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 11=

Does it look nice?

Yeah.

I often do this

in my hometown.

I go everywhere on a boat.

I could go wherever I like.

You're finally willing

to speak with me.

Do you still blame me for what happened?

Your Lordship, you've rescued me time and time again.

You tolerated my recklessness and carelessness.

You forgave me for the mistakes I committed time and time again.

I have no reason to blame you.

It's just

that there are some things I cannot figure out.

I don't know how to face them too.

I'm sorry.

There's no need for such courtesy

between us.

Look.

Buy yourself some lotus lanterns.

Buy yourself some lotus lanterns.

Lotus lanterns for sale.

Let's take a look.

Your Lordship, be careful.

Mister,

two lanterns, please.

All right.

Here you go.

Thank you,

mister.

Need a brush and some ink?

Yes.

Hold this.

Does it look nice?

Yeah.

This is one of Qingkang's customs.

You may write down your wish

on a piece of paper.

Later, you may put it in the lotus lantern.

If you pray sincerely,

your wish

will be granted.

I see.

If so,

why don't we make a wish?

All right.

Be careful.

(World Peace, Always Carefree)

Your Lordship, what's your wish, then?

My wish cannot be fulfilled

with this alone.

But Your Lordship, you told me

that this lotus lantern can grant wishes.

I'm sure you believe in it.

Although your wish may be hard to fulfill,

won't it be great

if it brings hope?

My wish

is to safeguard the Pei Family's legacy

and make it everlasting.

That's also my responsibility.

All right.

Your Lordship, I'll write it down for you, then.

(May the Pei Family's legacy last forever)

You should set it first.

Okay.

Where do you wish to go

if the dust has settled down?

I want to leave here.

I came to Qingkang on a whim.

It wasn't the destination I wanted to visit.

Moreover,

many people have been implicated

due to my willfulness.

I've suffered the consequences as well.

I think

it's time for me to head to where I was supposed to

and do what I was supposed to.

What if

I want you to stay?

Your Lordship, why so?

Look!

That's Lord of Jianding!

Where is he?

It's actually him!

Lord of Jianding!

Look. There's a lady beside him too!

Lord of Jianding!

- Lord of Jianding! - Your Lordship! Over here!

- Lord of Jianding! - Your Lordship!

Were you playing

hard-to-get just now?

Lord of Jianding!

Let go!

Your Lordship, let go of me!

Your Lordship, let go of me!

Lord of Jianding!

I'm here!

What's going on?

Your Lordship!

Did you say

that Pei Yan took Jiang Ci on a boat ride last night,

and he was stabbed by her

during the process?

That's right.

This morning,

someone reported a case to the Qingkang office.

He said Pei Yan tries to force her into being his slave.

She's the daughter of a reputable family.

Where's Jiang Ci?

I heard that she's being detained.

What about Pei Yan?

Pei Yan was summoned

to the court this morning.

Your Majesty, please spare me.

I fell for her at first glance.

I committed one mistake after another.

To make her stay,

I tried to make her my servant.

I constricted her freedom.

It was my fault

that she did something like that.

It has nothing to do with her.

Your Majesty, please spare her.

You had a bright future ahead of you, you know?

How did you end up imitating those spoiled aristocrats?

This is absurd.

I know my fault.

I'm willing to bear all the responsibilities.

That lass had stirred up trouble time and time again.

And now, she tried to assassinate a court official.

According to the law,

she'll be sent to the Criminal Affairs Bureau

for an interrogation.

Your Majesty,

she hurt me by accident because she panicked.

She knew nothing as she was from the countryside.

In the future,

I'll surely keep her by my side at all times

and keep her in check.

You still want to keep her by your side?

That's right.

Pei Yan!

What are you up to?

I'm willing to resign from my post

to go in accordance with the law.

Your Majesty, please grant me permission.

Yue Jinglong will manage the Changfeng Guards

together with you temporarily.

