After returning home Wu Song (武松) finds his elder brother Wu Dalang (武大郎) dead. He keeps vigil and prays for the truth. That night a strange black mist appears and a voice says the brother died unjustly. Shaken, Wu Song resolves to investigate. At dawn he questions neighbors who fear Ximen Qing (西门庆). They speak evasively. A tip points him to Wang Po (王婆), the coroner He Jiu (何九) and the pear seller Yunge (郓哥). Wu Song decides Yunge can be trusted. He pays five taels and they meet at a tavern. Yunge describes how Wang Po plotted, how Pan Jinlian (潘金莲) was seduced, and how Wu Dalang was trapped. Furious, Wu Song seeks redress from Magistrate Li Datian (李达天). Li hesitates because of his ties to Ximen Qing. When the magistrate stalls, Wu Song takes a blade and confronts the culprits. He storms the Lion Tower (狮子楼) where Li Waizhuan (李外传) and Ximen Qing are dining. A violent struggle follows. Wu Song hurls Li Waizhuan from the upper floor. He is seized and brought to the yamen. The magistrate orders forty strokes. Wu Song is jailed and the case goes to the prefecture. The prefect Chen Wenzhao (陈文钊) inspects the file and senses bribery. He orders a retrial and summons suspects. Ximen Qing arranges gifts sent through intermediaries until the presents reach Grand Preceptor Cai Jing (蔡京), who counsels restraint. Pressured, Chen Wenzhao yields. The charge is reframed as accidental injury. Wu Song is spared execution but punished and exiled to Mengzhou (孟州). He departs with bitter gratitude and unresolved anger. Ximen Qing celebrates and holds a feast. The narrative then shifts to Li Ping'er (李瓶儿), sold into Liang Zhongshu's (梁中书) household and abused by his wife. During a raid she flees with jewels to the eastern capital. An influential eunuch named Hua (花太监) takes an interest. Hua's nephew Hua Zixu (花子虚) becomes her nominal husband. They inherit property and move near Ximen Qing. Meanwhile Pan Jinlian sends Pang Chunmei (庞春梅) to Ximen Qing. Pang gains favor and grows insolent. She clashes with servants such as Sun Xue'e (孙雪娥) and Qiuju (秋菊). The household erupts in quarrels. These episodes show how private vice, female vulnerability and official corruption intertwine. They foreshadow further tragedy and a widening conflict. FREE transcripts of the audio files are available for download at: https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/

武松归来，见兄武大郎惨死，悲痛守灵。夜半灵前异象显现，黑雾化作亡兄头形哭诉冤屈，促使武松决意查明真相。天明访查乡邻，众人畏惧西门庆势力，言辞支吾。经人指点，武松得知王婆、仵作何九与小郓哥等牵涉其中。武松托付信任，出五两银子结识小郓哥。酒楼详谈中，郓哥描摹王婆设局、潘金莲受引诱与陷害武大郎的经过，武松震怒，誓要伸冤。县令李达天因富人往来而推诿，武松见官场被金钱左右，拔刀直赴狮子楼与李外传等人相搏。楼上厮杀，李外传被掷下身亡，武松被捕入衙受杖。东平知府陈文钊审查案卷，觉察矛盾并欲重审。西门庆暗中行贿，层层递送直至朝中太师蔡京出面示意，陈文钊为保官位终致妥协。案改为误伤，武松被杖罚并发配孟州，冤未伸而性命保全。西门庆大喜设宴庆祝。剧情随后转向李瓶儿被卖入梁府，遭虐待后于乱局中携金珠逃往东京投亲。她后被太监家收养，名义婚配花子虚，迁居近西门庆。潘金莲为取宠又以庞春梅为媒将她送入西门庆房中。庞春梅得宠后日益嚣张，逐渐与府中仆妇冲突，厨房争执升级，孙雪娥与秋菊卷入纷争。府院内情欲与权力交织，贿赂和私欲掩盖真相，众人命运因此交错，后续冲突暗生。 音频文件的字幕稿可在以下网址免费下载： https://www.truelake.com/qrpages/pingshufreedownloads/