Introduction
In the first part of the recap article series, Legend of Zang Hai: Drama Info and Recap Episodes 1 to 10, Zang Hai enters the scary Zhuang household. This second part tells about how Zang Hai survives and executes his revenge.
Recap Episodes 11 to 20
Episode 11
Zang Hai has to apologize left and right. Firstly, he goes to Zhen Tower to apologize to Xiang An Tu and Mr. Eight, the one who spread the rumors. He asks An Tu to keep an eye on him with her people, and assures her he’s not a bad guy. Mr. Eight teases An Tu that she admires Zang Hai. Secondly, to Master Gao Ming since Zang Hai didn’t tell his plan on assassinating the Marquis. Gao Ming warns that the third person is not necessarily a noble. The person can be a merchant or even a commoner. Since this is like searching for a needle in a haystack, Zang Hai might as well find the third person from the Marquis. How? By getting close to his closest. Not his eldest son, but his second son. But he’s such a loser, according to Gao Ming. We then get to know Zhuang Zhi Xing’s background. His mother is the Marquis’ concubine. Before, the Marquis doted on his mother and Zhi Xing, but after her death, not anymore. Zang Hai wants to promote Zhi Xing to the top, so he’ll be trusted by the Marquis.
In this episode, we also learned about Xiang An Tu’s background. Yes, she was the little princess who whipped little Zhi Nu. She was a captive from Dongxia. The Emperor changed her name to Princess Rouyuan. She then met her friend Zhao Tong Er, an official daughter, more popularly known as Mr. Eight, her pen name. Mr. Eight is talented in storytelling.
Zang Hai defends Zhi Xing at the bath house when others look down on him. Of course, Zhi Xing is there. Zang Hai coaxes Zhi Xing to be ambitious. He knows that Lady Jiang, the Marquis’ wife, purposely made Zhi Xing a loser to remove stumbling blocks for her own son. Accidentally, Zhi Xing sees Zang Hai’s whip mark on his back when he turns around. This Zhi Xing is not stupid, he remembers right away that Zang Hai kidnapped him before! After the bath, they drink together, and Zhi Xing deliberately tells Zang Hai about the kid who bullied him. What’s scarier is, Zhi Xing remembered him right away when he first saw Zang Hai again in the secret passage. After the death of Yang Zhen and Qu Jiao, Zhi Xing was sure Zang Hai came for revenge. He warns Zang Hai to leave the Capital in one day since the Marquis is the only family he has. If Zang Hai doesn’t leave, he will tell his father. He doesn’t want to kill Zang Hai, because he knows what happened to his family. Zang Hai wants to kill Zhi Xing.
Episode 12
Zang Hai follows Zhi Xing when he visits his mother’s grave. At the grave, Zang Hai sees a certain flower species called “Solitary South Star” growing only around the grave. The flower is poisonous. He tells Zhi Xing that his mother was most likely poisoned by his father. From the seed ingested by his mother, the flower grew. Zhi Xing doesn’t believe him. Zang Hai questions Zhi Xing why his mother’s grave is not with the Zhuang family grave and why the grave is unkept. He challenges Zhi Xing to prove the mistreatment during tomorrow’s ancestral rites.
Zhi Xing tags along with his family to the ancestral rites, and he witnesses unfair treatment from his father, Lady Jiang, and half-brother towards him. At the ancestral table, there are flower bouquets, and one of them contains “Solitary South Star” flowers (Zang Hai put them there). Lady Jiang sees that and becomes nervous. She prevents her husband from eating the cookies and buries them with the ancestors. Later, his father refuses to visit Zhi Xing’s mother’s grave and prefers to go hunting instead. Zhi Xing insists on following him to the hunting ground. Zhi Xing is talented in archery and leads his father to his mother’s grave. The Marquis doesn’t mourn his second wife. Zhi Xing picks the poisonous flowers and gives them to his father, but the father smacks the flowers off Zhi Xing’s hands and scolds his son for being too sentimental and leaves.
