Zhang Rishan/History

## Zhang Rishan

* The Mystic Nine
* Ultimate Note
* Tomb of the Sea

## The Mystic Nine

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In the 1930s he served as a lieutenant and right hand man to Zhang Qishan, also known as Fo Ye, in Changsha, China. In Episode 1, he, along with Fo Ye & Qi Tiezui, investigated Train 076 which arrived unannounced at Changsha's Railway Station. The train was used by Japanese spies who had recently robbed a tomb as it was full of coffins. Inside the train, they discovered a Whistle Coffin as well as papers that detailed the spies' secret experiments. While a Zhang soldier and Fo Ye opened the whistle coffin, Zhang Rishan could be seen with a bandage on his hand that was not explained at the time. Inside the whistle coffin, Fo Ye found a ring from the Northern & Southern dynasties on the corpse. Since, Er Ye knew the most about the Northern & Southern dynasty tombs, Zhang Rishan and Fo ye went to the opera house to ask him for more information. There they encountered a rowdy man causing trouble who insisted the performers sing something else. Zhang Rishan asked the man to leave, while Fo Ye took a seat at a table nearby. Things escalated and Zhang Rishan took out his gun and threatened the man until he left. On his way out, the man shot some kind of dart towards Fo Ye who easily dodged it. Zhang Rishan apologized for not being able to protect him. Fo Ye and him then spoke to Er Yuehong about the ring and the Japanese's secret plans. Although Er Yuehong seemed to know something, he was unwilling to help. They left the ring with him in the hopes that he would reconsider.

In Episode 2, without Er Ye's help, they couldn't investigate the ring so they tracked down the path Train 076 took before it came to Changsha. They found that it came from the northeast and was near the mining sites in the mountains. Fo Ye, Zhang Rishan, and Ba Ye headed into the mountains and followed the train tracks. They arrived at a deserted town near the mines and Zhang Rishan spoke to a woman attempting to leave. He asked her what happened to everyone who used to live there. She told them that several huge mining disasters occurred and the Japanese left soon after. The three of them stayed in the town.

In Episode 3, they found a tourist lodge where a bunch of people were making food. The three of them joined the others and started asking questions about the train and the men began acting suspiciously. The three of them sleep at the lodge. Some of the men woke up at dawn and the three of them followed. They arrived at a field where a fight ensued. The men they encountered turned out not to be one of the villagers and Fo Ye asked them what they knew about the train. Before they could answer anything they ingested poison that was hidden in their mouths and died. As they walked further they discovered new train tracks laid down by the Japanese which were made from the materials in the mines and had magnetic properties. They speculate that a tomb should be nearby. Fo Ye, Ba Ye, and Lt. Zhang continued to follow the train tracks but happened upon a man nearby. The man started to run and they all chased after him. They lost sight of him so they decided to wait for him to return to the area.

In Episode 4, the three of them staked out a place where the old man had dropped his ax. The old man returned and they followed him back to his place where he had a lot of military supplies. They interrogated him, asking where he got all the military supplies from. After some convincing, he lead them to a house where a bunch of rotting corpses were lying in the courtyard. Fo Ye asked the old man whether the Japanese had come to the mining mountain two months ago but the other refused to acknowledge that they were Japanese. The old man wasn't cooperating so they dragged him along to the old mining site. They arrived at a mine opening but it was blocked by debris. The old man said they blasted it before they left on the train. He wasn't being particularly helpful so Lt. Zhang led him away with his gun out. They went to a nearby cemetery and found an entrance into the mining mountain.

In Episode 5, after pressing the old man for more information about the mining mountain he finally told them everything he knew. After hearing the story, the four of them went past a gate to travel further into the mine cave. The old man complained that they would never be able to find the main entrance to the tomb but suddenly he started seeing ghosts that no one else saw and he quickly ran away. They continued to look for the gate but came upon a dead end. In the same cave opening, they found a jar filled with moving water. They believed it was covering something. Zhang Rishan handed his gun to Fo Ye who shot straight down into the jar. The water inside drained and they moved it to reveal a small opening underneath. Zhang Rishan and Fo Ye grabbed some shovels and began digging to create a bigger opening. Once the opening was big enough, Fo Ye jumped down and soon gave the okay for the other two to join him. Ba Ye suggested Zhang Rishan go first so that the other could catch him. Zhang Rishan smiled and pushed Ba Ye into the opening. The other landed on his stomach and slowly got up when Zhang Rishan jumped through the opening and knocked him down again. The space below was another mining tunnel that was covered in cobwebs. They picked a direction and continued onwards. As they moved through the tunnel, they heard someone singing Chinese opera. It stopped but they continued forward.

In Episode 6, Fo Ye, Ba Ye, and Zhang Rishan found the part of the cave where the coffins from Train 076 were excavated from. Fo Ye felt that the area was a tomb for those buried to accompany the tomb owner and the whole mining mountain was just a really big tomb. After searching around some more, both Fo Ye and Zhang Rishan found professional Luo Yang shovels. Fo Ye believed someone from the Nine Gates had led a big operation in previous years. Suddenly, they hear the sound of Chinese opera again. Ba Ye recognized the song as it was sung by Er Ye when the other first went on stage. However, it did not seem to be sung by Er Ye as the singer's ability was inferior. At that thought, Ba Ye realized it might actually be a ghost singing and hid behind Fo Ye. Fo Ye moved across the room to a door leading towards the voice. Ba Ye tried to look for an amulet that would protect him from any evil in the tomb. Zhang Rishan assured him that since he was with Fo Ye, Fo Ye could protect him. Ba Ye disagreed as he brought the amulet specifically because he knew he would be around the two of them. Fo Ye interrupted and went down a staircase beyond the door, telling Zhang Rishan to protect Ba Ye and stay behind. The room he entered was covered in cobwebs. Ba Ye and Zhang Rishan ignored what Fo Ye said earlier and joined him in the room. Ba Ye heard a noise and started moving closer to the wall. Fo Ye tried to warn him not to get that close when a bunch of fluorescent bugs bursted out from under the wall. The bugs began attacking and one of them bit Zhang Rishan. Fo Ye told Zhang Rishan to take Ba Ye and run. The two of them closed the doors behind them and Fo Ye stayed behind to continue fighting the bugs with fire. He was able to stop them and staggered back towards the previous room where Ba Ye and Zhang Rishan were waiting. He passed out while trying to climb up the steps, so Zhang Rishan and Ba Ye had to carry him out of the mining mountain. They continued carrying when they were back in the cemetery but they came across the Old Man's body. They then glanced at the surrounding hills to see that men with guns had arrived. The men began shooting at them and they ducked for cover. Zhang Rishan created a distraction and managed to kill all of them. Ba Ye and Zhang Rishan wheeled Fo Ye on a cart to safety where there were some horses that the men with guns probably left behind. In a state of delirium, Fo Ye uttered Er Ye's name so the two of them took the other to the Hong Manor. Er Ye treated Fo Ye of his injury but urged them to take him to the hospital because he was unsure whether it was enough.

