Original subtitles

[A Dream Within A Dream]

[Episode 24]

♪ The mortal world entangles, so much sorrow and chill in the mist ♪

♪ Our fates intertwine and weave into a story ♪

♪ Listening to the wind whispering by my ear ♪

♪ The schemes of the dark night ♪

♪ Eyes guarding a single sunrise ♪

It really is you,

♪ When will there be a way home? ♪

Nan Heng.

♪ Time brings life and death, binding life but not the heart ♪

♪ Stepping into the ranks of fate, each pain a prelude ♪

♪ Transformed in a fleeting moment, like a dream, elusive and near ♪

I can explain it. I...

♪ How can love and hate be hidden? ♪

♪ Time brings life and death, binding life but not the heart ♪

Fine.

Explain it then.

♪ Making all moves in life cautiously, joy and sorrow already destined ♪

Go ahead.

I'll hear you out.

♪ If one dares oppose Heaven, how can the ending be rewritten? ♪

♪ So close yet still, we part ways ♪

You can barely say a word.

What explanation can you give me?

I'm sorry.

I...

Song Yimeng!

You approached me with a purpose.

You used me.

You watched me act silly

as you played me like a fool.

Are you satisfied now?

I really am a fool.

I thought I was the reason

for all your suffering.

I was constantly worried

that Nan Heng would hurt you.

I was worried about you the entire time.

But meanwhile,

what did you do?

You never stopped lying to me.

You never stopped using me.

No.

Please hear me out.

Stop it.

Don't bother telling me anything.

Nan Heng,

you had so many chances to tell me the truth,

but you seized none of them.

Not even one.

It wasn't like that.

I didn't mean to lie to you.

Can you believe me?

Can you just believe me once?

What should I believe?

That you're not Nan Heng?

Or that Li Shiliu

has never lied to me?

♪ I leave the book aside, though I haven't finished reading it ♪

Say something.

♪ I know one day I can have a glimpse of the ending ♪

Say something now!

♪ Life is unpredictable ♪

♪ Who can get rid of perplexity ♪

Song Yimeng, I...

Let go of me.

♪ And find the answer he yearns for? ♪

Song Yimeng,

what do I have to do to have your forgiveness?

I told you to let go of me!

I asked you to let go.

Did you hear that?

♪ Let the wind flip through the past chapters of my life ♪

Fine.

You won't let go, will you?

♪ Let brush and ink depict my adventures ♪

♪ Let's see how many ways fate can shape my life in ♪

♪ Let moonlight shine on the lines about love and hate ♪

♪ Let me bang my head against a brick wall ♪

Nan Heng,

♪ If this is my destiny, I'll accept it ♪

I'll say this one last time.

I'm done being a fool.

Stop acting

like you love me dearly.

That will only make me

hate you more.

Do you understand?

♪ Setting sun, help me weather through the big snow ♪

♪ I'll wait till the next chapter to get sorrowful ♪

♪ Every word resonates with me like dancing notes on the paper ♪

♪ Wind, be with me in the quest for an ideal ♪

♪ Brush and ink, stand with me on the cliff ♪

♪ My heart measures the waves I've cleaved ♪

♪ Setting sun, help me weather through the big snow ♪

♪ I'll wait till the next chapter to get sorrowful ♪

Did you find them?

General,

we searched this place, but found no one.

Search the lower floors with me.

♪ Every word resonates with me like dancing notes on the paper ♪

-Yes! -Yes!

Miss Song?

Where is Li Shiliu?

I have nothing

to do with him.

Miss Song.

What do you mean by this?

Can the capital prefecture's office arrest

innocent civilians when it carries out its duties?

You'll have to excuse me, Miss Song.

This matter is about a major criminal.

You should

explain to General Chu in person.

Fugui.

Song Yimeng was taken away by Rong Hua.

I need you to go to Chu Guihong's residence

and keep an eye on the situation there.

Report to me if anything happens.

Did you not hear...

Your Highness, when do you plan to tell me the truth?

Uncle,

are you here to denounce me?

You're a counsellor of mine.

I don't owe you any

explanation on anything.

You sheltered

Shangguan Baihe for three years.

Don't you owe me

an explanation on this matter?

When you embezzled disaster relief funds years ago,

I already informed you of its severity.

For the sake of my mother,

I cut you some slack for one last time.

Even the most ignorant peasants

know to protect their families.

Your Highness, are you going to thrust your own uncle

into adversity?

Your Highness, are you

really a heartless man?

Heartless?

You call me "heartless"?

I've always turned a blind eye to all the evil deeds

you've done over these years.

