Romance on the Farm Episode 14 Recap
> Romance on the Farm Recap
Lian Hua'er married into the prominent Song family, a union that garnered much envy from their village, especially as the Lian family already boasted a scholar. On the day of the wedding, a grand procession brought Lian Hua'er to the Song Mansion. Inside, during the tea ceremony, Lian Hua'er and Song Hailong served tea to Lian's father, Lian Shouxin, and Lian's mother. Lian Shouxin advised the couple to be united, filial, and to soon have children.
Lian's mother entrusted Hua'er to Hailong, urging him to treat her well, while also reminding Hua'er to respect her new elders. During the wedding, observers gossiped about her extravagant wedding, noting how different it was compared to village weddings and how fortunate the Lian family was.
Some also discussed how Lian Hua'er had previously broken a valuable jade pendant from the Song family's betrothal gifts and borrowed a significant sum to replace it, implying the Song family's matriarch was still displeased and was setting strict rules for the new bride. At the wedding banquet, Lian Man'er, the bride's relative, boldly promoted her "Champion Red Brandy."
She introduced the unique distilled grape wine, claiming it was made from an ancestral recipe and special "four seasons water," collected with great effort, giving it magical health benefits. Guests were initially skeptical but, upon tasting, praised its sweet and fragrant flavor. Lian Man'er priced it at a surprisingly affordable five taels a jar, quickly securing multiple orders for ten and five jars, even offering garlic peanuts and free jars as incentives.
Meanwhile, Song family servants whispered disdainfully, criticizing Lian Man'er for her shameless and ill-mannered behavior, openly peddling goods at her sister's wedding. Meanwhile, Song Haikun, who had recently lost a crucial registration book, sought an audience with Master Wu Zhonglian. Wu Zhonglian's attendant noted Haikun’s desperation and his attempt to curry favor by offering the "Champion Red Brandy."
Wu Zhonglian, acknowledging Song Haikun’s efforts to make amends, ordered one hundred jars of the wine to be delivered to the capital, sternly warning him against any further mistakes. Song Haikun promised to handle the task with utmost care. The following day, Lian Hua'er presented tea to Madam Song, her new mother-in-law. Madam Song immediately challenged Hua'er, accusing her of deception regarding the broken jade pendant and her pre-marital debts.
Hua'er tearfully confessed to concealing the truth due to anxiety and not wanting to trouble Song Hailong. However, Madam Song dismissed her explanation, revealing that Song Hailong was not her biological son but an illegitimate child, scorned for his mediocrity and lack of ambition. Madam Song stated she had only permitted the marriage because Hailong posed no threat to the family's more favored sons. Despite this, she promised Hua'er a secure life if she lived peacefully.
Subsequently, Madam Song punished Lian Hua'er, halving her monthly allowance, charcoal supply, and reducing her servants. When Hua'er feigned ignorance of the reason, Madam Song directly attributed the punishment to Lian Man'er's wine sales at the wedding. As Dong Xiang, a servant, escorted Hua'er away, she relayed a message from Madam Song: Hua'er must ensure Lian Man'er knew that the wine Song Haikun ordered was for Master Wu in the capital and that no mishaps should occur.
Back in her room, Lian Hua'er confronted Song Hailong, asking why he had misled her about his status as the most esteemed son. Hailong admitted he lied to win her affection, explaining that he was undervalued by his family due to his birth, his mother's contempt, and his eldest brother's relegation of him to trivial tasks.
Lian Hua'er expressed her sacrifices for their marriage, but Song Hailong reassured her of his love, promising they could have a good life if they remained content. Hua'er then accepted his explanation, asserting that her desire was for him, not his status. She then inquired about Master Wu, the influential figure for whom Song Haikun had ordered Lian Man'er’s wine. To meet the increasing demand for her wine, Lian Man'er sought more funds.
She had already borrowed sixty taels from other money changers and now secured an additional two hundred taels from Laojin, who generously waived the interest. Lian Man'er, however, insisted on paying the interest, adhering to sound business practices. Lian Shouxin expressed deep concern about the mounting debts, particularly from notoriously difficult creditors like Master Liu and Master Qin.
