01x18 - Episode 18

[bunniefuu]

♪Trapped in this tiny world♪

♪I'm crushed into dust♪

♪I meddle around without any mercy♪

♪I'm my own pawn♪

♪I sigh at my fate♪

♪Numerous people are under my control♪

♪All the sand is washed away♪

♪An old dream fades♪

♪A bumpy path lies ahead♪

♪Traps within traps, I never make mistakes♪

♪I take a risk at every step♪

♪Even in disputes, I break through with my life♪

♪Schemes within schemes, I prison myself♪

♪Each link swaps bluff and truth♪

♪The world is my Weiqi game board♪

♪Everything's just fleeting♪

♪The play begins♪

♪No return is expected♪

♪The flame is gone, whether we win or lose♪

♪The wind never ceases. I hold the reins♪

[Ashes To Crown]

[Adapted from Xixing's novel, Empress of the State of Chu]

[Episode 18]

It was that imperial decree

that allowed Her Highness to successfully negotiate peace

with the Lord of Xiaonan.

Now that

she's come here to show her gratitude,

it's evident she's realized

she wouldn't achieve anything

without your support.

Since Her Highness recognizes your capability,

this overture

is probably an attempt at an alliance.

True power lies

only in your own hands.

With Chu Ling dead,

the Yunzhong Prefecture stands defenseless against its enemies.

Even with Zhong Changrong in command,

the Northern Desert

and the Xiaonan Prefecture

are waiting to strike.

A mere treaty

is hardly enough to hold them back.

Back then, Xie Yanfang

defied my deployment order.

Yet, in the relief of Xiaonan Prefecture,

he seized the moment

and siphoned off the spoils.

With the tides shifting,

one must think thrice

before forming any alliance.

Her Highness

is corrupting the noble ladies of the Capital,

encouraging them to parade themselves in public

and organize the Chu Mansion Literary Gathering.

It is utterly laughable.

What self-respecting scholar would attend?

Mr. Jing,

[Jing Ke, Minister Jing's second son]
you truly amuse me.

Why are men free to enjoy literary pursuits,

yet women are denied

the same privilege?

Could it be

you fear being outdone

by women?

Such bold words.

Mr. Jing,

we host this gathering

to let talent

shine,

unlike you

and

your fellow scholars,

who are nothing but incompetents

who slander behind closed doors.

Talent is not something

one can claim as their own.

Your boasting means nothing here.

Good.

Let's

compete today

so all may witness

your true mettle.

Very well.

But if you lose,

stop slandering

our gathering

and never stop others from attending.

Challenge accepted.

Such insolence from a woman.

Please

enlighten me

on Weiqi,

calligraphy,

and other finer arts.

Tang,

can you actually play Weiqi?

I learned

a little from Jiang before.

That's enough

to best him.

What could you possibly learn

from a woman?

Shall we continue?

So what if you can play Weiqi?

It's merely a trifling pastime

for women to occupy themselves with.

- Exactly. - Indeed.

Let us compete in calligraphy instead.

I have spent my time

immersed in literature.

Fine by me.

That's not what I stake

my life upon.

So calligraphy

is merely a pastime for me.

This is truly impressive.

Right.

In fact, it rivals Mr. Jing's work.

She has clearly applied herself.

Look,

she's even varying her strokes.

Quite impressive.

Calligraphy is not about who writes the fastest.

- Indeed. - Exactly.

Mr. Jing,

it is not about who writes

the most either.

Indeed.

She certainly talks tough.

Such clever wordplay.

- Indeed. - Exactly.

Mr. Jing,

do you even have the nerve

to keep slandering our literary gathering?

Best of three.

There is no need

for a third round.

Why further embarrass

yourself?

If you refuse to accept this, Mr. Jing,

you are welcome to attend the Chu Mansion Literary Gathering,

where we can have

a proper contest.

Go.

You're not afraid of her, are you?

- Yes. - Take her on.

Tang.

Does it not trouble you

to have humiliated

Minister Jing's son?

I was only being high-profile

so

they would not underestimate

the Chu Mansion Literary Gathering.

Mr. Jing

has a bit of a reputation,

so after this spectacle,

many will surely come

to the gathering to watch the show.

I have honored

what Zhao entrusted to me.

