Original subtitles

Subbed and Timed by the Lang Ya Bang Team @ Viki

Episode 12

At the time, Brother Li held the position of Imperial Tutor,

but he never refused the common folks.

He established lecture halls outside the Palace walls

and his pupils were spread across the land.

But there were a few students he was proud of.

I've seen all of them.

But you...

it seems that we have never met before.

I was not a quick study, a discredit to my teacher's name.

I also did not receive his teachings for long,

so it's natural, Master Zhou, that you do not know me.

So be it.

As long as Brother Li's keepsake is here,

I am obliged to help.

However, it is unfortunate that the reason to see this keepsake again, after so many years,

is for matters of the Court.

When Brother Li left the Capital after he was dismissed,

he was full of resentment and vowed never to return.

Who knows if my current foray into the Court

is something that Brother Li would have agreed to.

At the time, Teacher knew he was going against the Emperor,

but he did not waver from his convictions, remaining outspoken and just.

It is the character of a great philosopher.

Hence, I believe

that there are many paths in the world.

Secluding oneself in the mountains is one way, displaying oneself in Court is another.

If you can maintain a pure heart and not give voice to opinions contrary to your conscience

or to immoral thoughts, then

why worry over where it is you stand?

Do you know why Brother Li treasured this jade cicada?

To have no desire, ascetic. TN. Extract from "Ode to the Cicada" by Cao Zhi (192–232)

Content in being solitary, sing,

Call brightly, ferociously.Like an honorable man.

Very good.

I am glad that in this life

I can meet another exceptional pupil of Brother Li.

I am content. Give me your hand.

That you traveled so far in this dreary winter at your age

only for the ties of friendship,

I am very grateful.

Seeing this jade cicada, a trip to the Capital is nothing.

I shall not excuse even a trip to the border lands.

Well then,

seeing as the matter you've entrusted to me has been resolved,

it's time for me to return to the temple.

Farewell.

Take care, Master Zhou.

Oh,

back then, Brother Li had a favorite pupil.

While he was from a Martial family and was high spirited,

he was also extremely bright. Had you been there,

you and he would have been a glorious pair.

Thank you for your favor.

It is a shame to not be able to meet such a person.

Yes, a shame,

we can never meet that person again...

Subbed and Timer by the Lang Ya Bang Team @ Viki.

Chief, Chief are you alright?

She's here...

I don't know why. Nihuang has recently began to suspect my identity,

constantly investigating and inquiring everywhere.

I probably can't hide it from her any longer.

If Princess Nihuang keeps pursuing in this manner,

there could be trouble.

Nihuang to me

is different than other people.

If Mei Changsu cannot keep it from her,

then let Lin Shu dissuade her.

Chief.

Since Young Prince Mu is here

to escort Master Zhou home,

My Lady need not have come.

Isn't Sir Su here as well despite the snow?

It's the middle of winter and yet Master Zhou is willing to travel for you.

It looks like the power of the Jiangzuo Alliance

is far greater than it seems.

We are just a bunch of misfits.

Fate brought us together, thus we formed a brotherhood,

putting righteousness as our tenet,

not questioning our birthrights or our sources.

Thus we reached where we are today.

Sir Su, are you trying to tell me

that the person you sent to help me with the naval battle

is also someone whose background

you know nothing about?

That person came from the Jiangzuo Alliance.

Sir Su, surely you would know.

If even Sir Su doesn't know his background,

then it seems that I know more than you, Sir.

What else does My Lady know?

That, although he changed his name

and modified his appearance,

I still recognized him.

Sir Su, do you not want to know who he is?

Who is he?

His surname is not Yun, his name is Wei Zheng.

He was a Lieutenant in the Chiyan Army,

under the command of Marshal Lin Shu.

He is also a convict.

First on the Langya List, Mei of Jiangzuo.

You hold the reins of the largest alliance in the Pugilist world.

and Wei Zheng takes orders from you.

To say that you don't know his background...

it's somewhat hard to believe.

