The Mystic Nine Episode 8 Recap
> The Mystic Nine Recap
After arriving in Changsha, Lu Jianxun, ambitious to dismantle the influential Nine Families and discredit their leader Zhang Qishan, first paid a visit to Jie Jiuye. He attempted to flatter Jie Jiuye by suggesting that gathering the Nine Families would be a great service to the nation and would make Jie Jiuye a meritorious individual.
However, Jie Jiuye politely rebuffed his advances, stating that the Nine Families were merely a civil organization for private contact, with each family having its own business, and that he could not speak rashly on matters without verification. He then politely but firmly dismissed Lu Jianxun, who, understanding the veiled refusal, left his gift behind, which Jie Jiuye refused to accept.
Lu Jianxun’s subsequent attempts to approach other Nine Families were equally unsuccessful; his subordinate who visited Wu Laogou’s house barely escaped from fierce dogs, while the one sent to Banjie Li’s mansion never returned. Infuriated, Lu Jianxun vowed to deal with these "arrogant bumpkins." Meanwhile, Jude Kou and Tanaka Ryoko discussed Lu Jianxun's actions. Tanaka Ryoko viewed Lu Jianxun as reckless, courageous but lacking strategy, and too impatient for success, suggesting he was unsuitable for their purposes.
Jude Kou, however, saw an opportunity, comparing Lu Jianxun to a chariot in Chinese chess—a direct and risky piece that could be effectively utilized if properly mobilized. Back at his mansion, Zhang Qishan received a report from Qi Tiezui about the mine. Qi Tiezui confirmed it was not an ordinary mine but likely concealed a massive, human-shaped ancient tomb with either an ordered or disordered trap layout, though he couldn't determine which from the exterior.
He also reported that Japanese individuals were actively investigating the mine. Acknowledging the extreme danger, Zhang Qishan insisted they must re-enter the mine before the Japanese. Qi Tiezui then raised the challenge of getting Er Yue Hong’s help, as his wife, Ya Tou, was severely ill.
Qi Tiezui reflected on Er Yue Hong’s deep devotion to Ya Tou, recalling how he once purchased Ya Tou's freedom for five hundred taels of gold, and to secure this sum, committed the taboo act of excavating a recently buried grave to retrieve a treasure. Realizing that Er Yue Hong’s love for Ya Tou was the very thing preventing his involvement, Qi Tiezui suggested seeking Jie Jiuye’s counsel. As if summoned, Jie Jiuye arrived at Zhang Qishan's mansion shortly after.
After exchanging greetings, Jie Jiuye revealed he too had learned of the increased Japanese activity near the mine and agreed that Er Yue Hong's expertise was vital. When the discussion turned to how to persuade Er Yue Hong, Jie Jiuye wisely proposed, "To untie the knot, we need the person who tied it," implying that Ya Tou was the only one who could convince him, given Er Yue Hong's profound affection for her.
He also informed them that Er Yue Hong was currently performing at the opera house. Zhang Qishan and Jie Jiuye then went to Er Yue Hong's mansion to speak with Ya Tou. Zhang Qishan explained the dire situation in Changsha, emphasizing that if the Japanese obtained what they sought from the mine, the city would face widespread suffering. He stressed that Er Yue Hong's ancestral knowledge of the mine was critical, despite his ancestors having never returned alive from it.
Zhang Qishan appealed to Ya Tou, revealing a letter from Er Yue Hong to his ancestors where he expressed guilt and vowed to abandon their ancestral business due to Ya Tou's illness. Despite Zhang Qishan’s promise to guarantee Er Yue Hong’s safe return with his own life, Ya Tou, fearing for her husband's safety, refused to ask him to get involved, stating that he only wished for a peaceful life, and she merely wanted to remain by his side.
During their conversation, Ya Tou suddenly suffered an attack. A servant quickly administered an injection of medicine that had been prescribed by a Western doctor named Jude Kou, whom Chen Pi had introduced. Seeing the suspicious nature of the injected medicine, Jie Jiuye subtly took a sample. The servant explained that while the medicine, for what Jude Kou called "chronic fatigue syndrome," initially offered days of relief, its effectiveness was waning. Zhang Qishan and Jie Jiuye then departed.
Back at Zhang Qishan's mansion, Qi Tiezui, who had been waiting, observed their grim expressions and confirmed their lack of progress. Jie Jiuye elaborated on the "dead end": Ya Tou was aware of her precarious health and Er Yue Hong's unwavering devotion meant he would not leave her, nor would he wish to live if she passed.
Qi Tiezui summarized the dilemma: Er Yue Hong would not emerge from retirement if Ya Tou was alive, nor could he if she was gone. Qi Tiezui then inquired about the medicine Ya Tou had been given. Jie Jiuye revealed that it was not a curative drug but morphine, a highly addictive analgesic derived from opium, which only masked pain without treating the illness.
He added that such a drug was currently only available through the Japanese in Changsha, strongly suggesting their malicious involvement and a dangerous plot against Er Yue Hong. Jie Jiuye then shared crucial news: his subordinates had discovered that the legendary Deer-Reviving Grass, which the physician Hua Qiandao had identified as the essential medicinal ingredient to cure Ya Tou, would be auctioned at the Xinyue Hotel in Beiping in a week.
Zhang Qishan, seeing this as a providential opportunity, decided he would immediately go to Beiping with Jie Jiuye. He instructed his lieutenant to summon Qi Tiezui for planning, then went to Er Yue Hong’s mansion to inform him. Er Yue Hong returned home to find Ya Tou embroidering a new pouch for him and showing off a new dress she had never worn.
He then met Zhang Qishan, who wasted no time in revealing the true nature of Ya Tou's medicine: morphine, an addictive drug derived from opium, which only offered temporary pain relief. Zhang Qishan confirmed that only the Japanese possessed such a drug, exposing their sinister agenda. Enraged, Er Yue Hong confirmed that the Western doctor, Jude Kou, was indeed introduced by Chen Pi.
Zhang Qishan expressed his intent to question Chen Pi, but Er Yue Hong intervened, pleading for leniency for his disciple. He believed Chen Pi, in his desperate attempt to save Ya Tou, had likely been manipulated and was unaware of the drug's true nature. Zhang Qishan assured him he would handle the matter carefully, prioritizing finding a cure for Ya Tou. He then informed Er Yue Hong about the Deer-Reviving Grass auction in Beiping in a week.
Er Yue Hong immediately declared his intention to go, but Zhang Qishan cautioned against a rash departure due to the Xinyue Hotel's strict rules, advising a strategic plan with Qi Tiezui and Jie Jiuye, with their departure set for the following morning. Meanwhile, Zhang Qishan’s lieutenant apprehended Chen Pi, who was out buying honeyed glutinous rice for Ya Tou, despite Chen Pi's protests.
Back at the mansion, Ya Tou, having overheard the plans, insisted on accompanying Er Yue Hong to Beiping. Despite his concerns for her fragile health, she expressed her deep desire to spend more time with him, fearing she might not live to see his return. Moved by her heartfelt plea, Er Yue Hong agreed to take her, reminding her that they must maintain a low profile in Beiping due to the city's current instability.
