Timing and Subtitles brought to you by the Legend of the Phoenix Volunteer Team @ Viki
Legend of the Phoenix
Episode 13
Set off!
Yandu
General Liu.
In the past, you fought alongside my father, thus you have much military experience.
I order you to be the head of the vanguard, to meet the enemy troops at the narrows.
You're trying to bait the tiger by using the lamb? I will not go.
Great Marshal Wei, you sure easily obtained your position.
Just based on your flowery words, you were able to be a marshal.
But this is not the court. This is a real battlefield with real weapons.
We do not tolerate nonsense. If you want to die, why don't you be the vanguard instead?
I know everyone's concerns. This time our enemy came prepared.
It looks like we are at a disadvantage to engage the enemies.
But we are facing the enemies at full force.
The only feasible option is to make our enemy lower their guards.
If the two general are scared, then we will send someone else.
I've gone through hundreds of battles, when have I ever been scared? I just don't trust you.
Good. General Liu will face the enemy head on while the soldiers will ambush from behind.
If you the two of you cannot cooperate with me and proceed with the strategy,
- then you are disobeying military orders, and we will let the military law deal with you. - You!
In front of the enemy, as a soldier, either you put forth a plan to kill the enemy or you obey the commands.
If we lose this battle, I will not be let off.
I'm sure that everyone here knows that the family name Wei is already branded as a criminal.
To the rest of you, win or lose will only result in a promotion or a punishment.
But for me, death is the only ending.
To me, we can only succeed, we must not fail.
What if your military strategy is faulty?
I, Wei Guang, will die on the battlefield!
Your Majesty.
Do you have any news?
Your Majesty, Princess Royal has returned to Yan Du and already entered the palace.
Princess Royal has returned?
Yes.
Isn't she at Bei Dian?
I ordered you to watch her every day.
How is that she returned, but I had no knowledge of it at all?
Your Majesty, all the spies I dispatched would send back daily reports of the Princess Royal's movements.
It seems that she may have used a substitute, which is why she suddenly appeared in front of the palace.
It's also hard to stop the Commander of the Imperial Army.
She has already gone to Cheng Xiang Palace.
She said that she wanted to see the Empress Dowager.
I understand. You may leave.
Yes.
Wei Guang.
If during the time you're at the army, the person behind the assassin arrives,
how should we deal with them?
Your Majesty, I have written it in this letter.
Mother.
Drink some water.
Which imperial physician is in charge of the Dowager's health?
Tell him to come here! I want to see if he still wants to keep his life!
Don't make things difficult for them.
I am already old. It is the same no matter who treats me.
Rise.
The Emperor has arrived!
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Rise.
Your Majesty, we are blood-related siblings, there's no need for so many formalities.
How is it? It's been a year. Have you missed me?
Princess Chang, weren't you enjoying the year at Bei summit?
Which wind brought you back here?
Mother is ill. As the eldest daughter, it's expected that I return to take care of her.
It's enough that Mother has me and the Empress by her side.
There's no need for Princess Royal to be worried.
The Emperor is busy with state matters and the Empress is preoccupied with trivial matters.
I don't have anything to do, so of course I came to accompany Mother.
I will only be at ease if you two can sit down and peacefully talk.
Yes.
Imperial Brother, I want to ask you.
How's the battle between Wuci state and us?
Thanks to Mother Empress' great blessings, we have been having continuous victories.
This time I came back, there is something I do not understand.
The people along the way are also having doubts.
Why would you choose someone who doesn't have any accomplishments named...
Wei Guang.
That's right. Why would you ask this Wei Guang to be a Great Marshal?
There is a reason why I chose this person. I had a dream.
I dreamed that a deity gifted me a Great Marshal.
He also gave me a riddle.
The deity gave you a riddle? What was it?
There was a girl who was picky with marriage and ended up marrying a farmer down in the rice paddies.
Slept with ghosts every night. Guess what the word is.
I'm sure that Mother has already guessed it. It's the character 'Wei' from Wei Guang.
That's right, it's this 'Wei' character.
No wonder you chose Wei Guang.
How ridiculous.
What are you saying?
With Princess Royal racking her brains on my behalf,
I will accept your encouragement.
I know you don't like my presence. I will leave right now.
But I will still return.
Mother, I will be leaving.
