Original subtitles

BASED ON THE NOVEL "THE PRISONER OF BEAUTY" BY PENGLAI KE

Grandmother…

Grandmother.

Grandmother?

Grandmother?

Shiyuan.

Grandmother.

Are you feeling better now?

When was I ever unwell?

Lady Qiao said you were…

I understand now.

I'm glad that you're fine.

I'll take my leave.

Shiyuan.

Are you never…

going to see me again?

I've been unfilial…

and caused you worry.

Please scold me

and punish me.

I have no complaints at all.

This is not your fault.

Stand up.

No, it is my fault.

It's my fault for losing my mind.

I nearly did something…

that would have brought shame to the Wei family.

How did you learn the truth about your birth?

While I was traveling,

a man approached me.

He claimed to have served Chen Pang.

He told me everything.

Shiyuan…

though you know your origins,

you may not know the whole story.

Your mother, Qingyun,

was my only daughter.

I cherished her

like a pearl in my palm.

But she was abducted by Chen Pang

and violated.

Three years later, she returned,

bearing you in her womb.

She died after giving birth to you.

What did you say?

She was abducted? Violated?

When you were a child,

I kept this hidden from you.

Later, when you were about 14 or 15,

we clashed with Bianzhou in the battle of Xindu.

At that time,

you swore to defeat Bianzhou.

Had I told you the truth,

what would you have done?

I've always urged Zhonglin

to let go of the grudge against the Qiao clan.

But deep down,

I can never let go

of my hatred for Chen Pang.

I shouldn't have misled you

into thinking your father was from Wei.

Everything that happened was my fault.

Grandmother…

did you truly see me as your grandson?

All these years…

you've always treated me like Zhonglin,

and at times,

showed me even more affection.

But whenever

it came to military command,

you always left me out. Why?

Because you carry

the blood

of the Chen family.

Shiyuan,

since your grandfather passed away,

I've carried the responsibility for the Wei family on my shoulders.

I could never fully trust you.

And Chen Pang wants the two of you

to reunite as father and son in Bianzhou.

If Bianzhou changes hands,

you'll become the heir.

Now that it's out in the open,

you need to make a choice.

If you wish to stay by my side,

you will

still be my grandson.

I'll care for you as I always have.

But

I will never entrust you with power.

If you choose Bianzhou,

I won't stop you.

Before you leave,

you must kneel and bow to me three times,

as thanks

for my raising you all these years.

Then you will leave this mansion,

and never come back.

A lost soul

is like a stray hound.

Grandmother…

I bow three times…

to thank you for raising me.

I know you've always worried for me,

which is why you hesitated

to tell me the truth about my heritage.

From this day forth…

I belong only to the Wei family…

because I can't bear to leave you.

My lord, now are you reassured?

Yes, my lady.

You're so wise.

Since you praised me,

I shall do all I can to help.

Let me do one more thing for you.

What is it?

Madam.

What are you doing here?

You…

Are you here to enjoy the show?

It's cold at night.

The ancestral hall is colder.

I made some soup for you, Mother.

Take it away.

Drop the act. You're no saint.

If it weren't for you,

would Mother have punished me like this?

I've never wanted to harm you.

It was you who wanted to use the wheat seed matter to pressure me, wasn't it?

Even though

you're now part of the Wei family,

I still don't like you.

Mother has never liked me. That's fine.

But now, even you are making things harder for me.

I've been in this family for 20 years.

Maybe I've done no great deeds, but I gave it my all.

And now, my place in this house

is worth even less than an enemy's.

I never expected you to like me.

All I want is for His Lordship to have peace of mind.

I believe that's what you want too.

This time, because of the wheat seeds,

he was forced to choose between me and Mr. Wei.

I don't want him

to be caught between his mother and his wife.

What happened with the seeds

was my fault.

Zhonglin hasn't come to see me since.

He must still resent me.

Indeed, he's angry about it.

But it wasn't you who steamed the seeds.

You confessed out of care for His Lordship.

It shows you've changed.

You truly care for him now.

He cares for you too.

He's not good with words,

so he asked me to visit you.

Really?

Is that truly what Zhonglin thinks?

Even if he doesn't blame me,

Mother…

surely does.

This punishment is harsher than usual.

I don't know how long it'll take to finish copying.

Mother, please don't worry.

This time, it's different.

The punishment is for outsiders to see.

Once you're done kneeling,

you and Grandmother will truly be family.

DANJUN, BIANZHOU

Xiang!

Xiang!

Xiang…

Xiang.

You've held on so long despite your illness.

