This wine was just warmed.
Have a cup to warm yourself.
Water chestnut and lily bulb pastries.
With the Yan Army stationed outside the pass
and the people gripped by panic,
it's rare to find shops still open on the street.
Lin Mu went out specially to buy these today.
These bulb pastries...
Yan Xun
used to love them the most.
But that was a long time ago.
During those years when Yan Xun and I were in the Yingge Courtyard,
we lived in fear every day.
We didn't dare eat any food that was sent to us.
Only after catching live mice to test for poison
would we dare eat anything.
During that time,
not a single meal we had
was fresh.
In the height of summer,
the food we ate was already spoiled.
Only Chun'er
still cared about Yan Xun
and would sometimes send over some good food.
Once,
Yan Xun ate the water chestnut and lily bulb pastries she had sent
and was poisoned.
I was terrified,
afraid he would die.
I went through so much trouble—
begging for help
and searching for medicine—
before I managed to pull him back from the brink of death.
To this day, I still don't know
who poisoned Chun'er's pastries.
Chun'er herself probably never knew either.
After that,
she still kept sending the pastries.
Every time, Yan Xun would pretend nothing had happened
and devour the pastries
right in front of her.
Only I knew
that the water chestnut and lily bulb pastries
had long become the thing
he hated most in the world.
From now on,
I won't let Lin Mu buy them anymore.
Zhuge Yue,
you and I are different.
I grew up as a slave in Qingshan Manor.
I don't even know my parents' names.
But you—
you're the noble young master of the illustrious Zhuge family
and the heir to Qingshan Manor.
There has always been a gulf between us.
Xing,
what exactly are you trying to say?
You don't need to stay here at all.
You should go back to Great Yong,
to the Zhuge family.
Tell them
that you're still alive.
So you're saying all this
just to make me leave?
You shouldn't be doing this—
holding out here alongside me
without even a proper identity.
This isn't the life you should be living.
What about you?
Walk out and surrender to Yan Xun?
You know full well that is his scheme.
The sun and moon cannot shine at the same time.
The sun and the moon
can never share the same sky
at the same time.
The sun and moon shining together—
I'll take you to see it.
[REBIRTH]
[Episode 21]
Zhuge Yue...
I'm leaving.
You've guarded the pass alongside me for so many days.
I don't want you to sacrifice any more for my sake.
When you wake up,
forget about me.
Go back to being the Young Master Zhuge of Qingshan Manor.
[Urgent military situation. I'm heading to Great Yong to secure supplies.]
[General Chu is in danger. I'll handle the provisions. Do not worry. —Zhuge Yue]
The guard who has been following General Chu
is General Zhuge of Great Yong?
Yes.
So please don't worry, General Li.
Since General Zhuge said he would borrow provisions from Great Yong,
he will certainly not return empty-handed.
Stop! Stop!
His Majesty has arrived!
Chu,
I knew
you would come back to me.
Come on.
Let me show you the gifts
I've prepared for you.
I've been waiting for this day
for a long time.
Chu,
I prepared this especially for you.
It's your favorite style.
Do you like it?
To make it easier for you to ride and shoot,
I had it specially altered.
There's more.
These pieces of jewelry here.
According to your preferences,
I had them custom-made to the standard of the Queen of Great Yan.
If you don't like them,
I'll have them changed immediately
until you find something you like.
Chu,
don't do this.
Degrading yourself like this
won't provoke me.
If you're satisfied now,
please honor your promise
and order your army to withdraw.
The weather is turning cold.
If this stalemate continues,
not only will the Biantang soldiers not be able to hold on,
but your soldiers may also not endure.
Chu,
I'll keep my promise to you.
Do you remember?
I once told you
that I'd prove to you that I was right.
I'll conquer the world and lay it at your feet.
I'll withdraw my troops.
Just
not now.
Protect the Queen.
If anything happens to her,
neither of you will return to Great Yan alive.
Your Highness.
Your Majesty is dressed so plainly,
without any jewelry
except for
the hairpin His Majesty gave you.
Your devotion to His Majesty
runs truly deep.
