Episode Summary
Tensions rise as Liu Shusheng confronts Mu Jianhui about potential deception regarding Song porcelain, while Mu Jianhui simultaneously navigates a shady deal with Zhao Youlin's associate, Lao Xiao, for artifacts. Fang Kun and Luo Qing's investigation into river pebbles, believed to be a clue left by Zan Maochang, intensifies, leading to a comical misunderstanding involving Fang Kun's camel, Xiaoxue, and a growing romantic connection. Meanwhile, Mu Jianhui tries to silence Wen Wen, who has sought refuge with Li Yuanguang, by sending her to care for his pregnant wife, Liu Shulan. Fang Kun helps Li Chunlai escape a rigged mahjong game and later discovers Li Chunlai trying to sell him a pebble from his own wall. Both Fang Kun and Luo Qing, through different sources, pinpoint the origin of the mysterious river pebbles, linking them back to Zan Maochang and the Empress Bo tomb site.
Spoiler Alert
First off, Liu Shusheng, still fuming after his meeting with the Queen of Southern China, storms off to confront Mu Jianhui. He’s convinced Mu Jianhui is just messing with him. Mu Jianhui, cool as a cucumber, basically says, "Hey, Song dynasty porcelain in Song tombs is rare, but not impossible. Besides, I've never even been to Shangyi, let alone sold any fake Song goods." Liu Shusheng is left speechless and has to bounce.
But no sooner does Liu Shusheng leave, a Mr. Xiao shows up. Turns out, he's one of Zhao Youlin's guys, sniffing around about the goods from "the pit." Mu Jianhui sees right through him and calls out Zhao Youlin's hypocrisy, pointing out that the Mingde Museum, despite its righteous-sounding name ("Mingde" means "bright virtue"), isn't above acquiring items from questionable sources. Burn!
Meanwhile, Fang Kun and Jiang Xiaobai are down in a pit checking out river pebbles. A villager, Xian Jie, rushes over with a "Shi Gan Dang" (a stone tablet believed to ward off evil), claiming it's a Tang dynasty family heirloom. It's not what Fang Kun is looking for, but he can't send her away empty-handed, so he buys it for a few hundred yuan. During their chat, Fang Kun asks Jiang Xiaobai if he's got a thing for Luo Qing, and Jiang Xiaobai, bless his heart, just straight-up admits it. Just then, Luo Qing herself appears. Seeing Fang Kun's new find, she gets excited, thinking Zan Maochang's puzzle is close to being solved.
Over at the salvage station, Mu Jianhui is there to pick up some artifacts when he bumps into Wen Wen, who's come looking for Li Yuanguang. She almost mistakes Mu Jianhui for a thief! After clearing things up, Wen Wen learns Mu Jianhui knows Li Yuanguang and lets her guard down. Bad move, Wen Wen, because Mu Jianhui is actually thinking about silencing her permanently. Talk about a close call! Li Yuanguang walks in just in the nick of time, stops Mu Jianhui, and begs him to spare Wen Wen's life.
Later, Mu Jianhui meets with Lao Xiao privately and sells him two items for a cool 1.7 million. To keep the deals coming, Mu Jianhui slips Lao Xiao a few tens of thousands as a "sweetener." Because Mu Jianhui notices Wen Wen getting chummy with Li Yuanguang, and fearing she might uncover his "business," he cleverly sends Wen Wen to his place to help care for his pregnant wife, Liu Shulan. Li Yuanguang, probably wanting to keep Wen Wen safe (and maybe out of Mu Jianhui's way), quickly agrees for her.
That evening, Luo Qing overhears Fang Kun on the phone with "Xiaoxue." She immediately gets jealous, assuming Xiaoxue is Fang Kun's wife. She even throws a tiger-head hat she’d prepared at him, saying it’s a gift for his kid. Fang Kun is both amused and exasperated. He shows her his phone – Xiaoxue is a camel! The whole misunderstanding leaves Luo Qing blushing, but it also sparks a little something-something between them, and they even decide on a name for Xiaoxue's baby camel. Aww.
The next morning, Fang Kun is out asking about river pebbles and stumbles upon Qi Xiaoman's husband, Li Chunlai, in a mahjong parlor, down a thousand yuan. Fang Kun only has three hundred on him, so Li Chunlai stays to play more. But Fang Kun, watching the game, realizes the other three players are totally colluding to cheat Li Chunlai. He calls them out on their scam, and the cheaters, spooked, let Li Chunlai go.
Wang Taiping gets out of prison and returns to the village, only to be met with scorn. Everyone's gossiping that "a leopard can't change its spots," which, understandably, doesn't sit well with him. Back at Mu Jianhui's, Wen Wen is making a good impression. Liu Shulan really likes her cleverness and spirit. Liu Shulan wants to take her out to eat, but Wen Wen, thinking restaurant food isn't clean, decides to buy fish and make soup for Liu Shulan herself.
Li Chunlai, knowing Fang Kun is buying river pebbles, actually starts chiseling one out of his own wall! Fang Kun catches him red-handed. Elsewhere, Luo Qing and Jiang Xiaobai are out investigating and get mistaken for tomb raiders by the cultural relics protection office – thankfully, it's all cleared up as a misunderstanding. From an old man named Tang, Luo Qing learns that Zan Maochang was the one who found traces of river pebbles at the Empress Bo tomb site. She rushes off to find Fang Kun. At the same time, Fang Kun, thanks to Qi Xiaoman's mother, also figures out where the river pebbles are coming from. Looks like all roads are leading to those pebbles!
