Original subtitles

[The Princess Royal]

[Adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel, The Princess Royal on jjwxc.net]

[This is a work of fiction.]

[Episode 37]

The Crown Prince got injured the other day trying to save you.

When you go in later, just treat it as a casual conversation.

Don't be nervous.

He got injured trying to save me?

Is Rong here?

Hurry. Tell Rong to come in.

Pei Wenxuan.

Your Highnesses.

His Highness has sustained a sword wound.

He is worried you will be worried.

Set up a screen.

Yes.

Don't be nervous.

Go in.

Your Highness.

There are some paths you must walk alone.

I will wait for you outside.

Your Highness.

I am sure you have a lot to talk about.

I shall leave you alone.

Do not fear.

I will be outside.

Rong.

I want to be willful once more.

I had a dream.

I dreamed that Zhenzhen was waiting for me in heaven.

I must go and find her.

I've recently made friends with an immortal cultivator

who can assist in my cultivation and go to heaven soon.

Would you be willing to help me govern the country?

Did you just say...

you want me to govern the country?

Yes, I wish to entrust the country to you.

Are you all right, Rong?

Do you suffer from any injuries?

No, I am fine.

I am fine too.

It is just some minor injuries.

I will recover soon.

How did you get hurt?

I was afraid you were in danger.

So I followed you into the woods when I got anxious.

I did not act impulsively.

I knew what I was doing.

Rong, what brings you here today?

It is nothing.

It's just...

I had a nightmare.

So I'm here to talk to you.

I am glad you are fine.

What did you dream about, Rong?

I dreamed...

I dreamed that you killed me.

Rong, how is that possible?

No matter what happens,

I will never hurt you.

If anyone tries to hurt you,

they have to walk over my dead body.

I know.

Since we were young, you always said you would protect me.

I remember that year

when that princess was sent to the North for a marriage alliance,

I was so scared.

I was afraid that when I grew up,

I would also be sent away for a marriage alliance.

You told me...

You said...

Rong,

don't worry.

When I grow up,

I'll drive the enemies

all the way into the cold bitter far north.

I will never allow such a marriage alliance to happen

to you.

Why are you bringing up childhood memories now?

Are you saying that I am not treating you well now?

I do not mean that.

It's just that you got injured from saving me,

which reminds me how kind you were to me when we were young.

Were you not good to me?

You have been good to me too.

Do you remember

Yuanbao and I shared peaches when I was young?

Mother caught us

and grounded me.

You are the Crown Prince.

You must know there is a difference between the superior and the inferior.

You are the superior and the others are the inferior.

You should never share your food with servants.

Do you know that?

I cannot finish it by myself.

Why can't I share it with others?

Didn't Father teach me to be thrifty?

It seems you still don't understand.

When you do,

I will let you out.

Mother, open the door! Mother!

Mother! Open the door!

Chuan.

Chuan.

Chuan, it's me.

Is it you, Rong?

Rong, it is dark in here.

Chuan, do not be scared.

I will be outside to keep you company.

If you're scared,

put the candy I gave you in your mouth.

Then you won't be scared anymore.

How is it?

It is very sweet.

Thank you, Rong.

I was grounded for three days

and you stayed outside with me for three days.

Also,

I kept a big cat

in the palace back then.

That cat was so clever.

It didn't like anyone else, but me.

I always sneaked off to feed it.

But I was caught in the end.

Go

and bury this creature alive.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Mother, you cannot do this

unless you bury me too.

The more you protect it, the faster it will die.

Remember.

As the Crown Prince,

you can't favor anything.

You must not let others know what you like.

Moreover,

it is only a stray cat.

What are you waiting for?

Go and bury it.

Yes, Your Majesty.

No!

I can't even like anything.

What is the point of being the Crown Prince?

What did you say?

You...

Rong, get up.

If you don't move aside,

I will beat you too!

Chuan. Chuan.

Mother, don't hit Rong.

I don't want the cat any more.

The cat was still buried alive in the end.

That was because...

I didn't want you to be beaten because of me anymore.

You came all the way here.

What is it that you want to ask me?

Have you thought about the future?

In the future...

What kind of emperor will you become in the future?

I don't know.

Since I was little, people always asked me about the future.

But I can't foresee it.

Rong.

To be honest,

I'm not suited to be an emperor.

I don't want to be an emperor either

I can only say that in this position,

I will do my best.

I want to be a good son and a good brother

to protect you and Mother.

And then,

I want to be a good person,

doing everything I can

to ensure that every one of the Great Xia

is well-fed, clothed,

and free from the ravages of war.

