Resumen del episodio 10 de The Lady in Butcher's House
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The Shangyong County Magistrate, Zhu, anticipated Xu Qingjia's disloyalty. He devised a plan to allow Xu Qingjia to roam freely, instructing Yong Shou to lead him to perilous areas. Zhu believed that in these wild mountains and rivers, Xu Qingjia could easily be ambushed by bandits and unruly villagers, making it appear as a robbery gone wrong, ensuring he never returned. However, the black-clad man's true objective was solely to retrieve the People's Umbrella, not to harm Xu Qingjia.
He explicitly stated he only takes orders from "the other Lord" and did not wish to become entangled in Zhu's additional schemes, especially if Xu Qingjia were to venture into Stone Sheep Village. Meanwhile, Yong Shou urged Xu Qingjia to prepare for departure. As he "helped" Xu Qingjia with his bag, he deliberately caused it to fall, using the opportunity to surreptitiously inspect its contents.
Xu Qingjia, seeing through Yong Shou's ploy, feigned needing to change into more formal attire for his official duties, buying time to await news from Hu Jiao. Soon after, a pigeon arrived carrying a letter from Hu Jiao, filled with drawings.
While Yong Shou found the message incomprehensible, Xu Qingjia quickly deciphered it, recalling how he had previously taught Hu Jiao to use drawings for communication, even referencing a poem about "climbing to a greater height" and their past conversations about her illustrative record-keeping, which included symbols for mangroves, lakes, ponds, and a distinctive "sheep head" representing Stone Sheep Village.
Despite the official itinerary listing Changping Village as the first stop for the spring plowing inspection, Xu Qingjia instructed Yong Shou to turn north at an intersection. Yong Shou questioned this, but Xu Qingjia insisted. After traveling a short distance, they reached the fields of Banpo Village. Xu Qingjia then directed him to go east, further confusing Yong Shou, but again insisted. Concurrently, Hu Jiao entered Stone Sheep Village hidden inside a hay cart.
She was discovered by a local named Mo Qing, who had noticed her clothing peeking out and followed her. Instead of exposing her, Mo Qing helped Hu Jiao, even fabricating a story about noisy chickens when another guard approached. Hu Jiao initially accused Mo Qing of committing "unconscionable things" and warned him that her husband, the Shangyong County Magistrate, would uncover all their "dirty deeds" and jail them. Mo Qing seemed to believe her and offered further assistance.
Through their conversation, Hu Jiao learned more about Stone Sheep Village's plight. Mo Qing explained that the villagers originally thrived by weaving fabric, which was popular far and wide, bringing trade and prosperity. However, one day, the Shangyong County Magistrate Zhu deployed his men to surround the village. He forcibly ordered them to house and feed prisoners, promising payment. When an elder named Du resisted, his son was brutally beaten, forcing the village to comply.
From then on, the village became enclosed, forbidden from leaving, and their fabric business ceased. They received very little of the promised money, leading to increasing poverty. Mo Qing expressed surprise at Hu Jiao, an official's wife, being so direct, expecting them to be "gentle like in storybooks," and mentioned he learned the "official language" for business. Back with Xu Qingjia, he encountered a local bully, Master Xue, assaulting an elderly man and his grandson in the fields.
Xu Qingjia boldly intervened, leveraging his reputation as "Exploiter Xu" and threatening to impose an additional stone of grain levy for spring plowing conscripted labor if Master Xue dared to interfere. He even offered to register the old man's 34 acres under Master Xue's name, warning that any autumn harvest shortages would have to be covered by Xue's own money. Faced with such an aggressive and unexpected official, Master Xue quickly cowered and begged for mercy.
After resolving the immediate conflict, Yong Shou borrowed money from Xu Qingjia to help the injured grandfather and grandson settle down, stating he would repay it next month. Xu Qingjia noticed Yong Shou wiping away tears as he helped them. Yong Shou explained that he didn't know the pair but empathized with their plight.
