A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
ADAPTED FROM TIANXIA GUIYUAN'S NOVEL HUANG QUAN
EPISODE 26
"The only way I can rule is through naturalness."
Your imitation is pretty funny.
I'm glad I was able to entertain Your Majesty.
That's a good deed, I suppose.
Your Majesty.
Grand Secretary Yao and Minister Peng want to see you.
Let them in.
Let Grand Secretary Yao and Minister Peng come in.
Your Majesty.
We received urgent news from Minhai
saying that the investigatory officer we sent to Minhai, Lin Renqi,
and his whole family were killed by pirates out of revenge.
He himself died a cruel death.
Your Majesty.
Our soldiers in Minhai fought many hard battles.
They killed many of the pirates involved.
Only the pirate leader, Chen Shao, is at large.
Lord of Minhai sent the report
along with a sketch of Chen Shao.
He also wants to give merit to Investigatory Officer Lin.
We hope Your Majesty will approve.
This Lord of Minhai.
After so many years of pursuing the thieves,
he killed my official instead.
Your Majesty, please don't be angry.
Lord of Minhai especially asked me to appease Your Majesty.
After Chen Shao is captured and Officer Lin's death is avenged,
-he'll let Your Majesty punish him. -Forget it.
-Grand Secretary Yao. -Yes.
Give an order on my behalf
for Chang Yuan to handle Lin Renqi's funeral well.
All of Minhai officials must be present.
Let them see that if pirates run wild,
they will also end up like Lin Renqi.
I shall obey your order.
Peng Pei.
The Ministry of Justice shall issue an arrest warrant immediately.
-Apprehend Chen Shao. -Yes, Your Majesty.
You know Lord of Minhai well.
What a nice governance by non-interference.
Are you really not going to do anything?
Your Majesty, please understand.
I'm a newcomer and I don't have much experience.
How can I know Lord of Minhai well?
Scholar Wei.
There are many scholars from Qingming Academy.
Do you know why I kept you with me?
Your Majesty.
It's because I don't have any comrades.
I'm your official alone.
It's a good thing you know.
Chen Shao's case is not that simple.
You have to act accordingly.
This was sent by Lord of Minhai.
The person drawn is a pirate named Chen Shao.
Chen Shao.
Minhai officials reported earlier
that they were here to capture Chen Shao.
Who is this Chen Shao?
Why are you going through so much trouble for him?
This person
has the evidence Investigatory Officer Lin Renqi collected
that can bring down Lord of Minhai.
Lin Renqi is really detestable.
He pretended to be loyal to Lord of Minhai.
But he compiled evidence of ten major crimes that Lord of Minhai committed
and collected a lot of evidence to bring him down.
Then how did the pirates get involved?
Lord of Minhai discovered Lin Renqi's plan.
He had to eliminate him.
So he contacted Chen Shao.
He used vengeance as an excuse and went to Lin's residence to kill him.
But he never thought Chen Shao would steal the evidence
and try to escape to the capital.
ARREST WARRANT
I think there is something fishy about Lin Renqi's death.
While the former Crown Prince was managing the country,
His Majesty ordered me to ask Lin Renqi to go to Minhai
and collect evidence of Chang Yuan's crimes.
Last month,
Officer Lin suddenly asked someone to bring me a jade cicada.
I was very surprised.
I had always wanted to ask him for the reason someday.
Who knew...
Cicada?
"The cicada drinks dew with its mouth hanging downwards.
Its sound flows from the sycamore tree.
It's carried far and wide as it rests on high
not helped by the autumn winds."
You mean
the gentleman had great foresight and was just waiting for the right time.
Does that mean Officer Lin got the evidence in Minhai?
That means Officer Lin...
That means Officer Lin's death is not what it seems.
Grand Secretary Yao, come here.
Look.
When we're weaving the silk brocade,
we can only use that small bronze mirror
to check if we made any mistakes.
I understand.
You mean
Chen Shao is the bronze mirror that saw the inside story in Minhai.
Wait outside.
-I'll take a look inside. -Chen Shao.
If anything happens, we'll all fight with you.
Let's all be alert.
-We will. -Let's go.
Let's go.
Welcome. Come inside.
Come on. This way.
Have a seat.
Your Highness.
Peng Pei sent a bunch of guards in the direction of Shunping Gate.
Ning Zhuo went to check on them.
What do you want us to do?
It seems they've found Chen Shao.
