Original subtitles

[Emperor of Ye]

Prince Qi, please come with me.

Your Majesty, Xiao Wuyi campaigned in the Northern Border,

repelled Northern Qin, and recaptured five cities.

He is a man of merit.

Killing him

would only sadden our friends and gladden our enemies.

Please show mercy, Your Majesty.

Mother was right.

An emperor cannot allow

another power to exist at his side.

It seems tonight

will be another bloodbath.

I am willing to vouch for Young Lord Xiao.

You're just a prince.

What gives you the right to vouch for him?

Wuyi is my best

and only friend.

He will listen to me.

Please give me a chance, Your Majesty.

I will persuade Wuyi to withdraw his troops.

And please keep Xiao Wuyi

and Prince Jing'an's Mansion safe, Your Majesty.

Grand Tutor.

You were indeed right.

Prince Qi is the only perfect solution for tonight.

Just do as you said.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Highness,

from now on, there won't be Yaoyao anymore.

The peace of the world and the survival of the royal clan

all depend on you alone, Your Highness.

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 4]

All I want is peace across the realm.

Are you willing to grant that?

Your Highness,

rebellions in the capital have all been quelled.

The troops have assembled.

We can enter the palace at any time.

Wait for news from Wuyi.

Yes.

One hundred thousand Beifu soldiers

are just outside the city now.

I have already said,

as long as you hand over your military power,

I can restore peace to the world.

I can also promise you

to erect a monument for the 30,000 soldiers who died in vain.

But if you refuse to hand over your military power,

I will have to be ruthless.

So what if the Beifu soldiers are just outside the wall?

You, Young Lord Xiao, have already fallen into my trap.

They cannot save you.

I'll just say Prince Changsha killed Young Lord Xiao.

What can your Beifu soldiers

do to me?

His Highness Prince Qi has arrived!

Why aren't Mao and Lejun here yet?

Shouldn't they have left the city long ago?

My Lady,

did you hear any fighting in the city when we left?

Fighting?

Why do I feel that when we left the city,

I didn't even see a soul?

Cang'er, did you hear it?

I didn't either.

Then perhaps I misheard.

Could something have happened to Mao and Lejun?

Let's go back first.

If we go back now,

wouldn't we be walking right into a trap?

Let's wait a bit longer.

No one said a carriage was prepared.

My Lady, Her Highness ordered that

[Shadow Envoy]

you must leave with me immediately.

Here is the letter.

Mother's private seal?

[Go now]

But I have to wait for Mao.

Prince Qi has already entered the palace. He can't come.

Why did he enter the palace?

There's no time to explain.

My Lady, please leave quickly.

Father?

Yaoyao,

I'm here to take you back to the city.

My Lord,

Her Highness wants My Lady to leave.

Mind your own business!

I won't go with you.

I will not marry Xiao Wuyi.

I'm leaving with Mao.

By His Majesty's order:

I have learned that Prince Changsha has committed treason and besieged the palace.

Such fratricide

pains me deeply.

[Xuanzheng Hall]

Fortunately, Prince Qi was astute

and reported it.

With Young Lord Xiao of Prince Jing'an's Mansion,

he entered the palace to quell the rebellion.

I am deeply comforted.

His Majesty is awake?

When?

His Majesty has another edict:

I am prone to illness.

Prince Qi, Li Mao, is wise and perceptive,

resembling me greatly.

He is hereby ordered to enter the Eastern Palace

and serve as Regent.

Where is His Majesty?

Appointing a Regent is of utmost importance.

How could it be handled so hastily?

Your Majesty.

His Majesty said,

"I understand Mother's intentions,

but worldly affairs must follow their natural course.

Forcing them will only backfire."

Does His Majesty know

that releasing Xiao Wuyi

is like letting a tiger return to the mountain?

I didn't hesitate to get my hands dirty

to eliminate Xiao Wuyi.

This wasn't just for His Majesty,

but to permanently remove a threat to Ye.

What is His Majesty doing?

"No egg stays intact in an overturned nest."

Ye cannot survive without Xiao Wuyi now.

