Original subtitles

♫ By the riverside ♫

♫ I sow a seed of karma ♫

♫ Forlorn fates intertwine ♫

♫ Written in the stars ♫

♫ Should your passion smolder out ♫

♫ Will you give up on your ideal world? ♫

♫ Our past can only be entrusted to memories ♫

♫ I'm mooning over you ♫

♫ Amidst loneliness ♫

♫ Berthed in sleepless nights ♫

♫ You're my desire ♫

♫ That teems underneath ♫

♫ I'm drowned in your beautiful eyes ♫

♫ I'm mooning over you ♫

♫ Next to the Three-life Stone ♫

♫ I cross the Bridge of Forgetfulness ♫

♫ Gazing at moonlit nights ♫

♫ The moon appears brighter because of you ♫

♫ Leaning against the tower, it returns my gaze ♫

♫ Gazing at moonlit nights ♫

♫ The moon appears brighter because of you ♫

♫ Leaning against the tower, it returns my gaze ♫

[The Legend of Anle] [Adapted from a novel by Xing Ling]

[Episode 34]

How's Anle now?

It has been three days.

Young Lady is still unconscious.

Her injuries were too severe.

Now,

the Crown Prince is accompanying her.

Since His Highness is here,

I can come back later.

Young Lady is a good person. She's bound to be blessed by heaven.

So don't be too worried.

All right.

Ziyuan,

are you really not willing to wake up?

Lately,

I keep recalling the time I first met you

ten years ago.

I remember it was snowing heavily that day.

The entire palace was covered in ice and snow.

I just came out of the imperial study at that time.

You were clad in a fiery red coat,

protecting Anning who was behind you.

You were unbelievable.

A girl at the age of seven or eight like you

dared to reprimand the palace concubines for lack of moral character

in the imperial palace of the royal family.

I am afraid there were no other noble ladies in Jing State

that possesses a character like yours.

At that time, I thought,

"Grandfather

sure has found a remarkable wife for me."

But after that...

So many things happened after that.

Ziyuan,

the thing I'm most grateful for in my life

is Grandfather's decree of marriage.

You became my Di Ziyuan, the Crown Princess of Jing, known by all.

In this life,

I have no regrets

because all I want in this world

is you, Di Ziyuan.

Luo Mingxi.

We may have different personalities.

But over the years,

I've learned that you have a far-reaching vision beyond mine.

Your Highness,

there's no need for you to praise me now.

For the Di family

and Ziyuan,

you could steer your way in the complicated court for a decade

and plan each step with precision.

How could you fall for his tricks this easily?

Lengbei's method

targeted people's hearts.

I was susceptible to it.

The person you were too trusting of was not Lengbei,

but Anning.

Lengbei predicted accurately that you and Anning

wouldn't put Ziyuan's life at stake.

Even if there was a chance of being deceived, you'd spare no effort to protect her.

Ziyuan was ambushed by Northern Qin.

Upon receiving this letter, Luo Mingxi,

I request you to rush to Ziyuan's aid

so Qingnan City can still make a last-ditch attempt.

Luo Mingxi,

how could you not tell me a single word?

Are you really trying to force me to personally kill you?

My life is now hanging by a thread.

My death is not a loss.

To avenge Anning's death

and appease the people's anger,

I ask that Your Highness grant me death.

Luo Mingxi,

this time,

even I can no longer protect you.

What you should protect

is the honor of Jing, the safety of the borders,

and everything that Ziyuan will face in the future.

Yuanqin...

Young Lady. Young Lady, you're awake.

It's great.

Young Lady, it's great.

You're finally awake. You've been unconscious for three days.

Thank you for taking care of me.

Young Lady, how are you feeling now?

Young Lady, you're finally awake.

If you remain unconscious,

I'm afraid His Highness won't last long either.

His Highness hasn't slept day or night, guarding you wholeheartedly.

Yuanshu and I could only assist from the side.

That's right.

His Highness has been here all the time these few days.

He never left.

He has lost so much weight.

Where is he?

His Highness...

Luo Mingxi,

you unlawfully modified military orders and rerouted reinforcements without permission,

leading to Anning's death and the fall of Qingnan City.

What do you have to say

to the soldiers of the Three Armies?

I have nothing to say.

Luo Mingxi! Don't drink it!

- Official Luo! - Luo Mingxi, don't drink it!

