Original subtitles

♫ Raising the wine cup, I toast to the boundless sky ♫

♫ In talks and laughters are vast mountains and rivers. ♫

♫ Love and hate, debt and feuds, have all dissolved. ♫

♫ Where's my soul's hometown and my kindred spirits? ♫

♫ Seasons rolling by, we dream for harvest. ♫

♫ Warriors and warhorses howl across the sky. ♫

♫ If only I could turn into the wind, ♫

♫ to blow away all the pain in mortal coil. ♫

♫ I toast to the blue sky, to courage in solitude, ♫

♫ to migrating gooses, to boats heading home. ♫

♫ With even three thousand days and nights, ♫

♫ Will it be enough to drain this cup I toast to peace? ♫

[Swords into Plowshares]

[Episode 3]

[Yan Tong]

Your old servant, following the final instructions of the late King,

requests that Sixth Prince assume the position of Regent of the Two Armies.

Sixth Prince, pray restrain your grief.

The late King entrusted you with the twelve prefectures of Wuyue,

its sixty-seven counties, and its million soldiers and civilians.

At this moment,

you must not indulge in childish sentimentality.

I'm so young that my talent and knowledge are too shallow.

I'll need your help

in various affairs, Lord.

The late king, by his final instruction, entrusted me with his dying charge.

How dare I not devote my very life and soul to repay the late king?

Prince.

Huang Wei.

Here.

Help Sixth Prince move to the side hall to rest for now.

Yes.

Hongzong.

You may come with me.

The distinction between ruler and subject has been settled.

The Seventh Prince should not accompany you now.

There should be dozen bolts of raw hemp in the Laundry Court.

Fetch them quickly.

Yes.

Lord Huang is waiting.

Be slow and you'll be whipped.

Yes. Yes.

Quick! Hurry up!

The King has passed away.

So it seems

we have luckily escaped this calamity.

It's not that simple.

Now our lives

depend entirely on Commander He.

It was my negligence.

I had almost forgotten him.

I don't know when the assassin entered.

I will take punishment.

Go.

Yes.

Father,

it couldn't have been an assassin from outside.

The murderer must be among these people.

Dai Yun has commanded the Inner Guard for many years.

Placing a few men in the First Personal Guard Regiment

would be as easy as turning over his hand.

But it couldn't be him either.

He has been tied up and cannot move freely.

Secondly, he has no reason to kill Yan Tong.

To kill a witness in the Yaotai Courtyard,

no one would have the audacity.

Unless with the orders of someone with immense power.

Dai Yun...

Father,

dawn is approaching.

Soon,

the Ministers and Marshals will all arrive.

We will have to open the gate.

Within the palace walls,

are there any reliable troops we can use?

The squad leaders and above in the First Personal Guard Regiment

were all selected by the King... no, by the late king himself.

And even they have been infiltrated.

Where can we find trustworthy troops?

Bring him into the hall.

Yes.

Marshal, What is your intention

deploying armored troops at the palace gate?

Dismount.

Lower the keys.

Open the gates.

By the command of the King,

execute the rebel,

Dai Yun.

Backward!

Backward!

Vermin!

By the instructions of the late king,

Acting Grand Marshal, Right Guard General,

Commander of the Inner Cavalry and Infantry Guards, Dai Yun,

colluded with the imperial clan, usurped military authority,

plundered the inner treasury, burned the palace and harmed the sovereign.

Dai also plotted to establish an heir,

deploying the personal guard's troops and armor

to seize the palace

and support the Marquis of Xi'an, Qian Hongyou

to usurp the throne,

Guilty of treason, Dai shall be subjected to

public execution, three clans exterminated.

By the decree of the King of Wuyue, Grand Marshal of All Forces,

August the 24th, the sixth year of Tianfu.

The maritime ventures are truly remarkable.

Dominating the commerce in the Western Court,

Shanyue dare not boast of wealth compared with your family.

You still owe me Two hundred and fifty catties of pure gold,

equivalent to forty thousand strings of coins

and eighty thousand bolts of silk.

When will you repay?

My family is poor.

When issuing rewards to the labors on the river,

we offer mere ten thousand bolts of silk, of mixed colors.

In Quzhou, the Western Court,

my daily expenses are fixed.

I don't need such extravagance.

Who said it's all for you?

Raising a son

is like throwing away a stone.

Earn your own bread and other expenses yourself

through your own hands.

