Original subtitles

I didn't expect this war to last so long.

Does His Highness really plan to enter peace talks?

Will there really be peace from now on?

Why aren't we fighting?

The Monument of Loyalty was just erected.

In the battle of Jiuzhang Plain,

we clearly won.

Runheng?

Yuanji.

Here they come.

Here they come.

They're here.

Young Lord Xiao.

I hope you have been well

[Mu Lianyu, Eagle King]

since our parting at Jiuzhang Plain.

Eagle King, you have come a long way for the peace talks.

It must have been a hard journey.

This is...

This is the current Regent of Southern Ye,

Prince Qi.

Prince Qi?

Never heard of him.

Northern Qin cavalry has fought Southern Ye for years.

We only know Young Lord Xiao.

It's fine.

After the peace talks,

you will naturally come to know me.

Please.

Hold on.

Northern Qin and Southern Ye have been at war for so many years.

Since we are having peace talks now,

we, Northern Qin, must also show

our sincerity for them.

I have specially prepared a gift

for Southern Ye.

23 years ago, we captured your Capital,

forcing the Southern Ye royal family to flee south to Jiankang.

These are the royal descendants

of Southern Ye who couldn't escape back then.

For all these years, Qin

has been feeding and providing for them well.

Since we are having peace talks,

we're sending them back

to reunite their family.

Wuyi, they are going too far.

Northern Qin is also divided into pro-war and pro-peace factions.

The young Emperor wants peace, but the Eagle King favors war.

With the Eagle King leading the delegation,

the peace talks will definitely not be easy.

Young Lord Xiao.

Your Highness, the Prince Qi.

Can you see my sincerity?

The Northern Qin people are going too far!

Stop them!

Stop them! Hurry, stop them!

Stop them!

This is too much!

Humiliating our people!

Stop them!

Yuanji.

You animals!

Eagle King.

Please.

Stop them!

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 8]

The Northern Qin barbarians

[Honglu Temple]

humiliated our nation.

No peace talks!

The Northern Qin barbarians

humiliated our nation.

No peace talks!

Come on.

Let's go.

My Lady.

This is Honglu Temple.

We should probably go back.

The Eagle King humiliated our royal family.

This is outrageous!

Didn't you hear what Yan Yue just said?

The students are filled with righteous indignation

and have completely surrounded the Honglu Temple,

just waiting to charge in and hack down the Eagle King.

Even Mao went there.

But Xiao Wuyi

keeps the Beifu soldiers confined to the camp,

not letting any news leak out.

What "bloodthirsty Yama Xiao" are they talking about?

If something really happens,

he'd only act tough around us.

So we must hurry in and help Mao.

We can't let him be bullied by the Eagle King.

This...

What's wrong with your throat?

You secretly take the fire thunderstone.

Do you want to go to the Honglu Temple and blow up the Eagle King?

No, no.

I really didn't.

Stop. I'll tell you.

I heard that the Eagle King coming for the peace talks

has a Longque Blade.

I want to see it.

I also want to see

how the legendary number one blade in the world

is forged.

Know yourself and your enemy, right?

If only I could also forge

such a world-renowned, peerless weapon.

Do I look stupid and easy to fool?

Really.

If I can actually forge it,

I'll give the first one to you.

The peace talks concern the lifeblood of Ye.

If you dare to mess around...

Forget it if you don't believe me.

So naggy.

You might as well tie me to your belt.

Okay.

Why did you skip the front door

and fly up here?

If you're worried, go see for yourself.

The Northern Qin barbarians

humiliated our nation.

No peace talks!

They humiliated our nation.

No peace talks!

They humiliated our nation.

No peace talks!

This is Ye's territory.

Northern Qin lost the war.

They're the ones suing for peace now.

I don't believe he dares to kill people in the capital of Ye!

Move away!

Move away!

Yizhi.

Your Highness Prince Qi.

You're finally here.

Northern Qin humiliated our royal family.

We were extremely angry upon hearing this.

If this can be tolerated, what cannot be?

If the Eagle King doesn't remove his crown and beg for forgiveness,

we will never agree to these peace talks!

