Episode 35

**Episode 35** is an episode of Nirvana In Fire. The primary plotline concerns the Rescue Of Wei Zheng.

## Events

### 3rd day of the New Year

* In Su Manor, Mei Changsu and the Jiangzuo Alliance meet with Su Tianshu and the Yaowang Valley fighters. Mei Changsu tells the fighters to rest well overnight and he will tell them the plan on the following day. Mei Changsu tells Su Tianshu that the rescue will be under the name of Yaowang Valley and if anything goes wrong, Yaowang Valley will suffer the consequences of it. Su Tianshu assures him that the geography of Yaowang Valley will make that very difficult for anyone who wants to try. Mei Changsu bows to him.

### 4th day of the New Year

* At Yan Manor, Fei Liu wakes up Yan Yujin and gives him a letter from Mei Changsu and tells him to burn it. The letter instructs Yujin to take Prince Ji to Gong Yu's residence. Yujin burns the letter on a brazier by his bed.
* In Yu Manor, Prince Yu tells Qin Banruo that he wanted to go to Xuanjing Bureau and see Wei Zheng, but Xia Jiang wouldn't allow it. Qin Banruo tells Prince Yu that in the future, if he wants to send a message to Xia Jiang, to give it to her to send it through Jun Niang. Prince Yu says he doesn't like Jun Niang's disrespectful attitude in her work for him. Qin Banruo tells Prince Yu that Xia Jiang trusts Jun Niang because she was one of the original spies in her network and her loyalty is absolute. Prince Yu says tat he'll give Jun Niang another chance because Qin Banruo vouches for her. Lanjin comes in and Qin Banruo leaves. Lanjin reports to Prince Yu that the Empress told her that in the last few days, Consort Jing has been receiving gifts, and that Prince Jing hasn't entered the palace in the last three days since the New Year. Lanjin also reports that the Empress heard from an informer that Consort Jing had a memorial tablet for Consort Chen in Zhiluo Palace.
* Yan Yujin arrives at Prince Ji's manor.
* In Su Manor, Mei Changsu and the Jiangzuo Alliance meet with Su Tianshu and the Yaowang Valley fighters. Mei Changsu reiterates the importance of sticking to the plan. He reminds them that the mission will begin at noon on the following day when the Xuanjing Bureau will be changing guard rotations. The fighters will meet up with Xia Dong outside the Bureau and she will let them through the gate. Wang Yuan is assigned fifteen fighters to be held back in case reinforcements are needed. Zheng Xuting is assigned thirty fighters and will take orders from Xia Dong. Mei Changsu tells them that Xia Jiang, Xia Chun, and Xia Qiu will be absent from the Bureau and at first, everything will go fine. However, the fighters will not be able to make it beyond the dungeons. After that, they should begin their assault, which Xia Dong will not assist them with. The fighters will need to make their way into the inner court of the Bureau and then leave. The fighters will be given insects and poisonous powders to use to confuse the Xuanjing Bureau agents so the fighters can break out of there.
* In Prince Ji's manor, Prince Ji shows Yan Yujin a musical composition created by musicians that Prince Ji hosted during the mourning period for the Grand Empress Dowager when public musical performances were prohibited. Prince Ji tells Yan Yujin that the composition may seem simple to him because he's been spoiled by Miaoyin Court. Yujin replies that surely Prince Ji was also spoiled as well by Gong Yu's skills. Prince Ji repeats a rumor that he heard, that Miaoyin Court was raided because they worked with bandits. Yujin disagrees, pointing out to Prince Ji that these rumored bandits don't have names and that no charges were made at the Ministry of Justice. Miaoyin Court was raised, Yujin says, because they offended an important person. Prince Ji says that he knows they were raided by Zhu Yue of the Grand Court of Review, who is Prince Yu's brother-in-law. Yujin confirms that Gong Yu is in hiding because Zhu Yue wants her and she can't afford to offend him. Prince Ji asks how Yujin can know what Gong Yu was thinking and asks if Yujin was the one to shelter her and hide her away. Yujin says he wasn't, but he knows where she is now.
* In Su Manor, Mei Changsu uses a map of Xuanjing Bureau to demonstrate to the fighters where they should go tomorrow. He tells them they must retreat quickly and that once they get outside, it will be easier. They will have the support of the Capital Patrols who will be out apprehending a thief. This will cause confusion and aid the escape. Mei Changsu reminds the fighters to leave no one behind when they retreat.
* In Prince Ji's manor, Yan Yujin tells Prince Ji that Gong Yu is doing well and has been composing new music. Prince Ji asks Yujin to take him to see her so he can hear her music. Prince Ji is eager to go immediately. Yujin tells him the time is too late today, but he'll take him tomorrow.
* In Xuanjing Bureau, Xia Chun delivers a letter from Yan Que to Xia Jiang. The letter requests that Xia Jiang meet Yan Que tomorrow at a Taoist temple outside the city to discuss Xia Jiang's son, who Xia Jiang has not seen since his wife left him and took their son with her. Xia Jiang says he will meet Yan Que. Xia Chun volunteers to accompany him.