As for you,

return to your residence and reflect upon your actions.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

(Yamen Cell, Qingkang) My Lord, over here.

(Yamen Cell, Qingkang)

Over here.

My Lord.

That lass

is here.

Thank you, My Lord.

You were always a smart girl.

So now, do you not understand the situation?

Or do you not want to understand the situation?

Pei Yan has offended His Majesty.

His Majesty can only be appeased

if he hands over his military power to him for the time being.

Only then can he ensure his own safety.

But Pei Yan just rendered a huge merit.

His Majesty also promised him

that he would appoint him as the Chancellor

if he succeeded in the peace negotiation.

Every official in the court has their eyes on him.

His Majesty cannot go back on his word either.

If Pei Yan resigns from his post publicly,

people will surely think of

His Majesty

as a narrow-minded individual.

Therefore,

he had to come up with an excuse

that could spare both parties from embarrassment.

He had to give

His Majesty an out.

Now that he has given His Majesty an out

and has his military power stripped,

naturally, His Majesty will give him a reward.

He'll give him the thing he desires.

The thing he desires?

I think

it's a chance for him to make a comeback.

Your Lordship, what's your wish, then?

My wish

is to safeguard the Pei Family's legacy

(and make it everlasting.)

Pei Yan is making advances by taking a step back.

After all, being a playboy

isn't a serious crime.

If he wishes to return to the imperial court,

the others

cannot use this matter to criticize him.

During the banquet at Lanyue Parlor,

he released you on purpose.

He wanted to use you

as a bait

to lure me out.

The Heart Elixir case

was filled with his schemes as well.

He wants you

to remain in the Pei's Residence

so that he can gather more clues related to me through you.

What do you think?

Do you regret it?

If you serve me as my spy,

I can let bygones be bygones.

What has his character

got to do with me?

What I need to defend is my true self.

Although he did use me on several occasions,

he did save me

on numerous occasions as well.

I have my own principles to abide by.

I will never

betray anyone.

You're stubborn indeed.

Go now.

Can I leave now?

You don't say?

Did you think I came here to see you sobbing over

your precious Lord of Jianding?

Ci!

Sanlang, what are you doing here?

What happened last night was a huge commotion.

I heard that Miss Jiang was imprisoned.

I also heard that you were summoned to the court.

I was worried

that Miss Jiang might suffer in the cell.

Luckily, the official in charge was sensible.

He handed Miss Jiang to me

upon seeing me.

Thank you, Sanlang.

Ci,

are you okay?

Shaojun.

What's with

your humble appearance?

I've already resigned from my post.

Sanlang, I'm afraid it'll be some time

before we get to see each other again.

Shaojun,

why did you resort to this?

Ci,

let's go home.

Sanlang, I shall take my leave.

See you when I see you.

Please.

Let's go.

Mister,

we have fresh snacks for sale.

One box, please.

All right.

Thanks.

Please come again.

You were always a glutton.

These snacks looked delicious.

We can try them at home.

Thank you, Your Lordship.

Fresh snacks for sale!

It's rare for us to be outside.

And, everything has settled down.

Where do you wish to go?

I'll join you.

Since everything has settled down,

it's time for me to bid farewell.

No.

Your Lordship,

my wound is fully healed.

I should stop bothering you.

The Silver Masked Man wants to kill you.

You're only safe

if you stay by my side.

The world is vast.

I'm sure there's somewhere that he cannot find me.

Did you forget?

We still have to act in front of His Majesty.

If not, we'll be convicted for deceiving the ruler.

Your Lordship,

you're the one who needs to act in front of His Majesty,

not me.

Moreover, I've already stabbed you.

Is the act even necessary?

Ci, I know you hate me for that.

Follow me home for now.

I'll explain myself

once you're well-rested.

Let's go home.

(Graceful and Warm)

Mother, I've made you worried.

I must've been negligent in my motherly duties.

That's why you committed such a serious mistake.

Mother, please punish me.

Reflect upon your actions for three days.

