Sword Dynasty
Episode 17
Your Royal Highness.
Chu, why don't you enjoy your happy life in Fengming?
What brings you
here in Lushan?
Han!
Han, you came back!
As subjects and sons,
we are supposed to accompany Father
and exclude the difficulty and anxiety for him.
How about us doing a swap?
You accompany Father
while I go back to rule Fengming?
Han,
what do you mean?
Your Royal Highness,
His Majesty the King
wants to see
Your Highnesses
and your friend.
Ding Ning,
Father wants you to go in.
Father.
If one day,
you stand in front of the King of Heng,
what will you do?
You are Ding Ning?
Ding Ning.
Ding Ning, kneel. Hurry up!
Ding Ning.
You bold unruly person!
How dare you not kneel
after seeing my Father!
Ding Ning!
Kneel. Hurry up, Ding Ning!
Ding Ning!
Raise your head.
Let me have a better look at you.
Long live Your Majesty the King.
I had never met a person
in such a high position
until I saw you.
Until you saw me?
Yes.
I heard that
it was you who took Zichu out of Fengming?
Your Majesty the King,
I didn't know
he was His Royal Highness before we set off.
Please forgive me.
You didn't know his identity?
No.
Even today,
I still thought the person coming along with me
was Su Mu from Yuyang Sword School.
If I had known he was His Royal Highness,
I wouldn't have dared to do that
however bold I was.
Father,
it's indeed not Ding Ning's fault.
I hided my identity.
I'm supposed to be punished.
His Royal Highness is of a kind disposition.
It's Zhou Rongmo
who took advantage of loopholes.
Zhou Rongmo?
Yes.
That old scoundrel had been coveting the Rudraksha in the Wushan Misty Rain Formation
for a long time, as it could help him remake a golden body.
He seized Ding Ning and me
to accompany him into the Formation to get the Rudraksha.
But the Formation
was filled with traps made with gears
from Heng, Xian, Li and Mo.
Thanks to Ding Ning's help,
I have managed to survive.
Owing to Your Majesty the King's blessing,
that old scoundrel spun a cocoon around himself.
But it's a pity the Rudraksha was ruined,
so we couldn't hand it
in to Your Majesty.
You ruined the Rudraksha?
Tell me,
besides Zhou Rongmo,
was there anyone else in the Formation?
An old man from Xian was also there.
He is about 60 years old.
The Formation
seems to be created by him,
but Zhou Rongmo took advantage of loopholes.
That senior was pretty nice.
It's him who gave us the carriage.
The old King of Xian.
-If it's indeed as what you said, -The old King of Xian…
this man around 60 years old
coming from Xian and being able to create this Formation
can only be the old King of Xian.
Heng is so blessed!
Failing to get this Rudraksha, the old King of Xian
can hardly be a threat to us.
Heng will win
for certain in the Lushan Alliance Meeting.
Father,
the Lushan Alliance Meeting will be highly dangerous.
Please let me go with you
to exclude the difficulty and anxiety for you.
Ding Ning,
attend the Lushan Alliance Meeting
with me.
Yes.
Ding Ning
is at your disposal.
Father,
I know I should be punished for leaving Fengming without permission.
But it's a precious chance to attend the Lushan Alliance Meeting.
I don't want to miss it.
Tell me,
why don't you want to miss it?
When the last Lushan Alliance Meeting was held,
Heng hadn't been as powerful as it is now.
Ceding Liangshan County
has been a thorn inside of every person of Heng.
It's like a fishbone stuck in the throat.
Though I was young,
I had grasped affairs of our state.
So I promised at that time,
I would restore the power of Heng,
so that common people no longer have to
separate from their family members.
The Lushan Alliance Meeting of this time is an affair of state.
As the Crown Prince,
I can't stay at ease in the palace.
So I hided my identity and left Fengming without permission,
also hoping to
see what Father will achieve in Lushan.
The Lushan Alliance Meeting has already started.
Mo and Li
went onto the stage quite early.
Unlike them who are in such a hurry,
troops of our state
have been stationed at the foot of Lushan.
Do you know why?
Father said
war was the last thing to choose.
A king will never fight a war unprepared.
Father must be waiting
for a perfect chance.
What chance?
I don't know.
But that chance
will decide the current political situation in Lushan.
That being the case,
tomorrow morning,
get back to Fengming as fast as possible.
Why?
Actually I'm well
aware of how dangerous
it will be in Lushan.
We have strong troops,
but the future is unpredictable.
Have you ever thought
that if I am killed in Lushan,
what you will do?
Keep in mind.
