A Lonely Hero's Journey Episode 27 Recap
> A Lonely Hero's Journey Recap
Haimo hosted Mr. Ono, a Japanese gentleman from across the street, offering him tea. Ono expressed his admiration for Suzhou ballads, especially the Yu tune, which he had studied briefly in Shanghai years ago.
He was particularly impressed by Haimo's singing and playing, recognizing it as a unique rendition of the Yu tune and quickly deducing she was a student of the renowned Master Zhang Yuquan, whom he had previously sought to visit in 1924 but found had left the region. He felt honored to hear her direct transmission. Meanwhile, Gu Yizhong, tasked with intelligence gathering, returned home bearing the strong odor of garbage, having sifted through discarded materials to uncover military secrets.
Haimo eagerly told him about Ono's visit, mentioning his interest in pingtan. Gu Yizhong calmly revealed he had already investigated Ono, identifying him as Ono Jiro, an Osaka rice merchant working at the Suzhou office of Asai Trading. He cautioned Haimo that this was only his public identity and that he had heard Ono was previously involved with the military, suggesting he could be an agent.
Haimo expressed concern and suggested finding a reason to turn Ono away, but Gu Yizhong advised against it, explaining that outright rejection would make them look suspicious. He instructed her to maintain their normal routine, stating that if Ono had ulterior motives, they would eventually reveal themselves. Gu Yizhong suggested he would meet Ono himself later if the opportunity arose.
He then noted the pile of shredded paper Gu Yizhong brought home from the trash heap, commenting on the overwhelming smell. Kondo Masao summoned Gu Yizhong, informing him that Zhou Zhifei's current training manual for new agents was outdated, based on methods from 1932 copied from Gu Shunzhang's classes in the Zhongtong internal system. He instructed Gu Yizhong to create a new, more innovative curriculum.
Kondo explicitly stated his intention to prevent Zhou Zhifei from monopolizing agent training and provided Gu Yizhong with a confidential manual from the General Staff outlining the latest intelligence work guidelines as reference, emphasizing it must not leave the premises of Building 90. Gu Yizhong accepted the materials and discreetly photographed them. Separately, while Captain Zhang was massaging Zhou Zhifei's back, Zhang revealed Kondo's decision to have Gu Yizhong write the training materials.
Zhou Zhifei dismissed Gu Yizhong's capabilities, claiming everything Gu Yizhong knew was taught by him. However, he admitted Kondo's order was strange, especially appointing Gu as the lead instructor, fearing Kondo was overly favoring him and might eventually make him the Director. Zhang advised caution. Later, Gu Yizhong visited Zhou Zhifei, offering to let Zhou continue as the lead instructor due to his own perceived lack of knowledge.
Zhou Zhifei, feigning poor health due to back pain and high blood pressure, declined the offer and insisted Gu Yizhong take on the role, telling him to teach the students everything Zhou had taught him. He gave Gu Yizhong a piece of scarce Japanese Meiji chocolate received from Mr. Li as a gesture of goodwill, telling him to feel free to ask for help if he encountered difficulties while teaching, and suggested he might participate as a guest lecturer later.
Zhou Zhifei’s family faced personal issues as his son, Youfei, prepared to return to Japan. Youfei’s immersion in Japanese culture since returning to China had created significant friction with his father, evident when Youfei performed Japanese bows with his classmates.
While supervising Youfei's packing, including Suzhou snacks, medicine, a mink fur coat, and a kimono (despite Zhou’s previous dislike for him wearing it in China), Zhou Zhifei instructed his son to wear the kimono "in Japan" to make the Japanese lower their guard. He also told Youfei to stop writing coded letters and use telegrams instead if he had problems, asserting that the Japanese wouldn't dare tamper with official communication.
