My Sassy Princess Episode 5 Recap
> My Sassy Princess Recap
Shen Oink, Liu Ling's pet pig, discovered gunpowder buried outside Liu Ling's room at the Liaison Office. Shen Yan suspected Lu Mingshan was behind it, believing it was a diversionary tactic to confuse the Jinlin Guard and create an opportunity to assassinate Yun Yi. Given the Liaison Office's strategic position with a cliff behind it, only the front could be effectively attacked. Shen Yan decided to lead the defense at the front gate.
He instructed Liu Ling to stay safely in her room after dark, a command she reluctantly accepted, worried for him but knowing she couldn't help. Shen Yan confronted Yun Yi, informing him that someone sought his life and that he would protect him. In exchange, Shen Yan demanded to know the location of the silver lost from the Jiangzhou Treasury and the identity of the mastermind behind the Jiangzhou case.
Yun Yi, confident he possessed secrets Lu Mingshan desired, refused to cooperate, despite Shen Yan revealing his awareness of Yun Yi's bargaining chips, including the evidence of the crime. Yun Yi accused Shen Yan of orchestrating a "series of schemes" to trap the perpetrator and force him to reveal the truth, but Yun Yi defiantly stated he would rather die than cooperate with a "lackey Jinlin Guard" like Shen Yan.
Meanwhile, outside the Liaison Office, Hu Xiao discussed their plan with Lu Mingshan. Hu Xiao expressed admiration for Lu Mingshan's detailed knowledge of the office. He lamented that Liu Ling, recently engaged to Lu Mingshan, might perish, but Lu Mingshan dismissed Liu Ling's fate as unimportant, caring only for the Lu family's interests. Hu Xiao worried that Shen Yan, known as "Stern-faced Yama," might not fall for their diversion plan.
Lu Mingshan confidently replied that "the fake can also become real," suggesting the plan was flexible. As night fell, Hu Xiao led his men in an assault on the Liaison Office. Shen Yan spearheaded the defense, leading to chaotic combat. While Shen Yan was engaged with Hu Xiao, a masked Lu Mingshan seized the opportunity to abduct Liu Ling, forcing Shen Yan to pursue him. Amidst the chaos, the Jinlin Guard fought off the attackers.
Hu Xiao found Yun Yi, fatally stabbed him, and took a token from his grasp. After achieving their objective, Hu Xiao and his men retreated. Upon discovering Yun Yi's death, Luo Fan immediately ordered his men to seal off the area, suppress any news, and await Shen Yan's return. Lu Mingshan dragged Liu Ling to a cliff edge, with Shen Yan in close pursuit. Using Liu Ling as a hostage, Lu Mingshan forced Shen Yan to discard his weapon.
Lu Mingshan then commanded Shen Yan to kneel. Liu Ling tearfully pleaded with Shen Yan to leave and not kneel. Despite her pleas, Shen Yan dropped to his knees. However, Lu Mingshan showed no mercy, mocking Shen Yan before attempting to stab him. Unwilling to see Shen Yan humiliated or killed, Liu Ling desperately pulled out her hairpin and stabbed Lu Mingshan. Enraged and in pain, Lu Mingshan threw Liu Ling off the cliff.
As Liu Ling plunged, despairing and on the verge of closing her eyes, she saw Shen Yan leap from the cliff, following her into the abyss. Later, Lu Mingshan, having changed his attire, returned to the Liaison Office, feigning concern for Liu Ling and attempting to ascertain Yun Yi's status.
Luo Fan, although suspicious of Lu Mingshan's involvement and challenging his pretense, was left powerless as Lu Mingshan subtly threatened him with severe consequences if Shen Yan failed to protect Liu Ling and the prisoner. Lu Mingshan then informed Hu Xiao that Shen Yan had been stabbed by him and then fell off the cliff with Liu Ling, believing the injured Shen Yan had little chance of survival.
Liu Ling eventually awoke, propped against a large tree at the bottom of the cliff. Reflecting on Shen Yan's selfless act of compassion, she was overcome with emotion and embraced him from behind. Shen Yan, bleeding from a stab wound to his chest, led Liu Ling to a nearby cave for shelter. He told her to rest there, while he would guard outside.
Despite Liu Ling's concern for his injury, Shen Yan's demeanor turned cold again, making Liu Ling feel he was contradicting his true feelings. Inside the cave, Shen Yan used his inner clothing to bandage his wound before going out to check on Liu Ling. She was attempting to pick wild fruits from a tree, but she lost her footing and hung precariously, calling for help. Shen Yan rushed to her aid, catching her just as she fell.
For a brief moment, he held her close, their eyes locking, before he quickly pushed her away. Liu Ling offered him some wild fruits, explaining that they could help heal his wound if cooked. As she reached for his fire starter, she accidentally touched his bare chest, as he had used his inner clothes for bandaging. Liu Ling, usually bold, found herself shy. Meanwhile, the Ghost informed Xu Shijin of Yun Yi's death and Liu Ling's disappearance.
Xu Gong, Xu Shijin's grandfather, urged her to immediately report the matter to the Crown Prince to see if there was any room for negotiation regarding the Jiangzhou case. Xu Shijin, however, decided to delay, stating that the Crown Prince primarily cared about the missing silver from Jiangzhou, not the Xu family's long-standing grievances.
She believed that revealing the news now would exhaust her last card—the Crown Prince's trust—and that it was better to wait for a more opportune moment, even if it meant hiding the truth for as long as possible. She lamented the injustice of good people like her father suffering while the wicked thrived, vowing to make the Lu family pay if Liu Ling had indeed died.
Back in the cave, Liu Ling watched Shen Yan as she roasted the fruits, prompting him to ask if she was planning something mischievous. She cheekily suggested "spending the rest of my life with you and never parting from you" as a "bad idea." Shen Yan dismissed her thought, trying to get up, but Liu Ling held him down, playfully claiming he was pressing on her wound. She then leaned in and kissed him. Shen Yan, startled by the kiss, pulled away from her lips, but Liu Ling clung to him, refusing to let go.
