Episode 15 recap: Luo Shen Yuan Wins the Literary Competition
In Episode 15, after Lin Hai Ru leaves, Old Lady Luo reflects that there must be someone plotting behind the scenes. She learns that Lin Hai Ru just visited Luo Yi Ning, which reveals Luo Yi Ning's plans. Coincidentally, not long ago, Luo Shen Yuan also implored Old Lady Luo to host a literary competition, claiming he could significantly enhance the Luo family's reputation.
Old Lady Luo decides to invite Mr. Song to host the event personally. Meanwhile, Lin Mao takes Luo Yi Xiu to the market, where she indulges in snacks, insisting on trying small pastries. Lin Mao advises her to exercise restraint, reminding her that she just had roasted lamb and that overeating could lead to discomfort, requiring medicine later.
Lin Mao balances taking care of Luo Yi Xiu’s feelings and satisfying her cravings while also ensuring she doesn’t overindulge—quite thoughtful of him. Lu Jia Xue hears from his subordinates that Luo Shen Yuan has been frequently visiting the academy, likely cramming for the upcoming imperial exams.
He remains vigilant, knowing that the Luo residence is secretly surrounded by the authorities, making it impossible for even a bird to enter. Upon learning that the Luo family is hosting the literary competition, he suspects that Luo Shen Yuan plans to take advantage of the crowd and slip away with Dao Yan. When Luo Yi Ning meets Luo Shen Yuan, she also senses he has something up his sleeve, as he borrows someone from her.
Finally, the day of the literary competition arrives, and Lu Jia Xue is present at the venue. One of his subordinates notices a suspicious figure trailing Luo Shen Yuan’s attendants and assumes it must be Dao Yan. They quickly pursue the figure, only to discover it is not Dao Yan at all.
Enraged, Lu Jia Xue's subordinate demands to know where Dao Yan is hiding. Before the competition begins, Luo Yi Xiu sneakily takes some ingredients meant for the banquet, preparing grilled meat on tiles. She becomes so engrossed in cooking that she loses track of time. Lin Mao rushes over to remind her of the schedule, prompting Luo Yi Xiu to hastily shove two pieces of undercooked meat into their mouths before dashing off to perform.
Luo Yi Xiu is skilled at playing the pipa, while her older sister, Luo Yi Yu, excels at the guzheng. However, after eating the undercooked lamb, Luo Yi Xiu suffers severe stomach pain during her performance and has to leave the stage. With the warm-up music needing to continue, Luo Yi Ning steps in, reluctantly taking over Luo Yi Xiu's pipa.
In an urgent situation, Luo Yi Ning could only play one piece of music, and reluctantly, she performed it live. At that moment, Lu Jia Xue was carefully searching for Dao Yan's whereabouts in Luo Shen Yuan's residence when he suddenly heard a familiar tune—one that Miss Mei Mei had insisted he teach her. Could it be that Mei Mei had appeared? Lu Jia Xue quickly followed the sound of the music, finally leaving Luo Shen Yuan's courtyard.
Luo Yi Ning played the piece at a fast tempo and with great intensity. Luo Yi Yu managed to keep up in the beginning, but it soon turned into a solo performance by Luo Yi Ning. As she played, sweat began to bead on her forehead, and suddenly, one of the strings snapped. Lu Jia Xue rushed to the screen and saw Luo Yi Ning holding her pipa.
At that moment, Qing Qu had already hidden Dao Yan in a gift box and quietly transported him out. She arrived at a riverside, where a boat was waiting. Lu Jia Xue was very excited and immediately asked Luo Yi Ning how she came to play that piece. Old Lady Luo, aware that Lu Jia Xue was not one to be trifled with, promptly reminded him that he was there for the literary competition and that it was inappropriate to speak with the Luo family's ladies about personal matters.
Understanding the situation, Lu Jia Xue gracefully left and returned to the Luo residence's literary academy. The attendees of the competition were all talented young men, and since Lu Jia Xue held the highest position among them, he suggested using the character "Xun" as the topic for their essays. The teacher nodded in agreement, and many students began to write.
Finally, it was time for the evaluations. Luo Cheng Zhang first asked the son of the main house, Chen Lan, to submit his paper. The teacher critiqued his poetry, stating it was forced and lacked originality. Then, Luo Cheng Zhang specifically asked Xuan Yuan to present his work, but before Xuan Yuan could finish, he fainted! Luo Cheng Zhang felt embarrassed, and the attendees began to mock the younger generation of the Luo family for lacking the talents of Old Lady Luo's late husband.
At that moment, Luo Shen Yuan solemnly reminded those whispering in the crowd. With Luo Yi Ning's strong recommendation, Luo Cheng Zhang finally agreed to let Luo Shen Yuan show his paper to the teacher. Mr. Song praised it highly and immediately accepted Luo Shen Yuan as his apprentice.
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