Original subtitles

[Shadow Love]

[Episode 37]

A wise ruler should be fair

with rewards and punishments.

Given

Li Wei's contributions,

he's already been rewarded.

However,

Li Shuang committed a grave crime.

Your Majesty, please

punish her with no mercy.

You, being so wise,

should be able to tell me—

what crime has Li Shuang committed?

Li Shuang

was captured on the battlefield,

bringing disgrace to our state's prestige.

Victory and defeat are common in war.

If going on the battlefield is a crime,

losing is a crime,

and being captured is also a crime,

then tell me, in this world,

who would still be willing to fight for our state

and risk their lives on the battlefield?

Has Your Majesty forgotten

that it was exactly because Li Shuang let our enemy escape back then

that this military disaster befell us?

Grand General Li Wei died in a foreign land,

while the one who started it all

returned without a scratch.

I dare to assert

that Li Shuang

and the Duan family of Yao State

must be in collusion.

Your Majesty,

collaborating with the enemy

is a capital offense.

If the peace that General Li bought with his life

were to be shattered by these ill-intentioned people,

how could Grand General

rest in peace?

Back in Lucheng,

I encountered danger several times,

and Duan Aodeng also came to my aid.

This time, Li Shuang's

military campaign against the Yao State

was also my order.

According to what you two are suggesting,

doesn't that mean that I, too,

am in collusion with the Yao State?

Your Majesty grew up with General Li

as childhood sweethearts,

and Your Majesty once

wanted to make her your empress.

Your Majesty, as the one who holds the supreme throne,

does this reasoning mean

you intend to show personal favoritism?

Insolence!

Your Majesty,

the criminal Li Shuang

is merely an orphan adopted by the Li family.

The Li family

has been loyal for generations.

In my opinion,

not only should Li Shuang be sentenced to the harshest punishment,

but her surname should also be stripped,

and her name erased from

the Li family genealogy,

so as not to

bring shame upon the Li family.

We request Your Majesty's wise decision!

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Since the day I, Li Shuang, entered the General's Residence,

I've been a daughter of the Li family.

This will never change, even in death.

How bold of you—

daring to meddle in the affairs of our Li family!

On my way back, I heard

that after I was captured,

you cowards

urged His Majesty to fight against Yao State again.

But when asked who would step forward to fight,

none of you responded.

For all of you,

is war

and life-or-death

such a trivial matter,

as long as it doesn't concern you personally?

Your Majesty.

Our Li family has been loyal for generations.

For letting Duan Aodeng go back then,

I have no defense,

and my crimes are beyond forgiveness.

If my death

can appease everyone's anger,

I, Li Shuang, am willing to accept it.

I only wish for you to remember

that today's peace

was hard-won.

Please be sure to cherish it.

I, Li Shuang, daughter of Li Wei,

request death from Your Majesty.

Shuang!

Ting?

Why are you here?

I went to the palace gate to plead,

but Muyang refused to see me.

He only sent a eunuch to relay a message,

saying I'm allowed to see you.

You only have the time it takes half an incense stick to burn. Be quick.

Ting.

Shuang.

Shuang, don't worry.

I have a way to save you.

I can mobilize Father's troops.

This is Father's command token.

Put it away quickly!

Nonsense!

Do you even know what you're doing?

Father died on the battlefield,

and you asked for death in the court.

You both acted without concern,

leaving the entire Li family in my hands.

So now, I make the decisions.

Whether it means besieging the city

or staging a jailbreak,

I must get you out.

You...

Go ahead, hit me!

My mind is made up anyway.

If you think

you don't want to let the Li family down,

then beg Muyang to revoke his order.

As long as you're willing to yield,

he surely won't bear to kill you.

If you want Father and me

to die with regrets,

then go ahead with your plan!

If you dare stir up trouble,

I'll surely kill myself in prison to atone for my sins.

Why?

You could live.

You could stay with me forever.

Why must you choose death?

You're like this,

and Father was the same.

You're both so cruel,

leaving me all alone!

I'm doing this to protect Taijin's peace

and to preserve the honor of the Li family!

Letting Jin'an go

that day

was a grave mistake.

I've betrayed the court's trust

and failed the people of Taijin.

If I continue to live in disgrace,

I would implicate the Changfeng Army in disloyalty

and bring dishonor to the Li family!

But at that time,

you had no idea

that Jin'an was Duan Aodeng...

A mistake is a mistake!

The Li family has served in the military for generations.

How dare you act recklessly!

If you truly dare to cause trouble

and abuse your military power

for your personal desires,

you would disappoint Father's spirit in heaven.

As your elder sister,

I would have failed to guide you properly,

and would surely live with regret until the end of my life.

