The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 24 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month in the third year of Tianbao, as evening approached, Li Bi observed Long Bo and Yu Chang departing from Jing'an Si through a secret passage and quickly followed them. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaojing, Tan Qi, and Isi made their way to Liu's Bookstore in Pingkang Fang. Finding the place closed, Zhang Xiaojing gently knocked on the door and passed the lotus cross pendant, given to him by a killer, through the crack.
To his surprise, the man who opened the door was Ding Laosan, a brother from his former Eighth Division. Laosan welcomed him, noting it had been a long time. He confessed to being the Flame Master and recounted how he became a mercenary, earning money by killing to survive.
Laosan immediately offered Zhang Xiaojing food and wine, explaining that he now had a phobia, needing food within five steps wherever he went, and that his vision filled with flies if he didn't eat. Zhang Xiaojing, burdened by his mission, declined the offer. Laosan quickly surmised that Zhang Xiaojing was there about the Persian monastery case.
Zhang Xiaojing pressed him for the identity of the mastermind, but Laosan refused, citing the rules and stating that if the government investigated, all mercenaries would die. Laosan also remarked that Zhang Xiaojing had become "soft" from serving the Imperial Court, forgetting the blood they shed in the Eighth Division. Instead of answering, Laosan handed Zhang Xiaojing the Eighth Division's flag, telling him to keep it.
Long Bo and his Pifu soldiers, after escorting the injured Yu Chang away, set Jing'an Si ablaze. The agency immediately descended into chaos. Surviving officials desperately pulled the bodies of the dead from the flames, while the remaining Royal Escort soldiers frantically tried to put out the fire, but they were too few to stop the escalating blaze. Yao Runeng, choking on the thick smoke, searched in vain for Li Bi.
He then collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at the ruined Jing'an Si, now reduced to rubble, and the scattered wounded and dead bodies, overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of despair and helplessness. Li Bi, who had followed Long Bo and his group into the bustling street market, was eventually discovered and apprehended by the Pifu. Long Bo took a wooden mask from a street vendor and placed it on Li Bi, covering his eyes.
Long Bo brought Li Bi back to their hideout, which Li Bi immediately recognized as the grand residence left by He Fu's biological father. Li Bi confronted Long Bo, asserting that attacking Jing'an Si was their biggest mistake, as Chang'an would never tolerate such humiliation. He warned that all internal political struggles would be set aside, and the city would unite to arrest them. Long Bo admitted that Li Bi's words were starting to scare him.
Back at the bookstore, Zhang Xiaojing relentlessly pressed Laosan for the identity of the mastermind, explaining the dire consequences if the truth remained hidden. Laosan steadfastly adhered to the mercenaries' creed of "repaying kindness and settling debts," refusing to speak. This insistence struck a raw nerve with Laosan, who recounted the heartbreaking story of returning home after a seven-day journey, only to find his mother, wife, and two young sons had rotted on their bed, starved to death.
He vividly remembered the house filled with flies in July and how he then calmly ate a biscuit before sleeping through the night. He declared that a person must protect themselves first at the most critical moment. Laosan then urged Zhang Xiaojing to join him, promising they wouldn't hurt innocent people, and he wouldn't have to face the death cell.
He offered to protect Tan Qi and suggested that after the current task, Zhang Xiaojing and Tan Qi could find a peaceful life together in the frontier, which had green mountains, beautiful water, and fewer rules. Zhang Xiaojing, however, was unwilling to continue this entanglement. He sent Tan Qi and Isi away, intending to negotiate with Laosan alone. Tan Qi, worried about Zhang Xiaojing, tried to ask Laosan how he knew Zhang Xiaojing, but received no answer.
Isi, observing Tan Qi’s concern, teased her, pointing out her admiration for Zhang Xiaojing. Tan Qi avoided the question, only expressing hope that Zhang Xiaojing would focus on his current mission for the government and not be sidetracked by old ties. She added that if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to answer to himself. In the imperial court, Guo Lishi arrived at Lin Jiulang's mansion to convey the Emperor's oral decree.
