Subtitles by DramaFever
[Secrets of the Three Kingdoms]
[Episode 53]
Your Majesty, we just received a report of the battle.
Guan Yu flooded Fan City and drowned seven troops.
Cao Cao's general, Yu Jin, was captured.
His entire army was wiped out.
The entire army was wiped out...
Where is Guan Yu now?
Guan Yu is in Fan City.
He's in a stalemate with Cao Ren, who is defending the city.
They are out of rations.
The city is in grave danger.
Guan Yu claimed that he would fight his way up
to the capital to greet the emperor.
How is Cao Cao handling the situation?
Many in his army have suggested several strategies
to relocate Your Majesty to Ye City so as to avoid meeting Guan Yu.
At the moment, Guan Yu is unstoppable.
Local officials surrender at the mere rumor of his arrival.
Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei might set out from Sichuan at the same time
to take down the capital with Guan Yu from both sides.
Eastern Wu Territory might launch their army anytime.
They will form a triangular formation.
Cao Cao hasn't suffered such a huge defeat
since the Battle of the Red Cliffs.
Your Majesty.
If Guan Yu really makes his way up to the north
should we resist or recruit him?
If Cao Cao decides to relocate Your Majesty to Ye City
what should we do then?
As for relocating the capital...
Cao Cao should know that I won't allow him to hold me hostage again
so that won't be a concern.
As for Guan Yu approaching the capital, I don't think that he will.
Cao Cao has Sima Yi.
He won't be at his wit's end.
Draft a decree for me to tell Cao Cao to fend off the enemies at ease.
I will hold down the fort here in the capital.
Although Cao Cao hasn't said this explicitly
it was reported by my scouts that Cao Cao had a relapse of his migraine
and is now gravely ill.
That is our real crisis.
Once Cao Cao dies, Guan Yu will surely...
come down on us with crushing force.
I've heard that many refugees have escaped to the capital recently.
My palace maids and I have worked fervently to make some winter clothes.
Prefect of Xu, please hand them out.
Your Highness, I thank you on behalf of the people of the capital
for making such an effort despite your noble status.
Your Highness, please rest assured that I'll make sure no one
in the capital shall starve or freeze to death.
I, too, would like to thank the empress.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
County Magistrate Liu, go ahead and make the arrangements.
Should there be a shortage in rations or clothes
- feel free to inform me. - Yes.
I'll take my leave.
Your Majesty, you've come over.
Your hands...
You must have hurt them when making the clothes.
It's been tough on you.
I'm very skilled at it now.
It's just a cut from using the scissors too quickly.
It doesn't hurt anymore. It's all right.
But the cut will swell if it gets wet.
Bring my medical kit here.
Yes.
Do you miss King of Wei and the queen?
I don't.
Why don't you come with me to Luoyang tomorrow
to visit King of Wei?
Your Majesty is going to Luoyang?
What's wrong with my father?
King of Wei set out to suppress Guan Yu and stationed his army in Luoyang.
His migraine relapsed and it is fairly severe.
Father...
Why didn't my father inform me?
King of Wei might not want you to worry.
I've been studying the "Book of the Green Salve" recently.
I've improved my medical skills.
I'll head over there to treat King of Wei's illness.
Perhaps, I might be of some help.
Your Majesty, are you going to save my father?
Certainly.
I thought that you hated him.
I understand that as long as your father lives
it's a blessing to the people of the Central Plain.
Cao Ren only has enough rations to last five days.
It's difficult for him to hold the fort.
Xu Huang isn't good enough as his reinforcement.
He has now led the troops to station on the slopes north of Fan City.
The pirates of the Xiang-Fan region have surrendered to Guan Yu.
Should we send out reinforcements
or relocate the emperor in case of unexpected events?
What good suggestions do you have?
This is...
Father.
Is Guan Yu truly invincible?
Is it really impossible to defeat him?
My king.
I have a strategy.
I don't know if I should bring it up.
You've already stepped forward.
Do you think that you shouldn't bring it up?
I think that neither challenging him nor giving up on the battle
is the best choice.
Should we send out reinforcements
we'll fall for Guan Yu's trap to wipe out the reinforcements he lured over.
If we give up on this battle
Jing Province will be Liu Bei's stepping stone to conquer up north.
Once Liu Bei takes over Fan City
it will place our army at a great disadvantage.
If we choose not to fight
but also not to give up
are you going to convince Guan Yu into retreating?
What I mean is that our army won't take on this battle.
Even more skilled in naval battle than Guan Yu
is the Eastern Wu Territory.
Are you saying that we should join forces with Wu against Liu Bei?
Exactly.
