Young Blood Episode 21 Recap
> Young Blood Recap
Xifeng Yun received a gate pass and money from Wang Kuan, who, with Lu Guannian's support, encouraged him to sneak into Xia and live peacefully, secretly supported by Song, with the hope of revitalizing the Xifeng clan. Xifeng Yun insisted on taking Yunniang with him, a condition Wang Kuan agreed to. Once safely outside the city, where there were no soldiers or guards, Xifeng Yun fulfilled his promise.
He revealed that Section Seven of the Secret Repository was merely a scapegoat in the Chen Gong affair. The actual wheeled cannon drawing was in the possession of a high-ranking official within Song's imperial guards, and a face-to-face transaction with the Xia army's Wuzu Army was scheduled for the following day at the Mountain Temple in the western suburb. Xifeng Yun did not know the official's name but confirmed his personal presence was guaranteed.
He then provided the code words for the meeting: "Knock heavily three times and knock gently twice. Redeem a thirty-year vow. Burn incense and worship the god." As Xifeng Yun prepared to leave with Yunniang, Liu Sheng suddenly appeared and shot him dead, right in front of Wang Kuan. Wang Kuan, who had persuaded Xifeng Yun to cooperate with Song, asked "Why?" Liu Sheng stated he was merely following orders from the Secret Repository.
Enraged, Wang Kuan confronted Lu Guannian at the Secret Repository. He expressed his dismay over Xifeng Yun's death, emphasizing his broken promise and Xifeng Yun's hopes. Lu Guannian, however, coldly reminded Wang Kuan, "Once a secret agent, always a secret agent," and asserted that the Secret Repository "handles affairs for results, not for the friendship." He believed that if Xifeng Yun and Yunniang were alive, others (presumably Secret Repository agents) would die.
Lu Guannian then pivoted to the practical, asking Wang Kuan for details about Xifeng Yun's message, the traitor's identity, and his plans for action, as well as how the Secret Repository could cooperate. Meanwhile, at Wei Mansion, Wei Yanei questioned his father, Wei Zhuoran, in their carriage, using a quote from Sun Zi to imply that generals should not betray their nation. Later, during a banquet, Wei Yanei again pressed Wei Zhuoran, asking if their family was short of money.
Wei Zhuoran confirmed their financial difficulties, but dismissed it, saying money comes and goes. Wei Yanei then directly accused his father of planning to sell the cannon drawing to Xia and killing Chen Gong. Wei Zhuoran did not deny the accusations but told his son it was "none of your business" and that whatever he did was "for you."
Distraught, Wei Yanei drew a knife, vowing to kill his father and then himself to "wash away the humiliation," but he could not bring himself to do it. Wei Zhuoran then ordered his black-armored guards to seize Wei Yanei. However, Yuan Zhongxin and Xue Ying, who had been observing, intervened to protect Wei Yanei. Wei Zhuoran revealed he knew they were disguised as servants in his mansion, having allowed them to stay to observe their intentions.
He accused them of crimes, but offered to spare their lives "for my son's sake" if they would work for him. Yuan Zhongxin immediately agreed, claiming long-standing admiration and willingness to serve. Wei Zhuoran suggested a loyalty test: killing Lu Guannian. Yuan Zhongxin readily accepted, saying he had hated Lu Guannian for a long time. However, Yuan Zhongxin stalled by feigning religious devotion, which bought time for Zhao Jian to appear.
Zhao Jian arrived, revealing she had retrieved an account book detailing Wei Zhuoran's bribery. To demonstrate their "sincerity," she dramatically burned the book in front of him. Yuan Zhongxin then argued that without evidence, their accusations of treason against a high-ranking official like Wei Zhuoran would be dismissed, and they, as nobodies, would be punished. The true leverage, he explained, was Wei Yanei's suicidal loyalty.
Yuan Zhongxin proposed that Wei Zhuoran expel Section Seven from the city on false charges of homicide, then heavily guard the city gates to prevent their return. This would remove any perceived threat from them without harming his son or creating further scandal. Wei Zhuoran agreed.
As Yuan Zhongxin's group made their escape, Wei Yanei, fearing his father would still send pursuers, dramatically threatened to stab himself if any of Wei Zhuoran's men dared to follow them for ten minutes, giving Section Seven a crucial head start. Wei Zhuoran, unwilling to harm his son, ordered his guards to stand down. Outside the city, Zhao Jian acknowledged that while they hadn't "brought off" Wei Yanei, they confirmed Wei Zhuoran wouldn't hurt his son.