That wasn't easy for you.

Now,

you may rest.

My lord,

Bianzhou can't go a day without a leader.

Please take up the role of Governor.

From now on,

I will watch over Bianzhou for you.

I heard

you've been with my father since you were young.

So you must have…

known my mother as well.

Yes.

Let me ask you something.

How did my mother and father first meet?

Say it.

His Lordship and Her Ladyship…

They were deeply in love.

Deeply in love?

Heir.

You're still lying.

My mother was abducted and violated by Chen Pang.

She died because of him.

Isn't that the truth?

Do you think

you'll still be alive

if I move this dagger just a little closer?

Go back and tell him

I'll burn everything he ever gave me.

And…

He's not my father. He is my enemy.

If I see him on the battlefield…

I'll take his life.

Chen Lie sent word.

Your heir refuses to return to Bianzhou.

That's fine.

Let him have some fun in Wei for now.

I rule Bianzhou now.

The power is in my hands.

Sooner or later, he'll come back.

My lord, you're far-sighted.

He will understand one day.

What about Lady Su?

She should be arriving in Danjun soon.

What's wrong?

She escaped?

Her nephew is troublesome.

But our guards are searching thoroughly.

Please rest assured.

The peony huadian on her forehead makes her easy to spot.

She won't get far.

She's too well known

to fall into the wrong hands.

It'll only make her bolder.

Pass down my command.

My nephew's dying wish

was for Lady Su to remain chaste.

Find her at all costs.

Confine her in the Yulou Pavilion

as a tribute to their bond as husband and wife.

Yes.

Thank you for visiting, sir.

No need to say that. We're from the same clan.

Lady Qiao.

Mr. Wei.

This courtyard is usually so quiet,

but ever since Grandmother fell ill, people keep coming to visit.

Lady Xu has always been in good health.

This illness was brought on by the Qiao family.

Are you Qiaos here

just to curse the Wei family?

She had nothing to do with the wheat seeds.

Sir, please don't twist the truth.

She's innocent.

She's innocent?

Since when are the Qiaos innocent?

You know what? Fourteen years ago…

Let the past rest.

True, the Qiao clan betrayed us 14 years ago,

but it had nothing to do with her.

Besides, she is now the Lady of Wei, a daughter-in-law of this family.

Sir, would you turn against your own?

You are all being fooled by the Qiaos.

Thank you for standing up for me.

You're welcome.

Would I ever side with some bitter old man to bully a defenseless lady?

My lord,

these wheat seeds from Yanzhou arrived so quickly.

We should thank Her Ladyship.

But she always looks out for the Qiaos.

Now that the wheat seeds are here,

it's time to begin digging the canal to Rongjun.

Do you have a plan, my lord?

- Wei Xiao. - Yes.

Go to Panyi,

pick up Yang Feng,

and escort him to Rongjun.

Yes.

But he is a former officer of Qiao Gui,

known for two-faced loyalty.

We can't let him run the whole canal construction.

We must stay cautious.

Yes.

Fourteen years ago,

Panyi and Xindu built the Yongning Canal together.

Now, we have Yang Feng working with us.

If we could add one of our own, wouldn't that be better?

Wei Xiao,

when you pass through Xindu,

deliver a letter to Zhen Zhi.

- Tell him to take office in Rongjun. - Yes.

But I'm still worried about it.

Rongjun is far from Yujun and it borders on Bianzhou.

It's always been difficult to govern.

The current prefect, Yuan Wang, has strong local support

and close ties to Wei Dian.

They're discussing a marriage alliance.

In my view,

we need someone with more influence.

I'll go myself.

Delivering wheat seeds is the pretext.

In reality, it will demonstrate your authority,

secure the canal construction,

and put pressure on Wei Dian and Yuan Wang.

That would be perfect.

This can't be delayed.

I'll depart in two days.

BIANZHOU BORDER, BIANZHOU

Ehuang,

after we went to Wei,

your husband grew weaker by the day.

Soon after…

Soon after, he…

He what?

He passed away.

My empress's fate…

He was too weak to bear it.

He couldn't even wait for…

He didn't live to see his foster child.

Who's in charge now?

Chen Pang.

He still got his way.

Things have changed in Bianzhou.

Chen Pang has ordered a citywide search for you.

They're looking for a woman with a huadian.

He's declared that you'll be…

imprisoned for life in the Yulou Pavilion.

Shameless!

My husband's body isn't even cold yet,

and he dares to covet my empress's fate?

But this wasn't

Chen Pang's idea.

It was your husband's dying wish.

What?

