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Grandfather Lin proposed Xiu Wan’s death (I didn't quite grasp the details of this in the episode). She hadn't made the mistake; the Du family had, and she had simply fallen into their trap. With a grandfather like that, who needs enemies? He was just as cold now as he had been in the past when he left Jia Lan’s family to face their tragedy alone. Back then, he had saved his entire family, yet here he proposed discarding a family member. Even though she was a niece rather than a granddaughter, it was still incredibly cold-hearted. Xiu Wan’s mother resolved to take her own life, but just as she was about to throw herself onto a thick iron spike, Lin Jin Qi stepped in and stopped his aunt’s rash act. Lin Jin Qi offered a plausible solution: “No one needs to die. We don’t just have one young lady; there is another candidate who can marry the Marquis.” That was when Xiu Rui entered the room, wearing an enigmatic expression that made the sincerity of her feelings seem questionable (did she orchestrate this whole thing? She was the one who had said she lacked the beauty of her sisters—the very asset needed to secure a husband). Meanwhile, the most beautiful one was to be sent to her death. All the maids received gold rewards from Madam Lin. However, Madam Lin asked Jia Lan what extra reward she would like. She replied that she wanted freedom for her entire family; she wished to repay her parents' care by being with them in the coming years. Madam Lin reluctantly agreed, though Lin Jin Qi’s approval would be required since they belonged to his pavilion. The other maids were happy with the gold they received, as well as a copy of the study primer *Three Character Classic*. Yet, they felt it was useless without a teacher present. "But Yuchan has offered to teach you all to read," Jia Lan said. And they rejoiced. Madam Lin actually felt it was for the best that Jia Lan was leaving; after all, once he married, how would his wife get along with a beautiful, intelligent maid constantly around? So, it was better this way. As Jia Lan and her parents were saying their goodbyes, Lin Jin Qi did not allow them to kneel before him, saying, "I am no longer your master, so such formalities are no longer necessary." Jia Lan promised to pray that he would find a wonderful marriage and for the happiness of the entire Lin family. Madam Lin looked on with approval, while Lin Jin Qi’s expression was somewhat enigmatic (as if, in doing this, he actually had another solution in mind). As they left the manor gates, the sound of firecrackers and the general joy of the crowd filled the air; a red wedding carriage was passing by. It was Miss Zhao, on her way to her wedding. Is it Xing Tang? The episode began with the public humiliation of the traitorous commander, who was spat upon and struck by his outraged colleagues. Meanwhile, Lin Jin Qi ordered his soldiers to regain their composure, and a fellow officer offered him a salute. The episode concluded with the arrival of a young woman rejoicing over a marriage that had been rejected by another (though that other woman could not have accepted it even if she had wanted to). By accepting this long-awaited marriage, she was also saving the life of another young woman. (What will happen in Episode 20? Let’s find out.)
P.S.:
I can't forget this scene. It’s the graveside scene where Lin Jin Qi and the villainess, Miss Du Cui Que, meet. He pays his respects to Du Zheng—the friend who once saved his life but also tried to take it. At the grave, Lin Jin Qi answers a question Du Zheng had asked in an earlier episode. When Du Cui Que arrives, she is a pitiful sight, shackled and locked into a heavy wooden cangue that traps both her head and hands. Yet, for that moment of farewell to her brother Du Zheng, she is granted the dignity of being free from the chains and the cangue. She bids her brother goodbye. Even so, she speaks harsh words to Lin Jin Qi, who stands silently with his face turned away. He tells her that if she wanted a good marriage, she should have sought it with dignity rather than through wicked schemes. She casts one last glance at him as she is led away to prison, the chains clanking as she walks ahead. (These two actors make a great pair; I remember the first three episodes of *In Blossom* featuring the young woman with the scar and the eyepatch. That was the heroine’s first incarnation—before the body swap and before Ju Jing Yi took over the role. Both actresses were excellent, but Zheng He Hui Zi left a strong impression on viewers, and her chemistry with Liu Xue Yi—in their respective roles—was memorable. Seeing them here feels almost like witnessing them in another life, yet once again separated by events beyond their control—at least, that’s one way to view them if you’ve watched *In Blossom*.)
