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~ Moonrise by Lu Hu & Huang Yali ~
♫ The moonlight shines brightly on the strings of the zither that night ♫
♫ You and I are teetering on the edge of loneliness ♫
♫ Softly reciting the bygone days we cannot return to ♫
♫ Also floating in the air is a kite with a string that has snapped ♫
♫ The yearning stirs my heartstrings that night ♫
♫ Love and hate whimper quietly and unrestrainedly ♫
♫ To meet or not to meet, both are similarly on the edge of pain ♫
♫ That umbrella that shielded me from the rain was badly damaged ♫
♫ At moonrise, I meet with you ♫
♫ At moonset, I could not see you anymore ♫
♫ At moonrise, I endlessly yearn for you ♫
♫ At moonset... at moonset... ♫
♫ A millennium passes by rapidly... ♫
The Legend of Hao Lan
Episode 58
When Royal Father passed away, you did not shed a single tear.
It attracted a widespread of discussion in the late king's palace.
Now you want to incinerate the treasures that he bestowed to you.
Do you really want the whole world to talk about you?
Bestow? Yes..
He is the high and mighty King of Qin.
The gift that he gave me can only be called bestowed.
The king bestows.
Who dares to refuse? I dare to!
Burn it!
Mother!
Burn everything!
- Mother! - Don't leave a single one!
Mother! How can you be so heartless?
This is between your Royal Father and me. You don't have a say in it!
Mother! I beg you!
Zheng'er, don't tell me you believe in the rumors, too?
You believe that your mother is an emotionless woman?
No. She is just the opposite and is too emotional.
I just don't want others to gossip about Mother behind her back.
Furthermore, I don't want her to become the target of the people.
Aunt Chun, can you please go help me look at Mother? Would you?
Zhao Gao.
Please speak, Your Majesty.
Whoever gossips about the queen, kill.
Yes.
All of you, whoever dares to leak a word out, I will kill without hesitation.
Yes.
Continue.
Royal Father.
Zheng'er misses you.
Haolan, there is an old saying.
I know it is useless but I still want to say it.
The deceased is gone, please don't grieve too much.
Do you think I am sad?
No. I am not sad at all.
Haolan.
It's been eight years.
The life of my son and I have constantly been threatened.
You have experienced with us the time when we lived an inhuman life.
Who would understand it better than you?
Since I've entered the Qin, he told me to learn the Qin law.
I understand.
He wants me to love Qin like my homeland.
To love the Qin citizens like my own children.
I accomplished it.
But what about him?
He promised to respect me, to trust me.
When danger was imminent, he pushed me far away.
Did he think that I would be grateful?
Haolan, the King did that because he had no choice.
That night,
I waited outside for him the whole night.
In the end, what did I wait for?
He still left me alone outside.
He wouldn't even see me for the last time.
Yes,
he is worried about the matters of the State of Qin.
He is worried about the young prince.
He didn't have any time left for me.
He didn't even have time to say the last words to me.
I understand him.
He is the king of the State of Qin.
He doesn't only belong to me.
But he left a will.
To burn all of his relics.
He's not even giving me a chance to remember him.
Fine. If he wants to burn it,
then burn it all.
Even the present that he gave me and our affections for each other,
lets burn it all.
Haolan.
Zichu.
I will not forgive you.
For the rest of my life,
I will not forgive you.
Xiaochun, I'm tired.
I want to rest.
Go back.
Your highness, it's time. All the chancellors are still waiting outside.
To congratulate your highness on your succession.
Let's wait a bit more.
I have already sent someone to Yongmen Palace.
I'm afraid that it will not be good to miss the time of the ceremony.
Your highness, the ceremony should start.
The great queen has arrived.
Mother.
Mother. Please sit.
Zheng'er. Today is the day of your succession.
Come.
All ministers, greet the new king!
Congratulations to our king for your succession to the throne!
Your Majesty, may you be limitless for years to come!
May you be limitless for years to come!
You may all rise.
Your Majesty, thank you.
Ministers, enter the palace to offer your gifts.
[ Harmony Gate ]
Empress Dowager, even if I have committed any crimes, there would be the Great Qin Law to mete punishment on me.