He feared that

your empress's fate might bring danger to Bianzhou,

so before he died,

he instructed Chen Pang…

to confine you in the Yulou Pavilion…

for the rest of your life.

I know his decision truly breaks your heart.

But please, take care of yourself.

We both married for politics.

Lady Qiao found true love…

while I ended up in a cage built by Chen Xiang.

Don't let this weigh on you, Ehuang.

There's no true love greater than political interest.

If I had a family like Lady Qiao's,

I wouldn't be in this position.

Ehuang,

now isn't the time to dwell on this.

Let's figure out how to get out of here.

Who would've thought that

my empress's fate would become a curse?

This board

is set.

I won't surrender.

We can't count on anyone in Danjun.

Take me out of the city alone. Then we'll make a plan.

Ehuang,

Chen Pang's men are everywhere.

How am I supposed to get you out?

Find the woman with a huadian on her forehead!

- Yes. - Yes.

- Stop right there. - Stop!

Officer, what's wrong?

- Don't arrest me! - Keep searching.

Yes.

Ehuang,

those are Chen Pang's men.

Ehuang?

Aren't they looking for a woman with a huadian?

Now,

I don't have one anymore.

The canal reaches Rongjun.

Planting winter wheat there

could make Rongjun the largest grain supplier for Wei.

So, this journey is crucial.

I must go there myself.

Rongjun has always been aligned with Wei Dian,

yet he continues to provoke us and challenge your authority.

Use this opportunity to put him in his place.

Yes.

That's what I'm thinking too.

Then you'd best set out soon.

All right.

Zhonglin, stay and chat with Grandmother a bit longer.

I'll go tell them to prepare the meal.

Yan, wait.

There's something I want to ask of you.

You don't have to be so formal with me.

But you know what I'm like.

Fun, I can handle. Business? Not so much.

I'll be away in Rongjun for a while,

but someone has to keep an eye on Yujun.

You're here, so help me watch over it.

I'm hungry.

Since Zhonglin is entrusting you with it, just give him a hand.

You'll be by my side anyway.

There's nothing to worry about.

Yan, may I ask for your help?

I'll do my best.

I won't let you down.

Go have the meal prepared.

We'll dine at my place tonight.

Yes.

Zhonglin,

this time, Shiyuan and I were able to make peace

all thanks to Lady Qiao, who stepped in to mediate.

You knew that, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

Lady Qiao

is a thoughtful, well-mannered young woman.

You flatter her, Grandmother.

Zhonglin.

Some things

are better left in the past.

I hope that on this journey to Rongjun,

you will finally be able to

let go of what's behind you.

You know what?

I've sent Wei Xiao to Panyi.

He's bringing Yang Feng to Rongjun.

Since you trust him,

I'll write him a letter to remind him not to be careless.

No need.

Stay seated.

I need to make this clear.

Even though I know Yang Feng cares about Yanzhou,

I'm still choosing to use him.

It's entirely my decision,

so there's no need to thank my advisor.

I know.

You trust me,

so I should write to him

to make sure he doesn't let you down.

You don't have to do that.

I will go there myself.

Let's eat.

My lord, you've spent years traveling far and wide.

You must've seen all kinds of scenery.

Sadly, I haven't.

I came to Yujun from Kangjun when I married.

That's the only journey I've ever undertaken.

So I want to go out and see the world

just like you.

To see the place where you grew up.

Yujun is where I grew up.

I've heard Rongjun is mountainous.

It's so different from the waterways of Yanzhou.

I've always wanted to see it for myself.

Do you want to come with me?

I can take care of your meals and daily needs.

You don't need to worry about that.

Tan can handle everything.

This isn't the kind of trip I can bring you on.

It's all work.

But winter wheat requires special planting methods.

The seeds won't grow if you don't plant them right.

What do you mean?

I could teach the farm officers,

and they could pass it on to the people.

But I'm afraid some things might get overlooked by accident.

If the harvest fails next year,

it could cause serious trouble.

Could it be that

you still don't trust me, my lord?

It's not about trust.

It's just that this journey will be dangerous.

I don't mind. You will protect me, won't you?

All right then.

Well,

go get packed.

We leave the day after tomorrow.

Okay.

There's nothing special about planting wheat.

Yeah.

There's really nothing special about it.

Could it be that Her Ladyship

just wants to keep you company?

No way. Absolutely not.

Her Ladyship is smart and always puts the people first.

She takes her duties seriously.

Maybe

she really does have

a unique method she can't share openly.

Or maybe

she just really cares and wants to see it through.

That must be it.

