The Princess Wei Young Episode 23 Recap
> The Princess Wei Young Recap
Prince of Dongping, Tuoba Han, had ordered the pardon of the Liang slaves' lives, but he warned that any future escape attempts would result in death without mercy. Tuoba Jun then approached his Royal Uncle, requesting to personally manage the newly freed Liang slaves and offering to compensate for any manpower loss. Tuoba Han granted his nephew's request, leading to jubilant celebrations among the slaves who rejoiced in their newfound freedom and the prospect of returning home to Liangzhou.
Later, Tuoba Jun found Li Weiyang, knowing she had come to the stone quarry out of concern for his safety, though she stubbornly refused to admit it. As Tuoba Jun pressed her, her face flushed, much to his delight. He then gently kissed her cheek, leaving Li Weiyang feeling bashful. Meanwhile, in the forest, Chengde was tending to an injured Liang slave's arm when Jun Tao, mistakenly believing Chengde was harming the slave, fiercely pushed him away.
Chengde, frustrated, retorted by calling Jun Tao a "tigress," to which she threatened to tear his mouth off. The injured slave soon clarified the misunderstanding, confirming Chengde was helping him, but Jun Tao and Chengde continued their playful bickering. Li Weiyang then encountered Tuoba Yu. The Prince of Nan'an gazed at her with a probing look, expressing that her numerous secrets piqued his curiosity and made him want to explore deeper.
He reminded her of their previous encounter, where he had asked for a clear answer upon their next meeting, and inquired if she had made her decision. Li Weiyang flatly refused him, stating her low status prevented her from aspiring to his level despite his kindness. Tuoba Yu correctly inferred that her rejection stemmed from her ambiguous relationship with Tuoba Jun.
He concluded that since she was unwilling to be used by him, she would inevitably become his opponent, but he remained confident in his ability to make her submit in the future. As the Liang slaves happily waved goodbye to Chengde and Jun Tao, Chiyun Nan arrived with his troops, mercilessly unleashing arrows upon them. In the chaos, Uncle Ming managed to escape. Tuoba Jun rushed into the forest to intervene, but it was too late.
Chiyun Nan, displaying arrogant disregard for the Emperor's grandson, feigned ignorance of Tuoba Jun's prior order, claiming he was unaware and therefore not at fault. Chiyun Nan's true objective in the massacre was to recover a memorial (report) written by Provincial Governor Ma. However, the memorial was not found among the deceased Liang slaves, and the only captured slave escaped.
Chiyun Nan then deduced that Uncle Ming, the sole survivor who was likely the bodyguard who escorted the Liang Princess, must have taken the memorial, and furiously ordered a quiet, relentless pursuit to find him and the document. Chiyun Nan returned to the Chiyun Manor, where he found his Aunt Chiyun Rou gravely ill. She tearfully recounted how Li Weiyang was responsible for Minfeng's death and Changle's troubles, expressing her desire to kill Li Weiyang.
Chiyun Nan, who considered Chiyun Rou like his own mother and Minfeng and Changle his siblings, vowed that if Li Weiyang harmed any of them, she would be harming him, and he would never let her live. Under the cover of night, Uncle Ming made his way to Li Weiyang, bringing her Provincial Governor Ma's memorial.
The document contained evidence of Chiyun Nan's crimes, revealing his plan to take over the iron mine in Liangzhou for his personal use and manufacture weapons, an act suggesting rebellion. Uncle Ming proposed that Li Weiyang take the memorial to the Wei Emperor to expose Chiyun Nan's treachery. Li Weiyang considered the implications: if the Wei Emperor had truly been deceived by Chiyun Nan, then Tuoba Jun was not her enemy, and their path forward would become clear.
Li Weiyang, however, urged Uncle Ming, who had barely escaped with his life, to find a safe place to settle first, promising to have Jun Tao contact him. In the Prince of Nan'an's Manor, Cheng'an reported to Tuoba Yu that he had followed Uncle Ming, who had snuck into the Prime Minister Manor to meet with Li Weiyang.
Although Cheng'an could not hear their conversation, Tuoba Yu deduced that the Liang slave was a martial arts master, not an ordinary person, and ordered him to be watched closely to uncover his identity. Tuoba Yu began to suspect Li Weiyang's true identity and her connection to Northern Liang. Later, Tuoba Yu instructed his subordinate to spread rumors that the Prince of Dongping, Tuoba Han, had confiscated the silver mine out of guilt, ensuring the news reached Tuoba Han's ears.
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Han was enraged, viewing it as a blatant insult, especially since he had already submitted the silver mine to the Imperial Court. He immediately suspected Tuoba Jun was behind the rumors, believing Tuoba Jun was trying to undermine his standing and prevent his ascension to the Eastern Palace. He resolved to retaliate, disregarding their uncle-nephew relationship.
Meanwhile, at the farm, Li Changle endured grueling labor and constant abuse, notably from a servant named Jingyi, who forced her to drink foot-washing water. Exhausted and humiliated, Changle resolved to no longer tolerate such mistreatment. The next day, a jar of hundred-year-old wine, intended for the Emperor, was discovered missing from the farm. Li Changle confessed to the theft, falsely claiming Jingyi had coerced her.
A search of Jingyi's room revealed the wine and other stolen items in a hidden compartment. Jingyi was then subjected to a severe flogging. Li Changle later confessed to the beaten Jingyi that she had orchestrated the entire setup, having discovered Jingyi's hiding place and strategically planted the wine to exact revenge for Jingyi's past cruelty, vowing that from that day forward, no one would bully her again, and she would eliminate anyone who stood in her way.
Soon after, Chiyun Nan arrived at the farm to escort Li Changle back to the Chiyun Manor, promising to protect her from further harm. Chiyun Rou and Changle had an emotional reunion. Chiyun Rou advised her daughter that as a woman of noble birth, she must always maintain her "value" and ensure she is perceived as "useful" to secure her standing within the family and society.
She emphasized that relying solely on her lineage would lead to a repeat of her suffering at the farm, urging Changle to be vigilant, cautious, and use patience and wisdom as a sharp blade against her enemies. Separately, Tuoba Yu also hinted to Tuoba Han that the upcoming royal hunt would be an opportune moment to "accidentally" kill Tuoba Jun.
Chiyun Nan, too, discussed the upcoming royal hunt with Chiyun Rou, suggesting it would be an opportune moment for an "accidental" death for Li Weiyang. Upon learning that Li Changle had returned to the Chiyun family manor, Li Changru grew increasingly anxious. She knew that with Chiyun Nan's support and her status as the Crown Princess's preferred choice for a daughter-in-law, Changle's glory days were bound to return, inevitably leading to Li Changru's own decline. Determined not to let history repeat itself, Li Changru resolved to find a way to prevent Changle's resurgence.
