#just. cool looking burnt paper because that's aesthetic and mysterious

[teplejtrouba]

a house that i once knew burned down and i found this book page when i went to take a look

[orangememory]

Nirvana in Fire 2 Episode 3: Thoughts

I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to have watched 10 raw episodes but to slooowly wait for subtitles. :) But we are getting subtitles and that is cool enough!

Episode 3 is where we get some more action, and the start of a plot and an investigation by the cute smol that is Pingjing aka Divine Little Dragon (don’t ask). We also have a lot of new characters and a few new mysteries. SPOILERS ABOUND SO PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Last Episode:

In Episode 2, we saw Pingjing setting off to the seat of DaTong Prefecture to investigate how the Changlin Army’s supplies were cut off. Lin Xi is also sent by her master to support him, although she moves separately.

The person in charge of these supplies is a Senior Secretary/Minister Song Fu, who wanted to punish the Changlin army by delaying their supplies which were arriving by 3 military transport ships, all of which sank. Minister Song was shocked because he just wanted to cause a few issues, not sink the ships. However, since things have gone to shit- he has sent his personal assistant Mr.Qin to Datong to sort things out. And now, we continue:

Episode 3:

- We are now introduced to a couple of new characters: sickly Crown Prince Xiao Yuanshi, his worried mom Empress Xun and a weirdly super snakey-looking man with pretty hair and magical silver yo-yos, the High Priest Pu Yangying. The young prince magically gets up after Pu Yangying does some ball-waving incense thing, and the Empress Xun trusts him.

- From a conversation, we learn Pu was appointed by the Empress a while ago, and the ministers think he is not worth anything. He is said to be a sorcerer of the Baishen sect- the same religion the superstitious Southern Chu believe in (we hear about this in NIF!)

- Next, we are introduced to Private Assistant Qin of Minister Song (lets call him PA Qin) and Magistrate Zhang of Datong, who is Minister Song’s student and complicit in his affairs. However, PA Qin is introduced with a different blurb on screen - his real name is Duan Tongzhou. We will later learn that Duan Tongzhou is a mysterious martial artist, 4th on Langya Hall’s list but no one knows his background or who he is. I suspect he is masquerading as an innocent official under this Minister Song.

- Magistrate Zhang is extremely tensed (also a familiar face- he is Section Chief Liang from the Disguiser!) because an imperial envoy is on their way to investigate the case of the lost supplies. We learn that the day the 3 ships sank, there was a small passenger boat following it - who saw the whole event. The boat has physicians from Jifeng Hall (yup the same one as Lin Xi’s) who tried to save people. Zhang however ensured all witnesses died, but could not find 3 physicians+ 1 military boat captain which has put him in a snit.

- PA Qin suggests that Zhang try and search Jifeng Hall, which has a pharmacy+hospital in Datong and find these men and destroy evidence. Zhang has a Police captain named Qian do his bidding and raid Jifeng Hall.

- This chain of events has been spotted by an unknown foe however: meet Xiao Yuanqi, Marquis of Laiyang, the son of the Emperor’s brother who died very young. Yuanqi mysteriously came across the escaped boat witnesses and helped him - hid them in his manor. Yuanshi has beautiful hair and beautiful coats, and seems to be very noble and a man of leisure in the capital, out on a tour of the provinces. However, he tells his advisor something strange - that does he believe that indeed he is just a man of leisure? Knowing that Yuanqi will later be an antagonist, I smell that he is biding his time.

- Pingjing and Lin Xi arrive in Datong and find that the Jifeng Hall is closed. Pingjing initially thinks Lin Xi is following him, but she makes it very clear that her hall has also been affe ted and her Shifu has sent her to help Pingjing. They make their way over to a secret manor- which houses people from Jifeng Hall. They tell them the story of the disappeared physicians. The smols infer that the Local Government of Datong has their hands dirty. (Special appearance by the former Princess Liyang Zhang yan Yan as a nurse named Yun-jie! Much deja vu, muuuuch deja vu)

- The investigation begins! Pingjing wears a Fei Liu-like Ninja Outfit and heads over to Zhang’s house (STILL MY QUESTION WHERE IS FEI LIU?). However PA Qin/Mysterious Man Duan is there and detects Pingjing. They have a thrilling fight and Pingjing is blade to blade with him! Lin Xi arrives to save the day with some darts (yaaaay for cool girls!). However, another person spots them - Xiao Yuanqi, also lurking in secret.

