A Dream Within A Dream Episode 2 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Song Yimeng woke up with a headache, feeling the effects of something like "poisonous wine" and wanting to quickly "crack the process" ahead. Her maids, Zhixia and Yingqiu, were confused by her words and actions. Song Yimeng expressed confusion about her situation, questioning if she was still Song Yimeng and noting the lack of a wedding procession despite wearing a red inner robe.
Upon learning she was half a year away from her wedding day, she decided to enjoy life and called herself "Diva Meng," stating her purpose was to cherish life and stay away from Nan Heng. When Zhixia mentioned getting a doctor for her supposed hysteria, Song Yimeng insisted doctors couldn't cure her, only "changing fate" could.
Zhixia described the Song Residence, located near the palace in a bustling area, detailing the family's immense wealth and the large number of servants dedicated to their comfort. Song Yimeng was impressed by the lavish lifestyle, comparing it to an ancient version of Tiny Times. She even gave an order that no grapes were allowed to have seeds in the Great Jing Dynasty.
She then asked Zhixia about Chu Guihong, specifically the progress of their marriage, but Zhixia began recounting Nan Heng's military exploits at Youcheng instead. Zhixia recounted how Nan Heng challenged Heyuan's General Fang Shiming, a renowned chess player, to a game of life and death. Nan Heng proposed that if he won within half an hour, Fang Shiming would release Chu Guihong, but if he lost, Fang Shiming could take Youcheng.
Despite having ample troops and having recently killed Lord Qianyu, Chu Guihong's father, Fang Shiming was intrigued and accepted, especially after Nan Heng claimed he wanted to kill Chu Guihong himself due to being restrained by Lord Qianyu for three years. Nan Heng won the game and gifted Fang Shiming valuable chess pieces. As Chu Guihong was released, Nan Heng's attendant, Fugui, nervously rushed the prisoner cart away, fearing Fang Shiming might change his mind.
Song Yimeng interrupted, frustrated that Zhixia was focusing on Nan Heng, whom she called a "great demon," instead of Chu Guihong and her marriage, which she knew was a crucial, seemingly mandatory plot point.
Despite Song Yimeng's interruption, Zhixia continued, detailing Nan Heng's victory at Youcheng, describing how he attacked the Heyuan granary, ordered his Xuanjia Army to infiltrate and kill Heyuan generals, and ultimately defeated Fang Shiming in battle, winning the city after a three-day and night struggle against 30,000 soldiers. Song Yimeng commented on Nan Heng's overbearing arrogance and the power of his "plot armor," noting that no one in this world seemed able to escape his influence.
Next, Nan Heng was shown presiding over Chu Guihong's execution, who was accused of misjudging enemy positions and causing the loss of three border cities and the massacre of their populations. Just as the execution was about to happen, the Eighteenth Prince Nan Rui arrived, attempting to stop it by claiming the Emperor had issued a pardon for his cousin, Chu Guihong.
While Nan Rui fumbled for the imperial edict which was still en route, Song Yude, disguised as an old beggar, also arrived. Song Yude claimed he was on a secret inspection and was there to deliver an imperial edict ordering Chu Guihong to be taken to the capital for further judgment. Nan Rui accused Song Yude of hiding and waiting for him to make a scene and wanting to see a conflict between the princes.
Nan Heng refused to accept the imperial edict, stating that a general on campaign could sometimes act independently of the emperor's direct orders, citing this very issue as something the Emperor worried about. However, he offered to escort Chu Guihong to the capital himself, bringing only his personal guard, if the Emperor would permit his return. Song Yimeng was dismayed to learn her father, Song Yude, was involved, worrying he was getting drawn into the struggle for the throne.
She resolved to distance herself from anyone associated with the Nan family, believing survival depended on avoiding Nan Heng. Nan Heng returned to the capital with the Xuanjia Army, causing shock and fear. As Chu Guihong was being escorted towards the imperial prison, disciples of the Chu family gathered outside, protesting his innocence and accusing Nan Heng of causing his misfortune. Nan Heng then had an audience with the Emperor.
The Emperor raised rumors circulating in the capital that Nan Heng was ambitious, had colluded with the enemy, was responsible for Lord Qianyu's death, and had seized the border cities for himself. Nan Heng defended himself, pointing out that he only brought a small number of personal soldiers back to the capital and that his main Xuanjia forces remained at the border to defend against Heyuan. Nan Rui attempted to defend Nan Heng in a clumsy manner.
The Emperor seemed unimpressed by Nan Rui, calling him foolish, and instructed Song Yude to teach him governance. He then ordered Nan Heng to live outside the city and prohibited him from entering the palace without a summons. Nan Heng knelt before the Emperor. Nan Heng spoke with Fugui about his position and future plans.
Fugui expressed confidence in Nan Heng's achievements compared to other princes like Nan Rui, despite Nan Rui having the support of Song Yude and Chu Guihong. Nan Heng inquired about Song Yude, learning that he was the head of the six ministries and influential with the Emperor. Nan Heng decided to strengthen his position by marrying Song Yude's daughter. He rejected the idea of marrying the younger daughter, who was born to the second wife.
Instead, he wanted the eldest daughter, Song Yimeng. Nan Heng reasoned that Song Yimeng's survival and pampered nature, despite her difficult upbringing as a motherless child living under a stepmother, indicated that Song Yude deeply favored her due to his lingering feelings for his deceased wife. He believed this strong emotional connection meant Song Yude would be loyal to protect his daughter.
Nan Heng ordered Fugui to ensure Song Yimeng attended his mother's banquet the following day so he could meet her. Song Yimeng tried desperately to avoid attending the banquet, recognizing it as a crucial, dangerous plot point, and even creating "scripts" as part of her "Slacker Escape Plan." She pretended to be deathly ill, but her maids, including Zhixia and Yingqiu, insisted on taking her, believing her marrying well was paramount.
Despite her protests and feeling like a mere tool of the plot, she was forcibly taken. At the banquet, Nan Rui approached Song Yude's second daughter, Song Yiting, introducing himself with elaborate details about his name and lineage. He offered her chrysanthemums, hoping to charm her and invite her for a chat, but Song Yiting publicly rejected him, stating she preferred heroic men over born nobles and did not like chrysanthemums regardless of color.
Meanwhile, Nan Heng, attended by Jixiang, prepared to meet the Song daughters, and his men arrived to escort Song Yimeng to him. Song Yimeng desperately tried to avoid being taken, citing illness, but was forcibly escorted, protesting that she would surely die if she met Nan Heng and that her good days had just begun. She felt she was simply being dragged along by the plot.
As she was being brought into the palace, Song Yimeng saw Jia Ruru, the daughter of the Imperial College's Dean, who typically disliked her. Believing she could use this antagonist to disrupt the "forced plot," Song Yimeng approached Jia Ruru and provocatively told her that Nan Heng had invited her to the banquet, hinting that he was now interested in marrying her.
However, Jia Ruru reacted unexpectedly, showing confusion and caution rather than the anticipated anger or desire for conflict, warning Song Yimeng to be careful as they were in the palace. Song Yimeng was puzzled by Jia Ruru's deviation from the expected "trope" and exclaimed that the "script was killing" her, feeling increasingly like a helpless character driven by an unyielding plot.
