Episode 20 recap: Zhou Changyi sacrificed himself for the country, taking the place of his superior.
Diao Xiao Guan, knowing that there were many bandits and they had the advantage in numbers, did not want to expose himself to danger and initially hid his presence. It was evident that Ma Rong and Di Ren Jie, with their courage, fought the bandits and found themselves in a perilous situation. However, with their unexpected and superb archery skills, Ma Rong and Di Ren Jie managed to kill the bandits who intended to ambush them. The arrows narrowly missed Di Ren Jie and Ma Rong's faces, leaving them with a sense of apprehension. Fortunately, Diao Xiao Guan had no ill intentions. Although Ma Rong received assistance from Diao Xiao Guan, he was somewhat hesitant about such a risky act and did not express gratitude towards Diao Xiao Guan.
The border troops came to support, and the entire bandit team was eliminated. The team leader, Huo Huaili, reminded Di Ren Jie to be careful of the larger bandit forces and urged him to leave quickly. Di Ren Jie and Ma Rong galloped through the rolling yellow sand, with Diao Xiao Guan following closely behind. Ma Rong was suspicious of Diao Xiao Guan's intentions, but Di Ren Jie signaled Ma Rong to ignore him. They continued on their way, and unexpectedly, Diao Xiao Guan directly approached them and entered the town together.
Ma Rong had been doubtful about Diao Xiao Guan's presence, but Di Ren Jie dismissed his concerns, assuming that Diao Xiao Guan had intended to visit the market. When Ma Rong saw Diao Xiao Guan buying something at the market, he became curious about the item. Unfortunately, he did not understand the language of the Western Regions and could only watch as Diao Xiao Guan exchanged a dagger for a bottle of medicine that attracted wolves. At that moment, an old man kept repeating the word "Tali." Following Di Ren Jie's advice, Diao Xiao Guan went to inquire about it. The old man clearly stated that his eagle, which he had raised for thirteen years, had died in the desert. However, in Diao Xiao Guan's words, the old man's story transformed into his daughter being killed by Han Yongnan. The old man hoped that Di Ren Jie would personally kill Han Yongnan and led him to the West Town Fortress.
Huo Huaili was a soldier guarding the West Town Fortress and recognized Di Ren Jie's identity. After looking at Han Yongnan's portrait, he felt that he must have seen Han Yongnan leading Di Ren Jie towards the military camp. Once inside the camp, they came across a male corpse, and only then did they realize that Han Yongnan had already died and had contracted a plague before his death.
Di Ren Jie wanted to uncover the corpse to get a clear view, but Huo Huaili prevented him. Diao Xiao Guan quickly used an arrow to uncover the corpse, revealing the gruesome sight of Han Yongnan. It turned out that Han Yongnan had managed to survive encountering the bandits and had knocked on the door of the military camp seeking refuge. In search of an opportunity to steal horses and cross the border, he had killed Zhou Changyi. Huo Huaili, feeling somewhat helpless and saddened, expressed that it was good that Zhou Changyi had died, as it would save the camp some rations to distribute among everyone. He hoped that Di Ren Jie would convey the message to the Inspector General that everything was fine and that it would be best not to send a supervisor here, thus saving some expenses for the camp to purchase equipment.
Di Ren Jie noticed the lifelessness in the military camp, observing the soldiers gnawing on dry rations to stave off hunger. Feeling a sense of pity, he sent Ma Rong to gather information from the soldiers. However, they were unwilling to speak to her. Diao Xiao Guan quickly got drunk with one of the soldiers, intentionally bumping into a spear as they passed. When the soldiers tidied up, whip marks on Diao Xiao Guan's arm were exposed, which Ma Rong noticed and kept in mind.
Di Ren Jie was certain that the corpse they had sent out earlier was not Han Yongnan. So, under the cover of night, he secretly studied the documents to learn about the soldiers' usual weapons and their origins. He discovered that Huo Huaili favored using a three-section whip, and most of the soldiers were from Zhou Village. Moreover, Zhou Changyi had come with his brother, deepening Di Ren Jie's suspicions. Diao Xiao Guan also noticed something strange within the military camp and signaled for Di Ren Jie and Ma Rong to take a look. They entered a concealed room and found a coffin containing a corpse with a three-section whip placed beside it, confirming their suspicions.
At that moment, Huo Huaili, accompanied by the soldiers, blocked the doorway, forcing Di Ren Jie and Ma Rong to come out. It turned out that Huo Huaili was an imposter, and his true identity was Zhou Changyi. Seeking revenge for his brother, Zhou Changyong, who had been abused to death, he led a mutiny with the long-suffering soldiers, killing the real Huo Huaili and taking his place. Consequently, he was particularly afraid of the arrival of the Inspector General.
Di Ren Jie and Ma Rong were tied up and thrown into a prison cell. Diao Xiao Guan, relying on his agility, eavesdropped outside the prison cell and overheard Ma Rong expressing sympathy for the soldiers' suffering. She mentioned that if she were in their place, she would do the same. However, Di Ren Jie insisted on upholding the law, stating that people like Han Yongnan and the rebellious Zhou Changyong deserved to die. He emphasized that if everyone acted based on their emotions, the laws of the Tang Dynasty would become meaningless, and the prosperity of the empire would be compromised.
Diao Xiao Guan questioned Di Ren Jie, asking if he regretted being imprisoned after risking his life to capture Han Yongnan. Di Ren Jie affirmed that it was what he should have done and expressed no regret. This angered Diao Xiao Guan, who refused to rescue them. Unexpectedly, the military camp was suddenly attacked. Zhou Changyi not only refrained from killing Di Ren Jie during the chaos but also let him and Ma Rong escape, returning Di Ren Jie's sword.
Di Ren Jie witnessed Zhou Changyi and the soldiers fighting valiantly to defend the city, ultimately sacrificing himself for the country. This deeply moved Di Ren Jie, who remembered Zhou Changyi's request to take responsibility for all the charges of rebellion, as the patriotic soldiers were not to blame.
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