Zhan Zhao Adventures Episode 33 Recap
> Zhan Zhao Adventures Recaps
Zhan Zhao gradually regained his strength after taking the bitter medicine prepared for him, bringing a sense of relief to both Huo Linglong and Bai Yutang. As he sat up, Zhan Zhao made a solemn request: they must not mention the previous night's conflict to Ming Zhu'er, and they must keep his past life as a Yaksha a permanent secret. Confused by his secrecy, the two listened as Zhan Zhao opened up about a dark chapter of his life.
Years ago, when he first became a Yaksha, he was driven by a desire to enforce justice and became captivated by the praise of the townsfolk who lauded him as a heroic outlaw. His delusion was shattered the day he raided an unlicensed brothel and crossed paths with Zhou Jiliang, another man operating under the Yaksha moniker. Zhou Jiliang’s methods were merciless and cruel, far exceeding anything Zhan Zhao stood for.
Although Zhan Zhao succeeded in rescuing several captive women—including Ming Zhu'er's older sister, Yue'er—Zhou Jiliang held a twisted belief that these women had been willingly sold by their families. In a frenzy of self-righteous vengeance, Zhou Jiliang hunted down the families and slaughtered them. That night, amidst the raging flames, Zhan Zhao saved a young Ming Zhu'er from the carnage.
Now, Zhan Zhao only wished for the boy to remain oblivious to the horrific truth, even if it meant letting him believe the Yaksha was simply an evil entity. Just as the story concluded, Ming Zhu'er entered the room. Seeing Zhan Zhao awake and recovering, the boy was overcome with joy. He admitted he had been wrong to let Zhou Jiliang’s manipulative words sow discord between them.
As Ming Zhu'er and Zhao Zhi'er revealed they had sneaked some documents out of the empty county office, Bai Yutang grew suspicious of why the court was so deserted. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhi'er slipped away to meet a local peddler, sending a message via carrier pigeon. He harbored deep doubts about the decade-old case, believing the truth was far more complex than it appeared on the surface. Early the next morning, Tang Tianhao prepared to return to the Tang Sect.
Before departing, he met with Zhan Zhao and the others to bid farewell and leave some restorative herbs. He promised to continue seeking a cure for the poison ravaging Zhan Zhao's body. As Tang Tianhao left, he advised them to check the town square, where Magistrate Hu Xiaochen was putting on yet another public spectacle.
In the heart of Wanshan County, Hu Xiaochen was orchestrating the public execution of the captured Xiuluo Cult members, shouting slogans of justice to win over the crowd. Watching the magistrate's hypocritical display, Bai Yutang felt nothing but disgust. When they confronted each other later, the rift between Zhan Zhao and Hu Xiaochen became absolute.
Invoking their old friendship as classmates, Hu Xiaochen warned Zhan Zhao to leave Wanshan County immediately, hinting that only his departure could guarantee the safety of his companions. The tense standoff was interrupted by news of a landslide at Baozhu Mountain, which had unearthed a mass of human bones. Zhan Zhao and his friends rushed to the scene, but Hu Xiaochen had already turned the locals against them.
Incited by the magistrate's words, the angry villagers blocked the investigators, claiming the bones belonged to their own families. Unwilling to clash with innocent people, Zhan Zhao chose to withdraw. To clear the path forward, Zhan Zhao devised a plan to test the waters. He instructed Bai Yutang to take Ming Zhu'er and Zhao Zhi'er to Gucheng County to locate the remains of Duan Shilang, Jin Niang’s husband.
Since Hu Xiaochen was unaware they knew about Duan Shilang, his body would still be untouched. Meanwhile, Zhan Zhao and Huo Linglong stayed behind in Wanshan County to distract the magistrate, planning to meet up with the others later. Hu Xiaochen indeed took the bait. After ensuring the bodies of Wang Qing and Liu Erlang were secure, he received reports that Zhan Zhao and Huo Linglong were deep in the forest.
Suspecting they were searching for Duan Shilang, Hu Xiaochen hurried to the Lin house in the mountains. Detecting his pursuers, Hu Xiaochen turned to find Zhan Zhao and Huo Linglong behind him. However, the magistrate had already surrounded the estate with villagers, forcing Zhan Zhao to turn back once more. Fortunately, guided by a kind and understanding old woman, Zhan Zhao was able to examine Duan Shilang’s remains, while his companions retrieved two other bodies from the mass grave.
Upon examining the bones, Zhan Zhao noticed that the roots of the teeth were stained deep black. Remembering his past work with the prince and coroners, Zhan Zhao realized this was not a typical poisoning but a classic sign of mercury exposure from the amalgamation process used in metal mining. This confirmed that the mountains of Wanshan County hid a massive, illegal gold mine, which explained how the local villagers had suddenly acquired so much wealth.
Huo Linglong suddenly recalled the warnings Shao Jizu had given her. She began to fear that her own family was deeply entangled in this dangerous conspiracy. Zhan Zhao concluded that the mined gold was being used to fund the Lord of Xiangyang's impending rebellion, and that the secluded Lin house served as the main vault for storing the treasure. Under pressure, Hu Xiaochen personally escorted a massive shipment of gold out of Wanshan County.
He ordered Zhu Mingyuan to stay out of sight and follow from a distance, planning to retreat and contact Zhou Jiliang once they met up with Feng Shao. Upon reaching the Prince's manor, Hu Xiaochen was summoned by the Lord of Xiangyang. While the prince acknowledged that Hu Xiaochen and the Shangui family had made the greatest contributions among his followers, he expressed intense frustration over Zhan Zhao constantly disrupting their plans.
To accelerate his treasonous plot, the prince demanded that Hu Xiaochen seize the gold held by the local villagers. Despite Hu Xiaochen’s protests that the people had risked their lives for that wealth, the prince remained cold, reminding him that Wanshan County would have starved without his gold mine. The prince warned Hu Xiaochen that failure this time would leave them with no escape. Once Hu Xiaochen departed, the Lord of Xiangyang met with Shao Jizu.
The prince dismissed Wanshan County's gold as a mere drop in the bucket, emphasizing that the marriage between Shao Jizu and Huo Linglong was the crucial key to their success. He ordered Shao Jizu to hasten the wedding. While Hu Xiaochen planned to use the old Yaksha case to frame Zhan Zhao, Shao Jizu agreed to assist in secret, plotting to fan the flames of the conspiracy.
Late at night, Hu Xiaochen returned to his office only to find his guards dead, poisoned by Zhou Jiliang. Zhou Jiliang, experimenting with lethal toxins like Blood-Sealing Throat and Dragon Entanglement, made it clear he would not be Hu Xiaochen’s puppet. Seeking leverage, Hu Xiaochen offered Zhou Jiliang another target, promising him ample opportunity to satisfy his bloodlust. The following morning, Ming Zhu'er expressed his doubts to Zhao Zhi'er, sensing that Zhan Zhao was still keeping secrets about the past.
Suddenly, cries erupted outside as villagers shouted that the Yaksha had returned to deliver justice. Zhan Zhao and his companions joined the gathering crowd at the city gates, where the corpse of Si Ming, the fugitive clerk from Xiangzhou Prefecture, was hanging high for all to see. Pushing through the chaotic crowd, Zhan Zhao identified himself as an imperial investigator from Kaifeng Prefecture, knowing the delicate balance of Wanshan County had been shattered forever.
