The Sword and The Brocade Episode 40 Recap
> The Sword and The Brocade Recap
Concubine Qin offered Nanny Tao drinks, and as Nanny Tao became tipsy, she spoke of the past concerning Concubine Tong, Biyu. Nanny Tao revealed that when Yuanniang was pregnant with Zhun, she couldn't share a bed with Xu Lingyi. To secure her position, Yuanniang used Biyu's younger sister, Amber, as leverage to force Biyu to climb into Xu Lingyi's bed while he was drunk. The next morning, he had no choice but to take her as a concubine.
However, Xu Lingyi never entered Biyu's room again. Yuanniang, whose plan had failed, often mocked Biyu. Being soft-natured, Biyu couldn't endure the constant jeers and eventually hanged herself. Nanny Tao lamented that if Xu Lingyi had not been so cold and had shown Biyu some care, she might not have been driven to such a desperate end. Concubine Qin subtly reinforced this, commenting on Xu Lingyi's lack of devotion and suggesting his coldness contributed to Biyu's despair.
Unbeknownst to them, Amber was secretly listening. After Nanny Tao became fully intoxicated, Amber emerged, distraught. Concubine Qin, who had orchestrated the conversation, was confident that Amber, fiercely loyal to Shiyi, would cause a stir. Amber confronted Concubine Qin, revealing her identity as Biyu's sister and stating that Yuanniang and the Luo family had used her to coerce Biyu.
She accused both the Luo family and Xu Lingyi of forcing her sister to her death by ignoring her and allowing her to be humiliated. Concubine Qin feigned sympathy, lamenting the harsh realities of noble families. Grateful, Amber vowed to never forget Concubine Qin's kindness. Later, Xu Lingyi again approached Great Madam about Shiyi's involvement with Xianling Pavilion. He informed her that Ou Yanxing had completely distanced himself from the pavilion, hoping to alleviate her concerns.
However, Great Madam remained firm, asserting that Ou Yanxing's departure might have a hidden agenda and that Shiyi should focus on her duties within the family. When Xu Lingyi countered that Shiyi was a competent matron, Great Madam pointed to Shiyi's lack of children as proof of her inadequacy.
Despite Xu Lingyi's reassurance that Shiyi was young, Great Madam insisted that Shiyi's external pursuits prevented her from fully caring for him and declared her intention to find him new concubines, dismissing his refusal. Later, Xu Lingyi assured Shiyi he would not take a new concubine, but Shiyi acknowledged the difficulty of defying Great Madam. He encouraged her to live according to her heart, promising to handle everything else.
Witnessing Shiyi's distress, Amber feared she would suffer a fate similar to her sister. She expressed her anxieties to Concubine Qin, who subtly reinforced the idea that Shiyi would be happier living as she wished, away from the Xu mansion. Agitated, Amber later suggested to Dongqing that Shiyi should consider divorcing Xu Lingyi. Dongqing vehemently disagreed, arguing that divorce would bring social condemnation and defending Xu Lingyi's good treatment of Shiyi.
Misinterpreting Dongqing's support for Xu Lingyi, Amber accused her of harboring inappropriate feelings for him and urged her to examine her own heart, which Dongqing angrily denied. Meanwhile, General Fu happily showed a friend an exquisite belt intended for Dongqing. However, upon seeing Xu Lingyi's troubled expression over Great Madam's insistence on new concubines, General Fu decided against discussing his relationship with Dongqing at that moment.
Amber, determined to push Shiyi toward leaving, deliberately mentioned to Mrs. Du that two of Xu Lingyi's personal garments were missing, implying that only she or Dongqing had access to them. Mrs. Du relayed her suspicions to Great Madam, who, seeing a potential leverage point, immediately ordered a search of Dongqing's room. In Dongqing's room, servants led by Mrs. Du discovered Xu Lingyi's belt. Mrs. Du immediately accused Dongqing of having improper thoughts about Xu Lingyi.
Shiyi arrived and tried to intercede, but Great Madam was furious. Dongqing tearfully explained that she had taken the belt to study its intricate embroidery stitches. Before she could clarify that she intended to create a similar piece for General Fu, Great Madam scoffed at her explanation, denouncing an unmarried maid secretly possessing a master's personal item as illicit. Shiyi vouched for Dongqing's loyalty and character, and Concubine Qin also feigned concern, but Great Madam was unmoved.
She presented Shiyi with an ultimatum: within three days, Shiyi must either withdraw from Xianling Pavilion and agree to let Xu Lingyi take Dongqing as a concubine, or Dongqing would be sold off. Great Madam ordered Dongqing locked in the firewood room. As Dongqing was dragged away, she saw General Fu, who looked at her with profound disappointment. Shiyi, deeply troubled, lost her appetite. She believed in Dongqing's innocence and sensed that Great Madam learning of the belt was suspicious.
Amber continued to subtly manipulate Shiyi, urging her to leave the mansion for the freedom she found at Xianling Pavilion. Meanwhile, Concubine Qin was pleased with her scheme, believing that driving a wedge between Shiyi and Xu Lingyi would finally ease her own long-held grievances. Amber visited Dongqing in the firewood room, where Dongqing pleaded her innocence.
Amber dismissed her pleas, revealing that Great Madam was already seeking new concubines for Xu Lingyi and proposed that Dongqing herself should become the concubine. She argued that Dongqing, unlike a stranger, would never harm Shiyi. Horrified, Dongqing initially refused, but Amber persisted, claiming that only Dongqing's "betrayal" would disillusion Shiyi enough to leave the mansion. She urged Dongqing to make this sacrifice for Shiyi's ultimate good, causing Dongqing to consider the painful choice as she thought of General Fu.
Moments later, General Fu arrived and confronted Dongqing, heartbroken. He confessed his love, his intention to marry her, and his shock at learning she supposedly coveted Xu Lingyi. Recalling Amber's words, Dongqing swallowed her pain and falsely confessed that she had always desired to be Xu Lingyi's concubine. She claimed that since he didn't fancy her, she was settling for the "second-best option," General Fu, for wealth and status. Devastated, General Fu denounced her as a greedy woman. Hardening her heart, she agreed and told him to forget her. As he walked away shattered, Dongqing secretly wept, knowing she had to sacrifice his heart for Shiyi's sake.
