Episode Summary
Gu Pingyuan leaves Chang Yuer and returns home to a tearful reunion with his mother and brother. He discovers his fiancée, Bai Yimei, was taken by the Rebel Army to nurse wounded soldiers. Pingyuan infiltrates the rebel camp using a cart of hemp rope as a cover. He confronts General Li Cheng, but a government ambush throws the camp into chaos. Pingyuan is knocked unconscious during the escape attempt, and Yimei is forced to treat the wounded General to avoid execution.
Spoiler Alert
The Long Road Home
We start with a heavy goodbye. Chang Yuer escorts Gu Pingyuan out of the city. You can tell she has a million things to say. She swallows them all. She hands over that jade pendant from the Horqin Prince instead. Her wish is simple. She wants him safe. She even wishes him happiness with his fiancée, Bai Yimei. That takes guts. She rides off in tears without looking back.
That night is rough for Gu Pingyuan. He stares at the jade. Memories flood back. They survived life and death together. He definitely has feelings for her. But he has a prior engagement to Bai Yimei. He buries his love for Yuer deep down and focuses on the road ahead.
A Bittersweet Reunion
Gu Pingyuan pushes his horse to the limit. He finally reaches Shanjian Village in Huizhou. The grassland soldiers leave him there. He walks into his old home. His mother is in the yard weaving. He drops to his knees and bows.
This scene hits hard. His mother can barely see him. She cried her eyes nearly blind waiting for him. They hug and sob. It’s a lot.
He heads to the fields to find his brother, Gu Pingwen. Pingwen stares at him like he’s seeing a ghost. He thought Pingyuan was dead. They catch up over food. Pingwen mentions Mr. Bai. Naturally, Pingyuan wants to see Yimei immediately.
Pingwen drops the bomb. The Rebel Army came through last month. They burned the tea gardens. They dragged all the village women away to nurse their wounded. Yimei is gone. The villagers tried to get them back. The soldiers wouldn't let anyone near the camp.
The Rope Scheme
Pingyuan learns the rebel general is named Li Cheng. He decides he is going in. Pingwen tells him to give up. Pingyuan ignores him. He hears Mr. Bai is sick and goes to visit. The old man recognizes him instantly. Pingyuan makes a bold promise. He will walk into that camp and bring Yimei back. Then they will get married.
He needs a plan. He tells Pingwen to get the villagers to twist hemp rope. They load a cart full of it. They haul it to the rebel camp. The guards stop them. Pingyuan threatens them by dropping General Li Cheng’s name. It works. They get inside.
He hits another checkpoint near the main tent. The guards block him again. Pingyuan lies through his teeth. He claims he is Li Cheng’s cousin. The guards buy it. Pingyuan notices something odd. These troops are actually very disciplined.
Chaos in the Camp
They stand outside the big tent. They yell for Li Cheng. A guard knocks Pingyuan out cold. They throw him inside. He wakes up groggy. Li Cheng is finishing a strategy meeting.
Pingyuan doesn't waste time. He demands Li Cheng release the women. He also gives the general some free advice. The government troops are coming. The rebels need to move or they will get surrounded. Li Cheng actually listens. He takes Pingyuan to the back of the camp. The women are there nursing the wounded. Li Cheng explains the rules. Men and women stay separate. Even married couples can't mix.
Then the world explodes. Government troops launch a surprise attack. The camp turns into an inferno. Pingyuan screams for Yimei. She hears him. He grabs her and gathers the other village women. They try to run.
They sprint through gunfire. A stray explosion knocks Pingyuan unconscious again. General Li Cheng takes a heavy hit. His soldiers panic. They think someone leaked their location. They grab Yimei and the villagers. They blame them for the ambush. Yimei has no choice. She admits she knows medicine. She offers to treat the General to save their lives.
