The Litchi Road Recap, Plot, Synopsis
The Litchi Road Synopsis
During the Tang Dynasty, Li Shande is deceived by his colleagues and transformed from a mere inspector into the "Litchi Courier." He is compelled to accept a deadly mission: to deliver fresh lychees from Lingnan to Chang'an to celebrate the birthday of Consort He. The lychee's freshness deteriorates rapidly—its color changes after one day, its fragrance fades after two days, and its taste spoils after three days. Yet Lingnan is more than 5,000 li away from Chang'an, a seemingly impossible journey. For the sake of his daughter Li Xiuer’s safe and stable future, Li Shande reluctantly sets off for Lingnan.
At the same time, Zheng Ping’an, tasked by the Left Prime Minister to gather evidence against the Right Prime Minister's corruption, has already arrived in Lingnan. The two men, each with heavy responsibilities, unexpectedly meet in a foreign land and become acquainted with Amitabha, the leader of the Hu merchants’ guild; Yun Qing, the owner of the Konglang Brothel; the Hu merchant Su Liang; the local Dong ethnic girl A Tong; and others. Meanwhile, they face numerous obstacles from Lingnan’s governor He Youguang and the chief clerk Zhao Xinmin. Amid these intertwined challenges, the difficulty of the mission escalates. How will they break the deadlock and find a glimmer of hope?
The Litchi Road Recap
Episode 1 Recap
The story takes place in Tang Dynasty Chang'an. Last night there was a heavy rain. The awning damaged the Emperor's favorite old peony. Li Shande, the supervisor of the Office of Imperial Parks, was extremely anxious. He rushed there immediately to mound soil around the peony, strengthen the roots, and trim the branches. This year's flowering period would be delayed. The Emperor insisted on appreciating the flowers before Guyu (Grain Rain).
Li Shande had no choice but to hurry and water and fertilize it. The lychees in Lingnan are ripe. The Emperor issued a decree ordering the Right Chancellor to send someone to transport the lychees back to Chang'an. The Right Chancellor assigned this matter to the Court Of The National Granaries to handle. The head of the Court Of The National Granaries did not want to take on this hot potato.
Lychees change color in one day, scent in two days, and taste in three days. Lingnan and Chang'an are five thousand li apart, and the journey upstream is long. This is an impossible task. He immediately ordered it to be sent to the Office of Imperial Parks. Director Liu, after reading the imperial decree, was furious. He had no one else to pass the buck to, so he could only bite the bullet and accept this assignment.
The supervisors knew that transporting lychees was extraordinary. They looked at each other. Director Liu called out their names one by one. They all found various excuses to decline. They recommended Li Shande to transport the lychees. Early in the morning, Li Shande sent his daughter Li Xiuer to his brother-in-law Zheng Pingan's house. Zheng Pingan is a companion official for drinking. He casually asked about buying a house. Li Shande seized the opportunity to borrow money from Zheng Pingan.
Li Shande spent all his money treating his wife, and even sold their old house for three hundred guan. But his wife still died of illness. Li Shande had no choice but to rent a house with his daughter Li Xiuer. When he heard the old house was for sale, he negotiated with the landlord, finally settling on three hundred guan. Li Shande only had 130 guan. Zheng Pingan complained that Li Shande was too rigid.
He had been an official for over ten years, only knowing how to tend to flowers and plants, not understanding the ways of being an official, and hadn't even saved any money. Zheng Pingan couldn't bear to see Li Shande lose this opportunity and was willing to be his guarantor, telling him to go to Pingkang Fang to borrow money from Shiqiniang. According to market rules, he could only borrow 150 guan.
Li Shande begged Zheng Pingan to lend him another 20 guan. Li Shande gave the prepared IOU to Zheng Pingan and then left in a hurry with Li Xiuer. Zheng Pingan was so angry he gritted his teeth. Lu Huan, an Assistant Director of the Jing'an Department, suddenly visited. He arranged an assignment for Zheng Pingan. He Youguang, the Prefect of Gaozhou, appointed Envoy Pan Bao to bring a large amount of Lingnan jewelry to Chang'an.
The Jing'an Department found that He Youguang wanted to bribe the Right Chancellor with this batch of jewelry, solely to obtain the Lingnan soldier fish tally issued by the court. Lu Huan sent Zheng Pingan to collect evidence of the collusion between the Right Chancellor and He Youguang so that the Left Chancellor could seize the opportunity to bring down the Right Chancellor.
He also promised to help Zheng Pingan return to the Xingyang Zheng clan after the matter was completed. Li Shande took out all the money he had saved over the years and then went to Shiqiniang to borrow money. Shiqiniang even hired a monk to keep accounts, repeatedly claiming she was doing a good deed, and asked Li Shande for 150 guan in interest. Li Shande brought up the Tang Dynasty laws.
Shiqiniang had no choice but to modify the IOU according to the regulations. Li Shande paid the money and bought the old house. He imagined the grand scene of moving day. He drove a carriage to move, and the neighbors marveled at him, casting envious glances. Director Liu heard that Li Shande had just bought a house and immediately decided to let Li Shande go to Lingnan to transport lychees.
He specifically set up a banquet at the Office of Imperial Parks. Li Shande never participated in such dinners. As soon as his shift ended, he was anxious to go to school to pick up Li Xiuer. Director Liu desperately tried to keep him and asked him to introduce the origin of lychees to everyone. Li Shande spoke logically and eloquently. Director Liu seized the opportunity to propose that Li Shande be the Lychee Envoy to Lingnan.
Li Shande, fueled by alcohol, signed the document. His colleagues congratulated him. Zheng Pingan came to Pingkang Fang to conduct covert investigations. He found one of the rooms guarded by attendants. He suspected Pan Bao and the Right Chancellor's men were trading soldier fish tallies there, so he quietly climbed outside the window to eavesdrop. As expected, the Right Chancellor sent his trusted subordinate Ma Guiyun to meet Pan Bao.
Ma Guiyun opened the window and spat, startling Zheng Pingan into a cold sweat. Fortunately, Ma Guiyun did not see him. Ma Guiyun was going to Lingnan in person to hand the soldier fish tallies to He Youguang. Li Shande stumbled home holding the document. On the way, he accidentally fell to the ground. He suddenly discovered that the character "jian" from "lychee jian" on the document had dropped off, and it now read "lychee xian" (fresh).
