Gone with the Rain Episode 11 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
Fengyao informed Mo Xi that while seeking refuge with the Wan family was an option, doing so with Mo Xi would invite gossip and judgment. She preferred that they make a living independently rather than depend on others.
Fengyao explained that with their parents gone, Mo Xi was her only family, and she couldn't bear to see Mo Xi struggle for her sake, emphasizing that she too must stand on her own feet and work together with Mo Xi for a better future. Mo Xi, who had always thought Fengyao was a privileged woman, was surprised by her resolve, especially after Fengyao teasingly remarked she had to keep a "glutton" like Mo Xi alive.
As Mo Xi packed her belongings, she felt a pang of reluctance leaving the place where she had grown up, acknowledging that it was no longer her home. Fengyao comforted her, reminding her that they could always return. The sisters then headed to the horse and chariot market to join a caravan bound for Qingzhou. Since the journey required customs clearance documents, they stopped at the customs department.
Mo Xi went inside to process the papers, instructing Fengyao to guard their only remaining box of belongings. While Mo Xi was inside, an old man approached Fengyao, asking for directions. Distracted, Fengyao inadvertently allowed a thief to snatch their box. When Mo Xi emerged with the documents, she was furious to learn their belongings were stolen. She ran after the thief but could not find him.
Despite calling for officials, they were told that without an identifiable suspect, it would be difficult to recover their items. Fengyao was deeply regretful, but Mo Xi reassured her that their safety was paramount, and they would earn money by teaching at the School for Women. During their journey, without warm clothes, they had to huddle together for warmth. Fengyao continued to blame herself, but Mo Xi pointed out that Fengyao had refused the Wan family's help for her sake.
Fengyao then admitted she once harbored feelings for Wan Jiagui, but since he was dead, it all felt like a dream that would disappear upon waking. Mo Xi privately thought that Fengyao, despite her sentiments, was naive and would be easily tricked without her. Upon reaching Qingzhou, with little money left, Mo Xi devised a plan.
Noticing a caravan driver who longed for news from home, she offered for Fengyao to read his letter in exchange for a ride to the Qingzhou School for Women. Fengyao took the letter and privately read its tragic contents: the driver's parents were dead and their family land had been divided.
Realizing the dire news, Fengyao decided to lie to the driver, reading a fabricated cheerful letter about his parents' good health and a plentiful harvest, encouraging him not to rush home due to the ongoing war. Fengyao questioned the morality of her lie, but Mo Xi defended it, arguing it was better to give him happiness than to cause him despair. They arrived at the Qingzhou School for Women, impressed by its size and beauty.
They were greeted by Miss Shen Shumo, who noted that the school had only hired one teacher. Fengyao explained their family’s misfortune and that Mo Xi, being alone, had accompanied her. She assured Shen Shumo that they would share a bed and handle their own meals, promising not to cause any trouble. Shen Shumo, understanding their predicament, agreed and led them inside.
Mo Xi immediately found the school grounds peculiar, observing moss that the principal insisted on keeping for "a special vibe," and seeing students practicing dance late into the night. Shen Shumo explained that these were noble students with "eccentric" ways and that dancing improved posture. Mo Xi, however, suspected the school harbored secrets. Shen Shumo showed them to a spacious room that had been previously occupied by two teachers.
Fengyao mentioned they had no bedding due to the theft, but Shen Shumo pointed out that the previous teacher, Miss Sun, had left hers behind. Miss Sun had taught poetry and Confucian classics argumentation before leaving two months ago to marry a general, departing so suddenly that she didn't collect her belongings. Shen Shumo also mentioned that the principal had long awaited Fengyao, impressed by her reputation as a student of Miss Bi Tao.
After Shen Shumo left, Mo Xi took charge of cleaning up the room and fetched hot water. While fetching water, Mo Xi noticed a suspicious figure sneaking around, who quickly fled upon being discovered. Mo Xi returned with hot water, telling Fengyao she had charmed Madam Zhou into providing it. As they settled in, Fengyao remarked on the softness of the blanket, noting its goose down and lingering fragrance, speculating that Miss Sun must have been a beauty.
Mo Xi found Miss Sun's sudden departure strange, leaving her teaching post and belongings behind. Later that night, while Fengyao slept peacefully, Mo Xi lay awake, feeling the strangeness of the school and reflecting on Miss Sun's romantic escape versus her own unresolved feelings for Wan Jiagui. The next morning, Mo Xi saw an old woman sun-drying books. She offered to help but was brusquely dismissed.
Later, when Shen Shumo brought them to meet the Principal, Mo Xi was shocked to realize it was the same "old hag" who had rebuffed her earlier. Quickly adapting, Mo Xi lavished the Principal with compliments, praising her beauty and kindness, and attributing her previous harshness to not recognizing her. The Principal, amused, explained that she always handled her special books herself.
Shen Shumo vouched for Mo Xi's accompanying Fengyao, and the Principal agreed to let Mo Xi stay under the condition that Fengyao’s first lesson impressed her. Fengyao, nervous during her first lesson, struggled initially. However, Mo Xi's encouraging presence in the class helped Fengyao regain her confidence, and she proceeded to deliver an excellent lecture, securing her teaching position. Following this, Fengyao was also made the warden of Ding 2 Class, with additional responsibilities overseeing students' other studies.
During an archery class, they met the new teacher, Mr. Feng Ming, who immediately expressed his admiration for Fengyao's talent and beauty, much to Mo Xi's distaste. Shen Shumo explained that Miss Sun had previously taught archery, but after her departure, no other woman in Qingzhou skilled in archery could be found. Thus, the Principal made an exception and hired her own brother, Mr. Feng Ming, to teach the subject.
Mo Xi questioned why the school, which primarily focused on poetry and etiquette, would break its rules to hire a male teacher for archery, a subject she believed was not highly prioritized when Miss Sun also served as the archery teacher. Shen Shumo responded that given the troubled times, perhaps noble ladies wished to learn self-defense, and the Principal likely had her own reasons, which she did not fully understand.
