Luo Shu went to find Hua Miao to understand the situation, accompanied by Qi Menglin. Upon entering, they saw a elegantly dressed pregnant woman arguing vehemently with Hua Miao. Luo Shu was filled with confusion. Upon seeing Luo Shu and Qi Menglin, the pregnant woman hurriedly bid farewell to Hua Miao and left in a rush.
Luo Shu wanted to know when Hua Miao started treating the Qiao family. Hua Miao claimed that he and He Shenwei were neighbors and happened to possess a traditional secret recipe for childbirth, which he gave to He Shenwei. Consequently, Qiao Ruohui became pregnant but later miscarried. Hua Miao answered flawlessly when Luo Shu casually inquired about the pregnant woman who had just left. He claimed that the woman was his cousin Qiu Niang, who came to borrow money due to an urgent family matter. Luo Shu didn’t press further and left with Qi Menglin.
Qi Menglin was convinced that Qiao Ruolan was falsely accusing He Shenwei. Luo Shu found Hua Miao suspicious and doubted that the pregnant woman was indeed his cousin or came to borrow money. However, Qi Menglin insisted on his judgment. Luo Shu and Qi Menglin went to find Qiao Ruolan, only to see her crying while reading letters. Qi Menglin mocked her sarcastically.
Luo Shu took out Qiao Ruohui’s letters and chased Qi Menglin away, forbidding him from reading Qiao Ruohui’s letters. Reluctantly, Qi Menglin went to have a chat with He Shenwei. Luo Shu noticed discrepancies between the letters Qiao Ruohui wrote before and after her miscarriage. Qiao Ruohui was not well-versed in literature and was good at bookkeeping and calculations but couldn’t write poetry. However, her will was written beautifully like poetry. Luo Shu asked He Shenwei for the letters Qiao Ruolan wrote to Qiao Ruohui and saw Qi Menglin chatting casually with He Shenwei. Upon noticing Luo Shu disguised as a female constable, He Shenwei realized her true identity and complimented her beauty.
He Shenwei presented the letters Qiao Ruolan wrote to Qiao Ruohui. Luo Shu discovered that these were merely business correspondence and not personal letters between the sisters. He Shenwei excused himself by saying he hadn’t had time to organize them. Qiao Ruolan, still uneasy, hurriedly approached Luo Shu. Just as Luo Shu was about to leave with Qiao Ruolan, Qiu Niang suddenly arrived to see He Shenwei, followed closely by Hua Miao. Qiao Ruolan persistently questioned Qiu Niang about her reasons for seeking He Shenwei, while Hua Miao continuously explained that Qiu Niang came to borrow money and even asked Luo Shu and Qi Menglin to vouch for him.
After much persuasion, Hua Miao managed to send Qiu Niang away. However, Qiao Ruolan felt something was amiss and insisted on having Qiu Niang confront He Shenwei directly. Qi Menglin disapproved of Qiao Ruolan’s domineering behavior and severely reprimanded her, also advising Luo Shu to stop assisting Qiao Ruolan with the investigation or risk severing their friendship. Luo Shu ignored his admonition.
Luo Shu dispatched Cai Captian to investigate the temple and confirmed that He Shenwei had donated fifty taels of silver to the temple, contrary to his claim of donating two hundred taels. Hua Miao dismissed Qiu Niang and returned to consult He Shenwei about their next move. It was revealed that the child in Qiu Niang’s womb was He Shenwei’s. He Shenwei had been regularly transferring money to Qiu Niang through Hua Miao every month. As Qiu Niang was about to give birth, she wanted to ask for more money. Concerned that Qiao Ruolan would discover the discrepancy, He Shenwei didn’t dare to take money directly from the distillery. Instead, he considered using the jewelry Qiao Ruohui left behind but feared Qiao Ruolan would uncover it. Desperate, He Shenwei didn’t know what to do until Hua Miao suggested eliminating Qiao Ruolan, ensuring everything would be settled.
Qi Menglin angered Luo Shu by insisting that Qiao Ruolan was falsely accusing He Shenwei. He tried to explain himself, but Luo Shu shut him out. Qi Menglin went to the window to talk privately with Luo Shu, boasting about his heroic act of spending 501 taels to purchase the courtesan Jin Nang’s comb from Mingkefang. Luo Shu, furious, revealed that she was actually Jin Nang herself, a courtesan named Jin Nang, a fact Qi Menglin was unaware of. She angrily slammed the window shut. Undeterred, Qi Menglin knocked on the window to continue boasting about his deeds at Mingkefang. Frustrated, Luo Shu instructed Qi Menglin to arrange a meeting with Jin Nang at Youche River.
Early the next morning, Luo Shu went to find Qiao Ruolan and learned that someone impersonating her had arranged to meet her by the river. Realizing that Qiao Ruolan was in danger, Luo Shu immediately rushed to the riverbank. There, she saw two thugs attempting to ambush Qiao Ruolan. She shouted loudly to stop them, grabbed Qiao Ruolan, and fled. Arrows were shot towards them, and Luo Shu shielded Qiao Ruolan, resulting in herself being hit. The thugs seized Luo Shu and Qiao Ruolan and took them onto a boat.
Meanwhile, Qi Menglin arrived at Mingkefang to meet Jin Nang, only to discover that Jin Nang had escaped that day. Yu Mama had instructed Jin Lian to disguise herself as Jin Nang. Qi Menglin then invited all five courtesans from Mingkefang onto the boat, but Luo Shu was noticeably absent. Disappointed, Qi Menglin saw that Jin Lian could sense his unhappiness and tried her best to console him. The thugs forced Qiao Ruolan to divulge the secret recipe for Jinrui Wine, threatening Luo Shu’s life as leverage. Reluctantly, Qiao Ruolan complied.
Taking advantage of the thugs’ distraction, Luo Shu cut the ropes binding them and injured one of the thugs. She then pulled Qiao Ruolan to jump into the river and escape. The thugs, unwilling to give up, fired arrows at them. From a distance, Qi Menglin saw two young women fall into the water and instructed the boatman to speed up to rescue them. Recognizing Luo Shu, he dove into the river to save her. Luo Shu began to lose strength and started to sink, but Qi Menglin arrived just in time to pull her ashore.
Luo Shu groggily regained consciousness and urged Qi Menglin to quickly rescue Qiao Ruolan. Jin Lian boarded the boat and recognized Luo Shu. Han Muzhi arrived with constables shortly after, carrying Luo Shu back to the carriage. Concerned for Qiao Ruolan’s safety, Han Muzhi dispatched men to rescue her. As Qi Menglin watched Han Muzhi carry Luo Shu away, he felt a pang of jealousy. From Jin Lian, Qi Menglin learned that Luo Shu was actually Jin Nang, leaving him utterly astonished.
Xu Wuzuo tended to Luo Shu’s injuries, and Han Muzhi visited her to offer care and warm ginger tea. Xu Wuzuo discreetly left, closing the door behind him. Han Muzhi regretted allowing Luo Shu to stay at the county office and cautioned her to avoid putting herself in danger in the future. Cai Captian reported that Qiao Ruolan had not been found. After ensuring Luo Shu was settled, Han Muzhi left.
Qi Menglin spent a fortune to buy chicken soup and sent it along with ginger tea to Luo Shu. Luo Shu thanked him for saving her life but politely declined to accept his gift. The two struggled, causing the ginger tea to spill all over the ground.
