The Vendetta of An 长安二十四计 - Discussion - Episode 20
The Vendetta of An 长安二十四计 - Discussion - Episode 20
Welcome to the episode discussions for The Vendetta of An! Join us as we walk down the long road to revenge...
🔥🗡This post is for episodes 🩸20 only🩸 please use spoiler tags for express episodes or previews, thank you!🗡🔥
Discussion Schedule: Posts will follow the Youku regular VIP schedule.
📅Youku Airing Sched: ?? Since 21 is express access right now I'm assuming that means 21 will be released officially 12/22 so my plan will be to post ep 21 discussion tomorrow (12/22 Pacific Time Zone). TBD on the eps after that.
Netflix appears to be behind now by 1 ep.
Links to all discussions at bottom of post
Host Notes:
This post is coming at you a bit ahead of schedule. Hoping the 1x/day releases will help me get these posts up a bit earlier in the day going forward as well but that remains TBD.
🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸
... Previously on The Vendetta of An ...
[DETAILS REFERENCE CORNER]
Character Flashcards: linked post contains character name card pics from all currently recapped episodes, the show has not provided one for every character. Spoiler Note: if you are watching slower than release, sort comments by 'old' on the Flashcard post to avoid later eps.
Timeline: years are approximate +/- 1yr | updated with some Tiemo info
- "About 40 years ago": a battle over Chen Valley forced Tiemo citizens to evacuate their homes
- 30 years ago/1st year of Qiansheng: 1st Emperor Xiao invades and takeover Chang'an with the 4 military commanders
- ? Liu Ziwan founds Huben Army
- 25 years ago/6th year of Qiansheng: Liu Zhi/Huai'an born, Yan Fengshan captured in Tiemo
- ? years ago (possibly same year captured possibly later?): Yan Fengshan escapes captivity, adopts Wang Pu, child Huai'an sees young Wang Pu at some point "19 years ago"
- ? Liu Li/Bai Wan born, estimate she is ~6 yrs younger than Huai'an
- ? Huai'an mother died ("in the north when he was young")
- 20 years ago: Tiemo Shadow Guards deep cover infiltration of Chang'an
- 16 years ago/16th year of Qiansheng: Huai'an age 9, entered imperial academy with Xiao Wenjing
- 15 years ago/17th year of Qiansheng: Huai'an age 10, Tiemo backed Huben mutiny and murder of his father
- Huai'an ages 10-17: hiding out in Nanwei Trough, working as a boatman
- 7 years ago/24th year of Qiansheng: Huai'an age 17, arrived in Huainan and became registrar
- 4 years ago/28th year of Qiansheng Era/1st year of Wenchang Era: Huai'an age 21, General Yan takeover w/Xiao Wenjing on throne
- Now/4th year of Wenchang Era: Huai'an age 25, Xiao Wuyang deposes Xiao Wenjing, Huai'an arrives in Chang'an
Rogue's Gallery:
❕At Large: Qingyi
❌Dead: Pu Nichuan, Liu Ziyan, Wei Qianting, Yan Fengshan
❓Whereabouts unknown: Hooded Figure
EPISODE 20
[RECAP]
Opening Scene: In Cangshui River, we see Zhu Zhilong in front of an alter with 2 memorial tablets with no engravings on them. The objects on the alter are all carved wooden animals. He says, "My children, its been 30 years. We are at the final turning point. It will all be settled soon."
Does anyone in this show NOT have a family they need to avenge?
PART I: 15 years of planning
The Ghost of You Lingers: In the doorway to his stolen courtyard, Yan Fengshan is still staring at Wang Pu. He reaches out and I was sure the figure was going to fade away, a vision of his grief but no, he's solid! A person! Whattt is happening. Yan Fengshan embraces Wang Pu and is promptly stabbed by his 'son.'
Huai'an arrives from around the corner and 'Wang Pu' peels his face off.
Flashback: Zhu Zhilong, Huai'an, and another man have exhumed Wang Pu from his grave. Zhu Zhilong says he can preserve the body it usually takes 100 days to grow a skin mask. Huai'an says there is no need to grow one since he's already dead, just cut off his real face (😬). Zhu Zhilong says to Huai'an, "Sometimes I wonder between you and Yan Fengshan, who is the more terrifying one."
Before they part ways, he also tells Huai'an that,
"Once you kill Yan Fengshan, start living like a human again."
