The King's Woman Episode 17 Recap

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> The King's Woman Recap

The departure of Gongsun Li left Jing Ke consumed by anger. Despite Han Shen's repeated assurances that Gongsun Li acted with good reason, Jing Ke remained unconvinced. He accused Han Shen of failing to eliminate Ying Zheng during his year in the Qin palace, becoming irrational in his fury. Han Shen, reluctant to quarrel with his junior, hoped Jing Ke would calm down.

However, Jing Ke stubbornly insisted that both Han Shen and Gongsun Li had betrayed their initial vows and become the Qin King's loyal servants. Losing all reason, Jing Ke suddenly drew his sword, aiming a fierce strike at Han Shen. Fortunately, Gai Lan intervened, stopping Jing Ke before he stormed away.

Gai Lan expressed her confusion to Han Shen, questioning why two people who loved each other could not be together and why Gongsun Li would cause such torment for Jing Ke. Han Shen, with more life experience, explained that love alone does not guarantee a shared destiny, as individual fates often dictate different paths.

Meanwhile, back in the palace, Ying Zheng raged in the great hall, immensely displeased with his guards, demanding that those who allowed Gongsun Li to leave be beaten to death and the maids in Yongxiang Prison be flogged until they revealed information. At that moment, a guard reported Gongsun Li's return. Ying Zheng rushed out, and upon seeing her standing safely at the palace gates, his initial relief quickly turned to a grim resolve for punishment.

Gongsun Li acknowledged her unauthorized departure and willingness to accept consequences. He immediately ordered her confined to the prison. Zhao Gao personally escorted Gongsun Li to the prison, mistakenly believing she had fallen from favor. He attempted to subject her to torture, placing her on a torture rack. Just as he began, Ying Zheng arrived, furious at the sight. He sternly rebuked Zhao Gao and ordered her released.

Seeing Gongsun Li close by, Ying Zheng pressed her for the real reason behind her unauthorized departure. Gongsun Li casually claimed she merely wished to go out and have fun, finding palace life painfully boring. Ying Zheng questioned how she could breach the palace's strict security without assistance. Gongsun Li, prepared with an explanation, asserted that with her martial arts training and determination, it was possible to bypass guards and leave the palace.

Ying Zheng, acknowledging her capabilities, then asked why she chose to return after successfully escaping. Gongsun Li admitted she never truly intended to abandon the palace permanently because she could not leave Tianming behind. Gongsun Li steadfastly refused to meet Ying Zheng's gaze, her stubbornness evident. Ying Zheng, seeing her defiant posture, could not hide his disappointment. He offered to fulfill any desire she had to go anywhere, but Gongsun Li remained silent.

Ying Zheng ordered her confined with her maid, Qing'er, in the prison to "repent" for her actions, but strictly warned Zhao Gao against any torture. Zhao Gao's investigation revealed that Guard Han Shen, the same individual who helped Gongsun Li locate Tianming previously, had requested leave to his hometown the day before Gongsun Li's five-day absence from the palace. Zhao Gao, already harboring resentment towards Han Shen, saw this as irrefutable evidence.

The moment Han Shen returned to the palace, he was surrounded by guards and immediately brought before Ying Zheng. Zhao Gao confidently presented his "evidence," arguing that Han Shen's quick return from a distant "hometown" trip (implying a 10-day journey that only took 5 days) proved his involvement in Gongsun Li's disappearance. He accused Han Shen of endangering the palace's security by helping a consort leave without permission and also brought up Han Shen's past "boldness" during Tianming's disappearance.

Ying Zheng, though not entirely convinced by Zhao Gao's inferences, harbored suspicions. He informed Han Shen that Gongsun Li was already imprisoned for her transgression and threatened to arrange a direct confrontation between them if Han Shen did not reveal the truth. Upon hearing that Gongsun Li was in prison, Han Shen became visibly anxious. He immediately confessed, claiming he had developed "evil intentions" towards Madame Li and forcefully abducted her from the palace.

