Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 40 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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Following the suspicious death of Sulian, Eunuch Yuhu presented the Emperor with a bead flower found clutched in Sulian's hand. The Emperor immediately recognized it as a unique piece he had personally gifted to Noble Consort Chun two years prior during the Double Seventh Festival. While Yuhu admitted to finding no other immediate evidence and acknowledged that a single bead flower was insufficient for a conviction, the Emperor noted that Sulian's final grasp on it implied its significance.
When asked about Noble Consort Chun's whereabouts, Yuhu reported that both Noble Consort Chun and Consort Jia were actively managing the Empress's funeral arrangements. The Emperor was struck by the sight of the pregnant Consort Jia following Noble Consort Chun's orders, reflecting on Noble Consort Chun's "fierce" nature and her rise in influence. Yuhu also relayed the autopsy examiner's findings: Sulian's death could have been accidental or, more disturbingly, she could have been forcefully slammed against a rock pillar.
However, the secluded location of her death made further investigation impossible. Despite Yuhu's apologies for the lack of conclusive evidence, the Emperor dismissed her, his mind now clouded with deeper suspicion, wondering if there were more hidden truths and if he had misjudged the late Empress. The Empress's funeral was conducted with unprecedented grandeur, and the Emperor posthumously bestowed upon her the title "Empress Xiaoxian," commanding the nation to mourn their national mother.
During the funeral, Consort Jia remarked on the lavishness, while Noble Consort Chun dismissed it, stating the grandness was meaningless now that the person was gone. The Dowager Empress reminded everyone of the funeral's importance. Noble Consort Chun, managing the demanding palace affairs, expressed her exhaustion to the Dowager. She downplayed First Prince Yonghuang's help due to his inexperience but proudly spoke of her son, Third Prince Yongzhang, noting his recent maturity.
The Dowager agreed that both Yonghuang and Yongzhang should share responsibilities to gain experience. The Dowager then subtly hinted at Empress Xiaoxian's deathbed recommendation for Noble Consort Chun to become the next Empress. Noble Consort Chun, though flattered, modestly dismissed it as a rumor, claiming she was unsuitable. Meanwhile, in Ruyi's palace, Hai Lan observed Noble Consort Chun's increasingly transparent ambition for the Empress's seat.
She noted how Noble Consort Chun was "flattering and gathering support" by leading the consorts in memorial bows, with even Consort Jia "chumming up" to her. Hai Lan reminded Ruyi that Noble Consort Chun had two sons and a foster son, and the late Empress Xiaoxian's recommendation, making her a strong contender. Hai Lan passionately argued that Ruyi, by virtue of her noble birth and the Emperor's deep affection, was the rightful candidate for the Empress position.
She recalled how the Emperor had initially chosen Ruyi for Empress, only to be obstructed by the late Emperor. However, Ruyi reiterated her desire for the Emperor's love above all else, not a mere title. Hai Lan insisted that "having both love and title" was the "perfect duo," but Ruyi remained steadfast, believing that the position of Empress was not something to be competed for and ultimately rested on the Emperor's will, especially now, with the Emperor deep in grief.
She urged them not to "add chaos to him." Consort Jia received news that the Old Prince was gravely ill and unlikely to survive the summer, meaning her son, the Clan Heir, would soon inherit his father's position. Her palace maid prompted her to consider her own future, especially with the Empress's seat now vacant.
Consort Jia mused that while she had once only aspired to be a favored consort to bring glory to her Clan Heir, the current circumstances left her no choice but to "go forward only" and contend for the Empress position herself. She identified her main rivals as Ruyi and Noble Consort Chun. Dismissing Ruyi as "not worthwhile" due to her childlessness and lineage from Jingren Palace, Consort Jia acknowledged Noble Consort Chun's significant advantage of having three sons.
She then declared her intent to transform this perceived strength into Noble Consort Chun's "fatal weakness." First Prince Yonghuang visited Ruyi, affectionately addressing her as "Mother," a testament to their enduring bond, despite being fostered by Noble Consort Chun. Ruyi, having already sent offerings to his birth mother, Imperial Consort Zhe Min's memorial tablet for her birthday, consoled Yonghuang when he expressed sadness that Noble Consort Chun had forgotten the occasion.
