Original subtitles

[Spring of The Blade]

[Episode 15]

♪ Spring comes to the long gate, green grass sprouts ♪

♪ Red plums bear dewdrops, bright and serene ♪

What are you trying to do?

I'd never take advantage of someone in distress.

Or is it because you think this scar is unsightly

and don't want anyone to see it?

♪ Year by year, time drifts along ♪

♪ Warmth and chill of mortal meet and part ♪

♪ No need to heed the wind's soft whisper and ask about your return ♪

♪ Wild geese soar through deep clouds, waiting for the moon to rest ♪

♪ Old memories lie heavy, haunting every dream ♪

If it hurts,

you can hold on tighter.

♪ Rises and falls take turns ♪

I wouldn't mind.

♪ Phases of the moon, unplanned to wax and wane ♪

♪ Count fallen blooms, yet never count all pains of parting ♪

♪ You, tender yet sharp, with thorns by your side ♪

♪ Like a dim yet blazing candle ♪

♪ The wind and rain sigh, the road stretches far ♪

♪ Blossoms drift with streams, affections softly stir ♪

♪ Half real, half illusion; one cup of spring awakes me ♪

♪ Burned and released, held by fate's hand ♪

♪ Greet the soft, mild evening breeze and homebound sail to land ♪

♪ Slim moonbeams weave tangled dreams all night ♪

♪ Lonely home boat glides slow through dark twilight ♪

Chunzhi.

Victory news came from the west of the city,

saying that half of the northern bandits have retreated.

♪ I walk and gaze; one cup of spring fades to lingering cheer ♪

To win this battle,

we still have to rely on your father's help.

Fourth Lady has a strong temper,

and is definitely not someone who changes her mind easily.

If you understand,

you should let it go.

Letting go

is easy to say.

But in this world,

not many people can do it.

The bitterness of feelings

is in that

while knowing it's impossible,

one still insists on it.

Forget it.

Since I have seen Fourth Lady,

I shall

go back to fulfill my duty

and wipe out the remnants of these bandits.

Let's go!

-Let's go. -Let's go.

Lanshan!

Where are you going?

To kill enemies!

Brat.

♪ If the wind softly whispers your name ♪

♪ If my heart softly hears your voice ♪

♪ I'm still here, holding on to our memories ♪

♪ Quietly waiting in the passage of time for a reply ♪

When I was little,

someone once told me:

no matter what happens,

♪ Listening to every word, every line, everything about you ♪

one has to survive.

Only by surviving

is there hope.

♪ Your gentle breath, the traces left by longing ♪

So since then,

no matter what difficulties I encounter,

as long as I think of these words,

♪ No sight could ever compare to you, forever in my heart ♪

there is nothing I can't overcome.

Today,

♪ My every joy and sorrow has become part of your journey ♪

I'm telling you these words too.

You have to survive too,

♪ A lifetime, devoted only to you ♪

okay?

♪ Giving you all the love in my heart ♪

♪ Our paths have never truly parted ♪

Thank you, Fourth Lady, for saving my life.

You are so good at making trouble for me.

If I saw you less often,

maybe

I could live a few more years of peaceful life.

Is that so?

But the how nervous you looked just now...

seems like you're concerned about my safety.

Fourth Lady.

Lord Yan is awake.

Just in time.

Hurry up and eat something.

I'll go get busy first.

Thank you, Madam Pei.

Aren't you looking for Cui'er?

If Madam Pei is here,

how could Cui'er not be here?

She is now Madam Pei's personal maid,

and has changed her name to Guoniang.

Careful.

Madam, does your back hurt?

It's fine.

Everyone will get some.

Thank you.

Here.

Here.

Madam, you've been busy all night. Let me do it.

Okay, then you do it.

Take a rest.

Slowly.

Careful, it's hot.

Fourth Lady,

what brings you here?

Madam Pei,

I'm looking for Guoniang.

Guo?

What is it about?

I'd like to ask her some questions

about my mother.

Of course.

