♪The white sail came too late♪
♪Where did he go?♪
♪Snow veils the mountains♪
♪Love endures beyond life and death♪
♪A black chess piece♪
♪Whose game did he stumble into?♪
♪All his life, there's no escape♪
♪In ten thousand years, what will still remain?♪
♪Will anyone still love with an unchanging heart?♪
♪I will remember♪
♪Those days long past♪
♪As the wind drifts with the white sail♪
♪Ten thousand years ago♪
♪Did you once walk this shore?♪
♪Why can't our bond be severed in this life?♪
♪I am lost yet willing♪
♪Still I love you with a steadfast heart♪
♪Until all things fade away♪
♪The stars will remember us♪
[Love & Crown]
[Adapted from the novel "My Queen" by Xie Lounan]
[Episode 15]
Your Majesty,
after days of investigation,
this is the only location we found.
Kumor chose to set up camp here.
With mountains on three sides,
it's easy to defend and hard to attack.
And their defenses are extremely tight.
The Xiaoxing Guards
haven't found a chance to slip inside.
Any news of the Empress?
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Kumor is still waiting for the peace delegation,
so he is unlikely to harm her rashly.
But
the delegation hasn't arrived at the appointed time.
What's Ling Jueding doing now?
He's in the military camp
and has made no move.
At least he still has some sense left.
If he acts now,
Cangcang's identity will be exposed immediately.
[Jiangzhou]
[Seek a secluded place. An honored guest will come.]
Kumor.
Kumor,
what is that darn emperor, Xiao Huan, trying to pull?
Didn't he say someone would arrive within five days?
It's already the eighth.
Where are they?
Are they coming or not?
We have his empress in our hands.
Why panic?
He's the one who should be anxious.
But is Lin Cangcang really his empress?
If she weren't,
would that darn emperor have sent a delegation at all?
But if she is,
why are they dragging their feet?
Naturally, they want to test our patience.
That makes sense.
But what Lin Cangcang said didn't sound like lies.
Minjia,
there's never too much deception in war.
Have you forgotten how we lost our provisions?
If you're so curious,
go and test her yourself.
Test her?
How?
Your Majesty?
Your subject Ling Jueding greets Your Majesty.
Rise.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
It seems this outfit suits you well.
It fits perfectly.
Thank you for arranging it, Your Highness.
You're a prisoner here.
Why are you still so cheerful?
Why shouldn't I be?
I eat well and sleep well here.
It's far better than wandering homeless.
Slick talk.
Lies upon lies.
I truly don't know why Kumor values you so much.
Indeed.
It is strange that your brother values
a thief like me so much.
The more you insist you're a thief,
the more suspicious you seem.
Then Your Highness might as well treat me as the Empress.
Since you're so easygoing,
would you like to go for a ride with me?
A ride?
Yes.
A perfect chance to get familiar
with the terrain.
All right.
It just occurred to me.
Your surname is Lin,
and so is that of the Jiangzhou commander.
Is that really a coincidence?
Mine is Lin, as in "forest."
The Jiangzhou commander's is Ling, as in "lingxiao flower."
Different characters.
Different pronunciations.
Why,
having fought General Ling for so long, you can't even
get his surname right?
You...!
You're just a prisoner.
What gives you the right to mock me?
I spoke out of turn.
Please forgive me, Your Highness.
That's better.
Don't forget.
Your life
is in my hands.
Indeed.
Wherever Your Highness wishes to go,
I will follow
and serve you.
You sure are adaptable.
Now I'm really inclined to believe
you're just a thief.
Let's go.
Yes.
Your Majesty,
their force is thin.
Should we seize Her Majesty now?
Not yet.
They may have come out prepared.
Send word to Ling Jueding.
Tell him to act as circumstances require
and put the big picture first.
Understood.
It's just a small city,
yet Kumor's wasted
so much time here.
I want to see for myself
what exactly they're capable of.
Your Highness,
the two armies are in a truce.
This is provocation.
So what if it is?
You may be scared, but I'm not.
Who goes there?
Leave at once,
and we may spare your lives!
Come at us if you dare!
You think I'm scared of you?
Why is Minjia provoking them
at the gates?
General,
it's Her Majesty.
Bring me a bow.
General,
Her Majesty is down there.
That's precisely
why I have to do this.
Weren't you supposed to send a peace delegation?
