Original subtitles

(The Shadow Sovereign)

Zhao Yang.

You're asking for death.

Shen Xiao!

(Why?)

(Your father died because of me.)

(Yet you still tried to save me.)

You absolute fool.

Shen Xiao.

I thought someone from your humble background

would know how to read the situation.

Turns out,

you're just as thick-headed as the rest.

Fine then.

I can send you on your way too.

Your Highness.

Zhao Yang is still a princess of the Ye Dynasty.

She deserves a quick death.

Let her keep some dignity.

Dignity?

Does she even deserve that?

I want to watch her body get torn to pieces.

Only that will quench the hatred in my heart.

Shen Xiao.

Whether to the heavens or the underworld,

I'll be with you.

I'm not done having fun yet.

Princess Zhao Yang and Censor Shen fell off the cliff by accident.

Whatever happened today, keep it to yourself.

Yes.

The smartest thing Father ever did these past years

was marrying the Crown Princess, my capable helper, to me.

Not only did you see through Zhao Yang's disloyalty,

you also took care of Shen Xiao, my biggest headache.

The Eastern Palace's dignity

is my own dignity.

Anyone who stands in the way of the Eastern Palace

won't be spared.

When the day comes that the throne is finally secured,

I shall share

the vast kingdom

with you.

(Princess Zhao Yang Residence)

(Zhao Yang.)

(I've done so much for you.)

(This time, )

(you will finally see my true heart, won't you?)

Prince Consort, please return.

Can't you see who I am?

Move aside.

Forgive me, Prince Consort.

Her Highness has left for Qianfo Temple.

Before Her Highness left, she explicitly ordered that

no one is allowed to enter the residence,

including you, Prince Consort.

Prince Consort.

Gather everyone and search the mountain!

- Quick! - The elders strictly forbade...

- Go, now! - Yes, I'll obey.

Your Highness!

Princess and Censor Shen are in danger!

Xiao Que.

- Xiao Que. - Jian Xin?

Your Highness, hurry and save the Princess.

Shen Xiao.

Shen Xiao.

That's great.

I made the right gamble.

You're asking for death.

(The bottom of this cliff is covered in vines and creepers.)

(Instead of just waiting to die, )

(why not...)

Shen Xiao.

Whether to the heavens or the underworld,

I'll be with you.

(Let's take a chance.)

(Maybe there's still a slim chance to survive.)

(You look skinny, )

(but you're actually pretty heavy.)

(Shen Xiao.)

(Hang in there a little longer.)

(We're almost there.)

(You're such a fool.)

(Why would you take an arrow for me?)

(You heard everything.)

(Your father's death was because of me.)

(Why would you...)

You're awake.

You're alright now.

(Do you know)

(what kind of person Zhao Yang really is?)

(She played a huge part)

in your father's death.

You shouldn't have taken that arrow for me.

What are you trying to say?

Didn't you hear it all?

Everything the Crown Prince said was true.

(It was me.)

(I handed the Crown Prince's evidence of wrongdoing over to your father.)

(That's what led to his death.)

I've always known the truth about your father's death.

But I never told you.

So...

Were you afraid I'd hate you or blame you?

Don't you hate me or blame me?

You have every right to hate me.

But Shen Xiao,

your father's death

wasn't my fault.

I know.

My father's death

was because of corrupt, greedy noble families,

because of the Crown Prince who murdered to silence him

in defiance of the law,

and even more because of

this world where people confound right and wrong.

None of this is your fault.

My father spent his whole life

chasing after justice.

From the moment he got hold of that evidence,

he knew the road ahead was perilous.

Go get some rest.

But that was his choice.

Letting you use me

was my own choice.

I took that arrow for no other reason

than that I didn't want you to get hurt.

I never want that, not ever.

(It's raining.)

(The drought is over.)

(Everything will pass.)

Censor Shen!

- Princess! - Sister!

- Censor Shen! - Princess!

- Sister! - Censor Shen!

Princess!

Sister!

Censor Shen!

Princess!

Sister!

Censor Shen!

Princess!

Censor Shen!

Princess!

- Censor Shen! - Sister!

Princess!

Censor Shen!

- Princess! - Censor Shen!

Princess!

Censor Shen!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Zhao Yang!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

I'll head this way.

- You guys go over there. - Yes.

Yes.

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Zhao Yang!

Princess!

Nothing over here. Go check over there.

Zhao Yang!

Princess!

Actually, my childhood name

was Que Nu.

Que Nu?

Xiao Que.

It's not just the name that's similar.

Her fierce will to survive

at all costs is similar too.

A hard life leaves scars on a person.

