Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 70 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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Consort Yu diligently prepared the Emperor's favorite dishes, and he showed her great affection. She expressed her gratitude for his doting, believing her graceful demeanor to be her most important asset, and recalled how others had dismissed her upon her palace entry, thinking her too old. The Emperor assured her of his fondness and promised her promotion to consort, a rank he personally intended to bestow upon her.
On the day of her conferment ceremony, Consort Yu was overcome with joy, proudly displaying her attire. Her maid, Duoyan, mentioned that the other Mongolian consorts had decided not to attend the ceremony. Consort Yu dismissed their absence as jealousy, stating she only cared for the Emperor's presence, confident in her position as a consort personally installed by him.
After asking for the Empress's golden phoenix coral hairpin, Consort Yu was informed that a special medicine she had requested had arrived. She sent Duoyan to retrieve it. As Duoyan received the medicine from an eunuch who worked in Yangxin Hall, Yongqi's men, who had been following the eunuch, immediately apprehended both Duoyan and the eunuch. Ruyi brought Yongqi to report his findings to the Emperor.
Yongqi explained that he had grown suspicious of a particular eunuch who frequently swept in Yangxin Hall, noticing his deliberate attempts to get close to the Emperor and his strange behavior. Yongqi's investigation revealed that the eunuch was spying, secretly recording important information, and relaying it outside the palace. He traced these actions back to Consort Yu. Additionally, Yongqi discovered that Consort Yu had secretly brought a certain medication into the palace.
Deeming it inappropriate to describe himself, Yongqi requested Royal Physician Jiang to explain its nature. Royal Physician Jiang confirmed that the medication was a potent aphrodisiac, not poisonous, but highly addictive and severely damaging to the body if ingested. He added that it was fortunate Yongqi discovered it before it could be used on the Emperor.
The Emperor, realizing Consort Yu's sinister and deceitful intentions, declared that she was dangerous despite the lack of poison, and ordered more stringent checks on his food and drink. Ruyi expressed her concern for the Emperor's well-being and suggested summoning Consort Yu for questioning, but the Emperor decided to confront her himself. Upon the Emperor's arrival at her palace, Consort Yu was surprised, initially believing he had come for her ceremony.
However, when she saw Duoyan and the eunuch in chains, her facade crumbled. She feigned ignorance, claiming to know nothing and to have done nothing, begging the Emperor to investigate thoroughly. The Emperor, however, was unmoved. He instructed Li Yu to declare that Consort Yu would retain her title but he no longer wished to see her. Furthermore, her green-tipped tag, which signified eligibility for imperial favor, was to be removed, permanently forbidding her from serving him in bed.
She was confined to her palace, prohibited from leaving without special approval, and informed that she would henceforth be merely "Consort Yu of the Forbidden City," no longer his consort. The Emperor then stormed out, leaving Consort Yu wailing and pleading in despair. Yongqi expressed his gratitude to Royal Physician Jiang for ensuring the Emperor's safety. Jiang congratulated Yongqi on his upcoming title of Beile, to which Yongqi responded with thanks.
When Jiang inquired about an old leg injury, Yongqi dismissed it as mere fatigue, despite Jiang's warning about his recurring osteoarthritis flaring up in cold and fatigue. Yongqi insisted he was young and strong, and his injury had healed, discreetly asking Jiang to keep it from the Emperor to avoid causing him worry. Later, the Emperor praised Yongqi for his diligence and hard work, especially in discussing the common man's circumstances with ministers.
He confirmed Yongqi's conferment as Beile and announced that, in the following year, he would assign Yongqi to the Ministry of Revenue for further experience. Yongqi humbly accepted, expressing his desire to remain by the Emperor's side. Meanwhile, Ling Consort, also known as Wei Yanwan, instructed her maid Chunchan to ensure that Imperial Physician Bao kept Yunjiao's life under his control, recognizing that a beauty like Yunjiao would be of great use in the Fifth Prince's manor.
Chunchan confirmed that Yunjiao had already entered Yongqi's manor as a servant and was doing well, much to Ling Consort's satisfaction. One snowy day, Yongqi returned to his manor to find a snowman, without a nose or eyes, built by Yunjiao. She cleverly explained that the snowman's nose had frozen off and its eyes were closed because it was tired.
Yongqi playfully completed the snowman's face and even added Yunjiao's own scarf to the snowman, impressed by her wit and charm. Later that night, Yongqi found Yunjiao attempting to repair a broken swallow's nest using a ladder. She explained her concern for the swallows' return in spring, and invited Yongqi to witness their return. Yongqi, touched by her kindness, offered to climb the ladder himself to fix the nest, and they shared a moment of easy camaraderie.
Ruyi noted how quickly time passed, with Yongqi having already moved out of the palace and established his own residence. Yu Consort expressed concern that Yongqi seemed distant from his own Fujin and Cefujin after over a year of marriage, and suggested finding him more attendants, but Ruyi assured her that Yongqi was not one to indulge in frivolous affairs.
