Marvelous Women Episode 26 Recap
> Marvelous Women Recap
The day of Shen Cuixi's execution arrived. Shu Fang and Ren Rufeng had tried to persuade Zeng Baoqin to take Xiushan away, but Zeng Baoqin entrusted Xiushan to them instead. Shen Cuixi waited in prison until dawn; when the jailers led her out, a small wooden figure dropped from her hand.
On the same morning, Fu Shen, despite her husband's repeated attempts to stop her, resolutely broke free and went door-to-door, rousing the local weavers to go to the execution ground and support Shen Cuixi. Meanwhile, Cao Wenbin had gathered Suzhou weaving elites the night before, warning them against interfering. Shu Fang and Ren Rufeng prepared to take Xiushan to the countryside, but though young, Xiushan knew it was his mother's day of tribulation.
He knelt and cried, begging them to take him to the execution ground to see his mother one last time, prompting Ren Rufeng to carry him back towards the city. Shen Cuixi was then paraded to the execution ground, where many Suzhou common people and weavers who had received her kindness had gathered. Seeing Ren Rufeng, Shu Fang, and Xiushan among the crowd, Shen Cuixi felt deep distress, not wanting her son to witness her in such a state.
As the appointed hour arrived, Cao Wenbin ordered the execution to proceed. Zeng Baoqin requested to approach Shen Cuixi and feed her a final mouthful of food, which Cao Wenbin, pleased at the imminent execution, allowed.
Shen Cuixi worried for Zeng Baoqin, but Zeng Baoqin, taking a gamble, declared before all the Suzhou people that Shen Cuixi was innocent, guaranteeing it with her own life and vowing to share Shen Cuixi's fate if she were truly guilty of killing her husband. Ren Rufeng and Shu Fang also knelt, guaranteeing Shen Cuixi's innocence with their lives. The common people outside the execution ground also knelt, shouting for justice and demanding a halt to the execution.
Even the executioner, a compassionate man, knelt and pleaded with Cao Wenbin to stop the proceedings due to the outcry, fearing for everyone's lives. Cao Wenbin, however, was determined to eliminate Shen Cuixi and ordered the execution to continue, falsely claiming that the deceased Ren Xuetang was the innocent party. At this critical moment, Ren Xuetang appeared, running towards the scene wearing a straw hat.
Upon removing it, he was recognized by everyone as Ren Xuetang, questioning what crime Shen Cuixi had committed. Cao Wenbin was terrified and ordered his Shiye to verify the identity of the person before them. The Suzhou citizens all attested to Ren Xuetang's identity, and when Cao Wenbin's Shiye attempted to twist the facts, Governor Wu arrived with his retinue.
Governor Wu confirmed Ren Xuetang's identity, stating that he was already aware of the case and, acting on behalf of the Emperor, was there to pacify the people and severely punish the cruel and corrupt Cao Wenbin. He immediately ordered his men to the prefectural yamen to arrest Cao Wenbin. Ren Xuetang rushed onto the execution ground, where he saw Shen Cuixi beaten, bloodied, and disfigured. He quickly took off his cloak to cover her, but Shen Cuixi instinctively recoiled.
Slowly, she began to accept the reality that Ren Xuetang was alive, then furiously punched him repeatedly, releasing her pent-up frustration. Ren Xuetang embraced her, his eyes filled with guilt and pity. Meanwhile, Cao Wenbin frantically rushed back to the prefectural yamen, pulling his wife to pack valuables and escape, but he was apprehended and arrested by Governor Wu at the door.
Elsewhere, Ding Rong informed Li Zhao that Ren Xuetang had returned alive, causing Li Zhao to freeze, his recent joy over acquiring the double-sided kesi technique vanishing instantly. Ren Xuetang and Zeng Baoqin escorted Shen Cuixi back to the Ren manor, where Shu Fang brought a brazier for Shen Cuixi to step over as she re-entered the house. Ren Xuetang saw Xiushan, surprised at how grown his son was, unsure how to interact with him.
Xiushan, initially disbelieving and hiding from his father, soon cried, asking why his father had taken so long to return and where he had been all these years. Ren Xuetang, crying, embraced his son after more than seven years. Zeng Baoqin helped Shen Cuixi bathe, and seeing the wounds on her back, Zeng Baoqin shed tears. Shen Cuixi had been to the brink of death, and her mindset had changed significantly.
Despite being lifelong rivals, their shared hardships deepened their bond, and they felt as if they were back in their youth, holding hands while weaving kesi. Later, in the main hall, Ren Xuetang claimed that upon his return, he immediately heard of Shen Cuixi's predicament and sought out Governor Wu to obtain justice for the Ren family, asserting that he had arrived just in time.
When Zeng Baoqin asked where he had been all these years, Ren Xuetang claimed he had been chasing Zhang Biao, drifting at sea for many years and encountering many strange things. Both Shen Cuixi and Zeng Baoqin saw through his lies but did not expose him. Ren Rufeng also pressed Ren Xuetang about his whereabouts. Ren Xuetang repeated his story about chasing Zhang Biao and getting lost in the vast ocean. Enraged, Ren Rufeng overturned his wine, disbelieving him.
He questioned Ren Xuetang if he knew what had transpired in the past seven years: his mother had died, Shen Cuixi had nearly been executed, Li Zhao and Cao Wenbin had relentlessly persecuted them, and the clan members had been opportunistic. Ren Xuetang offered a weak apology, admitting his pain and that he had wanted to return countless times but feared his return would shatter the family.
He recalled being a mischievous child when he first met Shen Cuixi and his old madam instructing him to treat Shen Cuixi well for life, yet Shen Cuixi's diligence made him feel inferior. Shen Cuixi's every word and action adhered strictly to the rules, while Zeng Baoqin, lively and understanding, could communicate with him with just a glance. He regarded Zeng Baoqin as his lifelong love, having promised her a life together. He felt he could not forsake Shen Cuixi, who lived by the rules, nor could he betray Zeng Baoqin, his soulmate.
