Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 78 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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After school, Yongji appears unhappy. His Fifth Brother, Yongqi, asks what is troubling him. Yongji explains that Guard Ling Yunche used to pick him up, and now everyone in the palace is gossiping that his mother, the Empress, and Ling Yunche had an affair. He questions why Imperial Father still allows Ling Yunche to serve in Yikun Palace as a eunuch, asking Yongqi if he believes the rumors.
Yongqi firmly dismisses these idle rumors, reassuring Yongji that he has never believed them and Royal Mother would never do such a thing. Yongji then asks Yongqi to visit him more often. Meanwhile, Eunuch Qing arrives at Yikun Palace to deliver Ruyi's monthly silver, noting Rongpei's poor health and the Emperor's frequent visits. He encounters Ling Yunche returning with freshly picked flowers and mocks him, referring to him as "Eunuch Xiao Lingzi" and a "slave."
Jinzhong then appears, and Eunuch Qing continues to taunt Ling Yunche, suggesting he is thriving in Yikun Palace because he is close to someone he desires. Ling Yunche, in turn, retorts that if Jinzhong's words reflect the Emperor's intentions, then Jinzhong should relay those instructions directly to the Empress. He warns Jinzhong that falsely conveying imperial orders is a serious offense, effectively silencing Jinzhong.
Rongpei later tells Ruyi that Ling Yunche has requested not to work in the inner courtyard, wishing to maintain a distance to protect Ruyi. Ruyi understands his intent. She then asks Rongpei if this whole affair is finally over. Rongpei, surprised, questions how it could not be over, given Ling Yunche's current condition. Ruyi sighs, expressing her worry that the Emperor's suspicion will not dissipate easily.
Out of concern for Ling Yunche, who has suffered such humiliation and injury, Ruyi instructs Rongpei to make him a special pillow filled with chrysanthemums, white angelica, magnolia, and tartary buckwheat. Elsewhere, a pregnant Wei Yanwan is plagued by intense morning sickness. The thought of Ling Yunche still serving in Ruyi's palace disgusts her and worsens her condition. She yearns for Ling Yunche to be removed from Yikun Palace, believing it would bring her some peace.
Later, the Emperor and Ruyi are watching a play called "Over the Wall," with Ling Yunche serving nearby. Ruyi subtly realizes the play is orchestrated by the Emperor for Ling Yunche's benefit. During a meal, the Emperor abruptly tells Ruyi that someone in her palace has "unclean hands and feet" and orders her to investigate. When Ruyi asks for clarification, the Emperor accuses Ling Yunche of stealing one of his treasures from Yikun Palace.
He immediately commands Jinzhong to reassign Ling Yunche to be the lowest-ranked sweeping eunuch. Ruyi maintains a calm demeanor, refusing to plead. The Emperor, visibly frustrated by her composure, asks if she thinks he enjoys watching this "play." He asserts that his actions are out of good intentions, as Ruyi appeared to be "suffocating to death" lately. Ruyi coolly thanks him for his "good intentions."
After the Emperor leaves, Ruyi's anger boils over, and she smashes a bowl on the table. Outside, Ling Yunche is shown enduring harsh physical labor in the rain, subject to further torment. In the following days, the Bureau of Internal Affairs removes many servants from Yikun Palace, claiming they are incompetent, but without specifying when replacements will be sent. Rongpei deduces this is the Emperor's unspoken command, but Ruyi simply tells her to let it be.
Hai Lan visits Ruyi, bringing snacks, but Ruyi has no appetite. Hai Lan inquires about Ling Yunche's transfer. Ruyi explains that the Emperor found a pretext to move him, fabricating an accusation of theft. Her primary concern remains the Emperor's lingering suspicion, fearing the matter is far from resolved. Ruyi expresses her helplessness, stating that the Emperor currently needs to see Ling Yunche suffer as a slave to vent his anger.
Her only plan is to wait a year or so, then try to secure a transfer for Ling Yunche to a remote palace, out of the Emperor's sight, in hopes of saving his life. Rongpei brings the handmade chrysanthemum pillow to Ling Yunche. She tells him that while she made it, Ruyi personally selected the chrysanthemums inside, knowing his suffering was inevitable. Ling Yunche is deeply grateful, acknowledging that while he suffers physically, Ruyi suffers in her heart.
He asks about Ruyi's well-being after his departure, and Rongpei replies that it is "passable enough, for reputation's sake." Ling Yunche blames himself, but Rongpei assures him Ruyi has never thought that. Later, while sweeping in the Imperial Garden, Ling Yunche discreetly glances towards Ruyi and Hai Lan.
