Maiden Holmes Episode 22 Recap
> Maiden Holmes Recap
With the investigation into the murders of Liang Feng and Liang Cheng reaching a dead end after key witnesses were eliminated, the capital city became rife with undercurrents, threatening to draw Su Ci into grave danger. Pei Yanzhi expressed his concern, but Su Ci, unwavering, declared she was not afraid and wished to protect him for a change.
Pei Yanzhi affirmed his resolve to uncover the mastermind, revealing his long-held suspicion that the disastrous Battle of Honggu was a conspiracy, a theory now all but confirmed. He was frustrated, however, that the last link, Liang Cheng, had been silenced. At this, Su Ci confessed her own secret investigation into the Bai Liang case, revealing that the letter of treason attributed to the clan leader was a forgery.
She apologized for not disclosing this sooner, acknowledging that everyone has a painful past, like the Battle of Honggu was for him. Pei Yanzhi, in turn, admitted he also should not have kept secrets, revealing that his true purpose for the trip was also to investigate the Bai Liang case, having suspected a connection when he saw the letters collected by Liang Feng.
Su Ci, confirming her certainty about the forged letter, reminded him of the fake calligraphy and the list of names they had found. Pei Yanzhi deduced that Liang Feng might be the forger. An attendant confirmed Liang Feng had been collecting imitation works by unknown scholars seven years ago, coinciding with the Bai Liang Clan's extermination, meaning the list contained the scholars' names.
Though Pei Yanzhi was eager to leave immediately, Su Ci persuaded him to rest, arguing that after seven years, one more day wouldn't matter. She then hesitantly asked if he truly believed in her and the innocence of the Bai Liang Clan. Pei Yanzhi, suspecting the findings were linked to the Bai Liang case and that the late emperor's sudden death was not simple, instructed Xiwen to have his guards investigate who executed the extermination order.
As Xiwen recounted the massacre, stating no survivors were found but that the clan leader's only daughter was missing from the body count, Su Ci overheard from outside. A vivid flashback of soldiers confirming "no survivors" and her own determination to remember her parents' killer's voice flooded her mind. She then recalled a past order from Pei Yanzhi to find the clan leader's daughter, misinterpreting it as an order to hunt her down.
Believing Pei Yanzhi was the true murderer of her clan, Su Ci, consumed by rage, burst in and seized a sword to attack him. Xiwen intervened to protect the stunned Pei Yanzhi. Failing to land a blow, Su Ci slapped Pei Yanzhi, declaring that they were now even, before storming out. Bewildered by Su Ci’s violent outburst, Pei Yanzhi agonized over why she would try to kill him.
Recalling her certainty about the forged letter and her consistent sadness whenever the massacre was mentioned, he had a sudden realization: Su Ci was the clan leader's daughter who had escaped. After searching for days, Pei Yanzhi and his companions located a distraught Su Ci in Qifu Town. As she tried to flee, Pei Yanzhi gently but firmly carried her to a room, demanding a chance to explain.
Su Ci retorted that their shared past was now a joke, as she was a Bai Liang and he, she believed, was her clan's murderer. She admitted her only purpose now was to prove her clan's innocence. Pei Yanzhi vehemently denied the accusation, explaining he had sent Xiwen to "save" her clan, but they had arrived too late.
Su Ci, however, clung to the memory of a voice from that day, convinced it belonged to Xiwen, the man who stood between her and her parents’ killer. Despite Pei Yanzhi's earnest explanations, Su Ci remained unconvinced, calling him a cunning and brutal man. Pained by the accusation, Pei Yanzhi challenged her logic, arguing that if he were truly the murderer, he would simply kill her to ensure the Bai Liang case remained buried forever.
Seeing her waver, he proposed a condition: that she allow him to join her investigation, stating it was the only way for him to clear his name. Su Ci reluctantly agreed. Later, at an inn, Su Ci presented a list of seven scholars Liang Feng had hired to create fake calligraphy, likely for Lei Zheng. Xie Beiming was shocked, as the Bai Liang case was considered long closed.
When Dong Rushuang questioned how Su Ci was so certain the letter was forged, Xie Beiming reminded them of Su Ci’s ability to discern document authenticity by subtle differences in paper. Su Ci confirmed this, adding that she had kept her identity and investigation a secret to protect them. They immediately reassured her of their loyalty. Meanwhile, Prince Yun learned that Su Ci's group had discovered Liang Feng's secrets.
Fearing they would expose the conspiracy, he ordered his subordinates to stop them at all costs, authorizing their elimination if necessary. Xie Beiming and Dong Rushuang's search for the scholars on the list proved grim; most were either dead or had disappeared, leaving only one name: Li Mu. The group split into two teams: Pei Yanzhi and Su Ci would check official records, while Dong Rushuang and Xie Beiming would investigate Li Mu's contacts.
At the county office, Pei Yanzhi found Li Mu’s autopsy report, which stated he had died a month after the Bai Liang case in a house fire, with signs of long-term medication use suggesting he was too weak to escape. Simultaneously, Dong Rushuang and Fei Yuan, posing as street calligraphers, learned from villagers that Li Mu was a kind and helpful young man who often did strenuous labor—a stark contradiction to the official report.
They also learned his family's ancestral graveyard was built along a river, a location with poor fengshui. Pei Yanzhi and Su Ci returned to Li Mu’s ruined home, where Su Ci noticed the soil beneath a large, overturned rice jar showed no burn marks, suggesting it was upright during the fire. Beneath it, she found a hidden cellar. Su Ci descended into the cellar, followed by Pei Yanzhi. Overcome by the foul air, Pei Yanzhi collapsed.
Dong Rushuang, arriving with Fei Yuan, recognized the danger and urged Su Ci to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to save his life. Su Ci immediately complied. After Pei Yanzhi recovered, they speculated someone had hidden in the cellar to escape the fire. Pei Yanzhi noted that since the body was charred, its identity was never truly confirmed. This led them to believe that Li Mu, or another family member, might still be alive.
Recalling the villagers' comments about the graves on riverside wasteland, Pei Yanzhi devised a plan: they would issue an official announcement to develop the wasteland for a water channel, requiring all graves to be relocated within seven days, hoping to force any survivor to reveal themselves. As they set their trap, Prince Yun’s subordinates grew anxious, noting that with Pei Yanzhi's guidance and Su Ci's skills, they were getting dangerously close to the truth.
