Under the Moonlight Recap, Plot, Synopsis

Under the Moonlight Synopsis

Luo Shu, whose fate has been full of hardships and who, despite being mired in adversity, bravely seeks to save herself, encounters Qi Menglin, a spirited young man who is determined to explore the world. Together, they stand side by side, facing the storms and solving cases. Many of the cases they investigate involve women, and whenever they encounter a pitiful woman in the case, they do everything in their power to help her seek justice. With perplexing cases and complex human nature at play, will they uncover the truth hidden behind the mysteries, and will they be able to recognize each other's true feelings, ultimately finding genuine love and freedom?

Under the Moonlight Recap

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In the outskirts of Linfen, there was an ancient temple nestled among steep mountains and surrounded by dense forests. The sound of the temple bell echoed endlessly through the valleys. Within the temple’s incense hall resided a renowned "Child-Giving Master," attracting a steady stream of visitors seeking blessings. Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui, traveling across mountains to seek a child, referred to each other as sisters-in-law.

Upon entering the temple, they noticed a row of soft shoes placed before the statue of the Child-Giving Master. Visitors were required to change into these shoes before proceeding. Following the rules, they put on the specially made footwear. Bai Yue, the Master’s senior disciple, arrived to greet them, but instead, he ordered them to kneel and surrender all their gold and silver jewelry. Reluctantly, they complied. Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui met the Master in the incense hall.

Luo Shu explained their purpose: she had been married for three years without conceiving, and her sister-in-law had been married for five years with no children either. They pleaded for the Master’s guidance. The Master sprinkled a bit of water from a copper basin before them and instructed his disciples to give each of them two miraculous pills: the "Qi Rong Pill" and the "Menstrual Regulator Pill.

" He explained the usage in detail and instructed them to pray in their respective rooms. Later that evening, Luo Shu attempted to explore the temple grounds but was forcibly sent back by Bai Yue. That night, as she lay in bed, Bai Yue entered her room and attempted to assault her. Luo Shu fought back desperately, scratching his shoulder, which enraged him. Bai Yue accused her of not taking the pills as instructed.

Luo Shu lied, claiming she vomited after taking them. Bai Yue assaulted her and discovered that her undergarments were sewn shut. Furious, he struck her, only to notice her body was already covered in bruises. Luo Shu pleaded for mercy, revealing that she was a maidservant of the Ding household. She explained that her mistress had sent them to seek a child, as the Ding family master had no heirs.

If they returned home intact, it would prove the Master was a fraud. Luo Shu offered all her money to Bai Yue, promising to lure her mistress to the temple. She suggested that Bai Yue could make her mistress pregnant using the same method, enabling Luo Shu to overthrow her mistress and take her place. Once the master of the Ding household passed away, she and Bai Yue could live happily together.

Bai Yue, having grown tired of the Master’s oppression and lack of financial reward, agreed but remained skeptical of Luo Shu’s loyalty. Luo Shu wrote a promissory note to reassure him. Meanwhile, another disciple broke into Jin Miaocui’s room and assaulted her. She fought back fiercely, injuring the disciple, who fled in frustration. It turned out that the so-called Child-Giving Master was a fraud. He had twenty strong male disciples who, after drugging the women seeking children, would violate them.

When these women returned home and became pregnant, they attributed it to the Master’s "miracles," spreading his fame far and wide. County magistrate Chen Meiqing led constables to raid the temple. They subdued the gatekeepers and surrounded the premises. Chen Meiqing demanded the Master and his disciples surrender. When they refused, he gave them a harsh beating. The Master arrived, arrogant and overbearing, but was immediately scolded by the newly appointed Han Muzhi. The Master, terrified, summoned his twenty disciples.

Han Muzhi ordered the disciples to remove their clothing. Seeing scratch marks on Bai Yue and another disciple, he interrogated them. Bai Yue lied, claiming the scratches were from roughhousing. Luo Shu stepped forward, exposing Bai Yue’s assault and revealing the temple’s scheme. The Master tried to shift all blame onto Bai Yue, denying any involvement. Another disciple publicly accused Luo Shu of being a courtesan from Mingke Fang, known as "Jin Nang.

" The Master demanded Han Muzhi punish her, but Luo Shu suggested searching the incense hall for hidden passages. Han Muzhi ordered the constables to investigate. The constables discovered a hidden passage containing many imprisoned women. Chen Meiqing proposed interrogating them, but Luo Shu pleaded for their release, as they were also victims. This plot began unraveling when a woman, unable to demand money from her family after visiting the temple, attempted suicide.

Rescued by constables, she revealed the Master’s schemes, prompting Han Muzhi to send Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui undercover to gather evidence. Luo Shu led Chen Meiqing to the Master’s residence, where they discovered another hidden passage filled with gold, silver, and land deeds. The Master denied ownership, but Han Muzhi ordered his arrest. Luo Shu suddenly collapsed, prompting Han Muzhi to stay and monitor the suspects.

She regained consciousness at dawn, and Han Muzhi showed concern for her well-being before ordering the suspects to be taken to the county office. On the way, a group of bandits ambushed them, attempting to rescue the Master. The Master threatened Han Muzhi, but he refused to yield. The bandits surrounded the group until Chen Meiqing and reinforcements arrived, trapping the Master. It was then the Master realized Luo Shu’s collapse had been a ruse to buy time for reinforcements.

In desperation, the Master took Luo Shu hostage. Han Muzhi offered himself in exchange. While the Master was distracted, Chen Meiqing shot him dead, scattering the bandits. Han Muzhi rewarded Luo Shu for her assistance, but she declined, asking only for her freedom. The day before, Yu Mama from Mingke Fang had announced the hairpin ceremony for an eighteen-year-old courtesan, spreading the news far and wide. Crowds swarmed the brothel, eager to witness the event.

Yu Mama first sold Luo Shu’s coming-of-age ceremony for a high price. She meticulously dressed Luo Shu and spread the word to attract numerous wealthy merchants and noble sons. The Mingke Courtyard was packed with guests as Yu Mama publicly auctioned off Luo Shu’s debut night. The wealthy merchants started bidding fervently. One lord offered 300 taels, and the rest hesitated to outbid him. Unexpectedly, Qi Menglin, the youngest son of Governor Qi, raised the bid by one tael.

The lord countered, and Qi Menglin raised it again by another tael. The bidding war escalated until Qi Menglin offered 501 taels, forcing the lord to leave reluctantly. Yu Mama invited Qi Menglin inside and reported the situation to her master. The master had already planned for Luo Shu’s debut night to go to the lord, but Qi Menglin’s interference upset their arrangement. The master threatened Yu Mama to drive Qi Menglin away or face severe consequences.

Yu Mama approached Qi Menglin for negotiation, assuming he could not produce the 500 taels. However, Qi Menglin revealed a silver note. Realizing he had never seen Luo Shu before, Yu Mama schemed to have another girl impersonate her. Meanwhile, Luo Shu feigned seeing a mouse and tricked the servant standing guard into entering her room, giving her an opportunity to escape. Yu Mama brought Qi Menglin to the fake "Luo Shu," a girl disguised as Jin Miaocui.

With her face veiled, Luo Shu played the zither, deeply moving Qi Menglin with her music, though he couldn’t see her face. The girl suggested they drink and celebrate together, but Qi Menglin showed no interest in consummating the night. He was only trying to prevent the older lord from harming Luo Shu. When the servant awoke and reported Luo Shu’s escape, Yu Mama immediately led a search party and eventually cornered Luo Shu.

At the same time, Chen Meiqing and Han Muzhi arrived with constables, creating chaos. Luo Shu urged Jin Miaocui to use the commotion to escape and seek help from the county office. Han Muzhi wanted to take Luo Shu with him, but Yu Mama, unwilling to lose her prized asset, pleaded with him. Han Muzhi instructed Chen Meiqing to take Luo Shu away while he stayed behind to deal with Yu Mama.

Qi Menglin, locked in a room, mustered all his strength to break the door down and accused Han Muzhi of abducting a common woman. Han Muzhi ignored his accusations and had Qi Menglin arrested and taken to the county office as well. After the operation, Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui completed their undercover mission to expose the scheme involving the fake “child-giving master” and his disciples. Once the criminals were apprehended, Luo Shu declined any monetary reward.

Instead, she begged Han Muzhi to help her and Jin Miaocui buy their freedom. Han Muzhi was uncertain, as the procedures for buying freedom were complicated. Chen Meiqing tried to dismiss them with a few words, but Luo Shu was determined and decided to wait for their final decision at the county office gates. As night fell, Jin Miaocui grew impatient and left Luo Shu behind. However, Han Muzhi later arrived, bringing a coat to keep Luo Shu warm.

Learning she was still outside, he insisted on letting her and Jin Miaocui stay in the county office’s side courtyard, despite Chen Meiqing’s objections. Filled with resentment, Chen Meiqing tasked a matchmaker with arranging their accommodations. The matchmaker, knowing the two women were former courtesans of Mingke Courtyard, deliberately placed them in a storage room. Luo Shu cleaned up the room and made do with her situation.

The next morning, Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui heard the matchmaker loudly berating a kitchen maid named Cai Baozi. The maid, with soot-covered cheeks, had burned the flatbreads she was making. Luo Shu greeted Cai Baozi, who revealed that she was the younger sister of Constable Cai. Luo Shu borrowed a set of constable clothing from Cai Baozi to move freely around the county office.

While Chen Meiqing disapproved of this, Han Muzhi saw no issue and even instructed Chen Meiqing to find Luo Shu a better-fitting outfit. Determined to leave her past behind, Luo Shu asked Han Muzhi for a new name. He removed the character “Xiang” from her name, declaring that from now on, she would simply be Luo Shu. Now going by her new name, Luo Shu, in her constable disguise, visited the county jail.

Qi Menglin loudly declared his innocence and begged Luo Shu to release him. Unable to make such a decision, she offered to bring him a decent meal instead. Qi Menglin gave her a jade ring as a token. Another prisoner in the same cell, Xu Wuzuo, overheard Qi Menglin’s identity and begged for his help. He detailed how he had been wrongly accused by the former magistrate. Qi Menglin, incensed by the injustice, vowed to seek justice for Xu Wuzuo.

When Luo Shu returned, she brought Qi Menglin not a meal but a large brick, angering him greatly. Luo Shu explained that she didn’t want him to be accused of bribing officials. Despite his frustration, Qi Menglin pleaded with Luo Shu to help prove Xu Wuzuo’s innocence.

Han Muzhi wrote a letter to Governor Qi to confirm that Qi Menglin was indeed his son. Once confirmed, Qi Menglin was released and treated to a banquet to calm his nerves. Tired of the luxurious lifestyle at home, Qi Menglin decided to venture into the world on his own and ran away from home. Luo Shu reported back to Han Muzhi, and Qi Menglin recognized her. He shouted at her and mocked her as effeminate.

Luo Shu apologized to him, but Qi Menglin continued to berate her and demanded that she act as his guide. Luo Shu sought Han Muzhi’s permission and agreed to be Qi Menglin’s guide. Early the next morning, Luo Shu came to find Qi Menglin. Qi Menglin decided to leave his personal attendant behind at the county office and took Luo Shu to wander the streets.

Intentionally making things difficult for her, he bought a large quantity of rice, flour, and oil and made Luo Shu carry it all. When she was struggling under the weight, he added a millstone to her burden. However, Luo Shu hired a cart to carry everything, skillfully resolving the predicament. Qi Menglin was disheartened that his plan to trouble her had failed. Luo Shu took Qi Menglin to experience the real world, bringing him to a filthy, impoverished slum.

She distributed all the items Qi Menglin bought to the poor residents there. The people swarmed and quickly snatched up everything. An elderly man who didn’t get anything received money directly from Qi Menglin instead. This act gave him a sense of unprecedented satisfaction. Qi Menglin wanted to give away all his silver notes to the poor, but Luo Shu advised him to stop while he was ahead. He refused to listen.

A local thug, seeing what Qi Menglin was doing, led him to a cockfighting arena. Qi Menglin quickly lost a lot of money. Luo Shu, realizing the owner was cheating, quietly alerted Qi Menglin. When Qi Menglin confronted the owner, the cockfighting ring members, working together, threatened him. Just as Qi Menglin was about to take out his silver notes, Luo Shu, who had already taken them for safekeeping, pulled him away amidst the chaos. Qi Menglin fled in panic.

The two of them ran straight back to the county office. Although Qi Menglin was still trembling with fear, he found the experience thrilling. Luo Shu returned his silver notes, and Qi Menglin contentedly went back to his room. Han Muzhi, hearing of the incident, advised Luo Shu not to act as Qi Menglin’s guide again the following day.

Later, Luo Shu suggested that Han Muzhi re-investigate the case of Xu Luan, but the case had been adjudicated by the previous magistrate. Luo Shu offered to organize all the existing clues for Han Muzhi’s review, and he readily agreed. Qi Menglin, eager to seek justice for Xu Luan, was unsure where to start and spent the night poring over legal cases for inspiration. Luo Shu worked late into the night as well.

When she returned, Jin Miaocui lamented not having taken her jewelry when they fled and crafted a ring from leaves. Luo Shu gave her a hairpin gifted by Fifth Lady, suggesting she sell it to buy jewelry she liked. The next day, Luo Shu sought help from Captain Cai to investigate Xu Luan’s case. Through his sister Cai Baozi, Captain Cai learned about Luo Shu’s righteous character and began to treat her like a younger sister.

Luo Shu asked Captain Cai to take her to Xu Wuzuo for further details about the case. Captain Cai recounted how Lin Xiong had accused Xu Luan of killing his wife, Liu Sanniang. Xu Luan, a water delivery man, had delivered water to Lin Xiong’s house late at night. Lin Xiong suspected an affair between his wife and Xu Luan. Xu Wuzuo’s autopsy revealed that Liu Sanniang’s head had been severed, a detail that struck Luo Shu as highly suspicious.

However, the previous magistrate had convicted Xu Luan and imprisoned him. Luo Shu presented her findings to Han Muzhi and proposed reopening the case. Han Muzhi agreed that the case had many inconsistencies, but Chen Meiqing strongly opposed the idea, warning that the previous magistrate, now a higher-ranking prefect, was Han Muzhi’s superior. Despite the risks, Han Muzhi was determined to uncover the truth. Luo Shu was tasked with gathering more evidence.

On her way out, she encountered Qi Menglin, who insisted on joining the investigation with his attendant, Lian Shu. Together, they visited Lin Xiong’s home, only to find the doors locked. Qi Menglin wanted to climb over the wall, but Luo Shu opted to sit at a nearby tea stand instead. At the tea stand, Luo Shu questioned the owner about Liu Sanniang’s case.

The owner’s wife claimed Liu Sanniang was flirtatious and provocative, while her husband defended Liu Sanniang’s reputation. The couple’s conflicting accounts led to a heated argument. Qi Menglin gathered the neighbors, treating them to tea and fruit to encourage them to talk. They revealed that Lin Xiong and Xu Luan had been childhood friends. After Liu Sanniang’s first husband, Li Fengchun, passed away, she married Lin Xiong and gave birth six months later.

Rumors circulated that Liu Sanniang and Lin Xiong had been involved before her first husband’s death, and there were also whispers of her having an affair with Xu Luan. Meanwhile, Luo Shu continued her inquiries, discovering that Liu Sanniang was gentle and rarely left her home, while Xu Luan was known for being opportunistic. The mixed accounts left Luo Shu and Qi Menglin uncertain of the truth.

They decided to stake out Lin Xiong’s home, eventually catching him as he returned. When questioned, Lin Xiong appeared nervous, arousing Luo Shu and Qi Menglin’s suspicions that he might have killed Liu Sanniang and framed Xu Luan. They immediately brought their findings to Han Muzhi.

Luo Shu and Qi Menglin conducted investigations and suspected that Lin Xiong murdered his wife, Liu Sanniang, and framed Xu Luan. They reported their findings to Han Muzhi, requesting him to reopen the case. Chen Meiqing strongly opposed this, and Qi Menglin suspected that Chen Meiqing had been involved in coercing Xu Luan into a confession under the previous magistrate’s rule.

However, Chen Meiqing clarified that he was unaware of the details of Xu Luan’s case and was merely concerned about Han Muzhi offending his superior, the former magistrate, who had since been promoted. Luo Shu suggested uncovering the truth, and Han Muzhi decided to summon Xu Luan and Lin Xiong for questioning. Han Muzhi reopened the investigation into Liu Sanniang’s murder. Many townspeople came to observe the trial.

Xu Luan repeatedly pleaded his innocence, stating that he and Lin Xiong were close friends. On the night of the incident, Xu Luan went to deliver water to Lin Xiong’s house. Liu Sanniang claimed they had run out of water, so Xu Luan carried a bucket into the house, only to discover the bucket was full. At that moment, Liu Sanniang tried to seduce him, and Xu Luan fled in terror.

Han Muzhi suspected an affair between Xu Luan and Liu Sanniang, questioning why else he would visit late at night and why Liu Sanniang would attempt to seduce him. Han Muzhi ordered Xu Luan to be flogged with twenty strokes and then sent back to the death cell. Terrified, Xu Luan begged for mercy and revealed everything. He admitted he had long been infatuated with Liu Sanniang’s beauty.

Upon learning from Lin Xiong that she would be alone at home that night, he intentionally went to deliver water late at night, intending to take advantage of her. However, Liu Sanniang fought back and forced him to leave. Tragically, she was murdered that very night. Xu Luan swore he had not killed her. Han Muzhi ordered Lin Xiong to be brought in.

Xu Luan begged Lin Xiong to testify for him, even mentioning that he had kept a secret for Lin Xiong for years. Lin Xiong, visibly shaken, only admitted that Xu Luan was his childhood friend. When Han Muzhi pressed Lin Xiong about whether he was aware of Xu Luan’s feelings for Liu Sanniang, Lin Xiong sneered dismissively. He stated he could not confirm Xu Luan as the murderer but also could not name another suspect.

Left with no choice, Han Muzhi temporarily adjourned the trial. Luo Shu suspected Lin Xiong because, when he reported the case, he showed fear but no grief, and there were no bloodstains on him. When Luo Shu and Qi Menglin questioned him, he appeared calm, but his expression turned disdainful when hearing rumors about an affair between Liu Sanniang and Xu Luan. Han Muzhi also noticed Lin Xiong’s odd demeanor toward Xu Luan and suspected they were hiding a secret.

Qi Menglin was convinced Xu Luan was wrongly accused and believed Lin Xiong was highly suspicious. Luo Shu secretly followed Lin Xiong, with Qi Menglin joining later. From a distance, they saw someone approach Lin Xiong at the city gate with news that his son, Suo’er, was gravely ill from a fever. Lin Xiong waited until his shift ended before taking Suo’er from Granny Zhang’s home.

Meanwhile, tea stall owners and neighbors gossiped that Xu Luan had bribed Han Muzhi to reopen the case and frame Lin Xiong. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin overheard everything. Luo Shu continued staking out Lin Xiong’s house late into the night. When Suo’er’s fever worsened, Lin Xiong, growing impatient, took him to see Doctor Wang. Qi Menglin followed Luo Shu as they trailed Lin Xiong to Doctor Wang’s home.

Wang, Lin Xiong’s uncle, performed acupuncture on Suo’er, but the child’s cries persisted. Luo Shu entered, comforting Suo’er until he stopped crying. Lin Xiong expressed his gratitude, and after Doctor Wang prescribed medicine, Lin Xiong left with Suo’er. Luo Shu inquired about Lin Xiong’s situation with Doctor Wang and casually mentioned that Suo’er did not resemble Lin Xiong. Doctor Wang quickly changed the subject.

Back at her residence, Jin Miaocui vented her frustrations to Luo Shu, longing to obtain her release document and leave the county office. Luo Shu advised her to be patient, assuring her that Han Muzhi was handling the matter. Luo Shu grew increasingly puzzled. Lin Xiong publicly claimed that Suo’er was the product of an affair between Liu Sanniang and another man during their marriage.

However, his cold demeanor toward the child made Luo Shu suspect that Suo’er was not his. She theorized that the secret Xu Luan had been keeping was this truth. Yet, she could not understand why Lin Xiong would protect Xu Luan. Qi Menglin remained convinced that Lin Xiong murdered Liu Sanniang and framed Xu Luan, leaving Han Muzhi uncertain about who to believe. One night, someone reported seeing Liu Sanniang’s ghost visiting Granny Zhang’s home to see Suo’er.

Frightened, Granny Zhang fell ill. Luo Shu and Cai Baozi investigated and learned that a long-haired ghost had climbed over the wall to visit Suo’er. Granny Zhang suspected it was Liu Sanniang. Luo Shu deduced the “ghost” might reappear, so Han Muzhi stationed guards around Granny Zhang’s home. That night, they caught the "ghost"—Qi Menglin—who had been investigating on his own. Qi Menglin noticed claw marks on the wall and demonstrated how someone could scale it.

Luo Shu discovered partial footprints, indicating the “ghost” was a one-legged person. She remembered that Liu Sanniang’s first husband, Li Fengchun, was lame, though he had supposedly fallen to his death. Luo Shu suspected Li Fengchun might still be alive and devised a plan to lure him out. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin hired a renowned exorcist to publicly perform a ritual to expel Liu Sanniang’s ghost from Lin Xiong’s home.

The exorcist exaggerated the ghost’s power, claiming it was too formidable to handle. Qi Menglin persuaded Lin Xiong to leave with Suo’er. That very night, the long-haired “ghost” returned to Lin Xiong’s home to take Suo’er. However, Han Muzhi had prepared a trap. Luo Shu, disguised as the ghost of Liu Sanniang, helped expose the culprit—Li Fengchun—who was apprehended on the spot.

Han Muzhi set up an ambush at Lin Xiong’s home and successfully captured Li Fengchun. Realizing he had been exposed, Li Fengchun refused to surrender and took Qi Menglin hostage. Qi Menglin, terrified, tried to use his father, Governor Qi, to intimidate Li Fengchun. Li Fengchun demanded that Han Muzhi hand over Suo'er, promising to release Qi Menglin in exchange. Knowing Li Fengchun had no way out, Luo Shu brought Suo'er over to let Li Fengchun see him.

Li Fengchun released Qi Menglin but then took Luo Shu hostage. He attempted to harm Suo'er out of spite, but Luo Shu urged him to carefully observe Suo'er’s face. Stunned, Li Fengchun realized that Suo'er resembled him. Overwhelmed, he couldn’t bring himself to harm his own child and dropped his weapon, surrendering. Li Fengchun initially refused to confess, claiming that he killed Liu Sanniang because of her unfaithfulness.

After surviving his fall off the cliff, Li Fengchun had broken a leg but crawled back to Linfen from Binzhou, hoping to see his wife Liu Sanniang again. Upon his return, he discovered that Liu Sanniang had married Lin Xiong and even learned from neighbors that Suo'er was supposedly the child of Liu Sanniang and Lin Xiong. Enraged, Li Fengchun vowed to kill both of them.

Disguised as a candy seller, Li Fengchun loitered outside Lin Xiong’s house, waiting for an opportunity. Since Lin Xiong was physically stronger, Li Fengchun chose a time when Lin Xiong was on duty to break into the house and attack Liu Sanniang and Suo'er. Liu Sanniang woke up, recognized Li Fengchun, and tearfully embraced him. Just as she was about to explain her suffering, Xu Wuzuo knocked on the door. Mistaking him for Lin Xiong, Liu Sanniang hid Li Fengchun.

From his hiding place, Li Fengchun witnessed Xu Wuzuo harassing Liu Sanniang. After Liu Sanniang dismissed Xu Wuzuo, Li Fengchun, consumed by anger, killed her. When Lin Xiong returned home and found Liu Sanniang dead, he was horrified. Li Fengchun remained defiant, accusing Liu Sanniang of being unfaithful with both Lin Xiong and Xu Wuzuo. Luo Shu clarified the misunderstanding and prompted Lin Xiong to explain the truth.

Lin Xiong revealed that he had learned from Doctor Wang that Liu Sanniang was widowed and pregnant after Li Fengchun’s supposed death. As Lin Xiong had been rendered impotent due to an injury in his youth, he felt pity for Liu Sanniang, who had even prepared a rope to hang herself. He married her out of compassion, hoping to use her child to cover up his own condition.

To avoid gossip, he fabricated the story that Suo'er was their child conceived out of wedlock, unaware that this lie would ultimately lead to her death. After hearing Lin Xiong’s explanation, Li Fengchun was filled with regret but couldn’t fully accept the truth. He accused them of conspiring to deceive him.

Qi Menglin harshly scolded Li Fengchun, which earned him Luo Shu’s admiration, though Qi Menglin dismissed her respect with a joke, teasing her for how convincing she was when pretending to be a ghost. The next morning, Lin Xiong left for his hometown with Suo'er. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin came to see them off. Lin Xiong vowed to raise Suo'er well. Meanwhile, the teahouse owner and neighbors gossiped, praising Liu Sanniang while cursing Lin Xiong.

Qi Menglin, enraged by their hypocrisy, wanted to confront them, blaming their rumors for Liu Sanniang’s death. Luo Shu stopped him, urging him to let it go. Qi Menglin then invited Luo Shu for a celebratory drink. At the prison, Luo Shu found Xu Wuzuo kneeling before the wall, repeatedly banging his head in penance. Meanwhile, Jin Miaocui and Guan Maipo were at odds. Unable to get along, they ended up in a physical altercation.

Cai Baozi intervened to break up the fight and even made a bowl of noodles for Jin Miaocui. However, Jin Miaocui used the noodles to taunt Guan Maipo, who retaliated by tripping her, leading to yet another brawl. Cai Baozi hurriedly separated them again. When Luo Shu returned home, she saw Jin Miaocui bruised and battered. Jin Miaocui, having grown up in the brothels of Mingkefang, was unaccustomed to such humiliation.

