[Ever Night]
[Episode 03]
Thanks for earlier.
May I ask from whom you learned killing skills?
Killing skills are learned killing.
At your age, no way you'd have killed more than we have.
A border soldier's biggest income is from killing bandits.
We call that 'cutting firewood'.
Boxwood bow? 3 podao (broadswords)?
He'd be...
Blue Lake Woodcutter!
I chop down useless firewood troubling Tang borders.
You're friends. You got any?
Come here...
I'm asking if you have liquor.
Here.
There's liquor.
It's famed Golden Horde kumiss.
We must drink some.
Here.
- Won't you drink with us? - No, no.
Take it.
Yes, Young Master.
Thanks for saving me before.
Where's your mom?
Looking at him is like seeing myself.
Though you saved Xiao Man, I still can't stand you.
Great.
She's so unlikeable.
What?
What did you say?
I said, if Princess did like me, it's troublesome.
- You knew who I am? - At first sight.
- Then I'm really an idiot. - You said it yourself.
In Chang'an, come with me.
I can give you a good future.
Thanks for kind intentions.
But I'm going for the Academy test.
I likely won't see you again.
You saved my life.
- Father will summons you. - In truth, I most want to see Fu Zi.
He's Academy Dean.
One year, Father wanted to be Fu Zi's disciple.
But Fu Zi later chose him as Emperor and broke his dreams.
Why do so many people want to enter the Academy and be Fu Zi's disciple?
My mother, Empress Cui Shi, came from Qinghe county.
She died 15 years ago.
Before her death, she told me to care for my little brother,
to teach him to be like Father, a good Emperor.
One day, Father married a woman surnamed Xia and made her Empress.
Have you heard of Eternal Night?
That's a legend.
Yes.
It's just a legend
yet can ruin lives.
Your Majesty, I examined the skies and received Heaven's decree.
Night curtains the stars; the nation has unrest.
A female will destroy Tang.
That female is the princess.
Rot! Tang is rock stable.
What unrest?
Guards, publicly execute this delusional Soothsayer.
Your Majesty, have mercy!
Mercy! Your Majesty!
You'll regret it!
This is an omen of Ever Night, Your Majesty!
You'll regret it!
Whoever dares to lie will be punished with him.
While with Golden Horde, I couldn't stop missing my little bro, Hunyuan.
A few days ago, he wrote me a letter, saying he'd seek me in the Plains.
I think he must need me.
I only have one bro.
Princess, Heaven protects the good.
Your mom in Heaven protects you two; so does Tang Emperor.
My mom called me Yu'er.
You can call me that, or 'Li Yu'.
"A fisherman caught fish and is content".
"A woodcutter cut wood and is happy".
Perhaps your name comes from this poem?
Yes.
That was my parents' expectations.
I'm to take good care of my little bro so Mother won't worry.
Survival isn't easy.
It isn't easy.
General Ma told me you and he survived at Mount Min by hunting.
Why didn't you go to authorities?
Tang compensation for orphans and widows is good.
Sometimes it's easier to live among wild animals.
Am I very dull?
Self-criticism is good.
Let me tell you a story.
There once was a little bird, very ugly, lacking pretty feathers.
But it was diligent.
It took fruit that fell off trees and hid them in a cave.
So I'm very dull too.
Princess. Imperial Guards Colonel, Hua Shanyue, is late. Forgive me.
Please forgive us!
Hua Shanyue.
It's me, Your Highness.
It's been 2 years. How are you?
Seeing you again is so nice.
All rise.
Thanks, Princess.
Insolence!
You held on all night and slept.
You snored.
My legs are sore.
I'll overlook this due to your protecting me.
Hua Shanyue, where's the carriage?
It's at the mountain foot.
Princess, wait a bit.
Hold it.
Princess, since I first saw you at Wei City...
I've wanted to tell you something.
Say it in the capital.
Fine. Off to the capital.
[Tang Empire]
[Palace Guards Commander, Xu Chongshan]
- General Xia Hou, it's been a while. - Commander Xu.
Seize him.
Hurry.
Everyone, leave us.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty...
You know she's my only daughter?
You sent out a Mind Master, Sword Master, and even a Demonist.
Tell me, what are you plotting against me?
All I've done is for your good.
Nonsense!
Your Majesty, my life is yours.
My family's lives are yours.
If anyone harms you or anyone you treasure,
Xia Hou will spare no effort to eliminate them!
Total rot! Princess is someone I treasure.
After Khan's wife died, Yu'er married into Great Plains.
When her husband died,
those barbarians wanted to bury her.
She risked her life to escape.
You secretly tried to have her killed.
Tell me, don't you deserve to die?
Don't you deserve death?!
- Should you die?! - Your Majesty...
Your Majesty, please stop.
Your Majesty, I beg you, for me, let Xia Hou go.
Do you know what Xia Hou did at Northern Pass?
