Original subtitles

Who's there?

Counselor Gongsun.

It's the middle of the night.

What are you looking for? Let me help.

It's a military secret.

What military secret?

I just told you it's a military secret. Why are you still asking?

Move along.

Yes, sir.

Let's go over there.

♪ The world is vast ♪

♪ The storm is rising ♪

♪ Day and night ♪

♪ We strive to save the world ♪

♪ All people ♪

♪ Are part of the past ♪

♪ What's the date today? ♪

♪ How lamentable ♪

Counselor.

Come in.

Counselor, it's already past 1 a.m.

You're still injured. Please rest early.

I'll review the secrets a bit longer.

You may leave.

Yes, sir.

Good.

Excellent.

There's a rule left by our ancestors:

when forging a deadly weapon,

it must draw blood when first sharpened.

Only after tempering can it leave the furnace.

This is to subdue the weapon's spirit,

so it won't harm its master.

His Lordship never believes in such superstition.

What kind of blood?

Human blood is best.

Someone!

Stoke the fire!

Your Lordship, please treat these two blades well.

It's she

who can bring these two blades to greatness.

[Pursuit of Jade]

[Episode 28]

Hyah!

Hyah!

Little Young Master, we won't be able to hide for much longer.

If it comes down to a fight to the death,

I will lure them away.

You just run for your life.

Don't worry about me.

Mr. Xun, don't panic.

Check out these ruts on this official road—

they clearly show that a sizable force just passed through ahead.

You mean we can ask for help?

But what if it was the Sui Army that just passed?

Wouldn't that be walking right into their trap?

I once read through the bamboo scrolls in my fat...

In that man's room.

They contain the specifications of the carriages and horses

of the armies from the three prefectures, Chong, Yan, and Ji.

These ruts belong to the Xie Army.

Little Young Master, what's your age?

I mean, how old are you?

Six.

Still so young,

yet you have a photographic memory.

It shows that your talent is a gift from heaven.

So you're the chosen one.

Teacher once taught me

to choose the lesser of two evils.

Mr. Xun, we can take a gamble.

Aren't you afraid?

If we lose the bet,

we'll die without a burial place.

Mr. Xun, remember:

we're not running away—

we're going to fetch reinforcements to save my mother.

Yes! Understood.

What time is it?

It's already noon, rise and shine!

Sister, you slept for a really long time.

This fish is really delicious.

I couldn't sleep last night and caught it by the river.

You've got it all over your face.

Is it good?

It's really good. Brother-in-Law grilled it.

How do you know it was he who grilled it?

Before you found me, Sister,

Brother-in-Law would grill fish for me.

It tasted just like this.

Then eat more.

Sister, I miss Bao'er

and Fairy Sister.

I miss them too.

What a wonderful smell.

Master!

You're here.

Elder, you look like a sage from a painting—

like one of the stone statues in Confucius' temple.

I look like Confucius?

I'm really flattered.

You two sisters—the older one's a bit simple and straightforward,

while the younger one sure knows how to sweet-talk.

Come here, you little sweet talker.

Let this old man take a good look at you.

This girl is truly blessed with great fortune.

With an older sister like you protecting her all these years,

she's bound to have great fortune later in life.

Mr. Zhao said the same thing.

He said her round face is a sign of good luck.

Old Zhao?

How can his physiognomy skills possibly compare to mine?

Well, I don't know how to compare.

I just hope you're both right,

and she stays healthy.

Alright.

Come on, let me feel your skull.

This girl's fate

holds too much wealth and honor.

Her body can't quite bear it,

so she's naturally somewhat frail.

But with you there to steady her,

that too is Heaven's will.

You don't understand?

Before she comes of age,

you must keep her by your side.

I certainly will.

Good.

Changyu, I have a few things I'd like to speak with you about from the heart.

Here, Changning.

Go play with Brother Jiu.

Okay.

Be careful.

Last night,

I heard you killed Shi Hu with just 3 hammer strikes.

I was truly shocked.

He was a fierce general, you know, the bravest among the Three Armies.

