Episode 28
You know what you are doing.
Uncle.
Uncle, why do I get such good food in prison?
Don't tell me the king wants to kill me...
and sends you to see me off.
Aren't you fearless?
There are many things in this world...
we can't run away from. - Do you know what the king...
wants you to do? -Yes.
The arrows from General Cao...
enlightened me as well. - So, the most difficult part...
does not lie in the past or the present...
but your devotion to your original objective.
Uncle, have I ever deviated from my original objective?
Good. For this devotion of yours...
I'll drink with you in this safest place today.
I'm old. I can only watch...
as youngsters like you take the risk.
I wish I can live 20 more years...
so that I can see...
a unified China and a strong country.
I don't think 20 years will suffice.
The late king spent 20 years...
and on top of failing to unify China...
he failed to change the government.
Han officials have not died out. Sun Quan refuses to submit to Wei.
The Central Plain is plagued by continuous war.
Some heroes died young.
Now, the king is going to replace Han Dynasty...
and accomplish what the late king failed to do.
This is such a dangerous path.
The slightest negligence will cause insecurity and rebellion.
Sun Quan and Liu Bei will take advantage of it and Wei...
will be doomed. -So, you are in a hurry to...
use the new policies to win the scholar-officials over.
That's not all. Most importantly...
we must make the people wealthy.
If we can make this happen...
even if I die, I predict that...
China will be unified by Wei.
I'm afraid I can't live long enough...
to see the unification.
Come. For your ambition of unifying China...
cheers.
Back then...
when my old home was still around...
I stayed in it for several days...
when I passed by the house...
during my father's expedition in the south.
I planted a few sugarcane in the courtyard.
It's been 20 years.
The sugarcane must be nonexistent now.
My lord, your sugarcane...
grew really well. Back then, the late king...
allowed us to consume them.
I was fortunate to receive a share.
It was so sweet. -Right.
It was really sweet.
Honestly, I've never tasted any sugarcane as sweet as that.
A person who can grow that kind of sugarcane...
must be meant to do great things in the future.
Right!
But, this is not the season of sugarcane.
I brought you all a fruit from another place.
Try it. -Serve the grapes!
I've never seen it before. -It looks pretty.
What is this? -It's so small.
What is this? -Look.
Yes. -It's green.
Look. It's really small. -Yes.
Try one. -Is it ripe?
Me? You try it. -Yes.
Just eat it like this.
Spit the seeds.
It's sweet! It's delicious!
Come. -It's too sweet.
Try it. -It's sweet.
It's really sweet. -Try one.
It's delicious.
20 years ago, Qiao County was almost empty.
I still remember the remnants back then.
Have the houses been reconstructed?
Yes. There hasn't been any war for years.
The people who fled to the mountains came back.
The population tripled.
My lord, it's all thanks to you...
and the late king. -Yes.
Do you all have lands for growing crops?
How is the harvest?
Why is everyone keeping quiet?
Ah Weng. -My lord.
Tell the governor of Qiao County to come and meet me.
Tell him to bring the records.
Yes.
Come. Drink with me.
So, the civilians in Qiao County...
have no lands of their own and they are all tenant farmers.
My lord, this is the ancestral home of Cao Family.
Every general took a piece of land...
to build their ancestral graveyard.
So, there's no extra land for the people.
Even the late king's mausoleum...
is on the western hill in the outskirts.
There is no mound or special landscape.
Whose ancestor needs to sleep in a land of over 100 acres? Speak!
My lord, please calm down.
All of these did not happen overnight.
Leave at once! -Yes.
My lord, Zhang Yin, the emperor's commissionen...
and Zhong Yao came.
These two came at such a good time.
Let him in. -Who?
The emperor's commissioner must be respected. Zhang Yin.
Yes.
Greetings, Your Lordship. Lam Commissioner Zhang Yin.
I came to deliver a decree upon the order of the emperor.
How may I help the emperor? Read it.
Yes.
"God praise King of Wei." "In the past, Emperor Yao...
"abdicated in favour of Shun and Shun did the same for Yu."
"There is no everlasting regime."
“Only the virtuous shall be hailed.“
"Han Dynasty has fallen."
