Episode 5: Like a Pearl, It Can Purify Dirty Water
Ye Ping’an visits the Hai Mansion to meet with Minister Hai Yiping. When the gatekeeper hears she’s there on behalf of Wu She to demand pearl powder, he immediately ushers her inside. Ye Ping’an notices a Taoist performing rituals in the mansion, piquing her curiosity. During her meeting with Hai Yiping, Ye Ping’an raises questions, and Hai Yiping confesses that his sister, Hai Yan, has been mute since childhood, and since a fire in the mansion, her behavior has become increasingly strange. The old madam believes Hai Yan is possessed by a demon, thus inviting a Taoist to perform exorcism rituals monthly. Ye Ping’an volunteers to meet Hai Yan, thinking she might help. Meanwhile, spies notice Ye Ping’an’s visit to the Hai Mansion, and Qi Junshan informs Du Liang, who plans to target Ye Ping’an’s aunt, Gu Erniang, to leverage Ye Ping’an’s vulnerability.
Gu Erniang, unable to fend off multiple attackers, is quickly captured while Ye Ping’an remains unaware at the Hai Mansion. Ye Ping’an bonds with Hai Yan through painting, narrowly avoiding a misunderstanding with the old madam when Hai Yan unexpectedly speaks up, resolving the confusion. Ye Ping’an explains to the old madam that Hai Yan struggles with normal conversation and can only engage in simple dialogue, suggesting they interact with her based on her interests. Hai Yiping learns of Du Liang’s actions from Ye Ping’an and is shocked. Ye Ping’an, whose official position is merely honorary, states she cannot intervene directly but recommends Yuan Shaocheng, who is investigating a military pay case. Back at Anxin House, Lu Danxin informs Ye Ping’an about her aunt’s capture.
Lu Danxin initially wants to seek help from Ghost Uncle, but Ye Ping’an stops her. Instead, Lu Danxin goes to Yuan’s residence to inform Gu Wenyu about Gu Erniang’s arrest. Du Liang’s men then invite Ye Ping’an to a banquet supposedly to celebrate her new position. Yuan Shaocheng visits, and Hai Yiping, knowing Yuan once served Du Liang but now wants to defect to the Mei Party, tests his loyalty, finding him indeed capable. Yuan Shaocheng presents a significant gift to Hai Yiping, which turns out to be military funds, much to Hai Yiping’s surprise.
Soon after, Yuan Shaocheng returns home, where Gu Wenyu quickly fills him in on the situation with Ye Ping’an and Gu Erniang. Yuan Shaocheng can’t appear at Du Liang’s mansion, so he sends Gu Wenyu to find Hai Yiping at the Hai Mansion. Du Liang uses Gu Erniang to threaten Ye Ping’an, but she remains unyielding and defiant. Just as Du Liang is about to draw his sword in anger, a servant announces that Hai Yiping has sent for Ye Ping’an to treat his illness. Ye Ping’an is safely escorted to the Hai Mansion, where, due to the curfew, she stays overnight. There, she unexpectedly discovers that Hai Yan knows of a woman with a floral mark on her arm. Ye Ping’an tries to learn more from Hai Yan, but Hai Yiping interrupts.
It turns out Hai Yiping had Hai Yan draw the woman with the floral mark to confirm his suspicions about Ye Ping’an’s motives against Zheng Yuan and Du Liang. Over a decade ago, when Ye Ping’an was still known as Gu Qing, she taught herself medicine from books. Zheng Yuan, hearing of her ability to make people obey, deceived her into leading women into an abandoned house where they were violated. After the incident, Ye Ping’an witnessed Qi Junshan mercilessly killing the women who escaped from the burning house. This guilt drove Ye Ping’an to seek revenge, leading to the events that follow.
Episode 6: A Jackal Can Kill a Tiger, a Mouse Can Harm an Elephant
Years ago, Lu Danxin narrowly escaped death and met Censor Yu Gan, who was on a rural inspection. She reported everything to him. Yu Gan was outraged and vowed to uncover the truth and seek justice for those unfortunate women. However, he didn’t expect that behind Zheng Yuan and Du Liang were powerful forces in the capital. They framed Yu Gan for embezzlement and kidnapping, leading to his execution and the massacre of thirty members of the Yu family. Yuan Shaocheng meets with Du Liang, appearing opportunistic, claiming he told Hai Yiping about the military funds and that Hai Yiping planned to submit only half, hiding the other half in his villa. This gives Du Liang an opportunity to bring down Hai Yiping. Du Liang finds this plan brilliant.
Ye Ping’an knows Du Liang’s greed will draw him into the trap, but the outcome is still unclear. Yuan Hesheng drinks alone at Mangou all night; Yuan Shaocheng finds him, learning that Yuan Hesheng heard from Uncle Gu that Yuan Shaocheng was plotting something with the military funds but was left out, feeling disappointed and thinking his brother didn’t trust him. Yuan Shaocheng explains he kept him in the dark to protect him from danger, revealing that Ye Ping’an was the strategist behind the military fund case. Late at night, Yuan Shaocheng visits Ye Ping’an’s humble abode. She instructs him not to act against Du Liang yet, as she wants to extract more information from him. Both are determined not to back down, no matter how powerful the forces against them.
Ni Shang has Mr. Jin sneak out the ledger from Qi Junshan’s gambling den, which records many bribes to Du Liang through gambling losses. Mr. Jin also discovers that those who came from Tongquan County with Du Liang and Zheng Yuan to the capital have mysteriously died, suggesting they were silenced for knowing too much. Confirming that military funds were indeed hidden in Hai Yiping’s villa, Du Liang, with his troops, raids the place at night. Hai Yiping, leisurely drinking tea, remains calm even as Minister of Justice Zhang Quan arrives in a panic. Hai Yiping tells Zhang that whatever happens that night, whether bloodshed or fighting, is irrelevant to them, but he needs Zhang to deliver a message to the harsh official Li Jun.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shaocheng and Yuan Hesheng, with help from the people of Mangou, prepare to show how “mice from the gutter” can take down a “tiger”. With Du Liang away, Yuan Hesheng and his men set a fire in Du’s mansion to distract, then secretly move the military funds into Du’s backyard. Du Liang soon realizes the raid on Hai Yiping’s villa was in vain and rushes back to find the fire was just a distraction; his backyard is full of military funds. Realizing he’s been outsmarted by Yuan Shaocheng, but it’s too late; Ye Ping’an appears, using a bell to drive him mad with visions of the souls he wronged, causing him to scream in fury but not lose his ruthlessness.
Yuan Shaocheng and his men surround Du’s mansion, giving Ye Ping’an time to interrogate Du Liang. Unexpectedly, Li Jun, informed of the situation, arrives swiftly and kills Du Liang. Ye Ping’an couldn’t get the mastermind behind the Yu Gan case from Du Liang, but she acts as if she already knows. Li Jun arrests Ye Ping’an on suspicion of smuggling military funds. As Ye Ping’an looks at Yuan Shaocheng, she recalls his words, suspecting perhaps he too has played her.
