Wild Ambition Bloom Episode 28 Recap
> Wild Ambition Bloom Recap
After the intense confrontation, Wen Zhiqiu cautioned Chu Shaohua against impulsiveness, anticipating that Mu Ziru would surely seek revenge. Chu Shaohua, however, felt that many others also desired Mu Ziru's demise. Mu Ziru was appointed Director of the Opium Suppression Bureau for his success in suppressing drug dealers. Despite this promotion, he was greatly distressed over losing Kang Erniu. A subordinate brought him a package from "Miss Bai," and Mu Ziru sighed that she had indeed left him.
The subordinate attempted to console him, suggesting he buy a large, two-carat diamond costing at least 500 silver dollars to win her back, but Mu Ziru remained despondent. A man, acting under Tian Tongdao's name, approached Mu Ziru with a lucrative offer to eliminate Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu. The client's representative explained that these three would attend a dinner party next Wednesday.
The banquet was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but their invitations specified 6:00 PM, creating a window for Mu Ziru's men to act before other guests arrived. Mu Ziru, initially hesitant about taking such a job, accepted after receiving a 30% down payment, with the remaining 70% promised upon completion. Despite Mr. Jin, the Qing Gang leader, strictly forbidding further killings, Mu Ziru's intense hatred for Chu Shaohua, combined with the substantial payment, motivated him to proceed without Mr. Jin's knowledge.
His subordinate expressed reservations, reminding him of Mr. Jin's orders, but Mu Ziru was adamant, claiming he'd kill Chu Shaohua even without payment. He planned to frame the Tian family, knowing Tian Tongdao harbored deep resentment towards Xia Yuan after losing his chairmanship of the TCM Guild. The subordinate also pointed out that killing Chu Shaohua would destroy any chance of reconciliation with Miss Bai, but Mu Ziru insisted on prioritizing money.
Before they left, Wen Zhiqiu gave Chu Shaohua a hair ribbon, complimenting her by recalling that when she wore it, she was "the most beautiful girl at the Qizhou Medicine Market." On Wednesday, Mu Ziru and his men covertly waited at the restaurant. Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu arrived precisely at 6:00 PM. Mu Ziru confirmed with his subordinate, Zeng Asan, that the targets were in Room 202, and dispatched his men to carry out the assassination.
Zeng Asan and his group stormed the room, firing indiscriminately, only to discover it was a birthday celebration for a constable. The police suffered heavy casualties, but one officer managed to crawl to the door, shooting and injuring Zeng Asan before other constables arrived and apprehended him. Meanwhile, in another room, Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu continued their dinner, later overhearing customers talking about the Qing Gang fighting with constables.
Chu Shaohua noted that while the immediate fallout might not be extensive, the event had "planted a seed" that, with "time and proper feeding," would eventually "grow." This entire incident was a calculated trap orchestrated by Xia Yuan, Chu Shaohua, and Wen Zhiqiu, designed to ignite animosity between the Qing Gang and the Patrol Office.
Upon learning of the disaster, Mr. Jin severely reprimanded Mu Ziru, reminding him that he had explicitly forbidden such illegal activities since they had "turned over a new leaf." Mu Ziru vehemently maintained that Tian Tongdao had instigated the plot, leading him to believe Mr. Jin was aware. However, Mr. Jin had already confirmed with Tian Tongdao, who denied any involvement.
Mr. Jin, who had intended for his men to participate in opium suppression to legitimize their operations and pave his way to becoming a councilor in the Executive Yuan, was enraged by the trouble Mu Ziru had caused. He accused Mu Ziru of "doing things behind my back," making a mess by targeting the wrong people, and having a man "caught alive" by the constables, creating a "handle against" them.
Mu Ziru tried to deflect blame by claiming he had already publicly disavowed Zeng Asan from the Qing Gang, asserting it wouldn't impact Mr. Jin's political aspirations. Mr. Jin dismissed this, ordering Mu Ziru to personally resolve the Patrol Office situation using his own funds and threatening severe consequences if he "ignored my orders" and "got cocky" again.
To appease the Patrol Office, Mu Ziru withdrew over 30,000 silver dollars from their account, blaming Zeng Asan for mistakenly raiding room 202 instead of 302 and for causing him to lose money and get beaten, and abandoning him in jail. He then ordered his men to closely monitor Chu Shaohua, intending to eliminate her once the current turmoil subsided, driven by a persistent unease.
