♫ 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 30
Brimming with courage deep within, manifested in one’s fighting; in the end was unyielding and not enduring any insults. - Guo Shang (Hymn to the Fallen) from Nine Songs by Qu Yuan
KILL!
- Are you okay?- I'm fine!
Mo Chou?
Careful!
Mo Chou, are you okay?
I'm okay, careful!
Running?
Qu Yuan!
W-What are you doing?
- Let go off me! I want to go save him!- You can't go!
Are you crazy! If you go now you're just asking for death!
Qu Yuan! Qu Yuan!
Qu Yuan!
Minister of War! Not good! Second Young Master has been kidnapped!
What!
Qu Yuan? Quickly help General Qu to an honored seat.
No thanks. I can sit myself.
I never thought we meet in this kind of place.
Indeed Prime Minister Zhang, long time no see.
How is it? Being a prisoner of war mustn't feel all that good, right?
How about we make an exchange?
You pledge allegiance to me, and I'll promise you a high official position and handsome income.
Prime Minister Zhang, have you started dreaming even before you've closed your eyes.
I'll give you three days.
Do you think I'll agree?
I'm warning you, this is the Qin camp.
Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!
Ah, do not be rude to General Qu.
I suggest you go back and think about this carefully.
Don't be so hasty in answering me.
Sure. After all this fuss, I'm quite tired. I'd like to rest.
Okay. Take General Qu back to rest.
Yes.
Prime Minister, I believe we should kill Qu Yuan
as soon as possible, in case he causes trouble in the future.
- No.- Why?
He's Qu Yuan, the most precious son of Qu Boyong.
With him in our hands, why would you still worry about the Chu not surrendering?
Guards! Take him out, execute him!
Minister of War, reconsider!
Nobody is to plead for mercy!
If it wasn't for me, Little Brother Yuan wouldn't have been captured by the Qin army.
If you hadn't been so fond of drink, how could the Qin destroy the whole provisions store!
Father...
Please punish me Father.
Unfilial son.
Slash your own throat to atone for your crimes. Save me the trouble of doing it myself.
Elder young master, you mustn't!
Minister of War! While Elder Young Master is at fault in this matter,
at the moment we don't know whether Second Young Master is dead or alive.
If we execute Elder Young Master now, it'll only aggrieve our kinsmen and gladden our enemies.
Why don't you let him atone for his crimes by rendering a service. It's at least better than dying like this!
Elder Young Master, say something!
Father, if you give me the chance to atone for my crime,
I'm willing to lead the an attack into the Qin camp and rescue Little Brother Yuan!
With the way you are now, how would you be able to rescue Yuan'er!
No matter if I can, I cannot just leave it as is.
I have to at least try!
If you want do something, then do something worthwhile!
Father, is rescuing Little Brother Yuan not something worthwhile to you?
Senseless sacrifice is not worthwhile!
Are we to just leave it as is?
And let Little Brother Yuan be...
Do you think I don't want to rescue Yuan'er?
Father, since you want to, then why don't you!
Because I'm not only a father,
I'm also the Grand General of Chu!
I cannot lose the whole war because of one person!
Father, did you never plan to rescue Brother Yuan at all?
Winning this war is more important than his life.
I never thought
that you'd be this cold-blooded.
This is war.
Fine.
I've won't take your troops, I'll go on my own!
If you want to rescue Yuan'er, then do as you're told and stay put!
This is an order!
Stop shouting, you're not the one hurt.
I-It hurts just l-looking at it.
- W-What are you doing?- Don't bother about me.
Are you going to rescue him?
Let go.
Y-You cannot go! Y-You're injured!
Stop saying useless things.
You still can't forget that Qu Yuan, i-is that right?
Let go!
Fine, you go ahead!
How is this g-going to rescue him? You're just going to s-seek death.
F-Feeling not so confident now?
Look, y-you're first priority now
is to let your injury heal.
Once you've recovered your strength,
then you can go rescue...w-w-whoever you like.
T-T-This Qu Yuan is really rather unlucky.
How did he get himself c-captured by the Qin soldiers?
And t-t-that Qin army,
how did they manage to find our p-provisions store?
It almost feels like someone guided them.
True, I also felt it was strange.
It seems that they came prepared.
