Original subtitles

(Fate of Southern Love)

(Episode 8)

You've already helped me many times.

This is my own decision.

I can't drag you into this anymore.

You have your own things to handle.

And I have my own path to walk.

I don't care what you want to do.

Goodbye.

So stubborn.

I thought you'd only risk your life for me.

But it turns out you're like this with everyone.

Take care, Chancellor Lou.

I knew I'd find you with Lou Si Yi.

So you're the one who took Fu Gui.

You're sharper than I thought.

Why?

Cut the chatter.

If you want to save your maid,

then hurry back, confess, and accept your fate.

If you want to be with Prince Ning,

I can get a divorce or be repudiated.

I won't get in the way of your relationship.

But why must you always make things so difficult for me?

After all, in this story,

I'm nothing but a throwaway side character.

So you figured it all out.

You're the main character.

I never wanted

to compete with you.

But why?

Why do you have to push me to the edge?

Since you already know,

then let me tell you everything.

Do you know the name of this comic?

Li's Reverie.

Everyone here

only exists because of Luo Li.

The women here either envy me

or protect me no matter what.

The men here

either fall for me

or hate me because they can't have me.

I'm not just the main character here.

I'm also from the real world.

But you...

You're just a fictional character.

You don't get to break out of your role.

If I had no idea what was going on,

I'd just go along with the story.

But I know now I'm not just what the story says I am.

How could I possibly just stand by and watch fate

push me toward death?

Jin Zhu.

Look at your name. It's so basic.

You're just a random plot device the author threw in.

Your whole storyline

is to get killed by the male lead.

That's your fate.

That's the only reason you exist in this story.

No.

That's just Jin Zhu's fate.

That's not mine.

I don't like Zhou Nan Zhi.

I never wanted to fight you.

As long as I leave Jingdu,

everything here

will have nothing to do with me.

But what's the point?

Other than survival,

what's the point of fighting your fate?

Everything about you is just what the author wrote.

Your name, your looks,

your desires, your choices,

and your motives.

How do you know which is the author's design,

and which is truly yours?

Oh, Jin Zhu.

You're just a made-up character, nothing more.

You're just an NPC in this comic.

You can't escape your role, no matter what.

No.

That's not true.

It's not like that.

Fu Gui.

Where's Fu Gui?

What did you do to Fu Gui?

Fu Gui. Fu Gui, wake up!

Lou Si Yi has been helping you behind the scenes.

I'm not dumb enough

to provoke you out in the open.

Nan Zhi already sealed the city gates.

None of you is getting out.

If you want to save her,

then go back and accept your fate.

You know it.

You can't beat the main character.

You can't escape your fate.

You can't defy the plot.

Wicked woman!

My lady, don't worry about me.

Just go, my lady.

I promise you.

But you have to let Fu Gui go.

My lady, don't!

Don't!

What a sanctimonious person.

You'd really give up your chance to escape

for a maid.

No matter your status or rank,

everyone is born equal.

That's what you said.

When I think about it,

it's honestly a pretty radical idea.

I actually agree with it.

But you

don't seem to really get what it means.

I'm just cannon fodder in this story.

Fu Gui.

She's even more disposable than I am.

If I want to change my fate as cannon fodder,

how can I trample on someone else's life that's just like mine?

My lady.

If you go back,

I will never forgive myself.

I might as well just end it now.

Fu Gui.

Listen to me.

Please, just listen to me.

You told me before

that you wanted to be a female physician.

I never got to do what I wanted.

I hope you get your chance.

Leave Jingdu.

There's a whole world out there.

The Prince's men will be here any minute.

It's all over now.

My lady.

It's too late.

Take this medallion.

Once I go back,

the city gates will open.

Take this medallion.

No, no.

Leave Jingdu. Don't ever come back.

No, my lady.

- Go. - My lady.

Leave now, or I won't forgive you.

Go now. Go.

Go!

Hurry up and go.

Oh, Jin Zhu.

You want to rewrite the comic's story. That's just so naive.

After you're gone,

your father will let go of his grudge over your death.

He'll keep helping Zhou Nan Zhi fight for the throne.

And Lou Si Yi, the one you always counted on,

he'll fall for me.

He

Would even risk his life for me.

Just accept your fate. This whole world revolves around the female lead.

No one can fight

the fate the author wrote for everyone.

He even has the nerve to stir up trouble at Qingxiao Pavilion.

Too bad he's got injuries down there.

He probably can't do much now.

And Your Highness,

the Princess Consort has disappeared.

She vanished after the fire at Yongxing Hall.

The Chancellor didn't return home that night either.

There is no way this is just a coincidence.

That day, the Chancellor defended the Princess Consort.

Then, she wanted to divorce Prince Ning.

But the Chancellor is disabled.

How could he have an affair with a woman?

I'm honestly worried.

If one day,

he betrays me for someone else,

I'd rather kill by mistake than let him get away with it.

That's the signal from Prince Ning's Residence.

It looks like they've found the Princess Consort of Ning.

So it's got nothing to do with the Chancellor.

An imperial consort tried to escape.

I have the right to deal with her.

Chancellor.

You've already done enough.

This was the Princess Consort's own choice.

Back then, Lady Liu gave her life to get you out of the palace.

You nearly died so many times during the northern war.

16 years of silent endurance,

Chancellor.

Wasn't it all to kill the Empress and take the throne?

To clear your own name

and to avenge Lady Liu?

Chancellor.

You and the Princess Consort

have always been just strangers.

Right.

We

Are not supposed to cross paths.

To get what I want,

I'd give up anything.

Chancellor, Madam Yan Ran requests to see you.

Chancellor, Her Highness wants you to announce the decree.

(Prince Ning's Residence)

Your personal maid was found at the city gate not long ago.

She was carrying a medallion to leave the city.

Tell me.

Is someone helping you two escape the city?

I was only kidnapped by bandits.

Luckily, Your Highness noticed.

Your men searched for the culprits.

That's how I managed to escape.

No matter how Your Highness questions me,

this is the only answer I have.

Nan Zhi, you said before

that according to Great Jing law,

any woman of age

who left Jingdu without her father's, brother's, or husband's

written consent

was punishable by death.

But

even if the Princess Consort really wanted to run away,

should that even be a serious crime in the first place?

Women aren't just men's property.

Don't we have any freedom at all?

Lady Luo Li, it sounds

like you're pleading leniency for me.

But in reality,

you're trying to make it look like I tried to escape.

Who tried

to take you from me?

No one.

Wait.

What's on your arm?

I've said what I wanted to say.

Your Highness.

Do as you must.

Nan Zhi, you're still not fully recovered.

You need to get some rest.

Take the Princess Consort away.

The Empress's decree has arrived.

Prince Ning.

Her Highness heard that the missing Princess Consort has been found,

so Her Highness sent the Chancellor and me here

to deliver the decree.

Prince Ning, please kneel and receive the decree.

Chancellor, please.

Princess Consort of Ning, Jin,

left the palace without permission.

She was missing for days and nights

and that defied proper conduct,

damaged the imperial family's reputation,

and brought shame to the ancestral shrine.

She is to be granted

a cup of poisoned wine.

Her Highness said

that the Princess Consort's family had served the country.

Her death won't affect her family.

Her family will only announce

that the Princess Consort died of illness.

She'll be buried with the honors of a Princess Consort.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

After this farewell,

the storm will pass,

and the world will open up.

Chancellor, what are you doing?

Chancellor, are you defying the decree?

Defying the decree?

What decree?