Tonight, Prince Changsha committed treason and besieged the palace.

Prince Qi and Young Lord Xiao quelled the rebellion together.

His Highness appreciated Prince Qi's loyalty and bravery,

and has appointed him as Regent.

Impossible.

The imperial edict has been issued.

His Highness and Princess Pingning have entered the Eastern Palace.

As for you, Yaoyao,

you must marry into Prince Jing'an's Mansion tonight.

Prince Qi, receive the edict.

You want to ensure the coexistence of Xiao Wuyi and the Empress Dowager,

and the coexistence of Beifu soldiers and the Li family's empire.

So today,

no matter what edict I issue,

are you willing to stand with Xiao Wuyi,

through fortune and misfortune,

and share life and death?

She is still waiting for you.

Come.

Wuyi.

Tonight, are you really going to...

Think carefully.

If you receive this edict...

you will never be able to leave Jiankang Palace in your life.

No matter who wins today,

the world will be thrown into chaos.

Wuyi.

I have experienced war since I was a child.

I know what kind of hell it is.

My Lady, go!

Go!

Go!

Cang'er!

Yaoyao.

Father.

Listen to me.

Father?

Run, My Lady!

Run, My Lady!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Cang'er!

Xie Jiayu!

Are you going to listen to me?

Please don't kill her!

I'll go with you!

I'll go with you!

Why did your shoe fall off?

Come, let me put it on for you.

A bride must be beautiful.

I thought you

were a gentleman admired by everyone.

I've never seen you kill anyone.

Why?

Why did you do this?

Don't cry.

Yaoyao,

you should grow up now.

The first thing you learn when you grow up is that

sometimes, you have no choice.

Mao had no choice.

And so do you.

I thought you loved me the most.

Everyone has a scale in their heart,

weighing what is important and what is more important.

So you must marry Xiao Wuyi.

Is... Is it for the Xie family?

Take her away.

Father! Tell me the reason!

Why must I marry Xiao Wuyi?

Why?

You will be happier if you don't know.

I want to know.

It's for Mao.

Prince Jing'an's Mansion commands the Beifu Army of 200,000 soldiers.

They're ambitious

and can change the dynasty at any time.

But why haven't they done it yet?

Because there are noble families

like our Xie family,

supporting His Highness—

or you can say supporting the Li royal family.

So even if the Xiao family takes the throne,

they won't be able to sit securely on it.

But you never wanted to associate with the Xiao family.

If I run away from the wedding now

and break ties with them,

wouldn't that be better?

Maybe we could have done that before,

but now the Regent is Mao.

If Prince Jing'an's Mansion has rebellious intentions,

Mao, as the Regent,

will have no way to survive.

For Mao,

for the Xie family,

you must be this pawn.

Father,

I don't seem to know you anymore.

Because...

it's time for you to grow up.

All troops, heed my command!

Greetings, Father.

Prince Jing'an, Xiao Ju,

and the Heir of Prince Jing'an, Xiao Wuyi,

receive the imperial decree.

Prince Changsha has committed treason,

and his crime is punishable by death.

The Xiaos received the decree to mobilize the Beifu Army to suppress the rebellion.

Their loyalty is commendable,

and We are very pleased.

I hereby appoint Xiao Ju as Grand General of National Defense,

and Young Lord Xiao as General of National Support.

Young Lord Xiao is ordered to...

To marry the daughter of the Xie family.

The Beifu Army must return immediately

without delay.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Furthermore, Prince Changsha deployed military equipment without authorization,

causing the innocent deaths of Beifu soldiers.

I am deeply pained.

Prince Changsha's private properties shall be confiscated

to console the soldiers' families.

A Monument of Loyalty shall be erected and recorded in history

to honor the loyalty of the Beifu soldiers.

Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace.

Wuyi,

you have sought justice

for the soldiers who died in vain.

As for what happened tonight...

I know.

She...

Don't worry about her.

Tell her to wait for me.

I will find a way.

Alright.

I will pass it on to her.

But there's something I want to ask you.

