My Sassy Princess Episode 8 Recap
> My Sassy Princess Recap
Upon her return to the Duke Dingbei Mansion, Liu Ling found her uncle and aunt unwelcoming. However, her grandfather, the Old Marquis, who had long retired from court, doted on her. Unable to defy the Old Marquis's stern words, her uncle and aunt reluctantly followed him to see Liu Ling, who was busy writing a Broken Engagement Announcement. Her uncle and aunt vehemently objected, but the Old Marquis, after reviewing the document, made her kneel.
When Liu Ling insisted she was not in the wrong, the Old Marquis clarified that her mistake was not in seeking to end the engagement, but in the overly humble wording of the announcement, which undermined the prestige of the Duke Dingbei Mansion. Relieved, Liu Ling happily prepared the ink, and the Old Marquis personally penned a new, more assertive Broken Engagement Announcement. A messenger arrived at the Lu Mansion to deliver the announcement.
Ling Er, a maid with whom Lu Mingshan was involved, led the messenger directly to Lu Mingshan's room, ensuring discretion. Lu Mingshan, furious upon reading the announcement, tore it to shreds and instructed Ling Er to keep the matter a secret from his grandfather, Lord Lu. However, a second messenger arrived, immediately announcing loudly that he had been instructed by Princess Changle to deliver a copy of the Broken Engagement Announcement to serve as proof, should the original be destroyed.
This commotion caught the attention of Lord Lu, who demanded to know what was happening. Lord Lu, after reading the announcement, was also infuriated. He pressed Lu Mingshan on his plan to resolve the situation. Lu Mingshan confidently declared that since marriages were determined by parents and their family had accepted all betrothal presents, they would simply hold fast to the engagement and proceed with the wedding, asserting that Princess Changle could not disrupt their plans.
Lord Lu criticized him for being naive, reminding him of the Duke Dingbei Mansion's considerable influence. He then questioned Lu Mingshan about the whereabouts of Yun Yi's body, which Lu Mingshan admitted was left behind and was now in Shen Yan's possession. Lord Lu severely reprimanded his grandson, calling Shen Yan a "living Yama" who could extract information from the most unlikely sources, and questioned Lu Mingshan's recklessness in leaving Yun Yi's body where Shen Yan could find it.
Admitting his error, Lu Mingshan then shared his new plan for the engagement: he would win the upcoming archery competition and, using the reward granted by Crown Prince Liu Wang, ask for Liu Ling to be granted to him in marriage. Unbeknownst to them, Liu Ling had overheard their entire conversation.
She boldly stepped forward, declaring that if Lu Mingshan could participate in the archery competition, so could she, and vowed to win to annul the engagement herself, shaming the Lu family in the process. Feeling lovesick from not seeing Shen Yan, Liu Ling decided to visit him at the administration of Beidian. There, she encountered Luo Fan, who informed her that Shen Yan was overwhelmed with official duties and offered to announce her.
Liu Ling refused to disturb him, opting to wait outside. After a long wait in her carriage, feeling bored and her legs numb, Luo Fan returned to Shen Yan, casually mentioning that Princess Changle was waiting outside, having declined to be announced to avoid disturbing him. Upon hearing this, Shen Yan immediately rushed out. Liu Ling pulled Shen Yan into her carriage, complaining about her numb legs, which he gently massaged.
She then attempted to return his waist badge but found herself reluctant. Shen Yan told her to keep it, saying he could retrieve it anytime he wished. He then instructed her to return home and wait for him. Taking Shen Yan's words literally, Liu Ling proceeded to the Shen Mansion. She confidently used Shen Yan's waist badge as a token to gain entry, much to the initial resistance of the house staff.
Inside, she met Shen Yan's mother, Madam Shen, who was noticeably unwelcoming. Upon learning Liu Ling was Princess Changle, Madam Shen refused the tea offered by Liu Ling, stating she could not accept such courtesy from a royal. Meanwhile, Shen Yan, having concluded his work, hurried home, sparking curiosity from Lord Han, who noted Shen Yan's anxious state, prompting Luo Fan to suggest Shen Yan was troubled by a "secret heart issue."
Shen Yan arrived home to an awkward encounter between his mother and Liu Ling. Madam Shen immediately pulled her son aside for a private conversation. She expressed her strong disapproval of his association with Liu Ling, citing the scandalous rumors and the fact that Liu Ling was already engaged to Lu Mingshan.
Madam Shen, well aware that Liu Ling's father, Prince Guangping, was His Majesty's brother and Lord Lu commanded significant power, warned Shen Yan that getting involved with Liu Ling would inevitably entangle him in the messy disputes between the Liu and Lu families. Shen Yan firmly reassured his mother that he knew what he was doing and had the situation under control. Liu Ling, sensing Madam Shen's disdain, later pressed Shen Yan about his mother's true feelings.
Shen Yan explained that his mother preferred a virtuous lady from a cultured family. Determined to win over Madam Shen, Liu Ling immediately declared she would return to the Duke Dingbei Mansion and diligently transform herself into a proper noble lady. Meanwhile, Xu Shijin arrived at the Duke Dingbei Mansion to consult her grandfather, the Old Marquis, a renowned collector, about a unique jade pattern she had in a drawing.
Though the Old Marquis was well-versed in jade and antiques, he admitted he had never seen such a pattern before. He then showed her some of his own recent acquisitions, including a beautiful vase. Adding to the mansion's commotion, Lu Qian, accompanied by Liu Runxiang, returned to Yejing.
Having heard a false rumor of Liu Ling's demise, Lu Qian orchestrated a plan to visit the Duke Dingbei Mansion to "mourn" Liu Ling, aiming to appear as a caring stepmother and seize an opportunity to involve the Duke Dingbei in holding Shen Yan accountable for Liu Ling's supposed death. Despite Liu Runxiang's preference to go to the Lu Mansion first, Lu Qian emphasized the critical importance of maintaining a virtuous reputation for women of noble families.
Dressed in mourning attire, they began to wail dramatically outside the Duke Dingbei Mansion's gates, only to be confronted by a very much alive Liu Ling. Lu Qian's face instantly dropped, and she attempted to quickly usher Liu Ling away. However, Shen Yan intervened, asserting his presence and stopping Lu Qian.
Liu Ling then exposed their scheme, revealing that Lu Qian and Liu Runxiang had rushed to Yejing without bothering to confirm the rumors, making a fool of themselves by weeping for a living person. Shen Yan accompanied Liu Ling back to the Duke Dingbei Mansion, his true purpose being to present a gift to her grandfather, the Old Marquis.
During the visit, Shen Yan, displaying a keen eye and deep knowledge of antiques, explained that he had acquired the matching piece to the Old Marquis's recently obtained white nephrite vase. Impressed, the Old Marquis also invited Shen Yan to critique a new painting. Shen Yan's analysis was profound, demonstrating an exceptional understanding of the artwork's unique style and the artist's underlying struggles.
During their conversation, Liu Ling stumbled, and Shen Yan quickly helped her, taking the opportunity to whisper that he would visit her that night. Before departing, the Old Marquis returned the vase, explaining that while they were a pair, he would only keep what was his, subtly maintaining a certain distance.
As Shen Yan left, the Old Marquis mused to Liu Ling about Shen Yan's seemingly calm demeanor contrasted with his blunt actions, questioning if she would truly be interested in such a man. Liu Ling denied it, but then secretly asked her grandfather to have servants seal the windows of her room with planks that very night.
