Resumo do episódio 8 de Zhan Zhao Adventures
> Resumos de Zhan Zhao Adventures
Inside the Dali Court, Chief Justice Cheng Hao interrogated Zhan Zhao regarding the explosive secret letter he had been escorting. Zhan Zhao confirmed the letter claimed that Emperor Taizong had usurped the throne from Emperor Taizu rather than inheriting it through the legitimate "Pact of the Golden Slender." Cheng Hao used the fact that Zhan Zhao had visited a friend during his journey to suggest the timing coincided perfectly with the spread of destabilizing rumors, framing him as the source.
Zhan Zhao countered that the recipient of the letter had a far greater motive to spread the rumors, but Cheng Hao dismissed this, revealing that the court had only identified a middleman who was now dead. The investigation escalated when the body of a border market official was brought into the court.
Cheng Hao presented a report from the Yicheng magistrate, claiming that Zhan Zhao had broken into the local court, murdered both the official and a constable named Liu Hong Yi, and stolen evidence of treasonous collusion with Western Xia. Zhan Zhao admitted to being at the scene but insisted he was innocent; he explained that Liu Hong Yi was the one who discovered the official’s treason and was murdered to ensure his silence.
With Liu Hong Yi dead, Zhan Zhao had no witnesses, and Cheng Hao used the testimony of local guards—who claimed to have seen a "man in white"—to identify him as the killer. Zhan Zhao realized Cheng Hao was distorting the facts to settle a personal grudge. In recent years, Lord Bao had retried and overturned many of the Dali Court's failed cases, leading Zhan Zhao to denounce Cheng Hao as a corrupt official more interested in political maneuvering than justice.
Infuriated, Cheng Hao ordered Zhan Zhao to be tortured. He had secretly modified the torture sticks with hidden nails, but even under such agony, Zhan Zhao remained defiant. He eventually seized one of the spiked sticks and hurled it with such force that it shattered the "Impartial and Incorruptible" plaque hanging above the bench before he was hauled away to the death cells. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhuo Qing, Bai Yutang, and Huo Linglong gathered at the Prince’s manor.
They decided to split up: Bai Yutang and Ming Zhu'er returned to the Kaifeng Court to consult with Lord Bao, while Huo Linglong and Zhao Zhuo Qing stayed behind to gather intelligence. At the same time, the conspirators were moving their pieces. Si Ming informed Shao Jizu that their master was pleased with the rumors, noting that publicizing the letter was part of a larger plan.
To finish off Zhan Zhao, they dispatched the "Five Venoms" of the Xiuluo Cult to the prison. Si Ming noted that if Zhan Zhao’s friends attempted a rescue, it would serve as proof of his collusion with the underworld, justifying an immediate execution. Huo Linglong managed to sneak into the prison first but was quickly surrounded by the Five Venoms.
Simultaneously, Bai Yutang and Zhao Zhuo Qing took a massive risk by night-breaking into the Imperial Palace to petition the Emperor for an imperial gold token. Inside the prison, Zhan Zhao managed to break his shackles and fought alongside Linglong to hold off the assassins. Just as they fought their way out of the cells, they were met by Cheng Hao and a company of armed guards. However, Bai Yutang arrived at the critical moment, brandishing the imperial token.
Recognizing the Emperor's authority, Cheng Hao was forced to stand down. The group later found shelter from the rain at a roadside tea stall, where Huo Linglong finally learned that "Brother Ding" was actually the famous Bai Yutang. Zhao Zhuo Qing arrived to deliver a message from the Emperor, explaining that the trial at Dali Court was a result of political pressure from Lord Bao’s rivals.
The Emperor, who never doubted Zhan Zhao’s loyalty, suspected that a high-ranking official was secretly leaking information to Western Xia. Zhan Zhao combined this with the involvement of the Flying Trident Guardian, Zhong Xiong, and concluded that the only person capable of manipulating both the officials and the underworld was the Lord of Xiangyang. In his own manor, Shao Jizu thanked the Lord of Xiangyang for the gift of a superior sword.
The Prince remarked that the weapon's cold-forging technique originated from the Shangui family. He warned Shao Jizu that they had underestimated the "Southern Knight," noting that if he had a general like Zhan Zhao, his rebellion would be unstoppable. He ordered his men to stop pursuing Zhan Zhao and instead accelerate their preparations for war.
As Zhan Zhao prepared to head back to Xiangzhou, Bai Yutang grumbled about Lord Bao’s "cunning" nature, realizing the judge had subtly manipulated him into risking his life for the rescue. Zhan Zhao shared a laugh with his friends and returned a set of Linglong Honey to Huo Linglong.
While the trio set off on their new mission, Emperor Zhao Zhen was back in the palace, looking at a small mouse Bai Yutang had carved into a wooden pillar during his daring break-in. Rather than becoming angry, the Emperor ordered the carving to be preserved, finding the rogue’s boldness impressive.
