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Subtitles and Timing provided to you by 🎶 The Copper Sparrow 🪶Team @viki.com

Go Ahead Fearlessly - Liu Yuning

♫ Grudges and karma, right and wrong ♫

♫ Tears and blood in the past life ♫

♫ A parting lasting for years ♫

♫ Keeps the truth hidden ♫

♫ Fate is full of twists and turns ♫

♫ Misfortune and happiness intertwined ♫

♫ Let the wind take away obsessions and lies ♫

♫ Through storms and uncertainties, I devote myself to you ♫

♫ At least you share my joy and sorrow ♫

♫ Unraveling mystery fearlessly in this dream ♫

♫ Hand in hand with you, I wander this splendid world ♫

♫ My heart remains untainted by the mortal dust ♫

[Melody of Golden Age]

[Episode 39]

I knew it would be more interesting like this.

Lai Luozhi. How dare you act so recklessly in court?

As a minister, you're showing no respect for the laws.

His Majesty is incapable of ruling the nation.

Vice Minister Lai serves the court wholeheartedly.

We shall not let him suffer injustice.

You ungrateful traitors.

How dare you treacherous ministers spout such nonsense?

To be ruled by a woman is the real calamity of Dacang.

Very well. You've shown your true colors.

I'd like to see who is the bane of Dacang.

Guards.

May I give it a try?

Guards.

Look around.

These are the Imperial Personal Guards of Dacang.

I've long heard that the Imperial Guards are colluding with the Imperial Inspectorate.

I didn't expect that even the Imperial Personal Guards have sided with Lai Luozhi.

Your days in the sickbed must have taken a toll on you.

Maybe I should remind you what to say and what to do.

Are you sure you don't have anything to tell the ministers?

Lai Luozhi. How dare you besiege the palace for usurpation?

The mandate of heaven shall be entrusted to the one chosen by the people.

Lai Luozhi, how dare you?

That's unexpected. You actually choose to fight to the death.

What a pity. It doesn't have to be like this.

At this point,

I bet you know how to write the edict of abdication, right?

This is ridiculous! How are you qualified to inherit the throne?

What if I am qualified?

Then, you shall ascend the throne as appointed by Heaven.

Your wild ambition is insatiable. It calls for punishment.

Clamorous. Drag these pedants out

and cut off their tongues.

Shen Du, what are you waiting for?

You're not qualified to claim the throne.

Royal Guards.

I, Shen Du, have purged the traitors among the Royal Guards.

We're here to arrest the rebels and protect Their Majesties.

Don't you want to avenge those dozens

of your family members who died from injustice?

Think about your father Shen Bingzhu.

Don't you want to vindicate him?

I will find out the truth myself and bring justice to my family.

Want me to join you?

You don't deserve it.

So, according to your speculation,

the Huo'e Sect has gained momentum over the years

due to the support of someone in the court,

and this person is very likely Lai Luozhi.

There's no solid evidence, but various signs indicate

that he has everything to do with this.

The Huo'e Sect coveted control over the court

and sought to incite discord within the royal family

with dirt on Princess Yong'an and others.

It is evident that the mastermind is elusive and plotting something huge.

They even dared to get their hands on the cinnabar controlled by the imperial court.

I am certain that your speculation is most probably the truth.

What is your plan?

Our enemies lurk in the dark.

We'd better play along and lure them into the trap.

Lure them into the trap?

Alright. I'd like to see how your tactic will work.

Empress Dowager. This is the medicine Shen Du discovered from the Jinwu Tribe.

He sent it here secretly.

It is said to be the remedy that can cure you in half a month.

What a smart double agent.

You feigned allegiance and put yourself and those around you at risk.

It wasn't my trick

but your arrogance that led you into this trap.

Say no more. It's not certain who will win yet.

The Huo'e rises, revealing the masses.

They are not real envoys.

I have never fully trusted you, either.

The captains of the Six Garrisons have pledged loyalty to me.

Just now,they've besieged the palace.

Do you think you stand a chance?

The tide has turned.

You're regretting it. But it's too late.

Shen Du. You could have been the founding minister to my kingdom.

What a pity.

Kill them all.

Now.

It's going to be fine.

I will protect you.

You will surely ascend the throne.

You surely will.

I won't let you die in vain.

General Zhenyuan, you reacted swiftly and took out the rebels.

You're truly the leading general guarding the border of Dacang.