Let's go.

A literary gathering?

What are you planning

this time?

Who is it?

Mr. Zhang,

it's me.

Young...

Young Master.

I came to see you.

Take a seat.

During the ancestral hall trial,

you were the only one

who did not name me as the arsonist.

I am grateful

for that.

I am but a servant.

What standing do I have to point fingers at you, Young Master?

You need not keep this on your mind.

I shall skip

the liquor.

It's alright,

but can you tell me

if the child brought out

from the Wei Village

is still alive?

[Chu Mansion]

My parents

are settled at the Qiaoshan Academy

and seem to be in much better spirits.

And

the yamen even allotted them a plot of land.

You may keep the land,

but Uncle must accept at least a hundred students

without charging tuition.

You want Father

to use the proceeds from this land

to instruct and enlighten?

He will earn far greater prestige

by serving the people thus.

Father will surely agree.

However,

he has never paid attention

to financial matters.

Mother

will surely regret

this costly venture.

This is a lesson to them both.

Perhaps they will be more cautious

in their future dealings.

Once greed takes hold,

it becomes a trap set by others.

You are indeed insightful.

By the way,

your competition with Mr. Jing

at the teahouse proved quite effective.

Many people

have become interested

in the literary gathering.

That owes entirely

to your brilliant planning.

However, Zhao,

most people

are hoping to see us fail.

They claim

that female scholars

must have ulterior motives,

and that this gathering

is merely a ploy

to secure a good match.

Why must they speak

so harshly?

Let them talk.

Their words mean nothing anyway.

They are

merely men whose pride

has been bruised,

seeking

to salvage their dignity.

On the day of the literary gathering,

we will show them

who the true fools are.

[Chu Mansion Literary Gathering]

Mr. Jing was careless

and lost at Weiqi,

which has made you all

insufferably arrogant.

Today, I will show you

[Peng Yue, Captain Peng's eldest son]
what true shame is.

[Zhou Jiang, noble lady in the Capital]
Careful with your words.

The board will decide.

Fine.

And if you lose,

what then?

If I lose,

I will write a statement of defeat

and never play Weiqi again.

What is that pathetic statement worth?

Does one of your ilk

deserve a seat at a board like this?

Mr. Peng, those are bold words indeed.

I do not feel

that what I said was improper.

If Your Highness insists on flaunting your power,

I shall offer my apologies.

If Miss Zhou loses,

I will write a statement of defeat

with her.

Do you accept this wager?

Zhao.

Your Highness,

why go to such lengths?

Because you are a woman,

and so am I.

If they look down on women,

they look down on all of us.

So this is the real intention behind Your Highness

leading these women

to host a literary gathering.

To back them up, huh?

No.

I only want to tell you

that a woman's move on board

can also decide the fate of the world.

Zhao,

what game

are you playing, exactly?

If they win through sheer luck, that is one thing,

but should they lose,

are you truly prepared

to write a statement of defeat?

It does not matter.

I am not afraid of losing.

So what if I have this title?

Women

have never held their respect.

Even holding a high position

does not make them truly respect me,

so there is nothing to fear.

They come from scholarly families,

so they will not lose.

Even if we lose, it does not matter.

With each competition,

we draw closer

to victory.

And once we win,

today's efforts will not have been in vain.

As I said before,

the purpose of this gathering

is to demonstrate that women

are capable of standing as equals to men.

- She won. - Incredible.

Amazing.

How impressive.

We are taught

from childhood to read, write,

and master the Six Arts,

yet, we are also told

that all such learning serves

to secure a good marriage,

to support our husbands, raise our children,

and please our husbands' families.

But today,

we seek

no one's favor.

We are fighting for our own reputation.

Your Highness,

a letter from His Lordship.

Father says

the turmoil in the Capital has only paused for now,

and I should wait with patience.

And yet

every move he ever taught me

was built to k*ll.

His Lordship

still cares for you, Your Highness.

Tie Ying,

grind the ink.

Yes.

Are you writing back, Your Highness?

I'm writing to Deng Yi.

Mr. Deng?

He helped us

flee the Capital,

and yet Chu Zhao never moved against him.

There must be some pact between them.

The way things stand,

he and we

may no longer share the same side.

