Episode 18 recap: Qiong Zhi sacrificed her life to gather intelligence.
During the investigation process, Xiao Heng found that the Xue family's affairs are related to this case. In order to help Xue Fang Fei gather information, Qiong Zhi risked her life and was subjected to humiliation and torture by the villains. When Xue Fang Fei found her, Qiong Zhi was on the verge of death. She revealed the intelligence she had gathered, stating that this was the last thing she did for Xue Zhao, and then passed away.
Xue Fang Fei was deeply distressed upon learning this. Both Xue Fang Fei's father and Xue Zhao had offended Wan Ning, and Xue Fang Fei's identity was also exposed to Xiao Heng. Xue Fang Fei went to see Xiao Heng alone, and Xiao Heng offered her a drink to encourage her to speak up.
Xue Fang Fei admitted that she was not Jiang Li, and Xiao Heng understood this, admiring her desire for justice regardless of the consequences. The two ate buns and looked at the moon, and Xue Fang Fei expressed her feelings of being a lonely wandering spirit with no home, but vowed to live well.
On a rainy night with lightning and thunder, Xue Fang Fei was soaking in a tub, while Xiao Heng practiced sword techniques shirtless. Xue Fang Fei was lost in thought, reflecting on Xiao Heng's words, and Xiao Heng was touched by Xue Fang Fei's experiences. Tong Er then informed Xue Fang Fei that Qiong Zhi wanted to see her.
Xue Fang Fei went to Qiong Zhi's small house and saw the doctor had just left, sighing. When Xue Fang Fei entered, she saw Qiong Zhi lying on the bed, covered in injuries and unable to move. Qiong Zhi painfully informed Xue Fang Fei that she did not believe Xue Fang Fei was part of the Xue family and tried to dissuade her from getting involved in the old case, but Xue Fang Fei insisted on seeking justice.
Qiong Zhi had no choice but to receive the County Magistrate Feng, who was tyrannical and cruel. He had repeatedly violated and abused Cui Zhu at the Xie Hua Pavilion. The madam made the sisters draw lots to accompany Feng, and they were all terrified, but Qiong Zhi stepped in to protect them, leading to her current injured state.
Qiong Zhi also learned that the County Magistrate Xue was not dead, but was currently imprisoned awaiting execution. Seeing Qiong Zhi's injuries, Xue Fang Fei was deeply saddened. Knowing she was dying, Qiong Zhi entrusted Xue Zhao's drawings to Xue Fang Fei, and Xue Fang Fei swore to seek justice for her.
As Xue Fang Fei turned to get medicine, Qiong Zhi closed her eyes, her last words being Xue Zhao's name. Xue Fang Fei was distraught, returning to the Ye family's residence and locking herself in her room in silence.
Lu Ji discovered that Wu Lan's rent was settled in gold nuggets, and Xiao Heng speculated that there might be a gold mine nearby.
Wen Ji was surprised, thinking that the official mine had long been sealed, but he didn't expect someone to be mining privately. Xiao Heng told him to follow the downstream water system to search.
Xue Fang Fei was preparing to head to Huai County immediately when she was seen by Ye Jia Er. Ye Jia Er wanted to go with Xue Fang Fei, as she was worried about Xue Fang Fei going alone, believing Huai County to be unsafe.
Under Xue Fang Fei's questioning, Ye Jia Er revealed that the Ye family used to have a shop in Huai County, but after the new county magistrate took office, they were frequently forced to pay money to the officials without reason, and were beaten if they refused. Eventually, they withdrew from Huai County.
Ye Ming Yu overheard the conversation and insisted on accompanying Xue Fang Fei, asking Ye Jia Er to stay at home.
Wen Ji found that there was a placer gold mine nearby, and saw people digging tunnels extending into the official gold mine. Xiao Heng heard that it was related to Xue Huai Yuan, and suspected that Li Zhongnan had framed and imprisoned Xue Huai Yuan in order to monopolize the official gold mine, and that the Xue family children were also killed for offending Wan Ning.
When Xue Fang Fei arrived in Huai County, she found the place to be desolate and the people struggling to survive, which reminded her of her childhood.
Ye Ming Yu found an official gambling house run by the county yamen, where the owner demanded ten taels of silver, with seventy percent going to the officials. Xue Fang Fei had Ye Ming Yu find another place to stay, and she went with Tong Er to the Xue family's place, where they encountered Aunt Chun Fang, who was leaving her home, and wanted to ask her about the Xue family's situation.
Chun Fang did not speak, and was called back into the house by her husband. Xue Fang Fei planned to go to the yamen first, but Ye Ming Yu was worried that it would alert the authorities. Xue Fang Fei came up with a plan - she had Ye Ming Yu cause a disturbance at the gambling house, and he was indeed arrested and taken back to the yamen. Xue Fang Fei then went to the yamen demanding his release, disrupting the county magistrate Feng's rest.
Magistrate Feng recognized her as Xue Fang Fei. She quickly claimed to be Jiang Li, the daughter of the Grand Secretariat, and persuaded him not to mistake her. Feng let Ye Ming Yu go after taking Xue Fang Fei's money, and had people follow them.
As Xue Fang Fei left the yamen, she was shaken, worried about Xue Huai Yuan's situation over the past half year. Suddenly, an old mute woman stumbled in front of her and secretly slipped a scroll into her hand.
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