Episode Summary
Gu Pingyuan negotiates a surrender for the rebels in Hefei, but corrupt generals Qiao Song and Bao Qing slaughter the surrendered troops on orders from Cixi. Gu is devastated but teams up with Su Zixuan to bring in the powerful Ninth Marshal. The Ninth Marshal bullies the corrupt generals into handing over the remaining prisoners, including the rebel leader Li Cheng, who agrees to join the Ninth Marshal's army to survive.
Spoiler Alert
Legend of the Magnate Episode 23 Recap
A Deal with the Devil
Gu Pingyuan starts this episode thinking he can fix everything with money and negotiation. He risks his neck buying a cartload of weapons from the Russians. Prince Gong sees this and sends him to Hefei as a pacification commissioner. His job is to help Qiao Song take the city.
The situation in Hefei is grim. Li Cheng has been trapped there for ages. Civilians are starving to death. Li Cheng and his troops are barely surviving on peanuts. Gu Pingyuan wants to save the innocent people inside. He volunteers to enter the city and talk Li Cheng into surrendering.
Gu makes a compelling case. Li Cheng agrees to hand over Hefei. But Li Cheng isn't stupid. He warns Gu that Qiao Song and Bao Qing have been stalling on purpose. They want to milk the court for more money and supplies. Li Cheng worries these corrupt officials will chew Gu up and spit him out.
The Massacre
Li Cheng was right. Gu realizes Qiao Song and Bao Qing are just using him. They never planned to let him leave Hefei alive. Gu gets angry and quits. He says he is going back to Shanjian Village to grow tea. The generals try to stop him. Gu ignores them and rides off into the night.
Qiao Song and Bao Qing don't waste time. They decide to attack Hefei the next morning. But first, they make a brutal call. They decide to execute the Rebel Army soldiers who already surrendered.
Gu hears gunfire on his ride home. He knows something is wrong. He races back to the Qing camp. It’s a bloodbath. He finds 461 surrendered soldiers dead. Gu blames himself. He convinced them to surrender. He thought they would go home. Now they are corpses. The guilt is too much. Gu collapses on the spot.
The Empress Dowager's Order
Gu wakes up in a daze. Qiao Song brings him medicine. Gu is furious and screams at him about killing prisoners. Qiao Song shuts him down with a piece of paper. It’s a decree from Cixi. She ordered the execution of all rebels, regardless of surrender. This breaks Gu. He loses all faith in the Qing government.
The Qing soldiers launch a full assault on the city. Li Cheng fights like a demon. He repels wave after wave of attacks. But he is outnumbered. His men die around him. Li Cheng gets badly wounded. Bai Yimei refuses to leave his side. They fight until the end, but the city falls. The soldiers capture Li Cheng and Bai Yimei alive.
A Desperate Plea
Li Cheng is dying in his cell. Gu brings medicine. He tries to convince Bai Yimei to leave with him. He wants to take her back to Shanjian Village. She won't budge. Gu explains the reality. Nanjing and Jiujiang have fallen. The rebellion is over.
Li Cheng knows he is done for. He begs Bai Yimei to go with Gu. He wants her to save their unborn child. She still refuses. She swears to die with him.
Su Zixuan shows up looking for Gu. Gu is a mess. He failed to stop the massacre. He begs Su Zixuan for help. They need the Ninth Marshal. He is the top general under the Viceroy of Liangjiang. He is the only one with enough power to save Li Cheng. Su Zixuan agrees to help. The Ninth Marshal owes him a favor.
The Ninth Marshal Takes Charge
The Ninth Marshal arrives in Hefei with an army. He sends a letter to Qiao Song demanding all the prisoners. Qiao Song and Bao Qing are furious. But they are also terrified. They can't say no to the Ninth Marshal. They set up a banquet to suck up to him instead.
They notice Gu is missing. They send men to watch him. But the Ninth Marshal walks in with Gu right by his side. He introduces Gu as an old friend. Qiao and Bao have to swallow their pride and bow.
The Ninth Marshal gets straight to business. He wants the prisoners to replenish his own troops. Bao tries to make excuses. The Ninth Marshal explodes at him. He demands Li Cheng too. Qiao protests. He wanted to use Li Cheng's capture for a promotion. The Ninth Marshal shuts him down instantly.
He marches to the jail. He demands Li Cheng and Bai Yimei. Qiao and Bao can only watch. Li Cheng is suspicious. He knows the Ninth Marshal has a ruthless reputation. Gu explains the situation. The Ninth Marshal offers Li Cheng a deal. He can be a strategist in the army. Once the war is over, he can leave. Li Cheng agrees. He puts on a Qing uniform in front of his surviving brothers.
