Original subtitles

[Spring of The Blade]

[Episode 24]

I'd rather spend the rest of my life in a temple

than be forced to become a concubine!

This is a joyous occasion.

Don't be insolent.

Listen up, all of you!

I, Xie Qingyuan,

hereby call off my marriage to Li Congxin, the Heir

of the Marquis of Danyang!

I will not marry him!

Qingyuan.

Fourth Sister.

You rebellious son!

Father.

Father.

Kneel!

Father!

Nanny Liu.

Father.

Fourth Lady.

Don't touch me!

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Fourth Lady,

a concubine like you can't wear bridal robes.

This attire of yours is more dignified than even the principal wife's.

This servant will teach you a lesson

and rid you of any notion that you can overstep your station,

lest you enter the Marquis's household without knowing your place!

Let go of me.

Who do you think you are?

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

How dare you try to vie with our Second Lady?

I'd say you've got a death wish!

Let go of me!

Fourth Lady,

this servant still remembers

those 30 slaps quite vividly.

Let's go.

Get away from me!

Get away from me!

-Qingyuan! -Chunzhi!

Don't come any closer, all of you!

Whoever dares come near,

I'll pierce a hole in your neck!

-Move! -Out of the way!

♪ I counted every moment ♪

♪ Memories take root; the annual rings grow ♪

♪ Who bore the parting wind ♪

♪ And wove it gently into the warmth of the past? ♪

♪ I honor every scar upon your hand ♪

Qingyuan.

♪ Through endless nights, a lone soul wanders this mortal world ♪

♪ Turning back, we embrace— one fleeting moment of love and hate ♪

What are you doing here?

♪ As flowers fall beneath the dusk ♪

♪ Sorrowed by many a farewell, comforted by sweet memories ♪

Commander,

♪ One life, one love, one heart devoted to you ♪

you've barged into the Marquis's wedding hall,

and now you're embracing the Heir's concubine.

♪ In the depths of darkness, you are the stars ♪

Isn't this rather improper?

Your family and Li family

♪ Trample the abyss, together we run ♪

are willing to let such a gem be sullied.

But I

♪ May we grow deep in years together, sharing one life and one pillow ♪

cannot bear to see the woman I love reduced to a concubine.

The woman you love?

♪ Rise and fall as one, whether we're united or apart ♪

Commander, surely you're not trying to

snatch her in front of everyone?

♪ Hand in hand, we brave all the storms of life ♪

You speak too gravely, Lord Xie.

This isn't seizing her.

♪ Never to part, forevermore ♪

I'm asking for her hand in marriage.

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

♪ Red plums bear dewdrops, bright and serene ♪

♪ 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 ♪

Son.

Chunzhi.

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

♪ Old memories lie heavy, haunting every dream ♪

♪ Rises and falls take turns ♪

I offer this red cloak as your wedding robe

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

and ask you

to become my wife.

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

Offering the red wedding robe is a rite for a woman marrying beneath her station.

Commander,

you're lowering your status.

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

Amid the flames of calamity, fate entrusted you to me;

♪ Like a dim yet blazing candle ♪

Once, before the Buddha, our incense rose as one.

By the windy window, we revisit old promises;

Counting worn silver, awaiting our coming spring.

May parted stars shine together once more, defying Heaven's decree;

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

May broken jade be made whole again, beyond what mortals can foresee.

With reverence, I make this vow before your spirit.

♪ Blossoms drift with streams, affections softly stir ♪

Let peach blossoms bear witness to our oath.

Long ago, our hearts were woven into silken gauze.

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

I have carved our promise into stone and sealed it in wood,

thus keeping the vow we made as youths beneath the locust tree.

I have sought an auspicious match

and now pledge to nurture our bond forever.

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

With six gifts of betrothal, I come before your hall.

I do not presume to boast of my honor.

I look to the paired swallows circling your roof

and await an auspicious day.

Golden daylilies grace the northern hall;

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

I humbly ask that you graciously accept this proposal.

A fine jade tree awaits in the eastern chamber;

I reverently present the ceremonial geese.

Shen Run, of the Shen clan of the capital,

humbly bows twice.

The sixteenth day of the second month,

♪ Slim moonbeams weave tangled dreams all night ♪

in the eighth year of Jingxi.

♪ The homeward boat glides slowly through dark twilight ♪

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

Commander,

you've really thought this through?

Yes.

Have you considered—

if we don't get along

in the future,

might you come to regret this?

Even so,

I accept that risk.

Please do me the honor

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

of becoming my wife.

