Episode 2 recap: Chángshēng Is Being Utilized but Unaware
In Episode 2, Lv Jing boldly barged into the princess's private quarters, speaking so softly he was practically whispering. Princess Chángshēng summoned him, not for any major issue, but simply to ask him for a favor - to help her avoid the arranged marriage. The next day, the King gathered everyone from Chánglè Manor and had them lavishly praise Chángshēng, ostensibly to record her virtues for the impending marriage, but in reality to coerce her acceptance.
The cunning Princess Chángshēng hatched a clever scheme - she deliberately had others speak ill of her, hoping to ruin her reputation and avoid the marriage. But the King saw through her ploy, and instead had them write glowing accounts, much to Chángshēng's dismay.
Xiao Jin was deeply concerned for Chángshēng, and her boyfriend Xie Lin procured portraits of eligible young nobles for Chángshēng to consider. After careful deliberation, she selected Shěn Lǎo, delighting Xiao Jin. But then the uninvited Xiǎo Zǐ Lǔ arrived, and an irate Chángshēng slapped him when he joked that Shěn Lǎo was his friend, implying she chose him to end the Shěn family line.
Meanwhile, Lv Jing, under the guise of inquiring about Fúyú City for the Ministry of Revenue, saw that Chángshēng had chosen Shěn Lǎo, the Vice Minister of Revenue, and quickly seized the opportunity. Xiǎo Zǐ Lǔ also got ahead of the curve, visiting the Prime Minister's residence to advise Shěn Lǎo on how to make Chángshēng reject him.
When Chángshēng finally met Shěn Lǎo, she was sorely disappointed - he was nothing like his portrait, being arrogant, unkempt, and crude. That's when Lv Jing stepped in, secretly displaying Shěn Lǎo's true martial prowess, both uncovering Shěn Lǎo's true nature and inadvertently helping Chángshēng. Chángshēng was grateful to Lv Jing, but he felt she was a talented woman well-suited for the arranged marriage, much to her annoyance.
Seeing Chángshēng talking to the King, the meddlesome Xiǎo Zǐ Lǔ approached, and Chángshēng firmly stated she would not marry him, despite his previous heroic actions to save her. Though Xiǎo Zǐ Lǔ still harbors feelings for Chángshēng, his combative way of expressing it has led her to wrongly believe he is simply looking for a fight.
With the intelligence on Fúyú City now in hand, the ball is in Chángshēng's court. Though she is widely criticized, the King has come to see her as a talented and intelligent woman, very different from the rumors. Undeterred, Chángshēng has now set her sights on Yang Wǔ Láng, the son of the Minister of Works, despite Xiao Jin's concerns about his reputation.
In her excitement, Chángshēng accidentally knocked a ball through Lv Jing's window while he was shirtless, leading to an awkward scene, with Chángshēng and the ladies quickly averting their eyes and insisting it was an honest mistake.
Comments(Episode 2)