May I remind Your Majesty
that His Majesty had the double cross lock made especially for you.
Rather than exhausting yourself trying to unlock it,
you might as well eat something.
The roasted mutton and hawthorn cake
were specially prepared for you by the camp cooks
at His Majesty's request.
They are all your favorites.
Consort Helian, you're so considerate.
And Your Majesty is a clever woman, too.
You should know that no one could ever
replace you in His Majesty's heart.
Given His Majesty's temperament,
if you refuse to yield,
he will never back down either.
Rather than both of you suffering,
it would be better to accept his feelings.
Come to think of it,
I never had the chance
to thank you for helping me before.
I don't know what you're talking about.
On the way back to Great Yan last time,
if you hadn't pretended to lose your way
and helped General Cheng draw Yan Xun away,
how could General Cheng have had the chance to let me go?
I'm only a minor consort.
All I can do is serve His Majesty well.
As for helping General Cheng draw him away,
I have neither the ability nor the courage.
Since you were willing to cooperate with General Cheng,
you surely don't want to see me remain at Yan Xun's side.
You should be very clear
that Yan Xun's marriage alliance with your Helian Tribe
was what temporarily stabilized
those fierce and predatory tribes of Great Yan.
If he takes me back now,
it will certainly cause a tremendous uproar
among the various tribes of Great Yan
and plunge the state into turmoil.
And when that turmoil begins,
I would wager your tribe
will be the first to suffer.
Enough!
I'm not you,
nor do I command an army.
What happens in Great Yan in the future
is not something I can influence.
[Biantang and Great Yan have been at a standoff for months. The situation is dire.]
[If Longyin Pass falls, the enemy will push south. Tangjing will fall,]
[and Great Yong will follow. This is a case of shared fate.]
[Biantang is prosperous, but we're unprepared for war and short on supplies.]
[We earnestly request Great Yong's military aid and a temporary loan of provisions.]
[With your aid, our combined forces will surely repel Great Yan.]
[After the war, Biantang will repay this kindness and forge a lasting friendship with Great Yong.]
[For the sake of both nations' people, please do not refuse.]
The new Emperor of Biantang wants to borrow troops and provisions from us?
Biantang and Great Yan have been at war for months.
If you're willing to lend a helping hand now,
we can surely defeat the Black Eagle Army of Great Yan in one fell swoop.
Biantang has
always been far more prosperous than us—
and even more so than Great Yan.
Though you were caught off guard this time,
with some adjustment, you might still win.
The battle at Meilin Pass
cost us dearly.
Our entire army has been recuperating ever since.
If I rashly send troops to assist now,
I fear it would only backfire.
Our two states are like lips and teeth— neither can survive without the other.
If the Black Eagle Army breaks through Longyin Pass
and sweeps south along the Red River,
Tangjing will be lost, and Biantang will fall.
When the Black Eagle Army reaches Zhenhuangcheng,
what you will lose...
will be the lifeline of the empire.
Who are you?
How do you know our country's terrain like the back of your hand?
I'm an envoy of Biantang.
An envoy?
You remind me of a friend.
I once fought alongside him on the battlefield.
But he was gone before I was.
I never believed
he was the kind of person others said he was.
Since he chose to go first,
it must mean he found something more important.
Your Highness
may as well let him go.
I have 50,000 dans of surplus grain
to tide you over in this emergency.
As for sending troops,
I must first seek His Majesty's approval.
I cannot give you an answer yet.
Thank you, Your Highness.
-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.
Chu,
you're so beautiful.
Am I?
Yes.
I've imagined you like this for so long.
Chu,
when we return to Great Yan,
I'll rouge your lips every day
and take you to watch the four seasons change on the grassland,
okay?
Why wait until we return to Great Yan?
Why not take me outside for some fresh air now?
You should feel reassured now, right?
Chu,
every soldier in my Black Eagle Army
is the best of the best.
Dealing with a handful of feeble Biantang soldiers at once
is nothing to us.
Chu,
we have ample grain stores
with continuous supplies coming in.
Even if we have to fight through an entire winter against Biantang,
it won't be a problem.
Chu.
I'm so happy today.
