Resumen del episodio 24 de Faithful
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After the court session, Tian Xiaoling expressed regret, feeling she had not been able to help secure justice. Meng Wan and others quickly reassured her, acknowledging Wu Lian's skill in distorting the truth. They pointed out that without her testimony, Lou Mingzhang might have already left Huaizhou Prefecture, denying them a chance for a retrial. They noted that Tian Xiaoling’s words had swayed at least half the public against Wu Lian, ruining his reputation in Huaizhou despite his release.
Liu Xin, however, was still enraged by Wu An's betrayal. Meng Wan deduced that Wu An’s sudden turn was not an impromptu decision; he likely planned to deceive Liu Xin from the start, feigning cooperation only to betray him in court. Meng Wan, however, maintained that despite Wu Lian having the upper hand for now, they still had a chance.
Zhang Rong'er reported to Mrs. Ning that the trial had ended, and just like seven years ago with the Rulan case, Wu Lian was not convicted. Mrs. Ning acknowledged that the case was escalating, with crowds gathering at the Yamen, but there was still no progress, implying Lou Mingzhang alone couldn't resolve it. Soon after, Mr. Wang, a eunuch from the palace, arrived to deliver an imperial decree from Her Majesty.
The decree stated that Mrs. Ning, despite being misled by Wu Lian, had promptly informed Her Majesty of the truth, thus her merits outweighed her faults, and she was exonerated. However, she was cautioned to be vigilant and not to repeat past mistakes. Mrs. Ning was startled, wondering how Her Majesty had learned of the matter. She then realized it must have been Meng Wan.
She recalled a previous encounter when Meng Wan, presenting a Huai Embroidery piece for Her Majesty's birthday, had urged her to preemptively expose Wu Lian's crimes to the officials for a chance at exoneration, warning that Wu Lian would drag her down to protect himself. At that time, Mrs. Ning had dismissed Meng Wan's suggestion, even calling her "not a smart person" for her belief in justice.
Now, with news from the capital that Her Majesty was pleased with the Huai Embroidery, Mrs. Ning understood that Meng Wan had skillfully used the embroidery to convey her message. Mrs. Ning concluded that Meng Wan’s audacious move, though unsolicited, ultimately benefited her and cleared the way for new embroidery houses to be established in Huaizhou. Following Her Majesty's decree to Mrs. Ning, an imperial edict from His Majesty himself was delivered, expressing his fury over the Wu Lian case.
He commanded Lou Mingzhang, the inquisitor, to remain in Huaizhou and conduct a strict investigation to bring clarity and justice to all. Lou Mingzhang humbly accepted the imperial order. Later that night, Meng Wan found Tian Xiaoling still awake, troubled by the unresolved case.
Meng Wan noticed the old wound on Tian Xiaoling’s shoulder and Tian Xiaoling confessed her years of self-deception, hiding behind the name Jueming to avoid her past, only to realize she lacked the courage to truly let go. She lamented that if she had understood things sooner, Li Chunfeng might not have died. Meng Wan gently refuted, stating there was no causal link between the two events and Tian Xiaoling shouldn't blame herself.
Meng Wan reminded her that Master Huichen had observed that Tian Xiaoling's "knots" were not just about Wu Lian, but about her self-blame. Meng Wan explained that Tian Xiaoling’s retreat to Qingshui Nunnery was not only an escape but also a form of self-punishment for the past. Tian Xiaoling then tearfully admitted that seven years ago, though she knew Rulan's accusation against Wu Lian was true, she pitied Rulan but did not sympathize.
Having been educated by her private tutor father, Tian Xiaoling had felt superior to other embroideresses and believed Rulan's fate was due to her naivety, thinking such a misfortune would never befall herself. Meng Wan then revealed that Li Chunfeng had uncovered a list of women, each of whom, like Tian Xiaoling, had been victimized by Wu Lian. Meng Wan emphasized that the women on the list were not to blame for their suffering; the perpetrator was Wu Lian.
Tian Xiaoling, reflecting on these words, finally began to grasp that she too was an innocent victim. Meng Wan, seeing her shift in understanding, offered Tian Xiaoling a comforting cup of tea and urged her to rest, assuring her that a new day would bring clarity. The next day, the Yamen was flooded with anonymous letters from women victimized by Wu Lian or their families, along with numerous petitions from Huaizhou citizens demanding a retrial.
Lou Mingzhang, now also armed with an imperial verbal order for a thorough investigation, quickly suspected Meng Wan’s orchestration. Meng Wan confirmed that ever since Wu Lian sought the position of director of the Imperial Embroidery Office through the Zhang family, she had prepared a two-pronged plan. One aspect involved ingeniously embedding an accusation letter within the Huai Embroidery piece sent to Her Majesty through Mrs. Ning, a risky gamble where the outcome was uncertain.
When her allies expressed concern about the potential backlash from Her Majesty, Meng Wan firmly declared that she would bear all consequences, asserting that she could not allow Wu Lian to escape justice again. She then requested Lou Mingzhang to accompany her to Yanyu Tower, where she promised more witnesses awaited. At Yanyu Tower, Wu Lian’s servants relayed the news of the anonymous letters and the inquisitor's arrival.
Wu Lian, seemingly unconcerned, dismissed the growing commotion, confident that the embroideresses' servitude contracts would ensure their silence. He believed they knew what to say and what not to say, and that a mere inquisitor was no match for him. However, when Lou Mingzhang sternly commanded the assembled maids and Ms. Chen to truthfully recount their experiences, threatening complicity for any hidden truths, Ms. Chen, who had served for over a decade, courageously stepped forward.