She vented her frustrations to Luo Shu, who advised her to endure for now and wait for her emancipation papers. Jin Miaocui, however, was fed up and wanted to leave immediately. Qi Menglin admired Luo Shu’s investigative skills but thought she was neither feminine nor masculine. Early one morning, he sought her advice on solving cases. Luo Shu, however, locked him in the morgue, where the stench of corpses overwhelmed him. Terrified by the remains, Qi Menglin screamed.

Lian Shu eventually found him and took him out. Furious, Qi Menglin confronted Luo Shu to settle the score. Yu Mama, having discovered Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui’s residence in the county office, arrived to take them back. Han Muzhi intervened just in time to stop her. Yu Mama demanded their emancipation papers, which Han Muzhi hadn’t yet secured. She argued that she had purchased Luo Shu at a high price.

Han Muzhi offered to buy Luo Shu’s freedom, but Yu Mama demanded an exorbitant amount. Chen Meiqing arrived to mediate, threatening to charge Yu Mama with trespassing on government property. Yu Mama reluctantly accepted the money and left. Luo Shu thanked Han Muzhi for his help and offered to pay for Jin Miaocui’s emancipation herself. Jin Miaocui, unwilling to endure further humiliation, decided to return to Mingkefang with Yu Mama.

Despite Luo Shu’s pleas, Jin Miaocui had made up her mind. She returned the hairpin Luo Shu had given her and left with Yu Mama. Watching her leave, Luo Shu felt a mix of emotions. Qi Menglin witnessed this scene and misunderstood, thinking that Jin Miaocui was Luo Shu’s lover and had left because Luo Shu lacked the money to support her. He offered Luo Shu money to bring Jin Miaocui back.

Furious, Luo Shu dismissed Qi Menglin as a clueless young master, refusing to explain further. She mocked him for being idle and useless.

Qi Menglin had no idea that Luo Shu was a woman disguised as a man. He assumed that Luo Shu had met Jin Miaocui during a visit to Yu Mama’s establishment and, lacking the money to redeem Jin Miaocui’s freedom, could only watch helplessly as she returned to the brothel. Qi Menglin took out money to help Luo Shu, but instead of appreciating his gesture, Luo Shu mocked him. Enraged, Qi Menglin vowed to get back at her.

Han Muzhi, as a respected magistrate, went to great lengths to help Luo Shu secure her freedom from servitude, even arguing with Yu Mama. Chen Meiqing noticed Han Muzhi’s affection for Luo Shu, but Luo Shu did not offer any explanation. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin secretly concocted a pill and instructed Lian Shu to prepare a gong, hoping to humiliate Luo Shu publicly.

Qi Menglin slipped the pill into Luo Shu’s teapot, and after drinking the tea, Luo Shu felt an intense heat throughout her body. Suspecting foul play, she deduced it was Qi Menglin’s doing. Trying to cool herself down, Luo Shu ran to the river and submerged herself in the icy water. Qi Menglin followed Luo Shu to the river. When she removed her shoes, exposing her fair, delicate feet, he suddenly realized she was a woman.

Shocked, he rushed over to confirm his suspicion, but Luo Shu, furious, kicked him into the river. As Qi Menglin swam toward the shore, he stumbled upon a naked male corpse floating in the water. Terrified, he screamed before fainting. Without hesitation, Luo Shu jumped into the river and pulled him out. Lian Shu, following Qi Menglin’s instructions, had gathered a crowd to witness Luo Shu’s humiliation.

Upon seeing Luo Shu rescue Qi Menglin and drag the corpse ashore, Lian Shu panicked. Luo Shu ordered him to find a cart to transport Qi Menglin and the corpse back to the county office. Freezing and sneezing from the cold, Luo Shu returned, where Han Muzhi cared for her attentively and instructed Cai Baozi to prepare hot water for her to soak her feet. Luo Shu noticed the matchmaker packing her belongings and leaving.

After questioning Cai Baozi, she learned that the matchmaker had taken a bribe from Yu Mama to betray her. Outraged, Han Muzhi had driven the matchmaker away, earning Luo Shu’s gratitude. The next morning, Luo Shu couldn’t find Cai Baozi and eventually discovered her near the mortuary, eager to watch Xu Wuzuo conduct an autopsy. Cai Baozi, perched on Cai Butou’s shoulders to get a better view, saw the disfigured face of the naked corpse and was terrified.

Luo Shu arrived to find Cai Baozi trembling in her arms. Han Muzhi sent the onlookers away and accompanied Luo Shu to the mortuary, where Xu Wuzuo determined the man had drowned three days earlier. Luo Shu concluded it was a case of premeditated murder. Qi Menglin remained unsettled, shocked that Luo Shu was a woman. To confirm, he asked Cai Baozi, who revealed that everyone in the county office knew except him.

Embarrassed, Qi Menglin pretended to faint when Luo Shu visited him, leaving her no choice but to leave. After much deliberation, Qi Menglin decided to investigate the case with Luo Shu. Together, they visited the docks and learned that three days earlier, Feng Erlang had rented a boat. Cai Butou, also investigating at the docks, joined them. Luo Shu found a hairpin on the boat and instructed Cai Butou to take them to Feng Erlang’s house.

There, they discovered Feng Erlang was not home, only his elderly mother. Searching the house, Luo Shu found a sachet that Feng’s mother identified as belonging to their former neighbor, Mei Hongying. However, she did not recognize the hairpin. Continuing their investigation, Luo Shu discovered Feng Erlang had not been to work for several days.

Speaking with neighbors, they learned that Feng Erlang and Mei Hongying were in love, but her brother, Mei Changxiong, disapproved and forced Mei Hongying to marry Zhang Juren. Mei Changxiong had also hired a tutor, Meng Qiaosheng, for Mei Hongying. Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, and Cai Butou visited Meng Qiaosheng’s residence, where the landlord described Meng as a handsome but impoverished man. The landlord recognized the hairpin as belonging to Meng Qiaosheng.

Qi Menglin found another sachet under Meng Qiaosheng’s pillow, similar to Feng Erlang’s but with inferior embroidery. Based on this, Qi Menglin theorized that Feng Erlang and Meng Qiaosheng had fought over Mei Hongying, resulting in Feng murdering Meng. Luo Shu found this hypothesis unreliable. Qi Menglin invited Luo Shu and Cai Butou to dinner, but Luo Shu, eager to solve the case, declined.

Luo Shu returned to the county office to report to Han Muzhi, who had been waiting for her. He accompanied her to the kitchen, where Cai Baozi had prepared a hearty meal, though it was overcooked. Qi Menglin, meanwhile, brought takeout from a restaurant for Luo Shu. To avoid waste, Luo Shu invited the constables to join them for the meal. Luo Shu personally served Han Muzhi a bowl of chicken soup, and he reciprocated with another.

Remembering that Feng’s mother had steamed a large number of buns, Luo Shu suspected she might be delivering food to Feng Erlang. Qi Menglin and Lian Shu followed Luo Shu to Feng’s house, urging Feng’s mother to convince her son to come forward and explain himself, as hiding would only make him appear guilty. The group secretly followed Feng’s mother as she left the house in a hurry with a bundle. She led them to an abandoned house, where they found Feng Erlang in hiding.

Madam Feng hurriedly packed a change of clothes and rushed to Erlang Feng’s hiding place, urging him to flee as soon as possible; otherwise, he would be caught by the authorities. Just as Erlang Feng was about to leave, he was intercepted by Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, and Lian Shu, who had been lying in wait outside. Madam Feng blocked their way with all her might, giving Erlang Feng the chance to escape through the window.

Madam Feng clung tightly to Luo Shu, preventing her from pursuing. Luo Shu instructed Qi Menglin and Lian Shu to chase after Erlang Feng. The two pursued him relentlessly, eventually cornering him in a dead-end alley. Erlang Feng struggled desperately but was subdued by Qi Menglin. Lian Shu then called for the neighbors to help, and they used ropes to tie both Erlang Feng and Qi Menglin together. Head Constable Cai arrived in time with reinforcements and arrested Erlang Feng.

Luo Shu, limping from the chase, followed behind. Qi Menglin offered to carry Luo Shu on his back, but she, feeling embarrassed, flagged down a cart transporting wine. Qi Menglin and Lian Shu also hitched a ride on the cart to return to the county office. During the journey, Qi Menglin deliberately pricked his hand to draw blood.

Luo Shu purchased a jar of wine to disinfect his wound, and though Qi Menglin cried out dramatically in pain, his heart was warmed by her care. The driver delivered the three to the entrance of the county office. Qi Menglin tried to assist Luo Shu in getting off the cart, but she lost her balance and fell. Han Muzhi arrived just in time to catch her.

As Luo Shu and Han Muzhi locked eyes, it was as if time had stopped. It wasn’t until Chen Meiqing coughed lightly that they broke apart. Qi Menglin, who had intended to protect Luo Shu, was upset that Han Muzhi had taken the opportunity to step in first. Han Muzhi interrogated Erlang Feng, who admitted to renting a boat but denied killing Meng Qiaosheng.

Han Muzhi pressed him for the truth, and Erlang Feng confessed that he had tied Meng Qiaosheng up on the boat and beaten him. Meng Qiaosheng ultimately jumped into the river himself. Chen Meiqing concluded that Erlang Feng was the murderer and suggested closing the case, but Han Muzhi found the situation suspicious. Luo Shu proposed investigating Mei Hongying for further clues.

Luo Shu donned women’s attire to visit Mei Hongying, while Qi Menglin disguised himself in Lian Shu’s clothes as Luo Shu’s servant. They arrived at Mei Hongying’s house, where Mei Hongying was arguing with her brother Mei Changxiong, insisting on seeing Erlang Feng. Mei Changxiong did everything he could to stop her. After Luo Shu explained their purpose, Mei Hongying refused to believe Erlang Feng was the murderer.

Mei Changxiong tried to distance Mei Hongying from Erlang Feng entirely, but she ignored his protests and followed Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to the county office to testify for Erlang Feng. Mei Changxiong begged Luo Shu not to reveal Mei Hongying’s visit to the county office to protect her reputation. The moment Mei Hongying saw Erlang Feng, she chastised him for breaking their promise. Han Muzhi pressed Erlang Feng to confess the truth, threatening him with execution.

Mei Hongying urged him to clear his name, but Erlang Feng remained silent. Han Muzhi ordered Erlang Feng to be imprisoned and executed in ten days. Mei Hongying, convinced of Erlang Feng’s innocence, pleaded with Luo Shu to help him. Luo Shu agreed and escorted Mei Hongying home. She casually asked about Mei Changxiong’s whereabouts on the night of the crime. Mei Changxiong claimed he was working in the workshop while his wife was visiting her family.

Back at home, Mei Hongying was depressed, and Mei Changxiong tried to console her. Mei Hongying lamented that Erlang Feng would die unjustly and blamed her brother for separating them. She recounted how she had arranged to meet Erlang Feng at her home that night. When Erlang Feng came to find her, Mei Changxiong had locked her in the study, where she eventually fell asleep and missed their meeting. Mei Changxiong insisted he was working at the workshop all night.

Luo Shu returned to the county office late, starving. She went to the kitchen to find food, and Cai Baozi, hearing her, brought her two steamed buns. Luo Shu toasted the buns and ate them. To protect Mei Hongying’s reputation, Han Muzhi issued a strict order forbidding anyone from revealing her visit to the county office. Yet rumors began spreading the next morning.

Suspecting someone from the Mei household had leaked the news, Han Muzhi brought Luo Shu to investigate, disguising himself as a county advisor. Han Muzhi, tempted by the sight of street-side shumai, learned that Luo Shu knew how to make it. She promised to cook some for him when she had time. Upon arriving at the Mei household, they saw Mei Changxiong arguing with neighbors.

He was furiously scolding the women gossiping about Mei Hongying, and the argument escalated into a fight. Han Muzhi intervened to break it up and threatened to take the gossipers to the county office. Terrified, they fled. Han Muzhi suspected someone had leaked Mei Hongying’s visit, but Mei Changxiong had no idea who it could be. Mei Hongying arrived, pleading once more for Erlang Feng’s innocence.

She wanted to visit him in prison, and Han Muzhi made an exception, allowing Luo Shu to accompany her. Mei Hongying brought Erlang Feng his favorite roast chicken and urged him to tell the truth. Left with no choice, Erlang Feng confessed. On the night of the crime, Erlang Feng, along with Lao San and Da Niu, went to Mei Hongying’s home to meet her. They found her asleep, wrapped in a quilt, and carried her onto the boat.

Only later did they realize that the person inside the quilt was a naked Meng Qiaosheng. Furious, Erlang Feng beat Meng Qiaosheng, who then jumped into the river to escape. Mei Hongying vividly recalled that night. Mei Changxiong had locked her in the study, forcing her to copy books, and sealed all the doors and windows. Despite her screams, no one came to release her. She waited for Erlang Feng but eventually fell asleep.

After hearing Mei Hongying’s account, Erlang Feng realized he had wrongly blamed her. Luo Shu pieced together the events, confirming that Erlang Feng had not killed Meng Qiaosheng.

Qi Menglin went to look for Luo Shu early in the morning, but she wasn’t at the county office. Chen Meiqing, unable to find Han Muzhi either, guessed the two had gone to the Mei family residence. Without a word, Qi Menglin set off to find them. Luo Shu and Han Muzhi both believed that Feng Erlang was not the murderer of Meng Qiaosheng.

Based on Mei Hongying’s testimony, Luo Shu deduced that either Mei Changxiong or his wife, Lu Yanru, was lying. Both of them had alibis, but certain details didn’t add up: when Feng Erlang went to see Mei Hongying, the main door was ajar; Mei Hongying was locked in the study; and Meng Qiaosheng inexplicably ended up in Mei Hongying’s bed. All of this pointed to a deliberate setup. Han Muzhi shared the same suspicions.

Qi Menglin hurried to catch up with Luo Shu, using the excuse that Chen Meiqing needed to see Han Muzhi. He offered to accompany Luo Shu to the Mei residence, leaving Han Muzhi no choice but to return to the county office. At the Mei residence, they found that Mei Changxiong was at the workshop, leaving Lu Yanru alone at home. Luo Shu asked her to show them the study where Meng Qiaosheng had tutored Mei Hongying.

Lu Yanru claimed that Mei Hongying disliked studying, so she would often accompany her to read. Fearing that Mei Changxiong would discover Mei Hongying’s lack of dedication, she even admitted to doing some of Mei Hongying’s assignments. Luo Shu casually brought up the romantic poem written in the workbook and suggested that Lu Yanru had attended Meng Qiaosheng’s lessons in Mei Hongying’s place. Flustered, Lu Yanru hastily denied any improper relationship with Meng Qiaosheng.

Qi Menglin noticed an embroidered mandarin duck design on the table. Lu Yanru admitted to having embroidered it. Luo Shu then produced the sachet found under Meng Qiaosheng’s pillow. Lu Yanru explained that Mei Hongying wanted to embroider a pouch for Feng Erlang, but since her embroidery skills were poor, Lu Yanru had made a sample for her, which Meng Qiaosheng later took. At that moment, Mei Hongying stormed in, furious.

She accused Lu Yanru of gossiping about her being summoned to the county office, leading to neighbors spreading malicious rumors. Mei Hongying then exposed Lu Yanru’s secret affair with Meng Qiaosheng, claiming that Lu Yanru had always covered for her when she skipped lessons. Lu Yanru denied the accusations, but when Mei Hongying tried to drag her to the county office to explain, Lu Yanru locked herself in a room and attempted to hang herself.

Luo Shu broke down the door, and Mei Changxiong arrived just in time to save her. In a fit of anger, Mei Changxiong threw Mei Hongying out of the house. Witnessing Lu Yanru’s attempt to prove her innocence through suicide, Qi Menglin felt she had no involvement in the case. Luo Shu, however, disagreed.

Cai Baozi went to investigate Lu Yanru’s family and confirmed that she had indeed stayed at her parents’ house on the night of the incident, only returning home the next morning. Han Muzhi began to suspect that Mei Changxiong was lying. He sent Cai Baozi to investigate Mei Changxiong’s workshop, and Luo Shu volunteered to assist. Qi Menglin insisted on accompanying her.

Early the next morning, Luo Shu tried to head to the workshop alone, but Qi Menglin quickly caught up, and the two went together. The workers confirmed that Mei Changxiong had been working at the workshop on the night of the incident. However, Luo Shu noticed muddy footprints on the windowsill, suggesting Mei Changxiong might have entered and exited through the window. They then inspected Mei Changxiong’s boat, where Qi Menglin found scratch marks on the boat's edge.

Meanwhile, Xu Wuzuo discovered soil under Meng Qiaosheng’s fingernails during his examination. Back at home, Lu Yanru sat alone, reminiscing about her past moments with Meng Qiaosheng, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Mei Changxiong, noticing her mood, advised her to focus on the present. Lu Yanru, originally a young lady from a wealthy family, had been forced to marry Mei Changxiong, a coarse man concerned only with earning money, after her family fell into poverty.

She began to suspect that Mei Changxiong had orchestrated Meng Qiaosheng’s death. Confronted by her accusations, Mei Changxiong admitted to the crime. He explained that he had invited Meng Qiaosheng to tutor Mei Hongying, only to discover that Meng Qiaosheng was seducing Lu Yanru and even flaunting it in front of him. Enraged, Mei Changxiong killed Meng Qiaosheng and framed Feng Erlang.

Lu Yanru lashed out at Mei Changxiong, declaring that she would have preferred a poor but loving life with Meng Qiaosheng over a soulless marriage with him. Mei Changxiong, in turn, beat her but could not refute her words. The next day, Feng Erlang was set to be executed. Mei Hongying braved the heavy rain to visit him in prison, but Mei Changxiong dragged her back home. Mei Hongying swore she would never marry anyone but Feng Erlang.

If Feng Erlang were executed, she would die alongside him. Deeply saddened, Mei Changxiong realized the depth of Mei Hongying’s love for Feng Erlang. Finally, he decided to let them be together. The following morning, Mei Changxiong turned himself in at the county office, confessing to the murder of Meng Qiaosheng. He explained that on the night of the incident, he had returned from delivering goods earlier than usual.

He saw Mei Hongying and Feng Erlang playfully chasing each other in the street, which made him rush home. There, he witnessed Lu Yanru and Meng Qiaosheng being intimate. Restraining his anger, he kept quiet. However, when Lu Yanru rejected him that evening, still holding the jade pendant Meng Qiaosheng had given her, his resentment grew. After discovering that Feng Erlang planned to elope with Mei Hongying, Mei Changxiong devised a plan.

He locked Mei Hongying in her study, sent Lu Yanru to her parents’ house, and deliberately hinted to Meng Qiaosheng that he would not be home that night. Mei Changxiong created an alibi by working late at the workshop but snuck out through the window. He then lay in wait, saw Meng Qiaosheng visit Lu Yanru, and knocked him unconscious. He stripped Meng Qiaosheng and placed him in Mei Hongying’s bed.

When Feng Erlang arrived with Lao San and Da Niu to take Mei Hongying away, they unknowingly carried off the unconscious Meng Qiaosheng. When Feng Erlang discovered something was wrong on the boat, Mei Changxiong expected him to kill Meng Qiaosheng. But Feng Erlang released him instead. Mei Changxiong then pursued Meng Qiaosheng in his boat and beat him to death. After his confession, Feng Erlang was cleared of all charges and released.

Mei Hongying came to pick him up, and the two embraced each other, overwhelmed with emotion. To celebrate, Luo Shu personally made a large pot of shumai. Qi Menglin mistakenly thought she had made it especially for him, as he too loved shumai.

Luo Shu and Han Muzhi cared deeply for each other, helping one another along the way. Over time, their feelings changed, and they developed a unique bond. Luo Shu had once promised to make shumai for Han Muzhi. Not only did she prepare shumai, but she also made a large table full of dishes. Qi Menglin, who loved shumai, thought Luo Shu had made them especially for him. He even invited Han Muzhi to join him in enjoying the food.

Knowing the shumai was prepared for him, Han Muzhi didn’t correct Qi Menglin to avoid embarrassing him. Qi Menglin mistakenly believed Luo Shu had feelings for him, and he was overjoyed. Even though Lian Shu tried to bring him back to reality, Qi Menglin was too lost in his imagined happiness to listen. By chance, Han Muzhi discovered Luo Shu had an interest in chess, so they played a game together.

Luo Shu's paperwork for leaving her registered status was almost approved, and Han Muzhi wanted to know her plans for the future. Luo Shu admitted she hadn’t decided yet. As they played and chatted, they found they had much in common and grew closer. Luo Shu ultimately won the game, and Han Muzhi couldn’t stop praising her. He had also heard about her talent for playing musical instruments and requested a performance, but Luo Shu declined.

Han Muzhi then picked up a flute and began to play. The melodious sound captivated Luo Shu deeply. After Qiao Ruohui suffered a miscarriage, she became frail and bedridden for years. Two days ago, she passed away. Her husband, He Shenwei, was preparing for her funeral when Qiao Ruohui’s younger sister, Qiao Ruolan, disrupted the proceedings, accusing He Shenwei of causing her sister’s death. He Shenwei went to the county office to file a complaint.

Luo Shu and Qi Menglin were ordered to investigate. Qiao Ruolan was adamant that He Shenwei was the murderer and insisted on exhuming the body for an autopsy. He Shenwei strongly opposed this, but Qi Menglin sided with Qiao Ruolan, ordering the coffin to be opened on the spot. In despair, He Shenwei tried to end his own life by ramming into the coffin. Xu Wuzuo conducted an autopsy and confirmed that Qiao Ruohui had died of illness, not foul play.

However, Qiao Ruolan refused to believe it. He Shenwei begged her to let Qiao Ruohui rest in peace and be buried as soon as possible. Qiao Ruolan accused He Shenwei of wanting to seize her family’s distillery. He Shenwei admitted he had thought about joining Qiao Ruohui in death but was determined to honor her dying wish to make the Qiao family distillery flourish. He also produced a will written by Qiao Ruohui herself.

Chen Meiqing publicly read out Qiao Ruohui’s will, which stated that the distillery would be managed by He Shenwei. Qiao Ruolan was unconvinced, accusing He Shenwei of coercing Qiao Ruohui into writing it. She argued that the distillery had been in her family for five generations, and as a daughter, she had the right to inherit it.

He Shenwei was heartbroken, explaining that he and Qiao Ruohui had worked hard to manage the distillery and had even spent a fortune on Qiao Ruolan’s dowry, only for her to turn around and demand the distillery. Han Muzhi declared publicly that He Shenwei had the rightful claim to inherit and manage the distillery and that Qiao Ruolan had no authority to interfere. He also ordered Qiao Ruohui’s burial to proceed immediately.

He Shenwei fell to his knees, repeatedly thanking Han Muzhi. However, Qiao Ruolan remained dissatisfied, vowing to uncover the truth behind her sister’s death. Early the next morning, Qiao Ruolan went to the distillery and offered the workers double wages to leave with her. He Shenwei had no choice but to send someone to report this to the county office. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin quickly arrived at the scene.

He Shenwei begged Qiao Ruolan not to take the workers away, explaining that the distillery’s signature wine, Jinrui Wine, needed to be brewed during the White Dew season, or it would lose its quality. Qiao Ruolan refused to relent and demanded that He Shenwei hand over the recipe for Jinrui Wine. He Shenwei explained that Qiao Ruohui had never shared the recipe with him. Qiao Ruolan took all the workers, leaving Qi Menglin frustrated by her actions.

To understand Qiao Ruolan’s motivations better, Luo Shu dressed in women’s clothing and sought her out. She happened to see Yu Mama delivering food to Qiao Ruolan. Yu Mama, a loyal servant of the Qiao family, had served both sisters faithfully. Qiao Ruolan avoided Luo Shu, but Luo Shu directly pointed out that Qiao Ruolan wasn’t trying to take over the distillery—she just wanted to uncover the truth about Qiao Ruohui’s death.

This struck a nerve with Qiao Ruolan, who finally opened up to Luo Shu. Qiao Ruohui had devoted herself to managing the distillery and had always cared deeply for her younger sister. To ensure Qiao Ruolan could marry without worry, she had chosen the poor scholar He Shenwei to marry into the family. Qiao Ruolan secretly investigated He Shenwei and, finding no issues, allowed him to marry her sister.

However, she resented the fact that He Shenwei never mentioned Qiao Ruohui’s illness until after her death. Qiao Ruolan suspected He Shenwei of foul play. Luo Shu promised to uncover the truth. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin went to visit He Shenwei together. They arrived to find Doctor Hua Miao already there. He Shenwei explained that Qiao Ruohui had been frail and unable to bear children.

However, she had insisted on trying to give him a child, which resulted in a miscarriage and her eventual decline in health. To avoid worrying Qiao Ruolan, Qiao Ruohui had asked He Shenwei to keep her illness a secret. He Shenwei claimed that he only discovered her will while sorting through her belongings after her death. At that moment, Qiao Ruolan burst in and exposed He Shenwei’s lies.

She questioned why, if Qiao Ruohui had always intended to leave him the distillery, she hadn’t shared the Jinrui Wine recipe with him. Qi Menglin, frustrated by Qiao Ruolan’s attitude, yelled at her. Luo Shu quickly pulled Qiao Ruolan aside and reassured her that justice would be served. Luo Shu asked Qiao Ruolan to provide her correspondence with Qiao Ruohui to look for clues.

Qiao Ruolan sent someone to her in-laws’ house to retrieve the letters and mentioned another clue: Qiao Ruohui had conceived after taking a secret prescription from Hua Miao. Luo Shu shared all the information with Han Muzhi, who offered to help. Luo Shu, however, didn’t want to trouble him further.

Luo Shu went to find Hua Miao to learn more about the situation, with Qi Menglin accompanying her. Upon entering, they saw a well-dressed pregnant woman arguing with Hua Miao. Luo Shu was filled with curiosity. The pregnant woman quickly left after seeing Luo Shu and Qi Menglin. Luo Shu asked when Hua Miao started treating the Qiao family. Hua Miao claimed that he and He Shenwei were neighbors, and he had happened to have a family recipe for fertility.