We'll never agree!

What is this commotion?

Have you forgotten what your master taught you?

Students should concentrate on their studies

and not discuss state affairs.

Regarding this matter,

I will discuss with Young Lord Xiao to find a resolution.

You all leave first.

Your Highness.

Even the current regent hosting the peace talks

is acting so cowardly.

Those Northern Qin bastards

have already walked all over us,

yet you still endure blindly.

Scholars neglect statecraft; warriors neglect warfare.

Ye is doomed.

Nonsense!

Throw!

No peace talks!

You said you came to see the blade.

But we can't just stand here and watch.

Are you this cowardly on the battlefield, too?

How did you win your battles?

Do you think fighting a war is just hacking at each other with blades?

Let me tell you the first rule of the art of war.

War is a matter of vital importance to the state.

It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.

It must be thoroughly studied.

Stop!

Move away! Move away!

Young Lord Xiao said

that peace talks are state policy

and cannot be changed.

Considering that you are young and hot-blooded,

and the future pillars of Ye,

you will be lightly punished today as a warning—

20 strokes of the cane.

General Yan Yue,

this is inappropriate.

The students are acting out of patriotism.

It is exactly because His Highness considers their patriotism

that they are only getting 20 strokes.

Under military law,

those who violate orders die.

Anyone else who misleads the public

and disrupts the peace talks

will be executed without fail.

Hit!

What are you doing?

How can you hit people?

Let go of me! What are you doing?

Xiao Wuyi, this...

Xiao Wuyi, how dare you hit me?

Yizhi, save me!

He even dares to kill officials.

The Empress Dowager can't even deal with him.

Why wouldn't he?

Your Highness,

His Highness asks you to return to the Eastern Palace

to continue drafting the peace treaty.

Leave matters here to him.

Please.

Execute the punishment one by one.

Look,

isn't it solved?

Hey.

Is this the solution you figured out?

Those are Mao's classmates and friends,

and you just had them beaten?

Xiao Wuyi, are you that afraid of the Eagle King?

I really misjudged you.

Young Lord Xiao, His Highness, the Eagle King, invites you.

Xiao Wuyi!

H-How do I get down?

If you still want to play with fire in the future,

you must first learn how to run away.

What about today?

Figure it out yourself.

Figure...

You...

I—

I...

I...

Speaking of mutton,

it's still the best on Northern Qin grasslands.

It doesn't have any gamey smell.

Your Highness, try it.

Mu Lianyu,

you don't want peace talks at all.

Your Highness tramples on the people's will like this.

Aren't you afraid that the commoners will hate the Beifu Army

and you?

The people's will can be used,

but cannot be fully trusted.

You went to great lengths to provoke today's public anger.

You just hope that Ye will call off

the peace talks first,

so you can answer to your little emperor

without taking the blame.

I really didn't expect

that the decisive Young Lord Xiao on the battlefield

would be so forbearing off the battlefield.

It seems you're having a hard time in Jiankang.

The feeling is mutual.

If it weren't for the heavy snow,

we wouldn't have lost

the battle at Jiuzhang Plain.

In terms of archery and horsemanship,

our Northern Qin is far superior to your Southern Ye.

But you lost.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to eat

Northern Qin's roasted mutton in Jiankang.

Mu Lianyu.

Now your little emperor also wants peace talks.

That's why you are sitting here.

Please stop your tricks.

Don't try to anger me.

I can bear

the people's anger.

Today, I have finally seen

your sincerity in the peace talks.

The most difficult part of the peace talks

is the ownership of the three northern prefectures.

In that case,

why don't our countries

compete in public to determine

their ownership?

I wonder if Southern Ye dares to accept this challenge.

How do we compete?

Very simple. Shoot the willow on horseback—

a game of life and death.

Do you dare to accept?

Shoot the willow on horseback.

Each country will send three people and three horses,

with three arrows per person.

When all arrows are shot,

whichever country has more arrows left on the target

gets the three northern prefectures.

Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, these three prefectures

were originally the territory of Ye.

It's the Qin people who have been invading us.

How can we use such a child's play

to determine the ownership of our territory?

