Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Episode 19 Recap
> Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Recap
Wen Yue discovered that the three fifth-rank officials who died in the Fan Building case were the same three judges who presided over the Dong family's massacre case years ago. Realizing the significance of this, she felt it was time to reveal the true origins of Mo and Ban to them.
She asked Zhao Buyou to go to the Office of Justice, summon Mo home for a family reunion dinner that evening, and while there, to verify if the Fan Building victims were indeed the judges from the Dong Qian case. Zhao Buyou went to the Office of Justice.
He confirmed that the deceased from the Fan Building case – Zhao Muyan, Yue Qide, and Zhang Qi – were the same three officials who had served as judges in the Dong family's massacre case. Meanwhile, Wen Yue prepared to go to Wuyou Cave and had Zhao Buyou get firecrackers for her.
She explained to Zhao Buyou that entering the cave required following a specific rule: a disciple of the Water Dagger Sect would light one firecracker upon entering to greet General Wuyou. Arriving at the cave entrance, Wen Yue lit the first firecracker, but it failed to ignite. She had to light a second one, which did explode. This unexpected action was interpreted by the cave dwellers as a provocation, as "One firecracker is a greeting, two is a provocation."
Unaware of this, Wen Yue inwardly cursed Zhao Buyou for his mistake as she was immediately surrounded by the cave's residents. She defended herself, quickly overpowering her attackers before being blindfolded and led inside to meet General Wuyou. After finishing his duty at the Office of Justice, Mo met Zhao Buyou. Zhao Buyou invited him home for the family reunion dinner, mentioning they had something important to discuss later that evening.
He also gave Mo a compiled guide he had written, filled with lessons learned from his own failures and experiences over his many years at the Office of Justice, hoping it would help Mo. Mo revealed that he had recently been reviewing cases handled by Senior Judge Dong Qian and had discovered the three Fan Building victims were indeed the judges from the Dong family's massacre case, wondering if the two cases were connected.
Zhao Buyou told him they would discuss it further that night at home. Wen Yue met General Wuyou, who expressed pleasure at seeing her after fifteen years. Wen Yue explained she needed the transport route map used for moving bodies, which was vital to the Wuyou Cave's operations and a secret General Wuyou was unwilling to share with outsiders. Wen Yue insisted she needed the map to save someone.
General Wuyou challenged her to a game of chance, saying she would have to follow his rules in his territory. He presented a spinning wheel with "Life" and "Death" options. Wen Yue agreed and spun the wheel, which landed on "Death." General Wuyou gave her a pill, warning her it would take her to the most feared corner of her heart to confront the person she most dreaded facing.
He said she would overcome it if she could walk through the experience, but if she failed, her soul would remain in darkness forever. Swallowing the pill, Wen Yue found herself facing her past self, Su Yue, from fifteen years ago when she was a water bandit. Su Yue accused Wen Yue of being selfish for abandoning her.
Wen Yue tried to persuade her to turn from that life and offered to take her to a bright new future, briefly describing her happy life with Zhao Buyou. Su Yue, burdened by regret and pain, spoke of feeling abandoned and trying to forget her past. Wen Yue confessed she had never forgotten Su Yue and the happier she became, the more her unease grew because of her past self.
Su Yue felt disgusted with herself and believed her existence was meaningless, wanting to end her life to atone for her sins. Wen Yue desperately tried to stop her, assuring her she was not a burden and that Wen Yue was alive because of her. She explained that one must accept oneself to find their place in the world. Su Yue, longing to see Wen Yue's bright world, asked if she could have her own place in the world too.
Wen Yue shared a piece of bread with Su Yue, symbolizing their reconciliation and acceptance of the past, suggesting Su Yue's own world could begin when she met a kind man like the "fool who buys you a white horse."
Witnessing Wen Yue overcome her internal struggle, General Wuyou applauded her and, saying he had fulfilled his duty to her former master (Shui Bizi), gave her the transport route map, cautioning her not to let it fall into the hands of the authorities. The Kaifeng Court posted the list of missing women from the Fan Building case publicly, but few families came forward to report. Gu Zhen and Wan Fu were frustrated by the lack of leads.
Wang Yunshang suggested offering a monetary reward for information and offered to pay it from her father's salary, showing her growing interest in Gu Zhen. Wan Fu discovered that before their deaths, the three officials from the Red Silk Case had met with a mysterious woman in black whose face was covered. The black-clad woman had hired a carriage that was traced to Ban Alley in Quyuan Street, but the trail went cold there.
Zhao Buyou met Wan Fu for dumplings and learned this information, recalling that Senior Judge Dong used to take him to a small nameless restaurant in Ban Alley for grilled pork ribs. Ban, suspecting Lu Sanzhen, secretly followed her and saw her visiting a newly made, unmarked grave and weeping. Ban asked Yao He to search for Ci in Xiangfu, but he found no trace of her. Yao He met Ban at the unmarked grave.
Ban suspected it might be Ci's grave and wanted to exhume the body immediately. Yao He cautioned her about the severe penalties for illegally digging up a grave according to "The Song Penal Code," which included exile or even hanging for opening the coffin without authorization. They decided to report it to the Kaifeng Court and seek permission from Wan Fu.
Ban passionately argued her suspicion to Wan Fu, who was hesitant to authorize an exhumation without clearer evidence due to the legal risks. However, seeing Ban's determination and trusting her judgment, Wan Fu agreed to oversee the exhumation, taking responsibility if it wasn't a murder case. When they dug up the grave and opened the coffin, they discovered it was not Ci but Song Yingying, an embroiderer who had lived with Ci at Jinxiu Embroidery.
Song Yingying was on the Kaifeng Court's list of missing women. They proceeded to Jinxiu Embroidery for further investigation. Following the transport route map given by General Wuyou, Wen Yue emerged from a well at Jinxiu Embroidery just as Ban, Wan Fu, and their group arrived. Wen Yue quickly concealed herself. Wan Fu ordered a search of the embroidery workshop.
Zhao Buyou went to the nameless restaurant in Ban Alley, remembering fondly the times Senior Judge Dong had brought him there years ago, enjoying grilled pork ribs and wine and receiving complimentary private brew as a regular. Gu Zhen and Wang Yunshang arrived at Jinxiu Embroidery. Wang Yunshang accompanied Wen Yue to investigate the well and underground routes. Ban wanted to join them, but Wan Fu prevented her, explaining that traversing the routes required special skills which Wen Yue possessed.
While searching Song Yingying's room, Ban found a handkerchief embroidered with the characters "Ci Rou." She remembered that Ci had an identical handkerchief, suggesting a close relationship between the two women. Wan Fu, however, dismissed it as a mere surface clue. After completing their investigation in the well, Wen Yue was eager to get home for the family reunion dinner and left Jinxiu Embroidery with Ban. Wang Yunshang remained with Gu Zhen.