Instead, your Aunt Jinding has a large family.

As a junior, would that be proper for you to return to the island

without bringing something back to help out?

You're right, mother.

I will convey your utmost sincerity on your behalf

to Marshal Dai and Aunt Jinding,

And send daily greetings on your behalf, so that

others will not think that we don't know what's proper.

I inherit the great legacy of my ancestors,

toiling for the state, diligent and cautious,

and striving for perfect governance.

However, the two luminaries adorning the sky

cannot escape the cycle of waxing and waning.

The four seasons of the year

cannot surpass the period of succession and replacement.

The pivot of power cannot remain vacant,

and public affairs require an authority.

Righteousness shall be upheld.

There shall be reverence and harmony.

Diligence and tolerance shall be kept.

The strange and evil shall be rejected.

Benevolent men shall be appointed.

Grand Tutor, Deputy Military Governor of the Two Armies, Qian Hongzuo

is intelligent, wise, brave, and resolute, with reverence and benevolence.

Therefore, Hongzuo shall receive the seal to act as Regent of the Two Armies.

We humbly beseech Your Majesty's consideration.

[Qian Hongjun] We humbly beseech Your Majesty's consideration,

to grant the ceremonial banners according to the imperial rites,

and to govern the commoners, soldiers, and people of Southeast well

so as to bring order to this land.

Be diligent and reverent.

Let the authorities implement this.

Wuyue cannot be without a ruler for a single day.

Your subject, following the late king's final instructions,

requests the Grand Tutor to act as Regent of the Two Armies,

to manage the affairs of the Grand Marshal's Office

and oversee all internal and external military affairs.

Hongzuo's virtue is too shallow

to bear the responsibility of the army and state.

Prince, your words are mistaken.

The late king

entrusted the two armies of the southeast and the twelve prefectures to you.

You are the descendant of the late king.

At this critical moment for the family and state,

how can you belittle yourself,

disobeying the late king's final command and disappointing soldiers and people?

I've received great kindness from two generations of late kings.

At this time of undecided state affairs,

how can I be ungrateful and unjust, seeking only to protect myself?

Lords, ministers, where is your loyalty?

Your subject, Deputy Commander of the Inner Army,

Qian Hongzong,

requests the Grand Tutor

to follow the late king's final instructions

to act as Regent of the Two Armies,

to manage the affairs of the Grand Marshal's Office

and oversee all military affairs.

Your subject, Pacification Commissioner of the Western Court,

Acting Commander of Internal and External Cavalry and Infantry,

Qian Hongjun,

requests the Grand Tutor to follow the late king's final instructions

to act as Regent of the Two Armies,

to manage the affairs of the Grand Marshal's Office

and oversee all military affairs.

We, your subjects, request the Grand Tutor

to follow the late king's final instructions

to act as Regent of the Two Armies,

to manage the affairs of the Grand Marshal's Office

and oversee all military affairs.

You were not summoned to attend the ceremony

for the new ruler to ascend the throne?

I only knew Commander He before for unparalleled martial arts.

I never expected you to scrub the floor cleaner than most too.

All birds captured, the good bow is stored away.

You exaggerate.

I am merely...

I am merely a soldier as small as a mustard-seed.

Better to say, "When hares die out, the hound is cooked."

Then let me ask you:

Was he...

a cunning hare?

I served him as a personal guard for three years.

During the Dongzhou battle, we boarded the enemy ship to fight.

Fire arrows set the sails ablaze,

and the mast crashed down.

If he had not

kicking me into the water,

on my grave there would be

a tree as thick as a bowl by now.

You regret it?

If I hadn't kill him,

I myself would be condemned

to the most severe penalty.

But I have went all out to kill him, and then?

To the nobles,

ministers,

and royal family,

I...

I am merely a treacherous servant who betrayed his master.

Right now,

allowing me to scrub the floor here

is already an immense grace.

How dare I even think of good jobs like

guarding the main hall during court assemblies?

Do you know

why he died?

Come closer.

Because he underestimated you,

a soldier as small as a mustard-seed.

These nobles and marshals in the Kingdom of Wuyue

have been in peace for too long.

They have probably long forgotten what kind of world we are living in now.

They still think they have everything under control,

without knowing that for the past few decades,

the affairs of the world have never truly been in their hands.

The Emperor in Chang'an,

needs the Yabing of Weibo.