We'll let the Eastern Wu Territory go behind Guan Yu.
Some joke this is!
After the Battle of the Red Cliffs, Sun Quan and Liu Bei formed an alliance.
It's good enough that they aren't taking advantage of this situation
to assist Guan Yu.
How can we expect them to fight amongst themselves?
Indeed.
But why didn't the Eastern Wu Territory make use of this opportunity
to assist Guan Yu?
My king.
Guan Yu is stationed in Jing Province.
Liu Bei borrowed it by force from the Eastern Wu Territory.
However, he's never once wanted to return it in the past 10 years.
In the 19th year of the Jian An reign
Lü Meng snuck a surprise attack.
He took the three commanderies, Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang from Guan Yu.
The alliance is merely in name.
Besides, Guan Yu has always been very proud.
Lu Su proposed a marital bond with Guan Yu on behalf of Sun Quan
but he replied
"How can the daughter of a tiger marry the son of a dog?"
If it weren't for Zhuge Liang and Lu Su, who worked hard to maintain the alliance
Sun Quan and Liu Bei would have turned on each other by now.
Now that Guan Yu snuck an attack on Fan City
once he takes the southeastern region
Jing Province will provide Liu Bei with the easiest access
into the Central Plain.
By then...
will Liu Bei still return Jing Province to Sun Quan?
Will Sun Quan allow Liu Bei to grow strong?
I think that if you send out an envoy
who is on friendly terms with Sun Quan to the Wu Territory
and relay my words to them to provoke their generals
Sun Quan is bound to forsake Guan Yu and defect to you instead.
If Sun Quan sneaks an attack on Jing Province
and cuts off their escape route
Guan Yu will surely retreat.
I think that Sima Yi's strategy will work.
Good...
This is a strategy that surpasses any other in history.
Yet it actually came from a young marshal who joined the army for the first time.
If there's anything I've failed to take into consideration
please punish me for it.
My army of 100,000 men launched this battle to end up making you famous.
Cao Pi!
Yes, Father.
As for the envoy to the Wu Territory...
- I'll let you decide! - Yes.
Father!
Leave.
You're all dismissed.
I'll serve the medication to my father.
We'll take our leave.
Your wits stirred wind and rain.
Your strategy made gods and ghosts weep.
Fortunately, you were present today.
Otherwise, no one would've known what to do.
King of Wei would have come up with this strategy
even if I didn't suggest it.
He's just testing his officials.
Didn't you still outshine them all in the end?
My father will surely hold you in high regard after this victory.
It's from today onward that your name will go down in history.
There are many chances that I'll be recorded in history
for my numerous notorious deeds.
Zhong Da, do you wish to be an evil subject, an obsequious subject
or a treacherous one?
It depends on what sort of a king you wish to be, Crown Prince.
Your Highness is my monarch.
I am your subject.
I don't get to choose.
It doesn't matter if you're evil or obsequious
as long as you're my subject.
With your assistance, I'll be able to fulfill my wishes.
I'm now getting closer to fulfilling my wish.
Yet I still worry about who you pledge your heart to.
Your Highness, you're a man of great vision.
How can you sound so childish?
What you need is a strategist.
If he's useful, put him to use.
If he's useless, kill him.
Why would you care about his heart?
You should know by now.
He's coming to Luoyang.
Indeed.
For six years, the dragon has lain low in the abyss
and it soars high into the sky with one leap.
Amidst the wind and thunder, Zhong Da, how will you choose?
When two strong powers go against each other
neither you nor I can escape unscathed.
His Majesty arrives!
- Greetings, Your Majesty. - Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Greetings, Your Highness. - Greetings, Your Highness.
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Father!
Father.
Jie...
What brings you here?
Mother told me that you missed me.
Therefore, I came here with His Majesty.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
His Majesty said that he can cure you of your illness.
Father, do you still remember?
His Majesty is very skilled in his medical practice.
Let him take a look.
I have a way to cure King of Wei.
I'll thank Your Majesty in advance.
May I ask... what remedy do you have?
I'll open up King of Wei's skull to remove the tumor.
How will you open it?
Hua Tuo wrote in his "Book of the Green Salve"
that first, the patient has to drink the anesthetic decoction
to lose consciousness so as to not feel any pain.
Next, the skull is opened up with a blade by dissecting along the fenestra.
Your Majesty, do you know that someone once told me of such a treatment?
He was killed by me.
I know about it.
It was the miraculous doctor of our times, Hua Tuo. What a shame.
Your Majesty, are you trying to save me...
or kill me?
I had both of those ideas in mind once.
However, I'm now just a doctor who is looking at a patient.
