Original subtitles

♪Confessing to the moon in the rustling wind back then♪

♪Like a boat being swallowed up among the cities♪

♪Watching the flowers fall in unease, worries and troubles fill my mind♪

♪Am I going to where I want♪

♪To stay or to leave, you decide♪

♪Nations are different♪

♪One without desire is one that is not alive♪

♪Looking at the sky side by side♪

♪We've gotten closer with time♪

♪One glance, the city of Chang'an is bare♪

♪Among the ridiculous people and things is me♪

=Dream of Chang'An=

=Episode 3=

(Cai's Wine Store)

(Lv's Exotic Meals)

Your Majesty,

are you okay?

I am fine.

Qiu Yanzhi,

do you really have nothing to do with the assassination attempts

for the past few days?

I was planning to ask you the same thing.

What do you mean by that?

How did the assassins

find out that we were leaving the palace today?

They even knew that we were coming to this wine store today.

You're suspecting me?

Why are you suspecting me then?

You!

Let us return to the palace.

(Violet Bureau)

What?

Someone tried to assassinate His Majesty?

Aunt,

can you neutralise

the poison for me?

If not, I can't do anything

because of how lethargic I feel.

Thank you, Aunt.

Your poison will be neutralised after you take this for three days.

I need to take this for three days?

If it isn't necessary,

you shouldn't leave the palace for the next few days.

Aunt,

that Qiu Yanzhi said she wasn't related to the assassination.

Do you believe in her?

You must never

believe in Qiu Yanzhi's words.

That's right.

I don't believe her either.

It's highly likely

that she was the one behind the assassination attempt.

She did so in order to gain His Majesty's trust.

Heng'an City is filled with her spies.

I'm sure no one dares

to assassinate His Majesty

and make the Chess of Generals Camp their scapegoat.

So,

I'm sure Qiu Yanzhi is behind this.

I'm sure the Violet Bureau

was the one behind the act

in order to gain Qi Yan's trust.

Although the Violet Bureau is the bodyguard of the emperor,

Qi Yan only managed to ascend the throne

by betraying the late emperor.

To Cheng Xi,

who was loyal to the late emperor,

Qi Yan is an enemy.

Cheng Xi

had assigned the title of Sword Bearer to her own niece.

She staged the assassination attempts

in order to let Cheng Ruoyu and Qi Yan

face the danger together

and strengthen their bond.

I don't want any assumptions.

I want solid proof.

Can't you even find one piece of clue?

We've interrogated

everyone on the streets.

All of them said

the assassins fled into an alley.

But that alley was a dead end.

No one can hide in there.

And it only has one exit.

And, regarding their attire and weapons,

after our investigation,

we found out that they belonged to the Shencai Army.

If Eunuch Qiu hears about this,

I'm sure he'll be enraged.

Father still doesn't know about it?

You would've been in trouble

if he knew about it.

Violet Bureau isn't the one behind the assassination attempt.

Cheng Ruoyu has lost all of her martial arts.

Even if they want to stage a play,

they won't do it at this exact moment.

If not,

their ploy will be exposed easily.

That's right.

That old fox, Cheng Xi,

won't be this careless.

So,

the mastermind is trying to drive a wedge between us.

He plans to do something big.

What do you mean?

What day is today?

9th of the second lunar month.

Father's birthday,

which is on the 15th of the second lunar month,

will be arriving soon.

Your Majesty,

Duke Chu has stated

that we don't need to hold a grand celebration

for his 59th birthday.

Your Majesty, Duke Chu said

(Eunuch, Gao Ping) he will be content if he can drink together

with you and some of the closer court officials.

And,

Duke Chu said

that he is getting older,

and he doesn't feel as energetic.

He wishes

to see a performance prepared by the youngsters.

He hoped that the ladies from the Violet Bureau

could prepare a Sword Dance performance for him.

Eunuch Gao,

we from the Violet Bureau are bodyguards of the emperor.

If he wishes to see a performance,

he should find songstresses and dancers.

Sword Bearer, what are you saying?

Back then, Madam Gongsun was a big shot.

Even so, she still had to perform in front of His Majesty

during the Thousand Maple Festival.

That's a different story.

The Thousand Maple Festival celebrates the birthday of an emperor.

How could you compare it with the birthday of a slave?