This episode features many clashes between key characters. A plotline was resolved, enemies were unmasked, and there were moments of frustration as well as salvation for many characters. Regarding the dialogue of the villainess Du Cui Que—who we know won't disappear in this episode, given that the drama's poster shows her pointing a weapon at the female lead and a group of people—she was unmasked here. Her expensive gauze undergarments and other costly items aroused the suspicions of the other maids; furthermore, it was clearly stated that she was responsible for the death of Lan Dang. She intended to die along with everyone else, but she wasn't allowed to; the antidote was forced into her mouth against her will (though perhaps in future episodes, they might regret letting her live—just a guess on my part). In her speech, Du Cui Que reveals her hatred for a subordinate position (marrying into a powerful family was the goal, whereas marrying into a less significant family would be a disgrace). Using her dowry to help her husband rise in rank? That would be a humiliation. Mrs. Qin countered all these arguments: “We helped you. Even if it wasn't for you to marry Lin Jin Qi, we would have arranged a good marriage for you!” Lin Jin Qi also reflected on this during the episode: “I just wanted to help the two siblings. That’s why I brought them to our manor. I really don’t understand. Was I wrong?” A slightly tipsy Jia Lam replied: “No, you’re just a good person.” The two of them sat there on the garden stones. Jia Lam breathed in the scent of the orchids and explained to Lin Jin Qi that they are fragrant at noon, but far more so at night. (Could this be a metaphor for their story? Does this love need to be built from the heat of the day into the night to become unshakable?) Du Cui Que was exposed. Jia Lam said: “Lin Jin Qi didn’t bathe in that water; we took some of it and gave it to you to drink. You expected Lin Jin Qi to be unconscious by now, but that didn’t happen. He is actively resolving a problem.” (Xiu Wan still tried to defend Du Cui Que, but faced with all these arguments, she realized with frustration that she was walking into a trap.) On the battlefield, Lin Jin Qi saw his supposed friend, Du Zheng, attack him with a sword. After many clashes—sword against sword—showcasing the flexibility and fluidity of both men in a raw, well-choreographed fight, we heard the sounds of steel; one fell, the other rose, and we waited for the moment a blade would tear into flesh. But before that could happen, the Marquis loosed an arrow that dealt a fatal blow to Du Zheng. Later, in prison, Du Zheng lay with an incurable wound, receiving painkillers to ease his agony. Yet, even as he mumbled, he asked Lin Jin Qi—who felt a mix of gratitude and bewilderment— “Did it work? Was the Lin family killed?” (That is when a look of concern crosses Lin Jin Qi’s face, and he quickly leaves.) Upon arriving home with his two aides and friends, he finds all the maids celebrating, realizing that everything is fine at the estate. A conversation then ensues between Lin Jin Qi and Jia Lam as they sit together (he treats her as an equal, though she shows him the deference due to a lord). There is also a moment the camera chose not to show—not a kiss, as we haven't reached that point yet—but rather Lin Jin Qi carrying her in his arms after she fell asleep on the garden stones. (Lin Jin Qi’s footsteps are light; the camera focuses only on his feet, obscuring the rest of his slender frame, then pans to the now-empty garden stones where the two had been sitting—confirming he carried her away.)
However, the episode concludes with the commander—the one who shot the servant at the Lin estate and had intended to assassinate the Marquis (another commander)—facing arrest and judgment in the presence of the other soldiers and Lin Jin Qi. "You chose the path of injustice, and now you shall face your punishment." (I hope that in Episode 19, Jia Lam’s reward isn't being sent far away from Lin Jin Qi.) We shall see.
Soldiers lie in the forest, camouflaged by dry leaves. A vow between brothers—"I’ve got your back." Yet, another man—Lin Jin Qi’s aide—sees something more, something lying beyond the immediate danger, having spoken with Jia Lam. It is Nanke who guards Lin Jin Qi’s back; he shouts a warning about a treacherous threat approaching from behind just as the episode ends.
But before that, back at the Lin estate, several key characters are hovering between life and death. Someone who had been in good health suddenly falls ill and dies quickly, suffering from body rashes and moaning in pain. Jia Lam presses the doctor for answers regarding the nature of the illness. He identifies it as erysipelas. However, Jia Lam remains skeptical and seeks the truth—a search that leads to the episode's climax: the death of a maid and the profound (though likely feigned) weeping of Miss Du Cuique, crying out, "Lin Dang, Lin Dang..." (One might ask: why was Lin Dang the fatal victim here?) It was because Jia Lam was getting closer to answers in her investigation. Du Cuique, wearing a deceptively sweet expression, spotted Jia Lam’s silhouette passing by the window curtains. She realizes she is facing a rival worthy of her mettle. Jia Lam discusses the matter with Nanke, specifically the mention of Lin Jin Qi’s bath time—a detail Du Cuique had brought up. She recalls how he had pretended to bathe by splashing hot water into the tub without actually getting in. But how did she know the schedule? Jia Lam explains her theory to Nanke: this is no ordinary illness, but a case of poisoning via the bathwater—an element that is rarely guarded, unlike the food. (She hands him the letter she wrote to her parents, letting them know she is safe and well.) But before that, she retched in agony upon seeing Lan Dan die.
