Episode Summary
Tie Tou's attempt to organize farmers fails, leading to backlash against him. While the Fei family genuinely reduces rent for their tenants, Ning Xuexiang puts on a public show of doing the same, only to secretly threaten the farmers into keeping their old contracts. This deception creates false hope for some and new conflicts within the Feng family.
Spoiler Alert
This Thriving Land Recap: The Landlord's Gambit
The whole thing kicks off with Tie Tou trying to rally the tenant farmers to confront the big landlord, Ning Xuexiang. But it's a complete bust. Ning Xuexiang's son, Ning Kejin, shows up with his crew of trained fighters and just stands there looking tough. That’s all it takes—the farmers get spooked and scatter, leaving Tie Tou frustrated and his first big move dead in the water.
Meanwhile, Feng Er was nearby, hoping to lend Ning Xuexiang a hand if things got ugly, but since the protest fizzled out, he's left feeling both relieved and a little disappointed. When Ning Xuexiang spots him lurking, he immediately assumes Feng Er is there to laugh at him. He puffs out his chest and boasts that with his son Ning Kejin around, nobody can touch his family. Feng Er just warns him not to get too cocky, because the farmers' association will deal with him eventually. It's only then that Ning Xuexiang realizes Feng Er was actually there to help. He invites him in for a drink, but Feng Er is having none of it and turns him down flat.
The situation gets even more tangled. Ning Xiuxiu, seeing her brother Ning Kejin parading his militia around town, begs him to back off before he gets their father into real trouble. She can't figure out who tipped him off to begin with. It turns out it was Big Foot Feng! He admits he went to Ning Kejin, but his intention was for Ning Kejin to talk some sense into his father, not to start a gang and protect him. A classic, terrible misunderstanding. Ning Xiuxiu, however, is just grateful that he was trying to help her.
Things go from bad to worse for Tie Tou. The landlords retaliate by taking back the land from all the farmers who joined his failed protest. Suddenly, Tie Tou has a mob of angry, landless families at his door, blaming him for everything. His mom has to physically shield him while Big Foot Feng rushes over to calm everyone down.
Later, Big Foot Feng finds a defeated Tie Tou by the river and suggests he get advice from a guy named Fei Wendian. Tie Tou can't stand him, so instead, he takes Big Foot Feng to meet his own teacher, Du Chunlin. This is where we learn that Big Foot Feng is actually a hero who once saved Du Chunlin's life.
While all this is happening, other landowners are making moves. Fei Zuoshi, with her son Fei Wendian's help, decides to actually do the right thing. She calls in all her tenants and gives them what they've been fighting for: reduced rent and permanent tenancy rights.
Seeing this, Ning Susu runs to her father, Ning Xuexiang, and begs him to do the same. He completely loses it, refuses, and has her thrown out. On her way home, she bumps into Fei Wendian, who cheers her up by flying a kite with her and promises to try talking to her father himself.
And now for the main event. Out of nowhere, Ning Xuexiang announces he's also reducing rent and granting permanent tenancy. He sets up a table right in front of Feng Er's house and calls Tie Tou to witness the whole thing. It seems like a huge victory. He even tries to give Feng Er fifteen mu of land as Ning Xiuxiu's dowry. But just as Feng Er reaches for the deed, Big Foot Feng grabs him and pulls him away, leaving the offer on the table.
Everyone is baffled. Why the sudden change of heart? Tie Tou hasn't even shown him the letter from the association leader, Du Chunlin. They figure someone else must have gotten through to him.
But here's the twist: it was all a performance. That night, Ning Xuexiang secretly calls the three farmers who signed the "new" contracts to his house. He forces them to hand back the new deeds and gives them their old ones, threatening to ruin them if they ever tell anyone what he did.
The episode ends on this deceptive note. Tie Tou's mom, one of the lucky few from another landlord, celebrates her new permanent tenancy, and a thrilled Tie Tou believes the fight is finally being won, not knowing that the main enemy just played everyone for fools. And to top it off, Feng Er is now furious with Ning Xiuxiu over the rejected dowry land, creating a whole new mess at home.
