The Dauntless Youths Recap, Plot, Synopsis
The Dauntless Youths Synopsis
The King of Shangshan, gravely ill and obsessed with finding the legendary “Elixir of Immortality,” commands the vassal states to send their sons to court and form a Crown Prince Battalion tasked with seeking the medicine.
At its core are four very different youths: Jiang Wenhuan, the unruly “troublemaker”; Kunwu, a downtrodden slave with a hidden past; Chong Yibiao, a warrior from the grasslands; and Xin Jia, a charming and carefree noble.
Together, they embark on a perilous journey, beset by enemies on all sides. Through countless trials, they evolve from rivals into loyal brothers-in-arms, eventually uncovering the massive conspiracy behind the so-called “Elixir of Immortality.” Fighting bravely to thwart the plot and protect the common people, they grow into true “young heroes” who defend their homeland.
The Dauntless Youths Recap
Episode 1 Recap
The King of Shangshan's illness grew more severe and difficult to cure. In order to obtain the legendary mysterious elixir of immortality, he listened to the advice given by his ministers and decided to use the grand triennial competition to meticulously select talents, hoping that the Crown Princes of various vassal states would help search for the elixir.
Just as the fierce Beast Fighting Competition of the God of War Festival was about to begin, the Crown Prince of Marquis Dongwu mysteriously disappeared. Jiang Wenfeng was furious and enraged upon hearing the news. However, his elder brother's angry words were fully heard by Jiang Wenhuan, and he was also very familiar with what he was about to say next. At this moment, an imperial decree arrived from the capital.
As Jiang Wenfeng respectfully received the decree, the messenger was suddenly murdered, and the imperial decree was snatched away by the killer. Jiang Wenhuan and the others hurriedly pursued the rebel, and he was accidentally injured during the pursuit. After the rebel escaped through the city gate, he mingled with his accomplices. Despite this, Jiang Wenhuan, who was hiding on the rooftop, recognized him at a glance. Jiang Wenhuan relentlessly pursued the rebel.
The rebel fled to a refugee camp, and in his panic, he swapped clothes with another person. Jiang Wenhuan initially thought he had caught the rebel, but found it was not the person himself. However, with his sharp eyes, he quickly spotted the real rebel in the crowd and apprehended him in a few quick moves. The runaway slave Jiang Wenhuan had mistakenly caught earlier was mercilessly flogged by his master.
The master even threw his most precious necklace into the fire. This scene happened to be seen by Jiang Wenhuan. Seeing the pot of hot water on the fire about to tip over onto the runaway slave, Jiang Wenhuan, disregarding his own safety, resolutely saved his life. To apologize for mistakenly apprehending him earlier, Jiang Wenhuan bought him from his master. Fortunately, the messenger was only severely injured and not in life-threatening danger.
At this moment, a subordinate hurriedly brought news that the common people had witnessed Jiang Wenhuan pursuing the rebel. Upon hearing this, Jiang Wenfeng immediately ordered the city gates to be sealed, insisting on finding that brat Jiang Wenhuan and the rebel. Because Jiang Wenhuan saved the slave, the rebel managed to escape. This slave was very resourceful; pointing to the sewage ahead, he claimed that following the sewage would lead them to the rebel's escape route.
Jiang Wenhuan did not expect the money to be well spent and secretly rejoiced in his heart. Jiang Wenhuan indeed followed the clues and found the rebel's escape route, but the rebel publicly tore up the imperial decree and galloped away on horseback. The slave quickly blocked the rebel's path from the other end of the road, publicly climbed onto the horse and fiercely wrestled with the rebel. However, the rebel eventually escaped, but left behind a copper strip.
The copper strip looked very strange and peculiar. Jiang Wenhuan returned to the manor with the slave. He initially intended to let the slave go, but the slave expressed a desire to follow him. At this moment, Jiang Wenhuan's personal attendant, Xiao Ding, hurried over and informed him that Eldest Young Master Jiang Wenfeng was furious and had ordered Jiang Wenhuan's arrest, and that his private purchase of a slave had also become known.
Jiang Wenhuan, knowing that he could not avoid punishment upon returning to the manor, let the slave leave and resolutely returned to the manor to make a humble apology, offering himself for punishment. Jiang Wenfeng asked his younger brother to hand over the imperial decree, unaware that the imperial decree had already been destroyed by the rebel.
Jiang Wenhuan suspected that there were many questionable points about the God of War Festival banner, but his elder brother thought he was idle all day, had improper thoughts, and loved to meddle in others' affairs. As the eldest brother, Jiang Wenfeng brought out the family rules on behalf of their father. Just as Jiang Wenhuan was about to be beaten, his master Gongsun Wuyu returned, thus sparing him from a punishment.
Jiang Wenfeng, as always, sent a birthday gift to Gongsun Wuyu's son, Shier, but Shier had been in a coma for many years and had not woken up. Jiang Wenfeng hoped that Shier would be happy with these gifts after he woke up. Gongsun Wuyu brought the Emperor's handwritten decree and instructed Jiang Wenfeng to hold the God of War Festival as scheduled, no matter what happened. The next day, the slave found a copper strip on the ground.
While searching for clues, he encountered his old master. At this moment, the old master humiliated the slave. The slave remembered what Jiang Wenhuan had said to him, "No one is born a slave," and immediately fought back, even removing his mask and revealing his name – Kunwu. Kunwu was chased and beaten by the old master's attendant. At this moment, Jiang Wenhuan also came here looking for him.
Kunwu spotted Jiang Wenhuan in the distance; just as he was about to greet him, he was knocked unconscious and then taken away from the capital by a carriage. After waking up, Kunwu found a splendidly dressed man before him. This person looked exactly like him. It was not difficult to see from his weak state that this person was gravely ill.
Episode 2 Recap
E Shun and Kunwu quietly made a deal. E Shun earnestly hoped that Kunwu could take his place and attend the God of War Festival's beast-fighting competition as the Crown Prince of Nanbo Hou. He also promised that after the matter was concluded, he would definitely help Kunwu find the sister he had been desperately searching for. At this moment, Ning Ziyu timidly and sincerely apologized to Chong Yibiao inside the screen tent, but received no response from him within.
Xin Jia, passing by, saw this and told Ning Ziyu not to waste his efforts, even jokingly suggesting that Chong Yibiao might be deaf. Chong Yibiao immediately stormed out, intending to teach Xin Jia a harsh lesson. Xin Jia, not wanting to cause trouble, promptly apologized. Xin Jia and Ning Ziyu, upon their first acquaintance, decided to go to a tavern for a drink. Unexpectedly, in the restaurant, their wallet was snatched by a woman.
As the two men vigorously pursued her, they coincidentally encountered Jiang Wenhuan. Jiang Wenhuan recognized the woman, but she cleverly escaped, even boarding Kunwu's carriage midway. She immediately hijacked Kunwu, telling him not to make a sound. Subsequently, when Jiang Wenhuan caught up to the carriage, he suddenly lost sight of the female thief, so he slowly walked towards the carriage.
Kunwu recognized the person in front of him as his savior from that day, but he could not reveal his identity at this moment. So, he quickly got off the carriage and formally introduced himself as E Shun, the Crown Prince of Nanbo Hou. Jiang Wenhuan originally intended to turn and leave, but suddenly heard an unusual sound from the carriage and immediately wanted to inspect it. Kunwu hurriedly stopped him.
