All language subtitles for The Autumn Ballad 32

=The Autumn Ballad=

♪Winter clouds fill up the sky as the
geese leave behind a trail of sorrow♪

♪I lean in front of the window,
gazing from afar♪

♪I heard your singing♪

♪By the west riverbank♪

♪As our eyes meet each other,
our longing is still there♪

♪Mountains and seas apart,
waiting for the full moon♪

♪All for our sweet encounter♪

♪Smiling with you
as I stare at the bead curtains♪

♪I will not disappoint
our mutual affection in this lifetime♪

♪We fly wing to wing
beside the sea of mountains♪

♪Even if all creations go silent♪

♪I will not disappoint
our mutual affection in this lifetime♪

♪We fly wing to wing
beside the sea of mountains♪

♪Even if all creations go silent♪

=The Autumn Ballad=

=Episode 32=

Sir.

Yao Gai and Shi Xiaoxiao
have been buried

next to Song Jin's tomb.

Liang Yi's hunters

are all trained assassins.

Elusive and cruel.

It seems like the culprit behind

isn't just a political rival of his.

Sir, if you're concerned,

I can investigate further.

Good.

Sir, Liang Yi turned himself in.

(Main Administrative Office)

Sir.

Official Yuan,

wanted criminal, Liang Yi, escaped
with his concubine, Su Yiwan.

They have been captured by me

and will be handed over
to you, Official Yuan.

We have told you everything we know.

You should realize

that this is just not a rivalry
between you and him.

It's between Dashuo and Northern Liang.

Based on what you said,

Northern Liang spies
want to eliminate Liang Yi

in case he reveals the Noble Consort's
true bloodline.

One thing doesn't add up.

Liang Yi, before Mr. Zhan went to you,

the mastermind came to me.

Mr. Zhan's dying words

isn't the reason
why you have to be eliminated.

It's a bait to lure you into this trap.

You are their target
from the very beginning.

Then there's only one reason left

why Northern Liang spies
want to kill me.

They want to stop me from launching
a military reform

within the Northern Army of Dashuo.

What a fancy name you have there

for collusion and conspiracy.

I am collaborating
with different parties in secret.

But what I'm doing is uniting
different forces in the Imperial Court

to reform Dashuo's heavy military budget

and increase its military power.

Northern Liang and Dashuo fight
back and forth

in secret for many years.

A war will break out eventually.

We have to be prepared.

So for all these years, you have been
sacrificing yourself

for the greater good.

You don't have to believe me

but please understand
what's at stake here.

Getting rid of the Northern Liang spies
should be the priority.

And His Majesty cannot know of this.
We'll tell him later.

We all know

the Crown Prince
is a wise and virtuous man.

He will be a fine ruler in the future.

But if His Majesty

knows that the Crown Prince
is half a Northern Liang.

His title will be revoked.

Worse, he might die.

In that case,

if I work with you,

not only am I an accomplice,

I will also be lying
to the Emperor then?

You're a loyal servant, Official Yuan.

I'm sure you will put Dashuo's needs
above your own.

Considering our less-than-friendly past,

it is naive of you to think
you can come here,

pull the "nation before self" card,

and persuade me to join your cause.

Yuan Lang.

We have fought many times.

Let me ask you this.

Why do you want to get rid of me?

Because I cannot bear seeing

Dashuo fall into the hands

of unscrupulous officials like you.

Well said.

We fought and fought.

You framed the Qiu family
and killed Song Jin.

I would love to take your life.

But after all, this is between us.

Brothers can argue among themselves
but they will fight an enemy together.

Like you said, we might not see
eye to eye

but we care for Dashuo.

Qiu Yan and I turned ourselves in today

because we're willing to bet

that you're still a patriotic person
despite your thirst for power.

Yuan Lang,
we're trying real hard to convince you.

Can you be more sensible?

You think highly of me

and so I won't let you down.

Yuan Lang,

we have to raid

the Northern Liang merchants' storage

immediately.

Before the operation,

there's one more thing to do.

We need to get rid of

the snitch
within the Main Administrative Office.

What do you mean?

Previously, when you asked Shi Xiaoxiao

to lure me out of the area under
Ministry of War's jurisdiction.

Those Northern Liang assassins

were also lying in ambush.

Someone is working for them
in the Main Administrative Office.

We surrendered ourselves in plain sight

so that the snitch
knows what is happening.

