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♫ Raising the wine cup, I toast to the boundless sky ♫
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♫ In talks and laughters are vast mountains and rivers. ♫
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00:00:22,666 --> 00:00:27,233
♫ Love and hate, debt and feuds, have all dissolved. ♫
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00:00:28,533 --> 00:00:33,100
♫ Where's my soul's hometown and my kindred spirits? ♫
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00:00:35,566 --> 00:00:40,133
♫ Seasons rolling by, we dream for harvest. ♫
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♫ Warriors and warhorses howl across the sky. ♫
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♫ If only I could turn into the wind, ♫
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♫ to blow away all the pain in mortal coil. ♫
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♫ I toast to the blue sky, to courage in solitude, ♫
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♫ to migrating gooses, to boats heading home. ♫
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♫ With even three thousand days and nights, ♫
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♫ Will it be enough to drain this cup I toast to peace? ♫
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[Swords into Plowshares]
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[Episode 34]
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Your Majesty.
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Now, the Yellow River's Golden Embankment
in Chanzhou, is to be completed soon
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00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:43,833
The Marquis of Taiyuan, Guo Rong,
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00:01:44,933 --> 00:01:48,900
has rendered great service to the state
and brought benefits to the common people.
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He should be recalled to court
20
00:01:52,566 --> 00:01:55,700
to assume a major responsibility.
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Your Majesty, Chanzhou borders Yexia
22
00:02:01,233 --> 00:02:02,700
and is a key location in Hebei.
23
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It's garrison commander
should not be changed lightly.
24
00:02:11,033 --> 00:02:11,533
Your Majesty,
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00:02:13,433 --> 00:02:15,333
Minister Wang's words are gravely mistaken.
26
00:02:15,933 --> 00:02:19,733
In the military, rewards and punishments are paramount.
Merit must be rewarded.
27
00:02:19,733 --> 00:02:22,033
Unclear rewards and punishments lead to disaster.
28
00:02:22,666 --> 00:02:25,266
According to Minister Wang's words, the generals of Yexia,
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even if they achieve the greatest merits, would spend
their entire lives risking their lives in the army,
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unable to leave.
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If so, what would become of military morale?
32
00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:36,900
It's merely a stretch of embankment.
33
00:02:38,866 --> 00:02:39,900
Minister Fan Zhi,
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00:02:40,466 --> 00:02:41,933
you exaggerate.
35
00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:44,333
Your Majesty,
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The great river's Golden Embankment has not been
repaired since the time of Later Tang's Zhuangzong.
37
00:02:51,533 --> 00:02:53,533
This has led to annual floods.
38
00:02:54,100 --> 00:02:59,933
In the sixth year of Tianfu, the capital region was flooded.
The water level reached four feet from the capital's walls.
39
00:02:59,933 --> 00:03:03,766
People were displaced, with countless casualties.
40
00:03:04,733 --> 00:03:05,360
[Li Gu, Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies]
Now,
41
00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,333
[Li Gu, Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies]
the Marquis of Taiyuan has rebuilt the Golden Embankment.
42
00:03:08,333 --> 00:03:09,700
[Li Gu, Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies]
This year's summer flood
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00:03:09,700 --> 00:03:11,733
[Li Gu, Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies]
no longer posed a threat from the great river.
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For twenty years, the capital has not dared to
open its gates during the summer flood season.
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00:03:18,633 --> 00:03:19,766
Such merit
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cannot be compared even to conquering a state.
47
00:03:23,533 --> 00:03:26,633
You yourself have managed waterworks for over a decade,
48
00:03:27,266 --> 00:03:30,500
so you consider flood control
the foremost achievement under heaven.
49
00:03:31,266 --> 00:03:33,433
If the Marquis of Taiyuan is rewarded today,
50
00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:34,800
then tomorrow,
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how should the Emperor reward you?
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00:03:39,166 --> 00:03:39,766
I am tired.
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00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:41,233
Ministers,
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you may leave.
55
00:03:47,700 --> 00:03:50,033
We respectfully see Your Majesty off.
56
00:04:01,500 --> 00:04:04,400
Regarding Feng Dao's proposal today,
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were you aware of this in advance?
58
00:04:08,833 --> 00:04:09,400
Yes.
59
00:04:11,100 --> 00:04:13,666
Then why didn't you tell me earlier?
60
00:04:14,133 --> 00:04:17,166
Because of this, I faced such embarrassment in court.
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00:04:18,066 --> 00:04:21,100
If I had told you, would you have refrained from opposing it?
62
00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:21,466
Well...
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00:04:22,633 --> 00:04:25,033
This... this empire is yours.
64
00:04:26,433 --> 00:04:29,600
If you insist and issue an edict
ordering Rong to return directly,
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00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,133
Could I... could I have stopped you?
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00:04:33,166 --> 00:04:33,633
Yes.
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00:04:35,133 --> 00:04:36,266
I do oppose that
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00:04:37,233 --> 00:04:38,166
Rong become the heir.
69
00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,333
But that doesn't mean I object to his return to the capital.
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00:04:43,233 --> 00:04:46,133
The one who must be Emperor is you, not me.
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00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:47,600
Jun,
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00:04:48,466 --> 00:04:50,566
now you remember I am the Emperor.
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00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:53,400
Do you usually think of that?
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00:04:55,133 --> 00:04:56,400
You wanted to be in charge,
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00:04:57,166 --> 00:04:58,633
I let you be in charge.
76
00:04:59,833 --> 00:05:01,433
You wanted to appoint officials,
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00:05:01,433 --> 00:05:02,466
I let you appoint them.
78
00:05:03,633 --> 00:05:07,633
You were already Chief of the Privy Council,
and still wanted to be Chancellor.
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00:05:07,633 --> 00:05:08,533
I let you become one.
80
00:05:09,666 --> 00:05:10,933
You keep saying
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00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:13,833
this empire belongs to my family.
82
00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:17,633
Where is my family?
83
00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:19,466
Do I have a family?
84
00:05:21,300 --> 00:05:23,630
A family with one hundred and sixty-eight people!
85
00:05:29,833 --> 00:05:32,333
Men and women, old and young, servants and maids,
86
00:05:32,466 --> 00:05:35,166
all together, one hundred and sixty-eight lives,
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00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:36,733
died, and covered in blood.
88
00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:40,533
You say this empire is my family's.
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00:05:41,133 --> 00:05:42,566
Where is my family?
90
00:05:46,633 --> 00:05:48,300
What is so good about being Emperor?
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00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,366
Can it compare to having parents, a wife, and children?
92
00:05:55,166 --> 00:05:57,666
Emperors usually call themselves 'the Solitary One'.
93
00:05:57,666 --> 00:06:00,933
I, this Emperor, am
the widowed, orphaned, solitary, and lonely one.
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00:06:00,933 --> 00:06:02,366
Look through the history books, Jun.
95
00:06:04,366 --> 00:06:06,233
Has there ever been an Emperor as desolate as I?
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00:06:07,866 --> 00:06:10,700
All of you, a few old comrades,
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00:06:11,033 --> 00:06:12,766
one Lady Dong, and one Rong,
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00:06:13,233 --> 00:06:14,466
you are all I have left.
