Episode Summary
In this episode, Li Jishen masterfully outmaneuvers a KMT plot to frame him, while the Communists successfully extract Liu Yazi from Guilin. A government crackdown on writers pushes Hong Shen to a suicide attempt, but after surviving, he is given a new path palavras by Zhou Enlai. The KMT's attempts to capture other writers fail, as the Communists consistently stay one step ahead.
Spoiler Alert
A Trap for Two Men
The KMT Sets the Bait
This whole episode kicks off with a classic political setup. The Nationalist government, or KMT, wants to get rid of a guy named Liu Yazi. They send out two different orders. Liu Hancao gets a direct command. He is to execute Liu Yazi on the spot in Guilin. At the same time, his superior, Li Jishen, gets a different order. He is told to transfer Liu Yazi to Chongqing for execution.
You can see the trap from a mile away. The KMT higher-ups don't trust Li Jishen. He's been a little too friendly with the Communists for their liking. They want to use this situation to get him. The plan is to have Liu Hancao do the dirty work. Then they can blame Li Jishen and get him demoted. It’s a messy, backstabbing play.
Li Jishen Turns the Tables
Li Jishen isn't an idiot, though. He gets his orders and immediately knows he's being set up. He's a sharp political operator. So he comes up with a brilliant countermove. First, he calls in Liu Hancao. This is the guy who is supposed to be his downfall. Li Jishen acts all friendly with him.
Then, right in front of Liu Hancao, he places a phone call. He calls Li Kenong, his Communist contact. Li Jishen puts on a little show for Liu Hancao. He "warns" Li Kenong not to cause any trouble in KMT territory. He just keeps talking, dragging out the conversation to buy time. Liu Hancao sits there, watching this whole thing. He thinks it's a bit weird, but he can't really find anything wrong with it.
After the call, Li Jishen sends Liu Hancao away. Then he gives the job of arresting Liu Yazi to his own loyal guard company. By the time Liu Hancao finds out, it's too late. The KMT's plan required Liu Hancao to be the one to capture and kill Liu Yazi in Guilin. But Li Jishen never gave him that assignment. Without the assignment, Liu Hancao has no opportunity to frame him. Checkmate.
The Great Escape
A Birthday Party Diversion
While Li Jishen was playing his political games, the Communists were already moving. Li Kenong knew Liu Yazi was in danger. Before he even spoke to Li Jishen, he had already tasked Xia Yan with the rescue mission.
The plan was simple but effective. Xia Yan and a few other literary figures show up at Liu Yazi's house. They pretend they are there to celebrate his birthday. This gives them the perfect cover. The secret police stationed outside the house let their guard down. While the "party" distracts them, Liu Yazi and his wife slip out through a back window.
Up and Away
They escape the house and make their way to a secret location. A plane arranged by the Communists is waiting for them. They get on board, and the plane takes off quickly. From a distance, Li Kenong watches it ascend into the sky. He can finally breathe a sigh of relief. They got their man out safely.
A Writer's Despair
The Last Straw
The KMT isn't just targeting individuals. They're cracking down on ideas. They call a meeting with local scholars and writers. The government issues a new decree. From now on, no one is allowed to write any anti-war scripts. All playwriting activities are to stop completely.
For a writer named Hong Shen, this is too much. He doesn't even wait for the official to finish reading the order. He just stands up and walks out of the room in disgust.
A Drastic Decision
Back home, Hong Shen is furious. He believes the KMT is destroying the fragile united front against the Japanese invasion. He feels hopeless about China's future. In a moment of deep despair, he and his wife decide to commit suicide. They both drink poison.
Thankfully, their daughter finds them. They are rushed to the hospital. Yang Dongchun and others hear the news and hurry over. They find the empty poison bottle and fear the worst. But at the hospital, they learn the couple was brought in just in time. The doctors were able to save them.
A New Plan for a New Life
A Change of Heart
Hong Shen wakes up in his hospital bed. He is weak, but he is alive. He explains why he did it. He thought his suicide would put pressure on the local government. He wanted to make a statement.
But as he was dying, he had a moment of clarity. He realized his death would be meaningless. To the KMT, he would be just another dead bug. It wouldn't change a thing. He decides then and there that he must live. He has to stay alive to contribute to China's liberation.
Zhou Enlai Steps In
The news of Hong Shen's suicide attempt spreads through the city. Everyone is talking about it. This makes it impossible for him to stay in Guilin fatores. Li Kenong asks Zhou Enlai what they should do. Someone suggests sending Hong Shen and his family to the Communist headquarters in Yan'an.
Zhou Enlai thinks for a moment. He decides against it. Sending him to Yan'an is too provocative. It would be a direct challenge to the KMT. He has a much smarter plan. He will send the family to Guangzhou. Zhou has friends at a university there. Hong Shen can get a job as a professor and lay low for a while. The stable salary will also help pay for his daughter's medical treatments. It's the perfect solution. It gets Hong Shen to safety without poking the bear.
One Step Behind
The KMT continues its purge. They prepare to arrest and kill other progressive writers who refuse to join their party. But they keep failing. Every time the secret police raid a writer's home, they find it empty. The person is already gone.
Liu Hancao is beyond angry. He is convinced there is a leak. He even goes to confront Li Jishen directly. But Li Jishen is too smooth. He talks circles around Liu Hancao, who can't prove a thing. Liu Hancao is forced to leave, completely defeated.
