Ever Night Episode 8 Recap
> Ever Night Recap
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The Emperor of Tang revealed to his officials that he was the true power behind the Yulong Gang. He explained that he had commissioned Chaoxiao Shu, whom he affectionately called "Second Brother Chao," to establish the organization as his private means of gathering intelligence. During a private meeting, Xu Chongshan questioned Ning Que about his assistance to Chaoxiao Shu at Spring Breeze Pavilion, to which Ning Que frankly admitted he was paid five hundred taels of silver.
Appreciating Ning Que's honesty, Xu Chongshan then asked if he would dedicate his life and honor to Tang. Ning Que stated he would sacrifice his honor if pressed, but not his life, a response Xu Chongshan valued as "deeply-considered selfishness" over "generous hypocrisy." Xu Chongshan then officially appointed Ning Que as a Royal Dark Guard, a secret agent of the Tang State.
Meanwhile, Grand Secretary Zeng apologized to the Emperor, admitting that none of the court's erudite officials had deciphered the hidden meaning in "Yulong Gang," which implied a "latent dragon," to realize its connection to the throne. The Emperor expressed his deep disappointment in his officials, not only for their corruption but also for their profound foolishness. He rebuked them for their petty gains, which had forced Chaoxiao Shu into the open, rendering him ineffective.
He also revealed that while officials stirred unrest using the names of the Queen and Princess Li Yu, both women were already well aware of the Yulong Gang's true allegiance. Prince Li Peiyan, the Emperor’s younger brother, knelt in apology and admiration. Xu Chongshan clarified Ning Que's duties: his identity was strictly confidential, and he would likely never meet the Emperor.
The uniform he wore was for the joining ritual only and could be worn just one more time—for his funeral. Ning Que joked that it would make a fine shroud and even asked if he could wear it at home, prompting Xu Chongshan to sternly warn him about the gravity of his new role before sending him away. Elsewhere, Prince Li Peiyan, still seething from his humiliation, resolved to continue his clandestine battle against his brother.
As winter brought heavy snow, Chaoxiao Shu achieved a breakthrough while observing fish, ascending to the Stage of Knowing-Destiny, a feat witnessed by Princess Li Yu. She congratulated him, acknowledging him as another Great Sword Master for Tang. Chaoxiao Shu humbly demurred, insisting he was a mere commoner. Dismissing her attendants, Li Yu privately questioned him about the "woodcutter of Shubi Lake," Ning Que. Chaoxiao Shu clarified that it was a partnership, not exploitation.
She warned him that relying on a single asset was risky, like "one egg in a basket." Chaoxiao Shu countered that Ning Que could protect himself and that he preferred not to put his "egg" in any basket at all. Li Yu then asserted her claim over Ning Que, stating that since she brought him to the capital, he was "her person" and Chao now owed her a favor.
Chaoxiao Shu noted Li Yu's resemblance to her late mother, the exceptionally intelligent Empress Cui. Li Yu lamented her mother’s passing and her newfound responsibility for her younger brother, Li Hunyuan, subtly urging Chao to choose a side in the court's power struggles. Chaoxiao Shu, however, expressed his disdain for confinement, even in an ocean-sized "pond," preferring to "go ashore" and die rather than be forced to choose.
He valued the freedom of the Jianghu, especially "the freedom not to choose," and excused himself to meet the Emperor. In the Imperial Study, the Emperor was overjoyed to see Chaoxiao Shu, but his mood soured when Chao announced his intention to leave the Yulong Gang and the capital. The Emperor, infuriated by what he saw as stubbornness, angrily chastised him. Outside, Xu Chongshan and a palace eunuch nervously listened to the Emperor's unprecedented fury.
Despite the Emperor's repeated pleas to stay, Chaoxiao Shu remained firm. After he departed, the Emperor calmed, quietly musing that Chao's desire to return to nature was perhaps the right choice. Upon arriving home, Ning Que handed Sang Sang his Royal Dark Guard identification token. More interested in his salary, Sang Sang was unimpressed by the estimated twenty to thirty taels per month.
She then revealed that Master Qi Si had personally delivered two thousand taels of silver, an amount so large she couldn't move it. They both celebrated their newfound wealth. That night, Chaoxiao Shu met with his gang members, announcing that he was no longer "Spring Breeze Pavilion's Mr. Chao" but had broken through to the Stage of Knowing-Destiny.
Ning Que buried Zhuo'er, solemnly vowing revenge for him, his family, the villagers, and the entire Lin household, declaring that "good people shouldn't die in vain." He tied a leather string to Zhuo'er's tombstone, a bond for life. Later, Chaoxiao Shu visited Ning Que with Qi Si, the new Chief of Yulong Gang, and Changsi Wei, head of the Military Department of Transportation, telling Ning Que to seek their help if needed.
He advised Ning Que that "a man of integrity should be selective in his actions," hinting that some things are best not pursued prematurely. After Chao left, Grand Secretary Zeng arrived, expressing admiration for the "murderous intent" in Ning Que's calligraphy. He recruited Ning Que as a personal guard, seeking someone "fast enough, brutal enough, and brave enough," and the two sealed their pact as brothers. News of Chaoxiao Shu's departure left the Emperor pensive.
Yan Se correctly surmised that Chao, having reached a new cultivation stage, would seek a challenge from a master like Liu Bai of the South Jin Sword Pavilion. The Emperor, concerned for Chao's safety, called him a fool for seeking death. Meanwhile, He Mingchi sent a message to Luoke Di, the Head of the West Shrine's Jurisdictions Department, informing him of Chao's plan and proposing they let Liu Bai kill him.
In the West Shrine, Prince Long Qing returned to find his subordinate, Zi'mo, being punished by Luoke Di for losing the map to the Demonic Cult's mountain gate. Displaying his photographic memory, Long Qing flawlessly redrew the map, astonishing Luoke Di and passing the Jurisdictions Department's test. In the capital, Princess Li Yu proposed to the Emperor that Li Hunyuan be sent to the Academy.
The Emperor agreed and planned to personally attend the entrance exam with them the next day. This news reached He Mingchi, a West Shrine spy embedded in Tang. He urged his accomplice, Chong Ming, to halt their "Restoration Party" plans, but Chong Ming, driven by vengeance for his destroyed home state of Yan, saw the Emperor's trip as a perfect assassination opportunity.
He Mingchi warned that an attack within the Sage's Academy was impossible, but Chong Ming vowed to make it possible. The next morning, as Sang Sang and Li Yu prepared Ning Que and Li Hunyuan for the exam, the Emperor was about to depart when he was informed the Sixth Prince had fallen ill. After an imperial physician confirmed the prince had a cold, the concerned Emperor ordered Princess Li Yu to preside over the exam in his stead. As this unfolded, Chong Ming and his assassins coated their arrows with poison, swearing an oath: "Kill the Tang Emperor, destroy the Tang State, Yan will be restored!"
