The Sword and the Brocade: Episodes 19-20
May. 6th, 2024 07:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrMasterlist, Character Guide, and Content Notes
Content note: Brief mention of a pre-canon rape, which I'm not sure canon recognises as such though it's definitely seen as bad.
As Shiyi tries to extricate herself from the sleeping Lingyi, he wakes up and sleepily says she should come back to bed before noticing her hairpin is a bit plain. She mentions she had a nice jade one but lost it.
So I guess the writers had the hairpin stay in so they could set up him buying a replacement.
He cheerfully has her help him get dressed, which she is only somewhat awkward about now. It's a weird dynamic for me but is probably Fun Sexy Historical Maledom if you're into that and more used to Chinese historical tropes.
Shiyi and Yingli agree that Lianfang is too evil to raise a kid, and that Shilui is very affectionate, but Lingyi worries she doesn't have the educational background to raise a nobleman.
Shiyi: Then what about Yizhen? She's also very fond of Fengqing.
Lingyi: Her son died around the time Yu was born, and it was suggested that she adopt him. But she said no, still blaming herself for her son's death.
How much say did Concubine Wen get in what happened to her son?
Oh nooo Shiliu is so excited to be a mum :( :(
Now I want her and Yizhen to raise him together. There's been lots of talk about how alone they both are.
Shiliu is... sad that Fengqing likes bamboo?? Show don't start overestimating my intelligence.
"Mr Lin" decides the best way to give Shiyi a gift is to give ALL the female embroiderers a gift of hand-cream. I think Amber has realised he likes Shiyi and is sad about it.
Lingkuan's father-in-law knows that Lingkuan is Fenqing's father and is causing trouble. Lingyi realises the Ou deliberately set all this up and gets angry at Lingkuan when he is too afraid of being murdered to go apologise.
Shiyi hears they argued and comes to find out what happened from Lingyi, and then persuades him to try communicating with his brother instead of just telling him what to do and getting angry when he's not obeyed.
So they have an actual conversation, Lingkuan talks about how he's always looked up to Lingyi and Lingyi says he's been so focussed on Keeping The Family Safe since their father and older brother died that he's become too strict. They both apologise and Lingkuan offers to go make peace with his father-in-law.
It occurs to me they have a similar vibe to the Nie brothers from MDZS, though presumably the arc is going to be Different.
Danyang doesn't know why the brothers are fighting but assumes it's Lingyi being mean to her beloved husband. Lingkuan is all "I'll know the full opera to sing to you soon" in a way which feels death-flag-y :(
Lianfang "helpfully" expresses concern about the "rumours" that Lingkuan is the father in a deliberately infuriating way that prompts Danyang to rush off towards Shiyi's chambers.
Maid: She won't thank you for that. What is the benefit to you?
Lianfang: Shiyi's maid warned me yesterday to be careful because her steps are unstable and being repaired. Sure would look bad for Shiyi if there was an ~accident :D
LIANFANG. STOP SOLVING ALL YOUR PROBLEMS WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT.
And sure enough, the heavily pregnant Danyang rushes onto the steps and falls...
...onto Shiyi, who throws herself underneath her on her back as a cushion.
Lingkuan is refused entrance to his father-in-law's house, so he prostrates himself in the rain. Is he going to catch a tragically deadly cold and make Lingyi feel bad for pressuring him to be more responsible :(
Danyang's father genuinely loves her and is furious that his trust in Lingkuan to take care of her was betrayed. Lingkuan desperately argues that he and Danyang love each other, that he never meant to lie to her and will tell the truth once she's out of danger with her pregnancy, and that he will remain faithful and caring for the rest of their lives.
Danyang's father: What's done is done. But if she is ever harmed, I won't let you get away with it!
Shii: I'm so sorry, I only told his Lordship and the concubines about the steps since I didn't expect you to visit while they were being fixed.
Danyang: No, thank for saving me. But... I have been hearing all these rumours. Is Fengqing really his Lordship's son?
Shiyi: Since his Lordship says it is so, it must be fact.
Danyang: And you don't mind?
Shiyi: He is a good child. And if I bothered his Lordship about it, that would damage our relationship. Since you see me as an older sister, my advice is to ignore gossip. Don't sacrifice the larger for the lesser.
Wait Shiyi is OLDER than Danyang? Even if a couple of years have passed by this point that still makes Danyang pretty young D: Or maybe it's because Lingyi is the older brother.
