The Litchi Road Episode 17 Recap
> The Litchi Road Recap
Fifteen years ago, Zheng Jinniang went to offer incense at a temple on Mount Hua. Li Shande saw her by chance and fell in love with her at first sight. His colleagues called him to meet Cui Shiyilang, who had just joined the Imperial College. His father was a Minor Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household. Li Shande didn't want to go. He turned around and found that Zheng Jinniang was already gone. Li Shande felt deeply disappointed.
Zheng Jinniang went down the mountain alone and accidentally twisted her ankle. Cui Shiyilang happened to pass by at this time. He showed concern for Zheng Jinniang, but she did not appreciate it and spoke coldly to him. It turned out that Zheng Jinniang was from the renowned Zheng clan of Xingyang. She and Cui Shiyilang had an engagement.
After her father committed suicide out of fear of punishment, she and her brother Zheng Pingan were expelled from the Zheng clan. Cui Shiyilang was then forced to break off the engagement with Zheng Jinniang. He unintentionally discovered that Zheng Jinniang was still wearing the sachet he had given her, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. Cui Shiyilang discussed with his friends about taking turns carrying Zheng Jinniang down the mountain.
They did not want to get involved with Zheng Jinniang, who had been expelled from her clan, so Cui Shiyilang had to leave first. Li Shande searched everywhere and finally found Zheng Jinniang. He actively helped Zheng Jinniang massage her injured foot, and then carried her down the mountain on his back. Zheng Jinniang was resistant at first, but she saw that Li Shande was a kind person and let down her guard. It gradually got dark.
Li Shande continued on the road, carrying Zheng Jinniang on his back. They chatted and laughed, and the more they talked, the more they hit it off. - Li Shande came to A Mita for sponsorship, which was strongly opposed by the foreign merchants. Li Shande detailed his plan for transporting the lychees and expressed his determination to never give up. A Mita was moved by Li Shande's words and let the foreign merchants vote. Everyone voted yes.
Li Shande was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, and he bowed deeply to thank them. Su Liang and Zheng Pingan were also happy for Li Shande. A Mita reminded Li Shande to quickly solve the problem of the extra two days caused by the flood. If the mission did not progress within thirty days, all the foreign merchants' investments would be withdrawn. Li Shande hurried back to study solutions.
Zhao Xinmin, on behalf of He Youguang, sent gifts to Li Shande to congratulate him. A Mita came to report back to He Youguang. He Youguang deliberately scolded Zhao Xinmin in front of her for his incompetence, which allowed Li Shande to seize the opportunity. A Mita admitted her mistake to He Youguang, saying she didn't expect Li Shande to be so persistent. He Youguang took the opportunity to play on A Mita's emotions.
He deliberately pretended to be foolish and crazy, making outsiders think he was an incompetent official who only knew how to play cockfighting and juggle. In secret, he supported A Mita to become the head of the foreign merchants' guild at all costs. Just as they were about to get the military tally and become local overlords in Lingnan, Li Shande unexpectedly intervened and won over all the foreign merchants.
A Mita felt that Li Shande was completely incapable of completing the lychee transportation mission. He Youguang was worried about unexpected complications and reminded A Mita never to be careless. Zhao Xinmin saw A Mita being reprimanded and made sarcastic remarks from the side. A Mita retorted sharply. Zhao Xinmin sent Wei shopkeeper to assist A Mita in keeping an eye on Li Shande. A Mita took Wei shopkeeper and others to inspect the progress of the lychee transportation mission.
Wei shopkeeper took the opportunity to ask Li Shande to help promote the clothes from his Jadafu store. Li Shande scoffed at this. Li Shande accompanied A Mita and Wei shopkeeper and others to visit the lychee garden. Lan Yu asked A Tong to introduce it to them, but A Tong was very reluctant. The foreign merchants demanded to advertise their respective businesses on the double-layered jars and bamboo baskets, and even wanted to write promotional articles on them.
Li Shande was greatly annoyed. They insisted on sufficient promotion before contributing funds, but Li Shande refused to budge. Wei shopkeeper casually mentioned that the embroidery workshop where Li Shande's daughter worked was his family's property, and if Li Shande didn't advertise as required, he would take back the house used by the workshop. A Mita couldn't stand Wei shopkeeper's greedy face.
Unable to bear it any longer, she slapped him hard across the face, told him to go back and report to Zhao Xinmin, and also took Li Shande away with her. In the lychee garden, Lan Yu gestured and directed the Dong people to prepare equipment according to the foreign merchants' requirements. A Tong couldn't stand it and had a big argument with her.
Li Shande thanked A Mita for her help, only worried that hitting Zhao Xinmin's subordinate would cause trouble. A Mita had the strong backing of He Youguang, so she didn't care about Zhao Xinmin, that running dog. A Mita saw that Li Shande was both honest and serious, but was curious why he would risk his life to take on this impossible mission. Li Shande was helpless.
He had just bought back his old family home and therefore owed over a hundred strings of foreign debt. For his daughter Xiuer's future happiness, he was willing to risk his life. A Mita looked at Li Shande with newfound respect. Zhao Xinmin went to He Youguang to complain. He Youguang heard that A Mita had hit Wei shopkeeper and didn't take it seriously at all.
Zhao Xinmin noticed that Ma Guiyun liked A Mita and wanted to arrange a beautiful woman for Ma Guiyun. He Youguang thought this plan was perfect. Zhao Xinmin made every effort to set up Lan Yu and Zheng Pingan. Lan Yu dressed up carefully and did her best to please Zheng Pingan. Zhao Xinmin couldn't hold his liquor and quickly got drunk. Zheng Pingan saw him off. Lan Yu actively invited Zheng Pingan to go climbing tomorrow.
Zheng Pingan knew clearly that this was a honeytrap set up by Zhao Xinmin, but he didn't want to be completely unaccommodating, so he agreed. Gou Er reminded Zheng Pingan not to be seduced by beauty. Zheng Pingan knew what he was doing and even scolded Gou Er. A Tong invited her aunt A Chai to perform a ritual. She lit a large pile of datura, intending to numb the nerves of the Dong people with it. Li Shande put out the fire and publicly exposed A Chai's trick.