Lin Jiulang was ordered to immediately take full control of Jing'an Si and apprehend the culprits. Guo Lishi reported on the state of Jing'an Si: it had been attacked, most officials and guards were dead, the database archive room was burned, and Li Bi was missing. The Emperor was furious and blamed the Crown Prince for incompetence.
The Crown Prince, in his defense, cited the recall of the Royal Escort and Right Cavalry as the reason for Jing'an Si's lax defense, making it difficult to investigate due to lost clues. He then recommended Lin Jiulang, noting his influence over many soldiers in Chang'an and his ability to gather information faster than the Jing'an Si's database. The Emperor approved this appeal.
Lin Jiulang, though annoyed by the Crown Prince's maneuver to hand him this "hot potato," had no choice but to accept. He immediately dispatched Ji Wen to take over Jing'an Si. Amidst the distant cries of despair from Jing'an Si, Yuan Zai, still in his cell, was unusually excited. He took the opportunity to declare his feelings for Wang Yunxiu and asked Cheng Can to compose a commemorative poem.
Cheng Can, however, was in no mood for poetry, declaring it meaningless and wishing to become a soldier. Yuan Zai, undeterred, predicted that Lin Jiulang would soon send people to clean up the mess at Jing'an Si. He promised Wang Yunxiu that she would be released today and that he would ensure her safety forever, even helping her family through future calamities.
Wang Yunxiu, despite recognizing Yuan Zai as a cunning and opportunistic man, found herself surprisingly susceptible to his sweet words. As Yuan Zai had predicted, Ji Wen’s men soon arrived to release Yuan Zai and Wang Yunxiu, leaving Cheng Can behind. Yuan Zai, keen to assist Ji Wen in earning quick merits, suggested that Wang Yunxiu accuse Zhang Xiaojing.
He advised Ji Wen that the existing Jing'an Si personnel, chosen by Director He and Li Bi, were aligned with the Eastern Palace and might not cooperate with him. Ji Wen promptly handed Wang Yunxiu a blank piece of paper and instructed her to sign and affix her fingerprint. Wang Yunxiu, without much questioning, complied, despite remarking that the paper was blank, and Yuan Zai reassured her that he was there to protect her.
Ji Wen formally assumed the role of Jing'an Si Administrator. He immediately gathered the surviving officials and supervisors. Declaring that internal cleansing was necessary before external threats could be addressed, he publicly announced that Zhang Xiaojing was the internal spy. To back his claim, he produced Wang Yunxiu's testimony, which stated that Zhang Xiaojing was the instigator behind the Wolven Squad, and that he was involved in kidnapping General Wang Zongsi’s daughter and allowing the enemy to ambush Jing'an Si.
He further argued that Zhang Xiaojing, previously convicted of murdering his superior, was a leopard who couldn't change his spots. Yao Runeng, unconvinced, attempted to voice his dissent, but his position was too low, and he dared not speak out. The other Jing'an Si officials were also dissatisfied with Ji Wen's hasty conclusion and confronted him, accusing him of framing a loyal subject and neglecting his duty.
Yao Runeng, gathering his courage, tried to reason with Ji Wen, but Yuan Zai subtly threatened him, reminding him that disrespecting a superior was treason, punishable by beheading. Faced with this threat, Yao Runeng reluctantly yielded, urging his colleagues to obey Ji Wen. The officials, however, cursed Yao Runeng as a useless coward.
Ji Wen, growing impatient, immediately ordered the watchtower to transmit a city-wide message: a substantial reward of a manor and 5,000 yuan, plus a one-level rank promotion, would be given to anyone who brought him Zhang Xiaojing's head. Back at the bookstore, Zhang Xiaojing relentlessly pressed Laosan for the identity of the mastermind, explaining the dire consequences if the truth remained hidden. Laosan, in a fit of emotion, killed one of his own mercenaries in the bookstore.
He then swore by the Eighth Division brothers that he would follow Zhang Xiaojing through life and death, reiterating their motto: "The Eighth Division dies without regrets." Immediately after his pledge, a surviving mercenary, who had not died completely, rose and fatally stabbed Laosan. Laosan fell into Zhang Xiaojing's arms, whispering "Die without regrets" as he passed away. Zhang Xiaojing desperately tried to revive him, calling his name repeatedly.