Danyang puts two and two together and goes to SLAP LIANFANG IN THE FACE.
FACE SLAPPING. WE KNEW IT HAD TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.
Danyang: I used to think that you must be good because you came from a good family. But your mind is crooked. Mother is the only one soft hearted enough to be fooled by your victim act, does his Lordship ever even look your way?
Lianfang: Why are you bullying me ;_;
Danyang: YOU KNOW WHY. If I am ever hurt by any of your tricks there will be hell to pay.
Lianfang: Even a princess can't accuse innocent people without evidence ;_;
Danyang: If you think I'm being unfair feel free to take it up with Mother or his Lordship!
Lianfang: How could a humble concubine dare argue with you ;_;
Danyang then explains Lianfang's scheme to her nanny just in case we missed it. She then begrudgingly admits that even though Shiyi is of humble birth, she is definitely a better person than Lianfang.
Lingkuan: Why is your hem dirty?
Danyang: Oh, I... went to play with Fengqing, and tripped. But her Ladyship saved me.
Lingkuan: YOU TRIPPED? I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE AGAIN.
Danyang: Wait why is your hair wet?
Lingkuan: Oh I... got caught in the rain.
Lol it just occurred to me that all the Xu household shots had clear blue sunny skies while Danyang's family's house had thick clouds and heavy rain, all in the same day. Also I feel like the general seasonal vibe has remained unchanged during the whole show, there haven't been any cute spring/winter/autumn etc moments with snow or falling leaves etc. Just intermittent torrential rain as required by the plot, and sometimes people say it's hot or cold under identical sunny skies.
Which is fine, just kinda amusing. The main distracting things in this show for me are the sometimes VERY fake looking wigs and some of the accessories looking very plastic. But none of it undermines my enjoyment significantly.
Danyang: By the way that Fengqing... really is cute. He looks a lot like you.
Lingkuan: ... :(
Danyang, walking away to hide the tears in her eyes: I hear he had a difficult childhood. Now he's being taken care of in our family. You should spare some time to go visit him. After all, you are his uncle.
Lingkuan walks up to her slowly, and whispers "Thank you, Danyang."
Danyang turns to him and says "No need. I just hope you won't put me and my baby behind you."
He pulls her into a hug and says "What silly words. You and our baby are the most important things in the world to me.".
THESE GUYS ;_;
That said, the show didn't need to make Fengqing's mother an evil gold digger to emphasise how much Linkuan Loves Only Danyang Now. It makes me worry for Concubine Wen and Qin's fates by the end of the show. Obviously Lianfang is SUPER DOOMED, and it's too much to expect the other two to be allowed to have their own ROMANTIC happy endings, but I hope they're allowed to just happily live as parts of the household without tragically dying or anything to make Lingyi more unambiguously monogamous. Maybe they could go live in the villa in the country and raise some kids together.
Shiyi sees Yizhen playing with Fenqing and asks her if she'd be willing to look after him permanently.
Yizhen: I'm not worthy to be a mother. I let my son, Qian, die of the cold.
Shiyi: Lianfang and Shilui have ulterior motives, while you have successfully taught all the children of the Xu household. Only you can provide him a peaceful childhood. If you really don't want to, then forget what I said. But if you are hesitating due to the past, please think more about what is best for Fengqing.
Shilui just likes kids a lot! That's not an ulterior motive!
Shiyi tells Lingyi that if Yizhen can't get over her trauma, she will raise Fengqing, despite the consequences.
Lingyi: Alright. But you shouldn't be his mother in name. We should make that Concubine Tong.
Me and Shiyi: Wait, who???
She was a maid who RAPED LINGYI WHEN HE WAS DRUNK AND GOT PREGNANT???
This was back in Yuanniang's day, and she made Concubine Tong a concubine, but everyone hated Concubine Tong for obvious reasons and she got depressed and died.
Wow, I had actually been thinking about how Lingyi is basically a rape victim traumatised by his entire society but they just made it even more unambiguous. They don't use the word rape, I am sure the characters wouldn't conceptualise it that way and am not sure the narrative does either. Still, they agree it was absolutely an evil thing to do.
