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Chief Secretariat.

Shen Leqing.

You're good.

"I've met Chief Secretariat today

and gained his approval.

I helped him with his plans

and intercepted the military news from the North

at Yijun County..."

That's enough

What's the matter?

Trying to threaten me?

I dare not.

When I was in trouble,

it was you who lent me a hand

and helped me get into King Peng Cheng's mansion.

I'm truly grateful to you.

How would I possibly threaten you?

Spill.

What's your intention?

Shen Lige is back now.

I'm sure you know

my situation now.

If they don't die...

I

will have nowhere to settle down.

If I wanted you dead

it's as easy

as killing an ant.

But how could I possibly

negotiate terms with an ant?

You're expecting to use this

to make me do things for you?

I dare not.

But Lu Yuan is dead.

The Shen family is on the crest of a wave.

Are you willing to just let them

have things their ways?

What can you do then?

There's someone

who might be able to help you.

The Song of Glory

Episode 40

Xue Qiu?

Before the war in the North,

I've ordered for military conscription.

However, during the conscription period,

it was discovered that some high-status families

privately take the soldiers

as their own private armies.

Not only that.

They privately take possession

and cultivate lands that don't belong to them.

Such nasty conduct

raise hackles among the people.

If it's not addressed in a timely manner,

the imperial court will not be able to answer to the people.

So His Majesty has decreed

the implementation of residence determination policy

to check the household registration and return the land to the people.

Fang Qing.

First.

Implement all matters concerning household registration today.

Check and register

all the private armies

occupied by refugees

and gentry.

The gentry conceal the actual fact in regards to the feudal land.

Should anyone fail to report,

conceal, or lie about the details,

they will be punished by law.

Second.

Retrieve the land

forcibly occupied by the gentry

and distribute to the people

according to the population

with the proposed tax system to help build a rich nation.

Fang Qing.

Lead the scholars

to Peng Cheng, Jingzhou and other places

to implement administrative orders.

There should be no further delay.

Yes.

Be good.

Trying to eat for free?

Say something.

May Your Highness be blessed with endless happiness. Say it.

What are you doing?

Greetings, Your Highness.

This is...

This is the parrot

I bought from the dealer

in the Western Region.

It can talk.

I was thinking

since Xiao Xin saved me

I want to buy her something

to thank her for that.

Make it talk. Let me hear it.

But I don't know why

it wouldn't say a single word

after it came here.

Hurry. Talk.

Could you

have been fooled by the dealer?

Xu Zhan, try to make it talk.

No.

Your Highness, have you forgotten?

Xu Zhan isn't afraid of nothing

but bird.

Talk.

How about this? Get another bird.

Let me have this.

I'll give it to Concubine Li.

No.

I don't want.

Your Highness should get one yourself.

Send Xu Zhan to buy it.

Love you.

Love you.

Love you.

Stupid bird.

We're in the mansion.

Love you.

How could you

say something so nasty?

Love you.

Xu Zhan, take it!

Love you.

Don't come near me!

Otherwise, I'll unfriend you!

Your Highness.

You can have it.

Say it again.

Love you.

How smart!

What's the matter?

It wasn't you who taught it to say this?

No.

All right then. Smart birdie.

Lige.

Fourth Brother.

Why do you look so happy?

Check this out.

What kind of bird is this?

This is a bird

from the Western Region

called parrot.

It can talk.

Parrot?

Can it really talk?

Talk.

Love you.

This is...

It really can talk.

Why did you teach it to say that?

It was...

It's true from my heart.

Why not?

Since it's from your heart,

why can't you say it yourself?

Let's go.

Let's go.

I'll say it when the time comes.

When exactly is that?

The Shangsi Festival is around the corner.

Would you like to go out?

Go out? Really?

I have a surprise for you.

What is it?

You'll find out soon.

What's the matter?

Aren't we going on board?

Close your eyes.

I'll take you there.

Why?

