Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 60 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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The Emperor commanded Yuhu to issue a decree, reiterating the long-standing prohibition from the Shengzu Emperor's reign against court subjects associating with Imperial princes. This renewed order served as a warning, especially directed at the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, as the Emperor strictly forbade princes from fraternizing with officials and forming private factions. Upon learning of the decree, Empress Ruyi acknowledged the Emperor's concern and expressed her hope that Yongcheng would now scrupulously adhere to his duties as an Imperial prince.
Rongpei remarked that while Yongqi had recently fallen out of favor with the Emperor, he had gained the Empress Dowager's affection. Ruyi added that Yongqi’s filial piety towards the Empress Dowager was natural, given her supreme seniority in the palace. In contrast, Noble Consort Jia and her son Yongcheng were too focused on gaining the Emperor's favor, neglecting the Empress Dowager and ultimately losing her care and doting.
At home, Ling Yunche was lost in thought, prompting his wife, Maoqian, to complain that he was neglecting their household, his heart seemingly elsewhere despite his physical presence. Maoqian, dissatisfied after two years of marriage, demanded that Ling Yunche either achieve a high position and wealth for her to enjoy or come home more often, letting her be the mistress of their affairs, especially since he was merely a lowly Imperial bodyguard.
Ling Yunche did not argue, simply turning and heading to his room. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, voiced his frustration to Noble Consort Jia about the Emperor's sudden indifference. Jia assured him not to lose heart, reminding him that even she had lost favor before and regained it through her children. She emphasized that Yongcheng still had opportunities, particularly since no legitimate heir had yet come of age, and urged him to perform well.
Yongqi regularly accompanied the Empress Dowager, who was very pleased with him. When the Mulan Hunting Preserve sent several newly tamed wild horses to the Imperial enclosure, the Emperor invited Yongqi to observe. At the enclosure, where the horses proved quite unruly, Yongcheng volunteered to tame one. He used hay to attract a wild horse and then skillfully mounted it. The Emperor observed how obedient the wild horse was to Yongcheng.
Ling Yunche also commented that Yongcheng was exceptionally familiar with wild horses, as he personally fed newly tamed ones at the Mulan Hunting Preserve during every Autumn Hunt, a feat that even the best trainers struggled with. This sparked a flicker of doubt in the Emperor's mind, recalling his own assassination attempt in the hunting grounds. Later, the Emperor specifically questioned Ling Yunche about the day of his rescue at the Mulan Hunting Preserve.
Ling Yunche recounted how Yongqi had bravely shielded the Emperor with his own body from a furious wild horse, and how Yongcheng had also been remarkably quick, appearing just as the Emperor was in peril. Ling Yunche recalled seeing Yongcheng follow the Emperor into the forest that day, thinking he was searching for him. The Emperor, however, found Yongcheng’s timing suspiciously precise, further intensifying his suspicions. In Qixiang Palace, Noble Consort Jia was deeply unsettled.
She worried that Yongcheng’s display of familiarity with wild horses at the Imperial enclosure had made him "too outstanding," which could easily arouse the Emperor's suspicion, leading to a decline in his favor. She realized that relying solely on Yongcheng was insufficient and that her eighth son, Yongxuan, must also gain the Emperor's favor to ensure one of her three princes would become the crown prince.
Noble Consort Jia decided to write a letter to her maternal clan’s King, urging him to serve Great Qing diligently and economically. She believed that as long as the Emperor saw the Yu Clan as loyal and useful, he would not neglect her and her sons.
She also intended to ask the King to request that the Emperor send an Imperial prince as an envoy to Joseon, hoping it would be Yongcheng to strengthen ties with her clan, or Yongqi, who would then face an uncertain fate. That night, the Emperor awoke from a nightmare, reliving the assassination attempt in the hunting grounds.
He spoke to Ruyi about his suspicions of Yongcheng and Noble Consort Jia, revealing he had sent someone to investigate Yongcheng's whereabouts that day. He recounted how a wild horse had lured him into the forest and how he now knew Yongcheng was an expert at enticing such horses. Ruyi asked if he suspected Yongcheng.
The Emperor explained that Ling Yunche had seen Yongcheng follow him into the forest but heard no shouts of search; Yongcheng only appeared when danger arose, his timing suspiciously fortuitous. He also expressed his awareness of Noble Consort Jia and Yongcheng's ambitions for the throne, likening Yongcheng's fervent desire for the crown prince position to Noble Consort Jia's past coveting of the Empress position.
He had sent someone to verify Ling Yunche's account of Yongcheng's whereabouts, stating that if Yongcheng had compromised his safety to curry favor, he would be unfit to be his son. Ruyi advised him not to dwell on it and return to sleep, reminding him of his court session the next day.
The next day, the Emperor's secret investigator reported that while no direct evidence of Yongcheng harming the Emperor was found, Yongcheng’s actions remained suspicious—he was seen entering the forest after the Emperor but made no sound, only appearing at the moment of danger. Yongcheng’s familiarity with wild horses was confirmed. Unable to find definitive proof against Yongcheng, the Emperor decided to reward Ling Yunche for his meritorious service during the rescue, promoting him to First Rank Imperial Guard.
Upon hearing the news, Maoqian was overjoyed and arranged a celebratory banquet, inviting neighbors and friends. Ling Yunche found this ostentatious, but under Maoqian's insistence, he reluctantly agreed to attend. Later, the Emperor discussed with Ruyi the Yu Clan’s request for an Imperial prince to visit Joseon. He considered sending Yongqi, despite his youth, due to his steady demeanor. Ruyi, however, cautioned that the Yu Clan must have anticipated which prince the Emperor would send and formulated a strategy.