Who brought you back tonight?

It was Master.

The Grand Tutor?

What's wrong?

Nothing.

General Xiao,

Prince Qi, Young Lord Xiao.

Regarding the rebellion tonight,

Young Lord Xiao, thank you for your bravery and righteousness

in saving the people from suffering

and rescuing the court from imminent peril.

The Empress Dowager specially ordered me to thank you

for saving our lives on behalf of

all the officials and the people of the realm.

Son.

What were you and Prince Qi silently communicating with each other?

After tonight,

Yizhi won't just be Prince Qi anymore.

He will also be the Regent.

What?

Father,

I'll...

go for a walk alone.

I have brought Jiayu back.

Congratulations, Young Lord Xiao,

for seeking justice for the soldiers who died in vain.

You played the Empty City Stratagem beautifully.

I'm impressed.

Grand Tutor, why don't you

just speak your mind?

The Beifu Army brought back by the Old Prince

is at most 10,000 men.

If they had really fought the Imperial Guards tonight,

the outcome would be unknown.

Am I right?

Yizhi said

that he was also escorted back by you tonight.

Grand Tutor, you never planned to let them go, did you?

Now the royal family is in decline,

His Majesty is prone to illness,

and the Empress Dowager is dictatorial and incompetent.

Our Southern Ye is on the verge of collapse.

Since there is no absolute winner,

it's better to have a win-win situation

and make Prince Qi the Regent.

For you

and the realm,

isn't it a good thing?

You cultivated Yizhi for years

just for today?

In Prince Qi,

I saw hope.

What about your daughter?

Everyone in the city says the Grand Tutor spoils his daughter the most,

but I think you are just too cruel.

You separated Yizhi and your daughter

just to plant a seed of suspicion

between Yizhi and me, didn't you?

What do you mean by that?

You asked

the Empress Dowager for this marriage yourself,

didn't you?

As for abandoning Jiayu,

that was Prince Qi's own choice.

You can't blame anyone.

Yes,

but I feel sad for them.

I did it for the realm.

I have a clear conscience.

From tonight on,

Yizhi is the Regent,

and Xie Jiayu is my Secondary Consort.

I hope you stop here, Grand Tutor.

But now the Regent is Mao.

If Prince Jing'an's Mansion has rebellious intentions,

Mao, as the Regent,

will have no way to survive.

For Mao,

for the Xie family,

you must be this pawn.

Cang'er!

Darling, you're not asleep yet?

Tonight in the capital,

the wind is howling and the rain is pouring.

Lord Xie,

was the road easy to travel?

There is no wind or rain.

It did rain a little just now.

The rain stopped.

The sky has cleared up.

Where is Yaoyao?

Tonight is Yaoyao's wedding night.

Naturally, she is at Prince Jing'an's Mansion.

But if you miss her,

you can see her again when she returns in three days.

You killed

the secret guard I sent to protect Yaoyao?

I don't understand what you are saying, Darling.

Fine.

Then I will say something you can understand, My Lord.

Your son has become the Regent.

Are you satisfied now, My Lord?

I am thirsty.

I'll go get a cup of tea.

Lord Xie.

That Li Mao, your illegitimate child with Consort An

of the Late Emperor,

was finally pushed into the position of Regent by you.

After years of painstaking efforts,

you have finally made it tonight.

My Lord,

are you satisfied?

Are you looking at the Grand Tutor's Mansion or the Prince Jing'an's Mansion?

Tonight,

you shouldn't have made this choice.

I didn't choose.

It was just a stalling tactic.

Wuyi and I will find a way.

Brother.

I think one day,

you will regret today's decision.

Your Highness.

Let her sleep in peace.

I won't go in tonight.

Wait.

Your Highness,

it's your wedding night.

Where are you going?

Xie Jiayu,

you want me to stay?

Husband,

it's our wedding night,

and we haven't drunk the nuptial cup yet.

Don't worry. It's not poisoned.

Xie Jiayu,

can you come up with some new tricks?

Do you think I'm Qing Long?

Xiao Wuyi, let go of me!

