Hilarious Family 2 Episode 1 Recap
> Hilarious Family 2 Recap
Ai Sixi had long harbored a dream of opening a serene inn nestled among blooming flowers, where she could chop wood and feed horses. However, an unexpected turn of events two years prior compelled her to realize this dream sooner than planned, though she hadn't yet amassed sufficient funds. Her inn, Yueji Inn, was situated in a remote area, which unfortunately attracted illicit activities.
One evening, Ai Sixi discovered guests gambling upstairs and angrily confronted them, reminding them that such illegal acts could draw the attention of officials. The gamblers, however, were unrepentant, suggesting that her choice of a secluded location was precisely to facilitate such activities. Compounding Ai Sixi’s frustration, her employee and younger brother figure, Agui, also complained about the inn's out-of-the-way spot. Ai Sixi retorted by challenging Agui to report her to officials, asking what crime she had committed.
She referenced a past incident where a person "died violently," lamenting that she couldn't explain it to the authorities and wondering what it had to do with her. This unresolved issue contributed to her cynical view of officials and justice.
Later that night, Ai Sixi, seeking solace in wine, knelt before a Guan Gong statue, fervently wishing for prosperity for the inn, enough to support her and Agui, and for a lingering issue concerning Jin Buhuan to be resolved, ensuring her safety. Trouble soon arrived when Ms. Huo stormed into the inn, weeping that her daughter’s dowry had been gambled away by Huo Lao’er, her daughter’s husband.
Ai Sixi, pointing to a "No Gambling" sign, asserted that it was not the inn's responsibility. She further provoked Ms. Huo by suggesting that marrying Huo Lao’er was the root of her troubles. Ms. Huo, incensed, threatened to report the inn to the authorities. Agui later revealed that people were now calling Ai Sixi the "Black Widow." True to her word, Ms. Huo reported the inn, and constables arrived, leading to its closure.
Meanwhile, Advisor Xia was escorting Magistrate Meng home. Their conversation revolved around the alarmingly low marriage rates in Anning Prefecture, which had provoked the Prefect's fury, especially due to its impact on tax revenue. Magistrate Meng, having drunk too much, needed to relieve himself. Just then, Ai Sixi appeared, hoping to persuade him not to seal her inn.
In her haste, and using a cane due to a foot injury, she almost struck the Magistrate, which he misinterpreted as an assault. Learning that her "Yueji Inn" was actually a gambling den, Magistrate Meng became furious, denouncing her as a "shameless outlaw" and reaffirming the sealing and confiscation of her property, which he called the "Yueji Gambling Den" rather than her "Yueji Inn." Determined to reopen her inn, Ai Sixi learned that Magistrate Meng was fond of paintings.
While by a lake attempting to fish, she was followed by Ms. Huo. Qin Kan, a painter, was also in pursuit of Ms. Huo for an unpaid portrait. Observing Ms. Huo threatening Ai Sixi, Qin Kan intervened but accidentally pushed Ai Sixi into the water. Ms. Huo, seeing her opportunity, then pushed Qin Kan in as well. Ai Sixi, recovering quickly, rescued the unconscious Qin Kan and brought him back to her place.
As she tended to him, she found herself drawn to his handsome features. When Qin Kan awoke, he declared he had no family and was a killer, advising Ai Sixi to mind her own business for her safety. Ai Sixi found him charmingly clumsy and perceived him as "an educated killer," noting his compassionate act of leaving food bowls for stray animals outside his home.
Qin Kan explained his embroidered pillow, a constant reminder of someone who once called him useless, clarifying that this person was indeed his target, though his motive was not childish revenge. Later, Ai Sixi learned through Agui that reopening the inn via a friend would cost fifty taels, which Ai Sixi deemed too expensive. She then recalled Magistrate Meng’s interest in Wu Daozi’s paintings and considered having Qin Kan replicate one.
Ai Sixi and Agui encountered Qin Kan being harassed by two men demanding compensation for unflattering portraits. Ai Sixi bravely stepped forward, easily dealing with the thugs and defending Qin Kan. As she and Agui escorted Qin Kan home, Ai Sixi pressed him for help. She fabricated a story about a dying friend, Wang, whose last wish was to see a Wu Daozi painting, and asked Qin Kan to create an identical replica.
Qin Kan, initially hesitant, eventually agreed to consider it. Armed with Qin Kan's reproduction, Ai Sixi sought out Magistrate Meng. However, her timing was poor, as Advisor Xia burst in with urgent news: Prefect Song was soon to inspect Taiping County due to the high number of unmarried women. Magistrate Meng, already frustrated by the issue, declared that all eligible unmarried women in the county would be exiled to Shamen Island, a punishment worse than death, to set an example.
His anger intensified when he noticed the signature "Qin Kan" on the painting, realizing he had been duped. Enraged, he branded Ai Sixi a "lawless scoundrel" and officially ordered her inn to be confiscated. Desperate, Ai Sixi sought out Advisor Xia, who informed her that Yueji Inn had been permanently shut down and she was on Magistrate Meng’s blacklist.
He offered to help for a price: one hundred taels of silver and a year's worth of nightly entertainment from Miss Hu of Xiange Studio. Ai Sixi vehemently refused, stating she couldn't afford it and that she was being wronged. As Ai Sixi pleaded with Advisor Xia, Qin Kan, observing from a distance, mistook their interaction for an assault. He immediately intervened, knocking out Advisor Xia.
Before Ai Sixi could explain that Qin Kan was the one responsible, the constables, having witnessed the incident, seized her. In court, Magistrate Meng, recognizing Ai Sixi's "love herself" philosophy, accused her of gambling, assault, and corrupting public morals. He sentenced her to exile on Shamen Island. Advisor Xia then proposed a seemingly ingenious solution: a forced marriage. This would both punish Ai Sixi and provide a favorable report for the Prefect.
Ai Sixi, though initially defiant against marriage, eventually consented, asking if she could choose her groom. Later, in her jail cell, she told Qin Kan she needed him to marry her the following day to fulfill the Magistrate's order. Qin Kan, having finally understood the true situation, offered his apologies.
