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 6]

Seventh Uncle

[Yao Yuanfu, Deputy commander of Imperial Guards]

What?

Could you please inform Lord Feng that I have a personal matter to report?

I already said Lord will not see anyone.

It's a private matter.

Thank you, Uncle.

Lord.

This junior general, Zhao Hongyin, Commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry and Infantry begs your forgiveness.

Your wife's surname is Du.

Yes.

And she is pregnant again?

Reply to Lord,

Yes

This is the fourth child, right?

Yes

My first child died too young to be counted in.

My eldest son is named Kuangyin.

He currently serves as the Eighteenth Command of Palace Attendant in the Infantry of the Imperial Guard Army.

My second son is named Kuangyi.

He is only seven years old and has been in school for three years.

My wife's surname is Du.

She became pregnant again two months ago.

If it is another boy,

he will be my third son.

The eldest son is named

Kuangyin.

The second son is named Kuangyi.

Then you third son shall be named...

Kuangmei.

On behalf of my son, I thank the Lord for bestowing him a name.

Whether it's a boy or a girl, they will be named Mei.

The 'Mei' from poet Du Zimei.

I will follow your instruction.

Before noon tomorrow,

bring Lady Du and Zhao Kuangyi

to my residence.

You can rest assured.

On behalf of my entire clan, young and old, I thank you for your great kindness and recognition.

After settling your family, come to the Secretariat-Chancellery to receive the decree.

Regarding the Imperial Guard Army matters, I entrust them to you.

I will certainly live up to your trust.

Fog is rising outside.

The road is unclear.

Take good care of yourself.

Do not make mistakes.

I

will certainly live up to your trust.

Away! Away!

Don't be in the way!

Break!

Break it!

Carriage's coming!

Northern Dynasty's army pressing down, the capital isn't implementing a night curfew.

Go away! They are mine!

There are too many people.

Accidents could break out in an instant.

We must prepare ahead.

This road is blocked.

Let's take a detour.

Hurry!

Hurry!

Put out the fire!

Father!

Such big fire!

We need help!

Can your four squads still move now?

Yes.

I'll send someone to...

Wait.

Go yourself.

Me?

But...

A fire this big in the palace can be seen dozens of miles away.

I'm afraid the outer city is in complete chaos.

Take your four squads to the streets.

If you see anyone killing or looting, execute him on the spot.

One more,

protect our home.

Then here?

I'll be here.

Do your job.

This is a military order.

Yes, sir.

Someone!

Here!

Ask them, who has seen the Emperor?

Yes!

Hurry!

Let me go!

Mother!

Mother!

Disarm and don't move!

Nobody move!

Don't move!

Nobody move!

Let me go!

So it's you.

Capital Guard Commander's Young Master Zhao.

What are you doing here

[Shi Shouxin, Deputy Commander of Imperial Guards] instead of serving by your father‘s side?

Sir.

Go on.

Have you seen the Emperor?

We can't find His Majesty anywhere.

Forgive me, Sir!

Spare my life!

Forgive me!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, where are you?

Go! Everyone, search!

Hurry!

Your Majesty is found!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty is found!

Quick!

Your Majesty is found!

Torches!

Your Majesty!

Your subject, Commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry and Infantry, Zhao Hongyin, has come to rescue Your Majesty!

Your Majesty.

You mean,

this fire was set by the Emperor himself?

The Deputy Commissioner of the Palace Domestic Service, Jiang Ping, said that.

His Majesty let the eunuchs to bring twelve barrels of fierce fire oil into the hall.

After it was all splashed about,

it was His Majesty

who lit the fire in person.

That's insane! How could Jiang Ping dare to obey such an edict?

Jiang Ping said

His Majesty

kneeled and begged him,

saying he wanted to die with dignity.

Jiang Ping is an old servant who attended the late Emperor.

In a moment of weakness,

he thus acted foolishly.

If the Emperor wishes to abandon the world, we subjects must spare no effort to persuade him not.

A moment of weakness? What a petty eunuch.

Then, in the end,

who saved the Emperor?

He himself got scared

and do not wan to die.

Lord, please discern.

The one who served the ruler was your eldest son's.

So what about letting him come to my place?

What?

Not willing, huh?

I accept the order.

On behalf of my son,

I thank the Lord for your grace.

All vehicles park on the left. Pedestrians keep to the right.

Everyone, go home.

Yes.

How imposing!

You're finally back. Hurry up and help.

Everyone,

good job.

Surround the carriage.

I am Zhao Kuangyin, Commander of the Eighteenth Unit of the Imperial Guard Cavalry and Infantry.

Sir, please step out of the carriage.

Yang Guangyi sent you here?

Yang Guangyi is my sworn brother.

Zhao Hongyin is your father?

