Original subtitles

The Scholar and the Emperor

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.

For a woman like Proprietor Yan,

making her way in the world alone is not easy.

Fortunately, Lord Meng was there this time

and managed to save her.

My lord.

Heaven has shown mercy.

The poison in Miss Yan's body

is gradually dissipating.

With proper recuperation, she will be fine.

Thank goodness you're all right.

Thank goodness you're back.

Mengmeng.

Fuzhi.

Did I hurt you?

This is all my fault.

I dragged you into all this trouble.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Fuzhi.

Don't cry.

Thank you for coming so late, Your Majesty.

Fuzhi is out of danger.

Since she's fine,

why are you still crying?

I'm afraid.

Afraid this is all another dream.

Afraid something worse will happen again.

I'm afraid that even if I give everything,

I still can't protect those I love.

These past days,

watching you and Miss Yan face life and death together,

I finally understood.

Without the lights of countless homes

in these ordinary streets,

a realm stretching thousands of miles

is nothing but cold lines on a map.

But I'm afraid

I can't even protect this one small light before me.

The light you would die to protect

is the realm I must protect.

You protect it.

I will protect you,

and all the people of this realm.

-Come out, Meng Tinghui! -Come out, Meng Tinghui!

-Come out here! -Come out here!

Stop hiding like a coward!

Come out!

Stop hiding like a coward!

Meng Tinghui!

Meng Tinghui!

Don't move. Back away!

Meng Tinghui!

Calm down.

My father and grandmother aren't even buried yet,

and you dare hide in there?

A birthday feast has become a funeral.

They died with grievances unresolved.

If I can't give them justice,

how can I lay them to rest?

How could you let Ling Yunfei escape?

Today, it was my Zhao family.

What about tomorrow?

Are we supposed to live

in fear and misery every day?

-Exactly! -My son!

You said you'd marry once you'd saved enough.

Now I, an old mother,

must bury my own son.

How am I supposed to go on?

You beasts living off the court!

You don't care if commoners live or die!

-Stone them! -Stone them!

-Stone them! -Back away!

And you still have the nerve to stop us!

Yinqing.

I'm fine, my lord.

Everyone,

everyone,

I understand your pain and fear.

I, Meng Tinghui,

make this solemn pledge today:

within ten days,

I will eradicate the Infinity Pill,

capture Ling Yunfei,

and restore peace to the people.

Ten days? Can she do it?

Is she serious?

My lord, please reconsider.

Ten days is too short.

A military pledge is no joke.

You can't make one lightly.

My mind is made up.

I mean every word.

Everyone here may bear witness.

I give myself ten days.

If I fail,

I will surrender my office and become a commoner,

and accept punishment under the law

without complaint.

Your Majesty,

the Tiger's Roar Gang leader escaped,

and the Infinity Pill is still missing.

If he is allowed to return,

the capital will suffer greatly.

I impeach her today

because public anger is boiling over.

If it is not calmed,

chaos may erupt.

I implore Your Majesty

to strip her of office and punish her,

to reassure the people.

Your Majesty,

the Left Chancellor and I often disagree,

but this time

his words are sound.

Ling Yunfei has thrown the capital into chaos

all because of Meng Tinghui.

Suspend her from office.

It will calm the people,

and force Ling Yunfei to stay his hand for now.

Absurd!

The Tiger's Roar Gang caused this,

yet you want to punish

the head of the Office of Public Inquiry?

A mere bandit chief

and a single poison pill

have thrown my entire court into chaos.

If an enemy invades one day,

will you all rush to submit surrender petitions?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

I, Meng Tinghui,

willingly accept punishment.

The Infinity Pill case

is the Tiger's Roar Gang's crime,

but the Office of Public Inquiry bears responsibility,

and I bear the greatest responsibility.

I have made a military pledge to the people.

Within ten days,

if I fail to eradicate the Infinity Pill

and capture Ling Yunfei,

I will accept any punishment.

Meng Tinghui,

given your determination to catch the culprit,

I grant you ten days.

Your Majesty, Meng Tinghui's pledge

merely fulfills her duty.

The present situation

was caused by her dereliction.

Under the Laws of Daning,

she should receive twenty strokes

as a warning to others.

Enough.

Meng Tinghui has made her pledge.