Zhi Xing is convinced now, and that night, he and Zang Hai dig his mother’s grave. The corpse’s condition is so bad because it was not properly buried. Zang Hai learned forensic science from Master Xing Dou, so he detects the signs of poisoning. It’s a long period poisoning; who else could do it if not Lady Jiang? The Marquis married her for her father’s support because her father is the Minister of Rites. Zhi Xing’s mother was framed for having an affair with her physician, and an old servant spread the gossip. Later, Lady Jiang prevented the Marquis from striking Zhi Xing’s mother and the physician, and allowed Lady Jiang to poison her. Zang Hai encourages Zhi Xing to be better than his half-brother so he can get his father’s favor and take revenge on Lady Jiang. He will help Zhi Xing. Zhi Xing will help Zang Hai find an answer to who the third villain is. However, as for killing his father, Zhi Xing refuses because the Marquis is his father. So far, a pact is made between the two. The next day, Zang Hai brings him to Guan Feng and Shi Lei to teach him martial arts in two months.
Episode 13
Zang Hai is busy negotiating with Xiang An Tu to hire her and Master Eight to promote Zhi Xing, while the so-called dark horse leads Guan Feng and Shi Lei into drinking. Zang Hai is so angry that he throws him into the pig pen. Zang Hai rebukes Zhi Xing for being a slacker and reminds him of his goal to avenge his mother. Eventually, Zang Hai can talk some sense into Zhi Xing, and he practices hard. During the polo competition, Zhi Xing is a dark horse in his team, and his team wins. Xiang An Tu makes a lot of money from rooting for Zhi Xing in gambling, as well as Master Eight’s play on Zhi Xing winning polo is a huge box-office hit. That’s how Zang Hai, who has no money, can pay Xiang An Tu and Master Eight’s expensive fee to promote Zhi Xing.
The Zhuang Family is shocked upon hearing that the loser Zhi Xing won the polo match. The Marquis is so proud of his second son that he attends the championship award ceremony himself. Zhi Xing lies to his father that he wants to support the Marquis, and since he’s not good with his brains, he tries sports. Marquis Ping Jin beams as there will be a future general in his family.
The Head Eunuch Cao Jiang Xian gives out the polo winner reward on behalf of His Majesty. Upon seeing Zang Hai, he’s interested in recruiting him, but Marquis Ping Jin refuses to give Zang Hai. The Marquis knows that the Head Eunuch is unpredictable, or I can say, a psycho. Therefore, he orders Zang Hai to pick some gifts as his apology to send them to the Head Eunuch. This guy is creepy. I’m afraid he’s a worse villain than Marquis Ping Jin…
Chu Hua Ming, now wants to kiss ass to the Head Eunuch, tells him that this Zang Hai is very suspicious. The Head Eunuch sends Lu Jin, his foster son, to check Zang Hai’s background. Master Gao Ming sends people to supposedly Zang Hai’s hometown to pretend to be locals and deceive the spies into thinking that Zang Hai’s background is clean. However, Lu Jin will still report him as dirty. He knows that if his foster father thinks that someone is dirty, he is dirty. Master Gao Ming’s people attacked the spies, both sides died but for Lu Jin. The leader manages to send a pigeon letter Lu Jin kills him. Gao Ming receives the message and asks Zang Hai to take action.
Episode 14
Zang Hai asks Xiang Ang Tu for help while she’s bathing, so she wants him to wash her hair for partial payment. He asks her to kill Lu Jin, who is sent by his foster father. He doesn’t dare to ask the Marquis for help, since his boss doesn’t want to offend the Head Eunuch. This guy is scary, nobody wants to cross him. Zang Hai assures Ang Tu that he has a plan, it’s just he doesn’t know martial arts to execute his plan. Zang Hai also wants proof of Lu Jin’s handwriting. When he gets it, he writes a letter.