Our kinship is the only reason

that I haven't disclosed your illegal acts.

You should've been executed a thousand times!

Now that we're being honest,

you might as well

answer my question candidly.

When Pingrong Battle happened,

did you do anything out of bounds?

Absolutely not.

Okay.

I'll believe you then.

However, if one day

I find out you've committed treason,

I won't let you get away with it

even though you're my uncle.

I get it now.

Your Highness thinks I'm old

and useless.

You can't wait to get rid of me.

I don't want to talk about that.

Chu Guihong is targeting the Waning River Crescent now.

He'll discover the truth sooner or later.

You have to kill Shangguan Baihe,

or your life,

my life,

your mother's life

and all the lives of the Gao family will be taken!

The one dragging the Gao family down

is not me,

but you.

[A long journey starts from the vicinity]

[Qianyu Mansion]

General.

Yimeng,

Li Shiliu is a key offender of Shangguan He's case.

Why did you go meet him?

What did you two talk about?

Chu Guihong,

Shangguan He might be guilty,

but the other Nightwalkers are innocent.

Don't try to defend them.

They're all on Nan Heng's side.

None of them are innocent.

What are you saying?

When have you become like this?

You made an oath

before your aunt's memorial tablet in childhood.

Have you forgotten it?

I have never forgotten it.

I made a vow to prevent innocent people

from being wrongfully killed.

It's a principle I've always upheld.

Everything I've done is

in accordance with the law,

fair and square.

But by shutting down the Waning River Crescent

and going after the Nightwalkers,

you're embroiling innocent people.

The Nightwalkers once saved my life

and lent a helping hand

to you and Qianyu Army.

But now, you are

driving them into a corner.

You're just feeling sorry

for Li Shiliu, aren't you?

Yimeng,

I'm not suffocating them.

You are suffocating me!

I'm suffocating you?

How come?

You're turning me into someone like Nan Heng!

He's a villain in your eyes,

so you're not surprised when he tricks

and deceives you.

By contrast,

you consider me as

a good person from Qianyu Army.

You question me when I take slightly harsh measures.

Why?

Why does a good person

have to lose to a bad person?

Why can't a good person do something

as he watches the girl he likes

being drawn to a bad person?

Just in order to prove himself to be a good person?

Chu Guihong,

being a good person

isn't about proving anything to others,

but about keeping a clear conscience.

Your father spent 20-odd years nurturing you.

If he saw what you're doing now...

If I hadn't chosen to be a good person years ago,

perhaps my father wouldn't have died.

If being a good person means

not to fight back

when his next of kin dies,

or to lose the love of his life to someone else again and again,

then I'd rather be

a more brutal and despicable man

than Nan Heng.

Long live Your Majesty!

[Calm, Respectful, and Sincere]

All rise.

Thank Your Majesty.

Your Majesty,

I have a report to make.

The capital prefecture's office

is said to be making big moves lately.

Speak up.

Recently,

I've caught a man from the martial arts world,

named Shangguan Baihe.

Investigation results

prove him to be the absconding culprit

of the theft case in Jiangnan Province three years ago.

Now, he has adopted a new identity

as the second master of the Nightwalkers, an organization in the martial arts world.

The theft case in Jiangnan Province...

It was handled by Heng, wasn't it?

I remember

all the offenders were executed at that time.

Your Majesty is correct.

I suspect

that the Seventh Prince proceeded with

the case unjustly,

and that he is now in collusion with the Nightwalkers.

I humbly request Your Majesty's

authorization for me to lead Qianyu Army

to search and seize his residence

for an investigation.

In view of your concerns,

I hereby...

Think twice, Your Majesty.

General Chu has exhibited no evidence.

If Your Majesty is to make a ruling,

please at least hear what the Seventh Prince has to say.

What can Heng say?

When Guihong completes the investigation,

he will present all the evidence

before your eyes, Chancellor Gao.

How can a prince's residence

be searched and seized

based on a false allegation?

Minister Song,

as head of the six ministries,

would you care

to share your insights?

Mr. Song?

Mr. Song!

He's asking you.

About what?

Did you doze off?

About Heng.

The Seventh Prince?

A family member of mine has connections with His Highness.

So, it's appropriate for me to

comment on matters

concerning His Highness.

It is me that General Chu finds suspicious.

I'd like to prove my innocence on my own.

Others shouldn't be involved.

What a coincidence.

I also have a report to make today.

Your Majesty,

the one colluding

with those from the martial arts world

and stirring up trouble non-stop recently

is not me, but the general of Qianyu Army

and the capital prefect who is falsely accusing me,

Chu Guihong.