Come, Guo.

Go with the Fourth Lady.

I'll do it.

Go.

I have followed Madam for many years

and am not familiar with the Xie Residence.

I wonder why My Lady summoned me.

Are you really not familiar with the Xie Residence?

What should I call you?

Guoniang...

or Cui'er?

I can't escape this fate after all.

I guessed you would come,

but I didn't expect it to be so soon.

So many years have passed.

What's the point of still pursuing this matter?

It just adds to your troubles.

This is about my mother's innocence,

not some so-called trouble.

My mother didn't kill anyone.

Why should she bear the infamy of a murderer?

Guoniang,

please testify for my mother.

If possible,

I wouldn't want Concubine Xia and Concubine Jin to die in vain either.

But overturning a case is not easy.

They are just dead people from the past.

Do you think anyone cares about the truth

here at the Xie family?

Fourth Lady.

I'm just afraid that before you find out the truth,

you'll end up like your mother.

After all these years,

you've been hiding

and changed your name.

You're just afraid of death.

I've already died once.

The old Cui'er

died long ago with Fourth Madam

and those who knew the truth,

together.

The past of the Xie family has nothing to do with me.

Please don't come

and disturb my life anymore, Fourth Lady.

If it's true as you said

that you no longer care about the past,

then why did you change your name

to Guo?

Madam.

The rice's almost finished.

The city is still under martial law

and no one can go in or out.

Where can we get rice?

Don't worry.

Lord Yan prepared a pass for us.

I'll go buy some rice later.

Help me chop those vegetables.

Yes.

Here.

Thanks to Zhenglun for bringing reinforcements,

our Xie Residence is safe.

Son,

are you alright?

I'm fine, Mother.

But Fourth Sister...

The city was in chaos last night.

A young lady out alone like her—

it's hard to tell if she's still alive.

We haven't found her yet,

but it doesn't mean she met with an accident.

Maybe

she is with Lord Yan.

Or maybe

she went to the disaster relief site outside the city.

Zhenglun is right.

The city was in chaos last night.

It's already a blessing that our Xie Residence

is safe.

Mother,

don't worry too much.

Qingyuan is a mascot.

She is blessed

and will return safely.

What mascot?

She clearly came to cause trouble.

Enough!

Qingyuan

is a lady of our Xie family after all.

How can you talk about her life and death so lightly?

Send people to search

for Fourth Lady immediately.

Don't forget

why she went out.

-Yes. -Yes.

Zhenglun,

is there any news about Wei Changyan?

He has escaped.

The authorities are hunting him down.

Guoniang.

I know you are different from those

who harmed my mother.

If you tell the truth,

it might be

a relief for you.

I've done many wrong things in my life.

I wanted a home

and gave myself to a man,

only to be sold and reduced to a medicine slave.

I wanted to turn my life around,

so I hid in the noble Xie Residence.

Yet I was reduced to an accomplice in the concubines' fights.

For half my life,

I have been hiding and wandering,

living like a ghost.

Only Madam Pei

truly...

truly accepted me.

Little beggar.

Come here.

Help me distribute the rest of the porridge.

I'm going to go get the travel pass to buy some grain.

Yes.

She was very good to me.

-In this world... -Don't worry, everyone. There's enough.

There is no longer a place for people like us.

My only salvation

was Madam Pei.

Who are you?

[Travel Pass]

What are you doing?

[Travel Pass]

But given Madam Pei's nature,

she would certainly want

you to testify for my mother.

Fourth Lady.

I changed my name to Guo

not just to remind myself

of the mistakes I made in the past,

but also to warn myself

that the past is the past,

and I shouldn't look back.

Murder!

Somebody help!

Something happened to Madam Pei!

Help!

Madam!

Madam!

-What's wrong, madam? -Excuse me.

Guo...

Madam!

Madam!

Guo...

Guo...

Who?

Who was it?

In the future, you must live well

by yourself.

Madam.

Madam.

You are no one's servant.

You are yourself.

