The Wind Blows From Longxi Episode 7 Recap
> The Wind Blows From Longxi Recap
Li Miao visited Yin Ji, complimenting his humble room before getting straight to business. He stated that General Li Yan had not dispatched him to Siwencao to remain idle and asked about the General's true intentions. Yin Ji feigned ignorance, claiming his low position and simple nature prevented him from understanding complex state affairs.
Li Miao pressed on, explaining that while many officials feared the Prime Minister, General Li Yan dared to act, and taking control of Siwencao was just the first step in a larger plan. He acknowledged Feng Ying's tight grip on Siwencao, making it difficult to target Yang Yi without solid evidence. Li Miao then tried to sway Yin Ji, recognizing him as Feng Ying's confidant and suggesting they could achieve great things together.
When Yin Ji continued to deflect, minimizing his own role, Li Miao produced a ledger. It contained detailed records of Yin Ji's illicit activities: fabricating orders and using Siwencao's intelligence network to smuggle goods to the Wu and Wei states for profit. Li Miao pointed out the coincidence with the Jieting false intelligence case, where Gu Zheng's network provided secrets to Wei. A panicked Yin Ji admitted his greed but vehemently denied any act of treason.
Li Miao scoffed, asking if Yin Ji would offer the same defense to General Li Yan. As Yin Ji hesitated, holding a dagger, Li Miao observed his struggle and offered him a path to survival. Xun Xu met with Feng Ying, proposing to combine the Jieting and Zhulong cases. He still harbored doubts about Baidi's betrayal, suggesting Baidi's original intelligence was accurate but swapped by Zhulong at the Mount Qi base camp.
Such an act would require someone at the front lines with knowledge of military deployments and access to both the Jieting intelligence and Baidi's unique code-cracking plates. Feng Ying sarcastically remarked that he himself fit all those criteria. Xun Xu countered that if Feng Ying were a Wei spy, Baidi would have been exposed much earlier, subtly hinting at his suspicion of Sun Ling.
Feng Ying immediately dismissed this as "ridiculous," reminding Xun Xu of his own rule: "no evidence, no case," and asking for proof. He acknowledged Chen Gong was Xun Xu's brother-in-law, making his desire to vindicate him understandable, but firmly stated that past events were irreversible. Feng Ying emphasized the larger strategic objective: closing the Jieting case promptly, irrespective of the Zhulong investigation, to alleviate pressure from the Northern Expedition's failure.
He clarified that he wasn't protecting Sun Ling but warned that investigating him would ultimately be seen as an attack on Feng Ying himself. He advised Xun Xu to avoid getting entangled in political power struggles, to which Xun Xu replied that he would "think about" what was said. Feng Ying reiterated that Siwencao should serve the state, not be a tool for political agendas, and that Li Miao harbored ulterior motives, a point Xun Xu affirmed he understood.
Later, Xun Xu confided in Pei Xu about his conversation with Feng Ying. He felt Feng Ying had "shown his hand" by stating Siwencao shouldn't be a political tool, yet simultaneously using it to quickly close the case. Xun Xu confirmed that Feng Ying forbade him from investigating Sun Ling and explicitly warned about Li Miao's hidden agenda. Despite this, when Pei Xu asked if he would still pursue the investigation, Xun Xu resolutely stated, "Yes. I will."
As Xun Xu and Pei Xu exited Siwencao, Sun Ling observed them, then discretely followed them out. Having composed himself, Yin Ji joined Gao Tangbing in a private room at Ziyan House, where Feng Ying was hosting them. Feng Ying expressed his trust in them for attending during such a critical period and sought their views on the recent case analysis meeting.
Gao Tangbing believed Li Miao was trying to settle old scores, seeing his investigation into Zhulong as a pretext to undermine Feng Ying and seize power. Yin Ji affirmed his loyalty to Feng Ying. Feng Ying dismissed Gao Tangbing's suggestion that Li Miao's actions were merely due to an eagerness to prove himself, revealing the grave political situation in Chengdu.
He explained that the aftermath of the Prime Minister's Northern Expedition failure was worsening, and General Li Yan, backed by over a dozen eminent clans, was actively pushing for the Prime Minister's impeachment to strip him of military authority. Feng Ying stressed that with a decision on Li Yan's proposal imminent, they absolutely could not allow Li Miao to uncover anything that could discredit Siwencao.
