Luoyang Episode 6 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
Gao Bingzhu, accompanied by Bai Lang, arrived at Dragon Gate, where they observed workers from Chuiliu Corporation moving crates into newly constructed wooden houses. Wu Siyue soon joined them, having also suspected this location was where Mount Lian copper was being illicitly swapped. As they watched, Tiangou, a follower of the Four Season Clan, quickly appeared and ordered the Chuiliu Corporation workers to load twenty crates of copper onto carriages for departure before midnight.
Realizing the danger, Gao Bingzhu urged Wu Siyue to return to the Interior Guard Services for reinforcements, fearing it might be too late. Instead, Wu Siyue dispatched Bai Lang to a wine shop located south along the official road to find Agent Tihu of the Intelligence Services and relay an urgent message about Madam Wu of the Interior Guard Services facing danger at Dragon Gate.
Agent Tihu promptly sent a pigeon message to the Intelligence Services headquarters, also requesting that the Ministry of War be notified. Lord Chu was immediately informed and swiftly dispatched aid from both the Interior Guard Services and the Ministry of War. After the twenty crates of copper were loaded, Tiangou commanded that all the workers be locked inside the wooden house and burned alive to eliminate witnesses.
Wu Siyue desperately wanted to intervene, but Gao Bingzhu physically restrained her, explaining that immediate action would spoil his five-year-long pursuit of clues. He stressed that by waiting, he could track the copper and uncover its destination. Once Tiangou and the carriage team departed, Gao Bingzhu released Wu Siyue, who immediately rushed into the burning structure to rescue the trapped workers.
Gao Bingzhu, initially intending to pursue Tiangou and the copper, turned back when he saw Wu Siyue struggling in the intensifying blaze, rushing in to pull her unconscious form from the inferno. Outside the burning building, Gao Bingzhu performed a resuscitation method on the unconscious Wu Siyue, who gradually regained consciousness. Seeing the few rescued workers offered them a small measure of comfort.
Minister of Ministry of War Song Liang arrived shortly thereafter and ordered Gao Bingzhu’s arrest on suspicion of murdering Minister Baili Yan. Wu Siyue quickly intervened, presenting the Empress' Behest, a token bestowed by the empress, to guarantee Gao Bingzhu’s innocence. Reluctantly, Lord Song released Gao Bingzhu and instructed that Wu Siyue be escorted into the army camp. Wu Siyue thanked Gao Bingzhu for saving her life but urged him to avoid such life-threatening risks in the future.
Gao Bingzhu, however, told her not to follow him anymore. Later that evening, Baili Hongyi returned home to find Liu Ran waiting for him. She offered to cook a meal, but he declined, explaining he was tired and sending her to rest. The next morning, members of the Baili family gathered at the mansion gates, demanding a division of the family assets and the election of a new family head, now that Baili Yan had passed.
Baili Hongyi showed little interest in these discussions, telling them to decide among themselves as he had more pressing matters. He announced his intention to investigate Supervisor Huang An’s home. Meanwhile, Gao Bingzhu, after the incident at Dragon Gate, caught a Chuiliu Corporation worker and discovered a distinctive wooden talisman on him. Later, Gao Bingzhu was observed examining this talisman, which Bai Lang recognized as a black market trading token.
Bai Lang noted its intricate patterns were characteristic of the Chuiliu Corporation, affirming Gao Bingzhu’s suspicion that there was a problem with the company. Gao Bingzhu concluded he would need to investigate Chuiliu Corporation directly. An imperial decree arrived at the Baili mansion, delivered by a Grand Court official, announcing a thorough investigation into Baili Yan's alleged corruption.
The Baili family members hesitated, but Liu Ran, identifying herself as the wife from the Liu family of Hedong, bravely stepped forward to accept the decree on behalf of her husband, Baili Hongyi. Simultaneously, Chief Justice of the Grand Court Gao Sheng and Wu Youjue reported to the empress about the ongoing investigation into Baili Yan’s alleged corruption.
Gao Sheng presented evidence, including records of Mount Lian quarry's recipients and reports from Baili Yan's subordinates, suggesting that material deficiencies in the Supreme Buddhist Temple Project had been a long-standing issue, implying Baili Yan's corruption was deeply rooted. The empress, however, scoffed at the accusations, asserting that Baili Yan was renowned as the capital’s most incorruptible official. She demanded concrete proof of the stolen copper.
