In the Name of Blossom Episode 21 Recap
> In the Name of Blossom Recap
Mu Dan, having already stabbed Liu Chang with her hairpin (though with insufficient strength, leading him to pin her down), found herself cornered. Liu Chang questioned how she, alone, could kill him. Mu Dan bluffed, claiming Sui Zhi’s hidden guards were positioned all over the city, with crossbows aimed at them from surrounding buildings, ready to fire upon a signal. She warned Liu Chang to leave, stating she had no intention of harming innocent bystanders.
Liu Chang's men, however, reported that while the streets were blocked, the second-floor shops around them remained unchecked, frustrating him. Liu Chang taunted Mu Dan, urging her to smash her signal, daring her to perish with him. Mu Dan retorted that if his words were true, she would indeed die that day and would happily take him with her to suffer even in the afterlife alongside Sui Zhi.
If he was bluffing, she would ensure he was bound with the harshest chains. Mu Dan then accused Liu Chang of being crippled not just in his legs but also in his soul, calling him a shameless villain, no different from Prince Ning and Liu Shen. Liu Chang, claiming victory, reminded her she was his captive and cruelly mentioned Sui Zhi rotting in the mud. He warned her not to push him.
Mu Dan, defiant, swore that even if he dragged her away, she would spend every moment devising a way to kill him. Just as Liu Chang was about to act, Xiao Xue Xi appeared, telling him to stop and demanding he release Mu Dan. Liu Chang tried to dismiss her, saying the matter had nothing to do with her. But Xiao Xue Xi firmly declared Mu Dan was her closest friend and she would ensure her safety.
Liu Chang then warned Xiao Xue Xi about the consequences of protecting a "rebel's family." Xiao Xue Xi retorted, questioning his authority to hide Mu Dan and mobilize troops without His Highness's permission, promising to report his actions. She then took Mu Dan away. Later, Prince Ning, discussing the incident, acknowledged Mu Dan's cunning but also recognized the Xiao family's critical importance, noting they were the only ones who had agreed to stamp his covenant.
He told Liu Chang that they could not afford to offend the Xiao family before achieving their goals, reminding him that securing the throne and winning over wavering Military Governors were their immediate priorities. Liu Chang confirmed he understood. Outside, Xiao Xue Xi explained that her father had initially forbidden her from coming due to the chaos in the capital, but she feared for Mu Dan’s safety.
She assured Mu Dan that no one would dare harm her again and gently encouraged her to cry. However, Mu Dan dismissed tears as useless, stating she had more important matters to attend to. Mu Dan then asked Xiao Xue Xi how she knew her location at Huanyun Tower.
Chuan Yu, who had been secretly protecting Mu Dan since Sui Zhi's assassination, emerged, falling to his knees and blaming himself for losing track of her, which led to her imprisonment and suffering. Mu Dan quickly helped him up, reassuring him she was perfectly fine. Chuan Yu lamented his inability to save Mr. Jiang or protect She Yan, feeling ashamed to have survived while many perished during the uprising. Mu Dan insisted he stand tall and speak properly.
She then revealed that Chuan Yu had gathered hidden guards to search the city for her, and upon spotting a specific palace lantern, had immediately alerted Xiao Xue Xi, enabling the timely rescue. Mu Dan expressed her profound gratitude, saying Sui Zhi would also thank them. Chuan Yu and others, having lost their employer, pledged their unwavering loyalty, wishing to serve Mu Dan and await her commands.
Xiao Xue Xi suggested Mu Dan accompany her to Hexi for safety, as Chang'an remained too dangerous. Mu Dan, however, politely declined, unwilling to give up her pursuit of revenge. She also asked Xiao Xue Xi to help conceal her whereabouts. Mu Dan then went to her aunt’s home. Her aunt, checking Mu Dan’s pulse, declared she had no injuries and was protected by a lucky star. Mu Dan inquired about her cousin, Li Xing.
Her aunt relayed that Li Xing was struggling at court but was safe and had urged Mu Dan to take great care of herself. Mu Dan was relieved. Her aunt also confirmed that all other arrangements had been made as per Mu Dan’s letter: Liu Lang, Madam Tang, and Ms. Sun were managing the shops in Chang'an, while their floriculturists from Fragrance Garden were now working with her father.
Mu Dan’s companions, Xiao Chun, Fu, and Chuan Yu, insisted they would stand by her through thick and thin and could not be left behind. Mu Dan acknowledged them as her greatest fortune but expressed her reluctance to drag them into a perilous journey with unpredictable risks. They insisted they were not afraid, reminding her of their sworn vows and the necessity of medical expertise in dangerous situations.
Fu even mentioned it took ages to convince others to let just the two of them accompany Mu Dan. Seeing their resolve, Mu Dan agreed they would go together, protecting each other. Mu Dan’s aunt then shared her grief over Sui Zhi, regretting she didn't get to see him one last time. Mu Dan comforted her, saying Sui Zhi had sacrificed himself for righteousness and wouldn't want her to grieve.
The aunt, however, expressed deep hatred for the rebels who took Sui Zhi’s life and tarnished his reputation. Mu Dan then made a request: she sought her aunt's help in avenging Sui Zhi and exposing Prince Ning's faction, to bring justice to all the heroes wrongfully slain at the Promotion Feast. Her aunt expressed doubt that mere women could undertake such dangerous endeavors when even loyal ministers struggled.