In Episode 7, Fo Ye was feeling better and invited Ba Ye over to discuss letters he had received from Er Ye. Zhang Rishan interrupted to tell them their superior was sending an intel agent to help them in Changsha. The intel agent was Lu Jianxun who was instructed to help with the increasing turmoil in Changsha. He had the habit of calling Fo Ye "brother" implying that they are close much to the surprise of Zhang Rishan. Fo Ye assured the other that it was just Lu Jianxun's working style and that he is not what he appears to be. Their political views also differed greatly and Fo Ye believed that Lu Jianxun's own methods could be used against him. Fo Ye warned Zhang Rishan that he should be on guard when meeting people like that.

In Episode 8, Lu Jianxun met with Jiu Ye to ask him to gather the nine families. Jiu Ye had declined. Zhang Rishan was at Jiu Ye's home and the other informed him that Fo Ye's prediction was right, Lu Jianxun was acting fast. Lu Jianxun's plan seemed to involve visiting the heads of the nine families. Jiu Ye thought the nine families had been united for generations and it wasn't something an outsider could easily mess with. Jiu Ye then urged them to leave so as not to keep Fo Ye waiting. Jiu Ye arrived at Fo Ye's home without Zhang Rishan. Fo Ye, Jiu Ye, and Ba Ye discussed how to get Er Ye out of retirement so that he can help them explore the mining mountain. They decided to ask Ya Tou but found out that her illness was worsening and she was taking morphine, an illegal drug. Fo Ye asked Jiu Ye to look for an herb to cure her.

A couple of days later, Zhang Rishan brought Jiu Ye to Fo Ye's office. Jiu Ye had found the herb being auctioned at the Xin Yue Hotel in Beiping. Fo Ye planned to go over to Er Ye's to tell him about the herb. He ordered Zhang Rishan to get Ba Ye to come to Fo Ye's home. While Fo Ye was at Er Ye's, he discovered that Chen Pi was the one that gave Ya Tou the morphine. Fo Ye assured Er Ye that he would investigate the matter appropriately and they parted ways. Zhang Rishan went to arrest Chen Pi under Fo Ye's orders. He found him buying food at a vendor and informed him that Fo Ye wanted to speak with him. Chen Pi tried to brush him off but Lt. Zhang insisted. Chen Pi put the food in his pocket and impulsively started fighting Lt. Zhang. During the fight, Chen Pi dropped the food and Lt. Zhang was able to get the upper hand by pointing his gun at Chen Pi's head. He ordered soldiers nearby to arrest Chen Pi but the other insisted he needed to go back right away.

In Episode 9, Chen Pi was waiting in a jail cell when Zhang Rishan came in to talk with him. Zhang Rishan asked if he knew why he was arrested and Chen Pi responded that it was because in Changsha, Fo Ye was able to arrest anyone he wanted. Zhang Rishan wanted to know his relationship with the Japanese and challenged him to a fight where he finally told Chen Pi what he was arrested for. He also wanted to know whether Chen Pi would risk Ya Tou's life to hide the information on the Japanese from them. Chen Pi thought it was worth it if the medicine could delay or lessen her pain because they had exhausted so many options already. Zhang Rishan told him about the medicine that Fo Ye and Er Ye were getting. Even though Chen Pi only worked with the Japanese to help Ya Tou, he still committed a mistake and had to stay in jail until they came back. Chen Pi told him where he got the medicine from.

Zhang Rishan and many soldiers arrived at the entrance to the Changsha Chamber's Commerce of USA to confront those who gave Chen Pi the illegal medicine. They were denied entry, so Zhang Rishan broke in and looked around but was caught by Hendry Cox who invited him to eat some snacks and drink some wine. Zhang Rishan asked him if he knew about the morphine he gave to Ya Tou. Hendry Cox put the blame on Chen Pi and said it was he who actively approached him and begged for it. While interrogating him, a man named Song Yu Ming called and Hendry Cox gestured for Zhang Rishan to answer it. It was the his superior who scolded him for trespassing onto the American Chamber of Commerce. Zhang Rishan tried to explain that he was interrogating Hendry Cox for illegally having morphine thinking he had the upper hand. However, Song Yu Ming angrily told him that he was the one who gave the morphine to Cox and asked whether Zhang Rishan wanted to drag him in too. Cox was a friend of the communist party and the envoy for a good U.S.-China relationship and Song Yu Ming further emphasized that the party did not give him permission to enter the property of the U.S. embassy. Zhang Rishan was on his way out but knocked someone out that worked there and examined that person's foot to determine whether they were a Japanese spy. That person was wearing tabi socks which were usually worn with traditional Japanese wooden sandals. Lt. Zhang then went somewhere nearby and started a fire.

The people at the American Changsha Chamber of Commerce were busy putting out the fire with buckets of water. Zhang Rishan looked on from the roof and jumped down to talk to the soldiers on the streets. He reported that they have a backer but Fo Ye said that if they were unable to proceed with the investigation, then wipe them out. Hendry Cox and Tanaka Ryoko came out onto the streets where Zhang Rishan and the soldiers were waiting for them. Zhang Rishan faked pleasantries and invited Mr. Cox to rest at Fo Ye's manor. Once they were at the manor, Lt. Zhang fed them food that was particularly spicy and ordered the soldiers to take them back once they've finished the food. One of the soldiers reported that all of the people that worked there were Japanese, Zhang Rishan didn't want to see them again in Changsha.