You know my father?

I want to meet him.

He is currently in the palace.

Then I will go there.

It is heavily guarded.

Although my father is a commander of the Imperial Guard, he cannot break the rules.

Now it have already become such a mess.

Stop talking about rules.

You're injured.

Alright,

I'll take there.

Greetings, esteemed guests. This is your humble official Zhan Nan,

People in the city are panicked these days.

Rumors say Zhang Yanze's troops are coming along the Bian River.

There are troops in the city,

but there's no leader.

[Zhan Nan, Clerk of Guest in Honglu Temple] Don't know if we will have a protector, or a disaster.

Even the cleaners have all disappeared one by one over past few days.

Noble guests, please arrange for everything yourselves.

As for the daily supply of food, the temple would arrange for all provisions.

The senior officials are not here now.

Tomorrow I will go to the temple and break the storeroom door

to see if there are any funds left.

But now the city is in chaos,

I'm afraid even with money, we can't buy anything.

Wait.

Just now you said "break the storeroom"?

Yes.

The key to the storeroom is with the temple assistant.

He escaped seven days ago.

We can only break it open for now.

Moreover, even we break it, there might be nothing.

We have money.

Mr. Zhan, could you do the purchase for us?

Young master, the problem is that the markets in the city have all closed.

To buy a little,

we can go door to door and buy some at high prices.

But the food and supplies for several hundred people are not easy to manage.

Lord Shuiqiu, don't look at me.

I am just a military officer, and I've never been a quartermaster.

This kind of work...

Please report that,

I wish to meet Lord Feng.

The Khitan ruler has already arrived at Yexia.

Minister Sang come specially to discuss a plan with Lord Feng.

Such a major matter is not yet discussed,

yet the Emperor himself set a great fire in the palace.

The situation is critical.

Lord Feng, you must make the decision ahead.

What plan?

Decide what?

His Majesty is unreliable.

Everyone relies on you, Lord Feng.

The one who wants to be Emperor is Du Zhongwei.

If you want a plan or a decision... Go to ask him.

This Du surrendered to the enemy on the battlefield, causing Hebei to fall,

and the situation to collapse.

How can such a man be a ruler?

Then, who do you intend to make the ruler?

Tell me.

Lord. The Emperor wishes to abandon the empire.

This is not your fault, Lord.

Now it is the time to rectify the chaos and restore the order.

Mr. Sang,

you may leave.

Lord.

Otherwise I'm going to scold out loud.

The one who destroyed the Later Jin

is you, Lord.

Minister Sang.

Kuangyin,

you two,

wait here,

do not wander around.

Yes.

Lord Feng.

Zhao Hongyin has arrived.

This humble general Zhao Hongyin, greets the Lord.

How is His Majesty?

He has been settled in Zide Hall,

given some medicinal soup,

and has already fallen asleep.

Keep a close watch on him.

Understood.

Anything else?

[Clerk of the Hedong Cavalry and Infantry]

Where is the person?

Waiting outside the province.

Bring him in.

What did the Lord say?

You, take him inside.

Me?

Yes.

You are appointed the Armed Commander of Secretariat Director Guard.

The official order has been issued.

From today, report here daily for duty.

Come here.

Report to the Lord, I encountered this person last night while patrolling.

He claimed...

Kuangyin.

I am here.

Your father has he given you the Secretariat's official order?

Thank you for your promotion, Lord.

I am Guo Rong, Clerk of the Cavalry and Infantry

Hedong Military Governor's Office.

[Guo Rong, also named Chai Rong, Clerk of the Cavalry and Infantry]I pay my respects to the Lord.

[Guo Wei] You are Guo Wei's son.

Yes.

When did you arrive?

I arrived last night along with the Wuyue envoy delegation.

The Wuyue envoy?

Marshal Zhang's occupied Huazhou, pressing troops towards Chenqiao.

I had to to take a detour.

But on the way, I was ambushed by the troops from Yexia.

I encountered them by chance in Shangqiu. They saved me, allowing me to arrive safely in the capital.

Do they know your identity?

No.

I know what's important.

I pretended to sleep and did not speak with anyone.

Your father himself had little education, but he's quite good in raising his son.

I dare not accept such high praise from you, Lord.

You have endured hardships along the way, risking your life to enter the capital.

What is your purpose?

It is truly my fault.

My subordinates were negligent. They didn't even know when that person got away.

I beg you to forgiveme.

You two adult, unable to keep watching over a patient who had been unconscious for days?

Your excuse is...

What?

He is gone, and we must have an explanation.

That's enough.

Please don't worry.

This matter is not the fault of you and your subordinates.

The Emperor is incompetent.

Hebei has fallen,

the world is in chaos,

and order has collapsed.

He even burned the palace, bringing constant disturb to the capital.

