Original subtitles

♪Flower petals have fallen, piling as high as mortal mercilessness♪

♪Gone with the wind, as if it has never existed♪

♪I ask for more time♪

♪To rewrite our stories♪

♪We travel together in joys and woes♪

♪Blood bathes this entangled destiny♪

♪For the next reunion in the troubled times♪

♪We tread a treacherous path♪

♪To find each other♪

♪Wars and bleakness, the bright moon shines upon the city♪

♪I will offer my bravery♪

♪Fighting relentlessly♪

♪All for no regrets♪

♪In this life-and-death battle, I will not back down♪

♪Withstand enduring time♪

♪Someone at the end of the world never leaves♪

♪I brave the grim haze to be with you once again♪

=Love of Nirvana= (Based on Xiao Lou's novel of the same name)

=Episode 6=

Your Majesty.

What is it?

Do you still remember...

the watergate guard on duty

who witnessed Prince Qi's abduction,

the eunuch Zhao Wu?

Back then, Lord Pei tried to find Prince Qi but to no avail.

Zhao Wu was the only survivor.

Although he was strictly interrogated,

Zhao Wu was sure

that someone knocked him out from behind.

After that, he died from a serious injury.

It became an unsolved case.

But lately, I've heard that...

Speak.

Zhao Wu already got himself a wife and a child

before joining the palace.

Continue.

His wife passed away due to sickness long ago.

But his son

had been living

in Nanling all these years.

Nanling?

That's right.

The Pei Family, huh?

Judging from her personality,

I'm sure she won't return without a reason.

This...

The Pei Family is truly "loyal", huh?

Your Majesty, please be appeased.

Marquis Pei is celebrating his mother's birthday tonight.

They're enjoying her birthday banquet now.

Crown Prince,

Crown Princess,

and all civil and military officials are there.

Moreover,

she's also Madam Rongguo.

Your Majesty, please think it through before acting.

You're right.

After all,

she's Rong Yudie.

Your Majesty.

What do you think about my horsemanship?

Why don't we compete in archery?

The one who shoots down the butterfly

will win the beauty.

Your Highness,

I dare not do so.

Zijing, you're my trusted aide.

What is there to fear?

Yes, Your Highness.

Zijing.

Thank you for letting me win.

Your Highness,

why is Marquis Pei in a bad mood?

I made a bet with Zijing.

Why don't you let me join in the fun?

See if I can defeat you.

Prepare to depart for the Pei's Residence.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Report this news immediately.

Yes, sir.

Madam.

I'll go and get changed.

I'll return soon.

Your Highness, please pardon me.

Madam, please go ahead.

You shouldn't stay here with us.

Go and take a walk.

It's good for you to make new acquaintances.

All right.

When I heard that His Majesty was coming,

I knew that something bad would happen.

Therefore, I sent our men out to scout the area.

He brought his Imperial Guards with him.

Don't panic.

Crown Prince is still at the banquet.

There is still room for maneuver.

Should we...

I know him well.

It's fine if he doesn't take action.

But when he does, it'll be drastic.

If we try to do something about it,

we'll be digging our own graves.

Notify the marquis in secret.

Tell him to lure His Majesty to the east building.

Tell him this.

Excellent.

Your Highness,

please excuse me for a moment.

I shall return immediately.

Lord Pei, please.

Please enjoy your meal.

Come.

Let us drink.

This is where Mother usually meditates and lives alone.

This is the quietest place in the residence.

Your Majesty.

Mother

will arrive soon.

Instead of chatting with me,

you should worry about your Marquis Pei.

He's steady and thorough.

If he has to leave his seat suddenly,

that means something huge had happened.

You better pray that he'll live until old age.

If he dies,

there's no point in keeping you alive.

By then, it'll be time

for us to settle our debt.

No. This is too bland.

Add some salt.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Pei Yan.

It must've been tough on you

all these years.

Your Majesty, thank you for your concern.

I shall lay my life

for you.

You're reserved and patient.

You do resemble me in that regard.

Farewell, Your Majesty.

The maidservant behind Pei Yan,

was she the one he sought medicine for?

That should be the case.

Come.

Come, Big Brother.

Come.

Come.

Why hasn't Lord Pei returned yet?

Big Brother,

didn't you notice

that the lass had gone missing as well?

Your Lordship.

Tell them

that I'm quite drunk

and that I'll return soon.

Make sure not to neglect

the banquet.

Yes, Your Lordship.

I was the one

who've let you down.

Your Highness, I've given you my all.

You think you can regret your actions

and cut off your ties with me

with just an apology?

My feelings for you have never changed.

