The Chang'an Youth Episode 4 Recap
> The Chang'an Youth Recap
At the beginning of the episode, a furious Yang Zixu demanded punishment for the recent disturbance. Shen Dieyi, claiming it was merely a misunderstanding, offered the other students as witnesses. Two students, seemingly the mischievous twins, falsely testified that they witnessed Yang Zian and others fighting in Chuhe Hall, a claim supported by another student.
Yang Zixu, attempting to intimidate, declared that if Shen Dieyi could not find five additional witnesses to support her claim, she and the other students involved would be expelled, with any new witnesses also facing punishment for perjury. Shen Dieyi bravely stepped forward, offering to bear full responsibility herself to protect her friends, stating that her expulsion alone would be preferable to involving others.
Tang Jiuhua and another student immediately offered their testimony, and Yang Zixu observed Tang Jiuhua's strong loyalty. Dugu Muxue also voiced his support, stating his satisfaction with his roommate, Li Xinyuan. As Yang Zixu pressed for two more witnesses, another student boldly condemned those who confused right and wrong, declaring his disdain for such classmates and his willingness to leave. Shen Dieyi reiterated her readiness to accept sole responsibility.
Tang Jiuhua shamed the hesitant students, reminding them of their recent enjoyment of Dieyi’s cooking, which galvanized many more students to step forward and testify in her favor. Overwhelmed by the collective support, Yang Zixu was forced to concede, merely warning everyone to behave themselves. Later, Shen Dieyi, Tang Jiuhua, and Li Xinyuan were talking. Tang Jiuhua, noticing Li Xinyuan's compass, playfully asked if he was skilled in I-Ching divination.
Li Xinyuan modestly replied he was an amateur, but then, when asked by Tang Jiuhua to predict his romantic future, he claimed Tang Jiuhua would have a romantic encounter that very day. Tang Jiuhua mistakenly believed the romantic encounter predicted was with Shen Dieyi, and was overjoyed. Excited, Tang Jiuhua nicknamed him "Diviner" and suggested they celebrate with dinner at Ningxiang Pavilion, an idea Shen Dieyi liked. Dugu Muxue declined the invitation due to other commitments.
Tang Jiuhua then invited Yang Zian, who flatly refused, stating he never frequented such establishments and advising them to stay away. Annoyed by his dismissive attitude, Tang Jiuhua and Shen Dieyi decided to go ahead, heading off to change their clothes. Meanwhile, Han Yu'er, Lord Han’s daughter and an avid jade enthusiast, attempted to sneak into her father's study to inspect a new fish-shaped tally mold, reportedly crafted from precious white Hotan jade.
Lord Han discovered her and reprimanded her for her mischievousness and for entering his restricted study, emphasizing the tally's importance. Han Yu'er clarified she was only interested in the jade's quality. Lord Han reiterated his warning. Later, feeling bored while wandering the streets, Han Yu'er spotted a distinctive Si Nan jade pendant worn by Shen Dieyi. Following her, Han Yu'er was nearly hit by a cart, but Shen Dieyi quickly pulled her to safety.
Smitten, Han Yu'er asked for her name, and Shen Dieyi introduced herself. Tang Jiuhua and Li Xinyuan arrived, with Tang Jiuhua teasing Li Xinyuan about his "inaccurate" divination, as Shen Dieyi, not him, had the romantic encounter. Li Xinyuan insisted his prediction was still correct. Han Yu'er, upon hearing Shen Dieyi's name, realized who she was. At Ningxiang Pavilion, Shen Dieyi, Tang Jiuhua, and Li Xinyuan settled down to eat.
Tang Jiuhua expressed his excitement about being in such a place. Shen Dieyi, observing the many meat dishes, questioned if it was truly a restaurant. Tang Jiuhua jovially replied that it satisfied both their stomachs and their eyes. Li Xinyuan, eating heartily, earned a teasing comment from Tang Jiuhua, who asked if he had been a wolf or tiger in a previous life due to his love for meat.
Li Xinyuan dismissed the comment, explaining that he was used to nutritionally balanced meals prepared by palace staff, a luxury he missed at Shangyi School, where mostly vegetarian food was served. He intended to fully enjoy the rare opportunity to eat out. Dr. Wu announced a school party on the 15th to encourage friendship among students. Each student was required to prepare a gift of any kind, write their name on it, and bring it for a random exchange.
The news delighted the students. Tang Jiuhua declared his gift would be unique, while Shen Dieyi pondered how to choose a gift that everyone would like. Both Tang Jiuhua and Li Xinyuan advised her to focus on sincerity rather than trying to please everyone, and Li Xinyuan then confidently stated he knew what his gift would be. Yang Zixu, meanwhile, was seen giving discreet instructions to the twin students, telling them to closely monitor certain individuals, revealing his underlying plot.
