The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 4 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
The Wolven King, You Cha, disguised as a Persian monk, arrived in Chang'an. He learned that Cao Poyan's mission had failed, leading to the destruction of the Wolven Squad. Furious, You Cha declared that Cao Poyan had lost his dignity with his hair cut, a severe Tujue punishment that stripped him of his soul and dignity, binding him to serve You Cha without complaint. He vowed to punish Cao Poyan for his failure.
Cao Poyan, kneeling, offered to die to atone for his sins, pleading to protect his daughter's soul. He questioned why Cui Liulang, who had guided them into the city, turned out to be a government spy. You Cha rebuked him, stating that Cao Poyan had no right to question his orders. You Cha then promised to return Cao Poyan's hair for burial if he completed all future commands.
You Cha reminded Cao Poyan that he had tasked him with capturing Wang Zongsi's daughter, Wang Yunxiu, as per their original plan to coerce Wang Zongsi, the "God of War of Great Tang," into leading his Holy Knights against their enemies.
When Cao Poyan offered to retrieve the stolen map, You Cha revealed he had already dispatched others for it and commanded Cao Poyan to wait at their current location until 5:00 PM, stressing that their leader, the "Flaming Demon," would soon descend upon Chang'an. When Cao Poyan asked about Wang Zongsi's daughter, You Cha revealed he already had a plan for her to be brought to them.
Zhang Xiaojing, still in his cell, frantically cried out for Li Bi, warning that Chang'an was doomed and its innocent citizens would soon face death. Tan Qi, hearing his desperate shouts, asked what nonsense he was spouting. He urged her to tell Li Bi that if he didn't heed his warnings, his mission would fail, adding that he and Cheng Can suspected the Wolven Squad would use ink as fuel.
Tan Qi, understanding the gravity of the situation, reported back to Li Bi. Li Bi was engaged in a tense discussion with He Zhizheng and the Grand Priest about Zhang Xiaojing's fate. The Grand Priest suggested a trial by fire to determine Zhang Xiaojing's moral standing and appease the public. He Zhizheng immediately volunteered to undergo the trial himself, stating he wanted to know if he was good or evil.
The Grand Priest, seeing He Zhizheng's deliberate defiance, but respecting his position as the Crown Prince's venerable teacher and recognizing the Peacekeeper Corps' unique nature, decided against the trial. He promised to pacify the public's anger and offered to provide the Peacekeeper Corps with the Huaiyuan Ward resident list that Commandant Yao Runeng had requested. He Zhizheng initially hesitated to take the list, fearing that investigating officials residing there without cause would cause political backlash for the Peacekeeper Corps.
However, Li Bi firmly insisted on acquiring the list, confident it would yield clues about the Wolven Squad. He emphasized his determination to see the investigation through to the end, regardless of the cost, and the Grand Priest acquiesced. Zhang Xiaojing, still in his cell, instructed Tan Qi to immediately have the watchtowers send men to inspect all oil storage locations across Chang'an.
He demanded a thorough cross-check of declared oil units against actual amounts, with immediate arrests for anyone in illegal possession of oil. He stressed that even royal oil mills for the palace should be investigated, leveraging Li Bi's authority as chief of the Peacekeeper Corps. He also warned that the "Flaming Demon" signified a fire disaster, as the Wolven Squad intended to ignite the city.
He alerted Tan Qi to the danger posed by the multitude of paper lanterns adorning the streets, which, if ignited, could cause an unimaginable catastrophe to spread rapidly through the densely populated city. Meanwhile, to locate the Wolven Squad, Yao Runeng guarded the four main gates of Huaiyuan Ward, thoroughly checking everyone entering and leaving.
The female assassin, Yu Chang (Fish Sausage), tried to leave the ward under the pretense of visiting relatives, but Yao Runeng steadfastly refused her, and she reluctantly departed. The Chief Clerk reported the results of the oil mill investigation. He stated that all oil mills in the city, including public and royal ones, had been checked for transactions exceeding five stones a month, with no anomalies found.
However, he then clarified that the palace's specific oil accounts had been excluded from the investigation. Zhang Xiaojing, angered by the lack of leads despite having offended so many people, vehemently insisted on examining the Emperor's palace accounts, citing the urgency of saving Chang'an's people. He Zhizheng and Li Bi both expressed concern, warning that such a move would risk the Emperor's wrath and the Peacekeeper Corps' very existence, potentially implicating many innocent people.
Zhang Xiaojing, enraged by their hesitation, snapped that they were prioritizing protocol over the lives already lost. He Zhizheng, recognizing Zhang Xiaojing's fierce determination, pulled him aside for a private conversation. He recounted how a children's rhyme he had written, initially harmless, was maliciously twisted by others to suggest the Crown Prince was amassing power, causing the Emperor to view his own son with suspicion.
