Episode 18 recap: Rong Er sold her culinary skills in a brothel to maintain her purity.
Shao Ying did indeed find some Yongzheng-era porcelain in Li Qi's room, which greatly angered the Emperor, who believed that Li Qi was a thief trying to frame someone. Li Qi argued that he had been investigating the theft case all along, so the real culprit must harbor a grudge and frame him. If he were the thief, he would not have continued investigating Shou Xi's theft case, nor would he have helped Rong Er. As soon as he entered the Shenzhi Court, he was accused of theft and the stolen goods were placed in his own room, as if waiting to be caught. He pleaded with Puyi to believe him.
Jing Yi Tai Fei said that Li Qi, Rong Er, and Shou Xi were all in cahoots. Puyi ordered Li Qi to be imprisoned in the Shenzhi Court, and Qin Fang's denunciation led to him replacing Li Qi as the Emperor's personal guard. Puyi instructed Shao Ying to thoroughly investigate the theft case.
Li Qi was subjected to harsh interrogation and torture in the Shenzhi Court every day. Rong Er was bound and sold to a brothel, where she met a woman who looked just like Shuang Xi, who gave Rong Er the name "Narcissus". Rong Er refused to serve customers, so the madam had someone named Shun Zi rough her up. Rong Er took the opportunity to knock Shun Zi out and escape with his dagger, but was caught again after taking a customer hostage.
Chen Lu, one of the brothel's courtesans, came to treat Rong Er's wounds and told her that a Mr. Wang wanted to buy her. Rong Er said she would rather die. Chen Lu told Rong Er that she had already persuaded the madam that if something happened to Rong Er after she was sold to Mr. Wang, it would be a net loss. In the end, the madam decided to let Rong Er work as a maid for now and slowly persuade her.
Qin Fang, under pressure from Liu Gong Gong, cooperated in placing the stolen goods in slop buckets to smuggle them out of the palace. Cai Bi congratulated Qin Fang on his promotion, saying that Li Qi had treated him so well, and asked how he could do this to Li Qi. Qin Fang gave no response, and an angered Cai Bi took back the handkerchief she had given him.
Liu Shou Gui, Rong Er's father, was waiting by the palace gate to collect the slop when a restaurant's horse was spooked, causing a bucket to fall. He grabbed one and found it contained not slop, but valuables. At the Wufeng Restaurant, the manager checked the buckets and found only ordinary slop, but the palace treasures that Qin Fang had secretly transported out had vanished. He questioned his assistant, who recalled that some horses had been spooked at another restaurant when collecting the slop, and the buckets may have been lost then. The manager told him to quickly search the other restaurants that also collected palace slop, leading him to Liu Shou Gui's establishment. When Liu Er arrived and saw the assistant angrily banging on their door, Liu Shou Gui knew he had been caught and frantically tried to hide the items. Liu Er asked who the assistant was and why he was attacking their home, and when the assistant seized Liu Er, Liu Er punched him, saying he was illegally entering their home, and dragged the assistant towards the police station, scaring him off.
Rong Er, in order to avoid accompanying customers and entertaining them, came up with a plan to earn money. She suggested to Chen Lu that she should work as a royal chef and cook for her, which could earn more money than being an ordinary courtesan. Rong Er said that if she could use the title of a palace chef, it would definitely attract a lot of customers. She proposed to limit the daily orders and set a high price, which would surely make a profit. Spring Sister thought her idea made sense, so she decided to let Rong Er try it.
Wan Hua Pavilion held a competition to select the top courtesan. They advertised that they had hired a royal palace chef, but this chef had a high opinion of herself and would only cook three meals per day, and the highest bidder would get to dine on her cuisine. Many people found this very intriguing and participated enthusiastically. Spring Sister was delighted when she saw the results.
Spring Sister instructed her subordinates to keep Rong Er confined in the kitchen and not let her come out unless necessary. Lu Qiu Tong came to Wan Hua Pavilion for a meal and happened to eat the noodle soup that Rong Er had cooked. He recalled Rong Er's previous words and suspected that it might be her working there. He went to the kitchen to check, but Rong Er had just stepped out, so they did not encounter each other.
On his way back, Lu Qiu Tong told the driver that he might need to come here again tomorrow. The driver joked that once was enough for these kinds of places, and the master might not be happy with too many visits. Lu Qiu Tong said he was just here to have a meal.
Qing Er prepared a bundle for a eunuch to bring out of the palace and give to Rong Er, saying it was from the Empress Dowager and that she was deeply concerned about Rong Er.
Liu Shou Gui secretly took some palace treasures, intending to sell them.
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