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 12

Military Governor gave me the command

of coming to take over Gongsun Heng’s token.

Where’s the token?

Give it to me!

The thieves are so fast!

Let’s go!

Madam, you’d better step aside.

Don’t force us to hurt you.

This is the Manor of the Gongsun Family,

not your office.

No matter what you want to take over,

I cannot give you for I’m a woman.

I have to wait for my husband

and listen to his order.

You’d better cooperate with us.

The earlier you give it to me,

the earlier he can get rid of the suspicion.

Then you could reunite soon.

As Governor Gongsun has been detained,

his end is all up to Military Governor.

It’s not the time for you to offend us.

What a coincidence.

While I’ve been accompanying Gongsun Heng

all the time when he went on expeditions,

I won’t be scared by your sarcastic comments.

Then don’t blame me for being rude to you.

Who’s there?

Who did it?

You can say whatever you want

but do not be impudent

in front of my master.

Governor isn’t here

and Madam cannot decide for him.

You can discuss with me.

Can you decide for them?

Since Master has been arrested by you

do I have other choices?

Madam.

If you believe in me,

you can let me handle it

then you can go back to look after Yuan Niang.

Thanks for the trouble.

That’s fine.

Everyone.

Please follow me.

Oh my goodness!

Gosh! Thieves in the house!

Nonsense!

How can they come to steal here?

Are you kidding me?

Though I haven’t counted all the losses,

huge losses of the study and accountants office experienced very serious losses.

In order to minimize the loss,

we must lead troops to catch them!

All right, that’s enough. Where are your manners?

Here’s Guard Wang from Governor Sima.

Greet him immediately.

You’ve come just in time.

Please help us catch them at once!

What a joke.

Is it my business?

Give me the token at once!

Token?

It’s in the study!

Well... What bad luck!

Where’s the study?

Just over there.

Let’s go!

Senior Qin.

Thieves did come to steal.

Search here at once!

What can we do now?

My goodness. This...

Guard Wang! No token here.

Don’t try to trick me.

I don’t care about the thieves.

If I can’t get the token in three days,

there won’t be peace in the Governor Manor.

Let’s leave!

Senior Qin, how did you know that?

Sima Tu has been forcing him to submit it.

He just wanted to get the token by detaining our master.

This is...

just a delaying tactic.

Then what should we do now?

Must we give him the token?

Do you think he can mobilize the troops in Shuozhou

once he has the token?

You can try to take the token

and see if those soldiers will listen to you or not.

What do you mean?

Can’t the token control them?

Not only the token

but also the imperial jade seal

cannot control soldiers and generals in Shuozhou.

What they’re most willing to follow

isn’t an object.

But only the Governor Gongsun Heng.

Senior Qin!

- Senior Qin! - Any news?

Sima Tu asked his men to open the vault.

He wants to make peace with Ashile Tribe Army

by giving all the assets.

Oh no! We can’t yield to them!

We’ll gain nothing but the destruction!

While Governor is arrested,

he cannot command the army.

What can we do?

At the worst, we can command soldiers to rush into the jail

and rescue the Governor.

Rush into the jail?

It’s just what Sima Tu hopes for.

You can not only fail to save him

but also put Shuozhou in danger.

As he has invited and hired you to be the Registrar,

I hope that you won’t let him down.

I didn’t expect Senior Qin to be quite smart.

Even if he walks shakily and seems unable to walk well,

he’s quite clever.

Is that right, Master?

Master?

Master?

What are you thinking about?

I’m thinking about how to save Governor.

Ask thousands of elites

to surround the Military Governor Manor.

Everything could be solved

- as long as I... - You’re noisy.

We’ve just arrived in Shuozhou

and know little about here.

Even Senior Qin now has no plan.

While Gongsun Heng trusts me a lot,

how can I not rescue him?

What else can you do except hijack the prison wagon?

Or are you going to kill Sima Tu?

Why are you looking at me?

I have an idea.

Master, where are you going?

I’m going to find Senior Qin.