Whether we are or not doesn't matter.

What he owes me...

comes before all else.

Your Highness.

Since when do you bother

with such formalities?

I hope

I'm not interrupting.

I came across a jade disc

and wanted to give it to you.

Smooth to the touch,

flawless in color.

A rare piece indeed.

My gratitude.

Your Highness,

please.

Your Highness comes at such a late hour.

I can only assume it is a matter of urgency.

I've received word

that the Northern Desert King has turned back.

There may be movement on the frontier.

I heard

you once tried to send a trusted general

to Yunzhong Prefecture,

only for Mr. Xie

to block it with the Grand Princess Token.

Your concern for Yunzhong

moves me,

which is why I've come

to discuss the appointment of Guard General with you.

What do you think of Xie Yanlai?

You're locked in a contest with the Xie Clan,

and yet you'd hand command of the frontier troops

to one of their own?

I warned you before,

the Imperial Guard's authority must never be entrusted so lightly.

And now the frontier troops are in Xie Yanlai's hands once again.

Do you truly trust him,

or are you counting on Xie Yanfang

not daring to touch him?

Xie Yanlai serves me

and has nothing to do with the Xie Family.

Your Highness may say so,

but to the rest of the world,

he is a Xie.

If the day comes when Xie Yanfang forces him to choose,

Your Highness, what do you think

he would do?

He would choose me.

Since Your Highness has made up your mind,

I won't press further.

I only hope that when victory comes from the frontier,

the glory won't end up adorning someone else.

You worry too much.

The jade

is fine.

It just needs the most delicate of hands.

She actually went to Deng Yi.

Yes.

They talked in private for quite some time.

Seems Chu Zhao

already sees me as a rival,

and means to use Deng Yi to restrain me.

Their next move

should be to put Yanlai in command of the frontier troops.

If the military authority falls to the Xie Clan,

it is actually advantageous.

No.

Yanlai has changed.

Fortunately,

I still have

a more obedient lapdog.

Mr. Xie,

your foresight is truly remarkable.

Though a piece be small,

if used well,

it can still stir the winds of change.

Have you met

with Xiao Xun lately?

He's a hostage.

It wouldn't be proper for me to visit him.

As Grand Mentor,

you must extend your compassion to all,

be they the common folk

or the officials of the court.

Keeping

such a deliberate distance from him

will raise suspicions.

Your Highness has made clear

I should stand with you.

Why test me?

Unless

there's been talk

about me?

Nothing of the sort.

Just making conversation.

Your Highness,

I give everything I have

to the State of Chu, to my last breath.

My loyalty is absolute.

I know

where your loyalty lies.

It's late.

I should not keep you any longer.

As for the appointment of the commander,

I hope you will give it further careful consideration.

Do not rush into a decision.

Mr. Deng,

Her Highness and you

have gone your separate ways.

I know.

In this game,

the isolated stone

is always the first to fall.

We must plan ahead

and do what we must

to survive.

Mr. Deng,

this is a letter from Mr. Xiao.

My divination has progressed considerably.

I finally understand what it means for greatness yet to emerge.

And I've never thanked you for your guidance.

These palace robes are such a bother,

so stiff

and confining.

They're nothing

like the simple clothes I wore before.

Clumsy as you are,

how could you serve our lady?

Give it to me.

Le,

take her to change into something lighter.

She need not dress like a palace maid.

Cold mask, warm heart.

You're just like your mother, Your Highness.

Mother?

Whose mother?

Your Highness's mother?

Also my aunt.

Don't ask any more.

I once read Her Highness's fortune.

The divination showed her mother was still alive.

I thought I had misread

the cracks in the tortoise shell.

You can read fortunes?

That accurately?

Cast one for me too, would you?

No.

Fine.

Alright, I'll do it.

Well?

A letter from afar.

You can tell that from the bones?

I used my eyes.

Your Highness,

a message from the dispatch rider.

It's from Xie Yanlai.

[It's found in Wei Village, possibly tied to the case.]

[Origin unclear.]
What is it?

[All's well. Return date unknown.]

Jiu discovered shards of incendiary jars

in the Wei Village ruins,

bearing part

of a cargo mark.

Incendiary jars?

Someone used them to set fires?

