The Vendetta of An Episode 9 Recap
> The Vendetta of An Recap
As a child, Xie Huaian often wondered why he had to visit Mr. Long for a monthly pulse check, despite never suffering from serious illness. Mr. Long explained that Xie Huaian was born with white hair, which only now, as he grew older, had fully turned black. Ancient texts, Mr. Long said, predicted that those born with white hair would endure hardship for half their lives, and both he and Xie Huaian's father hoped he would grow up safely.
Xie Huaian, however, mused that if half his life was destined for hardship, he hoped the other half would be filled with sweetness, a sentiment Mr. Long found remarkably enlightened for a child. Meanwhile, in the capital, the new Huben member Wang Pu, a cunning scholar, was tasked with overseeing a crucial strategist imprisoned by Huben. Wang Pu delivered news of Liu Ziyan's death to the strategist, who revealed Liu Ziyan had initially been sent to assassinate him.
The strategist subtly advised Wang Pu to tell their leader, Yan Fengshan, to 'take the tea from the capital,' hinting at a major target in the city. The new Emperor, seeking to consolidate power, consulted General Gu Yu, commander of the capital's defenses. Gu Yu proposed surrendering his military power during the upcoming morning court, expecting other vassal kings to follow suit, thus isolating Huben. The Emperor and High Minister Gao approved, recognizing Gu Yu's integrity.
After visiting his loyal troops, Gu Yu felt confident in the Emperor's good nature, despite the sacrifice. However, shortly after Gu Yu departed, the capital's defenses were attacked. The White Kiss Tiger guards were massacred. Wang Pu intercepted Gu Yu, threatening to kill all remaining guards unless Gu Yu accompanied him. To prevent further bloodshed, Gu Yu complied and was kidnapped. Xie Huaian, seeing the distress signal, rushed to the scene but found Gu Yu gone.
He immediately sought High Minister Gao, urging him to proceed with Gu Yu's plan and assuring him he would rescue Gu Yu from Hidden Soldier Alley, imploring Gao to ensure Gu Yu would not be discarded after serving his purpose. Years later, with Gu Yu kidnapped by the Huben Army, Xie Huaian declared his intention to infiltrate Hidden Soldier Alley to rescue him.
His companions, Ye Zheng and Xiao Wenjing, vehemently objected, pointing out Xie Huaian's recent injuries and incomplete recovery, warning that going now would be a death sentence. Ye Zheng even offered to go in his stead, believing his strength made him better suited for such a dangerous mission. But Xie Huaian insisted, stating that he was the only one who truly understood Huben, having grown up observing them, and that his knowledge was indispensable.
Xie Huaian began drawing a detailed map of Hidden Soldier Alley from memory. Xiao Wenjing, eager to assist, asked for a task. Xie Huaian assigned him a critical mission: acquire a special Huben gold coin, which only Qingyi possessed, to gain entry into the alley. Anticipating Qingyi's refusal, Xie Huaian instructed Xiao Wenjing to order the execution of any Huben soldiers who had participated in the raid on Xie Huaian's courtyard and had seen his face.
Xiao Wenjing went to Qingyi, who was imprisoned. As expected, Qingyi initially refused to hand over the coin, prompting Xiao Wenjing to have a group of Huben soldiers killed. Witnessing the grim act, Qingyi relented and produced a gold coin. The violence distressed Xiao Wenjing, but Xie Huaian reassured him, explaining that in a ruthless world, some blood inevitably had to be spilled, and he would one day understand such difficult choices. Next, Xie Huaian needed a new identity.
Xiaoqing had already secured one, identifying a Huben member named Wang Xing. Wang Xing was a master forger, possessing a remarkable skill for creating travel permits that even Xiaoqing found nearly flawless. He was being transferred by Huben to produce custom travel passes for their members, as the previous forger had encountered problems and the new emperor's pursuit of Huben made free movement impossible without proper documentation.
Wang Xing's age and build matched Xie Huaian's, he knew no martial arts, had few friends, and his wife lived in Chang'an. To ensure Wang Xing's complete cooperation and the accuracy of his information, Xie Huaian ordered his wife to be brought in, threatening to break one of her fingers for every lie Wang Xing told. Wang Xing vehemently protested, begging them to harm him instead of his wife.
Xiao Wenjing volunteered to guard Wang Xing, promising to keep him secure and reminding Xie Huaian that his life depended on it. With the preparations underway, Xie Huaian underwent a transformation. The physician, Mr. Long, expertly disguised Xie Huaian's neck wound with fish maw and a skin film, making it virtually undetectable unless closely examined.
