Original subtitles

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[Legend of Fuyao]

[Episode 61]

Your Highness, where should we go now?

We'll head back.

What?

We'll return to the Imperial City.

If we rush back to the Imperial City now

we'd really be walking into the trap.

Your Highness, do you have some other plan in mind?

A plan?

This is the last plan I have.

I've noted down Zhangsun Jia's distribution of armed forces.

If I can't rely on him, this will be the last thing that can save me.

Your Highness is so wise.

People...

If we don't know to leave a way out for ourselves

that would be like heading straight to our doom!

When we return to the Imperial City

Your Highness can tell His Majesty that it was all for the sake of the nation.

You had no choice but to bear the humiliation to get more information.

Your Highness, you're His Majesty's son, after all.

His Majesty will show you some mercy.

Yes!

No matter how my father punishes me, as long as I get to live...

Nothing could be better than that!

Isn't that right?

Xu Lai.

Do you know what I did wrong?

My only mistake was being born into an imperial family.

I shouldn't be the disfavored son who won't resign to his fate!

Your Highness, don't blame me.

Just blame the world for being unjust.

I've served you for so many years.

All I seek is a career.

Now that you're hopeless, shouldn't I think for myself?

Prince De said that you couldn't be trusted.

That I had to kill you if you tried to escape.

Someone like me... never had any principles.

Only the standing matters to me, not what's right or wrong.

That's what you taught me.

Young Master, it's already one o'clock in the morning.

You should get some rest.

Tell me.

If this pawn had a mind of its own...

what would it think?

This...

Life is but a game of chess.

Although we aren't pawns

we can't stand to be manipulated, so we end up manipulating others.

Over time, we forget that

however hard we calculate or plot, we can't get out of the game.

Who are you talking about?

Who do you think it is?

It can't be...

It can't be who I think it is...

But--

But by doing this, he--

Why would he do this?

Is it because-- Who is he targeting?

Is it Prince De?

Or you?

Could it...

Could it be Wu Ji?

You're quite clever.

This is...

I don't understand.

Of course you don't understand.

It all started because of something that happened in the past.

That year...

I was only 16 years old.

But there was already a man I loved dearly.

We were going to be together for a lifetime.

Just as he was about to ask for my hand in marriage...

the emperor who had just succeeded the throne said

that he wanted to marry me.

I didn't want to marry him. I thought of running away.

But so many from our families could be implicated.

In the end... I hesitated.

He gave up.

It was after I married into the palace that I realized...

that the emperor who married me didn't care about me at all.

Everything he did was just to break us up.

If it wasn't for Wu Ji's... [Qinglan Hall]

If it wasn't to have him succeed the throne soon someday...

I'd have given everything up and left with him.

As long as I can be with the one I love...

who cares about the rumors and the chaos in the world?

You wish to leave?

You want to enjoy your life with him.

That isn't entirely impossible.

However, my empress...

you've always confused your imagination with reality.

How can there be such a romance in this world?

Your Highness.

Are you badly injured?

I'm too incompetent.

Did you get any information?

The empress was indeed captured by the emperor.

Our plan was leaked.

Yes, I fought my way here to report back to you.

I'm afraid that the other informants in the palace are already...

Do you know where the empress is being held captive?

The emperor had her captured very discreetly.

I couldn't investigate thoroughly.

Get your wounds treated.

I deserve to die for failing to accomplish Your Highness's task.

Your Highness, please punish me!

Forget it.

This isn't your fault.

Go on.

Your Highness.

Crown Prince's reinforcements are rushing over here

from the mountain pass in the south.

It's estimated to be around 300,000 men.

Plus, they're already closing in on us.

Our plan...

Convey my orders.

Tomorrow on the battlefield, once the beacon is lit...

send General Ma out to war.

What about the arrangement in the palace?

I need to think about that carefully.

You're dismissed.

Yes.

You can leave now.

I'll have someone escort you.

You'll be safe.

I was the one who failed you.

Be it the sins, the mistakes, or the retribution

I should be the one to bear the consequences.

I failed to take care of you.

From now on...

