The Wind Blows From Longxi Episode 6 Recap
> The Wind Blows From Longxi Recap
Xun Xu reported to Li Miao, the newly appointed Chief Clerk of Siwencao Intelligence, who warmly welcomed him and suggested he be promoted to Commandant of Jingan Division. After dismissing his attendant, Li Miao urged Xun Xu to speak freely about his mission in Tianshui for the benefit of the Shu State, promising his full support. Xun Xu revealed that Siwencao Intelligence had been infiltrated by Wei spies.
When asked if he had informed Clerk Feng, Xun Xu remained silent because he harbored doubts about Clerk Feng. Li Miao acknowledged that withholding information from Clerk Feng was inappropriate but pledged to keep Xun Xu's secret, an action that made Xun Xu feel deeply embarrassed. Xun Xu elaborated that Gu Zheng, who was Baidi's exclusive intelligence handler, had also received a secret order from Siwencao to transmit information via arrows to a spy codenamed Chidi.
However, Xun Xu believed Chidi was a fabricated identity, a ruse by a Wei spy, codenamed Zhulong, who was exploiting Shu's intelligence network to transmit military secrets to Cao Wei. Li Miao confirmed the code name "Zhulong" and officially authorized Xun Xu to secretly investigate possible Wei spies within Siwencao Intelligence, instructing him to report directly to him and to keep the matter confidential. Xun Xu accepted the assignment.
Meanwhile, at Yangping Pass on the border of the Shu State, Chen Gong and Mi Chong approached a checkpoint. As the Shu soldiers ordered them to dismount for inspection, Chen Gong suddenly shouted "Recorder Chen," attracting the guards' attention, and tossed a half-jade ring, a symbol of Baidi's identity, to Mi Chong. Chen Gong then spurred his horse and fled, leaving Mi Chong to face the Shu soldiers alone.
Mi Chong, smiling bitterly, realized Guo Gang's misjudgment had led to this predicament and knew he could not be captured alive. He drew his sword and fought valiantly for a few steps before being cut down by the soldiers. The soldiers pursued Chen Gong, believing him to be the fleeing Wei spy, to a cliff. Although they declared it a dead end and searched the valley, Chen Gong clung precariously to the cliff face, successfully evading capture.
With Mi Chong's death and Chen Gong's escape, the identity of Baidi was now officially "dead," allowing Chen Gong to shed his old persona and achieve a "golden cicada shedding its shell" transformation. Back at Siwencao, during a morning meeting, Xun Xu reported on his Tianshui mission, detailing the discovery of Gu Zheng's secret activities, his subsequent death, and the ambush that led to Captain Jin's demise.
Clerk Feng, aiming to swiftly close the Jieting intelligence case and prevent Li Yan's faction from exploiting the Northern Expedition's failure, praised Xun Xu's decisive actions and proposed closing the case, stating the facts were clear. Li Miao agreed with Feng Ying's positive assessment of Xun Xu and his promotion to Commandant of Jingan Division. However, to thwart Feng Ying's objective, Li Miao then revealed that after further discussion with Xun Xu, several doubtful points remained.
He brought up the issue of Gu Zheng's other secret mission, surprising Feng Ying, who then asked Xun Xu to explain. Xun Xu confirmed that Siwencao had never dispatched a spy named Chidi, nor had Feng Ying ever directly managed such an agent. Xun Xu then reiterated his theory that a Wei spy, Zhulong, was indeed operating within Siwencao and had fabricated the Chidi identity, exploiting Gu Zheng's intelligence line.
Yin Ji commented that Gu Zheng's actions were inappropriate, but lamented that his death prevented further investigation. Li Miao then suggested that the Jieting intelligence case remain open and be merged with the Zhulong Wei spy case for a thorough investigation. Feng Ying disagreed, arguing they were separate matters.
He proposed closing the Jieting case while assigning a dedicated team, led by himself and Li Miao and including Xun Xu, Yin Ji, and Gao Tangbing, to investigate Zhulong and the Cao Wei "Qingping Plan." Li Miao agreed to report this to General Li Yan. After the meeting, Li Miao intercepted Xun Xu, apologizing for revealing his confidential report during the session.
He explained that Feng Ying's insistence on closing the case had left him no alternative, but acknowledged that his action had greatly embarrassed Xun Xu. Li Miao reassured Xun Xu not to worry as long as he had spoken the truth, emphasizing the heavy responsibilities of the Jingan Division. Later, Sun Ling, Clerk Feng's brother-in-law, complained to Feng Ying that Xun Xu had been "uncool" by reporting sensitive intelligence to the new leader, Li Miao, without informing Feng Ying first.
Feng Ying, however, acknowledged that Xun Xu's actions were within the rules. Sun Ling then noted that General Li Yan had repeatedly invited Feng Ying to his mansion, suggesting that with Yang Yi now preoccupied with his own troubles, it was time to align with Li Yan's faction.
Feng Ying, though exasperated by Sun Ling's narrow perspective, implicitly agreed that it would be beneficial for Sun Ling to cultivate relations with Li Miao's faction (referred to as the "West Bureau"), noting that Sun Ling could also help him observe Li Miao's side. Pei Xu, a Jingan Division officer, and his colleagues celebrated Xun Xu's return and promotion. Xun Xu, however, was preoccupied with Baidi's case.
