Original subtitles

♫ Nowhere to escape. ♫

♫ No bough to alight. ♫

♫ Retrograde with smile. ♫

♫ Never give in. ♫

♫ Forget about the youth. ♫

♫ I’ve never been afraid of loneliness. ♫

♫ I also shed the tears of regret. ♫

♫ But my heart is still fiery-hot. ♫

♫ To the distance. ♫

♫ The miserable past is like a dagger. ♫

♫ Though my wings are broken, ♫

♫ I will keep flying. ♫

♫ Following the light, ♫

♫ I’ll forget you. ♫

♫ The memory shaped my stubbornness. ♫

♫ By virtue of the light in the dark night, ♫

♫ I’ll return it with a long ballad. ♫

♫ The river of life is under my feet. ♫

♫ I don’t regret my craziness. ♫

The Long Ballad

Episode 04

Hurry.

Hurry.

Go and get her.

Have you found her?

Not yet.

There.

Hurry.

Master,

you really escaped alive.

Why are you here?

Since you want revenge,

I knew you’d definitely go to Hongyi Palace.

Hongyi Palace is heavily guarded.

In case you’ll be in trouble,

I’ve been here round the clock for two days.

See,

I’m still of some use.

What’s more,

no one knows the corners of Chang’an better than me.

Master,

keep me by your side.

Master, wait for me.

Master,

what’s this?

Not a good thing.

Save your questions.

As you said,

I won’t ask again.

I’m so obedient.

Master, can you keep me by your side?

You’ll die for this.

Go back.

All men will die,

but I think it’s worth following my heart to be with you.

Aren’t you afraid of death?

Yes, I am.

So why must you follow me?

But...

to live in infamy is more terrible than to die.

Master,

you can even smile.

Your smile is so charming.

Since you ask for death,

don’t blame me.

So you agree to take me your apprentice?

Hurry up.

What?

He ran away.

Yeah.

Unexpectedly, he ran away so fast.

I’m more interested in him.

Tegin, he’s definitely not an ordinary guy.

Su Yishe,

Does Li Jiancheng have a son or general on the run?

Not that I know of.

None of his five sons survives.

All his men have surrendered.

That is probably a mere nobody from the Eastern Palace.

It seems it’s not just us

worrying about how to leave Chang’an.

It’s my fault.

I’m to blame.

Your Highness, please allow me to deploy our men

to search the city for three days.

I’m sure I’ll catch Princess...

...the escaped criminal

to get the treasure back.

Fang Yi,

you’ve served His Highness for years.

Why’re you still talking nonsense?

Commander Fang’s arresting the criminal.

Why do you think he’s talking nonsense?

Isn’t it nonsense?

Though His Highness has granted a general amnesty,

except Feng Li and Xie Shufang, and the others,

all those involved with Li Jiancheng,

including military generals and dignitaries in royal court,

are all watching with caution.

They are all afraid that the amnesty

is just a plan to lure them out.

If you deploy men to search the city,

without knowing whom to arrest,

we would just be giving them all a chance to escape.

Keming.

It’s bad for your health if you get angry.

As people always say, using force doesn’t get you anywhere.

Try it if you don’t believe me.

Try it.

Princess Yongan was born to be timid and fragile.

How could she dare to act so boldly?

With no one backing her up,

how dare she?

Why are you looking at me?

The two princesses are childhood friends.

It makes sense for them to visit each other.

Is it reasonable for her to steal the Crown Prince’s seal?

There you go.

Princess Yongning is braver than I thought.

Are you praising her for it?

Don’t accuse me!

It has nothing to do with me.

I won’t support her to steal the Crown Prince’s seal.

Stop arguing.

Leyan is indeed in the wrong.

I have already punished her to repent in seclusion.

As for Changge,

relay my orders.

deploy a fraction of our men in plain clothes

to make inquiries secretly.

Don’t arouse a sensation in the city.

Remember,

bring her back alive.

Your Highness,

Princess Yongning’s highly skilled in martial arts.

If she resists being arrested...

I want her alive.

Don’t let me repeat it.

This is very serious.

Keep a low profile.

Yes, Your Highness.

[Bring Forth Harmony and Peace]

Duke Fang,

you said dignitaries in royal court are still watching with caution.

Do you have any suggestion?

Have you heard of how one established credibility with the use of a log?

Long ago, Shang Yang wanted

to carry out political reformations, so he put a log outside the south gate

and promised anyone who can

move the log to the north gate 200 taels of gold?

Someone gave it a shot and did get the gold,

so that people believed

the royal court would keep its words.

It sounds easy.

But where to get the log?

Isn’t there one in Yongxing Ward?

Wei Zheng.

Foster-Father.

[Great Elegance]

Foster-Father,

what happened?