This makes me a bit more forgiving of Lingyi's clueless weirdness around Shiyi: He really doesn't know what a fully consensual, honest relationship would even LOOK like. Normally he just has women wanting to have sex with him as a matter of course, seeing it as a benefit to them, and he only sometimes has the option to say no. Hell, has a woman ever previously responded to his advances with anything but sincere enthusiasm, if only for the way it improves her status? And he knows they ALSO won't always feel able to say no should they actually want to, at least not long term, but their society says the best anyone can hope for is the option to say no to individual sexual acts rather than sex with an assigned partner in general. And since women aren't supposed to OVERTLY express enthusiasm OR rejection of sex everything has to be implication and doublespeak. Which he is not always very good at!
So what happened to the baby? Did it die with it's mother? Is it secretly Yu or Zhun??
Everyone is gathered together.
Lingyi: From now on, Fengqing will be taken care of by....
EPISODE ENDS
*sticks out tongue at screen and clicks on next episode*
He is interrupted by Yizhen who rushes in, kneels, and asks to be given custody.
Madame Xu knows what a big deal this is for Lizhen and agrees. Fengqing will now legally be the son of Yizhen's dead husband, Ling'an, and renamed Sijie. (Does that apostrophe mean 'an' is an honorific?)
Lianfang and poor Shilui look sad. URGH and of course Lianfang immediately starts pouring poison into Shilui's ear about Shiyi 'betraying' them both to suck up to Yizhen.
Shilui just sadly asks her maid to put away all the children's toys she'd decorated her chambers with :(
Haha I love how people keep talking up Shiyi as guileless. But when Lingkuan comes to thank her for all her help she says "I hear Danyang is a wonderful seamstress. I would love to learn from her work. Do you have any, say... little sachets she made for you? :)"
Lingkuan: Danyang is NOT an excellent seamstress but sure. *hands over sachet*
Shiyi: This is wonderfully made.
Lingkuan: I can ask her to make one for you if you like!
Shiyi: She's pregnant. Please don't mention this to her, I'd feel guilty if she got tired. By the way, do you remember any details of the day of my mother's murder a year ago?
It's only been a year?? Including the leadup to Yuaniang's death, the whole year of mourning afterwards, and everything else that happened after that? I'm going to assume there's some translation wonkiness going on. I guess I can believe it being less than two years.
Lingkuan says he was with Danyang the whole time and didn't see anything, but since people might take it the wrong way if Shiyi went around asking questions of the servants who were there he offers to do it for her. What a sweetie. He's also happy to hide this from his brother which I am SURE will not come to bite him or Shiyi in the ass later. Shiyi tells her maids the embroidery doesn't match: Danyang is not the killer.
Lingyi: Yizhen, Sijie is your child now. Sijie, call her mother.
Sijie (formerly Fengqing): Nia!
...I don't think I've heard that one before...
Ok I am looking this up.
Ha, according to Wikipedia, there are "ten mothers":
嫡母 Dimu - father's official wife (when birth mother of ego is a concubine)
繼母 Jimu - stepmother
養母 Yangmu - adopted mother
慈母 Cimu - concubine replacing ego's birth mother who died
嫁母 Jiamu - widowed birth mother who has remarried
出母 Chumu - birth mother who has been divorced
庶母 Shumu - father's concubine who is also a mother (when birth mother of ego is the official wife)
乳母 Uba - wet nurse
生母 Shengmu - birth mother
諸母 Zhumu - father's concubine
Plus the more informal/modern ma or mama.
And you know they all have in common? NOT SOUNDING LIKE "NIA".
I would expect her to be "Dimu". But I guess this just goes to show I really don't understand Mandarin!
Anyway. Lizhen hugs him and it's really sweet. Lingkuan and Danyang watch with bittersweet expressions.
Oh noes, Madame Luo is sick!
She says she's just getting old (despite probably being about my age) and congratulates Shiyi on "cleverly" resolving the bastard son situation in the way most to her benefit.
Madame Luo: Now you must gain your husband's favour to secure Zhun's future.
Shiyi: He loves Zhun and respects me, there is nothing to worry about.
Madame Luo: If he respects you why doesn't he sleep with you?
Shiyi looks at Amber, who is the most likely source of this knowledge.
What does "Men love new things, get those around you to approach him and see who he likes" mean, is Madame Luo suggesting a threesome??? Nng D:
On the way back, Dongqing interrogates Amber, who breaks down and admits she did pass on the information.
Dongqing: You want to seduce his Lordship and become a concubine!
