Original subtitles

I have sent for King of Rui today

because I have

promised His Majesty something.

Eunuch Li.

Yes.

Summon Imperial Physician Du.

Official pays a formal call to Her Highness Empress Dowager,

Your Majesty, King of Rui.

Rise.

Imperial Physician Du,

talk to His Majesty and King of Rui

about Meiren Ji’s matter.

Do not conceal anything.

Yes.

Reporting to Your Majesty and Royal Highness King of Rui,

when Meiren Ji passed away,

the Late Emperor was devastated.

He wrung his heart to the very core. (he was grieving)

Her Highness Empress Dowager knew that the Late Emperor

loved Meiren Ji deeply

and pitied that King of Rui was still underage,

so she ordered this official to prepare medicinal herbs

to keep Meiren Ji’s body from rotting

and not to bury her.

Firstly, so that the Late Emperor

can mourn her properly

and secondly to wait for King of Rui

to grow up

and to say farewell to Meiren Ji properly.

Empress Dowager was really well-intentioned.

King of Rui,

you have the opportunity

to see your mother now.

Do you want to see her or not?

Fifth Younger Brother, kneel and thank her quickly.

King of Rui, you should never

hurt your knees.

It is up to you whether

you see her or not.

Son thanks Her Highness Empress Dowager

for her great kindness.

I thank Empress Dowager in the name of my Mother.

if that is the case,

I will take you to see her once.

Your Majesty,

did Empress Dowager really agree

to return the body of King of Rui’s

mother to him?

This was His Majesty’s plea to Empress Dowager.

Since Zhaoyi Nie was involved

in the rumours about the crystal coffin.

His Majesty specially ordered me

to accompany you

to prove Zhaoyi Nie’s innocence.

Eunuch Li.

Pass my decree.

Seal all the doors of the palace for me

to prevent this evil spirit from escaping from the palace

Yes.

Imperial Mother, what is the meaning of this?

Didn’t you promise me?

Audacious!

Do you think it was my doing?

If I wanted to move her,

would I need to wait till this day?

Her body remained eternal even after her death.

Is there anything else she cannot do?

Mother, is that you?

You are still alive.

Old had, who did you say died?

Are you blind?

My Mother is still alive.

She was the one who escaped.

If you want to lock her up,

wait for the next life.

You wicked bastard.

I originally wanted to treat

you and your mother with compassion,

but Heavens have opened my eyes

Ji Rousang, did you hide?

Are you afraid?

Are you ashamed of seeing

this wicked bastard of yours?

What did you say?

What did you say, you old hag?

Accept the truth!

King of Rui, hurry up and leave.

You are an outcast

after all.

Leave.

Reporting to Empress Dowager,

the palace gate has been completely sealed off.

Stop the sedan.

Hurry!

Commander Xue,

what happened?

Reporting to Your Majesty,

by Empress Dowager’ imperial decree,

as King of Rui’s deceased mother disappeared from the crystal coffin,

we were ordered to block all exits in the palace.

Zitong, you are just in time.

Take Fifth Younger Brother back to King of Rui’s mansion.

I will come there soon. Go.

King of Rui.

Guards!

Lock this evil bitch’ son

up and

prepare the archers for me!

Imperial Mother, Meiren Ji has no shrine, no mausoleum.

For years

Fifth Younger Brother could not pay respects to her.

It is reasonable for him

to have such reaction.

Your Majesty,

my benevolence ends with our

mother and son’ relationship.

King of Rui and that evil spirit in the coffin

are of the same kind.

Your Majesty, during the deadly battle

with Jiuliao at Shouzhou

King of Rui was able to come to your rescue in time

and before that

King of Rui has saved

Zhaoyi Nie in this palace.

How can

an ordinary person be that quick

to cross between

two places within an hour?

Ji Rousang escaped from a coffin

in the imperial harem.

I must take this

evil spirit’ son down

for the sake of Great Lan.

Guards!

No!

I forbid anyone

to hurt my Fifth Younger Brother.

Xue Bi.

Official is present.

As long as you take King of Rui down,

I will immediately make you

the commander-in-chief of the new army.

Miao Minghu will also be under your command.

Yes.

Go up!

Who dares!

