Original subtitles

[Episode 28]

Princess Ding's words remind me of something terrifying.

A few days ago, Marquis Muyang's confidant, Zhang Heng Yuan, tried to kill Zhong Xing Tong.

Last night, Zhao Ting, tried to kill Princess Ding.

In these two shocking murders,

the killers were both Marquis Muyang's close aides.

This is far too much of a coincidence.

I wonder what Marquis Muyang has to say about this?

Your Majesties.

This is a baseless accusation against a high-ranking official.

If this trend continues, I fear no one in this court will ever feel safe again.

And anyone can be ruined by false charges.

I will not dignify this with a defense, nor should I have to.

I ask for Your Majesties' wise judgment.

Zhao Ting is dead, but Chen Long Xiang is still alive.

There's no proof in Zhao Ting's case,

but what Chen Long Xiang has confessed is solid evidence.

Your Majesties.

I interrogated Chen Long Xiang overnight.

He has confessed to all his crimes.

From his secret residence,

We found secret letters between Marquis Muyang and Cangbei.

They detail how Great Chu's weapons were smuggled to Cangbei.

Furthermore, there are records of land, estates, and horses

used in Cangbei's bribery of Marquis Muyang,

along with a ledger of the illicit funds.

The evidence is irrefutable.

Your Majesties.

No matter what evidence is in the box,

I ask only for a chance to prove my innocence.

Both sides have their own claims.

The evidence now lies before the throne.

Truth will be revealed upon examination.

The Duke is right.

Marquis Muyang, please calm down.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor are discerning. They will decide fairly.

If Marquis Muyang is truly innocent...

I request to oversee this case to ensure justice for the Marquis.

Your Majesties, I have another matter to report.

It concerns the state's foundation, and Marquis Muyang is at its center.

Eight years ago,

in the Heiyun Cavalry treason case, the presiding official was the Marquis.

His verdict declared that the Heiyun Cavalry mobilized without a decree and rebelled.

All the so-called codes, letters, and evidence

were fabricated by the Marquis himself.

Confessions were extracted to frame loyal subjects.

Nonsense!

Your Majesty.

Every case I handled had irrefutable evidence.

This case is of great importance.

It has been closed for eight years.

Princess Ding, you are accusing a high-ranking official.

Do you have any proof?

I do.

This is the late Emperor's decree.

The late Prince Ding, Mo Xiu Wen,

was ordered to lead the Heiyun Cavalry back to the Capital to protect His Majesty.

This bears His Majesty's handwriting and seal.

A comparison will reveal the truth.

Wait.

This root of trouble cannot be allowed to exist.

Your Majesties, I am willing to stake my life on it.

This is indeed the late Emperor's decree.

Your Highness.

Zhou Jing.

What else do you have to say?

I, Mo Xiu Yao, submit three petitions with a heavy heart.

First, I ask that Marquis Muyang answer for colluding with Cangbei and smuggling weapons.

Second, I ask for a retrial for the late Prince Ding, Mo Xiu Wen,

who suffered a grave injustice.

Third, I ask to vindicate the 30,000 loyal souls of the Heiyun Cavalry

and reveal the truth of their sacrifice.

I beseech Your Majesties to grant my petitions.

I beseech Your Majesties to grant his petitions.

- We concur. - We concur.

Granted.

What's wrong, Li?

In order to see Gu Zheng, I swallowed Han Ming Xi's hair ornament.

It's fine.

I've already brought it back up.

How is that fine?

We need a physician now.

[Tuisi House]

You're burning worse than yesterday.

Li.

I'm sorry.

It was my negligence.

Yao.

I want to tell you...

The decree... I got it from Consort Dowager Qin.

That can wait.

You're worse than yesterday.

We'll talk when you're better. All right?

Get some rest first.

I have to go to the palace.

She still has a fever. Take good care of her.

Have the physician check on her again later.

Yes.

Qing Shuang.

Qing Shuang, what's wrong?

What's the matter?

My Lady... I'm scared.

Don't be, Qing Shuang.

We're out of prison.

We're back at Prince Ding's Mansion.

I'm afraid that we'll be cast out.

But we still have to tell him.

Since we're the ones revealing the truth, we shouldn't keep anything from him.

But if we don't tell him, he'll never find out.

The truth is the truth.

It can't be buried.

No matter what the outcome is,

we must face the consequences.

Didn't we already decide this when we left the mountain?

But...

I like this place.

I like it too.

