Original subtitles

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

Back then,

I was forced to marry Chen Xiang.

It was the same situation.

I was too young then to decide for myself.

But now,

I no longer wish to be a puppet used for gain.

For the sake of Bogong,

Zhonglin,

may I stay in Yujun for a while to hide away?

Why are you asking me?

Is it because you feel that something is not right

but can't quite tell what?

When she came to Yujun,

she had a falling out with you over Ci,

so keeping her here is indeed not right.

But she is the one

your brother asked you to care for.

If you turn her away,

you won't feel right about it.

Shall I find her

another place to stay?

No need for that.

Just have her stay at the post house.

All right, I'll go to work.

Why do you want to let Lady Yulou stay, my lady?

Perhaps I feel the same as His Lordship.

Something isn't right,

but I can't quite tell what it is.

Ehuang.

I drew out a maid from the Wei Mansion

and with a hint of flirtation, I got her to open up.

Outwardly, the Lord of Wei has accepted Lady Qiao,

but they've never consummated the marriage.

Really?

They say it's due to the mourning period for Qiao Gui.

Wei Shao?

Mourning for Qiao Gui?

Few men can resist beauty.

That so-called mourning is just for show.

If they got married but never consummated it,

maybe they don't love each other.

I've found a few fine books.

Go invite the Lord of Wei over for a word.

Yes, Ehuang.

My lord.

Lady Yulou, you called me here so late at night.

May I ask the reason?

I heard you've been troubled by the Yongning Canal.

I thought, perhaps I could help in some way.

How can you help, Lady Yulou?

At the Deer Hunt,

you promised to provide 100,000 elite troops to help dig the canal.

I know you're righteous,

but I admire Her Ladyship even more.

I heard she, too, made great contributions to the canal,

so I thought that maybe I could help, in my own way.

These past few days,

I've spent quite a bit of money

to have people find some ancient texts…

on advanced water management.

I thought that Lady Qiao might find them useful.

Perhaps I've read them so often that they carry my scent.

I've even added my notes.

Thank you, Lady Yulou.

I only skimmed through them.

I still can't quite understand some parts.

The Book of Canals, for example, covers the history of hydrology.

Many river names

are hard to recognize.

The annotations are complex. They're not something that can be learned in a day.

How about this?

I'll take it back and study it with Her Ladyship.

Thank you, Lady Yulou.

My lord.

Where is Her Ladyship?

My lord, Her Ladyship went to freshen up.

She'll be right back.

Put these away.

Yes.

You're back, my lord.

What's this?

Texts on water management, from Lady Yulou.

She hopes you'll find them useful.

GEOGRAPHY

My lady, Master Zhenshi requests to see you outside.

Didn't he go to Yunzhong

to see the Moya Inscriptions?

He's back so soon?

I went to view the Moya Inscriptions in Yunzhong

at the arrangement of the Lord of Wei.

Please, my lady.

I've brought you a small gift.

I hope you'll like it and not mind, my lady.

Here.

POETIC EXPOSITION OF DONGDU

You even made a rubbing of the Moya Inscriptions!

My lady, I know you love the inscriptions.

The mountain path is treacherous,

so I could only make this rubbing

and present it to you.

But this rubbing can't compare to witnessing them with your own eyes.

This is wonderful.

That's very kind of you.

If I get the chance, I'll go see it for myself.

Great.

I'd be honored to accompany you personally

as your guide.

My lord,

Master Zhenshi has arrived in Yujun.

He returned quite soon, huh?

By the way,

don't tell Her Ladyship about it.

She already knows.

Master Zhenshi invited Her Ladyship out as soon as he arrived in Yujun.

He even brought her a rubbing of the Moya Inscriptions

and suggested they go to Yunzhong to view the inscriptions together.

It just hit me.

Bandits are causing trouble in Yunzhong.

We need to deal with it.

So,

I'll have you take care of both issues for me.

- Bandits in Yunzhong? Already? - Absolutely.

WEI MANSION

My lady.

What is it? Why such haste?

You'd better go take a look.

His Lordship had someone bring an item back from somewhere.