So what if you believe

or not.

Then please tell me,

within the Jiangzuo Alliance

is Wei Zheng the only former member of the treacherous Chiyan Army?

Do you believe that the Chiyan Army committed treason as well?

I don't know.

I was very young at the time.

But I believe,

the people I knew

would never betray the Emperor and country.

Since My Lady is clear on this point,

why delve so?

There's no point in judging this now.

The case is closed.

The Crown Prince and Prince Yu would never redress this case for the Chiyan army,

because this case

is one of their great accomplishments.

Correct.

Who would put their hope in the Crown Prince or Prince Yu for this?

There is only one way to reach the goal.

Prince Jing.

So the person you really want to help

has always been Prince Jing.

My Lady, the weather is cold, you should rest.

No matter, you may leave.

Yes, My Lady.

Sister Chen,

Jingyan has decided on a perilous path.

Dark times and uncharted futures.

Should your noble soul hear me,

please bless him.

Yes,

only Prince Jing can do it.

But it's so hard.

One wrong step and he would be at Death's door

with no hope of return.

Who ever thought of turning back?

Had Wei Zheng thought to turn back?

Wei Zheng is different.

Wei Zheng is a former member of the Chiyan army.

He wants to redress the injustices!

But what about you?

Who are you?

When I came to the Capital under the name of Su Zhe,

many people wondered who I was.

Some asked me directly, others investigated covertly.

But soon, they all arrived at an answer.

So no one thought to asked further,

who Mei Changsu is?

I never expected

that you would be the first person to ask me this.

How would you like to answer?

Former member.

Former member like Wei Zheng.

If you are a former member of the Chiyan army,

why do I not know you?

The Chiyan army had 70,000 soldiers. How could you know them all?

But I know Wei Zheng.

He was a Lieutenant in Chiyu Battalion.

He takes orders from you.

I will not believe that you were a lowly-ranked soldier.

What we are scheming on has nothing to do with war.

Wei Zheng is not good at such endevours.

Furthermore,

his identity must not be exposed.

Do you know Lin Shu?

I know.

- Did he really die in battle?- Yes.

- Where?- Meiling.

Where is he buried?

Heaven and Earth entomb the 70,000 Chiyan soldiers.

Nobody collected his remains?

Not even one thing?

The battle was devastating.

Corpses piled like a mountain.

Who could tell which was Lin Shu?

I know what a battlefield looks like.

But if you were a former member of the Chiyan army,

why is it that when I mentioned Lin Shu,

you did not refer to him as Marshal,

but directly said his name?

Just a name,

whether it be Lin Shu or Marshal

or whatever, it's not important anymore.

There was a mole here.

I remember there was a mole here.

♫ The west wind blows pass in the night, cold rain in the mountains. ♫

♫ Home and country, remembered vaguely in broken dreams. ♫

♫ Thinking of you, yet to not see you, brings forth further sorrows. ♫

♫ Separation is hard to bear, but we must. ♫- I know it's you.

I know you are my Lin Shu-gege.

♫ When will the flames of war rest. ♫

♫ Everything washes away in the river of time. ♫

♫ The candles are spent, but tears will not dry. ♫

♫ The land is as always, but she is not. ♫

♫ Separation is hard to bear, but we must separate. ♫

♫ Entrusting the wild geese to head south,but where shall this heart go? ♫

♫ She is no longer,while the firmament rotates as always ♫

Nihuang . . .

A woman's intuition is always so inexplicable.

The less there was to go on, the more I suspected.

♫ Everything washes away in the river of time. ♫

♫ The candles are spent, but tears will not dry. ♫

♫ The land is as always, but she is not. ♫Lin Shu-gege

♫ Separation is hard to bear, but separate we must. ♫

♫ Entrusting the wild geese to head south, ♫- Lin Shu-gege,

please don't leave me anymore.

Don't ever leave me anymore.

♫ Only this love is unchanged. ♫

♫ Separation is hard to bear, but separate we must. ♫

But I am no longer the Lin Shu you knew.

