The Princess's Gambit Episode 12 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua had already been targeted by the heir, who was determined to make sure they never returned. Xiang Qingying and Mu Wuxia arrived together at the spring hunt. Xiang Qingying was deeply grateful to Jiang Taohua, while Mu Wuxia still harbored resentment toward Shen Zaiye. Shen Zaiye knew that Mu Wuxia had not yet overcome the internal barrier in his heart.
Mu Wuyin took the initiative to greet Jiang Taohua, saying that His Majesty would be hosting a qushui liushang banquet and hoped to share three drinks with her then. Before Jiang Taohua could respond, Shen Zaiye rejected the invitation for her. Mu Wuyin said no more. Still haunted by his mistake that led to Xiaolian’s grandmother’s death, Mu Wuxia sat gloomily in his room.
Xiang Qingying dragged him out to play a game of pitch-pot, but he only went through the motions. Though he admired Shen Zaiye’s foresight, he couldn’t agree with his methods because of the principles he had been taught since childhood. Xiang Qingying tried to enlighten him, using pitch-pot as an example: though players stand in different positions, the goal is the same—what matters is hitting the target. Her words made Mu Wuxia suddenly see things more clearly.
When he met Shen Zaiye again, he had already made up his mind: he would assign people to protect the villagers of Tianshui Village and preserve the evidence, which would be sent directly to the Jingzhaoyin, who reports directly to Shenting and is independent of any department. Shen Zaiye recalled how he had once preached grand principles to Mu Wuxia in childhood, which had taken deep root in his heart.
Mu Wuxia believed that the law itself was not at fault—only those who enforced it wrongly were. Shen Zaiye was comforted to see Mu Wuxia had not strayed from his ideals. After talking with Shen Zaiye, Mu Wuxia felt enlightened. He also hoped that the future era of prosperity would be shaped by the values he believed in—a world governed by a universally respected legal system where everyone followed the law, naturally leading to a peaceful and prosperous society.
At the qushui liushang banquet, Prince Qi and Consort Lan sat together and began by writing auspicious phrases, wishing everyone a fruitful hunt. Shen Zaiye was toasted repeatedly and clearly showed signs of intoxication. The heir deliberately proposed a toast with Shen Zaiye, declaring that he wouldn’t hold back during the hunt. As the time approached, Shen Zaiye subtly reminded Jiang Taohua. Jiang Taohua playfully asked Shen Zaiye to feed her wine.
The tipsy Shen Zaiye spilled wine on her clothes. Using this as an excuse, the two pretended to go change and left the banquet one after the other to inspect a pre-scouted location. Sure enough, they discovered traces of mining. Little did they know, this was a trap deliberately set by the heir and Meng Huaijin to lure them inside. Suddenly, a sluice gate was opened, releasing water with the intent of drowning them.
The plan was to later claim they had drunkenly fallen and drowned. As water rushed in, Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua tried to escape, but Jiang Taohua’s leg was tightly wedged. Shen Zaiye left her side, making Jiang Taohua think he had abandoned her to save himself. Fear and disappointment filled her heart. Unexpectedly, Shen Zaiye had gone to find a wooden stick to pry the rocks loose and rescue her.
Meanwhile, the heir and Meng Huaijin blocked the exit above to prevent their escape. Zhan Lu witnessed everything from the shadows and only approached after the heir and his men left. As the water rose higher, Jiang Taohua grew weaker. Still, she regretted not being able to avenge Grandma Xiaolian. Shen Zaiye was surprised that even when Jiang Taohua was on the brink of death, she still thought of others. He lifted her up to keep her head above water.
When Prince Qi realized something of his was missing, he anxiously sent people to look for it. The heir came over to inquire, only for Shen Zaiye to suddenly return—with Prince Qi’s missing chess piece. Shen Zaiye sat down and played chess with Prince Qi. The heir grew uneasy. Then he saw Jiang Taohua walking by with a bundle. Suspicious, he followed and forcefully snatched it from her, only to find it contained nothing but clothes.
At that moment, Consort Lan stormed in and slapped the heir across the face. It turned out the tent was hers, and Jiang Taohua had only come to deliver her clothing. Prince Qi arrived upon hearing the commotion and sternly reprimanded the heir. Though Meng Huaijin pleaded on his behalf and Consort Lan let the matter go, Prince Qi still ordered the heir to be flogged as punishment.
Mu Wuyin entered and asked what prize awaited the victor in the next day's hunt, and Prince Qi left the tent with him. Seeing the heir punished brought Jiang Taohua comfort—it was the beginning of vengeance for Grandma Xiaolian. Shen Zaiye agreed and said that one day the heir would pay a true price. Seeing Jiang Taohua limping, Shen Zaiye carried her back, attracting everyone’s attention. Meng Zhenzhen was especially jealous.
Qingtai was distressed seeing Jiang Taohua injured and blamed Shen Zaiye for not protecting her. But Jiang Taohua insisted that without Shen Zaiye, she would have died. She was also glad they went to the silver mine—it helped her understand why Lv Empress cared so much. The place was perfect for training troops.
Jiang Taohua wanted to recruit Shen Zaiye, but she knew she had to present a token of loyalty that would erase his doubts in order to fully form an alliance. The heir was furious at being outwitted by Jiang Taohua and publicly flogged. He also resented Prince Qi for ignoring their father-son bond and letting everyone mock him. He blamed Meng Huaijin for failing to ensure everything went perfectly.
As Meng Huaijin applied medicine to the heir’s wounds, he analyzed the situation: he had checked the cave and confirmed someone had pried it open to rescue Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua. That meant their enemies had planned everything in advance. Meng Huaijin assured him that arrangements had been made. If the heir followed his plan, he could turn misfortune into fortune. This finally calmed the heir down.
By lamplight, Jiang Taohua and Shen Zaiye examined the painting to locate where people might be hidden. With such a large number, hiding them wouldn’t be easy—they were likely near the hunting grounds. Jiang Taohua deduced a specific, probable location. As they realized how physically close they had gotten, both awkwardly pulled back. Shen Zaiye said he would find a way to rescue the miners. Jiang Taohua volunteered to stall for time so he could act freely.
Shen Zaiye brought ointment to treat Jiang Taohua’s wounds and laid a floor mat next to the bed. Jiang Taohua glanced at his back and gently reminded him to be careful the next day. Shen Zaiye didn’t respond, but his eyes opened slightly.
