The Princess Royal Episode 32 Recap, Plot

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Concubine Rou knew she couldn't escape her fate, so she pretended to be a great mother to ensure Princess Hua Le would follow her arrangements. Similarly, Princess Hua Le, with her lofty ambitions, dreamed of replacing Li Rong as the eldest princess of the Da Xia Dynasty. She didn't care about how tragic Concubine Rou's fate might be and headed straight to her uncle's residence with the token given by her mother.

The Xiao family, of humble origins, had two uncles serving in the court. One was Xiao Su, guarding the northwest, and the other was Xiao Ming, commanding the Imperial Guards. At this moment, Princess Hua Le conveyed her mother's intentions to Xiao Ming. He believed that the situation was sudden and needed time to devise a perfect plan. The upcoming winter hunt seemed like a good opportunity. Hearing this, Princess Hua Le's eyes lit up.

After she left the Xiao residence, Xiao Ming sneered, mocking Concubine Rou and her daughter for their ulterior motives—one wanted to exchange her daughter's life for her son's throne, while the other wanted to use her mother's life to gain wealth and power. Despite his disdain, Xiao Ming considered the Xiao family's survival and decided to send a message to the Emperor. Subsequently, Li Chuan was summoned to the palace by the Emperor.

Seeing the Emperor standing alone in the pavilion, he felt a vague unease. Eunuch Fu Lai knew the Emperor still cared about family ties. If Li Chuan could clarify his stance, he could secure his position as the crown prince. Unfortunately, Li Chuan didn't catch Fu Lai's subtle hints. Noticing Li Chuan's detachment, the Emperor felt complicated.

Li Chuan expressed that he never intended to fight for the throne, only wishing to protect his mother and sister, hoping for mutual understanding between his parents. The Emperor told Li Chuan that as a ruler, he must consider the people's welfare. The powerful families, driven by power, disregarded the people's lives. The Empress always prioritized the Shangguan family's interests, but the Shangguan family was rooted in the powerful families, destined to clash with the Emperor.

Thus, the Emperor demanded Li Chuan choose between him and the Empress. If he chose correctly, the Da Xia Dynasty and the throne would be within his grasp. Without hesitation, Li Chuan declared his foremost concern was his sister and mother, and that would never change. Hearing this, the Emperor turned his back, and Li Chuan knelt and left. The next morning, the Emperor hastily set the date for the winter hunt, arousing suspicion among the court officials.

The winter hunt was usually a military exercise within Huajing. Currently, Huajing had six armies: the Emperor's Imperial Guards, the Crown Prince's Yulin Guard, and the East, West, South, and North armies guarding the city gates, led by the powerful families with the Shangguan family at the forefront. Returning from the palace, Li Rong felt disoriented and cold-hearted.

Recalling the previous life, none of Shangguan Ya, Li Chuan, Qin Zhenzhen, or Su Ronghua met a good end, including herself, Pei Wenxuan, and Su Rongqing, who died in despair. Even in this rebirth, the events determining their fate were replaying in another form. Li Rong worried her mother and brother might fail her, and she didn't love them as much as she should.

Seeing Li Rong's fear, Pei Wenxuan lovingly held her hand, vowing to protect her this time, unlike their past sufferings. That night, Li Rong met her mother, the Empress, in the palace and explained the situation, seeking her response. The Empress was prepared to stay in the palace but had arranged an escape route for Li Rong.

If things went wrong, Li Rong could flee to Qingzhou through a secret passage and return to Huajing once Li Chuan ascended the throne. Unlike her past self, the current Empress was ready to die for her children and protect her daughter at all costs. Soon, Lin Feibai returned to Huajing from the frontier and went straight to the Inspection Bureau to see Li Rong.

Knowing the strict rules of the Xie family, Lin Feibai realized he needed support beyond military power. He proposed a marriage alliance with Shangguan Ya, mutually beneficial yet unrestrictive. Once he gained the Xie family's control, he would become Shangguan Ya's support and could divorce anytime. Shangguan Ya informed Li Rong of this proposal, considering it a viable option. Li Rong believed there was no need for a political marriage, especially since Shangguan Ya and Su Ronghua had mutual feelings.

But Shangguan Ya stated the Su family was on a rebellious path, and she couldn't forsake her family for personal reasons. She was willing to sacrifice her love for the family. Seeing Shangguan Ya's rationality, Li Rong had no words, only hoping she would carefully consider. Shangguan Ya made up her mind and bluntly told Su Ronghua not to see her again, returning to her residence, leaving Su Ronghua outside the gate.

For days, Su Ronghua lingered around the Shangguan residence and the Inspection Bureau, hoping to see Shangguan Ya, but she always refused. As an observer, Li Rong had no right to interfere much in their matters. Now, the entire court was undercurrents, and the powerful families were undergoing significant changes. Li Rong knew Lin Feibai would certainly kill Xie Chunhe and take his place.

On the other hand, Shangguan Ya took a few days off to stay with Lin Feibai, trying to make Su Ronghua give up, but she couldn't stop thinking of him. Qin Lin prepared to return to the capital to support Li Rong but was ambushed by his friend Cui Qinghe, escaping wounded in a hurry. Unable to find Qin Lin, Cui Qinghe surrounded the camp to capture Xun Chuan.

Episode 31 Recap

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