In Episode 11, Zhang Rishan brought Fo Ye's antiques to the banks in Changsha so that the other had money to buy the herb at the auction in Beiping.

In Episode 14, Zhang Rishan was waiting outside the train station for Fo Ye to return from Beiping. Er Ye and Ya Tou headed home, while Yin Xinyue joined Fo Ye in his car. Zhang Rishan asked Ba Ye which car he would be riding in. Ba Ye gave him his luggage and was upset at the question asking whether there was any room for him in between the two couples. He said he would walk home and to have his luggage delivered. Lt. Zhang, Yin Xinyue, and Fo Ye arrived at Fo Ye's Home. Yin Xinyue wondered the premises, while Zhang Rishan reported on what happened in Changsha while Fo Ye was gone. He informed him that Chen Pi was taken away discreetly by Lu Jianxun. He also could not find his location. Fo Ye thought that normally Lu Jianxun wouldn't go against him but the moment he was away he revealed his evil intentions. Fo Ye ordered him to keep an eye on the other. Yin Xinyue interrupted them. Fo Ye told one of his staff to make up a room for her. She refused, saying she was unfamiliar with the place and its people so she wanted to stay in the same room as Fo Ye. Zhang Rishan was scandalized. Yin Xinyue insisted that since they were engaged, there should be nothing wrong with sharing a room. Fo Ye turned to look at the staff member who in turn look at Zhang Rishan. Fo Ye then also looked at Zhang Rishan who looked away. Fo Ye wanted to know why the staff member was still standing there when he already told him what to do. He left along with Zhang Rishan.

After Zhang Qishan's death he became the leader of the Old Nine Clans.

## Ultimate Note

He is a member of the family that had split from the main Zhang branch during the decline of the Zhang Clan in the late 1800s.

The shows have not explicitly confirmed that Zhang Rishan or any of the Zhang family members are immortal. Though even after 70 years, Zhang Rishan looked the same as before in Ultimate Note. Zhang Rishan makes a comment, possibly in jest, that his skin is sagging and that he is getting old.

## Tomb of the Sea

### Episodes 3-10

In Episode 3, Zhang Rishan was in a room that was under construction at the Xin Yue Restaurant. Two teenagers, Su Wan and Yang Hao were sneaking around the restaurant. The two stormed into the unfinished room and fell down but managed to latch onto one of the poles. Zhang Rishan effortlessly moved over to them jumping on the poles. He looked down at them while they gave their excuses for barging into the restricted room.

He met with the two of them in his office and takes pictures of them on his phone. He wanted to know who they were and why they were there. Yang Hao tried to act tough pretending to take issue with the food served there. Zhang Rishan did not respond, so Yang Hao changed tactics again to no avail. Su Wan confessed that they were looking for their missing friend, Li Cu. He handed him a sketch of Wu Xie and Wang Meng who frequented the restaurant. Those two people also had something to do with Li Cu's disappearance. The employee's of the restaurant escorted them to a room and locked the two teenagers in.

At Daxiong Hall, a traditional Chinese Buddhist temple, Zhang Rishan bowed three times before lighting incense. He asked Fo Ye and Yin Xinyue to bless him with safety. On his way into the hall, he passes Liang Wan. The two do not notice each other.

    In Episode 4, he reviewed some files with pictures of the two teenagers from before. He ordered Sheng Shengman to keep them in the room. He went into another room for the 16th council of the antique exchange appraisal association and met with Boss Qi and Boss Li to discuss Nine Clans Association business. He started the meeting and Boss Qi immediately complained about the Huo family's Jin Shangzhu encroaching on their territory. Zhang Rishan said that the members should abide by the rules. But he also gave some advice and reminded them that the thing they should be most afraid of is "others" outside of the Nine Clans Associations wiping them out. Both Boss Qi and Boss Li did not take his advice and thought that that the other family was just a legend from a previous generation. They didn't believe the other family existed and haven't seen any of them. Zhang Rishan suggested that they could already be among their people.

Chen Dingju interrupted them with the corpse of Huang Yan and a captured Kan Jian. Chen Dingju told them all what happened with Huang Yan, Li Cu, and Wu Xie and how it had something to do with Gutong Jing. He went to Zhang Rishan and told him that even though his Qiong Qi (宆祺) company hadn't been involved in the business of the Nine Clans for a while, he should still have known what was going on. Zhang Rishan denied knowing anything. Chen Dingju recited the rule set up by Fo Ye that no one in the Nine Clans can take out whatever was in Gutong Jing without asking, which meant Wu Xie had broken the rules by going there. Zhang Rishan said that he would deal with it and suggested that Chen Dingju leave behind Kan Jian. Chen Dingju did not want to and a fight broke out between them. Chen Dingju lost but wanted to know why Zhang Rishan was being so protective of Wu Xie. Zhang Rishan told him it was nothing and got a text message from Yin Nanfeng. Chen Dingju thought it was from Wu Xie and tried to grab the phone. The two fought again, this time Zhang Rishan warned that the police will take care of it and that whoever tried to take advantage of the situation would bring trouble to the Nine Clans. After they left, Zhang Rishan spoke to Kan Jian asking where Wu Xie was. Kan Jian gave him a letter from Wu Xie that said "不破不立," meaning there's no making, without breaking. Zhang Rishan thought it was amusing that Wu Xie was trying to get his help with those four characters, but let Kan Jian hide at the hotel until Wu Xie came back.

In Episode 6, Zhang Rishan was in the main dining hall and was discussing Su Wan and Yang Hao. He wanted Sheng Shengman to send them somewhere to deter them from coming back. Kan Jian was waiting on the side and asked if there was anything he could do to help. Zhang Rishan said there would be in the future and told him to sit down and eat. Once Su Wan and Yang Hao left the building, two people followed them. Sheng Shengman reported to Zhang Rishan that they've started to take action. He told her to inform everyone to get ready, they needed to finish everything before they made a move. He wrote out a text stating that the plan had started to Yin Nanfeng.

Boss Li and Boss Qi visited Zhang Rishan's office so he can check the authenticity of their antiques. After looking at each piece, he smashes one of them stating that it's not an authentic piece. He smashed two other antiques and was about to look at another before the two of them stopped him. Zhang Rishan commented that it was authentic and informed them they didn't need to bring fakes so that he would look at the real thing. He handed them an already filled out authentication stamp for that exact piece.

