01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

This is the very thing.

This is the Huotu Tonic.

It was freshly prepared, only just now.

This is merely enough for a single day.

Where did you come across this,
Young Master?

If you can supply it
for seven consecutive days,

that young lady's sight will be saved.

I found it quite by accident.

It's just seven days.

That is hardly difficult.

Qiao Qiao, lift your head.

Qiao Qiao, how are you feeling now?

Li Ce, this is the Huotu Tonic.

Zhuge Yue sent it, did he not?

No.

This truly is the Huotu Tonic.

But why must it be Zhuge Yue who sent it?

Why shouldn't it be brought by me,

Li Ce, a young man who's dashingly gifted
and notoriously charming?

I used this remedy before at Qingshan Court.

It was the Zhuge family who concocted it.

Once it's dropped in the eyes,

even the smallest detail is plain to see,

and the night appears as bright as day.

The person who brought me this medicine
was Zhuge Yue, was it not?

Qiao Qiao, this medicine...

Last night, did you come into my room?

Whatever would I do in your room?

So it was not you after all.

It was him.

It must have been him.

[Episode 5]

I knew it had to be you,

General Zhuge.

Your exceptional martial prowess and wisdom

truly live up to your reputation.

Everyone knows you led just 20 Moon Guards,

and dared slip into Yanbei territory,

pitting yourself against the Yan heir's


But none knew you fell
into the frozen lake bordering Ximeng,

and the Yan army hunted you for three months.

And yet, you survived the ordeal.

What brings you here now?

Do not be so distant.

I simply do not understand,

and want to ask on Qiao Qiao's behalf.

Since you are alive,
why do you hide in the shadows?

Why not let her know you are alive?

I have reasons of my own.

You need not know them.

General Zhuge.

You call yourself a grown man,
yet you fuss and dither like an old aunt.

If you truly wish to see her, then go to her.

She is waiting for you this very moment.

But if you mean to keep up your ruse,

at least stop sneaking about.

One minute you visit her,
the next you turn up with medicine.

Qiao Qiao is no fool.

How could she not sense you are still alive?

What are you doing?

Am I not right?

Zhuge Yue.

Are you going to k*ll me?

Zhuge Yue, what are you planning to do?

Let me warn you, if you want to k*ll me,

the consequences will be most severe.

Qiao Qiao.

Where is Zhuge Yue?

Where is he?

Zhuge Yue?

He did not come.

Qiao Qiao, I have told you.

I asked Song Cheng
to find this medicine for you.

Why will you not believe it?

I know it was you, Zhuge Yue.

Qiao Qiao, I want you to recover.

Zhuge Yue, I will wait for you,
no matter how long.

It is already the sixth day now.

Qiao Qiao, how do you feel?

I can just about make out light and shadow.

That is wonderful.

These past days,

I not only asked Song Cheng
to find the Huotu Tonic for you,

I had him fetch all sorts of
bone-setting and healing remedies.

They are working wonders already.

Give it another half a month,

even if you can't wield a sword or spear,

but moving about freely
will be no trouble at all.

Qiao Qiao,
I know you still do not believe me.

But whether it is in Great Yong,
Yanbei or Biantang,

everyone believes Zhuge Yue fell
at Qianzhang Lake.

If he's not dead,
why has he not returned for you?

When you finish this course of medicine,

come back to Biantang with me.

I will not go anywhere. I am staying here.

Qiao Qiao, your eyes will take


Yanbei is in utter unrest now.

You will be safest
if you return to Biantang with me.

If there is an uprising
and Yanbei closes its gates,

by then, it will be impossible to leave,
even if we want to.

Li Ce, I appreciate your concern.

Once my hand has healed,
when I can move with ease,

I shall stay here of my own will.

Nothing will happen to me.

Qiao Qiao.

Li Ce.

Thank you.

But you need not try to persuade me further.

Your Highness,
Yanbei is in chaos at the moment.

Cheng Yuan is murdering everywhere.

In all Yanbei's tribes,
rebellion could erupt at any moment.

We should not linger here any longer.

I understand all you have said.

But Qiao Qiao will not leave with me.

