Against the Current Episode 17

Battles raging inside and out

LanXiang has figured out it’s the bathwater thanks to third sister and maid’s detective work. JinQi’s man has snuck in and has a sample of the bath water and a message for Lan Xiang’s parents. Du is a psycho that killed her maid to throw them off track. Her fake tears disgusted Lan Xiang enough to throw up once she was back at the dorm room. She knows she has to come up with something to keep everybody else alive til JinQi can get them help. JinQi had his men fake capture traitor Du brother. It was funny him thinking he was found out. 😝He couldn’t message his contacts because they brought clothes and weapon for him. The Marquis is attacked by a bandit group then had Wo pirates join in. At that point JinQi tells them to take out the pirates and the battle is on. The only satisfaction I got was seeing preview of Ms Du victim of her own poison. This episode was sad to watch because the Matriarch knew they were in trouble to the point she handed LanXiang the keys to keep things going til JinQi returns. It is a reality check that none of the Lins were capable of running the household once matriarch out of commission. And where’s the dad and gpa been for all of this mess? Somebody is getting ready to attack JinQi at end of episode. I wonder if it is his lifesaver brother showing his true colors.

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A Life-and-Death Struggle

Soldiers lie in the forest, camouflaged by dry leaves. A vow between brothers—"I’ve got your back." Yet, another man—Lin Jin Qi’s aide—sees something more, something lying beyond the immediate danger, having spoken with Jia Lam. It is Nanke who guards Lin Jin Qi’s back; he shouts a warning about a treacherous threat approaching from behind just as the episode ends.But before that, back at the Lin estate, several key characters are hovering between life and death. Someone who had been in good health suddenly falls ill and dies quickly, suffering from body rashes and moaning in pain. Jia Lam presses the doctor for answers regarding the nature of the illness. He identifies it as erysipelas. However, Jia Lam remains skeptical and seeks the truth—a search that leads to the episode's climax: the death of a maid and the profound (though likely feigned) weeping of Miss Du Cuique, crying out, "Lin Dang, Lin Dang..." (One might ask: why was Lin Dang the fatal victim here?) It was because Jia Lam was getting closer to answers in her investigation. Du Cuique, wearing a deceptively sweet expression, spotted Jia Lam’s silhouette passing by the window curtains. She realizes she is facing a rival worthy of her mettle. Jia Lam discusses the matter with Nanke, specifically the mention of Lin Jin Qi’s bath time—a detail Du Cuique had brought up. She recalls how he had pretended to bathe by splashing hot water into the tub without actually getting in. But how did she know the schedule? Jia Lam explains her theory to Nanke: this is no ordinary illness, but a case of poisoning via the bathwater—an element that is rarely guarded, unlike the food. (She hands him the letter she wrote to her parents, letting them know she is safe and well.) But before that, she retched in agony upon seeing Lan Dan die.In a moment of hopelessness, the three maids—friends supporting one another through this tragedy—interlace their hands. One of them says, "We are merely maids; there is nothing we can do to change this." That is when Jia Lam, fire in her eyes, declares, "We *can* do something—so that everyone, from the groups we care about, can realize their dreams; they all still have so much life ahead of them." Lin Jin Qi is due to arrive tomorrow; they wait with renewed hope. But can YuChan hold on for another day? And what of Lin Jin Qi’s mother? She embraces her youngest daughter, who is ill; with a feverish gaze, the mother rests her head on the pillow, looking at her child.Lin Jin Qi speaks to the lieutenant—a simple, sincere man—who had once confronted him with accusations of a crime; they are now amidst a leafy hideout. Lin Jin Qi’s voice rings out above the commotion: "You are a brother I will count on for the rest of my life." He says this to the soldier who did not back down when the unthinkable mission they were to carry out in the forest was revealed. (Providentially—or perhaps prophetically—he said this not to Du Zheng, but to this brave, loyal, ordinary man). Yet, Du Zheng displays conflicting, contradictory expressions throughout this episode, appearing as though he wants to flee the situation. He claims he lacks a weapon; LJQ replies, "Here is a weapon." He says he lacks the proper attire and must go back to fetch it; LJQ replies, "Here is the attire." "Watch my back," Lin Jin Qi tells Du Zheng. Again, that look from Du Zheng. And fellow soldiers patting him on the back. (But do all these loyal figures realize they might be dealing with an enemy disguised as a lamb?)The battle in the forest involves three groups. Our heroic group aims to rescue the commander—the Marquis—who is facing relentless assassination attempts. In slow motion, they seem to fly as they leap over one another with swords and spears amidst the forest trees. Lin Jin Qi soars the highest, rising above the rest. And now, at the end of the episode, when a true friend shouts, "Lin Jin Qi, watch your back!"—how will our hero get out of this? Let's find out in Episode 18.

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How far would Du siblings go?

Lanxiang's face showed her disbelief at what lengths Cuique can go to reach her goal. She killed her own maid to make it look like she also suffered from the epidemic. And like they said — Lingdang died too quickly, while Yuchan is still alive after many days. That's definitely suspicious! I wonder what was in the tea Gantang gave Cuique. Did they give her the same stuff she has been adding to everyone's bathwater? 🤔Du Zheng's plans are also failing, because he clearly didn't expect to see Jinqi there. And he just keeps trying to find any excuse to leave the ambush party briefly to warn the people he's working for. 🤨 But I kind of think that the final scene was made for us to believe Du Zheng is attacking Jinqi from behind, while in truth there is someone else in between them... Wouldn't be the first time! 🫣First Madam realising that Lanxiang is pretty much the only one she can trust with their household and people while she's locked away... "Desperate times call for desperate measures". That's a huge responsibility, but also praise and respect. 😌And then I thought again about the irony there. The Shen family died because the Lin family abandoned them in the face of danger, yet now a member of the Shen family is actually helping the Lin family to survive this danger that could easily wipe them out. 🥺And I definitely want to praise the production. So many actors and extras, and it doesn't look like they are using CGI to multiply people to look like there's more. The environment looks so natural, and I absolutely loved the fight scenes. In short, this drama is a treat for my eyes, ears and emotions. 😊P.S. The scene where Lanxiang asked Nanke for a favour — which was to deliver a letter to her parents — was so heartwarming and touching. It really did bring tears to my eyes. 🥹❤️

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