Legend of Zang Hai Recap, Plot, Synopsis, Total Episodes

Legend of Zang Hai Synopsis

Overnight, the family of Zhi Nu, the son of Kua Duo, Chief of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory of the Great Yong Kingdom, was annihilated. He tempered his edges, acquired skills in construction and strategic mastery. Ten years later, under the alias Zang Hai, he returned to the capital and sought reconciliation with his enemy, the Marquis of Pingjin. In order to gain the Marquis's trust, he resolved various challenges, such as the joint burial of the emperor and empress.

Subsequently, Zang Hai gradually entered officialdom, eventually becoming the new Chief of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. Through careful planning, he brought the Marquis of Pingjin and the accomplices of the past crime to justice. Prime Minister Shi Huaishan sought to initiate a war and eliminate neighboring countries like Dongxia. In order to protect the country and its people from the turmoil of war, Zang Hai, along with Zhuang Zhihang, Xiang Wen Yan Yue, and others, thwarted Shi Huaishan's plans, resolving the conflicts between Great Yong and other nations.

Legend of Zang Hai Recap

Episode 1 Recap

In the sixth year of Zhenshun, two hundred thousand troops of Great Yong launched an expedition against Dongxia. The Dongxia army was utterly defeated and had no choice but to surrender to Great Yong. Great Yong stationed troops at the Dongxia border and began renovating the Fengshan Altar on Mount Dansui to assert dominance over the world. In the blink of an eye, it was the ninth year of Zhenshun.

Snow was falling heavily from the sky, and the cold was bone-chilling. Workers braved the freezing weather to work overtime repairing the Fengshan Altar. General Kuai Duo personally oversaw the work on Mount Dansui. Just as the project was nearing completion, an accident occurred — Kuai Duo descended from a ladder into an unfathomable pit. It turned out that the workers had been working together to chisel open a large stone, only to discover a vast mine inside.

They were inexplicably overcome by fumes and lost consciousness. Kuai Duo and his men descended to the bottom of the mine via ropes and discovered an enormous labyrinth. At the very center was a sparkling treasure. Just as Kuai Duo moved closer to examine it, a horde of zombie-like people suddenly surrounded them. The young Zhinu was clever, brave, and meticulous. He had learned exceptional construction techniques from his father Kuai Duo since childhood.

Without his parents' knowledge, he had even built a secret passage from underground to the kitchen. The Marquis of Pingjin, Zhuang Luyin, personally led an army to campaign against Dongxia and secured a decisive victory. He returned triumphantly with the soldiers of Great Yong, and the entire city turned out to welcome them.

Zhinu emerged from the secret passage to greet his father Kuai Duo, who had accompanied the army on the campaign, but Kuai Duo was nowhere to be seen. Zhinu climbed into a carriage where the Princess of Dongxia was seated. He quickly got down to leave, but the princess believed Zhinu had deliberately bumped into her. She swung her whip and chased him, injuring his back.

Zhinu picked up a stone to fight back, and the princess struck the stone with her whip, causing it to hit the horse’s head. Startled, the horse neighed and bolted, crashing into the carriage carrying Zhuang Luyin’s son, flipping it over. He fell off the horse, and the scene descended into chaos. Zhinu's companions, Guanfeng and Gousheng, arrived just in time to rescue him. They were Kuai Duo’s disciples and helped Zhinu dress the wounds inflicted by the horsewhip.

Zhuang Luyin’s son stumbled upon them by accident. Zhinu asked him about Kuai Duo’s whereabouts, but he insisted Kuai Duo had died in the collapse during the renovation of the Fengshan Altar. Zhinu didn’t believe him, but the man spoke with conviction. Zhinu clearly remembered that on the night before departure, Kuai Duo had instructed him to take good care of his younger sister, Yuenü. Zhinu had even shown his father the secret underground passage he had built.

His father was full of praise. The next morning, Yuenü heard groaning sounds from the passage and immediately told their mother. Their mother discovered Zhuang Luyin’s son was imprisoned inside. Furious, she harshly scolded Zhinu and ordered all the secret passages to be sealed. She also punished Guanfeng and Gousheng. Zhinu wanted his father Kuai Duo to return and see the passage he had built, but his mother slapped him hard.

Holding back tears, Zhinu sealed the passage and also scolded Yuenü. That night, Zhinu couldn’t sleep. He sat dazed in the courtyard. Suddenly, Kuai Duo returned home. Zhinu was overwhelmed with joy and clung tightly to his father. Upon hearing the news, his mother came out. When she saw Kuai Duo alive, her eyes welled with tears of joy. Kuai Duo told his wife to quickly pack, wake up Yuenü and Guanfeng, and leave the capital that very night.

Zhinu woke Gousheng, Guanfeng, and the others. Kuai Duo had no time to explain and needed to take them away immediately. Unexpectedly, their home had long been surrounded. His mother told Zhinu to take Yuenü to the backyard to hide while she went to find Kuai Duo. Zhinu hid Yuenü in the backyard stable and unsealed the blocked secret passage.

Zhuang Luyin personally led men to capture Kuai Duo, forcing him to hand over the treasure he had taken from the passage at the construction site. Kuai Duo refused to comply. At Zhuang Luyin’s order, the soldiers executed Kuai Duo’s disciples one by one. Still, Kuai Duo firmly refused to give in. An assassin discovered Yuenü’s hiding place and brought her before Zhuang Luyin. Zhuang Luyin threatened Kuai Duo with Yuenü’s life. Enraged, Kuai Duo shouted in fury.

