Original subtitles

♪Flower petals have fallen, piling as high as mortal mercilessness♪

♪Gone with the wind, as if it has never existed♪

♪I ask for more time♪

♪To rewrite our stories♪

♪We travel together in joys and woes♪

♪Blood bathes this entangled destiny♪

♪For the next reunion in the troubled times♪

♪We tread a treacherous path♪

♪To find each other♪

♪Wars and bleakness, the bright moon shines upon the city♪

♪I will offer my bravery♪

♪Fighting relentlessly♪

♪All for no regrets♪

♪In this life-and-death battle, I will not back down♪

♪Withstand enduring time♪

♪Someone at the end of the world never leaves♪

♪I brave the grim haze to be with you once again♪

=Love of Nirvana= (Based on Xiao Lou's novel of the same name)

=Episode 29=

Shaojun, you're relentless, aren't you?

Sanlang, do you show courtesy

to your guests by turning them away?

Shaojun, you aren't being courteous yourself

by showing up without an invitation.

Ci was startled after falling into the water.

I need to bring her back and take care of her.

You've done your best

during the incident at Liumen Floodgate.

You don't need to trouble yourself

to take care of Ci.

Ci was heartbroken and wounded

all because of you.

You know you're walking on the edge of a knife,

barely able to protect yourself.

Aren't you going to consider her feelings?

Shaojun, by considering her feelings,

do you mean trapping her in the Pei's Residence?

That'll cause her both emotional and physical harm instead.

Ci.

You must've suffered.

Follow me back to Qingkang.

I won't let this happen again.

I'm fine.

Your Lordship, you don't need to worry about me.

Our affinity ended long ago.

There's no need to hold on to our ties anymore.

Ci, I know.

You still blame me

for not being able to become the Lord you idolize.

At this point,

are you still going to choose him?

I've already made up my mind

during the ceremony in Yueluo.

No matter if it's good or bad,

I don't have any regrets.

Your Lordship, please return.

♪First encounter or the past♪

♪We are drawn to each other♪

♪Dangers and threats endured♪

♪For a shared moment♪

♪Predestined or chance encounter♪

♪We are being drawn apart♪

Although I've rejected His Lordship,

that doesn't mean I'll forgive you.

Jiang Ci.

I'm sorry.

♪All for a lifetime of deep affection♪

♪Fortunate to walk together, even for a moment♪

♪When we first met♪

♪Who could have known how we'd arrive at today♪

♪A wilted heart with no one to depend on♪

♪Is the reason I cannot bear to part♪

♪Our last burning memory in my heart♪

♪From then on, no more pain or regret♪

The weather is dry!

Beware of fire!

The weather is dry!

Beware of fire!

Now, it seems like Miss Jiang

only has eyes for Commander Wei.

Your Lordship.

I'll explain to Miss Jiang

that I acted on my own initiative

when we were at the Lu Army Camp.

I'll plead with Miss Jiang as well.

Forget it.

At least she's safe now.

Write a secret letter to the court.

Report to His Majesty

about Ci's identity and Wei Zhao's participation

in the battle of Liumen Floodgate.

Your Lordship, do you intend

to borrow His Majesty's power

to bring Miss Jiang back to Qingkang?

I failed to protect her.

That's why her life was in danger at the camp and Liumen Floodgate.

Once we return to Qingkang,

I'll find a way

to make it up to her.

Yifei.

Tell Mr. Ping

to bring the Yans to Liangzhou.

But sir...

She should at least see her once.

Yes.

You won't deceive me again, right?

I've notified Mr. Ping.

Today,

I'll surely bring your master here.

Jiang Ci,

actually, I have another item...

Master!

Ci!

Master.

I'm sorry.

I've made you worried.

Let me take a good look at you.

Are you wounded?

You scum.

Ci is injured all because of you!

I'll kill you right now!

Don't hurt my master!

I have no intention of doing so.

You and your master

can rest in the chamber for now.

Master.

Let's go.

Young Master,

how should we deal with her after this?

Young Master,

for the sake of Yueluo,

you can't afford to show mercy.

She was the only witness

to the unsolved case back then.

She's our only hope

in redressing Father's grievances

and clearing Yueluo's name.

Since I've made this promise,

I'll risk my life to fulfill it.

Nothing can stop me.

Since they've already met each other,

Mr. Ping,

bring Yan Shuangqiao back to Qingkang overnight.

But,

what should we do about Jiang Ci, then?