If Xiao Que hadn't been so terrified of starving,

she wouldn't have died.

All these years,

I climbed my way up to become Princess Zhao Yang,

hoping that one day

I wouldn't have to fight,

wouldn't have to scheme,

wouldn't have to live in constant fear

of being at someone else's mercy.

When my mother was really sick,

we traded everything we had for medicine.

All that was left was a single hairpin.

So, that hairpin you always wear in your hair

was left to you by your mother.

Where did my wooden hairpin go?

It probably fell down the cliff.

Sit still.

That was a keepsake from your mother.

You're hurt so badly right now.

It's pouring rain outside.

What if you die out there?

So, I do matter to Your Highness after all.

It's just a wooden hairpin.

If it's lost, it's lost.

Until everything settles down,

your life matters more than anything else.

Then let me ask you,

can I ever have a proper title?

(Your Highness.)

(We'll definitely live the best life possible.)

Your Highness, please take a look.

Does it look neat enough?

The Top Scholar's handwriting is naturally flawless.

But good fortune written on paper is just empty words.

You might as well stuff more gold ingots in the dumplings.

That's way more practical.

Is this practical?

Princess.

I wrote so many words today.

- Xiao Que. - Princess.

Princess.

I missed you so much.

What have you been sneaking off to eat again?

Your cheeks are all puffed up.

As Your Highness said,

you need a full stomach to have the energy

to enjoy life.

Such a good kid.

Why are you so late?

You don't need to work for me on New Year's Eve?

My head is spinning from all those memorials.

I still have over 10 pounds of scrolls

waiting for my review.

That's great.

The busier you are, the more free time I get.

Let's go.

So beautiful.

Zhao Yang.

I'm so glad you're alright.

That's all that matters.

- Let go of me. - That's all that matters.

- That's all that matters. - Let go of me.

Shen Xiao?

What are you doing here?

I should be asking you that.

Yesterday, we were ambushed by the Eastern Palace,

and today you just happen to track us down.

Did you come to verify if we're dead,

or to finish the job?

You're hurt?

- I'll take you back. - You can't take her.

She's my wife.

Of course I can take her with me.

She's safe with me.

Is that so?

Then yesterday,

where were you when the Princess was in danger?

Censor Shen, your injuries are serious.

Don't worry about anything else for now.

(Princess Zhao Yang Residence)

It's not hot anymore.

Get out.

Que Nu.

Take the medicine, and I'll leave after that.

You don't need to do any of this.

You handed me the divorce letter yourself on our wedding night.

We ceased being husband and wife a long time ago.

All these years,

you've been resenting me, haven't you?

You knew that day,

everything I said was just out of anger.

Haven't I been trying to make it up to you all this while?

Why can't you just let it go?

What is that?

It's none of your business.

It's from Shen Xiao.

What are you doing? Let go!

Cui Jin Zhi, let go!

Give it to me!

This belongs to the Eastern Palace.

Don't tell me

you're planning to use this

to prove the Crown Prince tried to murder his own kin.

Are you crazy?

If I don't bring down the Crown Prince,

I'll end up dead at his hands someday.

No, you won't.

From now on,

I won't let anyone hurt you.

The justice you want, I'll give it to you.

But not by going about it this way.

Seeking justice?

If I had really died yesterday,

would you have killed the Crown Prince to avenge me?

Give it to me.

- No! - Zhao Yang.

I know.

I know you hate me.

You hate how I let you down back then.

You hate how I've ignored you all these years.

You hate that I was with someone else.

But when I heard you fell off the cliff,

that's when I realized, Zhao Yang, I can't lose you.

Let's wipe the slate clean

on everything that's passed.

Can we go back to how we used to be?

Please?

- Zhao Yang. - I don't want that!

All these years, to please the Crown Prince,

you kept using me as a pawn again and again.

And now you want to just wipe it all clean?

In your dreams.

Cui Jin Zhi.

You really disgust me!

Disgust?

Wasn't this your choice?

You used me, then used the Crown Prince,

just to get out of the Cold Palace.

You think I don't know anything?

Let me tell you,

we're the same kind of people.

We use each other.

We scheme against each other.

We're meant to stay together forever,

tangled up till the very end,

till death do us part.

Crown Prince is the heir the noble families jointly backed.

He's also my only hope to restore my family's honor.

You want to go after him?

That's never going to happen.

Just focus on getting better.

Starting today,

replace all guards inside and outside the residence.

Without my order, no one is allowed in or out.

Yes.

(Princess Zhao Yang Residence)

(Zhao Yang.)

(I promise I'll get you out of here.)