Original subtitles

In the twilight of the old world,

the six races were born.

High above the clouds,

the Feathers came into being.

The Feathers are born with wings,

and look down on everything else.

They distance themselves from worldly matters.

To keep the purity of their race,

interracial marriage is forbidden.

Those who crossed the line,

will be subject to the anguish of separation.

Water is symbolic of the greatest goodness.

Water benefits everything and forbears competition.

It rests in where the others loathe.

For that reason, it’s close to Tao.

It inhabits the land of modesty and harbors the mind of charity.

It befriends those courtly and keeps its integrity.

It excels in governing and aces in delivering.

It is skilled in timing.

And refrains from competition, therefore inciting no hatred.

Human beings are not immortal, and the mind isn’t always at peace.

The greater goodness of water rests in the mindset of dealing with people.

The beauty of the man on the ridge of field overshadows that of the jade.

There is no other in the world that matches this charm.

Repeat after me.

Water is symbolic of the greatest goodness.

With this unparalleled glamour.

It’s a shame that the lord is blind.

Even the back of his head,

is out of this world.

Who’s making noises here?

My lord.

It’s Chuqi from the lower-class chamber.

She’s been lurking by the pool and peeking at you.

Now she’s fallen into the water.

My lord,

Chuqi interrupted your lecturing.

You got to make an example of her.

It’s all my fault.

I am willing to take the punishment.

Go get a cup of ginger tea for her,

to warm her up.

Yes, my lord.

I express my gratitude, my lord.

This is where the preaching takes place,

where insolence has no place,

nor noise.

You’re dismissed.

Yes, my lord.

What happened to his eyes?

He admonishes his Majesty on something,

then got retaliated by the vipers,

and ended up like this.

The only cure,

is the soul of the Feathers.

The Feathers in the Forbidden Woods?

Exactly.

Is there no other way?

The word has it that the Features are ferocious.

My eyes,

ain’t worth taking the risk.

What am I gonna do about it?

Doctor,

can you figure out something else?

Life is rather more difficult here.

But you get to live.

I got it.

It’s all my fault.

I am willing to take the punishment.

Go get a cup of ginger tea for her,

to warm her up.

It’s nothing but the soul of one of the Feathers.

I am going to get it.

I am not scared.

I am not scared.

This is all for the lord.

I am dauntless.

Okay, I was just bluffing.

Why do you intrude into the Forbidden Woods?

I came to save a life.

You must one of the Feathers.

My lord is blind.

The doctor said

that the soul of the Feathers

will heal his eyes.

You have any idea what a Feather’s soul is?

The Elixir of panacea?

The soul of the Feathers is what the Feathers cherish the most.

My lord once saved my life,

so I am willing to give anything in exchange for it.

I just want to be with you.

I am willing to give anything in exchange for it.

I will make for the bride prize.

It doesn’t matter.

Romance between the Feathers and humans has long been outlawed.

You fly in the face of it knowing it’s off-limits.

You will be put in the agony of separation,

which comes in nine levels.

And all of them are illusions.

Each level is a life,

and you will be separated in one life after another.

Your Highness, it’s not too late to turn around.

Alright, give your life in exchange for it.

I can give you the soul of the Feathers.

But I need you to do three things for me.

What about one?

Fine, three, let’s make it three.

When you’ve followed through with the three things as promised,

I will give the soul of the Feathers to you.

By then, this red mole will disappear by itself.

Deal.

It was just for fun.

I never intended to kill her.

After all, her life

is doomed without me finishing it.

Your destinies are intertwined for eight lives,

and if you don’t change your mind in the ninth,

she’s going to vanish.

It was a dream.

Awesome.

Makes my day.

Chuqi.

Yes.

Isn’t this the notice

about the lord recruiting confidant servitor girl.

Exactly, go ahead.

I am not going.

If Fang ling got the wind of it,

she is going to cut me into pieces.

Ah!

What?

Behind your back.

Are you having a screw loose?

Manyue, I am fine.

Didn’t sleep well.

Whatevs.

You!

Turn around!

Why couldn’t Manyue see you?

