Jiang Changyang found an excuse to go to Luoyang. Before leaving, he asked Mudan if there was anything she needed him to bring back. Mudan wasn’t hesitant; since she would have to pay for transportation and expenses anyway, she listed four items. As for visiting relatives and friends, Mudan mentioned that Miss He had passed away and that she had no family or acquaintances in Luoyang. To express his sentiments, Jiang Changyang prepared a large phoenix kite for Mudan, releasing it into the sky. The kite’s belly scattered numerous petals, leaving a lasting impression on Mudan. Jiang Changyang also said that no matter where Mudan was in the future, as long as she saw the bright moon, she would no longer feel lonely.
Sheng Yi and Wang Qing found themselves entangled once again. Inadvertently, Sheng Yi let slip that Mudan had a past life in Luoyang. Wang Qing, with ulterior motives, coaxed Sheng Yi into revealing many details about Mudan’s history in Luoyang.
The Lord of Ji’an County had been copying the “Lotus Sutra” for several days, hoping to ensure a smooth marriage. Liu Chang’s every move at the stables was known to Li Youzhen. Hearing that the stables were busy, Liu Chang was overworked and would often visit a tavern to have a few drinks during his free time. He would also go hiking in Zhongnanshan. A servant reported that across from the tavern Liu Chang frequented was a flower shop owned by He Weifang. Li Youzhen immediately went to the Liu residence to hold Liu Shen accountable, indicating that Liu Shen should take the carriage from Prince Ning’s residence to uncover He Weifang’s true identity. Ren Jingzhao, who was slick and adaptable, knew exactly how to handle the situation upon seeing the carriage from Prince Ning’s residence. However, if this matter were to be handled by the elderly Liu Shen and his father, Liu Chang would undoubtedly become suspicious. After hearing Li Youzhen’s words, Liu Shen immediately said he would find an unrelated person to report He Weifang.
Wang Qing tricked Sheng Yi into signing and stamping the marriage certificate, then made her drink wedding wine, causing her to faint. He then went to the Jingzhao Prefecture to accuse He Weifang of falsely establishing a reputable flower shop in the city to amass wealth. The Liu couple was summoned as witnesses. Soon, officials from Jingzhao Prefecture came to arrest people. He Weifang quickly sent Zhu Fu to inform Xu Jiu to leave to avoid being discovered, while she herself was arrested and taken to Jingzhao Prefecture. Outside Jingzhao Prefecture, Mudan saw a luxurious sedan and guessed that the person inside was no ordinary individual. Ren Jingzhao colluded with the Grand Minister, and as an ordinary citizen, Mudan had no power to oppose them. She was reduced to a criminal slave and sent to a military camp outside the city, stripped of her household registration, and had her property confiscated. When Sheng Yi regained consciousness, she found all the doors and windows locked. She forcefully broke open the door and ran out to discover that the Flower Mansion had been usurped by Wang Qing.
Wang Qing deliberately sowed discord between Zhu Fu and Sheng Yi’s sisterly bond, falsely accusing Sheng Yi of conspiring with him to seize the Flower Mansion. Zhu Fu, filled with hatred for Sheng Yi, was enraged with Wang Qing. However, Wang Qing, backed by many, beat Zhu Fu until he was injured. Lü Gengchun persuaded Zhu Fu not to confront Wang Qing directly, leading Zhu Fu to sever ties with Sheng Yi. After being flogged sixty times, Mudan was exiled as a criminal slave to a military camp far outside the city. A mute woman, also a criminal slave, noticed that Mudan’s eyes resembled those of her sister and took special care of her. This was the first good person Mudan met in the military camp. Together, they washed clothes and, unable to find soap pods, burned wild grass to make ash with cleansing properties. The porridge provided to the criminal slaves in the camp was meager and pitiful. The strong and robust slaves saw Mudan as a weak woman and, when she was not paying attention, snatched her porridge.
Mudan was not pleased and complained to the soldiers, but they ignored her complaints, blaming her for not protecting the porridge. It was then that Mudan realized that criminal slaves in the military camp had no dignity. She and the mute woman supported each other to survive in the camp. Meanwhile, Jiang Changyang had arrived in Luoyang and was socializing with the local officials over drinks, unaware of the events unfolding in Chang’an involving Mudan.
