♫ The far and long roads, the man I miss is at a distant place ♫
♫ Seeking the truth in heaven and on earth, opening up the words deep in my heart, not looking back ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful woman, if one's heart could be fragrant ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful woman, desolate like the moon ♫
♫ I worry, when can I appreciate the grasses and flowers with a beautiful woman ♫
♫ The ancient people didn't have time to leave some Yimoxiang (a type of plant) ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful lady, heart becoming fragrant on its own ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful lady, fragrant dreams ♫
♫ The whole world is drunk, one's whole life just follows the blue water ♫
♫ I'll drive and go away for an adventure, flying as I want to in the nine skies ♫
Song of Phoenix
Episode 24
Every day I thought of expressing my heartfelt sentiments, but my thoughts just got pent up and became hard to express. - Thinking of a Beauty, from Nine Chapters by Qu Yuan
My Lady, no matter what, you cannot let him come in! You must keep an eye on him.
All his efforts are on that Mo Chou!
My Lady! Didn't I tell you not to let him in?
If you spoil him now, you can't ever have the upper hand again!
My Lady!
Miss Bixia, about what happened today-
There's no need to talk about it. My father is okay.
We shouldn't have been together to start with.
Right now, come with me.
-To where?-To look for my father.
At the moment, the only one that can save Miss Mo Chou is my father.
Let's go.
My Lady! My Lady! You cannot go!
Caiwei!
My Lady! My Master was hurt by that fisherman's daughter!
It's already going easy on her to not kill her right then and there!
And you still want Master Zhao to save her?
This started because of me.
I hope I can end it.
My Lady!
There's no need to say anything else.
Miss Bixia.
Let me tell you! My Lady is helping you save that fisherman's daughter
because she has a good heart, unlike that fisherman's daughter!
But you must guarantee you'll never see her again!
You can only love My Lady for life!
Caiwei! You're not allowed to speak nonsense!
No! He must guarantee it!
This...
Miss Bixia, I promise.
As long as I can save Mo Chou, from now on,
- from now on I'll definitely...- Stop!
Let's hurry and go. It's more important to save her.
I never imagined that Miss Bixia would be such an understanding girl.
Yes.
Thinking that I have always lived in an open and straightforward manner.
I never imagined that someone
would want to take my life.
Could Jing Po have sent her?
Even if Jing Po was more foolish, he wouldn't send an assassin in broad daylight.
Then who could it be? They dared to attack you?
Don't know what's the status now with Chen Zhen on this case.
Now that you mention it, that assassin today,
I feel like she looks familiar.
Who?
I can't remember. I'm old.
Master, Madam, My Lady and her husband have come. They say there's something important.
They came over so late?
It couldn't be that something happened to Xia'er?
Let's go take a look.
Xia'er.
What is the emergency that you ran over on your wedding night?
Father, I'm begging you, save Miss Mo Chou.
Miss Mo Chou?
That..that's
the girl who attacked you today.
You came over so late just to ask for mercy for that assassin?
I'm already this injured.
Yet you two still speak on their behalf?
Lord Zhao.
Lord Zhao?
Father-in-Law, please fulfill my wish!
Xia'er. Go help your mother back to rest first.
I have something to say to Qu Yuan.
Father!
Xia'er!
Let's go.
Alright, let's hear it.
Father-in-Law, do you still remember the Great Shaman of Chu?
The Great Shaman of Chu?
Precisely.
That was many years ago.
That time, because the Grand Shaman of Chu angered the previous King,
she brought a fatal disaster onto herself.
After she died, the Chu country suffered great drought for three years.
The two things aren't entirely related,
but the State of Chu never named another Great Shaman.
You were still young then.
How did you find out about that?
Was it really you who killed the Great Shaman on royal order?
Correct. It was the King's order, so I had no choice.
This has always been a knot in my heart.
After the Great Shaman died, her husband
took their children and escaped.
Until today, their whereabouts are unknown.
However, this Mo Chou and the Great Shaman of Chu,
what relationship do they have?
Mo Chou is the Great Shaman of Chu's daughter.
Then...this Mo Chou
came to get revenge against me?
Father-in-Law, for the sake that Mo Chou has suffered such misfortune
and had to suffer the pain of losing her mother, please forgive her recklessness and spare her life.