After great effort, Zhinu managed to unseal the passage and reached the kitchen through it. Peering through the cracks between bricks, he saw Zhuang Luyin committing a massacre in the courtyard. Mistaking Guanfeng for Kuai Duo’s son, Zhuang Luyin ordered him killed, and he also murdered Yuenü. Zhuang Luyin wanted to take Kuai Duo’s wife and torture her to death bit by bit. She grabbed a dagger and stabbed one of the assassins but was brutally killed.

Kuai Duo witnessed the murder of his wife and daughter with his own eyes, his face contorted with rage. He admitted to hiding the treasure obtained from Dongxia and swore he would never let Zhuang Luyin have it, even in death. He seized a gun from the assassin and shot himself. Before dying, he hinted at Zhinu to live on. Zhinu was devastated — all his loved ones were killed, and overnight, he became an orphan.

Zhuang Luyin ordered a search of Kuai Duo’s body. A collar was found on him. As dawn approached, Zhuang Luyin left with his trusted men and instructed his steward to clean up the scene. The steward ordered all valuables from Kuai Duo’s home to be taken, then set the house on fire. He also burned all of Kuai Duo’s disciples alive. Zhinu witnessed everything. His hatred for Zhuang Luyin ran deep. He passed out from the smoke while hiding in the passage, but fortunately, someone arrived in time to rescue him.

Episode 2 Recap

When Zhinu groggily woke up, he found himself lying on a small boat. He had been rescued by a masked man who claimed to be an old acquaintance of Kuai Duo. Zhinu had witnessed with his own eyes the murder of his parents and younger sister, Yue Nu. Overnight, he had become an orphan, and he couldn’t help but cry bitterly. The masked man brought Zhinu ashore and introduced himself.

After surviving a deadly situation, Kuai Duo had written to him, asking him to help the whole family escape the capital. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, it was too late. Kuai Duo’s home had been burned, and his disciples and family members had been killed. The masked man had only managed to rescue Zhinu. Zhinu knelt down to thank him and swore to personally kill Zhuang Luyin to avenge his loved ones.

After hearing the full story, the masked man agreed to help Zhinu. However, Zhuang Luyin held a high position of power. If Zhinu wanted revenge, he would have to lie low for at least ten years to hone his skills. The masked man devised a plan for vengeance and sent him to Master Xing Dou. Zhinu vowed to kill Zhuang Luyin himself to avenge his family.

Master Xing Dou believed that Zhinu wasn't suited for martial arts, but Zhinu was unconvinced and questioned him directly. This angered Master Xing Dou, who ordered his disciple Lucun to take Zhinu away. Master Xing Dou performed a facial surgery on Zhinu. When Zhinu woke up again, his face was wrapped in bandages, and he found himself trapped in a mortise-and-tenon wooden cage.

From his master Gao Ming, Zhinu learned that Master Xing Dou had altered his appearance to prevent enemies from recognizing him in the future. The whip scars on Zhinu’s back were too deep to be completely erased, so the master could only make them less visible. Master Xing Dou told Zhinu that he must find a way out of the wooden cage or he wouldn't be allowed to eat.

Zhinu was skilled in this craft, but despite using all his abilities, he couldn’t unlock the cage. Starving, he was encouraged by Master Xing Dou to keep trying. Remembering the mechanism techniques his father Kuai Duo had taught him, Zhinu quickly solved the wooden cage’s mechanism. Exhausted and starving, he nearly fainted, but Gao Ming arrived in time to catch him. Master Xing Dou then devised a comprehensive training plan for him.

After the facial surgery, Zhinu's appearance had drastically changed. Master Xing Dou was extremely strict with him and would severely punish even the smallest mistake. Meanwhile, Zhuang Luyin traveled with his son, using both kindness and force on local officials, who became completely loyal to him. In a flash, ten years passed. Under the guidance of Master Xing Dou and Gao Ming, Zhinu had mastered exceptional skills. The pavilions and towers he carved were vividly lifelike.

One day, Zhinu received a message delivered by carrier pigeon and immediately handed it to Master Xing Dou. His new master, Liu Chu, was arriving. Master Xing Dou suddenly became anxious and went into seclusion with Gao Ming for a day, asking Zhinu to welcome the new master. Gao Ming reminded Zhinu to go into town and buy a good jug of wine to welcome her.

When Zhinu returned with the wine, the new master Liu Chu had already been waiting for some time. Only then did Zhinu learn that the new master was a beautiful woman. Liu Chu claimed she had come to teach Zhinu about the matters between men and women. Her first lesson was to teach him how to reject women. Liu Chu tried all sorts of ways to seduce Zhinu, but he remained focused on revenge and pushed her aside.

Liu Chu reminded him to be wary of genuine affection. Like Zhinu, she had become an orphan at a young age. She vividly remembered the moments of familial joy with her parents but could no longer recall their faces. Zhinu could relate deeply—he too could never forget the happy times with his family. Liu Chu used genuine emotion to test Zhinu, and he indeed fell for it.

She then reminded him to seal off his emotions and hide his true heart, or his quest for revenge would be in vain. Zhinu swore he would manage it. Liu Chu told him he had only passed halfway and must be cautious at all times going forward. Zhinu brought the wine to Gao Ming and asked for advice on how to suppress emotions. Gao Ming gave him some guidance and told him to learn from the steadfast Master Xing Dou.

The masked man unexpectedly appeared again and brought a Luban Lock, which Zhinu quickly solved. He gave Zhinu a birthday gift—a portrait of Zhuang Luyin—and shared detailed information about him. Zhuang Luyin wore a golden silk soft armor under his clothes and had three highly skilled personal guards: Qu Jiao, Chu Huaiming, and Yang Zhen. Qu Jiao was Zhuang Luyin’s assassin. Chu Huaiming had once served under Kuai Duo but betrayed him and defected to Zhuang Luyin.