If you want to take down King of Rui, take me down first!

I want to kill

King of Rui and Zhaoyi Nie.

Be sure not to hurt His Majesty!

Archers, get ready!

Release!

Stop!

You do not have to fight anymore.

I did not want

to apprehend King of Rui

but only to confirm

whether Ji Rousang will show herself

if King of Rui faces a calamity.

It seems that only my imperial son

is willing to lay down his life

for an orphan like you.

King of Rui you were

thinking the same as I, right?

You hoped that Ji Rousang

would show up at such critical time.

Except for His Majesty,

withdraw, you all.

Do not spread anything about today’s matter either.

Yes.

Your Majesty, you could clearly see

the extraordinary phenomenon just now.

He is of a different kind,

lurking around you.

Just waiting for this demoness Ji Rousang

to wake up

so that mother and son can join hands

to overturn Great Lan.

Improbable.

I caught a sight

of fearful Zhaoyi Nie in the forest of the arrows, but she was

worried for King of Rui and not Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, why are you not stating

that it is also improbable?

I thought your Majesty

was fearless

since you have

your new army now.

Fengqing!

So the brothers

are bound to separate?

Yes.

But Nie Wushuang’s rebirth

is both motivation

and hindrance for them.

So you cannot have

feelings for them.

if they fall in love with you,

they will eventually hurt each other.

Your Royal Highness...

Elder Sister, why are you bothering with it?

Humble official pays respects to Zhaoyi Nie.

It was Her Majesty

that ordered this humble official to take King of Rui’s pulse.

He is aboard the ship. Go.

Yes.

Elder Sister, the ship is about to leave.

They are leaving.

Are you sure you won’t go up?

I cannot love him.

Is this what you two

found out about last night’

events at Shangyuan Palace for me?

Replying to Imperial Concubine Du,

Empress Dowager ordered

not to say a single word about this matter,

but paper cannot wrap the fire.

As long as there is enough silver,

rumour will always find its way.

It was also said that under the arrow array of palace guards

Zhaoyi Nie placed herself between

His Majesty and King of Rui to block the arrows.

Her Majesty did not dare

to move when she saw her.

Of course, she wouldn’t dare.

Empress Dowager Wang is her maternal aunt.

She can easily find an excuse

to abolish her.

So did King of Rui’s biological mother

reappear?

Jiao Tong snooped in the distance all night.

Unfortunately, she has never appeared.

What kind of trick is this?

Is it a person or a demon?

Is she alive or dead?

So where is King of Rui

stirring trouble now?

He went south on his gaily-painted pleasure boat.

Her Majesty has also sent Du Ruo to follow him.

Her Majesty is really stupid.

How could King of Rui want

Du Ruo to accompany him at this time?

I guess

I can still anticipate a good play

even if I cannot get out

of Guanju Palace.

Imperial Concubine, what else is going to happen?

Do you think

Empress Dowager Wang will stop there?

A woman

who has been in the harem for many years

certainly knows

how she can turn defeat into victory.

Your Majesty, zishi has passed. (zishi - 11 pm - 1 am)

It is time to go back to the sleeping quarters and rest.

Ever since King of Rui left the palace,

you have been saying here

for several hours already.

You did not even have dinner.

This humble one is worried

about Your Majesty’s dragon body.

King of Rui… is there any information about King of Rui?

They say that King of Rui drove his pleasure boat south.

He left.

Did he leave a message

when he would come back?

No.

King of Rui’s temperament

is always coming and going.

But King of Rui asked this humble one

to give this to Your Majesty before you left.

He said that it might help Your Majesty

at a critical time.

He still thinks about me.

This humble one has guessed its meaning without authorization.

He’ll say one more thing.

This humble one thinks

that King of Rui and Your Majesty

grew up together

and their brotherly affection is as strong as gold.

Even if someone wants you two to be at odds with each other,

it will be difficult for him to succeed.

Your Majesty should pay attention

to the alienator’s

intention instead.

You mean Empress Dowager.

This humble one deserves to die, this humble one deserves to die.

Rise.

I know that you are devoted

to me.

I just don’t understand

why is Empress Dowager

always giving me problems,

Her Majesty has been waiting

for two shichen already (shichen - a double-hour)

Announce her entry into the palace hall.