Nonsense!

This is slander!

Heng,

anyone who falsely charges against an official

will be punished for inciting factional fights.

Your Majesty is right.

But the fact is,

despite the heavy protection

provided by General Chu's Qianyu Army,

I was nearly assassinated

at the Lantern Festival.

Now that I think of it,

I still feel frightened.

Today, General Chu

is confusing the officials

and fabricating charges against me.

So, I feel the need

to make a statement.

Go ahead.

That assassination case has been closed.

Some people from the martial arts world attacked me in the disguise of Nightwalkers.

But I'm puzzled

by two things.

First,

the security arrangements for the festival

were made by Qianyu Army.

Yet an injured man from the martial arts world

managed to escape in the presence of General Chu

and dozens of Qianyu soldiers.

Something must've gone wrong.

I contend that this man

was assisted by someone in Qianyu Army.

Second,

the assassin showed up

and retreated without cause.

Besides, he was instructed by no one.

At that time, I already had many doubts.

But Your Majesty didn't want to pursue the matter further,

so, to maintain political stability,

I had to set it aside.

A few days ago,

General Chu made me go to the capital prefecture's prison

for Shangguan Baihe's case.

Coincidentally,

some thugs broke in, trying to rescue the prisoner.

I was wounded in the course.

What bewilders me is

that General Chu

shifted all the blame to the Nightwalkers

before catching

the mastermind.

Are you saying

that neither the assassin

nor the prisoner's rescuers

are members of the Waning River Crescent?

Yes. It is wise of Your Majesty.

I suspect

that General Chu hired people from the martial arts world

to assassinate me and rescue the prisoner.

Then, he framed the Waning River Crescent for the crimes.

Your Highness,

if a man can be convicted without proof,

then what is the use of the law?

Did you hear that, Heng?

Convictions can't be made without proof.

If you're just venturing a speculation...

I have proof.

Bring it in.

[Calm, Respectful, and Sincere]

Bring it in!

Mr. Chu, do you recognize this mask?

If Mr. Chu can't recall,

I believe the Eighteen Prince

must know the origins of this mask.

I...

Heng,

don't keep me in suspense.

Just tell the truth.

Your Majesty,

several days before I was attacked

at the Lantern Festival,

General Chu caused a disturbance

in the Waning River Crescent with this mask on,

and antagonized the Nightwalkers.

There were many witnesses at the scene,

including the Eighteenth Prince.

What else do you have to say, General Chu?

Chu Guihong,

how do you explain this?

I impersonated Li Shiliu

only to figure out if the Seventh Prince was

in collusion with the Nightwalkers.

Collusion?

General Chu, did you start taking me

and the Nightwalkers as outlaws long ago?

Anyone who falsely charges against an official

will be punished for inciting factional fights.

Your Majesty,

it is my belief

that the assassination and the attempted prison break

were done by Chu Guihong out of spite and revenge,

for the purposes of harming me

and incriminating the Nightwalkers.

As the capital prefect, Chu Guihong abused his power

for personal vendettas

and knowingly broke the law.

He should be executed.

Nan Heng,

you're committing the crime of deceiving the sovereign

by distorting the truth!

Stop bickering!

A prince and the capital prefect are hurling accusations at each other.

What a disgrace!

A nobody from the martial arts world

has caused such chaos in the court.

In my opinion,

Shangguan Baihe

must be killed.

Why not

behead him in public

tomorrow?

Your Majesty,

the truth of the case is yet to be revealed.

Please don't make a rash decision.

Your Highness is merciful.

I understand that.

But this case will never be resolved

until Shangguan Baihe is dead.

To prove your innocence,

Your Highness should oversee the execution.

If the Seventh Prince truly executes that criminal,

General Chu, you must pay for falsely accusing His Highness,

confess that you colluded

with outlaws to plan an assassination against a prince,

resign from your position as the capital prefect,

and be demoted to be a commoner.

Don't try to intimidate anyone!

What if Heng sides with Shangguan Baihe

and can't bring himself

to kill that criminal?

If so,

I'll take my own life in the court

to atone for falsely accusing General Chu

today!

You crossed the line today, Uncle.

Your Highness,

you almost gave yourself away

in the court just now.

I thought that move was

the last chance to deter Chu Guihong.

Hesitation could only

lead to a giant failure.

What stands between

you and success is mercy.

Nan Heng,

I told Shangguan He yesterday

that trusting you

would cost him his life.

What you did today proves me right.

Thank you.

Now,

I'm free of moral restraints

when I do anything.

