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 9]

[Khitan's southern camp]

By the order, the provisions are right behind this stockade, we've investigated.

Pass the order.

After setting the fire, do not linger in battle Retreat at once.

Unless

you encounter isolated or terrified ones.

If so, chop them to death.

Yes!

The rest, split into two teams. One circles to the opposite side, waiting for the signal to support.

Move!

Fire! Put out the fire!

Quick!

Quick!

Fire!

Put out the fire! Put out!

Quick!

Quick!

Eldest Young Master, there are at least two command units here, some are armored.

Let's retreat.

No hurry.

We've struck it luckily.

Follow me, we'll get the big target.

Let's go!

Follow Eldest Young Master!

[Yelü Xieli]

By the order, go! We'll cover the retreat.

Quick!

Yes!

You southerners are so boring.

No wonder Official Xieli was unwilling to stay here with you and returned early to the southern camp to sleep.

Marshal!

Marshal!

Marshal!

Southern camp is on fire!

What?

Southern camp?

Soldiers,

have some wine.

It will warm yourselves and boost your courage.

Want some?

Yes please.

Reporting to Father Marshal, I have led the eighteen commands out from behind the camp eastward,

circled around Yishan Mountain, marched along the Nanqing River, turned westward,

and burned down the Zhang's southern camp where he stored grain.

In your eighteent commands,

only these men and horses behind you remain?

They protected me with their lives,

helping me to capture alive Yelü Xieli, the Khitan Censor-in-Chief.

You scoundrel!

Foolish boy, the essence of military strategy lies first in prudence.

Yet you,

are always taking reckless gambles with lives.

It would be one thing if you got trapped,

but it cost cavalry forces and will thus damage defense plan.

What do you think you are doing?

My fault.

Get out and await punishment.

Yes.

What should we do about this man?

He is a Khitan noble.

No one dare to handle him besides the Lord.

I will escort him to the palace in person.

Take him away.

Attendants!

Here.

Kuangyin did a great job this time.

Bring him a lamb leg and some hot soup.

Ah, well...

Have some wine?

Splendid!

You are Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang?

Yes.

I'm Guo Rong, courtesy name Jungui.

Marshal Guo's excellent boy.

I've heard about you so many times.

Unable to hold your liquor, young minister?

I am drinking, can't you see?

A minister is a minister.

Even when drinking, you show a manner of third-rank and above.

Hey, stop saying "minister".

My name's Qian Hongchu, courtesy name Huzi.

With you by my side, I probably won't even need to go out when in urgent need at night.

Oh, come on.

Eldest Young Master!

I'm here.

Where did you get this?

Marshal rewarded you.

Everyone's saying you've done a great job.

Go, go away.

I'm not going to drink your wine with nothing in return.

Let's eat together.

Then I won't stand on ceremony.

It suddenly occurred to me that today,

is the eve of the Little New Year.

Ten years ago on Little New Year's Eve, my father king asked me about my life's ambition.

I was so mischievous back then.

In front of all my elder brothers, I said that I want to go to sea.

I want to see what the Kun and Peng in fairy tales really look like.

All fathers are the same.

Happy as they are deep inside,

their words sounds as if to kill you.

On Little New Year's Eve when I was ten,

my father asked me, "what do you want to do when you grow up?"

I said,

"My ambition is to face the enemy and smash them, making marvelous military achievements. "

That very night, I got a beating.

And you?

What's your ambition?

Come on, we are asking you.

I have none.

How boring.

If I'd known you were so bashful, I wouldn't have saved you that day.

Born in such a world, It seems that, whatever ambition,

is not correct.

I remember last year's Little New Year's Eve,

I happened to be in Jinyang.

At that time, my father was in low spirits.

My siblings were all too young, so I go to my father on behalf of them. I asked my father,

"It's the convention to ask about next year's goal on New Year's Eve.

Father have always been frugal, and quite prestigious in the army,

yet you have never been appointed as a military governor.

Is there regret in your heart, father?"

What did Marshal Guo say?