If there's something I want to do,

it's to go on an expedition to the North.

An expedition to the North?

Rong, you have no idea.

Last year, I went to the North.

It was the first time I saw war firsthand.

It is completely different

from reading war reports in Huajing.

When...

When I closed my eyes,

I could hear

the helpless screams and pleas of the people.

Every time they saw me,

knowing I was the Crown Prince,

they would kneel and beg me

to send troops to pacify the North.

That's a good aspiration.

But what if it's fated

that one day

you will become an emperor like Father?

No.

You'll surpass him.

But

you will be as suspicious and indifferent as he is.

You will kill many people,

plunging the world into turmoil.

Of course, you'll also succeed in the northern expedition

and break free from the noble families.

Then, you'll imprison Mother,

kill Uncle,

execute your clansmen,

and finally poison me to death.

You will suffer the loss of your beloved.

But you'll also become the noblest man in the world.

If that day comes,

what should I do?

Rong, are you saying

that I will kill you?

I guess so.

Rong...

But that was just a dream.

Is it really just a dream?

It could also be...

the future.

My dreams...

seem to be in line with reality.

Every dream I've had before has come true.

In that dream of mine...

you killed me.

Should I make you pay for it?

If

this is the future we must face,

then

please kill me now.

Do you think I wouldn't dare to kill you?

It's not that you wouldn't dare.

But if I were to die by your hand,

I would have no regrets.

If I am truly destined for such a path

as you have said...

I would rather end my life now.

I consider it a fitting ending for me.

Forgive me.

It was I who forced Li Chuan to death personally in the dream.

Qin Lin was killed by Cui Qinghe.

But I kept Xun Chuan in the Northwest.

The situation in the Northwest is uncertain, so don't consider it.

Li Cheng is dead.

They arranged a fake Li Cheng

to deceive Father and help him ascend the throne.

Su Rongqing may have already secretly allied

with other noble families.

Outside Huajing,

the Su Family has ten thousand soldiers at the closest pass.

They're able to arrive overnight.

Father may still allow you to be Crown Prince,

but only if the Shangguan Family and I are gone.

It all depends on you whether to accept it or not.

All the forces at the Inspectorate Office are yours

and so are those at Qingzhou.

I'll go back to Qingzhou.

In this life...

I won't return to Huajing.

Rong...

I've spared you.

If you stay alive...

I ask you to spare me...

in the future.

Do not let the dream become a reality.

Rong.

Why can't you

trust me more?

It is not that I do not trust you.

But rather that I cannot trust people's hearts in this world.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Cheng.

Cheng.

Are you feeling better?

Father, please don't kill me.

I will listen to you.

Cheng.

From today on,

I will grant you everything

that I promised you.

All you need to do is focus on your recuperation.

Your Majesty, Cheng has not fully recovered yet.

If you take good care of Cheng,

you will live.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I wish to return to Qingzhou.

All right.

You can stay in Huajing.

I know

he has always been an ideal ruler in your mind.

With you assisting him,

I can rest assured

with you here.

That won't do.

Pei Wenxuan,

I don't want you to sacrifice your future for me.

I do this for you,

my wife.

Of course, I do this

for our child too.

What are you doing?

Let's go back and celebrate.

No, wait. Put me down.

Stay still.

Don't hurt our child.

You did well just now.

Especially when you showed fear

and made him feel guilty.

Remember,

I am your mother.

You are my son, Cheng.

From now on,

you'll have endless glory and wealth.

Are you up to no good?

What could I do?

I only hope

that you won't let me

or our child affect your decisions

at the most crucial moment of your life.

You should know

what you truly desire.

You've been stubborn all your life.

It's time to stop.

Aren't you stubborn too?

When did you make peace with yourself?

Well...

I stopped being stubborn

when I admitted I liked you

and decided to take you back

from someone else's hands.

What do I have that's worth liking?

There's much more than you think.

Don't stand here. Sit down.

For instance?

You are like a mirror.

When I see you, I can clear my mind.

You say you care about power.

Yet you always treat Li Chuan like a brother,

treat Shangguan Ya as a friend,

and even trust Su Rongqing.

You're loyal to the ruler

and your friends.

In the palace,

you always practice

the way of a noble person.

Actually,

what you do is much harder than what I do.

I'm just following you.

But you walk forward alone.

My perseverance is bound by you,

while your perseverance is to pursue your heart.

With your unwavering clarity of mind for twenty years,

you can become the best monarch in my heart.

