Tell me,
what exactly is Blood on Snow?
What you make me take each time
only temporarily relieves my pain,
but worsens the poison in my blood.
The renowned General Zhuge of Great Yong
and the future heir of Qingshan Manor
truly lives up to his reputation.
Not only did you escape alive
from my heavily guarded Li'an City,
but you also managed to stand here threatening me.
Give me the antidote for Blood on Snow.
Don't try to control me anymore.
Let me go,
and I'll get it for you.
The antidote for Blood on Snow
is the most precious antidote in Ximeng.
No one possesses it except me.
If you kill me,
you will never get it.
Go get it now.
I will go with you.
Alright.
Zhuge Yue!
If you still want to live,
put the blade down!
Then let's see
who is faster.
Stop!
Since you like making deals,
let's make another one.
You did save me at Mount Ximin
and gave me Bone-Chilling Grass.
So, I'll do 3 things for you,
and in return, you give me the antidote for Blood on Snow and let me go.
The Battle of Li'an was the first one.
And now,
there are 2 left.
Alright!
It's a deal.
[REBIRTH]
[Episode 9]
Who's there?
Don't be afraid.
I didn't light the lamp to avoid drawing attention.
Like them,
I work for the Empress.
You are all spies,
so why did you save me?
No one is born a spy.
Besides,
I've known you from the beginning.
My father was a defending general of Hongchuan City,
whose surname was Mu.
He fought against the Great Yong army alongside you.
That was when I first saw you.
You...
You are lying!
I remember every soldier who died in battle
at Hongchuan City.
None of them was surnamed Mu.
You're the one
who slipped into my room that day, aren't you?
[Boque Palace] It's a long way from the main courtyard.
Your companions can't hear you,
and they won't come to save you.
So you'd better tell me exactly
what you reported to the Empress.
That's right.
I'm the one who went into her room
and found the Xiuli Army's flag.
But I didn't tell Her Majesty,
because I wanted to kill her myself.
It's the Empress's order?
I'm the one who wants her dead.
My father's name was Mu Zheng.
He was an imperial guard commander in Zhenhuang City of Great Yong.
But because Chu Qiao and Heir Apparent Yan rebelled,
my entire family was executed.
My mother sacrificed her life to protect me.
I hate Chu Qiao. I hate the Xiuli Army.
As long as I'm alive,
I will try to kill her again.
If you want to kill me,
do it now.
Since you won't talk...
Song Cheng.
Yes.
Let her go.
Qiao.
If you let her go, she will try to kill you again.
Then let her.
Do you think by doing this,
I'll be grateful to you
and be loyal to you like a dog?
Your whole family died tragically because of me.
It's only right for you to hate me.
You are not wrong.
You are not the one to blame.
Go.
You will regret letting me go.
Then before I change my mind,
get out of here.
Has Minglu been sent back?
I also had Song Cheng prepare medicine for her,
but she didn't take it.
She left it in the room.
How are your injuries?
It's fine.
The illness I caught in the frozen lake
flared up while I was in the water today.
Otherwise,
Minglu and her companions wouldn't have been able to hurt me.
Qiao,
don't overthink it.
Minglu's fate is not your fault.
You were just temporarily blinded by Yan Xun,
which is why you helped him.
I was not blinded by Yan Xun.
I knew what I was doing.
You've never lived in Zhenhuang City,
nor do you know what it feels like
to be a slave.
Slaves don't deserve to have their own names.
Even when they are sick or injured,
they can't be treated by a doctor.
Not only are their own lives treated like dirt,
but the lives of their companions and siblings
are also held in the hands of the nobility.
If Yan Xun and I hadn't rebelled back then,
I'm afraid that
in Zhenhuang City now,
only our corpses would be left.
I was worried that you'd be sad and blame yourself.
It seems I was overthinking.
I wasn't helping Yan Xun rebel.
I just believe
that there should be a place in this world
where everyone is equal.
Qiao,
you are too brave.
But...
I have a question.
If one day
you really create a great harmonious society,
could you keep a place for me?
My requirements are not high.
The place must be bigger than Zhuge Yue's.
After all, I am more handsome
and more humorous than him.
Can this land be distributed based on looks?
It's fair, right?
Distributed by looks?
Are you sure
you can get a bigger place than Zhuge Yue?
Qiao,
it's not that I want to criticize you.
You're good at everything,
but your taste is so...
Oh, right.
If Minglu wasn't the one who tipped off the Empress,
then how did your identity get leaked?
Mother
seems very certain
that you are Chu Qiao.
There is another person in Biantang
who knows my identity very well.
Who is it?
The envoy of Great Yong,
Zhao Kuo.
[Tangjing] Lord Zhao!
My Lord!
The wind is too strong tonight.
