Episode Summary
A mysterious poisoning kills everyone in a local medical hall except for the eccentric doctor Fu Sheng. The corrupt local Magistrate tries to frame him for the crime to close the case quickly. However, Fu Sheng proves his worth by performing a life-saving C-section on the Magistrate's wife with the help of disguised noblewoman Wen Yu. With his name temporarily cleared by a con artist named Gu Tian, Fu Sheng vows to find the real killer.
Spoiler Alert
The Doctor Is In (And He’s A Little Crazy)
We start with a massacre. People inside a medical hall drop dead one by one. Even the rats don’t survive the poison. One guy tries to crawl out the door, but someone slams it shut. It’s a brutal way to open a show.
Then we meet Fu Sheng. The locals call him the "Poison Madman" for a reason. He drugs a farmer just to treat the man’s cow for eating toxic grass. The farmer wakes up grateful, which tells you everything you need to know about Fu Sheng’s results-oriented methods. The townspeople are terrified of him. They spread wild rumors about his strange medical practices.
A Rude Awakening
Wen Yu arrives in Shangyi City. She is the daughter of the Xichuan City Lord but is currently dressed as a man to travel unnoticed. She hunts down Fu Sheng for treatment. He listens to her symptoms calmly. Then he sticks a needle in her and knocks her out cold.
Fu Sheng heads back to the medical hall. He finds his master sitting peacefully. He touches him and realizes the man is dead. Everyone is dead. Wen Yu wakes up from her forced nap and storms over to yell at Fu Sheng. She walks straight into a room full of corpses.
The Frame-Job
The housekeeper runs to Magistrate Yang with the bad news. The deaths involve the Xichuan Princess, Wen Yu. Yang wants this problem gone immediately. He decides to pin the murders on Fu Sheng. He arrests the doctor and tries to force a confession.
Wen Yu watches the trial. She sees the lawyer running the show for the Magistrate. They rush to close the case. She is about to lose her temper when chaos erupts. The Magistrate’s wife is in labor and dying. The midwife spots Fu Sheng and drags him to the rescue.
Surgery and Scams
The situation is grim. The wife is too weak to deliver. Fu Sheng realizes he has to perform a C-section to save both the mother and the child. It’s a risky move.
While this medical drama unfolds, we meet Gu Tian. He is at an inn spinning tall tales about a "Jade Disk" bounty. He claims to have a map. Ruan Changfeng shows up looking for this same treasure. Gu Tian sees a mark. He realizes Ruan has money and power. He decides to team up with him.
Gu Tian starts digging into Fu Sheng’s situation. They have history. Fu Sheng once ate a meal he couldn't pay for at the Red Tower. Gu Tian tried to intervene. Fu Sheng accidentally drugged him and escaped, leaving Gu Tian to pay the bill. Gu Tian hasn't forgotten.
The Alibi
Gu Tian shows up at the county office with witnesses. He isn't there for revenge this time. He proves Fu Sheng ordered a banquet at the exact time the murders happened. The witnesses back him up. Fu Sheng physically couldn't have poisoned the medical hall.
Wen Yu realizes Fu Sheng is innocent. She also sees his skill. She steps up to assist with the surgery. They work together. The baby is born safely. The mother survives.
Magistrate Yang is overwhelmed with gratitude. Fu Sheng seizes the moment. He demands the chance to investigate the case himself. His master died in that hall. He wants to find the real killer.
