Original subtitles

♫ By the riverside ♫

♫ I sow a seed of karma ♫

♫ Forlorn fates intertwine ♫

♫ Written in the stars ♫

♫ Should your passion smolder out ♫

♫ Will you give up on your ideal world? ♫

♫ Our past can only be entrusted to memories ♫

♫ I'm mooning over you ♫

♫ Amidst loneliness ♫

♫ Berthed in sleepless nights ♫

♫ You're my desire ♫

♫ That teems underneath ♫

♫ I'm drowned in your beautiful eyes ♫

♫ I'm mooning over you ♫

♫ Next to the Three-life Stone ♫

♫ I cross the Bridge of Forgetfulness ♫

♫ Gazing at moonlit nights ♫

♫ The moon appears brighter because of you ♫

♫ Leaning against the tower, it returns my gaze ♫

♫ Gazing at moonlit nights ♫

♫ The moon appears brighter because of you ♫

♫ Leaning against the tower, it returns my gaze ♫

[The Legend of Anle] [Adapted from a novel by Xing Ling]

[Episode 24]

I waited for a marriage decree for ten long years.

And now, they've chosen to announce it during Empress Dowager's birthday celebration?

It's merely a formality.

His Majesty's decree has already been announced to the whole country.

It won't change because of Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

Indeed,

His Majesty's words are firm, and he won't go back on his decision.

We've agreed on this.

I won't do anything reckless.

You can rest assured.

I'll do what you say.

I'm only doing

what Di Ziyuan should do.

In any case, everything is settled now.

Before the conferment, you should stay in the pavilion

and await the day you become the Crown Princess.

Miss Di, Empress Dowager requests your presence at Jingxin Hall.

Don't worry about me.

It's not my first time meeting the Empress Dowager.

I know how to win her favor.

[Crown Prince's Residence]

It has been ten long years.

Finally, it's coming to an end.

Once I marry Di Cheng'en,

everything will be settled.

You can be Ren Anle.

I'll be the Crown Prince of Jing.

It's perfect that way.

♫ This never-ending journey ♫

♫ Let's overthrow the world and protect each other in the next life ♫

♫ As promised, I will love only you ♫

♫ May one hug be exchanged for one hundred years of loneliness ♫

I'm the Crown Prince of Jing,

carrying the responsibility of the country

and fulfilling the ancestral decree

by marrying the daughter of the Di family.

♫ We ride the waves of life together ♫

♫ The fireworks light up the night sky ♫

♫ My hair has turned as white as snow, still waiting for you to look at me ♫

Ren Anle...

♫ If I don't survive this life, I hope fate smiles upon you ♫

I promised you safety and happiness for life.

♫ No matter how long this life lasts, my yearning for you lasts longer ♫

If only you could remain Ren Anle forever.

♫ May one hug be exchanged for one hundred years of loneliness ♫

♫ This is my life's true calling ♫

♫ Even if the world crumbles and we become strangers in the next life ♫

His Highness has locked himself in his room all day and all night.

When will this end?

Perhaps he'll come out on the day of the Crown Princess' conferring ceremony.

His Majesty just announced

that the conferring ceremony of the Crown Princess

will take place during Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

It doesn't matter when it's announced.

He won't mind.

♫ If I don't survive this life, I hope fate smiles upon you ♫

Jili, do we have any alcohol?

His Highness won't allow you to drink.

♫ No matter how long this life lasts, my yearning for you lasts longer ♫

He doesn't like alcohol.

But isn't he drinking excessively now?

I only want to accompany him.

♫ I see lights in your eyes, oh, my reason for being ♫

♫ If I don't survive this life, I hope fate smiles upon you ♫

His Highness has been disciplined and self-restrained since childhood.

He's only like this for a few days.

When the sun rises tomorrow,

he will be the highly respected Crown Prince once again.

Oh, Jili.

Do you think Anle and we will go our separate ways

and never go back to how things were before?

This matter is not for you and me to decide.

My Lord, life is unpredictable.

You'll understand later.

[Ren's Residence]

Young Lady.

Young Lady.

Young Lady...

It's all right. When has she ever been quiet before?

Only Young Lady knows me best.

Young Lady, Official Luo asked me to tell you

that everything is ready.

He wants you to be at ease.

I've always trusted him with his actions.