Without his personal guard Yabing,

an empty Emperor will only starve to skin and bones.

not even able to have a sip of honeyed wine to drink when on his deathbed.

How pitiful.

Acting Grand Marshal, Right Guard General,

Commander of the Inner Guard Armies, Dai Yun,

secretly colluded with the imperial clan, plundered the inner treasury,

burned the palace, and harmed the sovereign.

He deployed the personal guard's troops and armor

to seize the palace

and support the Marquis of Xi'an, Qian Hongyou

to usurp the throne.

Guilty of treason, Dai shall be subjected to public execution,

three clans exterminated.

The Marquis of Xi'an, Qian Hongyou, harbors

treacherous intentions and ambitions beyond his place,

and colluded with the inner army.

He shall immediately surrender his military authority and official seals,

be dismissed from the post of Prefect of Quzhou,

title of Marquis of Xi'an and its associated emoluments revoked.

He is to be imprisoned.

This is proclaimed to the empire, so that all may know.

Seize them!

Wait a moment.

Ninth Prince.

What are you doing?

Eldest Brother.

You claim this is Father King's final instruction.

Do you have evidence?

The instruction bears the late king's seal.

Ninth Prince.

What more evidence do you need?

Then why are there no signatures or

endorsements from the chancellors and senior advisors?

Moreover, Father's instructions have always

been handwritten by Academician Yuan.

Why is this one not in Yuan's handwriting?

Ninth Prince, do not be reckless.

This is a matter of state.

A young man like you don't understand.

Brother, you are mistaken.

You hold a yellow silk scroll, speaking with imperial authority,

intending to strip the Marquis of Xi'an of his military command,

position, noble title, and even to imprison him.

On this instruction, there is neither the handwriting

of the academician nor the signatures

of the chancellors and senior advisors.

How do we know it was not you these people who murdered the late king,

forge an edict to seize the army and harm my third brother?

You!

No need to argue with him.

Just take him away.

This man is the Master of the Shanyue House, a Southern Tang spy.

Why is he here?

Is the instruction you proclaim truly Father King's will,

or the will of an enemy spy?

Defying the king's command is an unpardonable crime.

Seize them all.

Go!

Take the Ninth Prince and Qian Hongyou into custody.

Nobody move!

Everyone don't move!

I am the ninth son of the King of Wuyue,

Marshal of All Armies Under Heaven,

a direct descendant of the Qian clan,

Right Commander of the Inner Army's General Staff.

Ninth Prince.

If anyone take another step forward,

I will end my own life right here.

Those who plotted against my life are Du Zhaoda

and Cheng Zhaoyue.

You are all accomplices.

This grave crime, shall have your three clans exterminated.

The Ninth Prince refused to obey the order, drawing his blade in defiance.

So you just came back like this?

The Ninth Prince is a close relative of the royal clan.

I dared not act arbitrarily.

Academician Yuan, how should I deal with this do you think?

Both the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince are royal family members.

This is a family matter for you,

and we outside ministers should not discuss this.

Lord Hu,

as the late king's regent,

do you have any advice for me?

Last night, the Lichun Courtyard caught fire,

the late king passed away, and a sudden rebellion erupted.

Friend and foe were indistinguishable.

This old man had no choice but to execute Dai Yun.

In extraordinary times, actions are taken out of necessity,

and I cannot follow the laws of peaceful times.

I beg your understanding.

Is Lord Hu suggesting that I set the Third and Ninth Prince free?

You should know the difference between the Third Prince and the Ninth Prince.

The Third Prince has long been in the camps, with the soldiers respecting him.

Moreover, with Dai Yun already dead, enmity has been established.

There is no turning back.

If handled improperly,

I'm afraid the state may face a internal threat.

As a ruler,

one cannot let personal feelings effect state affairs.

The decision must be decisive and resolute;

one must absolutely not show womanly compassion.

Let the Eldest Prince

interrogate the Third Prince.

Third Prince.

Father King...

Hongchu was extremely tired

and fell asleep.

He will be fine.

That's good.

Do not disturb him.

So, where are we going?

The Censorate,

or the Ministry of Justice?

The Inner Surveillance Office.

Well enough. At least not I'm not asked to commit suicide right now.

Third Prince, I...

Do I need to be tied up?

If you are willing to obey, of course not.

Let's go.

Seventh Brother.

Have you figured out why you were wrong?