Hai Lan, present during the visit, later observed Yonghuang's advantageous position as the eldest and only adult prince, who had also given the Emperor his first grandson, making him a strong candidate for Crown Prince. However, Ruyi cautioned that such advantages often come with unforeseen drawbacks. At the wine offering ceremony for Empress Xiaoxian, Noble Consort Chun approached Ruyi, expressing her jealousy over Yonghuang's continued affection for Ruyi despite Noble Consort Chun's long years of doting on him.
Ruyi gently reassured Noble Consort Chun that Yonghuang was a filial child who would surely remember her love and care, suggesting that his bond with Ruyi was simply due to her having no children of her own. During a break in the solemn proceedings, Hai Lan remarked on the Emperor's profound shift in demeanor since Empress Xiaoxian's passing. She noted how he now appeared "deeply in love," a stark contrast to his apparent indifference when the Empress was alive.
Hai Lan expressed her frustration with Ruyi's passive attitude, especially as Noble Consort Chun's ambitions became increasingly evident. At home, First Prince Yonghuang dismissed his wife's offer of ginseng soup and her suggestion to rest, insisting on returning to guard the Empress's memorial tablet as was his duty as the eldest prince. His wife urged him to also consider Noble Consort Chun's feelings, given his frequent visits to Ruyi.
Yonghuang, however, spoke dismissively of Noble Consort Chun, claiming she only cared for her own sons and had chosen a lower-class wife for him. He advised his wife to stop "fawning" over her. He then revealed his calculated scheme: since Ruyi was childless, he planned to continuously remind her of their past fosterage, hoping she would advocate for him to the Emperor, thus improving his chances for the Crown Prince position against Yongqi, especially if Noble Consort Chun became Empress.
He coldly stated that "familial relation" and "filial piety" were "false," and only the power that came with becoming Crown Prince was "real." Unbeknownst to Yonghuang, Ruyi was outside and overheard his entire conversation. Heartbroken, Ruyi lamented how the child she had genuinely doted on could become so calculating. Hai Lan, witnessing Ruyi's distress, commented that this pragmatic and ambitious demeanor was precisely "how a true prince should be."
She grimly added that in the palace, notions of "benevolent mothers and filial sons, friendship and respect between brothers" were nothing more than "jokes" – empty praises written posthumously. Hai Lan pressed Ruyi, reminding her of the fierce historical struggles for the throne and warning that Noble Consort Chun was "determined" to become Empress. She urged Ruyi to devise a strategy, but Ruyi decided to observe Noble Consort Chun's next moves first, despite Hai Lan's strong warning not to delay.
Ling Noble Lady diligently massaged Noble Consort Chun's legs, a gesture of flattery echoed by other concubines present. When Consort Jia inquired about Third Prince Yongzhang, Noble Consort Chun explained he had gone to the Bureau of Imperial Physicians to fetch honeysuckle for other princes suffering from mouth sores, praising his thoughtful nature. Nearby, Ruyi observed Consort Yi Huan still taking what she believed to be "conception medicine" from the Emperor.
Ruyi warned her that all medicine held some toxicity and should be avoided if unnecessary, but Consort Yi Huan insisted she was eager to conceive and felt bound by the Emperor's kindness. Later, Hai Lan, ostensibly taking Fifth Prince Yongqi to the Royal Physician's Court for a cough, strategically encountered Third Prince Yongzhang, who was returning from his errand. Hai Lan subtly led Yongqi away, feigning not to notice Yongzhang.
She then quietly instructed Yongqi not to cry on the upcoming day of the late Empress's casket transfer to Mount Jing's Guande Temple. She elaborated that while all other princes and princesses would be overcome with grief, Yongqi's composure would make him stand out to the Emperor, who, having lost both an Empress and a legitimate heir, needed a prince "not affected by sadness or joy" — someone capable of becoming Crown Prince when the opportunity arose.
Yongzhang, within earshot, absorbed every word of this calculated advice before approaching them for a brief, polite exchange and then departing. Upon returning to Noble Consort Chun, Third Prince Yongzhang recounted the conversation he had overheard between Hai Lan and Fifth Prince Yongqi. Noble Consort Chun, recognizing Hai Lan's "motives," instructed Yongzhang to also adopt a "calm and controlled" demeanor.
