The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 15 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
Despite Zhu County Magistrate and others being apprehended, Apparitor Chen, the most crucial figure, managed to evade capture and was later killed by a black-clad assailant. Cui Wulang interrogated Zhu Tingxian, who confessed he was merely a pawn, unaware of his ultimate master, and received all instructions through Apparitor Chen. Zhu also revealed that silver mined from Stone Sheep Village was converted into notes and given to Chen.
With Apparitor Chen now dead and no records of his transactions, this vital lead was abruptly severed. Gao Zheng, having recovered from his injuries, returned to the county government office. After this incident, he was more open with Xu Qingjia, admitting he had been a bodyguard for Prime Minister Jia before coming to Shangyong, and would always remain a loyal member of the Prime Minister's household, owing his life to the Prime Minister.
Xu Qingjia found this perplexing, given his past offense to the Prime Minister. Gao Zheng confessed he didn't know the exact reasons but understood that Prime Minister Jia held Xu Qingjia in high regard, even instructing his Second Housekeeper, Jia Quan, to look after him. Gao Zheng revealed that it was Jia Quan who saved Xu Qingjia from a pack of wolves before his wedding.
Gao Zheng speculated that the Shangyong case might have been a test orchestrated by the Prime Minister. What Xu Qingjia didn't know was that his late father and Prime Minister Jia had been close friends, like brothers. Upon learning of his friend's passing, Prime Minister Jia sought out Xu Qingjia and, recognizing his identity, ordered his confidants to secretly assist him, while also considering the challenges Xu Qingjia would face in his official career.
Back at his manor, Prime Minister Jia received a letter confirming Xu Qingjia was indeed the son of Imperial Censor Xu. He commended Xu Qingjia's upright character and his successful handling of the Shangyong case, regretting that Xu Qingjia hadn't married his daughter Fang'er but also acknowledging that such a marriage would have made Xu Qingjia's career more difficult.
He expressed concern that Xu Qingjia’s swift rise might make him a target in court, as his career was already destined for challenges after declining to marry his daughter. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jia's eldest daughter, Princess Consort Jia Jirong, returned home, burdened with grievances. Her father reminded her that she had insisted on marrying Ning Wang despite knowing he had a beloved mistress named Ruo Qi and an illegitimate son.
Ning Wang's desire to marry Ruo Qi had enraged the Emperor, leading to the decree that forced him to marry Jia Jirong. Jia Jirong confessed that she had hoped to win Ning Wang's affection over time, single-mindedly admiring him and believing she could change him, even if it meant being a pawn.
She had been deeply hurt, revealing that Ning Wang had never stepped foot in her chambers in three years of marriage, a truth she had previously hidden to spare her father worry. She then described her failed attempt to win Ning Wang's heart by trying to adopt his son, Xiao Bei.
However, Xiao Bei proved surly and slandered her to Ning Wang, who subsequently took the child to the military camp without her knowledge, denying her any opportunity to get close to them. Prime Minister Jia, seeing his daughter's distress, assured her that he would support a divorce if she wished, prioritizing her happiness over public gossip.
He explained that her genuine love for Ning Wang was admirable but that she had erred from the start by being spineless, using flattery, and lowering herself. He stressed that a wife should be in charge of the household, not a maidservant. His second point was that she should not have used Xiao Bei as a tool to get close to Ning Wang, as Ning Wang was shrewd enough to see through her intentions.
He advised her to abandon such scheming thoughts and instead have an honest conversation with Ning Wang. Though initially distressed by her father’s words, Jia Jirong had no arguments against them and resolved to travel to Shangyong to find Ning Wang and bring Xiao Bei back. Ning Wang arrived at the county government office to speak with Xu Qingjia, informing him that a new county governor for Shangyong had been selected and would assume office in five months.
During this interim, Xu Qingjia would continue his duties, after which he would be appointed as a fifth-rank Controller-General in Xiangzhou. Xu Qingjia humbly accepted these arrangements. Ning Wang then requested a simple meal. Xu Qingjia explained that due to the county's financial deficit, recent repairs to the county school, and Ning Wang's sudden visit, they could only offer three simple dishes and a vegetable soup with no meat.
Ning Wang, expressing his intent to observe the common people's circumstances, decided to stay at Xu Qingjia’s residence for several nights. That night, mosquitoes disturbed Ning Wang's sleep, and he called Cui Wulang to catch them all night long. Across the courtyard, Hu Jiao, who had dreamed of intimacy with Xu Qingjia, also had a restless night.
