Original subtitles

[A Dream Within A Dream]

[Episode 22]

Li Shiliu,

the capital prefecture's office is handling a case.

How dare you obstruct us?

So what if it's the capital prefecture's office?

Without my approval today,

you won't take anyone away.

What if I insist on taking him away today?

You're welcome to try.

[Big Fortune]

Li Shiliu,

I'm taking him back

to investigate an old case.

If he isn't Shangguan Baihe,

I will release him.

But if he is—

sorry—

next time I come,

I'll hold the entire Waning River Crescent

accountable for sheltering a criminal.

Everyone, please calm down.

Calm down.

It's alright, Chief.

The innocent have nothing to fear.

Since I'm innocent,

what harm is there in going with him?

I'll leave Song Yiting

to you.

Let's go.

[Script Rule]

The fall into the royal garden's water,

the rescue during the Lantern Festival,

and the family feud over foraging wild vegetables—

all these events have already happened.

[Iconic Scenes in the Script]

If all

the iconic scenes in the script

can't be skipped,

[Iconic Scenes in the Script]

then the next one is…

[4. Betrayed by Her Own Sister and Husband]

Miss Yimeng!

Miss Yimeng!

Yinzhu?

What's the matter?

Miss Yiting is in trouble.

What happened to Yiting?

It's Madam.

She invited a matchmaker to the house

and insisted on getting Miss Yiting's birthdate to arrange a marriage for her.

Miss Yiting refused and argued with her.

Madam got angry and threatened to confine her.

But Miss Yiting said...

Just tell me!

What did she say?

She said everyone's forcing her to be a puppet,

but she's determined to fight for herself this time.

She said she wants to make things irreversible

and break Madam's hope completely.

She's planning to elope!

General,

whether Shangguan Baihe is real or not,

we'll pin it on Waning River Crescent

and teach these nobodies from the martial arts world a lesson.

I've brought your things.

Where's the blade?

Is this the last thing

you want to say to me?

On the way here,

I was wondering

if you wanted to see me one last time.

Now I see

it was just my wishful thinking.

What Nan Rui said

was taught to him by you.

Every word

reflected how you see me.

But I want you to tell me yourself

what you really

think of me.

This is our last meeting.

From now on, no more news,

no more encounters.

I can give you the blade,

but I want you to be honest with me one last time.

What's going on?

Shangguan He,

something's happened to Song Yiting!

Where is Mr. Li?

Take me to him quickly.

Yiting went to see Nan Heng.

She's in danger!

Bring Shangguan He back to the capital prefecture's office.

Zijin Pavilion

is where I came with my father as a child.

It's where my father

and Yimeng's mother pledged their love.

That day,

it was also snowing heavily.

I didn't listen to my father

and wait in the corridor;

I sneaked into the hall.

Unexpectedly,

I saw my father crying.

Since I was old enough to remember things,

my mother told me

Yimeng's mother came from a humble background.

But that day,

I was curious for the first time—

what kind of love

could make a proud Minister of War

hold his late wife's memorial tablet

in this broken house

and cry uncontrollably?

I understand what you're saying.

You want to find someone

like your father.

But Miss Song,

can we talk about this another day?

Without a soulmate,

wandering the world alone is fine.

But after meeting you,

I feel that

spending time with you

would be a good thing.

Mr. Li,

I don't know

what I like about you.

Maybe I just don't want to enter a blind marriage

with someone I don't love.

That man

matches my status,

but it's only a match of status.

Having witnessed true love,

how could one settle for less?

Mr. Li,

are you the one I should wait for?

Miss Song,

I can't

give you an answer today.

How about this?

Wait a few more days,

and I believe you'll find your answer.

What if I don't want to wait?

I'm sorry.

It's the incense.

Miss Song!

Miss...

I'm sorry.

Miss Song.

Please calm down.

Please calm down.

Miss Song...

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry!

Miss Song!

The snow is too heavy.

Yimeng,

you should go back.

I know the place;

I can go by myself.

No.

Since I'm already in this world,

I have to stop her from making a mistake.

Otherwise,

I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

Miss Song!

Miss Song!

If you don't want to marry Nan Rui, there are plenty of ways.

You don't have to go down this path

and ruin your reputation.

Without Nan Rui,

my mother would make me marry someone else.

I want the whole world to know

that I'm an immoral woman.

That way, from the emperor to commoners,

no one will be able to control me anymore!

I'm sorry!

Don't!

Wait.

