01x16 - Episode 16

[bunniefuu]

[song title]

♫ 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 A*DS; Light ink writes ♫

♫ In the deep red windows lies mundane dust ♫

Are You the One

Episode 16

Honey, you've changed.
Why aren't you soaking?

I'm a little drunk.
I need to rest for a while.

Honey.

This peaceful and quiet time feels somewhat unreal

compared to the recent days.

It's good that it's finally over.

Spending time with you these days,

I feel that you are much more responsible
and ambitious than I imagined.

When we were in Lingquan Town,

I really thought you were
a Go enthusiast without care about the family.

Though I am the ninth child in the family,

I am the only legitimate son.

When my father was alive,
he had high hopes for me.

My aunts and brothers were waiting to see if I was worthy

of taking on the family business.

I don't remember all that now.

Before I was born,

Mother had a hard time at home,

suffering and enduring much hardship.

After I was born,

she endured even more, keeping a low profile

and being extremely careful
to ensure I grew up safely.

Over the years, Mother must
have had a very tough time.

Yes.

I can only be a good legitimate son,

making no mistakes,
to be recognized by everyone,

and to be worthy of her hard work.

You're still young, bearing
the weight of this family.

Isn't it exhausting?

But with you by my side,

I don't feel as tired.

Looks like I'm your lucky star.

How will you thank me?

What's wrong, honey?

I think I might've strained the injury.

Does the hot spring help? I'll try.

Honey, enjoy the soak.
I'll go change first.

Well. Sorry to interrupt your pleasant time,

but there's an urgent matter.
You need to return.

I understand.

My husband is changing.
Physician Zhao, please wait a moment.

The military affairs are pressing,
so I have to disturb you.

That's more important.

Ms. Liu, you look quite well.

It seems the hot spring in this valley
is indeed very effective.

After soaking, I feel my hands
are much stronger.

Don't get too happy too soon.

Severe injuries like yours
still take time to recover.

If you use too much force,
it might aggravate the old injuries.

How is he?

After soaking in the hot spring
and drinking the wine you taught me to make,

he looks much better.

The medicinal wine is so effective.

Tomorrow I'll make
another batch of herbs for him.

A whole batch seems excessive.

Is there something wrong?

He drinks so fast. He might want more.

May I ask how much did he drink?

Just that pot. He drank the whole pot.

Did he drink it all?

Did he...have any reactions?

His face was red.
He was sweating profusely.

But sweating after drinking is normal.

Ms. Liu, I didn't make it clear earlier.

Though this medicinal wine helps with qi and blood,

it shouldn't be consumed in excess.

Normally, this much daily is sufficient.

What happens if you drink too much?

As you mentioned.

Red face and sweating. It depletes vital energy

and is bad for the body.

Come on. Prepare the horse.

Take the madam back.

Yes.

You go down first. I'll be there soon.

There's something I haven't told you.

If you're upset, it's fine if you don't tell me.

Not the same.

Give me some time.

Once the w*r is over, when we return,
I'll tell you everything.

The wine is good.

My Lord.

After all night, A Gushan has finally spoken.

But he says he won't confess
unless he sees you.

Let's go.

I heard you wanted to see me.

Cui Xingzhou.

Cui Xingzhou.

I command elite troops, far superior to your troops.

Yet, I was defeated by you
due to a single mistake.

I'm not here today to listen to
your grievances about the defeat.

If you haven't figured out
what you need to confess,

I have time to wait for you
to think it through.

This battle wasn't a provocation from my side.

The events have unfolded to this point.

The officials of your country
are also to blame.

You're here.

I came to see you and the child.

How are you?

Childbirth is like walking
on the edge of the underworld.

Ms. Lin. I have something to ask you.

If I tell you the truth,
can you ensure I won't die?

The decision is up to His Majesty.

I will report what you say truthfully.

If everything you say is true,
you might receive a lighter punishment.

Good.

I'll speak.

I was the adopted son of the former Wolf Lord.

To obtain the boundless wealth
of the western tribes,

I k*lled him.

The former Wolf Lord is dead now.

The western tribes and Mount Tiebei
are now under my control.

So you are the new Wolf Lord.
Nice to meet you.

I'll be straightforward.

I came here to discuss the iron
ore business of Mount Tiebei.

That person led a raid and
slaughtered my brothers.

If I don't avenge them,
I'm unworthy to be the Wolf Lord.

Is that why you invaded my country?

You Qi people broke the agreement first,

so you should pay the price.

