A Splendid Match Episode 22

Proposals and political shenanigans

The servant is brought in and Lian is pointed out for initiating gossip. While punishments get passed out gma thinks she will force a marriage with Wang to restore reputation. When JinZhao is about to be locked up for refusing, brother Yao shows up with betrothal gifts. Yao has grown up in the time they have been separated. He makes an impressive groom. This time when they met, there was not the bickering conversation. He is truly worried about her and does not want her reputation shattered. He also has the older brother look when she describes being in love so well. He is forced to admit his love is brotherly, but he is pondering who makes her flush and stay up at night. I am proud of him for making such an impressive marriage price for her and looking out for her amongst these wretched Gu’s. Waiting to see how this all plays out. In Daxin they have kept the chaff with the rice. For a short time this makes it more nutritious, but when storing, it will spoil quicker and hold more arsenic. This is a deliberate plot to harm the general populace. I misunderstood. The rice was swapped with bran for relief stores. This was not handled by the granary manager but by Fu’s henchman himself. He doesn’t even bother to hide it. They are brazenly setting up Chen to take the fall and guarding him so he can’t retaliate. He has called to meet with JinZhao and they know that the conspiracy is a political takedown aiming for Chen and daddy Gu to take the fall for it. A colleague has forged her dad’s seal without his knowledge. Wang Xuanfeng wants to take down Fan and Fu is more than ready to assist and since Chen is showing he’s his own man and not the expected sycophant —two birds with one stone. I can’t wait to see his plotting bring him down.😝😡🤬 Chen is asking JinZhao to delay things as long as possible while they hunt down the colleague. Dead or alive he will prove something fraudulent happened. JinZhao is buying up grain and getting soup kitchens and medicine stalls ready to keep the province from revolting. This will give everybody more time to catch the culprits and take care of the people. She wants to hit the ground running when the bran is discovered. Fan has showed up at Chen’s office and the fireworks begin. Chen takes the winds out of his sails by resigning and an order of impeachment for Fan citing 10 cases of nepotism to charge him with. Chen is very shrewd. He still looks to be Fu’s man while working on setting them both back. Ye Xian just got orders to bring every Gu male back to the garrison. The prior warden has a grudge and this worked out nicely. His fringe benefit was a satisfied grin making YeXian personally take charge of the order. Fortunately JinZhao was already prepared. The order should have been for the two political fools we already know about, but the sons were added because of the grudge. JinZhao gives her brother some money and instructions and Ye Xian said he had the prison side of it handled. I liked that JinZhao told him to be careful as well. The ladies of the Gu house are crashing fast and general JinZhao is taking charge. They are combing through every single document and gathering evidence. She knows she is integral to Chen’s defense. He is trusting her with his very self. ❤️ she is motivated to leave no stone unturned to take care of the men she cares about. It is just a shame it will also spare the two old reprobates that deserve punishment. 😝At the court Chen assumed the blame while glaring at the real culprit. Fu’s man thinks he forced Chen’s hand and Fu initially thought he could smooth things over with Chen. This changes when he hears of Gu’s daughter bringing a case to court. He is putting the pieces together quickly and now it’s a race between him and Chen to see if justice prevails. This was an interesting change of events and I liked that for once the Gu women have put their petty differences aside and are working together in defense of their house. I wish there was one more episode today to see what happens sooner. Excellent storytelling keeping the romance on slow sizzle and political conflicts at good pace. I also have to applaud that the women will be bailing the men out. This makes me smile. Usually I am annoyed that the Gu men are rescued by their ladies, but this time, it’s about real justice and not hiding some greedy stunt they pulled. A bit of time in jail will not be bad for the old ones at all, they have long had it coming. But for them to be indebted to JinZhao, including dear gma ….this is a good thing. They will hopefully mind their manners in future. As for Chen, I am hoping his lady will let him officially propose when this is settled.

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