♫ 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 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 are drunk, one's whole life just follows the blue water ♫
♫ I'll drive and go away for an adventure, flying as I want in the nine skies ♫
Song of Phoenix
Episode 5
Galloping on a steed, I wish to be the vanguard! From Li Sao, the Grievances, by Qu Yuan.
-This is...?-I won't keep it from you, Your Highness.
Ever since the He Shi Bi was lost, I have been worried day and night.
I have especially ordered craftsman to find among all exisiting gemstones
one which resembles He Shi Bi, and create a Bi
meant to be left in your house to be picked and enjoyed by you.
I never imagined that it'd be useful one day.
Your Highness, can you tell which is the real one?
Indeed, I cannot tell.
Even Your Highness cannot differentiate between them.
Do you think the King of Qin who has never seen the He Shi Bi before
can tell the difference?
This can fulfill the State of Qin's wish,
and can leave the treasure in our great State of Chu.
Aren't both wishes fulfilled?
Your Highness, do not worry.
Only the heavens and earth,
I, and you know about this.
The jade knows too.
Yes yes yes. You are right, Your Highness.
I will hand the He Shi Bi to you.
You munst take good care of it.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Won't you open it to take a look?
Even if I don't believe myself, I wouldn't not believe you.
Unless Your Highness would give me a fake jade?
You must be joking.
Be at ease your highness, my state of Qin has always kept it's word.
Once the ceremony is over, the engraved Bi will be returned to Chu.
These... are all Chu clothes and gems I have selected
And there are also cakes which my sister Bazi loved eating when she was young.
I will have to trouble you to bring them to the princess.
Do not worry, Your Highness.
Please get on the road, Minister.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Governing a great state is like cooking small fish.
Attend the world by means of Dao,
and it's spirits would not be seen as gods. Not only would the spirits not be seen as gods,
it's spirits would not harm people.
Zhi Heng! Tell me.
what does "Governing a great state is like cooking small fish" mean?
Teacher, Zhi Lan is the younger brother. Let him talk first.
Very well. Zhi Lan, you talk first.
"small fish" means a young fish. A young fish is very tender.
When cooking a young fish, you have to cut slowly.
While inside the pan, you also cannot keep moving it.
Or else, the fish meat will easily fragment. In governing a country,
it's the same as steaming a fish. You should do it slowly.
This is the "governing by doing nothing that goes against nature" said by Confucius.
Very good.
Zhi Heng, it's your turn. What is your answer?
I don't agree with with Little Brother Lan says.
Oh? Then what do you think?
The State of Chu is my King Father's country.
King Father can rule it as he wishes.
If he's afraid of this or that while ruling the country, what can he accomplish?
If he even has to care for those poor commoners' lives,
then how can my King Father care for the State of Chu?
Poor commoners are poor commoners. The rich are the rich!
Enough!
If every rich nobleman thought the way you did, our state would have been destroyed long ago!
Let me ask you again. Who does the State of Chu belong to?
This...
Who do you think the State of Chu belongs to?
-Greetings, King Father.-Greetings, King Father.
The State of Chu is Your Highness's empire.
It even more so belongs to the empire's people.
The empire has always belonged to the king.
I never heard of these words said by Ling Jun.
The reason that Your Majesty hasn't heard about it before
is exactly because no one in the court is a rational person.
You two leave first.
-Yes.-Yes.
I would like to wash my ears clean to listen carefully.
I want to see how my empire became the peoples' world.
From time in immemorial, the ancient kings govern with loving the citizen as their guiding principle.
Just like Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang.
All of them will experience things by their own, try hard to fulfill their tasks, and be a good example to everyone. Why?
Because they know very well that the citizens are the foundation and the capital of a country.
Your Highness, the State of Chu is like a pool of water.
And the people are the water in the pool.
If there is no water,
this pool is just a dried up hole.
If there isn't such a pool, where will the water be stored?
If there is no pool, then the water is still water.
As they say, the greatest virtue is like water, it benefits everyone. Like the water in the ocean,
the water in a moist dyke.