Li Shande's drunkenness immediately vanished. He knew he could not transport fresh lychees back to Chang'an even if he risked his life. Li Shande immediately rushed back to the Office of Imperial Parks to seek help from Director Liu, asking him to sign and stamp over the modified character "jian". Director Liu insisted that the document originally said "fresh lychees" and suspected Li Shande had tampered with it. Li Shande knew this was an impossible task.
He was so anxious he beat his chest and stomped his feet. Director Liu did not listen at all and kicked Li Shande away. Ma Guiyun sent Pan Bao away and suddenly discovered Zheng Pingan eavesdropping outside the window. He immediately pulled Zheng Pingan in. Zheng Pingan used all his might to knock Ma Guiyun to the ground and stabbed him to death with a sword. Li Shande returned to the Office of Imperial Parks to check the old accounts and found that the document indeed said "fresh lychees". He was instantly dumbfounded.
Episode 2 Recap
When Li Shande's daughter Li Xiuer was one month old, Li Shande bought a large house with a osmanthus tree in the courtyard. His wife, Jinniang, liked it very much. Li Shande and Jinniang envisioned a beautiful new life together there. When Li Shande bought the old house, the osmanthus tree in the courtyard was already withered. The scene touched him, and he couldn't help but think of Jinniang, feeling a mixture of emotions.
Li Shande found the document and saw "fresh lychees" written on it. He immediately sobered up and rushed to Leyouyuan to seek help from the inner attendant Yu Chengen. Zheng Pingan risked his life to gather information in Pingkang Fang and only heard that Ma Guiyun was going to Lingnan to personally hand over the soldier fish tallies to He Youguang. He was accidentally discovered by Ma Guiyun, and in a fit of rage, Zheng Pingan killed Ma Guiyun.
Lu Huan came to question Zheng Pingan. Zheng Pingan came up with a good way to escape: he wanted to pretend to be Ma Guiyun and go to Lingnan to meet with He Youguang and hand over the soldier fish tallies. But Pan Bao had met Ma Guiyun, so Zheng Pingan decided to get rid of Pan Bao before setting off.
Lu Huan found out that Pan Bao had brought a batch of rare treasures and trees for the Emperor on this trip to the capital, and he would deliver this batch of trees to Leyouyuan today. Zheng Pingan asked Lu Huan to find him a badge from the Office of Imperial Parks. Zheng Pingan successfully entered Leyouyuan with the Office of Imperial Parks badge. He sent people to lie in ambush along the path Pan Bao was sure to take.
Meanwhile, Li Shande came to Leyouyuan to find Yu Chengen and inquire about the Emperor wanting fresh lychees. He didn't expect that Li Shande was the unlucky Lychee Envoy. Li Shande clearly stated that it was absolutely impossible for lychees to get from Lingnan to Chang'an within three days. Yu Chengen was also helpless. If Li Shande couldn't complete this task, he could only atone with death.
Zheng Pingan stopped Pan Bao halfway, took out the token he found on Ma Guiyun, and claimed that Ma Guiyun was dead. Zheng Pingan pulled Pan Bao aside and took the opportunity to push him into the river. Li Shande happened to pass by and saved Pan Bao. Zheng Pingan sent his men to hold Pan Bao under the river, fabricating the illusion that Pan Bao had drowned while drunk.
After they left, Li Shande saw that Pan Bao had drowned. He was greatly puzzled. Yu Chengen advised him not to meddle in others' affairs. Li Shande walked home dejectedly. His former colleagues Han Shisi and Zimei suddenly came to find him for a drink. Li Shande thought of the lychee transport and couldn't help but burst into tears. Han Shisi and Zimei learned the whole story and felt indignant for Li Shande.
Li Shande had just borrowed 150 guan from Pingkang Fang to buy a house. If he died, Xiuer would surely become a slave. He cried mournfully. Han Shisi carefully read the document and found that the deadline for transporting the lychees, the first day of the sixth month, was Yang Guifei's birthday. He reminded Li Shande to entrust Xiuer to a reliable person.
That night, Li Shande told Xiuer about buying back the old house and said he would move after completing the lychee transport task, and asked Xiuer to stay temporarily at her uncle Zheng Pingan's house. At the same time, Zheng Pingan gave all the money at home to his servant, Gou'er, telling him to go far away and redeemed his slave status for him. Gou'er vowed to follow Zheng Pingan to the death and sealed it with a blood oath.
Zheng Pingan knew he was likely to encounter danger on this trip and did not want to implicate Gou'er. Gou'er insisted on staying with him, so Zheng Pingan had to make a concession. Li Shande knew he was doomed this time. He wrote a suicide note overnight, leaving the old house and all his property to Xiuer. Gou'er came early in the morning to deliver a letter to Zheng Pingan.
Only then did Li Shande know that Zheng Pingan was also going on a long journey, so he had to send Xiuer to an embroidery workshop. As soon as Li Shande left the embroidery workshop, Shiqiniang sent someone to find him and demand the house deed. Li Shande adamantly refused, so they threatened him with Xiuer. Li Shande threatened them with the Emperor, and they fled in panic. Li Shande went to find Director Liu to borrow travel expenses.
Director Liu flatly refused and scolded him severely. Li Shande was enraged and threatened to die with Director Liu and his colleagues. He listed Director Liu and his colleagues' corruption, embezzlement, and other ugly acts. They were instantly stunned. Director Liu had no choice but to give the money to Li Shande. Li Shande gave the money to Shiqiniang.
Shiqiniang warned Li Shande that he must return alive before the first day of the sixth month, otherwise she would turn his daughter into a slave. Li Shande swore he would return on time. Li Shande said goodbye to Xiuer. Xiuer gave him the handkerchief she had embroidered herself. Li Shande left with tears in his eyes. Han Shisi and Zimei came to see Li Shande off. They parted with reluctance. Li Shande rode quickly towards Lingnan, traveling day and night, enduring the wind and dew, even exhausting his horse to death. He could only change horses and continue forward.