Guihong, why even bother talking to him?

Breathing the same air

as a vile person like him

really disgusts me!

Let's go.

My Lady!

Please eat something.

My Lady,

you've locked yourself inside

for a day and night.

What happened to you?

You can tell us about it!

My Lady!

My Lady!

My Lady!

Yimeng!

[Laiyi House]

My Lady!

Yimeng!

An imperial edict was made today.

Shangguan He will be executed tomorrow.

I beg you to save his life!

Your Highness,

Chancellor Gao has destroyed

all the clothes of Li Shiliu

in the mansion.

As for Shangguan He...

Now,

the capital prefecture's prison

is guarded by Qianyu Army

and

some elite calvary forces borrowed by Chancellor Gao

from the Emperor.

My uncle truly

is a scheming man.

He's trying to cut

all my ties with the Nightwalkers,

so he will be

the only one I can rely on.

Your Highness,

will you really

kill Shangguan He tomorrow?

The Emperor is forcing

me to depart for my fiefdom.

Chu Guihong is forcing me to plead guilty.

Even my uncle

is forcing me to kill.

Everyone is trying

to manipulate me.

But even if I'm in a dead end,

I'll fight my way through.

[Laiyi House]

There is only one way

to save Shangguan He.

What is it?

To clear his name by finding out

the truth of the case he was involved in.

I'm afraid we can't

make it in just one night.

Yiting,

don't fret.

The situation is not desperate yet.

We can turn things around.

But we don't have helpers now.

We can't turn to Nan Heng or Chu Guihong.

Nor can we let Dad know about this.

We can turn to

the Nightwalkers

and try postponing the execution.

Shanhu!

Shanhu!

Shanhu!

Spill it.

What did you find?

Chancellor Gao has sent 200 more elite calvary troopers

to guard the capital prefecture's prison.

200?

That'll make tonight's

rescue mission even harder.

How can we save him?

Yeah.

The prison is heavily guarded.

So what if it's difficult?

Have we Nightwalkers been afraid of anything?

At worst,

we'll die before Second Master does.

We can be brothers again in hell.

If you're scared,

then don't follow me!

Yunlong,

what do you mean by this?

There are many guards.

You'll all die if you go.

Let me do it.

If I survive,

meet me outside the city.

If I die,

leave me there.

No!

The masters' women are here.

Who?

The Song sisters.

Open the door.

Nan Heng took off his mask

in front of you guys?

He threatened us,

saying that we had to leave the capital,

or

he would kill us.

He addressed those harsh words

only to persuade you not to risk your lives.

What a model of probity at this critical moment.

That is what Li Shiliu

would normally say.

But he is Nan Heng,

Great Jing's brutal God of Death.

What are the odds of him being our chief?

Li Shiliu and the Seventh Prince...

Which identity represents Nan Heng best?

Mrs. Li,

don't be upset.

Nan...

Chief really loves you.

Though the way he treats us...

Cut it out.

I don't want to talk about that now.

Li Shiliu

on longer exists in this world.

Chief is still with us.

We need to rescue

Second Master as well.

You're planning to rescue him from prison?

-Don't! -Don't!

But Second Master will be executed tomorrow.

What else

option do we have?

There is one, of course.

We'll stall the execution

and clear his name.

Mrs. Shangguan,

can we really save Second Master this way?

Don't call me that,

or I'll make you regret it.

Shangguan He's conviction

comes from

stealing disaster relief funds.

If this charge drops,

he won't be executed.

Think it through, Yimeng.

By revealing the truth of this theft case,

you'll make

an enemy of Nan Heng.

Even Li Shiliu is a fake identity.

You think I'd care about Nan Heng's opinion?

I'm helping Shangguan He

for friends

and everyone.

It has nothing to do with Nan Heng.

You know you're lying.

Mrs. Li,

you're wrong about Chief.

Don't call me that.

What's between us is more complicated than you think.

You don't understand.

I do.

How do I not?

You like Li Shiliu,

and Li Shiliu likes you too.

You're mad because Chief lied to you.

But

that's just the way Chief is.

He just can't bring himself

to say nice things.

Beneath that poker face of his,

there is a warm heart.

He is usually indifferent

when he sees women.

But whenever he sees you,

he is especially happy.

He always has a mask on.

How do you know if he is happy or not?

I...

Mrs. Shangguan,

whose side are you on?

Don't call me that!

Stop looking for trouble

where none exists.

It's not easy to find

someone you love

amidst so many men, is it?

Yiting,

if Shangguan He deceives you like this,

will you believe he loves you?

Has he not deceived me the same way?

