Original subtitles

♪Bright moonlight, with lanterns still burning♪

♪Deep night's hue, your face softly blurring♪

♪In a fleeting thought, my heart's line is stirring♪

♪Fate entwines, a knot forever binding♪

♪This love's riddle, your heart cold as steel♪

♪Yet your bright smile, how it steals♪

♪Like the fireworks in the night sky♪

♪A brilliance that no words can yield♪

♪La~ la~♪

♪In this life, meeting you is fate's best hand♪

♪La~ la~♪

♪Our love story, I'll slowly pen♪

♪In this life, I wish for your words♪

♪From black hair to white, we'll brave time's trend♪

♪In this life, may our love forever blend♪

♪Let's make a pact with the changing seas♪

♪In this life, may our love stand like mountains♪

♪Through seasons' change, our whispers weave♪

♪In this life, may our love never fades away♪

♪Outshining all the world's glories, come what may♪

=Les Belles=

=Episode 24=

(Lu Mansion)

My Lady.

Another letter from Young Master Yun.

You two,

take Hua somewhere to play.

I need to rest.

Yes, My Lady.

Let's go.

♪I sit alone amid the downpour at night♪

(For Luo Lingyu's eyes only)

♪The single string broke; half a bed's cold♪

♪A cup of wine can't drown my loneliness♪

(There's something in this sachet.)

♪I wrote down as much as I remembered♪

I ask for your word that our love may stand like mountains.

♪Flowers wither in the cool breeze♪

If I could return victorious,

I must express my wish to marry Lingyu.

♪What if I grow old all alone♪

♪Tears will be shed forever♪

(Safe and sound)

(Safe and sound)

Lingyu,

the leaves in Jingyang have turned red.

You can finally go home.

♪In this world, I suddenly look back♪

Minister Fan, what are you doing?

Months ago, I brought

saltpeter all the way here

to help you ascend the throne.

All for the day

when I could aid you in conquering Nanyue.

Do you know

that I can never return to Nanyue?

General Zhao has repeatedly failed in battles.

Your Majesty, he's unreliable.

Now the Nanyue army is stationed in Jingyang,

while it still takes time

for our forces to gather.

Our army is outnumbered.

Your Majesty, instead of waiting,

why not let me attempt a strategy?

It seems

you have a plan.

Losing Jingyang isn't entirely bad.

Yi Pass is easy to defend and hard to attack.

If we lure the enemy deeper,

we can use minimal gunpowder

to annihilate the North Army at Yi Pass.

Then, we can advance smoothly,

and directly capture Yuezhou.

Report!

Your Majesty,

the North Army is still led by Prince Hengyang.

The advisor is Lu Yun from the Lu Clan.

Your Majesty,

I'll make them meet the same fate as Lu Jie.

Then let General Fan lead the troops

to capture them all at Yi Pass.

Lingyu, please sit down.

You seem so worried.

Why so anxious?

Why not open the letter

from Young Master Yun?

I just want to know how Jingyang is.

Alright.

Yangling.

- Aman. - Yangling.

We won the battle.

- Really? - Really?

Now I can return home.

Good for you.

Aren't you curious

about how Young Master Yun is?

Look at His Highness,

he's so cheerful.

Lu Yun must be in good spirits.

Lingyu.

The battle isn't over yet.

The Northern Border is still perilous.

It's not safe to return to Jingyang now.

Yangling is right.

Although we've recaptured Jingyang,

the situation has changed somewhat.

So Hengyang and Xuechen can't return yet.

Why is that?

(Jingyang) Now that we've taken Jingyang back,

our scouts are probing Yi Pass's defenses.

(Yi Pass)

Beichu is heavily guarding Yi Pass.

Seems they're determined to defend it.

(Yi Pass) Using the defensible terrain,

they're holding on, waiting for reinforcements.

Such ambitious intentions.

If we don't take Yi Pass,

(Yi Pass) Once Beichu amasses forces,

they'll march south aggressively.

By that time,

the situation will only worsen.

Only by taking Yi Pass

can we ensure Nanyue's peace for thirty years.

But now Beichu

has burned all the granaries in Jingyang.

We're running out of supplies.

At Yi Pass,

we will surely have a tough battle.

(Yi Pass)

The battle came so suddenly.

Do we have sufficient supplies?

The worst fear is a lack of military supplies.

