Original subtitles

[Episode 32]

A plate of braised meat would do.

The broth is clear enough to see my own reflection.

How am I supposed to eat?

Any roadside stall in the Capital keeps braised meat ready.

I'm flattered.

How can my little stall compare to those in the Capital?

How about more spring onions for you?

Then enjoy your meal.

Your Highness.

You must be exhausted after the long journey.

Qingping County is just ahead.

It's getting late.

Why don't we hurry up and spend the night in Qingping County?

We'll find a decent place for Your Highness to get a hot meal.

We'll rest up and set off early tomorrow.

No need. Are you finished eating?

If so, let's go.

- I-- - Jin.

Come on. This...

Eunuch Shun Xi. Keep up!

Come on. Stop eating, everyone. Keep up!

Let's go.

- No one is to leave their post! - Yes.

Please stop, Your Highness.

By the Empress Dowager's decree,

Li Mountain Academy is sealed for the compilation of books.

No one is allowed up the mountain to disturb them.

I am the chief steward of Anqing Palace.

And this is Prince Ding of Great Chu.

He is the Consolation Envoy sent to Li Mountain by imperial decree.

Greetings, Your Highness.

By order of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager,

we bring royal rewards to the people of Li Mountain Academy.

Open the gates and let us through!

Has the lockdown on Li Mountain been lifted?

Lifted?

The lockdown still works. We're just here for the mission.

Her Majesty is merciful.

Knowing how hard you've worked on the books, she especially sent us here.

This is a great royal favor.

Can we go up the mountain now?

Of course. Let them through.

- Your Highness. - Your Highness.

[Li Mountain Academy]

- Get away! - Hurry.

Get away! Why are you only pecking at me?

Get away!

Get away!

Alright, let's go.

By imperial decree, the High Commissioner, Prince Ding, is here to visit.

By imperial decree, the High Commissioner, Prince Ding, is here to visit.

- You two, search over here. - Yes.

- You two, search over there. - Yes.

Why the running?

This way.

Li.

Why is there no one here?

Li.

Jin, split up and search.

Yes.

Keep up.

Li.

- Li. - Your Highness.

Li.

Li!

Your Highness, Princess Ding is inside.

Li.

How come your hair turned white?

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Li.

I'm sorry.

By the Empress Dowager's decree,

I accompany Prince Ding here to inspect and offer our regards.

May I ask, Your Highness, where is everyone of Li Mountain Academy?

Where is Headmaster Xu?

And where are the other masters?

Why didn't I see anyone in charge?

They are not here.

Not here?

Li Mountain is sealed off. Not even a bird can fly in or out.

If they are not in the academy, where else could they be?

They...

They all went to the back hill to harvest rice.

Harvest rice?

Headmaster Xu is doing such manual labor himself?

After the mountain was sealed,

Grandfather led everyone in the academy to clear a small field on the back hill.

They diverted water to grow rice just to make a living.

Right now, it is the harvest season.

Of course, they went to the field.

Then, when will they return?

Before sunset.

They will be back before sunset.

Fine. Then I will wait here.

However, after such a long and tiring journey,

we have hardly had a drop of water or rice.

May I ask, Your Highness, is there any food in Li Mountain Academy?

Nothing ready-made.

But there is rice, flour, stoves, and firewood in the kitchen.

Please, help yourselves.

Then may I ask again, Your Highness, where is the kitchen?

We'll help ourselves.

Grand Eunuch, I'll go check elsewhere.

Go ahead.

- Go inside and take a look. - Yes.

It's all just some old, leftover stock.

"Help yourselves?"

There isn't even any proper food or oil.

How are we supposed to help ourselves?

Grand Eunuch, check this.

There is still some rice here.

How can we eat this?

Check somewhere else to see if there is anything to eat.

Did you find anything?

General. We didn't find anyone.

There was just thick dust everywhere, along with moldy clothes and bedding.

Steward Eunuch. I've looked around, and it doesn't feel right.

What doesn't feel right?

The buildings of the academy still remain, but are covered in thick dust.

The clothes and bedding hanging out there have a musty smell.

It seems they haven't been touched or used for a long time.

It doesn't look like anyone lives here.

Do you mean they've already left?

I dare not jump to conclusions.

But this is indeed weird.

Take a few men to the back hill now.

Check if there is anyone on the rice field she mentioned.

Yes.

You must be hungry.

I picked it this morning.

Eat it.

Yao.

What on earth happened?

How come your hair turned so white?

Li.

Those past grudges have nothing to do with you.

I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you.

It's my fault.

After you left, I missed you so much.