Yes.

Your Majesty, Her Majesty has arrived.

Withdraw, you all.

Yes.

Your Majesty,

this female servant has come to confess her crime to Your Majesty.

Zitong, what crime are you talking about?

This female servant is timid by nature.

She cannot make a decision.

She could not make it even when Your Majesty was in a critical situation

or to share Your Majesty’s worries.

This female servant

is not worthy of the position of the empress

Rise and then we’ll talk.

My Imperial Mother is your aunt.

I understand your difficulties.

Your Majesty...

I don’t blame you.

I do not want you to be in a dilemma.

This female servant’s heart

is always on Your Majesty’s side.

This female servant understands Your Majesty concern for King of Rui.

I have sent Du Ruo to console him.

Zitong does not know

where the bottom line is.

How can Du Ruo

be the Fifth Younger Brother’s antidote?

Wushuang...

Wushuang...

Wushuang...

‏General Xue.

‏Old minister is present.

‏It seems

‏that you want to cut my military expenses.

‏Are you dissatisfied with

‏building the new army?

‏Old minister dares not.

‏This old minister just thought

‏that many soldiers in the army

‏were following the Late Emperor in life and death

‏and made great contributions

‏to consolidating Great Lan and the whole world.

‏Now Your Majesty has decided to build a new army

‏and he has cut their expenses drastically.

‏This partiality will make

‏veteran officers and men broken-hearted.

‏Since General Xue talks about military achievements,

‏I have something to ask of you.

‏If Xue Family’s Army were to go

‏into the battle with Jiuliao,

‏will you be sure of willing it?

‏This...

‏The personnel is miscellaneous and the military discipline is unknown.

‏I am afraid that General Xue

does not have a clue about it.

‏My new army

‏is Great Lan’s new army.

Don’t think that I do not know

that someone is spreading rumours

‏that the army that participated in this war

‏was Xue Family’s Army.

‏Old minister is unfairly treated.

‏Your Majesty,

‏General Xue is not acting out of selfishness.

‏The officers and men in the regular army

‏have complained a lot these days.

‏This way,

‏it will be difficult to keep the morale steady.

‏This official seconds it.

‏Give priority to the new army.

‏General Xue, rise.

‏Thank you, Your Majesty.

‏When the new army came back after the great victory,

‏I have not made a distinction between the rewards and punishments.

‏As for the follow-up matters,

‏I will take my time to make careful deliberations and plan accordingly.

‏If there is anything else, please bring it up quickly.

‏Reporting to Your Majesty,

‏The drought in Yizhou

‏triggered a plague of locusts that lasted several months.

‏This humble official received

‏a report from the secretariat of Yizhou yesterday.

I’m afraid

there will be no harvest this fall.

‏Yizhou was always graced by favourable weather.

‏Why is there suddenly a plague of locusts?

People in Yizhou suffer untold misery and hardship.

‏In addition to

‏using various methods to drive locusts away,

‏they also held

‏various religious rituals

‏but apart from exhausting the people and draining the treasury

‏it did not work.

‏Herding ducks.

‏We might as well try herding ducks to prevent the locust swarms.

‏Your Majesty,

‏this method was not recorded in the history books before.

‏It will be

‏reported in the historical books from now on.

‏Official shall obey.

‏Is there anything else to discuss?

‏Empress Dowager summoned this old minister in the morning.

‏This old minister has something to report to Your Majesty.

‏Speak.

‏King of Rui left the palace last night.

‏I wonder if I should send someone to keep watch on him.

‏King of Rui is my Fifth Younger Brother.

‏He is not a fugitive.

‏Why do you want to keep watch on him?

‏Lord Xu, don’t you think

this is absurd?

‏Your Majesty, calm your anger.

‏Withdraw.

‏Yes.

‏Imperial Brother, you must not distrust Fengqing.

Elder Brother Miao,

‏I came to see you.

‏Are you not coming to welcome me?

‏Put the things here.

You can all withdraw now.

‏The humble official is paying respects to the Princess.

‏Again with the “princess”.

‏Did I not tell you

‏to call me Yunle?

Why is your home bustling with noise and excitement?