Zhou Zhifei also gave Youfei two books, ensuring the suitcase was full. Zhou's assistant, Xie Wenchao, was present during this emotional farewell. From his carriage, Gu Yizhong witnessed Youfei's departure with Ono present, noting Ono was a merchant yet seemingly had ties to the Japanese military vehicle visible nearby, suggesting he might be an old-school professional agent if he also practiced bowing to Chinese. Gu suggested sending pastries back to Ono's home.
Meanwhile, Haimo had been dealing with financial difficulties at Gu Garden. She mentioned pawning front room vases last year to pay a Shanghai debt. Gu revealed he needed money again to send to Mr. Liang and Mr. Lin in Lizhuang, who were struggling, and Mr. Lin needed money for lung medicine. Haimo noted everything was pawned and criticized Gu for spending money on agents from Building 90. She suggested pawning the family bronze ding.
Gu was initially reluctant (ancestral treasure) but agreed, planning to redeem it later. Haimo was skeptical. Gu specifically warned her not to pawn it at the Japanese-run shop on Guanqian Street, suggesting Wang Zemin's shop to show they were not getting outside subsidies. Haimo later revealed she did not pawn the ding as she found enough money by pawning her bracelet, a sacrifice she made willingly.
Haimo also experienced social pressure from Mrs. Zhou and other wives about why she and Gu had no children after two years, leading to speculation about Gu's fertility. Haimo politely deflected, claiming she was taking Chinese medicine. Mrs. Zhou complained about her husband's obsession with catching communists, even mentioning his recent involvement with Haimo's Hwa Hsia magazines and calling Xie Wenchao from Shanghai.
Later, Haimo told Gu about this, commenting on their two-year "fake couple" arrangement and asking when his "task" would end, to which Gu deflected. Gu and Haimo subsequently visited the Ono family, bringing Haimo's homemade pastries and cured meats. Gu asked Ono about his profession (import/export) and Ono offered assistance with scarce materials. Gu inquired specifically about obtaining Indian rice, noting its importance and scarcity due to government control.
Ono confirmed his company had rice, mostly rough rice, and offered to look for white rice suitable for children. Haimo asked about soap, which was also scarce. Mr. Ono offered soap from their home. Ono Jiro (Mr. Ono's son) conveyed his father's deep admiration for Haimo's pingtan singing. Mr. Ono then asked Haimo if she would be willing to teach him pingtan.
Haimo, stating she only knew a little and wasn't a teacher, nevertheless agreed to welcome him to Gu Garden if he was interested. After the visit, Haimo expressed concern about the encounter, calling it reckless and regretting agreeing to teach Ono, citing his complex identity, military ties, and the scarcity of the soap he offered. Gu disagreed, viewing the pingtan lessons, initiated by Ono, as an excellent opportunity for contact without arousing suspicion, and revealed he had planned this.
Haimo accused him of looking down on her like other wives. Gu denied this, stating his concern was for her safety. Haimo asserted her role as his wife and her willingness to undertake the task if he deemed it necessary. Gu accepted her stance. A letter with photographs brought a new lead to Zhou Zhifei. The photos, showing the back of a person, appeared similar in two different instances.
Zhou Zhifei suspected they depicted the same individual and that this person was the one Gu Yizhong had met with twice recently, indicating they had made a mistake and potentially exposed themselves. He instructed Xie Wenchao to return to Shanghai and secretly investigate the person's identity. Zhou Zhifei noticed a "Hwa Hsia" logo in the background of one photo, leading him to suspect the person worked at The Hwa Hsia magazine.
He ordered Xie Wenchao to screen everyone on the editorial staff list found on the magazine's last page, using only their own trusted personnel, as he suspected No. 76 might be infiltrated, possibly connected to Wan Lilang, whom Mr. Li was also investigating. Zhou believed this person was likely Gu Yizhong's superior in the Communist Party due to their single-line contact and apparent high cultural level, suggesting a high rank within the party.
