Episode Summary
In this episode, the Prince of Zhao lures the Shen family to Sushui City with false promises, then imprisons them. The goal is to pressure Lin Yan. While Lin Yan is away on a fake case, the Shens are interrogated by the Prince's son, Li Xun. They manage to outsmart him and escape from the jail just before Lin Yan arrives to confront the Prince.
Spoiler Alert
A Bad Deal and a Worse Decision
I have to say, the Shen family has a real talent for walking into trouble. This whole episode is just one bad decision after another. It’s almost impressive.
Shen Jianshe's Terrible Negotiation Skills
So, Shen Jianshe is still locked out of the main house. He tries to sweet-talk his wife, Li Fengxia, to get back in her good graces. Her counteroffer is brutal. She wants all the restaurant's income. He gets a tiny allowance of ten coins a month. Jianshe just had his first taste of spending big money. He is not about to go back to being broke. He tells her no.
Meanwhile, Lin Yan plans to talk with Shen Shaoguang. He wants to discuss her father's meeting with the Prince of Zhao. But before he can, Liu Chang runs in with urgent news. A family of thirty-two has been murdered in Chengzhou. Lin Yan is a man of duty. He leaves immediately to investigate.
Shaoguang can’t sleep that night. She has a bad feeling. She figures the Prince wants to move her family to Sushui City to use them as hostages. She rushes to warn Lin Yan, but his room is empty. She only finds out the next morning that he rode out to Chengzhou in the middle of the night.
The Family Takes the Bait
Shen Jianshe spent the night in his son Shen Shaojie’s room. Shaojie wakes up, thinks there's an intruder, and kicks his own dad out of bed. As they're arguing, there's a knock on the door. It's an attendant from the Prince of Zhao.
The attendant says it's time to leave for Sushui City. The Prince already left last night. He ordered the Shen family to follow him. Jianshe hesitates. He wants to talk it over with the family first. But he's also scared of looking ungrateful to the Prince. So he comes up with a "brilliant" plan. He and Shaojie will go ahead first to scope things out.
Li Fengxia sees them packing their bags. She worries her husband will say something stupid and get them all killed. But Shaojie starts talking up the Prince's amazing offer. He paints a picture of a wonderful new life. Soon enough, all three of them are on board. They write a quick letter for Shaoguang and climb into the Prince's fancy carriage.
Shaoguang gets home from her duties at the prefecture. She reads the letter and can't believe how reckless they are. She tells A-Yuan to watch the restaurant. She has to go bring her family back.
The Trap Springs Shut
You just knew this was a setup from the start. The Prince of Zhao doesn't do anything without a reason, and his reason is never good for anyone else.
A Wild Goose Chase for Lin Yan
Lin Yan arrives in Chengzhou. He asks about the massacre of thirty-two people. It turns out the "people" were actually cows. The local governor explains the situation. He received an anonymous letter. The letter told him to report this specific problem to Jingzhao Prefecture for help. This was all just a trick to get Lin Yan out of the city.
From Carriage to Prison Cell
Shaoguang catches up with the carriage on a road outside the city. She begs her family to come home with her. Shen Jianshe completely refuses. He's convinced this is their big break. While they argue, the carriage driver hits the gas. The carriage speeds off, leaving Shaoguang in the dust.
It takes them straight to Sushui City. The moment they arrive, they aren't shown to a new home. They're thrown directly into a prison cell. Shaoguang's worst fears were right all along. And now it's too late.
Interrogation and Escape
The family is trapped. The Prince's son shows up, and he is not in a good mood. He wants answers, and he brought torture tools to get them.
A Masterclass in Wasting a Prince's Time
The Prince of Zhao's third son, Li Xun, enters the jail. He wants to know everything the Shens know. Shen Shaojie, surprisingly, steps forward to "confess." He launches into a long, sob story about his ex-wife cheating on him. He describes watching her move into another man's mansion. His father, Shen Jianshe, gets furious and starts yelling at him for being an idiot.
Li Xun realizes they are making fun of him. He gets angry and grabs the youngest, Shen Yangyang, holding her hostage. That gets their attention.
Shaoguang remembers what Lin Yan told her. Never discuss official business with the Prince. So she offers up a different secret. She agrees to tell Li Xun about Lin Yan's true family background. Li Xun doesn't even blink. He clearly already knows. Shaoguang thinks fast. She adds that Lin Yan is trying to get in with the Grand Princess to secure a powerful protector for himself.
Li Xun reports this to his father. The Prince hears the part about the Grand Princess and immediately knows the Shens were lying. Li Xun is frustrated. He feels like his father always values Lin Yan more than him.
The Great Escape
The Shen family is left to starve in the cell for two days. They watch the guards feasting, which only makes them angrier. Shen Jianshe, desperate, starts inspecting the cell. He sees moss growing on a wall. He follows it up and discovers the window is made of wood. He starts studying the frame, looking for a weak spot to break out.
Lin Yan Arrives Too Late
As soon as Lin Yan gets back to Jingzhao Prefecture, he hears the news. The Prince of Zhao took the Shen family. He grabs the nearest horse and rides hard for Sushui City.
He confronts the Prince. The Prince claims he did all of this for Lin Yan's own good. Lin Yan isn't listening. He just wants to see the Shens. The Prince tells a subordinate to take him to the jail. Then, he quietly calls for his son, Li Xun. He orders him to move the Shens to a secure courtyard before Lin Yan gets there.
One of the household stewards tries to guilt-trip Lin Yan. He reminds Lin Yan that the Prince's family raised him. Lin Yan doesn't fall for it. He and the steward race to the jail. They open the cell door. It's empty. The Shens have already escaped.
