Episode Summary
This episode sets up a new cultural front in war-torn Guilin, led by playwright Tian Han. While he struggles with writer's block and personal drama bleeding into his work, his wife An E reveals her true identity as a high-level spy. The larger war also expands as the Pacific War begins.
Spoiler Alert
Alright, let's get into it. A lot is happening as the party shifts its focus to the cultural front. People are on the move, and new battle lines are being drawn, not just on the battlefield but in theaters and homes.
A New Cultural Front in Guilin
The party's top cultural figures are being redeployed. Li Kenong and Xia Yan have already headed to Yan'an. This leaves a void in Guilin. So, the CCP makes a decision. They send Shao Quanlin to lead the new Guilin Cultural Work Group.
He isn't coming alone. The playwright Tian Han and his wife An E are also assigned to Guilin. Their mission is to help preserve and create culture amidst the chaos of war.
The Playwright Returns
Tian Han is actually pretty happy about going back to Guilin. A year ago, his play "One Year" was a smash hit there. You couldn't get a ticket. He wants to get that magic back. He plans to revive the city's theater scene. The party also has bigger plans. They want to establish a proper China National Theatre.
So, the first thing Tian Han does when he arrives is head straight for the New China Theater.
Old Friends in a Ruined City
Guilin is not the city he remembers. The streets are filled with rubble from bombings. There are very few people around. The ones he does see have grim, worried faces. He watches workers carry the bodies of martyrs out of the city for burial. The whole scene is heavy. This once-vibrant city is now just a shell of its former self.
Inside the theater, he runs into a familiar face. It's his old friend and fellow writer, Mao Dun. It turns out Mao Dun and his wife are also in Guilin. Tian Han is relieved to see him. He grabs his hand and immediately asks him to join the new theater project.
Shao Quanlin takes on the task of finding a place for the Mao Duns to live. Housing is scarce. He offers them his own home. He even tries to give them the best bedroom. But Mao Dun and his wife are incredibly humble. They refuse the room. They insist on taking a small, cluttered storage room instead.
Secret Identities and New Missions
You always have to watch the quiet ones. While Tian Han is focused on his art, his wife An E has business of her own to handle.
An E's Real Job
An E goes to meet Ren Suning. You might remember Ren Suning is now working as a teacher for orphans. An E tells her she's very satisfied with her work. Then she drops a major truth bomb.
She reveals her true identity. To the world, she is Tian Han's wife. But in reality, she is the CCP's official liaison for all of Southern China. This makes her Ren Suning's new boss.
Ren Suning gets a new, critical assignment. From now on, she will be responsible for transmitting military intelligence for the southern warfront. Ren Suning is ecstatic. She feels a deep sense of honor to be doing this for the new China. She tells An E that she has been prepared to sacrifice her life for this cause for many years.
Art Imitates Life a Little Too Closely
Back at the theater, Tian Han is trying to get his creative project off the ground. It doesn't go as smoothly as he hoped.
Finding Inspiration in War
Tian Han quickly assembles a group of local artists. They want to form a new drama troupe. They all agree they need to bring in Professor Hong Shen from Guangzhou.
Hong Shen had basically given up hope. He felt the country was lost and had even thought about suicide. But then he heard two things. Guilin was relatively stable, and the Nationalists and Communists were working together again. That was enough for him. He immediately left Guangzhou and came back to join the cultural resistance.
Tian Han, however, is stuck. He has a bad case of writer's block. Hong Shen gives him a push. He suggests Tian Han write a play about the Battle of Changsha. He tells him to focus on how the war has torn apart and reshaped countless Chinese families.
This is the spark Tian Han needed. Ideas start flooding his mind. He rushes home and begins writing like a man possessed.
A Relationship on the Line
While Tian Han is deep in his creative zone, An E overhears him. He keeps muttering the name of his ex-wife. She puts two and two together. He's writing his own personal history into the play.
She is not happy about it. She confronts him head-on. She gives him a clear ultimatum. If he puts their private life and his past relationships into this play, she will break up with him.
Hong Shen has to play peacemaker. He sits down with An E. He tries to explain that artists draw from their own lives and feelings. It's part of the process. He vouches for Tian Han. He says Tian Han is a patriot at heart, not some petty man airing his dirty laundry. His work serves the nation.
After their talk, An E agrees to back down for now. But she has one condition. She must be the first person to read the script when it's done. Hong Shen agrees instantly.
The Bigger Picture
While our characters deal with their drama in Guilin, major world events are unfolding. The scope of the war is changing.
A Birthday in Chongqing
Over in the wartime capital of Chongqing, Zhou Enlai gives a speech at the Sino-Soviet Cultural Association. He encourages all the cultural workers to look to Guo Moruo as an example.
The timing is perfect. It's actually Guo Moruo's birthday. A large group of artists and writers are gathered to celebrate him. The event serves two purposes. It honors a great writer and also boosts morale for the party's cultural mission.
The War Expands
Then, news breaks. The Pacific War has begun. Japan's ambitions have grown. They are no longer just focused on invading East Asia. They now want to dominate the entire Pacific Ocean.
This changes everything. China is now the main eastern front in the global fight against Japan.
The episode ends with Guo Moruo finishing his new play. Zhou Enlai himself pays a visit to Guo Moruo's home to congratulate him.
