Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an faces a prison break, is saved by colleagues, and becomes a Watchmen. He's then confined to work from home on old cases due to a deal between his uncle and captain. After appeasing his captain, he gains some freedom. Later, a confrontation with a high-ranking official's son leads to everyone being taken to the yamen.
Spoiler Alert
Xu Qi'an is still trying to figure out what exactly the Hall of Great Spirit is. He finds himself in the middle of a prison break. He tries to stop the escape, but the perpetrators succeed and are about to kill him. Just when Xu Qi'an thinks it's all over, Song Tingfeng and Li Yuchun show up.
These two arrive just in the nick of time, saving Xu Qi'an's life and recapturing the escaped criminal. Xu Qi'an, along with his colleagues, proudly escorts the criminal back to the office, feeling a surge of satisfaction. For the first time, he feels like being a "Watchmen"is actually pretty cool.
In Dafeng, the Night Watchmen aren't just timekeepers; they're responsible for overseeing officials, fighting crime, and protecting the people. It sounds like a worthwhile job, and Xu Qi'an decides to embrace his skills and find his place in this new world. However, his uncle, Xu Pingzhi, warns him not to get too carried away with idealistic visions. He shares that he was once full of passion, too, but ended up getting "played" by the system.
Xu Qi'an's initial successes earn him some respect from his captain, Wang. The next time Xu Qi'an enters the office, Captain Wang respectfully leads him to the archives and locks him inside. This is presented as a favor, a quiet and comfortable workspace, free from distractions.
After being confined to the office for days, Xu Qi'an is finally allowed to go home. Just as he finishes dinner, Captain Wang arrives with a group of Night Watchmen, bringing in boxes of old, unsolved case files. They claim it's to save Xu Qi'an the trouble of traveling to the office; now, he can work from home, by special permission from the higher-ups. Xu Pingzhi, having been in the bureaucracy for years, suspects there's more to this than meets the eye. After a silent exchange with Captain Wang, Xu Pingzhi understands the unspoken agreement and even nails the windows shut himself, ensuring Xu Qi'an can't escape.
Xu Qi'an is trapped at home, unable to leave. His uncle, having promised Captain Wang to keep Xu Qi'an out of trouble during a period of secret inspections by higher officials, guards the door day and night. After several escape attempts, Xu Qi'an realizes he has no choice but to win over Captain Wang. He concludes that if the captain is happy, everyone's life will be easier.
The next time Captain Wang visits, Xu Qi'an dramatically kneels and begs for forgiveness for his past "disrespect." Captain Wang, pleased with this change, starts taking Xu Qi'an out to socialize, including visits to brothels and Brothel. Xu Qi'an understands what the captain wants and plays along, drinking, dancing, and becoming one of the guys.
Captain Wang, satisfied with Xu Qi'an's behavior, gradually grants him more freedom, allowing him out of his confinement. One day, Xu Pingzhi casually mentions that Xu Qi'an is of marriageable age and promises to find him a good match. Xu Qi'an is surprised by this sudden display of affection, only to discover that his uncle is short on cash due to his own social expenses and wants Xu Qi'an to contribute.
Later, Xu Qi'an takes his two younger sisters shopping. While he's momentarily distracted buying candied hawthorns, his sister is harassed by the son of the Minister of Revenue. Xu Qi'an intervenes, pushing the arrogant young man away. The official's son, enraged, orders his men to cripple Xu Qi'an. Xu Qi'an tries to reason with him, but the man draws a dagger. His sister rushes to the yamen for help. Captain Wang arrives with reinforcements, initially intending to arrest the harasser, but upon recognizing the Minister of Revenue's son, he deflates. Surrounded by onlookers, Captain Wang has his men take everyone involved to the yamen.