Huaizhi.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Haven't you taught your niece how to speak nicely yet?

Yu'er.

Tell Godfather

that I've received his message.

I will prepare a great performance for him

in order not to disappoint him.

Yes, Your Majesty.

This must be your idea.

My father

had arranged Gao Ping

to stay beside His Majesty.

Every word

that you had said

will be reported to my father

without fail.

Of course I'm not afraid of him

when I dare to say them out.

I know you're not afraid of him.

But why don't you ask your uncle

if he's afraid of him or not?

What about your aunt?

What about His Majesty?

(So as a prey,)

(do you know what to do?)

When I'm weak,

I should hide.

When the hunter is exhausted,

I will strike.

If I were you,

I would tell Madam Cheng

to prepare for the performance,

so that

the performance can satisfy my father during his birthday

and let His Majesty rest at ease.

Your Majesty,

I will notify Aunt immediately.

All right.

I will make the necessary preparations.

You should return for now.

Aunt,

don't you have any other way?

Must we really dance for that eunuch?

As long as Qiu Ziliang has control

over the Shencai Army,

we will have no other choice.

When will I

recover my strength?

You need two more days.

I can't stand

such a humiliating life anymore.

I wonder how His Majesty

is enduring it.

He doesn't want to die.

That's why he can only endure it.

But he's the emperor.

He's the emperor of the Xing empire.

How could he let an eunuch rule his country?

What about the generals in Shencai Army?

What about the court officials in the court?

My goodness.

They're well-educated?

That is it?

Isn't there anyone who will stand out

and fight against the injustice?

Those who stood out

and fought against

the injustice,

all died.

They died during the Morning Dew Rebellion.

(Hanyuan Hall)

(Your Highness, now, you need)

(to take on the path of a sinner.)

(No one will understand you.)

(You will become the people's object of scorn.)

(Even your closest kin)

(will be disappointed in you.)

(However,)

(your suffering has its purpose to it.)

(If you don't endure the suffering,)

(you won't be able to achieve your wish.)

(You need to endure.)

(You need to endure much more than anyone else.)

(Hanyuan Hall)

(When you think you're at the brink of your limit,)

(think about two words.)

(Morning Dew.)

(Think about His Majesty,)

(Heng'an) (think about Han Yue,)

(think about)

(Heng'an City, filled with blood.)

(Think about your late subjects.)

(Think about the price we paid)

(in exchange for your peace.)

(Your Highness,)

(you're our last hope.)

(Violet Bureau)

Aunt,

have you come up with another way?

Give them my instructions

and tell them to practise for the dance.

Why don't we use this chance

to kill Qiu Ziliang?

What?

During the dance,

I'll kill him

when he lets down his guard.

I'll turn his birthday into his death anniversary.

Only by killing him

will we be able

to get rid of him

and his ploys once and for all.

You want to kill him?

What about you?

With my death,

I will bring peace to Chang'an.

It's worth it.

Shut up!

I've spent a lot of effort in saving you

and raising you up.

Now, you want me to let you sacrifice yourself?

Aunt, calm down.

I'm just trying to avenge you.

I don't need you to avenge me!

You better forget about that.

You're not allowed to even think about it!

Go and practise your dance.

Return the antidote to me. I'll take it back.

Return it to me!

This...

What's wrong?

What's wrong?

You think it's that easy

for you to kill Qiu Ziliang?

Since he dares to visit the Violet Bureau,

I'm sure he has prepared himself for the worst case scenario.

You'll only sacrifice your life

in vain

and give Qiu Ziliang

an opportunity to get rid of the Violet Bureau.

I understand.

You're still as foolish as always.

Get downstairs and practise your dance!

Go now.

Madam,

please calm down.

It was hard for me

to nurture her

and hide her identity until now.

But now, she's trying to sacrifice her life, just like what Jing Ke has done.

Yu'er will surely understand your effort

if she didn't lose her memories.

If killing Qiu Ziliang

were that easy,

I wouldn't have failed

and hurt myself in the past.

If we want to get rid of Qiu Ziliang,

we can only depend on the emperor.

And, to inspire His Majesty

and ignite his determination,

we can only...

Don't shoot!

Don't!

Don't!

Don't!

My dreams

are getting more and more ridiculous.

Why would I dream of His Majesty trying to kill me?