He gave it to He Shenwei, and Qiao Ruohui successfully became pregnant, but she later had a miscarriage. Hua Miao answered flawlessly. Luo Shu casually asked about the pregnant woman who had just left. Hua Miao explained that she was his cousin, Qiuniang, who came to borrow money due to an urgent matter at home. Luo Shu didn’t press further and left with Qi Menglin. Qi Menglin was convinced that Qiao Ruolan was falsely accusing He Shenwei.

However, Luo Shu found Hua Miao’s behavior suspicious and doubted the pregnant woman’s identity and her claim of borrowing money. Qi Menglin stuck to his opinion. They visited Qiao Ruolan and found her crying while reading letters. Qi Menglin mocked her mercilessly. Luo Shu took out Qiao Ruohui’s letters and asked Qi Menglin to leave, forbidding him from reading them. Left with no choice, Qi Menglin went to chat with He Shenwei.

Luo Shu noticed discrepancies in the tone of Qiao Ruohui’s letters before and after her miscarriage. Although Qiao Ruohui had basic literacy for bookkeeping, she couldn’t write poetry, yet her will was written in an artistic style. Luo Shu then asked He Shenwei for Qiao Ruolan’s letters to Qiao Ruohui. When she arrived, Qi Menglin was already there chatting with He Shenwei.

Upon seeing Luo Shu in women’s clothing, He Shenwei realized she was a female constable and complimented her beauty. He Shenwei handed over Qiao Ruolan’s letters, but they were just business correspondence, not personal letters between the sisters. He Shenwei claimed he hadn’t organized everything yet. Qiao Ruolan, uneasy, rushed over to meet Luo Shu. Just as Luo Shu was about to leave with her, Qiuniang suddenly appeared looking for He Shenwei, followed closely by Hua Miao.

Qiao Ruolan interrogated Qiuniang about why she was meeting He Shenwei, but Hua Miao repeatedly explained that she was there to borrow money and asked Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to testify for him. After much persuasion, Hua Miao managed to send Qiuniang away. However, Qiao Ruolan found the situation suspicious and insisted on having Qiuniang confront He Shenwei.

Qi Menglin, annoyed by Qiao Ruolan’s overbearing attitude, harshly criticized her and advised Luo Shu to stop assisting Qiao Ruolan with the case, threatening to cut ties if she didn’t listen. Luo Shu ignored him. Luo Shu sent Constable Cai to the temple to investigate and confirmed that He Shenwei had donated fifty taels of silver instead of the two hundred he claimed. Meanwhile, Hua Miao sent Qiuniang away and met with He Shenwei to discuss their next move.

Hua Miao urged He Shenwei to obtain the Jinrui Wine recipe as soon as possible. It was revealed that Qiuniang’s unborn child belonged to He Shenwei. He had been sending monthly payments to her through Hua Miao, but with her nearing delivery, Qiuniang demanded more money. He Shenwei, worried about being exposed by Qiao Ruolan, didn’t dare to take money from the winery without permission. He considered pawning Qiao Ruohui’s jewelry but feared discovery.

Desperate, Hua Miao suggested eliminating Qiao Ruolan to solve the problem. Qi Menglin had angered Luo Shu and wanted to explain himself, but she shut him out. Determined, he went to her window and tried to reconcile. He shared a story about how he once spent 501 taels to win an evening with the courtesan Jin Nang during her debut. Furious, Luo Shu shut the window in his face, as this was her most humiliating memory—she was Jin Nang.

Unaware of her identity, Qi Menglin kept bragging about his act of chivalry. Enraged, Luo Shu slammed the door, but Qi Menglin kept talking, even suggesting that she arrange a meeting with Jin Nang for a boat trip. Luo Shu went to find Qiao Ruolan early the next morning but learned someone had pretended to be her and lured Qiao Ruolan to the riverbank. Realizing the danger, Luo Shu rushed there and saw two thugs preparing to attack Qiao Ruolan.

She shouted to stop them and pulled Qiao Ruolan away. The attackers shot arrows at them, and Luo Shu, shielding Qiao Ruolan, was hit. They were eventually captured and taken onto a boat by the assailants. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin went to Mingke Lane to arrange a meeting with Jin Nang, only to learn she had escaped on the night of her debut.

Yu Mama arranged for Jin Lian to impersonate Jin Nang, and Qi Menglin invited all five courtesans from the establishment onto his boat. However, Luo Shu didn’t show up, leaving him disappointed. Sensing his unhappiness, Jin Lian tried to cheer him up. The thugs forced Qiao Ruolan to write down the Jinrui Wine recipe, threatening Luo Shu’s life to coerce her.

Taking advantage of a distraction, Luo Shu cut through her bindings, injured one of the assailants, and escaped with Qiao Ruolan by jumping into the river. The thugs pursued them, shooting arrows. Qi Menglin, seeing two women fall into the water, ordered the boat to speed up. Recognizing Luo Shu, he jumped into the river to save her just as she was losing strength. Luo Shu woke up in a daze and urged Qi Menglin to rescue Qiao Ruolan.

Jin Lian recognized Luo Shu as the female constable. Han Muzhi arrived with his constables, carried Luo Shu back to his carriage, and promised to send men to rescue Qiao Ruolan. Seeing Han Muzhi carrying Luo Shu away, Qi Menglin grew jealous. From Jin Lian, he learned that Luo Shu was Jin Nang, leaving him utterly shocked. Xu Wuzuo bandaged Luo Shu’s wounds. Han Muzhi visited her, showing care and even bringing her ginger tea.

Xu Wuzuo tactfully left, closing the door behind him. Han Muzhi, regretting that he had let her stay at the county office, warned her not to put herself in danger again. Constable Cai arrived to report that Qiao Ruolan hadn’t been found, prompting Han Muzhi to leave after ensuring Luo Shu was settled. Qi Menglin later brought expensive chicken soup and ginger tea to Luo Shu, thanking her for saving him.

He insisted she drink his ginger tea, but Luo Shu politely declined. Their argument escalated, and they accidentally spilled the tea all over the floor.

Qi Menglin brought ginger soup and chicken soup for Luo Shu, but she was already drinking ginger soup made by Han Muzhi. Qi Menglin snatched it away, spilling the soup all over the ground, and handed over the ginger soup he had bought, desperately trying to please Luo Shu. To win her favor, he mentioned that he had spent 501 taels of silver to buy the "Jinnang" (Silk Sachet) during a nighttime gathering.

Curious about why Luo Shu had changed her name, he inadvertently brought up her humiliating past at Mingke Lane, where she was once called "Jinnang. " Luo Shu became furious, thinking Qi Menglin was mocking her, and drove him out angrily. Qi Menglin, hoping to reflect on their fate together, only managed to upset her further. Hua Miao, the second-in-command of a gang and known as the "White Paper Fan," led a group of underlings nicknamed "White Ants.

" He sent three of them, including Bai Lao'er, to kidnap Qiao Ruolan and force her to write down the recipe for Jinrui Wine. Luo Shu unexpectedly intervened, covering for Qiao Ruolan as she jumped into the river to escape. Luo Shu also alerted Han Muzhi and the bailiffs, who managed to arrest Bai Lao'er and one other gang member, though a third escaped and handed the recipe to Hua Miao.

From his subordinate, Hua Miao learned that Luo Shu had been rescued but Qiao Ruolan's whereabouts remained unknown. Fearing complications from delays, Hua Miao decided not to continue the search and hurriedly delivered the recipe to He Shenwei at the distillery. Seeing the recipe, He Shenwei was overjoyed, convinced that Qiao Ruolan had drowned. He fantasized about monopolizing the Qiao family's distillery soon. However, Hua Miao slapped him awake, urging him to seize control of the distillery quickly.

According to Qiao Ruohui's will, He Shenwei only had the right to manage the distillery but not to sell it. Han Muzhi personally interrogated the kidnappers, who confessed they had acted on the orders of the White Paper Fan but didn’t know his true identity. Han Muzhi kept the thug who had harassed Luo Shu for further questioning while imprisoning the other.

He then asked Chen Meiqing about the origins of the White Paper Fan and the White Ants, learning that they were a gang that specialized in robbing respectable women. Blending into civilian life, they were difficult to apprehend and had been rampant in Linfen for over a decade.

Chen Meiqing recalled that five or six years ago, a provincial governor attempted to eradicate the gang but was beaten deaf in public by a group of White Ants and had no choice but to leave. Despite Chen Meiqing's warnings, Han Muzhi was determined to bring the gang to justice. Qi Menglin continued his attempts to please Luo Shu but ended up being scorned and misunderstood. Feeling wronged, he decided to leave Linfen and return to Taiyuan out of spite.

He sent Lian Shu to inform Luo Shu, but she ignored the message, which infuriated Qi Menglin. Enraged, he ordered Lian Shu to pack their belongings immediately. Captain Cai led a search party along the river for an entire day and night without finding Qiao Ruolan. Han Muzhi instructed him to assign more manpower to continue the search.

Meanwhile, Qi Menglin waited all day for Luo Shu, but only Cai Baozi, Xu Wuzuo, and Chen Meiqing came to bid him farewell. Luo Shu never showed up, forcing Qi Menglin to leave dejectedly. Both Han Muzhi and Chen Meiqing came to see him off. Realizing Luo Shu didn’t care for him, Qi Menglin lamented his unrequited feelings as Lian Shu tried to console him.

Luo Shu, on the other hand, avoided bidding him farewell, wanting him to return home safely to Taiyuan instead of taking risks. Later, Luo Shu and Captain Cai visited He Shenwei, who believed Qiao Ruolan was dead and sent people to inform her in-laws. He pretended to grieve, beating his chest and shedding crocodile tears in front of Luo Shu and Captain Cai. While sorting through Qiao Ruohui’s belongings, a maid found another letter containing the recipe for Jinrui Wine.

Overjoyed, He Shenwei celebrated his luck, while Luo Shu congratulated him and left with Captain Cai. This entire scene was orchestrated by Hua Miao, intending for Luo Shu and Captain Cai to witness He Shenwei acquiring the recipe. Hua Miao then urged He Shenwei to quickly produce the wine and bring Qiu Niang to the Qiao family estate. He Shenwei immediately sent for Qiu Niang that night, showering her with gold and silver jewelry, which left her ecstatic.

With He Shenwei officially taking over the Qiao family distillery, he brewed Jinrui Wine according to the recipe. Attracted by its reputation, many wine merchants came to place orders. However, when one requested a sample, the wine’s color and taste were entirely off. The merchants angrily demanded refunds, and He Shenwei realized too late that the recipe was fake. Hua Miao advised him to sell the distillery, but He Shenwei lacked the authority to do so.

When He Shenwei complained about Hua Miao’s plan causing chaos, Hua Miao threatened him into silence. Late one night, Qiu Niang attempted to steal gold and silver from the study but was caught by Wang Mama. Furious, He Shenwei found Luo Shu arriving with the county bailiffs to arrest Qiu Niang. Luo Shu had stationed people near the Qiao estate and worked with Wang Mama to capture Qiu Niang red-handed.

During intense questioning, Han Muzhi interrogated both Qiu Niang and He Shenwei. The bailiffs, who were keeping watch, also captured Hua Miao when he arrived to pick up Qiu Niang. Only then did He Shenwei learn of Hua Miao and Qiu Niang’s plot to steal the Qiao family’s wealth. Han Muzhi accused He Shenwei of having an affair with Qiu Niang and conspiring to kill Qiao Ruohui.

He Shenwei admitted to being involved with Qiu Niang after a drunken night that resulted in her pregnancy but denied any involvement in Qiao Ruohui’s death. Hua Miao insisted that Qiao Ruohui had died of illness and demanded evidence from Han Muzhi. Luo Shu revealed that He Shenwei was skilled at forging handwriting and produced letters exchanged between Qiao Ruolan and Qiao Ruohui.

She demonstrated that all the letters received after Qiao Ruohui’s miscarriage were forged by He Shenwei, including her will. He Shenwei denied it vehemently until Luo Shu brought out Qiao Ruolan to testify against him, leaving both He Shenwei and Hua Miao stunned—they had never imagined Qiao Ruolan was still alive. It turned out that Luo Shu had helped Qiao Ruolan escape during the river incident by distracting the White Ants.

After ensuring Qiao Ruolan’s safety, Luo Shu had Han Muzhi spread the false news of her drowning in the Fen River. Qiao Ruolan exposed He Shenwei’s crimes, and Hua Miao tried to distance himself, blaming everything on He Shenwei. However, Luo Shu revealed Hua Miao and Qiu Niang’s conspiracy to take over the Qiao distillery. Realizing the truth, He Shenwei confessed that Hua Miao had orchestrated everything.

After marrying into the Qiao family, Hua Miao befriended him, taking advantage of his frustrations when Qiao Ruohui could no longer conceive after a miscarriage. Hua Miao manipulated He Shenwei into having a child with Qiu Niang and later pressured him into poisoning Qiao Ruohui using a slow-acting toxin. Qiao Ruohui grew suspicious upon noticing discrepancies in the finances and finding a woman’s handkerchief on He Shenwei.

She wrote to Qiao Ruolan, but He Shenwei intercepted the letters, forging replies in Qiao Ruohui’s handwriting to cover his tracks. When she persisted, Hua Miao supplied a lethal poison, leading to her untimely death.

Luo Ruohui discovered that He Shenwei had secretly taken money from the accounting room and also found a woman’s handkerchief hidden on him. Suspecting that He Shenwei was having an affair, she wrote a letter to Luo Ruolan. However, He Shenwei intercepted the letter and forged another one in Luo Ruohui's handwriting, reassuring Luo Ruolan that everything was fine.

Hua Miao, worried that Luo Ruohui might uncover his and He Shenwei’s conspiracy to seize the Luo family’s winery, decided to poison her and prepared a dose of poison. He Shenwei brought the poisoned medicine to Luo Ruohui. Though Luo Ruohui was already weak, she adamantly refused to drink the medicine. She persistently questioned He Shenwei, asking if he had a change of heart. He Shenwei confessed without hesitation and forcibly made Luo Ruohui drink the poisoned medicine.

Luo Ruohui soon succumbed to the poison and passed away. When Luo Ruolan heard He Shenwei’s account, she was so enraged that she drew her knife to kill him and avenge her sister, Luo Ruohui. Luo Shu desperately stopped her. He Shenwei shifted all the blame onto Hua Miao, who tried to defend himself. He Shenwei publicly exposed Hua Miao as the second-in-command of the White Ant Gang, known as the White Fan.

Although Hua Miao denied the accusation, He Shenwei declared himself Hua Miao’s pawn. Out of consideration for Qiu Niang, who was pregnant with his child, He Shenwei decided to show Hua Miao leniency. Qiu Niang then stepped forward and revealed that her child was not He Shenwei’s, leaving him dumbfounded as he realized he had fallen into Hua Miao and Qiu Niang’s trap. Hua Miao berated He Shenwei, mocking him as being worse than a dog.

Humiliated, He Shenwei drew his knife and stabbed Hua Miao. Meanwhile, Luo Ruolan brought Luo Shu to the winery, where she reminisced about the times she and her sister played there as children, leaving her with mixed emotions. Luo Shu encouraged Luo Ruolan to stay strong and not let her sister’s expectations down. Hua Miao was thrown into prison but refused to confess his crimes.

Han Muzhi explained the severity of the situation to him, but Hua Miao remained defiant and argued back. Under Han Muzhi’s orders, Hua Miao was subjected to severe torture, finally confessing to numerous crimes, including abducting women with the help of the White Ant Gang. Han Muzhi vowed to eradicate the White Ants from the city entirely.

Chen Meiqing urged him to reconsider, recounting an incident from five years prior when the governor’s attempt to suppress the White Ants ended with him being ambushed in the bustling city square, leading to his deafness and eventual departure from Linfen. However, Han Muzhi was resolute, unwilling to tolerate further crimes. Chen Meiqing suspected that Han Muzhi’s determination was because of Luo Shu.

Han Muzhi wrote to the Pingyang Guard in Taiyuan seeking reinforcements and waited at the county office for a response. Luo Shu, sensing his burden, played an old tune on her pipa to ease his mind. Soon, good news arrived: the Pingyang Guard had successfully cleared out the White Ant Gang. Han Muzhi personally went to the county office gate to welcome the victorious soldiers, only to find that their leader was Qi Menglin.

Now the deputy commander of the Pingyang Guard, Qi Menglin had led his troops to eliminate the White Ants. The citizens lined the streets to welcome their heroes. Han Muzhi expressed his gratitude to Qi Menglin for clearing out the White Ant Gang, which had plagued Linfen for over a decade. Luo Shu oversaw the imprisonment of the captured White Ant members and reported back to Han Muzhi.

Qi Menglin, eager to boast, tried to impress Luo Shu, who ignored him completely. Meanwhile, Chen Meiqing’s father arrived at the county office with a flock of sheep, pressuring Chen Meiqing to return home and marry Zao Hua. Before leaving, his father even left a sheep to help Chen Meiqing regain his health. Chen Meiqing, desperate to avoid the marriage, was dismayed that his father had come to force the issue. Han Muzhi hosted a banquet to celebrate Qi Menglin’s success.

Qi Menglin bragged excessively about his military achievements, prompting Lian Shu to expose his shortcomings. Annoyed, Qi Menglin told Lian Shu to keep quiet. Luo Shu congratulated Qi Menglin, and Cai Baozi pleaded with him to treat everyone to a performance by the Taiyuan Opera Troupe. Qi Menglin readily agreed and curiously inquired about Chen Meiqing’s fiancée. Cai Baozi joined in teasing, prompting Chen Meiqing to angrily take the lamb dish away, silencing them.

After the banquet, Han Muzhi and Luo Shu played chess in the courtyard. Luo Shu thanked Han Muzhi on behalf of the women of Linfen. Han Muzhi made it clear that his efforts to suppress the White Ants were all for Luo Shu. He confessed his feelings to her directly, catching her off guard, and gave her a day to think it over. Outside, Chen Meiqing overheard their conversation.

Chen Meiqing confronted Luo Shu, urging her to give up on Han Muzhi. He revealed that Han Muzhi was already engaged to Liu Wan, the daughter of Governor Liu Yiqing. Even if Luo Shu became Han Muzhi’s concubine, Liu Yiqing would never agree, and if Han Muzhi insisted on marrying her, it would ruin his future.

Chen Meiqing, having noticed Luo Shu’s feelings for Han Muzhi, swore to do whatever it took to stop them and advised Luo Shu to let Han Muzhi move on. Luo Shu had developed feelings for Han Muzhi over time, but Chen Meiqing’s words awakened her to reality. She decided not to meet Han Muzhi as planned. Han Muzhi waited for her late into the night, only to be disappointed when she did not show up.

Later, he learned from Cai Baozi that Qi Menglin had invited everyone to watch an opera. Luo Shu agreed to go, and Han Muzhi arrived at the theater early to wait for her. When Luo Shu appeared, Qi Menglin treated everyone to a performance of *The Purple Hairpin. * However, Han Muzhi had no interest in the opera; his gaze remained fixed on Luo Shu, trying to discern her feelings, but Luo Shu avoided his eyes.

The opera told the story of a man who gave up a governor’s daughter to marry a like-minded commoner. Luo Shu left halfway through, followed by Han Muzhi. She found herself at the chessboard again. Han Muzhi confronted her about missing their meeting the previous night. Luo Shu explained that she didn’t want to become a concubine or hinder his future and wished for someone who would love her wholeheartedly.

Overhearing their conversation, Qi Menglin silently resolved to pursue Luo Shu. From that day forward, Luo Shu let go of her feelings for Han Muzhi and regarded him only as her superior.

Luo Shu was awakened by Chen Meiqing’s words and rejected Han Muzhi to his face. From then on, she deliberately avoided Han Muzhi, treating him as a stranger. Han Muzhi was heartbroken, sinking into sadness every day. Chen Meiqing advised him to forget Luo Shu, warning him not to ruin his bright future over a romantic relationship. He also pointed out that Han Muzhi and Luo Shu were fundamentally incompatible.

Han Muzhi found himself torn, unable to let go of Luo Shu. Qi Menglin came to Han Muzhi to get some documents signed but overheard his conversation with Chen Meiqing. Scoffing at Chen Meiqing’s remarks, Qi Menglin angrily accused Han Muzhi of being a vain and shameless man unworthy of Luo Shu's affection. Meanwhile, Xu Wuzuo and Cai Baozi casually discussed Chen Meiqing’s upcoming marriage to Zao Hua. Xu Wuzuo made disparaging comments about Zao Hua, a shepherdess.

Already in a bad mood, Qi Menglin erupted in anger, scolding Xu Wuzuo harshly and rebuking Cai Baozi as well. Frustrated, Qi Menglin decided to bring Zao Hua to the county office to expose Chen Meiqing’s true nature to her. Late at night, an anonymous letter was thrown at the gate of the county office, accusing Qian Dayou, the owner of the Mantianling Mine, of being an accomplice of the White Ant gang.

Han Muzhi summoned Chen Meiqing and Luo Shu to discuss their next steps. Chen Meiqing mentioned that Qian Dayou’s financial backer was the eunuch Zhang Gonggong. Luo Shu suggested they first investigate the mine to verify the accusations. Chen Meiqing disguised himself as an iron merchant and visited the Mantianling Mine to purchase coal. Luo Shu and the constables also dressed as merchants and accompanied him. Qian Dayou personally greeted them.

Chen Meiqing asked for a tour of the mine, and Qian Dayou, seeing their refined attire, allowed them in. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin and Lian Shu found Zao Hua tending her sheep and told her that Chen Meiqing was untrustworthy, advising her not to marry him. Angered, Zao Hua chased after Qi Menglin with a stick. During the mine tour, Chen Meiqing casually brought up the White Ant gang and expressed interest in visiting the mining tunnels.

Qian Dayou became suspicious and forcibly expelled Chen Meiqing and Luo Shu from the premises. Shortly after, Zao Hua dragged Qi Menglin and Lian Shu to the county office, demanding to see Chen Meiqing. When Chen Meiqing returned, Zao Hua confronted him about breaking off their engagement. Chen Meiqing insisted on calling off the marriage, explaining that he saw her only as a younger sister due to her father saving his life.

Both Cai Baozi and Xu Wuzuo urged Chen Meiqing to marry Zao Hua, but he refused to change his mind. Luo Shu and Chen Meiqing reported to Han Muzhi about Qian Dayou’s arrogant and domineering behavior. They suspected he was using mining as a front to abduct women. Han Muzhi proposed two options: report the matter to Liu Yiqing or gather evidence to take down Zhang Gonggong. Chen Meiqing, not wanting to complicate matters, advised reporting directly to Liu Yiqing.

Qi Menglin mocked Chen Meiqing for his cowardice. Soon after, Zao Hua went missing while tending sheep near the Mantianling Mine. Her father sought Chen Meiqing’s help. Han Muzhi immediately decided to rescue Zao Hua, though Chen Meiqing worried about causing trouble. Luo Shu volunteered to go undercover at the mine, but Han Muzhi firmly refused, unwilling to let her take the risk.

Qi Menglin offered to accompany Luo Shu, and although Han Muzhi was reluctant, he eventually agreed, warning Qi Menglin to ensure Luo Shu’s safety. Qi Menglin dressed as a ragged refugee, while Luo Shu disguised herself as a shabby, buck-toothed woman. They smeared soot on their faces and pretended to be a destitute couple. Upon arriving at the mine, they saw the cook, Wang Mao, returning with groceries. The two deliberately rolled down a hillside, pretending to be in distress.

Claiming that Luo Shu was newly pregnant and they were starving, they pleaded for Wang Mao’s help. Sympathetic, Wang Mao brought them to the mine. Wang Mao gave them some dry food and told them to leave once they were full. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu claimed they had come to seek refuge with relatives but were now homeless and desperate. Begging for a chance to stay, they promised to do odd jobs.

Wang Mao let them stay for labor work but kept a close watch on their actions. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu worked diligently, gradually earning Wang Mao’s trust. One day, Luo Shu overheard Wang Mao talking in hushed tones with a man called Gou Ge. Although she couldn’t catch much, she heard them mention the White Ant gang. Wang Mao then sent Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to deliver food to the workers.

While doing so, Luo Shu noticed that in addition to the coarse meals prepared for the miners, Wang Mao had made a separate pot of finer food. Luo Shu suspected the better food was meant for the abducted girls. Qi Menglin tried to gather information from the miners and learned that four supervisors were relatives of Qian Dayou. Luo Shu delivered food to the supervisors and recognized one of them as Bai Yue, the first disciple of Xiang Tang.

His real name was Qian Yue. Bai Yue found Luo Shu familiar but couldn’t place her, as she was disguised as the buck-toothed woman. Wang Mao arranged for Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to stay in the woodshed. That night, Luo Shu sketched a map of the mine. Qi Menglin offered to sleep on the floor, giving the blanket to Luo Shu.

Concerned that Bai Yue might recognize her, Qi Menglin suggested that Luo Shu leave while he stayed behind to continue the investigation. Luo Shu, however, believed Bai Yue would not recognize her current appearance. Luo Shu accidentally noticed the rough and scarred hands of Qi Menglin and felt a pang of sympathy, though Qi Menglin brushed it off casually. Late at night, while Luo Shu was sneaking around to investigate, she was caught red-handed by Bai Yue.

Luo Shu took advantage of Qi Menglin being fast asleep and went to the locked woodshed to investigate. At the same time, Bai Yue arrived to find Wang Mao. He noticed Luo Shu acting suspiciously and pressed her to reveal her identity. Wang Mao rushed over after hearing the commotion and forcibly sent Luo Shu away. Bai Yue asked Wang Mao to help him find a feisty woman, as Eunuch Zhang preferred that type.

Wang Mao was hesitant, as Qian Sigou was watching him closely, demanding that women he found be handed over to Qian Sigou first. Bai Yue, having seen countless women seeking children at Xiang Hall in the past, had been hiding in the mines after becoming a fugitive. Unable to show himself publicly, he sought Wang Mao’s help and promised great wealth and power if he succeeded. The two quickly formed an agreement.

