Stand By Me Episode 1 Recap
> Stand By Me Recap
In the ninth year of Tai'an reign, the Daxing Dynasty faced severe turmoil, with Eunuch Chou Ziliang wielding absolute power. Emperor Xingwen, determined to break free from the eunuch's control, secretly conspired with Li Xu, Zheng Lu, and Prime Minister Wang Yang to reclaim imperial authority through the Chaolu Rebellion. However, their plan failed when Li Xu and Zheng Lu betrayed them. Chou Ziliang, leading the Shen Cai Army, relentlessly pursued Wang Yang.
With no other recourse, Wang Yang fled through a secret passage out of the city with his two granddaughters. Chou Ziliang intercepted them, personally shooting Wang Yang dead. The granddaughters, terrified, scattered and fled. To intimidate all court officials, Chou Ziliang ordered Wang Yang's corpse to be brought back to the public square for the gruesome punishment of waist-slashing, noting Wang Yang had opposed him six times and deserved six hundred cuts.
On the fourth day of the first month, Emperor Xingwen passed away, and his younger brother, Qi Yan, was enthroned by Chou Ziliang. Qi Yan, Chou Ziliang's adopted son, was constantly dictated to by him. Though Qi Yan outwardly assented to Chou Ziliang's every command, even when Chou Ziliang insisted he wear purple instead of his preferred black, deep down, Qi Yan harbored a desire to eliminate him.
During a ceremony where Chou Ziliang declared Qi Yan the emperor of Daxing, Qi Yan expressed gratitude to his foster father, maintaining his subservient facade. Meanwhile, Cheng Ruoyu of the Ziyi Bureau, a highly skilled martial artist, had defeated multiple opponents to become a candidate for the next Swordbearer. Before her official entry into the palace, Cheng Ruoyu went on a spring outing with companions, but they became separated.
While searching for them in the forest, she encountered a group of riders led by the emperor, Qi Yan, who was on a midnight fox hunt. An arrow, shot at a fox, flew past her, startling her. Recognizing him, Cheng Ruoyu greeted His Majesty. Qi Yan, upon realizing she had witnessed his hunt, ordered her death, but Cheng Ruoyu quickly displayed her Ziyi Bureau badge, revealing she was a candidate for the new Swordbearer.
Qi Yan, remarking on her foolishness, allowed her to leave. The Ziyi Bureau, an institution solely loyal to the emperor, was deeply resented by Chou Ziliang. Shortly after, Qi Yan formally decreed Cheng Ruoyu as the 23rd Swordbearer of the Ziyi Bureau. During the ceremony, he personally presented her with the Qingguang Sword, a blade once wielded by the esteemed Madam Gong Sun.
Cheng Ruoyu, holding the sword, publicly swore an oath of unwavering loyalty to the nation and the ruler, promising to protect the realm and serve the monarch with a heart as steadfast as her sword. Upon leaving the palace, Cheng Ruoyu encountered Yan Zhi, Chou Ziliang's adopted daughter and the new flag bearer of the Xiangqi Camp. Yan Zhi congratulated Cheng Ruoyu on her appointment.
Cheng Ruoyu recalled her first meeting with Yan Zhi when she hitched a ride on Yan Zhi's carriage while traveling to the capital. During that journey, Cheng Ruoyu had initiated conversation, shared preserved fruit, and discussed a book Yan Zhi was reading, recognizing her as the "beautiful and kind-hearted young lady." This earlier encounter, where Yan Zhi appeared graceful and composed, was quite different from their current meeting, where Yan Zhi brandished the Heavenly Craft Umbrella, signifying her new role.
Cheng Ruoyu, grateful for the past favor, offered to treat Yan Zhi to a meal. Before Yan Zhi could respond, Chou Ziliang interrupted them, taking Yan Zhi back to his residence. Over a game of chess, Chou Ziliang pressed her for details about her encounter with Cheng Ruoyu. Yan Zhi truthfully reported that she had given Cheng Ruoyu a ride into the city, and that Cheng Ruoyu had merely been on a sightseeing trip.
She described Cheng Ruoyu as having a rebellious personality and not being a serious threat. Chou Ziliang, however, cautioned her not to underestimate anyone, warning that "people often wear masks in front of others." Meanwhile, Qi Yan had initiated his own investigation into Cheng Ruoyu's background. His subordinate reported that eight years prior, Cheng Ruoyu's parents had died, leading her to seek refuge with Cheng Xi at the Ziyi Bureau.
Qi Yan also inquired about Cheng Ruoyu's presence during his recent fox hunt, ordering further investigation into why she was there. Back in her new palace quarters, Cheng Ruoyu, speaking to her pet bird, expressed her excitement for her new role but acknowledged the treachery of the deep palace, vowing to be cautious.
