Episode Summary
Zang Hai and Zhuang Zhi Xing team up for revenge, with Zang Hai orchestrating a plan for the notorious playboy Zhuang Zhi Xing to win the Bu Da Qiu tournament to gain his father's favor. Zang Hai enlists the help of Xiang An Tu from the Pillow Tower, convincing her it's a profitable venture, to transform Zhuang Zhi Xing's image. After intense training, Zhuang Zhi Xing surprisingly wins the tournament, becoming famous overnight and pleasing his father, Zhuang Lu Yin. This brings Zang Hai to the attention of the powerful and suspicious Cao Jing Xian, who wants to recruit him. Zhuang Lu Yin warns Zang Hai about Cao Jing Xian's ruthlessness. Cao Jing Xian, egged on by Chu Huai Ming, orders an investigation into Zang Hai's past, sending his adopted son Lu Jin to Qingquan Town. Lu Jin's investigation team is ambushed and killed after they try to send false, incriminating information about Zang Hai. Lu Jin escapes, and Zang Hai, aware of the plot, decides to bide his time before confronting him.
Spoiler Alert
So, Zang Hai and Zhuang Zhi Xing, two guys bonded by their mutual desire for some good old-fashioned revenge, have officially formed an alliance. Zang Hai's got a plan: he wants Zhuang Zhi Xing to win the annual Bu Da Qiu tournament. The idea is that this victory will finally get Zhuang Zhi Xing noticed by Zhuang Lu Yin (his father, presumably, and a man of influence), making him the heir apparent to the Marquis Pingjin's estate. The catch? Zang Hai doesn't exactly have the street cred or the cash to make this happen on his own.
His solution? A trip to the Pillow Tower to see the ever-resourceful Xiang An Tu. Zang Hai lays out his grand scheme to give Zhuang Zhi Xing a complete image overhaul before the tournament. Xiang An Tu literally laughs in his face, basically calling Zang Hai crazy. Why? Because Zhuang Zhi Xing is The Capital's most notorious good-for-nothing playboy. The idea of him being Zang Hai's chosen partner is, well, hilarious.
But Zang Hai is dead serious. Xiang An Tu, ever the businesswoman, starts crunching numbers. To get Eighth Master to whip up a promotional shadow puppet show for Zhuang Zhi Xing and to generate enough buzz around The Capital, it's going to cost a pretty penny. Zang Hai is broke, so Xiang An Tu snatches the jade pendant he wears as a down payment – which, of course, isn't nearly enough. Her solution? Zang Hai himself will have to work off the debt.
Zang Hai, however, is no fool. He turns the tables, pointing out how Xiang An Tu can spin this whole thing into a goldmine. She can sell tickets to Eighth Master's show, run a betting pool on Zhuang Zhi Xing's performance, and if Zhuang Zhi Xing actually pulls off a miracle win, everything he touched, ate, or even bathed in at the Pillow Tower can be marketed as a premium experience. Xiang An Tu wouldn't just break even; she'd make a killing. Still skeptical about Zhuang Zhi Xing's potential, Zang Hai assures her he's already arranged for a tutor to whip the playboy into shape.
Speaking of the devil, Xiang An Tu leads Zang Hai to the main hall, where Zhuang Zhi Xing is living it up with his buddies, Shi Lei and Guan Feng, drinks flowing. Zang Hai, clearly not amused, drags Zhuang Zhi Xing to a dilapidated temple and, in a moment of pure frustration, throws him into an animal pen. He gives him a brutal reality check, reminding him of their mission to avenge his mother. The verbal beatdown works. Zhuang Zhi Xing, finally shaken, swears to train diligently. Getting out of the deep pigsty proves to be his first test; after a few failed attempts, Zang Hai taunts him to climb out of the pig cage. Annoyed, Zhuang Zhi Xing musters his strength and climbs out.
And just like that, the transformation begins. Under the strict guidance of Shi Lei and Guan Feng, Zhuang Zhi Xing endures grueling training. He pushes through the pain and exhaustion, slowly but surely mastering the necessary skills. Two months fly by, and it's tournament day. Zhuang Zhi Xing, looking sharp in his blue team jersey, hits the field with three other sons of officials. Their opponents, the red team, are skilled and quickly score two goals, taunting Zhuang Zhi Xing mercilessly.