Is what you just said all true?

If there's a single lie,
may I be torn apart by five horses

and die a miserable death.

What you said before
is the common language in our tribes.

The accent is almost perfect.

Unless you have lived in the tribes for a long time

or have dealt with people from the tribes,

you wouldn't have learned so well.

I've never heard of our kingdom
having an iron trade with the western tribes.

Cui Xingzhou, this must be taken seriously.

Iron mine has always belonged to the court.

Private trade is a serious taboo.

It's considered treason.

How could a mere governor
of Xizhou City dare to do this?

This must not be his doing alone.

There must be a major backing him.

He's secretly managing
a large-scale iron ore trade,

even resorting to a disastrous w*r
to cover up everything.

The key is

where the black iron that entered our kingdom ended up.

The western tribes are brave and will revenge.

It's precisely because
they saw their brothers k*lled

that they fought with their lives in this w*r.

Empress Dowager Wu deliberately
pushed you into a dead-end.

The western tribes have become
her death warriors.

I'm afraid she is also kept in the dark.

[Sealed in Xuanwen's second year]

Be careful.

One tree can't survive. A lone wolf is lost.

A solitary tree cannot survive.
A lone wolf cannot run.

It's better to recite it in our language.

The wolf is the most loyal animal.

On the wasteland, wolves travel in pairs.

They only have one partner in their lifetime.

If the partner dies,

the wolf will not live alone.

Did I wake you by covering you with a blanket?

Honey, I just fell asleep.

I saw you frowning all the time.
Had a nightmare?

No. I'm just a bit tired.

Honey.

What will you do to the prisoners?

Why do you suddenly care?

Yesterday, when I returned
to the village with Mrs. Wen,

we saw a group of prisoners.

They talked about it on the way,
and I was a bit curious.

Those boundless rumors scared you.

The handling of prisoners
depends on the court's decision.

If peace talks are held,
they might not be ex*cuted.

Those collaborators
will definitely be ex*cuted and displayed.

For worse crimes,
their families will be implicated.

What's this?

Today, a wolf accidentally
entered the camp.

They captured it.

The wolf's tail is very hard.

Perfect for making a brush
for you to practice writing.

Is this

made of the wolf's tail?

Don't like it?

It's not that.

I just heard

in the wasteland, wolves travel in pairs.

If one is captured and k*lled,
their partner cannot live alone.

I also know that wolves are revered here.

It was released. Don't worry about it.

I just suddenly remembered this saying
I heard before.

You seem quite familiar with this place.

Today, Nanny Li told me that you
learned the tribe's language.

What?

How to say the brush?

Of course, I don't know.

I only know a few simple phrases.

Honey, what's wrong?

I noticed you look unwell.
You need to rest well.

I'll leave early later.

There's military business tonight.

I'll take care of myself. Don't worry.

My Lord.

There's news from Xizhou.

Tell me.

A Gushan has been defeated
and captured by Lord Huaiyang.

The situation may change.

My Lord, when we led the troops
for a surprise attack,

we caused A Gushan to lose control and invade.

We wanted them to suffer from the w*r
and wipe out the clues to the iron business.

This was a perfect plan.

A Gushan is an incompetent fool.

I'm worried that if Cui Xingzhou
continues to investigate,

the Mount Tiebei business might come to light.

That day will never come.

Let Yun'er handle it properly.

As for the Mount Tiebei, it ends here.

Yes.

You just won a victory.

Why are you wary of foreign merchants like us?

We'll finish unloading and leave at once.

Hu Rongge.

You worked for the former Wolf Lord.

Since you already know,
I have nothing left to hide.

We came to Wuning Town this time
not with ill intentions,

but to welcome the exiled Princess Chunyue
of the former Wolf Lord.

I understand.

Otherwise, you wouldn't have come so smoothly.

The name of Princess Chunyue here
should be Lin Siyue, right?

My Lord. She's here.

You...

I've only heard of a male bird in spring plucking its tail feathers to pretend to be a female

and avoid conflicts, trying to reproduce.

I didn't expect a lord to disguise himself
as a centurion to deceive a woman.

The men of your country
truly are the most hypocritical.

How dare you!
Lord Huaiyang will not tolerate slander.

Huang Gui.

Princess Chunyue, today I can either let you go

or detain you under the guise of a spy.

My Lord.

If you wanted to detain me, you wouldn't
have waited until Hu Rongge arrived.