As court officials,

instead of working together to suppress the bandits,

you attack a colleague over street gossip.

I think you deserve twenty strokes yourselves.

Your Majesty.

I saw the people's suffering with my own eyes.

It pains me deeply.

I will bear the twenty strokes alone

to apologize to the people.

-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.

-We will share Lord Meng's punishment. -We will share Lord Meng's punishment.

I head the Office of Public Inquiry.

I should bear it alone.

I am its deputy. I share the responsibility.

I serve there too. We stand together in hardship.

The case remains unsolved. I cannot shirk my duty.

I share the responsibility too.

That must hurt terribly.

You've been frail since childhood.

Though they're only surface wounds,

you still need proper rest and care.

What I did this time

wasn't a rash impulse.

I understand.

Back then,

I placed seventeenth in the first class of the metropolitan examination.

When I first entered the Hanlin Academy,

I was just as full of youthful zeal.

Then I met your father,

became a wife and mother,

and had no regrets.

But today,

seeing you stand with the Office of Public Inquiry,

I saw my younger self in you.

And compared with me,

you have an even greater sense of duty.

Mother.

I'm truly proud of you.

Mother.

Because I've walked this road,

I know how hard it is.

I only did what I should.

Precisely because the road ahead is hard,

Lord Meng is all the more admirable.

As a woman,

she leads the Office of Public Inquiry

and pledged before everyone.

She is a model for all women.

I need to recover quickly

and go help her.

My Li'er.

You've truly grown up.

I wonder

how Brother and A-Nian's injuries are.

Father.

Why can Zhili eat in her room

while I have to come to the hall?

I only walked a few steps,

and my back already hurts again.

If it's too much,

go back and rest.

How could I?

Pain is pain,

but I still have to eat.

Besides, Father cooked this himself.

It'd be a shame not to eat it.

Easy, Brother.

They hit your back.

Why? Does your rear hurt too?

I took a full twenty strokes!

It takes a hundred days for bone and sinew to heal.

My back

probably doesn't have a patch of good skin left.

A-Nian, sit down.

All right.

Look at you.

You've spent too long in pleasure houses,

and your martial skills are getting rusty.

You need more practice.

Look at A-Nian.

He took the same twenty strokes.

When have you heard him complain?

I'm used to rough treatment.

Unlike Brother,

who runs between Changle Street and the Office every day.

It's exhausting enough.

That's the responsibility a Shen man should have.

Leading the Divine Guard at such a young age,

charging into battle,

yet attentive and caring at home.

Well done. Come, drink.

Thank you, Father.

Father.

Your fine Shen son here

is tough as old leather.

I can't compete with him in toughness.

But I'm much stronger than Zhili.

She still can't get out of bed.

My son has really accomplished something.

As her elder brother,

you're actually comparing yourself to your sister?

Aren't you ashamed?

I wonder how Zhili's injuries are.

Your mother is caring for her.

She'll be fine.

Eat.

Grand Tutor.

The tonics you asked for are ready.

Father.

Let me take them to Zhili.

All right.

Thank you, Father.

A-Nian really is

made of sturdy stuff.

Father, look.

My standing in this family

is lower than dust.

With all this good food and drink,

you still can't keep your mouth shut?

Just eat.

Thank you, Father.

Brat.

Here.

How did you get beaten this badly?

Fuzhi, please don't cry.

I've been hurt

much worse than this before.

I'll be fine in a couple of days.

No matter how badly you were hurt before,

you always smiled and said you were fine.

Those learned male officials at court

don't help you investigate the Tiger's Roar Gang,

and they treat you like this?

I'm going to ask His Majesty myself.

You only want what's best for Daning.

Why couldn't he protect you?

Miss Yan was looking for me?

Your Majesty.

Mengmeng is my only family.

All this way,

she's been framed and bullied,

humiliated and threatened,

and nearly killed time and again.

The people who targeted her were all vicious criminals.

But this time,

Your Majesty personally ordered her punished.

-Fuzhi. -To give the officials an answer,

so you used my Mengmeng as your weapon.

But she's precious to me too.

If after ten days

she still hasn't solved it,

I only ask Your Majesty to spare her life.

Strip her of rank and make her a commoner.

I'll take her back to Shazhou.