- No, Official Luo! - Don't drink it!

- Luo Mingxi! - Young Lady!

Don't drink it!

You can't drink it. Don't drink it.

Ziyuan.

Why didn't you wait for me to return?

I told you I could save you from death.

I won't allow you to die in such a place.

Luo Mingxi. Luo Mingxi, you can't die!

Take the Di Troops

and move forward.

Luo Mingxi...

♫ I give up on my light and hide it under a bushel ♫

You can't die. You can't die, Luo Mingxi.

Luo Mingxi, don't die.

How can you die for such a reason in such a place?

♫ I can't dream to own you ♫

Mingxi, you can't die. Mingxi...

♫ But I'm willing to forsake my life for you ♫

Mingxi...

♫ I'd go the distance for you. May the light stay with you ♫

♫ Romance aside, I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

Mingxi... Luo Mingxi...

Luo Mingxi.

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth arriving at the end of my life ♫

Han Ye,

I have reclaimed Qingnan City

and the entire Qingnan.

Isn't that enough to spare Luo Mingxi?

A country has its laws,

and the military has its rules.

Luo Mingxi deliberately violated the order within the military.

It's a crime punishable by death.

♫ I've concealed my yearning for you ♫

Ziyuan.

♫ And guarded your smile ♫

Forgive me.

Han Ye.

♫ Please don't leave me in oblivion when we part ways ♫

You're a wise crown prince with no personal motives.

It's a fortunate thing.

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth arriving at the end of my life ♫

It's just that I'm not fortunate enough to enjoy it.

♫ I bear no regrets. But will you still remember me when we reunite in our next life? ♫

You can't take him away.

He is already dead!

The troops' morale has stabilized. You have already achieved your goal!

Ziyuan, don't act impulsively.

- Today, no one can stop me! - Di Ziyuan!

Do you really want to disrupt the troop morale that Luo Mingxi sacrificed his life for?

How could I disrupt it?

He is already dead.

♫ I'd go the distance for you. May the light stay with you ♫

Take his body

and bury it on the spot!

♫ Romance aside, I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth arriving at the end of my life ♫

Luo Mingxi!

Luo Mingxi!

Luo Mingxi!

Mingxi!

♫ I bear no regrets. But will you still remember me when we reunite in our next life? ♫

Luo Mingxi!

Luo Mingxi! Luo Mingxi...

Luo Mingxi...

Young Lady,

how can your body take it if you keep kneeling like this?

Yuanshu and I know that you're grieving.

We're also heartbroken that Official Luo is gone.

Young Lady,

if Official Luo's spirit is in heaven,

he wouldn't want to see you like this.

Luo Mingxi had been a brother,

a father, a teacher, and a friend to me for over ten years.

It was because of him

that I have today's accomplishments.

But I...

How could Han Ye,

who was born into the royal family,

understand the deep bonds

between those who rely on each other for survival?

Yuanshu, take Young Lady back.

Your Highness.

You haven't eaten all day.

Your body won't hold up if you continue like this.

At least have some soup.

I'll have it later.

If you want to punish me, at least finish this meal first.

Your Highness,

I know you're distressed.

But things have come to this, you can't treat...

Wen Shuo,

what do you think about what happened today?

Take the Di Troops and move forward.

Young Lady, it's time to rest.

I need to gather the Di Troops.

General Anning's death for the country

is admirable.

Your Highness's execution of Official Luo

may be a little harsh.

But it was crucial to stabilize the troop's morale.

But this move

indeed crushed Anle's heart.

The situation in the war is critical.

If we didn't stabilize the troop's morale at this moment

and let Northern Qin take advantage,

I would be ashamed to face the people as the Crown Prince of Jing.

Wen Shuo,

war is cruel.

And I am the commander-in-chief.

We still have tough battles to fight against Northern Qin,

and thousands of soldiers are watching me.

I cannot have a moment of hesitation.

I understand.

I shall take my leave.

Come and sit with me.

All right.

Earlier, His Highness confided in me about why he executed Official Luo.

I know he wanted to explain it to Anle the most.

It's just...

Young Lady's resentment

toward His Highness has deepened

because of Official Luo's execution.

I'm afraid

they will have to draw a clear line between them

and become irreconcilable.

Yuanqin,

are we becoming enemies too?

When we parted ways in the capital that day,

I thought I would never see you again.

