Original subtitles

This is the permit to take the ship.

Go.

I won't drag you into this again.

Let's never see each other again.

You've cast loyalty aside, but what about filial piety?

You're drowning yourself in sorrow and torment.

Will His Grace rest in peace knowing this?

The dead are like extinguished lamps.

He wouldn't know anymore.

You're not as good as him.

No, I'm not.

Your Grace,

you were the Grand General of Futing's army and its people.

The comfort and prosperity I've enjoyed

are thanks to you.

You fought with your life

to protect Futing's lands

and bring peace to its people.

Thank you.

May you rest in peace.

His Majesty has killed the witnesses and closed the case with a decree.

If I don't overthrow the throne,

how else can I change any of this?

Are your eyes only used to interrogate me?

If His Majesty really wanted to frame Duke of Ding,

would he have spared the Jiang family just because of a ruler?

Trust me,

His Majesty knows the truth.

He only closed the case

because the circumstances forced his hand.

And I'm just supposed to swallow my shame and hatred,

return to court, and climb the ranks like nothing happened?

You've spent years away from the capital.

You don't know much about the current political landscape.

How can you hope to overturn the case

when the enemy hides in the shadows and you're completely exposed?

Right now, not only are all leads cut off,

but your ambition, resolve, and very nature

are known throughout the court.

You're like an unsheathed blade,

its sharpness glaringly obvious for all to see.

Don't you see? The true strength of a blade

isn't in striking, but in restraint.

Only by sheathing the blade,

by concealing your edge,

can you observe the bigger picture

and decide your next move with clarity.

Duke of Ding fought hard with his life

to protect Futing's lands

and ensure peace for its people.

He doesn't live on just in your heart,

he lives in the hearts of everyone in Futing.

Everything you say,

every move you make,

carries the legacy he passed on to you.

Song Mo,

listen to me,

from this day forward,

you are him.

(Blossom)

(Episode 11)

My Lord, you're here!

My Lord,

I've gathered news

from the palace regarding Duke of Ding.

What did you hear?

The eunuchs have been gossiping.

They say His Majesty kept staring at the broken ruler and muttered nonsense,

tormented by restless dreams night after night.

The physicians and fortune-tellers are being summoned more frequently.

It seems His Majesty feels guilty about you.

Why not take advantage of it?

Dou Zhao was right once again.

If it wasn't for that broken ruler,

the Jiang family might not have been spared.

But how did she know that His Majesty,

despite his regret over Duke of Ding's unjust death,

would still feel compelled to close the case?

Who could the mastermind possibly be,

for even His Majesty to act against his own conscience to protect them?

In a game of cards,

sometimes you have to lose a hand

to protect the bigger picture.

For an emperor,

the stakes are much higher,

it's the entire court, the entire realm.

During the southeastern typhoon,

His Majesty sent the Crown Prince to lead

the disaster relief and win public favor,

but His Grace opposed it and took charge himself.

Could it be that His Grace's refusal to support

the Crown Prince provoked retaliation?

Are you saying

that His Majesty concealed the truth

to protect the Crown Prince?

When Duke of Ding was escorted to the capital,

did the princes make any move?

Only the Crown Prince and Prince Qing came to ask about it.

There were no other movements.

My Lord, we've got a problem at the Futing military camp!

General hasn't returned. We can't disband.

That's right, we can't disband!

The damned court killed Grand General.

Why should we remain loyal?

Instead of enduring this humiliation...

We might as well become bandits!

Yes! Yes!

Let's become bandits!

Such talk will get you executed.

Don't ever say it again.

General! General!

I've been stripped of my rank.

I'm not your general anymore.

I came to say goodbye.

From now on, we go our separate ways

and forge our own paths.

General, we're soldiers.

None of us fear death.

Living as cowards, with no clarity or justice,

would disgrace Grand General's spirit!

We dream of avenging him!

We'd gladly give our lives for it!

If we knew who the murderer was, we'd have exacted revenge!

General!

If you still see me as your general,

here's my order,

Duke of Ding's Army is disbanded, effective immediately!

What?

Disband?

Officers rank vice commander and above, follow me to the tent for a council.

-I'm not going anywhere. -Me too.

You all have shown unwavering loyalty to my uncle,

so, I will not deceive you.

Though the imperial judgment has been issued,

the true mastermind remains at large.

