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 49

Shuyu,

along the way,

I’d be impulsive and reckless at times.

Sometimes, I’d misunderstand you.

Thanks for your tolerance and help all the time.

I know you don’t want me to be courteous,

but I really want to thank you.

After parting today,

I don’t know when we’ll meet again.

Changge,

- take care. - Take care.

Take good care of Changge.

I wish you two happiness.

Brother Wei.

Thank you.

A’Sun, do you think Mimi will like this place?

What if she dislikes it?

When you dream of her,

you may ask her.

There’s a lot of water and grass here.

She’ll like it for sure.

Changge,

when breaking into the execution ground,

have you thought you might not have returned?

Have you thought of your life when saving me in Chang’an?

In fact,

I saw the proposal letter you gave to my mother.

Then...

what do you think?

I think...

I think...

we don’t need the unnecessary and overelaborate formalities.

It’s enough to have you in my life.

Me too.

It’s enough to have you in my life.

By the way,

how did you contact General Li?

After you were taken to Dingxiang,

are you still in contact with him?

In fact,

before leaving Chang’an,

I made an agreement with him.

Brother Li,

no, General Li.

Brother Qin, nice to meet you again.

I’m afraid we can’t be friends anymore.

It doesn’t matter.

Brother Qin,

do you remember what I said

when we parted in Luoyang?

The benevolent has no enemy.

That’s it.

But now Princess Yicheng

takes Khan hostage to control all tribes,

manipulating the grassland and desert,

and caring nothing about the public,

so the war expands and lasts,

plunging the people into misery.

We’re at different sides.

Customs of the grassland and Central Plain differ as well,

but our people all fear war and long for peace.

I want to know whether

you can forget about the differences

and save people from sufferings.

I have one condition.

Please speak.

I want your side to help me save Yanli Khan out.

Okay, I promise you.

Though warlike Ashile Chuobi broke up our alliance countless times,

he still kept his promise after the battle on Wei River.

He doesn’t deserve to die.

Thanks for your righteousness.

But now I’m in prison,

and am unable to live in either Dingxiang or Central Plains.

How can I help you?

You have to return to Dingxiang and reclaim Eagle Division.

But it’ll be too dangerous.

If you want to accomplish this,

I’m afraid it will be next to impossible.

Ashile Sun,

You were hiding things from me again.

You never change.

I won’t dare to do it again.

I won’t do it again.

A’Sun,

do you like Chang’an?

You want to go back?

I had better not.

It may be troublesome to have many acquaintances.

So where do you want to go?

I haven’t decided yet.

A’Sun, I’m sorry.

I promised you to live freely

far from the secular strife

and enjoy the sightseeing over the world,

but if I turn a blind eye to the current situation,

I can’t be at ease.

I’m afraid that promise between us will have to be fulfilled a bit later.

Changge, I know what the second wish is now.

You’re still talking about those three wishes?

Let’s not talk about that.

Last time as soon as you told me the first wish,

you got shot with an arrow.

I’m afraid it brings bad luck.

Just forget it.

It’s the first time I’ve seen a person easily breaking a promise like you.

It’s not the case.

All right, tell me then.

The second wish is for you

to never apologize or say thank you to me again.

These words are not needed between the two of us.

That’s it?

Isn’t the second wish too easy?

Just do as I said.

Then tell me the third wish too,

so I’ll fulfill my promise sooner.

The third wish...

Let’s talk about that later on.

We still have a long time together.

Hao Du,

why are you here?

Under the Princess’s order.

Aren’t you getting married soon?

We’ve already had the ceremony.

That’s great.

Wait, you shouldn’t have come here.

I have to protect the people Leyan cherishes.

Alright.

Prince Consort is here, he’ll double our strength.

- Report! - Go ahead.

According to scouts in the east,

Dingxiang troops are found in Baidao.

It seems Yicheng

wants to break through from Qikou and pass by Baidao.

Send word to Li Ji immediately to block them from the front.

Then we’ll surround them from the rear.

Yes.

General Li,

You sent scouts to check in two directions.

but one of them hasn’t returned yet.

There’s a possibility.

What possibility?

It doesn’t mean there’s no enemy in this direction.

Maybe scouts have been ambushed and can’t return.

I’ll go have a look with Eagle Division,

so the main forces can stay here.

I’ll go with you.

No, you can’t.

It’s just my guess.

I may return empty-handed or face danger.

You’d better stay with General Li as his adviser.

But...

Princess,

I’m afraid I can’t let you go with him.

We’ll leave with the troops.

No one will be staying in the main tent.

There must be someone dealing with important messages

or our military plan may be delayed.

Prince Consort’s skillful in battles.

Can you stay with Princess here just in case?

