The Sword and The Brocade Episode 44 Recap
> The Sword and The Brocade Recap
Lin Shixian, now identified as Ou Yanxing, secretly entered Marquis Jingyuan's study, where he discovered a letter penned by Marquis Jingyuan's cousin. The letter revealed Marquis Jingyuan's true machinations: he had exploited his cousin's authority to control most of Fujian's military affairs and orchestrated the smuggling in collusion with pirates, even framing Xianling Pavilion for the crime. Marquis Jingyuan then entered, acknowledging he had deliberately left the letter for Ou Yanxing to find.
He explained that the Ou family's long-standing animosity towards the Xu family stemmed from the latter's advocacy for lifting the sea ban. Should the ban be lifted, the Ou family's vast interests would vanish, and the lives of hundreds within the family would be at risk. Marquis Jingyuan asserted that he must eliminate Xu Lingyi to protect his family.
Ou Yanxing, horrified, questioned if his father truly understood that this path could lead to a capital crime punishable by the extermination of their entire family. Marquis Jingyuan countered, daring Ou Yanxing to report him, warning that such an act would lead to the miserable deaths of himself, his cousin, and every member of the Ou family. He then appealed to Ou Yanxing's emotions, reminding him that his brother Lixing was dead, leaving Ou Yanxing as his only son.
He emphasized that the Ou family was Ou Yanxing's blood, the only entity truly deserving of his complete dedication and protection, questioning why he still cared for Shiyi, who he claimed had caused Lixing's death. Meanwhile, Master Jian, critically wounded, showed no signs of recovery despite Xu Lingyi secretly arranging for high-grade medicine to be sent to her. In prison, Shiyi insisted on seeing only Ou Yanxing. Marquis Jingyuan, confident in Ou Yanxing's loyalty, permitted the visit.
Once at the prison gate, Shiyi inquired about Master Jian's condition, learning she remained in a coma due to serious wounds and the dingy, damp environment, which was unsuitable for recovery. Ou Yanxing admitted his father's guilt in the matter. Shiyi then asked about the Xu family's situation, which Ou Yanxing confirmed was dire, with his father, the Qiao family, and other officials submitting petitions to impeach Xu Lingyi.
Ou Yanxing told Shiyi that the evidence against her was conclusive, and if she were proven innocent, the verdict would be reached at the next joint trial. He added that the Minister of Justice, who would be the presiding judge, firmly believed Xu Lingyi was involved.
He warned that if Xianling Pavilion and Shiyi were convicted, Shiyi would likely face a death sentence as the main culprit, inevitably implicating the Xu family, and even Xu Lingyi's outstanding services would not shield him from public condemnation. Shiyi, having made up her mind, then asked Ou Yanxing for a crucial favor, which he readily promised to fulfill, affirming her as a trustworthy friend.
During the joint trial of the three judicial offices, the Minister of Justice pressed Shiyi on Xu Lingyi's involvement. Shiyi steadfastly declared Xu Lingyi had no connection to the case. However, Marquis Jingyuan had a contingency plan: he presented Zhang, an embroidery girl from Xianling Pavilion, who, under duress and torture, falsely testified that Xu Lingyi frequently visited Xianling Pavilion and was the mastermind behind the embroidery smuggling. Shiyi, distressed, tried to intervene, accusing Zhang of lying under coercion.
The Grand Secretary Chen, noting the suspicious nature of Zhang's wounds, suggested Xu Lingyi be given a chance to defend himself, initially hoping Xu Lingyi would present a Divorce Agreement. Instead, Xu Lingyi vehemently denied his wife's involvement, highlighting her philanthropic work and questioning why he would advocate for lifting the sea ban if he were involved in smuggling, suggesting the case was a ploy by ill-intentioned individuals against the Xu family.
Despite Xu Lingyi's compelling defense, Official Li maintained that the existing evidence was too strong. Just as the case seemed lost, Ou Yanxing arrived, presenting the Divorce Agreement between Shiyi and Xu Lingyi, along with Xianling Pavilion's detailed account books. Shiyi dramatically announced that she was no longer Xu Lingyi's wife, confirming the divorce with Xu Lingyi's signature and fingerprint on the agreement.
The account books meticulously detailed every transaction, proving Xianling Pavilion's financial independence and absence of dealings with the Xu family. The officials verified the authenticity of both documents. Consequently, Grand Secretary Chen announced Xu Lingyi's exoneration from the smuggling charges. However, as the main culprit, Shiyi was sentenced to death and ordered to be executed three days later, pending the Emperor's final decree. Xu Lingyi visited Shiyi in her prison cell, and the couple shared a tearful embrace.