Amber denies this, crying, then sadly takes out an embroidered flower and we get a flashback to her angsty backstory???
I AM SO HERE FOR EMBROIDERY RELATED AMBER ANGSTY BACKSTORY
As shabbily dressed children, she and an older girl hold matching embroidered flowers which together form a single image. These are their tokens if they ever get separated.
We see child!Amber some time later desperately searching the streets.
Adult!Amber sobs to herself "I'm sorry. But to find my older sister, I must listen to Madame Luo."
Shiyi is upset, but gives Amber a chance to explain herself, speculating that since Amber didn't pass on Shiyi's murder investigation she is still loyal to Shiyi and is probably being blackmailed.
Amber gasps but doesn't reply.
Shiyi: I think you're a good person and don't want to hurt you. If you trust me, I can help.
Amber: It's not that I don't trust you, it's that you can't help with this matter... I'm sorry...
Zhun starts wailing and Shiyi and Lingyi panic... but it's just that his wooden sword broke. With Shiyi's encouragement, Lingyi gently tells Zhun men don't cry and should focus on fixing things, then makes a new sword as Shiyi and Zhun watch in delight.
And then when he sees Lingkuan dramatically reciting a verse about swords to Zhun he says it would be good for Lingkuan to teach Zhun opera, since he seems to like it, and it's full of moral lessons.
Character growth!!
Which he and everyone else notices, and rightly credits Shiyi with, and he has a bit of an existential crisis and starts avoiding her.
Lingyi: I have never felt this way before... but I should be a rock without emotions.
Deputy: You're not a rock, you are a person. Trust me, my nickname is Know-it-all ^_^
There's a cute scene where he admires the art she's painted as an embroidery design, and then gives her a jade hairpin.
Me, scrubbing through the timeline to get back to my place, making a summary as I go: This is so adorable, why did I pause the episode so long I lost my place?
Lingyi: Shiyi's visiting her mother again? Is she still sick?
Me, knowing Shiyi uses 'visiting her mother' as an excuse to do embroidery: OH NO THAT'S RIGHT
*pauses*
*makes dinner*
*sighs*
*presses play*
Lingyi: Hello brother in law, I hear your mother is sick. I will have Shiyi bring ginseng during her next visit.
Shiyi's brother: Thank you, that sounds wonderful. I have not seen Shiyi in some time.
Lingyi: ...hasn't she been visiting a lot lately? :)
Shiyi's brother: ...Oh. I... was probably out at the time haha >.>
So Lingyi follows her the next time she 'visits her mother'.
Oh GOD I really wish I had youtube's ability to watch at increased speed, or that I spoke Chinese so I could listen while distracting myself with a game or something. Maybe I'll make the window smaller and play a game to the side, the subtitles are pretty big
OK PHEW he doesn't see her immediately meet with Mr Lin the secret Ou, instead he sees a bunch of women approach her, calling her Master Luo and asking for feedback on their embroidery, before she starts teaching a class.
*keeps my game open just in case*
Of course he is still PISSED but I'd rather he be angry about something (objectively, quite foolhardy and scandalous) she actually did than have some big dumb cheating misunderstanding. Which will probably still happen of course but it won't be all at once.
His deputy has to stop him storming in to take her out of a room full of female students. But then another refugee comes up and start talking about how much "Master Luo" has helped all these women avoid starvation.
Lingyi: Set up guards with a fake stall nearby to keep her safe, but don't let Shiyi find out.
Deputy: Why keep your care a secret? I know you worry she'll feel awkward, but some things are better said than...
Lingyi: >:(
Deputy: ...I'll go hire the guards.
Lianfang: Madame Xu, I have made you some soup! I made some for Shiyi too, but she's out... again...
Uh oh
Lingyi: Mother, filial piety is one of the key virtues. If she doesn't look after her own mother now, would she look after you when you are sick?
Lingyi you lie to your mother with practiced smoothness. Good for you.
Also, I forgot to say, but Shiyi managed to invest in her sister's dried fruit shop by inviting Lizhen to be a co-investor.
I realised I've been saying Danfang instead of Danyang, and probably making other typos. Hopefully it's still clear who I mean.
And in case you're wondering, Shiyi is slightly injured after being fallen on but basically ok.
But now, time for the episode's cliffhanger. Lingyi's deputy has important information...
...about the true source of the mouldy rice!!!
