The Chang'an Youth Episode 7 Recap
> The Chang'an Youth Recap
Yang Zian's punishment time had technically ended, but Shen Yiyi was still struggling with her heavy water buckets. When Teaching Assistant Yang Zixu called for Yang Zian to stop after half an hour, Yang Zian refused, stating that since Shen Yiyi had listened to his advice and prevented further trouble, he would accompany her to the end. Shen Yiyi, touched, asked why he stayed. Tang Jiuhua, witnessing this, secretly vowed revenge on Yang Zian.
After a grueling two hours of holding the buckets, Shen Yiyi's hands trembled, and she ultimately collapsed from exhaustion. Tang Jiuhua immediately cried out for a doctor, expressing his fear for her well-being. A doctor was summoned and confirmed her fatigue but no serious injury. That evening, Shen Yiyi received comforting visits. Tang Jiuhua brought chicken soup from Ningxiang Pavilion, teasing Shen Yiyi about marrying him.
Xiao Xinyuan revealed that Yang Zian had carried Shen Yiyi back to her room before going to the Book Depository, making Shen Yiyi ponder Yang Zian's true nature. Xiao Xinyuan also relieved Shen Yiyi by completing her pending assignments to prevent further trouble from Teaching Assistant Yang Zixu. Dugu Muxue, uncharacteristically, presented Shen Yiyi with a special herbal medicine made from flowers he had cultivated himself, instructing her to apply it to any sore areas.
Tang Jiuhua, surprised by Dugu Muxue's gentle hobby, urged Shen Yiyi to use the "wonder drug." Later that night, Tang Jiuhua, seeking revenge on Yang Zixu, secretly poured a substance into his water pitcher. The following morning, Yang Zixu awoke to find his lips grotesquely swollen, resembling sausages, which drew widespread ridicule and laughter from the students, despite his furious demands to know who was responsible.
As Shen Yiyi grew closer to Dugu Muxue and Xiao Xinyuan, Tang Jiuhua became overtly possessive, worrying that his "wife" was being taken from him. He openly showed favoritism towards Shen Yiyi in public. Shen Yiyi explained that diversifying her friendships would prevent others from suspecting a "bromance" between them, which could expose her identity. Meanwhile, Shen Yiyi received a heartfelt letter from Shen Bowen, her adoptive father.
He acknowledged her sacrifice for the Shen family and his late daughter, Dieyi, reassuring her that he had made all necessary arrangements to protect her identity as a male student. He also informed her that the Tang family had officially changed Dieyi's household registration to male and that the Shen family's businesses in Chang'An were available to her for support. Reading this, Shen Yiyi broke down in tears, lamenting her homesickness.
Yang Zian, observing her distress, comforted her, assuring her that Shangyi School was now her home and that her friends would treat her like family, playfully adding that a "big guy" shouldn't cry like a girl. Shen Yiyi, realizing the kindness shown to her, resolved to stay at Shangyi School, not only honoring her promise to Shen Bowen but also to continue her search for clues about the Sinan Pendant.
As the Double Ninth Festival approached, Shen Yiyi enthusiastically invited Yang Zian to join her friends for a mountain climbing outing, despite his usual reserved nature. However, just as Yang Zian was about to accept, the Chief of Shangyi School intervened, informing him that someone important wished to see him. It was the Emperor, who, under the guise of an imperial reward, had made an incognito visit to Shangyi School. Yang Zian, compelled to attend, politely declined Shen Yiyi's invitation.
The Emperor praised Yang Zian's recent policy proposal and offered him Double Ninth cakes. When Yang Zian inquired about the true purpose of the visit, the Emperor explained that with so many informants around him, he had to use the pretense of a reward to check on the progress of Yang Zian's investigation, which currently had no leads.
Expressing no blame, the Emperor then invited Yang Zian to a game of chess, a pastime they hadn't shared in a long time. The students enjoyed their outing. Xiao Xinyuan recited a poignant poem about homesickness during the Double Ninth Festival, while another student, Bai, attempted a less successful one that Tang Jiuhua joked would earn him thousands of lines of punishment from the Black-faced Master.
Tang Jiuhua then went to find Shen Yiyi, who was attempting to train a carrier pigeon, affectionately calling it "little pigeon." During her demonstration, the pigeon flew off, leading Shen Yiyi and Tang Jiuhua on a chase that ended with them accidentally crashing into Xiao Xinyuan's art supplies, splattering ink on his garment and painting. More significantly, Shen Yiyi's Sinan Pendant left a distinct imprint on Xiao Xinyuan's Xuan paper.
As Xiao Xinyuan looked at Shen Yiyi, he was momentarily captivated, imagining her in female attire, and felt his heart stir with affection. Shen Yiyi, apologetic for the ink, quickly excused herself to wash up.
