A Dream Within A Dream Episode 38 Recap
> A Dream Within A Dream Recap
Snow falls, and time rewinds to the moment Song Yimeng wakes up. Confused, she calls out for Nan Heng. Finding him alive, she clings to him, overjoyed and terrified that she might lose him, expressing her fear of never seeing him again. Nan Heng, bewildered, asks what is wrong and if someone bullied her. Song Yimeng, relieved but upset, accuses him of being a liar and hiding his serious illness, suggesting he tries to bear everything alone.
Nan Heng insists he is fine. Just as Shangguan He arrives to discuss important matters concerning Lord Qianyu, he finds Nan Heng and Song Yimeng in an embrace. Song Yimeng reveals that she knows everything that is going to happen and claims to have died with them once already. Meanwhile, Chu Guihong instructs Rong Hua to take action against Song Yiting and her mother to ensure Song Yimeng's obedience and to make arrangements for the Emperor's poisoning.
He tells Rong Hua that Yimeng alone isn't enough to threaten Nan Heng and that once the incident happens, he will enter the palace to 'protect the Emperor.' He warns Rong Hua to listen to Lord Qianyu's instructions but not follow them completely. Song Yimeng explains to Nan Heng and Shangguan He that Chu Guihong and Lord Qianyu are not truly aligned.
Lord Qianyu's goal is to complete the 'iconic scenes' to return to the modern world, while Chu Guihong is only pretending to cooperate, planning instead to poison the Emperor, frame Nan Heng for the crime, and then use the guise of eliminating rebels to kill Nan Heng on the city tower and seize the throne for himself. Shangguan He is skeptical, but Nan Heng believes Song Yimeng, acknowledging the reality of their world being a script.
Song Yimeng theorizes that the cycle of reincarnation was triggered because she died, suggesting that if things go wrong again, she can simply die to reset everything. Nan Heng strongly disagrees, refusing to let her risk her life, worrying about potential failures or unpredictable variables in the reincarnation. Song Yimeng insists she is the only one who can give them another chance.
Nan Heng tells her that the key to preventing the enemy's plan is for her to stay off the city tower, thus preventing the 'either-or' scene. He instructs Fugui to protect her and keep her within the mansion until the Chu family is under control. Nan Heng realizes that Lord Qianyu, needing the city tower scene, will target Song Yiting. He decides they will likely act outside the city.
Shangguan He agrees to go save Song Yiting and her mother, while Nan Heng will handle matters in the palace. Before they part, Song Yimeng asks Nan Heng to promise to be careful and protect himself. Meanwhile, Nan Rui brings red tangerines to the Emperor, expressing concern about Nan Heng's illness and hoping to comfort his father. The Emperor is pleased. As Nan Rui attempts to peel a tangerine, the Emperor helps him.
Just as the Emperor is about to eat, Nan Heng arrives, stopping him and declaring the tangerines are highly poisonous. Nan Rui is shocked and denies any intent to poison, saying he bought them to cheer up his father. Nan Heng reveals that it is Chu Guihong who poisoned them to frame Nan Rui. He asks Nan Rui where he got the tangerines, and Nan Rui mentions the South City market and having met Rong Hua.
Nan Heng connects this to the Empress's death anniversary, when Dongting red tangerines were her favorite and were eaten annually by the Emperor and Nan Rui to mourn her, noting that Chu Guihong knew this custom and likely bribed the vendor to plant the poison. Nan Rui finds it unbelievable that Chu Guihong would attempt to kill the Emperor, but Nan Heng asserts that Chu Guihong intends to kill all three of them.
When the Emperor asks for proof, Nan Heng suggests having the medical office test the tangerines. Nan Rui offers to taste one himself, but the Emperor trusts Nan Heng and orders a test. Nan Heng then requests the Emperor send his men to the South City market to apprehend the vendor and also requests the deployment of outside troops back to the capital and the swift return of the Xuanjia Army in case of emergencies.
A spy for the Qianyu Army informs Chu Guihong that Nan Heng entered the Emperor's chambers early, preventing the poisoning, and that the Emperor has ordered the Xuanjia Army to return. Chu Guihong confirms the news and learns that the vendor from the South City market has been captured by the Xuanjia Army.
Realizing the vendor will likely confess under torture, Chu Guihong decides not to hesitate and orders Rong Hua to proceed with their plan against the Song family immediately. Shangguan He and his men pursue Song Yiting and her mother outside the city, following footprints that lead towards a cave. They find Yiting's hairpins scattered along the path, suspecting she left them as clues. Entering the cave, they are ambushed by an explosion. Shangguan He is among the injured or killed.