As the two men argued, the female thief quickly got off the carriage, immediately returned the money bag to Jiang Wenhuan, and hurried away. Jiang Wenhuan mistakenly threw a dye packet at the female thief, thinking it was a cloth bag. As a result, she was stained red all over, became extremely indignant, and angrily turned to leave. Afterward, Jiang Wenhuan carefully checked and discovered that the copper strip in his money bag had been stolen by the female thief.
At this moment, the female thief arrived at her father's pawnshop to pawn the copper strip, but the shopkeeper was unwilling to accept it. A Si saw this, revealed her identity, and the shopkeeper immediately bowed respectfully and fearfully to the young lady. From the shopkeeper, she learned that this copper strip was a smuggling voucher. Every time night fell and silence descended, a black box would be secretly transported into Qiankun Alley.
A Si decided to investigate this matter thoroughly, suspecting that the seemingly upright Crown Prince was involved in shady dealings. That night, Crown Princes from various countries rushed to the palace to participate in the duel, but only E Shun arrived late. Chong Yibiao, learning that E Shun was also participating in the competition, immediately aggressively declared war on him. Little did they know, before coming, Kunwu had already thoroughly understood the history between Chong Yibiao and E Shun.
He knew he could not avoid the fight and could only fight with all his might. Chong Yibiao aimed to deliver fatal blows with every move, but Kunwu flexibly dodged and did not counterattack. Seeing that he was in danger, Jiang Wenhuan decisively went onto the stage and saved E Shun, then brought him back to a room to carefully apply medicine for him.
Jiang Wenhuan softly said that E Shun had the scent of a good friend on him, which was actually the scent of Dahuaang, the dog he raised as a child. At that time, he had almost fallen into the water, and Dahuaang had sacrificed himself to save him. At this moment, Kunwu discovered the drawing of the copper strip.
He learned that Jiang Wenhuan had found a copper strip that was then stolen by the female thief, so he carefully drew the pattern from memory. Kunwu informed him that this copper strip was actually a key, used to lock up particularly fierce beasts. Meanwhile, A Si's subordinates arrived at Qiankun Alley and found the large box. The two curiously looked inside, but were terrified and trembled with fear by the strange sounds coming from within.
Afterward, based on this information, Jiang Wenhuan cleverly set up chains in advance at the seaside arena, in preparation for the duel the next day. The next day, the duel officially began. Crown Princes from various countries were dashing and heroic, captivating the women present, who all gazed at them with admiration. The box containing the monster was accidentally placed in the stables.
A Si had her subordinates distract the guards, while she secretly sneaked in, intending to uncover Jiang Wenhuan's dark dealings. At this moment, a pillar in the arena suddenly cracked open, and a giant monster crawled out from within. The people in the arena were terrified and fled in all directions. However, the exit was blocked and could not be opened for a while.
To save the people, Jiang Wenhuan unhesitatingly used his own body to attract the giant, leading it towards the ambush site he had set up last night. But the giant was immensely strong, and the mechanisms could not subdue it. The situation quickly plunged into crisis.
Episode 3 Recap
Jiang Wenhuan was fighting fiercely to the death with the giant monster. At this moment, Chong Yibiao and Kunwu also rushed to help. After Xin Jia finished evacuating the common people, he also joined the battle without hesitation. The four young men worked together diligently and closely, finally succeeding in killing the giant monster. Ning Ziyu was urgently summoned back to the manor by his father, Marquis Ning, for an unknown reason.
At this moment, a servant rushed in to report that the giant monster had been killed. Marquis Ning was greatly astonished upon hearing this, not expecting it to be defeated so quickly. Just then, A Si picked up a bronze token next to a large box in the stable. The pattern on it was identical to the pattern on Marquis Ning's carriage. So she secretly tracked him. However, when she rode past, Jiang Wenhuan saw her.
Jiang Wenhuan was full of doubt, not understanding why she would be there. Jiang Wenhuan secretly and closely tracked the female thief. At this moment, Marquis Ning keenly discovered A Si's tracking, and Marquis Ning intended to kill her to silence her. Just at this critical moment, Jiang Wenhuan rushed over. Marquis Ning tried to claim kinship, but Jiang Wenhuan immediately and decisively distanced himself from him.
At this point, he even recognized the rebel behind Marquis Ning as the person who stole the imperial edict that day. It turned out that Marquis Ning was behind it all. Marquis Ning's subordinates tried to threaten Jiang Wenhuan with A Si's life. Although Jiang Wenhuan outwardly seemed indifferent to her life, he quickly rescued A Si when the rebels let down their guard.
Jiang Wenfeng solemnly explained to the princes of various states that he would definitely uncover the truth and give everyone a satisfactory explanation. At this moment, Jiang Wenhuan brought the apprehended Marquis Ning to the gladiatorial arena, publicly stating that the giant monster originated from Marquis Ning's manor, and displayed the bronze token. Everyone was astonished. Marquis Ning reluctantly admitted his actions, stating it was entirely because the Emperor had made his family heirless.
Ten days ago, he received a secret report that the Emperor intended to reopen the hostage camp by means of gladiatorial contests. He had already lost one son, so how could he let his younger son suffer such a calamity again? Thus, he followed someone's suggestion and created the giant monster, hoping to scare away the princes of various states. The princes of various states sought verification from Gongsun Wuyu.
Gongsun Wuyu stated that this hostage camp was vastly different from previous ones; this time, it was only for finding an elixir, not as cruel as before. Moreover, successful participants could bring supreme glory to their home countries, and he presented an imperial edict on the spot as proof. Everyone was deeply moved, but Marquis Ning accused it of being a trick by King Shangshan, with ulterior motives.
Jiang Wenfeng claimed he could save the life of Ning Ziyu, the younger son, completely disregarding the opinions of those present. He privately and quickly urged Ning Ziyu to escape, while he himself bravely resisted the soldiers with his own body. However, Ning Ziyu was unfortunately shot while escaping, and fell dead. Both Marquis Ning and his only son died.
Jiang Wenhuan was full of regret, believing that the two did not deserve such a tragic death, and blamed himself, thinking that if he had uncovered the truth earlier, the outcome might have been entirely different. Because of the flaws that appeared in the gladiatorial arena, Jiang Wenhuan was willing to accept severe punishment in the military camp.
Jiang Wenhuan felt sorry for his brother and was willing to take the punishment for him, but he was firmly blocked by the soldiers. The Emperor had already ordered that for the Marquis Ning incident, Jiang Wenhuan would not only be punished for his ineffective inspection but also have his bestowed demotion revoked. Fortunately, his ducal title was retained due to his meritorious service in protecting the Emperor years ago.
Jiang Wenhuan knelt in the ancestral hall, filled with self-reproach for not being able to take the punishment for his elder brother, and solemnly promised his master that he would not disappoint his elder brother on this quest for the elixir. Afterward, Gongsun Wuyu carefully applied medicine to Jiang Wenfeng, and took out the bronze token, handing it to him on behalf of Jiang Wenhuan, stating that this token was inextricably linked to Guifang.