I'm afraid their situation is perilous.

You don't have to worry too much.

I've submitted the request.

It just needs approval from the Ministry of War and of Revenue.

Even if they agree,

the journey is so long.

When will the supplies ever arrive?

I'll find a way to speed up the process.

(Xuewu Courtyard)

My Lady.

Did a letter arrive today?

My Lady, don't worry too much.

Perhaps it was delayed on the way.

Lingxi,

I want to be alone for a while.

Yes, My Lady.

(For Luo Lingyu's eyes only)

(For Luo Lingyu's eyes only)

Xuechen!

The situation has indeed changed.

Hengyang and Xuechen can't return yet.

(For Luo Lingyu's eyes only) A letter from him.

No!

Xuechen!

(For Luo Lingyu's eyes only)

(Safe and sound)

(Safe and sound)

(Safe and sound)

(This is a red elm unique to Jingyang.)

(Lingyu.)

(The leaves in Jingyang have turned red.)

(You can finally go home.)

(Then...)

(Let's go back.)

(Lu Mansion)

Hua, your sister has arrived.

Sister.

Sister.

You're going home.

Are you really not taking me?

Hua, be good and wait in Yuezhou.

When I get back the family property,

I'll treat you to good food and fun.

Be good, alright?

Hua.

I will play with you.

- Sister. - I have declined

all invitations these months.

Leave without worry.

I'll take care of home.

Aunt Ying, if you feel bored,

take Hua out for fun.

Once she's tired out with play,

she'll forget about me.

Play?

Alright.

Lingyu,

are you really going to Jingyang?

Of course.

Jingyang was finally reclaimed.

Naturally, I want the family property

back quickly to feel at ease.

I know you're worried about Lu Yun,

and the soldiers at the border lacking supplies.

But going with just Lingxi

is too risky.

The journey is perilous.

I'm truly worried.

Yangling.

Don't worry about it.

I've arranged escorts along the way

to protect Miss Luo at the docks.

Even on land, someone will assist.

There won't be any accidents.

But Xuechen entrusted me with you before leaving.

As you're leaving,

shouldn't you write to inform him first?

No need.

The situation is urgent.

Let's not distract him further.

Alright.

(Ten days later)

The situation at Yi Pass is dire.

(Jingyang) The court's supply approval is slow.

It can't solve our urgent needs.

Supplies from other cities haven't arrived.

Our supplies will only last

for three days.

Your Highness, those Beichu losers

are no match at all.

In the recent battle,

they ended up fleeing.

Give me three days,

and I'll wipe them out.

It can't be done.

Advisor Lu, why not?

In previous encounters,

they showed no will to fight.

It seems like they aim to lure us.

Or perhaps...

Perhaps when we exhaust our supplies,

they'll launch a great battle.

Exactly.

I share the same thoughts as Advisor Lu.

The Beichu Army is formidable.

They wouldn't be so hasty in a major battle.

We must remain cautious.

Yet our supplies are running low.

Are we just to sit back like this?

Yi Pass holds great strategic importance.

For the safety of Jingyang,

since the situation is uncertain,

we cannot retreat.

Yet, due to limited supplies,

we cannot launch an attack.

It's truly a dilemma.

I suggest not acting rashly.

I remember my father's map showed

a secret path on the west side of Yi Pass.

(Jingyang)

Perhaps we should send someone to check it out.

For now, that's our only option.

Zhao Yuan, you're the best at infiltration.

You should lead the team.

I accept the task.

Your Highness. Advisor Lu,

a beautiful lady is waiting outside.

She's here for you.

Send her away.

What are you looking at?

Don't make things up when we return.

She came from Yuezhou.

That's a long way.

Where from?

Yuezhou.

Even during an ambush, he wasn't this anxious.

♪Bright moonlight, with lanterns still burning♪

♪Deep night's hue, your face softly blurring♪

♪In a fleeting thought, my heart's line is stirring♪

♪Fate entwines, a knot forever binding♪

♪This love's riddle, your heart cold as steel♪

♪Yet your bright smile, how it steals♪

♪Like the fireworks in the night sky♪

Are you here for me?

Of course not.

I'm here to reclaim my family property.

♪La~ la~♪

Did you get it?

500,000 taels of gold is too heavy.

I naturally need help to move it.

What's your plan after that?

♪In this life, may our love forever blend♪

I'll wait here.