In Episode 7, Zhang Rishan was spying on Su Wan's conversation with Liang Wan. He sent a photo of Liang Wan to Sheng Shengman asking for a background check.

In Episode 8, he prepared food for Kan Jian and asked if those people had taken any action yet. Kan Jian reported that they will take action soon. Later, he was taking a bath when Yin Nanfeng interrupted him. He made the comment that even though he was temporarily staying at the Xin Yue Restaurant, Yin Nanfeng showed him no respect. However, she thought that the word temporarily wasn't quite right since all the money from the restaurant went to him. He got out of the tub in front of her and she threw him a rob while looking away. They continued their conversation and Yin Nanfeng believed that no matter how chaotic it was, he would remain undisturbed. He did not agree because despite wanting to change things within the Nine Clans Association, he no longer had the ability, but he appreciated Xin Yue Restaurant's help at such a crucial time. She reminded him that the Nine Clans Association was no longer what it used to be and no one had the power to dictate things. They all needed to do business together and it was the reason why Zhang Rishan asked Yin Nanfeng to come. She brought up Fo Ye, saying that when he was still around, everyone was united and would work together. But she is an outsider, so he should be looking for the other members of the Nine Clans Association. Zhang Rishan told her that he liked to stay and eat for free at the restaurant. She reminded him that the nine families were watching him closely like prey and even if he lived at the restaurant, he probably couldn't be free from anxiety. He agreed since he thought he was a lonely old man with no support but that was the reason he needed her help. But Yin Nanfeng reminded him that her great aunt (姑奶奶), Yin Xinyue, ordered that the Xin Yue Restaurant not to get involved in anything to do with the nine clans' association. She handed him an employment contract which he signed. She then promised to bring the person he asked for but Zhang Rishan wanted to pick the person himself and decided on Luo Que.

In Episode 9, Zhang Rishan and Yin Nanfeng discussed his decision to work with Luo Que. Yin Nanfeng informed Luo Que that he would be following Zhang Rishan and to do everything he asked. Luo Que told them both that he only followed orders from her. Yin Nanfeng pointed out that Luo Que only followed orders from people that he thought was better than himself. The two fought against each other and Zhang Rishan won. Luo Que started following his orders. Zhang Rishan received information about Liang Wan through WeChat from Sheng Shengman.

Later, Zhang Rishan texted Su Wan to inform him that he was being watched. He and Luo Que went there to protect them but left soon after when the two were safe. Back at the Xin Yue Restaurant, Zhang Rishan was feeding his fish when he was updated on the captured men that were following Su Wan and Yang Hao. He went to see them and asked them what family company they were from. They didn't answer so he asked them how long they had been a part of the Nine Clans Association. They answered 10 years and Zhang Rishan recounted that he had been a part of it for over 30 years. He tried to get more information about which family's company they were from but they would not answer. He told them that the matter with Wu Xie going to Gutongjing should be handled by himself and not the other families' companies. Zhang Rishan lamented about the other families saying everyone should obey the rules even though they themselves have not done so. Luo Que got a call from Yin Nanfeng telling them to go on easy on those they have captured. Zhang Rishan wanted all of them to be gathered together and told them they cannot leave until they write the rules of their industry 500 times. Someone was missing from the group and Zhang Rishan went to investigate.

While at his office, he was attacked by someone he thought to be one of the nine families. After a phone call in the middle of the fight he knew it was the tenth family. The attacker fell into his trap that he created while renovating the place. She pulled back her mask and detonated a bomb but Zhang Rishan closed the trap before the bomb did any damage. He had an injury on his hand and when Kan Jian came in to see what was wrong, Zhang Rishan told him not to tell anyone.

In Episode 10, Zhang Rishan went to the hospital where Dr. Liang Wan worked. He had serious cuts on his hands which he said were from cooking gone wrong. They exchanged pleasantries and she wrapped his hands in bandages. She thought he was handsome. When he claimed he did not have his wallet, she offered to pay for his bill if he gave her his phone number. She did not realize her own brazen words until they came out, but Zhang Rishan smiled and said it was okay. He gestured to his pants pocket, because he could not get his phone without her help. She called her phone number and together they went to pay his hospital fee. Liang Wan invited Zhang Rishan to come to the hospital to visit her in the future. He left, telling her he would pay her next time.

Zhang Rishan joined Yin Nanfeng at the Xin Yue Restaurant. They discussed the damage done to the restaurant because of the Wang Clan member. Yin Nanfeng thought Zhang Rishan brought it upon himself since he wouldn't let anyone get involved in the Wu Xie matter but interfered himself. Yin Nanfeng wanted to know if he was going to further interfere in the Nine Clan's businesses. He only wanted to help Wu Laogou for old time's sake. Yin Nanfeng reminded him it was not simply helping out since it would pull him into the all of the families' problems. Zhang Rishan replied that he did not want to play it safe and was not afraid of the trouble it would bring. Yin Nanfeng reminded him of the Wang Family's goal back in the day, to control everyone. She tried to further dissuade him from getting involved but he insisted. She realized that he was too loyal to Fo Ye and he still wanted to fulfill his wishes.

Zhang Rishan and Kan Jian questioned the Wang Clan member that fell into the trap from earlier. She was badly injured and a tattoo on her shoulder was visible. Zhang Rishan wanted to know why she came to him. She replied that it was because he was interfering with Gutong Jing and helping Wu Xie. Zhang Rishan realized that they did not know what Wu Xie was up to in Gutong Jing.

### Episodes 11-20

In Episode 11, Luo Que informed Zhang Rishan that Boss Li, Boss Qi and the Huo family wanted to see him. He looked at the cuts on his hands thinking that they came to see if his hand was crippled. If one of the Zhang family members hand was crippled, then they would be useless to the association. He declined to kick them out because it would only make him more suspicious. He went to see them in the conference room and wore gloves to the meeting. A representative of the Huo family, Huo Xu, was sitting in his chair. He stared at her until she chose a different seat.

