The Autumn Ballad Episode 8 Recap
> The Autumn Ballad Recap
After Rong'er was punished, Qiu Yan visited Madam Liu, bringing "Jade Ointment," a rare medicine from vassal states, to treat Rong'er's injuries. Madam Liu, however, expressed disdain, believing Qiu Yan was merely trying to curry favor with Madam Han and that they wanted nothing from her.
Despite Madam Liu's rejection, Qiu Yan remained steadfast, urging Madam Liu to be stricter with Rong'er in the future, stating that if he hadn't stolen to impress a maid, he wouldn't have faced such consequences. Madam Liu was enraged, accusing Qiu Yan of lecturing her. Qiu Yan left the medicine, and Madam Liu implied she wouldn't be foolish enough to let a good medicine go unused. The next morning, Qiu Yan ventured out alone to investigate, unexpectedly encountering Qin Xuan.
Qin Xuan revealed he had followed her because he knew she would put herself in danger and felt compelled to protect her, asserting that the matter concerned them both. He dismissed her concerns about his family finding out, saying he was favored and could handle any repercussions. After enjoying wonton dumplings, which Qin Xuan declared better than his chef's, they discussed finding the source of the fake silver notes.
Qiu Yan, having already gathered preliminary information about the bustling Ruyi Gambling House, explained that small merchants would not accept large denominations. Instead, they should target places that commonly handled significant sums, such as gambling houses, where mixing real and fake notes would be less noticeable. At a wonton stall near the gambling house, Qiu Yan inquired with the owner about any past incidents of customers using fake silver notes at the gambling establishment.
The owner confirmed such occurrences were frequent, happening once or twice a month, usually involving gamblers desperate to recover their losses. Qiu Yan then asked to be introduced to one of the regular customers who frequented both the stall and the gambling house. Through the owner, they met Yao Gai, who led them to a seemingly ordinary Joss paper store.
Yao Gai revealed it was the largest distributor of fake silver notes in the Capital, operating with impunity due to backing from officials in the Fengjing Prefecture. He warned them not to mention his involvement. Instead of giving him money, Qin Xuan arranged for Yao Gai to receive two bowls of wonton dumplings daily for a year, urging him to cease gambling.
Inside the Joss paper store, Qiu Yan, posing as a desperate gambler deep in debt, boldly asked the shopkeeper for "money for the living," meaning fake silver notes. Initially hesitant, the shopkeeper's demeanor changed, and he invited them to the back. However, as they entered the courtyard, a group of thugs appeared, surrounding them. The shopkeeper, noticing the exquisite jade pendant on Qin Xuan's waist, immediately saw through their disguise, realizing he was far from a penniless gambler.
Qin Xuan, with no further means to conceal his identity, revealed himself as the Second Young Master of the Duke Ying Residence. The shopkeeper's hostile attitude instantly shifted to one of deferential politeness. The shopkeeper explained that their fake notes were typically of small denominations, with the highest being ten taels. He vehemently denied producing the three-thousand-tael note Qiu Yan possessed, asserting that no official would cover them if they dared to print such a large amount.
However, he admitted that the intricate mark on Qiu Yan's fake note was identical to one their own engraving expert, Xiao Tie, used to embed as a security measure. Xiao Tie had left their employ six months prior, and the shopkeeper had assumed he had retired from the illicit trade. Now, it appeared Xiao Tie had found a new patron. The shopkeeper provided Xiao Tie's last known address.
Following the shopkeeper's lead, Qiu Yan and Qin Xuan arrived at Xiao Tie's dwelling in a civilian area, only to find Liang Yi and Song Jin already there, having also tracked Xiao Tie down. Their attempts to claim priority in the investigation were cut short when Xiao Tie appeared, immediately instigating a riot among the local beggars by falsely claiming government officials were there to drive out the homeless and then scattering silver notes to create a chaotic scramble.
Xiao Tie then seized a young child, holding him hostage. Liang Yi swiftly confronted Xiao Tie, threatening to make his own children suffer if he did not release the hostage. With quick precision, Liang Yi incapacitated Xiao Tie, causing him to pass out. Qin Xuan expressed concern that Liang Yi had killed him, but Liang Yi assured them Xiao Tie was only unconscious.