If he sees us talking to you in secret,

he'll try to spread the news
as soon as possible.

Now, we wait

and see

who tries to sneak out
of the Main Administrative Office.

That person will be the snitch.

(Main Administrative Office)

Lord Liang is now a witness
in the Main Administrative Office

and will be assisting us
in the investigation.

Follow his orders

in the next few days.

Yes, sir.

Is everyone here?

Sir, one is absent.

It's Wang who is in charge
of the keys to torture devices.

Where is he?

He's a mute

so we didn't ask.

This is Wang's abode.

Search this place.

Yes, sir.

It's in Northern Liang's tongue.

Wang looks like an honest man.

I didn't know he is this cunning.

Sir.

Wang has been captured
per your order.

He's outside now.

Come.

Give him a brush and paper.

Make him confess
all about his espionage.

Yes, sir.

Sir, Mr. Wang is illiterate.

He is indeed mute

but he is not illiterate.

(Main Administrative Office)

If you keep pretending,

you will be tortured.

Come forth.

Interrogate him.

Yes, sir.

Get up.

Come.

Wait.

What?

We just met Wang.

When he was looking for a key,

he had to hold that bundle of keys
this far away to identify it.

This indicates that he has bad eyesight.

He can only view something clearly
if that object is far from him.

His handwriting can't possibly
be as small as these.

He is not the Northern Liang spy.

Someone framed him.

In that case,

that spy is definitely something.

Not only did he find out about our plan
beforehand,

he even came up

with an impromptu strategy
to frame the defenseless Wang.

I have an idea

but I need your help, Official Yuan.

How can I help?

You can claim

that Main Administrative Office will counteract
with the same strategy

and send someone to Northern Liang
as a secret agent.

By saying

that you need someone who can imitate
handwriting the best,

you'll ask everyone to copy this note.

We just have to find out the one
who shares similar handwriting.

I'll see it done.

Sir, all copies are here.

Everyone has done it?

Yes.

I think

someone is missing.

Impossible. I did a headcount.

You haven't done it.

Everyone has to do it, including you.

Right, Jiang Yun.

Go write one copy.

Yes, sir.

Stop.

No need to pretend.

You slipped up there.

I said "stop" in Northern Liang's tongue
just now.

You understood it.

I don't know what you're talking about.

If you don't know
the Northern Liang's tongue,

you'll look up out of curiosity.

If you know
the Northern Liang's tongue,

you will try to hide it

and stifle your curiosity.

Jiang Yun.

Those who wear a mask for a long time

are used to suppressing
their basic instincts.

I was too focused just now

and I didn't react in time.

Liang Yi,

you can't possibly think you can

incriminate me with this?

Sir.

Liang Yi and that woman
are up to no good.

They are trying to sow discord among us.

That alone is not enough, of course.

The real proof hides

on this paper.

Imitating handwriting is just for show.

The trap is what comes after.

I will copy this letter first.

I'm sure my technique

will be able to fool the spy.

I will then modify slightly

one character.

I'll change the Horizontal here
to a Throw.

Those who don't know
the Northern Liang's tongue

will imitate everything

and place a Throw here.

But the spy who knows
the Northern Liang's tongue

will be too focused on changing
his own handwriting

and he will assume this letter given
is the one he wrote,

so he won't pay extra attention.

He will then place a Horizontal here
out of habit.

This character here.

Explanation, please?

Come forth.

Jiang Yun.

It is you.

You worked for me for many years.

Why

did you do this?

Put him in jail.

Yes, sir.

Speak.

Confess now!

You disguised as a Dashuo
and spied on us for many years.

Due to our shared history,

I will be a bit more lenient to you.

Come clean already.

Let me die!

You want to die

and be a national hero?

You know what the Main Administrative Office
is capable of.

I will use every torture method

on you once today.

I confess!

I confess!

I confess.

This spot west of the city

is the hideout of Northern Liang spies.

Sir, Miss Qiu Min is here.

Qin Xuan.

Why are you here?

I went to the Ministry of War

and they said Official Yuan

of the Main Administrative Office required
your assistance for a few days.

I was worried that he might
be extra harsh on you

so I rushed here.

I have an urgent business here
in the Main Administrative Office.

Just return home.

Qiu Yan is here too?

It's complicated.

I'll explain to you later.

Wherever she is,

you will be there too.

