Episode 1 recap: Fan Xian faked his death and deceived everyone.
The story of the first season concluded with Fan Xian being pierced by Yan Bing Yun's sword on behalf of the Jiancha Court. His fate touched the hearts of countless people. The author of this novel, Zhang Qing, suddenly stopped updating, and classmates began asking Professor Ye about Fan Xian's life and death. Even the cleaning aunt at the library cared about Fan Xian and couldn't help but quietly inquire with Professor Ye. Professor Ye was overwhelmed by the inquiries and was also eager to know the final outcome.
Finally, Zhang Qing appeared and handed the second season of the novel to Professor Ye, who read it overnight. Fan Xian was ordered to escort Xiao En and Si Li Li on a mission to Northern Qi. The young emperor of Northern Qi, Zhan Dou Dou, used him to eliminate Shen Zhong, who had covered up the truth. Fan Xian went through hardships and obstacles to exchange Yan Bing Yun, who had been betrayed by the Princess Chang, with Xiao En. Not only did he learn the location of the divine temple that people yearned for from Xiao En, but he also unexpectedly discovered that he was not Fan Jian's illegitimate child, but the child of the Southern Qing Emperor and Ye Qingmei.
Before his death, Shen Zhong revealed to Fan Xian that the Second Prince Li Cheng Ze and Princess Chang conspired with Northern Qi for trade smuggling and gained huge profits. Fan Xian carried these three earth-shattering secrets and led the mission to leave Northern Qi. The Second Prince was worried that Fan Xian would expose his and Princess Chang's conspiracy upon his return, so he sent Xie Bi'an with a large army to intercept the mission midway and deliver a letter to Yan Bing Yun and Fan Xian respectively.
Li Cheng Ze tried to convince Yan Bing Yun to join him and used the lives of Teng Zijing's wife and children, Fei Jie, and Fan Si Zhe to threaten Fan Xian. These were the people Fan Xian cared about the most. Fan Xian chose to die rather than submit. He fought side by side with Yan Bing Yun, but they were surrounded by Xie Bi'an and his men. Yan Bing Yun stabbed Fan Xian with his sword, and Fan Xian fell into a pool of blood.
News of Fan Xian's death reached the imperial palace, and the once mighty Southern Qing Emperor immediately panicked. He was frightened and at a loss, so he immediately summoned Chen Ping Ping, the director of the Jiancha Court. Chen Ping Ping admired Ye Qingmei greatly and treated Fan Xian as his own. When he learned of this tragic news, his heart was overwhelmed with anger and he fell off his wheelchair due to the rush of emotions. Chen Ping Ping ordered Yan Ruo Hai, who was in charge of the court, to gather everyone and search for Fan Xian's body.
Chen Ping Ping was ordered to go to the imperial palace, and Fan Jian also rushed over upon hearing the news. He was devastated by Fan Xian's death and vented all his anger on Chen Ping Ping, criticizing him for not stopping Fan Xian from taking risks in Northern Qi. Chen Ping Ping was also deeply saddened, and he vowed to avenge Fan Xian and then seek death as atonement.
The Southern Qing Emperor received a second carrier pigeon message informing him that Yan Bing Yun had killed Fan Xian. He was filled with grief and anger and locked himself inside the palace, refusing to see anyone. Chen Ping Ping and Fan Jian had no choice but to leave in disappointment. Yan Bing Yun and Xie Bi'an discussed burning Fan Xian's body to prevent Fei Jie from resurrecting him. Yan Bing Yun personally ignited the pile of firewood, and the flames burned fiercely, reducing it to ashes quickly. Xie Bi'an sent someone to deliver the news to Li Cheng Ze. He wanted to bring back a piece of Fan Xian's remains from the ruins as evidence.
Li Cheng Ze suspected that Fan Xian faked his death, but Xie Bi'an returned the remains to him. Chen Ping Ping knew that Yan Bing Yun was a loyal and patriotic person who would never harm Fan Xian. Fan Jian also felt that something was amiss and suspected that Fan Xian faked his death. He couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for Fan Xian, as deceiving the emperor was a grave offense. Fan Jian wanted to go back to the emperor and plead for mercy to suppress the news of Fan Xian's death. However, Chen Ping Ping stopped him and saw Fan Xian's death as an opportunity to bring about major changes in Qing Kingdom.
As expected by Chen Ping Ping and Fan Jian, it was a meticulously planned fake death orchestrated by Yan Bing Yun and Fan Xian. The sword Yan Bing Yun used was given to Fan Xian by his senior brothers from the Jiancha Court. It was a retractable sword. Fan Xian also used a chicken blood packet. Wang Qi Nian had prepared a pit beneath the firewood stack, and Fan Xian was substituted with half of a pig carcass. The remains found by Xie Bi'an were actually pig bones.
Fan Xian instructed Yan Bing Yun to lead the mission and continue on their journey, while he hurried back to save Teng Zijing's wife and children, Fan Si Zhe, and Fei Jie. Fan Jian rushed back to the residence and quietly revealed the truth to his wife, Liu Ru Yu. He also had the servants set up a mourning pavilion at the Fan residence, creating an illusion that Fan Xian had died. Fan Jian was worried that Fan Ruo Ruo would fall seriously ill and asked Liu Ru Yu to take extra care of her. Fan Ruo Ruo was talented and intelligent. She didn't believe for a moment that Fan Xian was dead and instead comforted Liu Ru Yu.
Fan Xian and Wang Qi Nian arrived in the capital city in haste. They saw memorial altars set up at the city gates and along the streets, and the people were mourning Fan Xian. Merchants were selling collections of Fan Xian's poems and merchandise named after him. Fan Xian was shocked to see his death news spreading so quickly throughout the capital. He realized it was the work of Li Cheng Ze but didn't dare to reveal his true identity. He had no choice but to follow Wang Qi Nian back home to hide for the time being.
Li Cheng Ze intentionally spread the news of Fan Xian's death among the people to solidify the accusation of Fan Xian's treason through faking his death. He surrounded Wang Qi Nian's home, but thanks to the secret passage Wang Qi Nian had dug, they managed to escape and return home through the underground tunnel under the cover of darkness, successfully evading the surveillance of the guards outside. However, they were stopped on their way by traps set up by Mrs. Wang. Wang Qi Nian exerted great effort to overcome these traps and settle Fan Xian down.
Early the next morning, Mrs. Wang had her daughter, Wang Ba, call Fan Xian to have breakfast. Fan Xian witnessed Mrs. Wang's magnanimity and was inspired by Wang Ba's intelligence. The three of them had a joyful breakfast together.
In the first season, Zhang Ruo Yun's portrayal of Fan Xian keeps getting better and more flavorful. Tian Yu's Wang Qi Nian, Song Yi's Fan Ruo Ruo, Liu Duan Duan's Second Prince, Li Xiao Ran's Grand Princess, Wu Gang's Chen Ping Ping, Guo Qi Lin's Fan Si Zhe, Liu Hua's Fei Jie, and all the other supporting roles shine brightly.
I hope the same cast can continue in the next season. The only disappointment for me is Xiao Zhan's portrayal of Yan Bing Yun. I hope they can recast that role.
We must have the same cast! I hope Yuan Quan's Ye Qing Mei will make an appearance in the second season. No one else can portray Ye Qing Mei's elegance and ease as she does. I'm looking forward to Emperor Qing and Ping Ping's subtle rivalry, the intellectual battles between Xiaofan and the Second Prince, and the brilliant storytelling by Wang Juan.
It's a well-produced TV series, and I can wait for two years for it!