Under the Power Episode 8 Recap, Plot

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Following his appointment to lead the case by imperial decree, Lu Yi began the interrogation of Zhou Xianyi, who was imprisoned for the misappropriation of 100,000 taels of silver intended for dike repairs in Yangzhou. Despite his injuries, Zhou Xianyi, an official from Wuxing, remained silent. Lu Yi recalled a previous encounter with him three years earlier.

During a freezing winter, while other officials wore expensive leather or cotton boots, Zhou Xianyi wore a pair of worn-out boots, a detail that left a deep impression on Lu Yi. This image of unusual poverty for an official convinced Lu Yi to listen to Zhou Xianyi's side of the story. Prompted by the memory, Zhou Xianyi admitted to misappropriating 10,000 taels of silver.

He insisted, however, that he was unable to use the money for its intended purpose and returned it to the exchequer. He claimed the full 100,000 taels were still present when he left and professed confusion about their subsequent disappearance. Lu Yi and Yuan Jinxia, skeptical of his one-sided story, emphasized their reliance on evidence and proceeded to the Yangzhou Exchequer to verify his claims.

Inside, they found that all footprints belonged to officials, suggesting no large-scale removal of silver by outsiders and lending some credibility to Zhou's account. Lu Yi deduced that Zhou’s admission to taking only 10,000 taels was plausible, as that amount could be transported secretly. The key was now to uncover his motive. As Yuan Jinxia's stomach rumbled, Lu Yi took her to a street-side noodle stall.

Surprised that a dignitary like him would eat at such a humble place, Jinxia was told by Lu Yi that simple stalls often serve the most authentic local delicacies. She quickly finished her first bowl of shrimp dumpling noodles and ordered another, to Lu Yi's astonishment. While they ate, flower petals drifted down. As Yuan Jinxia reached to catch one, Lu Yi quickly raised his hand, explaining he was only trying to prevent the blossom from falling into her bowl.

When another petal fell and she reached again, he repeated the gesture, creating an awkward tension between them. Annoyed, Lu Yi abruptly threw down some silver and left, with Jinxia hastily finishing her noodles to follow. Lu Yi’s subordinate, Cen Fu, reported that the Wu'an Sect had transported the 100,000 taels. Lu Yi and Yuan Jinxia visited the sect, where its leader, Shangguan Xi, anticipated their inquiry.

She confirmed her sect’s role in transporting the silver to the exchequer but stated that none of her people ever entered it. For an alibi on the night of Zhou Xianyi’s arrest, she claimed she and Xie Xiao were inspecting goods at the sect's port, which all their members could confirm. During the conversation, Yuan Jinxia noticed that Shangguan Xi wore a sachet identical to Zhou Xianyi's in its intricate embroidery and scent.

Suspecting they were made by the same highly skilled person, Lu Yi instructed Jinxia to investigate its origin. Later, Yuan Jinxia updated her recovering master, Yang Chengwan, on the case. Hearing of the Wu'an Sect's potential involvement and the sachets, Yang Yue became agitated. However, Yang Chengwan insisted that if the sect was implicated, the investigation must proceed fairly, regardless of his personal friendship with its former leader.

Yuan Jinxia confronted Xie Xiao, who swore he did not steal the relief funds. Trusting him, she tasked him with investigating Shangguan Xi's sachet as a favor. Xie Xiao, initially surprised as he had never seen her wear one, later learned from Shangguan Xi that the sachet was a gift from her close friend, Zhai Lanye. Shangguan Xi explained that she met the woman, who came from pitiful circumstances, after Xie Xiao had left three years prior.

That night, Yuan Jinxia infiltrated Zhou Xianyi's sealed manor. Lacking proficient qinggong, she tried to crawl through a dog hole, only to be kicked the rest of the way in by Lu Yi, who was already inside. Embarrassed, she tried to leave, citing concerns for their reputations, but Lu Yi threatened to withhold her subsidy to make her stay. He effortlessly leaped onto a high pavilion, mocking her inferior skills before helping her up.

Inside, a startled cat made Jinxia cling to Lu Yi’s arm, to his annoyance. They discovered a love poem and materials for making rouge. Jinxia explained the complex process, noting that Zhou's worn uniform suggested he spent his money on his beloved, who they now suspected was the artisan behind the sachets. As they left, Yuan Jinxia accidentally knocked a bracelet from Lu Yi's wrist, causing him to storm off in anger.

Meanwhile, Xie Xiao provided Yuan Jinxia with a crucial piece of information: Zhai Lanye was a "lean horse," a girl from an impoverished family trained in the arts to be sold as a concubine. Months ago, Zhou Xianyi had met Zhai Lanye on the Slender West Lake and was captivated by her pipa playing and conversation. To marry her, he needed 10,000 taels to pay her owner, revealing the motive for his confessed embezzlement.

Eager to share her findings, Yuan Jinxia burst into Lu Yi's room while he was changing. After he dressed, she explained that Zhou Xianyi stole the money for Zhai Lanye. Hearing that Zhai Lanye’s owner often took her boating on the lake to attract wealthy suitors, Lu Yi devised a plan. He instructed Yuan Jinxia to rent a luxurious boat and spread word that a rich gentleman from the capital would be sailing on the lake.

When Jinxia asked for an advance, Lu Yi told her to use her own resourcefulness, promising to settle the accounts later. Soon after, Yuan Jinxia, disguised as a maid with a double-bun hairstyle, and Yang Yue, as a servant, accompanied Lu Yi on a grand boat tour. As Zhai Lanye's boat approached, Yang Yue, on Lu Yi’s order, deliberately collided with it. Intrigued, Zhai Lanye invited the "rich gentleman from the capital" aboard her vessel. After apologizing, Lu Yi requested she play her pipa, using the opportunity to discreetly survey his surroundings.

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