His Highness is too merciful.

I worry he’ll fall victim of his own deeds.

You mean Princess Yongning?

Princess Yongning has always been the closest to His Highness.

Everybody knows she is even closer to him than to her father.

It’s natural for him not to kill her.

Nonsense!

Li Changge has been educated with civil and military skills

as a prince since childhood,

and has been domineering.

She just escaped danger.

Any normal person would be suffering from shock,

yet she committed the crime

of assassinating the Crown Prince.

These days I’ve been thinking

maybe it’s she who spread rumors in the army.

If we don’t eliminate the root cause,

it’ll be too late to try and mend things later.

But His Highness has ordered us to not harm her.

Nothing matters as long as His Highness maintains his virtuous reputation.

My reputation is not important.

To ensure the stability of our Great Tang,

I dare kill anyone,

let alone Li Changge.

You mean...

I can only entrust you with this task.

Will you let me down?

I surely won’t let you down.

By the way,

go ask Chang He

how the investigation of the rumors is going.

If there’s no progress,

tell him to step down.

Yes.

Commander Hao,

Foster-Father asked how the investigation of the rumors is going.

We’re still investigating.

Please tell Mr. Du

I’ll report to him in person once there’s any progress.

With the way you’re investigating it,

I’m afraid you won’t find anything even after a year.

You!

Let me see that note.

[Law Favors Honesty and Generosity]

[Crown Prince and Prince Qi were killed. Execute all their soldiers.]

Why’s there a fishy smell?

Officer,

I’m just an ordinary fishmonger

running a small business.

Did I...

Did I do something wrong?

Cut the nonsense. Speak!

Who told you to put the note in the fish stomach?

I don’t understand.

Tell me the truth,

you won’t be able to go back.

Spare my life.

I was given some money

to put the note into the fish stomach.

I don’t know who it is.

I can’t even read.

You must know whether it’s a male or female, fat or thin.

I know.

It’s a male.

Male?

Is it a handsome youngster

with a mole near his eye?

No, it’s a tall guy of few words.

That’s all. There’s no other feature.

All I said is true.

Spare my life, Officer.

Master,

let’s go south after the meal.

The inspection there

isn’t as strict as it is here.

They know it better than you do.

Stop eating.

- Let’s go. - Okay.

Don’t look around.

They’re Prince Qin’s men.

Let’s run separately,

and meet at the tavern in the Yining Pavilion.

Yong...

Run!

Follow her!

Stop!

Step aside!

Stop!

Yes.

I wonder what happened.

He’s quite honest.

What’s happened?

He runs a small business.

Yes.

He wouldn’t dare kill anyone.

What’s wrong?

A fishmonger is publicly exposed.

Go have a look.

Fishmonger?

Tegin.

Tegin,

bad news.

The fishmonger was caught,

and is tied up at the intersection

of Zhuque Street.

That fishmonger met Su Yishe.

Will he expose us?

Ask all our men to leave at once.

Now!

Why?

You’ve been exposed.

No way.

It’s impossible.

If they really found any clues,

they wouldn’t be publicly exposing him.

They must be doing this

because they didn’t get any useful clues.

That’s why they’re observing spectators’ reaction.

You should have been followed

when coming back from the street.

Tegin,

I’m sorry.

It’s too late.

They’re already here.

What shall we do?

Follow him!

Step aside!

Step aside!

Step aside!

Step aside!

Why do I keep running into you

in such a big city like Chang’an?

Are you following me too?

You are just in time.

Thanks.

Go.

You!

Go.

Chang He?

Why is he the one chasing after me now?

Follow her!

Come on,

Go up and have a look.

Yes.

Commander Fang.

General Chang,

are you also chasing Princess Yongning?

Princess Yongning?

Nobody is here.

I just saw her running into this road.

General Chang,

did you see her or not?

We’ve been chasing her for long in vain.

Princess Yongning? I didn’t see her.

Go over there.

Tegin,

thanks to you this time.

I’ll be more cautious next time.

It’s great you’re fine.

Thank God of Sirius for his protection.

Are you stupid?

Alright.

Su Yishe,

have you found a way to get out of the city?

Tegin, don’t worry.

I’ve found one.

[Law Favors Honesty and Generosity]

General Chang, you’re such a fool.

You just let him slip through your fingers.

That guy’s good at martial arts

and horseback riding.

He got away.

But I found this.

Fang Yi is chasing Princess Yongning.

If I’m not wrong,

she was the one

who dropped this Fish Token.

Unexpectedly, lose on one side

while gain on the other.

[Xiuwen Hall]

It’s you.

Do you know what it is?

Don’t beat about the bush.

I know you’re Li Changge’s childhood friend.

You must know her well.

Know the enemy and know oneself.