Xie Wenchao also reported hearing about a Japanese "Wu Plan" operation in Suzhou from his army contacts, though the plan details were unknown. Zhou Zhifei, hearing about Xie Wenchao's sick grandfather (suffering from ascites), gave him money to buy ginseng before he left for Shanghai, reminding him to visit his grandfather first before going to the magazine office. Xie confirmed he would leave the next day and Gu's superior would not escape. Meanwhile, the Communist Party was facing difficult circumstances.
The New Fourth Army leadership had reported the increased hostility from the enemy after the "pacification" operation in the Suzhou-Changshu-Taicang area, emphasizing the need to understand the Japanese military's "Wu Plan" to reduce casualties. Zhou Zhifei mentioned that his connections were not in the Kobayashi HQ and thus it was difficult for him to obtain information about the Wu Plan, but believed "he" (presumably Gu Yizhong, who was tasked by the Japanese) could get the information.
The difficult struggle led the Jiangsu Provincial Committee to decide to disperse and retreat to the northern Jiangsu base area, leaving only a few comrades to remain. Huang Qiushou was on the list for this evacuation. An investigation of "Huang Zuchong" at The Hwa Hsia magazine revealed a suspect who matched the description (architecture editor, Hokkaido University graduate, single, resident behind Hua An Company on Nanjing Road, connected to Hengdeli Western Firm).
Zhou Zhifei confirmed his name was Huang Qiushou, someone he knew from the early days of the Communist Party Special Branch (First Section, intelligence), who had gone to Japan in 1932 and later worked on a case with Wang Sicheng in 1936, at which time he had a Northeast wife. Huang Qiushou's cautious lifestyle (single, no drinking, routine) and residence in an office building with multiple exits suitable for escape suggested he was a professional agent.
He was instructed to quickly transfer his contacts to a new comrade within two days, including briefing the Suzhou contact who trusted him. He also reported being followed by two tails and receiving a warning (from "Lonely Boat") that Zhou Zhifei was investigating The Hwa Hsia magazine. He was told to avoid the magazine office and prepare for evacuation, with the specific time and route to be provided by liaison Baoqing.
Zhou Zhifei's men, tailing Huang Qiushou, discovered a cigarette case hidden in an alley. Believing it might contain intelligence, they retrieved it but found nothing, realizing it was a decoy and their cover was blown. Zhou immediately called Wan Lilang in Shanghai. He informed Wan Lilang that Huang had escaped but they had apprehended his liaison officer.
He told Wan Lilang that Xie Wenchao was on his way to Shanghai and asked Wan to hand the liaison over to Xie for interrogation, noting Xie still worked for Building 90 despite being in Shanghai. Zhou then asked Wan Lilang to capture Huang if possible and hand him over to Zhou in Suzhou just long enough for identification, promising Wan Lilang the credit for the capture.
Gu Yizhong, passing by Zhou Zhifei's office while carrying hairy crabs, overheard this phone conversation. He quickly contacted the underground via a phone booth at Jiayou Stationery Store, using the codename "Lonely Boat" to warn "Yuanwai" that he was exposed and needed to evacuate immediately. The liaison, rushing to Huang Qiushou's location to warn him, saw agents waiting downstairs. Thinking quickly, the liaison used a mirror to flash a signal, attempting to divert the agents.
While the agents were distracted investigating the light, Huang Qiushou was not there, having already escaped. Wan Lilang's team went upstairs but found nothing. However, the liaison continued signaling and was subsequently apprehended by the agents. Huang Qiushou had taken refuge in a busy noodle stall. As he was about to eat his noodles, he spotted agents approaching. Without hesitation, he tore up papers, presumably intelligence, mixed them into his noodles, and quickly ate them.
Xie Wenchao arrived shortly after and forced open Huang Qiushou's mouth but found nothing, the intelligence having been destroyed. In the aftermath of Huang Qiushou's capture, Zhou Zhifei began planning the next steps. He instructed Xie Wenchao to escort the prisoner back to Suzhou.
He then specifically told Captain Zhang to "invite" Gu Yizhong to his office later that night, emphasizing that the second half of the night, when people's willpower is at its weakest, would be the opportune time for the interrogation.
