First Impression: Pursuit of Jade Episode 1 – 5 “Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.”

Summary And Fangirling:

We open the drama with our female lead, Fan Chang Yu (Tian Xi Wei) watching a bunch of guys struggling to fetch a pig for her. After a moment, she does it effortlessly and slaughters the pig herself. Well, this is her family’s trade, ya’ll. Then we learn from the Mean granny of the village that her parents have recently died, murdered by bandits and our heroine has to step up to the plate because she also has a sickly little sister to care for. Mean granny tells us more: Chang Yu was engaged to Song Yan. However, after seeking out their birth compatibility, they deemed her a curse and called off the engagement. Chang Yu listens to the gossipy chatter and gladly splashes some pig blood in their direction to clean their bad luck. Heh.

On her way home, she stumbles and falls over. Chang Yu glances at the mound in the snow and I’m like, they buried my boo so well, I can’t even see him! Good thing his foot sticks out in the snow. She believes he’s dead so she starts covering his face with snow again while muttering the same chant she said earlier to the pig: “You have been a good pig this life, be a good human in the next life.” 🤣 🤣 🤣

As if he’s offended, the body lets out a grunt and she’s taken aback. She decides he’s near death anyway and she cannot afford to feed another mouth. She tries to run away and tells herself not to be soft-hearted. However, she returns and finds that he’s gripping onto her hairpin – a gift from her mom which fell earlier. She calls this fate – her mother wants him to be saved! Yes, I agree with dead mother, we must save this oink oink! 😛

She piggybacks him home and we meet her cuter sister, Chang Ning, and Auntie Zhao. Auntie is flabbergasted she brought a strange, injured man home and tells her to bring him inside her house instead while she fetches her “doctor” husband to take a look at the lad’s injuries. While they wait, Chang Yu notices he’s still bleeding and tries to save him with her knowledge of medicine, having followed Uncle Zhao a few times.

She dumps the whole bag of medicine into the cup since she deduces that half a bag was required for the patient she saw last time and since he’s bleeding more, a whole bag makes sense… She’s about to feed the man when Uncle Zhao arrives and informs us that the last patient was a donkey. LOL.

Next morning, cute Chang Ning happily chirps, “You saved him because he’s handsome right?”

Cue the sisters staring down at the beautiful unconscious man with their mouths agape. Me too, sisters. Me too.

In the markets, we meet Chang Yu’s ex-almost-mother-in-law who demands that she returns the betrothal letter since their engagement is canceled. Chang Yu doesn’t budge as she also demands the Song family repay all the tuition money and loans her gave to the Song family over the years. Mother Song is not about to cough up the money and Chang Yu is like oh well then. Then we meet her scholarly son, Song Yan, who’s also a pushover and a mother’s boy. As if he’s doing her a favor, he says he won’t take what she just said to heart and that they can still treat each other like brother and sister. Chang Yu barfs at the idea, “Raising two pigs would have been better than knowing you! You all are a bunch of ingrates!” Girl, roast him!!

At least Chang Yu is greeted with good news when she arrives home, the injured man has awakened! She rushes upstairs to see him and under his gaze, she becomes a little meek, losing her usual strong self.

He continues to look at her deeply. Her feet and hands come closer in a feminine gesture of shyness.

She snaps out of his scrutiny and asks about him. He says his name is Yan Zheng (Zhang Ling He) and he’s a refugee from Chong Zhou. Later Auntie and Uncle Zhao express their concern about money to Chang Yu. She’s already low on money taking care of little sister’s medicine, how is she going to manage another sick person? Chang Yu pawns her mother’s hairpin the next day and buys two pigs to restart her father’s business.

She guides the pigs around town with a stick to their butts but when Yan Zheng looks out the window and sees her, she starts lowering her voice and shyly tells the pigs to keep moving. Lol.

Even though our male lead is sick, he has a pet falcon to deliver him a message. Looks like his people are looking for him. He writes his whereabouts and releases the falcon. The commotion outside causes Chang Yu to investigate. Turns out the soldiers are going door-to-door to look for unregistered refugees! Uh oh!

Episode 1 ends with our couple safe and sound…

Our little oink oink is hidden in the pigsty, one part of the house no soldier wants to venture into….

Just like that, he’s also disarmed, fully trusting this petite woman and her cute little sister with his life.

Episode 2 brings more chaos into the bucket. Turns out Chang Yu and Chang Ning has a gambling addict of an uncle and he has shamelessly brought a bunch of thugs to look for her house deed! According to the law, all properties are transferred to the next male relative. What a bunch of bs the law was back then to us women.

Chang Yu runs home with a cleaver behind her back, hiding it from her sister before confronting the hooligans. Her uncle conspires with the thugs to pretend to take his life, hoping she would soften and hand over the deed.

What he doesn’t expect is….

She gives them her cleaver to do the job instead. It’s sharper. So less suffering with one chop. Hehe.

When they knock over the memorial tablets, she asks for her parents’ forgiveness in breaking their rule….and tells her sister to turn around and count to ten.

Chang Yu proceeds to kick ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSES. HURRAY!! I forgot the part she knows how to fight for a moment!