I, Shen Run,

will never have any complaints or regrets.

♪ Old memories lie heavy, haunting every dream ♪

♪ Rises and falls take turns ♪

♪ 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 ♪

[Chen family of Hengtang]

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

Unfilial daughter!

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

You are a daughter of the Xie family.

Without our permission,

you've pledged yourself to him

and signed the marriage contract!

Do you know that you've defied

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

all proper order and tradition?

You people of the Xie family have misunderstood.

♪ Slim moonbeams weave tangled dreams all night ♪

The woman I'm seeking to marry

is surnamed Chen,

not Xie.

♪ The homeward boat glides slowly through dark twilight ♪

Preposterous.

I'm the patriarch of the Xie family.

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

Qingyuan,

how dare you try to change your surname.

I'll give you one last chance.

♪ I chant and sigh; one cup of spring, drunk through turns of year ♪

Come here now,

and I'll forgive you.

Let's go.

Let's go home.

Commissioner Hu has arrived!

[Hu Xing, Head of Three Commissioners]

Brother!

Brother.

Commissioner Hu,

here you are, showing up without any warning at all.

Brother,

Qingyuan

has already been entered into our Xie family genealogy.

Alive, she belongs to the Xie family;

dead, she is a ghost of the Xie family.

Today, our patriarch betrothed Qingyuan

to the Heir of the Marquis of Danyang as a concubine.

It should've been a joyous occasion—

a double blessing.

But unexpectedly, Commander Shen

barged into the wedding hall.

Not only did he snatch Qingyuan away,

but he also tried to change her surname.

It's simply... too much for us to bear.

I hope you'll stand up for us, Brother.

Such a thing happened?

Where is the gift I bought for my sister?

Your favorite

when you were little.

Thank you for always keeping me in your thoughts, Brother.

Commander Shen,

looks like your marriage won't be going through after all.

I've long heard

that you have an extraordinary presence, Commissioner Hu.

Now that I've seen you today,

you indeed live up to your reputation.

I'm determined to marry her.

You, a mere commissioner—

do you really think you can stop the Palace Guards

and me by yourself?

I came here today

without a single soldier.

How could I possibly

stop the Palace Guards, who stormed through Hengtang

with such might

just days ago?

[Memorial; Your subject, Li Shaoqun]

[Increase pay to stabilize the army.] [The wounded shall receive double pay for life.]

Well...

Commissioner Hu,

isn't this the memorial

I submitted to the imperial court regarding soldiers' pay some time ago?

How did it come to be in your hands?

The Marquis of Danyang

wants to refine the armor for the troops

in his camp and raise their pay,

so His Lordship has repeatedly requested funds.

As luck would have it,

this memorial

just

landed right on my desk.

But

as you all know,

the court has many demands for funding.

I'm also in a difficult position.

But if

both of my nieces

marry your son,

wouldn't we be even closer?

Yes.

Then, whether in the court's interest or my own,

I'll approve it, even though we're kin.

Let people say whatever they please.

You can be sure

I'll put your needs first.

Commissioner Hu,

are you trying to use

the soldiers' pay

to threaten me?

Your Lordship,

I'm genuinely concerned for your sake.

You've

guarded this place for many years.

Your soldiers' equipment

should've been replaced long ago.

During the last raid by the northern bandits,

many soldiers lost their lives because their armor

was too fragile.

If we don't replace the military equipment,

the soldiers will lose their morale.

How will we safeguard the peace of the people?

We might as well disband

your army!

Soldiers!

Yes, sir!

Commander Shen,

you're a guest here in Hengtang.

I should've

shown you proper hospitality long ago.

Today's show of force

is the welcoming gift

I've prepared especially for you.

You should be able to see clearly

how we receive guests here in Hengtang.

You're a clever man.

Do you understand?

Soldiers,

you've faithfully followed His Lordship for years!

You don't want to see him humiliated, do you?

Then what are you waiting for?

Get the concubine back

for Young Master Li!

Don't worry.

You're my wife.

I won't let your reputation be tarnished.

I'd like to see who dares.

Here's the imperial edict!

Lay down your arms, remove your armor,

and kneel to receive it!

What?

Are you going to defy an imperial edict, Commissioner Hu?

This subject

receives the edict.

By the Mandate of Heaven, I decree:

Xie Qingyuan, fourth daughter of the Xie family,

is pure and virtuous.

It grieves this throne that legitimate

and concubine-born daughters are worlds apart.

The whole Xie clan allowed their servants to abuse the lonely girl,

which is truly a grave violation of human decency.

