A Dream Within A Dream Episode 24 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Song Yimeng confronted Nan Heng after discovering his true identity as Li Shiliu. He struggled to explain himself, only managing a hesitant "I'm sorry." She accused him of deliberately approaching and using her, heartbroken that she had been deceived while genuinely caring for him as Li Shiliu and even worrying about his safety from Nan Heng.
As he pleaded with her to believe him and held onto her, Song Yimeng repeatedly demanded he release her, declaring she was tired of being a fool and his act of affection, which now only fueled her hatred. When he refused to let go, she stabbed him in the arm before turning and walking away, leaving him bleeding. Shortly after Song Yimeng's departure, Rong Hua led the Qianyu Army in a search of the Waning River Crescent.
Song Yimeng emerged and was stopped by Rong Hua, who questioned her about Li Shiliu. Song Yimeng insisted she had nothing to do with him. Rong Hua stated the matter concerned a major criminal and insisted Song Yimeng accompany her to explain to General Chu Guihong. Meanwhile, back in his quarters, the injured Nan Heng, believing someone had entered, instructed his subordinate to monitor Chu Guihong's movements and ensure Song Yimeng's safety, as she had been taken by Rong Hua.
He turned to see his uncle, Chancellor Gao Changyin. Chancellor Gao saw evidence of the Li Shiliu persona and questioned Nan Heng's deception. Nan Heng reminded his uncle of his past embezzlement of disaster relief funds, revealing he had only concealed it for his mother's sake. When Gao accused him of being heartless, Nan Heng questioned Gao's own conscience and past misdeeds, stating he could have exposed him long ago were it not for their family tie.
Nan Heng then pointedly asked if Gao had interfered in the Pingrong Battle, which Gao denied. Nan Heng stated he would accept this denial for now but warned he would not tolerate any act of treason, even from his uncle. Gao shifted blame, arguing that Nan Heng was endangering their family by protecting Shangguan Baihe and that failure to act would lead to their ruin. Nan Heng asserted that Gao was the one responsible for potentially destroying the Gao family.
Chu Guihong confronted Song Yimeng after she was brought before him. He questioned why she had sought out Li Shiliu, a key figure in the Shangguan He case, and labeled the Nightwalkers as Nan Heng's guilty allies. Song Yimeng defended the Nightwalkers, arguing that most were innocent, pointing out their past assistance to her and the Qianyu Army, and expressed distress at Chu's changed demeanor, reminding him of his childhood oath to protect the innocent.
Chu insisted his actions were lawful but bitterly claimed Song Yimeng was forcing him to become ruthless like Nan Heng. He questioned why he, as a "good person," should lose to an "evil" one like Nan Heng and watch the person he cared for turn towards him, stating he would rather be more brutal than Nan Heng if being good meant such passive suffering. The matter of the capital prefecture's case reached the imperial court.
Chu Guihong reported the capture of Shangguan Baihe, linking him to a three-year-old theft case and the Nightwalkers, and accused Nan Heng of colluding with the Nightwalkers and tampering with the previous investigation. He requested permission to search Nan Heng's residence. Chancellor Gao opposed the motion, demanding Chu provide evidence and urging the Emperor to hear Nan Heng first.
When asked for his opinion, Minister Song Yude feigned weariness and stated his family's connection to Nan Heng made him unsuitable to comment. Nan Heng then stepped forward to counter Chu Guihong, accusing Chu of fabricating charges and colluding with martial arts figures. He presented a mask as evidence, claiming Chu wore it while causing trouble at the Waning River Crescent before the Lantern Festival assassination attempt on Nan Heng, which he survived despite heavy Qianyu Army guard.
Nan Heng also brought up the recent attempted prison break during Shangguan Baihe's transfer, where he was injured, noting Chu blamed Nightwalkers without catching the mastermind. Nan Heng suggested Chu orchestrated both incidents to frame the Waning River Crescent out of personal revenge. The Emperor stopped their escalating accusations, declaring Shangguan Baihe responsible for causing chaos in the court and ordering his execution the following day. Chancellor Gao supported this, proposing Nan Heng supervise the execution to prove his innocence.
Gao offered a grim deal: if Nan Heng executed Shangguan Baihe, Chu must confess to false accusation and resign; if Nan Heng refused, Gao vowed to commit suicide in court. After the court session, Nan Heng accused Gao of overstepping. Gao dismissed Nan Heng's concerns as soft-heartedness, claiming such mercy hinders great achievements and that hesitation would lead to defeat.
Meanwhile, Chu Guihong expressed contempt for Nan Heng, feeling Nan Heng's actions had justified his suspicions and freed him from restraint. Confined to her room, Song Yimeng refused to eat, causing concern among her servants. Her sister, Song Yiting, arrived and pleaded with Song Yimeng to help save Shangguan He, informing her that the execution was scheduled for the next day.
A subordinate reported to Nan Heng that Chancellor Gao had destroyed all traces of the Li Shiliu disguise and had heavily guarded the prison with Qianyu Army and elite cavalry forces, seemingly aiming to cut Nan Heng off from the Nightwalkers and force him to rely solely on Gao. The subordinate questioned if Nan Heng would proceed with the execution.
Nan Heng acknowledged the immense pressure from the Emperor, Chu Guihong, and his uncle, feeling everyone was trying to manipulate him, but declared his resolve to fight his way out of the desperate situation. Meanwhile, the Nightwalkers, led by Duan Shanhu and Pou Yunlong, debated a prison break rescue for Shangguan He despite the heavy guard. The Song sisters arrived, interrupting their plans.
Song Yimeng intervened against the risky break, proposing instead to delay the execution and clear Shangguan He's name by reinvestigating the old Jiangnan case concerning disaster relief funds embezzlement. Song Yiting warned that reopening the Jiangnan case meant opposing Nan Heng. Song Yimeng stated she didn't care about Nan Heng, only about saving her friend, prompting Song Yiting to call her contradictory.
Despite Song Yimeng's attempts to distance herself from Nan Heng/Li Shiliu, the Nightwalkers insisted on Li Shiliu's sincerity towards her, citing his hidden portraits and files about her as proof of his affection, and affirmed her status as their "Sister-in-law," a term of respect linking her to their leader. The next day, Shangguan Baihe was brought to the execution ground, noting the large crowd. Nan Heng, serving as supervisor, appeared conflicted.
Chancellor Gao pressured him to proceed, emphasizing the consequences for their family if Shangguan Baihe survived. An official read the decree ordering immediate execution. Nan Heng delayed by demanding identity verification, claiming he needed to be sure to avoid potential punishment from the Emperor if he executed the wrong person. Shangguan Baihe, surprisingly calm, urged him to proceed quickly. As the moment neared, Shangguan Baihe requested a final drink.
While appearing to argue with Gao over the delay, Nan Heng covertly instructed his Xuanjia Army to plant explosives underground and prepare to create chaos for a rescue if necessary. As noon arrived and Gao pressed for the execution order, the Nightwalkers dramatically appeared, announcing themselves and daring anyone to harm Shangguan Baihe. Chu Guihong immediately accused Nan Heng of intentionally stalling the execution to allow the Nightwalkers to arrive, claiming it proved his collusion. Duan Shanhu and other Nightwalkers stood ready to confront the Qianyu Army and elite cavalry forces.
