Original subtitles

ADAPTED FROM THE NOVEL ZHU YU BY TUAN ZI LAI XI ON JJWXC.NET

If the Emperor lacks virtue…

let him abdicate, then.

Yigui,

mind your words.

What was said today,

neither I

nor any of my ministers

has heard a thing.

Come. Let's drink

and enjoy

this moment together.

UPHOLD VIRTUE, GRANT MERCY CHERISH THE WORTHY, HONOR THE DIFFERENT

Back then, only a handful of us

heard that remark about abdication.

Could someone have betrayed us?

HEAR ALL SIDES

I was not the fool.

The late Emperor was tyrannical and corrupt.

The people suffered under his rule.

And he feared the Crown Prince

was too popular.

So he deliberately elevated the Jia clan and the Sixteenth Prince.

If, back then,

the Xie, Wei, and Qi families had joined forces

and placed Crown Prince Chengde upon the throne,

would the court have been clean and the people at peace?

But the Crown Prince

was too indecisive.

He lost the chance.

The Crown Prince and Linshan both died in battle.

And you, Grand Tutor,

spent your days in gloom, cast aside and ignored.

Tell me, would I really betray myself?

The Crown Prince once said

that Li Xing, though born of an upright scholarly line,

was obsessed with power.

-Could it be… -Exactly.

The moment Crown Prince set out for Jinzhou,

his fate was sealed. It was a dead end from the start.

The Crown Prince is foolish,

led astray by flatterers.

He even dared dream of taking my throne.

What say you, my ministers?

Your Majesty is wise and will judge rightly.

PRINCE CHANGXIN SUI TUO

I serve in the far northwest

and know little of the court's affairs.

I dare not speak rashly.

For the sake of the realm,

I

must do what pains me most.

Nephew, will you lend your strength?

You are the son of my imperial sister,

with half the blood of the imperial family in you.

Your Majesty means…

I would share the realm with you

and bind our houses in lasting alliance.

The late emperor gave Prince Changxin a hollow promise

and made him refuse to send troops.

To rid himself of his own son,

he even invited wolves into the house.

Truly a ruler without virtue.

The late emperor

forged letters in Rongyin's hand to summon me back to the capital…

QINGYUAN PALACE

…while I was on my way to send reinforcements.

Yan,

while the fire spreads, you must leave now.

No. We leave together.

Lord Wei, you…

If I had not cut my losses and escaped,

I would have been branded a traitor who defiled the palace.

The Wei clan

would have been exterminated to the ninth generation.

Get out!

Yan,

you go first.

Rongyin!

Do not worry. I will handle things here.

The Xie, Qi, and Wei families served Dayin for three generations.

We fought until our flesh and blood were spent.

Yet that dog of an emperor

toyed with us like pieces on a board!

As for what came after,

Grand Tutor, you know it well enough.

It was I who bathed the palace in blood.

Had I not launched a coup,

tell me, how could I have survived?

After Rongyin died,

I seized that dog emperor by the throat

and forced him to write the edict of abdication.

Only by taking control of the court myself

could Dayin remain stable

and the realm endure.

The disgrace laid upon Wei Qilin

was also something I had no choice but to do.

The late emperor's scheme

was far too thorough.

Before returning to the capital,

I entrusted the tiger tally to the man I trusted most, Wei Qilin,

and ordered him to seek reinforcements in my place.

Your Highness, the tiger tally is genuine.

Please send the troops at once.

This tally is fake.

It does not match.

Everything had already been arranged by the late Emperor.

Later, misled by Qi Min,

Zheng reopened the Jinzhou case from 17 years ago

and discovered that Wei Qilin's family was still alive.

Silencing them

was the only way to preserve the bond between uncle and nephew.

Who would have thought that fate would intervene.

Zheng was saved by Fan Changyu.

Heaven's will cannot be escaped.

Truly…

when emperors play their games, loyal ministers die unjustly.

So, in the end,

I have still lost.

Shall we go in?

Let's leave.

Fortunately,

Xie Zheng, who is the blade himself, finally found its sheath.

Fan Changyu.

Let me borrow Changyu's words.

In this life, be a good pig.

In the next life,

be a good man.

A man like me…

will surely fall into the depths of hell.

There will be no next life for someone like me.

Little wooden horse,

clip-clopping along.

A young boy, brave and proud.

