The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 2 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
At the welcoming banquet held for Xu Qingjia, Hu Jiao deliberately challenged the physically weak Xu Qingjia to an arm wrestling match. She quickly defeated him with just one hand, leaving him embarrassed. Unsatisfied, Hu Jiao then accused Xu Qingjia of keeping a mistress, presenting a silver hairpin as proof. To her surprise, Hu Tingzhi immediately intervened, sternly scolding his daughter. He revealed that the hairpin was Xu Qingjia's deceased mother's heirloom, meant for his future wife.
Realizing her grave mistake, Hu Jiao was instantly stunned and speechless. The banquet ended hastily, and Hu Tingzhi, furious with his daughter, locked her in the woodshed for a period of time. Later, in the woodshed, Xu Qingjia visited Hu Jiao, bringing her two portions of Drunken Plum Sweets, knowing they were her favorite. Hu Jiao apologized for the previous incident.
Although she acknowledged Xu Qingjia was a good person, she explained that she genuinely couldn't accept a marriage without affection. The next morning, when her sister-in-law Wei Shi brought her food, Hu Jiao reiterated that she already had someone in her heart: Brother A'Niu from the bodyguard agency. She admired his strength and robustness, capable of handling several ordinary men, contrasting him with the frail Xu Qingjia.
She also mentioned their childhood connection and how he had even gone bald practicing "Qingfeng Zhan" with her. Wei Shi, hearing her sister-in-law's vision for her future marriage, informed her that their father, Hu Tingzhi, had decided the wedding would take place in five days, making the marriage a "done deal." Overhearing this conversation from outside the woodshed, Xu Qingjia walked away dejectedly.
The next morning, Hu Jiao, desperate to avoid the arranged marriage, left without saying goodbye, climbing over the wall to find A'Niu. Xu Qingjia witnessed her escape. Coincidentally, Hu Tingzhi was heading to the woodshed, so Xu Qingjia intercepted him to cover for Hu Jiao and prevent her exposure. During their conversation, Xu Qingjia learned of the Hu family's troubles: Squire Chen had been pressuring Hu Tingzhi to sell their butcher shop at an extremely low price.
Hu Tingzhi had learned that Squire Chen had significant backing, including a brother who was a prefect, and thus felt compelled to endure the harassment. Xu Qingjia reassured Hu Tingzhi, inferring that a noble person would soon arrive to help deal with Squire Chen. As expected, Jia Quan, the second steward of the Prime Minister's residence, arrived at the Hu family's house to understand the situation.
Xu Qingjia directed Hu Tingzhi to receive Jia Quan in the main hall while he would handle Squire Chen in the side hall. In the side hall, Squire Chen initially displayed arrogance. Meanwhile, in the main hall, Jia Quan, the second steward to Prime Minister Jia, revealed his purpose: Xu Qingjia had politely declined Prime Minister Jia's offer to marry his daughter, insisting instead on returning to Yunlai Town to fulfill his childhood engagement.
Jia Quan, on behalf of the Prime Minister, highly praised Xu Qingjia, implying a promotion for him. Upon learning Jia Quan's identity, Squire Chen's demeanor instantly shifted from arrogant to subservient, bowing and flattering. After Jia Quan departed, Squire Chen quickly abandoned his intentions to buy the shop, instead wishing to befriend the Hu family. Hu Tingzhi was greatly relieved.
Xu Qingjia then explained his foresight to Hu Tingzhi: he had anticipated that the Prime Minister would send someone to visit the Hu family, thereby publicly validating the engagement and inadvertently resolving the Hu family's problem. However, this also meant that canceling the wedding now, after such high-level recognition, would be deemed a crime of deceiving the emperor. Meanwhile, Hu Jiao arrived at the bodyguard agency, hoping to confess her feelings to A'Niu.
To her dismay, she discovered that A'Niu already had a sweetheart. Seeing A'Niu being sweet and loving with someone else, Hu Jiao felt uneasy and was about to draw her knife in anger when Xu Qingjia rushed over and saluted A'Niu and the other bodyguards.
To get rid of Xu Qingjia's entanglement and see him made a fool of, Hu Jiao told a few bodyguards to "have a match" with him, then sat alone on the street, waiting for the result. Unexpectedly, Xu Qingjia emerged unharmed, and the bodyguards treated him with utmost respect, respectfully escorting him out. Defeated and angry that her plan to make a fool of Xu Qingjia had failed, Hu Jiao ran to Lin Cui's shop to drink.
Xu Qingjia found her there. Hu Jiao laid out wine and dishes, forcing Xu Qingjia to sit and drink. However, Xu Qingjia, who was never good at drinking, could only brace himself to swallow a mouthful of the strong liquor.
