Episode 2 recap: Xu Niang Zi, upon entering the Duke's residence, Meng Wan begins her revenge plan.
Seven years later, Meng Wan woke up from a nightmare, only to receive the news of Big Niang Zi Man Shu's passing. Meng Wan dressed herself and went to Big Niang Zi's room to assess the situation. Lord Xu Zhiyang, the master of the Xu Mansion, sat by the bedside with tears in his eyes. Last night, only Meng Wan had visited Man Shu's room before her death, but Man Shu had only advised Meng Wan to take care of the master in the future. To fulfill Man Shu's final wish, Xu Zhiyang appointed Meng Wan as the mistress of the Xu family's residence.
Meng Wan boarded a carriage and arrived at Lin Ru Lan's grave. Seven years had passed, but there were still unfinished matters. This time, she finally had the qualification to stand before her and seek revenge for Ru Lan.
Meng Wan arrived at the Ning Guo Duke's Mansion by carriage and immediately encountered the mocking and taunting of Niang Zi Chen Su Jun. However, Meng Wan paid no attention to it. She was not the kind of person who would engage in instant quarrels. Just as Lady Ning Guo Gong had taken her seat, the second daughter of the Marquis Mansion, Zhou Yu Qin, arrived with a grand gift prepared for the Empress Dowager. Zhou Yu Qin specifically selected an ancient painting from the previous dynasty to showcase and flaunt. It was the "Heaven's Longevity Chart" depicting the twelve zodiac gods. The two women became jealous and vied for attention.
Back at the mansion, Meng Wan asked her husband to copy the "Heaven's Longevity Chart." Although she didn't know why, she did as she was told. Afterwards, Meng Wan took the copied version and presented it to Niang Zi as a gift, falsely claiming that her husband had some distant ancestral connection to the Xu family from the previous dynasty. Before his passing, Master Xu had specifically instructed that it should never be sold unless the family was destitute, but they were deceived. Before leaving, Niang Zi wanted to keep the so-called imitation for a few days to observe it, but Meng Wan refused her request.
After much contemplation, Xu Niang Zi sought out the old man selling paintings and questioned the authenticity of his artwork, only to be told that the paintings were fake. Frustrated and angry, Xu Niang Zi considered reporting him to the authorities. In order to appease her, the old man knelt down and returned the money Xu Niang Zi had paid. Once Xu Niang Zi left, the old man carefully picked up the money from the ground and smiled happily.
Later, Xu Niang Zi found Meng Wan and expressed her desire to purchase a painting. After some negotiation, Meng Wan finally agreed to sell her a painting, and both of them made calculations in their minds.
News of Meng Wan's meeting with Xu Niang Zi quickly reached the ears of the senior Niang Zi. She summoned Meng Wan to find out the truth, but Meng Wan calmly told her to wait and watch the show.
A urgent report from the Ministry of Rites arrived in the hands of the second Niang Zi. It stated that a counterfeit item was presented during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, which angered the Empress Dowager and resulted in the punishment of being confined to the Marquis of Su'an's residence for a year or more. On the other hand, the Minister of Rites, Han Xiang Gong, requested that the Duke's wife quickly prepare the Yanyu embroidery, so as not to delay the auspicious day of the Empress Dowager's birthday. The Duke's wife of the Ningguo Duke's residence finally understood Meng Wan's intentions.
The next day, in front of everyone, the Duke's wife deliberately swapped the positions of Xu Da Niang Zi and Wu Da Niang Zi. Overnight, Meng Wan took the first seat. Meng Wan presented the chestnut cakes she made herself to the Duke's wife, who invited her to taste the new tea and praised her achievements. As Meng Wan was leaving, she happened to encounter Wu Lian but hurriedly passed by without looking up.
Xu Niang Zi sneaked out to find Meng Wan and demanded an explanation. She couldn't understand why Meng Wan would harm her, but Xu Niang Zi was in the wrong from the start.
In Huaian Prison, Liu Xin finally saw the light of day again. The gates of the Duke's residence were open, and this time it was his turn to take action.
