The Princess's Gambit Episode 4 Recap
> The Princess's Gambit Recap
After a journey that began early in the morning, Jiang Taohua complained to Shen Zaiye about the lack of food and even water. Shen Zaiye replied that their trip to Luyeyuan would take them through remote wilderness and eating heavily would be inconvenient for her, though not for him as a man. He suggested she could wait to dine at the Crown Prince's banquet.
Upon arrival, Shen Zaiye said he would stay to admire the rain, suggesting Jiang Taohua could explore. Jiang Taohua, feeling exhausted from the journey, asked if she and Qingtai could rest first, and Shen Zaiye allowed it, thinking that no matter how clever she was, she couldn't escape the deadly trap he had set. In their quarters, a servant brought crab cakes and jujube kernel tea, saying they were specially prepared for the princess.
Qingtai tested them and found no poison. Jiang Taohua recognized the items and suddenly recalled an incident from her childhood when eating crabs had made her severely ill. Later, a eunuch had revealed that while the crab itself was fine, eating it with jujube kernel tea caused violent diarrhea. Jiang Taohua realized this was Shen Zaiye's plan.
She deduced he intended for her to fall ill during the banquet, providing an opportunity for him to kill her and frame the Crown Prince. She explained to Qingtai that this elaborate scheme was designed to get rid of her while potentially earning Shen Zaiye favor or compensation from the Emperor, calling it a brilliant plan that killed three birds with one stone.
Qingtai offered to fight their way out, but Jiang Taohua refused, mentioning someone named Changjue who was waiting for her. Shen Zaiye was informed that Jiang Taohua was already showing symptoms, earlier than expected. Attributing it to her constitution, he advanced his plan and instructed his assassin, Wanniang, to act immediately.
The plan was to find a way to dirty the Crown Prince's clothes, lead him to Jiang Taohua's room to change, and have him discover her dead body, making it look like an accidental killing. Jiang Taohua, feigning severe stomach pain, went to the privy area with Qingtai. There, she revealed her counter-plan: they would pretend she was severely ill to lower Shen Zaiye's guard and lure his assassin out.
Once he left to greet the arriving Crown Prince, they would have a chance to escape. Wanniang arrived and attempted to kill Jiang Taohua, but Jiang Taohua and Qingtai fought back and killed Wanniang instead. Meanwhile, Shen Zaiye met the Crown Prince at the entrance, making excuses for Jiang Taohua's absence due to illness. The Crown Prince said he had other matters to discuss, but Shen Zaiye abruptly stated an emergency required him to leave.
The Crown Prince was enraged by Shen Zaiye's behavior and later killed a servant in anger after Shen Zaiye departed. Shen Zaiye's man reported that Qingtai, disguised as Jiang Taohua, had been mistaken for her and had escaped Luyeyuan. Shen Zaiye ordered a full search and pursuit, expecting her to seek refuge with his master and ordering her intercepted before she reached the city.
While Qingtai bravely fought the pursuers, Jiang Taohua, having changed into a servant's clothes, encountered a butcher selling pig blood. She smeared herself with the pig blood before seeking help from Prince Wuxia. Qingtai fought the pursuers for a long time but was eventually discovered not to be the princess. Jiang Taohua eventually made her way to Prince Wuxia's residence and collapsed upon arrival.
Prince Wuxia summoned a physician, but Jiang Taohua initially refused treatment, saying her wound was not fit to be seen. Soon after, Shen Zaiye arrived, having left Prince Wugou behind at Luyeyuan, and confronted Prince Wuxia, demanding Jiang Taohua be returned. He accused her of faking her injuries, claiming the blood on her was not human. To expose her, Shen Zaiye attempted to reveal her wound, but was shocked to find a deep cut on her leg.
Jiang Taohua had anticipated Shen Zaiye's suspicion and had deliberately inflicted the wound on herself to make her story convincing. Now fully convinced, Prince Wuxia was angered by Shen Zaiye's actions. Jiang Taohua told Prince Wuxia that she had initially believed the assassins at Luyeyuan were targeting Shen Zaiye and that she was merely caught in the crossfire, but now realized Shen Zaiye wanted her dead.
