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[Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin]
[Episode 45]
I've planned it already.
For this wedding, let Old Master Lin be the matchmaker.
Let us just skip the birth date compatibility requirements.
For the dowry, I'll prepare it.
But for the betrothal gifts...
Who should we look for to give the betrothal gifts?
Sister Lin Xi, where is your Old Master Li?
Master is traveling around the world. Sister Meng will not be able to find him.
Let us skip that too.
I think we should do the wedding here, on the mountain.
What do you two think?
We have not chosen a date yet!
- Which day you two want? - Pingjing.
What is wrong?
Lin Jiu...
please help look for Senior Brother Xun and have him come up the mountain.
Yes.
Did something happen?
Senior Grand Secretary Xun...
was attacked on the streets of Jinling and has died.
Something might have happened to the letter I gave him.
Pingjing, are you preparing to go down the mountain?
No.
I asked Lin Jiu to look for Senior Brother Xun and have him come here.
Do not worry.
I only have drawn flowers before. I'm sorry if my drawing is not good.
It is quite good.
I drew everything that I could remember.
General, please see if this can help.
This is the main courtyard of the Laiyang Prince's manor.
Study. Garden.
Their usual chambers and the area for receiving guests are out of the question.
These two side gates
are usually used by the manor's servants and any peddlers.
This more remote corner gate is the most likely one. We should monitor this gate.
General, are you sure that Xiao Yuanqi is hiding the assassin in his own manor?
Will she really enter and exit through this corner gate?
Of course, I cannot be sure.
But we only have limited people here. We can only monitor one most-likely place.
Hope we can meet good luck.
Princess Consort, are you tired already?
Go and rest first.
You may withdraw.
Yes.
Say it.
Is there any problem?
I know that Miss Xun does not like to talk.
But for this matter...
I feel that I should tell you something.
What is it?
Miss Xun, do not ask who.
It is just that someone secretly told me
that a lady guest has come to lodge in our manor not long ago.
Lady guest?
[Schematics from Ministry of Works for Deep-Water Dock and Ship]
I heard from He Cheng that there were two cabinets full of these blueprints.
All of these are wanted by your monarch?
Yes.
Looking at the annotations, these must be blueprints to build ships.
Does your Donghai still lack different types of ships?
His Majesty does not have a lot of hobbies,
but loves to sail out into the sea and fish.
He has always wanted to create a small, stable, fast, and good-quality boat.
Later on, he indirectly learned that there was a General Wei in Great Liang who lived several years ago
who was very talented in this aspect, and left a lot of documents about it.
Your kingdom seems to be not that interested in creating ships.
These documents got bundled up and placed on high shelves for so many years without anyone asking about them.
His Majesty is just borrowing them for personal use. There is no harm done between us.
So, your monarch wants a smaller, faster boat?
Yes.
Would not a larger, more wave-resistant, and more powerful military ship
be more worthy of a deep-water port?
Your Highness knows about the deep-water port?
Your monarch always refuses to clearly tell me what his plans are.
I then can only
think about it more.
Whatever kind of lady guest His Highness wants to look for,
just let him be.
Would I still mind?
It is very common for noble and larger families to get concubines.
If it is just that,
I surely will not especially tell Your Highness the Princess Consort to make you feel disturbed.
Not like that? Then what else can it be?
Miss Xun surely still remembers
that the person who assassinated Old Master
is a female assassin?
You are talking about the killer of Uncle Xun?
Impossible.
His Highness would never do such a thing.
Why would he?
I am usually not smart.
I do not know a lot of things.
But after what happened at Chenxiang Lake,
Pei'er went missing,
and Miss, you got sick for a long time.
Even by guessing, I know
that this husband of yours
is already not like that man that we thought he was.
Miss Xun, they are openly and noisily searching for that lady assassin outside.
But it is true that a lady is hiding in our manor.
What should we do?
I also do not know what to do.
But I am unable to endure this.
I really cannot endure it anymore.
Your Highness misunderstood.
His Majesty is not really trying to hide things from you.
He just feels that Your Highness might not be interested in such matters.
Our Donghai established our kingdom near the waters.
Even if we build huge ships and have deep waters that can accommodate these huge ships,
it is mainly to travel further on the open sea
and not targeting Great Liang.
Your Highness, think about it. Your country is a landlocked kingdom.