Just close your eyes. Be good.

You have to hold me tight then.

♫ The back of your view that keeps lingering ♫

♫ It ignites the sorrow in my heart ♫

♫ As we brushed shoulders, I have fallen in love with you ♫

♫ Love you ♫

♫ The flowers were blooming ♫

♫ It gathers a lifetime of misery ♫

♫ Recall the memories when the flower blooms again ♫

Are we there yet?

♫ Our fate isn't us to decide ♫

Here we are.

♫ Our destiny is in your hands ♫

♫ I'm willing to stay by your side forever ♫

♫ Never leave your side ♫

♫ If it weren't for the chanting ♫

♫ Looking out in the midsummer ♫

♫ The heart is crying and obsessed ♫

♫ I fall in love with the wrong person but I'm so madly in love with you ♫

♫ What's wrong if I put up a tough front? ♫

♫ Time bestows upon us the rays of light ♫

♫ Forbidden words are like entangled swords ♫

♫ It feels as if my heart is pierced with knives ♫

♫ Lets not be involved in this world that's full of troubles ♫

♫ Yearn and fight for love ♫

Do you like it?

On the night of our wedding

I was your still your enemy.

Since then,

we have pulled through

all the hard times together.

♫ The back of your view that keeps lingering ♫

Thank you

for not abandoning me

♫ It ignites the sorrow in my heart ♫

and staying by my side.

♫ As we brushed shoulders, I have fallen in love with you ♫

I...

have been wanting to give you

a real wedding.

♫ Love you ♫

♫ The flowers were blooming ♫

A wedding

that belongs to the two of us.

♫ It gathers a lifetime of misery ♫

♫ Recall the memories when the flower blooms again ♫

Lige.

♫ Our fate isn't us to decide ♫

I love you.

♫ Our destiny is in your hands ♫

♫ I'm willing to stay by your side forever ♫

♫ Never leave your side ♫

♫ If it weren't for the chanting ♫

♫ Looking out in the midsummer ♫

♫ The heart is crying and obsessed ♫

♫ I'll miss you and go through hardship with you for a lifetime ♫

♫ My heart will never feel nervous ♫

♫ I'll grow old with you and guide you with my love ♫

♫ You're drunk but still pretend to be sober ♫

Bi Xin Wine

♫ The world that is chasing fate and hate ♫

♫ Let go everything and chase your desire bravely ♫

After conducting a thorough investigation,

Chen Commandery and Taiyuan Commandery

privately occupied barren mountains

reclaimed over

30,000 mu of farmland.

What's more,

they took the people's land

and caused them to become homeless

and ended up as refugees.

They had no choice but to join the gentry

and become the private armies.

There are as many as 2,500 hidden refugees

in the two places.

The number

is really shocking.

But under the new decree,

officials in various prefectures tried to evade it.

Also, the gentry refused

to surrender the occupied land and the private armies.

Among them is the governor of Chen Commandery.

Such rampant and outrageous behaviour raised my hackles.

How are we to answer to the people

if they are not punished?

I has prepared a memorial

to report the matter

in Zhijian Hall tomorrow.

I won't spare

any of the gentry officials

who refused to execute the policy.

There is evil hidden everywhere.

The gentry rely on the secret connections

to hold important positions

in the imperial court and the local government.

The officials stick up for and protect one another.

One slight move will cause a ripple effect.

Implementing a new policy itself

is not an easy task.

Their opposition is well expected.

Vice Minister Fang.

Don't act rashly.

Does it mean we should stop the investigation?

I'm going to fight

these vermin

to the bitter end

even if it means putting my life on the line.

They are going to get it.

But tomorrow

we'll use a different approach.

Calm down, Your Highness.

Calm down?

How am I to calm down?

Everyone claimed to be centennial scholars!

Everyone claimed to be clean!

What then?

Invade and occupy farmland!

Oppress the people!

Commit all kinds of atrocities!