Your Majesty, Ye Ningzhi wishes for an audience.
Let her enter.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Rise.
Thank you.
Your Majesty, what is the purpose of the Princess Royal returning to the palace without an imperial decree?
Returning back this time, she definitely does not harbor any good intentions.
She even interrogated me today, questioning why I made Wei Guang into a Great Marshal.
How did Your Majesty answer her?
I said that a deity came to me in a dream.
There was a girl who didn't appreciate marriage and married beneath her status into a paddy field.
Slept with ghosts every night and the word is "Wei".
Princess Royal even believes this nonsense?
I was prepared to win her confidence.
I might as well give her a ridiculous reason. There are two reasons why:
One, to hide away Your Majesty's bottom line from her.
Two, to tell her that you can't even be bothered to come up with a reasonable excuse to explain things to her.
You are noble. You don't even place these sheep in your eyes.
Your Majesty is wise! This must be the strategy you came up with the Governor?
This is...
This is because I knew that Princess Royal had returned, so I had a burst of creativity.
Tell me, what is the reason you came to find me?
I almost forgot. Your Majesty,
these are the incidents related to the Inner Palace that I investigated.
I hope that Your Majesty can be just.
You can just let the Prime Minister handle these affairs.
The Prime Minister is being pushed everywhere, I'm afraid that he wouldn't dare to incur the ire of others.
Alright then. When I have time, I will take a look.
These years, the Empress in the Inner Palace
truly has lost control.
What wine is this? Why is it so strong?
These are tributes from the country of Xia Chou.
The maker said that even an alcoholic would not be able to drink more than three cups.
Then I'll just have a taste. I still have to read the memorials.
That reminds me.
I have some memorials that are related to the Inner Palace.
If you have time, take a look.
No need. Someone has already said,
a few of the Inner Palace officials bullied the palace maidens from Lihua Academy. I have already investigated clearly.
It was the palace maidens from Lihua Academy that were unruly, and it resulted in a misunderstanding.
This memorial named Lang Kun as the perpetrator.
On Longhua Street, he has eighteen manors.
Your Majesty has misunderstood Lang Kun.
Lang Kun's manors were all passed down from their ancestors.
So as to not arouse any suspicion, Lang Kun had already told me.
I've always thought that because we don't investigate the backgrounds of our servants,
such an incident was able to occur.
Alright, let's not discuss this anymore.
Don't let these small things disturb our happiness.
But I am very curious.
Who keeps rattling on about these insignificant matters to Your Majesty?
If they're unhappy with me, they can just tell the Empress Dowager.
Why are they nagging in front of Your Majesty?
Currently, we are being attacked on all fronts, Your Majesty is worried about military affairs.
Who is that isn't being considerate of Your Majesty? Is it the Governor?
Or the Minister of Rites?
Or is it the newly appointed Lord Ye?
Empress does not need to be angered. I just happened to mention it, is all.
If you say that Lang Kun is innocent, then he is innocent.
I did not have any other intentions.
Alright, Empress, you should rest early. I will return back to the palace.
Your Majesty, the frontline has sent back reports.
Great Marshal Wei is heavily surrounded on all sides by the enemy.
I already knew of this matter.
What I want to know are countermeasures.
Replying to Your Majesty, I believe that we chose the wrong person this time.
Great Marshal Wei does not have any experience leading troops.
It's still not too late to rectify this.
No need for further discussion. Replacing a marshal before the battle is a military taboo.
Do you not understand this?
Governor, speak.
Your Majesty, I believe that we should first dispatch a messenger
to Xi Cheng to borrow thirty thousand troops in addition to the one hundred and twenty thousand that are currently protecting Yan Du.
A total of one hundred and fifty thousand. If we lose Ningzhou, we'll be hard pressed to protect Mu Cheng.
The mountains near here are shaped like a gourd.
We are now at the upper half of the gourd. We will carry on with the battle while retreating.
We will lure the enemy to the upper and lower half of the gourd,
and use the gourd tactic and transform it into a bag tactic. And break them up from forming a siege.
When the advance troop of Wuci sees us retreating,
he will lower his guard, believing that victory is within grasp.
He has fallen into our trap.
Great Marshal, your strategies are profound.
In the past, we were senseless.
We hope for your tolerance and forgiveness.
General does not need to dwell on the past. In front of us is the enemy's vanguard.