- When Pingjing is back, they realise that one attack of PA Qin was strong enough to burn his clothing - this kind of energy is characteristic of the mysterious Duan Tongzhou! But who has the power to hire such a man? This conspiracy is deep, they realise. And then suddenly, Yuanqi leaps in and they meet - Pingjing and hin seem to be close!

- The next day, Yuanqi brings over Pingjing and Lin Xi to his manor, and they meet the witnesses. In the meantime PA Qin/Duan gets suspicious and asks evil policeman Qian to search again, discovering that Yuanqi’s manor was not searched. When they do, they dont find anyone because Pingjing has anticipated this and hidden everyone in a secret passage.

- The True story is revealed. Evil Policeman Qian, on behalf of Zhang, paid off one Military boat captain to turn his ship and block the following ships, and run them aground. However, to his horror, the ships sank instead of running aground and people started being murdered. The old man was saved by these physicians and they have been in hiding because they want to present the case to the government. On meeting pingjing, he reveals all this.

- By now, Zhang has destroyed all paper trails. But one thing he was not able to do is destroy the sunken ships, which were raised up By Zhang’s boss for any further investigations. PA Qin/Duan is now not very worried about the witnesses, because he has ways to discredit them - but the ships have some irrefutable proof. He rushes over to burn them.

- The smol detective squad has reached the same conclusion- and by the time they reach, two ships are burnt. However there is a third ship which is still sunken, and the old captain draws the location for them. Here is where we learn Pingjing is known as the Divine Little Dragon at Langya Hall because he can dive so well - and he is confident he can uncover some proof from the sunken ship. Lin Xi smiles for the first time, and Yuanqi bursts out laughing. Pingjing pouts, the adorable bub.

- So next, the map is being smuggled out from Yuanqi’s manor by Yun-jie from before, presumably to take to her own home where Pingjing is staying - while people spy on her from a distance.

- Meanwhile, Pingzhang and Tingsheng sit around a fire and discuss Pingjing’s mission. However dad and son know Little Dragon cannot do it alone - in fact, they have something planned right from.the start to support Pingjing. Hmmm…

Thoughts:

Nice episode! Decent pacing, not breakneck but definitely a lot of suspense, and so many new characters.

One very good thing about NIF2 is that when they introduce characters, they are doing it slowly and steadily, and using exposition to explain things well instead of NIF1 where we were inundated with characters in the first 2 episodes. For example, we are introduced to High Priest Pu, but the fact that he is disliked plus his background is revealed in another conversations which gives us dimension and history quickly.

The pacing is quite normal- not heart-stopping but definitely good - very similar to NIF. The aesthetics are good. Pingjing’s martial arts fight was also done well, and I LOVE Lin Xi’s quiet, cold strength. Martial artist and a doctor, cool!

Yuanqi is the most interesting character. He and Pingjing have this natural friendship which shows, however sometjing lurks beneath that calm exterior and rankles at me. I think the actor is doing a good job. (Those who watched Ode to Joy 2 will recognise him as the asshole boyfriend who wanted YingYing to be a virgin). But here is another person who will break poor PJ’s heart.

Also the last bit, we see Tingsheng and Pingzhang and THEY ARE SO GOOD. I am sorry I cant stop raving about the cute little Changlin Fam and how sweetly bonded and in sync they are.

Lastly, I am liking NIF2. I am not a live-watcher but I have made an exception for this show, of course! I cannot wait to see more of the sweet bro moments, the competent ladies as well as the plots that will unfold. Something tells me this show will be paced a little sedately- but then, hopefully it will live somewhat up to NIF.

Also, if anyone is reading this :P, tell me what you hate about these summaries so I can improve them! :D Thanks a lot!