Episode 3 Recap
In the third month of the thirteenth year of Tianbao, while the capital Chang'an was still experiencing lingering spring chill, Lingnan had already entered summer. Zheng Pingan arrived in Gaozhou, Lingnan, with Gou'er. Sweating profusely from the heat, they didn't stop to rest and headed directly to the Prefectural Office. Zheng Pingan didn't want to explain too much, so he told Gou'er to hit anyone they saw.
The guards at the gate were left utterly bewildered by the beating but knew they were not to be trifled with. Zheng Pingan and Gou'er successfully entered the Prefectural Office. Zhao Xinmin, the Chief Clerk of the Prefectural Office, rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Zheng Pingan, pretending to be Ma Guiyun, a favored subordinate of the Right Chancellor, took out the jade thumb ring, the token Pan Bao had given Ma Guiyun.
Zhao Xinmin picked up the jade thumb ring and examined it carefully. He and Pan Bao had agreed beforehand that if the token was given willingly, a piece of it would be secretly broken off. Zhao Xinmin saw that a piece of the jade thumb ring was missing. He eagerly inquired why Pan Bao hadn't returned with him. He questioned Zheng Pingan closely. Zheng Pingan skillfully deflected every question with his eloquence.
He didn't want to waste time with Zhao Xinmin; his sole focus was to meet He Youguang as soon as possible, obtain the evidence of He Youguang's collusion with the Right Chancellor, and return to the capital to report. Zhao Xinmin lied, saying that Prefect He Youguang was out on official business and not in the office.
Zheng Pingan stated the purpose of his trip: as long as He Youguang wrote a letter of loyalty to the Right Chancellor, he would personally hand over the soldier fish tallies to He Youguang. Zhao Xinmin dared not delay and immediately went to report to He Youguang. He Youguang had been entrenched in Lingnan for over a decade, and his sole desire was to obtain the soldier fish tallies to command the Lingnan troops.
He Youguang wanted to write the letter immediately, but Zhao Xinmin advised him to think twice, as that letter would become a handle for the Right Chancellor. He Youguang, however, was dismissive. He firmly believed the Right Chancellor would not betray him and instructed Zhao Xinmin to arrange a meeting with Zheng Pingan the next day. Li Shande traveled day and night, enduring wind and dew, and finally arrived in Gaozhou, Lingnan, exhausted.
His first priority was to come to the Prefectural Office to find He Youguang and hand over the document for transporting lychees. He Youguang determined that Li Shande was a fraud. The last time, a self-proclaimed Coconut Envoy came to Lingnan to deceive people, and he was badly fooled. Li Shande repeatedly explained and even showed his badge from the Office of Imperial Parks, but He Youguang didn't believe him at all.
Lingnan was over five thousand li from Chang'an, and fresh lychees only lasted a few days; no one could possibly complete this task. He Youguang ordered Li Shande to be beaten to death on the spot. Zhao Xinmin worried that He Youguang was killing the wrong person and advised him to act cautiously.
In his desperation, Li Shande had no choice but to say that he knew Pan Bao, and that Pan Bao had fallen into the river and drowned while drunk. He Youguang and Zhao Xinmin were both stunned. Pan Bao's trip to the capital was nominally to present rare treasures and trees to the Emperor, but in reality, it was to ask the Right Chancellor for the soldier fish tallies – this was a secret mission.
Zhao Xinmin inquired in detail about Pan Bao's death, suspecting he had been murdered. He Youguang explained the stakes to Li Shande: even if he gave Li Shande the lychees, Li Shande couldn't possibly transport them back to Chang'an on time, and he would still end up dead. Li Shande knew he was doomed and didn't want to implicate his daughter, Xiuer.
Zhao Xinmin suspected that Ma Guiyun had deliberately concealed the cause of Pan Bao's death and advised He Youguang to investigate the truth before proceeding. He Youguang told Li Shande to stay for now. As night fell, Li Shande felt utterly desolate in Gaozhou. He had nowhere to go and wanted Zhao Xinmin to find him a place to stay. Zhao Xinmin had gone to Qifeng Pavilion to drink.
Li Shande had no choice but to go to Qifeng Pavilion to find him. Zhao Xinmin invited Zheng Pingan to drink at Qifeng Pavilion and also had the proprietress, Lan Yu, keep them company. Lan Yu tested Zheng Pingan in every possible way, seizing the opportunity to inquire about Pan Bao's situation. Zheng Pingan claimed that he had drunk with Pan Bao several times. Lan Yu clearly stated that Pan Bao had injuries and couldn't drink at all.
Zheng Pingan claimed to be a "Drinking Companion Lang," saying no one could resist his persuasion to drink. Lan Yu learned that Zheng Pingan had arrived in Lingnan after twenty-five days. They had heard from the Lychee Envoy who came from the capital that Pan Bao had died the previous day. Upon hearing this, Zheng Pingan's face immediately changed. He forced himself to remain calm.
Zhao Xinmin suspected that the Right Chancellor wanted the letter of loyalty to threaten He Youguang. Zheng Pingan immediately became annoyed and angry, declaring petulantly that he would take the soldier fish tallies back to Chang'an. Lan Yu desperately tried to persuade Zheng Pingan to stay, and Zhao Xinmin also apologized to Zheng Pingan. He asked Zheng Pingan to wait a few more days, and the truth would be revealed. Zheng Pingan's heart sank. Li Shande rushed towards Qifeng Pavilion.
Halfway there, he saw five men bullying A Tong, a girl selling lychees. He stepped forward to help A Tong, and with a few words, he sent the five men away. Li Shande learned from A Tong that these were early-ripening lychees called "March Red," which were too sour and only used for making wine.
Li Shande bought a few pounds on the spot and also asked A Tong for advice on preserving lychees, but A Tong was unable to help. Zheng Pingan went out to relieve himself and suddenly saw Li Shande coming to Qifeng Pavilion. He thought he was seeing things and followed Li Shande.
Li Shande came to the private room to find Zhao Xinmin, gave him the lychees he had just bought, and asked him to find him a place to stay. Zhao Xinmin flatly refused. Zheng Pingan guessed that Li Shande was the Lychee Envoy and worried that his identity would be exposed. He quickly stepped forward to greet Li Shande and had Gou'er take Li Shande away. Zheng Pingan lied, saying that Li Shande was a fraud. Zhao Xinmin was half-convinced.
