A League of Nobleman Episode 7 Recap
> A League of Nobleman Recap
Zhang Ping intercepted Gong Yuzhen outside Lan Jue's mansion to question her about Chu Qi'er's death. He specifically asked if the alum-free rouge, which only Gong Yuzhen possessed at the scene, was used as a marker for the killer. Gong Yuzhen confessed that while she didn't intend for Chu Qi'er to die, the victim had bullied her excessively.
She revealed that during the competition to become a painting model, Chu Qi'er had arranged for Gong Yuzhen to lose her virginity, and then threatened to spread this secret throughout the capital unless Gong Yuzhen withdrew from the competition and agreed to be Chu Qi'er's musical accompanist. Scared, Gong Yuzhen complied but developed intense hatred.
A mysterious figure then appeared, offering to help her kill Chu Qi'er and instructing her to throw the rouge box into the underdrain during the competition to signal him and lead him. Zhang Ping stated that by colluding with the killer, Gong Yuzhen was an accomplice and urged her to turn herself in to the Ministry of Justice. Lan Jue then intervened, telling Gong Yuzhen to return home and avoid entanglement with Zhang Ping.
Gong Yuzhen expressed deep remorse for her actions and her intention to say goodbye to her grandfather before confessing. Lan Jue argued that Chu Qi'er's cruel bullying led to her own downfall and that it was not worth ruining Minister Gong's honorable reputation, especially as he was nearing his esteemed retirement and Gong Yuzhen was his only living relative.
Zhang Ping accused Lan Jue of being aware of Gong Yuzhen's involvement, suggesting he had someone retrieve the rouge box (explaining the fire in the underdrain), obstructed the investigation, and hid Gong Yuzhen in his mansion. Lan Jue dismissed Zhang Ping's accusations as baseless without evidence of Gong Yuzhen's confession. Zhang Ping asserted that by covering up the truth and harboring the murderer, Lan Jue was unfit for office.
Lan Jue dismissed Zhang Ping as a naive newcomer, but Zhang Ping maintained that he acted with a clear conscience and questioned if Lan Jue could truthfully say the same. Lan Jue visited Minister Gong at his mansion that night. Minister Gong inquired about Gong Yuzhen, and Lan Jue assured him she was being protected. Minister Gong suggested Lan Jue's actions were driven by his ambition for a recommendation for the position of Minister of Rites.
Lan Jue confirmed his determination to secure the position but also stated he was acting for Gong Yuzhen's sake, arguing that although she was an accomplice, her crime did not warrant a death sentence, and she would not survive imprisonment or exile. Minister Gong regretted not noticing Gong Yuzhen's earlier distress. Lan Jue presented the rouge box, offering to dispose of it permanently. However, Minister Gong refused, stating that covering up crimes was not the act of a gentleman.
He accepted responsibility for his granddaughter's mistake and was willing to face consequences alongside her, viewing Lan Jue's offer to conceal the matter as ultimately self-serving. Minister Gong then recited a poem his close friend, Lan Jue's father, had written while in prison, noting its expression of profound loyalty and indignation, and how his father never revealed the truth until his execution.
He revealed that he and Lan Jue's father were close friends and explained that for years he had not told Lan Jue this, nor had he recommended him for office, because it was Lan Jue's father's dying wish that his son simply survive and never enter officialdom. Minister Gong recounted saving a young Lan Jue twenty years prior, finding him beaten and publicly abused as a traitor's son after his father's execution.
He told the young Lan Jue to abandon thoughts of vengeance and live a simple, good life, even offering him a modest job guarding his house with wages to keep him safe from the complexities of the world. However, Lan Jue chose a different path, studying diligently and excelling in the imperial exams, aiming for the position of Minister of Rites specifically to vindicate his father.
Minister Gong expressed sorrow for failing his friend's trust by not deterring Lan Jue from pursuing politics, fearing the danger it would bring. He stated that he could no longer shield Lan Jue and he must now forge his own path. Returning to his mansion, Lan Jue instructed Xu Dong to immediately escort Gong Yuzhen back to the Gong residence.
Shortly after, a servant reported that Gong Yuzhen had received a letter inviting her to a secluded spot by the river to discuss the case and potentially reveal the truth. Despite the servant's hesitation, Gong Yuzhen insisted on attending, believing it would help uncover the facts. The servant waited nearby but heard a shout and discovered Gong Yuzhen was gone.
Lan Jue informed Wang Yan about Gong Yuzhen's disappearance, expressing his distress and the urgency to find the killer and rescue her. Zhang Ping arrived at the Ministry of Justice and informed Wang Yan and Lan Jue that Dr. Sun from Baoshan Pharmacy had been found dead, exhibiting the same symptoms as Chu Qi'er (rigid body, gray-white skin with cracks).
Zhang Ping directly accused Lan Jue of impeding their investigation for personal gain, suggesting this delay allowed the murderer to kill again. Lan Jue apologized for his previous deception and misdirection but explained that with Gong Yuzhen now missing and potentially in danger, he was more motivated than ever to quickly apprehend the culprit. Wang Yan attempted to ease the tension. Zhang Ping proposed they work together to solve the case swiftly and prevent further deaths.
Deciding to focus on the nature of the poison, they examined the personal items of Chu Qi'er and Dr. Sun. While looking through Dr. Sun's unfinished book, "Collection of Symptomatic Diagnosis," Lan Jue discovered a suspicious anomaly in the preface stamps.
He noted that two 'yin' stamps were used improperly—traditional practice dictates a Yang stamp above and a Yin stamp below, separated by space—and these two Yin stamps were placed side-by-side, too close together, and carried a residue of red powder. Testing the powder confirmed it was poison. He deduced the murderer applied the poison to the inkpad used for the stamps, a subtle method unlikely to alert Dr. Sun.
Using two Yin stamps increased the area of the inkpad, allowing more poison powder to be hidden. When Dr. Sun handled the pages, the powder dispersed, causing him to inhale the poison and die. Zhang Ping recalled that the lotus used in Chu Qi'er's performance only opened at the final moment. He hypothesized that the red poison might have been concealed within the red stamen of the lotus, released when it opened, causing her death upon inhalation.
Examining the lotus petals, he found three characters inscribed. Zhang Ping presented the characters "因吉天" (Yin Ji Tian) found on the lotus petals. Lan Jue recognized the ancient book Zhang Ping was consulting as the "Gazetteer" from the ancient Mo Kingdom and offered to assist with the research due to his knowledge of Mo Kingdom culture. He found a legend describing Injeeten sending six Sages down to the world during the Mo Kingdom's founding to enlighten people.
These six were: Oungwule the Medicine-sage, Arnage the Dance-sage, Morengen the Wisdom-sage, Zansang the Farmer and Sericulturist Sage, Uyu the Warden-sage, and Ronakin the Musician-sage, each embodying a specific skill or role. Zhang Ping observed that Dr. Sun, a skilled healer, corresponded to the Medicine-sage, and Chu Qi'er, a preeminent dancer, matched the Dance-sage. He proposed that the murderer was choosing victims who aligned with the characteristics of these Six Sages.
Focusing on the Wisdom-sage, Morengen, described as having great wisdom and four identical heads, Lan Jue immediately suspected the renowned Feng Family's Four Sages at Wuming Pavilion, who are quadruplets and famous scholars in the capital. They hurried to Wuming Pavilion, where a servant insisted the masters were inside, in seclusion, repairing a damaged scroll and hadn't emerged. However, detecting the smell of blood, they rushed inside and discovered the Feng Family's Four Sages had been murdered.
