Episode Summary
Luo Qing receives encouragement from Fang Kun to manage her stress. Meanwhile, Mu Jianhui and Wen Wen awaken in a compromising situation, orchestrated by Liu Shusheng who drugged their wine. In Yin Village, villagers mistakenly blame the archaeological team for newly dug pits in their fields, a disturbance actually caused by Li Chunlai who is seeking ancient wadang. The ensuing conflict forces the archaeological team to relocate. Fang Kun, suspecting foul play, sets a trap and successfully captures Li Chunlai and his accomplices with Qi Xiaoman's help, leading to their arrest. Mu Jianhui confronts Liu Shusheng, revealing his own construction company is a front for money laundering, and warns Liu Shusheng of severe repercussions if Wen Wen doesn't forgive them or if Li Yuanguang discovers the truth.
Spoiler Alert
The Lost National Treasure: Episode 21 Recap & Spoilers
Following Fang Kun's encouragement, Luo Qing finally manages to relax. Fang Kun offers her a piece of chocolate, reminding her that while a perfect plan might be elusive, perfect determination isn't. He stresses that completion often trumps perfection, and even if they stumble, the effort is what counts—especially with the backing of his mentor's wife, Zhang Fengchun, and numerous experts. He advises her not to pile excessive pressure on herself. Elsewhere, Li Chunlai, inspired by remarks from a small antique shop owner, hatches a devious plan involving the ancient wadang (decorative tile-ends) buried in the local fields.
Mu Jianhui awakens to the shocking sight of Wen Wen asleep beside him, both completely undressed. Reeling, Mu Jianhui quickly departs. Before leaving, he spots food on a table and recalls a distinct medicinal taste in the wine he consumed the previous night, leading to an immediate, grim understanding of the situation. He drives straight to Li Yuanguang's home. Wen Wen, waking shortly after, is horrified by her circumstances and realizes a terrible mistake has occurred. Overwhelmed with despair, she pulls the bedcovers over her head.
Once he has calmed down somewhat, Mu Jianhui sends a message to Wen Wen. He reassures her that he isn’t a despicable person and insists they were both victims, framed by Liu Shusheng who had drugged their wine. By this time, Wen Wen, having lost her will to live, is wandering despondently by a river. Seeing Mu Jianhui's message, she collapses in devastation.
Meanwhile, Li Yuanguang is growing concerned as he's unable to reach Wen Wen. As he puzzles over her silence, Mu Jianhui arrives at his house. Mu Jianhui lies, claiming Wen Wen has gone to the mountains to keep Liu Shulan company. He then concocts a story about an urgent job requiring Li Yuanguang to travel out of town, and even swaps Li Yuanguang's phone SIM card. Observing Mu Jianhui's apparent urgency, Li Yuanguang harbors no suspicions and complies.
In Yin Village, large, freshly dug pits mysteriously appear in the fields. The local villagers, seeing their land and crops disturbed, jump to the conclusion that the archaeological team is responsible and angrily confront them. Guo Shilin and his colleagues are aghast at the accusations, vehemently denying any involvement. They emphasize that their exploratory drilling only creates small, four-centimeter holes which are immediately refilled, and these haphazardly dug pits are clearly not their work.
The villagers, however, remain unconvinced and take their grievances to Qi Youliang. But Qi Youliang refuses to see them, believing the archaeological team is indeed the source of the trouble and should therefore take responsibility. Eventually, both parties convene at the village committee, demanding an explanation. Li Chunlai steps in, feigning neutrality, and suggests the archaeological team compensate each affected household with 5,000 yuan. An incensed Guo Shilin retorts that the villagers orchestrated the damage themselves, and the meeting quickly descends into chaos.
As a consequence of the escalating tensions, Fang Kun and his archaeological team are forced to leave Qi Youliang's residence, feeling deeply wronged and frustrated. After they've had a chance to cool down, Technician Lao Lu shares a crucial piece of information: in the past, some villagers had been known to secretly excavate wadang from the fields. This insight sparks an idea for Fang Kun.
Later that night, Li Chunlai, believing his wife Qi Xiaoman is asleep, leads a group of men to the fields to continue their illicit digging. Unbeknownst to him, Qi Xiaoman has been secretly following. Fang Kun and his team, lying in wait nearby, successfully apprehend Li Chunlai, Qing Guo, and their accomplices. Qi Xiaoman, profoundly disappointed by her husband's criminal behavior ("hating iron for not becoming steel"), immediately calls the police. As Li Chunlai and the others are taken into custody, Fang Kun and Guo Shilin find themselves in an awkward predicament. Li Chunlai is, after all, Qi Xiaoman's husband and Qi Youliang's son-in-law. Their actions, though justified, have caused significant embarrassment for Qi Youliang, and they worry that this will make their future archaeological endeavors in the village even more difficult.
Mu Jianhui waits at home for Wen Wen's return, promising her that he will ensure she receives justice. He then storms off to confront Liu Shusheng, chasing him around the yard and physically assaulting him. Liu Shusheng defensively claims his actions were for the benefit of both Mu Jianhui and his own older sister (who is Mu Jianhui's wife), arguing that he couldn't bear to see his brother-in-law, Mu Jianhui, remain without an heir. However, Mu Jianhui sees through this charade, knowing Liu Shusheng is actually motivated by jealousy of Li Yuanguang's burgeoning success. Liu Shusheng's true aim was to sow discord between Mu Jianhui and Li Yuanguang, hoping to profit from their conflict.
Mu Jianhui then drops a bombshell: the construction company he painstakingly built is not primarily for legitimate business operations but serves as a front for money laundering, currently holding over 40 million yuan in its accounts. Liu Shusheng is aghast at this revelation, finally grasping the catastrophic extent of his misjudgment. Mu Jianhui sternly reminds him that Wen Wen is still a virgin. If she can find it in her heart to forgive them, the situation might be salvageable. However, if Li Yuanguang discovers the truth, Liu Shusheng will face dire consequences and would be utterly doomed.
