Dear readers… Riverside Code at Qingming Festival is an entertaining drama. Although I think this was more of a family genre than a mystery. In the drama’s third half, you could see how adorable Gu Zhen was when cornered by highly motivated Wang Yun Shang. So without further ado, let’s get started this ending explained!
Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Ending Explained
What Happened to Wen Yue and Zhao Bu You on Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Ending?
A mysterious woman gave Zhao Bu You a small book that used to belong to Dong Qian. In the book, Dong Qian wrote that the Zou family used his old mother to force him to kill the Zou family’s rivals. Dong Qian had never wanted to do such a job, and he was determined to assassinate Zou Mian.
Dong Qian personally wrote down all the details of each crime he was forced to commit and included Zou Mian’s secret order as evidence. He did it to restore justice and as his atonement. Zhao Bu You’s heart skipped a beat when he read that one of Dong Qian’s missions was the extermination of Su Zhi and his family. Su Zhi was Wen Yue’s father.
Zhao Bu You decided to hide the truth. He didn’t tell his brothers and sisters that Dong Qian was their biological father, and he also hid the fact that Dong Qian was the killer of Wen Yue’s family.
During the Fan Tower case, Wen Yue met Chi Liao Liao, headmistress of Taoyuan Welfare Center. However, Chi Liao Liao seemed to hate Wen Yue and challenged her to fight. Chi Liao Liao told Wen Yuethat she was a woman who lived under her shadow.
Before Wen Yue could ask more about it, Zou Zi Yin and her guards broke into the welfare center to look for the ledger. Another fight erupted. Wen Yue and Zhao Bu You had been outnumbered. Luckily, Gu Zhen and the guards from the Kaifeng court arrived in time.
Zou Zi Yin refuses to be arrested. However, Zou Zi Yin was shocked by Gu Zhen’s determination to arrest her. Meanwhile, Zou Zi Yin’s husband, Luan Hui, was found after Zhao Bu You got help from Zhou Li, his father.
From Zhao Ban Er’s story, Wen Yue learned that He Huan was his real brother, Su Zheng. She went to visit him, and the siblings reconciled in a somewhat awkward situation. Wen Yue was supposed to be happy to meet up with her long-lost brother. But she felt uneasy because everything seemed so sudden.
Wen Yue finally returns to the house of the Zhou family after Zhou Ban You picks her up in a wedding sedan. They have a small banquet called “A Lifetime With You”. But the dinner was interrupted by Su Zheng who came to see his sister.
From that time on, Su Zheng began to live with the Zhao family. Zhao Mo Er, on the other hand, decided to stay in the dormitory. With Su Zheng’s presence in the family, Wen Yue seemed to have mixed feelings.
The next day, Wen Yue went to the Taoyuan Welfare Center. She found that Chi Liao Liao had kept a blue robe and a wooden hairpin similar to hers. It was then that it dawned on Wen Yue that it was Su Zheng who had made Chi Liao Liao dress up like her.
Suspicion crawled into Wen Yue’s heart. She had a feeling that Su Zheng must be up to no good. So one night, she followed him to the river bank. Later on, Su Zheng told her his secrets.
Su Zheng was the mastermind behind Zou Mian’s downfall. He was the one who planned the Mei Ship case, the Hat Demon case, the Imperial Exam case, and the Fan Tower case. Su Zheng also revealed that Zhao Bu You knew Zou Mian was behind her parents’ death, but hid it from Wen Yue.
In order to find out the truth, Wen Yue tricked Zhao Bu You into revealing the secrets. They didn’t know that Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er were also there and listened to Zhao Bu You’s explanation. The secret of Dong Qian who had killed the Su family was revealed, and everyone’s hearts were broken. That night, thanks to Su Zheng, the Zhao family fell apart.
The siblings thought Wen Yue hated them. On behalf of Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er, Zhao Bu You asked Wen Yue for forgiveness. Wen Yue replied that she wasn’t blaming Zhao BuYou for concealing the truth because he was just trying to protect the family.