The next day, the princes of various states were to go to the hostage camp. The previous night, Kunwu told the butler that he hoped they would keep their promise, that he would stay in the hostage camp, and that they must find his sister, with the necklace he wore being the important token of his sister. A Si returned home and was severely scolded by her father.
This daughter had previously run away from her wedding, and now she was causing trouble outside. He intended to punish his daughter publicly. However, A Si proactively stepped forward, allowing him to vent his anger, unaware that her father was merely scaring her and couldn't bear to lay a hand on her. Meanwhile, a group of black-clad figures secretly dug up Ning Ziyu's body from the woods, unaware that he still had a breath remaining.
Episode 4 Recap
Whenever A Si recalled the moving scene of Jiang Wenhuan bravely saving her during the day, she couldn't help but feel uncontrollably excited. She secretly resolved to repay him well. So, she cleverly shot her pendant with an arrow towards his gatehouse, attempting to give him the pendant through this special method. Little did she know, the then-drunk Jiang Wenhuan mistakenly thought the pendant was a prank by some thief, then drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of her affection.
Jiang Wenfeng had always been concerned and wanted to take good care of Gongsun Wuyu, but she repeatedly and firmly refused, deliberately keeping a certain distance from him. Princes from various states arrived in the bustling capital, and the Emperor ordered Jiang Wenfeng and Gongsun Wuyu to jointly supervise them.
Little did they know, on the first day of reporting for training, only two people appeared at the training camp, while the other princes were hiding in their rooms gambling freely. Afterwards, Jiang Wenhuan was caught cheating by the sharp-eyed opponent. In the midst of a fierce argument, he accidentally bumped into Jiang Wenfeng. The result was predictable: everyone was severely punished.
Jiang Wenfeng sternly informed the princes that they were a close-knit group, thriving and suffering together; if one person made a mistake, everyone would be punished. After a round of severe punishment, everyone could voluntarily sign up for positions in the military camp. The princes eagerly signed up for head chef and stable master.
At this point, Yao Shuliang, the prince of Yao Kingdom, although not proficient in horsemanship, loved dealing with animals and actively took on the role of stable master. Everyone initially thought they would have the comfortable arrangement of one person per room, but little did they know, multiple people would share a single room.
At this moment, Xin Jia muttered to himself that as long as he wasn't assigned to the same room as Chong Yibiao and E Shun, it would be fine. On the other side, Chong Yibiao and E Shun were assigned to the same room, and as soon as they met, they were at odds, creating a tense atmosphere.
Just then, Xin Jia rushed over, only to find himself assigned with the very people he least wanted to be with, but seeing Jiang Wenhuan also in the room, he felt a slight sense of relief. In the middle of the night, someone suddenly knocked hard on the door. Xin Jia was terrified, trembling, and quickly woke Jiang Wenhuan. The two were petrified and dared not open the door easily.
At this moment, Chong Yibiao, enraged, yanked the door open, only to find no one outside. Just as they were about to lie down, strange noises came from outside the door again. Everyone cautiously opened the door, only to see someone sleepwalking to their room, who then quietly left after relieving himself. The next day in class, the princes were either late or drowsily dozing off, which infuriated Jiang Wenfeng.
A note was then passed down, and Jiang Wenhuan was shocked to discover that all the horses in the stable had been stolen. Yao Shuliang apologized to everyone with a face full of guilt, as he had woken up that morning to find all the warhorses gone without a trace. Now, with everyone suffering the consequences, Jiang Wenhuan, to prevent severe punishment for the group, took the princes to Qiankun Alley, a hidden place for fencing stolen goods.
To successfully blend into the auction place, everyone ingeniously dressed Yao Shuliang as a woman. Unexpectedly, he looked quite charming and successfully entered the auction room. The guard, seeing the bronze token in Jiang Wenhuan's hand, immediately bowed respectfully and hastily invited them in, leaving Jiang Wenhuan and his companion bewildered and confused. After entering the auction room, E Shun openly bid loudly, adding one qian to the asking price each time, determined to acquire the prized "blood-sweat steed."
Finally, at the crucial moment of the deal, it was Jiang Wenhuan's turn to speak. He publicly questioned the authenticity of the "blood-sweat steed." Incited by his doubt, everyone demanded to see the true appearance of the prized horse. At this point, someone came forward to vouch for the horse's purebred status, even suspecting Jiang Wenhuan of deliberately causing trouble. The two sides immediately became confrontational and started fighting. Just as the fight intensified, A Si appeared in time, and only then did the other party stop.
Episode 5 Recap
A Si suddenly appeared in the shop. Everyone, reminded by Jiang Wenhuan, recalled having seen A Si before. A Si's appearance resolved Jiang Wenhuan's predicament. After the crisis was lifted, Yao Shuliang's face was grim, his eyes full of accusation. He stared intently at Jiang Wenhuan, as if trying to see through him, secretly speculating about the relationship between Jiang Wenhuan and A Si.
Seeing this, Kunwu quickly brought the conversation back on track, asking about the origin of the fine horse. A Si was quite straightforward; she led everyone to find the horse seller. During their journey, Kunwu's gaze was sharp, and he keenly spotted a faint trace of blood on the ground. His expression tightened. He immediately hurried along the blood trail, his steps urgent, finally stopping at the back door of A Si's house.
Old Li had already thoroughly searched the house and found nothing unusual. Kunwu and Jiang Wenhuan exchanged a glance, tacitly deciding to go check the backyard. In the backyard, a room door was ajar, revealing a hint of something strange. Just as the two were about to step closer, A Si's cry of alarm suddenly came from the main hall.
Their hearts tensed, and they quickly turned back, only to see Old Li lying injured on the ground, his face ashen. Old Li weakly claimed to have been injured by the horse thieves, but Jiang Wenhuan looked at Old Li, his doubts growing. He felt that with Old Li's profound martial arts, he shouldn't have been so easily wounded by horse thieves. Seeing this, A Si angrily drove them out.
Afterwards, Kunwu's brow was deeply furrowed, his heart full of suspicion. He felt there must be a hidden agenda behind this horse theft incident, likely an inside job with someone from the Crown Prince's camp collaborating. He and Jiang Wenhuan quickly returned to the Crown Prince's camp, only to find the fine horse had been recovered from the distant woods.
At the same time, bad news came from the military defense department: it had been severely burglarized, and the city defense map was missing. A Si returned to her father's room to get clothes and glimpsed a bowl of fish soup on the table. Doubt immediately arose in her heart; her father had always detested fish soup, so where did this soup come from?
Though full of confusion, she left in a hurry due to the urgency of matters, without time for further thought. At this moment, a figure quietly slipped out from the inner room and took away the bowl of fish soup. On the other side, Yao Shuliang stole the city defense map. Upon learning this, Jiang Wenhuan's heart tightened abruptly, an instinct telling him that someone intended to harm the Donglu Kingdom.
He dared not delay, and that very night, he led everyone to track Yao Shuliang by following the horse's hoofprints. However, after entering the forest, the clues came to an abrupt halt, and everyone was bewildered like flies without heads. Kunwu, however, remained calm. He leaned down and observed carefully, not missing any subtle traces, and with these clues, he found Yao Shuliang's horse.
