Original subtitles

Why is it blurry again?

Xiao Wuyi. It's wrong!

Xie Jiayu.

Xie Jiayu. I was almost killed.

The stirrup you designed is not flexible enough.

It is called a slipknot.

The harder you pull, the tighter it gets.

If you don't use force, it naturally loosens.

Anmin's leg is weak,

so he won't be dragged.

I was rushing to tell you the news.

But a remarkable person has arrived

at the Beifu Army Camp.

-And that... -Shut up.

You're so noisy.

Xiao Wuyi, you're throwing up blood.

You're hurt?

Where are you hurt?

Tell me!

You're blind?

If you let anyone know

that there's something wrong with my eyes,

I'll kill you now.

What?

And I'll destroy your Miraculous Craft.

I...

We will put our lives on the line

to help His Highness win the three provinces.

With His Highness leading the way,

we won't lose.

Yes, with His Highness here, everything will be fine.

What's going on?

Hold my waist tight.

I'll get you on the horse.

Keep your voice down.

If you trust me,

just hold the reins.

Let me be your eyes.

Okay.

I'm taking Xiao Wuyi with me.

Your Highness.

On our wedding night,

he promised to teach me to ride and enjoy the scenery.

But these days he's been busy either with reforms

or with peace talks.

No one knows whether he'll survive in the competition.

I don't want to be a young widow.

So today, he is mine.

I'll return him to you tomorrow.

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 9]

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

I don't know when you'll regain your sight this time.

Or I might never see again, right?

Yes.

You were badly injured at Jiuzhang Plain?

You're almost blind.

Yet you insist on messing with reforms

and peace talks,

even taking the field yourself.

You are a lunatic.

Last time you mentioned a strong medicine that could cure me.

It will be very painful

and will shorten your lifespan.

Use it.

I can't lose in the competition.

Wait.

Um...

Do you really not need to

see another doctor?

Ruisheng is the best doctor.

Come on.

It will be painful. Hang in there.

The acupuncture is done.

But it will get increasingly painful.

Jiayu, just say something

to distract him.

What can I say?

Say whatever you like.

Then...

Then, let me tell you

the story of Mao and me.

You'd better not speak.

How can that be?

I have to save you.

I'll tell you

the first time I met Mao.

He was skinny back then.

Father brought him to me and said

Mao would be his student from then on.

But I disliked Mao at that time,

because I felt he stole my father from me.

I preferred Lejun.

But after Mao returned from his study tour,

I found he was so elegant,

charming,

and handsome.

Superficial.

You know nothing.

Mao was so kind to me.

When I sneaked out to play,

he would catch me at the foot of the wall.

I said I liked pear blossom candy.

He went buy it for me.

I said I wanted to see the world.

He said he also enjoyed traveling around.

I felt like

God knew what kind of man I liked,

so he specially made Mao the way I wanted

and sent him to me.

In short, in this world,

there is no better man than Mao.

I'm done.

What do you think?

Why don't you say anything?

What should I say?

Give me your opinion.

Congratulations.

What a pity. If it weren't for you,

I would have married Mao long ago.

If it weren't for me,

you would have married Prince Changsha long ago.

That seems to make sense.

Then, Mao and I should thank you.

No need…

I'll brew medicinal herbs.

I'll be back in half a quarter of an hour to remove the needles.

Okay.

Jiayu,

say something to make him happy.

Isn't my story with Mao pleasing?

I understand.

You are all alone.

Hearing our mutual affection,

you must be feeling unhappy, right?

How am I all alone?

Fine. Fine.

I won't expose you.

You'd better get out.

Seeing you gives me a headache.

Didn't you say you are blind?

Why are you having a headache?

Did Ruisheng mess up the acupuncture?

Get out.

Fine.

I'll get out then.

Ruisheng.

His blindness must be kept a secret.

I have to say he fell and

got injured while riding horses with me up the mountain

and needs to rest for two days.

It is not advisable to move him tonight.

Will you or I watch him?

-How about… -Okay, you watch him.

I have to go study his medical records.

Ruisheng.

Xiao Wuyi had a bad temper.

How am I supposed to take care of him?

Besides, I need to sleep, too.

I even snore when I sleep.

His Highness joined the army at fifteen.

He lived rough

and was used to a hard life.

Even thunder wouldn't bother

him, let alone snoring.

Just give him some food and water when he wakes up.

It's easy to take care of him.

Then, what does he like to eat?

Hawthorn cake.

He loves sour food.

Can't you two take care of him?

Now that His Highness is sick,

we need to lead the Beifu Army

to practice tactics for him.

