Nirvana in Fire (2015–…): Season 2, Episode 40 - Episode #2.40 - full transcript

[Nirvana in Fire 2: The Wind Blows in Chang Lin]

[Episode 40]

Yuanqi completed his marriage ceremony? When was it?

It would have been a few days ago, about the same time you arrived here.

Which family's maiden did he marry?

A maiden from the Xun family.

Ours? No...

This is such a big thing. How could you not tell me?

If no one asks about it, Langya Court will not talk about it.

I have answered so many of your questions today. I'm not charging you extra for them.

I'm already being very generous.



- Man.
- Man.

- Citizen.
- Citizen.

- God.
- God.

- Of.
- Of.

- Ruler.
- Ru... ler.

- Too.
- Too.

- Correct.
- Correct.

- As.
- As.

- Sage.
- Sage.

- King.
- King.

- Be.
- Be.

Be what?

Be a citizen first and then be devoted to the gods.

Senior Brother, you are here. Quickly, do your greeting.



- Uncle, how are you?
- Ce'er, good boy.

Ce'er is so young and yet he's studying the classics? (Classical texts memorized as children formed the basis for a scholar.)

Ce'er is just learning to recognize the characters and words. He doesn't know the meaning.

I didn't know what to teach him.

So I took the list of books that Pingzhang learned from when he was studying at the Imperial school.

- Hurry and sit.
- Sure.

When Pingzhang passed away, he didn't know about Ce'er.

We always avoided the question of children.

So he never told me what kind of child he wanted.

Or what he wanted the child to learn.

Or whether he hoped his child would become like him.

Sometimes when I think about it, I become scared.

I'm afraid I'm not teaching Ce'er according to what he wanted.

No, Xiao Xue...

you have been teaching him well.

Ce'er is such an obedient child.

Pingzhang would be very happy if he knew.

Ce'er, come. Come over to Uncle.

When you grow up,

you will surely become a strong pillar of Great Liang.

Ce'er,

your teacher is good at everything.

But when she was younger, she didn't like to read.

How about this, I will become your teacher. Are you willing?

Ce'er, ask Uncle what can he teach you?

Uncle, are you going to teach me the classics or martial arts?

I'm well-versed in both the literary and martial arts. I can teach you everything.

Are you willing? Are you willing?

Ce'er, let me tell you something.

When your Uncle was younger he wasn't as good as me.

Let's not learn from him.

[Prince of Laiyang Manor]

When I was conferred the title, I didn't mention it to you.

You found out about it from the Empress Dowager. Do you blame me for this?

You earned the title because you led the army and protected the country.

For the sake of being cautious, it's understandable that you didn't inform me.

Why would I be unhappy?

I never thought that you had this kind of personality.

Greetings to Your Highness.

How is it going? You must be feeling good about being appointed the Commander of the Capital Patrol?

It's all thanks to Your Highness.

It's fortunate that Xun Baishui has never placed much emphasis on the Capital Patrol.

It's been rather smooth going getting you into this position.

But I'm afraid it's not that easy to bring the Yulin Army to our side.

Didn't Your Highness already devise a plan?

I can only intensify and aggravate the situation in the dark. As for the end result...

we still need luck.

Even if we don't succeed this time, Your Highness can always succeed next time.

I am getting older every year.

If I'm not satisfied with the number of pearls bestowed on me,

then the amount of time I have for making strategies and plans

is really not much longer.

You have finished reading?

How is it?

My older brother and I grew up reading military reports and war manuals.

In a battle, if there were complete reports about the battle for us to analyze,

we would be able to see the intention of both parties,

battle strategies, the end result and how it would progress.

But this Battle of Donghai, the more I analyze it, the more confused I become.

Your Majesty, what Senior Grand Secretary Xun said is very true.

The battle on the eastern border supposedly endangered the ten prefectures.

It's all because the army used their lives to defend; and hence, there's the situation we have now.

If the Imperial Court gives rewards and praises promptly,

it brings forth Your Majesty's generosity and grace, encouraging the soldiers on the front line.

This is to prepare for a future battle to retrieve the remaining seized prefectures.

It's the best of both worlds.

So I see. I understand.

Since this is a joint decision made by the Cabinet and Ministry of War regarding the military achievements,

I have no objections. Carry it out accordingly.

