Luoyang Episode 23 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
Baili Hongyi finished drawing a portrait of Kang Jin based on Liu Feng's description. Liu Feng, impressed, remarked on Baili Hongyi’s talent, though Baili Hongyi humbly dismissed it as a minor skill, noting that Liu Feng’s recent encounter with Kang Jin meant his memory of the man’s features should be quite accurate. Baili Hongyi also confirmed that the caravan's identity documents were authentic.
Liu Ran, eager for Baili Hongyi to stay, offered him a bowl of warm beef soup, which he promised to drink upon his return. He then surprised her by offering to paint her portrait, which delighted her, prompting Liu Feng to tease his sister for being so easily pleased. When Baili Hongyi met Wu Siyue to hand over the portrait, she informed him that Li Ji had died, cutting off their most recent lead.
Wu Siyue revealed that before his death, Li Ji had mentioned an entertainer who was with Kang Zhanbi during their argument. This suspicion led Wu Siyue to Tianxiang House, but she found everyone there had been killed. Both realized that Four Season Clan was likely eliminating all witnesses, especially those who had seen the entertainer, suggesting the Ke Tribe caravan harbored secrets far greater than they had imagined.
To uncover more about Kang Jin, Wu Siyue resolved to seek assistance from Intelligence Services. Late that night, Shen Fei found Yunzhi cooking fragrant noodles. She claimed they were from the Home of Gourmets and that she had personally bought them from the shop. Initially, she pretended the noodles were for Liu Ran, but Shen Fei noted Liu Ran’s lights were off. Then she claimed they were for Baili Hongyi, who was not yet home.
Shen Fei correctly deduced that she was cooking for Liu Feng, playfully pointing out her obvious affection for him. Yunzhi, undeterred, explained that Liu Feng had changed significantly since he left, no longer pale and sheltered but now more weathered, bearded, and composed – "a real man." As Yunzhi spoke with longing, Shen Fei slyly devoured all the noodles, leaving her only with the broth. Gao Bingzhu spent sleepless hours reviewing old documents concerning Four Season Clan.
He observed that many high-profile, unsolved cases over the past five years, such as the killing of a Deputy Minister of Justice in the first year of the Taicheng reign and the massacre in Jingyang Village in the second year, had been summarily attributed to the Clan, seemingly without detailed investigation processes. He noted that this pattern allowed various authorities to conveniently close difficult cases by blaming the Clan, without any real accountability.
The next day, on Valentine's Day, Gao Bingzhu received a secret letter from Wu Siyue. He met her in the bustling South of the Capital, where he bought a lantern for her. Wu Siyue updated him on Kang Jin, explaining he was part of a caravan and potentially linked to the Clan, and recounted Kang Zhanbi's death from Shachi Venom and Li Ji’s suspicious demise while under escort.
Gao Bingzhu concurred that the use of poison and swift eliminations were typical of the Clan. He then asked Wu Siyue why she so diligently pursued the Clan, given her position. She modestly replied that it was simply her duty, rejecting any deeper, personal motivation. As they stood on a bridge, observing the joyous populace celebrating the festival, Gao Bingzhu silently reaffirmed his commitment to dismantle the Clan, ensuring the people could live in peace.
Later that night, the Baili mansion was adorned with lanterns under the butler's direction. When Baili Hongyi returned home late, Shen Fei reminded him that it was Valentine’s Day and urged him to prepare a gift for Liu Ran, suggesting cosmetics or jewelry. Meanwhile, Wu Siyue visited Wu Youjue, bringing him festive pastries. Wu Youjue showed her portraits of several "outstanding men" from the capital, all deemed virtuous and handsome, sent by Madam Yang as potential suitors.
He pressed Wu Siyue to choose one, but she was uninterested. Instead, she urgently informed him about Li Ji’s suspicious death, noting the killer was informed of Li Ji's transfer from Interior Guard Services the moment it occurred, leading her to suspect a mole within their own ranks. Wu Youjue acknowledged the gravity of the situation but cautioned her against impulsive actions, urging her to proceed carefully.
Yunzhi, still infatuated, brought Liu Feng a bowl of noodles late at night, recalling his childhood habit of eating supper. She apologetically mentioned her inability to make his favorite mandarin fish soup. Liu Feng, however, was unresponsive, simply telling her to leave and take the noodles with her, noting he hadn’t eaten mandarin fish soup since Chunhe left the Liu mansion. He then quietly wondered where Chunhe was and if she was well after so many years.