I’ve been waiting for you for a while.

You know I’ll come?

You must have had an idea.

Time is limited.

Just go ahead.

I do have a plan but I need soldiers.

Tell me in detail.

I need some of his reinforcements.

Then I’ll...

It’s a risky plan.

We’ll lose everything if we can’t make it,

but at the moment,

we have no other choice.

Governor Gongsun was right about you.

He had foreseen he would be arrested

before he went to the Military Governor Manor.

Then he asked me to give it to you

when the time came.

[Listen to your order.]

I won’t let him down!

Good.

Tell me what to do.

Senior Qin.

I want some of his reliable generals.

and ask them to meet me.

Fine.

I need to tell you

that I’m not helping you.

It’s all for the Governor.

Master.

Aren’t you going to discuss with him?

But why did he leave?

I’ve got the answer.

What answer?

The Governor left me a note.

What?

It’s the will of the people.

I finally know what Shen Gu means at that time.

General Guo Ning and Zhang Hui greets the Registrar.

Save the courtesy.

Please stand up.

I think you’ve known the Governor has been arrested.

Sima Tu is going to make peace by giving money.

The reason why I invite you two here

is that I hope we can cooperate and solve it.

You can tell us what to do.

As long as we can stop him from opening the gate and welcome back Governor Gongsun,

we’ll do whatever you want.

Well, in this case, I’ll get down to the point.

How many light cavalries are there in the city?

There are 6,000.

Each of us leads 3,000 soldiers.

Then transfer 1,000 soldiers

and let General Guo lead them.

Divide them into two groups.

At midnight daily, ambush Ashile Tribe’s camp outside the city.

Once they retaliate, retreat right away.

Don’t lose any troops or horses.

Yes.

What should I do?

I hope General Zhang Hui can secretly mobilize a part of the troops to go outside the city.

Station on the mountains in the northwest and northeast.

Form a triangular formation with the city’s troops.

We only have 30,000 troops in the city.

It’s hard to defend the city.

Registrar, why do we transfer them out?

If something goes wrong during the peace negotiation,

General Zhang Hui’s troops can pretend to be reinforcements.

When that time comes, we can overwhelm them for a while.

I see. Please be at ease.

It’ll be finished before they open the gate.

Thank you, Generals.

[Ample Profound Knowledge and Open Broad-Mindedness]

Master, can a note mobilize a powerful army?

It’s not up to the note

but the will of the people.

If something goes wrong, [Ample Body of Water]

maybe it’ll also bring the Governor another disaster.

When a bird’s nest is overturned, no egg can remain intact.

It’s the only plan that comes into my mind.

By the way, Senior Qin.

Could you please find a secret place?

I hope nobody knows it except you and Xu Feng.

Fine.

I wish the Governor’s judgment will be right.

Come with me.

There’s a secret room here.

How do I address you?

We just met by chance,

and will never meet again.

Well, will we be friends?

Aren’t we friends now?

Grasslands?

I don’t know anyone there.

I’d better not go there.

You know me.

What is it?

Sun.

You’ve turned into a different person since you came back from Great Tang,

For example, you smile more than before.

And the smile is...

quite creepy.

Do you keep anything back from me?

No.

Ashile Sun.

Did you fall in love with a girl in the Great Tang?

Thanks to Sirius.

Our Sun finally knows to love someone.

Don’t you have anything better to do?

Don’t change the topic.

Just tell me whether I’m right or not.

You’re right.

It’s so boring.

Fire!

Where’s the water?

Put out the fire!

Fire!

How could it be like this?

- Tegin. - Didn’t you tell me Gongsun Heng has been arrested?

- I... - How was there a night attack?

I...

Report!

Tegin!

Our provisions were put on fire by the Tang Army!

Have you put out the fire?

Go to put out it as it’s kindling!

- Why do you report to me? - Yes!

Is it useful?

Go!

You’d better make it clear.

Otherwise I’ll kill you

and then massacre the city!

Yes!

I’ll go to see Sima Tu now.

Right now!