You all think it's strange as well?
That's right, Minister of War. We've always been very careful in regards to the provisions.
Apart from the people who guard the provisions, others don't know the details.
Why is it that when the Qin army came, they were able to find the exact location of the provision stores.
I thought it was strange as well.
It seems that no matter what we do, it's still hard to fend against thieves in your own house.
We need to investigate this matter clearly.
If we do not capture this traitor, then there would be no end of trouble.
Yes!
Who could be this spy?
Could it be him?
Who do you suspect?
Li Yi,
where did you go last night?
What do you mean by that?
The provisions store was on fire. Everyone went,
except you.
Then you suspect me?
No, no, that's not it. No, no, no...
Q-Qiu Xin, he, he did not mean that.
He just said it incidentally. Qiu.. Qiu Xin...
Grand Adviser Zi Shang's Residence
Look at you, it was so difficult for me to come out and meet you
when His Majesty is not there, but look at that dark face of yours.
How can I not be agitated, such a big issue.
If it gets out, my head would probably be removed!
What issue? To scare you so much!
That Qu Boyong found my family brand seal on some bodies of the Qin soldiers.
If he reports this to His Majesty, then no matter how many heads I have, there won't be enough for His Majesty to cut!
Just this matter?
Luckily I made plans earlier,
and planted Chang Tian as a spy in the army.
If he hadn't intercepted and killed the messenger, I'm afraid this report would already be in His Majesty's hands.
Those lousy Qin people!
You sell them slaves, isn't there anything they could do apart from going to war?
And to fight with Chu of all countries. Isn't this forcing me to death?
The heavens have eyes.
Look at your head, isn't it still sitting perfectly fine upon your neck?
I have a plan that can guarantee your safety.
Quickly tell me, what's your plan?
Aren't you always worried that Qu Boyong would come back and let the whole thing out?
That's right...
Then don't let him come back. Isn't that it?
But Qu Boyong's legs are on his own body, how could I dictate if he can come back or not.
What I mean to say is, don't let him come back alive.
This... this is easy for you to say.
This shouldn't be that hard.
Do you remember that Qu Boyong has an elder son?
Qu You, what about him?
Do you still remember who his birth father is?
Sima An?
Back then, Sima An was a general under Qu Buyong.
Because he got drunk and created a mess, he killed Sima An.
If Qu You finds out the cause of his father's death,
how do you think he would react?
But, Qu Boyong raised him for so many years.
And you are even a Grand Adviser.
When things become urgent, you don't have any ideas.
Even if Qu You can't bear to kill his adoptive father,
but don't forget, in this world there is someone else,
who hopes that he dies even more.
Who?
Zhang Yi.
You need to hurry and deliver this to General Chang Tian without any problems.
Your servant obeys.
It's time to eat.
It's been three days. Do you want to starve yourself to death?
Eat.
Have you gotten tired of living? Do you think you're in Chu? If you don't want to eat, fine.
-What are you doing? -Prime Minister.
Prime Minister, you're here?
How dare you speak to Lord Magistrate Qu like that? Have you gotten tired of living?
I'm dare not, I dare not.
Lord Qu, no matter what, you still need to eat some food.
Only if you eat your fill will you have the energy to curse at me.
I don't care to curse at you.
Coming to us, you don't want to consider it some more?
That's the only answer you'll get from me.
Zhang Yi, I will never become your acquaintance during my life.
We are not people who walk the same path.
Why aren't we?
Because, I wouldn't be like you,
a dog serving the state of Qin in the morning and then serving Chu in the evening. (easy to switch sides)
How dare you!
And who are you?
I...
Qu Yuan, Qu Yuan.
You have already been defeated by me. Why do you speak with such arrogance?
You're right. I, Zhang Yi, am a dog.
If you haven't been a dog, how do you know that being one is bad?
You're shameless.
At least a dog knows who to wag its tail at and who to bite.
Who would have thought that Prime Minister Zhang even has logical reasoning for being a dog.
When this war is over,
and when your State of Chu is under my footstep,
I don't think you'll even have the opportunity to be a dog.
Zhang Yi, you underestimate us Chu.
Do you think that you keeping me here as bait,
that the Chu army will fall for your trick?
We'll see.
