Episode Summary
The Emperor questions Su Rang but gets beaten for it. Fu Sheng reveals his jade collection to Meng Qin, who agrees to trade the "Luan Bird Map" for his family's safety. Meng Qin reveals the treasure might actually be a secret about the King's identity. Feng Qianli infiltrates the enemy base to help, but he is killed by Guo Sishui. The villains steal a list of 3,000 secret agents from his body.
Spoiler Alert
Treasure at Dawn Episode 24 Recap: The Map, The Trap, and a Major Loss
This episode hits the ground running. We get some bizarre palace dynamics, a lot of chasing around, and a backstory dump that actually explains things. But the ending hits hard. We lose a good one today.
The Emperor's Weird Hobby
Things start off strange in the palace. The Emperor acts like a total lapdog for Su Rang. He calls him "Father" and massages his shoulders. It is pathetic. The Emperor asks a reasonable question though. He wonders why they are hunting for treasure when they are already living in luxury.
Su Rang does not like this attitude. He beats the Emperor. He screams that this isn't about the money. The power dynamic here is clearly messed up.
Shadow Puppets and Suspicions
Sun Siming tries to enjoy a solo shadow puppet show at the Duoqing Tower. He just wants some peace. Guo Sishui crashes the party because he doesn't trust him. He thinks Sun is hiding clues.
They watch the show together. It gets awkward. They realize the puppeteer isn't the master, Meng Qin. It is just his apprentice. Meng Qin bailed early. Sun Siming realizes the guy knows something. He grabs his men and starts the hunt.
The Hunt for Meng Qin
Wen Yu is smart. He figures out Meng Qin's weak spot. It is his family. Meng Qin knows people are after him. He sends his wife and child away to a meeting spot in the suburbs.
He tries to slip away too. Guo Sishui’s goons intercept him. It looks bad until Gu Tian shows up. He saves Meng Qin just in time.
Later, Fu Sheng patches Meng Qin up. He decides to stop playing games. He shows Meng Qin the goods. He lays out the Cloud-shaped Jade, the Mountain-shaped Jade, and the Jade Disc. Meng Qin is stunned. He realizes Fu Sheng has the whole set.
Meng Qin makes a deal. He wants his family safe. If they get to the meeting spot, he will hand over a key item. This item unlocks the secret of the Jade Disc. Yingying sends Feng Qianli to guard him. This turns out to be a fateful decision.
The Villains Regroup
Sun Siming and Guo Sishui compare notes. Sun learns the "Wise Ruler" is hunting Fu Sheng. He puts the pieces together. He knows Fu Sheng is from Shangyi and has the Jade Disc. They start planning a counter-attack.
Meng Qin tries to meet his family. Guo’s men find him again. Feng Qianli steps in from the shadows. He helps Meng Qin escape but stays hidden.
Guo’s men are furious. They storm Feng Qianli’s tea house. They trash talk the "Shadow Catching Tower" and threaten to kill Feng. Local soldiers have to step in. They remind the bad guys that the Tower has serious connections. Guo’s deputy backs down.
The Truth About the Treasure
Meng Qin finally spills the beans to Fu Sheng. He explains his connection to Song Jingye. He holds the Luan Bird Map. This map shows the exact location of the treasure.
He tells a story from twenty years ago. There was a rebellion. The Imperial Guard had a secret mission. They met a eunuch in the wild. He gave Song a bag for Physician Fu. They got ambushed by Wen Yu on the way to Shangyi.
Meng Qin drops a theory here. The King recovered from an illness back then. But he seemed like a different person afterwards. Meng thinks the "treasure" isn't gold. It might be a darker secret. He hid the map with a mechanism. He promises to give it up once his family is safe.
A Hero Falls
Wen Yu worries about an ambush at the family meeting spot. Feng Qianli steps up. He volunteers to scout Guo’s mansion at night.
It is a trap. Guo’s deputy is waiting. Feng Qianli distracts them to lead them away.
Inside the mansion, Guo Sishui gets a letter. She tells Sun Siming that the Wise Ruler’s army is coming to Xichuan. Feng Qianli overhears something else too. Prince Jibei’s troops are also on the way.
Feng tries to escape with this intel. Guo Sishui spots him. She shoots him.
Feng Qianli dies. It is a brutal loss. To make matters worse, Sun Siming searches the body. He finds a list. It contains the names of three thousand secret agents of the Shadow Catching Tower. The good guys just lost their eyes and ears.
