The Lady in Butcher's House Episode 9 Recap
> The Lady in Butcher's House Recap
After Chi Wenjun insisted on his innocence in prison, Xu Qingjia disregarded Registrar Yang’s objections and reviewed Chi Wenjun’s dossier. He discovered that Yu Niang was involved and decided to visit the Jade Spring Pavilion for further investigation. When County Magistrate Zhu learned of this, he instructed Registrar Yang to tell Yu Niang to execute their plan as before. At the Jade Spring Pavilion, Yu Niang offered Xu Qingjia a cup of drugged tea.
Gao Zheng, having received news of the setup, quickly arrived at the pavilion. Coincidentally, he met Hu Jiao at the entrance. Working together, they managed to get an unconscious Xu Qingjia out of the pavilion. Yu Niang attempted to pursue them, but Gao Zheng stopped her, revealing her true identity as the daughter of a former capital official.
Ten years ago, her father, an official in the Ministry of Revenue, was imprisoned for an offense, exiled, and died on the journey. Her mother also passed away from illness, leaving her alone. Gao Zheng mentioned that she had once been on a wanted list after a family’s property was stolen and then vanished from the capital. Yu Niang denied this, but Gao Zheng asserted he had thoroughly investigated her background, leaving her no room to argue.
Meanwhile, County Magistrate Zhu and his subordinates rushed to the Jade Spring Pavilion, only to find their scheme had failed, forcing them to return empty-handed. When Xu Qingjia regained consciousness, he saw Hu Jiao beside him and realized Yu Niang was indeed suspicious. Gao Zheng then arrived, explaining that Yu Niang had played a crucial role in the scheme. He revealed that Chi Wenjun had been taken from jail, though Gao Zheng claimed he didn't know his ultimate destination.
To prove his sincerity, Gao Zheng arranged to meet Xu Qingjia later that night outside the county jail. At midnight, Xu Qingjia and Gao Zheng waited in a corner and witnessed a group of prisoners being loaded onto a cart and driven out of the city, their whereabouts unknown. Gao Zheng explained that County Magistrate Zhu usually notified him to arrange for prisoner arraignments, and most of the people taken away never returned.
When Xu Qingjia suggested following the cart, Gao Zheng stopped him, reasoning that their daily reporting to the county government meant their prolonged absence would surely arouse Zhu Tingxian's suspicion. He confirmed that Chi Wenjun had been taken away in the same manner. Gao Zheng admitted he could only help to this extent, fearing for his life in the complicated officialdom, where he and Zhu Tingxian were merely "insignificant leaves."
Xu Qingjia, however, declared that a true official acts according to what is right, regardless of fear, believing they must unite for the sake of the people. Later, while Hu Jiao was serving him a special soup, Xu Qingjia discussed his investigation with her. He shared that Gao Zheng believed the disappearances of the villagers and Chi Wenjun were connected. Xu Qingjia had learned that strong youths from the villages were forcibly conscripted for labor and then vanished.
However, the county office's files only stated that these villagers "ran away while digging in the wasteland," a record written by Chi Wenjun himself. This seemed odd, as Chi Wenjun's own file contained no mention of missing villagers, only charges of molesting women and embezzling money. Hu Jiao suggested that such a large-scale conscription would certainly have detailed records, likely held by the highest official, County Magistrate Zhu.
Meanwhile, Registrar Yang and Clerk Song reported to County Magistrate Zhu, suggesting that Xu Qingjia be put in charge of the year's spring plowing inspection. Their intention was to put Xu Qingjia in a difficult position with the local populace, forcing him to align with their faction. Zhu Tingxian agreed, explicitly stating that since Gao Zheng was not on his side, he would not be assigned this duty.
Zhu elaborated on his strategy, using a fish analogy to imply that if Xu Qingjia was not "hungry" enough to take their bait, he would ensure all other "fish" in the pond would be. Song Clerk initially expressed concern about Xu Qingjia's rashness, but quickly retracted his statement when Zhu questioned his loyalty. Xu Qingjia, however, saw the spring plowing inspection as an opportunity.
He explained to Hu Jiao that while it was often seen as a "cushy job" for corrupt officials to manipulate harvest estimates and collect bribes, he could use it to his advantage. Hu Jiao, initially angered by his apparent willingness to profit, calmed down when he assured her he was only joking. Xu Qingjia revealed that despite extensive research, he had found no records of the actual location of the "land reclamation" where villagers reportedly fled.
After reviewing various documents, he found a place called "Stone Sheep Village" mentioned in the county annals but absent from maps, suggesting it might be deliberately hidden. He speculated that the stone Chi Wenjun gave him was a clue, hinting at this village as the destination for the disappeared villagers and perhaps Chi Wenjun himself. Realizing he couldn't openly investigate Stone Sheep Village without "alerting the enemy," Xu Qingjia planned to use the spring plowing inspection as a legitimate cover.
To quickly locate the village, he suggested following the prisoner carts, believing they all led to the same place. Hu Jiao proposed they "split up": she would stake out the jail and inform Xu Qingjia if prisoners were transported, allowing him to follow under the guise of his inspection duties. Xu Qingjia expressed concern for her safety, acknowledging the deep-seated resentment villagers held against Shangyong officials during inspections.
Nevertheless, he declared his resolve not to "back out in fear," determined to tell the people the truth about the winter clothing tax and prove his integrity, rather than suffer the fate of Chi Wenjun. That night, Hu Jiao, dressed in plain clothes, prepared to monitor the jail. Xu Qingjia separately visited Gao Zheng. He informed Gao Zheng about his impending spring plowing inspection and Hu Jiao's vigil at the jail.
Xu Qingjia also shared his recent findings from the county office's ledgers: the corvee tax records appeared perfectly balanced, with wages supposedly paid monthly. However, the labor conscription file was falsified, indicating that these wages vanished into thin air, leaving the fate of the truly disappeared people a mystery.
Believing that Zhu Tingxian had assigned him the inspection to divert him from investigating the ledgers, Xu Qingjia appealed to Gao Zheng, as the only trustworthy person in Shangyong, to continue the investigation. He emphasized the county government's deep corruption and the necessity of finding the "real accounting ledger" to save the people. After considering this, Gao Zheng suggested the "Jade Spring Pavilion" as a possible hiding place for the crucial ledger.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Xu Qingjia, County Magistrate Zhu was discussing the upcoming spring plowing inspection with a subordinate, explaining his strategy. He stated that sending Xu Qingjia on this inspection was a deliberate move to "loosen the reins to capture him," betting that Xu Qingjia would stray from his duties and go where he was not supposed to, thereby revealing his true intentions and allowing Zhu to ensnare him.