Yang Zhen was Zhuang Luyin’s military strategist. The masked man told Zhinu to find a way to infiltrate Zhuang Luyin’s residence and handed him the full roster of household members. However, Master Xing Dou felt the time was not yet right and that Zhinu shouldn’t enter the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence just yet.

The masked man revealed that the Empress Dowager had just passed away, throwing the court into chaos, making this the perfect time for Zhinu to enter the capital. Gao Ming also believed the moment had come and said he would accompany Zhinu to the capital the next day. The masked man gave Zhinu a new identity—he would now be called Zang Hai. Zang Hai went to look for Gao Ming early in the morning, but Gao Ming had already departed. Master Xing Dou gave Zang Hai repeated instructions and warnings, and Zang Hai set off on his path of revenge.

Episode 3 Recap

After completing his studies, Zhinu went to the capital to seek revenge and changed his name to Zang Hai. Gao Ming arrived early in the capital to wait for him. Master Xing Dou escorted Zang Hai to the foot of the mountain. Curious, Zang Hai asked why Master Xing Dou and his masked master had saved him and taught him civil engineering.

Master Xing Dou casually admitted that they both existed for Zang Hai’s sake and told him to go to the capital and ask Gao Ming for the details. Master Xing Dou instructed Zang Hai to head to the Zhen Lou upon arrival, where someone would receive him. Zang Hai bid farewell to Master Xing Dou and embarked on his journey of revenge.

Master Xing Dou then ordered his disciples to burn down the place where Zang Hai had studied for the past ten years. Enduring the elements along the way, Zang Hai traveled day and night until he reached the capital. He headed directly to Zhen Lou, the most renowned brothel in the capital, bustling with guests and lively music. As soon as Zang Hai entered, he sat in the most prominent seat—Suzaku Head—and asked the attendant to light a lamp.

The performers soon brought him a golden, gleaming lamp and clearly stated that the Suzaku Head was reserved for the most honored guests. If Zang Hai insisted on lighting the lamp, he would have to rent the entire Wangyue Pavilion, tip all the performers, and cover the tea and wine expenses of all the guests. The last person to light the lamp had been Prince Yongrong.

Being new to the place and unaware of the rules, Zang Hai got up to leave but was stopped by the performer. He took out his only seven taels of silver, and the performer led him to the general seating downstairs. Downstairs, the shadow play of Eighth Young Master was being performed. The performer explained the play to Zang Hai, who immediately recognized that the dragon and phoenix in the play represented the deceased Empress Dowager and the current Emperor.

The performer explained that the toad in the play symbolized the noisy civil officials, the rooster represented the Prince of Linzi, and the white tiger stood for the Marquis of Pingjin. The court was divided into two factions: one led by the Prince of Linzi and the civil officials, who wanted to move the Emperor’s biological mother, Noble Consort Li, out of the imperial tomb and have her buried with the late Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

The Emperor, unable to withstand their pestering, had gone into hiding. The other faction, led by the Marquis of Pingjin, advocated maintaining the status quo. The Emperor assigned the Ministry of Works to handle the Empress Dowager’s burial. The Vice Minister of Works was Zhuang Zhixing, son of Zhuang Luyin of the Marquis of Pingjin, who was seeking feng shui masters across the land. Zang Hai accidentally noticed several suspicious individuals and suspected they were targeting Eighth Young Master.

He advised the performer to leave quickly to avoid getting into trouble. The performer immediately recognized them as secret agents under Eunuch Cao of the Imperial Surveillance Bureau. Eunuch Cao was the head of all eunuchs in the empire, and his agents were present everywhere from government offices to inns and taverns. Though Zhen Lou bore a plaque personally inscribed by the Emperor, which should have deterred the agents from acting rashly, Zang Hai sensed that something was different today.

He believed that the Eighth Young Master’s satire of the current political situation through the play could bring about his doom. The performer begged Zang Hai to help save Eighth Young Master, but Zang Hai didn’t want to get involved and got up to leave. The performer then publicly declared that Zang Hai was Eighth Young Master, causing an uproar. The agents sprang out to kill Zang Hai, who fled in panic. The performer followed and guided him.

Zang Hai ran into a small alley, where Gao Ming arrived just in time to rescue him, pretending that Zang Hai was a drunken young noble. The agents had no choice but to leave in frustration. Gao Ming took Zang Hai to an inn, where Zang Hai recounted everything the performer had told him.

Gao Ming incisively pointed out that the key to the burial of the Empress Dowager lay with the Emperor, and that no matter what Zhuang Luyin did, he would be in the wrong. Outside, the city was in chaos—Zhuang Luyin had ordered a citywide arrest of feng shui masters, sparing no one, not even coffin shop owners or butchers. Gao Ming and Zang Hai watched through a crack in the door.

Qu Jiao led people to arrest Master Fan of the coffin shop and his son. Zang Hai stepped forward and claimed he was the feng shui master, begging Qu Jiao to release Master Fan’s son. Qu Jiao arrested both Zang Hai and Master Fan. Master Fan was deeply grateful to Zang Hai. Zang Hai and the others arrested were taken to the Marquis of Pingjin’s mansion and locked in an underground chamber.

When someone tried to escape and accidentally triggered a mechanism, he was killed on the spot. Zang Hai warned everyone not to act rashly or touch anything. Zang Hai discovered that the chamber was built according to the positions of the Nine Stars. He quickly found the secret exit and instructed everyone to stand on the trigger points accordingly. Zhuang Luyin treated lives as expendable and slaughtered at the slightest displeasure.

To silence the Emperor and the officials, he had put up a façade, ordering Chu Huaiming and Qu Jiao to gather more than eighty feng shui masters from all over and locked them all in the passage. Zang Hai led Master Fan and the others step by step through the passage. The traps were complex, incorporating even tomb corridors from the previous dynasty. Zang Hai solved them all one by one, and with full cooperation from Master Fan and the others, they successfully evaded one deadly trap after another.

