A Lonely Hero's Journey Episode 33 Recap
> A Lonely Hero's Journey Recap
Upon receiving a phone call inviting him to appraise a poetry collection, Gu Yizhong, believing it was a work-related appointment, went to the Lion Grove Garden. There, he met a man who asked about his appreciation for poetry and then took the book Gu was holding, which was 'Commentary on 'Dream of the Red Chamber' by Zhiyanzhai'. The man revealed he had invited Gu to discuss poetry.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhifei, upon seeing Iwai arrive with the book and fearing Gu had been captured, became distraught and exclaimed in frustration. He then urgently requested to see Mr. Li. After returning home, Gu Yizhong sought out Kondo Masao for a discussion but encountered Japanese military police harassing Lyuzhu, claiming she was a gift from Mrs. Li to the gendarmes. Gu intervened, telling the soldiers to release Lyuzhu and stating it was none of their business.
Despite his efforts, one soldier persisted aggressively. In desperation, Lyuzhu grabbed a gun from a soldier, shot one dead, and then took her own life. Gu Yizhong quietly approached, removed his jacket, and gently covered Lyuzhu's face. Yuqing later arrived and addressed Lyuzhu as sister-in-law. Yuqing, distraught upon hearing of Zhou Zhifei's arrest, rushed to seek help from Mr. Li.
However, upon her arrival, Mrs. Li informed her that Mr. Li was gravely ill with a strange sickness involving continuous coughing and diarrhea, comparing his symptoms to someone who had been poisoned, similar to the late Wu Sibao. Mrs. Li recounted that Mr. Li had attended a dinner hosted by Kondo and had eaten only half a meat pie, later trying and failing to expel it.
Given Mr. Li's critical state and unable to secure his help for Zhou, Yuqing declared her decision to travel immediately to Nanjing, also mentioning that Mr. Li had entrusted her with other crucial matters that needed attention. Aware of Yuqing's action, Kondo Masao, fearing complications, ordered Zhou Zhifei's execution for the following day, noting that Zhou's wife had gone to Nanjing to seek help and any delay would cause unnecessary trouble.
Before the planned execution, Zhou Zhifei was granted a brief audience with the ailing Mr. Li by Iwai. In the inner room, Mr. Li confirmed he was poisoned by Kondo and, with his dying breaths, entrusted Zhou with the vital task of finding his wife and retrieving specific important items to be delivered to Dai Li.
Zhou, understanding the gravity of the situation and his own peril, promised to find a way to fulfill the request and urged Mr. Li to hold on. As his time with Mr. Li ended, Zhou, addressing Iwai as a former colleague, made a final plea to be allowed to return home once more before his execution to pay respects to his ancestors and bid farewell to his wife.
He even offered Iwai Li Bai's 'Ascending Mount Yangtai' calligraphy in exchange for the favor. Iwai escorted Zhou Zhifei to Yuqing's home, where Yuqing and Ji were present. Zhou instructed Ji to go to the study and get five gold bars and the Li Bai painting for Iwai, knowing Ji knew their hiding place.
While Iwai waited to receive the items, Zhou lit incense for his ancestors, apologizing for tarnishing their name and praying for his son Youfei's safety in Japan. During this diversion, Yuqing quickly drew a gun and shot the Japanese guards. A struggle ensued, resulting in the deaths of the Japanese escorts. In the aftermath, a shaken Yuqing expressed concern for Youfei, who was still with the Japanese.
Zhou reassured her he had a plan for Youfei and instructed her to quickly find Mrs. Li to retrieve the important items Mr. Li had entrusted him with. Later, news spread of Mr. Li's death from the strange illness. The cause of death was officially attributed, via a statement purportedly from Mrs. Li, to poisoning by an adulterer.
However, characters in Suzhou, including Gu Yizhong and Zhang, discussed this official explanation with skepticism, suspecting the Japanese were covering up their own poisoning of Mr. Li. After escaping, Zhou Zhifei sent a letter to Kondo Masao. In the letter, Zhou confirmed his departure and used Youfei as leverage.
He threatened to expose photographic evidence of Kondo's subordinates selling quinine and atropine to the New Fourth Army and smuggling military rice to high-ranking Japanese officials, including Divisional Commander Kobayashi Nobuo, Mr. Haruki in Beiping, and Lieutenant General Shibayama in Nanjing. Zhou warned Kondo that such exposure would lead to his forced relocation to Burma to fight the British in the jungle and end his life plagued by mosquitoes.
Faced with this dire threat, Kondo was compelled to agree to Zhou's terms regarding Youfei. Zhou Zhifei arrived in the suburbs of Chongqing, where he was met by representatives who welcomed him and informed him that his wife had been settled in a dormitory.
