Original subtitles

Timing and Subtitles by the "Are You My Soulmate?" Team @ Viki

"Drifting through the Willow Trees" by Zhou Shen

♫ Flowers falling by the river again Turning the clear waves red ♫

♫ Sparrows singing in celebration ♫

♫ Calm years pass by the silent bustling city Sitting at home ♫

♫ No one knows love's outline like I do ♫

♫ If one day the river breeze blows again ♫

♫ I won't be a mere reflection in the mirror ♫

♫ Dreams can shatter; Memories remain ♫

♫ Rich fragrance aids; Light ink writes ♫

♫ In the deep red windows lies mundane dust ♫

Are You the One

[Episode 37]

I've been keeping a close watch. Everything about Wen Tinghe is fine.

There's nothing suspicious. He has made no personal contact.

Have we alerted the snake?

Your Majesty. Lord Sui seeks your audience.

Granted.

[Virtuous and Disciplined]

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Hi, Uncle. What is it?

Naturally, it's about the disaster relief in Xuanzhou.

All the relief supplies have been distributed.

I've also mobilized the Ministry of Personnel to reward the rich squires

who donated the supplies, giving them official positions.

I believe that soon, the people who suffer from the cold weather

will be able to celebrate the New Year with peace of mind.

With your supervision, I'm sure the relief efforts will be effective.

I'm very relieved.

It's all part of my job.

And...

What else is troubling you, Uncle? Let's hear it.

It's nothing to do with governance.

It's...

I just want to ask

how many gifts Your Majesty gave to Lord Huaiyang?

Gifts?

He and his wife are coming to the capital in a few days.

I need to send a gift. So I need a reference.

What are you talking about? I don't understand.

Lord Huaiyang got married in Zhenzhou.

Doesn't Your Majesty need to send a gift?

Lord Huaiyang got married?

He...

Don't you know?

Well...

I'm not surprised.

I heard he had a quick wedding before the journey to the capital.

I guess it will only be a few days between the envoy

and Lord Huaiyang's arrival in the capital.

Normally, a lord's wedding should be organized by the Ministry of Rituals.

Lord Huaiyang broke our ancestors' rules.

It's... It seems after the tragedy,

he holds his wife dearly.

[Qi'an]

Summon Lord Huaiyang.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Rise, Lord Cui.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

How was your trip?

It was great.

Great?

Why did you come so late to your duty?

The position of Deputy Minister of War has been vacant.

The officials slack on their duty.

Should I remove them from their duty

or punish you?

Your Majesty, I heard Lord Huaiyang had a grand wedding.

But it hasn't been recorded by the Ministry of Rituals.

The priority of the Ministry of War should be following orders.

But Lord Huaiyang deliberately goes against the ancestral order.

So he cannot fill this position.

I think Secretary Cao is the best candidate.

Your Majesty, Secretary Cao is inexperienced.

And he has never been to the battlefield.

Compared with Lord Huaiyang, he's not the best choice.

Lord Cui, what do you say?

I have nothing to say.

I took an oath to stay single until the state has peace.

That was why I didn't get married.

I did my job as your loyal servant,

but I failed my mother as a son.

During the unrest in Dongzhou,

defeated troops infiltrated Zhenzhou, and abducted my mother and my fiancee.

I almost lost both my parents and my home

during their suppression.

Your Majesty, misfortune is unpredictable.

Lord Huaiyang was alone at war.

He did disobey the rules, but if it was to fulfill his parents' wish,

it would be understandable to get married earlier.

After the unrest was put down, His Majesty intended to let you lead the Ministry of War.

That means he has let go of the past.

But sometimes, I get the feeling

that you have a bigger grudge with His Majesty.

You're a wise man. I'll ask no more.

Come to my mansion in a while.

Mrs. Meng hasn't met you for a long time.

I'm sure she has a lot of questions to ask.

Nanny Li.

Moru.

My lord, I knew you'd come here.

So I've been waiting for some time.

My lord, soon after you left the mansion, the princess was invited to the palace,

for the Empress' tea party for noble wives.

No maids were allowed.

- How long has she been gone? - Not long,

about two hours.

Is this the Princess of Huaiyang?

This is Lord Sui.

Greetings, my lord.

