The Autumn Ballad Episode 21 Recap
> The Autumn Ballad Recap
As Qin Xuan remained asleep, Qiu Min woke early. Soon after, Song Jin arrived with his men, intending to bring her back to the Firewood Office. Qiu Yan, overjoyed to see her sister alive, rushed forward to embrace her. However, Qiu Min responded coldly, first politely thanking Liang Yi, then pulling Qiu Yan aside.
She confessed her true intentions: she had deceived Qin Xuan into believing she was dead and had nowhere else to go, and she had already become his. She firmly declared she would never return to the old and dingy Guangji Hall to suffer again. Qiu Yan, enraged by Qiu Min's words, slapped her.
She clarified that the slap was not because Qiu Min deceived Qin Xuan, but because Liang Yi, Song Jin, the panhandlers, boatmen, and Guangji Hall managers had all committed grave crimes to help the Qiu family escape. Qiu Min’s reckless actions and capture would mean disaster for them and the entire Qiu family. Qiu Min, however, remained defiant, asking if one slap was enough and inviting another if it wasn’t.
She then threatened to expose the Qiu family's hiding place in Guangji Hall if Qiu Yan refused to help her maintain the lie to Qin Xuan and the aunts and madams. She declared that for Qin Xuan, she cared nothing for anyone's safety or lives, adding that if she couldn't be happy, no one else would. Qiu Yan was horrified, reminding Qiu Min that she used to be the one who considered the greater good.
Qiu Min retorted that Qiu Yan herself had taught her to fight for herself, asserting that the pure, innocent, and obedient Qiu Min had died long ago in the entertainment quarter when Qiu Yan was busy vying for attention and acting intimately with Liang Yi. She bitterly accused Qiu Yan of being absent when she needed her most, stating that she no longer needed her.
Qiu Min concluded by saying she would ask Liang Yi to send her back to Qin Xuan, never to return to Guangji Hall. Following Qiu Min's resolute departure, Qiu Yan stood rooted to the spot, weeping, while Liang Yi, who had witnessed the entire exchange from outside, was left with complex emotions. Later, Qin Xuan awoke, disoriented and disheveled. He recalled drinking with Qiu Min the previous night and asking her to drink with him until they were drunk.
As Qiu Min returned with breakfast, Qin Xuan panicked and dressed quickly. Realizing he had taken advantage of her while drunk, he reproached himself, calling himself a "scum" and an "animal," and slapped himself. Qiu Min immediately embraced him, feigning pity, telling him she understood he acted out of devastation and would not hold him accountable.
She then tearfully pleaded for him to stay with her, saying she was all alone and only had him, and that Qiu Yan, if watching from above, would want him to care for her. The next day, Jiang Yun from the Main Administrative Office arrived at Liang Yi’s residence with a grand procession, announcing congratulations for Liang Yi taking a concubine. This spectacle drew half the capital’s residents. When Liang Yi returned, Madam Jin immediately questioned him.
Qiu Yan then appeared, introducing herself as Su Yiwan, and humbly offered to serve in the Liang household. Jiang Yun explained to Madam Jin that Official Yuan had detected suspicious behavior from a female entertainer and confronted her, only for Liang Yi to suddenly appear and publicly announce she was his newly wedded concubine. This was done to ensure Liang Yi wouldn't hold a grudge against Official Yuan.
Song Jin later informed Liang Yi that Qiu Yan could no longer leave the city because Yuan Lang had deliberately made the matter public to keep her trapped. Madam Jin, still perplexed, pressed Liang Yi and Qiu Yan about when they met. Their conflicting answers—Liang Yi saying "yesterday" and Qiu Yan saying "long ago"—only deepened her suspicion. Liang Yi tried to cover for Qiu Yan, excusing her illiteracy and candid speech.
Madam Jin, however, decided to question Qiu Yan alone and sent Liang Yi off to morning court. At court, various officials, hearing the news, congratulated Liang Yi, teasing him about finally showing emotions like a normal person, given his usual stoic demeanor. Later, the Emperor, seeking amusement, asked Liang Yi and Yuan Lang for interesting news. Liang Yi offered a dull report about Li Wei taking over as Governor-general of Zhili.
Yuan Lang then seized the opportunity to recount the "wonderful news" from Liang Yi’s household. He exaggerated, claiming an old lady was injured by the entertainer, and that a Yamen officer had stumbled upon Liang Yi during an intimate encounter. He painted Liang Yi as a man so enraged at the interference with his concubine that he drew his sword and threatened to behead anyone who touched her.
