Episode Summary
Li Kenong intercepts a spy's camera, uncovering surveillance on Bai Chongxi. Zhou Enlai advises caution due to the fragile political climate. An opera performance meant to entertain officials backfires when its romantic theme clashes with the looming war. This inspires a push for artistic reform. Meanwhile, Ren Suning arrives in Guilin during an air raid and has a bittersweet reunion with her former lover, Han Dayong, before deciding to join the army's medical corps.
Spoiler Alert
The Spy and the Camera
This episode kicks off with some low-key spy games. Li Kenong is sending Zhou Enlai off in a car. He looks up and sees a man on a balcony taking photos. The man then clumsily drops his camera. Li Kenong is quick. He strolls over, scoops up the camera, and walks away like nothing happened.
The photographer is a spy for Wang Jingwei's faction. He was supposed to be documenting Bai Chongxi's meeting with the Communists. Now he's in a panic because his camera is gone. This mistake forces the spies to be more careful. They double down on their surveillance of a local winery, trying to identify everyone involved.
A Warning from Zhou Enlai
Li Kenong immediately develops the film from the camera. The photos are sharp. They clearly show the faces of everyone Bai Chongxi met with. He hurries to show the evidence to Zhou Enlai.
Zhou’s reaction is to tell him to hold back. He says they can't afford to make a move right now. The alliance between the Nationalists and Communists is fragile. He reminds Li that the Nationalist party is full of factions. Guys like Wang Jingwei and Dai Li are just looking for an excuse to sabotage the whole thing. Zhou tells Li to stay focused. They have to watch out for threats from every direction.
An Opera That Misses the Mark
Later, Bai Chongxi tries to be a good host. He invites Zhou Enlai and a group of famous writers to a traditional opera. The mood is tense. Everyone is worried about the impending war with Japan. The opera, however, is a cheesy love story.
The audience is completely disconnected from it. People get up and start leaving in the middle of the performance. With the country on the brink of collapse, nobody has the patience for romance. Bai Chongxi is visibly embarrassed by the flop. He ends the night early and apologizes to Zhou Enlai on the way out. Zhou is diplomatic. He praises the singers but suggests the opera's themes could be a little more current.
A Spark of Reform
Back at the theater, the troupe's leader is furious that the show bombed. He's about to punish two of the main actors. A scholar who was in the audience stops him. He tells the leader that the actors aren't the problem. The problem is that the material is outdated. The leader actually listens to him and puts down the stick he was holding.
A little later, the lead actress, a young woman named Xiao Jinfeng, runs after the scholar. She asks him for advice on how to reform their plays. He gives her a name. He says she should find a man named Ouyang Yuqian, who can help them create better material.
A Secret Rescue
We learn that two members of the Japanese Anti-War League have arrived in Guilin. Their names are Kaji Wataru and Ikeda Kyoko, and they're carrying secret information. Zhou Enlai tasks Li Kenong with protecting them.
The situation gets dangerous fast. Li Kenong gets a call that the couple has been identified by Japanese puppet forces. He has to get them out immediately. He arranges a secret transfer and manages to move them to a safe location right from under the enemy's watch.
A Reunion in the Rubble
Ren Suning finally makes her way to Guilin. Her arrival is met with an enemy air raid. She doesn't hesitate. She joins a medical team and starts helping the doctors tend to the wounded.
While she's cleaning and bandaging injuries, she looks up and sees a familiar face. It's Han Dayong, her former lover from years ago. He is carrying wounded soldiers back and forth. He looks just as strong and heroic as she remembers. She gets emotional. After all this time, she thought she would never see him again.
A Painful Goodbye
Han Dayong sees her, too. He takes a short break and sits down next to her. He tells her that his unit passed through her old neighborhood in Nanjing. Her home was completely destroyed. He says he's just thankful they were able to find each other alive.
Ren Suning tells him she wants to join the army and fight alongside him. Han shuts that down. He explains there are no women in the combat units, and there are no rules for it. He tells her the most important thing she can do is stay alive. As they part ways, she prays for his safety. But she understands that this could very well be their last goodbye.
Ren Suning's companions decide to enlist in the army's medical unit, and she goes with them. As she's at the registration table, she looks over and sees Han Dayong training his troops in the distance.
