Episode Summary
In this episode, Fang Lingyuan investigates the deep connection between Li Mufeng and prosecutor Duan Hongshan, stemming from a fourteen-year-old self-defense case. As Li Mufeng struggles with the social consequences of his past, it's revealed that his seemingly false alibi for Duan Hongshan was an act of gratitude, not revenge. Duan Hongshan had been secretly helping him and now aims to legally vindicate him. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as Li Mufeng's artistic ambitions are crushed due to his record, just as Mei Zheng, the woman he saved, reappears in his life.
Spoiler Alert
"Justifiable Defense" Episode 5 Spoilers
The episode opens with Fang Lingyuan and Ding Yi analyzing the case on a blackboard. Fang Lingyuan connects the dots, realizing that prosecutor Duan Hongshan is the common link between three separate cases: the Li Mufeng case, the Jiang Ting case, and now the Zhou Delong case. To uncover the truth, she decides to investigate all three cases simultaneously.
Fang Lingyuan questions Li Mufeng about the incident from fourteen years ago. Li Mufeng recounts that on the day of the incident, he was passing the library when he saw Zhou Lin assaulting Mei Zheng. He intervened but was overpowered. During the struggle, he grabbed a knife that had fallen nearby and fatally stabbed Zhou Lin. He insists that both he and Mei Zheng were screaming for help, but the library was empty. He barely knew Mei Zheng, who was a year ahead of him, but acted instinctively to save her. At the time, Duan Hongshan prosecuted him for excessive self-defense. Li Mufeng admits he once resented Duan Hongshan for it, but has come to accept the outcome.
Reviewing Mei Zheng's original statement from years ago, Fang Lingyuan finds it corroborates Li Mufeng's account. It was during a school holiday, and the librarian was lost in her music with headphones on. Zhou Lin cornered Mei Zheng by pushing over a bookshelf and was about to assault her when Li Mufeng appeared. As they tried to escape, Zhou Lin knocked Li Mufeng to the ground with a wooden stick and beat him repeatedly. Fearing for his life, Li Mufeng grabbed a fallen knife and stabbed his attacker. After reviewing the files, Fang Lingyuan concludes that the key to the current case is understanding whether Li Mufeng truly feels gratitude or hatred towards Duan Hongshan.
The social stigma of his past continues to haunt Li Mufeng. While on a bus to the Dongyao Craft Glass Exhibition, he is singled out by police during a routine check due to his criminal record. Although he is cleared to go, he faces judgment from the other passengers. His personal life is also strained. He tells his mother about the exhibition, but her response is cold. She tearfully tells him that the person he truly failed was himself. It's revealed that after he was imprisoned, his mother remarried and concealed his existence from her new family.
Fang Lingyuan's investigation leads her to Li Mufeng's glass-making master. She shows him a photo of Zhou Delong, but the master claims not to know him. Fang Lingyuan reveals that Zhou Delong had visited the studio six months prior and smashed one of Li Mufeng's works. The master, protective of his student's art, states that only he is allowed to break his apprentice's creations. This confirms that Li Mufeng provided a false alibi for Duan Hongshan.
Confronting Duan Hongshan again, Fang Lingyuan asks for the basis of the original excessive self-defense charge. Duan Hongshan explains it was due to the disparity in weapons—Zhou Lin had a stick, while Li Mufeng had a knife. He adds that Li Mufeng couldn't prove where the knife came from. Furthermore, having visited Li Mufeng's home back then, Duan Hongshan knew he was a brilliant law student who had already been accepted into law university and was well-versed in legal statutes. He suspected Li Mufeng might have been intentionally exploiting the self-defense law.
Fang Lingyuan presents her theory: Li Mufeng lied to protect Duan Hongshan because he secretly hates him for ruining his life. However, the truth is the opposite. When taken in for questioning, Li Mufeng confesses to Fang Lingyuan that Zhou Delong's threatening texts were real. He explains that after his release from prison, a helpless Li Mufeng was helped by Duan Hongshan, who introduced him to his master and encouraged him to enter the art competition. Duan Hongshan also confided in him, explaining that fourteen years ago, "justifiable defense" was a dormant legal concept, making an acquittal impossible. Now, he wants to reopen the case and fight for that principle. During the exhibition, Li Mufeng sees his mother and her new family admiring his work, and a smile of relief crosses his face.
The hope is short-lived. The judges, who had previously praised his piece, dismiss it as worthless upon learning of his criminal record. As Li Mufeng stands defeated before his creation, a familiar face appears in the crowd: Mei Zheng.