Yongqi, witnessing this, approaches Ling Yunche and sternly warns him to control his gaze and avoid looking in that direction, emphasizing that it is crucial for the safety of both Royal Mother and Ling Yunche himself. Yongqi expresses pity for Ling Yunche's current plight but acknowledges his inability to help. Ling Yunche thanks him. As winter approaches, Wei Yanwan gives birth to the Sixteenth Prince, Yongquan.
The Empress Dowager, observing Wei Yanwan's successive births, orders the Sixteenth Prince to be raised in Shou Kang Palace by Dowager Consorts, as per old rules. She specifies this is to prevent Wei Yanwan from becoming too arrogant, especially since she was allowed to keep the Fifteenth Prince. Ruyi is present with the Empress Dowager, copying scriptures.
The Empress Dowager remarks on Ruyi's "lonely" situation with only one son and recalls Empress Xiaoxian's "lucky" early death, which led the Emperor to miss her for so long. Ruyi ponders which state, life or death, is truly more blessed. She then proposes distributing Laba congee to palace servants and the common people for the upcoming Laba Festival as a token of grace.
The Empress Dowager agrees, insisting that it be done generously so that everyone in the palace receives the benevolence. Wei Yanwan is deeply saddened by the removal of Yongquan. She laments that despite Ruyi falling out of favor, she still holds enough influence, even with the Empress Dowager, to cause her child to be taken away. Wei Yanwan vows to suppress the Empress.
Meanwhile, Yongqi returns from a hunting trip with a red fox, which he plans to give to Yun Jiao for a muff, showing clear favoritism over his other wives. Yun Jiao, noticing Yongqi's leg injury, prepares hot water for him, but he insists on cold water, claiming to be accustomed to it. Yongqi expresses regret that Yun Jiao has never had a child, while Yun Jiao, feeling unwell, dismisses it as trivial "woman's things."
Jinzhong tells Wei Yanwan that while they have Yun Jiao to manage Yongqi (who has recently been conferred as Prince Rong by the Emperor), Ruyi still has the Twelfth Prince, Yongji, who would be the next choice for crown prince if Yongqi were out of the picture. Wei Yanwan finds it exhausting to plot against Yongqi, let alone Yongji, subtly.
She desires for Ruyi's own son to be the one to cause her downfall, as a means to fully vent her hatred. Jinzhong proposes leveraging Ling Yunche again, since he remains a point of contention between the Emperor and Ruyi. He suggests using Ling Yunche to completely erode the Emperor's empathy for Ruyi, emphasizing that Ling Yunche must die, and his death should strategically benefit their plans.
Chunchan returns from her aunt's funeral, informing Wei Yanwan that her aunt died after consuming poisonous wild mushrooms from Southern Guangdong. The mushrooms caused hallucinations, leading her aunt to fall into a lake and drown. Seeing an opportunity, Wei Yanwan instructs Chunchan to obtain some of these wild mushrooms as "physical evidence." Later, a eunuch serving Yongji intentionally gives him an abundance of "sweet sliced mushrooms" at lunch.
Simultaneously, he repeatedly brings up worsening rumors about Ruyi and Ling Yunche, implying they "held each other privately," making Yongji increasingly anxious. Yongji dismisses the rumors angrily. Wanting to see his mother, Yongji decides to visit Ruyi in the Imperial Garden to admire plum blossoms. The eunuch subtly reminds him that Ling Yunche is also assigned to sweep there as punishment. Ruyi is indeed in the Imperial Garden, finding solace in the plum blossoms and the fresh air.
Ling Yunche, sweeping nearby, kneels and greets her. He assures her he is well and feels at ease seeing her healthy. Ruyi expresses guilt for implicating him, but Ling Yunche insists he is not suffering and only wishes for her future safety and smoothness, adding they should both be safe. He then asks for Ruyi's permission to pick some plum blossoms for her, as he used to, and Ruyi agrees.
As Yongji enters the Imperial Garden, influenced by the mushrooms and the eunuch's earlier insinuations, he experiences a hallucination. He sees Ling Yunche hand a plum blossom to Rongpei, but in his altered state, he perceives Ling Yunche handing it directly to Ruyi, and then he hallucinates them embracing under the plum trees. Terrified, Yongji runs wildly, stumbling upon the Emperor and Wei Yanwan, who are also visiting. The Emperor demands to know why Yongji is running.
Yongji's eunuch quickly informs the Emperor that the Twelfth Prince saw Ruyi and Ling Yunche "embracing each other" in the Imperial Garden. Wei Yanwan suggests to the Emperor that he should summon the Empress to clarify the situation. Yongji, still in a state of shock, can only stammer, "Mother. . . Mother. . . Xiao Lingzi. . . they wouldn't!"
