stickup, capturing the illicit couple unawares by pulling a black bag over their heads. The victim would then be threatened with exposure of the licentious affair or alternatively pay a hefty sum to keep the matter under wraps, with the victim being made to believe that Zhongliang has been swiftly 'murdered' by the thugs. In this aspect, Zhongliang succeeded beyond his triad's wildest dreams, and his boss, Biggie (Xie Tian) dotes on him like his own son. Nevertheless, Biggie forces Zhongliang to return to the Pang estate against his will. Meanwhile, Ruyi's rise to power in the Pang family is not without controversy. Because her brother has been rendered unable to move or speak by Zhongliang's poison, she is the only competent child of her father. As a result, she is the natural heir to the family. The family elders, still traditional in their outlook, refuse to let a woman control the fate of the family. As a result, they bring Duanwu, whom they hope can be their "tool" to control Ruyi. Duanwu, however, has been entranced by Ruyi since childhood and allows her more-or-less free rein. Ruyi uses her power to expel her father's concubines, infuriating the elders who beat Duanwu for his apparent impotence. For the concubines' part, many are distraught (with some attempting suicide), but they all eventually leave with their stipends. Ruyi questions her own actions but reasons that the concubines have been given the freedom that she longs for and will never have. It is into this intra-family drama that Zhongliang inserts himself, sympathizing with Ruyi's entrapment. By orders of his boss, Zhongliang is to seduce Ruyi, the new head of the household, and afterwards blackmail her. Ruyi, having fallen in love with Zhongliang, seduces Duanwu in order to "practice" for Zhongliang. Zhongliang, haunted by his past and unable to go through with ruining both Ruyi and Duanwu, abandons the scheme at the last moment and returns to Shanghai alone. Ruyi is heartbroken, unable to speak of anything else, and Duanwu is beaten by the elders yet again. Shanghai To atone for his failure, Zhongliang agrees to swindle the Woman of Zephyr Lane (Zhou Jie), to whom he had developed an emotional attachment prior to his return to the Pang estate. Biggie, sensing Zhongliang is wavering in his duties despite this show of loyalty, tricks Ruyi into coming to Shanghai. Ruyi is accompanied by Duanwu