We're the ones who are worried.

For the Empress Dowager's birthday,

many people have prepared gifts since six months ago.

I'm afraid my gift will appear too simple.

I disagree.

Young Lady, your gift is very significant.

It might even overwhelm Empress Dowager.

Put it in a box.

Yes, Young Lady.

Since the Emperor has promised to confer you as the Crown Princess,

then I can only accept this matter.

After the birthday banquet,

you'll be the Crown Princess of the Han family.

You must remember your place.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I'll follow Your Majesty's teachings and prioritize the Crown Prince.

I heard that you will narrate the crime of the Di family

during the conferring ceremony.

Yes.

After the Di family's rebellion, I didn't deserve to have the Crown Prince.

Fortunately, His Majesty and Your Majesty showed mercy.

I am grateful for your grace.

I'm willing to atone for the Di family's sins and make amends.

Very well.

I hope you will behave appropriately in the future.

- Or else... - I shall keep it in mind.

You can leave after this incense burns out.

Also, copy these scriptures.

- Mister, bring alcohol to this table. - All right.

[Zhang Jian, Marquis Zhongyi's former general]

I am a homeless person.

I'm afraid I can't afford to pay for your alcohol, Miss Linlang.

Please enjoy your drinks.

Since I'm buying you a drink, you'll definitely be able to pay for it.

I'm afraid what you want me to pay

isn't for this jar of alcohol, right?

So tell me what you want.

Deputy General Zhang,

do you still remember what happened ten years ago on Qingnan Mountain?

I indeed cannot afford this drink of yours.

Deputy General Zhang,

are you willing to continue living aimlessly like this?

An aimless life and survival

is better than being dead.

What is so funny?

You were once a brave and skilled warrior who moved freely across battlefields,

and you know the true meaning of camaraderie the best.

Or else you would have chosen to rise to success instead of retiring willingly

after the Qingnan Mountain incident.

You neither want to betray your superiors nor feel unworthy of your comrades.

That's why you made this choice.

I know.

Even if you were disheartened for a moment,

your passion remains.

[Crown Prince's Residence]

Your Highness, wake up. Official Ren is here.

Your Highness.

What did you say?

Official Ren is here.

- What did you say? - Ren Anle is here.

- Ren Anle is here? - Yes.

Your Highness, are you seeing her in this state?

You're right. I can't let her see me like this.

Tell Official Ren that I'll be right there.

Anle, calm down. His Highness will be here soon.

I'm not anxious.

Why is he not here?

Jili, what did His Highness say?

My apologies, Official Ren.

His Highness is not well because he has been busy lately.

So he'll be here a little later.

It's all right. I can wait.

Anle, are you hungry? I'll go and get you something to eat.

- Let me make you some tea first. - I won't let you wait too long.

Official Ren, what brings you here at this late hour?

Forgive me for disturbing your rest, Your Highness.

No matter.

Your Highness. Anle.

Do you have to speak so formally?

Wen Shuo,

don't you still have some books left to memorize?

I won't disturb you then.

Your Highness, I'll go and keep an eye on the young lord.

What's this?

I heard the Crown Princess' conferring ceremony

will be held during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

I'm afraid that I might confuse the gift for Empress Dowager with this one.

So I brought it to you first.

It's a shame. It was such a beautiful jade fan.

I humbly offer this gift,

wishing Your Highness and Di Cheng'en a harmonious and happy life together.

Thank you,

Official Ren, for your thoughtfulness.

Bring it on the day of the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

What do you really mean by this?

Nothing.

Are you and Luo Mingxi

planning something during the birthday celebration?

Your Highness, you're joking.

It's the Crown Princess' conferring ceremony.

What can we do?

We can only watch from the sidelines, that's all.

You know that's not what I meant. Are you...

Are you planning to regain your identity as Di Ziyuan?

You've known this all along, haven't you?

I'm Di Ziyuan.

Anle.

I call you Ren Anle because you can keep being Ren Anle.

I'm afraid it's hard for me to do what you wish.

Listen to me.

Di Ziyuan is Di Cheng'en now.

If you act recklessly, it's deceiving the Emperor no matter how you explain it.

Not to mention...

Not to mention that you're the daughter of a criminal.

Criminal?

So the Di family has always been the criminals to you.

