Gone with the Rain Episode 23 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
Chen Wende discovered that 800 to 900 of his soldiers were showing signs of poisoning, which a physician attributed to "wrong medicine." Simultaneously, his location was attacked by Divine Crow Fire Arrows. He correctly concluded that Wan Jiagui intended to break out of the city with the remaining Longxiang Army and immediately ordered his men to pursue them. Wan Jiagui and the Longxiang Army fought their way past the city gate guards and reunited with a fleeing Xiao Jiang.
Xiao Jiang reported that Bai Fengyao and Mo Xi had been captured by Chen Wende and were held in Wan Jiagui's former residence. Wan Jiagui was determined to return and rescue them, but Xiao Jiang strongly advised against it, warning that it was a trap and that if Wan Jiagui were captured, no one could save them. With Chen Wende's Northern Shu Army in hot pursuit, Wan Jiagui reluctantly led his troops out of the city.
Chen Wende soon uncovered the reason for the mass poisoning: he had previously ordered a river blockade to cut off Wan Jiagui's water supply and force him out. Unexpectedly, Wan Jiagui outsmarted him by exploiting the interconnectedness of groundwater to poison their wells. Chen Wende was forced to concede Wan Jiagui's intelligence.
He then reprimanded his subordinate, Han Lin, for allowing Wan Jiagui to escape while his men were distracted by the poisoned soldiers, dismissing him from his post until after the war. While in his residence, Chen Wende heard Mo Xi’s distressed cries from the woodshed. Upon seeing his grim expression, Mo Xi immediately surmised that he had failed to capture Wan Jiagui.
She furiously accosted him, accusing him of being a despicable scoundrel who was now venting his frustrations on them because of Wan Jiagui. Mo Xi challenged him to kill Wan Jiagui if he dared, asserting that his gloomy demeanor and empty hands proved he had lost the battle.
Mo Xi denied any notion of Chen Wende being her savior, vehemently claiming that his lust, which led him to insist on marrying a daughter of the Bai family as a concubine, was the root cause of their current predicament. Chen Wende countered that her accusations twisted the truth, explaining that Wu Lang had initially offered Bai Fengyao to him, and then her own uncle had offered Mo Xi, concluding that both women were essentially his.
Mo Xi erupted in fury and warned him not to lay a finger on Bai Fengyao, though she couldn't articulate her threat when pressed. Mo Xi swallowed her pride, proclaiming her own life to be insignificant, and earnestly pleaded with Chen Wende to summon a physician for Bai Fengyao, who was gravely ill from the cold in the woodshed and might not survive.
Chen Wende, still seething from Wan Jiagui’s escape and the poisoning of his army, pondered sacrificing Bai Fengyao, as Wan Jiagui's wife, to appease his troops. However, he ultimately ordered his subordinate, Wu, to send two sets of blankets, thick clothes, and a physician to the woodshed for the two women. Chen Wende reasoned that keeping Bai Fengyao alive served as a crucial leverage against Wan Jiagui, giving him an advantage despite Wan Jiagui’s escape.
Later, he discreetly instructed Wu to also bring some dried fruits for Mo Xi, anticipating it would prevent her from causing further trouble. Wu was amused, and Chen Wende mused to himself that Mo Xi's scoldings were more melodious than songs. Wan Jiagui established a defensive position in Yihua County, awaiting imperial reinforcements. He reassured a still-injured Xiao Jiang, who apologized for not saving Bai Fengyao and Mo Xi, telling him he was lucky to have escaped.
Upon confirming that Chen Wende's men knew Bai Fengyao's identity as his wife, Wan Jiagui surmised that Chen Wende, despite his brutality, would use her as leverage against him, thus ensuring their lives, even if they endured suffering. Addressing a discontented soldier, Wan Jiagui explained the delay in reinforcements, noting that the provincial governor was awaiting decisions from the marquis, the emperor, and Prime Minister Wu. He acknowledged the war-torn state of Jing State and the imperial court's predicament.