I heard that A Gushan k*lled your father
and replaced your royal family.

My defeat of him was merely to drive
the wolves out and guard the border.

I didn't mean to harm your tribe.

Princess, you needn't see me as an enemy.

A Gushan's defeat and
capture are what he deserves.

Aside from him, we have never
interfered with each other.

There's no need for you
to overthink my intentions.

Good. How straightforward.

Please sit.

I invited you here today
to discuss the iron ore business

between the Qi Kingdom and the western tribes.

You know about Mount Tiebei?

Salt and iron are the foundation.

Our kingdom can't tolerate actions
that damage national strength.

If you can provide clues,
not only will I release you,

but I will report it to open official channels

and facilitate this mutually
beneficial business.

My Lord.

Previously, Qi people
did trade iron with our tribe,

but the person in charge
only worked with the former Wolf Lord.

We were not aware.

I only remember three years ago
seeing a Qi convoy in the western tribes.

Do you remember the convoy's name?

I don't remember.

They were very mysterious,
with their faces covered.

They came to the tribe once a month.

My father personally received them, so I didn't recognize them.

Later, I got married and lost contact.

Thank you, Princess.

With the w*r just ended, at Jinjia Pass,

there may still be remnants of A Gushan.

I will send a team of elite soldiers
to escort you back.

- Just like that?
- Just like that.

But afterward, please hand over the previous
ledger to my army for detailed follow-ups.

Agree. We have to leave.

My father's turned into a gray wolf.

The ledger is of no use to me now.

I can agree to give you the ledger.

This is a condition between
the Qi Kingdom and the western tribes.

There's another condition
between me and you.

Another condition?

Please tell me.

Do not reveal my identity to Liu Miantang.

She has treated me sincerely
and saved my life many times.

Yet you want me to help you deceive her?

I will never harm her.

This is also a promise made in my name.

I'm a princess now, responsible
for the people behind me.

What right do I have to refuse?

Thank you.

[Medicine]

Mrs. Cui. Thank you.

I haven't done much.

I will always remember your support
for me and my child,

just like the spotted cat on the grassland.

I have heard more animals these days in Wuning Town

than I have seen in my whole life.

Take it. As a memento.

Coincidentally, I also have a gift for you.

This is a black iron dagger.

You people rarely see it.
It's only given to the precious friends.

This dagger is made of black iron.

Take it for self-defense.

Take care of yourself.

You too.

Be cautious of your husband.

Be cautious of your husband.

Only dealing with the convoy?

The convoy?

The convoy?

Liu Miantang's family
runs a convoy, doesn't it?

I've checked.

Their Shenwei Escort Agency
began to decline ten years ago.

It only does nearby business,
not reaching as far as the northwest.

Before I return to the capital,
I need to visit Xizhou.

To see the governor, Sheng Zong?

I want to ask him how he turned the dirty business

into a w*r with countless casualties.

The smuggling of iron ore is a great disaster.

If Princess Chunyue's words are true
and trading began three years ago,

then such a large amount of iron ore
has entered our kingdom.

Think the worst of it. What's it for?

No idea.

Weapons.

What do they intend to do?

Cui Xingzhou.

You narrowly escaped death.

You shouldn't push your luck.

Besides, even if someone intends to rebel,

the current Empress Dowager is unjust.

She always wants to k*ll you.

Why do you risk your life for her?

I've made up my mind.

[Xizhou]

I'm Sheng Zong, Governor of Xizhou City.
Welcome, Lord Huaiyang.

When we asked you for provisions,
you claimed to be ill and stopped going out.

It seems you've recovered well now,
even running to welcome the Lord.

My Lord, you may not know.

When I heard the Zhenzhou army was
lacking provisions, I was indeed anxious.

However, the court's orders for Xizhou
were only to defend the city.

Currently, Xizhou is facing a year of famine.

I was so anxious that I caught a cold.

I had no time to make arrangements.

I could only burn three incense sticks daily,

wishing you victory in every fight.

I won the battle thanks to your incense.

You flatter me.

You have quelled the western tribes' turmoil,
a great contribution to the court.

How could I be negligent?

That's why I came personally to
welcome the army into the city to rest.

Good.

Governor.

Finding the prisoners?

I captured A Gushan alive.

Please put the entire city under martial law
and carefully guard them.

Yes, My Lord. Please come in.

Look around as you like.

Madam. What's wrong?

Is it your headache again?

Stop the carriage.

Stop the carriage.

What's going on?

The officials here are so lazy.