She pointed out that sending Yongcheng would deepen his ties with his maternal clan, potentially creating external influence, while sending Yongqi, whom Noble Consort Jia disliked, might put him in danger during the long journey, with blame difficult to assign to the Yu Clan. Praising Ruyi’s foresight, the Emperor decided to dispatch Prince Xian instead, confident that Prince Xian’s sensibility in official matters would expose any devious plots the Yu Clan might harbor.
The Emperor then told Ruyi that Yongcheng’s suspicious behavior with the wild horse was undoubtedly orchestrated by Noble Consort Jia and her clan. He resolved to have Yongcheng leave the palace and establish his own mansion, believing the further he was from Noble Consort Jia, the better. Ruyi then visited Yongqi, who informed her that the Emperor had summoned him the previous day to discuss the Dzungar issue.
Yongqi, moved by his aunt, Grand Princess Duanshu, and knowing the Emperor also missed her, had suggested dispatching troops to Dzungaria due to Dawachi's unruly behavior and lack of respect for familial ties. He proposed bringing Grand Princess Duanshu back to the capital to reunite her with the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, thus stabilizing Great Qing.
Ruyi praised Yongqi’s filial piety, reminding him that the time she had told him to conceal his strengths had arrived, and he should now seize the opportunity to share the Emperor's burdens with caution and prudence. The Emperor officially ordered the dispatch of two armies to launch a punitive expedition against Dawachi in Dzungaria, with the Qinwang of the Barin Clan commanding the battle.
Yongcheng was dismayed, realizing he had not been informed of this military action, believing it meant his talents were no longer valued. Noble Consort Jia also felt blindsided, lamenting that the Emperor's decision was an unwelcome surprise. She blamed Yongcheng for being too careless at the Imperial enclosure by showing off his familiarity with wild horses, which had aroused the Emperor’s suspicion.
At this juncture, Li Yu arrived at Qixiang Palace to deliver an Imperial decree: the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, having reached adulthood, was commanded to immediately vacate his residence and establish his own mansion outside the palace, forbidden from entering without good reason. Furthermore, the Eighth Prince, Yongxuan, was to move to Xiefang Hall, while the Eleventh Prince, Yongxin, would remain in Qixiang Palace for careful upbringing.
Noble Consort Jia was furious, protesting that Yongcheng was not yet married, which was usually a prerequisite for establishing a separate mansion. Li Yu, however, insisted that this was the Emperor's undeniable will. Noble Consort Jia felt utterly defeated, convinced that someone had schemed against them, giving rise to deep resentment. After Yongcheng's departure, the Third Prince, Yongzhang, and the Fifth Prince, Yongqi, were seen in harmony, discussing state matters.
Ruyi was pleased to see her children getting along, and noted that the Emperor was now more moderate towards Yongzhang. One night, Noble Consort Jia awoke in terror, convinced someone was outside her palace, but her maid, Lixin, found no one. Convinced that someone was trying to harm her and her son, Jia instructed Lixin to bring several dogs to guard Qixiang Palace, believing she could only depend on herself in the palace.
Soon, the palace was filled with dogs that barked incessantly. This constant barking startled Ruyi's Fifth Princess, Jingsi, who suffered from a heart condition, causing her to become unwell. Ruyi, hearing the commotion and seeing Jingsi's distress, immediately ordered Sanbao to remove Noble Consort Jia's dogs from the palace to restore peace. Noble Consort Jia vehemently resisted, but only managed to hide one dog, Fugui'er, before Sanbao’s men took the rest away.
Meanwhile, Consort Ying reported to the Emperor that Noble Consort Jia was keeping many dogs in her palace, claiming they were for protection against those trying to harm her and her son, but their constant barking was disturbing the entire harem. As she spoke, Ruyi's maid, Lingzhi, arrived to report that Jingsi had been terrified by the dogs' barking and Imperial Physician Jiang was urgently attending to her.
Just then, Noble Consort Jia appeared, weeping and complaining that the Empress could not even tolerate her domestic animals. The Emperor, enraged at the news of Jingsi’s fright and Jia’s persistent defiance, sternly rebuked Noble Consort Jia, ordering her to keep only one dog and send the rest away. Though Jingsi was out of danger thanks to Imperial Physician Jiang's care, her heart condition had recurred, requiring extreme caution in the future, as another fright could have disastrous consequences.
With the Emperor’s army now engaged in battle with Dzungaria, the Empress Dowager was deeply worried about Grand Princess Duanshu, fearing she would be caught in the middle. She prayed day and night for her safety. The Emperor also thought of his sister, reflecting on the difficult decision to marry her off, but now, with the Dörbet Clan's return and good relations with the Barin Clan, he had the long-awaited opportunity to suppress the Dzungars.
Ruyi, too, prayed in Anhua Hall, hoping for national peace, an end to wars, and that no more women would have to weep as they were sent to distant lands for marriage. Later, the consorts gathered, remarking on Noble Consort Jia’s worsening mental state, as she now carried only Fugui'er constantly. Pure Consort commented on Noble Consort Jia and Yongcheng’s excessive ambition, dreaming of the crown prince position even with the Empress having a legitimate son.
Ruyi clarified that the dynasty valued virtue above all, not just legitimacy or seniority, believing that all of the Emperor’s sons who possessed true talent and dedication to Great Qing were valuable. Pure Consort then rose and vowed that her children would only be loyal to Great Qing and the future Emperor, never harboring any ambitions to seize legitimacy. She suggested that other consorts with Imperial heirs should also declare their intentions to prevent internal strife. Hailan promptly stood, pledging her unwavering loyalty and adherence to the Empress's guidance.
