Original subtitles

[Spring of The Blade]

[Episode 20]

Lord Xie, save me!

Bloodshed in a mourning hall

is a grave taboo.

But I've got a case to handle,

so I can't concern myself with that.

My family's case was merely an old miscarriage of justice.

Yet how many wrongful, tragic cases

has Hengtang seen over the years?

My family's case is hardly the only one.

My purpose in coming this time

is to bring Hengtang to order, once and for all.

As for these guilty lives,

consider them

extra lamps lit along the road to the underworld

to guide our loyal and righteous dead.

I just don't know if they will be enough.

My good nephew,

you've done well.

You've upheld the will of Heaven.

If Zhenglun could know of this from beyond the grave,

he would find peace with the past.

Lord Xie,

your eldest son

gave his life

to help you rise in rank and become an earl.

And with just that offhand remark,

you've decided that, for him, all those past grievances are settled.

Whether alive or dead,

he is my son.

And he will always obey me.

Lord Shen!

Lord Shen,

my brother was murdered!

He was murdered by this poisonous woman!

Zhengjun,

stop making a scene here.

I'm not!

Shut up!

Haven't you made enough of a scene today?

Lord Xie,

does seeing me, the son of your old friend,

bring you any gratification?

Gratified indeed.

My old friend's name is cleared at last,

my long-held wish fulfilled.

And now, I've received

even greater favor from His Majesty.

I feel truly gratified.

As for everyone present here today—

the dead, drag them out and bury them;

the living,

take them all away!

Cut the crap! Move!

♪ Waiting for a dream to sink into the depths of the night ♪

♪ Waiting for a rain to wash away the heat burning in my eyes ♪

It's been a while.

♪ Waiting for a few flowers to bloom, then quietly fall ♪

♪ Only then do I understand right from what's wrong and bitter ♪

♪ Pear blossoms drift through the courtyard, fluttering like snowflakes in a song ♪

♪ Singing the silence of love and hate ♪

♪ Which moment is hypothetical, and which is a real choice? ♪

[Commandant of Loyalty and Power Xie Zhenglun]

♪ Who is drifting aimlessly in the wind? ♪

♪ I wonder why joy is always so scarce in this world ♪

♪ I wonder, is that tear a loss or a gain? ♪

[Mengliang]

♪ Two souls trapped on the opposite banks of life and death ♪

[Commandant of Loyalty and Power Xie Zhenglun]

♪ May you and I overcome karma's bonds ♪

Eldest Brother,

I wonder if you find

today's farce ridiculous.

Please watch patiently from above.

♪ Waiting for a dream to sink into the depths of the night ♪

[Mengliang]

This show

I've put on for you is far from over.

♪ Waiting for a rain to wash away the heat burning in my eyes ♪

♪ Waiting for a few flowers to bloom, then quietly fall ♪

♪ Only then do I understand right from what's wrong and bitter ♪

Help!

Murder!

Insolent!

Get lost!

You dare attempt to...

attempt to kill me, the Head Madam?

You'll be struck down by heaven for this!

You caused my brother's death

and drove my mother mad.

I'll never let you off today.

I must kill you!

Run, then!

Let's see how far you get.

Let's see where you can possibly go.

Rebellious son,

how dare you

attempt to kill the Head Madam!

Father!

He wasn't just my brother!

He was your son too!

Father.

I don't need you to remind me,

and I certainly don't need you to make decisions for me!

But how can I stand by while this poisonous woman is right here?

Then I'll confine you for 10 days!

Let's see just how wild you really are!

Servants!

No need!

I'll go to the estate in the suburbs myself

to be with my mother.

Father,

you can't blame Second Brother for this.

Eldest Brother was appointed as the Commandant of Loyalty and Power by His Majesty.

If the culprit isn't severely punished,

how can Eldest Brother's heroic soul

rest in peace?

And what would the people of Hengtang

think of our family?

Say no more.

Wenzhuo,

it seems I have no choice but to place you

under house arrest in Wuzhu Courtyard.

Tonight...

I was almost killed.

And instead of punishing them,

you're confining me?

Wenzhuo...

Zhenglun

was the most promising eldest son of our family.

Yet you...

You've...

destroyed the foundation of the family.

It's only out of regard for

your position as Head Madam

that I...

This is already a light punishment.

You should take this opportunity

to stay out of the fray for a while.

Who is the most promising child of the family?

Zhenglun?

Surely you haven't forgotten

the fully formed baby boy

who died in my womb.

He was the true eldest legitimate son.