Lu Jin, who’s the only one to survive, sneaks into the Capital disguised as a villager. He is eventually killed by none other than Xiang AngTu! Her martial arts skills are extraordinary, and she’s a cold-blooded killer. The spies are watching Zang Hai, who is waiting for his carriage. He enters the carriage, and the spies can see clearly that Lu Jin is inside. Ang Tu uses Lu Jin’s body to show his face to fake Lu Jin’s presence in the carriage, and he’s discussing something with the Marquis. The spies follow the carriage to the Zhuang Mansion. Zang Hai and Ang Tu, wearing Lu Jin’s clothes, walk in. Ang Tu is carrying an umbrella since it’s raining. The spies can see from outside, ‘Lu Jin’ is talking with the ‘Marquis’, who is none other than Zang Hai in disguise with a fake beard and mustache. ‘Zang Hai’ himself is played by Master Gao Ming, who wears high-heeled boots to be Zang Hai. Meanwhile, the real Marquis is held back by Zhi Xing, eating, drinking, and chatting. Lady Jiang is jealous, so she drives Zhi Xing away and insists on being with her husband until the Marquis passes out drunk. Zhi Xing stays outside overnight, watches over his father not leave and go to the study.
The next day Head Eunuch goes to the Zhuang Mansion. Zang Hai and the butler don’t want to wake the Marquis up. Suddenly, someone tells the Head Eunuch that they have found Lu Jin drowned in the river. In anger, the Head Eunuch takes Zang Hai away. Upon waking up, the Marquis heard everything happened from the butler and rushed to the river with Zhi Xing. A secret letter is found inside Lu Jin’s body. The Head Eunuch reads it. The Marquis arrives, and he doesn’t have any clue what happened. Head Eunuch doesn’t want to confront the Marquis’ association with the dead Lu Jin, and leaves the spot with Lu Jin’s body.
Episode 15
Head Eunuch is confused about Lu Jin’s betrayal. His sister believes that his brother will never betray their foster father. The letter inside Lu Jin’s body reads that the Marquis had learned about the object’s whereabouts, and Lu Jin would go undercover. If he’s dead, it means the Marquis lies. Head Eunuch thinks that the Marquis killed Lu Jin.
Zang Hai pretends that he’s scared because Head Eunuch targets him. Marquis Ping Jin will give him a position in the court, so the Head Eunuch won’t easily attack him because Zang Hai will be present in front of the Emperor. Zang Hai will also still work for the Marquis. Zang Hai wants to enter the Imperial Astronomer Bureau.
Zang Hai makes a hairpin to thank Xiang An Tu. It’s not enough; she asks for a date with him during the Ghost Festival. They sit on An Tu’s private boat, enjoying the festivity, and of course flirting with each other.
The Imperial Astronomer Chu Hua Ming predicts a heavy rain that will end the drought. Everyone is happy about it. However, Zang Hai sees that the heavy rain will cause a natural disaster due to a big flood. He asks the Marquis of Pinjing to report it to the Emperor, so they can fix the dam and other countermeasures. However, the Marquis doesn’t want to be involved. Especially, since the one who’s responsible for the dam maintenance is none other than the Marquis’s son, Zhuang Zhi Fu.
Together with Master Gao Ming, Zang Hai makes a plan. Gao Ming, disguised as a farmer, comes in front of a newsboard full of people reading the news about the rain. Zang Hai arrives and predicts an ominous sign that the rain will cause a flood. He even accuses Chu Hua Ming of jumping to conclusions without proper research. Zang Hai then educates the ‘farmer’ about astronomy of the flood.
Hearing this, Chu Hua Ming is angry and complains to the Marquis. Later at night, when Zang Hai returns, the Marquis wants to kill him. Zang Hai not only insists on the flood, but adds that the sign is also about the fall of the general. He doesn’t know which one, he just wants to spare his boss. Marquis Pingjin doesn’t kill Zang Hai, but locks him up. Zang Hai says to wait for seven days. At night, when Marquis Pingjin is asleep, he has nightmares of the walking dead. They were the same as what Kuai Duo saw last time.