Episode 4 Recap

Zhuang Luyin sent people to arrest all the feng shui masters in the city and locked them in an underground palace, which was set up with layers of mechanisms modeled after the imperial mausoleum. No one had ever come out alive. Zang Hai wanted to kill Zhuang Luyin to avenge his family.

He claimed to be a feng shui master and was captured by Qu Jiao and taken to the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence, where he was also locked in an underground palace equipped with imperial mausoleum mechanisms. With meticulous thinking and superb skills, Zang Hai led everyone through one trap after another. Just as they were about to reach the exit, someone accidentally triggered the deadly bone-snapping silk mechanism. They were all killed, and only Zang Hai narrowly escaped death.

Zang Hai emerged alive from the underground palace, shocking Chu Huaiming, who suspected he might be a descendant of the craftsmen who built the imperial mausoleum. Zang Hai admitted he had used the Nine Stars Secret Method to break the bone-snapping silk mechanism. When Zhuang Luyin heard that someone had cracked the mausoleum’s mechanisms, he rushed over. Seeing his enemy made Zang Hai’s hatred boil, but he suppressed it and remained calm.

Zhuang Luyin appointed Zang Hai to preside over the Empress Dowager’s burial. Chu Huaiming, doubting Zang Hai’s background, advised Zhuang Luyin to be cautious. But with the emperor’s deadline looming, Zhuang Luyin decided to let Zang Hai try. Zang Hai deduced from the celestial phenomena that it would rain today, and the rain would naturally unlock the mechanism. Chu Huaiming found it unconvincing and invited the emperor’s close eunuch, Eunuch Sun.

Eunuch Sun came in the rain, which made Zhuang Luyin trust Zang Hai even more and urged him to fully explain his plan. Zang Hai lied, claiming that Noble Consort Li appeared to him in a dream, expressing her wish to fulfill the Empress Dowager and the late emperor’s desire for a joint burial. Zhuang Luyin was half convinced. Zang Hai brazenly said that thanks to Noble Consort Li’s blessing, he had survived the underground palace.

Using Noble Consort Li’s name, Zang Hai prevented the feudal lords from entering the capital for mourning, allowing only the King of Linzi to keep vigil. Eunuch Sun immediately returned to report to the emperor. Zhuang Luyin was still skeptical of Zang Hai’s explanation, but it was enough that Eunuch Sun believed it. Zang Hai took the opportunity to request entry into the inner hall of the mausoleum to inspect Noble Consort Li’s tomb.

Zhuang Luyin instructed Chu Huaiming to accompany him to see whether Noble Consort Li would show a sign, and he also ordered Qu Jiao to investigate Zang Hai’s background. Chu Huaiming brought Zang Hai to Noble Consort Li’s tomb. Zang Hai walked a circle around the tomb, then knelt and expressed his gratitude. Zhuang Luyin waited until noon, when suddenly Noble Consort Li’s tomb collapsed. Zang Hai firmly claimed she was helping fulfill the wish for a joint burial.

Zhuang Luyin and everyone present knelt together to thank her for her wisdom and benevolence. Zang Hai had resolved a long-standing concern for Zhuang Luyin, but instead of being grateful, Zhuang Luyin wanted to kill him to silence him. Zang Hai professed loyalty and offered to use his knowledge of architecture and geomancy to help Zhuang Zhixing. Qu Jiao found out Zang Hai’s identity: his parents had died young, and he learned carpentry from a craftsman.

He had just arrived in the capital a few days earlier. The masked benefactor who saved him had forged his identity. Zhuang Luyin fully believed in Zang Hai and agreed to let him stay in the marquis’ residence. Zang Hai officially reported to the Pingjin Residence. The steward gave him a waist token and arranged for him to stay in the Gentlemen’s Quarters. Zang Hai went to the inn to report to Gao Ming.

Gao Ming was curious how Zang Hai knew Noble Consort Li’s coffin would collapse. Zang Hai explained that when he entered the tomb, he found it was damp, and the coffin was soaked. He had secretly placed a wooden wedge underneath it. Combined with the heavy rain that night, the waterlogging caused the coffin to collapse. Gao Ming praised Zang Hai highly.

Zang Hai took the opportunity to ask about his masked master and Master Xing Dou, but Gao Ming said it was not the right time. Early the next morning, Zang Hai arrived at the Gentlemen’s Quarters, showed his waist token, and entered the residence smoothly. The advisor Huijian greeted him proactively and explained the rules and daily routines of the marquis’ residence, all set by Yang Zhen.

Chu Huaiming became suspicious of Zang Hai’s identity and warned Yang Zhen to be cautious in case Zang Hai replaced him. But Yang Zhen dismissed the concern and retorted that Zang Hai’s expertise in geomancy made Chu Huaiming's position insecure. Huijian gave Zang Hai a thorough tour, and Zang Hai finally learned that the advisors’ main job was to document and glorify Zhuang Luyin’s legacy, essentially compiling the "Zhuang Family Chronicles," with all the credit going to Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen came to meet Zang Hai and explained many rules to him. Upon learning that advisors could eventually enter court service, Zang Hai became eager for the opportunity. Zhuang Luyin sent for Zang Hai to assess feng shui. Yang Zhen, fearing Zang Hai would steal his spotlight, deliberately assigned him to repair the ancestral hall to prevent the ancestral tablets from being soaked by rain.

Zang Hai saw through Yang Zhen’s intent to keep him from meeting Zhuang Luyin, but still stayed to repair the hall and asked Yang Zhen to explain the reason to Zhuang Luyin. Yang Zhen was more than happy to oblige. Zang Hai reported the matter to Gao Ming, who worried that Zhuang Luyin might forget about Zang Hai. Zang Hai swore he would take Yang Zhen’s place.

