My favorite part of Pursuit of Jade so far is the clash of 'plot' going down in the capital with politics, and the 'plot' going down in your everyday local village, Lin'an.
It's like: "The kingdom is on the verge of collapse. The front lines may fall. The harvest this year has not been enough to provide the people. We have soldiers to feed. There may either be massacre on the front lines, or an uprising among the people. The political landscape is a minefield. The only one, capable enough to fix everything, is the Marquis of Wu'an, Xie Zheng."
And then it cuts to 'Xie Zheng'.
Yan Zheng, your local, matrilocal, normal, day-to-day sweet and loving husband.
And he's.
He's salting meat. Learning the ins and outs of pig butchering. Giving pinkie promises to his wife's little sister about a military falcon. Making sure his wife's hands are hydrated. Lying to local citizens to make sure his wife has everything she needs. Going to court for her. Penning an entire receipt to humiliate her past fiance's mother in her defense. Chatting lightly with her on carts, on their way back to their home. Throwing objects of varying sizes and types at people who attempt to humiliate her and her family with enough force to knock them to their knees conveniently. Protecting her wife's little sister's innocence. Pouting away on a balcony like a sulking cat napping under sun about his wife trying to distance herself. Convincing her to take a financial leap and spreading her business. Eating tangerine peel candy. And maybe, probably, if he's lucky, stabbing and murdering people in cold blood for her.
The kingdom is on the verge of COLLAPSE, and this man is spending his days getting himself SPOILED ROTTEN by his wife's affection. And the show makes sure the comedy of this contrast sticks.
