Love of Thousand Years Episode 1 Recap
> Love of Thousand Years Recap
Amidst the mystical ambiance of Xiangqu Mountain, two immortals discussed an ancient scroll suspended in the air. The painting on it depicted a chilling vision: a snowy mountain shrouded in mist, where Princess Yanyan, clad in crimson, was ultimately overcome by the army of Tianyuan. The aftermath was grim, with corpses strewn across the fields. One of the superior immortals, having witnessed this tragic prophecy, enhanced the painting with his brush and gifted it to his disciple, Fu Jiuyun.
Fu Jiuyun, though appearing as a divine disciple, was in truth a lonely spirit born from an ancient lamp. He had been enamored with the princess since his first glimpse of her in the painting and had wandered the mortal realm for a thousand years in search of her, finally encountering her in the present day. In Li State, a kingdom renowned for its mastery of immortal arts, Princess Yanyan showed little interest in learning magic.
A year had passed, and she still hadn't grasped the essence of the White Paper Theurgy, a confidential magic art from the Li State Palace. Her frustrated master demanded she conjure ten cranes before being allowed to leave the house. After struggling and giving up, Yanyan was helped by her maid, A Man, who managed to conjure a single crane. Tired of her studies, Yanyan decided to go for a walk with A Man.
Separately, Yanyan’s brother showed her a valuable painting he had acquired, praising the artist, Gongziqi. Yanyan, however, was unimpressed with the artist's character, describing him as an arrogant genius known for his music, romance, painting, and theurgy, who boasted that no woman could resist him. She learned that Gongziqi had composed only half of a musical piece, "Eastwind Peach Blossom Melody," claiming no one was worthy of dancing to the complete version.
Seeing this as excessive pride, Yanyan challenged her brother to persuade Gongziqi to finish the piece, asserting she could master the dance. Her brother agreed on the condition that she owe him a favor. Soon after, Mrs. Qiuhua, the Queen's aunt, and her daughter Xuanzhu arrived at the palace. While their greetings appeared cordial, an underlying tension quickly surfaced. Their rivalry stemmed from the fact that Xuanzhu was in love with Zuo Zichen, who shared a mutual affection with Yanyan.
Xuanzhu tried to flaunt her progress in magic, subtly implying Yanyan's lack of discipline. Annoyed, Yanyan sarcastically referenced her own struggles with conjuring cranes. As Zuo Zichen appeared, Yanyan warmly thanked him for his consideration, which prompted a jealous glance from Xuanzhu. Zuo Zichen, however, clarified he was merely obeying his father's order to visit Mrs. Qiuhua. Meanwhile, Tianyuan State, having conquered three surrounding states, deployed its forces, signaling an imminent attack on Li State.
The Li Emperor was deeply concerned, especially after his trusted Prime Minister Zuo suddenly claimed illness and sought to resign. Suspecting Zuo's true intentions, the Emperor decided to visit him. At the same time, Gongziqi had completed the "Eastwind Peach Blossom Melody." Yanyan, finding the music incredibly complex, accompanied the Emperor to Premier Zuo's mansion and took the opportunity to show the score to Zuo Zichen.
Observing the music's underlying murderous tone despite its grandeur, Zuo Zichen suggested playing it in reverse to transform it into a joyful tune suitable for a birthday celebration, thus helping Yanyan master the melody. The Emperor's visit to Premier Zuo failed. Despite the state's crisis, Premier Zuo maintained his decision to resign, citing his age and poor health. Zuo Zichen's attempt to persuade his father to reconsider was met with a sharp rebuke for interfering.
Before leaving, Yanyan gifted Zuo Zichen a precious white jade hair clasp she had specially crafted, which he received with great delight. Unaware of the full gravity of the state's turmoil, Princess Yanyan remained immersed in the joys of young love. She confided in A Man, fantasizing about her future with Zuo Zichen. That night, as if summoned by her thoughts, Gongziqi secretly appeared in Yanyan’s private chambers.
He left a magically materialized note that mocked her while reminding her of their dance agreement, then vanished as she vaguely perceived his presence behind a curtain. The day of the Queen's birthday celebration arrived. As guests filled the hall, Gongziqi arrived with his friend Meishan. As the feast commenced, Yanyan stepped onto the stage with her pipa.
As the altered "Eastwind Peach Blossom Melody" swelled, her dance began, creating a magical spectacle where peach trees blossomed and petals rained down. The audience watched in awe, but Gongziqi, with a subtle smirk, recognized the change to his melody. He started to rise in indignation but was restrained by Meishan. Unable to bear the alteration, Gongziqi angrily departed the celebration.
Leaving the palace, a vexed Fu Jiuyun was confronted by his Master, the Grand Preceptor, who had seen through his mortal alias of Gongziqi. The Preceptor admonished him for interfering with Princess Yanyan's predetermined fate, warning him that meddling in the mortal realm was forbidden. Fu Jiuyun conceded and instructed the Grand Preceptor to deliver the peach blossom painting he had created for Yanyan as part of their wager, promising not to bother her further.
However, he later confessed his inner turmoil to Meishan, admitting that Yanyan was the one who completed his soul and that he felt destined to protect her, regardless of the boundaries between realms. Simultaneously, Premier Zuo, having secretly aligned with Tianyuan State, presented their general, Li Yuan, with critical border defense maps of Li State. Under the cover of night, Li Yuan led his forces in a swift assault, easily overwhelming Li State's defenses and advancing to encircle the capital.
The next day, Yanyan, having received the peach blossom painting from Gongziqi, decided to personally deliver it to Zuo Zichen to share her joy. However, Zichen had been sent by his father to a temple to pray for his health. Unaware of his absence and not wanting to disturb the household, Yanyan decided to scale the wall of the Zuo mansion.
As she cautiously climbed, she was horrified to see Premier Zuo emerging from a room below with Tianyuan assassins, as the sounds of frantic servants locking doors echoed from within, revealing the unfolding betrayal.