It was 2 strikes, actually.

Two strikes?

I also just found out

that you're some Minister or Grand Tutor.

Anyway, you're very impressive.

If Jin Yuanbao and the others knew

they once repaired a dam with a big shot like you,

they'd be bragging about it forever.

Are those little brats all doing well?

They're still alive.

Alive. That's good. As long as they're alive.

Changyu,

back to business.

I'll be frank—

someone asked me

to adopt you as my goddaughter.

Goddaughter?

But I'm already your apprentice.

That's different.

Xie Zheng sent you, didn't he?

Grand Tutor, I appreciate your kindness.

But I don't want to rely on anyone

to raise my status.

I may just be a butcher from Lin'an,

but I can support myself with my own hands,

and I can support my sister too.

I don't think my status

is anything to be ashamed of.

But if he dislikes it,

then so be it.

Anyway, the one I like is Yan Zheng.

I don't want to aim above my station with the Marquis of Wu'an.

This isn't a novel.

Not every sparrow turns into a phoenix.

Good. Well said—

rely on yourself;

the strong grow stronger through their own efforts.

But I have to speak up

for that bratty apprentice of mine.

He has never looked down on your status.

He just wants there to be

one more person to protect you.

Although I'm not much,

I've still got some reputation.

If someone tries to harm you,

I will protect you.

Who would harm me?

Just because there isn't now doesn't mean there never will be.

What if there is in the future?

If someone really wants to harm me,

can relying on a man protect me?

Or can your reputation protect me, Master?

Even if you can protect me for a while,

can you protect me for a lifetime?

You...

Y-You little girl.

You see things even more clearly than I do.

A jade pendant found by chance

must eventually be returned.

When I saw him majestically become the Marquis of Wu'an,

I understood.

I understood why he hid his identity,

and why he wouldn't stay in Lin'an.

You may not lack a father,

but I lack a daughter.

Otherwise, I'll die alone.

I want to adopt you as my goddaughter.

Our fates have brought us together.

If you accept me as your godfather,

I'll treat you as my own

and protect you for a lifetime, keeping you safe and happy.

Think it over carefully.

I will not force you.

On the day of the dam lot-drawing,

you were already protecting me with your life.

I've also said I'm willing to take care of you for the rest of your life.

But if you insist on making it official—

Godfather,

please accept my bow.

Please, get up.

Come on, get up.

So... So you've accepted me as your godfather?

Wonderful. This is wonderful.

I've lived half my life in loneliness.

I never expected I'd be blessed

with such a wonderful daughter in the end.

Daughter.

I...

I should be giving you a gift to mark this occasion.

B-But I've got no worldly possessions.

How about this? I'll give you a courtesy name.

You were born in the Year of Yin,

so your zodiac sign is Tiger.

Your name is Changyu,

which implies uprightness and grace

but suppresses your sharp spirit.

[Shanjun]

I'll give you a courtesy name.

Shanjun.

Meaning a gentleman of the mountains?

You can interpret it that way,

but it also carries another meaning—

a fierce tiger of the mountains.

A tigress of the mountains...

I like this!

It sounds much better than Lord Li's "Threshold."

Look at you.

Why do you always focus on the unpleasant parts?

Shanjun.

[Xie]

[Marquis of Wu'an]

Although we won this battle,

the casualties were heavy.

The battle of Lucheng will likely be even harder.

The Yanzhou Army is about to depart

for Lucheng.

Are you going with that bratty apprentice of mine?

No.

I know he's the Marquis of Wu'an,

so I needn't worry about his safety anymore.

I want to leave.

He has his duties,

and I have my work.

I want to help the displaced people of Lin'an

return home safely.

I want families reunited,

working their jobs,

eating their meals,

and living their lives well.

With your merits,

you could be appointed Commandant,

a sixth-rank official.

That would make you the first female Commandant of Great Yin.

Are you willing to give up

such glory?

Godfather.

I don't like the feeling of killing at all.

Right,

the rebels who disrupt our Great Yin deserve to die.