He insists you come take a look.

My lord?

What is this?

Exactly.

It's the Moya Inscriptions.

You like it, don't you?

I brought the whole slab back.

Go on, have a look.

- This is… - Exactly.

It's the Poetic Exposition of Dongdu, the one you talked about.

"Keep the lands within at peace,

and maintain harmony with…

the barbarians."

I know you mean well,

but the inscriptions…

Don't you like it?

It's a cultural atrocity!

It's a cultural…

A cultural atrocity…

It's a cultural atrocity!

- Why is he here? - It's a cultural atrocity!

It's a cultural atrocity!

Your Lordship, you're being reckless!

What are you doing here?

This is

an ancient, precious relic.

How can you just destroy it?

Destroy it?

I brought it back to keep others from destroying it.

These inscriptions were part of a greater whole.

Once damaged, they're nearly impossible to restore.

I only brought one piece. A complete slab!

What is this?

Tell me, what is this?

Yunzhong is far away. It was a long journey.

I didn't damage it on purpose.

Besides, here in Yujun, we have many skilled craftsmen.

I'll just have them fix it.

This piece was inscribed by a famed scholar

from a former dynasty.

The brushwork

and energy in the strokes are extremely refined.

Ordinary craftsmen can't restore that.

You are absolutely right, Master Zhenshi.

How about this?

Please restore the inscriptions yourself.

You possess deep knowledge of inscriptions

and fully understand the Moya Inscriptions in Yunzhong.

Only if you restore it

can future generations truly appreciate this remarkable work.

If it's not too much trouble,

I humbly ask you to take on this task.

My lady,

your wisdom is admirable.

How generous of you!

Even…

Even men feel ashamed in your presence.

In that case,

I'll accept this task and do my utmost.

No, you don't have to…

I appreciate it, Master Zhenshi.

But restoring the inscriptions will take time.

I may need to stay longer.

Stay longer?

Please stay as long as you need.

I'll personally bring you your meals every day.

No, you really don't have to…

Much obliged, my lady.

Thanks, Master Zhenshi.

Actually, there's no need.

We have experts here…

Wait…

I don't need him. I can…

Zhonglin?

Sit and have a drink with me.

Something is bothering you, isn't it?

Would I come to you if it wasn't?

It's all because of Gao Heng.

He suddenly came back

and wants to stay longer here in Yujun.

I'm pissed off here. Why are you laughing?

I told you earlier

that if you truly like Lady Qiao,

you should be honest with her.

- Otherwise, you… - Yan.

I…

I've confessed to her.

We both feel the same.

I just hadn't told you yet.

Well, that's great.

You should be happy.

Why do you look…?

Yes, it is great.

But…

Even though she knows how I feel about her,

she's still so close to Gao Heng.

Gao Heng has no boundaries. He's always hanging around her.

It really annoys me.

There's always some outsider

who doesn't know when to back off in matters of the heart.

Gao Heng isn't that bad.

He just admires Her Ladyship's talent.

But what if someone tries

to force their way in?

What would you do?

Who would dare?

I heard

Lady Yulou confessed to you.

You fell for her,

so you want her to stay in Yujun.

Who told you that nonsense?

I'm only helping her for my brother's sake.

- There's no way I'd… - There are plenty of ways to help.

Sending her home and visiting her during the holidays is one way.

Keeping her in Yujun and treating her like family,

that's another.

Or…

marrying her for your brother's sake

is also a way.

Are you serious?

I'm just helping her for my brother's sake.

There's nothing going on between us.

I invited you here to have a drink,

but now I'm even more annoyed.

Zhonglin, calm down.

I'll take care of Gao Heng.

True.

Some feelings just need to be cut off…

if they're not right.

I'm the one in a bad mood.

Why are you sighing over there?

I heard

you plan to stay longer in Yujun.

Once I finish restoring the inscriptions, I'll take my leave.

The Central Plains

is such a vast and rich land.

Would I really want to miss seeing those amazing sights

just to spend my whole life stuck in Yujun?

Clear and bright, this winding brook.

Deep and still, the southern peak.

