Episode Summary
Mu Ziru falls for two elaborate traps set by Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu. The first trap, a fake assassination attempt, turns the police against Mu Ziru's Green Gang. The second trap involves stolen opium and puts him in direct conflict with the powerful Garrison Command. In between, Chu Shaohua's estranged and greedy family arrives, forcing her to support them despite their behavior.
Spoiler Alert
The Failed Hit
A Simple Plan
Mu Ziru gets a promotion. He's now the director of the anti-smoking bureau. But he's miserable because he lost Kang Erniu.
Then, a mysterious person comes to him. This person claims to represent Tian Tongdao. He offers a lot of money for a simple job. Kill Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu.
The plan is straightforward. The trio is invited to a dinner party on Wednesday. Their invitations say the party starts at six. Everyone else's invitation says seven. This gives Mu Ziru a one-hour window to take them out in an empty room. Mu Ziru hates Chu Shaohua and the gold bars are very tempting. He decides to take the job. He also decides to keep it a secret from his boss, Mr. Jin.
The Trap Springs
Wednesday arrives. Mu Ziru and his men are waiting outside the restaurant. They watch Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu go inside at six o'clock sharp. His man, Ah San, confirms they went into room 202.
Mu Ziru gives the order. Ah San and his crew storm the room, guns blazing. They shoot up the place. But the people inside aren't their targets. The room is filled with police officers celebrating a birthday. Most of the cops are killed or wounded. One dying officer manages to crawl to the door. He shoots and injures Ah San. More police arrive and arrest Ah San.
This was all a brilliant trap. Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu set it up. They wanted to start a war between the Green Gang and the police.
Mr. Jin finds out and is furious. He screams at Mu Ziru. Mu Ziru insists Tian Tongdao ordered the hit. But Mr. Jin already checked. Tian Tongdao knew nothing about it. Mr. Jin wanted to go legitimate and get a seat on the administrative council. Now, Mu Ziru has ruined everything. He orders Mu Ziru to clean up his own mess.
Unwanted Family Reunion
The Arrival
Mu Ziru pays the police 30,000 to smooth things over. He's not done with Chu Shaohua, though. He has her followed, looking for another chance to kill her.
Then, her family shows up. Her brother, Chu Shaozhong, his wife Zhou Yan, and their son arrive in Shanghai unannounced. Chu Shaohua learns from them that her mother has passed away. She is heartbroken.
Her brother's family is completely broke. They sold their land and house, moved to Beijing, and lost everything within a year. Zhou Yan was working as a helper. Chu Shaozhong was pulling a rickshaw when he overheard that his sister was a successful businesswoman in Shanghai. So, they came running to her for help. Chu Shaohua warns Wen Zhiqiu not to give them any money or agree to any of their requests.
Greed on Full Display
Chu Shaohua takes her family sightseeing and shopping. Zhou Yan immediately asks how much money she makes. Then she goes on a shopping spree, buying several new dresses and coats. Chu Shaohua also buys a suit for her brother and toys for her nephew.
Zhou Yan is envious of Chu Shaohua's life. She decides she wants to stay in Shanghai. She even tells her son, Xiaobo, that he will inherit all of Chu Shaohua's money, her house, and her car.
Later, Wen Zhiqiu takes them all out for a fancy steak dinner. The son, Xiaobo, tells Chu Shaohua exactly what his mother said about inheriting her fortune. Chu Shaohua is shocked by her sister-in-law's greed. Zhou Yan then asks Wen Zhiqiu for a job for her husband at the pharmacy. Wen Zhiqiu says he needs to discuss it with Chu Shaohua. Zhou Yan takes this as a yes.
Chu Shaohua has already bought them tickets to go back to Beijing the next day. Zhou Yan finds out and throws a fit. She refuses to leave and insults Chu Shaohua. Her brother, Chu Shaozhong, feels terrible. He apologizes to his sister for his wife's behavior. He also apologizes for not protecting her when they were younger. Chu Shaohua feels a pang of guilt and pity. She gives in. She offers both her brother and his wife jobs at the pharmacy and says she will find a school for their son.
The Second Trap
The Opium Raid
Mu Ziru gets another tip. A merchant from Suzhou has 20 loads of opium stored at a warehouse on the Bund. He plans a raid for midnight.
He leads the raid himself. But when they get there, they only find two loads of opium. It's another setup. Mu Ziru gives one load to the anti-smoking bureau and a portion to Mr. Jin. He keeps the rest for himself. Both he and Mr. Jin sell their shares to a man named Boss Hu.
The Consequences
The opium belonged to the Garrison Command. They arrest Boss Hu. He immediately snitches on both Mu Ziru and Mr. Jin.
Mr. Jin calls Mu Ziru to his office, absolutely livid. He tells Mu Ziru to replace all 20 loads of opium. Mu Ziru is stunned. He only ever saw two loads. He finally realizes what happened. This was another, more complex trap from Chu Shaohua, Xia Yuan, and Wen Zhiqiu. First, they made him an enemy of the police. Now, they've used the Garrison Command to put him in an impossible position.
