Episode 1 recap: "Song Shi Jie Arrested for the Spider Murder Case.
During the Qing Dynasty, political corruption was rampant, and numerous corrupt officials made life unbearable for the common people. Foreign powers also took advantage of this chaotic period to quietly infiltrate China. Song Shi Jie (played by Wang Hao Xin) couldn't stand such an atmosphere and joined his companions in saving the troubled world. One day, he made a bet with three wealthy young men that if he could make the robber inside the house laugh, he would win money.
Disguising himself as a peerless martial arts hero, Song Shi Jie entered the house and successfully made the robbers laugh. To the astonishment of onlookers, he walked out laughing and demanded money from the three individuals. The robbers became angry, but Song Shi Jie treated them as objects of the bet and engaged them in a debate. With his eloquence, he appealed to the robbers' unwillingness to be bad people and praised their efforts to maintain world peace, ultimately convincing the leader of the robbers to accept him as a sworn brother. The three wealthy young men were both impressed and a bit annoyed by Song Shi Jie's success. They reluctantly handed over the money as they had lost the bet.
However, what the three wealthy young men didn't realize was that the robber was actually Song Shi Jie's brother, Song A Jiu (played by Jin Gang). Song A Jiu had played the role specifically to deceive them and take their money. Song A Jiu thought he had successfully fooled them and couldn't understand how Song Shi Jie knew about his talent for playing the role of a half-hearted robber.
Song Shi Jie told Song A Jiu that robbers needed to speak loudly and suppress others to become true masters. He said that pitiable people must have something worthy of resentment, but no one would willingly become a robber. Only those who were forced into it due to circumstances would become robbers. Song Shi Jie and Song A Jiu saw a telescope they wanted to buy but didn't have money on them. So, they pretended to make a reservation and said they would come back later to purchase it.
While on their way, Song Shi Jie and Song A Jiu encountered a seller of fake medicine. They used five taels of silver in their possession to expose the seller's scam. In the chaos that followed, they secretly took the money and bought the "Western Journey" telescope. Suddenly, Song Shi Jie saw a woman wearing a fake beard through the telescope, trying to enter the Hechun Ge brothel but being kicked out.
Song A Jiu couldn't understand why Song Shi Jie bought the telescope when it couldn't be eaten or drunk. However, Song Shi Jie believed in enjoying the present moment and spending money today, as it would eventually be used up. When they were ready to find a place to rest after eating and drinking, they unexpectedly discovered that a murder had occurred at a landlord's house.
Song A Jiu recognized the victim as the seller of fake medicine they had exposed earlier. He lamented that the person had suffered a cruel fate, with his roots cut off. The local authorities questioned everyone who frequented the temple, and everyone pointed to Song A Jiu. In a panic, Song Shi Jie and Song A Jiu fled, denying any knowledge of Song A Jiu.
Song Shi Jie and Song A Jiu were captured and taken to the yamen, where He Shou Xin (played by Lin Zi Cong) almost stumbled upon seeing the person kneeling below. He suspected that Song Shi Jie was the murderer."
He Shou Xin saw Song Shi Jie's eloquent self-defense in the yamen and asked his subordinates if there was any evidence. Obviously, there was no evidence against Song Shi Jie, so he was released.
Song A Jiu felt that Song Shi Jie and He Shou Xin knew each other. Song Shi Jie told Song A Jiu that he had some connection with He Shou Xin. Song Shi Jie and He Shou Xin went to the capital to take the imperial examination.
Because He Shou Xin was being bullied, Song Shi Jie switched his own exam paper with He Shou Xin's, resulting in He Shou Xin becoming the top scorer. Song Shi Jie became the second top scorer. He Shou Xin couldn't understand why Song Shi Jie helped him. Song Shi Jie believed that He Shou Xin would become a good official. Thus, the secret between them remained hidden.
Outside the city, a murder case occurred where a spider demon was devouring a man's essence while he struggled for his life. He Shou Xin held a valuable gold card. Song Shi Jie wanted to capture the culprit behind the spider demon and asked He Shou Xin to give him the gold card he had.
When Song A Jiu and Song Shi Jie came out, they saw the deceased's family crying in front of the yamen. Song A Jiu felt that the money they were paid for taking on this case was too little, considering the potential danger to their lives. Song Shi Jie felt helpless and could only forge ahead.
When they arrived at Yichun Ge, they saw a charming and beautiful girl sending Ah Jiu, which fascinated Song Shi Jie. Song A Jiu overheard someone at a nearby table asking about Ye San Niang and became curious about this person. Song Shi Jie heard that there was an auction going on and saw Ling Long (played by Yao Zi Ling), the woman who had thrown them out while disguised as a man. He felt the need to compete and wanted to bid for the person called San Niang.
San Niang gave Song Shi Jie a handkerchief and wished him success in solving the case. Ling Long was angry that San Niang was paying attention to Song Shi Jie and considered him a scoundrel.
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