Soon after, Cheng Huaizhi, Cheng Xi's brother and an imperial eunuch, delivered Jade Dew Balls to Qi Yan on behalf of the Grand Empress Dowager, who was concerned about the emperor's recent poor appetite. Cheng Huaizhi also relayed the Grand Empress Dowager's displeasure regarding Cheng Ruoyu's appointment as Swordbearer, as Cheng Ruoyu was his niece. Cheng Huaizhi vehemently denied any favoritism, swearing that his sister and he had no part in her selection.
Qi Yan accepted his explanation but expressed his disappointment. He reflected on the previous Swordbearer, Gong Sunjing, a reserved woman who, after the late emperor's passing, refused to serve him, declaring that a sword's righteousness depended on its wielder. Gong Sunjing had boldly stated that Qi Yan, constrained by eunuchs, acknowledging them as fathers, and labeled a fratricidal usurper, was "unworthy."
Qi Yan, in a moment of vulnerability, questioned what kind of Swordbearer he, as such a ruler, could hope to have. Qi Yan, having personally witnessed the bloodshed of the Chaolu Rebellion, also harbored concerns that Cheng Xi might betray him, just as Li Xu and Zheng Lu had. However, Cheng Huaizhi solemnly guaranteed that he and Cheng Xi were absolutely loyal to Qi Yan and held no other intentions.
Cheng Huaizhi then reaffirmed his loyalty, assuring Qi Yan that he would always be the sword's master, and the sword would never hesitate to shatter for him. Qi Yan, seemingly reassured, allowed Cheng Huaizhi to rise and invited him to pay respects to the Grand Empress Dowager another day.
Chou Ziliang, still seeking to control Qi Yan, handed Yan Zhi a potent medicinal pill called the Xiao Yao External Elixir, explaining that one pill would guarantee Qi Yan eternal peace, making him a "carefree emperor" unburdened by dignity or state affairs. Yan Zhi, following Chou Ziliang's orders, presented the elixir to Qi Yan. Qi Yan, recognizing the pill, questioned why Chou Ziliang continued to pressure him despite his outward obedience, especially regarding his insistence on retaining the Ziyi Bureau.
Yan Zhi explained that Chou Ziliang, like "a man who has been bitten by a snake and now fears even a rope," was cautious and merely sought to ensure Qi Yan's carefree rule. When Qi Yan refused to drink the elixir, Yan Zhi threatened to summon Chou Ziliang himself. At that critical moment, Cheng Ruoyu burst into the hall, loudly claiming that she had just put out a fire in a side hall and was parched.
Without waiting for permission, she grabbed the cup of tea containing the elixir and quickly drank it, then dramatically fainted from "poisoning." Yan Zhi, believing Cheng Ruoyu had inadvertently consumed the elixir, rushed back to report to Chou Ziliang. Qi Yan, realizing Cheng Ruoyu was feigning, quickly revived her. Cheng Ruoyu, eager for praise, boasted of her "great accomplishment" in saving him.
Qi Yan, however, reprimanded her for her reckless and foolish actions, warning that while she was resourceful, she only saw a small part of the bigger picture. He reminded her that as his Swordbearer, she could either be a blessing or a curse to the nation, granting her only one chance to prove herself. Cheng Xi arrived and also scolded Cheng Ruoyu for her impulsive behavior, instructing her to apologize.
Cheng Ruoyu, confused by Qi Yan's anger, confessed she might have done more harm than good. Cheng Xi then deliberately acupunctured Cheng Ruoyu, immobilizing her and confining her to the Ziyi Bureau.
She also gave Cheng Ruoyu another medicinal pill and secretly explained that this was part of a larger ruse to "pull the wool over their eyes and buy some time," spreading the rumor that Cheng Ruoyu had lost all her martial arts due to taking the Xiao Yao External Elixir and would not recover for half a year.
Later, Cheng Xi expressed her regrets to Qi Yan for the Ziyi Bureau's decline and her inability to protect him from Chou Ziliang, urging him to abandon his constant retreat and instead "take a bold risk." She assured Qi Yan of Cheng Ruoyu's unwavering loyalty despite her impulsive nature, emphasizing that Cheng Ruoyu had no external ties, and her presence at the fox hunt might indeed have been a coincidence.
Upon hearing about Cheng Ruoyu's poisoning, Chou Ziliang initially suspected she was faking it, knowing that the Xiao Yao External Elixir was a slow-acting poison. However, his subordinate, Gao Ping, the Left Prime Minister, investigated and explained that Cheng Ruoyu, being a martial artist with abundant vitality and a history of various medicinal treatments, might have experienced an immediate adverse reaction due to conflicting drug properties.
This explanation satisfied Chou Ziliang, though he remained unsure whether Cheng Ruoyu was genuinely reckless or cleverly feigning ignorance to disrupt his plans. Yan Zhi, taking responsibility for the wasted elixir, offered to accept any punishment. Chou Ziliang dismissed her, noting that with Cheng Ruoyu's martial arts temporarily crippled and the Ziyi Bureau's influence curtailed, there was still some gain. Yan Zhi then suggested that controlling Qi Yan could be achieved even without resorting to poison.