I intend to uncover the truth and take vengeance on the real killer.

This path will be fraught with danger.

From now on, you can no longer serve as soldiers in the open,

but must serve as agents in the shadows.

We knew you wouldn't abandon us!

For over a decade, we've been stationed at the border,

knowing little of the inner workings of the court.

That ignorance has left us vulnerable to schemes time and again.

Now, whether it's to overturn the case

or preserve a remnant of Duke of Ding's Army,

we must plant our eyes and ears within the court.

General, just give the orders.

Bring the wine!

A force of 50,000 is too conspicuous.

Select the 500 most elite soldiers to follow me to the capital.

The rest will disperse as ordered, laying low to preserve our strength

until the time comes to rise again.

The 53,000 soldiers of Duke of Ding's Army

are ready to go through hell and high water for this cause!

Through hell and high water!

-Drink! -Drink!

(Futing, Miao family's warehouse) Stop fighting for it!

We've just been released.

We're victims in this too.

The charges of colluding with the enemy have been cleared.

What you're doing is outright robbery!

-Don't take that way. -Please don't take that away!

Mrs. Liu!

You only invested 10 taels,

but this bag of jewelry and jade is worth 50 or 60 taels!

Your family didn't pay back the money on time,

don't we deserve a little interest?

Move!

According to the law,

breaking into a house to rob is a serious crime.

Even if you fail,

it's 20 lashes and three years of exile.

If you do succeed,

you're looking at either exile or the noose.

And committing this in broad daylight? That makes it even worse.

They owe us money. Isn't it only fair that we take what we're owed?

Oh, is that so?

Fair, you say?

Is it also fair to smash things and hurt people?

Hurting someone?

The punishment for that is even harsher.

What choice do we have?

Our goods rotted away on those impounded ships.

Everything we worked so hard for is gone!

-That's right. -Yes.

I am Dou Zhao, a daughter of the Dou family from the capital,

and also the master of the Miao family.

I will sign an agreement right now

to settle this debt in ten days.

This jade bracelet is a family heirloom,

and I'll leave it with the authorities as collateral.

I'll pay you back in ten days.

That's your mother's keepsake.

You can't!

If you trust me,

sign the agreement.

If not,

come with me to the authorities.

Let's see who owes more, the Miao family,

or you all with your looting, smashing, and injuries.

I'll sign.

Me too.

Me as well.

(Dou Zhao)

Hang in there.

Luckily, the wound isn't deep.

Zhao,

I can't let you pawn your bracelet for those people.

You came all the way to Futing for me.

I'm grateful to you.

This is my burden to bear.

I'll go to the pawnshop

and sell the warehouse and store,

whatever it takes to get your bracelet back.

Pawnshops wouldn't recognize their true value.

What's a store or warehouse compared to you?

Why don't you just pawn yourself to me instead?

That works too.

At the going rate for a steward's wages,

I'd need to work for you

for 3,224 days.

That's about eight or nine years, it should be enough to pay it off.

I'm kidding.

If my mother knew her bracelet was being put to such good use,

she'd be thrilled.

Don't worry about it.

I'm the richest person in Zhending,

do you really think I can't get a bracelet back?

Here it says the six-percent interest was supposed to cover goods purchased,

but the accounts don't add up.

Where are the goods?

I invested it as stock in a food shop.

Investing in a food shop during a famine year?

Brilliant move,

turning gold into dust.

We still have An Su's dowry, don't we?

You good-for-nothing!

Stop eyeing your sister's dowry.

She's of marrying age,

how is she supposed to get married without money?

What about An Ping then?

An Ping is sitting for the imperial exam this year.

Are you going to let him beg his way there?

If it means paying off the debt, then so be it,

dowry or no dowry.

My dowry exists thanks to Zhao's kindness.

And now I'll use it

to settle the debt and spare her from trouble.

It's not just for An Ping.

An Su, are you really fine with it?

I'm not.

Zhao.

There's still a lot of goods on the ship.

Have you taken inventory?

Things just settled down,

and the local authorities in Futing are still in chaos.

I haven't had the chance to do it yet.

(Dou's Residence)

Shi Shu,

Ying Xue insisted

I ask about Ming and De Zhen's engagement.

She said if we have my father-in-law mediate,

Grand Secretary Wu might agree.

-A letter from Mu Chuan? -He has just risen

to the Grand Secretariat.

