Gone with the Rain Episode 26 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
Mo Xi accompanied Chen Wende to meet his guards and the mansion’s servants. Mo Xi, feeling uneasy, hesitated and asked Chen Wende if he had truly wanted to marry her from the bottom of his heart. Chen Wende frankly admitted that the three crafty provincial governors had initially forced him to marry Bai Fengyao, fearing he might make peace with the court. However, he insisted that his decision to marry Mo Xi instead was his genuine desire.
He then questioned her confidence in her appearance, recalling their first annoying encounter at Wu Lang’s mansion where she was unruly. Mo Xi countered by asking if he had ever considered if she had a lover. Chen Wende dismissed the question, but Mo Xi brought up the saying "forced love does not last." Chen Wende then pointed out her distraction, suspecting she was thinking of her former lover.
He sternly warned her that while he did not care who was in her heart before, now that she was his wife, no one else should occupy her thoughts. Chen Wende introduced Mo Xi as his new wife to his soldiers, playfully warning them that he would not be able to stop her if she chose to punish them for any offense. The soldiers, in turn, teased their general for being "afraid of Madam" on his wedding day.
Chen Wende retaliated with mock threats of punishment, while the soldiers joked that begging Mo Xi would soften his heart. He then motivated his troops, promising them that once they conquered Yihua County and established their foundation in Qingzhou, he would ensure each of them could get married. The household staff, including Mo Xi’s personal maidservant Lichun, then formally introduced themselves to their new madam.
Xiao Wu reported to Chen Wende that Bai Fengyao had been in a critical condition and almost died, only to be saved by a guard. Chen Wende instructed him to place her under close watch to prevent any further incidents. Mo Xi, overhearing the conversation after feeling dizzy and stepping away from the formal introductions, became frantic. She confronted Chen Wende and Xiao Wu, demanding to know what happened to Fengyao, disbelieving Xiao Wu’s reassurances that Fengyao was safe.
Mo Xi warned Chen Wende that she would not let him get away with it if anything happened to Fengyao. Later, Mo Xi approached Fengyao’s room but turned back without entering. Chen Wende confronted Mo Xi, who was still agitated, asking why she was throwing a fit. She retorted that as a powerful man, he couldn't possibly understand women’s feelings.
Chen Wende explained that Fengyao had attempted suicide the previous night but was saved, and he had already arranged for a physician. He felt he had extended his benevolence, asking what more she wanted. Mo Xi agreed he was not wrong, but asserted that she and Fengyao were not wrong either. She explained her inability to enter Fengyao’s room, saying they would only hug and cry together.
Mo Xi expressed that Fengyao’s song earlier mirrored her own inner thoughts: in a chaotic world, men fight each other while women are treated as mere playthings, their lives at the mercy of others. She defiantly declared that this was her nature and if he disliked it, he could divorce her.
Chen Wende quoted a scholar, saying it was better to be a dog in a peaceful world than a man in a chaotic one, questioning if only she and Fengyao were truly miserable. Mo Xi pleaded for Fengyao’s release, which Chen Wende readily agreed to, expressing surprise at her doubt. However, Mo Xi then demanded that he send Fengyao to Wan Jiagui.
Chen Wende angrily refused, calling it nonsense and claiming Wan Jiagui was a homeless dog whose whereabouts were unknown. Mo Xi countered that since Wan Jiagui’s defeated troops had managed to enter the city the previous night, he must be nearby. She threatened to find him herself if Chen Wende refused. Chen Wende accused her of wanting to find her lover, but Mo Xi shot back that his refusal was forcing her hand.
Finally, Mo Xi made an ultimatum: if Chen Wende safely sent Fengyao to Wan Jiagui, she would give up and be with him for the rest of her life. Chen Wende was deeply disappointed, feeling she was using herself to threaten him again. He lamented that in her heart, Wan Jiagui was her ideal match, and Bai Fengyao her dearest sister, while he was merely rude and cruel, constantly guarded against as she protected them.
