The Justice Episode 13 Recap
> The Justice Recap
At a lavish evening banquet, Mrs. Zhai complained to Mr. Zhou Guangxian about Wu Lizi dancing with her husband, Mr. Zhai. Mr. Zhou intervened, taking over the dance with Wu Lizi himself. As they danced, Wu Lizi expressed her belief that Mr. Zhou was also unhappy she was there and disliked her, recalling a time when he was kind to her, buying her chocolates, clothes, and even checking her homework.
Mr. Zhou responded that her father's actions had affected many, causing pain, but people had given him grace due to his hard work. Wu Lizi retorted, asking if it was her fault and stating she had come hoping for forgiveness, but everyone still seemed to hate her. Meanwhile, other guests muttered about Wu Lizi's drinking, comparing her to a "dance girl" and speculating that her behavior would deter potential investors from buying Shanghai Deposit Bank stocks.
Zhou Wenquan, Mr. Zhou Guangxian's nephew, attended the banquet with a female companion. Upon seeing Cheng Yizhi, he mentioned Huang Ruhong's public announcement about developing a tuberculosis medicine. Cheng Yizhi suggested that Huang Ruhong's announcement might be a slip, and advised Zhou Wenquan to seize the opportunity to research and develop medicines currently monopolized by foreign firms, using this as a way to challenge them. Later, as Wu Lizi continued to drink heavily, she approached Mr. Shi of Juwen Leather.
Mr. Zhou Guangxian and Mr. Jiao rushed to intercept her. Suddenly, Zhou Wenquan's female companion strode forward and slapped Wu Lizi, loudly accusing her father, Wu Zhifu, of enriching himself and committing suicide out of guilt, which led to the interruption of the Shanghai Deposit Bank's agricultural loan. She claimed this caused immense suffering, forcing many in her hometown to take their own lives. She condemned Wu Lizi for enjoying herself despite her father's "crimes," calling her shameless.
Cheng Yizhi quickly stepped in to defend Wu Lizi, clarifying to the guests that the Shanghai Deposit Bank's agricultural loan was a pioneering initiative by Mr. Wu Zhifu, benefiting over 600 peasant households in 42 villages across Jiangsu and Zhejiang, a fact known to all present. He asserted that the true reasons for the loan's interruption were also clear to everyone, implicitly refuting the accusations against Wu Zhifu.
After the banquet, which ended on a sour note, Mr. Zhou Guangxian sternly reprimanded Zhou Wenquan, whose female companion's outburst had ruined the evening and forced Mr. Zhou to apologize to Mrs. Cheng. Zhou Wenquan, frightened, repeatedly apologized. Mr. Zhou then discovered that Cheng Yizhi had invested in Zhou Wenquan's pharmaceutical factory, an important detail Zhou Wenquan had not disclosed.
Zhou Wenquan explained that he had tried to tell his uncle many times about his dream of building a pharmaceutical factory, but his uncle had always discouraged him and refused to provide funding. He emphasized that Cheng Yizhi had shown faith in his ambitions, which made the factory possible. He also pointed out that Mr. Zhou had been too preoccupied with the Shanghai Deposit Bank's stock prospectus to even attend his factory's opening.
Mr. Zhou accused Cheng Yizhi of teaching Zhou Wenquan to conceal the Longying Private Bank's investment. Zhou Wenquan denied this, asserting that the source of funding was less important than the achievement of establishing the factory, and questioned if his uncle was not happy for him. Mr. Zhou then pressured Zhou Wenquan to abandon Cheng Yizhi's investment and instead accept funding from the Shanghai Deposit Bank.
Later, Wu Lizi, curious about Cheng Yizhi's accurate knowledge of her father's past, asked him how he knew so much. Cheng Yizhi revealed that Professor Lu had given him a collection of letters from Wu Zhifu, hoping that Cheng Yizhi would better understand Wu Lizi. Reading these letters, Wu Lizi learned of her father's profound aspirations and deep affection for her.
Cheng Yizhi reminded her of her earlier declaration on their wedding day to leave her father's past behind, but acknowledged that she still held onto the belief in her father's innocence, a belief he shared. He drew parallels between Wu Lizi's character and her father's, recalling her advice about supporting someone's dreams. Cheng Yizhi quoted from Wu Zhifu's letters, where he stated that the greatest utility of capital was not merely wealth, but supporting ambitious individuals in realizing their ideals.
This profound philosophy, Cheng Yizhi argued, proved Wu Zhifu was not a corrupt or self-serving man, and he had never encountered another financier with such a vision of capital. Cheng Yizhi conveyed that Professor Lu had given him the letters so he could grasp the immense loss Wu Lizi had endured: a broad-minded father, a gentle mother, and her entire home.
He then sincerely offered to build a home for her, hoping it could, at least in part, compensate for what she had lost. Overwhelmed, Wu Lizi expressed her understanding of his feelings, but then softly apologized, making Cheng Yizhi think he had been too hasty in his advances. The next morning, Cheng Yizhi woke to find Wu Lizi gone. Concerned, he asked Wang Ma and Gui about her whereabouts, fearing she regretted their intimacy from the previous night.
He rushed out to find her, only to discover she was simply out buying breakfast. Relieved, Cheng Yizhi joined her, and they shared a tender and playful conversation over their meal. Meanwhile, Mr. Zhou Guangxian’s plans to sell bank shares faced a setback. Mr. Jiao reported that Mr. Zhai from Guanfeng Real Estate had backed out, citing the need for capital turnover, while Mr. Shi of Juwen Leather was unreachable, with only his secretary providing excuses.