Madam.

Please stop talking, Madam.

Help...

Help!

Help!

Help me...

Help me...

take good care of them...

Madam.

Madam.

Madam.

Madam!

Someone please save her!

Someone please save Madam!

Guoniang!

I saw a man

running towards the thick forest.

Guoniang!

Come out!

Come out here!

Come out!

Come out!

Come out!

Who is it?

Come out here!

Come out here!

Guo!

Guo!

Let her go.

The whole city is hunting for Northern bandits.

Do you think that travel pass will be useful?

Qingyuan.

Qingyuan!

Qingyuan!

Don't move.

Take me instead of her.

Qingyuan!

You should know very well who's more important

to Yan Rui—me or her?

Don't,

Fourth Lady.

Since you have nowhere to run,

why not trade me for a way out?

She is right.

Yan Rui—

Don't come closer.

Wei Changyan.

If you hurt her,

not only me,

but the Xie family won't let you off either.

The Xie family?

Trading her life for my silence,

I'm afraid Xie Shu would wish for nothing more.

After all,

he and I serve the same Lord.

Do you think I don't know?

You've been plotting against me all along,

just to find out

who is behind me.

Right?

Fine.

I shall tell you then.

Fourth Sister fell into the water

and hasn't been found yet.

I'm afraid it's more likely bad news.

Although the bandits are suppressed,

Qingyuan is gone.

I feel terrible.

If I hadn't argued with her...

But with her dead,

whether she belongs to the Xie family

is no longer important.

Mother.

We still haven't found her yet.

Perhaps

there is still a glimmer of hope.

Hope?

Uh...

the water flows so fast.

How could there be any hope?

Qingyuan

wandered about destitute in her childhood.

She returned to the residence

and just had a few

peaceful days,

but then she encountered this disaster.

Her funeral affairs

should be handled properly.

Prepare for the funeral.

It will be held in half a month.

Yes.

Thanks to that Qingyuan's death

making Master sad,

I now have another chance

to win his favor back.

I can tell...

you are not really sad about Fourth Sister's death.

Brother.

You child.

How foolish.

She targeted us time and again.

Why should I be sad for her?

Mother.

Stop it.

Can you?

I beg you.

I beg you, stop it.

What did you say?

What did you just say?

All these years,

all these pain...

Do you think it's for myself?

It's all for you two.

I can accept that Zhengjun is ignorant.

But you're the older brother.

The treatment you received in the Northern Frontier—

if it weren't for me,

would you have gotten it?

Mother.

I just want to say one thing to you.

Father has been good enough to us all these years.

There's no need to fight for more.

You child,

studying must have ruined your brain.

Treading on shoulders to reach the peak;

cradling human faces only to grind them into dust.

You know to worry about other people's mothers

becoming victims,

but when have you ever worried

about the sacrifices your own mother made for you?

Mother.

Mother!

But none of this is an excuse for you to hurt others.

Stop talking, Brother.

The reason you can stand here today

to criticize me

is because the price of the path

you took

was paid by your mother.

You are all so high and mighty,

keeping your hands clean—

that's fine.

But when your mother stood in front of you

and shielded you from all the bad things,

where were you?

Without me, who would protect you two brothers?

Brother!

Brother!

Mother.

Brother!

We actually

miraculously survived that day.

God must have his intentions for

making such an arrangement.

Maybe it's so that you and I

♪ If the wind softly whispers your name ♪

can be like this,

spending a few leisurely days in this small fishing village.

♪ If my heart softly hears your voice ♪

♪ I'm still here, holding on to our memories ♪

♪ Quietly waiting in the passage of time for a reply ♪

The doctor said

♪ Listening to every word, every line, everything about you ♪

your injury needs another half month of rest.

Just rest here.

The bandit rebellion has been suppressed.

♪ Your gentle breath, the traces left by longing ♪

Hengtang is at peace now.

It wouldn't be bad

if we stayed here for the rest of our lives too.