Water will go as it sees fit.
Our Chu country has millions of armies, ten years worth of food.
Naturally, the people will follow you.
If the State of Chu suffers like the State of Qin,
where the people suffer in famine and drought,
at that time, would the people
still follow you, Your Highness?
Would they still be loyal to the State of Chu?
What a good "The peoples' world".
Ling Jun doesn't only have a pure and kind heart of a poet,
but also loves the world and its citizens.
I didn't see you wrong.
Your Highness, you exaggerate.
But if you use your pure and kind hear to govern,
I'm not sure how it would turn out.
Didn't you give me three days?
Today is the third day.
I want to ask you. Why must you insist on becoming the county magistrate of Quan County?
I want to change Quan County.
Then I hope that you can fulfill what you said and that what you do will bear results.
For the ideals I hold dear in my heart, I am willing to die for it numerous times.
Come in!
Ancestors above, I have failed in teaching my son.
I brought my unfilial son to bow to you.
Hope ancestors can bless and protect Ling Jun.
Kneel down!
Swear to the ancestors. Say, that in this lifetime,
you'll never be an official. After you swear, I'll take you to see the King
and ask the King to take back his word.
-I won't swear!-You dare?
Kneel down!
Father! I don't understand!
Why won't you let me become an official?
I tried to learn martial arts, but you said I didn't have a talent for it.
When I make poems, you always say that I'm just singing of the moon and wind (empty and boring).
Now that His Majesty assigned me to be a county magistrate, you then keep hindering it.
Do you think that because you know some poems,
I can't tell you what to do?
But your rules don't make sense! I won't submit to them! Do you still remember what you taught me?
Son, look!
This is our Chu empire!
Father, how big is the State of Chu?
How far can you see?!
Over there.
There?
The State of Chu is
bigger and farther than what you can see.
Son, remember. The Chu empire
was obtained with the blood of our ancestors.
Our Qu family must be loyal for generations.
I hope that after you grow up,
you can become someone useful to the State of Chu!
You said that you wanted me to become someone useful to the State of Chu!
You also said that every generation of the Qu family must be loyal to the State of Chu.
But you won't let me do anything!
Yuan'er!
How could you talk to your father like that?
Let him talk!
Father, Mother. I've lived in the dark for so many years.
If I can't clear things up today, I might as well just go and die!
You dare?
Yuan'er, why be like this?
Do you know why...your father treats you like this?
You-!
We've already kept this from Yuan'er for so many years.
We must let him know today!
Yuan'er. Do you still remember your birthday?
Of course. Ying month and Ying day.
Actually, your birthday isn't that date.
What?
You were born in an unlucky day. You were very weak when you were little and had almost died multiple times.
We went to the High Priest of Chu and had him look at your fortune.
What did the fortune say?
You will excel in knowledge but not in martial arts. You are more suitable to be left free than to serve the government.
These...
It's because of that, you won't let me learn martial arts or be an official?
Is that it?
We did this for your good.
You are frank and offend others easily.
If you don't become an official, then you won't create trouble.
Yuan'er!
Father, Mother, I am not filial.
I never imagined that it's for my safety
that you wouldn't let me learn martial arts or become an official.
Get up, get up!
It's good that you understand.
Father, but I still must say this.
Even if all of this is set by fate,
but I still will walk this far road, seek the truth from the Heaven and Earth, can continue fighting with this fate.
What did you say?
Stop talking. Your father's injuries just healed.
If you anger him into illness again, see if I'll spare you or not.
Father. You always told me and Big Brother
The whole Qu clan should bravely serve our country.
Must be loyal to the king, love the citizens, and serve the country.
But don't forget! My surname is also Qu!
Qu family blood also flows in my veins!
Ancestors above,
since I was born within the Heaven and the Earth, then I must gallop on the steed, I wish to be the vanguard!
Even if they are leopards or tigers, what is there to fear about? Even if it would be hard, so what?
Father, it doesn't matter if you agree or not.
This time, I will make my own decision!