So usually

in my free time,

I often went to Ren's Residence,

sitting in the spot where we used to spend time together.

I would spend half a day there.

His Highness even teased me

for being lovesick at a young age.

Later on,

I heard Anle was coming to the battlefield.

I thought I could finally get to see you again.

But then I realized the dangers of the battlefield,

and I felt that it would be better if you didn't come.

Luckily, you are not skilled

in martial arts.

And Anle

- wouldn't bring you to fight in the... - Wen Shuo,

I've come around.

What's between us is no one else's concern.

Since you bravely came to me,

I want to honestly tell you my true feelings.

Well... Tell me then.

Wen Shuo.

I have missed you too.

We shall not retreat before defeating Northern Qin!

We shall not retreat

before defeating Northern Qin!

We shall not retreat

before defeating Northern Qin!

If we proceed like this,

it won't be long before we can reclaim several surrounding cities.

At that time, we must keep the main forces outside the city walls.

Yes, General.

Greetings, Your Highness.

Ziyuan, what are you doing?

Such a significant operation requires careful planning.

You should not rush to mobilize the troops.

Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness.

I have already planned everything thoroughly.

You need not worry about it.

I still have military affairs to attend to. So I'll take my leave first.

Ziyuan,

- about yesterday's matter, I wanted to... - I understand.

At present, we're facing a formidable enemy,

so it's of the utmost importance to stabilize the troop's morale when it was disrupted.

I have planned how to continue the battle with the Northern Qin Army.

As such, I have assembled all the Di Troops and made the necessary deployments.

The Di Troops?

Are you referring to the pirates from Anle Abode in Jingnan?

They are not regular soldiers and can only serve as irregular forces.

We cannot rely on them as the main force for battle.

It's not them.

I mean the true Di Troops.

I want to counterattack Northern Qin

and kill Lengbei

to avenge Anning.

Ziyuan,

marching and fighting require more than just momentary courage.

Your Highness,

I treat all my soldiers as if they were my brothers.

I will never engage in an unprepared battle.

Currently, the situation in the Northwest is unfavorable,

and the morale of the soldiers is low.

Your Highness, you need a strong vanguard

to change the current situation.

You are right. But...

But why must this vanguard be you?

I have led hundreds of soldiers from Jingnan to reclaim Qingnan City.

I have enough prestige in the army.

After reclaiming Qingnan City,

reclaiming the other cities in one fell swoop

will surely catch Northern Qin off guard.

If so, I will lead troops to conquer the cities with you too.

No need.

Your well-being is crucial for the stability of the Three Armies.

So it's better for you to stay in Qingnan City.

The Northwest is the burial ground of the Di Troops.

With many former members scattered all over the country,

as a descendant of the Di family, with a single call,

they will respond from all over the country.

I alone am enough for this battle.

Soldiers of the Di Troops!

Our ancestors and comrades made great sacrifices to protect this land.

Now,

they watch over us from the skies of the Northwest.

The battle has just begun.

Let us join forces and reclaim the Jing cities occupied by Northern Qin

to restore peace and prosperity for the people of Jing

as well as honor the spirits of our fallen comrades!

Reclaim the cities!

We're willing to follow the General to reclaim the cities!

[Yebei City]

Charge!

Charge!

[Yebei City] Di Ziyuan led hundreds of Jingnan soldiers

[Hui'an City] and fought their way up to Prince Lengbei's camp,

aiding in the recapture of Qingnan City.

In a short time, she regrouped the Di Troops.

With an unstoppable force,

the Di Troops reclaimed all the lost cities for Jing.

[Shannan City]

As a result,

the once mighty Northern Qin Army in the Northwest was retreating in a continuous defeat,

eventually leading to a complete collapse.

Di Ziyuan is a fearsome enemy to the Northern Qin.

But for Jing,

she is a heroic general who defends the country at all costs.

- Incredible! - Great!

[Yunjing City]

Your Majesty,

all cities in the Northwest have been reclaimed.

The worries at Jing's border have been eliminated.

The Northern Qin Army is now on the brink of collapse.

Withdrawing their troops is only a matter of time.

But I heard the people saying

that it was the Di Troops who safeguarded Jing's territory.

And that with the Di Troops on the border,

only Jing can stand as solid as a rock.

It was a blessing from Your Majesty.

It is because of the Crown Prince's efforts on the border

that Jing stands strong.

The Di Troops suffered heavy losses ten years ago.