Don't be mad at me anymore, alright?

Come back to the mansion with me, alright?

Is that why your hair turned white?

Please wait a while longer.

Whatever it is, wait till His Highness comes out.

I can't wait any longer.

Grand Eunuch Shun Xi.

Princess Ding.

Where on earth is everyone at Li Mountain Academy?

Didn't I just tell you?

They're harvesting rice on the back hill.

Why do you ask the same question?

Princess Ding, do not treat me like a three-year-old child.

That rice field you mentioned is overrun with pests, rats, and weeds.

It has clearly been abandoned for years.

In all of Li Mountain, there is not even a trace of the warmth of human life.

In the entire Li Mountain, except for you, Princess Ding, there is no one else.

No one else?

Wonderful.

Thank you for your teaching, Headmaster.

We will keep it in mind.

Come here. Come up here.

There is no one else?

Li.

By the Empress Dowager's decree,

everyone of Li Mountain Academy must stay here and focus on compiling books.

Leaving without permission will be considered an act of open defiance.

Li, it's too dangerous here.

Leave now.

- Leave now. - Master Zhu. Please let me in.

I can take care of you.

My Lady.

How is it possible that there's no one else here?

Li!

- Princess Ding! - I haven't finished yet!

After her!

Take my arm! After them!

Hurry up!

Li.

Wait. Slow down, you two!

Wait! Slow down!

Li.

Princess Ding.

- Wait. - Slow down, Grand Eunuch.

- Be careful. - Li.

There's no one here.

How can there be no one here?

Li, don't panic.

After we go back, I'll explain it to you, alright?

Don't panic.

Of course, there's no one here.

Princess Ding. You led us all the way up the mountain just to come to this rice field?

Let me ask you.

Why does this field you mentioned look like it hasn't been cultivated in six or seven years...

Shut up!

Li.

Li, don't.

Li.

Li.

Li.

Li!

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Shun Xi and his men left the mountain overnight.

They said they'll return to the Capital to report it to the Empress Dowager.

Just as I expected.

You should leave the mountain, too.

Deliver this letter to His Majesty for me.

Then, what about you and Princess Ding?

I'll stay here to accompany her.

Yes.

Li?

Li.

Li.

Li.

Li.

Li!

Li.

You're awake.

Did you sleep well last night?

Where did you go?

I went to the mountain to dig bamboo shoots.

I was very lucky. I even found a handful of fresh mushrooms.

I'll make some soup for you later.

Li, let me help you.

Where are the bowls?

Over there.

Drink it.

Is it too light?

There are no seasonings left here.

Even the salt is running low.

There's a patch of land under the east cliff.

I'll go dig up some salty soil.

Boil it down and we'll have salt.

Not at all.

The soup is fresh and tasty.

That's a relief.

Yao, how come your hair's gone white?

When did you get here last night?

After I fell asleep?

Did something happen at home?

You don't remember what happened yesterday?

Yesterday?

What happened yesterday?

Yao?

Nothing.

I got in really late yesterday.

You were already asleep.

Why didn't you wake me up?

I was afraid you'd be angry and drive me away.

How could I ever be angry with you?

But I'm angry with myself.

By the way, Grandfather and the masters went to the back hill to harvest rice.

They'll be back later.

You'll get to see them then.

Is there anything else to do today?

Yes, there is. Serious work.

- Serious work? - Yes.

It really is serious work.

Li Mountain said to close up and work on the books.

That wasn't a joke.

But there are just too many classics and scrolls.

This work takes time.

Grandfather and the masters are old.

And they get tired easily.

They can only give us some guidance every day.

So the proofreading and reconstructing fell to me and my brothers.

But my brothers have been slacking off these past few years.

Look.

I was away for so long,

and the "Compendium of Laws and Regulations" hasn't made any progress.

When the masters get back, I'll definitely let them know.

Let me do it.

What do you need?

Astronomical Records.

Astronomical Records.

Here.

Today I'm finishing up the draft checks for the astronomical and farming sections.

Could take a long time.

If you're bored, you can go for a walk.

I'll stay here with you.

Okay.

Master Helai of Li Mountain is a legendary physician.

He wrote the book "Treatise on Injuries".

Have you heard of him?

I learned from him how to treat bone injuries.

And I've handled cases like this on the mountain.

Mo Xiu Yao, let me treat your leg.

I know you've seen many physicians

and suffered a lot.

But could you try one more time for me?

I promise I'll cure you.

Li.

Thank you.

Yao.

Before I came up here,

I promised your brother I'd help with your leg.

But I didn't know how bad the injury was.

