A Dream Within A Dream Episode 28 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Chu Guihong spotted a familiar face and recognized him as Lu Yi, a scout from the Qianyu Army Sixth Battalion. Rushing forward, he intended to strike him, but Nan Rui quickly intervened. Upon learning that Lu Yi was the one who had delivered the request for reinforcements, Chu Guihong accused him of being a deserter who had selfishly survived while his comrades died.
Lu Yi, pretending to be pitiful, apologized and claimed he was forced by Nan Heng, who had threatened his wife and children. A flashback revealed the tense moments before the Pingrong Battle, when soldiers learned the Xuanjia Army was not coming and blamed Chu Guihong for trusting Nan Heng, calling him the "God of Death." At the time, Chu Guihong had planned a daring night assassination of the enemy commander, Fang Shiming, to turn the tide.
Now, speaking of the twenty thousand Qianyu soldiers who died unjustly and bore the shame of defeat because Nan Heng had not sent aid during the Pingrong Battle, Chu Guihong demanded to know if Lu Yi had delivered the letter and if Nan Heng was responsible for the deaths of his father and comrades.
Lu Yi claimed he had delivered the letter, that Nan Heng had received it, and had deliberately planned for the two armies to be annihilated to claim sole military honors. He reiterated that Nan Heng had threatened his family, leaving him no choice. Chu Guihong was enraged by this confession and questioned Lu Yi about his current life in the capital. Lu Yi expressed remorse and begged Chu Guihong to kill him.
Nan Rui intervened again, urging Chu Guihong to spare Lu Yi so he could testify against Nan Heng. Lu Yi requested four hours to arrange his family's affairs and agreed to meet Chu Guihong at Jiangsong Forest outside the city at midnight to provide his testimony. Armed with the complete files from the Qianyu Army regarding the Pingrong Battle, Chu Guihong believed he now had a witness and only needed Lu Yi's testimony to bring down Nan Heng.
Nan Rui, however, found Lu Yi's sudden appearance suspicious and suggested investigating his whereabouts since Pingrong and the people he had met, questioning if he might not be telling the truth. Chu Guihong dismissed his concerns, stating the Qianyu Army never lies and that Nan Rui couldn't understand his experience. He declared his intent to clear the Qianyu Army's name and eliminate Nan Heng's faction, promising Nan Rui the path to the throne.
Nan Rui remained hesitant, but Chu Guihong left for the forest as planned, and Nan Rui followed him. At midnight in Jiangsong Forest, Yunlong and Shanhu were waiting, expecting someone from Kou Gang, but no one appeared. They heard a noise, went to investigate, and discovered a body on the ground – it was Lu Yi. Realizing the danger, Yunlong prepared to retreat, but they were immediately confronted by Chu Guihong and his men.
Chu Guihong instantly accused Yunlong and Shanhu of killing Lu Yi, convinced Nan Heng had ordered them to silence the witness. Yunlong and Shanhu vehemently denied knowing Lu Yi, stating they were merely passing by and found him already dead. Despite their denials, Chu Guihong brought Yunlong and Shanhu back to the capital prefecture's office and subjected them to torture.
Chu Guihong stated that the identity of Lu Yi's killer was unimportant; he only needed witnesses to convince the Emperor that Nan Heng killed the messenger, thereby planting the seed of doubt that Nan Heng was responsible for the Pingrong defeat. Nan Rui expressed concern for Yunlong and Shanhu's well-being and questioned their guilt. Chu Guihong, however, became increasingly fixated on his goal, comparing his plan to how the Jiangnan case was reopened due to Shangguan He's involvement.
Nan Rui was horrified by Chu Guihong's use of torture and accused him of changing and becoming like Nan Heng. Chu Guihong retorted that he had not faced the same betrayal and loss of father and comrades before. He criticized Nan Rui as someone who only knew how to talk and hide, claiming everything he had done, both on the battlefield and at the capital prefecture, was solely to pave the way for Nan Rui.
Nan Rui was shocked by this assertion, arguing that he had fought for the stability of the Great Jing and the safety of its people. Chu Guihong dismissed him, calling him a "clean and pure little prince." He then demanded Nan Rui testify about meeting Lu Yi, calling him his only hope for overturning the case, and threatened to sever their relationship if Nan Rui refused. Nan Rui left, visibly distressed.
Jixiang offered his support, and Nan Rui resolved that he could not let Chu Guihong make a mistake and would prevent him from stepping into the fire pit. Meanwhile, Song Yiting relentlessly challenged Shangguan He to chess games daily, pushing him to exhaustion. She brought up the subject of marriage again, making Shangguan He feel desperate.