In Episode 12, the meeting continued and Boss Li apologized for his employees and handed Zhang Rishan a gift. Boss Qi did the same. He scolded them for having their employees follow children and that he only intervened because he couldn't take their recklessness anymore. Huo Xu interrupted and revealed her true reason for coming, for him to open an antique box using his professional hands. He took off his gloves revealing his hands that were without any scars. He then opened an antique he possessed that required extreme skill to open. Zhang Rishan was able to open it without any problems and the other three members of the Nine Clans Associations became awkward. The three of them excused themselves. Once they left, Zhang Rishan hurriedly pulled off the fake looking skin that was around his hands that were hiding his scars. He held his hands in pain and Luo Que noticed that Zhang Rishan had failed to open the antique box without injury. Zhang Rishan knew that his hand might be ruined for good and thought that Dr. Liang Wan was his only solution.

He went to Liang Wan's apartment for help with his injured hand. Huo Youxue interrupted them and Zhang Rishan made up the excuse that Liang Wan was his girlfriend. Liang Wan went along with it and made Huo Youxue leave her apartment. She was happy now that they were boyfriend and girlfriend but Zhang Rishan said to wait and see about that.

In Episode 13, Zhang Rishan was in his office when Luo Que noticed that his hands seem to be healed. Luo Que used his fishing rod skill to fling the string and hook towards Zhang Rishan. Zhang Rishan was able to catch it easily. Luo Que came in to announce that Boss Li and Boss Qi had again arrived. Luo Que wanted to refuse them since they probably had more tricks but Zhang Rishan went to meet them. The two had provided tea to him but Zhang Rishan remained suspicious. He noticed the tea set that they wanted to give him was not a genuine antique but Boss Li told him that the tea set and other antiques were authorized by Bao Sheng Auction House (Zhang Rishan's company, run by Xie Yuchen).

Boss Li and Boss Qi had smiles on their faces while they tried to blame Bao Sheng for giving out bad stamps to fraudulent antiques. Boss Qi thought Bao Sheng had too much power over giving out stamps. Since Zhang Rishan controlled the Nine Clans Association, the power of giving out stamps should be rotated between them. That way one company does not have all the power. She still believed in Xie Yuchen, but thought the people under him tried to make a profit. Zhang Rishan did not agree and reminded them that Fo Ye said that the Qiong Qi Company gets one stamp and Bao Sheng gets one stamp. One for the head and one for the tail. If they wanted to do something different, they should call a meeting between the rest of the families. Boss Li wanted him to stop Bao Sheng's stamp first and decide who should be in charge of Bao Sheng later. Boss Li was worried that this incident would reflect poorly on the association and Qiong Qi, especially since Qiong Qi isn't doing well. Zhang Rishan left saying that they should get evidence of Bao Sheng's wrongdoings if they want to stop it. He threw them Xie Yuchen's card to compare to their fakes. While walking from the meeting, Zhang Rishan told Luo Que of his surprise that they went after Bao Sheng's stamp. He asked for the whereabouts of Xie Yuchen.

Zhang Rishan met Xie Yuchen at Er Ye's opera house. Zhang Rishan already knew that Xie Yuchen was going to ask for help with Gutong Jing. He found it ironic that they there were in the same place Fo Ye asked Er Ye for help. He already seemed reluctant to help. Xie Yuchen sensed this and explained that his help would be for the benefit of the Nine Clans. Zhang Rishan did not say whether he would help them but since it involved Gutong Jing he would have to interfere anyway. Xie Yuchen never expected Zhang Rishan would help them and warned him that he should not get in their way.

In Episode 14, Zhang Rishan and Liang Wan went on a date and Liang Wan got caught in the rain. On the way home from their date, Liang Wan became sick and Zhang Rishan took care of her. He noticed that she had a tattoo of a phoenix on her right shoulder and that she had a fever. Once she realized that she had a fever she quickly covered herself up. She assured him that she could take care of himself, so he left.

Zhang Rishan met with Huo Xu and they discussed his romantic relationship with Liang Wan. They were interrupted by a call from one of the Huo family's subordinates. The subordinates had been tied up by Luo Que and one of them implied that they had been captured over the phone. She ordered them to give over the item that they wanted. He reprimanded the Huo family for breaking the rules and getting involved in business they shouldn't have.

In Episode 15, Zhang Rishan went to the opera house to talk to Senior He about the Nine Clans Association. The Qiong Qi company isn't what it used to be and it is surrounded by enemies. Zhang Rishan wanted to reorganize the rules in the association but he knew the members would go against him. They discussed Fo Ye, how there is no treasure in Gutong Jing, and that Fo Ye reconstructed it to maintain balance within the nine clans. However, it only created mistrust between them. Many people have died trying to get to Gutong Jing and they would not believe Zhang Rishan if he said there was no treasure there. He thought the nine clans needed rules and someone like Fo Ye, perhaps Wu Xie. Senior He told Zhang Rishan that it seemed like he was helping Wu Xie with Gutong Jing and everyone in the Nine Clans Associations knew it. Ultimately Senior He would not help Zhang Rishan with his nine clans association problem. Afterwards, Zhang Rishan went for a walk and hoped that Wu Xie would not disappoint him.

In Episode 16, Zhang Rishan met with Xie Yuchen and Wang Pangzi to discuss getting a magnetic tape player from the Xin Yue Hotel. They had a magnetic tape from the 1940s that could only be played on very few players, one of them being at the hotel. He agreed to help them, however, he would only get it if he could listen to what was on the tape.

In Episode 17, Zhang Rishan, along with Pangzi, Jin Wantang, and Luo Que walked up to the Xin Yue Hotel. Zhang Rishan warned them of the dangers before going in but Pangzi was not allowed in. Pangzi made a scene and Sheng Shengman let them all in. They all met with Yin Nanfeng who showed hostility toward Pangzi for not paying his debt to the hotel. Zhang Rishan asked her to pay attention to her attitude and that even her aunt Yin Xinyue wouldn't speak to him like that. Yin Nanfeng told him that if not for the words of her aunt, she would have made him leave a long time ago. He thought it was amusing and asked whether she even had the capability. Luo Que moved closer but Yin Nanfeng warned him that none of them were a match against Zhang Rishan. They eventually came to an agreement meet at another location and to listen to it together. Before leaving, Zhang Rishan got incredibly close and whispered in her ear that he wouldn't leave unless he wanted to.

