Original subtitles

Those who passed the literary exam may now enter.

In the literary exam,

Young Master Han barely came out ahead,

while Young Master Mu just muddled through.

Who knows what strings Minister Mu pulled to get him to pass?

The imperial examination is the only chance for commoners to rise in rank.

If even this fairness is lost,

how could the people not be disheartened?

Bow before His Majesty.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Rise.

Let the martial arts examination begin!

Awesome! Yes!

Recruiting such a talent as our own

would be like gaining an unbeatable chess piece,

an immense advantage for our cause.

My son is also quite good in martial arts.

As for his true capabilities,

let's just wait and see.

Carry the young master out of here!

Yes, sir!

The martial exam values precision and restraint.

Such a reckless pursuit of victory

has revealed his true intentions for all to see.

I never expected the Song family to produce

not only Song Yan Tang, who consistently ranked first in the imperial hunt,

but also a talent like you, proficient in both academics and martial arts,

scoring perfectly in every category,

and with exceptional insights in your policy essay.

Top scorer Song Han, is there anything you wish for?

Your Majesty,

my martial skills

were taught by my brother,

but compared to him,

I still have much to improve.

Today, I humbly request a chance to spar with him

and test our abilities against each other.

Please grant me that wish.

Your Majesty, Song Han's request is far too audacious.

The martial arts exam is over.

Even as the top scorer, he should not

make such personal demands.

This is not your family's backyard!

Your Majesty.

Her Ladyship reminded me that your current health condition

does not permit you to overexert yourself.

Yes, turn the duel down.

That's right.

I know my limits.

Don't worry.

Your Majesty, Song Han is young and impulsive.

If he has spoken out of turn in your presence,

I beg for your forgiveness.

It's fine.

Since he is the top scorer in the martial arts exam,

I am curious to see his skills.

Yan Tang, you shall personally test him.

Yes, Your Majesty.

(Blossom)

(Episode 28)

You have the duration of one incense stick.

The one who captures the flag wins.

Let's use blades, Brother.

Sure.

If you can't defeat me today,

all of Minister Dou's efforts will have been in vain.

I want to earn my rank and title through my own abilities,

and yet you want to stand in my way.

You might as well just kill me

in front of His Majesty then.

You've taught me this Sun and Moon Reversal move many times.

At last,

I've put it to proper use.

Looks like you've learned more than just swordplay.

It is rare for someone to turn defeat into a draw

against Yan Tang.

Proclaim my decree,

Song Han of the Duke of Ying's household, courageous and strategic,

is hereby declared the top scorer of the martial arts examination.

He is appointed to the position of Tengxiang Guard

and awarded the Pine Crane Sword.

I humbly dare

to request one more favor.

Speak your request.

Both my parents have passed,

leaving me alone and desolate

in my youth.

I humbly request your favor

in bestowing a marriage,

allowing me to wed a princess

and form a harmonious union for life.

I will carefully consider your marriage request.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Hold still.

It doesn't hurt.

If the wound were any deeper, it might have scarred your face.

A little scar is nothing.

Besides,

with you as my doctor, I'm not afraid of any injury.

A scratch it may be,

but Song Han deliberately injured you to secure

the top rank in the martial arts exam.

You should be careful around him.

What's more, his outstanding performance,

coupled with Prince Qing's growing ambitions...

Is Song Han trying to pledge his allegiance to him?

Song Han has always been diligent and hard-working,

skilled in archery and horsemanship.

Given the state of this family,

it's understandable he wants to secure a future for himself.

But he shouldn't have chosen Prince Qing.

(Prince Qing failed to use Yan Tang to his advantage,)

(so he's turned to Song Han instead.)

But don't worry.

Once Song Han is engaged and establishes his own household,

we can use the opportunity to formally distance ourselves from him.

By the way,

I heard Song Han petition His Majesty for a royal marriage.

His Majesty has only one princess, Jingyu.

She's been headstrong and willful since little.

