A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
ADAPTED FROM TIANXIA GUIYUAN'S NOVEL HUANG QUAN
EPISODE 52
If His Majesty treats
this Dacheng case as an epidemic that needs to be contained,
then Feng Zhiwei is the source of the epidemic.
Your Highness must understand
and know your priorities.
But,
it's too late for me now.
If Mother were still alive,
I wouldn't accept Prince of Chu's kindness.
I'm not like her.
How could I be like her?
I don't deserve to be like her.
Is Dacheng worthy of a good person dying for it?
Is the remnant
that mortifying to others?
At least she's free now.
You and I
still have time until we can finally see her again.
She'll wait for me.
I'll wait for you too.
Only if it's with her.
Very well.
MEMORIAL TABLET OF QIU MINGYING MEMORIAL TABLET OF FENG HAO
Master Zong. Who am I?
Who are you?
Your Highness.
You are the daughter of Dacheng's Emperor Ai and Consort Shu.
You're the last member of the Zhangsun family.
And I, Zong Chen,
am the Royal Guard of Dacheng, the leader of Bloody Pagoda.
Upon Emperor Ai's orders, my job is to protect you.
So I'm the damned remnant of Dacheng.
Then, when Dacheng was overthrown,
whom did the leader of Bloody Pagoda, Gu Heng,
have in his arms when he jumped off the cliff?
People often say
that things in the past will be erased by time.
Now I know that they are wrong.
Those things in the past will come out,
haunt you, and follow you.
You can't get rid of them.
Master Zong, why do I have to live?
Ning Yi is right.
So many people died in vain just to prove their loyalty to Dacheng.
I'm unworthy of their sacrifices.
Ning Yi has no right to judge us.
Back then, he persuaded Gu Yan to betray Dacheng.
They killed Gu Heng and the infant.
This time, he ordered Xin Ziyan to kill Madam Gu and Feng Hao.
Zhiwei,
Ning Yi is your arch enemy.
He's my arch enemy and Bloody Pagoda's enemy.
I must kill him.
Or the Gu family will not be able to rest in peace.
But if we kill Ning Yi,
can my mother and Feng Hao come back?
If we kill Ning Yi,
can Gu Heng and that baby who didn't even have a name yet come back to life?
Your Highness,
if we let Ning Yi live,
wouldn't the Gu family have died for nothing?
Stop calling me "Your Highness."
That title has cost too much blood. I can't take it.
I know that it must be difficult
and a lot for you to understand.
However,
this is your destiny. You were born with it.
You can't hide from it.
All Bloody Pagoda members
and the people who still have Dacheng in their hearts
are waiting for you to rebuild Dacheng.
Rebuild Dacheng?
I was born and raised here.
I just discovered who I really am today. And now you want me to let
more innocent people die just so we can rebuild Dacheng?
That's a crime
I can't bring myself to commit.
Master Zong,
she's still a woman.
This is a huge change for her.
Give her some time to think.
Regardless of whether it's favor or enmity,
it's all given to her by us,
who still think of the former empire.
One day,
if Zhiwei finds out about all this...
Master Zong,
I have
one last request.
Don't force her.
Let Zhiwei make her own decisions.
Qiu Shangqi, do you know your crime?
I am willing to accept my fate.
I just hope that Your Majesty remembers
that I have served you my whole life.
I wish that Your Majesty will be kind and let my family live.
Do you regret it?
I did not know the truth.
I deeply regret taking in the remnant of Dacheng.
However, it's too late.
Yet, as Mingying's older brother, I protected my sister.
And I do not regret protecting her.
Qiu Shangqi.
You've been a Court official your whole life.
It's rare to hear you actually speak the truth.
Because of that,
I'll spare the Qiu family from death.
They will be exiled and registered under the place they end up in.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
-Headmaster Xin. -Yes, Your Majesty.
I...
Now, the only person
that has anything to do with Dacheng is Feng Zhiwei.
Feng Zhiwei...
Your Majesty just showed great mercy
and spared the Qiu family.
Your Majesty, you are truly benevolent.
I wonder what Your Majesty will do...
with Feng Zhiwei.
I think...
we can just do what you suggested.
She is the ninth princess of Dacheng, Zhangsun Zhiwei.
She'll be given the surname Feng and willingly submit to Tiansheng.
From now on,
there will be no more Dacheng's Zhangsun family.
Will you draft the announcement?
That's brilliant, Your Majesty.
I will.
I will, Your Majesty.
I know that Feng Zhiwei is nothing like Duke of Anle
who forgets the favor once she's used to the opulent life.
Do you think she can do it?
Feng Zhiwei is very sharp.
She'll understand that she's just a little raccoon.
She'll never be able to become a ruler.
I don't think you need to worry, Your Majesty.
Yet, if I admit to the empire
that she is the remnant of Dacheng,
some people might see it as an opportunity to rebel.
Then, there will be no peace in the empire.
Also, Qiu Mingying is dead now.