Separately, Baili Hongyi considered his options and decided to paint Liu Ran’s portrait as a gift, working through the night from memory. The next morning, Liu Feng sent lavish gifts from the Western Regions, including fine wines and exquisite porcelain, along with many servants, to Liu Ran's mansion. He explained these were brought specifically for his sister, hoping she would no longer need to exert herself. He then inquired about the whereabouts of Chunhe, the former maid.
Liu Ran informed him that Chunhe had left the household shortly after Liu Feng did years ago and was likely married by now. She then offered Liu Feng some soup she had personally prepared. When Baili Hongyi arrived, Liu Ran also offered him a bowl of her beef soup.
Liu Feng, visibly irritated by Baili Hongyi's presence and the easy affection between him and Liu Ran, snatched the entire pot of soup and, in a fit of pique, dramatically drank it all before storming out, much to Baili Hongyi's amusement. An Baitan reported to Li Yichen that Gao Bingzhu was investigating Kang Jin, showing him the portrait. Li Yichen, intrigued, instructed her to allow Gao Bingzhu to proceed.
Meanwhile, Gao Bingzhu began interrogating Chen Qingzhi, also known as Hua Qingzhi, a man known for his resilience under questioning. Gao Bingzhu meticulously laid out Chen Qingzhi’s past: his birthplace, his early brilliance, his marriage and the birth of his son, Chen Chao, and the supposed death of his family thirteen years prior in a flood, after which he joined Intelligence Services.
Gao Bingzhu then read a poem from an old regional exam, revealing it was written by a "Chen Chao" from North Sea Academy, an institution founded by the notorious Lord Freedom. He exposed that Chen Qingzhi had secretly accessed this specific exam paper fourteen times over the years. Gao Bingzhu then unveiled Four Season Clan’s strategy of recruiting talented youths like Chen Qingzhi to infiltrate the government, turning them into moles.
He confronted Chen Qingzhi, revealing that Four Season Clan had murdered his wife and used his son, Chen Chao, to blackmail him into working for them within Intelligence Services, causing him years of living in fear. Gao Bingzhu pressed further, warning that Chen Chao's life would be in peril now that Chen Qingzhi's identity as a mole was exposed. This broke Chen Qingzhi's resistance, and he confessed everything, tearfully pleading with Gao Bingzhu to protect his son.
He admitted his true identity and confirmed Chen Chao was his son. Gao Bingzhu promptly reported the comprehensive confession to Li Yichen. Chen Qingzhi's testimony revealed that after Lord Freedom's capture, Four Season Clan's operations were overseen by Lord of Spring and Lady of Autumn.
Lady of Autumn commanded all moles and assassins, including the notorious 16th Night, directing major operations such as the assassination in the South of the Capital, the killings at the Grand Court, and the murder of Agent Han, while Chen Qingzhi himself was responsible for concealing information and misdirecting Intelligence Services during these actions. Following Chen Qingzhi’s confession, Li Yichen dispatched a message to Wu Siyue, revealing Kang Jin's address in Xingjiao Fang.
Wu Siyue immediately proceeded to the location, only to find Li Beiqi stealthily following her. He claimed he was worried about her safety given Li Ji's mysterious death. Wu Siyue, finding his presence unavoidable, allowed him to accompany her. They discovered Kang Jin's house was desolate, overgrown with weeds, and clearly long abandoned. Inside, Wu Siyue observed a rope hanging from the beam and multiple drag marks, indicating a violent struggle.
She concluded that Kang Jin had been suspended and fought for his life, reasoning that a member of the fastidious Ke Tribe would not desecrate their own home with such a struggle, implying an external aggressor. Despite their efforts, neighbors consistently denied knowing Kang Jin, which Wu Siyue found highly suspicious, though Li Beiqi suggested it was plausible since Kang Jin, a foreign merchant, spent little time in the capital.
He did, however, learn from one elderly neighbor that Kang Jin rarely returned and had a secretive nature. Wu Siyue returned to the elderly neighbor's home, this time bringing Li Beiqi. She cunningly pretended that Kang Jin often brought the grandmother grape wine from the Western Regions. The grandmother vehemently insisted she had always paid Kang Jin for any wine, but Wu Siyue pressed her, revealing that Kang Jin was not, in fact, a wine merchant.
Cornered, the grandmother confessed the truth: Kang Jin had seduced her daughter-in-law, and they had planned to elope, even packing their belongings. Her son discovered their affair and, in a fit of rage, had tied Kang Jin up. As the grandmother spoke, sounds of her son menacingly sharpening a knife echoed from inside, where he threatened to kill Kang Jin, then his own "promiscuous" wife. Suddenly, Gong Yan appeared from behind the son and fatally stabbed him.