You said you liked me,

but you don't

even show the basic respect—

how can that be called liking?

I really have no other choice.

Don't!

I'm sorry!

Please don't!

Seventh Prince?

Why is it you?

It's...

It's not what you think.

My sister's carriage is here.

Hurry!

Song Yimeng?

If Song Yimeng sees this,

she'll never speak to Li Shiliu again.

[Zijin Pavilion]

Is my private business that entertaining?

Get out!

[Zijin Pavilion]

[Song Residence]

In my whole life,

I only hope Yiting can marry into a good family.

[Still Waters Run Deep]

But in the end,

her reputation was ruined

by the Seventh Prince!

Honey,

you can't just stand by and do nothing.

Honey,

we mustn't panic first.

This whole thing seems suspicious.

The Seventh Prince hasn't said a word.

We should at least wait for Yiting to wake up

and hear what she has to say before making any decisions.

What are you waiting for?

Waiting for Yiting to tell you herself

how that Seventh Prince tricked her

with filthy tactics?

Song Yude, listen to me.

I've lowered myself for you all my life

and endured every hardship.

You...

But now I live

only for this daughter.

If you dare let Yiting marry that Seventh Prince,

I...

I'll fight you to the death!

When did I ever say I was going to

let Yiting marry the Seventh Prince?

Let Yiting become a concubine to Yimeng's husband?

You...

You're...

You're completely absurd!

Master, Madam,

the Seventh Prince's Xuanjia Army has broken into the residence.

What?

Stop right there.

Mr. Song, Mrs. Song.

What exactly are you trying to do

by barging into my residence?

Don't get us wrong.

His Highness said

that today

Miss Yimeng and Miss Song Yiting encountered villains in the mountains

and were frightened.

[Persistence]

This concerns the safety of Song Residence.

His Highness ordered me to bring some troops

to protect the security of Song Residence.

Nonsense!

What villains?

[Persistence]

This is clearly the Seventh Prince's…

Where is the Seventh Prince?

I want to see him!

Well...

His Highness said

that he will explain all arrangements for tonight

when he meets His Majesty tomorrow.

And he will definitely give an account to Miss Song

and the Song family.

Some matters grow complicated with delay.

There are many eyes

and tongues in the capital.

His Highness is doing this

to protect Miss Yiting's reputation.

[Persistence]

You're...

You're threatening me.

I dare not.

Let's go.

What are you...

Honey!

You... you...

Move.

[Xiyue Pavilion]

I said move!

Song Yimeng.

Nan Heng,

[Xiyue Pavilion]

this is Song Residence,

not a place for you to do as you please.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry?

Nan Heng,

don't you think you're being hypocritical?

The method of weapon forging,

the crown prince position,

the script rule—

what else do you want to know?

I can tell you everything.

But what did Song Yiting do wrong?

Why did you harm

an innocent person?

I never meant to harm her.

And everything I'm doing now

is an attempt to make amends.

Make amends?

How?

[Xiyue Pavilion]

By having your Xuanjia Army

imprison everyone

in the Song family?

It's not like what you think.

Can't you trust me just once?

Not even once?

Seeing is believing.

[Xiyue Pavilion]

Your Highness, what else do you want Yimeng to believe?

Why are you everywhere?

You keep deceiving Yimeng again and again.

How can anyone trust that you'll treat her well?

From today on,

I won't stand by and watch.

And I absolutely won't let Yimeng marry you.

This is between me and Song Yimeng.

What right do you, an outsider, have to interfere?

Outsider?

What about my aunt's murder?

Is that none of my business too?

I've regretted it for 19 years.

Today,

I will never let you harm my beloved again.

I will reclaim my engagement to Yimeng,

and you

will pay the price.

You can slander me for causing Her Majesty's death

or for trying to seduce Song Yiting,

but let me tell you,

you will never reclaim your engagement

to Song Yimeng.

You...

Enough!

Stop it.

Nan Heng,

your scheming to form a marriage alliance with the Song family

by any means necessary is just to expand your power.

Why are you putting on this act?

General Chu,

you should go back.

You don't need to interfere

with the Song family's matters.

Yimeng...

I'm telling you to go back.

[Xiyue Pavilion]

Song Yimeng...

If your Xuanjia Army is still at Song Residence

when Song Yiting wakes tomorrow,

don't blame me for being harsh.

[Xiyue Pavilion]

[Capital Prefecture's Office]

Say it!

Will you say it or not?

Enough.

I will personally interrogate him.

