Resumen del episodio 6 de Faithful
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Seven years have passed since Liu Sanniang was forced to leave Huaizhou. She is now the most celebrated top courtesan in Xunzhou Prefecture, her beauty and talent captivating powerful officials and esteemed gentlemen alike. At her Peacock Garden, a patron, Young Master Sun, complains about her tardiness and criticizes her for "using her attractiveness."
Liu Sanniang, however, retorts sharply, asserting that just as men leverage their strength for glory on the battlefield, women are entitled to use their inherent beauty, and neither path is inherently superior or inferior. As the commotion subsides, Liu Xin appears unexpectedly, falling from a high wall. Sanniang initially orders her attendants to report him, but she halts when Liu Xin mentions "Rulan." Recognizing a connection to Meng Wan, Rulan's close friend, Sanniang invites him in.
Liu Xin reveals his mission: a scion of a noble family from the capital, Zhao Yin, notorious for frequenting brothels, has arrived in Xunzhou. He believes winning Zhao Yin's favor could be instrumental in bringing down Wu Lian. However, Sanniang vehemently rejects this, arguing that revisiting the past would only further tarnish Rulan's memory. Undeterred, Liu Xin urges her to return to Huaizhou, hinting at a discovery she might find compelling.
Meanwhile, in Ning Mansion, Wu Lian presents a street fortune-teller, Hu, who confesses that a limping man purchased his divination tools. This seemingly discredits Liu Xin's previous use of a "half-immortal" witness. Mrs. Ning, though suspicious of Wu Lian's pervasive knowledge, dismisses him, stating she needs more time to decide on the Empress Dowager's birthday gift. Meng Wan then showcases various embroidery samples from Huaizhou workshops, but Mrs. Ning deems them all inferior to Wu Lian's Yanyu Embroidery.
Ultimately, she concedes and decides to visit Yanyu Tower herself, bringing Madame Xu (Meng Wan) along. Upon entering the familiar premises, Meng Wan experiences a brief, joyful flashback of playing with Rulan as children, but her smile quickly fades as Wu Lian appears. During their visit, Meng Wan praises Wu Lian's unparalleled and renowned craftsmanship. Mrs. Ning, mindful of the Empress Dowager's 70th birthday approaching in three months, presses Wu Lian to expedite his work.
After Mrs. Ning and Meng Wan depart, Wu Lian secretly studies an old painting from that year, recognizing Meng Wan's face. However, with Meng Wan having changed her name, he is unsure if Madame Xu is indeed the former embroideress Meng Wan. Sensing a potential threat, he orders a subordinate to investigate Meng Wan's current whereabouts, despite recalling little about her Huaizhou background. Back in Huaizhou, Liu Sanniang meets Meng Wan, initially intending to dissuade her from her dangerous path.
Sanniang recounts seeing Meng Wan distraught after Rulan's trial seven years ago, noting their shared experience of having others suffer for them. She suggests that releasing the past brings peace and that clinging to things that bring dishonor is ultimately fruitless. Meng Wan, in turn, shares a local tragedy: seven years prior, a distinguished Huaizhou noble’s house courtesan provoked a powerful figure and fled. Consequently, the noble lost his wealth and sanity, becoming a homeless wanderer who rejected all assistance.
Meng Wan concludes that Sanniang is the only one who might be able to help him. Just then, the distraught cries of the noble—Yuan Mei—are heard from the street. Sanniang rushes out, embracing her former "Master" in tears, repeatedly murmuring "I'm sorry." In a moment of rare lucidity, Yuan Mei offers Sanniang the bun he had just acquired, inquiring why she is weeping and apologizing to her.
Witnessing this profound interaction, Meng Wan asks Sanniang if she will now join her in seeking justice for the wrongs they have endured. Sanniang turns to Meng Wan, her eyes reflecting unwavering resolve. Returning to her Peacock Garden, Liu Sanniang reflects on her past to Liu Xin. She recalls fleeing Huaizhou and seeing a peacock trapped and tormented in a cage at Shihua House, a mirror of her own predicament.
She vowed then to disregard societal judgment, accumulate wealth, and become Xunzhou's top courtesan, a goal she achieved, even buying the peacock and establishing her garden. However, seeing Yuan Mei's tragic state shattered her illusion of having escaped the past, making her realize her earlier advice to Meng Wan was hypocritical. She admits that Rulan's case irrevocably altered many lives, including her own and Meng Wan's, pushing them down a "road of no return."
