Young Blood Episode 3 Recap
> Young Blood Recap
Jing blindfolded Wang Kuan, and they prepared to leave Huanmen by cart. After realizing she had not tied the horse and almost lost it, Jing ensured Wang Kuan was properly blindfolded before they rode off. Meanwhile, Yuan Zhongxin and Zhao Jian arrived at Tao's Hotel, where they planned to stay. Inside their single room, Zhao Jian immediately demanded Yuan Zhongxin release her hand. Yuan Zhongxin, however, flippantly complimented her beauty, claiming a false pretense of lovers was becoming real.
Zhao Jian pressed for details on their mission, asking if the hotel was filled with his people. Yuan Zhongxin confirmed that all the staff were imperial guards, assuring her that no Liao secret agent would dare step inside. Zhao Jian, heavily armed with hidden crossbows, set strict rules: Yuan Zhongxin was forbidden from approaching her at night and had to sleep fully clothed. She warned that she might "accidentally" kill him in her sleep, claiming to know his past deeds.
Yuan Zhongxin retorted playfully, but acknowledged her deep distrust. The following morning, Yuan Zhongxin argued that Mr. Han, the Liao agent, would not fall for the obvious ambush at the hotel due to the excessive number of hidden imperial guards. He suggested reducing the visible ambushes and going out more frequently to lower Mr. Han's guard and give him a chance to approach.
Zhao Jian, however, confidently believed their precise deployment was undetectable by the Liao agents, but ultimately agreed to go out to lure the agent. At the same time, Xue Ying, a strong young man, apprehended Wei Yanei. Wei Yanei repeatedly questioned his captor and his location, but Xue Ying remained silent, only holding his knife, refusing to let Wei Yanei move.
Frustrated, Wei Yanei dared Xue Ying to kill him, then angrily threw an object after his fingertip was cut by the knife. Xue Ying remained impassive and still. Later, Jing gently escorted Wang Kuan into the same room, expressing surprise at Xue Ying's bleeding forehead. With their task complete, Jing and Xue Ying departed, leaving Wang Kuan and Wei Yanei behind. Once alone, Wei Yanei questioned Wang Kuan about his arrival, feeling unjustly treated compared to Wang Kuan's gentle escort.
He complained about Xue Ying hurting him. Wang Kuan dismissed his injury as merely broken skin and seemed unconcerned, which further angered Wei Yanei, who brought up the enmity between their fathers. Wang Kuan, however, claimed he didn't care about their fathers' feud. Wei Yanei then suggested they try to escape. Suddenly, an elder, Lu Guannian, emerged from behind a bookshelf. He revealed he knew Wei Yanei's father, Grand Commandant Wei Zhuoran.
Lu Guannian then challenged them to identify their location, promising their freedom if they succeeded. Wei Yanei, having been blindfolded, declared it impossible. Wang Kuan, however, had mentally tracked their journey, detailing the streets and landmarks they passed, correctly identifying their location as the Imperial Palace, specifically Chongwen Academy. He further impressed Lu Guannian by deducing the exact academy through the presence of rare and unique texts, like Zhang Sui's Dayan Calendar drafts and Sun Simiao's Medical Science Teachings.
Lu Guannian introduced himself as the temporary head of the Secret Repository. He explained that the Privy Council and Central Secretariat were establishing a unique college, named Secret Repository, to recruit exceptional young people from across the state. He elaborated on the rising threats from the Northern Liao and Xia, stating that the Secret Repository's mission was to covertly eliminate dangers and bring stability to the Song Dynasty.
Wang Kuan, deeply moved, agreed to join immediately, willingly sacrificing his future official career and his position at the Imperial College to serve the state. Wei Yanei, upon learning the academy was co-educational, excitedly decided to join as well. Lu Guannian confirmed that Jing, who escorted Wang Kuan, was a member, and also confirmed Zhao Jian's membership. Responding to Wang Kuan's inquiry, Lu Guannian explained that Yuan Zhongxin's potential enrollment remained controversial due to his private contacts.
