Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 82 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
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Confined to Yikun Palace, Ruyi refused to see Hai Lan, instead sending Rongpei to return a scented pouch Hai Lan had given her long ago. Rongpei conveyed Ruyi’s instructions to Hai Lan, urging her to take good care of the Twelfth Prince, ensuring he did not worry too much. Ruyi also expressed concern for the Fifth Prince's recurring bone gangrene symptoms, advising Hai Lan to have Imperial Physician Jiang examine him when time permitted.
Hai Lan’s attendant questioned Ruyi’s refusal to meet and the return of the pouch. Hai Lan, however, understood Ruyi’s intentions, recalling her past time with Ruyi and realizing her sister was acting for her sake, not wishing to implicate her. Despite Ruyi’s apparent coldness, Hai Lan knew Ruyi still held her dear. Ruyi, sitting alone in her palace, was certain Hai Lan would understand her intentions.
Rongpei later reported to Ruyi that Hai Lan had received the message and understood Ruyi’s coldness was a deliberate act to prevent the Emperor from targeting Hai Lan further. Rongpei offered to arrange for Ruyi to rest, but Ruyi preferred to sit alone for a while. Yongqi visited Hai Lan, asking about the Twelfth Prince’s awareness of Ruyi’s situation.
Hai Lan revealed she hadn't dared to tell him, as the Twelfth Prince had been extremely anxious since the incident involving Ling Yunche. She worried that further distress could make him ill, and she would not know how to face Ruyi if that happened. Hai Lan also informed Yongqi that Ruyi had already been escorted back to the palace, but the Imperial Household Department, following orders, had removed all decorations from Yikun Palace.
Even Li Yu, due to his close relationship with Ruyi, was accused of incompetence by the Emperor and sent to Yuanming Garden. Hai Lan feared that Ruyi’s confinement would be tough, especially with the Emperor’s clear intention to depose her. Yongqi vowed to persuade the Emperor upon his return, emphasizing the Emperor’s legacy and the Imperial Family's reputation.
At that moment, the Twelfth Prince, Yongji, rushed in, clearly having realized the situation, asking if the Emperor no longer wanted his mother. Hai Lan quickly embraced and comforted him, assuring him that everything would be alright. As Yongqi departed Yanxi Palace, his bone gangrene flared up again. His attendant noticed and offered a carriage and suggested summoning Imperial Physician Jiang for treatment.
Yongqi dismissed it as a minor issue and instructed the attendant not to inform Hai Lan, as she was already under significant stress. He further refused Imperial Physician Jiang’s help, reasoning that the physician was Ruyi’s confidant, and it was better for Ruyi to have one less worry. Upon the Emperor’s return, the newly inducted consorts gathered around Wei Yanwan, now the Imperial Noble Consort, currying favor.
They openly mocked Ruyi, suggesting she had lost her sanity to confront the Emperor and cut her hair, drawing parallels to her aunt's fate, who was confined to her palace by the Late Emperor until her death. They praised Wei Yanwan’s virtue and her newfound authority over the six palaces. Wei Yanwan, taking advantage of Ruyi’s confinement, sent Wang Chan to Yikun Palace to remove Sanbao and Yunzhi.
Rongpei fiercely resisted, insisting that Yikun Palace must retain at least one eunuch. Wang Chan, however, cruelly taunted Ruyi by bringing up Ling Yunche, implying Ruyi had many dishonest eunuchs around her, Ling Yunche being one of them, and that it was better for them to leave. Enraged, Rongpei grabbed a broom and beat Wang Chan, reminding him that the Emperor had forbidden anyone from mentioning Ling Yunche.
Wang Chan retorted that Rongpei dared to hit an emissary of the Imperial Noble Consort, warning that if Sanbao and Yunzhi did not leave, Yikun Palace’s provisions would no longer be comprehensive. To spare Ruyi further trouble, Sanbao and Yunzhi reluctantly agreed to leave, with Sanbao promising that they would find ways to help deliver messages from outside. Rongpei lamented that only she and Lingzhi remained to serve Ruyi, even fewer than an attendant would have.
Yongqi, having competently handled the case of Minister Xiao Cheng extorting the Han tribe, reported his actions to the Emperor, earning his praise. The Emperor also mentioned his solicitude for Mother Rong to appease the Han tribe. Seizing the opportunity, Yongqi requested a kindness from the Emperor.
He mentioned seeing Eunuch Sanbao in the treasury room, noting his transfer from Yikun Palace, a matter Yongqi believed the Emperor was unaware of, as such decisions were made by the Imperial Noble Consort. Yongqi humbly pleaded with the Emperor to treat Ruyi kindly for the sake of the Twelfth Prince, expressing his sorrow over his mother's worry and the Twelfth Prince's tears, and his own unwillingness to forget Ruyi's nurturing grace.
The Emperor inquired about Yongji, to which Yongqi replied that the Twelfth Prince was not doing well, constantly yearning for his mother. The Emperor merely stated his understanding and instructed Yongqi to focus on his duties and stay out of harem affairs. Thanks to the pleas of the Twelfth Prince, Yongqi, and Consort Rong, the Emperor finally granted Hai Lan permission to visit Ruyi.
Hai Lan arrived at Yikun Palace, bringing blankets and clothes, some of which were personally sewn by Suoxin. Ruyi asked about Yongji and Yongqi; Hai Lan assured her they were fine, though Yongji dearly missed her. Ruyi requested that Yongji not visit, fearing he would be more distraught seeing her in her current state. Ruyi expressed relief that the Empress Dowager was also caring for Yongji.
