The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 18 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
Cui Wulang had people bring Xiao Bei into the Xu family residence. Though young, Xiao Bei was notably arrogant and unruly. Prince Ning, pressured by the impending arrival of Princess Consort Ning, reluctantly agreed to Hu Jiao's terms for Xiao Bei's care, stating he would not treat the family poorly and would uphold the agreed-upon expenses. He privately expressed frustration at having to make concessions.
Upon returning to his military camp, Prince Ning was surprised to find Jia Jirong, Princess Consort Ning, awaiting him. Cui Wulang confessed he had initially told her the Prince was absent, per instructions. Jia Jirong, however, feigned deep concern, claiming she hadn't eaten or slept since he left and had come to serve him, subtly trying to inquire about Xiao Bei.
Prince Ning, annoyed by her theatrical display, dismissed her attempts to talk about Xiao Bei, even when she made a convoluted reference to him and dramatically lamented her status as a step-mother. He brusquely told her he was full and that Xiao Bei was not there. Undeterred, Jia Jirong secretly summoned A'Wu. She pressed him for information about Xiao Bei's whereabouts and whether Prince Ning was seeing someone new.
A'Wu revealed that Xiao Bei was entrusted to Xu Qingjia, the County Governor of Shangyong, and that Prince Ning greatly admired Madam Xu, believing she could effectively discipline Xiao Bei. Dismissing A'Wu's clarification that there was nothing romantic between Madam Xu and the Prince, Jia Jirong asked about Madam Xu's appearance, then instructed A'Wu to secure an official errand to Shangyong to covertly monitor the Xu residence and report back on their every move.
Meanwhile, Hu Jiao struggled to persuade Xiao Bei to attend school. She tried various incentives, from a rattle to candied hawthorn, and even suggested a new school bag would make him the "coolest boy." However, Xiao Bei, accustomed to being pampered, remained stubborn and defiant. When she discovered him urinating on her peony flowers, Hu Jiao lost her temper.
She tied him up and pushed him to the Shangyong Academy in a cart, with Xiao Bei still defiantly threatening to "tear off the roof." Xu Qingjia tried to calm Hu Jiao, noting her anger, but Hu Jiao retorted that if Xiao Bei were her son, he would have been disciplined long ago. During a martial arts lesson, Xiao Bei refused to participate, calling Hu Jiao's techniques "showy and impractical."
Later, he deliberately kicked A'Huang, injuring him, and showed no remorse, claiming his father taught him that "strength can solve all problems." Enraged, Hu Jiao asserted her authority, declaring that as his aunt, she was like a half-mother and responsible for correcting his behavior.
Despite Xu Qingjia's intervention, citing ancestral wisdom about guiding children with integrity, Hu Jiao publicly spanked Xiao Bei with a wooden ruler, stating she didn't care whose son he was because "right is right and wrong is wrong." Xiao Bei, in turn, shouted that she wasn't his mother and that all women wanted to be his mom. Later, Xu Qingjia apologized to Hu Jiao, acknowledging her recent hardships and loneliness since moving to Shangyong and leaving her family behind.
He gently explained that Xiao Bei's rebellious behavior stemmed from his distress at being sent to an unfamiliar place. After this conversation, Hu Jiao reflected on her actions and realized she might have been too harsh. She went to Xiao Bei, bringing medicine for his injuries. Despite his initial resistance and rude remarks, Hu Jiao apologized for her actions.
She gently urged him to let her apply the medicine, and eventually softened her tone, telling him that if he trusted her, he could consider their home his own. Her sincerity seemed to touch Xiao Bei, as he appeared much calmer afterward. A'Wu, secretly observing the events, reported Xiao Bei's beating to Jia Jirong, who instructed him to relay an exaggerated account to Prince Ning, hoping to compel him to retrieve Xiao Bei.
A'Wu dutifully reported to Prince Ning, framing Hu Jiao's discipline as abuse and insult, emphasizing that "County Magistrate Xu's wife was abusing Young Master Xiao Bei" and had disrespectfully stated, "What's right is right. What's wrong is wrong. I don't care who's son you are." To A'Wu's surprise, Prince Ning was not angry. Instead, he praised Hu Jiao's words, acknowledging that his own indulgence had made Xiao Bei proud and ill-tempered.