99
00:06:19,066 --> 00:06:20,800
Since you mentioned Rong,
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00:06:22,700 --> 00:06:24,666
then today, I won't address you as Your Majesty.
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00:06:25,500 --> 00:06:26,166
Wei,
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00:06:28,266 --> 00:06:29,500
I urge you one more time.
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00:06:38,500 --> 00:06:41,566
You have not yet reached the age
of the Lord of Taiyuan back then.
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00:06:42,533 --> 00:06:44,666
Hurry and take more consorts.
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00:06:45,533 --> 00:06:48,666
You must leave behind a biological son
who can inherit the throne.
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00:06:49,533 --> 00:06:51,333
It's true that,
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00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,133
Rong is a good boy.
108
00:06:53,900 --> 00:06:54,966
But in his veins,
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he carries the surname Chai, not Guo.
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Do not think it is the same.
111
00:07:02,466 --> 00:07:05,166
From the very root, it is a different matter.
112
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,933
The affair of Tang's Mingzong was not so long ago.
113
00:07:09,133 --> 00:07:10,833
The warning is clear before us.
114
00:07:12,033 --> 00:07:14,066
You must see this clearly.
115
00:07:14,500 --> 00:07:17,833
Do not let a few sweet words from a junior cloud your judgment.
116
00:07:19,366 --> 00:07:23,300
This realm is your family's, it belongs to the Guo lineage.
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It cannot be ceded to those named Chai.
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00:07:25,700 --> 00:07:27,000
Do you understand?
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00:07:31,066 --> 00:07:32,766
The empire, the realm...
120
00:07:35,266 --> 00:07:36,766
What use are they to me?
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00:07:38,733 --> 00:07:42,466
My wife is gone, my son is gone,
my daughter is gone, my son-in-law is gone too.
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All gone.
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00:07:43,500 --> 00:07:47,766
What use is a jade seal or an imperial robe to me?
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Wei.
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00:07:52,333 --> 00:07:52,766
Wei.
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00:08:06,533 --> 00:08:08,660
Being a soldier, living on rations...
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00:08:10,333 --> 00:08:14,000
I was born to endure hardship and toil.
128
00:08:16,866 --> 00:08:19,566
But that should not have involved my family.
129
00:08:25,033 --> 00:08:25,700
Wei.
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00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:29,900
You're drunk.
131
00:08:32,633 --> 00:08:34,133
Go and rest now.
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00:08:38,266 --> 00:08:39,000
I will now
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00:08:41,133 --> 00:08:42,233
take my leave.
134
00:09:02,233 --> 00:09:02,700
Lord.
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00:09:11,733 --> 00:09:13,333
His Majesty is drunk.
136
00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:16,800
Take good care of him.
137
00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:19,900
Do not let him catch a chill.
138
00:09:20,633 --> 00:09:21,066
Understood.
139
00:09:54,533 --> 00:09:55,066
Your Majesty.
140
00:09:57,066 --> 00:10:00,866
Kuangyin.
141
00:10:00,866 --> 00:10:03,200
Originally, you were to follow Rong to Chanzhou,
142
00:10:05,666 --> 00:10:07,766
but I kept you here to serve in the Imperial Guard.
143
00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,066
I may have hindered your path.
144
00:10:12,466 --> 00:10:13,333
I dare not think so.
145
00:10:14,300 --> 00:10:16,766
Wherever I serve, it is in your service.
146
00:10:18,666 --> 00:10:19,566
You and your father,
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are both in the Imperial Guard.
148
00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:25,833
Father and son fighting side by side...
149
00:10:27,633 --> 00:10:28,900
It is just like that.
150
00:10:30,866 --> 00:10:31,900
I kept you here,
151
00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:34,533
because I know
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00:10:35,866 --> 00:10:37,933
you and Rong are just like brothers.
153
00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,033
Brotherhood is good.
154
00:10:43,066 --> 00:10:45,233
As long as there is no strife,
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00:10:45,233 --> 00:10:46,366
they can even hunt tigers,
156
00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:48,600
and break metal.
157
00:11:02,133 --> 00:11:04,700
I wish to trouble you
158
00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:08,800
to take a message to Rong.
159
00:11:12,233 --> 00:11:13,166
Tell him,
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I would like
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00:11:18,366 --> 00:11:19,600
he go back home for a meal.
162
00:11:31,633 --> 00:11:33,333
From the time he joined the army,
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00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:37,133
Zhao Kuangyin had seen many princes in armor, bearing swords.
164
00:11:38,033 --> 00:11:43,066
But he had never seen a prince like Guo Rong,
wearing dark work clothes, covered from head to toe in mud.
165
00:11:44,433 --> 00:11:47,066
This sole heir of the Later Zhou Emperor
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00:11:47,333 --> 00:11:51,733
spent his days toiling and sweating on the worksite,
repairing and dredging.
167
00:11:54,066 --> 00:11:58,633
For years, the endless strife between military governors
and the frequent change of regimes
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00:11:58,633 --> 00:12:01,266
left governments with no will to maintain river works.
169
00:12:01,266 --> 00:12:04,100
Consequently, the people living along the Yellow River
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00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:08,500
suffered yearly from floods threatening cities,
destroying homes and drowning fields.
171
00:12:09,833 --> 00:12:13,866
This river, which nurtured the heartland
of the Central Plains dynasties,
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00:12:14,233 --> 00:12:19,433
incessantly posed a question of conscience
to every ruler of these dynasties.
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00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:21,266
Your Majesty,
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00:12:22,133 --> 00:12:25,333
I am aged and plagued by illness.
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I beg to retire and return to the woods in my old age.
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00:12:30,533 --> 00:12:33,566
I implore Your Majesty to grant this request.
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00:12:36,066 --> 00:12:39,600
My lord, you are a statesman of
four dynasties with great prestige,
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the head of the court,
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00:12:41,700 --> 00:12:42,800
the pillar of the state.
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00:12:47,133 --> 00:12:50,066
The world has been torn by disorder for so long.
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For even a moment,
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we cannot be without you, my lord.
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00:12:56,466 --> 00:12:57,730
If you speak of retiring,
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I too wish to retire.
185
00:13:01,233 --> 00:13:02,333
But it is merely a wish.
186
00:13:03,666 --> 00:13:04,400
We
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must all work hard and bear our duties.
188
00:13:15,833 --> 00:13:16,300
My lord.
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00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:17,100
Your Majesty.
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00:13:26,933 --> 00:13:27,400
Rong.
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00:13:32,033 --> 00:13:32,766
I'm here.
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00:13:33,533 --> 00:13:36,633
From this day forward, you are relieved
of your duties on the riverbank.
193
00:13:37,433 --> 00:13:39,933
You will enter the Secretariat-Chancellery
to learn state affairs.
194
00:13:39,933 --> 00:13:44,233
Lord Feng has long served at the imperial court,
his prestige profound.
195
00:13:44,233 --> 00:13:47,266
You must treat him as your teacher.
196
00:13:48,766 --> 00:13:50,600
I obey the decree.
197
00:14:12,833 --> 00:14:13,300
Your Majesty,
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00:14:16,133 --> 00:14:18,833
the Secretariat-Chancellery is
the pivotal organ of the court.