After the banquet ended, Zheng Pingan couldn't wait to return to his lodging. He repeatedly emphasized that he was now Ma Guiyun and told Li Shande to pretend to be very afraid of him. Li Shande was puzzled. Zheng Pingan didn't want to explain too much and directly chased Li Shande away. Li Shande had nowhere to go. He bribed Gou'er to let him stay next door to Zheng Pingan.
Zheng Pingan took Gou'er to the Zhenwen Zhai to make contact. He asked the clerk for a very rare book, "Cheng Weishi Lun" (Treatise on the Establishment of Consciousness). The clerk heard this was a recognition signal and took him to meet the proprietress, Yun Qing. Yun Qing was an undercover agent placed in Lingnan by the Left Chancellor.
She agreed to help Zheng Pingan complete his task, but warned that if there was any mishap, she would kill Zheng Pingan. Yun Qing agreed to verify to He Youguang that Zheng Pingan was Ma Guiyun, as long as it proved Li Shande was lying. Zheng Pingan had a hardship he couldn't voice; he knew Li Shande was very stubborn. Yun Qing advised him to persuade Li Shande.
Episode 4 Recap
Zheng Pingan's ancestors were from the Zheng clan of Xingyang. Because he offended the Right Chancellor, he was removed from the family genealogy. Zheng Pingan came to the capital and became a Drinking Companion Lang. He could sing and dance, and was articulate. Not only did he make friends with all sorts of people in the capital, but he also had close relationships with high-ranking officials in the court. The Left Chancellor hosted a banquet for officials.
He specifically invited Zheng Pingan to provide entertainment. Zheng Pingan, with his glib tongue, moved freely and easily at the banquet. The Left Chancellor introduced him to Lu Huan, the Director of the Jing'an Bureau. Zheng Pingan performed a Hu Xuan dance on the spot. The Left Chancellor was very happy and even rewarded him with fine wine. Zheng Pingan couldn't handle the alcohol and soon became completely drunk.
Zhao Xinmin found out that the Emperor had sent someone to Lingnan to transport lychees. He immediately reported to He Youguang. Zhao Xinmin speculated that Li Shande's visit this time was for personal gain, otherwise he wouldn't have accepted this impossible task. Li Shande came to the Prefectural Office to ask He Youguang for help purchasing lychees. Zhao Xinmin lied, saying that He Youguang had gone to various places to raise funds.
He gave Li Shande a tally personally written by He Youguang and a large sign saying "Lychee Inspector," telling Li Shande to go purchase them himself. Li Shande carried the large sign back to his lodging. Zheng Pingan had prepared a lavish meal to entertain him. Li Shande's anger had not subsided. Zheng Pingan desperately tried to appease him, begging Li Shande to verify that he was Ma Guiyun and that he didn't know about Pan Bao's death.
Li Shande was eager to know Ma Guiyun's true identity. Zheng Pingan used alarmist language, telling Li Shande that knowing Ma Guiyun's identity meant he could live for at most four "shichen". These words further piqued Li Shande's curiosity. Gou'er tried to dissuade him from the side, so Zheng Pingan had no choice but to shut up for now. Zheng Pingan played the emotional card with Li Shande, even bringing up Xiuer to make his case.
Li Shande stopped asking questions and agreed to testify for him. Yun Qing sent someone to find Zhao Xinmin to confirm Ma Guiyun's identity. Zhao Xinmin immediately reported to He Youguang. He Youguang wanted to write the letter of loyalty immediately so he could obtain the soldier fish tallies. Zhao Xinmin advised him to wait a moment, as the reason for Pan Bao's death had not yet been ascertained. Zheng Pingan sent someone to deliver an invitation to Zhao Xinmin.
He was preparing to leave Lingnan tomorrow. Before leaving, he invited Zhao Xinmin for drinks. He Youguang sent Zhao Xinmin to immediately try to persuade him to stay. Li Shande and Zhao Xinmin arrived at the banquet one after another. Zheng Pingan kept urging Zhao Xinmin to drink. Zhao Xinmin pretended to be drunk and secretly observed Zheng Pingan and Li Shande's every move, committing their conversation to memory, word for word.
Li Shande, emboldened by the alcohol, poured out his grievances. Lychees only last for three days, and he knew perfectly well that the task of transporting lychees could not be completed and had already prepared himself for death. Li Shande confirmed that the Right Chancellor's subordinates had smashed one of the Emperor's old peonies. Pan Bao happened to drown after drinking that day. The Right Chancellor did not want to cause any further complications, so he suppressed both incidents.
Zheng Pingan reminded Zhao Xinmin to carefully consider Li Shande's words. He once again brought up leaving Lingnan tomorrow. Zhao Xinmin lied, claiming that He Youguang would return tomorrow, and Zheng Pingan, going with the flow, agreed to stay for one more day. It began pouring rain. Zheng Pingan braved the rain to see He Youguang. He flattered He Youguang profusely and wanted to make the transaction with He Youguang immediately.
He Youguang claimed he was being watched by the Left Chancellor. He insisted that Li Shande was the Left Chancellor's man and that the Left Chancellor had also sent someone to kill Pan Bao. Zhao Xinmin brought up Li Shande's words from the previous night as evidence. He Youguang told Zheng Pingan to kill Li Shande, and then he would immediately write the letter of loyalty.
Zheng Pingan worried that the Left Chancellor might have sent other undercover agents, so he wanted to persuade Li Shande to leave. He Youguang readily agreed. Zheng Pingan came out of the Prefectural Office. He broke out in a cold sweat. He Youguang looked foolish on the surface, but his mind was full of schemes. Zheng Pingan advised Li Shande to leave Lingnan first.
Li Shande refused adamantly, thinking they had already persuaded Zhao Xinmin to provide the money the previous night. Zheng Pingan had no choice but to admit that he had gone to see He Youguang today, and He Youguang would not give Li Shande money. Zheng Pingan begged Li Shande to help him succeed. Li Shande packed his belongings, preparing to leave. Before leaving, he wrote a letter to Xiuer, lying that he was being well-cared for in Lingnan. Xiuer knew that Li Shande always reported good news and concealed bad news.
