The Justice Episode 3 Recap
> The Justice Recap
Following a pre-arranged plan with Cheng Yizhi, Heart-shaped Face returned to Longying Private Bank and spoke negatively about Cheng Yizhi to Clerk Tan, successfully lowering Tan's guard. Meanwhile, in the wider financial world, government bonds crashed overnight due to widespread short-selling. Wu Lizi rushed to the theater to inform Charlie of the news. Charlie, having anticipated this outcome, revealed that he had already sold his bonds and profited from the market collapse.
Taking the opportunity, Wu Lizi asked Charlie to help her meet White-faced Wei Delong, whom she suspected was involved in her father's death. Charlie, hesitant to get involved with such a dangerous individual, only shared that Wei Delong frequented Fuxiang Hall, a brothel, and the Atlantic Club, a casino where he exclusively played high-stakes Five-card Stud. Realizing she would need a significant sum (around 800 tael) to approach him, Wu Lizi secretly resolved to seek revenge.
She then borrowed 800 silver tael from a loan shark, Mr. Qiu. Impressed by her youth and beauty, Mr. Qiu waived the interest but stipulated an 18-day repayment period, warning that if she failed, she would "belong" to him. Wu Lizi accepted the terms. Back at Longying Private Bank, Mr. Xu reported the bond market losses to Huang Ruhong.
Cheng Yizhi entered, exposing a scheme by Mr. Xu and Assistant Manager Wan to embezzle bank capital and cover their losses with fraudulent loans. Cheng Yizhi explained that he had been unjustly fired a week prior, falsely accused of lending 4,000 tael to Lin Fu Rice Shop. He then produced Lin Fu Rice Shop's true account book as evidence, which clearly showed Mr. Lin only owed 1,000 silver tael to Longying Private Bank.
He exposed Mr. Xu and Assistant Manager Wan's scheme to frame him for an additional 3,000 silver tael loan to Lin Fu, thereby inflating the supposed debt to 4,000 tael to cover their own deficit. Impressed by Cheng Yizhi's integrity and intelligence, Huang Ruhong immediately appointed him as the new manager of Longying Private Bank's Jing'an Branch, entrusting him with restoring the bank's integrity.
Cheng Yizhi formally took office, announcing strict new regulations and promoting Heart-shaped Face to assistant manager in recognition of his role in the exposé. Wu Lizi later went to the Atlantic Club, attempting to get close to Wei Delong. She sat at his table and engaged him in a Five-card Stud game, but despite her efforts to change her luck, she lost all of her borrowed money. Desperate and penniless, she sought out Charlie again.
Charlie, unable to lend her money as he had spent his bond earnings on an apartment for Guan Xiuyue (a female opera performer he admired), listened as Wu Lizi requested a colorless, odorless, and easily dissolvable poison, declaring her intent to kill Wei Delong that very night and flee Shanghai with her mother. Meanwhile, Cheng Yizhi dedicated himself to his new role. He reviewed Chen Chen Tung Oil Factory's large outstanding loan.
Although initially skeptical of their financial struggles, his research in the library revealed that their tung oil, despite production challenges, was of exceptional quality, suitable for lucrative foreign markets beyond ordinary uses (such as artificial leather and synthetic rubber). He approved an additional 3,000 silver tael loan for Director Gao to upgrade machinery and expand production, promising the full backing of Jing'an Branch. Cheng Yizhi also visited Mr. Lin of Lin Fu Rice Shop.
He revealed that he knew Mr. Lin was the illegitimate son of the owner of Lin Shou Rice Shop, a fact that had caused Mr. Lin much humiliation. Cheng Yizhi empathized deeply, sharing his own painful experiences of being called a "bastard" since childhood. He understood Mr. Lin's refusal to change his shop sign as a tribute to his loving father, who had cherished and supported him and his mother.
Cheng Yizhi encouraged Mr. Lin to stand firm against Lin Shou Rice Shop, revealing that he had secured an agreement through Assistant Manager Guan of Beidang Branch: Lin Shou Rice Shop would cease interfering with Lin Fu Rice Shop's business to avoid public exposure of Mr. Lin's heritage. Mr. Lin was profoundly grateful for the opportunity to compete fairly. Just as Cheng Yizhi was leaving Mr. Lin, he received an urgent message: Heart-shaped Face had been detained at Fuxiang Hall.
Rushing there, Cheng Yizhi found Heart-shaped Face unable to pay his substantial bill after enjoying expensive drinks, cigarettes, and entertainment, with his banknote having gone missing. Cheng Yizhi paid the debt and requested that the incident be kept confidential to preserve Heart-shaped Face's dignity. The proprietress, Luzhu, agreed, and Heart-shaped Face promised to avoid such establishments in the future. Cheng Yizhi then visited Wu Lizi's mother, bringing her medicine.
Wu Lizi's mother offered him pastries, and as he was about to depart, Mr. Qiu, the loan shark, arrived with his men to collect the debt. Cheng Yizhi quickly intervened, pretending to be Wu Lizi's son and claiming the borrower had moved, prompting Mr. Qiu to leave. Wu Lizi's mother, realizing her daughter had borrowed from loan sharks for revenge, was heartbroken. She asked Cheng Yizhi to leave, intending to speak with Wu Lizi.
When Wu Lizi returned home, her mother, distraught and angered by her daughter's dangerous pursuit of revenge, suffered a severe angina attack. Despite Wu Lizi's desperate attempts to give her medicine, it was too late, and her mother tragically passed away, leaving Wu Lizi devastated.
