In the Name of Blossom Episode 13 Recap
> In the Name of Blossom Recap
After Jiang Chang Yang intervened to prevent her from killing Mr. Wu, whom he regarded as a foster father, Mu Dan was left deeply frustrated. She was baffled by his decision to defend someone she considered a killer, especially given Mr. Wu's calm demeanor when she saw him, as if he expected her. Mu Dan also noted Jiang Chang Yang seemed to signal Mr. Wu not to reveal more, suggesting a hidden truth.
She questioned why her mother had never mentioned any poisoning symptoms, noting the clear difference between poisoning and illness, and how her parents had always sent her away during past medical consultations. Mu Dan’s maid, Fu, returned with news about Mr. Wu. She reported that since arriving in Chang'an from Luoyang over a decade ago, Mr. Wu had lived a frugal life at the orphanage infirmary, interacting only with the children and having no other friends or family.
Fu also discovered that a boy named Kang, adopted by Mr. Wu, was from Mu Dan’s hometown, Luoyang, suggesting he might hold clues. Mu Dan, suspecting a deeper truth, then asked Fu to compile a list of all the children, including nicknames, and advised consulting long-term residents of the nearby village for more details. They found Kang, who was usually well-behaved but reacted with hostility, throwing stones at Mu Dan.
When caught, Kang, who had a fever, accused Mu Dan of being a "bad person" for trying to harm Mr. Wu, whom he regarded as a savior. Kang recounted how Mr. Wu, whose family had also perished in the epidemic, managed to obtain some of the scarce medicine and save him from the plague in Luoyang four years prior. He claimed the plague was not incurable, but the He’s pharmacy, owned by Mu Dan’s family, exploited the disaster.
Kang vividly remembered his parents and villagers kneeling outside the pharmacy for days, only to be told the rare peony bark medicine was sold out. Yet, he clearly saw medicinal packets with "auspicious cloud" patterns being loaded onto carriages, destined for noble families, not the common people. He believed the He family pharmacy was a "murderous demon."
Mu Dan was surprised by these revelations, recalling her mother saying that her cultivated peonies were precious medicinal ingredients for treating epidemics, and knowing her mother would not ignore suffering. She felt there must be a secret. Kang then revealed that after Mr. Wu saved him, he witnessed Mr. Wu attempt to hang himself out of remorse. Jiang Chang Yang, whom Kang referred to as "Big Brother," arrived just in time to save Mr. Wu.
Jiang Chang Yang then persuaded Kang to become Mr. Wu’s son, emphasizing that Mr. Wu's well-being depended on the safety of the children in the orphanage, thus giving him a reason to live. Grappling with Kang's accusations and her father's past evasiveness, Mu Dan decided to return to Luoyang to find her father and seek the full truth, believing her mother, a skilled herbalist, would have recognized poisoning symptoms if her death was unnatural.
Upon her arrival, her Auntie reacted with visible panic, but her father quickly welcomed her inside. Her Auntie then began to make indirect comments, trying to take credit for Mu Dan's previous financial assistance to the family and implying Mu Dan's ongoing obligation to support them given her wealth. Mu Dan, however, clarified she wasn't there for money but to understand the past.
She immediately confronted her father about the devastating plague in Luoyang, questioning if he had sold the life-saving ice crystal peony bark to high officials during that time, expressing her disbelief that her admired parents could be so heartless. Her father confessed that her mother was unaware of the true destination of the medicine.
He admitted he sold the peony bark at high prices to powerful officials who panicked during the plague, threatening to shut down his shops if he didn't comply. He then lied to Mu Dan’s mother, claiming he distributed the medicine to the infected common people, all to protect his family and business. He kept the truth from Mu Dan and her mother to spare them from worry and suffering.
He further revealed that Mr. Wu had told her mother the truth. After the calamity, Mr. Wu, whose entire family had died, disguised himself as a vegetable farmer and sneaked into their house. Mu Dan’s mother, sympathetic, offered him food and money. Mr. Wu then poisoned her tea to seek revenge, but also revealed that the He's pharmacy's medicine was sold exclusively to the wealthy, not to ordinary people, and was even delivered to the mansions of high officials.
He told her how common people had died kneeling outside the pharmacy, including his own family. Mu Dan's mother was utterly shocked by her husband's deceit. Realizing after her collapse that she was innocent and unaware of her husband's deceit, Mr. Wu was struck with remorse, confessed his actions, and offered himself up for punishment.
In her final moments, Mu Dan’s mother, after giving Mr. Wu the last bit of ice crystal peony root bark, walked into the courtyard, watered her meticulously cultivated peony bushes one last time, and then burned them all, an act Mu Dan now understood was not an accident but a deliberate protest. Understanding the full scope of what happened, Mu Dan found herself with no one to truly hate and no revenge to seek.
She told her father she planned to find the surviving families of those who died, offering assistance and listing the deceased to build proper tombs and monuments. Her father offered to handle it, expressing shame, but Mu Dan insisted on taking responsibility as a member of the He family, believing it was what her mother would have wanted.
Despite Mu Dan’s resolve, her father continued to advise her to focus on managing her household, serving her husband, Jiang Chang Yang, and ensuring the family lineage, believing this would bring her lasting happiness. He reiterated that a woman’s destiny was marriage.
This sparked a painful memory for Mu Dan: when she fled the Liu Mansion, she overheard her father telling the Liu family that if found, she would be sent back, as her only destiny was marriage, and leaving her husband was a disgrace. Though her father claimed he didn't know the Liu family intended to kill her, he still saw her as dependent on a man, especially now that she was Jiang Chang Yang's concubine.
Mu Dan challenged his traditional views, pointing out that she had faked her own death and changed her identity to escape the Liu family, working hard in business precisely to avoid a life confined to the house and depending on others. Her father, however, maintained that her current independence was only possible because Jiang Chang Yang supported her, asserting that women could only rely on men.
Mu Dan further asserted that her mother, though a gardener in his eyes, was the most courageous and capable woman, who cared for disaster victims and burned her peonies to resist corruption. Her mother taught her that women could have another way of life, beyond confinement and dependence. While she understood his past choices to protect the family, she felt he never truly understood her or her mother's desires.
She told him she could not do what he asked of her. Mu Dan then decided to return to Chang'an, assuring her father that she had already sent money and silk to help the He family restart their pharmacy and allow him to live comfortably. She told him she would always remember his kindness but would handle her own matters. Back at the Fragrance Garden, Jiang Chang Yang, aware of her discoveries, found Mu Dan distraught.
She confessed her confusion, feeling her past obsessions and aspirations were now vague. She realized that despite her efforts to bring beauty to others, many were struggling to survive, far from enjoying flowers. She questioned the point of being a merchant, even a top one, feeling trapped and unable to understand the true meaning of business.
Mu Dan then informed her staff, including Fu, Chun, Madam Tang, and Ms. Sun, that after delivering their last order, the Fragrance Garden would temporarily close. She entrusted them with the remaining accounts and contracts, asking Madam Tang and Ms. Sun to arrange for everyone to find suitable positions in the branch shops. She admitted that through this incident, she needed to clear her thoughts and figure out the true meaning of doing business. Jiang Chang Yang departed.
