Chinese Drama 2024
Blossoms in Adversity (Chinese Drama Review & Summary)
Blossoms in Adversity poster
- Genre: Historical. Costume Drama Fiction
- Release Date: 2 April 2024
- Origin: China
- Cdrama: 40 Episodes
Cast
- Zhang Jing Yi as Hua Zhi
- Hu Yi Tian as Gu Yan Xi
- Lu Yu Xiao as Shao Yao
- Bian Cheng as Shen Huan
- Caesar Wu as Shen Qi
- Myolie Wu as Xia Jin’E
- Yang Ming Na as Qi Hui Lan
- Hai Yi Tian as Emperor (Gu Chengtao)
- Wei Wei as Gu Yan Gong / Prince Xian
- Zhai Xiang Yan as Gu Yan Rui / Prince Hui
- Fu Bo Han as Gu Cheng Qian / A Jian (Sixth Prince)
- Hao Wei Tao as Chen Qing
- Li Long as Zheng Yu (Security Bureau)
- Eddy Ko as Hua Qi Zheng
- Liu Jia as as Madam Hua (Matriarch)
- Jiang Kai as Hua Pei
- Wang Bin as Hua Ping Yuan
- He Lei as Hua Pingyan
- Tian Miao as Zhu Ying Zhen
- Fang Chu Tong as Wu Yu Niang
- Hu Chun Yang as Li Hou
- Huang Si Rui as Hua Rong
- Wang Qiao Xi as Hua Ling
- Marmalade Zhang as Hua Jing (Daughter)
- Lu Yan Bei as Hua Xian (Hua Daughter)
- Chen Heng as Aunt Qin
- Wang Li Na as Bao Xia
- Cola Yao as Nian Qiy
- Yang Ming Na as Qi Hui Lan
- Feng Ming Jing as Wu Yong
- Lu Qi as Jiang Wei Zhi (Hua Rong’s husband)
- Zhang Tian Ai as Hao Yue (living goddess)
Snippets
- 27 August 2023: It is wrap.
- 27 March 2024: Expected to broadcast on 2 April 2024.
Episode 1
It has a very dramatic start.
A very young Hua Zhi was travelling with her grandpa, Minister Hua by barge when they encountered the worst weather. They were in danger of capsizing in the sea with the waves angrily tossing their vessel furiously.
Young Hua Zhi overheard very frightened seamen saying that the only way to steady their ship was if the sail was taken down.
Hua Zhi saw a dagger nearby and without thought climbed the mast. Her concerned Grandpa saw what happened but told the anxious men to keep quiet so they don’t distract Little Zhi. Against all odds, Zhi managed to cut the rope from the top of the mast that was holding the sail.
This moment was still fresh in Zhi’s mind despite the years that had passed.
Zhi is now of marriageable age. Her bethrothal was to be announced and the groom would be Shen Qi who was really impressed with her when he accidentally saw her in busy street after a corrupt official of their police stopped the carriage when they found a drawing which they thought was a plan for a weapon.
The incident with the police would have gone bloody but Gu Yan Xi turned up. The police then arrested Gu Yan Xi so Zhi who was supposed to not appear in public before her marriage got out of the carriage and explained what the drawing for.
Zhi was very intelligent. She loves geography and engineering, especially mechanical things. She agreed with Gu Yan Xi who recognised that the drawing was for a weather anomometer which the groom/carriage driver had just collected from the artisan.
The police apologised and let them all go when Zhi introduced herself as the granddaughter of Minister Zhi.
Gu Yan Xi is actually a prince, he was Prince Ling from the North. He was the son of the Emperor’s brother. The Emperor had summoned him to the Capital.
Meanwhile, the Emperor recalled all his minister for an emergency meeting.
He said that they have two things to discuss: first, to name the crown prince and second to talk about the creation of illegal weapons. He asked the minister for their thoughts. He then asked Minister Zhi of his opinion as he was seemingly upright and incorruptible.
Minister Zhi was rather vocal. He said that the Ministers and officials no longer work for the people.but instead that ministers had formed cliques in the Capital which created factions of pro-Prince Xian and pro-Prince Hui for their own benefit.
Instead of being lauded, the Emperor punished Minister Hua for being to outspoken. He fired him from his ministerial job and ordered that their properties are confiscated and the family be exiled.
To Gu Yan Xi’s shock, the Emperor summoned the masked Qi Ruhai of the Seven Constellation Bureau who gave his finding that the illegal weapons are masterminded by the heir of Prince Ling, Gu Yan Xi.