Mu Dan explained that she had sent Chuan Yu to meet General Yu Zheng in Hedong, whose own father had been ambushed and killed by Prince Ning. Mu Dan planned to use her business earnings to help the Hedong Army strengthen their troops, stockpile provisions, and procure military weapons, intending to attack Chang'an when the time was ripe. Her aunt again worried Sui Zhi wouldn't want her to risk her life.
Mu Dan clarified that her actions weren't solely for Sui Zhi; she aimed to build a peaceful world where merchants could thrive and people live peacefully, continuing Sui Zhi's unfinished path. Her aunt, moved by Mu Dan’s conviction, agreed to join her and provide any necessary assistance. Mu Dan then asked to borrow her aunt's ships, as the gold ingots she and Sui Zhi had previously hidden were far from sufficient for her ambitious plans.
As they embarked on their journey south, Mu Dan discovered she suffered from severe seasickness, much to her surprise, while Fu, who had anticipated being seasick, remained unaffected. Fu diligently brought Mu Dan a bowl of strong pinellia decoction to ease her nausea, despite its bitter taste. Upon arriving in the south, Mu Dan, now operating under the name Ms. Feng from Jizhou, began to establish her presence. She generously distributed porridge to disaster victims.
Simultaneously, she provided detailed guides to the local populace, illustrating and describing various indigenous medicinal herbs like Dragon Whisker Grass and black wolfberry, explaining how these unrecognized treasures could be exchanged for food or sold for silver. This innovative approach resonated deeply with the villagers. Ms. Feng would then purchase these collected herbs at a higher price, using the profits to procure more provisions for the needy.
During her work, she encountered a young boy who wanted to buy hand cream for his mother, whose hands were worn from laundry. Ms. Feng gave him the cream and credited him for lamp oil, encouraging him to study diligently, excel in imperial exams, and become a good official who could help everyone live better lives.
She told him to repay the five wen for the lamp oil when he achieved success, emphasizing that she was like his mother, hoping he would become a talent. Ms. Feng's new base of operations was frequently threatened by Juebei barbarians from the border. A local from Sanjiu Hall, seeking medicine for his wife, explained that these barbarians often looted the city, forcing shops to close.
They were hunters and herdsmen who were skilled riders, striking swiftly and disappearing before the Hedong Army could arrive. He confirmed that their two leaders understood their language. Ms. Feng decided to confront the leaders. She observed their attire indicated they were not merely cavalry but also hunters and herdsmen, suggesting they were driven by necessity rather than inherent malice, possibly due to their lands being unsuitable for farming.
She proposed a trade agreement: their excellent livestock, which included cattle, sheep, and swift warhorses, could be sold at high profits in the Central Plains in exchange for grains and provisions, facilitated by Ms. Feng's shipping and land transport networks. She argued that continuous raiding was unsustainable, citing their losses against General Yu Zheng and the increasing poverty of the towns they plundered. In addition to fair compensation for goods, she promised access to medicinal treatments for their families.
After considering her offer, the Juebei leaders returned a few days later, bringing their sheep and horses down from the mountains, thus ending the raids and harassment of the border region. The local villagers were overjoyed and profusely thanked Ms. Feng, offering her various gifts of poultry and eggs, which she humbly declined.
Ms. Feng then reassured them, revealing that she had already sent word to the Hedong Army, and if the Juebei leaders had remained stubborn, General Yu Zheng himself would have personally negotiated a resolution. Ms. Feng's business continued to expand rapidly, allowing her to convert her earnings into gold ingots to support the Hedong Army on the front lines, strengthening their forces.
On Sui Zhi's Cold Clothes Festival, Ms. Feng secretly visited his spirit tablet, burning paper money and setting adrift numerous paper boats. In the quiet solitude of the night, she was overcome by melancholy, regretting Sui Zhi's absence and that he couldn't witness her accomplishments. In a dream-like state, she saw Sui Zhi appear before her.
Playfully, she used a fake name, "Jiang Da Shan," for him, which he jokingly complained about, saying he didn't have such an ugly name and that King Yama wouldn't find him in the afterlife with it. He urged her to let go of her attachments and start anew.
Mu Dan explained that she had changed her name and traveled as a merchant, seeing vast lands even he had never witnessed, helping people and the Hedong Army, which she felt was a new beginning. Sui Zhi observed she wasn't truly well, though she insisted she was happy. Mu Dan admitted the deep night brought melancholy and a deep unwillingness to let him go, regretting he couldn't witness what she had accomplished.
She asked him not to leave, wondering if the paper boat allowed her to touch him, to which he replied it was a dream. Later, Mu Dan, still operating as Ms. Feng, arrived in Zhang County. Mr. Du, a local official notorious for extorting merchants, immediately recognized her and demanded a "tribute" of 500 strings of coins, despite her having only two carts of leather goods, knowing she had more at the Zhang River docks.
Unfazed, Ms. Feng informed him she had prepared a "gift" in advance. She then produced a piece of Xinluo's fish-scale silk, revealing it was cut from his own mansion and accusing him of exploiting the common people and oppressing merchants. She added that she had ample evidence against him, including the royal tribute seal fur he was wearing. Ms. Feng threatened that if she didn't leave the city immediately, her associates would hand over all the evidence to the authorities.
Mr. Du, attempting to intimidate her, warned her about his connections in the capital. Ms. Feng confidently retorted that she knew his distant relatives served Prince Ning, but she also knew the Provincial Governor was an impartial and upright official, and his capital allies wouldn't be able to act fast enough before he was stripped of his position and exiled. She declared she had personally witnessed the Governor reviewing the evidence. With that, Mr. Du's comfortable days were over, ensuring that the people and merchants of Zhang County would no longer suffer under his tyranny.
