Zhan Zhao Adventures - Episode 30 and 31 RECAP
EPISODE 30
Zhong Shou was asked by Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang, and Huo Linglong why Luo Chang Shui, the assassin, had attempted to assassinate him. Zhong Shou pretended to be innocent, saying that he had traveled frequently to deal in medical plants after burying his niece Jin Niang years prior. He maintained that he had no connection to the influential Zhao family and that he didn't understand why anyone would want him killed.
After he left, the three of them followed him secretly since they were not convinced by his explanations. When they followed him to a quiet medical clinic and caught him and a dishonest doctor in the act of drugging a scared young woman, their suspicions were confirmed. The two offenders were made to confess after being dragged before Magistrate Hu Xiaochen.
Zhong Shou acknowledged that a wealthy family had given two hundred taels of silver for a young woman's body back when ghost weddings were common in Xiangzhou. He had sold Jin Niang's corpse and ruined her tomb out of greed. He joined forces with the cruel clinic doctor after seeing how profitable the trade was in order to obtain more "merchandise."
They had turned to drugging nine young, healthy women in Yicheng, Sui County, and Wanshan County in order to stage their deaths and sell them as ghostly brides because it was hard to obtain real female corpses. Hu Xiaochen, enraged by their brutality, ordered them to be imprisoned and put to death. Zhan Zhao went to the prison to question Zhong Shou in order to get more in-depth information.
With the exception of Wanshan County, where his most recent client was a guy called Wang Heng who had bought a corpse for his deceased brother, Wang Qing, the prisoner disclosed that his business had dried up everywhere else. Zhan Zhao expressed his worries to Hu Xiaochen because he was troubled by the huge amount of young men who died in a year under unknown circumstances.
The magistrate clarified that the murders were probably caused by the wicked Xiuluo Cult, which had utilized locals for poison experimentation and human sacrifices until his government was able to expel them. Zhan Zhao was still very doubtful. He wondered how common families could suddenly afford hundreds of taels of silver for ghost marriages, and why his family had kept quiet rather than reporting Wang Qing's murder.
Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang, and Huo Linglong looked into Wang Heng's home for answers. Upon arriving on their home, they only found nothing except a spoiled food since the family had already run away overnight. Before they could go after them, they received vital information from the prison: Zhong Shou and the doctor had been brutally silenced and executed. Bai Yutang recognized right away that there was a traitor in the county office who was aware of the guard rotation schedules.
Hu Xiaochen fiercely defended his officers, claiming he didn't think anybody close to him had made the move and that he trusted his soldiers just as Zhan Zhao trusted Bai Yutang and Huo Linglong. Hu Xiaochen, who was quite drowsy eventually let down his guard later that night after cocktails. He acknowledged that there were evil undertones in Wanshan County and said that he was aware that Zhan Zhao was in the area to exterminate the Lord of Xiangyang's group.
Hu Xiaochen granted Zhan Zhao's request to exhume Wang Qing's body, promising his complete assistance. Following the exhumation, the coroner concluded that Wang Qing had not died from poisoning but rather from significant internal injuries and fractures associated with a large fall or being crushed by a big item. Wang Qing had left home to embark on an intriguing, profitable occupation, according to neighbors.
However, a hostile crowd headed by the victim's brother, Liu San Lang, and angry village elders prevented the crew from exhuming another victim, Liu Er Lang. Zhan Zhao was forced to stop the exhumation in order to prevent a riot after they accused the foreigners of causing disturbance in their quiet community. In the meantime, Bai Yutang used the "Classic of Pulse Diagnosis" to examine Zhan Zhao's pulse and observed that the green poison markings on his body were getting worse.
Zhan Zhao ignored the risk and maintained a positive attitude despite the seriousness of his disease. In a secret meeting with an informant that evening, Zhu Ming Yuan disclosed that he had murdered Luo Chang Shui in order to preserve the secrets of Wanshan County. He asked the messenger to alert their master so they could get ready for Zhan Zhao's next move.