If any emergency,

you two can work together and deal with it.

I won’t let you down.

I won’t let you down.

Unexpectedly,

the previously unruly and arrogant little princess

making trouble with horses

now rises to the occasion to guard your country.

I really appreciate your hard work all the time.

You’re too kind, General.

I just want to do what I can to help bring peace to the world.

Yicheng is very cunning.

Please be very careful.

Don’t worry.

She’s at her wits’ end.

This time,

we must eliminate the problem

for our country, the grassland and the desert.

Sun,

I’ll go with you.

Mu Jin, but you just—

I’m not only your brother but the Military Counsellor of Eagle Division.

How can I be coward

and let you a Commander in Chief resist the enemy?

Okay.

We’re followed by many soldiers.

Tuluk,

take Young Khan away.

- The rest is on me. - Yes.

Wait,

on you?

You mean killing more people?

You can live without killing people

because such things are all on us.

I’ll be the bad guy. You can be the good guy.

If it’s really for the sake of my mother, please stop here

and avoid committing crimes.

Your mother raised you in vain.

Leave!

Tuluk.

Let’s go, Young Khan.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Stop.

Stop.

We’re so lucky.

God seems to be on our side.

It’s not up to you to decide what luck you have today.

God knows you’d be here.

If you want to take revenge,

just do your best.

Sun, you go first.

Leave him to me.

Okay.

Stop them.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

- She’er. - A’Sun.

I said I’d neither go with you,

nor surrender to you,

just like you’ll never surrender to me.

All stand back.

Don’t you understand?

Yes.

You don’t understand what Mimi died for.

She died for freedom rather than your arrow.

A person like you who only obeys orders

and tramples on lives instead of valuing your own life

will never understand.

I’m not ordered but entrusted to do so.

I’ve to keep my promise.

She’er, must you be like this?

Were you moved because I set you free in Dingxiang?

Don’t show mercy later.

Come on, you’re more merciful.

You...

Why?

I’m tired.

If there’s one in the world that can kill me, it must be you.

She’er,

don’t punish yourself other people’s mistakes.

You’re innocent.

I’ll atone for my mother’s crimes.

Sun, promise me to set my men in Wolf Division free.

They’re warriors of Ashile Tribe and shouldn’t fight for Dingxiang.

You’re Young Khan.

You ought to lead them

to a free life yourself.

A’Sun,

I want to have another fight and drink with you.

I wonder if there’s a chance.

There is, of course.

When the war ceases,

and the grass sprouts in the grasslands again,

we’ll meet again for sure.

Go west

as far as possible.

Wolf Division!

Let Wolf Division go!

Go.

General Du,

General Li broke through the enemy’s ambush in Qikou.

Now both sides are in a war.

- Get more news. - Yes.

General Li’s so fast.

The Sui Dynasty has perished. My second uncle has been in many battles.

What he was after was order.

Governor Gongsun guarded Shuozhou for decades.

What he was after was defense.

However, General Li is different.

Speed is very important in battles.

He’s concerned about suffering.

Charge!

General Du,

leaders of all tribes fled from the western mountain pass

following Yicheng’s carriage.

General Li can’t go there now.

We need cavalries for reinforcements to stop them.

I’ll go.

We can’t let Yicheng escape.

Take more soldiers with you. Be careful.

What about Eagle Division?

At the entrance of Wuduo Valley,

Eagle Division encountered the enemy’s army and split up.

Their leader, Lei Meng, was killed.

Tegin of Eagle Division detoured to block Ashile’s Young Khan.

- I see, go on. - Yes.

This is bad, let’s go.

Everybody.

The alliance between Great Tang and your tribes

is for common prosperity and long-term well-being.

Yicheng got you all involved for her own benefits.

Are you still going to risk your life for her?

Our country doesn’t want to be your enemy.

If you stop fighting against us now,

you can be free from war and return to your hometowns.

Go home and take care of your family.

And your tribe

can continue living with your herds or cows and sheep by the water and grass.

If you’re too stubborn to agree,

and go on fighting against us,

our country will

never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Never give in!

Go.

Go.

I’m going home to raise my children.

Whoever is willing to go on fighting, do it yourself.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Go.

- Go. - Go.

We won’t fight as well.

Good news!

We’ve won!

General Li’s back.

Congratulations on your defeating the enemy!

Please be assured.

Hao Du already went to catch her.

He surely won’t let Yicheng get away.

Well done.

Hao Du.

How did it go? Did you catch her?

Leaders of all tribes surrendered,

but Yicheng wasn’t in the carriage at all.

She’s not on the battlefield and she didn’t escape in a carriage.

Where exactly is she?

Maybe she didn’t want to escape at all.

Are you here to ridicule me?

