Episode 4 recap: Han Zi Qing is Appointed as the Fourth Prince's Consort
In Episode 4, as soon as the Fourth Prince returned home, Han Zi Qing began her act of feigned illness. The Fourth Prince was anxious and quickly summoned his trusted doctor, Old Gu, to examine her. Although Han Zi Qing initially wanted to refuse, claiming that the imperial physician had already seen her and found nothing serious, the Fourth Prince insisted on getting to the bottom of it.
Old Gu took her pulse and declared that she had tuberculosis. This made Han Zi Qing even more anxious; she feared the Fourth Prince would get too close, so she tried various excuses to avoid him. However, when she caught sight of the shiny dagger at his waist, her eyes lit up, and she directly asked about it, saying it reminded her of something from her childhood and that she wanted to see it. The Fourth Prince refused, stating that the dagger was a keepsake from his mother and that she could only see it once she became his consort.
Feeling helpless, Han Zi Qing realized she had to keep up her act. Old Gu suspected that Han Zi Qing might have fallen into the Queen's trap but was relieved that the poison wasn't too severe. He wondered who had countered the poison—could it have been her? But he quickly dismissed that thought, as the poison from Mo Xun was no laughing matter. Unless she was immune to all toxins, which was clearly impossible, it seemed more likely that she hadn’t been poisoned at all.
When the Fourth Prince was away, Han Zi Qing enjoyed a comfortable life, but her demeanor changed the moment he returned. When he mentioned taking her back to the Xiang residence to receive the imperial decree, she felt thrilled. However, her heart sank when he suddenly said he would accompany her.
The entrance to the Xiang residence was bustling with onlookers. Han Xi Er thought Han Zi Qing was returning to show off, but their stepmother immediately recognized that she was seriously ill, especially since the Fourth Prince had to support her inside. The eunuch who was to announce the decree was getting impatient, while the crowd continued to grow. The Ouyang sisters had just arrived, and the second prince also came, supposedly to escort the princess but mainly to join the spectacle.
The Fourth Prince, not one to indulge him, publicly reprimanded the second prince, telling him to go home and learn how to speak properly. Furious, the second prince gritted his teeth and dragged the second princess away.
When the eunuch finally arrived, he began to read the imperial decree, and the Fourth Prince urged him to hurry. Strangely, as soon as the decree was read, Han Zi Qing's illness seemed to vanish as if blown away by the wind.
The Fourth Prince teasingly remarked, "Princess, you recovered remarkably quickly!" At that moment, everyone in the Xiang residence realized that Han Zi Qing had been putting on an act.
The Queen and the eunuch hurried to the king to plead their case. The Queen was puzzled; the poison had clearly been administered, and the timing was perfect, so how was Han Zi Qing unaffected? With the decree issued, there was no turning back, and the king had also instructed the Queen to pay attention to the case of Young Master Chen.
Understanding the situation, the Queen immediately ordered the second prince to dig up the previous documentation, which he praised as a brilliant move—killing two birds with one stone.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince made a new discovery. They recalled the legendary islanders, said to be immune to all toxins. Years ago, the Nan Zhao royal family had driven them out, and now they were seeking the descendants of those islanders.
Upon returning to his room, the Fourth Prince lay down beside Han Zi Qing. Realizing she could no longer pretend, she asked to see the dagger again. The Fourth Prince brought up their wedding night, but just then, urgent news arrived from the border, causing him to leave in a hurry. Knowing she couldn't just sit idle, Han Zi Qing decided to take the initiative and sneak away to steal the dagger.
However, just as she made a move, the Fourth Prince returned, startling her into hiding under the bed. Meanwhile, he simply lay down on the bed, leaving Han Zi Qing feeling utterly embarrassed.
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