THE REBEL Episode 12 Recap
> THE REBEL Recap
Ji Zhongyuan arrived at a restaurant, blending in by sitting at an adjacent table and ordering food. From there, he listened intently as Wang Shi'an voiced his frustrations to Gu Shenyan. Wang Shi'an expressed feeling stifled and disappointed in his work, complaining that Chen Moqun treated him, the deputy chief, as a mere figurehead and was obsessing over finding a mole without any concrete evidence. He even questioned how Chen Moqun could suspect Gu Shenyan, despite their long-standing connection.
Gu Shenyan, subtly acknowledging Ji Zhongyuan's presence, feigned sympathy for Wang Shi'an. He hinted at Chen Moqun's recent actions involving arrests, attempting to relay crucial information without raising Wang Shi'an's suspicion. Unaware of the hidden message, Wang Shi'an thanked Gu Shenyan for his understanding and offered him a drink, making it difficult for Gu Shenyan to excuse himself immediately.
Meanwhile, in the Secret Service interrogation room, Lin Nansheng understood that Chen Moqun and Hu Daoyi were monitoring his conversation with Zhu Yizhen. To spare Zhu Yizhen from brutal torture and to avoid compromising his own identity, he chose to provoke her. He bluntly stated that his entire relationship with her was a calculated deception to uncover Communist leads, and that every word he had spoken to her was a lie.
Zhu Yizhen was visibly shocked and pained, but she steadfastly maintained her innocence, asserting she was merely a student from Shenjiang University and had no ties to the Communist Party. Lin Nansheng pressed her further, recalling their first meeting at Cafe Le Cancoll, which he identified as a secret contact point.
He detailed how he had posed as a teaching assistant to gradually get closer to her, and revealed his discovery of her flower-shaped hairpin as a signaling device and Zhang's Clothing as a liaison station, claiming its owner and workers were her comrades. Despite his detailed accusations and aggressive demeanor, Zhu Yizhen refused to confess, maintaining her ignorance of any Communist connections and accusing him of being a liar.
Lin Nansheng reiterated that their political stances were fundamentally opposed and demanded she reveal her superior and all her knowledge, but she simply repeated her denial. Chen Moqun, observing the interrogation, was frustrated by Zhu Yizhen's unwavering defiance. He summoned Lin Nansheng, admitting he had underestimated Zhu Yizhen. Chen Moqun questioned why Lin Nansheng had returned to his dorm earlier and what Zhu Yizhen had said during their unexpected encounter.
Lin Nansheng, recalling Zhu Yizhen's emotional accusation about the Kuomintang killing its own people, felt conflicted. He gave a vague response, stating she had questioned his lies, and he had simply told her he was following orders. Chen Moqun, sensing Lin Nansheng's reluctance might stem from personal feelings, asked which torture methods would be effective. Lin Nansheng requested more time, concerned for Zhu Yizhen's well-being.
Disappointed, Chen Moqun accused Lin Nansheng of failing him and ordered him to remain in the interrogation room, writing a comprehensive account of everything that had occurred between him and Zhu Yizhen, without omitting any detail. Back at the restaurant, Wang Shi'an confided in Gu Shenyan about his desperate efforts to bring Wang Zhi back to Shanghai, even guaranteeing Director Dai that he would dismantle the Communists' Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee base.
He despaired that Wang Zhi's death left him without a plan, emphasizing his inability to discuss this sensitive issue with anyone else. Noticing the agents assigned to monitor them, Wang Shi'an, in a fit of pique, called them over to join their table, sarcastically suggesting they might as well watch openly. Gu Shenyan seized this opportunity, excusing himself to use the restroom. There, he met Ji Zhongyuan, who had followed his coded signal to the restaurant.
Gu Shenyan informed Ji Zhongyuan that Zhu Yizhen and another comrade, Sun Fu'an (the shop assistant from Zhang's Clothing), had been arrested and were being held in the Shanghai District. He explained that Zhang's Clothing was a Communist staging point and that Sun Fu'an and the owner were comrades, though the owner had managed to escape as they had already been warned to evacuate.
Gu Shenyan instructed Ji Zhongyuan to immediately contact Zhu Xiaoxian, Zhu Yizhen’s father, and urge him to reach out to Zhou Yaoting, the deputy director of the Secret Service headquarters in Nanjing. He emphasized that Zhou Yaoting had a personal feud with Chen Moqun, which could be exploited for Zhu Yizhen’s rescue.
Additionally, Ji Zhongyuan was to ensure all evidence linking Zhu Yizhen to the Communist Party was swiftly destroyed, as without it, even Zhou Yaoting would struggle to intervene effectively. Gu Shenyan also provided Ji Zhongyuan with the address and telephone number of their new liaison station, Shengji Fishery, cautioning him against direct contact with Zhu Yizhen or revealing his identity, regardless of the circumstances. Ji Zhongyuan, expertly evading Secret Service surveillance, met with Zhu Xiaoxian.
