Young Blood Episode 11 Recap
> Young Blood Recap
Ding Er approached Zhao Jian, thanking her for her past advice to always keep moving forward, which he confessed had pulled him out of a metaphorical struggle, relieving the immense pressure from his father. He offered to help her deal with her own father as a way to repay her. Wary, Zhao Jian asked if he had ever killed anyone. Ding Er responded that his father had sent him to the prison camp.
Zhao Jian dismissed his offer and told him to leave her alone, but Ding Er assured her he would keep their interactions a secret, though he still wondered about her relationship with Yuan Zhongxin. After the Preacher was knocked unconscious, Wei Yanei expressed concern to Yuan Zhongxin that the Preacher would suspect him upon waking, as they were the only two in the cellar. Yuan Zhongxin reassured him, suggesting Wei Yanei feign ignorance.
He then asked Wei Yanei to check the Preacher's pulse, confirming it was stable, as part of a plan to deflect suspicion from both of them. Zhao Jian later confirmed to Yuan Zhongxin that the body she had exhumed was indeed the Liao secret agent. She noted that he had new fractures in his bones, indicating he had been beaten to death.
Yuan Zhongxin questioned the pattern of recent deaths among new prisoners, observing that they were all Bian River boatmen imprisoned three months prior with Su Xingqiao. While he suspected a connection, he decided to defer a conclusion until they could question Su Xingqiao directly. Zhao Jian expressed concern about Ding Er, noting his dangerous nature and that he was no ordinary prisoner.
Yuan Zhongxin agreed to prioritize the immediate crisis in the camp and then have Lu Guannian investigate Ding Er's background. Ding Er confronted Yuan Zhongxin, openly expressing his interest in Zhao Jian. He offered Yuan Zhongxin anything he desired in exchange for her. Yuan Zhongxin firmly rejected the offer, stating he needed nothing and would never give Zhao Jian to him. Ding Er told Yuan Zhongxin to think about it, promising to ask again when they next met.
In the prison camp, the Preacher and Deputy Warden discussed being knocked unconscious the previous afternoon. The Deputy Warden planned to launch their rebellion the next day, concerned about increasing patrols by camp guards. The Preacher confirmed their plan: Su Xingqiao's group would act as a vanguard, fighting the imperial guards and clearing a path for the Preacher's group to rush out, using them as sacrifices.
Meanwhile, Su Xingqiao's group, including Zhao Jian, Wang Kuan, and Xue Ying, prepared to move. Xue Ying, still recovering from a poisonous insect bite, struggled but insisted he could walk. Yuan Zhongxin, having already incapacitated two guards at the cave entrance, assured them the path was clear. Inside the cave, Su Xingqiao confronted Yuan Zhongxin, Wang Kuan, and Zhao Jian, accusing them of being Liao agents.
She identified a unique fragrance from a sachet one of them carried, which she recognized from her encounters with Liao spies. Yuan Zhongxin quickly clarified their purpose: they were investigating Liao secret agents, not working for them. He revealed his knowledge of Su Xingqiao's past, explaining she was betrayed by the Liao agent Feng Zhu, whom she subsequently killed after he was imprisoned in the same camp.
Su Xingqiao then hid in the cave, using the "Mountain Ghost" legend to identify and eliminate other Liao agents seeking Feng Zhu's secret letter. Yuan Zhongxin further detailed how the Bian River boatmen, led by Su Xingqiao, profited from illicitly processing dried shrimps using "dirty things" to make them appear fresh, a secret trade in which Feng Zhu was involved. This network also allowed Feng Zhu to collect addresses of crossbow technicians.
To demonstrate his allegiance to Song and his intent to thwart the Liao agents' plans, Yuan Zhongxin burned the secret letter in front of Su Xingqiao. He also revealed that detaining Wei Yanei as a hostage was his suggestion, part of his larger strategy. Yuan Zhongxin then stated his intention to prevent the prisoners from escaping the camp the following day. The next morning, as Su Xingqiao's group emerged, the Preacher expected them to engage the imperial guards first.
However, Yuan Zhongxin led his companions in lighting signal fires to summon aid from the outer Song army, explaining to Zhao Jian that their true objective was to ask for help, not to escape. They attempted to explain their intentions to the bewildered imperial guards, but their words were disregarded, and fighting ensued. The Preacher's group, realizing they had been tricked, found their weapons were useless, a trick Yuan Zhongxin had played.
Facing a desperate fight, the Preacher declared it a battle for survival. Amidst the chaos, Ding Er appeared before Yuan Zhongxin and Zhao Jian, showcasing his impressive martial arts skills. He confirmed he had orchestrated the entire jailbreak as the head of the Xia secret agent network in Kaifeng, a mission given by his father to subtly destabilize Song from within by spreading discontent among the populace.
He elaborated on his father's strategy: slowly eroding Song's foundation over decades by making the poor lose hope in their own state and look towards Xia. Zhao Jian pointed out the inefficiency of this method due to slow information transport, but Ding Er acknowledged that it could become a potent threat if communication methods ever improved.