I'm afraid I won't have the chance to make it up to you.

At the moment, all I can do...

is let you go.

To let you be alive and well.

Why aren't you asking me why I left with Lian'er without a word?

And where I've been hiding all these years...

How I got through the years?

I failed you back then.

You should hate me.

It wasn't because I was heartless that I didn't search for you...

It was just that I thought you'd be better off without me.

We'd be better off?

You have no clue what happened then.

What exactly are you up to?

Take a guess.

Where do you think Wu Ji's army is now?

No...

No!

Wu Ji is Crown Prince of Tianquan!

He's your son! He--

You can't do this to him!

Are you going to hurt Wu Ji?

Isn't it enough to just take my life and Zhangsun Jia's?

Why do you have to involve Wu Ji in this?

What did he do wrong?

Wu Ji respects you so much.

You're actually using him to seek revenge?

You both think that I'm using others.

But have you ever considered that all of Tianquan Kingdom

is using me too?

The Emperor of Tianquan appears to reign over the world

but it actually isn't so.

Empowered by the five kingdoms, and yet restrained by the people.

You've both witnessed it.

There's still some time left today.

I'll tell you a story here.

Perhaps, when the day is over

no one else will know the whole story anymore.

There were once two brothers.

They were born to different mothers but grew up together.

They were considered fairly close.

The younger brother had always been clever and sensible.

He was lovable.

Everyone just seemed to like him just a bit more.

As for the elder brother...

he was an old head on young shoulders.

He was bad with words.

His father regarded his maturity as mediocrity and slow-wittedness.

He wasn't good at explaining so he studied diligently...

and kept to himself.

He only hoped that one day, he could share his parents' burdens.

You should have guessed it by now?

The younger brother is Zhangsun Jia.

And the older brother deemed slow-witted by his father... is me.

In the years that followed

my father never concealed his trust in Zhangsun Jia.

Everyone in the Imperial Court knew!

After I was appointed as heir apparent

there were always suggestions of abolishing me to anoint Zhangsun Jia.

But my father never did that.

Fu Yao, do you know the reason?

Perhaps... your father still cared about you.

That's what I thought back then.

The throne of Tianquan is quite the jinx.

The previous three or four emperors didn't live past 40 years old.

This time, His Majesty suddenly fell ill.

It must be a bad omen.

Honestly speaking, when I took a look at His Majesty just now

it seemed like it's just a matter of three to five days.

Even if a remedy is found, I'm afraid it will be too late.

We have to make sure that we won't be killed.

Definitely.

I heard that someone just died in the palace today.

What was that about?

Someone mentioned anointing the second prince as the heir apparent

so His Majesty threw a huge fit and sentenced him to death.

But hasn't His Majesty always favored the second prince?

He dotes on him, so how could he let him be jinxed by the throne?

You're right.

I overheard His Majesty mention it to the empress before.

He said that the second prince is the apple of his eye.

He'd never let him die for the five kingdoms.

Was that what he was referring to?

Exactly.

Think about it.

Once he's made heir apparent, he might live for about 30 years.

But isn't that too unfair to the crown prince?

I only found out later that

my father knew that the throne of Tianquan was jinxed

with a curse that can't be broken.

And I...

I was just a pawn he placed on the throne.

In the end, I was just a sacrifice to the throne of Tianquan!

Just a sacrifice!

Since you were well aware of it, why didn't you make a choice?

You still couldn't give up on that ultimate power.

It did cross my mind.

Perhaps, I wouldn't be able to live out my days on this throne

but apart from my own life, I could manipulate everyone else's!

Yours, hers, everyone's life!

Your Majesty.

But after all these years, you're still sitting on that throne!

It proves that the rumored jinx on the throne isn't real!

That rumor wasn't false.

I spent over 10 years breaking that jinx!

In return, I had to endure pain and suffering all my life!

But it doesn't matter.

From now on, descendants of the Zhangsun family...

will no longer be cursed.

Upon the throne of Tianquan Kingdom...

each future successor can enjoy a long life from now on.

So why does my suffering matter?

Your Majesty, then why would you still--

Because someone betrayed me!

