The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 24 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
Following Wang Fu's testimony, Zha Bi, Liu Wen, and Zhang Yi confessed and were subsequently imprisoned, clearing Gao Zheng of any wrongdoing. Tang Ze was incensed by these events and decided to seek intervention from Grand Preceptor Fu. Before doing so, Tang Ze visited Zha Bi in prison, where he confronted him about the death of Lao San.
Initially, Zha Bi tried to claim he was acting on orders, but Tang Ze quickly asserted his power, questioning who would believe him. Tang Ze then threatened Zha Bi by mentioning his lover, Widow Liu, and their newborn twins, implying harm could come to them. Faced with this threat, Zha Bi broke down and confessed to killing Lao San, insisting no one ordered him, and pleaded for his family's safety.
Upon his return, Tang Ze was briefed by Han Wenfang about Hu Jiao's thriving medicinal herb business. He learned that Hu Jiao had successfully recruited many outside merchants and utilized the Windward Bodyguard Agency to transport goods, already capturing nearly 30% of Xiangzhou's herbal medicine trade. This drastic shift left Nanfeng House struggling to even secure 10%. Tang Ze expressed his intention to involve Grand Preceptor Fu, stating he had already sent a letter to the capital.
He vowed that Xu Qingjia would not enjoy his success for long. Separately, Han Wenfang was instructed by Tang Ze to send people to Yunlai Town to "rough up" the Hu family in retaliation. That evening, Hu Jiao hosted a celebratory dinner, reveling in their apparent victory over Nanfeng House and its associates. However, the other attendees remained preoccupied with the lingering threat of Grand Preceptor Fu.
Hu Jiao dismissed their fears, believing that even the Grand Preceptor couldn't simply forbid all other herb businesses. Xu Qingjia concurred, noting that if the Grand Preceptor truly wanted to monopolize the trade, he would have done so long ago by classifying it as government business, like salt and iron, which would limit his personal profit.
Despite his companions' worries, Xu Qingjia proposed a strategy of "coping with shifting events by sticking to fundamental principles," which they interpreted as having no real solution. Meanwhile, Grand Preceptor Fu, having learned of Tang Ze's failures in Xiangzhou, deemed him ineffective. His steward, Zhou Ming'an, suggested using Xiangzhou's plight to pressure Xu Qingjia into surrendering an undisclosed item. The Grand Preceptor agreed, noting Xu Qingjia's lineage as Censor Xu's son and the importance of the item.
He also alluded to Prince Ning's recent military victory, indicating a tense political climate that required him to "clean up all the roots and ends" to protect the Crown Prince. Zhou Ming'an was dispatched to Xiangzhou to handle the matter personally. Tang Ze subsequently issued an order from the prefect, sealing off all land within thirty miles of Xiangzhou due to supposed bandit activity, forbidding caravans and cargo from entering or exiting without a government token.
This trapped Lin A'niu's merchant convoy, preventing them from delivering medicinal herbs to Yunlai. Xu Qingjia sought a token from Han Nansheng, but Han Nansheng regretfully declined, explaining that Tang Ze held the sole authority to issue them. Han Nansheng argued that while he was willing to offend the Grand Preceptor, doing so would only lead to his replacement by someone more compliant, leaving the local populace worse off.
He advised Xu Qingjia to "turn a blind eye" for the sake of survival. Xu Qingjia disagreed, asserting that officials serve the people, and acknowledging that just as lotus flowers grow from mud, an official rooted in reality cannot remain unstained. Returning home, Xu Qingjia discussed the dire situation with his household. They considered seeking help from Prince Ning or Prime Minister Jia.
Gao Zheng explained that Prince Ning, despite his royal status, was not the Crown Prince and thus lacked the authority to intervene in court affairs, especially against the Grand Preceptor, who was the Crown Prince's maternal grandfather. Any direct opposition would be perceived as a challenge for the throne. Furthermore, Prime Minister Jia, being Prince Ning's father-in-law, shared the same political sensitivities, making his involvement equally problematic.
Xu Qingjia concluded that there was a limit to what they could do, but they must act according to their conscience. Soon after, Xu Qingjia was invited to meet Zhou Ming'an. Zhou Ming'an bluntly demanded two things to resolve the Xiangzhou blockade: Xu Qingjia's official position and a certain "item." Xu Qingjia feigned ignorance about the item, but Zhou Ming'an subtly reminded him that only the powerful could afford to lie.
He informed Xu Qingjia that he would be departing the next day, leaving Xu Qingjia to make his decision. Xu Qingjia then revealed the "item" to Hu Jiao and the others: a hidden paper inside his ceremonial umbrella, containing a small script stating, "The Ministry of Revenue has requested to send 900,000 "dan" of grains to relieve Cangzhou," accompanied by a strange, unfamiliar stamp.
Xu Qingjia explained that his late father, formerly a censor, had left him this mysterious object, insisting he keep its existence secret. He now realized that both the man in black from Shangyong and Grand Preceptor Fu were after this item, though its precise significance remained unclear. Despite the uncertainty, Xu Qingjia decided to surrender the item along with his official hat to save the people of Xiangzhou. He apologized to Hu Jiao for this decision.
Hu Jiao, far from being angry about his decision, embraced him. She expressed that she didn't marry him for his rank as the second-place scholar, nor for his positions as county magistrate or vice prefect. Instead, she loved him for being the "bookworm who couldn't lift a thing, but has to carry all the burdens of common people," commending his decision as the right one.
The following day, Xu Qingjia formally resigned from his position, removing his official hat, and handed over the umbrella to Zhou Ming'an. Zhou Ming'an, true to his word, ordered Tang Ze to lift the blockade on Xiangzhou and to seal off Nanfeng House, ensuring that no one could use the Grand Preceptor's name to monopolize medicinal herbs.
Tang Ze, despite his protests, was forced to pack his belongings and return to the capital, warned by Zhou Ming'an that he was lucky not to face punishment for the mess he had made in Xiangzhou and was demoted to the Imperial Academy. Han Wenfang was left devastated, losing both her business and her alliance.
Before leaving Xiangzhou, Gao Zheng and Yu Niang decided to return to the capital so Gao Zheng could report their situation to Prime Minister Jia and plan their future together. Xu Qingjia and Hu Jiao bid them an affectionate farewell, then embarked on their journey back to Yunlai Town. Upon their arrival at the familiar old family home, they were shocked to discover that Hu Tingzhi was bedridden.
Hu Tingzhi recounted how a group of hoodlums had been regularly harassing their butchery, smashing goods, scaring away customers, and even physically assaulting him and Hu Houfu. He added that Hu Houfu, who had returned home after the medicinal herb business, had been badly beaten again and was now confused and disoriented. He had kept this secret from Hu Jiao to avoid bothering her and Xu Qingjia. Overwhelmed with guilt, Xu Qingjia apologized to his father-in-law.
When asked about Hu Houfu, Hu Tingzhi explained that he stubbornly guarded the butchery, considering it his mother's legacy. Hu Jiao and Xu Qingjia then went to the butchery, finding a disoriented Hu Houfu attempting to repair the damaged shop by himself. Hu Jiao handed him a large sum of money, insisting he hire carpenters for repairs and see a doctor for his head injuries.