His Majesty was with Qiu Ziliang as well.

This Duke Chu is something.

He insists on holding his birthday celebration

at the Violet Bureau.

We have to withstand the cold because of...

His Majesty has arrived.

Kneel!

Long live Your Majesty.

Rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Let's enter the hall.

Duke Chu has arrived.

(Violet Bureau)

I was feeling unwell.

That's why I was late.

Your Majesty, please forgive me.

Godfather, you came just in time.

Please.

Where is Prince Guang?

Eunuch Qiu,

Prince Guang is feeling unwell.

Therefore, he isn't able to come.

He has sent his men

to deliver birthday gifts to your residence.

This is such a pity.

Godfather, the court officials and I are here to celebrate your birthday.

I guess that's enough.

Madam Cheng,

today, I hope I can witness something new.

I hope the renowned Sword Dance

of the Violet Bureau can impress me.

Please begin.

This Little Fish

may seem like she's good at dancing,

but it's just a lacklustre performance.

She lacks the strength to dance properly.

This girl is born with natural beauty

and she moves like a fairy.

She has great talents.

It's a pity...

It's a pity that she belongs to the Violet Bureau.

It all falls on you now.

It all depends on

when you'll take over the Violet Bureau.

Yes, Father.

(Now,)

(you want me to let you sacrifice yourself?)

Wu!

Wu!

Guards!

Are you okay?

I'm wearing a breastplate underneath.

I'm fine.

Wu!

Why?

Why?

Tell us!

Who exactly are you?

Why are you trying to assassinate Eunuch Qiu?

Tell us!

Who sent you here?

It's His Majesty.

Wu!

What are you saying?

How could it be His Majesty?

What nonsense are you spouting?

Wu!

Wu!

Yu'er.

I'm sorry.

Your Majesty,

Eunuch Qiu,

I was unaware

of her plan.

Please leave the investigation to me.

I will get to the bottom of this.

Leave it to you?

Don't tell me you want to silence them?

I will never cover up for the culprit.

Your Majesty, please trust me.

Godfather, what do you say?

Let's leave this to the Chess Overseer.

Understood.

Your Majesty,

please allow me to join the investigation.

Wu belongs to the Violet Bureau.

Today, she has committed a crime

and pushed the blame towards you, Your Majesty.

This is a serious matter.

In order to prove our innocence,

in order to maintain the law,

Your Majesty,

Duke Chu,

please allow me to join the investigation.

Fine.

So,

Chess Overseer and Sword Bearer, please do your best

in investigating the case.

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

Your Majesty,

Madam Cheng is here.

I've failed my duty.

Your Majesty, please punish me.

The assassin's name

was Guan Wu.

It's been eight years since she first joined the Violet Bureau.

She has always been honest and loyal.

To be honest,

I would never expect her to be an assassin.

Is the Sword Bearer doing okay?

Yu'er is still in a coma.

It's an old ailment of hers.

It's nothing major.

We can speak

after she wakes up from her coma.

But Your Majesty,

I hope...

Madam Cheng,

you can't do anything about it.

You should go back.

Yes, Your Majesty.

(Violet Bureau)

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

It's getting late.

We can continue the interrogation tomorrow, okay?

Yu'er!

You just regained consciousness.

And the wound on your hand has barely recovered.

You...

I must see Wu.

I need to clarify the truth with her.

Yu'er!

Little Fish,

so you're awake?

Chess Overseer,

the assassin has lost too much blood.

We manage to save her life with some medicines.

But she won't last for long.

How long can she stay alive?

At most, 24 hours.

That's more than enough.

You may leave.

Yes, Chess Overseer.

Let's end this quickly then.

We should torture her as soon as possible.

You're not allowed to force her to confess through torture.

Torture?

That's no fun at all.

I know plenty of ways

to make her talk.

I'll make sure our lovely assassin

tells us everything she knows.

For example,

we can procure a kind of meat,

slice it thin,

and roast it until it's done.

If she doesn't answer our questions,

she has to eat one slice.

She has to eat two slices if she keeps quiet.

What kind of meat?

Her own meat.

And,

we can spread some honey all over her wound.

It'll attract ants to climb all over her body.

You're a beast.

I won't let you do so.

You don't have the right to make the call here.

Let her take this.

What is that?

Painkillers.

