Original subtitles

[The Autumn Ballad]

Timing and Subtitles by 🍂 The Autumn Ballad 🍁 Team @viki.com

♫ Winter clouds and light skies, the geese fly through leaving a trail of sorrow ♫

♫ I lean against the window and look into the distance ♫

♫ Near the deserted West River ♫

♫ I hear you singing ♫

♫ Every time our eyes meet, the longing is still there ♫

♫ Separated by thousands of mountains and oceans, waiting for the full moon ♫

♫ Just to meet the beautiful lady again ♫

♫ Going through three lifetimes with you while smiling behind the pearl bead curtain ♫

♫ In this life, I will not let you down ♫

♫ I will fly over the lands together with you ♫

♫ Even if everything becomes silent ♫

♫ In this life, I will not let you down ♫

♫ I will fly over the lands together with you ♫

♫ Even if everything becomes silent ♫

[The Autumn Ballad]

[Episode 30]

Before Imperial Physician Zahn's murder, only the chef, Ding Yu Chu, had access to him and brought him meals.

Lord, I think something is fishy about the whole thing.

Say it.

I'm not certain.

The whole incident developed very fast and smoothly.

You close of late Marquis' case was already four years ago.

How is the case reopened now?

Physician Zhan's case is linked to my father's case.

If I leave it alone, I might miss the truth.

Whatever lead it may be, I'd rather be wrong than overlook it.

[Ding Residence]

He just died.

An arrow from the Firewood Office.

No. We fell into a trap. Let's go.

Lord Liang. What are you doing here?

Master, it's a crossbow arrow from Firewood Office.

Liang Yi, you murdered an imperial chef.

What are you planning?

Yuan Lang, I underestimated you.

Arrest him.

Lord!

[Ding Residence]

Split up and chase them!

Yes!

Go!

Stop right there!

Song Jin, go!

He's here! Go!

Your Majesty, we found this letter where Physician Ding lived.

This is Liang Yi's handwriting.

The past month, Chef Ding and Liang Yi communicated via letters.

It's all there in black and white.

Liang Yi couldn't bribe Chef Ding so he threatened to torture him at Firewood Office,

and ordered Chef Ding to tamper with Your Majesty's food.

Fortunately, Chef Ding was grateful for Your Majesty's kindness.

He knew Liang Yi would kill him if he refused to help.

He refused to do Liang Yi's bidding and sacrificed himself to expose him.

Yesterday, Chef Ding requested to meet Liang Yi and informed Main Administrative Office beforehand.

I led my men there, but we were too late.

Chef Ding was murdered.

We caught Liang Yi red-handed at the crime scene.

However, he managed to escape.

Liang Yi was serving me for years.

He's always been loyal.

Your Majesty sees good in people,

but I've been investigating Liang Yi for months.

I have the evidence.

The officers on this list are contacts Liang Yi secretly established over the years.

"General He"?

Liang Yi used his position to monitor the officers.

He used the He family's misconduct against civilian women as leverage.

Thus, General He agreed to work with Liang Yi.

And afterward, core members of Northern Army of Dashuo were arrested one by one.

The records are available in the archive.

Liang Yi abused Your Majesty's trust and his rank to manipulate the Imperial Court and eliminate dissidents.

He committed countless crimes.

It's truly horrifying.

I suspect Liang Yi thinks he's lost Your Majesty's favor after Main Administrative Office was redone.

He started plotting a contingency plan to serve a different master.

The Crown Prince's birth mother, Noble Consort Guo, is very close with Marquis Wei Yuan's family.

With that relationship, Liang Yi earned the Crown Prince's trust easily.

His Highness is a kind person.

He is not as scheming as Liang Yi.

Liang Yi controls the Crown Prince and commands the officers.

He even controls the Northern Army of the He family.

He might as well rule the country.

I want Liang Yi captured alive.

I'll get the answer from him!

Yes, Your Majesty.

Hurry up! Faster!

Quick!

