Original subtitles

Why is Mr. Yue Qin here?

Shumo.

What…?

Zhang Yin wants to silence Meiniang.

Here they come.

Come on.

Mei Lin?

Where is your master?

Meiniang?

Meiniang?

Thanks for the travel permits, Meiniang.

TRAVEL PERMIT

It's you!

Shumo.

Mr. Yue Qin.

-Take him away first. -What about you?

We'll speak later.

Shumo, give me your cloak.

I am a vengeful spirit from Qingzhou.

Speak!

Who else is responsible for the massacre in Qingzhou?

Tell me!

Who else was involved?

Murong Jinghe. It was him!

She knows what she is doing.

Stop hitting me. Just kill me.

Kill you?

That would be too easy for you.

There are people downstairs watching us.

I'll divert them with Mei Lin,

then you take our men and leave.

Yes, Your Highness.

Fresh flowers!

Come and take a look.

I've heard that this year, fire dragon parade changes its route.

Qingyang Restaurant is the best place to enjoy the view.

Shall we head up for a look?

Thank you, Your Highness.

Someone.

-Your Highness. -Escort General Yin upstairs.

This way, please, General Yin.

Take it slow.

This way.

Your Highness, we lost track of them.

Fufang Pavilion. He must be there.

Yes, Your Highness.

Third Brother, what are you planning?

QINGYANG RESTAURANT

FUFANG PAVILION

Did you get hurt?

This is Zhang Yin's blood.

My lord,

Meiniang is actually Shumo, the man by Mr. Yue Qin's side.

You knew there was an ambush,

so why do you put yourself in danger over matters that don't concern you?

Mr. Yue Qin's matters do concern me.

I owe him a debt of gratitude.

I saw him enter Meiniang's room.

I couldn't just watch and let him die.

But for helping Zhang Yin escape,

he deserves to die. He's not worth saving.

Mr. Yue Qin knew nothing of it.

Mei Lin,

haven't I told you to stay away from him?

Rest assured, my lord.

Repaying a debt won't interfere with my revenge.

Then choose.

Either follow Yue Qin and repay him

or follow me and seek revenge.

You can only pick one.

-I… -If you follow me,

you must obey my orders.

Luomei, what do you think?

It is truly a magnificent sight.

The night view of Zhaojing is splendid and prosperous.

If not for the Pingnan Army soldiers

braving the elements to guard our borders,

there would be no such peace and prosperity in Zhaojing,

nor such a flourishing country.

May the gods protect the Pingnan Army,

granting them victory in every battle.

If there were ever an invincible army,

that would be a blessing indeed.

May the underworld's lords protect the heroic spirits of Great Yan,

and may the deceased rest in peace.

This,

I raise to the hope that peace will reign in our lands,

that Great Yan will forever flourish.

May the people of Great Yan be free from the ravages of war,

living in eternal peace and safety.

On behalf of the soldiers of Great Yan,

thank you, Your Highness.

Luomei.

The prayer was for the public,

but this moment of companionship is for something more personal.

This private affection, even Noble Consort Yin has noticed it.

Surely, you have, too.

Your Highness.

I have always said there is no need for formality between us.

There has only ever been one person

destined to be my Crown Princess, you.

I've risked my life on the battlefield,

all to escape the fate of being confined to the inner chambers.

Your Highness, you should know.

my ambition lies far from the palace.

If you so wish,

you could be the first Crown Princess

of Great Yan to lead soldiers into battle.

And perhaps even its first Empress to do so.

Look.

The fire dragon has changed its course.

The best place to watch it has shifted.

In this world, everything changes.

Clinging to childhood memories will make you miss even better sights.

The eyes follow the heart.

The true beauty of a scene lies in the joy it brings.

The view from Qingyang Restaurant may be spectacular,

allowing us to see the full scope of the fire dragon,

but Fufang Pavilion

offers a different kind of bustling energy.

I…

prefer livelier places.

The people from Fufang Pavilion

have already gone to Zhixiang Tower.

I'll take this one.

-Welcome to come again! -Let's see the fire dragon!

Lanterns for sale, fancy lanterns!

Sir. Sir.

How about a lantern for your lady?

-We're… -Feel free to browse.

This year's Shangsi Festival is beautiful!

Feel free.

-This one. -Alright. Here you go.

My lord?

I don't have any money.

Hurry up.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Lanterns for sale!

-Fancy lanterns! -After I escaped from Qingzhou,

I traveled with a stray dog for a while.

That dog was fierce.

It would steal the wild vegetables and buns I scavenged.

To avoid starving,

I had to fight it for food.

Look here, my lord.

This scar is from the dog's bite.

Later on,

it kept following me.

Eventually, I got used to it.

Having it by my side, it protected me.

If anyone bullied me,

it would bite them back.

My lord.

I'm giving this to you.

