Episode Summary
The opera troupe disbands, leaving Xian Biyun alone and heartbroken. To maintain Ding Yi's cover, he and Gu Yangshan stage a violent falling out, which culminates in them both getting shot and taken to a Japanese army hospital. Xian Biyun reveals the truth about the real Joseph Needham's identity and explains that a comatose Duke is the only reason Ding Yi is still safe. She has created a seven-day window for him to escape by faking a plague at the docks, but he refuses, intent on avenging Hong Yu. The episode ends with the revelation that Takeda is not only growing more suspicious but has also acquired Needham's real medical records.
Spoiler Alert
The Troupe Is Over
The opera troupe is officially done. Long Er just walks away, completely defeated. After he leaves, Xian Biyun finally lets herself fall apart for a moment. She pulls herself together long enough to tell Lao Die to arrange for everyone's escape. She also knows Ding Yi needs to figure out his own exit plan.
The group is scattered. Lao Die tries to give Long Er a poster as a keepsake, but he doesn't take it. It’s a sad end. Xian Biyun wanders through the empty theater. She sees ghosts of the past everywhere. She remembers everyone laughing and messing around. She remembers Hong Yu. Then it all vanishes. The memories bring tears to her eyes. She is now completely alone.
Faking a Firefight
The police have a body from an anti-traitor squad that they plan to use. Takeda, meanwhile, is getting suspicious. He found out Xian Biyun met with an Englishman. He thinks this man might be her source of information. This isn't good. Lao Die hears about a supposed gunfight between Gu Yangshan and Ding Yi at the docks and rushes to tell Xian Biyun.
A Very Convincing Ruse
The gunfight was just an act. But to sell it, Gu Yangshan and Ding Yi start actually punching each other. It’s a good way to let out some real frustration. Gu Yangshan comes clean. He admits he lied to Ding Yi, but his mother is safe and sound at Baima Lake. He tells Ding Yi to hit him as much as he needs to.
Ding Yi eventually runs out of steam. He’s furious and says he'll hold this against Gu forever. But when he sees Gu might have a broken rib, he lets it go. Ding Yi isn't stupid. He knows Gu did all of this for the greater good. Now that he's back, they have to finish the charade. Gu tells Ding Yi to stand up and shoot him. Just then, Takeda gets a call that they've been located.
Gu shoots Ding Yi with a grazing shot. But since Ding Yi has never really fired a gun, Gu has to shoot himself for real. Inspector Li arrives right on cue. He sprays the area with bullets to make it look like a huge battle just happened. Then he puts Gu and Ding Yi into coffins. When the Japanese show up, Li throws a grenade, making it look like he was part of the fight. He then "rescues" a half-dead Ding Yi and presents him to the Japanese, demanding more money for his trouble. The dead body from the anti-traitor squad is there as proof. Takeda buys the whole story. He pays the inspector and takes Gu and Ding Yi to the army hospital.
Hospital Drama and New Plans
Ding Yi wakes up in the hospital from a nightmare. He's muttering that he isn't Joseph Needham. Takeda is right there listening. Ding Yi quickly covers his tracks. Soon after, Xian Biyun rushes to the hospital. She sweeps the room for listening devices before saying a word.
The Real Story of "Joseph Needham"
Xian Biyun lays out the real story. The actual Joseph Needham's father was good friends with a very high-ranking Japanese official, Duke Higashizono-ji. The Duke considered Needham like a son. The lucky break for Ding Yi is that the Duke recently fell into a coma. That's the only reason his cover hasn't been blown yet.
A Seven-Day Deadline
Xian Biyun tells Ding Yi she has bought him one week. She arranged for a shipment of sick chickens to the docks. This created a fake plague outbreak. Imperial Physician Miyamoto's ship can't dock for at least seven days while they investigate. But Ding Yi refuses to leave. He wants to stay and get revenge for Hong Yu.
He tells Xian Biyun he wants to join her cause. She tells him no. She won't accept him if his only motivation is personal revenge. Takeda is still very suspicious of both "Needham" and Xian Biyun. His superior, Colonel Sasaki, orders him to speed up the investigation.
Back in the hospital, Ding Yi and Gu Yangshan make a huge scene. It's all a ploy for Ding Yi to get Gu moved into his hospital room. Ding Yi is now obsessed with killing Takeda within his seven-day window. He even suggests blinding himself to help their mission. Gu is just exhausted by his intensity.
Captain Kobayashi stops by the room. He confirms that Miyamoto is stuck on his ship for seven days. Ding Yi pretends to be furious. Kobayashi then makes a mistake. He lets it slip that Takeda involved the navy. Gu Yangshan immediately picks up on this. It turns out Takeda and Navy Colonel Kumamoto are brothers. Takeda used his brother to try and get Miyamoto off the ship. And worst of all, Takeda has obtained the real Joseph Needham's medical records from England.