The pass records must be moldy.

Let's split to find them
according to the ledger.

The camel is here, isn't it?

The camel!

Don't throw it around.

Look over there. Isn't that the camel?

The camel!

- Ms. Xu.
- Coming.

Your veggies.

Thank you.

And this.

A toy after he's born.

Thank you.

Do you like it? The camel?

Look over there. Do you like it?

Madam?

Nanny Li. You should go back.

I want to take a walk alone.

- No, no.
- Don't follow me.

[Escort]

On this trip back, you can find a wife.

Miantang, look at all the girls on the street.

There are all kinds of them.

Why should I stick to just one woman?

[Guanghe Tower]

Madam?

Come. Are you alright?

I'm still worried, so I followed you.

Sitting in the carriage
makes me feel dizzy. Let's go.

Sure.

The master specially
asked the Lord for this villa,

so that you could rest and recover here.

Where is he?

He has military duties today,
so he probably won't come back.

Nanny Li. The courtyard is spacious.

Arrange for everyone to stay here.

Everyone?

Mr. Fan. Come out.

Stop hiding.
I saw you on the street just now.

Madam.

Didn't you join the army?

Why are you following me
instead of the Zhenzhou army?

Well. It must be a coincidence.

It's really a stroke of luck.

Yes, yes. What a coincidence.
What a coincidence.

So it was arranged by my husband.

No, no, no.

Yes, yes.

After we joined the army,
we just happened to follow Mr. Cui.

He said there are many remnants
disturbing the soldiers' families,

so we should be wary of the surroundings
and protect you.

- Yes, yes, yes.
- Of course.

And other soldier's families.

Yes, yes, yes.

Since it's a military order, why be so sneaky?

Sneaky? Sneaky? We?

Are we sneaky?

- No, no.
- No.

No.

Madam, it's me.
We're just a bunch of men.

We're afraid of disturbing you, so...

But don't worry.
We're only doing routine patrols.

We won't disturb your life.

Yes, yes, yes.

Nowadays, there are very few men as
considerate and attentive as the master.

You... Please don't disregard his kindness.

Anyway, Mr. Fan and the others
have joined the master's team.

Let them stay with us.

Just don't be so sneaky
and frightening in the future.

Yes.

Nanny Li.
Let them move their luggage in.

Arrange for everyone to stay here.

Prepare a good meal.
Make sure they enjoy it.

Yes.

- Thanks, Madam.
- Thanks, Madam.

Come with me.

Take it slow.

- Aren't you eating?
- I'm not eating.

You might not have enough.

Just made you check
the pass documents for half a day.

Is it really necessary?

Cui Xingzhou. Are you still human?

I... I'm a lord.

Not your family's helpers,
who will help you check this and that.

Alright. Thank you.

Pour it up.

Let me serve it for the Lord.

Thank you again, My Lord.

Is that it?

What else?

Would you just brush it off
if Liu Miantang gets mad?

My wife is understanding
and won't be so wilful.

See for yourself.

What to see?

Pingyuan Escort Agency.

The agency was established three years ago.

There are a total of 21 escorts.

The convoy comes to Xizhou City every month,
despite the weather.

The agency's pass records match the ledger
Lin Siyue provided.

But since A Gushan replaced
the former Wolf Lord six months ago,

the iron ore business stopped,

and the agency's pass records also stopped.

That is indeed suspicious.

My Lord, as you wish,
the city gates have been closed.

Good for you.

That's it?

Yes.

This is the name list of the escort agency.

They claim to be locals of Xizhou.

But I think you should have Huang Gui
verify each person carefully.

No need to verify each one.

[Qiulin Xian]

Don't find it strange.

My great-grandmother's surname is Qiu.
It's not a rare surname.

Don't find it strange?

His surname isn't Qiu but Qiulin.

I've seen this surname in Beizhou.

Only western tribes people use this surname.

Do you mean...

They use such ambiguous
surnames to facilitate dealing.

Between two places?

It's raining so heavily.
Why are you sitting outside?

Honey, you're back.

Is your hand hurting?

Let me see.

Is it here?

Let me do it.

No, it's nothing.

It's gonna work this time.

I see this corner is just like this one.

I see.

What's wrong?

I was thinking about you.

You're an excellent
Go player and a brave fighter,

but you can't manage a corner of a quilt.

Honey, were we in the capital
at this time last year?

Yes, we were in the capital.

We were doing porcelain business.


♫ 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 ♫