Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an's family saves his scholar brother, Xu Xinnian, from a suicide attempt. Xu Qi'an becomes a constable and quickly solves a murder case involving a wealthy man, his young concubine, and his son, exposing an affair and leading to the concubine's imprisonment and the son's release.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Xu Pingzhi returning home with his family. When they open the door, they're shocked to find Xu Xinnian, his son, attempting suicide by hanging. They rush to save him. Xu Xinnian, a scholar who had been working at the academy, was distraught after being demoted to a lower social status. Feeling humiliated, he impulsively tried to end his life, but fortunately, his family arrived just in time.
That evening, the family enjoys a lavish dinner together. Under the moonlight, Xu Qi'an recounts how he solved the case. Xu Pingzhi isn't surprised by Xu Qi'an's creation of metallic sodium, even claiming he almost figured it out himself.
After a few days of relaxing at home, Xu Qi'an starts to accept that he might be stuck in this new world. He begins to get to know his family better. Xu Pingzhi is a straightforward, somewhat simple man of martial background. His wife, Xu Qi'an's aunt, is sharp and calculating, always on the lookout for ways to confiscate Xu Pingzhi's hidden stash of money. Xu Qi'an has two younger sisters. One is a lively and diligent girl with an interest in "forbidden books." The youngest, about five or six years old, is a voracious eater.
Thanks to his success in solving the previous case, Xu Qi'an becomes a constable. He wasn't initially interested in a formal position, preferring to make money, and lots of it. However, lacking the capital for starting a business, and with his aunt firmly against supporting idleness, he's forced to accept the job. He reluctantly puts on the constable uniform and heads to the yamen (government office).
On his first day, Xu Qi'an learns about a new case. Captain Wang is under pressure to solve it quickly, but there are no leads. Wang is initially skeptical of the new, scholarly-looking constable, but he explains the situation and hands over the case files.
Xu Qi'an quickly grasps the gist: Zhang Yourui, a wealthy local man, had married a concubine much younger than himself. One night, Zhang Yourui was mysteriously murdered. There were no signs of forced entry or unusual footprints. The victim was killed by a blunt object, found lying on his back, but the fatal blow was to the back of his head. The crime scene was in the concubine's courtyard. She claimed to have seen someone escaping over the wall, but there were no marks on the wall.
Xu Qi'an immediately suspects Zhang Yourui's son, Zhang Xian, of having an affair with the concubine. He theorizes that they killed Zhang Yourui after being discovered, fearing exposure. Xu Qi'an, having read books on psychology, uses his interrogation skills on the visibly distressed concubine. She confesses everything.
The case concludes with the concubine remaining in jail, while Zhang Xian is soon released. Chu Caiwei questions this outcome, but the captain tells her not to worry, as the legal documents have already been sent to the Hall of Great Spirit, and their responsibility is over.
