Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Episode 24 Recap
> Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Recap
Su Zheng spoke to his sister Wen Yue, expressing his hurt that she blamed him for being ruthless. He asserted that everything he had painstakingly done was to clear the Su family's name and seek justice for their parents who died unjustly. He challenged her, saying if she truly believed he was wrong, she should kill him then and there.
Wen Yue urged him to stop if he was truly her brother, Su Zheng, explaining that there were things in the world far more important than revenge. She recalled their mother's last words, "Run! Don't look back," and shared that she was grateful to have lived, finding happiness in her humble and ordinary life.
Su Zheng questioned how she could find happiness while Zou Mian, their parents' killer, remained alive, and how they could stand by when the children of their father's killer were within reach, doing nothing. Wen Yue reiterated her wish for him to find and live his own life, urging him to live well. The next morning, two customers arrived at Wen Yue's umbrella shop to place an order, but found it closed.
Manager Liu from the neighboring umbrella shop immediately approached them, trying to divert their business. He claimed Wen Yue's shop was unreliable and would definitely delay their orders, mentioning she wouldn't be back anytime soon. Wen Yue arrived just then and confronted Manager Liu, telling the customers he was idle and hadn't received an order in a month. She invited the customers into her shop, explaining her early closure was due to family matters.
Later, Manager Fei arrived and commented on Wen Yue being late and quarreling with Manager Liu again. She warned Wen Yue to pay more attention to Zhao Buyou, cautioning that many people were interested in him and she might lose her "perfect husband" if she wasn't careful, just like losing customers. Wen Yue thanked her for the reminder. Zou Mian had used all his connections to get his daughter, Zou Ziyin, and her husband, Luan Hui, released from prison temporarily.
Zou Ziyin, used to a life of privilege, was immediately angered by a servant upon arriving and threatened to punish her. Luan Hui tried to calm his wife down. Zou Mian arrived and spoke to Zou Ziyin, sensing her resentment towards him. He explained that when he was younger, he was focused on his career in Jiangnan to revitalize the Zou family and couldn't be with her often.
He believed that finding her a suitable husband was a way to compensate for his absence. Zou Ziyin complained that he had sent Luan Hui, her husband, to the East Capital for a job, separating her from her father all these years, even though Luan Hui had married into their family.
Zou Mian explained that the East Capital was a crucial place and he needed someone he could trust there, implying Luan Hui was that person, and adding that Luan Hui's talents would have been wasted in the South. Luan Hui thanked Zou Mian for his trust but apologized for causing trouble. Zou Ziyin defended Luan Hui, claiming his arrest was a setup. She asked if Zou Mian had already taken care of everything since he got them out.
Zou Mian revealed he had used all his connections for this "half-day reunion," implying they would have to return to prison soon. Zou Ziyin was horrified at the thought of returning to the "filthy place" and refused. Luan Hui offered to take Zou Ziyin back to Jiangnan immediately and live in seclusion, promising never to reveal anything, and pleaded with Zou Mian to save him.
Zou Mian mocked Zou Ziyin's nature, saying she could never live in seclusion given her upbringing. Su Zheng came to see Wen Yue again and apologized, asking her not to be angry with him. Wen Yue asked if he truly thought he was wrong, reiterating that there was nothing wrong with wanting revenge for their parents, but there were things in the world far more important than revenge.
She told him she hoped he could find and live his own life, urging him to live well. Inside the Zou family's temporary residence, Zou Mian explained to Zou Ziyin that Luan Hui, by relying on the Zou family's influence and his greed, had brought about their current disaster, causing public outrage and the Emperor's fury. He explained that getting Luan Hui released for this brief moment was the most he could do, providing a final shred of dignity.
He stated that true family members sacrifice themselves in critical moments, and if he didn't act decisively, the entire Zou family would be ruined. Zou Ziyin tearfully agreed that Luan Hui had made mistakes but was still her husband and had acted for the family's sake, pleading with her father to spare his life.
Zou Mian was resolute, stating Luan Hui was a son-in-law married into the family, and given the situation, cutting off an arm to save the body was the only way to preserve the Zou family. He claimed to know everything about their actions in the East Capital over the years. Zou Ziyin ultimately conceded, prioritizing the family, and told Luan Hui she would take care of his family, urging him to accept his fate.
