Episode Summary
In "Eternal Brotherhood Season 2" Episode 5, Zichuan Xiu successfully assassinates Lei Hong to avenge Lord Ge. He escapes by taking Princess Kadan hostage, an act she secretly facilitates. The Divine Emperor seizes this opportunity to frame Xiu as a traitor by appointing him as a Grand Governor, successfully turning the Zichuan family against him. Branded a public enemy and stripped of his name and titles by a furious Canxing, Xiu is now hunted by his own people. His loyal followers, the Xiu-zi Camp, refuse to believe he is a traitor and become fugitives themselves. They find a wounded and now-blind Zichuan Xiu. Despite his condition, his men reaffirm their loyalty, renaming themselves the "Fierce Tiger Gang," and Xiu makes the bold decision to return to face the accusations.
<Spoiler Alert
Eternal Brotherhood Season 2, Episode 5 Recap & Spoilers
The episode opens in the immediate, bloody aftermath of Zichuan Xiu’s revenge. Having just cut down Lei Hong, Xiu finds himself surrounded. Cardan, enraged, orders his men to seize him. Zichuan Xiu, however, looks around with a grim sense of satisfaction; even if he doesn’t make it out alive, avenging Lord Ge was worth it.
Just as the two sides are about to clash, Princess Kadan steps forward. In a masterful display of cunning, she publicly berates Zichuan Xiu for killing their warrior, but her words and actions are a clear signal: she wants him to take her hostage. Zichuan Xiu catches on instantly. Yun Qianxue, seeing the princess in peril, dares not make a move and orders his soldiers to back away. Cardan tries to intervene, but Yun Qianxue warns him to stay back. Kadan plays her part to perfection, crying out for help and forcing Yun Qianxue’s hand. He agrees to let Zichuan Xiu go but swears an oath: if any harm comes to Kadan, he will hunt Zichuan Xiu to the ends of the earth and kill him in the most brutal way imaginable. Zichuan Xiu simply smiles and accepts the terms.
Once clear of the enemy camp, Zichuan Xiu’s adrenaline fades, and the severity of his injuries becomes apparent. He starts to lose consciousness, but Kadan supports him, feeding him a medicinal pill. When he comes to, he asks why she saved him. Kadan confesses that she now considers him a friend. She admits that she used to see their people as irreconcilable enemies, but her time in Zichuan territory, especially with Si Yilin and Zichuan Ning, showed her that peace is possible. She can’t understand, however, why someone as smart as him would undertake such a suicide mission to kill Lei Hong. Zichuan Xiu’s answer is simple and unwavering: Lei Hong betrayed Lord Ge, and for that, he had to die.
News of the incident reaches the Divine Emperor, who reprimands Cardan for his incompetence. However, the Emperor sees an opportunity in the chaos. He issues a decree promoting Zichuan Xiu to the rank of Grand Governor, while simultaneously ordering a secret manhunt for him. The move is a calculated political strike designed to paint Zichuan Xiu as a traitor to his own people and sever any chance of his return to the Zichuan family.
The plan works flawlessly. When the forty-three Zichuan prisoners of war are returned, they all testify that Zichuan Xiu has betrayed the family. His sworn brothers, Si Yilin and Di Lin, refuse to believe it. They argue that Xiu fought alongside them at Payi City; if he were going to betray them, he would have done it then. But their voices are drowned out by accusers like Luo Minghai, who insists the betrayal was long-planned, pointing out that Zichuan Xiu’s personal army, the Xiu-zi Camp, has always been loyal only to him, not the state. Di Lin offers to vouch for Xiu’s character, but the argument is cut short when a messenger arrives with the news: Zichuan Xiu has been appointed Grand Governor by the enemy.
The announcement sends the Zichuan court into an uproar. An enraged Canxing strips Zichuan Xiu of all his titles, his military command, and even his family name. He is declared a public enemy, and a kill-on-sight order is issued for him and every soldier in the Xiu-zi Camp.
Meanwhile, Kadan urges Zichuan Xiu to flee before Yun Qianxue’s men can track them down. She asks him to give her regards to Zichuan Ning, but Xiu doubts he will ever see his home again. Soon after he leaves, Yun Qianxue finds Kadan and demands to know where Xiu went. She sends him in the opposite direction.
Far away in Yuanzhou, Zichuan Xiu’s trusted officers, Bai Chuan and Gu Lei, meet with Vice-Commander Lin Bing. They tell her about their separation from Xiu, only for Lin Bing to deliver the devastating news: Zichuan Xiu has been branded a traitor, and the entire Xiu-zi Camp is to be arrested. The three officers refuse to accept it, certain there must be a misunderstanding. Bai Chuan declares that if Xiu truly has turned, she will be the one to personally bring him to justice. Seeing their loyalty, Lin Bing arranges for their "detention" but secretly allows them to escape, trusting Bai Chuan's judgment.
Now fugitives themselves, Bai Chuan decides their best bet is to head for Old Delun, Zichuan Xiu’s hometown, believing he might try to go there. She gives the remaining soldiers of the Xiu-zi Camp a choice: return to the city of Wa Yun, where they might find amnesty and save their families, or stick with their fugitive commander. Many, with heavy hearts, choose to leave for the sake of their loved ones.
Those who remain are a small, loyal band without a leader or a cause. They decide to become bandits, rebranding themselves as vigilantes who will prey on the Northern Tribe to survive. As they prepare to ambush their first target—a Northern Tribe convoy—they make a shocking discovery: inside one of the wagons is an unconscious Zichuan Xiu.
They bring him back to their makeshift camp. When Zichuan Xiu awakens, he is disoriented and terrified, lashing out blindly. His men quickly realize the horrifying truth: he can no longer see. Ever the proud warrior, Xiu tries to play it off, bragging about the blow he took from Yun Qianxue and his triumph in killing Lei Hong. His men play along, but the mood is somber. Aze gently explains their current situation to him.
Overwhelmed with guilt, Zichuan Xiu tells them they were foolish to follow him and orders them to return to Wa Yun and clear their names. But the men of the Xiu-zi Camp refuse to abandon him. They declare their unwavering loyalty, urging him not to lose heart. Barely holding back tears, Zichuan Xiu thanks them. Bai Chuan hands him a crude walking stick carved from a tree branch.
The episode closes with two final, ominous notes. Lin Bing receives a new secret order directly from Canxing: find Zichuan Xiu and execute him on the spot, no report necessary. She understands with a heavy heart that the Zichuan leadership wants to erase him completely. In the bandit camp, the Xiu-zi Camp renames itself the "Fierce Tiger Gang." As they drink and plan to raid military supplies, Zichuan Xiu makes a startling decision: the next morning, they will return to Wa Yun.