What's your intent in interrogating the criminal in private?
General Bai.
Withdrawing the army from the Southern Province and leaving the people behind without any protection,
leaving the army stranded in Xianyang, and coercing His Majesty to command the ministers,
do you know you were wrong?
A woman who has been living in the inner palace for a long time, how would she know what's right or wrong? It's laughable.
General Bai, your luck is no longer good.
When you run into me during my unfavorable state of mind,
you would be flogged eighty times before you can talk.
His Majesty has overindulged Your Highness
and that gave you the boldness to meddle with the criminal process.
According to the Great Qin convention,
before the new king is crowned,
matters of the imperial court is to be decided by the empress dowager.
Not to mention having you flogged eighty times.
Even if I were to have you flogged to death, who would dare to question?
Beat!
It is considered heartless to desert the people of the Southern Province;
it is considered unrighteous to recklessly kill the good people;
it is considered unfilial to abandon your father's wishes;
it is disloyal to coerce His Majesty.
You are a disloyal, unfilial, heartless and unrighteous person.
What qualifies you to make noise in front of me?
Do you believe if I were to throw you back into the Southern Province now,
the people would tear you up into pieces.
That illustrious father of yours with an outstanding military service,
even though he is dead and buried deeply underground, he would be disgraced by you.
Just kill me right away
and let me be happily contented!
Death?
Death is the easiest task in the world.
Lord Wu An had been fighting wars his whole life.
He expanded boundaries for the Qin State and shed blood in the battlegrounds.
The reputation and glory he had earned
would be tainted because of you.
You don't think of helping your father to scrub off the humiliation and disgrace he had suffered,
but only think about seeking personal vengeance, and now even want to end it all with death?
Fine. I'll grant you your wish.
Drag General Bai to the city,
read the charges of his crimes out loud in public,
then let this old man of Qin take his own life.
Actually, I really want to see
how the people of the Great Qin would treat a treasonous official.
When you descend to the underground, how you would face your father,
face those in your Bai Clan who died because of you,
face those departed spirits of the innocents who died tragically at the Southern Province!
Go then!
Empress Dowager! I know I'm wrong.
I know I'm wrong!
The Great Qin is my country and my home
His Majesty is the one I've pledged an oath to be loyal to all my life.
I shouldn't have focused on seeking personal vengeance and forgotten all about righteousness.
Please give me another chance.
I swear I'd be loyal and devote my lifetime to serve you.
So long as I can scrub off my humiliation and disgrace in the battlegrounds.
Can I still believe in you?
If I were to violate my oath,
I'd be shot in the heart by random arrows and die without my body intact (suffer a tragic death)!
Good.
From now on, you will no longer be the heroic general in the battlegrounds,
but just a military master, Wei Liao, who would teach His Majesty military skills.
Empress Dowager.
This is your only chance.
Whether you are able to grab hold of it, it's all up to you.
Official Wei Liao sincerely accepts Empress Dowager's decree.
Yin Xiaochun!
In my lifetime, you're the first woman I trust greatly.
Why did you betray me?
Clearly, you've promised me
What is love?
It's but a game to idly while away one's time.
Also, what does one live for?
It's to achieve one's dream and worth.
Everything else is secondary.
General Bai, that's what you said before.
Your dream is to kill Lu Buwei.
but mine is to cure patients and save people.
We are not allies.
Why should I help you?
Are you taking vengeance on me?
I suppose that year when I killed Zhao Yi,
you've plotted step by step to make me fall in love with you gradually.
and then pushed me down ruthlessly from high up in the clouds.
You are seeking revenge for him!
No!
When two armies are at battle, it is based on their respective strategy.
One dies, so the other lives.
That was his fate. I don't blame anyone.
But you shouldn't devalue my feelings.
Nor denigrate women.
In your eyes,
women can betray even their best friends for the sake of love.
They would do anything for the men they love.
Let me tell you, you underestimate me too much.
I've known Haolan for 15 years.
We've been through ups and downs in the worst turbulence.
Even if you put all the world's men together,
they are not as important as our friendship.
