Episode Summary
Qiu Jiasheng and Wang Yu get engaged with a bullet necklace. The advance team ambushes and kills the bandit leader Erheitou, but Wang Tiezhu dies in the fight. A double wedding is held for Wang Yu, Qiu Jiasheng, Liu Zhumei, and Zhuang Qifeng, who dedicate their marriage to the war effort. Finally, the soldiers launch a costly but successful assault on the heavily fortified Dongjizhen stronghold, paving the way for the final attack on Gucheng.
Spoiler Alert
A Bullet Necklace and a Bandit Hunt
This episode kicks off with some relationship drama. Wang Yu is waiting for Qiu Jiasheng in her room. She's clearly mad about something. He shows up with a marriage application. Then he gives her a necklace he made himself from a bullet casing. It's his version of an engagement ring. That move turns her anger right around. She insists on a kiss, and he agrees. They promise to make up for lost time later. It ends with them hugging. A tough but sweet moment for these two.
Taking Down Erheitou
Zhuang Qifeng sees that his special advance team is ready for real action. He gives the order to go after a bandit leader named "Erheitou" Li Shaotang. But Erheitou has good sources. He gets tipped off just before the trap closes. He and his closest guys escape through a hidden sewer. He thinks he's home free because he knows the terrain so well. He is wrong. Wang Yu, Wang Mantun, and other elite soldiers are waiting for him right where he comes out.
A big gunfight breaks out. Wang Tiezhu gets shot in the stomach. Before he dies, he hands his gun to Wang Mantun. He tells him to give it to Zhuang Qifeng. At the same time, the cavalry cuts off Erheitou's escape route. An enraged Wang Mantun uses his rifle butt to beat Erheitou senseless. He then tells Zhuang Qifeng that Wang Tiezhu is dead. The soldiers are furious. They want to execute the bandit leader on the spot. But Zhuang Qifeng insists on following the rules. Erheitou must be taken back for a public trial. Just then, Erheitou makes a move to attack Zhuang Qifeng. Zhuang Qifeng reacts instantly and kills him.
A Wartime Wedding
The story jumps forward to 1944. The world is changing. Soviet forces are pushing into Eastern Europe. The Allies have landed at Normandy. In China, the Communist-led armies are starting to push back against the Japanese. The base at Gucheng is now completely connected and secure.
After the fighting, Wang Yu and Liu Zhumei decide to have a double wedding on the same day. Qiu Jiasheng and Zhuang Qifeng try to keep it quiet, but news of the wedding spreads like wildfire. When the two couples ride their horses to the village entrance, a huge crowd of locals is there to greet them. They have to get off their horses and into traditional wedding sedan chairs. The crowd carries them into the county government courtyard for the ceremony.
Zhuang Qifeng gives a speech to the crowd. He explains why the couples are getting married in their military uniforms. This union isn't about settling down to a quiet life. It's about fighting side-by-side to drive out the Japanese. During the ceremony, the couples bow to heaven and earth. They also salute a portrait of Mao Zedong and Zhu De, and then they salute the villagers. Zhuang Qifeng makes a special point about thanking the common people. He says they are the real parents that revolutionaries should honor.
The Battle for Dongjizhen
To clear the last major obstacle before taking Gucheng, the advance team targets the Dongjizhen stronghold. This is the largest Japanese fortress outside the city. It's a maze of blockhouses and strong defenses. It looks almost impossible to attack. Before the battle, the soldiers all write their names on slips of paper. They are preparing to die. Qiu Jiasheng is heartbroken but stays firm. He orders every single soldier to come back alive.
The attack starts in the middle of the night. The soldiers charge the "iron wall" fortress. They crawl through live fire and cut through layers of barbed wire. They push toward the blockhouses through a storm of bullets. Men fall constantly. Some carry explosives and blow themselves up to destroy enemy positions. Others use their own bodies to shield their comrades from bullets. Lü Yi gets shot several times but refuses to stop fighting. He finally dies from the massive recoil of a sniper cannon he is firing. After a brutal fight, the soldiers capture the main fortress. They have taken Dongjizhen. The final battle for Gucheng is about to begin.
Back in Gucheng, Yamashita Satoshi gets a bad feeling. He hasn't heard from the Dongjizhen stronghold. Ono suggests sending reinforcements immediately. But Zhang Zhiping talks him out of it. He warns that if their main force leaves, the Eighth Route Army could attack the now-vulnerable city. Yamashita hesitates. He decides to wait until morning before sending any troops.
