Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

Be careful, father-in-law.

I'd take full responsibility of this.

Why did you get yourself involved and punished?

You shouldn't have taken the blame for me.

Time flies and it isn't on my side.

I'm getting old.

The tasks of defending the country and serving the Emperor

shall rest on the shoulders of young people like you.

After my departure,

I may not get a chance

to step into the palace again!

It's not that serious, father-in-law.

The Emperor's wrath is temporary.

Once the matter about the tribute is settled,

he'll calm down.

Then I'm sure he'll see you again.

You're right.

I'll enquire at the stage stop

to see whether the silk contributed by each state

is arriving early this year.

Check at the Treasury

and see if there's any available top quality stuff. Go now.

Sure.

Take care, father-in-law.

Eunuch Zhang is here, Your Highness.

Greetings, Your Highness.

How can I help you?

Is the Emperor still reprimanding the court officials at the Imperial Study?

Yes.

Your Highness,

the Emperor has chased them out of the Imperial Study.

The court officials are kneeling outside the hall.

A few of them such as Prime Minister Kou,

Duke of Han and Grand Tutor are inside the hall.

Eunuch.

Your Highness.

Get Su Yi Jian to stop the Liao envoy.

This...

Just go.

Yes, Your Highness.

I'll go now.

How long does it take to travel from Dongjing to Xinzheng?

Three days.

It'll only take a day on a fast horse.

So that means

by this time tomorrow,

Yelu Liushou

will be honouring Yellow Emperor in Xinzheng.

Your Majesty,

we must not allow him to do this.

Song and Liao

have inked the agreement of alliance.

The two countries are supposed to be close.

If we let them honour the ancestor in Xinzheng,

I'm afraid Liao won't just give up easily.

They may make new demands.

What's the point of telling me this?

Your Majesty.

All we need to do now

is to stop Yelu Liushou.

It you want to tell me that this is a serious matter,

save your breath.

Yelu Liushou may be formidable,

but he only has a handful of men.

In my opinion,

we can send some men

and intercept him on his way.

What then?

Well...

Should we kill or release them after that?

Well,

after that, we can send our men

to escort them back to Liao.

This will trigger another disagreement.

Lord Kou,

just speak you mind if you have any idea.

Stop being sarcastic.

I haven't come up with a perfect plan.

Your Majesty,

our soldiers and civilians sacrificed themselves

in exchange for the Chanyuan Treaty.

We must handle the diplomatic relations between Song and Liao

cautiously.

The Emperor has said earlier.

Stop saying

these useless words, Prime Minister Kou.

The people of Liao are tough.

We shouldn't resort to force in handling Yelu Liushou.

You should give us a better idea, Prime Minister Kou.

Stop your meaningless argument.

The three of you,

just speak your mind.

Is there any way to stop Yelu Liushou?

Yuan Fen.

Any ideas?

I can't think of anything, Your Majesty.

I'm telling you now.

We won the peace

with the blood of my son.

I don't wish to see any more bloodshed.

I won't want to be the sinner who starts a war with Liao again

and makes the people suffer.

Right now,

Yelu Liushou should have left Dongjing.

By this time tomorrow,

I want to see him

being intercepted right at the gate of Xinzheng.

No matter what all of you here

and those outside the hall are going to do,

this must be done.

Also, no killing is allowed.

If Yelu Liushou

proceeds to honour Yellow Emperor tomorrow,

then I don't ever

want to see you all again.

Your Majesty.

Wait, general!

If I don't oblige,

are you going to resort to violence, Lord Su?

Only a good emperor

deserves

to rule the country.

[I ascended the throne over a decade ago.]

[However, I'm not virtuous and competent enough]

[to do the country much contribution]

[and the people much good.]

[The battle of Chanyuan lasted for five years.]

[Countless soldiers and civilians were either hurt or killed.]

[It's totally my fault.]

Now someone from Liao

wants to honour Yellow Emperor.

It this happens,

I will have

let my ancestors down.

Perhaps I should just remove my crown

and confess my sin before my ancestors.

You mustn't do this, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

The Emperor punished us by keeping us here.

Who will intercept Yelu Liushou?

I'm afraid that by this time,

he's long gone.

Do you have an idea, Duke of Han?

Where's Lord Su?

In order to accompany my son back then,

I had to stay in Liao for some time.

I know most people in Liao are simple and upright.

People who are meticulous like you are rare.

You sent someone to stop me.

Did you do it to humiliate me?

You think too much, general.

I just want to tell you

that Song and Liao signed the Chanyuan Treaty.

We should actually treat each other kindly.

Since you've said that,

you shouldn't have stopped me from honouring Yellow Emperor.

I never really wanted to stop you.

I just have one thing to ask you.

You stopped me

just to ask me a question?

Please tell me.

When you're going to honour Yellow Emperor,

what kind of ritual will you carry out?

