Resumo do episódio 14 de Faithful
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Seven years have passed, and Li Chunfeng remains a poor scholar, infamous for his "borrowing" habits, which others widely regard as outright theft. He meticulously records every item he "borrows," promising to repay tenfold upon becoming the top scholar. However, no one takes him seriously, with one vendor deriding him as a "little thief." His persistent thievery has even driven a bookshop owner out of business. Liu Xin catches Li Chunfeng in the act.
Li Chunfeng recognizes Liu Xin and thanks him for a copper coin Liu Xin gave him seven years ago, which he used to buy medicine to save his leg while he was in jail. Yet, Li Chunfeng quickly turns the situation around, accusing Liu Xin of being the thief and sparking a public commotion. Liu Xin, enraged, chases him down, throwing a sharp blade that flies past Li Chunfeng's face and embeds itself in the main door.
After catching up, Liu Xin enters Li Chunfeng's humble home, chastising him for his continued poverty and his "nonsense" about studying. Liu Xin cuts to the chase, asking if Li Chunfeng knows about the Yanyu Tower in Huaizhou Prefecture. Li Chunfeng, admitting everyone in Huaizhou knows of it, is then tasked by Liu Xin to go to the Yanyu Tower to find a specific woman.
Meng Wan, now known as Madame Xu, instructs the manager of Huangji Embroidery House to intentionally delay the completion of a magnificent Huaikin embroidery, which she had ordered three months prior, until the very last day. She views this tactic as both a "risky move" and a "backup plan." News of Huangji Embroidery House securing a major order from the Ning Mansion swiftly reaches Wu Lian, who immediately makes his way there.
After being made to wait, Mrs. Ning finally appears and reflects on her late husband's passing eleven years ago, describing the Mansion as a desolate tomb she has single-handedly preserved. She candidly informs Wu Lian that while she will not delve into his past wrongdoings, she will not jeopardize her own hard-won future as a solitary woman for his sake.
She symbolically severs all ties with him by offering him tea, declaring their future relationship to be purely transactional, with each responsible for their own fortunes. Before departing, Wu Lian subtly challenges her, echoing her own past words about "too clever people" becoming stepping stones. Back at the Yanyu Tower, a furious Wu Lian violently destroys an embroidery sample. Meanwhile, Liu Xin reluctantly brings Li Chunfeng to meet Meng Wan.
Meng Wan explains her plan to reopen Lin Rulan's rape case, revealing that Wu Lian's powerful patrons have collapsed, leaving him vulnerable. She offers to serve as the new plaintiff and witness, even after seven years.
Lou Mingzhang, an inquisitor from the Eastern District of Huainan, whom Meng Wan had met through a mutual friend, commends her courage but highlights the challenges: her close friendship with the deceased Rulan would diminish the credibility of her testimony, and all existing official records unfairly favor Wu Lian. He concludes that they desperately need fresh, credible witnesses or tangible evidence to restart the case. Lou Mingzhang suggests Wu Lian's wife, Zhang Rong'er, as a potential breakthrough.
He notes Zhang Rong'er's reclusive lifestyle but frequent visits to Fuyuan Temple. A monk there recounted a cryptic statement from Zhang Rong'er: "The evidence is right in front of us, but everyone turns a blind eye." Meng Wan ponders this, confirming Zhang Rong'er's recent withdrawal from public life and the uncertainty of whether she still resides within the Yanyu Tower.
Meng Wan then tasks Li Chunfeng with sneaking into Yanyu Tower that night to find Zhang Rong'er and inquire about the "unseen evidence," or to search for it himself. Before entering, Li Chunfeng, ever-focused on payment, attempts to negotiate more money from Liu Xin, citing his outstanding debts.
Liu Xin, calling him "stupid," instead suggests he steal one of Wu Lian's famously valuable Yanyu Embroideries, specifically the largest and most expensive-looking one, assuring him it would cover three years of living expenses. Li Chunfeng climbs onto the roof, then creates a diversion by setting a small fire in the kitchen, confident it will draw Wu Lian away. A servant informs Wu Lian, who then orders another to inform Zhang Rong'er.
Zhang Rong'er, however, simply acknowledges the fire with annoyance and closes her door. Li Chunfeng then covertly enters the ancestral hall, where he finds Zhang Rong'er. He informs her that he was sent to seek an answer and asks if she remembers Lin Rulan. He presses her about her enigmatic statement, pleading for her to reveal the truth about the evidence.
Zhang Rong'er, visibly conflicted as she clutches her prayer beads, feigns ignorance and vehemently orders him to leave, threatening to call for help. Disappointed but undeterred, Li Chunfeng exits the ancestral hall. Still pondering Zhang Rong'er's cryptic words about the "unseen evidence," Li Chunfeng overhears Wu Lian instructing his servants to move valuable items from his study if the kitchen fire escalates. Seizing this opportunity, Li Chunfeng sneaks into the study and locks the door.
However, his thorough search yields nothing. As he prepares to leave, he recalls Liu Xin's earlier advice to steal a valuable Yanyu Embroidery. He turns back to a prominent plum blossom embroidery on the wall and begins meticulously cutting it out with his knife. Just as he is halfway through, Wu Lian arrives and attempts to force open the locked door.
Quickening his pace, Li Chunfeng finishes cutting and makes a daring escape out the window with the embroidery, just as Wu Lian breaks in. Wu Lian, enraged at the sight of the empty frame, immediately suspects Meng Wan and vows to destroy her. Back at Meng Wan's residence, Li Chunfeng attempts to claim that his mission was fruitless.
However, Liu Xin, familiar with his cunning, does not believe him and demands to see what he has taken, jokingly arguing over how to split the spoils. As they tussle, the plum blossom embroidery accidentally reveals a hidden secret. Meng Wan carefully unstitches the delicate plum blossoms, discovering that each flower conceals the name of a woman Wu Lian had abused.
The revealed names include the deceased Lin Rulan, Meng Wan herself (identified as Madame Xu), and Tian Xiaoling, who has since become a nun. Meng Wan declares this to be the "evidence" Zhang Rong'er had alluded to—Wu Lian's "trophies" and a chilling list of his victims. Recognizing that each name represents a potential witness, Meng Wan decides they must act immediately, seeking to persuade as many victims as possible to testify.
Before they disperse, she distributes red fireworks, which, when lit, emit a distinctive buzzing sound and shoot high into the sky, serving as an urgent distress signal for anyone who finds themselves in danger, prompting the others to rush to their aid.
