Episode 21 recap: Ding Bao Zhen's son was kidnapped, and he decided to suppress the bandits and rescue his son.
Sheng Qian instructed his subordinates to change into disguises for easier travel. At that moment, a woman approached him seeking help and hoping for some work. Her name was Feng Jiao, a native of Shaanxi. She claimed that her family had starved to death on the road. Sheng Qian's subordinates suspected that she was lying, but he took pity on her and gave her a task. He asked her to wash the official uniforms at the government office and offered her two coins as thanks. However, this woman was actually affiliated with the bandits.
The leader of the bandits not only wanted to seize the grain but also intended to kill Ding Bao Zhen. He took Sheng Qian hostage to pressure Ding Bao Zhen, seeking revenge for his brother Zhou Hu. Qin Gu Niang disagreed with her elder brother's actions, believing that the grain Sheng Qian was transporting was meant to aid the people and that they should not disregard the lives of the common folk. When she voiced her opinion, her elder brother slapped her.
Outside the city, Sheng Qian handed over the grain to Chen Yun Fei, unaware that they were being monitored by the bandits. Sheng Qian looked at the letter his father had written him, which urged him to fulfill his duties and take care of his health. After completing the grain transfer, Sheng Qian began his return journey. While passing through a dangerous area, Tian Da Zhuang had a sense of danger. Sheng Qian gave his seal to someone and asked them to follow from a distance. If they encountered danger, the person should quickly return to Sichuan for reinforcements.
Sheng Qian continued on his way, unaware that the bandits had set up an ambush ahead. Tian Da Zhuang tried to report the situation, but the bandits intercepted him. A fight broke out between the two sides, and Sheng Qian recognized Feng Jiao among the bandits. Tian Da Zhuang ordered his men to protect Sheng Qian and ensure his escape, but unfortunately, he died at the hands of the bandit leader's subordinate. Feng Jiao, seeing Sheng Qian's determined resistance, kidnapped him before the subordinate could act, thus saving Sheng Qian's life.
Li Pei Rong investigated the salt affairs and, accompanied by an old acquaintance named Mr. Feng, headed to the bandit stronghold. However, the bandit leader took the opportunity to demand money, and even Mr. Feng had to comply. Coincidentally, Sheng Qian was brought to the stronghold at that moment, which shocked Li Pei Rong. However, both Sheng Qian and Li Pei Rong pretended not to recognize each other. Mr. Feng promised the bandit leader to gather money from the mountains, but the bandit leader insisted on keeping someone behind as insurance. Li Pei Rong volunteered to stay, claiming to be Mr. Feng's lifesaver, and assured them that Mr. Feng would return.
That night, Li Pei Rong kept a close watch on everything outside and knocked out a person to rescue Sheng Qian. However, Feng Jiao discovered them and locked Li Pei Rong and Sheng Qian together. Ding Bao Zhen received a report from his subordinate and saw Sheng Qian's seal, realizing that his son had been kidnapped by the bandits. He chose not to seek help from Heng Xun and set off alone with a few dozen men to the bandit stronghold.
Ding Bao Zhen carefully studied the bandit stronghold's layout, not considering Sheng Qian's presence this time. He assumed that his son also prioritized the welfare of the people. He called in additional Green Camp soldiers and the official soldiers from the government office, proceeding with the plan to attack the mountain. Sheng Qian learned that his father had come to suppress the bandits and guessed that his father had abandoned him. However, he did not resent his father.
During the conversation between Sheng Qian and Pei Rong, Qin Feng Jiao arrived at the prison cell. Ding Bao Zhen led his soldiers to attack, but when they reached the cell, they found Sheng Qian and Li Pei Rong missing. The bandits in the stronghold learned that they were surrounded and started to scatter. Taking advantage of the chaos, the leader of the bandits escaped.
As the second-in-command fled, he coincidentally encountered Li Pei Rong and others. Li Pei Rong and Qian Feng Jiao joined forces and killed the second-in-command. Sheng Qian and Li Pei Rong returned to the stronghold to meet Ding Bao Zhen, but they found that the stronghold had been captured and Sheng Qian was nowhere to be found. Just when they were deeply saddened, Sheng Qian returned and met his father. Fortunately, Sheng Qian had encountered Pei Rong, who was investigating the salt affairs.
Ding Bao Zhen ordered a portion of the captured food and silver from the bandits to be given as rewards to his subordinates, while the rest was confiscated. With a great victory, Ding Bao Zhen personally cooked a meal and asked Sheng Qian to stay in Sichuan for a few more days to rest. Sheng Qian renamed Ding Bao Zhen's Kung Pao Chicken dish as "General Ding's Spicy Chicken."
On the other hand, Li Pei Rong boasted about his heroic deeds in the stronghold, exaggerating the story. Sheng Qian suggested that he should quit his current job and become a storyteller. Sheng Qian had urgent matters to attend to in the Jin Province, so he planned to return that day. However, Lady Zhong was concerned about his safety and proposed that the household send a team to protect him. The leader of the bandits approached Heng Xun asking to borrow money, but Heng Xun said that their defeat not only caused him to lose the extra income from officials and merchants but also disrupted the relief efforts from above.
The bandit leader promised that if Heng Xun could help him make a comeback, he would obey him without question. Heng Xun pretended to help him but actually drugged his drink. By the time the bandit leader realized it, it was too late, and Heng Xun had already taken his head and displayed it on the city walls. Afterward, the Empress Dowager learned of Heng Xun's achievement in suppressing the bandits and rewarded him, but he deliberately apologized to Ding Bao Zhen, claiming that he had taken credit for his achievements, although Ding Bao Zhen didn't really mind.
Afterward, Ding Bao Zhen emphasized to Li Pei Rong the importance of the salt affairs and suggested that he use his status as a benefactor to secure a position for Ding Bao Zhen from Mr. Feng. He would then infiltrate and investigate the salt affairs. Because Ding Bao Zhen was going to investigate the salt affairs, Lady Zhong was concerned about his well-being and made a condition that he must bring along Jin Xiaomei, otherwise, she would personally accompany him to take care of him. Ding Bao Zhen had no choice but to agree to bring Jin Xiaomei along.
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