‏These were all sent by

‏the Lan State’ people.

‏It seems

‏that people have admitted that

‏you are Lan State’s citizens.

Qiuzi, what are you doing?

‏Hurry up.

‏Kill one and cook the soup.

‏The food in the barracks is really bad,

‏so make one for Elder Brother Miao. Quick.

‏No need, Princess.

‏Do not bother with it.

‏Princess…

‏maidservant... maidservant has never killed a chicken

‏You are really useless. Watch this Princess.

‏Princess!

‏Look at me.

Come here!

Scared me to death!

‏Elder Brother Miao, look.

‏Empress Dowager has arrived!

‏Humble official pays respects to Empress Dowager.

‏Rise.

‏Thank you, Empress Dowager.

‏The humble minister did not know that Empress Dowager

- would visit his humble abode... - Imperial Mother

‏therefore he failed to welcome her.

‏If humble abode is not too lacking,

‏I invite Empress Dowager to deign it with her presence.

‏I never thought that the commander-in-chief

‏of the new Lan Army would live in such a humble place.

‏I do not know if General Miao

‏is used to such simple life

or if Great Lan

‏is treating General Miao unfairly.

‏Humble official dares not.

‏Humble official asks for nothing more

‏after relocating to Lan State.

‏Imperial Mother,

‏it is said

‏that people concerned with matters of great importance do not stick to trifles.

This has not happened before,

‏you are speaking for an outsider.

‏If I were to

‏betroth you to General Miao one day,

‏I am afraid you would forget

‏to be grateful for my love and care.

‏Imperial Mother, you… you...

‏did you say

‏that you are going to betroth me to...

‏General Miao,

‏you were wronged for some time here.

‏Wait till I

‏rebuild a mansion

‏for you in a few days.

‏If you want to gain a foothold

in Lan State,

I am afraid you have to start with building up your position.

Your Majesty has come from patrolling the new army.

‏He seems to be in a good mood.

‏After combating Jiuliao,

‏the new army is full of fighting spirit.

‏This is all due to General Miao.

‏Yes.

‏Even Xue Mingyi, the founding general,

‏lost face when compared

‏to Miao Minghu.

‏To be an emperor

‏means not to be expedient, but to know people.

‏Son thinks

‏Miao Minghu can be described with 4 words.

‏Loyal and righteous, wise and brave.

‏Imperial Brother, tell me

‏how one is loyal and righteous, wise and brave.

‏You want me to

praise your hero,

‏Elder Brother Miao?

‏He repays the country with supreme loyalty.

‏His high morality reaches up to the clouds.

‏He is wise and full of stratagems

‏and distinguishes himself by peerless valour in battle.

‏Loyalty is the foundation of ministers.

‏Righteousness is the foundation of a man.

‏As for wisdom and courage,

‏each of them is a talent of its own.

‏There is no need to mention them.

‏Of course.

‏Elder Brother Miao is exactly like this.

‏In the whole Lan State,

‏no one can compare to him,

‏except for my Imperial Brother.

‏Your Majesty boasts about Miao Minghu

‏as if he was unequalled in his time.

‏If I don’t

‏betroth Yunle to him,

‏it will be a true loss.

‏When Imperial Mother mentioned this matter

‏at Elder Brother Miao’s mansion,

‏Yunle thought

‏Imperial Mother was playing tricks on Yunle.

‏Yunle is Imperial Mother’s pearl in the palm. (a beloved daughter)

‏How can Imperial Mother play with

‏Yunle’s marriage?

‏Imperial Mother,

‏are you really serious about what you just said?

‏I am the world’s paragon of motherhood.

‏How can you address me like this?

‏Son remembers

‏that when Miao Minghu first came to Lan State,

‏Imperial Mother did not appreciate him.

‏Miao Minghu came to Lan State

‏with a status of a rebel.

‏I could not help but be on guard against him.

‏But since the war with Jiuliao,

‏I saw that he was indeed loyal and courageous.

‏If Yunle is betrothed to Miao Minghu,

‏it will also show

‏that I value Miao Minghu

‏and support Your Majesty.

‏Yunle, what do you think?

‏Yunle will listen to the Imperial Brother.

