Gone with the Rain Episode 1 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
In the first year of the Anping reign, the young Emperor Zhenzong of Jing State ascended the throne. The land was still reeling from a recent rebellion, with the government in disarray and feudal vassals eyeing the throne, leaving the common people to suffer. In this harsh environment, Mo Xi, the illegitimate daughter of Bai Wentai’s elder brother and a courtesan, held a low status within the Bai family.
With her parents deceased, the Second Madame of the Bai household intended to marry Mo Xi off to Wang Daguang, the stableman. Mo Xi pleaded against this arrangement, but the Second Madame, refusing her request, became enraged and threatened to beat her. Unexpectedly, a high official, the newly appointed county governor, arrived to propose marriage to Mo Xi.
This turn of events shocked Mo Xi but also gave her an opportunity to confront the Second Madame, who had always oppressed her. Seeing the situation, Bai Wentai, Mo Xi's uncle, quickly apologized to Mo Xi and offered to slap himself as punishment. In a dream, Mo Xi witnessed the family's internal dynamics. Bai Pengkun, the Second Madame's son, frequently demanded money for new clothes, social engagements, books, and even a maid, all of which his doting mother readily provided.
Meanwhile, when Bai Fengyao, Bai Wentai’s daughter, requested funds for her tutor, her father dismissed it, stating that ignorance was a virtue for women and that further education was a waste of money. Fengyao highlighted the unfairness, noting her brother’s lavish spending on gambling and prostitutes while she was denied education. Her father responded that a son carries on the family name, a role a daughter could not fulfill. Later, Mo Xi arrived with gold, reassuring Fengyao about her tuition.
She then confronted the Second Madame, reminding her of her past harsh treatment and stating that only Fengyao had shown her kindness. Mo Xi revealed she had settled all of Bai Pengkun's debts, declaring herself the family's largest creditor, and told Fengyao that now her parents and brother would also experience their share of suffering. Mo Xi awoke from her dream, acknowledging it as her life's ideal, uncertain if it would ever materialize, but determined not to give up.
Later, she encountered a beggar and, rather than giving money, advised the person to work for a living, recounting how she earned three pennies by sweeping streets, selling steamed cakes, and boiling water to buy mutton. She emphasized that relying on others was not a long-term solution. Secretly returning to the Bai mansion with her mutton, Mo Xi entered the kitchen in search of rice. To avoid being discovered by servants, she hid in a large box.
Unbeknownst to her, the servants then carried the box out, transporting her directly to the Prime Minister’s mansion. Bai Wentai, accompanied by his wife (Second Madame), son Bai Pengkun, and daughter Bai Fengyao, arrived at the Prime Minister’s (Wu) mansion to celebrate Madame Wu's birthday. Prime Minister Wu greeted Bai Wentai, acknowledging their long-standing friendship. Madame Wu was immediately taken with Bai Fengyao, commenting on how beautiful she had grown since they last met.
During the banquet, a guest named Jinxi, seemingly jealous of Fengyao, suggested she compose a poem for Madame Wu. Despite the Second Madame's attempts to demur, Madame Wu encouraged Fengyao. Fengyao gracefully composed a poem, which greatly pleased Madame Wu, who then presented her with a set of new jewelry. Meanwhile, Mo Xi, hidden in the mansion, managed to sneak into the kitchen and enjoy some of the fine food. Upset by Fengyao’s recognition, Jinxi left the banquet.
Her mother found her and clarified that despite Madame Wu's admiration for talented girls, she would never allow Bai Fengyao, the daughter of a mere sixth-rank official, to marry her son. The mother explained that General Chen Wende was rapidly gaining power by conquering cities in the name of pacifying rebels. Prime Minister Wu, wary of Chen Wende's growing influence, sought to form an alliance through marriage.
As Madame Wu had only one daughter, she intended to adopt a goddaughter to marry Chen Wende. Mo Xi, overhearing this conversation, accidentally made a noise and, to avoid capture, fled deeper into the mansion. While evading the Prime Minister’s household staff, Mo Xi encountered a masked man in black. She offered to conceal his presence if he would deliver a message for her.
