Episode Summary
Tensions explode as Tang Meng raids the Jia home, forcing Jia Yunying to de-escalate a hostage situation. Jia Zhong finally accepts his daughter's Communist ties and agrees to help broker a peace deal with Commander Deng, but only if his son is pardoned and Yunying marries Wu Shiren. Li Heng plays a dangerous double game with Shen Yihe involving arms deals and stolen ledgers. The group successfully tricks their surveillance to move Yu Tong to safety, setting the stage for a high-stakes engagement party.
Spoiler Alert
The Standoff at the Jia Residence
Tang Meng doesn't know the meaning of a doorbell. He smashes into the Jia Residence with a search warrant and a bad attitude. He orders his goons to tear the place apart. Jia Zhong isn't having it. He pulls his gun and points it right at Tang Meng. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife.
Chaos breaks out. Jia Chang'an panics and tries to make a run for it. That is a mistake. Tang Meng grabs him and uses him as a human shield. It looks like things are about to get bloody. Jia Yunying steps up to de-escalate the situation. She tells the agents to go ahead and search. Tang Meng turns the house upside down but finds absolutely nothing. He leaves empty-handed and furious.
Hard Truths and New Alliances
Yu Tong is finally stable. Yunying takes this chance to have a serious heart-to-heart with her father. She stops hiding her true colors. She admits that Communism is her life's work. She begs Jia Zhong to understand. She points out that the KMT agents are the ones acting like thugs. Jia Zhong stays quiet for a long time. He eventually gives a silent nod. He accepts her choice.
Tang Meng isn't done yet. He finds Wang Xiaofei the next morning. He orders Xiaofei to watch Yunying like a hawk. Xiaofei sees an opportunity for a payday. He demands cash. Tang agrees but threatens him to get the job done right.
Double Crosses and Dirty Deals
Shen Yihe is feeling good about his recent arrests. Jia Yunwu is less thrilled since they missed the key targets. Shen calls Li Heng into his office. He fishes for information on cooperation. Li Heng plays along. He mentions he has a channel for arms dealing. Shen bites the hook immediately. He wants to sell gear to anti-Communist bandits.
Li Heng takes the job. But he has his own agenda. He secretly contacts An Mi. He wants her to steal Shen's private ledger. She agrees to try.
Meanwhile, the surveillance on the Jia house is intense. Wang Xiaofei has eyes on the place day and night. Wu Shiren pays a visit to Jia Zhong. He drops a bombshell. Commander Liu was taken away by agents. They claimed it was a brain hemorrhage. It was actually an internal purge. This rattles Jia Zhong. He always tried to stay out of the fight. Now his colleagues are getting picked off. His neutrality is crumbling.
The Art of the Deal
Jia Zhong decides it is time to pick a side. He visits Yu Tong. Yu Tong lays out the Communist plan for a peaceful liberation of Chengdu. He asks Jia Zhong to set up a meeting with Commander Deng Xilin. Jia Zhong hesitates. This is a massive risk. He says he needs to think it over.
Back at the safe house, Lu Shufen is making wontons for Li Heng. He fills her in on the plan to use the Deqing Society to move the arms. Things are grim elsewhere. An Ping is dying. She wants An Mi's forgiveness before she goes. She is also terrified Shen Yihe will hurt her sister after she is gone. An Mi steels herself. She vows to get the evidence needed to take Shen down.
The Engagement Plot
Jia Zhong makes up his mind. He goes back to Yu Tong. He agrees to help with the peace talks. But he has conditions. Two of them. First, he wants a pardon for Jia Yunwu. Second, he wants Yu Tong to make the marriage between Yunying and Wu Shiren happen.
Yu Tong is honest. He says pardoning Yunwu is a tall order. The guy has a lot of blood on his hands. But he promises to ask his superiors. He agrees to help with the marriage proposal. They hatch a plan. They will hold the meeting with Commander Deng on the day of the engagement party.
The Great Escape
Yunying notices Wang Xiaofei's crew lurking around. She alerts the group. They need to move Yu Tong to a safer spot. They come up with a decoy plan involving a fake hospital visit. It works like a charm. Tang Meng and Wang Xiaofei chase the wrong target. Yunying gets Yu Tong to safety.
Yu Tong keeps his end of the bargain. He convinces Yunying to agree to the marriage with Wu Shiren. She accepts it for the greater good.
Li Heng is still working his angle. He takes the Archive Section Chief out for dinner. He asks for a specific personnel report. The Chief is reluctant at first. Then Li Heng slides two gold bars across the table. The Chief suddenly becomes very helpful. He promises to dig up Shen Yihe's file.