He said,

"High titles and generous salaries are not worth discussing.

If I could just

drink a cup of warm wine in a peaceful year in my life,

then I would feel fulfilled."

How beautiful.

Even the most glorious prosperous age,

will eventually see its sunset.

Even the most unbearable chaotic era

will eventually usher in a sunrise.

Hold on, hold on. Just one moment more.

OK it's done.

It's the tenth day.

I'm afraid, no one in the city,

will survive this winter.

The bitterly cold weather and the frozen ground do make defending difficult,

but it will be even harder for the bandits attacking the city.

That's not exactly the condition.

City walls can be relied upon,

but people cannot.

In the first few days,

people are in high tension with a surge of righteousness and passion, as well as promises of high titles and good salaries.

But now,

ten days have passed.

It's human nature to be afraid of hardship and change their minds.

Moreover the cold weather ins unbearable.

Besides, the enemy is not just a single army.

Du Zhongwei have another fifty thousand troops in Yexia,

not to mention the Khitan behind him.

Instead on the imperial court's side,

they claim to be the legitimate regime with an emperor,

who exists as if he didn't.

In the court,

there's only Lord Feng, one old man left,

struggling to keep things in order.

Outside the capital,

who else still cares about this court?

Who still cares,

about those hundreds of thousands of common people?

There's neither troops outside as reinforcement,

nor virtuous men inside to protect this city.

It's hopeless.

Having defended for ten days,

I wonder if the ministers

have come up with any plans.

Peace negotiations is not acceptable.

We must hold firm.

We will definitely defend the city to the death, right? We must!

Seeking peace is...

Lord,

that...

We will defend!

Lord.

Lord.

Here.

Absurd!

You petraitors!

Nonsense!

Fan Zhi.

Lord.

Open the Qianyuan Hall.

Court is in session.

It seems the battle

won't be on today.

Let's return and report to Lord Feng.

What did you say?

Muster the troops.

Withdraw to the city.

Withdraw?

What about the city?

Are we not defending it?

The order Lord issued that day

was to defend the city for ten days.

Now the ten days has passed.

Jungui.

Are you joking?

Kuangyin.

Let's withdraw.

Tale our soldiers back into the city.

before Zhang Yanze's army is mobilized.

Having fought for over ten days,

those who died, those who live, are all our heroes.

Now,

what you can do have all been done.

The remaining ones

should not die in vain.

Die in vain?

On the day we start defending,

Father Marshal gave me eighteen commands,

fully staffed ones,

with two thousand, two hundred and twenty-one men.

Now,

now only over eight hundred remain.

And now you tell me

they should not die in vain?

You, you, Jungui,

you, are truly shameless.

There will be no reinforcements.

I know.

Things won't change,

even if we keep defending.

I know.

Without Father Marshal's command,

here,

shall be our graveyard.

Marshal's order, the entire army, withdraw into the city!

Marshal's order, the entire army, withdraw into the city!

Marshal's order, the entire army, withdraw into the city!

Marshal's order, the entire army, withdraw into the city!

Young Master.

So we are returning like this?

So shameful.

We can no longer hold on.

Withdraw? It would have been better if I hadn't sent here.

Enough.

Whereas, in January, the tenth year of the Khitan Huitong period,

the Great Khitan Emperor decrees:

Khitan Emperor has been supporting emperors and kings in south and north,

to govern their domains, and issue orders.

You, the Shi clan, were originally the Marquis of Jin,

with less than one-tenth fields, and less a brigade of soldiers,

as if trapped in a vase struggling.

You presumptuously claimed the imperial authority.

You are unable in managing court discipline and political affairs, causing turmoil and wars throughout the land.

People are starved to death everywhere, which is shocking and grievous.

Filled with pity and unease for the suffering of the common people,

I wishing to relieve the dire straits,

People to our south are suffering from hunger and cold, so I raised an army to console them,

and I went to Ye and Bian in person,

hoping to restore the order and save these people from sufferings.

Now, you young ruler, is absurd and fatuous.

You arbitrarily ascend to the throne and neglect laws and rituals, plunging the people into misery.

