My Heroic Husband Episode 8 Recap
> My Heroic Husband Recap
Ning Yi reflected on Su Tan'er's unexpected kiss from the previous night, unable to fathom its meaning. He went to the Academy of Male Virtuousness seeking advice from his friends. Posing it as a question about a friend whose wife suddenly kissed him without warning, Ning Yi received a flurry of confused and contradictory suggestions.
Some thought it was a sign of a hidden wrongdoing by the husband, while others believed the wife might be seeking a male companion, given that matrilocal husbands traditionally defer to their wives. Ning Yi found their discussions chaotic and unhelpful, leaving him still puzzled. At the Academy, Prince Consort Kang Xian highly praised Ning Yi, noting his refreshingly genuine demeanor.
Unlike others who flattered him while secretly mocking his status as a matrilocal husband, Kang Xian found Ning Yi's directness appealing, remarking that those who do not flatter others are often the most honest. Kang Xian revealed he had merely given Ning Yi the blueprints for the Puyuuan Garden and offered some guidance, jokingly adding that Ning Yi often helped him win at chess against Qin Siyuan, so he felt obligated to reciprocate.
Qin Siyuan also expressed his admiration, marveling at Ning Yi's unexpected knowledge of music and poetry. He observed the Su family's dazzling performance at the poetry meeting, feeling a sense of satisfaction in witnessing the rise of a new generation, like 'the new wave pushing the old'. In the fifth year of Jinghan, the Jing Kingdom rose to power, engaging in repeated conflicts with the Liang Kingdom, aiming to monopolize the annual tribute from the Wu Dynasty.
The northern regions suffered greatly from the ongoing warfare, leading to widespread misery. In the capital of Wudu, Emperor Zhou Zhe listened to his ministers debate the dire situation. Some advocated for an immediate alliance with Jing, while others pressed for military intervention to reclaim lost territories from both warring sides, seizing a strategic advantage. However, the Emperor, weary of the incessant arguments and reminded of a past forced alliance that caused great suffering, dismissed his ministers.
He decided to postpone any military action and temporarily suspend the annual tribute of cloth to Liang. Unbeknownst to many, Grand Tutor He Yuanchang, having anticipated the Emperor's decision, was already making his own moves. While leisurely fishing in the imperial garden, he instructed his subordinates, including Commandant Song and Commissioner Han, to travel to Jiangning to find new suppliers and secure an order of 500,000 bolts of tributary cloth, hinting at a deeper strategic game beyond mere acquisition.
Back in Jiangning, Ning Yi visited the Su Cloth Store. He found Manager Xi arguing with employees who, having benefited from Ning Yi's training, now held him in high regard, treating his words as law. Manager Xi, feeling undermined, was visibly displeased. Su Tan'er, seeing Ning Yi, became noticeably shy.
To the delight of the staff, she announced a reward of a piece of Moon Silk fabric for each employee to make clothes for their wives or daughters, subtly encouraging the unmarried ones to express their affection to their beloved. After the employees dispersed, Ning Yi seized the opportunity to quickly lean in and give Su Tan'er a swift kiss, mirroring her earlier gesture. Su Tan'er giggled with delight, while observant staff members exchanged knowing glances.
Meanwhile, Wu Qihao, still seething from Ning Yi's triumph at the poetry meeting, met with Manager Xi, attempting to lure him away from the Su family. Wu Qihao offered Manager Xi an opportunity to join the Wu family, hinting at a significant business deal on the horizon, playing on Manager Xi's current discontent and suggesting it was better to switch allegiance before being completely ousted from the Su family.
Elsewhere, Ning Yi visited Nie Yunzhu's food stall to thank her for her help at the poetry meeting. He met Nie Yunzhu’s younger sister, Yuan, and decided to try Nie Yunzhu's new pancake, only to find it terribly unappetizing. Sensing their financial struggles, Ning Yi offered Nie Yunzhu a recipe for making preserved eggs, a more profitable venture, suggesting she sell them instead of pancakes.
Later, Ning Yi returned to the Academy of Male Virtuousness, where he joined Qin Siyuan and Prince Consort Kang Xian for a game of chess. He lightheartedly commented on the intense, almost warlike, atmosphere of their game, attributing it to a friendly wager for a meal. Ning Yi then proposed a similar wager for himself and Kang Xian, the loser fetching the chairs.
He humorously reminded Kang Xian, the Prince Consort, that he shouldn't hold a grudge over chair-fetching and also downplayed his own newfound fame as a poet, crediting the original compositions to "Mr. Su" and admitting his own limited poetic abilities. The imperial envoys arrived in Jiangning. Commandant Song was warmly welcomed by the Wu family, quickly reaching an agreement to supply tribute cloth.
Song informed the Wu family that the Grand Tutor's decision to seek new suppliers in Jiangning, instead of the established Lou family in Lin'an, was a strategic move to renegotiate prices. Separately, Commissioner Han, Su Wenxing’s maternal uncle, met privately with the Second Master's family at the Xinmen Brothel.
He revealed that Liang’s defeat in the northern war was imminent, which would nullify Wu’s current alliance with Liang and lead to a new, more demanding agreement with Jing, inevitably increasing the demand for tribute cloth. Commissioner Han advised the Second Master’s family to aggressively hoard silk from Jiangbei, ensuring they would profit from the increased demand and warning them to be wary of Su Tan'er.
Su Tan'er received a letter from her friend Lou Shuwan, revealing that the court might increase the quota for tribute cloth for Jing. This news coincided with her uncle, Commissioner Han, arriving for a family dinner. At the dinner, Commissioner Han openly mocked Ning Yi’s status as a matrilocal husband, questioning his right to sit at the table and suggesting it would damage his own official reputation.
Ning Yi, incensed, retorted sharply, causing a tense exchange before he dramatically threw his wine and left. Later, when the Elder Master inquired about the rumored increase in tribute cloth, Commissioner Han feigned ignorance, claiming business was as usual. This made Su Tan'er suspicious, as it contradicted Lou Shuwan's information. She confided in Ning Yi, suspecting her uncle intended to secretly hand the lucrative tribute cloth business to the Second Master’s family.
Ning Yi confirmed her suspicions, revealing he had overheard Commissioner Han and Su Wenxing discussing a corrupt deal to monopolize the Jiangbei silk and earn illicit profits. Despite her indignation at their dishonest tactics, Su Tan'er was resolute. She declared her determination to compete for the tribute cloth business, confident that her superior fabric and honest dealings would prevail. While Ning Yi agreed to support her, he had not yet devised a concrete plan.
However, he suggested that they could still secure the silk from Jiangnan. Su Tan'er grew anxious, realizing she needed to secure the Jiangnan silk before the Second Master’s family could. But they were unaware that Wu Qihao was also actively acquiring all available silk from Jiangnan.
Driven by his deep obsession with Su Tan'er and his burning desire to crush Ning Yi, Wu Qihao was willing to pay any price to monopolize the silk supply, aiming to leave the Su Cloth Store without raw materials for the crucial tribute cloth order. He was determined to ensure the Su family would be unable to compete.
