Original subtitles

Mei Lin!

Are you hurt? Do you have any other injuries?

Prince Heir, you don't have to worry.

I was just blinded by white moths.

It's my fault for being late. Let's go.

Don't worry, Prince Heir.

Princess Heir's blindness is temporary.

The moth's wing dust poisoned her eyes.

Luckily, we applied medicine in the cave.

Later, with some hot compresses,

her sight will fully recover.

Oh,

this cloth band must be changed every half incense time.

Otherwise, the effect will wear off

and her recovery will be greatly delayed.

Rest assured, Prince Heir.

I will watch over her all night and change her cloth band.

I'll take care of her. You may leave.

Prince Heir, I've uncovered

that the mine incident was Mingju's doing.

Mingju dared harm the Princess Heir!

Summon the High Priest.

Yes.

Your Majesty.

Once trade resumes, Xiyan's merchants will profit greatly,

and we could build three more Towers of Immortality.

What is this strange wind?

Your Majesty, it's the divine prophecy.

"The dark sun is rising in the north.

The fire won't go out.

It will cover the old days

and replace them."

What does this prophecy mean?

It's the sign of Mars guarding the heart.

Your Majesty, Mars signifies rebellion.

The Heart constellation represents the emperor.

Mars guarding the heart is an omen of great misfortune,

foretelling defeat and the fall of the ruler.

The dark sun is rising in the north.

North.

Mingju.

Your Majesty. This is no ordinary omen.

Order Mingju to transfer half his troops to the Prince Heir's command

for building the Tower of Immortality.

Yes.

Prince Heir.

Mei Lin, you're awake! Can you see?

I can see now.

Thank you for taking care of me.

Did you find out who caused the mine explosion?

Mingju sent people to do it.

Mingju? He plotted against you?

Don't worry.

I've set a trap with the High Priest to deal with Mingju.

Just now, my father sent word.

He summoned me urgently back to Xiyan.

I'll return with you, Prince Heir.

You can't.

Border trade between our nations has just begun.

One of us must stay in Qingzhou.

Mingju failed once. He might try again.

My father has likely punished him,

so for now, he won't act against me.

-Prince Heir. -Relax.

While I'm away, take care of yourself.

If anything happens, send a pigeon.

You must be careful as well.

Let's go take a look.

-How much is this? -Five wen.

-And this one? -Also five wen.

Then I'll take this one.

Xiyan goods are good.

This sachet is great for repelling insects.

When I went into the mine last time,

after hanging these up, the bugs all disappeared.

-How much for this? -Five wen.

-Shopkeeper, could you make it cheaper? -I wanted to.

Your wife shortchanged me last time.

I'm not the shopkeeper, and she's not my wife.

You only got a discount because you bought three.

Buy more

and I'll reduce it by one coin each.

Your wife drives a hard bargain.

-Princess Heir, you're finally here! -Alright, I'll take a look around.

How are your eyes? Are you okay?

Much better after the medicine.

That's good.

That's silly.

So silly.

Thanks to you and the Prince Heir,

most of the poison bugs are gone,

and business here is booming.

Smell this.

Your sachet recipe is very effective.

Our incense shop's business is sure to flourish.

Jia wanted to thank you,

but the Prince Heir said it would disturb your rest.

The Prince Heir is devoted to you now.

I've been worried about your injury.

I even prayed for your recovery yesterday.

I didn't know you believed in such things.

It's been a rough time.

You hurt your eyes.

The governor was even hit by rocks thrown by the townspeople.

Why did you step on me?

You deserve it.

-Praying won't help them. -If it weren't for those villagers,

the governor wouldn't have been hurt.

He's a good official,

but they won't believe it.

They won't even give him a name list.

Especially that old stonemason.

He's like a stone in the latrine. Stinky and stubborn.

Stinky and stubborn.

Yi, smell this.

WINE

Hey-ho, hey-ho

The mountains are full of red

Hey-ho, hey-ho

The cave is full of treasures

Hey-ho, hey-ho

Full of strength

Hey-ho, hey-ho

Returned with treasures

This is an old tune

miners used to pass messages in the dark caves.

How does a young girl like you know it?

Uncle Li.

Are you…?

Mei the stonemason's daughter, Mei Lin.

The Mei family's daughter?

Little Mei! You've grown so much!

Come on.

Sit down.

Take a seat.

The taverns on Water Street.

Father loved to come here after work.

Indeed.

Whenever the taverns closed,

your mother would bring you along

to pick him up.

Back then, you were only this tall.

Little girl,

do you remember Yun?

She was born the same year as you.

If only…

She should be as tall as you now.

Uncle Li.

Of course, I remember Yun.

Look, there's the bridge.

When we were kids, we used to play there all the time.

Yun loved to play and eat.

I used to wonder

who would marry such a playful girl.

But…

as her father,

I failed.

I couldn't protect her.

My father was burned alive in front of me.

Not even his bones were left.

I only survived by crawling out of the mine

where he worked.

I always thought I survived because I was lucky.

Then I realized

that without the Weibei Army,

I wouldn't have lived.