Of course, it'll be...

It's both the rituals of rulers and officials.

The emperor lived in Xinzheng, which is within Song's border.

If Liao considers him a deity,

then Liao's god originates from Song.

If you're honouring the god with the ritual of officials,

aren't you becoming a subordinate of Song?

We have the Chanyuan Treaty,

but Liao actually doesn't have to declare itself a vassal of Song.

I could carry out the ritual of rulers for the emperor of Liao.

Now you're standing on Song's soil.

Does that mean the emperor of Liao is now a ruler without lands?

You...

How dare you!

How dare you!

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, Shou An is here.

Don't come in!

Calm down, General.

Just think whether

what I've said is sensible.

You went into the palace

and informed them about honouring Yellow Emperor.

Looks like you didn't mean

any harm.

Here's to you.

It's for your tireless effort

and how you're caught in a dilemma.

I don't have a dilemma.

You're indeed an exceptional woman, Your Highness.

No wonder Empress Dowager of Liao is impressed by you.

Empress Dowager Xiao is an all-rounder.

She's simply peerless.

It's really a great honour

to get acquainted with her.

She asked me to give you this.

I was only supposed to see you

after the matter was done.

It's unexpected

that you would see me first.

Thank you, General.

The clothes belonged to Ji'er.

Each has their own destiny.

Stay strong, Your Highness.

I think this letter was ghostwritten by Lord Han.

The last 16 characters of the letter

must have been written by Empress Dowager Xiao.

She has gone to the trouble

to get you to bring me Ji'er's clothes

all the way from Liao.

She knew I missed Ji'er.

I must repay her kindness.

General.

I would like

to make her a royal robe personally.

Make a royal robe?

There's a saying in the Classic of Poetry.

If you're kind to me,

I shall return the favour.

I hope you will grant my wish.

You may do it.

However, the time...

What I said earlier,

you could take the coming days to really think about it.

Sister,

the Emperor has been kneeling at the ancestral temple for four hours.

He won't listen to anyone.

Please check on him.

Your Majesty!

Yuan Kan.

I

managed to keep Yelu Liushou.

What did you just say?

I told him I'd make Empress Dowager Xiao a royal robe.

Yelu Liushou has promised me

to prolong his stay in Dongjing for a couple more days.

God hasn't forsaken Song.

This is a verbal message of the Emperor.

Please go back, everyone.

Please go back, everyone!

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Eunuch Zhang.

May I know if someone

had stopped Yelu Liushou?

You've guessed it right, Prime Minister Kou.

It was Virtuous Consort.

The men of Liao

are currently staying in the stage stop.

He won't go to Xinzheng for the time being.

No court official

can even compare to Virtuous Consort!

The emperor is the lord

of all lands and people.

Yuan Kan,

you're the Emperor.

You have the mandate from the heaven to rule the people.

However, you took off your crown and confessed your sin.

Please don't do this anymore.

Ying'er, do you know that

what had been on my mind

when I knelt before my ancestors?

The first thing tomorrow morning,

I'd give an urgent order

to order the Imperial Guards in Xinzheng

to intercept Yelu Liushou and his men.

Anyone who resisted

shall be killed at once.

Fortunately, things

weren't that bad.

It's because I have you.

Five days may not be too long,

but I believe

that we'll come up with a perfect plan.

I hope what you've said will come true.

I shall put it here.

Remember to speed it up.

Sure.

Mother and sister.

Yu Ru, you're here.

We hadn't met for months.

You're now full of manners.

You're now indeed the wife of the Chancellor of Treasury.

Sister is teasing me again, Mother.

One of you

is the wife of an official,

while the other one should be getting married.

However,

you two have never changed the habit of squabbling

since you were kids.

It's time for you to get married, sister.

It's none of your business. I'm in no hurry.

Are both of you

also invited by Virtuous Consort to the palace?

Exactly.

The spouses of the court officials have mostly arrived.

Even many consorts are here today.

I wonder what Virtuous Consort

has in store for us.

Here comes Virtuous Consort!

Greetings, Your Highness.

We hope you're well.

Please rise.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Today I've invited all of you here.

I have a favour to ask.

How can we be of service?

I know everyone of you is skilled in embroidery.

I want to make Empress Dowager Xiao of Liao

a royal robe.

Due to the limited time given,

I hope all of you here can help me with it.

How much time do we have?

Five days.

Just five days?

We basically need more than 100 embroiders

and a month to make a royal robe.

Five days is simply impossible.

I know it's too short.

However, this

concerns our diplomatic relations with Liao.

I'm sure everyone here

knows how the officials

were punished at the Imperial Study yesterday.

I've promised the Liao envoy

to make a royal robe

for their empress dowager in five days.

The royal robe

isn't just a gift from us.

It represents the hope for peace

from everyone in Song.

