A Dream Within A Dream Episode 23 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Knowing that Chu Guihong planned to frame him, Nan Heng had already arranged for others to cause a prison break and instructed the Nightwalkers to withdraw from Waning River Crescent to preserve their strength. After Chu Guihong and his men arrived, they found Waning River Crescent empty. Chu Guihong confronted Nan Heng, declaring he would find proof of his collusion with the Nightwalkers.
Nan Heng countered that he was present only because Chu Guihong had invited him to the prison, and he had even been injured there. He suggested that a mole within the Qianyu Army or the office of the capital prefecture must have informed the criminals he would be at the prison. Nan Heng accused Chu Guihong of fabricating a scheme to implicate him in helping from the inside and using the chaos to bust someone out.
Chu Guihong was enraged, accusing Nan Heng of slander and framing a prince. Nan Heng pointed out Chu Guihong's own extensive wrongdoings. He scoffed at being called a God of Death, questioning why such a person would spare someone like Shangguan He if he were truly his subordinate, and why he wouldn't have just killed him during the chaos.
Shangguan He, who was still awaiting sentencing, was also present and mocked Chu Guihong, saying the one who couldn't sit still was the general himself. At the Song Residence, Song Yimeng inquired about her sister, Song Yiting. Song Yude informed her that Yiting was fine but refused to see anyone except Nan Heng. Song Yude blamed Nan Heng for manipulating Yiting, but Song Yimeng insisted she would never allow Nan Heng to harm her sister again.
Soon after, the Emperor arrived at the Song Residence in disguise. Eunuch Liu explained that the Emperor was there because the Eighteenth Prince, Nan Rui, had reported the Seventh Prince Nan Heng regarding the matter involving Song Yiting. The Emperor summoned Song Yimeng. Meanwhile, Nan Heng returned to his mansion and was informed that the Qianyu Army had found nothing when they searched Waning River Crescent, much to his relief.
His attendant then relayed news of Nan Rui's report to the Emperor concerning Song Yiting. The Emperor was reportedly furious, specifically scolding Song Yimeng. He stated that Song Yimeng was wrong to bring Nan Heng, a difficult-to-understand but seemingly wise prince, into the Song household, leading to the current chaos. He also criticized Song Yimeng for lacking feminine virtues and setting a poor example that caused Song Yiting to become unruly.
Nan Heng realized the Emperor's anger was directed at him, using Song Yimeng as a proxy. Standing before the Emperor, Song Yimeng reflected on the situation. She knew the Emperor despised Nan Heng and considered using the Zijin Pavilion incident to accuse him. She wondered if exposing Nan Heng's secret method of forging blades could alter the course of events, preventing the Song family's future destruction, Yiting's suffering, and her own fate.
She questioned whether she should betray him, contemplating if Nan Heng would ever trust her or if anyone ever had. She thought that perhaps Nan Heng felt the same way, constantly fighting to survive lest he be pushed to a dead end. The Emperor, having heard about the events of the previous night, commanded Song Yimeng to testify that Nan Heng had seduced her sister and exhibited immoral conduct.
Song Yimeng declined to testify against the Seventh Prince and instead requested an imperial edict. The Emperor assumed she simply wanted his support to maintain her position as principal consort. Without waiting for her to speak further, he decreed that she and Nan Heng would marry on the ninth day of the next month, and the following day, Song Yiting would be made Nan Heng's concubine.
Furthermore, he ordered Song Yude to resign his official post and accompany Nan Heng to his fief as a retainer, citing the widespread scandal. Song Yimeng immediately rejected this, stating that the edict she sought was one to annul her engagement to the Seventh Prince, as neither she, her sister, nor the entire Song family wished to have any connection with him.
The Emperor, angered by her audacity, demanded a valid reason for disrupting a prince's marriage, which was a matter of state, not merely a personal whim. Song Yimeng calmly explained that if the engagement were canceled, the Seventh Prince would lose the opportunity to gain control over the Ministry of War through the Song family alliance. This, she argued, would provide the Emperor with sufficient time to plan for the succession of the future crown prince.
She urged him to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of marrying the Song sisters to Nan Heng versus canceling the engagement. The Emperor acknowledged her sharp intellect but warned her that by betraying Nan Heng's efforts to secure the alliance, she would make him an enemy who would not spare her or the entire Song family. Song Yimeng took the imperial edict canceling the engagement to Nan Heng, who had been looking for her.
He reacted with anger, throwing the edict aside, and asked why she refused to trust him regarding the Zijin Pavilion matter, not even once. Song Yimeng countered, asking what she was supposed to believe – that he hadn't approached her initially for the Song family's power, or that he wasn't a manipulative person who constantly schemed? She accused him of viewing everything between him and her sister as merely a calculation to draw the Song family closer.
Nan Heng was hurt, arguing that his genuine actions whenever she was in danger, and everything serious he did for her, were dismissed as worthless. He questioned why she felt she knew him so well. Song Yimeng admitted that she had known him from before she even met him, referring to her knowledge from the script and its mechanisms.
Nan Heng expressed his frustration, standing before her as a real person while she chose to look away and believe in an absurd script. Song Yimeng firmly stated she did not trust him, not just now, but ever. She confessed that from the moment she first approached him, her only goal was to kill him, citing her search for the blade forging method, the Lantern Festival, and even the engagement as attempts to achieve this.
