My Heroic Husband Episode 16 Recap
> My Heroic Husband Recap
As Ning Yi made preparations for his upcoming journey, Su Zhongkan and his son, Su Wenxing, approached him, offering an anti-bug balm for his trip south, where they claimed poisonous insects were rampant. Ning Yi, seeing through their feigned generosity, directly asked what they wanted. Su Zhongkan explained that since Ning Yi had closed all of Su’s Cloth Store, they had been idle and wished for some work, with Su Wenxing complaining of his mind growing dull.
Ning Yi initially refused, stating there were enough hands. However, the father and son desperately pleaded, promising to undertake any task, no matter how arduous. Convinced by their earnestness, Ning Yi suggested they seek employment at Nie Yunzhu’s newly opened Zhu Restaurant, which was in need of staff. Overjoyed, the two men expressed their gratitude, believing Ning Yi was testing their humility.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Nie Yunzhu confirmed Ning Yi’s introduction but expressed concern the work might be beneath them. Su Zhongkan, dismissing such worries, insisted they were willing to do anything and eagerly donned the restaurant’s uniform, enthusiastically greeting customers and even reprimanding his son for trying to take over. Su Tan’er embarked on her first distant journey. Her mother had prepared an excessive amount of supplies, reminding her to write letters frequently.
Ning Yi reassured his mother-in-law that he would care for Su Tan’er. Though her father did not come to see them off in person, he sent a servant with a pouch. Su Tan’er later opened it to find a small pair of scissors. She recounted that these were from her childhood, given by her father to make clothes for her dolls.
As she grew older, she dreamed of owning her own cloth store, a desire her father strongly opposed, and the scissors had mysteriously disappeared. Ning Yi told her that her father returning the scissors now signified his heartfelt acceptance of her aspirations. Unseen by them, her father had watched their carriage recede into the distance from a mountainside before finally turning for home.
In the imperial capital, Right Chancellor Qin Siyuan’s influence was widespread, with many high-ranking officials, including Minister of War Tan Chen, Minister of Works Liu Juyuan, Vice Minister of Revenue He You, Vice Minister of War Wu Min, and Minister of Works Yan Daozhang, being his former students. They were gathered at his mansion, eager for the imminent northern expedition against Jing.
Meanwhile, in his own residence, Grand Tutor He remained calm amidst the urgency, telling his aide that they needed to be patient for the "fish to bite the hook." Soon after, an imperial edict arrived, summoning Grand Tutor He to court. The Emperor, surprised by Grand Tutor He’s prompt and humble acceptance after decades of absence, inquired about the process. His eunuch confirmed that Grand Tutor He had indeed knelt respectfully and promised to attend court early.
The eunuch then presented a special rice cake, homemade by Grand Tutor He, who ostensibly wished to ease the Emperor’s burden from tirelessly governing the nation. The Emperor, after a brief look, promptly gifted the delicacy to his eunuch. Ning Yi and his companions began their journey, relying on Guard Geng’s self-drawn map. Ning Yi initially praised the map for its detailed listings of scenic spots and local delicacies.
Their first stop, a place marked for plum syrup, turned out to be an outhouse. Guard Geng tried to explain it away, but an elderly local confirmed it had always been an outhouse. Undeterred, Guard Geng led them to the "Fanghuachi Spring," which was nothing more than a shallow puddle. Exasperated, Ning Yi and Chan told Guard Geng to return to Jiangning with his "crap map."
Guard Geng insisted the water was warm and urged them to dig for the true spring. Ning Yi, refusing to indulge him further, declared that trusting Guard Geng had been his life's biggest mistake. Guard Geng then begged for another chance, suggesting they go west to Chaoyin Cave, promising ancient wonders and mountain delicacies. Ning Yi, however, decided to head east to "Ziluo Sea," believing a large body of water couldn't be a fabrication.
As they departed, Guard Geng excitedly pointed out that water was indeed bubbling from the "puddle" he had dug, but his calls went unheard. Their eastward journey led them to "Ziluo Sea," which was a sheer cliff. Guard Geng, pointing to seashells, argued it was "evidence" of a prehistoric sea, but eventually admitted his entire map was concocted from a novel, "Classic of Mountains and Seas."
Frustrated beyond measure, Ning Yi declared they would go directly to Lin'an, which Chan confirmed was a real city, as Su Tan'er was born there. Simultaneously, in the outskirts of Lin'an, a swordsman named Chen Fan intercepted four farmers, instructing his men to exchange clothes with them and adopt their guise, while he settled into a sedan chair for travel. That night, they reached Lin'an's North City Gate, only to find it sealed.
