Resumo do episódio 17 de The Heir
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Qi Jiu brought the solid evidence of Magistrate Zhao Shen's corruption to the Huizhou Prefect, Lord He. Instead of being pleased, Lord He was initially furious, accusing Qi Jiu of acting beyond his authority by privately arresting the suspect Gao Kun and bypassing proper legal channels like filing a petition or beating the grievance drum.
Qi Jiu calmly pointed out that because Zhao Shen was the magistrate, any conventional report would have alerted him and allowed him to destroy the evidence. He then revealed his true identity, explaining that he was in Huizhou on official orders from Marshal Qi to procure military supplies. Upon hearing the powerful marshal's name, Lord He's demeanor immediately changed, and he promised to launch a thorough investigation into Zhao Shen and his collusion with the Tian family.
Shortly after, government guards raided the Tian Ink Workshop. When the guards demanded to know who was in charge of the accounting, Xu Chengde stepped forward, identifying himself as the workshop's accountant and pointing out Tian Ronghua as the family's eldest daughter. The guards arrested Xu Chengde, seized all the ledgers, and informed a stunned Tian Ronghua of the charges against her family, which included colluding with Zhao Shen, seizing private properties, and profiting from illegal loans.
Tian Huai'an and his two sons, including Tian Benchang, were also arrested. As they were being led away, Tian Huai'an desperately begged his daughter to find a way to save them. With Zhao Shen and the Tians behind bars, Qi Jiu felt a sense of relief. He shared a cup of tea with his sister, Wang Cuichiao, who congratulated him on finally securing his revenge and urged him to focus on Marshal Qi's business.
However, Qi Jiu remained cautious, warning her that a beast is most dangerous when cornered and that the Tian family might still have a backup plan. Meanwhile, the Tian family's home was filled with despair. As the Tian mother wept and begged her daughter to save them, Tian Ronghua argued that she had kept the books clean and separate from Zhao Shen. Her mother bitterly corrected her, revealing that the clean accounts were just a cover.
She admitted the family's success was built on the fall of the Luo family and laundering bribe money for Zhao Shen, crimes that would surely cost her father and brothers their heads. Seeing no other choice, Tian Ronghua resolved to go to the Capital and accept the marriage proposal to Lord Xu's simple-minded grandson, Hu Qi, to secure their family's rescue.
Li Zhen rushed over after hearing from her mother that the Tian workshop had been sealed and its leaders arrested. She found Tian Ronghua preparing to leave and tried desperately to dissuade her from ruining her life by marrying a fool. Tian Ronghua, however, believed this was her family's retribution and her accepted fate. She admitted she had always envied Li Zhen's freedom and strength but was determined to make this sacrifice.
After a tearful farewell, she departed for the Capital. Before Zhao Shen was transferred to Jinling to await his execution, Qi Jiu visited him in prison to see him off. Zhao Shen demanded to know why Qi Jiu had ruined him, to which Qi Jiu replied that Zhao Shen had brought this upon himself through his corrupt dealings with the Tian family, promising that none of them would escape justice.
In the Capital, Tian Ronghua and her mother stayed at the Hu mansion. Madam Hu, who was Lord Xu's daughter, hosted them. Hu Qi was indeed simple-minded, drooling and playing with a toy drum, but Tian Ronghua patiently cared for him, wiping his mouth and feeding him. Observing this, Madam Hu questioned whether Tian Ronghua was genuinely pure or deeply scheming.
Tian Ronghua honestly admitted that her family was jailed for corruption and that she was sacrificing her life to save them. Impressed by her honesty and devotion, Madam Hu promised to treat her like her own daughter. Lord Xu then drafted a letter for the Tian mother to take back to Lord He, ensuring the safety of the Tian men, while Tian Ronghua remained at the mansion. Back in Huizhou, Lord He visited the imprisoned Tians with Lord Xu's letter.
Although he noted that the evidence against them was irrefutable, Tian Benchang offered a cunning solution. He claimed that their father was semi-literate and had blindly trusted their accountant, Xu Chengde, who had colluded with Zhao Shen without their knowledge. Benchang proposed that the Tians would pay a fine of five thousand taels of illicit money and donate an additional one thousand taels to the prefecture to help oversee the ink industry.
Lord He, pleased with the arrangement, agreed to the plan. During the subsequent trial, Tian Huai'an publicly shifted all blame onto Xu Chengde. Knowing that his son and grandson were still employed by the Tians, Xu Chengde took the fall and pleaded guilty. Tian Huai'an resigned as the master of Tian Ink and vowed to leave the Huizhou ink industry forever.
Lord He then sentenced Xu Chengde to exile in the North, confiscated the five thousand taels, and acquitted the three Tian men. Qi Jiu confronted Lord He, outraged by the unjust verdict, but the prefect dismissed his complaints, claiming he only judged based on evidence and warning Qi Jiu not to make trouble for Marshal Qi. Soon after, the imperial edict was announced, declaring a competition for the prestigious Tribute Ink rights.
Lord Yan, the ink affairs official, urged the local ink makers to win back the rights for Huizhou. An angry Qi Jiu complained to Wang Cuichiao about the Tian family's shameless escape, but she advised him against rash actions. She explained that Lord Xu was the Senior Grand Secretary, and openly opposing him would put Marshal Qi in a difficult position. She pointed out that since the Tians were cleared, they would compete for the Tribute Ink.
If they won, they would regain their wealth and secure their backing, which would ruin Qi Jiu's plans and his dividends in Li Ink. Qi Jiu realized that the only way to defeat the Tians was to win the Tribute Ink himself, thereby cutting off their financial lifeline and securing his own goals. Lord Yan visited the Li family to discuss the competition.
While Li Jingfu expressed confidence in his newly improved Yunsong Ink, Lord Yan felt it was risky to rely on an unfinished product. Instead, he suggested using Li Zhen's Fu Jin Ink, which had cured his daughter's illness. The Li family matriarch objected, noting that Li Zhen's branch had been expelled from the clan. Lord Yan proposed that they use the competition to merge the main Li Ink and New Li Ink workshops.
Li Zhen soon arrived but flatly declined the proposal. She clarified that her Fu Jin Ink was not associated with the main Li family and that she had no desire to enter the competition. She explained that her father's death and her family's exile were all caused by the destructive pursuit of Tribute Ink, and she refused to get involved in it again. Furious at her stubbornness, Lord Yan warned them that Huizhou must win the competition and that the Li family had no choice but to comply before he stormed out.
