Choice Husband Episode 21 Recap
> Choice Husband Recap
Shen Miao and Lvying ventured out of Shen's Residence, feeling as if they were thieves. Passersby gossiped about Shen Miao, claiming her family was eradicated after she offended the Regent. They spread rumors that the Shen family had been struck by a plague, which they attributed to the Regent's revenge because Shen Miao had "cheated on him." Lvying quickly urged them to return, as did Zhan Yue, who then advised them to buy what they needed quickly and return home.
Shen Miao retorted, questioning if the Regent truly cared about public opinion. Zhan Yue tried to explain that Pei Yanzhen's actions were intended to protect her due to the powerful Qin family and the instability of the court, a point Shen Miao acknowledged. Shen Miao, desiring to cook for Pei Yanzhen, realized she knew little about his preferences despite their long acquaintance. Zhan Yue took the opportunity to reveal more about Pei Yanzhen's past, acknowledging that few truly understood him.
He recounted how Pei Yanzhen's birth mother, from the Liu family, had always seen him as a disgrace and neglected him. Adopted by the Pei family, he was then subjected to harsh treatment by clan members due to his weak constitution. At the age of eight, after learning of his true parentage and falling gravely ill, he and Zhan Yue became disciples of Master Yuanzhen, a Martial Monk at Daming Temple.
Initially, Master Yuanzhen deemed Pei Yanzhen unfit for martial arts due to his late start and frail body. However, Pei Yanzhen knelt for a day and a night, ultimately moving the master to accept him. From then on, Pei Yanzhen trained relentlessly, working hundreds and thousands of times harder than Zhan Yue.
Zhan Yue assured Shen Miao he wasn't trying to elicit sympathy but wanted her to understand that after his childhood servant died, Pei Yanzhen learned that nothing around him would last, and he could not let anyone see what he truly cherished. His apparent dislike for sweets, Zhan Yue explained, stemmed from never having experienced any sweetness in his life. Zhan Yue earnestly pleaded for Shen Miao to give Pei Yanzhen a chance, emphasizing his genuine feelings for her.
Later, Shen Miao brought osmanthus cake to Pei Yanzhen. He was surprised but assured her he would love it, no matter the taste, as long as she made it. Shen Miao then inquired if his promise to marry her again, made in Lingzhou, still held true. Pei Yanzhen affirmed it, suggesting they hold the wedding at Shen's Residence on the third day of the next month and invite everyone in the city.
Shen Miao, however, wished for a wedding in the capital, wanting the world to acknowledge her and Xiao's identities, so they would not be seen as his illicit family. She argued that Xiao, being precocious, deserved to study and pursue a career in the capital rather than living in obscurity in Lingzhou without acknowledged parents. Pei Yanzhen, sensing a change in her, agreed to her wishes. Shen Miao thanked him, and he asked if she truly forgave him.
She replied that she did, naturally. Meanwhile, in the ancestral hall, the Empress Dowager was still plotting against Pei Yanzhen, deciding to send a "grand gift" to his wedding. She suggested using the Ninth Princess, leveraging her connections with both Pei Yanzhen and Shen Miao. As per Pei Yanzhen's promise, Xiao was brought back to the capital and officially designated as a Prince by the court, with Pei Yanzhen vowing that their family would never be separated again.
Shen Miao emotionally embraced Xiao, apologizing for their separation and promising never to leave him again. She told him that no matter who his father was, he would always be her child, and she would take him with her wherever she went. The wedding was arranged to take place at the former Qin Residence. Qin Miuzhen, intent on assassinating Pei Yanzhen, took the Ninth Princess hostage and disguised herself as her servant to gain entry.
The Ninth Princess, however, was clever and subtly signaled Zhan Yue with her eyes, making him suspicious of her 'servant.' During the journey to the residence, Qin Miuzhen threatened to kill Zhan Yue, to which the princess defiantly told her it was none of her business. Upon arrival, Zhan Yue was surprised to see the Ninth Princess, who acted haughty and demanded Pei Yanzhen come out.
Zhan Yue, noticing something amiss, realized she had supposedly forgotten her wedding gift in the carriage and offered to retrieve it, creating an opportunity for Qin Miuzhen. The Emperor, aware of the multiple schemes, chose to send a gift to the Regent's Residence the next day, predicting a "lively" night there. Pei Yanzhen and Shen Miao performed their wedding ceremony, bowing to heaven and earth in lieu of absent parents.
