Tientsin Mystic Episode 7 Recap

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> Tientsin Mystic Recap

Ding Mao informed Xiao Lanlan that Qian Zixian's last word before his death was "Jasmine Flower." Xiao Lanlan became visibly sensitive, explaining that she had first met Qian Zixian at the Ju Hua Grand Hotel—an arranged family engagement—and "Jasmine Flower" was the first song she heard there. She confessed to feeling uneasy whenever their engagement was mentioned.

Ding Mao empathized, sharing his own experience of returning to a life of family obligations despite his desire for freedom, remarking that his previous years felt like they were lived for others. Xiao Lanlan acknowledged their shared sense of being bound by fate, quoting opera lyrics about friends meeting across the land. Xiao Lanlan then led Ding Mao to the Ju Hua Grand Hotel.

Meanwhile, Guo Deyou and Gu Ying, having tracked a suspicious car, also arrived at the same hotel. Gu Ying, admiring the elegant setting and live music, mistakenly believed Guo Deyou had brought her there for a romantic gesture, expressing her comfort and relief when with him. However, their romantic interlude was short-lived as they realized they had no money, not even for soda water. Guo Deyou, already suspecting the hotel held secrets, decided to create a diversion.

He loudly proclaimed the presence of a rat, sending the dining hall into chaos as patrons panicked and staff scrambled to investigate. Observing the commotion, Ding Mao, who was already at a table, spotted Guo Deyou, and their eyes met in mutual understanding. Capitalizing on the ensuing disorder, the four managed to slip past the disoriented service staff into a restricted back area of the hotel.

They were confronted by two men guarding an inner door, who demanded the time as a password. Ding Mao, quickly calculating the sun's position, provided a precise time. With the guards momentarily confused, Gu Ying swiftly incapacitated them, clearing the path forward. Beyond the guarded door, they discovered a vast opium den, filled with the thick, cloying smoke of opium and patrons lost in addiction. A female host greeted them warmly and ushered them into a private room.

When asked what they desired, Ding Mao boldly requested the "most expensive" item, and she returned with opium paste. Guo Deyou, acutely sensitive to the smell of opium, quickly became disoriented and began to succumb to the fumes. Gu Ying, increasingly alarmed by his deteriorating condition, tried to help him. While Ding Mao tried to create a new diversion by claiming they needed the restroom, the guards again demanded the time.

As they attempted to escape the suffocating environment, Guo Deyou collapsed, entering a deep trance and initiating his "analysis by lighting cigarette" vision. While Ding Mao and Gu Ying bravely fought off the den's thugs, Guo Deyou, guided by his hallucinatory visions, stumbled upon a hidden mechanism, which opened into a secret room. Inside, Ding Mao discovered a rare loquat seedling and crucial ledgers detailing opium transactions. Xiao Lanlan simultaneously found another exit.

Seizing the opportunity, they quickly escaped, supporting the still-unconscious Guo Deyou. That evening, the police, led by Captain Fu, raided and sealed off the Ju Hua Grand Hotel. Captain Fu, eager to claim credit, publicly praised Ding Mao for the discovery before conveniently delegating the entire opium case to him, citing other urgent matters at the precinct. Meanwhile, Guo Deyou, having recovered from his trance, used his keen sense of smell to identify Manager Wang amidst the arrested staff.

He noted the faint but distinct odor of opium paste on her fingers and the unique, expensive fragrance she wore—a blend of Jianan eaglewood, Songpan musk, pearl, powder of jade, and roses. This luxurious scent precisely matched the aroma emanating from the secret ledgers found in the hidden room. When Guo Deyou confronted her, Manager Wang inadvertently confirmed the existence of the "secret room," solidifying her guilt. Ding Mao immediately took her into custody for interrogation.

At the police station, Ding Mao pressed Manager Wang on how such a significant opium operation could evade detection for so many years despite Tianjin City's strict ban, implying powerful protection. Manager Wang initially claimed to be a mere "scapegoat," revealing that the true owner of the opium den was Qian Zixian, who had hired her to manage the staff. She feigned ignorance about Qian Zixian's last visit.

Ding Mao challenged her, pointing out Qian Zixian's conspicuous absence from his own engagement and his unusual half-month disappearance from the den, highly uncharacteristic for an opium addict. Ding Mao then introduced the topic of the floating bodies at Yaowa Wharf. Manager Wang, startled, revealed knowledge of the exact number of victims, a detail not publicly released, confirming her deeper involvement.

Under continued pressure, she confessed that Qian Zixian had acquired a dangerous and unstable batch of potent opium, which frequently led to deaths among users. She admitted to warning Qian Zixian, telling him that while "selling opium is immoral, don't take lives." However, he, protected by his impending marriage into the powerful Xiao family, dismissed her concerns and ordered her to dispose of the bodies, threatening to blame her if she failed.

Consequently, she, with the help of accomplices, secretly dumped the bodies into an abandoned well in the northern city. Eventually, Qian Zixian himself, in a drunken stupor, consumed the lethal opium and died. Manager Wang then disposed of his body in the same well. She clarified that this "abandoned well" was actually a drainage pipe from a defunct paper mill, which was directly connected to the Yaowa Wharf, explaining the large number of bodies found in the river.

Finally, Ding Mao presented her with the secret opium sales record. Manager Wang, now fully cooperative, revealed a more shocking truth: before Qian Zixian's "hot potato" batch, all the opium supplied to the den came from the Chamber of Commerce for Grain Transportation and was directly handled by none other than Ding Yiqiu, Ding Mao's own deceased father. This devastating revelation left Ding Mao speechless, confirming his deepest fears about his family's entanglement in the illicit trade.

Meanwhile, at the Ding family ancestral hall, Hu Zongguan offered respects to the late Ding Yiqiu, assuring him that the Chamber's affairs were stable and Ding Mao was safe. Ding Mao later arrived and confronted Hu Zongguan with the opium ledgers bearing Ding Yiqiu's signature, as well as mentioning the loquat seedling found in the secret room of the opium den. He directly questioned the Chamber of Commerce's involvement in the opium trade.

Hu Zongguan vehemently denied any wrongdoing, imploring Ding Mao to keep the matter confidential to protect his father's and the Chamber's reputation, emphasizing Ding Yiqiu's honorable life. Unswayed, Ding Mao, determined to uncover the truth, vowed to investigate the matter himself.

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