He also dyed Xie Huaian's hair white, reflecting on Xie Huaian's birth with white hair and their shared hope that he would live to see it turn white again, urging him to return alive. Xie Huaian, unfazed by the change, joked that he would dye it back once his mission is complete. He then led Ye Zheng and Xiaoqing to a cliffside, pondering how severe his injuries would be if he were to fall.
Alarmed, Ye Zheng begged him not to risk his life, but Xie Huaian, after carefully choosing a spot, deliberately tumbled down the slope. He explained that these self-inflicted injuries would be useful inside Hidden Soldier Alley. He also began chewing Bitter-After, a plant common in the north known for its extreme bitterness, which he confirmed was a habit of Wang Xing's.
Xie Huaian explained that bitterness could refresh and relieve fatigue while also fending off the cold, and that the name 'Bitter-After' implied only bitterness remained once the chew stick was gone. Finally, Xie Huaian, posing as Wang Xing, approached Hidden Soldier Alley. He was stopped by a cunning old female gatekeeper who instructed him to wait for his contact. As he waited, Li Sangeng, a Huben member responsible for collecting refuse, passed by.
Noticing Xie Huaian chewing the Bitter-After, Li Sangeng casually remarked that he was chewing the wrong part, and the very bottom was the bitterest, a detail that further cemented Xie Huaian's cover. Di Lu, Xie Huaian's contact, arrived, having been cautioned by Li Sangeng to thoroughly vet the newcomer. Li Sangeng mentioned a high-ranking general held captive within the alley, and a warning from Mr. Wang Pu to be vigilant against rescue attempts.
Di Lu, taking Li Sangeng's warning to heart, meticulously examined Xie Huaian's travel permit. He noted a three-day delay in arrival and demanded an explanation. Xie Huaian, calmly, rolled up his sleeve to reveal his self-inflicted wounds. He recounted a fabricated story: he had encountered a gravely wounded Liu Ziyan, who recognized him and attempted to force him to forge a pass.
A struggle ensued, and Xie Huaian, seizing an opportunity, stabbed Liu Ziyan multiple times, killing him, and then fainted from his own injuries, thus causing the delay. Di Lu was shocked to hear that Xie Huaian had killed Liu Ziyan, the Huben Army's top assassin.
Xie Huaian further elaborated on Liu Ziyan's weakened state and described the precise locations and nature of the stab wounds—one to the heart, followed by several more in the chest and abdomen, totaling about ten stabs, after Liu Ziyan had grabbed his knife. He directed Di Lu to the body, thirty li south of the city in a forest. Di Lu sent men to retrieve the body. A coroner's examination confirmed Xie Huaian's detailed account of the fatal injuries.
The coroner reported a total of eleven stab wounds, noting that some were skillfully inflicted by experienced fighters and strategically avoided vital organs, suggesting Liu Ziyan was already gravely injured when Xie Huaian encountered him. The nine fatal wounds, two in the chest and seven in the chest/abdomen, were consistent with being inflicted by someone not accustomed to weapons, showing varying depths and curled edges.
A defensive injury on Liu Ziyan's hand, from an attempt to grab the blade, further corroborated Xie Huaian's story of a desperate struggle and confirmed the wounds were not staged post-mortem, effectively dispelling Di Lu's suspicions. To apologize for his earlier distrust, Di Lu invited Xie Huaian to a mutton soup stall that evening, promising good wine and an introduction to a friend.
Li Sangeng joined them, still displaying a cautious demeanor, finding the story of encountering a wounded Liu Ziyan suspiciously coincidental. Di Lu, increasingly drunk, passionately spoke about his life in Huben. He reminisced about once knowing someone in Huainan, for whom he delivered messages, and how he was later tasked with killing this person when they were deemed a traitor. He admitted to liking the man but explained that in their world, personal feelings meant little; survival was paramount.
He reiterated that if he hadn't accepted the assassination order, he would have been the one to die. As the night wore on, Di Lu grew completely inebriated and insisted they continue drinking at his home. While Xie Huaian and Li Sangeng were escorting the stumbling Di Lu, Di Lu leaned on Xie Huaian. In doing so, he noticed the disguised wound on Xie Huaian's neck.
Sobering instantly, Di Lu recalled the internal Huben report of Liu Ziyan stabbing a high-value target in the right side of the neck. Recognizing the truth, Di Lu snarled that Xie Huaian had nearly fooled him and drew his dagger to attack. However, before he could act, Li Sangeng swiftly plunged his own knife into Di Lu, killing him. Xie Huaian looked at Li Sangeng, expressing his gratitude, "Good thing you're here tonight, Han Ziling."
