Nancheng Banquet Episode 1 Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
At Wanshi Pavilion, the master informs his most skilled disciple, Fu Xiao, that their mission is to eradicate evil. After fifteen years of training, she is assigned two targets. The first is General Guo Zhen, a border general known for his atrocities, who is returning to the capital for reporting. Fu Xiao must eliminate him to bring justice for his victims.
The second target is the Qianyu Guard Commander, Yan Changyun, who wields immense military power, manipulates the court, and causes suffering to the people. The master warns Fu Xiao that Yan Changyun is far more dangerous than Guo Zhen, being exceptionally skilled and ruthless. He also provides intelligence that Yan Changyun frequently visits an official courtesan named Chu Yue at Yunshao House. Yan Changyun arrives at the courtesan house, expecting to see Chu Yue.
Fu Xiao greets him, claiming Chu Yue is unwell and she is serving in her place. Yan Changyun immediately senses she is not Chu Yue but plays along, assessing her as skilled. Fu Xiao attempts to use seduction but then draws a dagger, stating she can do what Chu Yue can and more, revealing her intent to kill him. Yan Changyun notes her impatience and comments on her skill, finding her soft and lacking sufficient strength.
A fight ensues, and Fu Xiao, unable to defeat him, manages to escape. Yan Changyun orders a city-wide search with the assassin's masked description. A wanted notice for the masked assassin is posted throughout the city. That night, Yan Changyun goes to an abandoned house.
He reveals his hidden identity as a young master and explains his original plan was to lure Guo Zhen back to the capital to uncover the mastermind behind the Guan You incident and avenge his family. However, Guo Zhen's death ruined this lead. He asks about He Sanyuan, who served Guo Zhen and vanished, ordering a search for him. He then hears a noise and discovers someone hiding on the beam above – it is Fu Xiao.
Yan Changyun confronts her. Fu Xiao admits that she killed Guo Zhen and declares she will send Yan Changyun to join him in the afterlife. They fight again. Fu Xiao is defeated and loses her pouch during the struggle before escaping once more. Fu Xiao escapes to a passenger boat. After changing clothes, she is knocked unconscious with a stick by a eunuch named Xiao Qiangzi. She instinctively kills him, and his body falls into the river.
The next day, Fu Xiao wakes up on the boat, her head fuzzy and injured. She has an arm injury and discovers she has lost all memory, not knowing who she is or how she got there. She finds some valuables and a waist token with the name "Xiao Qiangzi" on it among her things and those on the boat. She disembarks in Nanguo City. As she walks through the city, seeing Yan Changyun triggers an instinctive fear.
She then witnesses Qianyu Guards arresting a man with an arm injury, as they are searching all men with such wounds at the city gates. Her subconscious fear causes her to instinctively try to evade them, which draws the guards' attention. They stop her for questioning. When asked her name, she says she doesn't know. As they prepare to physically search her, she presents the "Xiao Qiangzi" waist token.
The guards recognize it as belonging to someone from the palace and, assuming she is a young eunuch on official business outside the palace, they let her go. Fu Xiao looks at her reflection in a mirror, confused by her male attire. Seeking help for her memory loss, she finds a doctor.
The doctor diagnoses her with "Soul Loss" caused by a head injury, explaining it can cause her to forget people and events and may alter her personality and behavior. He states he cannot treat the Soul Loss itself but can offer herbal medicine for blood circulation. When Fu Xiao admits she has no money, the doctor throws her out.
Meanwhile, Liu Yidao, a palace eunuch known as "Dao-ge" to his subordinates, is frantically searching for the missing eunuch Xiao Qiangzi, stressing that their heads are on the line if he isn't found soon. At the palace, Prime Minister Xiao Wanli disregards the attendant's announcement that the Emperor is at the opera and barges into the hall, arguing with Lord Wei about who should be heard first.
Both the Prime Minister and Lord Wei are there to recommend replacements for the deceased Guo Zhen – Lord Wei suggests Cavalry Commander He Wei, while Prime Minister Xiao Wanli proposes Assistant Minister of Personnel Yang Xiong. They argue heatedly about the candidates' qualifications while the Emperor is absent. Emperor Zhao Yuan, having disguised himself and had a eunuch double take his place in the palace, is actually at the opera, secretly enjoying the performance and eating snacks.
Fu Xiao, also at the opera, hides under his table and steals some of his snacks. They bond over their shared enjoyment of the opera. Their moment is interrupted by Yan Changyun's arrival with Qianyu Guards, announcing a search for the assassin. Emperor Zhao Yuan, terrified of Yan Changyun, also hides under the table, encountering Fu Xiao. They both admit their fear of Yan Changyun and agree they need to escape the search. Emperor Zhao Yuan suggests creating a diversion.
Fu Xiao creates the diversion by calling out to Yan Changyun, but then abandons the Emperor in her haste to make her own escape. Hungry after escaping, Fu Xiao tries to trade the Xiao Qiangzi token for steamed buns. Liu Yidao spots the token and confronts her, demanding to know where she got it and where Xiao Qiangzi is.