So I went with Master Helai and learned bone-setting, joint disorders,

acupuncture and massage.

I saw this chair in an ancient book.

I wanted to make you one when I got back.

But you already have one.

And it's even better.

Yao.

What's wrong?

I feel really bad about myself.

Why would you say that?

Honestly, I don't seem to have done anything good for you.

At first, I suspected you, doubted you, and neglected you.

And then I promised to go with you to Ye's Mansion.

But I broke my word.

Even when you were in danger, I wasn't there with you.

Don't say that.

You've been good to me.

We'll go through this life together.

And you'll see then if I'm good to you.

There are monkeys.

So many, so many monkeys.

Brother-in-law said you saw monkeys in the mansion?

Aunt, you must have been mistaken.

The capital's heavily guarded.

And our place is all high walls.

No monkeys could run wild here.

But on the rockery in the west corner of the courtyard, jackdaws often perch.

They aren't jackdaws.

They're monkeys.

I'm not mistaken. There really are monkeys.

Put some muscle into it!

Who told you to use a handcart in the desert?

You think I wanted to?

I ran into an unreliable guide

who stole my horse and robbed me of my money.

So you're starving yourself every day just to hang on to this cart?

You don't get it.

This cargo is my pride.

Whatever it takes, I have to get it back to the capital and show my father.

You're almost dead, and still hung up on your pride?

I'm hungry.

Hungry again?

Looks like I've taken in a glutton.

I've been pushing the cart for you. Of course I'm hungry.

Master, where are we going?

What is this place?

This is the road Ling Yun and I walked together.

Look, Ling Yun. This family is still here.

They're living happily.

Master, where are you from?

We're from the capital,

- heading through Suixue Pass toward Cangbei. - I want to play with this.

- Come on in, please. Have some milk tea. - Okay, go ahead.

Please sit down.

Quick, pour them the tea.

Is it fun?

Here.

Why are you heading to Cangbei?

Just to relax.

Relax?

That works. Cangbei and Great Chu are friends now.

They trade with each other. It's quite lively.

Yeah.

It's so much livelier here than two years ago.

The war is over now.

Of course it's gotten lively.

People are out making a living without fear.

And even the Wei tribe has settled down.

Things will get better day by day.

Wei tribe?

Yeah.

The Wei tribe was in turmoil a few years ago.

Princess Ling Yun, you know, the one they sent there for a political marriage, she escaped.

She brought back an army from Cangbei and put an end to the chaos.

Since then, they've gotten calmer every year.

Princess Ling Yun?

Yeah.

Now Cangbei and Great Chu are trading

because Princess Ling Yun convinced us.

That's how we came together.

Our lives are better now.

And sheep prices are up.

All the tribes got together and built a statue to honor her.

It's over there.

Look.

Yao, come up here.

Come on.

Grandfather.

Masters.

Brothers and sisters.

This is Mo Xiu Yao.

He's my husband.

Greet them.

A pleasure to meet you all.

Sit down.

Don't be nervous.

Grandfather and the masters are all very kind.

This is my grandfather, the head of Li Mountain Academy.

Headmaster Xu.

You should call him Grandfather.

Grandfather.

This is Master Helai.

I learned all my medical skills from him.

He's the one you should thank for your leg getting better.

Thank you, Master Helai.

This is Master Zhu, a grandmaster of swordsmanship.

I told you about him.

Nice to meet you, Master Zhu.

This is Master Chen. He's really good at math.

He's the author of "Book on Numbers".

Master Chen.

They are Master Yu and Master Jiang.

Master Yu. Master Jiang.

Grandfather.

Masters.

Brothers and sisters.

Before I left the mountain, you were worried I wouldn't fit in down there,

and afraid I'd get bullied after marrying Prince Ding.

Now you've seen Yao.

You can relax.

He's good to me.

He always listens patiently to everything I say.

And he really cares about me.

I'm living a happy life.

Grandfather.

Masters.

Brothers and sisters of Li Mountain Academy.

I'm Mo Xiu Yao, Li's husband.

Thank you all.

I'll be good to Li, even if it costs me my life.

Thank you for taking care of her.

From now on, I'll never let her be alone again.

You can rest in peace.

[On the Next Episode]

Any later and it'll be too late. Open the door.

Li, if we go down the mountain now to ask for help,

we're basically surrendering to the rebels.

After they brought Su Zui Dier back to Cangbei, did they execute her?

Guess she died a terrible death.

I'm appointing you as the surveillance commissioner.

Go to Li Mountain and find out the truth.

They're all gone.

What's the point of an empty title?