My Heroic Husband Episode 18 Recap
> My Heroic Husband Recap
Ning Yi and his companions, oblivious to the growing unrest outside their secluded courtyard, celebrated their ambitious plans for Lin'an. Ning Yi outlined their strategy to open a branch of Zhu near the local government office after securing key city streets, envisioning a thriving future. As his friends vied for the position of shopkeeper, Ning Yi surprised them all by entrusting the role to Guard Geng.
Ning Yi explained his decision, praising Guard Geng's talent as a writer and emphasizing that the new position would provide him with valuable experiences necessary to enrich his storytelling. Guard Geng was deeply touched by Ning Yi's unexpected foresight and care, especially when Ning Yi encouraged him to consider his own happiness and marry the woman he loved. While the group raised toasts to Zhu and Lin'an, outside their joyful gathering, a terrifying reality unfolded.
Bandits had violently breached Lin'an's North Gate, immediately descending into a brutal campaign of plunder, burning, and killing, and were about to enter the Prefecture Yamen. The city's officials desperately mobilized the Wude Camp to defend the government office and protect the powder magazine. Amidst the spreading terror, Grand Tutor He, in a stark contrast to the city's plight, appeared unsettlingly content and restless, enjoying the night sky, seemingly excited by the chaos.
The following morning, Ning Yi, still hazy from the night's revelry, ventured out for breakfast. He initially mistook the numerous bodies littering the streets for drunken revellers, even scolding some for sleeping in broad daylight. However, the sight of blood quickly shattered his illusions, revealing the grim reality of a city devastated by the bandit invasion. He cautiously returned to his small courtyard, which had also been infiltrated by bandits.
Outnumbered, Ning Yi, Guard Geng, and their companions were forced to hide and use fire-guns to fend off the intruders. Shortly after, Lou Shuwan arrived, having braved the perilous streets to bring them food. She explained that bandits were specifically targeting merchants, making it dangerous for them to venture out. Lou Shuwan, confident in her ability to navigate the city's narrow alleys unnoticed, then delivered the dire news: the Wude Camp was struggling, and Lin'an had likely fallen.
She confirmed that all four city gates were under bandit control, leaving no apparent escape route. As they absorbed this bleak information, bandits detected their presence in the courtyard, forcing them to prepare for another confrontation. Just as Ning Yi's group braced for impact, the distinct sound of gunpowder explosions erupted outside, followed by the unexpected appearance of General Yuan Dingqi of the Wude Camp, who had cleared the immediate threat.
General Yuan informed them of the overwhelming number of bandits, confirming them as Fang Tianlei's formidable forces, and relayed the Wude Camp's new defensive orders: to protect Lin'an while evacuating civilians. He revealed a potential escape route – a wharf north of the city, accessible via a narrow gate on the west, where boats would be waiting. Relieved, Ning Yi and his friends expressed gratitude and began preparing to leave, some humorously anticipating their return home.
Lou Shuwan, however, insisted on returning to her own home first to gather her father and brother before joining them at the wharf, and Ning Yi asked General Yuan to escort her to ensure her safety. Meanwhile, within the bandit ranks, Commander Liu Xigua confronted her subordinates for abducting women, expressing strong disapproval despite their attempts to justify it by citing Commander Bao Wenhan's preferences. She quickly sought out Bao Wenhan, finding him in crude revelry with captured women.
Liu Xigua sharply criticized his actions, arguing that his widespread looting and abduction were creating deep public resentment in Lin'an, their intended base. She reminded him that her Badao Camp had opened the city gates for his Xuanwei Camp not for such atrocities.
Bao Wenhan defiantly stated that his camp's role was to acquire wealth, not maintain public order, and asserted that all his actions were sanctioned by the Holy Master, daring Liu Xigua to seek recourse from him directly upon his expected arrival that night. Enraged, Liu Xigua sliced a table in half, vowing to personally intervene against anyone causing further chaos.
Separately, Liu Xigua also displayed a surprisingly compassionate side, correcting a child who called her "uncle" to instead call her "brother," and advising the family to lock their doors, store food, and protect each other, even in her absence. Ning Yi, amidst the preparations for departure, tried to give Su Tan'er the dagger bestowed upon him by Right Chancellor Qin Siyuan for her protection. Unaccustomed to weaponry, she declined, fearing it might fall into enemy hands.
General Yuan Dingqi, observing their exchange, immediately recognized the dagger as Qin Siyuan's personal blade, a symbol of authority for the Commander-in-Chief of the Secret Investigation Department. He respectfully saluted Ning Yi as "Commander Ning," proclaiming him the future hope of the department, and implored him to stay and lead the defense of Lin'an. Ning Yi initially protested, citing his status as a mere matrilocal husband, but his indecision was cut short by a signal flare in the sky.
General Yuan revealed that the flare signaled the death of Chen Damu, Commander Bao Wenhan's vice general, in Taiping Alley, indicating that all city bandits were now converging on their position. With the main powder magazine lost and only four remaining boxes of gunpowder, General Yuan prepared to sacrifice himself to buy precious time for civilians to reach the wharf. However, Ning Yi, recognizing the futility of such a small sacrifice against overwhelming odds, made a swift decision.
Despite Su Tan'er's tearful pleas, he ordered Guard Geng to take her to safety at the wharf. Ning Yi then took command, rallying the Wude Camp soldiers for a decisive last stand, wielding Qin Siyuan's dagger as a symbol of his authority. News of Lin'an's fall quickly reached the imperial court, igniting a fierce debate among ministers.
One faction advocated for an immediate northern expedition against a supposedly weakened Jing, while others warned against the dangers of a two-front war, citing Lin'an's strategic importance as a military stronghold and granary, especially with bandits having seized firearms. The Emperor, caught in the dilemma, remained secluded in his chambers, unwilling to face his officials.
He acknowledged his decree to conquer Jing but expressed deep concern that losing Lin'an would severely impact the nation's food supply, thus delaying any northern military action. Right Chancellor Qin offered a comprehensive plan, suggesting a two-pronged attack with a main army heading north and a forbidden army moving south to support Lin'an, promising swift victory and the consolidation of all available gunpowder for the northern campaign.
Yet, the Emperor, though praising Qin's foresight, merely dismissed the court session, postponing any decision. Meanwhile, Grand Tutor He, fully aware of the court's deadlock and Qin Siyuan's frustrated private meeting with the Emperor, remained outwardly unperturbed, even meticulously ordering a subordinate to acquire a sweet cake with red beans, emphasizing the need for ice to keep it fresh, a stark display of his calculated indifference amidst the national crisis.
Back in Lin'an, Ning Yi sat calmly atop a gunpowder box, eating noodles, having already devised a plan to leverage their limited explosives against the approaching bandit horde. Su Tan'er's group, attempting to reach the wharf under escort, was ambushed. Their accompanying officers were quickly overwhelmed and killed, leaving the civilians exposed.
Seeing Su Tan'er in peril, the four trembling brothers from the Academy of Male Virtuousness courageously stepped forward, shouting challenges to divert the bandits' attention, allowing Su Tan'er and Guard Geng to continue their escape to the wharf. Soon after, Commander Bao Wenhan arrived with a large contingent of bandits at Taiping Alley, confronting Ning Yi. He demanded to know if Ning Yi was responsible for Chen Damu's death, to which Ning Yi, unfazed, merely chastised him for interrupting his meal.