You even wanted to use the title of being a general's wife to have me violate the promise of righteousness and justice.
Bai Zhong, you can't help but view yourself too highly.
I have never really known you.
It seems today is the first time I could see you clearly.
This is merely giving you a small lesson.
You must remember never to look at others with your head held high (as inferiors).
Be careful where you tread.
If you behaved and tread wrongly again,
no one could save you.
Xiaochun.
You and I have been together at all times of the day, and we've been getting along for years.
Don't tell me you... Really have no sincere feelings for me?
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Your Majesty, the Great General Meng Ao has captured Wei State's cities of Suanzao,
Yan, Xu, and twenty others.
Requesting Your Majesty to reveal all of them now.
According to convention, we should install an Eastern Province in that state.
Your Majesty, I heard that Wei State has been ceding land repeatedly.
It intends to form a coalition of Vertical Alliance on the North-South axis with the states of Chu, Zhao, Han and Wei,
and together, they intend to crusade against the Great Qin.
The King of Chu intends to personally lead the coalition as its leader.
I anticipate that he would have to entrust Lord Chunshen to take control of the military affairs
and command the army to forcefully advance toward Hangu Pass.
Our army should make preparation in advance.
As for the general who would lead the army,
I have made a decision already.
Your Majesty.
Zhong Fu (the king's honorific address for Lu Buwei) has already made his decision. Why do I still need to be consulted?
[ Five years later ]
- Your Majesty, are you alright? - I'm fine.
How dare you Wei Liao to hurt the King.
Your Majesty, fighting in wars is similar to governing the country.
As long as you know the rules thoroughly.
Do not treat the world as your battle.
All right.
Your Majesty, Prime Minister Lu is here.
Zhong Fu.
Have you read the reports I sent you?
You are in charge of court affairs. Why do you ask me?
Even though you are not in charge yet,
and the most critical decisions are made by me and the Queen Dowager
but since you are the King of Qin, you should familiarize yourself about the country and the people.
Otherwise, how do you become the King?
Now, you are addicted to sword practice and neglect court affairs.
Your servants are at fault for not reminding you about your duties.
Men.
Take martial artist Wei Lio and all the servants down
to be each caned 50 times.
Your Majesty, please don't.
Zhong Fu, they are all men who are closest to me.
Since they are close to you, they should do their job.
With such negligence and cowardice, how can you serve the King?
Take him away.
No, save me, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, save me!
Your Majesty! Save me!
Your Majesty!
Smell it.
It's so fragrant.
This is a top-grade ambergris.
It can calm your temper and nerves,
and also alleviate chronic insomnia.
Insomnia?
Queen Dowager, Physician Yin force me to tell her.
Please forgive me, Queen Dowager.
Haolan, you are usually forgiving.
How have everything that the late King did angered you for so long?
It's been five years.
Why can't you let it go?
Don't mention that.
And don't mention that man.
Whenever I hear about him, I just feel a sharp pain in my heart.
And I feel extremely annoyed.
Don't mention five years.
Even if it were 10 years, 20 years,
I wouldn't forget, either.
You don't want me to mention him.
But every day you blame him, scold him, and hate him.
Zichu is probably really happy.
He is glad that you'll remember him for the rest of your life.
Alright, alright, I won't mention him.
Mother.
Greetings to Mother.
The King of Qin should be meeting at court right now.
Why are you suddenly here?
Aunt Chun.
What's made you rush over here?
You didn't even let servants notify me first.
Mother, I want to ask you one thing.
Between me and Lu Buwei, who is Qin's real king?
Zheng'er, you are the King of Qin.
Why are you asking such a ridiculous question?
Aunt Chun, if I'm the King of Qin,
why is it that all the court affairs are decided by Lu Buwei?
Why is it the whole court bow to him?
Why do the people only praise him?
Go outside the Xianyang city and ask around,
who would remember the real sovereign of Qin?
Who would know the real King inside the palace?
Zheng'er!
Zheng'er, do you know how to be a king?
Of course I do.
How to handle affairs, how to pacify the people,
how to war against enemies, how to rule the court ministers,
I learned it all from the late King.
