The Autumn Ballad Episode 22 Recap
> The Autumn Ballad Recap
Outside, a thunderstorm raged, preventing Qiu Yan from resting. She rose, intending to drown her sorrows, but as she reached for a wine pot, Liang Yi playfully startled her, warning that Madam Jin might have added something to it, hoping for grandchildren. Retreating in surprise, Qiu Yan then watched Liang Yi retrieve a hidden stash of wine.
Noticing the shackle on his wrist, she playfully encouraged him to wear the other one as well, suggesting it would display Firewood Office's preparedness and help him subdue criminals without a fight. As the heavy rain poured down, Qiu Yan and Liang Yi sat together, sharing wine and confidences. Liang Yi mused that only downpours like this could truly wash away the bloody scent of the Firewood Office, making the world feel clean.
Qiu Yan worried about getting drunk again, but Liang Yi reassured her that he could not get drunk when he had something on his mind. He promised to send someone to inform Madam Liu and the rest of the Qiu family about her and Qiu Min's whereabouts once the rain stopped. Qiu Yan recalled the strict Qiu family rules, even requiring them to pay respects in bad weather.
She remembered a particularly stormy day when family members bickered in front of the Old Madam, making her wish they would disappear. Now, without them, she felt an emptiness. She also remembered Qiu Min’s lifelong fear of thunder, always running to their mother for comfort. When a similar storm hit at the Royal Academy, Qiu Min came to her trembling, but Qiu Yan, wanting her sister to be stronger, heartlessly ignored her, a decision she now regretted.
Liang Yi reassured her he would see the Qiu family matters through, hoping for their reunion and newfound maturity. Meanwhile, Qin Xuan remained by Qiu Min's side, but he maintained a polite distance, devoid of any romantic overtures. Qiu Min, seeing her sister Qiu Yan was gone, desperately wished Qin Xuan would acknowledge her.
She confessed her feelings, admitting she had liked him since their first meeting and even selfishly found some good in their family's confiscation because it meant she wouldn't have to marry Lord Liang. However, Qin Xuan, gently but firmly, told her his heart held only Qiu Yan's shadow and memories, leaving no room for anyone else, and urged her not to fall deeper. Later that night, Qiu Yan, thoroughly inebriated, passed out.
She awoke the next morning to find herself in bed. Just then, Song Luo arrived to bring their washing water. Liang Yi, startled, quickly scrambled onto the bed and pulled the covers over both of them, sharing a wide-eyed stare with Qiu Yan. Song Luo, observing the scene, reported the situation, noting nothing overtly unusual. Yuan Lang, upon hearing the report, remained suspicious, convinced that despite a lack of obvious flaws, there was always a weakness in every meticulous plan.
To hasten Qiu Yan's transformation into Su Yiwan, Liang Yi arranged for Shi Xiaoxiao to teach her the zither. Qiu Yan, already aware that Shi Xiaoxiao was an informer for the Firewood Office, played along, keeping Madam Wang and others in the dark. When Qiu Yan bowed to Shi Xiaoxiao, she thanked her for the secret kindness shown to the Qiu family women at the Royal Academy. Shi Xiaoxiao confirmed her role as Firewood Office's "eye."
Liang Yi suggested Shi Xiaoxiao teach Qiu Yan "Endless Yearning," a piece Su Yiwan excelled at. Shi Xiaoxiao, initially skeptical of Qiu Yan's musical foundation, explained that the plucked zither could be mastered quickly and the piece's power lay in emotion. She instructed Qiu Yan to think of the person she loved while playing, noting that Qiu Yan’s initial attempts lacked emotion, resulting in dull notes. When Qiu Yan finally immersed herself, the music became stirring.
Liang Yi praised Shi Xiaoxiao as a valuable asset to the Firewood Office, recounting her tragic past: once a young lady from an official family, her family was convicted, her father executed, and she and her younger sister sent to the Royal Academy. Liang Yi had found her playing cheerful songs while tears streamed down her face, heartbroken over her sister’s death—a death for which the academy had not even provided a coffin, forcing Shi Xiaoxiao to entertain guests.