Why don't we wait until tomorrow to set off?
The messenger we sent
hasn't returned yet.
He must have died at the hands of Chu Qiao.
If we keep staying in Biantang,
there will surely be trouble.
Now we must go back immediately
to report to Lord Muhe.
Let's go!
Help!
Princess Fu was poisoned and passed out!
Move!
Your Highness.
Fu? Fu?
What happened?
Your Highness,
there's something wrong with the pastries.
Someone poisoned them.
Drive all those concubines away!
Your Highness,
you can't go in!
Her Majesty is already asleep.
Your Highness!
Your Highness, you can't go in!
Your Highness!
Your Highness,
Her Majesty is not feeling well
and has already gone to sleep.
I need to see Her Majesty for something important.
Your Highness, please wait until tomorrow!
Your Highness!
Crown Prince.
You are becoming more and more unruly.
Do you know what the punishment is
for breaking into the harem late at night?
Protect His Lordship!
Chu Qiao?
Go!
Kill her!
Chu Qiao!
Your martial arts have been restored?
I am no match for you!
B-But your
relentless pursuit of killing me today
is simply because you're afraid I'll expose your identity,
and you'll no longer be able to pretend to be Princess Fu of Biantang.
I admit it!
It was me.
I was the one who reported you to the Biantang Empress.
But now I have information to trade with you!
Spare my life,
and we'll be even.
The Xiuli Army.
Your Xiuli Army!
What did you say?
He Xiao from the Xiuli Army—
he is not dead!
Princess Fu was poisoned?
When did this happen?
Mother,
are you still pretending not to know?
Just now, 2 hours ago,
someone poisoned Princess Fu's pastries.
She is still unconscious.
Even if you suspect Fu's identity
and fear she might harm me,
you shouldn't have been so ruthless.
Presumptuous!
Princess Fu is poisoned,
and instead of staying at your manor to save her,
you broke into the palace late at night to reprimand me
and spout such nonsense.
Please forgive my offense, Mother.
But please, Mother,
let go of Fu.
Yan Qing.
Your Majesty.
Go summon Lord Zhan.
Have him accompany the Crown Prince back to the manor
to investigate Princess Fu's poisoning.
Yes.
Your Highness,
I have come by Her Majesty's decree
to investigate the poisoning of Princess Fu.
Lord Zhan, what a grand display.
Are you here to investigate the case,
or to lay siege to my Crown Prince's Mansion?
The poisoning of Princess Fu
is indeed a serious matter.
If the poisoner is in the mansion,
without strict guarding,
they might escape at any time.
I am only acting on the decree.
Naturally, I must do my best
and allow no room for error.
Guard the Crown Prince's Mansion strictly.
You must keep the Crown Prince safe
and let no one in or out.
Yes!
Your Highness.
Her Majesty specially requested a palace physician to come here with us.
Let us go see Princess Fu now.
Keep a close eye on everything!
Don't let anyone escape!
Yes!
Your Highness, did you mistakenly take the wrong way
in your haste?
The study is on the left,
and Princess Fu's bedroom is on the right, I think.
Lord Zhan, are you more familiar with
the Crown Prince's Mansion than I am?
I just have a good memory.
I've been here before, so I know the way.
No entry without the Crown Prince's order.
How dare you!
Move!
Zhan Ziyu,
how dare you break into Princess Fu's bedroom!
Your Highness,
you claimed that Princess Fu was poisoned
and went to the palace late at night to question Her Majesty,
but now you're trying to stop us from checking on her.
Are you trying to hide something?
Or was Princess Fu not poisoned at all?
Assassins!
Don't run! Don't run!
A female assassin?
Get her!
Don't let her escape.
After her!
No matter what it takes,
you must find her!
Stop!
My Lord,
the physician says Princess Fu's poisoning is severe.
He asked you to check on her.
Didn't you bring a physician
to treat Princess Fu?
Weren't you going to break into her bedroom?
Why are you saying there's nothing you can do now?
Your Highness.
What's going on?
Forgive me, Your Highness.
Forgive me, Lord Zhan.
This poison is fierce.
It's no ordinary poison.
I really can't find a way
to neutralize the poison right away.
I can only write a prescription.
Her Highness will have to endure the pain for now,
taking the medicine for 10 days, after which
the poison will naturally lose its effect.
Ten days?
You want Princess Fu to endure this for 10 days?
Useless!
Don't be anxious, Your Highness.
Since it's poisoning,
it won't be cured in a day or two.
Rather than giving the physician a hard time,
it would be better to let him prepare the medicine,
so that the Princess can get some relief sooner.
Hurry up and prepare the medicine.
Yes.
Lord Zhan,
do you want to watch Princess Fu recover
in person?
I have no intention of offending.
I will leave now.
