Episode 31 recap: Rong ErShuang Xi turned enemies into friends.
Cai Bi sighed that when Rong Er first entered the palace, she tried every means to escape, but now she is trying to get everyone to stay. Rong Er said that who doesn't want to leave the palace, it's just that she promised Shou Xi Aunt to take good care of the Empress Dowager. Cai Bi told Rong Er that she was going to get some things, because there was no water, only a little spring water to make fried noodles for the Empress Dowager, but the palace maids were still hungry. Just then, Li Qi brought some dry rations and told them to take it and distribute it to the palace maids. He also told Rong Er that there was a well behind the Yanxin Palace, and he could show her the way.
Cai Bi said the Empress Dowager couldn't be left alone, so she asked Rong Er to go with Li Qi to check out the well. Li Qi told Rong Er to beware of Yu De Fu, and Rong Er also felt that Yu De Fu was up to no good. The Empress Dowager had originally planned to leave the palace, but Yu De Fu frightened her with dire warnings, so she stayed in the Forbidden City. Rong Er guessed that Yu De Fu must have something hidden in the palace, so he wanted to stay inside. Rong Er speculated that if they could find where he was hiding his treasure, they could catch him red-handed. Li Qi said he would keep an eye on these matters and told Rong Er to focus on taking care of the Empress Dowager.
Li Qi took Rong Er to find ingredients, as the kitchen in Chonghua Palace had been sealed off. Luckily, Li Qi brought Rong Er to another entrance to the kitchens, where there were only some Western ingredients meant for the Emperor. Li Qi said he would go outside the palace tomorrow to buy some ingredients for Rong Er. Rong Er could only make some Western dishes for the two Empresses Dowager. Jing Yi Tai Fei sighed that now they could only eat the leftovers, but Shuang Xi comforted her that she could try the new dishes, and Jing Yi Tai Fei found them quite palatable after tasting them.
Rong Hui Tai Fei showed no interest in the salads and raw vegetables, saying she was originally prepared to meet the late Emperor, but Rong Er persuaded her, and now she realized she wanted to live her life according to her own wishes, so she did not want to eat Western food and preferred Chinese cuisine. Duoluo and Liu Shou Gui heard that the Emperor had left the palace, and were very worried that Rong Er and Li Qi had not returned home. When they went to the palace gate, the guards would not let them in, but fortunately Li Qi met them and told them not to worry, as he was no longer the Emperor's personal guard. Rong Er also decided to stay in the palace to keep the Empresses Dowager company.
When Liu Er learned that Rong Er had not returned, he was very worried and did not believe the palace people's words. He went to the newspaper office to ask Lu Qiu Tong, who told him that since the two Empresses Dowager had threatened suicide, the Republican government had no choice but to let them stay in the palace, and Rong Er had decided to stay and keep them company. Liu Er then believed that Rong Er had voluntarily stayed, and was not being detained in the palace.
Lu Qiu Tong also decided to enter the palace and investigate the situation. The Qing Restoration Committee entered the palace to inventory the cultural relics, and Lu Qiu Tong was among them. They learned that the two Taifu (Imperial Concubines) were still in the palace and had not moved out, which greatly displeased everyone. They hoped the Taifus would leave the palace quickly.
Li Qi brought in food ingredients from outside the palace to give to Rong Er, telling her that her father was very worried about her. Coincidentally, Lu Qiu Tong saw them and informed Li Qi that he could not stay too long in the palace. He advised Li Qi to make preparations, and told Rong Er that in the future she could go to their home to work as a temporary cook. Rong Er said she would take it one step at a time and decide later.
The two also thanked Lu Qiu Tong for his help with Liu Er and Yu Mei.
As a heavy rain was about to arrive and the room was quite dark, Rong Hui Taifei wanted to practice her calligraphy. She asked Qing Er to go fetch some lanterns. Qing Er went out and was told by a guard to go to Duan Kang Taifei's place to get the lanterns. After Qing Er took the lanterns and was about to leave, Yu De Fu came to her and said that he had added opium to her medicine. Now she had to drink the medicine at a certain time, or else she would feel very unwell. He said he would continue to provide the medicine if Qing Er could help monitor Rong Er's every move.
The Qing Restoration Committee asked Lord Shao Ying to demand that the two Taifus leave the palace as soon as possible. Shao Ying said the Taifus refused to leave and he was powerless. The committee proposed that he petition the Emperor to issue an edict ordering the Taifus to move out, since the imperial property now belonged to the Republican government and they needed to quickly inventory and protect the cultural relics in the palace.
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