My Divine Emissary Episode 1 Recap
> My Divine Emissary Recap
Li Mengmeng was in class at Four Virtues School when she received a text message from her friend, Duo, asking her to meet at their usual spot after school because Duo had a surprise. The teacher, Mr. Lu, suddenly appeared behind her and told her to come to his office after class. After leaving Mr. Lu's office, Li Mengmeng found it was raining heavily. Her mother didn't arrive to pick her up, so she ran into the rain.
She met Duo, who showed her a signed photo of her idol, Bai Lian, which made Li Mengmeng very happy. Duo reminded her it was already 8:30 PM and asked if she was okay not going home. Hearing the time, Li Mengmeng quickly prepared to leave. Stepping outside, she saw a yellow Courtesy umbrella by the door and used it to head home.
Upon arriving home, Li Mengmeng had a heated argument with her mother, who criticized her for being out late with Duo, not studying, and only caring about her idol. Her mother contrasted Li Mengmeng's behavior with her father's academic achievements and successful career as a national-level conservator-restorer. Li Mengmeng retorted that she would rather be like her father than her mother, feeling that nothing she did was ever right in her mother's eyes. Li Mengmeng retreated to her room.
From outside the door, her mother received a call about a patient and had to leave for work, telling Li Mengmeng the food was in the fridge and she needed to heat it herself. Li Mengmeng grumbled about having to warm the food again and tossed her belongings onto her bed. Li Mengmeng left the house, taking the yellow umbrella. Looking at a photo of her father on her phone, she expressed how much she missed him.
She went to his tombstone under the rain, reminiscing about a time on the Linzhou Bridge where she asked her father to stop working on it because she missed him. She reflected on her perceived failures in life and how she felt useless, wishing her father was there to guide her. Standing on the Linzhou Bridge as the heavy rain continued, Li Mengmeng saw a vision of an ancient building.
She stepped into what appeared to be a puddle on the bridge but was in fact a deeper pool. Startled, she pulled her foot back. However, recalling her mother's harsh words and her feelings of inadequacy, Li Mengmeng thought that since she was so useless, she might as well disappear, and she jumped into the water.
The scene shifted to the ancient Qi Kingdom, where Emperor Qi Yan, the High Priest, and the people were holding a grand ceremony due to a severe drought. They prayed for rain, celebrating the era under the Emperor's rule as one where "Under the greatest Emperor, all things flourish and prosper." The Emperor had secretly arranged for artificial rain, but the mechanism broke, and the rain stopped after only a short period.
The High Priest urged the Emperor to try again. As Emperor Qi Yan turned to leave, there was a disturbance in a large water jar nearby. When Qi Yan approached to investigate, a pair of hands grabbed him. The guards cried out, believing it was an assassin, and prepared to kill the person emerging from the water – Li Mengmeng.
Li Mengmeng, realizing she had somehow traveled through time, quickly claimed she was a divine emissary sent by the heavens to bring rain. Li Mengmeng shouted to the sky, "I am Xiao, the divine emissary! Please bring us rain, oh mighty one!" She repeated the call. Thunder began to rumble, and rain started to fall heavily. The ministers and people were astonished and knelt in prayer, believing she was truly sent from above.
Seizing the opportunity while they were distracted, Li Mengmeng fled the scene. While running, Li Mengmeng overheard Emperor Qi Yan instructing his attendants that he suspected the divine emissary was a spy sent by Cui Anshi. He ordered that if the person was found, they should be executed immediately. Realizing the extreme danger, Li Mengmeng knew she had to find a way to escape the palace. She found ministerial robes and quickly changed into them, attempting to blend in.
She had a brief, awkward encounter with an attendant who mistook her for a minister late for the morning audience. Emperor Qi Yan held morning court in Wanshou Hall, asking if any minister had information about the divine emissary, promising generous rewards. Ministers discussed the drought and the emissary's appearance, suggesting it was an auspicious sign and urging the Emperor to quickly unite with the Noble Consort to produce an heir.
Emperor Qi Yan dismissed their advice and instead pressed for information on when the divine emissary might reappear. Li Mengmeng searched for her bag, which had traveled with her, but couldn't find it where she thought she had left it. She eventually discovered it in Emperor Qi Yan's personal chambers. Inside, Qi Yan and his eunuch were examining the bag, remarking on its weight and contents. As they debated opening it, Li Mengmeng's phone rang loudly, startling both of them.
The eunuch expressed concern about the strange object, suggesting Guard Kong should not have left it there. Qi Yan drew his sword, intending to destroy it, but Li Mengmeng burst in, shouting for him to stop. Qi Yan demanded to know who she was and who had sent her, listing potential conspirators like Cui Anshi and Gu Cheng. Li Mengmeng tried to explain, saying she was just a student from the future who had lost her phone.
She showed him the phone, calling it an "electronic chicken." The eunuch was outraged at her disrespect and ordered her to kneel, but Qi Yan was intrigued. The eunuch suggested the device was a signaling tool and she should be killed, but Li Mengmeng pleaded for her life, claiming she knew many things from the future, reciting scientific and mathematical concepts. To test her claims, Qi Yan presented her with a complex ancient mathematical problem involving a circular city.
Scholar Zhen, who was present, admitted that even with his learning as a former top scholar, it had taken him half a month to solve. Li Mengmeng immediately recognized it as an application of the Pythagorean theorem and provided the correct answer (80) in moments, astonishing Scholar Zhen. Li Mengmeng expressed surprise that they did not know such a fundamental concept and offered to give another problem. Qi Yan's eunuch suggested keeping her alive as she might prove useful.
Scholar Zhen took his leave in disbelief. Emperor Qi Yan decided Li Mengmeng could be valuable. He rewarded her with gold for her knowledge. He also decided to give her a new name. Li Mengmeng asked to be called "Li Mengmeng," which Qi Yan found acceptable. He ordered her to stay by his side and teach him the knowledge from her world. Li Mengmeng hesitantly agreed, warning him there was a great deal to learn.
Li Mengmeng began teaching Qi Yan, starting with the multiplication table. Meanwhile, in Qingyan Palace, Minister Gu and another discussed the "suspicious person" who had entered the imperial study and quickly gained the Emperor's favor, even appearing to join him in frivolous activities like "cockfighting" despite the severe drought. Minister Gu viewed this as the Emperor neglecting national affairs and ordered that the "little eunuch" be removed from the palace.
Back with Qi Yan, his eunuch voiced concerns about Li Mengmeng's unknown origins and strange behavior, fearing she was a spy planted by rivals like Prince He or Prime Minister Cui to expose the Emperor's secret plans. Qi Yan dismissed his fears, stating Li Mengmeng was special and he was curious to see what new tactics his rivals would employ.