Prince Xian.

The Six Garrisons have sided with Lai Luozhi.

The troops within the city are no match for them.

Now all the counties are under the watch of the Huo'e Sect.

Only one person can turn the tide.

To not alert the enemies,

please lend us your helping hand to lift the siege of Xiang'an

and pacify the turmoil.

Thankfully, you sent me a confidential letter conveying the decree.

I didn't expect that someone would dare to collude with the enemies

to create chaos at the borders to keep me there.

[General Zhenyuan] He wouldn't have expected that a squad of elite warriors

had already set out for Xiang'an.

Lai Luozhi bewitched the people.

But he didn't realize that those were my close kin in the palace.

His Majesty is my nephew.

As a civilian of Dacang,

I must stand by Dacang and its people at the moment.

The Huo'e Sect has numerous disciples.

The various branches of Huo'e Sect in Dacang

will join me in rising against you.

What are you going to do?

Do you want all the people in Xiang'an to be buried with you?

Great Chief, the rebels out there have been annihilated.

Lai Luozhi.

It's time to surrender.

Just now, the Huo'e Sect branches you deployed have all been eradicated.

Your momentum

is lost.

During the grand assembly,

Lai Luozhi will deploy his troops around the palace.

Jiang Langxing informed the inspectors in different areas.

The inspectors will uproot the Huo'e Sect strongholds.

All inspectors, listen up.

Destroy all the strongholds of the Huo'e Sect.

Arrest all the cultists.

- Don't let anyone run away. - Understood.

Liang. If you produce the new crossbows you designed

which fires multiple arrows at once,

then our troops can fight ten times the enemies.

Then, with just a squad of elites, we may triumph over the many.

What marvelous weapons you make.

You have contributed greatly to the pacification.

All thanks to Mr. Shen's support and encouragement.

You petty ants and hypocrites.

You let the Empress Dowager rule the nation.

Deluded and incompetent.

Who is leading Dacang to a downslope?

It's her. Zhou Xu!

Lai Luozhi.

You established Huo'e Sect, bewitched the people, and persecuted loyal ministers.

You have hurt so many people.

And you're pointing the finger at someone else?

My Huo'e Sect thrived throughout Dacang

because I created a beautiful dream

where the dead could be brought back to life.

Who can escape

a life consisting of birth, aging, sickness, and death?

Who can avoid

the pain of losing loved ones?

Let alone the common people, even the high officials had no choice.

Didn't Mo Qianzhi also yield to me

and act based on my instructions?

Despicable creature.

I just hate people like you,

who uphold so-called righteousness and morality.

How could I work with a rebel like you?

If my father were alive, he wouldn't allow it, either.

I am first a civilian of Dacang

and then a member of the Shen family.

Your father was also a fool.

I only seek to have a clear conscience and not let the people down.

How can I collude with you?

He thought he upheld integrity,

unaware that he had made many enemies.

Many people wished to put him to death.

You are as stupid as your father.

With nothing but some petty tricks,

I managed to bring down your entire family.

You're sinister enough to persecute the loyal ministers.

Even Heaven's law wouldn't grant you power.

Heaven's law?

Then let me ask you.

Who convicted your father?

Who was responsible for the misery of your family?

Zhou Xu.

You hold the young mute emperor as hostage to dominate the court.

Have you ever woken up in the deep night,

feeling guilty toward the late emperor, who was my father?

I am the chosen one with the supreme bloodline.

Today, I shall restore order to Dacang and reclaim my power.

The late emperor?

Could he be…?

I am the son of the late emperor and Ms. Shu.

The phoenix leads nine chicks.

The world is at peace.

Clarify the source.

Re-establish the order.

Clarify the source.

Re-establish the order.

Could it be that the Imperial Preceptor's prophecy really had a second half?

That is not true.

I'm the Chief Director Yan Xing of the Ministry of Justice.

I pay my respect, Your Majesty.

I pay my respect, Empress Dowager.

Please rise.

Empress Dowager.

There was a second half to the prophecy that wasn't handed in.

But it was not what Lai Luozhi just said.

Do you have evidence?

The true prophecy is hidden in this baby's clothes.

Azure sky at sunset.

Brings upon misfortune.

That's right.

The Imperial Preceptor made a prophecy.

The latter half referred to someone with wild ambitions in the court

so that you would stay alert of those around you.