Their troops lay behind, eying us. This battle will be a long one.
In order to win in the end, I will be depending on your cooperation.
We will follow your lead.
- Lord Ye, what are you doing, blocking the way? - Your Majesty.
Lower the palanquin.
Ningzhi greets Your Majesty.
What's wrong? As a court official, you're drunk to this state, how shameful.
You even dared to block the Emperor's palanquin. If it were anyone else, they would have already been beheaded.
Your Majesty.
Wei Guang's been surronded.
Wei Guang's been heavily surrounded, Your Majesty.
I already know this.
I'm worried and scared. I heard from other people
that drinking alcohol can make me braver.
So I drank all of it.
And then I felt myself getting lighter.
Hurry and help Lord Ye to Guang Xuan Palace.
Yes.
Your Majesty!
I can't stand straight. Let me sit down.
Your Majesty, please forgive me.
I really want to know any news about Wei Guang.
If anything happened to him, then Your Majesty would be the first one to know.
I won't bother Your Majesty. I'll just sit here and I won't say anything.
Reporting to Your Majesty, Great Marshal Wei sent you a secret missive.
Your Majesty, I'm sure that you have already received news about me being surrounded.
But Your Majesty, please be at ease. This is the gourd military strategy that I have deployed.
Gourd? What gourd?
You even dare to look at military reports? Go over there.
Our troops are on the top half of the gourd.
On the surface, it seems like we are surrounded by the enemy. We will wait for them at the narrow places at the upper and lower parts of the gourd.
We will then use the gourd tactic and transform it into a bag tactic. And break them up from forming a siege.
Surrounding?
Great Marshal Wei truly did not disappoint me.
Ningzhi, don't worry.
Stop.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Ningzhi, wake up, wake up.
Your Majesty.
You were just about to leave and I received news from the military official.
Wei Guang has successfully surrounded the enemies, eliminated thirty thousand people and three generals.
Great, that's great!
Wei Guang... that's great!
When she wakes up, repeat to her what I just said.
Right now she is very drowsy and my words slip right through her ears.
- Yes. - Alright, you can go.
- Wow! Amazing! - This lady seems familiar...
It's like I've seen her before.
I remember now, she was the Ye Ningzhi that entered the palace to perform for the Empress.
I didn't think so in the palace,
but now she really is energetic and interesting.
Very different from the women in the palace.
Shopkeeper, come here.
What orders do you have?
Will the Baixi Circus be performing tomorrow?
They perform here for seven days straight, today is only the first day.
They will be here for seven days?
Then I'll come here for the next six days to watch.
Keep this room reserved for me, I'll pay you double.
Alright, then. Take your time.
Emperor, don't you meet with Lord Liang and Lord Li tomorrow?
I want to come watch the next six days.
Cancel all other things.
Yes.
Shopkeeper, didn't you say that there would be shows the next six days?
Where are they?
I was just about to tell you. The Baixi Circus packed up and left this morning.
How could this be?
I heard that their leader broke their backbone and returned to the countryside to recover.
Then do you know where they went?
Well... they only came for one day. Nobody knows where they went.
Ningzhi, Lord Wei won another battle.
The report will be here soon. Rest assured.
Your Majesty, I congratulate you.
Ningzhi, you don't have to do that in front of me.
I haven't been this happy in a long time.
Have a chat with me?
Yes.
There is something difficult to explain.
No matter where you go, you can remember a lower rank official's name.
How come you have such good memory?
Actually... It is not that I have a good memory.
I gained it though practice.
Why did you practice this?
I'm afraid of saying it.
There are times when you are afraid to say something? Stop acting.
Then... I will say it.
Say it.
Her Majesty will take me with her to every palace banquet.
Do you know why, Your Majesty?
Why?
"Ningzhi, underneath that tree,
who is the woman with a face as red as a date?"
Your Highness, she's Madam Zhang, the first wife of Lord Wang Dequan from the Ministry of Revenue.
"Who's that plump woman over there?"
Your Majesty, that is.
"Hurry up and say it."
Did you forget, Your Majesty?
She's the wife of Lord Zhengxiong from your family.
Just like this.
So that's it. You suffered.
Actually, I haven't seen Her Majesty for half a month now.
I wonder how she is right now.
Do you still miss the Empress?
Didn't she pinch you every day?