Now, Shen Run, Commander of the Palace Guard,

has distinguished himself through meritorious service

and has submitted his heartfelt petition before the throne.

This throne, moved by his plea,

grants marriage between Shen and Qingyuan.

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices shall select an auspicious date

and prepare the betrothal rites according to protocol.

Xie Qingyuan shall be removed from the Xie family register.

Her name shall be struck from the Xie genealogy,

and she shall return to the Chen family.

She shall be granted the title of Second-Rank Lady of Honor,

together with 100 qing of fertile land

and golden phoenix hairpins.

Spring, in the eighth year of Jingxi.

Commander Shen.

You truly are a trusted confidant close to the throne.

I honestly didn't expect

you to be so favored by the Emperor.

Likewise.

I didn't want things to come to this.

But you

left me no choice.

Since that's how things stand,

and today is an auspicious day,

I might as well

borrow the wedding arrangements already

set up here for my own marriage.

You have the imperial edict to shield you;

I have no objections.

But a wedding without elders present

will invite the wrath of Heaven.

Hurry, we can't afford to be late.

My goodness!

Look at this spectacle!

This chair...

I-I'm not late, am I?

Well...

Let's begin.

Okay.

Bride and groom,

bow to Heaven and Earth!

Bow!

Second bow to the elder—

may you enjoy family happiness forever!

Bow!

Great.

Bride and groom, bow to each other—

may blessing and peace be with you both!

The ceremony is complete!

Great!

Well, I came at a bad time.

But I wanted you to try

the osmanthus candies I just made.

These were

her favorite when she was little.

She used to sneak them all the time,

and I caught her every time.

These are your wedding candies.

Make sure you eat them, okay?

You two,

what's going on here?

Why are you sitting so formally and stiffly?

Why so tense?

You two are married now.

Why are you still shy like a pair of children?

Seriously.

Seeing you two finally married

makes me happier

than anything.

Everyone says that

by changing her red-and-blue wedding robes to a blood-red cloak,

you turned a marriage above her station into one below it, Yan.

But I think,

in today's wedding,

Yan, you

gave her plenty of dignity.

It's... Second-Rank Lady of Honor,

right?

Second-Rank Lady of Honor!

That's certainly something to boast about!

I mean, it's such an honor!

From now on...

I'll have plenty to brag about

to all the neighbors.

I almost forgot

the most important thing—

I still need to

go make the bed for you.

My Lady,

how about I help you take off the phoenix crown first?

I'm really here.

I've become the Heir's Consort of the Marquis of Danyang household.

I really married Chunzhi.

It's already past midnight,

and the Heir hasn't come yet.

Should we send someone to fetch him?

He must be caught up with the guests.

He's the Heir,

and today is his wedding day.

Naturally, everyone wants to offer their congratulations.

But...

But after everything, this marriage hasn't exactly gone smoothly.

What if he doesn't come at all tonight?

If he doesn't come today...

then I'll wait until tomorrow.

I have a...

a whole lifetime...

to wait.

My Lady.

Che,

I know what you're worried about.

You're worried that I've forgotten my mission—

forgotten what we set out to do.

Good that you know.

Feng En has already reported that your lovely wife

intends to move against Xie Shu.

This is not what His Majesty wants to see.

And you—

you actually asked for an edict to snatch her in a moment of desperation.

Are you afraid that His Majesty won't notice

that you also want to move against Xie Shu?

Do you know

how afraid I've been every day?

Afraid that one day, we'd never be able

to finish what we set out to do!

What is it that we truly set out to do?

Along the way,

how long were we destitute refugees,

how many places did we flee to,

and how many people helped us

so that we could escape death

and live to see this day?

We've seen so much hatred,

so much vengeance.

After everything we've endured,

we're no longer

seeking revenge merely for the Shen family

but for the whole realm.

I believe in our father

and in every soul the candles represent.

This was their wish.

[Shen Residence]

[Shen Residence]

[Shen Residence]

Nine years.

Since I returned to Hengtang,

I've walked every corner of it,

yet I've never dared to push open this door.

If it weren't for you,

I don't think I would've ever returned here.

I never told you

why I have to protect Xie Shu.

But when I saw you were about to marry another man,

I couldn't accept it.

So I asked His Majesty for an edict

to keep you by my side.

Now,

I can tell you everything.

My resolve for vengeance

never wavered, not for a single moment.

Nor could 9 years of my efforts

be erased by a single imperial edict.

It's because I know

I still have more important things to do.

