The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 31 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
The streets of Chang'an buzzed with people enjoying the Lantern Festival. State Builder Mao Shun, looking anxious, dismissed his workers, including one who asked about his grandchild, before Long Bo arrived by carriage to pick him up. Mao Shun confirmed he had done as ordered and everything was ready at his home, then joined Long Bo in the carriage as they headed towards Xingqing Palace.
Meanwhile, in the Right Counselor's manor, Lin Jiulang ordered guards to arrest Li Bi and hold him for the Censorate. Li Bi, however, offered to find physical evidence to implicate the Crown Prince, stating that Lin Jiulang currently only had verbal statements from his own manor, making it appear as if he was framing the Crown Prince. With physical evidence, the Crown Prince's wrongdoing could be proven beyond doubt.
When asked about the evidence's nature and location, Li Bi was evasive, claiming complications would arise if he revealed it prematurely. Censor-in-Chief Pei and Yao Runeng suspected Li Bi was attempting to escape and alert the Crown Prince. Li Bi countered that he was simply being pragmatic and aligning with the winning side, also mentioning his long-standing ambition to serve the country.
He suggested Lin Jiulang send someone with him and Tan Qi, assuring them they wouldn't be able to escape. Lin Jiulang agreed to let Li Bi go only after he signed a confession. As Li Bi hesitated, he recalled a past conversation with Xu Bin about solving problems. Xu Bin had asserted that the ultimate solution to every problem was to stay alive, as one could only achieve their goals if they remained living.
Remembering this, Li Bi signed the confession, intending to save Tan Qi and then expose Lin Jiulang's actions. Lin Jiulang, however, decided that an important task like this was improper for Li Bi to bring a female servant, and therefore kept Tan Qi in his manor as a hostage. As Li Bi left to gather the evidence, he stopped at Tan Qi's cell. Seeing the determination in his eyes, Tan Qi softly encouraged him to find the real culprit.
Li Bi, deeply affected, asked her to say more, to which she replied, "The great bird of Peng has a wingspan of nine thousand li." Yuan Zai, who had witnessed Li Bi's earlier exchange, approached Lin Jiulang, warning him that Li Bi's actions were likely a trick to escape. He suggested that General Gan Shoucheng lead troops to supervise Li Bi.
Lin Jiulang, flattered that Yuan Zai remembered his name, declined to send General Gan, citing another important task, but in reality, fearing for the safety of his manor. Instead, he tasked Yuan Zai with accompanying Li Bi, instructing him to kill Li Bi on the spot if he attempted to escape, and that Yuan Zai would determine the crime to charge him with. Yuan Zai readily accepted.
Noticing Yao Runeng's reluctance to see Li Bi harmed, Lin Jiulang then ordered Yao Runeng to dispose of Tan Qi once she was no longer useful. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaojing arrived at the paper mill in Huaiyuan Ward, calling out for Xu Bin. Xu Bin emerged, much to Zhang Xiaojing's relief. Zhang Xiaojing, assured of Xu Bin's safety, moved to leave, but Xu Bin insisted he had crucial information about the real culprit.
He revealed that the Bingliu Warehouse, the manor on Xiuzheng Street, and the abandoned house in Changming Ward where the Wolven Squad hid were all registered under Lin Jiulang's name. Xu Bin deduced that Lin Jiulang had orchestrated a fake assassination to frame his political enemies, specifically the Crown Prince and Director He Zhizheng, aiming to gain complete control of the Great Tang.
Zhang Xiaojing, however, mentioned that Li Bi had told him Director He's son, He Fu, had failed in the assassination and was captured. Despite Xu Bin's pleas for Zhang Xiaojing to investigate Lin Jiulang, Zhang Xiaojing expressed disinterest in the political power struggles. He insisted his priority was finding Long Bo and the three hundred barrels of Crouching Fire to save Chang'an's citizens.
He wanted to return to the Peacekeeper Corps to investigate a bamboo piece given to him by Yu Chang, believing it to be a "connector from a big machine" with a greasy smell, potentially a part of the Flaming Demon. Understanding this machine could help pinpoint Long Bo's true target.
Zhang Xiaojing, concerned about Li Bi's safety after entering the Right Counselor's manor, learned that Xu Bin had already sent someone to gather information and decided to wait for news before proceeding. Lin Jiulang, confident in his plan, mused that letting Li Bi go was a way to either subdue such a capable man or, failing that, prevent him from serving others. It was also an opportunity to test Yuan Zai's abilities.