Yes.

Qianyu Army fights on the battlefield

and is not good at interrogation.

I am somewhat acquainted with Mr. Shangguan.

I will ask you

three questions directly,

and you answer truthfully.

Agreed?

That depends on whether I'm willing

to answer your questions.

In the winter of the first year of Xiyuan,

the Seventh Prince Nan Heng led

Xuanjia Army south by imperial order

to investigate a theft case involving three prefectures.

The ringleader,

Shangguan Baihe,

was executed seven days after being imprisoned.

This is what's recorded in the Ministry of Justice files.

What I'm curious about is

how Mr. Shangguan managed to escape

from the heavily guarded celestial prison?

Was it the Seventh Prince Nan Heng

who helped you?

Not long after you escaped,

you appeared in Waning River Crescent.

You and Li Shiliu

are both working for Nan Heng.

Is he running Waning River Crescent with great effort

to secure the succession?

Yes.

But not entirely.

What do you mean?

It is for the succession,

but not for himself—

it's for

the Eighteenth Prince.

The power behind Waning River Crescent

is the Eighteenth Prince,

Nan Rui.

How dare you!

Falsely accusing a prince

is a serious crime punishable by exile.

I'm telling the truth.

How is that false accusation?

I see.

You've never gotten along with the Seventh Prince.

And everyone in Qianyu Army

follows the Eighteenth Prince's lead.

Are you trying to use me as a pawn

to frame the Seventh Prince?

You should've just said so.

If you promise to release me,

I'll go with you to His Majesty

and slander Nan Heng.

What do you say?

Our general wants the truth.

If you keep talking nonsense,

I'll beat your teeth out!

No matter whether I cooperate with you

or not, you're never satisfied.

Mr. Chu,

what exactly do you want?

I'm telling you,

cases involving princes

must be jointly investigated and tried

by the Three Departments.

So I'll need to testify

before His Majesty?

What if

I suddenly change my statement there,

saying you, Chu Guihong, forced me to confess falsely

and framed the Seventh Prince?

What would happen to you

and your Qianyu Army?

Keep a close watch on him

and wait for His Majesty's decree

to execute him.

General.

General,

are we really going to let him die so easily?

How about

I find some torturers

to interrogate him again?

No need.

Shangguan He is already a useless pawn.

No amount of torture will change that.

So we're just letting it go?

Even a useless pawn can be useful.

Let's set a chain trap for Nan Heng.

A chain trap?

General, you mean...

Shangguan Baihe's capture

has proven Nan Heng's failure to handle the case.

Once we review all the records

and find the executioners from that day for questioning,

we'll know exactly

where the tampering occurred.

But what if Nan Heng

has covered his tracks perfectly?

Then we'll pass this hot potato to him—

let him investigate it himself

and prove his innocence.

If he protects Shangguan He,

we can trace his connections

and charge him.

If he tries to sacrifice his right-hand man to save himself,

we can take the opportunity

to weaken him.

If Shangguan He

really works for Nan Heng,

then the entire Waning River Crescent,

including the highly skilled Li Shiliu,

are all his accomplices.

Given Waning River Crescent's ways,

they won't just stand by and watch him die.

By then,

we can use this useless pawn as bait

to lure Waning River Crescent into a trap

and completely crush Nan Heng's faction's

influence among the people,

driving Nan Heng into a dead end.

[Xiyue Pavilion]

My Lady,

there's still no sound from inside.

You haven't slept all night.

Let's wait in your room instead.

Madam.

Are you happy now?

Stop pretending to care.

If it weren't for your improper behavior

and entanglement with Seventh Prince,

would the entire Song family

be in such a mess?

Your sister's life

has been ruined by you.

Madam, please don't worry.

About Yiting,

I'll figure something out.

Figure something out?

What exactly are you going to figure out?

Song Yimeng,

I've never neglected your needs since you were a child, right?

So why are you such a curse on this family?

Are you trying to get the entire family killed

before you're satisfied?

Madam, how can you say that?

Our lady truly cares for Miss Yiting.

How could she ever harm her?

Besides, she...

Am I wrong?

Look at all the soldiers in the courtyard,

and think about how your father defied imperial orders for you.

Song Yimeng,

if one day

the Song family is wiped out because of you,

I'll haunt you even as a ghost!

[A Dream of Qingning Scene 29, Episode 38]

[A Dream of Qingning Scene 29, Episode 38]

What exactly are you looking for?

The method of weapon forging.