You may leave.

I have nothing more to say to you.

Shuang!

I was wrong.

I'm just scared.

I'm afraid of being alone again.

Father is already gone.

How could you bear to leave me alone?

Don't cry.

I said, don't cry!

Ting,

what is our Li family's motto?

"Loyalty, courage, and selflessness."

It means loyalty,

fortitude,

and selfless dedication to Taijin.

A grown man

crying like this—

is there even a shred of courage or fortitude?

As a member of the Li family,

those three words— loyalty, courage, and selflessness—

are the measure in our hearts.

When faced with difficult choices,

weigh them against our values,

and you'll find the answer.

Your character is upright and honest,

and you're the finest child of the Li family.

Entrusting the Changfeng Army and our Li family to you

wasn't just out of necessity.

It was bound to happen eventually.

Ting, don't be afraid.

You're not alone.

Behind you stand me,

Father,

the entire Li family,

and the Changfeng Army.

We are all your strength

and also your responsibility.

Do you understand?

I understand.

Good.

Ting,

I believe in you.

From now on, the Li family

will be in your hands.

Alright.

Your Majesty,

Prince Annan requests an audience.

I, Duan Aodeng,

have come to beg for punishment from Your Majesty.

Rise and speak.

During the war between the two states,

I mistakenly killed our own soldiers,

which is my first crime;

I released enemy prisoners without authorization,

which is my second.

I have failed our state

and Your Majesty's grace.

Therefore,

I request to resign

from my position as General of Cavalry,

to be stripped of my royal title,

and to be removed from the imperial clan,

so as to atone for

my unforgivable crimes.

I heard from Mr. Mo Yin

that over the past year, you were under the control of treacherous people.

And those you killed

were conspiring with Consort Qin all along.

You cannot be blamed for killing them.

And your release of Li Shuang

was also with my tacit approval.

Ze, you don't have to make excuses for me.

Right or wrong,

justified or not,

my hands are stained with the blood of my own people.

Your Majesty, by not ordering my punishment,

you've already shown mercy beyond the law.

Now that Taijin and the Yao State

are finally at peace,

with you ruling the court, Ze,

you'll surely do your utmost to maintain this peaceful and prosperous era.

Therefore, there's no longer any need

for Prince Annan.

Aodeng,

you've grown up.

I am very pleased.

But during this past year,

what exactly did you go through?

Ze.

Over the past year,

I was stranded in Taijin.

I experienced life and death separations

and tasted both bitterness and sweetness.

And the person who accompanied and supported me through all this

was Li Shuang.

I once briefly forgot her,

and because of that,

I hurt her deeply.

Li Wei died in battle seeking peace,

and restoring peace

is exactly what Li Shuang wishes for.

Now that everything has settled,

the only thing I can do

is shed this military uniform

and renounce

the title stained with my grievous sins.

I'm doing this

both for her

and for the world.

If that's the case,

I will grant your wish.

Duan Aodeng, hear the imperial decree:

from this day forward,

strip Prince Annan of his title,

revoke his royal rank,

expel him from the royal family,

and demote him to commoner status.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Secret reports from the Yao State reveal

that Duan Aodeng has voluntarily requested

to have his royal rank revoked,

to be removed from the royal family,

and to be demoted to commoner status.

The ministers' wrath

still hasn't abated?

Your Majesty has delayed granting General Li execution—

how could the ministers possibly let it rest?

I guess these memorials

contain similar complaints.

If that's the case,

it's time

to send General Li on her final journey.

Please, General.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

These dishes

are all your favorites.

If they're not to your liking,

I can order them to prepare something else.

The floods

have ruined the harvest,

and food is scarce and valuable.

There's no need to waste it on

someone who's about to die.

Do you remember this place?

Years ago,

the Imperial Tutor used to teach here.

One day after class,

I encountered a group of noble boys

bullying a girl together.

That was the first time we met.

But unexpectedly,

when I stood up for justice

and even fought with them,

all I got was your cold response.

Later, you told me

that only by always standing firm

could one avoid being bullied.

I've always remembered those words.

After all these years,

all those who once

looked down on me

and bullied me

have fallen one by one.

Only I

remain standing here.

And you

could have stood by my side.

The past cannot be changed.

Everything is different now.

Why bother bringing it up again?

Since you understand that times change,

why

can't you be flexible?

Don't you realize

that when you begged for death in court,

you were actually

cutting off your own path to survival?

Now

public opinion in court is boiling.

Those ministers submit memorials daily,

urging me

to quickly issue an edict for your punishment.

Are you forcing me,

or are you forcing yourself?

I led the army and suffered defeat,

my father died,

and Jin'an left me.