Even if we create huge military ships,
what will be its effect on your future plan of ruling your kingdom?
That is right too. No matter what huge ships you create,
it is impossible for them to go up my shores, right?
His Majesty was sure that Your Highness will understand this.
Princess Consort, it is better that we look for Commander Xun first.
Princess Consort! Princess Consort! Princess Consort!
Min'er...
Do not follow.
Miss Xun...
You must not follow.
Okay already.
We previously had an agreement. Since Madam Qi already fulfilled hers, I surely will not break mine.
It is just that moving so many old files out
is not an easy task.
Even if it were me, I must plan it well for at least two days.
Thank you for Your Highness' hard work.
Once the matter is resolved, I will personally escort you out of the city.
But before that, it is better for Madam
to not leave this manor even by a step.
Yes.
Princess Consort, His Highness has given orders. It is better that you--
Get lost!
Your Highness! The Princess Consort is coming in!
- Princess Consort! - Anru,
why did you come here!
It was she?
It was she who killed my uncle!
What nonsense are you saying, Anru?
Stop lying to me.
Although I grew up deep in the manor of a noble family, I am not stupid!
I know who she is. I know what she has done!
Anru...Anru.
You just lost a child. You are depressed, that is why you are imagining things.
Since you are unwell, then you should go recuperate well. Why must you bring trouble on yourself?
Anru!
What is this now?
What did you give Donghai now?
You are still willing to sell out your conscience once again to get something in return?
- How many scary things are you still going to do? - Shut up!
Anru...
This is a man's matter. You do not understand.
I also do not want to understand.
I will tell my older brother about it. As long as you do not kill me,
as long as you dare let me live,
I surely will tell my older brother about it the next time I see him!
What are you doing!
Anru...I will not kill you.
But since you already said that,
I also will not let you see your older brother,
and will never let you enter the palace.
When did this horse carriage arrive?
Just a moment ago.
A moment ago?
Yes.
Guard it well. I am going to report it to General.
Yes.
Madam.
Commander He.
His Highness has finished the arrangements?
After His Highness and I have personally escorted you out of the city,
there will be another horse carriage that will fetch you.
These are all the blueprints.
Madam Qi, do you not want to check them first?
Nevertheless, you and your Prince ought to think carefully...
Oh, right. How is your Princess Consort doing lately?
I heard that she has not said a word these past two days.
Xun Baishui is still, after all, her uncle that personally raised her.
I fear that the Prince must expend a lot of effort before he can placate her.
You are in a bad mood. Let me take you out for a walk.
Although it is unlikely that we will get searched since His Highness will be personally escorting you,
it is still hard to say if we will meet any mishap.
To ensure that no problems will happen, I have to ask Madam Qi to endure the suffering, and hide in here first.
I have trained in flexibility techniques since I was little.
This is easy. No suffering at all.
Your Highness.
Madam Qi.
Is the Princess Consort coming with us?
In escorting Madam Qi out of the city, we have to ensure that no mishaps will happen.
If there is a female family member inside the carriage, they will be more lax.
Also, if anyone will asks in the future, I will have a reason to give for going out of the city.
Anyway, the Princess Consort is unwilling to talk.
Am I right?
What if by then, the Princess Consort wants to talk? What will you do?
Do not worry.
She will not have that chance to speak.
Madam Qi, please.
They are now going out of the city. Are we stopping them?
The Patrol Guards are his people. We will not be able to block them. Just follow them.
Take care.
Okay.
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You indeed did not speak at all earlier.
My An'er is really smart. You know that the people guarding the city are all my people.
It is useless, even if you speak.
May Madam stay calm. There are still some guards beyond here.
We have to reach the remote area in front of us, before it is convenient to let you out.
There are not much people passing by here already.
My guess is if the female assassin is really inside the carriage,
he surely will let her go in the forest in front of them.
Remember, do not rush. Let us follow them first.
We will make our move, once he has left.
Only by catching that lady assassin alive, will our words be heard and believed in.
I understand.
Your Highness.
Did Madam Qi really think that I will let you take the blueprints
for the construction of gigantic warships out of Great Liang like this and hand them to your king?
You...You went against your promise!
His Majesty will come for you!
For your men outside the city, Xun Feizhan will clean them up, one by one.
As for inside the city, it is natural that I should do it.
Anyone who knows anything cannot live to reach Donghai.
