Episode Summary
Lao Shandong's attempts to reunite his old unit are met with resistance from his comrades' families. Tang Deyuan avoids him out of guilt, while Tian Xiaogui's father tries to force him to stay home. Meanwhile, Hua'er learns she is pregnant with Xiao Baima's child but still wants to return to the fight. To solve their lack of weapons, Lao Shandong and Tian Xiaogui execute a clever plan, tricking Tian's father into buying a supply of guns for them under the pretense of defending the family home from bandits.
Spoiler Alert
Getting the Band Back Together is Tough
First Stop: Tang Deyuan's Place
Lao Shandong's first attempt is with Tang Deyuan. He shows up at the family home, but Tang's father answers the door. The dad clearly doesn't want his son going back to war. He lies, saying Tang isn't home, and quickly sends Lao Shandong on his way.
Of course, Tang Deyuan was there the whole time. He was hiding in the back room. Later, he's in the city and spots Lao Shandong from a distance. You can just feel the guilt. Tang buys him a bowl of noodles through the stall owner and then disappears before he can be seen. Lao Shandong just eats, not knowing who it's from. It's a heavy scene.
Next Up: Tian Xiaogui
The next stop is Tian Xiaogui's house. It's almost a repeat of the last visit. Tian's father tries to send Lao Shandong away. But this time, Tian Xiaogui hears the shouting and comes out. He's actually happy to see his old comrade.
His father pulls him aside. He wants Tian to stay home and take over the family business, not run off to fight. He gets so desperate he even tries to kneel. Tian is obviously torn. Lao Shandong sees this and gives him three days to make a choice.
Life at the Fortress
Hua'er's New Normal
Hua'er is settling into her new life at the mountain fortress with Xiao Baima. Life is pretty good. Xiao Baima treats her well, and his men see her as family. But she can't stop thinking about her old unit. She keeps wondering if Lao Shandong made it to their rendezvous point.
She gets to talking with the second-in-command. He tells her why he's there. Japanese soldiers killed his mother, so he tracked one down and killed him. He had to flee and ended up with Xiao Baima's crew. Hua'er uses this to encourage him to join the fight against the Japanese, and he's all for it.
A Big Surprise
There's a bit of drama when Xiao Baima goes to settle a score with a guy named Liu Heihu. Apparently, Liu's men beat up the second-in-command, and Liu isn't sorry at all. He even lets his dog bite Xiao Baima.
While Hua'er is patching up Xiao Baima's wound, she suddenly faints. They call a doctor, and the big news is revealed. She's pregnant with Xiao Baima's child. He is absolutely thrilled.
A Clever Plan for Guns
Tian Xiaogui Makes His Choice
The three days are up. Lao Shandong goes back for Tian Xiaogui. A servant lies and says he left the day before. The truth is much darker. Tian's father actually drugged him and locked him in a room.
But you can't keep a good soldier down. Tian Xiaogui escapes and runs to catch up with Lao Shandong. He's decided to rejoin the fight. They have a new problem, though. They need guns.
Tricking Dad
Lao Shandong has some money from selling ginseng, but they need more firepower. Tian Xiaogui has an idea. His father has armed guards, so he must have a way to get guns. The problem is getting him to help.
So, they come up with a plan. It's pretty brilliant, actually.
Lao Shandong goes to Hua'er for help. He asks Xiao Baima to send a few men to the Tian house to pretend to be bandits. They shoot the place up a bit, making it look like a real robbery attempt.
Tian Xiaogui uses the "attack" to tell his father they need more guards and more guns. He even offers to train the new recruits. His dad is still on the fence.
The next morning, they find dead animals in the yard, including a pig with its head missing. Tian blames the "bandits" again. Later, his father walks into his room and finds the pig's head hanging on the wall. That finally terrifies him enough. He agrees to buy more guns and hire more men.
Tian Xiaogui immediately reports back to Lao Shandong. The plan worked perfectly. He will give all the new guns his father buys directly to Lao Shandong.