Nobles and commoners are all worried.

Lord, for thirty years, you have borne the expectations of the world.

In times of crisis, it's the state's fortune to have you back to the court.

You are entrusted by the late emperor on his deathbed. In this critical moment,

we wish you to shoulder the heavy responsibility, just like the Legendary Chancellor Kongming,

like Yi Yin and Huo Guang, and exercise your authority.

Please support the Seventh Prince Shi Chonggui, to ascend to the throne,

to restore the legitimate succession.

Please kill the evil and bring the order back to the empire and the court.

If you presides over state affairs in the capital,

the soldiers and civilians of Taiyuan, with Lord Liu, are all willing to follow you,

and ready to serve at your command.

Who taught you those words?

[Liu Zhiyuan] By Lord of Taiyuan?

Or by your father?

Who?

I entered the palace last night and happened to encounter the fire and chaos.

This is merely my superficial opinion.

Young man, it's so bold of you!

Lord,

the state is declining.

I dares not but speak frankly as my advise.

Fortunately,

those words are your own insight.

If they had come

from Lord of Taiyuan,

now your head would already be on the ground.

Young man,

you are too naive.

Liu Zhiyuan rose from the bottom, and long experienced in the ranks of soldiers.

What has he not seen?

What has he not experienced?

If he wanted to be the bottom-fisher,

he would not be as blunt and unsightly as you.

To be honest,

Lord Liu and my father ordered me to ask you, Lord,

for a truthful answer.

Is the Emperor,

still reliable?

Can the capital,

still be defended?

He's not.

It can't be.

Lord Liu asks, in such situation,

where are we going?

Have you thought of it, Lord?

He was originally the one most capable of waiting.

He has waited for his whole life.

Is waiting a little longer now

a big deal for him?

Move aside.

You're in my way.

You ignored me earlier.

Still angry now?

You are a Prince,

I am a maid serving you.

How dare I be angry with you?

Then my maid is truly different.

Even her temper is unmatched in the southeast, overpowering Mount Wu.

Don't be angry.

It's my fault.

I apologize to you.

If you are tired of me, you might as well tell me at once.

When we return, I will go back to the island with my elder brother to stay with my mother.

At least I won't have to spend all day reading other people's expressions.

Alright.

When we return, I will go to the island with you.

We'll fish for a lifetime, becoming carefree island masters,

and never bother with Wuyue or Bianliang anymore,

nor see those troublesome two-legged livestock again.

That's my family's island.

Why will you be an island master?

Then...

You... you'll be the master.

OK, OK, let's stop here.

It was my fault not letting you speak today.

Forgot it, OK?

Am I not right?

They lost a person.

Why can't I ask?

Why can't I say something?

Is it reasonable?

This person

left on his own.

So there's no need to ask.

What do you mean?

This person's identity is very strange.

Yang Guangyi and his men had already noticed him when they were in Chenliu.

Lord Shuiqiu and Third Brother both knew that.

But neither of them pointed it out.

It's bizarre.

Strange.

Less words, and you'll be less involved.

So in the end,

no one pointed it out.

All of you

know everything clearly.

Only I am confused,

worrying in vain.

That Guo

is merely a young man speaking nonsense.

Minister Sang,

however, is serious.

This old man would rather all the court officials and nobles

were like this nonsense-speaking young man.

This is the trend of the world, beyond our ability,

Even the Emperor himself is about to abandon this empire.

Lord, why do you torment yourself?

Do you also think I am doing this for His Majesty?

Isn't that so?

When everyone was singing and urging him to ascend,

Lord, you held the little Prince, storming out of the palace.

Now, everyone says

he should be deposed,

yet only you, Lord,

are still trying to support him.

I didn't think that far.

I just feel it's unfair.

Unfair.

When the current Emperor has strong power,

everyone see him as the greatest emperor.

Now,

he is betrayed and isolated,

and you all try to

blame everything on him.

On him alone.

So that you

these loyal ministers and good generals

can have a new master,

and feel at ease,

to enjoy glory and wealth again.

Now,

disaster approaching,

each of you again speaks of the court and the state all day,

as if you would like to immediately tie him up

and offer him as a pledge to the Khitan ruler.

People must have self-awareness.

I know I cannot bear this world,

and I know who can.

But he may not be willing to bear it at this time.

The bell rang all night because of fire,

and again all this morning.

It's really a bit annoying.

Time for meal.

Quick, bring out my court rope.

Court rope?

I'll go myself.

What about your meal?

Gentlemen.

here's the Emperor's

Abdication Edict.

I,

received the grace of the late Emperor,

and ascended to the throne.

I have been diligent every day.

However,

I do not have enough wisdom and virtue

to take this state from my ancestors.