Mr. Wu's methods of deceiving Ru Lan are indeed clever. He approaches her under the guise of teaching his craft, initially pretending to casually put his arm around her shoulders and then quickly withdrawing, leaving Ru Lan feeling unsettled but also questioning her own sensitivity. He continues to get closer, admiring flowers, once again embracing her, and using the sound of music to generate conversation. He introduces the agreement to play a musical instrument within this atmosphere, making it difficult for a woman to not be moved. And Ru Lan falls into this trap. If it were a genuine romantic relationship, it would naturally stir emotions. However, all of this is not driven by genuine feelings. It is merely a tactic employed by Mr. Wu to deceive women, whom he sees as nothing more than objects to be admired, with no regard for any emotional connection. Qiao portrays the tenderness when Mr. Wu deceives women and the subsequent cold-heartedness after being exposed with great authenticity.
There are always dedicated people.
Liu, the head constable, is an ordinary person, but he has his exceptional qualities. Although he may appear to be greedy and lustful on the surface, he has a fondness for beautiful women and accepted the ill-gotten money from the embroidery house owner, Wu Lian.
However, after obtaining Lin Ru Lan's hairpin, he chose to submit the written evidence without hesitation. He didn't turn a blind eye to the matter.
Having worked as a constable for many years, he is well aware of the tricks of the trade and understands the complex relationships involved. He knows that it's not something that a single constable or yamen can resolve.
But he won't stay silent and endure it. When he received the report of the embroiderer's suicide attempt, he also investigated the matter in the building and subtly hinted at Wu Lian through his words, implying that he should be more cautious and not be so arrogant, nor should he take everyone for fools.
His words not only criticized Wu Lian but also indirectly mocked the wealthy boss with a certain status by joking about his kidney problems.
While protecting the beautiful women, he punishes the opportunistic small-time criminals and assists Lin Ru Lan in delivering the written evidence. His delicate master-servant relationship with the magistrate, his ability to maintain a network of trusted allies even after spending seven years in prison, all showcase Liu's skills as a head constable.
Therefore, he undoubtedly plays a crucial role in the subsequent development of the story. In this world, where darkness exists wherever there are people, and where there is a Jianghu, it doesn't mean that disputes cannot be resolved. Not everyone who achieves success in the overall situation is necessarily good, and their methods may not always be righteous. However, punishing great evil truly brings joy to the people.
Captain Liu, disguised as a fortune-teller, entered Duke Fu Ren's mansion and made an astonishing show. It was truly a brilliant operation that left everyone amazed.
What does it mean to resolve anger and take money?
It's all about Captain Liu's actions. First, he had the outhouse moved to the kitchen and forbade disposing of the excrement. Instead, it had to be displayed for forty-nine days. Is he trying to change the feng shui or refine excrement pills?
It's truly absurd.
He even ordered all the flowers to be uprooted and replaced with stinky beans that emitted a putrid smell, like rotting flesh.
But even after all that, the anger wasn't resolved.
He then made Duke Fu Ren eat stinky carp and pickled vegetables. He pocketed a lot of silver.
I was wondering how he knew about some private matters. It turns out there was a spy among Fu Ren's maidservants.
Sometimes, certain industries have expensive fees for a reason. Being expensive makes the person spending the money feel the pain, but also more convinced that it's worth it.
Often, when people buy things, they don't choose the right ones; they simply choose the expensive ones.
They don't know the intricacies of it; their beliefs tell them that expensive means it's the right choice.
So, unintentionally, they become the victims. Duke Fu Ren naturally became such a victim.
Meng Wan is impressive as well.
In order to achieve her goals, she never directly makes demands. She always speaks in the opposite direction. She never directly criticizes Wu Lian but praises him in various ways. Isn't that flattery?
Immediately, Duke Fu Ren starts to believe that Wu Lian has gone mad, that he has become too powerful, and without his protection, he won't survive for long.
Duke Fu Ren, all of a sudden, placed his trust in Meng Wan. Why would he do that? She's someone who has spent over a decade meticulously pursuing her own ambitions and seeking prosperity.