He revealed that Zhu Yizhen had been arrested by the Shanghai Secret Service and, crucially, that Lin Nansheng, who had been recuperating at Zhu Xiaoxian's home, was in fact a special agent. Zhu Xiaoxian, upon learning the dire situation, immediately telephoned Nanjing to expedite Zhou Yaoting's arrival in Shanghai. He then returned home and instructed all his staff that no one was permitted to use the household phone, suspecting it might be bugged.
Despite his servants' visible worry for Zhu Yizhen, Zhu Xiaoxian maintained a calm demeanor, reassuring them that his "connection" from Nanjing was on his way and everything would be resolved soon. Meanwhile, Hu Daoyi subjected Sun Fu'an to brutal torture, demanding information about Zhu Yizhen’s Communist identity and the tailor shop’s activities. Despite the agonizing pain, Fu'an steadfastly denied any knowledge, claiming he was merely a shop assistant and reiterating that Zhu Yizhen was just a wealthy customer.
Zhu Yizhen, held in an adjacent cell, could hear Fu'an's tormented screams, which distressed her greatly. Lin Nansheng, observing her reaction and reflecting on Zhu Yizhen’s past words about the injustice of the Kuomintang, began to question his own identity and the harsh methods employed against the Communists. Frustrated by Fu'an's unwavering silence, Chen Moqun decided to confront Zhu Yizhen with the shop assistant’s suffering.
He had the severely injured Fu'an dragged before Zhu Yizhen, hoping the sight would break her resolve. However, even in his battered state, Fu'an repeatedly denied Zhu Yizhen's Communist ties, implicitly warning her to remain silent. Zhu Yizhen continued to insist she knew nothing and that Fu'an was merely a shop assistant. Just as Chen Moqun was contemplating more extreme measures, he received an urgent phone call from the Secret Service headquarters in Nanjing.
The caller informed him that Deputy Director Zhou Yaoting would be arriving in Shanghai by train that morning on official business, and Chen Moqun was to receive him. Chen Moqun immediately understood that his “postman” (the mole) had acted swiftly to alert Nanjing, taking advantage of his rivalry with Zhou Yaoting. This unexpected development placed Chen Moqun in a very difficult and passive position, intensifying his concern about the mole within his ranks.
Reacting to this sudden turn of events, Chen Moqun knew he had to secure a confession before Zhou Yaoting’s arrival. He ordered Captain Hu to prepare cars and the operational team to depart within ten minutes. Chen Moqun then secretly took Zhu Yizhen and several other arrested individuals to a secluded area in the countryside. There, he executed a series of people in front of Zhu Yizhen, using their deaths as a brutal intimidation tactic.
As more comrades fell, Zhu Yizhen became increasingly distraught. When it was Sun Fu'an’s turn, Chen Moqun specifically shot him in front of her. He then commanded Lin Nansheng to execute Zhu Yizhen personally. Lin Nansheng, attempting to remain composed, pleaded with Chen Moqun, arguing that killing Zhu Yizhen would eliminate their only lead. Enraged, Chen Moqun held a pistol to Lin Nansheng’s head, threatening to kill him first if he disobeyed.
Despite the horrific ordeal and the immediate threat to Lin Nansheng, Zhu Yizhen remained defiant, steadfastly proclaiming her innocence. With his coercive methods failing, Chen Moqun was forced to abandon the execution. He had Zhu Yizhen brought back to the Secret Service, acknowledging that her prominent family status (as Zhu Xiaoxian's daughter) prevented him from eliminating her without greater consequences.
As the car drove away, Zhu Yizhen watched in agony as the agents threw the bodies of the executed individuals into a pit for burial. Back in the interrogation room, she sat in a daze as she was handcuffed to a chair. Chen Moqun, still reeling from the unexpected intervention, inquired about Gu Shenyan's activities from the previous day.
He was informed that Gu Shenyan and Wang Shi'an had gone to the Fu Lai Restaurant and then returned home, with no unusual behavior reported. The agents also confirmed that their home phones had been monitored and no suspicious calls were made or received. However, the agent mentioned that Wang Shi'an had surprisingly called them over to his table for a drink.
The only brief gap in their surveillance was when Gu Shenyan went to the restroom for a few minutes. Chen Moqun ordered his men to continue close surveillance on Gu Shenyan, instructing them to identify and monitor anyone he contacted. The next morning, Gu Shenyan arrived at the office and was immediately greeted by Captain Hu. Hu presented him with a document for signature, a list of the Communists executed that morning. Gu Shenyan noted the unusual efficiency, remarking on how swiftly they were apprehended and executed.