She exposed the long history of harm inflicted upon young women in the tower, calling it "awful." Other maids corroborated, describing Wu Lian’s nightly visits to embroideresses' rooms and the grim task of changing blood-stained bedsheets. One maid recounted witnessing an argument between Wu Lian and Ding Ru by the well before Ding Ru tragically jumped in.
When asked about Ling’er, the maids explained that Wu Lian had released her seven years ago, adding that Ling’er had been forced to falsely testify against Rulan, as a maidservant had no choice but to obey. With this overwhelming testimony, Lou Mingzhang ordered Wu Lian’s arrest.
As he was being led away, Ms. Chen and the other maids expressed their gratitude to Meng Wan, explaining that their servitude contracts had previously silenced them, and now they could finally speak the truth. Meng Wan revealed that Zhang Rong'er had entrusted her with their contracts, effectively freeing them. Meng Wan then offered those without a destination a place at Huangji Embroidery House.
As Wu Lian was being escorted from Yanyu Tower to the Yamen, a messenger abruptly arrived, specifically asking for him. The messenger presented Wu Lian with his official appointment letter and seal, intended for his new position as director of the Imperial Embroidery Office, before quickly departing for the capital.
Relieved and now arrogant, Wu Lian immediately turned to Lou Mingzhang, asserting that as an official appointed to a capital position, he was exempt from local jurisdiction and must be tried in the capital's Dali Court. He smugly declared that Lou Mingzhang would be unable to handle his case in Huaizhou Prefecture. However, Lou Mingzhang firmly retorted that the decision was not Wu Lian's to make and ordered his men to continue taking him to the Yamen.
In court, with overwhelming human and material evidence, Wu Lian was finally unable to escape justice. When Lou Mingzhang asked him if he pleaded guilty, Wu Lian defiantly maintained his innocence. However, Lou Mingzhang declared that the evidence was irrefutable. He then read the verdict: Wu Lian was found guilty of raping women, illicitly trading embroidered goods, bribing officials, and killing Li Chunfeng.
He was sentenced to thirty strokes of flogging, exiled three thousand miles to the northwest, and was never to be pardoned. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, hailing it as a just ruling. Wu Lian, furious, accused Lou Mingzhang of personal vendetta and vowed to report him. However, an imperial eunuch announced His Majesty's further decree, stating that due to the severe and unforgivable nature of the case, a heavier sentence was to be imposed.
Wu Lian was then dragged away. The narrator observed that this brought retribution and justice for the victimized women and their families, serving as a powerful warning that all evildoers, regardless of their status, would ultimately face the consequences of their actions. Later, Meng Wan visited Wu Lian in prison. She told him that she was there to see him off, not to gloat, though he still claimed he hadn't lost.
She asked if he felt pain, reminding him that the women he harmed had suffered far more. Meng Wan observed that Wu Lian, who often compared women to fallen plum blossoms, had now lost everything, including his most cherished hands, making him akin to a fallen plum blossom himself. She questioned if he had even a trace of remorse. Wu Lian remained silent, continuing to embroider a disordered plum blossom with his mutilated hands.
After Meng Wan departed, Wu Lian, in a hallucinatory state, saw his mother, who gently told him he had grown and urged him to stop embroidering plum blossoms and put down the needle. Shortly after Meng Wan left the prison, news came that Wu Lian had swallowed a needle and died by suicide. Later, at Rulan's tomb, Meng Wan silently acknowledged that she had finally repaid her long-standing debt to Rulan, allowing her to rest in peace.
Following Wu Lian’s judgment, the prefect of Huaizhou Prefecture, Chen Zhiyuan, was publicly demoted to the magistrate of Qingyuan County for his incompetence and dereliction of duty, ordered to depart immediately. Liu Xin expressed profound relief, finally having repaid Rulan for saving his life years ago, knowing his lameness was not in vain, and that he had brought justice to Rulan. With the primary goal achieved, people began to prepare for their separate paths.
Liu Xin recounted that Lou Mingzhang offered to reinstate him to his official position, but he declined, weary of such troubles. Shen Mu also prepared to return to the capital to face punishment from the Imperial Guard Bureau, seeking opportunities for atonement.
The owner of the Huangji Embroidery House anticipated a surge in demand for Huai Embroidery and planned to hire more workers, while Mrs. Ning ensured that the refugee embroideresses who had found shelter at Huangji Embroidery House would receive local identities. Meng Wan asked Tian Xiaoling about her plans, and Tian Xiaoling, having found peace and clarity, decided not to return to Qingshui Nunnery.
She recognized that she had been imprisoned by her own past for seven years and intended to live a fulfilling life, believing that was what Li Chunfeng would have wanted. Meng Wan was pleased to hear this.
When asked if she would return to the Xu family, Meng Wan expressed her wish for Xu Zhiyang to live a happy life with children, while she herself planned to honor her promise to Rulan: to explore the beautiful landscapes of the world and settle down in a serene place, building a home with a swing, and living an ordinary, peaceful life.
Her allies expressed concern about future meetings, but Meng Wan simply said, "If it's meant to be, we'll meet again." They then raised a toast, honoring the memories of Sanniang, Li Chunfeng, and Rulan. The story concluded with a reflection on the power of a single light, which, when nurtured and shared, can illuminate countless lives and dispel endless darkness.