You must defend Fengming for me.
It's the base of our state power.
If I am killed,
Han will charge and shatter enemy positions at the front
and you will defend our base in the rear.
You shall wait until Heng becomes powerful again,
and then you two shall jointly send troops
to defeat the other three states
and establish an empire,
which is my last wish.
Can you understand
this heavy burden?
Yes.
I'm setting off for Fengming tomorrow morning
and will well defend the rear base for Father.
Your Majesty.
How's your trip
to get the Rudraksha in Wushan?
I let you down.
You never let me down.
I'm willing to be with Your Majesty forever.
Dear,
do you remember that ten years ago, there was a man called Liang Jingmeng?
Of course.
He once led the Bashan Sword Field
to help the King of Heng defeat the other three states,
but
he was killed by the King of Heng at last.
Why did Your Majesty
recall the past?
Nothing.
During my trip to Wushan, I met a person
who reminded me of the past.
Perhaps I'm worrying too much.
By the way,
did my son go to Lushan
along with the troops?
Prince Liling has arrived there.
I've talked with him
according to Your Majesty's wishes.
Your decision of sending Yuan Zihan
in exchange for Prince Liling to come back
serves a double purpose.
For one thing,
we can welcome Prince Liling back in advance
and prepare for naming him Crown Prince
as early as possible.
For another,
Yuan Zihan is arrogant
and does harm to Xian.
The public
is excited about sending him back.
Do you remember
when Yuan Zihan first came to Xian,
he wasn't such a reckless and violent man?
I do a swap
with him now,
aiming to give Yuan Wu such a son.
Since he can do harm to Xian,
he is capable of doing the same thing to Heng.
Troubles
tend to arise within one's own state.
Han,
what are you doing here?
Zichu, you're setting off tomorrow.
Be sure to take care all the way.
Though the Lushan Alliance Meeting
is a distinguished gathering rare to see,
the rear base of Heng
also needs defense.
Longing to attend the Meeting, you left Fengming without permission.
But a governor is supposed
to put the interests of the whole above everything else.
I'm worrying about you.
You are young and immature.
So I was a bit strict with you
when we met just now.
Hope you will not mind that.
Of course not.
You and I shall assist Father together,
so that Heng will be
well-defended for certain.
It's late now.
Have an early rest.
I'm leaving.
Your Royal Highness is in a good mood.
I survived a disaster
and understood Father's intention today.
I have gained a lot.
Your Royal Highness is allowed to go to Lushan?
No.
Father told me to go back to Fengming.
He said Lushan was full of danger this time,
and that in case he was killed in Lushan,
there would be a qualified successor in Fengming.
I was too childish.
I thought Father punished me
by not letting me come to Lushan.
Now I've understood
his care and thought.
It's me who kept talking.
A toast to you
for taking care of me all the way.
Never mind, Your Royal Highness.
As a subject,
I have a duty to protect Your Royal Highness.
But
you didn't know I was the Crown Prince.
Tell me,
you had expected that scoundrel
Zhou Rongmo would kidnap you, right?
It's not only kidnapping me.
Actually
I deceived him into kidnapping me.
Your Royal Highness is frank with me,
so I don't
want to hide it from you anymore.
The reason why I hit the road
is to get this Rudraksha
for my master to cure the illness.
Wasn't the Rudraksha
ruined by that scoundrel
Zhou Rongmo?
The one ruined by Zhou Rongmo is a fake.
In fact,
it's me who guided Zhou Rongmo there.
I had known he harbored evil intentions,
so I emphasized the danger of the trip
multiple times in the letter to you.
No wonder
in the letter you asked many times
if I was well prepared.
This Rudraksha
should have been handed in to His Majesty the King just now.
But I didn't take it out
for selfish motives.
Your Royal Highness is frank with me,
so I want to tell you the truth.
Is your master
Xue Wangxu, the head of Baiyang Cave?
Yes.
I heard of him.
If you think I'm reliable,
you can give this Rudraksha to me.
I'll bring it back and give it to him for you tomorrow.
Your Royal Highness
doesn't blame me?
We've prevented the old King of Xian from using the Rudraksha.
I think Father won't look into
the whereabouts of this Rudraksha.
Moreover,
I won't tell him.
I will never
forget
Your Royal Highness's great kindness.
I've been raised up in the palace.
It's not easy to make friends.
So I treasure
our friendship.
Your Majesty the Kings,
the King of Xian has arrived!
King of Xian.
King of Li.
How is General Long doing?
He is good.
Your father was
very valiant at that time.