He was shocked to learn from Pei Xu that Baidi's identity had been declassified, and everyone now knew he was Recorder Chen Gong of Tianshui of Cao Wei. Annoyed that this vital information was withheld at the morning meeting, Xun Xu took Pei Xu aside. He revealed that Baidi was alive and well, having faked his death, using Mi Chong's identity to infiltrate the Wuxian Sect and pursue Zhulong. If successful, news of Baidi's "death" would soon reach Siwencao.
Xun Xu theorized that if Baidi was not compromised, the intelligence leak must have originated within Siwencao, specifically from someone with access to the cipher plates. He recounted the perilous journey of the military messenger who delivered Zhang He's operational plan to Yang Yi at the cost of his life, and how Sun Ling was then summoned to decipher it.
Xun Xu dismissed Feng Ying as a suspect, reasoning that as a founder of Siwencao, he wouldn't be so clumsy as to expose himself. He concluded that the most likely suspect for Zhulong was Sun Ling, who was close to Feng Ying, privy to intelligence, and crucially, was the custodian of Baidi's cipher plates, giving him ample opportunity to tamper with information.
Pei Xu noted the intense power struggle and political upheaval in Siwencao, with Yang Yi stepping down and General Li Yan taking over. Xun Xu admitted to feeling vulnerable and constantly watched since his return. Feng Ying then summoned Xun Xu to meet Commandant Qiao Jun of the Military Technology Department.
Feng Ying tasked Xun Xu with explaining Cao Wei's Qingping Plan, which aimed to steal Shu's crossbow technology, specifically the Shudu and Yuanrong types, with the assistance of the Wuxian Sect. During their discussion, an urgent report arrived from General Ma Dai, confirming the entry of Chen Gong and Mi Chong, stating that two Wei spies had infiltrated, one dead and one at large. Feng Ying instructed Xun Xu to investigate further.
Xun Xu, sensing he was being monitored, suggested he and Qiao Jun discuss the matter in a private meeting room to avoid disturbing Feng Ying. As they left, Xun Xu sharply glanced back at the empty courtyard, confirming his suspicion of being watched. Xun Xu and Qiao Jun further discussed the Qingping Plan.
Qiao Jun explained that the Shudu crossbow was a heavy weapon requiring a team to move and operate, while the Yuanrong was a light, single-soldier weapon, though both were strictly managed with serial numbers. Xun Xu concluded that stealing the design drawings was the most feasible method for the Wei spies, noting copies were kept at the Prime Minister's Mansion in Chengdu and at the Military Technology Department's headquarters on Mount Dingjun.
Qiao Jun described Mount Dingjun's defenses: a single, zigzag path guarded by three checkpoints with strict identity verification. Xun Xu suggested changing the patrol password daily to prevent infiltration, a suggestion Qiao Jun lauded and promised to relay to General Zhang Yi. Following this, Feng Ying met privately with Xun Xu.
Feng Ying, understanding Xun Xu's straightforward nature, addressed the apparent mistrust and the fact that Xun Xu had not initially disclosed Gu Zheng's existence due to his lingering doubts about the Baidi case. Xun Xu, while denying any suspicion of Feng Ying, explained he felt compelled to present Gu Zheng's case at Li Miao's insistence, especially since Li Miao was now in charge of the Jingan Division.
Feng Ying acknowledged Xun Xu's integrity, admitting he had initially dispatched Xun Xu to Tianshui to offer Baidi a lifeline and avoid a hasty conclusion to the case, a decision that had placed him under immense pressure. He stressed the political ramifications if the Jieting case remained unresolved, explaining that Zhuge Liang's faction could no longer delay the case, and only by closing it could the pressure from the failed Northern Expedition be alleviated.
He insisted it had to be closed despite any remaining doubts. Xun Xu expressed his disagreement with closing a case prematurely, to which Feng Ying responded that he had anticipated Xun Xu's stance, hence the private meeting. On a remote road, Chen Gong, now disguised as a common villager, hitched a ride on a cart driven by Qin Ze, a mulberry sapling merchant from Mianzhu. Qin Ze, recognizing a pre-arranged signal, confirmed his affiliation with the Wuxian Sect.
As they approached a checkpoint in Xixiang Town (West Pass), Qin Ze smoothly bribed the guard, Mister Xu, with plum wine and vouched for Chen Gong as his new assistant. After passing the checkpoint, Chen Gong washed the mud from his face and, shedding his disguise, declared himself to be Mi Chong, the Tianshui Military Intelligence Commandant, demanding an immediate audience with Huang Yu, the Wuxian Sect priest.
Qin Ze assured him that Wuxian Sect members were waiting in Xixiang and would assist him in changing into appropriate attire. Concurrently, Yin Ji complained to Gao Tangbing about Xun Xu, characterizing him as a "troublemaker" whose actions at the meeting had further complicated matters for Zhuge Liang, who was facing impeachment by the Western Sichuan clans.
Gao Tangbing, who was close to Xun Xu and maintained a neutral stance, advised Yin Ji against getting entangled in such political squabbles and informed him that Feng Ying had invited both of them for drinks at Ziyan House that evening. Yin Ji readily accepted, observing that Feng Ying was likely beginning to consolidate his own political faction.
Meanwhile, Li Miao, the Western Chief Clerk, made an unexpected visit to Yin Ji's residence, causing Yin Ji to become visibly guarded and nervous. Li Miao declined any refreshments, stating he had come privately to share his thoughts.