Your Highness,
but you are heir to the Biantang throne.

- Your duty concerns Biantang.
- Song Cheng.

Go and hire some more people.

They need to be strong.

And get ropes and wooden staffs as well.

- Don't forget the knockout incense.
- Huh? Knockout incense?

Prepare the carriage and our luggage as well.

At first light tomorrow,

once Qiao Qiao finishes
the seventh bottle of Huotu Tonic,

we will bring her back to Biantang,
no matter what.

Her eyes are still clouded.
And her arms and legs are still weak.

We can simply knock her out.

Tie her up and carry her off.

What? Knock her out?

That is General Chu.

Can we really win against her?

That is true.

No, that will not do.

That is Qiao Qiao, after all.

How about this?
Use silk ribbons instead of rope.

Buy only the finest knockout incense.

And if that is not enough,

just mix it with my favourite ambergris.
It will at least smell pleasant.

Bring the largest carriage you can find.

We shall spirit her away in style.

Why are you standing about? Off you go!

I'll get going now.

Oh, and one more thing.

Remember to get
Qiao Qiao's favourite pastries.

She must not go hungry on the journey.

Yes. I will see to it at once.

I'll buy Qiao Qiao's
favourite pastries for you.

You...

I'll do it myself.

Sir.

The fourth Zhuge son sent some medicine.

He said Miss Chu always found them useful

when she lived in Qingshan Court.

Zhuge Yue?

Has he come here?

He sent them by sending Yue Qi.

I won't take his medicine.

He's trying to poison me
by pretending to be kind.

All that way through snow and ice,
just so I would deliver poison?

You do think rather highly of yourself.

To send medicine in this cold
to a servant like me,

you have truly gone
to a great deal of effort.

Such a sharp tongue you have.

I'm sure you've recovered by now.

Who are you?

Who are you?

Why did you bring me Huotu Tonic?

Qi.

Are you Yue Qi?

Yue Qi, why won't you say a word?

Were you wounded at the frozen lake
and lost your speech?

Then where is Zhuge Yue?

Where is Zhuge Yue?

Impossible.

Impossible.

You are lying to me.

He is not dead.

He saved me beneath the frozen lake.

Why have the Moon Guards
not tried to find him?

Why are you not searching for him?

Go and find him!

Go on, search for him!

Go on, find him! Search for him!

You are Zhuge Yue.

You are not Yue Qi.

This is what you left behind
from the time you saved me.

Is that not so?

I am Yue Qi.

Zhuge Yue...

is gone.

Zhuge Yue bore a scar in the shape
of a crescent moon

on his left hand.

You are not him.

You are not Zhuge Yue.

The medicine I gave you will last ten days.

That will be enough for you to go back
and save your woman.

If ten days pass
and you do not return as promised,

I shall teach you what it truly means
to envy the dead.

Once you take it,
every scar you bear will vanish.

All traces of your former life
will be erased.

From then on, there will be
no more Zhuge Yue in this world.

You will live as my shadow, my sl*ve.

Your Highness,
you must make your decision at once.

The Black Eagle Army from Yanbei
have already tracked us here.

If you do not get Miss Chu away soon,

I fear we cannot all get out unscathed.

Very well. I shall count to three.

We rush in together.

Is that clear?

Understood.

One.

Two.

Three.

Your Highness.

Are you certain Miss Chu's strength
has not yet returned?

- I am not sure.
- What?

However, I am certain,
I'm sure and it's confirmed,

that her eyesight has not recovered.

- We must act accordingly.
- Act accordingly.

One.

Two.

Three.

Qiao Qiao.

Who does this belong to?

Qiao Qiao, I...

- I...
- Li Ce, I'll go with you to Biantang.

Huh?

Your Highness.

Right now, they're searching for Miss Chu
everywhere in Yanbei City.

But how can it be that on Yanbei's borders,

the guards are so lax and careless?

Could something have happened in Yanbei City?

Let's hurry and get out of the city.

Yes, sir.

[Detached Palace of Yanbei]

His Majesty has not woken from his coma.

Cheng Yuan has kept the news quiet.
No one knows a thing.

