Original subtitles

(Guardians of the Dafeng)

(Episode 7)

Fear not the Night Guardians in broad daylight.

Night Guardians?

- Put down your hand. - Be serious.

Are you Xu Qi An?

Speak.

Yes. I am Xu Qi An.

Great. Come with me.

Hold on. Officers. I didn't do anything wrong.

Do no evil in the middle of the night,

fear not the Night Guardians in broad daylight.

Why do I smell something burnt around me?

Take a sniff.

Did you smell it?

I think so.

Let me take a sniff.

I think I have the same smell.

Go and prepare my bath water.

I'll take a bath later.

Okay.

(Lin An's Mother, Noble Consort Chen)

Greetings, Mother.

Your writing is messy

and your grammar is incoherent.

I'm sure you didn't practice for the past few days.

Mother, you're only viewing the drafts.

My teacher praised me for the homework I'd done just a few days ago.

Look at how messy you look. Such indecency.

Mother,

I'm in this state

because I went to research alchemy in the Astronomical Bureau.

And, I managed to create the fake silver.

The sorcerers praised me for being more intelligent than Huai Qing.

Have a seat.

News of the explosion you caused at the Astronomical Bureau

has reached the palace.

The public will hear about it tomorrow.

By then,

people will mock the sister of the crown prince

for being inferior to Huai Qing.

The Eastern Palace will be embarrassed as well.

Mother, this time, it was an accident.

I promise I'll work hard to surpass Huai Qing

and not embarrass my elder brother.

The second prince

is mediocre in both knowledge and martial arts.

But His Majesty views him in a good way because of his sister, Huai Qing.

The crown prince excels in all aspects.

He even dotes on you.

You mustn't damage his reputation.

Your Highness, I'll go and prepare the bath water now.

Your Highness, you're injured.

I'll get an imperial physician right away!

Sir, I'll be grateful to you

if you can tell me what's going on.

The Night Guardians follow strict rules.

One will be flogged 50 times

for receiving a bribe over 10 taels.

One will be banished for receiving a bribe over 50 taels.

One will be executed for receiving a bribe

over 100 taels.

We still need to follow the rules.

Actually, I'm just executing orders.

I don't know about the details.

But since you're a good person,

I'll give you a piece of advice.

Once you reach the Night Guardians' yamen,

only speak when you should.

Do not say anything unnecessary.

We've arrived.

This is the Night Guardians' yamen.

Go now.

Good luck.

We meet again.

Lord Yang?

Have a seat.

Lord Yang, long time no see.

Rou, get to work.

Scoundrel. I told you to stop calling me that.

Great timing.

I'll test the new torture tool I invented on you.

Answer whatever you're asked.

If you lie,

you shall be tortured.

Yes, sir.

Xu Qi An, do you know that

Ex-Vice Minister Zhou was the mastermind behind the tax fraud case?

I heard it before from Lady Cai Wei of the Astronomical Bureau.

So, you know that Zhou Li was out to get you.

Yes.

Therefore, you launched a preemptive strike to prevent trouble.

You kidnapped the son of Marquis Weiwu and pushed the blame on him

in an attempt to sabotage the Zhou family.

My Lady, what are you saying?

I don't understand at all.

You weren't at the yamen when his son was held hostage.

Where did you go?

I went to the theater to enjoy some tunes.

Although I slacked off, this has nothing to do with the case.

If so, how do you explain the travel record?

According to the yamen's records, it showed

that you went to the inner city.

My Lady, I'm innocent.

I've never been to the inner city or logged any travel records.

My Lady, could you be mistaken?

(I hired someone else to log the travel record before entering.)

(You want to trick me, huh?)

(You're still too young for that.)

Rou, didn't I tell you already?

Your tricks aren't enough when you encounter

someone intelligent.

Indeed.

If we didn't acquire evidence beforehand,

we might've trusted you based on that answer alone.

On the tenth day of the third month,

Xu Qi An was followed on his way home from Yunlu Academy.

It looked like a member of the Zhou Residence.

On the same night, we went to fend off the assassins.

On the 11th day of the 3rd month,

Xu Xin Nian and Xu Ping Zhi moved their female kin to Yunlu Academy.

On the same day, Xu Qi An entered the Imperial Music Bureau,

took an alias named Yang Ling, and gave Fu Xiang a gift.

After that, the Xu father and son bought a pack

of green Mandarin oranges in front of the bureau.

On the 16th day of the 3rd month,

you went to the theater early in the day.

You drugged Xiao Hu Die and Xiao Hai Tang in the room.

After that, you went to Zhou Li's private residence.

You abducted four of the members using unknown methods.