You treat me like this. Do you believe I'll...

What?

That your father will come and take you back?

We've been busy all night

and haven't eaten.

Stop struggling,

or your hands will get hurt.

When you go crying to Yizhi,

don't blame it on me.

Yizhi?

You know Mao?

This is Mao's personal jade pendant.

Why do you have it?

What did you do to Mao?

I abducted him.

I snatched it.

Hurry up and eat.

Why did you kick me?

Aren't you hungry after fighting all night?

I don't know what you like to eat,

so I just grabbed some from the kitchen.

Have a taste.

The lamb shoulder from our small kitchen is quite good.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

I just suddenly remembered

that Cang'er used to love lamb.

Wait. I thought about it carefully,

and it seems to have gone too smoothly.

You searched the whole city,

but no one found me.

Then something happened in the palace.

Then you went to the palace to suppress the rebellion,

and Mao became the Regent.

There must be something wrong.

Keep analyzing.

Father said Prince Changsha besieged the palace,

Prince Qi and Young Lord Xiao entered the palace together to suppress the rebellion,

and His Majesty appointed Mao as Regent.

But Mao clearly wanted to leave with me.

And the map of the Prince Jing'an's Mansion...

That was a military map,

obviously drawn by a military man.

When Mao gave it to me,

I felt something was wrong.

This map...

You drew this map?

Not bad. You're not too stupid.

You helped Mao and me escape?

No, no.

It's also possible that you pretended to help Mao,

but in reality, you kidnapped him and took him to the palace,

forcing him to become the Regent.

You even...

Stop. Cut it out.

I think you should stop analyzing.

It's not impossible.

Mao is my best friend.

Why would I force him

to do things he doesn't want to do?

You are Mao's good friend,

yet you asked the Empress Dowager to have me marry you in court?

If I had known you two were...

I would have...

Forget it.

"Pine and cypress stand firm in frost.

Wind and rain turn into dragon's roar.

So lofty ambitions

reach the highest peak."

Have you heard this poem?

Mao wrote it.

Do you know who he wrote it for?

You're not saying it was for you, are you?

I knew him when we were nobodies,

much earlier than you did.

You are sinister,

murderous,

cold-blooded, and lustful.

Mao must have been deceived by your appearance.

That's why he...

Sinister?

Murderous?

Cold-blooded and lustful?

If he weren't my friend,

you wouldn't have the chance to speak to me like this.

I didn't expect Li Mao

to become the Regent.

It was a stopgap measure.

The situation is unstable.

He can't leave,

and neither can you.

From this night on,

you, Xie Jiayu,

shall be the Secondary Consort of the Heir of Prince Jing'an.

For Li Mao's sake,

you'd better behave yourself,

playing your role well.

When the time is right,

I will arrange for you to meet.

Whether you're going to stay or leave,

we can talk about it after you meet.

Xiao Wuyi.

Are you really Li Mao's friend?

If you want me to believe you,

take me out of the city tonight.

No.

I am Xiao Wuyi, a murderous man.

So you'd better behave yourself

and stay put.

-Your Highness. -Your Highness.

Do you want some?

Your Highness, is there something on your mind?

The Grand Tutor's appearance tonight was unexpected.

How did you find out that the Young Master of Miraculous Craft

was the one who designed the repeating crossbow?

After the incident at Jiuzhang Plain,

you ordered us to return to the capital immediately

to secretly investigate the Vice Minister in charge of weapons manufacturing.

We found the blueprint of the repeating crossbow

in Vice Minister Wei's study.

That blueprint had the mark of the Young Master of Miraculous Craft.

So we followed the clues.

Yes.

This Young Master of Miraculous Craft

is not hard to find in Jiankang.

He's always been selling goods at Xiyue Restaurant.

Although he doesn't have a fixed stall or shop,

he is very close to the owner of Xiyue Restaurant.

So, under the guise of doing business,

we asked the owner to invite him out.

And that was how you caught Xie Jiayu?

This three-foot, four-arrow repeating crossbow

was custom-made for a buyer.