Sword in hand, singing battle songs,

driving all the enemies away.

Time for morning court.

Morning court.

Morning court.

My ministers,

who has a matter to present before me?

Chancellor Wei, why are you kneeling?

Am I really that frightening?

Never mind.

If there's nothing further, court is dismissed.

In the end, this realm

can only depend on me.

Depend on me. Depend on me.

Brother.

Look what I brought you.

All your favorite things.

Candied plums

and your beloved osmanthus pastries.

Come. Have a bite.

Delicious. Delicious!

Slow down. You will choke.

Delicious.

Brother.

Do you still recognize

who I am?

Wha… What?

Brother.

What did you say?

I am wise. Yes.

What did you say?

I thought you would not come.

Someone had to see you off.

You may break your promises.

I do not.

I must say,

you even made soup for me.

Very kind of you.

Even a condemned prisoner

is given a last meal

before execution, doesn't he?

Feed me.

Do not waste your effort.

What is it?

You pity me?

The flavor is good,

though it has gone cold.

Do you know

when I truly fell for you?

I do.

But if I could do it again…

I'd never have pulled you out of that water.

You were the only one who saw my face

and did not recoil in fear.

Your reward.

And in you,

I saw something I had long yearned for.

Freedom.

You once had that too.

It was right in front of you.

But you hid it behind your mask.

Thank you for keeping your word.

You hate me so much…

yet you still gave me what I asked for.

Yu Qianqian.

I truly liked you.

That is why,

if there is another life,

I hope

we never meet again.

Is there more?

Do not let it go to waste.

At the very end…

You once told me

that if you died,

you could return home.

I want to know

who you truly are.

A wandering ghost?

A fallen immortal?

Tell me.

Let me die knowing the truth.

I am just myself.

I am Yu Qianqian.

You…

You liar.

Are you alright?

Changyu,

I have a secret.

I came from a place very, very far away.

I might never be able to return.

If it is that far away,

then do not go back.

Come back to Lin'an. We will live there in peace.

Come on.

DAYIN

In the 18th year of Yongping,

Yu Bao'er's name was formally registered in the imperial genealogy.

His mother, Empress Dowager Yu, renamed him Qi Yu.

That spring, the new emperor ascended the throne and began the Yongxing era.

His birth mother, Lady Yu, was honored as Empress Dowager Mingde

and granted authority to rule from behind the curtain.

The late Huaihua Commandant Wei Qilin

was posthumously granted the title Count Zhongyong.

The late General Meng Shuyuan was posthumously named Marquis Wusu.

Marquis Wu'an, Xie Zheng, was appointed Prince Regent

to oversee affairs of state.

Fan Changyu was elevated to General Huaihua

and granted the rank First Rank Lady Protector of the Realm.

Together, they help govern the court.

The new emperor took the throne at a young age.

With the Three Excellencies sharing power,

both court and people looked forward

to peace across the land.

Long live the Emperor!

Long live the Emperor!

Long live the Emperor forever!

Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor forever!

GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS

Do not forget what you promised me.

Your mother is not here.

Hurry and eat some more.

Do not worry, Changning.

When I hold power one day,

I will not go against the Prince Regent or General Huaihua.

Only weak emperors grow suspicious of loyal ministers.

When you finally take power,

could you make me a princess too?

You want to be a princess?

Like the physician lady.

She looks so impressive.

When I get married,

my husband must offer his family's entire fortune as a bride price.

The whole realm belongs to me.

No one has more wealth than I do.

Would you like to be my empress?

You are giving me the imperial palace as my bride price?

Not just the palace. The entire realm.

The entire realm?

What does that mean?

It means…

from the battlefield, where your sister fights,

to this palace,

and even farther south,

all of it belongs to me.

If you become my empress,

then it will all belong to you.

That big?

Even my falcon would need days of flying to reach it.

You cannot go back on your word.

Let's make a promise.

-Pinky swear. -Pinky swear.

-A hundred years, never to change. -A hundred years, never to change.

-Only puppies break the promise. -Only puppies break the promise.

Qi Yu, how many times today have you had sweets sent in?

You will ruin your teeth!

Come here!

Come here right now!

You are getting more disobedient by the day.

-Pretty Lady, do not hit him! -Mother!

Changning, be good.

-Do you know how many cavities -Pretty lady…

-you already have? -Please!

-And you still run? -Pretty lady…

Come here!