199
00:14:19,533 --> 00:14:21,766
Appointing the right people is the foremost task.
200
00:14:21,766 --> 00:14:25,766
Fan Zhi and Li Gu don't have enough seniority
and prestige, and neglect their royal duties.
201
00:14:26,633 --> 00:14:31,266
They fail to assist the Emperor in pacifying the realm,
or steady the officials and govern the land.
202
00:14:32,133 --> 00:14:34,666
I request to send Fan Zhi out as Prefect of Xiangzhou
203
00:14:34,666 --> 00:14:36,866
and Li Gu out as Prefect of Xuzhou.
204
00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,800
Replace them with Hanlin Academician Chen Guan
and Acting Prefect of Kaifeng, Yan Kan,
205
00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:43,933
to participate in government affairs
206
00:14:43,933 --> 00:14:46,066
I humbly request Your Majesty to grant your approval.
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00:14:50,433 --> 00:14:51,133
Jun,
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00:14:53,233 --> 00:14:54,833
today is the Cold Food Festival.
209
00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:58,800
All government offices are meant to observe a day of rest.
210
00:15:00,033 --> 00:15:01,533
Could anything be so urgent
211
00:15:02,466 --> 00:15:04,133
that it cannot wait until tomorrow?
212
00:15:06,533 --> 00:15:07,133
Your Majesty.
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00:15:07,133 --> 00:15:07,933
Jun,
214
00:15:10,866 --> 00:15:13,266
The realm has only just settled down not long ago.
215
00:15:14,433 --> 00:15:15,900
Can we not stir up more trouble?
216
00:15:16,666 --> 00:15:17,766
You are the Emperor.
217
00:15:19,100 --> 00:15:21,900
You know an Emperor cannot act merely on personal whim.
218
00:15:24,366 --> 00:15:27,833
The great chaos has been the way of the world for decades.
219
00:15:28,366 --> 00:15:31,166
It is not that anyone who wishes for peace can simply have it.
220
00:15:33,300 --> 00:15:38,533
Those who were unwilling to act decisively
now have trees growing on their graves.
221
00:15:38,533 --> 00:15:39,600
In times like these,
222
00:15:40,133 --> 00:15:42,200
no one is fated to be an Emperor of peace.
223
00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:48,533
You may leave.
224
00:15:56,033 --> 00:15:57,566
I take my leave.
225
00:16:16,900 --> 00:16:18,333
He still refuses to yield.
226
00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:21,200
Lord,
227
00:16:22,933 --> 00:16:24,433
before I ascended the throne,
228
00:16:26,633 --> 00:16:28,333
my friends and I shared everything.
229
00:16:32,066 --> 00:16:33,333
Now that I am Emperor,
230
00:16:34,933 --> 00:16:36,666
my friends have all drifted apart.
231
00:16:37,666 --> 00:16:39,533
Lord, you have served four dynasties.
232
00:16:39,533 --> 00:16:40,566
Tell me,
233
00:16:41,533 --> 00:16:42,400
why is this?
234
00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:44,933
Your Majesty,
235
00:16:48,633 --> 00:16:49,433
that's because,
236
00:16:51,133 --> 00:16:53,233
there is only one Emperor in the world.
237
00:16:55,433 --> 00:16:58,433
Thus, an Emperor has no private friends.
238
00:16:59,866 --> 00:17:01,733
When you were a subject,
239
00:17:02,766 --> 00:17:05,400
you could have friends and comrades.
240
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,166
Now, as Emperor,
241
00:17:08,733 --> 00:17:10,266
all under heaven,
242
00:17:11,100 --> 00:17:14,633
are your subjects, your children.
243
00:17:14,933 --> 00:17:17,633
They are all your friends and comrades.
244
00:17:19,033 --> 00:17:22,033
You cannot show favoritism.
245
00:17:22,566 --> 00:17:26,766
Your former friends will thus
harbor resentment in their hearts.
246
00:17:27,900 --> 00:17:30,233
If you wish to be a peaceful Emperor,
247
00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:36,366
the matter of Minister Wang is merely the first hurdle.
248
00:17:42,566 --> 00:17:43,300
By decree:
249
00:17:44,033 --> 00:17:44,566
We,
250
00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,900
heeding Heaven's Mandate and ruling the four seas,
251
00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:51,433
deem that governance of the state
must be based on virtue and ability,
252
00:17:51,433 --> 00:17:52,966
and guided by loyalty and integrity.
253
00:17:53,533 --> 00:17:58,866
Wang Jun, Chief of the Privy Council, Left Deputy Director of
the Department of State Affairs, and Chancellor of Secretariat,
254
00:17:59,300 --> 00:18:02,766
had minor merits in the past,
once entrusted with heavy responsibilities.
255
00:18:02,766 --> 00:18:05,500
However, his recent conduct has been erratic and perverse.
256
00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:08,300
Abusing power and acting recklessly,
he has failed his duty as a minister.
257
00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:12,533
Yet, Wang Jun shows no remorse or reform,
causing chaos in court affairs and unrest.
258
00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:15,066
Therefore, he is stripped of all his titles and posts.
259
00:18:15,066 --> 00:18:18,933
He is demoted to Military Officer of Shangzhou,
and must leave the capital immediately.
260
00:18:18,933 --> 00:18:22,866
In this new post, he must discipline himself and
be diligent, fulfilling his duties,
261
00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,866
to repay imperial grace and bring peace to the people.
262
00:18:25,866 --> 00:18:29,000
Should he fail to correct his past wrongs
and repeat his mistakes,
263
00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,733
the law of the land is clear, and I dare not show favoritism.
264
00:18:32,333 --> 00:18:34,630
Let the responsible authorities carry this out.
265
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,666
It has finally come to this.
266
00:18:44,533 --> 00:18:45,633
Back in Taiyuan,
267
00:18:47,533 --> 00:18:50,833
Jun had the nickname "the Scholar".
He was open-minded about everything,
268
00:18:51,766 --> 00:18:53,000
He also had a chivalrous spirit.
269
00:18:54,133 --> 00:18:55,366
On every day off,
270
00:18:56,733 --> 00:19:00,000
he would take a jar of wine from the storehouse,
271
00:19:01,833 --> 00:19:03,766
and invite all our comrades for a feast.
272
00:19:05,633 --> 00:19:08,000
[Lady Dong, Guo Wei's concubine]
The ancients said,
273
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,900
"It's better to be a dog in peaceful times
than a man in chaotic times."
274
00:19:12,766 --> 00:19:14,633
This wretched world,
275
00:19:16,300 --> 00:19:17,533
is constantly at war.
276
00:19:19,266 --> 00:19:24,000
If the people of the world cannot attain peace,
how can civil and military officials hope to achieve it?
277
00:19:26,433 --> 00:19:28,566
My entire family died, leaving no one behind.
278
00:19:29,100 --> 00:19:30,733
Even if one becomes the Emperor,
279
00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:32,966
what meaning does it hold?
280
00:19:34,733 --> 00:19:36,066
That day, Jun said to me,
281
00:19:37,866 --> 00:19:38,600
"This world,
282
00:19:39,933 --> 00:19:41,600
is still far from peace."
