The Heiress Episode 14 Recap
> The Heiress Recap
Han Shiyi, Chen Yanyi, Zhou Xuezhang, and Shen Chengjun were on a hunting trip in the mountains when Han Shiyi noticed an unusual quietness, as if all the animals had disappeared. Soon after, they were ambushed by assassins. Han Shiyi and Chen Yanyi worked together to fight them off, but then a group of soldiers appeared, which Chen Yanyi immediately deduced were allied with the assassins, as the Imperial Guards would not have arrived so quickly.
The group retreated to a mountain peak, only to find themselves cornered at a cliff. Chen Yanyi revealed there was a mine below and suggested they jump down to escape. Han Shiyi, despite the others' hesitation, bravely jumped first, then assisted Zhou Xuezhang and Shen Chengjun to safety. Once inside, Chen Yanyi strategically blocked the mine entrance with fallen rocks to deter their pursuers, knowing it would buy them valuable time.
They decided to take refuge in a nearby cave for the night and continue their journey to the Gongwei Army barracks located twenty li to the north at dawn. During their rest, Han Shiyi expressed her frustration, blaming Chen Yanyi for being the target of the relentless chase, while Shen Chengjun defended him, highlighting Chen Yanyi's good intentions.
Chen Yanyi explained the gravity of their situation, stating that if they returned alive, the Emperor would surely investigate the Palace Guards, suspecting Prime Minister Wang for the ambush. This would lead to Prime Minister Wang losing years of trust and all his deployed men. Chen Yanyi confessed his own fear but admitted he found comfort in potentially facing death with Han Shiyi, a sentiment she quickly brushed off.
He took the opportunity to clarify that sending Chu Xiangyue away was not to protect her, but to spare the Defender Duke and his wife from distress. He emphasized that Chu Xiangyue, as a mere relative of the Chu family, could not compare to Han Shiyi in his heart. He teased Han Shiyi about being jealous, a claim she vehemently denied, even as Chen Yanyi insisted she harbored feelings for him without realizing it.
Chen Yanyi then let Han Shiyi sleep on his shoulder as he stood guard. Meanwhile, in the capital, the Emperor was enraged upon learning of Chen Yanyi's disappearance. He summoned the Commander of the Palace Guards, scolded him severely, and ordered him to find his son immediately. Commander Ge Yun attempted to deflect blame onto Bai Zhensheng, the Right Commander. In the cave, Zhou Xuezhang and Shen Chengjun discreetly observed Chen Yanyi and Han Shiyi's intimate moment.
They quickly retreated, pretending to be asleep when Han Shiyi tried to explain the situation, which Chen Yanyi found amusing as it confirmed his belief that Han Shiyi had feelings for him. The anxious Chen Yanyi, unable to sleep, went to the ancestral temple to await news beside Empress Yuan's tablet. The anxious Emperor also later went to Empress Yuan's portrait to await news.
Han Shiyi, dreaming of marrying Chen Yanyi, woke up startled to find herself lying on his lap, realizing she had spoken his name in her sleep. She quickly moved away. Later, Zhou Xuezhang and Shen Chengjun speculated about Chen Yanyi's unusual affection for Han Shiyi. Upon returning to the camp the next day, Chen Yanyi instructed the others to eat while he departed.
Han Shiyi, visibly worried, was again teased by Shen Chengjun and Zhou Xuezhang about her concern for Chen Yanyi. On his journey back, Chen Yanyi led troops to confront Peng Kun and the pursuing soldiers. During the battle, he was struck by a poisonous dart. Han Shiyi arrived to find him gravely wounded and desperately sought a cure. Chen Yanyi, feigning his last moments, asked Han Shiyi if she held any feelings for him.
Overcome with emotion, she confessed that since their night at the farmhouse, she had developed unique feelings for him and admitted to being jealous of Chu Xiangyue. She lamented that their differing identities made a relationship impossible. Chen Yanyi then asked if she would be with him if their identities were not an obstacle, to which she nodded.
Han Shiyi then sensed something amiss, prompting Chen Yanyi to reveal that he had already taken the antidote and had feigned severe poisoning to elicit her true feelings. He embraced her, vowing that he would marry no one but her. In court, the Second Prince attempted to implicate the Wei or Qiang people in the assassination to distance himself from the incident, but his premature conclusion was promptly refuted by Marquis Jin, making him seem all the more suspicious.
The Emperor, having received news of Chen Yanyi's safe return and rescue by Qi Tai's Gongwei Army, commended Qi Tai. He ordered a joint trial involving the Censorate, the Imperial Court of Justice, and the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the assassins. Commander Ge Yun resigned from his post, which the Emperor accepted.
To avoid further suspicion and prevent Chen Yanyi's faction from consolidating power, especially over the Palace Guards, the Second Prince feigned illness, confining himself to his residence. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wang, confident in Peng Kun's silence due to threats against his family, was unconcerned about his arrest.
However, Chen Yanyi, utilizing a fabricated confession from Peng Kun which implicated many of Prime Minister Wang's associates, instructed the Ministry of Justice to apprehend them, including Cheng Mingsi, thus avenging his younger brother. Back in her room, Han Shiyi, now dressed in female attire, recalled her father's solemn warning about the perilous nature of her true identity as a female and the vital need to protect the Han Army.
She resolved that if she were to have feelings for Chen Yanyi, it would only drag down the Han Army, thus she must find a way to distance herself from Chen Yanyi to ensure his safety and the integrity of her family's legacy.
