Luoyang Episode 29 Recap
> Luoyang Recap
After being trapped in the collapsed cave on North Mountain following the Thunder explosion, Gao Bingzhu tried to amuse a weakening Wu Siyue with a joke about a scholar and an Ox-head officer, but she had heard it when she was seven. He then asked how she, a woman, had become an Interior Guard. Wu Siyue explained that she believed she had earned her place by defeating Li Beiqi and others.
However, she had overheard whispers that her brother, Sir Wu, the leader of the Interior Guard Services (Fengyu Lang), had ordered his men to go easy on her, essentially giving his approval for her to join. In a flashback, Sir Wu was seen scolding his men for losing to Wu Siyue in combat, declaring her an official Interior Guard, to be addressed as "Yuehuajun."
However, Li Beiqi and other guards privately complained that Sir Wu had ordered them to go easy on her, suggesting she was only playing at being a guard. Sir Wu later confirmed this to Wu Siyue, admitting he always supported her wishes. He had hoped that encountering danger would make her realize the hardships and return to a life as a noblewoman.
Wu Siyue admitted their assessment was accurate, as she had indeed joined for fun, and might have quit if she hadn't overheard their remarks. Yet, she found herself persisting in her role as an Interior Guard to this very day. As Wu Siyue grew weaker and felt the urge to sleep, Gao Bingzhu urged her to stay awake, assuring her that Li Beiqi and his men were on their way.
He then spoke of his own younger sister, Tan, whom he hadn't seen in years. In a painful memory, Gao Bingzhu recalled his mother punishing him for eating congee before ensuring Tan had eaten, impressing upon him that he was the man of the family and must always put Tan first. Another memory surfaced of him desperately begging a physician to treat his sick sister, only to be turned away for lack of money.
It was Mr. Unsightly who intervened, paying for Tan's treatment and advising Gao Bingzhu never to kneel to anyone but his parents. Gao Bingzhu then revealed that Tan, seven years his junior, had gone missing five years ago when he was expelled from Unwelcome Well, and despite extensive searches, she was never found, causing his mother to fall gravely ill. Back in the cave, Wu Siyue shivered from the cold.
Gao Bingzhu offered to warm her and encouraged her to hold on. He promised that once they escaped, she would accompany him to find Tan and help all the people of Unwelcome Well emerge from their hidden lives to live openly in the capital city.
He also promised to take her to the south market to see the flower lanterns, recalling a night when she first showed him the capital city's beauty, revealing the illuminated homes and countless smiling faces, which had inspired him to dedicate his life to protecting the capital city. Meanwhile, Sir Wu, whose old illness had relapsed due to anxiety, relentlessly drove his men despite his weakened state in a frantic search for Wu Siyue on North Mountain.
When the initial hounds failed to locate them, he ordered all dogs in the capital city to be brought in. Li Beiqi suggested that Sir Wu rest given the cold, but Sir Wu furiously rebuked him, reminding him of his promise to protect Wu Siyue, even if it cost him his life. He declared that Li Beiqi's death would not compensate for his sister's. Traces of a collapsed cave entrance were finally discovered.
Sir Wu immediately directed Li Beiqi and his men to dig, warning them that if Wu Siyue did not come out alive, everyone would pay with their lives. Upon learning that Gao Bingzhu and Wu Siyue were trapped on North Mountain, Baili Hongyi grew anxious and sent Shen Fei to inquire about their situation.
While Liu Ran expressed concern for his safety, Baili Hongyi assured her he would be cautious as he planned to visit the master at Hong Ru Guan to investigate further about Baili Kuanren. Back at the mountain, Sir Wu relentlessly drove his men, urging them to dig faster and calling for additional help from the Grand Court and Palace Guard. He reiterated his grim command: Wu Siyue must emerge alive, or all would perish.
Inside the cave, Gao Bingzhu continued to encourage a fading Wu Siyue, reiterating his promises to find Tan and see the festival lanterns together. Finally, the cave entrance was cleared. Sir Wu pulled Wu Siyue from the rubble, but Li Beiqi, consumed by anger, immediately attacked Gao Bingzhu, blaming him for Wu Siyue's state. Sir Wu intervened, preventing further harm, and ordered Wu Siyue to be rushed back to the Interior Guard Services for treatment.
Though he harbored deep hatred for Gao Bingzhu, Sir Wu honored a prior promise not to kill him. Instead, he issued a chilling warning: if Gao Bingzhu ever came near Wu Siyue again, he and all the people of Unwelcome Well would face an existence worse than death. Baili Hongyi later visited the master at Hong Ru Guan. The master, recalling his close friendship with Baili Hongyi's grandfather, Master Baili Hu, agreed to see him.
