Episode 18 recap: Princess Zhao Ruoji takes care of the three princes.
The emperor believes that Zhao Ruoji is too young and may not be able to take care of the children properly. The empress mentioned that there will be a small test in three days, and she instructed Zhao Ruoji to take care of the three princes during that time. If Zhao Ruoji performs well in the test, she will continue to look after them. However, if she doesn't do well, she will be punished. The emperor agreed to this arrangement. Zhao Ruoji discussed this matter with Liu Rufan, and the three princes were present, being mischievous as usual.
Liu Rufan wanted to discipline the three princes, but Minister Chen reminded her that they were princes and should not be disciplined harshly. Zhao Ruoji asked the three princes how well they were prepared for the test. One of the princes said that he wanted to test Zhao Ruoji instead. He challenged her to answer three questions, and if she could answer them correctly, she would be allowed to continue taking care of them. Zhao Ruoji successfully answered all three questions, and the prince had no choice but to admit defeat.
The small test was approaching, but Zhao Ruoji did not keep the three princes studying all the time. Instead, she took them out to play, believing that while studying was important, they also needed to balance work and leisure. The three princes were happy with this approach. They believed that the previous concubines and others were only trying to gain favor by using them, but Zhao Ruoji was genuinely kind to them. Therefore, they were determined to perform well in the test so that they could stay by Zhao Ruoji's side.
The three princes mentioned that Minister Chen was sent by the empress to monitor Zhao Ruoji, so she should be careful. The small test ended quickly, and the prince achieved the second highest score. He claimed that it was intentional because his birth mother had advised him to hide his capabilities when not strong enough.
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