From then on,

I won't let anyone hurt her again.

I've said what I came to say.

Please punish me, Your Majesty.

Miss Yan.

I promise you.

What you fear will not happen.

Your Majesty's word is absolute.

I'll remember it for Mengmeng.

I won't disturb Your Majesty and Mengmeng.

Your Majesty.

Fuzhi

is worried for my safety.

Please don't blame her.

She's right.

This is my fault.

I failed to protect you.

I brought wound medicine sent as tribute from Beijian.

It relieves pain and prevents scarring.

I'll apply it for you.

I...

dare not trouble Your Majesty.

You won't even let me do this small thing for you?

It may sting at first.

There may be a burning sensation.

I'll be careful.

This mark on your back

is rather unusual.

A mark?

Which one do you mean, Your Majesty?

I was beaten often as a child

and have many scars.

I don't remember them all.

Your Majesty.

The ten-day deadline is close.

Perhaps only by finding the valley

can we stop the Infinity Pill spreading.

Tomorrow, I want to search the outskirts with Yinqing.

Don't concern yourself with anything.

I've ordered Huang Bo to find the valley.

Your priority now

is to rest and recover your strength.

Otherwise,

I may truly take away that official robe of yours.

I obey.

The Mystic Bird guards Zhongwan.

Royal descendants bear a secret mark on the shoulder from childhood,

which becomes clearer with age.

Your Majesty saw it clearly.

The mark on Lord Meng's shoulder

is indeed the Mystic Bird totem.

Though the mark overlaps with scars,

it is unmistakable.

I vaguely remember

the Zhongwan royals Father executed

also bore such a mark.

But I was young then.

As for what happened back then,

only the Grand Tutor knows clearly.

More than ten years ago,

the Zhongwan royal house coveted Daning's riches

and provoked us repeatedly.

The late Emperor had enough

and led the campaign himself.

The Zhongwan royals resisted to the end,

but were crushed by his iron hand.

The four-year-old Zhongwan princess

also died inside the palace.

Only a band of death-sworn guards

broke through with a general's son.

Judging by their ages,

Lord Meng and the Zhongwan princess would be the same age.

But wasn't the Zhongwan princess dead?

It now appears

the dead princess may have been a decoy.

Perhaps Zhongwan remnants

wanted to restore their nation

and preserve a line of royal blood.

Huiyin House and the Blood Moon Society

were already plotting a restoration.

Situ Xue is also very close to Lord Meng.

Perhaps

Lord Meng is one of them, sent to infiltrate the court.

Daning's ancestral law still states

that Zhongwan survivors must live as slaves or servants

and may never serve as court officials.

The late Emperor enacted this to prevent

traitors from disrupting the court and harming the people.

Now a Zhongwan restoration is stirring in secret.

Its royal bloodline

must be eradicated completely.

Grand Tutor, are you asking me to execute Lord Meng?

I have long since retired.

I should not interfere in court affairs.

But Your Majesty and Meng Tinghui

have grown exceedingly close.

There is already criticism outside.

I am deeply concerned.

Please think carefully, Your Majesty.

Be more cautious with Meng Tinghui,

and remain vigilant

against the Blood Moon Society.

Only then

can we guard against the unforeseen

and keep the court stable.

Father, don't worry.

His Majesty already told me to watch Huiyin House

and secretly investigate the Blood Moon Society.

His Majesty would never put private feelings before public duty.

Still, Lord Meng's identity

truly warrants renewed scrutiny.

This concerns an old feud between two states.

I will not take it lightly

or act on emotion.

Meng Tinghui and the Office of Public Inquiry,

I will consider everything carefully.

Your Majesty is wise.

Until there is a conclusion,

we will keep this strictly secret.

Zhishu, especially you.

Father, I have enough self-control

to know better.

The Tiger's Roar Gang's storerooms,

hidden cellars,

even the caves behind the mountain

have all been searched.

Not a single Infinity Pill was found.

And for dozens of miles around their stronghold,

there is nothing but sand and stone.

It cannot be where the poison is made.

Logically,

Ling Yunfei is badly wounded.

If he doesn't want to bleed to death,

his hiding place

shouldn't be far from the capital.

A-Nian, you searched the valleys outside the capital.

Did you truly find no clues at all?

We searched seventeen valleys.