But when I see them on the battlefield,

wailing in terror

and begging for mercy,

I think of Mr. Zhao who was taken away,

as well as Mr. Jin and the others,

and also Granny Kang's youngest son who died in battle.

I think of the innocent people of Lin'an.

None of them wanted to fight,

but because of the war,

they were sent to their deaths.

I don't want to see

this kind of suffering anymore.

[Xie]

You're leaving?

You know how foul-tempered your husband is.

If you tell him,

he'll do everything to stop you, even if it means tying you to him.

I know.

That's exactly why

I'm asking for your help.

There's too much between us

that cannot be sorted out.

But right now, I've got something more important to do.

What's so important?

I need to go find a friend of mine.

I can only rest easy

if she and her son are safe.

If it were any other woman,

I would certainly stop her.

But you're Fan Changyu.

You're the one who killed Shi Hu with 2 hammer strikes.

In all of Great Yin,

aside from the Marquis of Wu'an,

I doubt there's a third person like you.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

Actually, there is.

Please help me send Changning

and Mr. Zhao from the Wu River barracks

back together

to Mrs. Zhao in Jizhou.

You're not actually a royal physician,

and your name isn't Qi Beholden,

right?

Yan Zheng is the Marquis of Wu'an.

You know him well,

so you must be of high status too.

You'll find out one day.

But for now,

you and I are just comrades who fought together.

Take care on your journey.

Remember—

stay safe.

You take care too.

On the road to Lucheng,

Lord Changxin has likely set an ambush.

Since we can't face them head-on,

we might as well circle around from the back.

If we do that,

the journey will be twice as long.

We must set off

before dawn.

Alright. I'll give the order.

We'll leave at the fifth watch.

My Lord! Her Ladyship...

Her Ladyship is missing.

This letter was found in her tent.

[To Marquis of Wu'an]

[Got things to do. Don't look for me. Changyu]

Xie Jiu, saddle my horse!

Yes.

Fan Changyu!

The Marquis of Wu'an is here.

We'll hold him off for you.

No need.

I failed to explain things to him clearly.

You go ahead.

We'll wait for you up ahead.

Fan Changyu.

Why would you rather leave a letter and run away

than stay with me?

Why won't you like me?

What exactly did I, Xie Zheng, do wrong?

How could I not like you?

If I didn't like you,

would I have come to find you?

Would I have worried about you getting hurt

and gone to the battlefield for you?

The one you like

is Yan Zheng.

I've thought it through.

No matter whether you're Yan Zheng or Xie Zheng,

I like you.

Are you just

trying to cheer me up?

I'm not trying to cheer you up. Every word I said is true.

When you were Yan Zheng,

all we worried about every day was daily necessities.

You'd copy books and write essays to make money,

and I'd butcher pigs and sell meat.

Whatever difficulties we encountered,

we managed to get through them by supporting each other.

But now, you're Marquis of Wu'an, Xie Zheng.

There's nothing I can do to help you.

And I don't know

what you're busy with

or what you're worried about.

My mother once told me

that between husband and wife,

they must be understanding

and support each other to make it last.

Those unhappy couples

all finish their lives

without learning how to be understanding.

Their feelings and such

have long since worn away.

I don't want that.

Changyu.

Status is just an illusion.

How we feel for each other is what matters most.

Of course I know your feelings for me.

Actually, that day,

I intended to make a clean break with you.

But hearing you talk about our time in Lin'an

and say you wanted to go back there with me

and rebuild our home...

I'm not made of stone, you know?

I can be touched,

and I can feel reluctant to let go.

Right now, there is something

I must do—

I must go save Qianqian.

But you know

those who took Yu Qianqian aren't simple.

You may not be able

to save her on your own.

I have to try to find out.

How about this?

I'll take revenge for Lin'an for you.

I'll help you find the people who're missing,

and I'll save Yu Qianqian for you.

Don't take the risk yourself, okay?

I like you,

but I can't rely on you for the rest of my life.

That way, I wouldn't be me.

Okay.

I know

that once you've made a decision,

you certainly won't change your mind easily.