Episode 5 Recap
The Right Chancellor held immense power in court, formed cliques for personal gain, used his authority for corruption and bribery, and killed innocent people. Officials, both civil and military, were afraid to speak out despite their anger. The Left Chancellor sent Song Wuji to Lingnan to collect evidence of the Right Chancellor's collusion with He Youguang. After Song Wuji completed his task and returned to Chang'an, he was arrested by men sent by the Right Chancellor.
Song Wuji publicly exposed the Right Chancellor's numerous crimes. In a fit of rage, the Right Chancellor had Song Wuji beheaded in the street. Li Shande asked He Youguang to borrow money to purchase lychees. He Youguang flatly refused and even complained about his poverty in front of him. Zheng Pingan gathered the foreign merchants who came to Lingnan for business. He took Li Shande to raise funds, openly auctioning entry qualifications.
Using his glib tongue, he persuaded the foreign merchants to participate in the task of purchasing lychees for the Emperor, promising them both fame and fortune after the task was completed. The foreign merchants responded unanimously and even offered valuable gifts to bribe Zheng Pingan. Li Shande had been tricked by Director Liu and his colleagues into coming to Lingnan to be the Lychee Inspector.
He couldn't bear to see the foreign merchants being deceived and advised Zheng Pingan to stop early. Zheng Pingan firmly refused and continued to lobby the foreign merchants. Li Shande stood aside and poured cold water on the foreign merchants, clearly stating that the Emperor had ordered him to transport fresh lychees back to Chang'an and advised them to think twice. The foreign merchants knew this was an impossible task, and they ran away in fright.
Zheng Pingan was furious and yelled at Li Shande. Li Shande did not want to deceive people. Zheng Pingan reminded him not to forget Xiuer far away in Chang'an, saying that if he could not complete the task on time, not only would he lose his life, but Xiuer would also be sold into slavery. Li Shande remained firm. Li Shande racked his brain, coming up with many methods for preserving lychees, but they all ended in failure.
Just when Li Shande was at a loss, the foreign merchant Su Liang suddenly came to visit him, offering him two large pearls as a meeting gift. Su Liang offered to lend money to Li Shande, and he wanted the blank five-prefecture travel tally in Li Shande's hand. As long as he had that tally, he could freely buy and sell in Lingnan. Li Shande asked for over 700 "guan", and Su Liang gave him 990 "guan".
Zheng Pingan complained that Li Shande's asking price was too low and advised him to quickly take the money back to Chang'an to reunite with Xiuer. Li Shande wanted to try and transport the lychees back to Chang'an. Zheng Pingan advised him to give up early, saying that even risking his life wouldn't complete the task, and he had also illegally resold the travel tally.
Li Shande was unwilling to admit defeat just like that; he hadn't even seen a lychee tree before heading back. Zheng Pingan asked Gouer to help Li Shande pack his luggage and told him to return to Chang'an immediately. The Right Chancellor wanted to know what information Song Wuji had gathered in Gaozhou, so he sent Lu Huan to find Song Wuji's family servants and attendants. They knew nothing about it.
Lu Huan speculated that Song Wuji's personal attendant knew the inside story, but he had been imprisoned by the Right Chancellor. The Right Chancellor sent men to brutally torture Song Wuji's attendant and threatened his family. The attendant confessed that Song Wuji had not found any valuable clues, only that he was investigating the burned Qi Jing Tower.
The Right Chancellor knew that He Youguang wanted to use the soldier fish tally to mobilize the Lingnan Gaozhou navy to recover from pirates and turn Lingnan into his own private garden. The Right Chancellor sent men to Lingnan to inform Ma Guiyun and tell Ma Guiyun to stay there. Lu Huan found out that the Right Chancellor had sent people to Gaozhou overnight. He concluded that the Right Chancellor had obtained the clues Song Wuji found.
The Right Chancellor was worried that Zheng Pingan's identity might be exposed and put him in danger. Lu Huan was confident that Zheng Pingan could handle it. Li Shande packed his luggage, preparing to return to Chang'an. Zheng Pingan improvised a poem as a farewell for him and had someone inform He Youguang. Li Shande also presented a poem to Zheng Pingan. The two reluctantly parted ways. Li Shande arrived at the city gate with his convoy.
There was a long queue waiting for routine inspection. Li Shande had no choice but to patiently wait while carrying the "Lychee Inspector" sign. He wanted to buy some lychees to take back to Xiuer. Li Shande suddenly remembered A Tong, the girl who sold lychees, so he paid someone to lead the way to A Tong's family's lychee orchard. This was Li Shande's first time seeing a lychee orchard, and he was dazzled by the sight.
As a result, he was tied up by the fruit farmers working in the orchard who thought he was a bad person. Li Shande repeatedly explained that he was the Lychee Inspector. The fruit farmers, who hated officials the most, scoffed at him and then dispersed to catch insects in the orchard. Those insects were very smelly and difficult to wash off once they got on the skin. Li Shande was an expert in plants, flowers, and fruits.
He offered advice to the fruit farmers, telling them to use mint leaves and soap beans to kill insects. The fruit farmers untied Li Shande. Li Shande directed the fruit farmers to mix the mint leaves and soap beans together. The fruit farmers sprayed this mixture on the lychee trees, and the insects on the trees were completely eliminated. They cheered happily. The leader, A Tong, returned to the lychee orchard. She recognized Li Shande as the benefactor who had saved her. Li Shande explained his purpose, wanting to buy some lychees from her to take back to Chang'an.
Episode 6 Recap
The story goes back two years. The foreign merchant Su Liang came to Chang'an to do business. He was quick-witted and meticulous in his work, quickly becoming the leader of the foreign merchants. Su Liang built the Chenxiang Pavilion at the Emperor's Xingqing Palace and presented precious beams and Dianbai agarwood to the Emperor. Dianbai agarwood won first place at the incense competition last month. The Right Chancellor loved agarwood and was extremely fond of the Dianbai agarwood.
