A Dream of Splendor Episode 1 Recap
> A Dream of Splendor Recap
It was during the Northern Song Dynasty, in the midst of continuous rain. In the Capital Security Office in Dongjing, a monstrous crime suddenly came to light. Constable Kong Wu was ordered to conduct severe torture and finally extracted a secret from a prisoner's mouth. It turned out that Wei Ying, the county magistrate of Renhe, had secretly plotted to frame the Empress for imitating Wu Zhou.
The matter concerned palace rebellion, and the important evidence was hidden within a painting. Almost simultaneously, a voice sounded from behind the curtain, coming from far to near like a tide. Accompanying the voice was Gu Qianfan, the Commander of the Capital Security Office, known to the outside world as the Living King Yama. Seeing Gu Qianfan's eyes flickering, the prisoner's body trembled, and he hurriedly blurted out the words "Qiantang".
In the eyes of the people today, Gu Qianfan is the court's lapdog, allowing that person to stir up trouble and frame loyal officials from the shadows, causing various factions to compete, and is also deeply trusted by Commissioner Lei Jing. The Empress's loss of chastity had been concealed for decades, and it should have been reported to the Emperor.
However, the Capital Security Office chose to keep it a secret, and Gu Qianfan was ordered to immediately set off for Qiantang to search for the painting. This was all due to the Empress's faction and the powerful clans behind her who held sway over the court. The Jiangnan region is lush and humid, with countless small bridges and flowing water, tall green walls, and numerous families living by the riverbank.
At the end of the street is also Zhao's Teahouse. The proprietress Zhao Pan'er and Sun Sanniang have known each other for many years and have a deep friendship. Sun Sanniang often makes pastries and delivers them to the teahouse for sale, and through frequent interaction, they understand each other thoroughly.
When the ninth period of winter ended and peach blossoms were in full bloom, her fiancé Ouyang Xu went to the capital for the imperial examination and had not returned, causing Zhao Pan'er's thoughts to wander. She never expected that a sudden uninvited guest would arrive today. It was Gu Qianfan, who had followed Lao Jia here to taste tea and gather information. Due to his frivolous disdain for rural women, Zhao Pan'er developed a very bad impression of him.
Lao Jia, through Wei Ying's confession and a detailed investigation, discovered that Yang Zhiyuan, the Transport Commissioner of Liangzhe Circuit, had accidentally collected the Night Revels Painting, and he was still unaware of the strangeness within the painting.
Considering the seriousness of the matter and that it could not be publicized, moreover, Yang Zhiyuan was an upright and stubborn official, Lao Jia found it inconvenient to directly ask for it at his residence and planned to find an opportunity to steal it from inside. It just so happened that at this time, a group of bandits, being pursued by government soldiers, rushed into the teahouse in desperation.
Lao Jia originally wanted to intervene, but Gu Qianfan's eyes signaled him not to act rashly. Seeing the fierce look on the intruders' faces, Zhao Pan'er feigned weakness and immediately shouted for Sun Sanniang. The two, with great tacit understanding, picked up porcelain jars and smashed them towards the bandits. The scene instantly became chaotic. Seeing Zhao Pan'er gradually being at a disadvantage, Gu Qianfan stepped in to subdue the bandits for her.
The leading government soldier became suspicious of Gu Qianfan's identity, only realizing he had almost caused a great disaster when Lao Gu took out his lion head pendant. Initially, Zhao Pan'er, to repay Gu Qianfan's great kindness for saving her life, personally prepared a cup of clear tea to thank him. But when the words "Capital Security Office" entered her ears, she subconsciously knocked over the tea cup, forcing herself to suppress the turmoil in her heart.
Gu Qianfan had sharp eyes and clearly saw that something was wrong with Zhao Pan'er. He insisted that she brew another pot of tea for him, and finally used his authority to force her to reveal her background. Sun Sanniang, fearing that Zhao Pan'er would be bullied, was walking towards them holding a kitchen knife. She heard Zhao Pan'er recount her life story as if listing her family treasures, though her expression was extremely calm, her eyes were already red-rimmed.
Before Zhao Pan'er could finish speaking, Gu Qianfan left with Lao Jia. Sun Sanniang stepped forward to comfort her, but Zhao Pan'er had already let go of it. As Zhao Pan'er said, she became a person of low status due to her father's crime. While registered, she never served people with her beauty. Even after regaining her free status, she made a living by selling tea and did not degrade herself.
On the other hand, Gu Qianfan deduced from Zhao Pan'er's attitude that she harbored a deep hatred for the Capital Security Office. He thought it must be because the Capital Security Office had arrested her father, causing her to become displaced and ultimately become a courtesan. This past event was equally unforgettable for Zhao Pan'er. Her childhood experience made her feel heavy.
It was said that generals, ministers, and famous scholars gathered at the banquet, but no one knew what kind of conspiracy and murderous intent were hidden within the cheerful laughter. Just as Zhao Pan'er was distracted, Fu Zifang threw a cuju ball from the other side of the river. Sun Sanniang knew at a glance that her son had skipped class and rushed over cursing. At this time, Song Yinzhang came to the teahouse with her lover Zhou She.
Zhao Pan'er saw that Zhou She was not a good person; he was a lecherous drunkard who frequented brothels and even had the terrible habit of gambling addiction, so she strongly opposed Song Yinzhang marrying him. Zhou She became enraged and turned to leave immediately, even losing his temper at Song Yinzhang.
It was regrettable that Song Yinzhang, as the foremost pipa player in Jiangnan, could command a thousand pieces of gold for a single tune, but she was ultimately blinded by love. Not only was she unwilling to turn back, but she even hoped that Zhao Pan'er would help her achieve her goal, as only then could she gain free status.
Rather than being a parrot with a jade ring in a golden cage, she would rather be a free wild bird in the wilderness. Zhao Pan'er could not persuade Song Yinzhang, so she simply threatened her that if she left, she must first leave behind the money earned from the previous shop. If Zhou She was truly willing to marry her properly, she would then return all the assets. Song Yinzhang chose to elope without a word.
After Zhao Pan'er found out, she rowed a boat to chase her, but ultimately she was one step too late. She could only visit Yang Zhiyuan with a heavy gift, hoping he could help Song Yinzhang remove her courtesan status. That night, Gu Qianfan led his subordinates to force their way into Yang's residence, demanding that Yang Zhiyuan hand over the Night Revels Painting.
Zhao Pan'er followed the sound and looked through the window, seeing Yang Zhiyuan personally presenting the painting. However, Mrs. Yang's family still had connections with the former Ministry of Rites Vice Minister Gu Shenyan, which allowed her to be fearless and publicly scold Gu Qianfan for willingly being a minion of the eunuch faction, disgracing his family name.