If things could always be
like this between us—
no longer at each other's throats—
I wouldn't need this cage
to keep you here.
Really?
My promise to you has never changed.
You want to take me back to Great Yan.
Then what about your consort?
Chu,
in my heart,
there has only ever been you.
If you don't like her,
when we return to Great Yan,
I'll let her leave the palace.
Helian Ling isn't just a consort now.
Behind her
stands the support of the elders of the various tribes in Great Yan.
If you let her go now,
how do you plan to face those elders?
The Helian Tribe is weak,
and Helian Chuan is useless.
If I hadn't made Helian Ling my consort,
their tribe's pastures
would've been carved up by other tribes long ago.
Speak.
What do you want me to do?
What do you mean, Consort Helian?
Yesterday, you knew I was outside the tent,
yet you deliberately tried to sow discord between His Majesty and me.
Didn't you just want me to help you?
Go ahead.
Go notify Lin Mu and the others
to assemble 50 of the most elite soldiers from the Xiuli Army
into a squad
and set out with me at first light tomorrow.
Yes, sir.
[Great Yan's grain convoy will pass through the forest outside Longyin Pass tomorrow.]
[This is an opportunity. Bring men and seize the grain immediately.]
Take both the men and the grain!
Yes, sir.
-Move. -Move.
Young Master,
there's something wrong with the grain.
It's all sand!
When I brought food to Her Majesty today,
I unexpectedly caught her trying to use this hairpin
to pick the lock on the iron cage.
Not only did she disregard Your Majesty's affection for her,
but she even tried to manipulate me
into helping her escape.
Since she wants you to help her,
why don't you...
help her then?
Oh no, it's a trap!
Retreat!
Young Master,
I'll lead some men to distract them.
Alright, go.
Stop!
This way!
After them!
Hurry!
It's a cliff down here.
Fall off that, and you're dead or crippled.
Let's go!
Go!
We've been at a stalemate with the Biantang army for days,
and they have been behind their walls.
Now,
General Chu Qiao of Biantang's Xiuli Army
is in my camp in Great Yan,
and the main force of the Xiuli Army was ambushed today.
Longyin Pass is now leaderless.
We will depart tonight,
press our advantage,
and take Longyin Pass in one fell swoop!
Yes, Your Majesty!
Stop!
Your Majesty,
it's already broad daylight.
The scouts report
that the gates of Longyin Pass are still tightly shut
with no signs of activity.
Logically, Biantang's sentries
should've already learned that we've mobilized.
I'm just worried...
Pass on my orders—
full army advances swiftly through the valley
and strikes the pass directly!
Your Majesty.
March!
Hurry!
Your Majesty,
the terrain ahead is treacherous.
Why don't I go first...
Ambush!
Fire!
Zhuge Yue.
This letter is forged.
It doesn't have the secret code of Qingshan Manor on it.
This lantern came from the direction of the Great Yan military camp.
Only General Chu
knows our method of messaging at Qingshan Manor.
Then why would she
send us a false message?
Notify Lin Mu
to assemble the elites of the Xiuli Army
and set out immediately tonight.
Yes, sir.
Wait.
And tell He Xiao
to set out immediately
to 50 li outside Longyin Pass
to meet Zhao Che's reinforcements.
General Chu?
Someone, come!
-Your Highness. -Your Highness!
Open the door.
Open the door!
Be careful.
Catch her! Don't let her escape!
Catch her!
Don't let her escape!
Stop!
Help! Fire!
Hurry! Keep chasing!
Go back and put out the fire!
The granary is on fire!
Get water!
Quick!
Your Majesty.
♪ The flowers fall into the sleeves ♪
♪ They do not understand my sorrow ♪
♪ With a pot of wine ♪
♪ My longing surges ♪
♪ I become haggard ♪
♪ Soft rain patters on the windowpane ♪
♪ Awakening from the dream, I no longer know what year it is ♪
♪ My love remains ♪
♪ But you're already gone ♪
♪ What I seek in life ♪
♪ Is nothing more than to look back once more ♪
♪ With the fragrance still lingering ♪
♪ In these trembling hands ♪
♪ My longing still rests ♪
♪ Words left unspoken ♪ Zhuge Yue, ♪ Turn into guilt ♪ you've beaten me again. ♪ Beneath the stars ♪
♪ Rippling throughout this life ♪ I beat you every time. Why do you never get mad at me?
