The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 18 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
Li Bi was riding towards Leyouyuan when he heard children on the streets singing He Zhizheng's new poem, "The jade green leaves of the willow tree are dangling down like threads of green silk. Who sliced the leaves into strands? The spring breeze of February that cuts like blades." Although catchy, Li Bi sensed a hidden, dangerous meaning within the verses.
He Zhizheng later reflected on his poem, acknowledging that everyone, including the emperor, had noticed the harsh words "sliced" and "blades." The emperor, he said, believed the poem was an analogy implying He Zhizheng's disagreement with His Majesty regarding the Crown Prince, suggesting it mocked the emperor for severing the Crown Prince's alliances, which surprisingly made the Crown Prince's power rise, gaining even more followers.
He Zhizheng himself wasn't entirely sure if that was his true intention when he wrote it. He ultimately stated that the Crown Prince, subtle and decisive, was a formidable force that was lurking in the dark and capable of righting the wrongs of the nation, and anyone attempting to harm him would pay dearly. Meanwhile, Yao Runeng had secretly put Wen Ran in a jail cell, hoping to claim credit once the day's events concluded.
In another cell, Wang Yunxiu was furious, convinced that everyone, including Yuan Zai and Wen Ran, had lied to her. She lashed out at Yuan Zai, calling him a feeble weakling and questioning his claim of having saved her from bandits. Yuan Zai remained silent under her barrage. Cheng Can, feeling immense hunger, asked Yuan Zai and Wang Yunxiu for food, but Wang Yunxiu fiercely rebuked him and refused.
Yao Runeng then entered a crowded cell, bringing in a man he claimed was ill and contagious, instructing guards to keep him separate. He then told a guard that Li Bi had a task for the guard to follow Tan Qi immediately, promising him dried meat in a few days if he kept a family secret. Tan Qi, after reviewing the Right Cavalry’s roster and noting Zhao Qilang’s nickname and details, meticulously disguised herself as a courtesan named Ju Pingkang.
She had also acquired a forged palace permit from Lin Jiulang, the Right Counselor, and a genuine Jade Flower Pendant known to be always carried by Lin Jiulang. She then approached Yao Runeng, asking him to escort her to rescue Zhang Xiaojing from the Right Cavalry headquarters, which was situated within the royal palace. Yao Runeng balked at the idea, citing the tight security and the danger of entering the barbican and front gate.
Tan Qi challenged his courage, reminding him of his esteemed ancestor, Minister Yao, who bravely refused the emperor's offer to be prime minister. Stung by the implication of cowardice, Yao Runeng reluctantly agreed to accompany her. Tan Qi then revealed her full plan: she would impersonate someone who handled sensitive matters for Lin Jiulang, using the pendant as irrefutable proof of her association.
Yao Runeng, impressed by the intricate details of the pendant and the advanced forgery of the permit, initially worried about the legal ramifications of helping a criminal escape. Tan Qi reassured him, subtly goading him about his family's last son status, and he eventually committed to the plan, believing her elaborate arrangements would work. Li Bi soon arrived at He Zhizheng's manor, finding it unusually devoid of guards and servants.
Only He Fu and an old servant named Wang were present. He Fu, acting eccentrically, informed Li Bi that his "father" was ill and not seeing visitors. Mistaking Li Bi's visit for an attempt to retrieve the Peacekeeper Corps' seal, He Fu gleefully admitted to stealing it himself, claiming his father had no involvement. Li Bi, concerned for his teacher's health, stated he only wished to visit.
To prevent Li Bi from "catching a cold," He Fu offered him a pill to prevent colds, supposedly from the East Palace Medicine Shop. Li Bi, after examining the pill, noticed it contained warming herbs like China root and ginseng, along with daqinggen, but detected no immediate abnormalities before taking it. Satisfied, He Fu then ran off to play.
Inside, Li Bi found He Zhizheng on the floor, painstakingly gathering scattered pills, muttering about the headache medication the Crown Prince had gifted him for three years. He Zhizheng, after confirming Li Bi had taken He Fu's pill, urged him to remain well for the evening's feast with the Crown Prince.
Li Bi, however, cut to the chase, pleading with his teacher to intervene and secure Zhang Xiaojing's release from the Right Cavalry, despite the emperor’s order to close the case. He Zhizheng initially demurred, unwilling to risk his reputation for a death-row convict. Li Bi then revealed the shocking truth: three hundred more crates of Crouching Fire were still hidden within Chang'an, a threat that only Zhang Xiaojing could avert, especially with the Lantern Carnival underway.
He Zhizheng, stunned by the revelation, demanded to know who else was aware and urged Li Bi to keep it a secret to prevent widespread panic. Li Bi refused, declaring they must find the explosives. He insisted on recovering the Peacekeeper Corps' seal to directly report the crisis to the emperor and cancel the celebration, hoping to also delay the transfer of power to the Right Counselor.
