Original subtitles

Your Majesty,

this is the divorce agreement between Young Lady Xie and me.

The bond between her and me ends here.

This is for your review.

Your Majesty.

Regarding the Beifu Reform,

what do you intend to do?

Your Majesty,

my reform will proceed in three steps.

Firstly, eliminate long-standing flaws,

restructure the military system,

appoint talents of humble origins,

and employ generals by ability alone.

Secondly, forge stronger armor and weapons,

and expand the transportation of provisions

to ensure steady military supplies.

Thirdly...

What is Prince Qi's take on this plan?

Prince Qi and I share a bond like brothers

as well as deep trust.

I believe that

as long as His Highness and I join hands...

Even today,

you still think

that you and Prince Qi share a bond like brothers

as well as deep trust?

Now,

do you understand

why I insisted on keeping Xie Jiayu

by your side?

I understand now.

The way of checks and balances

is the emperor's art.

Therefore,

Xie Jiayu

is my way

of keeping a balance between you and Prince Qi.

[Key to the Phoenix Heart]

[Episode 15]

[Lingfeng Fort]

[Cui Jun, Master of the Cui family]

Father, why are you so fond of pine trees?

They can endure cold and drought.

Scatter a handful of seeds anywhere,

and they will grow.

But Mother told me that

you loved loquat flowers the most when you were young.

Even Mother loved making loquat wine the most.

People change.

I will set off for Jiankang in a few days.

I'm afraid that, by this time

next year, I won't be able to accompany you

to pay respects to Mother together.

Today,

let me pour wine for you

one last time, Father.

You have arranged such a grand marriage

for me, Father,

but I only feel restless and uneasy.

The Cui family is hailed as the top noble family.

But what have you done, Father?

Do you really think no one knows?

You've privately run illegal mines

and tricked women

into dying in the mines unjustly.

Your actions are

enough to ruin our Cui family completely.

Shao'an!

You don't need to call him.

I have already led Shao'an out of Lingfeng Fort.

And I also told Xie Jiayu the hiding place

of her mother, Princess Yunzhao.

By now, they must have left Lingfeng Fort.

Everything about Lingfeng Fort is about to be exposed.

Guards!

If you plead guilty together with me today,

our Cui family might still have a chance to survive.

Lady Jiayu, my young lady ordered that

after we get Her Highness out,

you must leave Lingfeng Fort immediately.

Do you really think I'm stupid?

I knew Lingyi was a traitor

and wanted to help you save the Princess.

Where is Xiao Wuyi?

Behind you.

Xiao Wuyi, how did you know there was a trap?

Were we also tricked by Young Lady Cui?

Cui Lingyi didn't trick us.

Instead, she was also deceived by them.

Last night, Cui Lingyi spread the fake news

that we had fled from Lingfeng Fort.

And you

searched for us with great fanfare in the middle of the night.

Wasn't it to deliberately tell us that

you had left the city?

If my guess is right,

you lurked in the dark

soon after you left the city.

We encountered no obstacles at all

on our way to the back mountain.

Including that maid who suddenly appeared just now,

everything is suspicious.

Someone must have lured us here intentionally.

You think you can bring me down this way?

You think

you can save our Cui family just like this?

You think I would drink the poisoned wine?

I am the Master of Lingfeng Fort.

And you will soon enter the Eastern Palace and marry

Prince Qi to become his consort.

In the future, you will be the first lady

like Empress Wenxi.

Our Cui family has laid low for over 20 years

just for today

to revive our family.

But you insisted on ruining the glory of our Cui family

at this very moment

and destroying my 20 years of great efforts.

I suppose your sister

has already been captured by now.

Hand over the Princess,

or I'll kill you right now.

Ouch! It hurts...

Mother!

What an impressive scheme.

Young Lord Xiao,

I've heard a lot about you.

Put the sword down.

Father.

Father,

Lingyi is already engaged

and will get married soon.

Xiao Wuyi and the Princess

are both in our hands now.

There won't be any problem.

Please let Lingyi go, Father.

Father,

are you still going to use me

to force Shao'an to do evil?

Lingyi...

Are you still going to use Shao'an to force me

to cover up the truth for the family?

Since we were young,

you've kept instigating conflicts between Shao'an and me.

Whenever you praised me,

you'd scold Shao'an

as if he was worthless.

I didn't understand back then.

I was only at odds with Shao'an

in order to please you.

What you want is never children,

but merely

two pawns under your control!

I'd rather die than be manipulated by you again!

Do you think Princess Yunzhao

is some sort of good person?

Do you think she stayed

in order to expose the Cui family?

