Maiden Holmes Episode 15 Recap
> Maiden Holmes Recap
At the Mingjing Office training ground, everyone awaited the results of the promotion examination. The presence of an unusual number of imperial guards sparked discussions among the attendees, who speculated that Prince Qi would arrive due to his rumored connection with Su Ci. The chief examiner explained that the final martial arts test, accounting for one-fifth of the total score, would be a series of one-on-one combats determined by a lottery draw.
In a thrilling final match against Luo Xin, Su Ci employed a surprisingly cunning strategy, catching her opponent off guard and ultimately winning the competition. Prince Qi observed the match from a distance. Later, at a restaurant, a storyteller captivated the audience with the tale of Lu Zhaonan, who, like Hua Mulan, disguised herself as a man to serve in the army.
The story detailed her successful concealment of her gender, her wisdom, bravery, and numerous military victories, culminating in her being conferred the title "General of the Flying Cavalry" by the Emperor. The narrative recounted how her true gender was revealed during an assassination attempt, leading to her being charged with deceiving the Emperor. However, due to widespread public petition, the Emperor pardoned her and named her "The First Female General of the Country." The audience applauded, praising Lu Zhaonan's merit.
Fei Yuan subtly informed Su Ci that Prince Qi had orchestrated these storytelling sessions to align with public sentiment, making Su Ci feel deeply grateful. Back in her room, Su Ci, while engaged in needlework and contemplating Prince Qi's support, accidentally pricked her finger but remained joyful. Meanwhile, two guards in the prison discussed the paintings of a prisoner, Mr. Qu.
They noted that despite Mr. Qu's eccentric behavior, his artwork fetched high prices, allowing them to earn extra money by selling his pieces. Unbeknownst to them, the paintings Mr. Qu was obsessively creating were portraits of Su Ci in women's attire. Prince Qi, accompanied by Officer Jiang, visited the Imperial College to discuss women's education with Mr. Xu and other scholars.
Mr. Xu found the idea of local schools admitting female students absurd, asserting that women's studies should be limited to "women's precepts." He and the other scholars vehemently opposed co-education, arguing it would compromise women's morals and propriety, as a woman's purpose was to marry and have children. They believed extensive literacy could lead to "evil intentions," suggesting it was better for women to remain ignorant.
Though frustrated by their pedantic views, Prince Qi knew he had to persuade them to break with tradition and had already devised a plan. The Beirong delegation arrived in the capital, and the Emperor instructed Prince Qi to host a banquet for them. At the Capital Suburb Inn, Fu Ziyou, assigned to protect Princess Yunchuan, insisted on inspecting her luggage for safety. Princess Yunchuan adamantly refused to allow anyone to touch her boxes.
Her brother, Prince Shuomu, intervened, gently chiding his sister for her childishness and urging her to comply with Liang's rules, leading her to grudgingly allow the inspection. Fueled by the widespread storytellers promoting female generals and Prince Qi's visit to the Imperial College, discussions about Su Ci's true gender began to circulate.
After seeing Mr. Qu's paintings of a female Su Ci, Prince Yun confirmed she was a woman and resolved to use this revelation to eliminate her and suppress Prince Qi. Meanwhile, Officer Jiang discovered that Mr. Xu's own daughter was studying at the Imperial College and provided Prince Qi with the evidence.
Prince Qi had Officer Jiang present this to Mr. Xu, subtly reminding him of the Confucian saying, "In education, there are no class distinctions," which should apply regardless of gender. Convinced, Mr. Xu announced that the Imperial College would permit women's enrollment and urged other schools to follow suit. That night, Su Ci visited Prince Qi and presented him with a handkerchief she had personally embroidered with red beans.
Prince Qi playfully teased her, guessing the embroidery depicted eggplants, red dates, and then peanuts. Annoyed, Su Ci tried to take the handkerchief back, thinking her needlework was poor. Prince Qi embraced her, assuring her that he understood her intentions, regardless of the image, and humorously suggested she meant for them to "have a baby soon." Su Ci clarified they were "love peas," a symbol of longing.
Prince Qi affirmed his understanding and promised to keep it safe, and Su Ci leaned happily into his embrace. The Beirong delegation had an audience with the Emperor to sign a peace treaty and discuss a marriage alliance. Prince Shuomu expressed sincere interest in a lasting alliance, which Princess Yunchuan solidified by stating her desire for a marriage to strengthen ties. The Emperor agreed to select a suitable consort for the princess.
Prince Shuomu then requested the privilege of choosing a husband for his sister himself, revealing his preference for Prince Qi, whom he admired. Prince Yun immediately objected, disparaging Prince Qi as a "delicate scholar" and questioning his fighting ability due to an old eye injury, a sentiment Princess Yunchuan echoed. Prince Qi feigned humility, stating he was living an idle life and was no longer a formidable warrior. Despite this, Prince Shuomu insisted on Prince Qi.
Furious, Prince Yun silently vowed to prevent the marriage. Equally unwilling, Prince Qi instructed Officer Jiang to devise a plan to reject the proposal and ordered him to ensure Princess Yunchuan's protection, suspecting court factions might endanger her to sabotage the alliance. Later, Fu Ziyou discovered that Princess Yunchuan had knocked out her maid and escaped from the inn, disguised and heading to a brothel.
Rushing there, Fu Ziyou confronted her, explaining that her actions were inappropriate for a princess during sensitive alliance talks. He forcefully removed her, and during the struggle, his sword tassel was lost. Princess Yunchuan scoffed at his distress over the "useless" object. Afterwards, she questioned a maid about Fu Ziyou's strong reaction. The maid revealed his tragic past: his fiancée committed suicide the night before their wedding, and he was later demoted over a court scandal.
Princess Yunchuan then realized the tassel was likely a cherished memento from his late fiancée. Back at court, Prince Yun, now certain of Su Ci's identity, plotted to use it against Prince Qi. The Emperor reviewed and approved the Ministry of Personnel's report on the nine individuals who passed the promotion exam. Prince Yun seized the opportunity to propose a grand "Roll Call Ceremony" in the main hall, evoking the memory of a celebrated event from the late emperor's reign.
He argued it would be a solemn and grand occasion for the newly promoted officials to express their gratitude, thus reflecting the Emperor's virtue. Swayed, the Emperor decreed that the nine officials, including Su Ci, would attend the morning court the next day to be honored.