How do you know she won't resent me?
Keeping her
doesn't seem to be the right thing to do.
Mother,
please have some food.
Mother.
It won't be long
until Uncle comes here and takes us away.
Greetings, Ning Sheng.
Maybe one day,
I'll be here and keep you company.
Then,
I wonder if another Ning Qi
would come to visit.
Prince of Wei.
Are you here to make fun of me?
You can stop trying.
As long as my uncle is still alive,
I'll leave this prison soon enough.
You've misunderstood.
I'm not here to make fun of you.
I'm here to remind myself
what the food in prison tastes like.
Ning Qi.
Why the rush?
It won't be long before you are locked up here
to have the food every day.
When my uncle, Lord of Minhai, gets everything ready,
I'll get out of Zongzheng Temple.
Then, I'll send Ning Yi
and you...
I'll send all of you here.
I guess you don't know yet, Ning Sheng.
Lord of Minhai is dead.
Chang Zhongyi is also dead.
As for Chang Zhongxin...
Poor man.
Ning Yi cut off his head.
He saved Feng Zhiwei's life,
but he wasn't able to leave behind a complete body.
The Chang family of Minhai
is all gone now.
What did you say?
That's impossible.
That bastard Ning Yi couldn't have killed them all.
You're lying to me, right?
Tell me.
Are you lying to me?
Are you?
Ning Sheng,
look around you.
Do you think I would spend the time to lie to you?
-That's impossible. -I just feel sorry for you.
I don't need your pity!
That's impossible.
Father!
Father! Let me out!
Father!
Father! Let me out! I need to see you!
The Chang family...
I can't be the only one left, Father!
I can't be the only one left from the Chang family, Father!
Father.
Father!
RESIDENCE OF PRINCE OF CHU
Greetings, Headmaster Xin.
Does he know I'm here?
Are you two fighting?
Fighting?
How would I dare fight with him?
Go now.
Go get some good wine.
Headmaster Xin.
His Highness is already very upset.
You shouldn't...
Yes, that's why I'll drink now and comfort him afterward.
Go get the wine.
Hurry up.
Prince of Chu.
Your humble servant, Xin Ziyan, is here.
This is all my fault.
If you want to blame someone, blame me.
It was all my fault.
You resent me
because you think I shouldn't have told His Majesty about the remnant of Dacheng.
I caused the death of Qiu Mingying and her son.
I forced you and Feng Zhiwei to turn upon each other.
I did all of that.
Why did you let the mother and son go
and then change your mind,
causing them to die in Fengyun Palace?
It was for you.
Not this again.
For me?
Everything is for me.
Right.
So you did nothing wrong?
In your heart,
you believe that I can bring peace to the empire,
so everything you do is for the good of the empire.
That's wrong.
It's my fault.
Xin Ziyan, let me tell you this.
I do not have what it takes to rule this country.
You should find another prince to serve,
so that you won't waste your whole life.
Wait, Your Highness.
"Find another prince"?
"Waste my whole life"?
Very well.
You're stepping down, aren't you?
Do you think that if you step down, the person you love can live?
Do you?
Do you think that if you step down, no one will die for power again?
Do you think that if you step down, this empire will be peaceful forever?
This is my fault, Your Highness.
It really is my fault this time.
I should have followed His Majesty's orders
and let her die in the name of Zhangsun Zhiwei.
Father's orders?
Ziyan.
What does Father want to do?
What is it?
I pay respect to Father.
You may rise.
Thank you, Father.
Try this Xuefeng tea I received today.
It takes 30 years to grow, and 50 years to pick and process.
It's very rare.
Ning Qi asked me for some,
but I didn't give him any.
Father,
I'm not here to have tea with you.
I'm here to play Go with you.
Last time, I wanted to play with you,
but you didn't want to play.
It took a long time to convince you to come.
Yet today, I didn't have to ask you to come here.
That's a huge change.
I'm very impressed.
Two years ago, I had no power, whereas I do now.
Now, I control the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice.
That's a huge change as well.
I'm completely different.
I can take back what I gave you at any time,
as long as I'm still in power.
You wouldn't do that.
You do not have the right man.
Ning Ji is still young.
Ning Sheng is a traitor.
Ning Qi is inexperienced.
Apart from me,
whom else can you trust?
Did you come here to tell me
that you are my closest, most trusted son?
I came here to tell you
that the Dacheng case is over.
Please rest assured.
Stop investigating it.
Why are you telling me this?
Feng Zhiwei is just a woman.
She has no army or followers.
How could she overthrow Tiansheng?
She's nothing to worry about, Father.
Please let her live, Father.
What if I don't want to let her live?
I will become a weapon
and attack the shield of our mutual fate.
I will hurt myself
and activate the Shuangsheng Spell we are both bound with.
Injuring you would be a minor outcome. If the wound is major, then...
You're using my life
to save Feng Zhiwei.
Father, you and Feng Zhiwei
are both people close to my heart.