But they were Qingzhou's enemies!

Weibei Army was wronged.

Our true enemy was Crown Prince Murong Xuanlie.

We've avenged ourselves.

I saw it!

The Weibei Army started the fire.

Girl,

don't be fooled by mass murderer's lies.

Those weren't real Weibei Armies.

Today's governor of Qingzhou

was General Weibei back then.

He ordered that their blades should never turn against civilians.

He led the army to protect Qingzhou until the very last moment,

giving us the chance to escape.

The real Weibei Army,

along with the souls of Qingzhou's dead,

are buried in this land.

Over the years,

they've been falsely accused and cursed by the people,

but they are Qingzhou's true heroes.

Did he send you to say all this?

I'm speaking for the deceased of Qingzhou.

Uncle Li.

With the monument and the names carved on it,

they can find their way home.

Yun can come home, too.

Mr. Li! The mass murderer's here again!

Sir, the list for the Monument of the Masses is only missing Qinglin Lane.

If you want to be a governor of Qingzhou,

you must learn the craft.

Focus on the back half of the chisel for better control.

Long cuts like this can be angled. Strike boldly.

I'll carve the characters, you write the names.

Qinglin Lane, Qingzhou. He Mu.

Li Yun'er.

Li Jiang'an.

Guo Yu.

Wang Lihua.

WAN YUER, GUO YU, WANG LIHUA MEI DASHAN, LI WENG, LI DASHI

Mei Dashan.

Liu Chunxi.

MEI DASHAN

QINGLIN LANE, QINGZHOU

QINGZHOU

KANGJIAN STREET, XIANGYUN LANE

KANGJIAN STREET, CHANGQING LANE

KINDNESS LANE, KANGJIAN STREET XIANGYUN LANE, QINGLIN LANE…

Today marks ten years since the Great Fire of Qingzhou.

Ten years ago,

my family's mistakes caused a hundred thousand deaths.

Countless souls still cannot find peace.

The Qingzhou massacre will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Failing to protect the people of Qingzhou

was my greatest failure.

This monument is a reminder

that the Murong family must atone.

I'll never forget the names of those lost

and neither will Qingzhou or Great Yan.

There are still names missing

from this monument.

The Weibei Army

defended Qingzhou

and gave their lives to protect it. Even though they were slandered,

their blades never turned against civilians.

Those 13,000 soldiers' names

deserve to be engraved here as well.

All of us must remember their names.

Yes. If it weren't for the Weibei Army,

we'd still be bullied by Xiyan!

They were good men!

The Weibei Army didn't start the fire.

They were wronged!

The Weibei Army never harmed civilians.

-But the civilians betrayed them. -Right.

She's telling the truth!

Will the Weibei Army protect Qingzhou again?

The Weibei Army no longer exists.

There's no Weibei Army now.

But as long as you remember them,

then they live on.

I will carry on their legacy

and protect this land.

Qingzhou remembers the Weibei Army.

The Weibei Army lives on!

The Weibei Army lives on!

One!

Two!

Three!

Four!

Five!

Six!

Seven!

Crown Prince Jinghe

from governing Qingzhou

promotes border trade and cuts taxes,

bringing comfort far and wide.

Mines dug deep,

wealth in store,

bridging hearts and minds once more.

Roads and bridges for all to tread.

By his hand, the people led.

Great his deeds, they bring me pride.

To his worth, none can hide.

Thus, the Weibei Army's seal is returned

to Murong Jinghe, and honor is earned.

Rebuild the troops, with flag in hand.

-Porcelain! -Rock candy hawthorn!

Come look at the porcelain!

Prince Heir.

The Prince Heir is waiting for you in the council chamber.

The Prince Heir has returned?

Prince Heir.

Princess Heir.

We were sent by the King to check on the border trade gains.

So, you're from the King?

The tax records from the border trade are all in order.

Thank you, Princess Heir.

We shall return immediately

to report to the King.

Prince Heir,

the King's Longevity Plan

requires lighting the lamp soon.

He has everything prepared

for tomorrow's climb to Sun and Moon Kunluns.

Prince Heir, what's the matter?

Mei Lin.

I must ask a favor of you.

The Prince Heir's border trade has been quite successful.

The profits are substantial,

enough to build

the Tower of Immortality,

but something is missing.

A Longevity Lamp to bless me.

Since Qingzhou is the land blessed by Xiyan,

I want the Sun and Moon Kunluns to light the lamp

on Qingzhou's Sacred Mountain for me.

I understand, Father.

Those men were here to push for the ceremony, right?

If it were just about lighting the lamp, I wouldn't mind.

We've worked hard to establish border trade.

Step by step,

we've finally reached prosperity and even collected some taxes.

But the money,

instead of benefiting the people,

is being used for the Tower of Immortality.

Is eternal life really more important than the living?

Prince Heir.

the border trade between nations is good for Xiyan.

You've done your best.

Trade is booming,

and life in Xiyan will improve too.

Congratulations, Prince Heir and Princess Heir.

Words from Great Yan. Concubine Yan is one month pregnant.

This is her letter.