He was the most promising child.

Wenzhuo.

If you hadn't deliberately made me miscarry,

by now

he'd be old enough to serve the country,

fight on the battlefield,

and bring honor to the family!

But now,

every night, I hear him crying.

He often cries out,

"Mother,

save me.

Mother,

save me.

Mother,

save me!"

What nonsense are you talking about?

Your miscarriage that day

was purely an accident.

The physician made it very clear.

Only you

became obsessed with it

and refused to believe it.

Mother,

karma

has been served.

Accident or not...

don't you know perfectly well yourself?

Let karma have its way.

Let it.

Qingyuan.

Don't you want to seek justice for your mother?

Seek it properly.

This is how things have always been

in this family's inner household.

One grievance answered with another.

But the root of it all

is that you have a good father.

He's

the most heartless

and venomous man in the world.

You blame me for Zhenglun's death?

Why don't you ask your father?

Isn't Zhenglun's death

exactly what you wanted?

If Zhenglun hadn't died,

you wouldn't have your title of earl today.

Wenzhuo!

You've gone too far!

I ask you to show some restraint.

Mind your standing

in front of the younger generation.

My standing?

I'm not Mei Yinghua.

Didn't you climb to your present position,

step by step,

on the strength of my status?

Save some face for yourself.

Since we've come this far,

let's have it out properly.

Before the funeral,

I'd already written to my brother.

It shouldn't be long

before he arrives in Hengtang.

When he does,

I'll let him have a proper talk with you

about what my standing really is

and whether I had

anything to do with Zhenglun's death.

How arrogant of you.

You think that simply because you have a powerful brother,

you can murder our Xie family's flesh and blood

and get away with it?

Take it.

Show it to her.

Our elder brother

is busy with official duties.

I'm afraid he won't be coming here soon.

[To repay Your Majesty's trust, the Xie clan vows to serve you for generations,]

[safeguarding Jiangnan's wealth and revenues unto death.]

[Memorial; Your subject, Xie Shu]

[Memorial; Your subject, Xie Shu]

Nanny Liu.

Yes, Old Madam.

You have done all kinds of evil.

You shall be punished according to the family rules.

Servants,

drag her out

and give her 20 strokes.

Old Madam.

I'm innocent, Old Madam!

Whether she lives or dies depends on her own fate!

Old Madam, please spare me!

Old Madam!

Old Madam!

Hu Wenzhuo,

you've become far too arrogant.

Your good days are over.

According to the patriarch's wishes,

you are to be confined

in Wuzhu Courtyard as punishment.

Servants!

No need.

I can walk there myself.

Qingyuan.

At the mourning hall,

we were all trying to stop Zhengjun from reading that letter.

But you seemed to be egging him on the whole time.

Were you deliberately trying to expose the scandal?

I don't understand.

I don't understand

what you were trying to accomplish.

Father,

I

didn't want to bring shame upon the family.

It's just that...

It's just that I

can't bear that Eldest Brother died unjustly.

He was a loyal subject who protected the people

and brought honor to the Xie family.

Most importantly,

he was just like you back then, Father.

He ventured into the Northern Frontier alone

and made a name for the family throughout the realm.

But he was harmed by treacherous people.

No matter what it takes,

I must seek justice for him.

Seek justice?

After the things with Mei Yinghua,

I warned you again and again

not to cause trouble!

Today,

no matter what excuse you come up with,

you intentionally stirred up trouble in front of everyone.

You must be punished according to family rules.

Yuejian,

fetch the discipline ruler.

Yes, Old Madam.

I've just ascended the throne

and indeed need to root out some of the late Empero's corrupt officials.

You want to use this matter

to get me to approve your return for revenge, huh?

I wouldn't dare.

This is merely what I, Shen Run,

can do for Your Majesty on this journey.

And if you fail?

I'll submit to whatever punishment Your Majesty decides.

Very well.

Since you have the desire to avenge your father

and the resolve to ease my burdens,

I shall grant your wish.

But there is one more thing.

When you return this time,

you are bound to spill blood.

But there is one person you can't lay a hand on.

[Memorial; Your subject, Xie Shu]

And you must also keep him safe for me.

Who is it?

Xie Shu.

Your Majesty,

his crimes are beyond measure.

-All of this is because... -Keep Xie Shu safe.

I want you to join hands with him

and bring down the person behind him.

This is my condition

for allowing you to go back for revenge.

Feng En.

This matter is top secret.

No one else may know of it.

My Lord,

do not forget His Majesty's instructions to you.

