Original subtitles

EIGHT-DIRECTIONS GOODS SHOP

Alright.

EIGHT-DIRECTIONS GOODS SHOP

- Mr. Sun. - Mr. Su.

It's only been a few days. Here to collect debts again?

No.

I just wanted to ask about something.

What do young ladies usually like to eat here?

The young ladies on these streets all love my snow-pear tonic.

Snow-pear tonic?

Yes. That one.

Give me one to go.

All right, please wait a moment.

Go ahead and enjoy my snow-pear tonic.

I'll choose a good one.

- This one? - This will do.

And these red beans.

I'll give you extra to take along.

Enjoy it.

You are welcome back anytime.

Here you go, Mr. Su.

Thank you, Mr. Sun.

No, Mr. Su.

- How could I take your money? - Take it.

No.

Then, thank you, Mr. Su.

Lying low.

The wind will stop soon enough.

But look at you.

Doing all this makes it look as if

I were truly planning to flee.

Boss.

Who do you think you can fool? You cannot fool me.

Did you not once say

that half of Chang'an belonged to you, Boss?

But the one you serve

is Emperor Yan.

With such a powerful backer, why would you need to lie low?

Then the one you offended

must be Emperor Yan.

You brat.

You are a little too clever.

So I guessed right, didn't I?

Then this really is fleeing.

So bringing all these things is right.

I should have brought even more.

Tell me,

what if we never return?

We would not worry about living.

Boss, your business spans the entire realm.

Even if they liquidate one shop after another,

they will not finish in eight or ten years.

But Boss,

you still need someone at your side.

I must find the right person for you

and be sure they're worthy.

Why is that?

Boss, do you not know yourself?

You are not an easy master to serve.

Is that not why I have you?

Losing a bit of business is nothing.

Do not worry. I will still pay you double wages.

This is not about wages.

If that day truly comes,

once I settle you properly,

I will still return to Chang'an.

For that girl at the clinic?

No.

Boss, you have forgotten, have you not?

I remember. Your revenge has not been taken yet.

Yes.

With blood unavenged,

I am unworthy as a son.

His story is the same as yours.

He carries a hatred as deep as the sea.

That child came from Pingfang Township,

a run-down village outside Chang'an.

When he was 11 years old,

he saw with his own eyes

his father trampled to death by a young master riding back to Chang'an.

From then on, he swore to avenge that blood debt.

He waited five years before coming to Chang'an,

bringing all his belongings.

A total of 17 wen was only enough to buy one knife.

Why wait?

He waited until his mother passed away.

Because if he died first, he would fail in his filial duty

and she would grieve.

When he found the young master,

the young master's family had already fallen,

leaving only him and his mother

living in a weed-choked courtyard.

When the boy surnamed Su saw this,

he did not strike.

He began to wait again.

Later he met Yang Chuhao.

Yang Chuhao learned his story and asked him

whether he spared him out of softness.

He said no.

No matter how miserable a foe becomes, he is still a foe.

And when it comes to vengeance, he will show no mercy.

But he had to wait a little longer.

He would only act after the young master's mother died.

Only then would he strike.

Because if the young master died,

there would be no one left to care for his mother.

Later on, Yang Chuhao took him in.

That child was truly clever, one in a thousand.

And meticulous.

Naturally he became Yang Chuhao's confidant.

Yang, as I see it,

raised him like a son.

Boss, how could you do work like this?

Let me handle it.

Kid, it's not that bad. I can do it.

It is that bad.

I have to do everything I can

to be worthy of the wages Boss gives me.

You.

What if one day I really run away,

and you're not by my side?

What am I to do then?

This story

is fake.

Only two people can tell

that this story is fake.

You and me.

Yang

doesn't know.

What caught my eye was not his cleverness,

but how well he hid himself.

He lived as an obedient servant,

and might have lived that way forever,

earning himself a reputation as a kind man.

That would've been no ill fate.

But when the chance comes,

he will remember that he is no good man,

but a flower grown from poisoned soil.

How did you know Su Changlin's story was fake?

People who have crawled out of hell

are easily content

with ordinary things.

But when something seems too good,

they usually don't believe it.

I spoke with Su Changlin.