Things might not go as he hopes.

(Zuixian Tower)

You've been favoring your son-in-law's family,

deliberately arranging for Song Han to challenge my son,

which has now left him crippled.

You've misunderstood.

If I really had such intentions,

why would I use such indirect approach?

Your son's injury

is the doing of Song Han.

It has nothing to do with me.

You've climbed the ranks

by cozying up Princess Shude,

forcing Wang Xing Yi out,

everyone knows that.

We haven't even achieved the great cause yet,

and you've already schemed against me.

You've been paying too much attention to idle gossip.

Or are you just looking for an excuse

to steal my position as Secondary Grand Secretary?

Well then, I'd love to see

what other tricks you've got up your sleeve.

Fine,

since it's come to this,

let's see how this plays out.

This way, please, Song Han.

What a grand occasion! Isn't it?

Truly a rare sight.

Congratulations! It's such a joyous event!

Let's give Han the celebration he deserves!

Yes, let's make sure Han is well taken care of.

Back during the hunt, I already knew it.

Not only has Han become the top scorer

and received a sword bestowed by His Majesty,

he's even going to become a royal consort too.

Such a bright future lies ahead!

Lord Song, we have a problem.

(I'm not marrying you, by Zhu Rong Ying)

(I'm not marrying you, by Zhu Rong Ying)

Song Han is a shameless, hypocritical scoundrel despised by all!

You absolutely cannot marry Rong Ying to him!

Better than marrying her off to Lizhen, isn't it?

Besides, this has nothing to do with you.

Why are you so worked up?

I'm just worrying about my friend.

You're such a good friend, huh?

Are you implying that I'm cold-hearted toward Rong Ying?

She's my only daughter.

Do you think I'd push her into a pit of fire?

At least Song Han is a martial champion.

What about you?

You're the one despised by all,

dragging the imperial family's dignity through the mud.

Your Majesty, please calm down.

Yu has been close with Rong Ying since they were children.

They're just looking out for each other.

Your Majesty, what is your decision?

I'm trying to figure something out.

Rong Ying flat-out refuses the marriage,

and now he's here to add to the trouble.

Since the founding of this dynasty,

it's been customary for the top scorer

of the imperial examination to request a favor.

There has never been a precedent for denying their request.

Song Han carries an innate defiance in his demeanor.

Moreover, his background

is hardly a match for Rong Ying.

Why not designate another princess to marry him?

Designate another princess?

I've heard

that the Miao family of Futing is a collateral branch

of the late Noble Consort Miao.

After the consort's passing,

the Miao family withdrew from officialdom

and fell into the merchant class.

Their eldest daughter, Miao An Su,

is reputed for her virtue

and is the sworn sister of the Duchess of Ying.

Why not confer the title of princess upon Miao An Su

and grant her in marriage to Song Han?

This way, it would remain within the Duke of Ying's extended family,

drawing them even closer.

That's an excellent idea!

Shut up!

Go and issue the decree.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Song Han has some audacity.

A love child dares to dream of marrying a princess?

He's clearly aiming for the stars.

But Miao An Su and the Duchess of Ying are close friends. I'm worried...

Dou Zhao was just a powerless young girl,

yet now she has connections that span the entire court

and commands instant support.

This wouldn't have been possible without Miao An Su

earning money and smoothing things over for her.

Director Su.

Yes, Your Majesty.

When the princess marries,

you will accompany her to the household as an attendant.

Carefully manage their friendship for them.

Yes, Your Majesty.

By the decree of His Majesty,

Miao An Su,

gifted with natural grace and virtuous character,

is hereby conferred the title of Princess Anyu.

She is granted a golden scroll,

an annual stipend of two thousand bushels of grain,

and is bestowed in marriage to Song Han of the Duke of Ying's household.

So decreed.

You're a princess now!

This is wonderful, An Su!

Xing Shuang,

bring me another dry cloth.

It's covered in snow.

It'll start sneezing again later.

