The Mystic Nine Episode 4 Recap
> The Mystic Nine Recap
Chen Pi found Ya Tou, who was experiencing severe coughing fits, even struggling to hold a bowl of tea. Despite Ya Tou’s attempts to downplay her illness and prevent him from worrying Er Yue Hong, Chen Pi, deeply concerned, pledged to find a cure for her, even if it meant seeking remedies abroad. He revealed that he had returned to inform his Master about a potential medicine.
Chen Pi then approached Er Yue Hong, advocating for a meeting with the Japanese, who had offered medicine in exchange for an audience. However, Er Yue Hong vehemently opposed the idea, scolding Chen Pi as a "vile thing." He argued that the Japanese, known for their atrocities in China, could not be trusted to provide benevolent aid.
Er Yue Hong believed that he was their true target, and Chen Pi had unknowingly fallen into their trap after Er Yue Hong had already refused their attempts to meet him at the theater. Chen Pi, however, desperately pleaded with his Master to trust the Japanese just this once, hoping they might genuinely possess a cure.
Er Yue Hong reiterated his strong warning against dealing with the Japanese due to their evil intentions and expressed profound disappointment in Chen Pi's inability to discern right from wrong. He dismissed Chen Pi with a command to leave. Ya Tou, who had overheard the heated exchange, later reassured Er Yue Hong that she did not blame him for refusing to seek medicine from the Japanese, trusting in his genuine care for her.
Er Yue Hong confided that he had already asked Jiu Ye to search for a cure, as Jiu Ye was knowledgeable and well-traveled. While Er Yue Hong intended to deal with the Japanese's petty schemes himself, he expressed sadness that Chen Pi had been so easily manipulated. Ya Tou, however, gently reminded Er Yue Hong that Chen Pi was still young and immature, and that his actions, though misguided, stemmed from his deep concern for her.
Er Yue Hong conceded, agreeing to be less harsh, acknowledging that Chen Pi’s good intentions were the only reason he would be lenient. Sometime later, Ya Tou, feeling restless from being confined indoors, decided to air Er Yue Hong’s opera costumes, accompanied by Chen Pi and a servant. She expressed a poignant worry about how many more opportunities she would have to buy things for him, hinting at her declining health.
Chen Pi and the servant vowed to accompany her monthly for years to come. While they were out, enjoying Tangyou Baba, Ya Tou nearly stumbled, and a young boy, feigning assistance, snatched her money pouch. Chen Pi immediately gave chase, caught the boy, and began beating him in a fit of rage.
Ya Tou rushed over, sternly admonishing Chen Pi for his violent temper and expressing disappointment that he had not learned any of Er Yue Hong’s gentle ways despite growing up by his side. She then turned to the boy, who confessed he stole because he was hungry and needed money for his sick father, as his mother had died.
Moved by his plight, Ya Tou gave him a bag of cookies and some money, instructing him never to steal again and to seek help at Er Yue Hong’s manor if he ever faced difficulties. After Ya Tou and the other servants departed, Chen Pi confronted the boy once more, forcibly retrieving a handkerchief Ya Tou had given him earlier, fiercely declaring that nobody could take anything belonging to his Madam.
That evening, Er Yue Hong gave Ya Tou an eyebrow pencil, suggesting she use it to enhance her natural beauty. He urged her to stay indoors more often due to the unrest outside, promising to accompany her always, "for thousands of years and generations, from the ancient times until the present." Ya Tou made him promise not to lie. Meanwhile, Zhang Qishan, Qi Tiezui, and Lieutenant Zhang ventured deep into the mountains, where they spotted an old man.
Suspecting the man was connected to their investigation, they pursued him. The old man fled in a panic, leaving behind his firewood and axe. Zhang Qishan, correctly anticipating the man's return for his valuable tools, set an ambush with Qi Tiezui and Lieutenant Zhang. As expected, the old man returned, allowing the trio to follow him to his secluded dwelling. Inside, they discovered a substantial cache of military supplies.
Under persistent questioning from Zhang Qishan and Qi Tiezui, the old man admitted he had merely scavenged the items. He then led them to a dilapidated courtyard reeking of putrid bodies. The old man confessed that he was simply greedy, taking things from the deceased. He explained that he used to live there until, six months prior, a group of people arrived at the mine, paid him, and forced him out.
It wasn't until a few days ago, when he noticed the horrific stench, that he discovered the numerous dead bodies. He also revealed that the mysterious train had departed around the same time these events transpired. Zhang Qishan meticulously examined the corpses, noting that their manner of death was identical to those found on the train: wrapped in spider webs, semi-dehydrated, and with their faces down, all bearing the same tattoos.
The only striking difference was that these bodies had been shaved bald. This detail led Qi Tiezui to speculate if the hair was part of a secret experiment. Zhang Qishan pressed the old man about a Japanese presence at the mine two months prior, a fact the old man initially denied, claiming his age prevented him from distinguishing nationalities. Zhang Qishan, having already confirmed Japanese involvement from his investigation of the train, accused the old man of deliberately withholding information.
Zhang Qishan then stated that the crucial information was knowing which mine the Japanese had visited. Zhang Qishan demanded the old man lead them to the mine entrance. The old man initially tried to mislead them, showing a blocked path that he claimed had been blasted by the departing Japanese, leaving no other entry.
Zhang Qishan, however, saw through his lies, questioning how he knew so much about the train’s departure and the bombing if he was simply driven away and had no further involvement. Under pressure, the old man eventually guided them further. As they approached a burial ground, the old man halted, urging them not to proceed, while Qi Tiezui, after divination, warned of great danger, advising them against staying.
Unfazed by omens, Zhang Qishan, who famously declared he "breaks his own fate," insisted on investigating for the safety of Changsha’s citizens, promising to keep Qi Tiezui safe. He advanced towards the burial ground, quickly identifying an unusual tombstone. Prying it open, he revealed a hidden underground passage. Without hesitation, Zhang Qishan led his companions into the tunnel. Inside, the passage was partially flooded.
Qi Tiezui complained, but Zhang Qishan observed the water getting deeper, possibly from within or above, deducing that the place was far more complex than he had initially imagined. Qi Tiezui, increasingly fearful, repeatedly urged Zhang Qishan to turn back, warning of the deepening water and strong humidity. Zhang Qishan, unwavering in his resolve, threatened to cut out Qi Tiezui's tongue if he continued to spread fear. Lieutenant Zhang dutifully followed.
Deeper within the passage, they encountered a statue of a woman, sealed behind an iron railing. Qi Tiezui recognized it as the Old Mother of the Respected Heaven, the most important deity of the Xuanguan Religion. He deduced that its presence indicated a major treasure or something extraordinary hidden beneath the mine. The old man nervously denied any knowledge of the statue's placement. Zhang Qishan, now energized by this discovery, declared his intent to break through and uncover whatever "ghosts and monsters" lay within, despite the old man's renewed warnings about ghosts.
