Episode Summary
Satoshi Yamashita's plan to fake a last stand is exposed by Zhuang Qifeng, who sets a counter-trap. The Eighth Route Army ambushes the attacking Japanese forces and liberates Gucheng. Lü Ying gets her revenge by capturing Ono alive. Cornered and defeated, Yamashita kills his own officers before committing suicide. In the aftermath, with Japan's surrender, the conflict shifts towards a new struggle between the Nationalists and Communists, and the army reorganizes for the battles to come.
Spoiler Alert
The Set-Up
So, Satoshi Yamashita thinks he's a genius. He comes up with this elaborate fake-out. He calls it the "Jade Shatter" plan. The idea is to make the Eighth Route Army believe he's going to blow up the government mansion. He wants them to think he's all about that samurai code, going down with the ship.
But Zhuang Qifeng is not an idiot. He sees the trick from a mile away. Instead of calling Yamashita out, he decides to play along. He even one-ups him. Zhuang starts publicly planning a big ceremony to celebrate the liberation of Gucheng. It's a total power move.
While all this is happening, Zhuang quietly moves the city's residents to safety outside the walls. He's careful not to cause a panic. He also locks down the city gates. He needs to make sure no Japanese soldiers sneak in. Lü Ying demands a bigger role, and Zhuang actually agrees. He makes her a captain of the Fourth Grand Team, sharing command with Li Deming.
Meanwhile, Yamashita is already popping champagne. He's having a celebration dinner with his officers for the victory he's sure he'll have the next day.
The Battle for Gucheng
At dawn, Yamashita uses his listening devices. He hears Zhuang Qifeng leading his troops in loud, revolutionary songs outside the city. He's smug. He thinks his plan worked perfectly. What he doesn't know is that he's walking right into Zhuang's "empty city" trap.
Yamashita gives the order. Three Japanese bombers roar overhead. His ground troops advance on the city from multiple directions.
This is what Zhuang was waiting for. Qiu Jiasheng's ambush unit is ready. They wait until the main Japanese force is deep inside the kill box. Then they attack. The assault is brutal and throws the enemy into chaos. Yamashita is about to go lead the charge himself when his own soldiers run back, screaming about the ambush. He has no choice but to retreat back to his stronghold.
Lü Ying's Revenge
On another side of the battle, Lü Ying leads her unit and corners Ono. He has nowhere to run. He starts yelling, accusing her and Zhang Zhiping of betraying the Japanese army. Lü Ying is ice cold. She tells him they were always soldiers for the Eighth Route Army. Then, to avenge her husband's death, she captures Ono alive.
Yamashita's Last Stand
Things go downhill fast for the Japanese. The Eighth Route Army uses smoke to find the ventilation shafts for the underground bunkers. Yamashita sees that it's all over. He gathers his last remaining officers for one final banquet.
After a few drinks, he pulls out his gun. He shoots every single one of his subordinates. He then sits alone in his command center. He can't figure out how he lost to opponents like Zhuang Qifeng and Zhang Zhiping. In a final, crazed roar, he detonates the explosives he had planted earlier.
A New Chapter
The battle for Gucheng is won. The city is finally back in Chinese hands. At a ceremony for the new anti-Japanese democratic government, Zhuang Qifeng gives a powerful speech. He declares that no invader will ever touch their homeland again. He calls on everyone, soldiers and civilians, to keep fighting until all of China is free.
The show then jumps forward in time. The Eighth Route Army liberates more and more of Shandong province. On August 13, 1945, the Communist Party establishes the Shandong Provincial Government.On August 15, Japan surrenders. The Japanese and their puppet troops in Shandong refuse to surrender to the Eighth Route Army, using orders from the Nationalist government as an excuse. So, the fighting continues.
By September 1945, Linyi is liberated. The new provincial government moves there. We get some stats. During the eight-year war, the Shandong military and people fought the Japanese over 78,000 times. They killed, wounded, or captured over 530,000 enemy soldiers. The Eighth Route Army in Shandong grew to 270,000 soldiers.
Later, at a military meeting, Zhuang Qifeng analyzes the coming war between the Nationalists and the Communists. He points out that while the Nationalists have better gear, the Communists have the better strategy and the people's support. After the meeting, the army reorganizes. Qiu Jiasheng takes the main force and heads north for a new mission. Zhuang Qifeng stays behind in Gucheng with a smaller force to guard their base.
In the final scene, a pregnant Wang Yu comes to see Qiu Jiasheng off. Zhuang Qifeng watches the troops leave. He thinks about Mao's teaching that the people are the foundation of victory. He understands that winning the hearts of the people is the real key to defeating any enemy.