After leaving to clean up, Shen Yiyi made a dogwood sachet and presented it to Yang Zian, explaining that while people typically wore dogwood on Double Ninth Festival, its powder could be a potent self-defense tool, recalling a past incident where she (as Yiyi) used it to fend off ruffians. Touched by the gesture, Yang Zian reciprocated by sharing the Emperor's specially gifted Double Ninth cakes with her.
Soon after, Tang Jiuhua eagerly found Shen Yiyi, insisting he had something crucial to discuss. He showed her the ink-stained painting with the Sinan Pendant's imprint, alongside a letter from Han Yu'er with a wax seal bearing the identical pattern. Tang Jiuhua excitedly declared that Han Yu'er was a crucial lead in their search for the Sinan Pendant.
Shen Yiyi and Tang Jiuhua immediately went to Han Yu'er's mansion, but were denied entry by a family servant who stated that Han Yu'er was confined by Minister Han and could not receive visitors. Frustrated, Shen Yiyi suggested waiting for Minister Han's return, but Tang Jiuhua advised against it, fearing that directly involving Minister Han without solid evidence could cause more trouble.
He proposed a plan: since Han Yu'er would likely be freed from her confinement by the time of Shangyi School's upcoming spring outing, Shen Yiyi should write an invitation. This would allow Shen Yiyi to question Han Yu'er privately during the outing. Shen Yiyi jokingly accused him of suggesting a "honey trap," to which Tang Jiuhua, knowing her true gender, lightheartedly retorted that as a woman, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage, a comment that Shen Yiyi found outrageous.
The Five Scholars of Shangyi School went to Ningxiang Pavilion for dinner. Outside, Yang Zian noticed several suspicious men concluding a transaction and quickly dispersing. He picked up a copper coin they left behind. Inside the pavilion, Ning Xiang watched Dugu Muxue's departing back, triggering a vague childhood memory. Later, at dinner, Yang Zian, preoccupied, dropped the copper coin into a bowl. The unusual dull sound prompted him to investigate further, comparing it with other coins.
He pointed out that some coins, like those from Tang Jiuhua and Xiao Xinyuan, made dull sounds and were lighter in color, concluding they were "bad money" or counterfeit. Realizing the gravity of minting and circulating counterfeit currency, a capital felony, the group decided to split up and visit various money shops and businesses to gather information on the extent of its spread.
Posing as an ordinary worker, Yang Zian sought employment from a foreman, discovering a city-wide shortage of porters, many of whom had been mysteriously recruited, some initially taken to Ningxiang Pavilion, and then required to sign a three-month contract. At the agreed meeting point, the other scholars realized Shen Yiyi was missing. Tang Jiuhua reported that Shen Yiyi had gone to a busy warehouse area to exchange money. Growing concerned, Yang Zian and the others split up to search.
In a narrow alley, Yang Zian encountered a woman being chased by ruffians. She took refuge behind him, urgently whispering for him to use dogwood powder, which he did, successfully blinding the attackers and allowing her to escape. Suspicious of her quick wit, Yang Zian pursued her. After a brief chase and a playful struggle, he pulled off her veil, revealing the woman to be Shen Yiyi, elaborately disguised.
Before Shen Yiyi could confess her true identity, Yang Zian, still believing her to be male, indignantly scolded her for "cross-dressing" and acting indecently. Playing along, Shen Yiyi claimed she was forced to wear women's clothes to evade a group of robbers. Yang Zian, appearing convinced, instructed her to quickly change back and return to Shangyi School, where their friends were waiting. Upon Shen Yiyi's safe return, the group discussed their findings.
They pooled the various coins they had exchanged, confirming the widespread circulation of counterfeit money. Yang Zian, reflecting on the audacity of the counterfeiters operating in broad daylight, concluded that they must have powerful backing. He decided that confronting them prematurely would be "beating the grass to startle the snake," and they needed to wait for the opportune moment.
Privately, Yang Zian suspected a connection between the illicit profits from the bad money and the corruption case he was secretly investigating for the Emperor, resolving to report his findings immediately. The next morning, Yang Zian deliberately caused a scene in the school's dining hall, loudly complaining about a strand of hair in his porridge and threatening the cook, Aunt Zhang, with dismissal. Shen Yiyi and Tang Jiuhua tried to intervene, expressing concern about his unusual behavior.
As a result of this public disturbance and his subsequent absence from class, the Doctor announced that Yang Zian's "unexcused absence" would result in a deduction of 20 credits. Hearing reports of Yang Zian's strange conduct, Yang Zixu, still seething from the previous prank, instructed his assistants to closely monitor Yang Zian, anticipating his eventual expulsion from Shangyi School. Unbeknownst to them, Yang Zian had orchestrated the incident to create a pretext for his disappearance. He then sought work as a handyman, and upon being recruited, he and other new workers were blindfolded before being led away to an undisclosed location.