Each was compared with the painting.

Huang Bo has led the Divine Guard

deep into the miasma forest.

No word has come back yet.

Though the gang's stronghold is destroyed,

as long as Ling Yunfei lives,

given that madman's nature,

he will plot an even crueler revenge.

My lord.

Your wounds...

I'm fine.

Zhili, draft a memorial now.

Ask His Majesty for reinforcements.

We must find where the poison is made as soon as possible.

Otherwise,

the consequences are unthinkable.

Lock the chains tighter.

Yes.

Chief.

As you ordered,

the dose of Fuqing Grass

has been tripled.

What an intoxicating fragrance.

But it is still not enough.

Increase the dose.

Within ten days,

harvest every stalk of Fuqing Grass in Wangxian Valley.

This time,

either Meng Tinghui dies,

or I, Ling Yunfei, do.

Then you should prepare your funeral.

Mr. Shangguan honors us with a visit.

It seems you've finally lost patience.

To get revenge on Meng Tinghui,

you spread the Infinity Pill at Bofeng Tavern.

Now the whole city is under lockdown.

Do you intend to ruin our business with your own hands?

You hide in the shadows all day

to make petty profits.

Is that

all you cowards aspire to?

Listen carefully.

If you dare trouble Meng Tinghui again,

I don't mind sending you to your grave first.

What exactly is your relationship with Meng Tinghui?

Every other sentence is about her,

and you protect her at every turn.

Our business

together

ends here.

You think I'll just sit and wait to die?

Look. This is the Infinity Pill's true power.

I'll use an army of poisoned men

to bathe the capital in blood.

Meng Tinghui, prepare to die.

(Bofeng Tavern Temporary Closure Notice)

I wanted to save enough silver

to buy a large house.

The two of us

could live comfortably there.

Now I've lost everything.

I snatched my life back from death

thanks to you, Mengmeng.

It was thanks to Lord Shen.

To get medicine for you,

he even pawned the jade pendant gifted by the late Emperor.

His Majesty knew he was saving a life and did not punish him.

But Zhili told me

Grand Tutor Shen made him kneel in the ancestral hall for three days.

He truly cares about you.

After narrowly escaping death,

I realized wealth is easy to find,

but a true friend is rare.

Since you all gave everything for me,

I should live well.

Bofeng Tavern will close for two months.

I'll create more new dishes

so when we reopen,

the capital's diners will be amazed.

But you're not fully recovered.

Bofeng Tavern still isn't safe.

Stay at the Office for now.

I'll be there to look after you.

You...

You've been buried in chasing Ling Yunfei. How could you possibly look after me?

The military pledge deadline is near,

but every lead on Ling Yunfei is gone.

The Light Riders have searched for days,

yet no one has reported back.

Even His Majesty hasn't come to the Office for days.

Something feels strange.

All right.

Enough thinking. Let's go out.

-Yinqing. -Lord Meng.

-Proprietor Yan. -You went to Huiyin House.

Mistress Situ often travels to the frontier.

She has rare medicines, candles, and incense not found in the capital.

Proprietor Yan has only just recovered and needs to rebuild her strength.

Thank you for taking the trouble.

Any progress from Commandant Di's search of the valleys?

Why has not a single message reached the Office from the Light Riders?

His Majesty personally deployed the Divine Guard.

All intelligence

is reported directly to the throne.

But I did hear some good news.

I happened to hear

the Light Riders found a valley

somewhat like the one in the painting.

But the memorial you submitted

requesting reinforcements

still has not been approved.

The Divine Guard should assist the Office in its investigations.

Yet now they are bypassing me.

Lend me this candle.

Your Majesty, the Light Rider units report

that Huang Bo disappeared

at the last valley still unsearched,

Wangxian Valley.

The terrain there is treacherous,

and mist shrouds it year-round,

obscuring all visibility.

At the valley entrance, the Light Riders

found Huang Bo's dagger.

Huang Bo never loses anything he carries.

Could something have happened to him?

Take the Light Riders and search the mountain at once.

Should we inform Lord Meng?

As for this valley,

we have no proof yet that Fuqing Grass grows there.

Do not alarm her for now.

-Investigate it thoroughly first. -I understand.

Your Majesty, this old servant has sinned!

Not again.

