Original subtitles

Subtitles and Timing brought to you by the Bloody Romantics @viki.com

♫ In this elaborately written letter, ♫

♫ all the words of love are filled with you. ♫

♫ The flowers within ten miles blossom elegantly for you. ♫

♫ I perform the zither, ♫

♫ as if you are standing behind me. ♫

♫ The rain falls while I foolishly wait for you. ♫

♫ Use these deep, shallow, near, and far distances ♫

♫ to add a touch of poetry to our regrets and entanglements. ♫

♫ This bitter, sweet, dream-like, and fantasy-like origin of our intertwined fates ♫

♫ is so that we can pleasantly drink this alcohol under the threat of swords and knives. ♫

♫ Use this lifetime, these moments of encounters ♫

♫ to trade for just one short instant when you can be with me. ♫

♫ These words, sentences, sentiments, and intentions contain hopes ♫

♫ that you and I can listen to the rain as we stand under the eave. ♫

[Bloody Romance]

[Yunjing Pavilion]

Master, we will begin learning the qin today. (T/N: Fretless Chinese board zither with 7 strings)

As the sky covers the Earth, the top of the qin represents Heaven, and its base is Earth.

Legend has it, Fuxi carved a phoenix tree into a qin, (T/N: Fuxi - first mythical emperor of China)

made the strings out of silk threads, and made the zither itself out of mulberry wood.

It was about 122cm long. There were five strings on it,

each was a note on the pentatonic scale.

Afterward, when King Wen of Zhou was grieving for his deceased son, Bo Yikao,

he added a string. And after King Wu overthrew the tyrant Zhou of Shang,

another string was added. Now there are seven.

Success doesn't come in a day.

Fortunately, the first thing to learn about the qin is the positioning.

Your left and right hands together can play thirteen notes.

Become familiar with those first, and then you'll learn to adjust the pitch.

I hope... that practice makes perfect.

Do you think you'll be the only one working hard here?

You don't need to mock me!

I'll just work harder!

Your enlightenment is too late.

Slow and steady progress isn't suitable for you.

What you need is to seize every opportunity.

City Master Cha Luo named you Wan Mei

because you have charm ("mei" tai).

Charm isn't artificial.

Charm comes from within your bones.

It causes others, by instinct, to want to get closer to you.

Others see the qin as a friend. You should see it as an enemy.

If the qin is just, you are an evil spirit.

If the qin's style is like a cleansing spring breeze,

you are like the thought of a ghost walking in the night.

You don't need to believe in

two hearts beating in unison. Bewitching people's minds and hearts

is the foundation of learning the qin.

The qin can soothe the nerves, but even more, it can tease and provoke.

The story of Xiang Yu being besieged from all sides is the best example.

The notes can't just blindly follow.

They have to be aimed at your opponent's weak points,

and hit them right in the center.

Relax your arms.

Tuck in your chin.

Your eyes cannot stare at the qin.

You must watch the listener.

Your left hand must be light when plucking the strings,

like a soft feather floating down, like snow melting without a sound.

You have been exposed to the sun for many years, so your skin has yellowed.

Eating too much will only backfire.

Different dances require different clothing.

You don't have good posture yet.

As in the Seven-Merit Dances, where the dancers would wear their armor,

you must be firm but flexible.

You can use these to hide your flaws.

A slender waist and an elegant bearing.

Your fingers are graceful, as if boneless. Allow your sleeves to flow.

Your expression must be cold as ice, but your eyes gentle as water.

Pay attention to the rhythm. The bells can't touch each other.

Master, you have entangled nine of them. We will end here for today.

We will continue tomorrow.

[Spring]

You'd best eat this. Because no matter if you eat it or not,

your must continue with the lessons tomorrow.

Is this how you are going to be my shadow?

I saw Older Sister Wan Xiang's Shadow today.

He's much more docile than you!

You're bullying me because I'm unfamiliar with all this, right?

You're not afraid--

You're not afraid that I'll switch you for someone else once I get angry?

My apologies!

I cannot learn to be docile. I am also apologetic

because you could have chosen someone else.

Now, you cannot switch me for someone else.

According to Guihua City's rules, unless your shadow dies,

you cannot switch him for a new one.

Also, don't call Master Wan Xiang, "older sister."

No one is your sister here.

[Radiant and Enchanting]

What's wrong?

It's nothing.

Just now, I felt like I couldn't see clearly again.

It seems as though your eyes have always been like this for the last few days.

Maybe it's because I'm too tired.

Then why don't you rest a bit earlier today, Master.

B-But didn't you want me to have all of this copied today?

Your progress recently has not improved but has instead declined.

If you continue this way, eventually you'll hit a dead end.

This is so nice...

[Yunjing Pavilion]

Why did you bring me here?

