The Princess's Gambit Episode 15 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
Shen Zaiye instructed Zhan Lu to refer to Jiang Taohua as “Princess” from now on, and also to keep a close eye on Meng Zhenzhen and the Meng family’s actions. At that time, Meng Zhenzhen had returned to mourn. As she looked at Meng Huaijin lying in the coffin, she broke down in tears, only to be scolded by Meng Zhongyan, who accused her of stirring up more trouble for the Meng family.
Meng Zhenzhen rebuked her father for denying her even the right to cry. Meng Zhongyan understood that Meng Zhenzhen harbored resentment, so he explained that abandoning Meng Huaijin pained him deeply as well. Although His Majesty had not punished them, the Meng family was no longer what it once was. That day, not even outsiders had come to offer condolences.
Meng Zhongyan was bitter that Shen Zaiye had shown no regard for marital bonds and had targeted the Meng family—he couldn’t swallow that insult. He told Meng Zhenzhen that the one she should hate was Shen Zaiye, not him. He hoped she would use her position as Shen Zaiye’s wife to poison him at home, noting that since they were husband and wife, she would have many chances.
Meng Zhenzhen gave a bitter smile, pointing out that her father had never considered what would happen if the poisoning failed. Meng Zhongyan, however, promised to welcome her back into the Meng family. Yuetao knew that Meng Zhenzhen had feelings for Shen Zaiye and wouldn’t be able to go through with it. Though she sympathized with Meng Zhenzhen, she also felt that Meng Zhenzhen held no real status in the Shen household.
Even at palace banquets, Shen Zaiye would bring a concubine instead of her. Meng Zhenzhen suddenly made up her mind—it was time for her to make a decision and step down from the game. At that moment, someone had already begun secretly watching her. Shen Zaiye meticulously arranged everything for Jiang Taohua, to the point that even Zhan Lu felt he was being overly considerate toward an outsider. But Shen Zaiye emphasized that Jiang Taohua was not an outsider.
Zhan Lu suggested that since he cared so much, he should show it openly, but Shen Zaiye believed that with Jiang Taohua’s intelligence, she would understand everything even if he said nothing. He then placed the broken arrow she had blocked for him in a hidden compartment, alongside his most treasured possessions. Shen Zaiye prepared clothes and precious jewelry for Jiang Taohua to wear to the palace banquet.
Jiang Taohua thought the items were too extravagant—far beyond what a main wife should receive. Zhan Lu told her that from then on, she would only be addressed as “Princess” in the household, and any disrespect toward her would be seen as disrespect toward Shen Zaiye. Jiang Taohua was deeply moved. Meanwhile, Shen Zaiye also discovered that Yuetao had secretly gone to meet a palace maid.
Before getting into the carriage, Meng Zhenzhen deliberately had Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua sit together, saying only then would everything be perfect. But watching Shen Zaiye help Jiang Taohua into the carriage still made her feel uneasy. Inside the carriage, Jiang Taohua noted that having once received Shen Zaiye’s affection was already enough to draw envy. Now that she was presented as a princess, she wondered what his real intentions were.
Shen Zaiye didn’t respond, only telling her she would understand once they arrived at the palace. Along the way, Jiang Taohua lifted the curtain to admire the lively scene outside, smiling softly. Shen Zaiye, unknowingly, kept watching her. Before the banquet began, Meng Zhongyan was assigned to the far end of the hall—something that had never happened before. The court officials were already shifting allegiance and siding more with the Qin family, which had now become the most powerful clan.
Meng Zhenzhen proactively chose to sit beside her father, while Jiang Taohua was seated next to Shen Zaiye. As tea was being served, Shen Zaiye noticed a nervous maid handing tea to Jiang Taohua and deliberately stopped her from drinking. He then presented a glass cup to Prince Qi that could detect poison—any toxin would make the cup turn cloudy. Seeing that Consort Lan liked it, Prince Qi ordered that everyone switch to the same glass cups before drinking.
Meng Zhongyan noticed Meng Zhenzhen’s panic and guessed that poison had already been added. He rushed to stop the maid before she could refill the cup and pretended to reconcile with Shen Zaiye, drinking with him to settle past grievances. Shen Zaiye insisted the maid pour tea, but the maid grew more flustered. Meng Zhongyan took the teapot himself, claiming he would pour, then feigned chest pain and threw the pot, spilling all the tea.
Seeing this, Jiang Taohua pretended to faint. Prince Qi immediately ordered an inspection and found poison in Jiang Taohua’s tea cup. He demanded an explanation from the maid. The maid immediately confessed that Meng Zhenzhen had instructed her. Meng Zhenzhen stepped forward and admitted it was because she was jealous of Jiang Taohua receiving all of Shen Zaiye’s affection. Prince Qi reprimanded her for her jealousy.
Meng Zhongyan hurriedly begged for mercy, offering his position as Right Chancellor in exchange for Meng Zhenzhen’s life. Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua also pleaded for leniency but proposed a divorce. Shen Zaiye would also dismiss his other two concubines to ensure nothing like this would happen again and strain relations with Beiyuan. Prince Qi had no choice but to agree. Meng Zhongyan blamed himself for pushing Meng Zhenzhen too far.
He told her that Meng Huaijin had still been thinking of her before his death, and from now on, they would rely on each other. Giving up the Right Chancellor position to save her life, in his view, was worth it. In truth, Meng Zhongyan knew his political power was finished, and Prince Qi already distrusted him—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been seated so low at the banquet. That’s why he offered to resign of his own accord.
After the banquet, Meng Zhenzhen waited to thank Shen Zaiye and Jiang Taohua. Shen Zaiye remarked that now they no longer had to share a bed while hiding separate agendas, which was better for everyone. But Jiang Taohua understood that Meng Zhenzhen had orchestrated the banquet incident on purpose—to remove the chains binding her and make herself a discarded pawn no longer useful to anyone. Meng Zhenzhen said she envied Jiang Taohua.
If it weren’t for her identity, they might have been friends. She believed Jiang Taohua was free to follow her heart, while she always had to consider her family. That day, Meng Zhenzhen had selfishly chosen herself over her clan. She noted that she and Shen Zaiye were alike—rational people who weighed pros and cons between emotion and family—and hoped Jiang Taohua would be luckier than her.
Watching Meng Zhenzhen walk away, Jiang Taohua murmured to herself that she wasn’t truly free either. She was just another Meng Zhenzhen who had come to this place from Beiyuan. From a distance, Shen Zaiye silently observed her, deep in thought, before leaving on his own and instructing Zhan Lu to escort Jiang Taohua home. But Jiang Taohua didn’t want to go home. She wandered off alone. Unknowingly, both she and Shen Zaiye ended up on the same bridge. Just then, a burst of molten sparks lit up the bridge. They both stood at the edge, silently watching, without saying a word.
