News of victory reaches the capital, followed by the return of Ling Buyi and his troops.
Servants from the Cheng family have to bring Cheng Shaoshang back to the capital, dead or alive.
The Cheng family abandoned Cheng Shaoshang in the countryside, not caring that she fell ill and almost died. Her parents are away fighting in a war and send her sporadic letters over the years.
Ling Buyi monitors Cheng Shaoshang’s house.
Falling for Cheng Shaoshang’s prank, Head Housemaid Li calls her a troublemaker.
Head Housemaid Li will use force if Cheng Shaoshang refuses to go with them.
Cheng Shaoshang, haggard and dressed shabbily, looks old to Ling Buyi’s lieutenants, Liang Qiufei and Liang Qiuqi.
Cheng Shaoshang notices footsteps from the carriage going to a haystack.
Lianfang, Cheng Shaoshang’s maid, doesn’t like how the carriage smells. Cheng Shaoshang says it’s the smell of a man who hasn’t bathed for some time.
Unlike Lianfang, Cheng Shaoshang isn’t as optimistic in thinking her life will improve if her parents return home.
Ling Buyi’s group demands to search the Cheng family’s carriage. Head Housemaid Li protests, citing impropriety because Cheng Shaoshang is unmarried. Cheng Shaoshang urges Ling Buyi to burn the haystack next to her house first, and he might find what he is looking for. Ling Buyi doesn’t see Cheng Shaoshang’s face, just her hand pointing to the haystack.
After the haystack is set on fire, Cheng Shaoshang’s Granduncle Dong crawls out and is arrested.
Cheng Shaoshang would rather betray her granduncle than have the Cheng family get in trouble for hiding a criminal. Her parents will return home soon, but her future is uncertain. If her parents love her, why did they abandon her when she was born?
Ling Buyi looks at the procession of the Cheng household and repeats the name he heard: Cheng Shaoshang.
Cheng Shaoshang meets her parents for the first time. Her grandmother, Old Madam Cheng, and Second Aunt claim they tried their best to raise Cheng Shaoshang, but her parents see that isn’t true. Old Madam Cheng pretends to be sick and faints, but she loses to Cheng Shaoshang, who appears sicker and faints more dramatically.
Old Madam Cheng and Second Aunt lament how they sacrificed, dealing with a rebel like Cheng Shaoshang. Cheng Shaoshang’s parents see through the lies, but they can’t criticize Old Madam Cheng. Assessing the situation, Cheng Shaoshang acts contrite to gain sympathy for her suffering.
Cheng Shaoshang’s parents learn that Ling Buyi arrested Granduncle Dong for stealing armament. Their shock seems genuine to Ling Buyi.
Ling Buyi praises Cheng Shaoshang for putting country before family. Moreover, he compares her to officials in the Ministry of Justice because she upheld justice by turning in a relative.
But to Cheng Shaoshang, it sounds like Ling Buyi is mocking her.