Qin. Mei. I guess you didn't expect it.

I'm going to be a mother!

You must be so happy for me, right?

Are you grinning ear to ear?

Zigu always knows what to say.

But honestly, I'm nervous.

I don't know if I'll be a good mother.

I'm not as calm as my brother nor as wise as our mother.

The Emperor tried to comfort me by praying with me.

He said it doesn't matter if I'm a good mother.

He just wants our child and me to be safe and content.

I can feel the baby kicking.

What should we name him?

Oh, Mei, I picked out some wedding gifts for you.

Brother, do you remember?

After Mother passed,

on my birthday, Ziyu made me cry all day.

You made a sled for me to cheer me up.

We played in the mud and got scolded by Father.

That was the first time I saw you so happy,

but it was the last time.

Brother always taught me to follow the rules.

But I now think

those rules are the chains that bind you.

I just want you

to live as freely as you did that day.

Zigu's all grown up now.

After Mother died, palace life became hard.

Traps and murders were everywhere.

Zigu and I had to tread carefully.

People say being a Hostage Prince in Great Yan is miserable.

They don't know those were the happiest days of my life.

Although I was far from home with all the hardships,

there were still moments of joy.

And the Emperor shared my vision.

The Emperor cares for the people and their lives.

I hope that one day, Xiyan can be like Great Yan.

Yue Qin.

You are more than just the Prince Heir of Xiyan.

You are you.

Sometimes, you can let go of the rules.

You can be free, just like Zigu.

When we return to Xiyan, let's go sledding together.

INVITATION

The Xiyan court sent an invitation.

They heard about the lamp-lighting ceremony in Qingzhou.

Now that trade is flourishing between our nations,

a ceremony in Qingzhou will symbolize lasting peace.

How will the ceremony be conducted?

By then, I will represent Xiyan's Sun Kunlun

and ascend the mountain from the west.

Mei Lin will represent Great Yan's

Moon Kunlun and ascend from the east.

We must not touch the ground during the ascent.

We will be carried by palanquin bearers to the summit,

where we will offer prayers and light the Longevity Lamp.

Once the lamp is lit, the ceremony will end.

Very well. We will fully cooperate.

Thank you, Your Excellency.

After the ceremony, we will return to Xiyan.

By then, the Snow Dragon Whisker should bloom.

Prince Heir, do you remember our promise?

This trip to Xiyan

is for Mei Lin to take the Snow Dragon Whisker.

Farewell.

My lord.

The palanquin bearers for Princess Heir have been arranged.

The night wind is harsh. Drinking will harm your health.

After this parting,

we may never

meet again.

Let's make a bet.

If I grow Red Fruits,

you will marry me.

I won't bet.

I won't be married off. I'll just take a live-in husband.

When we return to Qingzhou, we will marry.

Qingzhou is so far away. My father can't interfere.

You need to first grow the Red Fruits.

She's right.

Red Fruit…

Only in Laowozi Village, they call it Red Fruit.

I didn't believe it then.

I thought I could grow one with the same taste.

Some things,

if forced, turn bitter.

YANLAI FRAGRANCE SHOP

Even if we're far apart, we can still write letters.

When you're too busy running a business with your lover,

you'll forget about us.

Who said it? I'll write to you all the time.

Don't get annoyed!

Don't forget to write!

Cheers!

YANLAI FRAGRANCE SHOP

Prince Heir.

You're finally here!

Princess Heir has had too much to drink.

-Drank too much? -Yes, too much.

Sit down.

When you're free from the Princess Heir's constraints,

I will give you this jade ring.

QINGZHOU POST

Tomorrow is the lamp-lighting ceremony.

Rest assured, our people have infiltrated the ranks.

This ceremony will not succeed.

If the lamp doesn't light,

the King will be furious,

and we'll strike

to remove Yue Qin as the Prince Heir.

General, our spies discovered that the treasure

brought back by the Prince Heir is the Snow Dragon Whisker.

Snow Dragon Whisker?

That rare, precious herb?

The auspicious hour has arrived.

The Prince Heir has departed. We should set out as well.

Alright.

The Moon Kunlun ascends the Sacred Mountain.

Is Princess Heir alright?

How are you doing your job?

The Moon Kunlun is blessed by the gods.

She will reach the summit safely.

Unless… Unless the gods reject her.

The ceremony has never had such a mishap.

How could she have fallen?

She's from Great Yan. The gods do not recognize her.

If we force the ascent,

we may anger the heavens.

-Thank you, gods, for your guidance. -Thank you, gods, for your guidance.

Princess Heir, your feet must not touch the ground.

The auspicious hour must not be missed.

The path may be long,

but it has an end.

Last time in the cave,

you guided me.

I should be thanking you.

I already have my path.

Why won't you move forward?

Princess Heir, we've arrived.

Princess Heir, the hour is near.

Under the Sun and Moon's divine light, may brilliance guide us.

In the Sun and Moon's sovereign will, let the oracle reveal its truth.

Through their light, may radiance shine upon the world.

Divine light shines forth.

Blessings descend.

Divine light shines forth.

Blessings descend.