For what?

The journey back is long

and tiresome.

I'll wait for you to win and return with me.

♪Outshining all the world's glories, come what may♪

♪La~ la~♪

♪In this life, meeting you is fate's best hand♪

♪La~ la~♪

♪Our love story, I'll slowly pen♪

♪In this life, I wish for your words♪

♪From black hair to white, we'll brave time's trend♪

♪In this life, may our love forever blend♪

♪Let's make a pact with the changing seas♪

♪In this life, may our love stand like mountains♪

Your Highness.

That's quite enough, really.

It's a military camp entrance.

You two stand out too much.

Lu Yun, bring them in.

This porridge is so thin.

How can it fill anyone up?

I didn't expect

military supplies to be this scarce.

We have only three days of supplies left.

Once I retrieve the property,

I can resolve the military's needs.

Without further ado,

let's set off now.

But...

No more buts.

Lingxi.

(Yi Pass) We just need to go to these two spots.

Alright, I'll lead the troops with you.

(Jingyang) Dig over there.

- No way. - Okay.

The spot on the map is right here.

How could we not find it?

My Lady.

I've dug almost as tall as I am.

Why is there nothing here?

Did my lord mark the wrong spot?

Lingyu.

I just took a look on the wall.

It doesn't seem like

a place where treasure could be hidden.

Could there be a mistake?

Father has made arrangements.

He wouldn't make a mistake on this.

How could we not find it?

(Jingyang)

(Jingyang)

(The map Father left...)

(What does it mean?)

- Stay safe. - Prefect Luo.

You must take a stroll.

- Prefect Luo. - Prefect Luo.

Prefect Luo,

these are homemade meat buns.

- You must try one. - Great.

Please have a try.

No, thank you.

Take them home for your children.

Father, Father, Father.

Father.

Lingyu.

Father.

- Come here. - Father.

Take a look.

Fresh flowers.

Want one? Fresh flowers.

Later,

I'll take you somewhere fun, okay?

Where is it?

You'll know when we get there.

Father, you won't trick me, right?

When have I ever tricked you?

Shall we go now?

- Okay. - Let's go.

Father.

Prefect Luo.

Prefect Luo.

We have arrived.

What is this place for?

If the enemy invades us,

this is where we deploy troops.

Isn't this place very secretive?

Yes, that's why only I can bring you here.

Let's go.

Please take a look.

Come and see.

Come and see.

Our Luo Clan of Jingyang has a mission.

It is to protect this city

and safeguard its people

for the Northern Border's peace.

Lingyu.

When you grow up,

remember the Luo Clan's family motto.

Be strong for life.

Be strong for life.

Be strong for life.

Wall? [*Homophone]

It's this wall.

This...

- So much gold! - My Lady.

So much gold.

Over there, there's more.

- My Lady. - It's all over this place.

Didn't expect us to be so wealthy.

- In the middle. - So much.

Indeed.

My Lord really left us 500,000 taels of gold.

That's so much.

(To My Beloved Daughter) Unbelievable.

- This is written by my father. - So much.

Exactly.

(To My Beloved Daughter)

This is my father's jade pendant.

General Lu.

Lingxi,

take everyone outside and wait.

Yes, My Lady.

Come on, follow me outside.

- Yes. - Let's move.

In the fourth year of Yuanshuo,

I found the general's remains at Yi Pass.

I was overwhelmed with grief,

my emotions uncontrollable.

But the situation was dire.

Beichu's army was closing in on the city.

If word got out, morale could crumble.

It was urgent.

I had no choice but to bury General Lu hastily,

to honor his spirit.

Lingyu, you were too young.

I hadn't had time to explain to you

the true meaning of the Luo Clan's family motto.

Be strong for life.

"Strong" indicates the wall

of our clan that blocks enemies from Nanyue.

It also means the strength of soldiers

guarding the borders like the city wall.

It allows no one out once they enter

because we hope every soldier returns safely

every time they go out for battles,

with no more fears of farewell.

Father.

My wife and I vow to stand with Jingyang.

Though Jingyang is in peril now,

there will be a time when the clouds clear.

This journey is fraught with danger.

If there is any regret,

it's that I won't see you and Hua

grow up into adults.

I only wish for you two to live safely,

with happiness and peace.

Lingyu, if you can see this letter,

I suppose Jingyang has been recaptured.