I just heard. If I'd known beforehand, it wouldn't have happened.
Then don't plead for him.
Your Majesty! Xia Tian (Summer) vows Xia Hou is loyal to you.
Events may be due to Xiling—
like Wei Guangming manipulated him to kill General Lin's family years ago.
Your Majesty, though I didn't birth Princess,
I love you and your loved ones.
Whether Princess is in the Plains or Tang,
I treat her as mine; Hunyuan too.
I assure you, whoever harms them again will be my mortal enemy.
Your Majesty. Your Majesty.
Trust me. I did it for you.
Do you know, Xiling people said Princess' return will upturn the world.
Wei Guangming, that old fogie, has been locked up over 10 years
yet won't shut up.
Who else took part?
Your Majesty, all involved are dead.
If Princess can't return safely,
you'll die here.
Your Majesty. Your Majesty!
Quickly, rise.
Get up quickly.
You shouldn't have done that.
Promise me, never risk death for my sake.
Promise me!
Fine, I promise. Quickly, get up.
Hurry, get up.
If you can get out, go to Tuyang City. Don't come here again.
I've no idea how His Majesty will deal with me.
Okay, say no more. Hurry back.
Don't worry about me. Hurry, go...
Brother.
Divine Luminance? You are?
Wei Guangming of Xiling.
So it's Grand Priest of Light.
You're an envoy of God. What matter is vital in my barracks?
Please leave quickly.
I came for you.
Does General Xia consider that important?
For me?
20 years ago, Demon Sect barbarians were driven far north by Xiling Forces.
A young man and woman escaped from them.
They hid their Demonist auras.
Maybe they've forgotten their past identities.
But they didn't think of this.
If a vagrant life began their fate, devastation of their souls will end it.
It's their God-given fate.
Grand Priest of Light can sure make up a story.
Can you stay concealed long?
In God's world, Demon Sect is everyone's foe.
So no-one finds out you, and your kin hiding in Tang Palace, are Demon Sect,
kill the Son of Hades, and Xiling will keep your dark secret.
"Since I first saw you at Wei City, I've wanted to tell you something".
Young Master, if Princess asks you what you were going to say, what will you answer?
"Since I first saw you in Wei City,
I fell deeply in love with you".
"Your Highness and I will be inseparable".
Young Master, you're being bad.
That's how to speak to an idiot.
She'll like it.
Young Master, do you sometimes feel you're full of nonsense?
Sang Sang is really smart.
Young Master, in your heart, are all people idiots?
Even me?
You're not a idiot.
You're a lump of coal.
I knew you disliked my tanned face.
Princess commands we camp here for the night.
Camp again.
Ning Que, Grandmaster Lu Qingchen wants to see you.
Lu Qingchen wants to see me.
Young Master, hurry and go.
- So you're Ning Que? - Yes.
You must know why I called you here.
Why?
Come.
Let me see if you have ability for Cultivation.
Between Heaven and Earth
is the breath of Qi, vital energy.
Bodily Qi is in Qi Sea & Snow Mount.
A Cultivator can perceive the presence of Heaven and Earth's breath.
There's no movement of Qi in your body at all.
It's empty between Qi Sea and Snow Mount.
Isn't Psychic Power from the mind?
Saying that isn't incorrect.
Cultivation is containing psychic energy in Qi Sea & Snow Mount.
Around Qi Sea & Snow Mount are 17 acupoints.
But, of your 17 acupoints, 11 are blocked.
So...
So you'll never be a Cultivator.
Don't be dejected.
Among the world's millions,
someone like you is normal.
I'm not dejected.
Years ago, I wanted to be a disciple of Zhuo'er's Master.
He said the same thing.
Master, make us disciples.
Ning Que, your Qi Sea & Snow Mount are blocked. You can't Cultivate.
Master, accept me. Please teach me Cultivation.
I'll work for you always.
Young Master, I'm back.
Princess sent wine.
to warm the cooling nights.
Princess said, in the capital she'll invite us to her residence.
We'll drink tea at Princess's home.
I think Princess is pretty
and kind.
Above all, Princess treats me well.
Actually, I don't think Princess is really an idiot.
The sky is darkening.
I said the sky is darkening, but no-one believed me.
Young Master, what's wrong?
- You're ill? - I'm cold.
Since I was little, why do I dream of those two men?
A Drunkard and a Butcher.
And they keep repeating that sentence.
The sky is darkening.
Perhaps I'm connected to them.
What's its significance?
Why'd I dream of them again?
Them?
Who are they?
I don't know.
All losers.
I'll get rid of them sometime.
You needn't follow anymore. I can go alone.
Still following me?
Unless we follow you, you may die.
Just like him.
Him...and him.
Speak. Where's Demon Sect Gate?
I don't know.
It's your turn.
Bro, I'm scared!
Don't be afraid.
If you tell us where Demon Sect Gate is, we'll let you go.
That secret, only Elder knows.