[Shuozhou]

What happened?

Bear Division’s provisions have been set on fire.

They’re putting out the fire.

While we only lost a few camps.

No casualties.

Those who attacked us are like flies.

They’re so annoying,

but we can’t catch them.

It’s funny though.

Bear Division was the one that was hit badly each time.

And he takes no precautions.

What are you thinking about?

Gongsun Heng’s been in command of troops for decades.

He only defends and doesn’t attack.

It’s quite abnormal this time.

It seems that...

there’s another expert in Shuozhou.

Expert...

A secret way.

There’s a secret way under the Governor Manor.

It should be built early in the Sui Dynasty.

Pretty nice.

A’Dou.

Remember all my following words.

In the future,

what you hear and see here

are prohibited to tell others.

- Will you remember? - Yes.

Though I don’t know why,

Since you’re up to something great,

I’ll do what you ask me to do.

Young Leader.

What happened? Any casualties?

No casualties in the army.

We ambushed them after lights out, then ran.

These repeated ambushes caused them great turmoil and made them unable to sleep.

I think maybe they’ll leave

because they might be tired of it.

We’ve achieved our objective.

We need a new approach.

What do you mean?

It’s just that this approach will be hard on you, Xu Feng.

Governor.

Didn’t I tell you not to come? Why do you...

Tu Kashe asked me to come and ask your plan.

If you’ve changed your mind

of not opening the gate to surrender,

then I can go back and report to him.

At that time,

bear the consequences yourself.

We’re still making an inventory of the Shuozhou vault.

Within two days, we’ll provide the Declaration of Surrender.

So why did you say that?

Our camp is being ambushed by Shuozhou’s garrison each night.

The entire camp can’t sleep peacefully and are in a terrible fix.

Is this the sincerity of your peace negotiation?

How did that happen?

You’re in charge of the four prefecture’s troops.

and Gongsun Heng has been arrested.

Will I believe that you know nothing?

Gongsun Heng is in jail and it’s impossible for him to escape.

It’s impossible for him to command the army.

My dear brother.

It’s said that

Gongsun Heng’s token has been stolen by a thief several days ago.

It seems

the thief must be the troublemaker.

Recently,

my men have been guarding those in the Governor Manor very closely.

The whole family is there.

I’ll send Wang Li now

to search the whole city!

Even if they have to dig three feet under the ground, we’ll find him.

In this case, I have one more favor to ask of you.

I already know where that thief is.

It seems you’ve been monitored all the way.

Haven’t you noticed that?

Did Gongsun Heng ask you to do so?

I know he hides his malicious intent!

He wants to rebel!

Soldiers.

Take him away.

Brother.

Let me deal with him.

I promise I’ll bring him the gruesome tortures.

Bring him to the room.

Enough.

It’s impossible for you to die.

While it’s also uneasy for you to survive.

You...

You bastard!

Then it means you refuse to tell.

Are you sure that you’ll only bring that many people for tomorrow?

The eastern side of Shuozhou’s mountains is dangerously steep and it’s full of swamps.

No ambush has ever occurred there.

Because of this geographical advantage,

Gongsun Heng never guarded it much.

Those people...

are enough.

The scout came to report

that the military counsellor of Bear Division

went to Shuozhou again tonight.

that tomorrow’s acceptance of surrender is fake,

and they’d attack the city instead.

If Tu Kashe plans to do so,

he can cooperate with us.

But I don’t think Registrar Li will do nothing.

I don’t know whether Tu Kashe can handle him.

Registrar Li?

I’ve investigated him.

He’s the new registrar of Shuozhou.

He came from another province.

He hasn’t worked for long.

Xu Feng?

It’s all my fault.

You were exposed?

They noticed me.

I could finally escape after fighting against them for long.

And I came back after circling several hours.

Never mind.

Go and treat your wounds.

Don’t show yourself for a while.

I’ll tell you!

That’s right.

I know where Registrar Li is.

I can bring you to find him.

I know where their hideout is.

- I won’t escape. - Fine.