Episode 2
Qi Ruhai was the Emperor’s secret service (FBI) and had gathered evidence against Gu Yan Xi who he said was preparing to stage a coup against the Emperor. He said that he obtained written letters from Gu Yan Xi to his accomplishes.
Qi Ruhai passed the letter to the Emperor.
The Emperor immdiately commanded that Qi Ruhai was given corporal punishment by smacking him with a wooden paddle until he tells the truth regarding the mastermind of the fake weapon manufacturing.
He added that the letter was fake because he himself had taught his nephew, Gu Yan Xi, how to write.
Qi Ruhai died without confessing the name of the culprit.
Later on, the Emperor told Gu Yan Xi that he misses the time when Gu Yan Xi would run to him to talk to him.
Yan Xi said that he was now grown up and knows his place. To assure the Emperor, Gu Yan Xi cut his face with his dagger. He said that this will show that he had no intention of fighting for the throne, a scarred face disqualifies it from ruling.
The Emperor said that Yan Xi should have not done it as he trusts him implicitly. Anyway, Gu Yan Xi picked up the discarded mask of Qi Ruhai and put it on himself. He is now the leader of the Seven Constallation Bureau.
He immediately proceeded to the Hua Mansion, where it was already being ransacked by soldiers to confiscate all the riches and valuables.
He found Hua Zhi in the mansion library. She declared that her grandfather was innocent and Yan Xi knew it too so she cannot understand why they are being victimised.
What Gu Yan Xi did not say was that the Emperor is a sasaeng fan of Minister Hua. He was so excited to read more of the minister’s new writings but they seemed to have halted as the minister was sufferig from mental block.🤣🤣🤣. In desperation, the Emperor ordered to confiscate any relevant writing at the Hua Mansion.
Anyway, the Huas were gathered outside the men, including the boys who just reached their teens were to be exciled while the women will be taken outside the Capital to live in a derelict villa that was once gifted to the Hua by the Empress Dowager. They had to go as they stand, they cannot take any money or jewelries except those already in their hair and arms.
Gu Yan Xi let Hua Zhi go free. She immediately gathered the books that she loved from the library. She was going to bring them with her to their new place.
It was a very confusing time for the family of legal, concubines and those servants who chose to go with them.
Zhi’s mother could not take it, she tried ot commit suicide but Hua Zhi told her that there was no point pining for her father who they had hardly saw as he had concubines and children. This woke her mother.
Poor Shen Qi was really upset as they watch the Hua women marched out of the Capital. He was really looking forward to marrying Hua Zhi.
The Hua women got a shock how derelict, dirty and small their new abode was.
Episode 3
Xia Jin E was having a meltdown especially when she realised that her personal maids had chosen to leave.
Hua Zhi lead the servants in cleaning of the villa as the the Hua Women were all screeching in complaint.
Shen Qi was trying to ask for money from his father but he was told that as he does not get out of the house much, Shen Qi really does not need any money. Meanwhile, his young brother , Shen Yuan, was beloved by everyone in the family. He spent money like it was nothing. Shen Yuan overheard his brother asking for money so he offered to give him his money but Shen Qi turned him down.
Shen Qi joined two like-minded youths who used to be students of Minister Hua in trying to find money to help the poor Hua Women.
Meanwhile, the Emperor told Gu Yan Xi to go home and rest. Yan Xi went to the Gu Mansion where he was met but a seemingly caring stepmother. He asked to see his sister immediately.
His stepmother reluctantly ushered him to his sister’s apartment. Gu YanXi was shocked to find that door was locked from the outside.
His stepmother said that Shaoyao is now a different girl and if allowed to roam around will be a danger to herself. He saw Shaoyao doing her medicine collection and she seemed to be living in her own world where no one was allowed. She did not even recognised him.
Meanwhile, at the Hua Mansion, a concubine shut the door that Hua Zhi left opened. The toxic charcoal briquettes would have killed them all if Hua Zhi did not wake up to see that the door was closed. She woke everyone out and took them outside.
Episode 4
Chen Zi, Yu Shengyao and Shen Qi turned up at the Hua Villa telling the ladies that they brought provisions with them.
