Decreed by Fate Episode 2 Recap
> Decreed by Fate Recap
Butler Lv was deeply worried about the marital prospects of Princess Ye Rong'er. His worries were soon resolved by an imperial edict that decreed her marriage to Marquis Jing'an, Yin Sishen, instructing them to pick an auspicious date for the wedding. Ye Rong'er was stunned, questioning why the Emperor was suddenly concerned with her marriage.
While a servant suggested General Yin was a valiant and exceptional man, Ye Rong'er scoffed, dismissing rumors and declaring she would not marry simply because commanded. She planned to run away, but Butler Lv, proud to have fulfilled his duty to her deceased parents by securing the marriage, had his guards intercept her, ensuring she would attend the wedding.
On the wedding day at the Yin Mansion, guests congratulated the groom and gossiped about the bride, calling her a "female Zhang Fei" and wondering about her appearance. Ye Rong'er, observing the proceedings, noted that Yin Sishen was a serious man, even reading a military report on his wedding day.
However, her initial slight approval turned to anger when she witnessed a woman, who appeared to be her cousin, embracing Yin Sishen and tearfully asking why they couldn't be together if they loved each other. Convinced of an affair, Ye Rong'er immediately resolved to leave. Her maid, Ling, pledged her loyalty and refused to be left behind, bringing Ye Rong'er's cherished "Stars" hairpin. To escape, Ye Rong'er staged a dramatic suicide by hanging herself, then fled with Ling.
Yin Sishen's men were ordered to kill anyone who dared to reveal what happened that day. Three months later, Ye Rong'er, now living in Pingyang under the alias Wenren Jing, reflected on her predicament. She discovered a precedent for annulment of imperial marriages and decided her primary goal was to become a matchmaker herself to facilitate her own divorce. She opened Boqing Hall, falsely claiming it was run by Lu Tingxiao, a special first-class matchmaker from the capital.
Boqing Hall quickly gained notoriety in Pingyang for specializing in divorces and advocating for women's independence, much to the chagrin of Director Liu Zhan of Yinshu Pavilion, who viewed her business as a destructive "tumor" in the matchmaker community. Meanwhile, General Yin Sishen was also in Pingyang. His subordinate informed him that there was news of his wife. He declared he wanted her to return to him willingly.
Missing person notices for his wife had been posted, but many other young women were also disappearing in Pingyang, which Yin Sishen deduced was the work of a premeditated organization. He instructed his men to investigate further, and acknowledged that "the other thing" had been taken care of. Elsewhere, Lu Tingxiao, the actual special first-class matchmaker, was gambling in a restaurant when Vice-general Wang arrived.
They sparred playfully, with Wang noting Lu Tingxiao's enduring handsomeness and recalling a time three years prior when Lu Tingxiao had taken thirty military canes for him, an act Lu Tingxiao dismissed as minor. Lu Tingxiao then revealed his mission in Pingyang: to find Chonglou, a secret organization that trained women as spies to infiltrate and harm officials in both the Southern and Northern kingdoms. Wang pledged his assistance.
Back in Pingyang, Wenren Jing executed her latest scheme to secure a divorce for Mrs. Ma. Disguised as a flirtatious mistress, she enticed Mr. Ma in a private room at Jufu Restaurant, feigning deep affection and mentioning his promise to buy her a house. As planned, Mrs. Ma burst in with her entourage, catching her husband in the act.
Wenren Jing, maintaining her role, tearfully pleaded her love for Mr. Ma and even offered to be a mistress, further enraging Mrs. Ma and solidifying her case for divorce. Director Liu Zhan, however, arrived to expose the supposed mistress, accusing Boqing Hall of fabricating affairs to break up marriages. He attempted to remove Wenren Jing's veil, but she cleverly turned the crowd against him, asking if they wanted to see the "fox spirit" he was protecting.
In the commotion, Wenren Jing fled, but soon found herself cornered. She then encountered Fang Xianxun, who recognized her despite her disguise and jokingly accused her of either being interested in him or setting a trap. Wenren Jing, in a desperate whisper, asked him for help, revealing her name as Wenren Jing of Boqing Hall. After Liu Zhan's men searched the restaurant, Liu Zhan mistakenly believed Wenren Jing was still trapped inside.
Confident, he left his men to guard the Jufu Restaurant and went to Boqing Hall to confront Ling, the "other tumor," leaving Wenren Jing free to escape. Wenren Jing then asked Fang Xianxun for a further favor: to impersonate her, the "tumor," and lead Liu Zhan's remaining men away. Fang Xianxun agreed, though with a slight hesitation about her scrutinizing his physique.
Fang Xianxun, disguised as Wenren Jing, successfully drew the attention of Liu Zhan's men and led them on a chase away from Jufu Restaurant. Along the way, he encountered a group of men who, mistaking him for a beautiful woman, propositioned him. Fang Xianxun, after flirting back, engaged them in a brawl, revealing his true identity and then provocatively declaring himself to be Liu Zhan, Director of Yinshu Pavilion, and daring them to destroy his family.
This left the enraged men determined to seek out Yinshu Pavilion. Meanwhile, Liu Zhan arrived at Boqing Hall, only to find the door closed. Ling, guarding the entrance, informed him that the director was unavailable and refused him entry. Liu Zhan challenged the legitimacy of Boqing Hall, questioning the absence of their supposed first-class matchmaker, Lu Tingxiao, whom he claimed had retired.
When Ling dodged his questions, Liu Zhan demanded to see the official seal, jade plate, and certificate, essential for operating a matchmaker hall. Ling deflected, suggesting such valuable items were not for casual display and implying that Liu Zhan's presence made it seem as though he needed Boqing Hall's divorce services. After Ling closed the door, Liu Zhan threatened to involve his powerful uncle in the imperial court to investigate. Just then, the real Wenren Jing arrived, confronting Liu Zhan directly, asking who dared to demand her matchmaker hall leave Pingyang.