Yes, Young Master.

Xing Shuang?

Greetings, Princess Anyu.

Get up.

I don't wish for this either.

Let's go to the palace now

and ask His Majesty to revoke the decree.

-Leave us. -Yes, Young Master.

Defying an imperial edict will get us executed.

Or is it that

you also look down on my origins and would rather

risk disobedience, Your Highness?

That's not what I mean.

I've admired you for a long time.

But I know

the person you wish to marry is Princess Jingyu.

His Majesty forcing this match

upon us is unfair to both of us.

You can continue being a princess.

Don't give that up because of me.

I've written a petition

stating that I've suddenly fallen ill.

This way, the marriage decree will be nullified.

If you say that,

who's going to marry you in the future?

I have a cat that's spoiled.

It knows it has a home,

and even if it gets lost, someone will come looking for it.

So it often wanders off.

I don't have that kind of luck.

The people

who would search for me,

who would dry my tears and shield me from the storm,

are gone.

I...

I'll go to His Majesty and request to cancel the engagement.

I want to marry you.

Su Su.

Su Su, don't worry.

We won't let you jump into this pit of fire.

How about this? You hide outside the city for a few days.

Shou Gu has experience with breaking engagements.

We'll do something to break the engagement.

I've agreed to marry Song Han.

Alright, we'll...

Wait, what?

Are you out of your mind, or have you lost your senses?

Did you go see him?

Song Han has always been good at playing the victim and sweet-talking people.

I want to marry him.

With the honor of an imperial marriage and the title of princess,

this will greatly benefit our business.

Besides, his parents are gone. He needs my help.

So, he wouldn't dare mistreat me.

And with you managing the household,

sister-in-law relationships will be easier to handle.

This marriage is actually a good arrangement.

You made some good points,

but have you thought about the most important thing?

You like him, but does he like you back?

This man isn't exactly trustworthy.

He's had a difficult past,

so it's only natural for him to be cautious and guarded.

Zhao, remember when we used to transplant rice or flowers?

Sometimes we'd come across plants with weak roots.

But with proper care,

they eventually thrived and bore fruit.

A marriage is like transplanting a seedling.

I believe I can change him.

Young Master, you've been waiting for four hours.

Thank you for the test.

Lord Song,

please take the seat.

This used to be the Duke of Ying's spot.

(Confidential Letter) Now it's yours.

(Duke of Ying's Residence)

An Ping, stop opening up the gifts.

Noble families care a lot about saving face.

My sister is a princess.

Her moving into his residence is already saving him face.

Keep your voice down! Don't let Song Han hear such remarks,

or you might bring trouble to your sister.

Alright.

Most of these gifts are from business associates.

He's neither the legitimate heir nor the eldest son.

He has no right to complain.

That's right.

What's so special about these cups and jade trinkets anyway?

Stop opening them.

I'm sorry about this, Han.

An Ping had a bit to drink and got carried away.

Please don't take offense.

It's fine.

These gifts were meant for Princess Anyu in the first place.

An Ping is her brother, after all.

You're absolutely right, Han.

Father, Mother,

since Brother-in-law said so, as the only son in the family,

shouldn't I be the one

managing my sister's gifts and dowry?

How insolent!

-Who is she? -Who are you?

How dare you hit me!

Do you know who I am?

My sister is a princess by imperial decree,

and I'm her only younger brother!

This is the Empress's jade token.

To see this is to see the Empress herself.

You, a mere commoner,

dare to lay claim to the princess's gifts?

You've openly disregarded the dignity of the imperial family.

Guards! Drag him out and flog him 20 times.

Father! Mother!

Walk!

Madam! Please have mercy!

Your Majesty, please forgive him!

It's my fault. I failed to discipline my son well.

Director Su.

The princess requests your presence.

Out of respect for the princess,

I'll let this matter slide today.

But if you dare disgrace the imperial family's honor again,

it won't be as simple as a flogging.

Thank you, Your Majesty!