Luan Hui, realizing his doom, called Zou Ziyin heartless and a venomous snake, lamenting his affection for her. He turned to Zou Mian, accusing him of using him from the start and stating that if he couldn't live, he would die with Zou Mian.
Zou Mian dismissed him as a poor village tutor who could never hope to enter the East Capital without the Zou family's support, calling his threat to kill him "a joke" and Luan Hui just "an abandoned pawn." Zou Mian then had both Zou Ziyin and Luan Hui killed. That night, Manager Fei came to Wen Yue's shop and immediately noticed Wen Yue was troubled, even seeing her taking out her frustration on an umbrella.
She offered to introduce a fortune teller, jokingly saying Wen Yue seemed to have bad luck lately. Wen Yue admitted that Manager Fei was the only person she could truly talk to in the East Capital. Manager Fei, while claiming she didn't see Wen Yue as a friend but a rival, confessed that she envied Wen Yue and had been competing with her for over a decade in umbrellas, shops, and even men.
She explained that she eventually realized life was about living well and that the competition with Wen Yue motivated her. Wen Yue then asked what Manager Fei would do if someone tried to steal her good life. Manager Fei firmly stated she would hold onto what was hers and chase anyone away who dared to take it. Wen Yue, feeling enlightened by the conversation, said she had been troubled by some things but now understood.
As Manager Fei was leaving, she reminded Wen Yue not to forget to visit Manager Yu at the tailor's shop the next evening, almost forgetting the "real business" while talking about fortune-telling. Manager Fei's reminder implicitly referenced the place where Wen Yue and Zhao Buyou first met fifteen years ago. Meanwhile, Zou Mian spoke with his subordinate, expressing his condolences for his daughter's death.
He blamed himself for spoiling Zou Ziyin and letting her and Luan Hui act recklessly, which led to public outrage. He cited the lost ledger as the final blow, giving his enemies who coveted his position a perfect excuse to attack him. He stated he couldn't protect himself if the investigation followed Ziyin and Luan Hui, implying their deaths were necessary for his survival and, for Ziyin, a release from the dire situation.
He ordered his subordinate to secretly transport Zou Ziyin and Luan Hui's bodies back to prison the next day and announce they died of illness. He also instructed the subordinate to spread the word that he would be hosting a grand banquet on a ship on the outskirts of the city the following night. This, he explained, would surely attract unwelcome guests. He planned to use "Fake it and escape" and "shedding its shell" tactics to evade them.
Having served in the Manufacturing Bureau for years, he knew the Emperor's preferences and believed presenting a rare stone would earn him imperial favor and security. Only then would he deal with his enemies one by one, using their demise to honor his daughter. On the streets, a storyteller captivated a crowd by speaking about a rare stone discovered in a southern lake, said to be forged by the heavens and a symbol of the Great Song's prosperity.
He recounted the Astronomical Bureau's prediction that bringing the stone to the capital at an auspicious time would ensure eternal prosperity for the Great Song. The storyteller then introduced Zou Mian as the official tasked by the Emperor to escort this stone by ship, but quickly added that Zou Mian's reputation suggested he was using this task to extort people's wealth and oppress the common folk.
Elsewhere, Zhao Buyou and Gu Zhen visited Zhang Zeduan, hoping his painting might hold clues to the Luan couple's whereabouts after being taken from prison. Zhang Zeduan stated he hadn't noticed anyone from the Ministry of Justice passing by with them. Wang Yunshang then arrived in a hurry, having overheard her father, Prefect Wang, planning to meet an esteemed guest that night on a ship in a wild forest by the Bian River in the eastern suburbs.
She mentioned that the ship was featured in Zhang Zeduan's painting, prompting Zhao Buyou and Gu Zhen to quickly realize this might be connected to Zou Mian and thank her for the crucial information. That night, Wen Yue, disguised, arrived at the large ship anchored by the river. She looked through a window and saw men inside, seemingly involved in a banquet. Believing Zou Mian was present, she burst in, demanding they stop.
However, she found only two performers, a shadow play and vocal act duo. They explained that someone had paid them the previous night to perform there and create the illusion that Mr. Zou was present, seemingly to lure someone. Wen Yue realized she had fallen into a trap just as soldiers stormed in to capture an "assassin." With no other option, Wen Yue escaped by jumping into the river. Soaked, Wen Yue went to Manager Yu's tailor's shop.