Unexpectedly, it's been discovered

that many of the gentry's lands

are forcibly occupied lands with private armies!

But there are still people

who refused to execute the new policy!

Guilty of death!

Your Highness.

I have something to report.

Rise!

Your Highness.

After investigation and measurement by local officials,

it's discovered that in Chen Commandery and Jingzhou

the Gu family

occupied 10,000 mu of feudal land.

The Wang family

occupied many wastelands such as the Tuhai River

and Culai Mountain.

I didn't.

No?

Isn't this all surveyed

and measured by local officials?

Would there be any misunderstanding?

All right. People!

Bring people to search

the Wang Residence and Gu Residence!

Your Highness, I did no such thing!

I didn't occupy that many lands!

That mountain doesn't belong to us.

It's the Liu's.

Right, Liu Lin?

Culai Mountain?

Your Highness, I'm not aware of that!

Also

Hengyang, Southern Yu Province, Yong Province

has a total...

A total of three million mu of land

was found to be occupied by the gentry

with than 50,000 hidden refugees.

This is..

Fang Qing.

You're talking nonsense!

This is so bogus!

It's slander!

Are you trying

to land us in trouble?

All of you

are the important ministers of the imperial court.

Even you have forcibly occupied the land

and oppressed the people!

All of you

have broke my heart!

At first, I was grateful to you

for donating your private armies

and supplies for the North.

But never did I expect

that all of you would...

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Your Highness, calm down.

Your Highness..

The gentry are bullies.

They are blinded by greed and forcibly occupied the land

and forced the people into becoming refugees.

The refugees

eventually had to become their private armies.

They concealed the facts and bring disaster to the country and the people.

How can this be tolerated?

Although I'm a gentry,

I know that if this goes on,

the Song will be in decline.

In my opinion,

if anyone tries to obstruct the execution of the new policy,

they're guilty of the crime

and should be executed.

That's right!

I won't tolerate

this matter!

Investigate it!

Conduct a thorough investigation!

Investigate each and every single one

of the officials!

If you can't lead by example,

how do you deserve to be officials?

Your Highness, calm down.

I think

there are many doubtful points.

Vice Minister Fang.

You might be knowledgable.

But you're not making any sense.

The entire land of Chen Commandery

and Jingzhou

is only one million mu.

Based on what Vice Minister Fang said,

the land owned by this gentry

has exceeded the total measurement.

That's absurd.

Also

Culai Mountain and Tuhai River

were owned by the Liu family.

For what reason

did it become illegally occupied by the Wang family?

Vice Minister Fang.

Local officials follow orders.

You didn't choose the right person for the job

and failed to verify the facts.

Instead, you came up with such nonsense

in Zhijian Hall

and make such irresponsible remarks.

How do you deserve to be an official?

Wrong?

I...

I have told them to verify it.

If you think it's wrong,

please provide the accurate details.

Vice Minister Fang!

You were ordered to investigate it

but you didn’t do it yourself.

If you falsely accuse the innocent,

what's at stake

is the reputation of the imperial court.

But we can't just

take your words

Besides,

even if there is a slight error

in the measurement or report by the local officials,

it's a fact

that the gentry occupied the land.

I'll continue to conduct the investigation

and take it upon myself to do it.

There'll be no mistakes this time.

No, Your Highness!

Your Highness.

Vice Minister Fang is new here.

Given the lack of experience,

I'm afraid

if he takes on

such an important task, it will be disastrous.

Don't worry.

I'll not get the measurement wrong again

for the land that your family forcibly occupied.

You...

That's enough.

Vice Minister Fang.

Indeed, you're inexperienced.

It almost caused a catastrophe.

If it hadn't been

for the Chief Secretariat's calm nature

if you went on with those number

the world would be in chaos.

You shouldn't be handling this matter anymore.

Officials.

Who do you think

is a better candidate for this?

The Chief Secretariat.

He can sure assume responsibility for this important task.

Well, I'm counting on you then.

