Legend of the Magnate Episode 37 Recap
> Legend of the Magnate Recap
Li Wantang attempted to reconcile with Gu Pingyuan, confessing that he couldn't bear to remain poor, even if it meant eternal damnation. He asked if Gu Pingyuan's mother had forgiven him, and then if Gu Pingyuan himself would. Gu Pingyuan, however, replied that he pitied Li Wantang before forcefully pushing him aside and leaving. Li Wantang was overwhelmed with emotion and nearly fainted, but Li Qin quickly caught him.
Li Qin urged his father to forget the past, dismiss "that scoundrel Gu and that crazy old woman" as strangers, and remember that Li Wantang was "Li Baiwan," the wealthiest merchant in the capital, a trusted "red-capped merchant" of the imperial court, and above all, Li Qin's sole father. He encouraged Li Wantang to abandon his life in the temple and return with him. Li Wantang, however, was resolute in his desire to atone.
He advised Li Qin not to follow in his footsteps by engaging in business, explaining that his own past mistakes were too grave to be repeated. He insisted that the family fortune he left behind was enough for Li Qin to live comfortably in the capital without venturing into commerce.
Li Wantang stated he lacked the strength to leave the temple, believing his presence there was heaven's will, and that he would die there, destined for ten lifetimes of hardship to repay his debts and make amends. Despite Li Wantang's wishes, Li Qin departed alone, convinced that his father underestimated him.
As snow fell, Li Qin vowed to compete fairly against Gu Pingyuan in business, intending to utterly defeat him and make his entire family disappear before he would return to pick up his father. Meanwhile, Gu Pingyuan was deeply disheartened to learn that his own biological father was responsible for his exile to Ningguta. Rui Lin, hearing that Li Wantang had become a recluse and a monk, sought out Li Qin to negotiate.
He urged Li Qin to withdraw from the Lianghuai salt fields business, offering full compensation for the Li family's investment and gifting him a "Complete Library of the Four Treasuries" as a subtle message to return to the capital and "learn how to be a proper man."
Li Qin, however, refused to back down, reminding Rui Lin that the Li family's extensive investments in Liangjiang were made at Rui Lin’s own invitation and that their business involved other powerful figures, like the Sixth Prince. Rui Lin dismissed Li Qin's boasts, asserting that without his father, the Sixth Prince's influence would wane, and the Liangjiang salt business would have no connection to the Li family.
He reminded Li Qin that the impending wager with Gu Pingyuan would soon determine the outcome, and if Li Qin lost, he must leave his shares and avoid further embarrassment. Su Yuhua expressed concern about Li Qin's fierce and competitive approach to business.
She pointed out that Li Qin had been aggressively opening new salt stores and poaching experienced workers from her shops by offering double their wages, a tactic she found unethical and unsustainable given the fixed demand for salt. Gu Pingyuan agreed that such cutthroat competition was unwise and would only lead to mutual financial ruin, as people's salt consumption has a limit and opening more shops only cuts into profits.
Gu Mother’s health continued to decline; she spent her days weeping and refused to take medicine. Gu Pingyuan was heartbroken, regretting that he had brought her from their hometown, believing it had only caused her more pain. He tried to comfort her, but she lamented that her life had been a cruel joke, having worried for years about Gu Wanzhang’s fate, only to find him alive and well, having even changed his name.
She expressed her profound emptiness and resignation, believing no medicine could cure her emotional wounds. Gu Pingyuan, deeply saddened, offered to set aside his own feelings and kneel to Li Wantang if it would bring her peace. He urged her to hold on, promising her grandchildren and a long life ahead, and encouraged her to believe that the man who had wronged them was a changed person, long dead in spirit.
She confessed that after seeing Li Wantang and letting go of her long-held worries, she had lost the will to live. Worried for his mother, Gu Pingyuan decided to seek out Li Wantang. His brother, Gu Pingwen, tried to dissuade him, angrily remarking that Li Wantang now had another son and that Gu Pingyuan meant nothing to him. Ignoring the advice, Gu Pingyuan traveled to Jinshan Temple in the pouring rain.
He confronted Li Wantang, stating that he had witnessed enough of the past and wished to look no further. He implored Li Wantang to visit his mother, whose life was hanging by a thread and who refused her medicine. He pleaded for Li Wantang to say just a few comforting words to help her live. Li Wantang, appearing resigned, acknowledged that his dream of a past life had ended and he could no longer pretend.