Most of the old allies of Duke of Ding in the previous administration

have retired to their hometowns.

Wu Yi Fen is advanced in years.

How much longer can he hold on?

What are you trying to say?

That faction's influence is fading fast.

The Wu family's standing

will inevitably collapse.

Is there still a point to form ties with them?

You should have Ying Xue focus on

strengthening connections with the Wei family instead.

(Cui's Residence)

Come.

Now that you've delivered the gifts, you can go.

If you stay longer and catch the illness,

you'll blame it on Shou Gu again.

It's rude to kick people out right after receiving gifts.

Even if Young Lady Zhao isn't up to seeing guests,

she could at least say thank you.

This is the Dou family's business.

Shouldn't you consider your identity first

if you want to meddle?

-I'll have you know... -Can I meddle then?

Grandmother.

You're causing trouble here in broad day light.

In all these years,

you've barely delivered gifts during festivals.

Now that both Shou Gu and I are unwell,

what are you scheming?

Mother, you've misunderstood.

I heard that Zhao came down with smallpox,

so I specially went to the temple to get a smallpox protection statue.

This isn't like other gifts,

it must be personally enshrined by Zhao herself,

or it won't be effective.

Guardian idols and deities? I've never believed in these things.

Take it all away.

That won't do, Mother.

Inviting the gods is easy, but sending them away is difficult.

Neglecting the statue

could harm the family's fortune.

I'm sure Zhao wouldn't want that to happen, would she?

Young Lady Zhao, just show yourself...

Stop!

Smallpox patients must avoid drafts.

Cover her up at once.

Yes, Grandmother.

Fine, I'll accept these gifts on Shou Gu's behalf.

I'm sure things are busy for you in the capital,

so I won't keep you.

If there's nothing else, you should leave,

and don't come back again.

Old Madam,

our mistress only came with the best intentions.

Nanny Zhou.

Please pass the statue to Zhao, Mother.

We'll take our leave now.

-Move. -Grandmother...

Move!

What's going on?

Shou Gu...

She went to freshen up. She'll be back soon.

At this point, you can stop covering for her.

Shou Gu is in Futing.

Futing is a highly sensitive area right now.

What's she doing there?

Does...

Does she have something to do with the case too?

The Maritime Trade Office seized the Miao family's merchant ship.

Shou Gu was worried about An Su going alone, so she...

Ridiculous!

You girls... Absolutely ridiculous!

Alright now, alright.

Madam, are we leaving already? Shouldn't we take a closer look?

Didn't you notice just now?

That hand was smooth and flawless.

If she really had smallpox, how could there not be any rash?

Our trip here wasn't wasted after all.

Ah, I see.

Let's go back to the capital.

Zhao is brazen and reckless.

As a young lady from a noble family,

she not only shows her face in public,

she even went to Futing on her own.

Futing is in chaos right now because of Duke of Ding's case.

I hear there have been outbreaks of unrest among refugees lately.

Oh, Zhao...

Master, Madam,

the Marquis of Jining's family

has invited you both

and the young ladies to a banquet tomorrow.

We can't possibly attend a banquet now.

Since it's a specially arranged banquet,

they might want to discuss the betrothal.

Decline it.

We'll talk about it after I bring Shou Gu back.

Someone, prepare the carriage.

We mustn't decline it, my dear.

If word of Zhao went to Futing gets out,

not just her own marriage prospect, it will ruin Ming's too.

How about we say

you and the girls have caught a cold,

and I'll attend the banquet alone?

Fine, I'll leave it to you.

Handle it as you see fit.

I should get going.

Yes, my dear.

This side dish is quite unique.

Is it a specialty of Futing?

I found a lot of spoiled food

when we were clearing out the inventory.

But there was a crate of tubers from the West that hadn't gone bad.

I roasted a few of them.

They're soft, fragrant,

and a bit like yam.

But many of them have sprouted.

We can't eat or sell them anymore.

We can't eat them...

But we can plant them!

If they sprout even in the damp, dark conditions of a ship's hold,

they must be easy to grow.

If you plant them now,

you could have a harvest in about three months.

So, don't rush to repay me just yet.

Use it to rent some unused land and start planting.

With all the floods this year,

food is already in short supply.

If you grow enough,

not only will you feed people,

but you'll also introduce a new food crop.

No grain merchant would turn that away.

