Episode 59
Three Kingdoms
Hey, you! I'm thirsty!
Go fetch me some wine!
All right!
Xuande
Let me do it.
Imperial Uncle!
What are you doing here?
through the night to get here before dawn.
After hearing about what you did, he rode
But you just kept sleeping,
and he had to wait...
Third Brother. and he had to wait...
Sir, what kind of wine do you like?
Xinghua Village!
I'll get you some.
Report!
My lord, my lady ordered me to report that
Ah-Dou is now in a coma.
She requests your immediate return.
Tell the lady that I still have business here. Ask her to take good care of him.
Yes, sir!
Elder Brother.
He's your only child. You have to go back.
I have offended Master Long.
Now he would like some wine. If I get it for him,
I will at least feel more at ease.
Sir, here is your wine.
Imperial Uncle.
Do you really think that a flask of wine can win back the favor that you've already lost?
I am firmly determined to-leave.
Even if you forced me to stay. I would never work for you.
It is my fault I did not recognize your talents.
If you insist on going.
how could I ask you to stay?
Come, allow me to see you off.
Sir.
I am an impoverished provincial protector
and a destitute imperial uncle.
Although I admire your talents,
I have nothing valuable to give to you.
Perhaps...
This horse, Hex Mark, is my beloved mount,
and is rather a fine steed.
Let it carry you on your journeys.
Listen! This horse is called Hex Mark.
It saved my elder brother's life once.'
It really is a fine horse!
Then...
I humbly accept your gift.
Sir, please mount.
This horse is too tall.
Can you give me a hand?
Third Brother, give him a hand.
All right.
Please go ahead.
Elder Brother.
Long Guang is a very talented man.
We can't let a man like him serve another lord.
If he won't serve us,
let me kill him and prevent future troubles!
Hold your tongue.
Sheath your sword.
Even if I can't keep him,
I still hope he finds someone stronger, than me,
so he can reveal his potential and rid the Han of traitors.
That way, I will be able to remember the fault I committed today.
Sir, hesitate no more!
Go on!
Sir, why do you return?
The horse wouldn't follow my orders.
I guess it's attached to its master.
It suddenly turned and galloped back.
I think I should give it back.
Then how will you travel?
I'll take that one. Is it all right?
Of course.
My lord, why are you standing there?
Let's return to Jingzhou.
What did you call me? You called me your lord?
My lord, throughout my life,
I have sought a wise master who can discern the worthy.
Today, I have found him.
I wish to go back to Jingzhou with you, my lord,
to follow you on your campaigns,
and to help you accomplish great deeds.
Come on, Kongming, hurry. Come with me.
My lord, why the haste?
I shall introduce a great mind to you.
Master Long! Master Long!
Kongming has returned from his inspections. Let me introduce you.
Pang Shiyuan!
Kongming.
You are Pang Tong, Pang Shiyuan?
So you are the Fledgling Phoenix.
Shiyuan, why didn't you tell me you were coming here?
I've been looking for you.
I understand now. He was testing me.
My lord, please forgive me for deceiving you.
What is there to forgive?
Master Water Mirror had said that
with either the Sleeping Dragon or the Fledgling Phoenix, I could restore order to the world.
Now that I have both of you.
the Han will surely be saved!
Master, they say you really like wine.
I love wine, too!
Let's have 300 cups together!
Oh, indeed!
Let me look at this map first. Then we'll drink.
What's on the map?
The Riverlands.
Third Brother, thank you.
I was so worried while you were campaigning the past few months against the Wuhuan.
Luckily, brother Zhang sees victory wherever he goes!
Triumphant news kept pouring in.
Father and I were so happy for you.
Second Brother, Father called me back suddenly.
Do you know the reason?
The Bronze Bird Pavilion was completed. Third Brother, it's quite the occasion!
So Father summoned all of us brothers back to enjoy a grand feast together!
So that's why. But is that worth summoning me back?
Actually, that's just an excuse.
Now that the Wuhuan revolt has been quelled, can Father not miss you?
Of course he wants you back at his side as soon as possible.
The wine is set in the lofty hall...
Fourth Brother... Fourth Brother.
Young Master Pi. Young Master Zhang.
Yang Xiu, what happened?
Today, Young Master Zhi had a wine and poetry gathering with some writers.
He enjoyed himself and had a bit much.
You're so drunk!
Help him back to his quarters! Hurry!
While together... with friends I roam...
Yes, yes, we roam, we roam.
Young Master, be careful. Walk slowly.
The cooks busy, preparing a feast...
Yes, yes.
Get some water.
Young Master, we're here, we're here. Be careful.
While together with friends I roam...
Hurry, lie down.
Right over here.
The cooks busy, preparing a feast...
Boil... boiling mutton... and beef at home!
