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[Secret of the Three Kingdoms]
[Episode 42]
When Libationer Guo passed away
I was concerned that his death would affect the army's morale.
Therefore, I didn't dare to hold a funeral for him.
Libationer Guo could only make do with being buried here hastily.
Father, please punish me.
"Whose land is the mugwort village?"
"It gathers souls and spirits of the wise and the fool."
"If this turns out to be the way we die"
"why bother talking about the truth of life?"
Even if we exhaust the nation's resources to hold him a funeral
how will that make up for my regret...
and pain?
Feng Xiao...
When we parted...
you said that there was much to tell me when I returned.
Why...
Why couldn't you wait until I returned?
Before Libationer Guo passed away
he left Father many strategies in governance and war.
Libationer Guo gave it his all until the very end.
Before passing away
he still drafted a strategy for Father to attack the Wu Territory.
I saw Feng Xiao as more...
than just a military strategist.
Before Feng Xiao passed away...
what else did he say?
Libationer Guo hoped that you could collaborate with His Majesty.
Is there anything else?
Libationer Guo left us a pouch.
What is in the pouch?
A strategy to defend the city.
From today onward...
the one who knew me the best...
the one who could best answer my doubts...
is no more.
Feng Xiao, I mourn for you.
Feng Xiao, I pity you.
Feng Xiao, I... ache for you.
Your Majesty, we welcome you upon your victorious return!
Long live the emperor!
His Majesty actually followed them to the battlefield.
He didn't just tag along.
I heard that the battle was won under His Majesty's command.
It was said that His Majesty was too young and incompetent.
Shush! You mustn't say that so casually!
If it weren't for His Majesty
how could we have defeated the Xianbei Tribe?
Even Minister Cao could have been trapped outside the Great Wall.
Does that mean His Majesty is even more remarkable than Minister Cao?
That's hard to say.
It's good that His Majesty is capable now.
We finally get to enjoy some peace.
Who would want a change in dynasties?
Exactly. Long live the emperor.
Long live the emperor!
Your Majesty, look.
The people now know of Great Han's emperor.
Ying!
Sima Yi!
Why have you returned so early?
I knew you'd be waiting.
I told His Majesty that I had to get changed
so I rode quickly to get here.
Haven't you already made me dinner?
They haven't started cooking the hot dishes yet.
It's all right.
You're covered in dirt.
Your hands are dirty.
Your hands are clean. Feed me.
Wait here.
What is it?
You can't bear to see your husband's gorgeous face stained, can you?
You're still just as frivolous even after fighting in a battle.
It's exactly because I've been to the battlefield
and witnessed deaths, blood, and bones
that I felt all the more content to lead a frivolous life.
How nice it is to have someone waiting for me.
You used to be the one waiting for me.
I finally got to wait for you this time.
I then realized how it feels to be the one waiting.
I've been away for a month or two.
When I came in and saw you sitting right here
this place suddenly felt like home.
Come here.
Get me changed into clean clothes.
I have to go to the palace with Yi He to meet someone.
You have to wait until I return.
Was it a landslide victory this time?
Definitely.
The nomads had the city besieged and we couldn't send any messages in.
I sent out a couple of smaller troops to attack the enemies' central troop
to confuse them into thinking that our main forces arrived.
You see, that nomadic commander knew nothing about the art of war.
He deployed half of the troops encircling the city to tackle me.
That was how Yi He won so easily.
How is it?
Isn't your husband remarkable?
I somehow think that you're much happier storming the battlefields
than idling around aimlessly in Wen County.
Why don't I take you with me to the battlefields?
I don't want to.
You heard about Pan Yang, didn't you?
Actually...
it isn't that I'm upset about my senior.
He had been burdened by his hatred and vengeance.
It was too much for him to bear.
The best way a warrior can end up is dying while fighting chivalrously.
How can you say so?
I'm your best and happy ending.
Understood?