Yang Zhen assigned Zang Hai to inventory the residence’s antiques and cultural relics with other advisors, then compile detailed records. Zang Hai discovered many of the artifacts were damaged or incomplete. In the end, Yang Zhen made Zang Hai redo the entire inventory and posted guards at the door in case Zang Hai tried to steal anything—they were ordered to arrest him on the spot.

Episode 5 Recap

Yang Zhen was Zhuang Luyin’s military adviser, as well as the head of the staff at the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence. Their job was to write and compile a book about Lu Zhanyuan—“The Zhuang Family Chronicles”—to sing praises of Zhuang Luyin. Zang Hai, relying on his superb skills in architectural geomancy, successfully deciphered the mechanisms of the underground palace and entered the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence.

He was determined to kill Zhuang Luyin to avenge his family, but he had no access to Zhuang Luyin under normal circumstances. Yang Zhen feared that once Zang Hai gained power, he would replace him. Though he claimed to value Zang Hai, he secretly sabotaged him and tried every means to drive him out of the residence. The staff were ordered to inventory and catalog all the antiques and artworks gifted by the emperor.

Yang Zhen then had Zang Hai repeat the count and stationed people outside to keep watch. If Zang Hai dared to smuggle anything out, they would arrest him on the spot. Zang Hai was left alone in the treasury to sort the items and accidentally triggered a hidden mechanism to a secret chamber. He quietly approached, but found the heavy iron door locked, so he turned back. Returning to the treasury, he saw someone rummaging through it.

He shouted to stop the intruder, only to realize it was Zhuang Zhixing, Zhuang Luyin’s second son. Zang Hai recognized him at once—years ago, he and his friends had once locked Zhuang Zhixing inside a secret passage. Now that Zang Hai had undergone plastic surgery, Zhuang Zhixing didn’t recognize him at all. Zhuang Zhixing tried to leave with a stolen golden gourd but dropped it. Zang Hai confiscated it on the spot and promised to keep it secret.

Zhuang Zhixing pulled Zang Hai away with him, and the guards at the door dared not stop them. Yang Zhen handed the inventory Zang Hai had prepared to Zhuang Luyin. Zang Hai had meticulously recorded the origins of the Changfeng Sword, which was obtained during the most glorious battle of Zhuang Luyin’s life. This impressed Zhuang Luyin, who told Yang Zhen to support Zang Hai well.

Yang Zhen and Chu Huaiming both felt threatened by Zang Hai and came up with a sinister plan to host a Hongmen Banquet for him. Yang Zhen invited Zang Hai to a banquet at the Zhen Tower and brought along Chu Huaiming and Qu Jiao as companions. Zhuang Zhixing, addicted to gambling, owed large sums to the Zhen Tower. Xiang Antu asked the manager to tally up the accounts and send someone to summon Zhuang Zhixing for settlement.

Zang Hai arrived at the tower on time, and when Xiang Antu heard Yang Zhen was hosting a banquet for Zang Hai there, she instantly recognized Zang Hai as Zhinu. Feeling something was off, she ordered someone to keep a close eye on the room. When Zang Hai entered the room, he saw Qu Jiao, Yang Zhen, and Chu Huaiming surrounded by women, drinking and making merry. Feeling out of place, he sat alone in a corner.

Chu Huaiming used Yang Zhen’s birthday as a pretext and brought in Xiao Zhi, a singer, to liven up the mood. Zhuang Zhixing hurried to the Zhen Tower and tried to repay his debt with some gold and jewels, but the proprietress refused. She demanded Dongxia’s agate instead, which Zhuang Zhixing firmly declined. The proprietress then threatened to take the IOU to the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence.

After Xiao Zhi finished her song, Yang Zhen suggested Zang Hai take her in. Zang Hai politely declined. Yang Zhen repeatedly insisted, saying he planned to promote Zang Hai to deputy. Zang Hai remained unmoved. Chu Huaiming tried to threaten and intimidate him, but Zang Hai refused to yield. Yang Zhen told him to write a resignation letter to Zhuang Luyin, saying he intended to spend three years writing a book.

Zang Hai had risked his life to enter the Marquis’s residence to avenge his parents and sister. Now that Yang Zhen was trying to drive him out, Zang Hai hastily made an excuse to leave. Qu Jiao drew his sword, and Yang Zhen shifted all the blame onto Xiao Zhi, saying she had failed to serve Zang Hai properly and must be punished. Xiao Zhi knelt and begged for mercy.

Zang Hai realized Yang Zhen was using her to force him to submit and was torn. Yang Zhen picked up a red-hot coal from the brazier and shoved it into Xiao Zhi’s mouth. Zang Hai tried to stop him, but it was too late—Xiao Zhi passed out from the pain. Gao Ming had been waiting outside the door.

Hearing Xiao Zhi’s screams, he was about to rush in to help Zang Hai when he saw Xiang Antu enter and had to retreat. Xiang Antu, under Zhuang Zhixing’s name, ordered Yang Zhen, Chu Huaiming, and Qu Jiao to leave. Zang Hai begged her to find a doctor to treat Xiao Zhi’s injuries. Her throat was badly burned, and Zang Hai pleaded with the doctor to save her.

Xiang Antu was curious about how Zang Hai had offended Yang Zhen, Chu Huaiming, and Qu Jiao, but Zang Hai couldn’t tell the truth. He asked her to temporarily shelter Xiao Zhi. Xiang Antu told Zang Hai to escort the dead-drunk Zhuang Zhixing back to the Marquis’s residence. It took all Zang Hai’s strength to carry him home. Gao Ming had been waiting for him and warned him to be cautious.