Lai Luozhi managed the Huo'e Sect for years.

The cultists were committing crimes.

The Imperial Preceptor noticed it

and had doubts about Lai Luozhi's real identity.

But without evidence,

he had to convey his suspicions to the world through the prophecy.

[Azure sky at sunset. Brings upon misfortune.] He probably realized

that Lai Luozhi was watching him.

He had to embroider the prophecy within the patterns on the brocade

to send it away when he had a chance.

However, Lai Luozhi sent assassins to silence him first.

Heaven's vengeance is slow but sure.

Yuanniang who couldn't read found the brocade with the latter half of the prophecy

and made it into the lining of a baby's clothes.

And thus it remained.

[Triangle Sewing]

If Yuanniang were just an ordinary woman,

how could she afford such fabric?

The fabric on the inside wasn't something accessible to an ordinary person.

The Imperial Preceptor was pedantic and obstinate.

Should I give up Dacang to a stupid child,

or that inept Prince Xian,

or that bossy Princess Yong'an?

As long as the Empress Dowager is still in court, no one can be at ease.

Once upon a time,

Princess Runing was honored and distinguished.

But someone changed the pattern of her clothes,

and she was accused of treason

and ended up as she is now.

So Princess Runing

was also framed by you?

How could I have succeeded so easily had you not been paranoid?

It's all your fault.

You are the greatest threat to my clan.

As a descendant of the Xiao family, I shall right the wrongs for Dacang.

The throne is rightfully mine.

I am the rightful heir to the throne.

But you are not the son of the late emperor.

You are the son of Ms. Shu and her lover.

Ms. Shu used to be the carefree Princess Bi Luo of Nanlang.

She was in love and engaged with General Kongshan in secret.

It could have been a beautiful story.

Yet her father, King of Nanlang, forced her to marry the late emperor of Dacang.

Princess Bi Luo wouldn't comply.

In a rage, the King of Nanlang killed General Kongshan

and threatened to kill his entire clan.

Bi Luo had no choice but to bribe the eunuch to avoid the inspection

and became who we knew as Ms. Shu.

Thus, she lost her love and her name.

She stayed alive for the sake of General Kongshan's clan,

and because she was pregnant with General Kongshan's child.

It can't be true. No way.

My mother wouldn't lie to me.

I am a descendant of the Xiao family, a son of the late emperor of Dacang.

Back then, one of those who escorted Princess Bi Luo to Dacang

noticed that she was unwell and discovered the truth.

That person was attacked by assassins but made it out alive.

Lai Luozhi, you are not a descendant of the Xiao family.

Lai Luozhi, your life is a complete lie.

No way.

My mother wouldn't lie to me.

My mother wouldn't lie to me.

You petty people are Zhou Xu's lackeys.

You fabricate lies to deceive everyone,

just to prevent me from ascending the throne and rectifying the mistake.

The moths flying to the flame,

born at dawn,

dead by dusk.

It turns out

that the moth flying to the flame

is nothing but a splendid dream.

- Open the door.- Understood.

Greetings, Mr. Jing.

Lai Luozhi was arrested. The Great Chief asked me to send you home.

You have suffered. Please forgive us for our negligence.

That's great. Mr. Jing, you're being too polite.

The Great Chief locked us up

to protect us from Lai Luozhi's persecution.

How could we not understand that?

That's right.

Shen Du, you need to understand.

An arrow shot from a bow can't be taken back.

I've thought it through. Please inform the Empress Dowager.

Come back another day, Director Yan.

The Empress Dowager is going to summon me.

She won't have time for you.

Lai Luozhi and his people have been convicted.

Why are you here to see the Empress Dowager?

I have made a great contribution to the pacification this time.

Do I need to tell a Sixth-Tier official

about what reward I'm going to ask for?

Then I must see Her Majesty together with you.

The merit shouldn't be yours alone. I also made an effort.

You can't keep the reward all to yourself.

If you want a reward, have your supervisor hand in a memorial.

Director Yan, go back.

Who brings a gift to ask for rewards?

I bet it's the evidence

that can disturb the court in this box.

You came for the Shen family--

Director Yan.

Speak cautiously.

Now that we are divorced, you have no ties with the Shen family.

So stay out of my family business.

Fine.

Even if I am not a member of the Shen family,

I will see to the end of this matter.

I'm not standing here as your wife

but as the Chief Director of the Ministry of Justice.