"The disorder is my sin."
"Chaos plagues the world." -Enough. stop.
What is the emperor trying to say?
Congratulations. The emperor is saying that...
you should take over the throne.
I'm young and unworthy.
How can I do something so treacherous?
Your Lordship, this is the right time...
with the right place and right people.
You should accept the offer.
The right time, the right place...
and the right people?
Not necessarily. I'll think about it first.
You may return. -Your Lordship.
But, Your Lordship... -Please return.
Yes.
The king summons Zhong Yao!
Greetings, my lord.
Please rise. -Thank you, my lord.
Mr. Zhong, why are you here instead of guarding Yecheng?
I came to offer three treasures to you.
Three treasures?
Could it be that you found another inscription?
These are impoflant treasures to the country.
No inscription can be more impoflant.
This is my memorial advising to advance.
It looks like you are just the same.
If I'm just the same, I wouldn't have the guts to come.
After seeing the two other things...
you will see my sincerity.
The 10 new policies Sima Yi wrote in the prison.
Sima Yi wants me to stop worrying. -Yes.
But, I really can't stop worrying.
I just checked the record of Qiao County's land registry.
My relatives took possession of over 100 acres of land.
From this, we can tell how bad the situation is.
Can Sima Yi handle them?
My lord, you know Sima Yi better than me.
Life is unpredictable.
What is the third thing?
What is this? -1,000 students of the...
imperial Academy requests for the approval of the new policies.
This shows that the scholar-officials...
and future officials all support the new policies.
They are supporting your new policies.
With support of impoflant officials...
and the scholar-official families...
my lord, all conditions have been met.
It is easy to make laws, but difficult to enforce them.
I do not want to be an emperor for just a day.
Chen Qun and Sima Yi came up with the new policies.
They are the ones who will bear the brunt.
They will fight while you...
win the people's heads.
Criticism...
and fruitless attempt.
Let me see how long the nobles can bear this.
Mr. Zhong Yao, I have another small request.
Please go ahead.
Sima Yi...
shall be...
Yes.
What? He still won't accept it?
I've persuaded him thrice.
I offered to abdicate thrice and he still won't accept it?
What does he want me to do?
Your Majesty, King of Wei keeps rejecting the offer.
I... I have no idea what to do as well.
I know. Tell him that...
I will go to Qiao County and beg him personally.
But... -I'll beg him. Tell him that...
he won't be condemned.
I'll shoulder it all. He should do everyone a favour...
and do me the favour.
Your Majesty, is it appropriate for you to go?
It is if I say so! -Yes.
I'll go at once.
Is it appropriate?
You tell me. Is it appropriate?
Tell me.
I've been the emperor for 30 years.
Have I ever done anything appropriate?
Have I?
Don't you think an emperor like me...
is a little...
unprecedented?
Answer me!
You don't dare to say it. You don't dare to say it to me.
What are you afraid of?
I'm already such a miserable emperor.
I can't even pass my throne to another.
It's unprecedented indeed.
Unprecedented.
At least I am known for something.
My lord, this duck is no ordinary duck.
This is a wild mountain duck of Qiao County.
You can't find it elsewhere.
The taste is so pure...
and the meat is so tender. -Come.
Let me try it. -Try it.
You make it sound so good.
What do you think? -It's delicious.
Ah Weng, try it too. -Thank you, my lord.
Come. Try it. -I dare not.
Your Lordship, the emperor genuinely wishes to abdicate.
The emperor is preparing to depart
Your Lordship, please accept this decree.
It's a long journey.
The emperor has a weak body.
He can't take it. He's the emperor.
"When the ruler orders, do not wait for...
the carriage to be yoked". I'll go to him.
My lord, do we bring our soldiers along?
I don't think we should. - Let's bring less.
How many? -20,000 soldiers.
20,000 soldiers?
We'll frighten the emperor. -Right.
Make it 5,000 soldiers. -5,000?
Fine. 5,000 will do. I obey your command.
Come.
The palace here is too small.
The new palace the late king built for you in Luoyang...
is 5 times bigger than this one.
Father.
You all will stay. I'll go and meet him.
I'll lead soldiers to escort you. -That's unnecessary.