Later, Shen Dieyi asked Tang Jiuhua about his gift, but he refused to reveal it, fearing she might copy his idea. When Shen Dieyi mentioned it was her first time giving a gift, Tang Jiuhua gently reminded her of their childhood at the Shen family mansion. He recalled making her a pinwheel, and how she, in return, insisted on climbing a tree despite her chronic illness to pick tangerines for him, even saving one for a friend.
He also mentioned her playful promise to marry him if he brought her a rainbow and white crystal jade. Overwhelmed by these memories of the true Shen Dieyi, Shen Yiyi, in her disguise, could only offer a sorrowful "I'm sorry," momentarily losing her composure. At the festive party, Yang Zixu toasted the students’ future success before leaving, entrusting the twins to manage the gift exchange and reminding the restaurant staff to announce the curfew.
One of the twins explained the simple rules: his brother would randomly select a gift, and he would draw a name for the recipient. Li Mi received an inscribed folding fan, while Tang Jiuhua, to his horror, opened a box from Zhang Zhenbang filled with insect specimens and screamed. Shen Dieyi downplayed his fear, but Li Xinyuan insisted gifts should be appreciated for their sincerity. Shen Dieyi, however, countered that Tang Jiuhua was simply scared.
Next, Li Xinyuan received a rare "Mystery Sketches" book from Dugu Muxue, a treasure he had long sought. Dugu Muxue then received a bottle of fine Bamboo Leaf Green Liquor. When it was Shen Dieyi's turn to give her gift, Yang Zian drew her name. Upon opening her fragrant sachet, he immediately began to cough uncontrollably and dropped it.
Tang Jiuhua angrily accused Yang Zian of being ill-mannered, but Li Xinyuan, retrieving the sachet, suggested Yang Zian might have hay fever. Yang Zian confirmed his lifelong allergy to flowers, inherited from his mother. Shen Dieyi, realizing her mistake, sincerely apologized for misjudging him. As the gift exchange continued, the twins orchestrated events so that Shen Dieyi received Yang Zian's gift. It was a hand-copied collection of Tao Yuanming's poems, which she initially appreciated as thoughtful.
However, upon opening it, she found a pornographic picture tucked inside. Tang Jiuhua was outraged, accusing Yang Zian of deliberately humiliating Shen Dieyi. The twins seized the opportunity to fuel rumors, suggesting Yang Zian intended to take Shen Dieyi to a brothel or, even more maliciously, was secretly courting him. Yang Zian, disgusted, loudly refuted their "filthy abuse and immoral slander," insisting the picture was not his. Li Xinyuan agreed, suspecting a prank.
Surprisingly, Shen Dieyi, despite their past conflicts, defended Yang Zian, stating he was innocent. The twins, undeterred, accused Shen Dieyi of feigning enmity while secretly engaging in a relationship. Tang Jiuhua, furious, threatened physical retaliation. Yang Zian, maintaining his composure, reiterated that the picture wasn't his and that the random nature of the gift exchange, coupled with his own accidental receipt of a pollen-filled sachet, suggested a deliberate, "contrived" act of tampering.
He declared Shangyi School a sacred place for "knowledge and spiritual cultivation" where such "filthy" things were not tolerated. Shen Dieyi warned the twins that their misdeeds would be exposed, and Tang Jiuhua ordered them to leave, prompting their hasty retreat. Following the confrontation, Yang Zian remarked that Shen Dieyi's "pugnacity" would eventually cause her trouble and advised her to sometimes "take a step back."
Shen Dieyi retorted that such advice could only come from a "rich young man who's never suffered injustice," likening his behavior to that of a "mindless fool" and questioning why he was so often targeted. Yang Zian abruptly told her to mind her own business, to which Shen Dieyi, frustrated, called him "stinky tofu" before walking away. After Yang Zian and Shen Dieyi’s heated argument, Li Xinyuan approached Yang Zian.
He offered to look for an ancient prescription he once read about for flower allergies, hoping it might help. Yang Zian politely declined, explaining his allergy was hereditary from his mother and he didn't want to trouble him, though Li Xinyuan insisted they could try if he found it. Li Xinyuan then asked about Yang Zian’s other hobbies, to which Yang Zian replied, "Chess." Dugu Muxue, also a chess enthusiast, then suggested they play together sometime, and Yang Zian agreed.
Tang Jiuhua, still annoyed with Yang Zian, questioned Dugu Muxue for chatting with "that grumpy man," reminding him of Yang Zian's earlier "ungrateful" behavior. Dugu Muxue defended Yang Zian as a good fellow and asked Tang Jiuhua to call him "Dugu." Shen Dieyi, in turn, told Dugu Muxue he could call her "Yiyi," her nickname. Tang Jiuhua then led Shen Dieyi away.