‏Miao Minghu is ten years older than Yunle.

‏Soon after he lost his wife and son,

‏he arrived at Lan State and established a meritorious service,

‏however, he did not gain a firm foothold here.

‏I think that the matter of Yunle’s marriage

‏is being handled with undue haste.

But Yunle does not

dislike Elder Brother Miao.

‏I think Miao Minghu’ stability

‏will make Yunle more mature.

‏However, Miao Minghu once told me

‏that he wanted to march into battle north and south with me.

‏Only by being alone,

‏one can have no worries.

‏Your Majesty, why are you overanxious?

‏I think

‏that if Lan State

‏was to give Miao Minghu a new family,

‏we can keep him forever.

‏If Miao Minghu becomes “fuma” (fuma - imperial son-in-law, also Prince Consort)

‏I will have

‏no worries about any menace from behind.

‏Empress, what do you think?

‏As long as it does not hurt the relationship

‏between His Majesty and Imperial Mother

and makes Yunle happy,

‏this female servant will definitely support it.

‏I thought that if Yunle can marry her

‏favourite Miao Minghu and be happy,

Empress will definitely

support my idea.

‏I will consider it.

‏Son asks for leave.

‏Withdraw.

‏Yes.

‏Your Majesty is still worried

‏about Miao Minghu and Yunle’s marriage.

‏Why will Your Majesty not go to Cuihua Pavilion

‏and discuss it with Zhaoyi Nie?

‏Maybe she will have an idea

‏how to persuade General Miao to refuse the marriage.

‏Has Empress not go to Cuihua Pavilion

‏to look for Zhaoyi Nie already

after the meal

‏at Empress Dowager’s place?

‏This female servant cannot hide anything from Your Majesty.

‏Nie Wushuang knows me best.

‏Even if I don’t go to her,

‏as long as she has the ability,

‏she will do her best.

‏This female servant is incapable.

‏I am unable to share Your Majesty’s worries.

‏Your marriage

‏was arranged by Imperial Mother that year.

‏I can understand your difficulties.

‏This female servant went to Shangyuan Palace today

‏to pay respects to Imperial Mother.

Imperial Mother has already selected a site

for imperial son-in-law’s mansion.

‏Your Majesty,

‏is there really no way

‏to reverse it?

‏Miao Minghu’s choice is the most crucial here.

‏If he really chooses

‏to marry Yunle,

‏then all my hard work

‏will be in vain.

‏But if Miao Minghu refuses the marriage,

‏how will Empress Dowager deal with?

‏Empress Dowager will naturally take it

‏as a refusal to appreciate her efforts

‏and will make things difficult for my new army.

‏Putting together Miao Minghu

‏and the veteran Xue Mingyi

‏will also add fuel to the flames.

‏If the old army will fight with old army,

‏the morale will go from bad to worse.

‏Also

‏this female servant heard Chunxiang say

‏that if Your Majesty would not come back from Northern Expedition on time,

‏Xue Mingyi would receive a heavy gift.

‏I heard Empress Dowager mention

‏the marriage between Xue Bi and Yunle.

‏But Empress Dowager rebuffed this idea at that time.

‏It turns out Empress Dowager has long

‏thought of this in her heart.

‏This is truly a deadlock.

‏If...

‏If Yunle wanted to marry Xue Bi voluntarily...

‏This is simply an absurd dream.

‏Even if there has never been

‏Miao Minghu in this world,

‏Yunle would never

‏marry Xue Bi.

‏When did Empress Dowager made such a decision?

‏Yesterday evening.

‏Empress Dowager, His Majesty, Her Majesty

‏and Princess Yunle

‏were discussing it over dinner.

‏What was His Majesty’ attitude?

‏Your Majesty has not come to Cuihua Pavilion yet.

‏I think he must have known

‏that I will come to you.

‏I never imagined it.

‏When I first entered Lan State,

‏Empress Dowager was giving me a hard time.

‏She even wanted to kill me.

‏And now I am to be imperial son-in-law?

‏Eldest Brother should understand

‏the importance of imperial son-in-law’s position.

‏I naturally understand it.

‏If I agree

‏and marry Princess Yunle,

‏I will become Empress Dowager’s son-in-law

‏and the painstaking efforts of His Majesty

‏and new army would probably fail.

