Original subtitles

Just as Your Highness suspected,

there is indeed a mysterious person

who is not on the delegation's list.

Plus,

with several experts protecting the Eagle King,

it's hard for us to force our way in.

What has the Eagle King been doing these past few days?

Nothing unusual.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites took them to visit

the East and West Markets.

They also went to the martial arts arena

to train the Northern Qin warriors in horseback archery.

Should we

find a time when the Eagle King is away

to force that mysterious person out?

But if he's determined not to come out,

how do we force him?

The delegation didn't bring many people.

And during the mounted archery tournament,

the Eagle King will definitely

send his three strongest fighters.

If you think about it,

that's when security at the Honglu Temple

will be at its weakest.

Do you mean

creating a diversion?

No. We strike while they're distracted.

However,

we still need one more pawn to make it work.

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 10]

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

Hurry, pack it up.

♪ This fleeting moment ♪

♪ Tugs the threads woven by fate ♪

♪ Bound tight evermore ♪

♪ Sharing all the years together ♪

♪ Peace I find nowhere but by your side ♪

♪ Bear witness with our souls ♪

♪ Fear no partings or wax and wane ♪

♪ Sincere hearts remain as of old ♪

Don't move.

Done.

If you really make it in time,

I'll agree to have a match with Yao.

The winner will lead the Beifu soldiers onto the field.

Remember to warm yourself by the fire.

Don't catch a cold.

You are brilliant, Young Master Yao!

Awesome! So accurate!

You are brilliant, Young Master Yao!

See? I told you it would work.

As long as Anmin's injured left leg

is fixed to the stirrup,

he can still control the horse's direction,

and it's even more stable.

This is too ugly.

Can good looks feed you?

Besides,

I stayed up all night making this.

Look at my dark circles.

Anmin, what do you think?

General Xiao,

can I still fight?

Bring the horses.

Let's have a match.

If you win, I'll let you compete.

Lady Xie, I owe you a favor.

If you need anything in the future,

as long as it doesn't violate the laws of Ye,

I will definitely help you.

Okay, I'll remember this favor.

I'll come to you for it later.

Sister Yuanji,

you were the one who asked someone to invite the Dowager Princess, right?

Why did you help Anmin?

Because we are friends.

Friends?

Friends.

Don't misunderstand.

He is not my sweetheart.

Neither is His Highness.

Between men and women in this world,

there is not only romantic love.

There can also be camaraderie

and close friendship.

I appreciate Xiao Yao,

just as I appreciate Xiao Wuyi.

But neither of them is romantic love.

Is there any difference between the two?

Friends and confidants

can share joys

and sorrows.

But couples

must become each other's joys and sorrows.

My husband

has been gone for a long time.

Sister,

I always feel that

Xiao Wuyi didn't kill

your Mr. Runheng.

How do you know?

Just like how the Dowager Princess

didn't want Anmin to go to the battlefield,

Xiao Wuyi doesn't seem to care

about what others think of him.

He just focuses on his own business.

So if you want to know the truth,

you might as well ask him directly.

It's true that he acts ruthlessly,

but he is definitely magnanimous.

Jiayu, how could I not know?

But the truth for me

might be even more cruel.

Xiao Wuyi's silence

is exactly his generosity.

Isn't that just letting good people suffer in silence?

General Xiao, how is it?

Greetings, Your Highness.

I didn't expect you to be here.

I have had doubts in my heart for years.

Today, after being reminded by Jiayu,

I would like you to clear my doubts.

What doubts?

Why did you send people to find Pei Runheng

back then?

Go get the envelope

in the second drawer of the cabinet next to my desk.

Yes.

I originally wanted to send someone to tell him

that this engagement was only for provisions.

When the time is right,

I will grant your wish.

Unfortunately, I was a step too late.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Thank you.

Wait.

You just said

that you were reminded by Jiayu?

She said

that concealing this matter

and refusing to seek the truth

means letting good people suffer in silence.

Who doesn't she think is a good person?