Baili Hongyi presented a manuscript he had found in his brother Kuan's room, which contained phrases like "the court and the wilderness combine to form continuous mountains." The master recognized similar concepts from the scholars of Four Season Academy. He explained that Four Season Academy was established in Chang'an by the former Crown Prince Yu, intended to gather talents. After the Crown Prince's death, it was renamed North Sea Academy before eventually disappearing.
Baili Hongyi then inquired if Four Season Academy had any connection to the Four Season Clan, a name the master had never heard before. The master did, however, mention that Baili Hongyi's grandfather, Master Baili Hu, had once taught at North Sea Academy. Meanwhile, Tiantong demonstrated the destructive power of a Thunder, causing mountain rocks to shatter. Lady of Autumn and Lord of Spring were present and appeared pleased with the results.
Lady of Autumn sarcastically remarked on Tiantong's sudden success after her threats, implying he had been negligent before, which Tiantong denied. He admitted to leveraging "external help" from Baili Hongyi, whom he had abducted. Lady of Autumn questioned if Baili Hongyi was still alive, and Tiantong promised to eliminate him.
Acknowledging the Interior Guard Services' involvement, Lord of Spring, enraged, vehemently ordered Tiantong to produce the perfected Thunder and ensure they were all ready before the Ceremony of Light, emphasizing no further delays. Shen Fei later informed Baili Hongyi that Wu Siyue had been rescued by Sir Wu from North Mountain, but Gao Bingzhu's whereabouts remained unknown, though Shen Fei implied he was likely safe.
Baili Hongyi, driven by a desire to understand Four Season Academy, returned home to inquire about his grandfather, Master Baili Hu, a topic usually forbidden in the household. Uncle Baili revealed that Master Baili Hu had been expelled from Four Season Academy due to an argument. Following his expulsion, disturbing rumors spread, including accusations that Master Baili Hu practiced witchcraft, leading the Baili family to relocate from Jingzhao to the capital city in the third year of Zhenlong.
Uncle Baili recalled an instance when the family mansion was filled with smoke and a pungent smell, similar to when Baili Hongyi conducted his elixirs, which had fueled the witchcraft rumors. However, he remained unaware of the specific nature of the argument that led to his grandfather's expulsion. Upon learning of Gao Bingzhu's return, Baili Hongyi eagerly sought him out. Gao Bingzhu recounted his experiences in the cave.
Baili Hongyi then revealed his devastating realization: the Four Season Clan was using Mount Lian copper to construct the Thunder's containers. He explained that the exceptionally hard Mount Lian copper, when shattered by the explosive, would significantly amplify the blast's radius and destructive power. Baili Hongyi confessed that while attempting to delay the Thunder's production by using a frozen Xuanwu's Pearl to lower the furnace temperature, he had inadvertently helped Tiantong achieve the precise temperature needed for its successful creation.
He now believed Tiantong had likely perfected the Thunder and expressed profound self-reproach, offering to bear full responsibility. Gao Bingzhu, however, advised him to keep this information private. He asserted that Baili Hongyi was a victim and that the success of the Thunder was not his fault, as the Four Season Clan would have found a way regardless. Instead of dwelling on his mistake, Gao Bingzhu urged Baili Hongyi to focus on finding ways to rectify the situation.
Liu Shi expressed deep regret for revealing the manuscript, which had placed Liu Ran and Baili Hongyi in extreme danger. Liu Ran comforted him, assuring him that Tiantong would have found them regardless. Liu Shi then inquired about Liu Feng, who had been kicked out of Hong Xiao Fang after squandering his money. Liu Shi mentioned sending people to find his son and vowed never again to interfere with Liu Feng's decisions, wishing only for his and Liu Ran's safety.
Shortly after, Uncle Baili rushed in to inform Liu Ran that Baili Hongyi intended to exhume Kuan's grave to verify his identity. Liu Ran immediately hurried to stop him. Wu Siyue awoke from a nightmare and immediately inquired about Gao Bingzhu's whereabouts to Interior Guard Li Chun, who admitted he did not know, as they had focused on her rescue. Learning that Sir Wu's old illness had relapsed while saving her, Wu Siyue promptly went to visit him.
Meanwhile, Gao Bingzhu reported to Li Yichen at Lianfang (the Intelligence Services). An Baitan confirmed that despite thorough checks of all city entrances for copper boxes, none were found, leading Gao Bingzhu to conclude the Thunder had not yet been transported into the capital city. An Baitan, however, expressed skepticism about the Thunder's described power, suspecting Gao Bingzhu was exaggerating its capabilities given the lack of evidence. When Li Yichen questioned the Four Season Clan's ultimate motive for developing such a powerful weapon, Gao Bingzhu asserted that their true target was the upcoming Ceremony of Light.
