Episode Summary
Xie Huaian secures the loyalty of the deposed Emperor through intimidation and prepares to hunt down his family's killers, starting with his traitorous uncle. He has the Emperor's face surgically altered to resemble a peasant named Zhang Mo. However, the plan takes a dark turn when the Emperor, jealous of the real Zhang Mo's freedom, brutally murders the innocent man to permanently steal his identity.
Spoiler Alert
The Vendetta of An Episode 3 Recap
The Pawn and the Rice Bowl
Xie Huaian is finally making his move. He meets up with his ride-or-die friend who did the heavy lifting of finding the deposed Emperor and locking him up. Xie goes to see the prisoner. The former ruler looks pathetic. He has zero dignity left. All he cares about is his stomach.
Xie calls him "Emperor," and the guy immediately lets it go to his head. He starts barking orders for food like he's still on the throne. Xie shuts that down fast. He goes to the kitchen and cooks a meal personally. But when he serves the Emperor, it’s just a bowl of plain white rice.
The message is clear. Xie tells him to drop the attitude. If the Emperor wants to survive, he follows orders. Even if the Tiger Guard leader Yan Fengshan takes the throne, the former Emperor is dead meat without Xie’s protection. The fear sets in. The Emperor eats his rice and agrees to behave.
The Wall of Hate
Back in his secret room, Xie stares at his motivation. He has portraits hanging on the wall. These are the people who slaughtered his family. He had a painter capture their faces seven years ago so he wouldn't forget a single detail while he was on the run.
The lineup includes Pu Nishan, Wei Qianting, Qing Yi, Yan Fengshan, and his own uncle, Liu Ziyan. There is one blank spot, though. He still doesn't know the face of Yan Fengshan’s strategist. That guy was the architect of his family's destruction. Xie is desperate to find him.
His friend asks a simple question. Who dies first? Xie points straight at Liu Ziyan. This man is his uncle, yet he was the one who hacked Xie’s dying father to death. That kind of betrayal earns you the top spot on the hit list.
Face/Off
Xie takes the Emperor and his friend to see his master, Zhu Zhiguang. They need a disguise. Zhu Zhiguang works his magic and changes the Emperor’s face. He molds him to look exactly like a peasant named Zhang Mo.
For the next few days, it’s boot camp for the Emperor. He lives with the real Zhang Mo. He learns to chop wood. He learns to start fires. He mimics every gesture until you can’t tell them apart.
The real Zhang Mo is a good soul. He mentions that his job is done. He plans to go back to Huzhou to see his wife and kids. He even makes a pair of shoes for Xie Huaian as a parting gift. It’s an emotional moment. Zhang Mo begs Xie to drop the revenge and come live a peaceful life in the country. Xie refuses but tells Zhang Mo to go enjoy his freedom.
A Brutal Betrayal
The Emperor stares at his reflection in a well. He loves the anonymity. But he starts thinking about Zhang Mo’s future. Zhang Mo gets to go home to a happy life. The Emperor gets jealous. He decides he doesn't just want to look like Zhang Mo. He wants to be him.
He sharpens an axe until it’s razor-sharp. When Zhang Mo turns his back, the Emperor strikes. He hacks the innocent man to death.
Xie Huaian hears the noise and rushes out. He finds his friend Zhang Mo dead in a pool of blood. The Emperor stands there with bloody hands and zero remorse. He claims he had to do it to complete the transformation. Xie is disgusted. He grabs a club and knocks the Emperor unconscious.
