Original subtitles

(Episode 10)

Go!

I'm escorting the South Hui emperor's bodyguard.

He's a difficult fellow. He kept trying to escape.

He slowed me down.

He's a talker.

It's annoying. Let me in quickly.

Get up. Let's go!

Sir, what is going on?

Today is the day you are executed.

Wait!

He only changed an unimportant detail in the manor.

Why do you have to punish him so severely?

Disobeying His Majesty's order...

is punishable by death!

- Punishable by death? - Don't argue with him.

Just drag him away!

He changed the layout of the residence...

to improve the feng shui of the imperial family's residence.

Did Duan Zi Ang actually sentence him to death?

How dare the lowly ruler of South Hui...

speak His Majesty's name?

He's killing innocents. He's not fit to be the emperor!

Don't touch me.

Let go of me!

How dare you run your mouth?

That's for talking!

Serves you right for yapping!

Big Brother.

You're recovering well.

You woke up...

two hours earlier than I expected.

How do you feel now?

I'm fine now.

But I heard Shu He's shrill scream just now.

It woke me up from my dream.

Scream?

We've been standing guard here.

Except for the sound of the wind,

there was no other sound.

The dungeon is far from the palace.

You must have had a nightmare.

Maybe it was a dream.

But that scream...

I've never seen him like that.

Thank you for saving my life yesterday, Shen Song.

You were lucky.

I abide by medical ethics.

Heaven knows how much I wanted to poison you...

and fulfill my selfish wish.

You...

Ji North razed South Hui to the ground.

I can understand your wish for revenge.

But Ji North has never massacred South Hui's people.

We also tried to capture the South Hui soldiers alive.

South Hui has been in a drought for years.

I've provided food for them.

I've saved countless lives.

But you don't appreciate my kindness.

You still want to kill me.

I really don't understand.

To me,

the kingdom is too big.

The only thing I care about...

is the one who loves you wholeheartedly.

This Longjing tea is from South Hui.

It's his favorite.

Since he is in your heart,

why did you hurt him?

Hurt him?

My brother's illness...

was from protecting the very person you mentioned.

Why do you say so?

What I did,

killing the emperor and my father,

were all choices that I was willing to bear.

I'll take you...

to meet someone.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Huo Ying?

Why are you here?

Why did you bring me here?

What are you trying to sell me?

Go forward and ask.

- Greetings, Your Majesty. - Greetings, Your Majesty.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

We want to see the commander of the South Hui Imperial Guards.

His name is Huo Ying.

What's the matter?

Where is he?

Your Majesty,

Huo Ying was knocked out yesterday and brought here.

He spouted nonsense as soon as he woke up.

We put a gag on him.

Bring him here.

Your Majesty, I deserve to die.

Hurry. Back to the palace!

Huo Ying, get out of here.

It's too late for me.

Do you know...

where our South Hui soldiers are?

They are all imprisoned in prison camps.

They are not in danger for now.

Your Majesty,

the rest of South Hui has gathered their forces.

They are discussing how to save you.

You must protect yourself.

Your Majesty.

Open the door.

Who did this?

Who did this?

Zi Ang.

Shu He.

It's me.

The dungeon is cold and damp.

If he stays here,

his wounds won't heal.

Let's go back to the palace.

You're familiar with his condition.

Return with me to my chambers and treat him.

(The Emperor's Quarters, Ji North Kingdom)

Let him rest.

I just gave him some medication to relieve the pain.

It might make him delirious.

It's best to have someone keep an eye on him.

I'll do it myself.

There are too many people in the palace who want him dead.

I'll get going then.

If you learn where Huo Ying is,

please let me know immediately.

Go.

Go.

If I had to choose again,

I wouldn't have left.

You love the one who hates you,

and you hate the one who loves you!

Aren't you both?

Don't move.

Where did you get the dagger?

You have a habit of hiding a blade under your pillow.

That hasn't changed.

How come I didn't know you knew how to tie people up?

After I left,

someone taught you something new.

Don't try to flatter me.

Release the prisoners from the camp.

Sure.

But you have to stay.

You're in no position to negotiate.

Next time, tie the ropes more tightly.

A softhearted person can't sit on the throne.

For example, just now,

you could have stabbed me,

but you didn't dare to press harder.

If it weren't for you,

I wouldn't have been on the throne.

If it weren't for you,

I wouldn't have ended up...

as a fallen emperor.

Today is...

the death anniversary of Father and Shu Qian.

Why are you here?

Duan Zi Ang knows you escaped from the prison camp.

That doesn't matter.

What's important now is to find a chance...

to get you and His Majesty out of here.

Duan Zi Ang won't harm Shu He.

You, on the other hand,

always put yourself in danger.

You must be more careful.

I'll find a chance to sneak into the manor.

We'll plan further then.

All right.

Go on.

Shu Qian,

if you were still alive,

Duan Ziang's valiant cavalry...

wouldn't have dared to set foot in the South Hui Kingdom.

I'm useless.

I've let you and Father down.

Shu Qian,

I should be the one who is dead.

The emperor of Ji North...

pays respects to the former ruler of South Hui.

If word gets out,

you won't be able to sit on the throne anymore.

Between us,

there are too many things we can't control.

But no matter how chaotic the world is,

Shu He,

I am still Duan Zi Ang.

But at this moment,

things are no longer the same.

