Episode Summary
Luo Shu's plan to expose the real culprit behind Ma Tianjin's murder involves Qi Menglin seducing Jin Laoliu's wife, Yu Zhen, to make Jin Laoliu jealous enough to retract his false confession. The plan works, and Jailer Song is exposed as a conspirator, revealing a connection to the Linfen County Government and a plot to frame someone for Lv Wanchang's crimes. Qi Menglin becomes ill, and Luo Shu cares for him.
Spoiler Alert
Luo Shu suspects that Jailer Song is colluding with someone inside the Linfen County Government to help Lv Wanchang find scapegoats. However, lacking concrete evidence, Luo Shu decides to re-interrogate Jin Laoliu and Lao San, hoping to find a breakthrough. Knowing they won't easily confess, Luo Shu suggests Qi Menglin use his charm to seduce Jin Laoliu's wife, Yu Zhen. Qi Menglin strongly objects, but Constable Cai and Yang Zhan try to persuade him, offering encouragement. Luo Shu even tries to goad him into it, but Qi Menglin remains hesitant.
Luo Shu then has Constable Cai and Yang Zhan dress up, but they both look ridiculous. Not wanting to put Luo Shu in a difficult position, Qi Menglin reluctantly agrees. Disguised as a charming young gentleman, Qi Menglin loiters near Jin Laoliu's house. Yu Zhen is immediately smitten and invites him inside. Qi Menglin pretends to have a cold, and Yu Zhen rushes to make him ginger soup, which he downs in one gulp.
Yu Zhen fusses over Qi Menglin, and he, in turn, shows her great care. Yu Zhen complains to Qi Menglin, admitting her husband is a bandit and is now in jail. Qi Menglin gently advises her to find her own happiness. Before leaving, he gives her a silver ingot. Yu Zhen begs him to stay, and Qi Menglin, after some feigned reluctance, promises to visit her tonight. Yu Zhen is overjoyed.
Luo Shu praises Qi Menglin's disguise and even gives him her beloved gemstone hairpin, asking him to find a way to give it to Yu Zhen. She wants to help Han Muzhi with this last case and then be done with him. Qi Menglin is secretly delighted. That evening, Qi Menglin arrives as promised. Yu Zhen has been waiting and has prepared a lavish feast. She throws herself at him, but Qi Menglin dodges her advances. He sweet-talks her, constantly urging her to drink, and vows to take her to Taiyuan. Yu Zhen soon gets drunk and starts singing and dancing.
Qi Menglin wakes up to find himself in bed with Yu Zhen. He's relieved to see they are both fully clothed. As Qi Menglin prepares to leave, Yu Zhen bids him a tearful farewell. Remembering Luo Shu's instructions, Qi Menglin calls Yu Zhen out and, in front of everyone, places the hairpin in her hair before leading his horse away.
Qi Menglin returns to the County Government and reports to Luo Shu, repeatedly assuring her that he remained chaste the previous night. Luo Shu believes him and praises his performance. Luo Shu then visits Lao San's wife, claiming to be a relative of Ma Tianjin. Luo Shu states clearly that Lao San and Jin Laoliu did not kill Ma Tianjin and are taking the blame for someone else. Luo Shu urges Lao San's wife to reveal the truth. The wife hesitates, but Luo Shu promises to double Lao San's compensation. Still torn, Luo Shu hints that Yu Zhen has found a wealthy man who has given her many jewels.
Lao San's wife goes to the jail to deliver food and bumps into a radiant Yu Zhen. She immediately notices the hairpin and becomes convinced of Luo Shu's words. She sees Jin Laoliu eating a cold bun and shares her roast chicken with him. She then tells Jin Laoliu everything about Yu Zhen's infidelity. Jin Laoliu is furious.
Lao San's wife reveals that Lao San was paid to take the blame, and the employer gave her a substantial sum. Luo Shu, keeping her promise, gives her one hundred taels of silver. Qi Menglin curiously inquires how Luo Shu has so much money, but Luo Shu avoids the question. Jin Laoliu, increasingly enraged, doesn't want to let Yu Zhen benefit from the money he risked his life for. He demands to retract his confession. Jailer Song explains the consequences: if he recants alone, he'll implicate Lao San. Jin Laoliu doesn't care and insists on changing his testimony. Jailer Song, unable to make the decision, immediately reports the situation.
That night, Jailer Song drags Jin Laoliu away, claiming the magistrate wants to interrogate him. Jailer Song intends to silence Jin Laoliu permanently. However, Yang Zhan arrives just in time to stop him. Luo Shu, Constable Cai, and Qi Menglin arrive shortly after. Jin Laoliu cries out his innocence, claiming he didn't kill Ma Tianjin and that Jailer Song bribed him to be a scapegoat. Luo Shu forces Jailer Song to reveal the truth. Jailer Song confesses that Wei, a clerk at the Linfen County Government, is his master. Wei, along with an old man, asked him to find someone to take the blame for Lv Wanchang. Based on Jailer Song's testimony, Constable Cai suspects the old man is a notorious legal trickster from Linfen known as Wu Zhuangyuan.
Because of his previous fall into the water, Qi Menglin catches a severe cold and falls seriously ill. Luo Shu is heartbroken and stays by his side, taking care of him. Qi Menglin finally wakes up and sees Luo Shu asleep by his bedside. Feeling a surge of affection, he instinctively reaches out to touch Luo Shu, who suddenly awakens.
