Resumo do episódio 35 de A Splendid Match
> Resumos de A Splendid Match
Grand Secretary Fu Hailian visited the recovering Chen Yanyun, advising him to rest and leave the investigation of his assassination attempt to the authorities. He promised that if Wang Xuanfan were proven to be the mastermind, he would face full justice despite his high standing. Once Fu Hailian left, Gu Jinzhao entered the room. Chen Yanyun revealed to her that he had confronted his mentor about the severe waterway corruption involving six administrators who were Wang Xuanfan's disciples.
However, Fu Hailian had merely dismissed the corruption as a bit excessive. Realizing how deeply his mentor was entangled with Wang Xuanfan, Chen Yanyun knew they had to take precautions. Gu Jinzhao suggested they temporarily return to Tongzhou to regroup, while also keeping their businesses and family members safe. Back at his own residence, Fu Hailian was consumed by fury.
He ranted to his wife, Madam Fu, about Chen Yanyun's insolence, feeling threatened by his student's control over the Ministry of Revenue. Chen Yanyun had practically threatened him with a massive purge in the Huai region if Wang Xuanfan was not prosecuted, which would drag down half the court. Unable to stop Chen Yanyun if he acted, Fu Hailian sent his associate, Zhang Qi, to the Wang residence with a message.
He advised Wang Xuanfan to temporarily step down, return home to recuperate, and wait for the political storm to blow over before resuming office. Though bitter, Wang Xuanfan had no choice but to comply. Chen Yanyun and Gu Jinzhao traveled back to Tongzhou. There, Gu Jinzhao was surprised to find numerous crates filled with decade-old records from the Bureau of Justice.
Chen Yanyun explained that during the late Prince Chengqing's rebellion ten years ago, the prince had bribed the Bureau to compile compromising files on court officials. While working at the Water Transport Office, Chen Yanyun had intercepted these records. He believed that since Fu Hailian went to such lengths to protect Wang Xuanfan, Wang Xuanfan must possess significant leverage over him, and the answers lay within these files.
Going through the documents, Chen Yanyun pointed out a record from the Jingning era: Wang Xuanfan's steward, Wang Nian'en, had attended a ritual with Prince Chengqing's chief steward, Zhou Feng, hosted by Recluse Yuyang, Liu Heng. Afterward, Wang Nian'en had sent valuable gifts to Fu Hailian's residence. This prompted Chen Yanyun to ask Gu Jinzhao if she was familiar with the Chunyuan Cult. Meanwhile, back in the capital, someone threw a stone wrapped with a warning into Fu Hailian's residence.
Fu Hailian discussed the situation with Madam Fu, realizing that the Emperor had recalled Commander Ye Xian of the Xuanfeng Guard to lead the investigation into Chen Yanyun's attack. Fu Hailian knew that Ye Xian would not side with them. At the same time, Wang Xuanfan and Madam Wang were packed up and arguing bitterly, with Madam Wang blaming her husband's stubborn political feud for their sudden downfall. Before they could leave the capital, tragedy struck.
Ye Xian arrived at the Wang residence only to find Wang Xuanfan, Madam Wang, and their steward, Wang Nian'en, already dead. Chen Yanyun and Gu Jinzhao arrived at the crime scene shortly after. To test whether Chen Yanyun was faking his recovery, Ye Xian suddenly punched him in the chest, only to realize the wound was entirely real.
Turning their attention to the bodies, the investigator explained that Wang Xuanfan and his wife had succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal, while the steward had been strangled to death. Gu Jinzhao noticed a self-inflicted pinch wound on the steward's thumb. Ye Xian then demonstrated the bizarre hand gesture the steward's left hand had been frozen in when found. Chen Yanyun immediately recognized it as a signature gesture of the Chunyuan Cult.
In the imperial court, Fu Hailian seized the opportunity to accuse Chen Yanyun of the murders, arguing that Chen possessed the high-level martial skills and a strong motive to eliminate Wang Xuanfan. However, Chen Yanyun unexpectedly entered the hall, fully recovered and mocking those who questioned his health, such as Su. He confronted Fu Hailian in front of the Emperor, demanding to know why his mentor had protected Wang Xuanfan despite clear evidence of his massive corruption.