Without His Majesty's gifts,

you can't be addressed the Princess of Huaiyang.

You're like a fairy, Princess Huaisang.

No wonder Lord Huaiyang is so obsessed with you,

and loses sleep over you.

I'm here today to pay my respects,

and send some gifts to the Yongshou Palace.

If I knew you were in the palace, I would have given you some.

The finest lambs in Xizhou,

freshly killed, and brought in before the blood was cold.

It must taste so delicious.

It's too good for me.

My lord. Excuse me.

Forgive me, Your Highness. I'm late.

Concubine Xian, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?

Princess Huaisang, do you know Consort Xian?

Your Highness, Miantang and Consort Xian go way back.

We're like sisters. It's been a long time.

Now we can meet again at this party in the palace.

I'm sure you must be as overjoyed as I am.

Yes.

I haven't seen you for a long time, Sister Liu.

How can I let you address me sister?

You have lost weight.

I don't know if you're still as skillful with your hands as before

and good at needlework.

I didn't notice. Who's that?

I think she's a princess from the North, a guest of the Empress.

She looks familiar.

Consort Xian is like a sister to her.

Why didn't you introduce us earlier?

Gladly my sister-in-law invited her.

I see, the Empress invited you.

It's so different now.

Now that everyone is here, let the party begin.

At previous parties, tea was always served.

At least, it was Mengding tea.

Nowadays, His Majesty advocates frugality.

So Your Highness is using fruit tea.

You're really supportive of His Majesty's decision.

Her Highness comes from a family of military generals.

She understands people's life.

I guess she chose this drink for us to share the fun with the people.

I guess she chose this drink for us to share the fun with the people.

Your Highness is so thoughtful.

Do you know what it's made of, Princess Huaisang?

This is no ordinary drink.

It has a rose-scented base.

One sip, and you'll have a bursting flavor of lychee in your mouth.

It's sour and sweet.

Really refreshing.

It's made of chilled lychee pulp.

With these mushy fruits, it's even better.

Much better than the ones that look good, but don't taste good.

Princess Wuyang, you've eaten many delicacies.

If you say so, it has to be good.

Forgive me, Princess Huaisang. Forgive me.

Only a corner of my dress is wet. Get up.

Isn't this Fu Yushen's apprentice?

Why is he here?

Please come with me.

I'll get you some clean clothes to change into.

-It's alright. They'll be dry in a moment.

- But... - Princess Huaisang, go with Songhua to change your clothes.

It won't look right in wet clothes.

Yes.

Your Majesty.

Miantang.

Your Majesty has invited me to the palace.

Why do you have to do this to meet me?

I was afraid you wouldn't come.

So I have to resort to this.

This is quite a difficult thing for the Empress to do.

The Empress.

I have to leave.

Is he nice to you?

Did you choose him out of love?

If it was against your will,

the betrothal, the wedding, and everything else can be annulled.

I can do it for you.

The Ziyu I knew would be happy for me.

My lord,

it's getting dark. The princess hasn't come back.

If she stays the night in palace, won't it...

I pray for her.

She's here.

- Where is the princess? - Miss...

Miss Fu is here.

Jiu.

Sister.

Why won't you go? My mother-in-law has held a banquet for you.

And where is your princess?

Sister, send my apology to Her Ladyship.

And on another day,

my princess and I will pay a visit.

Jiu, did you run into trouble?

No.

Then I'll go back and explain it.

I have a great gossip. Do you want to hear it?

Today in the palace, I met a princess from the North.

I found her familiar.

She looks quite like the barbarian girl who helped you try the jade belt on.

Well, it's quite invigorating, huh?

How is she?

Be patient.

The princess is named Liu.

She's Consort Xian's best friend.

She's very beautiful.

It's a pity she's less noble.

-It seems the princess is fine. -Now the thrilling part is,

a young eunuch stained the princess' clothes.

The Empress told her to change in a chamber.

My best friend told me

she saw that princess meeting His Majesty in the backyard.

We hadn't seen her till the party was over.

- Moru, get the carriage. - Yes.

Hey. Where are you going?

[Jian'an Gate]

My lord, the word from Chonghua Palace says that Princess Huaisang has left the palace.

My lord, why don't you look around outside the palace?

Your Majesty.

Rise.

