The Longest Day in Chang'an Episode 43 Recap
> The Longest Day in Chang'an Recap
On the fourteenth day of the first month, in the third year of Tianbao, at the hour of Yin, Long Bo, also known as Xiao Gui, used a rope to descend with the Emperor from the Hua'e Tower onto the Grand Lantern. Zhang Xiaojing and Tan Qi followed closely behind. The Pifus remaining behind, led by Wu Guiyi, entrusted Zhang Xiaojing to care for Xiao Gui, as they prepared for a suicide mission against the pursuing Dragon Tiger Army.
Long Bo watched, heartbroken, as his comrades were surrounded. He suppressed his grief and quickly took the Emperor through a secret passage to escape the building. Long Bo told the Emperor that he would let him decide their next destination. Meanwhile, Lin Jiulang and other officials, trapped by fire in their carriages, were saved by the timely arrival of Yuan Zai.
To calm the terrified populace, Guo Lishi had someone dress in the Emperor's robes and falsely announced that His Majesty was safe, urging everyone to return home to rest. The citizens, unaware of the true danger, joyfully dispersed. Guo Lishi later acknowledged that while they could temporarily hide the truth, it would not last forever. After their escape, the Emperor secretly inquired about Yan Yuhuan's well-being from Tan Qi and was relieved to learn she was safe.
Zhang Xiaojing recalled Xu Bin's advice to seek refuge at Daji Tavern in Huaiyuan Street if they ever found themselves in trouble. He urged Long Bo to leave their current location quickly, warning that the Dragon Tiger Army might follow them through the water tunnel. However, Long Bo's scouts had already reported that all city gates were sealed, making escape from Chang'an impossible. Zhang Xiaojing then suggested they temporarily hide at Daji Tavern until daybreak.
When Long Bo expressed distrust of the tavern, Zhang Xiaojing admitted it was Xu Bin, a simple and honest rank eight officer from the National Treasury, who had recommended it. He explained that the tavern was rarely frequented by imperial soldiers and had few informants, offering a hidden wine cellar for entry and exit, and was conveniently close to the city gate for a future escape plan.
In the Jing'an Si, Ji Wen pressed Cheng Shen to identify the true mastermind behind the day's events. Cheng Shen, however, presented a new tax system found in Xu Bin's documents. He described it as an eccentric yet precisely calculated system, superior to previous tax laws, and designed to prevent corruption while bringing peace and happiness to the people and stable income to the court, primarily by taxing wealthy families and merchants based on their actual land holdings.
Cheng Shen noted its similarity to a tax system being experimented with in Lingwu, suggesting Xu Bin's unusual connection to the Crown Prince due to his low rank despite drafting such a significant policy. Ji Wen, uninterested in tax reforms and only seeking a culprit, dismissed Cheng Shen's theory, scoffing at a rank eight official having such "special" connections.
He ordered Zhao Canjun to re-imprison Cheng Shen and frame him for the murder of a Wolven Squad member, using him as a convenient scapegoat. Cheng Shen was enraged by Ji Wen's incompetence, vowing to forgo future exams rather than serve alongside such officials. The Crown Prince was deeply worried about his father's disappearance and wished to send out search parties.
However, Li Jingzhong, his eunuch, strongly advised him to seize this opportunity to ascend the throne, arguing that hesitation would not be filial but rather a great disservice to the people and the future of Great Tang, fearing power might fall into unworthy hands. The Crown Prince, however, remained indecisive. Meanwhile, officials led by Wang Hong urged Lin Jiulang to temporarily take over the governance of the nation.
Lin Jiulang ordered Gan Shoucheng to lead the Right Cavalry in a city-wide search for the Emperor, but Li Sifang secretly instructed Gan Shoucheng to merely put on a show, adding that once the hour of Si-zheng (around 10:00 AM) passed, a new day would begin, and whoever possessed the Dragon Throne and Robe could ascend.
Wang Hong and other officials, fearing the Crown Prince's succession, suggested fabricating charges of treason against him for his early departure from the Grand Auditorium. Lin Jiulang, remembering the Emperor's public protection of Prince Yong earlier that day, suspected His Majesty might intend to pass the throne to the 16th Prince. Chen Xuanli suspected the water tunnel as the Emperor's escape route, but the multiple branches made pursuit difficult.
Guo Lishi, fearing further delays and the ambitions of An Lushan, urged that the Crown Prince be prepared to ascend quickly. Chen Xuanli, however, found it hard to believe that a few veterans could orchestrate such a complex kidnapping, subtly implying the Crown Prince might be behind it. Guo Lishi rebuked him, urging him to focus on the bigger picture and not make false accusations.
In their hideout, Long Bo found clothes belonging to Yu Chang and instructed Zhang Xiaojing to have Tan Qi change into them, as her current attire was too conspicuous. The Emperor, believing himself divinely protected from numerous assassination attempts over the years, tried to negotiate with Zhang Xiaojing, offering a full pardon for his crimes and a hereditary five-rank official status for Tan Qi if he helped him escape.