And Di Ziyuan managed to gather them in such a short time.

Their strength is no less than before.

Di Ziyuan sure is unbelievable.

Is she aiming to turn Jing upside down?

I will not allow Jing and the Crown Prince to be in a perilous situation.

So Your Majesty's intention is...

The battle is coming to an end now.

The cities under Di Ziyuan's control

should be returned to the Crown Prince now.

Zhao Fu,

gather the Plum Blossom Agents.

Immediately head to Qingnan City.

Di Ziyuan

must not leave the Northwest alive.

Your Majesty,

she has won the people's hearts now.

If she were to die at the hands of the imperial guards,

won't this...

Di Ziyuan will die at the hands of the Northern Qin.

When the time comes, she shall be buried as a loyal martyr.

I've worked tirelessly in secret for years.

Yet, Di Ziyuan managed to crush all my plans overnight.

The descendants of the Di family are indeed not to be underestimated.

Your Highness, now that Qingnan City is taken, we are caught in a difficult situation.

The soldiers in our battalion can still put up a struggle.

But it would be difficult to recapture the city ourselves.

Do you have a plan, Your Highness?

To catch the thief, one must first catch the leader.

What do you mean, Your Highness?

The commander of the Di Troops, Di Ziyuan.

If we want to turn the tide,

we must kill her.

Tomorrow, I will request help from His Majesty

and call for a decisive battle with all the forces of Northern Qin.

Currently, Di Ziyuan is guarding Qingnan City,

and the reorganized Di Troops only follow her command.

If she dies here in Qingnan Mountain,

the Di Troops will surely fall into chaos.

We'll follow your orders entirely, Your Highness.

Di Ziyuan,

how can I let you reclaim the cities so easily?

[Tomb of Princess Anning, General of Jing]

Anning,

I'm here to see you.

Luo Mingxi,

thank you for bringing Anning home.

Thanks to you for letting my fake death appease the people's anger,

which allowed me to live as a villain.

Moreover,

I owed it to Anning.

All that I've done is far from enough to repay what I owe her.

[Five days ago]

Miss, a beautiful woman like you

won't hurt me,

right?

Mo Shuang, I've been looking everywhere for you.

Lengbei.

Lengbei!

Luo Mingxi, I can't believe you're still alive.

I brought Anning's body as you requested.

Now, release Shuang.

Shuang.

- Lengbei. - Shuang.

Shuang, are you hurt?

- Lengbei. - I'm glad you're back.

General,

I'm taking you home.

[Tomb of Princess Anning, General of Jing]

Anning made up her mind to sacrifice herself.

She received intelligence about Northern Qin ambushing Ziyuan

and sent a message to you, telling you to deploy troops to rescue Ziyuan.

She knew once the order was issued,

there would be no turning back.

Still, she sacrificed herself to save Ziyuan

and the Jingnan Army.

Luo Mingxi, you have always adhered to orders

and never violated military regulations.

So you're never living as a villain.

Once we return to Junxian City,

you shall announce an order on my behalf, explaining everything to the troops.

Since you already guessed the reason behind all this,

I believe you understand why I didn't reveal the whole truth.

It was for Anning's sake and to maintain the troop's morale

that you concealed the truth until your death.

Since she was willing to sacrifice herself,

so you chose to remain silent to protect her from criticism.

That's one of the reasons.

So if you want to clear my name,

it's better to wait until after the war ends.

Another reason

is you wanted me to execute you.

Luo Mingxi.

You wanted to use your death

to trigger Ziyuan's fighting spirit and restore the Di Troops.

I feel uneasy about this plan.

I admit I had selfish interests.

But, Han Ye,

Ziyuan has devoted herself to Jing and the people with fervent passion.

I beg you

to save her life.

Why do you say this?

I received news

that His Majesty dispatched the Plum Blossom Agents to assassinate her.

I also received a secret report

that Northern Qin is launching its largest counterattack.

Their target is Ziyuan.

Ziyuan fought with all her might for Jing.

But it couldn't erase His Majesty's suspicions toward her.

Everything His Majesty does

is for you.

As the Crown Prince of the country,

you are the successor His Majesty has put so much effort into nurturing.

But now, Ziyuan's reputation is already on par with yours.

So naturally, His Majesty will not spare her.

As a subject,

the greatest taboo is to rise too high and threaten the ruler.

