Hu Tong Episode 8 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
After being humiliated by the proprietress of Spring Blossom Tower, Suo Qian grew increasingly angry, determined to find a way to make money and redeem Chun Xi sooner. On the street, he unexpectedly met Gong Er and Liu San, who had arrived in Beijing from Tianjin to sell anti-smoking pills. They explained that they had procured these "German-imported" pills from a big German businessman.
Suo Qian, intrigued, noted that the pills were packaged with Chinese characters, and Gong Er and Liu San admitted they had simply repackaged ordinary pills to make them seem foreign. They asked Suo Qian to help them promote the pills in various pharmacies, offering him a 10% commission. After some haggling, Suo Qian successfully negotiated for a 20% cut. Tian Zao won the election, receiving the most votes as a street activist.
She was eager to start working immediately, but Li Hongying advised her to go home and await further instructions, as there were still formalities to complete. Tian Zao, however, expressed that she didn't care about money but was happy to do something for her neighbors. Suo Qian devised a clever scheme.
He first promoted the anti-smoking pills at a pharmacy, then paid a group of heavy opium smokers to rush in and buy them, creating a false impression of high demand. Gong Er and Liu San were impressed by his cunning plan. Suo Qian was eager to collect his money immediately, but they convinced him to wait two more days before visiting that pharmacy again. At home, Gui Shu prepared a large celebratory feast for Tian Zao's election.
Aunt Li sent Xiulan to call Tie Dan. Tie Dan, however, hesitated at the doorstep, worried that Tian Zao might still be angry with him and ruin the joyful occasion. Despite Xiulan's earnest pleas, Tie Dan insisted on leaving, fearing Tian Zao's temper, and eventually walked away, much to Xiulan’s disappointment. Meanwhile, Gong Er and Liu San treated Suo Qian to dinner, where he drank heavily and became quite jovial.
Refusing to go home, he insisted on staying at the luxurious Six Nations Hotel. The next morning, Suo Qian arrived at the pharmacy to find the boss eagerly awaiting him. The boss bought all of Suo Qian's remaining pills. Overjoyed, Suo Qian returned home in a new custom-made suit, boasting to Tong Xiaoting and Tian Zao about his new lucrative venture selling "life-saving" anti-smoking pills.
Soon after, Dapeng and other officers arrived and arrested Suo Qian, who protested, claiming he was working for the government and that there must be a mistake. Confused, Tian Zao rushed to Lin Zheng to understand the situation. Lin Zheng explained that the "German-imported" anti-smoking pills Suo Qian was peddling were merely ordinary hawthorn pills. Suo Qian had even hired opium addicts to create a false buying frenzy, leading pharmacy owners to report him for fraud.
Lin Zheng informed Tian Zao that Suo Qian had confessed to getting the pills from two swindlers from Tianjin, Gong Er and Liu San. Although Suo Qian was also a victim of deception, his actions were fraudulent and had a severely negative impact. Lin Zheng stated that while the principal offenders, Gong Er and Liu San, had fled and were being pursued, Suo Qian, as an accomplice, would still face a sentence of at least six months.
Tian Zao was very upset by this news. Lin Zheng then took the opportunity to advise Tian Zao, who had just been elected as a street activist, to adhere to Party policies and discipline, urging her not to act on impulse. He acknowledged her strengths, such as her active participation and strong community ties, which had been crucial in solving previous cases. He tasked her with being Li Hongying's "eyes," encouraging her to report any suspicious individuals or activities.
Tian Zao suddenly recalled a suspicious person she had seen at Luo Wenhui's arrest during the celebration, the same person she had previously encountered at Han Qingkui’s house. Recognizing the importance of this clue, Lin Zheng immediately summoned Qin for a statement. However, Tian Zao, who harbored deep resentment towards Qin, left without saying a word.
