Treasure at Dawn Episode 3 Recap
> Treasure at Dawn Recap
Fu Sheng diligently studied the will left by his father in his study. In a daze, he saw his father's kind face, as if receiving a heartfelt entrustment. His father, seemingly aware his life was short, confessed to having killed a hundred medical officials to bury a shocking secret. The will revealed that combining the three jades—Cloud, Water, and Mountain—with a jade plate would unlock a mysterious treasure.
If this treasure were to be unleashed, it would plunge the world into war and suffering. His father offered two paths: if Fu Sheng desired a peaceful life, he should seek out his master. If he wished to prevent widespread misery, he should go to Xichuan to find a person named Song Jingye, who possessed the Cloud-shaped Jade and could clarify all his doubts.
Gu Tian, ever vigilant, noticed County Magistrate Yang and his officers heading menacingly towards Fu Sheng's home. Concerned for Fu Sheng's safety, Gu Tian urged him to leave. Initially, Fu Sheng believed he should confess, thinking his father was the murderer. However, Magistrate Yang arrived, announcing that Fu Sheng and Gu Tian were wanted for the murders and demanded their immediate surrender.
Wen Jue bravely stepped forward to confront and delay Magistrate Yang, allowing Fu Sheng and Gu Tian a chance to escape the chaotic scene. She was subsequently apprehended and ordered to be escorted back to Xichuan. The next day, Magistrate Yang publicly posted a bounty, proclaiming Fu Sheng as the murderer of the physicians and the County Magistrate's wife. While gathering information, Gu Tian learned that Mrs. Yang had died.
He found this highly suspicious, as Fu Sheng had meticulously sterilized all instruments during her surgery, and the procedure had gone smoothly. Gu Tian suspected foul play. Although he wished to investigate the truth, the city was swarming with people searching for them. Left with no choice, he and Fu Sheng decided to flee to Xichuan. Fu Sheng chose the path of finding the treasure to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Concerned about leaving Gu Tian's younger brothers, Gu Bao and Gu Liang, behind, Fu Sheng sought Gu Tian’s input. Gu Tian arranged for Yinshu to take his brothers to their aunt's in the countryside, providing them with enough money for their sustenance. Before their departure, Fu Sheng visited his father's newly erected tomb, expressing his sorrow and the realization that he knew little about the secrets his father carried.
He bid his father farewell, and Gu Tian, in turn, vowed to protect Fu Sheng on their long and uncertain journey to Xichuan. Meanwhile, Wen Jue, worried about Fu Sheng, faked a severe stomachache during her journey back to Xichuan, cleverly escaping her escorts. However, her attempt was foiled by her senior brother, Wen Jiu, who intercepted her.
She tearfully pleaded with him to let her go, explaining she had found a skilled physician in Shangyi who could help their father. But Wen Jiu, familiar with her ploys, adamantly refused, reminding her that His Excellency's orders were only to bring her back, not a physician. He then unceremoniously carried her back towards the mansion. After an arduous journey, Fu Sheng and Gu Tian finally arrived in Xichuan, amidst a bustling sky-worship ceremony.
Unbeknownst to them, one of the beast performers slipped away into the woods to relieve himself and was suddenly struck unconscious from behind. As they observed the ceremony, Fu Sheng noticed many villagers had red rashes and festering sores on their faces.
An old man, seeing them, kindly warned them against drinking from Xiangshui Lake, explaining that the Ma Gang's actions had allegedly angered a "plague devil," causing it to poison the lake and even the well water, leading to their affliction. Concurrently, within the Xichuan City Lord's mansion, Wen Yu, the Lord of Xichuan, attempted to cultivate patience in his daughter, Wen Jue, through meditation. However, within moments, Wen Jue grew restless and wished to leave.
Seeing her impatience, Wen Yu, still hoping to marry her off to Xubu Huai, a lieutenant from the Ma Gang, presented her with a bead bracelet sent by him. Wen Jue reacted angrily, accusing her father of "selling her out" for a "shabby bead." Wen Yu, sighing, reflected on her lack of maturity compared to Wen Jiu and revealed his deteriorating health.
He expressed his desire to secure her future before he passed, acknowledging that Xichuan would face threats from the Jibei Chamber of Commerce and the Xiangshui Ma Gang, and he wanted her to have a protector. As Wen Jue returned the unwanted bracelet to Xubu Huai, news broke of the Fangxiang performer's assassination. Fu Sheng and Gu Tian rushed to the scene.
Xubu Huai, however, resented their interference, insisting it was an internal Ma Gang matter and suggesting the performer’s death was divine retribution by the "plague devil." Fu Sheng, examining the wound, quickly concluded it was an assassination. He noted that the injury was caused by a small, low-accuracy crossbow from close range. Since Xubu Huai, standing nearby, hadn't seen an arrow, Fu Sheng deduced the killer must have been one of the eight "beast" performers surrounding Fangxiang on stage.
This theory was further supported when Xubu Huai's men found the discarded costume of one of the beast performers. Shortly after, they located the performer himself, who confirmed he had been attacked and tied up, proving that an imposter had taken his place. Despite these findings, some villagers remained convinced it was the work of a plague devil, citing the absence of an arrowhead in the wound. Undeterred, Fu Sheng skillfully extracted a needle-like poisonous bone from the victim's skull.
He identified it as a dense, solid animal bone, most likely from a tiger, showcasing the killer's cruel methods. Xubu Huai, left with no other choice, reluctantly dispatched his men to track down the missing killer.