It can relieve her pain temporarily

so that she can answer our questions.

Wu.

Wu.

You must tell me the truth.

Only then, I can save you.

Kill me.

Kill me.

I beg you.

His Majesty has arrived!

- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.

I'm here to observe the interrogation.

Proceed with your interrogation.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Wu,

if I can't figure out

who's the mastermind behind this,

Aunt

and everyone in the Violet Bureau

will be implicated.

Do you really want that to happen?

You and I have known each other for years.

I know you aren't a person

who can be bribed by wealth and benefits.

So there's only one possibility

as to why you tried to assassinate Duke Chu.

It's because you wanted to seek revenge.

Am I right?

I wonder how Yu'er

is doing with the interrogation.

I thought I was a cautious person.

I didn't expect this to happen under my watch.

I'm in huge trouble

because of Guan Wu.

Madam,

why did she try to assassinate Qiu Ziliang?

That's not important.

Qiu Ziliang has offended all kinds of people.

Plenty of people are trying to assassinate him.

The most important thing is

that she belongs to the Violet Bureau.

If they want to investigate her,

they'll investigate the Violet Bureau.

Yu'er and Guan Wu

joined the bureau at the same time.

It's fine if they want to investigate Guan Wu.

I just hope

that they won't investigate Yu'er.

Under Chess Overseer's order,

we're here to investigate Guan Wu's assassination attempt.

Now,

find everything that is related

to Guan Wu and the entire Violet Bureau,

including their records, accounts, and their household registers.

Find them immediately.

Hurry!

Yes, sir.

Do you have a grudge against Duke Chu?

Wu.

Why are you here?

I'm here to look for you.

What are you doing?

I'm burning some offerings for my father.

Is today your father's death anniversary?

Is it because of your father?

I thought that you burning offerings for your father in secret last night

was strange.

You looked distracted

during daytime as well.

Wu,

if you suffer from any grievances,

you must tell us about it.

His Majesty is here.

He will uphold justice for you.

Where did she burn her offerings

last night?

It's a side hall

300 steps west of the Violet Bureau.

Yu'er.

Investigate that hall.

Yes, Chess Overseer.

Search the place.

Yes, sir.

(Grave of Zheng Lu, father of the Zheng Family)

Your Majesty.

(Grave of Zheng Lu, father of the Zheng Family)

So Zheng Lu is your father.

Zheng Lu?

Zheng Lu was the traitor

who died eight years ago

for going against His Majesty and Eunuch Qiu.

My father isn't a traitor!

No.

He's not a traitor!

Wu,

so you did this in order to avenge your father,

am I right?

My father was innocent.

He wasn't a traitor.

My entire family was slaughtered!

He was innocent!

Yu'er!

Your Majesty,

she has confessed to her crime.

She's the daughter of Zheng Lu.

She tried to assassinate Duke Chu in order to avenge his father.

She insists that her father was innocent.

Your Majesty, please re-examine the case

and return them their innocence.

Are you done?

You know the best

whether my father was innocent or not.

Losers are always in the wrong.

I just wish for a quick death.

I hope

you can prove my father's innocence.

Release her.

Wu!

Wu!

Wu!

I'll grant you your wish.

Wu!

Wu!

Wu!

Wu!

Losers are always in the wrong. You said so yourself.

So,

you don't have the right to make me prove your father's innocence.

The truth has been revealed.

The case can be closed.

You two may return in peace

and give Duke Chu

a satisfactory explanation.

Your Majesty!

Why did you let her kill herself?

Why didn't you re-examine the case?

She's the offspring of a traitor.

She deserves to die.

She told us

that her father was innocent.

To me,

Zheng Lu is a traitor.

And,

she tried to assassinate

an important court official in front of me.

No matter for what reason she did so,

that reason alone is enough for her to suffer 1,000 deaths.

Cheng Ruoyu,

what's a sword?

Sword is a weapon.

It's meant for killing.

As my Sword Bearer,

if this kind of situation happens again,

you should unsheathe your sword

and slay the assassin.

His Majesty will return to the palace.

Are you satisfied

with this ending?

Back then, the Zheng Family was massacred.

How did Zheng Wu manage to escape?

Who helped her to escape,

made a fake identity for her,

(Prison) and allowed her to sneak into the palace?

And, she has been hiding for numerous years.