You have never trusted us at all.

There is strong evidence supporting this claim.

If so, I am determined to reveal the truth!

So you were planning to clear your name during Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

I never intend to hide this matter from you.

Should I be glad that you didn't hide it from me

or should I be sad that you're telling me about this?

This matter is putting me in a difficult situation.

Han Ye,

the Di family has never been traitorous nor involved in the rebellion.

The reason I can share this with you

is because I trust the Crown Prince of Jing.

I only believe in evidence.

And I will provide it for you.

If this ten-year-old case remains unresolved,

have you considered the consequences?

All I've ever wanted to do in my life is to clear the Di family's name.

Very well.

In that case, you may leave.

Han Ye,

take care.

Farewell,

and I wish you the best.

[Crown Prince's Residence]

Why are you waiting for me in this cold weather?

I came to tell you the good news.

Linlang found an old acquaintance,

Zhang Jian, who was once a guard that fought alongside Gu Yunnian ten years ago.

He is willing to testify in favor of the Di family.

Indeed, the truth buried under the dust will eventually come to light.

With Zhong Hai and Zhang Jian,

the conferment of the Crown Princess, the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet,

and us,

the Jing imperial family might undergo significant changes a few days later.

Do you feel reluctant?

I am Di Ziyuan and he is Han Ye.

Fate has separated us by eighty thousand lives.

We are destined not to be together.

Ziyuan, rest assured. I will accompany you to win this battle.

We'll do this together.

Han Ye,

I once said

that I would grant you anything you wished for.

Your Highness, don't forget. Wherever I am, all worries are gone.

Ren Anle, thank you for everything you've done.

No need for thanks. I said I would fulfill whatever you desire.

That's because I know one day,

I will destroy everything in your life.

[Crown Prince's Residence]

Today is Empress Dowager's birthday banquet and the Crown Princess' conferment.

I supposed the selection of the Crown Princess is considered settled now.

Having spent so much time with Anle,

it's hard to part ways just like that.

You and she need not be so distant from each other.

Regardless of how things are between me and her,

you can treat her like a sister.

All right.

[Memorial Tablet of Late Father Di Yongning]

Finally,

the day I've been waiting for has arrived.

Official Luo. It's time, we should leave now.

Today's banquet

should be the liveliest event in the history of Jing since its founding.

[Wanshou Hall]

Your Majesty, may you live long and be in good health.

Your Majesty, I specifically sent someone to search for the coral tree in the South Sea

to wish you good health and prosperity.

It's not easy to obtain such a large piece of coral.

You are so thoughtful.

It is my blessing to be able to serve Your Majesty with all my heart.

I wish Empress Dowager endless longevity and blessings.

Your Majesty, this box of pearls complements your embroidered robe perfectly.

Look how round and full each pearl is.

Excellent.

I pray that Your Majesty has good fortune and a long life.

I haven't read many books, so I only know these two lines.

I hope Your Majesty won't mind it.

I've also prepared a gift for you. It may not be a valuable item.

But I heard Your Majesty appreciates Buddhist scriptures.

So I hand-copied a scroll, hoping Your Majesty can read it in your leisure time.

This gift may be modest.

But I pray for blessings and prosperity for Your Majesty.

You're thoughtful.

Accept it.

Ren Anle,

today is Empress Dowager's birthday celebration

and the Crown Princess' conferment.

Nothing must go wrong.

Your Majesty, you can rest assured.

About you and the Crown Prince...

Regarding that, we're not fated to be together.

I'm glad you understand that.

Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I won't do anything like snatching the groom.

Today is the day.

After today, I'll be the Crown Princess.

Summon Di Cheng'en!

Today is Empress Dowager's birthday banquet,

I wish Your Majesty abundant blessings and good health.

That's thoughtful of you.

I, Di Cheng'en,

am a descendant of the Di family, a daughter of a criminal,

and was originally considered a dead person.

It's because of His Majesty and Her Majesty's grace

that I survived until this day.

On this day of the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, I, Di Cheng'en,

am willing to confess my wrongs

as the daughter of the Di family and express my gratitude for your benevolence.

The Di family is innocent!

Preposterous! Who dares to make a commotion?

Your Majesty,

this humble subject, Zhong Hai, pays respects to Your Majesty.

Zhong Hai,

isn't the case of the Zhong family already settled?