In the dungeon, General Gan Shoucheng, still captivated by Tan Qi's earlier performance on the hot plate, tried to buy her freedom. Tan Qi, however, threatened to dig out his eyes if he looked at her again, enraging Gan Shoucheng, who drew his sword. Yao Runeng intervened, claiming he needed to search her himself. He then spoke to Tan Qi alone, asserting that Li Bi, like himself, was a pragmatist and would return.
Tan Qi refuted this, stating Li Bi was different and was sacrificing her to continue his investigation into Long Bo, believing her life was insignificant compared to the larger cause. Yao Runeng scoffed at her "servant's thinking," reminding her that her status would never change, regardless of how kindly Li Bi treated her, and that her sacrifice would be seen as merely a servant killed for wrongdoing.
Tan Qi retorted that Yao Runeng was belittling her to ease his own guilt about killing her. She then acknowledged his act of spreading the "never retreat" message from the Grand Watchtower, acknowledging his underlying good heart, and requested a swift death when the time came. Meanwhile, Yuan Zai and Wang Yunxiu followed Li Bi.
Yuan Zai urged Wang Yunxiu to kill Li Bi if he attempted to escape, stressing that it was crucial for her to distance her family, particularly her father Wang Zongsi, from the Crown Prince's faction, which was about to be purged. Wang Yunxiu, hesitant due to her father's admiration for Li Bi, suggested simply arresting him, but Yuan Zai insisted that killing him was the only way to demonstrate their loyalty.
Li Bi led them to Liu's Bookstore, claiming it held evidence of the Crown Prince's traitorous act and was a secret trading place for mercenaries, or "Watchmen." He asserted he needed to enter alone to interrogate them, as they wouldn't disclose client information to outsiders. Yuan Zai, aware of the mercenaries' code and confident that Li Bi wouldn't abandon Tan Qi's life, allowed him to enter alone.
Inside, Li Bi used a secret code phrase, and the Fire Master, a mercenary proxy, opened the door. Li Bi immediately asked if Zhang Xiaojing had been there and if he had identified the instigator of the assassination. The Fire Master grew suspicious, sensing Li Bi was an official spy.
Li Bi then revealed that the Right Cavalry was just outside, cornering them, and urged the Fire Master to expose the mastermind, warning that if any mercenary was captured, their entire organization and families in the Western Region would be annihilated. As Li Bi remained inside, Yuan Zai grew impatient and, claiming Li Bi had fled out of fear of punishment, Wang Yunxiu ordered the Right Cavalry to storm the bookstore and kill Li Bi.
A reward was promised to whoever succeeded. A fierce battle erupted between the Right Cavalry and the mercenaries. In the chaos, Li Bi managed to wound a mercenary guarding him and escaped. Wang Yunxiu, witnessing Li Bi's escape, was enraged and ordered the cavalry to pursue him. Yuan Zai was surprised by her sudden ferocity. Li Bi fled into the territory guarded by the Dragon's Army.
He identified himself as Li Bi, chief of the Peacekeeper Corps, and claimed General Chen Xuanli of the Dragon's Army was his father's friend. He informed them that Lin Jiulang was blaming the Dragon's Army for his assassination and intended to replace them with the Right Cavalry. The Dragon's Army, historically at odds with the Right Cavalry, believed Li Bi and immediately blocked the Right Cavalry's pursuit, escorting Li Bi to General Guo Lishi's manor to seek help.
Soon after, Xu Bin's informant returned with news for Zhang Xiaojing: Li Bi had escaped, but Tan Qi was still held in the Right Counselor's manor and was in grave danger. Zhang Xiaojing was deeply troubled by this news. Back at the Right Counselor's manor, Yuan Zai reported to Lin Jiulang that Li Bi had colluded with the mercenaries to attack the Right Cavalry and then used General Chen Xuanli's subordinates from the Dragon's Army to escape.
Lin Jiulang, unfazed by Li Bi's escape, immediately ordered Censor-in-Chief Pei to present the testaments of He Fu and Li Bi to the Emperor without delay. Meanwhile, Li Bi explained the entire situation to Guo Lishi and Prince Ning's grandson. Prince Ning's grandson carefully recorded Li Bi's account, particularly the detail that Lin Jiulang now solely held the seals of three ministries, which implied a terrifying grasp for power.
Prince Ning's grandson resolved to personally submit a report to the Emperor at once. Guo Lishi dispatched Gao Quan to escort Prince Ning's grandson, ensuring the report reached His Majesty as quickly as possible. Guo Lishi then expressed concern to Li Bi, remarking on Tan Qi's intelligence and asking if Li Bi truly intended to abandon her.
