Episode Summary
In a dramatic courtroom session, Zheng Qiu's attempt to discredit an audio recording failed, and he was ordered to recuse himself. A surprise witness, Huang Jinhu, whose memory was miraculously restored, then appeared. Huang Jinhu exonerated Cheng Hui, revealing Zheng Qiu had coerced him into faking his own murder and later forced him to lure Huang Zhongxin into a staged car accident, followed by an attempted poisoning, all to frame Cheng Hui. Faced with this testimony and the recanting of two bribed police officers, Zheng Qiu escaped by taking a hostage. The gravely ill Huang Jinhu died peacefully after returning to the Shanhai Gang. Zheng Qiu became a wanted fugitive, while Liu Zhendong warned Gou Wendao about James. Later, Zheng Qiu secured Long Shiqi's loyalty, and the Shanhai Gang was restructured into the Shanhai Company, following an agreement between Liu Zhendong and Governor Wilson. Despite these events, Liu Zhendong remained troubled, though Hong Yan offered words of comfort about the enduring spirit of the Shanhai Gang.
Spoiler Alert
So, Zheng Qiu was already on the ropes, and when that incriminating audio recording surfaced, he totally lost it. He’s yelling, denying it’s even him, and trying to argue it’s irrelevant to the case. The judge, seeing the bad blood between Zheng Qiu and Cheng Hui, actually benched Zheng Qiu from the proceedings. But just when you thought things might cool down, Liu Zhendong gets this secret tip from Gou Wendao and tells the judge, "Hold up, I've got another key witness, and this one's tight with Zheng Qiu."
And who gets wheeled in? None other than Huang Jinhu, pushed by Huang Zhongxin! Turns out, a few hours before, Xu Guangrong had spilled the beans to Huang Zhongxin that Huang Jinhu was alive but had suffered a serious head injury, messing with his memory so bad he couldn't even recognize his own relative, A'Rong. But get this – the Shanhai Gang apparently shelled out big bucks for some top-notch medical experts who not only saved Huang Jinhu's life but also miraculously restored his memory. Talk about a plot twist!
Once on the stand, Huang Jinhu completely cleared Cheng Hui’s name. He laid out the whole sordid tale: how he barely survived the attempt on his life years ago and ended up living on the streets. Then, about six months back, Zheng Qiu found him and forced him to memorize a bogus testimony framing Cheng Hui for his "murder."
But wait, there's more! Huang Jinhu also dropped another bombshell: Zheng Qiu dragged him to Huang Zhongxin's wedding. His mission? To lure Huang Zhongxin into the street to get hit by a car. And after that setup, Zheng Qiu injected Huang Jinhu with a deadly poison, planning to pin that murder on Cheng Hui too, making it look like Cheng Hui was silencing a witness. The audacity!
As soon as Huang Jinhu finished his testimony, Zheng Qiu jumped up, screaming that this Huang Jinhu was an imposter. But the crowd in the gallery wasn't having it; people started shouting out, confirming it was the real deal. Seizing the moment, Liu Zhendong grilled the two cops, Wang A'Hui and Cheng Minghao, who had previously lied on the stand. Seeing their whole scheme unraveling, they caved and confessed that Zheng Qiu had coached them to commit perjury.
With the evidence piling up and nowhere to run (or so it seemed), Zheng Qiu went full desperate-villain mode. He grabbed Wang A'Hui as a hostage and managed to escape in the chaos.
Meanwhile, poor Huang Jinhu was clearly on his last legs. He weakly pointed towards the Shanhai Gang's plaque, and Cheng Hui, understanding his unspoken wish, got him back to the gang's headquarters. Moments after arriving, having fulfilled his purpose, Huang Jinhu passed away peacefully.
With Zheng Qiu now a city-wide fugitive, James ordered a massive manhunt. But Liu Zhendong, ever the strategist, quietly warned Gou Wendao that the real threat they should be worried about is James himself. Interesting...
Zheng Qiu, now on the run, met secretly with Long Shiqi, offering protection in exchange for loyalty. And just like that, the Shanhai Gang was officially disbanded and reformed as the Shanhai Company. Liu Zhendong also struck some kind of deal with Governor Wilson.
Even with all these changes, Liu Zhendong was still feeling pretty down. Hong Yan tried to lift his spirits, reminding him that the true essence of the Shanhai Gang was its enduring spirit. As long as that "Shanhai soul" lives on, she said, the Shanhai Gang will always exist in a way. Deep stuff to end a crazy episode!