I love how Chang Ning beams, “I only counted to nine,” proudly announcing her sister’s swift punishment to the bad people. Hehehe.

Our leads finally have a moment of their own when Yan Zheng comforts Chang Yu that her parents won’t be mad at her for busting out her moves. She confesses that her father was an armed escort before becoming a butcher and he taught her how to fight.

Yan Zheng appears envious that she got to grow up with her parents and has a sibling left in the world. He has nothing. His parents died when he was young.

When asked how they died, he responds, “War took their lives.”

Chang Yu apologizes for bringing up his painful memories. She is ready for him to laugh at her butcher’s background but he says he would be an ingrate if he looked down at his savior. Awww.

Later, Auntie and Uncle Zhao propose an idea to Chang Yu on how she can keep her family home. She needs to get a matrilocal husband – a husband who marries into the wife’s family and stays there, usually seen as a source of humiliation for the man in that time period.

Chang Yu can’t bring herself to ask Yan Zheng so she practices the awkward conversation with one of her pigs. Lol. Yan Zheng hears the whole conversation from upstairs. He has some wicked hearing.

Moments later, she brings him some blood-replenishing soup and he winces again hearing that it’s pork liver soup. She straight up asks if he hates organ-related foods and he mulls a bit, “Not that I dislike it, more like I’m not used to it.” HA. Too rich for you commander? 🤭

She understands and takes her leave. He calls out to her. “I will do as you say.” She thinks he’s referring to the soup. He clarifies, “I agree to be your matrilocal husband.”

She’s overwhelmed with happiness and promises to feed him by butchering pigs. Lol.

Witness to their promise outside the window is his pet Falcon. And me. YES. MEEEEEEE.

Episode 3 begins with Yan Zheng’s earnest question to Chang Yu, “Miss Fan, I will repay you for saving my life. If you have any wishes, let me know.”

She doesn’t have many wishes but after his insistence, she happily says, “I want to run my father’s butcher shop, get a bigger plot of land, and have 20 to 30 pigs!”

“You can go bigger!”

“100 pigs!” Lol.

“How about bigger life goals?”

“200 pigs!!” LOL.

Some court politics. We meet the young Emperor of Great Yin, Qi Sheng, as he tries to posthumously award Xie Zheng aka Yan Zheng the title Duke of Loyal for dying in battle against Beijue. Everyone seems to agree except for the Prime Minister who makes the emperor tremble in fear. He’s played by our handsome Yan Kuan. Aww. The other player is Li Jing, the Grand Tutor of Great Yin. Both are looking for Xie Zheng.

♥️ ♥️ ♥️

The next scene is so random as it takes place mid-action after the opening theme with Chang Yu being attacked by a wolf and losing a shoe. This shot cracks me up, looking like she’s seducing people by showing ankles and all, in that time period. Rofl.

The character who witnesses her seductive state is none other than Young Master Li (Ren Hao). With the same last name as the Grand Tutor? As a perfect gentleman, he gives her a ride home.

Chang Yu goes to Yan Zheng and attempts to get his measurements for their wedding attire. Oh yea, we are going to meassssssure. 😉 Brave girl thinks she can measure him in the front but his intense gaze (and handsome good looks) flusters her so she hurriedly runs behind him. Lol.

Later that night, Yan Zheng goes to meet Chang Yu to do something that requires a man and a woman. Lololol. So he is a naughty boy after all? PUHAHHHA

Turns out it’s not sexy time at all. Chang Yu overhears in the market that Xie Zheng, The Marquis of Wu’An has died during battle and wants to give him a memorial tablet that she made by adding a few strokes to Yan Zheng’s name, yunno from the same tablet she made when she thought he was going to die. Heeeheee.

Yan Zheng: “Yea, this is working out perfectly for me.” 😂 😂 😂 😂

He wonders why she cares about this bloodthirsty and violent man who’s hailed as Yama after slaughtering a whole city. She calls those words nonsense, from her late father’s words, the Marquis was a hero who took back Jinzhou and avenged his father’s demise. She even brushes off the slaughter, if the enemy could do it, why couldn’t he?

They take turns offering incense, and Yan Zheng requests, “May the fog clear soon, and may the truth be revealed to all.”

Next morning while Chang Yu is at work, the gambling house hooligans return to her place, determined to find the house deed. They eventually find the paper but Yan Zheng sits down with his cane across his lap like a boss and mutters, “Leave the deed behind and I’ll let you go.”

The hooligans erupt into laughter. But if looks could kill, this is where it was born.

“You want me to break your good legs too huh?”

“Try me.”

OH DAMN. HOTNESS ALERT. BE STILL MY HEART.

Episode 4 continues with the house intruders but before Yan Zheng could wield his cane, the doors open up to reveal the neighbor uncles led by Uncle Zhao with their various weapons and bucket as head gear?? Lol. SO SWEET THEY SHOWED UP FOR OUR GIRL.

Chang Yu comes back right on time to collect more money from the beaten hooligans.

Yan Zheng presents to her the house deed that he snatched during the chaos. She’s visibly touched and concludes that he’s a trained fighter too with the way his wounds opened up. He confesses another lie and says he was an armed escort too.