On the way to the car, Wang Pangzi had some doubts about the plan but Zhang Rishan assured him that Yin Nanfeng would come to their meeting because she thought she could outsmart them. As they drove away, Sheng Shengman followed them in a car and overheard their conversation with her skillful hearing. Wang Pangzi immediately noticed that they were being followed by her and faked a conversation with Zhang Rishan until their car stopped following. Meanwhile, Xie Yuchen disguised as Luo Que stealthily used the recorder at the hotel and was able to record what was on the tape. Later, Zhang Rishan, Wang Pangzi, and Jin Wantang went to the meeting with Yin Nanfeng and played the tape on the recorder. On the tape was music and Yin Nanfeng left in annoyance.

In Episode 18, Zhang Rishan dropped off Liang Wan after their time together and they made plans to meet again. He went to send escort her to her apartment, but she declined. He got back into the car but sat in the backseat where Kan Jian also entered into. The two discussed Liang Wan and Kan Jian couldn't find anything suspicious in her background and thought that maybe the symbol representing the Wang Clan tattooed on her back was a coincidence. Zhang Rishan didn't believe it could be a coincidence.

In Episode 19, Zhang Rishan and Liang Wan are dressed up and headed into an antique shop. There, Zhang Rishan greeted the shop owner and introduced Liang Wan as his friend. He told her that she could get whatever she wanted, and he would pay for it. She picked out a ring at first, but the shop owner advised against it because it had blood on it from a corpse. He suggested a watch that is one of a pair, the other was owned by Zhang Rishan. She goes with that watch.

Later, Zhang Rishan stood by the door to Su Wan's residence to offer him protection from Shen Qiong. She was sneaking up behind him with a knife after they discovered an item that could expose her identity. In a cut scene, she disappeared from behind Su Wan, and Zhang Rishan was seen walking away rolling a large suitcase.

In Episode 20, Zhang Rishan was looking at his phone in a busy restaurant when he received a text from Liang Wan. She asked if he would treat her to a meal and he wrote out the message telling her they could go out that night. He deleted their conversation so that his phone remained void of any personal communications. Next, he got up from his seat and went over to the window to spot Kan Jian, who was dressed in a delivery uniform. Later, Zhang Rishan set up a scene so Li Cu would find out that Shen Qiong has disappeared. He planted it in Shen Qiong's apartment and he, along with Kan Jian, waited outside. He messaged Liang Wan that he would pick her up later for their dinner.

### Episodes 21-30

In Episode 21, Zhang Rishan was talking with the captured Wang Clan member that tried to kill him. Later, Zhang Rishan was on his way to pick up Liang Wan for their date. But Liang Wan was busy bandaging Li Cu's wound that he got from the fake body Wu Xie had sent him. Li Cu had brought the body with him because it pierced his hand. Zhang Rishan had arrived just as Li Cu and his friend were about to leave Liang Wan's. Zhang Rishan knocked on the door and waited while Liang Wan attempted to hide the two boys. He noticed white sand at the foot of the door. Liang Wan finally greeted him at the door, but she forgot her handbag and went back. Zhang Rishan took the opportunity to inspect the place for anything suspicious. He asked to use the bathroom and walked over a lot of white sand that was in the apartment. He started to explore and surmised that someone was in the apartment. The two of them left, but he informed Kan Jian and Luo Que that Li Cu and Su Wan were in Liang Wan's apartment. The two men kept tabs on the boys and reported back to Zhang Rishan.

He took Liang Wan to the Xin Yue Restaurant. He lead her into his office and asked her to look at a patient. He made the excuse that the captured Wang Clan member was a friend that could not go to the hospital. Liang Wan did an examination and Zhang Rishan remained suspicious of her. He asked her if he knew the patient. Shengman Man, the woman with excellent hearing, listened to Liang Wan's heartbeat just outside the office. She texted Zhang Rishan that her heartbeat was normal during his questioning. They went to the main hall to eat and listen to Chinese opera. At a nearby table was Huo Youxue, the woman that barged into Liang Wan's place before. Zhang Rishan called her his rival but that his family and the Huos have been doing business together for the last few generations. They talked a bit more before leaving the restaurant. As they walked out, Liang Wan noticed that he had been more relaxed that day. But she felt as if she didn't know him and their meetings felt deliberately planned, as if she felt into his trap. He told her that she didn't need to go through it all but she worried that meant he was going to disappear. She hugged him closely feeling that she still needed to say a proper goodbye. She said that she trusted him and that they will meet again. As soon as she left, he went to delete her contact information from his phone. However, he hesitated and then decided to block her number instead. Later, it was made more clear that Zhang Rishan broke up with her to protect Liang Wan from Huo Youxue and the Wang Clan.

In his office, Kan Jian informed Zhang Rishan that Liang Wan, Su Wan, and Yang Hao managed to find a picture and information about Wushanju and himself. It was an article with Wu Xie in picture with the caption stating that Zhang Rishan sent flowers for the opening day of Wushanju. Zhang Rishan deliberately sent out this photo so that they would find it. He decided to go to Wushanju but so did Liang Wan and the boys.

In Episode 22, he was riding in the car with Kan Jian when he thought of Liang Wan. He looked at his phone and didn't have any messages from her. He remembered that he blocked her number and asked Kan Jian to take him to the hospital. At the hospital, he roamed around and walked into a doctor's office when he saw someone that looked like Liang Wan. He asked a worker where Liang Wan was and was informed that she was currently traveling. When the worker asked him if he was her boyfriend, he denied it.

In Episode 23, Zhang Rishan went to Wushanju and intervened when Huo Youxue was about to start a fight with the Wu household. Liang Wang and Li Cu were both there as well Wu Erbai and Grandma Wu. He went up to Liang Wan and sprayed her with pepper spray. He asked Kan Jian to help her and then turned to Huo Youxue. He berated her for wanting to take over the Nine Clans Association without asking the Qiong Qi Company. He also reminded her she was outnumbered with him there and that this fight wasn't worth it. She left and Zhang Rishan sat down with Li Cu and Wu Erbai. Wu Erbai tried to figure out Wu Xie's plan, but Zhang Rishan told him he's just a helping hand. Grandma Wu and Liang Wan came in and Zhang Rishan did not speak to either. He wanted to talk to Li Cu and gave him a card for the payment Wu Xie had promised him. Later, he met with Liang Wan at Wushanju. The two discussed what had been going on between them. Zhang Rishan asked her for help with something and she wore a face mask and pretended to be him.

