Episode Summary
Ren Suning interviews a KMT officer who reveals the harsh realities of the war and Chiang Kai-shek's poor leadership just before he is killed in action. Her subsequent article inspires many but also draws negative attention from KMT officials. Li Kenong introduces her to General Ye Ting, who confirms that Chiang is sabotaging his own armies. Meanwhile, the "Salvation Daily" becomes incredibly popular, and Ba Jin performs an act of charity for a fellow writer's family.
Spoiler Alert
A Tale of Two Plays
This episode opens with a battle of the arts. The Communist Party's play, "One Year," is a huge success. It gets people talking. So, the Nationalist Party (KMT) decides to fight fire with fire. They stage their own play called "The Battle of Taierzhuang." This was a real, major victory for the KMT against the Japanese. It's a smart move for morale.
I've got to hand it to Li Kenong. He's playing the long game here. He tells Xia Yan and the other writers to help promote the KMT's play. The idea is to build up the Nationalists' confidence to fight Japan. It’s all part of keeping the shaky United Front together. Everyone needs to believe they can win.
On the Front Lines with Ren Suning
The United Front is looking pretty fragile, though. We learn that Chiang Kai-shek is holding back his best troops. He sends weaker units to the front lines. Then he's slow to send reinforcements. This is causing a lot of anger within his own military. Guys on the ground are starting to resent each other.
The Doomed Commander
Ren Suning gets a raw look at this reality. She's at the front, trying to interview a KMT officer named Lu Zhenming. He's a tough guy. He really doesn't want to talk to her. She pushes, and he finally explains why. He snuck off to war without telling his wife.
His story is brutal. He arrived at this post with over 800 soldiers. Now, there are only about 80 left. They've been holding this position for more than ten days. Today is the last day. Lu Zhenming knows the enemy is about to launch a massive final attack. He looks at his few remaining men. He's sure none of them will survive.
He tells Ren Suning he isn't a hero. He says the real heroes are the soldiers who died. Many of them don't even have names on their graves. He also shares that he's an orphan. He married into his wife's family, but the Japanese bombed and killed his father-in-law and brother-in-law.
A Final Stand
Ren Suning is about to ask where his wife is. She never gets the chance. The enemy attacks. Lu Zhenming immediately grabs his weapon and leads his men into the fight. He dies bravely in the trenches a short time later.
His small unit held off the enemy for weeks. They bought precious time for an entire village of civilians to evacuate. They also gave the main forces time to prepare for the next assault. After seeing all this, Ren Suning goes back and writes about it. Her article is powerful. It describes the horror of the front lines but also calls on all Chinese people to unite and fight. It's not about politics. It's about survival. Even a local official, Huang Xuchu, is moved by her words.
The Political Fallout
A General's Frustration
Li Kenong takes Ren Suning and Xia Yan to meet a key figure. His name is Ye Ting. He's a general and the Fourth Chief of Staff for the New Fourth Army. This guy is a seasoned military leader. He's also completely fed up with Chiang Kai-shek. He's tried to resign several times.
Ye Ting does not hold back. He tells Ren Suning exactly what's going on. Chiang Kai-shek is actively hostile to the Communists, even while supposedly fighting Japan. The general says Chiang is deliberately breaking his army up into small, isolated units. This makes them weaker. It ensures they'll get wiped out in battle, which is exactly what Chiang wants.
The Power of the Press
The "Salvation Daily" newspaper is a massive hit. Its reports from the front are essential reading. The paper sells out so fast that it becomes a collector's item. It's become a source of strength for people.
This success makes the local KMT secret police very nervous. A spy chief calls in Liu Hancao, an official from the political department. He warns Liu not to let the Communists win the war for public opinion. But Liu is a smart operator. He knows anti-Japanese feelings are running high in the region. His own boss, Bai Chongxi, is pushing for resistance. Liu can't openly move against the newspaper right now. He just tells the spy chief he'll handle it, buying himself some time.
A Small Act of Kindness
The episode also gives us a quiet, human moment. We see the writer Wang Luyan. He's so focused on his creative work that he can't support his three children. His income from royalties is just too small.
Ba Jin and his fiancée, Xiao Shan, see Wang Luyan's wife in the street. She's trying to buy rice noodles but can't afford them. So, Ba Jin and Xiao Shan buy a large bag of noodles. They give half of it to her. It's a simple act, but it shows the community trying to hold itself together.
