Ripe Town Episode 4 Recap
> Ripe Town Recap
In the seventeenth year of the Wanli era, the Lu Mansion was the wealthiest yet most desolate estate in Du County. It lacked women and children, only a few servants following Lu Yuanbao, a prominent local figure. Lu Yuanbao adopted an orphan, a boy named Lu Zhi, whom he had been raising at home. Lu Zhi, in his earlier years, stayed close to the estate manager, Lu Zhong, and as he grew older, he became increasingly intelligent. Lu Yuanbao liked him very much and kept him as a book boy.
Chen Wang was responsible for the procurement at Lu Mansion but was addicted to gambling. Often, during night shifts, he would secretly use a ladder to climb over the wall and gamble, losing all his money. Once, he even gambled away the money meant for his mother's medicine. Learning of this, Lu Zhi used his own money to buy the medicine for Chen Wang, and they became close.
Lu Zhi, being exceptionally bright, was sent to study under Master Wang at Wu Leizhai, and he became one of the most intelligent students, earning Master Wang's favor. Over time, Lu Zhi discovered a secret about Master Wang.
One night, Lu Zhi left his inkstone at Wu Leizhai and returned to fetch it. While trying to enter, he heard someone inside moaning in pain. Peeking through the window, he saw Master Wang with his back exposed, being whipped on the shoulders by a student with a ruler. After some time, the student left, and Master Wang came out, going to a corner of the courtyard to worship a stone statue, praying for divine intervention and no more troubling dreams.
After Master Wang returned to his room, Lu Zhi went to the statue and dug out a wooden box containing the skeletal remains of a monkey. Lu Zhi found it amusing and kept this incident in his memory.
Lu Yuanbao had a hobby of competing in calligraphy with Zhao, another local figure, and two other wealthy individuals. Although Zhao excelled in regular script calligraphy, each competition involved creating large characters on a placard, seemingly favoring Lu Yuanbao.
Lu Yuanbao often patronized Cuihua Building and had an affair with Lin Siniang. Once chosen by Lu Yuanbao, others dared not approach her. Whenever Lin Siniang went to Lu Mansion, she was escorted by a follower named Xiaobao. Xiaobao and Lu Zhi were of similar ages, often slipping away to play while Lin Siniang was at Lu Mansion.
The old estate manager, Lu Zhong, was a mute. When communicating with Lu Yuanbao, he used a form of sign language different from the common gestures. Lu Zhong was meticulous and shrewd, serving as Lu Yuanbao's confidant and performing many tasks on his behalf.
Lu Zhi had heard Lu Yuanbao mention why Lu Zhong became mute – his stepmother soaked his throat in salt, damaging his voice. Lu Zhi confirmed this with Lu Zhong, who smiled but remained silent.
Although Lin Siniang was kept by Lu Yuanbao, she secretly had an affair with Head Constable Leng Wuji. One day, when Lin Siniang was sent to Lu Mansion, Xiaobao secretly delivered a letter to Leng Wuji. Discovered by Lu Zhi, Lin Siniang came out of Lu Yuanbao's room at night, meeting Leng Wuji in the courtyard. Caught by Lu Zhi, he hid nearby, overhearing Leng Wuji asking Lin Siniang if she had been beaten severely. Accidentally knocking over a lantern, Lu Zhi was caught by Leng Wuji.
To prevent more people from knowing about their affair, Leng Wuji planned to deal with Lu Zhi. However, he was intercepted by the night watchman Qu Tianming, who discovered Lu Zhi on the way. Lu Zhi, eloquent and sharp-witted, analyzed the pros and cons of Leng Wuji killing him. He promised not to reveal Leng Wuji's affair with Lin Siniang and narrowly escaped death. To gain Leng Wuji's trust, Lu Zhi disclosed his own secret – he also admired Lin Siniang.
After this incident, Leng Wuji no longer distrusted Lu Zhi. Every time Xiaobao escorted Lin Siniang to Lu Mansion, Lu Zhi secretly hid in the sedan chair, and Lu Zhi and Xiaobao drove the carriage together, keeping each other's secrets.
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