Is there no hope for him at all?
[Huo Sang, Chief of Baichuan tribe]

What are you rambling about?
[Tu Bo, Chief of Hongchuan tribe]

I fear he will never awaken.

Esteemed elders, do not be hasty.

Let us wait a while longer
for news of His Majesty.

Should His Majesty truly never waken,
[Ka Tuo, Chief of Jinhui tribe]

there is still another
who may take the throne.

You mean the Snow Region tribe?
[Chief of Lanchuan tribe]

Speaking of royal bloodline,

after all,
General Huan is cousin to the King.

The entire Yan family
fell to the Yong invaders.

None but His Majesty was spared.

And His Majesty remains unwed
to this day.

Should any misfortune befall him,

Huan Huan would take the throne of Yanbei.

It would be only natural.

But she is nothing but a slip of a girl.

How can she lay claim to the throne?

Yet this so-called slip of a girl...

Her feats in battle
outshine the sum of all our deeds.

And with the prestige
of the Snow Region Tribe behind her,

I fear, when the time comes,
even with the likes of Hongchuan and Pale,

such deeply-rooted tribes

may find themselves powerless
to sway matters.

Chief Jinhui's words hold weight, certainly.

If we speak of deeds on the b*ttlefield,

we fall far short of the Snow Region tribe.

But Chief Jinhui,
[Chief of Pale tribe]

you, too, are a hero among your people.

Why let your tribe willingly
bow to another tribe's rule?

Chief Pale, only you understand my thoughts.

Rest assured, I shall never allow Jinhui

to suffer beneath another's hand.

Lady Helian.

General Cheng,
I brought you someone important.

[The Goddess of Wunan]

Can the medicine you offered
truly heal His Majesty's illness?

When will His Majesty awaken?

The medicine will work. Trust me, sir.

I share the very same doubts

regarding your questions.

Yet there may be another possibility.

His Majesty is protected
by the gods of Yanbei.

He is the one destined by Heaven.

If His Majesty is to awaken,

my medicine alone is not enough.

He will also need...

the gods' will.

Sons of the tribe.

For centuries, our Jinhui tribe

has always been
the leopard of the grasslands.

Warriors, tell me, what is a leopard?

The king!

Sovereign of the steppe!

For a hundred years,

our loyalty was sworn to the Black Eagle.

We hailed the Yan family as our king.

But what of the Yan family?

What have they given the steppe?

Yan Shi Cheng let emotions
cloud his judgement,

causing his whole lineage to perish.

He threw Yanbei into disaster.

Now, Yan Xun, all for his selfish aims,

ambushed the Yong army
in Ximin Mountains,

and doomed tens of thousands
of our own at Meilin Pass.

And for a Yong woman,
he put all of Yanbei in jeopardy.

Is such a Black Eagle worthy to rule?

He is no king!

Warriors!

Stand with me!

Let us seize Yanbei!

Put Yan Xun to the sword!

Seize Yanbei! Slay Yan Xun!

Seize Yanbei! Slay Yan Xun!

Seize Yanbei! Slay Yan Xun!

Urgent report!

Here.

General Huan.

Ka Tuo is leading 30,000 Jin Hui soldiers
in revolt.

They've drawn close to Yanbei's main camp.

Among the 13 tribes of Yanbei,

seven have already mobilized
their men and horses.

What? Ka Tuo has rebelled?

Sister, you must not intervene.

Even with General Cheng at our side,

we have but 10,000 Black Eagles
who are guarding the capital of Yan.

So unless the enemy assaults the capital,
[An Luo]

we cannot leave our posts.
[An Luo]

General Huan.

The rebels are but 20 li from our camp.

They could arrive at any moment.

General Huan, your orders, please.

I shall seek aid from General Shi Yan.

We are kin to the Yan family.

By the loyalty of Snow Region Tribe
and our tribe's honor in Yanbei,

I will bear command in our king's place.

Sister, you want to take command
of all three armies?

Yes.

If not, Yanbei will fall to civil w*r at once.

The enemy is advancing.

Soldiers, you are the Black Eagle Army.

You are Yanbei's bravest and
strongest among all Yanbei's defenders.

