An Oriental Odyssey Episode 23 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Zhao Lanzhi sternly informed Princess Ming Hui that no one could prevent him from carrying out his official duties or arresting those he sought. He stated that he would overlook what happened last night but warned her there would not be a next time, implying severe consequences if she interfered again. He Zhun, a bandit from Huodu Hill, had sought refuge with his uncle, but his uncle, fearing for his own life, reported him to the authorities.
As a result, He Zhun was captured by Zhao Lanzhi's forces. He Zhun confronted his uncle, who justified his betrayal by saying He Zhun had been a bandit since he was young and his own life would have been forfeit if he hadn't reported him. Observing He Zhun's fighting prowess, Zhao Lanzhi deduced that He Zhun was at least a commander, if not the leader, of Huodu Hill.
Zhao Lanzhi attempted to coerce He Zhun into revealing a safe path up the mountain, but He Zhun defiantly refused, stating he was not afraid of death. Zhao Lanzhi decided to give He Zhun time to reconsider, planning to besiege the hill the next day, confident that with a guide, the difficult task of taking Huodu Hill would be easier. Ye Yuanan came to see Zhao Lanzhi off.
She wished him a safe trip and successive victories, then specifically requested that he bring Mu Le back safely. Zhao Lanzhi acknowledged her request. Zhao Lanzhi led his forces to Huodu Hill and demanded the bandits surrender to the Tang Empire. The bandits refused, leading to a fierce battle where they deployed tactics like "flying sand and rolling stones," inflicting heavy casualties on Zhao Lanzhi's troops.
Seeing his men suffering, the bandits suddenly discovered the captured He Zhun in a cage. He Zhun was the leader of Huodu Hill, so the bandits immediately recognized him as their "Big Brother" and halted their assault, allowing Zhao Lanzhi and his soldiers to retreat. Zhao Lanzhi discerned He Zhun's true identity as the leader of Huodu Hill.
He then tried to persuade He Zhun to cooperate, explaining that he had blockaded the hill and was waiting for He Zhun's brothers to come to his rescue, which would lead them into traps. He Zhun, however, continued to deny his leadership, despite Zhao Lanzhi's clear evidence. Zhao Lanzhi ordered his men to keep a close watch on He Zhun. Deputy Commandant Li Long discussed his concerns with Li Bao.
Li Long noted Zhao Lanzhi's rigorous military command and worried that if Zhao Lanzhi successfully conquered Huodu Mountain, his position would be solidified, making it even harder for Li Long to achieve promotion and wealth. Knowing Li Bao's consistent desire to eliminate Mu Le, Li Long proposed a "two birds with one stone" plan that would implicate both Zhao Lanzhi and Mu Le.
Li Bao deliberately assigned Mu Le the task of delivering poisoned food to He Zhun, intending to kill He Zhun and thus thwart Zhao Lanzhi's plan to pacify Huodu Hill using the bandit leader, while simultaneously eliminating Mu Le. Mu Le initially resisted the order but eventually complied. Upon delivering the meal, Mu Le recognized He Zhun as the "Big Brother" he had met previously at a restaurant, where He Zhun had helped him. He Zhun also recognized Mu Le.
When a rat consumed the food and instantly died, they realized it was poisoned. He Zhun deduced that Zhao Lanzhi wouldn't want him dead yet, implying the poison was aimed at Mu Le as well, orchestrated by Li Long. Realizing the plot, He Zhun decided to work with Mu Le to fake his death and expose Li Long and Li Bao.
Li Long and Li Bao, believing He Zhun was dead, gloated and feigned leniency towards Mu Le, telling him to flee. However, as Mu Le turned to leave, they attempted to ambush him. He Zhun, who had faked his death, emerged from the cage and intervened, saving Mu Le by killing Li Long. Enraged, Mu Le confronted Li Bao, demanding to know why he repeatedly tried to kill him. He Zhun then killed Li Bao.
He Zhun informed Mu Le that the deaths of the two brothers would be pinned on him, leaving him with no choice but to join the Huodu Mountain bandits. With no other options and having been framed by the Li brothers, Mu Le fled with He Zhun that night. As they made their escape, a mysterious white-robed figure, appearing almost otherworldly, silently observed Mu Le from high up on Huodu Hill.
He Zhun encouraged Mu Le, telling him they would soon reach his stronghold on the mountain. News reached Zhao Lanzhi that He Zhun and Mu Le had escaped. Upon discovering the bodies of Li Long and Li Bao, he initiated an investigation. Guards informed him that Deputy Commandant Li Long had dismissed them from their post guarding He Zhun the previous night, claiming he would take over.
Another soldier reported that Li Long had called Mu Le out of the barracks before the incident. Zhao Lanzhi was perplexed, noting that if Mu Le poisoned the food, it made no sense for Li Long and Li Bao to be dead. Xiaohu suggested Mu Le might have fought and killed the brothers, then fled with He Zhun. Zhao Lanzhi, however, cautioned against jumping to conclusions before a thorough investigation.
Despite the setback of losing He Zhun as bait, he prioritized the ongoing siege of Huodu Mountain, instructing his men to locate the bandits' dwelling place along the river. To prove his courage and loyalty, He Zhun presented Mu Le with a perilous test: jumping into a turbulent mountain river from a cliff. Mu Le leaped without hesitation, successfully making it to the other side.