I'll explain it to her in my own way.

Yes, Young Master.

I heard that you were married to him.

That's not true.

It was merely a temporary plan.

Master, don't worry.

We're not related at all.

Ci,

heed my advice.

He's the only one you cannot marry.

Master?

Promise me this.

Master,

I promise you.

Everything that happened in the past was part of his plots.

It'll never happen again.

I've already made the arrangements.

Mr. Ping will take good care of your master.

My hometown

also had a giant tree like this.

Whenever it's winter,

I'll sit on top of the tree and admire the view from above.

Do you like it?

No matter how pretty the view is,

this isn't the Jiang Village.

What does Jiang Village look like?

I have a row of Firefly Grass

planted at my doorstep.

They'll always lead me to my house

no matter how late I return home.

I also planted

an entire row of plants by the window.

I wonder if they're still alive.

Did you plant them yourself?

There were Chinese roses

and rhododendrons.

Whenever it's summer,

my house gives off a pleasant floral scent.

Sometimes, it'll even attract the bees.

I placed a pot of sandalwood

at the wall corner.

Master always kicks it by accident.

She also told me off

for planting too many plants around the house.

Although Master always tells me off,

she defends me, and she's soft-hearted.

She always argues with the villagers in order to defend me.

One time,

she was so angry that she split the door.

The crack

was this huge.

Were the villagers

mean to you?

It doesn't matter.

I'm not spending my life with them anyway.

It's fine as long as Master treats me nicely.

Master even made me a desk.

She taught me how to read and write.

But...

But you get sleepy whenever you study.

You keep trying

to sneak outside and have some fun.

I don't always do that.

I do still study from time to time.

Sometimes,

I'll take a nap too.

Maybe it's because the cotton cushion I made

was stuffed with too much cotton.

I fell asleep naturally

upon hearing the wind chime.

Did you make the wind chime as well?

I made it by stringing a bunch of shells I found.

I placed it beside the desk.

It's my second favorite item

after the clay cat.

I don't know when I'll be able to return to Jiang Village.

Once everything is over,

I'll return

to Jiang Village with you.

When I was young, I kept thinking

that I wanted

to admire beautiful views,

enjoy delicacies,

and enjoy the beauty of natural scenery

with my beloved.

But now, I finally realized

that such fantasies

only meant

that we had to go our separate ways

and accept our fate.

Since you lied to me once,

I shall lie to you this time.

Wei Zhao,

farewell.

May we never see each other again.

Mr. Ping?

Zizhu.

Your Majesty?

Prince Qi actually has a daughter?

Your Majesty, please be appeased!

I had no idea about this at all.

This younger brother of mine

truly did something surprising

without making a sound.

He kept this from me

for 20 years.

Your Majesty,

I'm sure Prince Qi would've told you everything

if he wasn't abducted

by the assassins of Wei State.

Look at what Pei Yan is saying.

Her master took her in and raised her.

Her master had also appeared at Liangzhou as well.

She's in her forties,

and she's a skilled martial artist.

I remember that the Yan Sisters

were hard to deal with as well.

Even Zijing wasn't a match for them.

About that...

If she's truly the daughter of Prince Qi,

I'll take good care of her.

Relay my order to Sanlang.

Ensure that he brings back

the master and her disciple.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Wei Zhao, Commander of Guangming Bureau,

is to locate the orphan, Jiang, and bring her back to court.

The Imperial Guards are to escort her.

Act immediately upon receiving the order.

No mistakes are allowed!

Master,

we were lucky that Mr. Ping didn't realize the fruits were drugged.

That's how I was able to rescue you.

I wouldn't have let you leave the mountain

had I known this would happen.

You suffered and were put in danger for no reason at all.

It was because I didn't heed your advice.

That's why I got into trouble.

And, I've implicated you as well.

It's all in the past now.

Now that I'm around,

no one can harm you.

Master,

I saw the letter hidden within the clay cat.

Is Prince Qi truly my father?

When I was young,

I thought I had no parents.

I didn't dare to ask you about it.

I was afraid that I might get emotional.

But now,

I wish to know about them.

Prince Qi, also known as Xie Chun,

he's your father.

Your mother's name is Yan Shuwan.

She's my elder sister.

I'm your aunt.

My child!

Aunt!

Your mother and I were assassins

from the imperial court of Wei State.

Back then,

(we were planted beside Xie Chun)

(in order to acquire intel.)