You can decide on the gifts for the Grand Empress Dowager's birthday.

Why did I have to come all the way here?

It's because I'm indecisive.

I don't want to let Your Majesty down.

So I'd like to ask you to join me.

Gold and silver objects and Shoushan stones are a bit boring.

I've heard that rare birds are popular in the Harem.

It so happens that the other day,

two yellow-rumped willow warblers flew into the palace.

Their singing is so melodious.

I managed to catch one of them.

The yellow-rumped willow warbler is really nice.

Your decision.

Your Majesty.

Have you noticed that the willow warbler has stopped singing?

I've been thinking.

The yellow warbler used to sing in pairs.

I'm afraid once put in a cage,

she's frightened and won't sing anymore.

What about the other one?

Dead.

The male was very aggressive.

The female struggles and cries every day.

That's why I can't decide.

I'd like to hear Your Majesty's opinion.

I am the emperor of the world.

Why can't I keep even a single warbler?

I feel the same way.

So I've used the most expensive materials

and hired the best craftsmen to create a unique birdcage for it.

And I gave it plenty of food.

Even the flowers it was familiar with before have all been brought to it.

Sadly,

this female bird is loyal.

She'd rather go on a hunger strike for three days than give in for a moment.

I'm afraid she'll die like the male.

A loyal bird?

Your Majesty,

if we want to be friends with birds,

we shall let a phoenix choose its sycamore tree, and a roc fly to the sky.

Birds have their own destinies.

If we're truly their friends,

why not set them free?

Is he nice to you?

The Ziyu I knew would be happy for me.

I'm sure

Your Majesty will never have regrets about your choices.

This birthday gift...

is not appropriate.

Release the warbler.

Your Majesty is wise.

My lord, please follow me.

When we get to the capital,

I'm afraid His Majesty will find all sorts of reasons to summon me to the palace.

I'm aware of that. I've already made preparations.

I don't want you to do anything.

A conflict between you and His Majesty, or even an armed remonstrance,

is what Lord Sui wants to see.

I want you to trust me and trust Ziyu.

I'm Fu Yushen. Nice to meet you, my lord, Princess.

Please take a look.

These glazed lamps are made by a famous craftsman in the Western Mountains.

It's often said, "Good things in this world are not strong;

Colored clouds are easily dispersed and glass is brittle."

But when these glazed lamps were fired, a unique kind of jade resin was added.

That's why the glazed lamps are stronger than all the glazes in the world.

His Majesty wishes Lord Huaiyang and Princess

a harmonious life and a bond stronger than gold.

His Majesty didn't summon me

to the palace only for his gifts, right?

You're right, my lord.

His Majesty has been waiting for you.

Please come with me.

Your Majesty.

Thank you for putting on such a bitter show with me.

Your Majesty did this to make Lord Sui think that you and I are at odds.

Yes.

What do you think of me, Your Majesty?

In terms of love, I'm jealous of you.

In terms of character, I respect you.

You don't work for me out of submission to the Emperor.

It's because you don't want any wars.

Your loyalty to the people makes you an enemy of Lord Sui.

As an important official, you can't stay far from politics.

That is what you should do, Lord Huaiyang.

Charge against blades and arrows without fear,

and do whatever you have to do.

In the past when we played chess, we each had our intentions.

The cycle of the four horrors was the last thing we wanted.

Now it seems a draw is not meaningless.

My guards have been watching Lord Sui for some time.

Every visitor has been investigated.

But I found nothing.

Perhaps this chief instructor is not a member of Lord Sui's household.

What about Wen Tinghe?

Following Wen Tinghe's lead, I found a gambling house in the capital. It's where they meet.

I sent guards to ambush them.

But the strange thing is,

as soon as my men arrived, they disappeared.

One day later, Wen Tinghe died at his home.

It's not a bad thing.

What do you mean?

They're aware of Your Majesty's plans,

and are able to respond in such a short period of time.

That means the chief instructor is not an outsider.

I was worried he was far away from the capital. It would be difficult to find him.

But if he's still in the capital, I'm sure he'll give himself away.

But everything related to him is classified.

Even the guards don't know who he is.

From the very beginning, I....

have only mentioned it to Mr. Meng and Duke Qing.