If you put it that way,

I could contend for the throne

if I were a prince.

If you were a prince

and I were not a girl,

that would be a problem.

It's indeed hard to imagine

what you would be like if you were a girl.

Little girl.

Who is a little girl? I am not a girl.

Your Majesty.

His Majesty said

he would grant whatever Prince Su wanted.

What a deep father-son bond.

Send a message to Pingyue and Chuan.

We need to act now.

Everyone,

did you know

how our unit came to be?

You know

that Xiao Su cannot tolerate us

and the noble families cannot tolerate us either.

It is the Crown Prince

and Princess Pingyue who have secretly funded

and built our unit over the years.

Now,

they are in trouble in Huajing.

We cannot be ungrateful.

We are an army of righteousness.

What they seek

is for the welfare of most ordinary people like us.

Among them

are your siblings.

Among them are your parents, wives, and children.

Protecting them is equivalent

to protecting our own families!

Your Majesty.

Why aren't you taking care of Cheng?

What are you doing here?

Your Majesty, Cheng has narrowly escaped death

and is now recovering.

Li Chuan's rebellious intentions are evident.

After this incident,

I only wish for Cheng's safety.

I beg you to send someone to escort us back to the Northwest.

We don't want anything else.

We only want to stay alive.

I have plans

for Cheng's future path.

You should go back

and accompany him.

I promise him

I'll give him an explanation.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Fulai.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Convey a message to the Crown Prince.

Tell him to come and see me at Xu hour tonight.

I want to give him one last chance to choose.

Yes, Your Majesty.

You should take your time going to Qingzhou.

If the road is too bumpy,

find a small town to rest.

Don't wear yourself out.

I know.

I'll handle the Crown Prince's affairs in Huajing

and ensure everything goes well before coming to you.

Since when have you become a nagger?

I am going to be a mother.

I will be careful.

If you can't bear to leave it behind, take it with you.

It might come in handy later.

But the journey is long

and I'm afraid it might get damaged along the way.

I will just leave it here.

You are right about that.

After all, you'll be back eventually.

Just take some personal items with you.

I'm not coming back to Huajing after going to Qingzhou.

You know what I am like.

If I stay in Huajing,

I'll want to meddle in these affairs.

Over time,

it will still cause trouble.

I will bring it to you

and pack myself along too.

He's such a boring person.

His Majesty plans to summon the Crown Prince to the palace.

Then

you need to manage to inform Chuan and Shangguan Ya immediately.

In that case,

I have to leave the city today.

Tonight at Xu hour,

I will take action in the palace.

If we get the support of the Su Family,

the Su Family and Li Family will rule the world together.

Consort Rou is really bold.

Prince Su is alive and doing fine.

Why is she looking for trouble again?

What about the others?

What are their responses?

Consort Rou has made promises of great benefits to several families.

Princess Pingyue is now the Supervisor of the Inspectorate Office.

But she has been delaying the release of prisoners.

In the military drill ground,

the Crown Prince showed great concern for Princess Pingyue,

which has disappointed many noble families.

From your lobbying earlier

and Consort Rou's willingness to spare no expense,

the consensus among various families...

is to ask you to lead and oversee these matters.

A group of cunning old foxes.

Your Highness, Miss Shangguan has arrived.

Your Highness.

Pack this up too.

Are you leaving just like this?

Didn't you say you were going to overthrow the Crown Prince together?

I've heard

that you are pregnant.

I just found out.

They all say pregnant women are irritable.

Forgive me.

I am sorry.

What I said before was my fault.

Please forgive me.

There was someone

whom I had grievances against.

We were friends before.

But she betrayed me for power.

So I thought of you and Su Ronghua,

which triggered me and lashed at you.

I've thought about the things you said when I am back.

You may not do it on purpose.

But my actions were indeed inappropriate.

I came here today to ask you a question.

Do you really think it's wrong for me

to give up on Su Ronghua?

Do you remember

why you gave up on being the Crown Princess

and came to the Inspectorate Office?

Because you told me

that as a young lady of a noble family,

the most important thing is to wield power in my hands.

It's just a man...

Why are you afraid of being with someone you like?

I mean to say,

I used to think

love might be

the most worthless thing in the world.

But now, I feel like

it is a person's most basic choice.

It is inhumane to live in a world

where one cannot even choose to be with someone they like.

Your Highness,

you always talk to me about these crooked theories.

I've been influenced by you in a bad way.

Isn't it good to be influenced by me?

At least,

the present you won't offer me a poisoned drink.

You sounded like I've actually poisoned you before.

Enough said.

