Side Story of Fox Volant Episode 3 Recap
> Side Story of Fox Volant Recap
At the suggestion of Chen Yu, Old Madam Shang arranged for Ma Chunhua to be lured to a secluded wing. Though Young Master Fu Kangan harbored a strong liking for her, he found such underhanded tactics distasteful. Ma Chunhua awoke in the afternoon to the mournful sound of a flute. Following the music, she unknowingly made her way to the garden pavilion. There, she found Fu Kangan playing the flute.
His handsome and elegant demeanor, coupled with the enchanting and tender melody that transformed into a soft, comforting whisper, deeply stirred Ma Chunhua's heart. Seeing the fervent affection in his eyes, far surpassing mere flirtation or grand promises, Ma Chunhua closed her eyes and embraced his kiss, replaying the moment in her mind even later in her private room.
Fu Kangan had confessed to her how, when he was sixteen, he saw a young lady at a harbor, standing at the bow of a pleasure boat, holding an oil-paper umbrella amidst the misty rain. Her smile was imprinted in his mind, and though he tried to see her again for two days, he never did.
He told Ma Chunhua that before meeting her, he thought his heart had stopped fluttering, but this time, he would not let her slip through his fingers. The following day, Miao Renfeng returned with Hu Fei. Shang's Fort hosted a grand banquet, welcoming various martial arts heroes. Miao Renfeng sensed an unusual atmosphere but remained composed as he joined the festivities. Old Madam Shang greeted Hero Miao, acknowledging him as a man of his word for returning with the lad.
She also noted that members of Feima Escort Agency were grateful he had saved the boy twice, and Ma Xingkong thanked him, though Miao Renfeng humbly dismissed it as a minor effort. When Miao Renfeng attempted to leave, Old Madam Shang insisted he stay, inviting him to sit and chat, deeming it an honor to host him.
She probed if he feared that associating with them would tarnish his reputation, but Miao Renfeng ultimately accepted her invitation to join the feast. Meanwhile, Ma Chunhua eagerly wanted to confide in Hu Fei, but he remained unconscious in his bed. She sat by his side, fretting over his injured head, vowing to "beat him" once he woke up for leaving without telling her.
Then, she softly whispered about meeting "the most gentle and considerate man in the world" and expressed her certainty that Hu Fei would be happy for her once he met him. Soon after, Chen Yu arrived to inform her that Young Master Fu would be performing a new song in the garden and extended an invitation for her to appreciate it. Ma Chunhua, filled with anticipation, changed into a red dress and applied exquisite makeup.
Before heading to the garden, Fu Kangan made an appearance at the banquet. Introduced as the Minister of War and Vice Secretariat, Official Fu, he expressed his long-standing admiration for Miao Renfeng, stating he had traveled from the capital hoping to invite Miao Renfeng to serve the imperial court for the welfare of the people. Miao Renfeng, however, declared himself a mere martial artist with no interest in politics.
Fu Kangan then offered him a position as a personal bodyguard, acknowledging Miao Renfeng's renown. Miao Renfeng further rejected the offer, stating the corrupted imperial court, where officials were no better than bandits, was not a place he belonged. A subordinate warned Miao Renfeng not to be arrogant in the face of the general's sincerity.
Fu Kangan, though visibly displeased, stated that everyone has their own pursuits and he would not force Miao Renfeng, instructing others to take care of him. Outside the hall, an enraged Fu Kangan called Miao Renfeng "cocky" and ordered Chen Yu to break his legs. Old Madam Shang interjected, urging Fu Kangan to be decisive and avenge Shang Jianming.
When Chen Yu accused her of lecturing the official, she retorted that she wanted Miao Renfeng dead, not just with broken legs. She argued that a crippled man would eventually die anyway, but she wanted him dead sooner, and challenged Chen Yu to reclaim his money if he felt it was wasted. With the Shang family having departed, the remaining individuals at the feast were either intent on harming Miao Renfeng or secretly wishing to aid him.
Ma Xingkong seized the opportunity of offering tea to quietly urge Miao Renfeng to leave. Miao Renfeng thanked him for the kindness but maintained his calm demeanor, accepting the tea without outwardly reacting to the warning. Simultaneously, Hu Fei, having just recovered enough to get out of bed, was attacked by Yan Ji, who relentlessly demanded the whereabouts of the saber manual. Hu Fei cunningly misled Yan Ji, indicating the manual was in the martial arts hall.