I just granted you the reward for loyalty and righteousness.

Why have you come forward?

Your Majesty, I'm not here for the Zhong family's case.

Your Majesty,

the Di family's army is not a rebel force. They have been wronged.

Zhong Hai,

what nonsense are you talking about?

Every word I say is true because

I am a former servant of the Di family!

The Di family's army has been wronged. We were framed!

Today, I am here to plead their case!

That's groundless.

Zhong Hai,

the Di family's army acted without permission.

The truth is clear.

How can you say they were framed?

We didn't act without orders.

We only set out to Qingnan Mountain after receiving the order.

At that time,

we received orders to provide reinforcement to Qingnan City.

We dared not delay.

We traveled a long journey day and night to reach the foot of Qingnan Mountain.

But when we arrived,

we noticed that the Northern Qin Army seemed to have known about our whereabouts.

They had already set up an arrow formation,

forcing us

to retreat through the narrow passage facing Qingnan City and seek reinforcement.

But little did we know

that just after passing through the passage,

we fell into an ambush by the guards of Qingnan City before we could figure out the situation.

At that time, it was very dark.

We couldn't see how many people or arrows there were.

All we could hear was the sound of arrows showering on us like rain.

There was no place to hide.

We're the Di Troops!

We shouted that we were from the Di Troops. But no one paid any attention to us.

The arrows were released without stopping.

My fellow comrades all died. The mountain was covered in their blood.

Run!

I was fortunate to escape death because I was under the bodies of my fellow soldiers.

Your Majesty, we are not rebels.

We have not betrayed the Jing State.

The Di Troops are innocent. We are innocent!

Marquis Jing'an was innocent!

Your Majesty, my fellow comrades died in vain.

We were wronged!

Please investigate this matter thoroughly, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, please investigate this matter.

Your Majesty, I have something to ask Zhong Hai.

Go ahead.

Zhong Hai,

none of the eighty thousand soldiers of Di Troops survived.

Now, you claim to be a former servant of the Di family,

bringing up old grievances in public.

But, Zhong Hai, you are already a criminal.

Your words are merely yours alone and without proof.

How can we be convinced?

Your Majesty,

I disagree with His Highness.

Zhong Hai is a criminal who has managed to live peacefully for so many years.

Why would he suddenly come forward now and get involved in this mess?

Moreover, treason is a serious crime.

If there is no injustice, why would he step forward?

Your Majesty,

I believe there's something suspicious about this case.

It requires further investigation.

What more is there to investigate? The Crown Prince's words are reasonable.

No one can neither verify this person's identity nor his words.

Today is my birthday celebration.

We can't tolerate this traitor causing trouble.

Guards, take Zhong Hai away.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, Zhong Hai may be a former soldier of the Di family.

But he dares to come forward and bring up old matters now.

There must be something fishy about this.

I implore Your Majesty to think it over.

Your Majesty, I have a different opinion

from the Grand Chancellor of the Right.

As they say, the authorities are often blinded by their position.

Perhaps they think they were innocent.

Let me go! Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, someone can prove my innocence!

He's right outside.

Please, Your Majesty. Please let him enter.

Your Majesty.

Since someone can vouch for Zhong Hai's words, why not question him openly?

Crown Prince, how can you really believe this traitor's words?

Grandmother, we must clarify now things have come to this point.

I, Zhang Jian, pay my respects to Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, this person seems to be Gu Yunnian's guard.

Yes. But ten years ago,

I was Gu Yunnian's deputy general.

Ten years ago, we were ordered to ambush the Northern Qin Army.

But in reality, we were ambushing the Di Troops.

Your Majesty, I have committed a serious crime.

Zhang Jian, please tell us in detail.

Your Majesty.

Ten years ago, Gu Yunnian called together a group of men

to go to the narrow pass of Qingnan Mountain,

claiming it was to ambush the Northern Qin Army.

I was one of them.

That night, he ordered us to guard mountain foot and block the entrance.

He ordered that any enemy trying to break in,

regardless of what they said, should be ignored and killed on the spot.

That day, it was very dark.

We couldn't see the situation on the mountain clearly.

But logically,

the only people that could come down from Qingnan Mountain were the Northern Qin Army.

With the military order we received,

we shot and killed all the troops that came down from the mountain that night.