Yes, Mother.

Ci.

It's me.

Cui?

What are you doing here?

Please come inside.

I saw that the lamp in your room was still lit.

That's why I'm here to give you something.

Classic of the Materia Medica,

Treatise on Cold Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases,

and The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic?

Cui,

what's with...

I wanted to give them to you before this.

You were meticulous and skillful

when you disassembled the crab.

You knew your herbs and plants well.

And, you're kind too.

You possess

the potential to be a physician.

A physician?

I've never considered that before.

Ci, it's fine.

You don't need to be stressed out over this.

Just treat them

as casual books.

You can read them when you're free.

You can read more

if you find something interesting.

If you have any questions,

you can ask me.

Cui,

you treated me sincerely

and took great care of me

ever since my arrival.

Thank you for everything.

Ci,

so, what do you

plan to do next?

I'm just a lass who lived in the mountains.

I don't have any particular plans in mind.

If you have any plans in the future

and need my assistance,

be sure to let me know.

Cui,

thank you so much.

♪Dare you fall in love with me under the moon♪

♪Embracing the fiery passion♪

♪Dare you spend the rest of your life with me♪

♪Facing everything together♪

♪Dare you promise me a lifetime together♪

♪Embracing me tightly♪

♪Dare you stage a fateful encounter with me♪

♪Making a vow I looked forward to♪

♪Did you see the mountains on your way here♪

♪Those are the curves you traveled♪

♪Passing by the thorny past♪

(The seeds you stepped on are the seeds of Dark Night Orchid.)

(Once they're on your clothes)

(or at the bottom of your shoes,)

(they'll be hard to get rid of.)

(Even if you wash them)

(or immerse them in white vinegar,)

(they'll still change color.)

Is it that powerful?

♪As if our first encounter♪

She didn't lie to me, did she?

My Lord.

Are you actually drinking vinegar?

According to our

scouts outside of Pei's Residence,

Jiang Ci wishes to see you.

Why are you looking for me?

I'm no longer useful to you.

Return the clay cat to me.

You don't get to decide

whether you're useful to me or not.

I've never begged anyone before this.

But now, I'm begging you.

Return my clay cat to me.

The trouble I've caused has nothing to do with other people.

Do not harm my master.

Don't you think it's unfair

if your voice alone

can change the events of the world?

You're right.

I shouldn't have entrusted my hope to someone else.

I overestimated myself.

I wouldn't have landed myself in this deep

mess had I not come to Qingkang in the first place.

And, Master wouldn't need to place himself in danger.

Give me some time.

(Lord of Jianding's Residence)

Your Lordship,

Fan Yi died in the prison.

I'm sure someone

silenced him because they feared that we might

get information out of him.

We even received news

that Teng Rui

had arrived at Wei State two days ago.

Since he was silenced,

we cannot locate the culprit for the time being.

Send someone to tail Teng Rui.

Yes, Your Lordship.

Have you located the whereabouts of the Yan Sisters?

Not yet.

Continue your search.

Yes, Your Lordship.

Your Lordship,

the weather has turned cold.

We should keep these blankets and clothing here.

I'm sure you guys know

how Mother is.

Madam has a terrible temper indeed.

She punished Miss Jiang last time.

And now, she's treating you strictly too.

When did that happen?

Your Lordship, it happened when you were imprisoned.

Your Lordship.

Tong Min.

He is to reflect upon his actions.

But he has to refrain from taking water for three days.

He doesn't even have enough to ward off the cold.

It's like he's entering prison again right after being released.

What we can do now

is to obey His Lordship's instructions

and not make him worried.

Look at the state His Lordship is in.

He's still concerned about Jiang Ci.

I've never seen His Lordship treating a lady

this well before.

Ci.

Your Lordship, are you okay?

You don't need to worry.

I may leave

in two more days.

Mother punished you.

Why didn't you tell me about it?

Your Lordship, can you avenge me

if I told you about it, then?