‏His Majesty erected more than

‏hundred graves for the ghosts of the slaughtered Miao Family.

‏How can Miao Minghu act contrary to the right conduct?

‏Your Majesty’s kindness towards Miao Family

‏must be remembered.

‏Qianqian, do you know

‏that after helping Li State

‏repel Jiuliao this time,

‏I had a chance to kill Gu Qinghong

‏before the victory party?

‏Gao Yang’s Zeng Xunuo

‏offered Gu Qinghong’s head to me

‏as long as I would be willing to risk my life

‏in the service of Li State again.

‏He arranged a contest

‏and put poison onto my Cold Breeze double-edged sword.

‏Still, I have endured it.

‏I always put the overall situation first.

‏I would not take a personal revenge

‏and harm the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

‏When Miao Family had its property confiscated and people beheaded,

‏my son was less than five years old.

‏Your sister-in-law was still pregnant

‏with a child to be born.

‏I am sure that

‏a day will come

‏for my revenge

‏on Gu Qinghong and Gao Yang.

‏At the time of plague at Donglin Temple

‏I saw so many people

‏from our old country

‏becoming destitute and homeless, dying in a strange land.

‏I thought about it too.

‏King of Li is evil

‏but the commoners are innocent.

‏Even if Empress Dowager is in power

‏and sends troops to kill King of Li,

‏what then?

‏It will only push the world into chaos,

‏with foreigners invading our country again and again.

‏How many people will die

‏the way like our family has died before?

‏King of Lan is benevolent.

‏We should help King of Lan

‏to find the supreme treasure

‏to destroy the tyranny and unify North and South

‏so that

‏the people in the world

‏can leave and work in peace and contentment.

‏Qianqian,

‏the eldest brother is proud of having

‏a little sister like you.

‏Eldest Brother,

no one wants you to rebuild your family

‏more than I do.

‏To see it bloom again.

‏I also saw

‏Princess Yunle’s infatuation

‏but it

‏cannot be Yunle,

‏at least for now.

‏Yunle has lent me the ice cicada to save me.

‏She is kind to me.

‏Man is neither wood or grass. (main is a creature with feelings)

‏How can I not understand

‏her true heart.

‏But my heart is like a walking corpse

‏after your sister-in-law died.

‏It is hollow instead of being caring.

‏I want to go on an expedition to the north and south for His Majesty.

‏I can

‏lose this life at any time.

‏I cannot give Yunle happiness.

‏But

‏what way can I use

‏to refuse Empress Dowager’s request for marriage.

‏The only

‏way I can think of now

‏is for Eldest Brother to leave the city.

‏As for the Princess,

‏I will meet with her

‏and clearly explain the gains and losses of this union.

‏I will ask her to beg Empress Dowager

‏to postpone the marriage.

‏As long as His Majesty's new policy is stable,

‏all the other things

‏will be easy to handle.

‏But will Empress Dowager

‏let go her hold easily?

‏We shall do our best.

‏So many people

‏came to break

‏into my mansion

‏in the deep of the night.

‏Eunuch Li, what can I do for you?

‏Empress Dowager has ordered

‏to build another courtyard in Langshan

‏that will be the future mansion of Imperial Son-in-law.

‏Zhao Heng and the others are responsible

‏for Imperial Son-in-law’s safety in the future.

‏Congratulations, General Miao.

‏Thank you, thank you.

‏I am going to the military camp

‏to explain some things.

‏I will go with you then.

‏By Empress Dowager’ oral edict,

‏the military camp

‏is to be handled by General Xue Bi.

‏General Miao, please.

Please.

‏Princess,

‏what does it say?

‏The waterfront is farther every day.

‏The stars are moving and the fight is about to turn.

‏Young Master Qingyuan!

‏Princess Yunle.

‏Young Master Qingyuan,

‏I have just asked for a divination here.

‏Can Young Master decipher this sign for me?

‏I do not know what Princess asked about.

‏Princess asked about predestined marriage.

‏What’s the matter?

‏What does this sign mean?

‏Something that is seemingly close at hand

‏can be in the remotest corner of the earth in the next moment.