Episode Summary
This episode was all about Li Heng's brilliant scheme to clear his name and save his comrade, turning Jia Yunwu's trap against him and causing chaos between the rival intelligence agencies.
Spoiler Alert
A Test of Loyalty
The episode kicks off with Tang Meng. He's still hunting for Communists. His new plan is to start with a printing press. A classic move.
But the real action is with Jia Yunwu. He still doesn't trust Li Heng. So he cooks up a little test. He orders Li Heng to arrest a man named Wang Mou. Wang Mou is a suspected Communist. Li Heng agrees without even blinking. He knows what this is. After Li Heng leaves, Shen Yihe points out the obvious. Jia Yunwu is still suspicious. Jia Yunwu basically admits it. He says this mission is a trap. No matter what happens, he'll know where Li Heng's loyalties really are.
Playing the Game
Li Heng is way ahead of him, though. He knows he's being followed. He leads the spies on a little tour. First, he stops at a biscuit shop. Then he goes to a restaurant for a meal. His man Yu Tong spots the tails, too.
Next, Li Heng heads to the Deqing Society. He pretends to be in a bad mood from gambling. He complains loudly the whole time. This is all just a cover. He leaves a specific Pai Gow tile for Qing Tian. It's a secret signal. Then he goes straight back to the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. The spies report his boring day to Jia Yunwu. For now, Jia Yunwu's suspicions are quieted. Another team keeps watch on Wang Mou's place.
The Trap Springs
That night, the mission begins. Li Heng leads a team to arrest Wang Mou. Tang Meng also leads his own team out. But his group gets conveniently delayed. A fight between some rickshaw drivers blocks their path.
Li Heng arrives at the target's house. He tells his men to wait outside. He goes in alone. He pushes the door open. A bomb, rigged to the door, explodes. The blast knocks him out cold.
The Aftermath
Jia Yunwu rushes to the scene. He sees Li Heng on the ground. He immediately orders A Kui to get him to the hospital. Then he turns on Tang Meng. He publicly accuses Tang Meng of setting the whole thing up. He says Tang Meng framed a colleague and let the target escape. Tang Meng is completely blindsided. He starts cursing out Jia Yunwu for twisting the facts.
At the hospital, Jia Yunying performs the surgery on Li Heng. Lu Shufen hears the news and races over. She runs right into Jia Yunwu. She warns him directly. If anything happens to Li Heng, she will hold him responsible. Shen Yihe shows up too. He sincerely apologizes to Lu Shufen for his part in it. Everyone waits anxiously outside the operating room. Thankfully, the surgery is a success. Li Heng is out of danger.
Later that night, Da Kui finds Jia Yunying looking over Li Heng. He tells her that Li Heng is a good, honest man. The next morning, Lu Shufen comes back with soup. Da Kui finally spills. He tells Lu Shufen and Jia Yunying the truth. Jia Yunwu intentionally sent Li Heng into that trap.
Lu Shufen is furious. She gathers the Deqing Society brothers. They storm the Chuan Investigation Office, ready for a fight. Both sides draw weapons. The situation is about to explode. Shen Yihe tries to de-escalate, but Lu Shufen isn't listening. The only thing that stops the fight is Li Heng himself. He has his men carry him to the scene on a stretcher. He personally calls everyone off.
The Real Plan
Back in the hospital room, we get the full story. Li Heng planned everything.
Before the mission, he had secretly sent a message to Lu Shufen. He told her to take Qing Tian and warn Wang Mou to get out. But that wasn't all. He also instructed them to plant the bomb at Wang Mou's house. They were to rig it carefully. The explosion had to look real but be weak enough not to kill him.
The plan worked perfectly. Li Heng is now cleared of all suspicion. The joint operation between the Bureau and the Military is a total failure. Wang Mou is safe.
Through all this, Lu Shufen has figured out a lot about her husband's true identity. But she doesn't care. She tells him she will always be his wife and stand by him. Li Heng promises he won't keep secrets from her anymore. He even tells her his arms deal with Shen Yihe is just a front. The real goal is to turn Shen Yihe to their side. Lu Shufen believes him completely.