An Ping!

-Are you alright? -My face is swollen, Mother.

The auspicious hour has arrived.

The bride and groom shall now perform the bowing ceremony.

First bow.

Second bow.

A lowly illegitimate son

marrying a princess from a merchant family.

No wonder only the lady official is presiding.

Even the Duke and Duchess didn't bother to attend.

Exactly.

The Duke and Duchess of Ying

has come to congratulate the martial champion and Princess Anyu!

Zhao,

I knew you'd come.

Of course I'd come.

Cover your face.

Look at that! That's a lot!

So much gold, silver, and jewelry!

Just look at it, there's every style imaginable!

Today is the princess's wedding.

Please join in the celebration.

Thank you all for attending the wedding.

According to custom,

those who bear witness to the union must

have experienced full blessings themselves.

Having lost both my parents and faced a life fraught with misfortune,

I once thought

I would never feel the warmth of family.

But I was fortunate

to have someone

come into my life.

Now,

I cherish the beauty of a good marriage

and the rarity of finding a true partner

more than anyone.

So,

Song Han,

I wish the same good fortune for you.

May your union be as harmonious as the zither and lute.

I believe this is

also Song Yi Chun's greatest wish for you.

Thank you for your wishes.

The ceremony is complete!

Yes! Yes!

Congratulations! May the bride and groom grow old together in happiness!

Congratulations!

Since you came to give your blessings to An Su,

why didn't you attend her wedding ceremony?

A crowd of ordinary people making a ruckus.

What's the fun in that?

But you, on the other hand,

put on quite the show of deep brotherly affection.

What do you want?

I taught you acupuncture to save others.

Today, I'll give you

another advice to save yourself.

What do you mean?

Leave Mantis Song.

He's a target for everyone right now.

For your own sake, and for the Dou family,

you can't follow him into danger.

I just want to break free from this game of chess

and gain my freedom.

Do you even know who's controlling the game?

Even His Majesty

might be just another pawn.

It's still uncertain who will win in the end.

And even if that day comes,

I will accept it willingly.

As expected.

When one is caught up in love, even the wisest become foolish.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

If something happens to Mantis Song again,

the little freedom you've managed to claim

will be hanging by a thread.

Congratulations, Young Master Han.

Thank you.

Congratulations, Young Master Han.

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.

Look at him.

Young Master Han.

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness

and a swift arrival of a child!

His father dies, and now he relies on his new wife.

-That's right. -Congratulations, Young Master Han.

Come on.

An illegitimate son managing to rise this far,

it's like his ancestors' graves are spewing good fortune!

What more could he want?

When his father was alive, he relied on him.

After his father's death, he relied on his brother.

And now he's relying on his new wife.

What a lucky man!

Congratulations, Your Highness.

Thank you, Your Highness.

-Thank you, Your Highness. -You may go.

Congratulations, Your Highness.

Director Su,

you may also go and rest.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

I'm not used to having people serve me,

so I poured the nuptial wine myself.

Was that improper?

You're worrying for nothing, Your Highness.

It's perfectly fine.

I don't like having attendants in the room either,

so I dismissed them.

You should just call me An Su,

like before.

Addressing me as Your Highness sounds distant.

You're a princess, Your Highness.

I wouldn't dare to be rude.

According to tradition,

shouldn't we start by drinking the nuptial wine?

Mu Yu, I have a wedding gift for you.

Can you turn around first?

Mu Yu!

Your face.

This is

the handkerchief I gave you when we first met.

You've been keeping it.

Your Highness!

I'm sorry!

This handkerchief was the start of our connection.

I was going to return it to you today,

as a way to affirm our love.

I've never been comfortable with people serving me closely

because I often lose control over myself.

I don't even know why I've become this way.

Your Highness,

I'm sorry.

I'll excuse myself for tonight.

Get some rest.

(Duke of Ying's Residence)

Princess Anyu has arrived.

Did you get a good night's sleep?