Chen Zi told them of a great plan to be able to move back into a bigger better place at the Capital. It would not cost much, they then collected jade accessories from all the women to sell to be able to pay for the new place. They said that they will top up the money if the sale of the jewelry was not enough. They sounded so plausible and sincere, the women bought it and divested themselves of their jewelries and hair ornaments to Chen Zi.
Shen Qi who thought that his two friends were legit, also donated his jade token.
The only one not happy with this transaction was Hua Zhi but she was ignored as her grandma said that they should be grateful to the guys who were going out of their way to help them.
Anyway, the only adult male guy at the Hua Villa was the manservant, Uncle Zhong, who Hua Zhi sent to follow the three guys. Uncle Zhong reported that the cart full of good was taken to the pawnshop, so it looked legit. Hua Zhi still told Uncle Zhong to continue investigating.
Gu Yan Xi is reforming the Seven Constallation Bureau. He gained fear and respect from his soldiers when he had a duel with the arrogant and powerful Deputu Commader Yuan who was a very fighter and knew it.
But without breaking a sweat or having a stand of hair out of place, Gu Yanxi managed to overpower him and killed him in cold blood in front of the fightened stupified guards who immediately pleaded their loyalty to Gu Yan Xi.
The Hua Women were getting listless waiting for update from the three guys. Hua Zhi went to town to find out about the delay. She met Shen Qi who informed her that there was something not quite right with Chen Zi and Yu Shengyuan.
His brother Shen Huan found Shen Qi’s jade token at the gambling house. Suddenly, Hua Zhi knew something was not right and hurried back home. She was just in time to see Chen Zi loading the cart with her books as he went to their place to plead for more items to sell. He happened to mention the book.
Despite being confronted Chen Zi told them that they can’t do anything about it and was driving away the carriage when Hua Zhi screamed for the guards on duty that had been monitoring them.
Hua Zhi saved the day once again.
Episode 5
As they are in desperate situation, Xia Jin’e and Wu Yu Niang whose families reside in the Capital decided to approach them for help.
Wu Yu Niang found out that her beloved mother and father would not even open the door to her. She left in distress not only because of what happened but because her hormones are on the loose as she had just found out that she was pregnant.
Xia Jin’e had a better luck, she was allowed inside the house but still her parents would not really help her outright. There must be conditions. This upset Xia Jin’e’s pride so returned the 30 pieces of silver they were giving her🤣.
Meanwhile, Gu Yan Xi returned to the mansion to find Shaoyao was being forced to take her medicine. Yan Xi went ballistic and told his stepmother and doctor to leave Shaoyao alone.
Shaoyao opened up with Gu Yan Xi after she recognised him as her long lost brother. I had a tear in this scene. She told Yan Xi that she was not mentally retarded. She just refused to grow up because she was scared she must forget their mother.
Gu Yan Xi told her that he had not forgotten their mother.
That night, Gu Yan Xi had a nightmare. He saw in his dream how her mother ended up dying in a fire. Their stepmother, who had just become a concubine then saved Shaoyao from the fire. The poor mother-in-law had been aborting her babies so she could look after Yan Xi and Shaoyao.
Gu Yan Xi realised that their stepmother had been good to them.
Episode 6
Poverty brought out the enterpreneurship on Hua Zhi. So she went to town an opened a pop-up calligraphy shop as it was New Year’s Eve.
It was a hit because the people were intrigued with the girl from the exiled Hua Family. The novelty of having a girl write good luck for the new year was unusual. Even Gu Yan Xi asked his assistant Chen Qing to get him a new year banner from Hua Zhi.
With the money she made, the Huas had a rather sumptuous supper.
Shen Qi visited the Hua with the news that the Hua men are being transported to the North and he would meet up with them. They could send him things that they wanted to give to their men.
The Hua ladies got busy and made padded winter jackets for the men. To make more money Jin’e sold three maids which annoyed her spoiled daughter.
Meanwhile, Gu Yanxi is spending more time with Shaoyao who he assured would not be visited by doctors anymore.
Shaoyao was unimpressed. She said she will be completely alone, at least the she can argue with the doctors when they come around. Poor Gu Yanxi said that he will come visit her more often.
Being at the Gu Mansion, Yanxi got more obsessed with the death of his mother so started looking into it.
It was the day that the Hua men were supposed to be sent to the North but Shen Qi was a no show. He was being beaten up with his father for his continued meetings with the disgraced Huas.
Episode 7
As Shen Qi was no show, intrepid Hua Zhi decided to drive the baggy to deliver the winter jackets to the Hua men.