♪ No sight could ever compare to you, forever in my heart ♪

We both have many things to do.

We can't stay here forever.

♪ My every joy and sorrow has become part of your journey ♪

Then let's make it half a month.

For this half month,

I am not Yan Rui,

♪ A lifetime, devoted only to you ♪

and you are not Qingyuan.

I am

a fisherman, Yan, from this tiny Anxiang Village.

♪ Giving you all the love in my heart ♪

And you are the pretty and articulate

♪ Our paths have never truly parted ♪

village woman, Yunya, how about that?

If

I didn't have to avenge my mother,

and you didn't have to plan for rations.

I wonder

what we would do staying here.

♪ If the wind softly whispers your name ♪

Yan would bask in the sun every day,

and drink some wine.

Having fish today

but none tomorrow

♪ If my heart softly hears your voice ♪

is fine.

What about Yunya?

Yunya...

In these days of eternal spring,

♪ I'm still here, holding on to our memories ♪

she can finally put down the heavy burden

and live a life as she pleases.

♪ Quietly waiting in the passage of time for a reply ♪

Move?

Where are we moving to?

To a place

♪ Listening to every word, every line, everything about you ♪

where it's always spring

and flowers are blooming all year.

♪ Your gentle breath, the traces left by longing ♪

Shen Run.

I met someone,

who looks so much like you.

His eyes are as bright as the stars.

Sometimes, he's as gentle as you;

♪ No sight could ever compare to you, forever in my heart ♪

sometimes, he's as persistent as you.

I'm tired.

Let me lean on Yan's shoulder.

♪ My every joy and sorrow has become part of your journey ♪

He seems to also have

things he must accomplish.

♪ A lifetime, devoted only to you ♪

So we always touch each other

from near and far.

♪ Giving you all the love in my heart ♪

Neither of us dares to reach out

♪ Our paths have never truly parted ♪

to uncover each other's true secrets.

[Half a month later]

What is she doing here putting on a show?

Acting like a loving sister here?

How fake,

seriously.

Qingyuan's whereabouts are unknown,

yet you're in such a hurry to hold a funeral for her.

When one dies,

it's only natural that a funeral is held.

What nonsense are you talking about?

I'm not talking nonsense.

Need I remind you

how you used to bully her?

Qingyuan's memorial tablet is right here.

Yet now,

you dress in mourning clothes on the surface,

but you're still wearing perfume.

You won't even give her a last shred of respect.

The gods are always watching.

Maybe tonight,

Qingyuan will come to settle the score with you!

What am I afraid of?

Our grievances haven't even been settled yet.

Enough!

Miss Dong.

Since you're here to pay your respects,

do it properly.

In front of

Qingyuan's spirit,

please show some respect, everyone.

You too, Second Madam.

We'll discuss the shop

in the future.

Head Madam,

the medicine shop really can't be delayed.

The dead is gone,

but life must go on.

Every day we delay, we lose money.

Why not hand it over to me?

Can't I manage it for Qingyuan?

Qingyuan put in

so much effort for this shop.

She's barely gone,

and you're already fighting over money.

Where is the Xie family's dignity?

Miss Dong.

Look at the funeral expenses.

All these lanterns

and cloth

cost money.

Money is the most urgent matter right now.

Besides,

this is our family matter—

it's not your place to speak.

-I feel sorry for Qingyuan. -Go die in her stead, then.

Enough.

F-Fourth Lady?

Who does Second Madam want dead?

My child,

you're alive.

Is she a human or a ghost?

Yes, Mother,

I'm still alive.

In broad daylight,

could it be that I have become a ghost

to settle scores with you all?

You've done so much evil,

and you dare to settle scores with us?

This funeral

is arranged so nicely.

It's a pity it won't be used.

It's rare for you all to care so much about me.

Thanks for the trouble.

Thank heavens you're alive.

As long as you're alive.

I told you...

-It's fine. -Our Fourth Sister

-is truly a lucky one. -This is great!

Falling off a cliff into the sea,

you still can come back safely?

