Treasure at Dawn Episode 8 Recap
> Treasure at Dawn Recap
Disguised as a soldier, Gu Tian skillfully infiltrated the mysterious Golden Silk Cave. When a guard stopped him, Gu Tian gave the password, "You're not a fish," and was allowed to pass. Deep inside the cave, he knocked out a guard and discovered a room filled with gleaming gold. As he indulged in his greed, Wen Jiu caught him red-handed. Gu Tian, quick on his feet, managed to evade Wen Jiu's pursuit but found himself in a dead end.
Wen Jiu cornered him and issued a stern warning, telling him to inform Fu Sheng that they must find a way to cure the City Lord, or they would both face death. The next day, Wen Jiu reported to the City Lord about the preparations for the Golden Bloom Banquet.
He also informed the City Lord that Princess Wen Jue had moved all the medical books into her room and was studying them diligently all night to find a cure for him. The City Lord, pleased by Wen Jue's filial piety despite his ailing health, mentioned his initial doubts about Fu Sheng and Gu Tian.
Wen Jiu confirmed that Gu Tian had tried to flee but was caught and reminded of the ultimatum, while Fu Sheng was preoccupied with Song Jingye's case. Wen Jiu offered to find other physicians, but the City Lord, having lost hope and only giving Fu Sheng a chance because of Wen Jue's trust, stated he would have them "skinned" if they failed.
Back home, Fu Sheng expressed his intention to continue investigating Song Jingye's case, believing it might lead to clues about the Sealed Book and the Cloud-shaped Jade, despite Gu Tian's reluctance and suggestion to prioritize the City Lord. Gu Tian, trying to cover up his own escapade, offered Fu Sheng a meat pie, claiming he had traveled far to get it. They then proceeded to the morgue.
Fu Sheng was critical of the rough stitching on Song Jingye's body by the mansion's post-mortem examiner and instructed Gu Tian to open it. Gu Tian jokingly refused, citing his master's rule against dissecting after eating, but eventually complied, speaking to Song Jingye's corpse and assuring him they were seeking justice. Meanwhile, Wen Jue struggled with a pile of medical books, finding them incomprehensible and suspecting Fu Sheng was deliberately making things difficult.
Qin arrived at the morgue, accusing Fu Sheng and Gu Tian of being Song Jingye's murderers and attempting to defile his body. Fu Sheng calmly explained they were there to investigate Song Jingye's death. Convinced, Qin revealed that her brother's Cloud-shaped Jade was missing. She also recalled being drugged on the night of the murder, remembering a distinct sweet scent.
Elsewhere, Li Zhizhuo summoned Sun Siming, complimenting his new attire before ordering him to burn down Lin's Mansion to destroy any evidence before Fu Sheng and Gu Tian could investigate there. Sun Siming acknowledged the command. That night, Fu Sheng and Gu Tian arrived at Lin's Mansion. The official guards, fearing the mansion's reputation as a haunted house, quickly left, warning the two men of the dangers. Fu Sheng, disbelieving in ghosts, insisted on investigating.
Sun Siming then appeared with a torch, explaining that Li Zhizhuo had ordered him to burn the "haunted mansion" to the ground, threatening his life if he failed. Fu Sheng proposed that they first conduct an investigation, and if nothing was found, then Sun Siming could proceed with burning it. Sun Siming agreed and joined them inside. Fu Sheng pointed out the misplaced stone lions at the entrance, suggesting they would bring bad luck.
As they explored, Wen Jue, who had followed them, decided to play a prank, startling everyone with eerie sounds. Gu Tian quickly realized it was Wen Jue, who then revealed herself, admitting she had come to supervise them and ensure they weren't slacking off. On the second floor, they discovered a painting depicting a monkey holding a peach. Gu Tian commented on its unusual display for a birthday painting, but Fu Sheng explained the sophisticated preservation techniques used.
Suddenly, a real peach fell from above, and the painted monkey and peach vanished, only to reappear as a living monkey within the room. Everyone was terrified. Wen Jue screamed when a peach hit her. While they were distracted, the monkey quickly fled. Sun Siming, utterly unnerved by the strange occurrences, insisted on setting the mansion ablaze. As he moved toward the painting to burn it, a poisonous hundred-pace viper struck and bit him. The group fled in terror.
Later, Wen Jue, despite the danger, found the experience "fun" and suggested going back to the mansion. Ying Ying recounted the local rumors of Lin's Mansion, explaining that it was built in an isolated area and became truly haunted after Master Lin's family perished under the curse of the "Golden Monkey Offers Birthday Blessings" painting.
Real estate agents and even swordsmen had attempted to occupy or clear the property, only to either go insane or disappear, cementing the mansion's status as a forbidden place. Fu Sheng, realizing they hadn't found many clues for Song Jingye's death amidst the chaos, decided they had to return. Meanwhile, Sun Siming reported to Li Zhizhuo, exaggerating the haunted nature of Lin's Mansion, including ghosts, monkeys, and snakes, and showed off his snake bite.
Li Zhizhuo, unfazed, revealed his true motive: he had known someone was hiding in Lin's Mansion and had lured Song Jingye there to force the hidden person out. The current attempt to burn the house was another tactic to pressure them. Sun Siming slowly realized that Li Zhizhuo had merely used him to test the mansion. His mother later gave him a knife, claiming it warded off evil spirits, and advised him to carry it.
Sun Siming, still shaken, wrestled with the thought that Song Jingye's ghost might be haunting him and questioned Li Zhizhuo's methods. To uncover the mystery of the painting, Hulu secretly sought out Feng Qianli, a renowned detective from the Hearsay-capturing Pavilion, known for solving all kinds of bizarre cases. Feng Qianli informed Fu Sheng that the painting, "Golden Monkey Offers Birthday Blessings," was by Li Zhi, a well-known Xichuan painter who had been dead for many years.
He explained that although Li Zhi's other works were valuable, this particular painting was worthless because it was cursed. The painting had brought disaster to the Lin family, leading to Master Lin murdering his entire family during a birthday banquet and then taking his own life. Legend had it that anyone who gazed upon the painting would lose control, as if influenced by a mysterious force.