Do not run.

Get over here.

You skip your writing practice…

HUMBLE YOURSELF AND STAY ON GUARD

…yet you still sneak sweets. Come here.

LI RESIDENCE

Careful with that.

Oh no, that…

The estate's confiscated. Watch yourself.

Stand over there.

Grandfather,

wars with Northern Jue

have drained Dayin's treasury.

Our family has donated everything we own.

Let it serve as atonement for our crimes.

His Majesty and the Prince Regent keep their word.

They will not pursue past offenses.

Please set your mind at ease

and retire to a peaceful life.

Peaceful retirement?

Call it what it is.

Confiscation and exile.

The crimes of our family were unforgivable.

This is already the best outcome.

If they had shown no mercy,

the entire Li clan

would have been wiped out.

I played the villain for nothing.

Seventeen years ago,

I became the villain for nothing.

Wenkan,

have you truly

asked to be exiled to the frontier,

to suffer in that frozen wasteland?

Perhaps

this is the best ending fate could have arranged.

LIN'AN

Changyu is back!

-Changyu! -Changyu!

Changyu is back!

-Changyu! -You are back!

Changyu is back!

NOODLE SOUP

Changyu, you are back!

Mrs. Fan!

Changyu!

Changyu!

Mrs. Fan!

Greetings, General Huaihua.

-Please. -General Huaihua!

-Changyu! -Changyu is back!

You are back!

LUO'S PAWNSHOP

Mrs. Fan is back!

Mrs. Fan is back!

SUN’S BAMBOO WORKS

Changyu!

You are back!

-General Huaihua! -Mrs. Fan!

Changyu!

Changyu!

Changyu!

Changyu!

You are back!

Changyu is back!

You have waited long for this moment, haven't you?

SPIRIT TABLET OF MENG LIHUA SPIRIT TABLET OF WEI QILIN

All I ask

is that they come home soon.

Milady, that is enough.

They are blessed with good fortune.

They will be fine.

You men would never understand.

You do not know how a mother feels when a piece of her heart is torn away.

Do we look that important?

You think we could just go around being the parents of General Huaihua?

What nonsense are you thinking?

Mr. Zhao! Mrs. Zhao!

Zhao.

Zhao, listen!

We are back!

Is that Ning's voice?

-Miss them so much, you're hearing things? -Mr. Zhao! Mrs. Zhao!

-Listen. -Listen to what?

Mr. Zhao! Mrs. Zhao!

It is true.

They really came back.

Is anyone…

Mr. Zhao! Mrs. Zhao!

Changyu.

Changyu!

You are really back!

Mr. Zhao.

Mrs. Zhao.

You are tanned.

And thinner too. You poor child.

It is good you are back.

Mother.

Father.

I came back safe and sound.

I will serve you both as your daughter.

We will never be separated again.

I will take care of you too.

Changyu. What did you just call us?

On her way home,

she kept thinking of changing how she addresses you.

She hopes you will allow it.

-Good. -How could we deserve such a blessing?

As long as you are staying, that is all that matters.

No matter how grand the officials or how wide

the world outside,

nothing compares to home.

Nothing compares to having your parents beside you.

No more parting, children.

We will never be separated again.

Mr. Zhao! Mrs. Zhao!

We are back!

Mr. Zhao, Mrs. Zhao, we all made it back safe.

We will take care of you together.

Jin Yuanbao.

You have grown up.

Come, come, get up.

Man Cang.

You are still as sturdy as ever.

-Man Wu. -Mrs. Zhao.

Where is Man Di?

One is still missing.

Mother.

Man Di

did not make it back.

How could one be missing?

Good children.

You are home now.

You are home now.

You are home.

Come. Come inside.

-Quick, come inside. -Come in!

Come. You are home now, Changning.

We are home!

SPIRIT TABLET OF ZISU, A DEAR FRIEND

SPIRIT TABLET OF FULING, A DEAR FRIEND

SPIRIT TABLET OF LAN SHUHUI, A DEAR FRIEND

SALVATION FOR ALL

Mother!

-Mother! -Your Majesty,

you should address her as Mother Empress.

Mother Empress, come here.

What is it?

Mother Empress, I want to issue a decree.

I want to make Changning my empress.

Then you should ask whether Changning is willing first.

Last time Changning asked me to make her a princess.

I did not want to,

so I made her empress instead.