Consumed by disappointment and anger, Chen Wende decided to sleep in his study that night, instructing his subordinate to inform Mo Xi of his decision. Mo Xi’s maid confirmed Chen Wende was still angry, suggesting she visit him, but Mo Xi thought it would only worsen the situation. On the day of the thank-you banquet, Mo Xi, dressed elegantly, was summoned to Chen Wende's study. She found him engrossed in official matters and waited patiently, eventually falling asleep.
Chen Wende gently woke her, worried she might catch a cold. Mo Xi, still groggy, accused him of being petty and always thinking negatively of her. She challenged him, asserting that if he hadn't been captivated by her beauty, he wouldn't have married her. Their playful banter continued, with Mo Xi mocking his lack of expression and calling him a "bandit leader." Chen Wende, in turn, warned her not to embarrass him in front of the arriving emissaries.
At the banquet, Mo Xi gracefully played the role of a new general's wife, much to Chen Wende’s satisfaction. Meanwhile, Wu Yin, after learning that Mo Xi had become Chen Wende’s wife, angrily punished the subordinate who had previously knocked him out, describing his pain as immeasurable. His subordinate then reported the discovery of an iron ore mine.
Wu Yin, eager to see Chen Wende "torn into pieces" and annoyed by Wan Jiagui's requests for help, immediately ordered his troops to assemble within ten days to launch an attack and seize Qingzhou as quickly as possible. Back at the banquet, Chen Wende, noticing Mo Xi’s disinterest in the political discussions, took the time to explain the complex relationships among the major provinces, their histories, and the secrets of their governors.
He elaborated on figures like Hu Han, the former governor of Xiuzhou, and his brother Hu Jian, who was at odds with him but appointed by the court. He described Xiao Buyu of Yaozhou as bold, aggressive, and two-faced, flattering various powerful figures. He particularly highlighted Cao Ze, the treacherous governor of Weizhou, from a renowned military family, as the hardest to deal with. Mo Xi cleverly summarized their relationships as "friend-and-foe," where cooperation could quickly turn into betrayal.
While Chen Wende had put on a show for the emissaries, implying that Mo Xi was Wan Jiagui's true love and his marriage was forced, the Weizhou emissary still commented that it was not a "well-matched marriage." Later, Chen Wende received a secret message revealing that Marquis Mingde, Zhong Yuqi, had dispatched 50,000 troops to besiege Qingzhou. He abruptly ended the banquet to prepare for battle. Simultaneously, Wan Jiagui’s subordinates reported increased food transports, indicating that relief troops were imminent.
They also discovered that these 50,000 troops were under Marquis Mingde’s command, who Wan Jiagui deduced was seeking revenge for past humiliations in Qingzhou. Wan Jiagui's subordinate wondered if he was requesting aid for Mo Xi’s sake, but Wan Jiagui asserted he was not reckless. Separately, Wu Yin, the newly appointed imperial supervisor, met with Wan Jiagui.
Wu Yin, identifying himself as a scholar who passed this year's military examination, revealed he was a distant uncle of Prime Minister Wu Lang. Wan Jiagui grew suspicious of Wu Lang’s relative, fearing what plots he might be hatching within his army. The Weizhou emissary then sought a private audience with Chen Wende, proposing that he either divorce Mo Xi or demote her to a concubine and marry Governor Cao’s legitimate daughter instead.
He explained that Governor Cao admired Chen Wende and wished to form a marriage alliance, as his daughter would not be a second wife. The emissary stressed that Chen Wende, having seized Qingzhou and its iron mine, was now in a precarious position, becoming a "thorn in the eye of the court" and a target for all factions.
He argued that while Chen Wende's Beishuo Army was well-trained, his forces were insufficient to achieve his ambitions, and an alliance with Weizhou's powerful army would provide crucial support. Despite Chen Wende's initial annoyance, he acknowledged the merits of the proposal and stated he would consider it. Meanwhile, a bribed maid delivered a note to Mo Xi with Wan Jiagui's handwriting: "I'll get you out of here."
Mo Xi, recognizing the script, wondered how Wan Jiagui would manage to rescue her with all of Qingzhou under Chen Wende's control. Chen Wende approached her, noticing her nervousness and asking if she had done something amiss. Mo Xi denied it, and Chen Wende, in a rare moment of gentleness, invited her for a walk, asking her to dress beautifully to represent his family.