Inspired by Zhao Jian's past advice, Ding Er decided to abandon his current mission, return to Xia, and build his power there, promising to return for Zhao Jian later. Before his departure, he once again asked Yuan Zhongxin what price he would demand for Zhao Jian. Yuan Zhongxin unequivocally rejected the offer, declaring he would never give her up. Zhao Jian, overhearing Yuan Zhongxin's refusal, looked at him in surprise.
With a final display of his abilities, Ding Er escaped the prison camp. The Preacher, realizing the true nature of their predicament and that his co-conspirators were mere sacrifices for Ding Er's escape, killed the Deputy Warden and then took his own life. The prison camp incident was brought to a close, with all the escaped prisoners apprehended. Su Xingqiao and her group were credited for their contributions, leading to a reduction in their sentences.
Lu Guannian expressed surprise at the presence of both Liao and Xia secret agents within the camp. Zhao Jian reiterated her concern about Ding Er's long-term strategy of psychological subversion, contrasting it with the Privy Council's dismissal of it as trivial due to the slow pace of information exchange. She warned of the greater danger such methods could pose in an era of more convenient communication, a threat more complex than direct military conflict.
That night, Zhao Jian directly asked Yuan Zhongxin why he refused to give her to Ding Er. Yuan Zhongxin did not answer directly, feeling an inexplicable emotion, and even got lost on his way back to the dorm. Following the resolution, Lu Guannian individually interviewed the members of the Seven Chambers regarding their performance during the prison camp mission.
Xiao Jing praised Zhao Jian and Yuan Zhongxin as the top achievers, while naming herself and Wei Yanei as the least capable. Xue Ying also named Zhao Jian as the top achiever and Wei Yanei as the most inept. Conversely, Wei Yanei lauded Yuan Zhongxin but singled out Xue Ying as the most inept. Wang Kuan, however, refrained from naming anyone as the worst, asserting that each member possessed unique strengths.
Yuan Zhongxin ultimately gave the highest credit to Zhao Jian. Dissatisfied with the overall handling of the prison camp situation, the Privy Council demanded that one member of the Seven Chambers be removed. Lu Guannian informed the group that Wei Yanei and Xue Ying were tied for the lowest performance, tasking them with choosing who among them should leave the Secret Cabinet.
Wei Yanei, valuing camaraderie, refused to make the choice, but Xue Ying argued that Wei Yanei should be the one to leave due to his perceived detachment during the recent events. This sparked Wei Yanei's anger, and he moved to physically confront Xue Ying, but Yuan Zhongxin intervened, insisting that given their collective achievements, no member of the Seven Chambers should be dismissed.
To demonstrate the group's merit, Yuan Zhongxin led Lu Guannian and the Seven Chambers to a hidden Liao secret agent stronghold that Zhao Jian had already infiltrated. They successfully raided the location, capturing all the Liao agents. Yuan Zhongxin explained that he had long been aware of Su Xingqiao's indirect connection to the Liao network. Su Xingqiao, in her quest for vengeance, had killed a Liao agent and, through interrogating other agents, uncovered the location of this very stronghold.
She also possessed an additional secret document. Zhao Jian retrieved this crucial second document from Su Xingqiao. This successful operation served as sufficient merit for the Seven Chambers, allowing Wei Yanei to retain his position within the Secret Cabinet. However, he was required to relinquish his role as chief, which was then passed to Zhao Jian.
As Wei Yanei prepared to return home, Lu Guannian advised him on the paramount importance of secrecy within the Secret Cabinet, emphasizing that those who operate in the shadows must be adept at concealing their identities and that, in such a world, complete trust even among allies is a luxury.
Back at the Grand Marshal's Residence, Wei Yanei's father, Wei Zhuoran, expressed profound disappointment in his son, lamenting his perceived lack of ability and tendency to cause trouble, believing Wei Yanei would eventually squander the family fortune. Stung by his father's words, Wei Yanei secretly vowed to achieve something significant to earn his father's respect. That night, Wang Kuan approached Xue Ying, who was feigning sleep, and offered words of comfort.
Wang Kuan understood that Lu Guannian's intention was to teach them the importance of suspicion and survival in a treacherous environment. Yuan Zhongxin admitted that trust was a complex matter. Wang Kuan observed the growing understanding and seamless teamwork between Yuan Zhongxin and Zhao Jian, noting how different it was from before. Yuan Zhongxin, visibly flustered, quickly denied Wang Kuan's observation. The following day, Wei Yanei returned to the Secret Cabinet.
Xue Ying intercepted him, offering to be his emotional punching bag to vent his frustrations. Wei Yanei demanded to know why Xue Ying had wanted him to leave. Xue Ying explained that his own continued presence in the Secret Cabinet was a necessity. To reveal his reason, Xue Ying took Wei Yanei to a noodle shop, where he introduced the elderly shopkeeper as his birth parent.
