Original subtitles

=The Architect=

=Episode 29= (We only seek the truth)

I hereby accuse Xiao Huaijin of two crimes.

First,

Xiao Huaijin forged Shen Wenyuan's notes

to frame the Shen family,

and illegally trafficked iron ore.

Second,

Xiao Huaijin smuggled iron ore out of the country

and sold it to the enemy general Jin Pulu,

so he could amass troops and forge weapons.

Pei Yu.

You colluded with unruly commoners to deceive me.

My death means nothing,

but the Shen family's wrongful case has yet to be cleared.

Tens of thousands of workers of Shen Shipping

are crying out for justice,

trapped in endless suffering.

I cling to this last breath

only to seek justice for them.

Your Majesty.

In the Shen family case,

the culprit not only sought to frame the Shen family,

but also to use it to conceal

his treacherous ambition and treason.

If my death

caneradicate traitors

and preserve the peace of the state,

then I am willing to sacrifice myself.

- Governor Pei. - Governor Pei.

The Prince Duan case

deserves condemnation.

I ask all of you to join me

in setting the truth right across the realm,

for the sake of the world and the people.

Prince Duan colluded with the enemy.

He must be condemned.

My lords.

Whoever helps His Majesty set the truth right across the realm

will earn merit for generations to come.

Merit for generations to come.

My lords.

I, Pei, pay my respects to you all.

Your Majesty.

When the people live in peace,

the realm is at peace.

What is more,

this matter concerns

relations between two states.

In my humble view,

it must be handled

with the utmost caution.

Your Majesty.

The Shen case has spread widely among the people

and drawn intense attention across the capital.

If there is no resolution,

or if the outcome is unjust,

it may

undermine the authority of the court.

- We beg Your Majesty to think carefully. - We beg Your Majesty to think carefully.

(It seems)

(the moment has come.)

Fine.

Very well.

You guys

are forcing me to do this!

Tell me!

Just how much have you all received from the Shen family?

Your Majesty.

The Shen family's loyalty to the court

needs no vouching.

In the eleventh year of the late emperor's Dazhen reign,

foreign forces invaded Daliang.

The Shen family sold off their assets

to raise two million dan of military grain for the court.

In the twenty-first year of Dazhen,

rebels rose up in the southeast.

The Shen family once again

raised twenty million taels in military funds.

In the fifth year of the current reign,

there was a drought in the northwest.

In the eighth year, floods ravaged the south.

Every act of the Shen family's loyalty to the court

is clearly

recorded by the Ministry of Revenue.

You claim you obtained

evidence of Xiao Huaijin colluding with the enemy.

Jin Pulu is a treacherous official of an enemy state.

How did you

manage to make contact with him?

Your Majesty.

I infiltrated Jin Pulu's secret military camp

and discovered tens of thousands of troops stationed there,

along with workshops forging weapons.

The iron ore they used

came from Xiao Huaijin's trafficking.

As Governor of Daliang,

you managed to enter

the secret camp of a traitorous enemy general.

Pei Yu.

Are you not pointing fingers to cover your own crime?

What troubles Your Majesty

is nothing more than my loyalty.

To prove it, I am willing to relinquish my post as Governor,

and surrender command of the Qilin Guards,

to accept Your Majesty's judgment.

Fine.

You all think

this is enough to force my hand?

Your Majesty.

- All we ask - All we ask

- is the truth. - is the truth.

- We need Your Majesty's wise judgment. - We need Your Majesty's wise judgment.

Very well.

I will order

the Court of Judicial Review to investigate thoroughly.

If the allegations are proven true, the Prince Duan's Residence

shall be dealt with according to the law.

I am weary.

You may all withdraw.

Your Majesty.

Since Prince Duan's Residence has been proven to be guilty,

the Shen case

should also be retried to restore faith among the people.

The guilt of the Prince Duan's Residence

does not mean the Shen family's innocence.

The Shen case was settled long ago.

This matter

is not to be mentioned again.

Your Majesty.

Dozens of lives from the Shen family

were slaughtered in a single night.

Men, women, young and old, none were spared.

Those who hear of it are horrified,

those who speak of it turn pale.

Now that the evidence lies before us,

why does Your Majesty choose to ignore their injustice?

Why you...

(To My Father) Your Majesty!

(To My Father) Do you really

want Li Wan'er's tragedy to happen all over again?

Your Majesty.

(To My Father)

(Father, I don't know whether I should feel happiness or irony.)

(Father.)

(To call you my father again,)

(I don't know whether I should feel happiness)

(or irony.)

(You granted my father)

(the posthumous title Duke Zhongguo.)

(You bestowed upon me the honor and wealth of a Princess.)

(Only now do I finally understand.)