Your Highness.

May I come in?

Come on in.

Headmaster, what brings you here suddenly?

Your Highness,

your shoes.

You repaired them?

A patrolling soldier found them by chance last night,

so I did a little repair.

I hope Your Highness doesn't mind.

Headmaster, please don't do such trivial things in the future.

I won't appreciate it.

I take my leave.

Headmaster, stop using these little tricks to fool me.

You... What's wrong with you?

It's almost dawn.

I must go,

or I won't catch up with them.

Then tell me

you like me.

Say it.

♪ I pray that our love ♪

♪ Will never end ♪

♪ It's worth my foolishly waiting ♪

♪ For a lifetime ♪

♪ Clear and quiet as me ♪

♪ So what if we encounter difficulties? ♪

♪ I pray that our love ♪

♪ Will not be like sand slipping into the sea ♪

♪ I'd rather use this life ♪

♪ To guard our love forever ♪

♪ Clear and quiet as me ♪

[Xie]

♪ Why do we need to seek cause and effect ♪

Find an elite squad and have them protect Fan Changyu in secret.

Yes.

Headmaster, you're so badly injured.

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

When I thought you were lying to me,

why didn't you tell me the truth?

Before,

I did indeed lie to you.

So today,

I've got no right to defend myself.

I'll

just find another herb for treatment.

Please rest early, Your Highness.

Whether you're fine or not

is up to me, the royal physician.

Turn around.

Turn around!

Headmaster, you carry such authority in the academy,

and you're so brave and wise on the battlefield.

Why are you so careless when it comes to yourself?

What are you laughing at, Headmaster?

You're still injured.

Don't, don't... I'm ticklish.

You're dying! Why are you still laughing?

I...

What I want to say is, my feelings for you

are actually like my illness—

though it may seem like I've deceived you,

it was never my intention.

Do you understand?

I'll speak plainly.

-I… -Counselor!

His Lordship has returned to camp.

Even if the sky falls,

I must finish saying this.

Finish it when you come back.

I'll wait for you to come back.

General Shiyi, please tell His Lordship

that Counselor has internal injuries

and shouldn't overwork.

If Counselor's condition worsens when he returns,

I'll hold His Lordship accountable.

Yes.

Then...

I'll go now.

Did you bring her back?

She left.

She has her own thoughts,

and I respect her wishes.

This Mrs. Fan is actually able

to make the Marquis of Wu'an so melancholy—

she must be quite a character.

Her Highness is returning to the Capital.

I'll leave her protection to you.

Her Highness has promised Mrs. Fan

to send Changning back to Lin'an.

After that, whether she chooses to stay in the Capital

or remain in the military camp,

I'll also respect her wishes.

That's not what you said before.

Back when Li Huai'an was investigating me in Lin'an,

he soon returned to the Capital to court Her Highness.

That was your doing, wasn't it?

Sort of.

But not entirely.

When emotions surge in the heart,

how can one control them?

Better to stop them before they sprout,

to avoid falling into the swamp of love.

Informing Consort Dowager An

about Her Highness being at the academy

was indeed my doing.

As for Her Highness courting Li Huai'an...

It was indeed unexpected.

Given Consort Dowager An's temperament,

she definitely won't agree.

This is the last time Her Highness

personally makes medicinal food for you, Mr. Gongsun.

You go ahead first.

My horse is fast. I'll catch up right away.

Let's get going.

All troops, listen up!

To Lucheng!

Yes!

[Villa in the west suburb of Lucheng]

[Lord Changxin, Sui Tuo]

Father.

I never should have believed your nonsense.

So much for your infallible strategy.

We are suffering defeat after defeat.

Not only did we lose General Shi Hu,

but Yuanqing almost lost his life too!

What?

Feeling indignant?

Did I wrongly accuse you?

When you were young,

you used to be cheerful.

But a fire turned you into

what you are now!

Let me make this clear to you today:

even if something happens to Yuanqing,

the throne

will still not be yours!

I have never coveted the throne,

nor do I wish to compete with Yuanqing.