This dog lantern suits you perfectly.

How dare you!

Comparing me to a dog!

That dog was my only companion

after the fire in Qingzhou.

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT AND VIRTUE

You should have told me all of this long ago.

I was foolish.

I was deceived by Zhang Yin,

thinking I could keep everything hidden

and still help you send Mei Lin away.

In the end, it's me who dragged you into this mess.

Zhang Yin had me smuggle goods to Xiyan,

but he secretly brought them back to Great Yan.

They're hidden in the West Mountain Mine.

I suspect

the mine holds evidence against the Crown Prince.

If you use this information

to earn the Crown Prince's help,

perhaps you can find safety,

return to Xiyan.

Here.

Shumo.

Rest assured.

I'll take care of the rest.

You need to focus on recovering.

Let me help you.

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT AND VIRTUE

-How is it? -The arrow was poisoned.

Even with the finest medicines,

he will have at most…

three days.

Minister Zhang,

how does the food

at my mansion compare to the meals at the Eastern Palace?

It's the same.

Both are the last meals for the condemned.

I thought you had grown too comfortable

over the years,

that your spine had hardened,

and you weren't afraid of death anymore.

My lord, you know,

I'm just a pawn in someone else's hands, like a dog on a leash.

If you kill me,

you'll only dirty your hands.

At least you're self-aware.

But I keep you well-fed for a reason.

To bite.

You want me to turn on the Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince falls,

and you'll live.

You know, there were two masterminds

behind the Qingzhou fire.

One was the strategist Li Qing, advisor to Prince Xuanlie at the time.

The other was me.

That strategist was silenced years ago,

but I chose to play the scapegoat

to prove my loyalty, and that's how I survived.

I'm the only living witness who can testify against the Crown Prince.

Surely, Your Highness,

you know this well by now.

You should consider yourself lucky.

You still

have value as a dog.

Roast meat.

Qingyang Restaurant makes it the best.

The pork needs to be smoked with pine wood, perfect with wine.

This…

My lord.

A dog needs to eat well to have the strength to bite, right?

Do you really think I believe

a dog about to bite its master

cares about what it eats?

If I'm not mistaken,

Qingyang Restaurant has spies

working for the Crown Prince.

Pork head. That's the signal, right?

Do you still think

your master will come to save you?

Even if I help you,

I'm still as good as dead, aren't I?

WEIBEI

This. Does this look familiar?

You created it.

Life or death.

It depends on you.

My lord. Wait! My lord.

My lord. I have more proof.

Even if I speak out,

it won't be enough to convict the Crown Prince.

Ten years ago, I wasn't yet working for him.

The only person who can destroy the Crown Prince now

is the strategist Li Qing.

Li Qing is still alive?

No wonder you survived

and dared to contact the Crown Prince.

So, that's your life-saving card.

My lord.

Spare my life,

and I'll tell you where Li Qing is.

I'm the only one in the world who knows.

It seems I underestimated you, Minister Zhang.

Confirm if Li Qing is indeed at the West Mountain Mine.

Yes, my lord.

Infiltrate the peace-making marriage delegation of Xiyan

and assassinate the third prince of Great Yan,

Murong Jinghe.

Prince Jing has discovered us.

If the Qingzhou case is reopened, I'm as good as dead.

Everyone, cease all actions and go into hiding among the civilians.

You've been waiting for a long time?

What grudge do Zhang Yin and you have that he had

to drag innocent Qingzhou civilians to their deaths?

Zhang Yin and his Momai Warriors were just pawns.

The one you should hate is the man behind it all.

My elder brother,

the Crown Prince of Great Yan,

Murong Xuanlie.

If I had returned victorious from recapturing Qingzhou,

I would've been sitting pretty as the Crown Prince.

But my brother coveted the position,

so,

he turned General Weibei, who had saved Qingzhou,

into the mass murderer general who slaughtered civilians.

I heard

the Crown Prince was raised by your mother.

Then you…?

Once, we were close as brothers.

Now,

it's kill or be killed.

What about you?

Aren't you afraid of opposing the Crown Prince?

Ha, the Crown Prince?

He bought his position with the lives of innocent civilians.

I will kill him with my own hands.

At worst, it's a life for a life.

If my death can take down the Crown Prince,

it's worth it.

Killing him is too merciful.

What we should do

is make him atone for Qingzhou's 100,000 souls,

for the innocent Weibei soldiers who died.

He should confess his sins before the world.

So, to defeat the Crown Prince, we don't need to trade lives.

It would be a waste if you died.

Prince Jing and Mei Lin are working against the Crown Prince.

Could the Crown Prince be the true culprit of Qingzhou fire?

Mr. Yue Qin.

Shumo…

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT AND VIRTUE

Your Highness.

Lie down and rest. I've taken care of everything.

Zigu won't be harmed, and neither will I.