We Feathers can be invisible.

You’ve got that red mole.

That’s why you can see me.

Don’t forget it.

Three things, in exchange for the soul of Feathers.

The dead girl was aged only 18.

Her life force was completely drained and died of old age.

The assailant

is one of the Feathers from the Forbidden Woods.

The Feathers. Aged only 18.

How old am I?

You’re seventeen and a half.

Right, seventeen and a half.

Running a background check on me?

I’ve been down on my luck lately.

Just consulting the Tung Shing.

Don’t eat me.

I’m not 18 yet.

The first thing I am about to tell you...

If you have to eat me, could you take a small bite?

The first thing is that

you sign up for the matchmaking presided over by the butlers

to be Qingming’s confidant servitor girl.

I’d rather be eaten by you.

You went all the length

to place me closer to the lord.

You can’t be

having a liking for him?

I, Chuqi, am not going.

Not in a million years.

When are we going to sign up to the matchmaking

for the confidant servitor girl for the lord?

Have you ever read the classic books?

I grew up in the Scholar’s Chamber.

What do you think?

Read it out.

Once in the old time, Zhuang Zhou dreamed of becoming a butterfly.

A butterfly like the Feathers.

Now there’s something about you.

I recognize this word.

This is wood. I’ve got this character in my name as well.

Put them together.

Feathers.

Write this character 100 times.

Magic!

You don’t have to be living like a bird anymore.

We can go globetrotting.

We work together

to make a fortune.

Come back to earth.

From today on,

poems, writing, and the bearing and behavior

for someone serving the blind,

you’re gonna need a lot of training.

Stinky crow!

The “wood” as in Chuqi.

And the “feather” as in Feathers.

Just like a stinky crow standing next to me,

forcing me to write these nonstop.

That’s how it gets into memory.

I am indeed a genius.

Manyue.

Chuqi.

Hot.

Stop making a fuss.

After having a long day,

I still have to serve you.

Don’t you think what you just said was heartless?

If I were Qingming,

would you act as rude?

That’s the mere thing,

you can do for Qingming.

You cold blooded stinky crow.

No one will ever like you! You’re gonna die alone.

The girl who liked me

was the best person in the world.

Unfortunately, she is a human.

And I am one of the Feathers.

We broke the taboo of romance between humans and Feathers.

I was imprisoned in the illusion,

gnawed by the loss of love.

Nine levels of illusion.

Each one represents a life.

What does that have to do with me?

Now that you are deeply enamored with Qingming,

and here comes the chance to be his constant company.

Why couldn’t you just take a step further?

I...

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

But I know

that you have no intention of giving me the soul of Feathers.

There’re are no three things.

You’re just playing me like a fool.

Then let’s end our deal.

Take this Osmanthus candy.

Keep it as a souvenir.

3, 2, 1.

Wait.

It’s all for the lord.

Go! Go! Go!

Let’s get started

Reading and understanding the classics is just the beginning of it.

To qualify as Qingming’s confidant servitor girl,

what’s the most important is

knowing the exact needs of the blind,

knowing what are their fears.

Tureen, and wine jar.

Pear.

Feather duster.

The Mahjong tile “1 Stick”?

And this is?

Let's call it a day.

Once you have completely apprehended darkness and helplessness,

you will understand Qingming,

then you can take good care of Qingming.

Are you blind?

Can’t you see?

You don’t see?

Sorry.

I am really sorry.

Sorry.

If you can’t pull the trigger,

I can finish her for you.

How is she floating in the air?

How does she do that?

You’re fine now.

Let’s continue with the training.

Knock it off

You’ve always had that short fuse?

One day,

you will thank me for this.

Thank you?

For a boorish girl like you,

if you didn’t learn the rules,

how would you possibly get married in the future?

How is that your problem?

Are you gonna prepare for my dowries?

As long as you came through with the three things I asked you to do,

I will arrange for you a grandiose wedding ceremony.

Now you are talking nonsense again.

As an unmarried young woman,

don’t you know physical contact with a man is prohibited?

I am a human being, and you are a bird.