Lord Cui, Mr. Meng is your teacher. Duke Qing is your in-law.

I really don't want to doubt them.

This investigation into this matter requires a low profile.

Tomorrow, we will move into Duke Qing's Mansion.

It'll be easier for the investigation.

It's not easy for you to do things in the capital.

If you need men, take this badge.

And you can command anyone on this list.

I haven't congratulated you on your wedding yet, Mr. Cui.

Mrs. Cui.

Good night.

Has Liu Yu really fallen out with Lord Huaiyang?

Or is he unwilling to be controlled,

so he's using Cui Xingzhou as a check on me?

Lately, I've been observing His Majesty carefully.

He wouldn't dare disobey you.

Father, please don't corner him.

Don't corner him?

Did he give me the chance to?

If I fall, will you be safe?

Go.

Greet your godmother first.

Yes.

You stingy man. You're always hiding something.

Do I have to force you to show me something good?

Princess, you flatter me.

You're a noble lady.

Even the jewels a heavenly fairy wears

are too humble to be presented to you.

Good day, Godmother.

You come right on time.

It's alright. He's one of the household.

His Lordship and Princess treat me well. I'm deeply honored.

I'm just an errand man.

I'm so humbled.

Head accessories from his Yuruyi are as good as anything in the palace.

Since I came to the capital, I've never bought anything from other stores.

Why don't you take a look?

If there's anything that catches your eye, tell him to wrap them up.

Yes.

Greetings Duke Qing, Your Ladyship.

I'm Liu. Greetings Duke Qing, Your Ladyship.

We're all family. There's no need to be formal.

Please sit down.

Yes, sit down.

We've just gotten married.

My wife has prepared some gifts for you to enjoy.

Alright. Please have some tea.

I have to congratulate you, Lord Huaiyang, Princess.

Yes. Such a beautiful princess. I can't take my eyes off her.

Your Ladyship is so kind.

My visit to your graceful residence is an eye-opening experience.

A century-old family is really something.

We get this for our ancestors' feat.

Unlike Lord Huaiyang, who is His Majesty's henchman.

His Majesty favors His Lordship because the Duke is a man of great virtue.

We're related by marriage. So we share the honor and losses.

That's what His Lordship has been preaching to me day after day.

Well...

- Father. - Father.

- Mother. - Mother.

Sister, brother-in-law.

Fu, what's wrong?

I spent too much time on my makeup.

Please forgive me, Mother.

It's alright.

Xingzhou, have you found an ideal residence?

Not yet.

My mansion is not a big one.

But we do have vacant courtyards.

If you don't mind, you can stay here as long as you like.

Thank you, Duke.

This house is the residence of the former Minister of Public Works.

The pavilions, flowers, and trees were all his design.

It looks simple. In fact, there's a hidden mystery.

There's water on the left and a wide road outside.

Sufficient water suggests luck.

The ground of the main house is low in the front and high in the back.

The eaves are low on the left and high on the right. It means prosperity.

Are you a scholar, brother-in-law? You know so much about houses.

Princess, you're too kind. I'm not yet a scholar.

I don't dare to compare myself with His Lordship.

Our brother-in-law is a better man than I am.

He'll have a great future.

I'll take your word for it, Your Lordship.

My father asked me to let you two rest.

I'll leave you now.

Your brother-in-law is so considerate.

I'm sure it's out of his care for your sister.

Jiu.

Sister.

Mother asked me to send some servants over.

Greetings, my lord, princess.

Thank you, Sister.

Jiu, walk me back. I have something to tell you.

Sure.

Liu is the princess from the North I told you about.

She and His Majesty...are having an affair.

Sister. There is nothing between them.

And now, she's my wife.

You know that?

That's history.

When we have time, I'll explain it to you.

Now, sister, don't give her a hard time.

Why would I give her a hard time?

I'm just worried about you.

I fear that she calls you her husband, for another purpose.

- She needs you to... - It's alright, sister.

These things are my responsibility.

I didn't reassure you.

How are you doing nowadays?

Why are you staring at me?

I'm looking well.

Naturally, I'm doing well.

Maybe you look good... because you're wearing too much makeup.

Hey.

You're always straightforward.

Come on, have some tea.

[Tolerance]

[Quiet]

Did I write these two characters?