Zhou stated that the important items entrusted to him by Mr. Li – which included all critical incoming correspondence from Chongqing to Mr. Li and Chairman Wang, as well as secret letters between Generalissimo Chiang and the Japanese – were secured in a safe place and that he intended to deliver them personally to Mr. Dai.
He also conveyed Mr. Li's dying wish that his family be well cared for, which he was assured would be done by the Chongqing side. He was informed that Mr. Dai was waiting to meet him at Shangqing Temple. Meanwhile, in Suzhou, at the former No. 90 Agent Station, Wan Lilang, Chief of the Political Security Bureau of the Wang puppet government, arrived to announce significant organizational changes.
Finding Kondo Masao absent, Wan gathered the station personnel, including Gu Yizhong and Captain Zhang. By order of Chairman Wang, Wan announced the dissolution of the Agent Headquarters and its reorganization into the Political Security Bureau. Correspondingly, the Suzhou Agent Station was renamed the Political Security Bureau Suzhou Branch. Gu Yizhong was appointed Chief of the new branch, and Xie Wenchao was appointed Deputy Chief.
Wan introduced Xie to Gu, noting Xie's expertise in dealing with the CPC and familiarity with Suzhou, encouraging them to cooperate. Following the announcement, Gu Yizhong hosted a banquet for Wan Lilang at the Fengxiang Restaurant. Captain Zhang facilitated the preparation of gifts for Wan, which included gold bars, referring to them as "hard currency" and noting that Wan's secretary had hinted at the necessity of such gestures.
Zhang also commented to Gu that Wan Lilang seemed to perceive Gu as not adept enough at social niceties and gift-giving, suggesting this might be why Xie Wenchao was appointed Deputy Chief. Wan Lilang departed the banquet early due to his age and busy schedule, mentioning the extensive work involved in reorganizing agencies across different locations, starting with Suzhou. After Wan's departure, Gu was seen alone, drinking, and reciting a melancholic poem by Yang Wanli.
News of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Red Army's offensive against the Japanese Kwantung Army in Northeast China reached Suzhou, along with reports that the Japanese Emperor had accepted the Potsdam Declaration, signaling Japan's impending surrender to the Allied powers. Gu Yizhong, assessing the inevitable defeat of Japan, decided it was time for him and his family to leave Suzhou secretly.
He planned to send Haimo and Junsheng to Sanxiang Temple, where an old monk who was a relative of his father would provide refuge. However, their departure was delayed as Junsheng had a dentist appointment. Gu decided to go to the former 90 station first, ostensibly to handle some urgent documents, but also to prepare for potential danger. He left some money for Wang Ma for her retirement.
At the station, he found Captain Zhang complaining about Xie Wenchao's harsh orders, reportedly from Wan Lilang in Nanjing, to transfer and strictly punish captured CPC and New Fourth Army members from surrounding areas to the Suzhou main bureau, creating significant logistical and cost problems. Zhang also mentioned that Kondo Masao had become reclusive and agitated since the news of Japan's losses, leading Zhang to believe Japan was truly on the verge of defeat.
Sensing the heightened danger in the current climate, Gu retrieved a gun and armed himself before seeking out Kondo. Gu Yizhong met with Kondo Masao. Kondo questioned if Gu was a Communist or Kuomintang, both of which Gu denied, stating he was simply "an ordinary Chinese citizen."
Gu addressed the reality of Japan's impending defeat, reminding Kondo of his earlier prediction about the Chinese nation's resilience and highlighting the impact of the atomic bombings, the Soviet invasion, and the Emperor's acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. Kondo acknowledged strategic missteps might be the cause of their failure. Gu argued that neither the Chongqing Kuomintang (who fight amongst themselves while claiming resistance) nor the Nanjing Wang regime represented China's future, describing them as corrupt and terrible.
He urged Kondo to acknowledge defeat and surrender Suzhou, not to these regimes, but to the vibrant Chinese Communist Party, whom Gu believed truly represented the majority of the Chinese people and China's future. He specifically asked Kondo to return Suzhou city to its own people. Kondo, after considering Gu's points, agreed to persuade Divisional Commander Kobayashi to surrender Suzhou to the New Fourth Army and asked Gu to make the necessary contact to accept their surrender.
They reached an understanding. Upon returning home, Gu Yizhong attempted to finalize the escape plan for Haimo and Junsheng, providing Haimo with a detailed map and instructions for reaching Sanxiang Temple and the contact there. He explained that he had urgent matters to handle and intended for them to go first without him. However, Haimo firmly refused to leave, stating that if he wasn't going, neither were they. She directed Junsheng away to Wang Ma and began to undo her packed bag, resolutely declaring that he couldn't get rid of her.