I just want to cure him.
Jie and Pi... leave us.
I have a few words to say to His Majesty.
Father.
His Majesty truly wishes to save you.
All right.
You're so lovely.
Your Majesty must have known that I don't have much longer to live.
Yes.
Therefore, why don't you let me give it a try, King of Wei?
It's such a pity.
It was so beautiful in Luoyang this year with the heavy snowfall.
When spring came, the plum blossoms bloomed.
But I won't be able to heat green plums in wine with Your Majesty
and talk about the heroes of the world.
I know that you and Liu Bei warmed wine while discussing about heroes.
In my mind, I think that you've spent all your life fighting battles
to unify the Central Plain.
You deserve to be named a hero.
Who could have known?
Your Majesty actually appraises me so.
I've told you.
The only heroes of the world are me and Liu Bei.
I've also said that should I have a son, he should be like Sun Quan.
At that time...
I thought that the two of them were my greatest enemies.
Who knew...
the greatest and most fearsome enemy of my lifetime...
I've been keeping by my side.
That's not me.
All these years...
you've played the role too well.
My eyes are blurry from old age, so I nearly forgot.
My head doesn't hurt so much after having a laugh with Your Majesty.
I also wish to talk to King of Wei in an upfront and honest way.
King of Wei, do you still regard me as your enemy now?
You are my enemy.
In such turbulent times, feudal lords only care about dividing the nation.
Even those officials of yours
have only the ambition to govern a region
separated from Sun Quan and Liu Bei by Yangtze River.
And I, by Yellow River.
Only you...
You have unification in mind.
You care about the people.
That silly ideal of yours has won you so many great men of talent.
Those scholars...
Cui Yan...
Kong Rong...
There was also Xun Yu.
Every one of them...
They were the ones I couldn't win over even if I stooped down to their level.
How are you not my strongest opponent?
What about your aspirations?
Are you like the feudal lords or me?
King of Wei, collaborate with me just this once.
Pacify the nation.
The gods probably won't give me the chance to do so.
Your Majesty said it once.
Kill me... or collaborate with me.
You had considered both.
Human desires are dangerous.
The mind can change in a split moment.
I have too much to doubt.
That's such a shame.
It's such a shame...
If I were 10 years younger...
how could we not unify this beautiful nation
if we worked hand in hand?
I also hope for such a day.
Such a day matters more than our powers and even our lives.
There is only so much that one can do.
Your Majesty, you should head back.
If you're here...
I won't feel at ease.
The greatest regret of my life...
is not being able to collaborate with you.
It's also the regret of all living beings.
King of Wei, take care.
Your Majesty.
How did it go?
I'll try to persuade Father.
I thank Your Majesty on behalf of my father.
However, I already knew what my father's decision would be.
I have a question for you.
Your Majesty, please ask away.
After the King of Wei passes away, what is your plan?
As a son, I dare not consider that yet.
As intelligent as you are, I'm sure that you've thought about it.
It's filial of you if you sway not from your father's aspirations.
King of Wei also said that if he were 10 years younger
the nation would be unified if he were to collaborate with me.
I find it a pity for Your Majesty and my father.
You're remarkable.
If Cao Cao manages to defeat Guan Yu, you deserve all the credit for it.
Didn't Your Majesty see it?
I've moved up the ranks smoothly and just got promoted again.
Zhong Da.
Yi He.
It's been such a long time.
You're such a fool...
How dare you even come to Luoyang?
Don't you fear death?
I have you here.
They can't hurt me.
Nor will they dare to hurt me.
I really came here in hopes of saving Cao Cao.
Yi He.
Sometimes, you can't save someone just because you wish to.
As long as Cao Cao lives
the imperial family and the Cao family can remain at peace with each other.
You know better than I do just how much time Cao Cao has left.
How are your preparations?
There are about 50,000 soldiers in the capital's garrison.
We have 100,000 men in the militia from Shouchun to Fan City.
Many officials have written secretly to pledge allegiance to me.
Guan Yu flooded and drowned seven troops.
He had wiped out many of Cao Cao's leading generals.
My men have the chance to be promoted.
I should be able to control the southeastern region.
Your men?
We haven't seen each other for a long time
and you talk quite differently now.
I just hope that I won't let you down
for the sacrifice you made dwelling in the tiger's den.
What have I got to sacrifice?
Here I am living a life of great prosperity.
I'm waiting to mark my name in history!
By the way...
Here, take it.
What is this?
Here's another bargaining chip for your men.
Back in those days when Cao Cao fought across the nation
he relied on the Yellow Turban Army that surrendered to him in Qing Province.
This army has always been split up.