283
00:19:42,866 --> 00:19:43,666
In these times,
284
00:19:44,866 --> 00:19:47,500
no one has the fate of a peaceful Emperor.
285
00:19:48,666 --> 00:19:50,166
A peaceful Emperor...
286
00:19:52,233 --> 00:19:54,733
Emperor Taizong of Tang was an Emperor.
287
00:19:54,733 --> 00:19:57,566
He brought peace at the age of thirty-five.
288
00:19:59,300 --> 00:20:00,900
I am now fifty years old.
289
00:20:02,033 --> 00:20:02,733
How pitiful!
290
00:20:04,533 --> 00:20:05,566
For fifty years,
291
00:20:06,566 --> 00:20:08,166
I have never seen
292
00:20:09,533 --> 00:20:12,533
what a peaceful year even looks like.
293
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:18,866
What's wrong?
294
00:20:20,933 --> 00:20:22,400
I'll go fetch more wine and dishes.
295
00:20:24,033 --> 00:20:25,730
You two, father and son, have a good talk.
296
00:20:34,133 --> 00:20:38,333
Some matters can no longer be as they were in the past.
297
00:20:40,033 --> 00:20:41,033
Which matters?
298
00:20:41,933 --> 00:20:44,566
Achieving a peaceful and prosperous age is no easy task.
299
00:20:44,566 --> 00:20:48,833
Rather than wallowing in self-pity here,
it's better to tackle things one by one, and get them done.
300
00:20:49,566 --> 00:20:50,600
How to do it?
301
00:20:51,733 --> 00:20:52,266
First,
302
00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:53,900
cease court disputes.
303
00:20:55,033 --> 00:20:56,666
Given the current dire situation,
304
00:20:57,766 --> 00:21:00,766
we, as compatriots, should not engage in internal strife.
305
00:21:01,233 --> 00:21:05,033
Whether civil or military officials,
as long as they serve the court wholeheartedly,
306
00:21:05,033 --> 00:21:08,033
even the imperial family should prioritize the greater good,
307
00:21:08,033 --> 00:21:09,900
and endure what must be endured.
308
00:21:09,900 --> 00:21:10,466
Continue.
309
00:21:11,733 --> 00:21:12,266
Second,
310
00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,533
control Military Governors' elite soldiers.
311
00:21:14,533 --> 00:21:18,730
Most of the chaos stems from the arrogance of these elites,
who overthrow their superiors,
312
00:21:18,730 --> 00:21:20,433
and even replace the ruling dynasty.
313
00:21:20,433 --> 00:21:25,200
Father, you are now master of the world.
There should be no division between inner and outer.
314
00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,466
The elites of the various military governors must be
gradually integrated into the Imperial Guard.
315
00:21:29,466 --> 00:21:32,266
Incidents of Baima Station and Xingjiao Gate—
I know these stories.
316
00:21:32,266 --> 00:21:32,933
Third:
317
00:21:33,533 --> 00:21:35,333
Advance civil governance.
318
00:21:35,333 --> 00:21:39,100
All great eras in history relied on
cultural and educational work.
319
00:21:39,100 --> 00:21:43,133
In court administration, we should use
more civil officials who can accomplish things.
320
00:21:43,866 --> 00:21:44,800
The central court
321
00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:47,333
should not be dominated by military men.
322
00:21:48,633 --> 00:21:49,300
Fourth:
323
00:21:49,766 --> 00:21:51,300
Curb the military governors.
324
00:21:51,300 --> 00:21:53,100
The world has been split apart too long.
325
00:21:53,100 --> 00:21:56,066
Prefectures and commanderies constantly war and annex one another.
326
00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,833
The state's foundation is weakened,
327
00:21:59,433 --> 00:22:01,100
and the people endure displacement.
328
00:22:01,733 --> 00:22:03,566
A vast dream indeed.
329
00:22:05,333 --> 00:22:05,966
It is a dream,
330
00:22:06,866 --> 00:22:07,866
but we must dare to dream it.
331
00:22:09,066 --> 00:22:09,700
Fifth:
332
00:22:10,066 --> 00:22:11,833
Plan for unification.
333
00:22:11,833 --> 00:22:12,566
The world is vast.
334
00:22:13,333 --> 00:22:15,933
State taxes, agriculture, water conservancy,
335
00:22:16,233 --> 00:22:17,900
education, relief, commerce—
336
00:22:18,266 --> 00:22:19,966
these are all the court's duties.
337
00:22:20,666 --> 00:22:24,566
If the court cannot do them, or do them well,
how can we speak of unification?
338
00:22:24,566 --> 00:22:28,133
The court's decrees are mere useless paper
to those military governors.
339
00:22:29,266 --> 00:22:30,533
Consider the yearly floods.
340
00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:35,566
Taming it is harder than reaching heaven,
because upstream are the Guanzhong garrisons,
341
00:22:36,066 --> 00:22:38,900
midstream the breakaway Northern Han, and downstream...
342
00:22:39,466 --> 00:22:41,200
just last month, Murong Yanchao was there.
343
00:22:42,100 --> 00:22:45,700
Not to mention Southern Tang, Western Shu,
Wuyue, and other such states.
344
00:22:45,700 --> 00:22:47,000
Each has its own separate rule.
345
00:22:47,666 --> 00:22:49,533
If the world cannot be unified,
346
00:22:50,100 --> 00:22:52,700
then what we call an Emperor, meaning Son of Heaven,
347
00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:56,000
is just a better-fed military governor.
348
00:22:56,266 --> 00:22:59,133
There are so many tasks.
One generation cannot finish them all.
349
00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:00,566
We must rely on effort.
350
00:23:01,766 --> 00:23:02,300
Father,
351
00:23:03,533 --> 00:23:06,600
if we cannot, like Emperor Taizong, bring peace at thirty-five,
352
00:23:07,466 --> 00:23:08,733
then we strive for forty-five.
353
00:23:08,733 --> 00:23:09,333
Fifty-five.
354
00:23:09,633 --> 00:23:10,333
Sixty-five.
355
00:23:11,233 --> 00:23:15,066
If one generation cannot finish,
then two generations, three generations.
356
00:23:15,066 --> 00:23:19,233
As long as each generation continues, we will eventually
give this world back a golden age of peace.
357
00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,833
General of the Left Gate Guard, Prefect of Chanzhou,
358
00:23:31,533 --> 00:23:35,333
Military Governor of the Zhenning Army,
Marquis of Taiyuan, Guo Rong,
359
00:23:35,733 --> 00:23:39,033
possesses great literary talent,
and is courageous beyond compare.
360
00:23:39,033 --> 00:23:43,800
He repaired the great river,
and governed the people, easing their livelihood.
361
00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:48,633
He is appointed Prefect of Kaifeng,
Chancellor of the Central Secretariat,
362
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,900
concurrently Merit Commissioner,
and granted authority over all military affairs.
363
00:23:52,900 --> 00:23:54,233
He is enfeoffed as Prince of Jin.
364
00:23:55,033 --> 00:23:57,466
May he not disgrace this most impartial appointment.
365
00:23:58,066 --> 00:24:01,200
Let this be proclaimed far and wide, that all may hear it.