He sent Su Liang to build him a Sixiang Pavilion, requesting it be built with four precious fragrant materials. This was not difficult for Su Liang, as he had already arranged for ships to transport the fragrant materials. Su Liang's merchant ship reached Zhenzhou and was plundered by the pirates led by Chieftain Feng Ruofang.
Su Liang was therefore removed from his position as the leader of the foreign merchants, and the Right Chancellor also stopped Su Liang from building the Sixiang Pavilion, replacing him with Xu Ji Incense Shop from Yangzhou. Su Liang knew he had no place in Chang'an and could only leave silently. Li Shande bought a basket of lychees from A Tong and asked her for a method to keep the lychees fresh longer.
A Tong suggested soaking them in salt water, but it could only extend the freshness by three days. Yang Xiaowei led his men to the Dong people's village to collect debt, forcing A Tong to use her lychee orchard as collateral. A Tong gave him all the money she had and promised to repay the debt after harvesting the lychees in May, but Yang Xiaowei firmly refused.
Li Shande accidentally discovered A Tong's method of preserving lychees using a water-barrier technique and rushed to ask A Tong for advice. A Tong clearly stated that the water-barrier method could extend the freshness by three days. Li Shande was overjoyed. If the lychees could stay fresh for six days, he might be able to complete the task of transporting lychees back to Chang'an. Yang Xiaowei took out the IOU and wanted to take the lychee orchard.
Li Shande resolutely refused and revealed his identity as the Lychee Inspector sent by the court. Yang Xiaowei didn't buy it at all and told Li Shande to help A Tong repay the debt, otherwise he couldn't report back to He Youguang. Li Shande didn't have that much money to help A Tong repay the debt, and he was utterly anxious. A Tong snatched the IOU and tore it to pieces. Yang Xiaowei wanted to arrest A Tong.
Li Shande desperately tried to stop him, threatening him by mentioning the court and saying he would requisition the Dong people's lychee orchard for the court. He took off his shoe to hit Yang Xiaowei. Yang Xiaowei was scared by Li Shande's imposing manner and could only leave with his men in dismay. Zhao Xinmin was the Chief Secretary of the Prefectural Office, but he was also the Left Chancellor's informant.
The Left Chancellor sent Zheng Pingan to impersonate the deceased Ma Guiyun to investigate evidence of the Right Chancellor's collusion with He Youguang. Zheng Pingan was worried that Li Shande might expose his identity and used every possible means to persuade Li Shande to leave. Zhao Xinmin personally saw Li Shande leave Gaozhou city and immediately returned to inform Zheng Pingan. The huge stone weighing on Zheng Pingan's heart finally dropped.
He took out the soldier fish tally and exchanged it for a loyalty letter with Zhao Xinmin. Li Shande suddenly returned; he wanted to stay and transport the lychees back to Chang'an. Zheng Pingan was instantly dumbfounded. Su Liang's merchant ship was impounded. He spent money to buy five five-prefecture travel tallies from Li Shande. He immediately took the five-prefecture travel tallies to Yang Xiaowei to request their release. Yang Xiaowei had to comply.
Su Liang found the ship empty and suspected someone had stolen a full ship of benzoin. Yang Xiaowei claimed to know nothing. Su Liang called Yang Xiaowei aside and tried to bribe him with money, but Yang Xiaowei didn't fall for it. Su Liang guessed that a powerful figure had stolen his benzoin and sent his men to watch the market. Zheng Pingan advised Li Shande to leave.
He Youguang had already become suspicious of him, suspecting he was the Left Chancellor's spy. Gouer also chimed in. Li Shande couldn't listen at all. He found many jars to test methods for preserving lychees. Li Shande came to the lychee orchard and told A Tong and the Dong people about his experiences in Chang'an and his idea of transporting lychees back to Chang'an. He had tears in his eyes when he spoke of his daughter Xiuer.
A Tong saw that he was homesick and brought out wine made from lychees to entertain him. The Dong people also pulled Li Shande to dance. Only then did Li Shande's mood slightly lighten. A Tong saw that Li Shande was a man who valued feelings and righteousness and developed a good impression of him. She voluntarily drank the 'togetherness wine' with him. When Yan Yazhuang returned and saw this scene, he pulled A Tong aside.
Drinking the 'togetherness wine' meant they would become husband and wife. Yan Yazhuang suspected that Li Shande had impure intentions towards A Tong and advised her not to harbor illusions. A Tong wanted Li Shande to stay and help her manage the lychee orchard. Yan Yazhuang reminded her to be calm, saying that Li Shande would return to Chang'an sooner or later, and if he couldn't transport the lychees back to Chang'an on time, his life would be in danger.
A Tong couldn't care about all that. Su Liang was at a dead end and could only turn to Li Shande for help, asking him to inquire with He Youguang about the whereabouts of his benzoin. Li Shande was also unable to help. Su Liang promised to give Li Shande a large sum of money. Li Shande was tempted by the money, but he really couldn't complete the task and could only give up.
Zhao Xinmin came to visit Li Shande. Li Shande asked him where he could find "bing" (ice). Zhao Xinmin misheard it as "bing" (soldiers). He didn't dare delay and immediately returned to report to He Youguang. Zhao Xinmin suggested Li Shande write a request for soldiers document to avoid trouble if the court blamed him. He Youguang agreed with his idea. Zhao Xinmin came again to bring Li Shande food and asked him to write a request for soldiers document.
Unexpectedly, what Li Shande wanted was ice to preserve the lychees. Zhao Xinmin was also helpless, as there had never been ice in Lingnan. Zhao Xinmin thought Li Shande was being deliberately mysterious and was actually testing him. He became even more vigilant. He Youguang also dared not take it lightly.
Episode 7 Recap
Li Shande sent Li Xiuer to the embroidery workshop to learn skills. The workshop held a flower basket weaving competition. Li Shande learned the technique of weaving flower baskets with Li Xiuer, then told her to sleep. Li Xiuer wanted to weave with him, but Li Shande didn't want her to stay up late, so he insisted she go to bed and sleep. Li Shande stayed up all night to finish weaving it.
Early in the morning, Li Xiuer took the exquisite flower basket to the embroidery workshop. Her companions didn't believe she wove it, suspecting Li Shande bought it from the street. They even mocked Li Xiuer in public, calling her a child without a mother. Li Xiuer was enraged. She rushed forward to grab her flower basket, but it was stepped on and broken.