It is getting late.

You are pregnant.

Given the current situation,

you really should not stay in Huajing.

Get ready quickly.

I'll leave now.

Go.

Your Highness, Xun Chuan sent me a letter.

She said she would return soon.

I will wait for your return here.

When the time comes,

the three of us will drink together again.

All right.

Young Master.

The matter you requested has been thoroughly investigated.

Our informant sent a message.

[Pei Lixian is the mastermind behind the death of your father.]

I didn't expect Second Uncle

to be so evil.

Count our men.

Notify the uncles and cousins.

Tell them that I need

to acquire

the patriarch token

during today's ancestral hall assembly.

Yes, Young Master.

It's time to settle everything.

Your Highness,

Xun Chuan has brought ten thousand soldiers and horses.

She is on her way now.

She sent someone to tell you

that she has not failed

your mission.

I really didn't expect

Xun Chuan to achieve this.

I don't know why.

But I'm quite moved.

Don't be too moved yet.

I'll count the troops first.

Today, the Crown Prince must enter the palace.

The Shangguan Family will attack the palace.

My family and the Inspectorate Office will block reinforcements outside.

I won't...

see you off.

It's fine.

I'll go by myself.

Your Highness.

If I die

in the palace today,

what will you do?

If you die in Huajing,

I will gather the troops

and destroy them.

Do you understand, Mr. Pei?

Your Highness, I am very happy

to hear you say that.

I love you more than my life.

Wait for me.

I will light up the city

and give you lots of betrothal presents.

I will marry you again

with a grand procession.

All right.

I will wait for you.

I'm leaving now.

Go.

Father.

Did you know

why I called you here?

I know.

Ronghua has told me everything

about what you are doing.

You have always been

a sensible child in the past.

I cannot understand

why you are not even as sensible as Ronghua.

I entrusted the entire Su Family to you

because you have always been prudent.

But you...

As the eldest legitimate son in the palace,

the Crown Prince is the rightful heir by seniority and legitimacy.

His temperament and conduct are impeccable.

But what is Consort Rou's background?

And what kind of temperament Prince Su possesses?

What are you even doing?

Before,

I noticed something amiss in the disagreement

between you and Pei Wenxuan in the court.

But at the time,

I thought you were just young and impulsive.

I'm aware of your feelings for Her Highness.

But she is married now.

What more can you do?

Father.

You've spent three years in the academy

and taken part in exams annually.

As long as Her Highness is there,

you always present yourself.

Every time you enter the palace,

you dress meticulously.

I have seen it all.

Rongqing.

I am your father.

A father knows his child best.

But you and Her Highness really are not suitable.

Before, I thought

you wouldn't do anything out of line.

So I did not intervene.

But you...

What has got into you?

Now I really can't understand you.

I have failed...

your teaching.

I just thought...

Li Chuan was not suitable

to be an emperor.

Is Prince Su suitable, then?

Is there a perfect monarch in this world?

A monarch is the pillar of the state.

It is not necessary to be strong, but stable.

But he is not stable.

Everything Her Highness does

is at the Crown Prince's instructions.

A monarch should be stable and the ministers should be talented.

Prince Su's temperament may be bad

and his background may be questionable.

But he won't cause upheaval.

But what about the Crown Prince?

Even before ascending,

he has turned the court upside down.

If he ascends,

who can control him?

This is not something you should worry about.

If I do not worry,

the Su Family will face calamity.

All of this is nothing but your speculation.

Father.

I want to help Li Cheng ascend the throne.

What did you say?

I would like to ask for your opinion.

Impossible!

Don't even think about it!

Get out! Get out now!

Go and take your punishment.

The Su Family is so noble.

How could we support someone like Prince Su?

♪Who gazes at the sky from afar?♪

♪Who gazes at the sky from afar?♪

♪In the night's chill breeze♪

♪What is she singing for?♪

♪The wind caresses the hills♪

♪The wind causes ripples on calm water♪

♪Moonlight graces passing souls♪

♪Her steps get slower and slower♪

♪She's trod a lengthy path♪

♪Memories lost then found♪

♪Gazing idly as clouds roll by♪

♪She holds a red candle♪

♪To brave the thick fog♪

♪Life can be bitter sometimes♪

♪Experience it with grace♪

♪Like a fleeting dream♪

♪Like a fleeting dream♪

♪Neither warmth nor cold will last♪

♪Like a fleeting dream♪

♪Like a fleeting dream♪

♪The moon is reflected in her eyes♪

♪In her gaze, the unwavering faith remains♪