Original subtitles

The Scholar and the Emperor

Mother, slow down.

Everyone,

please be seated.

Come.

Today is my mother's 80th birthday.

Thank you all for honoring us with your presence.

I, Zhao, am deeply grateful.

Come.

Let us drink together.

-Come. -Come.

May her blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea.

And her life as long as the Southern Mountains.

Shopkeeper.

The Zhao family truly are great merchants of the capital.

Even the appetizers use premium red bird's nest.

The deposit alone equals our entire month's revenue.

Thank you both for coming to celebrate.

-Congratulations. -A fine day indeed. Cheers.

Wishing you many happy returns.

Cheers.

Profit is secondary.

If we pull off today's banquet,

Bofeng Tavern's reputation will...

Mother, it's me! Mother!

Mother!

What are you doing?

Go!

Murder!

Someone help me!

You crooked establishment!

What did you feed us?

Shopkeeper!

Zhaocai, seal the doors at once.

Jinbao, fetch a physician.

Everyone else, restrain the crazed guests.

-And don't get hurt. -Yes.

Yes.

The coroner has confirmed it.

All four suffered damage to their organs.

Their pupils were clouded and dilated.

Classic signs of the Infinity Pill attacking the heart.

More frighteningly,

this poison does not strike suddenly.

It builds up over time,

steadily devouring the mind.

Ling Yunfei again.

Since these men moved at the whistle,

they were clearly trained assassins willing to die.

Those people who vanished outside the capital...

Could Ling Yunfei have abducted them all?

Your theory is plausible.

Now we must find where Ling Yunfei makes the poison.

Only then can we unravel everything.

All four men died violently.

Liu Ruyan was silenced too.

We have no leads left.

What if we trace the ingredients of the Infinity Pill?

Yinqing, tell us.

My lord.

I examined it carefully.

The main ingredient of the Infinity Pill

is called Fuqing Grass.

Its blossoms are purple and open-faced.

The stamens are clear white, and the leaves bright green.

They grow staggered along the stem.

But it requires a very particular habitat.

It thrives only in warm, damp places.

Lord Yin, I had no idea.

You know quite a lot.

With so many talents, why were you never valued before?

Fine horses are common,

but true judges of talent are rare.

Then of course you should thank

our Lord Meng for recognizing your worth.

So you're the hidden gem.

Yinqing, if I didn't know you were genuinely capable,

I'd seriously suspect

that you joined the Office of Public Inquiry

on the strength of your flattery alone.

Fuqing Grass is hot and potent in nature.

It causes short-term hallucinations.

With prolonged use,

it drives people into madness and stupor.

Even at the sight of a mosquito,

they'd draw a blade and slash at it.

How is that different from Five-Stone Powder?

It's a thousand times more potent.

Addiction sets in very quickly.

Besides becoming highly agitated,

users gain a sudden burst of strength,

then die as their bodies burn out.

If such a deadly poison reaches the streets,

wouldn't it be lethal to the people?

The danger of this poison...

threatens the safety of the people.

If we let it spread unchecked,

the realm of Daning itself will be imperiled.

A Nian.

Do you know of

any unusual valley where Fuqing Grass could grow?

Such a valley would be distinctive,

but Daning is vast.

Searching them one by one

would be like finding a needle in the sea.

You haven't eaten anything,

so I prepared some pastries.

Our gifted Lady Shen

normally never sets foot in the kitchen.

-Are these even edible? -Then do not eat them.

-Someone will... -I love them.

Lord Shen, your tongue is usually as sweet as honey.

Why are you so hard on your own sister?

I was wrong.

Anything my own sister makes,

how could I possibly call it bad?

Even the presentation is as lovely as a painting.

A painting...

Liu Ruyan's painting. Yinqing.

Liu Ruyan hid this painting in a secret compartment.

That means the place in it

was not painted at random.

She may actually have been there.

Hibiscus thrives in warm, humid places,

just like Fuqing Grass.

Di Nian.

Take men and search the outskirts of the capital at once

for terrain matching this painting.

Lord Meng.

Lord Meng!

Bofeng Tavern...

Something terrible happened at Bofeng Tavern!

Stop!

-Give me back my husband! -Stop! What are you doing?

Fuzhi.

Lord Meng.

You must seek justice for us!

I held the birthday banquet here

only out of respect for you.

If anything happens to my husband,

how am I supposed to live?

Even with you backing her, Lord Meng,

Proprietor Yan still owes us an explanation.