They were happy to see her for the last time. Hua Zhi assured them that she will look after every single member of the Hua family. His Grandpa did not really hold her to it but rather told her that he would rather that she were happy.
Before the men were ordered to leave for the north, the masked Gu Yanxi turned up with his men. He wanted to speak to Minister Hua about the girl who he saw ten years ago at his mother’s funeral. Grandpa Hua said it was so long time ago, he can’t remember it.
Prince Nian or was it Prince Xian who was in charge of the prisoners asked Gu Yanxi why he had to come. So Gu Yanxi said that he had to make sure that the prisoners had no hidden contraband or something had the prisoners checked by his man.
Unfortunately, Aunt Qin and Zu Ying Zhen stitched some silver coins inside the jacket. Knowing that the Hua men would be punished, Hua Zhi said she did it.
She was taken for punishment. 10 beatings which almost left her half dead. Yanxi came to support her. Hua Zhi still had no clue that he was the commander of the Seven Constallation Bureau.
He had Hua Zhi treated by a doctor. Later on, Hua Zhi used him as a sounding board of what frustrated her what she wanted to do. She said that she could not deal with the Hua women anymore and wanted to leave and live on her own.
Yanxi said why not.
So when she finally got home to many worried women, she told them off what they did that incriminated her and had her punished.
She told Aunt Wu that she wanted to leave and she would like Aunt Wu to come with her.
Aunt Wu explained that it had been chaotic when they could not find her. Everyone went looking for her. Even lady aunt went to the temple to pray for her.
Episode 8
Hua Zhi asked Grandma to allow her to take over the finances of the family. She said that she will vastly improve it. She calculated that they would need 21M to buy back the Hua Men.
Episode 9
Xia Jin’e was trying to sabotage the preparation for the new business by engaging the servants to do something else.
Hua Zhi asked grandma to give her the indentured certificates of the servants. She then gave the certificates to each of them. She told them they were free. Majority decided to stay.
Hua Zhi started a honey hawtorn food business which proved hugely popular. She was also selling pastries.
One of maids, was stealing honey from them so they punished her for working now without pay but they will meet up the maid’s mother’s medical expenses.
A man who had worked at the Gu Villa finally remembered what happened during the fire ten years ago. He secretly told what he remembered to Shaoyao.
But then the man was killed by the assassin.
Episode 10
Shaoyao almost became a victim of an assassin but someone left the gate opened which became a blessing in disguise as she got out before the assassin turned up.
Being outside was like a different world fo innocent Shaoyao. She ended up near the hawtorn cart of Hua Zhi. They gave her two sticks of the honey hawtorn but she can’t pay.
Hua Zhi pitied Shaoyao. Hua Zhi brought her home as Shaoyao did not seem to know where she lives or where to go to. But Hua Zhi was sure that Shaoyao came from a well off family.
Shaoyao saw the happy chaotic interrelationship between the Huas. She started crying because it made her happy as she found it beautiful.
She was welcome by everyone which made her contented. She was so joyful, she refused to go to sleep at first because she did not want the day to end.
Meanwhile, Gu Yanxi found out that his sister was missing. He tasked his police force to find his sister.
They found her in the marketplace with Hua Zhi. Yanxi had never seen his sister so happy. So he asked Hua Zhi if his sister could stay with her a little longer. He then paid her board and lodging for his sister.
The assassins found out where Shaoyao was.
Gu Yanxi with his police force knew about it and was ready and waiting near the Hua Villa. An assassin got inside the villa and had taken Hua Zhi as a hostage.
Gu Yanxi in masked shoots the assassin dead.
Episode 11
Hua Zhi has the Midas Touch with business. She managed to get contracts to supply all the renouned restaurant in the Capital with her pastries. Even the Emperor got to taste her pastries.
So just under nine months in the wilderness, Hua Zhi made an announcement. They can move back to the Capital.
Everyone was so excited when they moved to a mansion almost the same side as their previous abode. At first the ladies started to pick the choiciest rooms for themselves but Grandma Hua stopped them all. She said that the first one to choose must be Hua Zhi as she had been the brain of the family’s survival.
The former guards of the Hua’s returned. They agreed to a lesser pay.
Episode 12
Grandma Hua is pragmatic. She told Hua Zhi that living in the Capital does not mean that their problems were over. This is just going to be another battle and even a more complicated one.
And they found out immediately the truth of it.