Where are they?
The whole of Great Qi
is full of cowards!
Is that all you can do?
Loose!
♪You and I...♪
You?
What are you doing here?
♪Using the sweetest curse♪
♪To build the coldest graveyard...♪
If you want to live,
leave at once!
Otherwise, whoever you are,
I will show no mercy!
♪And to share the red kiss of a blade upon the neck♪
♪We brew our hottest tears♪
♪Into the deadliest wine...♪
Take her away.
♪Later I heard♪
♪You once asked where I'd gone♪
♪But the Buddha says this world was a mistake♪
Wait.
You two saved me today.
I, Minjia,
will remember it.
Lin Cangcang,
from this day on,
you are my friend.
We'll face life and death together
and never betray one another.
Kumor!
Who are you?
What did you say?
That's right.
We used to be romantically involved.
But we've already parted ways.
Yes, we parted ways.
But as you can see, I came after her.
Tell me.
How did you two meet?
I founded Fenglai Pavilion back in Southern Chu.
She was recruiting a hall master,
so I went to apply.
But she wouldn't choose me.
He kept pestering me.
Only later did I realize
he had ulterior motives.
What did he want?
He...
he wanted me.
Love at first sight?
She wanted to rescue the abducted youths.
Even while gravely poisoned,
she still tried to protect me out of duty
as the Sect Leader.
He did help me rescue
those children trapped in the mine,
and he risked his life for me
in the process.
So you fell in love with him too?
Then why did she come to Jiangzhou?
Why did you break up?
And why did you come?
We were incompatible.
That's it?
She thought I couldn't give her the freedom she wanted,
so she left me.
As for why and how
she came here,
I have no idea.
I just wanted to find her.
I heard someone spotted her in Jiangzhou,
so I came.
Kumor,
why aren't you saying anything?
Everything they said matches.
They met in the martial world.
One is the leader of Fenglai Pavilion,
and the other is a hall master chasing after her.
They fought side by side, saved people with their swords,
fell in love,
and later
broke up because of differences.
Then Bai Chifan,
still in love with Lin Cangcang,
rushed here once he heard
of her whereabouts.
Are you still suspicious of them?
It all seems too much of a coincidence.
But they clearly
had no time to coordinate a story.
When I provoked the Jiangzhou garrison earlier today,
Bai Chifan saved the two of us from the rain of arrows.
When she saw him, Lin Cangcang was startled
and even a bit repulsed.
Her reaction did not look fake.
I'm sure
she had no idea Bai Chifan would turn up here.
Yes,
everything they said about Southern Chu
lines up
and sounds like lived experience,
not something made up.
But neither of them would elaborate
on what happened after they left Southern Chu.
It's perfectly normal not to speak
of painful things after a breakup.
Besides, Kumor,
didn't you already test them?
He didn't know she stole the Phoenix Seal
or that she secretly joined the army.
It makes sense that he knew nothing about all that
since they had broken up.
The fact that their stories line up so perfectly
makes me even more uneasy.
Kumor,
you're overthinking it.
The peace delegation will arrive sooner or later.
You'll know her identity then,
won't you?
Besides,
from the way Ling Jueding shot at us without hesitation,
Cangcang is probably not the Empress.
More importantly,
the two of them saved me today.
We can't repay kindness with cruelty, can we?
You two saved me today.
I'm truly grateful.
Here's a toast to you both.
No need for that, Your Highness.
I only meant to save Cangcang.
Saving you
was pure coincidence.
Mr. Bai, you traveled all this way for your beloved.
How touching.
General,
I cut ties with this man long ago.
He has nothing to do with me.
Cangcang,
even though we're no longer together,
I can't bear
to watch you treat yourself like this.
Since we've gone our separate ways,
what I do has nothing
to do with you.
Knowing you were captured,
of course I was worried.
You know perfectly well what it is
you're truly worried about.
Miss Lin,
what do you think Mr. Bai is worried about?
You should ask him.
Cangcang,
my feelings for you
are genuine.
Mr. Bai,
did you come all this way
only to take your beloved with you?
Of course.
She may have left me,
but I still love her.
Today,
Minjia went to the Jiangzhou gates
on a whim.
Bringing Miss Lin along
was even more spur-of-the-moment.
So how is it that you
just happened to be there?
Were you
lying in wait near my camp?