Bai Yutang secretly advised Zhan Zhao to take care of his health while keeping young Ming Zhu'er in silence about Zhan Zhao's deteriorating health. Zhan Zhao felt that their best option was to leave Wanshan County and go to Gucheng County to investigate the ten-year-old case, as Jin Niang's spouse had likewise disappeared in his prime.
He was interested in finding out why Zhao Yue An had chosen out Jin Niang, a common market lady with whom he had no personal grudges. The three left, giving Hu Xiaochen custody of Ming Zhu'er and Zhao Zhi'er. When they found Jin Niang's mother-in-law in Gucheng County, she revealed that Jin Niang had gone looking for her husband, Duan Shi Lang, who was employed in Jiuzhou Mountain.
Rather, she found his bones in a small group grave with those of twelve other young men. The crew decided to look into the Zhao family cemetery after realizing the conspiracy included several areas and lasted ten years. They discovered that Zhao Yue An's grave was strangely neglected there. After Jin Niang was killed, they concluded that Zhao Yue An had staged his death to shield his family's harmful, extremely illegal labor businesses.
Bai Yutang kidnapped Zhao Zheng De, the father of Zhao Yue An, because he was determined to reveal the truth. A horrified Zhao Zheng De acknowledged, under fear of a knife, that he had staged his son's murder to keep him safe, but he denied knowing about the deadly actions on Jiuzhou Mountain. Then he disclosed a huge secret: Zhao Yue An was really raised in their house as the illegitimate son of the Lord of Xiangyang, a great noble.
The young man changed his name and was brought to a wealth residence in Huilonghe after pretending to be dead. Huo Linglong made the connection fast. The period was ideal since Huilonghe was a tiny town with few affluent families. The Shao family's youngest son, Shao Ji Zu, was twenty-six years old and had returned to his home 10 years prior at the age of sixteen.
Bai Yutang concurred that the arrogant Shao Ji Zu was the most likely culprit, even though Tang Sect's Xiao Tang (who also matched the age description) and her own unwell brother, Huo Feng, were also potential suspects. They made the decision to go back to Wanshan County first to plot their next move while keeping Zhao Zheng De concealed outside the yamen in order to prevent the mole there from silencing their new witness. But as soon as they got back, they discovered an unexpected incident.
EPISODE 31
Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang, and Huo Linglong were lured to a chaotic scene where a crowd had collected around a deep pit as soon as they returned to Wanshan County from Gucheng County. Zhao Zhengde, Zhan Zhao, and Huo Linglong went to examine the region where paper talismans floated in the air, leaving Bai Yutang to keep an eye on their witness. The victim's newly tailored clothing allowed onlookers to identify him as Wang Heng.
Hu Xiaochen examined the fluttering talismans and came to the conclusion that the Xiuluo Cult was back in action, trying to hide something. Zhan Zhao told him they needed a safe place to hide since they had returned Zhao Zhengde, a key witness from the ten-year-old case. Hu Xiaochen urged Zhan Zhao not to discuss their results inside the yamen walls, acknowledging that the county court had been infiltrated.
He expressed his suspicion of Zhu Mingyuan, pointing out that Zhu Mingyuan had examined jail shifts and altered timetables on the day Zhong Shou was killed. They discovered that Zhu Mingyuan had planned Luo Changshui's murder of Zhong Shou, and they put Luo Changshui to death in public to silence him. Hu Xiaochen proposed a strategy to capture the mastermind. While he kept Zhu Mingyuan busy at the court, he had Bai Yutang move Zhao Zhengde into an empty house on Wansheng Street.
Hu Xiaochen was horrified to discover that Zhao Yue'an was, in fact, the illegitimate son of the Lord of Xiangyang, raised by Zhao Zhengde, when the four allies gathered after midnight. Hu Xiaochen requested that the suspects be brought to their home region for identification rather than relocating the witness because of fear that the Lord of Xiangyang would silence Zhao Zhengde.
Hu Xiaochen insisted on assembling all three possible suspects, Shao Jizu, Tang Tianhao, and Huo Feng, in order to prevent subjective prejudice, despite Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang having strong suspicions about Shao Jizu. Huo Linglong wrote to Shao Jizu under the guise of their impending marriage, while Bai Yutang offered to write to Tang Tianhao to extend an invitation.