Prince Wuxia expressed regret that he had supported her request to marry Shen Zaiye and sternly warned Shen Zaiye that from that moment on, any harm that befell Jiang Taohua would be blamed entirely on him, and he would seek retribution even if it cost him his life. The physician informed Prince Wuxia that Jiang Taohua refused anesthesia and her wound would need to be stitched while she was conscious before further treatment could be administered.
Shen Zaiye volunteered to perform the stitching, stating that waiting for Imperial Physicians from the palace would take too long. Prince Wuxia agreed but reiterated his warning. As Shen Zaiye stitched her wound, he asked Jiang Taohua why she hadn't sought help from the palace or other powerful figures in Qi.
Jiang Taohua explained that she had anticipated his ambush on the road to the palace and had gambled by seeking refuge with Prince Wuxia instead, a gamble that paid off. Shen Zaiye acknowledged that he had met his match, surprised that it was the Princess of Beiyuan. He asked why she refused anesthesia. Jiang Taohua admitted she feared he would poison her again and didn't dare close her eyes for fear of never waking up.
Seeing this, Shen Zaiye told her she could rest, assuring her that he had promised Prince Wuxia to protect her and no one would dare touch her while he was there. The physician commented that the stitches were rough and would leave a scar. Shen Zaiye replied that the spot was only for his eyes anyway and wouldn't scare anyone else. Reassured, Jiang Taohua finally slept.
Back at Shen Zaiye's residence, while Jiang Taohua was still unconscious, Shen Zaiye instructed Meng Zhenzhen to ensure she was well cared for, stating that Zhengchun Boudoir was to be prioritized and any neglect would be punished. As he stood over her, Jiang Taohua clutched his sleeve in her sleep, and Meng Zhenzhen observed a fleeting moment of tenderness on Shen Zaiye's face.
Later, discussing the incident with her servant Yuetao, Meng Zhenzhen noted the suspicious timing of Jiang Taohua's injury after she had spied on Shen Zaiye's study. She suspected Shen Zaiye was involved but found his display of concern confusingly real. Meng Zhenzhen concluded that Shen Zaiye was a ruthless statesman who would eliminate anyone who blocked his path, regardless of his feelings, and feared for her own safety. She felt an urgent need to send out an important item.
Yuetao questioned her feelings for Shen Zaiye, but Meng Zhenzhen stated her priority was her family's future, not her own personal one. Jiang Taohua, now recovered, copied paintings from memory and instructed Qingtai to deliver them to Yang Wanqing. Jiang Taohua then orchestrated a scene, pretending to be intensely homesick for food from her homeland and demanding to leave the estate, knowing Shen Zaiye had placed the residence under lockdown.
When guards stopped Qingtai from leaving, Jiang Taohua loudly protested, causing a commotion in the courtyard. She accused servants and another wife, Qin Niangzi, of mistreating her. The disturbance was reported to Shen Zaiye, who ordered that Jiang Taohua be allowed to have food from her homeland brought in, but the lockdown remained, applying to all the wives. Meng Zhenzhen realized this lockdown was a trap set by Shen Zaiye, suspecting she would try to send something out.
She became more cautious but also more determined to find a way to get the item out. Qingtai successfully delivered the copied paintings to Yang Wanqing. Yang Wanqing recognized they were copies and noted the varying brushwork, suspecting Shen Zaiye had them forged as bait, proving the real painting was not in his possession. Jiang Taohua, through Qingtai, asked Yang Wanqing to tell his master, Her Majesty Lu, to be patient, promising to help Shen Zaiye find the real painting.
Yang Wanqing praised Jiang Taohua's cleverness but warned her against relying on such tricks in the future, especially since the antidote she received only lasted a month. Jiang Taohua went to see Shen Zaiye, stating that she had figured out he wanted to kill her. She explained she realized this after accidentally entering his study and disrupting his trap set using paintings as bait.
She deduced that someone had taken the painting he was after and that this person was someone he was unwilling or unable to act against. Jiang Taohua offered to help him find the painting in exchange for his protection, pointing out the stalemate between him and his Madam (Meng Zhenzhen) – he wouldn't get the painting unless that deadlock was broken, and she possessed the means to break it. She offered her service, willing to work with him. Shen Zaiye regarded her with anger in his eyes, while Jiang Taohua met his gaze with a slight smile.