What nonsense!
If a crime like attempting to assassinate me in broad daylight gets pardoned,
won't the world be in chaos?
Besides, what does this have to do with you?
What relationship do Mo Chou and Qu Yuan have?
She...is a Quan County citizen.
Qu Yuan would come late at night to beg your father for a citizen?
She's Qu Yuan's old lover?
Just what is this?
In this world, who comes to beg on behalf of their husband's old lover?
Mother, if not for me,
the bride tonight should have been her.
So what? Now Qu Yuan's legally-married wife is you!
Qu Yuan and I should have never been together.
You-!
What am I supposed to say to you?
What are you telling me? You went as far as having a private agreement with her?
Preposterous, preposterous!
On the wedding night, a former lover of the groom coming to murder the bride's father?
And the groom then takes the bride,
and together they ask the bride's father to release his ex-lover, the assassin!
How in the world does that make sense?
If I may be disrespectful, when I reached the private agreement with her,
Zhao Bi Xia was not yet set to be my wife.
Huh! Are you saying that
Bi Xia is harming your well-being? That our family is holding you back?
I would not dare, it's just that Father-in-Law Zhao is already all-pervasive.
Shameless!
This girl has publicly tried to take my life.
No matter if it's according to Chu Law or for Bixia,
I definitely cannot spare her!
For Bixia?
Father-in-Law Zhao, if you can let Mo Chou go,
I am willing to have no more ties with her for life.
I will be loyal to Bixia for life.
From now on, I will never see her again.
Can I believe you?
Also,
I am willing to pay back the cut that Mo Chou gave you!
You-!
What are you doing?
Men! Hurry and call for a doctor!
Why were you so foolish?
What are you standing there for? Hurry and go!
-Yes!-There's no need!
Father-in-Law Zhao, if you won't let go of Mo Chou,
I'd rather lose every drop of blood!
You-!
Hurry and call for a doctor!
Yes!
A fisherman's daughter
is worth you acting like this?
Just what is all this?
Father! I'm begging you!
Let Miss Mo Chou go! Please!
Xia'er! Hurry and get up!
- Husband! Just agree to these two children!- I..!
Even if I agree to let that Mo Chou go,
but would she let go of me?
Father-in-Law Zhao, as long as you let Miss Mo Chou go, I swear,
Miss Mo Chou will never harm any member of the Zhao family again!
What are you using to guarantee that?
My life!
This person actually attempted to assassinate Minister Zhao...
So it's this girl...
Mo Chou, you openly attacked a court official. That is a crime that cannot be spared.
According to Chu Law, you are to be shot through the heart and killed!
The hour has come!
Wait!
Please wait.
General Qu, I'm carrying out an execution. Please move aside!
Say, why are you in a hurry? My Little Brother Yuan said that he would try this case by himself.
He hadn't finished interrogating her last night.
The assassin already admitted to the crime. The facts are all here. No need to try this case anymore.
This...
The order tablet hasn't fallen to the ground yet...
...so you cannot carry out the execution!
General Qu, just what do you want?
Nothing much. The weather isn't bad today. It's not suitable for an execution.
General Qu! You keep stopping me like this. Are you in cahoots with the assassin?
Father, I'll repay the favor for you raising me in the next life.
Begin the execution!
Don't even think about it!
Little Brother Yuan!
Young Mistress being muddled is bad enough. Never thought that Master would also become muddled like you.
He really saved that fisherman's daughter!
Stop calling her a fisherman's daughter. She has a name.
Okay okay, she has a name. Miss Mo Chou.
Hopefully she won't become Madam Qu in the future.
If she becomes Madam Qu, perhaps that is a good thing.
My Lady, what are you thinking?
Master is crazy. Qu Yuan has also gone crazy. You have directly become an idiot.
Everyone thinks that they made the right choice.
Adding them all together, was it the right choice or the wrong one?
I'm afraid only the heavens know that.
There are a lot of things where we don't have a choice.
Don't have a choice? I think Lord Qu follows his heart a lot.
If he really followed his heart, would yesterday's wedding have occurred?
Thank you for saving me. Also, stop following me.
Mo Chou! I...
Oh, right. County Magistrate has just got married.
I haven't congratulated you yet. Congratulations.
Mo Chou, I forsook you. I'm sorry!