(However, your father)

(was upright, kind, and friendly.)

(He and my sister fell in love with each other.)

(It's a shame)

(that he was born into the imperial family.)

(To him, the normal life that a commoner leads)

was actually

a fantasy.

After that,

the late emperor was terminally ill.

There was turmoil in the palace.

He was placed under house arrest within the palace.

No.

I disagree.

(Young Yan Shuangqiao) If I can be alive by pretending

(Wei State) that you had abducted me,

I'll be putting you guys in a place of no return.

I don't care if you're willing

to be imprisoned here forever.

(Young Yan Shuwan) But you just let my sister and her child

(Wei State) wait for their demise with you?

I'm not afraid of anything

as long as you're by my side.

Let's go.

Okay.

We'll head to Yueluo for now.

Over here!

Come!

Xiao Haitian kept it a secret.

He took us in and helped us settle down at Zhaixing Pavilion.

Not long after that,

Lu Yu and his army attacked Yueluo.

(Your father didn't want the civilians to be implicated.)

(He decided to return to the imperial court with Lu Yu.)

(I was supposed to escort my sister.)

(Before his departure,)

(he left you with the clay cat.)

After that,

we received a piece of tragic news.

(He was killed in Zhaixing Pavilion.)

Shuwan,

I know you're heartbroken.

But you must pull yourself together.

Ci is still young.

She already lost her father.

She can't afford to lose you.

Ci,

you must grow up healthily.

Your father and I will be watching over you from above.

We'll always love you.

Shuwan?

Shuwan?

Shuwan?

Shuwan!

Ci,

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have hidden it from you all these years.

You didn't want me to leave the mountains

because you didn't want me to get caught up in the conflict.

Only now do I understand why you did so.

I only wanted you to lead a peaceful life.

I only wanted you to live well.

I know.

I know.

Do you still remember

the quote I always taught you?

The goodness of human nature

is like water flowing downwards.

Just as there is no one who is not good,

there is no water that does not flow down.

That quote

actually came from your father.

He hoped

that he wouldn't be born

into the imperial family if the afterlife did exist.

He also hoped that the people he loved

wouldn't be bound by hatred and sins forever.

He hoped that all of us

could let bygones be bygones one day.

Don't move!

So, you lied to me?

That's right.

It's time for you to have a taste of your own medicine.

Everything was fake.

How could I ever develop any feelings for you?

Let go of me.

I told you this long ago.

We're even now.

We're unrelated now.

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

What? Do you want to capture us

with your Dawn Guards?

You're a member of the Guangming Bureau.

Wei Zhao, Commander of Guangming Bureau,

is just the identity I use in Liang State.

Xiao Haitian is something else.

He exchanged Prince Qi's life for the Xiao Family's riches and honor.

In the end, not only was he killed,

but the Yueluo Tribe was also sacrificed because of it.

What goes around comes around indeed.

Shut your nonsense!

Just look at you and your sister.

One of you is a noble consort

while the other is a high-ranking official.

Both of you are serving Xie Che.

Did I say anything wrong?

What has this got to do with my sister?

Why would she pay respect to Prince Qi's grave

if she didn't have a guilty conscience?

(Prince Qi's Mausoleum, Liang State)

(Young Jiang Ci)

Master,

whose grave is this?

Ci, I'll tell you about it

when you grow up.

Let's go.

Throughout the imperial harem,

Your Highness, His Majesty only allowed you to mourn with him.

It's clear that His Majesty cherishes you.

Do not speak out of turn.

Get me my cloak.

Yes, Your Highness.

Xiao Yujia?

Prince Qi.

Please.

How did she end up becoming Xie Che's consort?

Did you think she would be able to become a noble consort

if Xiao Haitian didn't betray his tribe for personal gains?

How could you become the commander of Guangming Bureau?

Do not slander my sister.

I confronted her back then.

She didn't explain herself at all.

She knew the truth,

but she didn't tell you a single word.

Doesn't that mean she has a guilty conscience?

You said my father betrayed my tribe for personal gains?

Who could my father ask for personal gains?

Who was powerful enough to make her a noble consort?

It was the current emperor.

If so, why did you guys

pretend to abduct Prince Qi

and escape to Yueluo?

Back then,

the late emperor of Liang State was seriously ill.

There was turmoil in the palace.

Xie Chun was placed under house arrest upon his return.

We could only do so to protect ourselves.