And even though this post only covers 2 episodes that seems like a good place to stop. Stay patient until next time, readers!
Content note: Brief mention of a pre-canon rape, which I'm not sure canon recognises as such though it's definitely seen as bad.
As Shiyi tries to extricate herself from the sleeping Lingyi, he wakes up and sleepily says she should come back to bed before noticing her hairpin is a bit plain. She mentions she had a nice jade one but lost it.
So I guess the writers had the hairpin stay in so they could set up him buying a replacement.
He cheerfully has her help him get dressed, which she is only somewhat awkward about now. It's a weird dynamic for me but is probably Fun Sexy Historical Maledom if you're into that and more used to Chinese historical tropes.
Shiyi and Yingli agree that Lianfang is too evil to raise a kid, and that Shilui is very affectionate, but Lingyi worries she doesn't have the educational background to raise a nobleman.
Shiyi: Then what about Yizhen? She's also very fond of Fengqing.
Lingyi: Her son died around the time Yu was born, and it was suggested that she adopt him. But she said no, still blaming herself for her son's death.
How much say did Concubine Wen get in what happened to her son?
Oh nooo Shiliu is so excited to be a mum :( :(
Now I want her and Yizhen to raise him together. There's been lots of talk about how alone they both are.
Shiliu is... sad that Fengqing likes bamboo?? Show don't start overestimating my intelligence.
"Mr Lin" decides the best way to give Shiyi a gift is to give ALL the female embroiderers a gift of hand-cream. I think Amber has realised he likes Shiyi and is sad about it.
Lingkuan's father-in-law knows that Lingkuan is Fenqing's father and is causing trouble. Lingyi realises the Ou deliberately set all this up and gets angry at Lingkuan when he is too afraid of being murdered to go apologise.
Shiyi hears they argued and comes to find out what happened from Lingyi, and then persuades him to try communicating with his brother instead of just telling him what to do and getting angry when he's not obeyed.
So they have an actual conversation, Lingkuan talks about how he's always looked up to Lingyi and Lingyi says he's been so focussed on Keeping The Family Safe since their father and older brother died that he's become too strict. They both apologise and Lingkuan offers to go make peace with his father-in-law.
It occurs to me they have a similar vibe to the Nie brothers from MDZS, though presumably the arc is going to be Different.
Danyang doesn't know why the brothers are fighting but assumes it's Lingyi being mean to her beloved husband. Lingkuan is all "I'll know the full opera to sing to you soon" in a way which feels death-flag-y :(
Lianfang "helpfully" expresses concern about the "rumours" that Lingkuan is the father in a deliberately infuriating way that prompts Danyang to rush off towards Shiyi's chambers.
Maid: She won't thank you for that. What is the benefit to you?
Lianfang: Shiyi's maid warned me yesterday to be careful because her steps are unstable and being repaired. Sure would look bad for Shiyi if there was an ~accident :D
LIANFANG. STOP SOLVING ALL YOUR PROBLEMS WITH CHILD ENDANGERMENT.
And sure enough, the heavily pregnant Danyang rushes onto the steps and falls...
...onto Shiyi, who throws herself underneath her on her back as a cushion.
Lingkuan is refused entrance to his father-in-law's house, so he prostrates himself in the rain. Is he going to catch a tragically deadly cold and make Lingyi feel bad for pressuring him to be more responsible :(
Danyang's father genuinely loves her and is furious that his trust in Lingkuan to take care of her was betrayed. Lingkuan desperately argues that he and Danyang love each other, that he never meant to lie to her and will tell the truth once she's out of danger with her pregnancy, and that he will remain faithful and caring for the rest of their lives.
Danyang's father: What's done is done. But if she is ever harmed, I won't let you get away with it!
Shii: I'm so sorry, I only told his Lordship and the concubines about the steps since I didn't expect you to visit while they were being fixed.
Danyang: No, thank for saving me. But... I have been hearing all these rumours. Is Fengqing really his Lordship's son?
Shiyi: Since his Lordship says it is so, it must be fact.
Danyang: And you don't mind?
Shiyi: He is a good child. And if I bothered his Lordship about it, that would damage our relationship. Since you see me as an older sister, my advice is to ignore gossip. Don't sacrifice the larger for the lesser.
Wait Shiyi is OLDER than Danyang? Even if a couple of years have passed by this point that still makes Danyang pretty young D: Or maybe it's because Lingyi is the older brother.
