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orangememory · 7 years

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Nirvana in Fire 2, Episode 4: Recap

We are onto Episode 4 now. Thankfully the wonderful subbers at Viki (Yay Gone with the shirt Team!) have very quickly subbed 6 episodes. For the first 2 weeks, we will get 6 episodes on Viki and DF, whereas in the mainland 12 episodes have already been released.

I will be saving my thoughts till the end of this recap. An idea by a friend on Discord was also to include screencaps of new characters so I will try my best as I am on mobile. Onto the recap!

Last Episode:

In Episode 3, Pingjing and Lin Xi start their investigations into the military boat accident aided by Pingjing's cousin Xiao Yuanqi. They have a few nice martial arts fights, and now race against time and baddies Magistrate Zhang, Policeman Qian and Smug-as-fuck Private Assistant to one Minister Song Fu, PA Qin (whose real name is fire-wielding martial artist Duan Tongzhou). The clue to unraveling the case lies in material evidence - and in the one ship that is still sunken in the river.

Episode 4 recap:

- Pingjing and Lin Xi make their way over to the river to find the sunken ship, where Pingjing very casually takes his clothes off in front of Lin Xi. I know its fanservice to the audience at least a little bit, but credit to (the writer and) Lin Xi for not turning all hot and awkward like all asian-drama heroines usually do. Well, she is a doctor, not some blushing maiden, and she has had her hands up and around the gorgeous abs of Xiao Pingzhang which are much better than his brother's....you can see how easily I am distracted here.

- Lin Xi's focus however, is the ridic Bollywood betrothal longevity locket Pingjing is wearing, and she flashes back to her sickly mother with the same locket, telling Lin Xi to not care about the position of a noble's wife, but gain a husband she could live long with.

- Our little Divine Diving Dragon Pingjing has been in the water too long, which disconcerts Lin Xi, so the brat comes up to declare that he can dive for longer but he knows 'softhearted' Lin Xi will worry so he wants to show his face. Not a smart thing to say to women who can fling darts and poison you, little Dragon. Learn from great-grandpa's mistakes.

- However, Pingjing's diving abilities are no joke when he indeed brings up some evidence from below, including some wooden parts of the ship. Later, our trio of smols including Yuanqi, investigate the wood piece and find that it was covered with some sort of jelly, which is hardened when submerged underwater - but becomes brittle when struck with force. Translation, someone coated the ship's wood with this jelly knowing there would be a collision, and the jelly helped exacerbate the impact and cracks, finally sinking ships that should not have sunk. Yuanqi becomes angry and indignant at people who would dare play with people's lives like this. Oh honey, in the future it's gonna be you, it will be sad to see you on the dark side.

- In the meantime, PA Qin/Duan Tongzhou calls over Evil Policeman Qian, and makes him an offer - because he can feel that Magistrate Zhang has not been entirely truthful in their dealings and has kept some buried proof to find his own way out of this mess. PA Qin reminds Qian gently that he is different - which means that Zhang has family and would likely confess, where Qian would lose his life. However if Qian helps destroy the threat that Zhang poses, he can keep his head. Points to Qian however, because there is honour among thieves, and he asks PA Qin not to hurt Zhang who he has served for 8 years. In the night, Qian spies on Zhang removing and burning some secret correspondences he has saved under the floorboard.

- The next day, Yuanqi and Pingjing take stock of all the spies dressed as beggars outside Jifeng Hall, knowing that they are being watched and followed. The most important course of action now, is to wait and watch - however they worry about one witness who is yet to be protected, Magistrate Zhang himself, who Pingjing believes will be crucial to the investigation. Pingjing goes to meet Zhang.

- PA Qin/DT pays a visit to Zhang and threatens him sweetly by burning his letters to complete ashes in his hand just by crushing them! I found this so dangerous and cool, like this dude has so much power that he can burn shit at will. Zhang has no choice but to agree to these conditions.

- Yun-jie, the nurse from Jifeng Hall, delivers supplies to an old, dilapidated winery which is hiding our main witnesses, the physicians and the military boat captain. But she has been followed by PA Qin's lackey! He reports this to PA Qin, who looks smug as usual (I hate his face) and decides to take action. He asks Lackey to undertake another mission for him.

