Episode 4 recap: # Shen Du Gets Bitten Back by Lai Luo Zhi
In episode 4, Shen Du and Yan Xing, the delightful bickering duo, wake up in the morning and immediately slip into their usual banter. Yan Xing urges Shen Du to dig deeper into the mysteries surrounding the Shen family. However, the next morning, Shen Du is taken aback by Yan Xing's messy bed.
Meanwhile, rumors about their "deep feelings" for each other have spread throughout the capital, leaving Lu Chui Chui in stitches.
As they stroll down the street, they encounter an elderly woman in deep sorrow. Her son, Chen Baiyi, had despaired of passing the imperial exams and had set himself on fire, leaving his mother alone and destitute. Seeing this, Yan Xing resolutely takes the woman's grievance papers and vows to seek justice for her.
Hearing the news, Officer Wu quickly declares that the Liang family case is no longer to be pursued. Even when Yan Xing tries to explain, Wu's evasive demeanor shuts her down.
Determined to investigate privately, Yan Xing and Lu Chui Chui set their sights on Jin Xiu Fang. Initially, their identities as women hinder their entry, but when Lu Chui Chui flashes a gold coin, they are immediately let in.
The shopkeeper reveals that the missing woman, Kuang Zhan, was gentle and had never been in a dispute. She went out with Liang Chen and was never heard from again. After hearing this, Yan Xing formulates a plan. They leave the shop and run into an old friend, Xu Shuai.
Xu Shuai is troubled by the case of seventeen missing women, although he has managed to locate fifteen. The remaining two cases are not unusual. He notes that while these women are not top courtesans, they all share a talent for music, identical hairstyles, and strikingly similar looks.
Xu Shuai hands over the information to Yan Xing, thinking that with Shen Du's help, the case will be solved quickly. Yan Xing insists this is a serial killer case and vows to catch the true culprit.
At that moment, the Liang family's second branch is doused in chicken blood, prompting Liang Sanlang to turn himself in to protect his family. Princess Yong'an finds Shen Du and chastises him for not following the Empress Dowager's orders to protect the Liang family, warning him not to repeat his father's mistakes by remaining silent while plotting.
Jing Lin reveals that it was Yan Xing's insistence on investigating that put Shen Du in this difficult position. Yan Xing declares that the truth will eventually come to light.
Five more bodies are discovered, arranged exactly like those found in the Liang family case. After examining the bodies, Yan Xing notices a strange fragrance but cannot identify it.
Based on the wounds, it is inferred that the killer may be female, which surprises Xu Shuai, who believes a woman could not kill strong men alone. As Yan Xing contemplates this, Shen Du hurriedly pulls her away, informing her that the two cases have been combined and that she is not allowed to interfere. Just as she steps away, she catches a whiff of the familiar scent and sees a woman rush by, her hairpin matching one in a painting.
Seeing this, Shen Du rides off with Yan Xing straight to the Ministry of Justice. Confident, Yan Xing bets she has never lost before.
However, Shen Du’s true intention is to remove Yan Xing from the case. Although Yan Xing resists, Officer Wu, fearing Shen Du's authority, agrees to the plan.
Impatient, Yan Xing drags Jing Lin along, whether on horseback or on foot, heading straight for the investigation. She discovers that the killer's methods are consistent and must follow a pattern. Shen Du finds fabric from Jin Xiu Fang on the victims, while Yan Xing digs into old case files, revealing that Officer Wu is troubled by a nursery rhyme.
While out, Yan Xing encounters Lai Luo Zhi, who is bullying children with nursery rhymes, showcasing a cold demeanor that draws attention. Princess Yong'an arrives just in time, seeming to forgive Lai but actually scheming to take the children for herself, earning the townspeople's praise as Lai Luo Zhi storms off. Yan Xing hides, intrigued by the mysterious woman beside the princess.
On the way back, Yan Xing learns that Shen Du has been arrested due to Lai Luo Zhi's false accusations and rushes to the Great Pavilion to rescue him. Jing Lin is willing to threaten her life, but Yan Xing remains calm, writing a memorial for Shen Du that matches his handwriting and instructing Jing Lin to deliver it immediately.
Lai Luo Zhi attempts to provoke the Imperial Censorate with the nursery rhyme, but Shen Du returns just in time, bringing his childhood friend Xu Wan and the memorial, which finally gains the Empress Dowager's approval, assigning him a crucial role. Before Shen Du departs, the Empress Dowager discreetly shares important advice, marking the beginning of a quiet battle between justice and conspiracy.
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