At 50 coins per jin for white flour,

one mu of land could yield around 300 jin.

With ten mu of land in a year,

that's over a hundred taels of silver!

That's a great idea.

Let's do it your way.

What good stuff you've got there?

Ji Yong,

you scared us again.

You got food here.

Try it.

Not bad.

But it can be sweeter.

Young Master Ji, why are you wearing such a scary mask?

It attracts fortune.

I'm here to bring you money.

You've made the deal? What's the price?

Who's the buyer?

Want to see it? Beg me.

-Please. -You actually begged?

Well, that's no fun.

Look.

The Ministry of Works is paying so much for the ship!

The court has never bought civilian ships before!

If it weren't an unprecedented move,

I wouldn't have bothered.

I submitted a proposal to Minister Mu Chuan

advocating for reforms in maritime trade,

selling civilian ships to the government

and consolidating overseas trade under the court's control.

This way, we can ease people's burden

and replenish the national treasury.

Thank you, Young Master Ji.

No need to thank me. Mu Chuan only agreed to see me because Dou Zhao

sent the invitation under the Dou family's name.

-Zhao... -No need for thanks between us.

Now that the crisis is over,

let's go back together tomorrow.

Zhao,

I can't go back with you.

Every year during sailing season,

I'd come here with my parents

to oil and polish the ship.

From a small boat to a big ship,

now it's all gone in an instant.

It's time for me to grow up.

You're staying in Futing to help with the family business?

Zhao,

I won't let you down.

What I've lost today,

I'll earn back in the future!

Alright!

Let's wish for our wishes to come true,

and for the days ahead to be peaceful, free, and full of joy.

Peaceful, free, and full of joy!

Free, and full of joy!

Greetings, Minister Mu.

Greetings, Minister Mu.

(Minister of Work, Mu Chuan)

This way, please, My Lord.

This idea of selling the ships is priceless.

I owe you a huge favor.

What favor? It was just a game.

The fun I had was worth more than any fortune.

Besides, I won Mu Chuan's favor with the proposal.

He submitted it to His Majesty under his name.

In return, he recommended me for the position

of secretary at the prince's residence.

That role is low-ranking and full of tedious responsibilities.

You'd have to guide and advise the prince

while also reporting regularly to His Majesty.

It's a thankless job that pleases no one.

The harder the job,

the easier it is to stand out.

I prefer to work smart, not hard.

I'm not about to let myself rot away like those unsold goods on the ship.

Since the Crown Prince isn't favored,

I might as well take a bigger gamble

and support another prince.

You're going to Prince Qing's Residence?

The Crown Prince's mother, Empress Shen,

came from a humble background and passed away early.

He doesn't have many allies among the court officials.

Prince Qing, on the other hand, is known for valuing talent,

holds military power in Liaodong,

and his mother, Empress Wan, is favored by His Majesty.

With me on his side,

his chances of surpassing the Crown Prince are much higher.

I once heard that Prince Qing's rebellion succeeded

thanks to an extraordinarily brilliant strategist by his side.

Could it be him?

If Ji Yong goes to Liaodong to assist Prince Qing,

will he meet a tragic end again because of it?

I'd advise you

to think it through carefully.

I'll be straight with you.

Prince Qing is rebellious, he'll overthrow the throne one day.

Don't forget why you entered officialdom in the first place.

If he rebels,

wouldn't that align perfectly with my original intent?

You've known all along...

What happens in the future,

heaven knows, earth knows, I know, and you know.

I observe the world without being controlled by it.

Princes and kings, in my hands,

are nothing more than tools to a greater vision.

The court is decayed,

foreign enemies are poised to strike,

and all I want is someone who recognizes my worth

and grants me the power to enact reform.

Healing individuals is a small matter,

healing a nation

is where my true strategy lies.

I can extend this dynasty's life by a hundred years.

Minister Mu, they're here.

So, there are the tubers you mentioned in your letter,

the ones that doesn't spoil easily?

The people of Futing call it a potato.

Many of the other goods were ruined after the delay,

but these remained intact.

Looks like this crop

is far more valuable than

the rest of the cargo on the ship.

Here.

This strawberry ice cream

is only available in Futing.

Once I go to Liaodong, there'll be no chance to have it.

Didn't you say that ice cream is too cold for the stomach

and can make you feel lightheaded if you eat too much?

Silly. If you get sick, I'll just treat you.

