Love Like The Galaxy Episode 7 Recap, Plot

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> Love Like The Galaxy Recap

The Cheng family held a grand housewarming banquet, filling their new residence with lanterns and decorations. Many distinguished guests arrived to offer their congratulations, including scholarly families and the martial General Wan Songbai and his wife. General Wan, a sworn brother to Cheng Shi, knowing Xiao Yuanyi's rigid nature, presented Cheng Shaoshang with a valuable dagger. He advised her to seek his help if she ever faced injustice, especially from her mother.

Cheng Shaoshang was delighted with the gift, and it left a favorable impression of the Wan family. Xiao Yuanyi, however, quickly admonished Cheng Shaoshang for idling and lacking manners, ordering her to attend to her grandmother and put away the gift. General Wan commented on Xiao Yuanyi's overly strict rules, which he believed made life dull, but Cheng Shi defended his wife, attributing his improved social standing to her teachings.

Meanwhile, the Old Madam Cheng, adorned in an extravagant display of gold and silver, was complimented on her youthful appearance, prompting Cheng Shaoshang to discreetly remark to Cheng Yang about the gaudy two-liang gold hairpin her grandmother wore, finding it embarrassing. Cheng Yang, however, dared not speak against her grandmother. Among the later arrivals were Lou Li and Wang Ling, daughter of Cavalry General Wang Chun.

Wang Ling, whose mother was the Empress’s younger sister, immediately displayed arrogance, stating she only came out of filial duty. She and Lou Li then openly disparaged Cheng Shaoshang for being haughty, crude, and ill-mannered. Cheng Shaoshang, overhearing their insults, boldly retorted, questioning who was truly impolite. Cheng Yang quickly tried to smooth things over, taking the blame for Cheng Shaoshang's upbringing on behalf of her mother.

Suddenly, an announcement was made for Yuan Shen of the Jiaodong Yuan family, surprising Cheng Shi and Xiao Yuanyi as they had not invited him. General Wan expressed suspicion, noting Yuan Shen's cunning reputation. Yuan Shen, upon entering, explained that his father and Cheng's eldest son's teacher had studied under the same master, and he came uninvited out of admiration for Cheng Shi. The women guests were captivated by his elegant appearance.

Yuan Shen then approached Cheng Shaoshang, returning an embroidered ball he had previously thrown to her. Annoyed by the chatter and gossip, Cheng Shaoshang retreated to the garden, complaining to her maid Lianfang about the other women. Yuan Shen followed her, greeting her with feigned concern. Getting straight to the point, Yuan Shen asked her to deliver a message to her Third Aunt, Madam Sang, explaining that due to certain private circumstances, he could not do so himself.

Cheng Shaoshang quickly agreed, only for Yuan Shen to recite a lengthy and elaborate rhapsody. Unable to comprehend the flowery language, Cheng Shaoshang asked him to simplify it into a single sentence. He obliged, telling her to convey, "An old friend misses her and asks for a few words in reply." Cheng Shaoshang swiftly departed. Back in the women's hall, Cheng Shaoshang confided in Cheng Yang, who confirmed that Yuan Shen's arrival had diverted everyone's attention from her.

Cheng Shaoshang then recounted Yuan Shen's elaborate explanation for his visit, dismissing it as a contrived attempt to forge connections and calling him a "rude pleasure-seeker." Cheng Yang gently admonished her for judging his character. Cheng Shaoshang then repeated portions of the "rhapsody," and Cheng Yang recognized it as "Changmen," a famous rhapsody by Sima Xiangru, popular among young noblewomen for its elaborate prose and non-political themes.

When Cheng Yang suggested that her mother could teach Shaoshang more, Cheng Shaoshang politely declined, stating she was content with her current knowledge. Later, while out shopping for a gift for Princess Yuchang's birthday, Cheng Shaoshang was intercepted by Yuan Shen. He pulled her aside and pressed her to deliver the message she had promised to. When she feigned reluctance, he offered a deal: he would owe her one favor—anything besides rebellion, betrayal, or marrying her—in return.

Annoyed by his teasing insinuation that she was delaying to create more opportunities to see him, Cheng Shaoshang angrily agreed to deliver the message that very day, declaring that they would then owe each other nothing. On the day of Princess Yuchang's birthday banquet, Ling Buyi observed the Cheng family's carriage, his gaze lingering on Cheng Shaoshang. His stepmother, Madam Chunyu, arrived at his residence to deliver an invitation to the banquet.