Back in the courtyard, Yan Fengshan has fallen back against the tree, bleeding from his stab wounds. He looks at his not-son and and remembers Huai'an's words from a few hours ago about how desperate imagination can bring the dead back to life.
The man who wore his son's face leaves the courtyard, the two players resume their game. Yan Fengshan congratulates Huai'an on a brilliant stratagem indeed. He has far surpassed his father. Huai'an reveals that the night before he was killed his father had been planning on striking first against Yan Fengshan but in the end he couldn't bring himself to believe the depths his former disciple's ruthlessness would go. Huai'an learned from his father's mistake.
During their conversation Yan Fengshan asks him,
"Tomorrow there will be no Yan Fengshan, what will you live for?"
Everyone is always asking Huai'an about his plans for the future but he rarely seems to respond to them. He tells Yan Fengshan about hiding out in the city sometime after his father died and seeing people go about their everyday lives, wondering how it was that they had homes to return to and he did not, his trauma had fractured his relationship to the world at large. When something unbelievable happens to you it can become unbelievable that other people aren't going through the same thing. How can you relate to them anymore? Huai'an doesn't seem particularly invested in or worried about planning for his return to 'everyday life', frequently allowing others to do the imagining for him. Yan Fengshan tells him he should explore the city, it can be really beautiful.
Yan Fengshan, bleeding on the ground, says "finish it, White Hair..."
But Huai'an tells him he will die slowly.
Brief cut to Mysterious Person in his Mysterious Prison casting a divination, upon seeing the result he slowly pours a cup of tea and holds it a loft, saying a farewell to General Yan.
Holding back the storm: We see the 4 Regional Military Commanders and some troops poised and waiting in a clearing. Huai'an approaches them carrying a black sack. Brief flashback to the generals receiving a message a few hours ago saying to hold off their attack on Xiao Wuyang army, wait to see whether Huai'an or Yan Fengshan will survive their encounter.
Huai'an tosses the sack their way and inside is Yan Fengshan's head. We did not get a close up to confirm but that's fine with me, we've seen enough corpses and blood for now. He tells them he is there on Xiao Wuyang's authority and can offer them a clean slate if they put down their weapons for tonight. They might even get to keep their commands.
In Chang'an, we see Chen Zhiying and other Huben soldiers walking through a street full of dead people. She gets to the now empty courtyard and sees a puddle of blood. Throughout the city riders are announcing Yan Fengshan's death and that any Huben members who surrender will be spared.
Su Changlin is in the streets when he hears this news, still bloody from his fight with Ye Zheng. He seems genuinely shocked to hear this news.
We cut to Taiyiji Clinic, a solider arrives to give Xiao Wenjing and Shen Xiaoqing the news as well. They've been sitting on the porch waiting for Ye Zheng to return, Shen Xiaoqing worried about if Su Changlin meant to harm her.
Xiao Wenjing asks the questions we are probably all wondering about Yan Fengshan,
"Are you sure his dead? Are you sure the body wasn't switched?"
Shen Xiaoqing is overjoyed with relief at this piece of good news but Xiao Wenjing is more quiet, thoughtful. He says he needs to walk alone for a while but before he can leave, the soldier says he has another message...about Ye Zheng.
Cut to Ye Zheng laying in a stable or a shed somewhere, leaning up against some sacks and straw, bleeding, eyes closed.
Tying up loose ends: Huai'an meets with the imperial army (Xiao Wuyang's men). He has Yan Fengshan's head on display on a table. He tells them about the 4 military commanders retreating and the 100 remaining Baiwenhu soldiers cleaning out the palace of any Huben. He tells him that Xiao Wuyang is alive but they will need to wait a few days for his return. He and the soldiers enter the city on horseback.
Cut to the palace grounds where there are dead Huben members laying everywhere. The Liu Yuning OST song (Lone Gambit in Chang'an 孤弈长安) starts playing as Huai'an walks through the palace. He comes upon the child emperor kneeling before the main steps, surrounded by candles. These frames were so beautiful, very haunting visuals. It's clear the child knows he is likely next to die.
He tells Huai'an that Huben raised him in the mountains and he knows no one truly cares for him, no one will mourn him, he lit these candles for himself (devastating thing for a child to say). Huai'an tells him he knows he was involved in his sister's death. (I fell for Huben's scheme and did not realize the orphan child emperor was the same kid who splashed mud on Bai Wan's horse but in retrospect it seems obvious).
Huai'an tells him he doesn't need to die here, he is just a pawn used by Huben and no child should have had to bear that weight. He does need to keep pretending to be the emperor for a few days though.