So, His Majesty

placed Prince Qi under house arrest?

Xiao Haitian saw that Prince Qi was losing his power and influence.

He was unable to hold a peace talk between Liang State and Yueluo.

Therefore, he killed him

and presented his daughter to the new ruler.

Ci,

your father died because of his father.

Do not get involved with him again.

Greetings,

Your Majesty.

You did great

in quelling the rebellion.

I'm ashamed.

The people wouldn't need to die or suffer

if the military reforms had been implemented earlier,

reducing Lu Yu's military power in the process.

If Lu Yu intends to rebel,

you can't do anything to stop him.

Now,

the rebellion in Liangzhou has been quelled.

The 100,000 Zhenyuan Army can be integrated into the military bureau.

They can be unified with our troops.

I'm willing to atone for my mistake

by establishing detailed military regulations

and proceeding with the military reforms.

You've just been through a huge battle.

You should rest first.

Since the rebellion of Lu Yu happened not long ago,

there's bound to be turmoil

in the imperial court.

Regarding the military reforms,

you can put them aside for now.

Your Majesty is wise.

And,

regarding the daughter of Prince Qi, which you stated in the letter,

how did you manage to recognize her?

I'm ashamed.

Your Majesty, Prince Qi's daughter

is actually Jiang, who once served my residence

as a maidservant.

You mean the lass who kept stirring up trouble?

Your Majesty, I'm guilty.

Back then, I acted on impulse.

I didn't know about her true identity.

Jiang also thought

that she was an orphan.

I've offended the imperial family with my actions.

I deserve death.

Although you didn't realize it before,

you did

report it to me in time.

It's not too late.

You may rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I've ordered Wei Zhao to locate Jiang.

Once she returns here,

I'll take good care of her.

Your Majesty is wise.

Go now.

I shall take my leave.

Your Lordship, you returned safely.

I can finally

sleep in peace at night.

Mother, I'm truly ashamed

for making you worried.

Your Lordship, you shouldn't be ashamed

when you're serving the state.

Although it's said that a good man has lofty aspirations,

it's time for you

to think about your marriage as well.

I haven't achieved anything remarkable yet.

I do not wish to talk about my marriage for now.

Pei Yan, do you think you can still

achieve something remarkable?

According to what I know,

the person in charge of Liangzhou is Lu Yu's former subordinate.

The military reforms you painstakingly drafted

are merely a means to consolidate His Majesty's military power.

I'm afraid all of your efforts

were for nothing.

I didn't merely bring up the notion of military reforms

to be reinstated.

My main objective was to get rid of the Zhenyuan Army,

a long-standing threat at the borders by paying the lowest price possible.

With that, I can suppress Wei State

and conquer the north with our forces.

In 20 years,

Liang State

will surely rule the world.

20 years?

Do you still intend to help the Xie Family expand their influence

for another 20 years?

Mother,

I hope you can remember

what I said today

before you make any decisions

in the future.

I shall take my leave.

I went through the trouble of killing Lu Dalang,

the shackles that have been trapping us here.

But now, he's not doing anything about it.

He wasted such a good move.

His Majesty has gotten rid of Lu Yu

and marginalized His Lordship.

He's the biggest winner of them all.

It won't be easy

for him to stabilize his rule

on that throne.

He can enjoy himself for a few more days.

If Prince Qi's case

was related to the emperor of Liang State,

the road ahead

would only become more difficult.

We have to investigate the case first.

Take Yan Shuangqiao back to Qingkang for now.

As for Jiang Ci...

Mr. Ping.

Commander,

(Chen Mo, Deputy Commander) under His Majesty's order,

I'm here to escort you back to the palace.

(Wei Zhao will seek out Jiang, and escort her back with respect.)

Deputy Commander Chen, it must've been tough.

You can tell your troops

to take a break for now.

Commander, since

His Majesty has issued an order,

I will escort you back as soon as possible.

We can't afford to miss the appointed time.

Don't worry.

That won't happen.

His Majesty issued a sudden order

and dispatched the Imperial Guards.

I rushed here upon receiving the news.

It's a shame that I was too late.

His Majesty ordered me and the Imperial Guards

to escort Jiang Ci back to the palace.

How did His Majesty find out about Miss Jiang's identity?

It's Pei Yan.

He told His Majesty about her identity

to bring Jiang Ci back to Qingkang.

Ci,

it's not too late

if you wish to leave now.

I will fight them to the death and carve out a path for you.