He asked what Gu Pingyuan's mother had said, and Gu Pingyuan relayed her words: that her wish had been fulfilled upon seeing him, and she no longer had the strength to carry on. Li Wantang responded by questioning what he could possibly say to her, prompting Gu Pingyuan to angrily accuse him of never regretting his actions and being utterly shameless.
Gu Pingyuan reiterated his mother’s belief that the man she once knew had died on the road to the capital, and that the person before them was a changed man with a changed heart. Li Wantang, with a bitter smile, agreed, wishing Gu Pingyuan "a long life and an early ascent to paradise." As Gu Pingyuan left in a fury, a monk rushed after him, informing him that Li Wantang had poisoned himself.
Gu Pingyuan immediately returned to the temple, only to find Li Wantang already dead, with the monk relaying Li Wantang's dying wish to "give you closure." Li Qin arrived later, draped in mourning attire, and publicly severed ties with Gu Pingyuan, blaming him for Li Wantang's death. Gu Pingyuan returned home late that night, a turmoil of emotions within him, and silently sat by his mother's bedside. The next morning, his mother awoke and recounted a vivid dream.
She dreamed Li Wantang stood at their door, just as he had when he left, with his traveling bag and a basket containing his brush, ink, inkstone, and the rice balls she had made for him. He confessed that he had failed the imperial examination, but she had reassured him that their son's success brought more joy than any examination.
In her dream, he said he was tired and wanted to sleep, and she understood then that he had died, but that he regretted his past and truly wished to return. She felt a sense of closure, believing her long wait was not in vain, and that despite his worldly temptations, he had ultimately found his way back. Gu Pingyuan, with tears in his eyes, listened as his mother described Li Wantang's peaceful passing, "without pain."
Soon after, Chang Yu'er joyfully announced her pregnancy to Gu Pingyuan and his mother. Gu Mother was ecstatic, urging Chang Yu'er to rest and Gu Pingyuan to thank the doctor who confirmed the news. Gu Pingyuan, filled with happiness, went to get medicine for his mother. To his shock, he returned to find Gu Pingwen crying, who delivered the devastating news that their mother had passed away. A memorial altar was erected at the Gu family home.
Gu Pingyuan, Chang Yu'er, and Gu Pingwen mourned deeply. Chang Yu'er, overwhelmed with grief, fainted multiple times, prompting Miss Liao to urge Gu Pingyuan to take her to rest to protect her and the unborn child. After Chang Yu'er regained consciousness, Gu Pingyuan expressed his profound regret, lamenting that after ten years of wandering and struggle, he never had the chance to properly care for his mother.
He despaired, feeling that even with the strength of nine oxen, he couldn't pull her back from the underworld. He found solace in knowing she had passed peacefully, smiling in her sleep, having learned she would become a grandmother. Though the child’s arrival was perfectly timed, it was also too late for his mother to meet her grandchild. He vowed to keep Chang Yu'er and their child safe, free from illness or misfortune.
At Li Wantang's funeral, the manager tirelessly handled arrangements and guests. Li Qin remained secluded, consumed by grief, refusing to greet visitors from the Liangjiang Viceroy's Office, stating they had invited his father, not him. While he allowed the manager to accept funeral gifts and send a thank-you note to the Sixth Prince's Mansion, he rebuffed any attempts by old managers to consult him, sarcastically telling them to seek advice from his father in the underworld.
The manager, deeply loyal to Li Wantang and saddened by Li Qin's behavior, informed Li Qin that he had submitted his resignation and would retire after the seven-day mourning period, stating he could not abandon his duties while the "Old Master's spirit hasn't left yet." He suggested sending funeral gifts to Gu Pingyuan for his mother's passing, believing it would fulfill Li Wantang's unspoken regret.
Li Qin, however, bitterly questioned if his father was truly wrong, for if so, he shouldn't have married into the Li family, and Li Qin himself shouldn't have been born. He asked why everyone seemed to hate him. The manager also reminded Li Qin that the Salt Industry Guild had requested an account review for the wager with Gu Pingyuan, which had one month left. Li Qin, despite his grief, snapped back, asking if Gu Pingyuan was ready to surrender.