After that, you and Xu Ping Zhi pretended to be coachmen

and crash into the carriage of Marquis Weiwu's illegitimate son.

You abducted him using the same method.

After that,

you pretended to be drunk in the private room and returned late.

You framed the Vice Minister of Revenue and abducted the son of a marquis.

Your entire clan is to be executed upon conviction of your crimes.

(Why were the Night Guardians following me?)

(I'm just a constable.)

(This doesn't make sense.)

(Wait.)

(They witnessed the process, yet they didn't stop me.)

(Why is that the case?)

What else do you have to say?

I confess.

I was behind everything.

But sir, please don't worry.

I'll surely keep this a secret.

I won't tell anyone about it.

What are you talking about?

You guys followed me without stopping me.

Therefore, I have a bold speculation.

I suppose Vice Minister Zhou's political enemies

are

the

Night Guardians.

I told you already. He's smart.

He's not that smart.

We were just testing you just now.

If you showed any weaknesses

or allowed the ironclad evidence to crush your state of mind,

you would've received true judgment.

But now, what awaits you

is an invitation to join the Night Guardians.

The Night Guardians?

An invitation to join you all?

Me?

Your Highness, the Night Guardians have taken Xu Qi An.

That's right.

Princess Royal recommended you to us.

Princess Royal?

Do you mean Huai Qing?

Her Highness has arrived.

It's her?

Mister, please.

Why did she recommend me?

We're just executing orders.

If you have any questions, you may ask Lord Wei.

Of course, this is just one of the reasons.

You're a talented individual.

I've already confirmed that during the tax fraud case.

But the Night Guardians have our own set of rules.

Reaching the Qi Refining Realm is the minimum requirement.

- You still have a long way to go. - You're right.

That's why we want to test you.

But apparently,

you've proven yourself once again.

Vice Minister Zhou will be done for eventually.

We've already started dealing with him.

However, you did increase our efficiency by solving the tax fraud case.

So, you guys took note

of my case-solving skills?

We value your resourcefulness and tough demeanor.

Rou,

as per our previous deal,

he's mine.

Please give us some private space.

You make the call here.

Will you pick me? Or will you pick him?

Both of us are Gold Guardians.

We're equal in terms of power.

But he's only bent on cultivation. He has no time for you.

If you follow me,

I can lead you personally.

In at most three to five years,

you'll be able to inherit my mantle.

So, thank you for your high praise.

But during the tax fraud case,

Lord Yang was the one who gave me a chance to atone for my mistake.

I will never forget his kindness.

I wish to work under him.

Are you sure about that?

He has no time for you.

At most, he'll brush you off by sending you to his Silver Guardians.

Rou,

it's obvious that he's uninterested in the way you do things.

What's the point of inheriting your mantle?

What's the point of staying close to him?

You spend your days extracting people's spinal cords

and cracking their skulls.

That's terrifying, you know?

Indeed.

I told you not to call me Rou.

Have a seat.

I, Yang Yan, a Gold Guardian of the Night Guardians,

will be your superior in the future.

You may call me Lord Yang.

If you're not used to it,

you can call me Yan, Yang, or anything you like.

Yan?

Yan.

Smart boy.

With your talents,

the entire capital of Dafeng

will be at your mercy after undergoing my training.

As for the main duties of the Night Guardians,

we are to monitor the officials and protect the capital.

You'll understand more as time passes.

I'll help you change your household registration and handle the procedures.

Later, I'll take you to your Silver Guardian-in-charge.

Lord Yang.

I'll leave the rest to you two.

Help him understand the gist of being a Night Guardian.

- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.

Yan.

Take care.

I'm Song Ting Feng.

I'm Zhu Guang Xiao.

Not bad at all.

Now, we're colleagues.

Guys, please guide me in the future.

It's quite easy to work under Yan.

But the bad thing is that you might be assigned to Chunfeng Hall like us.

Chunfeng Hall? Is it a bad place?

That's not it. It's just that we need to act cautiously when we're there.

Understood.

Why are we flying again?

We're taking a vantage point for you to take a clear look.

- You're not afraid of heights, aren't you? - Nope.

- Have you done bungee jumping before? - Yeah.

- That's not the point. - Okay.

Look. White Laborer represents the bottom class of the Night Guardians.

There's no official position. They just do chores and run errands.

Above that is Clerk.

They're responsible for record-keeping and organizing documents.

These are Copper Guardians. It's one of the official positions.

Whether it's investigating cases or apprehending suspects,

we are always at the forefront.

Someone has escaped. Why aren't you guys going after him?

They won't get to escape. We're already used to this sight.