Your Lordship, you were implicated by the jade gourd's case.

And, I was partly responsible for it.

I deserved

that slap.

Ci,

I have to apologize to you

for what I did on the boat.

It wasn't my intention.

However...

Your Lordship, you don't need to explain yourself to me.

I won't dwell on the past.

Just let bygones

be bygones.

Your Lordship, do you need anything else?

I'll get it for you.

It's cold and humid out there.

You should return to your room and rest.

You might catch a cold if you stay outside.

I'll leave my confinement eventually.

Report your case to His Majesty if you have any.

If not, the court will be dismissed.

Your Majesty,

I have something to report to you.

(Shao Zihe)

(Minister of War, Liang State) But it involves something dangerous.

It's...

Speak away.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

What's going on?

Your Majesty, please take a look.

This long sword was forged five years ago.

And, this is the sword

that the Nanling Foundry Bureau had distributed to the Imperial Guards.

Out of ten swords, three of them are like this.

Your Majesty, please examine the case.

(Young Master, the weapons used by...)

They're actually forging weapons

for Lu Yu in secret?

Isn't Nanling one of the Pei Family's territories?

This sword is...

Dong Fang, heed my command.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Select capable officials for the arms case

and investigate it thoroughly.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Lordship.

Nanling is in trouble.

You arrived just in time.

It's been a few days since we met.

You look much paler now.

Your Majesty, thank you for your concern.

I don't deserve such kindness.

You wish to return to Nanling, don't you?

Your Majesty,

I've been busy with military affairs all these years.

So my martial arts level has remained stagnant.

I wish to recuperate at Nanling and reflect upon my actions.

I'll improve my martial arts

so that I'll be capable enough

to protect the land on your behalf, Your Majesty.

However,

before my departure,

I have some heartfelt words for you.

The Nanling Foundry Bureau had been forging weapons

for the Imperial Guards and others all these years.

If a large-scale investigation is conducted,

firstly, public sentiment might be affected.

Secondly, troop morale might be disrupted as well.

I'm willing to use this opportunity

to investigate the arms case in secret.

I'll surely

conduct a thorough investigation.

Mother, I left the hall without permission.

Please punish me.

You managed to obtain a chance to survive

in front of His Majesty.

Why should I punish you for that?

I made you reflect upon your actions in the ancestral hall

in hopes that you would realize what you were supposed to do.

Although your trip back to Nanling

will be arduous,

you still stand a chance

to regain His Majesty's trust.

What you need to do now

is to be decisive.

I'll surely handle

the arms case investigation well

and return to the imperial court.

You may rise.

Now, His Majesty knows about Jiang Ci.

I'm afraid it'll be hard for me

to cover up my life

if she doesn't stay by my side.

Naturally, I won't pay any attention to a servant like her.

You can do whatever you want with her.

But you must remember

your priorities.

Do not let her distract you from your goal.

Yes, Mother.

I shall take my leave now.

I'm afraid His Lordship will face obstructions

from the imperial family for his trip back to Nanling.

None of them cared about

their ties with Zijing back then.

All of them bullied me and my son.

It's not that we're not exacting revenge.

It's just not time yet.

But I'm worried.

What if His Lordship finds out

about our dealings in Nanling during his investigation?

Relay my order.

Tell them to put on a front.

It's not time for Yan to know the truth yet.

Keep Zhao Wu's case hidden for now as well.

Yes, Madam.

There's one more thing.

The slaves selected from various provinces

will be sent to Qingkang soon.

Their quality has been dropping year after year.

The favor and glory Consort Wei enjoyed back then

will likely never be seen again.

Your Lordship,

were you looking for me?

You said it was boring to remain in the residence, right?

I'm planning to return to Nanling.

I plan to take you with me

on my trip.

Nanling?

There are mountains and rivers in Nanling.

The scenery there is impeccable.

I'm sure you'll like the place.

(Liang State, Nanling, Yuzhou Island)

(So, Nanling is this close to Yuzhou Island, huh?)