If I have the authority to govern, I'll be as good as Lu Buwei.
Whenever you start governing by yourself, what would you wish to do?
I will start a war against the other states and unite under Qin.
I will establish an empire that is one like never before and will exceed the ancient five great kings.
Zheng'er, who taught you to be so ambitious?
Do you remember what happened to us in Zhao?
It's all because of war that lasted year and year,
you could not see an adult man on the streets of Handan.
Every day, we only hear about the grief of the old, the weak, the womenfolk and the children.
All along the way from the state of Zhao into the state of Qin, refugees and starving people are everywhere.
Why would you want to start a war and continue such tragedies?
The states attack each other so that there is never-ending warfare.
It's because there is no emperor in charge.
If I am the emperor, I will reign over the world and there will be no more wars.
Royal Father had said, the reason that Qin starts a war
is to stop the usage of weapons of war forever so as to stabilize the world.
Don't mention your Royal Father again!
Mother!
You are the Queen Dowager of Qin.
Even though I'm not of age yet, you should be the one to rule on the court's affairs.
Why did you hand all the power to Lu Buwei?
All you do is gardening here and live a peaceful life.
The universe rotates around and justice returns against injustice.
Bai Zhong fought everywhere and killed many.
His outcome is known to everyone in the world.
What happens to a general can happen to a king, too.
With your grand wish to unite the world, how many people will lose their lives?
Those are real people's lives.
They have names, families,
but they have to shed their blood in battles and get buried in the battlefields.
You don't know that the remains from Changping's battle are still not fully buried.
United the world?
How many people will you kill?
What consequence will you suffer?
Mother, are you worried about me?
You are my son.
To end the turmoil that's lasted hundreds of years,
It'll come with an unimaginable cost.
You'll even suffer the hatred from all the other six states.
Have you thought through all of it?
Mother, regardless of the cost, I have no other wish.
I will fulfill the grand plan that has been carried out by generations of Qin's kings.
Qin will rule all the other states' land.
All the peoples will become Qin's people.
I will be the only king in the world.
I wish Mother will help me.
Son,
you are not qualified yet.
Mother!
A king will never beg for help.
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Prime Minister Lu.
Physician Yin.
Have you been waiting for me?
I want to talk about something with you.
I'm going to see Queen Dowager. Let's go together.
Wait. The king suddenly came to Yongmen Palace yesterday.
I already know.
You know about it?
The king is still too young and can't tell right from wrong.
He can be easily influenced by treacherous ministers.
The Queen Dowager shouldn't have kept Wei Liao in the palace. He will cause trouble sooner or later.
Wei Liao is not the kind to gossip behind your back.
Why don't you reflect what you've done?
I? What wrong have I done?
For the past five years, you've been solely in charge of Qin's affairs.
Every decision, big or small, has to go through you.
You even have 3,000 resident guests at your manor, and 10,000 servants.
The King is growing up and gradually has made his own mind.
When he sees more of the situation, what will he think?
The Late King personally asked me to be in charge of court affairs at his deathbed.
He entrusted the King to me.
Since the King hasn't reached majority,
I am in charge for the sake of Great King's future.
Within just a few years, the Great Qin has eliminated the swarming of locusts, the plagues,
and has defeated many others at war, yet we have only gained thirty-three cities.
I have never failed the late King's request.
As for the King, if all he knows is to ask Queen Dowager like a pleading child,
then all it proves is that he is an immature youngster.
How can I give him Qin yet?
No one will refute your accomplishment, but have you considered how the King feels?
He is, after all, the real King of Qin.
Queen Dowager only cares about her son, and she's never worried about me.
Why does she hide in the inner palace and never sees me?
I come every day for her decree, but only see her probably one out of ten times.
Haolan didn't ask me to come see you. I'm telling you what I think.
It doesn't matter if it's your own thinking or hers.
you can tell her this,
I am simply doing all my best to strengthen Qin.
Teaching the child is not what I can do.
She can ask me to treat the King better, but she must come to me herself.
Lu Buwei, you are full of nonsense.
Mother, today is your birthday.
You should receive accolades from all the ministers and well wishes from all the people.