[Sealed on day 15 of the seventh month of year 27 of Chengzhao Era]

[Firewood Office]

[Liang Manor]

Stop!

Housekeeper.

[Plain Feathers]

Orders from Official Yuan!

The Liang family is related to Liang Yi's treachery.

Until the case is closed, no one can escape!

All supplies will be transported by Main Administrative Office.

If anyone breaks the rule, the whole family shall be executed!

Take them to Main Administrative Office's prison!

Guard this place!

Yes!

Master, we confiscated all records of Firewood Office.

They are being guarded.

Congratulations on your success.

Don't celebrate so soon. Liang Yi is full of tricks.

Now he's on the run, he might stir up trouble.

Master, the Firewood Office is gone.

Even if Liang Yi is alive, he's nothing but a wanted fugitive.

Don't underestimate him.

He is very capable.

We can't let our guard down until he is arrested.

However, I'm more worried about the mastermind who set plans for Liang Yi.

We know nothing of this person.

I had several battles of wits with Liang Yi and still couldn't take him down.

But this mastermind struck him down in one go.

Using Ding to frame Liang Yi wasn't smart.

How did he know Liang Yi would show up there?

Master, even the smartest person makes mistakes so does Liang Yi.

I doubt Liang Yi wasn't aware of the threat.

He was aware of it, but the mastermind made Liang Yi go there.

The intelligence of this mastermind is beyond us.

Are you saying it's best we don't get involved in the mastermind's plans?

[Qiu Manor]

Treason?

First Sister-in-law, you must be mistaken.

It was an order from Imperial Court.

The manor was sealed right before us.

Rumors are all over the city; how can I be mistaken?

Everything in Imperial Court can change overnight.

Will Lord Liang's case put us in danger, too?

Don't worry. We were pardoned by His Majesty.

We barely had interactions with Lord Liang.

We have nothing to do with this.

Yan, how lucky is she?

When she left, I thought she was ignorant.

She gave up her luxurious life as a noblewoman for a wanderer's life.

Now, she is lucky, out of harm's way.

It's best not to get caught up in this.

I'll pray at the ancestral shrine tomorrow.

May our ancestors watch over Qiu Family and Lord Liang.

Thank you, Official Qin.

At ease.

Our country values the trades with merchants of Northern Liang.

You were attacked by bandits inside our borders.

The Imperial Court will see that it is taken care of.

Now, the northern trade route has guards and patrol.

Have no worries the next time you travel here.

The Dashuo stores have been waiting for these goods.

If there's nothing else, I must take my leave.

By the rules, you must check the inventory.

If any items are missing, I'll report to Imperial Court and compensate you.

It's just a few crates. The things are all here.

I must go now.

- Take them away. - Hold on.

Let's not take any chances just to save time.

Check the inventory.

We wouldn't want more trouble later.

If everything is set, we only need your signature on the paperwork to close the case.

I know my merchandise.

I know nothing is missing.

Where should I sign?

Bei Xue.

Follow me.

Thank you.

Qin Xuan, you are back from work.

I heard it was a great feat.

I made some food for you to celebrate your success.

You just returned from the suburb so you didn't hear what happened in the city.

I'll tell you the whole story.

Never mind. Go home after doing the food.

It's about Lord Liang.

Don't you want to know?

What happened to Liang Yi?

They said Lord Liang killed the imperial chef and was involved in treason.

He's a wanted fugitive in the city.

Impossible! That is nonsense!

It's true.

Main Administrative Office raided Firewood Office.

Liang Manor was sealed off.

Official Yuan is hunting down Lord Liang.

All will tell you the same thing.

Why would I lie to you?

I'm glad Qiu Yan is gone.

But Liang Yi would never betray his country!

Yuan Lang must have set him up.

A wanted fugitive...

He hasn't been captured.

No. I must find Liang Yi before Yuan Lang.

Miss, are people with hats from Northern Liang?

Mozhou is at the borders of Dashuo and Northern Liang.

Many merchants of Northern Liang come here to trade.

