Episode Summary
Hong Liang investigates the death of Qiao Zhenxing, which leads him to reopen a 13-year-old robbery-murder case. He discovers from the victim's daughter, Yang Jing, and the executed convict's family that the wrong man, Sun Yihu, was punished. The actual shooter was a man named Yang Dayou. Hong Liang confronts Qin Feng and Ma Chongyang, the original officers on the scene, who confirm that the victim identified Yang Dayou as the killer before dying, revealing a long-buried injustice.
Spoiler Alert
In the Name of Justice EP20: The Unraveling of a Thirteen-Year-Old Lie
The mystery surrounding Qiao Zhenxing's death deepens, pulling Hong Liang into a cold case that has haunted everyone involved for thirteen years. Suspecting a connection after discovering numerous calls between Qiao and a woman named Yang Jing, Hong Liang arranges a meeting. Yang Jing, wary at first, eventually confides in him, revealing that Qiao had visited her years ago after her father, Yang Zheng, was killed. Qiao confessed to her that the wrong man had been convicted for the murder and warned her to keep his visit a secret.
This revelation sends Hong Liang digging into the "1.31" shooting case from thirteen years prior. Case files show that Yang Zheng, an accountant at Wanchuan Mining, was killed during a robbery by two masked men. The police identified Sun Yihu and Yang Dayou as the culprits, and Sun Yihu confessed to being the shooter, leading to his execution.
As Hong Liang delves deeper, a parallel investigation begins, with Li Renjun ordering a review of the case, much to the alarm of his subordinate, Xie Hongfei. Meanwhile, a business negotiation for the acquisition of Wanchuan Mining is underway between Wan Hong and a delegation led by Liu Yun and Chen Shenglong, though it's awkwardly interrupted by Wan Hong's brother, Wan Chao.
Hong Liang's investigation leads him to Gong Xiaozhi, whom he correctly identifies as the son of the executed Sun Yihu. Hong reveals that Qiao Zhenxing had been sending Gong money out of guilt, knowing his father was not the main culprit. This emotional revelation prompts Gong to take Hong to his mother, Wang Li. Heartbroken and estranged from her son, Wang Li finally tells the truth: her husband's friend, Yang Dayou, was the mastermind behind the robbery. Sun Yihu, desperate for money, participated but later took the entire blame for a sum of cash, which Wang Li subsequently lost in a failed business venture.
Following up on a lead from Yang Jing, Hong Liang contacts Ma Chongyang, a former police officer who quit the force over this very case. Ma directs him to Qin Feng, who was also at the scene. Hong confronts Qin Feng, who is currently in a complicated relationship with Yang Jing, and drops a bombshell: the victim of the case he worked on was none other than Yang Jing's father.
The climax of the episode arrives when Hong, Qin Feng, and Ma Chongyang meet. Ma scathingly reminds Qin Feng of what they both witnessed: the dying victim, Yang Zheng, used his last breath to identify the taller man, Yang Dayou, as the one who shot him. Qin Feng recalls reporting this to his superior, Xu Yanwu, who promised to have the lead detective, Sun Fei, verify the dying declaration. Yet, somehow, the shorter man, Sun Yihu, was named the principal offender and executed, leaving a trail of injustice that is only now coming to light.