- Are you okay? - I'm fine. Mo Chou?
That person, was it really you?
You came to see me again.
W-Why are we hiding here?
If you don't want to help, then get lost.
I want to, I want to! I'll listen to everything you say.
Look!
It's the middle of the night, why is he going to the forest?
It's very suspicious.
Do you think he is a spy for Qin?
What? H-H-Him?
Quiet down!
Think of a way to draw him away.
W-What are you going to do?
Don't worry. You just draw him away.
Okay. Your problem is my problem, my problem is Chu's problem.
Stop talking, hurry and go.
Be careful.
D-Don't worry!
Hey, Li brother, I have s-s-something to ask you.
Y-y-you, I've been wanting to ask you. Let's go over there.
I-I-It's not c-convenient for us to speak here.
Hey, hey, hey, we're almost t-there. It's r-right ahead.
What do you have to tell me, just say it here.
Here? This...T-T-This is not okay, there are too many people over there.
T-T-The people on watch will be w-w-walking back and forth.
We need to walk ahead some more.
What do you want?
I w-w-was...
Let me tell you, what I hate the most is when people mess with me.
T-T-T-This..!
Why would I be m-m-messing with you?
I-I-I just w-w-wanted to l-l-learn
martial arts from you. T-Teach me m-martial arts.
You want to learn martial arts?
See, what do you mean by that?
I-I-I- why can't I learn martial arts?
I, Liu San, am considered to be a significant person in my Quan County.
But when I c-came here, it wasn't like that.
W-W-When I came here to the b-b-battlefield, there's all these swords, spears, and knives.
If I can't do t-t-this, then doesn't that mean I'm seeking death?
Perfect. That'll save us food.
W-W-Wait. B-B-But.
You, look at you. Y-You don't see me as a life and death comrade anymore?
I have never thought that we were.
Then, what do you think?
Is it that you never saw m-me as a brother, or that I'm not s-someone who would be looking for death.
Hey!
Are you done yet? Get out of my way.
But, Brother, your temper is t-too quick.
Just tell me what I'd have to do f-for you to teach m-me martial arts?
Let me tell you, if you mess with me one more time, I'll take your life.
Hey! Ah, my hip. Li! Li! Li!
Brother L-Li, your martial arts are good!
You almost broke my hip with that kick.
Let's go.
W-W-Wait!
- Liu Wai Zui, didn't you say you wanted to learn martial arts?- Li...!
I'll teach you right now.
I-I-I-I-I don't want to learn anymore.
I-I-I want to go back to sleep.
Sleep? Too late.
What's wrong? You're scared?
I-I-I-
If you're scared, I'll ask a few questions.
If you say half a lie, don't blame me for my merciless sword.
I-I-I-I'll speak.
Do you have something you're hiding from me?
We don't!
Will you tell the truth?
I-I-I'll say it! I saw you keep r-running to the f-forest.
I was just curious.
-And? -There's n-no more.
You think I'm not from Chu? Okay, then I'll tell you.
I am NOT from Chu, but a dead person will not tell on me.
It's you?
You're bullying someone who doesn't know martial arts? What kind of hero is that? Fight me.
I would be afraid others would say I, Li Yi, would be bullying a woman.
You know?
Blame it on your clumsy acting. A woman is a woman.
Mo Chou, he's not from Chu, hurry and kill him!
Mo Chou, be careful!
No!
Liu Wai Zui!
Mo Chou, hurry and kill him!
Hurry, Mo Chou!
Liu Wai Zui!
How are you?
Mo Chou, do you think this time,
I acted like a Chu person?
Yes.
This one is so beautiful! I like!
Even if I die, I won't marry you.
In a few days I'll be going on to the battlefield to fight.
I, Liu San, want to prove to you I'm a real man.
Mo Chou! I like you!
From now on, if you are in a d-dangerous situation,
I'll take responsibility to p-protect you.
Liu Wai Zui!
Prime Minister, when do you plan on attacking the Chu army?
We don't need to rush.
But, a day of waiting means wasting a day's worth of food.
Food? I think the Chu army is more impatient than we are.
But right now, their strength is severely drained.
Won't now be the best time to attack?
I don't want to waste a single soldier or battalion
and still will let Qu Bo Yong submit to me.