We're different from 20 years ago.
Long live Your Majesty!
I am Cao Pi. Greetings, Your Majesty.
King of Wei, we finally met.
Look. I'm prepared.
Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?
I might not know how to match my capability to my ambition...
but I will definitely not commit insubordination.
Your Majesty, you will make me guilty of treason.
This isn't insubordination. I'm the one...
I'm begging you to accept this. Really.
I waited for so many years.
Your father did not come. But, you came.
I will continue to assist Your Majesty just like my father.
Zi Huan, listen to me.
The two of us are from the same generation.
We're around the same age too. We're like brothers.
Why don't we talk to each other honestly today?
Come with me.
Look at this seat. It's for the supreme ruler.
Who doesn't covet and love it?
The warlords are all fighting for this.
But, they don't know how difficult it is...
to sit on this throne.
I've been treading on thin ice all these years.
I'll be frank, Zi Huan.
I had a dream too when I was young.
I wanted to depend on myself to save Han Dynasty.
What a joke.
If it wasn't for your father, I would have died many times.
I've come to a realization over the years.
The era of Han Dynasty is over.
The loyalty of the people have changed.
The throne should go to Cao Family.
Your father refused to ascend the throne...
"because he was an official of Han.
He could not bring himself to betray Han Dynasty.
But, you're different. You've never sewed Han.
You won't be burdened by the government of Han.
You deserve this.
Zi Huan, I beg of you.
Your Majesty.
Is this really what you think?
This is the most correct thing I have ever done in my whole life.
Alright.
I'll prove to the world that your decision is right.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Long live Your Majesty.
You've lost your throne. What do you desire the most?
What do I desire the most?
I dare not lie to Your Majesty.
I wish to go out and travel.
I wish to travel in this beautiful country...
governed by Your Majesty.
I want to see the mountains and rivers.
I want to see the sunlight shining on the tree branches.
Your Majesty, ever since...
I came to this place during Jian'an Reign...
for 26 years, I've never dared to...
walk out of the palace.
I've only been accompanied by the tall walls and fear.
I was scared, Your Majesty. I wasn't able to sleep at night.
Please look at my hair. If I still don't go out...
I'm afraid...
I'll never be able to go out.
I thank Your Majesty for the sympathy.
If I still have time...
I'd like to pick up some medical skills.
Then, I can be a physician...
and treat a few patients personally...
so that I won't feel like I've lived for nothing.
Your Majesty, I was the emperor for so many years.
But, I've never done anything for the country.
I agree to your request. I install you as Duke of Shanyang.
You can have the whole Shanyang County.
That's a place with a lot of sunlight.
The people are simple and honest. You may...
do as you wish there...
and continue to address yourself as the emperor.
You will still enjoy the privilege of an emperor.
If you want to pick up medical skills...
I'll send a few imperial physicians over.
I am utterly grateful to Your Majesty.
Long live Your Majesty!
From now on...
live for yourself.
I, the new emperor, offer a black ox as sacrifice...
to proclaim to heaven."
Han dynasty has reigned for 24 generations...
and spanned 426 years.
However, the empire has fallen into disarray today.
The ruler of Han has entrusted me...
with the symbolic ritual tools.
Out of fear and respect, I dare not go against my destiny.
As such, I picked the first day of the month...
to pray at the altar to inform the gods in heaven...
and accept the imperial seal.
May the gods grant Wei eternal prosperity...
desired by the people.
Long live Your Majesty!
I know the story of Emperor Shun and Yu the Great.
I summon Sima Yi to read the decree.
Yes.
Isn't he in the prison? -Yes.
The emperor summons Sima Yi, the Vice Censor-in-Chief!
Since the ancient times, a ruler is obligated to...
"advocate moral virtues.
The people shall follow the ruler's guide...
and obey the laws.
Today, I ascend the throne as the ruler of an empire.
The reign title shall be changed from "Yangkang"...
to "Huangchu".
The calendar, colour of robes and flag...
shall all be changed.
Laws and measurement units shall be standardised.
I shall embrace the “Virtue of Earth“...
issue a great amnesty...
and introduce new policies. -New policies.
Zhong Da, I'm going to inspect Luoyang.