Master Mei, please jump into the water.

- What did you say? - If you don't dare, I can help you this once, Master.

H-Have you lost your mind?

You're conspiring against your master. This is a grave crime.

Master, you have only caught a cold. You will be fine with a bit of rest.

Your injury... Why haven't you had it treated yet?

According to Guihua City's rules,

the Shadow has the power to instruct his master,

therefore, the Master has even more right to lecture a shadow.

Without his master's permission, the Shadow cannot bind up a wound.

Guihua City has so many rules.

Rules were all established by people.

If you become the person who establishes the rules, then naturally you will not be subjected to this many restrictions.

Since you have such a high ambition, why are you here,

merely acting as a shadow who receives others' orders?

Master Mei, you appear to be much better today.

How about we practice listening to sounds to distinguish locations tonight?

While you have been sick for one day, your progress has already been greatly delayed.

In order to save your own life, you really don't take other people's lives seriously.

Stand still!

Come here!

Why didn't you avoid it?

Master, killing someone requires a fatal move. Otherwise, the person who will be out of luck will be you.

Dripping this into your ear will be good for you.

- What is this? - Master, do you still remember the first day you came to Guihua City

and the young woman who fought over your name with you?

This is her fingernail, grounded into a powder. It is mixed together with gu ice from Kunlun,

and it can enhance your hearing.

What kind of terrible place is Guihua City? I'm not staying here!

I won't stay here any longer!

Chang An. Chang An, let me go.

Stop dragging me. Why are you bringing me here? Let go!

Look at her legs.

First, you heat iron until it's boiling.

Then press the two legs inside. She will suffer her punishment and won't be released until she dies.

She's just like you.

Three days ago, she also said that she couldn't do it anymore. City Master didn't permit it,

so she thought of a way to escape.

She escaped a great distance but was captured and brought back.

This guilty party was punished more severely.

After she ascended to the rank of Heavenly Assassin, she made a futile attempt to overthrow the City Master.

Both her hands and legs were chopped off.

Once you enter Guihua, it's hard to leave.

You are past the point of return.

There's only one result for a dead Wan Mei.

They are turned to dust, without even bones left.

Chang An!

Master Mei, please retrieve the hairpin you used to stab me with.

That's right! Master Mei, come up.

Tomorrow is the day they select the Earthly Assassins.

Master, are you unable to see whenever you are underwater?

At the welcome feast, the box of rouge

wasn't a gift for you. Rather, City Master wants you to die.

What did you say?

The rouge was mixed with corpse powder of the frost-winged gu cicada.

After you use it, if you enter the water, it will make you blind. The colder the water is, the more severe the effects will be.

Because of this, the selection for Earthly Assassins will definitely take place in the cold pond.

That's why you've been making me jump into the pond every day and night.

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

You've hated me a lot during this time. This feeling is correct.

Hate can sometimes bring out your greatest strength.

It was wrong of me to blame you.

You don't need to feel guilty.

I'm just trying to save my life. What you must do now

is go against the wind.

Survive and show City Master that you are useful.

You all know this. To survive in the Jianghu realm,

beauty alone will not keep you alive.

So, during the selection for Earthly Assassin,

the competition is neither in martial arts nor wits.

It's a test of your stamina and observational skills.

There is an ice-cold pond below this cliff.

It has been here since Guihua City was founded.

Back then, Guihua City had a different name.

It was owned by Empress Wu Zetian,

and managed by Shangguan Wan'er.

It was used to assassinate those court officials who wanted to gain power for themselves.

So, your task today is...

to jump into this cold pond and find the slab of rock that fell into it many years ago.

Guihua City's former name is engraved upon it.

There are four characters on this slab of rock. The girls who see these four characters

will directly become Earthly Assassins.

As for the rest of you, the City Master will consider your skills

to decide whether you stay or go.

What is it? Miss Wan Mei, are you going to give up?

Do you want me to directly decide whether to keep you or not?

[Chong]

Four characters!

There must be another slab of rock.

All right, ladies. You can tell me the answer.

Chong Er.

You only saw those two characters?

There was only one slab of rock under the water. There were only two characters on it.

But... there were more characters engraved on the cliff.

It was "Zangqin Cliff."

It's impressive that you were able to see those two characters.

In terms of beauty, you are the best out of all of them.

Did anyone else see the answer?

What a shame. The weather is great today, with no wind and a clear moon,

yet you are all blind with your eyes open.

Since it's like that, then I'll declare that Wan Xiang won.

Feng Yue Wu Bian!

"Chong Er" was engraved on the slab of rock.

Actually, it's four characters! "Feng Yue Wu Bian!"

Well said!

This isn't the first time this task was used for the Earthly Assassin selection.

Miss Wan Mei, in all these years, you are the second to see this answer.