That's a Silver Guardian. He's just like a Hundred-Commander.

As for his power level, you saw it for yourself.

Even if we go, it'll only be a waste of our strength.

After Silver Guardian comes Gold Guardian.

That's the top position in our organization.

There are only 12 Gold Guardians in Dafeng City.

They directly take orders from Lord Wei.

That's the gist of it.

You can ask me if you don't know anything.

Before joining us, there's one more process to go through.

That's the qualification test.

Qualification test?

That's right. Lord Wei chooses the content of the test.

The tests are as follows,

a test of wit, strength, and inner reflection.

(Wenxin Tower)

Is this Heaven?

Lord Song.

Lord Yang instructed us to test him ourselves.

Now, you're at the Energy Refining Realm.

We'll skip the strength test first. We'll do the test of wit.

One of the boxes

is empty while the other is not.

You may choose to ask any one of us questions.

However, you can only ask us one question.

One of us only speaks the truth while the other only lies.

You have 15 minutes to figure this out.

But we won't give you any hints.

Although Lord Wei said this is just a game,

not many people could guess the correct answer.

Although I figured it out after that,

it already exceeded the 15-minute mark by then.

Rumor has it that only the Gold Guardians

could figure this out within 20 breaths.

Alright. I'll give it my best shot.

Begin.

What would you tell me if you were him?

There's nothing inside.

This box is not empty.

How long did it take?

Three breaths.

Let's go upstairs. Time for the next test.

For the second test, the test of inner reflection,

you don't need to do anything in particular. But remember this,

just follow your heart.

Marks will be deducted if you're too pretentious.

Marks? For what?

What do you think this test is for?

There are four grades to the test, namely A, B, C, and D.

The higher your grade, the easier it is to nurture you.

I'm Grade B.

He's Grade C.

Upper Grade C.

(Wenxin Tower, Second Floor)

That's the Sky-Splitting Axe. That represents the path of the warrior.

It can split through all kinds of ordeals and hardships.

Behold, the Mirror of Inner Reflection!

- This is? - The Mirror of Inner Reflection.

It reflects one's inner state.

According to the mirror, they seek the path of the warrior.

Just follow your heart.

If you don't feel anything, we can go upstairs.

Let's go.

(Wenxin Tower, Third Floor)

This is?

This is the ancestral founder of the Three Sects of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

He's also the founding sect leader of Dafeng.

Don't you know him?

I thought the statue resembled him.

Pardon me for the ignorance.

Let's continue, then.

Over there, right?

Wait, you...

(Wenxin Tower, Fourth Floor)

I assume you don't know him either.

- Please introduce him to me. - This is the statue of Saint Ya.

He's the founder of Yunlu Academy. He's also a top scholar of the academy.

He's a lifelong scholar who dedicates his knowledge to teaching

and passing on wisdom to the students of the world, promoting understanding

and setting aspirations for the people,

and adhering to the principle of learning as the foundation of man.

Inside the mahogany box is the carving knife of Saint Ya.

It's also the treasure of Yunlu Academy.

Saint Ya used this knife to ensure the peace and stability of Dafeng.

This is the treasure of Yunlu Academy, right?

Why is it inside the Night Guardians' yamen?

Of course it's a counterfeit product.

The real deal is sealed away in Yunlu Academy.

Listen, this is a powerful artifact.

And, it responds to different people.

If it was released, it would unleash unlimited power.

Luckily, Yunlu Academy managed to seal it away.

What are you doing?

Listen, the knife had stayed silent for over 1,000 years

ever since the passing of Saint Ya.

Song, can I take this knife with me?

The kids at home can use this as a toy.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

I have one more.

Song, I'm the only person left. Should we still continue?

You haven't completed the bowing ceremony yet.

Why don't we call it a day?

I don't have a habit of bowing.

I only bow to my own parents.

You're gutsy.

When Lord Wei first set up this test of inner reflection,

he said that a person who didn't bow after going through all four tests

must be a sinister villain.

They should be kicked out of the Night Guardians

and executed with 1,000 cuts.

1,000 cuts?

Of course, if you wish to experience it, we won't stop you.

Guang Xiao, let's call it a day.

Guys, give me another chance! I'll give it a try! I'll do it!

I'll go upstairs right now!

(Fifth Floor)

Long live Your Majesty!

Song, am I faithful enough?

Do I need to do a full bow?

Xu Qi An, can you stop messing around?

I already knelt. Hurry and record this.

Fine. Guang Xiao, write it down.

You may be able to fool us, but you can't fool the mirror.

I told you already. The Mirror of Inner Reflection

reflects one's inner state.