(To My Beloved Daughter) Please clear General Lu's name on my behalf,

so that he and the soldiers who died for the country

can rest in peace.

I will not fail the Luo Clan's family motto.

I'll assist soldiers in securing the border,

and fulfill the promise in the letter from you.

Be careful there.

Handle this box with care.

(Jingyang) And this.

Come on.

Be careful with this box.

Didn't expect

all answers lie in where everything starts.

These two as well, over here.

Move forward.

Turn right up ahead, then load.

Jingyang fell ten years ago.

Be careful.

- I've finally reclaimed it. - Slowly.

I won't let Nanyue lose another part.

Be careful, everyone.

I have regained the family property.

You and His Highness can focus on defending Beichu.

As for the military supplies,

I'll handle it.

Come on, take it slow.

(Jingyang)

Right up ahead.

Just load the cart ahead.

Take it slow.

It's been two days. Why aren't they back?

Indeed.

Could something have happened on the way?

Do you think there's trouble?

They should be back by now.

Fortune favors the good.

Your Highness, what shall we do?

They're back. They've returned.

They're back.

They're here.

- Have a look. - Advisor Lu is back.

- Let's go. - Come on.

With this grain,

we won't go hungry for a while.

It's grain, wonderful.

We have grain.

We have grain now.

Miss Luo, since we have the grain,

it'd be better to have winter clothes.

Yes, we have them.

Do you have fodder?

Of course.

And medicinal herbs?

Turmeric and centella.

Anything you need.

Soldiers, all supplies are ready.

Are you confident you'll win?

Yes, we are.

Show your spirit!

Do you have it?

- Yes, yes. - Yes.

- Louder, I can't hear you. - Yes!

- Yes! - Yes!

Yes!

That's great.

To gather so many supplies during the war,

Miss Luo really invested a lot.

Indeed.

As a token of gratitude,

I plan to offer myself.

Come on.

Give me a hand.

- Okay, My Lady. - Yes,

- That's right. - Come on.

How can I let you work?

- Be careful. - Let's go.

- Let me. - Let's have a good meal.

Sure.

It finally looks livable.

Lingyu,

I'm back.

Are the supplies sorted?

I thought I entered the wrong tent.

It feels like the Qing Courtyard.

You only share the happy news in letters.

Were you hurt?

Did you use any meds?

Don't worry. I wasn't hurt at all.

Maybe it's your sachet's blessing.

Don't worry about me.

I'll have Zhao Yuan

escort you to a nearby town.

I came all this way,

just to have you send me away after getting supplies?

The Luo Clan's family property you long for

turned into the supplies overnight.

Doesn't it hurt you?

I sacrificed the small for the greater good.

When you defeat Beichu, don't forget

to request a reward for me from His Majesty.

Then,

I can spend my days indulging myself.

Wouldn't that be perfect?

Alright, I'll secure that reward for you.

Are you still sending me away?

Honestly, I don't want you to leave.

Then I won't go.

I'm worried you might not be used to

the military camp.

Don't underestimate me.

I've been with my father since childhood,

growing up in Jingyang's army.

In terms of time spent,

you might not have spent

as much time in the military camp as I have.

But...

No buts.

Since I'm here,

I've been mentally prepared.

I won't be leaving.

Alright, now,

find an empty tent for me in the military camp.

♪La~ la~♪

I've tidied everything for you.

Rest early.

If you're staying here,

you can sleep here.

♪In this life, I wish for your words♪

Where will you sleep?

♪In this life, may our love forever blend♪

♪Let's make a pact with the changing seas♪

♪In this life, may our love stand like mountains♪

♪Through seasons' change, our whispers weave♪

♪In this life, may our love never fades away♪

♪Outshining all the world's glories, come what may♪

What are you doing here?

At the battle earlier,

you shielded me from a blow

and got hurt.

I have to come and check on you.

You don't seem that caring.

You've misunderstood me greatly.

Let me help you apply it.

It's not convenient for you.

Isn't it?

Over the years,

you earned your merits through injuries.

They're just minor wounds.

It's rare to avoid injuries in war.

But I've managed to stay unscathed.

Maybe you're just not skilled enough, Ajiao.

Didn't we agree on this?

Don't call me Ajiao in the military camp.

Are you here just to annoy me?

I'm here to apply medicine for you.