However, he added, Madame Li's formidable martial arts skills allowed her to escape mid-journey and return on her own. He insisted that Gongsun Li's silence was due to her benevolence, not wanting to bring harm to him. Ying Zheng still found the story questionable, but ordered a direct confrontation. Meanwhile, Madame Chu learned of Gongsun Li's return and immediately sought an audience with Huayang Grand Queen Dowager.

She strongly suggested that a consort who privately leaves the palace commits a serious offense. Madame Chu detailed the chaos Gongsun Li's absence had caused, including the severe torture of palace servants and the extensive search efforts, and Ying Zheng's perceived leniency. Huayang Grand Queen Dowager, already displeased with Gongsun Li, was enraged by the perceived disrespect and lack of discipline in the harem.

She declared that if such behavior went unpunished, it would tarnish the Qin state's reputation, and she dispatched her personal attendant, Feng Yi, to the prison to bring Gongsun Li before her. At the prison, Feng Yi and her attendants were blocked by the jailers. Inside, Gongsun Li stood defensively with a candelabra, protecting herself and Qing'er from the approaching palace servants who intended to cut their hair as punishment.

The situation grew tense until Ying Zheng arrived with his guards. Feng Yi, unable to proceed with her orders, was forced to leave empty-handed. Ying Zheng, ignoring Huayang Grand Queen Dowager's interference, demanded the truth from Gongsun Li and Han Shen. Han Shen reiterated his fabricated story of abduction, secretly signaling Gongsun Li to corroborate it.

Gongsun Li, realizing that admitting Han Shen was her senior would only bring him greater harm, reluctantly abandoned her previous claim and agreed with Han Shen's account. Although Ying Zheng remained unconvinced by their coordinated story, he was unwilling to inflict severe punishment on Gongsun Li. He ordered her placed under house arrest in the harem, which was far more comfortable than the prison, and commanded Zhao Gao to subject Han Shen to severe interrogation in the prison.

Han Shen, despite the looming torture, found solace in his unwavering devotion to Gongsun Li. As night fell, Gongsun Li sat in her palace, her unease growing. She regretted not revealing her true relationship with Han Shen earlier, fearing it would endanger him. Now, her eldest senior was in prison, and she wondered about his well-being. After careful thought, Gongsun Li decided to disguise herself as a palace maid and visit the prison. She sought Qing'er's help.

Qing'er, though fearful for her mistress's safety due to the previous ordeal, agreed, knowing Gongsun Li had always treated her with kindness. Qing'er still wondered about Gongsun Li's relationship with Han Shen, and Gongsun Li clarified that their relationship was not what others suspected and assured her that Han Shen was a good person who should not die in vain.

With Qing'er's assistance, Gongsun Li changed into a maid's attire and successfully made her way towards the prison after briefly encountering a guard inquiring about her mistress. Meanwhile, Zhao Gao had interrogated Han Shen severely but failed to extract any new information. He boldly presented his inferences to Ying Zheng, asserting that if Han Shen's abduction story were true, Gongsun Li's calm and composed return was highly unnatural for an abducted victim.

Furthermore, he argued that after spending five days alone with a man, Gongsun Li should have immediately cleared her name to protect her reputation. Her initial concealment and continued silence, Zhao Gao suggested, indicated a prior, hidden relationship between them. Ying Zheng's brow furrowed in deep thought upon hearing this. Elsewhere, Jing Ke remained mired in despair. Gai Lan, attempting to lift his spirits and concerned for his health, suggested they practice sword fighting together.

Jing Ke, however, was too distraught to focus on training. He coldly rejected her well-intentioned offer, lamenting that despite years of sword practice, he had failed to protect the woman he loved and had lost his grand aspirations. He preferred to be left alone. Gai Lan persisted, suggesting a trip to the market, but Jing Ke firmly refused, wanting no company.

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