Like bamboo, lush and green.

Like pine, broad and strong.

For a true gentleman,

there's no need to see each other all the time.

It's so late.

What are you doing out here?

I'm waiting for you, my lord.

Why bother waiting for me?

You're a tall and upright man.

Why are you acting so petty?

How am I being petty?

If any man saw the woman they loved happily chatting with another man,

I doubt many could stay as calm as me.

I love you, darling,

because we are kindred spirits.

We speak our minds, act as one,

and stay truly open with each other.

In this life, you are my only true confidant, my lord.

So, I'm your confidant.

What is Gao Heng to you?

Master Gao Heng is a man of great talent.

His name is known throughout the Central Plains.

If someone like him serves Wei,

it will boost your reputation as well.

So, by that logic, you're doing all this for me?

But now, I suddenly realize

I was wrong before.

Wrong? How so?

You value me,

so you don't want me getting too close to others.

Even if it's just about art and official matters,

crossing the line would still pain you deeply.

It's not quite as painful as you make it sound.

I was careless before.

But now, I just need to find a way

to send Master Gao Heng away.

Can you bear to part with the rubbing and his travel tales?

I treated Master Gao with courtesy for your sake.

If it makes you unhappy, doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Since you said it's for official matters,

if I keep fussing about it, wouldn't that just make me look petty?

I…

I don't mind that much.

If you keep holding things in for pride and for duty,

bottling up all your jealousy and frustration,

then over time,

we'll stop speaking our minds, acting as one,

and staying truly open with each other.

Even if you say you don't mind,

I should be more thoughtful and careful.

All right, let's do as you say.

Look at the moon.

It's rounder than your face.

Suddenly, I crave mooncakes.

GEOGRAPHY

My lord, Lady Yulou requests your presence.

So late? What for?

Lady Yulou said she's found more texts on water management.

It's urgent, so she had no choice but to call you now.

There are plenty of ways to help.

Sending her home and visiting her during the holidays is one way.

Keeping her in Yujun and treating her like family,

that's another.

Or…

marrying her for your brother's sake is also a way.

Go tell her I'll meet her tomorrow.

Also, help me prepare a few things.

Yes.

VIRTUOUS WORDS

Zhonglin, no need to be so formal.

I just found a few more ancient texts and invited you to review them.

I brought these as a small gift in return.

Take a look. Do you like them?

There's no need for such formality between us.

Speaking of which,

Brother asked me to look after you before he died.

But Wei affairs have kept me too busy to be thorough.

So, I think

it's best to send you back to Wushan.

Let your family care for you.

That would be better.

Zhonglin, you're…

sending me away?

I know you have your concerns

and are afraid of having no one to rely on.

That's why I've prepared these gifts for you to take home,

as a gesture of Wei State's respect.

On every festival,

we'll continue to send gifts to show our regard

and ensure no one will dare mistreat you.

I was wrong.

When I came seeking protection,

I believed our childhood bond still meant something.

But how long can that really last?

The Su clan is convinced I carry an empress's fate.

That I'll lead the Su clan in Wushan State to rise again.

Your Lordship's careful plans

still pale in comparison to the allure of Liangya's royal power.

My clan will surely cast me aside.

Everyone says the Lord of Liangya is refined and powerful.

He'd be a perfect match.

But Zhonglin, do you know why I refuse to marry him?

Because he knows of my bond with the Wei clan.

He would surely use my status and family to strike at Wei State.

I understand your struggle.

After the Deer Hunt, you outshone every rival.

Now, Wei is standing at the center of the storm.

People like Liu Yan,

jealous of your potential to lead the Central Plains,

will stop at nothing to block your path and set themselves against you.

If I can't escape

marrying the Lord of Liangya,

then…

I'm willing to offer myself

as your eyes and ears

to aid Wei State in its rise to greatness.

It'll be my way

to repay the kindness the Wei clan has shown me.

That won't be necessary.

Since I'm sending you back to Wushan State,

I'll announce it to the realm.

If anyone dares trouble you,

they'll be my enemy.

My lady!

Her headache flared up. She must be heartbroken.