Episode 16
Marquis Pingjin’s wife suggests that her husband kill Zang Hai. However, because of his nightmares, he doesn’t want to do it. Zang Hai is imprisoned, tho. It starts raining. The Emperor is so happy and rewards the Imperial Astronomer Bureau. Chu Hua Ming comes to the prison to mock Zang Hai. Zhuang Zhi Xing also comes to the prison to visit Zanghai, and Zanghai secretly asks Zhi Xing two favors. The first one is to gather his father’s former subordinates to warn Zhongzhou, where the dam is located. The second task is still a secret for us to know.
The rain keeps falling for several days. The rivers start flooding the areas, rockslides occur, houses are destroyed, and people get injured. If in 2-3 days the rain doesn’t stop, the dam will break. Chu Hua Ming is panicking. He goes to Marquis Pingjin’s house, but the latter feigns sickness and doesn’t accept visitors. Chu Hua Ming goes to the Head Eunuch’s house, but he’s advised to apologize to the Emperor because he saw the signs wrong. Finally, Chu Hua Ming goes to see Zang Hai and begs him to help. But Zang Hai refuses, even says that this is the karma that befalls him, because Chu Hua Ming almost killed Zang Hai in the royal tomb. Chu Hua Ming is very angry, he starts a fire in the prison cell and runs away.
Zhuang Zhi Xing sees Chu Hua Ming running away. This is the second favor Zang Hai asked. Zang Hai predicted Chu Hua Ming would try to set fire to burn him in prison. Don’t try to save him; instead, catch Chu Hua Ming. When Marquis Pingjin hears that the prison is caught in fire and Zang Hai is still inside the cell, he rushes to the prison and rescues Zang Hai. Outside, Zhi Xing comes with Chu Hua Ming, and he tries to blame Zang Hai, and Marquis Pingjin hits him. There is another report. Because the dam broke, the general who is the Governor of Zhenzhong died after leading the rescue mission, washed away by the flood. Marquis Pingjin looks at Zang Hai with disbelief: a general has fallen.
After this incident, Marquis Pingjin fully trusts Zang Hai. Chu Hua Ming is stripped of his position and is exiled. Marquis Pinjing’s wife is suspicious of Zang Hai and Zhi Xing. She reveals her suspicion to her husband, but he brushes her off. Zang Hai overhears it. He tells his boss that what Lady Jiang said is partially true. He did train Zhi Xing for the polo match because he saw the sports potential in him. However, how would he know that Chu Hua Ming set fire to burn him? The fact that Chu Hua Ming runs away from the fire scene, while others rush in to help, was already suspicious. Other people than Zhi Xing can catch Chu Hua Ming. Zang Hai uses this opportunity to praise Zhi Xing in front of his father and suggests that Marquis Pingjin put Zhi Xing in the military. With a scholar first son and a general second son in the family, they will have a powerful position in the court. Because the Imperial Astronomer position is vacant, Marquis Pingjin offers the position to Zang Hai.
Master Gao Ming analyses that Lady Jiang is no longer useful for her husband, because her father is no longer a minister. Marquis Pingjin won’t save her if she’s caught up in fire. Gao Ming urges Zang Hai to make Marquis Pingjin rely on him by sharing his pain and burden that is related to the person who was missing from the Zhuang Family.
Episode 17
And who could that person be? None other than Shen Wan, Zhi Xing’s mother, Marquis Pingjin’s childhood sweetheart. From Gao Ming, we heard a glimpse of the Marquis and Shen Wan’s relationship until she dies. Now that Zhi Xing arises and shows his prowess, Marquis remembers Shen Wan again. Zang Hai comforts the Marquis. Zang Hai then tells Zhi Xing to study harder, because his father favors him more than his half-brother.
That night, the Marquis calls Zang Hai into the hidden treasure room. The Marquis asks Zang Hai for his advice about the vacant position of the Commander of Zhenzhong. Should he go for it? Some officials also recommend him. However, Zang Hai thinks the Emperor has someone else in mind. With the Marquis competing for the position, the Emperor may grow uneasy with him. Marquis also shares his deepest secret about the Gui Seal. Many years ago, when he fought in Dongxia many years ago, he encountered an army of undead people. Later, he heard that only the Gui Seal can control these zombies. He vowed he would find this Gui Seal. When he fought again in Dongxia, he found out a geomancer (Zang Hai’s dad) had a copper fish that was related to the Gui Seal. Marquis then gives Zang Hai the task of finding the Seal. Zang Hai asks if he should look for the other copper fish as well. Marquis says he knows where they are, but no need to find them.