I really admire you for your vision, Your Highness.

As ladies, we

may not be able to fight for the country on a battleground,

However, now the country is in need of our service,

we'll give our all.

Yes. No matter what,

we'll help you

to make the royal robe

in five days, Your Highness.

I hereby thank everyone here.

You're welcome, Your Highness.

Time is running short.

Let's begin our job.

Sure.

So she actually wants to make Empress Dowager Xiao

a royal robe.

How did Liu E think of such an idea?

Yes.

I was told that Virtuous Consort used this as an excuse

to keep the person from Liao in Dongjing.

The Emperor has bestowed his favour on her servant

and now she's anxious to do something

to attract the Emperor's attention.

Virtuous Consort isn't as righteous as she seems.

She still yearns for the favour of the Emperor.

Many royal ladies and spouses of the officials

are now gathering at the Department of Royal Attire.

She actually sent for you, too.

Is Your Highness...

Yesterday Shou An knelt at the Imperial Ancestral Temple for too long.

I think she got a cold.

Go to the Imperial Academy of Medicine.

Ask Imperial Physician Wang to check on her. Do you hear me?

Yes.

I'll go to see Virtuous Consort now

and tell her that Princess Shou An is ill

and that you can't leave as you have to take care of her.

Just go.

Yes.

Your Highness.

These are all the cotton threads and fabric

that can be used to make the royal robe.

The materials are good,

but the patterns aren't what I want.

It seems we have to make the brocade.

I'll draw the patterns for you.

Yes, Your Highness.

I think the threads

are shiny and colourful and the strength is just perfect.

We should use them.

She's right.

If we have to make the cotton threads,

we won't have enough time.

Both of you are right.

Your Highness,

the process includes spinning, colouring and drying.

It will take one or two days to complete.

-Yi Qin. -Yes.

Bring us soap beans, hot water and candlelight.

Yes.

The colour doesn't fade when the soap beans are soaked in hot water.

It does not produce any smell when it's burnt.

Twist it with fingers and it turns into ash.

This is absolutely of the top quality.

It can be used to make the royal robe.

We no longer need to make new thread.

Yes, Your Highness.

You're truly smart and knowledgeable.

What an eye-opener.

Thanks for your compliment.

I learnt this from the common people.

We have only five days.

Everyone, I need your help.

No problem.

What's the date?

It's the second day of the month, Your Majesty.

Another day has passed.

Yelu Liushou

will depart for Xinzheng on the fifth day.

We have three more days.

Does anyone of you have any idea

to stop Yelu Liushou from honouring Yellow Emperor?

Virtuous Consort has bought us five extra days.

Are we just going to wait here

and do nothing

or

are we just relying on the ladies to help us

to safeguard our dignity?

Your Majesty,

Yelu Liushou is now in our country.

He's at our mercy, right?

At worst, we shall go to war with Liao.

At worst?

If that happens,

will you and your son be our vanguards

and serve the country, Duke of Han?

We're willing to risk our lives for our country.

For the country?

I think your courage and loyalty

isn't suitable for war.

If the incident in Yizhou happens again,

I'm afraid

I may lack manpower at the crucial moment!

Your Majesty,

the best way is using wisdom, else we'll settle for diplomacy.

Let's try to avoid a war or an attack of the city.

Winning without a bloodshed is the best outcome.

We should use our wisdom rather than brute force.

You're absolutely right, Grand Tutor.

I need a plan!

Do you have any idea, Grand Tutor?

Well,

I haven't thought of one yet.

Your Majesty,

I have an idea.

I wonder whether we should give it a try.

Speak, please.

During the signing of the Chanyuan Treaty,

I had stayed in Liao for months.

I got to know about Yelu Liushou.

He's passionate about archery

and he likes to compete with others.

However, he's a petty person.

He won't stop competing

until he wins every round.

So you mean...

I think

we can invite him over for an archery competition.

We'll try to make him lose.

He hates to lose.

So he won't just leave like that.

Forget about

how we can make him lose,

how can we make him keep losing?

Lord Cao already mentioned that he's skilled in archery.

How are we going to make sure

that he'll keep staying in Dongjing

in order to win the competition?

He carries with him

the order of the emperor of Liao.

Your Majesty,

I think

Lord Cao's idea is feasible.

The people of Liao are generally fierce and combative.

Yelu Liushou is such a person.

This way,

at least it can buy us

more time to plan.

Even one or two days

will make a difference.

All of your words make sense.

Let's follow the plan.

Both of you shall be in charge of this.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I've drawn the patterns.

I want the front flaps.

The neckline and cuffs should be broad.

This will make it look elegant.

The patterns have to be slightly different though.

The main pattern should depict a phoenix flying in the sky.

The main part should be a fire phoenix,

followed by some colourful phoenixes.

Some peonies can be added to complement the phoenixes.

