Qianfan repeats that he will see this lawsuit through with Pan’er and asks the empress again to let them. Before he leaves, Qianfan lets the empress know something no one has told her before: Pan’er risked her life trying to help the empress with the Yeyan painting problem.
The next day – or a few days later, probably – Pan’er goes back to the court to continue with her case. This time, another judge presides over the court. Pan’er agrees to take the punishment again; that is, if the flogging is done legally.
But an edict comes and declares a change in the rule in the name of the empress: Women can now choose to pay a fine should they wish to avoid getting flogged for this particular offense.
Well, that’s great! The First Couple have worked out their problems, after all. And if they’re happy, the people are happy; they’re actually observing this jury behind a room divider. And money isn’t a problem for Pan’er and Qianfan now, of course.
Wait… no, scratch that, Qianfan doesn’t carry cash with him this time, neither does Chi Pan, and the court doesn’t take checks. Of all the days to forget your wallet!
He calls out to Chen Lian, who also doesn’t have enough. Chen Lian and Zhaodi then start asking around to borrow the money needed, which people are more than happy to give. Dancers, musicians, scholars, merchants — they all want to contribute since Pan’er has done plenty of good in this city and inspired them a lot. Kindness is magic, after all.
Pan’er is spared the punishment and the jury begins. Ouyang is accused of defamation and murder, both of which he is unable to defend himself against. The only act of defense he is capable of is yelling “I didn’t do it”.
The servant boy whom Ouyang also murdered left a secret message in a music book. Yinzhang found it and was able to make out its meaning due to her knowledge of music; she could tell those scribblings were not music notations.
I mean… couldn’t the boy have used the time he spent on this message to run away instead? I refuse to believe that Ouyang is stronger or faster than this boy. Remember: during Ouyang’s misery trip, it was the boy who carried all the luggage. If this boy decided to run, there’s no way in a million years Ouyang could catch him. But whatever, Ouyang is exposed at last and that’s good enough.
Ouyang is out of tricks – not that he ever had any – and goes berserk. It’s funny how Qianfan makes a point of not doing anything to help them constrain Ouyang. He just shields Pan’er and is like, not my problem.
Ouyang continues to strike around, then throws a wooden post at the room divider that nearly hits the emperor and empress.
Well, that was too much for the emperor, he didn’t sign up for this level of craziness. The First Couple step out; everyone stops in their tracks and kneels.
That was the end of Ouyang, the emperor orders him to be investigated later in Qianfan’s department, which is more or less a green light for Qianfan to do whatever he wants with Ouyang.
The jury watchers throw rotten vegetables at Ouyang as he is taken away. Are you kidding me? Let’s see: Pan’er got choked and flogged; Qianfan got tortured until his ears bled; the emperor nearly earned a wooden post in his face. Yet after all that Ouyang has done, we only get to see him covered in veggie as punishment? A little uncreative there, drama.
Now that everything is resolved, the emperor plays genie and grants each of our three ladies a wish.
San-niang wishes for the emperor’s blessing on her wedding day — easy.
Yinzhang wants improvement in the justice system; particularly at this court – ambitious, but doable.
Pan’er has the most extensive wish of all, she wants a world where all professions are treated with the same respect, where it isn’t harder for women than for men to find work – Er… I’m not saying it’s improbable, but it might not be done in the next five years, OK?
Pan’er’s speech moves everyone like always, the head eunuch even bursts into tears. The emperor promises to try on this one.
San-niang gets married, Chen Lian and Zhaodi are dating. Yinzhang’s Pipa skills are getting better and more dangerous than ever before. Happiness all around. And of course, Pan’er and Qianfan just have to make their point once more on a bridge.