If you can capture the registrar,

I’ll reward you a lot.

If you escape,

you know your end.

Is he Registrar Li?

That’s right.

A wise man submits to fate.

Kill him.

Kill him!

I’ve never thought

you can be so heartless.

Good.

I like it.

Dispose of him!

Congratulations to Ibukan!

I’ve already killed Registrar Li

and the list of presents is prepared.

Shuozhou is all ours

so do I need it?

I’ll replace Tegin to reward you.

Thanks, Siqin and Tegin. (Siqin=Commander and Tegin=General)

Let’s go.

The military counsellor said Registrar Li has been killed

and the list of presents is prepared.

What’s the full name of Registrar Li?

I’m not clear about it.

By the way, is Young Master Shisi’s last name Li?

Many people in the world are of the same surname.

Maybe he’s not your Young Master Shisi.

Ask a team of soldiers to follow Tu Kashe.

Don’t let him die so easily.

I know.

[Shuozhou]

Military Governor Sima Tu

replaces Shuozhou Governor Gongsun Heng

to open the gate and handle our list of presents.

We beg that Ashile Tegin

has the virtue of cherishing lives

and spares the lives of the whole city.

Thanks to Your Grace.

We’ll be all grateful for your kindness.

Give it to me.

Here’s the list of presents we’re going to submit.

Please look it over.

Okay.

How could it be like this?

How can he still be alive?

Surrender or not?

What do you mean?

Did you set me up?

Please allow me to explain!

You want it the hard way?

Wait...

Halt!

Otherwise I’ll kill you!

Oh, no! Things might have changed in the city.

Warriors!

The Tang Army wronged us first. You can’t blame us!

Come on!

Let’s attack!

Fight!

Fight!

Fight!

Fight!

Release the arrows!

Signal using the flag.

Ask 5,000 soldiers

to drive them to the river bank!

Tegin.

Registrar Li is now in charge of operations.

As they lay in an ambush and we lack soldiers,

shall we go back to join the main forces?

Did you tell me that Gongsun Heng was arrested

and his counselor died?

I...

Stop the attack!

Retreat!

If you don’t know their intentions,

you can’t be friends with them.

If you know nothing about the terrain,

you cannot lead a troop.

Next,

it’s all up to General Guo.

Yes.

As the Military Governor has died in front of the army

and we need a commander,

it should be replaced by the official

with the highest position.

Yes, I’ll now take our master out.

Sima Jian is right that there’s no water in July.

It’s convenient for us to march.

Brothers! Follow up!

As we arrive in Shuozhou,

that place is ours!

You can do whatever you want!

Go!

Hurry!

Stop!

Please save us, Siqin!

The Tang Army laid in an ambush and pursuing troops are behind us.

Tegin.

Remind me to kill Registrar Li myself

after we conquer Shuozhou.

Teqin.

They stop their attack.

Why don’t you keep on chasing? Come on!

Come over here!

Come here!

Hurry!

Retreat!

Speed up!

[Governor Manor]

All thanks to Registrar Li.

Shuozhou may be in danger without him!

Good strategy!

Kill Sima Tu with the help of Bear Division.

Well, I have a question.

How did you predict that he’ll come to attack?

Sima Tu fears death.

As he tried to make peace with the Ashile Tribe,

it’s just to bring disaster upon himself.

Their ambition is not only to plunder food and money

but also to conquer the city with the chance.

They’re very greedy.

I was making use of the opportunity.

I see.

Xu Feng deserves a lot of credit for our success this time too.

If Xu Feng didn’t work with me to put on an act,

it wouldn’t be easy to trick Sima Tu.

It’s just a bit of physical torture.

I won’t hesitate to lose my life to save my master.

We ought to be loyal for being with Master for so many years.

Yet you just came to Shuozhou for a short time,

and you’ve disregarded your own safety.

I really admire you.

Well, I want to ask you one thing.

If I stab you a little deeper,

I’m afraid it will go through the blood pack and into your heart.

Why do you trust me so much?