Young Lord Xiao, what do you think?

He proposed this competition

simply because he doesn't want peace talks

and wants to force us to refuse.

Even if we agree,

he just wants to use this competition to win back their pride.

In that case,

we shall fight again

and make him admit defeat.

Can you guarantee a sure win, Your Highness?

Matters on the battlefield

can never be guaranteed.

Even you can't guarantee it.

If we win this battle,

we might finally hold our heads high.

But what if we lose?

Your Highness and the Beifu Army will be ruined.

The three northern prefectures will fall into the hands of the Qin.

The advantage of our peace talks with Northern Qin

will also be gone.

Have you considered this, Young Lord Xiao?

If every battle were a sure win,

there would be no war in this world.

Let us fight.

Let the people and scholars

who are criticizing me see

that the peace talks I led

were for the future of Ye,

not because I feared war.

I am willing to fight Northern Qin!

Wuyi.

Wuyi.

Northern Qin was founded on military might.

Their people excel in archery and horsemanship.

Are you really confident?

Yizhi, why not think about it the other way around?

If Northern Qin loses even the horse archery

they are most proud of to us,

and loses three prefectures because of it,

what will happen within Northern Qin?

Their morale will plummet.

But that's easier said than done.

In this archery competition,

arrows can not only shoot targets,

but also people and horses.

In the arena,

the Eagle King will definitely use lethal moves against you.

Then let's see if he has

what it takes to take my life.

Yizhi.

I'm sorry about what happened

at the Honglu Temple yesterday.

I had no choice.

You don't need to say this to me.

I believe in you, Wuyi.

But for the peace talks,

what is your bottom line?

Time.

Time?

Conditions are not important,

but the reform of the Beifu needs at least three years of peace.

I am confident that after the reform,

I can increase the Beifu Army's combat power by 80%.

As long as I have time,

the Northern Expedition will definitely succeed.

So no matter what happens,

no matter what tricks the Eagle King

has waiting for me,

I must make the peace talks a success.

Wuyi,

I really envy your boldness and determination.

Ye can lose three prefectures,

but we absolutely cannot lose you, Xiao Wuyi.

Losing three prefectures is a temporary loss.

Losing Wuyi means losing the nation's destiny.

In the arena,

you must be very careful.

Li Yizhi,

since when did you become so good at flattering?

I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart.

You don't know how much I envy you

for building your career with your own hands.

Wuyi.

Do you want me to stay?

Do you think I, Li Yizhi,

am worthy of being the Crown Prince of Ye?

I didn't expect you, Xiao Wuyi,

to be speechless.

Never mind. I was just asking.

Don't take it seriously.

Jiayu doesn't like the palace.

Even for her sake,

I can't stay.

By the way,

the hawthorn cakes she made last time

tasted really good.

I am not used to the food in the palace.

I rely entirely on them to whet my appetite.

Could I trouble you

to ask her to make some more for me?

I got it.

Later, let's give all the medicinal herbs

we brought today to them.

I'll go take a look over there.

Master. Master. Master.

I told you to study behind closed doors

and not discuss state affairs.

What about you?

Did you even listen to me?

Do not get involved in the peace talks.

I am getting old

and don't have many days left to protect you.

Please don't

cause any more trouble blindly,

okay?

Master.

It's not that we are acting blindly.

The Northern Qin people have gone too far.

We study the books of the sages.

How could we just sit by and watch?

Today's blood

is not to cause trouble,

but to wake the people.

And Xiao Wuyi,

as the commander of the Beifu Army,

to fear the enemy

and abandon the people like this just for peace talks

is an absolute disgrace!

Exactly.

Enough.

Has your mother sent you any messages?

Shouldn't she be at home?

Yaoyao,

I am your father.

You've never been good at lying.

Your mother divorced me.

She wouldn't keep it from you.

She did leave a letter.

She said all these years,

trapped in Jiankang Palace and the Grand Tutor's Mansion,

she was very unhappy.

Now that I'm married,

she can finally follow her heart

and live the life she wants.

She also said

the divorce is between you two.

She is still my mother,

and you are still my father.

That's all she said.