I believe that this time,

the new policy can be implemented without any obstacles.

I'll not let Your Highness down.

Xie Hao, the Chief Secretariat,

is dedicated to his duties and has contributed to military conscription.

He's promoted as the Grand Tutor and Imperial Secretariat

with the title Duke of Donghai.

The Imperial Secretariat shall personally see to it the investigation

on the gentry's private armies.

Yes, Your Highness.

Father, the Wei army has withdrawn from the Yellow River.

We can go home now.

That's right.

It's time to go home.

Father.

King Peng Cheng is being considerate of my old age

and asked me

to be the Secretary of Defence.

But I have fought

a lifetime war in the North.

I would hate to part with it.

You and Feng are all grown up now.

All these years

you have honed yourselves.

We're counting on you now.

Don't worry, Father.

Feng and I

will not let you down.

My good son.

Send a letter to Lige and Feng.

We're going back to Jian Kang City

and we shall be reunited

All right.

I'll take it for you

Zijin.

Why are we here?

General Shen and Shen Zhi

will be back soon.

I would like to buy some accessories for you

so you can doll up.

Concubine Li?

Why are you here?

Mrs. Shen, what a coincidence.

Are you here to buy jewellery too?

Concubine Li, do we know each other?

Madam, two days ago,

we went to King Peng Cheng's mansion.

That's right.

We had lotus seed soup together.

Lotus seed soup?

Madam.

This shop

has some nice jewellery.

Quickly pick some for yourself.

Madam, let's take a look over here.

All right.

Madam.

Why don't we check out

the bangles over there?

Sure.

Those are nice. Here.

What kind of design do you like?

How about this?

I think these bangles

are too ordinary.

What kind of design do you like?

Back then,

I had people made a customized bangle.

How was the design?

I still couldn't recall.

Madam, take a look.

This bangle...

It feels so familiar.

I think I've seen it somewhere before.

The quality is good.

It suits you well.

Madam, look at this.

"Gather magnolias in the morning."

My mother wants me

to be as beautiful and free as magnolia.

So

she told my father

to go to Yufu Pavilion

to make this customized bangle

that's one of a kind.

One of a kind?

"Gather magnolias in the morning."

I hope you can be

as beautiful and free as magnolia.

So I told your father

to make this one of a kind

magnolia jade bracelet

for you.

The magnolia jade bracelet?

Madam.

Did you recall anything?

I just recalled.

I have to go to the temple

for prayers today.

I'll go to the temple with Mrs. Shen.

We'll meet again next time.

Let's go.

All right.

Right, I just recalled.

The lotus seed soup that you made

was very good.

Let's do it together

if there's a chance.

Sure.

Let's go.

Madam, do you like peonies?

The Emperor Gaozu

once said

that I'm like the peony.

Peonies are the queens of the flower garden.

Emperor Gaozu

must really respected and loved you.

I used to think so too.

I like peony

because everyone praises it

as the queen of flowers.

But now, I think

putting aside its name and symbolism,

the peony has a perfect shape

with great elegance and style.

Actually, it's very pretty itself.

That's because

you have a different point of view now.

Mother.

Xuan.

Where have you been so early in the morning?

I was worried about your old illness.

This place is unlike the city.

It's inconvenient to find a physician.

So I told Ji Shu to buy more medicines.

That's so thoughtful of you.

Madam, look.

You're good.

This bunch of flowers

looks so nice

in the vase

after she trimmed them.

Ms. Waner is smart and skilful.

She can do more than just that.

She's extremely good at playing the zither.

Really?

Right, in the heat of the moment,

Ms. Waner

protected the music sheet the other day.

I just recalled.

That music sheet

means a lot to me.

It's very important.

Was it a gift

from someone you like?

No.

I dare not ask for more.

Well, I'll put these flowers

in the house first.

Wan Gu Jing Feng

My Lord, I pray

that You'll bless my husband and children

and that things go well at war for them

so that they'll return safely.

