The Sleepless Princess Episode 5 Recap
> The Sleepless Princess Recap
Chu Yue expressed her fear to Tao Yao, explaining that she had openly badmouthed Xue Yao, and he had heard every word, even threatening her directly. She worried that if she couldn't escape, her life would be in danger. Tao Yao reassured her that the letter had been delivered to Prince Shun and they just needed to hold on for a few more days.
However, Chu Yue's constantly jingling ankle chain posed a major problem, as it was made of pure steel and couldn't be opened without a key. They decided to look for a hoe in the garden to try and break it. Upon entering the garden, Chu Yue and Tao Yao were startled to see Xue Yao holding what they mistook for a human head.
After a closer look, they realized it was merely a pot of flowers given to him by Su Nannan. Chu Yue accused Xue Yao of being two-faced, claiming to dislike Su Nannan but secretly planting her flowers at night. Xue Yao retorted that the flowers were innocent and asked why she was wandering the garden instead of sleeping.
When he ordered her to help with the plants, Chu Yue, claiming to be a "master of scissors" who once fought off two assassins, took a pair of scissors and deliberately mutilated the flowers. Angered by her antics, Xue Yao told her to get out. On their way from the garden, Chu Yue questioned Xue Yao about living alone in such a large house, asking if he ever felt scared and if he had any siblings.
In response, he curtly announced that her lunch for the next day was canceled. A moment later, walking in the dark, she stepped on something soft and shrieked, believing it to be a brain. Genuinely frightened, she refused to move, so Xue Yao offered her his hand. Contemplating that this might be their last night together, Chu Yue accepted his gesture.
Back in her room, Chu Yue confided in Tao Yao, admitting that while Xue Yao was not as bad as she had initially imagined, her recent behavior was merely an act forced by the circumstances, reiterating that she still did not want to become his wife. Unbeknownst to her, Xue Yao overheard her entire conversation. He and his subordinates burst into the room, and he seized her, declaring that her actions would likely get his entire family killed.
Xue Yao ordered his men to take Chu Yue to the dungeon to be interrogated. In a desperate attempt to save her, Tao Yao released a distress flare, hoping Prince Shun would come to the rescue. In the dungeon, Chu Yue was horrified by the various torture instruments. Xue Yao confronted her, accusing her of writing a confidential letter to the Emperor and expressing regret for having trusted her.
His subordinate, Bai Liqi, recounted how a spy in the Xue family army had caused thousands of deaths and was subsequently dismembered by the General with 3,500 slices. Xue Yao declared that he hated betrayal above all else. Just as he prepared to interrogate Chu Yue, Prince Shun arrived with his men, demanding they stop and threatening to kill Xue Yao for his disrespect towards the Princess, leading to a tense standoff.
At that moment, Eunuch Gao appeared, announcing that the Emperor had received the Princess's "family letter" and sent him to check on them. He revealed the letter contained no state secrets, but rather personal complaints. He read it aloud: Chu Yue had written that Xue Yao was like a demon who tormented her day and night, even forcing her to be a living target during his military drills, thus shaming the imperial family.
She pleaded with her father to revoke the marriage. Eunuch Gao conveyed the Emperor's message that their marital conflicts were minor and that he wished for them to live in harmony. Prince Shun still insisted on taking Chu Yue away, but Eunuch Gao warned him not to defy the Emperor's will, as it would ruin his promising future.
Chu Yue, realizing the gravity of the situation, stopped him, explaining she couldn't let him lose the trust he had painstakingly earned from their father. Turning to Xue Yao, she sincerely apologized and promised not to cause any more trouble. When Xue Yao questioned why she would want to be a "devil's wife" after calling him one, she claimed it was a joke and added that if he were a devil, she would willingly "fall into hell with you forever."
Hearing this, Xue Yao lifted Chu Yue into his arms and carried her out of the dungeon. Later, Xue Yao instructed an old servant, Granny Zhou, to prepare new clothes for Chu Yue using silks from the Emperor's recent rewards. Granny hesitated, explaining the silks were reserved for Old Lady Xue's winter coats. Chu Yue then learned that the Old Lady, Xue Yao's aunt who raised him and his brother Xue Mu, was away at Jifu Temple.
Tao Yao added that the Old Lady disapproved of the marriage and had left to avoid meeting Chu Yue. Chu Yue then proposed to Xue Yao that she go to Jifu Temple to personally apologize and bring his aunt back. Xue Yao eventually agreed, insisting on sending guards with her.
After he left, Chu Yue revealed her true intention to Tao Yao: she planned to use the trip to escape, as she could not rely on her father and felt her life was in constant danger due to Xue Yao's capricious nature. She stated that she, Tao Yao, and Prince Shun would need to cooperate to ensure the plan succeeded.