As per Zang Hai’s suggestion for him not to go after Zhenzhong’s leadership, Marquis Pinjing feigns sickness during the election for the Commander of Zhenzhong. Zang Hai’s suggestion is right. The Emperor chose his person to be the commander, and the ones who fought for the Zhenzhong’s leadership were demoted or punished. Instead, the Emperor gave him money because he was sick.
Zang Hai is also promoted to be the Imperial Astronomer and given a brand new house. He appoints Master Gao Ming as his butler. When he attends the office for the first time, he finds that the mortician, Shi Quan, is missing because he’s busy examining General Fu Zhi Song’s body, the former Governor of Zhenzhong. Zang Hai offers to help because he knows about forensics. But Shi Quan is cold to Zang Hai, thinking that Zang Hai’s intention in working in this Bureau is only to make money and then move on. Zang Hai realizes his subordinates are bootlickers. Master Gao Ming tells a case mishandled by the Imperial Astronomer Bureau because this department now favors rich people, different than when Zang Hai’s father was the head.
Episode 18
Zang Hai starts cleaning up the mess in the Imperial Astronomer Bureau, which sends his unethical subordinates into panic. Luckily he finds someone who is not bootlickers like the other subordinates: Shi Quan. After conversing with him, Zang Hai realizes he can get help from Shi Quan to clean up the Bureau.
Zhi Xing comes to visit Zang Hai in the Bureau. Zang Hai asks him to join the military. Even if his father disagrees, he has to insist. Later, when Zhi Xing asks his father to join the military, he lies that he dreams of his mother crying and is disappointed that he has wasted his life. Zhi Xing wants to contribute to the family, even saying that he won’t disclose his identity and background. Finally, his father reluctantly lets him go.
While Zang Hai has dinner with Master Gao Ming, Guan Feng, and Shi Lei to celebrate his promotion as the Imperial Astronomer, Xiang An Tu comes to visit him. He’s very happy to see her, and Master Gao Ming can tell that Zang Hai has fallen for the girl. An Tu comes to congratulate Zang Hai on his new career. Besides, she also wants Zang Hai’s answer to her question during their boat outing last time. The question is: “Do you want to see me often?”, aka starting a relationship. Zang Hai asks An Tu to give him time to answer her question.
Zang Hai is bothered by An Tu’s question, so he asks Master Gao Ming about it. He doesn’t answer, but takes Zang Hai to his former house. The house has been abandoned since. While walking, Zang Hai remembers his warm days with his parents and friends, as well as that tragic night. Zang Hai cries bitterly, and he knows what to answer An Tu.
Episode 19
Aww… we won’t know what his answer is because there is a misunderstanding. Zang Hai goes to Zhen Tower to meet An Tu. She plays hard to get and lets him wait, but secretly is very excited and tries on many clothes and accessories to meet him. After the sixth teapot, Zang Hai leaves. He tells Antu’s maid that he understands her message. An Tu is very angry. Although her maid says that Zang Hai might’ve misunderstood that she didn’t want to see him, An Tu is too proud to chase him.
Poor Zhuang Zhi Xing! Military life is really hard for him. Especially, as a nobody, he’s bullied left and right. Someone takes pity on him and befriends him. It turns out, he knows that he’s Marquis Pinjing’s son. Zhi Xing wants to leave the military, but is met by ang Hai halfway. Zang Hai reminds him that being a deserter means death, and that Zhi Xing always have to remember how his mother died.