Yes.

Yue Yinchuan and Di Ming.

Both of them are ranked top in the military achievement record. Why haven't I heard of them before?

These two generals are stationed far away on the border. They have never been summoned before you.

Therefore, His Majesty wouldn't have any impression of them.

Pingjing.

- Brother Jiu.
- Young Master Jiu.

I just received news from Jinling City. Young Laiyang Prince, Xiao Yuanqi, was just conferred Prince of the second rank.

Your cousin is now a Princess Consort.

So fast?

Let's not talk about this first. You were saying that the first part of the battle was within reason.

What do you mean by that? Continue.

Before the battle began, Donghai seized all ten prefectures in one fell swoop. It may sound incredible,

but in fact, their attack was strategic.

They made the most use of their knowledge of the eastern border army.

Donghai's army was clearly very well-prepared.

Their westbound army was much stronger than we thought. However, Donghai's army was still limited.

They wouldn't have had the ability to swallow all ten prefectures at once.

So Marquis Mozi kept advancing, plundering, and killing since his main aim was to steal money and goods.

His original intention then wasn't to seize and hold on to the prefectures at all.

The more you say, the more confused I get.

What he means is that the seven prefectures which Great Liang has taken back,

Donghai had no real intention of guarding them.

Up until that step, I can still see and understand it clearly.

Qianzhou, which was seized back after it was beseiged, was a battle won by us victoriously.

The general who led that battle was...

Yue Yinchuan.

This general, Yue Yinchuan, is a fifth-ranked Lieutenant General of Huaizhuo Camp.

He is stationed in Qianzhou. After the main Commander died in battle, he led the rest of the army.

After the eastern border was under attack, the entire front line was besieged, the only victory

was led by General Yue.

I have some impression of it. Wasn't he the one whom you told me...

That's right. He not only guarded his frontier well,

he led an army, and broke through one of the main camps of the enemy.

Attack!

[Huaidong Military Defense Map]

[Map of Huaidong]

Military defense maps?

How did Donghai get our local military defense maps?

- Tan Heng.
- Present.

Gather all of them.

Yes.

The Ministry War of wishes to give the major credit to General Yue. The reason is not only

that he won that battle. The more important reason is

he discovered that military matters were disclosed and confiscated from the capital.

If he had not, we wouldn't have discovered the spy

and made changes.

Your Majesty, when we fight the enemy on the front line, we are most afraid of arrows shot at us from the rear.

If my battle was smooth, it was all due to General Yue.

No one else can compare to this achievement of his.

He should really be greatly commended.

Is he entering the capital in the twelfth month of the lunar year, according to the arrangements made by Ministry of Rites?

Yes.

Good. I will see him personally when he comes.

I obey your decree.

[Yue Yinchuan: Staff General of Qianzhou of Great Liang]

Before the Minister of War left, he said that your merits this time were quite large.

The government will surely heavily reward you.

That is good news, no matter how you look at it.

Why is it that you are not happy?

Of course, I am happy to receive a commendation from the government.

It's just that I have questions in my heart, that I can't find the answers for.

Recalling them makes me dispirited. It's like...

Like what?

Nothing. This is something that one should not casually make guesses about.

The motive of Marquis Mozi is very clear.

He did not really want these seven prefectures from the start.

What then must he do, when the government reinforcements and supplies arrived?

Withdraw.

That is right. He should have left just a few men, to delay the army chasing him.

Take all the plunder he got from his victories in each region and quickly retreat,

until he really had the strength to fight with the reinforcements.

In reality, didn't he do that?

In reality, Donghai engaged the reinforcement army of Great Liang

in the major cities.

Looking at it from an external view, he withdrew step-by-step back to Huaishui.

Have the different military reports that I want from the different regions arrived already?

I knew that the General was in a hurry to receive them. I asked again this morning, but there are still none.

These are military reports that are open to the public.

I have the right to have them transferred here to read and copy them.

It's been so long. Not one has arrived?

Who told us to be of lower military rank?

When the General becomes the primary commander of the eastern border,

let us see who among them will still dare to delay anything!

But getting back to it, what do those military reports that you want to read

have to do with us?

After the government took Qianzhou back, we followed the Laiyang Prince

and moved east for a short distance and then recovered three cities.

