The Sleepless Princess Episode 19 Recap
> The Sleepless Princess Recap
After returning to the Xue mansion, Tao Yao noticed a significant transformation in Chu Yue. Previously, Chu Yue had lived a life of inverted days and nights, but now she slept soundly, her eye bags were gone, and her eyes sparkled, a change so apparent it was as if she had been freed from a spell. Nannan arrived, her previous animosity toward Chu Yue having lessened after their shared ordeal with the assassins.
She held divorce papers written in Xue Yao's hand and questioned if Chu Yue truly intended to finalize the separation. Chu Yue advised Nannan to ask Xue Yao directly, explaining that human relationships are more complex than simple likes and dislikes; even if a couple could list countless faults in each other, they would still stand together in a crisis.
Nannan then recalled that there had been no guards at crucial points in Lingxi Garden on the day of the attack. This prompted Chu Yue to reflect on her birthday celebration, where Xue Yao's uncharacteristic ostentatiousness now seemed suspicious. She voiced her fear that she had been used as bait, though she found it hard to believe Xue Yao could be so calculating. Nannan insisted that the absence of guards was proof of a deliberate plan.
Unwilling to speculate further, Chu Yue resolved to confront Xue Yao for the truth. Meanwhile, Xue Yao was paying respects at the memorial tablet of his father, General Xue Yishan. He lamented that the general, though victorious against Xizhao, had succumbed to dysentery from his injuries, dying with his ambitions unfulfilled. Xue Yao also recalled the devastating Hongshui battle where both his parents were killed, their legacy tarnished from invincible heroes to figures of national defeat.
Chu Yue found him and offered comfort, assuring him he had fulfilled their dying wish by protecting the people of Nansang, and that he and his parents were all heroes. Xue Yao then spoke of his older brother, Xue Mu, an imperial guard who died in the Yinghua Hall fire half a year prior while protecting three royal spiritual tablets. After their parents' death, Xue Mu had been a father figure to him and his most cherished relative.
Seeing Xue Yao consumed by such profound grief, Chu Yue found herself unable to ask about Lingxi Garden. Later, Chu Yue visited the still-unconscious Old Lady Xue. She confided in her, admitting that the harrowing experience on the cliff made her realize Xue Yao's love for her, as true love means being willing to sacrifice for and tolerate another's flaws.
She recalled her years of living with inverted days, which led everyone to believe she was possessed, and how meeting Xue Yao taught her how to live a normal life. Despite the suspicious circumstances of the Lingxi Garden incident, she vowed not to doubt him unless he confessed himself.
Chu Yue then sang a lullaby, triggering a memory of a young Xue Mu promising his brother he would return from the frontier after rallying their father's old troops, entrusting Xue Yao with their family's ambition should he fail. Nannan learned from the imperial guard Luo Ji that Xue Yao had indeed used Chu Yue as bait.
Incensed, she stormed off to confront Xue Yao, accusing him of changing and condemning him for endangering a "weak woman" in his perilous scheme. Xue Yao then sought out Chu Yue to confess. He admitted that the entire birthday celebration at Lingxi Garden—the parade, blessings, and fireworks—was an elaborate ruse to lure out the assassins and uncover the truth behind his brother's death.
Heartbroken, Chu Yue questioned if any of his actions had been sincere, asking if his care for her on the cliff was born merely of guilt and pity. Xue Yao confessed he could not yet reveal everything but promised that once his mission was complete, she could do with him as she pleased.
Just then, Nannan arrived and whisked Chu Yue away to lift her spirits, leaving Xue Yao alone to mutter that Chu Yue was his greatest vulnerability, his "wound." Elsewhere, Old Lady Xue awakened and immediately summoned Xue Yao. She sternly admonished him for his treatment of Chu Yue and, revealing she had heard everything while unconscious, demanded he bring her back. She insisted that Chu Yue was her beloved niece-in-law and her home was with the Xue family.
Worried after hearing Nannan intended to take Chu Yue out for a "merry" time, she urged Xue Yao to find her before she was led astray. As night deepened, Xue Yao paced anxiously outside, pretending to wait for a doctor while actually watching for Chu Yue's return. Meanwhile, Chu Yue and Nannan were drinking at Fanlou. Chu Yue declared she would rather sleep on the street than return to the Xue mansion after Xue Yao's deception.
Nannan, now fiercely supportive, promised to always stand by her, admitting that while she once resented Chu Yue for "snatching" Xue Yao, she was now grateful to her for revealing his true nature. Later, Luo Ji escorted a drunk Nannan home, where he had to explain the situation to her concerned father, Lord Su. Back at the mansion, Chu Yue's brother, Xingchen, confronted her.
He expressed his fury at Xue Yao's actions and told her he had to restrain himself from ransacking the general's mansion. He likened their marriage to a battlefield, where one must be prepared for betrayal. He urged her to seize this chance to leave Xue Yao and escape their father's "random matchmaking" for good. However, Chu Yue confessed her conflicted heart, admitting she had developed feelings for Xue Yao and still wanted to believe he cared for her.
Upon her return, Chu Yue decided she would not share a bed with Xue Yao. After Tao Yao joked that she was so used to sleeping now that even old methods for staying awake wouldn't work, Chu Yue sent her to retrieve her quilt from Xue Yao's room. When Tao Yao arrived at his door, with Chu Yue waiting nearby, Xue Yao opened it.
Seeing Chu Yue, he bitterly asked why she had returned if she hated him, sarcastically wondering if she planned to kill him in a nightmare out of anger. He then asked Tao Yao if the princess had any message for him, but Tao Yao confirmed she had only been sent for the quilt. His hope dashed, Xue Yao was left crestfallen.
