Episode 2 recap: # Yan Xing Marries Shen Du to Protect the Yan Family
In Episode 2, Shen Du has a peculiar method of handling marriages in front of the Empress Dowager—he always manages to scare the brides away. Just as Yan Xing plans to discuss matters with her father, Yan Kuo, she overhears a conversation between him and Zhang Xiang. It turns out Shen Du has set his sights on Yan Caiwei, not to marry her, but to use her as an informant.
Yan Caiwei's mother, Madam Ru, is strongly opposed, but Yan Kuo feels cornered and insists they must comply or face the consequences of having to relocate. At this critical moment, Yan Caiwei leaves a note and runs away from home.
Madam Ru, frantic with worry, sends Yan Xing to find her sister. Yan Xing, accustomed to roaming outside, searches all day and accidentally ends up at Shen Du's estate. Shen Du, accompanied by a group of intimidating men, stops her. When Yan Xing invents an excuse about a lost rabbit, Shen Du insists she find it, as tomorrow is supposed to be their wedding day.
Desperate, Yan Xing pleads with Shen Du to call off the marriage, claiming they are incompatible. Shen Du, however, states that imperial orders cannot be disregarded. Frustrated with Shen Du's unreasonable stance and fearing for her sister's future, Yan Xing storms off, while Shen Du mumbles to himself that such matters are too distant for him.
Meanwhile, a masked man stands by his mother's grave, vowing to take her to a better place. Shen Du knows that this marriage cannot happen, but he is unable to voice his concerns. Jing Lin senses that Zhang Xiang is up to something, but Shen Du feels compelled to proceed with the wedding.
When they arrive at the Yan family home, the gates are locked. Yan Kuo has already planned an escape route for the family and even written a farewell letter. Yan Xing steps forward, offering to marry in place of her sister.
Dressed in bridal attire, Yan Xing embarks on her uncertain journey into marriage. Aunt Jin, worried about her daughter, gives her jewels and advises her to hide at the Ministry of Justice while she supports the family through her singing. Yan Xing feels a sense of duty towards her sister and believes she is the best choice for this arrangement, as her sister has feelings for someone else and Yan Xing is free of attachments. Though Aunt Jin is reluctant, she ultimately agrees. Yan Xing bids farewell to her parents and enters the bridal sedan.
Unexpectedly, Shen Du stops the procession in front of the sedan, breaking the pre-wedding rule of not seeing the bride. He lifts the veil, expecting to find Yan Caiwei, but instead sees Yan Xing. Her words prevent Shen Du from resorting to violence, as the Empress Dowager merely specified a daughter from the Yan family, not who exactly.
Lu Chui Chui is shocked to discover that it is Yan Xing who is marrying Shen Du, but Yan Xing reassures her. Upon arriving at the Shen household, the atmosphere is cold, and Yan Xing is directed to a side chamber to spend the night. She strategically inquires about her birth date, hoping to remind the steward of her true identity.
As night falls, the wedding chamber is finally being prepared. Lu Chui Chui feels indignant on Yan Xing's behalf. However, Yan Xing decides that since Shen Du does not want to marry, she will go through with it to see what unfolds. Jing Lin informs Shen Du that Yan Xing remains calm, making Shen Du find her intriguing.
After settling Lu Chui Chui and sending her home, Yan Xing prepares to face Shen Du's indifference. She lies in bed, reminiscing about a charm Shen Du gave her in their childhood, but it seems he has forgotten that time. Just as she is lost in thought, Shen Du enters, looking fierce.
Unfazed, Yan Xing tells Shen Du that if he dislikes her, he is free to annul the marriage. Shen Du gently touches her face, and as Yan Xing tries to maintain her composure, they almost tumble over in an awkward yet intimate moment.
Shen Du warns Yan Xing not to expect to become a true Mrs. Shen, nor to extract information from him, or to think she can survive if he wishes otherwise. He then leaves. Soon after, news arrives of a fire at the Ming Hall, prompting Shen Du to rush off to deal with it. The next morning, Lu Chui Chui brings shocking news: a mysterious corpse has been found in the bamboo grove of Xilin Temple, suggesting that everything is just beginning...
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