Romance on the Farm Episode 23 Recap
> Romance on the Farm Recap
Grandma Zhou, deeply concerned for Xiu'er, insisted that Lian Man'er guide her to the Liu Mansion to visit Xiu'er. Grandma's heart felt anxious, and she noted that Xiu'er had not brought her husband home when she last visited, nor did she know of their new residence. Grandma also hoped to use this opportunity to secure a more spacious living arrangement for their family from the wealthy Liu household.
Lian Man'er, however, skillfully deterred her, suggesting it would be more appropriate to send a letter first, allowing Xiu'er and her husband to visit them. She also argued against showing up unannounced, stating it would be embarrassing for Grandma and could cause gossip and difficulties for Xiu'er so soon after her marriage. Lian Man'er secretly acknowledged it was fortunate Grandma had consulted her first, as directly discovering Xiu'er's status as a concubine would have caused immense distress.
Realizing the urgency, Lian Man'er resolved to act swiftly. Lian Man'er soon arrived at the Liu Mansion, bringing with her fine food and spirits. She was recognized and warmly welcomed by the gate guards and the butler, with whom she seemed familiar from previous visits as "Shopkeeper Lian."
As part of a coordinated plan with Black Tiger Fortress members who had infiltrated the mansion, Lian Man'er, feigning conviviality, encouraged the guards, including Zhuangzi, to drink heavily, ensuring they became thoroughly inebriated. Meanwhile, as part of their plan, Xiu'er, initially held in the woodshed, was ordered by Liu Fugui to be cleaned up and moved to a new room after she put on a show of submissiveness.
Once in her chamber, Xiu'er continued her act for the Liu Mansion staff, even ordering a maid to fetch her bird's nest and asserting herself as Liu Fugui's "closest person" to gain an opportunity. Liu Fugui, upon hearing Concubine Lian was clamoring to see him and seemed to have "surrendered," had declared that "kittens and puppies need to be taught a lesson" before ordering her preparation. Later, Liu Fugui arrived at Xiu'er's room, expecting a night of pleasure.
Xiu'er administered a sedative to him, ensuring he would fall into a deep, unconscious sleep. With Liu Fugui incapacitated, members of the Black Tiger Fortress quickly entered. They swiftly took Liu Fugui's jade token and successfully spirited Xiu'er away. Lian Man'er advised Xiu'er to temporarily stay with Four at Black Tiger Fortress, anticipating that Liu Fugui would search for her everywhere once he awoke. She promised to find her in a few days once the commotion subsided.
Shortly after, Three from Black Tiger Fortress, disguised as a new servant from the Liu Mansion, used Liu Fugui's stolen jade token to compel Boss Cao to urgently transport a batch of Hematite to Linshui City by the following day.
Despite Boss Cao's suspicion regarding Liu Fugui's absence and the change in delivery location, the jade token and the promise of double payment convinced him to depart immediately, especially after being told he could take a faster, previously restricted route through emptied villages. Shen Nuo received confirmation that Xiu'er had been successfully rescued and was temporarily safe at Black Tiger Fortress. He also learned that Three had delivered the goods to Boss Cao without incident.
As planned, Shen Nuo had Thirteen dispatch a pigeon message to the Wude Department, requesting the Palace Assistant Secretary to cooperate in their elaborate ruse. This "act" soon unfolded in Linshui City, where Boss Cao's carriage, falsely declared to be carrying "top-grade tea leaves" with a suspicious seal, was deliberately overturned during an official inspection. The spilled cargo was revealed to be Hematite, leading to Boss Cao's immediate arrest for smuggling. He vehemently claimed he was tricked.
Meanwhile, Liu Fugui awoke to find Xiu'er gone. In a furious rage, he stormed to Lian Shouren's residence, accusing him of complicity in Xiu'er's escape and demanding her immediate return. Despite Lian Shouren's bewildered denials, Liu Fugui and his men brutally beat Lian Shouren, who was also a registrar, leaving him dazed and unresponsive. Shortly after, Wu Zhonglian, furious at the exposure of the Hematite smuggling operation due to Boss Cao's arrest, summoned Liu Fugui.
Liu Fugui denied any involvement, insisting he hadn't authorized the shipment and hadn't given his jade token to Boss Cao. However, upon checking, he discovered the token was missing. At that moment, an emissary from Marquis Ningyuan arrived.
The emissary chastised Wu Zhonglian for his "big mistake" and, as a stark warning to "clean his own backyard," brutally executed Liu Fugui on the spot, implying that Wu Zhonglian should be wary of internal threats and the long-standing presence of Wude Department operatives in Jinyang County.
Shaken by these events, Wu Zhonglian, realizing the presence of a Wude Department mole within his operations and that this mole had been there for a long time, sought out Shen Nuo the next day. Visibly flustered, Wu Zhonglian informed Shen Nuo of Liu Fugui's death and expressed his desperate need for Shen Nuo's help in delivering a new batch of goods, as the higher-ups were pressuring him.
He confessed that their true business was not private salt, but Hematite mining, and with Liu Fugui dead, he had no one else to trust. Wu Zhonglian provided Shen Nuo with the mine's location and the delivery route, making him the next transporter, and promised substantial rewards upon completion. Shen Nuo accepted the dangerous task, assuring Wu Zhonglian of his full commitment and discretion.
He planned to personally inspect the mine the following day and immediately sent Thirteen to relay the new intelligence to the Wude Department via pigeon post. Concurrently, Aunt He, while in the market, overheard news of Liu Fugui's death and the revelation that he had no sons, only concubines. She promptly went to the Liu Mansion, confirming the chaos and the concubines hastily taking valuable items.
Rushing home, Aunt He tearfully informed Lian Fang and his wife, as well as Lian Shouxin, that Xiu'er had been tricked into becoming a concubine and was now missing, triggering a wave of distress that caused Zhou Shi to faint. The Lian family was thrown into utter turmoil. That night, Lian Shouxin and Lian Shouyi confronted Lian Shouren, accusing him of selling their own sister and demanding he return to the family home.
Lian Shouren's wife, Gu Shi, knelt and tearfully pleaded for her husband, explaining that Liu Fugui had blackmailed him, threatening his life if he didn't comply. She described Lian Shouren's current dazed and traumatized state, where he repeatedly mumbled, "I didn't kill anyone," begging for his brothers' forgiveness and compassion. Despite his initial anger at his brother's selfish actions, Lian Shouxin, seeing Lian Shouren's distraught state, relented and left money with Gu Shi to hire a doctor for him.