Pei Yanzhen spoke of his love, expressing joy at finally marrying her. Suddenly, black-clad assassins burst in, launching fatal attacks on Pei Yanzhen. Song Xiyuan, observing from the rooftop with his own men, realized these attackers were not his. He quickly instructed his subordinates to focus on protecting Shen Miao and Xiao, rather than assisting in the assassination.
Shen Miao used a hidden wrist mechanism to save Pei Yanzhen from a direct attack, but he misinterpreted her actions, believing she was trying to harm him. He confronted her, asking if she wanted to kill him. Shen Miao admitted Song Xiyuan had arranged for some men but denied any intent to kill Pei Yanzhen himself. Pei Yanzhen felt deeply betrayed, convinced her recent affection was a ploy to facilitate the assassins.
Shen Miao, in turn, challenged him, asking why he hadn't prepared, given his knowledge of her character, and if he had ever shown pity for her family. Pei Yanzhen admitted he had taken precautions but "forgot" them in the moment. As chaos erupted, Qin Miuzhen, still disguised as the princess's servant, seized her chance.
Zhan Yue, who had returned, was engaged with Qin Miuzhen, but seeing the Ninth Princess in grave danger, he left Qin Miuzhen to rush to her aid. Song Xiyuan, seeing the escalating danger, intervened from the rooftop. Qin Miuzhen then attacked Pei Yanzhen, and Song Xiyuan also joined the fray, putting Pei Yanzhen at a disadvantage. In a desperate act, Shen Miao threw herself in front of Pei Yanzhen, taking a sword thrust from Qin Miuzhen meant for him.
The assassin revealed that the dagger was laced with a deadly poison, incurable even by a divine healer. As Shen Miao lay dying, she whispered to Pei Yanzhen that the Lu family's fortune, which he sought, had always been in his possession. Her final pleas were for him to spare the Shen family, let Song Xiyuan go, and "let her go too." She also conveyed to Song Xiyuan her wish to be buried in Lingzhou.
Song Xiyuan, cradling Shen Miao's seemingly lifeless body, bitterly reproached Pei Yanzhen. He accused Pei Yanzhen of being selfish, ruining Shen Miao's life with his personal vendetta, and even disrespecting her dying wish to be buried in Lingzhou. Believing Shen Miao dead, Pei Yanzhen was consumed by grief. Two years later, public opinion had shifted, and children sang songs praising Regent Pei Yanzhen for his benevolent rule, his eradication of the Qin family, and his efforts to assist the weak.
In Weiyang, Shen Miao, now known as Xu Sheng, was alive but suffered from amnesia and recurring chest pains, unable to recall Pei Yanzhen or Song Xiyuan. She could only remember matters related to money, forgetting people and events almost immediately. Song Xiyuan remained by her side. Pei Yanzhen, though having gone blind from the poisoning, had kept his condition a secret to maintain stability in the court.
Zhan Yue urged him to seek treatment, reminding him that Master Wang Yun had heard of a monk in Weiyang who might cure his eye disease, and that Xiao resented him, and he still had not seen what his son looked like. Pei Yanzhen reflected that he had honored Miao's wish by allowing Song Xiyuan to live, who then left the capital for Weiyang. At Huichun Apothecary, Xu Sheng (Shen Miao) was managing finances.
She repeatedly confused Tie Niu with Zhang San, a clerk, and ordered him to "kick out" Song Xiyuan, whom she called a "rascal." Song Xiyuan playfully claimed she had ruined his reputation and must marry him, but Xu Sheng denied any recollection of marriage, her chest pain intensifying as she pushed him away. Tie Niu, whose monthly wages came from Xu Sheng, dutifully escorted Song Xiyuan out.
Song Xiyuan, believing her memory loss shielded her from past suffering, saw it as a blessing. However, Tie Niu worried about her condition. Song Xiyuan cautioned Tie Niu to guard Xu Sheng carefully, as Pei Yanzhen still harbored doubts about her death and might eventually track her down. Lvying was also in Weiyang. Tie Niu, smitten with Lvying, tried to entice her with sightseeing plans, but she seemed uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Official Zhao was summoned by Pei Yanzhen to fetch Prince Xiao.
