The Dauntless Youths Episode 6 Recap
> The Dauntless Youths Recap
As the Kui faction launched their attack signal, Jiang Wenhuan calmly suggested waiting a moment. Soon after, smoke signals also rose from various parts of Donglu. The Kui faction quickly realized they had been tricked and attempted to retreat, only to be ambushed and surrounded by soldiers led by Jiang Wenfeng. General Bo Gu defiantly claimed that his main reinforcements were on their way, unaware that Jiang Wenfeng had already intercepted and decimated them.
Bo Gu admitted his carelessness, having been defeated by a few young men, but insisted it was too early to surrender, still believing his remaining troops could turn the tide. Jiang Wenfeng revealed to Bo Gu that his 5,000 elite soldiers had been ambushed from behind, suffering heavy losses. Jiang Wenfeng then remarked that a true general should be flexible in using his troops.
Jiang Wenhuan remained steadfast in his desire to release Yao Shuliang, while Chong Yibiao insisted on taking him back to the Prince Camp. A Si, seeing their deadlock, suggested they let fate decide by drawing lots. When a white result appeared, indicating Yao Shuliang's freedom, Xin Jia subtly acknowledged A Si's "skills," implying he saw through the trick.
Yao Shuliang, grateful for his release, promised to repay their kindness with his life and was given a pass by Jiang Wenhuan, urging him to return safely. Jiang Wenhuan declared that he would bear full responsibility for his decision to release Yao Shuliang. Bo Gu, now captured, accused the Donglu people of being cunning, using a fake city defense map to lure his forces into a trap, leading to their self-inflicted defeat.
Jiang Wenfeng responded that their predicament was their own doing and asserted that Donglu's strength lay not just in its defensive layout, based on the River Luo Map, but in the unity and bravery of its people. He then questioned Bo Gu, noting that the Kui faction's elaborate traps and attempts to disrupt the Prince Camp were uncharacteristic of their usual tactics, suggesting a more cunning mastermind behind him.
Before Bo Gu could answer, a hidden arrow struck him down, confirming Jiang Wenfeng's suspicions and immediately raising concerns for Jiang Wenhuan's safety. Meanwhile, Jiang Wenhuan and his companions were walking through the forest, attempting to return to the camp, but found themselves repeatedly circling back to the same spot. Xin Jia spotted a strange stone statue, and upon touching it, unknowingly triggered a hidden arrow mechanism. A barrage of arrows rained down, causing casualties among their group.
Jiang Wenhuan quickly deduced they were trapped in a Qi Men Dun Jia formation, an ancient military art. He explained that the stone statue was merely one of eight gates, and they needed to find the "Life Gate" to escape. Despite having "no confidence at all" according to his own words, Jiang Wenhuan, using the time of day and the positions of other statues, identified the "Injury Gate" and "Rest Gate." He then pinpointed the "Life Gate" between them.
As they collectively pushed towards the Life Gate, the arrows intensified. Jiang Wenhuan realized they couldn't break the formation from the inside and theorized an external force might be able to help. Simultaneously, Yao Shuliang, on his journey back to his homeland, heard a series of whistles—a distinct signal used by the Donglu Army.
A single whistle meant alarm, two meant hide, and three meant "Through fire and water, I won't fail you," indicating a dire situation and a call for aid. Torn between returning to his endangered homeland and rescuing his comrades, Yao Shuliang chose to turn back. He correctly interpreted Jiang Wenhuan's whistle signals: one long and two short meant to head north, and two long and three short meant to charge and break through the formation. With a determined "Kill!"
he rode towards the Life Gate. Yao Shuliang successfully reached the Life Gate and chopped down the stone statue, instantly stopping the barrage of arrows and causing the fog to dissipate. His friends rejoiced, thanking him, but their relief turned to despair when they discovered he had been struck by a hidden arrow. Yao Shuliang had bravely endured his injury to complete the task, knowing that stopping would have meant failure.
In his final moments, a dying Yao Shuliang asked Jiang Wenhuan to take him back to his motherland, where his parents were trapped. Jiang Wenhuan promised to fulfill his friend's wish, repeating Yao Shuliang's last words, "Through fire and water, I won't fail my brothers." Jiang Wenhuan carried Yao Shuliang's body back to the Prince Camp.
Overcome with grief and rage, his comrades, including E Shun, Xin Jia, Tao Yingzhong, Wang Yuanji, Su Yuanxiao, and Tai Dian, pleaded with Jiang Wenfeng for permission to avenge Yao Shuliang. Jiang Wenfeng, though solemn, acknowledged the royal decree forbidding unauthorized military action. However, he declared that today, they were not merely soldiers of the Prince Camp, but brothers to Yao Shuliang.
He sanctioned their personal mission to avenge their fallen friend, stating that the East Lu Army would bear no responsibility for their actions and that their fate in this battle was their own. Emboldened, they stormed the Kui faction's camp, broke through the city gates, and fought their way to the city center, successfully rescuing Yao Shuliang's family.
Later that night, while reflecting on E Shun's complex character, Jiang Wenhuan found something familiar about him, reminiscent of the day he rescued the little slave. He asked Ding to investigate the little slave's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Jiang Wenfeng's subordinate confirmed that the arrow that killed Bo Gu, a special Kui-made tiger-tooth barbed arrow coated with poison, was the same type used in the attack on Jiang Wenhuan in the forest.
This led them to believe the two incidents were orchestrated by the same group. Jiang Wenfeng surmised that they had been unwitting pawns in an internal power struggle within the Kui faction, where a noble faction used Donglu to dismantle the military force behind General Bo Gu. The mastermind behind these intricate plots, who could orchestrate such events and simultaneously target the Prince Camp, was clearly a formidable and cunning individual.
When asked about any rising stars in the Kui State, his subordinate reported none. In a separate, covert conversation, a mysterious figure learned that the military power of the Kui faction had taken the blame, and the eastern side would not investigate further. The figure confidently stated that soon, the Prince Camp would become "lively" again, hinting at more schemes to come.