When Luo Shu returned to the woodshed, she woke Qi Menglin, who scolded her for taking such risks. Through a crack in the door, Qi Menglin saw someone approaching and quickly got into bed with Luo Shu to maintain the illusion they were a married couple. Wang Mao entered, glanced around, found nothing unusual, and warned Luo Shu not to wander around. He left after tossing a blanket on the bed.

Luo Shu then pushed Qi Menglin off the bed, forcing him to sleep on the floor. Chen Meiqing volunteered to lead soldiers to the Mantianling mines to rescue Zao Hua. Han Muzhi worried that, as a low-ranking county official, Chen Meiqing wouldn’t be able to handle Qian Dayou. Chen Meiqing suggested Han Muzhi report to Liu Yiqing and take down Qian Dayou’s backer, Eunuch Zhang.

Sensing Han Muzhi’s concern for Luo Shu, Chen Meiqing advised him to prioritize the bigger picture. Han Muzhi entrusted Chen Meiqing with taking care of Luo Shu. Early the next morning, Chen Meiqing led troops to the mines and demanded that Qian Dayou hand over Zao Hua. Qian Dayou feigned ignorance. Chen Meiqing presented a personal belonging of Zao Hua left at the mines and insisted on searching the premises.

Despite Qian Dayou’s repeated attempts to block them, Chen Meiqing ignored him and ordered the mines to be searched. When Zao Hua couldn’t be found, Chen Meiqing revealed his trump card: a secret decree signed by Han Muzhi authorizing an audit of the mine’s accounts. Qian Dayou panicked but tried to resist. Chen Meiqing invoked imperial authority, giving Qian Dayou half an hour to produce the accounts, forcing him to comply.

In the crowd, Chen Meiqing spotted Luo Shu and Qi Menglin and sent Cai Baotou to rescue them. However, Qian Dayou’s spies were everywhere, and Qi Menglin couldn’t safely contact Cai Baotou. Meanwhile, Qian Dayou interrogated his four overseers, demanding to know who had abducted Zao Hua. All denied any involvement. Qian Dayou then sent a messenger to alert Eunuch Zhang.

Qian Sigou and Bai Yue approached Wang Mao, urging him to find a feisty woman for Qian Dayou to present to Eunuch Zhang. Wang Mao assigned Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to clean latrines. Bai Yue, seeing Luo Shu’s back, felt she looked familiar and called out to her loudly. Fearing her identity might be exposed, Qi Menglin deliberately dumped a bucket of pig slop onto Bai Yue, distracting him.

While cleaning the latrines, Luo Shu grew suspicious that Wang Mao had intentionally sent them away. Ignoring Qi Menglin’s warnings, she sneaked back to the kitchen and saw Wang Mao cooking. Taking advantage of his distraction, she went to the locked woodshed. Peeking through the crack, she spotted Zao Hua imprisoned inside. Luo Shu quietly reassured Zao Hua and promised to rescue her soon. Wang Mao, hearing noises from the woodshed, approached with a cleaver.

Luo Shu quickly hid, and Wang Mao, finding nothing suspicious, returned to his cooking. Qi Menglin later returned with a cart of waste, and Luo Shu feigned a stomachache to avoid further work. Wang Mao reluctantly allowed her to rest. When overseers pressed Wang Mao to prepare meals for the government officers, he asked Luo Shu to help.

After the food was prepared, Wang Mao insisted that Luo Shu accompany him to deliver the meals, watching her closely to prevent her from acting independently. She couldn’t contact Cai Baotou. That night, after returning to the woodshed, Luo Shu told Qi Menglin where Zao Hua was being held. He wanted to rescue her immediately, but Wang Mao’s men were watching their every move. Luo Shu decided to seek help from Chen Meiqing.

Qian Dayou handed over the account books on time, but Chen Meiqing suspected they had been tampered with. Cai Baotou, still unable to reach Luo Shu, worried she and Qi Menglin were being controlled. Taking advantage of the night, Luo Shu sneaked near Chen Meiqing’s residence. Cai Baotou created a distraction by stirring up conflict with the miners, allowing Luo Shu to slip inside and report to Chen Meiqing. She informed him of Zao Hua’s location.

Chen Meiqing, not wanting to alert the enemy, instructed Luo Shu to gather evidence of Qian Dayou and Eunuch Zhang’s collusion to ensure they could capture everyone involved. Luo Shu also revealed that Bai Yue was hiding at the mines. Chen Meiqing urged her to withdraw immediately to avoid being recognized by Bai Yue. Luo Shu remained confident in her disguise but promised to be cautious.

Chen Meiqing reminded her to stay safe, noting he wouldn’t be able to face Han Muzhi if anything happened to her. Luo Shu reassured him and continued her mission. Despite Chen Meiqing’s past efforts to keep her and Han Muzhi apart, Luo Shu harbored no resentment and still supported him wholeheartedly. Late at night, Luo Shu returned to the woodshed. Bai Yue suddenly appeared, pinning her to the ground and strangling her.

Recognizing her, he intended to kill her to silence her. Luo Shu struggled but eventually lost consciousness. When she woke up, she found a pool of blood on the ground. Following the blood trail, she discovered Bai Yue’s corpse in an abandoned mine. Luo Shu couldn’t figure out who had killed him.

Luo Shu narrowly escaped and returned to the woodshed, eagerly recounting the thrilling events she had just experienced to Qi Menglin. Qi Menglin couldn't figure out who had killed Bai Yue but worried that Qian Dayou would discover Bai Yue's corpse. Luo Shu reassured him that she had cleaned up the bloodstains and that it was an abandoned mine shaft, unlikely to be discovered anytime soon.

Early in the morning, Qian Dayou received the news of Bai Yue's disappearance and was filled with anxiety. Chen Meiqing came to see Qian Dayou, bringing with him a letter of accusation that had been sent to the county office. The secret letter accused Qian Dayou and Bai Mayi of colluding to abduct women. Qian Dayou was terrified. Chen Meiqing pressed him, warning that if Grand Eunuch Zhang’s position fell, Qian Dayou would also be doomed.

Qian Dayou doubted anyone could bring down Grand Eunuch Zhang, but Chen Meiqing insisted that one of Qian Dayou's confidants had betrayed him by kidnapping Zao Hua and providing evidence. Chen Meiqing claimed he had come to offer Qian Dayou a chance to redeem himself. Qian Dayou, trembling, agreed. Chen Meiqing urged Qian Dayou to report Grand Eunuch Zhang. In return, Han Muzhi would recommend him to Liu Yiqing. Otherwise, he would be in an impossible position.

Wang Mao overheard their conversation. Meanwhile, Qian Dayou suspected Bai Yue had betrayed him and gathered three confidants to search for Zao Hua. Wang Mao handed Zao Hua over to Qian Sidaogou, who quickly informed Qian Dayou. Qian Dayou ordered her to be sent to the mine to avoid being discovered by the authorities.

Grand Eunuch Zhang sent his trusted aide, Eunuch Huang, to the mine to instruct Qian Dayou to destroy previous records and get rid of Chen Meiqing and his group—so long as Chen Meiqing wasn’t killed. Qian Dayou was desperate to know Grand Eunuch Zhang's current situation. Upon learning that the emperor hadn’t investigated him and that Grand Eunuch Zhang was safe, Qian Dayou finally felt relieved. Qian Dayou took Eunuch Huang to inspect the mine, where many women were held captive.

He opened the sack Qian Sidaogou had just delivered, only to find Luo Shu inside. Wang Mao had secretly placed Zao Hua in a sack, intending to kill her. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin revealed their identities. Wang Mao admitted he had long known they were undercover agents sent by the authorities, which was why he brought them to the mine. However, he never expected them to collude with Qian Dayou.

Wang Mao confessed to reporting Qian Dayou to the county office, intending for the authorities to arrest him. Misunderstanding Chen Meiqing as an accomplice of Qian Dayou, Wang Mao had tried to kill Chen Meiqing’s fiancée, Zao Hua, out of spite. Luo Shu quickly stopped Wang Mao, explaining their plan in detail.

She revealed that Chen Meiqing had been aware of Zao Hua’s location but refrained from rescuing her immediately to avoid alarming their enemies and instead planned to gather enough evidence to arrest both Qian Dayou and Grand Eunuch Zhang. Luo Shu also guessed that Wang Mao had saved her by killing Bai Yue. Realizing the truth, Wang Mao apologized to Zao Hua, and she urged him to assist Chen Meiqing in capturing Qian Dayou.

Luo Shu sent Zao Hua to inform Han Muzhi, while she disguised herself as Zao Hua to locate the imprisoned women, leaving clues along the way. Despite Qi Menglin’s objections, they had no better plan. Wang Mao delivered Luo Shu to Qian Sidaogou, who locked her in the mine. News of Bai Yue’s corpse being discovered soon reached Qian Dayou, throwing him into panic. Luo Shu pretended to be Chen Meiqing’s fiancée, Zao Hua, but Qian Dayou didn’t believe her.

Upon learning Zao Hua’s supposed identity, Eunuch Huang scolded Qian Dayou harshly, who then rushed to confront Wang Mao. Meanwhile, Zao Hua, with the help of Xiao Doumiao, escaped the mine. Cai Butou found Zao Hua and escorted her to safety. The overseers attempted to silence Luo Shu, but Qi Menglin and Wang Mao arrived in time to save her. They tried to rescue the captive women but were bound together with iron chains.

Left with no other option, they used stones to break the chains. Qian Dayou realized Wang Mao and the couple working in the kitchen had vanished, finally deducing they were undercover agents. Determined to resist the authorities, he ordered his men to capture Chen Meiqing. Returning to the mine, Qian Dayou and Eunuch Huang captured Wang Mao, Luo Shu, and Qi Menglin.

Qi Menglin revealed his true identity as the governor’s son, prompting Eunuch Huang to berate Qian Dayou and urge him to kill them. Qi Menglin persuaded Qian Dayou to release them, warning that Grand Eunuch Zhang was doomed this time. Caught in indecision, Qian Dayou followed Eunuch Huang’s advice to blow up the mine and create the illusion of a mining accident. As Qian Dayou and Eunuch Huang left the mine, they encountered chaos as officers clashed with miners.

Eunuch Huang suggested killing Chen Meiqing as well. Someone attempted to assassinate Chen Meiqing, but Zao Hua shielded him, taking a fatal stab. Chen Meiqing was devastated by her sacrifice. Han Muzhi arrived with reinforcements, capturing Qian Dayou, Eunuch Huang, and the unruly miners. Chen Meiqing cradled the dying Zao Hua. With her final breath, she confessed her feelings to him, leaving Chen Meiqing heartbroken.

Luo Shu instructed Qi Menglin to kick over a miner’s lamp, which ended up near Wang Mao. Enduring immense pain, Wang Mao burned through the ropes, freeing Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, and the captive women. They reached the mine’s entrance just as someone threw explosives inside. Wang Mao threw himself onto the explosives, sacrificing himself to protect the others.

Qian Dayou led Han Muzhi and the constables to the abandoned mine where Luo Shu and Qi Menglin were held. From a distance, they saw that the mine had been blown up, and Qian Dayou broke out in a cold sweat. He attempted to re-enter the ruins to rescue them, but the entrance was tightly sealed with rocks. Qian Dayou warned Han Muzhi not to move the rocks carelessly, as it might cause a complete collapse.

Enraged, Han Muzhi gave him a harsh scolding. Han Muzhi personally led his team to remove the rocks and also sent people to search for other entrances to the abandoned mine. Soon, someone discovered the entrance through a dried-up well, and Han Muzhi immediately rushed there with his men. Meanwhile, Wang Mao had sacrificed himself to shield Luo Shu and Qi Menglin from the explosion. Fortunately, they survived, though the only exit was blocked.

Luo Shu urged everyone to stay calm and wait for rescue. Han Muzhi and the soldiers descended through the dried-up well and began removing rocks from within, transporting them to the surface. Exhausted, the soldiers struggled to keep going. Lian Shu handed out silver notes to motivate them, and Han Muzhi promised rewards and commendations once the rescue was complete. The soldiers pressed on despite their fatigue. Inside the mine, Luo Shu was weak and drowsy from exhaustion.

Worried that she might lose consciousness entirely, Qi Menglin tried to keep her awake by chatting with her. Luo Shu reminisced about her happy memories with Han Muzhi and realized how deeply she cared for him. When Qi Menglin curiously asked about the man in her heart, she avoided answering and eventually drifted off to sleep. Han Muzhi, determined to save Luo Shu, tirelessly led the efforts to clear the blocked entrance.

Just as morale was faltering, Qi Menglin heard faint knocking sounds and realized someone was attempting to rescue them. He quickly roused Luo Shu and the other women, and together they banged on the walls to signal their location. Han Muzhi heard the echoes and urgently rallied the soldiers to dig harder. Finally, after relentless effort, the entrance was cleared. Overwhelmed with relief, Han Muzhi rushed in and hugged Luo Shu tightly, refusing to let go.

Meanwhile, Lian Shu helped Qi Menglin out of the mine. Seeing Han Muzhi and Luo Shu embracing in tears, Lian Shu realized with heartbreak that Luo Shu’s true feelings were for Han Muzhi. Chen Meiqing stayed by Zao Hua’s body, refusing to leave. With tears in his eyes, he carefully applied light makeup to her, wanting her to look beautiful as she departed.

Han Muzhi urged Chen Meiqing to rest, but Chen, deeply affected by the life-and-death experience, had a newfound clarity. He advised Han Muzhi not to miss his chance with Luo Shu, revealing that Luo Shu had hidden her feelings to avoid hindering Han Muzhi’s future. Luo Shu later visited Wang Mao and his wife Dongmei’s graves with Xiao Doumiao.

Xiao Doumiao recounted Wang Mao’s tragic story: his wife had been captured and taken to the mine by Qian Dayou, and Wang Mao had infiltrated the mine for revenge. To avoid being recognized, he had even scarred his own face with a branding iron. Luo Shu was deeply moved by his sacrifice. Upon learning why Luo Shu had rejected him, Han Muzhi immediately sought her out to confess his feelings.

He declared his intention to annul his engagement to Liu Wan and spend his life with Luo Shu. Han Muzhi presented Luo Shu with his mother’s bracelet as a token of his love. Overcome with emotion, Luo Shu accepted, and the two pledged their lives to each other. That evening, Luo Shu and Han Muzhi shared drinks, and Luo Shu opened her heart to him. She expressed her desire to leave her lowly status behind and travel freely.

Han Muzhi reassured her that he had already submitted the paperwork for her emancipation, which should be approved soon. Their conversation deepened their bond. Elsewhere, Qi Menglin wandered by the river, lost in thought. Lian Shu followed him and tried to comfort him, but Qi was inconsolable. That night, Qi Menglin joined the soldiers for drinks, downing large quantities of alcohol. Drunk and melancholic, he couldn’t stop thinking about the hardships and joys he had shared with Luo Shu.

The next morning, Luo Shu went to find Han Muzhi, only to learn that he was giving a lecture at the county school for new students. She made her way there and saw him speaking confidently to his class. Watching him, Luo Shu felt even greater admiration for Han Muzhi.

Luo Shu witnessed Han Muzhi's charisma at the county school, and she couldn't help but admire him deeply. She could see that Han Muzhi had great ambitions, but she was worried that she might hinder his future. Han Muzhi, however, had no interest in fame or fortune; he only sought to live without regret. Early the next morning, Cai Baozi noticed that Luo Shu was missing. Xu Wuzuo revealed that Luo Shu and Han Muzhi had gone on a date.

Cai Baozi was happy for them, but Xu Wuzuo had some concerns. Han Muzhi was already betrothed to Liu Wan, the daughter of Liu Yiqing, and Xu Wuzuo feared that Han Muzhi might sacrifice his career for love. Cai Baozi and Cai Butou, however, believed that love was the most important thing. After taking care of Zao Hua’s affairs, Chen Meiqing returned to the county office and overheard Xu Wuzuo and others discussing Han Muzhi.

He warned them not to disturb Han Muzhi’s peace. Qi Menglin, having lunch at a restaurant, overheard the students praising Han Muzhi’s literary talents. Feeling bitter, he left before finishing his meal. He planned to visit Xu Wuzuo and Cai Baozi to chat but saw Han Muzhi and Luo Shu coming back together, showing their affection. Frustrated, he left. Han Muzhi wrote a letter to Liu Yiqing late at night, stating his intention to break off the engagement with Liu Wan.

Qi Menglin swore to study hard from the next day onwards and surpass Han Muzhi. He burned all his treasured storybooks, but despite Lian Shu’s advice, he couldn’t shake his resolve. Han Muzhi soon received a letter from Liu Yiqing, who informed him that he would be inspecting the waterworks in Linfen and investigating the case involving Qian Dayou. Liu Yiqing would also be staying at the county office.

Chen Meiqing felt uneasy about Liu Yiqing’s visit and was worried for Han Muzhi. Cai Baozi asked Luo Shu about her date with Han Muzhi, but Luo Shu just smiled without answering. Han Muzhi came to see Luo Shu and mentioned Liu Yiqing's upcoming inspection. He decided to confront Liu Yiqing in person. Liu Yiqing arrived in Linfen, accompanied by Liu Wan, to finalize Han Muzhi’s marriage to her daughter.

Liu Yiqing praised Han Muzhi’s work but also pointed out his shortcomings. He warned Han Muzhi to maintain distance from Qi Menglin and gave him a lecture on the duties of an official. Cai Baozi made some buns and asked Cai Butou to deliver them to Qi Menglin, hoping he would console Luo Shu. Liu Yiqing, along with Liu Wan, sought Han Muzhi’s input on the wedding date, leaving Luo Shu feeling troubled.

Qi Menglin wanted to comfort Luo Shu but hesitated, feeling it might not be appropriate. Chen Meiqing noticed Luo Shu’s distress and kindly urged her to go out for a walk to clear her mind. Liu Yiqing left early, urging Liu Wan and Han Muzhi to finalize their wedding date. Liu Wan, still suspicious of Luo Shu, found out that Han Muzhi had assisted Luo Shu in helping the county office solve several cases.

She became more resentful and even sent her maid, He Xiang, to inquire further about Luo Shu. Han Muzhi guessed that Liu Wan might cause trouble for Luo Shu and warned her to be cautious. He Xiang discovered that there was indeed a "Luo Du Tou" (a title for a county official) at the county office. Liu Wan decided to meet this person in person.

When Liu Wan came to the kitchen looking for Cai Baozi, she bumped into Luo Shu, who was about to leave, and immediately recognized her as a woman. Liu Wan investigated Luo Shu's background and quickly discovered that she was the woman Han Muzhi intended to rescue. She sent someone to summon Luo Shu for a confrontation. Chen Meiqing saw Liu Wan taking Luo Shu away and immediately rushed to inform Han Muzhi.

Fearing that Luo Shu might be mistreated, Han Muzhi rushed over to intervene. Liu Wan was aggressive and intentionally handed Luo Shu a brocade pouch, revealing that Luo Shu had used the name "Jin Nang" (meaning "Brocade Pouch") in Ming Ke Fang. Luo Shu’s subordinate, who had also gone by that name, was exposed. Han Muzhi arrived just in time, pulling Luo Shu away.

Luo Shu didn’t want to jeopardize Han Muzhi’s future, but he reassured her that he wanted to become a good official on his own merits, without relying on others. Han Muzhi promised that he would break off his engagement soon and asked Luo Shu to wait for his good news. Han Muzhi went to see Liu Wan to break off their engagement, but Liu Wan refused. She presented him with a token as proof of their commitment.

Luo Shu, anxiously waiting for the results of their conversation, felt uneasy when she saw Liu Yiqing summon Han Muzhi. Liu Wan had He Xiang send an invitation to Luo Shu, asking her to attend a court meeting. Luo Shu wanted to discuss things with Han Muzhi, but Liu Yiqing kept him busy with official matters.

Luo Shu attended the court meeting as scheduled, and Liu Wan intentionally brought up Luo Shu’s background in front of the noble ladies, claiming she was from Ming Ke Fang. She then forced Luo Shu to play the pipa to entertain the guests. As Luo Shu played, she couldn’t help but recall her childhood experiences. After finishing the song, Liu Wan asked the guests to choose another, and Luo Shu reluctantly complied. Hearing the news, Han Muzhi rushed over.

At the court meeting, Liu Wan publicly humiliated Luo Shu by forcing her to play the pipa for the entertainment of the guests. As if that wasn't enough, she urged her female companions to choose more songs, and Luo Shu, unwilling to cause trouble for Han Muzhi, reluctantly complied. Han Muzhi rushed over upon hearing the news. He wanted to help Luo Shu but didn't dare to openly oppose Liu Wan, fearing to embarrass her in front of others.

He stood frozen in place, while Qi Menglin hurriedly arrived to stand up for Luo Shu, using his status as the son of the governor to apply pressure. He was met with ridicule from He Xiang, who mocked him, but Qi Menglin fiercely scolded her in return. Liu Wan stepped forward to argue with Qi Menglin, but he countered her words, leaving her speechless with frustration. Two wealthy young ladies stood up to mock Luo Shu for her lowly background.

Qi Menglin quickly dismissed them with sharp words, and then grabbed Luo Shu to leave. Once they were away from the crowd, Qi Menglin joked about Han Muzhi being a hypocrite and warned him not to provoke Luo Shu again. He took Luo Shu down to the riverbank and advised her against becoming Han Muzhi's concubine. Luo Shu, deeply hurt by the public humiliation, was disappointed that Han Muzhi was too afraid to help her.

She felt a deep sense of sorrow. Lü Wanchang, a wealthy merchant from Linfen, sent his son Lü Cong to the county office to lodge a complaint. Lü Wanchang had been arrested for allegedly killing his neighbor Ma Tianjin, and Lü Cong wanted to clear his father's name. Han Muzhi was familiar with the case. Lü Wanchang and Ma Tianjin had a long-standing feud, and Ma Tianjin had been stabbed to death.

Someone had reported Lü Wanchang as the murderer, and Lü Wanchang had confessed and accepted his fate. Lü Cong insisted that his father was innocent, claiming that Lü Wanchang had been forced to sign a confession to protect his family. Lü Cong had recently seen a notice in Hejin County about the case, which mentioned two bandits who had confessed to attacking the Ma family. Han Muzhi, uncertain about how to proceed, decided to seek help from Liu Yiqing.

Liu Yiqing, who knew Han Muzhi well, advised him to stop involving himself in trivial matters that could affect his future. He had heard about Qi Menglin causing a scene at Liu Wan's court meeting and immediately scolded Han Muzhi without understanding the details. Han Muzhi, feeling frustrated, suspected that someone from the county office might be leaking information to Liu Yiqing.

He decided to clean up the office staff, but Chen Meiqing warned him that his position in Linfen was still unstable after only a year. Han Muzhi reluctantly put the plan on hold and asked Chen Meiqing to go to Hejin County to investigate the situation.

Luo Shu heard that Cai Butou would be going with Chen Meiqing to investigate the case in Hejin, and since she had once interrogated Lü Wanchang at the prison, she knew he wasn't a good person. She also found it strange that the bandits had chosen to rob Ma Tianjin’s family, rather than the wealthy Lü family. Luo Shu suspected there was more to the case and decided to personally investigate.

Chen Meiqing, wanting to help her avoid Liu Wan, agreed to take her along. Qi Menglin, upon hearing that Luo Shu was going to Hejin, insisted on accompanying her. Luo Shu couldn’t refuse, so she agreed. Qi Menglin casually asked about the paperwork for her official release from the county, suspecting that someone was obstructing the process. He wanted to ask his father for help, but Luo Shu didn’t want to trouble him.

When Han Muzhi came to see Luo Shu off, he overheard her conversation with Qi Menglin and felt uneasy. Luo Shu, intending to slip away without Qi Menglin, was surprised to find him already waiting for her. She had no choice but to bring him along. The two of them boarded a boat to Hejin County, and while there, Qi Menglin noticed two small beggars on a nearby boat fighting over buns.

He traded a piece of meat for one of the buns and learned that they were there to fetch their master, who had rowed a woman across the river. The woman had given them a basket of buns, but Qi Menglin soon noticed bloodstains on the boat. Suspicious, he opened a nearby wine barrel and found a human head inside.

The small beggars pulled out daggers and tried to stab him, but Luo Shu quickly pulled Qi Menglin and jumped into the river to escape. Cai Butou arrived in time to pull Qi Menglin out of the river, but the small beggars escaped in their boat. Qi Menglin thanked Luo Shu for saving his life, and Luo Shu suspected that the head was meant for the woman who had given the beggars the buns.

She wanted to use herself as bait to lure out the beggars' master, but Qi Menglin was worried. Just then, the beggars' master appeared at the dock. Luo Shu wasted no time and quickly boarded a boat to cross the river. The small beggar tried to prevent his master from staying any longer, urging him to leave, but Luo Shu had already boarded and was urging the old beggar to set sail.

Qi Menglin, worried about Luo Shu's safety, rushed to the riverbank. He revealed his identity as a constable and falsely claimed that Luo Shu was his wife, urging her to return with him. Luo Shu loudly accused Cai Butou of being a human trafficker, which made the old beggar suspicious. He quickly urged the boat to leave, but Cai Butou jumped onto the boat as well.

The small beggar, wanting to deal with Luo Shu, drew a knife, but Qi Menglin threw a stone, hitting the small beggar in the chest and causing him to drop the knife. The old beggar jumped into the river to escape, and the two small beggars followed suit. Yang Zhan, the captain of Hejin County, arrived just in time and arrested all three beggars. Cai Butou and Yang Zhan, old acquaintances, were thrilled to reunite.

Luo Shu, wanting to interrogate the suspects who had killed Ma Tianjin, went to the prison with Qi Menglin and Cai Butou. The two culprits, Jin Lao Liu and Zheng Lao San, confessed that they had killed Ma Tianjin for money. Luo Shu questioned them persistently, but they avoided the more important details. After scolding them, Old Song, the prison warden, invited Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, Yang Zhan, and Cai Butou to a meal.