Hua Zhi’s main priority was to send the boys to school. Unfortunately, the boys were treated like pariah so they refused to go back to school.
Hua Zhi then decided to start their Hua school and went looking for scholar to teach the children.
No one wanted the position.
Concubine Qin turned out to be the biological mother of Boli. This was such a controversy that it almost ended in tragedy. In the end Concubine Qin was moved to another place.
Episode 13
Gu Yanxi found out that Hua Zhi was having trouble finding a teacher for the Hua children. So he used his influence to ‘force’ the most famous scholar in the Capital to take up the post.
He was famous for good work but now that he is aged, Hua Zhi and Gu Yanxi found out that the teacher had lost his vitality and allowed the children to run riot.
The guards at the Hua Mansion were also getting out of control which was worrying. So Hua Zhi decided to hire a martial art teacher who would probably replace the main guard.
Grandma Hua was the Empress Dowager’s childhood best-friend. The empress dowager was the one who gifted the Hua the rundown villa the Hua women stayed in.
Anyway, Grandma Hua and the Empress Dowager continued to be pen pals over the years. The Emperor did not like it and had Gu Yanxi to investigate the matter.
This give Yanxi a reason to stay at the Hua’s new house as the martial art’s teacher.
Episode 14
A new maid was assaulted by the drunk sun of the guard. Instead of punishing his son, the guard allowed his son to assault Hua Zhi who came to the maid’s rescue.
Thank goodness, Yanxi turned up just in time to beat up the father and son. They were dismissed while the other guards were given a choice to leave or stay. They chose to stay.
Hua Zhi liked Yanxi even more so every time she was free she would find him. He taught her horse-riding but when the horse went slightly under control, Yanxi came to Hua Zhi’s rescue and ended up riding the horse with her.
And that was how Grandma Hua found them.
Grandma was a bit of a romantic so she sized Yanxi up. Later, she asked Hua Zhi if she likes Yanxi. Grandma recounted her own love story. She said that she was a daughter of a marquis and her parents would have not allowed a poor man to be her husband but Grandpa made her heart beat up to her chin so if her parents really had disappoved then she would have eloped with Grandpa. Luckily Grandpa topped the Imperial Exam so he was made an official immediately.
Grandma said that if Yanxi likes someone from a lowly background but he makes her heart jump to her chin then she must go for it.
With this advise, Hua Zhi boldly asked Yanxi what he thought of her.
Yanxi took his time answering and when he did, he said that she was his bosom friend.
Poor Hua Zhi was disappointed so she took her leave.
Episode 15
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Episode 18
Hua Jing plotted for Hua Zhi’s fall from grace by using Concubine Qin. Hua Jing conspired with the restaurant owner to drug Concubine Qin’s wine and then sleep with her.
Hua Jing then turned up at the restaurant and found Concubine Qin and the man in bed. She then said to Concubine Qin that she was an adulterer and should be punished.
Concubine Qin begged Hua Jing to let her off while she will do everything Hua Jing asked of her.
Bao Xia caught Concubine Qin stealing Hua Zhi’s underwear.
Episode 19
With all the stress and shenanigans Hua Jing had been doing, Madam Hua fell ill.
Poor Shaoyao was beyond herself with grief because she cannot do anything more for Madam Hua.
Madam Hua called in Hua Zhi to give her the Hua family seal/token she held for 40 years. Now Hua Zhi is the head of the Hua Family. Hua Zhi promised that she will look after the family and reunite everyone soon in the old Hua Mansion.
Madam Hua was happy to hear it as she passed on peacefully.
Everyone was heartbroken and knew who to blame.
Hua Zhi said that she will give a grand funeral to Grandma and then she she exact her revenge.
It was a grand funeral but not many came to pay their respect. Only Shen Qi at first but then The Empress Dowager turned up.
The Empress Dawager was very upset that her last meeting with her childhood friend was Madam Hua’s funeral. She did say that she envied Madam Hua for having a close knit family ties.
Episode 20
After the Empress Dowager had gone, people started arriving including Shen Huan who wanted to support Shaoyao who had become his friend.
Now for her revenge, Hua Zhi told Bolin to fetch Hua Jing.
When Hua Jing turned up arrogantly, unrepentantly and angrily, Hua Zhi threw a mat at her and told her to pay her respect to Madam Hua outside the mansion. Hua Zhi then loudly castigated Hua Jing for her vindictiveness and bad manners for causing the death of Madam Hua. People were shocked but it turned into a brawl when Hua Jing saw Madam Qin who she blamed for failing to comply with the task she gave her.
