The Sleepless Princess Episode 3 Recap
> The Sleepless Princess Recap
Su Nannan, a competitive young lady from the Su mansion, was engrossed in perfecting the ninth move of "Wild Geese Alighting on Sand." She had been in seclusion for a month, diligently practicing, with the promise from her "brother" Xue Yao that if she defeated him in a match, he would grant her one wish. However, the news reached her that Xue Yao had gotten married while she was away.
Shocked and heartbroken, Nannan immediately ordered her carriage to go to the Xue mansion. Meanwhile, Chu Yue, feeling confined after being trapped in the palace for over a decade, attempted to escape the Xue mansion by climbing a ladder to get over the wall. She was determined not to be held captive again. Xue Yao, however, discovered her attempt.
He sarcastically remarked that in all his years, he had seen red apricots grow over the wall but never a person climbing out. He then instructed his aide, Mr. Bai, to deploy more guards to watch her, stating that she would not be allowed to come down until she admitted her mistake.
Back in her carriage, Nannan's maid expressed pity for Xue Yao, who had remained single for so long only to marry a "sickly princess," suggesting it was a common male weakness for frail, willowy girls. Nannan, however, was furious at the princess for stealing the man she loved. Just as she vented her frustration, Chu Yue, still perched on the wall, slipped and fell. Nannan, witnessing the fall, instinctively rushed forward and caught Chu Yue.
Chu Yue then quickly pleaded to hide in Nannan's carriage, fearing for her life. Xue Yao's men soon reported Chu Yue missing and he immediately dispatched them to search for her. Hidden in Nannan's carriage, Chu Yue profusely thanked Nannan for saving her. Nannan reassured her, mentioning her family's past close ties with the Xue mansion and her influence with Madam Xue, promising to intercede on her behalf.
Chu Yue, seizing the opportunity, fabricated a story, claiming she was a maid to the princess who had cruelly left her on the wall to die. Nannan, appalled by this tale of malice, insisted on taking Chu Yue to the Xue mansion to confront the princess. Despite her reluctance, Chu Yue had no choice but to accompany Nannan back.
Upon realizing Nannan's animosity towards the princess—and therefore towards her, as Nannan believed her to be the princess's maid—Chu Yue became fearful. She instructed her maid, Tao Yao, to barricade the door of her room with all available furniture. Soon after, Nannan found Xue Yao and joyfully announced that she had perfected her martial arts, eager to challenge him.
However, Xue Yao coldly rejected her, reminding her of her father's past accusation against the Xue family, which led to his brother Xue Mu being sent into the palace as a hostage. This act had long since eroded any affection he had for Nannan. In frustration, Nannan began wildly chopping at Xue Yao's carefully cultivated plants, distraught that he valued "worthless grass" more than her. Later, Xue Yao confronted Chu Yue, suspecting she had help escaping.
Chu Yue insisted she had simply fallen and was saved by Nannan. Unconvinced and determined to prevent further escape attempts, Xue Yao had a Xizhao prisoner's ankle bell placed on her leg, stating that from now on, he would always know her location until she confessed everything. Meanwhile, Luo Ji reported to Xue Yao that the Emperor's extensive search for the assassins had yielded no results.
Luo Ji suspected the assassins were the princess's enemies, noting that Imperial Noble Consort Su was the only one in the Imperial Harem with a significant grudge against her. Xue Yao, however, dismissed this theory. He observed that the assassins were intimately familiar with the palace layout and, crucially, had not attempted to kill Chu Yue during their confrontation.
He deduced that Chu Yue might be in league with the assassins, finding her behavior consistently unsettling, and resolved not to rest until he uncovered the truth. Determined to extract Chu Yue's secrets, Xue Yao brought her to a desolate area where his men were tending to plants. Chu Yue, misinterpreting their actions, panicked, believing they were burying bodies and that she might be next.
Xue Yao tied her to a pillar and shot arrows near her, demanding to know what the Emperor had told her and what her connection to the assassins was. Under pressure, Chu Yue tearfully confessed that she has prophetic dreams and had escaped the palace because she had foreseen danger. Xue Yao dismissed her claim as nonsense, but her genuine despair and resignation, telling him to just kill her, seemed to affect him. He untied her and led her away.
Xue Yao then explained to Chu Yue that the assassins were his only lead to finding the truth, as he was determined to ensure that evil did not go unpunished. Chu Yue, in turn, revealed that someone had indeed saved her, but that very person was wanted by her father, the Emperor. Realizing they might share a common goal of pursuing justice, they reached a fragile understanding.
Chu Yue then noticed a distinct, familiar scent of blood on Xue Yao, recalling it from the day of the assassination. She commented that it was normal for him to smell that way, given his years of battle. She found it reassuring, noting that for a soldier, this scent was a sign of life, a contrast to a cold, bloodless death on the frontier. Impressed, Xue Yao remarked that she was quite different from other sheltered ladies.
Chu Yue agreed, explaining their different roles: he travels the world, while she reads about it in books. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Xu Xingchen, Prince Shun, who sharply rebuked Xue Yao for bringing Chu Yue to such a place, especially as she was still recovering. Xu Xingchen announced his intention to take Chu Yue back to his mansion.
Xue Yao asked Chu Yue if she would go with him, and after a moment of hesitation, she agreed. Once at Prince Shun's mansion, Xu Xingchen ordered a lavish feast. Chu Yue eagerly ate, expressing her immense relief and declaring that she had been half-dead from fear and hunger during her time at the Xue mansion.
