Subtitles by DramaFever
[Secret of the Three Kingdoms]
[Episode 28]
[Yuan]
Acting upon Young Master Yuan's orders
I'm here to arrest convicts!
Did you see a group of six to seven men and women
leaving from this gate?
Sir, there was a group as such that left the city.
But two of them came back in again.
They had a document with Master's stamp on it
and claimed to be leaving the city on Duke Shen's orders.
How could they be convicts?
Duke Shen told you to guard the gates.
It's such an important task and yet you have such poor judgment.
You can't even tell a fake document from a real one.
Why should we keep you?
I might as well kill you on behalf of Duke Shen
to serve as a warning to others!
Please spare me, Sir!
That group of people already left the city.
It won't do any good even if you kill me! I'll open the gate for you right away!
Go after them quickly! If you don't, they will be long gone!
Open the gate!
Open the gate! Quickly!
Open the gate!
We're finally safe!
We turned ill luck to blessings!
- We managed to escape! - Exactly!
We won't have to die!
This is great!
Brother Liu.
Brother Liu, I'm grateful for your righteousness.
Thank you for taking us out of the tiger's den.
Brother Liu, we're grateful for your righteousness!
Your subject, Lu Yu, kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty!
- Long live the emperor! - His Majesty? This...
It was actually His Majesty who shared weal and woe with us?
It was the emperor who saved us?
Your Majesty is wise and benevolent.
I'm willing to risk my life for Your Majesty!
Do rise.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
Please do get up quickly.
Can you forgive me now?
Your Majesty, do you still remember what you said before?
We'll get through challenges of life and death, or weal and woe together.
I'm your empress.
I'll always follow Your Majesty.
Run!
Quickly!
Go after them! Quickly!
Step forward!
I won't.
Would you rather die for this fellow?
Yes.
Ever since I married you
I've felt as if I was with a wooden toy.
Life was such a bore.
But ever since I met him
I've finally found the meaning in life.
I'd rather die than go back with you to that life of the living dead!
Kill them!
What are you doing?
Do you also wish to kill me?
Zhong Da!
Don't hurt him!
If he dies, are you going to kill yourself as well?
Leave neither of them alive!
What are you doing?
Withdraw the soldiers.
I'll go home with you.
You'll come home with me as well after I've killed him!
Kill him!
What are you doing?
If you kill him, I'll disfigure myself and then take my own life.
Not only will you lose me
but I'll bring great disgrace to the Yuan family!
Don't...
Back off!
Do you hear me?
Step back!
You have to understand...
I'm only going back with him for your sake.
Go!
Don't forget what you said to me!
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty and Your Highness should get some rest.
I'll step aside.
Who could have known that our trip to Ye City would end in such a way?
Fortunately, it was just a scare.
We managed to save all the scholars.
When Zhong Da and I were in Wen County
the political situation was just some topic we discussed.
In the capital, the political situation was but a gamble against Cao Cao.
Only when I left both places could I see clearly
what the real world is like.
What does the world seem like to Your Majesty now?
Honestly, although Cao Cao is our enemy
the capital is 1,000 times stronger than Yuan Shao's Ye City.
If it were Yuan Shao who governed the nation
I really can't imagine what it would be like.
But now, only Yuan Shao can stand up against Cao Cao.
We'll still need his help.
You're right.
I understand that.
Besides, even if you've saved Cao Pi, Cao Cao won't show us any mercy.
I'll head over to Guandu.
Are you going to see Yuan Shao?
I promised Zhong Da that I'd bring Sister Tang back to him.
You just left Ye City in a huge mess.
Do you think he'd treat you kindly if you went to him now?
I'm going there now because of that.
I want him to know who he is up against.
All right.
I'll go with you.
No, I'll need you to handle a matter for me.
You have to take these scholars back to the capital.
I definitely would like you to come with me.
However, Zhong Da has gone over to Cao Cao's camp.
If we don't settle these scholars in--
I understand. Don't bother explaining.
I know that you wouldn't want me to take risks with you.
All right.
I'll help you settle these scholars back in the capital
so you won't have to be worried.
However, you must also remember what you said.
I'm looking forward to the day you succeed
and we announce the truth to the world with our heads held up high.
Zhong Da!
Zhong Da, you've woken up?
How do you feel?