We can't get away.

And his illness

is partly because of testing your stirrups.

You need to take responsibility.

Fine.

Anmin!

Hurry up!

Run!

Anmin!

Mother!

Xiao Wuyi.

A man like you also feels

scared and restless in your dreams?

Mother!

Mother!

Anmin!

Aren't you the one who didn't let Anmin

go to the battlefield?

Xie Jiayu, what are you doing?

My Lady, someone left a bottle of medicine at the door.

I think it was the Princess.

Your Highness,

why don't you go in and see Xiao Wuyi?

Don't you want to know how badly he is injured,

or who he called out to in his dreams?

Wuyi keeps things to himself.

If he doesn't want to say it,

it's not appropriate for me to ask.

I used to think my mother was too strict.

Later, I realized it was because she cared about me too much.

If my mother knew I was sick,

she would definitely stay by my bed

and wait for me to wake up.

Your Highness.

I don't know what happened

between you and Xiao Wuyi,

and why you are estranged from him.

But just now in his dream,

he was clearly calling for his mother.

A child who doesn't cry out in pain may also be in pain.

Now that you are worrying about him,

why don't you tell him directly?

I think when he wakes up at midnight,

he'll want a bowl of chicken soup.

Your Highness,

could you teach me how to cook?

Why is one side still thick and the other thin?

Because you are used to your right hand.

Your right hand applies more force,

while your left hand less.

That's why.

You're awake. Can you see?

I heard it.

Hawthorn cake?

Xiao Wuyi, except for being blind,

your other four senses are amazing.

There's also chicken soup. It's warming up.

It's sourer than last time.

I know you like sour food,

so I didn't put much sugar.

You made specially for me?

I don't like hawthorn cake,

and there's no one else here.

Eat it.

Try knocking five more times with your left hand.

Xiao Wuyi, you're amazing.

You can tell just by listening

which hand I'm using?

Try it.

Right.

Right.

Right hand knocked three times on the left,

left hand five times on the right.

You can even hear that?

Your force was uneven.

The force was smaller when your left hand knocked on the right.

Just now, you only knocked a few times,

so the contrast wasn't obvious.

When both your hands

moved smoothly together,

the difference in force was more obvious.

The sounds of war drums vary in intensity and tempo.

That's how it is.

You made new stirrups and saddles for Anmin?

The leather smells strong.

Yes.

Stop thinking about it for now.

Try the soup.

This is...

I went to the Princess' courtyard,

picked the liveliest old hen,

and let her stew it for you.

Is it good?

I think Dowager Princess cares of you.

She wouldn't hate you

because of Anmin's leg, either.

You should talk sincerely to your mom,

instead of asking her in your dreams.

Xie Jiayu.

Do you love me?

I'm asking you.

Do you love me?

What nonsense are you talking about?

Now that you don't,

then who do you think you are to me?

Did you forget

the warnings I gave you before?

It's okay that you care about Anmin's leg.

But now you are meddling with my relationship with my mother.

No one in the mansion cares about it.

What does it have to do with you?

It's none of your business!

Do you really want to stay

in the Prince Jing'an's Mansion for the rest of your life?

Then, I can make that happen for you.

I take care of you because you are blind

and can't take care of yourself.

Otherwise, I won't care about you.

Do I need your care?

Fine.

You don't.

You mistake my kindness for ill will.

Come out.

If you have nothing to do, take ten strokes of the military cane.

Yes.

Put it down.

My Lady, don't be angry.

Where is this place?

Why am I still in Wensheng Yard after walking around?

My Lady,

Isn't it good that His Highness

doesn't want you to meddle in his business?

Why are you so angry?

What exactly are you angry about?

What am I angry about?

I'm mad that he threw my good intentions back in my face.

My hawthorn cakes were wasted on him.

Let's go.

Ruisheng.

Did something happen to His Highness?

Nothing happened to him.

I left because he made me angry.

Ruisheng, how do you put up with him?

His Highness seems strict and eccentric,

but actually, he has a good temper.

A good temper?

A little moodiness doesn't count,

especially when it's just towards those close to him.

Then, tell me,

what kind of person is Xiao Wuyi in your eyes?

A monster who takes women by force and neglects his rightful wife?

Not exactly.

There was that misunderstanding before,

but later,

I saw what you and Yuanji

wrote on the prayer tree.

Ziqi isn't...

You already know part of it,

but you don't know

the rest.

The name you saw on the prayer tablet

was my husband's.

He was Xiao Wuyi's Lieutenant General,

who died defending the city.