366
00:24:01,533 --> 00:24:03,666
Let the responsible authorities carry this out.
367
00:24:04,500 --> 00:24:07,500
I kowtow in gratitude for Your Majesty's heavenly grace.
368
00:24:17,666 --> 00:24:18,366
Chancellery:
369
00:24:18,766 --> 00:24:25,200
Deputy Director of the Secretariat, Chancellor,
and Commissioner of the Three Fiscal Agencies, Li Gu,
370
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,833
is appointed Inspector of the Six Residences
in Jiangnan, in Wuyue prefectures.
371
00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:34,600
Remonstrance Officer and Kaifeng Prefecture
Judicial Officer Wang Pu,
372
00:24:34,866 --> 00:24:38,466
Chief Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhao Kuangyin,
373
00:24:38,466 --> 00:24:41,333
are appointed Deputy Inspector of the Six Residences.
374
00:24:41,333 --> 00:24:45,066
They shall pacify the southeast area,
to manifest the court's sincere intent.
375
00:24:45,066 --> 00:24:47,100
You all have long been known for your loyalty.
376
00:24:47,633 --> 00:24:51,500
Let this be proclaimed, that all may hear it.
Let the responsible authorities carry this out.
377
00:24:51,500 --> 00:24:53,366
We obey the decree.
378
00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,933
Li Gu's mission to Southern Tang and Wuyue this time,
379
00:25:00,833 --> 00:25:03,466
is to cease warfare, forge alliances,
380
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:05,266
and promote trade.
381
00:25:05,833 --> 00:25:08,333
[Eastern Palace Guard Officer]
Years of war, compounded by natural disasters,
382
00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,033
[Eastern Palace Guard Officer]
have left local granaries more than half empty.
383
00:25:13,466 --> 00:25:17,233
His Majesty intends to recuperate and
build strength, to cease fighting.
384
00:25:17,233 --> 00:25:23,533
Huainan, Jiangnan, and Wuyue have been the land of
fish and rice since the time of the two Jin dynasties.
385
00:25:24,933 --> 00:25:31,166
If grain from the south can be shipped north, the court's
situation in the coming two years will be much easier.
386
00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:36,333
The lords have been divided for nearly a century.
The realm must ultimately be unified.
387
00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:38,633
This journey south is also
388
00:25:38,633 --> 00:25:43,100
[Wang Pu]
to observe the customs and bearing of the southern people.
389
00:25:43,100 --> 00:25:45,900
The Li clan of Southern Tang and the Qian clan of Wuyue—
390
00:25:47,666 --> 00:25:50,666
if they can submit to the king's rule without resorting to arms,
391
00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:52,600
nothing could be better.
392
00:25:53,733 --> 00:25:55,700
[Western Palace Guard Officer]
This matter
393
00:25:55,700 --> 00:25:57,233
[Western Palace Guard Officer]
is likely not easy.
394
00:25:57,233 --> 00:25:58,500
I know it is not easy.
395
00:25:59,866 --> 00:26:02,433
That is why I have Mr. Wang and Kuangyin
396
00:26:03,100 --> 00:26:07,500
accompany Li Gu on this journey south,
to observe the situation.
397
00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:09,733
Observe not just the court,
398
00:26:10,766 --> 00:26:11,833
but also the common folk.
399
00:26:12,666 --> 00:26:16,000
A state's strength lies not only in its arms,
400
00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:18,433
but more in its people's hearts.
401
00:26:19,900 --> 00:26:22,233
If the people in Jiangnan favor the Li clan,
402
00:26:22,233 --> 00:26:23,733
and in Wuyue favor the Qian clan,
403
00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:25,933
even if their armies are weak,
404
00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:30,433
the court should treat them kindly and await change.
405
00:26:32,266 --> 00:26:32,766
Therefore,
406
00:26:34,033 --> 00:26:36,533
Mei and Bin shall also go.
407
00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:42,133
Bring back to me the true state of affairs
in Wuyue and Southern Tang.
408
00:26:44,533 --> 00:26:45,166
Understood.
409
00:27:00,300 --> 00:27:02,566
I told you to go and rest early.
410
00:27:03,333 --> 00:27:04,966
I don't need anyone attending to me here.
411
00:27:19,233 --> 00:27:20,100
Stay up less late.
412
00:27:21,333 --> 00:27:24,400
[Lady Fu, Guo Rong's wife]
Work is never finished.
413
00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,100
Build your body to be stronger,
414
00:27:27,100 --> 00:27:29,200
and strive to add a few more years to your life.
415
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,433
You make it sound so easy.
416
00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:34,200
The times are hard.
417
00:27:35,100 --> 00:27:37,733
Even the imperial family can fall into ruin without a good end.
418
00:27:37,733 --> 00:27:40,566
Father wants to build a century of peace and prosperity.
419
00:27:40,566 --> 00:27:45,300
From the court down to the prefectures and counties,
there are countless matters waiting to be handled.
420
00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,666
When Luojia was alive, she could
always understand these difficulties.
421
00:27:56,566 --> 00:27:57,833
She never spoke such angry words to me.
422
00:27:58,833 --> 00:27:59,733
Your words, my King,
423
00:28:00,833 --> 00:28:01,900
I do not wish to hear.
424
00:28:03,933 --> 00:28:04,800
The times are hard.
425
00:28:05,766 --> 00:28:07,300
Is it only your family that is broken?
426
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,200
You lost your wife of first marriage,
and I too lost my young husband.
427
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,566
We are both lost souls in this world.
428
00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:18,500
Who does not know the other's heart?
429
00:28:26,033 --> 00:28:26,666
Guo Rong,
430
00:28:31,333 --> 00:28:33,133
If you think I am not as good as Lady Liu,
431
00:28:33,666 --> 00:28:34,900
then just say it plainly.
432
00:28:35,466 --> 00:28:40,933
I will return to my parents' home with pregnancy.
At least there will be a peaceful meal.
433
00:28:40,933 --> 00:28:44,400
I only said one thing, and you reply with so many complaints.
434
00:28:46,733 --> 00:28:49,133
On our wedding day two years ago, I already told you:
435
00:28:49,133 --> 00:28:49,766
I, Guo Rong,
436
00:28:49,766 --> 00:28:50,966
am a man whose heart is dead.
437
00:28:51,666 --> 00:28:54,033
Unlike the young master of the Li family,
438
00:28:54,033 --> 00:28:54,933
in this life,
439
00:28:55,566 --> 00:28:57,933
it is unlikely I will ever live well again.
440
00:28:57,933 --> 00:28:59,566
If you seek wealth and peace,
441
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:01,533
I am truly not a good match.
442
00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:10,466
But what did you say before?
443
00:29:11,266 --> 00:29:12,966
We are just two unfortunate people
444
00:29:13,533 --> 00:29:15,400
huddling together for warmth.
445
00:29:15,866 --> 00:29:17,500
I regret it now, is that not allowed?
446
00:29:18,633 --> 00:29:19,000
You...
447
00:29:19,700 --> 00:29:20,266
King,
448
00:29:20,766 --> 00:29:23,800
Zhao Kuangyin, Chief of the Imperial Guards,
requests an audience.
449
00:29:42,700 --> 00:29:43,960
Greetings, Great King.
