Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Episode 85 Recap
> Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace Recap
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
Ruyi confessed to the Empress Dowager that she finally understood her aunt's dying words: in the palace, one should act not with a poisonous body, but with a poisonous heart. Ruyi lamented that because she never truly understood or acted on this, she ended up in a desperate situation, helplessly watching Yongqi die before her eyes.
She declared herself a useless person, unable to protect Jingsi or Yongjing as Empress, especially now that her Empress's edict and seal were taken away and she was confined to Yikun Palace. She now feared for Yongji. Ruyi pleaded with the Empress Dowager to preserve Yongji, the only remaining bloodline of the Aisin-Gioro and Ula-Nara clans. The Empress Dowager was puzzled, asking Ruyi what she meant by "preserve." Meanwhile, Rongpei and Yexin apprehended Chunchan.
Upon hearing this, Imperial Noble Consort Wei Yanwan became agitated and quietly instructed Wangchan to find Chunchan. Ruyi ordered Chunchan to be tied up and questioned her about Wei Yanwan's misdeeds, but Chunchan revealed nothing. Rongpei warned Chunchan that Lancui, Jinzhong, and Yunjiao, who all worked for Wei Yanwan, had met their demise, implying Chunchan would be next given how much she knew.
Despite the warning, Chunchan refused to reveal anything, claiming they were trying to sow discord between her and Wei Yanwan. Rongpei instructed her guards to release Chunchan only after dark. As Ruyi returned to Yikun Palace from Anhua Hall, Rongpei informed her that the Emperor's carriage was behind them, but Ruyi chose not to turn around, believing it was better not to see him. Wangchan returned to Wei Yanwan, reporting he couldn't find Chunchan anywhere except for Anhua Hall.
Shortly after, Chunchan appeared, claiming she had been taken to Anhua Hall by Rongpei and Yexin, where Ruyi was also present, but insisted she had revealed nothing. Wei Yanwan feigned belief, telling Chunchan to rest, but inwardly grew suspicious. Ruyi, despite a tiring day, continued to sew clothes late into the night. Rongpei noted that the Emperor had been behind them earlier, but Ruyi had refused to turn, stating, "Not seeing is better than seeing."
The next day, Yongji was taken by the Empress Dowager to Cining Palace to be raised. Wei Yanwan worried that her actions had been discovered. With Cining Palace having its own kitchen, the Imperial Kitchen's food could no longer be sent to Yongji, thus thwarting Wei Yanwan's prolonged scheme to tamper with his diet, which she had intended to work over time. She felt all her efforts would be in vain.
Wei Yanwan wondered why the Empress Dowager had suddenly intervened and suspected Chunchan might have leaked information. Later, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and Yongji shared a meal, but Yongji had no appetite. He complained that even though the food was from the Imperial Kitchen, it wasn't as tasty as what he ate at the Academy.
The Empress Dowager suggested investigating the chef who prepared Yongji's meals at the Imperial Kitchen, to see if he truly made food more to Yongji's liking and if so, to have him continue. This news greatly alarmed Wei Yanwan, who realized Yongji's addiction to the wild mushroom in his food was making him insist on that specific taste. She again suspected Chunchan of speaking to Ruyi, which might have led to the Empress Dowager taking Yongji and investigating his diet.
Chunchan swore on her life that she had said nothing. Unconvinced, Wei Yanwan ordered Chunchan to discreetly send the chef responsible for Yongji's meals out of the palace. Wei Yanwan went to pick up Yongyan from his studies. She told him that their bond as mother and son was stronger than water and urged him to protect her and be devoted only to her, no matter what happened in the future, rather than always obeying the Emperor.
Unbeknownst to her, Eunuch Xiao Dezi, a spy for Princess Jinghe, overheard this conversation. Princess Jinghe, knowing Wei Yanwan harbored ambitions for the Empress's position, immediately informed the Emperor about Wei Yanwan's manipulative words to Yongyan, asserting that Yongyan should not remain with such a birth mother, who would turn him dark. The Emperor confided in Princess Jinghe that since Yongqi's death, only Yongji and Yongyan remained as potential heirs.