It wasn't just betrayal.

She even made an emperor live in humiliation!

So...

you already knew.

My empress...

I want you to tell me yourself.

Whose son is Wu Ji?

He's...

Wu Ji is...

Wu Ji is...

All these years, did you think that it was because

I found out about your affair with the empress...

So I left with Lian'er in a fit of rage?

Indeed, that's what I thought.

Yes... That year, the cherry blossoms bloomed and blossomed so beautifully.

I took Lian'er to the palace to look at the blossoms.

If I hadn't seen you meeting the empress secretly...

we wouldn't have left in such a hurry.

Nor would we... have lost our way in the palace

and overheard something we shouldn't have heard.

Mother?

Where are we going?

Mother?

- I'll take you home. - Your Majesty!

All these years, Ping Rong and I never did anything wrong.

Why was her child anointed as the crown prince today?

It's always the capable who are anointed as heir to Tianquan's throne

not necessarily the first born.

Wu Ji has been outstanding since he was a child.

He was even chosen by Qiongcang to be a disciple of Changqing Hall.

It's best for everyone that Wu Ji is made Crown Prince!

But... but Ping Rong is your flesh and blood!

Your Majesty, you know that Wu Ji...

Wu Ji is just a bastard!

Shut up!

Mother--

That day...

I found out about the biggest secret in the imperial palace.

I was so frightened...

I...

I was so scared...

I took Lian'er and we fled for our lives.

We fled home.

All I could think of was you.

I didn't care about your past.

As long as you could keep Lian'er alive, I could let it all go.

But where were you?

You were in the sweet embrace of that woman

while Lian'er and I were being hunted down!

Go!

Search the area.

They should be somewhere near here.

Don't make a sound.

Some time later, Lady Fei Yan rescued me from the fire.

She never saves anyone out of sympathy.

There's always a price to pay.

What was it?

She took years of my lifespan.

She made me disoriented.

I became a mentally unstable woman.

But Lian'er...

My Lian'er...

I couldn't find my daughter.

I couldn't find her.

Where were you when Lian'er and I needed you most?

Your relationship with that woman cost us our pain and suffering.

It was your elder brother, Zhangsun Jiong, who wanted us dead.

But you were the one who actually killed me!

I know that...

I know that no explanation could be of any use now.

I don't dare to ask you for forgiveness

but I really didn't have a choice back then.

You definitely had a choice!

If you hadn't had an affair with the empress

none of this would have happened!

It was you...

You did this to Lian'er!

You were the cause of it all!

I hate you...

I hate you!

I hate you!

Is that why you let Zhangsun Jiong use you...

to come here and kill me?

Kill you?

Your life isn't even worth anything.

Zhangsun Jiong just sent me to tell you the truth.

If I manage to do so, he'll tell me where Lian'er is.

Whether or not he's lying, I'm willing to give it a try.

I can finally see my daughter.

Tell me the truth?

Zhangsun Wu Ji...

He's the son Yuan Qing Yi had with you.

Has he gone insane?

Wu Ji is the most outstanding of all the descendants of the Zhangsun family.

But he's that man's flesh and blood.

As an emperor... I hold him in high regard and am fond of him.

But as a man...

I hate him.

He isn't my son, after all.

Whenever he addresses me as Father

my hatred for him increases even more.

But Wu Ji is innocent!

No one is innocent!

As a descendant of the imperial Zhangsun family, he should understand

that only the strong survive, while the weak become the prey.

Blood that is tainted by sin can only be cleansed with more blood!

No one can escape this fate!

No one--

That's enough!

Besides pushing Zhangsun Jia to his death

what more do you want to do?

Empress...

I have a drug.

Whoever takes it will lose all senses, and suffer from rupture of the organs.

It's a slow and painful death.

No... no!

You can't do this to Wu Ji!

How should I treat the child you had with my brother then?

Don't...

Your Majesty...

I won't let him die just yet, of course.

He's the heir apparent I chose.

He has to succeed the throne of Tianquan Kingdom.

I want him to know how it feels

to reign above all, but still be unable to undo the curse.

