Episode Summary
Mei Changxiong confesses to the murder of Meng Qiaosheng, revealing a plan motivated by jealousy and revenge over his wife's affair and his sister's planned elopement. He framed Feng Erlang, but his elaborate scheme unravels, leading to Feng Erlang's release and a tearful reunion with Mei Hongying.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with Qi Menglin searching for Luo Shu at the courthouse, only to find she's vanished. Meanwhile, Chen Meiqing can't locate Han Muzhi, leading them to suspect the pair are together at the Mei residence. Qi Menglin immediately sets off to find them.
Luo Shu and Han Muzhi are convinced that Feng Erlang isn't Meng Qiaosheng's killer. Based on Mei Hongying's testimony, Luo Shu deduces that either Mei Changxiong or his wife, Lu Yanru, is lying. Both have alibis, but the fact that the front door was ajar when Feng Erlang went to see Mei Hongying, Mei Hongying being locked in the study, and Meng Qiaosheng mysteriously appearing in Mei Hongying's bed all point to a deliberate setup. Han Muzhi agrees with this assessment.
Qi Menglin catches up to Luo Shu, using the excuse that Chen Meiqing needs Han Muzhi. He offers to accompany Luo Shu to the Mei house, leaving Han Muzhi to return to the courthouse. With Mei Changxiong at work, only Lu Yanru is home. Luo Shu asks her to lead them to the study where Meng Qiaosheng tutored Mei Hongying. Lu Yanru claims Mei Hongying disliked studying, so she would accompany her and often did Mei Hongying's homework to prevent Mei Changxiong from discovering her academic struggles. Luo Shu recalls a love poem from the homework and casually mentions Lu Yanru taking Mei Hongying's lessons, causing Lu Yanru to panic and vehemently deny any relationship with Meng Qiaosheng.
Qi Menglin finds a mandarin duck embroidery, which Lu Yanru admits to making. Luo Shu then reveals a sachet found under Meng Qiaosheng's pillow. Lu Yanru explains that Mei Hongying wanted to embroider a purse for Feng Erlang, but her skills were lacking, so Lu Yanru made a sample for her, unaware that Meng Qiaosheng had taken it.
An enraged Mei Hongying confronts Lu Yanru, furious about the gossip circulating after she was questioned at the courthouse. Mei Hongying accuses Lu Yanru of having an affair with Meng Qiaosheng, revealing that Lu Yanru always covered for her when she skipped lessons. Lu Yanru tries to defend herself, but Mei Hongying threatens to drag her to the courthouse. Lu Yanru locks herself in her room and attempts suicide by hanging. Luo Shu breaks down the door, and Mei Changxiong arrives just in time to save her. He angrily kicks Mei Hongying out of the house.
Witnessing Lu Yanru's suicide attempt, Qi Menglin believes she's innocent. However, Luo Shu remains unconvinced. Investigator Cai goes to Lu Yanru's family home and confirms she stayed there the night of the murder, returning home the next morning. Han Muzhi suspects Mei Changxiong is lying and dispatches Investigator Cai to Mei Changxiong's workshop. Luo Shu volunteers to investigate, and Qi Menglin insists on joining her.
Luo Shu tries to leave early to go to the workshop alone, but Qi Menglin follows. They find a muddy footprint on the windowsill, suggesting Mei Changxiong entered and exited through there. They also examine Mei Changxiong's boat, where Qi Menglin discovers scratch marks on the hull. The coroner, Xu, found mud under Meng Qiaosheng's fingernails.
Lu Yanru, heartbroken, reminisces about her time with Meng Qiaosheng. Mei Changxiong sees her longing for him and urges her to move on. Lu Yanru, once a lady from a wealthy family, was forced to marry Mei Changxiong, a man solely focused on money, after her family's decline. She suspects Mei Changxiong killed Meng Qiaosheng. Mei Changxiong confesses, admitting he hired Meng Qiaosheng to tutor Mei Hongying, but Meng Qiaosheng seduced Lu Yanru and flaunted it in front of him. He killed Meng Qiaosheng in a fit of rage and framed Feng Erlang.
Lu Yanru lashes out at Mei Changxiong, saying she'd rather live a poor life with Meng Qiaosheng than be with him. Mei Changxiong beats her, but she continues to taunt him. With Feng Erlang's execution scheduled for the next day, Mei Hongying braves the rain to visit him in jail. Mei Changxiong forbids it and drags her back home. Mei Hongying vows to marry only Feng Erlang and to die if he's executed. Mei Changxiong is heartbroken, realizing that despite his devotion to Mei Hongying, she loves Feng Erlang.
Mei Hongying becomes increasingly angry, pointing out the hypocrisy of her father and Lu Yanru's loveless marriage while interfering with her happiness. Mei Changxiong, seeing Mei Hongying's unwavering love for Feng Erlang, decides to let them be together. He goes to the courthouse the next morning and confesses to killing Meng Qiaosheng.
Mei Changxiong explains that he returned home early from a delivery and saw Mei Hongying and Feng Erlang playing in the street. He rushed home and witnessed Lu Yanru and Meng Qiaosheng's intimacy. He suppressed his anger, while Lu Yanru, disgusted by his sweat, refused to let him near her, clutching the jade pendant Meng Qiaosheng gave her.
Feng Erlang came to propose, but Mei Changxiong drove him away, demanding a 200 tael dowry. Mei Hongying argued with him, and Mei Changxiong, fearing Feng Erlang might do something foolish for the money, told Feng Erlang's mother he wouldn't allow the marriage.
Mei Changxiong then encountered Feng Erlang, overheard Lao San and Da Niu discussing something, and learned of Feng Erlang's plan to elope with Mei Hongying. He decided to eliminate both Meng Qiaosheng and Feng Erlang. He locked Mei Hongying in the study, sent Lu Yanru to her family, and hinted to Meng Qiaosheng that he wouldn't be home that night.
To create an alibi, he worked at the workshop, snuck out through the window, waited near his house, saw Meng Qiaosheng go to Lu Yanru, knocked him unconscious, stripped him, and placed him in Mei Hongying's bed. Feng Erlang, Lao San, and Da Niu arrived to "rescue" Mei Hongying, carrying away the blanket-wrapped Meng Qiaosheng.
Feng Erlang realized the mistake on the boat. Mei Changxiong, intending for Feng Erlang to kill Meng Qiaosheng, had to chase after Meng Qiaosheng on his own boat and beat him to death. With Mei Changxiong's confession, Feng Erlang is released, and Mei Hongying embraces him, weeping.
The episode concludes with Luo Shu cooking a large pot of shaomai (steamed dumplings). Qi Menglin assumes it's a special gesture for him, as he also loves shaomai.
