Episode 36

**Episode 36** is an episode of Nirvana In Fire.The primary plotline concerns the Rescue Of Wei Zheng.

## Events

* Continuing the scene from Episode 35, Yan Que is meeting in the Taoist temple with Xia Jiang and Xia Chun. Yan Que rebukes Xia Jiang for not caring that the explosion from the bombs he placed in the Xuanjing Bureau prison might kill Xia Dong. When Xia Chun objects, Xia Jiang tells him to be quiet and that Xia Chun's behavior does not do him credit as the next director of the Xuanjing Bureau. Xia Jiang says that Xia Dong betrayed them. Xia Chun reminds Xia Jiang that he had promised to spare her. Xia Jiang says that if Xia Dong survives this, he won't kill her in the future. Yan Que says that perhaps Prince Jing won't be able to save Wei Zheng. Xia Jiang marvels that Yan Que can still be calm and wonders if it's because he thinks that none of the fighters will be able to be traced to Prince Jing. Yan Que tells him that Prince Jing has no involvement in this, and so how could Xia Jiang manipulate events to make it seem like he had? Xia Jiang says there may be no evidence before the bomb blows up, but after it does is a different matter. There will be a lot of carnage from an explosion and the Capital Patrols surrounding the Bureau (who are there under Prince Jing's orders) will jump in to help. The patrollers will be lured in by the Bureau soldiers and a fight will break out between them. The situation will escalate and Prince Jing will have to become involved.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, Qi Meng tells Lie Zhanying that no one has broken out yet. Lie Zhanying orders him to get their soldiers ready.
* In the temple, Xia Jiang mocks Yan Que for not being very calm anymore and asks him how he thinks Prince Jing will save himself from this. Yan Que corrects him and says that he and Prince Jing don't have any dealings between them, but that he's sure that Prince Jing won't do anything against the law. Xia Jiang warns him not to make the same mistake he had in the past, of choosing the wrong side, and mocks him for his choices. Yan Que stands and looks out the window. He says that he can leave now and he can't stand to stay with Xia Jiang any longer. Yan Que leaves the room.
* Outside the temple, Xia Jiang asks Xia Chun if he thought Yan Que's parting words to be strange, that he "*can* leave now", that he was delaying Xia Jiang only for a certain amount of time. Xia Jiang and Xia Chun's horses had been tied to a fence, but are not there anymore. They start running back to Jinling.
* Outside the temple, Yan Que and Yan Yujin watch them go, having hid their horses. Yan Que remarks that Xia Jiang and Xia Chun probably won't be able to find replacement horses until they are close to Jinling.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, Bureau officers mill around muttering to each other. One officer reports that they didn't catch any of the fighters and that the Capital Patrols have all left.
* Outside Jinling, Xia Jiang and Xia Chun have found horse and they gallop through the city gates to the Xuanjing Bureau. They enter the Bureau, followed by the officers. One of the officers reports to Xia Jiang that the fighters only went as far as the dungeon door before turning around, and therefore the officers did not set off the bomb because the fighters were not in range of the intended explosion. The officers were not able to capture any of the fighters because they used smoke and poisonous gas to cover their escape. Xia Chun asks the reporting officer why they didn't give chase. Another officer reports that their chase was impeded by the Capital Patrols, who were chasing a thief at the same time. In the hubbub and confusion, the fighters escaped. Xia Jiang realizes that the raid on Xuanjing Bureau was a distraction. Xia Chun asks if he thinks that Prince Jing discovered where Wei Zheng was really being held. Xia Jiang rushes off to the Court of Judicial Review prison to check in on Wei Zheng. Xia Chun accompanies him.
* At the Court of Judicial Review, Xia Jiang storms in, followed by Xia Chun, and goes to the prison in the courtyard. Xia Jiang sees that the location is undisturbed and realizes that he has, in fact, lead the fighters to Wei Zheng himself. At this moment, Su Tianshu and the fighters attack him, Xia Chun, and the Review Court guards. Fei Liu fights Xia Jiang and Su Tianshu fights Xia Chun while the rest of the fighters free Wei Zheng. Zhen Ping shouts at Fei Liu until he stops fighting Xia Jiang and follows them instead.
* Xia Jiang tells Xia Chun that he had not thought Prince Jing would succeed, but now that he has, it's a beginning and not an end.