I've got nothing left to hold on to in this life.

Only by dying

can I preserve the Li family's honor

and calm the anger of the people.

Your Majesty is a wise ruler.

You must not show favoritism.

I only ask for one thing.

After I die,

please take good care of Ting for me.

In his heart,

you've always been that

gentle

and righteous Muyang.

This has never changed.

What about you?

If we were born into ordinary families,

and if there were no Jin'an,

would you've stayed by my side?

Living life with "what if"s alone is not enough.

What's missed

is simply missed.

I was once alone and helpless,

not knowing where in the wilderness I would die.

I never expected

to live this long.

I've drawn mighty bows

and slain formidable enemies.

This life of mine

can be considered extraordinary.

I, Li Shuang, have no regrets...

and no complaints.

♪ Before my eyes ♪

♪ Your lines are still clear ♪

♪ Scattered about, they sigh ♪

♪ Reflecting moments etched deep inside ♪

♪ Life's long journey drifts by ♪

♪ How can we hope to return to days gone by? ♪

♪ In a moment of thought ♪

♪ Every thread of longing grows wild ♪

♪ Hesitant to brush aside ♪

♪ I'm afraid your face will be blurred ♪

♪ Hesitant to trace back ♪

♪ I'm afraid my longing will be engraved ♪

♪ What is love? ♪

♪ Memories keep welling up ♪

♪ For all the fervor ♪

♪ And reluctance tied to these memories, our ways have parted ♪

May our Taijin,

♪ All I ask ♪

with its rivers and mountains,

♪ One promise, I will follow without hesitation ♪

endure in prosperity

♪ All I pursue ♪

for generations.

♪ Joys and sorrows ♪

♪ Stake my whole life ♪

Your Majesty.

♪ On this ♪

♪ Stepping on the frost ♪

Please take care.

♪ Take a glimpse at the sweet memories ♪

♪ They accompany me in this long journey of life ♪

♪ Distances don't bother me ♪

♪ The memories will linger on ♪

♪ I hope my love will finally find you ♪

♪ I hope my prayers will be answered ♪

♪ Let me hold your hand ♪

♪ Wish us to be an ordinary couple ♪

♪ May we walk past the hustle and bustle ♪

♪ To the end of the world ♪

[By imperial decree:]

[Li Shuang, General of the North,]

[has suddenly passed away due to illness.]

[I am deeply grieved.]

♪ Stepping on the frost ♪

♪ I'm ready to salvage the tattered world ♪

[She's hereby posthumously conferred the title of Empress,]

[with the posthumous name "Wude."]

♪ My passion is like blazing flames ♪

[She will be interred]

[in the imperial mausoleum 10 days from now.]

♪ No obstacle can hold me back ♪

[This is to be proclaimed throughout the realm]

[as a mark of my remembrance.]

♪ This love leaves me no regret ♪

[End of the decree.]

♪ May the world be filled with romance ♪

♪ May people be with their beloved ones ♪

♪ Holding your hand, I'll pray for peace ♪

♪ No regret, no sorrow ♪

♪ When the gilding wears off ♪

♪ We'll still be together ♪

I didn't know you were coming, Ze.

Forgive me for not greeting you properly.

Please excuse the modesty

of my humble home.

Since you dismissed everyone from your residence

and moved here,

I've rarely heard news of you.

Seeing you content now,

I feel relieved.

It's just though it appears peaceful,

it does seem somewhat austere.

How do you know

that the life I wanted

wasn't exactly like this, Ze?

Shuang and I agreed

that once the world was at peace,

we would retreat to the mountains,

leave worldly affairs behind,

and live a quiet and contented life.

Unfortunately,

now we are

worlds apart.

But the ways of the world are unpredictable.

Perhaps one day,

when she's no longer Taijin's General,

we might meet again

somewhere in this world.

News came from Taijin a few days ago

that Miss Li Shuang was accused of treason

and died suddenly in the palace

to prove her innocence.

Soon,

she'll be interred in the imperial mausoleum.

[Report on the Death of Li Shuang]

How could the great General of the North, Li Shuang,

with countless military achievements,

be driven to her death?

When I let her go back then,

I thought I could keep her safe.

How could it turn out like this?

Those who rule a nation

face many impossible choices.

Miss Li was determined to die.

It must have been a decision made after weighing all options.

Stop right there.

Such a sensitive matter

should have been kept secret

and handled discreetly,

yet Taijin rushed to announce it to the world.

Surely, this was intended to draw you into the trap.

Since Su Muyang will grant her a proper burial,

why walk into their trap?

She was my wife who I swore to heaven to protect.