She also noted Wei Zhuoran was unaware Xifeng Yun had already revealed his plans. Their main advantage was knowing the location of the trade. Wang Kuan had already informed Lu Guannian that the trade would occur at the Mountain Temple. With Section Seven unable to return to the city, Zhao Jian decided they should head to the Mountain Temple themselves to assist.
Yuan Zhongxin questioned the necessity, but Zhao Jian, as the section chief, insisted, stating it was a matter of great importance and they couldn't neglect their responsibility. She reassured him that Lu Guannian would send troops, and they would merely be observing. Meanwhile, back in Kaifeng, Wei Zhuoran issued orders to his black-armored guards to block all four city gates the next day, under the guise of an imperial guard's investigation into a murderer.
He specifically instructed them to prevent any of Lu Guannian's men from leaving the city, declaring that his grand plan was nearing success and no one would be allowed to disrupt it. The next day, Yuan Zhongxin's group arrived at the Mountain Temple, noting three Xia army secret sentries outside. Yuan Zhongxin suggested using Xifeng Yun's code words to infiltrate, rather than risking exposure by directly eliminating the sentries.
Xiao Jing volunteered to pose as Yunniang, arguing that she was the safest choice since Xifeng Yun had likely kept Yunniang's identity highly confidential. Yuan Zhongxin agreed, instructing Xiao Jing to control the situation inside, as Lu Guannian's absence suggested something had gone wrong, and the deal must now be handled by Section Seven. Xiao Jing successfully used the code words to gain entry.
Although initially challenged by an agent who claimed to know the "real" Yunniang, Xiao Jing maintained her composure, and the agent admitted he had lied to test her. She then informed the agents that "Song troops are coming to catch you," which confused them, as they expected Wei Zhuoran for a deal. Amidst their debate, Xiao Jing secretly replaced the burning incense with a knockout drug, causing all the agents inside to collapse.
Yuan Zhongxin, Zhao Jian, and the others then entered, comforting a crying and visibly shaken Xiao Jing, praising her bravery and success. After Yuan Zhongxin discreetly hid the unconscious Xia agents, Zhao Jian briefed the team on their revised mission: they were to disguise themselves as the Xia agents, meet Wei Zhuoran, obtain the real wheeled cannon drawing, and then capture him to face justice.
Zhao Jian emphasized the extreme danger, highlighting the elite black-armored guards protecting Wei Zhuoran and their own status as wanted fugitives, which rendered all official channels useless. She stressed the importance of meticulous planning, maximizing their potential, and mutual trust, stating, "Because now we only have one another." As Wei Zhuoran and his troops arrived at the Mountain Temple for the transaction, Lu Guannian was noticeably absent.
Yuan Zhongxin's group suspected trouble on Lu Guannian's end and realized they were on their own. Their suspicions were confirmed in Kaifeng, where imperial guards had indeed stopped Lu Guannian from exiting the city. Fortunately, Wei Yanei unexpectedly appeared with an imperial guard's order, which allowed Lu Guannian to proceed. Back at the Mountain Temple, Wei Zhuoran hesitated to hand over the drawing, growing suspicious of the masked "Xia agents."
Yuan Zhongxin removed his mask, declaring the area surrounded and demanding Wei Zhuoran's surrender. Wei Zhuoran scoffed and unleashed his black-armored guards. Xue Ying swiftly engaged Wei Zhuoran, disarming him and seizing the drawing, which he handed to Yuan Zhongxin. The team attempted to escape through the back courtyard, but it too was heavily ambushed by black-armored guards. In the ensuing struggle, the drawing fell back into Wei Zhuoran's hands, and Yuan Zhongxin's group was captured.
Wei Zhuoran then delivered the drawing to his trusted Xia army contacts, allowing them to depart Kaifeng. Just as Wei Zhuoran's plan seemed to succeed, Lu Guannian arrived with his troops, surrounding the Mountain Temple and urging Wei Zhuoran to surrender. Although Ma Shan attempted to fight their way out, Wei Zhuoran ordered his men to lay down their weapons and surrendered. He then noticed the military order in Wei Yanei's hand, realizing his son had stolen it to allow Lu Guannian's forces to pass.
