Original subtitles

[A Dream Within A Dream]

[Episode 23]

So you plan to frame me.

How clever.

You flatter me.

I've just been dealing with Your Highness too long

and picked up a few tricks.

I'm just fighting fire

with fire.

Mr. Chu, since you understand that,

do you also know

I could

make a clean getaway?

Nightwalkers,

leave Waning River Crescent now.

[Big Fortune]

Nan Heng,

I will find proof

that you're colluding with the Nightwalkers.

General Chu, you must be joking.

I'm here today because you invited me.

What does that have to do with Waning River Crescent?

Or are you saying

you brought me here on purpose

just so you could frame me for helping from the inside

and using the chaos to bust someone out?

Right after you entered the celestial prison,

there was a prison break.

Was that just a coincidence?

I'm puzzled about that too.

How did the thugs know I'd be here?

Besides,

I was injured here, wasn't I?

Could it be that

there's a mole in your Qianyu Army or in the office

of the capital prefecture?

Nan Heng,

that's slander!

You spoke out of turn

and framed a prince.

That's unforgivable!

You even set trap after trap

to take down both Waning River Crescent and me.

Your crimes are really numerous.

However,

you still don't know me well enough.

You call me the God of Death,

so why would someone like that

hesitate to take a life?

If Shangguan He really worked for me,

why would I have let him live?

Why didn't I kill him

during the chaos just now?

Why would I bother

having people disguised as thugs

to rescue him?

Shangguan He's sentencing is still days away.

I don't believe his accomplices will sit still

and just watch.

If they make a move,

they're bound to slip up.

If you ask me, the one who can't sit still here

is you, General Chu.

Yimeng.

Father.

How is she?

The physician said it's nothing serious.

She just needs a few days of rest.

Don't worry.

Father,

where is Nan Heng?

Is he still in Yiting's room?

He's already left.

I'll go check on her.

Not right now.

Yiting said

she doesn't want to see anyone at the moment.

Why not?

She wants to see Nan Heng

but not us?

That Seventh Prince is so manipulative,

making your sister fall so deeply for him.

Don't worry, Father.

I'll never let Nan Heng

hurt Song Yiting again.

His Majesty has arrived!

Greetings, Mr. Song.

Eunuch Liu.

I didn't know His Majesty was coming.

Forgive me for not receiving him properly.

No need for such formalities, Mr. Song.

His Majesty is visiting

in disguise.

He's not here for state affairs.

Then may I ask what matter

has brought His Majesty here?

Mr. Song, no need to pretend.

The Eighteenth Prince has gone to His Majesty

and reported the Seventh Prince's misconduct.

Then I should go see His Majesty at once.

Don't rush, Mr. Song.

The person His Majesty wishes to see

is not you.

Not me?

Then who is it?

Me?

Your Majesty,

Song Yimeng is here.

I'm Song Yimeng.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

I'm Song Yimeng.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

[Seventh Prince's Mansion]

Your Highness,

all Nightwalkers are gone.

The Qianyu Army got there and found nothing.

Good.

I was worried about that on my way here.

What's wrong?

Your Highness,

something terrible has happened.

The Eighteenth Prince went to see His Majesty

and reported you

because of Song Yiting.

What did His Majesty say?

His Majesty was furious.

He kept scolding Song Yimeng.

Why was he scolding Song Yimeng?

H-He said

Song Yimeng shouldn't have brought you, a terribl…

a terribly wise man,

into the Song Residence.

That's what caused all this mess.

He also said she acts improperly

and lacks feminine virtues.

Song Yiting followed her example

and became the wild, unruly girl she is now.

His Majesty scolded Song Yimeng,

but the one he resents is me.

Your Highness,

His Majesty is really angry this time.

He couldn't even wait to summon Song Yimeng to court

and personally went to the Song Residence

to teach her a lesson.

Eunuch Liu.

Why did His Majesty

summon me today?

His Majesty condescended to visit the Song Residence.

What do you think it's for?

The Emperor has always despised Nan Heng.

Could it be that he plans to use the Zijin Pavilion incident

to charge him with a crime?

If I tell him everything

about Nan Heng secretly seeking the method of weapon forging,

maybe I can stop

what's about to happen.

The Song family wouldn't be wiped out,

Yiting wouldn't be deceived,

and I wouldn't be mutilated.

Should I

expose him?

If I explained it to you,

would you believe me?

People call me the God of Death.

Isn't that what you think too?

The world insults and curses me.

Haven't you done the same?

It's true that I don't trust anyone.