They're your writings.

Your brother-in-law framed them.

He said that to be calm and tolerant is the quality of a man with ambitions.

It's worth learning.

I wrote them for fun. They're not worth the framing.

Who said that?

Nowadays, you're very popular in the capital.

Your calligraphy is highly sought-after.

Tomorrow, some noble ladies will come to visit.

I'm planning to show them the writings

while we're having tea and conversation.

It's getting late. Sister, get some rest.

I'll leave you now.

Wait.

[Map of the Capital]

What's this?

I received it today.

[We surveyed the staff of the Duke's Mansion in the capital. Zhongyi.]

It's convenient for them as citizens.

So I ordered them to keep watch and find out...

Find out Her Ladyship and Sister's preferences.

I'll buy something they like to please them.

Why is my life so miserable?

I finally got rid of that mother-in-law.

And now there's a sister-in-law.

Can you keep your voice down? We have company. [Duke Qing]

Words will get out. [Map of the Capital]

Cui Xingzhou. What did you say before you married me?

You said you'd be good to me. But what happened?

Your sister gave me a hard time. But you didn't say a word.

What did my sister do?

She didn't dislike your background. [Minister Meng]

She didn't ask you to serve her. Why are you making such a fuss?

Don't think I don't know. My affair with His Majesty stings her.

Maybe she'd say I'm a seductress.

My sister is a straightforward woman.

If you two have any misunderstandings Why don't you two talk it over? [Traveling Routes]

She's a straightforward woman. So you're saying I'm cheap?

[Where do I start?]

I was talking about my sister, not you.

Why are you mixing it up?

[I'm hungry.]

I've told you before I'm a man of my word.

Don't mess around with me.

[I'm hungry.]

[Hungry]

Alright, your words are good advice.

My words are trash.

Where does this come from?

You're a lord. You're so full of words.

Did you listen to what I said?

I always listen to you.

My lord, Princess. Madam Fu sent these servants over

to help with tomorrow's tea banquet.

Alright. Nanny Li, you may leave.

Yes.

My dear, good work.

Glad it was a false alarm.

We're under someone else's roof.

In the dark, I don't know how many people are watching us secretly.

I'm glad you've thought of this, my dear.

We can't be too careful.

You took away my men and made this map.

Are you going to use a strong medicine tomorrow?

Whether it's a strong medicine or not, we'll have to see if it's effective.

If we want to find the hidden disease,

we need your silver-needle acupuncture to find out what's going on inside.

Don't worry, honey. I'll take care of things with the women.

Tomorrow, Sister will introduce me to the noble ladies.

By then, I can try them out.

When they're all here,

I'll tell them we're moving out of Duke Qing's Mansion

and mention a few houses to choose from.

Are you planning to blend Traitor Lu's residence in?

If any noble lady is related to the chief instructor,

I guess she won't want me to buy it.

That's a good idea.

I guess you must be needing something.

What is it?

It's a list of noble families that'll be attending tomorrow's party.

My dear, memorize it tonight.

[List of Noble Families]

Timing and Subtitles by the "Are You My Soulmate?" Team @ Viki

"A Lifelong Promise" by Cai Ziyi

♫ The boat drifts, bringing back the sunset ♫

♫ When we reunite, we still joke about the cause and effect ♫

♫ Who passed by, the crab apple falls with a turn ♫

♫ Loving rightly but choosing wrong With joys, sorrows, partings and reunions ♫

♫ Everyone travels far, seeing clouds and snow ♫

♫ Always hard to stay, yet easy to part Crossing spring waters and autumn trials ♫

♫ A couple under the moonlight, can stay together ♫

♫ Long hidden in the eyes, flickering in and out ♫

♫ Let go of the flowers blooming in the yard last night ♫

♫ Let go of the waves in the stream in half a lifetime ♫

♫ Let those dust and chaos go on endlessly ♫

♫ In this lifetime, my wish is to the vast sky There are many more ♫

♫ Everyone travels far, seeing clouds and snow ♫

♫ Always hard to stay, yet easy to part Crossing spring waters and autumn trials ♫

♫ A couple under the moonlight, can stay together ♫

♫ Time flows as we dream through four seasons ♫

♫ I wish to journey with you forever Year after year For many years to come ♫