♫ But where shall this heart go? ♫

♫ She is no longer,while the Firmament rotates as always. ♫

♫Only this love is unchanged. ♫I was always supposed to protect you.

I thought that I could always protect you.

You have! Ever since I handed the Southern Border

to Qing-er (Prince Mu), T/N: -er - diminutive endearment

I have been the pillar of strength to the Mu family of Yunnan.

But whenever I was in trouble, you were the source of my strength.

I believed that you were by my side, that you would return.

Just like when we were young. When I had run far

and couldn't run anymore,

my Lin Shu-gege would carry me home.

The times have changed.

We can no longer return to those times.

How have you become like this?

You were never scared of the cold before.

Everyone called you Lil Fiery.

What did you experience in those years?

What kind of cruel things

can wipe away all the traces of a person? Making you unrecognizable.

Don't ask about this now.

I will tell you in full if we get a chance in the future.

The things I wish to accomplish upon returning to the Capital

are very dangerous. I cannot expose my true identity.

I know.

Especially Dong-jie and Jingyan. They must not find out.

Regarding Dong-jie, I understand,

but why can we not tell Prince Jing?

I cannot involve any sentiment in the schemes I'm orchestrating.

Including you.

Then what can I do to help?

After today, I am still Su Zhe.

You are still the Princess.

There can be no slip-ups.

Okay. I can wait.

I can wait until you change back to my Lin Shu-gege.

Mu Qing is almost back.

You should not let him see you cry. That won't be good.

I'll leave first.

Lin Shu-gege,

can I still come over to the Su Residence?

To visit you?

If you really want to see me,

then come.

Subbed and Timed by the Lang Ya Bang Team @ Viki.

Chief,

Chief,

Physician Yan,

what is the prognosis?

Restless thoughts and accumulated cold Qi

resulting in a weak constitution.

For the next few days, decline all guests so that he can rest.

Is Chief's condition critical?

What would you call 'critical'?

Being at Death's door? That's critical.

He will not recover time and again

if he insists on toiling like this without restraint.

We know that...

but you know the way Chief is.

Fortunately, you're here.

If it was just us, there would be no one to stop him.

Greetings, Your Highness.

Minister Shen. You've just been instated as the Minister of State Revenue,

you must be busy. It's great to see that you still have time for a stroll.

I've been sorting through the ledgers at the Ministry,

and found some discrepancies in the canal transport records.

Seeing as it's a holiday,

I wanted to take opportunity and check the ports.

- Canal transport?- Indeed.

Brother Zhao, what kind of goods are these?

How can fruit and vegetables be so heavy?

It feels like metal barrels.

Mind your own business.

Am I not paying enough?

Give it to the gang.

Your Excellency, according to Ministry records,

this should be a shipment of fresh fruits.

Sign: Ministry of State Revenue, Official Transport- Oi, come help

Okay

Hurry up...

Weight and size may not always be associated,

but according to the type of cargo on record,

it shouldn't be this heavy.

What kind of fruit weighs this much?

Can they really stomach it?

It seems that the official cargoes have some secrets to hide.

Regardless of the secret,

anything associated with Lou Zhijing

will more or less have something to do with the Eastern Palace. You must be careful.

Rest assured, I'll be most careful.

If I need manpower, I will ask Your Highness for help.

Alright.

Put them here.

Brother Zhao, there are two more official cargo shipspulling up into the dock.

Keep the lads moving.

They also have Black Fire.

That'll make it six shipments in total.

This is not the usual volume compared to past years.

- Who is the sender?- I don't know.

We need to track where the Black Fire ends up.

Black Fire in the Capital

is definitely nothing good.Chief is in the Capital too.

- Don't be careless.- Yes.

Slowly.

Young Master, you are back.

- Is the Marquis back?- Yes.

Check the things that you need to take back.

Be careful, don't miss anything.

Father.

You are back.

- Carry on.- Yes, Your Excellency.

I will get the servants to clean your room.