She does pinch me. She sometimes even hit me.
If there is any mistake, she will say the scariest phase "drag her out and behead her."
Then, I heard she praised me behind my back.
I even laughed.
She then replaced all the palace maids but didn't like it at all.
She sometimes would call them by the wrong name. She calls them Ningzhi.
If this is the case, I will take this opportunity and have you apologize to her.
I believe she will understand.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, I have another request?
What is it now?
Lang Kun's subordinates Lord Wang and Lord Zhu are still in the palace.
They often bother the girls from Lihua Academy.
You wanted the Empress to forgive you earlier, but now you want to do something that will anger her.
What are you thinking?
You should know about the Empress. When she is mad, she does not care about relationships.
Yes. I am afraid of her.
But I'm also afraid of the girls at Lihua Academy suffering.
They helped me a lot when I first entered the palace.
Without them, I would not be able to stay in the palace.
I believe that a person should not forget someone that helped them.
This point applies to the outside world and the palace.
Yong De Palace
Recently, officials have complained about Lang Kun.
He's your trusted subordinate. Since you trust him, I should also trust someone whom you recognize as knowledgeable.
But his subordinates are often talked about.
I think they should be taken to the criminal department.
Your Majesty, I told you this earlier. This is a misunderstanding.
I investigated this. There is no connection.
Empress, don't worry. The wise man knows he knows nothing, the fool thinks he knows all.
If they really did nothing, then the criminal department won't do much to them.
It further proves that they are innocent.
- Your Majesty— - Enough.
I already decided.
Blessings to Your Majesty.
Stop.
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Why did you hit me, Your Majesty?
I said it before. I'm the Empress.
I don't need a reason to hit some one.
Your Majesty, Wei Guang.
Wei Guang went missing in the front line.
There is no news of if he is alive or dead.
Your Majesty.
The Emperor was at my place earlier.
According to the latest report, Wei Guang safely return back to the base.
- Congratulation, Your Majesty. - What is the situation like?
They're already at the border of Ma Si.
Great!
- This is great. - Wei Guang has done merit in being victorious.
Slowly.
Report!
How is the battle report?
Battle report
Victory! Victory!
- We won! - We won!
You useless things.
Saying that I will recover in three days after drinking this medicine.
And will stop in one month.
But I have been drinking this for half a year.
Your Majesty, it is important to take your medicine.
You must also keep your mood well.
You all can shut up.
You've been repeating the same things. Isn't it annoying?
Scram!
- Yes. - Yes.
Your Majesty, how about we go for a walk in the garden?
No need. I will go alone.
Lord Ye, Her Majesty does not want anyone bothering her.
Lord Ye!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, you got skinny.
It is not needed for you to be concerned about my well being.
Did the royal doctors slack on their job?
It is windy today. It is not suitable for Your Majesty to wear this out here
Are you alright?
Call the Royal Doctor! Hurry!
Don't call them. They won't be any help here.
I just have been coughing for a long time and ruined my voice.
What, are you hoping that I am very sick just because I slapped you?
You want me to attract a terminal illness and die?
You know that is not what I'm thinking, Your Majesty.
I want to thank you
for telling me about Wei Guang that day.
I was very scared then.
There is nothing to thank me about.
What's there to thank for? I was merely being talkative.
I don't have to deliver news about Wei Guang since it is known about quickly.
Don't think that I was comforting you.
Why do you always have to speak so unforgivably?
What else can I do?
Would I possibly beg for you to return to my side?
You already know that I'll never work with Lang Kun.
I want to be worthy to my sisters at Lihua.
In the end, you're saying that I'm harsh to everyone.
You've been an official for so long that you don't want to serve me anymore.
Right?
I promise you.
I'll walk you back, don't catch a cold.
Who is it?
- Who are you? - I'm a new maid from Lihua academy.
Stop!
A maid who trespasses will be hit thirty times!
Come with us!
I don't intend anything!
- Walk! - Please let me go!
I won't do it again!
Sujing, avoid this.
Lord Ye has arrived! Ta-da!
Ningzhi!
Don't touch Lord Ye!
Can you just casually approach her?
When I entered,
I saw someone lying down with their arms and legs all spread out.
This is disrespectful to the Hall God.
Based on palace rules... you'll have to be punished!
My bed... I'll experience it once more!