I'll let Her Highness have some quiet time to recuperate.
Song Cheng.
Yes.
See Lord Zhan out.
Qiao!
Hurry!
Get the antidote for me!
Okay.
Is this it?
How do you feel?
How could you actually take poison?
I'm fine.
When I was in Qingshan Manor,
I carried this Gelsemium with me
just in case.
Come on.
How do you feel?
Is the poison gone?
I'm fine now.
When I was a spy,
I often tested and neutralized poisons to identify them.
A little time like this won't do me any harm.
That's good.
However...
Zhan Ziyu's men were all over the mansion just now.
How did you get back?
Minglu?
You haven't fully recovered,
but you dared to come alone to kill him.
If this isn't suicide,
what is?
Then why are you here?
Don't flatter yourself.
I'm not here to help you.
Muhe Xifeng and Zhao Kuo were among those
who killed my father and his brother back then.
Don't kill me!
Chu Qiao!
I'm not lying to you!
I really have information to exchange with you.
Your vice commander of the Xiuli Army, He Xiao,
didn't die at Meilin Pass.
He was just captured and forced into labor.
Tell me!
Where is He Xiao?
I don't know.
If you don't tell me,
I will cut off your hands and feet one by one.
I've told you everything I know.
You... you can't kill me.
Chu Qiao,
we're even now.
Okay.
We're even now.
Yes, we are.
Minglu.
It's me.
Qiao!
Zhan Ziyu's men are gone now,
but he's sure you can't escape the city,
so he might search this area for a while.
You can hide here for now.
I don't need you to do this.
I can't kill you,
and I can't avenge my father.
I might as well die.
You're even afraid of pain,
and you say you're not afraid of death?
Don't move.
It's just been bandaged.
Qiao,
this is an old restaurant I bought.
It's empty,
and nobody knows about this place.
Take it.
Rest here for a while.
Come back and kill me when you're healed.
Your Majesty.
Physician Liu has examined her.
She really has been poisoned by Gelsemium.
There shouldn't be any mistake.
There might be more to this.
Your Majesty,
Zhao Kuo was assassinated on the road.
Your Majesty,
what happened?
Just now, Zhao Kuo was assassinated on the road.
Princess Fu was poisoned,
and Lord Zhao was killed.
Aren't these two things too much of a coincidence?
You think it's
just a coincidence?
Could it be that Lord Zhao's death
is related to the Crown Prince?
Didn't the Crown Prince come to the palace and make such a scene
just to show me clearly
that they had nothing to do with this?
There is one more thing.
Because of this,
the Crown Prince
has expelled all the spies
we sent into his mansion.
Ce,
your act of pretending to be absurd and foolish
was very convincing.
This contains the second thing
King Ximeng wants you to do.
You will stay here for today
and set off from here tomorrow.
Oh, right.
Remember to change
your clothes.
[Imperial City]
When someone makes a mistake, they should naturally be punished.
I failed in my duty,
allowing Zhuge Yue to hurt Your Majesty.
Please punish me, Your Majesty.
You are a useful slave.
I still need you.
But they are different.
You are right.
Then let me do it myself.
Enough!
I don't like losers.
If there is a next time,
they won't die so easily.
For this trip to Biantang,
you have two missions.
First, you must be around
this fake King Ximeng all the time.
By any means necessary,
bring back the person I want
along with his records.
Besides you,
his true identity
must remain a secret to everyone else.
Yes.
Second, Zhuge Yue is unpredictable
and cunning.
You must stay on guard against him all the way.
Once his mission is complete,
kill him in Biantang.
Whatever it takes,
do not let him leave there.
Otherwise, in the future,
he will become a great threat to us.
Who is it?
Is Princess Fu here?
[Zi Ming, Li Ce's Concubine] Princess Fu,
I came specifically to see you.
His Highness told me to avoid you
and stay out of your sight,
but I thought you wouldn't mind.
So I took the liberty of coming to see you.
I thought that after last night,
with the palace people causing a ruckus,
breaking into your room,
and even trying to poison you,
you must be starving and exhausted.
So I made some dishes
and snacks
for you to try.
Have some tea to moisten your throat before you eat.
It's good for your digestive system.
How is it?
It's good.
Zi Ming, why are you here?
Fu,
Zi Ming is not a spy sent by Mother,
so I kept her here.
Your Highness,
I saw you practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard the other day.
It was beautiful.
Could you teach me some other day?
What's going on today?
His Majesty doesn't even attend the morning court usually.
Why did he suddenly
summon us to the afternoon court today?
I heard it's related to Ximeng.
The day before yesterday, the Ximeng envoy
delivered a diplomatic note.
I wonder what it is about.
Ximeng?
We have no interactions with Ximeng.
What are they doing here?
I don't know.
