Truth or Dare Episode 1 Recap
> Truth or Dare Recap
Qing was a seemingly peaceful province, but it suffered from the turmoil caused by the Salter Cartel. During this time, a mysterious figure known as Lord Nocturnal-elf, clad in a black cloak and cat mask, wielding a four-edge sword, appeared at night to punish the wealthy and help the poor. He was revered by the people, even warning a boss that if he dared to raise salt prices again, he would take his head.
Outside Qing City, remnants of bandits previously eliminated by the General's Mansion had re-established themselves as Dragon Stockade, taking over a mountain and terrorizing passing merchants. The only force capable of standing against them was Mei Shiqing, the third son of General Mei, who commanded his family's army. Mei Shiqing, accompanied by his deputy general, Siheng, actively worked to eliminate these bandits.
During a confrontation, Mei Shiqing fought against Master Bao, an adopted son of Nan Batian and a leader of Dragon Stockade. Wu, the second-in-command of Dragon Stockade, attempted a trick on Mei Shiqing, involving a substance to impair his vision. However, Mei Shiqing, a skilled martial artist, was able to continue fighting even with his eyes closed, forcing Master Bao and the other bandits to flee.
Later, Mei Shiqing was discovered to have been poisoned by the bandits, and his eyesight was gravely affected, with doctors holding little hope for recovery. Siheng suggested they retreat. Meanwhile, the busker He Yizhi and his daughter, Xiao Wanzi, were performing their "rock-breaking on chest" act in Qing City. Xiao Wanzi, a spirited and strong young woman, proudly declared Lord Nocturnal-elf her hero.
A wealthy young lord, observing the performance, was captivated by Xiao Wanzi and attempted to take her with him, promising a life of luxury. He Yizhi politely refused, but the lord's guards quickly became aggressive. Xiao Wanzi, possessing natural strength and martial arts skills, easily fended off the guards, even humorously dislocating and then relocating one's arm. As more guards arrived and chased them, He Yizhi and Xiao Wanzi ran into Mei Shiqing's carriage entourage.
He Yizhi pleaded with Mei Shiqing's deputy, Siheng, for justice, but Mei Shiqing, finding the commotion too noisy, simply ordered Siheng to disperse the crowd and return to the Mei Mansion. Siheng quickly drove off the aggressive lord and his men, threatening them with court-martial. However, a sudden burst of firecrackers startled Mei Shiqing's horses, sending the carriage careening through the market. With incredible strength, Xiao Wanzi chased after the runaway carriage and single-handedly brought it to a halt.
Concerned, she opened the carriage door to check on Mei Shiqing, only to be met with his rude command to "get out." Xiao Wanzi, indignant at his ingratitude, reminded him she had just saved him. Siheng, arriving on the scene, thanked Xiao Wanzi, who pointedly told Mei Shiqing to learn from his subordinate. As the horses stirred again, Xiao Wanzi lost her balance and tumbled into the carriage, accidentally landing on Mei Shiqing in a kiss.
Furious, Mei Shiqing immediately ordered Siheng to pull her out and return to the mansion. He Yizhi quickly rushed to retrieve his daughter. Back at Dragon Stockade, Master Bao, Nan Batian's adopted son, was brought in, complaining about his injuries to Nan Batian (his adoptive father). He blamed Wu, the second-in-command of Dragon Stockade, for their failure to capture Mei Shiqing and for his leg injury. He claimed that Wu's powder had blinded Mei Shiqing.
Nan Xiang, Nan Batian’s daughter, seeing Master Bao in pain, rushed to his side, vowing vengeance on whoever harmed him and even attempting to injure Wu for his perceived negligence. Nan Batian then instructed Liu, the Dragon Stockade physician, to properly care for Master Bao. Meanwhile, at the Mei Mansion, General Mei Changyun was furious that the bandits had escaped and deeply distressed by his son Mei Shiqing's blindness.
Siheng delivered the grim news that the doctor held little hope for Mei Shiqing regaining his sight. Mei Changyun's concubine, Her Ladyship, seized the opportunity to placate the General, while also subtly blaming Mei Shiqing for his ill-timed campaign just before his impending imperial marriage. She suggested that the Lady would surely not want to marry Mei Shiqing in his current state.
Mei Shiqing, in turn, used his blindness as a reason to request his father to cancel the marriage, stating he was no longer a suitable match for the Lady. However, Mei Changyun vehemently refused, reminding his son that it was an imperial decree and defying it would jeopardize the lives of the entire Mei family. He chided Mei Shiqing for his choices, from pursuing military over imperial exams to now being blinded.
Her Ladyship then brazenly put forward her own son, Shiyuan, as a replacement groom. Mei Changyun, however, scorned Shiyuan as a good-for-nothing who frequented brothels and casinos. When Mei Shiqing remarked that even his deceased elder brother, Shiming, would only have been a "pawn" in their father's schemes, Mei Changyun flew into a rage and ordered that Mei Shiqing be punished.
Siheng intervened, kneeling and reminding the General that it was the death anniversary of Mei Shiqing's birth mother, even offering to take the punishment himself. In memory of his late wife, Mei Changyun relented but sternly warned Mei Shiqing that he must go through with the imperial marriage, regardless of whether it was a good match. Her Ladyship, watching from the side, mused that a blind man's arrogance wouldn't last long.
In the Ninth Lord's Mansion, Lady Lu Yingyao massaged her father, the Ninth Lord, who lamented the empty state of his once grand residence, now a mere shell. Lu Yingyao subtly attempted to persuade him to cancel her upcoming marriage, hinting that she believed he had requested the imperial decree himself. However, the Ninth Lord sternly refused, reminding her that an imperial decree could not be defied, and she must marry.