Stop talking. Go back.
Mo Chou!
Go away!
Why did you let yourself get this seriously injured?
For you, doing anything is worth it.
I've heard those words many times already.
Yes, I have said them many times before.
It's been so many times, soon even I can't believe them anymore.
But I still ask you to believe me!
Miss Bixia and I are only a couple in name!
Up until today, why must you still lie to me?
I swear to the heavens, none of my words are a lie!
So what if you do that?
The entire world knows that she is your wife and you are her husband.
And me? What do I count as?
Qu Yuan, you really don't understand women at all.
Mo Chou! Where are you going?
What does that have to do with you?
Okay. No matter where you go,
I just hope that you won't try and get revenge against Zhao He anymore.
Zhao He killed my mother and destroyed my family!
You're telling me to not get revenge?
He had his reasons!
The one he killed was my mother!
It's not your problem, so of course you say that easily.
But that's right. You are family with Zhao He now.
Of course, you would defend him.
-It's not the way you think it is!-Qu Yuan.
You really are an affectionate person.
-Can't you let me finish speaking?!-What else is there to say!
From now on, you be your good son-in-law and I'll go seek my vengeance.
There will be nothing more between us.
Mo Chou!
-I'm the one that saved your life! I won't let you use that life to face danger!-You-!
Being so rash, have you ever thought about your father or Lu Yi?
This time, Lord Zhao let you go.
Next time, they will all suffer with you!
Mo Chou, I believe that from where your mother is watching in heaven,
she wouldn't want you to get revenge either.
Go home and nurse your wound.
Then what do you intend to do from now on?
I went through too many things during these days in Quan County.
Now that I mention it, I haven't seen Qing'er in a while.
I really miss her.
If we could return to the starting point, that would be wonderful.
Just pretend like the past never happened.
♫ There's a heavy downpour outside the city. Flowers beaten down by the raindrops completely covered the soil. ♫
Can we really pretend like nothing ever happened?
♫ Lightly putting on a sheer cloth, teasing the thoughts of love ♫
♫ The cold wind blew northwards, rubbing into the bottom of one’s murmuring heart ♫
♫ Chimney smoke from thousands of houses makes one recall of day and night ♫
♫Dye with ink, brush up the feathers, cannot wipe away the parting words said before separating ♫
♫ With the moon, I ask my love, "When will you fulfill your date of return?" ♫
♫ The boat I ride floats, causing ripples ♫
♫ The lingering zither sound cuts the horizon ♫
It's better if she leaves.
This time, Bixia did you a big favor.
You should be satisfied to have married such an understanding wife.
Find time to visit Bixia.
It's hard for a woman to be able to do this much.
♫ The other bank is bright purple and red ♫
♫ Sending off the autumn wind with a worried look ♫
♫ Vermilion lips, sighing about an old friend. One last goodbye knocks on one’s heart ♫
♫ If there is a next life, let’s just continue these romantic years ♫
♫ That old zither faintly plays, the night is hazy, ♫
♫ Causing the river waters to roll over and over ♫
♫ Sending one paper of my years to send you off ♫
Bixia!
You don't need to open the door.
I just want to say some heartfelt words like this.
In Quan County, Mo Chou was always by my side.
We repeatedly dodged the bullies' attacks.
When I caught the epidemic and had my life hanging on a by a string,
she was the only one who stayed by my side,
never leaving my side.
When I ran into failure and wrongdoing,
when no one believed in me,
she was the only one who supported and encouraged me.
We went through life and death together. Know each other well and have the same dreams.
It's a shame.
In the end, we still couldn't escape heaven's arrangements,
family's arrangements, or the King's arrangements.
In the past, your heart had someone else in it too.
Now that person has left.
Your heart has also been left empty.
Perhaps one day
we can become bosom friends that support each other.
But, that is not now.
Mo Chou has left, and I must leave too.
We all need some time to forget the persons in our hearts.
But don't worry. I promised that I wouldn't see her.
I will keep my promise.
Take care.
Qu Manor
-Madam.-Bixia.
Mother.
I heard the servants say that Yuan'er left early this morning.
This child is too much. He won't stay home to be with you.
His heart only thinks of Quan County.
A man should care for the citizens and the county.
It's good that you can understand. Come and eat with me.
Come.