Zang Hai could tell that Yang Zhen and the others were becoming desperate—this meant Zhuang Luyin had started to notice him. It was a step closer to his plan for revenge. Zang Hai hoped to get close to Zhuang Luyin through Zhuang Zhixing. Gao Ming worried about his safety, but Zang Hai was determined. Zhuang Zhixing invited Zang Hai to bathe together to thank him, but Zang Hai declined and subtly tried to learn more about Zhuang Luyin.

Realizing Zhuang Zhixing craved his father’s attention, Zang Hai offered him suggestions. Zhuang Zhixing immediately became wary and warned him not to meddle, or he might bring death upon himself. Zang Hai shared his thoughts with Gao Ming. Gao Ming had long heard that Zhuang Zhixing was unlearned and frivolous, a typical hedonistic youth, and unlikely to win Zhuang Luyin’s favor. Still, Zang Hai wanted to try. That night, thunder rolled and torrential rain poured.

The eunuchs guarding the imperial tomb patrolled everywhere. Suddenly, one heard a banging sound coming from the late emperor’s tomb. He bravely went in and found the emperor’s coffin blocking the entrance. Terrified, he fled in panic. Upon hearing the news, Chu Huaiming went to consult Yang Zhen. They wanted Zang Hai to handle the matter—and to use the opportunity to get rid of him.

Episode 6 Recap

The story of the late emperor’s apparition spread rapidly. Zhuang Luyin had just buried the late emperor and empress dowager together and, worried about being held accountable by the emperor, called Yang Zhen and Chu Huaiming to discuss countermeasures. The two jointly recommended Zang Hai to oversee the repairs of the imperial mausoleum, suggesting that the late emperor’s coffin be returned to its original location. They insisted that Zang Hai’s birth characters matched those of the late emperor.

Unwilling to be implicated, Zhuang Luyin appointed Zang Hai to the position of Assistant Director of the Spiritual Platform at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Zang Hai had long seen through the schemes of Yang Zhen and Chu Huaiming. They wanted him to be buried with the late emperor. Gao Ming was deeply worried for Zang Hai and insisted on facing it with him.

Zang Hai knew that during the three months of repairs, he would be safe, and he asked Gao Ming to do three things for him. Upon arriving at the mausoleum, Zang Hai found Chu Huaiming already waiting. Following him to the late emperor’s coffin, he saw water seeping from the ground. Zang Hai recalled that five years ago, the You River had changed its course and now passed through the mausoleum grounds.

Coupled with a heavy rain the previous night, water had flooded the mausoleum, causing the coffin to float and block the entrance after the rain stopped. Zang Hai sharply pointed out that the flooding was due to the failure to implement waterproofing measures after the river's diversion. He recommended urgent waterproofing, which was clearly Chu Huaiming’s negligence. Chu Huaiming then ordered the workers to follow Zang Hai’s instructions for the repairs.

Zang Hai learned that Ji Qun, a craftsman from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, had already discovered the rising ground water and reported it immediately to Chu Huaiming, only to be severely scolded. Zang Hai recognized Ji Qun as a good friend of his late father Kuai Duo and was overwhelmed with emotion, though Ji Qun did not recognize him. Zang Hai led the workers in repairing the mausoleum day and night, adding lime and other fire- and water-resistant materials.

Chu Huaiming and Zhuang Zhixing had embezzled funds allocated by the court and failed to waterproof the mausoleum. Chu Huaiming spoke ill of Zang Hai in front of Zhuang Zhixing, begging him to find a way to get rid of Zang Hai before their fraud was exposed. That night, Zang Hai voluntarily approached Ji Qun, curious how he had fallen from being an official of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to his current state.

Ji Qun, having learned that his good friend Kuai Duo’s entire family was wiped out, had seen through the darkness of the officialdom. Unwilling to become complicit, he chose to survive quietly. Zang Hai did not reveal his identity and did not dare to acknowledge Ji Qun. Following Zang Hai’s instructions, Gao Ming obtained horse urine and disguised himself as a blind fortune-teller. He poured a bottle of tiger urine on the road.

As Zhuang Luyin’s carriage passed by, the horses were startled by the scent and came to a sudden halt. Gao Ming seized the opportunity to step forward, loudly claiming that Zhuang Luyin carried ill fortune. Qu Jiao drew his sword to threaten Gao Ming, but Zhuang Luyin, unwilling to cause a scene, quickly stopped him. Gao Ming loudly warned Zhuang Luyin to be cautious at every step. Suspicious, Zhuang Luyin invited Gao Ming to his home for a divination session.

He attempted to intimidate Gao Ming, who remained calm and fearless. Gao Ming asked Zhuang Luyin to draw a fortune stick. Zhuang Luyin complied and drew a most inauspicious one. Gao Ming, full of ceremony, explained that Zhuang Luyin would soon face trouble, and if not handled well, it could even endanger his children. Gao Ming then lit a brazier for a ritual, and unexpectedly, the fortune stick fell out of the fire and changed into a neutral one.

Gao Ming congratulated Zhuang Luyin, saying that a noble person would soon appear to help him in his career. Qu Jiao suspected that Gao Ming had tampered with the stick and checked it thoroughly but found nothing amiss, so he let Gao Ming go. Zhuang Zhixing reported to Zhuang Luyin about the embezzlement and corner-cutting in the mausoleum waterproofing project, greatly enraging him.

Yang Zhen took the opportunity to slander Zang Hai in front of Zhuang Luyin, suggesting he be buried with the emperor. Afraid of being implicated, Zhuang Luyin authorized Yang Zhen to handle the matter entirely. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Zang Hai and the workers, the repairs on the imperial mausoleum were completed on schedule. The workers drank together in celebration, but Zang Hai reminded everyone not to overindulge.

