Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[A Journey To Love]

[Episode 25]

You sure were the Left Emissary of Scarlet Guards.

You sure are the Chief of Liudao Hall.

But unfortunately,

even if you're invincible,

you can't survive in a hail of arrows.

Within half an hour,

all the Yulin Guards stationed nearby

will come here.

Can you kill all of us

within half an hour?

I'm the Chief of Liudao Hall

not only because of this,

but also because of this.

Let me tell you.

Jia Ling

was the one who killed the Scarlet Guards

of Wu Capital Branch.

Today, we're here to avenge them.

So we will

take her life.

I give you two options.

First,

stay and die with her.

Second,

leave here immediately

and pretend you never came here tonight.

Otherwise, even if you survived by luck,

Deng Hui would still see you as Jia Ling's accomplices

and punish you tomorrow.

Nonsense!

Don't listen to him.

I know you all work under Jia Ling.

But tonight,

I only want to kill the culprit.

I won't come after you.

You have my word.

Shan Hu. Lu Geng.

Yes.

Since I, Ren Xin, joined Scarlet Guards,

have I ever

gone back on my word?

No.

You didn't have a choice

when you joined Scarlet Guards.

But you do now.

Don't listen to him.

Do you hear the hoofbeats?

Yulin Guards will arrive soon.

You're such a big fool.

Have you forgotten

who the General of Yulin Guards

is now?

Marquis Changqing.

He's Left Emissary Ren's disciple.

They're by the river.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Don't go! Come back!

It's Master's silver needle.

Marquis.

The view here is great.

But it seems

it's going to rain.

And the rain

will wash away many things.

Yes.

Remember. At a quarter to midnight,

Yulin Guards heard a whistling arrow

and came to the riverbank of Qingxi River.

8 dead Scarlet Guards were found, 6 males and 2 females.

Nothing else was found.

We suspect they died in internal strife.

Yes.

You guessed right again.

She's indeed alive.

I've asked many people,

but I still want to hear it from you.

Why did you kill all the Scarlet Guards

of Wu Capital Branch?

Just to cover up the 3,000 taels of gold you embezzled?

What else could it be?

Unlike Chen Gui,

I'm not under the wings of some prince.

We're women.

Female Scarlet Guards have no future.

I had to plan for myself.

So I needed money.

A lot of money.

My godmother

and Ling Long's family,

did you give the order to kill them as well?

At this point,

is that still important?

Yes.

They were all living people.

This world was cruel to those women too.

To save your own hide,

you killed 47 people.

You were sold here.

An people are not your people.

Why do you care about them?

You have blood on your hands too,

or you wouldn't still be alive.

I ended up in your hands today

just because I was unlucky.

It doesn't mean

you're innocent.

Chief Ning.

You're smitten with her, aren't you?

Let me tell you.

She's just pretending.

She's like me.

We both started out as White Sparrows and fought our way here.

It was our job to fake smiles and seduce men.

You have no idea of the appalling things she did.

You can't believe a word she says.

In my heart,

no matter what she did before,

she's still different from you.

And I can tell you

I'm not a good man either.

So we're a perfect match.

Why?

Why do you get to be with such a nice man?

While I…

I tried so hard to climb up the ladder

and finally got to where I am today.

But they deceived me again and again.

They insulted me and looked down on me.

Why?

His Majesty accused me of killing Empress Zhaojie.

Was it really because of Deng Hui?

If I tell you,

can you give me a quick death?

If you promise me one thing,

I'll tell you.

What's it?

Disguise my body

to make it look like I die fighting a Beipan spy.

Why?

She wants to be like Chen Gui

who died in the line of duty

and got a posthumous promotion.

That's right.

I'll pay for blood with blood.

But I don't want

to die quietly like other Scarlet Guards

who were only names that got erased.

I…

I want my brother to know

that I'm not just a White Sparrow

who only knows to seduce men,

that I deserve a decoration from the court,

and that I won't bring disgrace upon my family.

If you don't promise to do that,

I'll bite my tongue off and bleed to death.

I promise you.

Do you swear on Empress Zhaojie?

I swear on Empress Zhaojie.

Okay.

I believe you.

I'll tell you now.

It was not Deng Hui.

Then who was it?

Ren Xin, you fool.

You went to save Her Majesty.

Why did she refuse to leave with you?

In this world,

who's the one Her Majesty would've willingly died for?

Make it clear.

Who was it?

Don't you get it?

Who was it?

Don't forget

what you promised me.

Who was it?

Who was it?

Who was it?

She's dead.

Pills. My pills.

-Give me your pills. Your Daxu Pills. -Ruyi, she's dead.

I need to know the answer.

I must know the answer.

You already know the answer.

She made it clear enough.

