♫ 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 26
I’d rather die suddenly and lose all traces of my existence, than endure doing such a shameful performance. - Li Sao (The Grievances) by Qu Yuan
Why must you send yourselves off to your deaths?
Your Majesty, it was Magistrate Qu who saved us and Quan County.
Magistrate Qu definitely wouldn't embezzle!
If Magistrate Qu dies with grievances,
then no one can get justice for us anymore!
We will definitely be suppressed by bullies.
In the end, we'll be forced to death!
Your Majesty! Please save Magistrate Qu!
You are...Bai Lang?
Yes, it is I, Your Majesty!
-Please investigate this thoroughly, Your Majesty!-Please investigate this thoroughly, Your Majesty!
-All of you get up!-Please save Magistrate Qu!
If you won't save him, then we won't get up!
Please investigate thoroughly! Please investigate thoroughly!
Preposterous! His Majesty has to manage a lot of official business. Is it something that you people can bear to delay?
Official Jing!
-Everyone get up.-Your Majesty!
Petition Letter
Signatures of the Petitioners(T/N the thumbprint in blood verifies that you really meant to sign a document)
Please investigate this thoroughly! Save Magistrate Qu!
Official Chen.
This scroll contains the evidence of Qu Yuan's embezzlement crime?
Precisely.
Judge Chen, last time didn't you say
that you found money in Qu Yuan's room?
Correct.
The King personally came to Quan County
to investigate Qu Yuan's embezzlement case!
It looks like he's suspicious.
At the trial tomorrow,
if they asked about this matter, t-t-that Yang Jiao most likely will expose us.
Wouldn't we be d-done for then? W-W-What do we do?
Then let's just not stop until we have finished this.
Lord Cheng!
Your Majesty, the nobles of Quan County are in cahoots
They collect tax money at a rate of ninety percent!
It's ninety percent!
The fishermen worked so hard, but those nobles
took ninety percent of their output!
Your Majesty once said that every person in the State of Chu is one of your people.
Since they are all your people, why do those nobles
live comfortably while those low-class citizens
can't even be full after they eat?
Then is Your Majesty's grace only to be given to those nobles?
It was Magistrate Qu who saved us and Quan County.
Magistrate Qu definitely wouldn't embezzle!
If Magistrate Qu dies with grievances, then
there will be no one to get justice for us anymore!
Mu Yi, say, Qu Yuan's embezzlement case,
should I believe it or not?
I believe that Your Majesty must not be biased,
nor can you fully believe it.
There is both a witness and physical evidence,
but just depending on a one-sided testimony, its convincing strength is still quite weak.
Go, bring them here.
Yes.
On this is written what Qu Yuan did for the people.
Removing the offering money, reducing land taxes,
punishing the oppressors and helping the needy, solving the water problem and repairing houses.
A person who does everything for the people embezzled?
Would you believe that?
Official Chen. Go and have someone bring Yang Jiao here. I want to interrogate him again.
Yes!
Grand Adviser, immediately look for the people who blocked me today to voice their grievances.
Have them come to the magistrate's office tomorrow.
Yes.
Magistrate Qu. Magistrate Qu! Wake up!
Magistrate Qu! Wake up!
Greetings, Your Majesty!
Rise.
Qu Yuan is really Qu Yuan. You don't know if you will live or die,
but you still haven't forgotten to admire the orchids.
I love orchids.
When I am alive, it is my friend.
Of course when I die, I want to sleep together with it.
How fortunate is the orchid for being able to get so much appreciation from you.
Orchids are the king of the flowers.
It doesn't compete with the ordinary living creatures for fragrance or beauty.
Proudly looks upon the other flowers. Proclaiming itself as a distinct kind.
Then, you are calling yourself the orchid
and the rest of the world is grass?
I do not dare to do that.
I know how your heart is feeling.
I came to ask you one thing.
What really is the truth behind the land tax case?
If Your Majesty thinks I did it,
I'll just extend my neck to be cut by the sword (willing to be executed). I don't have anything to say.