I also like His Highness.

Can we tell him later?

Look how busy he is.

He left at the crack of dawn.

Wait until this case is over.

Tell him when it's over, okay?

All right.

Until it's over, then.

[Bright Spring]

Master Feng.

Please put the flower pot down.

You've been holding it for three days. Aren't your arms sore?

Leave me alone.

Master Feng. Look at you.

You're neglecting everything now. You won't even go home.

Isn't this sincere enough?

I think that the Cangbei woman is just toying with you.

Don't talk nonsense.

Do you even know her?

- What's going on? - It seems the Princess from Cangbei is dead.

No wonder there was a curfew recently.

What a pity.

Who's that in the prisoner cart?

She seems to be from Cangbei too.

The Princess died here in Great Chu. I hope it won't start another war.

I hope not. My son is stationed at Suixue Pass.

Their own people killed the Princess.

Who knows?

Look. What's going on?

Isn't that the Cangbei delegation?

It seems so.

Master Feng.

Could something have happened to your friend from Cangbei?

That's why she couldn't come.

I'm just talking nonsense.

- You wait for her here. - Me?

Qing Yu, are you all right?

I'm fine.

Sit down and rest for a while.

Wait here. I'll get your medicine.

Be careful.

Has Tao Er's funeral been arranged?

Jin handled it. Sister-in-law attended as well.

You haven't fully recovered yet.

The physician said you need twenty days of soft food to recover.

Take your medicine.

Don't you find it bitter?

It's very bitter.

Osmanthus candy.

Is it sweet?

Did you go to the imperial court today?

Yes.

How was Marquis Muyang dealt with?

Three judicial courts will hold a joint trial. Gongshu Yang is back as well.

The Huaixi Armory Case was fully exposed.

With Qin Cang, Zheng Zuo Shi, and Chen Long Xiang's testimony,

plus the late Emperor's decree, there's no room for him to maneuver.

He's been sent to death row.

What about Su Zui Dier?

Has the Cangbei delegation left?

They left this morning.

Stop thinking about it.

Your body is weak. Just focus on recovery. All right?

I told you before that Mo Jing Li might still be alive.

I suspect that Su Zui Dier's assassination of Princess Ling Yun is related to him.

Mo Jing Li and Su Zui Dier both serve the Eastern Palace.

Princess Ling Yun died in Great Chu.

If war breaks out, they can reap the benefits.

It's a pity the Empress Dowager refuses to intervene.

She labels it as an internal affair of the Cangbei delegation

and won't let us investigate.

He won't let it go so easily.

He's just biding his time, playing some underhanded tricks.

Great Chu has a century of history and spans thousands of miles.

Mo Jing Li isn't the only one hoping for its downfall.

We'll just meet every threat as it comes.

Well, well.

That's quite a statement.

Are you teasing me?

I wouldn't dare.

This is...

It's Princess Ling Yun.

Did you draw this?

The Princess was straightforward, brave, and kind.

Had things been different, we might have become friends.

Your Highness.

Master Feng is here.

Xiu Yao.

I need your help.

What's the matter?

My friend from Cangbei and I were supposed to meet.

Days have passed now, and she hasn't shown up.

I've searched every inn in the Capital, but there's no sign of her.

Even you couldn't find her?

Maybe something urgent came up, and she left?

That's impossible.

She already knows how I feel. We were just about to make it official.

Since we agreed to meet, she wouldn't just not show up.

I'm just worried that she might have had an accident or been in some kind of danger.

That's why she couldn't come.

You mentioned she's from Cangbei.

Did she come with the delegation?

With the Princess's death, she might have been forced to return.

She's just a merchant.

She told me clearly that she came here to procure goods.

The city was recently inspected.

Everyone from Cangbei was asked to register.

Besides the delegation, there were only five.

Three men and two women.

All were between forty and fifty years old.

And they all work for local merchants.

The day the Cangbei delegation arrived,

she was at Qingfeng Mingyue Tower.

When the Princess of Cangbei died...

she disappeared.

A coincidence?

It must be a coincidence, right?

What is her name?

Her name is Yun Ling.

Yun Ling?

Ling Yun...

Wait here.

Ling Yun...

This is your favorite marigold you mentioned in your letter.

When you go back to Cangbei,

I'll prepare a batch for you to take back.

You are very thoughtful, Brother Feng.

This person I've fallen for...

She's always secretive.

Perhaps... once you know what she's hiding, you'll change your mind.