They answer only to Cao Cao.
Now that Cao Cao is critically ill, this army has begun to waver.
They are all willing to pledge allegiance to the imperial family.
This... is a list of their names.
This is Cao Cao's personal army.
It's too dangerous for you to plot such a scheme.
Yi He.
450,000 soldiers.
Is this enough for you to fight against Cao Cao?
Yes.
Head back and get ready for it.
You insist upon morality and justice.
I have the wisdom in fighting.
Being here brings me excitement.
Be careful.
You're on your own now.
Zhong Da--
This is confidential.
Your Majesty.
The alliance army of Cao Cao and Sun Quan had a sweeping victory.
The Eastern Wu Territory had Guan Yu killed
and sent his head to Cao Cao.
It went exactly as he predicted.
Guan Yu was a hero of our times.
I conferred him as the Marquis of Hanshou Village
but sadly, he was never the general of the imperial family.
Such an era is too cruel for heroes.
I've also made some inquiries.
Sun Quan wrote in his letter to Cao Cao that the gods favor the King of Wei.
Cao Cao won't do so.
He won't be able to do so anymore.
Long live King of Wei!
How valiant, King of Wei!
We defeated Guan Yu in one single feat
and got rid of the danger in Jing Province once and for all.
You deserve to take credit for it.
We only won because King of Wei devised a great strategy.
I wouldn't dare take credit for the the favor of the gods.
However, I have to offer you a word of advice.
Don't hold any celebration.
You must ask the king to bury Guan Yu as a marquis rightfully should be.
Why?
Can't you tell?
King of Wei admires Guan Yu.
Now that Guan Yu is dead, the king isn't actually pleased about it.
Long live King of Wei!
How valiant, King of Wei!
Father!
Anyone?
Father!
Your Majesty.
The army of 300,000 men in Qing Province chose to rebel against Cao Pi.
Cao Pi is unable to suppress them.
This is a great opportunity that rarely comes by.
Including our army
although we might not outnumber Cao Cao's soldiers
Your Majesty has won the people over.
I have the confidence to take on this battle!
What about the Cao family? What news have you heard?
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Urgent report from Luoyang.
Cao Cao's third son, Cao Zhang
just set out from Chang'an with 100,000 men.
He's likely to vie against Cao Pi for the throne.
Cao Pi is sandwiched between internal and external strife.
Even if we can't take back the Central Plain
we can still stand up to the Cao family as an equal rival
and defend half of our nation!
We'll then have a chance to restore the imperial family to power.
What about Sun Quan and Liu Bei?
They should have been informed of Cao Cao's death by now.
What will Sun Quan do?
What will Liu Bei do?
If you were Sun Quan and Liu Bei, what would you have done?
I'd definitely seize this opportunity to launch an attack.
Cao Pi's ability and prestige are way beneath Cao Cao's.
When can we attack if not now?
Once Cao Pi is caught in between the internal and external strife
don't we stand an even better chance at winning?
Assemble our armed forces.
Lead the army up north.
If Sun Quan and Liu Bei send out their armies at the same time
will we be able to fend them off?
Cao Ren will defend against the Eastern Wu Territory.
Xiahou Shang will fend off Liu Bei.
We can only keep them away for as long as possible.
Cao Zhang will soon arrive with his 100,000 men.
That's the pressing matter at hand.
Send Chen Qun to meet Cao Zhang.
If he withdraws his army obediently and attends the funeral
I'll confer him as prince.
If he dares to launch an attack during my father's funeral
I'll have him skinned.
Yes.
Should you send Xiahou Dun along?
He's an elder, after all.
He will be able to intimidate Third Young Master.
What about us?
Cao Ren has been sent to defend against the Eastern Wu Territory.
If we also send Xiahou Dun away
who will be here to lead the armed forces of Luoyang?
Do you still want another army of Qing Province to rebel?
My king, there is a priority in every matter.
Are you trying to send away all of my confidants
so that he can benefit from it?
The rebellion of Qing Province's army...
The rebellion of Cao Zhang...
Were you behind all of that?
My king, don't you trust me?
Do I have the ability to provoke Sun Quan and Liu Bei into attacking us now?
He and I will soon be engaged in a huge battle.
Whose side are you on?
The victor's.
My king, do appease your anger.
You're right.
The loser will come to a ghastly end.
However, if I am the one to lose
I'll kill you to be buried with me.
That would be my utmost honor.
I finally understand.
My enemy at hand isn't Sun Quan, Liu Bei, or Cao Zhang.
I want to see him.
Convey my orders.
Assemble an army of 300,000 men.
Head down south to the capital.
Yes, my king!
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