She can help you

with every case.

Why can't I?

Qiu Min.

The Northern Liang assassins normally
hide within the civilian buildings.

There are only a few of them

but they

are well trained

and can fight multiple enemies at once.

Win by wits, not by force.

The Firewood Office has this
colorless and odorless sleeping gas

that can make the target lose
consciousness straight away.

With our people and this gas,

it shouldn't be a problem.

However, the Firewood Office was raided.

I have no idea where the gas cans went.

Everything from the Firewood Office

is confiscated within our storeroom.

Raiding the Firewood Office

sure enriches
the Main Administrative Office's reserves.

Without you and the Firewood Office,

these new gadgets

would be given to
the Main Administrative Office anyway.

They merely came home.

Enough bickering.

Gentlemen, I have one concern.

The residential area by the west
is populated.

If those ruthless killers hold

those civilians hostage

in a desperate move,

it makes the matter
more complicated.

We need to find a way
to evacuate the civilians

without alerting
the Northern Liang assassins.

The poor

live by the west of the city.

We can post a notice by the street

that says the government is handing out
free rice per capita

to help them.

All the residents in that area

will be mobilized.

Good thinking.

All right.

Let's do it then.

Qiu Yan.

Stay here

and wait for me.

Okay. Don't worry about me.

Line up properly.

Two lines.

Don't shove.

There's enough for everyone.

Come. Line up properly.

Come.

Make two lines. Queue properly.

Don't shove.

Don't shove.

Hurry and claim free rice!

No more rice if you're late. Hurry up!

No more rice if you're late.

You two, leave by the east.

Yes, sir.

You three, leave by the north.

Yes, sir.

Why are you so clingy towards Qin Xuan

that you even came all the way here?

Funny you said that, Qiu Yan.

If I don't come here,

how can I see him?

Did our mother find our father

in the Ministry of Works every few days?

He can't refuse to see you

in public.

But being this eager will only backfire.

Why not give him more time

so that he can accept you gradually?

When it comes to romance,

I'm not as calculating or conniving

as you.

I want to help you.

I don't need your help.

Where are you going?

I don't want to be
in the same room with you, all right?

What are you doing?

Don't worry.

It will be a quick death.

You let us capture you on purpose?

Using Wang as the scapegoat

was a flawed plan

so I was prepared
for the eventual exposure.

What?

You think I don't know

how to play along?

What about Liang Yi and others?

What will you do to them?

Those who know our secret

will die.

If you despise her this much,

why do you keep imitating her?

Weren't you trying to be like her

that day you analyzed the case for me?

Unfortunately, you're inferior to her.

You can never be like her.

Qiu Min.

Min'er.

Qiu Min. Min'er.

Min'er.

(Main Administrative Office)

Min'er.

I thought something bad
happened to you too.

Thank the God.

Qiu Yan.

What happened?

Jiang Yun escaped from the prison.

They have been playing along
with our plan.

An ambush was set in place
in the hideout Jiang Yun told us.

Qin Xuan is still there.

We need to save him.

We can't.

We don't have any manpower now.

What...

What should we do then?

Think!

You ruthless killers.

Surrender at once!

Take them down.

Sir, one Northern Liang is still alive.

Bring him back for questioning.

Yes, sir.

Bring him in.

Official Yuan, why is Liang Yi here?

The Empyrean Fairy told me

this was where they made
counterfeit money.

Yet

I found no objects relevant
to the counterfeit notes in the house.

What is happening?

Wanted criminal, Liang Yi, is now
under the Main Administrative Office

to assist us in the investigation.

It is a grave matter

so I will submit a memorandum
to His Majesty to explain everything.

Please bear with me for instance.

Thank you for this favor, Official Tong.

How do you know we were ambushed?

It was all part of Jiang Yun's plan.

The Northern Liang assassins
would lie in wait here

while he

prepared to break out of the prison
in the Main Administrative Office.

When all of you were gone,

he wanted to kill me.

He did?

Are you injured?

Let me check.

Good.

Where is Jiang Yun?

He's dead.

I killed him.

It's my fault

for letting Jiang Yun lure me here.

And you were left all alone
in the Main Administrative Office.

I'm sorry.

It's not your fault.

The Northern Liangs are cunning.

Does it hurt, Qin Xuan?

It's fine.

Thank you.

Sir, you're back finally.