He Zhizheng vehemently opposed the cancellation, arguing that foreign emissaries watching the festivities from the Grand Auditorium would interpret it as a sign of weakness, potentially inciting border uprisings that would destabilize the nation and cause prolonged suffering for the common people due to increased military expenditure. Despite He Zhizheng's heartfelt plea for careful thought, Li Bi remained unyielding, stating he would seek assistance from Guo Lishi. Unseen by Li Bi, a masked figure listened intently from outside the window.
Yao Runeng accompanied Tan Qi to the Right Cavalry office, where guards were conducting thorough checks. Tan Qi claimed to have an appointment with Commander Zhao Qilang, stating her "Lord" had sent her on an urgent mission. However, her disguised name, Ju Pingkang, was not found in the visitor's register. Yao Runeng quickly intervened, arguing with the guard and accusing him of causing delays that would lead to severe punishment. The commotion drew Commander Zhao Qilang out.
Tan Qi immediately addressed him by his less formal name, "Zhao Qilang," and presented the distinctive Jade Flower Pendant. Recognizing the pendant as belonging to Lin Jiulang, Zhao Qilang immediately assumed she had close ties to the Right Counselor. Yao Runeng then further implied his own connection to the Crown Prince by stating that Zhao Qilang's rank wasn't high enough to have encountered him with the Crown Prince before.
Intimidated by their apparent high-level connections, Zhao Qilang quickly extended his apologies and escorted them inside. Once inside, Tan Qi, speaking as if on behalf of Lin Jiulang, praised Zhao Qilang's poem "Brotherhood," claiming her "Lord" admired its chivalrous message, much to Zhao Qilang's flattered surprise. She then directly requested to take Zhang Xiaojing. Zhao Qilang hesitated, citing Zhang Xiaojing's status as a national criminal.
Tan Qi explained that Lin Jiulang had orchestrated Zhang Xiaojing's transfer to the Right Cavalry, which was why the official document from General Gan only stated to detain "the suspect" without specifying a name. Zhao Qilang remembered this detail, realizing the deliberate omission would allow him to substitute a different prisoner if the Peacekeeper Corps ever demanded Zhang Xiaojing. Emphasizing the urgency of the approaching Lantern Carnival, Tan Qi urged him to release the prisoner without further delay.
Zhao Qilang, however, suddenly changed his mind, insisting on a signed transfer document from General Gan. When Tan Qi hesitated, he suggested sending a fast messenger with the Jade Flower Pendant to General Gan, promising a signature within an hour. Tan Qi, declaring they lacked an hour to spare, then proposed they merely be allowed to enter and see Zhang Xiaojing so she could relay a message from her "Lord." Zhao Qilang reluctantly agreed, leading them to the cell.
Inside, Tan Qi sent the jailer away and requested Zhao Qilang untie Zhang Xiaojing, but he refused, citing the prisoner's dangerous nature. Tan Qi then leaned in and quietly instructed Zhang Xiaojing to hold her hostage so they could escape. Zhang Xiaojing, however, refused to use a woman as a hostage. Growing suspicious of their whispered conversation, Zhao Qilang moved closer to inquire, but Yao Runeng seized the opportunity and knocked him unconscious.
Tan Qi then swiftly cut Zhang Xiaojing's bindings. Li Bi woke up disoriented on the floor, unable to recall what had happened, discovering that Old Man Wang was also semiconscious from the same problematic pill. Struggling, Old Man Wang revealed to Li Bi that He Fu was far from foolish; he was actually He Zhizheng's adopted son, but more crucially, the biological son of the Chenzhou Provincial Governor whose entire family had been massacred by Lin Jiulang, then Vice Censor-in-Chief.
Driven by this deep-seated blood feud, He Fu intended to use the Crouching Fire for an assassination that very night. Suddenly, He Fu entered the room. Li Bi quickly feigned death. He Fu then murdered Old Man Wang to silence him, and after confirming Li Bi was also dead, he confidently left the room, his long-planned vengeance now in motion. Li Bi, having feigned death, secretly escaped from Leyouyuan.
He "borrowed" a horse from a surprised couple in the nearby woods, instructing them to retrieve it from Chief Li Bi at the Peacekeeper Corps the following day, while He Fu watched his escape with a menacing gaze. Simultaneously, Zhang Xiaojing set fire to the prison, creating chaos and a diversion. He then used the unconscious Zhao Qilang as a hostage, holding a knife to his back, and attempted to escape with Tan Qi and Yao Runeng.
However, their path was blocked by Cui Qi and his men. Cui Qi declared Zhang Xiaojing's actions—arson within the royal palace and taking a commander hostage—as treason and ordered his capture. But with Zhang Xiaojing's knife pressed firmly against his back, Zhao Qilang was forced to command Cui Qi and his troops to stand down.
