Qin Hongmian's Daughter

Mu Wanqing, identified here as Qin Hongmian's Daughter, is the daughter of Qin Hongmian and Duan Zhengchun. At Little Mirror Lake, she accompanies her mother on a planned attack against Ruan Xingzhu, another woman loved by Duan Zhengchun. Their encounter exposes the emotional cost of her parents' divided family: Mu Wanqing is angry with her father, yet she still longs for him, and she privately grieves a love for Duan Yu that she believes cannot be fulfilled.

Identity and Family Background

Mu Wanqing is introduced in this episode as a young woman dressed in black, traveling with her mother, Qin Hongmian. Their target is Ruan Xingzhu, who lives beside Little Mirror Lake. Qin Hongmian's hostility toward Duan Zhengchun's other lovers has brought mother and daughter there, although the immediate conflict is with Ruan Xingzhu rather than with Duan Zhengchun himself.

The family's tensions are visible in Mu Wanqing's words before the two women enter Ruan Xingzhu's house. She warns that, if her father learns of their plan, there may be consequences; Qin Hongmian cuts her off, asking whether Mu Wanqing still calls him her father. The exchange makes their opposing positions plain: Mu Wanqing remains emotionally attached to Duan Zhengchun, while Qin Hongmian's grievance has hardened against him and the women around him.

The Planned Attack at Little Mirror Lake

Qin Hongmian and Mu Wanqing approach the bamboo forest intending to kill a woman they believe is alone. Qin Hongmian urges caution, describing their intended victim as resourceful despite her limited martial skill. Mu Wanqing answers that the two of them can overcome a lone opponent. They agree to use their most dangerous techniques rather than hesitate, then approach the house from opposite directions, one at the front and one at the rear.

The woman they have come to attack is Ruan Xingzhu. When Ruan recognizes Qin Hongmian, the confrontation becomes a meeting between Duan Zhengchun's lovers and their families. Mu Wanqing is present as the conflict unfolds, but the encounter does not end in the killing the pair planned. Qin Hongmian and her daughter eventually withdraw, and Ruan returns to the bamboo forest with A'Zi.

Family Loyalty and Deception

The withdrawal does not mean that Qin Hongmian and Mu Wanqing have abandoned their suspicion. After leaving, they return secretly and watch the house. Qin Hongmian explains what gave Ruan's story away: beneath the bedroom couch they had seen a pair of men's shoes, their toes embroidered with the words “Mountain” and “River.” The shoes were new, and the mud on their soles was still wet. Qin concludes that they belong to Duan Zhengchun and that he must be nearby.

Mu Wanqing recognizes the implication: Ruan has misled them because she does not want Duan Zhengchun to meet Qin Hongmian. She condemns her father as lacking conscience and tells her mother there is no need to see him. Yet Qin admits that she wants to see him while not wanting to meet him; their separation, and the passing of time, have not erased her attachment. Mu Wanqing accepts her mother's decision to keep watch, though her reply is sorrowful. Her participation in the ambush thus coexists with a reluctant recognition that her parents' feelings remain entangled.

Unspoken Attachment and Narrative Role

Mu Wanqing's private feelings extend beyond the confrontation at the house. Since parting from Duan Yu, she has remembered him more and more. She believes that this love has no possible future, and does not dare reveal the weight of it to her mother. The contrast between her outspoken reproach of her father and her concealed sorrow over Duan Yu gives her position its particular strain: she can take her mother's side in action without being able to speak freely about her own longing.

The scene makes Mu Wanqing more than an accomplice in Qin Hongmian's attempt to confront a rival. Her warning about her father, her later anger at his conduct, and her grief over a love she sees as unattainable show how Duan Zhengchun's relationships shape the lives of those around him. The episode does not resolve Mu Wanqing's attachment to Duan Yu or her parents' separation; it leaves her caught between loyalty to her mother and feelings she keeps unspoken.