Du Yangxi initially found Yan Zimei to be a man of noble character, with a bold and chivalrous demeanor, and thought he would be a worthy friend. However, during a banquet, Yan Zimei, drunk, revealed a shocking secret: he claimed to have once been engaged to the eldest daughter of the Li family, Shouhua. Fate had separated them, and now, hearing that Shouhua had become a widow, Yan Zimei had come to Bianjing to find her, unaware that Du Yangxi had already become Shouhua’s second husband.
Upon learning this, Du Yangxi immediately informed Chai An and Fan Lianghan, declaring that he wanted a marriage that would last a lifetime. If Shouhua had indeed been involved with someone else or had shifted her affections, she would not be the woman he sought. Chai An and Fan Lianghan, seeing Du Yangxi’s deep devotion, worried that if the matter wasn’t clarified, it could lead to irreparable consequences.
Meanwhile, Fuhui and Kangning, hearing about Yan Zimei from their husbands, rushed to warn Shouhua. However, Shouhua remained calm, stating that she had done nothing wrong and had no fear of Du Yangxi’s investigation. Later, the three sons-in-law formed an alliance and sent Chai An’s servant, Deqing, to follow Yan Zimei. They discovered that Yan had commissioned a pair of golden armlets to gift to his former lover.
Back at home, Shouhua recalled a man who had once spied on her in her youth, suspecting he might be connected to Yan Zimei. When Yang Yapo, a matchmaker, came to discuss hiring maids, Shouhua, unsuspecting, did not mention Yan Zimei to Du Yangxi, further fueling his suspicions.
That night, Du Yangxi noticed Shouhua wearing the golden armlets and was shocked, his doubts growing stronger. The next morning, he confronted Yang Yapo, who had come to report on finding servants. Yang Yapo deliberately dropped an embroidered handkerchief in front of Du Yangxi, identical to one Yan Zimei had shown earlier, with a love poem about the armlets written on it.
Enraged, Du Yangxi stormed into Shouhua’s room, smashing inkstones and tearing clothes, even threatening to divorce her. Chunlai, overhearing the commotion, ran back to the Li family to report the incident. Mrs. Li, furious that her daughter had been mistreated, wanted to confront Du Yangxi immediately but hesitated, fearing it would irreparably damage the relationship between the two families.
That evening, Du Yangxi personally went to Mrs. Li to announce his intention to divorce Shouhua. He was surrounded and questioned by the Li sisters and their maids but refused to explain his reasons, wanting to preserve Shouhua’s dignity. Chai An, skeptical of Du Yangxi’s rash decision, suspected there was more to the story. Du Yangxi then revealed to Chai An that he and Shouhua were acting out a plan to expose Yan Zimei.
Meanwhile, Yang Yapo returned to the Li household, and Shouhua confronted her directly, asking why she had conspired with an outsider to deceive her. Yang Yapo praised Yan Zimei, portraying him as a devoted lover and arranging a secret meeting between him and Shouhua.
On the day of the Xiangguo Temple fair, Mrs. Li and her daughters went out, leaving Shouhua alone at home. Yan Zimei arrived, using smooth talk to try and win Shouhua over. Shouhua pretended to agree, feigning interest in rekindling their relationship. Overjoyed, Yan Zimei revealed how he had deceived Du Yangxi into believing he had gifted the armlets to Shouhua.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Li, sensing something was wrong, ordered the carriage to turn back. The sisters, confused, followed their mother’s lead. Shouhua, upon hearing that Yan Zimei already had a wife, pretended to be angry and accused him. Yan Zimei admitted that his wife was still in his hometown but claimed Shouhua could become his official wife if she accompanied him to his new post.
At that moment, Shouhua threw a cup of tea in Yan Zimei’s face. Du Yangxi, Chai An, and others, who had been hiding nearby, rushed in and punched Yan Zimei. They interrogated Yang Yapo, who confessed to the entire scheme, admitting that she and Yan Zimei had plotted together. It turned out that Du Yangxi had long suspected Yan Zimei’s deceit and had collaborated with Shouhua to catch him in the act.
To protect Shouhua’s reputation, they decided not to report the matter to the authorities but instead gave Yan Zimei a thorough beating. Mrs. Li, understanding the situation, was pleased with her sons-in-law’s actions. However, Chai An and Du Yangxi were angry with Fan Lianghan for betraying their alliance to please his wife. The three sons-in-law argued fiercely at home, but their wives eventually intervened, with Kangning even kicking Chai An out of the carriage, leaving him to laugh bitterly at the situation.