If I'm lying,

may heaven strike me down.

Yuanhuai.

Between us brothers, is an oath really necessary?

Why curse yourself like that?

Here.

Yuanqing.

We are at war.

Mind your status.

Father, the enemy's at our doorstep.

Please stop putting on airs.

It's just the three of us here.

If outsiders knew

that we were fighting amongst ourselves,

they would surely take advantage of the chaos.

Even the wise are not always free from error.

Yuanhuai already did his best against Xie Zheng.

If Yuanhuai hadn't sent Shi Yue to save me,

Xie Zheng would have tied me up on the battlefield

to threaten you.

Children are nothing but debts.

Yuanhuai.

Go and reorganize the logistics.

The Chongzhou Army

cannot afford a third defeat.

As you command, Father.

Ever since he was burned in that fire 17 years ago,

he has become as stubborn as a mule,

perverse and paranoid,

as if possessed by a demon.

Father, please don't blame Yuanhuai.

Anyone who suffered such a great ordeal

would inevitably change in temperament.

Yuanhuai has always been kind to us.

He harbors absolutely no ill intentions.

I hope you will see the truth, Father.

Sui Tuo.

I indeed do not want your throne.

What I want

is the lives of you father and son.

Charge!

Bao'er.

Quick, run!

Go!

Take this.

Blow it whenever you are in danger,

and someone will come to protect you.

Bao'er!

Retreat!

We're from Jizhou.

We're not... We're not the Chongzhou Army.

Bao'er?

Uncle Yan!

Are you all right?

Uncle Yan, I'm so scared.

Bad guys took my mother away.

It's okay.

Everything will be okay.

[Sui]

[Villa in the west suburb of Lucheng]

Miss me?

Why are you staring?

Come sit.

I personally made

my specialty, snowy-clear soup with steamed bread.

Have a taste.

This soup...

You didn't poison it, did you?

Are you scared?

Even if it were poisoned,

as long as it's from you,

I would drink it.

Very well.

Then I'll really poison it next time.

I would drink it gladly.

Just for a moment, I felt that

spending the rest of my life like this

would actually be

quite nice.

If our army hadn't taken a detour,

we wouldn't have run into you.

Heaven truly blesses the worthy.

Untie him.

Mr. Zhao.

You were hard to find.

I owe Your Lordship my life.

If you ever need me, Your Lordship,

I'll do anything for you.

When you came to find me in Lin'an last year,

you said the same thing.

Please calm down, Your Lordship.

I had no choice.

The 200,000 piculs of grain

was indeed a trap.

But luckily, Your Lordship foiled it,

so the villains didn't succeed.

You told me back then

that you were from the Eastern Palace.

Was that true or false?

My mother, Lan,

was once Crown Princess Chengde's most trusted maid.

Later, upon reaching a certain age, she was fortunate enough to leave the palace.

On the surface, she married my father,

but in secret, she helped Crown Princess Chengde

manage her assets outside the palace.

Master,

I noticed it's a bit dark in here.

Shall I light two more lamps for you?

The fire in the Eastern Palace

was set by the Crown Princess herself,

to give Imperial Eldest Grandson a chance at survival.

Then who was behind the plot

against the Eastern Palace?

I have no idea.

My mother only received the Crown Princess's letter

after the fire.

But the letter didn't mention anything about the murderer.

Please spare me, Eldest Young Master!

I truly didn't know you were here, Eldest Young Master.

Is the Imperial Eldest Grandson still alive?

Yes.

He's now

Lord Changxin's eldest son.

Sui Yuanhuai?

[Post-Credits Scene]

You've got more than just

cuts and sword wounds on your body.

What's wrong?

It must hurt a lot.

It's okay.

You're just a young lady.

With wounds like this,

how could it not hurt?

You... You're hurt here too.

It's all red.

I probably bumped it on the battlefield too.

Doesn't seem like it.

All your other bruises are dark,

but this one

looks quite fresh.

It's weird.

I've never read about anything like this in medical books.

Fresh...

I must have gotten it

when I fell and hit a stone.