Why is she trying

to assassinate him right now?

With her martial arts,

I'm sure she knew that she would fail.

Why is she sacrificing her life for nothing?

If I don't get to the bottom of this,

I won't...

be satisfied.

Whether Zheng Lu was innocent or not,

it was all in the past.

You and I have no right to argue about it.

But we mustn't let Zheng Wu's case

end like this.

What do you plan to do?

I plan to investigate.

What are you doing?

I'm just doing this out of kindness.

I didn't expect you

to be good at this.

As humans,

we were born without a reason,

and we have to live like a coward.

Most times, we suffer from terrible deaths.

That's why

I'm helping them out

so that they can go for reincarnation with a beautiful face.

I hope that they won't become humans in the future.

Is becoming a human

a bad thing?

As for that,

you should know that the best.

Wu,

I'll bring you home now.

Wu!

I'll bring you home now!

(Violet Bureau)

What happened?

Wu was the daughter of Zheng Lu.

She has committed suicide.

His Majesty has closed the case.

She's Zheng Lu's daughter?

They said Zheng Lu was a traitor.

But Aunt,

I remember you told me

that loyal court officials

were the ones who died during the Morning Dew Rebellion, right?

Since His Majesty has closed the case,

you should just leave it there.

It's meaningless for you

to continue the investigation.

It's not meaningless.

What do you plan to do?

Don't tell me you want to help Zheng Lu prove his innocence?

I need to know who's the mastermind

behind Wu's assassination attempt.

Eight years ago,

when the Zheng Family was massacred,

Wu was only 12 years old

back then.

So how did she escape the massacre

and how did she enter the palace?

Records and files about her background

are too perfect for her situation.

This doesn't make sense at all.

What do you suspect?

I suspect that someone was controlling her.

I suspect that someone forced her to do so.

We could only close the case

after we found the mastermind.

His Majesty

is a villain.

100 bolts of fabric?

A petty person like him

is actually an important court official?

Take them down.

Yes, Your Majesty!

Hold it right there!

Stop!

Let her go.

Aunt,

Zheng Lu was maligned.

And the person who had maligned him

was none other than Duke Chu

and His Majesty.

Am I right?

After the Morning Dew Rebellion,

Zheng Lu, together with several court officials,

tried to assassinate Qiu Ziliang.

But they failed to do so.

Qiu Ziliang was enraged because of that.

He massacred

everyone that was involved.

His Majesty

was the godson of Qiu Ziliang back then.

He was an important subject to him.

He massacred the Zheng Family with his own hands.

Because of that,

Qiu Ziliang assisted him to be the emperor

after the late emperor passed away from sickness.

The person I'm protecting right now

is actually a crook like him.

But this has nothing to do with us.

The mission of the Violet Bureau

is to protect our emperor.

Now,

Qiu Ziliang has the largest influence within the imperial court.

His Majesty was forced to do his bidding.

He deserved it.

Yu'er,

when it comes to politics,

there's no right or wrong.

You just need to remember this.

His Majesty has the surname Qi.

He's the rightful heir to the throne.

He's the official emperor.

But he's a tyrant.

He was the one who forced

Wu to a dead corner!

Yu'er,

the Sword Bearer doesn't need to think.

Right or wrong

doesn't matter to the Sword Bearer.

Where the emperor points to

is where your sword will head to.

Aunt,

The Sword Bearer's mission

is to protect the emperor.

But I'm more than just the Sword Bearer.

I'm Cheng Ruoyu as well.

Wu is my friend.

I want her

to leave this world in a beautiful way.

♪Life is a dream, how long do happy times last♪

♪In the windy rain, where will my heart settle?♪

♪The sword can't break this karma♪

♪Look how blurry and lonely the world is♪

♪Fate can't do anything about the bleak bonds of this world♪

♪Still can't let go of this life as time goes by♪

♪Even the iron and golden dagger-axe cannot extinguish the fire in my heart♪

♪Remembering the past and letting time while away♪

♪The past is in front of you♪

♪Forgetting while piecing it together♪

♪Like when I sincerely put my hands together♪

♪I only wish that you can be saved♪

♪The past is in front of you♪

♪Forgetting while piecing it together♪

♪Like when I sincerely put my hands together♪

♪I only wish that you can be saved♪

♪I only wish that you can be saved♪