Do you want me to arrest Li Changge?

Please tell Duke Du,

there’s a room for discussion on everything

except this one.

Did you know this Fish Token

she used to sneak into Hongyi Palace is yours?

What punishment does an accessory

deserve for stealing the seal

and assassinating the Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince’s seal is missing?

Nine generations of your family will be killed for it.

Well,

I know where Li Changge’s going.

Once you’ve thought it through,

you can come to find me anytime.

A’Dou,

I found the only way

to get out of city without being checked

is that if I’m not me.

What do you mean by you’re not you?

A’Dou,

can you forge ID cards?

Forge ID cards?

Master,

I don’t know how to forge ID cards,

but I know how to be dressed up as Hu merchants.

In Chang’an,

there’re so many unknown Hu merchants.

It’s easy to blend into them among piles of goods.

Just leave it to me.

Tighten it up.

Here it is.

[Yunjin Clothing Store]

Guests,

what do you want?

We stock various kinds of satin,

ranked No.1 in Chang’an.

East to the seashore,

West to Yumenguan Pass.

Though with vast wealth,

it only costs several pennies.

What nonsense are you talking?

Master, this is a secret phrase.

Guest, sorry.

The quota of getting out of the city was filled just now.

Just filled?

Yes.

Are there no more spots?

There’s another caravan.

Go and try your luck.

Hurry.

Excuse me,

could you please take us out?

No, I can’t.

I’ve something urgent.

It’s you!

Caravans usually smuggle some goods with them.

Your hands probably aren’t clean either.

If you don’t want to be reported,

let’s make a deal.

I heard Prince Qin’s arresting the remnants of Eastern Palace

who’ll be beheaded when caught.

Do you think I’m the one who’re afraid of being reported?

How do you know?

I was right.

Why are you here?

Keep it down.

You want to alert them?

You idiot.

What?

You can’t stay in Chang’an anymore?

Since we’re in a similar situation,

please do me this favor.

Have you thought about it or not.

If you’re recognized,

all men in my caravan will be involved.

You’re not my friend either.

Why should I help you?

Caravans have a lot of carriages and goods.

They won’t search everything.

Just give me a place to hide.

If they find me,

I’ll just say that I sneaked in myself.

You’ll be innocent.

If you were as polite as you are now

when you borrowed my horse yesterday,

I might have agreed.

I had something urgent at that time.

I’m sorry.

It’s useless to say that now.

If you really want to apologize,

just give me something.

I’ve nothing to trade with you.

I think your dagger is good.

I can’t give you this dagger.

Then no way.

Go.

Master.

Get out first.

After getting out,

we can find chances to get it back.

Okay.

I agree,

but you’ve to wait till I get out of the city.

Deal.

A’Dou,

don’t risk your life with me.

You won’t be checked.

Await me at Shili Pavilion outside.

If I don’t arrive in three days,

it must be our fate.

But Master,

you’re alone...

I’m your Master.

- Why don’t you listen to me? - I...

Alright.

Master,

you must take care.

Hurry and go.

Don’t you think

Tegin becomes talkative when he meets that guy?

Tegin said

the enemy of our enemy is our friend.

Now that he’s our friend,

it’s natural for him to talk more.

Sounds right.

Officers.

It’s...

Has this person come to find a way out of the city?

You must be kidding.

- We’re decent businessmen. - Look closely.

Yes, she has.

When a caravan passed by,

she followed that caravan.

Go find her.

Wait.

Officer,

here is our passport.

Checked.

It’s identical with the goods registered.

Go.

Thanks, Officer.

Go.

Wait.

Show me the passport.

Commander,

I checked the goods just now.

There’s no problem.

Yes, they’ve been checked.

No problem.

These are common medicine, cloth and so on.

[Tonghua Gate]

It’s implicitly known that merchants smuggle goods.

Do you really have to ruin our business?

Can we go now?

Okay, let’s go.

Go.

Commander,

I’ve searched all over but still can’t find her.

Maybe she has been out.

What shall we do?

No matter how she gets out,

if she want to travel long,

she’s bound to pass the Shili Pavilion.

Deploy men to block her with me.

Call Wei Shuyu to see me.

Yes.

I deserve to die.

What’s the matter, Duke Fang?

Your Highness.

I’m sorry to let you down, Your Highness.

I’m guilty of

conniving at Changge’s treason.

No one is more cunning than you.

No wonder Keming’s unable to deal with you.

It was me who asked you

to shoulder the responsibility.

Now that Changge ran away,

I’m also to blame.

Are you trying to tell me I brought this onto myself?

I dare not.

It’s all my fault.

Come on,

you may rise.

Stop pretending.

I don’t blame you.

I didn’t expect a girl to be so stubborn.