How is she?

Madam,

Miss Yimeng.

Miss Yiting...

only wants to see the Seventh Prince.

[Song Residence]

Nan Heng!

I...

Are you even human?

I don't have time for you.

Nan Heng,

how could you...

Eighteenth Prince,

we are on the street.

Please stay calm

for Miss Yiting.

I...

Stay calm?

I...

Nan Heng,

both you and that Li Shiliu

are no good!

I will definitely avenge Yiting!

Just wait for your downfall!

If you want to know who Li Shiliu is

and keep him safe and sound,

come see me first thing when you wake up.

Seventh Prince,

well played.

[One day ago]

Is His Highness inside?

What happened?

Come.

Yiting.

Yiting?

Why did she pass out?

What did you do to her?

Your sister encountered mountain bandits

and fainted from fear.

Jerk.

Let's go!

Your Highness!

What exactly happened?

You...

What's wrong with you?

I'm fine.

I was drugged.

Go inside and clean up the mess.

Take the blade away.

Seal off all news

and deploy troops to surround the Song Residence.

You sealed off the news, surrounded Song Residence,

and even slipped a note into my clothes.

Your Highness, what exactly

are you scheming?

And also,

who exactly is Li Shiliu?

Actually,

since you were provoked by the Axe Gang

at Waning River Crescent,

the Li Shiliu you've been seeing

has always been Shangguan He.

Shangguan He?

That's impossible.

He's just a pervert.

How could he possibly be Mr. Li?

Miss Song,

this Li Shiliu

is another identity of mine.

Shangguan He happened

to meet you under this identity.

I didn't want to interfere

in this matter between you two.

Yesterday I went to Zijin Pavilion

because he asked me

to return these paintings to you.

But I didn't expect

what happened afterward.

Your identity must remain secret,

so you sent the Xuanjia Army to the Song Residence,

hoping to explain everything to me first.

Yes.

Seventh Prince, well played.

But today,

the one who should be talking to me

is not you.

Where is Shangguan He?

Doesn't he even have the courage to explain to me?

He is currently

in the prison of capital prefecture's office.

[Blossoms in Spring, Fruits in Autumn]

Move!

[Xiyue Pavilion]

No, no, no!

Please calm down, Mrs. Song.

Let me in.

His Highness did this for a reason.

He will certainly give you an explanation.

What explanation?

That he wants to marry our Yiting?

Should I just let his wolfish ambitions

drag Yiting into the fire?

How can you say that about His Highness?

If it weren't for Miss Yiting poisoning the incense burner,

would His Highness be like this?

What nonsense are you talking about?

How could our Yiting do such a thing?

It's clearly that Nan Heng...

It was your Miss Yiting who wanted to frame His Highness.

If you don't believe me,

Xuanjia Army has already brought back the incense burner

from Zijin Pavilion.

I'll take you to see it right now.

Shut up!

His Highness just wants to calm things down.

Why do you

keep causing trouble here?

You shameless scoundrel!

Trying to blame the victim, are you?

Fine.

Today I'll shut you up for good!

Fugui!

[Xiyue Pavilion]

How dare you act recklessly?

I...

I didn't act recklessly.

His Highness ordered us

not to fight back or talk back.

I wouldn't dare disobey.

You!

Let's go,

Madam.

The women in Song Residence

are all quite something,

and His Highness still gets entangled with them.

Isn't he just asking for trouble?

You two, master and servant,

have played me like a fiddle,

and now you want me to help hide the truth.

Your Highness,

why do you think I'd agree to that?

Shangguan He told me once

that your knowledge and talent

surpass most women.

Since you've read history,

you should know the lessons of the past.

Since you're good at chess,

you should understand gains and losses.

You said all this

just to warn me

that revealing your identity

will only make things worse,

that I'd get the reputation of seducing my brother-in-law,

and that Yimeng would become a laughingstock.

This benefits

neither me

nor the Song family.

As long as you understand this,

I will immediately withdraw my men from Song Residence.

And you can rest assured.

I've already sealed off

the news about last night.

Absolutely no one will know about it.

I'll also do my best to help

with your marriage arrangements

as compensation.

What makes you think

this is enough?

What else do you want?

I want Shangguan He

to be safe and sound.

Yimeng once said

you're ruthless

and far from a decent person.

Now that Shangguan He's been exposed,

if you don't step forward and take responsibility,

this won't end well.

But you

will never expose Waning River Crescent

or give up your power.