[Xinsi, Fourth Month, Danqiu Horse Administration]

[Contract Three]
Xinsi, Fourth Month.

Danqiu Horse Administration.

Contract Three.

What does that mean?

Danqiu refers to

the Xiaonan Prefecture stud farm.

This came from Xiaonan Prefecture.

Mr. Deng is thoughtful,

looking out for Your Highness.

I've heard

that someone has been investigating

the Wei Village in secret.

But after the village was burned,

all the cargo records from Xiaonan Prefecture

were destroyed.

There's no way to uncover the truth.

Yet I worry someone won't let this go

and will seize the chance to stir up trouble.

Your concerns are not without merit.

Go

and keep close watch.

Nothing

can come to light.

If that fire at the Wei Village

ever gets traced back to us,

the charge of colluding with the Northern Desert

would finish us

for good.

Understood.

Still expecting your father to rescue you?

Xiaonan Prefecture can barely stay afloat.

As his stone,

you are certainly spent.

Your Highness came all this way

only to offer

such hollow mockery?

No.

I came to tell you

that I could choose not to k*ll you,

but I could also keep you

in the Capital,

a hostage until your last breath.

I know your father

sent you a letter.

Do you really think he wants to rescue you?

This letter

appears to offer reassurance,

but it is meant

to keep you here.

If you attempt to flee,

you prove that Xiaonan Prefecture plotted this all along,

committing treason and deceiving His Majesty.

Do you know what he said to me

in Xiaonan Prefecture?

"I have one wife

and three concubines,

- with seven children in total." - Enough.

What?

Are you furious?

Helplessness feels awful,

doesn't it?

Your Highness.

Why back me into a corner like this?

You're pressing so relentlessly

just to hear me say

that I want to go back to Xiaonan Prefecture, aren't you?

But I won't say it.

I like this courtyard.

Small and delicate.

Your Highness, I wish you

confined to these walls forever.

Let's see

whether you're destined to rise...

or doomed to fade away.

[Chu Mansion]

Zhao,

Jiang was brilliant,

besting one scholar after another

at the Chu Mansion Literary Gathering.

A triumph for women indeed.

Jiang's mastery of Weiqi

was always meant

to shine on a larger board.

All these years of dedicated study,

and now the world finally understands

the board makes no distinction

between men and women.

By the way,

I heard

Mr. Deng has been withholding

military honors

from the Battle Against the Northern Desert,

leaving the court rife with speculation.

Do you know

what game he is playing?

What else could it be?

The only one

he means to hold back is Xie Yanlai.

With the Guard General post vacant,

every ambitious eye in court

is set upon it.

Do you really think

he would stand with you?

Your Highness,

are you considering sending Xie Yanlai to guard the frontier?

Yunzhong Prefecture is a key stronghold on the frontier,

and he was the one

Father and Mr. Zhong chose.

But he comes from the Xie Family,

and Deng Yi has always been wary of them holding military power,

not to mention

over a fortress like Yunzhong.

So...

I'm going to force the issue

at court.

Mr. Deng,

why is Xie Yanlai absent

from the list of honors

for the Battle Against the Northern Desert?

Breaking through Yingzui Valley

and dealing a heavy blow to the Northern Desert King.

Do these not deserve the highest commendation?

Moreover, he was personally recommended

by the late General Chu

as the most qualified successor for Guard General.

The post is of critical importance

and cannot simply be dictated.

If it were a hereditary title,

the person most fit to lead the frontier troops

would be Your Highness.

Unfortunately, as you cannot hold the post yourself,

someone else must take the place.

Furthermore,

when Your Highness appointed Xie Yanlai

as Imperial Guard Commander,

he deserted his duties.

According to the law, he should be ex*cuted.

How could there be any rewards?

Mr. Xie, do you remember

that if Xie Yanlai

had not detected the unrest in Xiaonan Prefecture,

Xiao Xun's blade

would already be at His Majesty's throat?

Why are you so bent

on castigating Commander Xie?

Even if Your Highness orders my death,

I must speak.

The law is absolute

and cannot be overturned.

Xie Yanlai defied imperial orders, and that is a fact.

If he is not severely punished,

I fear others will follow suit,

and the court will descend into chaos.

What is your take on this?