Do you think she lured Xiao Wuyi

over here to help you reveal

the dark side of the Cui family?

Everything she did was for the Phoenix Heart Token I hold!

Whatever her purpose,

all I want is for her to destroy

everything here!

Lingyi,

how could you talk to Father like that?

Kneel and apologize to him!

Shao'an,

the real lunatic in our family

is our father!

Lingyi...

Lingyi!

Lingyi...

Lingyi...

Princess Yunzhao,

your daughter and your reinforcement

are both in my hands.

Do you still refuse to hand over the Phoenix Heart Token?

Mother.

Are you alright?

Cui Jun, how dare you

tamper with my letter?

I did use the family letter to inform Xiao Wuyi,

but I did something with the letter.

It should never have reached Jiayu.

You deliberately set it up

to lure Jiayu over here.

Yes, I did it.

I also needed to know

who you plotted to get the Phoenix Heart Token

and the mines for, right?

Mother,

what does he mean?

Your Highness, you're indeed a good mother.

Everything you did was for your daughter.

System reform, northern expedition—

actually, the one who really needs the minerals

is Young Lord Xiao.

But your daughter is in his hands.

As her mother, of course you have to yield.

Therefore, you came to Guazhou for Young Lord Xiao

to find the Phoenix Heart Token.

So you really have

the Phoenix Heart Token.

You found this mine

under the guidance of the Phoenix Heart Token.

I have indeed decoded it.

So there's no way I can let you go.

Cui Jun,

even if you kill and silence us all, the secret

of the Cuis and the Phoenix Heart Token still can't remain hidden.

Young Lord Xiao,

instead of worrying about me,

right now,

you'd better worry about yourself.

The secret guards you planted have been exposed.

No one will come to save you anymore.

Princess, I'll only give you 2 days.

If you still refuse to hand over the Phoenix Heart Token,

your daughter will die for sure.

[Court of Judicial Review]

Look what I got for you.

I didn't expect that, after so many years,

[Yang Zhang, Guazhou County Sheriff]

you still remember that I

love the longans from Nanzhou the most, Master.

This time,

you did a great job.

You sent Cui Jun's contaminated military provisions

to the Northern Border,

leading to an outbreak of plague in the Beifu Army.

It also caused the noble families

to impeach the Beifu Reform one after another

and quietly

lured Xiao Wuyi to Cui Jun's place.

It's been over 2 decades.

This grudge should finally come to an end.

Master,

I heard that the unjust case of the An and Lu families back then

was all traced back to Empress Wenxi of the Cui family.

Is it true?

If Xiao Wuyi can bring down

the Cuis, Empress Wenxi's maternal family,

this time,

the secret of the An and Lu families from back then

might finally come to light.

If so,

you will be

my greatest benefactor

for the rest of my life.

Your grace of teaching gave me a second life,

equal to my parents' care and love.

Now that I got a chance to do you a favor,

even if I die for it,

I still can't repay you enough.

It is already the greatest fortune of my life!

[Imperial Academy]

Master, we just got the news from the Court of Judicial Review.

[Bingzhu, butler of Xie Mansion]

Yang Zhang, Guazhou County Sheriff,

committed suicide in prison out of fear.

The body can't be kept.

Send his body to Puzhao Temple tonight and burn it.

Understood.

Anything else?

The subordinates Young Lord Xiao planted outside Lingfeng Fort

have all been wiped out.

Cui Jun has captured Young Lord Xiao.

How could Xiao Wuyi have made

such hasty preparations?

Our informant reported

that Young Lord Xiao entered

Lingfeng Fort early for our young lady.

Xie Jiayu?

How come she's in Guazhou?

Not only the Young Lady,

but the Princess is also there.

Her Highness wrote to the Young Lady and made her go to Guazhou.

Cui Jun has seized them all now,

using the Young Lady to force Her Highness to hand over the Phoenix Heart Token.

The Phoenix Heart Token?

I see. Cui Jun is Empress Wenxi's older brother.

If Yunzhao has the Phoenix Heart Token

and wants to unite her old subordinates against Prince Qi,

Cui Jun is the best ally.

Xiao Wuyi,

was Cui Jun telling the truth

just now?

Did my mother look for

the Phoenix Heart Tokens for you?

Yes.

You could say that.

My mother never meddles in court politics.

If someone hadn't forced her,

she wouldn't have taken the initiative to get involved.

Did you use me to threaten her?

No,

I've never used you to threaten her.

But this matter is complicated.

I'll explain it to you later.

But my mother agreed to help you

because of me.

I once thought that after my mother and father divorced,

she would finally be able to live for herself,

travel to places she had never seen,

and lead a carefree life she had never had.

