Episode 15 recap: Lai Ming Cheng rightfully spoke out against corruption but was beaten to death.
Lai Ming Cheng openly accused corrupt officials in the government, involving six ministries, causing a huge uproar. Chen Ping Ping had high hopes for Fan Xian, allowing him to take over the Examination Office and the Inner Treasury, and instructing him to remember the eight words "Heavenly will is unfathomable, the sage's heart is like a deep pool."
Chen Ping Ping faced Fan Xian's accusations calmly, explaining that the jewelry he gave to Lin Wan Er and Fan Xian was awarded by Emperor Qing. Fan Xian exposed that Chen Ping Ping used embezzled and bribed funds to transform the Chen Garden into a luxurious estate filled with rare treasures. Chen Ping Ping clarified that the Chen Garden was not his private property, but belonged to the Imperial Qing household, and he only had the right of use. Emperor Qing dismissed Fan Xian's accusations against Chen Ping Ping.
Lai Ming Cheng listed one by one the crimes of Fan Jian and Fan Xian, accusing the Fan family of privately operating a brothel, which was inappropriate, and that Fan Jian had failed to properly educate his sons, damaging the official reputation. Emperor Qing heard that the Baoyue Brothel had even killed someone, and Lai Ming Cheng found that this was related to Li Cheng Ze, and he wanted to report it item by item.
Fan Jian admitted his failure in educating his sons, and while Fan Si Zhe's private operation of the Baoyue Brothel was improper but not illegal, he had already ordered it to be closed and sent Fan Si Zhe to a harsh environment for reform. But Lai Ming Cheng insisted on severely punishing Fan Si Zhe and also demoting Fan Jian and Fan Xian.
Emperor Qing sought Lin Ruo Fu's opinion, and Lin Ruo Fu suggested first investigating the Baoyue Brothel homicide case, then holding Fan Jian accountable for his poor parenting. Qin Ye supported Lin Ruo Fu's suggestion. Lai Ming Cheng exposed that Li Cheng Ze had instigated Fan Wu Jiu to kill and cover up the evidence. Li Cheng Ze quickly confessed that he had been deceived by Fan Wu Jiu, and the murder and evidence destruction were solely the actions of Fan Wu Jiu. Lai Ming Cheng found that fifteen officials in the court had large sums of mysterious wealth, and they were all closely associated with Li Cheng Ze. Lai Ming Cheng pleaded with Emperor Qing to thoroughly investigate Li Yun Rui and Li Cheng Ze's smuggling activities, but the ministers were shocked, and Emperor Qing rejected it due to lack of evidence. Lai Ming Cheng begged Emperor Qing to re-examine Fan Wu Jiu's case.
At the same time, Fan Wu Jiu opened a hidden compartment in the book Li Cheng Ze had sent him, finding a packet of poison. Fan Wu Jiu then realized everything and committed suicide by taking the poison. Li Cheng Ze agreed to re-examine Fan Wu Jiu's case and held the Fan family responsible for the Baoyue Brothel's women and staff. Fan Xian readily agreed. Emperor Qing then ordered Li Cheng Ze to be confined for half a year and docked half a year's salary from Fan Jian and Fan Xian as a warning.
Lai Ming Cheng thought the punishment was too light and insisted on demoting Fan Jian and Fan Xian, but Emperor Qing advised him not to be too rigid. Lai Ming Cheng accused the Examination Office of having unclear laws and excessive power, suggesting dividing its archives among the six ministries and letting Chen Ping Ping retire, shocking all the ministers.
Emperor Qing made an excuse to leave, and Lai Ming Cheng knelt on the ground, wanting to accuse Emperor Qing himself, claiming "When the beam above is crooked, the ones below will be crooked too." The ministers harshly criticized and denounced Lai Ming Cheng, and Emperor Qing flew into a rage. Lai Ming Cheng refused to yield and was beaten to death by the ministers.
Li Cheng Qian pinched his own thigh hard, crying out in pain. He accused Lai Ming Cheng of not understanding Emperor Qing, shouting hoarsely to sing the praises of Emperor Qing, and weeping bitterly to defend the injustice done to Emperor Qing.
Fan Xian and Fan Jian stood up to speak well of Lai Ming Cheng. Qin Ye and Lin Ruo Fu felt that Lai Ming Cheng was also worrying for the country, and pleaded with Emperor Qing to be lenient with him. Emperor Qing gritted his teeth and praised Lai Ming Cheng's actions, ordering him to be rewarded. Chen Ping Ping suggested sending that box of jewels to Lai Ming Cheng, but Emperor Qing immediately ordered Lai Ming Cheng to be executed by beating. Fan Xian stepped forward to plead for Lai Ming Cheng, and Emperor Qing commanded Fan Xian to oversee the execution.
The heavens were outraged at Emperor Qing's unjust verdict, and suddenly there was lightning and thundering rain. Fan Xian was forced to carry out the order as the executioner. Running through the heavy rain, he reached the outer palace and saw Lai Ming Cheng beaten to a bloody pulp. Fan Xian could not bear to see Lai Ming Cheng die unjustly, and wanted to go plead with Emperor Qing, but it was too late - Lai Ming Cheng was beaten to death.
On the way home in the carriage, Fan Xian was silent. When they passed the Ministry of Scrutiny, Chen Ping Ping was waiting at the gate, but Fan Xian did not want to see anyone and had Wang Qi Nian speed through. Ying Zi forcefully stopped the carriage and brought Fan Xian to see Chen Ping Ping.
Chen Ping Ping took Fan Xian to a secret chamber, the command center of the Ministry of Scrutiny. Chen Ping Ping issued orders throughout the ministry through the secret mechanisms here, and Fan Xian realized this chamber and the mechanisms were left behind by his mother, Ye Qingmei.
Fan Xian could not understand why Emperor Qing had Lai Ming Cheng, who was loyal to the country, beaten to death. Chen Ping Ping explained that Lai Ming Cheng had touched Emperor Qing's forbidden zone - the Ministry of Scrutiny was independent from the Six Ministries and only answered to Emperor Qing himself. Lai Ming Cheng had accessed the ministry's records for a smuggling case, which amounted to challenging Emperor Qing's authority. After Fan Xian took over the ministry, the imperial censors would all see him as an enemy.
Feeling a chill, Fan Xian was struck by Emperor Qing's cruelty and mercilessness, recalling his mother Ye Qingmei's tragic death. Chen Ping Ping warned him to be cautious going forward. Fan Ruo Ruo was intelligent and studious, not only reading extensively, but also teaching herself medicine.
Troubled, Fan Xian came to confide in Fan Ruo Ruo, who comforted him and swore to protect him. Fan Xian personally taught her, starting with dissecting a duck. On Fan Xian's orders, Deng Zi Yue burned all the indentured service contracts of the Baoyue Pavilion girls, allowing them to freely choose to stay or leave. The girls who remained would only sell their performances, not their bodies, and they joyfully celebrated, with Sang Wen wanting to continue staying at the Baoyue Pavilion along with the others.
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