Even if I knew where she went,

I wouldn't tell you.

If there's nothing else,

I will leave now.

For this round of peace talks,

a Northern Qin official proposed

to send a royal daughter to marry into Northern Qin.

Who do you think

is the most suitable among the Jiankang royals now?

Li Lejun.

You want to send Lejun away for a political marriage?

It's not us.

It's Xiao Wuyi.

Looking at his current actions,

you can tell he will definitely make sure the peace talks succeed,

no matter what it takes.

Everyone knows the miserable and maddened state

of the Southern Ye royal clan

inside the iron cage outside the city gates that day.

You surely wouldn't want Princess Pingning to suffer such a disaster,

right?

If you want to protect her...

I

can help.

What's the price?

Father,

what do you want me to do for you?

The peace talks may succeed,

but Xiao Wuyi

must lose.

Lose?

Coincidentally, the bone is injured.

You must give him the medicine on time, as I said.

Pei Runheng?

Wake up.

Doctor.

Your Highness.

Do you know him?

He is badly injured.

Doctor, come here.

Wake up. Wake up.

The noble clans are committing treason.

They are parasites of the state.

Runheng.

-Who is Runheng? -You—

Go away.

Don't touch me.

Do you know that scholar?

I mistook him for someone else.

He looks a lot like an old friend of mine.

Runheng would never look at me

with such unfamiliarity and disgust.

Besides,

I saw Runheng's body.

Mr. Runheng was your sweetheart?

On the day of the Double Ninth Ceremony,

I saw the prayer tablet you wrote

on the prayer tree.

That name was on it.

But I didn't expect that he had already passed away.

The prayer tree on the Double Ninth Festival

is also called the Yin-Yang Tree.

It was originally meant to commemorate friendship with the deceased.

What?

Then Ruisheng also...

So you married Xiao Wuyi

because your sweetheart was gone?

It was because I was going to marry Xiao Wuyi

I beg Your Majesty, Empress Dowager for mercy,

that he was gone.

I'm already engaged.

His Majesty has just ascended the throne,

and his position is still unstable.

And the Beifu Army needs provisions.

Now is a good time for the He family and the Xiao family

to form a marriage alliance.

If you weren't the only eligible in the clan,

I would never force you.

Aunt.

Aunt.

And I made the most regrettable decision

in my life.

What was it?

I told my parents and the Empress Dowager

that I already had a sweetheart,

letting them know about Runheng.

Runheng was the son of the academy's headmaster

and a distant relative of my mother's family.

I thought my parents would help me.

But not long after,

what I received

was actually the news of his death.

Later, I found out

that the border military situation was urgent at that time,

and the Beifu Army urgently needed the He family's provision of support.

Because I kept refusing to agree to the marriage,

the forces of the Empress Dowager and the Heir

had both gone to look for him.

So someone murdered your sweetheart?

It might be Xiao Wuyi?

Or it might be the Empress Dowager.

But if Xiao Wuyi really did it,

don't you hate him?

In that battle,

Xiao Wuyi won beautifully.

He completely recaptured

the Yushan Pass, which was lost for nearly 20 years,

and is my family's hometown.

Tens of thousands of people returned to their homeland.

You tell me, how am I supposed to hate him?

Since then, I told myself

to stop investigating.

Even if it really was Xiao Wuyi,

I would still be Heir's Consort.

But that's all.

The Heir only cares

about his own goals.

He doesn't care about anyone.

Yes.

So he will definitely make the peace talks succeed,

no matter what the cost is.

Lady Xie won't be staying in the manor for much longer.

Once the peace talks are over,

she will leave with Prince Qi.

Your Highness's efforts are all in vain.

Who told you I made them for Xie Jiayu?

Your Highness, is your appetite poor lately?

Why do you love eating hawthorn so much?

They are for Prince Qi.

He wants to eat

the hawthorn cake made by Lady Xie.

Yet you let me do it instead.

Where is my brother?

Did he go to the racecourse to find me again?

Yes, he went to the racecourse to find you again.

He still wants to compete.

You can't just keep dodging—

it won't solve anything.

