Episode Summary
Li Kenong secures a winery as a safe house for a meeting of patriotic artists and intellectuals. The meeting is a success, inspiring many to join the resistance, especially after a moving poetry reading by Ai Qing. However, the mood darkens when news arrives that the Japanese have burned the city of Changsha, killing thousands. This looming threat puts immense pressure on Li Kenong, while others like Huang Qianzhai begin to despair over the internal political fractures weakening China from within.
Spoiler Alert
A Secret Meeting Place
Finding the Right Spot
Li Kenong needs a place to hold a secret meeting. He finds a winery. It’s the perfect cover. The place is always busy with different kinds of people. No one will look twice. It also has a complex layout. This makes it a great spot for a quick escape if things go bad. The plan is to gather a group of influential writers and artists here in a few days.
Winning Over the Owner
The winery's owner can tell Li Kenong isn't just some random guy. He has a certain air about him. They sit down for a drink. The owner asks what he does for a living. Li Kenong doesn't lie. He says he’s working for the anti-Japanese resistance.
This was the right move. The owner is a patriot. He's been reading the newspapers. He knows all about the atrocities the Japanese are committing. He immediately supports Li Kenong's work. Li Kenong asks if they can knock down a wall to connect the east and west courtyards. The owner agrees without hesitation.
Unwanted Attention
Things can't stay quiet for long, though. A shady-looking man shows up. He has a pockmarked face and a nasty look about him. He wants to rent a room. The owner tells him the place is completely booked. The man doesn't give up. He asks who could afford to rent so many rooms at once. The owner is a smart guy. He's seen it all. He gives a smooth answer that tells the man nothing.
A Gathering of Patriots
The Power of Words
The meeting goes ahead as planned. It’s a full house of brilliant, patriotic minds. You have Wang Luyan, Tao Xingzhi, Ba Jin, and Xu Beihong. The famous geologist Li Siguang is there. So is the painter Feng Zikai. They all share the same passionate desire to save their country. They speak freely. They all pledge to use their work to support the war effort.
Suddenly, a local warlord barges into the inn. He sees the room full of people from out of town and starts yelling. But then, another voice cuts through the noise. It’s a young, talented poet named Ai Qing. He stands up and reads a new poem he just wrote called "I Love This Land."
The room falls silent. Everyone listens. The poem says everything they've been feeling. Their anger at the invaders. Their frustration that a great nation is being torn apart. The crowd is deeply moved. They gather around Ai Qing. Li Kenong sees his chance. He steps in and talks to the crowd about progressive ideas. He reinforces their determination to fight back. Everyone is fired up. They start shouting, vowing to drive the Japanese out of China.
The Fires of War Get Closer
The Tragedy of Changsha
Bad news travels fast. Word arrives from Changsha. The Japanese have started a "scorched earth" campaign. Japanese soldiers and their collaborators are burning the city to the ground. They hope to destroy the people's will to fight.
The fire burns for three days and three nights. Thousands of residents are burned alive in their homes. The destruction is impossible to calculate. Li Kenong knows what this means. If Changsha is burning, Guilin could be next.
A Father's Pain
Li Kenong is always ready to sacrifice his life. But he’s also desperate for some sign of hope. The weight of the war is heavy. At home, his son has been secretly practicing on the telegraph machine. Li Kenong hears the tapping. His son is sending a message. "I miss Mom."
Li Kenong is harsh. He criticizes his son for not focusing. But then his son starts crying, really crying, about missing his mother. Li Kenong can't stay angry. He turns away, his own eyes filling with tears.
A Crisis of Faith
The final death toll from the Changsha fire is horrifying. 20,000 lives are gone. A progressive thinker named Huang Qianzhai reads the report. He feels completely hopeless about the future.
His friend Guo Moruo comes to visit him. Guo Moruo tries to be pragmatic. He says war is cruel. It's a simple, brutal fact. But Huang Qianzhai is upset about something else. The alliance between the Nationalists and the Communists has failed. Now, Chinese are fighting Chinese. He can't understand it. He calls it the most bizarre tragedy in the world. Guo Moruo has no answer. He is completely silent.