No need. I still have to perform a few rituals.

I'm just here to pack some things and will be leaving soon.

Marquis, we are ready.

Alright.

Father.

Cultivating or meditation on the Tao, that's all good,

but, please, don't use cinnabar in your alchemy experiments.

What do you know.

Yujin.

Father.

You still have enough money to spend?

- Branch Chief Li.- What is it?

Prince Yu sent some more gifts.

We've refused him twice already, why is he still sending? So annoying.

- Send them back.- It's not anything valuable this time.

Just some toys for Fei Liu.

We'll accept them.

Your Highness Prince Yu.

Looks like you've lost to me.

- They accepted?- Mhm

Good.

Our victory over the Eastern Palace in the Court debate

all depended on Mei Changsu's help.

I need to thank him,

but he didn't accept any of the usual gifts.

Only you had the right idea and got my gifts past his door.

I just know how to cater to people's interests.

The simple child that Mei Changsu keeps at his side may be his bodyguard,

but he's treated more like a younger brother.

While the Divine Talent is hard to decipher,

I still have ways to make a child happy.

Don't be so modest. As before,

thank you for the help these past years.

Attendants, prepare the carriage.

Your Highness is heading out?

While your gift catered to their interest,

it's still just toys. Not nearly enough.

I heard that Mei Changsu took ill. I'll pay him a visit myself.

Your Highness is indeed most thorough.

- What happened?- We had it under watch, but it changed hands a few times and we lost track.

- Where did you loose track?- Shizi road.

Quickly.

Lost track? Six shipments of Black Fire.

How could you loose track of such a large amount?

Black Fire?

It's smuggled gunpowder

that stays off the books.

According to law, only Pili Hall in Jiangnan, who make firearms,

and the Fireworks Factory,

which is administered by the Ministry of State Revenue, can legally get gunpowder.

Any additional gunpowder is considered as smuggled goods.

Brother Zhao, how much Black Fire is there?

There isn't much in each shipment,

but added up, it's not a trivial amount.

The sender and receivers are still unclear.

I had people trailing the cargo,

but who knew they'd loose track of it all.

So there's a large amount of Black Fire

somewhere in the Capital for an unknown purpose.

Gunpowder is dangerous.

But the Chief often goes around the Capital.

Mr. Shisan, I'm really worried.

We must find where the gunpowder went.

You don't have enough people. I'll send Tong Lu to help.

We need to report this to the Chief

and advise him to be more careful.

With the year-end homage rituals approaching, coupled with all the matters of the Inner Palace,

I am unable to take care of everything. Consort Xu.

Your Majesty.

In the Inner Palace, only you,

Sister Yue and Sister Yuan are Consorts of the first rank.

You are the oldest and command the most respect,

you need to assist me in handling some matters.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, what is the matter? Are you unwell?

You just wish that I'm unwell, right?

I had no such intentions.

I had been lenient in the past, resulting in a loss of etiquette in the Inner Palace.

His Majesty is not pleased.

From today...

- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.

- Your Majesty.

How are you feeling, Sir Su?

Just a slight cold. Your Highness need not have come.

Recently I have benefited much from your counsel.

You pay no mind to worldly luxuries, so I could find no gifts to convey my thanks.

It's the coldest period of the year, not a good time to be careless.

Be sure to look after yourself.

Your Highness! Prince Yu!

It's a catastrophe! Your Highness! Prince Yu!

Go check, quickly!

Fei Liu! Release him.Let him in.

Your Highness, Your Highness. All is not well.

What is not well?

Word from the Palace, Her Majesty the Empress has fallen ill.

What?

Don't be anxious, Your Highness. Head to the Palace now and have a look. Go quickly.

Take care.

- Let's go.- Please.

The Capital is so big, we were really quite lost at the start.

Fortunately Tong Lu investigated all the recent express boats that came to Official Transport dock.

On the books, the cargo is just listed as fruits, spices,

fabrics, and home-ware used by Noble households.

A myriad of goods heading every where.