It's my pursuit to reinvestigate the wrongful cases

and bring justice to the innocent.

Great Chief Shen, the Empress Dowager summoned you.

As an official, you should know very well that

the Empress Dowager only summoned me,

so you shouldn't come uninvited.

Are you breaking into the hall?

If you go in there alone, I won't see you again.

His Majesty caught a mild cold.

He will rest for a day and attend the court meeting tomorrow.

My ministers, do you have any reports to make?

Qiao Wenzhi, you're temporarily in charge of Gannandao.

Do you have matters to report today?

Empress Dowager, ever since Lai Luozhi was convicted,

all has been well and prosperous in Dacang.

Gannandao has been thriving.

The world is at peace. There is nothing to report.

"The world is at peace"?

Lai Luozhi has been brought to justice.

But the brochure he left behind was very useful.

Qiao Wenzhi, you illegally imported goods from Xichen

through Gannandao to sell them in Dacang for profit.

Empress Dowager, I have been wronged.

The so-called evidence left behind by those rebels

in Gannandao is absolutely invalid.

Absolutely invalid?

Then what do you say about the fabricated ledger?

It wasn't submitted by Lai Luozhi's people.

The forged ledger documented twice the real cost

of the reconstruction of Ming Hall.

But all the ministries were involved in this.

- I'm not the only one-- - Qiao Wenzhi.

Don't talk nonsense.

Empress Dowager, Qiao Wenzhi is my subordinate.

He embezzled the money from the court out of greed,

which is a serious crime.

I was negligent.

I deserve any punishment.

Negligent?

Prime Minister Zhang truly has a wealth of knowledge.

What an exquisite choice of words.

But Qiao Wenzhi is indeed loyal to you.

I bet most of the embezzlement ended up

in your pocket, Zhang Xingwei.

Zhang Xingwei, what else do you have to say?

I have nothing to say.

Prince Xian.

Mother Empress.

Let me ask you.

How should we deal with him?

Mother Empress, I believe you have your opinion.

I have my opinion.

But now I am asking for your opinion.

Prime Minister Zhang has been my mentor since I was young.

He has always led by example and taught me to prioritize the nation.

I don't believe that he would commit such a crime just for money.

There must be something behind this.

Prince Xian, how foolish!

I have deceived you for years, acting like a decent minister.

Yet you still plead for me.

Very well. What a touching bond between the mentor and the disciple.

Prime Minister Zhang, let me speak on your behalf.

You didn't spend a single dime on yourself.

You bribed others in the court

so that they supported Prince Xian with you.

Empress Dowager.

At this point,

I will no longer conceal the truth.

Prince Xian knows absolutely nothing about all this.

It was all my doing alone.

Please sentence me to death as a warning to others.

Do you think your sins will be erased

as long as you sacrifice yourself?

Those loyal officials who died wrongfully accused

because of you

could never be brought back to life.

Minister Shen. Bring it up.

By heavenly decree, here comes the edict.

The criminal, Shen Bingzhu, secretly corresponded with the enemy,

burned down our army's granary,

leaked the weapon designs,

colluded with foreign forces,

and conspired with the rebel army.

He shall be sentenced to death.

The entire Shen family shall be detained and exiled.

Convey the edict widely.

I do not seek to be renowned.

I only seek to have a clear conscience

and not let the people down.

Shen Bingzhu was indifferent to wealth and fame,

never wanting to get involved in court disputes.

All he cared about was the people.

No matter what happened,

he only did what he should do,

as long as the people lived well.

I receive my wage from His Majesty.

Naturally, I shall share his burden

even at the cost of my life.

♫ Through storms and uncertainties, I devote myself to you ♫

I, Shen Du

am here to seek justice for my father,

Shen Bingzhu.

I, Shen Du, the son of the criminal official Shen Bingzhu,

denounce my father for colluding with enemies

and conspiring with the rebels.

I denounce.

I, Shen Du, the son of the criminal official Shen Bingzhu,

denounce my father for colluding with enemies.

♫ Unraveling mystery fearlessly in this dream ♫

Seek justice for my father,

Shen Bingzhu.

♫ My heart remains untainted by the mortal dust ♫

Sixteen years ago when Dacang was at war with Xichen

and in dire need of provisions and fodder,

the main granary

that stored the provisions suddenly caught fire.