As Wen Zhiqiu warned Chu Shaohua that Mu Ziru would likely seek another opportunity to harm her, hoping their "seed" would "sprout quickly," Chu Shaohua received news that unknown visitors were waiting for her at the main gate. To her surprise, it was her elder brother, Chu Shaozhong, along with his wife, Zhou Yan, and their son, Bao. Chu Shaozhong greeted her warmly, commenting on her continued beauty. Chu Shaohua, still reeling from the shock, inquired about their mother's health.
Chu Shaozhong, with tears in his eyes, regretfully informed her that their mother had passed away on the 13th of the 12th month in 1923, having fallen into a deep depression after Chu Shaohua's apparent death and subsequently falling ill for six months. Chu Shaozhong explained that after their mother's passing, their family faced increasing hardship.
Following Zhou Yan's suggestion, he sold all their land and house, including the fields that Dashun had redeemed, due to years of drought and poor harvests. They moved to Peking, where he attempted a small business, but within a year, he lost all his capital. Unable to return to Qizhou, he resorted to pulling a rickshaw while Zhou Yan worked as a domestic helper.
One day, while pulling his rickshaw, he serendipitously encountered a former acquaintance who was a clerk at Shouyuan Apothecary. This acquaintance informed him that Chu Shaohua was alive and thriving in Shanghai, doing business with Xia Yuan. Overjoyed by the news, Chu Shaozhong immediately brought Zhou Yan and Bao to Shanghai to seek refuge with Chu Shaohua. Wen Zhiqiu then departed, promising to treat the family to Western food another day.
Wen Zhiqiu encouraged Chu Shaohua to take a few days off and use his car and driver to show her family around Shanghai. Chu Shaohua, however, arranged for her family to stay in a hotel rather than at her own residence. She discreetly warned Wen Zhiqiu not to heed any requests from her brother or sister-in-law and to "absolutely refuse" any favors they might ask for without her explicit approval.
Chu Shaohua took her brother's family on a tour of Shanghai. Zhou Yan was openly captivated by the city's affluence and its modern women. She immediately began inquiring about Chu Shaohua's financial success, asking about the cost of her car, which was around 2,000 silver dollars, and how much she earned. Chu Shaohua downplayed her income, claiming it was "just enough to get by" and that the car belonged to "the company."
During a shopping trip, Zhou Yan, without hesitation, chose multiple qipaos and a coat for herself, insisting on taking two qipaos despite Chu Shaozhong's protests about waste, claiming it was Chu Shaohua's treat. Chu Shaohua also bought Chu Shaozhong a new suit and many toys and snacks for Bao. While Chu Shaozhong initially intended to leave after a few days, Zhou Yan, deeply envious of Chu Shaohua's prosperous life, expressed a strong desire to remain in Shanghai.
She told Chu Shaozhong that the trip must be "valuable." She even went as far as to suggest that as Chu Shaohua's brother, half of Chu Shaohua's assets, including her money, house, and car, should rightfully belong to him, and eventually to their son, Bao, as Chu Shaohua's "only heir."
Chu Shaozhong, unable to persuade her and reluctant to return to their impoverished life, reluctantly yielded to her demands, cautioning her not to voice such thoughts to Chu Shaohua due to her "fiery temper." Wen Zhiqiu hosted Chu Shaozhong's family for a Western dinner. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Yan openly praised Shanghai's "business-driven" environment as ideal for Chu Shaozhong to "thrive," explicitly stating he "needs to stay in Shanghai."
She also subtly suggested that Bao, who "just learns a few characters," should attend school in Shanghai. As Bao awkwardly ate his steak with his hands, Chu Shaohua patiently taught him to use a knife and fork, then took him to "wash his hands." While washing, Bao innocently revealed Zhou Yan's true intentions to Chu Shaohua, stating, "Your cash is mine anyway! My mother did. She said I'm your heir. After your death, your car and house will be mine."
Chu Shaohua was profoundly shocked by Zhou Yan's blatant greed and her scheme to claim her assets. Zhou Yan, without consulting Chu Shaohua, directly asked Wen Zhiqiu to give Chu Shaozhong a job at Wen's Pharmacy. Wen Zhiqiu, feeling awkward, explained that staffing matters were Chu Shaohua's responsibility and that Chu Shaozhong should discuss it with her. Zhou Yan, however, misinterpreted his response as an agreement and declared that Chu Shaozhong would start work the next day.
