Episode Summary
The episode revolves around Li Heng and Lu Shufen's cold wedding night and the immediate aftermath. A trap set by Shen Yihe leads to Qiu He's death and Zhang Yunhu's capture. Li Heng orchestrates a fake execution to save Zhang Yunhu, successfully tricking Shen Yihe. He then learns of a secret evacuation plan and agrees to help his allies transport a radio. The plot thickens when a powerful banker makes a suspicious but tempting offer to join their cause.
Spoiler Alert
A Wedding Without a Celebration
An Awkward Wedding Night
So, the episode kicks off right after the wedding. Jia Yunying shows up to talk to the new bride, Lu Shufen. She wants Lu Shufen to convince Li Heng to come back to the Deqing Society. She thinks he needs to get away from all the CITC drama.
Lu Shufen shuts that down immediately. She tells Jia Yunying that she's Li Heng's wife now. She'll support him no matter what he chooses. She trusts his judgment and knows he won't do anything wrong. Jia Yunying gets the message and leaves.
Just then, Zhang Yunhu makes a surprise appearance. He gives Li Heng a knife as a wedding gift. It’s a quick visit. He says he doesn't want to cause any trouble for Li Heng, so he leaves right away.
Later, we get to the wedding night itself. The mood is anything but romantic. It's just heavy and silent. Lu Shufen finally breaks the tension. She asks Li Heng if she means anything to him at all. His silence is a pretty clear answer. She uses her father's recent death as an excuse. She suggests they sleep in separate beds during the mourning period. It's a rough start to a marriage.
On a side note, Wu Shiren proposes to Jia Yunying. He wants to make things official so he can protect her. She isn't ready to answer and tells him she needs more time.
A Trap Springs Shut
Qiu He's Sacrifice
Yang Deng is on surveillance duty. He's watching Qiu He's place. He spots Zhang Yunhu showing up outside. He immediately reports this to Shen Yihe.
Shen Yihe acts fast. He grabs Qiu He and rushes to the location. When they get there, Qiu He sees what's happening. She tries to warn Zhang Yunhu by blowing a whistle. She's trying to give him a chance to escape.
But Zhang Yunhu isn't the type to run and leave someone behind. He turns back and fights Shen Yihe's men. He's a good fighter, but he is completely outnumbered. He starts to lose ground.
Qiu He makes a devastating choice. To save Zhang Yunhu, she basically offers herself up. Shen Yihe shoots and kills her on the spot. Zhang Yunhu is filled with grief and rage. He's finally overpowered and taken back to the CITC.
A Fake Execution and a New Mission
Li Heng's Gambit
We're now in the interrogation room. Zhang Yunhu is furious. He screams that he will get revenge for Qiu He. Shen Yihe sends Jia Yunwu out of the room. He then privately scolds Yang Deng. He's angry that Yang Deng's recklessness made this whole mess so public.
Li Heng arrives. He hears Yang Deng's side of the story. He then makes a cold suggestion. He says the all-night interrogation isn't working. They should just take Zhang Yunhu somewhere quiet and execute him secretly. Get rid of the problem for good.
You can tell Li Heng is torn up inside seeing Zhang Yunhu beaten and bruised. But he sticks to the plan. He personally escorts Zhang Yunhu to a riverside outside the city for the execution. We hear a single gunshot. From a distance, Da Kui and Xiao Liu see this and confirm that Zhang Yunhu is dead before driving away.
Li Heng goes back to Shen Yihe. He reports that Zhang Yunhu has been executed. He then casually brings up Lu Kaide's mysterious death. He asks Shen Yihe if he has any leads. Shen Yihe puts on a show of sympathy. He says he can't help, but he gives Li Heng official permission to investigate the case himself.
Later, while doing paperwork, Li Heng overhears Xiao Liu talking. He learns that a special plane is being sent by the higher-ups to evacuate important people.
A Secret Meeting
That night, Li Heng meets secretly with Yu Tong. He confirms that Zhang Yunhu is alive and was safely transferred. It’s a huge relief. Yu Tong thinks Zhang Yunhu has a strong character. He believes he would make a great addition to the revolution.
Then they get down to business. Yu Tong needs to transport a radio. He wants to use the Deqing Society's shipping channels. Li Heng agrees to handle it personally. He plans to use his most trusted people to get the radio to a warehouse in the western suburbs within three hours.
A Suspicious New Ally
Wu Dafei's Offer
Yu Tong gives Li Heng another major update. The general manager of Tongda Bank, Wu Dafei, has suddenly reached out. This guy was always on the fence. Now, he's sent a secret letter through underground channels asking to align with the Communists.
In the letter, Wu Dafei claims he's ready to unite patriotic soldiers, democratic parties, and Pao Ge forces. He wants to support the Communists' strategy. To prove he's serious, he promises a massive donation of 100,000 yuan. The money is for expanding their armed forces in the southwest.
Yu Tong admits the whole thing feels suspicious. But the offer is incredibly tempting. He decides the risk is worth it. He's going to meet with Wu Dafei in person.
A New Connection
The episode ends on a different note. We see Wang Xiaofei drinking alone at the Xinxianlin Dance Hall. His eyes are fixed on a dancer on stage named Sisi. After her performance, a group of drunk customers starts harassing her. Wang Xiaofei doesn't hesitate. He steps in and gets them to back off. This is how he and Sisi meet.