Here, have some water.
I'm fine. I'll live.
How long have I been sleeping?
A whole day and night.
Here.
Thank you, Second Young Master.
This is nothing compared to you having saved my life.
I'm just doing what I should.
I know that you're not helping me because you want to
but because you promised His Majesty to get me home safely, right?
But you still ended up saving me.
I feel truly bad about it.
Will you keep this on your mind?
You saved me and I'll never forget it.
Forget it.
It's to repay you for saving me in the Ye City Guards' Office.
We'll call it even.
I never thought that I could have such a straightforward conversation with you.
All right, I'll be even more straightforward with you.
I'd like you to serve under me as my adviser and assist me.
Aren't you concerned that His Majesty and I could have planned
to dismantle the Cao family?
I am.
However, in comparison to your miraculous wit and foresight
none of that matters.
My father has Libationer Guo at his side.
You're just as resourceful as he is.
With your assistance, we can surely attain a reputation
that will leave our names in history.
We can put an end to such turbulent times.
You seem to have forgotten that new clothes are better than old ones
but old friends are better than the new ones.
Consider if His Majesty and I were acquainted in the past.
Why would I forsake my old sword to serve a new master?
There's great diversity in this world.
Everyone has his or her own path to follow.
His Majesty has already made his choice.
As smart as you are, Zhong Da, do you not know which path to follow?
I definitely know my own path.
All right.
There's no rush at all.
Let's go!
Take me back to my father's camp.
You can see for yourself
if the Cao family truly is the enemy of the Sima family.
[Yuan Shao's military base]
Greetings, Master.
[Yuan Shao, courtesy name Ben Chu]
Tang Ying.
What do you have to say for yourself?
The world's swiftest sword would actually succumb to a feudal lord.
Tang Ying!
Mind your identity.
My identity?
I'm the daughter of a prestigious family in Yingchuan Commandery.
The former empress of Great Han.
Princess Consort of Hongnong.
Do you think you can forget your past as a West Garden Guard?
Tang Ying.
I was the one who gave you everything you have now.
What is it?
You've only spent a few years in the capital
and you think that you're fully fledged to leave the nest?
Guards!
Hold on!
You promised me...
only I can take the lives of Dongfang Chun's disciples!
If I kill one for you, won't that save you the trouble?
No!
I'll defeat Dongfang Swordsmanship with my own sword!
Tang Ying's life already belongs to me!
Master!
This won't be necessary.
Even the Ye City Guards' Office can't keep her locked up.
How can I feel at ease keeping her by my side?
That's how a true West Garden Guard should behave.
Tang Ying, as long as you behave and obey my orders
I'll be sure to give you the antidote.
Convey my orders.
Step up our security measures!
Take precaution against the ambush of Cao Cao's army!
Yes!
It's you?
General Chunyu.
How have you been?
Wait right here.
I'll report this to my master.
General, you were defeated.
Perhaps, Grand Commandant Yuan might blame you for it.
As the envoy of the imperial family
I might act as a trophy to save you from any punishment.
My master might actually kill you!
Move it!
I want to see Grand Commandant Yuan.
Why would Grand Commandant Yuan have time to meet a spy?
Move along.
I'm the envoy of the imperial family.
I'm here acting upon the orders of the emperor.
Does Grand Commandant mean to scoff at the emperor by doing so?
They really do think highly of me.
They assigned you to guard me.
[Guandu]
Slow down.
Hang in there!
Here!
Here, I'll help you.
Check to see if anyone else is alive!
Take the useless ones away!
Swiftly by night we go, over unburied piles of bones.
What a bloody battle.
I, Zhang Xiu, acted upon orders to serve as the vanguard.
I'm busy with my official duties and I dare not back down.
Busy with official duties and you dare not back down, indeed.
If your 10,000 cavalrymen of Western Liang were by your side
there probably wouldn't be as many casualties right now.
Libationer Guo transferred them away for other purposes.
Registrar Yang, what are you laughing at?
I'm laughing at you, General.
You don't even know that death is knocking at your door.
Registrar, don't make such shocking remarks.
It will affect the army's morale.
There's a blood feud between you and Duke Cao for killing his son.
However, Duke Cao took you in.
Why is that so?
That's enough.
Fall into rank! Set out!
General, you hope to establish yourself in such turbulent times.