I always wish that these two can be true friends
Chu Hua Ming dies on the way to exile, and Shi Quan does a forensic exam on him. After the exam, Shi Quan wants to discard the former Imperial Astronomer’s belongings, but he asks Zang Hai if his boss wants to check them out first. From Chu Hua Ming’s belongings, Zang Hai finds ancient coins. The known coin collector in the Capital is Prince Yong Rong, the Emperor’s younger brother. Most likely Chu Hua Ming collected coin to suck up on the Prince, since he backs up the Marquis and the Head Eunuch. Zang Hai thinks the Prince might be the third mysterious man, but how to get into the Prince’s circle? Zang Hai wants to present to the Prince a super rare coin, but Xiang An Tu deliberately bought the coin. Zang Hai goes to the Zhen Tower with his house deed to mortgage it to An Tu to buy the coin. He doesn’t tell her why he needs the coin. An Tu gives back the house deeds and hands him the coin. She says she doesn’t need money, but Zang Hai owes her a favor. She feels Zang Hai hides a lot in his heart, but pressing him to reveal something now won’t work.
Episode 20
After getting the ancient coins from An Tu, Zang Hai visits Prince Yong Rong. To enter his home, guests have to give out their personal information, including their birthdates. Because of his strong belief in feng shui, the Prince is curious about Zang Hai, from his birthdate to his career fast-track.
At the banquet, after talking about astronomy, the fact that two Imperial Astronomers before Zang Hai died seems like the position is a curse. When the Prince mentions Kuai Duo, Zang Hai asks questions about the former Imperial Astronomer. The Prince also thinks that death is mysterious. After some talks about Kuai Duo, the Prince stop the conversation.
An Tu is at the banquet, too, and sneaks in as a dancer. One by one, gifts are brought by the guests for Prince Yong Rong. Someone brings the helmet that supposedly belongs to the ghost soldiers, the undead Marquis Pingjin told Zang Hai before. Zang Hai pretends he knows about them from the stories told by an old soldier. These are monsters that cannot be killed, only by one treasure. Prince Yong directly asks: “The treasure you mentioned is the Gui Seal, isn’t it?” Both Zang Hai and An Tu are surprised, and Zang Hai pretends he knows nothing about the Gui Seal. Prince’s face darkens, and he says that his father was killed by the Gui Seal. No, not by the ghost soldiers, but by the sorrow and frustration of the war on the border.
Master Liu Chu is so beautiful!
After that, the Prince orders wine to be served. The Prince and other guests get drunk. Xiang An Tu wants her coins back from Zang Hai, since she only lent them to him, not sold or gifted them. An Tu walks to where the Prince passes out, but Zang Hai is held off by a guest. An Tu takes out the coins from a box. Unfortunately, the Prince wakes up and becomes suspicious of An Tu when he doesn’t see the coins in his box. Zang Hai secretly snatches the coins from her hand and lies that he found the coins outside. Although Zang Hai dismisses An Tu, Prince Yong Rong is still suspicious of her. Luckily, at this time, an unexpected person comes to the rescue. The person is Liu Chu, Prince Yong Rong’s favorite courtesan, who is also Zang Hai’s third master. Zang Hai, who can’t hold liquor, is completely wasted. He wakes up in Liu Chu’s carriage. Liu Chu says that Master Gao Ming calls her to monitor and save Zang Hai at the banquet if necessary. Liu Chu also adds that Prince Yong Rong is not the third enemy Zang Hai is looking for. She attended his banquet during that tragic night. Prince Yong Rong and his friends were drunk, and he noticed the fire smoke in the sky.
After sobering up, Zang Hai remembers that Prince Yong Rong told him that the bandits who killed Zang Hai’s family and burned down the house were severely punished and died. The person who petitioned such punishment was the Minister of Revenue, Zhao Bing Wen.
Conclusion
What a long way to plan and execute his revenge on Zhuang Lu Yin, aka the Marquis of Ping Jin! How will Zang Hai defeat the Marquis? And how about the second and the third enemy? Let’s continue to the third part of the recap article series on Legend of Zang Hai ( 藏海传 ): Legend of Zang Hai: Drama Recap Episodes 21 to 30!