Those who act against their belief will be revealed in the mirror.

What's going on?

I already knelt.

I...

But wait, I already knelt.

How am I so good at acting?

How should I know?

Xu Qi An, look at me.

Look.

Did you see that? You have to be as humble as us.

Who do you mean by us?

The sun is shining and the sky is clear.

Admiring the view here is much more fun than reading books inside.

Yeah. And, books are barely readable nowadays.

I heard that the Astronomical Bureau acquired a blue book lately.

It records the essence of all things in Heaven and Earth.

It sounds intriguing.

What a coincidence.

The author of the book is Xu Qi An.

Xu Qi An? You mean the new Copper Guardian?

That's right.

I've taken him under my wing.

Foster Father, assign him to me.

Rou, you always acted alone.

What's with the sudden change in behavior today?

Lord Wei, you're observant indeed.

Rou may appear to be a peaceful person,

but whenever I want to take someone under my wing or do something,

she'll act like this.

She'll compete with me by hook or by crook.

Lord Wei, I'm no match for your foster daughter.

You have to help me out.

You're not his foster child.

Oh, I forgot.

Yang Yan, listen up.

If you call me Rou again,

I'll strip your spinal cord and feed it to the dogs.

Your foster father called you that, you know?

Of course he can do so.

But not you.

Foster Father, look.

I knew she was picking on me.

Lord Wei, these are

the test results and household registration of the new Copper Guardian.

Please assess it.

Rou,

how long did it take for you to solve the first riddle?

It took me 15 breaths.

It took Yang Yan

19 breaths.

It took Xu Qi An, the new Copper Guardian,

merely 10 breaths.

- Not bad. - He solved the tax fraud case in a short time.

With that kind of intellect,

I'm not surprised by the result.

The clerk responsible for keeping the record

was in a daze for seven breaths.

How could that be possible?

Foster Father, you must assign him to me.

It's a shame that you're one step too late.

He never bowed on any of the four floors. He's truly arrogant.

I don't want him anymore.

Gold Guardian Yang, you can have him back.

Foster Father, how should we deal with a sinister villain like him?

Where is he right now?

The Copper Guardians in charge took him to the sixth floor.

Lord Wei did say this when he set up the test.

He said that a person who didn't bow after going through all four tests

must be a sinister villain.

But Lord Wei will still give them one last chance.

That's why he created the fifth room.

However, no one has entered that room before.

I suppose you're the first to do so.

Song,

don't tell me all of them are Mirrors of Inner Reflection?

Of course.

It's pointless to act against your will in front of them.

The rules are the same. You only have 15 minutes.

Cherish it well.

Knock on the door once you're done. I'll know what to do.

Buddy, you can do it.

Try your best to survive.

Having slain 100,000 enemy chiefs and soldiers,

the sword at his waist still reeks of blood.

Upon his return, he holds the golden mace,

and not a single official dares to speak.

This is bad.

Seems like Lord Wei intends to hold power in court.

But I have no interest in power at all.

I just wish to find a place where I can live my days peacefully.

(No. I mustn't panic.)

(I need to calm down and think carefully.)

(The duty of the Night Guardians is to monitor the officials.)

(Wei Yuan's poem conveys the meaning)

(of loyal service to the country)

(and exerting dominance over the officials.)

(It's not a contest. It's meant to evoke empathy.)

(If the so-called sinister villain was truly sinister, )

(he wouldn't be able to go against his will and write an empathetic poem)

(forcefully in the test of inner reflection.)

(On the contrary, it proves that he still has redeeming qualities.)

(That's why Wei Yuan is willing to give them one last chance.)

(Since you want me to show empathy, )

(I'll show you empathy.)

You eat your food and enjoy your salary,

funded by the people's sacrifice.

The common people are easy to oppress,

but the heavens are not to be deceived.

So, the constable is saying

that he's feeding on the people's salary instead of the imperial family?

This is preposterous.

Yang Yan, what do you think?

I don't know.

You'll know when he's promoted to the rank of Gold Guardian.

Foster Father, do you think he can be a Gold Guardian?

It won't pose an issue as long as he's a warrior.

The Three Sects are bound by their own rules.

Sorcerers are bound by their earthly fates.

There are witchcraft and poison studies as well.

Only the path of the warrior is the purest of them all.

Although I hate those who break the law with their power,

I have to admit it.

The more defiant the warrior is,

the more courageous and determined they become.

They do not

fear

or respect anything.

Only then will they be able

to topple Heaven and Earth in the future.

Rebellious and untamed

is the nature of warriors.

Heroes are warriors who care for the world.

True heroes

serve their country and people.