When the city fell,

I was serving as a military doctor.

I was captured by the enemy

and held for over a month.

Later, Xiao Wuyi arrived with reinforcements,

retook the city,

and found me.

But not long after,

I found out I was pregnant.

Many people questioned my chastity

and doubted the child's paternity.

Both my husband's family and my own

forced me to die with my husband.

They refused to acknowledge this child.

When Xiao Wuyi found me,

I was already half-submerged in a freezing river.

So, you married Xiao Wuyi?

He took the blame for taking me by force,

shielding me from everyone's doubts and threats.

Who would dare provoke

the notorious Heir of Prince Jing'an?

Later, when I gave birth to Ziqi,

Xiao Wuyi told me

he could help us change our identities,

stay away from Jiankang,

and live in peace.

Or we could stay,

and Ziqi would become a child of the Xiao family,

and I could, like before,

be a military doctor.

You chose the latter.

I wanted to be closer to

where my husband is buried

and save more people like him.

If you ask me

what kind of person His Highness is,

I think

he is a good person.

Ruisheng.

The one who truly

doesn't want Anmin to go to the battlefield

is Dowager Princess, right?

He'd rather play the villain

than explain himself.

What a strange person!

You've confused me.

I originally promised Ruisheng

to watch over you tonight.

I made the stirrups for Anmin

because I couldn't bear to

see such an ambitious young man

feel inferior due to a disability

and unable to move forward.

So, whether you are here or not,

I would help him.

I interfere with you and Dowager Princess

because I heard you calling for your mother in your sleep,

and I saw her secretly bringing medicine to the door.

I know you two care about each other,

so I talked too much.

Doing good deeds

doesn't need a reason.

♪ One glance stirs heart's doom, near yet far ♪

Besides, Xiao Wuyi,

even without Mao,

♪ This fleeting moment ♪

I consider you a friend.

Although I don't understand politics

♪ Tugs the threads woven by fate ♪

and disagree with many of your methods,

I know you have the people in your heart.

♪ Bound tight evermore ♪

♪ Sharing all the years together ♪

In the repeating crossbow case,

you had ten thousand reasons

to blame me.

♪ Peace I find nowhere but by your side ♪

But you didn't.

You even cleared Miraculous Craft's name in front of the Beifu soldiers,

♪ Bear witness with our souls ♪

so my years of hard work weren't wasted.

♪ Fear no partings or wax and wane ♪

Isn't that enough to make us friends?

♪ You know me and decided to live and die together ♪

♪ Believe in my persistence that I won't run away ♪

But friendship

♪ You know I'm unyielding ♪

isn't a one-way street.

Since you don't consider me a friend in your heart

and are so mean to me,

♪ Don't give up or dodge ♪

our friendship ends tonight.

♪ You know me, seeing things through from start to finish ♪

After you regain your sight,

we will go our separate ways.

♪ You see my move under rebellious cover ♪

♪ You know me, I'm willing to be with you till the end ♪

♪ Burn the fire in my heart ♪

♪ Sincere hearts remain as of old ♪

[Honglu Temple]

I'm sick of the food here.

Bring something different tomorrow.

Do you have Popo melon?

I've never heard of it.

Then, come in with me,

and I'll draw it for you.

It's strange. They've been here for so many days,

but they didn't leave the room,

nor did they let anyone in.

But they opened the door

for a melon?

How weird!

My Lady. My Lady. My Lady.

-What's wrong? -My Lady.

Bad news.

Eagle King and Prince Qi came here.

Why did they come?

Xiao Wuyi hasn't regained his sight yet.

Interesting.

News travels fast.

Even the next courtyard might not know about my illness,

but the royalty and Eagle King knew first.

I heard His Highness was injured while riding yesterday.

With the competition approaching,

I come to inquire about his illness by order of His Majesty and Empress Dowager.

And Eagle King worried that His Highness might not be able to participate in,

so he has also come to visit.

No need to worry about, Your Highness.

My son only suffered a minor injury yesterday,

not affecting the competition.

Then why hasn't he come out to meet us?

Did Wuyi stay in his Secondary Consort's yard?

Go hurry him up.

Yes, Mother.

Even heroes cannot resist a sweet lady.

That's fine.

I have prepared some gifts

for the others of the Xiao family.

This is carefully selected for Young Master Yao.

Mulian Yu!

What do you mean?

Isn't it fitting?

I am very sorry

that I have never fought against him.

I heard that in the early years,

Wuyi and Anmin both had the talent of generals.

On the battlefield,

your military exploits never lost to Xiao Wuyi's.

What a pity.