As long as Ziyuan commands the Di Troops,

His Majesty will not tolerate her for a single day.

But Ziyuan told me

that she believes in you, Han Ye.

As the successor,

you will surely bring an era of prosperity to the world.

But you don't need to worry too much.

I came back this time to assist Ziyuan.

Luo Mingxi,

the Plum Blossom Agents are rare experts in the world.

Even if you know they are coming to assassinate Ziyuan,

do you have any way to stop them?

Let Ziyuan go to Junxian City, and I will stay in Qingnan City.

But to others, you must help me spread the news.

So that His Majesty and Northern Qin think that I'm the one going to Junxian City.

You're putting yourself in danger. It's too risky.

It may look risky.

But there's no real danger.

If we do this,

the Plum Blossom Agents will arrive in Qingnan City.

I will use them for my purpose

and make them fight against Northern Qin.

When they arrived in Qingnan City,

they wouldn't abandon the Crown Prince

and turn around to assassinate Ziyuan even if they found out they were deceived, right?

But this time, with Northern Qin's full force,

even if the Plum Blossom Agents are skilled,

this battle will be a gamble with little chance of success.

Luo Mingxi.

This is a losing situation for anyone who goes. Only I can provide some relief.

I thought

you let me take a move.

But in the end, you still win.

It's my lifelong honor to make you, Official Luo,

admit defeat once.

We're not in the imperial court.

You should just address me by my name.

Mingxi,

it is the right choice to restore the Di Troops

for the country and our home at this moment.

I understand your intentions.

But you didn't have to sacrifice yourself like this.

General, we intercepted a confidential report from Northern Qin.

They are gathering their troops to launch a sneak attack on Junxian City.

While Qingnan City is the main stronghold of Jing's army,

Junxian City

is a rear city with no military reinforcements at the moment.

What are they planning there?

Young Lady, I received a secret letter.

It seems to be from Official Luo.

Official Luo?

Look.

Ziyuan, I hope this letter finds you well.

I'm all right. Don't worry.

Before Han Ye executed me,

I switched the poisoned wine.

I faked my death to escape.

Now, with the help of Qianyue Pavilion,

I used Mo Shuang and made a deal with Lengbei

to bring Anning's body back to Junxian City.

So focus on your battle.

- Don't be distracted. - Luo Mingxi is alive.

But why would the Northern Qin Army go to Junxian City?

Could it be that Lengbei is seeking revenge on him?

It's time to avenge Anning.

All soldiers, listen up! We will go to Junxian City!

Yes, General!

[Qingnan]

The first time I came to Qingnan City

was to bring back the eighty thousand heroic souls to the capital.

At that time,

there were no more troops in the Northwest,

only countless white bones in this huge pit waiting for me.

I thought

I'd ensure lasting peace for these people.

The second time I came to Qingnan City

was when I heard the news of Anning's death.

I fought my way here.

But even until the last moment,

I couldn't avenge Anning.

The third time I came to Qingnan City

was to bid farewell to you.

Han Ye,

I don't want to step foot near this mountain for the rest of my life.

All right.

Ziyuan,

leave Qingnan City.

It's for the best.

It's best that we don't see one another.

Ziyuan.

In the face of the enemy,

be careful.

Return to Jingnan safely

and watch the Flower of Longing bloom.

Farewell serves no purpose.

Until the war is over,

let's each fulfill our responsibilities.

We shall not see each other again.

♫ If I bet my all on it desperately ♫

♫ I know my heart will be uneasy ♫

♫ I give up on my light and hide it under a bushel ♫

♫ You're the moon in my heart ♫

♫ I can't dream to own you ♫

♫ But I'm willing to forsake my life for you ♫

♫ I'd go the distance for you ♫

♫ May the light stay with you ♫

♫ Romance aside ♫

♫ I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth ♫

♫ Arriving at the end of my life ♫

♫ I bear no regrets. But when we reunite in our next life ♫

♫ Will you still remember me? ♫

♫ I've concealed my yearning for you ♫

♫ And guarded your smile ♫

♫ Please don't leave me in oblivion when we part ways ♫

♫ I'd go the distance for you ♫

♫ May the light stay with you ♫

♫ Romance aside ♫

♫ I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth ♫

♫ Arriving at the end of my life ♫

♫ I bear no regrets. But when we reunite in our next life ♫

♫ Will you still remember me? ♫