Luo Shu didn’t believe that Jin Lao Liu and Zheng Lao San were the real murderers, and Cai Butou shared her suspicion. Qi Menglin suggested they wait until after the meal to interrogate them again. After eating, they returned to the prison. Luo Shu was certain that the two were covering for someone else, so she explained the consequences and urged them to reveal the true killer.

Just then, Old Song rushed in with the wives of Jin Lao Liu and Zheng Lao San, bringing them food. Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, and Cai Butou followed the two women separately. Jin Lao Liu’s wife went to a cosmetics shop, while Zheng Lao San’s wife returned home to care for her child. There was nothing unusual. However, the trio suspected Old Song was involved, though he couldn’t directly contact the Lü family in Linfen. Luo Shu theorized that there was a mole in the Linfen county office who had been helping Lü Wanchang find a scapegoat.

Luo Shu suspected that Lao Song and an insider in the Linfen County government were working together to frame someone as a scapegoat for Lü Wanchang. However, she lacked solid evidence. Luo Shu suggested re-interrogating Jin Lao Liu and Zheng Lao San to find a breakthrough. She guessed that they wouldn’t confess easily, so she proposed that Qi Menglin use his charm to seduce Jin Lao Liu’s wife, Yu Zhen. Qi Menglin flatly refused.

Cai Baozi and Yang Zhan tried to persuade him, encouraging him to go along, and Luo Shu also used reverse psychology, but Qi Menglin remained firm. Luo Shu then instructed Cai Baozi and Yang Zhan to dress up carefully for the task, but both of them ended up looking awkward. Qi Menglin didn’t want to cause Luo Shu any trouble and reluctantly agreed. Disguised as a gentle and refined young man, Qi Menglin loitered near Jin Lao Liu's house.

Yu Zhen instantly fell for him and invited him inside. Qi Menglin pretended to have a cold, and Yu Zhen quickly made him a bowl of ginger soup, which he drank in one go. Yu Zhen doted on Qi Menglin, and he reciprocated with kindness. She confided in him, admitting that her husband was a thief who had been locked up in the jail. Qi Menglin kindly advised her to find her happiness and left her with a silver ingot.

Yu Zhen begged him to stay, and Qi Menglin reluctantly agreed to return that night. Yu Zhen was overjoyed. Luo Shu praised Qi Menglin's disguise and gave him her beloved gem hairpin, asking him to find a way to give it to Yu Zhen. She said that once this case was closed, she would be free of Han Muzhi and everything would be settled. Qi Menglin was secretly pleased. That night, he kept his appointment with Yu Zhen.

She had been waiting for a long time and had prepared a feast. She threw herself at him, but Qi Menglin skillfully avoided her advances, continuously persuading her to drink more wine and promising to take her to Taiyuan. Soon, Yu Zhen was drunk and began to sing and dance. The next morning, Qi Menglin woke up to find himself in bed with Yu Zhen. He sighed with relief when he saw that they were both fully dressed.

Qi Menglin was ready to leave, but Yu Zhen was reluctant to part. He remembered Luo Shu's instructions, called Yu Zhen outside, and in front of everyone, pinned the hairpin in her hair before leaving with his horse. Back at the county office, Qi Menglin reported to Luo Shu, assuring her that he had remained chaste. Luo Shu believed him and complimented him on completing the task well.

Luo Shu went to speak with Zheng Lao San’s wife, pretending to be a relative of Ma Tianjin. She clarified that Zheng Lao San and Jin Lao Liu had not killed Ma Tianjin and were being used as scapegoats. Luo Shu urged Zheng’s wife to tell the truth, offering to reward her with double the benefits. Zheng’s wife hesitated, but Luo Shu hinted that Yu Zhen had found a wealthy man who lavished her with gold and jewelry.

When Zheng's wife went to the jail to deliver food, she ran into the pleased Yu Zhen, immediately noticing the hairpin in her hair. She became convinced by Luo Shu’s words. While she watched Jin Lao Liu nibbling on a cold steamed bun, she shared with him the details of Yu Zhen’s infidelity. Jin Lao Liu was furious. Zheng’s wife revealed that Zheng Lao San had been framed and that the employer had promised her three rooms and a salary.

Luo Shu kept her promise and gave her one hundred taels of silver. Qi Menglin, curious, asked how Luo Shu had so much silver, but she avoided answering. The more Jin Lao Liu thought about it, the angrier he became. He didn’t want to let his hard-earned silver go to Yu Zhen, so he insisted on changing his testimony. Lao Song explained the consequences to him, telling him that if he changed his story, it would implicate Zheng Lao San.

Jin Lao Liu didn’t care and insisted on confessing. Lao Song couldn’t make the decision on his own, so he went to report. That night, Lao Song took Jin Lao Liu away, claiming that the county magistrate wanted to interrogate him. Lao Song intended to silence him, but Yang Zhan arrived just in time to stop him. Luo Shu, Cai Baozi, and Qi Menglin followed shortly after.

Jin Lao Liu shouted out that he hadn’t killed Ma Tianjin, that it was Lao Song who had bribed him to take the fall. Luo Shu forced Lao Song to reveal the truth. Lao Song admitted that Wei Dianli from the Linfen County office was his mentor. Wei Dianli had brought an old man to him, asking him to find someone to take the fall for Lü Wanchang.

Cai Baozi, based on Lao Song’s confession, guessed that the old man was the notorious litigator Wu Zhuangyuan. Due to the cold Qi Menglin had caught from his last fall in the river, he fell seriously ill. Luo Shu was heartbroken and stayed by his side, carefully tending to him. Qi Menglin finally woke up and saw Luo Shu asleep beside his bed. He felt a surge of affection and wanted to caress her, but Luo Shu suddenly woke up.

Qi Menglin had been in a deep sleep for an entire day and night before finally waking up. Luo Shu had not left his side, providing him with attentive care. Luo Shu wanted to bring Qi Menglin a bowl of porridge, but he lied, claiming he wasn’t hungry and stopped her. He just wanted her to stay by his side. Cai Baozi returned to Linfen with the testimonies of Jin Lao Liu and Lao Song.

Luo Shu urged Qi Menglin to eat properly, suggesting that they could return to Linfen soon. Before leaving, Qi Menglin went to Yu Zhen's house and threw a bag of silver and a note over the wall, advising Yu Zhen to find a good man and live a better life. Yu Zhen, confused, read the note but didn't understand. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu took a boat back to Linfen.

Qi Menglin was still not fully recovered, but Luo Shu took great care of him, even buying him steamed buns. Qi Menglin felt warm inside and urged Luo Shu to forget about Han Muzhi, speaking badly about him. Luo Shu didn’t want to listen and sulked, refusing to speak to him. The boat soon arrived in Linfen, and Luo Shu disembarked alone, leaving. Lian Shu, hearing that Qi Menglin was ill, had been waiting at the dock for him.

Back at the county office, Cai Baozi eagerly told Luo Shu that Liu Wan had left Linfen. Cai Baozi asked about Qi Menglin’s condition and suggested that Luo Shu meet with Han Muzhi, who had finally obtained Luo Shu’s certificate of freedom. Luo Shu was now officially a free person, and she felt an unprecedented sense of relief and joy. Soon, Chen Meiqing arrived and explained everything.

Liu Wan insisted on not breaking off her engagement with Han Muzhi, even threatening him with Luo Shu's freedom document. Luo Shu now understood why Han Muzhi hadn’t defended her during the court session—because Liu Wan had used her freedom document to pressure him. Han Muzhi questioned Lü Wanchang and Lü Cong, even bringing Wu Zhuangyuan in for cross-examination.

Lü Cong confessed that Wu Zhuangyuan had approached him, offering to help Lü Wanchang escape the charges in exchange for a large sum of money. Wu Zhuangyuan had found two scapegoats in Hejin County, instructing Lü Cong to use a notice to falsely accuse them.

Wu Zhuangyuan denied the accusations, adamantly claiming he had never been to Hejin and even called his wife and neighbors to testify that he had been ill at home the previous month, placing all blame on Lü Wanchang and Lü Cong. Luo Shu stepped forward to testify against Wu Zhuangyuan, presenting the testimonies of Jin Lao Liu and the prison guards. Wu Zhuangyuan still denied the accusations. Then, Wei Dianli arrived to testify against him.

Han Muzhi and Chen Meiqing had invited Wei Dianli for drinks and, with emotional appeals and reason, convinced him to testify. Wei Dianli, filled with remorse, agreed to take the stand. He exposed Wu Zhuangyuan's crimes, leaving him speechless. The case of Ma Tianjin’s murder was successfully closed. Han Muzhi, however, was conflicted as he thought about Luo Shu leaving once the case was finished.

Luo Shu went to bid him farewell, returning the jade bracelet to him and thanking him for his efforts and sacrifices in helping her become free. She explained that they were destined to be apart, and that there was no future for them. Han Muzhi desperately tried to keep her, asking her to stay and work as a constable, but Luo Shu, unable to refuse his sincerity, reluctantly agreed.

Watching Luo Shu walk away with the bracelet, Han Muzhi knew that they could never be together, and his heart ached. Chen Meiqing noticed Han Muzhi's inner turmoil and advised him to let go of this relationship. Han Muzhi no longer hoped for a future with Luo Shu but just wanted her to be a little closer to him. Qi Menglin, now recovered from his illness, exercised daily.

He heard that villagers along the Fen River were at odds over water rights, and the constables of Linfen were rushing there. Fearing for Luo Shu’s safety, Qi Menglin immediately led troops to offer support. When they arrived at the scene, Qi Menglin ordered the ringleaders to be arrested. Upon learning that Luo Shu had gone to call for reinforcements, he immediately set out to find her.

From a distance, he saw people taking Luo Shu hostage and rushed to chase after them. The cart stopped at a large mansion, and the kidnappers carried Luo Shu inside. Qi Menglin quickly went to break down the door, but no one answered. He climbed over the wall and entered the courtyard. Liu Wan had never left Linfen.

She was staying at her cousin Xue Wenyin’s house and had sent people to kidnap Luo Shu, forcing her to leave the county office. Han Muzhi had promised that if Liu Wan gave Luo Shu her freedom certificate, he would allow her to leave, but he had gone back on his word.

Luo Shu was unaware of this and agreed to leave, explaining that she and Han Muzhi had already settled things and that she was staying at the county office simply because she enjoyed the life there. Liu Wan, seeing Luo Shu covered in dirt from mediating the villagers' water disputes, felt sorry for her, but Luo Shu believed her actions were meaningful. Xue Wenyin noticed a shadow moving quickly and screamed in fear.

Qi Menglin climbed over the wall and was immediately caught. He shouted to see Luo Shu. Zhou Xian arrived with his concubine Xiao Yue, and they took Qi Menglin back for questioning. Xiao Yue instructed the maid Shuang'er to check what had gone missing from the lady’s room.

Liu Wan, witnessing the scene, was worried that her cousin Xue Wenyin might be bullied by Xiao Yue, so she asked Luo Shu to lie, claiming that she had come to visit Luo Shu to catch up. Luo Shu agreed without hesitation. Shuang'er searched Xue Wenyin’s bed and found a man’s undergarment. Zhou Xian recognized it wasn’t his, and immediately concluded that Xue Wenyin and Qi Menglin were having an affair.

Xiao Yue fanned the flames, and Zhou Xian ordered that Qi Menglin be killed. Luo Shu immediately intervened, repeatedly explaining that Qi Menglin had come to find her, and only then did Zhou Xian let him go.

When Zhou Xian, the county instructor of Linfen, learned that Qi Menglin was the son of Governor Qi, he was so frightened that he repeatedly apologized. Qi Menglin had never endured such humiliation. He went to find Luo Shu, knocked for a long time, but no one responded. Eventually, he had to climb over the wall to enter and was caught and mistaken for a thief. Zhou Xian even suspected that he had an affair with his wife, Xue Wenyin.

Qi Menglin, furious, gritted his teeth and shouted at Zhou Xian, who was so frightened that he begged for mercy. Xiao Yue firmly claimed that Xue Wenyin was having an affair and presented a man's undergarment found in her room. Zhou Xian, unable to protect himself, was too busy to deal with this scandal.

He planned to host a banquet to apologize to Qi Menglin, but Liu Wan, citing some business with Qi Menglin and Luo Shu, quickly took them away. Zhou Xian pressured Xue Wenyin, who realized that Xiao Yue was deliberately framing her but had no solid evidence. She was so distressed that she burst into tears, and Xiao Yue eventually managed to pull Zhou Xian away.

Liu Wan noticed that her cousin, Xue Wenyin, had been framed and asked Luo Shu to stay in the mansion for a few days to help clear her name. Luo Shu also felt that Xue Wenyin had been wronged and readily agreed. Qi Menglin, worried that Liu Wan might bully Luo Shu, wanted to stay as well, but Luo Shu asked him to return to Han Muzhi to request leave, so he reluctantly complied.

Luo Shu asked Xue Wenyin to explain the situation. Xue Wenyin detailed her experience: she had been married to Zhou Xian for two years without having any children, and Zhou Xian then married his childhood friend, Xiao Yue, who bore him a son. Xiao Yue became arrogant because of her favored position and constantly made things difficult for Xue Wenyin, even trying to force Zhou Xian to divorce her.

One day, when Xue Wenyin was napping in her bedroom, the maid Ziyan saw someone sneak into the room. She only caught a glimpse of the person’s back. Luo Shu deduced that the intruder was familiar with the inner workings of the household. Luo Shu and Liu Wan tried to inquire from the mansion's servants but found no valuable leads. Luo Shu heard that Xiao Yue had introduced a relative, Niu Dali, to work at the mansion as a stableman.

This man was tall and muscular, so Luo Shu and Liu Wan went to the stable. Niu Dali returned drunk, and when Luo Shu pressed him about his movements, he claimed not to know anything and was very rude. Zhou Xian heard that the new county magistrate, Han Muzhi, had powerful connections and wanted to use his influence to advance. He decided to send Han Muzhi a fine inkstone, hoping to get into his good graces.

As Xue Wenyin was about to reveal Liu Wan's connection to Han Muzhi, Zhou Xian impatiently interrupted her and urged her to hurry and send Luo Shu away. Xue Wenyin suspected that Xiao Yue had used Niu Dali to frame her, so she sent Ziyan to a tavern frequented by Niu Dali to gather information. It turned out that Niu Dali spent money lavishly.

Han Muzhi waited anxiously at the county office for Luo Shu to return, but when night fell and she hadn't come back, he was frantic and considered sending Cai Baozi to search for her. Qi Menglin arrived just in time, reporting that Luo Shu was simply visiting a friend but did not mention Liu Wan. Han Muzhi still wasn’t reassured. Qi Menglin was also worried about Luo Shu, so he stayed outside Zhou Xian’s house all night.

The next morning, Luo Shu hadn’t woken up yet, but Liu Wan came to find her, informing her that Niu Dali had committed suicide in the stable. Xiao Yue suspected that Xue Wenyin had forced him to death, so Zhou Xian ordered the news to be kept quiet and sent someone to notify Niu Dali’s family. Luo Shu found Niu Dali’s death suspicious and suspected it was not a suicide.

She wanted to go to the county office to have Xu Wuzuo conduct an autopsy, but Zhou Xian didn’t want to escalate the matter, so Luo Shu had to find another way. Qi Menglin and Lian Shu had been watching the Zhou household all night. The next morning, when Luo Shu went out, she saw him and asked him to help stage a scene. Then, they would invite Xu Wuzuo to perform an autopsy.

Qi Menglin pretended to be Niu Dali’s vengeful ghost at the stable, covering the doors and windows with blood handprints, which frightened the stableman. Luo Shu suggested bringing someone to perform a ritual in the mansion. Zhou Xian, unable to think of a better solution, reluctantly agreed to Luo Shu’s plan. Xu Wuzuo disguised himself as a Taoist priest and came to the Zhou household.

He performed a ritual in the yard and then quietly entered the house to perform the autopsy on Niu Dali. Liu Wan suspected that someone in the house had an affair with Niu Dali, which led him to place the undergarment on Xue Wenyin’s bed. Xiao Yue desperately tried to defend Niu Dali, and Liu Wan, frustrated, wanted to report to the authorities.

Zhou Xian, not wanting to make the matter public, declared that Niu Dali had committed suicide and urged Xiao Yue to notify Niu Dali’s family to come collect the body. Xiao Yue was stunned and stood motionless until Zhou Xian called her, and only then did she come to her senses. Luo Shu observed everything. Xue Wenyin remembered an argument between Xiao Yue and Niu Dali a month ago and felt something was off about their relationship.

Luo Shu decided to check Niu Dali’s belongings. Han Muzhi, by chance, saw Qi Menglin escorting Xu Wuzuo away and began to have doubts. He had been waiting for Xu Wuzuo to return, only to find out that he had helped with the autopsy for the Zhou family. Han Muzhi went directly to Zhou Xian, who then learned that Han Muzhi was Liu Wan’s fiancé. He greeted him with great respect and changed his attitude toward Xue Wenyin.

Han Muzhi scolded Liu Wan for allowing Luo Shu to stay behind to investigate the case. Luo Shu claimed that she had chosen to stay voluntarily, and Han Muzhi, unable to press further, agreed and left for the county office. Zhou Xian continued to send him off, and Xiao Yue, upon hearing that Han Muzhi was Liu Wan’s fiancé, had a sinking feeling. She was certain that Han Muzhi wouldn’t divorce Xue Wenyin because of Liu Wan.

Liu Wan and Luo Shu examined Niu Dali’s belongings and found that he had a lot of money and a pill called "Qi Rong Wan," which was a kind of sedative made by the Xiang Tang. Xue Wenyin remembered that shortly after Xiao Yue visited the Xiang Tang, she became pregnant, and Niu Dali had joined the Zhou family as a stableman after the Xiang Tang was destroyed.

Luo Shu deduced that Niu Dali had once been a disciple of the Xiang Tang, and after violating Xiao Yue, he had nowhere else to go and turned to her.

Luo Shu wanted the leader of the Xiang Tang to identify Niu Dali's body, but unexpectedly, Xiao Yue sent someone to secretly move the body. Ziyan saw this and immediately reported it to Luo Shu and Liu Wan. Luo Shu asked Qi Menglin, who was guarding outside, to help retrieve the body. The leader of the Xiang Tang recognized Niu Dali as one of his disciples. Luo Shu reviewed the clues she had gathered.

Years ago, Xiao Yue had gone to the Xiang Tang to ask for a child, and Niu Dali had made her pregnant. After the Xiang Tang was destroyed, Niu Dali, left with no way out, sought Xiao Yue for help. Xiao Yue had leverage over Niu Dali and obeyed him without question. Xiao Yue wanted Zhou Xian to divorce Xue Wenyin, so she had Niu Dali hide her undergarment under Xue Wenyin’s bed.

Liu Wan was convinced that Xiao Yue had killed Niu Dali to silence him, but Luo Shu felt something was off. Xiao Yue’s original intent was to frame Xue Wenyin, not to kill Niu Dali. Still, Liu Wan was adamant that Xiao Yue was the murderer and wanted to ask Han Muzhi to arrest her. Luo Shu knew Han Muzhi well.

His inaction was because he didn’t want the women who had suffered at the Xiang Tang to be dragged into this. Luo Shu wanted to find a solution that would not hurt anyone. However, Xue Wenyin couldn’t wait any longer and was eager to see Xiao Yue punished. Luo Shu wanted to handle it carefully, but Xue Wenyin, in her anger, discovered that Xue Wenyin had bruises all over her body, realizing that Zhou Xian had beaten her.

In a fit of rage, Xue Wenyin went to the county office to report him. Cai Baozi, who had been ordered to arrest Xiao Yue, came to the Zhou household, but Zhou Xian desperately blocked him, reminding Xue Wenyin to consider the bigger picture. Xue Wenyin hesitated to speak up, while Zhou Xian worked hard to protect Xiao Yue, begging Xue Wenyin to go easy on her. He even brought up their son.

This enraged Xue Wenyin, and she shouted that the child was not Zhou Xian’s. Zhou Xian, embarrassed and furious, tried to strike Xue Wenyin, but Luo Shu intervened, loudly reprimanding Zhou Xian and suggesting they conduct the questioning in the mansion. Luo Shu confronted Xiao Yue about her relationship with Niu Dali. Xiao Yue insisted they were cousins, but Luo Shu exposed her lies, mentioning that Xiao Yue had gone to the Xiang Tang to seek a child.

Liu Wan suspected that Zhou Xian's son was actually Niu Dali’s, but Zhou Xian didn’t believe it. Luo Shu told Cai Baozi to bring Niu Dali’s family to confront Xiao Yue, but Zhou Xian, wanting to keep his family secrets hidden, told Cai Baozi to eat first and send Luo Shu and others away. Inside the room, only Zhou Xian and Xiao Yue were left. Zhou Xian pressured Xiao Yue, demanding the truth.

Xiao Yue mocked him, saying he was useless. Furious, Zhou Xian lunged at Xiao Yue, choking her. Luo Shu, Liu Wan, Xue Wenyin, and Cai Baozi burst in and pulled Zhou Xian away. Xiao Yue then publicly berated Zhou Xian. She revealed that she and Zhou Xian had grown up together, but he had married Xue Wenyin for his career.

To give him a son, Xiao Yue had gone to the Xiang Tang to seek help, but all this trouble had followed. Xiao Yue denied killing Niu Dali but admitted that Zhou Xian had ordered her to move his body. Luo Shu suspected that Zhou Xian had killed Niu Dali, but without concrete evidence, she had to put the matter on hold for the time being. Liu Wan urged Luo Shu to quickly arrest Zhou Xian.

Luo Shu told her to find the murder weapon first, and Xue Wenyin, having overheard their conversation, offered to help investigate. Luo Shu advised her to rest, but Xue Wenyin insisted. Luo Shu and Liu Wan racked their brains, suspecting that the murder weapon might be an incense burner. They decided to search Xiao Yue’s room for the weapon.

That night, Xue Wenyin secretly placed the incense burner in Xiao Yue’s room, but Luo Shu and Liu Wan caught her in the act. This was all part of Luo Shu’s plan. She had suspected Xue Wenyin was the murderer and had set a trap to test her. Xue Wenyin admitted to killing Niu Dali.

She had accidentally discovered that Xiao Yue had bribed Niu Dali to frame her, so she had approached Niu Dali, offering him double the reward to tell Zhou Xian that the child wasn’t his. However, Niu Dali became aggressive with her, and after a struggle, Xue Wenyin managed to choke him to death with a rope, making it look like a suicide. The next morning, Xue Wenyin went with Cai Baozi to the county office to confess.

Liu Wan was heartbroken, and Luo Shu kindly encouraged her to pursue her own feelings bravely. Liu Wan, having gained new respect for Luo Shu, asked her to stay in the county office, but Luo Shu decided to leave and travel the world. Liu Wan envied her. After leaving the Zhou household, Luo Shu saw Qi Menglin waiting for her. Her heart warmed, and she shared her thoughts with him. Qi Menglin decided to accompany her on her journey.

Zhou Xian wrote a letter of divorce to Xiao Yue, and she left the Zhou household with her child. Han Muzhi dismissed Zhou Xian from his position as county instructor.

Luo Shu went to Han Muzhi to say her goodbyes. Han Muzhi felt that she was leaving because of Liu Wan, but Luo Shu only wanted the freedom to travel around. She had made up her mind to leave. Han Muzhi immediately went to confront Liu Wan, wanting Luo Shu to stay at the county office, but Liu Wan accused him of being selfish and not considering Luo Shu's feelings at all.

Luo Shu packed her belongings and went to say goodbye to Han Muzhi. Han Muzhi came up with various excuses to try to keep her, but Luo Shu refused to stay. With the New Year approaching, Governor Qi sent a letter urging Qi Menglin to return home for the holidays. Qi Menglin wanted to spend the New Year with Luo Shu and asked Lian Shu to prepare some New Year goods to send to the county office.

Luo Shu went to Mingke Fang to bid farewell to Jin Miaocui and prepared many gifts for the girls. Yu Mama mocked Luo Shu and purposely made things difficult for her, saying that Jin Miaocui was now the top courtesan of Mingke Fang and that Luo Shu would have to pay to see her. Luo Shu took out all the silver she had and bought half an hour of Jin Miaocui’s time. Han Muzhi couldn't stop thinking about Luo Shu.

He found himself in the back courtyard, remembering her image and her smile. Han Muzhi felt conflicted, and soon Qi Menglin arrived, mocking Han Muzhi for being hypocritical and unable to face his own feelings. Qi Menglin admitted that he liked Luo Shu and vowed to give her a happy life. Han Muzhi laughed at him, saying that Qi Menglin was naive and would never be able to stand on his own without relying on his family’s power.

Han Muzhi warned him to stay away from Luo Shu, or he would only harm both her and himself. When Luo Shu saw Jin Miaocui, she couldn’t wait to tell her the good news that she had obtained the official document to remove her name from the register. Luo Shu wanted to take Jin Miaocui to Taiyuan, where they would rely on each other from now on. Jin Miaocui couldn’t leave, though, and warned Luo Shu not to trust anyone.

Suddenly, Yu Mama burst in, urging Luo Shu to leave quickly. Jin Miaocui also pushed her away, and Luo Shu sensed that Jin Miaocui was hiding something she couldn’t speak about. Cai Baozi, Xu Wuzuo, and Cai Baozi discussed the idea of spending the New Year with Luo Shu. Chen Meiqing mentioned that Luo Shu was leaving, and they all felt reluctant to see her go.

Lord Qin sent someone to invite Luo Shu to spend the New Year with his family, but Luo Shu firmly declined. Qi Menglin had sent a lot of New Year goods to the county office, hoping to celebrate with Luo Shu. Xu Wuzuo, Cai Baozi, and Cai Baozi had prepared a lavish meal for her farewell. Qi Menglin then learned that Luo Shu was going to Taiyuan, and he was so happy that he couldn’t stop smiling.