Jiayu is pure-hearted,

yet possesses great wisdom.

In the court,

great treachery resembles loyalty,

and vice versa.

You and Jiayu

seem to be poles apart,

but in fact,

you are fellow travelers.

Couples must become each other's joys and sorrows.

My Lady,

what are you thinking about?

Sister Yuanji said

that friends and confidants

can share joys and sorrows.

But couples...

They must become each other's joys and sorrows.

I didn't understand.

Do you understand what it means?

I grew up by your side.

The only husband and wife I've ever seen

are the Princess and the Grand Tutor.

But now they both...

I really don't know.

Mother said

that couples should be fellow travelers.

Sister Yuanji said

that couples should become each other's joys and sorrows.

I understand the joys,

but why the sorrows?

When two people are together,

isn't happiness the most important thing?

There are hundreds of kinds of people in this world,

so there are hundreds of kinds of couples.

You don't need to care about others.

You just need to ask yourself

who you want to be with.

You're right.

Why am I overthinking this?

I already have Mao anyway.

Time to sleep.

Wake up.

Long ago, when we set out,

the willows were swaying.

It means

recalling the time of going to war,

when the willows were swaying in the wind.

Yao, do you have anything to say?

Do you have to let Anmin enter the arena?

Can you guarantee he will be safe?

Isn't it enough that one of my sons died for you?

Do you want my other son's life too?

Xiao Sheng's death

is on me.

But Anmin's tragedy

was half to protect me,

and the other half

was because of your cowardice.

Mother!

Dragging out an ignoble existence is not truly living.

Shut up!

All these years,

I chose to remain silent

because I thought it would be

better for both Mother and Yao.

But now, seeing him in such pain,

I can no longer sit by and watch.

Father.

Mother.

This time,

can we let Yao do what he wants?

If I cannot keep him safe,

you can punish me however you see fit.

[The Day of the Horseback Archery Contest]

The hairstyle I combed for you

is the Meteor Holding the Moon.

It means Your Majesty shines like a star.

Meteors fade quickly.

Are you cursing me?

I wouldn't dare.

Your Majesty!

Something terrible has happened.

What is it now?

News just came from the martial arts arena

that Xiao Wuyi didn't go today.

Instead, the eldest young master, Xiao Yao, went.

What was Xiao Wuyi doing?

I don't know either.

I sent many people to look for him,

but there is no news at all.

I don't know what

Xiao Wuyi is up to.

What a pity.

The poisoned arrow was prepared for him.

If he had come today,

he would have lost his life.

But he managed to escape.

But his brother, Xiao Yao,

injured his leg for him last time,

and now he's risking his life for him again.

General Feng,

what should we do?

How should I know?

The assembly drum has already sounded three times.

Why isn't His Highness here yet?

We've already sent people to look for him,

but he's nowhere to be found.

What should we do?

Young Master Yao, where is the Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince's arrow wound relapsed this morning.

Today, at the martial arts arena,

I, Xiao Yao,

will lead you all to victory.

That brat from the Beifu Army doesn't even dare face us!

A flattering court lackey

should keep his head down

and cling to scraps.

An insignificant general like him

is as good as dead today.

Great!

The Eagle King is saying this to the Crown Prince.

If the Crown Prince doesn't show up,

then only Young Master Yao...

You don't trust me?

I... I will go find the Crown Prince.

The military command is here.

Beifu Army, heed the order.

Those who don't obey the order will be executed!

Yes.

Xiao Yao, Left Wing Commander of the Beifu Army,

awaits the Eagle King.

Great!

Where is Xiao Wuyi?

He won't come.

Your opponent is me.

That's right.

A crippled wretch—yes, me.

But today,

I'll

compete with you!

I don't fight crippled opponents.

Go back and prepare to collect Xiao Wuyi's corpse.

What did you do to Wuyi?

Then go ask him.

But at this moment,

you probably won't have time to ask him.

Xiao Wuyi sent you to fight

just to spy on the diplomatic delegation at Honglu Temple, right?