Everyone followed the sound and rushed to a secluded hut, where they saw Yao Shuliang tied up with cloth stuffed in his mouth. Just as everyone was preparing to rescue him, a cloud of tranquilizing smoke suddenly drifted in. Everyone felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground. A Si had sent people to quietly track Jiang Wenhuan. When they found that Jiang Wenhuan's group had gone silent after entering the forest, they became worried and quickly informed A Si.
Meanwhile, Jiang Wenfeng also received news that his younger brother was in trouble. Anxious, he immediately led his men and horses to rush there. After Jiang Wenhuan woke up, he learned that Guifang had stolen the city defense map. General Bogu of Guifang imprisoned them separately, demanding that they draw the city defense map. If their drawings did not match, they would all be executed without mercy.
Xin Jia was secretly lamenting, as he had slept during class and never heard the contents of the city defense map, so naturally, he couldn't draw it. Chong Yibiao, on the other hand, worried that if his drawing was real and others' were fake, how would they be able to distinguish them. When everyone was gathered together, Bogu was surprised to find that the city defense maps drawn by the five people were all exactly the same.
Seeing this, Yao Shuliang knelt down and desperately begged Guifang to spare his life and kill the others. Jiang Wenhuan was furious, secretly cursing Yao Shuliang for being so heartless. Yao Shuliang, taking advantage of Bogu's inattention, pulled out Bogu's arrow and cut Jiang Wenhuan's ropes. Everyone seized the opportunity to counterattack, and after escaping, they fled to another secret room.
It turned out that they had drawn the fake map Xin Jia had used a few days earlier for gambling. At this moment, A Si hurried over with her people for rescue and discovered water stains on the ground. Jiang Wenhuan and the others thought they could find an exit by escaping to the secret room, but to their surprise, it was a water prison. A continuous stream of water poured in, and the water level rose rapidly.
Everyone was on the verge of being submerged. Kunwu had been afraid of water since he was a child. At this moment, his face was pale and his body trembled. Jiang Wenhuan came to his side, clasped his hand tightly, and constantly shouted words of encouragement. In a daze, Kunwu apologized to Jiang Wenhuan, seemingly harboring a secret in his heart. A Si successfully rescued everyone.
Xin Jia was about to perform artificial respiration on Kunwu when Kunwu suddenly opened his eyes. Jiang Wenhuan asked what Kunwu meant by what he said when he fell into the water. Kunwu explained that it was just nonsense. Yao Shuliang knelt and sincerely apologized to everyone. It turned out that his family had been taken hostage by Guifang, and he was forced to steal the city defense map as Guifang demanded.
He cleverly released the warhorses and drugged the guards, but he kept a trick up his sleeve: he redrew a fake map according to Xin Jia's compass and handed it to Guifang. Yao Shuliang intended to return to his country alone, but Chong Yibiao declared that they were now one, and all of them must return to face punishment. At this moment, Guifang had already begun to attack the Donglu Kingdom according to the fake city defense map, occupying the city outposts and initiating the attack signal.
Episode 6 Recap
Kui forces had already sent out the signal to attack the city. In an instant, war clouds gathered thickly, and the tense atmosphere spread like a tide. Jiang Wenhuan, however, remained calm and composed. At this moment, a brilliant strategy had already formed in his mind. With a calm expression, he slowly reminded everyone to wait for a moment. Although the crowd had doubts, they suppressed their anxiety and waited quietly.
Before long, various factions of the East Lu Kingdom also began to release smoke signals, and the dense smoke rose into the air like giant dragons. Seeing this scene, the Kui forces suddenly realized they had fallen into a trap. They panicked, scurrying around like headless flies, attempting to escape this desperate situation. However, fate did not favor them. The soldiers led by Jiang Wenfeng descended like divine troops, surrounding them tightly, leaving no escape.
Bo Gu remained defiant, stubbornly stating that the main force of their Kui side was on its way to support them, as if this could boost his courage. But little did he know that this so-called reinforcement had already been intercepted by Jiang Wenfeng, suffering heavy casualties and scattering in disarray. As the battle here momentarily paused, a dispute arose on the other side.
Jiang Wenhuan insisted on releasing Yao Shuliang, believing that there might still be room for maneuver with this person. Chong Yibiao, however, firmly wanted to take him back to the Prince's camp, believing he should not be easily let go. The two were at a stalemate, and the atmosphere was tense. A Si had a flash of inspiration, her eyes lit up, and she suggested drawing lots, leaving it to fate. Everyone focused their gaze on the small sieve.
The sieve was tossed, revealing white, which clearly meant releasing Yao Shuliang. In fact, Xin Jia saw through this trick at a glance. It turned out that when the two sieves of different colors were thrown, someone had tampered with them, making them both one color. No matter which side landed face up, Yao Shuliang would be released. Yao Shuliang, filled with gratitude, bowed deeply to everyone and waved goodbye.
After being captured, Bo Gu still insisted on his defiance, his eyes wide, his face full of unwillingness. Jiang Wenfeng's expression was stern, his gaze piercing. He believed that the reason the East Lu Kingdom remained standing was not only due to its city defense map but also the unity of its people. However, he still had doubts. The actions of the Kui forces this time were completely different from their usual style.
He suspected that a master was secretly guiding them. No sooner had he spoken than Bo Gu was suddenly struck by a hidden arrow and fell dead. This act undoubtedly confirmed Jiang Wenfeng's suspicion, and his expression grew even more solemn. But then, his heart tightened, as if he had thought of something, guessing that Jiang Wenhuan was in danger. Jiang Wenhuan and the other princes walked leisurely through the forest, preparing to return to the military camp.
However, strange things happened. They found themselves circling endlessly in place, as if trapped in an invisible labyrinth. Xin Jia looked at a stone statue ahead and found it very strange. The statue had a ferocious face, exuding an eerie aura. When he reached out to touch it, he accidentally triggered a mechanism. In an instant, hidden arrows shot out from the forest, raining down on everyone. Everyone was unable to dodge, resulting in many casualties and continuous screams.
Afterward, Jiang Wenhuan calmed down and guessed that they were in a Qimen Dunjia formation. The stone statue earlier was just one of the positions of the Dunjia. Only by finding the 'Gate of Life' could they successfully leave. Jiang Wenhuan, relying on his wisdom, carefully analyzed the 'Gate of Rest' and 'Gate of Harm' based on the time and different stone statues.
When the location of the 'Gate of Life' was found, everyone worked together, fending off the hidden arrows, and rushed towards the 'Gate of Life'. On his way back to his country, Yao Shuliang suddenly heard three whistle blows. These were specific military camp whistles, indicating that Jiang Wenhuan and others were clearly in danger. Yao Shuliang was unwilling to abandon them. He resolutely turned back.
Yao Shuliang understood the meaning of the whistles and, following the instructions, arrived at the Dunjia's 'Gate of Life'. He publicly cut down the stone statue, and the hidden arrows suddenly stopped, and the smoke gradually dispersed. Everyone thanked Yao Shuliang for his rescue, but unexpectedly, he had been shot in the back with an arrow. It turned out that there was an ambush near the 'Gate of Life'.