Your Highness, the racecourse reported

that Lady Xie secretly replaced all the stirrups in the stable.

The stirrup is so loose.

Anyone riding it will fall off soon.

If His Highness gets injured,

he won't be able to compete.

Could it be

that Lady Xie was really persuaded by the Grand Tutor,

and is making a move against His Highness?

Anmin.

Don't.

Young Master Yao, there's something wrong with the stirrups.

They were replaced.

You can't use them.

I replaced the stirrups.

Yao's left leg is seriously injured.

A standard stirrup does not suit his archery on horseback.

So I specially replaced them with more stable ones.

Then, after he goes to the battlefield,

he will be no different from a normal person.

If you don't believe it,

let him try it.

I asked Lady Xie for help.

Anmin, no.

Are the stirrups not good enough,

or am I, Xiao Yao, not good enough?

This is the warhorse that will accompany me in archery.

Because of this,

I have to try it.

Over the years, I've never given up on horseback archery.

Nor have I forgotten that I am a soldier of the Beifu Army.

I never abandoned myself to despair.

If it's just upper body strength,

I am second to none.

If it's really as Lady Xie said,

I will compete in this match.

It's no use hiding from me.

Impossible.

Xiao Wuyi, make a move.

I don't need you to hold back.

Test me yourself and see

if I'm fit to compete.

Now you won't even

fight me?

Anmin.

Why won't you let me compete?

I don't accept this!

This concerns the three northern prefectures.

I can't take the risk.

Say what you will,

you still don't trust me.

Xiao Wuyi,

-I told you my horse can help. -You—

I trust even less.

Xie Jiayu.

I know you met Grand Tutor Xie in the clinic.

And I know what he talked to you about

and what deal he made with you.

You had me spied on?

Burn all the stirrups and saddles that Xie Jiayu replaced.

Escort Anmin back to the manor.

Yes.

Xiao Wuyi, let go of me!

Xiao Wuyi!

Let go of me!

Xiao Wuyi, let go of me!

Let me go!

Put me down!

My Lady!

-Xiao Wuyi. -My Lady!

Xiao Wuyi!

My Lady!

Get out.

Save it.

Stop acting.

Then Xiao Wuyi,

who are you trying to make an example of by using me?

You needn't put it that way.

You have been in the army for so many years.

Whether the stirrups I made

are harmful or helpful—

you should know it very well.

Even if you don't know,

you would know if you let Yao try.

But you were in such a hurry to let Yan Yue burn them.

Actually, you just

don't want him to compete.

Since you sent someone to watch me,

you know very well

whether I promised my father

to sabotage your competition.

Why did you put such a big blame on me?

Why didn't you agree with your father?

His words seemed like a deal,

but were actually a threat.

If you don't do as he asks,

Li Lejun might really be pushed into a political marriage

by the noble families.

And Yizhi won't be able to leave.

Aren't you afraid?

There are other ways to stop the political marriage.

But I will not trade three provinces and their people for it,

nor will I sacrifice the honor of the Beifu soldiers.

Xiao Wuyi, don't look down on me.

As for you, Xiao Wuyi,

you just

don't want Yao to compete, right?

You are afraid his military merits will surpass yours

and steal your thunder.

I heard your horseback archery

were taught by him.

Xie Jiayu, don't provoke me.

If you really want to leave Jingan Mansion

in one piece

and live the carefree life you and Yizhi dream of,

mind your own business

and stay away from me.

Otherwise, I'm not sure if I...

I can let you leave alive.

You should be glad

that I don't want to lose my best friend.

Scared?

You should be.

My Lady.

My Lady.

Are you okay?

Did His Highness bully you?

It was just helping Yao out.

Why was he acting like that?

Before the competition,

Xie Jiayu is not allowed to set a single foot out of Wensheng Courtyard.

Xiao Wuyi.

Anmin?

Did you ground Xie Jiayu

because she helped me improve the stirrups and saddles?

You worry too much.

Xie Jiayu is from a noble family.

I was afraid she would ruin the competition

and ruin the Beifu Army's reputation.

Nonsense.

When I suspected her,

you believed her.

Now I am willing to believe her.