I came back after distributing the rice

but I couldn't find Qiu Yan and Qiu Min.

And then, I heard that Jiang Yun escaped

and all of you were ambushed.

I was worried sick.

Where's Lord Liang?

That man confessed.

The Northern Liangs plan to reveal

Her Highness's indenture contract
once the Crown Prince

ascends to the throne.
His Northern Liang bloodline

will incite other feudal lords
to rebel against the new Emperor.

When Dashuo is rife with in-fighting,

Northern Liang will take advantage of it
and invade southward.

A huge crisis awaits Dashuo.

The key of their plan is
that indenture contract.

The good news is

the contract

is still in the hands of the snitch
within the Imperial Palace.

If we can find him,

we find the indenture contract.

What the spy did

already revealed who he is.

If he could single out the evidence

and made so that Noble Consort Guo
would chance upon the memorandum,

he must be someone His Majesty trusts

and has access to the memorandums.

His Majesty's confidants are

the Grand Preceptor,
Imperial Commander Yan, and Eunuch Liu.

Their presence is allowed when
His Majesty reads the memorandums.

In other words,

it's one of them.

Since it's just one-way communication,

it means he

still doesn't know
that the assassins' hideout was dismantled.

In that case,

I have an idea.

They have access to the memorandums

but due to their different position,

the time and space they can touch
the memorandums

will vary.

If we can let them see

different memorandums,

they will disseminate
different messages.

We can use this to identify

the snitch in the Imperial Palace.

(To make the snitch circulate an info,)

(that information has to be
irresistibly enticing.)

(I will submit three memorandums.)

(All of them)

(are to suggest His Majesty send
a secret agent to Northern Liang.)

(I will attach the list of candidates)

(so three memorandums will come with
three different lists.)

(And then,)

(I'll submit two of them
to the Noble Consort in advance.)

(Her Highness will need to work with us)

(and bribe the eunuch)

(in charge of delivering memorandums
to His Majesty.)

(The first memorandum)

(will be submitted alongside other
memorandums from the ministers.)

(Eunuch Liu will be organizing)

(the memorandums in order of importance)

(inside the Imperial Study
for His Majesty.)

(The second memorandum)

(will replace the first by the
bribed eunuch before he enters)

(the Imperial Study.)

(After receiving the memorandums,)

(the bribed eunuch will hand them over
to Imperial Commander Yan for check-ups.)

(The third memorandum)

(will replace the second
before the bribed eunuch enters)

(the temple.)

(Grand Preceptor will read
the memorandums out loud to His Majesty.)

(That way,)

(these three individuals
will come in contact)

(with three different memorandums.)

(We just have to wait for the
carrier pigeon from the spy.)

(Memorandum)

Your Majesty,

profit is important for the friendship
of two nations.

Northern Liang merchants often travel
to the Capital to trade.

Today, I discovered

a group of Northern Liangs...

Everyone is asleep.

Why are you awake?

You're also awake.

Let me keep you company.

Let's sit.

In the Royal Academy,

you told me

that when we die,

we will become stars

that illuminate the ground
for the living souls.

Do you think

Song Jin can forgive me for the decision

I made today?

Song Jin grew up with you.

I'm sure he understands what
you're trying to achieve here.

I believe

my parents

will understand my decision too.

What?

You can kiss me
but I can't kiss you now?

When I was chased by Jiang Yun,

I thought I would die there.

At that moment, I regret

that I never kissed you once.

The carrier pigeon is here.

Qin Xuan.

(For Eunuch Liu, Grand Preceptor,
and Imperial Commander Yan respectively)

It's Imperial Commander Yan.

(Map of Luojing)

If we want to arrest him in secret,

we need to get rid of his guards.

Otherwise, this plan won't be foolproof

and we might alert him instead.

We need to find a way
to lure him out alone.

I'll do it.

Official Yuan, you worked with
the Northern Liangs once.

If you go to him,

it'll raise suspicion.

Liang Yi is a fugitive now

so he can't go either.

Are you sure?

Qin Xuan.

Wait for me.

Qin Xuan.

Carry this pouch with you.

You're facing a Northern Liang
spy this time.

There's a safety charm inside.

Just for peace of mind.

If I die,

I'll be emancipated.

Be careful.

I'll wait for your news
in the Main Administrative Office.

Come with me.

Why?

I left you alone
in the Main Administrative Office last time

and you almost lost your life.

