Heroes Episode 9 Recap
> Heroes Recap
In the Capital, Little Rock expressed concern to Bai Choufei that the recent fire at the apothecary where he worked might have been a deliberate act by the Six Half Hall, targeting him specifically. Bai Choufei, however, dismissed his worries, attributing the fire to dry weather. Little Rock felt responsible, believing the kindhearted manager wouldn't be targeted, making him the intended victim.
Meanwhile, Wen Rou grew anxious after her attendant told her that Bai Choufei's paintings were not selling and Little Rock's workplace had been burned down. Hearing of their troubles, Wen Rou fled the city at night. She encountered a storyteller, whom she recognized from their previous meeting in Xiliu. The storyteller was collecting tales of heroes, noting that all the top martial artists had gathered in the Capital.
He also mentioned that Little Rock and Bai Choufei were facing hard times, to which Wen Rou agreed, expressing hope that her friends would one day make it onto his list of heroes. Yang Wuxie and his men were in pursuit, and Wen Rou quickly took her leave. The storyteller recognized Yang Wuxie and began to sing a tribute, which Yang Wuxie respectfully acknowledged.
Elsewhere, Lei Chun’s attendant suggested she speak to her father, Lei Sun, about letting Bai Choufei and Little Rock join the Six Half Hall. Lei Chun refused, citing her promise to her father to stay out of martial arts affairs, but she also mused that the two might not necessarily leave the Capital, believing they were not the type to give up easily.
Lei Chun stopped by a painting stall, recognizing the unique and fresh brushwork of a painting depicting an old man grazing his calf. The vendor revealed the artist was new to the Capital and very ambitious, despite having no particular strength. Lei Chun, noting the profound imagery of life stages against a majestic landscape, suggested renaming the painting "Floating Dreams" for better sales.
However, she ultimately did not purchase it, questioning if "new and fresh" was enough to succeed in the Capital. As she left, she learned the paintings were by Bai Choufei. Later, Little Rock set up a street performance, challenging passersby to hit him with a stone for a copper coin. Several people attempted to hit him. Soon, men from the Six Half Hall, hired by their Tenth Elder, approached.
They aimed arrows at Little Rock, but Bai Choufei suddenly appeared, intercepting an arrow and driving the men away. As Bai Choufei angrily walked off, Little Rock gathered his scattered coins and hurried after him. Bai Choufei confronted Little Rock, accusing him of selling his dignity. Little Rock retorted that he was selling his craft for a living, asserting that "there are more solutions than problems" and they must find a way to survive.
Bai Choufei, however, declared that if staying in the Capital required such humiliating acts, he would rather leave. As night fell, Little Rock stood outside the House of Sunset Drizzle, contemplating his future. He considered leaving the Capital for a carefree life, but knew Bai Choufei, with his great ambitions, had waited too long for fame attainable only in the Capital. Little Rock approached the gate, contemplating knocking.
Unbeknownst to him, Six Half Hall men lay in wait, ready to fire arrows if he knocked. He raised his hand, but then lowered it, realizing that knocking would mean Bai Choufei would never forgive him. He turned and walked away. The Six Half Hall's Tenth Elder, despite Lei Sun’s instruction to spare Little Rock if he didn’t knock, falsely claimed Little Rock had knocked and ordered his men to pursue him.
Little Rock, already sensing their presence, led them to a secluded corner. When the Six Half Hall men, led by Lu Jiansan, attacked, Little Rock easily defeated them all, knocking Lu Jiansan unconscious. Little Rock mused that while the Six Half Hall had its rules, he had his own, pointing out their misdeeds, such as killing Hua Wucuo and burning down the apothecary. At a prestigious establishment, Lei Mei invited Bai Choufei for a drink.
She explained that the names on the expensive liquor bottles were pseudonyms for powerful figures. She then humiliated Bai Choufei, telling him that his martial arts alone were insufficient, especially after he had offended the formidable Six Half Hall. She stated that the "narrow door" to the Capital's martial arts world had become an "iron wall" for him.
Lei Mei mentioned that prominent figures like Su Mengzhen had to kneel to secure his release from prison, and his friends had to sacrifice their dignity for him. She questioned if he still had the "face" to remain in the Capital. Bai Choufei left without drinking. Bai Choufei then decided to leave the Capital without a word. As he reached the city gate, he found Little Rock waiting for him.
Little Rock confronted him about leaving alone, asserting that as friends, their minor sufferings didn’t matter. He insisted they leave the Capital together, travel the world for a few years, and then return to retaliate against the Six Half Hall. Bai Choufei agreed, and they set off together. Meanwhile, Lei Chun had been kneeling for a night, anxiously awaiting news of Su Mengzhen's return from the northwest. A monk finally brought word that Su Mengzhen had returned to the Capital.
Su Mengzhen arrived at Fu Zongshu’s residence, presenting a human head. Fu Zongshu, pleased, treated the head like a Cuju ball and made Su Mengzhen retrieve it. However, as Su Mengzhen picked it up, Fu Zongshu ordered his men to arrest him for the assassination of court official Liu Anshi. Su Mengzhen then threw the head forward, revealing it to be a fake. Fu Zongshu, shocked and unnerved, stumbled back.
Su Mengzhen implied he possessed damning evidence against Fu Zongshu, threatening to expose it if he were to be imprisoned or killed. Su Mengzhen later revealed that he had obtained intelligence from Liu Anshi: Fu Zongshu and the Six Half Hall were operating a "shady business" in the north, involving the Liao people. Su Mengzhen followed Liu Anshi’s clues to the border, where he located their "contact."
The contact confessed that he and others were forced into the illegal trade because the Six Half Hall held their families captive. The contact, who had a brother in the Capital, pleaded with Su Mengzhen to save him in exchange for all the information he knew. Su Mengzhen agreed, but just as the contact began to speak, an arrow suddenly struck and killed him. Su Mengzhen acknowledged that this contact was crucial to the northern business.
He also reflected on his risky maneuver with the fake head at Fu Zongshu’s residence, deeming it a move he was 60% confident in. He then instructed his Messenger Pigeon Group to locate the contact’s brother in the Capital. In a forest, Little Rock and Bai Choufei were intercepted by Wen Rou, who chastised them for leaving without telling her and for not treating her as a friend.
She acknowledged their recent hardships but insisted there was still a chance for them in the Capital. She then led them to a meeting with Su Mengzhen. He told them he had been waiting for them and confirmed that they were already members of the House of Sunset Drizzle, regardless of any objections. He clarified that the incident where he supposedly knelt before Fu Zongshu was a deception, stating that he would only kneel for his brothers.
He then expressed his desire for them to become his sworn brothers, emphasizing that a deep bond could form even from a single life-or-death encounter. He counted them as his two sworn brothers and offered them the choice to leave if they wished, but affirmed they would always remain his brothers. Overwhelmed, Little Rock, Bai Choufei, and Su Mengzhen then performed a ceremony, swearing an oath of brotherhood: "We will go through thick and thin together.
We will entrust our lives to each other and never let each other down. If we go against this vow, may the heavens punish us!" Little Rock joyfully exclaimed that he finally had a big brother in the Capital.