Stupid slave! You cant even wash a face!
Fourth Brother! Mind your manners!
Third Brother.
Second Brother!
Fourth Brother.
Second Brother...
Just now, I...
I thought you...
Fourth Brother!
I thought you were...
you were a servant!
It's fine...
It's fine.
Master Zhongda.
How... how may I help you?
His Excellency ordered me to inform my young masters
that the Bronze Bird Pavilion banquet begins at the 5th hour tomorrow.
All right.
Master Zhongda.
Just a moment.
Second Young Master, what is your command?
If it's a banquet, why have it start at the 5th hour?
Isn't... isn't that a bit early?
A good question, Second Young Master.
From what I know...
along with the banquet,
His Excellency has other plans.
Military officers will compete in archery, civil officers in poetry.
Third Young Master, please bring a quality bow and arrows.
I appreciate your advice.
As for the topic for the poetry contest...
Second Young Master.
Fourth Young Master.
Do you want to know?
Sima Yi, are you planning to leak the topic to us?
A living man, you served as the retainer of the dead.
You must be oh so lonely, so lonely that
Fourth Brother!
you'd defy your lord to earn our favor, yes?
Since it is a test.
we should be allowed to demonstrate our true abilities!
Leave this instant! I would never accept your help!
Fourth Young Master, you scold me justly.
Master Zhongda, he...
Second Brother.
Master Zhongda...
Second Brother. Second Brother!
Master Zhongda.
What is it, Young Master?
Master Zhongda, don't take it personally.
That's just how he is. Proud and contemptuous.
He just had a few drinks too many, so...
Second Young Master, you wish to know the topic, yes?
Master Zhongda, I have no talent for such matters.
In terms of combat, I cannot match my third brother.
In terms of writing ability, I cannot match my fourth.
So yes, it's better for me to be prepared,
so that I do not embarrass my father in front of all of the court officials.
Very well.
Bronze Bird Pavilion" is the topic.
Bronze Bird Pavilion?
Indeed.
I have another matter to report to you. Do you wish to hear it?
Please tell me.
I have not leaked the topic.
His Excellency said to me that, should any of you wish to know the topic.
I am allowed reveal it.
Yet Young Master Zhi was overly noble.
Bronze Bird Pavilion?
That's no ordinary topic.
Why do.you say that?
According to the ancient rites, only an emperor may build a high pavilion to display his power.
The Bronze Bird Pavilion is probably the highest pavilion ever to be built.
By inviting all the court officials to a banquet there.
His Excellency must be revealing his imperial ambitions.
Yes.
He must be.
And so, tomorrow will be a decisive day for you and your brothers.
Lord Cao will be testing his sons as well as the court officials.
So you'll need to think carefully about how you will compose your poem.
As it's so important, I will need your help, Master...
The poem must illustrate His Excellency's imperial aspirations.
It must be full of majestic spirit that transcends time.
and written in the most elegant and imposing style.
It's over.
It's over!
Master,
even if I recruit all the writers of Ye to help me...
I will never be able to produce a composition that can rival Zijian's.
Young Master, fret not.
This is not just a competition of style.
The meaning behind the poem is also key.
What do you mean?
Do you remember the story of Emperor Wen of Han and the summer pavilion?
Building a pavilion isn't something that anyone can do.
And yet His Excellency did it.
Now that he is having his officers compete in archery and poetry games, he is...
I get it! i
I get it!
Master.
What Father is actually doing...
is assessing the officers. He is testing the attitude of the officers...
and also testing to see if his sons appreciate his thoughts.
All right.
I'll prepare two poems for tomorrow.
If the high-ranking officers all praise Father's imperial aspirations,
I'll use one of the poems.
If they decline the invitation, or, come but refuse to praise Father,
Ill use the other poem.
Young Master, you truly have a keen mind.
Master.
You possess many good strategies, and are a rare talent.
All right.
so I can have you as my retainer.
I'll petition my father in a couple of days
No. Young Master, you must not even consider that.
If I become your retainer,
how can Sima Yi join you?
Next to him,
I am a mere blade of grass underneath a tall tree.
Master.
If you keep declining, you will only make me feel bad.
But if I do keep declining, you will actually not feel bad.
And I will also feel more at ease, too.
I don't necessarily have to be your retainer to serve you.
Wouldn't it be better if I am not?
Thank you. Master.
Thank you for your instruction.
What a spectacular sight to behold. What towering majesty.
Empty seats? Who didn't come?
Your Excellency, I'll send someone to see.
Just let it be.
They must have a reason not to be here.
Why don't I see Xun Yu and his nephew?
I heard they're sick.
Both sick at the same time?
A sick heart, perhaps.
Enough waiting. Let's start. Let everyone be seated.
Gentlemen, His Excellency invites you to be seated!