(The fine silks I wear)

(and the brilliant future beneath my feet)

(were paid for with my father's bones)

(and the blood of the Li Army's soldiers.)

(I was nothing more than a tool you used)

(to balance the court and control the Li Army.)

(I should have demanded justice from Heaven.)

(I should have made you pay for my father's life.)

(But what I thought of most)

(was all these years)

(of unmatched happiness)

(you gave me.)

(If I do not avenge my father,)

(I am unworthy to be a human being.)

(Killing you)

(is beyond my courage.)

(What lies before me)

(is only one path.)

(I am guilty.)

(When the Shen family fell into ruin,)

(I betrayed sisterhood and struck them while they were down.)

(Since then, my dreams have never known peace.)

(Father, have you ever, in the still of the night,)

(seen those from the past in your dreams)

(asking you for an answer?)

(Let it go, Father.)

(Don't let the bond between ruler and subject,)

(blood ties between family,)

(and the hearts of the people)

(be destroyed by baseless suspicion.)

Wan'er.

How could you be so foolish?

We have been father and daughter for so many years.

In my heart,

you are never just a tool.

Silly child.

Your Majesty.

I have one more item to present.

This was Wan'er's most treasured possession.

She never let it out of her sight.

It was a gift you personally gave her

on the day the Princess came of age.

In the Princess's heart,

even with resentment,

she could never bring herself to blame Your Majesty.

Because to her, you are both her sovereign and her father,

and the one the people of the realm rely on.

Your Majesty, if you will not seek justice for the Shen family,

then who possibly can?

I am

the sovereign father of the people of Daliang,

and their only pillar of support.

The imperial household knows no affection.

An emperor is forever prone to suspicion.

He is willing to sacrifice anyone.

Now,

Pei Yu and the others have secured irrefutable proof.

I will inevitably meet the same end as General Li.

Since that is the case,

rather than waiting to be slaughtered,

I might as well gamble everything.

Your Highness is wise.

When I departed,

General Jin instructed me

to follow Prince Duan's commands

and ensure Prince Duan's success in the campaign.

Brothers!

The palace gates have been forced open.

Whoever helps me

take the darned emperor's head

will be remembered as a founding hero of my dynasty.

From this day on, you'll rise to the highest ranks,

be granted lands and titles, nothing will be withheld.

- Prince Duan is wise! - Prince Duan is wise!

Bad news! Prince Duan has rebelled!

Protect the Emperor!

Protect the Emperor!

Your Majesty, this is...

We're in the inner palace.

How could rebels breach it?

Your Majesty, this must be Xiao Huaijin.

He's been plotting this.

He used Your Majesty's birthday banquet to launch his revolt.

I will

immediately mobilize the Qilin Guards

to subdue the rebels.

I urge Your Majesty

to leave the palace through the secret passage.

Your Majesty,

the Shen family has

a hidden chamber

that is impossible to find.

I'll take Your Majesty there at once.

(Weitian Hall)

(Weitian Hall)

Darned emperor!

Come out and meet your death!

Prince Duan.

They fled to the Shen residence.

Your Majesty.

This secret chamber

is concealed within the rockery.

It is

reinforced with black iron stone,

impervious to attacks.

Your Majesty may take refuge here.

(End of Episode)

I promise you,

the Shen family's case will be retried.

And now you would still

cause your own sister's death for his sake?

♪Loneliness♪

♪How do I cross it?♪

♪Whom have I ever failed♪

♪Incense burns through a few sticks♪

♪Can the rest of my life be redeemed?♪

♪The flowing years pass through desolation♪

♪Unwilling to forgive past mistakes♪

♪Blaming myself for not protecting♪

♪Our vows as I should have♪

♪Sorrow♪

♪Counting it carefully♪

♪Who stayed by my side through hardship♪

♪There will eventually be a pure land♪

♪Where all karmic burden is cast away♪

♪Not until worldly splendor fades♪

♪Can one understand what cuts to the bone♪

♪At dusk, with white hair♪

♪I still cannot fathom destiny♪

♪After countless struggles across the waters♪

♪At last the lotus heart awakens♪

♪Drifting across three lifetimes♪

♪Just to wait for your once-in-a-thousand-years glance♪

♪The distant mountains fade along the path home♪

♪I walk with you through morning bells and evening drums♪

♪Our story lies in the mountains♪

♪Like an ink-washed immortal painting♪

♪Where blossoms fall♪

♪I'm glad the fragrance in our hearts stays the same♪

♪Youth slips away♪

♪Just to wait for your once-in-a-thousand-years glance♪

♪Dreams wander back to the old road where we met♪

♪Watching you gently play the zither♪

♪Time rests upon the strings♪

♪Waiting for someone to brew a pot of tea♪