Why aren't you afraid that Duke Cao would seek revenge?
Isn't it all because of your cavalry of Western Liang?
Look at the weak remnants of this army.
General.
Don't you miss your 10,000 elite cavalrymen?
General, do give this a thought.
Once a ferocious tiger is removed of its claws and fangs
what will become of it?
You mean to say that Guo Jia wants to kill me?
He won't.
Wen He is around.
Jia Xu?
Give this some thought.
Ever since you defected to Cao Cao
has Jia Xu done anything to your advantage?
Registrar Yang, what's your intention in driving a wedge between me and Wen He?
I'm only saying that the outcome of this game's current round
has yet to be decided.
General, if you trust me, you have nothing to lose.
[Cao Cao's military base]
Who dares to trespass into the military base?
How impudent. Don't you even recognize me?
Second Young Master?
Did Minister Cao summon you here?
Did you run into bandits on your way here?
Why do you look so haggard?
That young master is--
My benefactor.
Take me to my father. Lead the way.
Yes!
My father was recommended to an official post by your father.
We're considered family friends.
He must be very happy to see you.
Duke Cao has much to handle every day.
He might not have the time to see me?
It's not like that.
My father treats scholars and men of talent kindly.
If any renown scholar defects to him
he'll stop eating or washing his hair just to meet them.
My father might be dignified, but he's candid and easygoing.
The strategists he keeps are his subjects but more like his close friends.
You'd surely get along with him.
You haven't seen Duke Cao in a long time, have you?
You're right.
I went to the battlefield with him when I was six years old.
Then I settled down in the capital, and I haven't seen him for two years now.
Duke Cao has entrusted an important task to you.
But we're now finally in Guandu.
Father!
[Cao Zhi, courtesy name Zi Jian] Second Brother?
Zi Jian?
Where is Father?
Father went out with Libationer Guo and has yet to return.
Pi, what brings you here?
I've missed you both.
Answer me.
Have you seen His Majesty?
His Majesty?
No.
Isn't His Majesty in the capital?
Pi, this is...
I'm Sima Yi of Wen County, Henei Commandery.
Are you actually Sima Zhong Da?
Libationer Guo has complimented you.
Have you been managing military affairs for Father these days?
Yes, Libationer Guo was in the capital some time ago.
I'm worn out from handling so many military affairs.
Fortunately, he's returned.
Zi Jian, you've really grown up now that you're sharing Father's burdens.
It's really tense here in Guandu.
All I hope is not to make any mistakes.
You've very clever. You'll do just fine.
Zhong Da, you must be tired.
Get some rest soon.
We'll discuss with my father about His Majesty when he returns.
Are you worried that you'd be reprimanded by your father
for losing track of His Majesty's whereabouts?
Or are you worried about...
the Fourth Young Master. Cao Zhi, Cao Zi Jian.
I've always heard that
Minister Cao is exceptionally fond of Fourth Young Master.
Today, I saw him handling important military affairs
with the Minister of Works' seal.
Minister Cao's favoritism wouldn't have landed him in such a trusted position.
Sima Yi.
Don't try to drive a wedge between me and my father or brother.
You want to recruit me as your strategist.
Is it just to plan family dinners for your brothers?
I don't wish to vie against my brother.
You knew this day would come.
You just didn't expect this day to come so soon.
If you don't wish to resort to arms against your brother
you'll have to start planning ahead now.
What do you think I should do?
That's simple.
Make Minister Cao realize
who the best candidate is for managing this military base.
Do you have a plan?
Even if Cao Zhi is some prodigy, he's still very young.
He's still very inexperienced.
There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers here in the camp.
There are all sorts of things going on
so it's not that hard to find a few loopholes here and there.
Are you willing to help me?
I can't come to Guandu without doing anything, can I?
That fellow is quite remarkable.
He didn't eat, drink, or use the restroom for a day.
He endures it really well.
He's asking for trouble.
Master definitely has ways to tackle him.
This...
How can this be?
These should be rations!
How could they become sand?
What do you have to say to that?
Second Young Master, I'm innocent!
Fourth Young Master, you inspected all of the rations with Libationer Guo!
You must uphold justice for me!
How impudent!
The rations turned into sand inside your granary.
You're the rations officer.
You obviously stole the rations that were in your care!
