Legend of the Magnate Episode 28 Recap
> Legend of the Magnate Recap
Gu Pingyuan and Chang Yu'er's wedding day arrived in their Anhui hometown. Wu Caishen had helped prepare the new house, transforming the Gu's Mansion into a joyous scene adorned with red and festive decorations. Amidst the sounds of drums and gongs, guests and well-wishers filled the house, including Old Master Hu and all the proprietors of the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association. The ceremony commenced with bows to heaven and earth, followed by bows to the parents.
Gu Pingyuan's mother presented Chang Yu'er with a treasured jade bracelet, explaining it was a pair with the hairpin Yu'er wore, both left by Gu Pingyuan's father, and urged her to keep them safe together. After the tea ceremony and the exchange of bows between husband and wife, the ceremony was complete. Chang Si was overcome with happiness for his daughter. Following the festivities, Gu Pingyuan joined Chang Yu'er in the bridal chamber.
He gently helped her remove her heavy phoenix coronet, which she likened to carrying a bucket of water on her head, causing her neck to ache. Gu Pingyuan, smitten by her beauty, playfully remarked that he would have married her sooner had he known she would look so captivating.
Their intimate moments were abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Marshal Jiu, accompanied by Su Zixuan, who brought with him a lavish array of imperial gifts, including porcelain, calligraphy scrolls, white jade tableware, and gold-inlaid zitan wood furniture. Marshal Jiu immediately reminded Gu Pingyuan of a favor he owed and declared that the time had come to repay it. He extended a pressing invitation for Gu Pingyuan to come to Nanjing and "save the world."
Nanjing, he explained, was in ruins after a devastating war, with the Confucius Temple overgrown and the Qinhuai River a polluted ditch. He desired Gu Pingyuan to serve as an advisor to Rui Lin, the Viceroy of Liangjiang, to manage the Seven Provinces of Jiangnan and stabilize Nanjing.
Gu Pingyuan expressed his reservations, feeling his lack of experience might not command respect, and listed other influential merchants like Li Wantang, Wu Caishen, Jin Wencai, and Li Zhongdeng, whom he believed were more capable. Marshal Jiu, visibly displeased by his reluctance, departed, instructing Su Zixuan to elaborate. Su Zixuan clarified that powerful factions within the imperial court were vying for control over Nanjing's wealth. Li Wantang was backed by Prince Gong, and Wu Caishen by Zuo Zongtang.
Marshal Jiu sought a neutral figure with business acumen like Gu Pingyuan to manage Nanjing's affairs without political interference. She explained that Rui Lin, the newly appointed Viceroy, lacked funds, and the unpaid wages of hundreds of thousands of soldiers stationed outside Nanjing made the city a "powder keg" on the verge of explosion.
Gu Pingyuan was needed to resolve this crisis using merchant strategies, avoiding bloodshed, and she stressed the urgency of his mission, making it clear that Marshal Jiu expected him to accept. When Gu Pingyuan questioned her alliance with Marshal Jiu, given her past as a rebel, Su Zixuan scornfully stated that she wouldn't even serve the Emperor, implying Marshal Jiu was beneath her notice, and advised him to prepare for Nanjing.
Meanwhile, Chang Si, who had been listening, mused that Marshal Jiu was putting Gu Pingyuan in an extremely perilous position, akin to "grabbing food from a hot oil pot" or "putting him on the hot seat." Later that evening, Li Qin arrived, sent by his father Li Wantang, with a complete set of wedding gifts. He playfully chided Gu Pingyuan for not inviting him to such a "modest wedding."
Li Qin reaffirmed his loyalty, recalling how he helped Gu Pingyuan in Shanghai, prioritizing their friendship over his father's schemes, which he believed relied too heavily on "currying favor with the powerful." He revealed that his father, aware of Marshal Jiu's interest in Gu Pingyuan, had tasked him with taking control of the southern salt administration—a "juicy piece of meat."
Li Qin admitted that his involvement might intentionally "make it harder for Gu Pingyuan to do his job," acknowledging that they were both "pawns" in a larger political game. They solidified their bond, promising that even if they became business rivals, they would never resort to harming each other. Before leaving, Li Qin requested to pay his respects to Chang Yu'er.
Gu Pingyuan led him to the bridal chamber door, where Li Qin offered his greetings to the bride from outside before departing. Gu Pingyuan then returned to Chang Yu'er, who was famished. He fetched her some food from the kitchen, and as she ate, Li Qin's attendant called Gu Pingyuan away for another private conversation. Gu Pingyuan promised Chang Yu'er he would return shortly and asked her to wait for him.
Just as Gu Pingyuan was about to return to Chang Yu'er, the Prince of Horqin unexpectedly arrived with a large contingent of warriors. The Prince explained that he had heard the news from the Khan in the capital and, noting Chang Yu'er was a Horqin princess, had come to celebrate. He brought his warriors to protect Chang Yu'er, playfully suggesting Gu Pingyuan should not "bully" her.
Despite Gu Pingyuan's initial confusion, he and Chang Yu'er were soon dressed in traditional Horqin wedding attire, and a second wedding ceremony was held according to Mongolian customs, complete with lively singing and dancing. During the festivities, many warriors continuously toasted Gu Pingyuan, leading him to drink excessively until he passed out. In his drunken state, he earned the title of "Baturu," or warrior, from the Prince. Gu Pingyuan finally awoke three days later, feeling disoriented.
Chang Yu'er tenderly fed him porridge, and his mother lightheartedly teased him about his snoring being loud enough for the whole village to hear. He expressed his frustration at having slept through their wedding night and vowed to consummate their marriage that very evening. However, his plans were once again thwarted when Commander Zhang Erhu and other officers from the Viceroy of Liangjiang's office arrived.
They respectfully addressed him as the imperial Pacification Commissioner and reminded him of his promise to commence work in Nanjing three days after his wedding. Gu Pingyuan attempted to delay, citing his need to settle his family, but the officers revealed that Viceroy Rui Lin, anticipating his filial piety, had arranged for his entire family—including Chang Yu'er, Chang Si, his mother, Gu Pingwen, Mr. Liao, and Miss Liao—to travel to Nanjing with him to ensure he remained focused.
Gu Pingyuan inwardly groaned at this second missed opportunity for his wedding night. On the journey by boat to Nanjing, Gu Pingyuan learned from the escorting general that hundreds of thousands of unpaid soldiers in Nanjing were growing increasingly resentful, making the city a "powder keg." The general admitted that even the commanders were fearful of a rebellion and praised Gu Pingyuan's compassionate resolve to stabilize the volatile situation.
Gu Pingyuan's family, observing the heavily armed escorts, understood that he was essentially a hostage; their lives were now tied to his success in Nanjing. Chang Si, concerned, asked if Gu Pingyuan regretted his decision and if he was being asked to perform any immoral acts. Gu Pingyuan reassured him he was not. Despite the lavish feast prepared on board, the family was too apprehensive to eat.
The guards, in a misguided attempt to create a romantic atmosphere for Gu Pingyuan's delayed wedding night, even prepared an opera troupe and drum band, which Gu Pingyuan quickly dismissed as unnecessary. Reflecting on a past incident where dozens of children and elderly in his village starved to death during chaos, Gu Pingyuan reaffirmed his commitment to prevent such suffering, regardless of the personal cost.