That's because no one's ever trusted me.

Not even you!

You need to understand—

things in this world

aren't always

what they seem.

If I didn't fight to survive,

then I'd be the one forced to a dead end.

Your Majesty.

I've already heard about

what happened last night.

Song Yimeng,

if you testify

that Heng seduced your sister

and has poor moral conduct…

Your Majesty,

I don't want

to testify against the Seventh Prince.

I just want an imperial edict.

You just want me to back you up

to secure your position as the principal consort, don't you?

Fine then.

On the ninth day of next month,

you'll marry Heng.

The next day,

Song Yiting will join the household as a concubine.

Your Majesty…

I'm not finished.

The scandal between you Song sisters

and Heng

has already stirred up

quite a storm.

Song Yude's reputation has taken a huge hit.

He likely won't be able to stay in the capital anymore.

I'll advise him to resign and retire

and serve as a retainer under Heng,

following him to his fief.

Your Majesty,

that's not the edict

I want to ask for.

You wouldn't testify

or get married.

What more do you want?

Do you really think I'd hesitate to kill you?

Your Majesty,

what I'm asking for

is an imperial edict to call off my engagement to the Seventh Prince.

Neither I,

nor my sister,

nor the entire Song family

wishes to have anything to do with the Seventh Prince.

Song Yimeng,

a prince's marriage

is both a family matter

and a state affair.

It's not a children's game

where you can change

your mind at will.

If you

can't give

a legitimate reason…

Your Majesty,

if the engagement is canceled,

the Seventh Prince can never

pull the Ministry of War to his side.

That'll

buy you enough time

to plan the path forward

for the future crown prince.

Whether to marry the Song sisters

to the Seventh Prince

or cancel the engagement—

the pros and cons

are worth your careful thought.

I really did

underestimate you.

But I must warn you,

Heng

has worked hard to secure this marriage.

If you turn your back on him now,

he'll never let you

or the Song family off the hook.

I've been looking for you.

I knew you'd come.

What is it?

This is the imperial edict

calling off our engagement.

Calling off the engagement?

Song Yimeng.

I told you

I'd explain to you

what happened at Zijin Pavilion.

Why won't you trust me?

Not even once?

What do you expect me to believe?

That you didn't

approach me from the start

for the sake of the Song family's power?

Or that you're not someone

who schemes,

plays political games,

and never repents?

So,

in your eyes,

everything between your sister and me

was just a calculated move to win over the Song family.

♪ I leave the book aside, though I haven't finished reading it ♪

Every time you were in danger

and I helped you,

I was pretending to care.

Everything I did for you

♪ I know one day I can have a glimpse of the ending ♪

was…

was meaningless,

and you see no value in it.

Is that it?

♪ Life is unpredictable ♪

Why?

♪ Who can get rid of perplexity ♪

Why do you think you know me so well?

♪ And find the answer he yearns for? ♪

Because I already knew you

before I even met you!

♪ Let the wind flip through the past chapters of my life ♪

I see.

♪ Let brush and ink depict my adventures ♪

The script.

♪ Let's see in how many ways fate can shape my life ♪

And those…

rules,

right?

But let me tell you something.

♪ Let moonlight shine on the lines about love and hate ♪

I'm a real, living person.

I'm standing right here.

♪ Let me bang my head against a brick wall ♪

I'm standing right here,

but you choose to look away

and believe some absurd script!

♪ If this is my destiny, I'll accept it ♪

That's right.

I don't trust you.

Not just this time,

from now on,

I'll never trust you again.

Let me tell you something, Nan Heng.

From the very start,

I got close to you just so I could kill you.

Seeking the method of weapon forging,

the Lantern Festival,

and even the engagement— all calculated to kill you!

♪ Wind, be with me in the quest for an ideal ♪

If Yiting didn't have feelings for you,

♪ Brush and ink, stand with me on the cliff ♪

I'd very much like to kill you now.

♪ My heart measures the waves I've cleaved ♪

♪ Setting sun, help me weather through the big snow ♪

♪ I'll wait till the next chapter to get sorrowful ♪

♪ Every word resonates with me like dancing notes on the paper ♪

♪ Wind, be with me in the quest for an ideal ♪

♪ Brush and ink, stand with me on the cliff ♪

♪ My heart measures the waves I've cleaved ♪

♪ Setting sun, help me weather through the big snow ♪

♪ I'll wait till the next chapter to get sorrowful ♪

♪ Every word resonates with me like dancing notes on the paper ♪

[Imperial Edict]

Song Yimeng,

how could you be so foolish?