You have now lost the right to abdicate and move out of the palace yourself.

You are demoted to Marquis of Betrayal, to await the judgment of your crimes.

Censor-in-Chief, Yelü Xieli is to be appointed Commissioner of Han Affairs in the Eastern Capital.

Military Governor of Zhangyi, and the Right Martial Guard General, Zhang Yanze,

will act as the provisional governor of the Eastern Capital,

All military and state affairs shall be entrusted to him.

The officials and soldiers of Bianzhou, must obey their commands and strictly follow their orders.

Should there be anyone who commit crimes or defy their superiors, I would applying all punishments to him.

So be it.

Listen to the orders and do not disappoint me.

So everything's over?

This is already the best outcome.

I don't understand!

There's no reinforcements.

The capital,

is doomed to fall.

If that's the case, what was the point defending for ten days？

For the sake of dignity.

So many people died,

just for that so-called dignity?

Was it worth it?

Lord Du surrendering to the enemy, and Zhang attacking the capital,

all for nothing more than placing a bet that when Khitan Emperor,

they might seize the throne, and rule the world, just as the late Emperor did.

As the late Emperor?

To be another son emperor?

If the Khitan Emperor is willing to acknowledge a son,

Lord Du and Zhang Yanze would scramble to acknowledge this father.

They are traitors!

Never to be reconciled with!

What corrupted hearts, devoid of loyalty and righteousness.

In the face of victory or defeat, most people in this world would abandon righteousness for victory.

People, state, loyalty, integrity, righteousness—

aren't those the most priceless things?

In this world,

there certainly exist truly priceless things.

However,

in the court of the imperial palace,

everything inevitably has a price.

Things that cannot be valued by price

simply do not appear here.

In the court, if you do not calculate values,

you will not be entitled to stand here.

Lord, Minister,

are you here to see, who in the world today

is still willing to bet on a court that is doomed?

Khitan is powerful, the central empire is declining.

In the eyes of most people, the outcome is already clear.

If your esteemed brother were to choose, would he bet on the court or on the Khitan?

Yet Lord Shuiqiu and I, Sang,

can only bet on the court.

This ten-day battle is meant to tell the world

that even in this time when loyalty is wavering, there still exist someone who bet on the court.

By the orders of Lord and Father Marshal, I, led troops to garrison the city,

for a total of ten days.

Six hundred seventy-one men died in battle, seven hundred thirty-two wounded.

Now, by the orders, I return to the city

to report to Lord and Father Marshal.

What should to be done,

and what could be done,

has all been done.

Go to my residence

to take your family home.

Thank you, Lord.

This humble general, Palace Attendant, Commander of the Eighteenth Command of the Imperial Guard,

Secretariat and Chancellery, Palace Guard Attendant, Arms-Bearing Officer, Zhao Kuangyin,

humbly requests Lord, for the morale of the troops,

to show compassion and award those who died, were wounded, and meritorious in battle,.

You little fool!

The palace is this not a place for your nonsense!

Lord,

forgive my son's offense.

Bring it.

Bring what?

The roster of those who died and were meritorious.

It has not yet been completed?

It's OK.

I will wait.

The soldiers who died and were wounded need to be compensated.

The meritorious ones need to be rewarded.

Even if everything had really collapsed,

these are things that must be done.

Kuangyin.

Take a few attendants to the Lord's residence now,

to bring your mother, and your younger brother, back home.

It was my oversight that caused you to fall into the hands of the enemies and disturbed.

It's my fault.

In His Majesty's edict,

there is one more matter that we two shall handle.

Indeed.

We must move the deposed emperor to another palace.

But as far as I know,

there is no second palace for residence in this city,.

It doesn't matter. We can move him to the main hall of the Kaifeng Prefecture.

I will handle this matter.

These impoverished in the capital, knowing full well they themselves cannot partake,

won't let others partake either.

They have ruined the ambition of Lord Du and me.

I wonder what benefit they would possibly get.

Central Army Commander!

Yes.