I didn't expect that

she'd still be dragged into this because of me,

utilized by others,

and end up in such a desperate state.

I once thought that

you cared about me in Prince Jing'an's Mansion

and allowed me to come and go freely,

all because you were just a good person.

I was too stupid.

Everything I did

was never about

making a deal with the Princess.

Xie Jiayu,

did you really not

feel anything at all?

Am I wrong, Xiao Wuyi?

You've been using me from the very beginning.

At first, when you didn't even know who I was,

you used me to quell Prince Changsha's rebellion.

When you knew who I was,

you used my freedom

and my life

to force my mother to hand over the Phoenix Heart Token,

putting her in danger!

Yes.

It's all my fault.

What is this sound?

Not the sound of a human.

There is an underground river beneath this mine,

where the water is not clean.

Taken or applied,

it drives people mad

and turns them into beasts,

just like him.

Do you know how many people my father had killed

until he got such a monster?

No more struggling.

This candle is specially made.

You can't use your martial arts anymore.

Hand over the Phoenix Heart Token.

Otherwise,

I don't mind letting this monster

deal with Xie Jiayu.

Very well.

Release him.

Jiayu!

Xiao Wuyi!

-Stay here and watch. -Xiao Wuyi!

He has little inner energy now.

How about we give him 15 minutes?

It won't take him 15 minutes.

You trust him that much?

He will win for sure.

Xiao Wuyi...

Xiao Wuyi.

Grand Tutor, you must've come

late at night for something important.

What on earth happened?

Have you heard of the Phoenix Heart Tokens?

When the Phoenix Heart Tokens appear, peace shall be restored in the world.

Who in Ye hasn't heard about it?

It is the hope of the people.

What if Empress Wenxi really had the Phoenix Heart Tokens

and passed them down?

Since Yunzhao was her closest friend,

and Cui Jun was her older brother,

the two of them are the most likely

to be entrusted by Empress Wenxi.

Even if the Phoenix Heart Tokens truly exist,

the Northern Qin people back then

already wiped out Crown Prince Wenxi.

Those people only have the Phoenix Heart Tokens

but not Crown Prince Wenxi.

They pose no threat to my brother at all.

Your Highness,

what if I told you

your brother

is not of the Ye bloodline at all?

Watch your words, Grand Tutor.

Yunzhao has long suspected Prince Qi's origins.

She went to Guazhou this time

probably just to use

the Phoenix Heart Token in her hands

to command the other Token holders

and support the Imperial Li family of Ye again.

How is that possible?

How could my brother not be...

Your trip to Guazhou this time

is nominally to escort the bride,

but the real purpose is to cooperate

with Young Lord Xiao to capture the Cuis.

Remember, besides purging the Cuis,

you absolutely cannot let the Phoenix Heart Token

fall into Xiao Wuyi's hands.

You must not

let Yunzhao ruin Prince Qi's future.

Brother, the clothes are fixed.

Try them on when you're free.

Lejun.

Put this on.

This sachet

was sewn for you

by Mother back then.

I heard that a strange disease is raging in Guazhou.

It has Bishou lotuses inside,

with detoxifying effects.

Since this was made by Mother,

it can definitely keep you safe on your journey.

Brother, you are so silly.

It's been so many years.

The effects must've long worn off.

You will always be my brother.

The brother I know

is Li Mao, who has always

stuck with me through everything.

What?

Don't worry, Brother.

I will not fail your trust on this journey.

I will bring the Cui family to justice

and return safe and sound.

You irritated me

on purpose just now

because you wanted me to help you kill him, right?

I've been sick of that bastard for a long time.

You hated what your father has done,

but you didn't dare to resist.

So you could only use Xiao Wuyi and me as pawns.

My father would do anything

for the Phoenix Heart Tokens.

I needed to see

your determination and capabilities

to go against my father.

Xiao Wuyi,

when will your men arrive?

It's fine if you don't want to tell me,

as long as there are reinforcements.

The area outside the cave is heavily guarded by my father's men.

You'd better not act rashly

before the reinforcements arrive.

I'll remove all the candles outside.

This is the only thing I can do for you.

Hold on.

This is what your sister asked me to give

to you when she was alive.

If this plan fails tomorrow,

I will definitely end up dead.

Please pass this letter on to my brother.

If you are going to make a move,

you'd better rescue all the people below.

When will your reinforcements arrive?

Qing Long and Yan Yue will send word.

Don't worry,

they will definitely ensure the safety

of the Princess and Yuan Xiaoliu first.

Then let's rest

to conserve our strength.

♪ One glance from near stirs my heart ♪

♪ 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 ♪

Don't overthink it.