Lu Guannian also advised Zhao Jian to listen to Yuan Zhongxin's words upon his return, neither believing him too much nor doubting him too much, and to base her plans on his. As they walked through the bustling streets, Zhao Jian reiterated the importance of staying together for security and instructed Yuan Zhongxin to invite any contact back to the hotel.
Yuan Zhongxin, however, found an opportunity to shake off Zhao Jian, then used a large character poster, writing "I'm here," to signal his presence. Mr. Han, the Liao secret agent, appeared, recognizing Yuan Zhongxin's deliberate act. Yuan Zhongxin led Mr. Han through Kaifeng, introducing various local delicacies and the city's vibrant culture, eventually guiding him to a more secluded area at Zhoubei Market. Here, Yuan Zhongxin revealed Zhao Jian's plan to capture Mr. Han at the hotel.
Mr. Han then offered to help Yuan Zhongxin save his brother, Yuan Boqi, if Yuan Zhongxin persuaded him to defect to Liao. Yuan Zhongxin refused this, instead proposing a different deal: he would not capture Mr. Han, but instead, for ten thousand guan, he would bring Zhao Jian to Mr. Han the next day for capture.
Yuan Zhongxin argued that Zhao Jian, a young woman who commanded imperial guards, must possess significant intelligence vital to Liao, and even suggested how he could avoid implication by providing scapegoats to the Song court. Despite Mr. Han's initial hesitation and concerns about the cost and potential trap, Yuan Zhongxin's persuasive arguments about mutually beneficial cooperation and his ability to save his brother and provide intelligence in the future swayed him. Mr. Han agreed to the deal.
Later, Yuan Zhongxin met with an old man, revealing that the full scheme involved a total of sixty thousand guan. He offered the old man a fifty-fifty split, but the old man, asserting his indispensability, demanded all sixty thousand guan for himself. Meanwhile, Zhao Jian reported back to Lu Guannian at the Secret Repository, informing him of Yuan Zhongxin's "escape" during their outing. She expressed concern that he might flee Kaifeng.
Lu Guannian, however, was unfazed, believing Yuan Zhongxin's obstinate nature meant he wouldn't truly run away yet. He wanted to observe Yuan Zhongxin's actions. Yuan Zhongxin returned to the hotel, bringing food for Zhao Jian. He claimed he had tried to leave Kaifeng but was stalked by someone he believed to be the Liao agent, forcing him to return for safety.
Zhao Jian, remembering Lu Guannian's advice to listen but not fully trust Yuan Zhongxin, agreed to accompany him again the next day to discern his true intentions. The following day, Yuan Zhongxin took Zhao Jian back to the Zhoubei Market, the agreed-upon meeting place with Mr. Han. As planned, Yuan Zhongxin drugged Zhao Jian, and Mr. Han appeared, confirming her unconscious state. Mr. Han then paid Yuan Zhongxin ten thousand guan and handed over a land deed.
Zhao Jian soon awoke, furious, and accused Yuan Zhongxin of betraying the Song Dynasty. Yuan Zhongxin, enraged by her accusation, attempted to stab her, but Mr. Han intervened, restraining him. Unbeknownst to them, Wang Kuan and Wei Yanei, accompanied by Xue Ying, were brought to Zhoubei Market. Jing informed Wang Kuan that Zhao Jian and Yuan Zhongxin's disappearance was to lure the enemy, and Lu Guannian had tasked their Seventh Chamber with finding them.
The Secret Repository academy was divided into ten chambers, and the five of them—Wang Kuan, Wei Yanei, Xue Ying, Jing, and Zhao Jian—were all members of the Seventh Chamber. Suddenly, Mr. Han received news that their market operations were sealed by imperial guards, and all his people were arrested. He immediately suspected Yuan Zhongxin of double-crossing him. Zhao Jian, seizing the moment, demanded Mr. Han kill Yuan Zhongxin, promising her full cooperation and intelligence in return.
Yuan Zhongxin, with a defiant shrug, suggested he could instead kill Mr. Han and reconcile with Zhao Jian. At that tense moment, a knocking sound was heard at the door, and when Mr. Han's subordinate opened it, he was shocked to find a puppet standing outside.