If either of you dies,
I will not continue to live.
What if I don't agree?
Will you kill the Emperor, your father?
Father,
I know
that you wouldn't give up on Tiansheng
just for Feng Zhiwei's life.
You've matured, Ning Yi.
You now dare threaten me
and argue with the Emperor.
I'm very glad.
I just said what I wanted to say.
Please forgive me, Father.
About the Shuangsheng Spell,
I hid it from you for so many years.
That caused a grudge between us.
It's easy to create a grudge, but hard to resolve it.
If you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen, Father.
If this grudge is resolved,
you will be in much pain.
Do you still want to know?
Yes.
That was the most painful incident of my life.
I didn't want to tell you
because I didn't want to hurt you.
I made many mistakes
because of your mother.
That is why I don't want you to make the same mistakes.
Do you understand how I feel as a father?
So, Father,
you do know what love is.
You should understand what I am feeling right now.
Father.
I'm begging you.
Please let Feng Zhiwei live.
If you insist on keeping her alive,
I'll promise to let her live for now.
But I won't forgive her for being the remnant of Dacheng.
If she ever thinks about working with Bloody Pagoda to overthrow Tiansheng,
I'll chop off her head.
Yes, Father.
Gu Nanyi, even though you're skilled in martial arts,
and I, Helian Zheng, once lost to you,
you can't stop me from seeing Feng Zhiwei unless you kill me!
I won't stop you.
But even if you go in,
what can you do for her?
What can I do?
I don't know what I can do.
I just want to know
why she lied to me and said she wanted to go to Xiayang
and left me in Jiyang.
Who am I to her?
She is willing to die, but do I not have the right to die with her?
Feng Zhiwei,
did you know?
On my way from Jiyang to Xiayang,
and then from Xiayang to here,
what tortured me day and night
was the thought of losing you.
That fear kept haunting my heart.
A thousand times, a million times.
Zhiwei,
have you forgotten?
You are the woman I love.
For you, I can hold up my sword and take revenge!
For you!
One word from you,
and I will swear to the heavens and destroy Tiansheng
under the name of Prince of Jinshi.
I've never broken any promise I made.
Especially a promise to you, Feng Zhiwei.
Gu Nanyi, you were right.
Even if I come back, what can I do for her?
Make her eat, make her cry, and make her smile.
If even you can't do it, how could I?
Look at her just now.
It felt so strange.
I feel like she's become a totally different person.
But you haven't changed.
You are right, Gu Nanyi.
She's changed, but I haven't.
I can find ways to make her eat, cry, and smile.
You can try.
Follow my orders.
Look, she's laughing.
I think she's crying.
I'm hungry.
Did I hear that right?
She said she's hungry.
Slow down. You'll choke.
That's a lot of food. Nobody's taking it from you.
Looks like you've come back to life, Feng Zhiwei.
Your Highness.
Prince Helian.
Why are you here?
I came to tell you
that something has happened in Jinshi.
What is it?
The King...
The King has passed away.
This is all my fault.
Yes, it is your fault.
You've served the country for 40 years.
My father trusted you.
You let down the people of Jinshi.
You let my father down!
You let me down!
I did not know that the King had passed away.
Liu Mudan did not announce it.
It took me by surprise.
I knew Liu Mudan had something to do with it.
She's in the Imperial Harem.
Someone must be helping her in the palace.
Who is it?
Your Highness,
I would never lie to you.
Let me tell you every detail.
Tell me now!
That day,
Helian Lie summoned me
to the King's bedroom.
I thought I was hurting the most in this world.
Now, Helian Zheng is facing the same thing.
What should we do for him?
What can we do for him?
In order to get away,
I pretended to listen to Helian Lie.
That's how I was able to come here
and tell you everything.
I don't believe that the King would suddenly fall ill and die.
Something must be going on.
You are the only one in the kingdom
who can avenge the King
and rule Jinshi.
Before Liu Mudan took charge of the Imperial Harem,
the King had already written a royal edict.
He gave it to me for safekeeping.
This...
This is the real royal edict written by your father.
Please, take it and return to Jinshi.
Take the throne.
Father,
I will avenge you.
Your Highness,
Helian Lie controls the army.
If you return to Jinshi, how will you avenge the King?
-Please be cautious. -This is my father's order!
I can't disobey my father.
I, Helian Zheng,
will return to Jinshi,
even if I die before I get there.
FENGYUN PALACE
Prince Helian.
I, Helian Zheng, pay respect to Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, please allow me to return to Jinshi and restore order there.
Prince Helian,
how about you slow down and tell us what happened?
Your Majesty.
-Zhao Yuan. -Yes, Your Majesty.
-Give him a seat. -No need.
Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.
I'll just kneel here, or else I'll have to get up.
Prince Helian is very hasty.
I admire his candor.
Tell me. What do you need from me?
Your Majesty.
I received news from Jinshi.
My father...
has passed away.
Subtitle translation by Sophie Chang