Master,

I won't leave you

in the lurch again.

Don't worry.

Once I arrive at the palace,

I'll surely find a chance to rendezvous with you.

We'll head home together by then.

Ci, you're all grown up.

You're no longer

the little girl who can only sleep

if she sleeps beside me.

The Imperial Guards are here.

Miss Jiang and her master cannot escape.

If we don't bring them back,

sir, you'll definitely be reproached.

If so, all those years of infiltration will be in vain.

There's no escape right now.

Order our men at Qingkang to get ready in advance.

We'll act accordingly after that.

His Majesty didn't mention your master's name.

He only ordered you to return to the palace.

Your master will be safe for now

as the situation is still unclear.

I will tell Mr. Ping to help your master to settle down.

If you dare to hurt my master,

I'll make sure you pay it back twice.

Let us depart.

Yes, sir.

Wait for me.

Don't worry about me.

(Qingkang)

Commander Wei, you're finally back.

His Majesty is waiting for you.

Chief Steward Tao, sorry for the trouble.

Your Majesty.

They've arrived.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Sanlang, it must've been tough.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

You do resemble your father somewhat.

It's no wonder

you felt endearing to me

when I first saw you.

Your Majesty, do you still remember me?

I do.

Back then, you and Pei Yan

caused a huge commotion

in his residence.

That was a misunderstanding.

I've already left his residence.

Why did you head to Yueluo?

I read a book called

Yueluo Guide before this.

According to it, Yueluo is practically Heaven on Earth.

Therefore, I wanted to visit it.

But I never expected

a war to erupt

right after my arrival.

If so, why did you head to the Zhenyuan Army's camp?

In order to attack Yueluo,

Lu Yu came up with a plot to spread dysentery.

I was treating the patients in the city.

Later they captured me and brought me to the camp.

Why did you tell them about your identity, then?

I would have no idea about it had I not accidentally read

the letter my father had left behind for me.

It's all in the past now.

Now that I'm here, no one dares to hurt you.

Where's the letter, then?

How did this letter get stained?

I fell into the water by accident when I was at Liumen Floodgate.

If you're a girl,

your name shall be Ci.

This is my brother's handwriting.

Do you still remember its content?

The world

is not perfect.

I share my wealth and woes

with my brother.

We are as close as siblings should be.

My brother has taken

great care of me since young.

My child, remember this.

The goodness of human nature

is like water flowing downwards.

Just as there is no one who is not good,

there is no water that does not flow down.

Back then,

your father often brought up this quote.

Is that all?

That's right.

Did he leave anything behind

for you

besides this letter?

This is the only thing he left behind.

There was nothing else.

I heard

that you were brought up by your master.

That's right.

Did she treat you well?

She treated me very well.

Has she never mentioned your parents in front of you?

Master said she found me somewhere.

She never told me anything about my background.

I see.

You must've suffered

all these years.

Your Majesty, thank you for your concern.

I grew up in the countryside since young.

I led a great life as well.

I just wish to return to my hometown

and lead a simple life.

You're still young.

You don't understand your parents' intention.

I'm sure your father

cannot rest in peace

if he knows that you're leading a wanderer's life.

Return to the palace.

I'll take care of you on your father's behalf.

Your Majesty,

this concerns the imperial bloodline.

I think you should consider this carefully.

Although the imperial palace

is filled with rigid rules,

it's not devoid of kinship.

I have arranged accommodations for you.

You can stay here with peace of mind.

♪The slanting sunray refuses to leave♪

♪The moon is fading off♪

♪Frost on the sword, string of the bow♪

♪Bond people together♪

♪The wind heading north and the wild geese returning from the south♪

♪Who can meet again?♪

♪Looking at the mountains far away and seeing everything red♪

♪Immersed in the passing years♪

♪Back then, the road seemed ordinary♪

♪Yet now I am left wandering in this life♪

♪Faint memories of the past♪

♪All tell of parting sorrows♪

♪Back then, the road seemed ordinary♪

♪Amidst the wind, I suddenly look back♪

♪The face that feels so dear to me♪

♪Where are you now?♪

♪Back then, the road seemed ordinary♪

♪Looking back, it seems like a dream♪

♪Don't forget each other even if we're far apart♪

♪Don't waste time♪

♪Back then, the road seemed ordinary♪

♪Taste all the vicissitudes of life in a flash♪

♪Though nothing is permanent♪

♪I wish you well♪