Episode Summary
Li Qingyue, a low-ranking gatekeeper of the Jingyun Sect, is severely injured when she is used as a human shield by Qu Xingman, who is trying to rescue her lover, Meng Chu. Sent on a dangerous solo mission to find a healing herb, Li Qingyue falls from a cliff but is miraculously saved by a mysterious and powerful man, Bai Jiusi. Instantly smitten and believing it's fate, she proposes to him with her life's savings. Intrigued, Bai Jiusi accepts and follows her back to the sect, where she hides him in her room. Later, Li Qingyue is mistakenly implicated in an escape plot and imprisoned. The episode ends as Bai Jiusi appears at her cell.
Spoiler Alert
Feud Episode 1 Recap: A Fateful Fall and a Surprise Proposal
The new xianxia romance "Feud" kicks off by introducing us to Li Qingyue (Bai Lu), a disciple who, after eleven years with the prestigious Jingyun Sect, is still just a humble gatekeeper.Despite her low rank, she remains optimistic, believing she's destined for greatness. Little does she know, her life is about to be turned upside down by a forbidden love affair, a nasty injury, and a mysterious man who falls right into her life—or rather, catches her as she falls out of his.
A Very Bad Day at the Gate
Li Qingyue is on duty when she learns that the sect's head disciple, Meng Chu, is about to be harshly punished.
In the ensuing chaos, Qu Xingman grabs Li Qingyue and uses her as a human shield. An elder's sword, meant for Qu Xingman, strikes Li Qingyue instead, inflicting a severe lung injury.After only a day of rest, she's pestered by a fellow disciple, Jiang Bian, to return to her post. Her senior, Meng Chu, who has been demoted to her post, takes over but only complains incessantly about his own problems without offering her so much as a cup of water.
A Cliffhanger of a Meeting
To heal her wounds, Li Qingyue needs medicine from the pharmacy, but she's told she first needs a diagnosis from Lyu Suguan. Unfortunately, Lyu Suguan is completely absorbed in the drama surrounding Meng Chu and Qu Xingman and dismissively sends Li Qingyue on a dangerous errand: to find and pick some Gold Marrow Grass on a mountain cliff.
Forced to go herself, Li Qingyue finds the herb guarded by a feisty monkey. The monkey startles her, causing her to lose her footing and fall from the cliff.
An Unconventional Proposal
Convinced this magical encounter is a sign from the heavens, Li Qingyue’s mind races. After consulting some romance novels for guidance, she decides she has met her destiny. When her senior, Zhang Suan, brings her medicine, she seizes the opportunity to ask him about betrothal customs.
Her mind made up, Li Qingyue gathers her entire life's savings, finds Bai Jiusi, and presents the collection to him as a betrothal gift.
Secret Guest, Big Trouble
Back at the sect, Li Qingyue tries to keep her new fiancé a secret. She hides him in her room, giving him her bed while she sleeps on the floor. Bai Jiusi, however, proves to be a picky guest, turning his nose up at the sect's plain food and simple clothing.
While out searching for fruit to please him, Li Qingyue stumbles upon Lyu Suguan helping Meng Chu plan an escape. She is spotted and unwillingly dragged into their plot. Meanwhile, a worried Zhang Suan comes to check on her, but finds her room empty.
The escape attempt fails, and Qu Xingman takes full responsibility. However, Li Qingyue is implicated as an accomplice. To make matters worse, someone reports that she's been hiding a man in her room, accusing him of being a spy for a demonic sect. Li Qingyue, Meng Chu, and Lyu Suguan are all thrown into the sect's prison.
Spoilers & Final Thoughts
The first episode of "Feud" does an excellent job of throwing its earnest heroine, Li Qingyue, into a whirlwind of trouble. From a loyal but overlooked disciple, she's now an accused traitor and accomplice, all because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The real mystery, however, is Bai Jiusi. He is clearly no ordinary cultivator. His dramatic, water-based appearance and the fact that he seems to recognize Li Qingyue suggest a deep, pre-existing connection she is completely unaware of.
His arrival at the prison is the episode's big cliffhanger. He's not about to let his new, self-proclaimed fiancée languish in a cell. This will likely force him to reveal his true, powerful identity, an act that will send shockwaves through the Jingyun Sect and change Li Qingyue's destiny forever.The stage is set for a classic xianxia tale of forgotten pasts, fated love, and heavenly powers intervening in the mortal world.