Fine.

I'll take her with me

on this trip.

Fine.

HOPE TO MEET AGAIN IN RONGJUN. WISHING YOU WELL.

My lady, you really do care about His Lordship.

But, my lady,

why do we have to go with His Lordship?

Silly girl.

WEI MANSION, WEI STATE

My lord,

the troops have been counted

and the grain carts are on their way.

When are we heading out?

Give it a moment.

Yes, my lord.

I told her not to come, but she insisted.

Such a hassle.

This one's ugly. Give me another one.

- But it looks good. - Where's the green one?

Here it is.

His Lordship said it looked good on me last time.

And that jingling hairpin.

- This one? - Yes, that one.

Who said it looked good?

Wearing a jingling hairpin in the carriage would be so annoying.

My lord, I'll go hurry her.

Give it a moment.

It's natural for a young lady

to dress up.

No need to rush her.

My lord,

I have a little idea about this journey.

How about we take a detour this time?

My lord?

Take a detour?

We'll talk about it later.

Yes.

My lady.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Let's go.

The way His Lordship looks at you today is different.

Yan.

Grandmother's worried you might feel lonely on the trip,

so she asked me to see you off.

After all, I've got nothing better to do.

I'm just a lonely man.

Then marry early if you're lonely.

Spare me, please.

It's a long trip ahead.

Mr. Gongsun,

Yan, please

keep an eye on Yujun.

Just leave it to us.

You focus on taking care of your wife.

Lady Qiao,

with your beauty,

even if you were thin and worn out, you'd still shine.

Remember to eat properly, okay?

Don't go using the flirting tricks you use on the tavern girls

on your own family.

Let's go!

Go!

WEI MANSION

This way, please.

After you, Mr. Wei.

It's windy. Close the window.

He's so bossy.

His Lordship just doesn't get Her Ladyship's good intentions.

It's all right.

After this, he'll understand.

Xiaotao? Xiaotao!

Xiaotao!

- What's up? - The road is rough.

If Her Ladyship's not feeling well, tell me at once.

We can stop anytime.

No worries, Her Ladyship is fine.

Are you okay? Need anything?

Something to eat or drink?

Just say the word.

Me?

Just do your job.

Xiaotao?

Xiaotao?

Back when we were first heading to Yujun,

they rushed like crazy

and didn't care about Her Ladyship.

But now,

they're much more considerate of Her Ladyship.

Exactly, my lady.

Do you need anything to eat or any supplies?

Get me some water.

Here you are.

Here.

Come here. Sit.

This is rough fare. You can't eat it.

You can.

Why can't I?

If you like it, have another one.

Here.

Want some water?

It's good.

I told you

this journey wouldn't be easy.

I told you not to come, but you insisted.

So what?

To see what you've seen,

walk where you've walked,

and stand by your side,

it's all worth it.

The view's nice here.

Enjoy.

Still, there's one thing I can't figure out.

Even though Rongjun is suffering from drought,

does delivering wheat seeds really require you to go in person?

You've always made wise decisions.

Could you tell me why?

You don't always get it, huh?

I guess I was just trying to be a bit clever before,

but mostly it was dumb luck.

My lord, you've ruled Wei for years.

There's no way I can compare.

I'm just a woman who's read a few books.

If you don't tell me,

I might never get it.

All right.

Since you want to know,

I'll tell you.

Bring me the panorama.

Come on.

Give it to me.

Take a look.

Rongjun's east of Yujun and borders Bianzhou.

Fifty years ago,

Rongjun wasn't part of Wei State.

When my great-grandfather ruled Wei State…

Those who surrendered after persuasion were countless…

Why are you looking at me?

Look at the panorama.

The land rises and falls,

but it's nothing like your strong features.

The mountains and rivers are lovely,

but they still can't match your spirit.

You're weird today.

Look at the panorama.

If you want to know why, stay focused.

The prefect of Rongjun is nearly 50

and was born into a local noble family.

However, the canal construction and farming

will take a lot of manpower.

It could weaken his future standing.

He may not go for it.

That makes things tricky.

Yes, it does.

When the time comes,

we'll need a proper plan to persuade him.

Xiaotao.

- Let me tell you something. - What is it?

There's a great place nearby.

The delicacies there are absolutely delicious.

If only we could go and eat there.

How do you know that?

A good buddy of mine

gave me a guide.

The guide says so.

Don't you also wish

His Lordship and Her Ladyship would grow a little closer?

Of course.

Look at them now.

It's so awkward.

The guide says

if we follow it on this journey,

their relationship

will definitely improve.