Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Episode 25 Recap
> Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Recap
Su Zheng sought to exploit Zhao Mo'er's guilt, invoking the sacrifices of others like Song Qiyu, Sun Bo, and Ci who paid a price for justice. He painted himself as a small but vital "fishbone" capable of obstructing the villain.
Su Zheng revealed that Zou Mian's ship, carrying a rare stone, would pass under Rainbow Bridge via the East Water Gate the next day to meet the Emperor, warning that if Zou Mian regained power, their pursuit of justice would be futile. Zhao Mo'er vowed to ensure Zou Mian's ship would not cross the bridge. Wen Yue arrived that night, revealing her attempt to kill Zou Mian had failed.
Su Zheng expressed concern and urged her not to engage in such dangerous acts again now that they were reunited. Wen Yue countered that with Luan Hui and his wife dead, there were no witnesses against Zou Mian, and his gaining the Emperor's favor upon presenting the stone would ruin Su Zheng's plans. Su Zheng insisted he didn't care about his plans, only about not losing her, having already lost all their family.
He told her Zou Mian would get his due and she shouldn't risk her life. He then asked her to cook him a meal the next day, just for him, and she agreed. Zhao Ban'er brought food made by Yao He, concerned their father hadn't eaten. Zhao Buyou, home but preoccupied with finding evidence against Zou Mian, assured her he could cook. Ban'er offered Yao He's help during this time.
Zhao Buyou also touched on the difficulty of Wen Yue's situation, suggesting that pretending ignorance was necessary for the family's peace, but promised the family would remain together as long as he and Wen Yue were present. He stated the priority was bringing Zou Mian to justice, though he hadn't yet found a way.
When Zhao Buyou called for their father, Zhao Li, he discovered Zhao Li had left home, leaving behind a farewell letter declaring his intention to spend all his wealth visiting brothels across the city, seeking release from the family's troubles and his own guilt. Zhao Buyou and Zhao Ban'er were stunned and immediately went to find him. Zhao Buyou and Zhao Ban'er searched for Zhao Li in the most expensive brothel district, wondering if he would really be there.
They found him surrounded by women, seemingly enjoying himself. Zhao Li strangely dismissed them, using a phrase typically reserved for the Emperor. When Zhao Ban'er asked about the cost of Zhao Li's night, the staff stated they didn't charge in silver, and the private room alone cost ten liang of gold. Shocked by the price, Zhao Ban'er was told by Zhao Buyou to take their father home while he handled the payment.
Despite her reluctance to leave him, Zhao Buyou insisted, urging her to show backbone, and Zhao Ban'er ultimately forced Zhao Li away. When Zhao Buyou attempted to pay, the brothel staff refused any money, bowing and pleading for mercy, treating him with excessive deference. They even referred to Zhao Ban'er as an Imperial Princess. Perplexed, Zhao Buyou quickly left.
He and Zhao Ban'er discussed the strange encounter, with Zhao Ban'er confirming she was called "Imperial Princess" and Zhao Li stating he hadn't spent anything. Zhao Li claimed the staff must have mistaken him for the Emperor, explaining they were of the same royal bloodline and he bore a strong resemblance to "Eleventh Brother" (the Emperor) in his youth, often being mistaken for him.
He said he left the court because the Emperor couldn't tolerate his truthfulness and held a grudge. He insisted he hadn't deliberately used the Emperor's identity; the staff simply prostrated themselves upon seeing him, mistaking him entirely. Zhao Buyou examined Zhao Li, and suddenly an idea for dealing with Zou Mian came to him. Wen Yue prepared the meal for Su Zheng, cooking his favorite homeland dishes.
They drank a toast to their parents, and Su Zheng apologized for hiding his identity from her for so long, watching her secretly. He claimed he couldn't bear seeing Zhao Buyou "deliberately deceiving" her. Wen Yue defended Zhao Buyou, calling him her brother-in-law and stating he had his reasons for any secrets, and that she wouldn't have been reunited with Su Zheng if not for Zhao Buyou taking her in.