Many of the goods were pre-ordered. It was hard to figure out the suspects in such a short time.

But to be able to use official transport, it's definitely not people from the Pugilist world.

There must be Nobles from the Court involved.

Miss Gong Yu is correct. There's a lot of goods for year-end celebrations.

The receivers are spread throughout the city. It was supposed to be hard to track,

but coincidentally, I met...

Just tell me what you found.

Of course.We found four shipments of gunpowder near the north city gate.

It was taken to a walled house. It's actually an illegal fireworks factory.

Fireworks factory?

It's the year's end. Fireworks prices are on the rise. They can earn huge profits from the making and selling of fireworks.

But all profits from the official fireworks factory

will be handed to the Treasury.

So the former Minister of State Revenue, Lou Zhijing, opened this factory to

profiteer off the illegal fireworks. He kept part of the profits,

but the bulk of it was taken by the Crown Prince.

I see. Although Luo Zhijing has been dismissed, the Crown Prince will not give up on this piece of meat.

So the factory is still operating.

The Black Fire was smuggled in for the fireworks.

We also found that we're not the only ones who've taken notice.

The new Minister of State Revenue, Shen Zhui, also sent people to investigate.

This is not a small matter. Report it to the Chief.

Subbed and Timed by the Lang Ya Bang Team @ Viki.

Mr. Shisan, please allow me. I can disguise...

I bought a vegetable farm near the west market.

Tong Lu is now a greens vendor, responsible for delivering goods to the Su Residence.

Chief has ordered that all communications be sent by him.

Hand everything you learn about the illegal factory to Shen Zhui.

- I understand. We'll co-operate with Minister Shen.- You may go.

Chief, according information from the Imperial Physicians Hall,

the Empress's illness is not serious.

Not serious?

Correct.

Then why did Prince Yu's people panic?

It's because it was a surprise. Plus, the initial symptoms looked severe,

so it scared everyone.

But according to the Imperial physicians, there really weren't any issues.

Ask the Princess to visit the Empress and verify everything in the Palace.

Also try to get a copy of the prescriptions.

Chief, you're suspecting that this illness is 'man-made'?

It's too coincidental. I need to make sure.

Of the people who would target the Empress,

the most likely would be Nobel Consort Yue and the Crown Prince.

And because of that, it's not easy for them to succeed.

The Empress and Nobel Consort Yue have been sparring for years. She would be vigilant against Consort Yue.

Even at the height of her power, Consort Yue couldn't do anything.

It's unlikely that she'll succeed now.

Nobel Consort Yue has only just been reinstated, and had to go through the Court debate.

She definitely hasn't recovered all her powers yet.

The Empress's illness is not life-threatening.

If it was caused by the Crown Prince and Consort Yue, why would they be so light-handed?

They wouldn't slip up on such a good opportunity to kill the Empress.

It's not the way they usually do things.

Chief, are you saying that the Eastern Palace is actually innocent in this?

It's too early to make assumptions.

Perhaps there's something good about the Empress missing the Year End rituals that we haven't thought of.

Or maybe,it really is just a coincidence.

But there's only a few days till the Year End rituals.

If the Empress does not recover, there'll be further troubles.

So we need to investigate quickly.

Yes.

I have a feeling that this isn't so simple.

There's something hidden behind it all.

Did I overlook some details...

Empress Yan . . .

The well wishes are much appreciated, Your Highness.Her Majesty is much better now.

The Imperial physicians advised Her Majesty to rest and not trouble with any matters of the Inner Palace.

So My Ladies not need enter.

I see. We shall not trouble the Empress further.

Wait.

Miss Qi Hong, are these Her Majesty's tea cups?

Yes.

How exquisite.

Your Highness, how is Her Majesty?

The Imperial physicians said there's no trouble.

The Princess Consort is with her.

The Princess Consort is much troubled then.

But no matter what the illness, there must be a cause.

Your Highness.

Subbed and Timer by the Lang Ya Bang Team @ Viki.