Episode Summary
The conflict over grain intensifies as Fei Wendian distributes his family's hidden stash to refugees, angering his mother. Ning Kejin returns with a new official title and sides with his father, Ning Xuexiang, to protect their own grain supply, refusing to help the needy. The episode culminates in a tense standoff as Ning Kejin attempts to move the grain at night, only to be physically blocked by his determined sister, Ning Xiuxiu.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 29 of This Thriving Land begins with Ning Xuexiang finding Big Belly Fei giving Yinzi some terrible advice. Fei suggests Yinzi should use her pregnancy to pressure Ning Xuexiang into giving them grain. Ning Xuexiang is furious, gives Fei a piece of his mind, and kicks him out. This, of course, starts a fight between him and Yinzi, and he has to work hard to cheer her up.
Meanwhile, Fei Zuoshi is playing matchmaker. She sends Ning Susu to stay with Fei Wendian, hoping they'll have a child soon. Back at Ning Xuexiang's place, Yinzi is on a hunger strike out of anger. Ning Xuexiang finally caves and agrees to send grain to her family, which gets her to eat again.
When Ning Susu arrives at Fei Wendian's, she mentions her family has no spare grain. Fei Wendian doesn't buy it and goes home to check. His mother, Fei Zuoshi, lies, saying the harvest has been bad for years and she can't collect rent from the tenant farmers. Fei Wendian sees some spilled grain at the gate and gets suspicious. He asks a servant, Xiao Qing, where the grain is hidden, but she stays quiet.
Ning Xiuxiu asks Yinzi to convince Ning Xuexiang to open his granary for the starving refugees, but Yinzi can't help. She knows Ning Xuexiang keeps a close eye on her and she can't get the keys, even though she's aware the granary is full. Ning Xiuxiu then thinks of asking Ning Kejin for help, but he's out of town.
Later, Ning Susu learns from Xiao Qing that Fei Zuoshi hid the family's grain at the pharmacy in two separate trips. Fei Wendian immediately takes a group to the pharmacy to get it. They start distributing the grain to the refugees, with Big Foot Feng and Tie Tou handing out grain while Ning Susu and Ning Xiuxiu serve porridge. Fei Zuoshi shows up, sees what's happening, and decides not to cause a scene, so she just goes home. Things get more complicated when Big Foot Feng overhears Kuomintang (KMT) agents plotting to stir up trouble among the refugees to arrest Communists.
Ning Kejin returns from his trip with big news. His father had sent him to give a gift to an old friend, Lao Bian, who introduced him to the chief of police, Zhao Shizheng. After three days of drinking, Zhao appointed Ning Kejin as the head of the local civil defense bureau. He rushes home to tell his father, but Ning Xuexiang only cares about protecting his grain. Ning Kejin suggests a strategic move: release some grain now to win favor, and he'll pay his father back later. Ning Xuexiang flatly refuses and even demands the guns and ammo he bought be returned. Ning Kejin gives in and agrees to help guard the family's grain.
Just as Big Foot Feng feared, the KMT agents stir up the refugees, falsely claiming the grain they received is mixed with sand. Big Foot Feng arrives just in time and, with the help of the refugees, moves the grain to safety before the agents can interfere.
After securing the grain, Fei Wendian visits his mother. When Fei Zuoshi finds out he gave away all their family's hidden grain, she's furious. Seeing she's okay, he quickly leaves.
Another landowner, Li Junyi, comes to Ning Xuexiang for advice after receiving a notice from the farmers' association. Ning Kejin, now in a position of power, agrees to help protect both Li Junyi's and his father's granaries. When Big Foot Feng asks him to persuade his father and protect the refugees, Ning Kejin brushes him off, saying his new job is more important. Ning Xiuxiu tries to reason with him, but he won't budge.
With Ning Kejin being an obstacle, Fei Wendian decides they'll have to take the grain from Ning Xuexiang's granary by force. Ning Susu even suggests kidnapping Ning Kejin. Ning Xiuxiu thinks that's a bad idea and decides she'll try to get their other brother, Ning Xuewu, to reason with their father.
That night, Ning Kejin tries to secretly move the family's grain. Just as he's about to leave, Ning Xiuxiu, who had come with Fei Wendian, spots him. Fei Wendian sends Big Foot Feng to get the farmers' association to intercept the shipment, while Ning Xiuxiu is tasked with stalling her brother.
Ning Xuewu's attempt to persuade their father fails. Outside, Ning Xiuxiu blocks the truck, demanding Ning Kejin unload the grain. She sits on the hood of the truck and refuses to move, even when her father pleads with her. The episode ends with Ning Kejin forcibly pulling her off the truck.
