Resumo do episódio 3 de Faithful
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Seven years ago, Liu Xin, then a constable in Huaizhou Prefecture, was investigating the death of Ding Ru. Liu Xin was known for being smooth yet upright, always disliking injustice. Wu Lian attempted to dismiss Liu Xin by invoking the name of the Duchess, but Liu Xin subtly mocked him in response. He began by searching Ding Ru's room, taking an item he deemed suspicious despite being told it belonged to a new embroideress.
He then proceeded to Wu Lian’s room, stating that a divination suggested Ding Ru's death was not accidental but rather the result of some injustice, indicating her life should not have ended. Wu Lian attempted to change the subject, mentioning an embroidery for Prefect Chen's wife, but Liu Xin pressed on, warning Wu Lian about the numerous beautiful girls at Yanyu Tower and the potential for scandals.
A maid then discreetly offered Liu Xin money, which he accepted, subsequently dismissing Ding Ru's death as an accidental fall due to a dark, slippery path. Before leaving, Liu Xin gave Wu Lian a veiled warning about his health, implying a physical ailment related to "renal water congealing and obstruction." Soon after, a storm broke, and Lin Rulan, heartbroken and distraught, ran into the heavy rain. Meng Wan pursued her, trying to comfort her.
Lin Rulan, however, accused Meng Wan of colluding with Wu Lian due to her apparent closeness with him. Meng Wan then revealed the truth, confessing that Wu Lian had forced her, and her entanglement with him was never her choice. She shared that on the night Ding Ru died, she saw a man's jade pendant by the well in the backyard, a place only Wu Lian had access to among the men in Yanyu Tower.
She concluded that Ding Ru's death was not an accident but a suicide. Meng Wan also explained that new embroideresses initially received silk bed sheets, but these were replaced with coarse linen ones after Wu Lian defiled them, as if they were no longer deemed worthy of silk. Lin Rulan, verifying this by checking other embroideresses' rooms, found it to be true.
Meng Wan expressed deep regret for her cowardice and for not revealing the truth sooner, acknowledging that she had been afraid of losing Lin Rulan's respect and friendship. She later added that knowing Wu Lian had also harmed Lin Rulan made her regret not having protected her, wishing she had chosen to be hated if it meant Lin Rulan would not suffer. Enraged, Lin Rulan stormed into Wu Lian's room and confronted him about the bed sheets.
Wu Lian casually dismissed them as insignificant, mockingly asking what kind of evidence they could be. He then openly admitted his actions, implying that not only Meng Wan, Gao Chengcheng, and Ding Ru, but many other women had also been defiled by him. When Lin Rulan accused him of causing Ding Ru's death, he simply reiterated the official ruling of suicide.
Wu Lian then scoffed at Lin Rulan, suggesting that her desire for him to marry her was unbecoming for a lady, and reminded her that she had initially sought his guidance. Furious, Lin Rulan splashed him with tea and called him shameless before storming out. As she exited, she encountered Zhang Rong'er, Wu Lian's wife, who calmly entered the room to clean up the tea for her husband. Overwhelmed, Lin Rulan reflected on her past with Wu Lian.
She remembered how, in her early days at Yanyu Tower, she admired him. Wu Lian would often criticize her embroidery skills, leading her to practice tirelessly. He would then offer personal lessons, even taking her to a pear blossom forest to teach her how to observe nature and apply her needles to capture the essence of a pear flower. He also played the "Phoenix Belt" on his flute, a melody that brought her peace.
She gradually fell for him, practicing day and night to meet his expectations. One night, as she worked, Wu Lian embraced her from behind, telling her that her lack of experience in love was why her mandarin duck embroidery lacked depth. With flattering words, he seduced her, convincing her that their intimacy would enhance her art. Lost in thought, Lin Rulan found herself on the street, witnessing Ding Ru's funeral procession.
She overheard passersby discussing how Ding Ru had lost her purity and was pregnant with an illegitimate child. Angrily, Lin Rulan interjected, asserting that Ding Ru's misfortune was not fate but the result of someone else's evil deeds. In her daze, Song Chuliu, a douhua vendor, accidentally bumped into her, spilling douhua onto Lin Rulan. As Song Chuliu apologized and tried to clean Lin Rulan's clothes, a man harassed the vendor.
Just then, Liu Xin appeared and forcefully intervened, punishing the man and defending Song Chuliu. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Rulan approached Liu Xin, asking him to expedite her complaint. She offered him her precious pearl hairpin as a token, and Liu Xin accepted it after hinting at it, instructing her to write her petition promptly. Returning home, Lin Rulan, overcome by fever, collapsed at the doorway and was found by her brother, Lin Lang.
When she awoke, Meng Wan was by her side. Although Lin Rulan initially told Meng Wan to leave, Meng Wan stayed, tending to her. They finally reconciled, sharing their similar experiences with Wu Lian's manipulative tactics: first criticizing a girl's skill, then offering personal guidance, only to force himself upon them, making them willing playthings.
Meng Wan confessed that she had been too cowardly to expose Wu Lian earlier, fearing it would only ruin their reputations and strain their friendship, which she valued deeply. She believed it was better for Lin Rulan to eventually forget about Wu Lian and move on. However, Lin Rulan was resolute. Despite Meng Wan's warnings about her reputation and the difficulty of challenging a powerful figure like Wu Lian, Lin Rulan declared that seeking justice was worth any cost.
Her brother, Lin Lang, reassured her of his unconditional support. The next day, Lin Rulan delivered her formal complaint to Liu Xin, who promised to submit it to Prefect Chen. Later, Meng Wan found Liu Xin and demanded Lin Rulan's hairpin back, accusing him of accepting bribes from Wu Lian and having no intention of helping Lin Rulan. Liu Xin dismissed her accusations, challenging her to report him to the Yamen if she truly believed he was corrupt.
Meanwhile, Prefect Chen received Lin Rulan's petition and, remembering his long-standing suspicions about Wu Lian, considered a deeper investigation. Wu Lian, however, was already informed by his steward, Wu An, that Lin Rulan had filed a complaint against him.