You're so pretty when you smile.
All right now.
I have to get changed.
We'll have dinner together when I return from the palace.
Tell them to cook a few more dishes with meat.
How lovely.
I'll head inside.
Look at him.
I must have embarrassed myself.
A couple of months away at the frontier
is enough to starve the emperor into behaving like this.
It's actually quite nice to endure hunger.
Not knowing how starvation feels, I didn't appreciate the taste of food
the preciousness of sowing and reaping
and even more, the hardship of my people.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, this is too overwhelming for me!
Sir, you're worthy of my respect.
The first bow is to thank you for sending the horses.
It's my duty to save the nation and rescue the emperor.
I wouldn't dare accept any gratitude for that.
The second bow is to thank you for keeping my secret.
I'd like to know when you found out about my true identity.
This...
Your Majesty, what did you say?
Zhong Da, Mister Jia knows about it all.
It's because of him that
Libationer Guo no longer misunderstood me.
Everyone knows that you're the son of Emperor Ling and Lady Wang.
As for me...
I knew about this since Your Majesty was born.
Therefore, since you first returned to the capital
you already knew, didn't you?
Master Jia, in the first year of the Yong Han Reign
you were recruited to Luoyang by Dong Zhuo.
You also took part in the restructuring of the palace.
That's why you know so well about the imperial family's secrets.
However...
you told neither Dong Zhuo nor Minister Cao about the secret.
Was this to protect the imperial family?
Mister Jia earned yourself a lifetime of notoriety.
You've endured and put up with all the humiliation
to protect the imperial family secretly.
Someday, I'll revise the historical records.
I'll be sure to clear you of such notoriety.
For those of us who are born into such times
we can't even tell if we really are right or wrong.
We all fought to survive from the intense competition.
The past is long buried in the turbulent times.
It's not worth remembering or praising.
The future belongs to you, the young ones.
Be it an impasse or a chance of survival
it all comes down to how you head down the path.
What are you doing?
His Majesty is in there!
You can't enter without permission!
Who dares to act so impetuously?
Upon the orders of Minister Cao
we're here to arrest Sima Yi on the grounds
of deceiving Minister Cao in an attempt to avoid employment.
I knew it.
Stop right there.
This isn't the place for you to act as you please.
Tell Minister Cao to come and talk to me.
I'm just carrying out orders.
I'd rather die than defy the orders.
Minister Cao said that should Your Majesty blame him
he will accept the blame respectfully.
Take him away!
He actually deceived me.
He said that he'd spare Zhong Da.
Why would he still go after him?
Minister Cao has just raised his blade.
Whether he'll let the blade fall...
That depends on how Your Majesty reacts to his actions.
Why?
Why can't you persuade His Majesty to give up Lulong?
Wouldn't it be better if Cao Cao dies out there at the frontier?
Father, how could you say that?
Doesn't that mean we're abandoning a city of people to the nomads?
I've always thought that you were persistent and clever enough
to make an unswerving judgment.
When have you become so indecisive as well?
Give this a thought.
Between forsaking a city and endangering the imperial family
to face a long-term battle with Cao Cao
which of those two will cost us a smaller loss?
Father, I had also once thought
that I could ignore the sacrifice of innocent lives for the sake of our goal.
I used to tell myself that I was doing so for the nation.
When I saw the people and soldiers, that was when I knew what a nation meant!
Father, I'm their empress.
They trust us and provide for us!
How can we sacrifice so many lives as a form of political trickery?
I...
For your sake... for the both of you, I really...
Father, what were you trying to say?
I wanted to say that you've both disappointed me greatly!
Now that you busied yourself in assisting the others
and helped Cao Cao attain victory
you've exposed your strengths and forces at a glance!
You...
Do you think that Cao Cao will spare you?
Your Highness!
His Majesty asks that Your Highness return to the palace.
Minister Cao has arrested Sima Yi.