But Wen Yue still resented him for not being able to trust her. Wen Yue has never had a change of heart about this. She still considered the Zhaos to be the most important family.
Wen Yue went to the morgue to see Zhao Ban Er and to talk to her about what had happened. She told Zhao Ban Er that the grudges held by the previous generation had nothing to do with them.
In the meantime, Zou Mian had secretly gone to the East capital. He bribed the person responsible for Luan Hui`s case in the Ministry of Justice. Zou Mian was able to get both Zou Zi Yin and Luan Hui to come out of the prison. But he didn’t do it to save them. He wanted to kill them.
After the death of Luan Hui and Zou Zi Yin, Zhao Bu You had been thinking of a plan to have Zou Mian pay for his crimes. It was only when he saw that people believed that his father, Zhao Li, was the emperor that he got the idea. Zhao Bu You had Zhao Li pose as the emperor to trick Zou Mian.
At first, Zou Mian was suspicious of them. It was only after Zhou Li accidentally copied the emperor’s signature gesture that he yielded.
While Zhao Bu You was occupied with Zou Mian’s matter. Wen Yue faced another crisis. Zhao Mo Er’s mind was being manipulated by Su Zheng. He let Zhao Mo Er believe that preventing Zou Mian’s treasure from reaching the palace was the only way to deal with the corrupt official.
It was also the way to avenge the deaths of Dong Qian, the Su family, Song Qi Yu, Sun Bo, and the other victims. Wen Yue became furious with Su Zheng and left him. Su Zheng tried to stop her. He said that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with Wen Yue that night. But Wen Yue said that Zhao Mo Er’s matter could not be delayed. She walked out of the He Mansion and left Su Zheng with a broken heart.
Wen Yue and Zhao Ban Er desperately search for Zhao Mo Er. It is only then that they find out that Zhao Mo Er has been planning to blow up the Rainbow Bridge. Meanwhile, the city is in a frenzy. A public trial of a corrupt official is about to be held.
Wen Yue found Zhao Mo Er at the Rainbow Bridge with a fire lighter in his hand. She begged him to stop. At first Zhao Mo Er refused. But after seeing Wen Yue kneeling before him, Zhao Mo Er relented. That was when Su Zheng showed up. He was disappointed with Zhao Mo Er and Wen Yue for ruining his plan.
Su Zheng spoke about the justice and fairness of the world before jumping off the bridge. There was nothing Wen Yue could do to help him. But it is clear that Wen Yue’s affection for Su Zheng has been fading away, ever since she found out about Su Zheng’s secret.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a large stage was being prepared for a special performance. Wang Fu Yin, the Governor of Kaifeng Court, and his daughter are the guests of honor.
The show was hosted by the town storyteller and Zhao Bu You. They would tell the people about The Tale of Past Secrets. It looked like a play. In fact, it was a disguised public trial of the corrupt official Zou Mian. The trial was held in public because Zhao Bu You wanted the people to be able to see the truth. And under public pressure, Zou Mian’s accomplices couldn’t do anything to help him.
Zhou Bu You and the storyteller told the story of Zou Mian’s hidden crimes. The first was Zou Mian’s ambition to curry favor with the emperor by sending him gems from the south. To do this, he seized military ships and illegally converted them into cargo vessels.
To keep this a secret forever, Zou Mian had Su Zhi, the shipbuilder, murdered by Dong Qian. Next was the secret of Zou Mian’s murder of Li Yan, who had tried to impeach him several times. The murder was widely known as the mysterious pig head murder 15 years ago.
Wang Fu Yin listened to the story and immediately understood its direction. However, he was still shocked when he saw Zou Mian being brought up on the stage. Seeing Wang Fu Yin, Zou Mian claimed he was falsely accused.