Li Cu had discovered that the card Zhang Rishan gave him was an access card to a room in Wushanju. He opened the door and was greeted by Zhang Rishan. The two walked down a corridor and Zhang Rishan used the Zhang Jade Bracelet to open a door. They eventually walked into a room where items from Gutong Jing were on a table. He reminded Li Cu not to trust anyone and to search for the tenth family that disappeared. He began to explain what has been happening with the Wang Clan and how they've infiltrated the Nine Clans Association.

In Episode 24, Liang Wan went to impersonate Zhang Rishan at a restaurant where she met with Huo Youxue. Afterwards, Zhang Rishan confronted her with information she found on Li Cu and Zhang Qiling. She did not appreciate being investigated but asked if he knew where Zhang Qiling was. First, he wanted her help and asked her to look at maps of Gutong Jing. He told her Zhang Qiling was related to Gutong Jing, so she acquiesced. He wanted her to memorize all of the maps by that night. She fell asleep but when morning came, Zhang Rishan had cooked her breakfast. Happy feelings did not last because Zhang Rishan would not tell her about Zhang Qiling saying that she needed to be protected first. Things got heated and he eventually left.

He got a text saying he should go to the China-Myanmar border. Him, Luo Que, and Kan Jian went down to explore an excavated village.

In Episode 25, he further explored the village and found that the villagers uncovered a copper door and set off a trap. He wanted to go down to see what was underneath, but the territory belonged to the Chen Clan.

In Episode 26, he went to see someone from the Jiumen Association who was planning to go down into possible tomb. He wanted to negotiate with them but they were being difficult. Zhang Rishan set their place on fire as a hello.

In Episode 28, he went to explore the place the villagers accidentally uncovered. He used his skilled fingers to find the entrance and went in. While walking down the tunnel, one of the men he was with fell into a trap. The man felt forced to keep his head toward the ground. Zhang Rishan tried to help him but soon started to have hallucinations of Fo Ye. The other was upset with him because he was not looking after Gutong Jing. Fo Ye shot at Zhang Rishan but before he was killed in the hallucination, he woke up. He was still in the same position trying to help the other man. He was able to knock the man out and told the others to leave, he will go alone. He arrived at a door but the boss of the Chen Clan, Chen Jinshui, came up behind him and greeted him. Chen Jinshui told Zhang Rishan that many of his people died while trying to enter the door. Zhang Rishan disabled the trap and the group headed past the door. Further in, there was a maze of barbed wire. Everyone made it past the trap and came upon a buddha statue. Fo Ye had it built before going to Gutong Jing. Chen Jinshui and his people went close to it but soon they went into a daze and it began stealing blood from their wounds.

In Episode 29, Zhang Rishan and Luo Que saved Chen Jinshui and his men. Zhang Rishan thought the Buddha statue may be suppressing something underneath it. Chen Jinshui wanted to leave, however, soon the place they come out of gets closed off by falling rocks. Zhang Rishan thought the place didn't want them to leave. They talk about the origin of the statue and Chen Pi Ah Si. Zhang Rishan said that Chen Jinshui could not compare to Chen Pi and the two started to fight. Chen Jinshui lost but the two soon became amicable again.

They found that mutated Corpse-eaters were near the statue and managed to build a contraption that allowed them to reach high up. Chen Jinshui and Zhang Rishan made it up. Chen Jinshui got angry and stomped around while on the statute. Zhang Rishan got mad and told him to respect what belongs to Fo Ye. Suddenly, the statue started shaking and it started to take blood from them again.

In Episode 30, Chen Jinshui discovered some kind of box beneath where they were standing on the large statue. Zhang Rishan managed to get the box while performing a dangerous move. Chen Jinshui opened the box to reveal a book that mentioned Gutong Jing. Chen Jinshui became focused on going to Gutong Jing and planted an explosive on the statue seemingly without Zhang Rishan noticing. The explosive went off injuring Zhang Rishan while Chen Jinshui climbed to safety. He planted another explosive and Zhang Rishan and Luo Que had to climb to get out off of the statue. On the climb up, Zhang Rishan misstepped and Luo Que caught him. He remarked that he was getting old and his strength wasn't like before. He also needed to bandage the injury on his hand and was reminded of Liang Wan. They tried to reach the top but the explosion blocked off the exist and made it impossible to leave that way.

### Episodes 31-52

In Episode 31, after three days, Zhang Rishan and Luo Que were still trapped in the same cavern. Zhang Rishan discovered that the environment they were in mutated the jade petrified wood. Because of the mutation, the tree could suck blood because it was reacting with the iron in the blood. The statue and the item Chen Jinshui took were somehow related to Gutong Jing. Despite this discovery, the two realized they were dangerously low on food. Zhang Rishan also knew that the underwater river will appear in Gutong Jing and he had a deal with Wu Xie. Luo Que offered Zhang Rishan the last of the supplies, however, he refused. Unlike the Chen family, he believed everyone's life is equally important. Luo Que misunderstood and thought that Zhang Rishan was willing to sacrifice himself for Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen. Zhang Rishan instead wanted to know how the two of them will complete the unfinished business of the nine families. Luo Que still insisted that Zhang Rishan eat, but Zhang Rishan said he wasn't hungry and ordered him to eat it instead. Zhang Rishan finally figured a way out and they headed up to the top of the cavern. Once there, they walked down a corridor and were able to reach the surface. Zhang Rishan told Luo Que to leave and he planned to meet someone.

In Episode 35, Zhang Rishan attended Xie Yuchen's fake funeral. He was playing Go with Senior He and was talking with Wu Erbai. Zhang Rishan again reminded the families that there was no actual treasure in Gutong Jing, however they refused to listen.