To Yuan Lang's chagrin, the Emperor was highly amused and impressed, remarking on Liang Yi's newfound boldness and "fighting spirit" for his loved one. The Emperor saw it as a sign of Liang Yi's humanity and even bestowed gifts upon him, wishing for "many sons" and "prosperous seed," much to Yuan Lang's disappointment. Upon returning from court, Liang Yi rushed back to the residence. Meanwhile, Qiu Yan, demonstrating quick wit, fabricated an elaborate story for Madam Jin.
She claimed that she had been abandoned by her family to bandits to save her brother, and Liang Yi, accompanied by Song Jin, had rescued her, giving her a fan as a keepsake. She explained her lowly status made life difficult, and the fan was her only solace. She humbly stated she desired no title, only to remain by his side due to their mutual affection.
Madam Jin, deeply moved and sympathetic to Qiu Yan's "tragic background," revealed her own past as a maid before marrying into the Marquis's family. She assured Qiu Yan that Liang Yi had simply underestimated her mother’s understanding and acceptance, and promised Qiu Yan would no longer be lonely, valuing her because Liang Yi valued her.
Just then, Liang Yi arrived, and Madam Jin immediately enlisted his help in choosing a room for Qiu Yan, insisting it would be their new marital chamber. Madam Jin enthusiastically began inspecting rooms. She rejected a small, elegant western room due to strong sun glare, and a spacious northern room with a fake mountain and pool, fearing it would be dangerous for future children. She ultimately settled on Liang Yi’s childhood study, spacious and bright.
Despite Liang Yi’s protests that it would be a chore to clear his childhood keepsakes and that Qiu Yan might feel she was bothering him, Madam Jin insisted, stating Qiu Yan should indeed "bother him" more. She then personally directed the decoration, instructing servants to replace curtains with festive red ones, remove a folding screen, and set up a cozy, brightly colored bed.
She also presented Qiu Yan with various fabrics and folding screens, including a Huanhua fabric gifted by the Noble Consort and screens with dragon and phoenix or lovebirds. Liang Yi, knowing Qiu Yan’s true preferences, tactfully interjected that she preferred plain colors, yarn folding screens, a black soapstone ding, the Hidden Gem Painting, and Ruanyan silk for her clothes.
Madam Jin was touched by Liang Yi's seemingly intimate knowledge of "Wan'er's" tastes, happily noting how much he seemed to care for her. She then informed all the household servants that Madam Su’s word was as weighty as Liang Yi’s, demanding they show her proper respect. During dinner, Qiu Yan, acting as the doting concubine, offered a spoonful of steamed egg to Liang Yi. Madam Jin immediately interjected, reminding Qiu Yan that Liang Yi was allergic to eggs.
Liang Yi quickly dismissed it as a childhood issue, eating the egg to maintain their charade. However, the allergy was real, and he soon suffered severe abdominal pain. He feigned needing to read important documents and rushed away, followed by a concerned Qiu Yan. Alone in his room, he collapsed in her arms, revealing he had almost died from egg allergies as a child.
Madam Jin, overseeing from outside the door, misinterpreted their hurried departure and the subsequent sounds as passionate intimacy, believing she would soon have grandchildren. She instructed Song Luo to leave them undisturbed and have their meals delivered directly to their courtyard, expressing her satisfaction. After Liang Yi recovered, Qiu Yan tried to leave his room, but he stopped her, indicating his leg was numb from the earlier fall.
Just then, Madam Jin appeared at their door, scolding them for not sleeping together on their wedding night. Liang Yi tried to claim Qiu Yan didn't mind, but Qiu Yan, playing along, confessed that she did. Madam Jin, pleased, announced she had arranged a three-day leave for them to stay together in the residence.
Later that night, as Qiu Yan tried to sneak out of the room, she found Madam Jin still guarding the door, forcing her to retreat and continue their act of marital bliss with Liang Yi. The next morning, Liang Yi noted that Madam Jin had locked their door from the outside to ensure they stayed together. Qiu Yan also pointed out Song Luo's suspicious behavior, noting she seemed to be eavesdropping despite Madam Jin dismissing all servants earlier.
Liang Yi revealed that Song Luo was Yuan Lang's spy, planted in his residence years ago, and he had kept her close precisely to feed her false information when necessary. He warned Qiu Yan that now, everyone in the household viewed her as Madam Su, requiring her to be exceptionally careful with her words and actions. Meanwhile, in his own courtyard, Qin Xuan found Qiu Min curled up on her bed, crying and trembling due to the loud thunder outside.
He offered her a blanket, concerned she might catch a cold. As he prepared to leave, Qiu Min begged him to stay, saying she was afraid to be alone in the large house and pleading for him to keep her company until she fell asleep.