Wan Jiagui further elaborated that Qingzhou was a strategically vital and highly contested area, serving not only as his battleground with Chen Wende but also as a covert arena for the imperial court's power struggles with various factions. Bai Fengyao's health significantly improved after receiving the prescribed medicine, and her fever subsided. Mo Xi, relieved, urged her not to act recklessly again.
Bai Fengyao then delicately inquired about Mo Xi’s relationship with Chen Wende, recalling their past interactions when he was an archery teacher. She speculated that Chen Wende might have had designs on Mo Xi since her father had offered her as a concubine. Bai Fengyao firmly stated that, legally, Mo Xi had no formal connection to Chen Wende and vehemently cautioned her against accepting any of his conditions or small favors.
She denounced him as a "traitor" and a "thorn in the imperial court's flesh," predicting his eventual downfall. To emphasize her point, Bai Fengyao even threatened to refuse her medicine and blankets if Mo Xi became entangled with Chen Wende, leading Mo Xi to promise she would listen. Mo Xi confessed that her own weakness had led to their current predicament, leaving them helpless against Chen Wende.
When Bai Fengyao asked if Mo Xi had made any promises to him, Mo Xi pointed out that if Chen Wende desired anything from her, he would have acted already, not waited until now. Relieved, Bai Fengyao then wondered about Wan Jiagui, and Mo Xi optimistically speculated that he had likely escaped, judging by Chen Wende's grim mood. They both hoped he was safe and would soon find a way to rescue them.
Chen Wende received a secret scroll from Xiao Buyu, the Governor of Yaozhou, which contained detailed instructions for forging iron weapons. He regarded this as a sign of Xiao Buyu's sincere yet apprehensive collaboration and promptly instructed his subordinate, Chen Li, to commence weapon production. Soon after, envoys from various provinces, including Xiuzhou (Hu Jian) and Xiazhou (Li Chong), arrived in Qingzhou for peace talks. Chen Wende's subordinate, Wu, revealed that these envoys were secretly aligned with Xiao Buyu.
Recognizing that these governors were long-time acquaintances and likely shared similar demands, Chen Wende decided to meet them all at once. During the meeting, the envoys openly declared their ambition to jointly mine Qingzhou's iron ore. Chen Wende, comparing the iron mine to his favorite camel hoof soup, suggested he would rather not partake if he had to share it.
An envoy warned him against taking things too lightly, implying that if he refused to share the "pie," it might be lost entirely. To assert his dominance and deter their demands, Chen Wende covertly ordered Divine Crow Fire Arrows to be launched towards Yihua city walls. As the ground shook from the impact, Chen Wende declared that his "divine arrow" only targeted enemies and that he would not tolerate anyone who "pushed their luck."
He then mockingly offered the outspoken envoy ten pieces of "hubing" (a type of flat cake) as a parting gift. Faced with Chen Wende's unwavering stance and display of power, the envoys conceded and requested time to discuss among themselves. An envoy from the marquis delivered an imperial decree to Wan Jiagui, informing him that due to the depleted national treasury, the imperial court could not afford a large-scale war.
He was instructed to entrench in Yihua County and await further news, though the marquis promised to acknowledge his contributions. Wan Jiagui expressed his frustration over the lack of food and wages, which made it impossible for his soldiers to fight Chen Wende effectively. The envoy assured him that the marquis would try to raise funds and even offered to pay a ransom for his newly-wedded wife, Bai Fengyao.
Wan Jiagui also inquired about Divine Crow Fire Arrows, having used his last few to escape Qingzhou, and was told production was being expedited. Later, Wan Jiagui successfully bribed a Qingzhou physician to visit Bai Fengyao. The physician confirmed her recovery from a cold and, while checking her pulse, subtly asked if she was related to Wan Jiagui. He then secretly delivered a note to Bai Fengyao, simply stating "Safe. Wait."
Bai Fengyao, recognizing the message, was overjoyed that Wan Jiagui was alive and would soon come to rescue them. The three provincial envoys returned to Chen Wende, reaffirming their collective need for iron ore and their desire to engage in joint mining. Chen Wende, however, reiterated his stance that the "hubing" (iron mine) was his to enjoy alone. The envoys then pivoted, acknowledging his ownership but highlighting his inability to exchange iron for vital resources like food and horses.