With Huang Bo away these past few days,

he has nagged my ears raw.

Go help me

stop Chief Steward You before you leave.

Yes.

Your Majesty personally risked yourself at the Tiger's Roar Gang.

This old servant fears for your safety.

Every day my heart

is in my throat.

I have failed the late Emperor.

Commandant Di,

lend me your sword.

I'll go meet the late Emperor first!

Commandant Di, I was beside myself.

His Majesty has stayed up late reviewing memorials.

It seems he caught a chill.

The physician prescribed this remedy.

Your Majesty,

you must take care of yourself.

-Your Maj... -Go back.

Your Majesty.

You must take good care of yourself.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Can you stop bothering me?

So Your Majesty finds me bothersome.

Is that why you haven't visited the Office lately?

I thought it was Chief Steward You.

This is from Huiyin House.

Miss Situ specially blended it.

She said it calms the mind and restores the spirit.

You've exhausted yourself lately over the Infinity Pill.

You should try it.

You came here specifically today

not just to bring this gift, did you?

The memorial I submitted

requesting more staff for the Office

has yet to receive imperial approval.

This drawing...

do you recognize it?

I do not.

This is the Heaven-ordained Mystic Bird revered in Zhongwan.

It is said to foretell good and ill

and protect the nation's destiny.

Later, Zhongwan submitted to Daning.

Do you think Daning's policy toward Zhongwan survivors

should be reformed?

Your Majesty.

I've only read about Zhongwan's past in historical texts.

I don't know what truly happened.

Miss Yan only just escaped danger.

I don't want you risking yourself again.

I have decided on another plan.

-The Office should leave this case. -Your Majesty.

I know the difference between public and private.

What happened to Fuzhi

torments me day and night.

Even if I do harbor selfish motives,

so what?

The Ling Yunfei case

has been pursued by the Office all along,

and I am the best person for it.

Please withdraw your order.

Ling Yunfei will not stop pursuing you.

I am worried for your safety.

Take some time to rest.

Consider that my own selfishness.

I feel Your Majesty

has been acting strangely lately.

Are you hiding something from me?

Do not overthink it.

Follow my decree.

Your Majesty, of all the court officials,

who knows Ling Yunfei better than the Office?

If Your Majesty is worried about me,

you may send people with me.

But if the Office is forced off this case,

then I will go myself.

If Your Majesty does not trust me,

I need not wait for your decree.

I already know where Wangxian Valley is.

From the day we met,

I knew this was your nature.

I trust you.

But that means allowing you to place yourself in danger.

I want this realm kept safe,

but I also want you, Meng Tinghui,

to return safe and whole.

Wangxian Valley's terrain is complex.

I will go with you.

You're awake.

Thank goodness.

I was afraid you'd keep sleeping forever.

Don't move.

I'm only listening to your heartbeat,

to see how well you're recovering.

After taking my medicine,

the snake venom is gone.

However,

your injured leg needs a few more days of rest.

Be good these next few days.

Don't rush out and run around.

Thank you for saving my life, miss.

You're welcome.

I'm A-Luo, a resident of Wangxian Valley.

You...

what is your name?

My name is Huang Bo.

Huang Bo.

Miss A-Luo.

Let me help you.

Your leg hasn't healed yet.

Don't move around.

Old Huang!

Old Huang!

Young Master.

Careful.

How did you all get here?

Miss A-Luo.

There are so many of us,

and we came to stay at your home without warning.

I'm sorry to impose.

Not at all.

Few outsiders ever come here.

It's rare for my home to be this lively.

Besides,

you're all so handsome,

and dressed much better than we are.

Miss A-Luo.

The scenery shown in this painting,

is it somewhere inside the valley?

Our peaks are beautiful,

wrapped in clouds and mist.

From the valley floor, it looks like an immortal realm.

The scenery in this painting

does indeed resemble our valley.

Then, Miss A-Luo,

-do you know of a kind of... -Miss A-Luo.

I see your courtyard

is full of flowers. What are they used for?

Tomorrow is our valley's Flower Festival.

I'm preparing flower cakes for the celebration.

Make yourselves comfortable.

Have a good chat.

If you need anything,

just call me.

Lord Meng.

I was about to ask where the Fuqing Grass is.

Why did you stop me?