Madam Qin could not take it anymore so she physically fought with Hua Jing who ended up losing her blouse in the process which shocked everyone for Hua Jing’ uncouth behaviour.
Shaoyao asked Hua Zhi when her brother was going to turn up.
Soon…
Gu Yan Xi had been allowed to end his alone time to restrospect by the Emperor. When he found out that Madam Hua had died. He wasted no time to go to the Hua Mansion to find Hua Zhi.
He found Hua Zhi by the stable where she usually go to find him.
Finally, he confessed who he really was. Hua Zhi knew that he was not an ordinary man but still got a surprise when she found out that he was the son of Lord Ling and also the chief of Seven Constellation Bureau.
Hua Zhi asked if he was the one who arrested her grandpa and who ransacked their old mansion but then she also remembered who much help he had been to her and the Hua family.
So they ended up hugging and promising that they will stay together.
Episode 21
Hua Zhi took her new role seriously as the new ‘Elder’ of the Hua family.
While the romance between Hua Zhi and Yanxi is going strong, Hua Jing was divorced by her husband and ordered to leave the Song Mansion immediately.
Hua Jing went crazy and totally blamed Hua Zhi for everything that had happened to her. She vowed to make the Hua family pay dearly for what they did.
Mr Zhong was patrolling the Hua Mansion when he met Yanxi. He told Yanxi that the recent bad blood from Hua Jing and the Song was making him worry. Yanxi saw that Mr Zhong was stressed so he offered to do the rest of checking the surrounding.
When Yanxi got near the gate, he heard something and when he opened it he saw Hua Jing hanging on the rafters.
Yanxi quickly took down Hua Jing’s body and found the divorce paper on her. With the help of Chen Qing, they transferred the body somewhere else.
It was a shocking morning at the Song Mansion when they opened the gate and found the body of Hua Jing hanging on the rafters.
Mr Song was so shocked he had a stroke. It also started to spread around that he was the one who killed Hua Jing or at least who drove her to kill herself.
Meanwhile, the other Hua sister was also in trouble. Her son came to the Hua Mansion begging them to intervene between her parents. He reported that his mother was nearly dead after having beaten by his father yet again.
Jin’E went with the boy to see Hua Xian but she had to give up as Hua Xian refused to leave her husband because of moral and reputation implications.
The women symphatised with Hua Xian but they do get that being divorce is out of the question.
Hua Zhi however had another ideas. She was going to going to make Hua Xian get a mutual divorce with her husband.
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Episode 30
The Huas are back to their original mansion.
Fu Dong married Mr Bai.
Shen Huan was being married to a Miss Jiang for business connection reason but he was not happy about and would have thrown the chance away if Shaoyao responded to his romantic overtures. But she is too childlike and can’t get what he was talking about.
Episode 31
Meanwhile, Mr Sun, a rich tea merchant had taken a fancy to Yingchun, Hua Zhi’s head housekeeper. Yingchun was tempted but when she found out that he had two children and 8 concubines already, she was not interested.
On the otherhand, Hua Qin took the opportunity to be the one to marry Mr Sun. Hua Zhi tried to dissuade her from marrying Mr Sun but Hua Qin said that Mr Sun in neither old or ugly and as such he is her best chance as she had not had an offer of marriage because of being a daughter of a concubine.
Hua Qin immediately took the upperhand amongst the concubines.
Meanwhile, Yan Xi visited the Empress Dowager who immediately noticed that Yanxi was in love. The Empress gave him her jade bracelet to give to his ladylove.
The Empress Dowager later called Hua Zhi to the palace and saw that she was wearing the jade bracelet she gave YanXi
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Episode 34
Prices are skyrocketting because of the three years drought, which was blamed on the corrupt despotic Emperor.
Hua Zhi decided to go futher afield to source out ingredients which are scarce in the city.
Meanwhile, Yanxi was on a mission to catch the man who was spreading the gossips about the Emperor.
And it so happened that Hua Zhi and Yan Xi were bound for the same location of Jinyang but going on separate barges.
Shen Qi and A Jian went with Hua Zhi.
At Jinyang, Hua Zhi met up with Hus Rong and her husband Jiang Wei Zhi who was so accomodating.
Jiang Wei Zhi introduced her to the richest merchant in Jinyang, Mr Zeng, who in turn introduced Hua Zhi to the wives of the elite merchants in Jinyang.
