Wonderful Fate Episode 3 Recap
> Wonderful Fate Recap
Li Fuzhu once again angered her teacher in what appeared to be a classroom setting and was punished by being made to sit next to Yibo, the class monitor. However, this illusion quickly shattered as Emperor Yun Yi prepared to execute Li Fuzhu. At this critical moment, Yun Li suddenly appeared, interceding on Li Fuzhu's behalf. He argued that the heavenly lady was crucial for the prosperity of Yun Lai and that killing her would leave them without any solutions.
The Guo Shi also arrived promptly, supporting Yun Li’s suggestion that Yun Yi first hear Li Fuzhu’s powerful strategies for strengthening the state before making a decision. Other officials echoed this sentiment, urging the Emperor to listen. Confronted by the Emperor and his officials, Li Fuzhu, despite her limited knowledge of ancient canals, was pressured into agreeing to reveal the secrets of building such systems.
She spoke of the Zhengguo Canal and Dujiangyan Irrigation System, explaining how they transformed regions into a "land of abundance" with fertile land and plentiful food, a concept that greatly excited the officials. When pressed to build such a canal for Yun Lai, Li Fuzhu vaguely mentioned that its construction involved complex modern sciences like physics, geography, and mathematics.
She then attempted to claim it was a "heavenly secret" that could not be divulged, fearing punishment if she revealed her true ignorance. The officials, however, suggested that if the heavenly lady imparted this knowledge directly to the Son of Heaven, it would not count as divulging a heavenly secret. They collectively pleaded for her to save the people. Li Fuzhu reluctantly agreed.
Addressing Yun Yi, she spoke rudely, calling him "Hey" and using informal address, which a eunuch quickly corrected. She, however, insisted on speaking as she liked. She asserted that if they couldn't get along, Yun Yi should reflect on his own behavior. She also challenged his sexist remarks, stating that in her world, talented women were common, capable of doing anything men could, even becoming bodyguards. She struggled to explain what a "bodyguard" was.
Yun Yi then sternly warned her to remember that her purpose was to achieve a prosperous state and a "land of abundance" for Yun Lai; otherwise, he and his officials would not let her off lightly. Feeling frustrated, Li Fuzhu returned to her chamber. There, Lan Er informed her that the Tai Hou had arranged for her to receive meals identical to the Emperor's. Li Fuzhu was delighted, finding the dishes far superior to her school cafeteria food.
Lan Er explained a palace rule that the Emperor could only take three bites of each dish to prevent poisoning. Li Fuzhu humorously pointed out that if all dishes were poisoned, the risk of getting sick would actually increase. She then invited Lan Er to eat with her. Lan Er was deeply touched, revealing that her parents sent her to the palace as a child, and no one had ever treated her with such kindness.
She had often gone hungry while serving the Tai Hou. Li Fuzhu declared Lan Er her "bosom friend," insisting on equality and asking her not to kneel so often. Meanwhile, Yun Yi, who had no appetite, ordered his own uneaten food to be sent to Chef Xue. He then learned that the heavenly lady was greatly enjoying Chef Xue's cuisine, usually reserved for himself and the Tai Hou.
When he personally went to check on her, he was dismayed to witness her and Lan Er eating crudely as she gorged herself. Chef Xue, proud of his culinary skills, was surprised when Lan Er conveyed Li Fuzhu's request for only "four dishes and one soup" starting the next day.
He instructed his staff to maintain the high quality of their cooking regardless of the number of dishes and ordered Yun Yi's untouched meal and all leftover ingredients to be discarded outside the palace. After her massive meal, Li Fuzhu complained of feeling too full and wished for "Jianweixiaoshi tablets" (digestion aid).
Lan Er offered to have haw soup prepared, but Li Fuzhu requested additional ingredients like tremella, longan, lotus seed, and pearl powder, jokingly stating she wanted to avoid getting hungry again after digestion. She relished her pampered life in the palace. Meanwhile, Guo Shi was burning incense for his deceased daughter, Ruan Qing's elder sister. Ruan Qing came to him, acting like a dutiful daughter, and expressed her gratitude for his continued remembrance of her sister.
