Resumen del episodio 29 de A Splendid Match
> Resúmenes de A Splendid Match
Following the wedding festivities, Chen Xuanqing, visibly unsettled and intoxicated, wandered near the bridal chamber. He was intercepted by Chen Yanyun and Yu Kaiji. When questioned, Xuanqing claimed he had simply lost his way while trying to return to his own courtyard. Recognizing his nephew’s state, Chen Yanyun advised him to rest immediately. Concerned, Yu Kaiji decided to see the young man safely to his quarters.
After the guests departed, Chen Yanyun returned to the chamber and watched over Gu Jinzhao as she slept. Later, the couple shared a moment of quiet intimacy. Gu Jinzhao noticed the numerous scars marking Chen Yanyun’s body and asked how a civil official could have encountered so much danger. Chen Yanyun explained that although the dynasty had stood for a century, it was now showing signs of instability.
He believed that in such times, civil officials must be prepared to risk their lives to save the nation. While he confessed that he hadn't prioritized his own safety in the past, Jinzhao firmly told him that since she was now his wife, he must promise to live well for her sake. Chen Yanyun then revealed that the Marquis of Changxing, Ye Guangsheng, had passed away the previous night.
The Emperor had bestowed gold and silver upon the family and permitted the wake to be held at Xuanmiao Temple. When Jinzhao asked if Ye Xian would inherit the title, Yanyun noted that survival was more important than a title at this precarious juncture. The couple soon visited Xuanmiao Temple to offer incense. They were met with hostility by Xue Qinglan, who doubted their intentions.
While Chen Yanyun requested a private word with Ye Xian, Jinzhao stepped outside with Xue Qinglan. Surprisingly, Xue Qinglan admitted she did not blame Jinzhao for her choice, acknowledging that Jinzhao truly cared for Ye Xian. She thanked Jinzhao for her past kindness but noted that if she ever "regained her sight"—referring to her own devotion—she might leave the Ye family without looking back. Inside the temple, Chen Yanyun delivered an imperial decree to Ye Xian.
The document officially revoked the Marquis of Changxing title, citing Ye Xian’s alleged illness. However, Yanyun also conveyed a secret oral decree: the Emperor was establishing the Xuanfeng Guard, an elite five-hundred-man unit of personal guards. Ye Xian was appointed its Commander and granted the power of surveillance and interrogation.
Yanyun later explained to Jinzhao that this was the Emperor’s strategic move to cultivate a loyal force under Ye Xian while appearing to yield to the Grand Secretary's political rivals, as the existing Bureau of Justice (Xingdaosi) was no longer trustworthy. Upon returning to the Chen mansion, Jinzhao was formally introduced to the extended family. She paid her respects to Mother Chen, the second brother, Chen Yanzhang, and his wife, Qin-shi.
Jinzhao presented gifts to the younger generation, including Chen Yanzhang’s sons, Xuansong and Xuanbo, and the fourth brother’s young son, Xuan'an. When it was Chen Xuanqing’s turn to receive his gift, he was so distracted that he accidentally spilled tea. Jinzhao quickly called for Sanhuang Ointment to treat a potential scald, though he insisted the tea was only warm. After the formalities, Mother Chen dismissed the men so the ladies could play mahjong.
In the study, the fourth brother, Chen Yanwen, expressed bitterness over being excluded from political discussions. He attempted to plant seeds of doubt in Xuanqing’s mind, suggesting the Ji family had offered Jinzhao to Chen Yanyun as a "beauty tribute" to secure favor during the land equalization crisis. Xuanqing firmly defended his uncle, stating that Yanyun and Jinzhao had never even met privately before the arrangement.
Suspicious of Yanwen’s motives, Xuanqing later ordered his attendant, Yunting, to keep a discreet watch on him. Meanwhile, Mother Chen expressed her dissatisfaction with Jinzhao for leaving the mansion so early on her first day as a bride. Chen Yanyun arrived and shielded his wife, claiming that her trip to offer incense was actually in accordance with the Emperor’s decree. He then used a fabricated report regarding news from Shanxi to whisk Jinzhao away.
Once alone, Yanyun apologized, admitting his mother was somewhat snobbish because she hadn't chosen this match herself. He assured Jinzhao that his position would prevent anyone from mistreating her, while Jinzhao joked about his "falsified" decree. The political situation intensified as Ye Xian interrogated Zhang Ling, the former Commander of the Bureau of Justice.
Under duress, Zhang Ling confessed to Wang Xuanfan’s extensive crimes, including his ties to Shandong bandits, the murder of a director named Sun, and secret collusion with Northern Barbarians. Following the interrogation, Ye Xian executed Zhang Ling on a secret imperial order, though the public report claimed Zhang had committed suicide out of guilt. This news made Wang Xuanfan deeply suspicious of the newly formed Xuanfeng Guard.
On the day of Jinzhao’s formal homecoming visit, she and Chen Yanyun decided to bypass the Gu mansion entirely and head straight to Tongzhou, her maternal home. At the Gu residence, the family waited in vain. Gu Lian was furious at the perceived snub, while Gu Jizhen, who was preparing to leave for his new post in Pingyang, felt ignored and demoralized as no one came to see him off.
Only Gu Lan seemed unfazed, noting that since Tongzhou was Jinzhao’s maternal home, it was natural for her to prioritize it. While traveling, Jinzhao explained to Yanyun that she kept their plans secret to avoid being pressured by her grandmother using "filial duty." As they neared Tongzhou, their carriage was blocked by scholars protesting that the land equalization was unfair.
Chen Yanyun stepped out to investigate and quickly discovered the protest was a provocation orchestrated by a servant from Wang Xuanfan’s household. However, the situation turned out to be a cover for an ambush. Amidst the ensuing chaos, the guards were overwhelmed, and Chen Yanyun realized with horror that Jinzhao had been seized.
