Resumo do episódio 32 de The Lady in Butcher's House
> Resumos de The Lady in Butcher's House
Princess Consort arrived at the Jade House, subtly observing Hu Jiao as she managed customers. A male customer complained about the quality of his tea and demanded a better, high-grade tea. Hu Jiao calmly explained that such highly coveted tea was extremely expensive, costing three taels of silver per liang, and required a deposit before procurement. When the customer, initially annoyed by her request for a deposit, realized the exorbitant price, his demeanor softened.
Hu Jiao then playfully offered to purchase the tea without a deposit, causing him to quickly backtrack and decide to enjoy his current tea first, postponing his desire for the more expensive option. Princess Consort, witnessing Hu Jiao's clever handling of the difficult customer, was impressed by her quick wit. Soon after, another male customer brazenly entered the female seating area, making inappropriate advances towards two women who were forced to leave.
Hu Jiao swiftly intervened, reminding him that the area was reserved for female patrons. The man, identified by Yu Niang as Feng Prince, boasted that his family had officials in the Imperial Court and refused to leave, even threatening to smash the teahouse. Unintimidated, Hu Jiao physically removed him, telling him he was welcome to return. Yu Niang worried about potential repercussions, but Hu Jiao assured her he wouldn't dare.
Princess Consort, observing this incident, remarked to herself that Hu Jiao bore a striking resemblance to Ruoqi. Hu Jiao then approached Princess Consort, having deduced her identity by her dignified demeanor and her unwavering attention. Princess Consort directly accused Hu Jiao of seducing Ning Wang, believing her marriage to Xu Qingjia was merely a facade.
Hu Jiao clarified that while her marriage to Xu Qingjia might have been a facade in the past, that was old news, and they were now a real and genuine couple. She then shifted the conversation to Xiaobei, gently criticizing Princess Consort for always imposing her ideas on him, restricting his activities, and treating him like a puppet.
Hu Jiao explained that to truly connect with a child, one must acknowledge their individual thoughts and desires rather than treating them as an object. She also probed Princess Consort about Ning Wang's courteous yet distant behavior towards her, suggesting that Ning Wang, despite not always approving of Princess Consort's methods, understood her underlying intentions, which prevented him from reprimanding her.
She used an analogy to explain that relationships, much like business, require genuine effort and connection rather than coercion or manipulation, and that true love isn't always dramatic, but often built on sincere care. Princess Consort was visibly moved, and although not explicitly stated, her subsequent actions indicated she took Hu Jiao's advice to heart. Later, Princess Consort returned home and spoke to a "sleeping" Xiaobei, admitting her shortcomings as a mother.
She confessed that her strictness and attempts to keep him close were driven by a misguided hope that Ning Wang would pay more attention to her. She apologized for her past actions and promised to grant him more freedom, while still ensuring he completed his studies. Afterward, she presented Ning Wang with tremella lotus seed soup. Ning Wang revealed that he had overheard her conversation with Xiaobei and was pleased by her change of heart, inquiring about its cause.
Princess Consort tearfully confided in him, explaining that her desperation to keep Xiaobei close stemmed from an initial resentment due to rumors of his affection for Ruoqi. She had hoped to gain Ning Wang's attention and kindness but had finally understood that love cannot be forced, and she apologized for using Xiaobei and for her past grievances.
Ning Wang, deeply touched, embraced her, admitting his own culpability for being emotionally distant due to his lingering grief over Ruoqi, which had caused Princess Consort to suffer. Ning Wang later visited Hu Jiao at Jade House, thanking her for her positive influence on Princess Consort and noting her significant change. He expressed his curiosity about what Hu Jiao had said to the Princess Consort that led to her transformation.
Meanwhile, Jia Jifang, still under house arrest for half a month as ordered by her father, wanted to sneak out to meet her friends. Her two guards blocked her, stating that no one could let her pass without Prime Minister Jia's permission. Jia Jifang then attempted to sneak out disguised in servant's clothes with a fake mustache, but the guards, with their keen eyes, immediately saw through her cross-dressing disguise.
Separately, Xu Qingjia and Gao Zheng continued their investigation, having recently uncovered a name they believed would facilitate their progress. While they discussed this, Ge Sang, the new helper at Jade House, brought them hot water and subtly listened in, though Gao Zheng was very alert to her presence. Earlier, Ge Sang had been rescued by Hu Jiao from a group of men chasing her, who claimed she owed them money.
Ge Sang tearfully explained that she had repaid her debt, but the man still wanted to take her. Hu Jiao intervened, forcing the men to leave. Hu Jiao and Yu Niang, sympathetic to Ge Sang's plight, offered her food and a place to stay at Jade House. Ge Sang recounted her tragic story: her father, a traveling merchant, and her younger brother were murdered by a villain they had kindly taken in, leaving her as the sole survivor.
Later, it was revealed that Ge Sang was an operative working for Grand Tutor Fu. She blamed Xu Qingjia and Gao Zheng because her family's deaths were connected to them, and she regarded them as enemies, willing to serve Grand Tutor Fu with her life. She reported her progress to Grand Tutor Fu, confirming her successful infiltration of Jade House and her attempt to gather information, noting Gao Zheng's high level of alertness.
Amidst these events, Hu Jiao suddenly felt unwell, experiencing loss of appetite and fatigue. Xu Qingjia, concerned, called a physician. The physician delivered joyous news: Hu Jiao was pregnant. Xu Qingjia was ecstatic at the prospect of becoming a father, immediately forbidding Hu Jiao from moving, fearing for the baby's safety. Hu Jiao tried to assert her capability, but Xu Qingjia was overwhelmingly cautious. She then asked him to keep the pregnancy a secret for the time being.