What I trust

is your loyalty to the Governor.

Well spoken.

It’s really my great privilege

to work with the loyal warriors like you.

Commandant Li.

I should thank you too.

Senior Qin, what did you call me?

Commandant of Light Chariot, Li Shisi.

You filled up the dam upstream,

and then released the water to drown the enemy.

Commandant Li.

Your plan was great.

Shuozhou was safe

from being handed over

because of your great contribution.

Please accept my bow

on behalf of the people in the whole city.

Governor!

I don’t deserve that, Governor.

I’ve let you down

for letting someone rescue Tu Kashe.

Come on, rise.

Rise, all of you.

Bear Division seemed to move all his troops this time.

I’ve never thought that...

Are you worried about Eagle Division?

Eagle Division?

It’s the strongest division of Ashile Tribe.

They’re not incompetent as Tu Kashi’s army.

If they still have the energy to attack...

It’s impossible to cross during the flood tide.

There are mountains in the southeast

and mires are all over the outside of the east gate.

Even Shuozhou people have to make a detour.

Therefore,

we should move troops from the east to the west.

Okay.

Listen up.

Just do as he said.

- Yes. - Yes.

Tegin.

The Tang Army is really cunning.

They set a trap and even used you to kill my brother.

Registrar Li of Gongsun Heng is my deadly enemy!

What?

Do you feel bad that I killed Sima Tu?

No.

It’s due to my brother’s incompetence.

As the Military Governor, he cannot control a Governor.

It’s his fault.

My loyalty to you can be proven by the Heaven.

Though Sima Tu has died,

I still have the opportunity

to provide you the information about Shuozhou.

I hope you could give me another chance.

Remember that

I can kill you at any time.

I know.

I won’t let Registrar Li escape again.

Report!

Tegin.

Ashile Sun gathered soldiers and left all of a sudden.

I don’t know where they went.

Attention please, everybody!

I’m going to tell you a story today.

At that moment, I saw with my own eyes

that Registrar Li flipped in the air

and then released a dark-steel arrow

of more than 50 kilograms.

The arrow avoided our soldiers accurately.

With no diversion of its trajectory,

it hit right in the list holding by the Ashile Tegin.

Good!

We shouldn’t call him Registrar Li anymore.

Governor has put up the notice

that he’s promoted to the position of a Commandant.

That’s it.

He’s pretty young

and he’s now become Governor Gongsun’s right-hand man!

It’s the luck of Shuozhou!

I agree.

[Governor Manor]

I’ve never thought that

you can help my husband to defeat enemies

in only a few days.

It’s really my good luck to meet you.

Let me toast to you with a cup of tea.

I’m flattered.

It’s my great honor to work with Governor to guard Shuozhou.

You’re so slender.

It’s cold in the north so you should wear more clothes.

I’ll find some suitable cloth

and make you some suits.

Madam, you treat me so well.

I’m very moved.

She wants to do something for you.

I think you should accept it.

If you don’t mind,

you can consider here as your home.

Thank you, Governor.

Thank you, Madam.

It’s been my first time

to feel the warmth and love again

after my mother passed away.

Madam, I want it too.

Don’t worry. I’ll make for you too.

Make some more for him.

- Let’s eat first. It’s almost cool. - Yes.

Governor.

Our granary was on fire.

It’s already reduced to ashes.

What?

Eagle Division did it.

Any casualty?

The fire spread rapidly

but Imperial Guard Xu has led us to put it out.

No civilian was involved.

He’s right.

- You can leave. - Yes.

Governor.

Is it the special forces you’re worried about?

They’ve finally come.

I’ve never thought they could arrive so quickly.

Governor.

We found some paulownia boards in the swamp outside the east gate.

As their cavalries march fast,

maybe they’ve crossed the swamp

with the help of the boards.

Governor.

This is all because of my negligence.

Because of our geographical advantage, moving our troops from east to west.

I’m willing to redeem myself.

Please send me to the east to face the enemy.

That’s enough.

♫ 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