In the shadowy political landscape of the Tang Dynasty's capital, the web series The Vendetta of An (长安二十四计) presents a masterclass in layered deception. At its heart is the story of Xie Huai'an (谢淮安), a man driven by a singular quest for vengeance, who discovers that every move he makes might be part of someone else's grand design. The pivotal moment, where he eliminates his uncle Liu Ziyan (刘子言), is not a triumphant conclusion but the loudest alarm bell, signaling he has walked blindly into a cage of his enemy's making. This narrative dissects that intricate game, revealing how the hunter became the hunted from the very start.
The Bait in Plain Sight
Initially, Xie Huai'an's decision to hide the deposed emperor in the old Liu family residence seemed purely logistical, a simple use of a known secret chamber. His later appearance there, casually sweeping the courtyard as Liu Ziyan returned, was the first unsettling clue. His feigned ignorance and innocent questions were a performance. For a man like Liu Ziyan, renowned as the top assassin of the Hu Ben (虎贲) guard but devoid of strategic subtlety, the most straightforward psychological ploy was the most effective. Xie Huai'an wasn't just cleaning dust; he was implanting his own image into his target's mind.
Years had changed Xie Huai'an, formerly known as Liu Shu (刘书), beyond his uncle's recognition. The childhood white hair was gone, severing the visible link. This calculated encounter ensured Liu Ziyan would notice him during a subsequent clash with Pu Nichuan (蒲逆川), an old rival. Xie Huai'an used Pu Nichuan as a weapon to first inflict critical damage, setting the stage for the final act. The plan relied not on complex maneuvering, but on manipulating a linear thinker's perceptions and predictable thirst for a direct fight.
Following this, Xie Huai'an's shocking move was to reveal his true identity, provoking the wounded Liu Ziyan into a reckless assassination attempt. This was not mere taunting. By disobeying orders to keep Xie alive for interrogation, Liu Ziyan severed his last ties to the Hu Ben and his protector, the powerful Chancellor Yan Fengshan (言凤山). The cold dismissal from the guard's hidden base, Zang Bing Xiang (藏兵巷), delivered by an old gatekeeper, was the direct result. Isolated and severely injured, Liu Ziyan had nowhere to turn but to old accomplices.
The Hunter Becomes the Prey
Xie Huai'an anticipated this desperate move. He had already sent his sister Bai Wan (白菀) to secure the loyalty—or compel the betrayal—of the carriage driver, Xing Zi (醒子). As predicted, the journey became a trap. The driver switched, and the figures guiding the carriage through the bleak landscape were Xie Huai'an and his ally Ye Zheng (叶峥). In a grimly poetic end, Xie Huai'an delivered the final blow to his disoriented uncle, mirroring the way Liu Ziyan had murdered Xie's father years before. It seemed like a perfect, cathartic conclusion to a long-planned revenge.
Yet, this victory was the very event that sealed Xie Huai'an's own fate. The terrifying genius of Yan Fengshan's plan now came into focus. Liu Ziyan was never a loose end to be tied up by Xie; he was a deliberate, tantalizing thread offered by the Chancellor. As a former intimate attendant to a rebellious prince and Xie Huai'an's own blood relative, Liu Ziyan was the ideal lure. He was guaranteed to capture Xie's complete attention and consume his investigative resources.
By allowing Xie Huai'an to pursue and ultimately eliminate Liu Ziyan, Yan Fengshan was not losing a piece. He was studying his new opponent's methodology. Every step Xie took, every resource he used, and every pattern he followed in hunting his uncle was meticulously observed. Yan Fengshan was mapping the contours of Xie Huai'an's mind. While Xie believed he was executing his own strategy, he was in fact performing a detailed rehearsal for his enemy, revealing his operational playbook.
The devastating payoff came not on a battlefield, but with a simple, cruel object. When Xie Huai'an believed he had finally outmaneuvered Yan Fengshan and sprung a trap, the response was a personal, silent message: his sister's red umbrella, delivered to him. It was a symbol that she was now in Yan Fengshan's grasp. This move transcended physical threat; it was psychological annihilation. The message was clear: your actions were predicted, your loved ones are vulnerable, and you have never been in control. The mantis stalked the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it, and blind to the figure with the slingshot standing on a higher branch altogether.
