Legend of Zang Hai Episode 23 Recap, Plot

> Legend of Zang Hai
> Legend of Zang Hai Recap

In order to find the third enemy, Zang Hai racked his brains to get close to Prince Yongrong and Zhao Bingwen, but both of them had alibis. Cao Jingxian wanted to bring Zang Hai under his wing, but Zang Hai flatly refused. Cao Jingxian then began to obstruct him in every possible way. Not willing to sit and wait for death, Zang Hai devised a plan to sow discord between Cao Jingxian and Zhuang Luyin.

Cao Jingxian threatened Zhuang Zhixing with accusations of corruption, forcing him to find out whether Zhuang Luyin had obtained the Gui Seal. Knowing he couldn’t get anything out of Zhuang Luyin, who highly valued Zang Hai, Zhuang Zhixing decided to curry favor with Zang Hai, pretending to be like a brother to him. Zang Hai deliberately let Zhuang Zhixing see the sketches he had drawn of a mechanical box and a bronze fish.

Zhuang Zhixing dragged Zang Hai out to drink. Zang Hai, unable to hold his liquor, quickly passed out. Zhuang Zhixing took him home and used drunkenness as an excuse to stay the night. Zhuang Zhixing saw Gao Ming help the drunken Zang Hai back to his room. He sneaked into the study, stole the sketches Zang Hai had drawn, and handed them to Cao Jingxian.

Seeing the mechanical box and the bronze fish, Cao Jingxian suspected that Zhuang Luyin had already obtained the Gui Seal and that Zang Hai had helped him design the box to hold it. Cao Jingxian knew the Gui Seal possessed immense power—whoever obtained it could dominate the world—so he decided to confirm the matter personally. Zhuang Zhixing invited Zang Hai to Drunken Spring Hall to drink. Cao Jingxian, along with Lu Ran and Lu Yan, hid in a nearby room.

Zhuang Zhixing kept urging Zang Hai to drink. Zang Hai pretended to be drunk. Zhuang Zhixing took the opportunity to ask about the Gui Seal’s whereabouts. Zang Hai played mysterious. Zhuang Zhixing kept pressing, and Zang Hai finally claimed the Gui Seal was hidden in the basement of the Marquis’ treasury. After saying this, he fell asleep at the table. Zhuang Zhixing called Cao Jingxian out.

After confirming Zang Hai was drunk, Cao Jingxian mocked Zhuang Zhixing, saying he was no match for Zang Hai—Zhuang Luyin would rather share the secret with Zang Hai than with him. Taking advantage of Zang Hai's drunken muttering, which claimed even Zhuang Zhixing knew the Gui Seal was hidden in the basement, Cao Jingxian urged Zhuang Zhixing to kill Zang Hai. Otherwise, Zang Hai might help Zhuang Zhixing become the head of the Marquis’ household.

Zhuang Zhixing took Cao Jingxian’s dagger and stabbed Zang Hai. Pleased, Cao Jingxian left Drunken Spring Hall with Zhuang Zhixing and Lu Ran. Lu Yan drew her sword to kill Zang Hai, but Shi Lei arrived just in time to save him. Lu Yan and Shi Lei fought fiercely. Lu Yan grabbed a dagger and tried to kill Zang Hai, but Shi Lei kicked her away and then rescued Zang Hai. Lu Yan returned to report to Cao Jingxian.

Cao Jingxian turned the tables, accusing Zhuang Zhixing of attempting to assassinate a court official and had him thrown into prison. Due to severe blood loss, Zang Hai was on the brink of death. He asked Guan Feng to take him to the Marquis’ residence. Upon hearing the news, Zhuang Luyin rushed over. Zang Hai told him how Cao Jingxian had coerced Zhuang Zhixing into trying to kill him.

Worried that Zhuang Zhixing was in danger, Zang Hai begged Zhuang Luyin to rescue him quickly. Zhuang Luyin sent Zhuang Shan to negotiate Zhuang Zhixing’s release from Cao Jingxian while he stayed home to wait for the physician to treat Zang Hai’s injuries. Zhuang Shan had no success when he went to demand Zhuang Zhixing’s release from Cao Jingxian and had to return to report back to Zhuang Luyin, who was furious.

Zhuang Luyin then instructed Zhuang Shan to summon Imperial Censor Xu Daishan and Qi Ming to discuss a countermeasure. Hearing this, Cao Jingxian suspected Zhuang Luyin was plotting against him. After the physician tended to Zang Hai’s wounds, Zhuang Luyin sent him home. Zang Hai remained unconscious for several days due to his injuries. Gao Ming stayed by his side the entire time. When Zang Hai finally woke up, Gao Ming breathed a sigh of relief.

Zang Hai was eager to understand the current situation. He deliberately spread false information and used a ruse to further escalate the tension between Cao Jingxian and Zhuang Luyin. Zang Hai was certain Cao Jingxian would strike first to seize the Gui Seal, and he would enlist the help of someone who knew the truth from back then. That person must be the third enemy. Zang Hai asked Gao Ming to keep a close watch on Cao Jingxian.

Gao Ming kept watch outside Cao Jingxian’s residence and saw him sneak out at night. Gao Ming rushed back to report to Zang Hai. Despite Gao Ming’s warnings, Zang Hai insisted on tailing Cao Jingxian. Gao Ming, worried, sent Shi Lei to accompany him. Zang Hai and Shi Lei followed Cao Jingxian all the way to the Palace of Hostages. Zang Hai decided to sneak in through the secret channel that led to it and leapt into the river.

After much effort, Zang Hai finally found the secret channel into the Palace of Hostages. He overheard Cao Jingxian and the hostage Dongxia plotting to steal the Gui Seal together. They agreed to act on the day of Zhuang Luyin’s birthday banquet. Hiding in the channel, Zang Hai couldn’t see the hostage’s face, and he was utterly shocked to discover it was Xiang Antu.

Early the next morning, Zang Hai went to the military camp to find Zhuang Zhixing and asked him to gather his men and return to rescue Zhuang Luyin. Zhuang Zhixing readily agreed. Zang Hai took Zhenlou to meet Xiang Antu. Xiang Antu had been planning to find him too and was ready to reveal all the secrets. She scheduled a meeting with Zang Hai for the following night.

However, Zang Hai needed to attend Zhuang Luyin’s birthday banquet and would be late. Xiang Antu firmly refused to delay, and Zang Hai had no choice but to agree. Xiang Antu didn’t want Zang Hai to get involved, so she sent Feng Liu to stall him. She planned to meet Zang Hai after stealing the Gui Seal with Cao Jingxian. The next morning, Zang Hai sent Guan Feng to the meeting in his place. He told Guan Feng to lie to Xiang Antu and say he was drunk. Once everything was in place, Zang Hai went to the Marquis’ residence to attend the banquet.

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