Episode 26 recap: Yan Xing and Others Investigate Ji Da Fu
In Episode 26, Yan Xing asks Shen Du when he realized that the woven pig was made by her. Shen Du replies that he saw it at that time. He mentions that after that, Yan Xing stopped coming around. Yan Xing explains that her father picked her up, and she was so happy that he hadn't abandoned her that she didn't pay attention to anything else.
Shen Du points out that Yan Xing said she would come to fetch him openly, but she never did. Yan Xing admits that she had crawled through a dog hole to get there, but then someone discovered her and blocked it up, meaning Shen Du no longer needed her to come for him. When Yan Xing and Shen Du return, Mo Qianzhi informs them that the welcome banquet can't happen today because Pan Chi has found key evidence in the headless ghost case.
Yan Xing emphasizes that solving the case is the priority and tells Mo Qianzhi not to worry about the banquet. Pan Chi has discovered that much of the deceased Li Kaixiang's assets are with his neighbor Liu Zongyuan, who disappeared after Li's death, raising suspicions about Liu. Shen Du asserts that if the possessions are still there, Liu shouldn't have gone far, and instructs Mo Qianzhi to issue a search warrant at the city gate to capture Liu.
Mo Qianzhi agrees. Shen Du goes to help and tells Yan Xing that he might be late getting back, so she shouldn't wait for him. Yan Xing and Pan Chi visit Li Kaixiang's brother, Li Kairui, in jail. Li Kairui blames himself for inviting both Li Kaixiang and Liu Zongyuan to dinner, not expecting things to turn out this way.
Yan Xing senses that Li Kairui is hiding something and uses a half-masked ghost to frighten him into confessing. Li Kairui reveals that Li Kaixiang had been gambling and losing a lot of money, and they had tried various ways to keep him from going. Liu Zongyuan had done business with Li Kaixiang and was familiar with him. Recently, they thought Li Kaixiang was gambling again, but later found out he had spent money seeking advice from a fortune teller.
Liu Zongyuan had casually mentioned this to Li Kaixiang, not expecting him to take it seriously. Li Kairui had invited both of them to dinner to persuade Li Kaixiang, but Li Kaixiang wouldn't listen. Li Kairui fainted, and when he woke up, it was already too late; he has no idea what happened that day.
Pan Chi takes Yan Xing to a brothel, where they find the courtesan Xiu Xiu. Pan Chi asks her to gather information about Liu Zongyuan and gives her some lines he wrote. He calls in several male entertainers to keep things lively, suggesting they relax and have a drink since Yan Xing is there. Shen Du arrives, and Yan Xing explains that she is just there to look for clues.
Shen Du expresses his trust in Yan Xing but insists that she should inform him if she's going out at night, as he worries when he notices her absence. He reveals that Liu Zongyuan is dead. When Yan Xing investigates, she discovers that Liu's liver has been removed, and there are blue markings on his body, indicating connections to the Fire Moth Sect.
Yan Xing suspects that Ji Da Fu is not as gullible as he appears. Following Liu Zongyuan's trail, they are stopped by someone on the way. Yan Xing notices a token on him, leading them to a secluded area where they encounter Sun Tan, the leader of a notorious gang from the southwest.
Sun Tan explains that they have been tracking Liu Zongyuan due to his connections with an underground gambling operation and didn't want to alert Yan Xing and her group, which is why they were stopped. Yan Xing and her companions change their disguises and head to the casino. Yan Xing engages in a game of dice, where the casino cheats. However, Shen Du switches the dice, and Yan Xing bets a thousand taels, winning.
Ji Da Fu calls them up, stating that since they have won so much money from him, they won't be allowed to leave.
Comments(Episode 26)