Eat up.

Real men drink wine and eat meat.

Look at that grown man

eating dainty sweets fit for women and children.

So now taste preferences come with gender labels too?

How childish.

You two might drink and eat meat,

does it make you conquer battlefields

or govern a nation?

How arrogant!

Young Lady,

he's clearly not a suitable match!

Right, unlike you two, you're perfect for each other.

You...

Don't be mad. Let's drink.

Drink.

-Here. -By the way,

I got this for you.

The snow in Liaodong is heavy, and there are many hunting pits.

I've noticed you always squint when you look at things.

I figured your eyesight isn't great.

I went around the capital and found this for you.

Consider it a parting gift.

You even noticed that?

Looking up close now,

you're actually not that ugly.

Alright, I'll give you something in return.

I always save the strawberry on my ice cream for last

because I can't bear to eat them right away.

I'll give it to you now.

Shou Gu.

Father?

-Are you alright? -What are you doing here?

If we had come any later,

you'd have probably turned Futing upside down by now.

-Uncle Shi Shu. -You really are something.

Disgracing the family and running off to elope.

You found yourself the perfect match, huh?

Shou Gu,

a young lady like you traveling all the way to Futing on your own,

do you have any idea how worried we've been?

Father, Uncle Shi Shu.

This is Ji Yong, a cousin of the Cui family from Jian'an.

He's also the official in charge of Maritime Trade Office's cases.

Ah, so you're Master Ji's son.

Greetings, uncles.

You've truly gone to great lengths to disgrace our family's name

all the way here in Futing!

I came to Futing to help the Miao family out of their predicament.

I'm the investor of An Su's family shipping business.

I couldn't just sit back and do nothing.

What morals and obligations outweigh propriety and decency?

An unmarried young lady like you

are supposed to be staying at home preparing for marriage,

This is disgraceful!

The Miao family were mere tenant farmers on an estate.

Now they're merchants,

a world apart from you.

You don't have a friend like her.

Didn't our own Dou family of the north rise from being peddlers?

Later, to establish hierarchy,

we divided into the Eastern and Western Dou branches.

Should we also disown our ancestors for their humble beginnings?

You... You dare debate family heritage with me?

-You're out of line! -Shi Shu...

Calm down, Shi Shu.

Uncle Shi Shu,

Dou Zhao contributed strategies to resolve the maritime trade crisis.

She is considered a servant of the court. You can't hit her.

Stay out of this.

Ungrateful child!

Do you even know your grandmother has been sick for days because of you?

What happened to Grandmother?

What's wrong with her?

Your grandmother fell ill from missing you too much.

Ying Xue is taking care of her now.

Wang Ying Xue?

You're so full of ideas and so capable.

What does the death of a family even mean to someone like you?

Uncle Shi Shu,

I've learned my lesson now.

Traveling to Futing was a mistake.

I'll accept any punishment you see fit.

Please just allow me to return home quickly to care for Grandmother.

Deliver this letter to the local authorities

and make it clear that our family's legitimate daughter

was never in Futing.

Got it.

Father, Uncle Shi Shu,

I know Grandmother's condition best.

This can't be delayed. Why don't we set out tonight?

Now you feel the urgency?

Your mother is looking after her now.

There's no rush.

But your father and I

have traveled a long way,

pulling countless strings,

all for the sake of protecting you.

I understand completely, Uncle.

I will hand over all my private assets in Futing to the family

to atone for my mistakes.

What nonsense!

Do you think your father and I

came all this way just to take over your meager assets?

That's not what I meant.

I'm willing to return home, stay under house arrest,

and fully submitting to the guidance of my elders.

Shou Gu means well.

Shi Shu, why don't we set out now?

We've traveled far

and deserve a few days of rest.

But fine.

We'll rest tonight and leave at dawn.

Thank you, Uncle.

Sir,

what can I get you?

We could've stayed overnight in Wu Town,

but she insisted on traveling without rest.

Now we're stuck in the middle of nowhere!

Shi Shu, have some water and calm down.

Shou Gu is just eager to see her grandmother.

She's just really worried about her.

Since everyone's tired,

let's set up camp here for the night.

Master Shi Shu, Master Shi Ying, there's a military camp just ahead.

Are you Master Shi Shu and Master Shi Ying from the Dou family?

Yes, that's us.

And how are you, sir?

