Episode 19 recap: Xue Huai Yuan did not die but was subjected to abuse.
After this incident, Xue Fang Fei's relationship with Xiao Heng grew warmer, and Xue Fang Fei also revealed her true self. Xiao Heng developed feelings for Xue Fang Fei and personally placed a flower hairpin on her, saying he would protect her and help her uncover the truth about the Xue family matter.
Xue Fang Fei and Xiao Heng teamed up, and she also developed feelings for Xiao Heng. She said she wanted to live well and make those who harmed her pay. Ye Ming Yu felt wronged after being beaten by Feng County Magistrate and others, and Xue Fang Fei tried to intervene. Tong Er took Ye Ming Yu away, leaving Xue Fang Fei feeling uneasy, as she had previously seen Feng County Magistrate.
Feng County Magistrate used to be a beggar, and Xue Huai Yuan had taken pity on him and employed him in the yamen, entrusting him with the important responsibility of overseeing the granary, but he turned out to be a scoundrel. Xue Fang Fei took out a hand scroll, and the mute woman invited her to a meeting. To shake off Feng's informants, Xue Fang Fei and Tong Er changed clothes, and had Ye Ming Yu take Tong Er first.
The informants did not fall for the ruse and only sent one person to follow Tong Er's group. After Xue Fang Fei came out, they relentlessly tailed her. Sensing she was being followed, Xue Fang Fei deliberately took a wrong turn to shake them off, but after losing them, she encountered some local ruffians. The ruffians wanted to attack Xue Fang Fei, and she slapped a few of them, but was outnumbered.
Suddenly, a folding fan flew out and knocked down the ruffians, and Xiao Heng appeared to rescue Xue Fang Fei. Xue Fang Fei was surprised to see Xiao Heng there. Xiao Heng had Wen Ji deal with the informants, then intentionally left with Xue Fang Fei.
Pretending to be secret lovers, Xiao Heng saw a young girl selling flower hairpins by the road and bought one for Xue Fang Fei. The two acted affectionately, embarrassing the onlooking girl. Xue Fang Fei also chose a flower hairpin and placed it on Xiao Heng's head.
Wen Ji brought the informants to Xiao Heng, who told them to go back and relay to Feng County Magistrate that he did not like people spying on their romantic rendezvous. Xue Fang Fei was a bit puzzled, but Xiao Heng wanted to get personally involved this time, so he had Wen Ji escort Xue Fang Fei to meet the mute woman.
The mute woman recognized Xue Fang Fei's identity and worried that she would be imprisoned, urging her to leave. Xue Fang Fei openly revealed her current identity and learned that Xue Huai Yuan's trusted aides had been sent to the mudflats for forced labor. She wanted to have the mute woman leave, but the mute woman firmly refused, determined to repay Xue Huai Yuan's kindness from the past, even if it meant sacrificing herself.
The spy went back and reported the truth, but was tortured and beaten by the County Magistrate Feng. One of them was directly scalded to death by him with hot water, and the others dared not to speak out, only begging for mercy. When Magistrate Feng learned that Xue Fang Fei had a relationship with Xiao Heng, he used a messenger pigeon to pass the message to the palace. Xue Fang Fei asked Ye Ming Yu for help, and he found out that Xue Huai Yuan's confidant was at the mud and sand field, wanting to find an opportunity to rescue them.
On Xiao Heng's side, he found out the situation at the mud and sand field, and Wen Ji proposed a frontal attack, but was told by Lu Ji that it was a foolish idea. At this time, Xue Fang Fei came to find Xiao Heng, hoping that he could lend people to help rescue Xue Huai Yuan's former subordinates. Xiao Heng did not immediately agree, as he needed to deal with his own matters first.
Xue Fang Fei pressed Xiao Heng insistently, making him feel that she was forcing him. Knowing that Xiao Heng was unaware of the official gold mine map, Xue Fang Fei took out the drawings left by Xue Zhao. Xiao Heng wanted to ask about the origins of the drawings, but Xue Fang Fei was reluctant to say, using a letter to guarantee that it was genuine.
Xiao Heng did not want to make this deal, and Xue Fang Fei knew that he had been exploiting her. She exposed his schemes and wanted to use him against Li Zhongnan, who was connected to the Emperor. Xiao Heng felt she knew too much and accused her of being too presumptuous. Xue Fang Fei entrusted her life to him, and Xiao Heng, after hesitating, accepted her request.
Magistrate Feng publicly tortured Xue Huai Yuan, wanting to cause him to die prematurely. The spy found out the situation, and Magistrate Feng learned that there was a problem with the granary, so he dispatched people to arrest them, but only ended up catching Ye Ming Yu. This was Xue Fang Fei's ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, and she successfully left Magistrate Feng's sight. She followed Xiao Heng to the East Mountain to investigate, and she found the entrance to the mud and sand field, with Lu Ji leading the way in.
Xue Fang Fei discovered a fork in the road that was not marked on the map, and the three of them split up, with Xiao Heng going with her. As they went deeper into the cave, Xue Fang Fei suddenly remembered the scene of being buried and was afraid to go further, but Xiao Heng tightened his grip on her hand. They discovered that there were people in the cave, and Xiao Heng had Xue Fang Fei take the lead, secretly protecting her and knocking the two people out, then had her change into their clothes.
A messenger pigeon reached Li Jin's hands, and Li Jin learned that Xiao Heng had already arrived in Huai County, and Magistrate Feng asked him for instructions. Xue Fang Fei saw that someone was actually illegally mining the official mines, and guessed that the person behind it was related to the Xue family's lives.
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