Son.
I heard that Qu Yuan wants to become Quan County's magistrate.
-Yes.-Did you agree?
He wants to accomplish something. I think it'll be okay to let him try.
Try?
I know that you intend to cultivate him.
There is nothing to be said against it.
But have you thought about it? A scholar
suddenly became a magistrate,
and magistrate of our biggest county too.
Wang'er, isn't that such a huge change in style?
Qu Yuan is a contemporary genius. Of course, he cannot be treated normally.
But in my eyes, he's just a poet!
I understand.
Very well.
I hope that he won't create any big troubles.
I understand.
Come.
Father.
What is it? You're still thinking about Meng Yan?
There are a lot of things like tying this knot.
You should untie it following a certain order.
Or else, the more you try to untie it, the more it gets tighter.
Father, I don't have any stuck knots in my heart.
Would I not know about your heart?
I know too!
What do you know?
You can't fully blame Mr. Qu for what happened to Meng Yan.
He's a nobleman, and we are commoners.
He doesn't know of our pain.
That's right, Big Sister. Forgive Big Brother Qu Yuan.
A carriage goes down its roads. A horse walks down its path.
They don't really belong on the same road. No matter how you try to combine, they won't merge.
Father, I don't have that sort of relationship with that Mr. Qu.
That's good. Or else, you'll be the one to suffer in the future.
Also, you're not that young anymore.
I'll help you find a husband.
Don't go out running a circus troupe anymore. Pass some peaceful days.
Father! You're talking about that again! I don't want to marry yet!
Big Sister, I think Big Brother Qu Yuan is pretty good!
So nosy!
Move aside!
Master.
Master, which one do you like? I'll bring her over.
They're all good. I like
them all!
What are you doing? Let go!
Let go of me!
That's more fun!
Catch them all!
What are you hiding for?
Go back with us and experience good life with our Lord Liu.
Don't hide!
Don't leave!
Just who are you? What are you doing?
You don't know who I am?
Come come come! Capture them all!
Catch them all!
Let go of me! I don't know you! Big Sister!
You dare to abduct girls in broad daylight? Is there still law in this world?
Law?
Let me tell you!
The law is my family law!
Come come come! Capture them all!
-Let's go!-Let go of me!
Master!
This...are you guys going against me?!
Teach them a lesson!
Catch them all!
-Big Sister, are you okay?-I'm okay!
Big Sister!
Ha?! Goddess?!
Let go of me!
How pretty!
Come and help!
She's a celestial fairy!
-Big Sister!-She's a celestial fairy!
You are so misbehaving.
Pretty maiden, you want to save them, right?
I can let them all go.
As long as you go back with me.
Lowlife bastard!
Oh? I like it!
I like it!
Take her!
Let go of me!
Big Sister, save us!
-Big Sister, save us! -Let go of me!
Big Sister!
Save me! Big Sister!
Let go of me!
Fine! I'll go with you! But you must let them all go!
O-o-okay! Let them all go!
Big Sister! Big Sister!
-Big Sister!-Hurry and go!
Big Sister, we can't leave you alone here!
I'm telling you to hurry and go!
-Big Sister!-Hurry and go!
Big Sister! Big Sister!
Go!
Big Sister!
We won't go!
Big Sister!
How is it, beautiful maiden?
As long as you follow me,
all of this will belong to you.
You won't have to perform on the streets anymore.
Come. Let's...
Don't touch me!
If you really want me to marry you,
then marry me properly.
Master, be careful of her playing tricks.
How is it? Do you dare to?
-You don't dare to, right? Then I'll go die!-Don't!
O-okay! I promise!
Come!
-Master.-T-take good care of your new mistress.
After three days, I'm going to marry her!
-Yes.-Yes.
Mistress, please.
Do you know why I let you become a magistrate?
Do you know what kind of place Quan County is?
Quan County is the State of Chu's biggest county.
It is also the closest county to Ying Du.
Over 400 years ago, my ancestor, King Wu, destroyed the State of Quan.