Hai Lan then inquired about Yongqi's injury, learning he was toiling day and night with state affairs, often dismissing his pain as minor. Hai Lan confessed her awareness that Ruyi had become somewhat distant after the Ling Yunche incident. However, Ruyi's act of returning the scented pouch that day confirmed to Hai Lan that Ruyi hadn't completely abandoned her; rather, she feared implicating her.
Hai Lan declared that she was not afraid of being implicated, but only of them drifting apart. Ruyi reassured her that after so many years as sisters, they could never truly drift apart. Nevertheless, given her difficult circumstances, Ruyi asked Hai Lan to keep her distance and not trouble herself to visit again now that they had seen each other, before tightly clutching Hai Lan’s hand. Yunjiao arrived at Wei Yanwan’s palace.
Wei Yanwan inquired about the Fifth Prince’s health, and Yunjiao reported that his health was significantly declining, experiencing several episodes of bone gangrene that required nightly dressing changes. She added that Imperial Physicians believed there was only a thirty percent chance of recovery, even with careful nurturing, implying his life was nearing its end. Wei Yanwan praised Yunjiao’s effective work but sensed that Yunjiao had developed genuine feelings for Yongqi, now burdened by guilt.
Wei Yanwan directly asked if her love for the Fifth Prince was real, and Yunjiao confessed that Yongqi treated her too kindly, a fortune any woman would cherish for three lifetimes, yet she felt she had no way to repay his affection. Wei Yanwan then reminded Yunjiao that the luck of loving someone and staying together until old age was not something every woman, especially in the palace, could have.
She pressed Yunjiao, asking if she still intended to avenge her mother. Yunjiao affirmed her desire for revenge, stating she had struggled to support herself this long for that petty wish, but expressed her reluctance at taking Yongqi’s life. Wei Yanwan coldly asserted that in the palace, one often had to sacrifice one’s most beloved to fulfill even a trifling wish.
She then instructed Chunchan to give Yunjiao a box of powder, explaining that a small amount sprinkled on Yongqi’s wound would cause a fatal infection within days, untraceable by anyone. Wei Yanwan left the decision entirely up to Yunjiao, placing the box in her hand before departing. Ruyi dreamt of her aunt, who demanded her Empress's phoenix crown and reminded her that the Ula-Nara clan must not have another abandoned wife.
Ruyi questioned if her aunt ever experienced a day of peace or joy in the palace, to which her aunt admitted she was never happy, for happiness was never important there. Ruyi then wondered why one should force oneself to endure unhappiness, suggesting that since she and the Emperor were no longer the people they once were to each other, it might be better to let go, finding mutual liberation.
Her aunt, however, insisted Ruyi must defend her Empress position to her death and continue the clan’s glory. Ruyi countered that the women of the Ula-Nara clan seemed to have been enslaved by these words for generations. She declared her refusal to be like her aunt, trapped by obsession, and expressed a fervent hope that no Ula-Nara woman would ever again enter the deep palace.
Ruyi had been confined to Yikun Palace for a year, and the Emperor had made no disposition regarding her. Later, Ruyi sat gazing at a withered green plum plant. Rongpei, noticing her attachment, asked why she kept the plant, which had been withered for years, especially since Ruyi had brought it all the way from Yanxi Palace.
Ruyi recalled how beautiful it was when the Emperor first gave it to her, with its branches full of lush green, a gift when he remembered her fondness for Suhang's green plum blossoms. She lamented that she had nurtured it carefully, but it had still withered not long after, reflecting that southern green plums were simply not suited for the northern environment.
Yongqi, aware of Ruyi's devotion to Buddha, thoughtfully sent fresh flowers and sandalwood to Yikun Palace every three days. Rongpei observed this, wondering aloud to Ruyi if Yongqi was employing a compromising approach by sending only these items, aiming to subtly convey his attitude to the Emperor, thereby fulfilling filial duty and showing support for her repentance. Ruyi chided Rongpei, calling her a fool.
She explained that Yongqi's talent, intelligence, and ambition from a young age had earned him the Emperor's profound respect, and she would absolutely not allow him to be implicated by her current predicament. In the imperial court, the Emperor, recognizing Yongqi’s outstanding virtue among his princes, declared his promotion to "Prince of First Rank" with the title of "Rong."
The Empress Dowager later raised concerns about Yongji, the son of the central palace, receiving no similar recognition while Yongqi was elevated. The Emperor affirmed that Yongji was still young and had no need for such vain titles, further stating that Yongqi was indeed the most outstanding among all his princes, leaving him no other choice for Crown Prince.
Secretly, the Emperor drafted an edict naming the Fifth Prince, Yongqi, as the Crown Prince, and then concealed it behind the "Transparency and Justice" plaque. That night, Yunjiao took out the box of powder given by Wei Yanwan, intending to use it. However, finding Yongqi’s body burning with fever, she put the powder away. She stayed by his side, gently tending to him, offering him water to drink, and comforting him, even when his leg hurt again.
As she watched his sleeping face, her resolve to harm him faltered completely. Later, while Yongqi slept peacefully, Yunjiao quietly left the room and, unable to go through with the act, emptied the entire box of poison onto the ground. Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, Wei Yanwan, complaining about her pregnancy, discussed Yongqi's promotion to "Prince of First Rank Rong" with Wang Chan.
She lamented that even with her many children, she still couldn't compete with Ruyi, whose adopted son was the only Prince of First Rank. Wang Chan worried that if Yongqi were to ascend the throne and Ruyi remained Empress, she would instantly become Empress Dowager, overshadowing Wei Yanwan's position as Dowager Imperial Noble Consort.
Wei Yanwan dismissed his worry, then Wang Chan remarked on the historical precedent of Emperor Shunzhi's Fourth Prince, who also held the title "Prince of First Rank Rong" but died shortly after his elevation, hinting at a grim fate for Yongqi.