I won't.

All right. You won't.

What's that in your hand, Brother Feng?

I carved it for fun.

A bone of a Warding Beast for reading fortunes.

How do you use it?

It's simple.

Just toss it up and see which side lands face up.

Let me divine yours.

Childish.

Let's try it.

Blow on it.

"Auspicious."

Boatman!

Boatman.

Did the Cangbei people cross the river here?

They just left.

Look.

That vessel in the distance is theirs.

Now, for the second round. Let's divine your marriage.

Will this trip to Great Chu bring you the right match?

"Auspicious" again!

It seems your match is right here.

This shows you're destined for this plaque.

It's yours.

All right. Thank you, Brother Feng.

Actually, I have a sister.

Her temperament is similar to mine, and she looks like me, too.

In seven days, at the hour of Shen, I will arrange a meeting for you.

Under the old elm tree outside the Master's Temple.

I'll bring the blooming marigolds and wait for you there.

It's a deal.

See you there.

Ling Yun!

The marigold has bloomed.

Did you see it?

Why are you drinking alone?

Let me join you.

Even the most bitter liquor... leaves a hint of sweet aftertaste.

But if it is spilled and soaked into the soil,

its mellow fragrance can never be recovered.

Who killed Ling Yun?

The maid by her side.

Su Zui Dier.

Su Zui Dier?

Isn't she an old acquaintance of yours?

Why did she do it?

To drive a wedge between Great Chu and Cangbei.

The people from Cangbei said...

this item doesn't belong to the Princess.

I recognized it.

It's yours, isn't it?

It is mine.

I gave it to her.

If I had read her fortune properly back then,

would none of this have happened?

[Gutang Post Station]

It's getting pitch black. Aren't we leaving yet?

The mosquitoes are draining me dry.

Go fan Princess Ding.

Your Highness, how about I escort you back first?

Forget it. I've already spent all day with him.

I want to see if this fisherman can catch anything today.

Your Highness, you might not know this.

Since His Highness injured his leg, fishing was the only thing he enjoyed.

Also, the fish in our mansion's pond

were actually stupid fish I personally selected.

They bite at anything.

But these wild fish are smart.

With His Highness's skills, I doubt he'll catch anything by dawn.

We've got a bite!

What kind of fish is this?

It's quite pretty.

Look how shiny its tail is.

It should be a young silver-tailed fish.

A silver-tailed fish?

Isn't that the most expensive fish around?

Every wealthy family in the Capital scrambles for one.

You actually caught one in one go! You're amazing.

Let's take it back and raise it well.

Watch it grow.

No need.

We'll come back tomorrow.

I'll catch you a big one.

All right.

What's wrong?

It's itchy.

Where?

Just a cocklebur seed.

They're everywhere on the mountain.

Why do you have white hair?

It runs in the family.

When my brother was young, his hair turned white whenever he worried.

My father was even more so.

By forty, his hair was already completely white.

Medical books call it premature graying.

You should eat more black rice and sesame.

Physician Ye, this is a hereditary condition.

It can't be cured.

Then can I dye it for you?

Why dye it?

Do you think it looks bad?

Do you dislike it?

No.

It doesn't look bad.

Then don't look away.

Your Highnesses.

The carriage is ready.

It's getting late. Finish the skewers, and let's head home.

[Tuisi House]

What's the matter?

I've caught a cold. I need to keep warm.

Where is Prince Ding?

At the offices.

Marquis Muyang is already in prison.

Why is he still so busy?

Marquis Muyang's case involves many officials.

The Empress Dowager appointed him, Murong Shen, and Gongshu Yang to investigate.

What about you?

Have you decided what to do?

The deeper they dig into that imperial decree, the more people will be implicated.

If your mother's secret is discovered,

how will you face life in Prince Ding's Mansion?

And how will Mo Xiu Yao treat you?

Things are indeed complicated.

Fulfilling my promise to Mo Xiu Wen is already the greatest consolation.

As for Yao, I'll find the right time to explain everything to him.

Don't worry, Senior Brother.

Yao promised me that no matter what happens,

he won't leave me behind or let me face things alone.

I trust him.

Why don't you take that off?

You look very hot.

It's fine.

Take it off.

Who did this?

Why does it look like a scratch mark?

Am I right?

This is a fingernail mark from Lady Yu Sheng.

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you, okay?

That Yu Sheng... she's just so unreasonable.

She has a sworn brother, a zither player.

The two of them are about the same age.

