The Heiress Episode 13 Recap
> The Heiress Recap
Chu Xiangyue and Wang Xiyuan were in a heated argument. Wang Xiyuan accused Chu Xiangyue of trying to gain influence through Chen Yanyi. During their pursuit, Chu Xiangyue slipped, and Han Shiyi caught her. Despite Wang Xiyuan having hit her, Chu Xiangyue, feigning weakness, ordered her maid to dislocate Wang Xiyuan's arm. Han Shiyi intervened to stop the maid, after which Chu Xiangyue pretended to be pitiful and burst into tears.
Just then, Chen Yanyi appeared and asked Han Shiyi for her opinion. Han Shiyi, unwilling to offend anyone, claimed she had only just arrived and was unaware of the conflict's origins. Wang Xiyuan then publicly accused Chu Xiangyue of ordering her servants to dislocate her arm. Seeing her arguments failing, Chu Xiangyue feigned a swoon, collapsing onto Chen Yanyi's shoulder. Han Shiyi summoned Lin Rang to treat Wang Xiyuan's dislocated shoulder.
Lin Rang offered Wang Xiyuan a bowl of medicine, explaining it was "for her heat." Realizing it wasn't a painkiller, Wang Xiyuan hesitantly pinched her nose and drank it. While she was distracted, Lin Rang quickly reset her shoulder, eliciting a loud scream from Wang Xiyuan. Shortly after, a servant came, asking Lin Rang to tend to Chu Xiangyue. Han Shiyi playfully remarked that most people she had seen faint were either beaten unconscious or pregnant.
Lin Rang, with a seemingly serious expression, declared he would then prescribe a medicine to protect Chu Xiangyue’s baby. Afterward, Han Shiyi explained to Chen Yanyi that she had helped Wang Xiyuan not out of sympathy, but to avoid antagonizing the Prime Minister and Empress. She also noted Chu Xiangyue's deceptive nature, contrasting it with Wang Xiyuan's straightforwardness.
The Second Prince, still hopeful, questioned Wang Zhongyu's disinterest in court affairs, but Wang Zhongyu reiterated his desire for a carefree life focused on mountains and rivers. Both the Second Prince and Wang Zhongyu then went to Prince Chen Yanyi's mansion to apologize for Wang Xiyuan's behavior. Chen Yanyi made them wait for half an hour before leisurely appearing.
Citing the Defender Duke's wife's trust in him to care for Chu Xiangyue, Chen Yanyi bluntly instructed Wang Zhongyu to take his sister, Wang Xiyuan, to apologize to Chu Xiangyue. The Second Prince interjected, suggesting that minor family disputes should be settled amicably, but Chen Yanyi used the authority of the Defender Duke's wife to override him. As Chen Yanyi stood firm on his decision, Chu Xiangyue, who had been waiting outside, entered the room.
She pretended to be magnanimous, claiming she could forgive Wang Xiyuan. Chen Yanyi, seeing through her act, stated that since she had her own ideas, he would no longer interfere in her matters. Realizing her mistake, Chu Xiangyue hastily said she would listen to her cousin, but Chen Yanyi remained indifferent. Having grown up with Chen Yanyi, Chu Xiangyue knew him well.
She noticed the unusual tenderness in his gaze towards Han Shiyi and immediately regarded Han Shiyi as her greatest rival. Chen Yanyi assigned Jiye to protect Han Shiyi, but the playful Han Shiyi quickly managed to ditch him. Han Shiyi then visited a noodle stall owned by an elderly woman whose three sons had died serving in the Han Army, offering comfort and support on behalf of the army.
Later, on the street, a woman suddenly accosted Han Shiyi, hugging her tightly and falsely screaming that Han Shiyi had molested her. The woman's accomplice, a local ruffian, and his gang quickly appeared. To escape, Han Shiyi offered them a large sum of money. While the gang hesitated and discussed the offer, Han Shiyi attempted to flee by scaling a wall but was caught in a net and pulled back down.
Having just squandered her money, Han Shiyi had nothing to give. She then bluffed, claiming to be the Prime Minister's second son. However, the ruffians didn't believe her. As they prepared to attack, Han Shiyi desperately remembered the hairpin Chen Yanyi had given her, which contained hidden golden needles. She subtly activated the mechanism, causing one of the ruffians to be struck and injured. Han Shiyi then bluffed again, declaring herself a sorcerer hired by Childe Wang Er.
Enraged, the gang prepared for a full assault, but Wang Zhongyu arrived just in time, rescuing Han Shiyi from the predicament. Wang Zhongyu playfully called Han Shiyi "Sorcerer Han" and attempted to embrace her, but Han Shiyi, visibly reluctant, pushed him away. Moments later, Chen Yanyi arrived on horseback, pulled Han Shiyi into his arms, and she surprisingly did not resist. The woman who orchestrated the ambush was interrogated.
Initially tight-lipped, she eventually confessed under Chen Yanyi's threat of "annihilation of three generations." She admitted to being hired to publicly humiliate Han Shiyi by stripping and abandoning her in the street. She also revealed the employer's stated motive: Han Shiyi allegedly "seduced a young lady of the employer's family." She then gave the address of a house in the west of the city where she met the employer.
Following the lead, Chen Yanyi discovered that Chu Xiangyue was the true mastermind. She vehemently denied the accusations, even threatening to take her own life to prove her innocence. To prevent animosity between the Han and Chu families, Chen Yanyi chose not to reveal the truth to Han Shiyi. He secretly sent Chu Xiangyue back to the Defender Duke's Mansion that very night. Despite Chen Yanyi's efforts, Han Shiyi grew suspicious after learning of Chu Xiangyue’s sudden departure.
She confirmed her suspicions by questioning Xinting, one of Chen Yanyi's bodyguards, about the fate of the employer. Han Shiyi and Chen Yanyi later shared a meal of street food, an indulgence Han Shiyi typically avoided in public for fear of drawing attention. Han Shiyi revealed her dream of one day opening a small restaurant called "Know about Food." During this time, Xinting approached Han Shiyi to intercede on Jiye's behalf.
Jiye had been punished with fifty military flogs and reassigned to the western territory for losing track of Han Shiyi. Han Shiyi agreed to help, acknowledging that she had deliberately shaken him off. Han Shiyi then received a letter from Wang Zhongyu, warning her to "be wary of the Chu family." She reflected on her mother's wisdom that enemies and friends are never fixed.
After confirming from Xinting that Chen Yanyi had indeed covered up Chu Xiangyue’s involvement to avoid conflict with the Chu family, Han Shiyi vowed that Chu Xiangyue would pay for her actions. Meanwhile, in the Defender Duke’s Mansion, Chu Xiangyue, bitter about being sent away, continued to plot against Han Shiyi, whom she viewed as a "male fox spirit" enchanting Chen Yanyi.
The Emperor issued a decree for the Imperial College students to actively practice riding and shooting, scheduling the first competition at the suburban hunting ground three days later. Han Shiyi understood this was a test for the Second Prince and Fifth Prince, who were still nominally students. For the competition, Han Shiyi was present with Chen Yanyi, Zhou Xuezhang, and Shen Chengjun during the hunt. Despite the serious nature of the hunt, Han Shiyi brought cooking utensils, intending to enjoy fresh game cooked on the spot.