Before we cut away from the palace, we see the chief eunuch lighting the the lanterns. A small moment to remind us of the human lives still going on amidst political upheaval.
As he walks through Chang'an, Huai'an looks up at the sky and we get a montage of memories, some we have seen and some we haven't. The ones we haven't include child Huai'an, his father, and little Liu Li playing in a yard. The final part of the montage is the image of his father from his dream and his father's voice saying "You must keep living."
very big ending vibes with those last few scenes and now we move onto the next chapter
PART II: 30 years of waiting
Mysterious No More: We cut to the Mysterious Prison at Yulong Ridge. Mysterious Person is pouring tea again and hears a fight happening outside his cell. 2 female fighters in Tiemo style dress are easily taking out all the guards. One of them says "Your majesty, all has been done according to your instructions."
In Chang'an a man in a large fur cloak is leading a white horse with a familiar looking wounded soldier draped across its back. We get a close up on the soldier's face, its Gu Yu. The man stops to chat with an old man playing the flute (I believe its the same man Bai Wan used to like to listen to in the market). The flute player says, "Yan Fengshan is dead, Huben is scattered. I knew we would soon see your majesty."
MYSTERIOUS PERSON REVEAL.... DUN DUN DUN
...he's the KING OF TIEMO
The King asks the flute player to play "White Bone Ballad" so that the "streets of Chang'an can be filled with the sorrow of the Tiemo people."
In a different part of the city, Huai'an is still standing still in reverie when Zhu Zhilong and a carriage turn the corner. Zhu Zhilong looks like he has bad news. I think he is coming with an update on Ye Zheng but NO we don't get to hear about our swordsmen at all for the rest of the ep.
Huai'an notices the man leading the horse and carriage is the same man who helped with the fake Wang Pu scheme only now he is wearing a Tiemo style headband. Huai'an starts to come to a realization as Zhu Zhilong says, "I've been looking for you."
Huai'an says he would have offered him some Bitter After if he'd known he was from Tiemo, but Zhu Zhilong dismisses this, his demeanor more fierce than we have seen before. Chewing Bitter After would have roused suspicion and as a Tiemo Shadow Guard, he had intentionally unlearned all his Tiemo behaviors.
Zhu Zhilong tells Huai'an that the King wants to see him.
Damn That Valley: Huai'an immediately asks Zhu Zhilong if he was involved in his father's death, to which Zhu Zhilong says no. But yes, Tiemo was involved in the plot. Huai'an puts the pieces together:
"The Tiemo people killed my father, let Yan Fengshan rise, and waited for him and Xiao Wuyang to tear each other apart. You cleared the Huben guards outside Yan Fengshan's residence for me and you sent me a puppet that looks like Wang Pu. Now that Yan Fengshan is dead and the military commanders have withdrawn, Chang'an is at its weakest. A well laid plan indeed."
Zhu Zhilong gives him some backstory. I didn't mean to write down all of his dialogue but then I did so here it is:
"About 40 years ago, there was a battle north of Chen Valley. There was no righteous or evil side. We wanted that piece of land, so war broke out.
Back then I was just a commoner and I was ordered to evacuate. I stood by the river and watched others wade across, unable to bring myself to leave. I was worried my sheep might not survive. That the hawk I caught might fly away. And that the house I built might be burned to the ground. Someone crossing the river asked m, 'why aren't you worried about your family?' Yes, my family should have been my greatest concern. But they were already dead. And they did not die in war.
Tiemo's winters are bitter cold. Children born in winter rarely live to see the snow built. My children were born in winter. We want our children to grow up safely. We want the sick to have herbs for treatment. We want our cattle and sheep to have steady grazing grounds. We want people to stop killing each other over dry scraps of food.
But Tiemo's land is far too barren. So we had to take your land, no matter the cost. Even if it meant laying in wait for 30 years. For the faintest chance."
^(In the end, people only kill to save themselves)
Most of this carriage dialogue is delivered in hushed tones, almost whispers. Huai'an says there are also young children and sick people here, if they give all their land to Tiemo, how would they survive? Zhu Zhilong acknowledges the issue but the dismisses it, "What does that have to do with me?"
Huai'an gets out the pouch of Bitter After and asks Zhu Zhilong why the King even wants to see him. He realizes it means Xiao Wuyang must be missing. Zhu Zhilong didn't know he was faking still being in a coma and had been trying to keep him under his control to have him wake a specific time.
