The Rise of Phoenixes Episode 1 Recap
> The Rise of Phoenixes Recap
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In the twilight years of the Great Cheng Dynasty, Emperor Ai Zhangsun Mingde ruled with tyranny, causing widespread suffering. To save the populace, Ning Shizheng, the Duke of Minhai, rallied support from General Chang Yuan and his allies, toppling the Great Cheng Dynasty and establishing the Tiansheng Dynasty.
Shortly after, the newly enthroned Emperor Tiansheng dispatched his eldest son, Ning Chuan, and his sixth son, Ning Yi, to hunt down the remnants of Great Cheng's secret guards, the Bloody Buddha, and Emperor Ai's infant ninth son. During the confrontation, a young Ning Yi attempted to save the child, but Ning Chuan's forces attacked, compelling the guard to drop the infant from a cliff. For his role in the child's demise, Ning Chuan was named Crown Prince.
Ning Yi, however, was left with deep psychological scars, haunted by flashbacks of a maternal figure lamenting that "they all died for you" and a man's voice vowing to kill him. Eighteen years later, an epidemic devastates Yanzhou. The Duke of Min's policy of closing a pass only accelerates the spread of the disease toward the imperial capital.
At a court session, it is reported that an area in the capital has the epidemic under control thanks to the "Melancholy Infirmary," funded by Prince Ning Yi. It is revealed that Ning Yi, imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Temple for eight years, financed the infirmary by selling brocades he had woven. Moved by his son's compassion, Emperor Tiansheng grants a general amnesty, releasing Ning Yi.
Upon his release, a drunken Ning Yi arrives at the palace but becomes ill and postpones his audience with the Emperor. Unbothered, the Emperor remarks that this is the "beginning of a breeze" that foretells a "coming storm." Alarmed by Ning Yi's return, Crown Prince Ning Chuan convenes a late-night meeting with his maternal uncle, Duke Chang Hai, the Second Prince Ning Sheng, and the Fifth Prince Ning Yan.
The Second and Fifth Princes dismiss Ning Yi as a powerless weaver, with Ning Yan pointing out that Ning Yi's protector, their Third Brother Ning Qiao, is dead. The mention of Ning Qiao silences the room. As the princes leave, Duke Chang Hai warns Ning Yan about corruption in his canal project and reminds him that he played a key role in Ning Yi's imprisonment years ago, suggesting he is now vulnerable.
The next morning, Ning Yi kneels outside the court while ministers praise Ning Yan. When summoned, Ning Yi tearfully remains silent, claiming a guilty subject like him should not speak recklessly. The Emperor rebukes the fawning ministers, declaring Chengming Hall is for state matters, not flattery, and pardons Ning Yi. When offered a reward, Ning Yi humbly requests only a jailer skilled in weaving, pleasing the Emperor with his lack of ambition.
The Emperor then appoints Ning Yi to Qingming Academy to learn court affairs under Minister Xin Ziyan. The court, led by Duke Chang Hai and Xin Ziyan himself, objects. Xin Ziyan cites Ning Yi's past transgression: eight years ago, he violated curfew to secretly meet a general, an act deemed disloyal and unfilial. Overwhelmed, Ning Yi pleads to be allowed to just weave for the rest of his life.
In private, the Emperor and Xin Ziyan discuss how to protect Ning Yi, whom the Emperor calls a "nail" that could cause injury if not placed carefully. The Emperor acknowledges that Duke Chang Hai and the Crown Prince are a threat. To counter their influence and protect his son, the Emperor arranges a marriage between Ning Yi and Qiu Yuluo, the daughter of Imperial Army Commander Qiu Shangqi, a subordinate of Duke Chang Hai, hoping to shift the commander's allegiance.
At a silk shop, Ning Yi encounters Xin Ziyan and his wife. After playfully measuring Xin Ziyan for new clothes, Ning Yi firmly states that the marriage to Qiu Yuluo will not happen. At the Qiu Mansion, Commander Qiu Shangqi panics, fearing that an alliance with the unstable Ning Yi will infuriate the powerful Chang family and lead to his ruin.
His wife then reveals a stunning twist: the imperial official took the engagement letter not for their daughter, but for Feng Zhiwei. Xin Ziyan warns Ning Yi to be cautious, but Ning Yi is consumed by a desire for revenge, stating that sacrificing himself to take down his enemies is a worthy trade. Xin Ziyan reminds Ning Yi of his late Third Brother Ning Qiao's final wish: for Xin Ziyan to help Ning Yi become a wise ruler.
Ning Yi scoffs, declaring that the just and righteous Ning Qiao was the one who deserved the throne before being framed for rebellion by the Crown Prince and killed eight years prior. He questions how he can be a wise ruler while the "vermin" who framed his brother remain in power. Meanwhile, Feng Zhiwei, dressed in male attire, argues with her mother, Qiu Mingying, refusing to stop attending a private school.
Soon, her Fifth Aunt arrives with lavish gifts, informing them they have been summoned by the Madam. Feng Zhiwei jokingly suggests they flee with the treasures, but her mother is somber. Feng Zhiwei declares she does not want to be a substitute for Qiu Yuluo or marry Prince Chu, prompting a stern warning from her mother about the life-and-death stakes of their situation. Elsewhere in the mansion, the entertainer Zhuyin is berated by Fifth Aunt, leading to a physical fight.
Feng Zhiwei intervenes, defending Zhuyin and intimidating Fifth Aunt with her new, albeit misunderstood, status. The two women find common ground and share a laugh. At the Gold Feather Guard headquarters, a man is found dead, killed with a hand halberd, the signature weapon of the Bloody Buddha. The discovery triggers a memory for Guard Gu Yan, who was spared years ago by the Emperor and tasked with managing the Bloody Buddha remnants.
This murder, secretly orchestrated by Ning Yi and Xin Ziyan to sow chaos, creates a political opening. Xin Ziyan notes that with the Crown Prince's position shaken by Ning Yi's return, the ambitious Second and Fifth Princes see a chance to make their move. For Ning Yi and Xin Ziyan, this instability is the perfect opportunity to advance their own plans.