Gao Sheng explained that the Mount Lian copper had been confiscated by Minister of Ministry of War Song Liang and was currently stored in the army camp. Despite this, the empress remained skeptical, expressing her disbelief that the Mount Lian copper could be swapped right under the Intelligence Services' nose without their detection. She demanded an explanation from Lord Chu, holding the Intelligence Services accountable.
Lord Chu, acknowledging that the Intelligence Services had indeed been at fault, worried about a deeper issue, noting that various incidents, including the murders of the informer and his daughter and the copper theft, suggested someone was bypassing Intelligence Services surveillance, hinting at the possibility of a spy within their ranks.
Baili Hongyi and Shen Fei arrived at Huang An's residence, only to find a funeral in progress, learning that Huang An had died three days prior, the day before Baili Yan's passing. Baili Hongyi requested an autopsy, which Huang An's family vehemently opposed, with his wife claiming Huang An had accidentally died by burning after drunkenly spilling an oil lamp. Baili Hongyi, aware that Huang An was a teetotaler and that the Ministry of Works prohibited drinking, pressed the matter.
Realizing the inconsistency, Huang An’s wife conceded, allowing the autopsy to proceed to uncover the truth. The autopsy revealed that Huang An had not died from the fire but had been murdered, with the fire set afterwards to conceal the true cause of death. Baili Hongyi explained that a person burned alive would show signs of struggle and twisted limbs, which were absent from Huang An's body. Huang An's wife tearfully pleaded for Baili Hongyi to find the real killer.
During his investigation of Huang An's belongings, Baili Hongyi discovered a receipt from a cosmetic shop in the south of the capital for costly Persian tulip oil. Huang An's wife admitted that Huang An had purchased it for his concubine, Lady Zhai, who had been expelled from the household a month prior for spilling a pot of sweet soup while secretly eating.
Baili Hongyi found this suspicious, questioning why Huang An would buy such an expensive item for Lady Zhai only to banish her for a minor transgression. He concluded there was more to the story and decided to investigate the cosmetic shop further, with Liu Ran offering to accompany him, despite the late hour. Meanwhile, Wu Siyue sought an update on the case from Wu Youjue.
He firmly reiterated that the incident was definitively classified as Baili Yan's corruption, citing conclusive evidence that Chuiliu Corporation personnel, under Baili Yan's long-standing instruction, had swapped copper. He also reprimanded Wu Siyue for using the Empress' Behest to guarantee Gao Bingzhu’s freedom. Wu Siyue, however, insisted that Gao Bingzhu was innocent, arguing that the Four Season Clan was truly involved in Minister Baili’s death, and that Gao Bingzhu, like her, sought to uncover the real mastermind.
She expressed concern that a hasty conclusion to the case would leave the true culprits at large. Wu Youjue sternly warned her to mind her words, stressing that the Four Season Clan was a dangerous taboo to mention, especially given the empress’s sensitivity to it. He forbade her from having any further contact with Gao Bingzhu, threatening severe consequences if his command was defied.
Separately, Liu Xiang personally entered the palace to present a Persian bronze mirror to the empress, but the empress refused to see him. Following his leads, Gao Bingzhu, with the help of Bai Lang, whose prior knowledge of the black market was instrumental, decided to investigate Chuiliu Corporation directly. Bai Lang visited an antique shop rumored to deal in black market transactions, presenting the wooden talisman.
The shop owner, terrified upon seeing the token, tried to flee but was quickly apprehended by Bai Lang. Under duress, the owner confessed that the talisman was the Canglang Talisman of Zhang Silang, the chief person-in-charge of Chuiliu Corporation, who engaged in illicit and capital crimes.
The shop owner further revealed that Zhang Silang, disheartened by Chuiliu Corporation's recent troubles and downturn in business, had been avoiding his home and was currently seeking pleasure in a private mansion outside the city. Separately, Baili Hongyi learned from Liu Ran that Persian tulip oil was extremely valuable and typically required pre-orders due to its scarcity.
He and Liu Ran visited the cosmetic shop, where the owner confirmed that while direct purchases were rare, one order of the expensive oil had been delivered to a brothel. Baili Hongyi concluded this must be for Lady Zhai and proceeded with Shen Fei to Hong Xiao Fang, the brothel. Inside, they were greeted by several women who attempted to entice Baili Hongyi. He inquired about Lady Zhai, only to be told she was out accompanying a client.
Visibly angered and frustrated by the environment, Baili Hongyi left the establishment. Outside, Liu Ran observed his perturbed expression and expressed her concern. She noted that people in such places were primarily driven by profit and suggested that money might be more effective than words in getting information.