Lin Zheng then speculated to Qin that this mysterious individual might be "Night Wolf," the elusive Kuomintang spy leader, especially since Han Qingkui had mentioned his contact as Zheng Qiang. He ordered Qin to investigate Zheng Qiang thoroughly. Meanwhile, Dapeng visited Aunt Li, Gui Shu, and Tong Xiaoting to gather information about Suo Qian. Gui Shu defended Suo Qian, saying he was trying to earn money to redeem Chun Xi, but had chosen the wrong path.
Aunt Li, however, emphasized Suo Qian's inherent avarice and believed he deserved his punishment for undermining the government's anti-smoking campaign. During this visit, Xiulan developed a crush on Dapeng and later sought out Tian Zao to inquire about him. Tian Zao teased Xiulan about her feelings, then revealed that Dapeng was a well-educated Yanjing University student and a revolutionary war hero, both intelligent and brave. Tian Zao even offered to play matchmaker, but a shy Xiulan quickly dismissed the idea.
Further investigation by Gao Zhiyuan confirmed Zheng Qiang as "Night Wolf" through Kuomintang archives and testimonies from captured agents. To ensure accuracy, Gao Zhiyuan decided that Tian Zao, who provided the initial clue, should identify Zheng Qiang from a photograph. Tie Dan was chosen for this task, despite his apprehension about facing Tian Zao. When Tie Dan arrived at Tian Zao’s home, she initially tried to send him away, still upset with him.
He insisted he had important business from the police station related to identifying a spy. He presented her with a photo of Zheng Qiang, asking if this was the man she had seen at Han Qingkui's house and the assassination scene. Tian Zao confirmed, "That's him." She then again told Tie Dan to leave. Tie Dan pleaded for a chance to talk, even offering to kneel in apology.
Aunt Li and Xiulan, listening from outside, urged Tian Zao to be more forgiving. Seeing Tie Dan about to kneel, Tian Zao finally relented and let him in. Inside, Tie Dan excitedly shared that he had become a police officer in the municipal public security department. Tian Zao remained indifferent, accusing him of mockery. He then complimented her writing and suggested she join the Communist Party, offering to be her introducer.
Tian Zao rejected him, stating Li Hongying could be her introducer. Tie Dan then explained the seriousness of the situation: the man she identified was Zheng Qiang, codenamed "Night Wolf," a high-ranking Kuomintang spy at the Beijing Secrecy Bureau who coordinated Luo Wenhui's assassination. He revealed that a city-wide search was underway. Tian Zao questioned why he was sharing classified information, but Tie Dan insisted it was permissible as she was his fiancée and a street activist.
Despite his attempts, Tian Zao remained unmoved, angrily telling him to leave, even wishing him to starve to death and slamming the door. Upon receiving Tian Zao's confirmation of Zheng Qiang's identity, Lin Zheng immediately informed the city bureau to launch a city-wide search for "Night Wolf." Later, Da Yong, Xiao Feng, and Mei He urgently sought out Tian Zao, reporting that Mei He's sister, Chun Xi, had been arrested.
The police were conducting city-wide raids, closing brothels and apprehending prostitutes. Tian Zao, accompanied by the orphans, attempted to block the military vehicles transporting the women, but she and the children were subsequently taken to the Public Security Bureau. Lin Zheng was informed of the incident and reported it to Li Hongying.
At the bureau, Tian Zao passionately pleaded for Chun Xi, explaining that she was forced into prostitution to pay for her sick mother's medical care and support Mei He. She emphasized their shared plight as orphans. The chief explained that the purpose was not to arrest them as criminals but to "save" them from their difficult lives, provide "education and transformation" so they could embark on new lives and contribute to the nation.
Soon after, Lin Zheng and Li Hongying arrived to bail Tian Zao and the orphans out. Lin Zheng severely reprimanded Tian Zao for her reckless actions of intercepting military vehicles, comparing her to a "bomb" and stressing the negative impact on public order. He insisted that the street government must address the incident seriously. Tian Zao felt regretful, realizing she had caused trouble for Li Hongying. Li Hongying, however, urged her to discuss it later.