Are you planning to sacrifice the pawn to save the king,

keeping yourself clean of all this?

Miss Song, you're indeed smart.

But you don't need

to worry about these matters.

Whether smart

or foolish,

we're all just mortals.

A person must have some backbone.

I admit

every word you said before was right.

The pros and cons,

the risks and gains—

I understand them all.

But

I just don't want to comply with you.

Rescue Shangguan He,

apologize to Yimeng,

and never marry another woman

besides her in your life.

If you fail at either,

don't blame me

for exposing your identity.

You dare threaten me?

Aren't you afraid I'll...

If I die,

Yimeng will never forgive you.

On that alone,

I bet you don't dare.

Fine.

It's a deal.

[Song Residence]

[Token]

The capital prefecture's office is handling a case,

and there is important information.

Seventh Prince, please come to the office with me for a discussion.

What important information?

The capital prefecture's office has the authority to interrogate.

Any defiance

will be treated as a serious offense.

Who dares disrespect His Highness!

It's fine.

I haven't been to the capital prefecture's office since returning to the capital.

Today,

I'll go there with you.

Who is this person?

Your Highness, have you forgotten?

His name is Shangguan He.

You saw him at Waning River Crescent.

Logically speaking,

matters of outlaws shouldn't concern you.

But three years ago,

he was known as Shangguan Baihe—

the ringleader you arrested in the theft case

involving three prefectures in Jiangnan.

I've handled countless cases over the years.

How could I possibly remember

a insignificant prisoner?

According to the Ministry of Justice's records,

Shangguan Baihe was already executed.

Your Highness, as the official in charge of that case,

aren't you curious how someone

who supposedly died three years ago

is now alive?

So you are saying

that I should

watch over every prisoner

I arrest

all the way until their execution?

You can come up with 1000 reasons to deny it.

However,

yesterday, I went to the Secretariat

to check the old case files.

Guess what happened?

The archives caught fire.

All records from those years

were destroyed.

Your Highness,

if you were in my position,

wouldn't you suspect that someone powerful

was pulling the strings behind this case?

Every time you fail,

you blame me.

It was like this during the Pingrong Battle,

and it's still the same now.

It doesn't matter if you don't admit it.

Aren't you skilled at forcing confessions?

Then why don't you ask

Shangguan Baihe

how he came back from the dead?

Oh, and I forgot to tell you—

this case has already been reported to His Majesty.

What I'm doing today

is giving you a chance

to prove you didn't collude with court officials

to falsify the case files.

Catch them!

Your Highness,

are you alright?

Qianyu Army is truly useless.

You can't even keep watch over a prisoner.

Is there any place still safe

in the capital?

Fugui,

go back and lead the troops

to capture the men in black.

Yes.

Seventh Prince, you're known as the God of Death,

yet you were injured by a man in black.

Or were you just faking the injury

to cover up

a prison break?

Even the God of Death

has his limits.

Is that so?

It's a pity.

Looks like

you saved the wrong man.

Put him down!

Oh no!

That's not Shangguan He.

Stop right there!

Arrest them all!

This

is the real Shangguan He.

The ones who just broke into the prison

were Nightwalkers from Waning River Crescent, right?

Too bad.

They're probably surrounded by Rong Hua's men now.

Once Rong Hua captures them,

Seventh Prince,

what do you think about

sentencing them to exile a thousand miles

for the crime of prison breaking?

Sounds good.

But General Chu,

why are you so sure

the prison breakers are Nightwalkers?

I'm really not from Waning River Crescent.

Someone paid me five hundred taels

to lead people to break the prison

and promised

another five hundred after success.

That person

was a Nightwalker, right?

That person never showed up.

A little beggar

handed me the letter

and silver.

You hired people to break the prison?

General Chu, you must be joking.

I'm not Shangguan He's accomplice.

Why would I do that?

I'm just telling you this

to remind you

not to be...

overconfident.

It doesn't matter.

No matter who they are,

they'll only be Nightwalkers

from Waning River Crescent.

Officers, you must be joking.

How could that little beggar be a Nightwalker?

Enough.

I say it is so.

If there's no evidence,

then we'll fabricate it.

Today, Waning River Crescent must be shut down.

Brothers!

Follow me to Waning River Crescent.

Yes!

Framing?

Impressive.

You flatter me.

I've just been dealing with you for so long

that I picked up these tricks.

Now I'm just using

your own methods against you.

Mr. Chu, since you understand this,

do you also know

what the art

of escape means?