She reaffirmed her unwavering support for him, reminding him that after her foster son Yonghuang, Yongzhang was the eldest, and with Empress Xiaoxian's deathbed recommendation, he had a strong claim to the Crown Prince position. She also bitterly blamed Empress Xiaoxian for intentionally separating them and spoiling Yongzhang, which she believed had prevented the Emperor from loving him.
Later, Hai Lan brought Yongqi to the Emperor, who was engrossed in writing an elegy expressing his profound sorrow and regret for not having been kinder to the late Empress. Yongqi presented a "four-ginseng soup" he had prepared, explaining he had tasted it first as a filial gesture.
He then innocently recounted hearing First Prince Yonghuang allude to Ming Shenzong's preference for his third son, Zhu Changxun, over his eldest, Zhu Changluo, and how Yonghuang had compared himself to the unfavored Zhu Changluo. Yongqi also briefly mentioned Yonghuang's conversation with his wife about taking on more responsibility as the eldest son. The Emperor, knowing Hai Lan's limited knowledge of history and Yongqi's youth, realized these were carefully planted words.
He sagely concluded that Yonghuang saw himself as the unloved eldest son, like Zhu Changluo, while Yongzhang, akin to Zhu Changxun, harbored ambitions for the throne, both "due to the birth mother." Hai Lan then strategically reinforced this by mentioning the palace rumor that Empress Xiaoxian had recommended Noble Consort Chun as the next Empress, further solidifying the Emperor's deepening suspicion of Noble Consort Chun's machinations.
As they left the hall, Hai Lan praised Yongqi for his performance but sternly warned him not to disclose their conversation to Ruyi, fearing it would "stress" her. Meanwhile, the Emperor questioned Eunuch Yuhu about First Prince Yonghuang and Third Prince Yongzhang's conduct during the funeral. Yuhu reported that both princes were consistently courteous to all attendees. However, the Emperor suspected their humility masked "ulterior motives" and a desire to "court support" for themselves.
He declared that if their filial piety was genuine, it was commendable, but if they were indeed vying for power, they "should die." Elsewhere, Consort Jia was discreetly arranging for a separate, secret offering at Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min's memorial for herself. That evening, the Emperor summoned Ruyi, expressing his frustration that palace residents and outsiders alike were looking down on her for being childless and flocking to Noble Consort Chun.
Ruyi, however, was unfazed, dismissing their actions as a "little affair." She reminded the Emperor that with Yongqi granted to her, she was not truly childless, and those who "deem me lesser" for not giving birth were simply "narrow-minded" and not worth heeding. The Emperor, touched by her "magnanimous mind" which he found far superior to the "petty and calculating" nature of others, was greatly consoled.
Meanwhile, First Prince Yonghuang arrived at Anhua Hall to light incense for his birth mother, Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min, on her birthday. He expressed regret that the day clashed with the Empress's funeral, preventing a proper commemoration, and vowed to eventually bring his mother "higher honor" posthumously. Consort Jia was already there, performing her own offerings.
She spoke cryptically to Zhe Min's spirit, implying that "that person" who had caused her demise had now "gone into the ground after you," urging Zhe Min to confront Empress Xiaoxian if she still harbored grudges. Alarmed, Yonghuang pressed Consort Jia for a clearer explanation. Consort Jia initially feigned helplessness, claiming she lacked support in the palace and had to tread cautiously. Yonghuang, in turn, pledged to protect her son as the eldest prince.
Reassured, Consort Jia revealed the shocking truth: Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min's death years ago had been orchestrated by Empress Xiaoxian. Yonghuang was stunned, though he recalled existing rumors about Empress Xiaoxian's resentment towards his mother for bearing him first. Consort Jia further explained that Empress Xiaoxian had feared Zhe Min would continue to bear sons and monopolize the Emperor's favor, thus arranging her death during childbirth, despite Zhe Min carrying a princess.
Consort Jia concluded that Zhe Min had to die because she was "not docile to Empress Xiaoxian," regardless of the gender of her child. Consort Jia then sternly warned Yonghuang to keep this secret and "not show signs" of his newfound knowledge during the upcoming casket transfer ceremony.
