Episode Summary
In this episode, Qin Wan uncovers a case of severe domestic abuse while a larger investigation links several characters to an old gold robbery. The mystery culminates in the fiery murder of Pang Fuliang. The killer is revealed to be Qing Niang, who confesses that her victims were the true criminals behind the gold robbery and the murder of her master years ago, making her actions a long-planned revenge.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Qin Wan making a house call to treat Madam Pang. It quickly becomes clear that Madam Pang's illness is not physical but psychological. She is terrified of Qin Wan seeing the bruises on her arms, which her child reveals were inflicted by her husband, Pang Fuliang. Qing Niang, a servant, confirms that Pang Fuliang has become increasingly violent and abusive. Despite this, Madam Pang clings to the hope that he will change. Qin Wan, seeing the truth of the situation, urges her to leave the abusive relationship, insisting it's the only way her children will have a future. Madam Pang hesitates, recalling how Pang Fuliang nearly destroyed her family's business in the past.
Meanwhile, an old mystery begins to surface. Madam Tan, a recurring visitor, meets with Pang Fuliang and Liu Renli. While Liu Renli is clearly in love with her, the feeling is not mutual. The investigation into the group's past reveals that all three are from Dingzhou, the site of a major gold robbery years ago. Yan Chi suspects their shared history is connected to this unsolved crime.
The sense of dread deepens when a mysterious, eerie singing is heard for the fourth time—a sound that has preceded a death on each previous occasion. Yue Ning and Qin Wan follow the sound, only to discover it's coming from Yun'er, Madam Pang's traumatized daughter. The girl is using a singing doll, a gift from her brother Yan'er, which seems to calm her.
The plot takes a dark turn when Qin Wan discovers Datura flowers outside a room and senses imminent danger. She sends Yue Ning to get Yan Chi and bravely enters Pang Fuliang's study alone. Inside, she finds a horrific scene: Pang Fuliang has been nailed down and doused in tung oil. Before he can name his attacker, a flaming arrow shoots through the window, setting him ablaze. Qin Wan is trapped by the fire, but Yan Chi arrives just in time, crashing through the roof to rescue her from the inferno.
The investigation into the four recent deaths leads Qin Wan to suspect Qing Niang, who she believes is actually a woman named Qing Huan. Qing Niang is arrested, and in court, she finally confesses. She admits to killing Pang Fuliang, Liu Renli, Madam Tan, and another individual, Qing Li. She explains that she didn't just want Pang Fuliang dead; she wanted him to suffer and watch himself burn. Her motive is pure revenge: the four of them were the true culprits behind the Dingzhou gold robbery. Years ago, they murdered her master, Qing Xi, and her husband, General Zhang, and their actions traumatized the general's daughter, Yun'er, into her current state.
In a private conversation with Qin Wan, Qing Niang reveals the full, tragic backstory. Madam Tan was deeply jealous of Qing Xi's wealth and happy marriage to General Zhang. Qing Xi trusted Madam Tan, a mistake that led to her and her husband's murder. The culprits also threw Qing Xi's two young children into a well; Qing Niang was only able to save Yun'er. Knowing the gold robbery involved military funds, she believed the authorities would be corrupt and that official channels would never deliver justice, forcing her to take matters into her own hands.