450
00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:51,000
We are comrades. No need for such formality.
451
00:29:52,666 --> 00:29:55,666
To keep calling you by nickname
would be rather inappropriate now.
452
00:29:56,866 --> 00:29:57,666
Enough of that.
453
00:29:59,133 --> 00:30:01,966
Coming here so late, if you don't have urgent business,
454
00:30:02,433 --> 00:30:03,866
then hurry back and get some sleep.
455
00:30:04,666 --> 00:30:06,100
We set off south tomorrow.
456
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:07,266
May I ask you,
457
00:30:07,933 --> 00:30:08,633
is the court
458
00:30:09,300 --> 00:30:10,633
planning a southern campaign?
459
00:30:27,866 --> 00:30:28,900
Who told you that?
460
00:30:33,566 --> 00:30:36,233
I wasn't intended to think about it,
461
00:30:36,233 --> 00:30:39,300
but today, the things you said at Kaifeng Prefecture,
462
00:30:39,933 --> 00:30:42,533
I've been turning them over, and it all feels somewhat strange.
463
00:30:44,533 --> 00:30:45,266
Strange?
464
00:30:46,700 --> 00:30:48,200
Southern Tang is one thing.
465
00:30:49,766 --> 00:30:50,700
But in Wuyue,
466
00:30:51,433 --> 00:30:52,966
it's Hongchu who's in charge now.
467
00:30:53,500 --> 00:30:57,233
If there were anything you worry,
speaking openly wouldn't matter.
468
00:30:57,233 --> 00:31:01,366
Yet you deliberately mentioned none of it,
sticking only to formal pleasantries.
469
00:31:11,833 --> 00:31:13,633
As expected, I couldn't hide it from you.
470
00:31:17,666 --> 00:31:19,860
So a southern campaign is truly coming?
471
00:31:22,733 --> 00:31:23,266
Look at this.
472
00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:28,233
This is Mr. Wang's writing.
473
00:31:28,833 --> 00:31:29,433
Read it.
474
00:31:33,933 --> 00:31:37,766
The disorder of the late Tang lay
in the weakness of imperial authority.
475
00:31:37,766 --> 00:31:42,500
The scourge of the military governors stemmed from
the excessive power of frontier commanders.
476
00:31:42,500 --> 00:31:47,033
Since the Zhenguan era onward, the primary criterion
for appointment has been administrative skill.
477
00:31:47,033 --> 00:31:50,000
Moral was neglected, and serious governance
became an empty name.
478
00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,766
Control over the Secretariat was effective,
but oversight of the regions was not.
479
00:31:55,733 --> 00:31:58,700
The sovereign's reliance on frontier commanders
was not without cause.
480
00:31:58,700 --> 00:32:02,930
The court's practice of enfeoffing military governors
would also cause bad consequences.
481
00:32:09,066 --> 00:32:12,266
I have been reading the Admonitions of Duke Wei Zheng.
482
00:32:13,766 --> 00:32:17,300
One who is illiterate cannot govern the officials.
483
00:32:18,633 --> 00:32:22,700
One who does not study history cannot
understand the cycles of rise and fall.
484
00:32:25,133 --> 00:32:30,066
The issue of military governors and local rulers
has always been an intractable knot.
485
00:32:30,066 --> 00:32:35,760
Ever since the First Emperor replaced the Duke of Zhou's
feudal system with commanderies and counties,
486
00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:36,833
this knot was there.
487
00:32:38,133 --> 00:32:39,366
In this vast China land,
488
00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:41,466
a single dispatch
489
00:32:42,100 --> 00:32:46,533
from Guanzhong or Henan to Guangzhou or Quanzhou
490
00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:49,100
would take a fast horse two months.
491
00:32:51,233 --> 00:32:53,566
If sent to Qianzhong or the Baiyue lands,
492
00:32:54,066 --> 00:32:55,800
it might take over half a year.
493
00:32:57,066 --> 00:33:01,933
Thus, it is not a question of whether the court
is willing to establish military governors,
494
00:33:02,933 --> 00:33:06,733
but rather that some places naturally
have military governors.
495
00:33:10,766 --> 00:33:12,033
It is the force of circumstance.
496
00:33:13,700 --> 00:33:14,400
How can tactics
497
00:33:15,133 --> 00:33:16,266
halt it?
498
00:33:18,300 --> 00:33:20,966
In the early Han, there were no such things as provinces.
499
00:33:22,333 --> 00:33:23,333
The Prefect,
500
00:33:24,666 --> 00:33:27,933
was merely an official for inspection and impeachment.
501
00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:29,766
However,
502
00:33:30,566 --> 00:33:32,833
once this system lasted long enough,
503
00:33:32,833 --> 00:33:35,900
it eventually led to the establishment of thirteen provinces,
504
00:33:36,733 --> 00:33:38,033
akin to feudal states.
505
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:40,900
The court could not control them.
506
00:33:42,133 --> 00:33:44,966
The chaos of the Three Kingdoms truly originated from this.
507
00:33:45,833 --> 00:33:51,500
The Wei and Jin dynasties curtailed the power
held by inspectors and governors,
508
00:33:52,733 --> 00:33:55,033
but still had to bestow
509
00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:58,700
white banners and yellow axes upon military commanders,
[white banners and yellow axes: represent military authority]
510
00:33:58,766 --> 00:34:00,866
allowing them to govern the regions.
[white banners and yellow axes: represent military authority]
511
00:34:01,666 --> 00:34:04,900
Over time, they amassed military power and acted autonomously.
512
00:34:05,033 --> 00:34:08,266
The chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms also stemmed from this.
513
00:34:09,866 --> 00:34:10,600
In the early Tang,
514
00:34:11,566 --> 00:34:13,766
though prefectures and commanderies were established,
515
00:34:14,566 --> 00:34:17,066
they ultimately could not resist this trend
516
00:34:18,633 --> 00:34:22,000
and even gave rise to offices like the military governor.
517
00:34:23,133 --> 00:34:23,800
Your Majesty,
518
00:34:25,100 --> 00:34:26,033
if you wish to change this,
519
00:34:27,466 --> 00:34:29,500
you must first alter the underlying trend.
520
00:34:30,666 --> 00:34:31,400
Otherwise,
521
00:34:32,133 --> 00:34:35,166
laws and tactics are merely minor arts.
522
00:34:36,866 --> 00:34:37,966
Within a hundred years,
523
00:34:38,833 --> 00:34:39,900
there may be no trouble,
524
00:34:40,866 --> 00:34:41,966
but after five dynasties,
525
00:34:43,333 --> 00:34:45,066
it will surely become a calamity.
526
00:34:48,066 --> 00:34:49,300
What is to be done?
527
00:34:50,900 --> 00:34:53,933
If Your Majesty lacks long-term foresight,
528
00:34:53,933 --> 00:34:58,766
then reducing the vassals' power is merely
drinking poison to quench thirst.
529
00:35:00,066 --> 00:35:01,466
You may manage it for the present,
530
00:35:02,566 --> 00:35:03,900
but not for future generations.
531
00:35:05,233 --> 00:35:07,900
If Emperor Taizong of Tang had employed enfeoffment,
532
00:35:10,033 --> 00:35:12,100
could he have avoided the chaos of later times?