In the manor, Yunjiao, a daughter of a scribe, expressed her gratitude to Yongqi and her intention to serve him diligently and respectfully, acknowledging her humble background. Yongqi, however, told her not to belittle herself, promising to elevate her to the rank of Gege and eventually request her official conferment as Cefujin. Yunjiao, deeply moved, declared that she sought no title, only to follow him.
General Zhaohui reported to the Emperor that the Han tribe had sent a tribute of valuable white nephrite. Among the gifts was a portrait of Hanti's daughter, Han Xiangjian, who was rumored to be exceptionally beautiful and highly respected by the border tribes. Hanti, it seemed, wished to express the Han tribe's desire for harmony through his daughter.
The Emperor, acknowledging the Han tribe's proactive diplomacy after his pacification of Dzungaria, ordered General Zhaohui to escort Han Xiangjian to the palace. During her journey, Han Xiangjian's betrothed, Hanqi, pursued her. Tragically, an avalanche struck, and Han Xiangjian watched in horror as Hanqi was buried beneath the snow. General Zhaohui successfully escorted Han Xiangjian to the capital, where the Emperor hosted a grand banquet to welcome her, attended by the Empress Dowager and all the consorts.
As Han Xiangjian unveiled herself, everyone was struck by her ethereal beauty, and the Emperor was visibly captivated, staring at her in a daze. Han Xiangjian then performed a Han tribe dance. As she danced, the Emperor was deeply moved by her mesmerizing movements, showering her with praise. However, in a sudden turn of events, Han Xiangjian pulled out a dagger, attempting to take her own life to follow Hanqi in death.
The Emperor immediately ordered his guards to stop her. The Empress Dowager sharply questioned Han Xiangjian's actions, and Ruyi reminded her that her father had sent her to promote harmony, and suicide would betray his intentions, making her unfilial and unwise. The Empress Dowager, while acknowledging Han Xiangjian's grief, stated that her continued irrational behavior would only harm those still living.
She proposed arranging a manor for Han Xiangjian in the capital, where she could reside temporarily, and then be conferred the title of "External Mingfu" (a title for attendants of imperial princesses or mothers/female relatives of imperial consorts) before being honorably returned to her father. However, the Emperor interrupted, declaring that all arrangements had already been made: Lady Han would enter the palace immediately, and his eunuch Yuhu was to take her to Chengqian Palace for a bath and change.
Ling Consort questioned this, pointing out that Chengqian Palace, meaning "Celestial Favor," was reserved only for favored consorts. Ruyi supported her, arguing that Chengqian Palace was one of the Six Palaces of the Inner Court, unsuitable for an "External Mingfu," and urged the Emperor to reconsider. The Empress Dowager agreed with Ruyi, but the Emperor, disregarding their counsel, twisted the Empress Dowager's words to declare that he would follow her "decree" and make Lady Han the mistress of Chengqian Palace.
He then stormed off, leaving the Empress Dowager and the consorts stunned. Ruyi bid farewell to the Empress Dowager, who, in turn, lamented Ruyi's inability to sway the Emperor. The Empress Dowager worried that Han Xiangjian's arrival would shatter the harem's peace, especially given the Emperor's unprecedented infatuation, which Ruyi herself noted she had never witnessed in their many years together. Yu Consort remarked on the Emperor's uncharacteristic behavior, fearing the implications of Han Xiangjian's presence.
In Chengqian Palace, Li Yu followed the Emperor's orders to furnish it lavishly and assigned the palace maid Xipo to attend to Han Xiangjian. However, Han Xiangjian rejected all the gifts and ordered Xipo and the other palace maids to leave her alone. Meanwhile, Consort Chun, who had been coughing for two months, was visited by her son, Yongzhang, who brought her medicine.
Consort Chun expressed her sorrow over Yongzhang's loss of the Emperor's favor due to her past encouragement for him to contend for the crown prince position, and her own cold treatment from the Emperor. Yongzhang assured her that the past was forgotten and reminded her that the Emperor was often suspicious and cold, even to the Empress. He urged her to focus on her recovery and not to overthink.
Seeing the late hour and heavy rain, Consort Chun sent Yongzhang back to his residence. The Empress Dowager summoned the Emperor to reiterate her concerns about Han Xiangjian's placement. The Emperor, however, insisted that keeping Han Xiangjian in the palace served a greater purpose beyond personal desires. He argued that her respected status among the border tribes would allow him to demonstrate benevolence and use her connections to foster closer relations between the Great Qing and the various border tribes.
He assured the Empress Dowager that he understood the importance of maintaining proper decorum and handling the situation carefully, but stressed that Hanti's gesture was one of "beautiful intentions" that he would receive kindly. The Empress Dowager advised him to proceed unhurriedly with any conferment to avoid unforeseen complications.
Later, the Emperor visited Han Xiangjian in Chengqian Palace, where his eunuchs informed him that she had barely eaten since her arrival, spending her days staring blankly into the distance and rejecting all his gifts. Faced with her stubborn refusal to engage, and with Yongqi awaiting him at the Imperial Study, the Emperor regretfully took his leave.
