曾清官重審仆人劫財殺主潛逃案， 上報首都中央夏提刑與西門慶貪官汙吏。

西門慶與夏提刑連夜派人押禮去首都稟見蔡太師。蔡太師就是與西門慶買官賣官的首府高官，他不在，但好消息是，正忙於七大改革，其中官賣鹽轉商賣鹽，官商勾結，還需西門慶權錢交易。

Zeng, a good officer, reviews the murder run-away case, and reports to the authorities Xia and Ximen’s corruption.

Ximen and Xia immediately send their people with presents to the capital to meet with Cai, the person who sells the Judge positions to Ximen’s. Cai is not available, the good news is his on-going Seven-Reforms, one of which is to transfer salt business from the government to individual businessmen; they need Ximen for this lucrative salt business.