Mr. Zhou Guangxian suspected Wu Lizi's interference and ordered Mr. Jiao to investigate what she had discussed with them during the dance. Mr. Jiao, however, assured Mr. Zhou of his loyalty, denying any contact with Wu Lizi and reiterating that Wu Zhifu's death had nothing to do with them. Mr. Zhou Guangxian then visited Zhou Wenquan's pharmaceutical factory, praising its efficient operation.
He offered the Shanghai Deposit Bank's investment and pressured Zhou Wenquan to terminate his partnership with Longying Private Bank. Zhou Wenquan, caught between loyalty to Cheng Yizhi and respect for his uncle who had nurtured him since childhood, explained to Cheng Yizhi that his uncle's insistence was due to the deep familial obligation.
Cheng Yizhi, understanding Zhou Wenquan's dilemma, agreed to terminate the partnership but insisted that all contractual obligations be met, including compensation for any losses and a fifteen-day notice period for account preparation and capital withdrawal. Zhou Wenquan accepted the terms, hoping their friendship would endure. Wu Lizi met with Charlie, who immediately noticed a change in her demeanor. She pressed him for news on Mr. Zhai and Mr. Shi, learning that neither had purchased any Shanghai Deposit Bank shares.
Wu Lizi revealed her analysis: Mr. Zhou Guangxian had offered generous dividends but demanded that future shareholders forfeit voting rights, a contradictory offer that made her simply pose the question, "What if Uncle Zhou ends up like my father?" This question alone was enough to make Mr. Zhai and Mr. Shi withdraw.
She further noted the suspicious "stable earnings growth" of the Shanghai Deposit Bank after her father's death, leading her to suspect Mr. Zhou Guangxian was involved in illicit dealings, which her father must have known about, thus explaining the mysterious film Mr. Jiao had mentioned.
Charlie then revealed his own discovery: Cheng Yizhi had recently provided a significant loan to Zhou Wenquan, Zhou Guangxian's nephew, to establish a pharmaceutical factory, raising questions about a potential connection between Cheng Yizhi and Mr. Zhou Guangxian. Cheng Yizhi explained to Heart-shaped Face that his strategic withdrawal of investment from Zhou Wenquan's factory was to lower Mr. Zhou Guangxian's guard.
Heart-shaped Face reported his unsuccessful attempt to track the drug dealer and the mailbox for payments; all leads were dead ends, indicating extreme caution from the mastermind. Cheng Yizhi decided to change tactics, employing "backward induction." Assuming Mr. Zhou Guangxian was indeed involved in drug trafficking, the Shanghai Deposit Bank would need to launder the illegal profits into legitimate income to appease shareholders. Heart-shaped Face likened this to their own Master's method of legitimizing gambling house earnings.
Cheng Yizhi instructed Heart-shaped Face to pose as Mao Fuxing, a compradore from Tianjin Huacai Carpet Factory, and meet Mr. Jiao to discuss purchasing Shanghai Deposit Bank shares. To prepare, Cheng Yizhi provided Heart-shaped Face with detailed knowledge of Huacai Carpet Factory and its business, anticipating that Mr. Jiao, having worked in Tianjin, might try to test his authenticity.
He specifically coached Heart-shaped Face to feign surprise if Mr. Jiao mentioned Wan's Wool Firm, then to claim that Huacai had severed ties with Wan's years ago due to their fraudulent practice of selling inferior goods. Heart-shaped Face was to emphasize the difficult business climate in Tianjin and their desire to invest in Shanghai's more active market. Heart-shaped Face, disguised as Mao Fuxing, met Mr. Jiao and directly stated his interest in purchasing Shanghai Deposit Bank shares.
Mr. Jiao, eager for investors, asked about Huacai Carpet Factory's recent cooperation with Wan's Wool Firm. Mao Fuxing acted surprised, then gravely revealed that Huacai had cut ties with Wan's years ago due to their poor quality products, explaining that Tianjin's carpet business was struggling, which prompted their interest in investing in Shanghai. Mr. Jiao then inquired about the form and quantity of their intended investment.
Mao Fuxing replied that it depended on the bank's profitability and requested to see some of the bank's accounts. Mr. Jiao politely declined, explaining that access to all bank accounts required a collective resolution from the board of directors. He assured Mao Fuxing of the bank's substantial profits.
Mao Fuxing pressed further, citing his imminent departure from Shanghai and his need to provide some information to his superiors, specifically asking to see the bank's loan records and a general overview of its profits. Yielding to this request, Mr. Jiao provided him with a simplified profit statement.
Upon reviewing the simplified profit statement, Heart-shaped Face pointed out a startling detail to Cheng Yizhi: Fumantang Grain and Oil Shop, a rice and oil company, was listed as having higher profits than Sanhe Cement Factory. This discrepancy immediately aroused Cheng Yizhi's suspicion. He took Heart-shaped Face to a local rice shop, Lin Fu Rice Shop, where they observed Mr. Ge and Mr. Lin discussing various rice orders for Zhang's Rice Cake.
Cheng Yizhi attempted to place an urgent order for 1,200kg of Wuxi Rice but was informed that urgent orders were not accepted, and deliveries would take 25 to 40 days, significantly longer than other rice shops. He then inquired about Tongli Rice, Changshu Yiziqing, and Beipu Rice, only to be told that all were out of stock. The shop manager explained they ordered rice only as needed and rarely kept inventory, making shortages common.
Cheng Yizhi expressed his skepticism to Mr. Lin, stating that he did not believe the shop's business was so good that all rice was sold out; instead, he suspected they were not genuinely operating as a rice business at all.