Grand Secretary Liu has been on sick leave for days.
Why hasn't he returned yet?
Well...
Lord Liu is hiding from trouble.
The Emperor asked him to assist the Crown Prince in governing the state.
He thinks it's a tough job, [Sun Di, General of Cavalry of Biantang] so he's feigning illness at home.
General Sun, you're straightforward,
but this is not the right place to talk.
What am I afraid of?
Everyone knows the Crown Prince is a lost cause.
If His Majesty had other sons of the right age,
would he have stayed in this position for so long?
If you ask me,
Grand Secretary Liu is right.
If it were me,
I would also feign illness and skip the court.
Your Highness,
Her Majesty invites you to Fengyi Palace.
Your Xiuli Army commander, He Xiao,
is as tough as you.
He didn't die in battle at Meilin Pass.
He was just captured and forced into labor.
He Xiao,
I will definitely take you home.
Greetings, Mother.
Mother, I apologize for being rude
and disturbing you yesterday.
About Princess Fu being poisoned,
have you found out the truth?
Not yet.
But I believe it was those concubines,
jealous of me and Princess Fu being deeply in love,
who poisoned her.
I was reckless
and misunderstood you, Mother.
Please forgive me, Mother.
How is Princess Fu?
Thank you for your concern, Mother.
She is much better.
But the envoy from Great Yong is not doing well.
He was killed yesterday,
right outside Tangjing.
What?
The envoy of Great Yong is dead?
Ce,
do you know who told me
that Princess Fu is Chu Qiao?
It was this Great Yong envoy, Zhao Kuo.
It's a pity that he's dead now.
No one will ever suspect Princess Fu again.
Don't you agree, Ce?
Mother,
who killed the Great Yong envoy?
Are there any clues?
Now that Zhao Kuo is dead,
Great Yong will definitely demand an explanation from us.
But this has nothing to do with you.
You can still
be deeply in love with your Princess Fu
and live your life.
Not only that.
Now, even
the concubines I gave you
have made mistakes
and brought it upon themselves to be kicked out.
From now on, let alone Princess Fu,
even if you keep the real Chu Qiao in your mansion,
no one will know.
If you really had Chu Qiao,
not only could it cause Great Yan and Great Yong
to use it as an opportunity to attack us,
you could also use Chu Qiao to build a private army and rebel.
Didn't Heir Apparent Yan join forces with her back then
and march all the way to Zhenhuang City,
catching the Emperor of Great Yong off guard?
Mother.
As the Crown Prince,
although I lack the virtue and talent to share the burden of Father and you,
I would never do such an absurd thing.
I truly like Fu.
I was afraid that she would be angry,
so I made an excuse
to kick those beautiful concubines out of the mansion.
I've been lacking in ability since I was young.
Thanks to your doting and protection, Mother,
I was able to survive in the palace.
At the afternoon court today,
I'm about to tell Father
that I cannot take on the great responsibility of governing the state.
I will ask him to allow you to continue
bearing this heavy burden for me.
Rise, Ce.
Yes.
Ce,
since you are the Crown Prince of a country,
how can you easily shirk
the heavy responsibility of governing the state?
I only secured this position of Crown Prince
because of your prestige, Mother.
To govern the state
is to shoulder the responsibility for the people.
I have neither talent nor virtue.
Please keep helping me bear this burden, Mother.
-Qiao. -Li Ce.
-I have something... -I have something...
-You go first. -You go first.
Alright, I'll go first.
That day, I heard some news
from Zhao Kuo.
He Xiao is still alive.
He is in Great Yong.
I want you to help me find out
where he is being held.
I want to rescue him.
I also have a favor to ask of you.
Qiao, do you remember telling me that
once you recover,
you would not only protect me,
but also help me take back what is mine?
Get up first.
Li Ce,
you want...
I want to reclaim
my power from my mother.
Qiao,
although I am the Crown Prince,
I can only live under the shadow
of my mother's power.
You were once the martial arts instructor of Great Yong's imperial guard,
and you led the Xiuli Army.
I will provide the money and resources,
and I want you to train a secret army for me.
This army will be mine in the future.
At the same time, I will help you find out
news about He Xiao in Great Yong.
This way, given time,
once this army is formed,
you can also use it to help you
rescue He Xiao from Great Yong.
Well played, Li Ce.
Not only do you want to make a deal with me,
but you also want to tie me down to you?
How is this tying you down, Qiao?
You are a female general.
You must take responsibility for your words.
I can't spend my whole life playing the role of
a loser indulging in luxury and debauchery.
I must first be able to protect myself,
so that I can protect the people I want to protect.
Our Biantang has prepared a state banquet
to welcome King Ximeng.
But I'm afraid in King Ximeng's eyes,
there is no one worthy of his trust.
Xing?