Episode 26 recap: Shi Xue Ji Faces Criticism from Her Family in the Palace
In Youzhou, Cui Xing Zhou is warmly welcomed by the local prince and, after a hearty meal, is escorted to his guest room. Later that night, the prince sends in a stunning woman as a companion. However, Cui Xing Zhou is clear-minded; he doesn’t want to offend the prince or lose his composure. So, he cleverly asks the woman to spend the night copying poetry with him.
The next day, the woman, in tears, goes to the prince to complain. When he hears the poetry, he realizes that Cui Xing Zhou is much more cunning than he appears.
Meanwhile, in the Shi family, Shi Yi Kuan's wife is quite meddlesome. She frequently visits the palace and criticizes the queen. Her daughter, Shi Xue Ji, has a preference for bright pink azaleas, but her mother insists that only deep red flowers are suitable for a queen, ordering the servants to remove any others. She often reminds Shi Xue Ji that it is the power of the Shi family that supports her position as queen, urging her to always consider the family's interests.
Recently, with the emperor promoting Sun Yun Er to the rank of virtuous concubine, Shi Yi Kuan’s wife hastily warns her daughter to be cautious, hinting that the Shi family has plenty of daughters and doesn't need her. Shi Xue Ji feels a pang of discomfort at her mother's words. Despite becoming queen, she still cannot escape the feeling of being controlled.
Though she has no desire for conflict, the pressure forces her to start plotting her next moves.
Meanwhile, Cui Xing Zhou is busy persuading the prince of Youzhou to submit to the new emperor, emphasizing the benefits of early allegiance. However, the prince is suspicious and fears traps set by the new emperor. In response, Cui Xing Zhou offers to stay behind as a hostage, assuring the prince that the emperor will allow him to return safely. The prince finds this proposal reasonable and begins preparations for an audience with the emperor.
Liu Mian Tang has returned to her maternal home. Her grandfather, still alive, first scolds her two ineffectual brothers, along with Liu Mian Tang’s uncle, for enabling her. However, despite the scolding, he shows deep affection for his granddaughter, especially since her mother passed away early.
While staying at her grandfather's house, Liu Mian Tang faces her harsh second aunt, who is wary of her returning home, fearing she might claim part of the inheritance. The second aunt's daughter, Qing Ying, shows no respect for Liu Mian Tang and warns her mother not to be swayed by any kindness from her sister.
As time passes, Qing Ying reaches marriageable age, and her grandfather begins searching for a suitable match. Meanwhile, far away in Youzhou, Cui Xing Zhou mistakenly believes Liu Mian Tang is seeking another suitor, causing him great distress.
During the day, a young man comes to propose marriage but finds himself captivated by Liu Mian Tang rather than showing any interest in Qing Ying. He even sends a matchmaker to inquire about Liu Mian Tang’s age, hoping to marry her.
The second aunt, unhappy with this attention, deliberately speaks ill of Liu Mian Tang to sabotage the match. At dinner, when the grandfather brings up finding a husband for Liu Mian Tang, the second aunt claims that arranging two betrothal gifts would be too troublesome and tries to back out. Liu Mian Tang, however, directly states that she has no intention of marrying. This statement angers her grandfather, who insists that after years of running a security company, the family can certainly afford two betrothal gifts.
The second aunt, left speechless by the rebuttal, reluctantly agrees to proceed.
Comments(Episode 26)