Mother punished you last time.

I'm afraid you'll have to suffer again

if you remain in the residence.

Your Lordship, you've been coughing lately.

I assume you've caught a cold.

Please rest here.

I'll make you some ginger tea.

(Wei's Residence)

I've never begged anyone before this.

But now, I'm begging you.

Return my clay cat to me.

The trouble I've caused has nothing to do with other people.

Do not harm my master.

My Lord.

When I was searching for the Yan Sisters,

I found out Changfeng Guards

were searching for them as well.

Pei Yan?

Why is he searching for them as well?

Could it be

that this was related to Prince Qi's case as well?

The Pei Family

is actually related to Prince Qi's case?

You must find out why

Pei Yan is searching for the Yan Sisters.

Only then will we be able to find out their role

in Prince Qi's case.

However,

they're already difficult enough to track.

If Pei Yan is searching for them as well,

I'm afraid he'll end up

obstructing us.

Two dogs strive for a bone,

the third runs away with it."

Now, we are in the shadows.

Perhaps

we can use Pei Yan to our advantage

and locate the Yan Sisters sooner.

Has there been any movements from the Pei Family lately?

Indeed.

My Lord, how did you find out?

Nanling Foundry Bureau was involved in a case.

Nanling belongs to the Pei Family.

Pei Yan will surely request His Majesty to let him investigate the case.

Seems like

I need to use Pei Yan to my advantage now.

Pei Yan is heading to Nanling.

What about Jiang Ci?

Your Lordship,

Yue Jinglong acted like a tyrant after being

in charge of the Guards.

He didn't treat them like people at all.

Commander Yue is taking charge of you guys under imperial command.

You guys have to respect him.

Do not treat him with contempt.

Your Lordship,

they're just bullying you because you've fallen from grace.

Those old fools were already against you

when you hadn't resigned from your position.

Now that you've resigned from your position,

I don't know what they'll do to you.

I assume your trip to Nanling

will be arduous too.

Tong Min.

Your Lordship,

let's talk about your trip to Nanling.

Although it belongs to the Pei Family,

you left the place since young.

The relationships among the family members are complex too.

Even if you're there under imperial command,

someone might still try to sabotage your progress.

Your Lordship.

I'm sure the trip to Nanling

will be long and arduous.

I'm lucky

that I have Ci with me.

Ci, have you truly decided to head to Nanling with His Lordship?

That's right.

But why?

His Lordship rescued me on numerous occasions.

Now, he's in trouble.

I can't just leave him in the lurch.

Ci, you're still bent on repaying his kindness

even though you almost lost your life.

Since that's the case,

let me join you as well.

Cui,

I can tell

that you're a free spirit.

You're not aiming for the court.

You don't need to do this.

Since I'm one of His Lordship's retainers,

naturally, I have to play my part as well.

Moreover, it's great

that I can travel with you

and admire the beautiful views.

Since when was there

a cat in this residence?

It might be a stray cat.

Cui,

it's getting late.

You should rest early.

Okay.

Ci, you should rest early too.

You're finally returning my clay cat to me.

Where will you go

after retrieving this?

His Lordship is heading to Nanling.

I'll be joining him.

Did you say yes?

Yes, I did.

You said you wanted to leave,

but you couldn't bear to part with Pei Yan.

Your hands are stained by the Dark Night Orchid.

Use this. They'll recover by tomorrow.

(Wei's Residence)

My Lord.

This is an exquisite item.

Where did you get it?

Seems like

someone intends to head to Nanling.

I can use her

to probe Pei Yan's intentions.

Tell our men to spread the word.

Yes, My Lord.

(Desiring to respond, Buddha tells Puguang, "Men are greedy"...)

All done.

Put this in front

of Prince Qi's altar lamp.

Take a stroll with me.

Your Majesty,

your koi carps are full of vigor indeed.

What rumors have you heard lately?

Your Majesty, I dare not tell.