Is this how Cao Cao repays you?
Your Majesty.
Where is Minister Cao?
Minister Cao said that he's too occupied with state affairs to come.
He's sent the Second Young Master, Cao Pi, to seek audience.
Cao Pi is now waiting outside the hall.
Your Majesty, will you summon him in?
- Summon him in. - Yes.
Summon Cao Pi into the hall!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Did your father realize that he broke his promise to me
so he can't bring himself to see me?
Your Majesty, please appease your anger.
Your Majesty should know that in terms of merit
Sima Yi can be conferred as a marquis, but his misdeeds can get him beheaded.
He defied my father multiple times.
He's already one of the very few whom my father could tolerate for so long.
My father truly cherishes men of talent for the sake of the nation.
Your father only cherishes the men of talent who offer their services to him.
Let those who comply with me thrive and those who resist me perish.
Is that so?
Your Majesty.
We're in the turbulent times.
My father still has many enemies to subdue.
If we allow someone as talented as Sima Yi to do as he wishes
he'll become a strong opponent against my father, just like Zhuge Liang.
I wish to save Sima Yi.
Therefore, I dare to tell Your Majesty the truth.
Your concern for Sima Yi...
It has become his sin.
Your Majesty can save him once or twice with the public opinion of the gentries
but not a third or a fourth time.
For the sake of Sima Yi, I beseech Your Majesty to let him go.
He's my subject...
yet I have to let go of him so that he can be spared.
In Minister Cao's mind, I'm his greatest opponent, am I not?
It was silly of me to think that we could collaborate.
It seems...
it really was my wishful thinking.
My father gave Sima Yi this chance in hopes of reconciling with you.
Otherwise, Sima Yi is obviously seeking his own doom
by pledging allegiance to Han but serving the Cao family.
Therefore, in order to have Sima Yi released...
my father has listed another condition.
What is it?
Sister Tang.
His Majesty mustn't give in to Cao Cao without drawing a line.
I'll go and save him.
- Are you going to-- - Yes.
I don't take the same risks as you all do.
I'll choose the simplest method.
Break him out of prison. I'll get him out from there.
Then what?
Are you going somewhere far away?
Exactly.
We'll look for a place with beautiful scenery.
A place away from the war.
He can sing the songs and read the books he likes.
I won't have to wield my sword again to take lives.
Wouldn't that be nice?
Sister Tang...
I hope that you can be happy.
The imperial family owes you so much.
However...
as long as Cao Cao lives, you can never return.
The capital is a cage to me.
Apart from the two of you, there's nothing I'll miss about it.
All right.
I'll ask Jia Xu to plant someone inside the prison.
Cui Yan will see to the city guards.
We'll escort the two of you out of here tonight.
Sima Yi!
Zhong Da.
A visitor comes on a cold night.
It's a pity that I don't have any wine to treat you.
Zhong Da, you're just like a dragon or phoenix that soars into the sky.
You shouldn't be here like a tortoise in mud.
You should know how that metaphor came about.
Chu State invited Zhuangzi to become a statesman.
How did Zhuangzi reply?
He'd rather crawl in mud like a tortoise
than be worshipped at the imperial court like a dead tortoise.
As for me, I refuse to become a dead tortoise as well.
However, you're not indifferent and inactive like Zhuangzi.
Zhong Da.
I might not have known you for as long as His Majesty has
but I know you well.
Your talent and ambition will keep you from coveting a simple life.
You're so thrilled to be in the turbulent times and dangerous situations.
It's because your wisdom radiates as if it were a pearl.
Your ambition will tingle as that of a precious sword.
I saw very clearly just how much you enjoyed yourself in Lulong
when restraints were cast aside.
The excitement you can get from power and wisdom...
I understand that.
I'm also the only one who can offer that to you.
Zhong Da...
do you really have no desire for it?
Young Master...
I don't wish to upset you.
If you're still grateful to me for saving your life
tell your father to do some good deeds.