How dare you make my fourth brother and Libationer Guo take the blame?
Who are you to be so bold?
I'm innocent!
Fourth Young Master, I'm innocent!
Are you innocent?
Fine.
I'll get Libationer Guo to come here now.
Let's see what he has to say.
Ask Libationer Guo to come over.
Yes!
Libationer Guo.
Young masters, what has happened?
Libationer Guo, save me!
Save me!
As the rations officer, he swapped the rations with sand.
It's a crime and a dereliction of duty.
He even dares to blame Cao Zhi for not supervising well.
He's too outrageous.
I didn't!
Fourth Young Master, are you aware of this matter?
This was due to my negligence.
Fortunately, Pi found out in time.
It's no wonder that I've heard our men complain
about the cut-back in rations since I got here.
It turns out that we have a mole among us.
He's the one!
- It must be him! - Kill him!
It's no wonder we haven't had enough to eat these days.
Our rations were actually embezzled!
Exactly!
If our rations are gone, the war...
how are we supposed to fight?
Exactly! How are we to fight?
We're not going to fight in the war!
We're not going to fight!
We won't fight in the war!
We won't fight! How are we to fight without any rations?
We can't appease the soldiers if we don't kill him for such a crime!
- Kill him! - Kill him!
Yes, kill him!
I see.
We can't appease the soldiers if we don't kill him for such a crime.
Libationer Guo, I'm innocent.
You should know that I--
Today, I'll just have to borrow your head.
Duke Cao will look after your wife and children.
I...
I kowtow in gratitude to Libationer Guo!
You stole from rations in your care and affected the army's morale.
You should be beheaded according to the law.
- Drag him out to be beheaded! - Yes!
I don't want to die...
I don't want to die!
Libationer Guo, what do you mean?
Nothing.
Young masters, do head back first.
I'll take my leave.
Second Young Master!
Second Young Master.
Libationer Guo, what advice do you have?
Ambition can act as a motivation.
It helps one broaden one's horizons and display one's talents.
However, once anyone gets overly ambitious
even the most talented of all men can fall from grace.
Second Young Master.
Look out for yourself.
Young Master Yang.
How have you been?
Sima Yi?
Didn't you mess Ye City up badly enough?
You've even come to stir up trouble right under
Cao Cao and Guo Jia's nose?
You're seeking your own doom by doing so.
How is that so?
I haven't left this tent since I got here.
Cao Cao is running low on rations.
In order to keep the army's morale up
Guo Jia filled bags of sand in place of rations.
Yet you made use of Cao Pi's ambition to hoax him into
exposing his father's little tricks.
The army is now in a panic.
Only you, Sima Zhong Da, are capable of such a feat.
Young Master Yang.
I've only been here for a bit.
How would I know that Cao Cao was running low on rations?
The rations that Guo Jia had sent from the capital
were burned on the way for no reason.
Sima Yi.
Do you think that I don't know who was behind it?
But why would I do so?
Why wouldn't you for the sake of your Yi He?
Fortunately, we're at least on the same side
in terms of protecting His Majesty.
And if we weren't?
Would you also kill me?
That's what you said.
There's nothing I don't dare to do for the sake of Yi He.
Or won't do.
Tell me.
How are you going to deal with Cao Cao?
I don't know.
You'd better start thinking now.
Guo Jia will come looking for you very soon.
Hold on!
Can you tackle Zhang Xiu?
I already did.
In terms of manipulating Cao Pi, I'd need to make use of Zhang Xiu.
- Young Master Sima. - What is it?
This is from Libationer Guo.
He said that it's a welcoming gift.
Open it.
Who is this?
Have you brought the wrong gift?
This is Cao Cao's rations officer.
Young Master Yang.
We meet again.
It's no wonder that Yuan Shao refused to meet the envoy of the imperial family.
Mister Fei, you already got here.
I can guess what you have to say to Duke Yuan.
Duke Yuan just suffered a defeat at White Horse Slope.
You're going to hoax him into cooperating with the imperial family?
First, it was Tang Ying who rebelled.
Then, you stirred up trouble in Ye City.
The imperial family's purpose is solely to gain benefit
when Cao Cao and Duke Yuan grapple with each other.
Is Princess Consort Tang safe?
Whoever betrays Duke Yuan deserves to be killed.
