Young Blood Episode 8 Recap
> Young Blood Recap
Yuan Zhongxin and Zhao Jian settled into their cell in the prison camp. Yuan, ever practical, sprinkled insecticide to rid their dark, damp quarters of bugs, a detail that surprised Zhao. He admitted his main goal was to locate Wang Kuan and the others, planning to leave once they were found, and expressed disinterest in the crossbow technicians' list. Zhao, however, declared her intention to find the list herself.
She then questioned Yuan about the inconsistencies in the warden's account of Wang Kuan's disappearance, suggesting either the prisoners or the warden were lying, and reiterated that in this place, no one could be trusted. Yuan, busy with the insecticide, seemed to ignore her questions. Their bickering escalated, with Yuan making a crude remark about their shared cell and Zhao calling him a scoundrel.
Their noisy argument attracted the attention of a guard, who sternly told them to stop their "internal conflicts." Later that night, Ding Er arrived at their cell and unlocked the door with a key, much to Yuan and Zhao’s suspicion. As they followed him through the eerily empty prison camp, they questioned the absence of guards and how a prisoner like Ding Er possessed keys.
Ding Er led them through the kitchen and into a hidden vegetable cellar, which turned out to be the entrance to a large underground cave. Inside, numerous prisoners were gathered. A prisoner, identified as the Preacher, addressed Yuan directly. He spoke passionately about their shared fate as criminals, marked by tattoos and trapped by the rigid social hierarchy of the Song Dynasty that perpetuated poverty and greed.
He challenged Yuan to consider whether he wanted his children to suffer the same humble life. Yuan affirmed his desire to change his fate. The Preacher explained that to join their cause and ultimately escape the prison camp under the leadership of a "great preacher," Yuan must pass a test: steal a guard's weapon. Yuan demonstrated his existing skills by revealing that he had already subtly taken Ding Er's cell key.
Impressed, the Preacher suggested that if Yuan succeeded in stealing a weapon, he might even be granted an audience with the Great Preacher himself. The next day, Yuan sought out the warden, proposing to "steal" some crossbows as a means to gain the prisoners' trust and get closer to the Preacher. Initially resistant, the warden conceded after Zhao Jian invoked Lu Guannian’s authority. Yuan then gave the arsenal key to the Preacher.
The sight of half an arsenal of crossbows greatly pleased the Preacher, who then decided to personally meet Yuan. The prisoners, having secretly dug through a cellar, respectfully brought forth their "Great Preacher." Yuan and Zhao were stunned to discover it was Wei Yanei. Junior Wei, equally surprised, recognized them and quickly dismissed all the other prisoners to speak with Zhao alone.
He recounted his ordeal: his identity had been exposed upon his arrival, and the other prisoners had conspiratorially kept him captive, elevating him to the position of "Great Preacher" purely to use him as a decoy and sacrifice during their planned escape. He desperately urged Yuan and Zhao to rescue him, adding that he had no idea of Wang Kuan's whereabouts, only knowing that he and the others had disappeared after entering the mine cave.
Meanwhile, Ding Er took Yuan aside, and the Preacher revealed the prisoners' scheme to use Junior Wei. He urged Yuan to be pragmatic about the situation. Yuan feigned astonishment, then clapped his hands in delight, seeing an opportunity to exploit Junior Wei's predicament for his own advantage. Ding Er was bewildered by Yuan’s reasoning but felt deeply sympathetic towards Zhao Jian. Later, back in their shared cell, Zhao recounted Junior Wei's story to Yuan.
She insisted on investigating the mine cave alone, but Yuan firmly opposed the idea. He argued that the prison break was imminent, and they should prioritize reporting to Lu Guannian at the Secret Cabinet and rescuing Junior Wei before investigating the cave. If they both ventured into the dangerous cave and got trapped, there would be no one left to resolve the larger mission. Yuan adamantly refused to let Zhao risk herself alone.
Zhao, sensing his concern, asked if he cared about her safety, but Yuan quickly denied it. Zhao then told him that she intended to remain unmarried for life and hoped he would not fall in love with her. The following morning, Yuan went to speak with the warden about the previous night's developments. Separately, Ding Er approached Zhao, expressing his pity for her situation. Perceiving Ding Er's underlying decency, Zhao encouraged him, calling him a good person despite his apparent despair about life outside the prison camp.