His surname is...

Xiao.

And his given name is Sheng.

But we found out that Xie Jiayu didn't know anything about it.

Your Highness, is there something wrong?

Nothing is wrong.

It's just that all of this

went a bit too smoothly.

The Empress Dowager has lived deep in the palace for a long time.

How could she know that there was a

Young Master of Miraculous Craft in Jiankang,

and even know what she could

and couldn't design?

There must be some connection here

that we don't know about.

I hope it's not what I suspect.

Then I will continue to investigate Xiyue Restaurant.

Investigate?

It's too slow.

My Lady.

Actually, I think

Young Lord Xiao and his 2 guards

are not as scary as rumors say.

Don't believe everything he says.

Did you forget what happened at Xiyue Restaurant and the ferry?

So you mean...

Who knows if this guy is being honest with us?

We can't let our guard down.

Stay alert.

Yes.

[Prince Jing'an's Mansion]

I'm so sleepy.

Mother-in-law, Father-in-law,

I'm here to pay my respects.

Mother-in-law, Father-in-law?

Little beast,

where are you going?

Darling,

bring me my Qinglong Sword!

I must chop this thing into pieces today!

My Lady.

Prince Jing'an's Mansion is indeed like hell.

Hold it down.

Should I chop its legs or its waist?

Chop the head first!

Xie, you're here?

Do you like

duck heads, wings, or legs?

Make yourself at home.

Thank you, Mother-in-law.

As their newly wedded daughter-in-law,

I wasn't asked to pay my respects

or learn any rules?

I have military affairs to attend to.

I'll go first.

What military affairs?

You must be itching

to play cards, huh?

Darling.

I've been at the border for years,

leading troops in battles every day,

setting an example myself.

I've finally returned to the capital. I...

I'll go back to the Northern Border in a few days.

As a respectable general,

is it really too much to play a few rounds of cards,

Xie?

Just a few rounds.

I'm telling you,

if you lose everything,

don't even think about coming back home.

I won't. I won't.

I won't lose.

Xie,

drink less soup. It's too salty.

The Prince used to be a stableboy,

and I am a butcher's daughter.

So there are no strict rules in our family.

That brat,

why did he marry so many wives?

We can't blame him.

Since you are here,

just stay here with peace of mind.

Alright, Mother-in-law.

Drink the soup.

The Xiao family is so strange.

The Old Prince doesn't look like a general at all.

The Princess is also strange.

As a Buddhist,

how can she eat meat at every meal

and not avoid killing?

Your Highness.

The Northern Border is cold.

I had people skin

20 white foxes

to make 2 cloaks.

I'll have them sent to Prince Jing'an's Mansion after court

as my farewell gift.

You are about to return to the Northern Border.

We haven't got a chance to catch up with the Old Prince yet.

Why don't we find a time to hold a banquet?

Who said I'm going back?

Are you all hoping

I'll return to the Northern Border soon,

so you can live a life of pleasure in Jiankang,

getting lost in comfort

and never thinking of returning north?

In that case,

let me tell you now—

I'm not returning to the Northern Border for now.

The Empress Dowager is here!

Greetings, Empress Dowager. Greetings, Your Highness.

You may rise.

Young Lord Xiao was right.

In the battle at Jiuzhang Plain,

Northern Qin lost despite outnumbering us.

The Emperor of Northern Qin was furious,

and the Eagle King, commander of the Black Eagle Army, was demoted.

The Emperor of Northern Qin sent an envoy for peace talks,

and I agreed.

At that time, we will need Young Lord Xiao

to preside over the peace talks in Jiankang.

Hasn't Young Lord Xiao been focusing on the northern expedition?

I'll do my expedition,

and you do your talks.

These two things can proceed at the same time.

And we can continue the expedition after the talks.

What's wrong with that?

But what about the Beifu soldiers outside the city?

The Northern Qin peace talks are fraught with danger.

In my opinion, during the peace talks,

the Beifu Army still needs to garrison Jiankang

to ensure the safety of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager.

What do you think, Your Majesty?

