Her Highness, the Youngest Magistrate - Episode 2

The episode opens with Empress Yan Ruyu missing, sparking urgent concern at the palace. The Empress's father orders Xia Yu to search for her after a valuable item belonging to Yan is pawned in Darville, Kern County. Meanwhile, Yan’s adoptive family struggles financially, having sold her gold bangle years ago and now pawning her jade pendant to survive. Tensions rise as the adoptive sister complains about chores, and her parents worry about their dwindling resources. The episode ends with a shady buyer remarking on Yan’s beauty, hinting at a grim fate as the search intensifies.