You were the one who wasn't...

Who wasn't willing to be your concubine

and act submissively, am I right?

Your Highness, don't you think you're belittling me?

I know

that it's unfair to you.

However,

there are many situations that are beyond my control.

Your Highness, have you made up your mind?

If you part ways with me today,

I shall never turn back.

Yudie,

I drew this for you.

I'll always

reserve a spot for you in my heart.

If so, Your Highness,

may you have a bright future ahead,

and may your wishes come true.

The Pei Family would've been wiped out

had I not remained alert today.

Why did His Majesty come here?

Why did he come here?

For the sake of the throne that he can never secure.

His Majesty fears

the Pei Family of Nanling.

He fears the Changfeng Guards, who are loyal to the Pei Family.

Back then, to protect the Pei Family

and the Changfeng Guards,

I had no choice but to send Yan, who was just six years old,

to the palace to be their hostage.

After that, I stirred up an internal struggle between the nobles.

Only then was I able to get rid of his murderous intent

bit by bit.

Now, he's trying to strike us down again.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Yudie.

You must've suffered

all these years.

Your Majesty, you still remember my birthday.

And, you're here to visit me.

I'm thoroughly moved.

However, Your Majesty, since you chose to give up on me back then,

you should never visit me again.

Yudie,

I know you hate me.

But back then,

I was constrained by the late emperor.

Not only did he send me to the frontlines,

which was very distant from Qingkang,

but he also forbade me from choosing my own spouse.

That's why

I entrusted you to Zijing.

I was helpless either.

Helpless?

Your Majesty, did you know how helpless I was, then?

I was helpless when I was married off out of the blue.

I was helpless when I had to tell people that I gave birth to Yan prematurely.

I had no idea what to tell Yan

whenever he asked me about his father.

What did you say?

When the old marquis passed away,

when the other members of the Pei Family coveted

the position of the family head and forced us to hand it to them,

and during moments of danger,

Your Majesty,

you were the one who brought Pei

to the palace to be the princes' study companion.

Whenever I think about the fact

that Yan could fulfill his filial duties to you,

I was happy

and sad at the same time.

But all those outsiders

tried to frame us

time and time again.

They targeted us from the back and front!

Your Majesty,

do you have any idea how difficult it was for us?

Your Majesty, I don't expect you to treat Yan well!

I just hope that you can allow him to live in peace!

Let him be a proud man

just like his father!

Zizhu.

Halt.

Investigate Zhao Wu's case

thoroughly.

Find out

how this rumor came about.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty,

regarding Pei's Residence...

Tell them to return home.

I'm well aware of the situation.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Return to the palace!

Back then, he abandoned me.

He backed me into a corner.

I would've been dead

without Zijing.

Today, I only gave him a slight hint.

And now, he suspects

that Yan is his son.

Did His Majesty fall for it?

No matter if he believes my words or not,

at least he'll hesitate

before he targets Yan in the future.

Find out

the reason for his visit today.

Yes, ma'am.

Your Lordship,

let me make you some hangover soup.

No need for that.

You're an orphan, right?

That's right.

If so, do you know

who your biological parents are?

I don't.

Back then, there was a flood.

My master found me on a wooden pail.

I had nothing with me.

If so, will you think about

the kind of people they are from time to time?

No.

What's the point of doing so?

I can't locate them anyway.

It's not like I'm living for their sake.

I just need to lead my own life.

Is that so?

Some people are not even as clear-minded as you

even after pondering upon this for decades.

Instead of dwelling on such troublesome matters,

I would rather focus on the present days.

The present days, huh?

It feels like I've only experienced one kind of life.

You bastard child!

You're a bastard child!

You're not a member of the Pei Family!

I'll beat you to death!

I'll beat you to death!

What was your mistake?

I fell for the rumors easily.

I fought with my brothers

from the same clan.

What should you do in the future?

I'll endure what ordinary people cannot.

I'll prioritize the Pei Family in every aspect

so that the family foundation is protected.

Say,

don't you think a person like me

is pitiful and sorrowful?

I don't think that you're pitiful

or sorrowful.

Your Lordship,

I was mischievous since young.

I loved plucking flowers in the mountains

and catching fishes in the rivers.

When I came to Qingkang,

I even managed to try the giant crabs in Lanyue Parlor.

I think I won't have any lofty aspirations

in this lifetime.

I'll go and try delicacies

and admire the beautiful views of the world

when I have the chance.

To me, that's more than enough.

If so, Your Lordship,

do you think a person like me is pitiful and sorrowful?

That's exactly it.

There are plenty of people like me.

who don't have any lofty aspirations.

