The Sleepless Princess Episode 16 Recap
> The Sleepless Princess Recap
After the assassins, revealed to be dead men, poisoned themselves, Xue Yao concluded that their master must be seeking something extraordinary. Chu Yue insisted she did not know them, and though Xue Yao urged her to return to the safety of Xue Mansion, she refused. Believing the assassins were targeting her, she feared that returning would only endanger his family.
Xue Yao speculated that she must possess something of great value, leading Chu Yue to wonder if it was connected to her biological father. At Luo Ji’s suggestion, Xue Yao ordered additional guards to escort the princess back to the Golden Bird Palace. Following the incident, Luo Ji reported that the dead men bore a totem identical to the one found at Song Mansion.
Xue Yao immediately suspected a link between the attempts on Chu Yue's life and the death of his brother, Xue Mu, instructing Luo Ji to conceal this from the Emperor. Later, Xue Yao visited his unconscious aunt, Old Lady Xue, and spoke to her, revealing his intention to request taking over his brother's former duties.
He knew she would disapprove, as her greatest wish was for him to live a peaceful life, but he felt a duty to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Dong Shi visited Chu Yue at the palace after hearing about the assassination attempt. Chu Yue worried that her father might have had enemies who were now seeking revenge through her, but Dong Shi dismissed this, stating that both he and the Emperor were deeply indebted to his master.
He urged her to return to Xue Mansion for her safety, but Chu Yue explained she couldn't. She confessed that she had transformed into a pig the previous night, frightening Old Lady Xue into a dead faint. To solve this, Dong Shi gave her a medicine that would make her aunt forget the incident.
He then sternly warned Chu Yue not to tell Xue Yao about the birthstone, explaining that the true danger was not Xue Yao's disbelief, but the fatal consequences for everyone who had kept her secret if the Emperor discovered it. An investigation into the aphrodisiac incident identified Tao Yao as the culprit. Desperate to protect Chu Yue's secret, Tao Yao falsely confessed that she had been trying to help the couple consummate their marriage.
Taking her loyalty to Chu Yue into account, and at Luo Ji's suggestion, Xue Yao decided to let Chu Yue handle her punishment. As the newly appointed General of the Left Guard, Xue Yao asserted his authority in the harem by reprimanding palace maids for speaking disrespectfully of his wife. He later found Chu Yue and told her that Xingchen had entrusted him with her well-being, urging her to trust him as she had trusted her brother.
Chu Yue hesitated, jokingly asking if he would be scared off if she turned into a pig or a cat. Amused, Xue Yao revealed he had already dreamt of her as a cute pig and accepted her invitation to have dinner at her palace later. During their meal, he mentioned the aphrodisiac incident, expressing his understanding that Tao Yao had acted out of loyalty, surprising Chu Yue, who had been unaware.
Afterward, Chu Yue decided she could trust Xue Yao, realizing he was a man who protected fiercely and one she felt she could depend on. Xue Yao and Luo Ji visited Xue Mu's untouched former residence. Luo Ji noted that Xue Mu had personally designed the patrol routes, including for the Guoxi Pavilion area. Later, Xue Yao found palace maids burning paper money for the late Concubine Yun.
An older palace attendant informed him that Concubine Yun, once the Emperor's favorite, was executed at Guoxi Pavilion for alleged adultery with a guard. Her real name was Feixue. Recalling his brother was in charge of that area, Xue Yao began to suspect Xue Mu was the guard involved. That night, Chu Yue finally confessed her secret to Xue Yao. She revealed that her father, the Grand State Master, possessed a prophetic "birthstone" that disappeared after his death.
As a child, she had touched the stone, and it had entered her body, causing her to transform into different animals if she broke certain taboos. Jingfei had protected her by helping conceal this from the Emperor, who was hunting for the "thief." As Chu Yue expressed her desire to repay the Emperor's kindness, Xue Yao cut her off, posing a stark hypothetical question: what if the Emperor had killed his closest relative?
Chu Yue, confused, replied that his brother had honorably died in battle for the Emperor. Xue Yao's disdainful reaction to this official story revealed his deep-seated suspicion that his brother's death was not an accident of war but an execution, leaving a stunned Chu Yue as he walked out. The next day, Bai Liqi reported that Xue Mu had indeed been infatuated with Concubine Yun, buying gifts for her after she was sent to the cold palace.
He also confirmed the assassins were from the Qingyun tribe, mercenaries led by a man named Domoto. Bai Liqi concluded that the fire at Yinghua Hall was a diversion and the Emperor had likely killed Xue Mu. He proposed using Chu Yue as bait to lure out their enemies. Xue Yao initially refused, but Bai Liqi argued it was their only option.
Resolved to proceed, Xue Yao went to the Golden Bird Palace, where a worried Chu Yue feared he had been scared off. He told her he would take her out of the palace the next day for her birthday and presented her with a "Yanying Shayi," a precious, shimmering garment. Though Chu Yue found it too ostentatious, Tao Yao persuaded her to wear it for him. Later, Xue Yao confirmed to Bai Liqi that the plan was in motion.
The dress would make Chu Yue a conspicuous target, and though he felt conflicted, he agreed to create a grand spectacle to draw the assassins out, reiterating that Chu Yue’s safety was the absolute priority.
