Episode Summary
Liu Hancao is sidelined at a public event but receives secret orders to move his operations underground. He then uses armed soldiers to forcibly take a group of famous orphans from Li Kenong's care, causing a crisis that Ren Suning almost makes worse. After the situation is contained, Liu Hancao receives his first secret mission: an assassination.
Spoiler Alert
Liu Hancao's New Mission
A Public Setback
The new Guangxi office is finally open. It’s a big deal with a whole ribbon-cutting ceremony. Liu Hancao shows up, of course. He spent so much time scheming for this. But someone else beat him to the punch and is getting all the credit. You can tell he is furious. He just has to swallow his anger, though. The person who took his spot is powerful. All the people who support this new leader are not to be messed with. So Liu Hancao has to stand there and pretend to be happy about it.
A Secret Order
Just as he's fuming, he gets a visitor. The head of the Gui faction's underground spy network walks right into his office. He brings an urgent letter from their superiors. They were told to lay low before. Now, they have new orders. The letter says all operations must go underground. This is the moment Liu Hancao has been waiting for. He sees chaos as an opportunity. He’s been a hidden blade within the party for a long time. Now, it looks like he’s finally going to be unsheathed.
The Battle for the Children
A Tense Standoff
A group of orphans called the Xin'an Travel Group arrives in Guilin. Li Kenong takes them under his protection. He finds them a safe, warm place to stay. The kids go to class with their teachers. They also sing patriotic songs about resisting the Japanese invaders. They are all orphans because of the war. Their story of survival has spread across the country.
Liu Hancao hears the children are staying with the Eighth Route Army. He decides he can't let them have this propaganda win. He gathers a squad of fully armed soldiers. His plan is to go take the children for the KMT.
Ren Suning is with the kids leading them in the national anthem. They are singing with real spirit. Suddenly, seven or eight military trucks pull up. Soldiers jump out. They are all armed and point their guns directly at the children.
Ren Suning and the kids are terrified. Li Kenong immediately steps in front of them. He tells everyone to stay calm. He also orders his own men to put their weapons down. Li Kenong walks up to Liu Hancao. Liu Hancao says the children belong to the KMT. He is here to take them back. Li Kenong tries to reason with him. He explains that when the kids got to Guilin, they had no food or shelter. A local official named Huang Xuchu even said they were a private group and not his problem. But Liu Hancao won't back down. Li Kenong doesn't want to ruin the cooperation between the two parties. He has no choice but to give in for now.
A Journalist's Fury
The soldiers force the children onto the trucks. Ren Suning watches, completely outraged. These are just kids. They are being herded by men with guns. She takes a lot of pictures. Then she writes a furious article about what happened. She plans to publish it in the Salvation Daily.
Xia Yan reads her article. He immediately tells her she can't publish it. He explains that if the story gets out, it will cause a massive public scandal. It would destroy the fragile cooperation between the parties. People would be forced to take sides. The newspaper would be caught in the middle of a political firestorm. Ren Suning just can't understand. The two of them argue about it.
A Necessary Compromise
Later, a colleague sits down with Ren Suning. He patiently explains the political situation. She finally understands. Her impulsive actions could have caused a huge disaster.
She decides to visit the children herself. She finds them in a clean, warm new home. The KMT has given each of them a new set of clothes. They have food and are safe. She feels a sense of relief. While she is there, she even offers to visit regularly to teach them foreign languages.
A New Target
The Gui faction's underground operations are now active. Liu Hancao receives his first assignment. He is ordered to assassinate a man named Liu Yazi. The instructions are clear. He is to be eliminated on the spot. Liu Hancao accepts the mission without hesitation. He immediately begins to arrange his people and make a plan.
