Qin Yi sends Lian Qi to track down Qi Yanjin. Knowing Qi Yanjin’s interest in Taoism, Lian Qi searches various Taoist temples but finds no trace of him. He returns to report to Qin Yi, who presses him to recall Qi Yanjin’s other interests. Lian Qi remembers a few lines of poetry Qi Yanjin often recited, leading Qin Yi to deduce that Qi Yanjin also has an affinity for Buddhism. This connection brings Tianlong Mountain, a site associated with both Taoism and Buddhism, to Qin Yi’s mind.
As Qin Yi suspected, Qi Yanjin has hidden Luo Shu and Qi Menglin in a courtyard at the foot of Tianlong Mountain. Qi Yanjin regrets falling into Qin Yi and Liu Yiqing’s elaborate trap. Qin Yi had initially approached him, persuading him to burn Liu Yiqing’s disaster relief grain as a way to undermine Liu Yiqing and restore the Qi family’s prestige. Qi Yanjin had discussed this plan with his father, intending to turn the tables, but it turned out to be a diversionary tactic by Qin Yi and Liu Yiqing.
Qin Yi used Luo Shu to pressure Qi Menglin into risking the use of military grain, then burned the military granary. However, the grain was swapped during transport, allowing Liu Yiqing to accuse Governor Qi of embezzling military supplies. Qi Yanjin discovers that Lian Qi, Qin Yi’s mole, played a key role in destroying the Qi family. Qi Menglin is stunned, and Luo Shu, who had also suspected Lian Qi, is shocked to learn that Lian Qi, despite years of loyalty to Qi Yanjin, was Qin Yi’s most important pawn.
Qi Menglin questions Qi Yanjin about the truth behind the Luo family fire thirteen years ago. Qi Yanjin admits the Qi family’s involvement. Back then, his father, serving as a military officer in Taiyuan, collaborated with the Qin family to embezzle official grain. Luo Shu’s father, a minor granary official, discovered their scheme and reported it to the authorities. Governor Qi intercepted the letter and tried to bribe Luo Shu’s father to keep him silent. The young Qin Yi, however, suggested eliminating the Luo family and personally led the arson attack, earning his father’s trust and promotion.
After Governor Qi was promoted and moved to Taiyuan, he left Qi Yanjin to manage the family affairs. Qi Yanjin, recognizing Qin Yi’s ruthlessness, gradually distanced himself from him. When Qin Yi became the head of the Qin family, he aligned himself with Liu Yiqing. Hearing this, Qi Menglin is furious, condemning the collusion between officials and merchants that led to the Luo family’s tragedy and countless other victims. In a fit of anger, Qi Menglin takes Luo Shu and leaves. Qi Yanjin advises them to flee to a place where no one knows them and live freely.
Unable to abandon Qi Yanjin to face the dangers alone, Qi Menglin urges Luo Shu to leave first. However, Luo Shu insists on staying to confront Qin Yi together. They return to Qi Yanjin, who apologizes profusely to Luo Shu. Luo Shu decides to set aside her personal grievances and join Qi Yanjin in investigating the grain swap.
With over a dozen ports between Linfen and Taiyuan, Qi Yanjin and Qi Menglin lack the time to investigate each one. Qi Menglin recalls feeling drowsy on the ship and waking up at dawn, leading Qi Yanjin and Luo Shu to deduce that the grain was swapped during this period. They also suspect that Qin Yi’s mole among the crew used torches laced with incense to knock out Qi Menglin and Lian Shu.
Qi Yanjin consults a map and identifies Luosha Port as the likely location of the grain swap. Qi Menglin plans to investigate Luosha Port, but Qin Yi and his men soon track them to Tianlong Mountain. Qi Yanjin helps Luo Shu and Qi Menglin escape through the back mountain, boarding a carriage while Qin Yi pursues on horseback. Qin Yi corners the carriage, shoots the horse, and forces Qi Yanjin out. Discovering that Luo Shu and Qi Menglin are not in the carriage, Qin Yi threatens Qi Yanjin, who defiantly insults him. Qin Yi demands the whereabouts of Qi Menglin and Luo Shu, promising to spare Qi Yanjin’s life, but Qi Yanjin refuses to betray them. Enraged, Qin Yi orders his men to shoot Qi Yanjin with arrows.
Severely wounded, Qi Yanjin curses Qin Yi, who orders Lian Qi to cut out Qi Yanjin’s tongue. When Lian Qi hesitates, Qin Yi kills him on the spot. Qi Yanjin mocks Qin Yi for being abandoned by his allies, prompting Qin Yi to kill him in a fit of rage. Before dying, Qi Yanjin ensures Qi Menglin and Luo Shu escape to Luosha Port to find evidence. Qi Menglin worries about Qi Yanjin’s safety, but Luo Shu urges him to focus on uncovering the truth.
Qi Menglin and Luo Shu arrive at Luosha Port to investigate. A tip leads them to Taoyuan Ferry, where they are directed to a man named Little Finger. Disguised as wealthy grain buyers, they meet with a grain merchant, Wang, who becomes suspicious but agrees to show them the goods after Qi Menglin offers to purchase 600 dan of grain.
Meanwhile, Qin Yi, unable to locate Luo Shu and Qi Menglin, orders Peng Cheng to destroy the two shiploads of military grain. When Peng Cheng hesitates, Qin Yi berates him and decides to personally investigate Taoyuan Ferry. At the same time, Liu Yiqing summons Qin Yi and reprimands him for failing to eliminate the remnants of the Qi family, fearing Governor Qi might clear his name. Liu Wan overhears their conversation and pleads with her father to stop his involvement in political schemes. Liu Yiqing dismisses her, accusing her of being influenced by Han Muzhi, and vows to prevent her from marrying him. Liu Wan bows to her father and leaves resolutely.
Wang takes Qi Menglin and Luo Shu to inspect the grain, where Luo Shu confirms it is the swapped military grain.
