The Dauntless Youths Episode 4 Recap
> The Dauntless Youths Recap
A Si, reflecting on being saved by Jiang Wenhuan, initially dismissed her burgeoning feelings as mere gratitude. She internally cautioned herself, proclaiming, "Li Asisi, wake up. You have no feelings for him. Even if you did, it's just to repay his life-saving kindness. Yes, that's it. That's all." Resolved, she decided to "repay him properly" and went to seek him out. Meanwhile, Jiang Wenhuan returned to his residence intoxicated.
An arrow carrying a pendant and a note from "the little thief" struck his doorframe. The note expressed immense gratitude, stating, "Great kindness needs no thanks. Here's a reward for you. . . Finally, we owe each other nothing." Jiang Wenhuan interpreted this as the "thief's" way of showing appreciation, unaware of the pendant's true worth and remarking, "It doesn't look valuable at all." A Si, watching from a distance, realized his ignorance, muttering, "Jiang Wenhuan, that idiot.
Can it be he doesn't know how valuable that pendant is? He shouldn't." Jiang Wenfeng, concerned for Gongsun Wuyu, frequently sought opportunities to care for her, but she maintained a cautious distance, often rejecting his advances. The two discussed the impending Prince's Camp, with Jiang Wenfeng questioning if the Emperor would abandon the search for the elixir. Gongsun Wuyu reminded him that "A king's word is his bond.
He won't change his mind so easily" and reflected on the "tragedy sixteen years ago" associated with the elixir hunt. Jiang Wenfeng agreed, asserting he had "more reason to hate that tragedy" and explained he explicitly chose Donglu for the camp so that his brother, Jiang Wenhuan, would be safe, telling her, "With you in Donglu. . . Huan'er will be safe."
He urged her to be careful, but Gongsun Wuyu politely declined his help, stating, "Shi and I have been together for so many years. We are used to it." She then bid him goodnight, asking him to "Have a good rest." The next day, by imperial decree, the Dongwu Marquisate established the Prince's Camp. An announcement declared that the princes were to "forge their bodies" and eventually "wear armor, tame fierce horses, and capture the enemy's king."
Gongsun Wuyu and Jiang Wenfeng were appointed as joint supervisors, and the princes were ordered to "listen to the training in the field. No mistakes allowed." On the first day, Jiang Wenfeng was surprised to find only two princes present, questioning, "Why are there only two of you? Where are the others?" Meanwhile, the other princes were gathered inside, gambling with dice. Jiang Wenhuan, confident in his abilities, declared, "If I win, you all go back to class with me."
However, his opponent, Xin Jia, quickly detected Jiang Wenhuan cheating. " You are the dignified Prince of Donglu. Why do you cheat?" he questioned, exposing Jiang Wenhuan. A chaotic argument ensued, and in the confusion, Jiang Wenhuan stumbled into Jiang Wenfeng, who had just entered the room. Jiang Wenfeng's face darkened with anger and disappointment. All the princes were severely punished. One prince grumbled, "Wen Huan and Xin Jia are gambling. Why are we punished for joining in? . .
. He didn't even go. Why punish him?" Jiang Wenfeng explained the severe consequences, stating, "The punishment today is the first lesson of the Prince's Camp. It's to make you know the Prince's Camp is a team. All are honored together, and all are damaged together. If one person makes a mistake, all will be punished. No one can be free of blame. Just like on the battlefield. Do you understand?"
After the stern lecture, he ordered them to practice horse stance before reporting to General Chen. After the punishment, an officer announced five positions within the camp: Equipment Chief, Cook Chief, Dorm Chief, Camp Chief, and Stable Chief, emphasizing that "If there is any mistake, the whole camp will be punished." Jiang Wenhuan jokingly declined any leadership role, admitting that as a child, he "almost burned down the camp." The princes eagerly volunteered for the more appealing positions.
Wang Yuanji, confident in his culinary knowledge, stepped forward as Cook Chief. Tao Yingzhong, citing his diligent habits, volunteered for Dorm Chief. Tai Dian offered his sewing skills for Equipment Chief. Xin Jia volunteered for Camp Chief, promising alcohol, only to be sternly reminded by Jiang Wenfeng, "No drinking in the army." The final position, Stable Chief, remained vacant. Yao Shuliang, despite his timid nature and lack of riding expertise, volunteered, explaining, "My name is Yao Shuliang. . .
I'm a bit timid. But I'm good at dealing with animals." He was accepted. The princes were then told they would be sharing rooms, much to their dismay. Xin Jia loudly complained, "We are all princes. . . Why do we have to share a tent? If they have any bad habits, like teeth grinding, hiccupping, flatulence, or body odor, what should I do? Will I still be alive?"
He expressed a desperate wish not to be roomed with "that always grumpy Chong Yibiao and that silent E Shun." Fate, however, had a cruel sense of humor. Chong Yibiao and E Shun found themselves assigned to the same room. Their initial meeting was tense, with Chong Yibiao immediately challenging E Shun, "You live here too? Change it. You're trying to make me mad." E Shun responded calmly, "I didn't mean it." Chong Yibiao then taunted him, "Stuttering boy.