Recently, no one has dared bully you all, right?
Not only that.
The people who usually ordered us around
got their head lowered and their tails between their legs!
Young Mistress, do you know who's been talked about most here?
It's you!
They all know I'm close to you.
They want to rope us in and flatter us in front of our faces.
Well...
Hurry and tell me about it!
Eunuch Liu said...
"Her Excellency Ye radiates a feeling of justice from head to toe.
She's a rare heroine that we meet only once in a hundred years!"
Lord Ye,
what is all of this? There's so much.
- Wow. - Look at this.
Wow.
This bracelet is crystal clear, truly beautiful!
Ningzhi,
do you really plan on keeping these gifts?
Compliments I'll accept, so gifts I'll accept too.
I'm splitting them between my sisters!
But this bad guy still needs to be taken care of.
Now, the Empress and Emperor cherish me greatly.
There's no better time than now.
Don't hit me... don't hit me!
Don't!
I'm begging, please don't hit me!
- This... - Don't hit me!
Is she a new maid?
Don't hit me!
Her face is so pretty.
She's a pitiful person, her father was originally an official.
He committed a mistake, was demoted and sent to a place beyond the Great Wall.
As a wealthy daughter, she kept her family alive by picking up rotten vegetable leaves on the street.
She only came back after her parents passed away.
Don't hit me. Don't punish me with thirty planks.
Why did she get hit?
A few days ago, she got lost while running an errand and was caught by the guards.
They insisted that she barged into forbidden grounds and punished her with thirty planks.
In the end, they only released her after the skin on her head broke from kowtowing too much.
Now, she's been plagued with nightmares.
Don't be scared, I'm here.
There won't be anyone bullying you in the future.
Your Majesty, if you want to find the culprit hidden in the court, I have a way.
Your Majesty can order the numerous court officials
to each hand in a memorial in regards to the matters today.
And claim that the current situation is favorable,
and negotiate for peace with the other party and fight for favorable terms.
They will be loyal and do their duty.
For those who want the war to continue will until Wuci will be wiped out.
Your Majesty, you must be extremely cautious.
There are five hundred and twenty court officials that are ranked third and above.
There will be one hundred and twenty court officials will continue the war until Wuci is destroyed.
There's actually so many people who are plotting against me.
Wei Guang, I believe that the situation is getting more and more dangerous.
I hope that you can quickly return back to court.
The secret behind why your father was executed eighteen years ago, I will definitely tell you.
What your Wei clan has lost, I will return all of it back to you.
Whatever you want, I will give it all to you.
Lord Ye, this is Great Marshal Wei's letter to you.
Thank you.
Ningzhi, the battle is to our advantage right now.
Everything is proceeding according to my plans.
It has been a little less than a month since I have set off.
These days seemed to have passed by so slowly.
But what makes these days feel so difficult is not the fighting,
but rather the yearning I have for you.
I want time to pass by quickly.
Just a little faster.
I can't wait to come back to see you.
Ban Ling'er.
How daring you are.
You don't even bow when you see me.
Greetings to Prince.
Don't be afraid.
I was just joking with you.
May Prince be more aware.
What are you hiding for?
A few nights ago, you were wandering in the palace.
Coincidentally, you ran into me.
According to palace rules, the guards on night watch should have punished you with thirty planks.
At that time, you desperately begged me
to let the palace guards let you off.
You said you'd do anything.
I took pity on you,
and I asked for a pardon on your behalf.
What will you do?
Timing and Subtitles brought to you by the Legend of the Phoenix Volunteer Team @ Viki
♫ In the clear sky, thousands of fireflies drift around ♫
♫ You were once the most ordinary firefly of them all ♫
♫ When you approached me, time stopped ♫
♫ My heart started racing ♫
♫ It was like a dream ♫
♫ I travel against the light in search for a faraway shadow ♫
♫ The crowded mountain cities, but I find it so peaceful ♫
♫ I really want to let go of my name and identity ♫
♫ I will watch the peaceful marketplace with you ♫
♫ I will wait with you for the rain to stop ♫
♫ I will light the light of love to shine into your life ♫
♫ So that all the dangerous rivers can soften your eyes ♫
♫ Like the crystal tears in the dead of night ♫
♫ My heart has become more transparent and stronger ♫
♫ Even if it aches, it will not break ♫