Huai'an says his plan failed because he was up against "Xiao Wuyang, the King of Death." (DId we know he had such a metal nickname? Did Huai'an just make this up on the spot?). But Zhu Zhilong thinks this King of Death will show himself sooner rather than later if he knows Huai'an is in their hands.
Huai'an crushes the pouch in his hand, turning the bitter plant into a powder that gets in Zhu Zhilong's face and gives him a chance to escape. Zhu Zhilong tries to stab him a small dagger and then jumps out of the carriage but Huai'an is already gone.
Out From the Shadows: The King of Tiemo is still listening to the flute player. He has taken Gu Yu off his horse and propped him up against the pillar of a building. He tells him the story behind "White Bone Ballad," about the Tiemo people's relationship to wolves and a woman who makes a flute out of a wolf bone after finding its bones next to her son's after the snow melted one year.
He also tells Gu Yu how the Tiemo Shadow Guards entered the city 20 years ago, each going deep undercover. We see cuts to various shopkeepers, most of whom I think we have seen before. The King says White Bone Ballad is the signal for them to come back to their old ways.
Huai'an is walking down the street when he is spotted by the owner of the incense/funeral goods shop where he got Liu Li's memorial tablet. The shop keeper recognizes him and invites him, offering him a basin of water to wash with. But Huai'an is wary and rightfully so as the shop keeper tries to sneak up behind him with a heavy bowl. Wielding the water basin, Huai'an fights him off.
Meanwhile the King of Tiemo is doing some monologueing at Gu Yu about wolves and Tiemo motives for war.
"The wolves take our livestock but we Tiemo people still take the wolf as our totem, because the wolves have taught us how to plunder. We Tiemo people don't deserve to live forever on cold, barren land. We we must ride out and plunder. We must seize a fertile patch of land."
Gu Yu finally speaks, also in a low whisper. Everyone is doing low whispers in this ep, where is Qingyi and his rasp when you need him.
"Not a patch of Chang'an land will you ever take. Not a single resident of Chang'an will submit to you."
The King laughs, saying that he has already wiped out Gu Yu's army. But Gu Yu doesnt lose any of his nerve.
"Rest assured, Chang'an will not fall. Right now, I pity only my warhorse. It carried me out of the city to fight and carried me back to die."
Then he whistles to his horse who gets loose from where it was tied up and breaks into a gallop at the King. As the King steps out of its way, Gu Yu throws a scale from his armor at him, slicing his cheek.
Like his son (presumably Wuyin Chong is his son?), he is impressed by Chang'an people's ability to never run out of tricks. But then reminds Gu Yu that he is bleeding out. Noooooooooo
Across the street, Huai'an emerges from an alley holding the shop keeper hostage with a dagger. Gu Yu spots him and they lock eyes.
Gu Yu says to the King, "Luckily there are still people in Chang'an you cannot defeat." The King turns to notice Huai'an but Gu Yu grabs his sleeve. The King reacts by reaching out with his other hand to slice Gu Yu across the throat.
Huai'an watches in horror.
[NOTES]
😭😭😭 Already bleeding out and then a throat slice, I don't think he's coming back from that.... 💔💔💔
If Gu Yu dies then Ye Zheng needs to NOT die, we are running out of characters for Huai'an to have on his side.
📜Schemes and Secrets: fake Wang Pu, secret message to military commanders, keeping fake emperor on throne, Mysterious Person reveal, Zhu Zhilong reveal, Tiemo involvement in Liu Ziwen death, Tiemo Shadow Guards in Chang'an reveal, Gu Yu and his horse diversion
[REFLECTIONS]
8 episodes left and the show is still firing on all cylinders, it's so good.
Huai'an achieved one of his big goals but had only a moment's peace until the next thing happened. Will he ever be allowed to take a nice porch nap again?
What do you all think of Mysterious Person reveal?? Of Zhu Zhilong's long con? Its actually wild how many people in this drama are Up To Something At All Times.
Episode 21 watchers, sorry these posts are behind y'all. Please be extra careful about character living or dying spoilers. Thank you!
🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸🔥🗡🩸
Links to Discussion Posts:
Index | Masterpost (Eps 1-3) | Eps 4-5 | Eps 6-7 | Eps 8-9 | Eps 10-11 | Eps 12-13 | Eps 14-15 | Eps 16-17 | Eps 18-19
Other useful links: Airing Schedule | DramaWiki | MDL| Weibo | OST info
Posted Dec 21, 2025, 11:10 PM UTC