Episode 2 recap: Mu Qing's brilliant handling of the case impressed Tai greatly.
Wang Jialuo arrived at an inn with injuries, intending to continue investigating the murderers. However, the innkeeper refused to accommodate him, claiming they had no rooms available to avoid trouble. Unexpectedly, Lin An Jing appeared and offered him shelter. Wang Jialuo hoped to uncover more clues from Lin An Jing, but she had no knowledge of the whereabouts of his uncle and aunt.
After learning about the events that took place during his twelve years of imprisonment, Mu Qing was filled with indignation at the Qing government's territorial concessions and reparations. The next morning, Guard Tai arrived, expecting to mock Mu Qing. However, to his surprise, Mu Qing not only knew about the events of those years but also identified the suspect who stole the treasure map: palace maid Wan He. Mu Qing deduced that Wan He changed her route to the duty palace, and upon hearing this, Tai couldn't help but admire him.
Mu Qing inquired with Tai about Yuan Shikai's affairs. It was he who secretly informed Empress Dowager Cixi. Otherwise, the Qing Dynasty would be in a different state today. In a hurry, Cunqing summoned Mu Qing and mentioned the incident of nine people being killed at the Tianjin Dagukou Inn, suspecting it was related to the Tianzhao rumors. Mu Qing suggested transporting those nine bodies back to the capital for investigation. While interrogating Wan He, Mu Qing also checked the records of leaving the palace. Suddenly, he stood up and went to find Lao Jiang in the Imperial Repair Room. Unexpectedly, Lao Jiang, who had heard the news, was preparing to escape. After apprehending him, Lao Jiang swallowed a Western-made ring. Mu Qing immediately went with Tai to a grocery store in Denglou Market because it specialized in dealing with Western goods, and judging from the route, it was where Lao Jiang was headed.
Tai was puzzled, but Mu Qing explained that palace maids couldn't leave the palace without insider help, and Lao Jiang's hasty departure half an hour earlier confirmed his hypothesis. The shopkeeper at the grocery store informed Mu Qing that Lao Jiang had given him a dogskin hat to be given to a relative. On that same day, someone arrived and claimed the hat using the nine copper coins mentioned by Lao Jiang. The person had a tattoo on their hand, and Mu Qing sketched the tattoo's appearance, already suspecting the person's identity. It was one of the guards from the Kirin Formation. After the failure of the Reform Movement, these people were also implicated. Subsequently, Mu Qing changed his route and went with Tai to the Gongyuan in the eastern suburbs.
Zhuo Bufan's master's wife used nine copper coins to retrieve the hat from the pawnshop. Shortly after she left, she was attacked and the hat was stolen. However, Zhuo Bufan had anticipated that someone would make a move, so he fought back and reclaimed the hat. He then found the treasure map inside the hat, but it only provided a rough sketch and the exact location was difficult to determine. Zhuo Bufan believed that the clues on the treasure map were incomplete, and those who returned from Japan were going to meet the person who held the treasure clues. Tan Xian should be aware of the secret of the treasure.
Mu Qing reported the investigation to Cunqing, stating that the nine copper coins were used as a meeting signal. Additionally, someone had buried gunpowder in the Dongxiao Gongyuan, presumably for use during the uprising. Mu Qing immediately exposed the fact that the guard Hanhe was the insider. While Cunqing praised Mu Qing, he also expressed regret because he had already known about it. Exposing it too early prevented him from conveying the information he wanted to reveal to his master. Mu Qing apologized for being too hasty.
Cunqing had long suspected Prince Qi, but without solid evidence, he couldn't do anything about it. He instructed Mu Qing to continue investigating the treasure map and obtain conclusive evidence. Meanwhile, Prince Qi was also preparing for the uprising, scheduled for the day of Mangzhong. His son-in-law, Zhong Haichao, was his main ally.
Mu Qing discovered that the person who took the hat was Chen Wu, a former guard of the Kirin Formation. Wang Jialuo also unexpectedly learned this information and found Chen Wu at the gambling den. He hoped to find clues about the murderers from Chen Wu. After a fierce fight, Chen Wu was defeated. At that moment, Mu Qing and his men arrived. He ruthlessly interrogated Chen Wu and forced him to admit that Hanhe was the mastermind behind it all, and the person who took the pawn ticket was disguised as a Lingxi resident.
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