He expressed relief that someone was finally disciplining Xiao Bei, affirming his decision to entrust him to Hu Jiao. During lunchtime at the academy, some children intentionally took food from Xiao Bei's bowl, leaving him with an empty plate and a sulky expression. However, Shaoyao, A'Huang's sister, showing kindness, offered him her chicken leg. Later, Xiao Bei, seemingly developing a liking for Shaoyao, subtly hid her book.
When she became distressed looking for it, he dramatically reappeared, claiming he had bravely retrieved it from a wild dog after chasing it for several blocks. Shaoyao gratefully thanked him. During playtime, Xiao Bei stealthily removed Shaoyao's red hair tie. When she noticed and complained, Hu Jiao intervened, calmly styling her hair with a hairpin and putting an end to the incident.
Later, Xiao Bei, seizing an opportunity when the classroom was empty, scribbled on Shaoyao's Xuan paper before hiding behind a curtain to observe. When Shaoyao discovered the defaced papers, she became distraught and cried, drawing the attention of Hu Jiao and Yu Niang. Yu Niang examined the writings and realized they formed an acrostic poem, despite some incorrect characters, praising Shaoyao for her "pure heart and spirit."
Hu Jiao chased Xiao Bei down, who admitted to defacing the paper but saw no issue, thinking he could simply buy more. Hu Jiao, frustrated by his lack of empathy, revealed that Shaoyao's father had saved significantly just to buy that paper.
To teach him a lesson, she took Xiao Bei to the impoverished western suburbs, showing him the harsh realities of life for people like an old woman re-boiling discarded medicine dregs for her sick family and a mother foraging for mushrooms to feed her hungry children. Hu Jiao explained that these were "tens of thousands of Shaoyaos" who existed without dignity. She emphasized that while they both were fortunate, not everyone shared their luck.
She urged him to respect his peers from poor families, whose parents might have sacrificed everything for their education. She concluded by stating that a truly "invincible man" earns respect, not fear, and must always consider others' perspectives before acting. Xiao Bei, deeply affected by the experience, told Hu Jiao he understood and promised to apologize to Shaoyao. He fulfilled his promise, admitting his actions and apologizing, stating, "A man must bear the consequences of his own actions."
He also offered to buy new Xuan paper for her. Shaoyao was touched and forgave him, even expressing gratitude for the acrostic poem. Xiao Bei's demeanor changed significantly, and he even playfully suggested he and Hu Jiao become sworn siblings, calling her "Sister Jiao," which, despite her protests, indicated their growing bond. Gao Zheng visited the Jade Spring Pavilion to question Yu Niang about a suspicious figure she had seen near the County Academy.
Yu Niang described seeing only a "fleeing shadow" and cautioned Gao Zheng about the unsettling times, mentioning Advisor Chen's strange death. She then teased Gao Zheng, suggesting he only saw her as a citizen and lamenting her status, even contemplating marrying a wealthy squire as a concubine. Gao Zheng vehemently objected, flustered, before Xu Qingjia arrived and noticed Gao Zheng's flushed ears, playfully teasing him.
Switching to serious matters, Xu Qingjia shared his own encounter with a black-clad individual at Stone Sheep Village, noting that the same person had previously wounded Gao Zheng and tried to steal the People's Umbrella. They both concluded that this mysterious figure must be connected to Zhu Tingxian and catching him could expose the mastermind behind the silver mine, though his next move remained unknown.
That evening, Xu Qingjia, concerned about a suspicious person reported by Gao Zheng, walked Hu Jiao part of the way home, expressing his worry and regret that his official duties prevented him from staying with her. He dramatically declared they should "at least die together" if evil truly lurked, which Hu Jiao quickly rebuffed. He urged her to take care of herself, mentioning that La Mei could protect her if needed.
As he prepared to leave, and while La Mei was distracted, Xu Qingjia leaned in and gave Hu Jiao a quick kiss, leaving her both shy and pleased. Later, Xu Qingjia sent a message to Gao Zheng, requesting him to include the County Academy in his night patrol routes. Gao Zheng instructed two officers to accompany him while the rest continued their regular town patrol.
