Episode Summary
This episode was packed with reveals and betrayals. Liang Jingyuan and Charlie successfully rescue Luo Han, but Luo Han's subsequent lies make Charlie suspicious. We learn Nai Hui is The Duke's illegitimate daughter, and this secret is the reason she turns on Sasaki. She uses information from the imposter Needham (Ding Yi) to have Sasaki's secret base raided. The plan unravels when The Duke wakes up and immediately identifies Ding Yi as a fake. Cornered, Ding Yi confesses everything, revealing he impersonated Needham to get revenge on Sasaki for his sister's death.
Spoiler Alert
The Great Escape Plan
A Deal for a Promotion
Charlie makes a serious promise to Liang Jingyuan. If they can successfully rescue Luo Han, Charlie will get him a promotion. He will request a transfer for Liang Jingyuan to the Hong Kong station. The Station Chief position there has been empty for a while. This is the exact job Liang Jingyuan has always wanted.
Liang Jingyuan points out that Charlie's name is also on the target list. He suggests they should leave together. But Charlie decides to stay. He is determined to kill Sasaki.
The Ruse Works
Liang Jingyuan moves forward with their plan. He calls the Japanese military. He lies and says he has Charlie in custody. He claims Charlie refuses to admit he's a communist. Instead, Charlie demands a face-to-face confrontation with Luo Han. This clever move gets them permission to bring Luo Han out for an "interrogation."
The Truth About Nai Hui
A Secret Past
We learn a lot about Nai Hui's background. Xian Biyun did some digging. She discovered Nai Hui is actually The Duke's illegitimate daughter. He had her with a woman named Assistant Lin while he was stationed in Taiwan. The Duke kept this a secret because of his status.
He wanted to raise Nai Hui well, though. He arranged for Joseph Needham's father to be her math tutor. This is how Nai Hui and Joseph Needham met as children. The Duke specifically told Needham to never call her "Miss Lin." Nai Hui is extremely sensitive about being an illegitimate child.
Sasaki's Fatal Mistake
This brings us to a key moment. When Sasaki called Nai Hui "Miss Lin," he sealed his own fate. That single phrase is what made her decide to kill him. He thought he could use her family history to undermine her. He had no idea he was stepping on the biggest landmine possible.
The Walls Close In
The Rescue and a Suspicious Lie
Liang Jingyuan goes to the prison. Luo Han tells him he already confessed. He blamed everything on Charlie's father, Gu Yangshan. He says Sasaki promised to let him go.
But this was all part of the escape. Liang Jingyuan uses the interrogation as a cover. He works with Charlie to break Luo Han out of custody.
After the rescue, Luo Han lies to Charlie. He doesn't mention his confession. He claims Ding Yi shot at him. He also complains that Liang Jingyuan got a promotion for the rescue, but he got nothing. Charlie listens to this. He feels something is off about Luo Han's story. He starts to get suspicious.
Nai Hui Makes Her Move
Nai Hui meets with the man she thinks is Joseph Needham. She's confused why he's pretending to be The Duke's godson. He tells her it's just a cover. He says he's only doing it to protect himself during the war.
Just then, Nai Hui's people report in. They found out Hashimoto stole Abe's ID badge. He posed as a doctor to get into Edward's office. This is where Edward's finger was pricked by a poisoned file. Hashimoto is also Sasaki's son. Nai Hui remembers seeing someone with a crescent-shaped scar on their finger leaving that office. She puts it all together. She believes Sasaki ordered his son Hashimoto to kill The Duke.
The fake Needham sees his chance. He adds more fuel to the fire. He "remembers" seeing Sasaki destroy a telegram. He suggests Sasaki has his own secret radio to use against Higashizono-ji. This makes Nai Hui furious. She immediately calls the military police.
The Imposter is Exposed
The Duke Wakes Up
The military police raid Sasaki's secret station. They confiscate all the evidence. Nai Hui then confronts Anjing. She demands he hand over Sasaki's letter that tried to frame her. She threatens him with being an accomplice if he refuses. Anjing gives her the letter.
Then, The Duke miraculously opens his eyes. Nai Hui is overjoyed. But the fake Needham gets very nervous. He slowly walks into the room, looking terrified.
The Duke points a finger at Ding Yi. He says, "He is not Joseph Needham." He explains that the real Needham never wanted to come to China. He would never be happy working in a small research institute. It's just not his personality. Ding Yi panics. He pulls out a photograph to defend himself. This is a trap. The photo was taken by Needham's father. Nai Hui had lied and said she took it. Ding Yi didn't know this, and his lie exposes him instantly. Nai Hui orders her men to arrest him. The shock causes The Duke's blood pressure to spike. He needs immediate medical attention.
The Final Confession
Nai Hui uses Xian Biyun's life as leverage. She threatens her to force a confession out of Ding Yi. He finally breaks.
He admits he's not Joseph Needham. He accidentally killed the real one. He took his identity for one reason. He wanted to get close to Sasaki and kill him to avenge his sister. He tells Nai Hui that he is the only one who can get to Sasaki. He can take out her enemy for good. In exchange, he has one condition. He wants Nai Hui to let Xian Biyun go free and unharmed.