- PA Qin leads Qian and his men to the hideout, and Qian again asks if Magistrate Zhang will be all right. I know this is a small, possibly negligible detail of a minor character - but this is what I love about this show or NIF in general. Even the minor characters have ideas, behaviours and agendas. Qian could have been shown as a mindless lackey but he has a brain, he has conflicted emotions about this business and he is loyal to his master. These characters seem real and fleshed out, no matter how small their screen time.

- The Jifeng Hall spots Qian leading his men to the hideout, and immediately inform Lin Xi and Yuanqi. They are slightly at a loss what to do - when Yuanqi offers to risk his life, taking a few men to the hideout while Lin Xi gets Pingjing. The smols are in action mode!

- At the Magistrate's office, Zhang receives the news with resignation that Pingjing is here. But before he can meet him, PA Qin's lackey comes with a white silk cloth and we know what that means. As Magistrate Zhang is taking his last breaths, wham!bam! Pingjing appears and saves the day. He knocks out lackey in one blow, I am impressed!

- Yuanqi and a band of his men rush to the winery juuuust in the nick of time and face off against Qian and smug-looking PA Qin. He uses his royal status and declares the hideout/winery to belong to him, and how dare Qian come and infiltrate his land! PA Qin does not seem worried or fazed by Yuanqi, entering into a battle of laws (yawn, boring) but he needles some sort of hidden anger in Yuanqi, by declaring that the Emperor has not bestowed a feudal land upon him, so Yuanqi does not know the difference between imperial property and personally-purchased property.

- Now this could be a trifling detail, but Yuanqi gets so angry that when Leader Qian asks his men to go forth and search, he kills a man in cold blood, declaring that just because he is idle nobility does not mean he cannot take action. You go boy! Also another interesting detail, Yuanqi's hands are shaking and his eyes fill with moisture, indicating he is actually afraid of this whole situation but yet he is standing strong. It shows the nature of his character who gets pissed off when he is told he cannot do anything. Interesting.

- Pingjing and Lin Xi arrive! They bring Magistrate Zhang as a hostage and Leader Qian is a bit taken aback. Pingjing shows his official badge from the House of Changlin, but PA Qin even dares question it. A tense stand-off ensues (with a great comic moment where our favourite brat raps Zhang hard on the butt with his sword lol) but it is broken up by the arrival of reinforcements!

- It is General Yuan of the Changlin Army (who PJ calls Uncle Yuan) and General Ji of the Shanliu Army stationed in Qizhou. Vastly outnumbered, Duan Tongzhou puts his skills to the test, throwing steel darts at everybody. Pingjing and Lin Xi manage to avoid them, but Duan Tongzhou kills Policeman Qian specifically before wuxia flying away. Lin Xi looks at Magistrate Zhang and narrows her eyes, suspecting something.

- Pingjing is verrrry put out by the arrival of Uncle Yuan, because this means his dad has not trusted him and has been plotting behind the scenes! His father had suspected the imperial envoys would be scholarly ministers who could not deal with the situation, and he felt that local forces near to Datong could be colluding with Zhang and Duan, hence he dispatched Uncle Yuan to seek the help of high-ranking General Ji of faraway Qizhou who came to help. This family, oh my god. I swear I smell bits of Uncle MCS in Tingsheng and Pingjing - those Lin family genes!

- Lin Xi offers to accompany the doctors of Jifeng Hall who are witnesses as they have received a shock. Yun-jie (Princess Liyang NIF2 version) also asks to go with her to Jinling to see the city, but the soft music in the background is the sliiiighest bit ominous. Yun-jie don't go bad on us please!