### 5th day of the New Year

* Outside Yan Manor, Yan Que and Yan Yujin depart early in the morning for the temple to meet with Xia Jiang.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, Xia Jiang and Xia Chun depart for the temple as well. Lie Zhanying and Qi Meng watch them leave.
* In Su Manor, the fighters prepare their weapons. Su Tianshu and Mei Changsu watch them. Su Tianshu compliments Mei Changsu on his military-like strategies.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, Xia Dong asks Xia Qiu to bring back a witness for one of her cases from another city, while Xia Dong goes to visit her husband's grave. Xia Qiu agrees. They leave Jinling together.
* In Jing Manor, Lie Zhanying reports to Xiao Jingyan that everything is ready.
* Yan Que and Yan Yujin arrive at the temple, followed by Xia Jiang and Xia Chun. Yan Que sends Yujin off to study. Yujin complains, asking if he really has to do it all day. Yan Que makes pointed remarks to Xia Jiang about children.
* In Yu Manor, Qin Banruo and Jun Niang enter Prince Yu's study to deliver a verbal message from Xia Jiang that Prince Yu should find a reason to enter the Imperial Palace of Da Liang and stay near the Emperor today. Prince Yu realizes that the plot to free Wei Zheng must be occurring today.
* In the temple, Yan Que pours tea for himself and Xia Jiang. Xia Jiang asks him about the location of his son. Yan Que reminds Xia Jiang that because of Xia Jiang's affair with Princess Xuanji, Xia Jiang's wife left him and took their son with her. Yan Que rebukes him for only being concerned about his son and not his wife. Xia Jiang asks Yan Que that, since Yan Que had refused to tell him anything in the past, why is he willing to tell him now. Yan Que corrects him, it's not that he didn't want to tell him, it's that he didn't know the information at the time.
* In the Imperial Palace of Da Liang, Eunuch Gao greets Prince Yu. Prince Yu shows Eunuch Gao a large rock that he is bringing as a present for his father.
* In the temple, Yan Que tells Xia Jiang that he received a letter from Xia Jiang's wife five years ago. Xia Jiang asks why she would send the letter to Yan Que. Yan Que responds that perhaps it's because all of her other friends from that time had been killed due to Xia Jiang's machinations. Yan Que says that the letter indicated that Xia Jiang's wife was dying from an illness and that her son had died young from disease. Xia Jiang says he doesn't believe it. Yan Que takes the letter from his sleeve and gives it to Xia Jiang. Xia Jiang reads the letter and then tears it up. Xia Jiang demands to know why Yan Que didn't tell him the news at the time he had received the letter. Yan Que says that, as the letter was for himself, there was no indication that she wanted him to tell Xia Jiang. This left the decision in his own hands. At the time, Yan Que says, he hadn't wanted to tell Xia Jiang, but he recently changed his mind and decided to tell him. Xia Jiang nearly attacks Yan Que, but he is held back by Xia Chun. Xia Jiang sits back down and asks Yan Que if today is the day Prince Jing attacks the Xuanjing Bureau to rescue Wei Zheng.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, Xia Dong looks around the street and at the Capital Patrol soldiers standing guard. She enters the Bureau and orders the door guards to keep the doors open. She orders two junior officers to meet her inside.
* In Su Manor, Mei Changsu is waiting with Prince Jing. Mei Changsu lights incense as a timer and watches it burn.
* Outside the Xuanjing Bureau, the fighters prepare. They are all wearing red masks, red clothes on their hair, and blue clothing.
* In the temple, Yan Que expresses confusion at Xia Jiang's accusation. He claims not to know anything about a prison raid and calls Xia Jiang paranoid. He says that even if Prince Jing wanted to raid Xuanjing Bureau, he wouldn't be able to. Xia Jiang says that's Yan Que's part in this: to draw Xia Jiang out. Xia Jiang says that he's probably not the only one removed from the Bureau today. Xia Chun tells Xia Jiang that Xia Dong asked Xia Qiu to leave to bring back a witness. This leaves the Bureau without any of its leadership. Xia Jiang admits that he has arranged this as a trap for Prince Jing to catch him attempting to save a member of the Chiyan Army.
* At the Xuanjing Bureau, the fighters attack. Xia Dong watches from above the courtyard.
* At the temple, Xia Jiang explains that he knows that Xia Dong is helping Prince Jing, but this actually helps Xia Jiang by giving Prince Jing enough confidence and information to try a prison break. Xia Jiang tells Yan Que that just because they break into the prison doesn't mean they will find Wei Zheng.
* In Su Manor, the timer incense is burned half-way. Xiao Jingyan tells Mei Changsu that the fighters must be near the dungeons by now. Mei Changsu agrees. Jingyan expresses frustration that he can't be there with them, but Mei Changsu reassures him that Jingyan will have his own battlefield.
* In the temple, Xia Jiang tells Yan Que that Wei Zheng isn't in the Xuanjing Bureau prison anymore. Furthermore, Xia Jiang has planted explosives outside the dungeons to kill the fighters when they try to break in. Xia Chun is disturbing, telling Xia Jing that he hadn't known there were bombs. Yan Que tells Xia Chun that Xia Jiang didn't tell him because Xia Jiang doesn't care about Xia Dong potentially being killed by the explosion.

## Flaskbacks

* At some point in the recent past, Xia Dong walks through the dungeons of the Xuanjing Bureau and sees Wei Zheng in his cell.