He gathered all the nobility of the State of Quan
and turned Quan lands into Quan County.
Ying Du and Quan County are like the heaven and earth.
In being a government officer, you must know how to go up the Heavens and also go down the earth. (mingle with higher officials and the citizens)
Although Quan County is small, it has complete channels.
With twisted roots and intertwined joints, it would be difficult to progress through it.
If you can take good care of this place,
I believe that one day,
you can definitely help me take care of the empire.
- Ling Jun, what can you see?- Chu Country's beautiful landscape.
That's right. This is my empire.
What you can see is all my empire.
There are many nights where in my dreams,
I would be riding a handsome horse and riding with all my might.
Traveling along every mountain and waters of Chu.
Touching each plants of my country.
Greeting every peddlers and carriers.
Listening to the songs of the mountains, singing the songs of the fishes, travelling as much as I like.
Your Highness, you seem more like a poet than me.
Isn't my empire a poem?
Look. Are the State of Chu's mountains beautiful?
Is the State of Chu's water beautiful?
Are the people of the State of Chu beautiful?
Mm.
A poet wants beautiful forms. They just focus on writing a beautiful poem.
I govern and manage.
Why wouldn't I want to see a beautiful country?
However,
What you ask for is a beautiful poem while what I want is beautiful governance.
Who says that beauty and governing can't be merged together?
Right. Beauty and governance as one body.
Beautiful governance.
From what I can see, Ling Jun can bear such huge responsibility.
Beautiful governance. The beautiful governance that Your Majesty is saying is about...
With your vitality as a poet and use your heart to observe,
you will understand it too as time goes by.
Are you all packed up?
Mm.
In this trip to Quan County of yours,
It's different from home. You must rethink everything.
Please don't be impatient in handling matters.
I got it.
In these years, I didn't let you learn martial arts
because I was afraid that you'll show your greatness too much.
I was afraid the King would make you an official.
But I never imagined that what I feared was what ended up coming.
Father, don't worry! I won't make the Qu family lose face!
It's already come to this, and yet you're still arguing with me?
Do you know...how deep Quan County's water is? (how deep the problem is)
I'm afraid that before you settle into your official seat,
you'll fall for someone's plot!
I haven't even gone and you're already cursing me?
Cursing you?
Good in knowledge but not in martial arts. Suitable to be free than to serve the government.
I told you that before!
Have you ever feared? Have you ever listened to my pleading?
You-! Forget it, fine. I won't argue with you.
But remember, when you're alone outside,
you must always cherish yourself.
If you really face any difficulties that is hard to resolve,
then come back! Remember! You still have me, your father!
The child is leaving tomorrow, but you're still being so strict with him now?
I already was so patient when talking to him. This kid,
If you're not strict with him, he won't listen!
What use is talking to him?
Have you forgotten the time you made him stand in the snow as punishment?
When did he show any weakness and submitted to you?
The Han River is vast and wide, I cannot swim across it to cross the river.
Put some strength into it!
Lift your arms up higher!
Give him the water.
Hold it up higher!
Who told you to peek on your brother's martial arts practice?
Who told you to peek on his martial arts practice?
Stop hitting him!
-Who told you to watch?-Stop, you're going to hurt him!
The water cannot spill out.
You won't admit you were wrong? Fine!
Then stand here! Until your water turns into ice!
You're making him stand in such cold weather? What if he catches a cold?
If I don't be strict with him, will he be able to grow up and be a respectable person?
I wasn't wrong...I wasn't wrong!
Who punishes children like you?
What do we do if he gets an illness?
I know, I know!
I wasn't wrong! I just want to learn the spear! I wasn't wrong!
Yuan'er, Yuan'er!
Yuan'er.
But, this child
has our Qu family's stubborn bones.
I just wanted to learn martial arts.
Don't move!
Where are you going?
Aiya.
M-m-mo Chou,
w-w-why be like this?
If you follow me,
you can have whatever you want.
W-why are you crying?
-C-come pretty maiden--Don't touch me!
Aiya! I-!