Now, traitors rebel in our lands.

They strive to break our unity.

What shall we do?

We swear to guard Yanbei with our lives!

We swear to guard Yanbei with our lives!

We swear to guard Yanbei with our lives!

From this moment on,

I take command of all forces
in place of King Yan Xun.

Soldiers!

Stand with me to face the rebels!

Defend Yanbei!

Fight back the rebels! Defend Yanbei!

Fight back the rebels! Defend Yanbei!

Defend Yanbei! Defend Yanbei!

Fight back the rebels! Defend Yanbei!

[Biantang Border in Great Yong]

Chun Er, the world is in chaos now.

No one knows what tomorrow may bring.

I must focus all my strength to face it.

I cannot keep you by my side now.

This escort of guards
will take you home to Great Yong safely.

Take care of yourself.

Do not stir up trouble again.

Brother.

The lake is so blue.

So clear, so pure.

Do you remember?

When we lived in Zhenhuang City,

every Shangsi Festival,
we went for outings by the river.

The Luo River that flowed
through Zhenhuang City

was just as clear, just as blue.

Chun Er, let's go.

Chun Er! Quickly, help her! Get her up!

[Biantang Border]

[Li Yan, King of Luo, Biantang]

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Someone has fallen in!

Qiao Qiao.

It has been several days
since you finished the Huotu Tonic.

Are your eyes feeling any better?

Can you see anything at all?

Like my elegant silhouette?

Yes. Your eyes are still bandaged.

So you should not see anything at all.

Never mind.
I shall wait until the fourteenth then.

Qiao Qiao, I specially asked Song Cheng
to buy this for you in the city.

Delicate little pastries.

Yanbei is a harsh and barren place.

The food and drink here
are nothing like Biantang.

You must be hungry. Try a bite.

Qiao Qiao, we have reached a little town.

There is a lantern festival here.
Shall we go and see it?

No, thank you.

Qiao Qiao, don't be sad.

If you ask me,
perhaps Zhuge Yue is not truly gone.

Just think.
He is strong and as cunning as a fox.

He always outwits others.

How could he possibly die first?

Impossible. He must still be alive.

Truly. Is it possible that he was
rescued by a mysterious outsider?

And, under that strange one's threats,
he dared not show himself to you.

He fears you would be in danger.

That is why he hides from you.

You know, strange outsiders
always have peculiar ways.

- What is it?
- Go out. Let's see the lanterns.

Come on, let's go.

Mind your step.

Qiao Qiao, this is the lantern festival.

It is bustling with life.

Up ahead, there are lantern stalls.

Let me take you to have a look.

- Watch your step.
- Lanterns!

Lanterns for sale!

You two, come see my fine lanterns.

We have arrived. This is the lantern stall.

Excuse me, sir.

Do you have a rabbit lantern, by any chance?

The more you cling to possessions and ties,

the more they shackle your every move.

But with nothing left to care for,

won't we be as lifeless as wood?

If one day,

your enemy turns what you cherish
against you, and brings you to ruin,

even in death, you drag others with you.

Then, you will understand
that it is better to be as lifeless as wood.

Here.

But didn't you say that
attachments only burden us?

It is only a lantern.

You really have not seen much, have you?

If I don't buy it for you,
you'll keep thinking about it.

[Tangjing, Biantang]

Let me have a look.

- Stop.
- Move along.

Who travels in this carriage?

What, are you searching
my carriage as well?

Your Highness, I am at your service.

There has been unrest in Yanbei recently.

To prevent it from reaching Biantang,

the higher-ups have ordered
all who enter the city must be searched.

Since this is your duty,
I shall not hold it against you.

In that case,
there is a foreign beauty in my carriage,

brought back from my travels.

Why not search the carriage yourself,

and see if she is a Yanbei spy?

I would not dare.
Your Highness, please enter the city.

Chu Qiao.

We have lost all sense of direction.

If we go any farther,
we will not make it back alive.

Who are you? What do you want?

Zhuge Yue!

Her Majesty means that woman's identity
is not what it seems.

You have stayed by my side for three days.

Why have you not once asked who I am?

Zhuge Yue.

I can see you.