I’m just very scared thinking about it now.

I almost made the same mistake as you back then.

You loser.

To achieve your objective,

you’ve calculated everything and killed countless people.

I’d rather be a loser than being like you.

You don’t understand.

You’ll never understand.

I’m the Princess of Sui Dynasty.

I was born and grown up in Sui Dynasty.

That’s my homeland.

I must save it!

Your hometown still exists.

It doesn’t disappear.

Its land still exists.

Its people still exist.

It was the people who suffered most.

What’s gone is just the glory of your imperial family.

Is that glory really that important?

Imperial family?

How can I be considered a member of the imperial family?

I’m just a daughter of someone from the imperial clan.

The most glorious day of my life

was the day when I received the title of princess.

I’ve never been to the palace before.

I’ve never worn such extravagant attire,

received so much praise from people,

and welcomed by hundreds of officials.

They said that starting that day,

I’m a princess of the Sui Dynasty.

I’ve to marry a Khan of the grassland.

From now on,

you’ll be my company.

I, Lei Meng, will do my best

to protect Your Highness till death.

I agreed to marry Khan.

That was not only my glory but also my fate.

I’m a princess of the Sui Dynasty.

I’m willing to sacrifice for it.

I don’t need your pity I don’t need your pity

Those so-called imperial family’s daughters

and even princes are all inferior to me!

They knelt down and begged for mercy.

They cast their country aside just to survive.

Only me.

For thirty years,

only I,

confined to the grassland,

haven’t discarded our country.

Come back.

Sui Dynasty has already perished.

Where do you want me to go back to?

Your homeland is still here.

Chang’an is still here.

Daxing Palace is still here.

Trees in the palace were planted during Sui Dynasty.

In my childhood, I used to

climb up the tree with friends to skip our classes.

As long as you’re willing to come back and submit to Chang’an

according to my knowledge of Second Uncle,

he won’t kill you.

If I am someone who’s willing to humble myself to survive,

I wouldn’t have gone down this path.

Even you, Li Changge, will you still return to Chang’an?

Yes.

I was wrong.

My life is nothing but a humiliating joke.

I don’t seek anyone’s forgiveness.

But I still have to thank you

for accompanying me at the end of my life.

♪ The past can’t blow away the moonlight, ♪

♪ or be forgotten. ♪

♪ I can’t forget where to look back. ♪

♪ Ah ah ～ ♪

♪ The dark side of the world turns to frost. ♪

♪ What if persistence disappears like fleeting glory?

♪ It’s okay to forget. ♪

Grandma,

is this Chang’an?

Yes, we’re back home.

[Chang’an]

Father.

Father.

We won Dingxiang back.

We won Yinshan back.

Father,

don’t worry.

I’ll take good care of Leyan.

Father,

we’ll take good care of each other.

You can rest in peace now.

Your Majesty, my condolences.

Did she die a painful death?

You mean Li Changge?

Princess achieved her goal,

so she can rest in peace.

In the end, did she mention anything?

She said she was grateful to you.

Anything else?

She said she liked reading.

On each year’s Cold Food Day,

please burn books as sacrificial offerings.

I’ve watched her growing up,

but I never knew she liked reading.

Didn’t she like reading?

She seems to like it.

Li Yaoshi.

How dare you cheat me?

I’m sorry,

but it’s all because of Li Changge.

I’m forced to do so.

You may rise.

What happened at all?

Changge!

Changge!

Didn’t you promise me

- never to... - Never to risk my life alone.

So why did you rush in instead of waiting for me?

I know I was wrong.

Don’t be mad at me.

Princess.

Princess, are you not going back to Chang’an with me?

General Li, what’re you talking about?

Everything has gone with the fire.

There’s no Princess.

You’re so determined.

I’m the one who paid a double cost.

General Li,

if His Majesty asks about me,

let him remove my name from historical records.

There’ll be no Li Change in the world from now on.

Thank you, General Li.

I know nothing.

Where are you two planning to go now?

Don’t ask where we’re going.

Anyway, we’ll still be in this world.

No one can escape.

If His Majesty asks,

tell him to let things run its natural course.

Fine.

Maybe one day you’ll meet again.

Changge,

is such a prosperous Great Tang

what you want?

Having traveled around for long,

I’m increasingly aware that

only when the country is in peace

can the people live in contentment;

only when the country is strong

can its citizens not be afraid of living in misery and suffering.

In the past, I’ve only considered my own glory and disgrace.

Now I can finally let go.

Today the country is well-governed;

people benefit a lot from His Majesty’s grace;

each can use their talents;

the world is in peace.

This seems to be a period of prosperity.

Second Uncle,

thank you so much

for not letting our country and people down.

[The Long Ballad]

♫ 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