As Yan Ji went to search, Hu Fei used the distraction to make a hasty escape. Yan Ji pursued him, still calling him a "little brat," until he encountered Old Madam Shang. She berated Yan Ji as a "useless fool" for failing to steal the three hundred thousand taels of escorted money. Yan Ji quickly countered by announcing that he had captured her enemy's son, identifying him as the "brat named Hu Fei, Hu Yidao's son."
He explained that Hu Fei had escaped while being brought to her, but with his hands tied, he couldn't have gone far. Old Madam Shang immediately ordered him to chase after Hu Fei. Chen Yu, having assessed Miao Renfeng's martial arts prowess, took the initiative to challenge him. Identifying himself as from Taiji Sect, he began their duel.
Despite Chen Yu's use of Taiji principles, Miao Renfeng's comprehensive mastery quickly rendered Chen Yu's stance unstable, dominating him and ultimately defeating him with ease. Next, the three masters of the Yanhangmen Eagle Claw Sect launched a coordinated attack. They lauded Miao Renfeng as an "unparalleled hero" and respectfully challenged him to three moves in a "friendly match." Miao Renfeng defeated them in just three rounds, leaving them sprawling on the ground.
When it was Qin Naizhi, the eight-armed Nezha's, turn, instead of fighting, he began to offer verbose compliments, effusively praising Miao Renfeng's imaginary moves, such as "Erlang Cleaves Mountains" and "Tyrant King Holds The Cauldron," and proposing his own imaginary counters like "Spring Breeze Shakes Lotus," "White Rainbow Pierces Through The Sun," and "Drifting Light Raft." Disgusted by their cowardly antics and calling them "good-for-nothings" and "ridiculous," Old Madam Shang instantly gave the command to activate the hidden mechanism.
With a resounding crash, four iron walls descended from above, sealing the banquet hall into an inescapable iron chamber, with only tiny peepholes allowing a glimpse outside. The sudden turn of events shocked everyone present. In stark contrast, in the flower garden pavilion, candlelight flickered softly as Ma Chunhua and Fu Kangan shared a moment of tender intimacy. Fu Kangan invited Ma Chunhua to appreciate the twinkling stars in the beautiful night sky.
Ma Chunhua, gazing at him, responded that any place was wonderful as long as he was with her. Yan Ji continued his relentless pursuit of Hu Fei, eventually cornering him in a secret training room. Yan Ji launched a fierce assault with his Dragon Claw Tiger Fist. Though severely wounded, Hu Fei fought valiantly. As his body neared its breaking point, he recalled the saber techniques from his father's manual and unleashed a powerful counterattack. Yan Ji's techniques were exhausted.
Hu Fei's left fist struck Yan Ji's chest with a resounding thud, followed by a kick to his abdomen. Under this barrage of attacks, Yan Ji was sent crashing to the ground, eventually succumbing to fatal internal injuries. Hu Fei had never imagined that the saber techniques from his father's writings, which he had only begun to learn thirteen years prior, would bring him such a decisive victory in his very first real combat.
Inside the iron chamber, the trapped martial artists desperately clutched their weapons, futilely searching for a way out. Old Madam Shang angrily denounced them as mere dogs of Official Fu, bitterly recounting how Shang Jianming had been loyal to him, only to meet a tragic end. She declared that for her deceased husband's revenge, she no longer cared how many lives were sacrificed.
She lashed out at the trapped men for their cowardice, saying she gave them money and hospitality to kill Miao Renfeng, but they were unworthy "pigs and dogs" for failing. She asserted they could only leave if they banded together to slaughter Miao Renfeng, otherwise, they would die there.
When one of the men warned her that Official Fu would not forgive her, she scoffed, reminding them that they were just "dogs" to him and pointing out that Fu Kangan was too busy "courting Young Lady Ma." Ma Xingkong demanded to know what she had done to his daughter.
Old Madam Shang turned her rage on Ma Xingkong, calling him an "ignoramus" and blaming him for weakening Jianming in their past duel, which she believed led to Jianming's death at the hands of Hu Yidao. Ma Xingkong retorted, calling her a "vicious woman." Miao Renfeng intervened, stating the feud was between them and offering to face her alone if she released the others.
Old Madam Shang agreed, but on the condition that he commit suicide after kowtowing three times before Shang Jianming's memorial tablet. With a sharp command, "Ignite," house servants smashed previously prepared ceramic pots, spilling lamp oil onto the iron walls. The oil ignited, unleashing a raging inferno. Trapped and facing immolation, the martial artists were forced to comply with Old Madam Shang's demand to attack Miao Renfeng, but they were quickly cut down by his superior skill. Old Madam Shang, addressing her late husband's spirit, vowed that "those good-for-nothings and Miao Renfeng" would be buried with him, kowtowing and apologizing to him six feet under.