Now that Sixth Brother is the King, there's no more brotherhood.

Anyone who still utters the word 'brother' at this time

is committing a grave sin and deserves to be cut into a thousand pieces.

Where were you

last night?

Sixth Brother became the King today.

Last night, he was not yet the King.

What happened last night should have been asked by Father.

He asked.

He asked,

"Where is Hongzong?"

I replied, "Waiting outside the hall for orders.

"Not announced, he dared not come in."

He then asked,

"What about Hongchu?"

I replied,

"He might be asleep.

Should I summon him?"

Father King said,

"Children need their sleep.

Hongchu has always been playful.

He might have been tired out playing during the day.

Let him sleep."

Why did you lie to him?

I clearly wasn't there.

You should ask yourself.

Yesterday,

when he passed away,

he was still thinking of his sons.

At that time, did you, as a son,

remember old father suffering long-term illness?

Father.

Father.

This place,

after all, is for guilty members of the royal family.

Compared to the Ministry of Justice, it's much better.

Is Hongchu alright?

He was punished by kneeling in the Fengxian Hall for half a day.

That's all.

It's fine.

It's fine.

Do you want me to help you

to do something?

Can you?

Eldest Brother, even you are not going save Third Brother?

Hongchu,

your literary talents are not outstanding,

but when it comes to mathematics, even skilled old accountants have to admit defeat.

You can calculate such big numbers,

yet why are you so confused about the life and social affairs here?

When can you grow up a bit more?

I truly don't understand these affairs.

I only know he is innocent.

Sixth Brother know that clearly,

but he insists on killing Third Brother.

You know even more clearly, but you arrested Third Brother to show your contribution to Sixth Brother.

All the ministers at court,

knows that Third Brother is actually innocent.

It's only because Sixth Brother

scruples his military power that he arrested Third Brother.

Yet no one dares to utter a word to save Third Brother's life.

If that's called life and social affairs, and growing-up,

I would rather never grow up, and never understand so-called life and social affairs.

Hongchu,

Eldest Prince is not unwilling to save the Marquis of Xi'an, but unable to.

As you yourself said,

the Marquis of Xi'an's crime lies not in what he did,

but in the military power he holds over the Archery and Cavalry Units.

If that is a crime, then among the Qian clan's descendants, the one with the greatest crime

is not the Marquis of Xi'an.

Eldest Prince himself bears the responsibility of Commander of the Inner Army.

His crime can be greater than that of the Marquis of Xi'an.

Think about it.

It's impossible to save the Third Prince in Hangzhou.

You mean...

I didn't say anything.

This mission is critical and cannot afford any mistakes.

Prince, rest assured. I have served you for many years and understand the importance.

Visiting the capital firstly is to present the memorial of mourning,

secondly to investigate mass condition,

and thirdly, to pay respects to the important ministers.

Especially Lord Feng.

You must meet him in person and convey my regards on my behalf.

I humbly obey your command.

Since Lord Shuiqiu is the envoy, according to convention,

he should be appointed as Judge of the Grand Marshal's Office.

You are right.

It should be.

I

thank you respectfully.

Things got a bit hard.

If Qian Yuanguan were still alive, sending a letter over,

considering Elder Sister,

the authority of Wuyue wouldn't make things difficult for their Third Prince.

All of you, listen carefully.

Tomorrow,

I will enter the Qiantang estuary

to ask the Qian family of Wuyue to give my son back.

The ships you brought this time,

whether they are fu ships, guang ships, or sha ships,

I will use them all.

I need not only the ships,

but also the men you brought with.

They can show off our strength.

Pass my order:

Anyone who enters Qiantang with me this time will be exempt from all flag fees next year.

Those visiting here for the first time will each receive a Single Dragon Flag.

Those who have had Single Dragon Flags will all be promoted with Double Dragon Flags.

In that case I'm afraid there will be over a hundred ships.

There can't be too many ships.

If the bad boy of the old bastard dares to harm my son,

I will cut off the Qiantang River and split this unreasonable Wuyue Kindom into two halves.

Gentlemen

Who can tell me

what exactly is going on?

Reporting to the Regent

Lady Yu of Huanglong Island Was the widow of the late Marshal's Mansion Protocol Officer Lord Sun Tingfu.

Although for decades she occupies the islands and does not submit to royal authority, she has no act of transgression.