I don't know! I don't know anything!

She was lying.

She was full of lies.

-She was lying to me! -Ruyi!

You've long guessed who it was

and just wouldn't believe it.

Otherwise, why did she not dare

to say that man's name before she died?

Why?

Empress Zhaojie was so nice.

How could he do that?

How could he do that?

Ruyi.

♫The sword reflects the cold radiance of the frost in the passes and mountains♫

Your Majesty.

Leave!

♫Life and death in the martial world♫

I'm not leaving.

Don't come in!

Your Majesty, let's go.

♫For whom chivalrous men cross the river together, there is no regret♫

You always do what I say.

I order you to leave.

♫We were once in love♫

I order you to go to a new place

and live happily for me.

♫Right and wrong, happiness and sorrow♫

But you must remember one thing.

In your life,

don't easily fall in love with any man.

♫But my world is tearful now when the spring breeze blows♫

♫Drinking in the windy snow as the snow turns to ashes♫

♫Lamenting that separations are irrevocable♫

Your Majesty.

♫When I look back, it's the end of the earth; where do I go from here?♫

Your Majesty.

♫When the wine is cold, who will get drunk with me for the rest of my life?♫

♫A loyal heart broken yet remains fearless♫

♫Hoping to be together in a dream, just to meet you♫

♫How many years has it been?♫

♫Having to sober up♫

♫After losing the one to spend the rest of my life with♫

[Siyi Pavilion]

Your Highness.

It's time to go.

Qian Zhao.

Take good care of her for me.

I will.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Your brother is still in prison.

But look at you.

You're actually wearing a smile.

Your Majesty,

you've allowed me to leave with my brother.

Thinking that I can go home with my brother soon,

I can't help but feel delighted.

You beardless boy.

How glib you are.

I'm truly happy.

If you hadn't mercifully allowed me

to go back to Wu with my brother,

I'd perhaps keep being a prince

without power and position

for the rest of my life.

You made me a big hero.

Of course I'm happy.

You're surprisingly humble.

I just know my place.

Have you brought the gold?

50,000 taels of gold are right outside the court.

The other 50,000 taels have been exchanged for banknotes.

As soon as my brother returns to Wu,

you'll have them.

You've got some nerve to play such a trick.

Marquis Changqing.

Go get those 50,000 taels of gold.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

When can I get my brother out of the pagoda?

I need to deal with something else.

Let's talk about it another time.

Do you mean Beipan's troops that are pushing south?

An outsider is not to meddle in my affairs of state.

Your Highness, please.

Your Majesty, His Highness shouldn't have mentioned Beipan,

but since you've taken the ransom, you should keep your word

and release our emperor.

Get him out.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.

I know my and my brother's lives

are both in your hands.

But please hear me out.

Go ahead.

Your Majesty, if your goal is to conquer other countries,

you have to let me and my brother return to Wu.

You won a triumphant victory over Wu at Tianmenguan,

but why didn't you push on?

Because the Yang family has been in control of Jiangnan for generations.

We lost one battle

but we're still very powerful.

You just won a narrow victory.

If your troops had marched forward,

we'd both have suffered great losses.

My brother is your hostage now.

Instead of taking his life,

why have you let me come to An to buy his freedom with gold?

Because that war

drained your treasury

and you wish to seize

Chu's ill-protected cities like Cang and Run

as soon as possible.

So you need the gold of Wu

to fund the coming war.

Your Majesty, gold matters a lot,

but does it matter more than an emperor's integrity?

Now, the whole world knows I've come to An.

If I can't return to Wu with my brother soon,

when war breaks out,

will any general believe your promise

that you'll spare his life if he surrenders the city?

For the reasons above,

I hope you can reconsider your decision.

Then how can you guarantee

that after I let you and your brother go back to Wu,

I'll receive all the banknotes you exchanged those 50,000 taels of gold for?

My brother Prince Danyang is the regent now.

After the emperor goes back, they'll fight for the throne

and Wu will be thrown into chaos.

Your Majesty.

50,000 taels of gold for civil unrest in Wu.

Isn't it a good deal?

You're smarter than I thought.

Interesting. Interesting.

It's my honor

to amuse you.

I shall take my leave.

See Prince Li out for me. Reward him with delicacies.

Also,

send the same reward to Yong'an Pagoda.

An people are quite efficient.

Before you came back to Siyi Pavilion,

these dishes had arrived.

The emperor of An is implying

that he's been aware of everything about us

since we arrived in An.

Anyway, I did my best just now

and said everything I could think of.

Mr. Ning.

What do you think are the chances that the emperor of An

will let us leave?

It's hard to say.

If I were him,

I'd take my time to decide that too.

I'd keep you here for a while

and see how Wu would respond.