Chen Yanyun went as far as to reveal a drunken confession from Wang Xuanfan, who had claimed that the infamous bran-for-grain scheme was actually Fu Hailian's idea to bring down Fan Chuan, and that Wang Xuanfan's cuts were taken on Fu Hailian's behalf. Although Fu Hailian furiously dismissed the claims as drunken slander and ordered the Three Judicial Offices to arrest Chen Yanyun, Ye Xian suddenly burst into the court with critical evidence.
He revealed that the dead steward had the Chunyuan Cult's Fearless emblem tattooed on his back. Ye Xian explained that while the cult had been mostly eradicated after Prince Chengqing's failed rebellion, some remnants had fled to the Northern Barbarians to serve as scholars and advisors. Faced with a potential foreign conspiracy, Fu Hailian had to alter his stance. He recommended keeping the matter strictly confidential and suggested that Chen Yanyun be allowed to return home to recover.
Returning to his estate, Fu Hailian was left seething with frustration. Madam Fu pointed out a major flaw in the evidence, explaining that Chunyuan Cultists believed in the absolute purity of the body and would never defile themselves with a tattoo. Fu Hailian realized too late that they had fallen into a clever trap.
Outside the palace, Xue Qinglan tried to offer Ye Xian some fresh meat pastries, but the cold commander rejected her advances, claiming the Emperor had ordered him to stay. Undeterred, Xue Qinglan's maid, Ruixiang, praised her mistress's taste, while Xue Qinglan admitted she was hopelessly drawn to Ye Xian's aloof nature. Nearby, Gu Jinzhao waited patiently for Chen Yanyun, and the couple returned home together in relief.
Soon after, Ye Xian sent a secret message to Chen Yanyun, arranging a private audience with the Emperor at the Ji family silk shop. At the meeting, the Emperor expressed his gratitude to Chen Yanyun and Ye Xian, remarking on how remarkable it was that both men were willing to risk everything.
The Emperor revealed his plan to promote Chen Yanyun to Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall and Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince, allowing him to directly rival Fu Hailian in the Grand Secretariat. Later, Chen Yanyun and Gu Jinzhao discussed their victory. Although they had successfully exposed the conflict, Gu Jinzhao knew Fu Hailian would not let them go easily.
To counter the threat, she proposed sending her highly skilled maid, Qingpu, to Shanxi under the guise of managing her local properties. Since Shanxi bordered the Northern Barbarians, Qingpu could safely gather crucial intelligence on the Chunyuan remnants. Some time later, Gu Jinzhao received a report from Qingpu. The maid had attended the Shicheng trade fairs and spotted a highly suspicious imperial interpreter working for a Northern Barbarian merchant, who secretly burned incense daily and evaded questions about his beliefs.
Meanwhile, Ye Xian met with Chen Yanyun, noting that the investigation into the steward's recommendation by Fu Hailian had yielded nothing. He pointed out that the Chunyuan Cult could not have evaded the Xuanfeng Guard for so long without powerful backing, prompting them to suspect Fu Hailian even further.
Ye Xian also teased Chen Yanyun about his suspiciously deep knowledge of cult emblems, such as the Wang Sheng and Fearless emblems, jokingly asking if Chen Yanyun himself was a cult remnant. Shortly after Chen Yanyun officially received his imperial decree, the political battle intensified in court. Fu Hailian proposed a drastic three-tenths cut to the military expenses of the Nine Garrisons to fund domestic shipyards and silk workshops. Chen Yanyun stood up and firmly objected to the proposal.
Discussing the matter with Ye Xian later, Chen Yanyun pointed out that the peace treaty with the Northern Barbarians had only lasted a year after two decades of war. He concluded that Fu Hailian's absolute confidence in cutting the border defense budget meant he must possess an independent, unauthorized spy network in the Northern Barbarians. As they parted, Chen Yanyun urged Ye Xian to select a safer location for their future meetings, and Ye Xian assured him that their actions would remain completely undetected.