But today's Honglu Temple

has already set up a trap for him.

Today, not only Xiao Wuyi,

but also the students he incited

will be buried with him.

The match begins.

The poison is lethal upon contact with blood.

The Eagle King is indeed the Eagle King.

What's the matter? Why are you so anxious?

What?

No way.

I have to replace those arrows.

Brother, let me go change them.

I have a way.

What's going on?

As long as this poison touches blood,

death is certain.

But Xiao Yao shows no reaction at all.

Da!

Great! Young Master Yao is incredible!

Heroic!

Young Master Yao has been raised in Jiankang for many years.

His martial arts must have been ruined long ago.

Cut the crap.

Watch out!

If you want to defeat the Northern Qin cavalry,

there's only one secret—

courage.

Fearless courage.

Save him quickly!

Quick!

Over here, quick!

A tie!

A tie.

I didn't lose.

Young Master Yao, hold on.

Where is the medical officer?

Medical officer, come take a look!

Hurry up.

The weaklings of Southern Ye

have no one to fight!

Lose!

Your Majesty, if I am to claim victory,

I shall do so with honor.

There is no need for you to worry.

You...

Who's there?

I am a maid from the Empress Dowager's palace.

I'm here to bring food to His Highness.

You are here to throw yourself at me, aren't you?

No.

You are here to ruin my grand plan.

Let me go! I am Princess Pingning!

Aren't you just a maid from the Empress Dowager's palace?

If I strangle you right now,

would the Empress Dowager ruin the peace talks for you?

I have heard that the Eagle King of Northern Qin has unmatched martial arts skills.

If you win the competition through such despicable means,

history will record this,

and you will be despised.

Beg me to let you go first.

No way!

The arrow is broken.

You won't win.

I didn't expect

the weak and useless Prince Qi

to have such a

courageous sister.

Interesting.

Are you going to kill me or not?

If not, I'm leaving.

Hurry up! Hold on!

Hold on!

Your Majesty, I have sent many people to search for him.

At Honglu Temple,

we only saw those rioting students,

but we didn't see Young Lord Xiao.

And no one knows where Young Lord Xiao

went.

Your Majesty, I cannot accept a draw.

If we can't find Young Lord Xiao,

we will fight the Northern Qin people to the death.

Who dares?

You want to clash directly with Northern Qin's forces?

Do you still want the peace talks?

It was agreed that the match would decide the fate of three border states.

If we break the treaty ourselves,

where is the dignity of our Ye?

Your Majesty, are we just going to endure this?

We tried our best,

but it only ended in a draw.

For this situation,

isn't Xiao Wuyi asking for it?

He pushed the peace talks despite public opinion,

accepted today's battle,

and then ran away without permission,

leaving this mess to me

and all the ministers.

Such trash

still wants to promote the Beifu Restructuring?

Wishful thinking.

Xiao Wuyi would never run away.

He Tian, send more people to search for him.

We must find Young Lord Xiao.

Today's battle

is to protect the dignity of Ye.

Your Majesty can sit still,

but I cannot.

Sons of Ye,

those who dare to fight,

follow me!

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

We are not open yet.

Three taels of chrysanthemum.

Two catties of sweet bamboo shoots are missing.

Greetings, My Lord.

The 36 secret agents in Jiankang City

are all here today.

Once the Eagle King wins,

we'll distribute the newly written stories

to all major bookstores.

I guarantee it will disrupt the morale of Southern Ye within three days.

This is the draft.

Please take a look, My Lord.

Why is Xiao Wuyi covered in sores

and sporting a full beard?

These eyes, this nose...

Which artist drew this?

Who exactly are you?

Take a good look.

You drew me way too ugly.

You are the legendary Xiao Wuyi?

Over the years,

the rumors about the Beifu Army— looting, raping,

using war for merit, destroying fields, and massacring cities

as well as classified military intelligence from the court

and information from spies in Prince Jing'an's Mansion,

were all spread by you, weren't they?