Extend your neck to be cut? Is this what your responsibility is as a county magistrate?
Do you remember what I said to you before you came here?
"As long as you can take good care of Quan County,
in the future, you can definitely help me take care of the world."
Ever since I came to Quan County, I didn't do a single thing wrong.
You didn't do a single thing wrong? Then tell me.
Why are you locked in prison?
I have no guilty conscience!
Don't think I won't dare to sentence you!
I considered that you innately have a good soul and are very wise and talented,
that's why I sent you to be an official here.
Look at you now.
A complete drunkard, easily drowning.
Your Qu family has been loyal for generations.
How did they produce a son like you?
Although I'm currently imprisoned,
my loyalty can be proven by the sun and moon.
I am willing to die numerous times for Chu.
You want to die after a little mistake? This is your loyalty?
Is this what you are saying to die numerous times without regrets?
Which successful person hasn't gone through periods of difficulties?
Let me ask you. Is dying easier or repaying one's country?
As the ruler of this state, the mistakes I have made
are far more than yours!
If I also died to finish things, what would happen to the Chu State?
What would happen to the people of the State of Chu?
We're a step too late.
Hurry and carry the body out.
I will report to the King right away!
-Yang Jiao is dead?-Yes.
How did he die?
It seems like someone wanted to murder him.
This way, the only clue is broken off.
But Qu Yuan's embezzlement case has lost its witness.
Your Majesty, you mean...?
I, Qu Yuan,
greet Your Majesty!
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Qu Yuan, someone reported you for under-reporting the number of families
and embezzling the land taxes. Is there such a thing?
I work for the King and the State of Chu.
I never embezzled.
But the money was found in your room.
How do you explain that?
The money was indeed hidden in my room.
But who saw that I put it there?
The treasury of Quan County is managed by Yang Jiao.
Besides you and Yang Jiao, no one can go in.
Now that the tax money was found in your room, you still want to deny it?
I'm afraid it won't be that easy.
Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly.
Your Majesty! Someone must have used Yang Jiao to frame me!
Now that Yang Jiao is dead, of course you can say whatever you want.
Who knows if you secretly sent someone
to kill off the witness?
Then who saw me order him to be poisoned?
Mu Yi.
This is the letter begging for mercy from the Quan County citizens.
On it is written all that Qu Yuan did for the people.
I want to ask you all,
a magistrate who works for the people like this,
why would he embezzle?
Your Majesty, this is just a letter begging for mercy. You cannot treat it as real.
Men! Bring those citizens into the court.
Mo Chou?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, please get justice for Magistrate Qu!
Did you all write the contents of the letter begging for mercy?
Precisely.
Are the contents true?
If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can investigate it.
Your Majesty, that is just their surface opinion. You cannot easily believe them.
Then as you say it,
His Majesty should believe your surface opinion?
Qu Yuan!
Twisting words and forcing logic.
Official Chen!
Your Majesty, I went to check on it yesterday. All what was written were true.
Official Chen, you are the current judge.
As you see it, how should we deal with this case?
There is evidence for Qu Yuan's embezzlement case, but there is no witness.
It is hard to be sure that Magistrate Qu really did embezzle.
Besides, Qu Yuan has earned the great love of the people here.
Regarding his crime, it's hard to conclude it.
Regarding his merits, there are enough evidences.
In my opinion,
let us just let the merits offset the faults.
Your Majesty, merits are merits and faults are faults.
There is complete evidence to show that Qu Yuan embezzled!
If he isn't punished, in the future,
he will then become our Chu government's 'Shuo Shu' (Big Rat). (Shuo Shu is a Wei poem talking about exploiters.)
When did I agree to use merits to offset the faults?
Since there isn't full evidence,
Qu Yuan doesn't have to die.
But, he must still be punished.
Now, the war between Qin and Chu is ahead of us.
Qu Yuan will no longer be a magistrate.