Danyang puts two and two together and goes to SLAP LIANFANG IN THE FACE.
FACE SLAPPING. WE KNEW IT HAD TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.
Danyang: I used to think that you must be good because you came from a good family. But your mind is crooked. Mother is the only one soft hearted enough to be fooled by your victim act, does his Lordship ever even look your way?
Lianfang: Why are you bullying me ;_;
Danyang: YOU KNOW WHY. If I am ever hurt by any of your tricks there will be hell to pay.
Lianfang: Even a princess can't accuse innocent people without evidence ;_;
Danyang: If you think I'm being unfair feel free to take it up with Mother or his Lordship!
Lianfang: How could a humble concubine dare argue with you ;_;
Danyang then explains Lianfang's scheme to her nanny just in case we missed it. She then begrudgingly admits that even though Shiyi is of humble birth, she is definitely a better person than Lianfang.
Lingkuan: Why is your hem dirty?
Danyang: Oh, I... went to play with Fengqing, and tripped. But her Ladyship saved me.
Lingkuan: YOU TRIPPED? I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE AGAIN.
Danyang: Wait why is your hair wet?
Lingkuan: Oh I... got caught in the rain.
Lol it just occurred to me that all the Xu household shots had clear blue sunny skies while Danyang's family's house had thick clouds and heavy rain, all in the same day. Also I feel like the general seasonal vibe has remained unchanged during the whole show, there haven't been any cute spring/winter/autumn etc moments with snow or falling leaves etc. Just intermittent torrential rain as required by the plot, and sometimes people say it's hot or cold under identical sunny skies.
Which is fine, just kinda amusing. The main distracting things in this show for me are the sometimes VERY fake looking wigs and some of the accessories looking very plastic. But none of it undermines my enjoyment significantly.
Danyang: By the way that Fengqing... really is cute. He looks a lot like you.
Lingkuan: ... :(
Danyang, walking away to hide the tears in her eyes: I hear he had a difficult childhood. Now he's being taken care of in our family. You should spare some time to go visit him. After all, you are his uncle.
Lingkuan walks up to her slowly, and whispers "Thank you, Danyang."
Danyang turns to him and says "No need. I just hope you won't put me and my baby behind you."
He pulls her into a hug and says "What silly words. You and our baby are the most important things in the world to me.".
THESE GUYS ;_;
That said, the show didn't need to make Fengqing's mother an evil gold digger to emphasise how much Linkuan Loves Only Danyang Now. It makes me worry for Concubine Wen and Qin's fates by the end of the show. Obviously Lianfang is SUPER DOOMED, and it's too much to expect the other two to be allowed to have their own ROMANTIC happy endings, but I hope they're allowed to just happily live as parts of the household without tragically dying or anything to make Lingyi more unambiguously monogamous. Maybe they could go live in the villa in the country and raise some kids together.
Shiyi sees Yizhen playing with Fenqing and asks her if she'd be willing to look after him permanently.
Yizhen: I'm not worthy to be a mother. I let my son, Qian, die of the cold.
Shiyi: Lianfang and Shilui have ulterior motives, while you have successfully taught all the children of the Xu household. Only you can provide him a peaceful childhood. If you really don't want to, then forget what I said. But if you are hesitating due to the past, please think more about what is best for Fengqing.
Shilui just likes kids a lot! That's not an ulterior motive!
Shiyi tells Lingyi that if Yizhen can't get over her trauma, she will raise Fengqing, despite the consequences.
Lingyi: Alright. But you shouldn't be his mother in name. We should make that Concubine Tong.
Me and Shiyi: Wait, who???
She was a maid who RAPED LINGYI WHEN HE WAS DRUNK AND GOT PREGNANT???
This was back in Yuanniang's day, and she made Concubine Tong a concubine, but everyone hated Concubine Tong for obvious reasons and she got depressed and died.
Wow, I had actually been thinking about how Lingyi is basically a rape victim traumatised by his entire society but they just made it even more unambiguous. They don't use the word rape, I am sure the characters wouldn't conceptualise it that way and am not sure the narrative does either. Still, they agree it was absolutely an evil thing to do.
