American Perspectives: Zi Yuan Getting out of A Marriage Arrangement ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 14)

 

In spite of Zi Yuan telling Dao Le that she sees him as a brother, and not a lover, he still has feelings for her.  He stops by her quarters on a nice evening to see her, and she isn't there.  A maid walking by tells him, "I think she went on a blind date."

Dao Le is horrified.  He wants to know where, and with whom.  It also never crossed his mind that she could have a love interest.  Zi Yuan, however, isn't going on a blind date because she wants to.  Yu Rou had insisted that Zi Yuan needed to find a suitable husband.  Yu Rou's intentions, however, aren't necessarily good.  Zi Yuan is close to Dong Yue.  Dong Yue is Yu Rou's rival.  Whatever alliances Yu Rou can eliminate, she's going to do so wholeheartedly.  If that means marrying Zi Yuan off, so be it.

Zi Yuan is at dinner with Lu Chuan, someone Dao Le isn't too keen on.  Their date is a bit awkward.  She lets him know that she reads his gossip book every week.  He is thrilled, thinking Feng Xi must have recommended his books.  He is sure it was Feng Xi who set them up (it wasn't).

Dao Le is spying on them.  He is pissed.  He flicks a coin in their direction, knocking the cup of plum wine out of Lu Chuan's hand.  Lu Chuan jumps, and he wants to know if there's a ghost in the room.  Zi Yuan is mildly annoyed.  She looks toward the door, opens it, and sees Dao Le.  She wants to know why he is there.  He pushes Lu Chuan out of the way, and takes a spot at the table.  Lu Chuan is sure he is there because Feng Xi wants to see how the date is progressing.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Dao Le glares at him.  Zi Yuan tells Dao Le to go back to the manor, and that she'll explain later.

Lu Chuan wants to know if Dao Le is needing Zi Yuan for official business.  Dao Le confirms. "Yes! Zi Yuan needs to practice martial arts with me everyday.  She cannot slip even one day."

"I'll go later," Zi Yuan says.

Dao Le doesn't accept that response.  He says no one else can teach her.  She says she can practice alone.

Lu Chuan is impressed that the ladies of Feng Manor need to learn martial arts.

"That's right!" says Dao Le.  "So all of the Feng Manor's women need to get married to men with high martial arts skills."

Lu Chuan says, "That's not necessarily true!  I'm also good enough."

Zi Yuan lets Dao Le know that he doesn't get to decide who she marries.  They continue to argue.

Zi Yuan admits to Lu Chuan that she agreed to the date, not to marry him, so she could get Yu Rou to stop badgering her about marriage.  Lu Chuan is disappointed that it wasn't Feng Xi's idea.  She tells him that Feng Xi doesn't even know about the date.  He is even more disappointed.  He feels embarassed for having such high hopes.  She is also angry with Dao Le for crashing her date.  She leaves the restaraunt, Dao Le calls right after her, but she ignores him.  He leaves money on the table to pay for the date on Zi Yuan's behalf.

Dao Le catches up to Zi Yuan, and she makes it clear she can deal with her own matters, she doesn't need interference.  She wants him to stop doing that, and she walks away because she (understandably) does not want to talk to him.

The following day, she lets Yu Rou know that she doesn't want any more blind dates.  Yu Rou continues to be pushy, and Dao Le intervenes.  "It's not that I don't understand, but if you're asking my future wife to go on blind dates, I can't just not care about it, can I?"

Zi Yuan is incredulous.

Yu Rou tells him to stop talking nonsense.

Zi Yuan lies and says they are deeply in love.  "He said long ago that he will marry me."

Dao Le nods.  Yu Rou looks at both of them.  There's some skepticism, but Dao Le covers it by saying it was unwise to tell everyone before making a decision.

Dao Le and Zi Yuan are able to make a smooth exit by Dao Le saying they need to go practice martial arts.  Whether it's true or fake, Yu Rou knowss she has to stop meddling because if she annoys Feng Xi, her position at the manor could be compromised.