He decided to go with her. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin set off for Taiyuan early in the morning, with Chen Meiqing, Cai Baozi, Cai Baozi, and Xu Wuzuo coming to see her off. Only Han Muzhi didn’t show up. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin arrived in Taiyuan, the place where Luo Shu had lived when she was a child. Visiting her childhood home stirred many emotions in her.

Luo Shu went to look for an inn, but Qi Menglin had already arranged for Lian Shu to inform all the inns, and they were all fully booked. With no place to stay, Qi Menglin took Luo Shu to his home. Qi Menglin told Lian Shu to settle Luo Shu in first, then he went to pay his respects to his mother. Lian Shu and Luo Shu entered the courtyard, where they ran into Qi Menglin's older brother.

He relentlessly questioned Luo Shu about her background, but Qi Menglin arrived just in time to intervene, and his brother stopped asking further questions. The maids surrounded Qi Menglin, asking all sorts of questions and gossiping about Luo Shu and Qi Menglin's relationship. Qi Menglin instructed Luo Shu to stay in the side room. After settling Luo Shu, Qi Menglin went to visit his second brother.

While there, he accidentally saw the gift lists from wealthy merchants from all over, and he recalled Han Muzhi's sarcastic words. This made him feel quite uneasy. That night was New Year’s Eve. Luo Shu had just laid down when Qi Menglin sent the maid Xue Zhu to wake her up. He pulled her to set off fireworks and drink wine to celebrate the New Year. They clinked glasses and chatted happily.

Luo Shu was moved by the festive atmosphere and couldn’t help but think of the happy times she had spent with her parents when she was young. A great fire had burned down her home, and since then, she had been an orphan. Qi Menglin drank a lot and became drowsy. When he fell asleep, he woke up to find Luo Shu lying next to him.

He was overwhelmed by the urge to kiss her, but when he saw the tears in her eyes, he felt sympathy and gently wiped them away. The next morning, after breakfast, Luo Shu wanted to go for a walk, but Qi Menglin was planning to meet up with old childhood friends, so he couldn’t accompany her. Luo Shu then learned that Qi Menglin had lived in Taiyuan for a period when he was younger.

After finishing breakfast, Luo Shu wanted to go out for a walk. Qi Menglin had made plans to meet up with some childhood friends, so he couldn’t accompany her. The two of them went out together, and Taiyuan’s richest man, Qin Yi, came to see Qi Menglin's second brother, Qi Yanjin. Qin Yi took the initiative to greet Luo Shu, but she ignored him.

After Qin Yi left, Qi Menglin was curious about how Luo Shu knew Qin Yi and why Qin Yi called her "Yulan. " Luo Shu simply said she had known Qin Yi before going to Mingke Fang, and Qin Yi would visit her whenever he came to Linfen. Qi Menglin suspected that Qin Yi might have ulterior motives toward Luo Shu, but Luo Shu didn’t want to explain further and excused herself to leave.

Qin Yi came to see Qi Yanjin about the salt transport permit. Qi Yanjin was in a difficult position as the government was tightening its control over salt permits. Although he managed the Qi family's business, the head of the family was his father, Governor Qi, and there wasn’t much he could do.

Qin Yi refused to give up on this opportunity and wanted to take a share of the profits, urging Qi Yanjin to seize the family head position as soon as possible. Qi Yanjin insisted that the brothers had a deep bond, so Qin Yi stopped pressuring him. Before leaving, Qin Yi warned Qi Yanjin to be cautious of the woman Qi Menglin was bringing back. Qi Yanjin sent his trusted aide, Lian Qi, to investigate Luo Shu’s background.

Luo Shu grew up in Taiyuan as a child, but after a tragic fire killed her parents, she became an orphan. Many years later, she returned to her childhood home. While Taiyuan remained bustling and prosperous, she felt like an outsider. Luo Shu couldn’t remember where she had lived as a child, only that there had been a large plaque at the alley entrance and a very good baozi shop nearby. She asked around but found no answers.

After finishing his meeting, Qi Menglin returned home early to check on Luo Shu. Luo Shu hurried to help him take off his outer coat, and Qi Menglin smiled, imagining that Luo Shu was his wife. Luo Shu hadn’t found any information about her childhood home, so Qi Menglin asked Lian Shu to investigate further based on Luo Shu’s memories.

The next morning, Luo Shu went out, and Qin Yi happened to come looking for her, wanting to have a serious conversation. Luo Shu had no choice but to go with him to a teahouse. Lian Qi observed from nearby. Qin Yi purposely ordered the snacks Luo Shu loved as a child, but she tried to avoid him. Qin Yi regretted how he had treated Luo Shu in the past and wanted to start over with her.

Luo Shu firmly rejected him, not wanting anyone to control her life. Back then, Qin Yi had suffered humiliation at the Qin family, and only Luo Shu had shown him kindness. He had used her to rise to the position of family head. He even wanted to help Luo Shu remove her name from the register, but Luo Shu refused. Qin Yi desperately tried to please her, but she was tired of hearing him and left in a huff.

When Luo Shu returned to the Qi residence, Qi Yanjin called her over. He had already found out about her background and warned her to leave Qi Menglin as soon as possible, or he would not be kind to her. It was New Year's Eve, and Qi Menglin directed the servants and maids to decorate the house. Luo Shu returned to Qi Menglin's small courtyard with a heavy heart.

Qi Menglin, oblivious to her mood, excitedly showed off his decorations and promised to spend the evening with her after the family banquet. The Qi family gathered for a reunion dinner. Qi Menglin's older brother, who worked in the court, reported his achievements for the year. Qi Menglin wasn’t interested, and instead, he picked out a few dishes for Lian Shu to send to Luo Shu. Qi Menglin’s father, Governor Qi, asked him to talk about his work.

Qi Menglin rambled on about leading troops to suppress bandits and solving several major cases, even getting injured in the process. His grandmother was very concerned and asked him many questions. Governor Qi quietly warned Qi Menglin that they would talk about it after the New Year. After dinner, the whole family watched a play. Qi Menglin had Lian Shu sit in his place while he went to find Luo Shu.

He bumped into Qi Yanjin on the way, who reminded him not to get too close to Luo Shu. Qi Menglin didn’t listen and went straight to find her. The next morning, Qi Menglin took Luo Shu to the place where she had lived as a child. When Luo Shu saw the familiar baozi shop, she quickly found her old home. But it was now someone else’s house.

After asking for permission, she went into the room that used to be hers. Luo Shu could never forget the fire that had destroyed her family. After her parents fell asleep, Luo Shu sneaked into the kitchen to steal some roast chicken, and eventually fell asleep in a daze. When she woke up, her house was on fire, and her parents had died in the flames.

Luo Shu noticed that the markings on a wooden pillar were still there; her father had carved them to mark her height. Qi Menglin wanted to buy the pillar, but Luo Shu politely refused. Luo Shu met Aunt Guo outside, and Aunt Guo was overjoyed to see her. Aunt Guo had saved Luo Shu from the fire. The fire was strange because it had rained heavily that night, but the fire wasn’t put out.

Luo Shu had been unconscious for a day and night. Strangers had come asking if anyone had survived the fire. Aunt Guo and Uncle Guo decided to send Luo Shu to a relative’s house in the countryside, but soon after, Luo Shu disappeared. Aunt Guo thought Qi Menglin was Luo Shu's fiancé, and Qi Menglin mistakenly confirmed it, even inviting Aunt Guo to the wedding.

Luo Shu felt that her parents' deaths were suspicious, and Qi Menglin promised to help her find out the truth. However, after many years, there was no way to investigate. Luo Shu clearly remembered the strong burnt odor when the fire happened. Qi Menglin went to a general store and asked the shopkeeper to test various fuels, but he couldn’t find the same smell. He then took Luo Shu from shop to shop.

The shopkeeper suddenly remembered that the smell of military-grade pitch was the same, and that the Zhang family had pitch. The pitch was expensive and already reserved, but the shopkeeper reluctantly agreed to test it. When Luo Shu smelled it, she confirmed that it was the same burnt odor, suspecting that her home had been destroyed by military-grade pitch. The shopkeeper thought it was unlikely because only the military could get such large quantities of pitch.

Qi Menglin recalled that his father had been stationed in Shanxi at that time and decided to ask his father about the pitch’s whereabouts. Luo Shu remembered her tragic past. She had been adopted by Aunt Guo’s relative but was later sold to the Qin family. Qin Yi had brought her to the Qin household.

Luo Shu wanted to uncover the truth behind the fire that destroyed her family and the cause of her parents' deaths. Qi Menglin spared no effort in helping her. Luo Shu opened up to him and told him in detail about her tragic childhood. She had been sold to the Qin family by a hot duck vendor, and Qin Yi had taken her in.

The housekeeper didn’t want her because she was young and weak, and despite Qin Yi's pleas, nothing changed. Soon, Fifth Concubine took an interest in Luo Shu, teaching her music, chess, calligraphy, and needlework. However, not long after, Fifth Concubine left the Qin family to go to Mingke Fang and forcefully took Luo Shu with her.

Luo Shu didn’t want to leave and begged Qin Yi to intervene, but he ignored her and even had both Fifth Concubine and Luo Shu kicked out of the Qin house. Luo Shu had always regarded Qin Yi as a brother, but he used her trust to bring down Fifth Concubine. From then on, Luo Shu harbored resentment toward Qin Yi. Not long after, Qin Yi became the head of the Qin family.

He made a special trip to Mingke Fang in Linfen to bring Luo Shu back, explaining that he had been forced into his actions. But Luo Shu resolutely refused. After hearing Luo Shu’s story, Qi Menglin was deeply moved and urged her to forget the unpleasant past. Early one morning, Luo Shu went to see Uncle Guo and Aunt Guo to inquire about the people who came to her house after the fire.

They didn’t recognize anyone, but Uncle Guo remembered that on the day of the fire, Luo Shu's father had won a lot of money at the Changsheng Gambling House and had bought chicken, duck, fish, and meat to celebrate. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin went to the military camp to ask the head of the armory about the whereabouts of the stone pitch from thirteen years ago.

The armory head had no information and directed Qi Menglin to seek approval from Governor Qi. Lian Qi had been following Qi Menglin and had already made arrangements with the armory head to keep the truth from him. Uncle Guo and Aunt Guo also lied to Luo Shu. Their son was under the control of the Qi family, so they had to comply. Luo Shu went to the Changsheng Gambling House to ask the owner directly.

Just as the owner was about to reveal the truth, a group of constables arrived and arrested him without explanation. Qi Menglin rushed back home, wanting to ask his older brother for help, but his brother scolded him harshly, and his second brother, Qi Yanjin, also chimed in, warning him not to meddle in the military camp or investigate the old case.

Luo Shu went to Qi Menglin for help, and he guessed that the Taiyuan yamen had likely sent people to arrest the gambling house owner. He took her to see Sun Qian, the son of the prefect of Taiyuan. When Sun Qian learned of Qi Menglin's purpose, he led them both to the yamen, where they discovered that Zhao Naixian had sent the constables to arrest people at the gambling house.

Zhao Naixian had instructed his drinking buddy to pay fifty taels of silver to arrest the owner. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu went back to the gambling house, but the owner had not returned. They had no choice but to leave, but an attendant soon received a message via a flying dart and rushed to rescue the owner. Sun Qian and his constables arrived just in time to save the owner.

Luo Shu insisted that the owner tell her about the events from thirteen years ago. The owner recalled a regular gambler who had brought Luo Qingfeng to the gambling house. Luo Qingfeng won a lot of money, but that night, he died in the fire. The owner didn’t know who the regular gambler was, only remembering some physical features. Back at her room, an attendant brought Luo Shu a plate of her favorite ghee pastries, claiming it was from Qi Menglin.

Qi Menglin arrived shortly after, and ate the pastries without hesitation. Luo Shu felt something was wrong. She tested the pastries with a silver hairpin and found them to be poisoned. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became. Qi Menglin shared her feelings and suspected that her family’s fire was connected to someone in the Qi family. Luo Shu found Qin Yi particularly suspicious, and Qi Menglin swore to help her uncover the truth.

They came up with a plan to draw the culprit out. Qi Menglin had Lian Shu prepare a carriage and sent two servants to accompany Luo Shu to Fa Hua Temple to offer incense, deliberately speaking loudly about it. When Luo Shu arrived at the temple, someone suddenly attempted to attack her from behind. Qi Menglin caught the attacker on the spot and forced him to reveal the mastermind.

The attacker refused to speak, but Luo Shu noticed someone running on the mountain and chased after him with Qi Menglin. The man fled in panic, only to fall into a trap and get caught. Qi Menglin recognized the man as Lian Qi, who worked for Qi Yanjin. Qin Yi gave Qi Yanjin a priceless jade pendant, and Qi Yanjin treasured it greatly.

Qin Yi seized the opportunity to ask for the salt transport permit for this year, offering him one hundred thousand taels of silver and promising a 70-30 split of the profits. Qi Yanjin made various excuses to delay, but Qin Yi threatened him, warning that he would harm Qi Menglin if he didn’t comply. Qi Menglin returned with Lian Qi to confront Qi Yanjin, accusing him of sending someone to poison Luo Shu and even trying to have her assassinated.

Qi Yanjin vehemently denied it, claiming that he was only concerned about Luo Shu and had sent Lian Qi to follow her. Qin Yi, who had been eavesdropping outside, smiled slyly. Luo Shu didn’t want to involve Qi Menglin any further, so she hurried back to pack her things. Xue Zhu quickly went to find Qi Menglin and saw Qin Yi eavesdropping outside. She immediately went in to report it to him.

Reluctantly, Qin Yi left, and Qi Menglin tried to persuade Luo Shu to stay, but Qi Yanjin stopped him, urging him not to be with Luo Shu anymore. Qi Menglin was determined to leave with Luo Shu, despite Qi Yanjin’s objections. He insisted on helping her find out the truth about the fire and her parents’ deaths. Qin Yi stopped Luo Shu, offering to help her uncover the truth, but she ignored him. Lian Shu settled Luo Shu into an inn and arranged for protection, though Qi Menglin still had lingering concerns.

Qin Yi sent someone to investigate the cause of Luo Shu's parents' deaths. He discovered that thirteen years ago, Xu Biao, a gambler who had taken Luo Qingfeng to the Changsheng Gambling House, was also a minor official in charge of the grain warehouse. Xu Biao and Luo Qingfeng had been colleagues, and the Qi family had instructed Xu Biao to take Luo Qingfeng to the gambling house. Xu Biao, now gravely ill, deeply regretted his actions from that time.

Qin Yi asked him to tell Luo Shu the truth. Xu Biao was curious about why Qin Yi wanted to do this, so Qin Yi admitted that he had a grudge against the Qi family. The Qi family had caused the destruction of his wife's family. Qin Yi gave Xu Biao a large sum of money, promising to buy a large house for his wife and children and provide them with monthly living expenses, ensuring they would never go hungry.

Lian Qi learned that Qin Yi was searching for Xu Biao and immediately reported it to Qi Yanjin. Qi Yanjin ordered Lian Qi to pass on a message to Xu Biao, saying that he had asked a relative in the military camp for some stone pitch. Qi Yanjin arranged everything and only then informed Qi Menglin about finding Xu Biao. At the same time, Qin Yi told Luo Shu where to find Xu Biao.

Qi Menglin hurried over, claiming that his second brother, Qi Yanjin, had helped find Xu Biao's residence. Qi Yanjin and Qin Yi took Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to Xu Biao’s home. Xu Biao struggled to get out of bed and knelt before Luo Shu, confessing his sins. He admitted that he had taken Luo Qingfeng to the gambling house, where Luo Qingfeng won a lot of money.

That night, Xu Biao had gone to the Luo family’s house to steal money but failed, and in a fit of rage, he set fire to the house. Because of the rain, the fire didn’t catch, so he went back home to get stone pitch to set the fire. Xu Biao, filled with guilt, ended his life by slamming his head into a pillar, dying on the spot. Luo Shu was devastated upon learning the truth about her parents' deaths.

She fell into a deep sorrow and fell ill. Qi Menglin took her back to the inn, staying by her side. Luo Shu woke up, still in a daze, and as she thought more about it, something didn’t feel right. It seemed too coincidental that the murderer, Xu Biao, was found so quickly and died so easily.

Luo Shu couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, especially since Xu Biao’s face had been filled with fear before his death, and he kept mentioning his family. Qi Menglin also found it strange. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu visited Xu Biao’s home again, only to find it empty. From the neighbors, they learned that shortly after Xu Biao’s death, his wife and children were taken away.

Luo Shu remembered what Aunt Guo had said: the rain had only come after their house had caught fire. But Xu Biao had claimed that the rain had prevented the fire from starting, which led him to use stone pitch. Luo Shu suspected that either Xu Biao or Aunt Guo was lying. She decided to confront Aunt Guo. When Qi Menglin and Luo Shu arrived at the Guo family’s house, they saw that a large mourning tent had been set up.

The neighbors told them that Uncle Guo and Aunt Guo had both died from gas poisoning and were already buried. Their son had gone out of town. Luo Shu was stunned. She had finally found a clue, only for it to be cut off completely. Qin Yi confronted Qi Yanjin about bribing Xu Biao to fabricate evidence. Qi Yanjin reluctantly agreed to give Qin Yi a salt transport permit for a year.

Qin Yi, still dissatisfied, was warned by Qi Yanjin not to be greedy. Qi Yanjin offered peace, and Qin Yi reluctantly agreed. Luo Shu recalled Jin Miaocui’s words, urging her never to return to Taiyuan and not to trust anyone. Qi Menglin comforted Luo Shu, encouraging her not to lose hope. They would continue to look for new clues.

Luo Shu wanted to return to Mingke Fang in Linfen, as Fifth Concubine had left her a large sum of money after her death, enough to buy her freedom. Despite her efforts over the years, Luo Shu had never been able to succeed. She always felt as though invisible hands were controlling her life. Qi Menglin agreed to go with her to Linfen. Luo Shu advised Qi Menglin not to spend money recklessly and reminded him to treat his grandmother well.

Qi Menglin readily agreed and promised to give her a home. On the day of the Zhongyuan Festival, Luo Shu asked Qi Menglin to accompany her to the Taiyuan flower fair. Qi Menglin, of course, was eager to join. He dressed up carefully and accompanied Luo Shu to enjoy the festival. The flower fair in Taiyuan was bustling with activity. The streets were crowded, and Qi Menglin, unable to hold back his feelings, kissed Luo Shu.

Luo Shu pushed him away and slapped him hard, then ran off. Qi Menglin quickly gave chase, but she disappeared into the crowd. When Qi Menglin returned to the inn, he found no trace of her and guessed that she had gone to Linfen. Downcast, he returned home, only to be harshly scolded by the family patriarch. Qi Menglin decided to leave for Linfen early the next morning, but the patriarch adamantly refused, berating him for not understanding proper manners.

Qi Menglin argued, and the patriarch, enraged, raised his hand to strike him. His older brother quickly intervened, pleading on his behalf. The Qi family was in a delicate situation, and any mistake could lead to irreversible consequences. Qi Menglin could not remain uninvolved. The patriarch ordered him to stay at home from now on, but Qi Menglin refused. The patriarch, furious, nearly lost his temper. His older brother, coughing uncontrollably, intervened again.

The patriarch, softened by his brother’s plea, allowed Qi Menglin to escort him back to his room. Luo Shu arrived in Linfen and found a guesthouse run by Qiao Ruolan. Qiao Ruolan was overjoyed and offered Luo Shu a room. Luo Shu then went to Mingke Fang to find Jin Miaocui, but Yu Mama tried to block her at every turn. Luo Shu offered to pay, intending to buy Jin Miaocui's freedom.

Yu Mama advised her to give up, but Jin Miaocui agreed to follow Luo Shu back to Mingke Fang. Luo Shu took out all her silver notes, but Yu Mama remained firm and forcibly kicked her out.

Luo Shu went to Mingke Lane to find Jin Miaocui but was forcibly thrown out by Yu Mama. Jin Miaocui managed to send a message through a porter delivering vegetables to the county yamen, asking him to inform Constable Cai for help. Without hesitation, Constable Cai and Cai Baozi set out and happened to run into Luo Shu. Previously, Luo Shu had instructed Jin Miaocui to seek help from Constable Cai at the yamen if anything happened.

Luo Shu concluded that Jin Miaocui was in danger but, as she was no longer an official constable, it was inconvenient for her to intervene. Moreover, Yu Mama had just kicked her out. Constable Cai suggested that Luo Shu and Cai Baozi return to the yamen to wait for news while he led his men to Mingke Lane to rescue Jin Miaocui.

Constable Cai arrived at Mingke Lane with his team and claimed that he needed to bring Jin Miaocui back to the yamen for questioning. However, Yu Mama insisted on seeing an official document with the county magistrate's seal and refused to hand over Jin Miaocui without it. Left with no choice, Constable Cai returned to seek the necessary document from Han Muzhi. Yu Mama sensed something was off and assigned someone to keep a close watch on Jin Miaocui.

Luo Shu went to Han Muzhi for help, and Constable Cai arrived in a rush to explain the situation. Understanding the urgency, Han Muzhi agreed to issue the document immediately. Chen Meiqing tried to dissuade him from acting recklessly, but Luo Shu suggested sending someone to Mingke Lane to gather information first. At that moment, Qi Menglin arrived and proposed that Lian Shu go to Mingke Lane to investigate. Luo Shu, seeing no better alternative, agreed to Qi Menglin’s plan.

Qi Menglin and Luo Shu escorted Lian Shu to Mingke Lane, repeatedly cautioning him to be careful. Lian Shu quickly discovered that Jin Miaocui was being held in a side courtyard. He also saw a blood-covered man leaving the room. Shortly after, Yu Mama and her staff hurried into Jin Miaocui's quarters, their expressions tense. Lian Shu immediately reported what he had seen to Luo Shu and Qi Menglin.

When Qi Menglin and Luo Shu entered Jin Miaocui’s room, they found it empty. The staff were cleaning up bloodstains on the floor. Luo Shu questioned Yu Mama about Jin Miaocui's whereabouts, but Yu Mama calmly claimed that Jin Miaocui had succumbed to a sudden illness and died.

Luo Shu didn’t believe her, but Yu Mama firmly insisted that if Luo Shu hadn’t encouraged Jin Miaocui to leave Mingke Lane, she wouldn’t have tried to escape and gotten herself beaten to death. Luo Shu suspected that Jin Miaocui's body had been discarded at the mass graveyard. She ran there in one breath, with Qi Menglin close behind. They soon found Jin Miaocui's bruised and battered body.

Overcome with grief, Luo Shu broke down in tears, and Qi Menglin, unsure of how to comfort her, simply stayed silently by her side. Luo Shu refused to eat or drink out of sorrow, but Qi Menglin persuaded her to take care of herself so she could avenge Jin Miaocui. Luo Shu and Jin Miaocui had been sold to Mingke Lane as children and had relied on each other to survive.

Now, separated by life and death, Luo Shu sobbed uncontrollably on Qi Menglin’s shoulder. Han Muzhi came by to bring food for Luo Shu, but upon seeing this scene from a distance, he left quietly. Xu Wuzuo conducted an autopsy on Jin Miaocui and found that she had been humiliated and strangled to death. Luo Shu vowed to uncover the truth, but Qi Menglin urged her to rest while he investigated the culprit.

Luo Shu approached Han Muzhi for help, asking him to investigate Jin Miaocui’s death. He readily agreed. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin discovered that Jin Miaocui’s last client was a boatman named Guo Xing. Constable Cai brought Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to Guo Xing’s house, where they found him burning paper money for Jin Miaocui. Constable Cai immediately apprehended Guo Xing, while Qi Menglin beat him up, accusing him of murder. Guo Xing, terrified, repeatedly pleaded his innocence.

Guo Xing explained that when he arrived at Jin Miaocui’s room, she was already severely beaten and barely alive. In his panic, her blood splattered onto him, and he fled. Luo Shu believed his story and suspected that Yu Mama had ordered someone to kill Jin Miaocui. Luo Shu, Qi Menglin, and Constable Cai returned to Mingke Lane, where Constable Cai arrested Yu Mama. Xu Wuzuo’s analysis of the strangulation marks ruled out Yu Mama as the killer.

In prison, Yu Mama loudly protested her innocence and threatened to report the matter to the magistrate. Qi Menglin harshly scolded her, but during the chaos, Xiao Mian’ao escaped from Mingke Lane through a window and rushed to the yamen to report what had happened. Before she could reach the courthouse, she was stabbed. Xu Wuzuo treated Xiao Mian’ao’s injuries, while Luo Shu stayed by her side.

When Xiao Mian’ao finally woke up, she recounted the events leading to Jin Miaocui’s death. Jin Miaocui had written a letter pleading for help and asked Xiao Mian’ao to deliver it to the yamen, but Yu Mama discovered the letter. Furious, Yu Mama ordered Jin Miaocui to be beaten and locked her in the side courtyard. She then hired a man to silence Jin Miaocui for good.

Xiao Mian’ao admitted she was the only one who knew the truth, and if Yu Mama found out she was still alive, she would be in grave danger. Luo Shu visited Yu Mama in prison and tricked her by claiming that Xiao Mian’ao was dead and that she had no intention of pursuing Jin Miaocui’s death further. Luo Shu even released Yu Mama and personally escorted her back to Mingke Lane, handing her a piece of paper before leaving.

Li, the manager of Mingke Lane, was waiting for Yu Mama. Despite Yu Mama’s reassurances that she hadn’t revealed anything, Li didn’t trust her. Late that night, Qiao Si’er sneaked into Yu Mama’s room and tried to strangle her. Fortunately, Constable Cai, Luo Shu, and Qi Menglin arrived in time to save her. Under pressure, Yu Mama finally confessed everything, including how Li had orchestrated the murder of Fifth Madam.

