Episode Summary
Exiled noble Zheng Ping'an learns from the Left Chancellor's agent, Yun Qing, that the powerful Right Chancellor was truly responsible for his father's death. Tasked with investigating a ten-year-old conspiracy involving a fire at the Whale-Riding Tower, Zheng Ping'an agrees to probe the local Prefect, He Youguang, who is tied to the case. Meanwhile, Li Shande, struggling to find a way to preserve the lychees, decides he must acquire faster horses. The episode culminates in a tense banquet where He Youguang tries to expose Zheng Ping'an, but Zheng cleverly turns the tables by claiming he is there to "supervise" the Prefect on the Right Chancellor's orders.
Spoiler Alert
The Litchi Road Episode 9 Recap: The Ghosts of Lingnan
A man’s past is never truly buried, and in Lingnan, it has a way of coming back to haunt you. This week, the tangled webs of conspiracy tighten around both Zheng Ping'an and Li Shande, as a ten-year-old mystery is unearthed and a deadly political game plays out over fine wine.
A Humiliating Past, A Burning Future
We open on the painful history of Zheng Ping'an, a man from the noble Zheng Clan of Xingyang. His current life is a world away from his aristocratic roots; his father was framed for refusing to align with the powerful Right Chancellor, leading to the family's disgrace and Zheng Ping'an's exile to the southern frontier of Lingnan. To survive, he performs the energetic "Hu Xuan" dance in a local tavern, his face hidden behind a mask, a symbol of his lost identity. The humiliation is driven home when old acquaintances recognize and mock him publicly. As he stoops to pick up the coins tossed his way, the shame is a poison in his veins, but it's this very poison that will soon fuel a quest for vengeance.
An Emissary's Last Breath
The political machinations of the capital cast a long shadow over Lingnan. A Liang, a secret envoy for the Right Chancellor, arrives mortally wounded at the Gaozhou post station, hunted by the Left Chancellor's formidable agent, Yun Qing. Zheng Ping'an, who is currently impersonating a man named Ma Guiyun, watches with bated breath, terrified that A Liang will expose his charade. But fate intervenes. With his dying breath, the emissary only manages to gasp, "Gui Yun, come back," before expiring. Seizing the opportunity, Zheng Ping'an swiftly retrieves a secret letter from the dead man's robes, his false identity secure for now.
The Whale-Riding Tower Conspiracy
Yun Qing, seeking to recruit Zheng Ping'an to the Left Chancellor's cause, delivers a bombshell: it was the Right Chancellor, not his political enemies, who was truly responsible for the death of Zheng Ping'an's father.With this revelation, Zheng Ping'an's quest for honor transforms into a raw desire for revenge. Yun Qing proposes an alliance, suggesting they start by taking down the local Prefect, He Youguang, a man with deep and bloody ties to the Right Chancellor.
The story rewinds ten years to a bustling Lingnan, where a sea merchant named Hai Hu was raising capital for a new fleet through a popular investment scheme called the "Hai Fan Chou." Business was booming, with foreign merchants holding court at the magnificent Whale-Riding Tower. Then, a sudden, mysterious fire engulfed the tower, killing Hai Hu and turning the "Hai Fan Chou" investments into worthless ash. Out of the ashes rose He Youguang, who used the chaos to align himself with the government and begin his climb to power. Yun Qing reveals her suspicion that He Youguang deliberately set the fire to silence Hai Hu and that he has been in league with the Right Chancellor ever since. The Left Chancellor's previous investigator, Song Wuji, was killed while looking into this very case. Now, Yun Qing tasks Zheng Ping'an with restarting the investigation under the cover of his new identity as the Right Chancellor's man. Zheng Ping'an agrees, his path now set on a collision course with the most powerful men in the region.
Troubles at the Inn
While Zheng Ping'an is drawn deeper into political intrigue, Li Shande faces a more immediate crisis: money. The post station master demands payment for lodging, but Li Shande is penniless, having reserved Su Liang's loan entirely for the lychee transport mission. Zheng Ping'an is forced to cover the costs, his own savings dwindling fast. When pressed by a concerned Li Shande, Zheng Ping'an confesses his revenge plot. Though worried, Li Shande lends him what little money he can spare. The weight of their separate burdens grows heavier when Li Shande receives a letter and an embroidered handkerchief from his wife, Xiu'er, a painful reminder of the home he desperately wants to return to.
The Race Against Time
The lychee preservation problem remains unsolved. After another failed experiment, Li Shande makes a risky decision: if he can't extend the lychees' freshness, he must drastically shorten the journey. This means acquiring faster horses. At the market, however, the price of quality steeds is far beyond his reach. The tension of the moment is broken by a brief, sharp exchange between Yan Yazhuang and A-Tong, as the former's jealousy over A-Tong's clear admiration for the focused Li Shande boils over.
A Dinner of Deceit
He Youguang, suspicious of why the "Right Chancellor's envoy" is lingering in Lingnan, invites Zheng Ping'an to a banquet. It's a classic trap. Under the guise of tasting fine lychee wine, He Youguang and his associate Zhao Xinmin ply Zheng Ping'an with what his servant, Gou'er, recognizes as potent "Bing Yu Shao" liquor. As Zheng Ping'an feigns drunkenness, He Youguang springs his question: what was in the Right Chancellor's secret letter? With cunning clarity, Zheng Ping'an slurs a two-word reply: "To supervise." He implies his mission is to personally oversee He Youguang's operations. The answer brilliantly turns the tables, placing the Prefect on the defensive. He Youguang is forced to play along, promising to cover all of Zheng Ping'an's expenses, but his fury is palpable. The battle lines in Lingnan have been drawn.
Spoilers & Key Takeaways:
- Vengeance is Born: The truth about his father's death has given Zheng Ping'an a powerful new motivation. His personal quest is now intertwined with the high-stakes political war between the two Chancellors.
- A Ten-Year-Old Cold Case: The Whale-Riding Tower fire is the key to unraveling the conspiracy between He Youguang and the Right Chancellor. Zheng Ping'an's investigation will put him in immense danger.
- The Lychee Gambit: Li Shande is betting everything on speed. His desperate plan to acquire faster horses is his last, best hope for succeeding in his impossible mission.
- The Supervisor: Zheng Ping'an's quick thinking at the banquet has bought him time and power. By positioning himself as an overseer, he can now investigate He Youguang openly, but this also makes him a much more direct threat.
