A Dream Within A Dream Episode 13 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Nan Heng, feeling troubled, went to talk with Shangguan He, which made Fu Gui jealous. Shangguan He said that Nan Heng was lovesick and urged Fu Gui to share his burdens. Taking matters into his own hands, Fu Gui went to a book merchant and offered information to help publish a novel titled Love Tragedy of the Capital—A Dream of Nanke, telling the love story between Nan Heng and Song Yimeng.
Nan Heng learned from the imperial physician that his mother, Royal Consort Gao Changrong, was ill, and rushed over to see her—only to discover that she was feigning illness. The Emperor hadn’t visited her palace for three years because of the Gao family’s situation, and she now hoped to regain his favor. Nan Heng lied that he had gained the Emperor’s trust. Gao Changrong was delighted, urging him to assist the Emperor more and to heed Gao Zhangyin’s advice.
Nan Heng reassured her with comforting words and asked about his childhood belongings, which Gao Changrong had already packed away. Upon seeing a piece of calligraphy on the table, Nan Heng recalled practicing writing with Chu Guihong as a child. He found the Qianyu Military Strategy that Chu Guihong had given him and inside discovered a small slip of paper with a formula, which he believed was related to the Duan Blade technique. However, he couldn’t decipher it.
Shangguan He, after taking a look, mocked it as illegible scribbles and had no idea how to decode it. Nan Heng explained that when he was thrown into the Cold Palace years ago, he believed this formula was the real method, and he wanted Song Yimeng to decipher it, thinking her frequent talk of strange and unusual things might help.
Following Nan Heng’s instructions, Shangguan He was put in charge of monitoring Song Yimeng’s attempts to create the Duan Blade technique. Song Yimeng learned that Li Shiliu also wanted the method and believed he was doing it to protect the people, so she agreed to help him decode the formula. But when she saw the note, she complained that she was a liberal arts student and terrible at chemistry formulas—still, she braced herself and gave it a try.
Nan Rui lodged a complaint to the Emperor, accusing Nan Heng of scheming for the position of crown prince and asking the Emperor to step in. The Emperor, though concerned, criticized Nan Rui for being immature and arrogant without solid evidence. Angrily, Nan Rui left. The Emperor then blamed himself, thinking that spoiling Nan Rui had led to his current character. Nan Heng paid respects to the Emperor and pleaded with him to allow him to visit his mother.
In exchange, he offered to submit a memorial in court to lift Nan Rui’s house arrest. The Emperor saw through this and scolded him for trying to make deals. He punished Nan Heng by making him kneel and copy the scriptures ten times before finally agreeing to the visit. Afterward, Nan Heng recalled a childhood memory—how, after Chu Yuyong’s death, the Emperor nearly killed him and called him a beast he regretted fathering.
Shangguan He, while surveilling Song Yimeng, couldn’t hear what she was muttering, so he simply copied her every brushstroke. Song Yimeng mixed all the materials together and poured them directly into the molten iron furnace. When the color inside turned green, she added a basin of water, causing an explosion. Song Yimeng emerged injured and covered in soot, complaining that she wasn’t cut out for this.
Shangguan He later told Nan Heng that even his own eyes got hurt in the blast. Li Shiliu went to visit Song Yimeng, but she covered herself completely and refused to see him, asking him to just leave the medicine. Li Shiliu pulled the blanket away anyway, and upon seeing her appearance, couldn’t help but laugh. He personally applied the medicine to her wounds. Song Yimeng was so nervous she couldn’t speak and even blushed.
Song Yimeng didn’t want Nan Heng to get the Duan Blade method—she still hoped he would let go of his hatred. Li Shiliu asked what would happen if someone else heard her say that. Song Yimeng trusted him, believing he was different from everyone else. Li Shiliu then left with an excuse, leaving Song Yimeng confused. She finished writing out the formula, and Nan Heng instructed Shangguan He to check if it was correct.
Nan Rui wrote to Song Yiting, inviting her to a casual music banquet. Song Yiting disliked the idea and didn’t want her marriage to be decided so carelessly. Nan Heng arranged for the banquet to be held at Canjiang Yue, hoping to bring in more funding. Song Yude summoned Song Yimeng to discuss her marriage.