I'd quite like to know if your friendship really is that strong
or if the imperial family has no one else they can use.
Is Princess Consort Tang safe?
She's in another tent just like you.
You'd dare to openly insult the envoy of the imperial family
and Princess Consort Tang.
This is as good as publicly rebelling against the Han Empire.
Who are you to suppress Cao Cao in the name of the emperor?
The emperor?
The emperor is but an excuse that anyone can use.
Please come on out, Young Master Yang.
Have a bit more to eat.
Get fed before we send you off to the netherworld.
If not, they might say in the netherworld
that we've mistreated the imperial family.
I want to see Grand Commandant Yuan.
Once you're fed, Duke Yuan will see you.
I can ensure you that he's the last person you'll see before you die.
I didn't know that you'd be so scared of me.
You?
You're but a pawn that the imperial family sent out
to mess up the game.
I do pity that emperor of yours.
Whoever wins this battle
it doesn't concern the imperial family.
Your emperor really was born into the wrong times.
He was born to be the last reigning emperor.
You don't actually care who wins this battle.
You want to use Yuan Shao to your own advantage.
You're using him as a tool to seek revenge on Guo Jia.
You could sacrifice Yuan Shao's chances in ruling the world
just to seek your revenge.
What a pity.
You wield Yuan Shao's 200,000 soldiers and yet, you're no match for Guo Jia.
You're still losing every battle.
Guo Jia?
Guo Jia is just lucky!
I'm using our trivial defeats to lure Cao Cao and Guo Jia into my trap.
Cao Cao is running low on rations.
He's eager to win.
He's bound to resort to extreme measures.
I've already prepared a banquet for him.
You're going to lure Cao Cao with your rations
and then wipe him out in one feat?
However...
Cao Cao is suspicious by nature.
You want him to take a risk and bite into your hook.
You'll need bait he can trust.
Who will you send into Cao Cao's camp?
You've brought Xu You to Guandu.
I guess... it must be Xu You?
He was once a fellow student of Cao Cao's.
He's also a convict.
Now that he's absconded to avoid punishment
he's the best candidate to defect to Cao Cao.
Who knew that there was still someone as clever as you in the imperial family?
I now find it a pity to kill you.
But then, guess what?
You resembled Guo Jia too much when you were so arrogant
and so full of yourself just now!
It disgusts me!
How I wish I can kill you now!
I've had my fill.
I also drank my fill.
I've heard the stories.
May I get going now?
What an envoy of the imperial family you are!
You threw the camp at the White Horse Slope into chaos.
Then you messed Ye City up.
How dare you walk right into my military base?
You're really courageous.
Do you know what your actions resemble?
You don't behave like an envoy of the imperial family.
But more like one of Cao Cao's men.
Thank you for the compliment, Grand Commandant Yang.
Since Grand Commandant Yang and Cao Cao launched the war
you've lost every favorable condition for battle.
The emperor is worried about the battle.
Therefore, he's sent me here to assist Grand Commandant Yang.
If you choose to kill me now
you'll even lose the last pawn you can use against Cao Cao.
Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo manipulated His Majesty.
His Majesty has long been under their restraint.
Although he has no territory and army of his own
when it comes to bragging...
he did improve quite a lot!
Duke Yuan.
We have elite soldiers and sufficient rations in Hebei.
There are plenty of strategists.
There are at least thrice the amount of Cao Cao's.
Even if we play it safe, we can't possibly be in any danger?
Our army has crossed the Yellow River and taken over Wuchao's fortress.
Cao Cao has retreated again and again.
Why would we need assistance from the imperial family
who holds no army at all?
Do you really think...
that you've fooled Cao Cao with those tricks?
It seems that the feudal lords are still daydreaming.
You still want to have the last word even when death knocks at your door.
Master.
He is, after all, the envoy of the imperial family.
We should treat him politely.
Could we perhaps listen to the emperor's decree first?
Don't bother!
I already have the emperor's secret belt decree.
Cao Cao can no longer claim to act upon the emperor's decree.
That's good enough.
We shouldn't let our morale be affected because of an envoy and a spy.
Behead him.
Master!
The envoy of the imperial family represents the emperor.
You mustn't kill him!
It matters not.
If you really wish to kill me, I have only one request to make.
Have Pan Yang carry out the execution.
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