I still remember he led General Long
to end civil strife
and made Li
a powerful state again.
But it's a pity that
he passed away.
Fortunately,
King of Li, you have been aware of how to be a king.
The former King of Li
can rest in peace now.
Father always spoke of Xian's victory over Heng
to protect all the other states.
But it's a pity that he passed away
and can't come to the Lushan Alliance Meeting decided seven years ago.
Yes.
King of Mo,
Chancellor Lian,
I very much admire
the trust you have
in each other.
We are overpraised.
Xian has many preeminent generals and chancellors
who are in better harmony.
We deeply admire
the prosperity of Xian.
King of Mo,
has the Heads of 12 Sorcerers, the treasure of your state,
been found back?
Thanks for your concern, King of Xian.
It's indeed a misfortune.
Back in the days when the first King of Mo
possessed the Heads of 12 Sorcerers,
the spectral arts of Mo
were extraordinary.
If Mo didn't lose the Heads of 12 Sorcerers,
how dare the bandit Heng carry out attacks again and again?
Thanks for your concern, King of Xian.
To tell you the truth,
I've known
the whereabouts of the Heads.
A grand celebration will be held
the day when it is back.
My aspirations
are higher than my forefathers'.
I'm determined to lead Mo
back to the top of all the states.
Hope
King of Xian will come then.
Good.
Very well.
King of Mo,
I can tell that
you are of majestic demeanor now.
Chancellor Lian.
King of Xian.
You can feel at ease.
King of Xian, you must be exhausted from the long travel.
How about taking the seat of honor?
Thanks for your consideration, Chancellor Lian.
Troops of Heng frequently invade borders of your states.
When your fathers were on the throne,
we were like brothers.
Seeing my brothers' states suffering from loss now,
I can hardly bear it.
How about we three states
banding together to fight against Heng?
How about taking Liangshan County as the stronghold
and breaking through Tanbu Pass
to directly destroy Fengming?
It…
Who is planning to break through my Tanbu Pass?
King of Heng!
Except the King of Heng, the kings of the other three states
have all come.
I thought you were afraid to come
for the cession of Liangshan County
in the last Meeting.
The Lushan Alliance Meeting
is a gathering of all states.
I have
no reason to not come.
Good.
It's good to see you here.
Heng has a vast territory.
If you can
cede a county in each Meeting,
I think Heng will extend its life for a couple of years.
But
what if the county I want today
is Fengming?
Just kidding.
Your Majesty the Kings,
you must be exhausted from the long travel.
Please take the seats of honor.
Only Chancellor Lian took the overall situation
into account.
How about
coming to my state and being my chancellor?
You…
You must be joking.
His Majesty the Former King appreciated and respected me.
I'm grateful to him.
I will
never leave Mo
even after I die.
This way, King of Heng.
This way, Your Majesty the King.
Since you are in Xian,
please try some
food and drinks of my state.
Father,
look at the food.
He did this on purpose.
Han,
sit down.
King of Heng,
are the food and drinks of Xian
to your liking?
They are great.
Soldiers of Xian
have prepared some delightful performances.
We can get down to business
after relieving the tiredness brought by the travel.
Excellent.
Coming from afar
for this Meeting decided seven years ago,
you must have endured hardship of a long journey.
A toast to everyone.
A toast to you.
King of Heng,
the Meeting hasn't started yet.
You're refusing to show due respect for me?
A toast to you.
Held every seven years
at the top of Lushan,
the Meeting provides a platform
for masters of each state to show their skills.
Today, Mo would like to
be the first one to show.
I want to invite masters of Heng to have some exchanges with us.
Okay, King of Mo.
Great.
Who is willing to fight for me?
I am!
You indeed look down upon me.
As long as you are alive,
I can't take over the reins of my state,
so that Mo can hardly progress.
This is a fight we can't lose.
The only person who can ensure our victory
is Chancellor Lian.
Your Majesty the King,
Chancellor Lian is in his twilight years.
If anything happens to him in this fight,
Mo will be in great chaos.
Do you think Lian Ying
is more important than me?
No.
Chancellor Lian.
Lian Ying
is willing to fight for Your Majesty the King.
Very well.
This way, Chancellor Lian.
Master.
Master,
His Majesty the King is spiting you.
He wants to force you to fight.
Please don't go.
Qianmu,
His Majesty the King is young
and proud.
Try your best to assist him.
I'm sure
he will be a wise king in the future.
Master, please don't go.
Keep it in mind.
Lian Ying has been a chancellor for three Kings of Mo.
But today...
Your Majesty just reminded the King of Mo
about being in harmony with his subjects.