Of course, she's very adept at understanding boundaries and knowing how to handle things.
Why does she have no grudges or reservations towards Meng Wan?
Although there are some things she hasn't told Meng Wan yet, it's not because she's unwilling to disclose them. It's simply that the circumstances haven't reached a point where she needs to share them with Meng Wan.
She has already started confiding in Meng Wan about the recent difficulties she's been facing. That's something only good friends would do.
She claims to have trusted Meng Wan at first sight and even asserts that she's quite skilled at judging people.
I really don't want to burst her bubble, but I wonder if she had the same first impression when she employed Wu Lian?
What a creature he turned out to be—deceptive and heartless. She nurtured him all these years, how many innocent women did she feed him to for him to become what he is today?
She treats Captain Liu, disguised as a fortune-teller, with the same attitude. She believes she has a keen insight, as if she's an extraordinary being.
If Meng Wan were to say that she was cheated out of her money, she would surely come up with an explanation.
She would say that revealing celestial secrets in this line of work shortens one's lifespan, so a few silver coins are insignificant.
Sigh, she's also a pitiable aging woman. Let's not be too hard on her. I hope she wakes up soon and stands alongside her sisters on the same front line.
Captain Liu is quite a character. If we judge based on his appearance, he definitely doesn't seem like a villain. He looks quite upright, with well-defined facial features and a muscular physique. Clearly, he's someone who trains his body.
Unlike that Wu Lian, whose face is caked with makeup like a clown.
I always thought he was an incapable eunuch, but I never expected him to be so deceitful, preying on so many young girls in their prime.
In such a large embroidery building, it has become his harem where he indulges in debauchery night after night.
He's even luckier than an emperor, keeping track of his conquests by changing the bedsheets. It seems those women who were brought into the palace by him must have possessed exceptional beauty.
Captain Liu broke his leg and appeared disheveled when he was released from prison.
He spoke to the magistrate without any courtesy at all. The magistrate advised him to let go of the past, to let it all go with the wind. But he didn't give a direct response; he simply mentioned that he had someone from his past to go back and see.
Seven years have passed, yet he hasn't sought revenge. Captain Liu is truly formidable. He has a group of brothers and a belief in fighting against evil.
The price of certain things cannot be paid with just one life. It involves karmic consequences that one must calculate in this life and perhaps even in the next few lives.
She is a humble daughter from a poor family in the embroidery building, and also a wise and composed Yuan WaiFu Ren in the inner palace.
Bound by her upbringing, she was trapped in a hopeless fate.
Now, for the sake of her former close friend, she has spent seven years devising a game-changing scheme.
We look forward to Wu Qian's portrayal of Meng Wan, where our "Sister Meng" exudes a commanding presence.
You can always trust Wu Qian's ability to deliver emotional scenes. We anticipate the combination of dialogue, appearance, and acting skills that Wu Qian effortlessly brings to the table.
Being able to gather as a family is a matter of fate, accumulated through several lifetimes, so it should be cherished. In this world, anyone can betray you, except for your closest family. They genuinely hope for your well-being, not because they can benefit from it, but because they sincerely want you to be happy and proud of your achievements.
Lin Ru Lan also had such a brother, along with her parents. Judging from the show, their living conditions seemed average. Although better off than the destitute Meng Wan family, they were not from a prestigious background and led a modest life.
After her innocence was destroyed by a heartless man in the embroidery building, she could have honed her skills and left the embroidery building. Unlike Meng Wan, who had to rely on her craftsmanship to survive, Lin Ru Lan had the option to break free from the embroidery building.
But she was unwilling to accept her fate. She couldn't bear the fact that she wasn't the one the landlord desired, and he had deceived her with sweet words. Thus, she became determined to seek revenge.
As a young woman, her power was feeble, and even with the support of her family, she couldn't create much impact.
In the end, her family was ruined, and she had the audacity to ask her own brother if her decisions were to blame, knowing he would never blame her.
Ah, what kind of mindset did she have? How did she approach problem-solving? It's truly worrisome.