That's why I have no choice but

to spare Xie Shu's life a while longer—

causing you...

and the 72 deceased members of our family

to wait a little longer.

This courtyard

was once filled with magnolia trees that my mother loved.

She loved the season when the flowers bloomed and then fell.

We could smell

their fragrance

before we even reached home.

Until that day,

my father and I went to your home.

Before the flowers could even fall,

our family fell first.

Our entire household was wiped out.

And the root of it all...

was one new policy my father proposed.

Displaced refugees could be resettled,

wasteland reclaimed,

commoners granted land,

and taxes and labor duties fairly apportioned.

All these entrenched abuses— from noble families concealing land

to wealthy households evading taxes—

could be eradicated.

The power held by officials

and the fate of common people—

could all be reckoned anew.

But, My Lord, your reforms

will surely offend all of Hengtang.

No,

they will offend the whole world.

Knowing the world carries such deep-rooted ailments,

how can we just live on in comfortable indifference?

If it's destined that some must die

for the new policy to move forward,

I, Shen Zhibai, am willing to be the first to give my life for it!

The new policy

of equalization

shall survey the land, equalize taxes,

reform the corvée, and establish a fair grain levy,

thereby easing the burden on the people.

"Survey the land, equalize taxes,

reform the corvée, and establish a fair grain levy,

thereby easing the burden on the people."

Until the day he died, my father kept saying,

"When the flowers fall and nourish the earth,

next year they'll bloom more brightly."

He believed his death

was like a seed planted in the earth.

Once it blossomed,

it might put an end to Hengtang's endless cycle of famine.

But after he died,

no one remembered him

or even wanted to mention him.

The seed he planted

seemed to have died in Hengtang long ago.

Of course, I hate those who caused his death.

But I understand even more clearly

that fulfilling my father's dying wish matters more

than destroying my enemies.

I believe

this is what he would want me to do as well.

I chose this path

not simply because he was my father,

but because...

he was right.

I should've realized it long ago.

Whether you're Yan Rui

or Shen Run,

whether you're a corrupt official

or a ruthless enforcer,

beneath that mask,

you are still the same man

determined to transform Hengtang.

You've never changed.

You're still the Shen Run

I waited for 9 years in the ruined temple—

the one who saved me as a child

and gave me hope to live.

Now that

we are married,

we are family.

The road you have chosen

is mine as well.

I think

this is also what my mother would want to see.

This is far more important than our personal vendettas.

♪ If the wind softly whispers your name ♪

We got married so hastily

that I never had the time

to get us a new residence—

♪ If my heart softly hears your voice ♪

a place we could call our own.

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

Why not build our home right here?

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

[Shen Residence]

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

♪ Your gentle breath, the traces left by longing ♪

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

Stop.

You're a grown man,

yet you don't even have the courage to enter your own home?

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

Once I've accomplished what I set out to do,

I'll naturally come back to console our family's spirits.

♪ A lifetime, devoted only to you ♪

I know.

♪ Giving you all the love in my heart ♪

Except for you and your brother,

everyone else in your family died 9 years ago.

♪ Our paths have never truly parted ♪

But now...

your family has a third member.

From now on,

you'll have more family members.

And this Shen Residence

will take on a whole new look.

But if you never dare to walk through this door,

this courtyard

♪ If the wind softly whispers your name ♪

will remain forever as it lives in your memory—

soaked in blood.

♪ 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 ♪

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

Brother.

♪ Your gentle breath, the traces left by longing ♪

Let me do it.

♪ Our paths have never truly parted ♪

Congratulations on your wedding, Commander.

Though

I wonder if you've been so dazzled by your beautiful bride

that you've lost your senses.

His Majesty granting your personal wish

was already an extraordinary act of grace.

Yet you've

leaked his top-secret mission

to your new wife.

Revealing a confidential imperial edict

is a capital offense!

Shen Run,

I've already made a concession.

As long as Chen Qingyuan dies,

I'll pretend none of this ever happened.

What good would

killing Chen Qingyuan do for us

or for His Majesty's

plans?

Are you defying the edict?

Feng En,

you and I fought together in the Northern Frontier

for years,

through life and death.

Are you really going to turn your sword against me?

I'm not like you.

I know very well that I'm just a blade.

In the Northern Frontier,

I was the general's sharpest weapon.

In the capital,

I'm His Majesty's blade.

Whoever I serve,

my blade points

where they direct.

Even with brotherly bonds between us,

when the moment comes that I must take your life,

I'll show no mercy whatsoever.

As long as it's not Chen Qingyuan.

If you want to kill me,

so be it.