Someone has to manage Yecheng.
You and Chen Qun can go back first.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I haven't seen Mr. Chen.
Chen Qun has some other things to handle.
He'll depart tomorrow. You may go without him.
Something good is waiting for you in Yecheng.
What is it?
Zhong Da, don't let me down.
Rest assured, Your Majesty. I'll do my best to manage Yecheng.
I don't dare to be negligent.
Are you in the pink of health lately?
I'm very fit. Thank you for the concern.
Good. Go.
Keep this in mind. Don't turn down my offer.
I will surely guard Yecheng properly.
Yecheng will be secured.
Your Majesty, it's a pity that you've to miss the good drama.
I'd rather stay away and watch from the sidelines.
It's troublesome when you're involved.
Your Majesty, Xiahou Dun and Cao Zhen came.
They came to demand for an explanation.
Should I block them for Your Majesty?
They don't even respect me.
They'll tear you apart
The emperor has arrived!
Uncle, only you and Zi Dan came.
I thought my uncles and brothers will all gather here.
Your Majesty, I've spent half of my life...
in the battlefield.
I might be rude at times. Please forgive me.
Uncle, please stand up. You'll make me feel bad.
Prepare a seat for my uncle. Zi Dan, sit down.
Old General Cao, please sit down.
Zi Dan, do you need me to help you to get up?
Your Majesty, I'd like to ask a question.
If you find it rude...
you can send for punishment tools...
and punish me afterwards.
I know what you want to ask.
We're brothers. If you do this...
you'll make me the bad guy. -As Your Majesty said...
we're brothers. So, why did you keep it from me?
How come I don't know that Sima Yi came from Yecheng?
How come I only learnt about...
the introduction of the new policies in the last minute?
Your Majesty, do you see me as your brother or enemy?
Zi Dan, you're too rude! - Uncle, I know Zi Dan very well.
He's very straightforward. Let him talk.
If you think that I don't deserve to assist you...
please send me to the front line.
Even if I'm just a rankless soldier...
I'm willing to sacrifice my life for Wei.
So, a marquis came and sulked in front of me.
You think I love to implement new policies?
If I don't give the scholar-officials benefits...
how do I gain their support?
With your military power? If you kill one of them today...
they'll condemn you with thousands of brushes tomorrow.
They'll call you a traitor. They'll condemn you for ages.
Soon after Sima Yi proposed the new policies...
the scholar-officials pled for approval together.
If I don't implement the new policies...
those Han officials would have criticised me...
and called for a revolt during my installation today.
Your Majesty, if you were pressured...
why didn't you tell us and let us help you?
Uncle, unless it's the last resort...
I don't want to trouble my family members.
I understand now, Your Majesty.
It's impossible to change the proposed new policies.
The new policies are one thing and my family is another thing.
I won't hurt the hearts of my family members...
"because of the new policies.
In the implementation of the new policies...
I'll still let our family...
have the authority to recommend talents. What say you?
What place is this?
I've been waiting for you as ordered by the emperor.
The emperor? -Yes.
Please enter.
Mr. Sima has arrived.
Mr. Sima, you've been standing and listening.
Can you tell what song I am playing?
This is "Guide to the Zither".
It is said that Bo Ya composed this song...
to commemorate his friendship with Zi Qi.
Feelings are born when the music is understood.
Do you see feelings in my music?
I know little about music.
I dare not comment.
I just want to know your identity...
and the purpose of my visit.
My name is Bai Ling Yun. The emperor ordered me...
to wait for you here.
Greetings, Commissioner Bai.
Please read the decree.
Mr. Sima, please rise.
I dare not.
I am the decree itself.
What is the meaning of this decree?
The emperor wants me to stay by your side.
Isn't it obvious enough?
If you turn down the offer...
the existence of the decree will be meaningless.
I am a married man.
If I don't go home, my wife and children will worry.
I... I'm going home.
The city gate has closed and the horse carriage is gone.
Mr. Sima, you need to stay over tonight.
That's not a good idea. I...
I'll... I'll ask the emperor.
Do you intend to defy the emperor's order?
Before the next decree arrives, why don't you...
take things as they come?