Episode Summary
In this episode, Nan Heng's quest for the "Satin Blade technique" leads him to an old formula he asks Song Yimeng to solve.Meanwhile, tensions in the palace escalate as Nan Heng's brother, Nan Rui, accuses him of treason, and Nan Heng confronts the Emperor over his neglected mother, triggering traumatic childhood memories. A tender moment unfolds between Li Shiliu and the injured Song Yimeng, who confides her distrust of Nan Heng to him. The episode concludes with new conflicts arising around a formal banquet and an impending discussion about Song Yimeng's marriage.
Spoiler Alert
A Dream within a Dream, Episode 13: An Explosive Attempt at the Satin Blade
Jealousy, family drama, and a literal explosion drive the plot forward in a tense episode. When Nan Heng confides in Shangguan He, a jealous Fugui takes matters into his own hands. Believing he's helping, Fugui commissions a book titled "Beijing's Epic Love - A Dream of Nanhe" to chronicle the romance between Nan Heng and Song Yimeng.
Meanwhile, Nan Heng faces turmoil at home. He rushes to his mother, Consort Gao Changrong, only to discover she faked her illness. For three years, the Emperor has avoided her palace due to issues with the Gao family, and this was her desperate attempt to regain his favor. To soothe her, Nan Heng lies, claiming the Emperor has given him significant responsibilities. She advises him to listen to Gao Changyin's opinions.
While sorting through childhood belongings, Nan Heng finds an old gift from Chu Guihong: a note containing a strange equation. He is convinced it holds the key to the legendary "Satin Blade technique," but neither he nor Shangguan He can make sense of the "gibberish." Believing her peculiar way of thinking might be the key, Nan Heng decides to entrust the puzzle to Song Yimeng.
Under Shangguan He's surveillance, Song Yimeng agrees to help decipher the formula, believing Li Shiliu's intention to use the technique for protecting the common people is noble. As a liberal arts student, she despairs at the sight of a chemical formula but reluctantly gives it a try. Her experiment goes disastrously wrong. After mixing the materials and tossing them into a furnace, she adds water, triggering a massive explosion. A wounded and soot-covered Song Yimeng emerges, lamenting her failure, while Shangguan He reports back to Nan Heng, complaining his own eyes were injured in the blast.
The royal family's internal conflicts also deepen. Prince Nan Rui accuses Nan Heng of plotting to steal his title as crown prince, but the Emperor dismisses him for his immaturity and lack of proof. Later, Nan Heng bargains with the Emperor: he will publicly support lifting Nan Rui's house arrest if the Emperor agrees to visit his mother. Angered by the conditions, the Emperor punishes Nan Heng, forcing him to kneel and copy scriptures, though he ultimately agrees. The punishment triggers a painful memory for Nan Heng of a time the Emperor, enraged over Chu Yurong's death, nearly killed him.
In the aftermath of the explosion, Li Shiliu visits Song Yimeng. He pulls back the covers she's hiding under and can't help but laugh at her disheveled state. As he gently applies medicine to her injuries, she becomes flustered and blushes. In a moment of vulnerability, she confides in him, admitting she doesn't want Nan Heng to obtain the Satin Blade technique and wishes he would abandon his quest for revenge. Trusting him completely, she believes he is different from the others. After he leaves abruptly, a determined Song Yimeng manages to complete the formula, and Nan Heng immediately sends Shangguan He to verify its accuracy.
The episode closes on several new fronts: Nan Rui invites Song Yiting to a scholarly banquet, an arrangement she resents. Nan Heng decides to host the banquet at Can Jiang Yue to secure more funding. And in a final, ominous turn, Song Yude summons Song Yimeng to discuss her marriage.