He warned that if evidence emerged of a Wei mole within Siwencao causing the Jieting defeat, Chief Yang would face severe consequences, and the Prime Minister's position would become even more precarious. Gao Tangbing reassured Feng Ying of their loyalty, stating they were not politically motivated individuals. Meanwhile, at his mansion, Li Miao was seen venting his anger by shooting arrows at a straw figure labeled "Yang Yi." His servant then announced Xun Xu's arrival.
Xun Xu informed Li Miao that Baidi's Jieting intelligence had been swapped, a fact Baidi had personally revealed to him before his death. He admitted to only having circumstantial evidence that Gu Zheng's intelligence line was compromised. When Li Miao asked if Feng Ying could be Zhulong, Xun Xu dismissed the idea, stating that the ease with which Feng Ying fit the criteria made him an unlikely suspect. He then implicitly pointed to Sun Ling as the primary suspect.
Li Miao was pleased, acknowledging that Xun Xu had come to him because Feng Ying had forbidden further investigation. Li Miao declared Xun Xu was "right to come to him." Chen Gong, now using the alias Mi Chong, traveled to the Wuxian Sect's base camp. There, he formally presented the Wei Emperor's edict to Huang Yu, the sect leader, appointing him as General Who Pacifies the South and Vanguard Chief of the Hanzhong Region.
Following this, Chen Gong attended the sect's sacrificial ceremony. Among those leading the ritual dance, surrounded by followers, was the Saint Lady, who Chen Gong immediately recognized as his long-lost wife, Di Yue, though they maintained their pretense. Later, Huang Yu approached Di Yue, suggesting they bathe together. Di Yue rebuffed his advances, reminding him that they had not yet held their wedding ceremony and questioning his behavior so soon after accepting Wei's appointment.
Huang Yu realized she was upset about his new allegiance. Di Yue openly expressed her disappointment, stating she had joined the Wuxian Sect out of admiration for his "heroic feats and rare talent," and found it shameful that he had now become "someone's subordinate." Huang Yu praised her unique insight, claiming his men lacked such vision.
He explained that accepting Wei's appointment was merely a "makeshift plan," and his ultimate ambition was to revive their sect and eventually annex the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu. He proclaimed her a "precious godsend." Di Yue urged him to remember his promises, and Huang Yu assured her he would before telling her to rest. Chen Gong, meanwhile, feigned drunkenness and was escorted to an inner room, his mind racing with concern and longing for Di Yue.
Alone, Di Yue practiced her sword, her thoughts mirroring Chen Gong's as she envisioned him approaching, their unspoken yearning equally profound. Unknown to many, in her role as Saint Lady, she was also Huang Yu's fiancée. Gao Tangbing suggested that Xun Xu was not politically motivated but compelled to follow orders, believing Baidi might not have truly betrayed them and thus suspecting a Wei spy within Siwencao.
Yin Ji, however, suggested Xun Xu was simply being opportunistic, aligning himself with Li Miao's rising power. Feng Ying dismissed this notion, emphasizing that the Jieting case had to be concluded immediately. He relayed Chief Yang's warning about the impending Zhulong investigation and urged them to be vigilant against being framed. Feng Ying then asked Gao Tangbing to "keep an eye on" Xun Xu, considering his straightforward nature made him susceptible to manipulation.
Gao Tangbing expressed his discomfort with monitoring a friend, so Yin Ji eagerly volunteered, asserting that surveillance was his expertise. Separately, Xun Xu approached Li Miao, requesting help to obtain the code-cracking plates used for Baidi's intelligence, essential for the first step of his investigation. He explained that these plates were housed in a heavily guarded box, escorted by White-feather Warriors, and typically required special permission for access. Li Miao agreed to arrange it.
He then probed Xun Xu, questioning if Zhulong might have been unable to falsify intelligence due to time constraints, subtly suggesting Feng Ying could have tampered with the information during decryption. Xun Xu flatly rejected this, stating that such a possibility did not exist because once the plates and intelligence were combined, the content became unalterable. Xun Xu promised that upon acquiring the plates, he would immediately initiate a re-examination, a plan Li Miao agreed to.
Upon Feng Ying's return, Sun Ling urgently informed him that Xun Xu had gone to Li Miao's mansion. Sun Ling, convinced that Xun Xu's true aim was not to investigate Zhulong but to covertly work against Feng Ying, branded him as "sly." Feng Ying, however, brushed off Sun Ling's accusations, telling him to stop spying on Xun Xu and questioning if he was merely coveting Xun Xu's current position as Siwencao Commandant.