Li Xiuer got into a big fight with her six companions and ended up with a bloody face, but she didn't show weakness. Li Shande was so angry he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The Right Chancellor sent a new envoy to Lingnan to meet with Ma Guiyun. Yun Qing, the owner of Konglang Workshop, was a confidante of the Left Chancellor.
When she heard about this, she worried that the new envoy would discover Zheng Pingan's identity, so she sent someone to intercept him midway. However, the new envoy was highly skilled in martial arts and escaped from difficult situations several times. Later, he even changed his route. As more than twenty days passed, the new envoy was about to reach Lingnan.
Yun Qing immediately told Zheng Pingan about this and urged him to secure He Youguang's letter of loyalty and return to Chang'an to report back tomorrow, or his life would be in danger. Zheng Pingan became critically ill and bedridden from anxiety and anger. Li Shande came to visit him, believing he had heatstroke, and opened the window for ventilation. Zheng Pingan had unspoken bitterness in his heart.
Li Shande kept saying that a fortune teller told him he had a destiny of surviving hopeless situations and could transfer his bad luck to others. Zheng Pingan was convinced that Li Shande's bad luck had transferred to him. He was greatly angered. Li Shande didn't know why he was angry and quickly went out to buy him medicine. Gouer spoke favorably for Li Shande, which made Zheng Pingan even angrier, and he forcibly drove Gouer out.
Li Shande went to the pharmacy to buy medicine and unintentionally saw the owner using double-layered jars. He had a sudden idea to use these jars to preserve lychees, so he asked the owner and found out the double-layered jars came from a foreign merchant. Su Liang lost a full ship of benzoin. He sent people to watch the market for anyone shipping goods and quickly found that A Mita, the head of the foreign merchants' association, was selling benzoin.
Su Liang went directly to A Mita to demand an explanation. A Mita was gathering the foreign merchants to discuss electing a new head next month, and everyone unanimously recommended A Mita. Su Liang aggressively came to find A Mita, forcing her to hand over the benzoin he claimed was stolen. A Mita flatly denied it and asked Su Liang for evidence. Su Liang repeatedly emphasized that only he used double-layered jars for packaging spices.
A Mita sent someone to bring the benzoin. The benzoin was stored in ordinary jars. Su Liang was convinced that A Mita had replaced the double-layered jars. A Mita questioned Su Liang for secretly colluding with the Lychee Inspector, using the Lychee Inspector's five-prefecture travel tallies to allow the ship to enter the port smoothly, which violated the principles of foreign merchants doing business. She called on everyone to expel Su Liang from the association.
Su Liang was furious, shouting loudly at A Mita, and then left with his men. Li Shande searched everywhere and finally found the warehouse for the double-layered jars. To his surprise, Yang Xiaowei was guarding it with his men. Li Shande wanted to buy all the double-layered jars. Yang Xiaowei seized the opportunity to demand an exorbitant price. Li Shande saw that he was deliberately being difficult, so he brought up the court. Yang Xiaowei didn't buy it at all.
He picked up a double-layered jar and smashed it to pieces. In desperation, Li Shande took out the document for transporting lychees. He was going to requisition this batch of double-layered jars. When A Mita heard that Li Shande had requisitioned the double-layered jars for imperial use, she didn't want to stir up more trouble. She quickly called for Su Liang and told him to go to the warehouse to retrieve that batch of benzoin.
Su Liang also stopped pursuing the matter. The more A Mita thought about it, the angrier she got. Shopkeeper Hardi came to invite A Mita to a banquet, but A Mita wasn't in the mood and dismissed him with a few words. A Mita saw Hardi's feelings for her and didn't want to reject him outright, hoping to use him to stabilize her position as head of the association.
Su Liang heard that Li Shande had indirectly helped him, so he held a banquet to thank Li Shande. Li Shande took the opportunity to persuade him to invest in the lychee orchard. Su Liang avoided the topic. A Mita was upset, so she went to find her foster father, He Youguang. He Youguang revealed that he wanted to use the soldier fish tally to mobilize the navy to recover from pirates and turn Lingnan into his backyard.
A Mita fully supported him and reminded him to be wary of Su Liang. He Youguang didn't take Su Liang seriously at all. That year, Su Liang transported several ships of spices to Gaozhou, and He Youguang deliberately delayed allowing the ships to enter the port. As a result, a typhoon capsized the ships, Su Liang lost more than half of his family property, and he retired from the world for several years because of this.
Li Shande returned to his lodging very late, holding a double-layered jar in his arms. Zheng Pingan had been waiting for him to come back with medicine. Li Shande had completely forgotten about it. Zheng Pingan unleashed all his anger on Li Shande and even brought up his deceased sister to condemn Li Shande for being irresponsible. Li Shande was full of grievances. He was racking his brains just to complete the task and return alive to see Li Xiuer.
Zheng Pingan advised him to give up early, saying it was impossible for him to transport the lychees back to Chang'an. Yun Qing sent people to pursue and kill the envoy sent by the Right Chancellor. That person, relying on his exceptional martial arts, escaped again. Yun Qing immediately sent someone overnight to inform Zheng Pingan to obtain the letter of loyalty as soon as possible, or he would surely die.
Zheng Pingan came to find Zhao Xinmin early in the morning, wanting to make the exchange immediately. Zhao Xinmin made an excuse that He Youguang had torn up the letter of loyalty. Zheng Pingan found out that He Youguang was at the cockfighting arena, and he immediately rushed over. He Youguang was participating in the match with his own rooster, Red Light General, determined to win.
Episode 8 Recap
He Youguang had just acquired a rooster named Red Light General and couldn't wait to bring it to the cockfighting competition, showing it off to industry expert Lan Ge. Lan Ge spoke frankly about the shortcomings of this red-crested rooster. He Youguang didn't believe him at all. He boasted that his Red Light General could win three matches in a row. Zhao Xinmin rushed to the arena with Zheng Pingan.