Chu Guihong appears, revealing his motive stems from the death of his father by Nan Heng's hand during the Pingrong Battle, which he uses to justify his own violent actions against Nan Heng's people. Mrs. Song, held captive, pleads with Chu Guihong to release Yiting, even offering to help him fight Nan Heng. Yiting defiantly refuses to cooperate with Chu Guihong, expressing her deep hatred for him and threatening revenge if she survives.
Enraged, Chu Guihong physically harms Yiting (implied as cutting a finger based on later dialogue). He decides against killing her directly but instructs Mrs. Song to deliver a message to Song Yimeng, demanding that Yimeng come alone to the Song Residence. Meanwhile, Nan Heng arrives at the cave where the Nightwalkers were stationed. He finds them injured or dead from the ambush, reacting with distress and immediately ordering medical help for Yunlong and Shanhu, whose conditions are critical.
A message arrives for Nan Heng, sent by Chu Guihong via the Qianyu Army: if he wants to save Song Yimeng, he must come alone to the Song Residence. Meanwhile, at the mansion, Mrs. Song arrives frantically and pleads with Fugui to let her see Song Yimeng.
She informs Yimeng that Chu Guihong has captured Yiting and physically harmed her (implied as cutting her finger based on later dialogue), and delivers Chu Guihong's demand that Yimeng come alone to the Song Residence. Mrs. Song desperately begs Yimeng to go. Despite Fugui's objections, who reminds her of Nan Heng's instructions to stay put, Yimeng resolves that she must save her family.
She instructs Fugui to follow with men and wait a distance from the Song Residence's back door, agreeing to enter if she does not emerge within an hour. Song Yimeng arrives at the Song Residence, now occupied by Chu Guihong and his men, where the Song family, including Mr. Song (Song Yude) and Yiting, are held captive. Yimeng confronts Chu Guihong, asking about her family.
She attempts to reason with him, acknowledging their shared hatred for the script and their efforts to change fate, suggesting he can build a new life and achieve greatness elsewhere if he lets go of his obsession. Chu Guihong rejects her counsel, declaring he will not be subordinate to Nan Heng and feeling unjustly treated by the script that made him secondary despite his accomplishments. He confesses to killing the 'parasite' (the scriptwriter) within his father.
He seizes Yimeng, revealing he knows she is not the Song Yimeng he knew, stating his Yimeng would trust him and never oppose him, calling her Song Xiaoyu. While Yimeng and Chu Guihong speak, Yinzhu, one of the captured Song family members, bravely speaks up to defend the family's loyalty and integrity, asserting they did not change first. Chu Guihong dismisses her as an 'ant' and brutally kills her with his sword, which is already stained with blood.
Yimeng is horrified and calls him a beast. Chu Guihong declares his ultimate goal: Nan Heng must hand over the command token, after which he will kill Nan Heng and take the throne. He threatens the lives of Yimeng and the rest of the Song family if she does not persuade Nan Heng.
Mr. Song (Song Yude) fiercely refuses to yield to Chu Guihong, stating the Song family's pride and loyalty and that they would never betray Nan Heng to save themselves. Mrs. Song urges him to stop provoking Chu Guihong. Yiting echoes her father's sentiment, declaring she would rather fight Chu Guihong than live a life of shame by betraying Nan Heng. Chu Guihong then reveals Song Yimeng's true identity, stating she is not the real Song Yimeng.
Song Yimeng confesses that she is indeed from another world. Despite this revelation, the Song family members express their unwavering love and acceptance, asserting she is their daughter and sister, who is willing to protect them with her life. While Chu Guihong is momentarily distracted, Mr. Song manages to loosen his restraints. He lunges at Chu Guihong in a desperate attempt to attack him but is swiftly struck down and killed by Chu Guihong's sword.
Yimeng cries out in anguish, curses Chu Guihong, and rushes to her father's side, blaming herself for the tragedy and concluding that since everything started because of her, she must be the one to end it. Believing her death will reset the cycle, she grabs a weapon, intending to kill herself. Just as she is about to act, Nan Heng arrives at the Song Residence alone, having fought his way through Chu Guihong's men. He reaches Yimeng and stops her.
Nan Heng confronts Chu Guihong. In the ensuing confrontation, Nan Heng is fatally stabbed by Chu Guihong. Seeing Nan Heng fall, Song Yimeng calls him a fool and immediately takes her own life by his side.