Yes.
You are honest indeed, Mr. Bai.
I knew Cangcang had been taken,
so I kept watch here day and night.
I wasn't about to let go
of even the faintest hope.
In this bitter cold,
night winds cut like knives.
Your devotion to her truly runs deep.
And
I was rewarded.
I found and saved her.
What if you hadn't saved her?
Then
I would've died with her.
Very well.
I'll grant that wish
and let you
share life and death today.
Guards!
Yes, General!
Take these two away.
Yes, General!
General.
Miss Lin,
step outside.
Weren't you going to keep me locked up?
What is this about?
Come and see.
What is this, General?
Mr. Bai said earlier
that he kept watch
near my camp day and night just to rescue you.
Since he's not afraid of Xijiang's freezing winds,
I'd like to see
how long he can endure them.
I was just worrying about how to shake him off.
Thank you, General, for helping me.
You two were once in love.
Miss Lin, don't you care at all?
I've already chosen to leave him behind,
so why cling to the past?
Even so,
he risked his life to rescue you.
Can you really bear to watch him suffer?
General,
I'm your prisoner now.
I can barely protect myself.
How could I worry about anyone else?
If you beg me,
I might let him go.
If begging really works,
can I beg you to let me go?
That's unlikely.
He and I have nothing to do with each other.
You may deal with him as you wish, General.
What a pity.
Your old flame
doesn't seem to care for you at all.
It doesn't matter.
I came here of my own will.
I accept whatever punishment comes my way.
Interesting.
You two...
One is devoted, while the other
is indifferent.
Very well.
Enjoy the cold.
Minjia.
Cangcang,
why did you call for me?
I knew you'd still be awake.
Sit.
I saw
Bai Chifan
tied to the pillar.
He looked like he was about to die.
I'm telling you your lover is dying.
Do you really not care?
Former lover.
He's just my former lover.
Why should I care?
But he's handsome,
skilled,
and absolutely devoted to you.
Don't tell me
you feel nothing at all.
In my opinion,
life is short.
Outcomes don't matter.
Living each day well
is what truly matters.
Princess Minjia,
are you feeling sorry for him?
This isn't pity.
I think he's a good man.
I like him.
If you don't want him,
give him to me.
I don't care about outcomes anyway.
Sure.
You can have him.
But right now,
he's probably freezing to death thanks to your brother.
Not
while I'm here.
Xiao Huan,
this is all I can do for you.
♪Falling petals♪
♪Petals drifting through the sky♪
♪Echoes linger♪
♪In the empty alleys at dawn♪
♪You used to gaze into my eyes♪
♪That watchful waiting once warmed a whole city♪
♪In the embers, a few strands of warmth still remain♪
♪The sky has faded to dusk♪
What are you looking at?
The stars.
They are especially
bright here.
Haven't you seen stars before?
It's been two years
since I
last looked up properly.
You're unbelievable.
In a situation like this,
you still care about stargazing?
At least we're under the same sky now.
That's a kind of bond, isn't it?
Just sharing
the same sky is enough for you?
Being able to see her again at all
is already a rare blessing.
I doubt I can hope for anything more.
You're easy to satisfy.
Too bad
she said she didn't care for you anymore.
She's giving you to me.
Your Highness must be joking.
A princess like you
will find a fine match.
You really are devoted.
Let me warn you,
the night winds here can freeze cattle and sheep to death.
Aren't you afraid of the cold?
No,
I'm used to it.
Here, Mr. Bai,
take this cloak.
Make it through the night.
Kumor,
I tested
both of them as you said.
I don't think they're faking it.
Minjia,
you grew up on the steppe.
You don't know how cunning the Central Plains people can be.
But Kumor,
Bai Chifan saved my life.
If you let him freeze to death,
that wouldn't be right.
Minjia,
don't tell me you've taken a liking to him.
Of course not.
Why would I fall for someone
whose heart belongs to another?
I'm just touched by his devotion.
Don't worry.
He won't die yet.
We'll decide his fate
after the delegation comes.
Is the hot water ready?
Yes, Your Highness.
The braziers are lit too.
Mr. Bai,
I've prepared a tent for you.
Take a hot bath once you get there.
I added herbs
to help you warm up.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Come on,
let's head back.
Didn't expect that.
You braved the northern wind all night and are still standing.
It seems I underestimated you.