- General Ji is unable to capture Duan Tongzhou after a night of searching, so the retinue finally departs for Jinling with the witnesses, Magistrate Zhang in cuffs and the smol trio of investigators. Pingjing is wary throughout the journey, suspecting something may happen soon. At one rest stop, Pingjing goes to interview Zhang, who has been very quiet but General Ji is already talking to hom - and weirdly distracts Pingjing by going - Oh look theres Lin Xi! Talk to her. Alarm bells start ringing, tra la la la la

- Pingjing spots Yuanqi who is having an unfortunate bout, trying to cope with shock and trauma. He has never killed a man before, he never knew blood was so warm. He asks Pingjing if he has killed before and the answer is silence - because Pingjing has already been in 2 battles unofficially. The cousins bond over a drink, and its kinda nice to see this kind of detail as well - a man dealing with his own struggles. I like this broship, its only gonna get sad from here. *sigh*

- The next day, they are travelling through the plains. Nothing much happens except Pingjing gives Lin Xi his cloak. Its sweet again, but not in a blushing, cute manner. Pingjing is perfectly natural in the way he acts, offering a coat to a friend and benefactor, and Lin Xi accepts it casually as well. Although we see signs that Lin Xi is warming up to him, its not a contrived romance, so +1 for that.

- Pingjing and Yuanqi hold another discussion where he elaborates to him how he smells something fishy. Duan Tongzhou had the opportunity and skills to kill Zhang at their last fight, but he ended Qian instead. What was the motive? Yuanqi and Pingjing both wonder.

- In the Palace, The Emperor, cute Crown Prince Xiao Yuanshi and the Empress are looking over his progress in studies as every Asian parent does. :P The Empress praises Rasputin/High Priest Pu to the Emperor, citing evil spirits were removed from the Crown Prince's body. The Emperor is unimpressed to the moon and back, and gently rebukes the Empress saying that he has allowed for altars and all this hocus-pocus (much more politely than me, I might add), but its not only the CP she should be thinking about, but the thousands of brave soldiers who died in the recent war, and to pray for Pingzhang's health. The Empress' face sours a bit but she has already planned some prayers.

- I must take a moment to say how beautiful and supremely graceful Mei Ting is in this Empress role. Her comportment is very regal, the way she moves her hands and all the subtle actions make her seem very very grand and impressive.

- So Pingjing and the retinue are now in a wooded area near the Capital, and Pingjing is waiting for something to happen. And so is bro Pingzhang, having reached the capital already and convalescing, thinking about where and when Pingjing will be attacked. We are introduced to his wife Meng Qianxue (the ridiculously attractive Tong Liya) who takes care of his health and his mind it seems, puzzling over the matter with her husband. End episode in the same way as NIF, abruptly - but at least they know how to do it better somewhat, and end near a cliffhanger.

Tong Liya as Meng Qianxue, wife of Xiao Pingzhang.

Thoughts:

A more plot-heavy episode definitely, and also some moments of the budding camaraderie between Lin Xi and Pingjing and Yuanqi.

What I am liking about NIF2, or maybe it is something NIF1 taught me to observe- are the details. There are many beautiful aesthetic details sure, but there are these tiny plot points and acting minutiae that catch me. As I stressed on the recap, Qian's loyalty to Zhang, Yuanqi dealing with the effects of his actions, Lin Xi's subtle observations and the Empress' very perfect demeanour hiding her ill will - its all very well executed.

I would also like to state how ridic and amazing Tong Liya is in the one scene she appears now. I have only seen her in two melo romcoms where she was a very sad heroine beleaguered by life and slapped around by men, and to see her smiling and so cute! Her chemistry with Huang Xiaoming is very natural too.

I think I wont stop raving about the Xiao family's natural warmth with each other. It doesnt seem forced at all.

That being said, now the pacing is a bit sedate for me. I discussed this with a friend and she indicated that if I go back and watch NIF there are many episodes where much doesnt happen in the foreground, but the wheels are always spinning in the background. I am all for giving NIF2 a chance - and I dont think it is required to live up to NIF, considering how classic that show is, and How personally the UST and pain between MCS and Jingyan is a very very main driver of the show for me.

NIF2 does not have that UST for me, but it does have detailed characters, plots that seem reasonable and are exposed very well, a whole galaxy of competent characters. (can i mention how much I love competence kink? But I am shit at writing it!)

I don't know what I will take away from NIF2 towards the end, but right now its the competent men and women, and the lovely family bonds we never got to experience in NIF BECAUSE THEY ALL DIED. (Okay Nihuang and Mu Qing you are an exception).

Thanks for reading, if anybody is reading that is! :)

#nirvana in fire #nirvana in fire 2 #episode 4 #recap

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