♪ I ask the vast sky ♪
♪ The wind is light, but my longing is heavy ♪
♪ How do we start over? ♪ Keep your hands to yourself. ♪ How do we love and hold on without parting ♪
♪ Or misunderstanding each other? ♪
♪ Do not let me only understand the meaning of a fleeting glance ♪ Because... ♪ When my eyes are red with tears ♪ you're my only friend. ♪ What cannot be kept, can only be sent away ♪ We will never truly stand on opposing sides. ♪ In the end ♪
Your Majesty,
let's retreat.
It'll be too late if we don't!
Pass on my order:
full army withdraws by the same route!
His Majesty orders
a full retreat by the same route!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty,
Li Qi has led the Biantang Army to block our retreat from behind.
Our main camp has also been set on fire!
We can't go back!
Your Majesty,
let the remaining Black Eagle Army hold off Zhuge Yue
while you immediately retreat through Rongguan Path
and return to Great Yan!
No!
I can't leave the Black Eagle Army behind.
I brought them here.
As long as we live,
we can fight another day!
If anything happens to Your Majesty,
Great Yan will have no chance to rise again!
Please return to Great Yan at once, Your Majesty!
Let's retreat through Rongguan Path.
Guys,
follow me to cover the rear!
Go!
Young Master,
Yan Xun didn't return.
He led a small group of men and ran toward the valley.
Li Qi's troops have cut off his rear.
He won't walk into that trap.
His only option is to stake everything
and take Rongguan Path instead.
Rongguan Path?
Isn't that an abandoned route?
It's full of swamps and lakes.
One wrong step and you're dead.
The terrain of Rongguan Path is treacherous.
Not only is fleeing through it dangerous,
but pursuing them will also be extremely difficult.
Given Yan Xun's nature,
he will certainly take this desperate gamble.
Young Master,
we can't let them escape.
Let's pursue them right now.
Your Majesty, you go first.
I'll cover the rear.
I'll go intercept Yan Xun.
You guys split up!
Kill them!
Chu,
now that things have come to this,
dying at your hands would be no great regret.
If you want to kill me,
then come and do it.
[Yan Shicheng]
How do you...
How do you have these?
After what happened at Jiuyou Platform,
♪ The sky is so vast ♪ I asked Zhao Song to help me collect them from their bodies, one by one. ♪ The dark clouds are gray ♪
Originally, I thought
that one day ♪ The rain is falling ♪ you and I would avenge them together.
♪ The eagle is flying ♪ Once you had made peace with what happened at Jiuyou Platform,
I would give them to you properly. ♪ In the vast wilderness ♪ But now,
♪ The wind blows ♪ maybe there'll never be that chance again.
Yan Xun, ♪ I'm fearless of death ♪ think of your family.
♪ And I'll never have regrets ♪ Think about your father. He was loyal and devoted to his people and his country all his life. ♪ The lonely black eagle ♪ Now, the people of Great Yan are living in misery. Is this the Great Yan you want him to see?
Do you want to live in hatred forever? ♪ Is flying against the light ♪ I'll give you two choices. ♪ Where is my hometown? ♪ Either
we fight to the death here today— ♪ In the vast world ♪ only one of us walks out alive— or...
♪ I have no origin ♪ for the next 10 years, you are not to set foot in Biantang again! ♪ And no destination ♪
♪ A pair of stubborn wings ♪
♪ Is born to fly ♪
For the next 10 years,
Great Yan will not
step into Biantang again.
Your Majesty.
Yan Xun...
How I wish
things could've ended differently for us.
Your Highness,
the time is ripe now.
We must act immediately!
The guilty official Sun Di has stolen the military tally!
It's utter treason!
Seize him at once!
Mother,
you would surely
be proud of me.
Why couldn't you let him go?
Li Ce
was never worthy of the dragon robe from the day he was born!