Exactly!

No one leaves until we get an explanation!

-No one leaves! -No one leaves!

What are you doing?

Stop!

If you want justice,

help me save them.

If you want bloodshed,

I will not be merciful.

-Save them! -Save them!

Husband!

My lord.

The wine is poisoned.

Judging by how potent it is,

it is most likely the Infinity Pill.

The Tiger's Roar Gang.

They must be targeting me.

These people need treatment immediately,

or their lives are in danger.

Where is Lady Yan?

She was just here. How did she vanish?

Lord Meng.

Meng Tinghui.

You killed the woman I loved most.

I will make the person dearest to you suffer worse than death.

If you want to save Yan Fuzhi,

come alone as agreed.

Otherwise, prepare to collect her body.

Fuzhi...

Before the evening watch today,

if the court does not hand over Meng Tinghui,

I will drench the capital in blood with Infinity Pills.

Ling Yunfei.

Shunzi.

Run!

-Run! -Run!

Absurd!

How dare the Tiger's Roar Gang be this brazen?

Your Majesty, please hear me.

The Tiger's Roar Gang must be destroyed,

and Ling Yunfei must be captured.

But the people must also be reassured.

I heard that at Bofeng Tavern

many people were poisoned.

The capital clinics are already overflowing,

and threatening letters are everywhere.

The whole city is in panic.

All of this began because of Meng Tinghui.

If we hand over just one person,

we can hold Ling Yunfei at bay

and calm the people.

It is the best course.

Your Majesty, I agree.

Meng Tinghui may have been punishing evildoers,

but she also provoked the Tiger's Roar Gang.

If Your Majesty keeps shielding her,

the people may question Your Majesty's judgment.

Ling Yunfei posted threats all across the city.

Is Meng Tinghui the one he is challenging?

He is challenging me,

and the authority of Daning.

If I retreat today,

that would truly be an unwise act.

Your Majesty, all the civil and military officials

are waiting before the main hall.

If Your Majesty still refuses to hand her over,

it will be hard to convince them.

Today, not only Meng Tinghui,

but anyone in this court

would never be surrendered by me.

Instead of joining forces to suppress the gang,

you two submit a joint memorial to force my hand.

But, Your Majesty,

less than three hours remain before the evening watch.

If the search fails

and the Tiger's Roar Gang still holds the Infinity Pills,

the streets of the capital may be littered with bodies.

How will we answer for that?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, I have a report.

Lord Meng requests an audience.

She has also volunteered to go

meet Ling Yunfei.

Seal every exit.

-Search. -Yes.

Your Majesty.

The situation is urgent. There is no time to lose.

Please allow me to go alone as agreed.

This concerns the dignity of Daning.

This is no time for you to play the hero.

I sent Zhishu, Di Nian, and Huang Bo to hunt Ling Yunfei and his gang citywide.

This matter is not open for discussion.

Ling Yunfei believes

that Liu Ruyan died by my hand.

He wants a life for a life.

If my life alone

-could save Fuzhi and the whole capital— -Meng Tinghui!

This involves the criminal underworld of Daning.

Do you think this is a game?

My decision is final.

You may leave.

My mind is made up as well.

Even if I die,

I must go.

She dared openly defy His Majesty.

Lord Meng truly is

remarkably bold.

Lord Meng.

My brother has already gone to find Lady Yan.

His Majesty also sent the Divine Guard to search the capital.

They will surely find Fuzhi.

Why risk your own life?

I am going for Fuzhi,

and for the people of the capital.

Ling Yunfei wants me.

It is time I settled this with him.

My lord, I know we cannot talk you out of it.

Then how about this?

I will go in your place.

I have followed you for so long

that your manner and speech

are easy enough for me to imitate.

Ling Yunfei will not recognize me.

Can Ling Yunfei not tell a man from a woman?

He specifically ordered me to come alone.

If he sees anyone else,

Fuzhi's life will be in danger.

In this game,

we must play by his rules.

My lord, if you insist on going,

this soup

contains Ten-Tonic Vitality Powder.

Even someone with no inner strength

will become stronger and hardier

and move as swiftly as the wind.

You must drink it

before we let you leave.

Yes.

At least take this medicine

so we can have some peace of mind.

I'm going.

You...

You drugged me.

Forgive us, my lord.

It was the only way.

You can sleep soundly until tomorrow morning.

When she wakes,

she may punish me or hate me. I accept it all.