How does that fall under the category?

I know that you are feigning sick.

You are getting your way this time, but only for this time.

My darling jade treelet,

after all these years,

can’t you at least blossom for once?

You.

Put it on.

Is this how it’s donned?

What do I look?

What a shame.

What shame?

That you are a fool.

Up to scratch.

This is?

Today’s the matchmaking day. This brings good luck.

Thank you.

It’s just the deal between us.

The matchmaking will be of two rounds.

Round one will be us inspecting you.

And the lord will make the final choice.

Test one is gait.

Test two is tea etiquette.

Test three is literature.

The writing is scarcely neat.

But for a young servant girl,

it’s still quite something.

The qualifiers for round one are

Fang Ling and Chuqi.

My lord,

here they are.

Close your eyes first.

Memorize the furnishing in the room.

So you will get to know how Qingming gets about it.

Ouch, Chuqi.

Watch out there.

It’s you!

Help!

Monster!

There is a monster eating up humans!

Go after them, not me.

I am right here, my lord.

The monster isn’t real.

But the test is.

Congratulations to Chuqi for winning this round.

You left the lord behind in danger,

and cared only about yourself.

You will take your lumps.

She is not going to get it from me.

How did that happen?

I don’t know.

How did she tumble?

Exactly.

Where are you from, young lady?

My lord.

Chuqi is an orphan.

I have been living in the Scholar’s Chamber since I can remember.

Chuqi.

Can you stay with me?

Whenever the moon is full,

you will be put under the heavenly thunder’s pummeling for her.

However, right now she is head over heels about Qingming.

How interesting is

love in this world.

Just what I hoped for.

Your grace.

Your grace.

Chuqi really made it.

Rise from the lowest ranking servant girl,

And overnight to the confidant servitor of the lord.

And Fang Ling got her big lumps.

I heard that she is banished to the outer chamber wiping floor now.

She made her own bed.

Once in the old time, Zhuang Zhou dreamed of becoming a butterfly.

A butterfly like the Feathers.

You know this, Chuqi?

Yes, I learned this one before.

Animated just like the Feathers.

My lord,

It’s time to get the medicine.

You may recuse yourself, Chuqi.

Your long time friend, Mr. Changqing,

has sent in the invitation to his wedding ceremony.

He was going to invite you.

But considering all the hassles for you to move around,

and, from the imperial court...

I’ve got wind of it.

It’s the celebrated wedding day of my closest friend.

Only if I could see it with my own eyes.

Are you alright?

What is the matter?

I wonder what’s the second thing?

You eager to know?

I am just saddened by the injustice in this world.

Why are good men inflicted with suffering?

The second thing

is

marrying Qingming.

I am only a servant girl.

His lord would be beyond my wildest dream.

Don’t you fall for Qingming?

I owe him a debt of gratitude.

That’s why I admire him.

Only admiration?

Laughable!

You broke into our Forbidden Woods because of mere admiration.

You asked for the soul of Feathers out of mere admiration.

If it were not love,

why would you fret over him about everything?

Why do you insist on me marrying the lord?

If love doesn’t have a happy ending,

it would be

the deepest sin in the world.

My lord, the tea is getting cold.

Considering your health,

let me get you another cup.

Chuqi,

how is the moon look like tonight?

The moon is like a salted egg yolk with oil oozing out.

Translucent.

Fresh and intense, melts instantly in the mouth.

Actually, when I first heard the ring bell,

I remembered who you were.

After I brought you back,

I went to school in the capital.

Had my eyes been fine, I wouldn’t come back home,

and likely wouldn’t see you again in my life.

I wonder how would you

look like now.

Chuqi, you...

Everyone! Everyone!

What? The old lady went missing.

With so many eyes on her, you still managed to lose track of the old lady.

What were you doing?

Look at what have you been doing.

What happened?

My lord,

the old lady went into the Forbidden Woods

to look for the soul of Feathers that could cure your eyes.

And in the Forbidden Woods,

we lost sight of her.

What?

Don’t you go find my mother back?

It’s the Forbidden Woods...

Go now.