I've roamed the martial world for years.
A bit of cold wind
is nothing.
In that case,
stay out for a few more nights.
Kumor,
I'm indebted to Mr. Bai.
I won't let you treat him like this.
Mr. Bai,
let's go.
Is she
really not the Empress?
General,
the delegation from Great Qi is at the gate.
Very well.
Let them in.
Yes, General.
Cangcang.
Minjia?
The delegation from Great Qi is here.
- They're here? - Let's go.
Kumor's waiting for us.
Come on.
Du Tingxin, envoy of Great Qi,
greets General Kumor.
By order of His Majesty,
I've come to negotiate peace.
Looks like I hold quite a place in the eyes
of the Emperor of Great Qi.
He actually sent the Imperial Preceptor here.
This shows
His Majesty's sincerity.
Very well.
Then let me show your emperor
my sincerity as well.
Bring her up!
General.
Preceptor Du,
aren't you going to kneel before your empress?
The Empress?
Where?
Didn't the Emperor of Great Qi
receive my letter?
Calm down, General.
I came precisely to address this matter.
This is a handwritten letter from His Majesty.
Please see for yourself.
[The Phoenix Seal of Great Qi recently went missing.]
[I heard it was found by General Kumor, so I sent a delegation]
[to retrieve the stolen seal, reclaim the captives, and negotiate peace.]
The Empress of Great Qi is still in the palace?
Yes.
Her Majesty is safe and sound.
His Majesty sent this delegation
to retrieve the stolen Phoenix Seal,
reclaim the captives,
and negotiate terms
for peace.
Preceptor Du,
do you know this woman?
This is the thief?
How dare you steal the Phoenix Seal?
Your crime is unforgivable!
Guards,
take her back to Jiangzhou for punishment!
- Wait. - Understood.
No need for all that trouble.
According to custom in Xijiang,
a thief's right hand is chopped off in public
and thrown in the wilderness to feed the wolves.
In that case,
let's follow local custom.
Do you have anything to say?
General,
to the Imperial Preceptor,
I am indeed a thief who stole the Phoenix Seal.
I have nothing to say.
Please do the honors, Preceptor Du.
Then please have your men
hold the thief down.
Preceptor Du, your inner force may be mediocre,
but your resolve to chop off her hand is admirable.
What is it?
Have you changed your mind about punishing her?
Since she is not the Empress of Great Qi,
her matter can wait.
Let us discuss real business.
Since you were sent by the Emperor of Great Qi,
you must have brought some token of sincerity.
Bring it up!
What is this?
Do you think you can
buy me off with a bit of money?
This is 3,128 liang and nine qian of gold.
It is not "a bit of money."
This is the money people in Xijiang paid to purchase proper status
after the status verification system was implemented last year.
I had the Ministry of Revenue convert it into gold
and brought it here to you.
I didn't go through all this trouble
for a bit of gold.
Since the status verification system was enforced,
those without proper status have been reduced to slaves.
Ordinary folk have had no choice but to purchase good status.
How is this any different from daylight robbery?
If the system is not abolished,
this gold you brought
will be nothing but a drop in the ocean.
General, mind your words.
The status verification system is a national policy
established to maintain order.
How can it be abolished so easily?
You are mistaken, Preceptor Du.
Only when all people are free and equal
can the land be at peace.
As I see it,
the status verification system
is the very cause of chaos in the land.
I am merely carrying out orders
to deliver this gold to you, General.
Matters regarding the system
are not for me to decide.
I've heard you're the Emperor of Great Qi's trusted aide.
Seeing you today,
I can't imagine why.
I will report your thoughts
to His Majesty.
Good.
Please do.
When you decide to abolish
the status verification system,
I will consider
when to withdraw my troops.
General, are you truly turning down
3,000 liang of gold?
Did I say I was?
Aren't the Phoenix Seal and the captives
worth 3,000 liang of gold?
General, how bold you are.
Very well.
In that case,
the gold is yours.
As for the captives, the Phoenix Seal, and her,
I'm taking them all.
Preceptor Du, you are being a bit too greedy.
You may take the captives.
As for the Phoenix Seal and her,
you may choose only one.
Then please, chop off her hand
and feed it to the wolves for me.
As for the Phoenix Seal and her,
you may choose only one.
Then please, chop off her hand
and feed it to the wolves for me.