Now in the Northern Border, people only know of Xiao Wuyi,

but not of Xiao Anmin.

Mu,

you came here in the morning to offend us.

You don't want to have a peace talk at all.

Since that's the case,

no need to wait for any competition.

Right now,

let's fight to the death!

Come on!

Father.

That's right.

I am this lame hound.

But how do you know

that this lame hound

will never have a day to fight on the battlefield?

Then let's wait and see.

Gentlemen,

His Highness has woken up

and is waiting for you two in the garden.

Guess where I am!

Come on, here, catch me!

You can't catch me, right?

Guess which side I'm on.

Right here.

They are here.

Stop!

Over here. Where?

I got you.

Prince Qi?

I apologize. My respects to Your Highness.

I heard that you got injured,

which worried me a lot.

I'm afraid that it might affect the competition.

But now it seems

that I worried too much.

Your Highness's women

are truly beautiful.

This way, please.

Let's go.

Gentlemen,

would you like to choose a dancer or two to accompany you?

No need.

It's good that you're fine.

In this way, I can return to the palace

and report to His Majesty and Empress Dowager.

Why the rush, Your Highness?

It's rare for Young Lord Xiao to be in such a good mood.

I also have some peace talk terms

to discuss with Young Lord Xiao.

What do you want to discuss?

Political marriage.

Political marriage?

Young Lord Xiao, who do you think is

the most suitable person in Southern Ye now?

I suppose you got it reversed.

If there is to be a political marriage,

your country should send a princess to Ye.

But it's too early to talk about this now.

During horseback archery,

any accident can happen.

No matter how well we talk today,

everything is in vain

if one of us dies in the competition.

That's true.

I heard that Southern Ye has the Pitch-pot game.

I have always been fascinated by it.

Could you teach me about it today?

I can teach you.

I am asking His Highness,

not you, his concubine.

Actually, your Pitch-pot game

is similar to our horseback archery.

It's just that Northern Qin

prefers things to be straightforward and thrilling.

So, we don't aim at pots or targets

but at slaves,

the prisoners of war we captured.

We make the captured little slaves

our targets,

and let them flee in panic

and kill each other to survive.

They think as long as they escape tonight's arrows,

they can survive.

But we know

even if they win,

they will become warriors chosen by fate

and be sent to the battlefield,

serving as bait in the front row,

and dying under the arrows of their own kin.

This is the fate of Southern Ye prisoners.

Don't be afraid.

Your Highness.

Pitch-pot game originates from archery rituals.

The thrower can neither overdo it,

nor fall short.

It takes the exact middle path,

impartial and unbiased,

which is the foundation of the way.

Cultivating the mind and character

is the reason why Pitch-pot game thrives in Ye.

How could it be for the thrill of killing?

You frightened my beauty.

This is no way for a guest to behave.

My apology.

However, in the upcoming horseback archery,

we do seek the thrill of killing.

Young Lord Xiao, do not hold back.

I won't.

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

Xiao Wuyi, your archery was so cool!

How did you hear the direction of that arrow?

I can't even describe it.

Locating by sound.

This way, even if you really can't see,

it won't affect your commanding in battle.

Watch your step.

Xiao Wuyi.

Perhaps you think I'm not your friend yet.

But I want to tell you a secret.

I am not the Princess's biological daughter,

but an orphan

she brought back from the orphanage.

My father and mother both thought

I had no childhood memories.

But I clearly remember

the face of the Northern Qin man

who killed my biological parents.

He has a full beard, braided hair,

long eyebrows reaching his temples,

and a mole on his cheek.

If not for my mother's pity,

I would be teased to death

like the young slaves

Eagle King mentioned.

Xiao Wuyi.

If you can beat Eagle King once,

you can beat him a second time.

In this competition, Beifu has to win,

for all the orphans in the world.

And you must be safe.

A person like you

is born to be on the battlefield,

making everyone fear you.

Alright, I promise you.

My friend Jiayu.

You can see me.

Why didn't you say so earlier?

When did you see everything?

My Lady.

Your Highness.

Prince Qi is waiting outside.

He wants to see you.

Okay.

Your Highness.

Eagle King got the news so quickly.

The secret spies of Northern Qin

dare to infiltrate the Prince Jing'an's Mansion.

It's time to warn them.

Yes.

Mao.

Yaoyao.

What exactly happened to Wuyi?

You guessed it, right?

He fell off a horse and went blind.

Can he recover?

Will it affect the competition?

Don't worry.

It was a minor injury.

He has recovered now.

That's good.

If he hadn't commanded the tactics,

even the bravest warriors would just be stragglers.