Hua Zhi started networking but she was told that she has to meet the living goddess of Jinyang who can make dreams come true for a sizeable fee, of course.
It so happened the Yan Xi also made contact with Mr Zeng who told him about the living goddess.
Episode 35
Aww Hua Rong is pregnant and Jiang Wei Zhi could not be any happier.
Meanwhile, Hua Zhi was being treated like a pariah suddenly after she confronted the living goddess of being fake and uses trickery to take advantage of the people.
Hua Zhi realised that the living goddess is very infuential as she has the backing of the richest man of Jinyang, Mr Yue of Seven Stars Mansion.
No one wanted to do business with Hua Zhi anymore, All the merchant wives she befriended were all blanking her.
Hua Zhi almost got assassinated but Yan Xi managed to save her.
With the problem at hand, the ever resourceful Hua Zhi had to device a tactic to defeat the infuence of the Mr Yue and the living goddess.
So Hua Zhi ordered her minions to spread gossip about the living goddess fakery and then she set herself up as another living goddess and with the help of Yan Xi the people became curious and wanted to consult Hua Zhi.
Both Hua Zhi and Yan Xi were invited by Master Yue to the Seven Stars Mansions.
It turned out Master Yue was an astronomer/astrologer. Master Yue told Hua Zhi that she will no longer face any issue with the merchant. She will get any product as the best price.
She had to leave Yan Xi as Master Yue wanted a word with him.
Yan Xi immediately confirmed with Master Yue that the living goddess was not a figure head but actually the big boss and it was Master Yue who was the lackey.
The living goddess came out from the shadow and congratulated Yan Xi for guessing the situation correctly.
Yan Xi told her that she was under arrest for the source of the rumour about the Emperor.
Haoyue, the living goddess, ordered her guards to attack Yan Xi. The scene was well choreographed and Hu Yi Tian did a good job kicking and flying and fighting.
Anyway, Yan Xi managed to alert the Security Bureau of what was happening so they came in and fought until no one was left standing except for Haoyue who they took and temperorily encarcerated at the magistrate court prison.
Meanwhile, Mr Zeng asked Hua Zhi a favour of looking a locked box for him.
Episode 36
It is really getting more exciting with many twists and turns.
It turned out that the Jiangs are into the rackets. And they were about to be exposed.
So he told Jiang Wei Zhi to use Hua Rong to kill Yan Xi.
Jiang Wei Zhi was heartbroken because he does adore Hua Rong. But without much choice, he sent her to bring Jinyang cookies to Gu Yanxi who was departing for the Capital.
Hua Rong was happy to do but at the last moment Jiang Wei Zhi went with her and carried the boxed cookies.
Hua Rong adores her young husband and was excitedly telling him that they must visit the Huas when their baby is born.
Jiang Wei Zhi told her to turn back will give the cookies to Yan Yan Xi was he can walk faster than her.
Meanwhile, Shen Qi and A Jian found out that Mr Zeng had been killed so they raced to Hua Zhi who forced open the box that Mr Zeng gave her to look after.
She found a ledger of transaction and she got really worried because the Jiangs are heavily involve with the racket.
She went to find Hua Rong but she was told that she went to the wharf with Jiang Wei Zhi.
Hua Zhi raced to the wharf and just saw the explosion which killed Jiang Wei Zhi and sent Yan Xi flying into the river. She jumped after him but in the end she was the one needed rescuing. When she woke up she found out that it was Yan Xi who was her rescuer. They made up but Hua Zhi said that she had to go back to Janying to get Hua Rong.
Sadly, they learned that Hua Rong killed herself after finding out that Jiang Wei Zhi had died and so was Hua Zhi as well.
Yan Xi had to hurry to the Capital to bring in his many captures including the living goddes.
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Episode 39
Fire at Ling Mansion
Longevity Festival.
Episode 40
The Emperor was poisoned and eventually died. And so did Prince Hui who trusted Hao Yue, the living goddess who provided the poison to Prince Hui to use for the wine of the Emperor and for himself but he thought he was given the right antidote but realised too late that the living goddess was exacting her revenge for the massacre of her whole Zhou family.
With the Emperor dead and Prince Hui as well, the court started to worry of who will take over.
The Empress Dowager turned up with A Jian, the Sixth Prince who is the rightful heir.
The young Emperor issued an edict pardoning the Hua men and for them to return to the Capital.