The Litchi Road Episode 3 Recap
> The Litchi Road 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.