He suffered a hidden arrow but endured the severe pain to cut down the stone statue and save everyone. Before he died, he weakly looked at Jiang Wenhuan, hoping that Jiang Wenhuan would send him back to his home country. Jiang Wenhuan, holding Yao Shuliang's body, returned to the Prince's camp, heartbroken. Everyone was filled with righteous indignation and successively asked Jiang Wenfeng for permission to go to battle, seeking revenge for Yao Shuliang. Jiang Wenfeng's expression was solemn.
He stated that there was a military order not to engage in battle without authorization, but today, he would disregard this. It was up to them to avenge their friend, and their lives or deaths would be left to fate. Everyone resolutely set off, stormed into the Kui forces' military camp, breached the city gate, and advanced triumphantly all the way into the city center. Each person, filled with anger, successfully rescued Yao Shuliang's family.
That night, Jiang Wenhuan always felt a familiar sensation about E Shun, just like when he saved the little slave that day. So, he asked Xiao Ding to investigate the whereabouts of the little slave.
Episode 7 Recap
Xiao Ding searched for the little slave but found no trace. According to the last eyewitness, after being beaten that day, the little slave vanished into thin air, which was perplexing. The next day, Jiang Wenhuan, to ascertain if the little slave was indeed E Shun, specifically took him back to the place where they first met. Here, numerous slaves suffered cruel beatings daily. Kunwu witnessed this scene and felt great compassion, strongly desiring to offer assistance.
However, remembering E Shun's admonition not to reveal his identity, he could only feign indifference and turn a blind eye to the tragic sight before him. At the same time, he also perceived that Jiang Wenhuan seemed to be testing him, so he deliberately concealed any behavior related to the little slave. Just then, the slave owner who had previously whipped Kunwu began abusing slaves again.
Although Kunwu tried to conceal himself, the slave owner felt E Shun's face looked familiar and grew suspicious. Kunwu had a sudden idea and countered by asking if he had ever visited the Southern Capital slave market, thereby cleverly resolving the crisis. At this moment, A Si, forced into marriage by her father, had fled, even threatening to jump off a cliff to refuse the marriage. Coincidentally, Jiang Wenhuan and E Shun were present.
Seeing this, A Si had a sudden idea and declared she would marry both of them, hoping her father would not break up this union. Witnessing this, Kunwu actively persuaded Old Li, saying that A Si's status was noble and she should not marry rashly. He suggested going to the Princes' Camp to select a good son-in-law. That night, Jiang Wenhuan sought out the slave owner again, asking in detail if he had truly seen the Prince of Southern Capital.
However, the slave owner's memory was vague; he only felt he looked familiar and could not say for sure. Meanwhile, Old Li went to the Princes' Camp to find E Shun, asking about his age and stating that he and A Si were quite compatible. E Shun politely declined, but Old Li mistakenly thought that his marriage should be decided by his parents and intended to discuss the matter with Jiang Wenfeng first.
Upon hearing this, Kunwu suddenly remembered his objective and quickly asked Old Li if he had any timber business dealings with the Marquis's residence. From Old Li, he learned that all timber businesses operated via official routes, and only the Marquis of Nanbo could run them. This statement made Kunwu alert, realizing that Jiang Wenhuan was already suspicious of his identity. The next day, the princes welcomed their first round of competition. Everyone gathered at the stables to choose horses.
Xin Jia was skilled at evaluating horses. He saw that the horse E Shun chose was thin and small, but E Shun laughed and said he was not good at horsemanship and any horse would do. Jiang Wenhuan recalled the little slave's excellent horsemanship and secretly mused that perhaps he had guessed wrong; E Shun was not that little slave. The horsemanship competition commenced, with the princes divided into two groups for the showdown.
The first match unexpectedly ended in a draw, so the winner had to be determined by the second round of equestrian archery. The first to compete were Jiang Wenhuan and Chong Yibiao. The two were evenly matched, making it difficult to determine a winner. At a critical moment, Chong Yibiao's team, in their eagerness to win, secretly played foul, causing Jiang Wenhuan to fall off his horse. Seeing this, Kunwu was anxious and eager to fight for Jiang Wenhuan.
However, E Shun had repeatedly warned him never to win against Chong Yibiao in horsemanship, or all their previous efforts would be in vain. But Kunwu could not bear to see Jiang Wenhuan continue the competition while severely injured, so he resolutely took the risk to substitute for him, ultimately winning the match. However, this once again aroused Jiang Wenhuan's suspicion about E Shun's identity.
Afterward, E Shun's butler reprimanded Kunwu, saying his actions today were too risky and might have exposed their identity, as E Shun was not skilled in horsemanship, and now that he had won against Chong Yibiao, he might be suspected. Little did they know, Chong Yibiao had already grown suspicious of Kunwu's identity and decided to test him again. The next day, a stake-fighting competition began.
Chong Yibiao and Kunwu faced off, with Chong Yibiao's moves being ruthless, aiming to kill Kunwu. However, Kunwu was unwilling to tolerate it any longer. He did not use E Shun's sword techniques to defend but instead defeated him with his own unique skill. Chong Yibiao immediately turned hostile and questioned if he was truly not E Shun.
Episode 8 Recap
Chong Yibiao, enraged by his defeat, publicly tore and ripped Kunwu's clothes, intending to verify a scar on his chest. Unexpectedly, Kunwu indeed had scars on his body, which astonished Chong Yibiao, as he was certain the person before him was not E Shun. Jiang Wenhuan, seeing this, felt Chong Yibiao's actions were excessive, and immediately pulled E Shun back to their room to change clothes.
Jiang Wenhuan offered a medicinal soup and asked E Shun about the origin of the scar. It turned out that to make Kunwu's portrayal of him more realistic, E Shun did not hesitate to ensure their body scars matched. Kunwu frankly admitted that though he and Chong Yibiao were close friends, they also had a long-standing grievance. In the past, the two of them both went to the First Warrior Competition of the Grasslands.
Before escorting the merchant caravan to Libei, E Shun specially competed with Chong Yibiao and admitted that his skills were inferior. Subsequently, E Shun entrusted the important task of escorting the merchant caravan to Chong Yibiao. Unexpectedly, Chong Yibiao did not know E Shun's identity, and his elder half-brother became jealous, falsely accusing Chong Yibiao of fawning over E Shun or the merchant caravan, and slandered him before Beibo Hou.
Beibo Hou refused to listen to explanations, severely beat Chong Yibiao, and warned him not to overstep his bounds. Just as Chong Yibiao was being punished, E Shun arrived, stating that the Southern Capital Merchant Caravan valued Chong Yibiao's talent, and publicly asked Nanbo Hou for him. However, Chong Yibiao refused, unwilling to contend with his brother. That night, Chong Yibiao was knocked unconscious at the stable.
When he woke up, he was already in E Shun's tent, mistakenly thinking E Shun was seeking revenge. In fact, it was Young Master Chong who knocked him out, using the pretext of a bandit intrusion to pursue him. E Shun came out of his tent, saying he had not seen any bandits. Young Master Chong dared not offend him and had to leave disgruntled.
Afterward, Chong Yibiao knew he had misunderstood E Shun, but felt no gratitude, thinking how an outsider could interfere in his family's affairs. The two engaged in a verbal confrontation, neither giving way. E Shun couldn't bear to see such a talented person relegated to an inferior position and persuaded him to participate in the Warrior Competition. The next day, the Grassland Warrior Competition began.