Chu Huaiming soon arrived and ordered Ji Qun and eight other craftsmen to be buried with the late emperor, promising to care for their families. He then publicly announced that Zang Hai had volunteered to be buried with the empress dowager—Zang Hai surprisingly agreed without hesitation.

Episode 7 Recap

Zang Hai and Ji Qun, a former subordinate of his late father, worked overtime with the laborers to repair the imperial mausoleum and finally completed the task within three months. From the beginning, Chu Huaiming and Yang Zhen had planned to have Zang Hai and the eight chief artisans accompany the Empress Dowager in burial. They threatened and bribed the artisans, promising to take care of their families.

Zang Hai had long suspected Chu Huaiming and Yang Zhen’s plot and had prepared countermeasures, even arranging for Gao Ming to impersonate a fortune-teller and lay groundwork in front of Zhuang Luyin. Chu Huaiming publicly announced the imperial decree that Zang Hai and the eight artisans were to accompany the Empress Dowager in burial the next day. Ji Qun and the artisans felt sorry for Zang Hai, yet he readily agreed.

He didn’t understand why Ji Qun and the artisans were willing to go through with it. They knew Chu Huaiming and Yang Zhen were ruthless; even if they refused, they’d be crippled. It was better to trade their lives for a future for their families. Zang Hai was furious, gritting his teeth in anger. Today was the Empress Dowager’s burial day. All the civil and military officials came to pay their respects.

The Emperor, overwhelmed with grief and in poor health, remained in the palace to pray for the Empress Dowager. Zang Hai asked Ji Qun about the officials present. The head of the civil officials was Minister of Rites Shi Yiping and Minister of Revenue Zhao Bingwen—both rare upright men. The head of the military officials was Zhuang Luyin, and the Vice Minister of Works was Zhuang Zhifu. Chu Huaiming was merely a lackey of the father and son duo.

Zang Hai memorized all of this. The Empress Dowager’s coffin was carried into the mausoleum. Once the artisans completed their inspection, Zang Hai entered the innermost hall of the mausoleum. Chu Huaiming pretended to send off Zang Hai and the artisans on their final journey, providing a lavish meal that was poisoned. The poison would take effect in three days, leading to a quiet death. Once everything was arranged, Chu Huaiming shut the massive stone gate of the mausoleum.

He and Yang Zhen exchanged a pleased glance. They had even set up mechanisms in the underground palace—no matter how skilled Zang Hai was, escape was impossible. When the artisans heard the awakening bell, they knew their fate was sealed. They wanted a final feast before death. Zang Hai hurriedly stopped them and promised to lead everyone out of the underground palace with dignity. Otherwise, more artisans would be buried alive in the future.

Ji Qun and the others believed in Zang Hai wholeheartedly. Outside the mausoleum, the civil and military officials knelt and bowed. Next would be dropping the duanlong stone to seal the underground palace. Zang Hai deduced that the massive stone gate had a trigger. If they could find it before the duanlong stone fell, they could escape. One artisan remembered the trigger was buried above their heads.

He stepped onto a stone slab, only to be pierced by arrows and killed. Zang Hai realized it was one of Chu Huaiming’s traps and cursed him in fury. Zang Hai grabbed a plate from the table, held it over his head, and reached for the trigger. Ji Qun and the others did the same, shielding Zang Hai from the arrows with their plates. Several were killed by arrows, but the rest continued to protect him despite the danger.

Zang Hai smashed the bricks above with his fists. More artisans were shot dead. In the end, only Ji Qun remained. Though struck by multiple arrows, he held on to protect Zang Hai. Zang Hai gave it his all and finally pried open the bricks and pulled the trigger. The stone gate slowly rose. Zang Hai let go of the trigger and tried to escape with Ji Qun. The gate began to descend.

Ji Qun, gravely injured, refused to be a burden. He used his body to hold up the stone gate and urged Zang Hai to escape. As Zang Hai crawled out of the underground palace, the stone gate crashed down on Ji Qun. Coughing blood, Ji Qun listened as Zang Hai revealed he was the son of Kuai Duo—Zhinu. Knowing the son of his old friend still lived, Ji Qun smiled with relief and passed away. The duanlong stone stopped halfway.

Chu Huaiming and Yang Zhen were stunned. Covered in blood, Zang Hai emerged alive from the underground palace, leaving all the officials in shock. Zhuang Luyin remembered Gao Ming’s fortune—his destined benefactor would survive a deadly crisis. Yang Zhen took the opportunity to slander Zang Hai again, insisting he was guilty and should be buried with the Empress Dowager.

Zhuang Luyin accused Zang Hai of breaking his promise and ordered him to return to the mausoleum immediately or be shot to death with arrows. Zang Hai looked to the sky and shouted that it was not his time to die—he was destined to live. Zhuang Luyin questioned why the duanlong stone hadn’t fallen if Zang Hai refused burial. Zang Hai swore it would fall.

Just then, a eunuch hurriedly reported that the Empress Dowager’s burial hour was about to pass. Zang Hai declared before everyone that Yang Zhen’s birth characters matched those of the late Emperor, making him the most suitable to accompany the Emperor in death. He even had Chu Huaiming testify. Forced into a corner, Chu Huaiming admitted it was true. Yang Zhen didn’t want to die in vain.

Zhuang Luyin coaxed him, saying he’d go in first and be rescued once the duanlong stone moved. Yang Zhen believed him and stepped into the underground palace. As Zang Hai exited, the duanlong stone began to fall. The officials whispered in disbelief. Yang Zhen panicked, pleading for his life. Just as he tried to escape, he was shot with arrows. Yang Zhen cursed Zhuang Luyin furiously and publicly exposed his crimes. Before he could finish, another arrow ended his life.

