Legend of the Magnate Episode 33 Recap
> Legend of the Magnate Recap
Li Qin remained kneeling before his father, Li Wantang, who demanded that he reflect on his actions. Li Qin, however, refused to yield unless his father provided a clear explanation, arguing that they had agreed he would have autonomy over the salt fields. He acknowledged the difficulty in acquiring the salt fields but maintained the righteousness of his other decisions, particularly his confrontation with the corrupt merchant Yang Qianwan.
Li Wantang harshly criticized Li Qin for his lack of strategic thinking regarding the salt fields and for publicly humiliating Yang Qianwan. He then revealed that Rui Lin, through connections in the Ministry of Rites, had bestowed an Associate Jinshi title upon Gu Pingyuan. Li Wantang confessed that he himself had paid for this title, hoping it would send Gu Pingyuan far away to take up the post.
He warned Li Qin to distance himself from Gu Pingyuan, promising that once the salt fields were secured, they would be handed over to Li Qin's management. Gu Pingyuan’s mother, tearfully overwhelmed by her son's newfound success, asked him to pay respects to his long-lost father, Gu Wanzhang. She recounted how Gu Wanzhang had left for the capital many years ago, never to return, leaving her pregnant with Gu Pingyuan's brother and agonizing over his fate.
She preferred to believe he was alive, even if he never came back, rather than remain in perpetual uncertainty. She recalled a villager's encounter with a man resembling Gu Wanzhang near the capital, who, after initially denying his identity, reluctantly wrote a poem at a fortune-teller's stall before fleeing. The illiterate villager brought the poem back.
Gu Pingyuan read the melancholic lines about life's transience, and his mother explained that Mr. Bai had declared it a "ghost poem" and advised her to cease her search, convinced his father was dead. Gu Pingyuan expressed his shock at this revelation, but his mother insisted it was inconsequential, lamenting that neither he nor his father were destined for official careers and wishing they had simply led peaceful lives cultivating tea.
Later, in his room, a visibly distressed Gu Pingyuan sought counsel from his wife, Chang Yu'er, about the official post, admitting his exhaustion and confusion. Their discussion was abruptly interrupted by armed men, led by Su Zixuan, who had brought Bai Yimei. Gu Pingyuan, concerned for his family's safety, ordered the men to lower their weapons.
Bai Yimei, distraught, knelt and implored Gu Pingyuan to save thousands of men, her late husband Li Cheng's former soldiers, who were now prisoners of war. She explained that Marshal Jiu was holding them to repair the embankment to avoid public criticism for outright killing them but intended to execute them once the work was done, blaming their deaths on Gu Pingyuan's construction site.
Gu Pingyuan expressed his apprehension, pointing out the overwhelming guards and his own defenselessness, questioning how he could possibly rescue so many and where they would be settled without him being accused of starting a rebellion. Su Zixuan reassured him, revealing she had already arranged boats to transport them home and would provide funds for them to restart their lives.
Moved by Bai Yimei's plea and recognizing the prisoners as ordinary citizens, Chang Yu'er urged Gu Pingyuan to act, declaring she could not bear to see them suffer. Despite his initial reluctance, Chang Yu'er’s persistence, coupled with the dire reality that the prisoners knew their fate, swayed Gu Pingyuan. Soon after, Marshal Jiu arrived at the construction site for inspection. A soldier explained the prisoners were intentionally kept weak with meager vegetable porridge and no meat to prevent rebellion.
As Jiu was about to leave, prisoners approached with a large barrel, claiming they had found two jars of gold for him. Lured by greed, Jiu leaned in to inspect, only to be forcibly shoved into the "rice barrel" by the prisoners. Amidst the ensuing chaos and gunfire, the prisoners declared their demand for freedom and dragged the trapped Jiu away, initiating a full-scale rebellion against the guards.
Frantic, Su Yuhua rushed to Gu Pingyuan, pleading with him to intervene, fearing severe repercussions for himself if Marshal Jiu was harmed. Gu Pingyuan, though hesitant, agreed to go. At the chaotic site, Heizi informed Gu Pingyuan that the prisoners had tricked Jiu with the false gold claim and were demanding escape in exchange for Jiu's release. Gu Pingyuan understood the dire implications of a mass escape. Entering the rebel-held area, Gu Pingyuan identified himself and attempted to negotiate.