You had an affair with the empress for so long.

Did it never cross your mind that her son could be yours?

That's impossible...

No... that's impossible.

That's impossible!

Zhangsun Jiong has so much patience.

He doted on the crown prince for so many years...

Wasn't he just waiting for this day to come?

He was just waiting for you to rebel

so that you and your son could kill each other on the battlefield!

He was just waiting for the woman who betrayed him

to suffer such heart-wrenching pain!

He...

For 20 years, he...

Are you telling me he plotted such a scheme for over 20 years?

Sitting upon the imperial throne...

all kinship is severed.

He...

He hates you through and through.

[Prince De]

What do you intend to do now?

What else can I do?

I must wage war.

You know he's your son now.

You're well aware that it's a trap Zhangsun Jiong laid for you.

Yet you're still going to war?

I have no other choice.

So...

To survive and attain the power you seek

you won't even spare your own son.

I'm a the traitor of the five kingdoms now.

Anyone can kill me.

Wu Ji will win the people over by killing me.

He can rule the world!

Only if I'm killed on the battlefield can Wu Ji remain as heir apparent!

Only then can I deal one fatal blow to Zhangsun Jiong!

You...

I never had the ambition to kill for the throne.

My brother forced me into doing this.

Now that I know that Wu Ji is my son

how can I still see him as my enemy?

This path to the throne...

Wu Ji, he...

He must step on my corpse to climb his way up there!

The throne has always been stained by the blood of our kin!

Wu Ji won't be an exception either!

Is this...

Zhangsun Jiong's revenge?

I want him to suffer pain and sorrow...

like no one ever has.

Oh, right.

The two of you mean the most to Wu Ji.

If one of you poisons the other to death...

how will Wu Ji live with himself?

Don't...

Your Majesty.

Wu Ji has always seen you as his real father.

He respects and adores you.

He even feels bad for you.

Since that mission in Taiyuan, he's been very cautious

and doesn't dare to let his guard down.

All because he's afraid of disappointing you!

Because deep in his heart, you're the one he respects the most.

But now...

just because he isn't your flesh and blood

you can bear to treat him like this?

Wu Ji...

He's a good child.

He has never let me down.

But today...

this will be my last lesson to him on the emperor's doctrine.

Even when he's deserted by his family and followers...

he must have a heart of steel.

He must walk the path alone.

Soon enough...

this place will be filled with poisonous gas.

I don't care whether one of you poisons the other and escapes

or whether both of you die in here.

It's up to you to decide.

My dear Wu Ji...

You'll finally get a taste of what I had.

A taste of extreme agony.

Your Majesty!

Don't do this!

No...

Your Majesty...

Crown Prince, Prince De's rebel army is under siege now.

They don't stand a chance.

Your Highness, why are you hesitating?

Your Highness.

Your Highness, it's time.

Crown Prince's army has arrived.

I await Your Highness's orders to light the beacon

so that General Ma can deploy the army.

Your Highness, time is of the essence.

Please give the orders immediately.

Forget it.

I'll ride out to war myself.

Your Highness!

Convey my orders.

Ma Wen Di is to withdraw his troops.

Your Highness, you mustn't!

If General Ma withdraws, we're bound to lose this battle!

I've made up my mind. Don't talk me out of it.

The outcome of this battle...

I'll bear the consequences alone.

Your Highness!

Convey my orders!

Yes.

Hold on.

In the past, whenever you went to war, I always helped you put on the armor

and strapped on your sword.

Today...

can I do it for you one more time?

In the past, whenever you left home

I always said this to myself three times.

Come home safely.

Come home safely.

Come home safely.

You always came home safely.

We were husband and wife.

Whatever happens, marriage is a millennium worth of blessings.

It's such a pity...

We're both old now.

I'm the one who failed you two--

From now on, we're no longer related.

You've made your choice.

Life and death are in the hands of fate.

You don't have to worry about anyone.

Your Princess Consort De is dead.

A-Rong...

I believe that....

our Lian'er must still be alive.

You must find her.

No matter what, you must find her.

You two...

must stay alive and well.

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