I will take men right now

to find Lady Yan.

I will recheck the clues from Wanxiang House.

Search carefully, all of you.

-Yes. -Yes.

Found it.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, this is the glowstone powder Lord Meng left behind.

If you insist on going,

I will have men protect you in secret.

Ling Yunfei demanded that I come alone.

If he notices anything unusual,

-Fuzhi's life... -This is my final concession.

You are an official of Daning.

I will never let you face danger alone.

Leave markers along the way.

Zhishu and Di Nian will follow in secret

without alerting Ling Yunfei.

Once I meet Ling Yunfei,

I will light a red flame as the signal.

Remember.

On this mission,

your safety and Lady Yan's

must come before everything else.

Your Majesty.

The forest is dark. There may be an ambush.

Perhaps Your Majesty should return to the palace.

We will rescue Lord Meng and Lady Yan.

Huang is right.

Ling Yunfei is ruthless.

-If Your Majesty is harmed... -All the more reason.

I must capture them with my own hands.

Come. To the palace.

Leyan.

Teacher.

Why are you here so late?

Ling Yunfei is devious,

and the Office of Public Inquiry is his first target.

I was worried about you. Are you heading home?

I am going to the palace.

Leyan.

What is so urgent?

Lord Meng is missing.

She must have gone alone to meet Ling Yunfei.

Yinqing already led the Light Cavalry out of the city.

But without anyone to support her,

she is in grave danger going alone.

I must report to His Majesty

and ask him to send reinforcements.

Where are Lieutenant Di

and your brother now?

My brother...

He already left to find Lady Yan

and track down Ling Yunfei.

A Nian

may be attending His Majesty.

Ling Yunfei

will surely spare no one from the Office of Public Inquiry.

Your brother and Di Nian

are both away from the residence.

Who will protect the Shen household?

Deploy the household guards at once

and keep the Shen residence under tight guard.

I will go to the palace in your place.

But if His Majesty asks for details...

His Majesty knows

Lord Meng's temperament very well.

I will explain everything properly to him.

Do not worry.

Take care of yourself and your family.

Lord Meng.

Have you not always wanted to capture me?

Enough talk.

I am here.

Release Yan Fuzhi.

What is the rush?

The show has only just begun.

Let me go!

Fuzhi!

I have dreamed of you often these past few days.

In my dreams,

you were just like this,

kneeling at my feet and begging for mercy.

I truly cannot understand it.

You and I stayed out of each other's way.

Why did you insist on hounding me?

Everything I built with my own hands

was wiped out by you people.

And the woman I loved most died because of you.

Tell me.

This blood debt...

How will you repay it?

Ling Yunfei.

As for how this blood debt is repaid,

we will do it your way.

But first,

release Yan Fuzhi.

If you dare touch her,

I will grind your bones to dust.

What touching sisterly devotion.

Have you not been investigating the Infinity Pills?

Mengmeng!

Let her go!

Let her go and come at me instead!

As you wish.

Ling Yunfei!

Do not hurt Fuzhi.

Someone else truly killed Liu Ruyan.

You are taking revenge on the wrong person.

Even if we both die today,

Liu Ruyan in the afterlife

will still be unable to rest in peace.

I came here alone today.

I am not even afraid to die.

Why would I lie to you?

That day, I needed Liu Ruyan alive

to learn your whereabouts.

Why would I have struck rashly?

Even if she did not kill Sister Ruyan herself,

she still drove her to her death.

And there is my brother's blood feud,

and the lives of dozens of our brothers.

If we do not tear her limb from limb today,

we will have failed Sister Ruyan

and our fallen brothers.

This should be the place.

We are running out of time.

Go.

Sir, Ying Gua has led troops into the Tiger's Roar Gang.

We should avoid a direct clash.

Stop! Let her go!

Fuzhi!

Let her go!

Do you not want revenge?

Come at me!

Stop!

Stop feeding her!

Stop!

Let her go!

No!

No!

Such devoted sisters.

If she wants it so badly, give her more.

I killed Liu Ruyan with my own hands.

I killed her myself.

It was me.

I watched her with my own eyes

die by my hand.

Before she died, she put on her finest makeup

and wore her most splendid clothes.

She waited for you, full of hope.

What a pity.

You never even saw her one last time.

Do you not want to avenge her?

Kill me.

Kill me right now!

Today,

I will send you to join Ruyan in death.

Ling Yunfei!

Fuzhi!

Chief!