Shangguan He later complained to Song Yimeng about Yiting's intensity, comparing her dedication to the relentless pursuit of art to Nan Heng's ambition and drive in politics, calling Nan Heng "Great Jing's most competitive person."
Shangguan He revealed that Nan Heng had sent him to stay at the Song residence following the assassination attempt related to the Waning River Crescent events, effectively making him a "household guard," and complained about being caught in the middle of Nan Heng's and Song Yimeng's complicated relationship. He reflected on the desire for a peaceful life versus the necessity of risking for someone, questioning if one could truly control their heart's desires.
Concurrently, High Chancellor Gao was revealed to be alive. He confirmed that Lu Yi was dead and Yunlong and Shanhu had been successfully lured to the scene as planned, drawing Chu Guihong into his scheme. Gao explained that he orchestrated this to make Nan Heng isolated and ruthless, believing that reaching the "pinnacle of power" requires solitude and abandoning personal ties.
He recalled a past conversation with a young Nan Heng who showed compassion towards a melon, which solidified Gao's belief that Nan Heng needed to develop ruthlessness to bear the burden of ruling the empire. Gao stated that everything he had planned and executed was for Nan Heng, the Gao family, and ultimately, for the empire.
Back at the Ministry of War, Chu Guihong attempted to forcefully alter the official war records related to the Pingrong Battle to highlight Nan Heng's alleged failure. Song Yude intervened, stating that the records were meticulously confirmed by multiple officials and could not be changed based on one-sided claims, accusing Chu Guihong of using his position for a personal vendetta.
Chu Guihong argued that the current records only reflected Nan Heng's perspective and accused Song Yude of submitting to Nan Heng's authority. He demanded the files, stating he would bear the consequences himself. Song Yimeng arrived and told Chu Guihong to stop, explaining that the Song family had no desire to be drawn into his dispute with Nan Heng. Chu Guihong accused her of siding with Nan Heng, despite their past support for him.
Song Yimeng challenged his view, suggesting that the death of the twenty thousand soldiers could have been due to fate, war, or even his own shortcomings as a commander, and accused him of pushing all the blame onto Nan Heng to avoid his own responsibility. Song Yude stepped in to end the argument, telling Chu Guihong that the Song family would not get involved and that affairs of the Ministry of War were not for him to meddle with.
He ordered Chu Guihong to leave. Later, Song Yimeng asked Song Yude about the impending Three Bureaus' Joint Interrogation regarding Nan Heng and the Pingrong case. Song Yude explained its significance, requiring the Ministry of Justice, Court of Judicial Review, and Censorate to preside due to Nan Heng's status and the gravity of the case involving the deaths of twenty thousand soldiers.
He noted that the Minister of Justice, along with many civil officials in the Censorate and Court of Judicial Review, were previously under High Chancellor Gao's influence, and with Gao's death, these forces were now effectively aligned with Nan Heng. Song Yimeng understood Chu Guihong's focus on the war records in light of this. She asked if Nan Heng would be safe given the circumstances.
Song Yude replied that the situation was complex for Nan Heng, describing it as being under "dark clouds blocking the sun and the moon sinking below the horizon," implying that despite his alignment with key officials, Nan Heng faced significant danger in the upcoming trial. In a final attempt, Nan Rui visited Nan Heng, offering him wine. He questioned Nan Heng about the deaths of High Chancellor Gao and Lu Yi.
Nan Heng denied both, particularly refuting the claim he received the request for reinforcements, calling it Chu Guihong's fabrication for his own failure. Nan Rui mentioned Gao speaking to Chu Guihong before his death, which piqued Nan Heng's interest. Nan Rui, observing the manipulative nature of the events (like using his and Chu Guihong's conflict), inferred that someone was orchestrating the situation.
He then made his desperate plea, asking Nan Heng to admit to the Pingrong crime to stop Chu Guihong, who was becoming obsessed and manipulated by a hidden hand. Nan Rui even offered to abdicate the throne immediately if Nan Heng confessed. Nan Heng was struck by Nan Rui's unwavering loyalty to Chu Guihong but firmly refused to admit to something he did not do, finding the request disrespectful.
He questioned Nan Rui's understanding of familial bonds, pointing out his earlier statement about Chu Guihong being his "only brother" while Nan Heng was his biological brother. Nan Rui acknowledged his own perceived foolishness but stated that losing Chu Guihong was a greater loss than losing the throne. Nan Heng remarked that Chu Guihong was fortunate to have such a brother but reiterated that the matter of succession was not theirs to decide, and he would not confess to falsehoods. He ordered Nan Rui to be escorted out.