But Zhao Bu You had provided witnesses and evidence. Zou Mian was shocked when Zhao Bu You showed him Zou Zi Yin’s blood-stained robes that she was wearing on the night of her death. The autopsy report also showed that Zou Zi Yin’s death was due to poison.
Zou Mian finally broke down when he saw the token of Zou Zi Yin in the hand of Zhao Bu You. Ironically, the token is inscribed with the words “longevity” and “health”. Even so, Zou Mian denied the accusation. He said that he was only eliminating enemies on behalf of the emperor.
As the trial drew to a close, Zhao Bu You accused Zou Mian of seven crimes. First, on behalf of the Su family, Zou Mian was accused of concealing the truth and of having no regard for human life. Second, on behalf of Dong Qian’s family, he was accused of threatening and manipulating righteous officials. Third, on behalf of Li Yan’s family, he was accused of taking justice into his own hands in disregard of the imperial court.
Fourth, for Sun Bo, he was accused of pretending to be a demon and monopolizing land. Fifth, on behalf of Song Qi Yu, Zou Mian was accused of cheating in examinations and hiring assassins. Sixth, on behalf of Su and Xie Lao Ba, he was accused of exchanging power for sexual favors and harming women.
Finally, on behalf of the people, Zou Mian was accused of faking the auspicious sign, covering up the chaos, flattering the imperial court, and deceiving the people.
Fueled by anger, Zou Mian said that they deserved to die. They were nothing but ants who were trying to trample on him. Seeing Zou Mian’s arrogance, the people became angry and were willing to testify for Zhou Bu You.
Wang Fu Yin finally saw the truth and realized that people’s will cannot be stopped. So, under the hopeful gaze of Wang Yun Shang, Wang Fu Yin announced that the Kaifeng Court had officially accepted the case. Zou Mian immediately told Wang Fu Yin to help him.
Wang Fu Yin said nothing, just patted Zou Mian’s shoulder. He went over to Zhao Bu You and asked if he was willing to take the responsibility of the case. Zhou Bu You replied with a firm “Yes”. Wang Fu Yin ordered the guard to arrest Zou Mian under Kaifeng Court custody.
At the end, It was a moment of victory for Zhao Bu You, Wen Yue, Zhao Mo Er, Zhao Ban Er, Gu Zhen, and the people. That night, the townspeople celebrated Zhao Bu You’s victory. The peaceful capital has returned, and the people have gained a new Peerless Litigator, with a nameplate inscribed by the emperor himself. The family also receives good news about Wen Yue’s pregnancy and Yao He’s proposal to Zhao Ban Er.
What Happened to Gu Zhen on Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Ending?
Gu Zhen lost his cool when the daughter of the governor of the Kaifeng court appeared. His usually cold and calm demeanor disappeared in the blink of an eye. Every time Wang Yun Shang came close to him, he would become clumsy and awkward.
On the night when he and the Kaifeng Court guards stormed the Taoyuan Welfare Center, Gu Zhen showed his determination to uphold justice. He arrested Zou Zi Yin without hesitation. Such determination shocked Zou Zi Yin. She’d never met anyone not scared of her background. Gu Zhen also displayed his proud face while arresting Luan Hui.
Gu Zhen really hated Zou Mian. He had been waiting for Zou Mian’s downfall for 15 years because he had killed his brother Li Yan. Now that Zou Ziyin and Luan Hui are dead, they have no one to testify against. Therefore, the ledger couldn’t be used to prove Zou Mian’s crimes. Gu Zhen was aware of the fact that his power had its limits. So he made a plan with Zhao Bu You.
When the imperial guards came to rescue Zou Mian. Gu Zhen was determined to guard the trial. So he, Wan Fu, and the rest of the Kaifeng court guards fought with their lives to stop the Imperial Guards. They were outnumbered and soon the Kaifeng court guards were defeated. Only Gu Zhen and Wan Fu remained.