The next morning, both Xu Qingjia and Hu Jiao appeared with dark circles under their eyes, leading Hu Jiao to quip that mosquitoes had kept them both awake. Noticing Ning Wang's particular attention to Hu Jiao, Xu Qingjia grew jealous. He asked Cui Wulang to subtly probe Ning Wang about his intentions. Ning Wang, however, directly addressed Cui Wulang's unspoken question, admitting his admiration for Hu Jiao.
He explained that she reminded him of Ruo Qi, her personality "shrewish and fierce," and seeing Hu Jiao in a temper made him see Ruo Qi again. He clarified that this was merely a recall of memories, not replacement love, and Ruo Qi's place in his heart was irreplaceable.
He cherished them because he could relax around them without needing to be wary, as their hearts were as hard and bright as unpolished jade, open in their love and hate, unlike the conniving officials in court. Ning Wang explicitly stated that his affection for Hu Jiao was akin to that for an interesting younger sister.
He then instructed Cui Wulang to inform Xu Qingjia that he had no designs on his wife; in fact, he intended to teach Xu Qingjia how to "tame his shrew-like wife" and asked Xu Qingjia to meet him in the study. Cui Wulang, who had witnessed Ning Wang's true behavior at home—being doting and even a bit henpecked despite his outward authority—couldn't help but inwardly laugh at Ning Wang's pronouncements on "wife-taming."
In the study, Ning Wang began imparting his "Four Great Mental Cultivation to Manage the Wife" and "36 Strategies to Humor the Wife." He started with "authority," emphasizing that a husband must clearly establish himself as the head of the family, and boastfully cited his own success in making Ruo Qi massage him daily.
A flashback, however, showed the ironic truth: Ning Wang was actually massaging Ruo Qi, who playfully challenged him about who would massage her when he was busy, to which he eagerly responded, "Just look for me!" Xu Qingjia politely suggested that marital relations should be more egalitarian, leading Ning Wang to dismiss him as a "fool" and move on.
The second clause was "family law," advocating the use of a cane and whipping for disobedient wives, then displaying the cane as a constant reminder that "the husband is your heaven." Another flashback showed Ning Wang sternly interrogating Ruo Qi about a mysterious "fragrant powder" on his clothes. Xu Qingjia firmly rejected the idea of beating his wife, stating that such methods were unsuitable for his family, preferring to learn the "36 Strategies to Humor the Wife" instead.
Ning Wang then proceeded to teach Xu Qingjia "playing sly tricks," demonstrating how a man might covertly conceal evidence of infidelity, such as a red mark from another woman, by strategically covering it with his hand. Just as Ning Wang was demonstrating this dubious lesson, Hu Jiao burst into the study. Enraged, she dramatically drew her knife and severed a lock of her hair, not to harm herself, but to convey her extreme displeasure to Ning Wang and Xu Qingjia.
Xu Qingjia was shocked, while Hu Jiao vehemently declared that Ning Wang was a bad influence and that such friends should not be allowed to stay. Traumatized by the unexpected confrontation, Ning Wang, along with Cui Wulang, abruptly left for the military camp that very night, citing urgent duties. With the unexpected guests finally gone, Hu Jiao breathed a sigh of relief.
She cheerfully invited Yong Shou and La Mei to join her and Xu Qingjia for a celebratory meal, using the fine food Ning Wang had bought earlier. This created a warm and relaxed atmosphere. After drinking heavily, Hu Jiao became quite drunk and clung to Xu Qingjia, insisting they sleep together. However, Xu Qingjia, ever the gentleman, discreetly retreated to the study for the night.
The next morning, upon realizing Xu Qingjia had slept in the study, Hu Jiao, with La Mei’s help, mischievously prepared their bed and then tossed Xu Qingjia's sleeping mat out into the courtyard. At the Shangyong County Government Office, Xu Qingjia presided over court cases, struggling to understand the local dialect of a complaining villager.
He realized that the language barrier, coupled with complex local customs and the deep-seated conflicts exacerbated by Zhu Tingxian's misrule, made it incredibly difficult to resolve disputes. He learned that previous cases involving ethnic people were often ambiguous, quickly closed, and records only existed if someone paid a fee to file a case.