I'll kill you!

Your Highness,

the vegetable market is under control.

The scholars have been safely evacuated from the Honglu Temple.

However,

news just came from the martial arts arena.

Da was shot.

Young Master Yao traded his life for another.

He fought with the Eagle King on horseback, fell off,

and was severely injured.

Prince Qi is sending people everywhere to look for you.

How is the public sentiment?

They are furious

and completely unwilling to reconcile with Northern Qin.

This is exactly the effect I wanted.

Let's go.

Avenge Yao.

Eagle King,

I will compete with you.

Xiao Wuyi, you sure have a tough life.

♪ This burning heart of mine ♪

♪ Holds a soul sincere and true ♪

♪ May my lifelong devotion not be in vain ♪

♪ With a fearless hand, I rise ♪

♪ Stirring winds and clouds ♪

♪ My heart vast as the sky ♪

♪ My vow shall never fade ♪

♪ I guard my fate, never forgetting ♪

Your Majesty,

Prince Qi,

♪ With my soul, I bare my heart and roar ♪

I have thoroughly searched Jiankang.

All 36 secret agents of Northern Qin are here.

♪ Fight and let flames sweep the plains in darkness ♪

Please count them, Eagle King,

♪ Still hot-blooded ♪

to see if anyone is missing.

♪ My heart stays true ♪

The day the Eagle King arrived in Jiankang,

he gave Ye a generous gift.

♪ Fight to the bitter end ♪

It was very impressive.

Today's gift is a gesture of reciprocity.

♪ My promises endure like a river ♪

I wonder if you are satisfied.

Xiao Wuyi!

♪ I dare you ♪

I have another piece of news for you.

Five days ago,

♪ May the land know peace ♪

the Hexi General of Northern Qin,

Zhai Shang, rebelled.

You did all that!

Naturally, it was me.

♪ Eternal peace ♪

I heard Zhai Shang is very interested in Yanshan,

so I sent him a terrain map.

If your Northern Qin

refuses to sit down and talk,

you will definitely face a two-front war.

My Beifu soldiers can handle it.

♪ Fight and let flames sweep the plains in darkness ♪

Mulian Yu,

♪ My promises endure like a river ♪

today, for the three prefectures,

we must decide a winner.

Let's have a tiebreaker.

How about it?

♪ My promises endure like a river ♪

I've been waiting for a long time!

Xiao Wuyi,

let's decide life and death with one arrow.

You can't see?

Wait a minute.

Xiao Wuyi,

the Eagle King has already participated in one round of competition.

He has already used up his strength.

If you compete like this,

it will be too unfair.

If we win under these conditions,

Northern Qin will refuse to accept it.

Xiao Wuyi,

put your life in my hands.

Do you dare?

Think carefully.

This poison is lethal.

Come!

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

♪ This fleeting moment ♪

♪ Tugs the threads woven by fate ♪

♪ Bound tight evermore ♪

♪ Sharing all the years together ♪

♪ Peace I find nowhere but by your side ♪

♪ Bear witness with our souls ♪

♪ Fear no partings or wax and wane ♪

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

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

Sometimes, being unable to see

gives you more courage than being able to see.

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

Danger on the right, go left!

♪ You see my move under rebellious cover ♪

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

Keep going!

♪ Burn the fire in my heart ♪

Shoot!

Danger on the left, go right!

Shoot!

Shoot!

Danger on the left!

This again?

Xie Jiayu!

Your commands almost got me killed.

All you can do is move forward, never stepping back

or dodging.

Exactly.

The Beifu Army must forge ahead bravely,

crushing everything in its path.

Good!

Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi!

Wuyi!

He won.

They cheated.

Good, we won!

Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi!

♪ Hear the heartbeat by my side ♪

The Eagle King went for the kill

because he wanted me to die.

But for the peace talks to succeed,

♪ Like your rush of passion toward me ♪

I couldn't kill him.

This won't kill him.

It'll just make him suffer for a few days.

