Legend of the Magnate Episode 24 Recap
> Legend of the Magnate Recap
Li Cheng, now wearing a Qing army uniform, gathered his Resistance Army men. He acknowledged that donning the enemy's attire dishonored their fallen comrades but was necessary to save his friends and secure the lives of those present. He declared the war over for them, urging them to never again touch weapons, but instead to shave their heads, cleanse themselves, and return home to their former occupations, be it craftsmanship or farming.
He told them to cultivate the fallow land and live to see another year, believing that justice would prevail. If they doubted justice, he said, they should treat it like this, and with that, he fatally stabbed himself with his sword, collapsing. His men were stunned, and Bai Yimei slowly made her way to him, heartbroken. Su Zixuan offered to handle the aftermath, but Marshal Jiu interjected.
He instructed her to direct Li Cheng's surviving men to his camp, thirty li to the west, where travel permits and money were prepared. There, they could shave their heads, change clothes, and return to their hometowns without obstruction. However, Marshal Jiu stated he still required Li Cheng's head for accountability to his superiors. Su Zixuan understood, acknowledging that Li Cheng's head was worth an official's hat. Su Zixuan then approached Bai Yimei, telling her it was alright to cry.
Bai Yimei refused, saying she had always known this day would come and was happy for Li Cheng, as he had "gotten what he wanted." She added that he had sacrificed his life for everyone else to live, a compassionate act she intended to share with their child someday. Su Zixuan then ordered Li Cheng's body to be moved.
Realizing that they intended to take Li Cheng's head for merit rather than giving him a proper burial, Bai Yimei fought desperately to prevent them, calling out Gu Pingyuan's name and condemning the others as despicable. Overwhelmed by her grief, she collapsed. Gu Pingwen quickly summoned a doctor for Bai Yimei.
The doctor explained that Bai Yimei's condition was complicated by her emotional state; she was physically unwell, suffering from "cold above and inflamed below," but primarily, she refused to wake up due to her profound sorrow, a state where even legendary physicians would be helpless. Gu Pingwen, frustrated by the ongoing situation and Gu Pingyuan's inaction, complained about being burdened with all the household responsibilities.
He grumbled about Gu Pingyuan's dangerous path as an official and jokingly suggested that if he were an official, he'd secure two concubines. He then proposed to his mother that Miss Liao be invited to care for Bai Yimei, noting the inconvenience of a man tending to a female guest. Miss Liao's father, Mr. Liao, also questioned the doctor about Bai Yimei's health before sending his daughter to her side.
Miss Liao comforted Bai Yimei, who awoke from a terrifying dream, momentarily disoriented. In her dream, she recounted to her father the recent traumatic events: the chaos of war, her capture, Gu Pingyuan's rescue, falling deeply in love with a general, the subsequent condemnation from others, his death, and her pregnancy with his child. She asked her father if it was all just a dream, expressing terror but also a feeling of being reborn, promising never to displease him again.
Her dream-father acknowledged the sincerity of her feelings for the general despite it being a dream and assured her he was not angry, wishing only for her peace in this life. Later, Gu Pingwen was fetching water, complaining about the amount needed for Bai Yimei and his mother's medicine, and the family's drinking water. He suggested buying kudzu powder from the mountain pharmacy, prompting Mr. Liao to take some money from Gu Pingwen, ostensibly to purchase the medicine.
However, when Miss Liao returned, she learned from Gu Pingwen that her father had taken the money. She chastised Gu Pingwen, explaining that her father would inevitably gamble away any money he received and would not return until he had lost everything, reminding Gu Pingwen of her previous warnings. Gu Pingwen defended himself, claiming it was his way of showing deference to her father in hopes of securing their marriage approval.
Gu Pingyuan's mother, concerned that Bai Yimei's sensitive situation could be exploited by others for personal gain, advised Gu Pingwen to turn away any visitors seeking Gu Pingyuan. She emphasized that exploiting Bai Yimei, as Li Cheng's pregnant wife, would undermine Gu Pingyuan's efforts to save her and potentially endanger their entire family.
Gu Pingwen understood her point and agreed, though he privately felt Gu Pingyuan's rescue of Bai Yimei was a mistake, given her past relationship and current pregnancy with another man's child, considering himself much smarter than his brother in such matters. Meanwhile, Old Master Hu and Hou Er arrived, seeking Gu Pingyuan's help. Gu Pingwen initially tried to turn them away, claiming Gu Pingyuan was unwell, but Gu Pingyuan emerged to greet them, apologizing for the inconvenience.
Old Master Hu revealed that Li Wantang in the capital was furious because Gu Pingyuan's "Top Tea Under Heaven" plaque had stolen his thunder. As a result, Li Wantang had rallied numerous tea merchants to impose a complete boycott on all Anhui tea this year. Gu Pingyuan, downplaying his acquaintance with the powerful Li Wantang, questioned his actual influence.
Other tea merchants who had gathered explained that while the "Top Tea Under Heaven" plaque was an unexpected imperial gift, Li Wantang was aggressively campaigning against them, causing significant financial losses. Old Master Hu detailed the traditional markets for Anhui tea: local shops, the northern regions of Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang, and predominantly, through the Guangzhou Thirteen Trading Houses to foreign merchants.
He explained that due to the ongoing war, they had been granted permission to ship tea to Shanghai, but Li Wantang had intercepted the Shanghai contract, securing exclusive tea trading rights and preventing foreign merchants from buying Anhui tea. He appealed to Gu Pingyuan, suggesting his "official" status could help mediate the crisis.