Why is it such a simple affair?
I like simple.
Besides, there are countless precious
treasures and gold in my palace.
On my special day, why would I want noisy strangers here?
Those are fire-in-water sparklers.
I heard the performance used to be only at Zhou's court.
So I especially asked them to be hear.
Mother, do you like it?
It's so pretty.
Haolan, happy birthday.
I was careless, Please forgive me, Queen Dowager.
You can all sit, I'll go back to change.
We'll wait for you.
Peony flower.
I remember Qionghua loved the peony flower the most.
I tried growing it in the palace's garden.
But the soil doesn't suit, and it never thrived.
Where did you pick it?
Xinzheng.
What did you say?
From Xianyang to Xinzheng is nearly 1,000 li (about 300 miles).
Just for picking a flower?
The most beautiful peony flower in the world
has to be plucked together with the morning dew during the early morning.
But it's too far between Xianyang and Xinzheng.
It would have wilted even if carried on a fast horse.
So I brought in the entire plant.
If my sister knew that I stole her favorite plant,
she would have hit me hard.
Your sister?
Qionghua planted this flower herself?
Even now, outside Han's palace
are fields of peony flowers.
But she is already dead.
Who is taking care of the flowers?
Even though she died in Handan,
but every year, her cenotaph would be covered in a spread of peony bloom
that you can't from one end to the other.
But those people don't know that my sister hated people picking the flowers.
Even after the blooming season, she couldn't bear to pick them.
I am guessing that those people were her admirers that brought the flowers.
Was your sister very popular in the Han state?
My sister was beautiful and proud since childhood.
Many young lords in Han competed for her hand.
When I was a child, I didn't like her admirers.
But I have thought it over,
if I had known what would happen now,
It would have been better if she had married someone in Han.
She wouldn't have died in a foreign land.
When I returned to Han and saw my royal father,
that person is still enjoying a lavish life every day. I wish...
Lao Ai,
Qionghua's sacrifice helped Han state get a moment of peace.
Qionghua was like that.
The state of Zheng took great pains and thoughts, and came over here to repair channel with Qin,
trying so hard with people and resources
to stop Qin from marching eastward.
His motive was to protect the Han state, too. Right?
Even if all sorts of methods are put to use,
how could an army of tigers and wolves (vicious and merciless) be stopped from marching eastward again
to slowly conquer the Han State?
When I lived in Zhao,
I endured so much hardship in war.
I hated Qin's fierce king.
But once I arrived in Qin,
I gradually understood.
What is the secret to Great Qin's success?
Shang Yang's reform of Qin's law, self-motivated prosperity.
Don't the other countries know about these ideas?
No.
They know, but they can't do it.
The reformed law would strip wealth from the aristocrats
to be distributed among soldiers who achieved merits.
Among the six states, which king is brave enough to do it?
Probably before the law is reformed,
the aristocrats would embrace a new king
and make use of beauties entrapment to enable the neglect of Qin's plan.
They would think up every possible way to weaken their opponent.
If the Han state cannot revive itself,
sooner or late it would be conquered by another country.
What I'm telling you,
do you understand?
The Qin law that you mention, I've read all of it.
I will also remember every word you tell me.
Queen Dowager, the king is still waiting for you.
Queen Dowager, can I call you sister?
I don't know why, but I always think of my sister when I see you.
I'm sorry, I've overstepped limits.
If I can live like Qionghua,
I would smile even from a sleep.
If you want to call me sister, then do so.
Queen Dowager, the King is probably getting impatient now.
I won't take up your time. Keep practicing your sword.
[ Harmony Gate ]
Prime Minister Lu.
Why are you here?
- Is the banquet finished in the palace, It's already finished for a while.
- Give it to Queen Dowager. - Yes.
- What is it? - It's a gift from Prime Minister Lu to Queen Dowager.
It's an embroidery skirt that was embroidered using Shu Silk.
According to legends, it would not disintegrate for a millennium.
I'll take it over there. You can leave.
Yes.
[ Hua Yang Palace ]
Grand Queen Dowager wants to see me. I'm surprised.