Chong Yibiao won battle after battle, and ultimately Nanbo Hou personally bestowed upon him the Sword of the First Warrior. Young Master Chong, however, claimed that the grasslands were frugal and could not celebrate for him. E Shun, instead, brought Chong Yibiao a rare dagger as a congratulatory gift and prepared a lavish banquet to celebrate together. Nanbo Hou and Young Master Chong were displeased with Chong Yibiao's honor.
They publicly dismissed the dancing girls, implicitly ridiculing this illegitimate son for surpassing the legitimate son. Chong Yibiao no longer tolerated it, feeling that a friend's congratulations were a tribal honor, and treating E Shun's good intentions in such a way would violate the principles of hospitality.
E Shun pulled Chong Yibiao to the vast grasslands to drink heartily, pouring strong liquor into the fire, saying that as long as one was strong, they could burn across the entire grassland like this flame. Chong Yibiao seemed to have an epiphany and was deeply moved by E Shun's words. After three rounds of drinks, E Shun's speech became slurred, and Chong Yibiao immediately playfully called him "Little Stutter."
From then on, E Shun and Chong Yibiao became close confidants. E Shun's horsemanship improved day by day under Chong Yibiao's guidance, though he ultimately never surpassed Chong Yibiao. Three years later, Chong Yibiao returned to the grasslands and immediately intercepted Young Master Chong's prey. Although he won the admiration of many women, it only made his brother more resentful.
During this time, E Shun maintained correspondence with Chong Yibiao, and as the wedding approached, E Shun suddenly went to the grasslands to congratulate him. Later, Chong Yibiao relinquished his position as the heir apparent. Unexpectedly, his fiancée also fell into Young Master Chong's hands. Chong Yibiao was filled with indignation, but Nanbo Hou favored Young Master Chong.
The tribe was abuzz with discussions, all saying that the First Beauty of the Grasslands should marry the First Warrior, but Nanbo Hou privately changed the rules and married her to Young Master Chong. Chong Yibiao went before his mother's tomb, lamenting that no one had saved his mother when she gave birth to him, and now, having barely survived for many years, it would be better to stay away from strife. Now, Chong Yibiao recalled the past, filled with hatred for E Shun, and E Shun's chest scar was also closely related to him.
Episode 9 Recap
Chong Yibiao remembered the prominent scar on E Shun's chest, which he himself had left. He recalled one day he woke up to find his mother's grave surrounded by beautiful fresh flowers. The tribe members thought it was a divine manifestation and prostrated themselves devoutly, but in reality, E Shun had worked through the night to plant them. On the day of the Eldest Master Chong's wedding, E Shun came to warn him.
At this time, the Eldest Master Chong openly snatched Chong Yibiao's woman, already becoming the target of public criticism in Nandu. Meanwhile, Chong Yibiao lost control of his emotions towards his father. The Eldest Master Chong, disbelieving in divine manifestation, sent people to trample Chong Yibiao's mother's grave and brutally murdered children who were close to Chong Yibiao.
Chong Yibiao, pushed beyond endurance, became enraged and conceived a rebellion, wishing to make his father experience the pain of losing a child. Just as he swung his blade at his elder brother, E Shun unhesitatingly blocked the fatal blow, then fell unconscious and was sent back to Nandu. Thereafter, E Shun never left Nandu, his health deteriorating and becoming increasingly frail.
His father invited a renowned master to teach him horsemanship and archery, and only this time did he defeat Chong Yibiao. E Shun told Jiang Wenhuan about his grievances with Chong Yibiao without reservation. Jiang Wenhuan had always suspected his identity. E Shun wanted to draw a clear line with Jiang Wenhuan, feeling that with his sickly state, he had no ties to them, and thus ending his life like this would be a fulfillment. Jiang Wenhuan silently departed.
Kunwu sighed, feeling helpless, remembering being rescued by E Shun multiple times. If it weren't for searching for his sister, he would surely have openly acknowledged Jiang Wenhuan. Chong Yibiao still harbored doubts about E Shun's identity and asked the steward for information. The steward said that E Shun's body was not as good as before after being cut. Not to mention training in the Heir's Camp, even long journeys could be fatal.
Now, in the dog days of summer, he still had to wear a coat to ward off the cold. He, as the only son, if news of his impending death were to spread, enemy nations might take the opportunity to invade. He hoped Chong Yibiao would remember the kindness shown that day and not expose him. E Shun decided to send a message via homing pigeon to inform Chong Yibiao of the true situation, hoping for his assistance.
The steward took out a valuable item and gave it to Chong Yibiao, hoping he would keep quiet and allow this person to achieve great things on E Shun's behalf. Chong Yibiao remembered that E Shun was not afraid of the cold in his youth, but now, due to him, E Shun was weak in both qi and blood. Feeling immense guilt, he immediately agreed. A Si came to the training camp. Everyone thought she was looking for Jiang Wenhuan.
To conceal her true intentions, A Si lied, saying she was looking for E Shun. After everyone left, A Si proposed a fake marriage with E Shun to escape her father's coercion. Before E Shun could refuse, Jiang Wenhuan readily agreed. The next day, Jiang Wenhuan carried a large goose, pretending it was a wild goose, and accompanied E Shun to propose marriage. Kunwu was dignified and imposing.
Old Man Li liked him more and more as he looked, immediately agreeing to dismiss other matchmakers and ordering someone to bring the betrothal papers to set the wedding date. Kunwu secretly cried out in bitterness. Jiang Wenhuan, with a flash of inspiration, knelt before Old Man Li, stating that he had admired A Si for a long time and hoped to be granted their wish.
Old Man Li looked at the two men, at a loss, and temporarily put aside the matter of the betrothal. Afterward, A Si invited Kunwu and Jiang Wenhuan for drinks. A Si and Jiang Wenhuan got completely drunk. When they talked about the marriage, A Si inadvertently said that she and Jiang Wenhuan were a good match, and Jiang Wenhuan was unable to suppress his excitement.
After Kunwu sent the tipsy A Si back, he worried that Jiang Wenhuan was still drinking heavily at the tavern and turned back. Jiang Wenhuan sat dejectedly on the ground, his face showing his reluctance to go home. He saw E Shun's enthusiasm for A Si and his coldness towards himself, and a pang of sadness arose in his heart. An old man nearby patiently advised him, saying that friends should talk things out to clear up misunderstandings.
The next day, Jiang Wenhuan, with mixed feelings, came to the armory and looked at E Shun, unsure how to speak. Later, he learned from others that E Shun had brought him back when he was dead drunk. Feeling touched, he mustered the courage to express his gratitude, but E Shun responded coldly, saying he didn't want to be implicated because of him.
As everyone was competing in archery, news arrived that the Eldest Master Chong and his wife would be attending a banquet tomorrow. Everyone looked at Chong Yibiao. The memorial ceremony attracted the Eldest Master Chong and his wife, which aroused suspicion in Gongsun Wuyu and Jiang Wenfeng. The two decided to go to the city gate to greet them. The Eldest Master Chong claimed he was visiting his younger brother under the pretense of the memorial ceremony.