Greetings, my lords.

We are troops stationed at the outskirts.

The camp ahead is a rest area our army

has prepared for travelers on the road.

You can rest there without concern.

We wouldn't dare impose on the military's duties.

Serving you well is part of our duty.

Food and wine will be brought shortly.

Please don't refuse.

Thank you then, General.

This way, please.

You must be weary from your long journey.

Thank you for your trouble.

You're welcome. Enjoy.

This meal is quite lavish.

It's almost too lavish,

doesn't feel like something a military camp would prepare.

-Thank you. -Let me fill your glass.

Thank you.

Young Lady, traveling in such a rush might have upset your stomach.

It's best to avoid these heavy, greasy dishes.

I'll go see if they have some light porridge.

Oh...

Officer, may I know what time it is now?

It's the hour of the Yin, Young Lady Zhao.

Young Lady Zhao?

They're Futing soldiers.

If I'm not mistaken,

they're the Duke of Ding's Army.

What's the Duke of Ding's Army doing in Hanzhou?

I'll explain later.

(Yuzhou)

Travel permit, please. Where are you sending these?

The market.

Thank you.

Master Shi Ying, they say as bandits have been rampant in Yuzhou City,

we need a travel permit to enter the city.

We left in such a rush.

We haven't prepared any travel permits.

Su Lan,

I bet someone has made arrangements for us.

Call Gao Sheng over.

Young Lady.

Tell the guards that your masters

are the officials from Ministry of Rites returning to the capital on assignment.

See if that gets us through.

Have you checked the goods?

All good.

Sir, could you allow my master to pass first?

What's your master's official position?

Dou Shi Shu, an official from the Ministry of Rites.

Lord Dou from the Ministry of Rites?

Yes.

Clear the way! Let them through!

Clear the way!

When we passed through Yuzhou City before,

we've never been given such priority.

What's going on here?

My Lord,

they say it was an order from above,

that Lord Dou from the Ministry of Rites is to be given priority passage.

Really?

Believe me,

this has nothing to do with either of us.

Young Lady, the wheel is stuck.

Why have we stopped?

Young Lady Zhao's carriage is stuck.

They're coming to rob us!

Shou Gu!

Give me a hand here!

One, two, three!

One, two, three!

One, two, three!

Who are you?

We're villagers from around here.

The roads here are uneven.

When it rains, carriages often get stuck.

We're just here to lend a hand pushing them out.

Thank you all.

Su Lan, give them some silver pieces as a token of appreciation.

We're not here for rewards,

just to help.

There are more of us ahead.

Wishing you a safe journey, Young Lady Zhao.

Let's go.

How do they all know to call you Young Lady Zhao?

Don't say anything. Get in.

I rarely travel far,

but seeing this now, we're really living in a time of peace.

What time of peace?

They're here specially for your daughter.

God knows how she got involved with those unsavory people.

Young Lady Zhao is a kind and generous person.

Heaven is always looking out for her.

You must be joking, Shi Shu.

How could Shou Gu possibly know them?

Let's keep moving.

Shou Gu.

Shi Shu.

Aren't you going in to visit Mother?

Are you really going in the estate?

What about your work at the Ministry of Revenue?

But Mother is still ill.

And we're not doctors.

Seeing us won't make her better.

She's got Shou Gu and Ying Xue to take care of her.

Father, Uncle,

I'll go see Grandmother now.

Since the marriage agreement has been signed,

you should now focus on fulfilling your duties

and prepare yourself for the wedding.

Marriage agreement?

Didn't your father tell you?

While you were in Futing,

your father and mother

signed the marriage agreement for you.

It was a pressing matter.

I had wanted to discuss it with you after you returned,

but Ying Xue went ahead and signed the agreement.

Shou Gu!

Dou Shi Shu and Dou Shi Ying

are shallow and heartless.

Unlike you, My Lord,

you escorted Young Lady Zhao all the way here

without even letting her know.

She made it clear she didn't want to see me again,

so there's no need to disturb her.

As long as she can see her grandmother a little sooner,

that's what matters.

Zhao,

I'm so glad

to see you home safely.

Song Mo killed his father and brother this same year.

Could there be another reason, besides avenging Duke of Ding,

that caused such a drastic change in his character?

My personal guards are in danger,

and my mother has just died.

I've stepped into a deadlock,

and what I need now

is the strength to fight.