Manager Yu greeted her, confirming he was planning to sell the shop and retire because he was old and couldn't continue. He invited her to warm up by the fire. He mentioned that earlier, another person had come in soaking wet and also asked for dry clothes, having also been pushed into the river while watching a commotion. This detail connected back to Wen Yue's escape.
Manager Yu also indicated he had something to tell her, which he implied she would know soon enough. Meanwhile, Gu Zhen, Wan Fu, and their men arrived at the suburban ship, only to find it empty. They realized Zou Mian had tricked them. Wan Fu expressed frustration, saying the Luan couple were their evidence and questioning what to do without their testimony to link the ledger to Zou Mian.
Driven by a desire for revenge, he declared he would lead his men to intercept Zou Mian and kill him. Zhao Buyou desperately stopped Wan Fu, arguing that with their small number against Zou Mian's many guards, they would be walking into a bloodbath with no one surviving. Wan Fu and his men stated they were not afraid to die.
Zhao Buyou appealed to them, reminding them that Kaifeng Court was a place to resolve grievances and investigate cases through the law, not through personal vendettas. He urged them to bring Zou Mian to justice by exposing his crimes to the public, letting the people of the East Capital see his true nature, which was their proper course of action.
Gu Zhen, though seemingly sharing Zhao Buyou's sentiment on seeking justice through the law, appeared resigned, telling Wan Fu to proceed. Zhao Buyou continued trying to dissuade them from pursuing a violent, potentially suicidal path. Zhao Buyou arrived at Manager Yu's tailor shop, where he had arranged to meet Wen Yue. He repeatedly apologized to her.
Wen Yue acknowledged that Zhao Buyou had kept things from her to protect their family, which she understood, but she also held it against him for not trusting her and not realizing how important the Zhao family in Sparrow Lane was to her. She reaffirmed that their family was truly whole only when they were together, and she still felt that way. She asked to visit Ban, and they went together to Yao He's place.
Yao He informed them he had heard the Luan couple had died in prison from an illness outbreak, but suspected Zou Mian had actually orchestrated their deaths, perhaps using the rescue as a way to silence them. Zhao Buyou and Wen Yue found Zhao Ban'er. Zhao Buyou noted she seemed thin and asked her to come home, mentioning how good Wen Yue's cooking was. Zhao Ban'er was hesitant, feeling ashamed and saying she had "no face" to see Wen Yue.
Wen Yue gently told her that the grudges from the previous generation were not their burden and apologized to Ban, emphasizing that Ban had done nothing wrong. When Ban asked if Wen Yue still considered her family, Wen Yue warmly reminded her how long they had lived together and how she had watched Ban grow up, stating it was impossible not to see her as family.
Ban then asked about Mo and Buyou, and Wen Yue insisted they were not to blame either, urging Ban and Mo not to blame Buyou for his actions to protect their current family. She asserted that only the evildoers were to blame, and that once these troubles passed, their family would be together again forever.
Ban was moved to tears and confided that she used to envy others who had mothers until Wen Yue came into her life, after which she never felt that way again. Meanwhile, Zhao Mo'er went to Wen Yue's umbrella shop, intending to apologize and give her the umbrella design scrolls he had compiled, but he couldn't bring himself to go in. He went to a tavern instead and drank heavily. Su Zheng was also at the tavern, drinking alone.
Zhao Mo'er recognized him and, intoxicated, asked Su Zheng to deliver the scrolls to Wen Yue. He apologized to Su Zheng, including on Ban's behalf, and expressed his inability to atone for his father, Dong Qian. He lamented being a mere scholar, powerless despite knowing who was behind everything. Su Zheng agreed that it wasn't too late for action.
He quoted Fan Zhongyan, saying "Better to die with a voice than to live in silence," mentioning he heard this from Qiyu at the welfare center. He spoke of the world's harsh realities ("If we're not at the table, we're on the menu") and admired Qiyu's courage in his actions. He asked Zhao Mo'er if he wished for fewer unfortunate people like them in the world, which Zhao Mo'er affirmed. Su Zheng then suggested they still had a chance to act.