Gu Pingyuan initially refused, reiterating his desire for a peaceful life serving his mother after surviving exile from Ningguta, and his lack of ambition for officialdom or managing tea merchants. As Old Master Hu prepared to depart, Gu Pingyuan again inquired about Li Wantang's specific grievances. Old Master Hu relayed Li Wantang's direct threat: he would not rest until Gu Pingyuan was dead, explicitly blaming Gu Pingyuan for outshining him.
This enraged Gu Pingyuan, who declared he would make Li Wantang "even more uneasy" and resolved to confront him. Li Qin, representing his father Li Wantang, was already at the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association, demanding an 80% discount on their spring tea. He leveraged his family's imperial authorization to oversee all foreign tea sales, warning of severe consequences for non-compliance. The merchants were furious, accusing him of robbery. Gu Pingyuan and Old Master Hu then arrived.
Gu Pingyuan first thanked Li Qin for having previously informed Chang Yu'er, which had led to his rescue. He then directly confronted Li Qin, criticizing his use of imperial power to coerce business as a dishonorable tactic. Li Qin remained unfazed, telling Gu Pingyuan that he had greatly angered his father by overshadowing him at the Grand Tea Competition, despite Li Wantang's lavish spending, and had effectively "stirred up a hornet's nest."
Li Qin dismissed Gu Pingyuan's attempts at negotiation, stating he would wait at the inn for three more days for their decision before returning to the capital. The tea merchants expressed skepticism about Gu Pingyuan's ability to challenge such imperial backing. However, Gu Pingyuan insisted they must fight against the unfair 80% discount, clarifying that it was Li Wantang's personal demand, not an imperial decree.
He proposed bypassing the traditional Guangzhou Thirteen Trading Houses and Li Wantang's monopoly by going directly to Guangzhou to secure deals with foreign merchants, confident that they could achieve what Li Wantang could. Gu Pingyuan later sought out Li Qin, who was drinking wine, and asked for introductions to foreign merchants. Li Qin refused, explaining that his father would be furious and might "beat him to death" for such disloyalty, stating he'd be "biting the hand that feeds me."
He reiterated his father's deep hatred for Gu Pingyuan, who had "stolen his thunder" at the Grand Tea Competition despite Li Wantang's substantial investment, humiliating him and benefiting the Anhui tea merchants. Li Qin expressed his own ambition to one day manage his family's vast salt business, encompassing over 300 shops, so he could make his own decisions instead of performing "thankless jobs" for his father.
As Gu Pingyuan prepared to leave, Li Qin, perhaps reluctantly, suggested he seek out Hart, the Customs Commissioner, and Richard of Xianghe Trade House in Shanghai. He then mockingly advised Gu Pingyuan to "buy a rope and hang himself" at his family's doorway, so Li Qin could present his body to his father to appease his anger, promising a "proper burial," and warning that he would "teach him a lesson" once he had his own business.
Gu Pingyuan decided to depart for Shanghai immediately, instructing Gu Pingwen to pack his bags for an afternoon departure. Gu Pingwen objected, revealing that Mr. Liao was being held at a local gambling house for a 500 tael debt, and they had until that afternoon to pay his ransom or he would lose a finger for every hour delayed.
Gu Pingyuan promptly provided the money for the ransom, instructing Gu Pingwen to inform Miss Liao that it was a gift to her father from him, not a loan, and to avoid any unnecessary explanations.
He also tasked Miss Liao with caring for Bai Yimei and his mother, telling her to remind Bai Yimei that she carried Li Cheng's child and "had no right to die" as she must raise it, drawing a parallel to his own resilience in overcoming multiple near-death experiences. On their journey to Shanghai by boat, Gu Pingwen, observing the foreign vessel, asked about its purchase price. Gu Pingyuan lamented the foreign dominance of their waterways while Chinese merchants remained divided.
Gu Pingwen then jokingly expressed a desire to be the Pacification Commissioner, which Gu Pingyuan dismissed, highlighting Gu Pingwen's inability to even manage a shop and the constant struggles of the role. Upon arriving in Shanghai, they visited Hart. Gu Pingwen made a humorous attempt at speaking English and spoke of Hart's imperial favor and his son's success as a scholar candidate.
Gu Pingyuan requested that Hart arrange a meeting with Richard from Xianghe Trade House to understand his refusal to buy Anhui tea, explaining the province's economic reliance on tea sales after the recent Hefei victory. Hart cautioned Gu Pingyuan against using his official status to pressure Richard, a merchant of the East India Company, but revealed that Richard was currently in his backyard. Hart arranged the meeting, reiterating his warning not to offend Richard.
During the meeting, Hart introduced Gu Pingyuan to Richard. Gu Pingyuan directly asked Richard why he was boycotting Anhui tea. Richard stated unequivocally that he had an exclusive contract with Li Wantang, purchasing tea only from him, and that the origin of the tea or their internal disputes were irrelevant to him. He urged Gu Pingyuan not to waste his time.
Gu Pingyuan attempted to persuade him, highlighting Anhui's status as a major tea-producing province and the significant business opportunity Richard was forsaking. Richard remained unyielding, declaring he could not betray his partner and that "losing one" of the Qing Empire's eighteen provinces "doesn't matter" to him. He further warned Gu Pingyuan against approaching other foreign merchants, citing Qing laws prohibiting private trade between Chinese and foreigners. Undeterred, Gu Pingyuan vowed that Richard would regret his decision. Seeing a foreign ship, Gu Pingyuan then asked a Captain Tod if the vessel was for sale.