J-j-just continue being stubborn!
L-let's see who will suffer!
A-a-all of you listen up!
Watch her properly! If she runs off again,
I'll pull out all your hairs!
Oh, my, your strength...is quite strong.
Yuan'er, after you get there, don't forget to send a message home.
I know mother. I cannot continue being filial to you here at home. You must take good care of you.
Your father is feeling unwell.
This is a bamboo letter he especially wrote for you and told me to give you.
Speak and act cautiously. When nearing a cliff,
thread lightly.
Father! Father!
Yuan'er! My good son!
Father!
Looking at the boundary of Qi River, there were lush bamboo leaves.
It makes one think of that wonderful gentleman...
Hold out your hands.
Continue!
It makes one think of that wonderful gentleman,
who has such elegant character.
County Magistrate!
-Save our Big Sister!-Save my daughter!
County Magistrate!
-Save my Big Sister!-Save my daughter!
County Magistrate!
What is the fuss about?
Liu San forcefully took my daughter and wanted to make her his wife.
May county magistrate give us justice.
Please, save my Big Sister! Please, I'm begging you!
The old county magistrate has already died.
You know about that.
It still isn't known who the new country magistrate will be.
Then...please,
get justice for us!
Aiya, what use is reporting this to the court?
Who doesn't know that Liu San is our county's rich lord.
They have thousands of hectares of land that you can't even seen the boundary of it.
You're still reporting this when you have such a good son-in-law?
If you ask me, hurry and just go home and set up a few tables then treat everyone to a banquet.
You should just go and celebrate today.
-Go back!-My lord!
My lord! My lord!
Let me tell you. Don't pretend to be in a disadvantage when you have gained an advantage.
-My lord!-Is there still law in this world?
Oh?
Law?
Is the law from your family?
Why are they like that?
Go back!
My lord! My lord!
My lord!
-My lord!-My lord!
Mistress. Mistress? I'll go call for someone!
Master!
Mo Chou! Mo Chou!
Mo Chou, what's wrong?
You tied me up so tightly.
Causing my blood circulation to pool and my blood vessels to get damaged.
I...I'm afraid I'll die soon!
W-who did this? Hurry and loosen the rope!
H-hurry up! Hurry up!
Are you feeling better?
A lot better.
Hurry and go get busy.
Okay!
I'll go bring your father here now to take care of you,
and then he can attend our wedding too.
Watch her!
-Yes.-Yes.
Get out!
I never imagined
that you'd be here too!
F-father!
Come come come!
Hurry up!
Father, look at what I brought you!
You should wear this outfit to attend
my and your daughter's wedding!
-You-!-Master!
You-! You old thing!
You quite have an attitude.
I'm not your father! I don't have a son like you!
Let me tell you, old man.
I will definitely marry your daughter today!
-W-what are you doing?-Uncle Mo!
What are you doing?
-Father!-Uncle Mo!
I'll fight you!
You are hitting me?! You little rascal!
Yi'er!
Yi'er! Yi'er are you okay?
Yi'er!
Father! Father!
Let me tell you, old thing!
If you don't want to attend your daughter's wedding, fine.
But! The rest of Mo Chou's life
will be left to me!
-Father!-Let's go!
Let's go!
-Father!-Uncle Mo!
Father! Father!
-Father, are you okay?-My Mo Chou!
-Father!-Wife!
In the heavens above,
please save our poor daughter!
Let's go!
Father, let's go!
Okay!
Uncle Mo, what happened?
Mr. Qu, Mo Chou, she-!
Brother Qu Yuan, hurry and save my Big Sister!
What happened to your Big Sister?
My Big Sister, she-!
♫ 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 the Heaven if it can bear witness to one's loyalty ♫
♫ Muddy and clear, beauty and ugly, overturning all living creatures ♫
♫ Angelica and magnolia, orchids and quan, have heard time spitting 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 ♫'Li Sao' is a famous Chu poem about 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 ♫
♫ How much excellence can grieving citizens produce? ♫
♫ 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 ♫