I pray that I'll find Jia

my daughter as soon as possible.

Bless our family that we'll all be reunited soon.

I pray to you

that I can find my parents

as soon as possible.

If my prayers are answered,

I'm willing to be a vegetarian my whole life.

Although I was abducted

when I was a baby

I could still hear my mother's singing

in my dreams.

This must be a sign

from you, my Lord.

♫ She throws a quince to me ♫

♫ I give her a white jade for friendship ♫

♫ It's not to return the favour ♫

♫ But to show acquaintance made ♫

♫ She throws a peach to me ♫

♫ I give her a white jade for friendship ♫

♫ It's not to return the favour ♫

♫ But to show friendship made ♫

Jia.

You're Jia?

You're Jia?

Mother?

Jia.

Jia.

King Peng Cheng

has always been in favour of Fang Qing.

Why would he lash out at him like that?

Besides, Fang Qing

isn't someone

who is completely out of touch.

King Peng Cheng isn't one

to throw caution to the winds.

I can't help feeling

like there's something fishy going on.

Cui He, the foundry

and Lu Yuan's attempts to murder him.

King Peng Cheng

could bear and endure all that

to wait for the right opportunity.

Gu Weiyuan told his men to ignore

the new policy.

It's not that King Peng Cheng isn't aware.

As for Fang Qing,

King Peng Cheng appointed him

to compose the outline of the new policy.

This proves that this person

isn't a reckless person.

Are you saying

that today's incident at Zijian Hall

was a set up

by King Peng Cheng and Fang Qing

so that you'll take charge

of the new policy?

That's wise of you.

King Peng Cheng knew

I wouldn't be able to refuse it.

The gentry

follow the lead of the Xie family.

If I refuse to accept it,

King Peng Cheng

will still put Fang Qing in charge of the new policy.

Doesn't it make the gentry suspect

that His Highness has talked me over?

His Highness

knew exactly what's in my mind

and the gentry's.

But once I have accepted

this hot potato

how should it be solved?

It has indeed put you in a difficult situation.

Why don't

we call Gu Weiyuan,

Wang Meng and others to come

and discuss

the current situation

and work together?

Perhaps, it can solve the problem.

These people

care only about their current interests

and not the future problems.

King Peng Cheng knew that

and pushed me into this critical position.

If I do a good job

with this new policy,

they will surely be at odds with me.

If not,

King Peng Cheng

will have a reason to blame me.

I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.

King Peng Cheng

is getting sharper and better.

Besides, Shen and his son

will be back soon.

With them back here,

King Peng Cheng will be even stronger.

Things will not look good

for us.

Xie Hao is the Imperial Secretariat?

He's also promoted as the Great Tutor

and given the title Duke of Donghai.

But Fang Qing complacent in his work.

He's hell-bent on his ambition.

He couldn't possibly make any mistakes.

Your Highness.

It looks like Xie Hao

will take charge of the new policy.

If so, Xie Hao will be in an awkward predicament

regardless what he does.

It looks like King Peng Cheng

is going to vigorously implement the new policy this time.

Your Highness.

Would you like to return to Jian Kang City

to assist King Peng Cheng?

No rush.

Mother has just settled down.

I would like spend more time with her.

Xuan.

Mother.

Come here.

Here's the soup that I cooked for you.

Thank you, Mother.

Xuan.

You've kept me company

for quite some time now.

You should return to Jian Kang City already.

Here, take a seat.

Xuan.

Is it because of me

your Fourth Brother is treating you...

No.

But when I left,

Fourth Brother was hoping I would return sooner.

Xuan.

I know

you're an aspiring person.

You've been asking Ji Shu

to keep tab on the imperial court affairs.

But you refuse to return to Jian Kang City.

Is it because

the things I did

made you feel embarrass to face your Fourth Brother?

Mother.

This time

we have really hurt him.

I was wrong.

I've wronged Kang.