But there are also people who have lofty aspirations

who aspire to fulfill their duties diligently.

To me,

shouldering responsibilities

is extremely tough.

And, it requires a lot of courage to do so.

Not everyone in the world

possesses this kind of courage.

But Your Lordship,

that's the kind of person you are.

Your Lordship,

it's precisely because of

the existence of responsible people like you

who prioritize the bigger picture

that I can

go and join in the fun out there

and enjoy my drink on a tree without any worries.

Everyone has their own lives to lead.

It's just like how the stars in the sky

each has its own path of brilliance.

Even so, they don't stop each other from shining.

If so,

you must keep this conversation

a secret between us.

Your Lordship,

regarding tonight's conversation,

only Heaven,

Earth,

you,

and the stars know about it.

Yeah. The stars too.

Greetings, Marquis of Jianding.

Are you Second Young Lady Dong

of Prime Minister's Residence?

That is right.

Second Young Lady Dong, may I know why you're here?

Your Lordship, I heard that your garden was filled with vibrant flowers

that signify everlasting spring.

That's why I came here to check it out.

However, I got lost.

Sorry for the embarrassment.

Second Young Lady, I'll lead you to the hall.

Thank you.

If so,

you may proceed with your work.

Yes, Your Lordship.

Second Young Lady Dong.

Lord Pei.

What happened?

I'm truly ashamed.

I was quite drunk.

Please pardon me.

Lord Pei,

I shall bid you farewell.

I shall invite you

to have a drink with me in the future.

Pardon me for the poor hospitality.

Miss Jiang, if you've decided what kind of reward you want,

you can send someone

to relay the message to me next time.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, Commander Wei.

Your Lordship!

Your Lordship, this is terrible!

The private garden is on fire!

There's a fire!

Hurry and put out the fire!

Hurry!

Hurry and put out the fire!

Go and get some water!

There's more here!

Over here!

It's actually on fire?

The garden had tight security.

And, His Lordship was just there.

How did it get on fire out of the blue?

According to our preliminary investigation,

the cause of fire was found within the house.

The charcoals used to grill the lamb

weren't fully extinguished.

Sparks from the fire ignited the veil.

Teng Rui was unable to escape

as he was dead asleep.

The people of Wei State criticized us for failing to protect their envoy.

They're unwilling to engage in a genuine peace talk.

Your Majesty, please pardon me!

Deputy Commander Tong and I patrolled the place constantly!

We didn't dare to be negligent!

Your Majesty,

this was an accident!

Fan Yi and Tong Min

failed their duties.

They shall be stripped of their positions,

be sent to prison,

and await further punishment.

Your Majesty.

I was just careless for a moment!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

I was just careless for a moment!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Pei Yan.

You were to hold the peace talk under imperial command.

And now, Teng Rui died under your surveillance.

What punishment do you deserve?

Your Majesty, I know

that my crime is unpardonable.

I'm willing to bear all the responsibilities.

Reflect on your errors in your residence in isolation.

You are not to leave the residence

without permission.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

His Majesty didn't give Pei Yan any punishments.

This is a clear case of favoritism.

This way,

I'm afraid it'll be more difficult for him

to be the Prime Minister.

Minister Dong, I heard

that you intend to form a marriage alliance with Madam Rongguo.

Envoy Yin,

how could you believe

such baseless rumors?

Minister Dong, I just want to remind you

that you shouldn't try to establish your own faction.

Let me out!

Let me out!

Don't you guys know

that I'm not just an envoy?

I'm also the father-in-law of the emperor of Wei State.

You better release me

if you know what's good for you.

The father-in-law of the emperor of Wei State?

Or do you mean Prince Qi's scribe?

You're cautious indeed.

You've changed your name

your voice, your appearance,

even your handwriting all these years.

However,

you couldn't change your annotation habit.

You always add two horizontal lines at the very end.

You don't need me to explain myself, do you?

Wang

Shi

Quan.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

I don't know

any

Wang Shiquan.

I only know

that I'm one of the nine envoys of Great Wei,

Teng Rui!

Your subordinates

died for your sake long ago.

No one will save you

no matter how you try to drag this out.

Hey...

What was your name again?

There's no rush.

Young Master Cui.

Miss Jiang?

What are you doing here?

I have a question

that I hope you can answer.

Please go ahead.

Did Teng Rui really die due to an accidental fire?

Are you sure he wasn't murdered?

Judging from the evidence at the crime scene,

it was deemed to be an accidental fire.

Since Teng Rui is dead,

how can we proceed with the peace talk?

Wei State

already had their eyes on our northern border long ago.

