The Litchi Road Episode 2 Recap
> The Litchi Road 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.
