Episode Summary
Chongyi Biao is framed for his brother's murder, and the evidence is stacked against him. Jiang Wenhuan takes on the investigation, uncovering clues that point to a conspiracy involving a replica weapon and a mysterious lame man. While new leads emerge, E Shun makes a political move to buy his friend more time.
Spoiler Alert
The Frame-Up
The person pulling the strings is not happy. Their original plan for Chongyi Biao to kill his own brother fell through. So, they moved to plan B. They had Chongyi Wu killed by someone else.
The timing was perfect. The Crown Princess walks into Chongyi Wu's room to bring him tea. She finds him dead. And who is standing there holding a bloody knife? His brother, Chongyi Biao. It’s a classic setup. Everyone immediately points the finger at him.
A Public Defense
Jiang Wenhuan isn't buying it. He walks right into the public hearing. He tells everyone there's no real evidence. It’s all circumstantial. Jiang Wen Feng, probably just to keep the peace with the tribe, puts Jiang Wenhuan in charge of the whole investigation.
We also see a man in black report back to the mastermind. He confirms the kill. He says the frame-up is complete. He also brings up some old promise made to the "Old Marquis."
The Investigation Begins
Jiang Wenhuan, Xin Jia, and E Shun go to the jail. They all believe Chongyi Biao is innocent. Chongyi Biao tells them his side of the story. He got a message from his brother asking to meet. When he got there, Chongyi Wu was already dead. He stupidly picked up the weapon to look at the body. That’s exactly when the Crown Princess walked in.
The Body and the Blade
Jiang Wenhuan is smart. He goes straight to the morgue. He checks out the body. The wound is all wrong. It doesn't match Chongyi Biao's sword. Someone made a copy. They also used ice to slow down the bleeding and mess with the time of death. This is a huge clue.
It leads him to the black market. He gets A'si to take him to the best weapon smith in Qiankun Lane. The old craftsman plays dumb. He swears he’s never seen the sword from Jiang Wenhuan's drawing. But as soon as they leave, he sends his apprentice to deliver a message.
A Wild Goose Chase
Jiang Wenhuan noticed the apprentice looked nervous earlier. He didn't really leave. He followed the kid. They corner him in a back alley. The apprentice cracks. He admits someone paid them to make a replica knife a few days ago. He was on his way to warn a "lame man."
Jiang Wenhuan grabs the paper the apprentice was carrying. It's blank. It was a diversion to get them out of the way. They race back to the shop. The old craftsman is long gone. Now Jiang Wenhuan has a new task for A'si. Find a lame man in Qiankun Lane.
New Leads and Old Friends
A'si searches all day but finds nothing. She goes home defeated. She happens to mention it to her father. He tells her that their own family butler has a limp.
A Birthday in Jail
The Crown Princess shows up at the jail. She brings food for Chongyi Biao. It’s his birthday. She can't give it to him directly, so she asks Jiang Wenhuan to do it. While talking to Jiang Wenhuan, Chongyi Biao remembers something. He saw a shiny bead under his brother's bed on the day of the murder.
A Friend's Sacrifice
E Shun is still dealing with his own problems. He's taking medicine just to stay alive. He doesn't blame Chongyi Biao for any of this. He figures the Beibo Marquis won't just hand over power now that one son is dead. So, he comes up with a plan. He proposes opening up trade routes between their two states. It's a delay tactic. It buys time for Jiang Wenhuan to clear Chongyi Biao's name. From a distance, he wishes his friend a happy birthday. He believes that as long as one of them is alive, their dreams can still come true.