Well...

It's different.

Yes.

It is different.

My situation is worse than yours.

He runs away when he sees me.

Even when I catch up, he runs again.

But does it matter?

Nan Heng did lie to you.

But you lied to him too, didn't you?

Aren't you clear if Nan Heng

is in love with you or not?

I saw something.

Chief secretly drew portraits of you in his room.

He stashed the files about your information

and read them several times a day.

Oh right,

do you remember

those two fish?

When you two argue,

Chief would

separate them with a stick.

Blatant abuse, isn't it?

That's abuse.

I don't know

what Nan Heng is like.

But the Nightwalkers

all trust Li Shiliu.

If he says he likes you,

then he must mean it.

We respect you as Mrs. Li.

You have

that respect now

and forever.

How magnificent.

So many people are bidding me farewell.

It's worth dying.

You look sad. Why?

Are you friends with

Shangguan Baihe?

Do I look sad?

I'm bursting with impatience.

I'm ecstatic.

People mourn the passing

of those of their kind.

Your Highness.

All the eyes of Qianyu Army are on you today.

No slip is allowed.

Your Highness,

Shangguan Baihe must die,

or I'll be the one to die

tomorrow in the imperial court.

Your Highness,

sort out your priorities.

You're an important official

with immense power and influence.

You must be kidding.

[Yongde Gate]

Shangguan Baihe, a leader of thugs,

shall be executed for committing

numerous atrocities.

The Emperor has granted a written approval,

appointing the Seventh Prince

to supervise the execution,

which will be carried out in no time.

Your Highness,

please order to proceed.

Verify his identity.

Verify his identity?

Why the unnecessary move, Your Highness?

I'd hate to give you the satisfaction

by executing the wrong criminal

and being punished by the Emperor.

What are you doing?

Does my face look like clay to you?

Now is the wrong time

to joke around, isn't it?

Can't you let me have a quick death?

What's the point of all this?

You want to die?

It won't be that easy.

What do you mean?

Execute!

[Approved]

There's a secret passage.

The exit is on the right.

To the right side!

I've resigned myself to being killed.

Don't take risks for me.

Your Highness,

the criminal's identity has been

verified and confirmed.

Execute!

[Approved]

Wait!

Wait!

I have something to say.

His Highness,

I know I committed appalling crimes.

All I want is a quick death.

But before that,

I'd like to have a drink to quench

my sudden thirst for alcohol

and to brace myself.

I beg for Your Highness's permission.

You're about to die.

Just cut the crap!

Calm, Your Highness.

I'll atone for my wrongs with my life

after my one last drink.

What if my real identity is exposed?

Atone for your wrongs with your life then.

It's already noon.

The criminal must be executed now.

I am the supervisor here.

Chancellor Gao,

aren't you overstepping your bounds?

The token has been thrown out.

Why are you delaying the execution?

Your Highness,

are you just stalling for time?

If there's a change of situation,

ignite the explosives

create chaos,

and seek a chance to save the target.

Phantom dragon lurks in the black market.

Radiant lanterns illuminate the Nightwalkers.

[Yongde Gate]

I'm a Nightwalker.

Nobody can hurt this man!

It's Shanhu.

What are you waiting for?

Catch the intruder now!

♪ Phantom dragon lurks in the black market ♪

Here come the Nightwalkers.

Don't you dare hurt Shangguan Baihe!

♪ Radiant lanterns illuminate the Nightwalkers ♪

Yunlong?

♪ In the dark of night, pure dreams run deep and wide ♪

Nan Heng,

now I understand why you were stalling for time.

♪ Who dares to join the game? This isn't child's play ♪

You were waiting for these outlaws

♪ Footsteps that shake the sky, fear refuses to fade ♪

to rescue the criminal.

Now, can you still deny being

♪ Every punch lands hard on this wild melody ♪

connected to the Nightwalkers?

[Yongde Gate]

General Chu,

don't you want to wipe out

the entire Waning River Crescent?

I suggest you carefully consider

if you have what it takes.

Phantom dragon lurks in the black market,

♪ I ride on the wind of the waning river crescent ♪

Radiant lanterns illuminate the Nightwalkers

♪ Hate the injustice in the world ♪

♪ Loyalty and righteousness weigh on both sides of the scale ♪

We're Nightwalkers.

Greetings, officers.

♪ Wield the knife to carve a rift in the hell ♪

♪ Phantom dragon lurks in the black market ♪

The Nightwalker of Waning River Crescent,

Greetings, officers.

♪ Radiant lanterns illuminate the Nightwalkers ♪