That evening, A Si dressed up elaborately to attend the banquet at the Heir's Camp. The Heir Consort performed a dance, captivating everyone, except Chong Yibiao, who remained sullen. The Eldest Master Chong asked him if he missed his sister-in-law's dance. Xin Jia, displeased by the public humiliation of Chong Yibiao, raised his wine cup to toast him. Chong Yiwu did not give up. Jiang Wenfeng interrupted again.
Chong Yiwu, harboring malicious intentions, raised his wine cup to E Shun, wishing to provoke a rift between him and Chong Yibiao. Kunwu, following E Shun's instructions, sharply asked Chong Yiwu if he remembered the warning given on his wedding day, and if the Libei trade route was clear. Chong Yiwu suddenly realized that E Shun was behind the obstructed trade route. The two exchanged verbal barbs, the atmosphere grew tense, and Jiang Wenhuan hurriedly intervened to mediate.
Chong Yiwu invoked the tribe's highest etiquette, demanding that E Shun drink three pots of wine. E Shun was physically weak, and Jiang Wenhuan was deeply worried. Chong Yibiao stepped forward, and drank the third pot of wine on E Shun's behalf. Chong Yiwu held a grudge. He made things difficult for his wife, Xiner, forcing her to toast Chong Yibiao and subjecting her to domestic violence.
Jiang Wenfeng, filled with righteous indignation, stepped forward to stop him, stating that at a banquet held in Dongdu, treating his wife in such a manner was impolite and damaged the tribe's reputation. Chong Yiwu persisted, humiliating Xiner about her origins and tormenting her, attempting to provoke Chong Yibiao. Chong Yibiao suppressed his anger, clenching his fists tightly. Although he wanted to kill Chong Yiwu to vent his hatred, he did not want to betray E Shun's life-saving kindness.
He resolutely threw away the sword in his hand, declaring that Chong Yiwu was not worthy of being killed by him. Afterward, Chong Yibiao looked at E Shun's letter, understanding his good intentions, and deeply realizing that he needed to become stronger to establish himself in the tribe.
Episode 10 Recap
After Kunwu settled A Si, he still kept Jiang Wenhuan in his heart, worried that he was still drinking alone at the tavern, so he turned back without hesitation. Back at the tavern, Kunwu immediately saw Jiang Wenhuan sitting dejectedly on the ground, his face showing his resistance to returning home. Scenes of E Shun enthusiastically helping A Si while being indifferent to him kept replaying in Jiang Wenhuan's mind, and a pang of bitterness arose in his heart.
Just then, an elder slowly walked up to Jiang Wenhuan, gently patted his shoulder, and patiently advised him, as if saying that if friends could communicate frankly, misunderstandings would naturally dissipate. The next day, Jiang Wenhuan arrived at the armory with a complex mix of emotions. He looked at E Shun, his lips moved, but for a moment, he didn't know how to start a conversation.
After a moment of hesitation, he learned from others that it was E Shun who had brought him back when he was dead drunk, and a warm current immediately surged through his heart. He took a deep breath, gathered his courage, walked up to E Shun, and sincerely expressed his gratitude.
E Shun, however, merely frowned slightly, his expression still indifferent, and calmly stated that he was also doing it for everyone's good, not wanting to be implicated because of Jiang Wenhuan's matter. Everyone was competing in archery on the field when suddenly, news struck like a thunderbolt: Eldest Son Chong and his wife would also attend the banquet tomorrow. Upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze towards Chong Yibiao.
This was originally an ordinary sacrificial ceremony, yet it brought Eldest Son Chong and his wife, causing Gongsun Wuyu and Jiang Wenfeng to exchange glances, their hearts instantly filled with doubt. After a moment of thought, they decided to go to the city entrance to greet them. Eldest Son Chong saw them and explained with a smile that this visit was to see his brother under the guise of the sacrificial ceremony.
That evening, after carefully dressing up, A Si walked with light steps to the Prince's camp to attend the banquet. The Crown Princess, recognized as the most beautiful woman on the grassland, gracefully walked onto the stage and performed a dance for everyone. Her graceful dance movements were like those of a nimble fairy, astounding everyone present, who all became immersed in it. However, Chong Yibiao sat aside, his brows tightly furrowed, his expression downcast, as if troubled by something.
Seeing this, Eldest Son Chong's lips curved slightly upwards, and he asked Chong Yibiao on the spot if he missed this dance, having not seen his sister-in-law for a long time. Upon hearing this, Xin Jia felt a surge of dissatisfaction. He raised his wine cup and toasted Eldest Son Chong, attempting to defuse the subtle awkwardness. But Chong Yiwu did not want to give up easily. Jiang Wenfeng saw that the situation was bad and hastily interrupted him again.
Chong Yiwu, harboring ill intentions, raised his wine cup and toasted E Shun, specifically emphasizing that E Shun was his savior. His aim was nothing more than to stir up trouble between E Shun and Chong Yibiao. Kunwu, having received E Shun's instructions in advance, his gaze sharpened. He looked directly at Chong Yiwu, asking if he remembered the warning words on the day of his wedding, and also mentioned whether the Libei trade route was still unobstructed.
Upon hearing this, Chong Yiwu's face instantly turned pale. He then awoke as if from a dream, realizing that E Shun was behind the obstructed trade route for the past few years. Sharp words were exchanged between the two, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Jiang Wenhuan, seeing this, his heart tightened, and he quickly stepped forward to defuse the tense situation.
However, Chong Yiwu was relentless, invoking the tribe's highest etiquette, forcibly demanding E Shun to drink three pots of wine in front of everyone. But E Shun's body was already weak; how could he withstand so much strong liquor? Jiang Wenhuan stood by, extremely worried, his brows tightly furrowed. Just at this moment, Chong Yibiao stepped forward, unhesitatingly took the third pot of wine, and tilted his head back to drink it.
Chong Yiwu, holding a grudge, then turned his attention to Madam Xin'er, making her toast Chong Yibiao, and even publicly committing domestic violence against Xin'er. Jiang Wenfeng, seeing this situation, was filled with righteous indignation and stepped forward to stop it. After all, this was a banquet in the Eastern Capital, and such behavior was impolite and would damage the tribe's reputation.
Chong Yiwu remained relentless, continuing to insult Xin'er's background and even deliberately tormenting her, attempting to provoke Chong Yibiao. Chong Yibiao suppressed the rage in his heart, clenching his hands into fists, his knuckles turning white. Although he harbored killing intent, he remembered E Shun's life-saving kindness to him back then.
At the critical moment, he resolutely threw away the sword in his hand, his gaze firm as he declared that Chong Yiwu was not worthy of being killed by him. Afterwards, Chong Yibiao looked at the letter E Shun had given him, repeatedly pondering its deeper meaning, and finally understood E Shun's earnest intentions from back then. He knew deeply that he must become stronger to establish himself in the tribe and achieve great ambitions.
Episode 11 Recap
Chong Yibiao did not kill Chong Yiwu, which made the mastermind extremely angry, and he felt deep down that Chong Yiwu was useless, completely incapable of handling important tasks. The next day, the Crown Princess went to Chong Yiwu's room to deliver tea, but unexpectedly witnessed Chong Yibiao killing Chong Yiwu, and even saw him tightly gripping the blood-stained knife in his hand.
