Episode Summary
In short, a failed Japanese raid leads to a complex counter-intelligence plot. Zhang Zhiping is tested, turns the tables on his enemies, but is ultimately captured by the cunning Yamashita. With their key informant in jail, Feng Ji devises a high-stakes plan to ensnare a different official.
Spoiler Alert
The Ambush at Cui Village
So, Yamashita is furious that his troops are stuck in Cui Village. He decides on a rescue mission. It's a classic night raid. He pulls together a few hundred soldiers and puts an officer named Ono in charge.
The plan is supposed to be top secret. Yamashita only tells Zhang Zhiping to be ready to provide support. He doesn't give him any of the real details. That was a mistake. Zhang Zhiping immediately knows something is up. He meets with Feng Ji, and they agree the intel has to get out.
The message gets to Zhuang Qifeng. He links up with Zhou Mi and Liu Baisong. It turns out Liu Baisong already has a perfect plan to deal with the attack. When Ono leads his troops into the village that night, they walk straight into a trap. The Japanese forces get hit hard and suffer major losses.
A Trap is Set
The failed raid makes Yamashita paranoid. He's now convinced there's a Communist spy network inside Gucheng City. His number one suspect is Zhang Zhiping.What he doesn't know is that Zhang Zhiping has secretly joined the Communist party.
To test his theory, Yamashita sets a trap. He gets a captain named Liu Pengju to pretend he's a revolutionary. Liu Pengju approaches Zhang Zhiping. He claims he has connections to the 8th Route Army and tries to trick Zhang Zhiping into planning an uprising.
Zhang Zhiping isn't fooled. He publicly tells Liu Pengju to get lost. But in private, he immediately reports the whole strange encounter to Zhuang Qifeng.
The Counter-Play
Zhuang Qifeng does his homework. He has Zhou Mi check out Liu Pengju. They quickly confirm the guy has zero connection to the party. This whole thing is a test from the Japanese.
So, Zhuang Qifeng decides to turn the tables. He tells Zhang Zhiping to play along. The new goal is not just to survive the trap, but to drag the traitor Zhuang Ziqiang into it.
Zhang Zhiping goes to Zhuang Ziqiang. He "casually" mentions how suspicious Liu Pengju is acting. This works perfectly. Zhuang Ziqiang and Liu Pengju now both think the other is a Communist spy. They each start plotting to arrest the other, which causes total chaos within the Japanese ranks. Zhuang Ziqiang even pretends to defect to get close to Liu Pengju, but the Japanese arrest him on the spot. Both men are thrown in jail and tortured. Under pressure, Zhuang Ziqiang starts naming names, creating panic among the collaborators.
The Tables Turn
Yamashita gets back from a meeting and sees right through the chaos. He realizes it was a counter-espionage plan by the Communists. He orders Zhuang Ziqiang released and has Zhang Zhiping arrested instead.
When Lü Ying, Zhang Zhiping's wife, hears the news, she wants to storm the jail to rescue him.Feng Ji and his wife manage to stop her. Feng Ji reminds her about party discipline and gives her a better idea. She should gather all the other officers' wives and go protest at the county government office. They can pressure the magistrate, Li Mingjing, to release her husband.
A Desperate New Plan
Feng Ji reports everything to Zhuang Qifeng, who admits he seriously underestimated how clever Yamashita is. With Zhang Zhiping in jail, they have no intel on the enemy's next move.
While Zhang Zhiping endures torture without breaking, Feng Ji gets desperate. He comes up with an extremely dangerous plan. It's a plan that could easily get him killed. His wife finds out and decides she'll face the risk with him.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Li Mingjing is trying to avoid the protesting wives. He has sensitive meeting documents with him that he can't take home. He decides to hide out at the security regiment headquarters. He has no idea he's walking right into Feng Ji's new trap.
