Danwu and her younger brother, Xiaoxiaomi, temporarily stayed on the ship. Since idlers aren’t kept around, the siblings began working like the other servants on board. Danwu instructed her brother to quickly get familiar with the environment and learn about the people on the ship, so they could escape when the right opportunity arose.
Though young, Xiaoxiaomi quickly gathered information on everyone on board. He told Danwu that there were warriors on the ship, and the leader was named Kang Ju, who often stayed close to Yan Zijin. Danwu noted down this information, thinking it might come in handy.
Stills from Episode 4 of “The Story of Pearl Girl”
On the deck, a man named Cao Tou was known for his gentle tone and for helping the servants buy things. People liked him, and whenever they got paid, they would entrust him with money to buy goods. However, Xiaoxiaomi noticed that Cao Tou charged double the market price, showing he wasn’t as kind-hearted as he seemed. Danwu advised her brother to keep quiet about this; they were in a vulnerable position and had to be cautious.
Danwu learned that the ship would dock the next day. She managed to approach Yan Zijin to request permission to go ashore, saying that being a servant for life would never earn her enough to buy back her mother’s pearl. Yan Zijin agreed to her request but emphasized that if she could clean the entire deck by sunrise, he would let the siblings leave the ship.
Cui Ding, unable to bear the torture, bit his tongue and committed suicide. Before dying, he revealed that Yan Zijin’s sister was in Shaozhou. With this information, Yan Zijin planned to dock in Shaozhou, intending to host a Pearl Poetry Gathering and invite the nobility to advance his own plans. He announced that whoever won the gathering would be rewarded with ten taels of pearls.
Danwu had hoped to earn money ashore through trade, but Yan Zijin instead had her and Xiaoxiaomi scrubbing the floor. Seeing Yan Zijin again while they were forced to work filled her with resentment.
Many people arrived for the poetry gathering. When Cui Shijiu saw Danwu, he sneered, saying that a lowly servant like her had no place here. Danwu recognized Cui Shijiu as the man whose demands for pearls led countless divers to their deaths. She boldly reminded him not to feel so proud, as every pearl from his family was stained with blood, foretelling a grim fate for him.
A scuffle broke out between Cui Shijiu and Danwu. Though defiant, Danwu was overpowered and pinned to the ground by Cui Shijiu. Fortunately, Zhang Jinran passed by, prompting Cui Shijiu to release her.
During the poetry gathering, Zhang Jinran recited a poem about the hardships of pearl divers, winning the crowd’s admiration. When he described pearls filled with mermaid tears, Danwu wept with gratitude. She had once asked Zhang Jinran to write a poem honoring the difficult lives of pearl divers, and now, her wish had come true. Those uncelebrated divers might finally find some comfort in the afterlife.
Stills from Episode 4 of “The Story of Pearl Girl”
The poetry gathering brought Cui Shijiu and Zhang Jinran together again. Zhang Jinran’s men had discovered Cui Ding’s body, and the coroner reported signs of severe torture before his death. Zhang Jinran suspected Yan Zijin of the murder and demanded justice. Yan Zijin, however, denied knowing Cui Ding and asked Danwu to testify.
Seeing Yan Zijin’s expression, Danwu immediately understood what she had to say. She claimed she had been on Yan Zijin’s ship the entire time and had never seen Cui Ding.
Zhang Jinran, who had always trusted Danwu’s honesty, felt disheartened and reminded her that shielding a criminal would lead to punishment. Danwu remained unmoved. After Zhang Jinran left, she asked Yan Zijin for her reward.