Some of their officials

had differing opinions

regarding this peace talk.

And, Teng Rui died in Qingkang.

Someone will surely make a big deal out of it.

Will we go to war?

That'll depend on

how both states will deal with the situation.

What about His Lordship?

Since Teng Rui died in his residence,

would he be implicated?

Although His Majesty didn't press charges

against His Lordship for his negligence,

I'm afraid it'll be difficult for His Lordship

to fulfill his aspirations now.

If this actually happened because of me,

doesn't that mean I've caused a catastrophe?

Young Master Cui,

is that a book from Wei State?

That's right.

This covers

the major events of Wei State

over the past two decades.

It also covers the conflicts between Wei State and our state.

Are you interested in it?

My master always told me

to read more.

But I was stubborn and unruly.

I only read books that I was interested in.

Now, I know how ignorant I am.

But when something like this happens,

I'm of no help at all.

Miss Jiang,

you see, such issues cannot be resolved

by reading books alone.

However,

it's good that you're interested in them.

There are a few more books.

These books

cover the brief history of the two states

as well as the customs and conditions of smaller states.

I hope these can

resolve your doubts.

Thank you, Young Master Cui.

I'm only a few years older than you.

You may call me Cui.

All right, Cui.

You may call me Ci, then.

Young Master,

I've already tortured him.

But he still wouldn't confess.

He's mentally resilient.

Lock him up.

Feed him a bowl of congee per day.

Wake him up

whenever he's about to fall asleep.

Do not let him eat or sleep well.

He'll surely confess

within five days.

Commander An.

Reporting in!

Lei Zhen, the envoy of Wei State, is here.

He has surrounded the residence's entrance with his men.

They're also making a big fuss.

Brothers!

It's obvious that Lord Teng died

due to Pei Yan's nefarious plot!

Those who shield the murderer

should be punished!

Those who shield the murderer

should be punished!

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Sir.

Lei Zhen is causing a fuss in front of Pei's Residence.

He intends to avenge Teng Rui.

Pei Yan has already fallen from grace.

He won't be able to obstruct you now.

Have you found out why His Majesty visited

the Pei Family out of the blue?

I'm still working on it.

I only know

that Tao Zizhu chased everyone out of the room.

Only he and His Majesty

knew what happened inside.

Keep a close eye on Tao Zizhu.

Monitor his movements.

Yes, Young Master.

Follow me to Pei's Residence.

If Lei Zhen does cause trouble,

the Dawn Guards will be blamed for being negligent.

This time,

I'll do Pei Yan a favor.

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Show yourself!

You coward!

They shall not be pardoned!

- What are you guys doing? - Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Commander An,

please give us an order.

We'll chase them away immediately.

That's right.

Please give us an order!

Do not be reckless!

What if we intensify the conflict due to our recklessness?

Are you guys trying to land His Lordship in trouble?

What... What should we do, then?

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Those who bully our state

shall not be pardoned!

Open the door!

Tell Pei Yan to show himself!

He shall pay for Lord Teng's death!

General Lei,

I don't think this is appropriate.

Lord Teng is highly reputable and respected.

He treats us well usually.

What's inappropriate about

upholding justice for him?

Marquis Pei was indeed negligent for failing

to save Lord Teng from his accidental death.

However, don't you think you're crossing the line

by branding him as the culprit?

He was the one

who insisted on inviting Lord Teng to his private garden.

But it just so happened that everything went wrong.

Wei Zhao!

You're too bold for your own good!

Aren't you afraid that another war might erupt between our states?

Since Lord Teng is dead,

a war will erupt between the two states eventually.

If so, General Lei, why don't I kill you now?

If so, I can request His Majesty to reward me.

General Lei, if I kill you now,

Wei State might attack us sooner.

This way, a nefarious crook like me

will have the chance to ride into the battlefield

and render military merit.

You lunatic.

His Majesty sent me here

to relay a message to you all.

Liao State will surely do everything we can

to arrest Lord Teng's murderer.

It's regretful

that the peace talk didn't go well.

Whether it's war or peace,

I respect your decision.

However, if you try to do something like this,

don't blame His Majesty for showing you all no mercy.

Wei Zhao.

Just you wait.

I'll settle my debt

with you eventually!

Let's go!

Commander Wei.

Commander An.

I already saw them off.

You don't need to worry.

Commander Wei, thank you for your chivalrous act.

You've saved us.

Lord Pei loves to be courteous.

I suppose his behavior has rubbed off on you.

Commander Wei,

why don't we

have some tea before your departure?

Sure.

I won't stand on ceremony, then.

Before this, I thought Teng Rui was just lecherous.