Now,

due to my incompetence,

royal brothers harm each other,

feudal lords rise to rebel, and the clan faces crisis of perish.

Observing the condition of the empire,

I sea disasters and difficulties.

The empire is facing its collapse.

Abdication has happened in history, not in this family only.

Heaven has its way and the authority shall change accordingly.

Heaven shall lead the empire to the competent one.

Ignorant as I am, I know the fate is changing. So I shall yield my position to the right one,

following the precedents of Tang, Yu, Song, and Qi, to maintain this empire and the royal family,

by the instructions of the heaven.

Thus, the empire shall return to peace, and continue to be blessed,

so that the great achievements of the two emperors won't be destroyed.

I inform this to all ministers,

hoping you to understand my thoughts.

December the 17th, the third year of Kaiyun.

"To the right one."

Who is the right one?

Throughout history, in abdications there must be a worthy successor.

How can there be such a vague single word 'right'?

What kind of abdication is this?

Minister Sang?

His Majesty cannot say it explicitly.

He is to let the ministers to decide.

Preposterous!

Abdication, is it an external or internal one?

It must be made clear.

How can there be an abdication where the new monarch is decided by the ministers?

Indeed.

Is it Lord Du?

Or the Seventh Prince?

It should be made clear.

Indeed.

Absurd!

How can you

act like this?

Hongchu.

Mind your words.

Lord Shuiqiu,

for forty years, have we Wuyue been serving such a group of ministers?

I do not know which minister you are...

Judging by your position in the court, you are probably a minister.

However,

I still must ask.

Are you truly the minister of the Emperor?

You,

you,

and you!

Are you truly the subjects of the Great Jin's Emperor?

You just stand here discussing to whom the Emperor's throne should be abdicated?

The Emperor,

is about to abdicate!

What you should ask, and care about,

is why the Emperor is abandoning his empire, isn't it?

This young lord of Wuyue,

we have encountered a great upheaval and the situation is perilous.

The Emperor voluntarily abdicated.

It was truly a necessity.

In the court, there were no sycophantic or rebellious ones.

Yet chaos is approaching.

His Majesty's abdication was also out of the care for the common people and the world.

What about us?

The Emperor abdicates, the authority changes,

yet not a single one in the court offered remonstrance,

not a single one showed any reluctance.

Even Jie and Zhou had ministers on their side.

Yet within this Chongyuan Hall, there are only Yi Ya and Cheng Ji, who care nothing about the Emperor.

What are we supposed to do?

What are we, states who received the golden edicts of the Emperor,

who faithfully served the legitimate dynasty of the Central Plains, supposed to do?

Southern Tang and Western Shu have their own imperial lines.

But Southern Chu, Southern Han, and the soldiers and civilians of us Wuyue,

Where are we going?

My late Father King left this instruction:

"Faithfully serve the great state of the Central Plains."

Serve the great state.

The great state!

This...

is your "great"?

A "great" without sovereign or father,

without loyalty,

without righteousness!

Confucius wrote the his great book and the rebels are afraid.

Among all the rebels in this hall,

who dares to step forward

and claim the word "great"?

I will knock on the palace gate.

I will...

go in person

to ask the Emperor.

Hongchu.

I am the Inspectorate Minister of Works of Jin.

I wish to see the sovereign.

Lord Shuiqiu, you will stop me?

Ninth Prince.

Ninth Prince.

Ninth Prince.

Do not stop me.

You...

You are...

Thank you, Ninth Prince, for saving my life.

I will go with you.

Today, I have caused trouble again.

What calamity could be greater than the capital burning?

Lord Feng has ordered us to escort you to see the Emperor,

so that no one's like a headless fly,

charging around recklessly.

I also wonder

how this perfectly fine capital

has fallen into such a condition.

We pay our respects to Your Majesty.

You...

All of you...

Propriety,

order,

moral tradition...

You,

are all here to play games with me?

We, your subjects, simply wish to ask Your Majesty,

why you would abandon yourself,

and cast aside the empire's officials and people?

Young man,

do you think this empire

is still the same empire from decades ago?

That empire perished long ago!

I will tell you what the Emperor is!

The Emperor,

is he who has the strongest military power!

Whoever holds the sword can become the Emperor!

Whoever wears the armor can become the Emperor!

You wear armor,

and you too can become the Emperor!

Take it.

Take it.

Yes.

You wear the armor,

you carry the sword,

you are the Emperor.

The Emperor is above,

accept this humble man's bow.

This is the empire now.

Rise.

This is the way of the world today.

Where is there any right or wrong left?

No one needs them.

If you are soft-hearted,

you deserve to die.

Do you understand?

His Majesty has lost his mind.

But we still must not lose it.

Now, let us pay our last respects to His Majesty.

♫ 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. ♫