He can't make mistakes.

But today,

why did Eagle King come so suddenly?

He entered the palace early,

came prepared,

and forced me to come here and ask about Wuyi's illness together.

His purpose was to put on such a good show.

Wuyi is right.

He just wants to do everything possible to destroy the peace talks.

Fortunately, we managed to deal with him today

and prevent him from finding out

such a big weakness of the Beifu Army.

Yaoyao.

Do you

not hate Wuyi anymore?

He is

quite annoying most of the time

and uses any means to achieve his goals,

but there is one thing that is impeccable.

What?

He is the pillar of Ye.

As long as he

and the Beifu are here,

we can live with some dignity.

I respect him,

and I will protect him when necessary.

Mao, you have good taste in choosing friends.

Fortunately, all these terrifying things

are about to end.

You don't like this court,

and neither do I.

Yaoyao, after the peace talks are over,

I will come and pick you up, okay?

Anmin.

I heard Wuyi fell off a horse yesterday afternoon.

Is it serious?

The competition is coming soon.

Be careful.

Ruisheng has already come to see him.

This is my usual medicine for wounds.

It's highly effective for healing and pain relief.

Anmin, come with me.

The stirrups still have flaws.

They are not flexible enough.

This is the improved blueprint I made,

inspired by Master Yuan

in the Beifu Army.

If you are willing to give me another chance,

I will make it,

and you can try it again.

Forget it.

Even if I can,

Wuyi won't let me enter the field.

I heard from Master Yuan

that many years ago,

Xiao Wuyi commissioned him

to make a similar pair of stirrups for you.

I don't know what happened,

but at least

he once wanted you to return to the battlefield.

Careful!

Let it go.

He's a cripple.

So what if I'm a cripple?

Even with only one hand,

I can still beat you up!

You...

Xiao Yao.

Brother.

It's time to return to the estate.

Get lost!

Brother!

Do you really want to compete in this match?

I always thought

Wuyi looked down on me

and didn't want me to drag him down in the Northern Border.

But it turns out

Mother was the one who didn't want me to return to the battlefield.

Yuanji,

I just want to prove to you,

to Mother,

and to everyone else

that I am not a useless person.

You called me back from the Northern Border

to teach that girl?

She does have some talent.

But what's in it for me?

Strong liquor, rice wine,

brewed wine, and bamboo leaf-green liqueur,

which one do you want?

I don't want to make a choice.

I want them all.

I also want Cangfeng Forge.

Impossible.

Xiao Wuyi,

I've made weapons for you for so many years.

Can't I have

my own armory?

You're being so secretive about that woman.

I don't know what you're after.

She?

She has talent

and the power to change the world,

but she doesn't know it herself.

I just don't want a pearl to be covered in dust.

Maybe

her dream is just to be someone's wife

and a child's mother.

I didn't ask you to go to her right now.

What do you mean?

Are you treating me as a backup?

So what if she loves someone else?

Just snatch her back.

Do you think this is a war?

Since she sees me as a friend,

I will be her friend.

That's all.

I hope

if that day truly comes

and she has various choices,

making a decision is freedom itself.

What about you?

I am already someone with no control over my own fate.

I will never be one of her choices.

That's not necessarily true.

Let me calculate it.

She's destined to marry three times,

and her husband will die young.

Oh no.

You wouldn't happen to be her first husband, would you?

Did you really believe that?

Well, Xiao Wuyi.

Back at Jiuzhang Plain,

I told you your life was in danger, but you didn't believe me.

Now, you believe this kind of bullshit?

Naturally, I don't believe in fate.

But if they are good words,

I don't mind listening.

Dying before thirty.

How is that good?

Why wouldn't it be?

At least I won't die tomorrow,

nor next year.

How is that not good?

Fine.

You're crazy.

Then, let me check your marriage bond.

Let me see.

No need.

Come on, let me see.

Don't be a coward.

Just let me see.

Seriously.

It's raining. My leather!

My Lady, go back inside.

I'll handle this.

Don't catch a cold.

I'm not that fragile.

Isn't this quite fun?

Hurry up.

We can't leave a single piece behind,

or Anmin won't make it in time.

But His Highness hasn't agreed yet.

It's fine.

Xiao Wuyi is tough on the outside but soft inside anyway.

Help me take these back first.

Okay.

♪ You know me and decided to live and die together ♪

♪ Believe in my persistence that I won't run away ♪

♪ You know I'm unyielding ♪

♪ Burn the fire in my heart ♪

♪ Sincere hearts remain as of old ♪