Original subtitles

"The Killing of Three Thousand Crows"

"Episode 2"

-Kill her. -Yes.

You've seen her death.

Then perhaps you should follow the will of destiny.

Do not alter the flow of fate...

while unknowingly doing so.

If you decide to defy the will of fate,

I am afraid you...

will face your own demise.

Defying fate?

So be it.

Father! Mother!

Army of 100,000 strong approached,

yet none of the beacons...

was lit during their march on the border!

Why?

Chancellor Zuo, explain.

Your Majesty,

Chancellor Zuo is not here.

Stop!

Stop!

Order from Chancellor Zuo, we can't stop until we've reached Daye Temple.

-Why? -Great calamity arrives.

What?

Order from Chancellor Zuo.

Someone will ensure your safety once we reach the temple.

Why are you wearing a black turban?

-Master! -If you refuse to turn back now,

I shall take my own life!

Turn back!

That meddling sage!

Charge!

Open the gate.

Escort the Crown Prince inside!

Wake up!

-My lord. -Why are you here?

You should be escaping!

How did the Tian Yuan army arrive so quickly?

It must be Chancellor Zuo. He is working for Tian Yuan.

He brought the demon army of Tian Yuan here.

My son!

My son!

Father, Mother.

-Run! -Run for your life!

Princess?

Princess?

Ah Man.

-Are you hurt? -I am fine.

Watch out!

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man. Wake up!

Yan Yan, let me help you escape.

Come with me.

Zi Chen.

-I'll help you get out of here. -Master, we can't save her.

Silence!

The Emperor and the Empress are dead. We have order from the Chancellor.

No life is to be spared in Li!

Silence!

Let's go, Yan Yan. Let me take you out of here.

-Master! -Silence!

Yan Yan, please come with me.

You can't stay here. We should leave.

We need to go now.

I will protect you.

I will protect you with my very life.

Tian Yuan...

Your family has been working with Tian Yuan all along?

Yan Yan.

-Master! -Stop!

Another step closer,

and I'll kill everyone of you!

Run!

Princess, we need to go.

Father, Mother.

-Your Highness. -Ah Man.

Our home is gone.

Ah Man.

Watch your steps.

Be cautious.

Your Highness, run.

Master.

Run!

Run!

Hurry up.

Ah Man!

Ah Man!

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Stop talking.

Please take care of yourself for me.

Stop talking.

I'll take you to the southern border.

We'll pay the shaman a visit.

I am sure he can heal you.

I know he can heal you.

I know he can.

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man.

Ah Man is gone.

The last of my family is gone too.

I can no longer enjoy the love from my father,

mother or brother.

The path ahead is filled with darkness.

Ah Man.

Please wait for me on the other side.

Zi Chen knows music better than you do!

What is wrong with you?

Don't you know any manners?

Master, I have lost the will to live.

Now is not the time for despair.

If you choose to take your own life,

there will be no chance to have your revenge.

Revenge?

How am I supposed...

to kill those demons on my own?

There is a sacred item...

known as the Spirit Lantern.

It is capable of absorbing spiritual energy of demons.

If you light the lantern,

it will drain all the demons in this realm their spiritual energy.

However,

if you wish to light the lantern,

you must first form a blood pact with it.

And ultimately your soul will serve as a tribute for the lantern.

You will perish into oblivion.

I will seek the Spirit Lantern.

I will kill all the demons of Tian Yuan.

I will cleanse this world of its demon plague.

For my father,

for my mother,

for my brother and Ah Man,

and for all the people of Li they have slaughtered.

-Your Highness! -Please, teach me your sorcery.

Help me search for the Spirit Lantern.

Help me avenge my nation,

save the people of Li.

Your Highness.

Your Highness, please stand up.

In order to acquire the lantern,

you must first...

abandon your identity.

Live on with another alias.

From this moment on,

the Princess of Li is no more.

Use more oil for the torch.

Stop right there!

Madam Zhao.

You could get yourself killed.

These writings are no ordinary patterns.

These are runes.

Rune?

Why do they need these?

To ward off the servants, like us.

I've heard stories as a kid,

all the apprentices of Mount Xiangqu are good-looking.

Everyone admires them.

I had to beg my parents just to get up here.

But after spending so much time here, I've never seen a sage here before.

So I thought,

maybe it's because they could get sick...

just by looking at mere peasants like us.

But Madam Zhao,

you got what you wished for in the end.

But I am still a peasant.

But you get to see the sages.

Madam, these seed shells are...

Clean them up.

Hurry up.

The wall is so tall,

even without the runes,

there is no way to get over it.

Look! The sages are here!

The sages are here!

The sages have arrived!

It's the sages!

The sages!

Over there!

That's enough, get back to your works.

The Dragon King will be here next month.

If anything goes wrong,

we're all going to be kicked off this mountain.

Hurry up.

Get back to your works.

-Let's go. -Let's get back to work.

Okay.

Let's clean this place up.

Sister.

I am having a stomachache today.