All the provisions of Dacang were burned to the ground.

Shen Bingzhu, who was guarding the provisions,

was found guilty of conspiring with the enemy

and severely punished.

The grain bag bearing the granary's seal

should have been burnt to ashes.

But it appeared

a thousand miles away in Gannandao.

The traitorous letter you presented to the late emperor

was found not to have been written by Shen Bingzhu.

Prime Minister Zhang, will you explain it to me?

When the war began, my disciple came to me.

It was then I learned

that he had colluded with local officials to scalp the provisions.

They bought the provisions at a low price

and sold them when the price rose to profit from the price difference.

However, the war with Xichen broke out.

But they had sold out all the provisions,

leaving only piles of thatch in the granary.

Prime Minister Zhang.

It has never crossed my mind that

such a heinous crime concerning the foundation of Dacang

would have something to do with you.

Empress Dowager.

Nor have I imagined that

one day I would do something utterly heartless

to cover up my disciple's crime.

I found someone

to fabricate that treasonous letter,

imitating Minister Shen's handwriting.

You forged the letter.

Then how did the granary catch fire?

Prime Minister Zhang.

Do you want me to investigate further?

Empress Dowager.

I am solely responsible for this.

My family and I shall pay the price. Let it end here.

If you keep looking into it,

it may shake the foundation of Dacang.

We will be caught in a dilemma, trying to protect someone important.

It's not worth it, Empress Dowager.

Protect some important?

Who are you referring to?

There are things I can't speak about openly.

Great Chief Shen, please.

Do you trust me so much?

Aren't you afraid

that you will disappear along with this box?

Over these years,

I have seen you serving the people of Dacang at all costs.

I believe you will make a fair judgment.

I am not afraid

to risk my life.

Then let me speak on your behalf.

Before Minister Shen took over the granary,

the local official there was my nephew Zhou Miao.

[Zhou Miao]

He feared that he'd be caught and colluded with Lai Luozhi

to set our Dacang granary on fire

with Wujin Tribe's Fire Fueling Technique.

Empress Dowager, you…

Guards.

Take Zhou Miao out for a thorough interrogation.

All those involved in this from the Zhou family

shall receive more severe punishment.

Empress Dowager, spare me.

Please spare me.

Prince Xian.

Let me ask you one more time.

What will you do with Prime Minister Zhang?

Mother Empress, I beg you

to punish Zhang Xingwei according to the law.

But please consider his past merits

and deal with the members of the Zhang family with some leniency.

Subtitles and Timing provided to you by 🎶 The Copper Sparrow 🪶Team @viki.com

song credit

♫ One look confirmed our fate ♫

♫ Upon meeting again, I know you're the one for me ♫

♫ Gazing at the stars, dreaming about old times ♫

♫ A pair of people have already taken root ♫

♫ Lovers before the candlelight, do not ask their thoughts ♫

♫ Affection is bound, lasting forever ♫

♫ Using the evening breeze to express deep love ♫

♫ I have someone I long for in this life ♫

♫ Deeply in love, you are the one I have chosen ♫

♫ Autumn moon and spring breeze, I only want you for my whole life ♫

♫ The trace of your palm ♫

♫ Your gaze ♫

♫ Our love is heating up ♫

♫ Deeply in love, you are the one I have chosen ♫

♫ Autumn moon and spring breeze, I only want you for my whole life ♫

♫ The trace of your palm ♫

♫ Your gaze ♫

♫ Our love is heating up ♫

♫ You are the only one for me ♫

♫ Embracing each other, how serious we are about our love ♫

♫ Every moment is treasured ♫

♫ From dawn to dusk ♫

♫ You and I, forever inseparable ♫

♫ Without noticing, you broke into my heart ♫

♫ Slowly immersing myself, I become undaunted by perils for love ♫

♫ I charge into battle with unmatched resilience ♫

♫ Because you are my responsibility ♫

♫ Deeply in love, you are the one I have chosen ♫

♫ Autumn moon and spring breeze, I only want you for my whole life ♫

♫ The trace of your palm ♫

♫ Your gaze ♫

♫ Our love is heating up ♫

♫ Deeply in love, you are the one I have chosen ♫

♫ Autumn moon and spring breeze, I only want you for my whole life ♫

♫ The trace of your palm ♫

♫ Your gaze ♫

♫ Our love is heating up ♫

♫ You are the only one for me ♫