In Episode 41, Zhang Rishan disguised himself as a scholar and used a face mask to join the Nine Clans in the desert in search of Gutong Jing. He went undetected until the moment he pulled away the mask. His appearance surprised the Nine Clans. They originally thought that Zhang Rishan was not involved in the affairs of Gu Tongjing. But Zhang Rishan didn't come for Gu Tongjing. He started pointing out people in the crowd and told those who were Wangs to step forward. He took a list and read many names of it. Zhang Rishan got the list from Xie Yuchen. However, the Wang family in the crowd didn't admit who they were and Huo Xu threw a knife at the list in Zhang Rishan's hand. When someone went to pick the list up, there was nothing on it. Zhang Rishan took out a USB flash drive, which recorded the secrets of Gu Tongjing. Zhang Rishan told them that as long as the people from Nine Clans catched the Wang family there, he will tell them the password of the USB. Upon hearing this, chaos ensued and they started fighting amongst each other.

The Wang Clan knew something had happened and moved in a stealthily planted explosives as everyone was fighting each other. The bombs went off, injuring everybody. Wang Cen found the monument the clans brought up but was interrupted by Zhang Rishan. Zhang Rishan was able to knock him down, but they managed to catch the attention of the Nine-Headed Cypress Tree. The tree caused chaos and made the ground they were standing on unstable and many fell below. The place they fell to had a tree in the middle and the tree started attacking them again. They used the Tianxin Rock powder to ward off the tree and they managed to escape through a tunnel. Soon after they came to the ancient city of Tongjing. Zhang Rishan said that he had been there before a long time ago. After entering, Zhang Rishan began to tell them about Gu Tongjing.

In Episode 42, Zhang Rishan wanted to take the Nine Clans out of the ancient city, but they were focused on making a profit and wanted to look for treasures no matter the danger. The Qi An Mei, Chen Jinshui, Huo Youxue, Li Qu Nao all went to explore the city for more treasure despite Zhang Rishan's warnings. Huo Daofu, Yang Hao, and Yin Nanfeng joined Zhang Rishan.

Zhang Rishan and company found a way back to the underground facility. He led them to a room where he opened a secret compartment that Fo Ye had built. The rest of them leave, but Zhang Rishan stayed behind. He ran into Hei Yanjing and Su Wan and helped them escape but asked where Liang Wan went. He started to look for her and he eventually found her in a different tunnel trying to figure out her identity.

In Episode 43, Zhang Rishan and Liang Wan become trapped from falling debris. Liang Wan treated Zhang Rishan's wound and he started to tell her who he is. He was one of Zhang Qishan's top three lieutenants. He went on to tell her that Fo Ye was of similar age to Grandma Wu which meant that he was also a lot older than he appeared. He was likely around a little over a hundred years old at the time. Liang Wan was in disbelief and thought he was joking. She came to accept it and he also came to accept that she may be from the Wang Clan. They hear the snake tree moving and decided to try to find a way out. Liang Wan saw a door at the end of tunnel, which Zhang Rishan is inaccessible. She insisted they try, only to find that the door has no handle. She only leaned against it and the door bursted upon. They went through and locked it from the inside. The room was not empty and had food and water that could last them a long while. The two continued to talk and discussed why he and Fo Ye went to Gu Tongjing back then.

In Episodes 44 and 45, Liang Wan and Zhang Rishan were still trapped in the room.

In Episode 49, while picking out food, Liang Wan found a box with a list of Wang Clan member's names. Liang Wan thought some of them on the list could be her family, but Zhang Rishan said that they left no trace behind and couldn't be found. Suddenly, they heard the snake tree making noise from above and it started breaking the ceiling. Zhang Rishan was able to fend it off. It almost came in to kill them but retreated. The wind started blowing. They tried to leave but the door had been distorted by the snake tree and wouldn't open. They took a gamble and escaped through the opening in the ceiling where the tree broke in. They succeeded. Zhang Rishan figured out that the snake tree and black-haired snakes were attracted to the music that must be playing now that there was wind in the tunnels. Liang Wan was excited that they could easily escape, but Zhang Rishan wanted to stay and listen to the secret of the music. Liang Wan eventually agreed to the two went to listen to it. As they were listening, Liang Wan seemed to recognize something, but Zhang Rishan stopped her and reminded her that she can't tell anyone about what she heard. The two ran out of the tunnels before the wind stopped and made it into the desert.

Once they got into the desert, Liang Wan was happy and said that they were meant to be together. But Zhang Rishan told her his life belonged to Fo Ye and he hadn't completed what he was tasked to do yet. Liang Wan was angry and Zhang Rishan gave her back her mace. So she took the mace and sprayed him with it while he cried.

In Episode 50, Liang Wan and Zhang Rishan made it home safe. They were heading towards Xin Yue Restaurant. Liang Wan was upset with him because she had done everything that he asked, including going to Gutong Jing. She went to leave but Zhang Rishan stopped her. Zhang Rishan changed his mind and picked up Liang Wan and carried her into the restaurant. Later, Yin Nanfeng and Zhang Rishan discussed his plans for tomorrow. She thought he shouldn't go and play hero. But he needed to finish what Fo Ye couldn't. Liang Wan also did not want him to go, but he said he needed to end the war between the Wang and Zhang families. He looked down at the Zhang family bracelet. Fo Ye had told him that if he were to ever fall in love with someone, then he should give them the bracelet. He gave Liang Wan the bracelet.

In Episode 51, Zhang Rishan joined Wu Xie at the Wang headquarters. Zhang Rishan made the remark that after hundreds of years, they had finally found it. He then joined everyone in raiding the Wang building.

In Episode 52, after they killed off many of the Wang Clan members, everyone gathered at a place nearby. Xie Yuchen told Zhang Rishan that everything should end soon. But Zhang Rishan thought the issues between the Wang and Zhang families couldn't be resolved so easily. That perhaps this was the beginning. Later, Zhang Rishan visisted Liang Wan at her work office. Liang Wan was happy to see him alive and well and they both embraced each other.

## References

1. ↑ Tomb of the Sea, Episode 13
2. ↑ Tomb of the Sea, Episode 3; title "大堂经理" was on his desk name plate
3. ↑ Tomb of the Sea, Episode 17
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tomb of the Sea, Episode 8; information from the State Administration for Industry & Commerce
5. ↑ Ultimate Note, Episode 26
6. ↑ Tomb of the Sea, Episode 23