Post notices with the spy Guo Rong's portrait and search the entire city for him.

Understood.

Greetings, Sir.

Lü Yin, your surbodinate, greets you.

Your subordinate pays respects to you.

What brings you here, Minister?

What?

Am I not supposed to come?

I would not mean that.

Juzheng.

You were the sixth in the imperial examination of the second year of Qingtai.

Is that so?

Yes.

A jinshi on the same list, with ten years of hard study and twelve years of officialdom,

is no more than a judge in the capital.

Nothing shows better the hardships of troubled times.

Have you known about the edict from the Khitan emperor?

The Academy Institute sent a copy.

I'm organizing household registers and land records,

and tidying seals and documents,

waiting for that Marshal Zhang to handover those to him.

Good.

Since you know,

listen carefully.

Awaiting your order.

From this day forward,

you are no longer the Judge of Kaifeng Prefecture.

From you downwards,

all adjutants, runners, and clerks are dismissed together.

Considering that you've done your duties over the past ten days, this prefecture will show mercy/

Since there is still some public funds,

each person may get an extra three months' salary.

Collect it,

and then disperse.

Although I'm an assistant official, by regulation, my position is a court-appointed one.

As Military Commissioner, you still can't appoint or dismiss capital officials bypassing Lord Feng.

Forgive me, I dare not obey this order.

I dare not obey this order.

Juzheng, you are still young. You still have family. So leave here.

Sir, I, Xue, though lacking in talent, also know a great calamity is imminent.

Yet I dare not shirk my duty to reserve my own life.

You've decided?

At most, I will lose my life.

It is not your turn to lose it.

I, Sang,

am the Prefect of Kaifeng of the Great Jin Dynasty.

I wondered who it is so bold.

So it turns out to be you, Minister Sang.

You arrived so late.

How rude are you to Minister Sang!

With the decree of the Khitan Emperor, I'm here to take over the Kaifeng Prefecture office.

Minister Sang,

you have always been sensible;

You will not obstruct, will you?

I, the Prefect of Kaifeng, am still here.

You cannot take over.

What did you say?

You refuse to obey the decree?

You filthy, worthless scoundrel!

Clearly, your death is imminent, yet you still think you've seized an opportunity?

One truly can’t explain ice to a mayfly.

Sang Weihan,

you really don't know how to preserve some dignity.

I, Sang, bear eternal shame of selling the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

You and Du Zhongwei sold over thirty prefectures of Hebei and the capital.

Do you have any dignity left to give me?

Where are the official seals?

Smashed.

And the registers and legal documents?

Burned.

Have you gone mad, or are you suffering from a phlegm disorder that has clouded your mind?

All your plots are in the light,

and all your schemes will come to nothing.

My lifework has ended.

If costing my life could ruin you and Du Zhongwei's conspiracy,

then it will be worthwile.

What you are going to do, the late Emperor succeeded in it.

But Du Zhongwei is not to succeed,

and you are even less likely to.

Because,

you are a fool.

Good.

Sang Weihan, as the chancellor of the Later Jin dynasty,

is described in the Old History of the Five Dynasties as follows:

His ambition to assist and harmonize, and merit in establishing the state can indeed be called a pillar of the state.

The New History of the Five Dynasties says:

It's Sang's merit to end Later Tang and prosper Later Jin.

His talents in politics and making strategy

have also received recognition and praise.

However,

as one of those directly responsible for losing the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun,

he has consequently received harsh criticism and condemnation from later Confucian scholars.

The 17th century scholar Wang Fuzhi explicitly criticized Sang Weihan

in his Discourses on Reading the Zizhi Tongjian, saying:

He left great calamity to the world, the influence of which on later generations

makes him a criminal of tens of thousands of years.

Central Army Commander!

Yes.

Announce to the entire army:

Grant three days of leave.

Conduct a city-wide search.

The advanced troops shall conduct the search on the first day.

Others get the second and third days.

Let them notice the time.

Return to your units at the hour of Xu the day after tomorrow.

Thank you, Marshal.

♫ 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. ♫