Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Episode 17 Recap
> Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Recap
Zhao Buyou and Wen Yue traveled to a deserted house in the suburbs. Though dilapidated, it showed clear signs of recent habitation. Inside a cabinet, they discovered a collection of tokens from the people killed by Shan Shiliu, including personal items that Wen Yue immediately recognized as belonging to Xiao Yishui.
To Zhao Buyou's shock, he also found a waist token belonging to Dong Qian, a Senior Judge of the Office of Justice, realizing that Dong Qian too was a victim of Shan Shiliu. Zhao Buyou reflected on the past. Seventeen years prior, he had just joined the Office of Justice, full of youthful ambition to crack a major case. By chance, he learned of a meeting point for a Liao spy.
He went to the designated spot and spoke the agreed-upon code phrase, but was immediately recognized as an imposter. The spy threatened him with a knife, terrifying Zhao Buyou. Just then, Dong Qian arrived, saving him by blocking the knife with his hand and subduing the spy. Dong Qian revealed he had been tracking the spy for over two weeks and Zhao Buyou's impulsive action had ruined his plan to capture an entire group.
Despite his injury and annoyance, Dong Qian did not go to the clinic but took Zhao Buyou to a nearby Nameless Restaurant, famous for its grilled pork ribs. It was there, over food and drinks, that their deep friendship began. Dong Qian was a peculiar man. He insisted Zhao Buyou keep the rescue a secret and pretended not to know him at the Office of Justice. However, after work, he would secretly take Zhao Buyou to investigate cases.
After each investigation, they would go back to the Nameless Restaurant for grilled pork ribs and drinks. When drunk, Dong Qian would often speak of his relentless pursuit of criminals as a way to repay a debt and expressed that he felt unworthy of being included in the "Chongning Case Precedents," a collection of legal rulings. Now that Shan Shiliu had been executed, Zhao Buyou felt that Dong Qian's death had finally been avenged, remarking on it as fate.
Meanwhile, Zhao Mo'er went to the Imperial Academy to register, aiming to earn a scholarly title and fulfill the last wish of Ding Dan. He and Zhao Ban'er visited the Welfare Center to donate books to the children. They witnessed some children bullying a girl named Su and calling her a "stray kid." Zhao Ban'er intervened, stopping the bullying. Su's mother, Ci, and older sister, Song Yingying, who were embroiderers teaching at the Welfare Center, arrived and thanked Zhao Ban'er.
The scene reminded both Zhao Mo'er and Zhao Ban'er of their own childhoods when they were also called "stray kids." At the Imperial Academy, the official handling Zhao Mo'er's registration checked his household record. He informed Zhao Mo'er that his family was indeed a branch of the royal lineage, just as their father often boasted. However, he pointed out that the family genealogy only listed Zhao Mo'er's father and elder brother, Zhao Buyou, but not Zhao Mo'er or Zhao Ban'er.
The official stated this was verified by the Imperial Clan Court and urged Zhao Mo'er to confirm his household registration, warning that unclear background could prevent him from entering the Academy. Disturbed by this, Zhao Mo'er rushed home to seek an explanation from Zhao Li and Zhao Buyou, but neither was there. Zhao Ban'er tried to comfort him, suggesting that being a branch of the royal lineage shouldn't matter and urging him not to dwell on it.
However, Zhao Mo'er felt he couldn't live ignorantly, wanting to understand his identity. Zhao Ban'er, conversely, believed the most important thing was for their family to be happy together. Later that night, Zhao Buyou returned home late and sat in the courtyard, lost in thought, recalling the events of seventeen years ago. He recounted that after Dong Qian's death, he took in Dong Qian's two children.
Zhao Ban'er joined him and expressed her suspicion that she and Zhao Mo'er were not biological members of the Zhao family. Zhao Buyou denied it, but Zhao Ban'er described a persistent memory, possibly a dream, of him holding her and Zhao Mo'er in a place filled with smoke, where he cried because of the smoke.
Zhao Buyou dismissed it, claiming he was just cooking for them when they were young and the damp firewood produced smoke that made his eyes water. However, from his words, Zhao Ban'er inferred their true parentage and tearfully thanked Zhao Buyou for taking care of them all these years. The next morning, Zhao Mo'er went to check the recruitment list at the Office of Justice, having applied for a scribe assistant position a few days prior.
Meanwhile, Zhao Li, dressed in a new outfit, insisted the whole family go to the annual spring banquet at the Fan Building. Both Zhao Buyou and Zhao Ban'er were reluctant, citing the high cost, but Zhao Li was determined. Zhao Mo'er returned home having successfully secured the scribe assistant position. Immediately, he pressed Zhao Li and Zhao Buyou about his and Zhao Ban'er's lineage and why they weren't in the genealogy.
Zhao Li feigned illness, and Zhao Buyou quickly helped him inside. Undeterred, Zhao Mo'er questioned Zhao Buyou again. Zhao Buyou repeatedly asserted that he and Zhao Ban'er were Zhao Li's biological children. Zhao Mo'er, unconvinced, angrily declared he would move to the Office of Justice's quarters. Zhao Buyou sternly warned him not to go, threatening to disown him as a brother. Despite Zhao Ban'er's pleas, Zhao Mo'er left for the Office of Justice without looking back.
Zhao Buyou then confided in Wen Yue, revealing the truth about Zhao Mo'er and Zhao Ban'er. They were Dong Qian's children. Sixteen years ago, Dong Qian had entrusted his two children to Zhao Buyou just days before he was killed.
After Dong Qian's death, Zhao Buyou brought the children home and begged Zhao Li to take them in, changing their names from Dong Mo and Dong Ban to Zhao Mo'er and Zhao Ban'er to conceal their identities and protect them from harm. Zhao Li arrived at the Fan Building for the banquet, and Zhao Ban'er followed, trying to persuade him to leave. The courtesan Chi Liaoliao began her performance. Interested, Zhao Ban'er decided to stay and join Zhao Li.
As Chi Liaoliao performed, several red satin cloths with names written on them fell from above, followed by several bodies rolling onto the stage. Chaos erupted. Zhao Li fled in panic, while Zhao Ban'er stepped forward to examine the bodies carefully. Chi Liaoliao sustained a minor injury, and Zhao Ban'er helped bandage her. She noticed Chi Liaoliao's unique hair ribbon.
Chi Liaoliao explained her younger brother made it for her, a detail that struck Zhao Ban'er as similar to a specific knotting style her sister-in-law Wen Yue also used. Gu Zhen and Wan Fu arrived with officers from Kaifeng Court. Zhao Ban'er volunteered to assist with the post-mortem examination and proceeded to examine the bodies with Yao He. Gu Zhen, needing to focus on the Feng Sai case, instructed Wan Fu to take charge at the Fan Building.
Wan Fu ordered the names written on the red cloths to be transcribed. Zhao Ban'er and Yao He discovered tokens from the Yayuan Mansion on the bodies. They also noted skin discoloration, signs of abuse, estimated time of death around three days prior based on rigor mortis, ink in the hair, mouth, and nose suggesting submersion, and minor bruises behind the ears indicative of being hung upside down.