Yu Mama confessed that the true master of Mingke Fang was Manager Li, who had killed Fifth Madam. Luo Shu learned that Manager Li was a subordinate of Qin Yi. Yu Mama explained the events leading up to the situation. Qin Yi had sent Luo Shu to Mingke Fang to temper her temperament, but Luo Shu secretly ran away and sought refuge at the county office.

Manager Li blamed Yu Mama for losing control over Luo Shu, and though Yu Mama didn’t dare to demand Luo Shu’s return from the county office, she apologized repeatedly to placate Manager Li. One day, Yu Mama overheard movement outside. When she went out to investigate, she saw Mulan passing by. Yu Mama interrogated Mulan, who firmly denied overhearing her conversation with Manager Li. Manager Li noticed that Mulan, sent by Qin Yi, bore a striking resemblance to Luo Shu.

He advised Yu Mama to carefully cultivate Mulan, believing that Mulan could help restore their standing with Qin Yi if nurtured properly. Yu Mama, terrified, repeatedly assured him she would do so. Shortly after, Yu Mama discovered that Mulan had grown close to Jin Miaocui. Jin Miaocui even wrote a letter, asking Xiao Mian’ao to deliver it to Captain Cai at the county office.

Yu Mama intercepted and read the letter, learning that Jin Miaocui had overheard her conversation with Manager Li. When Manager Li found out, he ordered Jin Miaocui’s death to silence her. Reluctant to lose a valuable asset, Yu Mama moved Jin Miaocui to a secluded courtyard. When Luo Shu visited to see Jin Miaocui, Jin Miaocui secretly arranged for a porter to deliver a message. Cornered, Yu Mama was forced to send Qiao Si’er to kill Jin Miaocui.

Yu Mama knelt on the ground, pleading with Luo Shu to spare her, claiming that Qin Yi would kill her otherwise. Luo Shu was heartbroken, realizing that Qin Yi had orchestrated everything. While Captain Cai launched a manhunt for Qiao Si’er, Luo Shu decided to focus on giving Jin Miaocui a grand funeral instead of continuing the search. Chen Meiqing voiced his objections, and Han Muzhi also advised caution. Ultimately, Qi Menglin offered to host the funeral under his name.

Luo Shu stayed by Jin Miaocui’s spirit tablet, reflecting on their past together. She realized Jin Miaocui had returned to Mingke Fang to uncover the mastermind behind everything. Luo Shu organized a grand funeral for Jin Miaocui but was heartbroken by the harsh criticisms from the townsfolk, who accused both her and Jin Miaocui of wrongdoing. Overwhelmed with grief, Luo Shu collapsed, coughing up blood. Two months passed before Luo Shu’s health gradually recovered under Qi Menglin’s care.

Meanwhile, a locust plague devastated Linfen, devouring the crops. Han Muzhi resolved to lead efforts against the plague, but the locals viewed the locusts as divine locust spirits. They even dug up Jin Miaocui’s grave, believing she was to blame. Han Muzhi tried desperately to stop them and finally succeeded. Qi Menglin urged Luo Shu to return to Taiyuan, but she wanted to visit Jin Miaocui’s grave before leaving.

Han Muzhi posted notices across Linfen, explaining that locusts were not divine spirits and encouraging people to join in combating the plague. He provided practical methods to deal with the infestation. However, the locals remained skeptical and insisted on holding a ritual to appease the so-called locust spirits. Frustrated, Han Muzhi ordered Chen Meiqing to issue another notice, recruiting a specialized team to tackle the plague. Qiao Ruolan visited Luo Shu and told her about the locust plague in Linfen.

Unexpectedly, villagers stormed in and captured Luo Shu, blaming her for angering the locust spirits by organizing Jin Miaocui’s funeral. They intended to sacrifice her blood to appease the spirits. Upon learning of this, Han Muzhi rushed to the scene, rescued Luo Shu, and ordered Captain Cai to arrest the instigators. Moved by the villagers’ plight, Luo Shu was willing to try any solution. She picked up a blade, but Han Muzhi stopped her.

Qi Menglin soon arrived and persuaded the villagers to work together against the plague, offering to exchange locust corpses for grain at the military camp. The villagers hesitated but began to trust them when Han Muzhi assured them of his promise. Filled with hope, they expressed their gratitude and pledged their efforts. Liu Wan, hearing about the locust plague, sought help from her father, Liu Yiqing, asking him to support Han Muzhi.

Meanwhile, Shanxi Provincial Governor Zheng also approached Liu Yiqing. Liu Yiqing tried to reassure Liu Wan not to worry too much.

Qin Yi heard about the locust plague in Linfen and predicted that grain prices would soar. Seizing the opportunity, he ordered his men to purchase grain on a large scale. Qiao Si’er, barely escaping death, returned to Taiyuan to confess his failure to Qin Yi. However, Qin Yi didn’t blame him for his incompetence. Knowing Qiao Si’er’s ruthless nature, Qin Yi decided to keep him alive for potential future use.

Qin Yi received a letter from Manager Li, informing him that Qi Menglin and Han Muzhi were encouraging the locals to exchange locusts for grain. This sparked an idea, and Qin Yi quickly went to see Minister Zhao of the Provincial Administration. Meanwhile, Han Muzhi personally oversaw the efforts on the ground. The villagers worked tirelessly to combat the locust plague, with Luo Shu and Qi Menglin also helping in the fields.

Qi Menglin worried about Luo Shu’s health, but she brushed off his concerns. The villagers handed over the locusts they caught and received grain in return. Han Muzhi’s men then burned the collected locusts. However, the grain in the granary was running out. To address the crisis, Han Muzhi invited the gentry of Linfen to the county office, asking to borrow grain from them.

The gentry tried to shirk responsibility with various excuses, but Han Muzhi assured them that the grain would be repaid in full within three months. He had also written to Liu Yiqing, requesting relief grain and promising to praise the gentry for their contributions. Moved by his words, the gentry finally agreed to lend their grain. Liu Wan tried to ask Liu Yiqing about the situation in Linfen, but he forbade her from prying.

Frustrated, she left, only to encounter Qin Yi outside. Qin Yi, introduced by Minister Zhao, met with Liu Yiqing. He asked Liu Yiqing to delay distributing the relief grain by a month, so he could sell his hoarded grain at a high price. In return, he promised to share 80% of the profits with Liu Yiqing. Liu Yiqing refused outright. Qin Yi then compromised, asking for just half a month, leaving Liu Yiqing puzzled.

Qin Yi admitted that he had a grudge against the Qi family. Curious, Liu Yiqing listened as Qin Yi explained the backstory, eventually agreeing to help him. Meanwhile, Governor Qi learned of the locust plague in Linfen and decided to inspect the situation personally. Before departing, he instructed Qi Yanjin to keep a close eye on Liu Yiqing and Minister Zhao. Thanks to the joint efforts of the county office and the villagers, the locusts were finally eradicated.

However, the crops had been completely destroyed, leaving the villagers heartbroken. Han Muzhi donated all the remaining grain from the granary. With no other food, Cai Baozi could only make a thin porridge to feed the county constables. Grateful for Qi Menglin’s support, Han Muzhi advised him to stay away from Luo Shu to avoid implicating her. Just then, Luo Shu arrived to see Qi Menglin. She expressed her willingness to stand by him through thick and thin.

Qi Menglin confessed his feelings to Luo Shu, and she happily accepted. Eager to marry him, they set off for Taiyuan immediately. Han Muzhi rushed to the dock but arrived just in time to see Qi Menglin and Luo Shu’s boat sailing away. Watching them gaze lovingly at each other, Han Muzhi gave up on his feelings for Luo Shu and left in tears.

Meanwhile, Qin Yi ordered Qiao Si’er to spread rumors that the Linfen county office still had grain, inciting the gentry to pressure Han Muzhi into buying grain from him at high prices. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu soon arrived in Taiyuan. Luo Shu sent Lian Shu ahead to secure a guesthouse for her. Unsatisfied with the guesthouse’s safety, Qi Menglin wanted Luo Shu to stay at his home, but she refused to trouble him.

When Lian Shu returned to the Qi family, he learned that the eldest young master had passed away. He immediately reported this to Qi Menglin. Qi Menglin hurried home and saw a mourning tent erected in the courtyard. Overcome with grief, he wept bitterly. Qi Yanjin tried to console him and explained the cause of their elder brother’s death.

Their brother, frail and chronically ill, had been enraged by rumors of his impotence and an affair between his wife and a gardener. His anger worsened his condition, leading to his untimely death. Suspecting that someone had intentionally spread the rumors to provoke his brother, Qi Menglin repeatedly confirmed with Qi Yanjin that the Qi family had no involvement in the deaths of Luo Shu’s parents. He concluded that Qin Yi was behind it all.

Qi Yanjin also found Qin Yi suspicious but lacked concrete evidence. They decided to wait for their father’s return to address the matter. Meanwhile, Qin Yi sent Luo Shu her favorite pastries and insisted that the Qi family was responsible for her parents’ deaths. Luo Shu didn’t believe him, suspecting that Qin Yi was the true culprit.

Qin Yi denied this, claiming he had seen the Qi family’s servants pouring stone varnish on her family home and throwing in a torch, burning her parents alive. Qin Yi, supposedly unable to bear the sight, rescued Luo Shu. She refused to believe his story. Qin Yi urged Luo Shu to give up on Qi Menglin, claiming that he was the one who truly loved her. Luo Shu accused Qin Yi of killing Fifth Madam and Jin Miaocui.

Qin Yi admitted to these acts, stating that everything he had done was for her. Refusing to listen further, Luo Shu drew her blade against him.

Qin Yi had been planning for years to make Luo Shu his own. Unexpectedly, Luo Shu fell in love with Qi Menglin and even drew a knife against him. Knowing he could never have Luo Shu in this lifetime, Qin Yi also didn’t want anyone else to win her over. Resigned, Qin Yi was willing to give his life to Luo Shu.

Grabbing her hand, he forced her to stab him in the chest with the knife, leaving Luo Shu shocked and at a loss for what to do. Qi Menglin suddenly came looking for Luo Shu. Qin Yi quickly pulled out the knife and whispered to Luo Shu not to marry Qi Menglin, warning her that the Qi family was full of evildoers who would eventually face retribution.

Qin Yi claimed he couldn’t bear to see Luo Shu dragged into their troubles. Qi Menglin burst into the room and, seeing Qin Yi holding a knife, assumed Luo Shu had been hurt. Rushing forward to check on her, he found no harm. Qin Yi then made an excuse that Luo Shu had merely been upset with him and quickly left.

Qi Menglin wanted to take Luo Shu home, reassuring her that he had confirmed with Qi Yanjin that the Qi family had no involvement in her parents' deaths. Before they could leave, Lian Shu came to deliver a message that Qi Menglin's father, Qi the Governor-General, had returned home. Qi Menglin instructed Lian Shu to assign more people to protect Luo Shu, promising to settle family matters quickly and return to her. He asked Luo Shu to wait for him.

Meanwhile, a certain Liu official from Shanxi, who had coveted the position of Governor-General for a long time, had colluded with numerous other officials and spread malicious rumors. Qi the Governor-General found himself in an unprecedented crisis, unsure of how to proceed. Qi Yanjin immediately declared that he would do everything in his power to support his father, and Qi Menglin made a similar commitment.

Qi the Governor-General instructed Qi Menglin to stay home with his grandmother and refrain from stirring up further trouble, leaving Qi Menglin no choice but to comply. Qin Yi ordered Que Sier to spread rumors that there was food at the Linfen county yamen, causing disaster victims from nearby counties to flood into Linfen. The local gentry began demanding that Han Muzhi repay the grain they had lent.

With the government’s disaster relief grain delayed and the yamen's remaining food barely sufficient to last five days, Han Muzhi decided to go to Taiyuan personally to seek disaster relief grain from Liu Yiqing. Hearing that disaster victims were gathering in Linfen, Zhao the Minister of War worried that the situation would spiral out of control. He sought advice from Qi the Governor-General about releasing some disaster relief grain immediately.

However, Qin Yi had already struck a deal with Qi the Governor-General: if the disaster relief grain was delayed by one month, Qin Yi could sell off his stockpiled grain at high prices and share 80% of the profits with the Governor-General. Qi the Governor-General decided to allocate some of the grain to counties in the west but postponed the release of grain to Linfen, and Zhao did not press further.

Luo Shu refused the escorts arranged by Qi Menglin and went out alone. On the streets, she saw citizens lining up at Qin Yi's grain shop to buy food, but the shop had received orders from Qin Yi not to sell a single grain. Noticing she was being followed, Luo Shu realized it was someone sent by Qin Yi. She drew her knife, ready to fight, but was interrupted by Captain Cai, who subdued the stalker in time.

Han Muzhi arrived shortly after, explaining that he and Captain Cai were on their way to press Liu Yiqing for grain relief. Captain Cai, hearing that Qi Menglin had returned home for mourning, decided to stay at the same inn as Luo Shu for safety. Qin Yi continued to purchase grain on a large scale, storing all of it in warehouses. Upon hearing that Han Muzhi had saved Luo Shu, Qin Yi grew even more resentful of him.

At Qi’s residence, Qi Menglin mourned his elder brother, who had died under unjust circumstances. Their grandmother was heartbroken, and Qi Menglin stayed by her side to console her. Meanwhile, Han Muzhi met Liu Yiqing, pleading for the release of disaster relief grain. Liu Yiqing, however, stalled with excuses, urging Han Muzhi to prioritize the bigger picture. Suspecting intentional delays, Han Muzhi pleaded desperately. Liu Yiqing took the opportunity to urge Han Muzhi to marry Liu Wan before abruptly leaving.

Qi the Governor-General summoned Qi Menglin and Qi Yanjin to his side, entrusting the family’s future to Qi Menglin and insisting he marry the Governor-General's second daughter. Qi Menglin adamantly refused, suggesting Qi Yanjin as a better match. However, as a son born to a concubine, Qi Yanjin was deemed unworthy of marrying the Governor-General's legitimate daughter. Qi Menglin remained firm, unwilling to relent.

Furious, the Governor-General scolded and beat Qi Menglin, who declared he would marry no one but Luo Shu. Learning that Luo Shu was of low birth, the Governor-General flew into a rage and beat Qi Menglin mercilessly. Their grandmother intervened, pleading for leniency, and the Governor-General finally stopped. Severely injured, Qi Menglin lay in agony. Han Muzhi returned to the inn and discussed emergency measures with Luo Shu. He proposed borrowing grain at high prices from wealthy merchants in Taiyuan.

Though the plan was risky, they couldn’t come up with a better solution. Unable to move due to his injuries, Qi Menglin sent Lian Shu to speak to Qi Yanjin, begging him to persuade their father to call off the arranged marriage. Qi Menglin claimed he had no interest in the Qi family’s business or marrying the Governor-General’s daughter, believing Qi Yanjin was more suited to lead the family. Qi Yanjin refused, rebuking Qi Menglin for being ungrateful.

Qi Yanjin envied the opportunities that Qi Menglin so casually disregarded—opportunities he could only dream of. Luo Shu accompanied Han Muzhi in their search for grain, but every grain shop in Taiyuan was empty. They learned that Qin Yi had purchased all the unharvested grain ahead of time. Qin Yi, in the meantime, met privately with Qi Yanjin, encouraging him to perform a great deed for the family to claim the head position.

Qin Yi suggested burning the disaster relief grain warehouse, ensuring Liu Yiqing's downfall and making it inevitable for the Governor-General to entrust Qi Yanjin with power. Han Muzhi, Luo Shu, and Captain Cai discovered Qin Yi's grain shop selling grain. Han Muzhi rushed to the shopkeeper, offering a high price to buy the grain. However, the shopkeeper insisted they only sold to small households. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin, frustrated and despondent, refused to eat or drink.

Despite Lian Shu’s repeated attempts to console him, nothing worked. Left with no choice, Lian Shu approached Luo Shu, asking her to disguise herself as a doctor to visit Qi Menglin. The servants initially blocked Luo Shu from entering, but Qi Yanjin intervened, explaining her presence, and the servants relented. Upon seeing Luo Shu, Qi Menglin was overwhelmed with emotion. Struggling to rise, he insisted on taking Luo Shu to see his father, leaving Luo Shu utterly disappointed in him.

Luo Shu saw Qi Menglin in such a miserable state, half-dead, and she felt both heartbroken and furious. She scolded Qi Menglin harshly, accusing him of being spineless and irresponsible. She berated him for using hunger strikes as a threat and declared that she would never marry someone so weak. After saying this, Luo Shu stormed off without looking back.

Han Muzhi, accompanied by Cai Baozi, went to see Qin Yi and begged him to sell some grain at a high price. Qin Yi insisted on a cash-on-the-spot transaction. Since Han Muzhi didn’t have enough money, he brought up Liu Yiqing to pressure him, but Qin Yi dismissed it outright. Instead, Qin Yi demanded that Luo Shu come to him personally. Han Muzhi realized Qin Yi was deliberately making things difficult, so he left in disappointment.

At his wit’s end, Han Muzhi decided to confront Liu Yiqing for the relief grain. Meanwhile, Luo Shu grew increasingly suspicious. Qin Yi was hoarding grain to inflate prices, and Liu Yiqing’s deliberate refusal to release the relief grain seemed too coincidental. Luo Shu believed there was a deeper conspiracy. Qi Menglin, awakened by Luo Shu’s scolding, ended his hunger strike.

He sent Lian Shu to check on Luo Shu and learned that she was helping Han Muzhi search for grain. Qi Menglin swore to uncover the truth about Luo Shu’s parents’ deaths and pleaded with his grandmother to persuade his father to let him investigate. Han Muzhi reluctantly went to Liu Yiqing, who avoided him. Just as he was about to leave, Liu Wan’s maid invited him to a banquet prepared by Liu Wan.

Han Muzhi suspected that Liu Yiqing’s refusal to distribute the grain was linked to his intent to annul the engagement with Liu Wan. Apologizing profusely, Han Muzhi begged Liu Wan to speak on his behalf to Liu Yiqing. Liu Wan, feeling deeply wronged, acknowledged that Han Muzhi didn’t love her, but she assured him that she would never let her hurt feelings affect the common people. She agreed to speak with her father but walked away without looking back.

That night, Liu Wan confronted Liu Yiqing and urged him to release the relief grain, but Liu Yiqing advised her not to interfere. Overwhelmed with frustration, Han Muzhi turned to drinking to drown his sorrows. He drank heavily, lamenting his helplessness in the streets. Luo Shu witnessed the scene and quickly intervened to comfort him. Han Muzhi confessed his despair, feeling useless despite his passion and self-sacrifice for the people, as nothing seemed to work in his favor.

Luo Shu didn’t know how to console him and could only stay by his side. Cai Baozi arrived and managed to convince Han Muzhi to go back, while Luo Shu silently worried about him. The next morning, Luo Shu reluctantly went to Qin Yi. Overjoyed to see her, Qin Yi couldn’t hide his excitement. Luo Shu pleaded with him to sell grain to Han Muzhi. Qin Yi, however, noticed Luo Shu’s concern for Han Muzhi and became enraged.

Luo Shu tried to reason with him, pointing out that hoarding the grain would render it worthless once the crisis was over. Qin Yi still insisted on cash upfront. Determined, Luo Shu offered her savings to help Han Muzhi, but Qin Yi refused. He demanded Luo Shu kneel and beg him. Without hesitation, Luo Shu knelt and humbled herself. Qin Yi agreed to sell the grain but on one condition—Luo Shu must marry him.

Luo Shu resolutely refused and stood up to leave. Qin Yi gave her three days to decide. If she didn’t agree to marry him, Han Muzhi wouldn’t get a single grain. Qi Menglin’s health gradually improved. Qi Zongdu called Qi Yanjin to bring Qi Menglin to him. Qi Menglin pretended to still be severely injured, and Qi Zongdu believed him, showing concern and softening toward him.

Qi Menglin apologized to his father, who immediately relented, removed the guards outside his courtyard, and allowed him to visit his grandmother. Qin Yi sent his steward to the inn where Luo Shu was staying, spreading rumors that Luo Shu was going to marry him. Both Han Muzhi and Cai Baozi urged Luo Shu to reconsider. However, Luo Shu, determined to secure grain for the people of Linfen, decided to take the risk.

She asked Han Muzhi and Cai Baozi to keep her plan a secret. Meanwhile, Qi Menglin, who had come to see Luo Shu, overheard their conversation outside the door. Qi Menglin returned home to ask his father to lend military grain to Han Muzhi. Qi Zongdu firmly refused, wanting to watch the power struggle unfold between the other factions. He forced Qi Menglin to leave and shut the door on him. Feeling helpless, Qi Menglin fell into despair and stopped eating again.

Qin Yi hated the Qi family to the core. He had spent years meticulously planning, waiting for the day when he could completely bring down the Qi family. First, Qin Yi spread rumors about the eldest son of the Qi family having physical defects, which caused the sickly young master to die from anger.

He then used his influence in the Shanxi bureaucracy to pressure Qi Zongdu, and later sowed discord in front of Qi Yanjin, inciting him to set fire to the relief grain warehouse. Qin Yi also persuaded Liu Yiqing to delay the distribution of the relief grain by a month, all the while selling off his hoarded grain at inflated prices to make a huge profit.

Qi Yanjin was a capable man, but as a bastard son, he could not gain Qi Zongdu’s trust. Qi Zongdu wanted to pass on the family business to Qi Menglin, which made Qi Yanjin resentful. He was determined to achieve something that would earn his father’s respect. He agreed to join forces with Qin Yi to burn down the grain warehouse.

Qi Yanjin gathered a group of his men to the designated spot but suddenly learned that Qi Menglin had sent two ships of military grain to Linfen. Knowing that misappropriating military grain was a capital offense, he hurriedly rushed to intercept them. Qin Yi had planned to use the burning of the warehouse to get Qi Yanjin imprisoned, but he hadn’t anticipated that Qi Yanjin would leave early.

Qi Yanjin had already placed an informant beside Qi Menglin, hoping to burn the grain before Qi Menglin could react, thereby leading him down a path of no return. Cai Baozi heard that Qi Menglin was escorting two ships of grain to Linfen, and immediately reported it to Han Muzhi. Han Muzhi, Luo Shu, and Cai Baozi rushed back to Linfen overnight. Qi Menglin, who was personally escorting the grain, had worked tirelessly and fallen asleep.

His informant raised a torch to signal the accomplices on the shore. At the same time, Lian Shu arrived at the military camp and reported that Qi Menglin had used fake documents to withdraw the military grain. The grain warehouse suddenly caught fire, and soldiers immediately rushed to extinguish it. The camp commander suspected arson, and Lian Shu, seizing the opportunity, drew a knife and stabbed him.

Qin Yi, watching the raging flames from the camp, couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Qi Zongdu rushed to the scene and found that the camp commander was still alive, barely hanging on. The commander revealed that Lian Shu was an insider, and Qi Zongdu concluded that Liu Yiqing was behind the whole plot, intending to destroy the Qi family. Qi Yanjin, pursuing Qi Menglin by boat, encountered a patrol ship.

The soldiers immediately started shooting arrows at them. Qi Yanjin desperately dodged but was struck by several arrows. Qi Menglin, having escorted the grain to Linfen, sent Lian Shu to inform Chen Meiqing. Chen Meiqing quickly arrived and promised to transport the grain to the county office and distribute it to the people. When the people rushed to seize the grain, they discovered that it was filled with rice husks instead of actual grain.

Qi Menglin was stunned, and the people began to curse him as a fraud. Chen Meiqing quickly pulled him away. Qi Yanjin returned home, where Qi Zongdu recounted the full story, realizing he had fallen into Liu Yiqing’s trap. Knowing that misappropriating military grain was an unforgivable crime, Qi Zongdu advised Qi Yanjin to hide for a while, intending to stay behind and handle the aftermath. Qi Yanjin insisted on staying and facing the consequences with his father.

Deeply moved, Qi Zongdu realized how much he had wronged Qi Yanjin over the years and vowed to make it right. The father and son wept bitterly in each other’s arms. Qi Zongdu urged Qi Yanjin to leave quickly, even if it meant hiding his identity, so that he could rebuild the Qi family. With tears in his eyes, Qi Yanjin bid farewell to his father and rushed out.

Liu Yiqing, having successfully used Qin Yi to bring down the Qi family, saw that the time was right and ordered Zhao Daren to begin distributing the relief grain in Linfen. Luo Shu, Han Muzhi, and Cai Baozi arrived in Linfen and learned that Qi Menglin had been imprisoned. Luo Shu hurried to see him and told him about the burned grain warehouse. Qi Menglin finally realized that this was all part of Qin Yi’s scheme.

He regretted his impulsive actions, which had led to his family’s downfall. He wanted to return home and be with his father, but Luo Shu advised him to stay calm. Returning now would only make matters worse. Han Muzhi knew that Liu Yiqing and Qi Zongdu had been political rivals for years, and this event was a trap set by Liu Yiqing. He was furious.

The relief grain soon arrived in Linfen, and Han Muzhi went to the docks himself to oversee the distribution. He wanted to keep Qi Menglin in prison temporarily to prevent him from causing trouble. The people lined up at the docks to collect their grain, expressing their gratitude to Liu Yiqing. Cai Baozi went to the prison to deliver food to Qi Menglin, only to find that he was gone.

Cai Baozi immediately notified Luo Shu, who went to Han Muzhi to inquire about the situation. Qi Menglin wanted to go home and face his father, and before leaving, he asked Han Muzhi to look after Luo Shu. Han Muzhi knew that Qi Menglin’s return was likely to be a trap laid by Liu Yiqing, but Qi Menglin couldn’t stand by while his family was destroyed.

Luo Shu, unwilling to leave Qi Menglin to face the upcoming difficulties alone, insisted on going with him. Han Muzhi tried to convince her to wait until the next day, but she wouldn’t listen. Lian Shu, who had been planted by Qin Yi as an informant in the Qi family, completed his task and went to report back to Qin Yi. Qin Yi was overjoyed and instructed Lian Shu to track down Qi Yanjin’s hiding place.

