Wild Ambition Bloom Episode 29 Recap
> Wild Ambition Bloom Recap
Mu Ziru learned that twenty dan of opium, disguised as medicine, had been transported from Suzhou to Shanghai and stored in a warehouse at Bund No. 18. He led an overnight raid on the warehouse, but only found two dan of opium. He submitted one dan to the Opium Suppression Bureau, allocated sixty catties to Mr. Jin, and kept one hundred catties for himself, which he then secretly sold to a Mr. Hu.
Mu Ziru was unaware that the actual shipment comprised twenty dan of opium belonging to the Security Command. Mr. Jin, who harbored ambitions of purifying his image and becoming a councilor in the Executive Yuan, was furious that Mu Ziru had caused such a major incident. He personally intervened with Security Command to smooth things over and ordered Mu Ziru to account for all twenty dan of opium immediately. Mu Ziru was stunned, as he had only discovered two dan.
He suspected that Security Command was padding the numbers but lacked concrete evidence. He dispatched his men to gather intelligence, hoping to find proof of military involvement in opium smuggling to turn the tables in his favor. Mu Ziru subsequently leaked information to the press, implicating military official Xiong Shihui in opium smuggling. The news was published, quickly becoming a public sensation, with citizens demanding Xiong Shihui's dismissal.
An official from the Ministry of Finance in Nanjing called Mr. Jin to hold him accountable. Mr. Jin confronted Mu Ziru, warning him not to disclose any further information to reporters and demanding that he produce the twenty dan of opium by the next day, threatening dire consequences if he failed. Mu Ziru claimed the reporters had discovered the information themselves, but Mr. Jin retorted that he heard Mu Ziru was giving interviews.
Mr. Jin ordered Mu Ziru to respond with "No comment" if reporters asked again, threatening severe punishment for any leaks. Mu Ziru tried to argue that public opinion was on their side, with Shanghai citizens calling for Xiong Shihui's removal. However, Mr. Jin revealed that Mu Ziru had not only provoked the Security Command but also the Ministry of Finance in Nanjing.
Mr. Jin declared he could no longer protect Mu Ziru and reiterated the demand for the twenty dan of opium by the next day, stating that Mu Ziru's fate would then be his own. Realizing his escape was futile, Mu Ziru rushed to Kang Erniu, urging her to pack her belongings and flee with him.
He explained he had angered the Ministry of Finance in Nanjing by investigating the opium, and they demanded he return twenty dan of opium or pay two million silver dollars, otherwise he would be court-martialed. He lamented that Mr. Jin had abandoned him to protect his own future. He pleaded with Kang Erniu to come with him, promising a lifetime of care, delicious food, beautiful clothes, and a grand house, and a glorious return to Qizhou when he became wealthy.
Kang Erniu, however, firmly stated that they had broken up and she would not go with him. She insisted she had films to shoot and a business to run, which, despite being difficult, she had managed to sustain herself. Mu Ziru, enraged, accused her of having another man. Kang Erniu denied this, stating she had changed and now only relied on herself.
She warned him to stay away from her money, but Mu Ziru forcibly took all her savings, including dollars, pounds, deeds, and bankbooks. As he fled, Mr. Jin's men, who had been waiting downstairs, apprehended Mu Ziru and confiscated all the money. Meanwhile, Xia Yuan and Chu Shaohua visited Xia Chu's grave.
Xia Yuan expressed deep regret, believing that if he had forced Xia Chu to stay home and focus on business, he would not have met revolutionaries and lost his life. Chu Shaohua gently told him that Xia Chu's beliefs were his own and he could not have stopped him. Xia Yuan, considering Chu Shaohua already part of their family despite no wedding, renewed his offer for her to join Jujing Apothecary, entrusting her with the entire Shanghai market.
Chu Shaohua affectionately called him "Big Brother (Da-ge)" but asked for time to consider, explaining that Wen's Pharmacy depended on her. Upon learning that Mu Ziru had stolen all of Kang Erniu's money, Chu Shaohua went to her hotel. Kang Erniu, distraught, believed Chu Shaohua was there to mock her for falling for another wrong man.
Chu Shaohua, recalling Kang Erniu's past kindness of sharing half a fried flatbread when they were poor, reassured her, saying they were like sisters and she could never mock her. Chu Shaohua expressed deep empathy, reminding Kang Erniu how they had supported each other through hard times. Kang Erniu confessed that she thought Mu Ziru was different, but he proved to be more despicable than any man she had known, making her question her fate.