Back in the capital, I heard stories how hideous and rude Northern Liang people are.

But now I've seen them, the only thing is men wear

a weird hat and women wear a giant ring on their index fingers.

Other than that, they look just like us.

Which elderly lady of the manor made up stories about people in our neighboring countries?

Northern Liang is right next to our country; it's normal the people look just like us.

But their customs and behaviors are a little different.

Back at the manor, I heard stories.

Thank you for taking me so I can widen my view and see truth for myself.

Miss, there seems to be a wedding up ahead.

Let's go look.

Let's go.

Great!

Wonderful!

Yes!

Wedding candy.

- We have the same custom! - Indeed.

Yes!

Sir, why don't the couple wear a matching color?

Ladies, you must be foreigners.

It's our custom here, if two people from different countries get married,

they wear traditional clothing from their home countries.

See? Red represents joy in Dashuo,

but in Northern Liang, it's the color white.

Great!

Women of Northern Liang wear a big ring since they are little.

When they get married, the groom takes the ring to symbolize the end of maidenhood.

It's also a coming-of-age ceremony for them.

Great!

What are you looking at?

Wonderful!

This is a petal of the Anling blossom.

I saw this at the marketplace.

The merchant told me

the petal is an ingredient of a special poison.

This is used during a wedding in Northern Liang.

It means that whoever breaks the vow is as good as poisoned and shall die a horrible death.

The people of Northern Liang are indeed a tough bunch.

Wonderful!

This looks nice.

Miss, look at that.

It's beautiful.

Sir, how much is this?

- Just ten copper coins. - Listen up.

Look around. I can lower the price if you're buying.

How so?

To capture the Firewood Office Inspector, checkpoints are all around the city.

They check all your crates and chests.

I thought Lord Liang was His Majesty's trusted officer.

How is he a wanted criminal now?

Trust me, its true?

He tried to assassinate His Majesty.

Main Administrative Office caught him in the act.

Did they catch him?

Qing Dai, let's go.

- Thank you, Sir. - I don't think so.

[Royal Academy]

Has Liang Yi come to you?

No.

If Liang Yi comes to you, make him stay and find a way to notify me.

I can't follow that order.

Why not?

You promised me you would make me Lord Liang's wife.

Now, Lord Liang is wanted for treason. His family will be punished.

There is no turning back from this.

Do you want me to marry a dead man?

You got it all wrong.

I was merely ordered to take him into custody.

It's not me who wants him dead.

Does it really matter?

We don't even know for sure if Lord Liang would be safe.

I'm afraid this partnership... can't last.

I beg to differ, Miss Xiao Xiao.

You must work with me now.

It's the only way to keep Liang Yi alive.

[I can bring down Liang Yi of Firewood Office.]

[However, I require cooperation of Main Administrative Office.]

[If you are interested, await my plan.]

Someone set up a murder to lure Liang Yi.

I merely used the opportunity.

But it seems the mastermind behind this wants Liang Yi doomed beyond saving.

Liang Yi got away; they won't give up so easily.

His Majesty ordered me to capture Liang Yi alive.

If Main Administrative Office can arrest him, he may yet live.

He might have a chance to clear his name.

But if Liang Yi falls into the mastermind's trap,

it will surely

be the end of him.

Sir, what took you so long?

You knew I was coming.

Official Yuan raided the entire Firewood Office.

All your hideouts are no longer safe.

So this is the first place that came to mind.

There is nowhere safe in this city.

However, someone came to me and prepared a safer place for you.

Waiter!

- Yes. - I'm waiting!

Coming!

Come inside.

This is an abandoned warehouse of Ministry of War.

No one came here in years.

It's under Ministry of War's jurisdiction.

People from Main Administrative Office wouldn't dare search this place.

Thank you.

We're old friends.

Don't mention it.

Where is Song Jin?

Where is he?

To help me escape,

he sacrificed himself.

Stop standing there.

You must be thirsty. Have some water.

What do you plan to do next?

Follow the lead of that dead chef.