I don't want to sound harsh,

but His Majesty's will is absolute.

This matter cannot be leaked in the slightest.

Whoever you intend to meet,

I'll remain outside and stand guard.

Please, My Lord,

do not make things difficult for me.

Mother,

these are the dried persimmons

my eldest brother loved most when he was alive.

Bring them over, then.

Sit.

So sweet.

You thought I wouldn't dare eat them, right?

Are you expecting me to be like Mei Yinghua,

terrified of some so-called karmic retribution

and driven mad by fear?

I saw through you long ago.

You've schemed your way back into the family

just to seek justice for your mother, right?

If

these petty tricks are all you have,

I advise you

to give up.

You won't be driven mad,

nor will you regret what you've done.

You hid your hand far better than Mei Yinghua did—

and you're even more ruthless than she was.

For your own petty interests,

you dared to move against an official with illustrious military merit.

So why would you possibly fear

mere karmic retribution?

What are you here for today?

If you've come to flaunt your triumph,

then you're too early.

It won't be long

before I step out of this Wuzhu Courtyard.

The blood debt you owe

for my eldest brother's death will be settled sooner or later.

I'm not in a hurry.

I came today

because there's something I want to ask you.

Nine years ago,

a few days before my mother died,

you came to our house.

What exactly did you say to my mother?

You know about that?

I recognized the hairpin you wore that day

the moment I saw it.

There's no mistaking it.

You think that just because I saw her, I'm the murderer?

How naive.

What a pity.

You've got the wrong person.

The one who harmed your mother

was neither Second Madam

nor me.

Of course I know who the real murderer is.

Is knowing who it is

enough?

You think all of this

is connected to Fifth Madam's death?

Then you're being far too naive.

Back then, your father loved your mother so deeply

that even if she'd committed some unforgivable offense,

he would never

have had the heart to lay a finger on her.

So why

would he agree to let your mother

leave the residence of her own accord,

then not look for her for 9 years,

only to kill her as soon as he found her?

Everything that happened to your mother,

including her death,

was because

Xie Shu has a secret he could never reveal.

What secret?

A secret that could shake the heavens.

I might as well...

tell you directly.

That secret

is hidden on your mother's bronze mirror.

As for whether you can find it,

that depends on your ability.

However,

you'd better hurry.

Once I walk out of this Wuzhu Courtyard,

who knows who'll be the one

placed under house arrest next?

My Lord, the letter you wrote to His Majesty

was brilliantly composed.

First, you grieved over

your eldest son's death in service to the country—

weeping your way into the title of Earl of Zhongyong.

Then you exposed some corrupt officials here,

all the while clearing yourself of any blame.

I don't understand what you're saying, my dear nephew.

I was merely expressing, as a father,

my grief over losing a son.

My Lord only named a few small fry

and didn't mention a word

about the man backing you.

What man backing me?

My dear nephew, you've been on a killing spree in Hengtang lately,

searching high and low to uncover corruption.

There's nothing you can't dig up.

I found him.

Isn't he right behind you?

That's why His Majesty has chosen to elevate your rank

and ordered me to protect you.

Isn't it just to uproot the man backing you?

You found the person?

Who is this person?

Tell me quickly.

You think

not saying his name will keep you safe?

If the man behind you learns

that His Majesty intends to support you in replacing him,

do you think he'll let you go?

Ever since you rose to high office,

your words have grown increasingly cryptic.

I don't quite understand.

But in any case,

I know—

you would never let that man find out,

right?

The only thing I know

is that you're here this time

under the Emperor's order to keep me safe.

Well...

What is there to protect me from?

Yet you've been put to the trouble of doing it.

Don't worry.

Unless something serious happens,

I won't trouble you.

Lord Xie, you're right.

An imperial decree may protect you for a while,

but not for a lifetime.

You think that with the title of Earl of Zhongyong

and my protection,

you'll be safe from everything?

Lord Xie,

we shall see.

So noisy!

The Hu family will find out sooner or later

that we've placed Hu Wenzhuo under house arrest.

The situation is currently unclear.

If we fall out,

both sides will suffer.

We need to let the Hu family

see our sincerity

and think that our loyalty remains unchanged.

Since Qinghe's engagement

has already been broken off anyway,

why not send her birth details

to the Hu family?

You mean

marry Qinghe into the Hu family to continue the alliance?

Qingyuan and Shen Run are devoted to each other,

so let them remain entangled.

Qinghe will

marry into the Hu family,

while Qingyuan

keeps Shen Run bound to her.

