringly." Ruyi confirmed her understanding of this intricate balance. Later that evening, after a special bath prescribed by the Emperor to cleanse away her past misfortunes, Ruyi dreamt of her aunt.
In the dream, her aunt commended her for escaping the Cold Palace and urged her not to stop there, but to "reclaim all that belongs to you." The next morning, as concubines gathered for morning greetings with the Empress, A'Ruo, haunted by nightmares about Ruyi, declared she was not afraid. The Empress, in a display of superficial unity, welcomed Ruyi back and urged everyone to get along, specifically mentioning that Noble Lady Shen (A'Ruo) had once been Ruyi's servant.
Imperial Concubine Jia immediately made a sarcastic remark about Noble Lady Shen's tantrums and frequent mentions of serving the Emperor, leading to a sharp retort from A'Ruo. The Empress then turned her attention to Ruyi, remarking on her understated attire and the absence of the bracelet the Empress had gifted her years ago. Ruyi explained the "lock is loose" and it was sent for repair. The Empress insisted Ruyi wear it daily as a symbol of their "sisterhood."
Following this, Pure Consort offered to return First Prince Yonghuang to Ruyi, hoping to establish a balance among them regarding the princes. Ruyi, however, strategically declined, citing her still-weak health after the Cold Palace and her fear of not being able to adequately care for Yonghuang, thus leaving him in Pure Consort's charge. A delighted Pure Consort then, in a conspiratorial whisper, warned Ruyi about Noble Lady Shen, suggesting Ruyi should "put her in her place" to settle past grievances.
Days later, Hailan expressed concern that the Emperor had not yet visited Ruyi or called her to serve him. Ruyi admitted that their long separation meant their "emotional knots haven't been untied," and she wasn't ready to be "that close" yet. Hailan noted that Ruyi's unjust framing had made the Emperor awkward. They anticipated the upcoming Lidong family banquet as an opportunity to observe the Empress and Noble Lady Shen.
At the banquet, after the Emperor praised the Empress's dumplings, Ruyi presented a jar of rose-flower brewed vinegar. The Emperor praised her thoughtfulness, calling it the essential accompaniment to dumplings. Ruyi then deliberately referred to Noble Lady Shen as "A'Ruo." Imperial Concubine Jia pointed out A'Ruo's current rank as Noble Lady, suggesting Ruyi's address was inappropriate and reminded others of A'Ruo's past as a servant. Ruyi feigned an inability to change old habits.
The Emperor then commanded Noble Lady Shen to toast Ruyi, acknowledging Ruyi as her former mistress who had been freed from injustice. Following the toast, the Emperor, citing A'Ruo's apparent happiness for Ruyi, unexpectedly promoted Noble Lady Shen to Imperial Concubine Shen. Imperial Concubine Jia immediately protested, questioning the sudden promotion given A'Ruo's lack of royal issue or noble lineage, and pointing out that Qixiang Palace would then have two mistresses.
The Emperor clarified that Imperial Concubine Jia remained the sole mistress of Qixiang Palace and there would still be a "difference in status." He then announced that Imperial Concubine Shen's coronation would be forgone, stating he valued her "above formalities," effectively diminishing the significance of her promotion. The Empress then subtly hinted that the Emperor would spend the night with Imperial Concubine Shen.
Later that day, Imperial Concubine Shen, walking arrogantly ahead of Imperial Concubine Jia, was stopped and reprimanded for forgetting the proper ranking order. Imperial Concubine Shen retorted that as they were both Imperial Concubines, they were "all the same." Imperial Concubine Jia, asserting her seniority as a mother of a royal heir, reminded Shen of her origins as Consort Xian's servant and how she "crawled up into His Majesty's bed."
Imperial Concubine Jia's maid, Lixin, further mocked Shen, suggesting her promotion was merely a "slap" given the Emperor's recent statement about Consort Xian's framing. Imperial Concubine Shen slapped Lixin, who, in turn, defiantly refused to learn such "filthy ways." Imperial Concubine Jia then slapped Imperial Concubine Shen, telling her to "learn to be good" and to remember how she "climbed up." She then declared her own backing from the Empress and Noble Consort Hui.
Imperial Concubine Shen, left humiliated, despaired, realizing that despite her promotion, she was still viewed as "only a cheap servant." Ruyi, observing the confrontation from afar, commented to her maid that A'Ruo had not been living well, acknowledging the shame and bullying she endured for her pursuit of "glory and riches." Ruyi then noticed Hailan's unusual and persistent hunger. Concerned, she summoned Royal Physician Jiang to examine her.
After a thorough check, Jiang found Hailan's appetite good and the baby strong, but noted the fetus was "quite a bit bigger than fetuses his age." He then tasted Hailan's prenatal medicine and immediately declared it "not right," requesting the dregs for closer inspection. Examining the dregs, Jiang confirmed that someone had significantly increased the dosage of beneficial prenatal herbs, making the fetus overly strong at the expense of Hailan's own health.
He warned that during labor, Hailan "will have a hard time." Ruyi instructed Royal Physician Jiang to investigate the matter thoroughly. That night, Imperial Concubine Shen attempted to serve the Emperor, pleading with him to touch her, revealing he had "never touched me" in three years. The Emperor coldly rebuffed her, reminding her that she had begged to become his woman and that he had given her a dignified title.
He declared she was bound to the Forbidden City in life and death, and that he kept her by his side only because he had "use in keeping you." He brutally reminded her, "You are forever the slave of Consort Xian. You're really my slave," warning her never to forget her place.
When she blamed Imperial Concubine Jia for slapping her, the Emperor callously responded that "all slaves get slapped by the mistresses" and she should accept such abuse if she desired royal favor. Imperial Concubine Shen then directly questioned his treatment of her, inferring he was tormenting her to avenge Consort Xian. The Emperor simply replied, "Consort Xian will come seek that from you in time." He then directly asked who had instructed her to frame Consort Xian that day.
Imperial Concubine Shen adamantly denied any instruction, insisting Consort Xian "committed the crime." With a dismissive "I see that's how it is," the Emperor told her he would sleep, leaving her to kneel by his bed through the night. The next morning, Imperial Concubine Shen returned to her palace, only to find the decorations unchanged, still suited for a Noble Lady.
Her maid explained that due to the Emperor's emphasis on frugality and the absence of her coronation, no updates had been made. Realizing her Imperial Concubine title was an "empty title," she flew into a rage, smashing her belongings, including a personal keepsake from the Emperor. Her maid tried to console her, but Imperial Concubine Shen cried out, "Does he care about me even? I'm just a toy. Let others throw me around."
Meanwhile, a maid reported to Noble Consort Hui about Imperial Concubine Shen's increasingly erratic temper and her constant questioning of the Emperor's favor. Noble Consort Hui, now deeply worried that the Emperor might "dig up what we did that year" regarding Ruyi's framing, decided their best course of action was to "throw A'Rou out." She planned to pin the entire crime on Imperial Concubine Shen, solidifying her reputation as someone who betrayed her mistress for personal gain.
When her maid expressed concern that A'Ruo might expose them, Noble Consort Hui remained unconcerned, stating that A'Ruo's father worked for Noble Consort Hui's father, and by holding him hostage, A'Ruo "won't dare to talk." She concluded that even if A'Ruo was innocent, she would be forced to "swallow it still."