The prisoner leader, however, scornfully rejected his offers of help, declaring their intent to kill Jiu in revenge for the deaths of their comrades, a sentiment echoed by the other prisoners. Gu Pingyuan tried to dissuade them from further violence, offering to sacrifice his own career to secure their freedom and allow them to return to their homes as law-abiding citizens. However, the leader recognized Gu Pingyuan, recalling past betrayals and accusing him of causing General Li Cheng's death.
Enraged, the prisoners seized Gu Pingyuan, though their leader prevented them from killing him, anticipating Jiu might still wish to speak with him. Under the cover of night, Chang Yu'er arrived to rescue Gu Pingyuan, chastising him for his recklessness. Gu Pingyuan explained he could not leave yet and led her to Marshal Jiu, who acknowledged Gu Pingyuan's "honor."
Gu Pingyuan then revealed that he had seen through their charade, confirming that the entire incident was a staged "self-sacrifice act" orchestrated by Marshal Jiu and Su Zixuan. Chang Yu'er bluntly pointed out the grave consequences of releasing imperial court prisoners but cynically advised them to use their official cunning to fabricate a convincing story, demanding she be kept out of any repercussions.
After a private conversation, Gu Pingyuan, Chang Yu'er, and Jiu watched as Bai Yimei, with her young daughter, expressed her profound gratitude to Gu Pingyuan and bade him and Chang Yu'er a final farewell, acknowledging the unlikelihood of their paths crossing again. The prisoners, arranged in orderly squads and units, boarded the waiting boats and departed. The next morning, Rui Lin arrived at the construction site.
Marshal Jiu falsely reported that the thousands of "rebels" had died overnight from a sudden malaria outbreak, a story quickly affirmed by Gu Pingyuan. Although skeptical, Rui Lin accepted their account, instructing Jiu to return to his camp to relocate uninfected soldiers and prisoners, and ensuring Chang Yu'er was safely escorted home. Walking with Gu Pingyuan, Rui Lin subtly warned him that those "infected individuals" must not cause any trouble for the imperial court.
Gu Pingyuan assured him that they would peacefully return to their hometowns to resume farming or business, reiterating that "the war is over, no more people should die." Rui Lin then revealed his intention to entrust Gu Pingyuan with the management of the Lianghuai salt fields, explaining his plan to reform the salt administration by establishing a Salt Industry Guild that would manage the monopoly and pay fixed taxes to the imperial court.
This, he explained, was to free the people from both direct court oppression and the corrupt control of the Li family. Rui Lin stressed that this was a top secret, sternly warning Gu Pingyuan that if he prioritized his "brotherly affection" for Li Qin, he would be replaced, and if the secret was leaked, Gu Pingyuan would face exile again, as his personal loyalties were insignificant compared to the welfare of millions of people.
Gu Pingyuan, despite his initial reluctance to usurp Li Qin's opportunity, ultimately accepted. Meanwhile, Li Qin, after returning from the Nantong embankment and learning from his father, Li Wantang, about Rui Lin's changed plans regarding the salt fields, learned Rui Lin intended to rebuild them under a semi-official, semi-merchant model through a Salt Industry Guild led by Gu Pingyuan.
Unwilling to be sidelined, Li Qin proposed a daring counter-strategy to his father: to embrace the Viceroy's involvement but then leverage their influence to seize control. He suggested the Li family preemptively secure the highly profitable salt-producing provinces of Jiangsu and Jiangxi, leaving the remaining areas to Gu Pingyuan.
He envisioned an end-of-year "board of directors" decision, similar to Western business practices, where the less successful party must withdraw, effectively squeezing out the Viceroy's office and granting the Li family ultimate control. Li Wantang was impressed by his son's innovative plan, which Li Qin proudly claimed to have devised himself, driven by a fierce desire to finally win.
After arduous collective effort, the Nantong river embankment was successfully completed, a momentous occasion celebrated with a banquet hosted by Rui Lin. He commended both Li Qin and Gu Pingyuan for their contributions, acknowledging the embankment's lasting benefits to the region and its people. During the celebration, an attendant announced the arrival of a distinguished guest, who was Gu Pingyuan's mother, and Rui Lin jovially referred to Li Wantang as "Li Million," always focused on business.