Once your king tries to find out what really has happened,
I fear that it is already too late.
If I do not go back, His Majesty will surely come find me!
He surely will come find me! He will personally come!
- What are they saying? I cannot hear anything. - Shh!
I know that he will come.
But by then, the Jinling's Imperial city will already be mine.
I naturally can think of an appropriate way to welcome your king.
I hope Madam Qi can be at ease about that.
Let me out!
Quick, let me out!
Xiao Yuanqi!
You hear me?
Let me out!
Quickly let me out! Let me out!
This...what is going on?
I do not know.
I totally cannot understand it.
Xiao Yuanqi! Xiao..!
Anru, I took you out
because I wanted you to personally see
that I have already burned the murderer of your uncle into ashes.
I sought this vengeance for you now.
How do you feel now?
Do you feel better?
Do not worry. All the things that I submissively sent out, I surely will take them back with double the amount.
I will take back the three regions of Huaidong, sooner or later.
None?
Yes.
I was able to capture more than ten Donghai spies in Jinling.
I already handed all of them to the Ministry of Punishment.
But after being seen by the private Xun escorts that were there that day, the main criminal was not among them.
Imperial Mother has been asking me about it every day.
I do not know how to answer her anymore.
I can understand Your Majesty's feelings. My wife is also
grieving every day in my manor, causing her to be bedridden.
She is unable to enter the palace, to accompany and console Her Highness the Empress Dowager.
May Your Majesty not worry. Commander Xun has left the capital for almost half a month.
I believe that when he returns, there surely will be some good news.
I hope so.
[Jinling]
General! A messenger from the Ministry of War is here.
- General Yue. - Lord, please enter.
No need. The Ministry of War sent me to relay a message to you.
May General enter the palace tomorrow by si interval (T/N 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
and go to Wuxi Hall to discuss government matters.
I know already. Thank you, Minister, for coming this late to relay this message.
General, will you not be able to see His Majesty tomorrow when you enter the palace?
Do not be happy too soon. I might not be able to get a private audience with him.
You are saying..that you also did not find the criminal?
Yes. I only was able to catch up with that merchant troupe.
They were indeed from Donghai, but I did not find that assassin.
I disappointed Your Majesty.
Within the capital of Great Liang,
the current Senior Grand Secretary Xun got assassinated,
and they were actually able to completely escape?
I really am so useless.
With what Your Majesty said,
you are making me feel more ashamed.
Right now, the people that I can rely on...
and trust...
are leaving, one by one.
This government that the late Emperor gave me
has become dilapidated like this in just a few years.
I frequently feel that
I clearly have my best, but I am still unable to do well on a lot of things.
Maybe...
I am not the one fated by the heaven.
Your Majesty, our Great Liang still has strength.
A lost territory can be reconquered. Your Majesty has not yet reached the legal age.
Why do you...
dare to improperly belittle yourself?
Subject Xun.
I am here.
Can you do something for me?
May Your Majesty give the instructions.
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General Yue.
Minister.
General Yue.
Your Highness.
This way please.
Minister, is His Majesty not here yet?
General Yue still does not know why you are here today?
I thought that we will do as agreed last year,
to come here and discuss how to rectify the whole eastern border situation
and reclaim the three regions of Huaidong.
That is right.
It is said that His Majesty will be sitting in on this,
but with such a huge problem, how can it be decided in one day?
When His Majesty listens to our discussion, he does not really listen from start to finish.
We must first put our thoughts into perspective,
put them in order, before asking His Majesty to decide on it.
Looks like His Majesty will not be coming today.
Senior Grand Secretary Xun unfortunately got assassinated.
His Majesty has given permission for me to take charge for this matter.
Ministers, the current discussion in front of His Majesty
concerns the whole situation of the eastern border. This matter is very important.
Hope my fellow ministers can collect opinions for a wider benefit,
provide good strategies, and give good suggestions.
Yes.
I do not feel that my decision three years ago was wrong.
But I frequently think of calling the Prince of Chang Lin back to the capital.
Sometimes, when I look at myself,
I feel that I am too hesitant, too conflicted.
Replying to Your Majesty,
there are a lot of things in this world
that cannot be simply concluded by right or wrong.
Since Your Majesty has such thoughts, do you want me
to go to Langya Mountain to promulgate a decree?
No.
I do not want to make any decree.