Su Zheng acknowledged the difficulties between them but proposed a way to reconcile them and make them a happy family: Zhao Mo'er killing Zou Mian to avenge his father. Wen Yue vehemently opposed Mo'er risking his life, arguing he was still a child. Su Zheng countered that he too was a child when he began his quest. Wen Yue stressed Mo'er's naive but determined nature.
Su Zheng saw Mo'er stopping Zou Mian as a way to both avenge and redeem his father, a chance to achieve two goals at once. Wen Yue sensed Su Zheng wasn't telling her everything. Su Zheng then revealed it was his birthday, asking if she had forgotten. She apologized, promising to celebrate with him every year from then on, but insisted Mo'er's situation couldn't wait. Su Zheng called himself foolish as Wen Yue rushed off, heartbroken, to stop Zhao Mo'er.
Wen Yue hurried back home to find Zhao Buyou also gone. Taking Zhao Ban'er with her, she rushed to the Office of Justice to find Zhao Mo'er. He wasn't there, but a colleague informed them he had borrowed money to buy materials. On his desk, they found a drawing that looked like Rainbow Bridge and noted he had purchased niter and sulfur. Wen Yue suddenly realized these were gunpowder ingredients and remembered Zhao Mo'er had made powerful explosives before.
She correctly deduced his plan: to use the explosives to blow up Rainbow Bridge, Zou Mian's route. Realizing the danger, they decided to find Inspector Gu Zhen. Meanwhile, news was spreading rapidly through the business center and the city that Zou Mian would face a public trial that night, advertised as an "earth-shattering revelation," with children even singing about it.
Near Rainbow Bridge, Zou Mian's ship stopped upon encountering a small boat from which regal flute music was being played—a tune the Emperor was known to play. Zhao Buyou and Zhao Li were in the small boat, Zhao Li playing the flute. Zhao Buyou called out to Zou Mian, ordering the criminal to get off his ship and come meet His Majesty.
Zou Mian, mistakenly believing Zhao Li was the Emperor due to his resemblance, quickly ordered his ship docked and prepared to comply. Zhao Li, nervous about his disguise (which Zhao Buyou insisted was accurate based on portraits), hesitated. Zou Mian's men noted a difference from the Emperor they knew and invited "His Majesty" onto their ship instead. Realizing Zou Mian's suspicion was rising, Zhao Buyou ordered Zhao Li to verbally abuse him to make the act more convincing.
Zhao Li reluctantly cursed Zou Mian. This only deepened Zou Mian's suspicion. Fearing exposure, Zhao Buyou told Zhao Li to retreat, and they hastily went ashore on their raft. Zou Mian quickly realized it was a trick and ordered his men to capture them. Wen Yue and Zhao Ban'er arrived at Rainbow Bridge, where Inspector Gu Zhen and Wan Fu were already directing people. They relayed the information about Zhao Mo'er's plan to bomb the bridge using explosives.
Gu Zhen immediately ordered the bridge cleared, securing both sides and allowing only people to leave, citing the arrival of a "divine blessing" and "sacred stone" that no one should stand above. As people were evacuated, Zhao Ban'er spotted a figure pushing a cart onto the bridge and recognized Zhao Mo'er. Zhao Mo'er declared he had six firebombs, threatening to blow up the entire bridge if he lit the fuse, and ordered everyone to leave.
Wen Yue asked Gu Zhen for permission to speak with Zhao Mo'er, and Gu Zhen reluctantly agreed, giving her one chance and warning he would act if she failed. Wen Yue approached Zhao Mo'er, pleading with him not to be impulsive, to listen to her, and put down the fuse. Zhao Mo'er apologized but explained he intended to light the bombs when Zou Mian's ship arrived, to stop the stone and avenge "her".