Raid the Tiger's Roar Gang!

-After him! -Yes!

Fuzhi.

Are you hurt?

I am fine.

Fuzhi, what is wrong?

They forced her to take an Infinity Pill.

Fuzhi!

As you ordered,

Chief Ling has withdrawn safely.

Ling Yunfei is a useful blade.

It would be a waste to lose him.

Besides, he knows far too many secrets.

Dead or alive,

he must never fall into the hands of the court.

Rest assured, Master.

The court may have raided the Tiger's Roar Gang,

but the secret passage has been destroyed.

For the time being,

they will not find his hiding place.

Fuzhi.

Fuzhi!

Calm down.

Stop smashing things, Fuzhi!

Fuzhi!

Calm down!

Hold on.

Fuzhi!

Fuzhi, stop smashing things! Fuzhi!

Stop!

Fuzhi!

Hold on.

Fuzhi!

Fuzhi!

Once you get through this, you will be all right.

Hold on a little longer, all right?

It is all right.

Mengmeng.

Give me an Infinity Pill.

Please, give me an Infinity Pill.

-I feel awful. -Fuzhi.

Give me an Infinity Pill.

Once you get through this, you will be all right.

Zhishu.

Give me an Infinity Pill.

Please.

Give me an Infinity Pill.

I feel awful. Give me an Infinity Pill.

Please.

Fuzhi, the Infinity Pill will destroy you.

I feel awful.

Fuzhi.

Wake up!

Fuzhi, let go!

Fuzhi, release me!

-Stop biting! -My lord!

-Fuzhi! -My lord!

Tie Lady Yan up first.

She may hurt us when another attack comes.

Let go!

Give me an Infinity Pill!

Or I will kill all of you!

Yan Fuzhi!

-Put down the knife! -Fuzhi, do not hurt yourself!

Lady Yan!

Lord Shen, quickly!

Let me go!

Lord Meng.

If we do not restrain her, she may hurt herself too.

Fuzhi.

Fuzhi.

Fuzhi.

Kill me.

It hurts too much.

I cannot bear it.

I am begging you.

Kill me.

Kill me!

Fuzhi.

Yinqing.

You have always been skilled with poisons.

Please, save Fuzhi.

-My lord... -Please think of something!

Please get up first.

I beg you. Find a way to save her.

Fuzhi is my only family.

Even if it costs my life,

I would give it willingly.

My lord, please get up.

If Lady Yan can be saved,

even if it costs everything I have,

I will not hesitate.

My lord.

Lord Shen.

This poison is extraordinarily strange.

His Majesty sent Imperial Physician Li to examine her personally,

but he could do nothing.

I searched every medical text

and found no cure.

Even if we begin developing an antidote,

it could take months, perhaps years.

But Lady Yan...

may have only three days.

If she can endure this ordeal herself,

the poison will gradually weaken.

Three days...

Three days.

Fuzhi.

Fuzhi.

Hold on.

Bofeng Tavern has not spread across Daning yet.

Rank, wealth, glory...

I do not want any of it.

Let us go back to Shazhou.

I only want you standing safely before me.

Please.

Do not leave me.

Please.

Please...

I heard Jiang Mei'er came looking for trouble again.

Does she really think we are easy targets?

I'll avenge you by bashing her with an abacus.

But to me, nothing is worth risking your life for.

Let us make our way in the capital.

You open a tavern,

and I will sit the imperial examination.

-Together, we'll make our mark. -Capital, here we come!

Here we come!

I got this at Lingquan Temple

especially for you. It is the best fortune lot.

The monk said you are certain to pass the imperial examination.

May my writing earn me a place in government,

change my fate,

and let me protect those dearest to me.

I have tried so hard.

I really have tried so hard.

Mengmeng.

I know.

I have seen it all.

Even if you fail the examination,

you will still be the finest Meng Tinghui in the world.

There is only one Meng Tinghui like you.

Fuzhi.

I became the top scholar!

The top scholar!

Mengmeng is right here.

Look.

Brilliant beyond measure.

You have everything anyone could want.

You are so heartless.

We promised to return to Shazhou together.

You broke your promise.

You have to promise me

that when you shelter others from the rain,

you will protect yourself first.

Stop!

Stop feeding her!

Stop!

Let her go!

Please, give me an Infinity Pill.

I will do anything you ask.

Anything at all.

What if I told you

to kill Meng Tinghui?

Fine. I will kill her.

I will kill her.

Fuzhi!

