The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 13 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
Xu Qingjia once again found himself at the Jade Spring Pavilion, openly expressing his deep love for Hu Jiao to Yu Niang, as these sentiments were often hidden from Hu Jiao herself. He recounted how Hu Jiao, at merely seven or eight years old, would bravely protect him from bullies when he was a poor orphan. He also spoke of her reckless courage in saving him during their time in Shiyang village.
From then on, he resolved that she was the only woman he wanted in his life, often wishing he could be the one to protect her from danger. Still uncertain of Hu Jiao's true feelings, he then asked Yu Niang for a favor: to rework and polish an old silver hairpin, a family heirloom from his mother meant for his future daughter-in-law, so he could present it to Hu Jiao. Yu Niang agreed to help.
Just as Yu Niang took the hairpin, Hu Jiao appeared at the doorway, carrying a food box. Witnessing the exchange, she immediately turned and left, dropping the food box in her distress. Xu Qingjia started to chase after her, but Yu Niang stopped him. She pointed to the fallen food box, which contained a dough carp, implying that her "strong medicine" – their staged interactions – was working, making Hu Jiao realize her feelings.
Yu Niang then directly asked Xu Qingjia if he and Hu Jiao had feelings for each other. Later that evening, on the Double Seventh Festival, Hu Jiao wandered the bustling night market. She struggled to read a couplet about the Weaver Girl and Cowherd, feeling disheartened by her lack of education and the perceived gap between herself and Xu Qingjia. Yu Niang found her, apologizing for the earlier misunderstanding.
Hu Jiao, still upset, tearfully declared she would leave, believing Yu Niang and Xu Qingjia had feelings for each other. Yu Niang reassured the "foolish girl," explaining that her "nerdy husband" was simply bad at expressing himself and that his heart had never changed. She clarified that Xu Qingjia had been frequenting the Jade Spring Pavilion not for romance, but to seek advice on how to make his wife happy, as he was "single-minded" about her.
Yu Niang explained that Xu Qingjia felt unworthy of Hu Jiao, seeing himself as a "weak scholar" who struggled with official business and couldn't provide for their family. He feared Hu Jiao looked down on him despite her help, which is why he desperately sought Yu Niang's "emergency measures." Yu Niang then recalled a past conversation where Xu Qingjia, troubled, had asked for her help, and she had jokingly agreed after he clarified he wasn't proposing marriage.
Xu Qingjia then arrived, joining them. Hu Jiao confronted him about the hairpin and his recent coldness. He explained that the hairpin was too plain, so he asked Yu Niang to embed gems to better suit Hu Jiao's preferences. He confessed he had been embarrassed to face her because he hadn't achieved his goals or fulfilled his promise to help her open a shop. He wanted to make tangible progress before seeking her out to make her stay.
To prove his sincerity, Yongshou then presented two bags of "Drunken Plums" (Zui Li Tian), explaining that Xu Qingjia had sent him on a month-long journey to Yunlai Town to retrieve them from Lady Lin Cui, with strict instructions to return by that very evening. Seeing his effort, Hu Jiao's tears turned to a smile. She then asked Xu Qingjia about the couplet.
He patiently explained it was a wedding blessing about the Weaver Girl and Cowherd, and how the Cowherd used a chariot to greet his bride. Hu Jiao playfully accused him of trying to teach her, but he humbly insisted he was merely a "nerdy scholar" and would need her to teach him how to be a good husband. Their relationship significantly warmed, and they returned home.
Xu Qingjia attempted to be affectionate, but Hu Jiao playfully told him to "act normally" and sleep on the floor, though a mutual understanding and affection now filled the air. Meanwhile, Yu Niang stood alone by her window. Gao Zheng surprised her, and she teased him for daring to meddle with Xu Qingjia's affairs, implying he was jealous. Gao Zheng explained he was merely following her because the critical information about the ledger depended on her.
Yu Niang feigned disappointment, suggesting she had hoped he came to spend the festival with her. Gao Zheng reiterated his purpose, asking for details about the ledger's whereabouts. Yu Niang hinted that Registrar Yang secretly met "Xiao Hong" at the Jade Spring Pavilion on the first and fifteenth of every month, marking these as prime opportunities to obtain the ledger.
She also subtly expressed that if he helped take down Zhu Tingxian, the Jade Spring Pavilion would be hers, and playfully asked him to be "more gentle and tender" with her. Gao Zheng, after leaving a box of pastries on the windowsill, closed the window and departed. Yu Niang looked at the pastries and affectionately called him a "nerd." Gao Zheng promptly informed Xu Qingjia of the crucial information.