Liang Yi then pointed out Qiu Yan's three-day deadline to resolve her family's internal strife, which Qin Xuan confirmed was to avoid being forced into marriage. Liang Yi refused to cooperate with them, asserting that Xiao Tie was now his exclusive lead. As Liang Yi prepared to transport the unconscious Xiao Tie, a volley of arrows suddenly rained down from hidden assailants. Liang Yi was overwhelmed, unable to protect Xiao Tie.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Tie attempted to escape but was struck by an arrow and died. Despite the chaos, Qiu Yan managed to catch a glimpse of the assassin. She approached Liang Yi, offering to provide crucial information about the killer, but only on the condition of a mutual cooperation. She proposed that if she shared her lead, Liang Yi would in turn help her uncover the internal thief within her family within the same three-day deadline.
She promised to accept the outcome without complaint if they failed. Liang Yi, however, scoffed, suspecting she was colluding with the assassins. He ordered Song Jin to shackle both Qiu Yan and Qin Xuan and imprison them in the Firewood Office jail, specifically in the "Sky One cell," which was in fact an outdoor cage. Qin Xuan protested vehemently, but Liang Yi asserted his authority.
Qin Xuan, who had grown up with Liang Yi, lamented how much his friend had changed, recalling his once righteous and compassionate nature before he joined the Firewood Office. Liang Yi later returned to the civilian area where Xiao Tie was found, seeking out the old man who had led the initial disturbance. A young beggar boy approached him, handing over a wooden token he had stolen from the old man, who had since vanished.
Meanwhile, Qiu Min arrived at the Firewood Office, seeking Liang Yi's help to find Qiu Yan and resolve her sister's predicament. Liang Yi, noting the stark contrast between the sisters' personalities, gently reassured Qiu Min and sent her home after she expressed her gratitude. After Qiu Min departed, Song Jin unlocked the cage, explaining that Liang Yi's actions were merely a tactic to intimidate them and ensure their protection.
Liang Yi then ordered Qiu Yan to come out, leaving Qin Xuan confined. Qiu Yan, remembering Qin Xuan's earlier remark about Liang Yi's soft spot for women in distress, adopted a demeanor of profound remorse and weakness. She apologized profusely to Liang Yi, praising his judgment and admitting her own "unworthy" and "frivolous" nature.
She dramatically declared her decision to break off all ties with Qin Xuan, stating she was unfit to marry into the Duke Ying Residence but also unwilling to be a concubine, and humbly requested Liang Yi's aid. Liang Yi, however, saw through her act, sarcastically noting her similarity to her younger sister.
When he mentioned Qiu Min's visit, Qiu Yan immediately dropped her pretense, her voice sharp with concern as she demanded to know what he had done to her sister and warned him against using Qiu Min to coerce her. Liang Yi retorted that he preferred her "flustered" look, revealing that Qiu Min had indeed come to him, begging for help for her "hopeless sister." He then explicitly stated his intention to marry Qiu Min, making her requests his commands.
After informing Qiu Yan that Qiu Min had already returned home, Liang Yi presented the wooden token from the old man, demanding Qiu Yan analyze it, reminding her that time was quickly running out. Qiu Yan examined the wooden token. She noted its modest appearance but fine craftsmanship, particularly the smooth, rounded edges, indicating it was frequently handled. The token was carved with a Chinese peony. She initially speculated it might be from an apothecary, used to identify medicinal herbs.
Liang Yi immediately refuted this, prompting her to reconsider. After a moment, Qiu Yan surmised that such a frequently handled item, if not a precious treasure, must be a sentimental keepsake. She deduced it was likely given by a woman associated with the Chinese peony, perhaps fond of the flower or named after it. She concluded that such an item was most likely from a brothel.
Liang Yi confirmed her deduction, revealing he had already summoned all brothel records from the Fengjing Prefecture. Song Jin brought the voluminous files, and Liang Yi explained that he had already anticipated this line of inquiry. By cross-referencing the brothel opening dates with Xiao Tie's departure from his previous employer, they could narrow down the possibilities. Fortuitously, only one brothel matched the timeline.
