Episode Summary
In "Eternal Brotherhood Season 2" Episode 13, Zichuan Xiu heads to the Imperial Capital for supplies, leaving an impersonator to lead his growing army. In the capital, Di Lin returns to his post after a long absence due to his wife's illness, thwarting a power grab by Luo Minghai and impressing Chieftain Can Xing. Meanwhile, Zichuan Ning confronts Si Yilin about his loveless engagement. The episode ends with Zichuan Xiu rescuing a mysterious warrior, Liu Fengshuang, leading to a tense and humorous encounter where both use fake names.
Spoiler Alert
Eternal Brotherhood Season 2 Episode 13: Recap & Spoilers
A King's Gambit and a Capital in Turmoil
The episode opens at the camp of the self-proclaimed "King of Light," where morale is high but resources are critically low. Old Delun excitedly informs the King that soldiers, drawn by his growing fame, are flocking to join their cause. While this is good news, Bai Chuan points out the harsh reality: their food supplies are dwindling fast. She presses the King of Light for a solution, but he—or rather, the man pretending to be him—merely grunts noncommittally from his chair.
Just as Bai Chuan’s patience wears thin, the real mastermind, Zichuan Xiu, walks in. He reveals that he orchestrated the entire charade, using his loyal subordinate Li Nong as a stand-in. To solve their supply crisis, Zichuan Xiu plans a risky trip to the Imperial Capital to procure grain. To maintain pressure on Emperor Lu Di and keep up appearances, he orders Li Nong to continue his impersonation as the King of Light.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital's council hall, political tensions are simmering. Ge Shan, commander of the Inspectorate Division, is furious over Di Lin's extended leave of absence. His absence has brought the Supervisory Office to a standstill, creating a month-long backlog of unresolved cases. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Minghai proposes that he temporarily take command of the Investigation Team to get things moving again. Si Yilin objects but is unable to provide a firm return date for Di Lin, leaving him powerless to stop it. Chieftain Can Xing, seeing no other option, grants Luo Minghai permission to take over. However, the move backfires spectacularly. The Investigation Team, fiercely loyal to Di Lin, refuses to follow Luo Minghai’s orders, making his new authority meaningless.
A Brother's Duty and a Husband's Love
Concerned by the political maneuvering, Si Yilin visits Di Lin personally. He relays the situation with Luo Minghai and warns Di Lin about the growing gossip surrounding his prolonged absence, urging him to return to his post. The reason for Di Lin's absence is his wife, Xiujia, who is gravely ill. Unwilling to let her condition tarnish her husband's reputation, Xiujia puts on a brave face. She sends Di Lin out on a trivial errand for sour plums, then forces herself to get up and work in their shop, trying to appear healthy.
Di Lin sees right through her selfless act. He knows how sick she is and fears for her health, wishing she wouldn't push herself so hard just to protect him from political fallout. The profound love and understanding between them is a rare, touching moment of peace amidst the surrounding turmoil.
Spurred by his wife's sacrifice and Si Yilin's warning, Di Lin formally returns to the Supervisory Office. His return immediately prompts Luo Minghai to complain to Chieftain Can Xing, claiming the entire office is loyal only to Di Lin. To see for himself, Can Xing accompanies Luo Minghai to observe Di Lin training his troops. During the drill, a stray arrow flies past Can Xing. Luo Minghai immediately tries to use the incident to his advantage, suggesting Di Lin be punished for the lapse in safety.
However, Can Xing is not swayed. He is deeply impressed that Di Lin's troops have maintained such a high level of skill and morale, especially after their commander's long break. Di Lin, ever the strategist, accepts blame and asks for punishment. Can Xing, pleased with his display of humility and leadership, issues only a minor fine and publicly praises both Di Lin and Luo Minghai as essential pillars supporting the capital.
Later, Di Lin shows no anger towards Luo Minghai's scheming. He astutely assesses that Luo Minghai is not a malicious man, but simply a poor leader who is better suited to an advisory role. His attention is quickly diverted when a subordinate reports on a new development: a "King of Light" has emerged in the distant province of Yuanzhou a month prior. Intrigued, Di Lin orders his men to monitor the situation closely.
Matters of the Heart and Unspoken Truths
The episode shifts to Zichuan Ning, who is receiving a stack of books from Li Qing. Li Qing informs her she will be tested on the material in one month and also shares news of her own impending wedding. The announcement makes Zichuan Ning pensive, realizing how much her friends have grown up.
Troubled, Zichuan Ning seeks out Si Yilin to confront him about his engagement to Li Qing. She argues that the marriage is unfair to both of them. In a moment of vulnerability, Si Yilin confesses that his heart will always belong to Kadan, but circumstances and duty have forced his hand. He is bound to marry Li Qing. Zichuan Ning defiantly declares that she refuses to be a pawn in a political marriage and will never marry someone she does not love.
Si Yilin looks at her with a mix of envy and understanding. He sees that her anger is not just for him and Li Qing, but also for her own complicated feelings for Zichuan Xiu. He decides to reveal a painful truth: Zichuan Xiu loves her deeply, but he holds back because he feels he is not yet powerful enough to protect her. Si Yilin speaks of the inescapable missions and duties they all bear, words that resonate deeply with a visibly moved Zichuan Ning.
Spoilers: A Chance Encounter and Mistaken Identities
Seeking shelter from a storm, Zichuan Xiu finds himself in a dilapidated temple. His quiet respite is interrupted when he witnesses a woman, Liu Fengshuang, single-handedly fighting off a group of assassins from the Black Tiger Gang. She is a formidable warrior, but she is outnumbered. When one of the assassins resorts to using a hidden weapon, Zichuan Xiu can no longer stand by. He intervenes, swiftly dispatching the attackers and saving her.
His heroism is met with suspicion. Liu Fengshuang, sword drawn, demands to know who he is. But before he can answer, the severity of her injuries catches up to her, and she collapses.
Zichuan Xiu prepares to treat her wounds, expecting a degree of modesty, but is surprised when she removes her outer robe without a second thought. Seeing that her clothes are soaked from the rain, she boldly takes his dry robes for herself, leaving him to shiver in his wet ones. The absurdity of the situation is not lost on him. She irritates him further by calling him "uncle," and he quickly corrects her, insisting "big brother" is more appropriate. When asked for his name, he gives the generic-sounding alias, "Zhang Asan."
Her condition worsens as her wound becomes infected, and she develops a high fever. After Zichuan Xiu gives her medicine, she instinctively clings to him, seeking his body heat to fight off the chills.
The next morning, Liu Fengshuang awakens to find herself nestled against Zichuan Xiu's shoulder. Assuming he took advantage of her, she slaps him across the face. A groggy Zichuan Xiu reminds her of her fever, and a wave of embarrassment washes over her as she realizes her mistake. She quickly apologizes and, hiding her own identity, introduces herself as "Lin Yu." Both are aware the other is using a fake name, but neither presses the issue. As a token of her gratitude, she gives him her valuable jade pendant, which he pockets without ceremony.
The tension breaks as she shares a biscuit with him. They trade light-hearted jabs, with him teasing her unladylike eating habits and her mocking his disheveled appearance. In a flash of pride, Zichuan Xiu strikes a heroic pose, insisting he is normally quite dapper. Their banter is cut short when they suddenly hear the sound of approaching footsteps, ending the episode on a cliffhanger.