Wen Yue insisted she never blamed him, saw him as family, never wanted revenge, and didn't need him to do anything for her. She urged him to put down the fuse again. Zhao Mo'er refused to let her come closer, stating he was doing this not just for her, but also for Sun Bo and Ding Dan, all victims of Zou Mian. He questioned the existence of justice when the lives of the poor are trampled.
Recalling his pact with Ding Dan to serve the people and pursue justice, he lamented that Zou Mian had committed so many evils without punishment, concluding there was no true justice. He declared his path was to "stain the rare stone with my blood, and pave the righteous path with my body."
Wen Yue implored him to be calm, reminding him his life, saved by their father and brother and raised by her for ten years (making her like a mother), was meant for something greater. She argued that blowing up the stone wouldn't change everything, that killing one Zou Mian wouldn't fix the world. She urged him to live, to change the world step by step, saying she wanted to see the better world he dreamed of and live with him.
As Zou Mian's ship drew closer, Zhao Mo'er stated he couldn't fail now, expressing his gratitude for being part of the Zhao family and being her and Zhao Buyou's brother, and urged her to leave. As Zhao Mo'er prepared to light the fuse, Wen Yue fell to her knees, begging him to live, asking if her ten years of raising him didn't make her half his mother.
She vowed to stay and die with him on the bridge if he went through with it, promising to be family in the next life. Moved, Zhao Mo'er hesitated and dropped the fuse. Just then, Su Zheng emerged from a nearby sedan chair, expressing utter disappointment in Zhao Mo'er. He revealed he had firebombs himself and intended to die with Zou Mian. He despaired that his plan was ruined as the ship had already passed.
He turned to Wen Yue, wishing she had come for him, not just Mo'er, lamenting that she saw him as different from Mo'er and was abandoning him again. He questioned if she was Su Yue or Wen Yue, and who she truly considered family. Wen Yue responded that her brother was Su Zheng, not He Huan. Despite someone shouting to spare him, soldiers shot Su Zheng with an arrow.
Su Zheng pulled out the arrow, declaring that the original Su Zheng had died long ago on the path of escape. He passionately recounted the suffering caused over twenty years by the transport of the rare stones: countless laborers killed, people displaced, the splendor of the capital built on the blood and tears of the people. He asserted that in such a world, "only evil can counter evil."
He suggested that if all those "Su Zhengs" had survived, they would all be "He Huan" today. He returned the Moheluo to Wen Yue before leaping into the river. Witnessing the event, Gu Zhen remembered the planned trial at the business center and rushed there with Wan Fu. At the business center, a crowd had gathered expecting a great revelation. The Governor was present with his daughter.
Storyteller Mr. Li announced he would recount a "tale of past secrets" with a "young talent," Zhao Buyou, whom he invited onto the stage. Zhao Buyou introduced himself as a litigator. Mr. Li and Zhao Buyou proceeded to tell the story of a corrupt official in the South who seized and modified military ships to transport treasures, showing a blueprint of the converted ships.
They revealed he murdered the shipbuilder Su Zhi and his entire family to cover up his crime, sparking outrage from the crowd. The story continued, detailing how this official rose in power, becoming a tyrant who tore down bridges, destroyed roads, and marked off areas with imperial seals, causing immense suffering and displacing people. They spoke of the honest official Li Yan, who repeatedly tried to impeach the corrupt man but failed.
When Li Yan decided to petition the Emperor directly, word leaked, and the corrupt official brutally murdered him, cutting off his head and replacing it with "a pig's head as a substitute." The crowd recognized this as the story of Li Yan. Finally, they recounted the plight of Dong Qian, who was threatened by the corrupt official due to his mother's illness and forced to commit wicked acts.
After his mother's death, Dong Qian broke ties, but the corrupt official retaliated by massacring Dong Qian's entire family, a horrifying act that drew gasps from the audience. Mr. Li concluded by stating that this very corrupt official was present in the business center that night. The crowd demanded he be revealed and brought out. Mr. Li called for the criminal Zou Mian to be brought forward. Zou Mian was then brought onto the stage, causing the Governor to look on in shock.