He could become an excellent Huben member.

But before that day comes,

he needs a merit to his name.

At this very moment, Yang Chuhao's life

has already become that merit.

Yang is your father's old friend,

and my friend.

I do not rejoice in his death,

not in the least.

But he must die.

Sure enough, in this world,

anything that seems too good

is rarely worth trusting.

Tell me honestly, do you really have to go?

The moment the siege on Yan Fengshan failed,

I knew the Huben in Chang'an

had not been wiped out completely.

If you ask whether there is anyone

in this dynasty worth trusting, there must be.

But I do not dare to gamble.

No matter whom I entrust with command, I cannot rest easy.

I must go north myself,

bring back the Baiwenhu,

and retake Chang'an.

The journey is long,

and you have only a few men.

Be careful along the way.

Do not worry.

This time I will not let the general come to any harm.

After nightfall, leave through Jinguang Gate.

Master has arranged someone to meet you there.

My thanks for your help.

Huai'an risked his life to enter the game

to buy my return from the palace

and to make Wuyin Chong agree to his terms.

I do not know

whether he ever said

what one must do to leave Yan Fengshan's side.

The letter he left behind

did not mention it either.

That courtyard seems ordinary,

but it is full of hidden traps.

There must be secret sentries all around.

With the forces we can muster now,

breaking in would be extremely difficult.

You must not attack by force.

Even if you break through the outer defenses,

Yan Fengshan is still inside.

In today's Chang'an,

there is no longer anyone who can stand against him.

There is no need to worry too much.

By now you surely know Xie Huai'an.

He must have prepared a formidable backup plan.

Do not worry.

Indeed.

I promised him that I would not die.

Then he will not die either.

Everyone,

I must trouble you

with everything in Chang'an.

So many people have died.

We have to burn some money to send down to them.

Burn some for Yang Chuhao as well.

After all, he is your friend.

Not only Yang Chuhao.

Tonight is also Wang Pu's first seven days.

I sent Zhiying to burn paper at his grave.

The child you raised for 25 years

was your shackle.

If not for him,

you would have lost control of your urge to kill

and turned into a madman long ago.

It does not sit well with you, does it?

Bai Wan's death must have grieved you deeply.

She was the only family you had left.

You hid her away and guarded her.

In the end she was stabbed to death.

She is buried right here.

Of course I know that.

From the moment we moved to this courtyard,

no one has dared set foot on this patch of ground.

You really are so tender-hearted.

When she turned one, I carved her amulet myself.

Naturally, I felt sorry for her.

But I still had to kill her.

Killing her and breaking you

were the only way I could win.

And you really did it.

I have always worked with great care,

spending a great deal of time on my layouts,

thinking through every detail.

Yet in the end,

I was still one move short,

and all my last kin died.

She died.

That was when I became a madman.

Do you know that?

I can see her.

At first I only saw her once in a while.

Slowly,

she began to appear more often.

Later,

whenever I thought of her,

she would appear by my side.

White Hair.

What is it?

Very mad, am I?

But if you cast reality aside…

and imagine wildly

that the dead could be brought back to your side.

Do you not find that amusing?

Can you not see Wang Pu?

So it is not you who is mad,

it is me who is mad.

It is not you who is mad,

it is me who is mad.

This is your junior sister's clinic.

You are not even helping.

Do your work. Stop talking nonsense.

My eyelid has been twitching for the past two days.

I wonder how matters stand with Huai'an.

‪BLESSINGS ABOUND, MISFORTUNE FADES

Do not move.

Careful, there may be hidden weapons.

Xiaoqing, this is for you.

Then I will take it back to my room first,

so you two won't steal my late-night snack.

Xiaoqing has never been good at the arts,

but she is a glutton.

May I ask you, what does she like to eat?

She does like a few sweet treats.

What are you thinking about?

Someone fancies your junior sister, and you're displeased?

This dessert was given by that servant beside Yang Chuhao.

He likes Xiaoqing.

Huai'an and I both know.

So?

He is the closest person to Yang Chuhao,

like his adopted son.

Huai'an had me investigate him.

So what exactly are you trying to say?

What I am trying to say is

Yang Chuhao is currently fleeing for his life,

so there is no reason he would not take him along.