Don't hurt my family.
That's good enough for me.
As for me...
I'll be brutally honest again.
If I were to serve under you
would you dare to employ me?
Would Minister Cao dare to employ me?
If you tell me...
where Yang Ping is, I can then trust you.
You'll have me betray my master before you can trust me.
With this courage...
forget it.
Zhong Da, you're a clever man.
Why would you put up such a useless resistance?
I feel sorry for you.
You surely wouldn't be able to understand.
Zhong Da, are you so sure that His Majesty will be able to save you?
Are the scholars going to make a scene again?
Or...
bribe a skilled warrior to break you out of prison?
Honestly...
If those methods would work
I'd save you even if I'd have to defy my father.
But Zhong Da, this is only going to get you killed.
From then on, you could only remain concealed in the mountains.
You'd have to live anonymously, forsake your ambitions and career.
All you'd see would be boring mountains, rocks, birds, and animals every day.
You'll detest yourself in loneliness and regret.
I don't want you to go through such misery.
You're overly concerned.
If you wish to win Minister Cao over
it's best for you not to speak out of turn like this again.
Do see yourself out.
Zhong Da--
Don't make me behave impolitely.
Please leave.
Zhong Da, please do reconsider.
Take care.
Your Majesty, Your Highness.
I reckoned that the oil must be burning out
so I came to replenish it.
Go ahead.
Is it quiet out there?
Don't worry, Your Majesty. All is well.
Isn't there any news of robbery or fighting at all?
I haven't heard of anything.
What's the matter, Your Majesty?
Nothing.
- You are dismissed. - Yes.
Don't be too worried.
We've already made the arrangements.
Judging by Sister Tang's skills, it should go well.
Do you think that I'll ever get to see Zhong Da again?
When the nation is united again
I'm sure you will meet again.
You are all that I have left now.
Your Majesty, Your Highness.
I've gone and asked around.
All is well at the commandant's office.
Nothing happened last night.
It's good that nothing came up.
Why didn't Sister Tang go there?
Summon Princess Consort Tang!
No.
I'll go instead.
I have to save him as an emperor would.
Dress me up for imperial court!
Dear subjects, you should know by now that the scholar of Wen County
Sima Yi, is imprisoned for avoiding the employment of Minister Cao.
Judging by his misdeed, he should be punished
but he rendered a great merit by coming to my rescue.
I'm torn between punishing and rewarding him.
I'd like to ask you how I should handle this case.
Your Majesty.
Recruiting of talents is initially a way to demonstrate
the imperial court's courtesy to them.
How could we hold an ax and a blade to recruit men of talent?
Xu You cleansed his ears to avoid being recruited by Emperor Yao.
Yan Guang remained in bed to turn down Emperor Guang Wu.
Neither of the wise emperors blamed them at all.
It's said, "Every man has his own ambition."
"Why should you force yours upon him?"
There were hermits even in a prosperous era.
Why would we kill anyone who refuses to be recruited?
If this is recorded in history, won't we become a laughing stock?
Did Sima Yi only avoid recruitment?
He pretended to be disabled to deceive Minister Cao.
That is as good as deceiving the imperial court.
How can we easily forgive anyone who commits lese-majeste?
Your Majesty.
How about this?
Sima Yi rendered a meritorious service.
He, too, has committed a serious offense.
We'll offset his demerit with merit.
Can't we then choose to neither punish nor reward him?
The soldiers deserved the credit for fighting the battle.
Why should a scholar like Sima Yi who holds no official post
take credit for commanding the army?
Uncle!
I can be his witness!
In Lulong, when we were in grave danger
we were only rescued because Sima Yi commanded the army well.
Zi Jian!
Uncle.
Princess Consort of Hongnong arrives!
[The memorial tablet of Prince of Hongnong]
Greetings, Your Majesty.
[The memorial tablet of Prince of Hongnong]
Greetings, Sister-in-law.