Yet you're suspecting her because she's from a noble family?

You simply want to use Xie Jiayu as an example

to show everyone

that absolutely no one is allowed

to help me get a spot in the competition.

You have prepared for the Beifu Army's reform for so long,

but you never told me a word about it.

In your eyes,

am I just a piece of trash

that the Beifu Army doesn't want?

Lock this place up.

I'm going out for a walk.

Don't follow me.

♪ The past is dust, we're passing through ♪

♪ No regrets for what we've lost and won ♪

Why won't you let me compete?

I don't accept this!

♪ The shape of time begins to fade ♪

In your eyes,

am I just a piece of trash

that the Beifu Army doesn't want?

♪ Half by choice, half washed away ♪

♪ If fate is fragile, what is right or wrong ♪

Anmin!

Anmin!

♪ We only live for what we can't let go ♪

Yao.

It's fine.

♪ Love and hate fade like the shifting sand ♪

Don't scare me.

Anmin!

♪ What's right or wrong is better left unsaid ♪

What are you doing here?

♪ Every soul is bound by cause and fate ♪

Are you here to see if my son is dead?

Darling.

Darling.

♪ The past is gone, so let it slip away ♪

You Lis

took the life of one of my sons,

♪ The heart's a cage, but peace will break the chains ♪

yet you're still living under his name.

♪ No need to speak, just leave it all to fate ♪

Now, do you want the life of my other son, too?

♪ Love and hate fade like the shifting sand ♪

♪ What's right or wrong is better left unsaid ♪

Father.

♪ Every soul is bound by cause and fate ♪

Who am I?

♪ The past is gone, so let it slip away ♪

When the Phoenix Heart Token appears, peace shall be restored in the world.

♪ The heart's a cage, but peace will break the chains ♪

Your Highness.

♪ No need to speak, just leave it all to fate ♪

You are the son of the late Emperor and Empress.

You are the true heir of Ye.

Now, the remaining Shadow Envoys

are willing to follow you

to restore order,

reclaim the throne,

trample Northern Qin,

and return to the old capital!

Trample Northern Qin!

Return to the old capital!

♪ Love and hate fade like the shifting sand ♪

Father.

♪ What's right or wrong is better left unsaid ♪

I, Xiao Ju,

am willing to follow you, Your Highness.

♪ Every soul is bound by cause and fate ♪

♪ The past is gone, so let it slip away ♪

♪ The heart's a cage, but peace will break the chains ♪

♪ No need to speak, just leave it all to fate ♪

It's so late.

Why isn't Wuyi back yet?

Judging by the noise,

he must still be at the racecourse.

In Jiuzhang Plain,

he suffered life-threatening injuries.

He can't afford to exhaust himself like this.

Darling.

How long are you going to punish Wuyi?

I didn't punish him.

But don't you think you two

are too polite

and distant with each other?

You are closer to Yuanji, to Ruisheng,

and even to that newlywed from the Xie family

than you are to Wuyi.

When Wuyi came back injured,

did you even ask about his injuries?

I know.

It's about Sheng.

But Wuyi was just a baby then.

If you want to blame someone, blame me.

I don't blame him.

Ever since he found out who he really was,

he has been fighting at the border

and refused to come back.

That's because he is afraid you'll be sad to see him.

And Anmin,

he still doesn't know

that it's you who doesn't want him to return to the Northern Border

and on the battlefield again.

So he has taken all his resentment over the years

out on Wuyi.

Fortunately, they are both tough on the outside but warm on the inside.

But if this misunderstanding continues,

it will sooner or later turn into real animosity.

Darling,

do you really want to see

the two brothers at odds with each other?

Anmin wants to return to the Northern Border.

That's good.

Currently, the Beifu camps are still short of organization.

He has the talent to lead troops.

If he is willing to return,

your pressure on the western front next year will be lessened.

You are absolutely right.

Quickly write to your mother and tell Anmin to return to the battlefield.

Young Master Yao.

Don't help me.

Stop practicing.

Your leg can't take this kind of torment.

Do you also think I'm useless?

Even though I can't ride a horse,

my archery

and close combat skills

are no worse than Xiao Wuyi's.