Wake up!

Proprietor Yan.

This is Lord Meng.

Let go!

My lord, are you all right?

I am here.

Mengmeng.

It hurts so much.

It feels like bugs are gnawing all over me.

Please kill me.

There are bugs.

They are biting me.

They are gnawing at my bones.

I cannot bear it.

Yinqing, quickly!

Careful.

Slowly.

Fuzhi, slowly.

Mengmeng.

Kill me.

Please.

If you die,

what am I supposed to do?

If anything happens to you,

I will not go on living either.

I have an Infinity Pill here.

Give it to me.

Give me the Infinity Pill!

Fuzhi!

Give it to me!

Shen Zhishu!

Are you trying to make her die even sooner?

Do you want to watch her die in agony?

Meng Tinghui!

You are supposed to be her closest friend.

Can you not even let her die with less pain?

She will not die.

She absolutely will not die.

If she really...

If she really...

then I will go with her.

On the road to the afterlife,

I will never let you be alone.

I just...

do not want to see her suffer like this.

Lady Meng.

Huiyin House's caravans

travel to the border year-round

to obtain these Ice Soul Pills.

They counter the heat toxin of Five-Stone Powder.

-Fuzhi. -It won't cure the Infinity Pill,

but the two poisons are quite similar.

With her life hanging in the balance,

I hope this pill gives you a chance to save her.

My lord, it is not a perfect match for her condition,

but it is worth trying.

Fuzhi.

If this road leads to death,

I will walk it with you.

-Fuzhi. -Let me examine her.

Fuzhi.

Fuzhi.

Her pulse is faint as a thread,

but it has not stopped.

If by midnight tonight

the heat toxin does not flare up again,

she will have escaped death.

We owe much to Lady Situ for her generous help.

Lady Yan and Lady Meng

once treated me like a sister.

I am only doing what little I can.

Lady Yan's danger has not passed tonight.

I will take my leave

so I do not disturb you all.

It is late.

I will see Mistress Situ out.

Zhili.

It is so late.

Why are you still here?

Why are you crying?

Who bullied you?

I always thought

there was nothing in this world

that could frighten Lady Meng.

But when Lady Yan's addiction seized her today,

Lord Meng wept her heart out.

Even my brother cried.

A Nian.

I am scared.

I am afraid Lady Yan may never wake up.

And I am even more afraid something might happen to you.

Zhili.

I am back, am I not?

I am fine.

You are getting bolder and bolder.

Before sunset, Guard Huang led the Light Cavalry

and the Divine Guard back to the capital to report.

Yet you dared act alone

and stayed away all night.

What if something had happened to you?

Zhili.

Does your hand hurt?

I am back, am I not?

Why do you make me worry so much?

And you are still calling me Zhili?

Do you think that because you are grown now,

you no longer have to listen to me?

Call me Sister.

Sister.

Do not try to look pitiful now.

Are you hurt?

I have never seen

my brother look that worried before.

He actually fell for Lady Yan long ago.

He has simply kept denying his feelings

and refused to admit them.

With Lady Yan in this condition,

of course his heart is breaking.

I hope Lady Yan makes it through tonight.

If anything happens to her,

that little light in my brother's eyes

may go out forever.

Lord Meng's whole world would collapse too.

I will bring Ling Yunfei to justice.

I hope Lady Yan

will be protected by Heaven.

Look at you.

How did you get hurt this badly?

While searching for the valley outside the capital,

I got scratched by accident.

It was a long journey,

so I returned a little late.

Did you find anything outside the capital?

We still need more time.

There was no word from you for a day and a night,

and then you came back covered in wounds.

Do you know how worried I was?

What are you smiling at?

You care about me.

When have I ever not cared about you?

You should visit a clinic tomorrow.

I know.

What is this?

I found it while searching for the valley outside the capital.

I heard that carrying it

brings good luck.

It looks like you are the one who needs some good luck.

Rest and let your wounds heal.

I am going to see Lady Yan.

I will go with you.

You stay here and rest.

Go home early.

Shopkeeper.

I wonder how Proprietor Yan is doing.

Shopkeeper,

you may compete fiercely in business with Proprietor Yan,

but you really do care about her.

Business is business.

But you saw how terrifying people on the Infinity Pill can become.

Master Zhao and Old Madam Zhao

are both gone now.

Proprietor Yan is a woman

making her way in the world alone is not easy.

Fortunately, Lord Meng was there this time

and managed to save her.