Episode 1 recap: Luo Qing Lian was forced to participate in the selection of maids in the royal palace.
In the first year of Emperor Qihe's reign, the late emperor passed away, and the young emperor ascended the throne. The prime minister exerted all efforts to support the young ruler, but the court was filled with political turmoil and uncertainties. General He Yunshuo was conferred the title of "An Wang" and was sent to a barren frontier. Upon his arrival in Qu Liang, he was met with a desolate and uncultivated land, where the people were uncivilized. There were external tribal invasions and internal conflicts among the Manchu. He Yunshuo used his military skills to quell the chaos, employed talented individuals through cultural means, and won the hearts of the people through virtue. With great dedication and perseverance over thirty years, he eventually transformed Qu Liang into a prosperous city.
The old prince was selecting maids, and the Feng family, particularly Feng Gongshi, wanted their daughter, Luo Qing Lian, to participate. However, Luo Qing Lian was unwilling and attempted to escape. Unfortunately, her escape failed, and she was captured by her mother and brother. The old prince had never selected maids before, but this time it was the emperor's intention to arrange a marriage for the old prince. Many families with daughters were making every effort to gather information and ensure their children had this opportunity.
Luo Qing Lian believed that her mother was selling her because she wanted to secure a position in the palace for her son. In her distress, she jumped out of the carriage and narrowly escaped being crushed by an oncoming transport cart. Fortunately, her brother, Yi, appeared in time to save her. Mu Haiyao, the concubine of He Lianxin, was in charge of the maid selection. She instructed her personal maid, Ruhua, to assist in the screening process. However, Ruhua believed that none of the candidates were suitable, except for Luo Qing Lian, who did not show up. Mu Haiyao thought that Luo Qing Lian knew she was not qualified and therefore retreated at the last moment.
Mu Haiyao was a ruthless person. She had one of her already injured fingers cut off simply because a maid accidentally spilled tea outside. For the maid selection, Mu Haiyao arranged for Ruhua to find someone who resembled a person depicted in a painting, which was the late queen, who had passed away thirty years ago. However, He Yunshuo had always been obsessed with her memory.
The late queen was the mother of He Lianchu, who was the second son of He Yunshuo. He Lianxin and He Lianxiu were the third and fourth sons of the prince, respectively. Although they shared the same father, as children of the royal family, their relationship was not as pure.
He Lianxin, on the other hand, was different. He had no interest in participating in the power struggles and only wanted to live a carefree and leisurely life.
He Lianxiu's legitimate wife, Ruan Zhimei, also came to observe the maid selection process. However, Mu Haiyao didn't pay any attention to her and instead treated her with disdain, as if she was beyond her reach. Ruan Zhimei knew that Mu Haiyao came from a powerful background and had the attitude of looking down on others, so she had to swallow her pride.
Luo Qing Lian and her older brother, Lv Bei Yi, came up with a plan. They used a special medicine that, when applied to the face, created the appearance of a birthmark. Luo Qing Lian successfully deceived Mu Haiyao with this trick. However, it was witnessed by Jin Fang Mama, who was hiding behind a rockery. Luo Qing Lian was driven away by Mu Haiyao, with Jin Fang Mama following her all the way.
Jin Fang Mama was the personal maid of the late queen. Since the queen's passing, she hadn't seen anyone who resembled the late queen as much as Luo Qing Lian. Jin Fang Mama owed He Lianxin a favor, so she deliberately reminded Mu Haiyao that the girl who had just left not only looked like the late queen but also had similar gestures and movements. She hinted to Mu Haiyao that the girl intended to fail the selection.
After leaving the prince's mansion, Luo Qing Lian didn't realize that the bag containing the medicine had dropped at the entrance. Luo Qing Lian and Lv Bei Yi had developed feelings for each other, so after leaving the mansion, she immediately went to the medical clinic to find Lv Bei Yi. Lv Bei Yi learned that Luo Qing Lian hadn't been chosen, which made him extremely disappointed. However, Mu Haiyao witnessed this scene and realized that Luo Qing Lian deliberately made herself look unattractive to fail the selection. She saw it as deception towards the prince, so she arranged for Ru Hua to report the matter to the authorities.
In order to let Luo Qing Lian enter the prince's mansion, Mu Haiyao intentionally framed her parents. Luo Rongyu, who had led a clean and honest life, was a magistrate who worked for the people. However, Mu Haiyao framed him and caused him to be punished. She had also deceived Feng Gongshi by tricking her into signing a guarantee, which Feng Gongshi didn't carefully read. Unbeknownst to her, the statement admitted her connection to the rebel group Tian Qing. Today was supposed to be a joyous day for Luo Qing Lian and Lv Bei Yi, but in order to protect her family, Luo Qing Lian had to give up marriage and return to the prince's mansion with Mu Haiyao.
Mu Haiyao promised that as long as Luo Qing Lian behaved well in the mansion, she would not cause any more trouble for the Feng family. In the prince's mansion, Luo Qing Lian saw He Lianxin and Jin Fang Mama. Jin Fang Mama saw Luo Qing Lian and immediately thought of the late queen. She promised He Lianxin that she would help Luo Qing Lian be selected. Although Luo Qing Lian was just an ordinary woman, she was not ignorant. She knew that He Lianxin usually pretended to be idle but was secretly plotting a big scheme. He wanted Luo Qing Lian to replace the late queen so that the arrogant and domineering crown prince would fall out of favor, giving Luo Qing Lian a chance to rise to power.
Comments(Episode 1)