Rashly leading her fleet to invade the Western Court,

I'm afraid she comes for the matter of Dai Yun the Marquis of Xi'an.

Du Zhaoda.

I'm here.

You go on my behalf to ask Lady Yu,

what is her intention rashly mobilizing troops.

Such sea bandits have long refused to submit to royal authority.

No good asking.

Then you mean,

armed conflict is inevitable?

Exactly.

Then you, board the ship now and arrange a battle with Lady Yu.

I

I, I

Go

I

I, I

I

Regent,

please spare him a little.

Even Young Du is incompetent,

please at least preserve a little dignity for Old Lord Du.

Gentlemen, you receive the ranks and salaries of Wuyue.

Now that the state faces calamity, who can go on my behalf to ask Lady Yu her intentions?

I am willing to accept the command to board on your behalf,

to meet Lady Yu face to face.

What

is your name?

Reporting to the Regent, I am Cheng Zhaoyue, an executive of the Shanyue House.

Graced by the late king, I was granted the honorary title of Chengfeng Lang.

From now on, you are no longer the eighth-rank Chengfeng Lang.

You are the Inner Surveillance Commissioner of the Inner Army.

Change into purple robes with a golden fish pouch.

Go on my behalf to ask Lady Yu what exactly she intends to do.

Thank you for your trust.

I will spare no effort to overcome all difficulties and fulfill my mission without disgracing it.

Lord Du.

I'm here.

I need to borrow your clothes.

Cheng Zhaoyue pays respect to Lady Yu.

Great Executive.

The Shanyue House is renowned throughout Wuyue.

Wenxiu and Master Cheng have long admired each other.

But I did not know when you also became the Inner Surveillance Commissioner

in the service of the King of Wuyue.

This humble Cheng has been the Inner Surveillance Commissioner for less than a quarter of an hour.

I got it.

So among the nobles, as well as civil and military officials of Wuyue, one one has courage.

I couldn't agree more, Great Executive.

What plans does the new ruler have?

Master Cheng, please speak plainly.

That also depends on

what plans Lady Yu and the Great Executive have.

Qian's ninth son owes the Huanglong House two hundred and fifty catties of pure gold.

I'm afraid the esteemed ruler is too miserly to pay it.

Therefore,

We have come in person to collect it.

Well...

How did this come about?

This transaction does have a witness.

Master Li of the Qinhuai House is the witness.

This Master Li,

Master Cheng, I bet you know him.

Only two hundred and fifty catties of gold?

No need for the King's approval, I can make the promise with you.

Anything else?

Give back my son,

and

corpses and coffins of Dai's family members.

Then I will withdraw,

and from now on

the Qian stays on land, while the Sun on the sea, with no further connection.

I understand.

I shall take my leave now.

There is one hour and a half until noon.

Tell Qian Hongzuo,

if I don't see my son before noon,

my first step is to capture his Qiantang Naval Camp.

Regent

I believe in state affairs,

one should not act like a merchant

Sixth Brother, there are at least a hundred or so ships and vessels on the river.

Two hundred and fifty catties of pure gold is not unacceptable.

If we don't give it to her, Lady Yu probably won't withdraw her troops.

I request the Regent to issue an edict strip Qian Hongyou of his titles and stipends for treason,

deprive him of the royal name and demote him to a commoner.

Hongyou's original name is Sun Chengzuo,

violating Regent's name taboo.

His fault lies in overstepping, so his name shall be changed into Sun Ben to highlight his transgression.

The Regent can dispatch Sun Ben to board the ship and denounce them with righteousness.

They will surely be utterly ashamed and retreat.

What do you think, Eldest Brother?

Academician Yuan's proposal is prudent and statesmanlike.

I second his proposal.

We shall proceed as he suggested.

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles strech towering mountains. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles run surging rivers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles cry warhorses. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles there are emotions unspoken. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, flowers are blooming along the road. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, gooses are returning to the north. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, we stand through storms. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, we hope for a safe return. ♫

♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫

♫ for a lifetime's sorrows and joys. ♫

♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫

♫ for the endless seas and rivers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ love will overcome all barriers. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ we are together in life and death. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ the moon shines in the boundless world. ♫

♫ My heart has its hometown to return. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ who is the one crossing the waves with me, ♫

♫ with our hearts unrepentant, through countless lifetimes. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ oceans and lands witness that♫

♫ the world will be safe and sound. ♫

♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫

♫ my heart is unchanging. ♫