The Princess Royal Episode 16 Recap, Plot

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Madam Pei caused a commotion at the Pei residence over the inheritance dispute. The Pei family, knowing they were in the wrong, was at a loss for what to do, resulting in chaos. Taking advantage of the situation, Li Rong stepped forward as Pei Wenxuan's wife to uphold justice. She took charge of the inheritance and decided to send people to audit the accounts the next day and move the assets to the princess's residence.

Although the second and third uncles were unwilling, the Pei family patriarch and others had no objections and had to acquiesce. Seeing their plan proceeding smoothly, Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan helped Madam Pei leave the Pei residence. Now that Tuoba Yan had become a member of the princess's residence, Li Rong intended to entrust him with managing the inheritance matters. Pei Wenxuan not only had no objections but also expressed his confidence in Li Rong's arrangement.

He believed that he and Li Rong were now one, inseparable in the future. These words made Li Rong feel a bit shy. Just as the two were deep in affection, Xun Chuan sent news that all the witnesses involved in the case had been silenced, their bodies abandoned in the wilderness, without exception. The emperor was furious upon hearing this, believing that these families had become lawless.

Knowing that Li Rong was personally investigating, they dared to commit crimes openly, clearly disregarding the Inspectorate. Pei Wenxuan was not surprised by this, knowing that once the Inspectorate was established, it would pose a significant threat to the families, who would go to any lengths to obstruct it. This battle would determine whether the Inspectorate could solidify its position if Li Rong succeeded.

If she failed, it would be extremely difficult for the Crown Prince, the emperor, and the princess to establish another force to counter the families, and Pei Wenxuan's future would also be ruined. Thus, the success or failure of the Inspectorate not only concerned whether the Qin family could overturn their case but also profoundly affected the fate of the Li dynasty and the Han people.

The emperor understood this well and, to be safe, privately asked Concubine Rou if she could take over the Inspectorate if Li Rong failed. Overjoyed at the news, Concubine Rou promised that she and the Xiao family soldiers would not fail, willing to be the emperor's sharp sword. That night, Li Rong sent a message to the Crown Prince Li Chuan, deciding to go to the Ministry of Justice to see General Qin Lang in person.

The Crown Prince made all the arrangements for Li Rong, who then appeared with Pei Wenxuan and Xun Chuan. They went directly to the prison, finally seeing the elderly man in prison clothes stained with blood but still proud and unyielding. Li Rong felt a surge of compassion but tried to maintain a calm facade, proactively asking Qin Lang about the truth behind the defeat.

Qin Lang revealed that before the battle, three thousand people's rations had been maliciously mixed with sand. Even when the battle started, many soldiers were still suffering from injuries and hunger, with less than two thousand able to fight, making it nearly impossible to contend with the enemy. During this time, Li Chuan noticed Xun Chuan's unusual expression and began to have doubts about her.

After leaving the Ministry of Justice, Li Rong instructed Xun Chuan to immediately dispatch people to transfer the Qin family from the Ministry of Justice as soon as possible. Xun Chuan respectfully acknowledged and rode off into the night. When Li Chuan wanted to ask about Xun Chuan's identity, Li Rong interrupted, urging him to return to the palace quickly. Later, Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan strolled side by side, reminiscing about the past life, with mixed feelings.

After some hesitation, Li Rong decided to have Pei Wenxuan carry the Inspectorate and princess's tokens, follow the route the military rations took to Huangping Town, and transcribe all the grain and fodder records from the county offices. Pei Wenxuan accepted the task without hesitation, despite knowing the dangers ahead, his expression calm as he disappeared into the night intertwined with the lights of countless homes and stars.

The next day, Li Rong found Xun Chuan alone and gave her a list, instructing, "I may be trapped in the palace, and there are two things you need to handle. First, make sure to protect the Qin family and don't allow anyone to take them away from the princess's residence. Second, go to Shangguan Ya personally and select suitable candidates from this list to obtain the testimonies regarding the embezzlement of military funds in Huangping County.

"Su Rongqing, aware of the wide-reaching implications of the Qin family's case and the involvement of many families, was concerned about the dangers Li Rong would face if she continued to investigate. He led the Ministry of Justice to surround the princess's residence, hoping Li Rong would hand over the Qin family. At this moment, time seemed to blur, blending past and present, causing Li Rong to recall their sweet moments from the past and feel a bit dazed.

Li Rong misunderstood Su Rongqing's good intentions, thinking he was threatening her. She had once thought she and Su Rongqing were on the same side, but now it seemed they were from completely different worlds. One day, Su Rongqing would become another Yang Ye, abandoning conscience, morality, and his life for the prosperity of his family. Li Rong firmly stated that she would never stand by and let the Qin family fall due to factional strife.

If the Su family faced injustice in the future, she would also help without hesitation. Because Li Rong had entered the Ministry of Justice without permission and taken the Qin family, the families used this as an excuse to petition the emperor for severe punishment of the princess. In the court, Li Rong pleaded with the emperor for more time to uncover the truth, arguing fiercely with Minister of Justice Xie Lanqing.

Ultimately, she volunteered to receive thirty lashes and recite scriptures for a month at the North Yan Tower in exchange for the emperor granting her twenty more days to investigate the Qin family's case. If there was no progress in twenty days, she would be willing to be exiled from Huajing, returning to her fief, never to enter the capital again. Seeing Li Rong's determination, the emperor agreed to her request.

Meanwhile, after Pei Wenxuan led his men out of the city, they were pursued by assassins sent by Shangguan Xu to the edge of a cliff. In a fierce struggle, Pei Wenxuan gradually fell behind and was finally knocked off the cliff by the assassins, his fate unknown.

Unaware of this, Li Rong prepared to go to the North Yan Tower, instructing Jing Lan to guard the princess's residence and report to her immediately if there was any news of Pei Wenxuan.

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