Sassy Beauty Episode 5 Recap
> Sassy Beauty Recap
For several days, Prince Yi had confined himself indoors, avoiding appearances. His elder brother, Prince Da, visited, attempting to provoke him and implying Prince Yi might be hiding a scandalous illness caught from an illicit place. Prince Yi, however, emerged, asserting that he was feeling much better and had merely been busy rehearsing a performance for the upcoming Flower Feast, as ordered by their father.
He challenged Prince Da, suggesting he had already perfected his own performance, effectively deflecting the accusations. As Prince Da left, Prince Yi's attendant, Director Wang, voiced his suspicion that Prince Da was behind the tampering of Prince Yi's medicine. Prince Yi acknowledged the possibility but believed the attacker, a man in black, was not from within the household, though he admitted Prince Da could have hired outsiders.
Director Wang then reported his finding that the maid, Si Yan, who had been left in Prince Da's courtyard, had suspicious snoring patterns that seemed like a code. Prince Yi acknowledged this and instructed Director Wang to thoroughly investigate Si Yan's personal background. Meanwhile, Si Yan was pleased to see Lady Wei's complexion significantly improved thanks to her treatments. Lady Wei, envisioning her grand comeback at the Flower Feast, eagerly anticipated outshining Lady Qian and the Second Lady.
Si Yan reminded her that the feast's main event was Miss Min's marriage selection, which was widely believed to be for Prince Yi, implying a fierce competition for the crown. Lady Wei, despite her confinement, was well-aware of the mansion's gossip, including Prince Yi's recent "accident" and the First Lady's strong dislike for a "crazy woman" who became a maid after causing trouble – a description that made Si Yan uneasy.
Si Yan quickly redirected the conversation back to Lady Wei's comeback makeup. Soon after, Si Yan received a letter marked with Prince Yi's distinctive symbol, inviting her to his residence. Jack, her AI guide, assured her it wasn't poisoned. The letter mockingly mentioned "repaying" her for their joint misadventures of falling into the water and releasing thieves.
Although Si Yan considered it a trap, she decided to attend, fearing the First Lady's wrath if her past involvement with Prince Yi became public. Upon arriving at Prince Yi's chambers, she noted a pervasive medicinal scent. Prince Yi appeared, confronting her about her past actions and questioning her true motives for being a maid in the East Mansion.
Si Yan, frustrated, explained her humble upbringing as an orphan and her aspiration to be a makeup artist, accusing him of paranoia and suggesting he focus on finding his real poisoner instead of badgering her. As Si Yan attempted to leave, Prince Yi blocked her path and seized her hairpin, threatening to frame her by placing it with his poisoned medicine. He demanded she steal an ancient register from the Palace Makeup Service in exchange for its return.
Si Yan initially resisted, condemning his "despicable" methods, but their ensuing struggle ended with her pinned beneath him. At that critical moment, Director Wang announced the First Lady's arrival. Prince Yi hastily hid Si Yan under his blanket. From her hiding spot, Si Yan tried to bargain for her hairpin back once she retrieved the register, but Prince Yi remained uncooperative.
The First Lady entered, accompanied by the royal physician, who confirmed Prince Yi's rashes were improving but required rest and avoidance of public appearances, especially during spring, ruling out his attendance at the Flower Feast. The First Lady, deeply concerned, immediately canceled the Flower Feast, stating it was better than Prince Yi's condition being exploited by rivals. Si Yan, overhearing this, was dismayed, realizing Lady Wei's chance for a comeback was lost.
The First Lady also expressed her sorrow, mistaking Prince Yi's illness as a sign of his unhappiness with his arranged marriage to Miss Min. Prince Yi quickly reassured his mother of his commitment to the union. Once the First Lady departed, Prince Yi ordered Si Yan to leave and keep silent about everything that transpired that night. Returning to Lady Wei's quarters, Si Yan found her despairingly eating spicy seafood.
Lady Wei revealed the circulating rumors that Prince Yi had contracted an "STD," which was the real reason for the Flower Feast's cancellation, not a delayed blossoming season. The gossip briefly agitated Si Yan, but then a realization struck her. Remembering a makeup tutorial about concealing blemishes, she conceived a plan: she could use special concealment techniques to hide Prince Yi's rashes, allowing the Flower Feast to proceed. Seizing Lady Wei's crayfish, she set off.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the City Lord expressed his displeasure with Prince Da's administrative performance, urging him to reflect and seek guidance from Prince Yi. Later, Miss Min, accompanied by Tong Rui, presented a calming fragrance to the pregnant Second Lady, which alleviated her morning sickness. The City Lord encouraged Miss Min to choose a suitable husband from among his sons, particularly Prince Da, Xiu, or Yi. During this conversation, Prince Bao arrived with his pet mouse.
He playfully chided his mother for using a childish nickname in front of others and, when questioned by his father about his lack of serious political engagement, charmingly stated his role was simply "not upsetting you" while his elder brothers handled state affairs. Si Yan later encountered Prince Bao, returning his pet mouse, Big Wan. During their brief, lighthearted interaction, Si Yan felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart.
When she consulted Jack, he confirmed that, within the game's narrative, she had a "crush on him," marking him as her "dark love" interest, while Prince Yi was designated as her "enemy." Si Yan, finding this peculiar given her popularity in the real world, learned that the game automatically assigned character relationships (friends, lovers, enemies) based on interactions and plot progression.
Reflecting on her growing list of "enemies" including Hu Ying, Zhiqiu, Director Hua, and Prince Yi, she decided to embrace the romance storyline, hoping it would aid her in her missions. Frustrated by Prince Yi's constant demands and the injury to her foot from his recent "punishment," Si Yan sought Jack's advice for a more effective rash concealment method.
Jack suggested "skin wax," describing it as "black technology" with a texture and color similar to human skin, superior to traditional concealer. Prince Yi, despite his continuous medicated baths, remained vexed by his rashes. He confided in Director Wang that he tasked Si Yan with retrieving the register not just for its contents, but to test her loyalty, suspecting her involvement with the "handkerchief incident" and the man in black, and to see if she would tamper with the document.
Following Prince Yi's orders, Si Yan easily retrieved the register from the Palace Makeup Service. On her way out, she also grabbed some makeup powder for Lady Wei. However, she was intercepted by Hu Ying, who, in a pre-meditated move, accused Si Yan of taking makeup belonging to Lady Qian from Yihe Xuan.
When Lady Qian arrived, Hu Ying further exaggerated, claiming Si Yan had praised the foundation as perfect for Lady Wei and hinted at the King's renewed favor for her. Lady Qian, after a sarcastic remark about Lady Wei's misfortune, "generously" allowed Si Yan to take the makeup. As Si Yan left, a maid "accidentally" tripped her, causing the makeup to spill and stepping on Si Yan's hand. Prince Yi appeared just in time to intervene, taking Si Yan away.
However, he made her kneel for three hours as a public "punishment," claiming it was to prevent others from thinking he was biased toward her. Si Yan protested, arguing her injury was a result of trying to help him with his rashes. Prince Yi coldly dismissed her efforts, reiterating that concealer wouldn't work for him. Si Yan demanded her hairpin back, wanting to end their entanglement, but Prince Yi refused, insisting she first find an effective solution for his rashes. Si Yan, limping from her injured foot, cursed him as a "rogue and a big liar."
