The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 3 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
The events surrounding the Hu family began after the Imperial Examination in Bianjing. Xu Qingjia and his classmate, Tang Zhe, were invited by an old gentleman to a pavilion. The man posed a difficult question to Xu Qingjia about "arbitrary power," subtly alluding to the various powerful factions within the court. Despite the old gentleman not revealing his identity, Xu Qingjia had already deduced that he was Prime Minister Jia Chang.
Xu Qingjia politely declined an advantageous marriage that would have propelled him to a high position, citing a pre-existing marriage agreement. He explained that fulfilling this prior engagement was crucial to avoid severe repercussions, including being accused of deceiving the monarch. Upon learning the truth, Hu Jiao couldn't help but scold Xu Qingjia for his foolishness, believing that marrying into the Prime Minister's family would guarantee him a life of endless wealth and honor.
However, Xu Qingjia was a man of his word and would not go back on a promise, so the immediate priority was to resolve the current trouble. Hu Jiao then proposed a solution: a fake marriage to deceive everyone. After three years, they would divorce, and Hu Jiao would use the accumulated savings from that period to buy land and open her own shop.
Although this method went against Xu Qingjia's original intention, he had no other options and tacitly agreed to Hu Jiao's suggestion. Through their conversation that night, Xu Qingjia gradually changed his view of Hu Jiao, admiring her insightful perspective as a woman. The night ended with both drinking heavily. The next morning, Hu Jiao awoke with a fuzzy memory, only recalling a vague image of an umbrella, which she later realized was the "umbrella of all people" she had mentioned.
Hu Tingzhi, Hu Jiao’s father, reprimanded her for staying out all night. He then explained his decision to approve of Xu Qingjia, not because of the scholar's family background or brilliance, but because Xu Qingjia remembered Hu Jiao's favorite foods and meticulously observed her preferences, making every effort to satisfy them, showing he was a thoughtful person.
Originally, Hu Tingzhi intended to persuade his daughter to agree to marry Xu Qingjia, but Hu Jiao unexpectedly took the initiative, declaring that the wedding should proceed as soon as possible. This statement surprised Hu Tingzhi, who was momentarily stunned and even misunderstood Hu Jiao's meaning. First, Hu Jiao tested Hu Tingzhi's attitude, then Xu Qingjia arranged a family banquet to gain Jia Quan's trust. As expected, Jia Quan, the Prime Minister’s second steward, arrived uninvited that evening.
Xu Qingjia deliberately put on an exaggerated display of affection with Hu Jiao in front of everyone, making it seem like they were deeply in love. Hu Jiao, suppressing her discomfort, immediately proposed that they marry the very next day, emphasizing their need to depart for Shangyong, where Xu Qingjia was appointed magistrate, as the journey would be long and arduous. After the family banquet that night, the marriage between the Hu and Xu families was set in stone.
Although outsiders might not understand Xu Qingjia's choice, as scholars usually preferred gentle and virtuous wives, a quality almost non-existent in Hu Jiao, Xu Qingjia did not care about others' opinions. On the morning of the wedding, Lin Cui tried to rouse a reluctant Hu Jiao, who viewed the ceremony as nothing more than Xu Qingjia moving his belongings from the guest room into her own.
As Lin Cui helped her dress, she shared her longing for her father, a escort who had gone missing, expressing her sole wish for their future reunion. Hu Jiao, realizing she had been insensitive, immediately embraced Lin Cui and apologized, which helped calm Lin Cui's mood. Wei Shi had prepared Hu Jiao's dowry, which was minimal, consisting only of clothing and daily necessities that could be easily packed after the wedding.
Still, wishing to avoid the traditional fuss, Hu Jiao mischievously asked Lin Cui to give her an ugly bridal makeup look. At the ceremony, everyone was stunned by Hu Jiao's bizarre appearance. Hu Tingzhi was visibly upset but restrained himself given the occasion. To everyone's surprise, Xu Qingjia publicly greatly praised Hu Jiao. The couple then exchanged marital agreements witnessed by relatives and neighbors, and Xu Qingjia presented Hu Jiao with a silver hairpin, sealing their union.
After all the ceremonies, Xu Qingjia went to the mountains to pay respects to his parents. He subsequently got lost in the forest, and his sister-in-law, Wei Shi, unable to find him, rushed to inform Hu Tingzhi and Hu Jiao.