After the trial was over. Wang Yun Shang came to see Gu Zhen. She was shocked to see his poor condition and wanted to support him. But Gu Zhen stopped her and asked if she had been working with Zhao Bu You and keeping him in the dark.
Wang Yun Shan replied that she did it for his sake. Wang Yun Shan’s answer left him speechless. Gu Zhen recognized her sincerity and finally admitted his feelings for her. Silently he offered his right hand to her. Wang Yun Shang was shocked when she saw this. Gu Zhen had finally stopped being so cold to her.
In the end, Zhao Bu You saw the state she was in and decided to help her out. He put Wang Yun Shang’s hand into Gu Zhen’s. That night, Gu Zhen, Wang Yun Sheng, and Wan Fu went home with each other’s support.
What Happened to Zhao Mo Er dan Zhao Ban Er on Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Ending?
In the case of Fan Tower, Zhao Ban Er was kidnapped and ended up in Luan Hui’s den, where he kept innocent women captive and enslaved them. Luan Hui didn’t consider the women as human beings and tortured them endlessly.
Zhao Ban Er saw her neighbor, Mrs. Xie, die after Luan Hui used her as a human-sized writing brush. It was a horrible experience because Zhao Ban Er finally understood how the corpses in Fan Tower meet their death.
Zhao Ban Er managed to escape from the hellish place together with A Ci, Su Su’s mother. A Ci deliberately entered the mansion to get a secret ledger which contained Zou Mian’s bribes to officials. Unfortunately, A Ci couldn’t make it. But before they parted, A Ci entrusted the ledger to Zhao Ban Er and told her to bring it to the Taoyuan Welfare Center.
At the welfare center, Chi Liao Liao asked Zhao Ban Er for the book. But she didn’t trust Chi Liao Liao and decided to hide it. Zhao Ban Er only gave the ledger to Gu Zhen, whom she trusted.
After the case was over, Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er were once again surprised to find that He Huan from the Taoyuan Welfare Center was Wen Yue’s long-lost brother. Su Zheng’s gentle demeanor won them over. Su Zheng gave the Zhaos many things.
One was a warship blueprint he gave to Zhao Mo Er. Su Zheng said it belonged to his late father. Later, Zhao Mo Er showed the blueprint to Zhao Bu You because he was suspicious about it. The Su family shipyard was a private shipyard. Why would they build a warship? This became a question for Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Bu You.
Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er were heartbroken when they learned that Dong Qian was the murderer of Wen Yue’s family. When Wen Yue joined the Zhao family 15 years ago, Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er regarded her as their mother figure. Therefore, after learning what their father did to her, the siblings cannot bear to face Wen Yue. They both decide to leave the Zhao family.
After being abandoned by Zhao Mo Er, Zhao Ban Er went to the morgue. Fortunately, Yao He was there to help her. Zhao Ban Er broke down and cried miserably.
Only after Wen Yue reached her did Zhao Ban Er believe that Wen Yue didn’t blame her and her brother for the death of the Su family. On the other hand, Zhao Mo Er only understood this after he had almost blown up the Rainbow Bridge. On the ending, having seen Wen Yue’s willingness to protect him and die with him, Zhao Mo Er finally believed that Wen Yue wasn’t blaming him and really cared for him.
What Happened to He Huan / Su Zheng on Riverside Code at Qingming Festival Ending?
He Huan’s real name is Su Zheng. He is Wen Yue’s biological younger brother. They were separated when Dong Qian attacked their home and killed their parents. He Huan later entered the Taoyuan Welfare Center. Chi Liao Liao was in love with him and was willing to do anything for him, including dressing up like Wen Yue.
He Huan seemed kind and gentle. But his mind was cunning and manipulative. He Huan didn’t liked Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er, because he was jealous of their closeness to Wen Yue and the fact that their father had killed his parents. Slowly, He Huan hatched a plan to destroy them, especially Zhao Mo Er, who was much more fragile in comparison to his sister.