Changning already agreed.

We even pinky swore.

That still will not do.

Why not?

Because you are both still children.

You cannot marry yet.

Wait until you turn 20.

Then you can ask Changning again.

All right.

It is snowing!

At the third quarter of noon…

Wei Yan will be executed now.

Yigui,

this wine was prepared by Jiuheng himself.

It will spare you…

from the torture of death by a thousand cuts.

Another year of falling snow.

Another year of falling snow.

Did you anger your uncle again?

Uncle is so strict when he teaches.

And he has no patience.

He is always scolding me.

Uncle!

I won!

So you finally came.

It is getting late.

You should head home.

Wei Yan, former Chancellor.

Though he served the realm, his crimes stand.

Treason, deceit, and kinslaying.

Peace claimed, but built on blood.

Sentenced to death.

Let posterity judge his life.

In this life, be a good pig.

In the next life,

be a good man.

A man like me…

will surely fall into the depths of hell.

There will be no next life for someone like me.

TWO MONTHS LATER

XIGU ALLEY

Excuse me. Let me pass.

Did you know?

Ever since we came back to Xigu Alley,

this tree somehow became a matchmaking tree.

People say the fate between General Huaihua and the Prince Regent

began right here under this tree.

How did the story turn into that?

You dragged me home from the snowy ferry crossing.

Anyway, people say this tree is very powerful.

If you toss a red ribbon into the branches

and two ribbons tangle together,

then that person is your destined one.

You really believe that?

It is true.

A lot of people made wishes here

and later met the one meant for them.

Did we really have to sneak out in the middle of the night

like thieves just to come here?

If people saw the two of us coming here to pray in person,

they would laugh us to death.

You go.

Afraid?

I'm the head of the house.

My ribbon should be catching yours.

All right.

Let's do it.

It has to catch.

-That doesn't count. -What are you doing?

I am trying again.

I need to pull it down and throw it again.

Ours are not tangling.

It is fine. They already tangled.

Where?

-I can't even tell whose ribbon that is. -Trust me.

In this life,

the next life,

and every life after,

we are tied together.

Still, I want to take it down.

Come on. Let's go.

-Put me down! -No.

Did you hear me?

I did not.

I have to get back!

CHANGYU AND ZHENG, TOGETHER FOREVER AND EVER

XIE

FIVE YEARS LATER, JINZHOU MILITARY CAMP

I haven't been to a military camp in years.

The memories come flooding back.

They do.

Form ranks!

-Form ranks! -Form ranks!

Move it!

Prince Regent. General Huaihua.

Northern Jue forces invaded.

Blood-clad Cavalry is assembling.

Changyu, I'll have someone escort you back to Lin'an.

What are you talking about? I am going with you.

Do not be absurd.

When did you last see battle?

Do not underestimate me.

I did not earn the title

of General Huaihua by sitting around.

-Someone! -Yes!

-Bring me my armor. -Yes!

General Xie,

if things turn dangerous, hide behind me.

You are a mother of two. Time to stop making jokes.

Then be careful.

Come back safe.

Come back safe.

THE END

END CREDIT SCENE

IF THE JINZHOU TRAGEDY 17 YEARS AGO HAD NEVER HAPPENED

Zheng is really devoted to practicing his sword.

A few days ago,

his father pointed out

that his sword forms were not solid enough.

So lately,

aside from eating, sleeping, and studying,

he spends all his spare time

right here practicing.

Ever since he was little,

he has been stubborn like this.

He does not resemble me at all.

Nor his father.

He takes after his uncle.

They say nephews are like their uncles.

That saying exists for a reason.

The little one in my belly though

is quite lazy.

Already full term

and she barely moves.

I am thinking

she will be a quiet girl.

But whenever her father teases her,

she suddenly kicks so hard,

she nearly scares him to death. He spent the whole night awake

worrying to me,

"What if it turns out to be a boy?"

What is wrong with that?

General Wei likes daughters that much?

He was positively smug about it.

He told me, "If it is a girl, we will name her Changyu."

And if it is a boy?

He said boys are tough.

We would just call him Rocky

or Buster for now.

When he grows older,

his grandfather can give him a proper name.

I have heard

there is an old folk trick.

Let a child guess whether the baby in a pregnant woman's belly

is a boy or a girl.

-Shall we try it? -Why not?

Zheng.

Come here to me.