This makes me a bit more forgiving of Lingyi's clueless weirdness around Shiyi: He really doesn't know what a fully consensual, honest relationship would even LOOK like. Normally he just has women wanting to have sex with him as a matter of course, seeing it as a benefit to them, and he only sometimes has the option to say no. Hell, has a woman ever previously responded to his advances with anything but sincere enthusiasm, if only for the way it improves her status? And he knows they ALSO won't always feel able to say no should they actually want to, at least not long term, but their society says the best anyone can hope for is the option to say no to individual sexual acts rather than sex with an assigned partner in general. And since women aren't supposed to OVERTLY express enthusiasm OR rejection of sex everything has to be implication and doublespeak. Which he is not always very good at!
So what happened to the baby? Did it die with it's mother? Is it secretly Yu or Zhun??
Everyone is gathered together.
Lingyi: From now on, Fengqing will be taken care of by....
EPISODE ENDS
*sticks out tongue at screen and clicks on next episode*
He is interrupted by Yizhen who rushes in, kneels, and asks to be given custody.
Madame Xu knows what a big deal this is for Lizhen and agrees. Fengqing will now legally be the son of Yizhen's dead husband, Ling'an, and renamed Sijie. (Does that apostrophe mean 'an' is an honorific?)
Lianfang and poor Shilui look sad. URGH and of course Lianfang immediately starts pouring poison into Shilui's ear about Shiyi 'betraying' them both to suck up to Yizhen.
Shilui just sadly asks her maid to put away all the children's toys she'd decorated her chambers with :(
Haha I love how people keep talking up Shiyi as guileless. But when Lingkuan comes to thank her for all her help she says "I hear Danyang is a wonderful seamstress. I would love to learn from her work. Do you have any, say... little sachets she made for you? :)"
Lingkuan: Danyang is NOT an excellent seamstress but sure. *hands over sachet*
Shiyi: This is wonderfully made.
Lingkuan: I can ask her to make one for you if you like!
Shiyi: She's pregnant. Please don't mention this to her, I'd feel guilty if she got tired. By the way, do you remember any details of the day of my mother's murder a year ago?
It's only been a year?? Including the leadup to Yuaniang's death, the whole year of mourning afterwards, and everything else that happened after that? I'm going to assume there's some translation wonkiness going on. I guess I can believe it being less than two years.
Lingkuan says he was with Danyang the whole time and didn't see anything, but since people might take it the wrong way if Shiyi went around asking questions of the servants who were there he offers to do it for her. What a sweetie. He's also happy to hide this from his brother which I am SURE will not come to bite him or Shiyi in the ass later. Shiyi tells her maids the embroidery doesn't match: Danyang is not the killer.
Lingyi: Yizhen, Sijie is your child now. Sijie, call her mother.
Sijie (formerly Fengqing): Nia!
...I don't think I've heard that one before...
Ok I am looking this up.
Ha, according to Wikipedia, there are "ten mothers":
嫡母 Dimu - father's official wife (when birth mother of ego is a concubine)
繼母 Jimu - stepmother
養母 Yangmu - adopted mother
慈母 Cimu - concubine replacing ego's birth mother who died
嫁母 Jiamu - widowed birth mother who has remarried
出母 Chumu - birth mother who has been divorced
庶母 Shumu - father's concubine who is also a mother (when birth mother of ego is the official wife)
乳母 Uba - wet nurse
生母 Shengmu - birth mother
諸母 Zhumu - father's concubine
Plus the more informal/modern ma or mama.
And you know they all have in common? NOT SOUNDING LIKE "NIA".
I would expect her to be "Dimu". But I guess this just goes to show I really don't understand Mandarin!
Anyway. Lizhen hugs him and it's really sweet. Lingkuan and Danyang watch with bittersweet expressions.
Oh noes, Madame Luo is sick!
She says she's just getting old (despite probably being about my age) and congratulates Shiyi on "cleverly" resolving the bastard son situation in the way most to her benefit.
Madame Luo: Now you must gain your husband's favour to secure Zhun's future.
Shiyi: He loves Zhun and respects me, there is nothing to worry about.
Madame Luo: If he respects you why doesn't he sleep with you?
Shiyi looks at Amber, who is the most likely source of this knowledge.
What does "Men love new things, get those around you to approach him and see who he likes" mean, is Madame Luo suggesting a threesome??? Nng D:
On the way back, Dongqing interrogates Amber, who breaks down and admits she did pass on the information.
Dongqing: You want to seduce his Lordship and become a concubine!
Amber denies this, crying, then sadly takes out an embroidered flower and we get a flashback to her angsty backstory???