The northern temple is short on manpower.

I need to send the laundry over next morning.

It's okay, I can help out. I'll get the laundry this afternoon.

Thank you so much.

Sister Qin Chuan,

the western temple is asking for more...

flower cake you made for me last time.

I was just about to prepare more of those.

If you ever have some free time,

could you teach me how to sew?

Your sewing skills...

is the best of the whole Mount Xiangqu,

no one can surpass you.

Sure, I like the way you compliment me.

Qin Chuan.

What do they want from you this time?

Nothing, it's no big deal.

Miss Chuan.

Are you by any chance...

short on money lately?

I am always short on money.

What is it this time?

Which of the boys do you have a crush on this time?

The last time you have a crush,

did Mr. Lei accept the purse you made him?

Enough about those peasants.

You have to help me out this time.

Fine, what is it?

The Dragon King will be here next month.

The Inner Palace needs Madam Zhao to round up some external helpers...

to work for them.

The Inner Palace?

You mean the Sages' Paradise on Mount Xiangqu?

Yes!

Everyone else is acting like nothing is happening,

but they are all secretly making their moves.

Keep it down!

What is this?

I always see Madam Zhao...

chewing on these whenever she has free time.

The fish-skin flavoured seeds from Dace Town.

So I asked some men to buy some of these for me.

Qin Chuan, you should be planning for your own future.

With your diligence, if you ever became a palace servant,

you'll have a bright future ahead.

You do have a point.

Madam, how may I be of service for you?

Chuan.

This is Er Meng, my nephew.

He is new here.

He is 20 years old and unmarried.

Hello, Mr. Er.

Chuan, I am sure you've heard.

The Dragon King will arrive on the mountain next month.

I've been busy selecting the palace servants.

I have a humble request to make.

I would like to know how you feel.

I am ready to carry out any order.

Chuan, feel free to call me 'Aunty'.

You've been working here for some time.

Don't be so formal with me.

I will carry out any order you give.

Chuan.

My nephew here...

is slightly mentally challenged.

But he is very kind.

His parents died when he was a kid.

Such a poor thing.

I was thinking about sending him into the Inner Palace,

for the sake of his future.

I'll tell you a secret.

The Dragon King may seem very friendly with our master,

but the truth is,

they have never seen each other eye to eye.

The Dragon King could have other agenda for this visiting.

This is more than just some forum of discussion.

Even the people inside the Inner Palace are anxious.

Of all the servants here,

you are the most sensible of them all.

So I was planning...

for you and Er Meng to get married.

Take care of him while he is with you.

I don't want this kid to cause any trouble inside the Inner Palace.

Chuan?

Chuan? What do you think?

I do.

-You agreed? -I agreed.

Great! I know you are always so thoughtful.

Hey, Er Meng.

Stop playing with the chicken. Come over here.

Give it to me.

From now on, you two are a family.

Aunty, are you blind or what?

She is hideous.

Her face is all gloomy.

Even Miss Qing Qing's toe is prettier than her.

She can't possibly be my wife.

-But this is... -Yes.

She don't deserve to be my wife!

He is right, I don't deserve it.

-Chuan. -Listen up.

Stay away and don't bother me.

I am busy.

Don't be so rude to her!

Chicken, let's go outside.

Er Meng?

Chuan.

He always has a bad temper.

I hope you won't mind.

Of course I won't.

Your nephew is simply straight-forward.

He is frank and true, a decent man indeed.

Yes, do you like him?

-Of course. -I am glad you do.

So that settles the engagement?

Okay.

-This is great. -Aunty.

I have a request.

Sure, whatever you need.

We are a family now, don't be so formal.

Cui Ya got these seeds specially for you.

Cui Ya has always been so thoughtful for you over the years.

-I am sure you know. -I know.

I am surprised Cui Ya would actually bring me gifts.

Okay, I get your meaning.

I admire your kind heart.

Aunty, if there is nothing else,

I shall leave now.

Okay, get some rest.

Get some rest.

Qin Chuan!

Lend me some money.

Make way!

Did you make it?

Make way, excuse me.

Make way, please.

Qin Chuan! You made it!

I made it too!

Make way!

Who are you? You scared us!

I am Qin Chuan's...

He is my friend.

Chuan, my Aunty was right.

You look decent the more I look at you.

You look even better every time I see you.

Enough squabbling around.

Those who made it to the list, get your uniforms.

-Hurry up. -Yes.

Hurry up.

Let's go.

Hurry up.

After you passed the cave,

you'll reach Mount Xiangqu.

I've been lenient enough for all of you.

Today, I need to teach you some rules.

There are rules for everything on Mount Xiangqu.

If you happen to offend someone,

losing your job is the least of your worries.

-Is that clear? -Yes.

Follow me.

Qin Chuan.

We've been walking for over four hours.

When will we be there?

Mount Xiangqu is up ahead.

I want you to listen up.

No matter what you see later, refrain from yelling or screaming.

Is that clear?

Yes.