Zheng Pingan confirmed that Li Shande was not the Left Chancellor's spy and couldn't wait to trade with He Youguang immediately. He Youguang's mind was entirely on the cockfighting match; he didn't even care about the soldier fish tally he had been thinking about day and night. The match officially began. He Youguang's Red Light General assumed a stance and entered the fight. It grew braver the more it fought and quickly won the first match.
Zhao Xinmin improvised a poem praising Red Light General. Zheng Pingan urged He Youguang to trade quickly. He Youguang insisted on winning three matches in a row, but no one brought a rooster to challenge him. Zheng Pingan couldn't wait and took out money to sincerely invite an opponent. Someone brought their rooster to fight. He Youguang looked down on the unknown rooster and was complacent.
But as soon as it entered the arena, it gave Red Light General a harsh welcome. It pressed forward step by step, each move deadly. Red Light General gradually couldn't withstand it and was defeated. That rooster pursued its advantage, and Red Light General finally perished. He Youguang held a grand funeral for Red Light General. Zheng Pingan was so anxious on the side that he beat his chest and stomped his feet.
He urged He Youguang to write the letter of loyalty quickly. He Youguang was very impatient. He only sat down after finishing all the rituals, but he had completely forgotten the letter of loyalty he wrote last time and asked Zhao Xinmin to recite it to him. Zheng Pingan was worried that the new envoy sent by the Right Chancellor would arrive and his life would be in danger, so he kept urging him. He Youguang immediately became alert.
Zheng Pingan used the excuse that he was anxious to return to Chang'an. He Youguang deliberately delayed. Zhao Xinmin helped him write from the side. Zheng Pingan could only wait patiently. He Youguang finally finished writing the letter of loyalty. Zhao Xinmin put the letter into a box and sealed it with red lacquer. Zheng Pingan took out the soldier fish tally to trade with He Youguang. The envoy sent by the Right Chancellor suddenly arrived. Zheng Pingan's heart sank.
He insisted that the envoy was fake. He Youguang didn't believe him and insisted on meeting the envoy. Zheng Pingan wanted to complete the trade with He Youguang first, not wanting his colleagues to steal his credit. He Youguang didn't listen at all. He forcibly took Zheng Pingan out to see the envoy. Zheng Pingan felt uneasy. He forced himself to calm down. To his surprise, the envoy A Liang was carried in by people.
He had been assassinated and injured multiple times, and because he hadn't received timely bandaging, coupled with the extremely hot weather in the Lingnan region, he was already at death's door due to malaria infection. Zheng Pingan braced himself and walked forward. The envoy used his last breath to say, "Guiyun, go back," and then passed away. Zheng Pingan was instantly energized; the envoy was Ma Guiyun. He also took the secret letter from the envoy's body.
Zheng Pingan urged He Youguang to trade immediately. He Youguang gave him the letter of loyalty, and he took out the soldier fish tally to exchange. He then instructed He Youguang to give A Liang a proper burial and hurried out of the Prefect's Mansion with Gou'er. Zheng Pingan was still shaken. He had finally escaped danger. Li Shande was anxious looking for the double-layered jars and had left the medicine he bought for Zheng Pingan at the pharmacy.
He went to the pharmacy to get the medicine and, while there, bought a few flower baskets from the old woman next door. He wanted to take them back to Chang'an for Xiuer, who had once gotten into a conflict with her companions over flower baskets. Li Shande went to the lychee orchard every day, leaving early and returning late, to inspect it. Seeing the lychees ripen day by day, Li Shande regularly wrote letters to Xiuer.
He still reported good news and concealed bad news, and he also described the beautiful spring scenery of Lingnan to Xiuer. Xiuer longed for the osmanthus tree in the courtyard to bloom soon, so Li Shande could return from Lingnan. Zheng Pingan handed the letter of loyalty and the secret letter brought by A Liang to Yun Qing. Yun Qing opened the secret letter, which only had the three characters "Qi Jing Lou" written on it.
Zheng Pingan just wanted to complete the task and return to Chang'an as soon as possible; he didn't dare open the secret letter. Yun Qing congratulated him, saying that upon his return to the capital this time, he would be able to return to the Zheng family as he wished. This had been Zheng Pingan's long-cherished wish. The Zheng family originated from Xingyang and was a renowned aristocratic family in the capital, Chang'an.
However, Yun Qing felt that the current Zheng family had declined and were all people who were afraid of death and would abandon righteousness for profit. Zheng Pingan didn't understand why she looked down on the Zheng family. Yun Qing didn't want to explain too much, she just reminded Zheng Pingan not to forget how his father was driven out of the Zheng family. Zheng Pingan hated his father bitterly.
His father had done something shameful and ultimately had to commit suicide to avoid punishment. Zheng Pingan and his sister relied on each other and also bore their father's bad reputation. Zheng Pingan, a distinguished young master from an aristocratic family, could only mingle in taverns accompanying people for pleasure. His sister died tragically because she couldn't afford life-saving medicine. Yun Qing repeatedly emphasized that Zheng Pingan's father was upright and honest.
The Right Chancellor tried his best to win him over, but he refused to collude with the Right Chancellor. The Right Chancellor, enraged, sent people to kill him and framed him to ruin his reputation. The Zheng family, not wanting to offend the Right Chancellor, not only handed over the shops left by Zheng Pingan's father to the Right Chancellor but also drove Zheng Pingan and his sister out of the Zheng family.
Zheng Pingan dared not accept this truth, but Yun Qing spoke with conviction and even stated the exact location where his father died. Zheng Pingan clearly remembered that year he was clamoring for Yulu Tuan from Pingkang坊. As a result, his sister slapped him. His father left without a word and ended up dying near Pingkang坊.
He had always thought his father committed suicide to avoid punishment, but he didn't expect that he was murdered, and it was all because he went to buy Yulu Tuan for him. Li Shande happened to return. Zheng Pingan pulled him along to drown their sorrows in alcohol. Zheng Pingan, emboldened by the drink, recounted the past events. This was something Zheng Pingan had always been afraid to speak about.
He didn't expect that his father was murdered to protect him and his sister. Zheng Pingan swore to avenge his father. Li Shande also spoke his mind. He was worried that if he died, Xiuer would be as pitiful as Zheng Pingan. Zheng Pingan swore he would no longer interfere with Li Shande transporting the lychees and would no longer drive him away.
