A Splendid Match Episode 16

Weapon smuggling

JinZhao mourns her while listening to the melancholy music and Rong clutches his mom’s memorial tablet grieving. Rice is going up in price because of difficulties in transporting. Ji’s ships have brought in more grain and keeping the prices the same so the people aren’t dealing with price gouging. What is uncovered is the southern gang using Ji’s ships to smuggle weapons. They plan on using the grain convoy to transport them to the capital. Chen and aide have been keeping eyes on them. Rong also knows who these men are from his gambling associates. He warns Yao and they stage an argument to get closer. It is clearly the gang and Rong discovered weapons in the grain sacks. Yao knows it’s a felony to smuggle weapons and they make plans to get help and keep the convoy from leaving the city. Chen is also leaving to investigate. One of the leaders kidnaps JinZhao who is making good points on why she is not going to be helpful to him as a hostage. Chen shows up and negotiations start. Chen gives up his sword but does an excellent throw with JinZhao’s hairpin. In spite of his valiant effort, all three end up going over the cliff. Fortunately, it’s not a high one and there are no major injuries. While he is massaging her tendon back into place he wants to know why she is interested in Shanxi. JinZhao has decided that after her gma passes she will go to Shanxi to work. She will declare herself permanently single and a businesswoman. They finally get around to dead guy. Here I was expecting her to retrieve her hairpin, 😝 They find silver notes and correspondence from Xiao. JinZhao recognized the doctor that wrote a script for her mom. She also described the man they’d been looking for down to the growth on his ear. He has hidden himself in the Marquis’ home and serves as YeXian’s mentor. They will be brought up on charges if working with the bandits to smuggle weapons. Chen doesn’t see how to rescue YeXian without evidence of his innocence. JinZhao and servant ride off to warn him before it’s too late. She is convinced that if Ji and Chen houses not implicated, it’s safe to warn him. Chen has asked his men to replace the bandits and have the delivery go to the prince’s residence as planned. Ye Xian and crown prince are having a chat and ye Xian finds out he has been called because Chen is unavailable. There are conflicts and the crown prince wants one he trusts to know about hidden passages in the palace. He entrusts YeXian to protect him in the event of any trouble. He also gives YeXian food for thought when he said Chen believed his family the only trustworthy ones that would not betray the crown prince. JinZhao arrives timely and gives YeXian the news about his mentor. He is irate and refuses to believe her. He asks his aide if he thinks it is true. He can neither confirm or deny about Xiao, but he is convinced that Ms Gu would not lie. This Ye Xian also believes to be true. This time he is thinking and asking before doing. Maybe progress is being made. I am really despising Chen’s mentor. Even if innocent he fully intends to implicate the Marquis whether guilty or not. He thinks while everything peaceful and the coffers are full he can raise new soldiers to take his place. 😝Good men tend to take the brunt of political schemes. I am sure Nie’s family is still waiting compensation for FengMing’s sacrifice. There is no ‘good’ side with these two faction leaders. They both need to go. What is interesting is that Xiao and Marquis are also taking notes on the weapons movement. This seems more a case of spies duplicating mission without the other one being aware rather than the Marquis colluding to commit treason. JinZhao returns home to find out her father has become a drunkard in the taverns and Lan is left to head the household. She begs for the right to control who she marries like JinZhao and Rong can. Here I wish they would have kept the sisters allies instead of JinZhao giving her the cold treatment like her mother did. I am not happy that Lan is left on her own and JinZhao fully aware of how little help her step sis has. But at the same time she is brutal with justice and Lan was integral in bringing about the circumstances that resulted in her mother’s death. So she may just view this as justice served with the Gu family. JinZhao and YeXian meet with Chen. It is clear Prince Glorian is plotting. He has boxed the Marquis in so no matter if he gets weapons to defend or advances without receiving weapons he looks guilty of treason no matter the choice. It is agreed that the crown prince is to be protected and moved if necessary. Chen does say there is a way out for the Marquis but it will be very dangerous. And of course this is where the episode ends. 😝

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