In a moment of hopelessness, the three maids—friends supporting one another through this tragedy—interlace their hands. One of them says, "We are merely maids; there is nothing we can do to change this." That is when Jia Lam, fire in her eyes, declares, "We *can* do something—so that everyone, from the groups we care about, can realize their dreams; they all still have so much life ahead of them." Lin Jin Qi is due to arrive tomorrow; they wait with renewed hope. But can YuChan hold on for another day? And what of Lin Jin Qi’s mother? She embraces her youngest daughter, who is ill; with a feverish gaze, the mother rests her head on the pillow, looking at her child.
Lin Jin Qi speaks to the lieutenant—a simple, sincere man—who had once confronted him with accusations of a crime; they are now amidst a leafy hideout. Lin Jin Qi’s voice rings out above the commotion: "You are a brother I will count on for the rest of my life." He says this to the soldier who did not back down when the unthinkable mission they were to carry out in the forest was revealed. (Providentially—or perhaps prophetically—he said this not to Du Zheng, but to this brave, loyal, ordinary man). Yet, Du Zheng displays conflicting, contradictory expressions throughout this episode, appearing as though he wants to flee the situation. He claims he lacks a weapon; LJQ replies, "Here is a weapon." He says he lacks the proper attire and must go back to fetch it; LJQ replies, "Here is the attire." "Watch my back," Lin Jin Qi tells Du Zheng. Again, that look from Du Zheng. And fellow soldiers patting him on the back. (But do all these loyal figures realize they might be dealing with an enemy disguised as a lamb?)
The battle in the forest involves three groups. Our heroic group aims to rescue the commander—the Marquis—who is facing relentless assassination attempts. In slow motion, they seem to fly as they leap over one another with swords and spears amidst the forest trees. Lin Jin Qi soars the highest, rising above the rest. And now, at the end of the episode, when a true friend shouts, "Lin Jin Qi, watch your back!"—how will our hero get out of this? Let's find out in Episode 18.
Hidden within a cave on the grounds of the Lin estate, a couple was concealed: Xiu Wan (Lin Jin Qi’s sister) and Du Zheng (brother of Miss Du Cui Que). Du Zheng was making advances on Xiu Wan, who found herself unable to break free from him. However, her observant sister, Xiu Rui, was watching from an opening high above the cave; the scene alarmed and worried her, as she found both Du Zheng and Du Cui Que highly suspicious. She rushed away, and to put a stop to the young man's advances on her sister, she instructed her maid to mimic the sound of barking dogs. Hearing this, the couple quickly composed themselves and fled. Du Zheng later met his sister, Du Cui Que, on the lake bridge, all while Xiu Rui watched them closely and with suspicion. Suddenly, she ran into her sister Xiu Wan; the two exchanged excuses and deflected questions about what they had been doing there, effectively acting as if nothing had happened. Xiu Wan even defended Du Zheng regarding another matter Xiu Rui raised concerning the illness spreading through the household. This episode also features moments between Lin Jin Qi and Jia Lam: she oversaw his bath time, and he looked happy and at ease in her company. He also asked her to stay and listen to the alarming account his sister Xiu Rui was about to share. As Xiu Rui put it: "I saw something I shouldn't have." But before she could recount it, disaster struck the household. Due to the spreading illness, the estate was blockaded by a garrison of soldiers from another powerful family. A servant climbed onto the roof to investigate and was shot dead by an arrow. The estate was sealed off by the soldiers. Fortunately, however, Lin Jin Qi had already left the mansion before this happened to visit the Marquis—that commander... ...who became his friend. They discuss the assassination attempt the Marquis survived and mention that Lin Jin Qi will soon be the next target. I didn't quite understand Miss Du Cui Que's intentions within the manor. She becomes upset upon learning that Lin Jin Qi is safe outside, free to intervene more effectively to resolve the crisis engulfing the entire family. (She is revealing herself to be a calculating, venomous snake). One of Lin Jin Qi's brothers, along with Housekeeper Han and Jia Lan, has been tasked with handling the situation inside the manor until Lin Jin Qi returns. Gate after gate is being locked shut with heavy chains. How will this be resolved? (We shall see in Episode 17).
PS: Is this what they call "masculine" drama? (Because it focuses more on intrigue?)