The present King of Mo
took the throne as a replacement.
How can he think highly of
Lian Ying who assisted the former crown prince?
He doesn't trust Lian Ying.
Furthermore, the King of Heng openly
invited Lian Ying to be his chancellor just now.
The King of Mo is young and proud.
He definitely minds the instigation.
Your Majesty, you mean
the King of Mo intends to take this chance
to get rid of Lian Ying?
But Father,
Lian Ying is the pillar of Mo.
He is.
The King of Mo is young.
He hasn't realized Chancellor Lian's value to Mo.
Keep in mind, my son,
today we are bystanders,
but if you are one of them one day,
never forget
the King of Mo's fault today.
I'll keep your words in mind, Father.
Fang Xiang.
Yes, Your Majesty.
This is Fang Xiang, ranking first in the Eleven Marquises
of Heng.
I just remember
that in the fierce fight between Heng and Mo,
it was him who cut off
the head of your state's crown prince
in thousands of troops.
Where there is war there is death.
Marquis Fang deployed troops
with miraculous skills that day.
It was impressive.
But His Royal Highness the Former Crown Prince of Mo
exerted all his energy until he died
and kept his moral courage till the end.
He deserves admiration as well.
Well said.
Listen,
be sure to kill Lian Ying today.
If Heng is at war with Mo one day,
whether we can annihilate Mo in one fell swoop or not
all depends on your fight today.
I promise
descendants of Fang will always be marquises.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
I will not let you down.
Your Majesty,
I have a presumptuous request.
Please promote and instruct
my good-for-nothing little brother in the future.
Don't worry.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Chancellor,
Crown Prince Han of Mo
that you trained was killed by me. Do you hate me?
Yes, I do.
But I believe
His Majesty the King will be
as outstanding as his elder brother in the future.
But the King of Mo ordered you to fight.
Isn't he
sending you to death?
If a king wants a subject to die,
the subject does not have other choices.
Neither do you, Marquis Fang.
Moreover,
we still can't tell who will be the winner.
You seem to be
overconfident.
Being able to fight against you today,
I have nothing
to regret.
Chancellor Lian!
Chancellor Lian has actually combined toxins
with his vitality to such an extent!
Yin qi has entered Marquis Fang's body.
He seems
unlikely to turn the tables.
It's the toxin on your sword.
It's the spectral arts of Mo.
Marquis Fang should have been more prudent.
Sorry.
I can't
lose this fight.
I'll do all I can to cope with you.
Your Majesty.
Lian Ying,
your toxin of spectral arts
had entered his body.
You were supposed to win.
But Marquis Fang
ruined half of his practice
and cut off his channels
to get rid of your toxin.
No wonder
Marquis Fang ranks first in the Eleven Marquises of Heng.
King of Xian,
you've seen
how courageous Marquis Fang is.
Does Xian have competent generals to compete with him?
Innumerable.
Old King of Xian,
you love to exaggerate.
Your Majesty.
You even broke your channels to get the toxin out of your body.
Marquis Fang is indeed a tough man.
Chancellor,
you are such a grandmaster.
Why do you risk your life
for that ungrateful king?
Come to Heng.
His Majesty the King of Heng appreciates you very much.
If you come to Heng,
our people will
treat you with the best courtesy.
Thanks for your good intentions.
But what I serve is not the monarch
but the state;
not the king
but the people.
I serve in this way all my life without regret.
I know what kind of person the King of Heng is.
I refused him,
so he won't let me live.
Don't be merciful
to me, Marquis Fang.
Chancellor, you excel in virtue.
I'm sorry for what I've done.
From now on,
I'll spare no effort.
If I die in this fight,
I'll have
nothing to regret.
Take it!
That is the Qianshan Token,
the treasure of the Shanyin Sect.
The Qianshan Token
is just a simple board?
Ding Ning.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Tell me, what mystery did you see
from that token?
Your Majesty.
I just saw
many black qi rising from the ground
under Chancellor Lian's feet
and going into that Qianshan Token.
But I can't tell
the mystery of it.
Hope Your Majesty can give me some instruction.
Did you hear that?
Don't judge a thing only
by its appearance.
Yes, Father.
Mo specializes in spectral arts,
so yin qi is vital
for the practice of its practitioners.
With the Qianshan Token,
practitioners can call and use
the yin qi that has gathered underground
for a long time.
Over 200,000 soldiers
died here in the Battle of Lushan.
Holding the Qianshan Token, Chancellor Lian
has endless yin qi to use.
It will be a tough fight for Marquis Fang.