Checkmate Episode 13 Recap
> Checkmate Recap
Luo Shaochuan sternly warned Sergeant Bao that if Yu Daren were harmed in the coming days, the newspapers across Harbin would expose the police bureau's inaction. Luo Shaochuan suspected an assassination attempt on Yu Daren and asked Bao to issue a wanted notice for a suspect, promising to reveal the individual's identity later.
Though initially furious at Luo Shaochuan's veiled threats and lack of respect, Sergeant Bao agreed to send officers to protect Yu Daren, with instructions to arrest anyone suspicious. He also gave Luo Shaochuan a few more days to investigate the Jasmine Restaurant case but insisted it must be closed by the end of the month. Upon returning to the detective agency, Situ Yan found the crowds dispersed. Zhou Mowan, acting as his assistant, had diligently recorded all the minor cases.
She explained that she couldn't simply turn away those who trusted Situ Yan, emphasizing that she had collected contact information for him to follow up on cases he might be interested in. Mrs. Shen had left food for them, which Zhou Mowan reheated. However, Luo Shaochuan found the sauerkraut and vermicelli unappetizing and insisted they go out for hot pot, with Zhou Mowan accompanying them. At the restaurant, their conversation inevitably turned to the Jasmine Restaurant murder case.
Situ Yan expressed a desire to speak with Yu Daren, but Zhou Mowan believed it would be difficult, recounting her own recent attempt. She shared that Shen Huatang had invited her over for piano lessons. During her visit, Yu Daren arrived home. Zhou Mowan took the opportunity to ask him about the restaurant incident. Yu Daren curtly stated that the police had already questioned him and he had nothing new to add, requesting that they not disturb his family.
Zhou Mowan found him arrogant, feeling he mistakenly thought she was trying to curry favor. Later, when Cheng Xiangjun's name came up, Shen Huatang mentioned having seen her speaking to Yu Daren at the bank, assuming they were acquainted. Yu Daren immediately denied knowing Cheng Xiangjun, dismissing her as one of many who fabricated connections for personal gain.
Zhou Mowan found Shen Huatang's behavior perplexing; she seemed reluctant to discuss the case with Yu Daren but also keenly interested in the details. When Zhou Mowan mentioned a panicked young man seen at the restaurant, Shen Huatang grew visibly anxious, suggesting she might know him. This led Zhou Mowan to suspect Shen Huatang might have hired someone to murder her stepfather, Yu Daren. Luo Shaochuan, however, found Shen Huatang's involvement unlikely.
He recalled hearing from Bai Shanshan, who frequently played Mahjong with wealthy ladies, that Yu Daren had remained unmarried for three years since his wife, Shen Baifeng, died. He had faithfully cared for Shen Baifeng's two children, Shen Huatang and her brother, treating them well. Gossip from the mahjong tables suggested Shen Baifeng died from consuming strychnine-laced beauty medicine, a lethal dose attributed to her obsession with maintaining her looks.
The police had even suspected Yu Daren at the time, as he was seen purchasing strychnine, leading to a temporary estrangement with Shen Baifeng's children. Despite the initial discord, Yu Daren's continued care had mended their relationship. Luo Shaochuan suggested that "marrying well" was more important than "doing well," jokingly proposing that if he were to marry Shen Huatang, their families would control all the wealth in Harbin.
Observing Zhou Mowan's artistic talent, Situ Yan asked her to draw portraits of Cheng Xiangjun and the young man, hoping to use them for police wanted posters to quickly uncover the truth behind Moly's death. Zhou Mowan agreed but stipulated that Situ Yan must fulfill a condition of her choosing at a later time. The next day, Situ Yan and Luo Shaochuan visited Zhongji Bank to meet Yu Daren.
The bank manager initially refused them entry due to a lack of appointment, even after seeing Luo Shaochuan's police badge. Only when Luo Shaochuan declared his intention to deposit all the Luo family's immense wealth into Zhongji Bank did the manager hastily arrange a meeting. Yu Daren met them, expressing annoyance at being continuously bothered about the "cook's case," emphasizing his busy schedule and the value of his time.
Situ Yan informed him that their investigation showed his ordered meal matched that of the victim, Li Chengyan, strongly suggesting Yu Daren was the intended target. He sought Yu Daren's cooperation in recalling details, especially regarding Cheng Xiangjun. Yu Daren again denied knowing Cheng Xiangjun. Situ Yan calmly responded to Yu Daren's arrogance, stating that in the face of legal procedures, Yu Daren's time was no more precious than anyone else's.
Suddenly, Shen Huatang arrived, visibly upset by the wanted posters for the young man. She vehemently argued that arresting the wrong person would only give the real killer another chance to harm Yu Daren. Afterwards, Luo Shaochuan, recalling Shen Huatang's specific concern that the "real murderer" might target Yu Daren (a detail not publicly released), suspected she was involved. He spent the entire day following her, but she only went shopping, leading him to find no suspicious activity.
