Episode Summary
Chu Shaozhong divorces his wife after revealing she drugged him years ago, leading to a pivotal family tragedy. After a time jump to 1931, political tensions with Japan spill over into the medicine business. Wen Zhiqiu votes to oust Xia Yuan as the guild chairman after discovering Xia Yuan is collaborating with the Japanese. In retaliation, Xia Yuan plots to financially ruin Wen Zhiqiu and Chu Shaohua by cutting off their business partners, leaving them in an impossible situation.
Spoiler Alert
A Family Secret Comes Out
The episode kicks off with Kang Erniu giving Chu Shaohua some friendly advice. She tells her not to let a good man like Wen Zhiqiu slip away. Chu Shaohua is thinking hard about it. Wen Zhiqiu has been nothing but good to her. He even cleared her brother’s name without asking for anything in return. She just doesn’t know how to handle his feelings for her.
Her brother, Chu Shaozhong, has his own drama. He's divorcing Zhou Yan. He plans to take their son, Xiaobao, and move back to their hometown in Qizhou. Chu Shaohua offers him a job at one of her branch stores. He turns her down, not wanting to be a burden. Before he leaves, she asks him to look after Song Ping for her.
She also gives him the original sign for their family's Chichun Tang pharmacy. She wants him to get the business running again back home. He worries he can't manage it well. He suggests she should open a Chichun Tang in Shanghai instead. Then he gives her the secret formula for the Wanlingdan pills. Chu Shaohua knows this formula is only supposed to be passed down to the men in the family. She swears she will make the pharmacy a huge success.
The Truth About Zhou Yan
Just before leaving, Chu Shaozhong drops a bombshell. He finally reveals what really happened eight years ago. His wife, Zhou Yan, drugged his tea. She forced him to go to the pharmacy to steal money. That was the night he witnessed that terrible scene. Chu Shaohua is stunned. She never knew Zhou Yan was so vicious. She vows to find her and make her pay.
She asks Kang Erniu to help track Zhou Yan down. Kang Erniu has her own problems, though. She just met a con artist named Xiao Mao. He's trying to get her to invest eight thousand silver dollars in a "guaranteed" business deal. She wisely cuts ties with him, lying that her fiancé has returned to Shanghai.
Politics and Betrayal
We jump forward to 1931. Chu Shaohua is getting ready to send Cheng Hui abroad for his studies. She takes him shopping for new clothes. He feels guilty about her spending so much money on him. He wants to get a job and pay her back. She encourages him to go learn advanced medical skills. Then he can come back and help modernize Chinese medicine. This inspires him, and he promises to study hard and return to serve his country.
The political situation is getting worse. The Japanese army has occupied Northeast China. They try to buy the loyalty of a man named Han Sanye. He curses them out instead. Xu Hongnian hears about this and worries. He knows it will disrupt the supply of medicinal herbs from the region.
The Guild Election Gets Ugly
Chu Shaohua and Wen Zhiqiu call on the National Medicine Guild to donate to the anti-Japanese resistance. But then Tian Tongdao shows up and makes a scene. He accuses Wen's Grand Pharmacy and Jujing Tang of colluding with the Japanese. He claims they are profiting from the war. His proof is that other pharmacies are short on herbs from the Northeast, but they have plenty. Chu Shaohua explains they just had a large stockpile from before. Tian Tongdao doesn't believe her. He calls for the guild members to remove the current chairman, Xia Yuan.
Wen Zhiqiu agrees they should hold a new election. He and Chu Shaohua go to tell Xia Yuan. They find him happily signing a contract with a Japanese company, Komura Pharmaceutical. Chu Shaohua is furious. She refuses to work with the Japanese. Xia Yuan only cares about making money. He offers her a deal. If he gets re-elected, her pharmacy gets a 30% discount on his medicine. If he loses, she pays full price. She storms out.
The election happens as planned. The vote to remove Xia Yuan is a perfect tie, six to six. Wen Zhiqiu has the last, deciding vote. Tian Tongdao is sure Wen Zhiqiu will side with Xia Yuan. But Wen Zhiqiu votes to remove him.
Xia Yuan's Revenge
Xia Yuan is in shock. He goes drinking with Xu Hongnian and Mei Sandu at Kang Erniu's restaurant. He can't wrap his head around Wen Zhiqiu's betrayal. He wanders off and finds Kang Erniu feeding her fish. He starts venting his frustrations to her. She agrees with him and they get along surprisingly well. They even start calling each other brother and sister.
Later, Xia Yuan invites Chu Shaohua to the opera with his family. His mother gives Chu Shaohua an heirloom ring. She's clearly treating her like a future daughter-in-law. Once they're alone, Xia Yuan makes Chu Shaohua an offer. He wants to team up to force Wen Zhiqiu out of his own company. He promises to make her the most powerful merchant in the entire medicine industry.
Chu Shaohua turns him down flat. She can't stand that he works with the Japanese. She tells him the country's interests have to come first. Xia Yuan gets angry and even brings up her history with Xia Chu. It doesn't work. She tells him they are on different paths.
Furious, Xia Yuan orders Xu Hongnian to pressure every other pharmacy to cancel their contracts with Wen's Grand Pharmacy. If Wen Zhiqiu can't deliver the goods on time, he'll be on the hook for massive penalty fees. Chu Shaohua does the math and realizes they could be ruined. Wen Zhiqiu thinks about transferring ownership of the pharmacy. But Xia Yuan is a shareholder. They can't do it without his approval. Wen Zhiqiu and Chu Shaohua are completely trapped.