Afterward, everyone was discussing whether Chong Yibiao was the murderer, but at this moment, Jiang Wenhuan came to the public court, firmly believing that Chong Yibiao was not the murderer. He clearly laid out various mysteries, stating directly that there was no direct evidence to prove Chong Yibiao was the killer. Jiang Wenfeng handed the matter over to Jiang Wenhuan to investigate, which was also a reasonable explanation to the tribe.
On the other side, a man in black reported to the mastermind, stating that he had killed Chong Yiwu as instructed, successfully framing Chong Yibiao, and hoping that he would uphold his agreement with the Old Marquis. Afterward, Gongsun Wuyu suspected that although Chong Yiwu's death outwardly pointed to Chong Yibiao, Donglu Kingdom was also involved. After all, the Crown Prince died in their own capital, so there must be hidden reasons behind it.
Jiang Wenhuan, Xin Jia, and E Shun came to the prison; all three firmly believed Chong Yibiao was innocent. Chong Yibiao recalled that at the time, after receiving his brother's message, he went to meet him, but upon arrival, found his brother already dead. He happened to use his sword to lift a blood-stained piece of clothing, and was unfortunately seen by the Crown Princess.
Jiang Wenhuan went to the morgue and, by carefully examining Chong Yiwu's wound, discovered that he was not wounded by Chong Yibiao's sword. Instead, someone had forged a similar sword and used ice packs to delay the bleeding time. Based on this important clue, he came to the black market and asked A Si to lead him to the most famous workshop in Qiankun Alley.
The old man at the workshop stated that he could forge a similar weapon just by looking at it, but he had never seen the weapon in the drawing, and he swore to A Si that he would never lie. After everyone left, the old man hurriedly sent an apprentice to deliver an important message to someone.
Jiang Wenhuan did not leave; instead, he secretly monitored the apprentice because the apprentice had clearly seen the knife drawing when he took it out earlier. At this moment, the apprentice was seen furtively coming to the back alley. Jiang Wenhuan and others quickly surrounded him. The apprentice reluctantly admitted that someone had brought a drawing to him a few days ago to forge a knife, and he was now going to deliver a message to the lame person.
Jiang Wenhuan took out the note from the apprentice and found it to be blank, realizing that he had fallen for a trick to lure him away. When he returned to the workshop, he found that the old man was nowhere to be seen. Jiang Wenhuan gave A Si a task, asking her to find the lame person in Qiankun Alley. A Si searched for a day without success.
Upon returning home, she asked her father and learned that their own housekeeper had a injured leg, causing him to limp. The next day, the Crown Princess brought food to the prison to visit Chong Yibiao, but to avoid suspicion, she handed the food to Jiang Wenhuan and specifically reminded him that it was Chong Yibiao's birthday today. Chong Yibiao suddenly remembered that on that day, in Chong Yiwu's room, he had found a glowing bead under the bed.
Meanwhile, E Shun guessed that the Marquis of Beibo would not pass the throne to Chong Yibiao just because Chong Yiwu had died. He decided to open up trade routes between the two countries to delay the Marquis of Beibo, thereby creating an opportunity for Chong Yibiao to clear his name. E Shun took medicine daily to prolong his life.
He did not resent Chong Yibiao, believing that as long as one of them was alive, they could fulfill each other's wishes. He specially sent birthday wishes to Chong Yibiao from afar, wishing him all the best.
Episode 12 Recap
Jiang Wenhuan instructed Xin Jia to carefully search for evidence, holding a night candle. Xin Jia had initially planned to shirk his duty and just go through the motions. To his surprise, he actually found a glowing bead under the bed, and on it, the words "Qiankun Alley" were clearly embedded, making it all the more suspicious. On the other side, A Si accidentally noticed her father acting surreptitiously, which immediately raised her suspicions.
She quietly followed him to a familiar black market. In the black market, she inadvertently discovered a secret chamber. With curiosity and apprehension, she found something in a box inside the chamber that greatly surprised her. Elder Li solemnly handed the contract to Ning Ziyu, but the Young Lord acted shamelessly, pleading with Elder Li to continue working for him. Through the books in the box, A Si unexpectedly discovered that her father had quietly done so much for her.
It contained all the wealth her father had left for her, even some dowry, filling her heart with emotion and guilt. She secretly made up her mind to save her father from his predicament through practical actions. The next day, Elder Li gave A Si a piece of jewelry meticulously crafted with a luminous pearl, repeatedly cautioning her not to get involved with Jiang Wenhuan and others.
However, A Si was full of doubts, not understanding the reason, and resolutely decided to investigate the truth. Jiang Wenhuan handed the retrieved bead to A Si. After carefully examining it, A Si stated that the bead was a counterfeit, clearly planted by someone to frame another. However, upon hearing this, Kunwu, who was nearby, sensed something unusual about A Si.
Thus, overnight, Kunwu and Jiang Wenhuan disguised themselves as servants from Elder Li's residence, cleverly blending into the procession for the Gao Mei Sacrifice. One of them delivered a message to Ning Ziyu, informing him that Marquis Beibo and Jiang Wenfeng had formed an alliance. Upon hearing this, Ning Ziyu was furious and immediately ordered the Gao Mei Sacrifice to proceed as scheduled, vowing to make those people accompany his father to his grave.
At this moment, someone brought wine to Chong Yibiao, who immediately keenly detected poison in it. However, the person who delivered the wine, seeing that their plot was exposed, unhesitatingly took poison and committed suicide. Jiang Wenhuan and E Shun were rushing back to the Young Lord's camp to deliver an important message, but their whereabouts were keenly detected by Ning Ziyu. Unfortunately, the two were captured.
Just as they were about to be beheaded, A Si rushed over, threatening her father with her own life to release Jiang Wenhuan and E Shun. However, Elder Li did not agree. Out of helplessness, he had no choice but to confine them in a room and placed two unknown objects outside the door to impersonate them, creating the illusion that they had been burned to death.
At this point, an Envoy came to verify whether Jiang Wenhuan and E Shun had been executed. Ning Ziyu, however, stated that he had already burned them to death, and even adopted a strong stance, refusing to be directed by this Guifang Envoy. He claimed that their cooperation was a matter of mutual needs: the Envoy sought elixirs, while he merely desired revenge. This attitude, however, prompted the Envoy to consider eliminating Ning Ziyu.
Jiang Wenfeng and Gongsun Wuyu, along with other generals, proceeded to the Gao Mei Sacrifice. Unsuspecting, everyone drank wine laced with a narcotic, which turned out to be a carefully orchestrated plot by Ning Ziyu. He ordered these people to be burned alive to appease the hatred in his heart. At the critical moment, Jiang Wenhuan, A Si, and others appeared in time, desperately rescuing everyone.
However, Ning Ziyu, furious and humiliated, sought to perish with them, triggering a cave mechanism. At this moment, the cave collapsed with a deafening roar, and in the midst of the chaos, Elder Li, to save his daughter, unhesitatingly held Ning Ziyu back, only to be mercilessly crushed beneath a stone statue. Afterward, A Si frantically searched for Elder Li, desperately hoping to rescue her father at the last moment. However, Elder Li knew he had no chance of survival. In his final moments, he affectionately entrusted A Si to Jiang Wenhuan, his eyes filled with reluctance and hope, before numerous large stones fell upon him.