Yongji, though older, had developed a difficult temperament after his trauma, and he hoped the Empress Dowager's care might improve him. Yongyan was clever but too young, and his future was uncertain. Following this, the Emperor commanded Yuhu and Jinbao to go to Yongshuo Palace. He ordered that Yonglin be raised by Consort Ying, Jingyun by Concubine Ke, and Yongyan be sent to Shoukang Palace to be diligently watched over by the dowagers.
Furthermore, all Mongolian consorts were to be exempt from Wei Yanwan's management and no longer required to pay respects to her. Yuhu delivered the imperial edict to Wei Yanwan. Wei Yanwan, distraught, pleaded to keep Yongyan, who she had raised since birth. Yuhu rebuked her for her poor parenting, stating the Emperor knew of her influence over Yongyan. Yuhu's attendants then forcibly took Yongyan.
In a fit of rage, Wei Yanwan accused Chunchan of betrayal, believing everything had gone wrong since Chunchan's detention by Ruyi. She grabbed Chunchan by the neck, choking her and calling her an ungrateful traitor, before collapsing in despair and fainting. After being treated by a royal physician, Wei Yanwan regained consciousness. She apologized to Chunchan for her harshness the previous day, attributing it to momentary confusion.
Observing Chunchan's pale lips, Wei Yanwan personally applied lip tint for her, stating it would show her status as a favored servant. She then instructed Chunchan to leave the palace and clear the weeds from her mother's tomb. Hailan observed Chunchan's departure and sent a message to Physician Jiang, instructing him to follow her discreetly. On her way to the tomb, Chunchan began to feel weak and unsteady.
She realized the lip tint Wei Yanwan had applied was poisoned, confirming Rongpei's earlier warning that Wei Yanwan intended to harm her. Fortunately, Physician Jiang, who had been following, reached her in time, administered a life-preserving medicine, and helped her away. Back in the palace, Hailan confronted Wangchan, informing him that Chunchan was dead. Wangchan, startled, initially questioned how Hailan knew but quickly corrected himself.
Hailan reminded him that Lancui, Jinzhong, and Chunchan, all who served Wei Yanwan, were now dead, leaving only him. She urged him to cherish his life. Wangchan was visibly alarmed. Recently, the Emperor had been unwell, suffering from a severe cough, yet he insisted he was fine. Soon after, Yuhu discovered the Emperor had fainted at his desk. She secretly summoned Physician Jiang.
Physician Jiang, who was secretly working with Ruyi, informed Wei Yanwan that the Emperor's illness was critical and dangerous, requiring a joint diagnosis from all the imperial physicians. Privately, Wei Yanwan questioned Physician Bao about the Emperor's condition. Physician Bao told her that from the pulse reports, the Emperor was gravely ill, and the physicians were at a loss.
Remembering the Late Emperor's sudden demise, and knowing Ruyi had not been deposed and Yongji was older than Yongyan, Wei Yanwan decided she needed to make preparations. In the midst of this, Physician Jiang was preparing the Emperor's medicine. He used an opportunity to send Jinbao away, then secretly added another ingredient to the concoction.
It was revealed that the pulse reports Physician Bao had seen were pre-arranged by Physician Jiang, and Wei Yanwan had fallen into a trap orchestrated by Ruyi and Physician Jiang. Ruyi, aware of the trap, also agreed to take a stronger, more potent medicine for her own serious cough, accepting her limited time to achieve her goals. Hidden behind a screen in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Wei Yanwan overheard the Empress Dowager discussing the imperial succession with her attendants.
The Empress Dowager worried about the potential instability if a new emperor ascended, but noted that Yongji had been under her care in Cining Palace. She mused that if the name in the secret box was not Yongyan's, or if there was no name at all, things would be easier to manage. Misinterpreting the Empress Dowager's words as an endorsement of Yongji's claim to the throne, Wei Yanwan's ambitions stirred, and she slowly approached the unconscious Emperor.