The first being, City Master Cha Luo.

Hey, if it wasn't for you teaching me sound location and reading people,

I might have died already!

A perfect day with no wind (feng) and a clear moon (yue).

When the City Master said that, she was being especially smug.

A great day! Why did it have to be with no wind (feng) and a clear moon (yue)?

Because City Master knew the answer!

If you take away the outside ring (wu bian) on "feng" and "yue," then you get the two characters on the slab of rock,

"Chong Er!"

It turned out to be so thrilling.

No matter what, I survived. All thanks to myself!

There are twelve Earthly Assassins in Guihua City.

There is only one empty spot, but two alternates.

If nothing out of the ordinary happens, between you and Miss Wan Xiang,

one of you will still die.

There are two earthly assassin alternates now.

What do you intend to do? Give them another task?

Under today's circumstances, she still managed to survive!

I think

an ordinary question will not stump her.

I have an idea. Should I say it?

Go ahead.

You can give Gong Zi's mission

to Wan Xiang and Wan Mei, and have them go together.

On the one hand, there is nothing Gong Zi can say.

On the other hand, if she fails...

I can smoothly take her life!

That's right. Did our investigator find anything?

Not yet. But I believe that in time,

we will definitely find someone to help us fight against Gong Zi!

[Tingzhu Courtyard]

Gong Zi, as you ordered,

I was very careful while making the medicine. No one saw.

How is it? Is your illness hard to bear this time?

Gong Zi?

Don't panic.

It's fine.

There's no need to look. That person is already dead.

It must be someone from Cha Luo.

It will be cleaned up soon.

They are pushing their limits!

When my mother, Lan He, took over Guihua City,

although she helped Cha Luo become City Master, she also ruined Xing Feng.

Cha Luo hated my mother but was not strong enough to beat her.

Besides, the previous king was my mother's main supporter.

Even if she wanted to overthrow Tingzhu Courtyard, she had no way to do it.

These last few years, no one knows where my mother disappeared to

and had me take over Guihua City.

She thinks this is an opportunity for her.

That's why she often sends people to investigate my power.

You should be used to it by now.

But I think you cannot allow her to act as she pleases.

I'm not my mother.

Don't worry. When it is necessary,

I will make her realize this.

[Bi'an Chamber]

Bi'an Chamber?

Once you go inside, minimize what you say.

Just listen to Miss Yue Ying's orders.

What? You're not going in?

Shadows have no right to enter Bi'an Chamber.

[Bi'an Chamber]

Miss Yue Ying.

You've arrived? Then that is everyone.

These are your umbrellas. Take them.

[Mei]

[Xiang]

Are these the Red Demon Umbrellas?

Not yet. Once a golden lotus appears on your umbrella,

it'll become the true Red Demon Umbrella.

Are the umbrellas out there still waiting for masters?

Those umbrellas' masters... are not here anymore.

All right. Go back and investigate your mission.

"Obtain the Guajian Grass. Kill the miracle healer, Shen Mo,

in the second month of the twelfth year of Tianyou."

What does this mean?

This is your first mission. Kill the miracle healer, Shen Mo, and obtain the Guajian Grass.

Subtitles and Timing brought to you by the Bloody Romantics @viki.com

♫ I've never acted with proud indulgence. ♫

♫ See how the fallen flowers look so ignorant. ♫

♫ Your words “I will wait” prompt the racing of my heart. ♫

♫ I will wait for the wind and rain to brew this fragrant wine into a gentle drift. ♫

♫ I've never inexplicably fallen into disgrace. ♫

♫ I sigh that time is an elegant swan goose in flight. ♫

♫ I will use my lifetime of pain and loneliness ♫

♫ to welcome the simultaneous ring from the zithers into the night. ♫

♫ Who worsens the ache in my heart? ♫

♫ My heart's warmth will make these autumn leaves concentrated. ♫

♫ When will you grow drunk in the autumn wind with me, ♫

♫ so that I will be able to walk out of my dreams? ♫

♫ The zither music evokes feelings of desolation and cheerlessness. ♫

♫ Of a lifetime, the moon is always high, the dew is always heavy. ♫

♫ Alone, I foolishly sit among the blue ocean waters, ♫

♫ while the conifer plants grow in exuberance. ♫

♫ Who worsens the ache in my heart? ♫

♫ My heart's warmth will make these autumn leaves concentrated. ♫

♫ When will you grow drunk in the autumn wind with me, ♫

♫ so that I will be able to walk out of my dreams? ♫

♫ Who worsens the ache in my heart? ♫

♫ My heart's warmth will make these autumn leaves concentrated. ♫

♫ When will you grow drunk in the autumn wind with me, ♫

♫ so that I will be able to walk out of my dreams? ♫

♫ So that I will be able to walk out of my dreams. ♫