The Preceptor never intended to take me away.
Was she acting on his orders?
No matter.
I am no longer the Empress of Great Qi.
Why should I care what he wants?
If the Preceptor can at least tell Jueding
that I'm safe,
it will put his mind at ease.
If I can use this opportunity
to learn the Black Tiger Army's defenses...
What are you thinking?
Nothing.
Are you sad?
Of course.
All the captives have left.
I'm the only one left behind.
General, you don't still think
I'm the Empress of Great Qi, do you?
To be honest,
I still have a tiny bit of doubt.
But right now,
I see no reason
to believe you are.
Then what do you plan to do with me?
I intend
to treat you two
as honored guests.
When the war ends,
I will see you both off myself.
This is how you treat honored guests?
You're practically putting me under house arrest.
Inside the camp,
you two are free to go wherever you like.
But if either of you steps outside,
don't blame me for being ruthless.
All right.
Since you're so "hospitable,"
I suppose
I'll stay.
But there is one thing I don't understand.
Now that you know I'm not the Empress,
why
haven't you killed me?
I can't bear to.
I just think
that you are a woman of honor.
You stole provisions to save the people.
I admire that.
Rest assured.
Since I said
I'd treat you as honored guests,
I'll keep my word.
Good.
Your Highness.
Mr. Bai,
are you better now?
Thank you for the cloak.
Cangcang?
She should have left with the delegation.
Why is she still here?
Yes, that's Cangcang.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Did
the delegation from Great Qi come today?
They did.
And they've already left.
Can you believe my brother?
Earlier,
he suspected that Lin Cangcang was the Empress
and even had me follow the two of you.
Only when the delegation
confirmed her identity today
did he finally relax.
If you ask me,
the whole thing is simple.
If Cangcang were the Empress,
wouldn't that
make you the Emperor?
Exactly.
[Qi]
General.
Greetings,
Preceptor Du.
General Ling,
no need to look around.
Her Majesty
is not with us.
Why not?
Kumor made me choose between the 300 captives
and Her Majesty,
but she would rather die than admit who she was.
I had no choice but to respect her wishes,
so I only retrieved the stolen Phoenix Seal
and brought back the captives.
Then what about my sister?
Her Majesty put the greater good first.
Heaven will watch over her.
I will also
pray for her safety day and night.
Cangcang.
Minjia?
Why are you staying in your tent all the time?
Why not go out for a walk?
What's the point?
I can't leave the camp anyway.
What,
do you know somewhere worth going?
I wish.
I still have to clean the stables this afternoon.
Clean the stables?
A princess like you cleans the stables yourself?
Of course.
As my brother says,
there are no princesses in the camp,
only soldiers.
If I want to stay here,
I have to work like everyone else.
Anyway, enough about that.
I snuck out
to chat with you.
About what?
If it's about Bai Chifan,
forget it.
That's exactly what I want to talk about.
Why did you break up with him?
He clearly cares for you deeply.
I used to think so too.
Only later did I realize
he had ulterior motives.
Mr. Bai is not that kind of man.
He risked his life to save you.
Enough.
I don't want to talk about him.
I bet
you still have feelings for him.
If you truly didn't care,
you wouldn't sound so bitter.
You say you've moved on,
but you still hold grudges.
If you ask me,
your anger
comes from love.
Really?
I hit the mark, didn't I?
♪Who walks lone through storm and snow♪
♪Reading every warmth and chill♪
♪Of the heart?♪
♪Who stands proud against a thousand weights♪
♪Grace only a mask he wears?♪
♪My blade sweeps the heavens♪
♪Blood once drenched♪
♪My armor and charging steed♪
♪I know what it means to let go♪
♪When to step in, when to hold back♪
♪A broken blade cuts through♪
♪Years of winter and summer♪
♪Enemy flags burn to ash like gauze♪
♪Yet my heart still bears the scars of rise and fall♪
♪I'm willing to wield my sword with you and burn the waning moon♪
♪I'm willing to brave all storms with you, boiling with passion♪
♪I'm willing to break my wings and become the blade in your hand♪
♪I'm willing to write with you this torn, enduring page of history♪
♪I'm willing to travel thousands of miles, seeking your ambition♪
♪I'm willing to give my life to keep you safe for a lifetime♪
♪I'm willing to sing through every farewell and wait for you another thousand years♪