That doesn't sound nice, Second Madam.

I survived by a stroke of luck.

Why

does that make you unhappy?

What are you talking about?

We are family.

Your safe return

makes me the happiest.

Really?

But now that I'm back alive,

your days

won't be easy anymore.

Is that so?

Qingyuan.

It's been so long.

Why didn't you send a letter home?

Do you know how worried we were about you?

Grandmother,

when I was away,

I met an old friend,

which delayed my return home.

Apologies for making Grandmother, Father,

and the rest of the family worry.

It's okay, Qingyuan.

As long as you are safe.

Everything else is trivial.

Don't mind it.

Father.

You promised me,

if I went out to seek help,

you would thoroughly investigate Fifth Madam's death.

I have brought the old friend back.

I wonder if Father

will keep your promise.

Qingyuan,

who is this old friend of yours

you mention?

Let me tell you that.

Grandmother, Father,

do you still recognize her?

You...

You are Fourth Madam's personal maid,

Cui'er?

She does look like her.

Are you really Cui'er?

Lord Yan,

I apologize for the scene.

It's a family matter.

Let's move to the side hall.

I'll have someone serve you tea, how about that?

No need.

This concerns the reputation of Fourth Lady's biological mother,

I must intervene.

Otherwise, how can I face the one I fancy again?

Don't you think,

Lord Xie?

I remember now.

It was you back then

who insisted

that Fourth Lady

poisoned Fifth Madam with euphorbia.

And based on your testimony,

I followed the Xie family rules

and punished

Jin Chunqing.

Fourth Madam is innocent.

It was my momentary lapse of judgment back then,

that made me help the wicked,

making Fourth Madam suffer an injustice for 19 years.

You say Jin Chunqing didn't kill my mother,

then who killed my mother?

It was Second Madam.

Qingyuan,

you can't just make baseless accusations.

Saying I killed and framed someone—

do you have evidence?

Cui'er is the witness.

You ordered Cui'er back then

to put euphorbia

into Fifth Madam's pregnancy potion.

Cui'er!

Tell me,

how did Concubine Xia die?

Speak!

Speak!

It was...

It was Fourth Madam who gave me a bowl of pregnancy tonic

Fifth Madam passed away years ago.

She should have reincarnated by now.

You!

With no proof,

you can make up whatever you want.

Besides, back then, didn't she personally

testify against Fourth Madam,

and then secretly disappear for so many years?

Now she pops up again talking nonsense.

Is she treating this case as a joke?

Back then, my brother owed gambling debts.

Second Madam threatened us with paying off the debts

and forced me to betray Fourth Madam.

I went against my conscience

and made a huge mistake.

After that,

Second Madam forced my brother and me to leave Hengtang.

That's why we wandered to another town to hide.

Today,

I have come to confess.

I beg the patriarch of the Xie family

and Old Madam

to distinguish right from wrong,

clear Fourth Madam's name,

and bring the real murderer of Fifth Madam

to justice!

Absurd!

A lowly maidservant like you

think you can convict me with a few nonsensical words?

Might as well do what Lord Yan

and Xie Qingyuan want.

Go to court

and let the whole Hengtang judge

the right and wrong.

Sure.

I'll help you with that.

Fan Zhong,

take them back to the government.

I will interrogate them myself.

You—

Yes.

Wait.

Lord Yan.

I think...

this is still my private matter.

I think you should leave it to me

for my own consideration.

Why?

Lord Xie, are you showing favoritism?

Lord Yan.

What are you talking about?

This is my private residence.

I have an elderly mother above me,

and wives, concubines, and children below me.

These are all my closest relatives.

Even if I'm being selfish and protective,

shouldn't I be?

However,

Cui'er's appearance is suspicious.

I am also very surprised by what she said.

So I must personally investigate it clearly.

For what happened in the past,

there would be no one else

but me who's the most upset.

If there really is a murderer,

no one is more eager to find her than me.

I am more eager.

I wish I could rewrite the past.