The Princess Wei Young Episode 19 Recap
> The Princess Wei Young Recap
Jun Tao discovered that Chiyun Rou's illness was caused by poisoning from the poisonous field horsetail grass. She suspected Imperial Physician Shen had been bribed, as he had not detected the poison. Jun Tao wanted to confront the physician, but Li Weiyang cautioned her against acting rashly, explaining that Chiyun Rou was meticulous and had ensured the physician would not betray her. Such a move would only invite criticism.
Later, Baizhi presented a beautiful dance costume she had sewn for Li Weiyang for an upcoming banquet. Jun Tao recalled seeing Li Weiyang dance before, sparking excitement in Baizhi. Although Weiyang admitted she disliked performing such dances and was only doing so because the Empress required it, Jun Tao complimented her exceptional dancing skills. Meanwhile, Li Minde was playing his flute by a river when a stranger suddenly appeared, kneeling and addressing him as "Young Master."
The man stated he was there to take Minde back to Khan Tuhezhen, the greatest Khan of Rouran, claiming Minde was their most precious prince and that a jade flute he carried was proof. Confused and angered by the man's claims, Minde rejected the notion, threw the flute back at him, and stormed off, telling him not to follow. Upon returning home, Li Minde questioned his foster mother, Lady Zhou, about the person who had brought him to her.
Lady Zhou recounted that a distant relative had found Minde, then a two-year-old, separated from his family in a snowfield. After waiting for a long time with no one coming to claim him, the relative brought him to her. Minde had been tightly clutching the jade flute, refusing to let go. Lady Zhou suggested the flute might be connected to his birth parents and offered to help him uncover his true identity.
However, Minde stated he only recognized Lady Zhou as his mother, as she had raised and cared for him. Lady Zhou, in turn, reassured him that she would always support his happiness. On the way to the palace for the Empress's banquet, Li Changru confessed to Li Weiyang that she was very nervous. She showed Weiyang the beautiful dance costume she had personally tailored, explaining that she had always loved dancing but never had an opportunity to perform.
She expressed her hope that this performance would make her memorable. Li Weiyang, who also admitted to being nervous, promised to help Changru fulfill her wish and kept her own planned talent a secret. Before the banquet, Princess Jiugong approached Li Minde, apologizing for her past underestimation of him and expressing admiration for his abilities. She requested his continued guidance for her archery skills.
Minde, however, respectfully reminded her of the clear distinction between a master and a servant and asked her not to make things difficult for him. Princess Jiugong then asked him to play the flute for her, a request he initially declined due to his guard duties, but she insisted. At the banquet, the Empress encouraged everyone to display their talents.
Princess Jiugong, noticing the absence of Li Changle, implied that the event would be less interesting without her song and dance. The Empress, however, stated she had not invited Changle and insisted that other talented young ladies present would not disappoint. Li Weiyang, introduced as the Princess of Anping County for her intelligence and disaster relief efforts, humbly declined to perform herself. Instead, she highly recommended her Third Younger Sister, Li Changru, for her exceptional dancing skills.
Li Changru performed a captivating dance. When the zither player suddenly fell ill mid-performance, Li Weiyang offered to play in her stead. Tuoba Jun then offered to join Li Weiyang in accompanying Changru's dance. Not to be outdone, Princess Jiugong suggested a combined zither and flute performance and called upon Imperial Guard Li Minde to play the flute. Their combined performance of dance, zither, and flute earned high praise from the Empress, who bestowed generous rewards upon everyone involved.
After the performance, Li Changru expressed her gratitude to Li Weiyang, acknowledging that Weiyang's own dance would have been extraordinary and likely garnered more applause. Li Weiyang, however, humbly insisted that Changru's talent had earned her the opportunity and that fulfilling Changru's wish was her priority. News of Li Changru's success and the Empress's rewards quickly reached Li Changle.
Furious that she had not been invited to the banquet, Li Changle confronted Li Changru, accusing her and her mother, Lady Zhou, of deliberately hiding the event. Ignoring Lady Zhou's explanation that they had kept it secret to avoid upsetting her, Li Changle, asserting her authority, ordered her servants to smash and destroy everything in Changru's courtyard, including the valuable rewards from the Empress.
She then seized Changru's treasured dance costume—the very one she had worn at the banquet—and brutally cut it to shreds. Distraught and feeling perpetually bullied, Changru expressed her bitter hatred for Changle. Li Weiyang vowed that Changle would face retribution for her actions and sought Lady Zhou's support in standing against her. Li Xiaoran arranged for Li Minde to undertake an important task away from the manor, a mission that had received the Emperor's consent.
As Lady Zhou helped Minde pack, she expressed deep worry about his frequent departures and the dangers of the outside world. Minde reassured her of his capabilities, and Lady Zhou instructed his attendant, Ping'an, to ensure his safety. Before Minde departed, Princess Jiugong encountered him again. After inquiring about his travels, she warned him to be careful on his long and risky journey and promised to look after his family in his absence.
Weiyang also felt an inexplicable sense of unease about Minde's departure. Lady Zhou decided to visit a temple to pray for Li Minde's safe journey. Li Weiyang, still feeling uneasy, insisted that Jun Tao accompany and protect her. On their way, they encountered a pregnant woman who had fallen by the roadside. With her characteristic kindness, Lady Zhou took pity on the woman and had Jun Tao help her into her carriage.
Unbeknownst to them, the pregnant woman was Hongluo in disguise. As a calculated act, Hongluo secretly placed a handkerchief, which had been used by an individual suffering from an epidemic disease, onto Lady Zhou, confident that Lady Zhou's delicate health would lead to her contracting the illness. Meanwhile, Li Changle visited Changxi and noticed her drinking a mysterious concoction. Changxi's maid initially described it as "dew of Hibiscus" for treating scars.
Pressed by Changle, Changxi revealed it was "Eight Treasures Soup," a secret recipe from brothels, purported to enhance beauty and stamina, and claimed it had effectively removed a scar on her face. Changle, initially skeptical but intrigued by the promise of enhanced beauty and Changxi's assurance of no side effects, took the recipe. It was later revealed that Lady Zhou had intentionally allowed Changle to discover the soup, knowing Changle's vanity would lead her to pursue it.
Later, as Li Minde was on a boat, seemingly returning from his task and thinking about a hairpin he had for Li Weiyang, he was suddenly ambushed by masked assailants. He fought back but was injured and fell into the water. At the same time, Lady Zhou, back at home, experienced a sudden pang of anxiety, worried that something might have happened to Minde. Her maid tried to calm her, but then Lady Zhou began to bleed from her nose, coughed violently, and ultimately collapsed.