Situ Yan clarified that he never suspected Shen Huatang of committing murder, but only thought she might meet the young man. Meanwhile, Jin Qiming reported that Cheng Xiangjun, a former nurse who loved opera and maintained an elegant lifestyle, had turned to selling rat poison in Harbin to make quick money due to financial difficulties. Situ Yan and Luo Shaochuan then visited the hotel where Cheng Xiangjun had reportedly stayed.
The front desk clerk described Cheng Xiangjun as generous and meticulous, always keeping her room impeccably tidy and refusing cleaning services. This starkly contrasted Situ Yan's earlier recollection of a messy room attributed to Cheng Xiangjun at another lodging, making him suspect that the person who stayed in the first hotel might not have been the real Cheng Xiangjun. Luo Shaochuan went to the train station to welcome Zou Jingxuan, who was returning from Beijing.
She teased him about seeing him with another woman, but he dismissed her query. Just then, a subordinate rushed to inform Luo Shaochuan that Sergeant Bao had located Cheng Xiangjun, but she was dead in Plain Lane. Luo Shaochuan, accompanied by Zou Jingxuan, immediately headed to the scene. At the crime scene in Plain Lane, Sergeant Bao was frustrated.
He explained that a tipster, who recognized Cheng Xiangjun from a newspaper portrait, had led them to a house where Cheng Xiangjun's body was discovered crammed into a suitcase, her face too disfigured for clear identification. An officer at the scene, based on physical evidence and the victim's attire, initially identified the body as Cheng Xiangjun. Bao initially intended to close Moly's case as a suicide, but Cheng Xiangjun's death complicated matters.
He reluctantly agreed to reopen Moly's case if Situ Yan could definitively prove a connection between the two murders. Inside the house, Situ Yan and Zhou Mowan observed the chaotic scene. Forensic doctor Fang Jianqi reported that the victim had died over half a month ago from massive bleeding due to a comminuted skull fracture, caused by multiple strikes from a heavy blunt object.
He noted this suggested a killer of significant strength, likely a man or a woman accustomed to physical labor. However, Zhou Mowan, examining the victim's clothing, noted the expensive fabrics used in plain, seemingly handmade garments, suggesting the deceased was wealthy and deliberately trying to appear low-key, perhaps to conceal another identity. Situ Yan then pointed out crucial discrepancies: the victim's shoes were old and worn, not new like the ones Cheng Xiangjun wore at Jasmine Restaurant.
More importantly, the victim had no burn marks on her wrist, directly contradicting He Wannian's account of Cheng Xiangjun being scalded there. Situ Yan declared with certainty that the deceased was not Cheng Xiangjun. Luo Shaochuan then suggested that Bai Shanshan use her Mahjong connections to gather information. Bai Shanshan and Zou Jingxuan played Mahjong with local socialites. The conversation among the Mahjong players quickly turned to the homeowner, Mrs. Feng Chengchu, described as beautiful.
Neighbors gossiped that her husband, Feng Chengchu, was rarely seen during the day, only returning late at night, leading to rumors that he was a spy and potentially killed his wife, who might have been having an affair. Bai Shanshan, confident in her ability to extract information, deduced that the deceased was indeed Mrs. Feng.
During this time, Situ Yan, deeming the lead on Cheng Xiangjun a dead end, instructed Zhou Mowan to send a telegram to Director Wang of the Beijing Ministry of Justice, his former classmate, to use his official authority to uncover further information. Sergeant Bao, eager to close the case, initially theorized that Cheng Xiangjun might be a spy-killer responsible for both Li Chengyan and Mrs. Feng's deaths.
However, after hearing Bai Shanshan's findings about Mrs. Feng's infidelity, he quickly formulated a new theory: Cheng Xiangjun was a professional killer hired by Mrs. Feng to eliminate Li Chengyan (who knew about the affair). Subsequently, Cheng Xiangjun allegedly killed Mrs. Feng for non-payment. Bao swiftly decided to issue a wanted notice for Cheng Xiangjun and declare the case closed.
Situ Yan, dissatisfied, challenged Bao's hasty conclusion, pointing out that a professional killer like Cheng Xiangjun wouldn't have killed Moly in addition to Li Chengyan. He insisted on more time, but Bao was determined to write his report and advised Situ Yan to continue his separate investigation. Back at the office, Situ Yan discussed the case with Jin Qiming, who was apprehensive about investigating a rumored "spy."
Situ Yan dismissed the spy theory, arguing that a real spy would never allow his wife to openly spread such information. He reiterated his belief that the killer of the woman found in the suitcase, likely Mrs. Feng, was her own husband. Just then, Mr. He arrived to deliver more sauerkraut. Before Situ Yan could inquire further, a subordinate burst in with urgent news: Shen Huatang had been kidnapped. The informant, deemed suspicious, had already been taken to the interrogation room.
