A Lonely Hero's Journey Episode 35 Recap
> A Lonely Hero's Journey Recap
Gu Yizhong was paraded through the streets before being taken to prison, subjected to the misunderstanding and humiliation of the Suzhou public. Upon arriving at Shizikou Prison, when asked by the guard to write a confession, he cleverly wrote a note promising a substantial reward and begged the guard to deliver it to Dr. Lu Zhaohe. Lu Zhaohe received the letter and acted quickly, using connections via Monk Yiren from a local temple to pass the message to Haimo.
Filled with anxiety, Haimo urgently contacted Luo Wuqiang of the New Fourth Army and also used her personal resources, throwing all her efforts into rescuing Gu Yizhong. Yuqing returned to Suzhou with Zhou Youren (formerly Zhou Zhifei). Their former residence was no longer suitable for their elevated status, so Zhou Youren brazenly took over Gu's Garden, transforming it into "Zhou Garden."
He became a prominent figure for the Kuomintang in Suzhou, his house bustling with visitors bringing a constant stream of gifts that nearly filled two large safes, showcasing his immense power. They also set up a radio antenna to communicate with Chongqing. Haimo, burdened by worry, sought out Yuqing and pleaded for her help in getting Gu Yizhong released.
Haimo still habitually used Zhou Youren's old name, Zhou Zhifei, which Yuqing quickly corrected, emphasizing that he had changed his name to Zhou Youren and his status was now completely different, holding multiple high positions. Although she felt some obligation due to their past friendship, Yuqing claimed she was unaware of Gu Yizhong's situation or where he was imprisoned. On her way back, Haimo saw a newsboy whose loud calls caught her attention.
She bought a newspaper and found a "Missing Person Notice," which was actually a coded signal she had arranged with the New Fourth Army. Soon after, Director Lin Guoping and Chief of Staff Chen from the New Fourth Army arrived as planned. Chief of Staff Chen revealed that he was the person Gu Yizhong had helped rescue that night with Captain Zhang. Division Commander Luo Wuqiang was engaged in other urgent duties and had sent them to provide support.
They explained that due to the negotiations between the Kuomintang and Communist parties in Chongqing, they had decided to temporarily withdraw from the Jiangsu and Shanghai areas, with the New Fourth Army in South Jiangsu moving to North Jiangsu and the Dabie Mountains. They assured Haimo that the withdrawal was temporary and they would return. They acknowledged Gu Yizhong as a discontinued contact worker and promised the organization would not abandon him.
After some investigation by the underground network, they learned that Gu Yizhong was imprisoned in the Third Prison of Suzhou High Court, located at Shizikou. To try and see him, Haimo disguised herself as a family member and attempted to approach the heavily guarded facility. In front of the prison gate, Kuomintang soldiers stood in formation, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering. Fortunately, a guard secretly assisted her, taking a bribe and quietly leading Haimo to a nearby building.
The courtyard of this building was filled with families of the detained prisoners, who stood on a second-floor balcony overlooking the prison's backyard. From there, they could see the prisoners during exercise time. Haimo's heart tightened as she watched Gu Yizhong, her eyes filled with worry and determination. During the brief viewing time, she managed to call out to him and request he ask for an architecture book, "The Ways to Build," from his desk drawer.
She promised to rescue him and assured him that his son was safe with Mrs. Lu. Zhou Youren meticulously arranged a banquet, inviting Xie Wenchao, Wu County Magistrate Wang Zemin, and other high-ranking officials from the Wang's puppet regime to his mansion. At the banquet, he appeared cordial but had a hidden agenda. Once the guests relaxed, he suddenly ordered their arrest.
Zhou Youren coldly revealed that despite having accepted their bribes, he was powerless to help them because they were all on Dai Li's blacklist, and the purge was based strictly on their positions under the Wang regime, with differing sentences for different ranks (e. g. , death penalty for provincial level, life for ministerial level, 7-10 years for vice-ministerial, 3-5 years for bureau level). Meanwhile, with the assistance of the underground network, Haimo successfully visited Gu Yizhong in prison.
She brought him a glimmer of hope, informing him that the underground organization had hired a renowned lawyer from Shanghai and was planning to find witnesses from No. 90 to help clear him of the traitorous charges. She also delivered a letter from Luo Wuqiang, promising rescue efforts. However, upon learning of this, Zhou Youren became worried that Gu Yizhong might expose the truth in court. He decided to visit Gu Yizhong personally in prison.
As the prosecutor and Suzhou Commissioner of the Military Statistics Bureau, Zhou Youren offered Gu Yizhong a deal, promising to do his best to secure a light sentence (estimated 3 years, with early release possible in 1-1. 5 years) based on the rank-based purge criteria, if Gu Yizhong remained silent in court and didn't reveal details of his time at No. 90.
But Gu Yizhong stood firm on his principles, flatly refusing any deal with Zhou Youren, angrily accusing him of committing heinous crimes like killing KMT agents. Faced with Gu Yizhong's resolute stance, Zhou Youren sneered and threatened, "You just wait and see." A confrontation between justice and evil quietly unfolded in the undercurrents of Suzhou. In the solemn courtroom, Judge Jin Jichang asked the prosecutor Zhou Youren to detail the charges against Gu Yizhong.
The courtroom erupted in an uproar when Zhou Youren falsely accused Gu Yizhong of personally killing his patriotic general father, Gu Xixing, to gain favor from the Japanese at No. 90. Gu Yizhong, suppressing his grief, revealed the truth: his father committed suicide to save his life and the family's reputation after being threatened by Zhou Youren and the Japanese at No. 90 to become Wu County Magistrate.
However, as he was the only witness, it was difficult to prove his innocence. Zhou Youren then presented evidence alleging Gu Yizhong supported the Wang regime's campaigns, promoted Japanese culture, and participated in suppressing loyalist and KMT forces.
Gu Yizhong countered, stating that he had been working undercover for the New Fourth Army, but the prosecutor highlighted that his handler died in 1943 and there had been no contact since, arguing that proving his underground status legally required verification from the Military Intelligence Bureau. This claim, lacking supporting witnesses or official proof, seemed weak and unsubstantiated in court.
Outside the courtroom, Haimo watched anxiously through the falling snow, her eyes fixed on the door that would decide Gu Yizhong's fate. The north wind whistled, and snowflakes fell, covering her face with a mixture of melted snow and tears, her heart filled with worry and helplessness over Gu Yizhong's destiny.