533
00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:13,766
He could not.
534
00:35:14,666 --> 00:35:15,566
Why is that?
535
00:35:16,233 --> 00:35:18,233
The Duke of Zhou's enfeoffment
536
00:35:18,233 --> 00:35:21,900
was to transform wild frontier lands into
core territories of the Central Plains.
537
00:35:22,933 --> 00:35:26,066
Emperor Gaozu of Han's enfeoffment was
to turn impoverished wastelands
538
00:35:26,066 --> 00:35:28,133
into lands governed with non-interference.
539
00:35:28,133 --> 00:35:30,033
But Emperor Taizong of Tang's enfeoffment
540
00:35:30,233 --> 00:35:33,533
was to carve up the national territory to
enfeoff princes and meritorious officials,
541
00:35:34,500 --> 00:35:38,900
merely bequeathing a source of calamity,
with little achieved in governance and transformation.
542
00:35:40,066 --> 00:35:42,666
If Emperor Wen had possessed great wisdom,
543
00:35:43,533 --> 00:35:47,033
enfeoffing Prince Wei to the Baiyue and East Sea,
544
00:35:47,833 --> 00:35:51,133
enfeoffing Gaozong to the frontier of Yanji,
545
00:35:51,166 --> 00:35:51,633
then
546
00:35:52,733 --> 00:35:55,666
the Zhenguan era would have seen no Xuanwu Gate Rebellion,
547
00:35:55,666 --> 00:35:58,466
the glorious Tang would have had no An-Shi Rebellion.
548
00:35:58,633 --> 00:36:02,500
Only this kind of enfeoffment reveals its true purpose.
549
00:36:04,166 --> 00:36:05,200
Yet,
550
00:36:06,866 --> 00:36:08,366
with Prince Wei's favored status,
551
00:36:09,333 --> 00:36:12,100
sending him to the southeast with little actual power.
552
00:36:13,433 --> 00:36:14,300
Emperor Taizong
553
00:36:15,500 --> 00:36:16,400
could not bear it.
554
00:36:18,100 --> 00:36:19,433
But if we do not weaken the vassals,
555
00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:22,933
how can the realm be unified?
556
00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:26,266
How can the warfare cease?
557
00:36:27,500 --> 00:36:28,633
How can the people,
558
00:36:30,466 --> 00:36:32,033
live in peace, health, and prosperity?
559
00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:33,533
Your Majesty,
560
00:36:34,133 --> 00:36:36,433
weakening the vassals is not the fundamental way.
561
00:36:38,700 --> 00:36:40,300
Nor does it mean they cannot be weakened.
562
00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:47,266
The so-called reduction of vassals does not mean
weakening every vassal we see.
563
00:36:48,533 --> 00:36:52,300
Whom to weaken and whom not, why to weaken, why not to weaken—
564
00:36:53,300 --> 00:36:54,466
this is a profound study.
565
00:36:55,300 --> 00:36:56,633
I ask for your guidance, Rong.
566
00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,930
Reducing vassals is the state's foremost important matter.
567
00:37:04,166 --> 00:37:05,300
The Qian clan of Wuyue,
568
00:37:06,033 --> 00:37:09,666
since Qian Liu seized control of the southeast, for fifty years,
569
00:37:10,066 --> 00:37:12,700
has served the court well and diligently paid tribute.
570
00:37:12,700 --> 00:37:16,333
They can protect their borders and pacify their people.
571
00:37:16,333 --> 00:37:20,333
Even if the current ruler were not Hongchu,
there would be no hurry to weaken them.
572
00:37:21,866 --> 00:37:23,633
But as for the Li clan of Southern Tang,
573
00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:29,500
the Li family has proclaimed itself emperor,
like Yuan Shu at the end of the Eastern Han.
574
00:37:29,733 --> 00:37:31,866
Thus all should join in condemning them.
575
00:37:33,566 --> 00:37:38,633
But that also depends on whether the matter of
transporting southern grain north can be accomplished.
576
00:37:38,633 --> 00:37:41,566
Therefore, reducing vassals depends not only on the situation,
577
00:37:42,066 --> 00:37:43,633
but also on communications.
578
00:37:43,633 --> 00:37:44,433
Communications?
579
00:37:45,100 --> 00:37:48,000
If the people and merchants can interact without hindrance,
580
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:49,900
trading goods and facilitating commerce,
581
00:37:50,733 --> 00:37:51,566
over time,
582
00:37:52,300 --> 00:37:54,833
even the incompatible will become one.
583
00:37:54,833 --> 00:37:55,666
Conversely,
584
00:37:56,700 --> 00:38:00,100
if the two sides are isolated, with no
contact between officials and people,
585
00:38:00,500 --> 00:38:01,366
over time,
586
00:38:02,466 --> 00:38:04,133
separation becomes custom and precedent.
587
00:38:05,166 --> 00:38:08,900
That land and its people will truly no longer
belong to the central authority.
588
00:38:10,900 --> 00:38:13,000
Therefore, on this southern journey,
589
00:38:13,633 --> 00:38:15,833
we first discuss communications with Hongchu.
590
00:38:17,433 --> 00:38:18,366
Hongchu,
591
00:38:19,866 --> 00:38:21,566
surely has his own difficulties as well.
592
00:38:30,866 --> 00:38:31,400
Reduce the army?
593
00:38:32,733 --> 00:38:33,433
Reduce the army.
594
00:38:33,933 --> 00:38:34,433
Whom to reduce?
595
00:38:44,866 --> 00:38:45,800
Reduce how many?
596
00:38:46,466 --> 00:38:47,700
And under what pretext?
597
00:38:54,933 --> 00:38:55,800
Reporting to you, Lord.
598
00:38:57,066 --> 00:38:58,400
Since the third year of Changxing,
599
00:38:59,066 --> 00:39:01,700
[Shen Yin]
Wuyue has had thirteen Companies of troops.
600
00:39:01,700 --> 00:39:05,233
Among them, eight Companies were established
when King Wusu raised his army.
601
00:39:05,233 --> 00:39:06,233
Five were added later.
602
00:39:06,633 --> 00:39:09,500
During King Wenmu's reign,
the Imperial and Personal Guard were established,
603
00:39:09,500 --> 00:39:14,133
including Zhongzhi, Kuangwu, Cifei, Left and Right Halls,
Yue Cavalry and so, twenty-four in total.
604
00:39:14,533 --> 00:39:16,833
King Zhongxian established three new companies.
605
00:39:17,733 --> 00:39:21,900
In addition, there are the Liaoqian Company
guarding the seawall and the Taihu Lake dike,
606
00:39:22,933 --> 00:39:28,466
the Zhedong and Zhexi, two major Land Offices responsible
for cultivation, construction, and military settlements,
607
00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:32,166
the Ruijin Company responsible
for repairing armor and weapons,
608
00:39:32,566 --> 00:39:35,033
the Louchuan Company responsible for repairing warships,
609
00:39:35,466 --> 00:39:37,533
The Chejia Company responsible for repairing vehicles.
610
00:39:37,900 --> 00:39:41,333
And also, the three Zizhong Companies
responsible for transporting supplies.