-Ning Cheng. -Yes, Your Highness.
Dress casually and bring all the guards to Shunping Gate.
You have to get Chen Shao.
-Yes, Your Highness. -By the way,
don't let men from the Ministry of Justice recognize you.
Yes, Your Highness.
But we don't know Chen Shao.
I understand now.
Whoever the Ministry of Justice captures, we'll get him.
Chen Shao, what should we do now?
As long as Chang Yuan is in power,
we can't go home.
The only way is to bring down Chang Yuan with the evidence on hand.
Chen Shao.
Chang Yuan is the Emperor's in-law.
And us?
How about this?
Let's find a mountain to hide in first.
At least then, we can survive.
All right.
Tell us. We'll listen.
We'll follow you anywhere.
Xiaosi, stand guard outside.
Hurry and eat. Let's leave afterward.
Chen Shao, there are men here!
Chen Shao, you can't go.
You have to live and seek justice for our fallen brothers.
-Let go. -Chen Shao!
The kitchen is over there. There must be a back door.
-Let go! -Chen Shao!
I know Chen Shao's case
is a good opportunity to bring down Chang Yuan.
But what a shame.
I can only do so secretly.
TO GRAND SECRETARY YAO
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.
Just endure it.
There's no need to rush.
Chang Yuan worked hard for 20 years before he got the power he has today.
How can you bring that down in one day?
Let's bring Peng Pei down first with this.
Then replace him with our man.
We have to do it little by little.
When you become powerful one day...
TO DEPUTY MINISTER SUN CE
...you can do as you wish out in the open.
I'm not afraid of waiting.
It's just that as long as Chang Yuan is still around,
Tiansheng will never be strong and prosperous.
How long do you plan to make me wait?
Soon.
I was going to win. You...
Your sportsmanship.
Your sportsmanship, Your Highness. You...
Grand Secretary Yao.
Someone left this last night.
"Lin Renqi was killed by Chang Yuan.
Wear red clothes and bring amnesty orders
to the West City flagpole at 5:00 p.m. today,
and I'll give you the evidence."
Chen Shao signed it.
It seems everyone received it.
He's so bold.
This memo seems like child's play. Should we take it seriously?
It concerns two of our fellow officials.
We cannot ignore it.
Who interfered with the Ministry of Justice's arrest last night?
They were all wearing masks. I'm not sure for whom they work.
But regarding the memo,
it's better to be safe than sorry.
I can arrange an ambush in the West City
and kill Chen Shao on the spot.
He has already made this blow up.
We can't just make our move.
If we do,
we'll be in trouble.
Your Highness.
Grand Secretary Yao.
I need your help in the palace.
We must let Father prioritize this matter.
I'll arrange for my men to go to the West City
and protect Chen Shao.
He can't be captured by Peng Pei.
I'm afraid Prince of Yan and Peng Pei are planning to do the same.
You must make preparations soon.
I'll handle it.
Please be careful.
Scholar Wei.
Your Highness.
There's an old saying,
"One must be loyal and be a trustworthy friend."
Can I trust you?
I hope so, but I wouldn't dare ask you to.
The memo is a matter of life and death for the people of Minhai.
You've always been neutral, siding with no one.
I hope you can help me.
Please tell me what to do.
Scholar Wei.
There are many scholars from Qingming Academy.
Do you know why I kept you with me?
Your Majesty.
It's because I don't have any comrades.
I'm your official alone.
It's a good thing you know.
Chen Shao's case is not that simple.
You have to act accordingly.
Your Majesty.
I believe
the death of Minhai Investigatory Officer, Lin Renqi, is not that simple.
I hope Your Majesty has mercy and provides amnesty orders.
We'll look for Chen Shao and seek the truth.
That's not right, Grand Secretary Yao.
It's just a letter.
How can we just make a move because of it?
Won't that embarrass Father?
Your Majesty.
I believe
Chen Shao distributed this letter to all the government officials' residences.
Regardless of the validity of the statements,
it concerns Lord of Minhai, who is a first-level official.
How can we not investigate?
Your Majesty, I believe
we can set aside the validity issue of the letter.
A thief is openly slandering a top official.
That's a charge that merits death.
-Minister Peng. -And...
You're overseeing the Ministry of Justice,
yet you ignore the law.
You haven't investigated, yet you used the word "slander."
Not to mention that our law still has loopholes.
We have to investigate.
But who should investigate it?
Peng Pei is in the Ministry of Justice.