Let me ask you something.

What do you think is inside Aunt Meng's belly?

A little boy or a little girl?

A little girl.

If it is a little girl,

then you must marry her

and bring her home as my daughter-in-law.

Why would she become your daughter-in-law?

Because I like her.

All right.

"If it is a girl, we will name her Changyu."

CHANGYU

WHERE CLOUDS MEET VERDURE

Greetings, Madam.

Thanks for coming.

How is she? Has she delivered?

Yes. Mother and daughter are both safe.

I was sent to deliver the good news.

Thank you, Nanny.

Please come inside.

It was kind of her to send word.

I've prepared a small gift to show my regards.

Thank you.

How is she doing?

She is doing well.

Please help pass along a message.

In a few days, I will come visit her.

Very well.

Madam, please stay.

Thank you for your trouble.

Mother, did Aunt Meng give birth?

She did.

What is it?

Zheng, are you already thinking about your little bride?

CHANGYU'S BIRTHDAY, FIFTH YEAR OF QINGHE

17TH DAY, 1ST MONTH

CHANGYU'S BIRTHDAY 17TH DAY, 1ST MONTH, 5TH YEAR OF QINGHE

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER

Over the past five years,

Father has worn down the Northern Jue forces

until their treasury is nearly empty.

And now those old men at court

are calling for a ceasefire.

Is that not the same as handing the Northern Jue army

a chance to recover and strike again later?

I came to the capital in Father's place

to persuade His Majesty

to continue and march for their stronghold.

We could wipe them out.

Do you really think

those old ministers are the ones calling for the ceasefire?

Your father's campaigns these past years

have been steady and measured.

His aim has always been

to grind down Northern Jue's strength

until they collapse entirely.

But His Majesty does not see it that way.

But my father has always been

absolutely loyal to His Majesty.

Twenty years ago, His Majesty

was much like the present Crown Prince Qi Min.

Virtuous and upright.

Yet over the years, his attitude

toward the Eastern Palace has changed.

He fears history repeating itself.

He guards against it,

even with his own son.

So imagine how he must regard a lord stationed in the northwest,

commanding a hundred thousand troops, and not even of the imperial clan.

How could he possibly leave such a man unchecked?

Enough.

Set aside the matter of attacking Northern Jue for now.

If you bring this up again

before His Majesty,

His Majesty will still find excuses

to brush it aside, talking about floods in the south

and other affairs of state.

Thank you for the advice.

No need for that.

Oh, by the way,

your aunt prepared some dishes.

Let's go eat.

You are finally

old enough to share a few drinks with me.

These days, even Father and General Wei cannot outdrink me.

Tonight I will see whether you can hold your wine better than I can.

So the fledgling has grown his wings.

Very well. Let's settle it at the wine table.

Please.

BY IMPERIAL GRACE

YIXIANG RESTAURANT

Guests, please come inside.

Very well.

This way, please.

Please.

-Careful. -Strange.

Lin'an felt oddly familiar.

You two must also be guests from the capital.

Please come upstairs.

The other guests are waiting for you.

Ms. Yu,

you look familiar.

Have we met somewhere before?

Funny you should say that.

Now that you mention it,

I feel the same.

Perhaps in a past life, we were good friends.

Come. Let me treat you to our specialties.

Let's go.

You must all be tired from the journey.

Allow me to offer a toast.

-Come. -Come, come.

To your hard work.

Bottoms up.

Thank you all for waiting.

This is our restaurant's signature dish, snow frog soup.

Honored guests, please enjoy.

-Smells decent enough. -Snow frog soup?

It smells wonderful.

Sir, would you like to try some?

Sir, are you feeling unwell?

I will go change.

Please enjoy yourselves.

Sir, are you truly all right?

It is nothing.

Please go about your work, Ms. Yu.

The soup tastes great, and you throw up.

I am this pretty, and you still throw up.

What on earth is wrong with you?

Are you all right?

Your Highness values talent and courtesy.

Why such an aversion to a mere innkeeper today?

I tried the soup just now.

There was nothing unusual about it.

I do not know why either.

Perhaps she was an enemy of mine in a past life.

When I see her,

my heart is strangely pleased,

yet I cannot go near.

The moment I do, I feel sick.

That's why they say fate brings people together,

but destiny keeps them apart.

NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS EPISODE

Subtitle translation by: Jiaxin Wang