Thank you for your concern. I'm feeling much better.

-Greetings... -Your Highness,

your noble status

requires that everyone should bow to you and offer tea.

That's right.

We are but subjects,

and you must take precedence, Your Highness.

We cannot disrupt the proper hierarchy.

Indeed. Your marriage to our family is a great honor bestowed by His Majesty.

Perhaps you should oversee the household affairs, Your Highness,

it would symbolize unity between the royal family and its subjects.

My sister-in-law is the mistress of this household.

It is only right for me to serve her tea.

Your Highness,

that would go against the royal etiquette.

Her Grace should bow to you and offer tea.

The dignity of the royal family cannot be compromised.

You're right, Director Su.

I was being foolish.

Bring the tea.

Your Grace, please kneel and offer tea to Princess Anyu.

Zhao.

-Let me offer you tea. -Your Highness.

This goes against the royal etiquette.

If this goes against the etiquette,

Director Su, please tell Her Majesty

to replace me with another princess.

There's no need for this between us.

Let's keep things as they've always been.

In the days ahead, we'll support each other as equals.

Your Highness, you're a noble now.

Why are you doing chores?

And that maid, Su Lan,

she was ordering you around.

How is that acceptable?

We grew up together like sisters.

There's no such thing as master and servant between us.

That was before.

You are a princess now.

Every word and action of yours reflects the dignity of the royal family.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

This is the most popular shop in the capital right now.

I had someone stand in line to get these.

Try one.

How is it?

It's good!

Yes, it is.

I... I should bring some over to Zhao.

I'll go with you.

Sister, you're slacking off again!

Didn't you say you couldn't find the full opera anthology?

Why don't you ask An Su to help?

During the previous Double Ninth Festival,

she was always the one organizing these books and miscellaneous items.

She knows better than anyone

where each volume belongs.

She's a princess now.

Just earlier, when I went to Xixiang House to assign tasks,

that lady official rebuked me.

I wanted to talk to An Su about it, but Song Han stopped me.

Acting all high and mighty.

One day, she might even use us as scapegoats to establish her authority.

If it weren't for Her Ladyship,

she wouldn't be where she is today.

Never say such things again.

We've been out here all day,

and the paintings still aren't dry.

The wind is picking up, hurry and gather them up.

An Su.

Let's deliver the pastries later.

Let's head back first.

I have a gift for you.

I was going to give it to you during the Double Ninth Festival.

I don't know if you'll like it,

but let's go take a look.

This is a room I prepared for you.

You can study soils, manage accounts,

or do anything else you want here.

Have you been sleeping here these past few days?

Yes.

I'm afraid that if my illness acts up,

I might hurt you again.

Earlier, when I pulled you away from the Yizhi Hall,

it was also to protect you.

Some people say things just to vent their emotions.

Don't take them to heart.

They weren't wrong.

When my family fell on hard times,

if it weren't for Zhao treating me like a sister,

nurturing and guiding me,

I would've been no different from a servant.

I'm sure Zhao didn't mean it.

She's just used to ordering you around.

Habits like that don't change overnight.

In the world,

having just one person who values you

and treasures you

is enough.

Your Graces,

our spies in Liaodong have sent word.

According to the imperial decree,

ten dans of grain at the horse market should be sold for seven taels.

However, Prince Qing has been secretly raising the price to 20 taels per month

while submitting only 30 percent of the proceeds to the court.

This has caused chaos in Liaodong.

Prince Qing is abusing his power to amass private wealth.

This is a serious matter that requires careful planning.

If we act rashly without a backup plan,

Prince Qing might cover it up and turn it against us.

I'm sorry, Dou Zhao.

Please don't blame it on Her Highness and ruin your friendship.

You keep saying we're friends,

yet you've painted my husband and me as beasts.

Don't I at least deserve an explanation?

If I hadn't come,

were you going to tear Dou Zhao apart?

Today, I sever all ties between us.

The next time we meet, we will be enemies.