I can't exclude him.
If I do so, Chang Yuan would sense something is up.
If I ask only him to investigate,
nothing productive will come out of it.
Ning Qi, what do you think about this?
Father.
I know how Lord of Minhai is.
I can't just issue the amnesty order.
Prince of Chu has a point.
We need to investigate this and restore Lord of Minhai's reputation.
Wei Zhi.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I order you to assist Minister Peng.
Investigate this together.
I shall obey your orders, Your Majesty.
Grand Secretary Yao, stay.
Dismissed.
-Take care, Your Majesty. -Take care, Your Majesty.
Grand Secretary Yao.
Tell me everything you know about Lin Renqi.
Don't exclude a single thing.
I want to know what Chang Yuan's thoughts are.
Yes, Your Majesty.
CHENGMING PALACE
Prince of Yan, Minister Peng, please wait a moment.
I pay my respect to Prince of Yan
and Minister Peng.
Scholar Wei, what's the matter?
Minister Peng.
What's your plan?
Since this is His Majesty's orders,
I can only obey.
I hope Minister Peng and Prince of Yan
will understand.
I wasn't under any order.
What does it have to do with me?
Prince of Yan, would you please let me finish?
You need to make a decision about this matter today
since it involves Lord of Minhai.
I just need to provide the investigation result.
You must understand.
It seems someone needs to occupy the Censorate position.
No one can handle it.
According to our law, if a royal son occupies that position,
it's equivalent to giving up being an heir to the throne.
Let Ning Qing set up an ambush at the meeting place.
You must protect Chen Shao.
I understand. I'll go right away.
Your Highness.
Xuanchen told me that you're not feeling well today.
What did the doctor say?
How dare you, Xuanchen.
Who told you to speak nonsense?
Guards, take Xuanchen outside.
Cane him 30 times.
Please forgive me, Your Highness.
The palace is dangerous.
Your Highness must have a confidant.
I must be Your Highness's confidant.
Thank you.
I'll do my best to get out of the current situation as soon as possible.
Don't worry.
Ziyan, come on.
Ziyan.
At the palace today,
I could tell clearly what Father was thinking.
It seems that the Chang family has really become Father's biggest worry.
Father also wants to use Chen Shao to bring down Chang Yuan.
But it's a shame
that the Censorate position has always been unoccupied.
That's why the Ministry of Justice's Peng Pei reigns supreme.
Father wants to avoid conflict with the Chang family,
but he also wants to investigate Chen Shao's case.
Such a split position really puts him in a bind.
How can we clean up the regime?
Has His Majesty decided who can occupy the Censorate position?
Prince of Chu.
Listen to me.
His Majesty built the empire based on his knowledge of the law.
However, he's gotten old already.
What would an emperor think about in such a situation?
He'd think about what people would say about him in the future.
Was he a good emperor or a bad one?
I heard Chang Yuan provided funds to print Master Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals
and gave it to His Majesty for him to write a foreword.
I think this Lord of Minhai knows about His Majesty's thoughts
on his throne more than you.
Yes.
Ziyan.
Based on your plan,
I should indeed follow Father's orders and immobilize the Chang family
to gain power.
Then inch toward imperial power.
But how would that differ
from the former Crown Prince and my other brothers
who had their rights to the throne?
Of course, it's different.
Because you have a pure heart
that "puts citizens first, the state second, and the ruler last."
They've never had it and it's very rare and precious.
We worked nonstop, but we haven't been successful.
Wasn't that pure heart wasted?
Your Highness, what is success to you?
Come.
This is Dacheng's territory map
when it was established 600 years ago.
Tiansheng,
Jinshi,
and Dayue were just one part of it.
I restored this map
so that it can always remind me
that this is the Tiansheng I've dreamed of.
This is
the bright and vast empire in my heart.
Your Highness, I'm willing to follow you.
I'll be true to you my whole life.
Come here.
It's such a shame
that the Tiansheng now is outwardly strong, but inwardly weak.
Uniting all the kingdoms is just a pipe dream.
And I don't even dare to say it out loud.
Ziyan.
If we don't eliminate bugs like the Chang family that eat up the empire,
looking at the chaos in Tiansheng,
that dream will always be a figment of the imagination.
Your Highness.
I understand your intention.
Regardless, you cannot be impulsive
about occupying the Censorate position.
Grand Secretary Yao and I will find someone.
Promise me.
Ziyan.
You're really...
You're really like Ning Qiao.
