Episode Summary
Fu Hua sacrifices herself to save the fleeing villagers, leading to Wang Mantun adopting her orphaned son. Dawang Village is destroyed by the Japanese army. Amid the chaos, Zhuang Qifeng reunites with Liu Zhumei, and Liu Baisong confesses his feelings to Wang Yu. In Lü Family Village, Sun Yulin and Chen Shouzheng trick the local militia into giving up their arms, then imprison their leader Lü Shicai and take Zhuang Qifeng's mother hostage.
Spoiler Alert
A Hero's Sacrifice
Fu Hua's Choice
The episode kicks off with Zhuang Ziqiang leading Japanese soldiers right to the villagers. He's a full-blown traitor now. Fu Hua is at the back of the group and spots the enemy. She doesn't hesitate. She hides her baby in a safe spot. Then she runs up a hill to warn everyone.
She deliberately runs in the opposite direction to draw the soldiers away. It's a classic, heartbreaking move. The Japanese fall for it completely and chase her. Wang Yu and Wang Mantun get the villagers to safety. Then they rush back for Fu Hua's child.
Fu Hua gets cornered at a cliff. Zhuang Ziqiang tries to get her to surrender. She just rips into him for being a traitor. She refuses to give in and jumps. It's a brutal end. Later, Wang Mantun finds the baby. Next to the child is a bundle with a new coat Fu Hua had sewn. He breaks down completely. He swears to raise the boy as his own son.
The Fall of Dawang Village
Things are just as grim at Wang Weichang's home. The Japanese soldiers are there. They assault his wife and daughter. He grabs a gun to fight back but it's hopeless. They shoot and kill him and his young son. After that, they just burn the entire village to the ground.
A Glimmer of Hope
Old Faces and Awkward Romance
Over in Liu Village, Zhuang Qifeng is holding off the Japanese attacks. He gets called to a meeting with his superiors. He sees Zhou Mi, but also Xiang Qian. Xiang Qian has been promoted to regimental commander.
The biggest surprise for him is seeing Liu Zhumei again. It's been a long time. They finally get a moment alone. Zhuang Qifeng is a complete mess. He's so flustered he can barely speak. He manages to spit out some clumsy line about the moon. It's awkward, but you can tell he's missed her deeply.
Elsewhere, Liu Baisong and Wang Yu finally reunite. He hears about Fu Hua's sacrifice. This seems to push him over the edge. He confesses his feelings for Wang Yu. She feels the same way. But she also admits there's some kind of wall between them.
A New Battle Plan
At the military conference, Xiang Qian lays out his strategy. The Independent Regiment will use a "flanking tactic." They plan to break through the enemy's encirclement. Then they'll fight as a guerrilla force from behind enemy lines.
Liu Baisong picks up on Wang Yu's hesitation. He tells her that he hasn't joined the Communist Party. But he promises he's going to forge his own revolutionary path. He wants to be better than the generation before him.
Betrayal at Lü Family Village
The Trojan Horse
This whole section is a masterclass in scumbag moves. Sun Yulin teams up with County Magistrate Chen Shouzheng. They surround the Lü Family Village. They threaten Lü Shicai, demanding he open the gates. Lü Shiqing, ever the snake, convinces him it's the right thing to do. He says they represent the government. Lü Shicai reluctantly agrees.
Once inside, Sun Yulin gathers the village's self-defense force. He tells them he's giving them an upgrade. They have to turn in their old weapons. In exchange, they'll get new, modern steel guns.
The Trap Springs
The self-defense members are suspicious. They haven't seen their leader, Lü Shicai. Lü Shiqing smooths things over. He lies and says Lü Shicai is in an important meeting. He tells them to hurry up and get their new guns.
The men take the rifles. They look brand new. The magazines are full. Just as they start to feel good about it, Sun Yulin drops the bomb. He reveals he had all the firing pins removed from the guns. He tells them the national army will do the fighting. They should just go back to farming.
Chen Shouzheng has Lü Shicai tied up. He tries to force him to submit. Lü Shicai curses him out. So, Chen Shouzheng executes two district cadres right in front of him. Then he has Lü Shicai imprisoned. To make sure he has total control, he also takes Zhuang Qifeng's mother as a hostage. The episode ends as a cadre escapes the village to bring the terrible news to Zhuang Qifeng.
