The Princess's Gambit Episode 17 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
Qingtai saw that Jiang Taohua was unwell after taking only half the antidote and offered to carry out the task herself. However, Jiang Taohua feared Yang Wanqing would seize on any mistake and accuse them of being uncooperative. She suddenly proposed that Xiang Qingying accompany her out, believing this would keep their movements hidden from Shen Zaiye. Jiang Taohua then sought out Xiang Qingying, who was upset after being rejected by Mu Wuxia.
Jiang Taohua offered to teach her how to win a man's heart, suggesting the skill would be useful even if not for Mu Wuxia, but for future encounters. Xiang Qingying was immediately cheered by the prospect. Just then, Shen Zaiye approached, seeing them in secretive conversation and asked what they were discussing. Xiang Qingying refused to tell him, stating it was a secret between girls.
Conveniently, Zhan Lu arrived at that moment with news for Shen Zaiye, causing him to leave immediately without pressing further. Jiang Taohua deliberately took Xiang Qingying to a lip rouge shop to get makeup done. She applied makeup to Xiang Qingying in a way that made her look ugly, then claimed she wasn't skilled at applying makeup for others and asked the shopkeeper to help.
She used this as an opportunity to slip away and go to the nearby Imperial Library. After her makeup was finished, Xiang Qingying realized Jiang Taohua had left her behind. She then saw a poor scholar, Li Jiaohan, being mistreated outside. Xiang Qingying stepped in to help him. In their conversation, she discovered that Li Jiaohan had a similar way of thinking as her, and he was handsome.
She immediately invited him to go sightseeing with her, seeking to mend her spirits after the disappointment with Mu Wuxia. Shen Zaiye secretly dealt with the assassins who had been tracking Mu Wuxia's residence. However, he found them suspicious because they were too easily defeated, leading him to suspect a diversion was at play. He immediately returned to the Imperial Library area to investigate.
Jiang Taohua, having arrived at a room in the Wuliu Residence section of the library, lit the incense as she had been instructed. When she later went downstairs, pretending to register a book, she realized Wuliu Residence was Mu Wuxia's personal study. Recognizing the danger, she hurried back upstairs to extinguish the incense she had lit and opened the window for ventilation. As she did so, she saw Mu Wuxia approaching below the window.
To delay his ascent, Jiang Taohua deliberately dropped a book out the window. As Mu Wuxia picked up the fallen book, he looked up and saw Xiang Qingying with Li Jiaohan. He appeared jealous and suggested joining them for their outing. Meanwhile, Shen Zaiye arrived in the Wuliu Residence room and found Jiang Taohua alone. His suspicions were aroused, and he questioned why she was there.
Jiang Taohua lied, claiming she knew Xiang Qingying and Mu Wuxia had feelings for each other but were shy. She said she had come to hide a red string she had made, planning for it to be found and attributed to Xiang Qingying to help bring them together. She placed the red string in Shen Zaiye's hand as she left. Mu Wuxia joined Xiang Qingying and Li Jiaohan for their sightseeing.
Li Jiaohan observed their interactions and realized that Xiang Qingying and Mu Wuxia actually had feelings for each other, though they seemed unaware of it themselves. Mu Wuxia noticed a book titled "Chronicle of Unusual Spirits" in Li Jiaohan's basket, and they discovered a shared interest in the book. Their conversation flowed easily, and they quickly became intellectual companions.
Li Jiaohan became so animated during their discussion that he accidentally fell into a lotus pond, but he continued to explain his ideas even while climbing out, impressing Mu Wuxia, who developed an appreciation for his talent. Zhan Lu reported to Shen Zaiye that the captured assassin confessed to receiving orders from Lan Boutique. Shen Zaiye recalled that Jiang Taohua's clothes were all custom-made at Lan Boutique.
He immediately ordered a full investigation into everyone entering and leaving Lan Boutique and all details of Jiang Taohua's past dealings with them. Growing increasingly resentful, he began to suspect that Jiang Taohua had been deceiving him. Separately, in Wuliu Residence, Shen Zaiye's men found a dead rat that seemed poisoned and noted a faint, strange fragrance in the room, which they described as powdery perfume mixed with soap pods. This scent led Shen Zaiye to further investigate the area.
Jiang Taohua coughed up blood, staining her clothes. Qingtai was distressed and wanted to beg Yang Wanqing for the antidote. But Jiang Taohua believed Yang Wanqing had given her only half the antidote specifically to make her suffer and wouldn't easily give her the rest. She then instructed Qingtai to get her a clean change of clothes, planning to go out. Unexpectedly, Shen Zaiye met Qingtai as she was bringing the clothes, took them, and went into the room himself.
Behind a screen, he saw the bloodstained clothes and noticed a peach blossom mark on Jiang Taohua's arm. When he questioned her, Jiang Taohua claimed it was a popular style called Peach Blossom makeup. Shen Zaiye did not believe her and subtly interrogated her further, ultimately telling her she should not leave the residence for the time being, implying dangers in the city and the possibility of being mistaken for a spy.
Although Jiang Taohua outwardly agreed, she left shortly after, going directly to Lan Boutique to demand the antidote. Yang Wanqing was initially reluctant to give it and blamed Jiang Taohua for failing the previous mission. Jiang Taohua explained that her weakened state due to lack of antidote and the interference of the clumsy hired help were the reasons for the failure, and she guaranteed success this time.
Behind a screen in an inner room at Lan Boutique, Mu Wuyin tapped a cup on a table, signaling Yang Wanqing to give Jiang Taohua half the antidote. Yang Wanqing complied. After Jiang Taohua left, Yang Wanqing asked Mu Wuyin why he had agreed. Mu Wuyin replied that he did not fully trust Jiang Taohua but had other plans and intended to pressure her.
Yang Wanqing then reported that there had been no reply from Beiyuan since they sent a letter after the last failed mission, expressing concern that Beiyuan might be angry at their incompetence. Mu Wuyin suddenly shed tears but suggested that Beiyuan might simply be too busy to reply. Jiang Taohua returned to find Shen Zaiye waiting for her in the room, wanting an explanation. Knowing that Shen Zaiye had already investigated her, Jiang Taohua decided against elaborate explanations.
Instead, she simply repeated the oath she had made before: she would not do anything to endanger Qi, and this included Mu Wuxia. If she broke this vow, she swore she would never see her family again. Shen Zaiye, tears in his eyes, told her he believed her. Jiang Taohua did not want to harm Mu Wuxia but needed to demonstrate progress to Yang Wanqing to secure the next dose of antidote.
She decided to have Qingtai leave first under the pretense of gathering information about Mu Wuxia's whereabouts. This would hopefully divert Yang Wanqing's attention and buy Jiang Taohua time to devise a safer plan. However, unexpectedly, Yang Wanqing used Jiang Taohua's name to invite Mu Wuxia out for a stroll and subsequently had him kidnapped to the Qinfang Teahouse. Jiang Taohua quickly received the news and rushed out.
Meanwhile, at the Qinfang Teahouse, Yang Wanqing held a dagger to Mu Wuxia's throat. Jiang Taohua was informed that Shen Zaiye had just been summoned to the palace and was unavailable.