He then revealed his own childhood trauma: he grew up poor in Liyang County, losing his father and grandfather to an epidemic, while his sick mother lay helpless. His uncle then forcibly took their only house. Yong Shou recounted dragging his mother on a ragged mat, wandering for days, and nearly starving. They were saved by a "benevolent master," a County Magistrate named Xu Keyan, known as "Master Seals."
This benefactor ensured his mother received medical care, provided food, forced his uncle to sell the house, and gave half the money to Yong Shou. He advised them to move to Shangyong for a fresh start. Yong Shou lamented that he no longer remembered his benefactor's appearance, only that he, like Xu Qingjia, was a county magistrate.
He expressed sorrow that good people often die young, while the wicked thrive, and he joined the Shangyong government hoping to uphold justice like his savior. Xu Qingjia then announced his intention to travel northwest. Yong Shou grew anxious, trying to dissuade him with exaggerated warnings about "wolf lairs," "tiger dens," and "man-eating monsters," even physically attempting to block his path. Xu Qingjia, however, remained resolute.
Meanwhile, in Shangyong County, Gao Zheng led his men to raid Jade Spring Pavilion, searching for ledgers under the guise of looking for bandits. Yu Niang confronted him, questioning his continuous harassment. She alluded to her past as a gentry's daughter whose family was ruined, forcing her into her current profession, and rhetorically dared Gao Zheng to search her body if he truly believed she possessed the ledgers.
Gao Zheng hesitated, and his men, having found nothing on the first two floors, reported back, prompting him to leave. Back at Stone Sheep Village, Hu Jiao pressed Mo Qing for information on the prisoners. After initially resisting, Mo Qing relented, revealing that there was a silver mine next to their village. The prisoners were forced to work in this mine, and the profits went to corrupt officials.
Hu Jiao found the injured Chi Wenjun among the prisoners, confirming her suspicions. Mo Qing urged her to leave quickly as guards approached. Xu Qingjia and Yong Shou eventually reached the outskirts of Stone Sheep Village. Despite Yong Shou's warnings of danger, Xu Qingjia insisted on entering, declaring he could not ignore the corruption in Shangyong County.
As Xu Qingjia prepared to proceed, Yong Shou suddenly realized the true identity of Xu Qingjia's father, Xu Keyan, the benevolent magistrate from Liyang County. Overcome with emotion, Yong Shou burst into tears and rushed after Xu Qingjia, no longer attempting to stop him but to aid him. As they entered the forest, the black-clad man ambushed Xu Qingjia, demanding the People's Umbrella. Yong Shou, arriving to help, bravely drew his sword but tripped on a wooden stake.
Moments later, Hu Jiao also appeared, recognizing the black-clad man from past encounters and determined to protect her husband. As both Yong Shou and Hu Jiao struggled, Xu Qingjia, bound and at the black-clad man's mercy, attempted to "brainwash" his captor, pontificating about truth, perception, and the importance of parental love in shaping one's character, even suggesting the black-clad man reflect on his own childhood trauma. This briefly disoriented the black-clad man, but he quickly recovered.
Suddenly, a group of men led by Xuanjie Captain Cui Wulang descended from above, engaging the black-clad man and quickly driving him away. Before Xu Qingjia could thank them, Cui Wulang's men knocked out both Yong Shou and Hu Jiao. Xu Qingjia awoke in a carriage, tied up alongside his unconscious wife.
Cui Wulang, noting Hu Jiao's fierce demeanor, provocatively called her a "tiger girl" and doubted Xu Qingjia's claim to be her husband, mocking Xu Qingjia as a "weak scholar." Recognizing Cui Wulang as a military man by his boots, Xu Qingjia warned him that kidnapping an imperial official would lead to severe punishment. Cui Wulang responded that the general would interrogate Xu Qingjia personally at the military camp, warning him not to cause trouble.
Upon arrival at the military camp, Cui Wulang reiterated the warning, advising Xu Qingjia to "judge the situation and adapt" when facing the old general, who, unlike him, did not have a good temper.