Instead of crumbling, Zhuang Zhi Xing channels his anger, rallies his spirits, and starts intercepting the red team's shots. His blue team's morale soars. They work together seamlessly, breaking through the red team's defense and scoring repeatedly. Shi Lei and Guan Feng cheer wildly from the sidelines. Zhuang Zhi Xing fights with increasing ferocity, and with excellent teamwork, they clinch the victory.
Thanks to Eighth Master's shadow puppet show hyping him up, Zhuang Zhi Xing becomes an overnight sensation in The Capital. The gamblers who bet on his team rake it in. Zhuang Lu Yin is overjoyed when he hears the news, though Jiang Xiang and Zhuang Zhi Fu try to downplay it with sarcastic remarks. Zang Hai passionately defends Zhuang Zhi Xing and offers to lead a group to congratulate him. Zhuang Lu Yin decides to go with Zang Hai, seeing it as an opportunity to introduce Zang Hai to some important court officials.
At the tournament grounds, Zhuang Lu Yin heaps praise on his son. Cao Jing Xian arrives, under imperial decree, to present Zhuang Zhi Xing with his award. Zhuang Lu Yin introduces Zang Hai. Cao Jing Xian has heard of Zang Hai's deeds and feels a strange sense of familiarity, wanting to recruit Zang Hai. Zhuang Lu Yin, not keen on losing Zang Hai, just laughs it off.
Cao Jing Xian reads the imperial edict, announcing rewards for Zhuang Zhi Xing and his three teammates. Later, Zhuang Lu Yin privately warns Zang Hai that Cao Jing Xian is ruthless and that once you're in his Du Wei Fu (Supervisory Office), there's no getting out. Not wanting to offend Cao Jing Xian, Zhuang Lu Yin tells Zang Hai to pick some treasures from the family coffers and send them to Cao Jing Xian's residence the next day. This is exactly what Zang Hai wants – an opportunity to get closer to Cao Jing Xian and investigate who his third enemy might be. Zhuang Lu Yin also tells Zang Hai to have the kitchen prepare Zhuang Zhi Xing's favorite dishes as a reward.
Cao Jing Xian, however, isn't easily fooled. He recognizes Zang Hai is no ordinary man, which is why Zhuang Lu Yin was so reluctant to let him go. The more Cao Jing Xian thinks about it, the angrier he gets. He summons Chu Huai Ming late at night. Chu Huai Ming, seizing the opportunity, badmouths Zang Hai extensively and begs Cao Jing Xian to eliminate him. Cao Jing Xian agrees, much to Chu Huai Ming's satisfaction.
That very night, Cao Jing Xian dispatches his adopted son, Lu Jin, to Qingquan Town to dig into Zang Hai's background. He also orders Lu Yan to keep a close watch on Zang Hai in The Capital; if anything suspicious about Zang Hai's identity is confirmed, he's to be killed on the spot.
Lu Jin arrives in Qingquan Town and immediately starts asking an old vegetable seller about Zang Hai's past. The old man gives a flawless, seemingly innocent account. Lu Jin's men spread out to gather more information, but Zang Hai's background appears clean. However, Lu Jin senses Cao Jing Xian's deep distrust of Zang Hai and decides to lie with his companions. They plan to falsely report that Zang Hai's background is problematic and send this false information to Cao Jing Xian via carrier pigeon. The old vegetable seller overhears everything. He signals his people, who surround Lu Jin and his men, and they shoot down the pigeon.
A fierce battle erupts. Lu Jin orders his men to kill everyone. All the Chang Wei (Palace Guards) are killed, leaving Lu Jin alone. The old man and Lu Jin engage in a desperate fight. The old man, gradually losing strength, is struck down. One of his disciples rushes in to fight Lu Jin but is quickly killed. Before dying, the old man manages to release another pigeon to send a message. Lu Jin then finishes him off.
Back in The Capital, Zang Hai learns that Cao Jing Xian suspects him and sent Lu Jin to investigate. He also finds out that Lu Jin's Chang Wei were all killed and Lu Jin is returning to The Capital alone. Zang Hai knows he can't kill Lu Jin now without exposing his own identity, so he decides to wait until Lu Jin is back in The Capital before making his next move.