Why don't I still understand?
Have you forgotten? Qu Yuan is still in my hands.
Prime Minister is wise.
Liu Wai Zui. Thank you for saving me.
Liu San
Before, I always thought you were a bully who bullied the poor.
But after we entered the army,
I learned that you also love the State of Chu.
You are a true man.
A man with flesh and blood.
Liu San
Stop! Who are you!
QIN
One! Two!
One! Two! Three!
One! Two! Two! Three!
Where are the new captives?
The Prime Minister asked me to look at them, but my mind is blank, I've forgotten where they are.
Oh, they are over there.
Thanks.
Have you seen this soldier before?
What are you here for?
I am here to take inventory of the new captives under the Prime Minister's orders.
Come with me.
Are you done checking?
It seems like there's someone missing.
Are you talking about Qu Yuan? He's not kept here.
Then where is he held?
Qu Yuan is held in a secret location only the Prime Minister and his trusted companions know.
Let's go.
Could it be that I
will really die here?
- Is there any movement from Qu Yuan?- I really belittled this Qu Yuan.
Even if he has no food or drink for several days, he still won't open his mouth.
Never thought that despite his weak, scholarly appearance, he has some level of sturdy bones (braveness).
Let's see how long he can still last.
But it is also not a good plan to continue being like this.
I can't keep guarding him, right? Moreover, Prime Minister,
is that place safe or not?
If the Chu people know about it and rescue him, what should we do?
We should immediately think of a way so as not to have frequent nightmares.
Even the Qin soldiers don't know where he is, you think the Chu can save him?
This Zhang Yi...so shameless.
You...who are you?
Who are you then?
Who I am? I am Chu Li Ji.
I am the commanding general here!
- What do you do?- I...
I am here making rounds.
Because I was worried of Prime Minister's safety, that's why...
Good! You really are a good soldier!
Right...
I'll take my leave then.
D-Don't go first.
Stay behind and drink with me.
General, how could I drink with you?
I still have military duties to do.
Or else, won't I get punished via military code?
I'll take my leave now.
Where is he?
Let's lead the army and do a sudden attack here, and then return...
Where did he go?
General, why are you this drunk?
How come the person is gone?
Who are you talking about?
Earlier, there was a soldier making rounds.
What soldier making rounds?
Not that tall and was quite handsome.
He said that he was worried about Prime Minister's safety so he came to make rounds.
Prime Minister, our Qin soldiers are really great.
General, could you have been confused?
Confused? How could I be confused?
Where did he go?
Where is it?
Hey, for the past days, the Chu didn't really come to cause us trouble.
- Really weird.- That's right. Say, Prime Minister is always on guard.
Always wanting us to make rounds. Completely unnecessary.
Indeed. But it's better to be sure than sorry.
Getting caught off guard by the Chu will be bad.
That's right too. It's better to keep watch more closely.
Don't be noisy anymore! Disturbing my sleep.
Prime Minister, by that time, we will then set up ambushes
here, here, and here and then just catch them like a turtle by a jar. (T/N a sure catch).
Oh, no! Oh, no! Prime Minister, please come out and take a look!
What's going on?
Don't know how the horse stables caught on fire, so the horses started to go wild.
They already stepped on and killed a lot of people.
How can such a thing happen!
Reporting to Prime Minister, we still haven't found the reason yet.
Could it have been done deliberately?
What you mean is...
Someone has infiltrated our camp.
- I'll go take a look. You keep watch here.- Yes.
- Prime Minister.- Open it.- Yes.
So it is Prime Minister Zhang.
The two of us are old friends already. I should visit you more often.
Prime Minister looking flustered like this...
is because you are afraid that I will get rescued?
Qu Yuan, why don't you look first what kind of place this is?
Just be at ease and stay here.
We cannot wait anymore. I cannot wait here any longer!
General, calm down.
How am I going to calm down! Father won't mind at all.
Right now, Little Brother Yuan is there alone, his life or death unknown,
how can I calm down? No!
General! General, you must not!
If we wait any longer, Little Brother Yuan might...
I can't mind that much anymore! I must go save him!
- Move aside!- General Qu!
Wait!
You are...
Qiu Xin?
♫ 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 ♫