He praised Mei Shiqing, the third son of General Mei, as a famously talented man, a sentiment echoed by Lu Yingyao's maid, Qiaoyun. Lu Yingyao, however, expressed her apprehension, noting Qing's remote location and the Mei family's military background. She suspected her father was more interested in their wealth and military influence. The Ninth Lord firmly stated that imperial children historically had no say in their marriages, and she must wed.
He then instructed Qiaoyun to prepare Lady Lu Yingyao for the impending wedding. Lu Yingyao, despite Qiaoyun's reassurances about Mei Shiqing's talents, remained distressed, worrying that he might be "ugly" or even "an idiot." She desperately suggested escaping to become a nun, but Qiaoyun quickly warned her of the dire consequences, stating that defying an imperial marriage would result in the punishment of their entire nine generations.
Later, a hungry Xiao Wanzi and He Yizhi, having earned nothing all day, passed by the famous Felicity Tavern, its delicious aromas enticing Xiao Wanzi. Despite their poverty, He Yizhi, touched by his daughter's yearning, decided to treat her to a single dish: sweet and sour ribs. Inside, they watched Lady Rou, the tavern's manager and a famous performer, perform a beautiful and elegant dance, which deeply impressed Xiao Wanzi. In a private room, Mei Shiqing and Siheng dined.
Mei Shiqing, still disturbed by his father's actions and the lingering threat of the Dragon Stockade, expressed his long-standing resentment towards his father, who he felt would always prioritize military advancement over his family’s well-being. Lady Rou entered, immediately noticing Mei Shiqing's apparent blindness. She knelt, expressing profound gratitude to Mei Shiqing for giving her a new life at Felicity Tavern—teaching her to sing and dance, and entrusting her with managing the establishment. She offered to serve him forever.
Mei Shiqing then removed his eye patch, revealing that he was not, in fact, blind. He explained that he was feigning blindness to avoid the imperial marriage and, more importantly, to smoke out an internal betrayer within the Mei Mansion who had leaked information to the Dragon Stockade, leading to their ambush. Mei Shiqing then inquired about Lady Rou's investigation into the Salter Cartel.
She reported finding a hidden stash of private salt, indicating that salt smuggling, suppressed for decades since Li Tianlong's cartel collapsed, appeared to be making a comeback. A commotion on the main floor interrupted their conversation. Siheng investigated and reported that a drunken girl was performing acrobatics, drawing a crowd. Lady Rou and Siheng went downstairs to handle it. Drawn by the smell of food, a very drunk Xiao Wanzi stumbled into Mei Shiqing's private room.
Recognizing him, she loudly accused him of being ungrateful and for "teasing" her earlier, then proceeded to bite his arm in a fit of drunken revenge. Siheng quickly rushed back and dragged Xiao Wanzi out. A pained Mei Shiqing angrily ordered Lady Rou to ensure that the "mad woman" was never allowed into Felicity Tavern again. As they were forcibly removed, He Yizhi and Xiao Wanzi defiantly declared they would continue to enjoy the tavern's aroma from outside.
Expelled from Felicity Tavern, Xiao Wanzi, riding in a cart, spotted her idol, Lord Nocturnal-elf, flying through the night sky. She quickly gave chase, eventually cornering him against a wall. Drunk and impassioned, she professed her admiration, begged him to teach her to fly, and pleaded to join him in his heroic deeds, declaring them a "perfect match." However, when He Yizhi called out to her, and she turned to boast of her discovery, Lord Nocturnal-elf mysteriously vanished.
He Yizhi, ever the gambler, then took Xiao Wanzi to Paradise Casino. He lost all their money, including previous debts, to the casino manager, Chi Feng. Chi Feng, noticing Xiao Wanzi's appearance, declared she could be "sold for a good price" and ordered his men to seize her as collateral for the debts. He Yizhi desperately protested, insisting on bearing his own debts, but his pleas were ignored. Xiao Wanzi, despite her earlier boasts, was gagged and dragged away.
Meanwhile, at Dragon Stockade, Master Bao and Wu were punished with menial tasks, such as sweeping toilets, for their failure to capture Mei Shiqing, each blaming the other. Nan Xiang, still caring for Master Bao, brought him medicine and sweet fruit, but he rudely rejected her. Wu, fearing that Nan Xiang's affection for Master Bao might lead to their marriage and threaten his own standing, approached Nan Batian with a suggestion.
He proposed that Master Bao marry the strong girl from Paradise Casino who could perform "rock-breaking on chest," claiming she had a "good make" and could "bear a brood of kids," thereby bringing good fortune to the stockade. Master Bao immediately rejected the idea, calling the girl a "shrew." However, Nan Batian, seeing this as an opportunity to rein in Master Bao's temper and secure an heir for the stockade, agreed.
He decreed that Master Bao would marry the girl in three days, selecting a particularly "lucky day" for the "wedding." Chi Feng delivered the news of the impending marriage to He Yizhi and Xiao Wanzi, informing them that Master Bao, Nan Batian's adopted son, wished to marry Xiao Wanzi. He Yizhi vehemently protested, arguing that his daughter was a maiden and should not be forced into a bandit's lair.
Chi Feng, however, stated that they had no choice, emphasizing that it was Xiao Wanzi's "luck" to marry Master Bao and that even with her strength, she would never escape the formidable "mountain-guarding formation of Dragon Stockade." As Chi Feng's men began beating He Yizhi, Xiao Wanzi, distraught at her father's suffering, cried out, "I'll marry him! Stop!" and finally agreed.