I welcome the presence of my brother's memorial tablet.
Your Majesty, do you still remember how Prince of Hongnong passed away?
Never will I forget it.
My brother was poisoned to death by Dong Zhuo.
I regretted that I was too young then to kill that traitor myself
and avenge my brother.
There's an ancient saying.
"The officials would rather die than to see their ruler humiliated."
However, we've even suffered the murder of an emperor of Great Han.
I wonder if the officials here are shocked by it at all.
I wonder if you're ashamed.
Before Prince of Hongnong passed away
he once sang to me.
"Heaven and Earth have changed, why should I suffer so much?"
"I, once the center of all eyes, am driven to the humble."
"Oppressed by an arrogant minister, my life nears its end."
"Now I am leaving you and will go off on the eternal journey."
He also said...
"Protect my younger brother well."
"Do not allow the bloodline of my family to end."
When His Majesty was trapped in Lulong
I only regretted that I was born a woman!
I couldn't head off with my bow and arrow to rescue Your Majesty!
Great Han nearly suffered yet another murder of an emperor.
I wonder if the officials here were shocked by it.
I wonder if you feel ashamed.
Princess Consort attends the imperial court as the grieving widow
to take sides with Sima Yi.
Aren't you worried that rumors might arise?
General Cao!
How dare you disrespect the princess consort?
Indeed.
I do take sides with Sima Yi.
For years, my heart was chilled to the core like burnt ashes.
Before Sima Yi set out to war
I saw him off and rewarded the army without any fear of rumors.
I no longer wish to see another emperor of Great Han
have to flee for his life or be murdered!
If this counts as a misdeed
please punish me as you would punish Sima Yi.
In death, I then shall be able to face my late husband and the ancestors
of Great Han with a clear conscience!
Your Majesty!
No one upon this imperial court is even as noble as a woman!
I've let the ancestors of Great Han down!
400 years of the Great Han Empire actually degenerated as such!
Your Majesty!
There are the Eight Deliberations for those who rendered merits.
Sima Yi rendered a merit that is unrivaled
for rescuing the emperor.
I beseech Your Majesty to pardon Sima Yi!
General Cao Ren.
Young Master Cao Pi.
I have an imperial decree for Minister Cao.
Also...
please inform Minister Cao of the officials' request.
- What say you? - Yes.
What good is Sima Yi to have the princess consort plead on his behalf?
Young Master Yang can express your opinions in the imperial court.
I'm just a subject in the Minister of Works' government.
I don't hold an official post.
I need not attend the imperial court.
However, as an outsider, I'd like to give you a word of advice.
You've used your identity as Prince of Hongnong's widow.
You moved everyone to tears with your affection for Prince of Hongnong.
I'm afraid that whoever marries Your Highness in the future
might be torn to bits by those veteran officials first.
When you were making use of them, did you not consider
that they are also the chains to bind you down?
Young Master Yang, you're still so full of nonsense.
Princess Consort of Hongnong...
I'll spend the rest of my life guarding the late prince's shrine.
Set out.
The chancellor?
Yes.
His Majesty is conferring Father as the Chancellor
for winning the battle against the Wuhuan Tribe.
It's been a century since there's been a chancellor in the Han dynasty.
It's because the chancellor ranks above all other officials
and holds great authority.
He can almost stand up to the emperor.
It's a position that many emperors fear.
If I were to have the authority of a chancellor
Kong Rong and the others would surely fly into a rage.
His Majesty is now offering me a position
that could jeopardize the imperial family
just so he can save a scholar?
Father deserves to be the chancellor for pacifying the northern frontier.
You don't need the recognition of the emperor.
However, since His Majesty means to express goodwill
and the officials have now been incited by Tang Ying
why don't you...
return his favor as well?
You're the one who wishes to keep him, aren't you?
Father...
please believe me this once.
I can certainly control him.
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