That's why I wanted you to go back to Jian Kang City

to assist him

and make amends on my behalf.

All right.

But I just hope

you'll stay here

and don't get involved with the court affairs anymore.

Don't worry, Xuan.

I'll not keep in touch

with any of the officials anymore.

I'll stay here

to plant flowers

copy the scriptures

and pray for the two of you

and atone for my sins.

Mother.

I know

you did all that for me.

But

I don't care

about power or position.

I just want to bear

the burden on my shoulders

and do right by Song

and the people

to do my part

and that will be good enough for me.

I'll have no regrets in life then.

I know.

This time,

your Fourth Brother spared me

all at the cost

of those years

that I raised him.

Things have come to this.

It really

pains me.

I finally understand

that in this world

there's nothing more important

than family.

I don't know

if I will ever

see your Fourth Brother again.

You will.

You know your mistakes now.

He will surely forgive you.

Really?

Yes.

Mother, don't worry.

I'll return to Jian Kang City soon.

I have never forgotten

my responsibilities.

Here.

Drink the soup while it's still hot.

Thank you, Mother.

Jia.

Mother, here.

-Take a seat. -You're here.

Jia.

Look

what I have brought you.

Jia, take a seat.

Let me do it, Mother.

Take a seat.

Hurry.

Mother, thanks for the trouble.

Not at all.

Eat up.

Well, the people at the residence...

I've told Feng

that this is the pastry for the master.

He didn't suspect anything.

Give it a try.

How is it?

Mother.

Do you like bitter lotus seed soup too?

Instead of the sweetness without the lotus seed,

I prefer the bitterness.

Actually, our lives

are like the bitter lotus seed.

It might taste bitter.

But the aftertaste is sweet.

Your father said that before.

You're indeed our own flesh and blood

and think alike.

Jia.

I finally found you.

I'll take you back to see your father.

Come on. Let's go.

I'll take you back to see your father.

Mother.

Mother.

Didn't we agree

to return to the residence

only when father returns from the war?

We did?

That's right.

You did say

that father will return from the war soon, right?

Mother.

Before father returns,

don't tell anyone

that you have found me.

But...

But I don't want to part with you.

I want to see you every day.

Mother, come here.

Take a seat.

Actually

I have my own reason.

I once suspected

that I might be the Shen family's daughter.

I've even gone to the Shen residence before.

But at that time,

there was a girl

who claimed to be the Shen family's daughter

and kicked me out of the residence

and refused to let me see you.

She even told me

that the Shen family's daughter isn't missing

and that If I ever came back,

she was going to kill me.

Later on, I found out

that this girl

got married to King Peng Cheng

and became Concubine Li.

Concubine Li?

That's her.

She has power and great influence now.

If she sees me,

she will surely think

that I'm trying to deceive you.

So

it's better to wait until father comes back

so that he can do me justice. All right?

All right then.

I'll listen to you.

I'll listen to you.

I'll visit you again tomorrow.

All right?

Sure.

But you can't come here every day.

Otherwise, it will raise their suspicion.

How about this?

You can come again

after we've done copying the scriptures

Flower Ornament Scripture

of this prayer book

for father. All right?

All right.

Jia.

I'll listen

to whatever you say.

I'll listen to you.

Flower Ornament Scripture

How are you feeling?

I'm fine.

I just want to avenge the Central Protector.

Shen Lige.

Shen Feng.

Liu Yikang.

I won't spare any of them.

Please help me out.

Take revenge?

With your current situation?

You're wanted

in Jian Kang City.

Tell me.

Who can you kill?

Given your current situation,

you won't be able to take revenge.

It requires tactics

to take revenge.

You need to hit

where it hurts.

I'm all ears.

What you have in hands

is where it will hurt.

I get it now.

Lu Guang.

If you need anything,

he's going to help you.

But bear in mind.

This

has nothing to do with the Xie family.

Chief Secretariat.

Don't worry.

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