It’s a one-way journey.

You lot take care of the lord.

I am going into the Forbidden Woods to find the old lady.

Chuqi

Chuqi is going into the Forbidden Woods to search for the old lady.

No.

Chuqi.

Come on, take me there.

My lord, the old lady has emphasized that

your health and safety are the top priority.

Precisely, my lord.

Please stay here.

It would be too dangerous.

My lord.

My lord, get some rest?

How do I sleep?

It is the Forbidden Woods we are talking about.

Miss Chuqi is blessed with good karma.

She’s going to be fine,

and bring back the old lady.

Marm!

Marm!

Marm!

Scare me once, shame on you.

Scare me twice, shame on me.

I am fearless.

Chuqi.

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Are you looking for me?

Why do you come into the Forbidden Woods alone?

And put yourself in this dicey situation.

What’s on your mind?

I am just thinking maybe the old lady...

Stinky crow.

Full of solicitude toward me.

You should be in the firewood cabin.

I will give you a good what for.

In broad daylight,

maybe,

moonlight,

what are you up to?

We are not finished yet.

For what you just did.

Eat it.

Chuqi, what were you doing?

The old lady is still nowhere to be found.

Shame on you.

What did I do

just now?

Stinky crow.

Now that you see your lord disheveled,

why ain’t you combing my hair?

What is this?

Go!

Now!

You're burning up.

Shut up.

Why holding me?

Shall I let go of you then?

You won’t do that.

I am flying.

What are those things floating in the air?

The sky cities inhabited by the Feathers.

And the place you are from?

Unfortunately,

I can’t go back.

It’s right there.

It’s the old lady.

Chuqi.

Mind the step.

Chuqi.

I will repay you bigly for what you did.

Don’t mention it.

I did what I ought to.

You are a very fine girl.

Jack is having Jill now.

Check it out.

They do make a couple.

You went all the length to help me find the old lady yesterday,

flying through the sheeting rain.

Your frail body is crying foul now.

I learned to make this from the cooks.

Finger licking good.

I made it especially for you, to thank you.

Where are you going?

It won’t taste as good later.

Don't you have any appetite?

Oh, crap.

Did you also catch the cold?

Wait here.

I am going to boil some herbal for you.

Save it.

Still not blossoming.

Where are these annoying mosquitoes from?

Buzzing around our Mr. Feng during a nap.

Miss Chuqi,

the lord asked to admire the garden with you tomorrow.

Really?

The lord asked me out to admire the flowers tomorrow?

Correct.

Tell the lord,

I will be there tomorrow.

Yes, ma’am.

You’ve

finally blossomed for her.

You cheat.

Why would I do that?

You are going to meet her at some point.

And she is going to die at some point.

The curse can’t be broken.

Are you playing chess,

or making a speech?

Brother,

stop wasting your time with this ill-omened girl.

You exhausted all the methods during the century,

and went through all eight levels of illusion.

Yet the karma

is still working on you, isn’t it?

Alright.

It’s only a month

until Chuqi reaches 18.

I would love to see

how different this time will be.

Do you like the flowers, Chuqi?

Take this Osmanthus candy.

Keep it as a souvenir.

Yes.

The liking of flowers mirrors your character.

Chuqi likes Osmanthus.

That is to say, you are just as tender and demure as Osmanthus.

Do you know it?

Brother.

It hurts.

What’s it?

Feeling unwell?

My lord.

The wind is picking up.

Shall we head back?

Is it raining?

Yes.

It’s raining.

So, it’s not the lord

that you are fond of?

He is

Inscrutable.

Cold on the outside,

yet full of solicitude toward me.

But if I go near him,

he will distance himself.

There are plenty of fish in the sea.

If you can’t crack this puzzle,

Let him know.

For all the good about you,

If he isn’t keen on you, there are plenty of other men.

What’s the point of wasting time guessing?

Once in the old time, Zhuang Zhou dreamed of becoming a butterfly.

A butterfly like the Feathers.

There’s something I want you to know.

We have this custom here in Ling county.