♪ If you could fill the empty spaces in my memories ♪

♪ Only you would stay with me ♪

♪ My heartbeat will never fade ♪

♪ If I could ask for one blessing ♪

♪ With all the longing I hold ♪

♪ It leads me back to you again ♪

♪ With you as my way, no distance is too far ♪

♪ The wishes left unsaid ♪

Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi! Xiao Wuyi!

♪ A love I can't let go ♪

♪ A red thread woven by fate ♪

♪ Love carries longing through time ♪

♪ To make it come true ♪

♪ If only I could fill the empty spaces in my memories ♪

♪ Only you would stay with me ♪

♪ My heartbeat will never fade ♪

♪ The wishes left unsaid ♪

♪ A love I can't let go ♪

♪ A red thread woven by fate ♪

♪ Love carries longing through time ♪

♪ To make it come true ♪

[Spirit Tablet of Duan Ying, Late Husband of the White Horse Battalion, Beifu Army]

[To Mother, Respectfully from Your Son Xiao Wuyi]

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

His Majesty says you are a hero to Ye,

and a benefactor to the people of the three northern prefectures.

You can have whatever you want.

Young Lord Xiao, the imperial doctor has arrived.

I'm fine. I'm very...

Yao.

Yao, stop talking if you want to recover quickly.

Don't be mad.

Please apply the medicine and acupuncture to Yao immediately.

-Yes. -Yes.

Tell Mother

not to blame Wuyi.

I'm very happy today.

What did the doctor say?

He is very strong.

He endured the pain

and refused to show it in front of us.

But all his internal organs are injured.

He'll need to rest well for a while.

It's my fault for returning too late.

You don't need to blame yourself.

Yao is very happy today.

At least he proved to everyone

that the Prince Jing'an's Mansion

is not represented by Xiao Wuyi alone.

Mother.

I...

Let me see.

Does it hurt?

Jiayu said

a child who doesn't cry out in pain isn't necessarily pain-free.

Yaoyao,

what is that?

I've been learning lightness skills from Yan Yue lately.

Every morning I wear these sandbags

to train at the martial arts arena.

But you used to be the laziest,

and you hated getting hurt.

It's all because of Xiao Wuyi.

Last time he left me stranded at the Honglu Temple.

It took me a whole night to climb down.

But he was right about one thing.

If you want to play with fire,

you have to learn how to escape first.

Since I want to travel the world,

I not only need money,

but also some martial arts to protect myself.

Silly.

I will protect you.

You don't need to learn these things.

And I won't let you get hurt.

How could that work?

I have to rely on myself when I'm away from home.

How can I rely on you for everything?

Today, you and Wuyi

worked really well together.

I didn't expect you to learn how to use war drums.

You gave him that sleeve arrow too, right?

Yes. How was it?

Didn't I look impressive?

Not to mention my excellent craftsmanship.

Today was so satisfying.

But you always used to say

that battlefields are lawless,

and that you hated killing the most.

Isn't peace the most important thing?

But the Eagle King brought the fight to our doorstep.

How could I tolerate that?

Besides, the day the Eagle King entered the city,

weren't you and the students indignant too?

Fortunately, today,

Xiao Wuyi rooted out the Northern Qin spies,

reclaimed the three prefectures,

and vented our anger.

Sometimes fists really are the only truth.

That saying is really true.

I even designed a sword for Xiao Wuyi,

one no less impressive than the Longque Blade.

A man like him

deserves the best sword in the world.

But don't you feel

today all of us

were used by Wuyi?

In this battle, he not only won back the three prefectures,

but the prestige he gained from turning the tide

also laid the foundation for his future reform of the Northern Prefecture.

He was the one who sought peace talks,

and he is the one who won the people's hearts.

But is there anything wrong with that?

A person with the ability and will to protect Ye

deserves such prestige.

I thought

you liked people who stay aloof from the world.

I do like staying aloof from the world,

but I can choose not to fight

because someone is already fighting for me.

Then what if

I want to fight too?