What can I do for you?

There's nothing to do.

Yuan Lang knows we are close.

If you helped me, he would surely know.

Yao Gai.

Follow Liang Yi's order. Run a background check on Chef Ding and his contacts.

Yes.

I heard that Qiu Yan left.

We agreed not to contact each other.

But given the circumstances,

I hope she never returns.

Master, when will you confess to Madam Su?

You should strike while the iron is hot

before regrets strike back.

- Shut it! - Sorry!

- It's true! - Shut it!

- I'll teach you a lesson! - I'm being honest.

Sir, I'm sorry.

[Memorial Tablet of Song Jin, a beloved friend]

Over the years, you kept yourself in Firewood Office for your father and your ambition,

but you were never happy.

Don't forget, your father's last wish

was for you to stay out of Imperial Court struggles.

Master! I beg you!

Don't avenge me! Just stay alive!

Here, Miss.

Miss Yan didn't come here just to have tea.

But I know nothing about Liang Yi's whereabouts.

Besides, the capital is full of soldiers who want to capture him.

Even if he escaped alive, he wouldn't stay in the city. Right?

Yao Gai. I didn't come without knowing the risks.

He was framed so he wouldn't just flee

and live in hiding the rest of his life.

If he wants to stay and investigate,

he can only trust you since the manor and Firewood Office are sealed.

Yao Gai, I understand your concern.

But please think, was I your benefactor or was it Liang Yi?

[Main Administrative Office]

Normally speaking, Chef Ding worked in the palace

so detailed files are about him.

But there is no record of his life before he started working here.

He has no friends in the capital.

Most importantly, the related evidence

is locked up inside Main Administrative Office's storeroom.

[For Ding Tixiang's eyes only]

[For Ding Tixiang's eyes only]

Master, what brings you back?

I'm here for the evidence.

You could have let me know; I could have taken care of it.

Never mind. I'll get it.

The morgue should be secured. Why is the door wide open?

Where is the guard?

It's my mistake. Sorry.

Keep watch.

Yes.

Great!

[As Loyal as a Subject] [Distant Waves of Ice and Snow]

Marvelous!

Splendid!

Great!

Splendid!

It's me!

Who is after you?

I don't know.

Judging by how they look, they don't work for Main Administrative Office.

Splendid!

Spectacular!

Whats wrong?

Hey.

Great!

Splendid!

[Memorial Tablet of Song Jin, a beloved friend]

I'm all right.

I asked Yao Gai to escort Qing Dai back to Qiu Manor.

Good.

It's not safe here.

Did you find this at Main Administrative Office?

They are fake letters. I can't learn anything from them.

However, when I was leaving Main Administrative Office,

I accidentally found Ding Yu Chu's body.

I learned something new there.

What is it?

I smelled a weird rotting scent from his body.

It was like the scent on my father's body when he died six years ago.

It smelled like rust when my father died.

I didn't notice it during the funeral.

I thought hot weather sped decomposing.

But I found the same scent on Ding Yu Chu's body.

I've seen plenty of bodies at Firewood Office.

I've never known anything like it.

"It smelled like rust"?

It sounds like the symptom from a poison used in Northern Liang.

A poison from Northern Liang?

After I left, I went to Northern Liang's border with Dashuo.

That's where I learned of a Northern Liang herb known as Anling blossom.

Its petal is used to make Anling poison.

Those poisoned will die after passing out.

But there won't be other signs of poisoning.

The next few days after the person dies,

there is a rotting scent similar to rust.

The bones will turn greenish black over time.

It seemed Chef Ding died from an arrow,

but the arrow didn't hit vital organs, and there wasn't much bleeding.

If he died from poisoning,

then it'd make sense.

Does it mean your father probably didn't die from Duke Lu's arrow?

Indeed.

All these indicate

rumors about my father's death being part of a plot

were not false.

But six years ago, Yuan Lang was stationed elsewhere.

He couldn't have known the secrets behind it.