The Seventh Prince has promised to take care of everything.

Why did you have to break the engagement?

I never had feelings for him.

Why couldn't I end it?

I know

you're caught up in your emotions right now.

No matter what I say

to convince you to leave him,

you won't listen to me.

But Yiting,

I still have to say this—

I know what kind of person he is.

That man is…

It won't end well for you two.

The one who doesn't really know him is you.

I'll be honest with you.

The one I love

is Shangguan He.

Everything that happened at Zijin Pavilion

was just a misunderstanding.

You love Shangguan He?

Then why would you and Nan…

Song Yimeng,

how could you be so foolish?

You spend every day with

the Seventh Prince and Li Shiliu,

but you never once thought about

who you truly care for.

What…

What does this have to do with Li Shiliu?

Madam, as you instructed,

I never told anyone that Miss Yiting had feelings

for Li Shiliu.

The whole city is talking about

Yiting and the Seventh Prince now.

The last thing we want

is to involve someone from the martial world.

Yes.

Yiting

has feelings for Li Shiliu?

Song Yimeng,

how could you be so foolish?

You spend every day with

the Seventh Prince and Li Shiliu,

but you never once thought about

who you truly care for.

[Nan Heng] [Li Shiliu]

Could it be that Li Shiliu

[Slacker Escape Plan]

has some connection to Nan Heng?

[Nan Heng]

[Li Shiliu]

[Slacker Escape Plan]

[Nan Heng] [Li Shiliu]

Everyone has their reasons for what they do,

but when things go wrong,

it must be Nan Heng's fault.

So in your heart,

Nan Heng harms people,

while Chu Guihong saves people.

Nan Heng is selfish,

while Chu Guihong is devoted to the people.

After all this, you still see Nan Heng

the same way?

From what I see,

Nan Heng truly cares about you.

How could he possibly want to kill you?

[Slacker Escape Plan]

Why is Li Shiliu always defending Nan Heng?

Could it be…

I was wrong from the very beginning?

[Iconic Scenes in the Script]

Rescue in the pool of the royal garden.

Falling out with her family.

The affair between the sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

[Iconic Scenes in the Script]

All these iconic scenes have happened.

And Nan Heng was in all of them.

The only thing that changed

was what happened during the Lantern Festival.

[2: Saving the Girl during the Lantern Festival]

The one who saved me that day wasn't Nan Heng.

It was Li Shiliu.

Maybe

Li Shiliu didn't save me

because he wanted to

but because

whenever the female lead is in danger…

the male lead must save her.

15 minutes.

Don't kill her until I'm far enough.

In the original script,

Song Yimeng fell for Nan Heng

and was smitten with him.

But after I came here,

the one she fell for is…

The script never mentioned

that the fireworks in this world

would be so beautiful.

And

it never said…

that the masked supporting character

would be so charming.

So tell me,

what are we

to each other now?

So,

the script never changed at all.

The one I love

is Li Shiliu…

and also Nan Heng.

[Wanted Notice from Capital Prefecture's Office]

Li Shiliu, the head of Waning River Crescent,

is hiding a death row convict.

We're to search the entire city for him and his accomplices.

[Wanted Notice from Capital Prefecture's Office]

Anyone who reports or turns them in

will be rewarded based on merit.

Anyone who helps

or hides them

will be punished as an accomplice.

This place is quite secluded.

We can hide here for a few days.

Come,

give me a hand.

Who's there?

It's me.

-Chief. -Chief.

Chief. Chief. Chief.

Chief. Chief. Chief.

Chief. Chief. Chief.

How's everything?

Is everyone okay?

No one is hurt.

The others are hiding next door.

Good.

Chief,

thank God you sent someone to warn us that day.

Otherwise, we really would've

broken into the prison.

I never expected

it was all Chu Guihong's trap.

How vicious.

We need to save

Second Master.

Don't worry about

Shangguan He.

Today, I'm announcing something.

From this day on, Waning River Crescent

is officially disbanded.

What?

Disbanded?

Why?

Yeah,

how can that be?

No way, Chief.

You've gotta be kidding.

Take this money.

Take it.

Split it among everyone.

As for the rest,

don't ask.

Chief,

are you sending us away

to rescue Shangguan alone?

That's none of your concern.

Wait.

This money isn't enough.

That's right.

We've risked our lives for you all these years,

and you think a little money like this

is enough to get rid of us?

No way.

Right, guys?

That's right.

You promised to find me a wife.