I'm just afraid your injuries are too severe

for you to make it out of here alive.

♪ 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 ♪

♪ Don't give up or dodge ♪

♪ Sincere hearts remain as of old ♪

I...

♪ One glance from near stirs my heart ♪

I'm not treating you well because of the Phoenix Heart Token

♪ This fleeting moment ♪

that the Princess gave me.

Both Her Highness and I

♪ Tugs the threads woven by fate ♪

wish for you to live freely and happily.

♪ Bound tight evermore ♪

♪ Sharing all the years together ♪

Jiayu.

♪ Peace I find nowhere but by your side ♪

I...

♪ Bear witness with our souls ♪

Xiao Wuyi.

Are you sure

♪ Fear no partings or wax and wane ♪

you can rescue all those people?

I can.

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

You're bragging.

I can pull it off if you trust me.

♪ You see my move under rebellious cover ♪

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

Okay.

♪ Burn the fire in my heart ♪

I believe you.

♪ Sincere hearts remain as of old ♪

I know this risky path I walk may lead only to death.

However, the Cui family's evil deeds actually started because of me.

If I hadn't tried to outdo you

and reminded Father that, compared to adult men,

perhaps women might be better suited

to the narrow mine tunnels

and wouldn't be discovered by the authorities,

we wouldn't have committed so many murders now.

Plenty of women were tricked into coming to Lingfeng Fort

and lost their lives for a bit of grain and money.

Thankfully, Princess Yunzhao discovered the secret of the mines.

I saved her

and helped her lure Young Lord Xiao here

in order to atone for my sins.

Shao'an, I know you want me to leave Lingfeng Fort

and live a peaceful life.

But since the mistake has been made, I must pay with my life.

If you continue to help the evildoer,

I will not be able to rest in peace.

I hope my death can ignite your will to live.

Only you know the way to save those women.

[Lingfeng Fort]

Hey!

Who the heck locked me up?

Say something!

It's been so many days,

and no one's ever come!

Why not kill him, Master?

What if...

Prince Qi's escort team

is already near Guazhou.

Princess Pingning

came in person this time.

They came right on time.

How many days has it been since we last heard from Cui Xi?

There are new updates every day.

Everything is as usual at the Cui Mansion in Jiankang.

I see.

By the way,

you must not mistreat him.

Understood.

Are you kidnapping me for my money or my looks?

Just tell me directly!

I'm fine with either!

Greetings, Father.

Prince Qi has sent his younger sister,

Princess Pingning,

to Lingfeng Fortress to escort the bride.

From now on,

she will be your older sister,

Cui Lingyi.

Father.

She is not my...

Turn your head around.

Bow.

S-Sister.

Xie Jiayu

made the white silk flower for your sister, right?

Didn't you miss your sister so much?

Then stay here and behave yourself.

Without my order,

you shall not leave this place even by a single step.

[Lingfeng Fort]

I spent over 20 years

cracking the secret in the Phoenix Heart Token

and discovering the iron mine under this mountain.

But it's a pity that

an accident happened halfway through the excavation.

The groundwater has been contaminated,

and anyone who touches it will get hit by a strange disease.

Last night, Xiao Wuyi

killed a maniac with the strange disease.

Your Highness, if you still refuse to hand over the Phoenix Heart Token,

then the next one to get infected

will be Xie Jiayu.

If she gets infected,

I wonder if Young Lord Xiao

would give her a quick death.

Take this hairpin

and go to the Nandu Wharf we agreed on back then.

Seeing this hairpin,

someone will contact you.

I can't believe you hid the Phoenix Heart Token

at the old Nandu Wharf.

Guards,

seal off all the mines at the foot of the mountain

and let no one get out of there.

-Understood. -Understood.

Take Her Highness away

and lock her up.

Cui Jun!

You broke your word!

It's not the first time.

Aren't you afraid that everything I told you is fake?

The worst case is that I'll kill both you

and your daughter.

Take her away.

Stop wandering. You're making me dizzy.

Do you think Qing Long and Yan Yue have been caught?

Where are your reinforcements?

Why hasn't there been any response?

Rest assured.

Before I entered Lingfeng Fort,

the reinforcements were already on their way.

I didn't come here because of

the Princess's family letter.

Before I came here,

some people in the Beifu Army

contracted the same strange disease as those in the mines.

They ate the rations issued by the imperial court

that had been soaked in contaminated water.

And those rations came from Guazhou.

Someone must have learned the secret about Guazhou

and dragged the Beifu soldiers into this

just in order to lure me here.

It can not only deal a blow to the Beifu Reform

but also destroy the Cui family.

I guess the person behind this

is the Grand Tutor.