When he learned that Zou Mian had secretly sneaked into town, Su Zheng went to the riverbank at night after getting the whole family drunk. Wen Yue followed. She was shocked when Su Zheng told her that he’d had a hand in all the cases she’d been on.
In the Mei Ship case, Su Zheng leaked Zou Mian’s plan to create an auspicious sign to his enemies. In the Hat Demon case, his plan is to destroy the Zou family’s monopoly on real estate brokers.
In the Imperial Examination case, Su Zheng’s goal was to expose Zou Mian’s network of corruption in the exams. In the case of the Fan Tower, he wanted to destroy Zou Mian’s base of operations for colluding with powerful officials.
The ledger would prove that Zou Mian was guilty. Su Zheng also confesses that he was behind every bounty sent to Wen Yue. He did it because Su Zheng wanted Wen Yue to see the grand plan he had carefully devised.
To drive Wen Yue away from the Zhaos, Su Zheng revealed that Zhao Bu You also knew about Dong Qian and Su Zhi’s deaths, but he deliberately hid it from Wen Yue. When Wen Yue tricked Zhao Bu You into revealing the secrets, Su Zheng made Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er listen to Zhao Bu You’s confession.
Su Zheng was angry because Wen Yue didn’t feel any hatred towards Zhao Mo Er and Zhao Ban Er. He threatened to kill himself to make Wen Yue feel guilty, but he failed. Wen Yue told him to stop before turning her back and leaving. Later, when they met again, Wen Yue told Su Zheng that her mother’s last words were, “Don’t look back”. Wen Yue has let go of the past. For her, the most important thing is to live and live well.
Su Zheng’s vendetta continued. He filled Zhao Mo Er’s mind with hatred for Zou Mian. This time he was able to manipulate Zhao Mo Er into planning the bridge bombing. And on D-Day, Su Zheng planned to celebrate his birthday with Wen Yue. However, when she found out about Zhao Mo Er’s plan, Wen Yue immediately went to help Zhao Mo Er.
In the end, Su Zheng and Wen Yue met again on the bridge. He was disappointed that Zhao Mo Er did not live up to his expectations. And because Wen Yue chose to protect Zhao Mo Er instead of him. Angry about his failed plan and losing his sister’s affection, Su Zheng decides to jump off the bridge. He falls into the river and his whereabouts are unknown.
Additional scene
In a dark room, lit only by candles, a man sat in a chair. He was wearing a shining cloth. It was probably yellow, but no one was sure because the room was too dark to see clearly. His thumb wore a jade ring and his finger was drumming on the table. Later a young man bowed before him.
The young man begged for forgiveness because his plan to overthrow Zou Mian had failed. But the esteemed person didn’t blame him because fortunately, Zou Mian was eliminated by the Peerless Litigator . However, his words afterwards made the young man look up in astonishment. The person said, “So, who’s next?”.
My Two Cents
In this Riverside Code at Qingming Festival drama, I hate Su Zheng and Zhao Mo Er the most. Su Zheng has the heart of a snake. He is manipulative and will do anything for his own gain. He uses a guilt trip on Wen Yue to make her hate her new family. He pitted them against each other too.
As for Zhao Mo Er, I hate his weak character. He is selfish and doesn’t take responsibility for Zhao Ban Er. She is his sister and he should have protected her. But instead, it was Zhao Ban Er who had a clearer mind and a stronger personality than him.
After reading or watching the ending of Riverside Code at the Qingming Festival, what do you think about this drama, dear readers? Do you feel satisfied with how it ended? Do you think that the young man was Su Zheng? Or was somebody else?
I haven’t read the original novel, so I have no idea what the answer is. But if there was going to be a second season of The Riverside Code at the Qingming Festival, I would definitely watch it. You can read how I thought abous this drama, at Riverside Code at Qingming Festival drama review post.
Anyway, that’s all I have for today, dear readers. Thanks for all your support. Your presence meant the world to us. See you in another Drama Review and Ending Explained post. Ciao!