Thank you, Your Excellency!
Gentlemen!
Over the last three years,
by the grace of Heaven...
the weather has been propitious. The people enjoyed peace and prosperity.
Thus, I built this pavilion as an offering to Heaven.
Today, I have invited you here to join me in celebration!
Thank you, Your Excellency!
Here today,
seats filled with honored friends.
the tables are laden with delicacies, the
Young and old are gathered here.
This is truly a most glorious occasion!
hold competitions in archery and poetry.
In a moment, the military and civil officers will
Let us enjoy a grand time together!
What do you think?
As you wish!
Now! Let us all share a,drink together to that!
Xu Chu.
Your command. Your Excellency?
Take this robe of crimson Riverland silk and put it on that island in the lake.
Set targets one hundred paces apart.
Whoever hits a bullseye shall receive the robe as a reward.
Those who miss will drink a cup of wine as a penalty.
Aye.
His Excellency orders
the mounted archery competition to begin!
Sir, it's Young Master Zhang.
He severed the willow branch with one shot!
He fired two arrows and both hit a bullseye.
Looks like the robe will go to him!
That silly boy does have some skill.
He does.
Father!
Grant him the robe.
Thank you. Father.
Your Excellency,
Young Master Zhang's skill in mounted archery is truly unmatched.
You ride and shoot, yet do not study.
That's only the bravery of a common man. What's the value in that?
In my opinion, one born in an era of chaos should strive to be like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing,
gaining fame in the desert, leading armies,
bringing peace to the world and saving the people from unrest.
Everything else... what's the use of anything else?
By the sounds of it, you aspire to be a great general.
Yes!
Then tell me. Do you know how to accomplish that?
Give rewards and punishments impartially.
Be ready always.
Be at the front in every battle, undaunted by danger.
He does sound like he'll make a great general.
Yes.
You may go
Military officers show their prowess through riding and archery.
And now,
it's time for you learned men to demonstrate your eloquence.
Please give us a topic.
It shall be "Bronze Bird Pavilion".
Young Master Cao Zhi has finished writing!
Bring it to me.
Young Master.
See that?
His Excellency has been admiring your work all this time.
Young Master Pi, are you done?
Almost, almost.
Your Excellency, this is Young Master Pi's poem, ready for your perusal.
Sima Yi.
Here!
Read these two poems out loud for everyone.
Read Cao Zhi's first.
Behold! There lies the splendor of the royal city,
the rolling mists fluttering beneath.
In the delightful company of the wise are we,
as King Wen's sweet dream once foretold.
Lift your heads to the spring breeze's tender touch,
and the soothing symphony of birdsong...
May he be boundless as the universe,
radiant as the sun and moon.
Forever noble, forever honored,
ageless, as the Emperor of the East.
Now read Cao Pi's.
Climb a tower, and behold
the river below, clear and cold.
Tawny swans fly to and fro.
A subject's heart must be true,
and wish his sovereign a long reign, too...
Hey, hey.
Don't just shake your heads, now.
Do say. What do you think of these two poems?
Young Master Zhi's poem is mellifluous arid full of majestic beauty.
But Young,Master Pi's
is rather insipid and lacks inspiration.
Cao Zhi.
Here.
Zhi, son.
I can tell that you've studied diligently.
Earlier, Zhang won first place in the archery contest,
and I gave him a silk robe.
And now you've written this gem.
I must reward you, too.
But with what?
I will petition the Emperor
and have him grant you the rank of Marquis of Pingyuan.
Thank you, Father!
Congratulations, Young Master Zhi! Congratulations, Marquis of Pingyuan!
Your Excellency.
Yuanchang, what is it?
Young Master Zhi was correct when he wrote
May he be boundless as the universe, radiant as the sun and moon.
In my opinion, those lines are most appropriately used to describe Your Excellency's deeds.
However,
all of the ministers hope that you
assume responsibility for the realm and take the next step.
Sir Zhong is right. Your Excellency's achievements tower to the heavens.
It would be a blessing to the country if you assume Heaven's mandate.
Sirs!
You exaggerate.
I am just an ignorant person who started off as a mere Filial and Incorrupt candidate.
At the time, the world was in chaos,
and the court appointed me as a colonel.
I had no choice but to pick up my sword and serve the nation with my meager skills.
Back then, I only had one hope. That, when I die, my headstone be marked
The Crave of Lord Cao, Late General of the West.
Then I could die content.
I would not have guessed that
it would be impossible to get back off my saddle.
For years, I did battle throughout the realm, and accomplished a little,
for the simple sake of ridding the nation of wicked men and saving the people from calamity.
Little did I expect that, by the grace of the emperor,
I would reach the most honored rank for a minister.
This already makes me anxious and fearful.
What else can I desire in such actuation?.