By law, he deserves death.

[Xie Residence]

Yanlai has returned to the Capital?

But strangely,

from the You hour the day before yesterday

until the Zi hour last night,

he left no trace.

Our people lost him.

This is interesting.

He is not by Chu Zhao's side

but chooses to move alone.

Something serious must be happening.

No matter.

Keep watching him.

How is the court?

Mr. Xie, your plan was brilliant.

You feigned illness and absented yourself this morning.

The court has indeed seen stirrings.

Her Highness requested that Xie Yanlai be named

Guard General on the grounds of his military achievements.

How did Mr. Deng react?

He immediately claimed

Xie Yanlai had abandoned his duties

and should be ex*cuted.

If he actually kills Yanlai,

Her Highness will surely not let it go.

But if Her Highness grants the title,

our military power will grow even stronger.

A true dilemma.

There is one more thing.

Deng Yi has met with Xiao Xun

three times recently,

always after the Zi hour.

Interesting.

Mr. Deng usually knows how to read the wind.

Why

cling to a dead branch now?

Perhaps Xiao Xun has

something else planned?

Should we take precautions

in advance?

Let us wait and see.

Do not alert him.

Understood.

Her Highness has arrived.

Your Highness.

Yanfang, your health comes first.

There's no need for such formalities.

It seems

nothing escapes Your Highness's keen eyes.

I am deeply honored by your visit.

Please, this way.

Your Highness,

Yanlai is indeed important to you,

but are you not afraid that Deng Yi

will seize this opportunity to strike?

Xie Yanlai is your brother.

Deng Yi is clamoring for his blood,

yet you sit here with your hands folded?

Your Highness truly misjudges me.

As his elder brother,

I have shouldered so much

for Yanlai since we were children.

The Xie Family has stood for a century.

I cannot let

his reckless behavior

endanger the entire clan.

I want to save him more than anyone,

but now...

my hands are tied.

Tied?

Your acting now matches

your mastery of the game.

Shouldering for him, you say?

You are fully aware

that he never set fire to the Wei village.

Yet why

did you allow

this crime to be placed upon him?

It was to use this as leverage

to restrain the most dangerous threat within the Xie Family.

You know.

Regardless,

Xie Yanlai holding military power

is beneficial to the Xie Family.

I hope

you will lend your support.

She has changed

anyway.

Why are you still awake?

I don't want to sleep.

Every time I close my eyes,

I think of

Mr. Deng's outburst in court today.

He says Uncle Yanlai should be k*lled,

but I do not want to k*ll him.

Rest assured.

Tomorrow in court,

I will make

everyone realize

who is truly worthy of trust.

You have a plan?

You will see tomorrow.

Go to sleep.

You have returned.

I have.

Have you found any clues?

I have uncovered some details

about the Wei Village incident,

but it involves many parties.

I need to conduct a more thorough investigation.

Is it related

to the incendiary jar fragments you sent back?

You went back to Gaoyang

to investigate the Bloodburn Pill,

so how did it lead to the Wei Village?

I did not find the Bloodburn Pill

in the Xie Family's medicinal storage.

Instead, I discovered

that Xie Yanfang is using a type of medicine

to keep a child alive.

A child?

Xiang?

Although I have not found

where he is hidden,

I believe

he is alive.

Xie Yanfang keeping him hidden

must have something to do

with that fire back then.

That incendiary jar fragment

clearly bore

the caravan mark of Xiaonan Prefecture.

The oil

was definitely from there.

Yet, the mark left at the scene

belongs to the Cangmu Stronghold.

It's

a blatant frame-up.

You mean

someone wanted to use that fire

to force my mother out?

What secret

does the Cangmu Stronghold have

that requires such drastic measures?

It must be your mother's identity

as a Northern Desert general.

If someone intended

to use that fire

to provoke an imperial investigation into the Cangmu Stronghold,

your mother's identity would certainly be exposed.

Your father would have been accused of deceiving His Majesty

and stripped of his position.

This must be the Northern Desert King's doing.

A scheme this interconnected

cannot be ex*cuted

without an insider.

Xiao Xun left

no loose ends.

I need concrete evidence.

Is there anything I can do?

Zhao,

this matter involves far more than you know.

