Episode Summary
The Tiger Guard retakes Chang'an, forcing Ye Zheng and Xiao Wenjing to flee with the injured, comatose Emperor. Yan Fengshan locks down the city and brutally humiliates Prime Minister Gao. Meanwhile, Xie Huaian sets a trap in a temple, using himself as bait to lure in a desperate and disgraced Wang Pu.
Spoiler Alert
The Fall of Chang'an
The Tiger Guard launched a brutal surprise attack. Chang'an has fallen. Emperor Xiao Wuyang was attacked during the chaos and vanished from the public eye. Yan Fengshan is back in charge of the capital. He wasted no time reasserting his dominance.
Ye Zheng and Xiao Wenjing managed to escape. They followed their master and fled via the water route. It was a narrow miss.
A Letter from the Dead
Xiao Wenjing takes a moment to read a final letter from Han Ziling. The letter hits hard. Han Ziling was just a scholar. Yet he cared deeply about the fate of the nation. He wrote about his dream of a peaceful world. He wanted a society where the elderly are supported and children are cared for.
He left Xiao Wenjing with some parting advice. He said living in hiding is acceptable. But he urged Xiao to help the local people wherever he ends up. Doing good on a small scale still matters.
The New Order
Yan Fengshan is paranoid. He stationed Tiger Guard troops at every key pass in the capital. His own people fill every corner. The defense is watertight. Not even a fly could escape Chang'an now.
He also cleaned house. The gatekeeper of Hidden Soldier Alley previously betrayed Yan to protect an adopted son. Yan kicked him out of the Tiger Guard.
Humiliating the Prime Minister
Yan Fengshan didn't move back into the main palace. He stays nearby. But he made sure Prime Minister Gao suffered. Yan broke Gao's legs. Now the former Prime Minister crawls around on a small cart. His job is to refill lamp oil in the various palaces. He looks worse than a stray dog.
Survival Mode
Xiao Wenjing and Ye Zheng are hiding in Cangshuichuan. Rumors say this is the last foothold for the Tiger Guard. It is a dangerous place to be. Xiao Wenjing works as a porter during the day to earn money for food.
The Coma Patient
Ye Zheng has a secret charge. He is protecting Emperor Xiao Wuyang. The Emperor survived the breakout but took heavy damage. He has been in a coma for days. Ye Zheng feeds him soup and porridge daily to keep him alive.
The Trap at the Temple
Wang Pu is in the doghouse. He failed to watch Gu Yu at Hidden Soldier Alley. He lost a lot of soldiers. Now he wanders the market wearing leg irons. Yan Fengshan found him on the street at sunset. He told Wang Pu to go rest. It felt more like a threat than kindness.
Wang Pu Takes the Bait
Xie Huaian heard Yang Chuhao is coming to the capital. He hid in a temple to wait. The temple keeper is a slacker who hired Xie to do his work. But the keeper has sharp eyes. He noticed Xie looks exactly like the man on the wanted poster. He also saw Xie talking to thin air.
The keeper saw the reward money. One thousand taels for Xie. He conspired with an ally to sell Xie out. Wang Pu heard the news. He rushed to the temple alone. He is desperate to prove himself to Yan Fengshan.
Xie Huaian was just boiling dumplings in a pavilion when Wang Pu arrived. He didn't look surprised. Xie admits he lured Wang Pu there on purpose. He knows Yan has spies watching Wang Pu. He knows Wang Pu hates him. It was the perfect bait.