Lord Magistrate, you're back?
Has Quan County been doing well?
Well, everything has been well. It's just, why did you return so soon after your wedding?
In this big world, besides Quan County,
where else can I stay?
Quan County is also the place I don't want to return to most.
Mo Chou!
Father.
Mo Chou, I heard Qu Yuan...
I already know about his wedding.
From now on, I will have nothing to do with him anymore.
This is good for both of you. No matter what you say, this is all fate.
You didn't get a good fate.
You should find a good person in Quan County
and live stably.
Father, I want to go out for a bit.
Where are you going?
No matter where I go, I want to leave Quan County.
I want to stay with the sisters from the circus.
That's good too. Your heart will feel better if you go out for a bit.
But, you must be careful and take good care of yourself.
The day after next is the day to worship Yandi. (T/N The Flame Emperor)
Don't know if the envoys from the other countries are already complete.
Informing Your Majesty, Qi, Chu, Han, Zhao, Wei, Yan,
all envoys from the eight countries will soon arrive here in Xianyang.
Worshiping Yandi was the reason for borrowing the He Shi Bi.
Now, the He Shi Bi has been in my State of Qin for many days.
If we still don't do the grand offering ceremony to Heaven,
it will incite a lot of criticisms from the other countries.
Your Majesty, why do you care so much?
Now that He Shi Bi is here, it naturally belongs to Great Qin!
If anyone is unwilling to let that happen,
they'll have to ask me if I, Chu Li Ji, agree or not!
Your Majesty, the day of worship will be here soon.
Shouldn't you take out the He Shi Bi
and let everyone take a look at it?
Alright. Men, bring the He Shi Bi here.
Beloved Subjects, go take a look.
Thank you Your Majesty.
Lord Chen, isn't it just a He Shi Bi?
Can it kill or conquer a city? Do you need to look at it like that?
Lord Chen, is there a problem?
Your Majesty, this isn't the He Shi Bi!
What? It's not the He Shi Bi?
Your Majesty, my ancestor
initially was a craftsman under the famous jade craftsman Bian He.
I have never seen the He Shi Bi before,
but I heard my ancestors say
that in the middle of the He jade disk, there is a light greenish flaw.
If a usual person isn't careful, you surely won't notice it.
But this jade has no flaws at all.
Although it is a marvelous creation excelling nature, this definitely wasn't formed naturally.
Your Majesty, this He Shi Bi
is fake!
How ridiculous!
That Xiong Huai is too much!
He dared to use a fake He Shi Bi to trick us! How despicable!
Chancellor, what are you laughing at?
I'm laughing at how smart Xiong Huai is,
but was harmed by his smarts instead.
Why do you say that?
Your Majesty, we've just been waiting for a reason to attack the State of Chu.
Who knew that Xiong Huai would personally give it to us?
Your Majesty only needs to announce the existence of this fake jade
before the envoys of the different countries arrive.
Your Majesty, just prepare your war decree to the Chu State.
Haven't you always said to wait for the perfect chance?
Why must we now write a war declaration to Chu immediately?
First, the Chu lending us a fake jade is a big offense against Emperor Yan. (The Flame Emperor)
Attacking Chu now will be supported by the people.
Second, the Jing and Zhao families are fighting for the Chancellor position.
And up to now, it is still not decided who should take this position.
Everyone probably can imagine how chaotic is the Chu government now internally.
The Chu whole government now is in a terrible fix.
Your Majesty, these two messes all being present at this moment,
if we don't attack Chu now, what are we waiting for?
Chancellor! You are right!
Today! Xiong Huai,
he offended the world first.
I, your King, will seek justice for the world!
The Qin country has been established for thousands of years and has spread benefits to the whole of China.
Follows the will of Heaven and protects its citizens.
Heaven was moved by the splendid virtue of Qin
and through his dream, asked my King to organize a grand offering ceremony.
But the Chu people were frivolous and dared to fool everyone.
Emperor Yan was a respected leader of everyone.
By lending a fake jade, they have committed the crime of lying to the King,
lying to the other countries, lying to the citizens of the whole world.
If we are to endure this, what else can we not endure? One that doesn't submit to Zhou (the Emperor) must not be forgiven.
Offending Emperor Yan is a heinous crime.
Our past King Mu and Chu's past King Cheng
all worked before as a team, two groups acting as one.