It touches on your mother

and your origins.

So you must do nothing.

Should you be discovered,

disaster will follow.

Zhao,

what happened at Wei Village

matters greatly to both of us.

I will get

to the bottom of it,

but I will investigate with care

and ensure Xie Yanfang remains unaware.

Zhao,

I have heard about what happened at court.

If you truly insist on defending me,

Mr. Deng will certainly weaponize

my unauthorized absence against you,

and he might even force you to step aside from governance.

But you earned your military merits.

I used to seek

only to die on the b*ttlefield

for a moment's glory,

but now, I only want to live long enough

to keep one person safe.

Who is that person?

General Xie,

you might as well be clear.

♪Day after day, across these ancient hills♪

♪Again and again, the old city cold and still♪

♪Through dust and battle, I look back♪

♪And find you waiting at journey's end♪

♪Night after night, the hours drift on♪

♪Year after year, our reunions end too soon♪

♪Love so deep, yet fate so thin, why must it be so hard?♪

♪Through joy and sorrow, we have shared it all♪

Would you ever lie to me?

♪Bound by a knowing no words can name♪

♪Two lonely souls, huddling together for warmth♪

Never.

Zhao.

By the moon itself,

♪You say this life is naught but endless partings♪

I never will.

♪I sigh at the whims of merciless fate♪

♪I'm holding on alone♪

♪Yet across the vast divide♪

♪You feel the ripple too♪

My father wished you

to take command of the frontier troops.

Would you do it?

For you and the General,

there's nothing I wouldn't do.

But you must promise me

never again to put yourself in harm's way

to deal with Deng Yi alone.

Tomorrow at court,

I'll fight for it myself.

♪Through joy and sorrow, we have shared it all♪

♪Bound by a knowing no words can name♪

♪I'm holding on alone♪

♪Yet across the vast divide♪

♪You feel the ripple too♪

I petition again

for Liang Qiang's appointment.

It cannot be allowed.

Your Highness, your persistent meddling in state affairs

is strictly prohibited in the inner palace.

I implore you, Your Highness,

to withdraw to the Grand Princess's Residence

and never again interfere in affairs of state.

I, Xie Yanlai,

pay my respect to Your Majesty,

and Your Highness.

I pledge

my life on my duty.

Within half a year...

I shall claim the Northern Desert King's head.

Should I fail,

let military law take its course.

Mr. Xie.

You would align yourself with him?

Since Yanlai has set his heart upon it...

I shall spare no effort in his aid.

Your Highness,

please do not consent.

If the Northern Desert marches upon us,

the frontier will descend into turmoil.

We cannot risk another w*r.

Cowardice.

But if we take the King's head,

will it not be the time to proclaim our might?

We cannot go to w*r!

We must.

I grant it.

General Xie is hereby ordered

to hold Yunzhong Prefecture

and assume the Guard General's Seal.

♪Broken walls and withered branches, trapped in the mire♪

♪Yet still striving to reach for the sky♪

♪My pride is torn down and my body is sacrificed♪

♪The spark smolders in the crack♪

♪And roars in the blaze♪

♪Burning the cold night until daybreak♪

♪Fate imprisons me♪

♪But I won't beg the abyss for mercy♪

♪Even if hope is faint, I remain proud♪

♪A mayfly will cross the ocean, however long it takes♪

♪However it ends up, I'll go my own way♪

♪With no fear of the distance♪

♪Born from decay, fireflies still burn♪

♪With sword in hand, I'll pierce the dawn♪

♪Let these scars all over me become♪

♪My new pride♪

♪Peril is everywhere in the palace♪

♪Yet I smile to nobody but you♪

♪Amidst the chaos♪

♪I'll always be with you♪

♪The spark smolders in the crack♪

♪And roars in the blaze♪

♪Burning the cold night until daybreak♪

♪Fate imprisons me♪

♪But I won't beg the abyss for mercy♪

♪Even if hope is faint, I remain proud♪

♪A mayfly will cross the ocean, however long it takes♪

♪However it ends up, I'll go my own way♪

♪With no fear of the distance♪

♪Born from decay, fireflies still burn♪

♪With sword in hand, I'll pierce the dawn♪

♪Let these scars all over me become♪

♪My new pride♪