At a time like this, for him to suddenly appear in Chang'an

is very strange.

I understand.

That guy might actually be a traitor.

Master has not sent word yet.

We do not know whether Yang Chuhao

has entered Cangshui River.

If he has not entered yet,

then that guy is certainly suspect.

While he has not gone far,

I will follow him.

This is Chang'an City. Stop wandering around.

Take good care of your face.

I am going.

Gu Yu has been rescued.

Wuyin Chong has left.

You entered the game in person and won half a move.

But what comes next?

You are not someone who leaves no way out.

I want to know

what method you have

to walk out of this courtyard.

I cannot get out,

and you will not kill me,

will you?

Not right now.

But someday.

Then there is still time.

You are waiting for Xiao Wuyang.

Not only him.

I arranged for 400 men and still failed to kill him.

White Hair,

you really are a bit mad.

Every moment you are trapped here,

anything that happens outside, you cannot respond to.

You know that, don't you?

Come in.

Greetings, General Fengshan,

Mr. Huai'an.

Have you decided to join the Huben Army?

Where is your merit?

Yang Chuhao is already dead.

That is my merit.

These injuries

came from a little trouble

on the way just now.

Is he dead?

Almost.

Before dawn,

he should die in the streets of Chang'an.

It was Ye Zheng's sword.

I have trained with the blade for ten years.

This is the first time I've faced such a trying foe.

Ye Zheng is truly a worthy opponent.

It is a pity

he is too ruled by his emotions.

No matter what,

my feelings for Xiaoqing are real.

I told you this is the risk you have to take.

Trapped here,

you cannot deal with anything outside.

This courtyard

is truly lovely.

Tonight

is the end.

Go ahead.

Sir, Yulong Ridge lies ahead.

In these past decades,

the wisest,

the strongest,

and the most cunning

have all gathered in Chang'an.

Tell me.

Is it time?

It is snowing even after the Spring Equinox.

This is not a peaceful year.

When your father died, it was also a snowy night.

Your father, covered in wounds, was brought before me.

And the one who delivered the final blow was not Liu Ziyan.

It was me.

I even gathered his remains

and built a grave for him.

Did you find that grave?

Did you ever weep before it?

LIU ZIWEN

Accept your fate, White Hair.

Stop struggling.

Accept such a fate?

Tell me.

How does one accept fate?

One kowtow at a time.

That is how the word fate is written.

I'll kill him for you.

Ever since you rescued Gu Yu from Chang'an,

the four regional commanders have all pressed me for battle orders.

They refuse to see Gu Yu return with the northern Baiwenhu Army

and join forces with Xiao Wuyang's army.

Many people are destined to die tonight.

Go.

I permit you to die where you grew up.

My men outside will see you off on your final road.

You are tired.

I will stir the charcoal and leave.

Cease this pretense of serving me.

Come back tomorrow.

Tell me what you want.

I had wanted to kill Xie Huai'an myself.

Killing a man like him

felt like an accomplishment.

But now it seems that if he were to die under the blades of the Huben,

as the tales say his father did,

it'd be far more interesting.

When I was seven, I learned to make dumplings.

And I even wrapped

a copper coin inside,

hoping you would be the one to eat it.

Hoping you would live a thousand years,

safe and at peace.

Does that Xie Huai'an have a weakness?

He does.

He wants too badly to kill someone.

That is right.

You guessed correctly.

He wants to kill me.

One who keeps thinking only of killing you,

does that count as remarkable?

Killing intent is instinct.

If one is too driven by instinct,

it is easy to lose oneself.

On the contrary,

to be able to put down the desire to kill someone

is what makes one extraordinary.

General.

I heard the elder Huben say

that when you were young,

you were also steeped in bloodshed.

Later,

you appeared.

Me?

The number of people who kill for me keeps growing

and I am getting older.

I no longer need to swing every blade with my life on the line.

Perhaps for this very reason,

my killing intent slowly faded.

General.

I am returning to Chang'an.

I am the one who kills for the general.

On this trip back,

I will kill Xie Huai'an.

As long as you return safely.

THE FESTIVAL APPROACHES SPRING, AND THE NEW YEAR IS BLESSED