On the Qiqiao festival,

if one person holds the phoe lantern,

the other with the nix lantern,

and they meet up on the Ling bridge,

they are said to be engaged.

So,

I made you this phoe lantern.

I hope that on the day of Qiqiao,

I will see you on the bridge.

Twinkling bright stars in the sky.

Crystal clear water under the bridge.

Men and women on the bridge.

Fall in love on Qiqiao.

The cowherd and the weaver lady step down to earth.

Twinkling bright stars in the sky.

Crystal clear water under the bridge.

Men and women on the bridge.

Fall in love on Qiqiao.

The cowherd and the weaver lady step down to earth.

Young lady,

It’s getting late.

Are you still waiting for your loved one?

There’s something I want you to know.

We have a custom here in Ling county.

On the Qiqiao festival,

if one person holds the phoe lantern,

and the other with the nix lantern,

and they meet up on the Ling bridge,

they are said to be engaged.

So,

I made you this phoe lantern.

I hope that on that day,

I will see you on the bridge.

Chuqi, are you still here? Chuqi?

Are you blind?

I am sorry.

Chuqi.

Are you still here, Chuqi?

Chuqi.

Is it you, Chuqi?

I am sorry.

I should have come earlier.

Doesn’t matter.

I’ve just got here.

The fireworks are always so splendid.

The two of them are now two love birds.

From today onwards,

I will be celebrating

Qiqiao with you.

What a fool she is.

Knowing that romance between humans and Feathers is not allowed,

yet still falling for you.

Yes, she is such a fool.

In such a big world,

Love is so minuscule.

It’s futile to continue to give lives for it.

You might as well tell her the truth.

Now it’s the ninth level of illusion.

If you fell in love again,

she would vanish totally,

into the ashes.

I can’t tell her that.

After all the struggles I’ve come through.

Running away from it, hiding from it,

fighting it, and letting it go.

This is my last chance.

I can’t afford a misstep.

How was the lantern fair?

Why did you push me toward the lord?

Marrying Qingming.

This is the second thing you are going to do.

Why do you move heaven and earth for that?

I can’t do it. I can’t.

Then forget about the soul of Feathers.

He is not the man I love.

You will spend days and nights after marriage.

Love will come then.

She

must be the girl in your story?

It doesn’t matter.

My heart belongs to somebody else.

If love doesn’t have a happy ending,

it would be the deepest sin in the world.

You told me this.

Love isn’t everything.

Love that is without a happy ending is not the end of the world.

If I am telling you now that

I will put an end to your life if you refuse to marry Qingming.

Will you still have the mood to argue?

The third thing.

From today onwards,

we are not going to see each other again.

No.

No.

I have a pot of jade tree.

I watered it every day,

and hoped for it to blossom.

One day,

it does blossom.

Feng Liangqian.

You must be sick in the head now.

How could you really give her the soul of Feathers?

That’s the only way.

Without the soul of Feathers,

you are not going to be a Feather again.

The day I was evicted from the sky city for good,

I was no longer one of the Feathers.

Mother.

Ming.

This is great.

Yes. Yes.

This is fabulous.

Chuqi.

There she is.

This is great.

I’ve imagined in my head a hundred times of your look.

They are far less enchanting than the real you.

Today, before my mother,

I formally ask you

to marry me.

That would be great.

Tell me about it.

Chuqi doesn’t deserve you.

Get up.

Chuqi.

You brought me back in one piece from the Forbidden Woods,

and now healed the eyes of my son.

Who would say that you don’t deserve it?

Congratulations, my lord.

Congratulations, Miss Chuqi.

Feng Liangqian.

Chuqi!

Chuqi!

Feng Liangqian.

How shameless you are!

He’s given you his soul.

You’re still not letting him go.

I don’t wanna see her.

Tell her to leave.

Now that you’ve witnessed it,

I don’t mind telling you more about it.

The punishment I am taking,

is all for the loved one before me.

For each penalty inflicted on me,

one cut is made.

And I take it on the chin.

It was a game between us before.

Don’t take it seriously.

And don’t come again.

Once in the old time, Zhuang Zhou dreamed of becoming a butterfly.