Until you do, I'm not going anywhere!

Yeah!

And my mom's house—

you haven't bought it for me yet!

Exactly!

You promised.

Shut up!

Right now the Qianyu Army

is hunting down every Nightwalker.

If you stay in the capital, you'll be in danger everywhere you go.

Do as I say—

leave, now.

Chief,

I know

you want to risk everything alone

and push us all far away,

right?

Dream on.

We Nightwalkers

are not afraid of death.

If we live, we live together.

If we die, we die together.

Chief,

back when we joined you,

didn't we say

the Nightwalkers live and die as one?

Yeah, we live and die as one!

That's right.

We live and die as one!

The Nightwalkers

aren't a family

without you, Chief.

We live and die as one.

That's what makes us brothers.

We live and die as one?

You're just street rats—

nobodies from the martial arts world.

You think you deserve to live and die with me?

Seventh Prince?

Let me be honest with you.

Waning River Crescent

is nothing more than

a chess piece I placed in the capital.

And you?

You're all just pawns.

Now that Shangguan He's identity has been exposed,

all of you have become stains on my name.

Have I made it clear enough?

100 taels.

It's more than enough to last you for a lifetime.

Did you hear me?

Take the money and get lost.

Chief…

Shut up!

Who are you to call me your brother?

And you,

a good-for-nothing who can't even speak properly.

What use do I have for you?

And the rest of you rabble,

listen up.

If one day

you wreck my plans,

none of you will walk away alive.

Did you hear me?

Chief.

Let's drink our fill tonight.

Yeah.

Come on.

Bottoms up!

Fill it up.

Come on.

Fill it up.

Good.

Here's your wine. Drink up!

Cheers.

You must finish it all.

Come on.

Here.

Here's to you.

Come on.

Chief,

here's to you.

Drink.

Drink up, drink up.

Come on.

Second Master.

Second Master.

Second Master.

Second Master.

Come on, drink.

You two, come here.

Drink up.

Drink up.

Chief,

do you remember a year ago

when you told me

to run Waning River Crescent for you?

We agreed then that

you'd be the cold-hearted Chief,

and I'd be the cold-hearted Second Master,

doing all the dirty work you couldn't.

So why is it now

I'm out there giving disaster relief,

fighting floods,

handing alms to the weak,

and even looking for missing cats?

I sent you to do a few good deeds

so you, a sinner, could earn yourself

some good karma.

Get it?

A few good deeds?

It's been a few hundred already.

Chief,

open your eyes and look at us.

You're a viper,

not a Bodhisattva.

And I'm a notorious thief,

not a walking saint.

Look at me—

do I look like a saint to you?

Do I?

If you don't do it,

do you expect me to do it myself?

If you want me to do it,

then I'm charging more

for the extra work.

I'm famous, after all.

I committed over ten major thefts

in half a month,

and now I'm here helping people

look for their lost pets.

What's with that look?

Fine.

Two years.

You'll be free

in two years.

You'll let me go?

Like hell I believe you.

No offense,

but the capital prefecture's office

collects a fair bit of tax money from the capital.

Where did all that money go?

Why is the food here so terrible?

If you tell me every last thing

you know about Nan Heng,

forget about pig knuckles—

you could have a whole roast pig to yourself.

We both know

Nan Heng's been supporting the Nightwalkers

with ulterior motives.

The fact that he left you in this cell

means he's already abandoned you.

Yet you'd still risk your life to protect him.

Why?

General Chu,

I'd like to make a deal with you.

What deal?

If you list out all the bad things

Waning River Crescent has done,

I'll tell you everything about Nan Heng's collusion

with the Nightwalkers.

What do you say?

You can't come up with anything?

What's wrong?

Aren't both Waning River Crescent

and the Nightwalkers utterly wicked in your eyes?

It shouldn't be hard

for you to list hundreds of their crimes.

The Waning River Crescent case

involves a lot of people.

I need time to investigate.

No problem.

Take your time.

If you can find even one crime,

I'll cut off a finger myself.

You ended up here because of Nan Heng,

yet you still can't tell right from wrong.

It was because of Nan Heng?

Nan Heng didn't throw me in this celestial prison.

Mr. Chu,

I ended up eating pig knuckles down here because of you.

We both know

there's no good end for anyone who trusts Nan Heng.

I trusted him twice,

and I lost my aunt and my father.

This time,

it's your turn.

Have you looked into

the Empress's death and the truth

behind the Pingrong Battle?

The late Empress died during the autumn hunt.