Impressed, He Zhun embraced Mu Le, declaring that he had passed the "dragon gate" and was now a true bandit, free like them. He Zhun introduced his other brothers, Fei Ying and Di Long, and appointed Mu Le as the fourth leader of Huodu Hill. Later, Mu Le sat on the mountain, whistling and reflecting on his past with Ye Yuanan, worried that she would be disappointed if she learned he had become a bandit.
He Zhun led Mu Le to confront Zhao Lanzhi's approaching forces. Zhao Lanzhi was visibly shocked to see Mu Le fighting alongside the bandits. He Zhun taunted Zhao Lanzhi, revealing Mu Le was now his "Fourth Little Brother" and urging Zhao Lanzhi to surrender. Both sides refused, and a fierce battle ensued. During the fighting, He Zhun was severely wounded while protecting Mu Le.
Witnessing the turn of events, Zhao Lanzhi tried to appeal to Mu Le, assuring him that he believed Mu Le was framed by Li Long and Li Bao and was innocent. He offered Mu Le a chance to return to the army, promising a pardon and promotion to lieutenant if he brought He Zhun with him. However, He Zhun urged Mu Le not to trust Zhao Lanzhi, reminding him of how he had been treated.
Mu Le, no longer trusting Zhao Lanzhi, declared that he didn't seek promotion but equal treatment, accusing Zhao Lanzhi of failing to recognize and utilize talent and attributing his current path to the pressure from Zhao Lanzhi's soldiers. He asserted that despite being a bandit, he would not go against his conscience.
Zhao Lanzhi, reminding Mu Le of his promise to Ye Yuanan, warned him against making a decision he would regret, stating he didn't want to return Mu Le's dead body to her. Mu Le, carrying the injured He Zhun, turned to leave. As Mu Le tried to retreat with He Zhun, Zhao Lanzhi, left with no other choice, ordered his soldiers to fire arrows. Caught under heavy attack, Mu Le's latent supernatural abilities suddenly erupted.
His eyes glowed yellow, red scales appeared on his body, and he deflected the barrage of arrows, then ruthlessly attacked Zhao Lanzhi's soldiers, causing significant casualties. His terrifying transformation led many to believe he was a monster. Back at her residence, Ye Yuanan felt an intense unease, her right eyelid twitching incessantly. Convinced that something terrible had happened to Mu Le, she hastily left for the military camp, driven by a premonition and a recent dream about him.
Ye Yuanan rushed to the military camp, desperately asking Zhao Lanzhi about Mu Le. Before Zhao Lanzhi could respond, Xiaohu interjected, accusing Mu Le of being a monster. Xiaohu claimed Mu Le had red scales all over his body and was impervious to arrows, stating he was clearly not human. He further asserted that Mu Le, despite Zhao Lanzhi's kindness, had betrayed them, joining the bandits as their vanguard and injuring many soldiers.
Ye Yuanan vehemently denied these accusations, calling Xiaohu a liar. To convince her, Xiaohu led her outside to see the numerous injured soldiers, claiming Mu Le was responsible for their wounds. Zhao Lanzhi spoke to Ye Yuanan, reminding her of past incidents that pointed to Mu Le's unusual nature. He recalled the time she disguised herself as Princess Qi'an to capture Shuiyue, when they were suddenly saved from assassins by Mu Le's inexplicable actions.
Zhao Lanzhi then recounted the recent battle, describing the shocking scene when Mu Le, refusing to surrender and under arrow fire, displayed his supernatural powers. He admitted that he had previously observed Mu Le's extraordinary strength, jumping ability, and martial arts skills, noting that Mu Le's behavior defied normal explanation and suggesting he possessed supernatural power, which Mu Le himself seemed to forget afterward. Zhao Lanzhi asserted that Mu Le's displayed abilities confirmed he was not a normal human.
He grimly stated that if Mu Le truly was a monster, he would have no choice but to eliminate him, just like any other bandit. Ye Yuanan became furious, vehemently declaring that Mu Le was "hers" and no one would harm him. She proposed going to Huodu Hill herself to bring Mu Le back, confident that he would listen to her.
Zhao Lanzhi challenged her deep concern for Mu Le, questioning why, among all her servants, she cared so uniquely for him, even coming to the military camp. Ye Yuanan retorted by reminding him of Mu Le's numerous acts of bravery, saving both her and Zhao Lanzhi on multiple occasions, and questioned why he couldn't see this. Seeing her unwavering resolve, Zhao Lanzhi agreed to let her accompany his troops during an attack on the bandit's main camp that night.
News of Mu Le's transformation not only terrified the imperial soldiers but also caused panic among the Huodu Hill bandits. Some of He Zhun's men expressed their fear, calling Mu Le a monster and suggesting they kill him before he could harm them. He Zhun, however, fiercely defended Mu Le, reminding them that Mu Le had saved them and considered them brothers. He argued that if thousands of arrows couldn't harm Mu Le, they stood no chance against him.
Despite their lingering fear, He Zhun admonished his men, insisting they stop calling Mu Le a monster. He declared that even if Mu Le was a monster, he was a loyal and affectionate one, and they needed to treat him as a brother and rely on his strength. He ordered them to find Mu Le and to hide their fear.