Prime Minister is generous in heart.
It's bee a long time, surely your're not still upset with me?
I primarily wish to reacquaint with you today.
Grand Queen Dowager, I'm busy working for Qin's sake, traveling far everywhere.
If you are just wanting to chat,
please excuse my absence.
Wait, Lu Buwei.
You should remember when you first entered Xianyang,
my sister was the one who introduced you to the palace, right?
I've never forgotten.
Then you should also remember that you promised at that time
the Mi clan would prosper after Zichu gets the throne.
But in the end, did you fulfill the promise?
When the late King Zhaoxiang succeeded the throne,
his mother, Queen Dowager Xuan, got hold of power.
Her relative, Wei Ran (Marquis Rang), became Prime Minister.
These two worked diligently, for the King of Qin and the Great Qin, and expanded new territories;
endured the rivers and mountains to surround the capital city of Da Liang (in Wei State). [Records of the Grand Historian: Marquis Rang Historical Biography]
But the King still took power away Queen Dowager Xuan.
He also evicted Wei Ran from Qin.
It was for the sake of Qin's grand plan.
Now, how would the Grand Empress Dowager be compared to Empress Dowager Xuan and Marquis Rang?
The late king eliminated the Mi clan,
but he still let you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.
He was a kind king.
Bravo! Bravo!
You and Zichu are quite of pair of well-suited King and Minister.
You are all the same, repaying kindness with ruthlessness.
You are cruel and vicious.
You even talk about this betrayal of promise
as if it were so righteous.
Grand Queen Dowager, if you don't have any serious matter to discuss,
I have to leave.
It's time for Zheng'er to select his queen.
Qin and Chu have marital alliances for generations for peace.
The King of Chu is willing to have his most beloved daughter,
Princess Yun Meng marry the King of Qin.
Grand Queen Dowager,
Qin and Chu have marital alliances for generations,
but the results has been schemes and plots to control power.
Why are you still fantasize such a dream?
Qin wants Han.
So it reaches beyond to ally with Chu.
That's why Qin and Chu have had marital alliances for generations,
keeping each other in prosperity.
If Chu and Han become friendly
and ally to fight Qin together.
Then it's not so good to the current Qin. Right?
Grand Queen Dowager, in order to re-establish Chu's influence,
you are still working so hard.
The Qin territory has now merged with the city of Bashu and Hanzhong,
and has also bestowed the title of marquis to the son of the King of Shu.
He is entrusted with the management of the land of Ba Shu.
But you should know very well
the people of Ba Shu want to revolt.
If they get help from the King of Chu,
the consequence would be unimaginable.
Subtitles brought to you by The Scintillating Team @ Viki.com
~ Immortalization by Gao Yu'er ~
♫ Where have the surging clouds and the rising winds gone? ♫
♫ Do not grieve over the separation because of being forced to move and wander ♫
♫ In this lifetime, we will keep on seeking because of love ♫
♫ It’s difficult to reminisce about the splendid times that slipped away ♫
♫ In retrospection with a faint smile, that beautiful countenance caused the city's downfall ♫
♫ And a sweeping upheaval all across the vast nation ♫
♫ In a dimming dream of an illusionary bright moon ♫
♫ We have given our promises to each other in this lifetime ♫
♫ In the complete decline of prosperity, watching the passing of thousands of sails ♫
♫ With affection, perhaps we could wait to be connected again ♫
♫ Like the zither and the harp that play in perfect harmony, let’s grasp each other's hand to stay together ♫
♫ Wishing for you and me to be immortalized with the wind... ♫
♫ In retrospection with a faint smile, that beautiful countenance caused the city's downfall ♫
♫ And a sweeping upheaval all across the vast nation ♫
♫ In a dimming dream of an illusionary bright moon ♫
♫ We have given our promises to each other in this lifetime ♫
♫ In the complete decline of prosperity, watching the passing of thousands of sails ♫
♫ With affection, perhaps we could wait to be connected again ♫
♫ Like the zither and the harp that play in perfect harmony, let’s grasp each other's hand to stay together ♫
♫ Wishing for you and me to be immortalized with the wind... ♫