Starting tomorrow, he is to go back to Yingdu to join the army as a way to atone for his crime.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
"Careful and meticulous, never rash, not making a mistake ever since."
"Abiding with morality, having no ulterior motive, really comparable to heaven and earth."
Ling Jun, do you still remember these words?
Of course I remember.
This is the Ju Song (Ode to an Orange) I wrote.
Being careful and never reckless.
Ever since, never committing any mistakes.
Abiding with morality and having no ulterior motive.
It really indeed can be comparable to heaven and earth.
In the past, you became famous with one poem.
I conferred you the title of Royal Scholar. During the dragon boat festival,
you once saved me too.
At that time, no one dared to come to Quan County to be the magistrate.
All saw it as a a chasm for dragons to hide in or a cave for tigers to have their lair (very dangerous place).
Only you took the initiative to take this job.
And I also disregarded all criticisms,
that's why you got to assume the position.
This debt of gratitude for Your Majesty's help and appreciation of my skills, I will never forget.
Now looking at it, those court officials weren't wrong.
I harmed you by letting you be the Quan County Magistrate.
You always say you're an orchid and others are wild plants.
How can laymen and their rules be able to accommodate you?
May Your Majesty explain it further.
In doing anything, you must have someone helping you.
If you want to achieve something, you must be one with the secular world.
I am not willing to be in cahoots with them.
Then in your eyes, are the matters in this world
really black if not purely white?
Do you know that people who were going with flow may not necessarily be dirty too?
That will just happen sooner or later.
I'd rather walk horizontally on the waters,
than like the mud and sand mingling beneath me (mixing of good and evil),
just flowing with the stream. (just following the norm)
I asked you yesterday why you ended up in a prison.
Do you understand now?
Someone must have used Yang Jiao to frame me!
Is it that simple?
In what you see as simply an embezzlement issue,
you ended up like that because you broke the rules here.
You touched the fat meat in the nobles' bowls.
Is the nobles' fat meat untouchable?
It's not untouchable. It's just hard to touch.
That fat meat has been in the nobles' bowls for too long.
The oil has even already hardened.
If you want to pour it out, you can only do it little by little.
If you try to pour it all in one go, the more you won't be able to pour anything out.
May I ask Your Majesty, how must one pour it little by little?
The best way isn't to do it yourself,
but to let everyone do it with you.
I think that if you pour it little by little,
you will cause the citizens to feel bitterly disappointed.
Ling Jun, then what do you think should be done?
I believe that as long as we shatter the nobles' bowls,
then the meat will naturally belong to the people!
I was the same as you when I was young.
As long as I thought something was right, I wouldn't care about the method,
I would just insist that my idea be done.
But later I discovered that no matter what I do,
if no one will help you, you would be left alone and helpless.
If you are alone and without help, you will then be unable to do anything.
Now in court, in every matter big and small,
do you think I'm the one making decisions?
The ones making decisions for the State of Chu are the Zhao family, the Jing family,
and your Qu family, as well as our people.
If I stubbornly insisted on one thing for everything,
and not try to balance gains, losses, pros and cons,
then wouldn't the great State of Chu become a pile of loose sand?
But-!
After you reach my age, you will understand.
Your Majesty.
-What is it?-The people of Quan County found out you and Magistrate Qu have to leave,
and wanted to send you two off.
-Let's go!-Okay!
-Big Sister!-Slow down!
Look, it's so festive here!
Let's go in together!
Let's go!
Mo Chou! I know you're nearby!
Come out and see me, okay?
I just want to see you one more time!
Come out, okay?
Mo Chou, I know I forsook you.
But do you know...
...every day that I live is like going through a year.
Do you know how much I miss you?
It's just a shame,
that I no longer have the right to stand in front of you and say these sort of things to you.
Since you don't want to come out and see me,
okay, if you won't see me,
I'll leave right now.
Take good care of yourself!
I just want to say
Mo Chou, to be able to meet you in this life,
my life has not been lived in vain!
If there is a next life,
I surely will not forsake you.
Good!
