Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Episode 14 Recap
> Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Recap
Zhao Buyou, concerned that the killer might target Wen Yue again, went directly to Kaifeng Court to seek help from Gu Zhen. Gu Zhen promised to assign guards to protect Wen Yue. Zhao Buyou expressed regret about his lack of martial skills, feeling helpless watching Wen Yue being harmed. Gu Zhen advised him against such thoughts and took him to see the stone steles dedicated to previous Prefects, citing Bao Zheng as an example.
He explained that Bao Zheng, though a civil official, was still able to govern the nation and bring peace to the world. Zhao Buyou had idolized Bao Zheng since childhood, dreaming of becoming an official like him who could uphold justice for the people. Gu Zhen encouraged Zhao Buyou to be resolute, which filled him with renewed confidence. The imperial exam finally concluded. Zhao Mo'er went to the examination hall to meet Song Qiyu, who emerged appearing dejected and lost.
Zhao Mo'er asked about his well-being, but Song Qiyu claimed to have seen through the darkness of officialdom and felt completely disheartened. He said he didn't want to talk and just wanted to be alone for a while. Zhao Mo'er then sought help from Supervisor Zhang. Supervisor Zhang admired Zhao Mo'er and again urged him to become his disciple, with Zheng Dun also supporting the idea.
Zhao Mo'er quickly changed the subject, stating he only wanted to help Song Qiyu resolve his issues. Later, Song Qiyu arrived to return books to Supervisor Zhang and directly questioned him. He deeply believed in the "Seven Scholars of Dongshui" and had studied diligently day and night, yet the reality of the imperial exam seemed cold and ruthless. Supervisor Zhang rebuked him sternly. Song Qiyu left the books and departed resentfully.
Zhao Mo'er hurried after him, urging him to share his troubles. When Song Qiyu refused, Zhao Mo'er invited him for a drink, hoping wine would solve his worries, as his father often said. Under the influence of alcohol, Song Qiyu poured out his grievances to Zhao Mo'er. He felt that studying was useless and considered himself a failure. Zhao Mo'er, in defiance, declared he wouldn't pursue official titles either.
Song Qiyu then recounted his experience, explaining that he had been coerced into taking the exam as a substitute for someone else. He had great ambitions, but they were written under another person's name. Zhao Mo'er insisted on reporting it to the authorities, but Song Qiyu desperately stopped him, saying he could not become another Sun Bo. He had people he needed to protect and could not risk it.
Unsure how to comfort him, Zhao Mo'er stayed silently by his side. Early the next morning, Wen Yue came looking for Song Qiyu to inquire about what he saw the night she chased the killer to the shop of mules and horses. She had seen him there and wanted to understand the situation. Song Qiyu admitted he saw the killer, who bandaged a wound at the shop.
The killer had a branded mark on his face, clearly a fugitive wanted by the authorities. Wen Yue asked him to share the details with Zhao Buyou. Zhao Buyou reported the fugitive's details to Gu Zhen. Unexpectedly, another body was discovered in the suburbs, killed in the exact same manner as Xiao Yishui, with the face skinned. Zhao Buyou and Gu Zhen went to the morgue. Yao He and Zhao Ban'er examined the body.
They found a mulberry smell on the deceased's hands and a dark purple discoloration on his tongue. They noted that mulberries were unobtainable in East Capital that year. Zhao Buyou recalled hearing that Qingfeng Tower had recently introduced candied mulberries, having bought all the mulberries in the city for their distinguished guests. Gu Zhen dispatched Wan Fu to investigate Qingfeng Tower and obtain a list of their VIP guests.
Zhao Ban'er informed Zhao Mo'er about the faceless body found in the suburbs. Song Qiyu happened to visit Zhao Mo'er at that moment. Song Qiyu suspected the deceased was Kong Er and asked Zhao Mo'er to take him to see the body. As Song Qiyu predicted, the deceased was indeed Kong Er. He had also taken the imperial exam as a substitute and had now been silenced. Song Qiyu feared he would be the next victim.
Zhao Mo'er tried to reassure him and offered to take him to Gu Zhen, but Song Qiyu felt insignificant and only wanted to see one person before he died. Zhao Mo'er agreed to accompany him. Wen Yue learned about the faceless body in the suburbs from a customer and immediately became alert.
She went directly to where Kong Er had resided to investigate, discovering that Kong Er had acquired a considerable sum of money before his death, evidenced by his new clothes made of expensive silk, though his undergarments were old and patched. Gu Zhen, Zhao Buyou, and Wan Fu arrived shortly after. Wen Yue shared her findings. The innkeeper also mentioned that Kong Er had frequently hosted feasts with friends in his room before the exam.
Song Qiyu took Zhao Mo'er to the Taohuadong Brothel to collect the payment for the exam substitution. Upon entering, they saw Zou Yongjin, a newly successful scholar, brutally beating an old man. The old man had apparently come to collect payment for Song Qiyu. Zou Yongjin not only refused to pay but ordered his men to continue beating the old man until he died, then swaggered away with his entourage. Song Qiyu rushed to the deceased, mourning loudly.
Zhao Mo'er, unable to tolerate the injustice, went straight to Kaifeng Court to file a complaint. Wan Fu sent for Zou Yongjin, but Zou Yongjin did not appear, sending only his servants to Kaifeng Court to provide false testimony. They insisted the deceased had attempted to extort money from Zou Yongjin. Zhao Mo'er confronted them, exposing Zou Yongjin's crime of beating the old man to death.
The servants tried to argue their way out and even attempted to bribe Wan Fu. Wan Fu confiscated the money and forcibly removed them from the court. Zhao Mo'er then went to find Song Qiyu to testify at Kaifeng Court, but was horrified to discover that Song Qiyu had been murdered. Zhao Mo'er was terrified and heartbroken.
Gu Zhen and Wan Fu arrived at the scene and found that Song Qiyu had been killed in the same manner as Kong Er and Xiao Yishui, with a deep, narrow wound to the neck. Zhao Buyou arrived afterward and took the devastated Zhao Mo'er home. Upon hearing the news, Wen Yue brought breakfast for Zhao Mo'er the next morning. Zhao Mo'er had stayed up all night grieving. Zhao Buyou shared his own pain after the death of a close friend years ago, encouraging Zhao Mo'er to recover. Zhao Mo'er wept uncontrollably in his grief.