Shiyi expressed no regret for marrying him, explaining that she had admitted guilt to prevent her enemies from using her to threaten him or harm the Xu family. She believed this was choosing "the lesser of two evils," fearing that a prolonged trial would lead more Xianling Pavilion staff to testify against him.
She tearfully wished for them to be husband and wife again in the next life, having found true warmth and sincere love with him, a stark contrast to her previous life as a neglected concubine's daughter. Xu Lingyi, however, refused to accept defeat, proclaiming that he would never abandon her, just as she had not abandoned him in the past.
Upon learning of Shiyi's sacrifice for the Xu family, Xu Old Madam was overcome with deep remorse for her past harsh treatment of Shiyi, acknowledging Shiyi's filial piety and unwavering loyalty despite the suffering she had endured under the rigid family rules. With only three days until the execution, Xu Lingyi resolved to petition the Emperor, and Xu Old Madam insisted on accompanying him, leveraging her status as a noblewoman of the Second Standard Rank.
Xu Lingyi, Xu Old Madam, Xu Lingkuan, and Princess Danyang knelt outside the palace, begging for imperial mercy. Grand Secretary Chen initially advised against their public plea, fearing it would reignite the Emperor's suspicions regarding Xu Lingyi's innocence. However, Xu Lingyi stood firm, asserting that he could not abandon Shiyi, understanding that the case was a direct assault on him and the policy of lifting the sea ban.
He urged Grand Secretary Chen to see that only by apprehending the true mastermind could the danger be eliminated. Moved by their unwavering resolve, Grand Secretary Chen agreed to intercede on their behalf. The Emperor, swayed by their persistent pleas, issued an oral instruction, granting a one-month postponement of Shiyi's execution.
However, he warned that if Xu Lingyi failed to find conclusive evidence within that month, Shiyi would still face execution by the Ministry of Justice, and Xu Lingyi himself would be punished for the crime of deceiving His Majesty. Xu Lingyi, accompanied by Lin Bo and other guards, sought out Wang Jiubao. They found Wang Jiubao in peril, pursued by assassins dispatched by Marquis Jingyuan.
Lin Bo bravely held back the attackers, allowing Xu Lingyi to escape with the severely injured Wang Jiubao. Despite his critical condition, Wang Jiubao initially distrusted Xu Lingyi, accusing him of orchestrating the pursuit. Xu Lingyi explained that Marquis Jingyuan was their common enemy and that his own wife was facing execution due to Marquis Jingyuan's schemes. He stressed his urgent need to save Shiyi and the people along the coast.
Before succumbing to his wounds, Wang Jiubao handed Xu Lingyi a crucial piece of evidence, acquired at the cost of many lives. Marquis Jingyuan's assassins, failing to find the evidence on Wang Jiubao's body, launched an all-out manhunt for Xu Lingyi. The Grand Coordinator of Fujian, aligned with Marquis Jingyuan, falsely reported to the Emperor that Xu Lingyi had been caught colluding with pirates in Fujian.
Enraged, the Emperor ordered Xu Lingyi's immediate capture and, as a further punitive measure, moved Shiyi's execution forward to ten days later. Furthermore, the Xu family mansion was sealed, with no one permitted to enter or exit until Xu Lingyi was apprehended. Erniang visited Shiyi in prison, a visit surprisingly permitted by the Minister of Justice, who seemed to be allowing it for eavesdropping purposes. Shiyi, aware of being listened to, subtly conveyed a coded message to Erniang, mentioning Zhenxing.
She told Erniang that the truth behind Xu Lingyi and Wang Jiubao's meeting was still unknown, but the fact that Xu Lingyi hadn't been captured meant he was still fighting to uncover the full truth. She expressed deep concern about the perilous journey Xu Lingyi faced on his way back to the capital. Erniang later reported the ambiguous conversation to Zhenxing.
Pondering Shiyi's veiled words and specific gestures, Zhenxing deduced that the evidence to clear Shiyi's name was with Xu Lingyi, and it was detrimental to Marquis Jingyuan, explaining the extreme danger Xu Lingyi faced. Combining Shiyi's concern for Xu Lingyi's perilous return with a gesture involving an oil lamp and a stone, Zhenxing interpreted the message: an oil lamp illuminates its surroundings but leaves the space directly beneath it in shadow.
He concluded this meant "dangerous places can be safe and tricky to detect," implying that for Xu Lingyi, the safest place might paradoxically be the most dangerous one, where he would be least expected.