I beg you, spare us.
Brother!
- Hold it. - Brother!
Brother!
I say, let this kid go.
And if I won't spare him?
You can try.
Brother.
Come, it's okay. Don't be scared.
Brother! Brother!
Brother!
- Run! - Bro! - Hurry, run!
Grandmaster.
I memorised this book by heart
but it's hard to process.
I beg you to kindly advise me.
Didn't I make it clear enough you can't Cultivate?
So, such reading is unhelpful.
I can't Cultivate, but can I at least understand it?
How many levels in Cultivation?
What's the difference in levels?
Due to your persistence, no harm in my advising you.
Thanks, Grandmaster.
Using the mind, wield the sword to master combat skills.
Sword Master.
Use Psychic Power to kill someone without engaging him directly
to master Psychic Power.
Mind Master.
Use Qi mixed into ink to master signs.
Talisman Master.
As for Grandmasters of Dao, who can control forces of nature,
they're Divine Masters of Signs.
Divine Talisman Masters.
There are Five Realms in Cultivation.
Basic level is First Awareness.
The second Realm is Perception.
Third is Doubtless Realm.
The fourth Realm is See-through.
The fifth Realm is Knowing Destiny.
So-called Knowing Destiny knows celestial destiny.
Celestial Destiny.
Above Knowing Destiny level are many more abstruse Realms.
It's said one is God-Breath;
one is Boundless.
Grandmaster, if one puts Qi in a toilet, is it Toilet Master or Crap Master?
It's all just conventions. There's an unspoken Cultivation rule—
In the same Realm, a Mind Master has more power than a Sword Master.
So, to defeat a Mind Master, you must interrupt his meditation.
Interrupt his meditation.
Grandmaster, I'll ask one more thing.
I often dream, and in my dream,
I sense a mysterious breath, warm, integrated drop by drop.
How wide a range can you sense in your dreams?
No, what's it like?
A cup of water, a creek?
Or a pond?
It seems like...
a big sea.
At the beginning of one's Cultivation, one's mind projection is a cup of water.
Even if you're gifted, it'd only be a pond.
In today's world, even for the most powerful youngest, Sword Master Liu Bai,
it's a grandly flowing river like Yellow River.
Do you often wet the bed?
It's clearly a sea.
Imperial brother, calm down.
Brother, be calm.
Who dared assassinate an Official in the capital?
Investigation has begun.
The Official killed was from Military Transport.
Investigate the military too.
Yes. [Grand Prince, Li Peiyan]
But Military Transport is left with no head.
We must assign an Official.
Do you have suggestions?
Censor Zhang Yiqi is attentive to detail.
He's suitable.
Zhang Yiqi?
Zhang Yiqi is underused in Censor Department.
The Court doesn't keep idlers, but can't bury talented ones.
Alright. Transfer Zhang Yiqi to Military Transport Division.
Thanks, Your Majesty.
[Yulong/Fish-Dragon Gang]
Second Bro!
An army transport Official was assassinated last night.
Another Official.
3 Officials were recently assassinated.
I encountered the killer last night.
He's an Expert, with uncommon techniques.
Every move was deadly and vicious.
Any evidence left?
There is. I stabbed his left wrist.
- Keep investigating. - Okay.
- Hey. - Huh? - The cup.
Zhang Yiqi, what do you mean by this?
I recommended you for Military Transport to use your talents for our nation,
not for this.
You're wise about the nation.
You'd disdain material gain.
This is just in gratitude.
I'm sincerely loyal to you.
- Cui Delu. Pour Official Zhang tea. - Yes.
Prince, I heard Colonel Hua collected Princess
and will arrive in days.
The trip wasn't dangerous.
Very good, very good.
Grand Prince. Princess will support her brother, 3rd Prince, as Heir,
but Scholar Officials, headed by Zeng Jing, prefer Empress's child, 6th Prince.
What do you think?
I think those people are short sighted.
They understand male lineage,
but forgot Tang has forgone firstborn heir tradition.
Scoundrel!
Your words imply insult to the Imperial Family.
[Ever Night]
~Hey, I can only say sorry~
~You, who've forgotten time, look a bit lost~
~You seem faraway, in front of me~
~Time blinks by~
~Take it easy~
~Life is still the same~
~Hey, let me change the ending~
~Yet I can cover it up only a short while~
~Don't obsess or say sorry~
~Loser just treats winner~
~Better not meet rather than cry on parting~
~Night is long and dark~
Don't leave regrets~
~I've seen right, wrong, gratitude, grudges, words, acts~
~I risk danger, desperate for you~
~Umbrella in old Chang'an~
~Night nears; talismans burn~
~Fight till all is gone in chaos and darkness~
~See us blaze through darkness, changing Heaven and Earth~
~Spur the horses forward~
~Geese fly south before snow~
~Get drunk at a warm coast~
~Under slashes of the sword, we love each other still~