Aren't you afraid I'll kill you again?" E Shun simply asked, "You. . . Will you?" Xin Jia soon arrived at the room, horrified to find himself with them, but found some comfort when Jiang Wenhuan also appeared, exclaiming, "Brother Jiang. You live here too? Great. Finally, we have someone interesting." In the middle of the night, a loud banging at the door jolted Xin Jia awake. Terrified, he nudged Jiang Wenhuan, asking, "Brother Jiang, did you hear anything?"
Jiang Wenhuan dismissed it, telling him to "Go to sleep." When the banging persisted, Xin Jia, still frightened, urged Jiang Wenhuan to open the door. Jiang Wenhuan retorted, "Why should I? It's your place. . . What if it's a woman?" The idea of a "beauty" piqued Xin Jia's interest. Annoyed by the noise, Chong Yibiao abruptly opened the door, only to find no one outside. He declared, "There is neither a male ghost nor a female ghost.
Can we sleep now?" and tried to settle back down. Soon after, more strange sounds were heard. The roommates cautiously opened the door again and witnessed Tao Yingzhong, in a sleepwalking state, relieving himself outside before quietly returning to his bed. Jiang Wenhuan deduced, "This might be the so-called sleepwalking. . . his consciousness is in a dream. People with this disease cannot be awakened." The next morning, in class, the princes were disheveled and drowsy.
Jiang Wenfeng, noting their poor state, scolded them, "Are you here for class or for traveling in Donglu? You all look so listless, dejected, and lazy. Take your seats." During the lecture, Tao Yingzhong passed Jiang Wenhuan a folded note, relaying a message from Yao Shuliang. Upon opening it, Jiang Wenhuan's expression drastically changed as the note revealed that all the Jin Yu horses from the stable had been stolen.
A distraught Yao Shuliang confessed, "I just arrived outside and found that the Jin Yu horses in the stable were all gone." He added that these horses were "the King's gift" and their loss meant "the whole camp will be punished." Apologizing profusely, he cried, "It's all my fault. I'm the one who got everyone in trouble." Jiang Wenhuan reassured him, "We rise and fall together. You're the head groom, but losing the horse isn't just your fault."
Realizing the urgency, Jiang Wenhuan proposed a solution, noting that "the two supervisors are seeing off the Shangshan courier" and "won't be back before nightfall." He deduced that the thief was no ordinary person and that "ordinary methods won't work." He suggested they go to Quanqin Alley, "the most cunning market in Donglu," where he believed they would find information.
He explained that Quanqin Alley, run by the mysterious merchant Li, "can accommodate people and goods that are hard to find in the world." He assured his worried companions that he had a backup plan for leaving the camp, having already arranged for Tai Dian to assist them via the waterway, surprising Xin Jia, who remarked, "Since when did you two become so in sync?"
Upon reaching Quanqin Alley, Xin Jia marveled at the "luxurious place" before Jiang Wenhuan pointed them towards Xuankong Pavilion, the auction house where stolen goods are sold. Realizing that entry was restricted to "regular customers," Jiang Wenhuan devised a plan. They disguised the timid Yao Shuliang as an attractive woman, allowing him to successfully gain entry. When Jiang Wenhuan and E Shun arrived at the entrance, a guard stopped them. Jiang Wenhuan presented a bronze plaque.
To their confusion, the guard's demeanor instantly shifted from suspicion to reverence, apologizing for "not recognizing you" and welcoming them as "guests invited by the Young Lady." The Young Lady was revealed to be A Si, implying her connection to the powerful merchant Li. Inside Xuankong Pavilion, the auctioneer presented the day's main event: "a purebred horse from the Golden Domain," with a starting bid of 100 qian.
E Shun participated in the bidding, consistently increasing the price by a single qian each time, much to the exasperation of others. The bidding escalated rapidly, reaching 5,000 qian. At this critical moment, Jiang Wenhuan intervened, loudly questioning the horse's authenticity. He asserted, "5,000 qian is not a small sum. If you can find a purebred horse from Jin Yu, that would be great. But what if you can't? . . .
no one has ever seen a pure-blooded Jin Yu horse. How do we know how to verify it?" He challenged the auction house to "bring the horse out and show us where it came from. Only then can we be assured." The crowd echoed his demand. The auctioneer protested, citing rules, but a woman from Jin Yu stepped forward, swearing on her clan's blood that the horse was genuine, though she could not disclose its origin.
Jiang Wenhuan countered, "The Virtual Pavilion has its own rules. But our money isn't just given to us." Another man, defending the auction, accused Jiang Wenhuan of "making a fuss" and having "other intentions." Jiang Wenhuan retorted, "Who knows if you will turn on me and run away with the money? Show the horse to everyone if you are confident."
When asked who he was, Jiang Wenhuan declared, "I'm the one to take you away," prompting the man to summon guards. Just as a brawl was about to erupt, A Si rushed in, shouting "Stop!" The auctioneer acknowledged her presence, exclaiming, "My Lady!"