Honestly, I've long wanted to relinquish my command
to prove my loyalty.
But for the sake of the Han,
and the sake of the people, I cannot do that!
Consider.
If it were not for the efforts of me, Cao Cao...
how many people would have declared themselves an emperor or a prince?
What a noble heart. Your Excellency.
Even Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou do not have a fraction of your broad-mindedness.
But not everyone sees things the same way as you, Yuanchang!
Some people feel that I wield far too much power.
They speculate.
They suspect me of disloyalty.
They go so far as to form factions to plot against me.
But I shall state today!
They are wrong!
Sirs, please go back and give this message to those who are not here today!
I, Cao Cao...
am certainly not...
the kind of person they suspect me to be!
Young Master, your ode yesterday was as radiant as the stars and the dawn.
Its spirit encompasses the realm and cannot be rivaled.
Compared to your ode, Qu Yuan's "The Lament" and "Nine Songs" are scribbles.
But more worthy of celebration
is your newly bestowed rank.
This shows that you will be the one to succeed His Excellency.
It is not because of the ode.
What else could... what else could Father have meant?
His Excellency rewarded you for your suggestion to ascend the throne,
and used this to demonstrate his power to the officials.
That's right.
Second Brother's ode...
in a subtle way...
was showing support for the Han House.
And that brought displeasure to Father.
Young Master Pi is too honest and direct.
He doesn't understand.
All that's left of the Han court is its appearance.
If not for the Prime Minister, it would collapse at the slightest push.
Why does Young-Master Pi still praise the Han?
Everyone*wisheSffor His Excellency to rule over the realm.
But Father made those remarks at the end.
What did they mean?
It sounded like he did not want to assume the imperial throne.
That's His Excellency being modest, being modest for the world to see.
Even if one day, His Majesty abdicates the throne,
the Prime Minister will have to decline thrice.
Decline thrice...
Come!
Yes, come.
Let us drink together!
Cheers, cheers.
Come!
Cheers, cheers.
Yang Xiu...
Master Zhongda.
All the officials went to congratulate my brother.
Why did you come to my place?
Whats there to congratulate for him?
It's you who deserves it.
Me?
I don't understand.
With one ode, he won the/admiration of the realm
and the rank of marquis.
While I... I just made a complete and utter fool out of myself.
With one ode, he was granted the rank of marquis.
but with one ode, he will lose everything as well.
Then... then... now I am even more confused.
Young Master, as you saw...
many officials were absent at the gathering.
Ignore the rest.
Xun Yu served the Prime Minister for years and achieved so much.
His Excellency sees him as his right-hand man.
But he excused himself on account of illness.
Young Master, have you considered the reason?
Please tell me.
Those who attended the gathering can be roughly divided into two groups.
Brutish warriors who know only of military affairs, not the intricacies of politics
and civil officers with little actual power.
As they have no power,
they need to fawn over the Prime Minister in hopes of a reward.
In Young Master Zhi's ode, they detected an endorsement for ascension,
and so they brandished their flattery skills.
By praising his ode, they approved of the Prime Minister becoming emperor.
Conversely,
your ode hinted at maintaining the rule of the Han.
Of course they had to shake their heads and sigh,
so as to make their position clear.
However...
the fact that so many key officials were absent
revealed that many people in the court still support the Han in their hearts.
The gathering attracted the attention of the entire country.
The odes composed at the pavilion are spreading like wildfire,
and will eventually be known across the realm. ,
While Young Master Zhi's ode was praised by the Prime Minister...
it will be rejected by all of the Han loyalists.
Yours, while displeasing to the Prime Minister himself...
will cause all the scholars still loyal to the Han to respect you more.
He who wins the people's hearts will win the world.
And the dedication of one learned man can earn you the dedication of an entire nation.
You flatter me.
Everyone knows that...
Cao Pi is the most obtuse among... among the Prime Minister's sons.
So even if what you say is true, I was just... I was just lucky with my poem.
Lucky? Impossible.
Young Master, the lamp in your study was lit all night.
You couldn't have written just one short ode in that time, could you?
Master, you mean...
Allow me to speculate.
Perhaps you wrote another ode as well.
one that petitioned for ascension.
If, on that day,
all the ministers were present,
you would have used the other one.
Is my guess correct?
What's the point of literary compositions?
Knowing how to read situations and act accordingly
is an even better ability.
Furthermore, the young lord who has this ability pretends that he is oblivious to it all,
concealing his true nature.
Of such a young lord, I have only one appraisal.
What is it?
Hidden dragon.
After the Youngest Master passed away.
I've burnt a book at his grave each month as an offering.
It has been three years to the day, and I have burned 36 books.
I think I can now fulfill my agreement with Your Excellency,
and choose one of your sons to serve as his retainer.
And who would you choose?