He learned wrestling from me back then.

On what grounds does he stop me from competing?

I'm worried about your legs.

My father doesn't care about me.

My younger brother looks down on me.

Do you also...

Prepare more medicine for bruises and injuries for Young Master Yao.

Yes.

Nanxing.

Don't you think this room is very stuffy?

It's like a prison.

It's only been two days,

and you can't stay still anymore.

Just like at home before,

you always want to run outside.

Her Highness couldn't control you.

If this is a prison,

it's the most wonderful prison in the world.

These are the recent requests on Miraculous Craft.

Take a look

and see if there are any mechanical gadgets

that you're interested.

You can make some to pass the time.

The competition is in a few days.

It will pass.

A wooden kite that can carry a person and fly.

An arrow that bends its path to pursue prey.

Fire oil that cannot be extinguished by water.

And the buyers' names...

Red Dragon, Black Dragon,

Black Dragon, Full Moon.

Isn't it obvious they are Qing Long and Yan Yue?

This must be Xiao Wuyi sending them to make things difficult for me.

So boring.

Someone!

Is anybody there?

Let's go!

The fire thunderstone of the Beifu Army

is truly all bark and no bite.

I don't know who designed them.

They just wasted my time.

I have to use mine.

I'm a genius.

Ghost!

[Yuan Xiaole]

Are you really Li Yunzhao's daughter?

You don't look much like her.

But you have some skills.

I have to say,

after you modified this fire thunderstone,

its power actually increased quite a bit.

How much saltpeter did you use?

Hey, who are you?

Do I know you?

Move. I'm going out.

Wait a minute.

Xiao Wuyi really didn't lie to me.

You do have some talent.

I'm definitely taking you

as my apprentice.

Let me show you my fire thunderstone.

Its power is no less than yours.

Let's exchange our thoughts on this.

Who said I'm going to be your apprentice?

Are you drunk in broad daylight?

Your temper is quite like your mother's.

How could you possibly know my mother?

Not only do I know her,

but we fought a lot when we were young.

Let me tell you a secret.

Your mother doesn't have much time left.

What did you say?

Listen.

Don't use seniority to boss me around.

You designed this fire thunderstone?

The design is truly terrible.

What's wrong with it? Tell me.

It's too big.

Do you know what "all bark and no bite" means?

What do you know?

Big?

Its power is huge!

The ones I design, even if they are only this small,

are more powerful than yours.

Okay, okay.

W-We'll talk about this later.

Let me tell you.

I've never been wrong in fortune-telling.

Not only did I figure out that your mother doesn't have much time left,

but I also figured out you will marry twice,

no, three times in your life.

And your husband, he'll die young.

Is that so?

Nanxing, get him!

Who are you saying doesn't have much time left?

-Watch out for the fire thunderstone -Who are you cursing?

Why are you glaring at me?

I told you to watch out for the fire thunderstone.

Watch out for the fire thunderstone.

Qing Long, long time no see.

Did you miss me?

Give it back to me.

You know how to make stirrups, too?

At first glance,

I knew this was designed for Xiao Yao.

Xiao Wuyi

asked me to design one before, too.

My design

was much better than this.

You designed one for him, too?

When?

A long time ago.

It was probably right after Xiao Yao got injured.

Xiao Wuyi was worried his brother

couldn't get over his disability.

It was a pity.

He told me to stop when the blueprint was only half done.

Why stop?

Naturally, it's because someone

didn't want Xiao Yao to ride a horse onto the battlefield again.

Kiddo.

You are quite talented

in alchemy and metalworking,

but your structural design still lacks a bit.

It's my blueprint. You...

Hold on.

Look.

If it's connected like this,

and then attached to the saddle,

wouldn't it be much more flexible?

The biggest problem with your design

is that it's not flexible enough.

It works fine with light pressure,

but once too much force is applied, it creates drag

and can throw the rider off,

leaving them vulnerable to being trampled by their own horse.

Wait, wait, wait.

Did you say applying force causes dragging?

Oh, no.

His Highness is testing the stirrups for Young Master Yao.

What?

Why is it blurry again?