Your Majesty is afraid that Her Highness the Empress Dowager will be against it?
It's not that.
No matter what Imperial Mother says or thinks, I will not change my mind for her anymore.
Then Your Majesty, what else are you worrying about?
His elder brother Pingzhang died for the country.
Royal Uncle had been a valiant warrior all his life. He had won all his battles on the northern border.
But what he got in return...was the Chang Lin Army getting dispersed.
I know...
that although he cares for his country, he might not be willing to return.
That is why, I do not want to force him.
Yes...
The hearts in the government are too complicated. It is not as carefree as Jianghu.
Your Majesty is worried that if you call for him by imperial decree,
Pingjing...will not be able to refuse it. Am I right?
Refusing an imperial decree will only let the Prince of Chang Lin suffer more criticisms.
Instead, that is why I wrote a letter.
I hope Subject Xun can secretly go to Langya Mountain
and urge him on my behalf.
Try your best not to let anyone know about it.
I already am annoyed at hearing those discussions and criticisms by those court subjects.
I will abide.
General, you are tired, so you should rest early.
Well, surprisingly,
this Xiao Yuanqi is really doing all his best in handling this matter.
He kept listening to the opinions of the different sides.
Reconciling benefits and conflicts. Placating the cabinet and the six ministries.
The person who is most in support with the eastern border battle strategy that I submitted
was actually him.
Did he not leak military information and connive with Donghai?
He did.
No...but you clearly said earlier that he supports you.
How come I am getting more and more confused?
Although you are confused,
I indeed can see it now more clearly.
I suspect that Xiao Yuanqi connived with Donghai not just for a princely manor and position.
Assassinating the Senior Grand Secretary is not only to steal the power in the Imperial court.
Maybe all of these are for his grander ambition.
There...there is something grander?
I fear that what we need to think about now
is not only how to expose his past mistakes.
Then...what else can we do?
We must think very well
who else in this world...
can stop Xiao Yuanqi's current steps.
- General. - Hey.
General!
- What is it? - I just got information
that Commander Xun has returned to the capital yesterday,
bringing with him the escaped assassins.
- Let's go see him. - General!
Will he believe us?
I also do not know. Let us just gamble on it.
- He has left the city early this morning. - What?
The Commander left the city early this morning!
Yes.
May I ask if you know where he went, and when he will be back?
Our Lord previously went to visit his Jianghu friends.
He only came back once in three years.
Thanks.
[Map of Jinling City]
Your Highness, General Di's side is ready.
Okay.
I know already.
Greetings to the Minister.
General Yue.
Is it not that person General Di?
You know General Di Ming?
We both were generals on the eastern borders, so we have seen each other several times.
But is it not General Di now the commander of the Donghu Yulin Army?
Why is he in the capital?
Counting from the days he took office,
he probably entered the capital today to hand in his duty reports.
Let us go in.
General Di has headed the Donghu Yulin Army for quite a long time.
I believe that you are already confident that you can control them.
The only thing I am good at is training new soldiers.
The Donghu Yulin Army has just been established for a few years. It is easy to control them.
I know better than anyone how good your skills are.
For a young man like General Yue
to accompany me and the people from the Ministry of Revenue to calculate the books for half a day,
I am sure that you are already feeling annoyed.
Budgeting expenses for military use
is something that every soldier should know.
I learned a lot today.
I feel that my knowledge has improved.
You are a talent worth promoting.
I cannot be wrong about you.
In a few days, the decree about the spring hunt will coming out.
I surely will suggest to His Majesty
to let you accompany him on this hunt.
The spring hunt in the third month?
Escorting His Majesty during the spring hunt, this is a very rare opportunity.
You must make good use of it.
Try to establish more connections, and broaden your knowledge and experience.
This surely will benefit your future a lot.
Yes.
Fifty-thousand members of the Imperial Guard will be camping right in front of the Emperor.
Since Xun Feizhan resigned and left the capital,
I kept thinking of
how to get the Imperial Guard.
Without eight to ten years' time,
I fear that it is impossible to do it.
But we both know that if we wait more for the Emperor to be two years older,
I fear that the situation at the court will become different again.
What General said is very correct.
A good opportunity is rare and fleeting.
That is why I...
indeed do not plan to wait anymore.
Donghu Yulin Army is equivalent to merging of the previous Cuifeng and Weishan.