He warned that Long Bo would eventually discover Tan Qi's deception regarding Yan Yuhuan. Zhang Xiaojing, however, ignored his pleas. When Long Bo realized that Tan Qi was an impostor, he furiously demanded to know the whereabouts of Yan Yuhuan. Zhang Xiaojing stepped forward to protect Tan Qi, prompting Long Bo to accuse him of trying to capture him for personal gain.
Zhang Xiaojing vehemently denied this, explaining that his nine years as a Sleuth-hound captain in Wan'an County were sustained by the memory of the Eighth Division's unfailing flag, which Long Bo (Xiao Gui) had protected. He expressed his desire for Long Bo to live with "clean hands." Long Bo, however, lamented that the spirited Xiao Gui he once was had died the day his comrades perished.
Suddenly, Wu Dui Zheng and a group of Sleuth-hounds arrived at the dilapidated temple where they were hiding. The temple caretaker, Old Xiao, quickly came out to deflect their suspicions. Inside, the Emperor subtly threw a piece of rope into the fire, hoping to attract attention, but Old Xiao successfully convinced Wu Dui Zheng to leave by recounting old war stories and assuring him no one else was present.
Elsewhere, Prince Yong approached Guo Lishi and Chen Xuanli, demanding news of the Emperor and cursing Zhang Xiaojing. Guo Lishi defended Zhang Xiaojing, suggesting that by sparing Prince Yong's life and taking an imposter (Tan Qi) instead of Yan Yuhuan, Zhang Xiaojing had demonstrated his loyalty to the Emperor. Chen Xuanli remained unconvinced and immediately ordered a city-wide search and arrest for Zhang Xiaojing and Li Bi.
Prince Yong then opportunistically offered to take command of the Dragon Tiger Army and asked Guo Lishi to investigate the Crown Prince. Guo Lishi firmly declared the Crown Prince's innocence, and Chen Xuanli advised Prince Yong to return to his manor to recuperate, warning him against spouting nonsense in his emotional state. Prince Yong departed, making veiled threats to Guo Lishi about who stood to benefit most from the Emperor's disappearance.
The Crown Prince, after much deliberation, decided to dispatch the Royal Escort to search for the Emperor. Li Jingzhong warned him that Lin Jiulang was already gathering officials to frame him as the mastermind of the treason. Li Jingzhong reiterated that the Crown Prince's filial piety needed to be openly demonstrated and urged him to make swift decisions, then departed, vowing to remain alive in case the Crown Prince eventually recognized the wisdom of his advice.
That night, Prince Yong sought out Lin Jiulang, requesting the Right Cavalry to search for the Emperor, hoping to demonstrate his filial devotion to the world. Lin Jiulang, however, advised him to avoid suspicion and not appear too eager. After Prince Yong left, Lin Jiulang instructed Wang Hong and his associates to finalize their list of fabricated charges against the Crown Prince and deliver them to the Censorate and Ministry of Justice before daybreak.
He mused that everything has its limit. Back at the temple, Wu Dui Zheng returned with more Sleuth-hounds, having realized something was amiss. Long Bo quickly told Zhang Xiaojing to hide the Emperor in the back, anticipating a larger contingent of imperial soldiers.
Concurrently, Ji Wen received an order from Chen Xuanli, instructing the Peacekeeper Corps to assist the Dragon Tiger Army in apprehending He Zhizheng, Li Bi, Zhang Xiaojing, and Tan Qi, with orders to execute anyone who resisted on sight. As Ji Wen mobilized his forces, Wang Yunxiu rushed in, asking for troops to aid in the Emperor's rescue.
Ji Wen, however, had her arrested, accusing her of being an accomplice of the Crown Prince, and had her imprisoned with Cheng Shen. Wang Yunxiu was furious, though Cheng Shen tried to console her. Inside the temple, Long Bo, realizing their position was no longer safe, decided they had to move, planning to take the Emperor and telling Zhang Xiaojing to leave.
Zhang Xiaojing insisted they all go to Daji Tavern together, but they discovered that the Emperor had already secretly fled. The Emperor, disheveled and in ragged clothes, found himself by a pigsty, where a village woman mistook him for a pig thief. He was chased by angry villagers armed with sticks, fleeing in disarray.
Long Bo produced a map of Chang'an, and Zhang Xiaojing, assessing the Emperor's physical state, deduced that his most likely escape route would lead to Pingkang Street. They decided to split up to search for him, agreeing to rendezvous at Daji Tavern. Meanwhile, Guo Lishi suggested to Chen Xuanli that they transfer command of both their armies to the Crown Prince to rescue the Emperor. This would not only clear the Crown Prince's name but also thwart Lin Jiulang's ambitions.
Exhausted and desperate, the Emperor hailed a passing carriage belonging to a Rank Six official, asking for a ride to Xingqing Palace to meet Guo Lishi. The arrogant official, not recognizing the Emperor and seeing only a disheveled old man, boasted about buying his official position and callously kicked the Emperor to the ground, dismissing him as ignorant.