She declared that she would kill him then and there if Yiting did not have feelings for him. Heartbreak clearly showed on Nan Heng's face as Song Yimeng turned and walked away. Song Yiting read the imperial edict with anger, scolding Song Yimeng for not requesting the annulment. She expressed confusion about Song Yimeng's actions and feelings, stating that she herself genuinely liked Shangguan He, and suggested the Zijin Pavilion incident was a complete misunderstanding.
Yiting questioned why Song Yimeng, who spent so much time interacting with both the Seventh Prince and Li Shiliu, failed to understand her own heart. A maid confirmed to Song Yimeng that she had not revealed Yiting's feelings for Li Shiliu to anyone. Hearing Yiting mention interacting with Nan Heng and Li Shiliu and the maid confirming Yiting's feelings for Li Shiliu, Song Yimeng was struck by a realization. She pondered the connection between Li Shiliu and Nan Heng.
She recalled the 'iconic scenes' from the script that had unfolded with Nan Heng, except for the Lantern Festival, where she was saved by Li Shiliu instead of Nan Heng as written. Reflecting on the script's rule that the male lead must save the female lead when she is in danger, she realized Li Shiliu's actions were consistent with the male lead's role. She looked at her notes and concluded that the script had not changed after all.
She loved Li Shiliu, who was also Nan Heng. This realization brought her to tears. Meanwhile, the Nightwalkers were hiding, as wanted notices for Li Shiliu, the head of Waning River Crescent and a suspect in harboring a death row convict, were posted throughout the city. Nan Heng found his followers and informed them that Waning River Crescent was formally disbanded.
His followers were shocked and refused to accept this, insisting they would stay with him and help rescue the Second Master, Shangguan He. Nan Heng offered them money and urged them to leave the capital quickly, as they were in danger. However, they remained steadfast in their loyalty, insisting they would live and die together as brothers of the Nightwalkers. Nan Heng then removed his mask, revealing his true identity as the Seventh Prince.
He stated plainly that Waning River Crescent was merely a strategic maneuver and his followers were just insignificant pieces in his game. Now that Shangguan He was exposed, they were liabilities. Using harsh and dismissive language, he reiterated his command for them to take the money and leave, calling them mere "street ruffians" and "misfits," and threatening them if they ever jeopardized his plans.
Despite his cruel words, his followers refused to abandon him, reaffirming their bond of living and dying as one. In a flashback sequence, Shangguan He was seen complaining to Nan Heng, who was addressed as "Chief," about being made to perform charitable acts like disaster relief and helping the poor instead of being a notorious thief. He called Nan Heng a "viper" pretending to be a "Bodhisattva" and himself a "notorious thief" not a "walking saint."
Nan Heng explained he was making Shangguan He do good deeds to earn merit. The flashback continued to Shangguan He in a prison cell, complaining about the poor food to Chu Guihong. Chu Guihong offered better food if Shangguan He revealed Nan Heng's secrets, suggesting Nan Heng was manipulative and had abandoned him. Shangguan He proposed a deal: he would expose Nan Heng's alleged crimes if Chu Guihong could list the wrongdoings of Waning River Crescent.
When Chu Guihong hesitated, claiming he needed time to investigate, Shangguan He mocked him, offering to cut off a finger if he could find even one crime, implying Waning River Crescent's activities were not as sinister as portrayed. Chu Guihong accused Shangguan He of being foolish for defending Nan Heng, who had supposedly harmed him. Shangguan He pointed out it was Chu Guihong who had put him in prison.
Chu Guihong reiterated his accusations against Nan Heng, claiming he was responsible for the late Empress's death and the failure at the Pingrong Battle, where Nan Heng allegedly led his aunt into an ambush and failed to send reinforcements to Youcheng. Shangguan He asked if he had confirmed these claims with Nan Heng directly, suggesting that the truth is often hidden and appearances can be deceiving.
He questioned Chu Guihong's belief that Nan Heng ran Waning River Crescent and gathered outlaws solely for power. Shangguan He described how Nan Heng used the club's income for charity, helped the displaced find jobs, and even made them patrol the streets to protect the citizens, arguing this behavior contradicted the actions of someone purely seeking power or the throne.
He speculated that perhaps Nan Heng, someone who had never been trusted, was simply seeking friends, a home, and genuine trust. Shangguan He stated that if he knew Nan Heng, he would believe he was not the kind of person capable of plotting murder at a young age or sacrificing troops for personal gain. He declared he would not be interrogated further and would accept death as atonement. Chu Guihong asked what crime he was atoning for.
Shangguan He replied his crime was being the "cold-hearted Second Master" but failing to be sufficiently ruthless in the role. The flashback concluded with Shangguan He's recruitment three years prior. Nan Heng found him on death row and had him rescued, seeing his talent for management. Nan Heng offered him the job of running Waning River Crescent as a front. The true purpose was to gather intelligence, spy on officials, and build the Nightwalkers into a force for Nan Heng.
Shangguan He demanded more money for such dangerous work, but Nan Heng refused, stating it was his only path to survival. When Shangguan He asked what would happen if his identity was exposed, Nan Heng calmly replied he should take his own life. Shangguan He agreed that made sense. Returning to the present, Shangguan He in his prison cell asked Chu Guihong to let both him and Song Yimeng go, lamenting his own bad luck and uselessness.
He repeated the familiar trope that when the female lead is in danger, the male lead must save her. Meanwhile, Song Yimeng arrived at Waning River Crescent and recalled a scene there with Li Shiliu. Seeking to test her realization about Li Shiliu and Nan Heng, she drew a dagger and stabbed herself. Nan Heng rushed forward to block the blade, revealing himself as the one who would save her and confirming his identity as Li Shiliu to Song Yimeng.