However,

judging from his reaction so far,

it may not be easy to let him release His Majesty.

So from today onwards,

we need to make preparations

to attack the pagoda to save His Majesty.

If you fail,

His Majesty and His Highness…

Compared with the enemy's kindness,

our swords are more reliable.

You're right. I'm narrow-minded.

You've gained great insight after arriving in An Capital, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

There's something I need to do. I'll take my leave.

-Mr. Ning is… -Mr. Du.

Ruyi hasn't woken up.

Yuanzhou has been worried sick.

How is Ruyi?

I didn't see any physical injuries.

I've used all the medicines that I think may help

but still can't bring down her fever.

She must have collapsed because she was too sad.

Beauty

was much stronger than ordinary people.

She's devastated this time.

I can heal a wound, but I can't mend a broken heart.

She has many old internal injuries.

I once hurt her too.

Sorry.

What should we do, Boss?

How about I go out

to find some physicians to check on her?

No. That's too dangerous.

Is ginseng soup one of the dishes just now?

Yes.

I'll get it with you.

Okay.

Shisan.

Go get me some…

Are you crazy?

Do as I say. Go.

Wait.

Ning, are you sure?

This is ice.

Can she stand it?

The ice can definitely bring her fever down.

But I won't use it on her directly.

Then how are you going to use it?

I have my ways.

Ruyi.

Wake up.

Ying,

Yuan Lu,

Qian Zhao, and Sun Lang

are all waiting for you.

♫If the world is like a wave♫

♫Drowning the past♫

You promised

♫Who will steer the boat with me into the distance♫

to travel around the world

and live a quiet life with me.

♫Look through the world filled with clouds♫

You promised never to leave me.

♫The blade's glint hides the tears♫

You promised me.

♫Love is a lie between one's lips♫

♫Searching for normality between life and death for you♫

Ruyi.

♫I waited, but I couldn't have♫

Ruyi.

♫Two people for eternity♫

Ruyi.

♫I waited and I got♫

♫This long journey where one shadow became two♫

You're awake, Ruyi.

♫At the end of the road, it's a dream♫

You're finally awake.

♫Even if we're not destined, it can't be forgotten♫

♫I thought I saw through fate♫

Why is your body so cold?

♫But when I wake from the dream, I'm still lost♫

♫Who will drink with me half a lifetime's wind and frost?♫

♫Exchange myself for a sliver of light♫

You're such a fool.

You haven't recovered fully from the injuries you got in He County.

♫If love does exist♫

♫Let's look back in our next life♫

You shouldn't be doing this to yourself.

Why didn't you put me in the ice?

I was once punished to stay in an icy spring.

I can stand it.

I know you once suffered in an icy spring,

♫The dream lingers for a while♫

so I can't stand it.

♫Teardrops fall onto the robe after the farewell♫

From now on,

♫Have you ever promised♫

I won't let you get hurt again.

♫Two passionate hearts staying together forever♫

♫Who will drink with me half a lifetime's wind and frost?♫

♫Exchange myself for a sliver of light♫

♫If love does exist♫

♫Let's look back in our next life♫

Here, have some soup.

Careful.

Here.

Let me wipe your mouth.

Are you feeling better?

Jia Ling…

Don't worry.

I've arranged everything as she wished.

Thank you.

However,

the posthumous promotion she wanted

may not be given to her.

Ying entered the court today to meet the emperor of An.

He was quite calm.

Maybe Deng Hui

hasn't reported to him what happened last night.

What would you do

if you were him?

If I were Deng Hui,

I'd say

Jia Ling colluded with Beipan people

and tried to kill Li Tongguang,

and that she killed Left Emissary Chen Gui too.

In the end,

I'd add that it was all thanks to me, Commander Deng,

that she was lured to the riverbank and killed.

This way, I could give the emperor of An a satisfying answer

and eliminate the Scarlet Guards who were against me.

Kill two birds with one stone.

So,

Jia Ling's last wish

won't be fulfilled.

Does everyone in the court

bend the truth

and call black white like this?

That's why

I always want to stay away from the court.

Do you think

I can believe what Jia Ling said?

I haven't told you this.

The other day, the division

reported a court secret.

Before your accident,

when An was at war with Su,

the emperor of An colluded with Beipan and bought horses from them.

Empress Zhaojie wanted to stop him after she knew it

and said it was collaboration.

The emperor of An couldn't out-argue her and felt humiliated.

He threatened to depose her if she mentioned that matter again.

Are you saying

His Majesty actually conspired with Beipan

and Her Majesty fell out with him

because she tried to stop him?

I'm not sure about it.

After all, it's just a rumor.

The truth may have been twisted.

Anyway,

it's weird that he accused you of killing Empress Zhaojie.

