Episode Summary
In "The Litchi Road" Episode 16, Li Shande's lychee preservation experiment faces a series of disasters, including an assassination attempt, severe storms, and a mudslide that blocks the path to Chang'an. The team overcomes these obstacles through a desperate relay system. A major breakthrough occurs when Li Shande discovers that keeping lychees on the branch extends their freshness to eleven days. However, just as this new hope emerges, the mission's merchant backers consider withdrawing their funds. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as the foreign merchant Su Liang bets his entire fortune on Li Shande, forcing a decisive vote among the investors.
Spoiler Alert
"The Litchi Road" Episode 16 Recap & Spoilers: A Desperate Relay
With the deadline looming in the bitter cold of Chang'an, Li Shande's lychee preservation experiment faces its darkest hour. The transport is beset by assassination, torrential rains, and mudslides, forcing the team into a desperate relay to push through. Just as a breakthrough in preservation seems possible, the entire mission is threatened when the merchant caravan considers pulling its funding. In a climactic moment, the foreign merchant Su Liang gambles his entire fortune on Li Shande, leaving their fates hanging by a thread.
A Somber Night at Ba Bridge
The episode opens on a cold night at Ba Bridge, where Li Shande, Han Shisi, and the famed poet Du Fu share wine by a fire. In a drunken haze, Du Fu recounts a harrowing tale of an old soldier he met, a man who narrowly escaped death on the battlefield. The story leaves the three men in a long, heavy silence, contemplating the fragility of life in such chaotic times. The conversation casts an ominous shadow over the mission to come.
Murder on the Trail
The lurking danger soon materializes. On the road, Captain Yang, under orders from the scheming Zhao Xinmin, ambushes Yan Yazhuang. Yan Yazhuang is thrown from his horse and nearly killed, but Lin Yinu and his men arrive in the nick of time to fight off the assassins. Though injured, Yan Yazhuang's first thought is for the lychees. Understanding the urgency, Lin Yinu grabs the bamboo basket and sprints into the wilderness, passing it off to Lan Ge, who continues the relay on horseback, racing toward Chang'an.
Standoff at the Little East Gate
When Lan Ge arrives with the grim news that his horse died from exhaustion, Li Shande is frantic.At this tense impasse, A Mi Ta makes a timely appearance. Cleverly invoking the name of He Youguang, she "gifts" fresh horses and riders to the cause, forcing Captain Yang to back down. Li Shande seizes the moment, loudly declaring that the experiment will proceed.
Hope and Rot in the Downpour
On the fifth day, a severe rainstorm hits. As Li Shande anxiously waits at the Little East Gate, even He Youguang arrives to witness the outcome. A Mi Ta and Yan Yazhuang finally return with three baskets, but the news is grim: two are filled with rotten fruit. However, one basket remains perfectly preserved. From this, Li Shande deduces that using lychees at varying stages of ripeness can stagger their decay, extending the window of freshness. With this small spark of hope, Lan Ge is immediately sent back on the road.
A Treacherous Cliffside Crossing
The relentless rain triggers a massive mudslide, completely blocking a key mountain pass. Lan Ge barely escapes with his life to report the disaster. Li Shande dispatches A-Tong and the Dong people to attempt repairs, but a new, more daring plan is hatched. Lan Ge will carry the lychees to the edge of the impassable cliff; from there, Lin Yinu will carry the basket on his back, climbing across the treacherous, unstable rockface. On the other side, A Mi Ta will be waiting with a horse to race back to the city. While the Dong people risk their lives to clear debris, Lin Yinu scrambles over falling rocks, finally making the perilous transfer to A Mi Ta.
A Breakthrough on the Final Day
The seventh day arrives, marking the end of the experiment. With trembling hands, Li Shande opens a test jar, tastes a lychee, and promptly faints. The onlookers assume total failure and begin to disperse. But the key to success comes from an unexpected source: a little girl who had taken a lychee with its stem still attached and "planted" it in a flowerpot. Seven days later, it is still perfectly fresh. Li Shande awakens to this revelation, ecstatic. He realizes that keeping the lychees on the branch can extend their freshness to an incredible eleven days.
The Merchants' High-Stakes Gamble
Just as the scientific hurdle is cleared, a financial crisis erupts. A Mi Ta convenes an emergency meeting of the foreign merchants, where Su Liang's proposal for further investment is shot down. Li Shande bursts into the meeting, holding the potted lychee as proof of his new method. Zheng Ping'an voices his support, but the mood sours again with news that the main post road is flooded, adding a two-day detour to the already impossible journey. As another merchant, Hadi, scoffs at the mission's chances, Su Liang makes a stunning move. He pushes his entire fortune to the center of the table and declares, "I believe in Li Shande!" As the other merchants erupt in shock, A Mi Ta calls for a vote to decide the fate of the entire venture.