But didn't you find something wrong with that?

N-Nothing...

Although our attacks on each city were different, the Donghai Army got defeated with just one attack on each!

The longest one (attack) made them withdraw in less than two days.

It was like they were just handing over the cities.

The momentum of Donghai was quite strong initially.

It cannot be helped if the government wrongly assessed the situation.

In reality, their military power was not enough to firmly hold ten regions. Hence, when our army started to press in on them,

they, of course, couldn't win against us, so they could only retreat.

That is right. Initially, we did not know the real military strength of Donghai.

But they clearly knew it!

So since they knew they'd be defeated by us, with the money and valuables in the cities having already been transported out,

why would Donghai leave any of the units to fight with us?

General, every time you think about things,

your slant on things is always different from others.

I never heard any other superior officer asking me such a question.

Were all seven cities reconquered the same way?

On the outside, there were differences; but in reality, they were all the same.

If a person is not as sensitive as he is,

it would be hard to notice a mysterious connection between them.

Xiao Yuanqi was the commander of the reinforcement army.

He also actually did not notice it? That should not be...

If General Mu Yong did not notice it, I would find that strange.

But Yuanqi has not gone through many battles yet.

Maybe in his eyes,

he recovered those seven regions in a difficult manner, one by one.

But right now, it is not just his eyes.

Everyone is seeing the same thing.

Does everyone really see it?

I hope not.

Say, could it be that Marquis Mozi...

Yuanqi?

Impossible!

Impossible!

There is an officer from the Ministry of Personnel that has been waiting outside the city.

It looks as if some important person will be entering the capital today.

Really?

Then I'm being called into the palace to discuss the same thing.

Same thing? What thing?

The newly-appointed Commander of the Donghu Yulin Army.

I know that Your Highness is aiming for Donghu. But doesn't the Imperial Family's Yulin Army

only listen to the Emperor's decree?

You think that words, "listening only to the Emperor's decree,"

can be accomplished by just establishing some rules and saying them?

The (Jin) Imperial Guards are too conspicuous and cannot be touched.

The Donghu Yulin Army that was established just a few years ago...

May I ask if you are General Di Ming?

I am indeed. May I ask who you are, Minister?
[Di Ming - Staff General of the Great Liang Eastern Border Army]

I am an official from the Ministry of Personnel and was ordered by Senior Grand Secretary Xun

to welcome General Di here.

Senior Grand Secretary Xun is being too courteous. I am overwhelmed by this honor.

General Di, if you please.

Donghu Yulin?

Your Majesty, the previous Commander of Donghu

is the stepbrother of Qi Xun, the mastermind of the conspiracy with Donghai.

It is just natural that he was punished by virtue of the blood relationship and has already been exiled to the border.

The Imperial Family's Yulin Army is an elite army that protects the capital.

Their duties are huge. That is why we cannot just casually assign just any commander.

That time, the battle with Donghai was still at a tense moment; hence--

I remember. That time, we had decided to wait for the Donghai battle to end

and then choose a meritorious general to come to the capital and receive this duty.

Yes.

That is why the person that the Prince of Laiyang guarantees will be able to shoulder this heavy duty.

Is it General Di Ming then?

Indeed it is. General Di was born here in the capital and was assigned to Quanzhou.

He is currently a fourth-level Assistant Commander and was deployed by the government

to reinforce the defeated southern lines of the eastern border.

General Di has always fought in the forefront of his army.

He previously insisted on defending a city without any rations.

And then he has suffered multiple arrow injuries, but he still refused to retreat.

It shows that he is a loyal subject to the government and of Your Majesty.

With such a fierce general, he will surely be able to bear this important responsibility.

Prince of Laiyang, as the primary commander of the reinforcement army,

what is your opinion of this General Di Ming?

Replying to Your Majesty. General Di Ming was deployed in Quanzhou.

He defended the southeastern flank of the reinforcement army.

Although, I have long heard his valiant name,

I have never really met him personally.

But for my main army to be able to recover ten cities successively,

the stability of my southeastern flank was really a huge asset.

Talking from this point, this General Di Ming

has achieved mighty military merits.

Miss, give me one bowl.

All right. Wait a minute.

Minister, I know the path to the inn.

I will not trouble the Minister to accompany me any farther.