My lord, please come another day.

Her headache?

When you were young, after your family's misfortune,

Lady Yulou stayed up for days taking care of you.

That's how her condition started.

Then, please take good care of yourself.

POETIC EXPOSITION OF DONGDU

POETIC EXPOSITION OF DONGDU

I'm glad Your Lordship is here.

After so many days,

I've finally fulfilled my duty and restored it!

Please put it back where it belongs

because only in the towering mountains of Yunzhong

can it display its true grandeur!

Of course, I know that.

No need to remind me.

Just wanted to see if you were done.

Now,

you finally don't have to stay in Yujun.

Are you talking about

the stone slab,

or

me?

Of course

I'm talking about the stone.

But your courtesy name is Zhenshi.

What a refined name.

So,

I'd say you should be like this stone slab

and embrace a reclusive life surrounded by nature.

Master Zhenshi.

Have you ever trained in martial arts?

I've never trained.

I couldn't even hurt a fly.

Really? Not even a fly?

It's true.

I've never trained in martial arts.

What is it?

My lord,

someone wants to see you.

Have him wait a moment.

Two hundred and one!

Hurry, get up.

Let me do two more.

- Two hundred and… - Get up.

And…

Master Zhenshi,

what brings you here?

I plan to personally return the inscriptions to Yunzhong

to avoid any mishaps.

If you're going…

I can rest easy.

I appreciate it, Master Zhenshi.

May I ask one more thing?

When will you come back?

I don't think I'll be back.

I love traveling.

If not for the damaged inscriptions, I would've left long ago.

That's really…

a pity.

How about this?

Tomorrow,

I'll see you off at the city gates.

Thank you, my lord.

Thank you.

My lord,

I actually know

a few techniques for lifting heavy things.

I can share them with you.

Broaden your shoulders a bit. That might help.

There's one move that could work.

Come.

Ready?

Do a lateral raise.

Go on, lift it up.

Here, elbow like this.

You have grasped the essence.

Let's go back to the move you did just now.

Please, have a seat.

Rest your elbow

on your knee,

so you don't use extra force.

Now, lift it up!

Very good.

Master Zhenshi, you…

You've never trained in martial arts, have you?

No, I haven't.

I can't even hurt a fly.

But how can you…?

Do you have any plans for your journey, Master Zhenshi?

No specific plans.

I just want to explore the many wonders of the Central Plains.

But there is one place I must visit.

The Yongning Canal.

Why do you want to visit the Yongning Canal?

Master Zhenshi?

This land has long suffered from flooding.

Your Lordship's work will bless the people for generations.

I am…

deeply grateful.

You don't blame me for damaging the Moya Inscriptions,

and for that, I'm already grateful.

In this carriage, I've prepared some books and a few valuables.

- I hope you will accept them. - Thank you.

I've heard your name for a long time, Mr. Gao.

I was unwell a few days ago, so I couldn't visit you.

Today, I came to see you off with a small gift.

Please accept it, Mr. Gao.

You flatter me.

It's nothing compared to how thoughtful Zhonglin is.

I'm not being that thoughtful.

These were

prepared by Her Ladyship.

Well then, it's time for me to set out.

Everyone,

farewell.

- Farewell. - Farewell.

Lady Yulou, Yan,

Her Ladyship and I shall take our leave.

That's interesting.

What's wrong?

I can't find my handkerchief. Did you see it, my lord?

- Weren't you holding it just now? - Yeah, I was.

Now, it's nowhere to be found.

All right, it's okay.

It's just a handkerchief.

I'll buy you a new one.

Stop it.

GOVERNMENT OFFICE

Liangya State controls the water source.

They won't give it up easily.

That's a major geographical advantage.

My lord, they still refuse to allow the canal work.

Do we have to change the route?

That would be a huge undertaking, possibly double the workload.

My lord, with our current strength,

I'm afraid we can't bear it.

Why not join forces with Bianzhou?

They're wealthy.

If we can reach an agreement, it could halve the effort.

Now you're giving advice too?

Bianzhou?

That's our enemy.

A big one.

What do you suggest we do?