Sun Ling tried to press his point, suggesting Feng Ying needed to hear difficult truths. Later, on their way back, Xun Xu excused himself, claiming he had left something at the agency, and sent Pei Xu back ahead. He then entered Ziyan House, where he saw Liu Ying, a musician. She was being coerced by a manager into entertaining boisterous aides to General Ma Dai, who promised her future advantages.
Visibly distressed and unable to hold her liquor, Liu Ying was reluctant to comply but, due to her low status, had no choice. As their eyes met across the room, a silent understanding of their shared helplessness passed between Xun Xu and Liu Ying, recalling their previous encounter when he saved her.
Xun Xu found himself restless, his mind replaying the days after he rescued Liu Ying, for whom he felt a deep sense of gratitude, holding the bamboo flute, their token. Unbeknownst to him, Liu Ying was, in fact, a Wei spy. Through information from another hidden Wei agent, Liu Ying had learned that Chen Gong was Baidi. Her mission in Shu was to act as a liaison for Zhulong, to re-establish intelligence networks.
Meanwhile, at the Wuxian Sect, Huang Yu received the intelligence transmitted by Liu Ying. He learned that Zhulong's information confirmed the Shu spy Baidi was Chen Gong, the Recorder in Tianshui, who had adopted the name Chen Wei and entered Shu with a Mr. Mi, acting under Governor Guo Gang's orders. Huang Yu quickly deduced that if Chen Gong wasn't the one mistakenly killed by Shu forces at Yangping Pass, then he must be hiding within the Wuxian Sect itself.
He immediately ordered all sub-sects to evacuate the headquarters as a precaution. Furthermore, he instructed Qin Ze to thoroughly investigate the true identity of the man claiming to be "Mi Chong." Hidden nearby, Di Yue overheard every word of this critical discovery. Li Miao summoned Yin Ji to inquire about Baidi's code-cracking plates. Yin Ji explained that crucial Siwencao intelligence was encoded, with both the department and its spies possessing plates to ensure accuracy.
He demonstrated the plate mechanism: intelligence was written in designated blank spaces, surrounded by irrelevant characters, making the true message indiscernible without the correct plate. Yin Ji confirmed that Baidi's Jieting intelligence utilized such plates, noting that Baidi's unique plates were high-level, containing special security "tricks," and were historically heavily guarded, with only Feng Ying holding the key. However, since Baidi's betrayal had been officially confirmed, the plates' security mechanisms were now disclosed, making them more accessible.
Yin Ji informed Li Miao that the plates were in the warehouse and could be viewed with simpler procedures. Taking advantage of Feng Ying's absence, Li Miao decided to proceed to the warehouse with Yin Ji. Inside the warehouse, Yin Ji further detailed the plates' intricate design. He explained that before decoding and archiving, the codes remained secret.
Baidi's specialized plates operated based on designated "heavenly stems and earthly branches," which dynamically altered the plates' sequence and the revealing holes, effectively preventing any spy from duplicating them and stealing information. Yin Ji demonstrated with an intelligence document, whose key was "Heaven, Man, North." Li Miao noticed this was not the Jieting intelligence. Yin Ji clarified that the Jieting intelligence was archived in the Document Chamber and required Sun Ling's approval for access.
Li Miao then asked if Xun Xu could take the plates out for study. Yin Ji stated this was against regulations but suggested it could be authorized under the "Zhulong special investigation team's" name, with Li Miao's personal signature, to which Li Miao agreed. Meanwhile, Ma Sheng, a Siwencao official, complained to his new colleague Liao Hui about the overwhelming workload, which now included investigating Zhulong, the Wuxian Sect, and Wei spies.
Liao Hui light-heartedly suggested he complain to Xun Xu. Ma Sheng then expressed his urgent need for a leave of absence; his father-in-law had suffered a stroke, and his wife was sick with worry. Liao Hui reminded him that Xun Xu was scheduled to depart for Yangping Pass and urged him to get his leave approved quickly. Ma Sheng mentioned that Li Miao had told him Xun Xu would be returning to the agency soon.
At his desk, Xun Xu was organizing bamboo slips, taking out a bamboo flute from a fine cylinder, contemplating it with a mix of smiles and sighs. A subordinate then approached, informing him that Li Miao wished to see him for a meeting.