Alright, alright.

All done.

Hurry up and leave.

No way.

Your injury is somewhat my fault.

I'll reluctantly care for you for two days.

It's been a few days already.

My wound is almost healed.

Now you come to care for me?

Also, it is because...

I let Lingyu stay in my tent.

We'll just make do for a few days.

Let's sleep.

You wish.

Get down from here.

We've been friends for years.

Don't be so petty.

Sorry about that.

This bed is small.

It's comfy alone.

I don't care.

Lu Xuechen, listen up.

I move a lot in my sleep.

I don't mind.

We've shared a bed since childhood,

and I'm used to it.

Ajiao, you're not a kid anymore.

Can you be more mature?

Do you still wet the bed like you did

when you were young?

No, I stopped long ago.

Not on your bed anyway.

Leave my arm alone!

I need the quilt.

- Don't fight me for it. - Just a little.

You won't freeze to death.

Go away, go away.

If you want to stay here,

then sleep right here.

Then where will you sleep?

♪The moon wanes; the candlelight flickers♪

♪I wrote down as much as I remembered♪

♪Flowers wither in the cool breeze♪

♪Yearning deep in the eyes mottles like stars♪

♪What if I grow old all alone♪

♪The pain of parting drifts with the wind♪

♪Picking up a brush, I just want to♪

♪Draw the fleeting time and capture youth♪

♪At the end of time♪

♪In this world, I suddenly look back♪

What are you doing?

You've been traveling and must be tired.

Take a good rest.

I'll find Ajiao to handle tonight.

(With the war ongoing, Lingyu will understand.)

(Will he ever come back?)

(Forget it.)

Yesterday, Zhao Yuan infiltrated Yi Pass.

He did find something unusual.

I've followed the Beichu Army.

Most of their camps

are located in this canyon.

(Jingyang) Only rocks are on the mountainsides.

No vegetation there.

It's completely barren.

No place to hide.

No way to throw objects.

Why are they stationed there?

It's a great place for catching the enemies.

It's gunpowder.

Gunpowder?

Gunpowder is embedded in the mountainsides.

Once we enter inside,

Beichu just needs to ignite the gunpowder,

and use the mountain stones

to bury us.

(Yi Pass)

In recent years, Beichu

has indeed smuggled quite a bit of saltpeter.

The process of making gunpowder is complex.

We've fought several times,

but never seen them use it,

indicating they don't have much.

To maximize the impact,

they must corner us.

Right here.

(Jingyang)

Only this spot is ideal for ambush.

If the Beichu troops lure us there,

we must avoid rashly following in.

Miss Luo's supplies

have resolved our immediate crisis.

The reinforcements are on the way.

It's fine to engage with them for a few more days.

We can feign some attacks.

Let's see how much gunpowder they have.

(Beichu Military Camp)

Nanyue's military supplies are running low.

They must want a quick victory.

We've placed gunpowder above the canyon.

Once the battle begins,

we'll lure them deep inside,

and catch them all at once.

General, we have intel.

The North Army received a large shipment

of military supplies today.

The granaries in Jingyang have been burned.

The military supplies from the court

won't reach Yi Pass soon.

I saw it with my own eyes.

That General Lu from Nanyue

is gathering grain

from nearby cities with a young lady.

That's how they bolstered their supplies.

General.

The woman in the painting is that young lady.

It's her.

♪It's hard to see through fate♪

♪I sat alone amid the downpour at night♪

♪The single string broke; half a bed's cold♪

♪A cup of wine, drifting and disappearing♪

♪The waning moon sways the candlelight♪

♪Memories penned in ink♪

♪The wind is cool, flowers wither♪

♪Thoughts like stars deeply etched in eyes♪

♪If white-haired, a solitary figure on the cold river♪

♪Tears fall for a thousand autumns♪

♪Drifting with the wind, unending sorrow of separation♪

♪Longing only to hold the brush♪

♪Painting the fleeting years, faces unchanged♪

♪At the end of time♪

♪Suddenly turning back in the mundane world♪

♪If we grow old together, solitary figure on the cold river♪

♪Tears fall for a thousand autumns♪

♪Drifting with the wind, unending sorrow of separation♪

♪Longing only to hold the brush♪

♪Painting the fleeting years, faces unchanged♪

♪At the end of time♪

♪Suddenly turning back in the mundane world♪