A butterfly like the Feathers.

Didn’t know if it was Zhuang Zhou who awoke from the dream,

or if it was the butterfly that awoke from the dream.

This is breathtakingly beautiful.

Chuqi.

I wish you and the lord

will still live happily together when your hair turns grey.

As long as you came through with the three things I asked you to do,

I will arrange for you a grandiose wedding ceremony.

A pair of pearls from the Jiaoren night ocean.

A pair of ganoderma lucidum from the Yunzhou rocks.

One hand-embroidered golden silk cloak.

One set of Heluo crafted twelve-mansion decoration vase.

One set of tri-color coral bonsai from Yuezhou.

Who prepared all these dowries for you?

She

must be the girl in your story?

It doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter.

The hair is never grey throughout the nine levels of illusion.

Yet once separated, you give ten miles of grandeur.

How generous.

I owe her that.

They are dressed in red because they are having a wedding.

Why are you dressed alike?

Why am I dressed alike?

The broom and bride in position.

Kneel.

Kowtow.

My lord once saved my life,

so I am willing to give anything in exchange for it.

I just want to be with you.

I am willing to give anything in exchange for it.

The girl who liked me

was the best person in the world.

Unfortunately, she is a human.

And I am one of the Feathers.

We broke the taboo of romance between humans and Feathers.

Nine levels of illusion.

Each one represents a life.

Go!

Now!

I was imprisoned in the illusion,

gnawed by the loss of love.

She

must be the girl in your story?

Turns out,

I am the girl in your story.

Into the bridal chamber.

My lord, I am sorry.

Chuqi, what are you doing?

My lord, I am sorry.

You have reservations about marrying me?

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

My lord, I am sorry.

You may leave.

Had I known this,

I should have married the girl that matches my status.

I will repay what I owe you

in the next life.

There is no such girl who matches my status.

Ever since the beginning,

there was only you.

Feng Liangqian, you are not going to lie to me again.

I am the person you love.

He is waiting for me.

I’ve known everything.

Now it’s already the ninth level of illusion.

If you hold it out,

I will vanish into ashes.

I remember that.

I hate you.

Then why would you still stop me?

Go back.

There is no way back.

There is a man who has been loving me for so long,

yet I didn’t remember it until now.

How am I going to repay

your love this deep?

Chuqi.

Listen to me this time.

Go back to Qingming.

That’s the only way for you to break free from the separation curse.

You’ve never got to know

watching your loved one

die over and over again before you

is what kind of torture.

If lovers cannot be together,

isn’t that another kind of torture?

If I can’t be with you,

my life

would be pale and futile.

I am willing to become that butterfly,

with a short life that lasts only a few hours,

yet I still hope to dream about Zhuang Zhou.

This must be what a moth to a flame is like.

We are now truly together forever,

even when our hair turns grey.

Why did you stand me up on the Qiqiao festival?

I didn’t.

Let me ask you.

Would you say it’s Zhuang Zhou who dreamed of the butterfly?

Or the butterfly dreamed of Zhuang Zhou?

It doesn’t matter if it’s Zhuang Zhou,

or the butterfly.

When they appear in each other’s dreams,

they will never want to wake up.

If I were to have another life,

I would like to be the trees and grass.

When you are flying in the sky,

I could then see you above me.

Or,

be the wind in the valley.

Follow you to the ends of the world,

whispering into your ears.

I really want to

fly again, in your arms.

Go to sleep now.

I will be carrying you flying.

When you wake up,

we will be both in the sky.

Why did you stand me up on the Qiqiao festival?

I didn’t.

For every cycle of life,

I was there for you.

Twinkling bright stars in the sky.

Crystal clear water under the bridge.

Men and women on the bridge.

Fall in love on Qiqiao.

The cowherd and the weaver lady step down to earth.

Young girl,

the separation curse is a penalty that imprisons the lovers in illusion,

and inflict the pain of separation on them.

The nine levels of illusion will wear you down in this life,

drain your heavenly power,

just to build a dream for their meeting in the next life.

What good does that do to you?

I follow my heart.