They proposed a trade: their provinces would provide horses and provisions in exchange for Qingzhou's resources. Chen Wende agreed to the trade, but not before issuing a veiled threat against anyone who dared to "snatch his hubing." The envoys then set a condition: for their support, Chen Wende must "strike the Longxiang Army hard," ensuring their aid was not squandered.
Chen Wende shrewdly exposed their ulterior motive, stating they wished for him to engage in a mutually destructive conflict with the imperial court, using Qingzhou as "cannon fodder" to weaken the Longxiang Army, thereby enabling their provinces to break away and pursue their own self-interests. Recognizing the inevitability of conflict with the court, Chen Wende agreed to the deal but demanded a substantial amount of army provisions, which he expected them to raise.
The envoys, feigning limited resources, promised to do their utmost. Pressured by Chen Wende's demands, the envoys promised to exert their utmost effort in procuring the required supplies. However, they, in turn, demanded "assurance" from Chen Wende: an undeniable act that would demonstrate his irreversible break from the imperial court and eliminate any possibility of peace with the Longxiang Army. Their suggestion was that Chen Wende marry Bai Fengyao, Wan Jiagui's wife.
They argued that killing her would only provoke further hatred, whereas marrying her would profoundly humiliate the Longxiang Army and unequivocally prove his complete severance from the imperial court. This, they explained, was crucial for them to confidently form an alliance, as they feared that without such a public declaration, Chen Wende might eventually reconcile with the court and turn against them, resulting in a significant loss.
Chen Wende reacted with sarcasm, asking if they were putting on a comedy skit and trying to dictate his family affairs. Despite his displeasure, the envoys reiterated that their demand was simply for "assurance" and offered him time to consider before they departed. Bai Fengyao expressed her heartfelt wish for Wan Jiagui to rescue them quickly, yet simultaneously hoped he would not put himself in undue danger.
She firmly believed that a true man should prioritize his duty to the realm, and declared that she would bear no resentment if he ultimately could not save her, feeling unworthy of him sacrificing his life and future. Mo Xi, however, found this viewpoint utterly foolish. She argued that if one truly loved someone, the desire was to be with them and stay by their side.
She asserted that she could not reconcile herself with such an outcome, nor could she bring herself to wish him well if they were separated. Later, Mo Xi complained about being sleepy, prompting Bai Fengyao to remark on Mo Xi's inherent stinginess, bossiness, and selfishness. Mo Xi readily agreed to these traits, saying she wouldn't change.
Bai Fengyao playfully suggested that Mo Xi might change her mind when she found true love, but Mo Xi vehemently dismissed the idea, claiming she would never fall in love with men. Chen Wende meticulously reviewed Qingzhou's financial accounts, discovering that their army provisions would last merely one month, their weapons and armor had suffered severe damage, and the raw iron ore could not be immediately processed into usable weapons.
His subordinate explained that the previous governor and Wan Jiagui had depleted most of the treasury, leaving them with high expenses for both their army and the city's poor, along with the costs of mining. Contemplating their dire situation, Chen Wende realized that to successfully guard the iron mine for the imperial court, he absolutely had to ensure his army's survival, or they would be annihilated by Zhong Yuqi and Wu Lang, plunging the world into further chaos.
Faced with this grim reality, he ultimately decided to accept the condition proposed by the three provincial envoys. Chen Wende then ordered for Bai Fengyao and Mo Xi to be released from the woodshed. He confronted Bai Fengyao directly, asking if she was willing to marry him. Mo Xi interjected, calling him insane.
Bai Fengyao vehemently refused, declaring she would rather die than marry a traitor like him, emphasizing her unwavering loyalty to Wan Jiagui and her determination not to let Chen Wende tarnish her reputation. Chen Wende, undeterred, stated that he was not seeking her consent but merely informing her of his decision, asserting that the wedding ceremony would proceed as planned.