Xiong Huai didn't consider the friendship of the past kings,
has forsaken the friendship of his ally countries, recurrently offended the dignity of the Qin.
And also, the Chu King's rule is full of injustice.
Internally, he oppresses its citizens. Externally, he offends Heaven's might.
Both humans and gods are enraged.
For the benefit of the citizens of the world, Qin
is deploying its army to conquer Chu to show worldly justice.
Long live the King! Long live the King!
Xianyang, Qin Country
Yingdu, Chu Country
Ying Si...What else did he say?
The Chu lending a fake jade
is an act of lying to the King, lying to the our allied countries,
lying to the citizens of the world.
How could it be fake?
Continue reading!
The King of Chu rules in injustice. Internally, oppresses its citizens.
Externally, offending Heaven's might. Both men and gods are enraged.
For the benefit of the citizens of the world, Qin is deploying its army to conquer Chu
to show worldly justice.
Ha? This...
What's this all about?!
What should we do?
Your Majesty, Ying Si is exactly trying to wage a war with us.
Frame up. He must be framing us.
Right. Frame up. This clearly is a frame up.
Your Majesty, the Qin people are mixing black and white
making us look like a lying and disloyal country. I am willing to lead our troops and face the Qin army.
What? Go to war with Qin?
Our country and the Qin country have always been tightly-connected by marriage alliances.
I'm afraid this war would...
Your Majesty, the greedy ambition of Qin has long been known.
Now that their sword has already been directed into our Chu's chest,
how can we all just sit down and wait for them to kill us, allow them to keep provoking?
Your Majesty, a warrior can be killed but not insulted.
What War Minister Qu said is indeed reasonable. But although our army is courageous and good at fighting,
the iron cavalry of Qin is also well-known throughout the world.
If we go to war, I'm afraid
it'll severely harm us!
Your Majesty!
I think at this time, we don't really need to rush into facing them in battle.
What ideas do you have?
Before we clarify if the He Shi Bi is real or fake,
if we rashly go to battle with them, then won't that make us bear the reputation of being treacherous?
What face would we have to face the other states?
If Qin is mixing black and white, then that will be easy.
We can just tell the world
about the scheme of the Qin of using a fake jade to provoke a war and create trouble.
By that time, Qin will surely be unable to defend their actions and just bring embarrassment to themselves.
But, before we tell the world,
there is one thing we must clarify first.
Is the State of Qin telling the truth, or lying?
♫ Day and night, summer and winter, nonstop changes ♫
♫ Herbs and trees, prosperity and decline, would still depend on a beautiful woman ♫
♫ Rumors brought by wind from all over; inciting ministers with different dreams ♫
♫ Asking Heaven if it can bear witness to one's loyalty ♫
♫ Muddy and clear, beautiful and ugly, overturning all living creatures ♫
♫ Angelica and magnolia, orchids and quan, have a hard time emitting their fragrance ♫
♫ Why must you proceed against the current? Why must a lonely flower admire herself? ♫
♫ No one knew that one's birthplace has become someone else's territory ♫
♫ Outstanding in a chaotic world, who can understand one's desire? ♫
♫ Going far to travel, yet one's heart is tied with one's home ♫
♫ Drinking one 'Li Sao', the pain of separation ♫
♫ Getting drunk for a lifetime of dedicating oneself for one's country ♫
♫ Coping with the long, long road; hard to beg the heaven and the earth ♫
♫ I lamented the numerous sorrows in the life of the citizens ♫
♫ Singing one 'Li Sao', pain of separation ♫
♫ Sighing how hard it is to keep a bosom friend ♫
♫ For the ideal that I hold dear to my heart, I’d not regret a thousand times to die. In the end, turning into ashes.
♫ If this dream is difficult, let's just leave it to the next generations to ponder ♫
♫ Outstanding in a chaotic world, who can understand one's desire? ♫
♫ Going far to travel, yet one's heart is tied with one's home ♫
♫ Drinking one 'Li Sao', the pain of separation ♫
♫ Sighing how hard it is to keep a bosom friend ♫
♫ For the ideal that I hold dear to my heart, I’d not regret a thousand times to die. In the end, turning into ashes.
♫ If this dream is difficult, let's just leave it to the next generations to ponder ♫