Resumen del episodio 3 de Choice Husband
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After their wedding, Shen Miao and Pei Yanzhen returned to the Shen's Residence. Shen Miao's father, Shen Qian, warmly welcomed Pei Yanzhen with a special Dahongpao tea from Wuyi Mountain. Meanwhile, Madam, Shen Miao's aunt, pulled Shen Miao aside. She informed Shen Miao that their planned divorce had to be postponed indefinitely.
The imperial court was sending a royal court censor to investigate the Huaihe Reservoir collapse, and it was crucial that the censor not discover their marriage was a sham, as it could lead to the Shen family's downfall. During tea, Shen Qian asked Pei Yanzhen about his request to borrow money. Pei Yanzhen explained the dire situation of the flood victims along the Jianghuai River.
He lamented that his superiors had forbidden him from interfering and that the county government would not provide relief without Magistrate Jia's approval, leaving him with no choice but to seek Shen Qian's help. Impressed by Pei Yanzhen's concern for human lives, Shen Qian generously offered the Shen family's resources to set up a booth and provide porridge to the refugees, considering it a family matter rather than a loan.
Pei Yanzhen was pleased, noting to Zhan Yue later that this approach allowed him to remain discreet under the watchful eye of his superior, while the Shen family gained a good reputation, a win-win situation. Madam, observing Shen Miao's apparent contentment, teasingly suggested that Shen Miao no longer wished for a divorce, praising Pei Yanzhen as a great man.
She then used a mahjong analogy, advising Shen Miao to cherish what she has rather than chasing after something seemingly better, suggesting that treating Pei Yanzhen well could lead to a big win without loss. Shen Miao took this to heart, resolving to be kinder to him. Pei Yanzhen explained to Zhan Yue that his extensive patience with the Shen family stemmed from Shen Miao's lineage.
Her mother was the only daughter of the once-wealthy Lu family, who were annihilated for their crimes, with only the married-out Mrs. Lu surviving. Rumors persisted that, besides the wealth confiscated by the national treasury, the Lu family had a vast, hidden treasure. Pei Yanzhen intended to stay at the Shen's Residence for a few days, maintaining a low profile, and instructed Zhan Yue to closely monitor Magistrate Jia to prevent any further complications.
Back at the residence, Shen Miao offered Pei Yanzhen a collection of valuable, unique books from her father's forgotten hobby, emphasizing her family's merchant philosophy of "mutual interest and clearing debts." She then made a peculiar request, citing "physical discomfort" as a reason to sleep separately. She insisted that Pei Yanzhen take the bed while she slept on a separate mat, worried that if her father knew they weren't sleeping together, he would worry due to the family's gossipy nature.
Pei Yanzhen, although offering to sleep in the study, conceded to her arrangement, reassuring her that he would not impose himself. The next morning, Pei Yanzhen rose early. Shen Miao, still groggy, called out that she was thirsty, and Pei Yanzhen offered her water before she fell back asleep.
Shortly after he left, Shen Zai, Shen Miao's younger brother, burst into the room, playfully waking her and asking her to buy him osmanthus cakes, delighted that Pei Yanzhen wasn't there to monopolize her attention. Later, while out with Lvying and Shen Zai, Shen Miao witnessed a dirty child snatch Shen Zai's candied fruit.
Chasing the child, she twisted her ankle and discovered a group of refugees at a nearby temple, who pleaded with her not to report them to the authorities. Returning home, Shen Miao expressed her concerns to Shen Qian about the disaster. While her father readily agreed to spend thousands of silver to set up a porridge booth, Shen Miao feared that the Shen family would receive all the credit, leaving Pei Yanzhen's contributions unnoticed.
Taking matters into her own hands, she implemented a comprehensive plan under Pei Yanzhen's name, establishing a system of "work-for-relief" where able-bodied refugees could help build food booths in exchange for provisions, women could work at the Shen Dyehouse, and children could attend the Shen Academy. This initiative garnered immense praise for Pei Yanzhen, who was hailed as a benevolent official by the grateful populace, though he appeared visibly troubled by this unexpected turn of events.
Magistrate Jia soon learned that Pei Yanzhen was being lauded for the relief efforts. Enraged, he decided to undermine Pei Yanzhen, with Runner Song suggesting that forcing a divorce between Pei Yanzhen and Shen Miao would strip him of the Shen family's powerful backing, making him an easy target. Shen Miao, noticing Pei Yanzhen's somber mood despite the successful relief efforts, felt a pang of guilt, especially since he often cooked for her.
Despite her lack of culinary skill, she resolved to cheer him up by cooking. After creating a smoky disaster in the kitchen, she managed to produce a small bowl of black sesame rice balls and brought them to Pei Yanzhen, who was inspecting the construction of the refugee village. As she offered him the sweet treat, a large bamboo pole slipped from a villager's grasp, hurtling towards Shen Miao.
Pei Yanzhen swiftly pushed her out of the way, taking the heavy impact on his back. Despite Shen Miao's anxious questions about his injury, he dismissed it as minor, insisting he was fine. Shortly after, Pei Yanzhen received an invitation from Magistrate Jia to Tianxiang Parlour. Constable Zhao, who delivered the invitation, suspected a trap, but Pei Yanzhen calmly accepted, subtly rebuking Zhao for his loose tongue and complicity in spreading city rumors, implying he needed to learn discretion.
At Tianxiang Parlour, Magistrate Jia was conspicuously absent. The establishment's waiter, acting on Magistrate Jia's orders, had arranged for a courtesan to entertain Pei Yanzhen and had laced the room with an aphrodisiac, hoping to compromise him. Meanwhile, Runner Song deliberately informed Shen Miao that Pei Yanzhen was in a "bad state" at Tianxiang Parlour, hinting at impropriety. Enraged, Shen Miao rushed to the brothel, disregarding Lvying's pleas.
The waiter, mistaking Shen Miao for a courtesan sent by Magistrate Jia, led her into Pei Yanzhen's private room and locked the door, unwittingly trapping her. Zhan Yue eventually located and rescued Pei Yanzhen, who revealed he had anticipated the trap and used acupuncture to seal off his five senses, rendering the aphrodisiac ineffective. Noticing Lvying's distress, Pei Yanzhen quickly deduced Shen Miao's presence. He re-entered the room to find Shen Miao, disoriented and under the influence of the aphrodisiac.
In her drugged state, she confessed her true feelings to him, playfully accusing him of treating her well but not loving her, of being hot and cold, and of using the disaster relief as an excuse to avoid her. She asserted her right to lean on him as her legal husband and demanded to know if he truly loved her.