He explained that Li Bi, with his reputation as an unattached ascetic, was the only one capable of secretly communicating with the Crown Prince to foster young talent and build a stable foundation for Great Tang's future. He stressed that any misstep by Li Bi or the Peacekeeper Corps would endanger this crucial mission and the Crown Prince himself. Zhang Xiaojing, acknowledging Li Bi's role as the Crown Prince's secret contact, agreed to heed He Zhizheng's counsel.
Meanwhile, Tan Qi returned with grim news: Yingnu, Li Bi's undercover agent working close to Right Counselor Lin Jiulang, was found killed in Kang Manor. The Jade Flower Pendant, crucial evidence she was meant to safeguard, was missing, suggesting someone else knew her location and had taken it. Li Bi realized this leak jeopardized their efforts to gather evidence against the Right Counselor, which could expose the Crown Prince.
Tan Qi reported a distinctive, strong perfume scent on Yingnu's body that was unfamiliar to the manor, suggesting the presence of another person at the scene. Despite Li Bi's doubts about tracing a scent among Chang'an's perfumed populace, Tan Qi insisted it was their only lead, and Li Bi dispatched men to investigate perfume shops.
With news of a potential city-wide fire, Commander Chen Xuanli of the Dragon Army arrived on his general's orders, declaring the Peacekeeper Corps' failure and demanding an immediate takeover. Simultaneously, Commander Zhao of the Right Cavalries, acting on Right Counselor Lin Jiulang's behalf, also pushed to take control.
Eunuch Feng Shenwei from the palace arrived, initially supporting the Dragon Army and prioritizing the Emperor's safety, while Commander Zhao justified Lin Jiulang's intervention as sharing the Emperor's burden during the Lantern Festival. The three factions converged on the Peacekeeper Corps, with Commander Chen demanding Li Bi surrender the Command Token. Li Bi refused, and when Chen ordered his men forward, the usually quiet Xu Bin stepped up.
Xu Bin publicly recounted several instances of the Dragon Army's past incompetence, citing official records, to challenge their capability to manage the crisis. Li Bi further argued that Chen's plan to close down all 108 streets and conduct an inside-out search would cause chaos and was inappropriate. He then posed a philosophical riddle about the relative size of a legendary bird and an ant to illustrate that all things, big or small, have their value.
When Chen failed to grasp the point, Li Bi declared that Chen lacked the wisdom to lead the Peacekeeper Corps. As the confrontation escalated, Feng Shenwei intervened to announce an imperial edict: the Emperor had approved He Zhizheng's request to retire due to old age, expressing concern for his health. He Zhizheng, heartbroken, realized this move was orchestrated by Lin Jiulang, especially when Feng revealed his name was removed from the Lantern Festival guest list.
He Zhizheng expressed his desire to complete his final duty and attend the festival, which His Majesty asked him to build the Peacekeeper Corps. He pleaded with Chen and Feng for two more hours for the Peacekeeper Corps to find a lead, pledging that if they failed, Chang'an would face a catastrophic disaster, despite Chen's dismissive remarks about his new status.
Feng Shenwei, reminding Chen of He Zhizheng's esteemed position as the Crown Prince's teacher, convinced Chen to grant the two-hour reprieve. Li Bi immediately activated the fire alarm system. Li Bi then sorrowfully escorted He Zhizheng out, offering a carriage. He Zhizheng, however, chose to ride his old donkey, wishing to take one last look at Chang'an before returning to his hometown. He quietly advised Li Bi to focus solely on ensuring the Peacekeeper Corps made no mistakes today.
Afterward, Zhang Xiaojing, concerned about Li Bi's vulnerability without He Zhizheng's protection, questioned if he could manage the political struggles. Li Bi, however, was resolute, stating that he was 23, the age the Emperor started ruling, and had made a pact to pursue the "Flaming Demon" to the end. He entrusted Zhang Xiaojing with the leadership of the Peacekeeper Corps if anything were to happen to him, asserting that Zhang Xiaojing, though a convict, was a true protector of Chang'an.
Just as Li Bi finalized his plans, Xu Bin reported a breakthrough. Using the Huaiyuan Ward resident list provided by the Grand Priest and cross-referencing it with Chang'an's census, he identified a suspicious individual named Long Bo, who was very likely the Wolven Squad accomplice responsible for stealing the map. Yao Runeng immediately led a team to Long Bo's residence, but found he had already fled, leaving behind a box of Sasanian gold coins.
Yao Runeng interrogated the community officer, who revealed that Long Bo had lived there for half a year with a woman. Their census records were outdated, making Long Bo either a forger or an impostor. The officer described Long Bo as handsome and his companion as even prettier, noting that the woman always tied several coins around her forearms.
He also deduced that the couple was likely from the Western Regions, as they did not observe Chang'an's festivals and kept to themselves. Yao Runeng, finding the details highly suspicious, promptly dispatched a message via the watchtower to Li Bi, alerting him to Long Bo's potential involvement and his female companion. Upon receiving the news, Zhang Xiaojing immediately prepared to apprehend Long Bo.
