Decreed by Fate Episode 1 Recap
> Decreed by Fate Recap
In the bustling capital, matchmakers swarmed the Yin Mansion, eager to secure a marriage for the victorious General Yin. They tirelessly pitched various young ladies: Lady Liu, described as exquisitely beautiful and tender like a willow, Lady Gao, buxom and elegant with a face promising good fortune, and Lady Ji, well-educated, reasonable, quiet, and gentle.
However, Butler Zhang repeatedly informed them that General Yin had no plans for marriage and was currently out, leaving the matchmakers frustrated that they did not even know what the elusive Marquis Jing'an, Yin Sishen, looked like. Meanwhile, a stark contrast to Yin Sishen's popularity, the princess of Lord Lian's Mansion, Ye Rong'er, was deemed unmarriageable.
Gossip spread on the streets, painting her as a jinx whose birth brought death to her parents, a "nominal princess" with the fate of a lone star. People called her the notorious "female Zhang Fei" and remarked that even Lu Tingxiao, a retired first-class matchmaker, could not find her a husband. As Ye Rong'er was out, she encountered an old man forcibly trying to marry a young woman. Without hesitation, Ye Rong'er's maid, Ling, questioned the man’s actions.
Ye Rong'er then stepped forward, declaring herself the Princess of Lord Lian's Mansion, and asserted her superior power. She physically confronted the man, who retorted by threatening her with General Yin’s influence. Unfazed, Ye Rong'er mockingly questioned who General Yin was. She instructed Ling to take the distressed woman to the local government office while she bravely covered their escape. Just as the situation escalated, Fang Xianxun appeared and bravely joined the fray, helping Ye Rong'er fend off the attackers.
He advised her to flee since she seemed to lack martial arts skills, but Ye Rong'er, impressed by his prowess, jokingly asked him to be her master. After they successfully drove off the ruffians, Fang Xianxun warned the old man against troubling the woman again. Thrilled by the experience, Ye Rong'er invited Fang Xianxun for a drink, and they discovered he had recently returned to the capital.
At the winehouse, Ye Rong'er's boisterous drinking style drew stares, to which she fiercely responded with a threat to "dig their eyeballs out." Her merriment was cut short when Ling found her, calling her "Lady," which prompted Ye Rong'er to quickly excuse herself, promising Fang Xianxun they would meet another day. Back at the mansion, Butler Lv was distraught over Ye Rong'er's unmarried status at twenty years old, comparing her to other ladies her age who were already wed.
Ye Rong'er, however, insisted on marrying for love and understanding, like her parents, rather than settling for the wrong person. When Butler Lv mentioned a new potential suitor, Jia Youcai, a newly ranked scholar, Ye Rong'er immediately dismissed him as another "boring scholar." In an act of desperation, Butler Lv theatrically threatened to harm himself, invoking her deceased parents, if she refused to meet Jia Youcai.
Later, Ling confided in Ye Rong'er about Jia Youcai's true character: a philandering man who would write about his romantic conquests and sell the stories for profit, ruining women's reputations. Upon hearing this, Ye Rong'er’s interest piqued, and she agreed to meet him that very afternoon, but insisted on choosing the meeting place. Her choice was Jiaofang, a renowned establishment filled with handsome male musicians.
Ye Rong'er's plan was clear: a visit to such a place, coupled with Jia Youcai's flair for scandalous writing, would surely cement her reputation as an unseemly woman, thus deterring Butler Lv from arranging any more matches for her. As she arrived, excited at the prospect of meeting "handsome young men," Lu Tingxiao was being escorted to a private inner courtyard in Jiaofang for a medicinal bath.
His attendant explained that the public bathhouses were too crowded and would attract undue attention, so he had cleared out all the musicians here to ensure the young master's privacy. Unaware of this, Ye Rong'er stumbled upon Lu Tingxiao in his bath, mistook him for a male musician, and boldly propositioned him to help her put on a show for extra money. Lu Tingxiao questioned her desire to appear "loose and amorous" and asked about her future lover's potential misunderstanding.
Ye Rong'er, however, confidently stated that a true lover would never misjudge her character. Despite her persuasive attempts, Lu Tingxiao initially refused to cooperate, frustrating Ye Rong'er, who nonetheless admired his striking appearance, concluding he must be a "top star." Soon after, Jia Youcai arrived, introducing himself as the "new scholar" and praising Ye Rong'er's beauty. Ye Rong'er immediately launched into her act, presenting herself as a boisterous woman from a general's family who disregarded manners.
She challenged him to drink, boasting of her capacity and her mastery of drinking games, dice, and dominoes. To her surprise, Jia Youcai seemed charmed by her "talented, versatile, and interesting" nature, making her realize he was harder to repel than expected. Just then, Lu Tingxiao dramatically entered, pretending to be Ye Rong'er's jilted lover.
He angrily confronted Jia Youcai, claiming that Ye Rong'er had "served over 30 musicians" in Jiaofang over the years and that she had once sworn to grow old with him. Initially, Ye Rong'er found the exaggeration amusing but encouraged Lu Tingxiao to "do something strong" to ensure the plan succeeded. Jia Youcai, however, surprisingly declared that he didn't mind her past, as long as she stopped associating with "pretty boys" after they married.
Undeterred, Lu Tingxiao intensified his act, clinging to Ye Rong'er and continuing his dramatic pleas until Jia Youcai, overwhelmed, abruptly excused himself and left. Ye Rong'er paid Lu Tingxiao for his performance. As he departed, Lu Tingxiao grumbled about the "female Zhang Fei," revealing his true disdain and his only interest in her status as a "nominal princess" whom he believed would be "easy to control without her parents."
Later, Ye Rong'er discussed her aspirations with Ling, reaffirming her desire for a marriage based on "heartfelt understanding and mutual affection." She excitedly spoke of two "extraordinary men" she had met that day, but regretted forgetting their names, noting one was the "courtesan of Jiaofang." Ling, concerned, reminded her that a woman could not serve two husbands. Ye Rong'er then questioned the unfairness of society, where men could have multiple wives and concubines, but women were restricted to one husband.
Ling, though not always understanding Ye Rong'er's progressive thoughts, expressed her unwavering trust. Ye Rong'er playfully joked that if she were a man, she would marry Ling. The very next day, news of the Jiaofang incident had spread like wildfire throughout the capital. People gossiped, convinced that the "female Zhang Fei" had brutally attacked Jia Youcai. Ye Rong'er adamantly denied the accusations, insisting she hadn't left the mansion since returning, and called upon Ling to corroborate her story.
Butler Lv, in despair, lamented that no one would ever dare to propose to Ye Rong'er now. Ye Rong'er, in turn, declared that she would simply not marry and would happily remain with them forever. Her words, however, were quickly interrupted by the arrival of an imperial edict.
The decree, issued "by the order of the Emperor," praised Princess Ye Rong'er as "quiet and elegant, gentle and gorgeous," and shockingly betrothed her to Marquis Jing'an, Yin Sishen, ordering them to choose a suitable date for their wedding. Ye Rong'er stared in utter disbelief.
