Episode Summary
Gao Ying and Xia Mo discover five bodies hidden inside clay statues at an abandoned temple, confirming Xia Mo's suspicions about the Gao family's involvement. To protect her family, Gao Ying knocks Xia Mo unconscious, removes the bodies, and coerces the primary witness, Zhang Zhiqiu, into publicly making a false confession that implicates Xia Mo and Tang Zhenyun.
Spoiler Alert
"Rosefinch" Episode 16: A Shocking Betrayal
Gao Ying and Xia Mo track a suspicious shopkeeper to a derelict temple. As soon as they step inside, they're ambushed. Gao Ying, with her quick reflexes, kicks their attacker to the ground. The shopkeeper flees in a panic, dropping a bottle of natural ultramarine powder. Inside the temple hall, they find numerous statues and the same wooden box that Zhang Yunli had previously escaped from.
After Xia Mo inspects the box, Gao Ying makes a keen observation: all the clay statues have had their eyes dotted with ultramarine, a detail she finds puzzling. This inspires Xia Mo to examine the statues more closely. He begins smashing them one by one, and inside, they make a horrifying discovery: five corpses. Three are mere skeletons, but two are more recent. Gao Ying immediately recognizes one of the bodies as Liu Shuangzhu.
Noticing some unused clay nearby, Xia Mo theorizes it was intended for Zhang Yunli. The culprits must have believed she was already dead and planned to seal her inside a statue, just like the others, but she unexpectedly survived. Connecting the dots, Xia Mo once again concludes that the Gao family is linked to the murders. In the next instant, Gao Ying chokes him until he passes out.
Meanwhile, Xia Yingqi, following a trail of melon seeds deliberately left by his brother, finds his way to the temple. When Xia Mo awakens, the bodies are gone. It's clear Gao Ying arranged their removal.
Elsewhere, Gao Susheng furiously scolds Gao Fei for his careless handling of the bodies, acknowledging that Gao Ying had to clean up the mess to protect the family's name. As the corpses are being incinerated, Gao Susheng warns Gao Ying not to betray the family. He tells her the most crucial task now is to handle the key witness: Zhang Zhiqiu, who has been relentlessly seeking justice for his sister.
Unwilling to kill him, Gao Ying visits Zhang Zhiqiu at the police station. She threatens him with his grandmother's safety, forcing him to abandon his fight for justice. Following Gao Ying's script, Zhang Zhiqiu faces the media gathered outside the station and, against his conscience, announces that he was manipulated by Xia Mo and Tang Zhenyun to create chaos and spread rumors at the Zhuque Hall.