Guo Shi lamented his daughter's death, revealing she had taken her own life to protect the Ruan family's reputation after public condemnation. Ruan Qing inquired why Guo Shi had intervened to save Li Fuzhu in court. Guo Shi explained he perceived a growing rift between Yun Yi and Li Fuzhu. He intended to leverage Li Fuzhu’s knowledge of many secrets by drawing her into the Ruan family’s influence for future strategic advantage.
He instructed Ruan Qing to seek permission from the Tai Hou to reside permanently in the palace. This would allow Ruan Qing to approach Yun Yi and to discern Li Fuzhu’s true intentions. Guo Shi then revealed his secret alliance with an enemy state, who had promised support for the Ruan family. His ultimate goal was for Ruan Qing to become Empress, thereby securing the Ruan family’s control over Yun Lai.
He ordered Ruan Qing to employ all necessary means to ensure Yun Yi married her. Later, as Li Fuzhu took a walk in the Imperial Garden to aid her digestion, she encountered Yun Li playing the flute. Yun Li expressed his desire to repay her kindness. Li Fuzhu, however, dismissed the notion of repayment, speaking of modern concepts like the "Lei Feng spirit" and how "helping people is the source of happiness," without expecting anything in return.
She explained that her "nine-year compulsory education" differed from his philosophy of "a drop of water in need should be returned with a spring indeed." Yun Li then requested that she tell him about her world as a form of repayment, expressing his curiosity about "another world." Li Fuzhu eagerly agreed, describing modern transportation via "sea, land, and air," giant steamships, and "mobile phones" that allowed people to converse face-to-face from a distance.
She excitedly shared ideas about equality and freedom, where anyone could become an artist, writer, or painter, and even "play the emperor." A crowd quickly gathered, captivated by her extraordinary tales of "flying chickens" (airplanes) that allowed people to travel wherever they wanted. Li Fuzhu further elaborated on concepts like "freedom of love," individual independence, and "marriage freedom," which starkly contrasted with their culture of obeying parental will.
She also revealed that in her world, there were no eunuchs or emperors, as "the people are their own masters." The commotion attracted Yun Yi's attention, and he arrived at the Imperial Garden. Simultaneously, a servant reported Li Fuzhu's "rebellious" statements to the Tai Hou. The Tai Hou, accompanied by Ruan Qing, soon appeared in the garden.
Yun Li, seeing the gravity of the situation, immediately took all the blame, falsely claiming that he had asked Li Fuzhu to concoct "deviant and heretical stories" to amuse him. Upon hearing this, the assembled crowd quickly dismissed Li Fuzhu's tales as mere fabrications. The Tai Hou, angered, reprimanded Yun Li for his "unrestrained disposition" and for "misleading" the heavenly lady. She punished him with seven days of confinement to his chamber for self-reflection.
When Li Fuzhu attempted to object, Yun Li subtly silenced her. The Tai Hou then warned Li Fuzhu to be cautious with her words. Ruan Qing then spoke up, defending Li Fuzhu as merely having spoken rashly due to her forthright nature. Ruan Qing announced her permanent residence in the palace and subtly suggested that Li Fuzhu should learn from her.
Li Fuzhu muttered under her breath about such a prospect, but quickly rephrased her comment to convey a positive willingness to learn from Ruan Qing. Later that night, Yun Yi was seen drinking heavily, clutching a small pouch. He was lost in a memory of Ruan Qing's elder sister, who had given him the pouch and asked him to carry it, promising to marry him upon his return from battle. Distraught, he cried out, "No!"
A servant reported to Ruan Qing that Yun Yi was drunk and was missing her elder sister. Ruan Qing then approached the inebriated Yun Yi, asserting that he would ultimately be hers.