With paper and a brush, Mo Xi quickly penned a note revealing the Wu family’s intention to marry Fengyao to Chen Wende. She then tasked the masked man with delivering the letter to Fengyao in the banquet hall. Back at the banquet, Madame Wu formally proposed taking Bai Fengyao as her goddaughter. While Bai Wentai and his wife were eager to accept, Bai Fengyao hesitated. Just then, an arrow suddenly shot into the hall, causing a commotion.
Amidst the chaos, Bai Fengyao received Mo Xi’s letter, which informed her of the Prime Minister's true intentions. Using the disturbance as an excuse, Fengyao feigned sudden illness, complaining of chest pain and dizziness, and promptly left the mansion with her parents, thus avoiding an immediate commitment to the adoption.
On the journey home, Bai Fengyao attempted to convince her mother to decline Madame Wu's offer, expressing concern that accepting it would tarnish her father’s reputation as a shameless social climber. Her mother, however, dismissed her concerns, arguing that the Bai family needed the Prime Minister’s influence for Bai Wentai's career advancement and for their son, Bai Pengkun, to gain admission to the Imperial College. She accused Fengyao of prioritizing reputation over their family's "good luck."
Later, Fengyao secretly met with Mo Xi to thank her for the warning letter and expressed her anxiety about her mother's plan to take her back to the Prime Minister’s mansion the following day. Mo Xi reassured her and suggested she continue to feign illness, revealing a trick she learned from her mother and other women in the brothel: pressing certain objects under the arms could make one's pulse unstable and appear weak.
Mo Xi then secured a doctor’s help, bribing him to confirm Fengyao’s condition. The doctor exaggerated Fengyao’s symptoms, attributing them to shock and advising against frightening her or returning to the place where she was scared, essentially prohibiting her return to the Prime Minister's mansion. Concerned for her daughter, the Second Madame reluctantly decided to postpone the visit. Bai Wentai later visited the Prime Minister’s mansion to apologize for Fengyao's absence.
The Prime Minister and Madame Wu expressed their concern for Fengyao's health and promised to visit her themselves in a few days. Bai Wentai also learned from a colleague that the Prime Minister intended for Fengyao to marry General Chen Wende, who was a former bandit. Bai Wentai worried that if Chen Wende, a violent man, were to betray the emperor, Fengyao's life would become tragic.
The Second Madame was torn; while she didn't want to sacrifice her daughter, she also wished to avoid offending the powerful Prime Minister and hoped to leverage his influence to secure Bai Pengkun’s entry into the Imperial College. Ultimately, the Second Madame decided to sacrifice her daughter’s happiness. She visited Fengyao, telling her to recover quickly so they could return to the Prime Minister’s mansion together, as Madame Wu still wanted her as a goddaughter.
Fengyao questioned if her mother was "selling her to the Wu family." Her mother dismissed her concerns, instructing her to study texts like "Commandments for Women" and "Lessons for Women" to become gentle and agreeable, implying that her marriage was being arranged. As her mother hurried away, Fengyao looked at her retreating back, realizing with despair that her mother truly intended to marry her into the Wu family.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wu frantically informed the Marquis that Chen Wende had stolen secret letters intended for various provincial governors. Wu expressed his fear that Chen Wende would use these letters as evidence to impeach him before the Emperor, especially since Chen Wende had also sent a spy into his mansion and was now approaching the capital with an army. The Marquis declared that since Chen Wende refused to ally with them, he was an enemy.
He ordered Prime Minister Wu to spread the word among the city's guards that Chen Wende was plotting treason, thereby providing a pretext to apprehend him. The Marquis asserted that "This world belongs to those who deserve it," and "Those the people love win." Fengyao remained deeply distressed by the impending arranged marriage. Mo Xi passionately urged her to escape together.
However, Fengyao, despite her family's betrayal, was unwilling to abandon them, believing they were merely intimidated by Prime Minister Wu. Mo Xi argued that her family's influential background meant they couldn't be easily harmed by the Prime Minister, and that their actions were driven by a desire for wealth and power. That night, Mo Xi heard a clamor and, climbing onto the roof, saw the city engulfed in flames and heard the sounds of battle.
It was later revealed that Marquis Mingde and Prime Minister Wu had attempted to frame Chen Wende for rebellion but were defeated by his army. To prevent Chen Wende from exposing their crimes to the emperor, they fled the capital, taking the emperor and all senior officials with them. In a cruel twist, Chen Wende, who was loyal and patriotic, was now branded a traitor.
