The Sleepless Princess Episode 25 Recap
> The Sleepless Princess Recap
Xue Yao questioned Tao Yao about his elder brother, Xue Mu. Tao Yao confirmed knowing him from his time overseeing palace security, though her demeanor seemed slightly off. Later, Xue Yao reflected on his own perceived cowardice, expressing a desire to no longer be consumed by the vendetta against his brother's killers. His thoughts drifted to Chu Yue, revealing his deep affection for her as his eyes welled up.
Chu Yue discovered Xue Yao resting and approached him, captivated by his appearance. Unexpectedly, Xue Yao pulled her into a tight embrace. Embarrassed and concerned about being seen, Chu Yue tried to pull away. Xue Yao reminded her that she is his wife, prompting her to question their current status. She then shyly broke free and sat beside him, asking if he had known Infanta Naxi previously.
Xue Yao confirmed their acquaintance, explaining they had encountered each other during the war with Xizhao, having been both adversaries and allies at different times. He then advised Chu Yue to distance herself from Infanta Naxi, citing their differing paths. Chu Yue, however, felt a sense of betrayal, having already befriended Infanta Naxi, and expressed feeling "in the dark" about his past with her.
Xue Yao stated that his immediate priority was to find a legitimate way to bring her back to the Xue mansion and suggested that if she were to conceive his child, they would have a valid reason to reunite. Chu Yue, blushing deeply, retreated into her room. Infanta Naxi convened with her envoys, who informed her that negotiations concerning the ownership of the Dark Steel Ore remained deadlocked.
She then proposed shifting the discussion to the matter of imperial matrimony, revealing it to be an integral part of their strategic plan. During their conversation, Infanta Naxi noticed an assassin on the roof. The intruder fled, leaving behind a dagger. Observing the assassin's familiarity with the palace's layout, Infanta Naxi concluded the person must reside within the palace and ordered an investigation into the totem etched onto the dagger.
The assassin reported to his master that Infanta Naxi intended to marry either Prince Ning or Prince Shun. The master, having extensively investigated Infanta Naxi through his spies in Xizhao, revealed her true motive for coming to Nansang: she was there for Xue Yao. His plan was that if Infanta Naxi successfully took Xue Yao back to Xizhao, Chu Yue would be left without anyone to protect her.
The assassin then confirmed that the individual named Liao, who possessed the second half of a crucial book, had been located. However, Liao was incredibly vigilant; upon seeing the assassin, he immediately sought refuge among the Imperial Guards, making it difficult to confront him, especially since the assassin and his companions were currently wanted by authorities.
The Emperor announced his intention to organize disaster relief efforts in the capital's suburbs, tasking Prince Xingchen with full responsibility for overseeing the distribution of porridge. Prince Xingchen then requested permission to bring his sister, Chu Yue, along, hoping it would demonstrate the royal family's deep concern for the afflicted populace, a request the Emperor granted. Shortly thereafter, Infanta Naxi and her envoys were granted an audience with the Emperor.
Infanta Naxi proposed that if the Emperor agreed to an imperial matrimony, Xizhao would agree to open its Dark Steel Ore mines for joint extraction with Nansang. When pressed about her choice of groom, Infanta Naxi made her intentions clear: her preferred candidate for the marriage was Xue Yao.
Prince Xingchen confided in Chu Yue, revealing that he had privately opened a granary under the name of Panxiang Court to provide relief, but admitted it was merely "a drop in the bucket." He stressed the immediate urgency of managing the relationship between Xizhao and Nansang, emphasizing the need to avoid being caught in a two-front conflict. He then voiced his confusion, asking Chu Yue why Infanta Naxi was persistently following her.
Chu Yue acknowledged she didn't fully understand Infanta Naxi's motivations but suggested that perhaps by witnessing the true conditions in Nansang, Infanta Naxi might help reduce disputes between their two nations. While distributing aid, an unkempt old man unexpectedly seized Chu Yue's hand, calling her "Yue'er" and gifting her a rattle-drum. Infanta Naxi swiftly intervened, knocking the old man to the ground.
He was subsequently arrested and taken away by guards, and Infanta Naxi sustained an injury to her wrist during the scuffle. Chu Yue discovered the character "Yue" carved into the rattle-drum. Accompanied by Prince Xingchen, she visited the old man in prison. After asking Xingchen to wait outside, Chu Yue spoke with the man alone. Still calling her "Yue'er," he said the rattle-drum belonged to her father.
He then gave her a book, urging her to protect it and repeatedly warning her of "an evil man." Despite Chu Yue's attempts to explain she was not his "Yue'er," the old man remained agitated, prompting guards to intervene. Observing the scene, Prince Xingchen suggested the man was likely insane, but Chu Yue decided to keep the book. Xue Yao arrived to accompany Chu Yue, and they shared a carriage.
He playfully remarked he wished the bell on her ankle were a rope to keep her tied to him. He lightly chided her for getting into trouble when he wasn't watching, prompting her to promise not to leave his sight again. Chu Yue then spoke of Infanta Naxi, mentioning a scar she sustained from a wolf bite while saving her sweetheart. Xue Yao, however, cautioned her against being naive, stating that "man's heart is incomprehensible."
As Chu Yue began to read the book from the old man, she drifted off to sleep. In her dream, she found herself with her father, the Da Guo Shi, who reminded her of a formula: "Birthstone emerges, the world unifies; past and future, fortune and misfortune reverse." Her father revealed his purpose in visiting her dream was to save her life. He explained that in his final prophecy, he had foreseen her calamity of being possessed by the birthstone.
He instructed her that if her unique ability could only be used one last time, it must be for her own self-preservation. He then presented her with a book containing a method for self-rescue: "On a full-moon night, in the realm of dreams, forge a unique path, and find life in the face of death." Upon waking, Chu Yue realized the book from the old man was indeed the one her father had spoken of.
Xue Yao confronted Infanta Naxi, accusing her of deliberately leading Chu Yue to wear red on the late Emperor's death anniversary. Infanta Naxi retorted that as a Xizhao native, she was unaware of Nansang's customs. She asserted that with Xizhao now under her and her brother's control, she no longer needed to manipulate Chu Yue to achieve her goals.
Infanta Naxi then revealed her true purpose: she had come for Xue Yao, who had helped her brother ascend to the throne of Xizhao. She provocatively stated that as long as her wrist wound remained unhealed, Chu Yue would continue to care for her, and then deliberately worsened her injury, causing it to bleed. Xue Yao sternly warned her to stay away from Chu Yue. In response, Infanta Naxi embraced Xue Yao, just as Chu Yue arrived and saw them.
At that moment, Eunuch Gao arrived with an imperial edict. The decree declared that Infanta Naxi was to be bestowed upon Senior General Marquis Weiwu, Xue Yao, as his wife. In return, Xizhao would become a vassal state of Nansang. Upon hearing this, Xue Yao and Chu Yue exchanged heartbroken glances, while Infanta Naxi feigned ignorance.