Lian Man'er confidently reassured him, emphasizing that Song Haikun's substantial order for one hundred jars, destined for dignitaries in the capital, would surely lead to even larger orders, bringing in significant profits. She was certain that once the wine was delivered and the contract signed, Song Haikun would pay immediately. Despite Lian Shouxin’s lingering worries, Lian Man'er rejected Wang Youheng’s offer to accompany her, stating someone would pick up the shipment after Pingfeng Mountain, ensuring a quick round trip.
Meanwhile, Lian Hua'er, still harboring resentment, learned about Song Haikun's wine order from Song Hailong. She secretly contacted a fixer known for his connections in both legitimate and illicit circles. She paid him to relay the wine shipment's timing and route to mountain bandits. At the Black Tiger Fortress, the bandits’ leader, Yu Xiangjin, received the information that the goods belonged to the Song family.
The bandits, who felt the Song family had wronged many of their brethren, planned the robbery as an act of revenge. Shen Nuo and Thirteen, who resided with the bandits, expressed their reluctance to participate in another robbery without the return of a crucial registration book that Yu Xiangjin had promised them. They eventually agreed to one last job, provided their item was returned afterward, with Shen Nuo suggesting a deceptive operation.
The day of the shipment, Lian Man'er’s wine was intercepted. News quickly reached the Song Mansion that Song Haikun’s wine shipment had vanished. Song Hailong informed Lian Hua'er that while the messenger claimed government officials had seized the wine, Song Haikun's inquiries revealed no such checkpoint was established, indicating the wine had been robbed. This meant Song Haikun would likely refuse to pay Lian Man'er. Soon after, Lian Man'er faced relentless demands for repayment from Master Qian and other creditors.
Laojin, encountering the creditors, intervened on Lian Man'er's behalf, vouching for her integrity and offering to cover her debt in half a month if she couldn't secure the funds. Lian Man'er recounted how a group posing as officials had seized her wine just outside town, claiming it was for "smuggling," despite her having all necessary official documents. She noted their aggression and lack of official seizure documents.
Laojin found the situation suspicious and promised to investigate the matter, advising her to focus on producing a new batch of wine and to seek Wang Youheng’s help if needed. Back at the Black Tiger Fortress, Shen Nuo and the bandits opened the seized boxes, expecting valuables but finding only wine. While some bandits were disappointed, others saw the value in angering the Song family. Shen Nuo noted a bandit's harshness towards the young delivery girl and inquired about her.
Another bandit described her as pretty but very spirited during the robbery. Shen Nuo then confronted Yu Xiangjin, the leader of the Black Tiger Fortress, requesting the return of the wine. He explained it belonged to a friend and was deeply important to him, regardless of its monetary value. Yu Xiangjin was hesitant, stating the wine was the result of the bandits' hard work.
Shen Nuo insisted, asserting his prior ignorance of the wine's ownership and his determination to claim it. Yu Xiangjin offered Shen Nuo a choice: the wine or the important registration book. Shen Nuo chose the wine. Yu Xiangjin clarified that the registration book detailed the accounts of prominent guild masters within the local Jinyang Guild, questioning if the wine was worth sacrificing such vital information. Shen Nuo affirmed his choice, stating that "she" (Lian Man'er) was very important to him.
As Shen Nuo left the fortress, Thirteen questioned his decision to exchange the crucial registration book for wine. Shen Nuo explained that Yu Xiangjin had revealed the book detailed individuals from the Jinyang Guild. Without the book, he planned to find alternative ways to gather intelligence, heading to Shisanli Camp where he hoped someone could assist him.
Meanwhile, back at the Black Tiger Fortress, the bandits, realizing the lost opportunity, considered blackmailing Song Haikun with their knowledge of the registration book's importance. They decided to don disguises to meet Song Haikun and demand a large sum of money. Back in town, Master Qian again confronted Lian Man'er, demanding immediate repayment of her debt, citing pressure from his superior. He rejected her offer of grapes as collateral.
Wang Youheng arrived, paid off Lian Man'er’s debt, and dismissed Master Qian. Seeing Lian Man'er's continuous worry over money, Wang Youheng asked her what truly made her happy. She replied, "Eating, making money, and watching fireworks." She fondly recalled a time when a wish she made during a fireworks display came true the next day, wishing she could experience that joy again, but sadly noting the absence of fireworks in their current location.