I promised her

that in life we would be together,

and in death we would share the same tomb.

I've already failed her once.

I cannot abandon her a second time.

How could I leave her in that cold underground palace?

A burial in the imperial mausoleum

will surely be accompanied by thousands of troops.

How could you possibly contend with that?

Besides, after continuous wars,

both the Yao State and Taijin

have lost too much.

Peace has finally been achieved.

If you go and ignite another war,

how should you explain yourself to the world?

I will go to Wuling Mountain

to retrieve Jade Linglong.

After I bring Shuang back,

I will atone with my life.

I'll never allow war to break out again.

Ze.

When your wife passed away,

how did you feel?

You wanted to pass the throne to me then,

but I refused.

You were so anxious and angry.

That was the first time in my life

I saw you lose your composure, Ze.

I understood even then

that you hated being bound by the throne,

lacking the freedom to follow your wife in death.

The moment I received news of her,

I knew it would end this way.

But how could I stand by

and watch my only brother go to his death?

Yet sometimes,

I can't help but envy you.

Since you've made up your mind,

all I can do as your brother

is to support your decision.

Thank you, Ze.

Please convey

that Duan Aodeng from the Yao State

requests to see Master Mo.

Master knew you would come,

so

he specifically ordered me to wait here for you.

This way please, Sir.

Mr. Mo Yin,

how have you been?

I'm more used to the way

you used to treat me casually,

calling me by my name without any formality.

Jin'an.

Actually, you've disguised yourself very well.

But since we've known each other for quite some time,

there are always some details

that give you away.

I believe Li Shuang felt the same.

Since you, Mr. Mo Yin,

already predicted I would come,

I suppose

you already know what happened to Shuang.

I beg you, Mr. Mo Yin...

Forgive me, but this is beyond my power.

Matters of life and death

are not for man to control.

All things arise and perish

by the law of cause and effect.

You cannot force it.

Since it cannot be forced,

the only thing left is to do my best to make amends.

What Duan Aodeng can't do,

I, Jin'an, can.

I beg you, Mr. Mo Yin,

to lend me Jade Linglong.

Are you insane?

Only with Jade Linglong

can I bring Shuang back

on the day of her burial.

Back then, in order to retrieve Jade Linglong,

you endured so much pain

and nearly died.

Have you forgotten all that?

I haven't forgotten.

But for Shuang's sake,

I don't care.

She's already gone.

Who are you putting on this act for?

You clearly remembered everything back then,

so why didn't you tell her?

When you should have cherished her,

you let her down so easily.

Now that she's already dead,

why pretend to be so heartbroken again?

I'm truly guilty toward her.

There's no denying it.

If you had realized your guilt earlier,

Shuang wouldn't have ended up like that.

You should go.

I can't help you.

I swear with my blood.

I beg you, Sir,

to lend me Jade Linglong.

After I bring Shuang back,

I'm willing to die

to ensure that Jade Linglong

is returned intact.

Duan Aodeng!

Jade Linglong is Wuling Mountain's greatest treasure.

How dare you think you can just take it as you please?

What's happening?

Oh no.

I'm afraid Jade Linglong is about to awaken.

Master!

-Master! -Master!

How are you? Are you alright?

Protect Jade Linglong!

♪ A long, lonely road ♪

♪ Dust and smoke drift endlessly ♪

♪ Heart's light flickers ♪

Once I bring Shuang back,

♪ A lingering glimpse like fleeting shade ♪

I'll surely return it intact.

♪ Love, pure and innocent ♪

♪ Cannot cover the darkness of cold nights ♪

♪ I lift a fragment of memory ♪

♪ Lighting the winding paths of the past ♪

♪ In the shadows ♪

Let him go.

♪ Vast darkness, nowhere to be found ♪

♪ Always ♪

♪ Even drifting, follow you to and fro ♪

♪ I longingly caress your image ♪

♪ My heart remains steadfast ♪

♪ Always near, never leaving ♪

♪ Watching the fate of the mortal world ♪

♪ Sinking, indulging, again and again ♪

♪ Sweet as honey, willingly so ♪

He's unlikely to survive this journey.

♪ Gathered blossoms ripple on the mirror's face ♪

Why didn't you stop him?

♪ Wandering in search ♪

He's so resolute.

♪ Love seeps into the marrow, melting ♪

Who could possibly stop him?

♪ Never ceasing ♪

♪ Beyond joy or grief ♪

I always thought

♪ It flows to you ♪

that Jade Linglong would recognize

its master by blood.

I never expected

it would actually recognize the shadow puppet instead.

Since Jade Linglong has chosen him,

perhaps

this is fate.

Assassin!

Protect His Majesty!