Greetings, Your Majesty!
Everyone, hurry and get up!
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, today,
we want to drink two bowls to you!
Okay!
Everyone! Since His Majesty saved Magistrate Qu,
the King is our savior!
Come, everyone!
Let's all drink a bowl to His Majesty!
Drink a bowl to His Majesty!
Good!
This second bowl, I,
want to ask Your Majesty to fulfill a wish of mine.
Please fulfill it!
Old Man, please go ahead.
Your Majesty, please leave Magistrate Qu here!
Leave Magistrate Qu here!
Your Majesty, if you won't leave Magistrate Qu here,
we will kneel here and not get up!
I am taking Qu Yuan away to fight on the battlefield
and work for the well-being of my citizens.
I promise you all. I will definitely send a magistrate like Qu Yuan here.
For the well-being of the people?
Your Majesty, you are going to give Magistrate Qu
a higher position?
Then thank you, Your Majesty!
Thank you, Your Majesty!
Everyone get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
Everyone, for me to have the fortune
of meeting everyone at this place,
is my biggest fortune in this life! I know you all can't bear to see me leave,
and I can't bear to leave everyone either!
No matter where I am in the future,
my heart will always have everyone in it.
It will have Quan County in it!
I promise! In the future, I will definitely come back to see everyone!
-Thank you, Magistrate Qu!-Thank you, Magistrate Qu!
♫ Unhurried, floating clouds, the returning bird left one’s far birthplace ♫
♫ 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) ♫
I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I got your clothes wet!
♫ Thinking of a beautiful lady, fragrant dreams ♫
For you, doing anything is worth it.
From now on, you be your good son-in-law,
I'll get my revenge. There will be nothing more between us.
♫ Unhurried, floating clouds, the returning bird left one’s far birthplace ♫
♫ Seeking the truth in heaven and on earth, opening up the words deep in my heart, ♫
Shi Jia, what do you intend to do from now on?
I've been in Quan County for many years.
The magistrates have changed many times.
Only Lord Magistrate Qu has made me admire someone from the heart.
Now that you are going to leave Quan County,
what use is there in my staying here?
Since it's like that, why don't you come to Yingdu with me?
You've has already seen the ways of the world, the more you should realize your ambitions and serve the people.
Let me be frank.
In the world today, the powerful officials rule the government, the local bullies run wild.
With such a chaotic society, my heart has long died from disappointment.
It is indeed because it is chaotic that it needs to be governed, we need skilled individuals
to change it into a new State of Chu.
How easy is change?
Lord Magistrate, you tried to make changes in Quan County, but what happened in the end?
As it is said from the "Classic of Changes", "necessity is the mother of change". (T/N aka I Ching)
When changes have been made, solutions emerge. When problems have been resolved, one can make it last.
Nature is like that. The country's law and order should also be like that.
-Shi Jia...--You do not need to say anything more. I have made up my mind.
In this life, I will only wander the world and be a farmer.
County Magistrate, the road ahead is hard and dangerous. Please take good care of yourself.
Today, I asked everyone one to come here to discuss
the matter of training the army.
Your Majesty, I already have been training soldiers for a long time.
Just feel at ease.
Dealing with the State of Chu is different from other states.
Our soldiers must be brave like ravenous wolves.
The Chancellor is right.
Bai Qi, what ideas do you have?
I think that we can borrow the 'Military Warrior Reforms' employed by Wu Qi in Wei.
Wu Qi, Wu Qi! Wu Qi again!
Bai Qi, do you really think that your surname is really "Wu"?
Hey!
Keep talking.
Have the soldiers carry their weapons and three days' worth of rations.
The persons who are able to run fifty li in half a day may join the military warrior squad,
and all their family will be exempted from forced-labor, and farmland and residential taxes.
You said it as if it's that easy.
If we remove all their forced-labor duties and taxes,
then wouldn't our treasury become even more empty?
I think that Bai Qi's words make sense.