Chu Shaohua listened and then encouraged Kang Erniu, suggesting that perhaps her initial path was wrong and that money earned independently cannot be taken away. Kang Erniu agreed. Chu Shaohua then shared Xia Yuan's offer to join Jujing Apothecary, noting that the opportunity was greater than at Wen's Pharmacy. Kang Erniu praised Chu Shaohua's clear decision-making but worried if joining would make her sad, seeing constant reminders of Xia Chu.
Chu Shaohua responded that she no longer had a heart left to break. Earlier, Wen Zhiqiu received intelligence that twenty dan of opium, disguised as medicinal herbs, had been transported from Suzhou to Shanghai and was currently in Warehouse No. 18. He asked Xia Yuan to investigate the background of the shipment. Xia Yuan discovered that the ultimate owner of the opium was Song Ziwen, the Minister of Finance in Nanjing.
Wen Zhiqiu then bribed Mu Ziru's subordinate, Xiaolin, to inform Mu Ziru about the opium shipment, which Wen Zhiqiu viewed as a "big gift" for Mu Ziru, and also to relay Mu Ziru's operation time to Wen Zhiqiu. Wen Zhiqiu acted swiftly, leading his men to Warehouse No. 18 before Mu Ziru. They successfully seized eighteen dan of opium, leaving behind only two. By the time Mu Ziru and his men arrived at the warehouse, Wen Zhiqiu had already departed.
Unbeknownst to Mu Ziru, the opium raid and his subsequent downfall were part of an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Xia Yuan, Wen Zhiqiu, and Chu Shaohua, designed to first embroil him with the police and then use the Security Command to lead him to his demise.
Back at a celebratory dinner, Wen Zhiqiu proposed destroying the seized opium, but Xia Yuan vehemently disagreed, suggesting they sell the eighteen dan in Northeast China for a profit of over a million silver dollars. Xia Yuan argued that if the National Government could purchase and sell opium, he saw no reason why he shouldn't. Wen Zhiqiu countered that some money should not be earned, emphasizing that their purpose as a pharmacy was to heal.
Xia Yuan maintained that an excellent businessman earns all money and, asserting his critical role in the plan, declared that the goods had already been loaded onto a ship destined for Northeast China. Unable to reach a compromise, Wen Zhiqiu, enraged, left the dinner without eating.
Chu Shaohua, agreeing with Wen Zhiqiu that profiting from harmful opium went against their principles, also left, but not before declining Xia Yuan's offer to join Jujing Apothecary, stating she felt more compatible with Wen Zhiqiu and would remain at Wen's Pharmacy. Meanwhile, at Chu Shaozhong's home, Zhou Yan complained about her meager twenty silver dollars in monthly pay from Wen's Pharmacy, contrasting it with the higher salaries of other employees.
Chu Shaozhong tried to placate her by reminding her of their improved living conditions compared to Peking. Later, their son, Bao, returned home demanding a knife to kill his teacher and principal because he had been expelled for fighting. Chu Shaozhong struggled to calm him down. Zhou Yan later invited Chu Shaohua for dinner. She overheard Chu Shaohua discussing Cheng Hui's overseas study expenses, which Chu Shaohua was personally covering rather than using company funds.
That evening, Zhou Yan prepared a feast and instructed Bao to compliment Chu Shaohua and ask to be her son. When Chu Shaohua arrived, Bao repeated the lines. Chu Shaohua, amused, offered to take him as her son only if he achieved perfect scores in all subjects and maintained excellent behavior, which deterred Bao. Zhou Yan then brought up Bao's expulsion and asked Chu Shaohua to help him get into a new school, suggesting the expensive St. Francis Xavier's College.
Chu Shaohua suggested that if Bao was not interested in studying, learning a trade could be a viable alternative. Zhou Yan then pressed Chu Shaohua to provide money for Bao, similar to how she funded Cheng Hui's overseas studies, or at least to purchase assets for him with the school funds. Separately, Kang Erniu met with Wen Zhiqiu, inquiring about Chu Shaohua. She noted that Chu Shaohua seemed normal but had changed, her eyes having lost their sparkle.
Kang Erniu encouraged Wen Zhiqiu to pursue Chu Shaohua, reminding him that Xia Chu was no longer a barrier. Wen Zhiqiu hesitated, offering a quiet smile. Kang Erniu observed that Wen Zhiqiu was too much of a gentleman, backing off when someone else was in the way, but now that there was no one, he was still holding back. She urged him that if he truly cared for Shaohua, they should work together to bring back her former self.