It's like a game of chess—

you're only truly secure when you

have pieces on both sides.

You're wise, Mother.

It's getting late.

You should go rest.

Yes.

♪ Lazy and flirtatious ♪

♪ Drinking toasts ♪

♪ A furrowed brow betrays her sorrow ♪

Yes.

It's time for this inner household to welcome a new brides.

♪ Why keep your heart so guarded against me? ♪

Chunqing?

Yuejian.

Master.

[Danyue Pavilion]

I heard

you're going to marry me.

There's one more thing I want to ask you.

Why have you pushed Xie Shu

so hard

that he's rushing to marry off his 2 daughters to climb higher?

I was trying to expose the forces behind him.

I never meant to harm your eldest sister.

If you ever

need my help,

just ask.

You once told me

that when you returned,

you would take revenge on those who framed your father

and on the corrupt officials who oppressed the common people.

That

also includes Xie Shu,

right?

Yes.

You can move against anyone you want,

but not Xie Shu.

Why?

He was just granted a title because of Zhenglun.

His Majesty personally named Xie Shu the Earl of Zhongyong.

Now is not the right time

to move against him.

No.

You're lying.

Tell me,

what's the real reason?

I just said it.

His Majesty just conferred the title of Earl of Zhongyong on Xie Shu.

If you make a move against him now,

you'll be moving against His Majesty.

We will all die.

And if I insist on moving against him anyway?

Then I will protect him.

When I first met you as Yan Rui,

everyone said you were a big corrupt official.

But no one expected

that, in the end, you would be the one

to save countless starving people in Hengtang.

When you asked the Marquis for troops,

you said yourself

that you came to Hengtang

for three things:

disaster relief,

bandit suppression,

and corruption eradication.

The Yan Rui in my heart

was an upright hero

who feared neither power nor authority.

So deep down,

you had long since been

the Shen Run I knew back then.

I waited for you all this time.

I waited for you to come back

so we could finish

what we started.

But what about now?

You finally came back,

but you tell me you want to protect Xie Shu—

protect a corrupt official,

a murderer.

All because

His Majesty ordered you not to,

and you got scared?

You've truly disappointed me.

Whether you're Yan Rui

or Shen Run,

since our paths are different...

let's part ways here.

Fourth Sister,

why does the pastry

taste a bit different today?

Fourth Sister?

What's strange about it?

It tastes a bit bitter.

This is a Solomon's seal cake.

The bitterness comes

from one of the ingredients— Solomon's seal.

You come from a wealthy family, Young Master Li,

so you may never have eaten it before.

Solomon's seal

grows all over the mountains.

When I was a child, drifting from place to place,

whenever we didn't have enough to eat,

my mother would go to the mountains

to gather it and make it into cakes for me.

It can not only fill the stomach

but also nourish the body.

After hearing that story,

I feel this bitterness

has a flavor all its own.

Fourth Sister,

this seems to be the first time you've told me

about your past.

Young Master Li,

surely you've heard some of it already.

My mother was a concubine.

After being wrongfully accused,

she left the Xie family while pregnant with me.

She raised me in a dilapidated house.

Life was poor,

but we were content.

Charge!

Come on!

Charge!

When I was 9,

there was heavy snow.

I was playing in the alley

and bumped into

a prominent nobleman.

That very day,

a big fire broke out at our home.

As I climbed a ladder up

to the attic room,

I saw that nobleman

glaring fiercely at my mother.

My mother

died in that fire.

I often wonder:

if I hadn't been so caught up in play that day,

if I hadn't gone

with my friend to buy sweets that day,

would my mother...

still be alive?

That wasn't your fault.

What happened after?

Why didn't you report it to the authorities?

That person held high status and great power.

Reporting him would've been useless.

Outrageous.

I'll definitely seek justice

for your mother.

Young Master Li...

do you really mean it?

Of course I do.

Once you and I are married,

you'll be the Young Madam of the Marquis of Danyang's household.

Your mother

will be considered a relative of the Marquis's family.

And since that murderer

killed the relative of an official,

he should be beheaded for it.

As the Heir of the Marquis of Danyang,

I can bypass the local government

and petition the throne

directly through the Eight Deliberations.

At that time,

I'll make that murderer pay in blood.

Thank you, Young Master Li.

It's just that this marriage...

Fourth Sister.

I know.

I, Li Congxin, swear here and now:

in this life,

I will marry only you as my wife

and never take a concubine.

I will never let you relive the tragedy

your mother endured amid the intrigues of the inner household.