611
00:39:41,933 --> 00:39:44,100
In total, it's forty-eight companies.
612
00:39:44,100 --> 00:39:47,733
Troop, two hundred and forty thousand,
three thousand, five hundred and eighty-one men.
613
00:39:48,466 --> 00:39:51,366
This military reduction will include the old eight companies,
614
00:39:51,366 --> 00:39:53,066
and the five established at the founding.
615
00:39:53,333 --> 00:39:54,266
All will be disbanded.
616
00:39:54,900 --> 00:40:01,633
The two major Land Offices, their affiliated officers will be
transferred to the Ministry of Revenue as subordinates.
617
00:40:02,133 --> 00:40:04,000
The soldiers will all be disbanded.
618
00:40:04,733 --> 00:40:08,800
The Ruijin, the Louchuan, and the three Zizhong Companies
will merge into the Ministry of War.
619
00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:10,533
The Chejia into the Ministry of Works.
620
00:40:11,066 --> 00:40:14,033
In total, twenty-one Companies will be disbanded,
reducing troop strength by
621
00:40:14,233 --> 00:40:16,566
eighty-seven thousand, three hundred and twenty-one men.
622
00:40:17,033 --> 00:40:18,966
Do you also intend to destroy Wuyue?
623
00:40:26,733 --> 00:40:28,466
Does the King know what soldiers are?
624
00:40:29,700 --> 00:40:30,933
Without the old eight companies,
625
00:40:32,166 --> 00:40:33,466
there would be no Wuyue.
626
00:40:34,633 --> 00:40:36,700
Without these soldiers,
627
00:40:37,633 --> 00:40:42,800
the old king would have been nothing but a fish and salt
peddler struggling for life on the mudflats.
628
00:40:43,266 --> 00:40:45,800
And I would have been nothing but a filthy butcher
629
00:40:45,933 --> 00:40:48,100
in Chang'an, slaughtering pigs and sheep.
630
00:40:48,900 --> 00:40:49,900
In this chaotic age,
631
00:40:50,533 --> 00:40:51,833
human life is as cheap as grass.
632
00:40:52,466 --> 00:40:54,800
Soldiers are the foundation of the realm.
633
00:40:55,466 --> 00:40:55,933
Soldiers,
634
00:40:56,533 --> 00:41:00,000
are the ballast stone for our Wuyue's peaceful time.
635
00:41:01,033 --> 00:41:02,100
Without soldiers,
636
00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:04,300
or with weak soldiers,
637
00:41:05,333 --> 00:41:06,400
let alone the realm,
638
00:41:08,833 --> 00:41:09,733
the future,
639
00:41:10,633 --> 00:41:11,466
even now,
640
00:41:13,666 --> 00:41:16,800
the Li family of Southern Tang to the north
will pounce fiercely upon us.
641
00:41:19,233 --> 00:41:21,766
With sharp teeth and claws, bite by bite,
642
00:41:22,266 --> 00:41:25,333
they will devour this paradise southeastern land
until nothing remains.
643
00:41:26,100 --> 00:41:27,633
There will be no more state of Wuyue.
644
00:41:34,833 --> 00:41:38,633
Not only your family, but the entire Qian clan
645
00:41:39,466 --> 00:41:41,500
will be left with nowhere to bury their dead.
646
00:41:42,900 --> 00:41:43,400
Is that
647
00:41:44,233 --> 00:41:45,300
truly so?
648
00:41:46,566 --> 00:41:48,200
Does the King doubt my words?
649
00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:52,400
I am asking:
650
00:41:53,133 --> 00:41:57,366
Can today's old eight companies still
serve as Wuyue's protective barrier?
651
00:42:01,333 --> 00:42:01,800
Yin,
652
00:42:05,533 --> 00:42:09,333
according to the inner guard roster, what is
the listed strength of the old eight companies?
653
00:42:10,433 --> 00:42:13,833
Thirty-one thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two.
654
00:42:15,466 --> 00:42:16,533
How many are actually present?
655
00:42:17,666 --> 00:42:22,500
According to inspections by the Inner Guard
Surveillance Office, the actual number is
656
00:42:22,833 --> 00:42:24,600
eleven thousand and fifty-four men.
657
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:27,666
Vacancies,
658
00:42:28,233 --> 00:42:28,900
ghost soldiers,
659
00:42:29,633 --> 00:42:30,233
false accounts.
660
00:42:31,500 --> 00:42:32,833
The three great military evils,
661
00:42:33,033 --> 00:42:33,700
are you
662
00:42:34,233 --> 00:42:35,333
all unaware?
663
00:42:44,700 --> 00:42:45,966
Lord,
664
00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:48,000
can such an army,
665
00:42:49,300 --> 00:42:51,600
still serve as our Wuyue's protective barrier?
666
00:43:24,433 --> 00:43:27,400
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles
stretch towering mountains. ♫
667
00:43:27,900 --> 00:43:30,866
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles
run surging rivers. ♫
668
00:43:31,433 --> 00:43:34,400
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles
cry warhorses. ♫
669
00:43:34,900 --> 00:43:39,000
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles
there are emotions unspoken. ♫
670
00:43:39,933 --> 00:43:42,900
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles,
flowers are blooming along the road. ♫
671
00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:46,366
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles,
gooses are returning to the north. ♫
672
00:43:46,933 --> 00:43:49,900
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles,
we stand through storms. ♫
673
00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:54,500
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles,
we hope for a safe return. ♫
674
00:43:58,700 --> 00:44:01,366
♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫
675
00:44:01,966 --> 00:44:04,866
♫ for a lifetime's sorrows and joys. ♫
676
00:44:05,500 --> 00:44:08,166
♫ Tens of thousands of miles is not enough, ♫
677
00:44:08,766 --> 00:44:11,666
♫ for the endless seas and rivers. ♫
678
00:44:12,466 --> 00:44:15,133
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
679
00:44:15,733 --> 00:44:18,633
♫ love will overcome all barriers. ♫
680
00:44:19,333 --> 00:44:20,633
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
681
00:44:21,300 --> 00:44:25,033
♫ we are together in life and death. ♫
682
00:44:25,966 --> 00:44:29,000
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫
683
00:44:32,700 --> 00:44:35,733
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles. ♫
684
00:44:39,633 --> 00:44:40,966
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
685
00:44:41,333 --> 00:44:42,766
♫ the moon shines in the boundless world. ♫
686
00:44:43,100 --> 00:44:46,333
♫ My heart has its hometown to return. ♫
687
00:44:46,533 --> 00:44:47,866
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
688
00:44:48,233 --> 00:44:49,666
♫ who is the one crossing the waves with me, ♫
689
00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:53,233
♫ with our hearts unrepentant,
through countless lifetimes. ♫
690
00:44:53,433 --> 00:44:54,866
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
691
00:44:55,133 --> 00:44:56,666
♫ oceans and lands witness that♫
692
00:44:56,900 --> 00:44:59,666
♫ the world will be safe and sound. ♫
693
00:45:00,066 --> 00:45:03,100
♫ Across tens of thousands of miles, ♫
694
00:45:11,266 --> 00:45:15,433
♫ my heart is unchanging. ♫
53881
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