Episode Summary
Zhuang Qifeng recovers from his injuries in a mountain hideout, protected by a local family. The patriarch, He Da Shan, sacrifices himself to lead a Japanese patrol away. After the Japanese army carries out a brutal massacre on the surrounding villages, He Da Shan's son, He Xiao Shan, is also killed after he tries to avenge his father. Meanwhile, Lü Shicai is convinced to evacuate his village, and Zhang Zhiping begins sowing dissent among his own men.
Spoiler Alert
Hiding in Plain Sight
A Risky Hiding Spot
We start with Zhuang Qifeng. He's badly hurt and can't move with the army. So, they've stashed him with a local mountain family. He’s staying with He Da Shan and his wife. They seem like good, simple people. They bring food to Zhuang Qifeng and his guard, Lü Yi, every day. They use their own precious grain. He Da Shan keeps warning them not to go outside. Japanese patrols are everywhere.
A Painful Retreat
Elsewhere, Wang Yu is having a tough conversation with Lü Shicai.She lays out the hard facts. He has to evacuate the Lü Family Village. It's the only way to save everyone. He finally agrees, though it clearly guts him to leave his ancestral home. Before they leave, he does two major things. First, he officially incorporates his entire village self-defense force into the Eighth Route Army. Second, he donates all his savings. Half goes to the army for supplies. The other half is for the villagers to use as they escape.
The Price of Protection
A Hero's Sacrifice
He Da Shan makes his usual food delivery to Zhuang Qifeng. While he's standing watch outside the hideout, he spots a Japanese patrol. To keep them from finding the wounded soldiers, he makes a choice. He deliberately makes noise to draw the patrol away from the cave. The soldiers chase him. They shoot him in the legs and then kill him. It's a cold, senseless murder.
That night, his wife, He Da Niang, buries him with the help of their son, He Xiao Shan. She's heartbroken but her resolve is iron. She tells her son he must continue taking food to the soldiers. She also gives him a strict order. He cannot tell them his father is dead. If they ask, he is to say his father went away on a business trip to sell medicine.
The "Three Closures"
Back in the village, Satoshi Yamashita gets a report. Most of the villagers have fled. Only a few people are left. He doesn't hesitate. He immediately orders the "Three Closures" policy to be implemented. The Japanese army sweeps through the surrounding villages. What follows is a complete bloodbath. They slaughter everyone they find, including women, children, and the elderly. They steal all the livestock and grain. The famous Sand River jujube forest is burned to the ground.
Wang Yu and Liu Zhumei manage to visit Zhuang Qifeng. They tell him everything. The villages south of the Yellow Sand River are gone.The Japanese even vented their anger on villages that were formerly under Chen Shouzheng's control. They tried to force people to move north, across the river. Anyone who refused was killed and had their house burned down. Zhuang Qifeng is filled with rage and grief. He swears he will reclaim their homeland.
The Aftermath
Seeds of Rebellion
Lü Ying is sick with worry until her husband, Zhang Zhiping, comes home. He tells her that her father, Lü Shicai, got away safely. She's relieved, but then she hears about the massacre at her home village. The news completely shatters her. Zhang Zhiping tells her he did something strategic. He took two of his captains who still have a conscience to see the massacre site. They saw the destruction and wept. He believes this will help turn them against the Japanese later. He's also been using traditional rituals, like becoming sworn brothers, to build loyalty with his men. It's all part of the plan to fool the enemy.
A Son's Revenge
He Xiao Shan takes over his father's duty of delivering food. On his way one day, he sees a wild boar in the woods and raises his rifle. Just before he fires, he catches sight of a Japanese patrol. He quickly aims up and shoots a bird in a tree instead.
The gunshot gets the soldiers' attention. They aggressively question him, asking if he's seen a man gathering herbs. During the questioning, they admit to killing his father, He Da Shan. He Xiao Shan snaps. He raises his rifle and shoots the lead Japanese officer. He's quickly overwhelmed and killed.
His mother, He Da Niang, now has to bear the loss of her husband and her son. She goes to the cave to pick up the empty food bowls, just like always. She lies to Zhuang Qifeng. She tells him that He Xiao Shan went with his father on the business trip. Zhuang Qifeng can see something is terribly wrong in her eyes, but no matter how many times he asks, she won't tell him the truth.
