Under the Moonlight Episode 1 Recap, Plot

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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.

Episode 2 Recap

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