The Princess Royal (2024)
Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan married at the age of 18. Li Rong used Pei Wenxuan’s family background to avoid disaster, and Pei Wenxuan used Li Rong’s identity as Princess to establish himself. They married for political reasons, without the slightest bit of affection. Later on, she lost herself in the midst of wine, song and dance. As for him, he had a home yet did not bother coming home because he already had someone in his heart… Husband and wife for 30 years, yet nothing between them but power. In the end, it was hardly surprising that someone turned them against each other, leading them to die under each other’s schemes. However, when they woke up, they had actually returned to the year when they were 18 years old, returning to the most difficult time in their lives. So Pei Wenxuan went to look for Li Rong. To be married again but with divorce in mind.
Seasons & Episode
Returning to her 18-year-old self, Li Rong intends to use the Spring Banquet to choose a prince consort again. Despite her previous entanglements with Pei Wen Xuan, she now sees him as nothing more than an inexperienced young man under 20. Thus, she plans to tease him a little for her amusement.
Li Rong and Pei Wen Xuan test each other and arrive at the same conclusion, the other person has also come back in time. Both of them stop hiding their pasts and think there is no need to repeat their past mistakes. Pei Wen Xuan no longer suggests being the prince consort and even explains the best prince consort candidate to Li Rong.
The next morning, Li Chuan and Su Rong Qing, who serves as the Vice Minister of Justice, lead a group of men to find Li Rong and Pei Wen Xuan. Just having learned that the one who killed her was Su Rong Qing, Li Rong feels a mix of guilt and conflicted emotions upon seeing him again.
Pei Wen Xuan takes advantage of the situation to file a report on Yang Quan to Li Ming. After Yang Quan fails to kidnap the princess, he assassinates a court official. Moreover, he continues to get defeated on the northwest battlefield. Wen Xuan voices out that there's something fishy going on. Li Ming takes that opportunity to promote Pei Wen Xuan to a censor and asks him to investigate the Yang family.
After Li Rong is imprisoned, Liu Chuan visits her in prison. A lady was following him. It turns out that the lady is Qin Zhen Zhen. Pei Wen Xuan thought that Qin Zhen Zhen canceled the marriage because her family forced her to do so. However, Qin Zhen Zhen says that she did so of her own accord.
To promote Prince Su, Li Ming decides to send Consort Rou's brother, Xiao Su, to the frontline to replace Li Chuan. A day before the wedding, Pei Wen Xuan hands out red envelopes to other officials. And Su Rong Qing shows up unexpectedly.
On their wedding night, Li Rong and Pei Wen Xuan can't sleep well. Instead, they discuss plans for after their divorce. Pei Wen Xuan deliberately arranges for Su Rong Qing to pick her up during their wedding day, while Li Rong is also thinking about how to stop Qin Zhen Zhen from entering the palace.
Li Chuan musters enough courage and heads to Jiulu Mountain to confess to Qin Zhen Zhen. The Qixi Festival Banquet begins. Pei Wen Xuan receives news that Consort Rou held an incense-making contest for the ladies to help her niece, Xiao Wei, enter the Eastern Palace.
Pei Wen Xuan expresses that Li Rong was the only person he loved in the past. He never had any feelings for Qin Zhen Zhen. Li Rong becomes speechless, and she chooses to avoid him. Her cold attitude chills Pei Wen Xuan's heart.
Pei Wen Xuan suggests to Li Rong that she establish the Inspectorate, leaving Li Rong in a dilemma. Qin Zhen Zhen is grateful to Li Rong for saving her life, while Li Rong plans for Qin Zhen Zhen to live on under the identity of a guard, Xun Chuan.
Li Rong orders Xun Chuan to find the veterans and obtain their testimonies. At the same time, she intends to acquire information from the Ministry of Justice. Pei Wen Xuan was bullied in the Censorate as he went against the noble families. He has to work overtime day after day.
Su Rong Qing is happy when Li Rong invites him to a meal. He goes to the restaurant, but Li Rong doesn't appear. He is sad. Su Rong Hua knows Su Rong Qing is sad, so they get drunk together. Back at home, Li Rong helps Pei Wen Xuan dress his wounds. Both of them have a heart-to-heart talk. Pei Wen Xuan feels very touched and sleeps with Li Rong in his arms.
Upon returning to Pei's Residence, Pei Wen Xuan and Li Rong engage in a fierce argument to reclaim the inheritance left by Pei Wen Xuan's father, only to be met with adamant refusal from Pei Li Xian and their other relatives. At a crucial moment, the timid Madam Wen, inspired by Li Rong's unwavering support, finds her voice and boldly denounces the Pei family members for their ungratefulness.
With no other options, Li Rong secretly sends Pei Wen Xuan out of the capital to gather evidence. He has to return before the scheduled execution of the Qin family. Li Rong, under immense pressure, rescues the Qin family from the Ministry of Justice and shelters them in her residence, while Su Rong Qing arrives to intervene.