She first claims the token is hers but then admits she found it and tells him about her amnesia and the doctor's diagnosis of Soul Loss. Seeing her innocent appearance and confusion, Liu Yidao decides she can impersonate the missing Xiao Qiangzi to save himself from punishment. He lures her with the promise of food, shelter, and a salary in the palace, which she accepts out of desperation. He takes her to the palace.
Once inside, he knocks her out and ties her up. Fu Xiao, terrified upon waking, demands to know why. Liu Yidao reveals she is now Xiao Qiangzi and must be castrated to maintain the deception, boasting that he is known as "Gentle Cut" for his skill. Fu Xiao, realizing the horror of her situation, struggles fiercely, breaks free, kicks Liu Yidao unconscious, and escapes. Wandering lost through the palace, she accidentally stumbles into Yan Changyun's chambers.
Yan Changyun is injured and asks for help putting on his clothes. As Fu Xiao (disguised as Xiao Qiangzi) helps Yan Changyun dress, he notices her arm injury. He questions her identity, and she gives the name "Xiao Qiangzi," stating she is new to the palace.
Before Yan Changyun can investigate further, a subordinate rushes in to report a significant lead on the assassin who killed Guo Zhen – a small boat found five miles away by the river with signs of a struggle, blood-stained clothes, a long sword, and a dagger, which match the description from the abandoned house encounter. The subordinate adds that a eunuch's body was found by the river, yet no eunuchs are missing from the palace registry.
This urgent news distracts Yan Changyun, allowing Fu Xiao to slip away undetected. She wanders into the Imperial Garden and encounters Emperor Zhao Yuan. They immediately recognize each other as the "brothers" from the opera. Emperor Zhao Yuan reveals he is also working in the palace (implying his true identity) and Fu Xiao confirms she is a eunuch. They discuss leaving the palace together but realize they have no money.
Emperor Zhao Yuan says he has a way to get some. Meanwhile, Yan Changyun, connecting the dead eunuch Xiao Qiangzi found by the river and the boat evidence to the assassin, realizes the "Xiao Qiangzi" currently in the palace must be an imposter and the potential assassin. He decides to investigate this eunuch identity. Emperor Zhao Yuan takes Fu Xiao to Miaoyin Pavilion, revealing it is where his valuables are kept. They steal treasures together, celebrating their newfound fortune.
They are discovered by guards. Emperor Zhao Yuan instructs Fu Xiao (as Xiao Qiangzi) to escape to the south gate and wait while he deals with the guards. Simultaneously, Yan Changyun, having confirmed the real Xiao Qiangzi is dead but not missing from the registry, orders all Qianyu Guards to search for the eunuch Xiao Qiangzi and kill him on sight.
He is convinced this imposter is the assassin who has infiltrated the palace and might know his true identity as a young master. Fu Xiao waits at the south gate, but when Emperor Zhao Yuan is delayed, she decides to leave alone with the stolen items. Yan Changyun intercepts her.
He identifies her as the eunuch Xiao Qiangzi and moves to execute her on the spot, citing the theft of palace property, but also wanting to eliminate her because she knows his secret identity. Emperor Zhao Yuan arrives just in time and stops him, revealing his identity as the Emperor. Yan Changyun reports that the person is a fake eunuch who entered the palace with ill intentions.
Emperor Zhao Yuan defends Fu Xiao, claiming he trusts Xiao Qiangzi and that the accusation of being a fake eunuch is not proven. Yan Changyun insists on a physical inspection to verify his identity for the safety of everyone in the palace. Fu Xiao is terrified, but the Emperor agrees, albeit reluctantly, stating Xiao Qiangzi should endure this small hardship. A palace attendant performs the inspection and reports that Xiao Qiangzi has indeed been castrated.
Yan Changyun acknowledges the verification as a "misunderstanding" regarding his status but still insists he should be punished for stealing palace property. Fu Xiao protests, but Emperor Zhao Yuan steps in again, declaring the treasures were not stolen but were a gift from him to Xiao Qiangzi. Yan Changyun, unable to dispute the Emperor, concedes on the theft charge. Yan Changyun then attempts to take Fu Xiao into custody to investigate his true identity.
Emperor Zhao Yuan stops him, declaring that Xiao Qiangzi is now his personal attendant, a decision he just made. Yan Changyun objects, citing the ongoing threat of unidentified individuals in the palace, but Emperor Zhao Yuan asserts his imperial authority, insists on keeping his word to Xiao Qiangzi, and tells Yan Changyun to give him face. Yan Changyun yields and leaves.
Emperor Zhao Yuan then tells Fu Xiao to get up, expressing his surprise and pleasure that she is the "brother" he met at the opera. Fu Xiao, also surprised he is the Emperor, expresses similar sentiments about their unexpected reunion. They reaffirm their bond, agreeing to protect each other both inside and outside the palace.
Meanwhile, Yan Changyun privately tells his subordinate they must be ruthless about the imposter Xiao Qiangzi and his potential knowledge of Yan's identity, but acknowledges that since he is now with the Emperor, they must proceed carefully and leave no trace of their actions.
