Episode Summary
Gu Yangshan kidnaps Ding Yi to force him to impersonate Joseph Needham. After a tense standoff, Ding Yi finally agrees to the mission when he learns his mother's hometown is under direct threat from a Japanese attack. Xian Biyun, revealed as an underground agent, decides to stay and provide support.
Spoiler Alert
A Forced Partnership
An Offer He Can't Refuse
The episode kicks off with Ding Yi absolutely refusing to leave his acting troupe. He's so stubborn that Long Er just picks him up, throws him in the trunk of a car, and drives him to the train station. It's a pretty clear sign that he's not getting a choice in the matter.
Meanwhile, Gu Yangshan is making some serious power plays. He uses a pile of gold to rent the venue of the rival Meixin Troupe. Then, he has their performance posters plastered all over the Chaosheng Troupe's front door. This causes total chaos. A crowd of angry ticket holders starts demanding refunds.
Right in the middle of this mess, Gu Yangshan shows up to talk to Xian Biyun. He offers her the deed to the theater itself, claiming he's just repaying a debt. Xian Biyun sees right through it. She knows he's after Ding Yi and tells him she won't hand her person over to someone so dangerous. So, Gu Yangshan sweetens the deal. He offers ten boxes of valuable sulfa drugs. He even tells her she can name any price she wants for Ding Yi. Xian Biyun holds her ground. She says it’s not her decision to make. It's a matter for Ding Yi and Gu Yangshan to sort out themselves.
The Kidnapping
Later, as Long Er and Ding Yi are on the road, they get ambushed by a group of masked men. Ding Yi is kidnapped. Xian Biyun immediately realizes this is Gu Yangshan’s work.
This is where we learn a huge secret. Xian Biyun and her foster father are actually underground party members. She secretly meets with her contact, Lao Xiao, to report that Gu Yangshan has taken Ding Yi. She's worried because the mission they have in mind for Ding Yi is incredibly dangerous. She doesn't want him involved in impersonating Joseph Needham.
Gu Yangshan tries to bribe Ding Yi directly, offering five gold bars for his cooperation. But Xian Biyun doesn't trust the military secret service to handle things. She decides she has to stay close to support Ding Yi. She believes both he and the people of Northern Jiangsu deserve to survive.
The Real Stakes
A Battle of Wills
Ding Yi is still not having it. When he sees Luo Han, he complains about his situation. Gu Yangshan isn't giving up, though. He asks his superior for six more hours to convince Ding Yi. The station chief agrees. Gu Yangshan's family is extremely powerful in the region, and nobody wants to get on his bad side.
The conversation between Gu and Ding Yi is intense. Ding Yi is from the Northeast and only fled to Shanghai after the Japanese invasion. He argues that he's just a regular guy. The war has nothing to do with him. Gu Yangshan fires back. He says that by teaching the Japanese in Needham's place, Ding Yi is essentially helping the enemy point guns at their own countrymen.
Ding Yi scoffs at this. He points out that Gu comes from a life of privilege. His father is powerful enough to watch operas with Chiang Kai-shek. He questions if Gu would say the same things if he had to struggle for food like everyone else. Gu doesn't deny his background. But he says his family's motto is to lead from the front. He makes a promise. If there is danger, he will be the one standing in front of Ding Yi.
A Change of Heart
That night, a defeated Ding Yi starts drinking all of Gu Yangshan's liquor in his room. He's interrupted by a radio broadcast. The news report says the Japanese army has just conquered Baima Lake.Ding Yi sobers up instantly. His mother is in Baima Lake, waiting for him to come home and take care of her.
He starts pounding on the door, begging Gu Yangshan to let him go. Gu tells him the hard truth. Baima Lake will likely fall completely within 72 hours. He explains that the most important thing now is to change the Japanese military codes. It's the only way to understand their battle plans and have any chance of saving Baima Lake and its people.
Ding Yi is trapped. He finally understands he has no other choice. He agrees to Gu's conditions. We learn that the real Joseph Needham had already taught Ding Yi a great deal.Now, Gu Yangshan begins to give him more advanced training for the mission. At the same time, Xian Biyun's organization gives her the green light to stay. They agree that breaking Needham's code is vital to the resistance, and she is cleared to help Ding Yi.