Liang Yi had helped bury her sister, and in return, Shi Xiaoxiao willingly became his informer. Qiu Yan, realizing their shared hardship, noticed Shi Xiaoxiao's gaze lingered on Liang Yi as she spoke of thinking of a loved one. Qiu Yan, relying on her "woman's instinct," concluded that Shi Xiaoxiao harbored feelings for him. Liang Yi initially dismissed it but later agreed to minimize contact with Shi Xiaoxiao, citing Firewood Office's strict rule against emotional entanglements.
Qiu Yan, hearing this, called him "heartless," then teased him about his own emotional playing, even claiming she was thinking of her mother. Liang Yi then admitted that his earlier display of anger wasn't entirely fake. The next morning, Qiu Yan found herself studying Liang Yi's sleeping face. Their peaceful moment was interrupted when Madam Jin suddenly arrived with a hot pot of deer antler and pigeon soup.
Startled, Liang Yi quickly pulled the covers over himself and Qiu Yan in an attempt to hide, but Madam Jin had already noticed a pillow out of place and the disheveled bedding, demanding an explanation. Qiu Yan, thinking quickly, concocted a story: she claimed she had been upset with Liang Yi the previous night and had made him sleep on the floor.
She explained that she had invited Shi Xiaoxiao to exchange musical skills, and Liang Yi had repeatedly praised Shi Xiaoxiao’s zither skills, earning him the punishment of sleeping on the floor. Liang Yi, playing along, confirmed he had begged for forgiveness all day. Madam Jin, infuriated, chastised her son for complimenting another woman in front of his own. She ordered him to apologize immediately.
As Liang Yi grudgingly offered an apology, Madam Jin pulled Qiu Yan aside and sternly advised her not to forgive men too easily, warning that if she didn't assert control early on, men would become difficult to handle later. Buoyed by Madam Jin’s unwavering support, Qiu Yan decided to fully commit to the act.
She continued to refuse Liang Yi’s apologies, claiming they lacked sincerity and demanding he balance out his past insults, such as "scheming" and "shameless," with an equal number of compliments. Liang Yi, exasperated but outmatched by the formidable duo, relented and brought her numerous expensive gifts. He whispered a warning to Qiu Yan to stop pushing her luck. However, Madam Jin unexpectedly appeared, misinterpreting the scene as Liang Yi bullying Qiu Yan with gifts, and once again reprimanded him.
Thanks to Madam Jin’s fierce protection, Qiu Yan’s standing in the Liang residence soared. That night, Liang Yi and Qiu Yan slept in separate rooms. Liang Yi tossed and turned throughout the night, waking the next morning with dark circles under his eyes, prompting Song Luo to ask why he slept better on the floor. Meanwhile, Qin Xuan, heartbroken, sought solace at a familiar opera house.
Listening to the melancholic performance of "Autumn River," a story of forbidden love and forced separation that mirrored his own situation, only intensified his longing for Qiu Yan. Taking advantage of the situation, Yuan Lang discreetly dispatched his subordinates to circulate a scandalous play throughout the capital's storytelling houses.
Titled "The Concubine's Secret Residence," the play thinly veiled a love story between "Lengshuang," a court official, and "Yanhong," a criminal’s daughter, who entangled and fell in love, with Lengshuang even rescuing Yanhong from a dungeon. The public quickly recognized the thinly veiled references to Liang Yi and Qiu Yan. Later, at court, Yuan Lang openly questioned Liang Yi about taking a concubine, intending to humiliate him.
However, Liang Yi skillfully parried the questions, deflecting the accusations by claiming his concubine was of too lowly a background to be introduced. Though initially reluctant, Liang Yi eventually agreed to host a banquet to present her. Back at the residence, Qiu Yan diligently practiced her zither, struggling with the instrument. Liang Yi, having returned from court, finally offered a heartfelt apology, and their playful standoff ended.
Qiu Yan, now aware of Yuan Lang’s attempts to ruin her reputation through the play, expressed her anger. Liang Yi, after some thought, suggested that rather than suppressing the rumors and confirming their truth, they should proactively confuse the public by mixing truths with falsehoods, turning the tide in their favor.