I will not let that happen again.

From now on,

you have to be in my view.

Let's go.

Imperial Commander Yan.

Mr. Qin.

Imperial Commander Yan,

a conflict broke out between the
Ministry of War and Imperial Guards.

Ministry of War is in chaos now.

I'm afraid that the situation
might snowball.

It will look grim
if His Majesty knows of it.

Can you come
to contain the situation, sir?

Go first. I'll come later.

Yes, sir.

Why did they fight?

It's just a misunderstanding.

Ministry of War got a budget cut
this month

so they couldn't give good equipment
to the Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards aren't aware of this

and thought the Ministry of War

was embezzling the money.

The logistics member of
the Imperial Guards

then caused a scene
in the Ministry of War.

They talked

and fought when everything went sour.

Here, please, Imperial Commander Yan.

Mr. Qin.

Who is the one
leading the Imperial Guards?

He didn't give us his name.

He just said
he's in charge of logistics.

But the one in charge of logistics

is convalescing at home.

Perhaps I misheard.

How does he look like then?

Like a brute.

Nothing special.

You brat. Where are you bringing me to?

Who are you?

Let go of me.

Liang Yi!

Pardon me, Imperial Commander Yan.

What are you doing?

I will report this to His Majesty

and all of you will pay dearly!

Yuan Lang, you're colluding
with traitors now?

You want to betray your country too?

We know what you're up to.

Stop pretending.

What do you mean?

Imperial Commander Yan,
you're the Northern Liang spy.

What Northern Liang? What spy?

All of you are mad.

This morning,

a carrier pigeon was sent to the
Northern Liang spy hideout.

It carries the list
of secret agent candidates

who will be operating in Northern Liang,
proposed by Official Yuan.

Other than us, only you

saw this list.

If you're not the Northern Liang spy,

how did you get your hands
on this info then?

Nonsense.

I have no idea

what list you're talking about.

It's no use to deny.

If you won't confess,

I'll bring you back
to the Main Administrative Office

and make you talk.

Wait.

You said you received a carried pigeon
this morning.

But I was in the Imperial Guards Camp
last night.

I never went back home.

And this morning, I came to the palace
directly from the camp.

I was escorted by my guards.

I couldn't send out any carrier pigeons.

If you don't trust me,

verify it with the Imperial Guards Camp.

Check

if there's a spot for pigeon raising
in the camp too while you're at it.

Are we mistaken?

If he's not the spy,

then it falls to either Eunuch Liu
or Grand Preceptor.

One of them saw through our plan

and framed Imperial Commander Yan.

Wait.

If the person saw through our plan

and knows we're after him,

the best way to hide himself

is to stay put

and not send out any info.

Sending out info confirms the fact

that one of them is the spy.

Framing Imperial Commander Yan

will only expedite the revelation.

There's one less suspect now

so he's even more vulnerable.

If this will expose him,

why did he do this?

Imperial Commander Yan.

What is on Eunuch Liu's and
Grand Preceptor's itinerary today?

Sorry for the mishap,
Imperial Commander Yan.

This concerns the safety of His Majesty

and I ask for your understanding.

Last night,

Grand Preceptor said he managed
to concoct a new pill.

He invited His Majesty over
for the ritual and its consumption.

This morning, the Grand Preceptor
and Eunuch Liu

escorted His Majesty
to the Chinese alchemy room.

Perhaps the Grand Preceptor
wishes to harm His Majesty?

The Northern Liangs can only execute

their plan after His Majesty's demise.

Now that the snitch

knows he's about to be exposed,

he's executing the plan preemptively.

So

the Chinese alchemy room is the trap.

Let's go now.

♪A sliver of moonlight
passes through the roof♪

♪Your sweet smile had warmed my heart♪

♪If the hazy night is a garment♪

♪Your appearance will be the pigment♪

♪Looking at your direction♪

♪All the scenes appear in my mind♪

♪As I draw your eyebrows♪

♪I'm willing to wait for you
for an entire lifetime♪

♪A sliver of moonlight
passes through the roof♪

♪Your sweet smile had warmed my heart♪

♪If the hazy night is a garment♪

♪Your appearance will be the pigment♪

♪As people part from one another♪

♪I hope the story goes your way♪

♪I was reminded of your vow♪

♪I'm willing to wait for you
for an entire lifetime♪