Episode Summary
Shen Shaoguang befriends a tavern worker named A-Yuan, only to discover she is being abused by her boss, Manager Feng, under a fraudulent servitude contract. Meanwhile, Lin Yan successfully wins the respect of his insubordinate officers. When Shaoguang confronts Manager Feng, Lin Yan and his men arrive in the nick of time. They use a past building violation as leverage, forcing a panicked Feng to eat the illegal contract, which allows Shaoguang to rescue A-Yuan.
Spoiler Alert
A Good Deed Goes Sideways
The episode kicks off with a splash. Literally. Shen Shaoguang falls into a lake. A worker from the Yunlai Tavern sees it happen. She jumps in to save Shaoguang. The problem is, this woman can't swim at all. So Shaoguang ends up dragging her new friend to the shore.
The woman introduces herself as A-Yuan. Now they're both soaked. A-Yuan offers to take Shaoguang to her place for some dry clothes. They sneak into the tavern grounds through a hole in the wall. Inside A-Yuan's small room, Shaoguang gets changed. She asks A-Yuan why she's working here. A-Yuan explains she owes a lot of money. She had to sign a contract to work off the debt. This means she can't go back home to Shu for years.
Lin Yan Plays Politics
Over at the Jingzhao Prefecture, things are tense. The officers don't respect Lin Yan. They think he's just some young kid. His right-hand man, Liu Chang, thinks they should make an example of someone. Lin Yan has a better idea.
He says the officers aren't bad guys. They're just rough around the edges. They're annoyed that a younger man is their boss. So Lin Yan goes to their quarters to talk. The lead officer, Cheng Hu, is immediately rude to him. Lin Yan doesn't get angry. He explains that this job is a dead end for most rich kids. They don't last long. But he's different. He's here to actually get things done. He tells the men that if they work hard with him, they can build a real future for themselves.
Just then, Li Fengxia shows up. She brings a plate of lamb skewers for everyone. It's a smart move to help Lin Yan smooth things over. Cheng Hu realizes he was being a jerk. He starts to show Lin Yan some respect.
Something Isn't Right with A-Yuan
Back at the tavern, Shaoguang and A-Yuan get hungry. They find some mixed grains and make porridge. They add a little pork lard and soy sauce. It's simple but good. While they eat, Shaoguang notices some nasty scars on A-Yuan's arm. She asks about them. A-Yuan doesn't really answer. Someone outside yells for her to get back to work. She tells Shaoguang to leave the way she came in.
Later, Li Fengxia brings a bowl of rice tofu to Lin Yan's room. He tries to bring up their engagement. He wants to call it off. But she cuts him off. She says the new eatery is about to open. She's too busy to talk about it now. Lin Yan drops it for the moment.
Shaoguang gets back to the Prefecture. She can't stop thinking about A-Yuan's servitude contract. She sees Lin Yan and asks him about the legal process for these things. He explains all the official steps. Shaoguang realizes A-Yuan's situation is not legal at all. The contract is fake. She immediately runs back to the Yunlai Tavern to warn her.
A-Yuan's Situation is Dire
Shaoguang gets to the tavern door. She hears Manager Feng screaming inside. She listens closely. We learn that Manager Feng has been trying to force himself on A-Yuan. She keeps refusing him. So he's been beating her. This is awful.
Shaoguang pretends she's just there to return A-Yuan's clothes. She goes inside. Manager Feng looks absolutely furious. Shaoguang tries to play it cool. She offers to buy A-Yuan from him. She says it would save him the trouble of dealing with her. Manager Feng refuses. He says he owns A-Yuan. He has the contract and he's not selling.
Shaoguang knows she's beat. She turns to leave. A-Yuan desperately tugs on her sleeve, but Shaoguang is too scared of Feng to do anything else. She leaves.
The Cavalry Arrives
Once outside, Shaoguang hears the violence get even worse. She can't just stand by and listen. She bursts back into the room. She accuses Feng of illegally forcing A-Yuan into servitude. She demands he give her the contract. Feng loses it. He calls his thugs to surround Shaoguang.
Suddenly, Cheng Hu and the Prefecture officers show up. They're doing a routine inspection. Feng tells his men to keep an eye on the women. He goes out to handle the officers. Cheng Hu brings up an old violation. The tavern built an illegal extension. It blocked access for firefighters when the bookstore next door caught fire two months ago. Feng denies everything. He even has some neighbors lie for him.
Then Lin Yan arrives. He doesn't waste any time. He orders his men to tear down the illegal building. He walks straight into the courtyard where Shaoguang is. He asks if she's okay. Then he turns to Feng. He demands A-Yuan's contract. Feng panics. He knows he's caught. In a last-ditch effort, he shoves the entire contract into his mouth and eats it. While he's doing that, Shaoguang grabs A-Yuan and gets her out of there.