Is there anything you dare not tell me?

Rumors have been circulating lately.

They said that Pei Yan sabotaged his own future

and returned to Nanling because of

that beloved servant of his.

It did spread pretty quickly.

Pei Yan requested my permission

to return to Nanling

in order to investigate the arms case in secret.

I see.

Lord of Jianding is thoughtful indeed.

It's no wonder the people said

that Pei Yan resembled his father.

Zijing was mighty at both the pen and the sword.

I had high hopes for him.

It's a shame

that he passed away at a young age.

What have you discovered

about the Changfeng Guards?

I've checked the post stations.

When Xu Jun was sending the birthday gifts to the capital,

he took 12 people with him

for the initial trip.

With just 12 people, they were able

to secure the entire city,

even rescuing Teng Rui in the process.

Seems like the Changfeng Guards

do live up to their reputation.

Back then, Pei Yan

approached me

and borrowed some of my Dawn Guards.

Although the two groups were all mixed up,

according to what I witnessed,

I assume

there were more than 12 Changfeng Guards.

The Pei Family has a deep and strong foundation

in Nanling.

Their connections are complex as well.

The arms case

involves many parties.

I'm afraid we can only stop the people from gossiping

by sending Pei Yan to investigate the case.

Your Majesty is wise indeed.

But I can't rest at ease

if I send him there alone.

Take your Dawn Guards with you

and head there together with him.

Yes, Your Majesty.

My Lord,

is His Majesty sending you to Nanling as well?

His Majesty

wasn't truly convinced by the peace talk.

And, Nanling belongs to the Pei Family.

Naturally, he's worried.

If that's the case,

My Lord, you can gather clues related to the Yan Sisters

from Pei Yan.

However,

there's one thing I don't understand.

Pei Yan

has deceived Jiang Ci time and time again.

Why is she still following Pei Yan?

Jiang Ci may seem like a heartless person,

but that isn't the case.

Although she's not used to the way

Pei Yan does things, and she cannot accept it,

she won't leave Pei Yan in the lurch

out of a sense of loyalty.

She does have a pure heart.

Pei Yan intends to investigate the Yan Family with his Changfeng Guards.

He must be communicating with them very often lately.

Tell the Shadow Sect

to intercept their secret letters somehow.

But their secret documents are usually encrypted with characters.

It'll be difficult for us to decipher the content without an annotation.

Difficult to decipher, huh?

Jiang Ci

might be our breakthrough point.

Will she obey us?

Since she chose to stay by Pei Yan's side,

naturally, we stand a chance too.

There are dumplings in the kitchen.

I'll bring them here.

It's delicious

when you dip them in vinegar.

(Lord of Jianding's Residence)

I heard from the palace

that Commander Wei would head to Nanling together with you.

Commander Wei is smart and cautious.

He's His Majesty's favorite subject as well.

I'm afraid he'll keep an eye on your every move.

You might not be able to act.

I guess there's no choice.

His Majesty would never let us

head there alone.

Let's see how it goes.

(The shameless cat is heading to Nanling as well, huh?)

(This seems like a good chance to retrieve my clay cat.)

(Lord of Jianding's Residence) Your Lordship.

Ziming, thank you for joining me

on my trip to Nanling.

You're too courteous.

Ci,

I'm afraid Nanling

will turn colder in a few more days.

Remember to wear thicker clothing.

Yes, Your Lordship.

You guys as well.

Shaojun.

Sanlang, thank you for joining us.

Sanlang, if you don't mind,

you may stay at Changfeng Estate

with us when we arrive at Nanling.

It'll also save you from trouble.

If so, I won't stay on ceremony, then.

Sanlang, are you only taking Deputy Envoy Yi with you?

Shaojun, I was the one who wanted to join you on your trip.

I brought him here

so that we wouldn't be bored during the trip.

Sanlang, please.

Shaojun, you're the host here.

I'm just a guest.

Please go ahead.

♪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♪