Ning Yi, irritated, boasted he possessed Right Chancellor Qin Siyuan’s personal dagger, claiming it could open any gate, even those of the imperial palace. However, the guards on the wall, unable to see the dagger in the dark, brusquely told him to leave, threatening to shoot arrows. With no other option, they sought lodging at a house outside the city walls.
An elderly woman initially suspected them of being bandits but let them in after Ning Yi assured her of their good intentions. She offered them a small upstairs room, which could not accommodate everyone. Ning Yi arranged for Su Tan’er and Chan to share the room, while he and Guard Geng would sleep on the floor downstairs. Inside, Chan asked Su Tan’er when she had fallen in love with Ning Yi.
Su Tan’er mused that it had happened naturally and gradually, explaining that love meant constantly thinking of the other person, wishing to see them day and night, and being unable to sleep from missing them. Chan loudly repeated this to Ning Yi, who, despite his own longing, remained downstairs due to the lack of space. As Ning Yi tried to rest, Guard Geng's unruly sleeping habits made it impossible.
Ning Yi got up, and seeing him awake, Guard Geng also rose and presented a few pages of a novel he was writing, asking for Ning Yi’s critique. Ning Yi noted its brevity, and Guard Geng admitted he was stuck. Ning Yi advised him that truly great writing required vast life experience, "seeing all walks of life."
Guard Geng then confessed his previous tales of a wandering swordsman’s life were fabrications; he was simply a poor man who, unable to conduct business, became a guard in the Su family. He admitted he gained worldly knowledge only through novels and expressed profound admiration for Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's business success, wishing for such capabilities in a future life. Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by sounds of fighting emanating from the forest.
Ning Yi, instructing Guard Geng to stay behind and watch over Su Tan’er, stealthily followed the commotion. He discovered a fierce battle between soldiers and bandits. He noticed a young girl, Liu Xigua, calmly perched in a tree, eating watermelon and observing the conflict. Ning Yi advised her to go home, as the area was dangerous, but she vanished the moment he turned his head.
Without hesitation, Ning Yi fired his firearm into a tree, the loud blast bringing the chaotic fight to a sudden halt. He confronted the bandits, chastising them for attacking imperial soldiers. When asked for his name, Ning Yi boldly declared himself "Wu Qihao of Jiangning," daring them to leave or face his "bullets." Intimidated by the unfamiliar weapon, the bandits retreated, with Ning Yi mockingly shouting after them to seek revenge in Jiangning.
A Captain from the Wude Camp, Yuan Dingqi, approached and thanked "Wu Qihao" for his timely intervention. Ning Yi then clarified his true identity as Ning Yi, courtesy name Liheng, explaining that "Wu Qihao" was merely the name of his rival in love, a revelation that amused Yuan Dingqi.
Yuan Dingqi identified the attackers as a notorious group of "bandits," their primary leader being Xu Fang, a formidable fighter known for his dual knives, and their ultimate chief, Liu Dabiao, also called "Lord of Sword," a rough individual recognized for his full beard and chest hair. Ning Yi admitted he hadn’t noticed the chest hair. Yuan Dingqi reiterated his gratitude, offering Ning Yi assistance at the Wude Camp if he ever encountered trouble in Lin'an, before departing.
Ning Yi assured him he would cover their retreat. In the imperial court, Right Chancellor Qin Siyuan and his allied ministers, including Tan Chen and Liu Juyuan, vigorously urged the Emperor to immediately sanction the northern expedition, emphasizing that General Dong’s forces were prepared. Their impassioned pleas were cut short by the unexpected arrival of Grand Tutor He, who had long been absent from court.
After a respectful greeting, Grand Tutor He, having been granted a seat, declared his intention to impeach Right Chancellor Qin Siyuan. A brief commotion ensued, with some officials defending Qin Siyuan’s loyalty and others upholding Grand Tutor He’s authority. The Emperor intervened, silencing the debate, and demanded to know Qin Siyuan’s crime. Grand Tutor He accused Qin Siyuan of "deceiving the Emperor," citing the existence of a secretly built powder magazine in Lin'an as evidence.
He pressed the Emperor on whether he had been aware of this facility before Qin Siyuan’s return to power, to which the Emperor admitted his ignorance. Grand Tutor He then argued that constructing such a massive armory without imperial consent constituted an undeniable act of deceit. As the Emperor sought his ministers' counsel, many echoed Grand Tutor He’s sentiment, condemning Qin Siyuan’s "arrogance" and demanding punishment according to imperial law.
Amidst the rising clamor for his downfall, Qin Siyuan stepped forward, knelt before the Emperor, and calmly accepted his guilt. He confessed to deceiving His Majesty and secretly manufacturing gunpowder after his four-year retirement. He acknowledged his crimes of usurpation and deceit deserved death, and, recognizing his high position as Right Chancellor, accepted that his guilt was compounded, meriting the implication of his entire family.