He was certain that Luo Shu would join Qi Menglin to return to Taiyuan, so he sent Peng Cheng to keep an eye on them both. Qi Menglin and Lian Shu disguised themselves and returned to Taiyuan. When they saw a notice posted at the city gate offering a reward for the capture of Qi Menglin, Peng Cheng began scrutinizing every person entering the city. Panicked, Qi Menglin fled, accidentally knocking over a passerby’s eggs.

The soldiers guarding the gate came over to investigate, but Luo Shu arrived just in time. She smeared black ash on Qi Menglin’s face and pretended to be his wife to pass through undetected. Han Muzhi, having seen the darkness of the bureaucracy, disregarded Chen Meiqing’s advice and submitted his resignation letter, sending it to Liu Yiqing. Liu Yiqing received the letter and handed it to Liu Wan, urging her to persuade Han Muzhi to break off the engagement. Liu Wan defended Han Muzhi, unwilling to see him suffer.

Liu Yiqing felt that Han Muzhi was not suited for a major position, so he urged Liu Wan to break off the engagement with him. Liu Wan firmly refused. She valued Han Muzhi’s talent and understood that he had resigned because he didn’t want to become corrupt in the dark world of bureaucracy. She declared that she would marry no one but Han Muzhi. If her father, Liu Yiqing, insisted on calling off the marriage, she would become a nun.

Liu Yiqing was speechless with anger. Luo Shu, Lian Shu, and Qi Menglin disguised themselves and returned to Taiyuan. They arrived at the Qi residence under the cover of night and saw that the entrance was heavily guarded. Fearing detection, they decided to leave immediately, but they were spotted. They quickly fled, but the two pursuers chased them relentlessly. Eventually, they were cornered in a dead-end alley, and the pursuers held a knife to Qi Menglin’s throat.

Fortunately, Sun Qian arrived just in time to save him. Eager to learn about his family’s situation, Qi Menglin asked Sun Qian for news. He learned that his father and family had been escorted to the capital. Luo Shu vowed to help Qi Menglin find evidence to clear his family’s name. Sun Qian advised caution, noting that Taiyuan was now under Liu Yiqing’s control.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to overturn the case and clear the Qi family’s name. Qi Menglin was determined to restore his family’s honor at any cost. Qin Yi had set a trap, but despite his efforts, Qi Menglin, Luo Shu, and Lian Shu had still not been caught. He scolded Peng Cheng angrily. Lian Shu took Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to a house where they had lived as children.

The house had been abandoned for many years and was in disrepair. Qi Menglin felt guilty for not caring for Lian Shu enough, and vowed to repay him in the next life. Luo Shu, worried about being discovered, urged Lian Shu to keep everything as it was while they settled in. Qi Menglin couldn’t understand where things had gone wrong. He retraced everything from the beginning, trying to find the mistake.

He had wanted to help Luo Shu solve her problems, but instead, he had made things worse and involved his family. He deeply regretted his actions. Luo Shu encouraged him to stay strong and quickly uncover the truth. Qi Menglin felt trapped in a scheme. He had successfully retrieved two ships of military grain from the military camp, but when they were sent to Linfen, they were replaced with rice husks.

That very night, the military grain warehouse was burned down, and his father, Qi Zongdu, was blamed for negligence in defense. Qi Menglin suspected that someone was working behind the scenes—everything seemed too coincidental. From the beginning, only Lian Shu, the grain warehouse clerk, the local commander, and Lian Qi knew about the plan. He couldn’t figure out where things had gone wrong.

Qi Menglin sent Lian Shu to find a cart and ships, and he forged a delivery document, secretly going to his father’s study to stamp it with an official seal. But he was caught by the guards. Qi Menglin tried to cover up, but they didn’t believe him and wouldn’t let him leave. Lian Qi arrived and quickly convinced the guards to let them go. Qi Menglin asked Lian Qi not to tell Qi Yanjin or Qi Zongdu about this.

Qi Menglin brought the forged document to the military camp. The grain warehouse clerk and the local commander recognized the document as a forgery but dared not oppose Qi Zongdu. They reluctantly allowed the grain to be distributed, and Qi Menglin successfully loaded the military grain onto the ships. Luo Shu suspected Lian Qi the most, but Qi Menglin felt it was impossible—Lian Qi was the most trusted person by Qi Yanjin.

Liu Wan reviewed Han Muzhi’s resignation letter and immediately went to Linfen to persuade him. She had long realized that Han Muzhi was not an ordinary man; he had lofty ambitions. She encouraged him not to be discouraged and to courageously face the darkness of the bureaucracy. Liu Wan returned the resignation letter to Han Muzhi. He was moved to tears, and he realized that it wasn’t Liu Yiqing who had chosen him, but Liu Wan herself.

Liu Wan admitted that she had recognized Han Muzhi’s talent and had supported him before her father, Liu Yiqing, who had initially opposed the marriage. Liu Wan had insisted on Han Muzhi, and her father had reluctantly agreed. After Liu Wan left for Linfen, Liu Yiqing was troubled and went fishing by the river, braving the heavy rain. Zhao Daren tried to offer advice, but Liu Yiqing, feigning illness, wrote a letter urging Liu Wan to return home.

Liu Wan went to bid farewell to Han Muzhi, and he admitted he had misunderstood her in the past. He thanked her for her understanding, and he vowed to fight against the corruption in the bureaucracy. Liu Wan knew the road ahead for him would be difficult, but she promised to support him fully. Han Muzhi escorted Liu Wan to the dock, where she gave him a pouch she had embroidered herself as a token of love.

They said a tearful goodbye. Qi Menglin, now a fugitive, dared not show himself and sent Lian Shu to gather information. Lian Shu learned from Sun Qian that the grain warehouse clerk had mysteriously died. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin sensed something was wrong, so they went to the grain warehouse clerk’s home that night.

They found a large sum of money and a handkerchief embroidered with the words "Yu Chun Ru Yan" (a reference to a woman named Ru Yan from Yu Chun Tower). Suddenly, Qin Yi arrived with his men and surrounded Luo Shu and Qi Menglin. He threatened to destroy the Qi family completely and demanded that Luo Shu marry him. Luo Shu, having seen through Qin Yi’s true nature, flatly refused.

Qin Yi offered a deal—if she married him, he would spare Qi Menglin’s life. Qi Menglin resolutely rejected the offer. At Qin Yi’s command, his men began to beat Qi Menglin mercilessly. Luo Shu swore not to yield, insisting that she would die alongside Qi Menglin if necessary. Qin Yi ordered the beatings to continue. Just then, Qi Yanjin and a group of masked, black-clad men descended from the sky.

Their martial arts skills were formidable, and they quickly overwhelmed Qin Yi’s men, forcing them to flee. Qi Yanjin rescued Luo Shu and Qi Menglin. Furious that his plan had failed, Qin Yi swore to fight Qi Menglin and Qi Yanjin to the end. He summoned the three girls he had adopted and vented his anger on them. Liu Wan hurried home, only to find Liu Yiqing unharmed. She realized that her father had purposely tricked her into coming back.

Liu Yiqing had guessed that Liu Wan had taken Han Muzhi’s resignation letter. Liu Wan admitted that she had returned the letter to him, confident that Han Muzhi would not easily back down. Liu Yiqing was furious, shouting angrily. Qin Yi arrived to see Liu Yiqing, and Liu Wan quickly made an excuse to leave. Qin Yi, attempting to flatter Liu Wan, received only her indifference.

Upon learning that Qi Yanjin had rescued Qi Menglin, Liu Yiqing was deeply disappointed in Qin Yi. Qin Yi promised to capture Qi Menglin as soon as possible. Liu Yiqing threatened him, and Qin Yi nervously agreed. Qi Yanjin took Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to Tianlong Mountain, where they settled at a residence at the foot of the mountain.

Qin Yi sent Lian Qi to search for Qi Yanjin’s whereabouts. Lian Qi knew that Qi Yanjin often practiced in Taoist temples, so he visited many of them but could not find any trace of him. He had no choice but to return and report to Qin Yi. Qin Yi instructed him to think carefully about what else Qi Yanjin liked. Lian Qi remembered some lines of poetry that Qi Yanjin often recited.

Qin Yi realized that Qi Yanjin must also have an interest in Buddhism, which led him to think of Tianlong Mountain, where Taoism and Buddhism are intertwined. As Qin Yi had predicted, Qi Yanjin had settled Luo Shu and Qi Menglin at a house at the foot of Tianlong Mountain. Qi Yanjin regretted falling for the trap set by Qin Yi and Liu Yiqing.

When Qin Yi first approached him, he had urged him to destroy the relief grain sent by Liu Yiqing. Qi Yanjin had thought this was a chance to bring down Liu Yiqing and restore the Qi family’s reputation. He had discussed the plan with his father, but they did not expect it to be part of Qin Yi and Liu Yiqing’s deceitful scheme.

Qin Yi had manipulated Luo Shu into forcing Qi Menglin to risk using military grain, and then had planned to burn down the military grain warehouse. However, the grain had been switched during transportation. Liu Yiqing had seized the opportunity to accuse Qi Zongdu of selling military grain and committing embezzlement, which led to Qi Zongdu being blamed.

Qi Yanjin soon discovered that Lian Qi had been placed as an informant by Qin Yi, working together with him to completely destroy the Qi family. Qi Menglin was left in shock, and Luo Shu, who had once suspected Lian Qi, realized that Lian Qi had been Qin Yi’s most important pawn all along. Qi Menglin then asked Qi Yanjin about the truth behind the fire at the Luo family’s house 13 years ago.

Qi Yanjin admitted that the fire was related to the Qi family. Back then, his father, while serving as the Deputy Commander in Taiyuan, had become acquainted with the Qin family. The two families used their positions to jointly sell government grain. Luo Shu’s father was a low-ranking official at the grain warehouse, and he had discovered the secret dealings between the Qi and Qin families.

He wrote a letter to the imperial court exposing their actions, but the letter was intercepted by Qi Zongdu, who tried to bribe Luo Shu’s father to keep quiet. Young Qin Yi had suggested eliminating the Luo family, and personally led the attack, burning down the Luo family’s house. This act earned him the trust and promotion of the Qin family patriarch.

Not long afterward, Qi Zongdu was promoted and transferred to Taiyuan, leaving Qi Yanjin in charge of the family affairs. Qi Yanjin, realizing how ruthless Qin Yi was, began to distance himself from him. When Qin Yi became the head of the Qin family, Qi Yanjin shifted his allegiance to Liu Yiqing.

After hearing Qi Yanjin’s account, Qi Menglin was furious, enraged by the corruption and collusion between officials and businessmen that led to the deaths of the Luo family and countless other victims. In a fit of anger, Qi Menglin grabbed Luo Shu and tried to escape. Qi Yanjin advised them to leave for a place where no one knew them, to live a free life. However, Qi Menglin could not bear to leave Qi Yanjin alone to face the coming challenges.

He urged Luo Shu to leave first, but Luo Shu insisted on facing the situation with him. Together, they decided to confront Qin Yi. After returning to the house, Qi Yanjin was relieved and repeatedly apologized to Luo Shu. Luo Shu decided to temporarily put aside personal grudges and work with Qi Yanjin to investigate the military grain switch.

The journey from Linfen to Taiyuan passed through more than ten ports, and Qi Yanjin and Qi Menglin did not have the time to investigate each one. Qi Menglin remembered feeling drowsy while on the ship, and when he woke up, it was already dawn. Based on Qi Menglin’s description, Qi Yanjin and Luo Shu deduced that the grain had been switched during this time.

They also realized that among the boatmen, there were spies planted by Qin Yi, as the torches they carried had a faint, sleepy fragrance that caused Qi Menglin and Lian Shu to faint. Qi Yanjin took out a map and accurately pinpointed Luosha Port. Qi Menglin decided to go to Luosha Port to investigate the switched military grain. Unexpectedly, Qin Yi’s men found Tianlong Mountain. Qi Yanjin, with Luo Shu and Qi Menglin, escaped through the back mountain.

They got into a carriage, but Qin Yi quickly rode after them, surrounding the carriage. Qin Yi shot the horse, causing it to fall. Qi Yanjin fell from the carriage, and when Qin Yi discovered that Luo Shu and Qi Menglin were no longer inside, he threatened Qi Yanjin. Qi Yanjin stood firm and even mocked Qin Yi. Qin Yi demanded to know where Qi Menglin and Luo Shu were, promising to spare his life if he told him.

Qi Yanjin refused to give in and angrily cursed Qin Yi as a dog of the regime. Enraged, Qin Yi ordered his men to shoot arrows at Qi Yanjin. Severely wounded, Qi Yanjin cursed Qin Yi one last time. Qin Yi ordered Lian Qi to cut out Qi Yanjin’s tongue, but Lian Qi hesitated, unwilling to do it. Furious, Qin Yi killed Lian Qi on the spot. Qi Yanjin mocked Qin Yi, saying that he was alienated from his allies.

Enraged, Qin Yi killed Qi Yanjin. Before his death, Qi Yanjin protected Qi Menglin and Luo Shu’s escape, urging them to go to Luosha Port to find evidence. Qi Menglin worried about Qi Yanjin’s safety, but Luo Shu convinced him to first uncover the truth. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu arrived at Luosha Port to investigate. They were told that Taoyuan Ferry had grain and were directed to find their cousin, Xiao Zhizhou.

Disguised as wealthy merchants buying grain, Qi Menglin and Luo Shu went to the ferry. Xiao Zhizhou led them to the grain warehouse owner, Boss Wang, to inquire about the origin of the grain. Boss Wang was cautious, but when Qi Menglin offered silver notes to buy 600 bushels of grain, he immediately took them to inspect the goods. Qin Yi, racking his brain, still could not figure out where Qi Menglin and Luo Shu had gone.

He ordered Peng Cheng to destroy the two ships of military grain. Peng Cheng hesitated, and Qin Yi angrily scolded him. He then decided to go to Taoyuan Ferry himself. Just then, Liu Yiqing sent someone to summon Qin Yi. Liu Yiqing scolded him severely and reminded him to handle the remnants of the Qi family quickly to prevent Qi Zongdu from making a comeback.

Liu Wan overheard their conversation and warned her father to stop participating in the factional struggles. Liu Yiqing ignored her, suspecting that Liu Wan had been influenced by Han Muzhi. Liu Wan pleaded with him to give up his obsession, but Liu Yiqing forced her out, vowing never to let her marry Han Muzhi. Liu Wan bowed to him before resolutely leaving. Meanwhile, Boss Wang took Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to inspect the grain. Luo Shu quickly identified it as the switched military grain.

Qi Menglin and Luo Shu spent three thousand taels of silver to buy the military grain and immediately transported it to Linfen overnight. Qin Yi arrived at Luosha Port shortly after, learning that Qi Menglin and Luo Shu had already headed to Taoyuan Ferry. Without hesitation, he rushed there, but by the time he arrived, they had already taken the grain. He personally led his men toward Linfen.

The next morning, Qi Menglin and Luo Shu arrived in Linfen to distribute the grain to the people. Han Muzhi got wind of it and sent Cai Butou and his men to the docks to investigate. The people suspected the grain’s origin, so Luo Shu had no choice but to reveal the whole truth about Liu Yiqing and Qin Yi’s plot to switch the military grain. The people trusted them and stood in line to receive the grain.

Qin Yi arrived in Linfen by boat and, seeing Luo Shu and Qi Menglin distributing grain, gritted his teeth in fury. He quickly ordered his men to speed up to the shore. Just in time, Cai Baozi arrived to pull Luo Shu and Qi Menglin back to the county office, while Cai Butou and his men provided cover. By the time Qin Yi reached the shore, they had already slipped away.

Han Muzhi instructed Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to hide in the county office for the time being. Qi Menglin asked Cai Butou to send a letter to Lian Shu in Taiyuan. Qin Yi surrounded the county office, demanding that Han Muzhi hand over Luo Shu and Qi Menglin, all while using Liu Yiqing’s name as a pretext.

Han Muzhi refused to comply, knowing that Qin Yi dared not enter the county office, as doing so would be a grave crime. Qin Yi ordered his men to closely monitor the office. Liu Yiqing soon learned of the situation and made a bold decision: he would take this opportunity to eliminate both Qin Yi and Han Muzhi, thus removing the thorn in his side. With Qin Yi out of the way, Liu Wan would no longer be an obstacle.

Liu Yiqing sent Peng Cheng to deliver a message to Qin Yi, urging him to kill Han Muzhi. Qin Yi, who had long suspected Liu Yiqing’s intentions, knew that once he killed Han Muzhi, Liu Yiqing would eliminate him too. He proposed that Peng Cheng kill Han Muzhi and promised to help him rise in power, allowing them both to stand on equal footing before Liu Yiqing, who would be afraid to act against them.

Peng Cheng hesitated, fearing failure, but Qin Yi reassured him, and Peng Cheng was soon persuaded. Meanwhile, on the banks of the Fen River, people fought over newly arrived high-quality seed grain. Han Muzhi led a team of constables to deal with the situation. At the same time, Qin Yi and his men caused trouble at the county office. Chen Meiqing stalled him outside the gate, while several masked men entered the county office’s back yard.

Cai Baozi and Xu Wuzuo had already prepared a trap, and the intruders were quickly subdued. Xu Wuzuo sent Luo Shu and Qi Menglin out of the office, but suddenly, someone caught up with them. Qi Menglin was injured, and Luo Shu helped him flee. Han Muzhi and Cai Butou arrived at the scene, and both sides fought fiercely. They quickly stepped in to stop the fighting when one person attempted to ambush Han Muzhi.

Cai Butou stepped forward in time to protect him, killing the would-be assassin on the spot. Cai Butou recognized the assassin as someone he had seen in Taiyuan. Qin Yi, seeing the blood outside, deduced that Qi Menglin couldn’t have gone far and ordered a thorough search. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin arrived at the slums, where they did charity work. Due to the loss of blood, Qi Menglin passed out.

Luo Shu took great care of him and went out at dusk to get medicine from a doctor. Qi Menglin, groggy from the blood loss, woke up to find Luo Shu gone and struggled to get up to search for her. Luo Shu had purchased two prescriptions, but on the way back, she was grabbed by the rogue Er Ma Zi, who handed her over to Qin Yi at Mingke Fang.

Qi Menglin, searching for Luo Shu, found out she had been captured. Qin Yi tried to force and threaten Luo Shu, but she refused to submit. Enraged, Qin Yi pinned her down, and as she struggled, Qi Menglin arrived at Mingke Fang. He attempted to break in to save Luo Shu, but the doors and windows were sealed. Qin Yi used Luo Shu as bait to lure Qi Menglin into his trap.

Qi Menglin soon arrived, willing to risk his life if Qin Yi would release Luo Shu. In a fit of rage, Qin Yi injured Qi Menglin and, in front of him, began to harass Luo Shu. Luo Shu warned Qin Yi that even if he killed Qi Menglin, Liu Yiqing would never forgive him, but Qin Yi refused to believe her. Han Muzhi, Liu Yiqing, and the Chief Minister Zhao Daren led people to surround Mingke Fang.

Realizing he was cornered, Qin Yi publicly confessed that everything was being masterminded by Liu Yiqing. Han Muzhi ordered his men to arrest Qin Yi, but Qin Yi threatened to kill Luo Shu. Zhao Daren then ordered the arrest of Qin Yi. Ready for a final confrontation, Qin Yi set the room on fire with stone lacquer, and the flames spread quickly.

Han Muzhi desperately tried to break down the door to save Luo Shu, but Liu Yiqing ordered the door to be sealed. Qi Menglin risked his life to break into the burning room and rescue Luo Shu, but Qin Yi fought him off. In the end, Qin Yi perished in the flames. Qi Menglin and Luo Shu managed to escape, narrowly avoiding death.

Luo Shu had been unconscious for a long time before finally waking up. She learned from Cai Baozi that Qi Menglin had been thrown into prison. Struggling to get up, she wanted to visit him. Han Muzhi and Lian Shu heard the news and rushed over. Lian Shu brought some good news: the court had received Han Muzhi’s memorial and dispatched a special commissioner to Linfen to investigate the stolen military grain and the Qi family's case.

Han Muzhi promised that he would find a way for Luo Shu to disguise herself as a kitchen maid delivering food to visit Qi Menglin in prison. Qi Menglin's injuries were severe, and in his delirium, he dreamt of Luo Shu. He never expected her to really come to see him, bringing with her a lavish feast. Luo Shu removed her outer cloak to reveal a bright red wedding gown. She wanted to marry Qi Menglin in the prison.

Qi Menglin was deeply moved and teary-eyed. They completed the marriage ceremony, bowing to each other in respect. Qi Menglin kept asking if this was real and not a dream. He didn’t want to drag Luo Shu down with him and tried to send her away, but Luo Shu insisted on standing by him, through thick and thin. They drank the wedding wine and officially became husband and wife.

Zhao Daren wanted to take Peng Cheng and Qi Menglin back to Liu Yiqing, but Han Muzhi firmly disagreed, insisting they wait for the special commissioner. Liu Yiqing suddenly arrived at the Linfen County office and accused Han Muzhi of harboring Qi Menglin, intending to remove him from office on the spot. Han Muzhi, however, was appointed by the court, and Liu Yiqing had no authority to dismiss him.

Liu Yiqing presented his final trump card—the royal decree flag, and Han Muzhi had no choice but to surrender. The special commissioner arrived suddenly with three officials in tow, and Liu Yiqing hurried to greet them. The commissioner requested to see Han Muzhi. Liu Yiqing had no choice but to bring him forward.

Han Muzhi then listed Liu Yiqing’s crimes one by one, accusing him and Qin Yi of monopolizing the grain trade, deliberately withholding disaster relief grain, and inflating grain prices to make huge profits, which led to the deaths of more than three hundred people in Linfen from starvation. Qi Menglin, disguised as Qi Zongdu, had shipped out two boats of grain, which were swapped midway, and the military grain warehouses were burned down.

All of this was orchestrated by Liu Yiqing and Qin Yi, who aimed to bring down Qi Zongdu. Liu Yiqing argued fiercely, shifting all the blame onto Qi Zongdu and Qin Yi. The special commissioner wanted Qin Yi to testify, but since he was dead, no one could verify the claims. Han Muzhi had Sun Qian testify, but Sun Qian accused Lian Qi, who had also died.

Sun Qian suggested using the testimony of the grain warehouse worker, Ru Yan, but Ru Yan was also dead. Since Ru Yan was a courtesan, her testimony was considered unreliable. Han Muzhi then turned to Peng Cheng for testimony, but Peng Cheng suddenly fell ill in prison and passed away. The special commissioner was at a loss for what to do. Liu Yiqing was secretly pleased, as there were no witnesses to confirm his crimes.

However, Luo Shu arrived at the county office with Peng Cheng, leaving Liu Yiqing and Zhao Daren dumbfounded, as they hadn't expected Peng Cheng to still be alive. Peng Cheng was imprisoned, and Luo Shu, certain that Liu Yiqing would try to silence him, asked Xu Wuzuo for some fake death pills to help Peng Cheng cooperate with her. Peng Cheng confessed that he had been Qin Yi's subordinate.

Qin Yi and the Qi family had always worked together in business. Qin Yi had sold salt to the border, and the Qi family, fearing they would be implicated, severed ties with him. This caused Qin Yi to harbor a grudge, and he later sided with Liu Yiqing, using the grain swap and burning of the grain warehouse as his proof of loyalty.

Liu Yiqing, fearing Qin Yi had become too powerful, sent him to assassinate Han Muzhi, planning to replace him afterward. Liu Yiqing continued to deny everything, claiming that Peng Cheng was framing him, and threatened to petition the emperor. The special commissioner instructed Han Muzhi to provide evidence, but Han Muzhi was unable to. Just then, Liu Wan arrived at the county office, bringing with her evidence of Liu Yiqing's crimes.

Liu Wan advised her father to repent and start anew, offering to face punishment with him. Liu Yiqing’s defenses finally broke down. He never imagined that his own daughter would be the one to report him. The emperor, upon learning the truth about the series of cases in Shanxi, issued an edict to severely punish Liu Yiqing, Zhao Daren, and the others. Although Qin Yi perished in the fire, his assets were confiscated.

Qi Zongdu was dismissed from his post and exiled. However, the court spared Liu Yiqing from the death penalty in gratitude for Liu Wan's role in exposing his crimes, though he was also dismissed and exiled. Zhao Daren was demoted to a commoner, and Qi Menglin, for forging documents and misappropriating military grain, was sentenced to two thousand miles of exile. Han Muzhi searched far and wide, and after two years, he finally found Liu Wan.

Han Muzhi was about to head to the capital for his official duties, and Liu Wan congratulated him. Han Muzhi showed her a sachet she had given him and vowed to wait for her, no matter how long it took. Liu Wan, not wanting to burden him, hesitated, but Han Muzhi promised to wait for her forever.

On the eve of New Year's Day, Cai Butou, Cai Baozi, Xu Wuzuo, and Chen Meiqing waited for Han Muzhi to return and share the New Year's Eve dinner. But Han Muzhi was late, and they remembered Luo Shu and Qi Menglin, wishing them happiness and health from afar. Luo Shu accompanied Qi Menglin to his exile, two thousand miles away. Qi Menglin served at a military post, and Luo Shu, along with Lian Shu, did business.

She worked hard, and her business prospered, even forming a trade caravan. Luo Shu gathered many precious medicinal herbs to help Qi Menglin recover his health, and soon, he regained his strength. Luo Shu also worked on securing connections within the military camp, so Qi Menglin didn’t have to go out to farm. He helped at home, doing household chores. Qi Menglin had prepared many New Year goods, but Luo Shu's caravan was delayed.

Snow began to fall heavily, and Qi Menglin grew anxious. Finally, Luo Shu returned, braving the snow. They shared a reunion dinner together, their laughter echoing in their little courtyard.

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