That day,

it was Nan Heng who led my aunt

to where the assassins were hiding.

During the Pingrong Battle,

I sent a letter asking the Xuanjia Army

stationed in Youcheng for reinforcements.

But even after the city gates were breached

and all 20,000 Qianyu soldiers were slaughtered,

Nan Heng still didn't show up.

Have you ever asked him

about these things?

What killer

ever admits to murder?

But there are many truths

that remain hidden.

What you believe to be true

might not be the truth at all.

There's no kindness without reason,

nor evil without cause.

Fine.

Then in your view,

why did Nan Heng run Waning River Crescent?

Why did he take in

fugitives like us from the martial arts world?

To secretly expand his influence, obviously.

He went to so much trouble for bigger influence,

but he gave away all the club's income

for disaster relief.

He even had us outlaws

set up businesses in the west of the city

so more displaced folks could find jobs.

What's even more ridiculous is

that a bunch of nobodies like us

were forced to patrol

the streets every night

to keep the people safe in their sleep.

Tell me,

does this make any sense?

Stop avoiding the real issues.

Nan Heng did all that

in order to seize the throne.

As far as I know,

after the Pingrong Battle was lost,

you and that cousin prince of yours

were no longer a match for Nan Heng.

Nan Heng

is just someone who's never been trusted

by anyone.

Maybe what he really wants

is just a group of friends,

a home,

and the feeling that

he's truly trusted.

If I knew Nan Heng—

I mean if I did,

he absolutely wouldn't be the kind of person you believe

to have plotted the late Empress's death at nine.

And he definitely wouldn't be the type

to sacrifice the Qianyu Army

and lose our land to the enemy

just to steal military merit.

So,

stop interrogating me already.

I'm willing to die for my crime.

Your crime?

So you admit guilt?

My crime

is having failed to live it up

as the cold-hearted Second Master.

♪ No words can cage a heart full of wounds ♪

♪ I shake the heavens and plains through the storm ♪

[Three years ago]

You went to all that trouble

to get me off death row.

♪ A promise is made, and I don't fear death anymore ♪

Tell me, Your Highness,

what use am I to you?

♪ Even dreams are pleasant ♪

I looked into you.

You're

a thief

and a lazy bum.

You're also kind of a playboy.

Did you save me just to humiliate me?

♪ Beyond my control, powerless to resist ♪

But you're great at management.

♪ Yet still I dig deep, questioning fate ♪

So,

I plan to build

♪ That is the meaning behind my defiance ♪

a club here called Waning River Crescent,

and I want you to run it for me.

The club is just a cover.

What I really need you to do is gather intel in the capital,

♪ Even doomed for eternity, I still have the courage ♪

dig up secrets from officials,

♪ For you, I'd step into the uncertainty ♪

and build a force

called the Nightwalkers for me.

♪ If you believe in fate ♪

Understand?

♪ No words can cage a heart full of wounds ♪

That's truly dirty work.

No problem.

♪ I shake the heavens and plains through the storm ♪

But if you want me to do all those dangerous things for you,

♪ A promise is made, and I don't fear death anymore ♪

you'll have to pay extra.

You want to haggle?

♪ Even dreams are pleasant ♪

Let me tell you,

♪ Is it obsession, or chosen pain? ♪

working for me

is the only way you stay alive now.

♪ Is it pride, with no shame? ♪

And if I say no?

♪ To give you a love etched into the bones ♪

♪ Then it's not something to grieve over♪

Then I'm sure

someone will be here tomorrow to collect your corpse.

♪ If tears are proof that I once loved ♪

What if my identity is exposed?

♪ If what's gone leaves behind a trace of being ♪

Take your own life.

♪ Then let the tears fall ♪

♪ Let me love you ♪

♪ And fade away with one last dream ♪

That makes sense.

Why didn't I think of that?

You're always the clever one,

Chief,

thinking of her right away.

You'll also get to spend more time with her

♪ No words can cage a heart full of wounds ♪

while decoding those symbols.

It's killing two birds with one stone.

♪ I shake the heavens and plains through the storm ♪

Please spare Song Yimeng,

and spare me too!

♪ A promise is made, and I don't fear death anymore ♪

Why am I so unlucky?

♪ Even dreams are pleasant ♪

What are you looking at?

♪ Is it obsession, or chosen pain? ♪

♪ Is it pride, with no shame? ♪

♪ To give you a love etched into the bones ♪

♪ Then it's not something to grieve over♪

Whenever the female lead is in danger,

the male lead has to save her.