At this point, Chu Shaohua intervened, calmly stating that she had already purchased tickets for the family to return to Peking the following day, and reminded them the hotel stay only covered the weekend. Zhou Yan flatly refused to leave, attempting to enlist Wen Zhiqiu's sympathy, but he silently deferred to Chu Shaohua's decision. Enraged, Zhou Yan publicly lashed out at Chu Shaohua, accusing her of abandoning her family for money and spitefully declared, "Your glory won't last forever!
When misfortune strikes, don't accuse us of abandonment." She then dragged Bao away from the table. Wen Zhiqiu apologized to Chu Shaohua for the commotion. Chu Shaozhong attempted to mediate with Zhou Yan, reminding her of Chu Shaohua's generosity, but Zhou Yan, consumed by anger, redirected her fury at him, castigating him for his inability to provide for their family and forcing her into domestic servitude.
Unable to contend with her, Chu Shaozhong later went to Chu Shaohua's late at night to bid farewell. He offered a heartfelt apology on behalf of his family, acknowledging their imposition and explaining Zhou Yan's bluntness. He then expressed his profound regret for failing to protect Chu Shaohua from bandits in the past, a failure that had haunted him. Chu Shaohua reassured him of his bravery then and thanked him, believing his actions saved her.
Reflecting on her past hardships, tears streamed down her face. Witnessing her flourishing career, Chu Shaozhong earnestly advised her to find a suitable partner and "build a home" for herself, assuring her that doing so would bring him peace of mind in Peking. Chu Shaohua agreed. Unable to bear the thought of her family returning to poverty, Chu Shaohua made a compassionate decision.
She arranged for Chu Shaozhong to work as a pharmacist and Zhou Yan to oversee the workshop storehouse at Wen's Pharmacy, explaining they would earn a substantial income, potentially "tenfold" what they made in Peking. Furthermore, she "settled Bao's school enrollment," covering all his tuition and fees. Chu Shaozhong and Zhou Yan were overcome with gratitude.
Chu Shaohua, however, made it clear that while they were family at home, within the pharmacy, they were staff and were expected to "honor without compromise" all of Wen's Pharmacy's regulations, facing "disciplinary consequences" for any transgressions. She then instructed Li to manage their onboarding process.
With Chu Shaohua confirming that their "seed" was "sprouting," Mu Ziru received what he believed to be reliable intelligence: a Suzhou merchant had transported "twenty dan" of opium to Warehouse No. 18 on the Bund. Convinced there were "no heavyweight backers," a thrilled Mu Ziru ordered an operation for midnight. Leading the raid himself, he was disappointed to find only a small amount of opium, roughly two dan.
He instructed his men to submit one dan to the Opium Suppression Bureau, give 60 jin to Mr. Jin, and keep 100 jin for themselves, accounting for slightly more than two dan in total. Both he and Mr. Jin subsequently sold their shares to a man named Hu, who offered the highest price and seemed to have "backers" given how quickly confiscated opium reappeared in his "opium den."
Later, Mu Ziru received a phone call from Mr. Jin and, believing it concerned his promotion, eagerly departed. Mr. Jin summoned Mu Ziru, revealing that a chief from the Security Command had visited him. The Security Command had seized an opium shipment and stored it at Warehouse No. 18, only for it to be raided by "unidentified attackers."
Through a "secret investigation," the opium was found in Hu's opium den, and Hu, under interrogation, confessed that "one of our men" had sold it to him. Mu Ziru frantically suggested either eliminating Hu or using a subordinate as a "scapegoat." Mr. Jin was enraged, reminding Mu Ziru that he had previously provoked the Patrol Office, and now he had entangled them with the Security Command.
Mu Ziru tried to defend himself, insisting he had verified the opium belonged to a Suzhou merchant and was unrelated to the Security Command, but Mr. Jin dismissed him as "Nonsense," "Good-for-nothing!" Mr. Jin announced he would personally intercede with the Security Command, explaining it as a "misunderstanding" and offering a banquet as compensation.
However, he ordered Mu Ziru to "return that shipment in full," which, to Mu Ziru's horror, was revealed to be "20 dan" by the Security Command, not the two dan he had seized. Mu Ziru was aghast, realizing too late that this was another meticulously laid trap by Xia Yuan, Wen Zhiqiu, and Chu Shaohua, designed first to pit him against the Patrol Office, and now to use the Security Command to bring about his downfall.