In wartime, with the military warriors at the front line and ordinary soldiers at the back,
the front line will be in very high morale,
while the back line will surely charge with extreme courage and determination too.
As for the empty treasury,
we all should just endure it for a little while.
-Your Majesty!-There is no need to say more, it's settled!
Bai Qi, go and carry that out right away.
I will now take my leave.
Your Majesty, aren't you
favoring this Bai Qi too much?
I need to depend on him to fight a war!
Oh, right. In this battle,
I want Dang'er and Ji'er to meet the Chu army too.
Your Majesty! A war isn't a game!
Besides, Prince Ji and Prince Dang are still young!
It's precisely for that reason that I want them to go.
Without experiencing life and death, how would they be able to become successful rulers in the future?
Your Majesty is intelligent.
I'm not going! I won't go to the battlefield!
Brother Dang is the eldest prince. If he isn't going, then why should I go?
Prince Dang has been ill. It's natural that he doesn't go.
What sick? I even saw him in the military camp yesterday.
Yes, as I see it, Prince Dang must be faking an illness.
He doesn't have to go, but you must go.
Why?
Because he is the eldest prince!
Ji'er, Prince Dang is older than you.
Besides, his martial arts skills are better than yours too.
He isn't going this time, so it's
the best chance to let your Royal Father see your sharp skills.
Fine, then I'll go.
That's my good son.
-Beloved.-Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Rise.- Royal Father.
Beloved, I just went to see Dang'er.
He is still ill. I'm afraid he can't go to the battlefield.
- Royal Father, I...- Since he is ill, of course he must rest.
Ji'er, what about you?
Ji'er was just saying that he would try hard to be chosen as a member of the Warrior Squad
and charge in the front lines for Your Majesty.
- Is that so? Good.- Mm.
With you having such intentions, I really feel so delighted.
But whether you can be chosen as a warrior soldier or not depends on your ability.
Qu Manor
What?
The King won't let you be a magistrate anymore?
That's good.
You can then come back here to Yingdu and continue being an Royal Scholar.
Then you can practice the spear with me too!
I'm afraid I can't do that. The King won't let me stay in Yingdu.
Then where are you going?
The King has ordered me to go onto the battlefield.
What? Go onto the battlefield? But you don't know martial arts skills!
Mother, the King is doing this to make me make up for my crimes.
You going to the battlefield? You're clearly going to die!
What kind of making up is that? It's clearly losing your life! No, you can't go!
What should we do?
It's okay, Mother.
What nothing? That's the battlefield, it's not a game!
Husband, hurry and think of something!
A king doesn't joke around.
Since His Majesty has already issued his decree, what else can we do?
Father.
Today, how was drafting soldiers?
We got some from Yingdu, but we are still lacking.
How many more are needed?
If we add the ones from before, we're just above 50,000.
How did you do your job? After so long, you only have that much?
If you were in charge of this war, how would you fight it?
What can I do? Yingdu doesn't have that many men.
Bring some men tomorrow and draft soldiers from Quan County.
I believe that with the country facing danger before us, the citizens won't stay unconcerned.
-Go on.-Yes.
Three more rounds!
Hurry up!
Run!
Stand up.
I'm telling you to stand up!
Continue running.
Run!
This Bai Qi is being too much.
He treats Prince Ji like this!
I can't run anymore!
What is this?
It's just a sword.
What is a sword?
A sword is the soldier's life.
Do you treat your life like this?
Pick it up!
I won't! Bai Qi, you dare to talk to me like this?
I don't care who you are. Right now, you are my soldier!
Pick up the sword!
I just won't!
Do you believe I'll hit you?
Hit me! Hit me!
Hit him!
I do not dare to.
If he did something wrong, he deserves to be punished.
Ji'er, today, I will let you learn a lesson.
On the battlefield, not listening to your superior's order,
you deserve a beating!
Delaying and disrespecting, just passively facing a challenge,
you deserve a beating!
Deserting your troops and throwing your sword away, such disorderly behavior for an army,
you deserve a beating!
♫ 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 ♫