Gone with the Rain Episode 15 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
Wu Yin's subordinates reported that their search of the School for Women yielded no clues. Wu Yin, reading a letter from the prime minister, decided they would await Marquis Zhong Yuqi's arrival to plan their next move, confident that attractive bait would draw out their target. He then ordered the detained teachers to be untied, apologizing for the inconvenience and offering them gold as compensation.
When the teachers recognized the emblem of Prime Minister Wu's mansion, they understood they couldn't interfere and agreed to let the matter drop, warned by Wu Yin to keep silent about imperial court secrets. Afterward, Wu Yin commanded his men to infiltrate the marquis' guards, assuring them that despite the difficulty, they would be rewarded with great achievements. Meanwhile, in an underground water dungeon, Shen Shumo discovered Sun Jingyun, who was barely alive and burning with fever.
Mo Xi shivered intensely from the cold, prompting Chen Wende to embrace her for warmth. Mo Xi worried about their escape, wondering how Feng Yan could possess such a large dungeon. Outside, Feng Yan realized the items Mo Xi had brought her were a deception.
Upon learning from her servant that Marquis Mingde had arrived in the city, Feng Yan, despite her servant's pleas to stop, remained determined to restore the Feng family's glory, recalling her promise to her deceased father. She had already kidnapped Bai Fengyao, whom she coerced into imitating calligraphy by threatening Mo Xi’s life, vowing to increase the water flow in the dungeon if Bai Fengyao refused. With Bai Fengyao in tow, Feng Yan then departed for the School for Women.
Inside the water dungeon, the water level continued to rise dangerously. Chen Wende found a potential escape route above them but struggled to break Sun Jingyun's chains. He shared his meager food with Mo Xi, Shen Shumo, and Sun Jingyun, then repeatedly dove into the frigid water, attempting to sever the chains with his tools. Meanwhile, Sun Jingyun, weakening, confided in Shen Shumo that Feng Yan had imprisoned her to obtain an item belonging to the Empress Dowager.
Sun Jingyun stressed that this item was of national importance and could not fall into the wrong hands, which is why she endured torture rather than reveal its location. Though she was at the end of her life, she didn't want Shen Shumo to be put in danger and so couldn't reveal the secret.
Sun Jingyun considered Shen Shumo her dearest friend and implored her to uphold her legacy as a teacher of high character and clear conscience, even reciting a "Best Friend Poem" they shared and asking for it to be hung in her residence as a memorial. Despite Chen Wende's persistent efforts, the chains remained unbroken.
Realizing her fate, Sun Jingyun, in a final act of self-sacrifice, pushed Shen Shumo away and willingly sank into the rising water, drowning to allow her friends to escape. Chen Wende then led a distraught Shen Shumo and Mo Xi to safety. Once out, Mo Xi, anxious about Bai Fengyao’s well-being, quickly followed Chen Wende to find her.
In Feng Yan’s room, Mo Xi couldn't find Bai Fengyao, and Chen Wende concluded that Feng Yan and Bai Fengyao must have just left. Shen Shumo discovered fragments of what she identified as Empress Dowager Zhong’s authentic calligraphy. She theorized that Sun Jingyun had likely discovered the original in the Pavilion of Books, leading to a confrontation with Feng Yan that resulted in its destruction.
To conceal the damage, Feng Yan had forced Bai Fengyao, renowned for her semi-cursive script, to create a forgery, intending to present it to Marquis Zhong Yuqi, who would then offer it to the Emperor as a tribute. Feng Yan had taken Bai Fengyao with her, likely as insurance. At the Qingzhou School for Women, Marquis Mingde Zhong Yuqi was greeted by Zhao Zhanyuan, head of the Zhao family.
The marquis inquired about the principal, learning that Feng Yan was away and acting principal Shen Shumo was missing, which greatly angered the accompanying Qingzhou officials. The marquis, disappointed, ordered a search of the Pavilion of Books for the Empress Dowager's calligraphy, but nothing was found. He expressed deep regret at not finding any mementos of his elder sister, the Empress Dowager, which he had hoped to present to His Majesty.
Just then, Feng Yan arrived with Bai Fengyao, claiming to possess a rare treasure. After praising the Empress Dowager's calligraphy, Feng Yan presented the scroll to the marquis, openly soliciting favors and official appointments for her two younger cousins to restore the Feng family's standing. The marquis initially agreed to her request but, upon examining the calligraphy, his expression hardened with fury as he realized it was a forgery. He declared his intense dislike for those who engage in fraud.
Mo Xi, Chen Wende, and Shen Shumo rushed back to the school to rescue Bai Fengyao. Mo Xi attempted to comfort a grieving Shen Shumo, reminding her that Sun Jingyun could not be brought back to life. However, Shen Shumo was resolute, vowing to expose Feng Yan and avenge her friend. Chen Wende urged caution, advising that they first needed to investigate the powerful forces behind Feng Yan, lest they risk their own lives before achieving justice.
Mo Xi also expressed deep worry for Bai Fengyao, but Chen Wende reassured her that Feng Yan would not harm Bai Fengyao yet, as she still had use for her. Enraged by the forgery, the marquis declared that Feng Yan’s attempt to deceive the Emperor with a fake Empress Dowager's calligraphy was a capital offense, punishable by death.
Facing execution, Feng Yan quickly shifted the blame to Bai Fengyao, asserting that Bai Fengyao was the one who had forged the script and coerced her into presenting it. When Bai Fengyao tried to protest, Feng Yan subtly threatened her, reminding her of Mo Xi's captivity. Under this duress, Bai Fengyao confessed that she had indeed imitated the Empress Dowager's calligraphy, explaining that the original had been torn and she had meticulously copied it word for word.
Despite her confession, the marquis ordered Bai Fengyao to be beaten to death for her audacious crime. However, the Qingzhou Provincial Governor intervened, praising Feng Yan's loyalty and her efforts in training dancers for the marquis, requesting that she be granted a chance to atone for her mistakes, which the marquis ultimately granted.
As Mo Xi and Shen Shumo attempted to enter the school, they were stopped by guards who stated no admittance was allowed except on business, and that another principal had already entered. Chen Wende then revealed a pendant, identifying himself as a Captain of the Longxiang Army, which granted them immediate entry. Once inside, Chen Wende instructed Shen Shumo to investigate any unusual occurrences within the school while he and Mo Xi proceeded to find Bai Fengyao.
