Episode Summary
In this episode, prosecutor Fang Lingyuan's investigation into Duan Hongshan's case uncovers new complexities, including Duan's mysterious meetings with Mei Zheng and the convenient emptiness of the kidnapping location. Li Mufeng emerges as a key ally, providing evidence that Zhou Delong had threatened to kill him, Duan, and Mei. The episode concludes with Duan Hongshan proposing a new theory: that a mastermind familiar with the law orchestrated the kidnapping, shifting the focus from a simple revenge plot to a wider conspiracy.
Spoiler Alert
"Justifiable Defense" Episode 4: A New Ally and a Mastermind Theory
The investigation into prosecutor Duan Hongshan's killing of his kidnapper, Zhou Delong, deepens, revealing new evidence that supports his self-defense claim while also suggesting a far more complex conspiracy is at play.
The episode opens with a crucial detail about the kidnapping: it occurred on a full moon night at the Dongjiao Fish Farm, a location that was deserted because its specific type of fish cannot be exposed to bright light.
During another interrogation, Fang Lingyuan presses Duan Hongshan on the time it took him to get from the fish farm to the police station, but he denies intentionally delaying.
The case's fallout continues to spread. Families from Duan Hongshan's past cases are now demanding appeals, and his daughter, Yingying, is being bullied at school. After one such incident, she seeks out Li Mufeng. He takes her to the detention center and tries to comfort her, explaining that even if her father killed someone, he might not be convicted, and a conviction doesn't automatically make him a bad person.
Fang Lingyuan's investigation leads her to question Mei Zheng about her meetings with Duan Hongshan, but Mei Zheng offers no response. Later, Fang Lingyuan visits Li Mufeng at his workshop, apologizing for her past suspicions of him, which he accepts.
The case takes a significant turn when Li Mufeng approaches Fang Lingyuan, stating he wants to help prove Duan Hongshan acted in self-defense.
In his final interrogation of the episode, Duan Hongshan is questioned about the fight, specifically why he only sustained minor scratches. Unable to give a clear explanation, he offers a chilling new theory: that the entire sequence of events—from the anonymous tip against him to the kidnapping itself—was orchestrated by a third party. He speculates this mastermind is someone connected to the case from fourteen years ago and possesses a sophisticated understanding of the law concerning justifiable defense.