I know you're good to me.
Can you help me ask Ning Sheng to meet me at Lan House?
Lan House?
Do you want to bring him out from the dark and under our scrutiny?
You know me so well.
Not really.
You scared me earlier.
I never imagined that you'd occupy the Censorate position.
I'm saying it again. Give me more time.
You can't be rash. We have to discuss this.
Don't forget...
your dream.
-Our dream, right? -Yes.
It's ours.
TIANSHENG
LAN HOUSE
Here.
Headmaster Xin.
Prince of Yan.
We were waiting.
Headmaster Xin.
-Initially, I-- -Headmaster Xin.
-Your Highness. -Ning Sheng, Ning Qi.
Ning Yi.
Your Highness, how am I so lucky today?
I wanted to treat Prince of Yan to lunch.
Then I saw Ning Qi.
The food is not here yet,
but you're here now.
Ning Qi, how are you feeling?
I'm feeling better. Thank you for your concern.
Your Highness.
Please.
-We'll serve the food then. -All right.
Remember. Get anyone who approaches the man in red.
He can't be captured by anyone else.
If there's any resistance,
kill him.
If we do so,
what should we do if the man in red saw?
-Kill him. -Yes, my lord.
Your Highness, Prince of Chu.
My eyes fail me. Can you see if that's Wei Zhi?
Wei Zhi?
It really is him.
He is following Father's order loyally.
He's not afraid to risk his life.
He deserves my respect.
Scholar Wei.
Don't you want to bring Father results?
How about being the key person to meet Chen Shao?
Wouldn't that make everything clear?
Otherwise, I can't guarantee that he will live.
Your Highness is very wise indeed.
Our life depends on this. Keep it safe.
If I don't come back tonight,
seek justice for our deaths.
Chen Shao. Let me go today.
Ning Yi.
Didn't you say at the palace that you wanted to investigate the truth?
And yet, you can't even sit still?
Ning Sheng.
I know there are some things that people should and shouldn't do.
Do you have the amnesty order?
-Did you bring it? -Are you Chen Shao?
I...
Protect Scholar Wei!
-Protect Scholar Wei! -Someone was killed!
Stop.
Scholar Wei.
Are you all right?
Minister Peng, I'm fine.
-Cordon the body. -Yes.
Your Highness, this is not Chen Shao.
You're hurt. Stop drawing.
Nanyi.
Prince of Chu is coming.
I have to draw before I forget it.
You're more important than the drawing.
It's just a little scratch.
Your hand.
Scholar Wei, Prince of Chu is here.
Your Highness.
Go dress that wound. Draw later. Go.
Go.
Excuse me.
-Your Highness. -Wei Zhi.
Wei Zhi.
What happened today was my fault.
Your Highness, I want to show you something. Please.
The arrow that killed that person may be of help to your investigation.
It's a shame that Peng Pei took it away.
But I already looked at it carefully.
The nock is very unique.
Your Highness, look.
I think it's different from Tiansheng's arrows.
This arrow looks similar to the ones given to the army.
But the nock is very different.
That killer came prepared.
He's not from the army.
Thank you for noticing that.
I want to thank you on behalf of Officer Lin, who died unjustly.
You're too kind, Your Highness.
I'm Officer Lin's colleague and I'm afraid of dying.
Of course, I hope there is peace in the empire
so that I'll live a long life.
If you love your life so much,
why didn't you stay away from the palace?
Are you ignorant of the people's plight?
Come closer.
Feng Zhiwei.
Aside from being forced to make a living,
do you have any wishes for Tiansheng?
When I was in Qingming Academy, I got to know some smart scholars
from ordinary families who don't have the chance to work in the government.
I joined the government by chance.
Yet I see many officials who got their positions because of Chang Yuan
and they're not doing their jobs.
I wonder
when our empire will disregard relations and status.
"Punish even the top officials, reward even the lowly."
That's the only way
to make Tiansheng strong
and keep it from being invaded.
Why did I only see this today?
Turns out there's a sliver of light in Your Highness' heart.
I was out of line.
Your Highness has your own thoughts.
Does your wound still hurt?
Come closer.
Do you still remember that day
at your residence?
When you lunged at me
with a knife in the dark.
There are some things
and some words
that can exist only in the dark.
Do you understand?
My good brother.
There's no need for you to rush.
Wait for me.
I'll bring you the head of the person who killed you.
Subtitle translation by Coleen Chua