When I took office, I also tried to expand it a little.
Adding the Patrol Guards and your private army, we can at most come up with eighty-thousand men.
Although we are greater in number, we are limited by the terrain,
and mobilization of an army will surely be noticed.
If we clash with the Imperial Guard head on, I fear that it will be hard to immediately take over the palace.
I understand.
Once we start the revolt, we must do it with lightning speed.
If it gets delayed and the news spreads in the adjacent regions of Jinling,
it will already be hard for us to control how the situation will progress.
That is why...I never thought of taking over the palace.
But His Majesty and that...Her Highness the Empress Dowager,
they only stay inside the palace.
Xiao Yuanshi...
will not always be inside the palace.
The third month's spring hunt...
Jiu-an Mountain?
General.
General, did you discover anything?
Look. This is the topography surrounding Jiu-an Mountain.
There is one major and one minor road toward the capital.
This is the hunting palace.
The Imperial retinue will set camp in the area below and front of the hunting palace.
And then?
If the army that will surrounds the perimeter has enough numbers,
they will be able to tightly put His Majesty into a pocket.
General Di will be going back to the Donghu camp today.
This tea serves as my advance send-off.
Your Highness, do not worry. When I return to the camp, I will immediately start preparations.
I surely will be able to make thorough preparations for the spring hunt before returning to Jinling.
Based on usual spring hunt rules, the Imperial Guard escorts of the Emperor cannot exceed five thousand men.
Even if they are double the number,
they surely will not be able to escape out of the pocket that I will initially place.
That is why the critical point in our success
is with the General's control over the capital.
What Your Highness said is correct. I also know that my responsibility is grave.
But since His Majesty and the Empress Dowager will not be around,
the Imperial Guard's defense of the palace will also be more lax.
As long as we can divide them and restrict them in their camp, cut off their contact with the outside world,
we will be able to stably control the palace.
After I accompany His Majesty out of the capital,
I will immediately cut off the communications between Jiu-an Mountain and the capital.
I will get He Cheng to open the city gates, to let your people inside the capital.
But what if the situation progresses
not as smoothly as you predict?
Your Donghu Yulin's strength has the upper hand.
Even if the worst situation will appear,
General Di still has the ability to fight it out.
Yes, I understand.
Of course,
until this matter reaches the end, it is hard to predict any sudden events.
Once the situation in the capital stabilizes, let He Cheng oversee the city.
You will then bring your remaining army to rush to Jiu-an Mountain.
I previously promised you that I will hand Empress Dowager Xun to you, and let you deal with her.
I then will not go back against my word.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Impossible...
There are at least five thousand Imperial Guard personnel that will escort the Emperor.
There are even Yulin Army soldiers in the surrounding area. Who would be so bold?
Maybe I am just worrying too much.
But no matter if it is on Jiu-an Mountain or in any other place,
as long as Xiao Yuanqi will dare make his move,
then there is only one possibility.
He even...
The Imperial Family's Donghu Yulin Army
is already within his control.
Only with that can he be able to have enough military power
to revolt in the periphery of the capital.
[Jiu-an Mountain]
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♫ The long, slow song rises like wind flowing through the corridors reaching the imposing, opulent and bright Imperial Hall ♫
♫ Memories of that certain year, when far-away borders blazed with fires of war, in vast fields of ice and snow ♫
♫ From this world, the many slanders pass through the vermilion gates, over the palace walls ♫
♫ Beneath iron armor, together with silken skirts and silver spears, hair grows hoary as though with early frost ♫
♫ Luminous cherry trees, deep-rooted with long and slender frames, still sport magnificent flowers ♫
♫ Unexpected torrential rain and heavy wind, what does it matter? ♫
♫ Between the trees, the moon brightly guards peak after jagged peak ♫
♫ Banners tremble, drums roar, a ribbon of a thousand horsemen ride back up the ridge to settle the score ♫
♫ Fiery liquor consumed at the end of the world, at the limits of exhaustion, is a feast! ♫
♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the war in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫
♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫
♫ Good bows hoarded; likewise, so as not to injure, sigh against the way of heaven when stored indefinitely ♫
♫ Clouds of fear calm shameful waves, the night air stops their bickering by starlight ♫
♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the war in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫
♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫
♫ Hoping for the whole world to remain at peace, quench the fires of war ♫