A Dream Within A Dream Episode 11 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
As Song Yimeng worried about Li Shiliu's safety, Chu Guihong stopped her, ordering the Qianyu Army to make an arrest. At that moment, Li Shiliu emerged from the fire, carrying two children. Seeing him safe, Song Yimeng was relieved. Chu Guihong commanded Li Shiliu to drop his weapon, accusing him of attempting to assassinate Prince Nan Heng and disrupting the Lantern Festival. Li Shiliu retaliated, calling Chu Guihong treacherous and saying he would not surrender.
Chu Guihong attacked Li Shiliu with the Qianyu Moon-Cleaving Blade, but Li Shiliu's weapon, forged from dark steel, broke the Qianyu Moon-Cleaving Blade in half instantly. Just then, the Nightwalkers arrived under the command of their chief, Li Shiliu. He ordered them to quickly help put out the fire. Looking at the broken blade, Chu Guihong declared it must have been secretly swapped.
Song Yimeng scolded him, pointing out the urgency of the fire and the danger to the citizens while he was preoccupied with arresting someone and worrying about his sword. She noted the man he wanted to arrest was risking his life helping. Enduring his frustration, Chu Guihong dropped the broken blade and led the Qianyu Army into the fire to help save people.
The next day, news spread throughout the capital that Prince Nan Rui had started the fire by accidentally setting off fireworks while drunk near the oil shop. Song Yimeng found this impossible, believing it should have been Nan Heng according to the plot, and wondered if Li Shiliu had changed the story again. Streets were in chaos, with fire victims demanding the Emperor investigate. Prince Nan Rui was summoned by the Emperor and severely reprimanded.
Outside the imperial study, Nan Heng and Fugui waited. Hearing the scolding within, Fugui mocked Jixiang's choice of master compared to his own connection with Nan Heng. Song Yude summoned Song Yimeng, asking if she had heard the news. Song Yimeng observed Song Yude drinking both black tea and green tea, learning this was a method to prevent others from discerning his preferences. Song Yude then fixed his gaze on her, asking if she had heard anything Chu Guihong said.
He revealed the rumor circulating in court was that Prince Nan Rui, in league with Chu Guihong, had attempted to assassinate Prince Nan Heng, and the Emperor believed Nan Heng himself had spread this rumor. Nan Heng was then called before the Emperor. The Emperor questioned him about his relationship with the assassin from the previous night, whom they believed to be a martial-world ruffian, and ordered Chu Guihong to thoroughly investigate the case.
Nan Heng brought up the widespread rumors and offered to personally investigate and uncover the truth. However, the Emperor accused Nan Heng of being the source of the rumors. Nan Heng offered to take his own life as proof of his innocence. The Emperor then handed a sword to Nan Rui, telling him to kill Nan Heng to show he wasn't a killer. Nan Rui was terrified and refused, repeatedly stating he couldn't kill anyone.
The Emperor defended Nan Rui, saying he couldn't even kill a chicken, and contrasted him with Nan Heng, who was known as the God of Death, feared even by the Emperor. Nan Heng maintained his desire to investigate the assassination case to clear Nan Rui's name. He also volunteered to take responsibility for the fire damage in the southern district and lead the reconstruction efforts as a way to take the blame for Nan Rui.
The Emperor refused, stating Nan Heng wouldn't be involved, and the task would be handled by Chu Guihong, the capital prefect, who was meticulous. Song Yimeng, upon hearing the accounts of Nan Rui and Nan Heng's interactions with the Emperor, accused the Emperor of favoritism. Song Yude found her too naive about the complexities of court politics, explaining how the Lantern Festival incident and the fire seemed to benefit Nan Heng, suggesting he might have orchestrated events.
He even speculated that the attempt on Nan Heng's life might have been staged by Nan Heng himself. Song Yimeng dismissed his intricate political analysis, worrying about his health. Later, Nan Heng and Shangguan He discussed the situation, noting how strange it was that Song Yimeng's prediction of chaos had come true. Shangguan He suggested understanding more about Song Yimeng, given her apparent knowledge and control over Li Shiliu.
Song Yimeng arrived to see Nan Heng, practicing different ways to apologize. When she spoke to him, she admitted responsibility for the assassination attempt, saying it was her impulsive act and asking him not to blame others. She acknowledged the grievances he must feel after going to the palace. Nan Heng asked about her sincerity.
Song Yimeng then firmly stated that he was not allowed to harm Li Shiliu, declaring Li Shiliu was "her man" and that harming him meant crossing the Song family. Nan Heng smiled upon hearing this and told her she could leave, agreeing to spare Li Shiliu for now, but warning her that if she caused trouble again, he would raid Waning River Crescent and kill Li Shiliu.
After she left, Nan Heng looked at a rabbit mask, thinking of Song Yimeng calling Li Shiliu hers, and smiled. In the courtyard, Fugui and Shangguan He argued about their respective positions and capabilities. Nan Heng then gave Fugui orders: find three death-row prisoners, dress them up as Li Shiliu, Yunlong, and Shanhu, and declare they were the fake Waning River Crescent members responsible for the assassination attempt.
He explained this was to clear Waning River Crescent's name and protect Song Yimeng and her family, explicitly stating the investigation should not implicate Chu Guihong or further involve Waning River Crescent or Song Yimeng. Nan Heng then asked Fugui what a "script," a "lead role," and a "supporting role" were, which Fugui failed to understand. Li Shiliu expressed his desire to help with the reconstruction of the fire-damaged area, explaining his aspiration to help people.
Song Yimeng supported his idea and offered to join him. Shangguan He commented on Li Shiliu's changed demeanor, saying he now spoke ill of himself. Li Shiliu responded that he was now Li Shiliu, different from who he was before, and that saying things to earn Song Yimeng's trust wasn't wrong. He insisted that the reconstruction was genuine and the entire Waning River Crescent would participate, including Shangguan He and Fugui, who would be supporting roles.
Nan Heng instructed Fugui to keep his distance when he was acting as Li Shiliu to avoid suspicion. The Nightwalkers enthusiastically prepared to assist with the rebuilding, seeing their chief's aspirations and even love as their own mission. As Li Shiliu led the Nightwalkers to the reconstruction site, Chu Guihong stopped them, stating that reconstruction was a matter for the court and outsiders like Li Shiliu, especially one involved in the assassination case, were not allowed to participate.
Song Yimeng spoke up, defending the Nightwalkers. She argued that court business was about the people's livelihood, something Chu Guihong, a general unfamiliar with the common people's daily lives, didn't understand as well as the Nightwalkers who lived among them. She emphasized the Nightwalkers knew the area and people intimately and were offering free labor.
She sharply reminded Chu Guihong that during the fire, some people were more concerned with capturing others and their own belongings (his sword) than saving lives. Upset, Chu Guihong relented slightly, saying he would talk to Li Shiliu about the reconstruction. Separately, Fugui approached Song Yimeng and threatened to reveal her "secret affair" with Nan Heng to Li Shiliu, mentioning seeing them kiss in the royal garden and the prince's garden. Song Yimeng denied the affair but understood Fugui's motives.
She offered him "hush money," referring to him as a "paparazzo" and herself as a "superstar," concepts Fugui didn't understand. She told him to take the money and forget what he saw, promising to include him if similar opportunities arose.