Young Lord Xiao,

are you going to leave the army at the Northern Border unattended?

Your Majesty, you don't need to worry.

After the Double Ninth Festival sacrifice,

my father will immediately return to the Northern Border to command the army.

During the peace talks,

we will never let the border be taken advantage of by others.

Rest assured, Your Majesty.

Prince Jing'an and Young Lord Xiao have thought things through.

That's good.

I also plan to pray for the sacrificed Beifu soldiers

at the Double Ninth Ceremony.

The Beifu soldiers stationed outside the city

should also participate.

What do you think, Young Lord Xiao?

Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty.

If there's nothing else,

I'll take my leave.

Your Majesty,

I will see Young Lord Xiao out.

Wonderful.

With you in Jiankang,

I'm relieved.

How is she?

She probably wants to poison me to death right now,

but for your sake,

she hasn't done it yet.

If you dare bully her,

I won't let you off.

I wouldn't dare.

Young Lord Xiao.

Lady Xie is the beloved daughter of my master.

And this marriage was granted by the Empress Dowager.

Whether you like it or not,

you should treat her well.

Yes.

Lady Xie is well-educated

and gentle.

She is proficient

in all kinds of women's skills,

as well as poetry and history.

I will treat her well.

And I thank the Empress Dowager for granting the marriage.

I heard the pear blossom candy at Chengyi Hall in the south of the city

is especially delicious.

The ladies in Jiankang are crazy about it.

Whenever they are in a bad mood, they will buy some to eat.

If you're in a bad mood,

you might as well try it.

I don't like sweets,

I'm not a lady,

and I'm in a pretty good mood today.

I didn't ask you to eat it.

Got it.

So annoying.

You have served His Majesty and the Empress Dowager for many years.

You are the head of the eunuchs in the palace,

so naturally you are a sensible person.

The peace in Southern Ye today

does not depend on good weather,

nor on the kindness of the people,

but on me and the Beifu soldiers guarding the border.

The Empress Dowager and I are now at peace

because we have Prince Qi as the Regent.

I hope you can remind the Empress Dowager

not to follow the disastrous path of Prince Changsha.

If Prince Qi doesn't even have freedom,

wouldn't it be a joke to the envoys of Northern Qin?

That's what Young Lord Xiao said.

Your Majesty,

what Young Lord Xiao meant was

that the court and the harem should value peace.

He kept the Beifu soldiers in Jiankang

to protect you and His Majesty.

He and my brother...

When have I ever blamed Young Lord Xiao?

Well,

who taught you the rules?

My sister and I have been orphans since childhood

and had only each other.

She has neglected her etiquette studies.

Please don't be angry, Your Majesty.

Never mind.

From now on, you will live with me

in Ziji Palace,

learning the rules for a few years,

so you can find a good match.

Your Majesty...

Since she has neglected her etiquette,

she should be properly taught.

In the future,

she will become the Grand Princess,

the face of our Ye.

If she is so ignorant of proper etiquette,

wouldn't the world laugh at our Ye for having no sense of propriety?

Not to mention she is already of age.

You two

shouldn't live in the same palace anymore anyway.

He Tian,

take Princess Pingning to the Eastern Palace to pack her things

and move to Ziji Palace immediately.

From today on,

I

will personally teach her the rules of the palace.

Yes.

Your—

Yes, Your Majesty.

To be taught by you

is my blessing.

Lejun.

What are you still doing here?

You'll be offering sacrifices

on behalf of His Majesty at the Double Ninth Ceremony.

Have you learned all the etiquette and procedures?

Fight,

scramble,

and struggle.

Now that you've stepped into the storm of Jiankang,

who here isn't making moves with their lives at stake

while pretending every day that they want nothing?

Life is so boring.

Little fish, tell me.

Will they turn on their own kin first,

or will they start fighting among themselves,

or will

those who love each other end up killing one another?

Have you ever thought that this scheme

would ruin Yaoyao's life?

Xie Jiayu

is nothing but a stranger to me.

Wuyi,

when you saved me among the refugees back then,

we were also strangers.