* In Su Manor, Li Gang and Lie Zhanying enter Mei Changsu's study and report that Wei Zheng has been rescued. Mei Changsu asks them where Xia Jiang had transferred Wei Zheng to. Li Gang tells him that it was in the Court of Judicial Review. Mei Changsu said that he forgot that criminals could be held there, so that was a good choice by Xia Jiang. Mei Changsu asks Xiao Jingyan if he is prepared for what's to come. Jingyan nods and agrees that what comes next is his battle. Lie Zhanying asks what battle that is. Mei Changsu asks Lie Zhanying what he thinks Xia Jiang will do. Lie Zhanying says that Xia Jiang will go to the Emperor.
* In Yangju Hall, Prince Yu presents the Emperor with the white stone with fortuitous markings on it.
* In Su Manor, Jingyan apologizes to Mei Changsu that the rescue may have hurt the chances of them achieving Mei Changsu's goals. Mei Changsu brushes off the apology, saying that they've rescued Wei Zheng without giving Xia Jiang any evidence against them. Mei Changsu says they may lose this battle and the Emperor's favor, but that doesn't mean their defeat from the larger goal. Mei Changsu reminds Jingyan that he must be calm in front of the Emperor and not incite him into any angry rash decisions.
* In Yangju Hall, a eunuch announces Xia Jiang. The Emperor orders him admitted. Gao Zhan and Prince Yu are still in attendance in the Hall.
* In Su Manor, Jingyan tells Mei Changsu that he still doesn't understand why Xia Jiang went to all the effort with Wei Zheng; all Xia Jiang needed to do was lock Wei Zheng in the dungeon and rescue would have been impossible short of a full revolt. Mei Changsu responds that Xia Jiang did that because his goal wasn't to imprison Wei Zheng, it was to force Jingyan to act. Mei Changsu was able to take advantage of the weaknesses that were created by Xia Jiang's convoluted plan in order to rescue Wei Zheng. Mei Changsu warns Jingyan that his mother, Consort Jing, may be endangered by this, but that Mei Changsu hopes that Jingyan will keep to the plan if that happens. Jingyan replies that he has spoken of this already to his mother and they are in agreement on it. Mei Changsu begins to mention another potential consequence, but cuts himself off, saying they will discuss it later.
* In Yangju Hall, Xia Jiang reports to the Emperor that the Xuanjing Bureau and Review Court were attacked and Wei Zheng was rescued. Xia Jiang says he has a suspicion of the identity of the culprit, but doesn't have any evidence, so he dares not say it. The Emperor demands to know who he suspects. Xia Jiang reminds the Emperor that after Wei Zheng was captured, Jingyan tried to protect him, and that furthermore, the Capital Patrols were active on the streets where the attack occurred and obstructed the Xuanjing Bureau officers when they tried to pursue the attackers. The Emperor angrily orders Jingyan summoned. Prince Yu tries to console his father and urge him not to be angry. The Emperor brushes him off.
* Behind the Emperor's back, Prince Yu makes a small nod in signal to a eunuch in the back of the room. The eunuch bows and leaves to go to Qi Hong. The eunuch tells her to pass along a message to Empress Yan that Prince Yu says it's time.
* Jingyan arrives at Wuying Hall.
* In Gong Yu's home, Gong Yu plays music for Prince Ji and Yan Yujin. Yujin says they've been there for two hours and he's hungry. He asks Gong Yu for food and she leaves to get some.
* Outside Gong Yu's home, several people support an injured Wei Zheng. Xia Dong walks last in the group and she looks around the street.
* Gong Yu returns with refreshments. Prince Ji offers various forms of help to Gong Yu and remarks that the air is bad in the room. Gong Yu says that if Prince Ji finds it stuffy in the room, she'll open the window. After she opens the window, she gasps in alarm. Yujin rushes to the window and see Wei Zheng, Xia Dong, and other fighters. He remarks aloud that Xia Dong is outside, causing Prince Ji to stand and look out. Prince Ji and Yujin watch as Xia Dong and the other fighters load Wei Zheng into a carriage.
* Jingyan enters Wuying Hall and kowtows. The Emperor demands Jingyan explain how Wei Zheng was abducted from the Xuanjing Bureau. Jingyan expresses confusion about the abduction and says that he isn't in charge of the Bureau and so shouldn't be the one to explain what happened. He denies sending the attackers and asks to confront his accuser. The Emperor signals to Xia Jiang who accuses him directly, pointing out that Jingyan posted a lot of Capital Patrols soldiers near the Xuanjing Bureau. Jingyan explains that he posted a lot of soldiers everywhere, not just by the Bureau, as he was trying to catch a thief. Xia Jiang asks him if he's caught the thief; Jingyan replies that he hasn't, because the Bureau guards got in the way of the Capital Patrols soldiers when they were trying to arrest the thief.