As long as you follow your heart,

it doesn't matter if it's a lie or not.

Shu He,

I still feel that way.

Heart?

But my heart...

was once right here.

Now that I think about it,

it was like a prophecy.

My kingdom and family have been destroyed.

I haven't let go of my hatred for a single day.

But there is no one...

I can be honest with.

If I weren't the emperor of Ji North,

would you still think that way?

I wanted too much.

I can give you whatever you want now.

Then release the South Hui prisoners of war.

Do you know that during the few days I was in the dungeon,

I was too cold to sleep every night?

Do you know what I was thinking?

I've already ordered the guards to be punished.

They're in prison.

Only the thought of something they care about...

can help them through this.

It's South Hui.

It's their home.

As for me,

I have nothing left.

Zi Ang,

it hurts so much.

I'll get Shen Song.

He can't cure me.

Come with me to court tomorrow.

Your Majesty, you released the tiger.

You released the prisoners of war for no reason.

I really don't understand.

Attack the state but love the people.

It was fine to attack.

But if we don't let them go,

that will only breed resentment.

- Your Majesty! - I've made up my mind.

Your Majesty,

there's something I don't know.

He is a prisoner of war.

How dare he listen in on state affairs?

Your Majesty works hard for the people...

and rules the state well.

It is a blessing for the people of Ji North.

But if Your Majesty insists on doing things your own way...

and is bewitched by outsiders,

to do harm to our kingdom,

with all due respect,

even if I am beheaded today,

we firmly oppose it.

- Your Majesty, please reconsider! - Your Majesty, please reconsider!

If you let the prisoners go,

I'll give you the information...

on South Hui's salt mines.

If we confiscate the salt mines,

they can be used to fund the army...

and fill our coffers for years.

In that case,

are you still against it?

Why didn't you say anything in court just now?

Actually, I agree with General Liu and the others.

I just didn't want to oppose you in front of everyone.

I'm going to release the prisoners no matter what!

You have to be on my side.

I heard...

that Shu He was in your chambers last night.

He's sick.

Regarding the release of the prisoners,

if you need me,

I'll be there.

Last night, he didn't do anything to you, did he?

Huo Ying gave me a secret letter just now.

He said that if you can get to the south city gate...

on the day of the Lantern Festival,

he will have a way to get you out.

But now,

I can't even step out of this manor.

Two days ago, Duan Zi Ang suddenly fell ill.

I went to treat him.

I talked to him for a while.

He doesn't mean you any harm.

Try to gain his trust...

so that you can get to the city gate.

Why don't you pretend to get close to him?

He destroyed my kingdom and imprisoned me just to have me.

My lords,

there's a message from the palace.

His Majesty has issued an imperial decree.

The South Hui prisoners will be gradually released starting today.

On the Lantern Festival,

the prisoners must be reunited with their families.

If it means I can escape,

it wouldn't be difficult to do these things.

It's just that only sincere feelings will be met with a genuine heart.

Don't let yourself be trapped...

just to earn this trust.

He's willing to release the South Hui soldiers.

That means he still has you in his heart.

If you want to exploit this trust,

you can only rely on your friendship.

If you really can't let go,

then think about how he treated you after the kingdom collapsed...

and the situation that the people of South Hui are in now.

This medicine is good for your wound too.

If you want,

you can be with him.

I'll leave after I deliver the medicine.

Shu He,

if you don't leave Ji North,

he'll hurt you even more.

Zi Ang.

I brought you some clothes.

Why are you here?

I heard that you released the South Hui soldiers.

I'm here to thank you.

You sure picked a good time.

Shen Song prepared some herbs.

He said they can nourish your qi and blood.

He asked me to deliver them.

Is this medicine...

nourishing...

or poisonous?

It can be applied to heal wounds...

or smelled to calm the mind.

If you don't believe me,

I can test it on myself.

Let me help you undress.

Are you not going to make a fuss today?

You fulfilled my wish.

I'm here to apologize to you.

Sometimes, I really don't get it.

What exactly do you want?

I know I'm not a hero.

But I will save...

as many citizens of South Hui as I can.

Why do I need to be waited on just to take a bath?

That's so strange.

It's a normal thing.

What's so strange about it?

Your wound is open.

Back then, you had many injuries.

Now,

why is it even worse?

It's not that I don't want to treat it.

It's that there is no cure.

Why is that?

What did you say that day...

to make the guards to treat you that way?

I said I was the only one to blame for the new manor.

If anyone should be punished,

I'm the only one who should be punished.

Everything that I thought was good for you...

turned out...

to be a sharp knife that stabs you.

If I wasn't...

the sixth prince of South Hui...

and you weren't a Red Shadow Guard of Ji North,

would we...

still have ended up here today?

I'm sure of it.

I didn't answer you that day...

because I didn't want...

to hide my only truth in lies.

It's in the past.

Is it really in the past?

You're the emperor now.

You can't leave the palace.

But I can see you every day.

That is enough for me.

I asked you to deliver medicine to the bathhouse.

Why did it turn out to be a cause for joy and sorrow?

I haven't said anything yet.

How do you know it was a cause for joy and sorrow?

Joy,

because there is finally music in Ji North.

Sorrow,

because the melody is woeful.

It's out of tune.

In the end, I couldn't tell...

if I was lying to him...

or to myself.