The peonies should be plain in colour.

Otherwise, it'll overshadow the phoenixes.

I shall let Yu Ru handle this.

Yes, Your Highness.

Just follow the patterns

and make the brocade.

Yes, Your Highness.

Ms Xu.

How can I help you, Lady Beauty?

Earlier on,

the autumn clothes that you all sent to me

didn't seem to be the latest style.

It looks tacky with a colour combination of red and green.

Are you all taking advantage of my kindness?

All the clothes that are sent out today

are newly-made this year.

So you mean

I'm making things up?

Forgive me.

I can see that the Department of Royal Attire

is slacking.

You like talking behind people's backs.

I have to let the Emperor know.

He should give an order

to teach you all a lesson.

We didn't do a good job.

I'm willing to accept a punishment.

Ying Luo.

What's going on?

The Department of Royal Attire is slacking.

I'm teaching them a lesson for the Emperor.

Your Highness, my lady.

Rest assured I'll educate them.

We'll focus on our job from now on.

We'll never spread unfounded rumours.

Rise, Ms Xu.

Since you know it's unfounded,

I hope you'll take note in the future.

Stop blaming yourself too much.

Thank you, Virtuous Consort.

Lady Beauty,

later, I'll send someone

to deliver this year's autumn clothes to you

so that you can pick it.

I'm kind and generous enough

to let it slide.

You just need to help my sister to make the royal robe

and make up for your fault.

I'll remember that, Your Highness.

Why did you...

Don't scold me, sister.

They deserved that by spreading the rumours.

Did the Buddha hear your wishes?

Greetings, Your Majesty.

I heard

that during the time I was in a coma,

you had been kneeling here for long.

At night,

you did the same under the moon

for me.

The Buddha heard my prayers.

The Emperor has woken up from the coma, sister.

Why is Sister Wan'er still praying for him?

Does she have to because her prayers are answered?

Stop talking nonsense in front of the Buddha.

It's night time.

Sister Wan'er still hasn't gone back yet.

You even need to send her a cloak.

It's

Sister Wan'er and the Emperor.

Let's go back.

Dear Buddha,

I'm willing to reduce my life by ten years

so that you'll bless our country with peace

and our dynasty with longevity.

What do you want to do?

I'll get Sister Wan'er

to help out in the making of the royal robe.

Enough.

I told Wan'er to rest

and not get involved in the making of the royal robe.

However, you didn't ask her to pray to the Buddha

together with the Emperor.

The Emperor is too much.

You're working hard to solve his problem,

yet he's actually

enjoying his time with Sister Wan'er.

Cut it out.

I was initially worried

that the Emperor would just ignore Wan'er

after the incident that night.

Now I see that my worries were unnecessary.

The Emperor has bestowed his favour on Wan'er once more.

Won't it be double joy

if she can bear him a son?

Sister,

is having a royal descendant really that important?

It is.

Okay, I got it.

Then we shall not bother them.

Let's go back to continue making the royal robe.

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Bravo!

Lord Su is awesome!

Lord Su is great!

Lord Su is awesome!

It's a pleasure, general.

Come on! Let's do it again!

Wait!

General,

your archery skills are amazing.

I really admire you.

It's getting dark, gentlemen.

Let's continue tomorrow.

No!

A good archer must have good eye sight!

You have such superb skills, Lord Su.

You shouldn't have a problem aiming at night.

Why does it matter?

General, I'm not turning it down,

but we've already done five rounds.

You've won three rounds. So I lost.

I'm afraid the outcome will be similar

even if we continue.

So you mean

I'm worse than you?

Of course not.

You're simply amazing.

I'm just a scholar.

I was lucky to have won today.

I'm exhausted right now.

If we go on like this,

I'm afraid I will not be able to take it.

What if you think I purposely lose to you?

It will seem as if I'm looking down on you.

You're right, Lord Su.

How about getting a good rest

and competing again tomorrow?

Even if you aren't considerate to Lord Su,

you should pity your horse, right?

Fine!

I'm a fair person.

Scholar Su, get a good rest.

I shall see you tomorrow!

Thanks for your consideration.

It was beyond my expectations

that Yelu Liushou had really good archery skills.

Fortunately, Lord Su, you're better.

Frankly speaking,

the people of Liao live on the grassland.

They're physically stronger than the people of Song.

If we continued,

there's no doubt that I'd lose.

Luckily, you were there to talk him out of it, Lord Cao.

You did good, Lord Su.

Get some rest.

That I shall.

Master.

Where is he going?

I have no idea, madam.

Didn't the Emperor forbid father to attend the royal assembly?

Why is he dressed formally?

What is he doing?

Follow him, Yu Ying.

Follow her, Housekeeper.

All right.

Hurry up.

Master.

Father!

Master!

Where are you going, Father?

Master!

Father!