We'll return to Xiyan together.

Have some rest…

That's good to hear.

That's good to hear.

After you return to Xiyan,

you'll need to manage some connections.

I've already prepared gifts for you.

They're stored in the side courtyard warehouse.

I'm not exaggerating.

With your talents,

if you wish it,

the throne of Xiyan could be yours.

And that bamboo brew.

It's been specially prepared for the Princess.

Make sure to remind her

not to drink too much.

TEA RECIPE FOR EYE CARE

You always like

to carve wood figurines late at night,

burning oil,

and straining your eyes.

This tea recipe, I found it to protect your eyes.

As for that boy Yunqi.

He's quite clever.

Over the years, I have kept him by my side, teaching him everything.

He knows all your preferences.

With him around,

-I can rest easy. -Enough.

I only need you

by my side.

Your Highness.

I'm tired.

Please,

could you pass me the wooden tiger tooth from the table?

You said…

it's meant to protect people.

Alright.

Shumo!

Damaging a sacred object

means your entire family faces execution by strangulation.

It was an accident!

Wait for me.

Mother once told me,

living people are more important than wood.

After all,

the sacred object's purpose is to protect people.

I don't have to die anymore.

Thank you for saving my life, Your Highness.

My whole family is saved!

Don't mention death.

I hate seeing it.

It's okay.

I'm not a scared eight-year-old anymore.

There's nothing to fear.

The Yisang flower is used in Xiyan to honor the dead.

In Great Yan, we don't grow such inauspicious flowers.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

I couldn't find any Yisang flowers.

What about you? Did you find any?

We came here together,

we must return home together.

When we first arrived in Great Yan,

the household was lacking in money,

and we barely had enough to eat.

I always thought

you sold my wooden carvings

to improve our situation.

Who would've guessed

that the money came

from your smuggling operations?

You took on so much risk for me.

It's I who burdened you.

I couldn't protect you.

I can't even

carve a simple Yisang flower properly.

Not even a single flower…

Miss Mei Lin.

Where is Mr. Yue Qin?

After His Highness returned, he locked himself in his room,

refusing to see anyone.

Shumo…

I can't even carve a single Yisang flower.

A small, simple Yisang flower…

I can't carve it.

I can't.

Your Highness.

I embroidered this Yisang flower sash.

I know that in Xiyan,

if a person from Xiyan dies in a foreign land,

a Yisang flower sash must be placed in a high spot.

Let's send Shumo home together.

Yisang flower, a ladder to the heavens.

We beseech the god to guide the soul home.

With the Yisang flower sash here,

Shumo has returned home.

Mei Lin,

come with me.

I can't stand by and watch you meet the same end as Shumo.

Mr. Yue Qin,

I'll protect myself.

But the path you've chosen is lined with thorns.

After the great fire in Qingzhou,

I never thought there was any other path for me.

There's no turning back.

Since you've made up your mind,

I hope this will help you.

These letters were left by Shumo.

I know that you're working with Prince Jing.

The most important clues must be kept in your own hands.

That's the only way to avoid becoming a pawn,

thrown away to die.

No matter what you choose to do,

I just want you to survive.

Thank you, Mr. Yue Qin.

The letters only mention

Shumo helping Zhang Yin smuggle goods

to the West Mountain Mine.

Why would that be evidence against the Crown Prince?

To protect himself,

Zhang Yin has been hiding

a key witness from the Qingzhou fire.

The Crown Prince's strategist, Li Qing.

All these years,

he's been using Shumo's smuggling

to stay in contact with Li Qing.

So, Your Highness,

Li Qing is hiding in the West Mountain Mine?

That's right.

And Li Qing is even more important than Zhang Yin.

When should we capture him?

Capturing Li Qing requires careful planning.

If we aren't prepared,

it will arouse the Crown Prince's suspicion.

So, for now,

you just need to play the role of my Beauty.

Yue Qin gave you these things

to teach you how to manipulate me.

Too bad his schemes were in vain.

Mr. Yue Qin doesn't truly understand your character, Your Highness.

His worries are natural.

Then tell me,

what kind of person do you think I am?

You are…

different

from the reckless princes.

Mr. Yue Qin is helping us.

I wonder if he'll make it back to Xiyan safely.

Shumo's crimes will be erased by my people.

Yue Qin has nothing to do with this,

and he'll return safely.

As for you,

whatever debts you owe him, they're settled now.

From now on,

don't concern yourself with people who don't matter.

This dog lantern suits you perfectly.

How dare you!

Comparing me to a dog!

That dog was my only companion

after the fire in Qingzhou.

if I were just a tool,

you would have perished long ago.

To avenge Qingzhou,

I am willing to be a sharp blade.

Even if it means cutting myself.

I have no regrets.

It bit you,

yet you still made it your friend.

You're a fool.