Zhao Zhengde could watch them from across the street since they set up the meeting in the Heaven suite of Juxian Pavilion, which was situated right across from Wanxing Restaurant. Zhu Mingyuan broke into Si Ming's former home that evening to see Zhou Jiliang, the recently designated Xiuluo Cult head. Zhou Jiliang enjoyed the increasing fear in Wanshan County.
Zhou Jiliang agreed to follow the plan after Zhu Mingyuan warned him that employing poison would leave too many traces. He expressed excitement about seeing Zhan Zhao again after a ten-year absence. A terrifying incident in the forest was seen by two travelers who were racing through the night. They witnessed members of the Xiuluo Cult forcing two men and a woman into a hole and using rocks to stone them to death. They ran to the county court to report the crime, terrified and shocked.
Liu Sanlang and his parents were recognized as the victims. Huo Linglong and Bai Yutang were confused by the cult's sudden change in its goals, but Zhan Zhao said that the Lord of Xiangyang had ordered the cult to obstruct their investigations. He emphasized that the only way to stop the murders was to locate Zhao Yue'an. Tang Tianhao showed up on schedule.
Despite being irritated by the suspicion that he was the illegitimate son of the Lord of Xiangyang, he affirmed his innocence and consented to assist. He and Huo Linglong talked about a needle technique that could help Zhan Zhao's body temporarily suppress the toxin. Shao Jizu arrived by himself even though he knew it was a trap. He wanted to know what Zhan Zhao was really capable of, because the wedding was less than six weeks away.
Bai Yutang became concerned when he entered Juxian Pavilion and saw that there was no ambush. Tang Tianhao confronted Shao Jizu about the fall of the Tang Sect inside the pavilion, but Shao Jizu dismissed him, saying he was waiting for another visitor. Zhan Zhao had Bai Yutang watch the pavilion with Zhao Zhengde at Wanxing Restaurant across the street. Zhao Zhengde's countenance abruptly changed when a traveling father and daughter passed by and fell.
Huo Feng went into the Juxian Pavilion suite in the meantime. Inside, Shao Jizu disclosed that the upcoming marriage was just a transaction in which the Huo family, the Shao family, and the Lord of Xiangyang each got what they need. He cautioned Huo Linglong that her family would be destroyed by her obsession with Zhan Zhao. Huo Feng was furious and pulled out his sword to battle him. Shao Jizu saw Zhao Zhengde observing from the window during the fight, smirked coldly, and walked away.
Zhao Zhengde identified Huo Feng as the real Zhao Yue'an by pointing to the window across the street. The traveling father and daughter on the street suddenly revealed themselves to be members of the Xiuluo Cult in disguise. They used Soul-Chasing Nails to assault Zhao Zhengde, but Zhan Zhao stopped them. Hu Xiaochen arrived with reinforcements as a furious battle broke out. Zhu Mingyuan blocked Bai Yutang's way as he jumped out to chase Shao Jizu.
Paper talismans dropped from the skies as the duel heated up, frightening the crowd. Zhou Jiliang mockingly claimed to be the new Yaksha when he exposed himself to Zhan Zhao. The two engaged in a bloody duel. Surprised that Zhan Zhao's power persisted after his poisoning, Zhou Jiliang quickly distracted Zhan Zhao's attention by bringing up Ming Zhuer and the previous family massacre, taking advantage of Zhan Zhao's inability to flee.
Zhu Mingyuan took a local resident captive nearby and demanded that Hu Xiaochen give up Zhao Zhengde. Hu Xiaochen was coerced into accepting the exchange by terrified crowd who claimed that a stranger's life was not worth a local's. Hu Xiaochen offered himself as a hostage rather than sacrifice his testimony. Rejecting the deal, Zhu Mingyuan brutally murdered the captive before trying to escape, only to be apprehended by Zhan Zhao. The bereaved widow sobbed angrily back at the court, blaming Zhan Zhao and the investigators for her husband's death.
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Posted Jun 1, 2026, 1:37 PM UTC