Romance on the Farm Episode 19 Recap
> Romance on the Farm Recap
Lian Hua'er watched as Wu Zhonglian visited Lian Man'er's restaurant, where a wagon of vegetables was also delivered. Her husband remarked on Lian Man'er's intelligence in sourcing off-season vegetables, but Lian Hua'er, consumed by jealousy, lamented that he hadn't approached Wu Zhonglian. She worried about their standing in the household and hoped to build connections with Wu Zhonglian to gain favor with her mother and elder brother.
Shortly after, Lian Hua'er's mother visited, offering a scheme to help Lian Hua'er "vent her anger" at Lian Man'er. Meanwhile, an attendant of Wu Zhonglian confirmed that Shen Nuo, despite calling himself a farmer, seemed mature and not a commoner, noting his capability and a prior appointment with Wu Zhonglian. Lian Man'er hosted a celebratory dinner, inviting villagers to thank them for helping harvest the hot spring vegetables, which had attracted many customers to her small shop.
She expressed her belief that their business would continue to grow. The villagers warmly received her hospitality, grateful for the opportunity to assist and hoping that Lian Man'er's thriving business might eventually provide them with jobs. They commented on the overwhelming popularity of her establishment, noting that if it were located in a prime street-facing spot, its success would far exceed Lian Hua'er’s. Lian Man'er mentioned her parents were away delivering hot spring vegetables to her grandmother.
During the celebration, Lian Ye'er presented Lian Man'er with a beautiful, custom-made rouge in a white jade box, thanking her for allowing her to sell cosmetics at the shop and for her generosity in providing funds. Lian Man'er reciprocated, acknowledging that many female customers came specifically for Lian Ye'er's rouge, crediting Lian Ye'er with helping her business. The next morning, many villagers, including Lian Ye'er, experienced severe vomiting and diarrhea.
They stormed Lian Man'er's restaurant, accusing her of poisoning them with her food from the previous night, listing dishes like Dongpo pork knuckles, stewed fish, stir-fried bamboo shoots, and cooked greens. Lian Man'er insisted she ate the same food without issue, but the villagers threatened to report her to the authorities. Alarmed, Lian Man'er rushed to find Wang Youheng, urging him to treat the sick villagers. Wang Youheng hesitated, still traumatized by a past incident involving a patient's death.
Lian Man'er pressed him, asking if he would still hesitate to save a dying person in front of him. His father, Mr. Laojin, unexpectedly appeared and began treating the villagers with acupuncture, revealing his own medical expertise. He explained to Wang Youheng that doctors fear becoming disheartened by the pain of death, a struggle he himself faced, leading him to abandon medicine years ago.
Seeing Wang Youheng's true passion for healing, Mr. Laojin encouraged his son not to give up his calling to save lives. After treating the villagers, Wang Youheng noted that their symptoms indicated their food had been tampered with. He identified the culprit as Rheum palmatum, a herb with weak toxicity and slow potency that causes severe diarrhea and is difficult to detect due to its subtle fragrance.
Accompanied by Lian Man'er, Wang Youheng went to the restaurant, where they found traces of Rheum palmatum in the swill bucket. Just as they confirmed their suspicions, constables arrived, stating they had received a report of unclean food and were ordered to seal the restaurant. Despite Lian Man'er presenting the spoon with Rheum palmatum as evidence of being framed, the constables dismissed it and sealed the premises, refusing to allow any items to be removed.
On her way home, Lian Man'er passed Lian Hua'er's restaurant. Lian Hua'er, with a smug demeanor, lectured Lian Man'er about conducting business with "too many fancy tricks," suggesting that novelty and gimmicks often lead to problems. She advised Lian Man'er to be "slow and steady" in business, like herself, to ultimately succeed.
Lian Man'er expressed her sincere hope that Lian Hua'er was not involved in the poisoning, though she suspected the rapid sealing of her restaurant indicated a connection between the informer and the poisoner. With the restaurant sealed and rumors of poisoned food spreading, Lian Man'er worried about the bad reputation making it impossible to reopen quickly, which would jeopardize Shen Nuo's chances of entering the Jinyang Guild.
Shen Nuo, however, reminded her of his previous agreement to deliver vegetables to Wu Zhonglian. He decided that instead of waiting, he would take the initiative and confront the situation head-on. He visited Wu Zhonglian at his residence, delivering the vegetables as promised. Wu Zhonglian, aware of the rumors and the sealed restaurant, questioned Shen Nuo's audacity. Shen Nuo acknowledged his predicament, stating that he faced difficulties because he lacked powerful backing, making him vulnerable to those who envied him.
He did not ask for Wu Zhonglian’s direct help but pleaded for the opportunity to join the Jinyang Guild if he could resolve the current issue, seeking to rely on Wu Zhonglian in the future. Wu Zhonglian accepted the vegetables and stated that Shen Nuo's ability to join the guild depended on his success in clearing his name and reopening the restaurant. Meanwhile, Lian Shouxin and his wife rushed back to find Lian Man'er's restaurant sealed, causing them great distress.
Lian Man'er reassured them, explaining it was a clear case of framing and that the restaurant would reopen once the authorities uncovered the truth. Her father offered to take the blame if arrests were made, but Lian Man'er insisted she could handle it. She urged them to rest, promising to inform them if any serious issues arose, noting that she had faced similar challenges before and always found solutions.
Shen Nuo began his investigation into the person responsible for the poisoning, reasoning that if Lian Hua'er was involved, she would have hired someone to carry out the act. Lian Man'er, in turn, put up a bold bounty notice, initially for fifty taels and then increasing it to a staggering one hundred taels for any information.
She aimed to create widespread awareness, believing the sheer scale of the reward would cause the perpetrator to panic and reveal themselves, even if some informants were only motivated by the money. The high bounty indeed generated a buzz throughout the city, drawing numerous people, including many who were simply fabricating stories to claim the reward.
One informant, Dong Si'er, claimed to have seen a burly man with a beard carrying a large bag of medicine into the back alley of the restaurant the day before the villagers fell ill. Lian Hua'er learned of Lian Man'er's hefty bounty and grew concerned that Ah Wang, the gambler she had hired for the scheme, might betray her. She instructed her attendant to find Ah Wang and offer him more money to keep silent.
Shen Nuo, who had been closely observing Ah Wang, discovered he was a gambler who committed the act for money. He decided to act when Ah Wang next attempted to extort Lian Hua'er for more money. At the appointed time, Shen Nuo’s associate intercepted Ah Wang, feigning an assault and accusing him of taking money from the Song family, and brought him before Song Hailong, Lian Hua'er's husband. Terrified, Ah Wang immediately begged for mercy from Song Hailong, confessing that he had been greedy and had previously extorted the madam.