(Errand Room, Chunfeng Hall)

Come on, make a sound.

- Do it. - Song.

Make a sound.

Song?

When will the test result be out?

I've submitted it. Just wait patiently.

You're here.

Zhu, is the result out yet?

Not yet.

But Lord Yang instructed us to let you cleanse your marrow.

Cleanse my marrow?

Once you've become one of us officially,

we'll give you a chance to boost your power.

You may cleanse your marrow with our medicine.

Open the pool.

What is this? It's bottomless.

This is the Marrow-Cleansing Pool.

So, this is the Marrow-Cleansing Pool?

Guang Xiao.

The Marrow-Cleansing Liquid costs 150 taels. Thank you for your purchase.

Wait, Zhu. I didn't bring that much money with me.

Wait, I don't have that much money.

How could you pour it into the pool? This is a forced deal!

We're penniless too.

We only receive five taels per month.

Do you think we're willing to be members of the Night Guardians?

We're doing this to repay our debt!

I've already poured it into the pool. Just act as you see fit.

I don't care. You guys can take the bath. I won't pay for this.

It's just a joke.

Each hall will handle its own members.

This is considered a welcome gift for the newcomers.

It's almost ready. Xu Qi An, don't be shy.

Take off your shirt and shoes.

That was quick of you.

- Let's do this. - Go ahead.

(Jingxin Hall)

Yang Yan, I'll give you a Silver Guardian in exchange for Xu Qi An.

Do you think I'm a fool?

Silver Guardians are easy to find.

It's harder to find an Upper Grade A talent.

You train all day long. You have no time to train him.

- What about two Silver Guardians? - Two?

It's a no even if you offer me 100 Silver Guardians.

I admit, I have no time to train him.

But someone else can train him on my behalf.

All of the Silver Guardians under you are away for work purposes.

There's no one else.

Chunfeng Hall has plenty of talents, you know?

Chunfeng Hall?

Do you mean Li Yu Chun?

How could he tolerate Xu Qi An with that picky personality of his?

Listen, the place will be in turmoil in just a few days.

No.

Li Yu Chun, listen up.

He's an Upper Grade A talent.

You have to take him under your wing.

I'm talking to you.

Are you having another OCD episode?

That's right!

Kidnapping, framing, colluding with the Astronomical Bureau,

and showing no respect for the law,

I will not take him under my wing even if he's an Upper Grade A talent!

Gold Guardian Yang,

as a law enforcer yourself, you should kick him out to serve as a warning!

I feel like kicking you out.

What about this? Just do it for ten days.

Once Silver Guardian Zhang is back,

I'll transfer the boy to him, okay?

- Not even one day! - Li Yu Chun, you...

You may leave.

Li Yu Chen, you're something else.

Is this the way you treat me?

Is this how you treat your cousin-in-law?

Fine. I'll tell my cousin right now.

I'll tell her that you're the reason I was humiliated by

Gold Guardians all because my subordinate disobeyed my order.

I'll tell her that I have to quit as a Gold Guardian.

This is an official matter. Why are you dragging Ying into this?

Why not? She's my cousin.

Her husband is bullying her cousin now.

Of course she has to uphold justice for me.

She's been angry at me for the past few days.

You'll be adding fuel to the flames if you find her now.

- How can I return home, then? - What home?

Li Yu Chun, you're a man among men. You don't need a home.

Just forget about it.

We Night Guardians have to uphold the law and justice.

A loving relationship? A loving wife?

Just forget about all of them.

You're telling me to go against my principles here.

You have to separate between public and private affairs, you know?

You...

Just forget about all of them.

What should I do, then? Geez.

Just forget about all of them.

Fine. I promise.

Only ten days, okay?

I knew it. My cousin-in-law is very understanding.

My cousin is lucky to have you as her husband.

Come. Let's meet your new subordinate.

Wait.

What's wrong again?

There's a loose thread.

You should treat your OCD.

Let's go.

- Lord Yang. - Boss.

How is it?

Sir, he just entered the Marrow-Cleansing Pool.

He should be channeling the first heavenly cycle.

Since that's the case, I'll head back first.

I'll put the Marrow-Cleansing Liquid on your tab.

Wait.

It's not like you have official affairs to tend to.

Why the rush?

The absorption of Marrow-Cleansing Liquid

will take at least ten heavenly cycles to be effective.

Do you expect me to wait here forever?

I also have to cherish my time as a youth, you know?

You? A youth?

You!

It just took him one heavenly cycle?

(Eighth Rank Warrior, Qi Refining Realm)

(So, this is the Qi Refining Realm.)

(With my current state, )

(I'm ten times stronger than before.)