Xu Qingjia devised a detailed plan, once again asking Hu Jiao for her assistance. Hu Jiao, whose reputation for effectively "taming her husband" had spread, found herself sought out by other official's wives, including Madam Yang. Hu Jiao advised Madam Yang on using "gentleness to conquer strength" with her husband, then cautiously revealed the rumor of Registrar Yang having an intimate friend named "Xiao Hong." Madam Yang was outraged and wanted to confront him immediately.
Hu Jiao, however, persuaded her to be patient and gather evidence, offering to investigate for her the next day, which was the fifteenth of the month—the day Registrar Yang claimed he had a county meeting. Hu Jiao promised to help Madam Yang catch him red-handed if he was indeed having a secret rendezvous. Madam Yang, fully trusting Hu Jiao, agreed. Back home, Hu Jiao proudly recounted her success to Xu Qingjia, who praised her as a "female Liang Zhuge."
She teasingly asked if the dough carp she made was delicious, and he affirmed it was, but she playfully sent him to sleep on the floor, ready for the next day's important task. Separately, Aunt Yun reported to Zhu Magistrate that Xu Qingjia and Hu Jiao's relationship had unexpectedly improved, and his "beautiful woman" scheme was failing. Zhu Magistrate instructed his men to keep a close watch on Xu Qingjia.
He then discussed the need for more laborers at Stone Sheep Town, tasks which Constable Song offered to handle by detaining convicts. Aunt Yun further fanned Zhu Magistrate's resentment towards Hu Jiao, calling her "vulgar" and a "wild woman." She reminded him of the rumors of Xu Qingjia's fake marriage, suggesting they acquire a "divorce agreement" to expose him for deceiving the monarch.
Zhu Magistrate realized this would "kill two birds with one stone" and decided to dispatch the black-clad man to steal the supposed divorce agreement from Xu Qingjia. On the designated night of Registrar Yang's secret meeting, Xu Qingjia put his plan into motion. Cui Wulang was tasked with discreetly following Registrar Yang. Hu Jiao was to wait thirty minutes after Registrar Yang left, then take Madam Yang to the Jade Spring Pavilion. Gao Zheng was positioned nearby for immediate backup.
Cui Wulang's role was to infiltrate Registrar Yang's private room, release knock-out smoke, and retrieve the ledger. Once Madam Yang created a diversion, they would make their escape. This strategy aimed to secure the ledger, gain revenge, and eliminate Zhu Tingxian's right-hand man. As the plan unfolded, Cui Wulang shadowed Registrar Yang to the Jade Spring Pavilion. Meanwhile, the black-clad man, acting on Zhu Magistrate's orders to find the divorce agreement, was spotted by Gao Zheng.
A struggle ensued, and Gao Zheng was severely injured and poisoned by a hidden blade. Inside the pavilion, Cui Wulang, having released the smoke, was surprised and disgusted to discover that the rumored "Xiao Hong" was, in fact, a man. Xu Qingjia entered, quickly swapped Registrar Yang's ledger, giving the real one to Yu Niang for safekeeping, stating his complete trust in her.
He also provided Yu Niang with a fake ledger to plant back on Registrar Yang, anticipating that it would temporarily deceive Zhu Magistrate and prevent him from sealing off the entire pavilion. Soon after, Zhu Magistrate and Constable Song arrived with bailiffs, confronting Hu Jiao and Madam Yang, who were trying to enter. Zhu Magistrate, believing he had caught Xu Qingjia in the act, then confronted him in the courtyard.
Constable Song proceeded to Registrar Yang's room, finding him deeply intoxicated and the fake ledger in his possession. Zhu Magistrate, holding a document he believed to be a divorce agreement, accused Xu Qingjia of deceiving officials through a fake marriage. However, Xu Qingjia calmly stopped him, revealing the document was actually Hu Jiao's humorous "Rules for Husband" calligraphy.
Zhu Magistrate was left embarrassed as he read aloud rules such as "The wife is never wrong" and "If the wife is wrong, see article one," while Xu Qingjia innocently questioned why his family rules were with Zhu Magistrate. Amidst the confusion, a guard reported that Registrar Yang was still sleeping and there was "a man" in his room, implying an illicit encounter to Madam Yang's shock. Taking advantage of the chaos, the injured and poisoned Gao Zheng discreetly slipped into the Jade Spring Pavilion, where Yu Niang immediately took him under her care.
