The First Jasmine Episode 1 Recap
> The First Jasmine Recaps
Ye Li, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Ye family and a descendant of Lishan, returns to her family's mansion after spending eight years in the mountains. Her homecoming is marked by a sudden, disappointing turn of events regarding her betrothal. Originally promised to the influential Prince Li, Mo Jingli, her marriage has been swapped.
She is now destined to marry the crippled Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao, while Mo Jingli is set to marry her younger sister, Ye Ying, on the exact same day. Reflecting on her return, Ye Li muses that while years pass unnoticed in the quiet mountains, she is glad to finally be back. As Ye Li rests and drinks her medicine, chaos erupts near the Yanru Pond.
Ye Rong, the young son of her stepmother Ms. Wang, accidentally falls into the water. Although the mansion's servants manage to rescue him quickly, a major crisis is discovered in the aftermath. The imperial plaque bestowed by the late Emperor, bearing the words "Family of Charity" and hung in the grand hall, has vanished in the brief window of the rescue. The eldest uncle, Ye Wending, and other family elders gather to address the missing plaque.
Suspecting an inside job, one of the family elders suggests that someone who despises the family stole it to prove they do not deserve such an imperial honor. Ye Wending reasons that a plaque of that size could not have been smuggled out of the mansion unnoticed and must still be hidden inside. He orders Captain Li Feibai to conduct a thorough search of the entire estate.
Captain Li's search leads his men to the Western Courtyard, where they demand to inspect the dowry chests in Ye Li's quarters. Her maid tries to stop them, explaining these are her mistress's private belongings, but Captain Li insists on his orders. Ye Li steps out and calmly informs the guards that the chests contain the dowries left by her late mother, Xu Wanzhou, and she does not have the keys.
She uses this disruption to her advantage, demanding to be taken to the elders to resolve the matter. In the grand hall, Ye Li faces her father, Ye Wenhua, whom she has not seen in the two months since she returned. She uses the pretext of the missing plaque to demand the keys to the chests from Ms. Wang, who has been keeping them. Ms. Wang hesitates, claiming that opening the dowry chests before the wedding is bad luck.
However, one of the family elders insists on measuring the chests, noting that the precious Duyou Zither, crafted by Master Su over seven years, is three chi and five cun long, while the imperial plaque is about four chi. Since the chest is exceptionally large, it could easily conceal the missing plaque. Forced to hand over the keys, Ms. Wang's deceit is exposed when the chest is opened.
Instead of her mother's legendary Duyou Zither, it contains an ordinary, cheap instrument. Caught in a lie, Ms. Wang awkwardly claims she mixed up Ye Li's dowry with Ye Ying's. Seizing the opportunity before the assembled elders, Ye Li demands a full inventory and handover of all the lands, deeds, shops, and treasures her mother left behind. To protect her reputation from accusations of theft, Ms. Wang is forced to comply.
Soon after, Captain Li retrieves the missing imperial plaque from the Western Courtyard pond, saving the family from disaster. That night, Ye Li's maids celebrate her reclaimed wealth, but Ye Li remains reflective. Later, young Ye Rong sneaks into her courtyard. Unlike his superficial mother, Ye Rong reveals he fell into the pond on purpose to create a distraction, allowing Ye Li to reclaim her rightful dowry.
When Ye Rong warns her that Prince Ding is a cripple and her future looks bleak, Ye Li remains unfazed. Reflecting on her tutor's words about her mother, she wonders why her brilliant mother chose her father, who possessed little more than a handsome face. On the day of the wedding, both Ye Li and Ye Ying dress in their bridal finery.
The family is in high spirits, though the elderly, senile matriarch of the family mistakes Ye Li for her late mother, Xu Wanzhou, weeping that she hasn't seen her in a long time. As both brides prepare to leave, a conflict arises outside. Prince Li's massive wedding procession blocks the narrow alley, preventing Prince Ding's procession from entering. To avoid missing the auspicious hour, Ye Li's uncle suggests letting Ye Ying leave first.
Displeased with the favoritism, another relative points out the unfairness, prompting Ye Wenhua to propose a compromise. Ye Li can walk out on felt mats laid along the ground. As long as the bride’s feet do not touch the bare earth, the custom is preserved. Ye Li bids farewell to her father and stepmother.
She recalls how she was once betrothed to Prince Li to escape the mountain, only for him to beg the Empress Dowager to marry Ye Ying instead. While the Empress Dowager agreed and reassigned Ye Li to Prince Ding, Ye Li is simply glad to have finally left the mountain. Ye Li is escorted by Mo Wuyou, Prince Ding’s nephew, who apologizes for the simplified ceremony due to his uncle's physical condition.
Upon arriving at Prince Ding’s Mansion, Ye Li waits as the auspicious hour passes with no sign of the groom. Learning that Mo Xiuyao is in his study, she decides to find him herself, guided by Steward Cui. In the study, Ye Li finds Mo Xiuyao copying sutras. Struck by his handsome features, she suddenly understands why her mother fell for her father's good looks despite his flaws.
She introduces herself, offers him a sweet pastry, and convinces him to complete their wedding. However, as they try to leave, Director Lv Cheng of the Bureau of Astronomy blocks their path, claiming the mansion's history of bloodshed has brought a divine curse—manifesting as Mo Xiuyao's leg injury, Ms. Wen's chronic illness, and the young lord's bad behavior—which can only be resolved by daily sutra copying.
Unimpressed, Ye Li threatens to call off the wedding and return to Lishan, forcing Lv Cheng to back down. She then wheels Mo Xiuyao to the main hall, where they perform the formal bows before Ms. Wen and the guests. In the bridal chamber, Ye Li tries to show kindness, offering him food and wine, but Mo Xiuyao responds with bitter cynicism, asking if she wants to see how a crippled man consummates a marriage.
When Ye Li offers him a gift and expresses her gratitude for his willingness to marry her—allowing her to finally leave Lishan when others shunned it—Mo Xiuyao suddenly feigns a painful fit, startling her. Once he calms down, Mo Xiuyao drops the act and warns her that Prince Ding's Mansion is a dangerous place. He advises her to hide her cleverness and admits he has no interest in this marriage.
He offers a pact: they can live in peaceful indifference, or, if she wishes, he will grant her a divorce in a year so they can part ways without any lingering ties.