Another climb?

Are those sages living on the sky?

Hurry up. Keep walking.

Stop staring, don't fall behind.

Keep your eyes down,

and keep your heads down as well.

Don't stare around.

You are in the Sages' Paradise.

There are plenty of rules.

Do not wander to places you are not allowed,

do not do anything you are not allowed.

The other side of the mountain...

is forbidden ground.

Don't say I never warned you about it.

If you ever wander into that place,

you will lose your life.

-Did you hear me? -Yes.

We are headed into Ningbi Temple.

Mind your manners in there.

Go on, hurry up.

Stop fooling around, come inside.

Seriously? Go in there.

-Join them now. -Qin Chuan, look.

Keep your eyes down.

Lord Qing Qing arrives.

Lord Qing Qing.

All the new palace servants are here.

Zi Jin, Yi Xin,

-arrange some work for them. -Yes.

Clean the place up after this.

Yes.

Lord Jiu Yun is so dashing!

-Right! -He is so handsome.

Look at him playing the flute.

He looks so handsome doing that!

-He is so handsome. -I know!

Lord Jiu Yun is always so handsome.

-I know! -Look at how he sits, so striking!

That's right!

Lord Jiu Yun, did these servants bother your peace up there?

There are so many of them.

Did our master hire all of them?

Lord Jiu Yun, these are the new palace servants.

The Dragon King will be visiting Mount Xiangqu next month.

Qin Chuan, Lord Jiu Yun is so handsome.

-Calm your nerve, okay? -My legs are shaking.

I won't let them bother you any longer.

The shine of this jade is sparkling.

It's even warm to the touch.

This is a high quality Dushan Jade.

Is it yours?

I got it from my late mother.

Pervert.

You smell great.

Are all sages so rude and degenerate?

Miss, may I kiss you?

Shameless and loathsome!

Someone drag this worthless being out of here.

Cui Ya?

Cui Ya, wake up.

That's normal. After all, Lord Jiu Yun is one of the most handsome man alive.

I would have a crush on him if I were a girl.

Slow down.

Cui Ya?

Cui Ya?

Only those who can't differentiate wrong from right...

will be fooled by good looks.

The whole sage realm...

including the sages of Mount Xiangqu...

are trying to avoid him.

That's why he barely shows himself.

Is he ashamed of his bad reputation?

Our beloved Lord Jiu Yun...

maybe a person of subtlety,

a person of pure heart,

but at times he chooses to intoxicate himself.

She is now on Mount Xiangqu.

Who?

'She' is on Mount Xiangqu?

Hold on.

My senior risked his life saving that girl from the palace of Li.

He used all his might casting a barrier on her...

so she can't sense your presence.

And now she came right to our doorstep?

Why is she here? To repay your kindness?

Repaying kindness?

The sages, the humans and the demons.

There is balance between the three realms since beginning of time.

We don't kill demons, demons won't trouble us.

Everything has been peaceful.

But three years ago,

you killed the demon army of Tian Yuan in order to save her.

You broke the thousand years old rule.

Of course she would be grateful to you.

I would love to see...

what exactly is that girl...

trying to do here.

Brother.

The birth of love...

could be the work of destiny,

or perhaps a great calamity.

It's been years.

That girl has become smarter.

It doesn't matter.

I have time to play around with her.

Yes, play around.

You have a big heart.

Not just the heart.

I mean my responsibility!

I thought it was something else.

-Don't push me. -Er Meng.

Let me have one.

Chuan, where did they send you?

I take care of the flowers in Jade Garden.

What about you, Er Meng?

Me? What else can it be?

I do the cleaning.

Chuan, where is the Jade Garden? I want to see it.

Er Meng. I think...

a man should amount to something,

so both the husband and wife...

can look after each other...

and their love will last longer.

Understand?

No.

It means,

I will do my job and take care of the flowers.

And you do the cleaning.

That's how we make this relationship work out for us,

do you get it?

-Yes. -Yes, let's go.

Okay.

I'll have one set.

I'll go now.

-See you. -See you.

Give it to her.

My lady,

for gardening,

shouldn't I use shoulder pole and bucket?

Bucket? Why do you need a shoulder pole?

To carry the fertilizer.

The flowers can't grow well without it.

Fertilizer?

You can't bring that filthy thing into Jade Garden.

Listen closely, don't mess around.

Pardon my ignorance.

Please enlighten me.

The Jade Garden is full of mystic flowers and plants.

All you need every day...

is to fill the jar with water from Celestial Fountain...

and water the plants...

with a few drops accordingly.

That's all there is. Do you understand?

Understood.

Go on.

Next.

Qin Chuan, I am so tired!

You got the cosy job.

You just look after the plants.

Unlike me,

that stupid sacred crane pecked me!

I won't feed it again.

This is no paradise.

Even the animals are bullies.

One step at a time.

The animals are just like us.

After you spend more time together,

it will slowly open its heart to your kindness.

You wanted to come here.

You wanted to see the world and...