She thanks him with tears in her eyes.

Yan Zheng attempts to help Chang Yu with court proceedings since her loser uncle has filed a complaint to gain access to her house as the next of kin. He even does a mock trial and pretends to be the imposing magistrate. The sisters are not taking him seriously with the terrified-looking piggy gavel as his hammer. LOLOL.

Studying all night takes a toll on our girl and she begins to drift off so he places his hand out just in time to catch her cheek. He looks at her for a moment, amused. Then he softens as she whispers, “Mother…. Mother, I’m so tired.”

Their sweet moment is interrupted when Song Yan storms in hurriedly and tells Chang Yu of his grand scheme to help her keep the house. He’s willing to marry her….as his concubine. You know what, I’m gonna rename you to Song Delulu, there’s no other way.

Chang Yu spits at the idea of his mighty self looking down at her. Song Delulu continues to double down by stating his disbelief at her decision to throw herself at a crippled man for marriage. Offended on Yan Zheng’s behalf, she begins listing his good looks, education, and fighting skills all being 100 times better than Song Yan.

Before the Delulu could say another word, he’s thrown outside.

Yan Zheng announces himself as the so-called crippled refugee, pulling Chang Yu in closer and putting her head on his shoulder. HEEEEEEEEE.

Chang Yu pulls him down for a peck on the cheek and he does the same. Humiliated, Song Delulu storms outside in fake crocodile tears. Our two lovebirds touch their lips awkwardly…

HE GOT HER HAIRPIN BACK. YAY!! I think in the novel it was never retrieved so I’m glad the drama changed that little detail. He enters her room and tries to find a place to put it but then she comes running in to try on the sexy wedding undergarment. Hiding behind the curtain, he panics a little seeing her remove her clothing so he makes his presence known, using the excuse that he’s here to try on the wedding clothes.

Now they are both sitting on her bed trying to locate their treasure – he’s trying to retrieve the hairpin while she has also shoved the undergarment in the bed sheets. They are failing miserably at trying to get the other to move first. Luckily, no one is embarrassed today. Lol

Wedding Day. Yay, I get to see my boos’ wedding!!

Song Delulu tries to make trouble by bringing a token of love – two clay dolls that Chang Yu gave him when she was six. Everyone drops their jaws when Yan Zheng steps out into the light, marveling at his good looks.

Yan Zheng: “Aside from keeping this ingrate, you didn’t keep anything else that bites, did you?”

“I have raised many livestock, the only one that bites the hand it feeds is this one.” 🔥 🔥 🔥

Yan Zheng holds Chang Yu’s hand in both of his and directs his strongly worded statement to the pale thing still standing there like an eyesore. “Thank-you for having eyes but failing to recognize a true gem.” D’AWWWWWWWWWWW.

The wedding night is spent with Chang Yu bandaging his wounds. She tells him not to take such risks in the future because she can always work harder to provide for them. T___T Her continued promise to provide for him is killing me softly and him too, I’m sure.

Then he finds the sex manual Auntie Zhao gave Chang Yu. In a panic, she pins the blame on him. “HOW COULD YOU BE READING THESE THINGS. I will throw it out for you this time!! No more reading this!!”

HAHAHAHHA

The bride and groom put on a show for the Shameless Uncle and his wife sneaking a peek outside.

Another confrontation scene with Song Delulu and his mother with our cute family of three. Our boo arrives with receipts of all the things the Songs owe to the Fans. I love it, I love it, I love it. This scene highlights the differences between both men really well. Both men are educated; while one wields it to serve justice, the other hides under his mama’s skirts (“Mother, pay them!”) One is moocher with integrity, while the other is a moocher without a backbone.

The other great part is when Song Delulu’s mother tries to shame Yan Zheng for including menstrual cycle wraps on the receipts and he goes, “Menstruation is the foundation of humanity and womanhood. Why can’t it be spoken of?” GURL. I know a girl dad when I see one. 😀

How funny and sweet is it when Yan Zheng stops Chang Ning from un-scrolling more of the receipt because she’s inching closer to the ditch. Lol.

At the end of the episode, Yan Zheng returns the hairpin to Chang Yu.

Kappy: I love it, I love it, I Love it! Our leads are likable human begins! That is rare! Tian Xi Wei is doing the heavy lifting here for me, grounding the viewers with her perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and vulnerability. I love that she saved our male lead first and foremost because in the moment, it was something she could do to not feel helpless, a reflection of what she couldn’t do for her parents. Whenever her big eyes brim with tears of gratitude, I find myself sobbing right alongside her.

As for our male lead, I totally didn’t expect him to be so…..nice. LOL. He is kind, respectful, and polite. He never acts like an entitled commander nor demands better meals. He observes his newfound family in silence and acts accordingly to help them out. What’s funnier is this drama’s journey in extending his recovery…..to forever. I can’t wait to see him as the domineering Marquis of Wu’An. Things are gonna get hot and heavy. Also, what is going on here, Ling He looks so soft and young, even younger than when he was in Story of the Kunning Palace.

This girl loves slapping animals!