It's as if he made you the scapegoat

to cover up something.

I'll find out the truth.

No matter who killed Empress Zhaojie,

I'll make him pay.

[Two days later, Siyi Pavilion]

This is the list of gifts

that Her Highness will bring with her tomorrow.

Go prepare them.

Yes.

I was looking for you.

Me?

I need a medicine

that can make the taker groggy

and easy to control.

Can you make it for me?

No need to make it. I have a ready-made one.

This is what Her Highness's ring is soaked with.

After it wears off, most people who take it

will not remember what has happened.

Thank you.

Stay safe.

Ruyi.

Ying.

Yuanzhou.

Let her go.

Aren't you going with her?

She's going to find out some secret of the royal family.

We'd better stay out of it.

What we need to do now

is wait for her to come back safely.

But…

Ying.

We all have secrets.

Sometimes not prying into them

is a way of showing respect.

Yuanzhou, there's something

I want to discuss with you.

Can you take a walk with me?

Okay.

When do you plan to attack Yong'an Pagoda?

We need a few days to get prepared.

It must be a foolproof plan.

Are the odds of getting my brother back great?

No.

If you fail to breach the pagoda,

how many people will die?

In the past, for missions like this,

I'd usually prepare compensation

for more than half of my men.

In other words,

Yuan Lu, Shisan,

Qian, and Sun Lang,

only half of them may come back.

Your Highness.

If this plan fails,

you'll become the most vulnerable.

I've made a deal with Ruyi.

She won't attack the pagoda with us

and will take you to a safe place that day.

If we all…

If that should happen,

do as she says.

She'll take good care of you.

In the past few days,

I've been hesitating over something.

But just now,

I finally made up my mind.

Mr. Ning.

Yes, Your Highness.

I order you

to prioritize the safety of the guards of Liudao Hall

when you attack Yong'an Pagoda.

As for other things,

you can do as you see fit.

I mean,

save my brother if you can.

If you can't,

just force him to write a name clearing edict.

I couldn't have made him do it in the pagoda that day.

But you can.

My brother is narrow-minded and selfish.

Chai Ming and many other guards died for him

but he saw the vindication of them as a deal.

He's the emperor of Wu so you have to save him.

But if it's impossible,

it must be the will of God.

I can't let more people

throw their lives away for him.

Whatever the consequence is,

I'll take it.

But can you bear the consequence?

If Prince Danyang blames it on your incompetence,

how can you get off the hook?

If my brother couldn't return to Wu,

Brother Danyang would surely get the throne

and I could take some credit for it.

Given that he'd take the throne unjustifiably,

if he dared to do anything to me,

I'm afraid

he wouldn't be on the throne for long.

If worst comes to worst,

I'll just take off this gown.

The one in trouble would be Prince Li,

not me, a princess.

I'll do as you say, Your Highness.

Ying.

You've really grown up.

Now, you think independently

and are broad-minded and clever.

I believe

if our mothers knew,

they'd be very glad.

Thank you, Yuanzhou.

I'll go do something else.

I just bought those pine nuts.

You wouldn't send me to death.

I should thank you.

Don't you want them?

That's no way to give someone pine nuts.

Pull me up.

Hold tight.

Why are you crying?

Boss Ning just praised you, didn't he?

Don't mind me.

I just want to cry.

Are you missing your mother?

How do you know?

I took a guess.

Mr. Du and my brother

keep saying

I'm getting more and more capable

and my father would be proud of me.

But I'm also my mother's daughter.

Does she not deserve to be remembered

just because of her humble origins?

Only Yuanzhou still remembers her.

And Boss praised you because you're great,

not because you're someone's daughter, right?

Here.

That's right.

What's the candy you eat all the time?

Give me one.

It's my pill. It's very bitter.

Since it's bitter,

why do you enjoy eating it?

Because taking pills means I'm still alive.

I'm happy to be alive.

Or why did I thank you just now?

Are you afraid?

Of what?

Death.

Of course I'm afraid.

There are so many delicious foods and interesting things

I haven't tried.

Why can't I live a long life?

But

I don't want Boss Ning to worry about me.

You don't know it.

He came to check on me at midnight several times

and sighed as he took my pulse.

I don't want him to be sad.

So I pretend to be devil-may-care.

I've done a good job, haven't I?

Actually, I'm afraid too.

I'm afraid

if Yuanzhou failed to save my brother,

I'd be held captive by An people

and you guys would abandon me.

I'll be kind and let you lean on my shoulder.

Don't worry.

I can't live long.

I'm not lucky enough to be a princess's husband.

Take it back. Take it back.

Don't jinx it.

You must not say something like that again.

Let me play a song for you.

Yuan Lu.

Do you have someone you like?

Yes.