At the banquet in Panlou, Liang Junqing boasted loudly after a few drinks, becoming so carried away that he shamelessly flaunted his scandalous affair with the Li family’s lady, using vulgar and disrespectful language. This provoked Fan Lianghan to lash out in anger. Although Chai An was equally furious, he remained clear-headed, knowing that acting impulsively would only worsen the situation. With a clever maneuver, he managed to protect the reputation of the Li family’s lady.
After Liang Junqing was dragged away by his servants in disgrace, Fan Lianghan was still seething with anger. Chai An reminded him that acting rashly in Panlou would only make the matter public, tarnishing the Li family’s daughter’s reputation. If word spread, not only would her marriage prospects be ruined, but she would also face ridicule and gossip whenever she stepped outside. Fan Lianghan, however, felt that the matter couldn’t be left unresolved. Chai An, already formulating a plan, understood his friend’s feelings.
Meanwhile, Kang Ning, upon learning that Liang Junqing was the one who had attempted to harass Qiongnu, decided to teach him a lesson. At that moment, Chai An approached Kang Ning, vowing to severely punish Liang Junqing and clear his own name. Kang Ning, grateful for Chai An’s assistance, set aside past grievances and apologized, asking about their next steps. Chai An revealed his plan to “cast a long line to catch a big fish.”
Soon, it was the Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The Sifu Teahouse had prepared a variety of unique Chongyang cakes, and the Li family’s lady, with her silver tongue, attracted a flood of customers. The Li daughters were busy in their rooms, but Wuniang Leshan, feeling bored, wanted to go out for some fun. Siniang Haode shared the same desire, and after much pleading, they finally received permission from Shouhua and Fuhui.
Kang Ning arrived as promised but found no sign of Chai An. Instead, she became intrigued by a golden Makara statue and spent five copper coins to win it, only to be told by the vendor that it had already been reserved by none other than Chai An, the young master of Panlou. Later, Chai An appeared and stood with Kang Ning by the roadside, engaging in a verbal sparring match. Soon, Liang Junqing appeared in the distance, leaving with a woman.
It turned out that Chai An had set a trap using a beautiful woman as bait. Liang Junqing, with his lustful intentions, fell right into it. As he entered the room to seduce the woman, she screamed, and servants rushed in to beat him up. Kang Ning took the wooden stick Chai An handed her and struck Liang Junqing, finally avenging Qiongnu.
Afterward, Chai An escorted Kang Ning home, reassuring her that the servants were skilled fighters and had only broken one of Liang Junqing’s legs to prevent him from causing further harm. Even if Liang Junqing harbored resentment, the scandal of being caught attempting to seduce another man’s wife would leave him too ashamed to speak of it, even in court. This incident greatly changed Kang Ning’s opinion of Chai An. She accepted the golden Makara he gave her, and her fondness for him grew.
Meanwhile, Shouhua noticed that Qiongnu had grown thinner recently, realizing she was still troubled by the past incident. Leshan suggested a trip to the night market to lift her spirits, but Fuhui hesitated upon hearing that a group of bandits who targeted beautiful young women had arrived in the city. Shouhua, prioritizing safety, advised her to bring along some guards from the Fan family for protection.
That night, a fire broke out on Cross Street. Chai An, quick to sense an opportunity, anticipated that many houses would need repairs and took Fan Lianghan out of the city to purchase bricks, tiles, and lumber, hoping to make a fortune. However, Kang Ning and Fuhui were kidnapped by the bandits. Upon returning from the city, Chai An and Fan Lianghan learned of the abduction and immediately set out to track the bandits, eventually capturing them all.
Chai An and Fan Lianghan successfully rescued the two women, but recalling the Li sisters’ past arrogance, they decided to teach them a lesson. Following Chai An’s suggestion, Fan Lianghan made Fuhui lie on the cold ground overnight, hoping to assert dominance over his wife and fully subdue her. Meanwhile, Chai An pretended to be a bandit and took Kang Ning away, teasing and threatening her along the way. Kang Ning tried to negotiate, eventually using a hairpin to strike at her captor, only to remove the blindfold and discover it was Chai An. She scolded him fiercely.
Finally, Chai An came clean and escorted Kang Ning safely back to the city on horseback. Worried about being seen returning late with a man, Kang Ning was relieved when Chai An thoughtfully draped a black cloak over her to conceal her identity. Upon reaching her residence, Chai An confessed that his previous actions weren’t meant to tease her but rather to spend more time with her. His heartfelt words stirred emotions in Kang Ning, who watched him leave with a shy smile.