She then informs Liu Xin that she has located Zhao Yin in Xunzhou. Confirming her commitment, Sanniang agrees to assist them "this once," though she swiftly rebukes Liu Xin's cynical comment about courtesans' loyalty. Zhao Yin, meanwhile, is reveling in frivolous pursuits at Shihua House. Liu Sanniang, making a dramatic entrance, captivates him with her mesmerizing zither performance and sword dance. Infatuated, Zhao Yin immediately requests a private meeting.
Madam Wang, the madam, explains Sanniang's high status and the exclusivity of her Peacock Garden, suggesting Zhao Yin attend Sanniang's annual banquet that evening, known as "Courtesan Night." There, Sanniang would play the zither and invite guests to join; if their music harmonized, he might win her favor. Liu Xin, observing from a distance, is satisfied. Later, alone with Zhao Yin, Sanniang gracefully deflects his physical advances, making him believe his monetary offer was insufficient.
She then fabricates a story about her ailing brother, whose life depends on an expensive daily prescription of rare herbs and a century-old wild ginseng. She promises to become Zhao Yin's concubine if he can sustain her brother's treatment. Eager to impress, Zhao Yin boasts of his immense wealth and his influential position as the Minzhou Maritime Commissioner, controlling all overseas trade and official shipping warrants.
Listening intently, Liu Xin pieces together the full scope of Zhao Yin and Wu Lian's illicit scheme: using forged official warrants to smuggle vast quantities of Yanyu Embroidery, falsifying merchandise lists, and evading taxes for immense profits. Sanniang, feigning skepticism, challenges Zhao Yin to prove his influence by procuring a piece of Wu Lian's Yanyu Embroidery.
Desperate to win her over, Zhao Yin readily agrees, declaring he will travel by waterway to Huaizhou the next day to meet Wu Lian, promising to acquire ten such pieces for her. Sanniang subtly probes about his business in Huaizhou, discreetly informing Liu Xin that Zhao Yin is almost certainly going to meet Wu Lian for a smuggling operation. She expresses concern about informing Meng Wan in time, but Liu Xin suggests catching them in the act at the dock.
They agree that Liu Xin will pose as Sanniang's ailing brother during the day-long boat journey to deter Zhao Yin's advances. The following day, Zhao Yin, Liu Sanniang, and Liu Xin, disguised as Sanniang's sickly brother, embark on the ship to Huaizhou. On board, Zhao Yin openly admires Sanniang, while Liu Xin, playing his role, fakes a sudden illness to deter further flirtation.
Zhao Yin informs Sanniang that they will reach Huaizhou by midnight and he plans to host Wu Lian on the ship, indicating they will not disembark to load goods. Sanniang covertly tells Liu Xin that this implies they intend to load goods and depart immediately. They strategize: both will infiltrate the cargo hold to identify the smuggled goods. Sanniang plans to then distract Wu Lian and Zhao Yin, while Liu Xin alerts Meng Wan.
Liu Xin also suggests Sanniang avoid direct confrontation with Wu Lian. Later that night, Wu Lian boards Zhao Yin's ship at the Huaizhou dock. They exchange pleasantries and toast, discussing their operations and the handling of key figures in the capital. Zhao Yin assures Wu Lian of his control over official warrants and shipping. Wu Lian, however, cautions him about leaving traces.
Zhao Yin boasts about his "less clean" methods compared to Yanyu Tower's women and then eagerly introduces Sanniang as the "gorgeous woman" on his ship, describing her as Xunzhou's top courtesan. Wu Lian expresses surprise, initially dismissing "top courtesans" as common prostitutes. His demeanor shifts noticeably when Zhao Yin mentions Sanniang's "lame older brother" is making his advances difficult.
Wu Lian, already suspicious from Zhao Yin's description of Sanniang and her 'lame older brother', has his suspicions confirmed when a subordinate reports Sanniang and Liu Xin's presence in the cargo hold, leading him to order their arrest. Confronted, Sanniang feigns ignorance, denying any resemblance to a "Liu Sannv" that Wu Lian mentions. Wu Lian then directly addresses Liu Xin, referring to him as "Officer Liu" and mocking his limp.
Liu Xin retorts, while Sanniang pretends to be confused by Wu Lian's animosity toward lame individuals. As Wu Lian's men move to capture them, Sanniang appeals to Zhao Yin, reminding him of her trust. Zhao Yin hesitates, but Wu Lian insists on the arrest. Suddenly, a group of masked figures intervenes. Their leader unmasks himself, revealing Shen Mu. He boldly identifies Zhao Yin as the Minzhou Maritime Commissioner and Wu Lian from Yanyu Tower, accusing them of smuggling royal tribute. He declares them caught red-handed and orders their immediate transfer to the capital for investigation.
