The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 19 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
That night, the Xu family's home was breached by two intruders: Fei Jing, the black-clad man they had encountered before, and A'Wu, who was there under orders to take Xiao Bei. The two men clashed in a fierce fight. Hu Jiao, sensing trouble, went outside to investigate, and Gao Zheng soon joined her. A'Wu attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended by Gao Zheng.
Fei Jing abandoned Xiao Bei and tried to set the academy on fire with a fuse, but Hu Jiao kicked him, thwarting his plan. As Fei Jing instinctively reached for the falling fuse, he burned his hand and cried out. Working together, Gao Zheng and Hu Jiao swiftly subdued him. After the incident, Cui Wulang ordered A'Wu to be taken back to the military camp.
When questioned by Cui Wulang, A'Wu claimed he was trying to protect Xiao Bei, but he also pleaded for his life when instructed to be taken away. Meanwhile, the black-clad man, Fei Jing, appeared disoriented and brain-damaged, leading Gao Zheng to wonder if he and Hu Jiao had struck him too hard. Gao Zheng acknowledged that this made it difficult to uncover clues about the mastermind, though Xu Qingjia noted Fei Jing was from the Nanjiang Thieves Sect.
Xu Qingjia expressed his concern about the potential for further trouble. Later, Xiao Bei awoke under Hu Jiao’s care, bewildered by the experience of being put in a sack. Ning Wang arrived, and Xiao Bei tearfully embraced him, asking why it took so long for his father to visit. Ning Wang, visibly remorseful, admitted his fault and decided to bring Xiao Bei back to his residence.
Before his departure, Ning Wang gave Xu Qingjia a firm recommendation for his new post in Xiangzhou, reminding him not to cause him any embarrassment. Xu Qingjia expressed his unease, noting that Fei Jing’s attempt to burn the academy was clearly meant to hinder his promotion. He lamented that the trail of clues was severed, leaving the true mastermind uninvestigated.
Ning Wang reassured him, highlighting Hu Jiao’s kindness in saving Xiao Bei’s life and acting as a mother figure to him. He promised Xu Qingjia his unwavering support in Xiangzhou, regardless of any challenges he might face. Xu Qingjia thanked him for his profound kindness and pledged his diligence. Later, as Xu Qingjia and Hu Jiao prepared to leave, Yu Niang presented them with a packed meal for their journey, urging them to write if they encountered any problems.
Hu Jiao became emotional, expressing her reluctance to part. Gao Zheng, though gruff, pretended the wind had made his eyes water as he subtly said his goodbyes. Xu Qingjia jokingly asked Gao Zheng to join them in Xiangzhou, to which Hu Jiao playfully reminded him about Yu Niang. Gao Zheng finally offered a sincere "We will meet again" before leaving with Yu Niang, who gently chided him for his attachment.
After several days of travel, Xu Qingjia, Hu Jiao, and Yong Shou arrived in Xiangzhou territory. While resting, Yong Shou praised Xu Qingjia’s rapid promotion to a fifth-grade prefectural magistrate. Xu Qingjia reflected on his hard work and the element of luck, acknowledging their success in Shangyong was partly due to encountering the right people. Suddenly, they spotted a man, Huatuo, crying and heading towards the river, seemingly intent on suicide. Xu Qingjia, recalling past experiences, calmly approached him.
Huatuo, an herbalist, explained that after months of collecting and processing herbs from the mountains of Xiangzhou, he couldn't sell them for a good price in the city. Then, unfamiliar with the roads, he accidentally overturned his cart into the river, soaking most of his precious herbs. He cried, despairing for his mother and himself.
Moved by his plight, Hu Jiao offered to buy all his herbs, recognizing a portion of them, particularly Sophora Japonica, could still be dried and used. Huatuo, incredibly grateful, attempted to return some of the money, insisting the herbs were not worth the full amount. As he left, both Hu Jiao and Yong Shou noted the unusually low price, a suspicion Xu Qingjia rationalized as Huatuo’s overwhelming gratitude.
Upon reaching Xiangzhou city, Record Official Liu escorted them to a spacious and opulent residence. Xu Qingjia, expecting a lavish welcome banquet from Prefectural Governor Han Nansheng, extended an invitation to Liu, who politely declined and left. As the night wore on, no invitation arrived, much to Xu Qingjia’s growing embarrassment. He eventually gave up hope for a banquet and went to the kitchen to cook for Hu Jiao. The next day, Xu Qingjia formally visited the government office.
Han Nansheng and Duan Gongcao, after discussing their strategy to "coldly treat" Xu Qingjia to assert their authority, received him. They exchanged formalities, but when Xu Qingjia inquired about public security and judicial laws in Xiangzhou, both Han Nansheng and Duan Gongcao gave vague and evasive answers. Duan Gongcao informed him that another prefectural magistrate would return that afternoon, and then they could discuss the distribution of work.
Meanwhile, back at the manor, Hu Jiao, frustrated by their financial situation, joked about Xu Qingjia being unreliable and that her dreams of opening a profitable business might never materialize. She dismissed La Mei’s suggestion of opening a butchery due to Xu Qingjia’s new status. She then turned her attention to the herbs she had bought. After visiting local apothecaries with La Mei, she confirmed that while Xiangzhou had an abundance of herbs, their market prices were exorbitant.
This sparked a new idea: she decided to open an herbal medicine shop herself, offering fair prices to undercut the "black-hearted" existing shops. Her brother, Hu Houfu, and Lin Cui unexpectedly arrived, having received Hu Jiao’s letter about Xu Qingjia’s promotion. Upon hearing Hu Jiao’s business plan, Lin Cui expressed concern about Hu Jiao’s reputation as a magistrate’s wife engaging in commerce, but Hu Houfu volunteered to go to the villages himself to scout for herb suppliers.
Xu Qingjia and Yong Shou explored Xiangzhou, finding its local populace to be even more headstrong than in Shangyong, as evidenced by a dismissive interaction with an old woman. Xu Qingjia sensed that the issue ran deeper than mere social customs. Soon after, a messenger invited Xu Qingjia to meet "Lord Tang" at the Xiaoxiang Art Museum.
To Xu Qingjia's surprise, Lord Tang was none other than his old classmate, Tang Ze, who had been serving as the other prefectural magistrate in Xiangzhou for six months. During their reunion, Tang Ze brought up Xu Qingjia's past refusal to marry Prime Minister Jia's daughter, reminding him how he had orchestrated the initial encounter.
Xu Qingjia apologized for letting him down, and Tang Ze then softened, offering to provide a detailed briefing on local affairs once they returned to the government office. At the government office, Tang Ze provided Xu Qingjia with records of recent pending cases and informed him that he would be assisting with the triennial census. Xu Qingjia suggested combining the census with a property tax inspection to save time.
However, Tang Ze quickly dismissed the idea, claiming that Xu Qingjia, being new, might make mistakes that could tarnish his reputation, hinting at a desire to keep Xu Qingjia away from financial matters. Xu Qingjia conceded, agreeing to follow Tang Ze's lead. Meanwhile, Hu Houfu, accompanied by Yong Shou, returned from his trip to the villages. He excitedly reported finding herb gatherers selling their produce at incredibly low prices, confirming Hu Jiao's earlier suspicions about price manipulation.
He announced his intention to buy all the available herbs the next day. That evening, Xu Qingjia hosted Hu Houfu and Lin Cui for dinner. Hu Jiao expressed her confidence in her brother and Lin Cui to help establish the herbal medicine shop. Hu Houfu assured them of his business acumen, and everyone toasted to the future flourishing success of their new venture.
