Episode Summary
Zhuang Ziqiang's surprise visit to Wang Weichang's home is thwarted by a clever hostage ruse. Meanwhile, new alliances form as plans are made to turn a puppet army captain, and Zhang Zhiping discovers his adjutant is his new communist contact. Satoshi Yamashita announces a plan to attack Zhou Village, but it's a feint. The real target is Lü Family Village. Forced to lead the vanguard, Zhang Zhiping sacrifices himself by riding into a trap, throwing his own troops into chaos. Yamashita, furious, orders a full-scale artillery and infantry assault, which breaches the village walls and leads to a bloody battle with heavy losses for the defenders.
Spoiler Alert
A Tense Welcome
The episode kicks off with Zhuang Ziqiang making an uninvited house call. He shows up at Wang Weichang's place late at night. This is bad timing. Zhuang Qifeng and his crew are already inside. They quickly grab Wang Weichang's wife and drag her into an inner room. They hold a gun to her head. The message to Wang Weichang is simple. If he makes a wrong move, his wife dies first.
Zhuang Ziqiang walks in and immediately senses something is off. Wang Weichang is sweating, his knuckles are white. He looks terrified. Zhuang Ziqiang starts asking questions. Wang Weichang lies, saying the loud knocking just scared him. He thought it was bandits. His wife helps sell the story. She starts yelling from the other room about the rumors of him and Fu Hua. She screams that if he dares to take a concubine, she'll die right then and there.
The act works. Zhuang Ziqiang seems to buy it. He warns Wang Weichang to stay away from Fu Hua from now on. He also orders him to gather grain and supplies for the Japanese army on a deadline.
Shifting Alliances and New Intel
A Puppet Captain in Play
Just as Zhuang Ziqiang is about to leave, a soldier from the puppet army rushes in with an urgent message. It's a secret report from Lü Family Village. The report says Zhuang Qifeng's district government has set up there. Zhuang Ziqiang immediately rides back to the city to tell his boss, Satoshi Yamashita. Yamashita just scoffs at the news. He tells him to drop the matter entirely.
Elsewhere, Zhuang Qifeng meets up with Wang Yu at a grain-drying yard. Wang Yu has been digging into a puppet army captain named Xing Zongmao. We learn that Xing has an opium habit, but he still has some fight in him. More importantly, his younger brother, Xing Zongsheng, is with the Eighth Route Army. They think there's a good chance they can convince him to switch sides.
A Friend in Plain Sight
Zhang Zhiping gets a visit from his adjutant, Feng Ji, and his wife. During their conversation, Feng Ji casually drops a code phrase. This stops Zhang Zhiping cold. It turns out Feng Ji and his wife are both Communist Party members. They have been deep undercover in the security regiment for years. Their usual contact, a local pastry shop, was compromised. The party ordered Feng Ji to make contact with Zhang Zhiping directly. They agree to meet regularly, using their wives' visits as a cover. Feng Ji also makes it clear he wants to recruit Zhang Zhiping into the party soon.
The Head Fake
Satoshi Yamashita is holding his own secret meeting. He gathers his Japanese and puppet army officers. He announces a plan to wipe out the anti-Japanese forces in Gucheng. The stated target is the Communist 5th District government, which is based in Zhou Village. The attack is set for five days from now.
Zhang Zhiping gets this intel out immediately. He sends the information to Zhuang Qifeng, who reports it to his superior, Zhou Mi. They both think Yamashita's sudden plan feels off, but they can't afford to ignore it. Zhou Mi orders all districts to go on high alert. During the talk, Zhou Mi shares some good news. The 115th Division is sending an independent battalion to create a new base of operations. The battalion commander is Xiang Qian, a former Red Army regimental commander. Zhuang Qifeng is thrilled to hear his old comrade is coming.
The Battle for Lü Family Village
A Traitor's Gambit
Back in Lü Family Village, Zhuang Qifeng can't shake a bad feeling. He keeps going over Yamashita's plan. It just doesn't add up, even though Lü Shicai has prepared strong defenses around the village.
His gut is right. Yamashita isn't going to Zhou Village. He's leading his main force on a secret, nighttime march straight for Lü Family Village.
When the troops are on the move, Zhang Zhiping finally realizes the true target. He hesitates. Yamashita sees it. He orders Zhang Zhiping and his security regiment to act as the vanguard for the assault. The Japanese main army will be right behind them. Yamashita gives a chilling order. Any soldier who retreats will be executed on the spot.
The Real Plan
Zhang Zhiping is forced to lead the charge. On the village walls, Lü Shicai sees him coming. He's furious. He screams at his men to open fire on the "traitor." But Zhuang Qifeng is watching closely and tells him to hold his fire. He notices something strange. Zhang Zhiping is riding his horse directly toward the most obvious traps on the field. Suddenly, Zhang Zhiping and his horse plunge into a deep pit. He's knocked unconscious.
His regiment sees their commander fall and instantly falls into chaos. This is the moment the Japanese were waiting for. They swarm forward. Only then do Zhuang Qifeng and Lü Shicai give the order for the villagers to open fire and defend the walls. Feng Ji leads a few men to rescue the unconscious Zhang Zhiping. Yamashita is enraged by the security regiment's collapse.
The attack on the village is met with fierce resistance. To break the stalemate, Yamashita orders a massive artillery barrage on Lü Family Village. He follows it up with wave after wave of infantry charges. The strategy works. The village wall is blasted open. Japanese soldiers pour through the gap like a flood. Lü Shicai leads the villagers in a desperate, bloody battle. They are completely outgunned. Lü Family Village suffers devastating casualties.