Ling Buyi coldly confronted her, highlighting their convoluted family ties—she was once his "aunt" by marriage but became his stepmother after exploiting his mother's and his destitution to wed Marquis Chengyang. Despite his cynical remarks, Madam Chunyu pressed him to attend for Princess Yuchang’s sake. Ling Buyi ordered his guards to escort her out.

Liang Qiufei, Ling Buyi's aide, had unknowingly accepted the invitation earlier and was then ordered to receive ten military rods as punishment, with the added condition that he would be pardoned if he could retrieve the discarded invitation. Meanwhile, Ling Buyi continued his investigation into Prince Xiao, whose sudden wealth contradicted his previous financial struggles.

Ling Buyi deduced that Prince Xiao was profiting from the illicit sale of military armaments, likely linked to the recently exiled Head Armorer Dong and the deceased Xu Jinzhong. He ordered his men to disrupt Prince Xiao's businesses, anticipating that the lavishly accustomed Prince Xiao would be forced to seek new buyers, thus revealing the masterminds behind the stolen armaments.

Ling Buyi also noted Prince Xiao's close association with He Zhaojun, General He's daughter, suspecting that Prince Xiao might aim to marry her to gain access to military supplies, despite General He's upright character. Realizing that both He Zhaojun and Prince Xiao would attend Princess Yuchang's birthday, Ling Buyi decided to attend, overriding his initial disinterest and instructing Liang Qiufei to retrieve the invitation. Separately, Mr. Yang attempted to arrange a marriage between his sister and Yuan Shen.

Yuan Shen, however, returned a scroll with several errors marked, implying Mr. Yang's sister was intellectually unsuitable. He pointedly advised Mr. Yang to focus on scholarship rather than meddling in others' marriages. An attendant later inquired about Yuan Shen's marriage plans, but he expressed his disillusionment, citing his parents' distant and uninteresting union.

He questioned the societal expectation to marry someone just because they were "interesting" and concluded that marriage, for him, appeared to be a mere "compromise" offering no personal benefit. Later, Cheng Shaoshang arrived to deliver Yuan Shen's message to her Third Aunt, Madam Sang, interrupting a tender moment between Madam Sang and Cheng Zhi. Cheng Shaoshang delivered Yuan Shen's simplified message: "An old friend misses her and asks for a few words in reply."

Madam Sang immediately recognized the "old friend" as Huangfu Yi, her former fiancé, and realized he must have heard of her recent illness. She penned a brief, unsigned reply, confident that Huangfu Yi would recognize her distinctive handwriting. When Cheng Shaoshang pressed for details, Madam Sang cryptically replied that it was "something she couldn't say in a few words," explaining that this phrase truly meant "I don't want to explain."

She then revealed that in her youth, she had spitefully told Huangfu Yi and his entire circle never to contact her again. Cheng Zhi was visibly relieved by Madam Sang's measured response. When Madam Sang then asked Cheng Shaoshang how she knew Yuan Shen, Cheng Shaoshang playfully responded with Madam Sang's own words. At Princess Yuchang's birthday banquet at Lord Ruyang's Mansion, Xiao Yuanyi and Madam Sang accompanied Cheng Shaoshang and Cheng Yang.

Despite wearing modest attire, Cheng Shaoshang's grace was noted. Wan Qiqi, General Wan's boisterous daughter, stood out with her extravagant jewelry. She jovially commented on Cheng Shaoshang and Cheng Yang's plain dresses, offering to send them more elaborate ones and declaring that being "gentle" was unnecessary in this "tiger's den." She even took hairpins from her own gifts for the Princess to adorn Cheng Shaoshang and Cheng Yang.

Inside, Princess Yuchang, instigated by Lou Li and Wang Ling, harbored a deep resentment towards Cheng Shaoshang for ruining her plan at the Lantern Festival. Wang Ling asserted that Cheng Shaoshang had thwarted Princess Yuchang and General Ling from becoming a celebrated couple. Encouraged by her cohorts, Princess Yuchang declared her intention to seek revenge against Cheng Shaoshang that day.

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