In the end, a vibrant young woman turned into a lonely grave. Why, oh why, did it have to come to this?
Meng Wan's step-by-step manipulation made Duke Fu's wife, Wu Lian, suspicious of her from the very beginning. Instead of directly presenting facts and reasoning to bring down Wu Lian, she meticulously enriched the details and played with the rumors circulating among the public, which gradually aroused Duke Fu's wife's suspicion and dissatisfaction.
This elderly widow, whose husband had been gone for many years, perhaps had an impure relationship with Wu Lian long before. It wasn't just about the Yanyu Embroidery; there might have been unspeakable secrets between the two.
Meng Wan's intention to manipulate someone like Wu Lian was undoubtedly difficult, not to mention the fact that his embroidery skills could help solidify Duke Fu's wife's position.
It's true that it's not easy for a widow to rise to prominence, but turning a blind eye and allowing mischief to run rampant is not the right approach.
Even if you've raised a little devil, can you still control them?
Sometimes, in order to achieve the ultimate goal, one mustn't be impatient. It takes careful planning and strategies to achieve complete success.
Meng Wan learned her lesson from Lin Ru Lan's past failure and, this time, she started her revenge scheme anew. Naturally, she couldn't afford to be hasty. She would surely deploy her forces and manipulate the situation to an unavoidable point.
Wu Lian is probably no longer her sole target. Duke Fu, who stands behind Wu Lian, is also someone Meng Wan seeks to punish and bring down.
Evil forces are often not the work of a single individual; they operate as a group. To bring down such forces, it requires the collective effort of many individuals who possess diverse advantages and resources, coming together to strategize and expose the villains.
And that's exactly the situation in "Nine Righteous Individuals." It combines everyone's wisdom, sacrifices, and planning.
The ultimate outcome will definitely be positive, unveiling the truth for all to see. The plot unfolds through a series of flashbacks, revealing the causes behind the events.
Along the way, it also portrays the unfortunate experiences of various women and the layers of cover-ups and hidden agendas.
The scene where they change the bed sheets at the beginning truly shocked me. This despicable person with a beastly heart has violated countless women, unable to remember their faces.
He had to differentiate them by changing the bed sheets, to identify those he had favored and those he had yet to defile.
In this establishment, there must be some who managed to escape unscathed. Those with unremarkable appearances and average figures might be the ones fortunate enough to slip out of the clutches of the monster.
In recent years, the names of characters in TV dramas have been quite interesting, often reflecting their personality traits. Whether in a positive or negative sense, the names convey a deeper meaning. Wu Lian, "covering the face," is indeed fitting for a person without integrity, a despicable individual who lusts after women and employs despicable methods.
However, the actors' acting skills need improvement. For example, their expressions and the lack of emotion in their body movements. If I stare at the screen, I can't help but feel awkward.
I have to mention how amazing Qiao Zhen Yu's portrayal of Wu Lian's eye acting is! Wu Lian presents himself as elegant in front of everyone, but when he deceives Ru Lan and creates an atmosphere, he is very tender. In that kind of atmosphere, it's hard for a girl not to be confused and fall into his trap, entering a state of love while being continuously deceived and unaware of the truth.
But when his mask is torn off, his eyes become cruel, heartless, and even disdainful.
Looking back at his previous expressions, if you observe carefully, you'll notice that even when facing others or deceiving girls, although he wears a smile on his face, the smile in his eyes doesn't come from the depths of his heart.
When the smile doesn't reach the heart, it is actually a disguise beneath his cold facade. This is different from a genuine smile that comes from the heart and a warm smile that genuinely likes a woman. From this, we can see that Qiao Zhen Yu's portrayal and interpretation of the character is very meticulous.
If you have time, you can compare his eye expressions in roles where he played deeply affectionate and genuinely warm characters. This is how a true actor approaches different roles with different interpretations, showcasing subtle differences and the grasp of temperament.
It is a reflection of whether the portrayal of a character is successful and well-executed!
Everyone must pay close attention and carefully compare and savor it!