My father?

The Grand Tutor and the Cui family

probably have a blood feud.

Judging from the time,

Li Mao must have

raided the Cui Mansion in Jiankang by now.

The people he dispatched from Jiankang

should arrive in a few days.

You... Why didn't you tell me earlier?

You guys, go there.

-Understood! -Understood!

And you.

They are locked up in the cell ahead.

Understood.

What is he doing here?

Sealing off the mines.

Don't be afraid.

According to my master's order,

you two are distinguished guests,

and the path to the afterlife is a painful one.

If you want to die a quick death,

you can take this poison.

It seems that Cui Jun

really wants me dead.

Master!

Master.

Where have you been the past few days?

I don't even want to bring it up. You wouldn't believe me.

The past few days,

I've been eating well for all 3 meals every day.

Except for that mute who delivered the food,

I didn't see anyone else.

Wait,

w-why? There's no way!

Look...

Hurry.

Sorry.

Where are Qing Long and Yan Yue?

You were not led here by them?

No.

It was Cui Shao'an.

The mines in the back mountain.

The Cui family is grateful for His Majesty's grace.

I am willing to be diligent and self-disciplined,

strictly follow the imperial edict,

form a marriage alliance with Prince Qi,

and devote my absolute loyalty and effort to the state.

I will not fail His Majesty's grace.

I, Cui Lingyi, am willing to serve Prince Qi

and be of one mind and principle with His Highness

to protect our family and state,

with fidelity for the rest of my life.

You may rise.

Wait!

You rebellious child!

Today is your sister's big day of being escorted as the bride.

What are you going to do?

Guards! Take my unfilial son out!

I, Cui Shao'an, pay my respects

to you, Princess Pingning.

You killed...

The one I killed is not my real sister.

You brat!

Cui Shao'an,

what did you just say?

My sister, Cui Lingyi,

was killed by my father long ago,

with her body destroyed overnight.

If you don't believe me,

Your Highness, here is my sister's handwritten letter

as well as the evidence of the crimes that my Cui family

has committed over the past 20 years,

which my sister left behind at the price of her life!

Please take a look, Your Highness!

What are these bloody contracts?

Cui Jun, you've not only run illegal private mines

but also harmed young girls and children

and made them mine for you,

causing countless unjust deaths.

Do you even care about the imperial court and the people?

How can you claim to stand with Prince Qi

in protecting the state

and carrying out a great cause?

Guards!

Your Highness, you came to Lingfeng Fort with the armed Imperial Guards

under the guise of escorting the bride.

What are you up to?

Cui Jun, are you trying to rebel?

Listen up, guys.

Whoever kills Li Lejun will be

rewarded with 1,000 households' tax revenues and 10,000 taels of gold!

Brother!

Sister!

Brother!

Brother!

Kill them, and you'll be

rewarded based on merits!

Who dares to make a move?

We're standing here today.

You can make your move

and kill all of us!

But look at these faces.

Are they any different

from your own families?

If you raise your blades to kill us today,

someone will use the same blades

to murder your families tomorrow!

Bring her here!

Mother!

Xie Jiayu, Xiao Wuyi,

if you take one more step forward,

I'll have Yunzhao

die in front of you right away.

Cui Jun,

don't you dare.

Xiao Wuyi, you...

This is the Beifu Army's war drum.

Xiao Wuyi,

when did you set this up?

Since the moment Princess Yunzhao told you

the Phoenix Heart Token's whereabouts.

Qing Long, Yan Yue!

This is the totem of Northern Qin's Eagle King.

Yes, they are all the Eagle King's henchmen

from Northern Qin.

Cui Jun,

the Eagle King of Northern Qin is the client of your private mines.

You have been colluding with Northern Qin all along.

How audacious you are.

Cui Jun,

over 20 years ago,

when Northern Qin attacked the Capital,

you were accusing

the An and Lu families for the first time.

Could it be that you had already colluded with Northern Qin back then,

causing the horrible bloodshed in the Capital?

What horrible bloodshed?

I only know that the Ans and Lus conspired with the enemy and committed treason.

I only know that Emperor Wenxi was licentious and brutal,

bringing destruction to the state and families.

How dare you!

How dare you slander the late Emperor?

Don't forget that

you are Empress Wenxi's brother

and the Phoenix Heart Token holder,

bearing the responsibility of moving Ye south

and assisting Crown Prince Wenxi...

Crown Prince Wenxi died long ago!

He is not dead!

Crown Prince Wenxi is not dead?

Tell me.

Who is Crown Prince Wenxi?

Where is he hiding?

Mother!

Mother.

Are you okay?

I'm fine.