My Sassy Princess Episode 4 Recap
> My Sassy Princess Recap
Ling Bi, infuriated by Luo Fan's complaints, confronted him early in the morning, demanding he listen carefully. She informed him that Princess Liu Ling, angered by Shen Yan, had stormed out of the camp in the middle of the night. Shen Yan, feeling apologetic, had gone after her, but not before instructing Luo Fan to manage all affairs at the Liaison Office.
Ling Bi warned Luo Fan that if he dared to complain, he would be sent to the Jiangzhou Jin Lin Military Camp, asserting that her kick was a reward from her, not an order from Shen Yan. Meanwhile, a black-cloaked man reported to Young Master Lu Mingshan that Shen Yan had indeed left the military camp to search for Liu Ling.
Lu Mingshan, intrigued by what he called the "romantic play of the wicked woman and cold Yama," ordered the man to follow them closely and ascertain the truth of their relationship. Liu Ling wandered through the bustling Yunlai Town. A pickpocket, feigning a collision, skillfully stole her purse unnoticed. The thief, gloating in an alley, was swiftly apprehended by Shen Yan, who had changed into civilian clothes and was secretly observing Liu Ling.
Shen Yan retrieved the purse and continued to trail her. Liu Ling was drawn to a lotus root stall by a lake. A young boy offered her a taste, triggering a poignant memory of her mother secretly picking lotus roots for her as a child. Overwhelmed with emotion, Liu Ling found herself on the verge of tears. She decided to buy all the lotus roots, only to discover her purse was missing.
Not far off, an archery stall caught her attention. The young lotus root seller noticed that the grand prize, a pair of earrings, looked exactly like the ones his mother had lost, and he was determined to win them. The stall owner, however, was cheating with a hidden trick. The boy missed twice. Liu Ling initially tried to comfort him, but upon learning the earrings were identical to his mother's, she boldly offered her white nephrite bracelet for another shot.
The owner agreed to only one arrow. The boy missed again, and Liu Ling, seeing through the trick, removed her own earrings, demanding another shot and warning the owner not to cheat. The owner, realizing he was dealing with someone formidable, incited the surrounding crowd, accusing Liu Ling of being a bully. This public shaming reminded Liu Ling of past unfounded accusations she had endured. Witnessing the injustice, Shen Yan stepped forward.
He guided Liu Ling's hand, helping her hit the bullseye and exposing the stall owner's hidden trick. In the ensuing chaos, Liu Ling attempted to escape, but Shen Yan cornered her on a bridge. Liu Ling playfully compared their encounter to the "meeting on the broken bridge" of Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian. Shen Yan, however, reminded her that Bai Suzhen was ultimately trapped under the Leifeng Pagoda by Fa Hai, implying a different kind of "expectation."
Liu Ling, claiming he was "playing hard to get," asked what his expectation was. He simply replied, "I expect you to come back." Shen Yan then tried to take Liu Ling back, citing the recent unrest for her safety. To evade him, Liu Ling staged a dramatic scene, publicly accusing Shen Yan of being a "villain who abandoned his wife and son," despite having no family.
The sympathetic onlookers scolded Shen Yan, allowing Liu Ling to retrieve her purse and make her escape. Meanwhile, Prince Liu Wang played a game of Go with Xu Shijin, hinting that the Lu family would not be easily weakened by Yun Yi's situation. Xu Shijin used the chess game to illustrate the current political landscape, explaining that the Lu family's power was deeply entrenched and not easily shaken.
She suggested that at a time when the enemy was strong and they were weak, it was better to observe than to act rashly. Liu Wang mentioned a "romantic story" reported by Shen Yu about Liu Ling "chasing after" Shen Yan, causing the "stern-faced Yama" to lose his composure. Knowing Xu Shijin's close friendship with Liu Ling since childhood, Liu Wang offered to have Liu Ling brought back from the dangerous escort mission.
Xu Shijin, however, advised against it, fearing it would "alert others and delay the national affairs," emphasizing the importance of the Jiangzhou crime case. Liu Wang accepted her reasoning, viewing Shen Yan as a "young tiger" who needed to "sharpen his claws" to help him "drive away and kill those dogs and wolves" like the Lu family. Liu Ling rented out an entire inn for the night.
Shen Yan found her regardless and entered her room by climbing through the window. He apologized for his rudeness the previous night and tried to persuade her to return to the camp. However, he suddenly felt dizzy, realizing Liu Ling had anticipated his arrival and had laced his tea with a sedative. Liu Ling, satisfied, settled Shen Yan onto the bed while she herself fell asleep at a nearby table.
Later that night, Shen Yan awoke and gently carried Liu Ling to the bed. The next morning, Liu Ling woke up to find Shen Yan waiting outside her room. As they journeyed, Liu Ling and Shen Yan encountered a butcher chasing a small pig. Pitying the animal, Liu Ling tried to intervene but put herself in danger. Shen Yan quickly pulled her to safety and bought the pig from the butcher.
Over breakfast, Liu Ling decided to name the pig "Shen Oink," reasoning that Shen Yan had saved its life, making him more important than its biological parents. Shen Yan, though somewhat resigned, accepted the name. Upon returning to the Liaison Office with Shen Oink, they heard sounds of a skirmish. Shen Yan intervened, confronting a man known as Ghost Face, who delivered a message: Hu Xiao was approaching.
Luo Fan, hearing this, immediately recognized Hu Xiao as the formidable "top wanted person in the black market" for ten years, known for his ruthless martial arts and for having killed their former commander. He questioned their chances against such a dangerous individual, especially with the "scrap metal" weapons available at the Liaison Office, which could barely shoot straight. With spirits low and tension high, Liu Ling initiated a task for everyone: making clothes for Shen Oink.
This simple act surprisingly lightened the mood and boosted morale, earning a subtle acknowledgment from Shen Yan. Meanwhile, Hu Xiao met with Lu Mingshan. Hu Xiao confirmed he was there "under the order of Lord Lu" to "kill Yun Yi before he enters the capital." Lu Mingshan's face bore a confident smile. Back at the Liaison Office, before the impending confrontation, Shen Yan pulled Liu Ling aside. He gravely instructed her to return to her room with Ling Bi, lock all doors and windows, and under no circumstances, come out, "no matter what happens outside."
