The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 38 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
The Eighth Division found itself in a dire situation at the Defense Beacon when Liu Zongqi was wounded by an enemy arrow. Wen Wuji swiftly tended to his injury, urging him to persevere and return home to his parents. With arrows running low, Zhang Xiaojing and Ding Laosan resorted to retrieving arrows from the bodies of fallen soldiers on the battlefield.
The surviving brothers shared a common desire to return to Chang'an, but they were plagued by hunger and cold, with only one meal's worth of rice remaining. Wen Wuji tried to alleviate their hunger by recounting vivid tales of Chang'an's various delicacies and wonders. Xiao Gui, the flag bearer, had been awake for over a week, tirelessly guarding the Eighth Division's flag.
Zhang Xiaojing offered him some mint leaves for alertness, noting that this "thing can lift the spirit, but you can't eat it all day." Xiao Gui worried he might not survive; he entrusted Zhang Xiaojing, "If the flag pole falls, you can have my head. Take my eyes and bring them back to Chang'an." Zhang Xiaojing promised him, "Just stay alive. When we watch the lanterns together in Chang'an, it won't be fun without you."
Zhang Xiaojing firmly believed in Wen Wuji's description of Chang'an as an unprecedented marvel, where the Dragon Head Plain gazed down on the living, protecting them with the heart of an Empire, a city to which all other kingdoms would pay tribute. Xiao Gui, whose family had been banished to Kuche after his father served in the Ministry of War, was skeptical, claiming the stories "might not be true" and that he harbored only resentment for Chang'an.
However, Zhang Xiaojing countered that he and his brothers would rather believe Wen Wuji's stories, as "human beings. . . need to hold on to some kind of dream with them. That is what will drive them forward. I want to be in Chang'an." A contrasting scene unfolded in Chang'an where Sir Zhang, the Vice Minister of Rites, announced a grand banquet for officers and citizens to enjoy the brilliant lantern lights on the Upper Lantern Festival, praying for prosperity.
The officials hailed the emperor, their shouts of "Long live the emperor!" echoing. This grand spectacle brought Zhang Xiaojing back to the grim reality of the battle at the Defense Beacon, where the Eighth Division had fought for 21 days against an enemy ambush, exhausted and without reinforcements. Ding Laosan suggested retreating to the nearest Third Division stronghold, but Wen Wuji adamantly refused, instead keeping spirits up by telling more tales of Chang'an.
Xiao Gui rallied the men, leading a chant of "Never retreat! We are the Eighth Division! We die in no regret!" During this surge of morale, Ding Laosan secretly finished the last bit of rations, prompting Xiao Gui to confront him later for eating more than his share. Aware of the Eighth Division's dwindling provisions, the enemy deliberately feasted and drank nearby to taunt them. Xiao Gui devised a plan for Ding Laosan to act as bait.
Ding Laosan was lowered down the city wall to lure the enemy, and as they pursued him, Zhang Xiaojing and the others fired arrows, with Xiao Gui impressively shooting down the enemy's crossbowman. Zhang Xiaojing, lamenting his own inferior archery skill compared to Xiao Gui's, nevertheless firmly believed they would never be enemies. Xiao Gui, for his part, expressed that "We will never be enemies anyway." After the battle, the exhausted soldiers found themselves without food.
Zhang Xiaojing suggested hunting wolves for sustenance, but was reminded that only large, dangerous packs remained, the stragglers having already been eaten. Feeling desperate, Ding Laosan declared he wanted to go home to his parents, but Zhang Xiaojing fiercely forbade any desertion, warning, "I will kill whoever tries to leave!" Relief seemed to arrive when Chen Xingfan, who had left to find reinforcements, returned with several bags of military provisions.
He claimed the reinforcements would soon arrive, boosting the soldiers' morale. Zhang Xiaojing pressed him about the food's origin, and Chen Xingfan initially lied, saying he got it from the hospitable soldiers at Fort Kuche. Zhang Xiaojing delivered some stir-fried millet to Xiao Gui, who was still guarding the flag. Chen Xingfan then revealed a plan for them to eliminate fifteen enemies daily, which would require retrieving arrows from the battlefield since enemy arrows were incompatible with their crossbows.
However, this task was extremely dangerous. That night, He Youlu attempted to sneak out to retrieve arrows, hoping to steal a horse for food. He fell into an enemy ambush and was captured. Ding Laosan, who was with him, fled in fear. Zhang Xiaojing watched helplessly as He Youlu was tortured by the enemy, tied up and humiliated. Under intense questioning from Ding Laosan about the reinforcements, Chen Xingfan finally confessed: "There are no reinforcements!
No one is coming for us!" He revealed he had spent days visiting all five beacon towers and military farmlands around Fort Kuche, only to find them abandoned. The provisions he brought were merely emergency supplies from a cellar at Kuche. The truth devastated the Eighth Division. Zhang Xiaojing was stunned that the Great Tang had seemingly forsaken them, the most elite unit of the Anxi Armor Troop, personally sent off by General Gai.
Ding Laosan, in his despair, accused Chen Xingfan of being an enemy scout, noting he was wearing an enemy uniform. Chen Xingfan vehemently denied it, swearing loyalty to the Great Tang and explaining he had killed three enemy scouts on his way back. Before dying, one of the scouts revealed that an army of 3,000 enemy soldiers would arrive at the Defense Beacon in two days to annihilate them. Ding Laosan collapsed, utterly heartbroken.
Wen Wuji then recounted the Chang'an Lantern Festival story again, painting a picture of citizens enjoying the festivities, their names written on lanterns to honor fallen soldiers. He highlighted the contrast: "Perhaps no one knows that on this beacon in Anxi, such a fierce battle took place. We will all die here. Even in death, we will have no name."
He then offered the men a choice to stay or leave, but stipulated that anyone leaving must first escort Liu Zongqi back to his hometown, as he was young and his parents shouldn't "celebrate the New Year in tears." Hearing this, Ding Laosan instructed Chen Xingfan and Nan Nuzi to take Liu Zongqi home after dark via a goat path Chen Xingfan had discovered behind the mountain. Ding Laosan declared, "I am a soldier.
A soldier is meant to protect the others! I can't sit by to wait for the protection of others! I am staying!" One by one, the other soldiers reaffirmed their commitment, echoing "Hold the line!" After the war, Zhang Xiaojing and Wen Wuji returned to Chang'an. Zhang Xiaojing became a bad government agent in a Chang'an suburb and frequently helped out at Wen Wuji's home, where Wen Wuji's daughter, Wen Ran, grew to depend on him.
Zhang Xiaojing, noticing Wen Wuji's leg problems, offered to do the heavy lifting at his home. Wen Ran cleverly negotiated his visits, first asking if he could help with daily chores like chopping firewood and cooking, then bargaining him down from once every five days to once every three days.