I never expected him to be this cruel and merciless.

His poetry makes no sense as well.

Your Lordship.

Your Lordship.

You've shut yourself in your room for many days.

Do you feel better now?

It's not too bad.

Thanks for your concern.

Your Lordship, try this.

This hasn't been refined yet.

How can I consume this?

The process of refinement is just an extra step.

It serves to make them sweeter.

These are freshly picked.

They taste different.

Try it.

What do you think?

It's indeed sweet.

How do you know so much about flowers and plants?

Did someone teach you?

No.

My family didn't allow me to leave the mountains either.

I was bored and gluttonous.

I could only figure out how to make nice food myself.

Since I already tried all the ordinary dishes,

I shifted my attention to the flowers and plants.

I became familiar with them

after consuming plenty of them.

You're gluttonous indeed.

Aren't you afraid that you'll be poisoned?

I'm not dumb.

I'll study

each plant and its characteristics before consuming it.

If I do die from poison,

I suppose

it must be predestined.

Thank you for the explanation.

Your Lordship, my duty

is to share your burden with you.

Regarding the trouble I've faced today,

I'm afraid these flowers alone

won't do.

I have another idea.

How is Lord Pei?

He's doing good.

Commander Wei, thank you for the concern.

We're fellow officials.

I understand Lord Pei's feelings

to a certain extent.

Commander Wei, I'll surely deliver your message

to His Lordship.

Your Lordship.

I'm sorry.

I'll go and wake His Lordship up.

No need for that.

He has a beauty beside him.

Let's not interrupt him

and his precious moment.

Commander Wei.

Please.

Your Lordship.

You're awake.

Miss Jiang, that was

an excellent idea.

Your Lordship, you may call me Ci.

You keep calling me

Miss Jiang.

I can't get used to it.

Ci?

I see.

That's a nice name.

Ci,

I have a question for you.

What is it?

Was Wei Zhao the assassin?

Your Lordship, what made you

come upon that thought of yours?

I think

he treats you differently.

In my opinion,

Commander Wei

is as terrifying as the Hell King himself.

Maybe he thinks it's fun

to pick on someone as defenseless

as me.

Is that so?

Although the shameless cat always wore a mask,

I did engage him in battle on several occasions.

I should be able to tell

if he was truly Commander Wei.

Ziming loves his books dearly.

Look at what you're doing to his books.

He might nag you in the future for this.

Your Lordship, how did you know that this book belonged to Cui?

Did you borrow books from Ziming

in order to share my burden with me as well?

It's been chaotic lately.

I'm just trying to offer help in any way I can.

Ci, thanks for the concern.

If so,

you should live in my residence.

Only then will you be safe.

Live in your residence?

Don't you wish to do so?

Your Lordship, do you wish to hear the truth or not?

It doesn't matter

if you tell me the truth or not.

Everyone here is well-dressed and well-fed.

Everything

is handed to you.

I'm sure everyone desires such a life.

They may sound nice,

but they don't sound like

your heartfelt words.

Your residence is just like a bird card made out of gold.

Staying here

means that I'll be safe from

all kinds of trouble.

I guess someone does desire such a life.

However, I love freedom. I'm just like a sparrow.

I love to fly in the sky.

And, I'll return to the sky eventually.

My residence may appear to have everything you need,

but to you, it lacks things like

a river

and some river crabs, huh?

Your Lordship, seems like

you have a strong craving for the grilled crabs I make.

Here you go.

Your Lordship, what do you plan to do next?

They wish to defeat me

and destroy my residence, huh?

It won't be that easy.

♪Pluck a red bean, cherish you♪

♪Deep within♪

♪A flower of affection blooms without fading♪

♪Forever in love♪

♪Fold a kite, let it fly with the wind♪

♪Into sweet dreams♪

♪The beautiful moments we shared last through time♪

♪We never leave each other♪

♪My love sees the sun rising and the moon setting♪

♪Your face stays vivid in my mind♪

♪Two hearts bound to each other♪

♪Like flowing water, love and hate continue♪

♪I only wish for your unwavering heart♪

♪You are still there when I turn back♪

♪As passionate as we first met, I hold your hands through eternity♪

♪Time cannot separate us♪

♪Our longings go on♪

♪My love sees the sun rising and the moon setting♪

♪Your face stays vivid in my mind♪

♪Two hearts bound to each other♪

♪Like flowing water, love and hate continue♪

♪I only wish for your unwavering heart♪

♪You are still there when I turn back♪

♪As passionate as we first met, I hold your hands through eternity♪

♪Time cannot separate us♪

♪Our longings go on♪