I AM SO HERE FOR EMBROIDERY RELATED AMBER ANGSTY BACKSTORY
As shabbily dressed children, she and an older girl hold matching embroidered flowers which together form a single image. These are their tokens if they ever get separated.
We see child!Amber some time later desperately searching the streets.
Adult!Amber sobs to herself "I'm sorry. But to find my older sister, I must listen to Madame Luo."
Shiyi is upset, but gives Amber a chance to explain herself, speculating that since Amber didn't pass on Shiyi's murder investigation she is still loyal to Shiyi and is probably being blackmailed.
Amber gasps but doesn't reply.
Shiyi: I think you're a good person and don't want to hurt you. If you trust me, I can help.
Amber: It's not that I don't trust you, it's that you can't help with this matter... I'm sorry...
Zhun starts wailing and Shiyi and Lingyi panic... but it's just that his wooden sword broke. With Shiyi's encouragement, Lingyi gently tells Zhun men don't cry and should focus on fixing things, then makes a new sword as Shiyi and Zhun watch in delight.
And then when he sees Lingkuan dramatically reciting a verse about swords to Zhun he says it would be good for Lingkuan to teach Zhun opera, since he seems to like it, and it's full of moral lessons.
Character growth!!
Which he and everyone else notices, and rightly credits Shiyi with, and he has a bit of an existential crisis and starts avoiding her.
Lingyi: I have never felt this way before... but I should be a rock without emotions.
Deputy: You're not a rock, you are a person. Trust me, my nickname is Know-it-all ^_^
There's a cute scene where he admires the art she's painted as an embroidery design, and then gives her a jade hairpin.
Me, scrubbing through the timeline to get back to my place, making a summary as I go: This is so adorable, why did I pause the episode so long I lost my place?
Lingyi: Shiyi's visiting her mother again? Is she still sick?
Me, knowing Shiyi uses 'visiting her mother' as an excuse to do embroidery: OH NO THAT'S RIGHT
*pauses*
*makes dinner*
*sighs*
*presses play*
Lingyi: Hello brother in law, I hear your mother is sick. I will have Shiyi bring ginseng during her next visit.
Shiyi's brother: Thank you, that sounds wonderful. I have not seen Shiyi in some time.
Lingyi: ...hasn't she been visiting a lot lately? :)
Shiyi's brother: ...Oh. I... was probably out at the time haha >.>
So Lingyi follows her the next time she 'visits her mother'.
Oh GOD I really wish I had youtube's ability to watch at increased speed, or that I spoke Chinese so I could listen while distracting myself with a game or something. Maybe I'll make the window smaller and play a game to the side, the subtitles are pretty big
OK PHEW he doesn't see her immediately meet with Mr Lin the secret Ou, instead he sees a bunch of women approach her, calling her Master Luo and asking for feedback on their embroidery, before she starts teaching a class.
*keeps my game open just in case*
Of course he is still PISSED but I'd rather he be angry about something (objectively, quite foolhardy and scandalous) she actually did than have some big dumb cheating misunderstanding. Which will probably still happen of course but it won't be all at once.
His deputy has to stop him storming in to take her out of a room full of female students. But then another refugee comes up and start talking about how much "Master Luo" has helped all these women avoid starvation.
Lingyi: Set up guards with a fake stall nearby to keep her safe, but don't let Shiyi find out.
Deputy: Why keep your care a secret? I know you worry she'll feel awkward, but some things are better said than...
Lingyi: >:(
Deputy: ...I'll go hire the guards.
Lianfang: Madame Xu, I have made you some soup! I made some for Shiyi too, but she's out... again...
Uh oh
Lingyi: Mother, filial piety is one of the key virtues. If she doesn't look after her own mother now, would she look after you when you are sick?
Lingyi you lie to your mother with practiced smoothness. Good for you.
Also, I forgot to say, but Shiyi managed to invest in her sister's dried fruit shop by inviting Lizhen to be a co-investor.
I realised I've been saying Danfang instead of Danyang, and probably making other typos. Hopefully it's still clear who I mean.
And in case you're wondering, Shiyi is slightly injured after being fallen on but basically ok.
But now, time for the episode's cliffhanger. Lingyi's deputy has important information...
...about the true source of the mouldy rice!!!
And even though this post only covers 2 episodes that seems like a good place to stop. Stay patient until next time, readers!