Episode 8 Recap

Yang Zhen and Chu Huaiming had meticulously planned to put Zang Hai to death, but Zang Hai cleverly turned the tables, making Yang Zhen a burial sacrifice instead. He also had Gao Ming disguise himself as a fortune teller to hint that the one who had narrowly escaped death—himself—was Zhuang Luyin’s destined benefactor. Although Zhuang Luyin remained suspicious of Zang Hai, he still took him away, threatening to kill him.

Zang Hai had no choice but to admit that Yang Zhen had tried to kill him and that he had merely fought back. Seizing the opportunity, Zang Hai pledged his loyalty to Zhuang Luyin, vowing to serve him faithfully. Zhuang Luyin didn’t believe for a second that Zang Hai would follow him with unwavering loyalty.

Zang Hai revealed all of Yang Zhen’s deeds in detail—how Yang Zhen was jealous of the capable and eliminated all the talented advisers, keeping only useless ones. Zang Hai also reported that Qu Jiao had been committing crimes under the name of the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence. Before Zhuang Luyin could give the order, Qu Jiao had already killed Yang Zhen. Zang Hai deduced that Qu Jiao had long been prepared to do so.

Gao Ming, disguised in another identity, had been secretly trailing Zhuang Luyin’s carriage out of concern for Zang Hai’s safety. Qu Jiao rode ahead, deliberately leading the carriage to the rear courtyard of the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence. Zhuang Luyin instructed Zang Hai to get off the carriage first. Qu Jiao then handed a sword to Zhuang Luyin, urging him to kill Zang Hai. But Zhuang Luyin didn’t kill him—instead, he allowed him to return home and rest.

Qu Jiao reminded Zhuang Luyin that keeping Zang Hai alive was a huge risk. Zhuang Luyin, clearly impatient, was shocked that Qu Jiao dared to act on his behalf, confirming what Zang Hai had said. Gao Ming disguised himself as a physician to treat Zang Hai’s injuries. Zang Hai had previously discovered a small river, Xiao Cang River, upstream of the imperial tomb.

He instructed Gao Ming to station himself there and open the floodgate when the bell chimed six times, allowing water to flow through the underground channel to the tomb. When the bell chimed the ninth time, he was to close the gate, reducing the water flow and naturally stopping the Duanlong Stone. Zang Hai asked Gao Ming to light an incense stick and open the floodgate only when the incense burned out.

After emerging from the underground palace, Zang Hai persuaded Zhuang Luyin to have Yang Zhen buried with the Empress Dowager. As the water surged through the channel, the Duanlong Stone fell into place. Zang Hai had risked his life to complete the first step, but he remained vigilant—another challenge still lay ahead. Word reached Zhuang Luyin that the censors had submitted a memorial to the emperor overnight, accusing him of committing murder at the imperial tomb.

Zhuang Luyin was reluctant to hand over Qu Jiao as a scapegoat. Zhuang Zhifu suggested they kill Zang Hai, disfigure his face, and make him pose as Qu Jiao to take the fall. Zhuang Luyin said he would consider it. Zang Hai had already anticipated this move. He bet that Zhuang Luyin wouldn’t make him take the blame for Qu Jiao. The next morning, Zang Hai heard the news that Qu Jiao had died suddenly the night before.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. Zhuang Luyin appointed Zang Hai as the chief secretary of the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence, relocating him from the House of Attendants to the inner garden—right next door to Zhuang Luyin. Zhuang Luyin carefully selected maidservants and servants to serve Zang Hai and even invited him to dine together. From the steward Zhuang Shan, Zang Hai learned that even Yang Zhen had never received such treatment.

As promised, Zang Hai attended the family banquet. Zhuang Zhifu feigned hospitality upon his arrival. Zhuang Luyin consulted Zang Hai on dismissing all of Yang Zhen’s selected advisers, keeping only a few elder retainers. He also asked Zang Hai to prepare for his father's memorial ceremony, to which Zang Hai readily agreed. Zhuang Zhifu remained distrustful of Zang Hai. Zhuang Luyin could see that Zang Hai was ambitious and intended for him to support Zhuang Zhifu’s entry into the cabinet.

If Zang Hai had ulterior motives, he would be eliminated. Seeing that Chu Huaiming was negligent in his duties, Zhuang Luyin reassigned part of his responsibilities to Zang Hai. Zang Hai worked diligently, not daring to slack off. Zang Hai met with Gao Ming at the bookstore to report on the situation at the Marquis of Pingjin’s residence.

Gao Ming advised him not to act rashly to avoid death, suggesting instead that they carefully plot a plan to quietly eliminate Zhuang Luyin. After buying a few books, Zang Hai went out to eat, only to find that the shop owner refused to serve him—Xiang Antu had sent someone to summon him and had instructed all street vendors not to entertain him.

Forcing himself to go to the Pillow Tower, Zang Hai found Xiang Antu and a man claiming to be the owner, Xu Ben, already waiting. Xu Ben brought out fine wine and the signature dishes of the Pillow Tower to host Zang Hai. Eager to know why Xu Ben had summoned him, Zang Hai listened as Xu Ben offered him several large chests of gold, silver, and jewels to buy him over.

Zang Hai politely declined and proposed instead to sit at the Vermilion Bird Stage to watch opera on the first and fifteenth of each month and to take back the treasures Zhuang Zhixing had lost in gambling. Xu Ben glanced at Xiang Antu before agreeing. Zang Hai had already seen through Xu Ben’s lie—he was clearly not the owner of the Pillow Tower. So he deliberately made unreasonable demands.

Xu Ben didn’t dare agree and kept sneaking glances at Xiang Antu, who had no choice but to reveal her identity, admitting that she was the true owner of the Pillow Tower. She asked to talk with Zang Hai somewhere more private.

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