Zhang Jian, as you said,

you couldn't tell who they were because it was dark.

How did you recognize that they were the Di Troops?

When we were collecting the bodies,

we discovered the troops we ambushed and killed were all wearing the Di Troops' armor.

I've committed a crime, and I am guilty!

Zhang Jian, keep talking.

After that, I became more suspicious about the situation.

But at that point, I had to let it go.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Your Majesty issued a decree,

ordering all the garrison troops to persuade the Di Troops to surrender first

before executing them.

They chose death over betrayal.

Does such a treacherous army exist?

Your Majesty's decree made me even more suspicious.

I also believed that I had killed the enemy from Northern Qin.

They were only wearing the Di Troops' armor.

But the days went by as we guarded the border.

Yet, the Di Troops never came and attacked.

Instead, we received news of the eighty thousand Di Troops

being ambushed and killed by Northern Qin's cavalry at the foot of Qingnan Mountain.

It was then that I finally realized

that we had indeed killed the Di Troops.

We have wronged the eighty thousand soldiers.

This grave sin is unforgivable.

Zhang Jian,

your words could cause a huge uproar in the Jing State and shake the whole country.

Can you take responsibility for what you just said?

Your Highness,

every word I said is true. I wouldn't dare to utter a single lie.

The heavens and earth can bear witness to it.

Very well.

Zhang Jian, as you said, back then,

you were just involved in a night battle

where you couldn't distinguish between friend and foe.

Could you determine

whether the Di Troops had conspired with the Northern Qin

and then fell out which led to being ambushed and killed?

Or if they were caught in a trap set by the Northern Qin after entering the Northwest?

These two scenarios are plausible.

Can you clarify that?

The reason I can share this with you is because I trust the Crown Prince of Jing.

I only believe in evidence.

Your Highness, you have a point.

I indeed can't tell what the situation was like at that time.

Very good. You didn't try to deceive us.

Let me put it another way.

Even if what you said is true,

that the Di Troops were accidentally killed by you,

it is possible that Gu Yunnian

mistakenly believed that the Northern Qin intended to attack the city.

So he led the troops to battle and accidentally killed the Di Troops.

There are countless possibilities,

and it's not enough to prove it was a deliberate murder.

Your Majesty, Gu Yunnian ambushed and killed the Di Troops

because he received a secret letter from the capital.

Zhang Jian, how can you tell that the letter was from the capital?

And how can you be sure

that Gu Yunnian ambushed and killed the Di Troops because of that letter?

I'm not sure

about the content of the letter.

Zhang Jian, you were merely a guard.

How dare you speak such reckless words!

What secret letter? It's all nonsense!

Who else knows about this matter, and who else witnessed it with you?

Indeed, only I saw it.

As for the letter, Gu Yunnian had already burned it back then.

Outrageous!

I think you are clearly lying!

No! I'm not lying.

Everything I said is true.

I implore His Majesty and Empress Dowager to investigate this matter.

Your Majesty, since this matter involves Gu Yunnian,

why not bring him here and let him confront Zhang Jian face-to-face?

Permitted.

Emperor,

do you also believe in this barbarian's words?

Your Majesty, as the Crown Prince said earlier,

this matter has come to a point where we must confront it head-on.

♫ If I bet my all on it desperately ♫

♫ I know my heart will be uneasy ♫

♫ I give up on my light and hide it under a bushel ♫

♫ You're the moon in my heart ♫

♫ I can't dream to own you ♫

♫ But I'm willing to forsake my life for you ♫

♫ I'd go the distance for you ♫

♫ May the light stay with you ♫

♫ Romance aside ♫

♫ I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth ♫

♫ Arriving at the end of my life ♫

♫ I bear no regrets. But when we reunite in our next life ♫

♫ Will you still remember me? ♫

♫ I've concealed my yearning for you ♫

♫ And guarded your smile ♫

♫ Please don't leave me in oblivion when we part ways ♫

♫ I'd go the distance for you ♫

♫ May the light stay with you ♫

♫ Romance aside ♫

♫ I fight for your destiny alongside you ♫

♫ You're my dream from the bygone youth ♫

♫ Arriving at the end of my life ♫

♫ I bear no regrets. But when we reunite in our next life ♫

♫ Will you still remember me? ♫