Your Highness,

the Crown Prince’s seal matters.

This time Changge really caused big trouble.

That’s enough.

Duke Fang, lead the way.

Someone is awaiting us.

Yes.

I’ll go get everything ready.

What kind of medicine do you have?

Why did you put them with...

Why did you put them with these bodices?

Persian aphrodisiac.

What?

You!

I told you before you got in.

At your own risk.

Want to hide in this box?

No.

They’ll especially check the goods instead of the animals.

At that time,

just wrap me up in the fur and put me

in the middle of two humps.

I have a better hiding place.

You’ll never be found.

You can try it.

However,

do it at your own risk.

Why is your reaction like of a girl?

Want to buy some?

I can give you a discount.

What?

You despicable pervert.

Your symptoms are relieved now.

You’re welcome.

According to our agreement,

you’ve got out with our caravan.

Your dagger is mine now.

Wait.

How do I address you?

We just met by chance,

and will never meet again.

I entrust you with my dagger for the time being,

and will retrieve it back later.

Are you not telling me your name

because you’re scared?

Su Yishe,

give him a horse.

Well,

we lose another horse.

This deal is already a huge bargain for you.

Don’t bother me.

Let’s go.

Go.

Go.

Thanks for your horse,

but I’m still going to get my dagger back.

[Wei Manor]

Xuancheng,

I’m here again.

I’m sick,

and can’t meet guests.

Get out.

Are you still angry with me?

I failed to taste your tea last time.

Today,

I can finally have some.

Your tea is really bitter.

Well,

I’ll show you someone

who will help you recover.

Your Highness.

Mr. Wei, you’ve been sick for a long time,

I’m here specially to visit you.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Stop.

Li Changge,

what a coincidence.

I can’t believe you went after me with him.

Changge...

Wei Shuyu,

you’re indeed the princess’s good friend.

You know she’ll pass by here.

Thanks for informing me in time.

Go.

Go after her!

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Stop.

Li Changge,

you’ve no way out.

Go back with me

and take your punishment.

What’s the matter?

Heartbroken?

Don’t make it seem like I used you.

You came all the way here.

That means you’ve made your decision.

I don’t have time to waste with you here.

If you want to find her body,

get down there now.

Changge,

I’m sorry.

I’m here to invite you to be my adviser.

I will not waver.

Prince Qin,

please go back.

Do you want to follow Zhuge Liang’s footsteps

and make me come and plead you three times?

Then I must thank you in advance.

Your deeds will be recorded in the history.

The Crown Prince didn’t listen to me.

That’s why he failed.

I heard you suggested Jiancheng send me out of Chang’an.

You drove a wedge between me and my brother.

- Why? - Don’t call him your brother!

I regret not urging His Highness again back then!

We should have eliminated the root of all trouble!

Get out!

Get out!

You have slaughtered many lives.

Mine won’t be an exception.

You!

Your Highness,

it’s getting dark.

It’s time to go back.

Your Highness,

Wei Zheng is always willful.

Please forgive him.

I’m here waiting for you, Prince Qin.

You...

Don’t cover up my mouth.

Don’t stop me!

Get out!

Loyal men tend to die worthy deaths.

I’m here waiting for you!

Tegin,

I got enough water.

Su Yishe and Nu’er went ahead to explore the way,

and found substitutes for us

to head for the grassland through the pass.

But at our current speed,

it’ll take us half a month to reach Youzhou.

Half a month?

It’s too long.

- We need to hurry. - Yes.

♫ The heart gradually responds, ♫

♫ gradually revives, ♫

♫ gradually swims towards you. ♫

♫ Before bidding farewell, ♫

♫ we expect an encounter. ♫

♫ Entwist your figure, ♫

♫ and lock it into my tender dream. ♫

♫ Before the daybreak, ♫

♫ through the obsession of love, ♫

♫ the longing flows. ♫

♫ There’s always a moment ♫

♫ which burns down the wastelands in my heart. ♫

♫ There’s always solicitude ♫

♫ which freezes everything between you and me. ♫

♫ Meet each other in different time. ♫

♫ Encourage each other in different worlds. ♫

♫ My longings become a cocoon, ♫

♫ layer after layer. ♫

♫ It turns into eternity. ♫

♫ The cocoon in the dark night. ♫

♫ There’s always a moment ♫

♫ which burns down the wastelands in my heart. ♫

♫ There’s always solicitude ♫

♫ which freezes everything between you and me. ♫

♫ Meet each other in different time. ♫

♫ Encourage each other in different worlds. ♫

♫ My longings become a cocoon, ♫

♫ layer after layer. ♫

♫ It turns into eternity. ♫

♫ The cocoon in the dark night. ♫

♫ It is sleepless. ♫

The Long Ballad