They often play the zither and dance together.

One day, I saw a new man's robe in her room.

I thought it was made for me, so I put it on.

But she was furious.

The robe was for the zither player, right?

Who else could it be for?

Did you lose your temper with her?

I didn't.

I spoke to her nicely.

I said, "The robe fit me quite well.

Here. I'll give you some money.

Go buy more fabric and make him a new one."

She didn't agree. So I said, "I'll just buy your freedom.

You and that zither player can go off together and wander the world.

It would be a match made in heaven."

Suddenly, her eyes welled up with tears and came at me, scratching and biting me.

Look. Look at these scratches.

She even bit my wrist until it bled.

She was so wild. What a crazy woman.

Foolish, so foolish.

She's not foolish, she's crazy.

You're the foolish one.

You know swordsmanship and military strategy by heart.

But when it comes to a woman's heart, you're clueless.

Am I really that foolish?

Where is your Senior Brother Li?

He left.

Is he not staying for dinner?

I told the kitchen to prepare a feast.

He's in no mood to eat.

Why?

He's troubled by love.

Come, have some snacks first.

Madam, they're five wen each.

Master.

Master Li.

Lady Yu Sheng went to Xihua to perform.

Didn't she tell you?

Did the zither player go too?

Of course. They went together.

Second Chief.

What is it? Don't you recognize me anymore?

Where's my brother?

Second Chief, First Chief is busy right now.

Let me take you to the side hall to wait.

Why can't I see my own brother?

I have failed in my duties. Please punish me, Your Highness.

Who's inside?

Is that evil woman back?

Second Chief.

The head of the family is inside.

My father is long dead. Who are you talking about?

Do you think I don't know?

You and Prince Ding were childhood friends.

Seeing Mo Xiu Yao's heart set on another,

you wanted her torn to pieces.

But didn't I tell you no one is allowed to touch her?

Your Highness, have mercy.

Dier acted in a moment of foolishness. Please forgive her.

She knows the Cangbei tribes well. She is still useful.

Useful?

Yes.

She's been spying in Cangbei for years.

She can help us contact the tribes there.

Moreover, she is loyal. She has done great service over the years.

Please forgive her, Your Highness.

What you said makes sense.

But if it's not her fault,

then whose fault is it?

Han Ming Yue.

- Second Chief! - Brother!

- You... - Brother! Don't be reckless.

Why did you hurt my brother?

Your brother has protected you well.

All these years,

he didn't even let you know who you truly serve or who your real enemies are.

Your Highness, it's all my fault.

My brother is still young.

He knows nothing of what happened back then.

Dier's mistake this time was due to my lack of discipline.

Please forgive us this once.

It won't happen again.

Why are you groveling to him?

I don't care if you're Prince Li.

The Han family was destroyed eight years ago.

The Eastern Palace is gone too.

My brother and I have nothing to do with the Han family and the Eastern Palace now.

Let me tell you, we won't bleed for you anymore.

Without me or the Prince Li's household,

you and your brother would have been buried in the ground years ago.

Do you really think you can shed the Han name?

Do you really think you're unrelated to the Eastern Palace case?

Identity is written in your very blood and bones.

You can't escape it, and you can't tear it away.

You think you're free

because your brother has been bearing everything for you.

If it weren't for him, the one standing here in agony today would be you.

I never force anyone to join me.

But once you're on my ship, you must follow my rules.

Take your brother with you, and if he flees,

you shall pay with your life.

I understand.

Are you all right?

Why are you here?

Weren't you being escorted back to Cangbei?

It's you.

You saved her again.

I'll kill you!

Stop!

Have you both forgotten how we survived the exile eight years ago?

Right now, if any one of us falls, none of us will survive.

Dier, leave us alone.

Xi, we have no way out anymore.

Once the Eastern Palace rises again, everything will be fine.

Fine? How?

Do you really think that he will reward you with a title when he's the Emperor?

You know very well how many shady things you have done for him.

If he wants to rule clean, you will be the first one he silences.

His Highness is not that kind of man.

- Dier and I believe-- - Don't mention her again.

That woman has you completely bewitched.

[On the Next Episode]

Marquis Muyang suddenly asked to see you.

He won't just give up so easily.

If it were Zhou Tian Yang, would you also silence him to protect yourself?

Life must go on,

but how we live it is never just one choice.

Ye Li.

Do I still have a chance?

Can you let Qing Shuang go home?

But she has always been with me.