As night progressed, Shen Dieyi, Tang Jiuhua, Li Xinyuan, Dugu Muxue, and Yang Zian found themselves outside the city walls after the curfew. They witnessed military officers arresting an elderly street vendor. Shen Dieyi immediately wanted to help. When an officer instructed the students to leave, Tang Jiuhua tried to explain they were late due to a party. The officer refused to release the vendor, leading Dugu Muxue to physically intervene.
Tang Jiuhua tried to calm the situation, vouching for the old man. Unexpectedly, Yang Zian argued that the officers were simply upholding the law, which must be enforced strictly. Shen Dieyi, annoyed, questioned Yang Zian's stance. Yang Zian then explained the city's regulations: street vending was restricted to designated markets, and prohibited elsewhere, especially after curfew, with goods confiscated and offenders imprisoned, though bail was possible. Understanding, Shen Dieyi reluctantly paid the bail for the old man.
However, his goods were still confiscated, leaving him distraught about his livelihood. Tang Jiuhua then stepped in, instructing the old man to report to the Apricot Flower Village Tavern the next day and mention he was sent by the "young master of the Shen family," assuring him of odd jobs and sustenance. Li Xinyuan was impressed, and Tang Jiuhua subtly revealed that the tavern was his family's property, implicitly identifying himself as the benefactor.
Since the city gates were closed, Li Xinyuan led the group to a place in the suburbs to spend the night. During the night, Shen Dieyi continued to criticize Yang Zian, contrasting their active help for the old vendor with his perceived coldness and inaction. Yang Zian argued that helping individuals was a temporary solution; true change required addressing the root causes of poverty, asserting that the world wouldn't change unless people changed themselves.
Shen Dieyi, passionately, countered that even small acts of kindness could offer warmth in a cruel world, inspiring others and creating a lasting impact. As they watched fireflies, Shen Dieyi wondered if they were dancing stars from heaven. Li Xinyuan offered his more scientific view of stars as distant gases, while Dugu Muxue recounted a legend that fireflies were the souls of the departed, lingering for loved ones. Li Xinyuan then sensitively asked Shen Dieyi if she was missing someone.
Shen Dieyi, with a wistful look, mentally apologized (presumably to the real Shen Dieyi), expressing sadness that she had assumed her identity to find her birth parents but had yet to find any clues. The next morning, exhausted, they tried to sneak back into Shangyi School. Tang Jiuhua urged everyone to quickly return to their rooms to avoid Dr. Lin, whom he also referred to as the "Black-faced Master."
However, Dr. Wu (also called Dr. Lin in the subtitles) caught them. When asked about their whereabouts, the students offered conflicting and chaotic excuses: the latrine, jogging, eating, practicing Kungfu, and reading. Dr. Wu, seeing through their lies, angrily dismissed their alibis and Li Xinyuan's belated explanation about being caught by curfew, pointing out that other students had returned on time.
As punishment, he assigned them a month of cleaning duties throughout the entire school, including the Hall of Boundlessness, student dorms, the library, Chuhe Hall, and the latrine. The students then began to squabble amongst themselves, arguing over who had mentioned the latrine, suggesting that person should clean it alone. The Crown Prince visited Shangyi School for an inspection, delivering a speech on the importance of education for future national leaders and encouraging them to serve the Emperor.
Having recently ascended to the position, he expressed his hope for their continued diligence. Later, invited to dinner, he extended the invitation to all students, believing in shared happiness. He noticed Li Xinyuan appearing nervous and playfully asked if he had scared him. An assistant explained that Li Xinyuan was currently serving a punishment of cleaning the entire school and thus could not attend the banquet.
The Crown Prince, finding "Li Xinyuan" an "interesting" name, promised to "have a good chat" with him on his next visit. In a discreet meeting with Lord Han, the Crown Prince's trusted confidant, Lord Han questioned if the Crown Prince had noticed the Second Prince (Li Xinyuan) at the school. The Crown Prince dismissed his brother's presence as trivial. Lord Han, however, argued the strategic importance of Shangyi School as a training ground for imperial talent.
He warned that if these students succeeded, many would enter official positions, and with the Second Prince currently among them, he was well-positioned to cultivate their loyalty, potentially undermining the Crown Prince. Lord Han revealed he had dispatched trusted agents to secure officials loyal to the Crown Prince to consolidate his power. He also emphasized the Emperor's high regard for Shangyi School and the Second Prince's likely future importance, despite his current disfavor.
Lord Han then presented the Crown Prince with a list of loyal supporters, sealed with a distinctive sealing wax. Suddenly, a noise alerted them to a possible eavesdropper. Lord Han urged the Crown Prince to leave immediately and, to prevent any information leak, promptly burned the list of names.