If Yuan Lang uses this

to set me up and frame me,

he would need someone to provide information.

As far as I know,

the Anling blossoms only grow in Northern Liang.

The process of making the poison is extremely complex.

Only a person from Northern Liang would know how to use this poison.

Is Yuan Lang working with Northern Liang forces

just to bring you down?

But my memory of the scent alone

is not enough to prove what killed my father.

We have no proof.

This is all just speculation.

But your father was buried six years ago; how do we confirm it?

We must exhume his remains.

You said Anling blossoms slowly turn the bones greenish-black.

We can check the color of his bones

to see if my father died of the poison.

Will you really dig out your father's remains?

This is far more complicated than we think.

It concerns the fate of two nations.

We need absolute proof

to determine the next move.

As for my duty as a son,

I hope my father will understand.

Song Jin, get some hot water.

If you feel upset,

you can tell me.

Lately, I've been thinking

about my childhood with him.

He came to our family when he was six.

He followed me around.

Did you know

Song Jin was afraid of bugs when he was little?

He wouldn't even hurt an ant.

For the past six years,

he lived a life of killing and violence with me.

I almost forgot

he was actually

the most gentle

and kindest of all.

You, too.

I chose my path.

What about him?

His only path was to be a loyal servant.

If you, Song Jin, and I

all left half a month ago,

what would our life be at this moment?

I thought about it.

We two wouldn't need a house.

We'd spend the night at the inn where we arrived.

We would write all about the local customs

and write storytelling scripts full of ideas for a living.

Then we'd move to the next place.

I've been to the northern frontier of Dashuo.

If we go south from there, we'd reach the end of Yazhou.

That place is called the edge of the world.

It's getting late.

Let's call it a day.

Qiu Yan, I'm sorry.

I only want you to be safe.

Qing Dai.

Third Miss.

When did you come back?

I got back last night.

It was already late at night so I didn't inform you.

Where is my sister?

Sorry, Third Miss.

I can't disclose her location now.

Sure. I understand.

Who are you?

Why did you tie me up?

Did Liang Yi ask you to take me away?

Qin Xuan.

Two of my trusted fellow officers are going south.

They are taking you there as well.

I have relatives in the south. They will take care of you.

Qin Xuan, stop the cart.

- Stop! - Qiu Yan!

Stay out of Liang Yi's investigation.

Qin Xuan, how could you do this?

Qiu Yan!

I know.

I know he saved you and your family.

You want to stay out of honor.

But this time, it's beyond you to help.

Don't worry. Liang Yi is capable

- to survive. Its okay. - You don't get it. I returned for one reason; I love him.

So why did you leave him?

I don't want Liang Yi

to give up his ambition due to me.

I don't want to give up my dream for his career.

I thought nothing was more important than freedom and the future.

But now you realize you are wrong, am I right?

I heard of his case at the Northern Liang border.

I thought I wouldn't see him again.

That thought terrified me.

I was never so scared before.

I can't live without him.

Timing and Subtitles by 🍂 The Autumn Ballad 🍁 Team @viki.com

♫ The roof's eave blocks the moon, letting through only a shimmer ♫

♫ Your sweet smile warms my heart ♫

♫ As if the night haze were a silk garment ♫

♫ Only your appearance can bring color to the silk ♫

♫ Looking in your direction ♫

♫ All the images flood my mind ♫

♫ As I trace your eyebrows ♫

♫ I am willing to wait a lifetime for you ♫

♫ The roof's eave blocks the moon, letting through only a shimmer ♫

♫ Your sweet smile warms my heart ♫

♫ As if the night haze were a silk garment ♫

♫ Only your appearance can bring color to the silk ♫

♫ Seeing loved ones parting ways ♫

♫ I hope the story goes your way ♫

♫ I remember your promise ♫

♫ I am willing to wait a lifetime for you ♫

[Produced by Quhe Film Pictures Production (Beijing) Co., Ltd.]

[Produced by Shanghai Tencent Penguin Film Culture Communication Co., Ltd.]