The General was from the capital to begin with.

You have your main house here, so why must you stay in an inn?

My parents died early.

A few years ago, my relatives, wife, and son also died from illness.

There has been no one in my old house for quite a long time.

It still needs to be cleaned, so I can only stay at an inn for now.

General, there is something that you do not know.

Senior Grand Secretary ordered me to look at the records of the Ministry of Personnel

and I know about your old home being vacant for a long time.

Therefore, I ordered it to be properly prepared beforehand.

I have personally supervised its cleaning and repair, and I also prepared the daily basic needs.

General, you and your men can stay there starting today.

I really am very grateful to receive such kind care.

General, please.

Thank you.

These crabs are a tribute. Such big ones can't be found outside.
[Prince of Laiyang's Manor]

Her Highness, the Empress Dowager, especially bestowed them on us. Please try them.

You can have them.

Don't you like them?

Min'er, take them away then.

No need.

These are good. Don't keep taking care of me. You have some, too.

I was just making some comments.

I wasn't deliberately saying that they were a gift from the palace.

Mother loved eating crabs.

It's just that the palace never bestowed them.

I didn't know.

You don't have to be sad for me.

Though we didn't eat crabs which were tributes to the palace,

the amounts that were allocated to us in accordance with the rules were not cut off.

It's just that they weren't this big.

If we want to, we can have them every day when the crabs are in season.

You must miss Mother very much, right?

Anru,

I don't wish for you to think too much about this, that's why I'm explaining it to you.

But if there are outsiders around, especially in the palace, you must not mention this.

I know this.

Let's eat.

His Highness is here.

Princess Consort, you don't have to get up.

Pretty.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Do we still have the crabs bestowed by the palace?

Those are live ones. We can't keep them for long. If Your Highness wants--

It's not I who has a craving for them. Tomorrow is the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month.

I want you to prepare a gift for General Di Ming, who has just arrived in the capital.

It doesn't have to be too grand. The tribute food is the most suitable.

So I'll just ask you.

You are much better at arranging these things than I am.

You select those items you see as appropriate and do as you deem fit.

I know. I'll let Your Highness have a look at the gift list.

You should be the one to decide on such normal customs.

After you finish preparing it, pass it to his outer mansion.

For ordinary gifts for festivities, I can send it directly to his inner chamber, (the family quarters inside)

why do I have to have our outer mansion send this?

You do not know.

There aren't any family members in General Di's mansion to receive gifts.

There isn't anyone.

The three prefectures in Huaidong haven't been taken back yet. Not only His Majesty is worried,

it's a burden on the hearts of all the court ministers.

But you are right.

If we act rashly, we will surely not get what we want.

We might place the eastern border in more trouble.

But... waiting for the right time for too long

is also not appropriate.

That is why we should start planning on how to regain them.

Why did Minister Xun think of instructing these matters to me? They should be the job of the Ministry of War.

This is indeed a matter that must be handled by the Ministry of War.

But as the primary commander of the reinforcement army from the battle with Donghai,

His Majesty will surely ask for your opinion.

That is why during your idle time,

you should also start thinking about it.

I also do not have much work to handle. During normal days, I am very idle.

What is so bad about being an idle noble?

You are different than the average subjects.

In the future, when His Majesty gives titles to the Imperial clan, you will surely get a top rank.

The royal pearls on this crowned head of yours will increase, little by little.

All this will logically happen.

No need to be like this old man, who must be busy all day.

Minister Xun, you really know how to jest. His Majesty still has two little brothers.

Therefore, when he gives titles to the Imperial clan, how can I be at the top of the list?

You can be at ease about that.

His Majesty and Her Highness, the Empress Dowager, know this very well.

There is no need to grant too many favors to two younger brothers who are still children.

They will never surpass you.

By then, I'll have to trouble Minister Xun to put in a good word for me.

Your Highness, the guest is here.

Hurry and let him in.

Greetings to Your Highness.

General Di, hurry and get up.

Just a bit earlier, I had a good tea prepared. General, please have a taste.

Your Highness clearly knows that I didn't come tonight to drink tea.

General Di, the past is already far away.

You've been called back to the capital and have a limitless future ahead of you.

Why must you... still open a scabbed-over wound?

Does Your Highness know how many people died in my family during that epidemic?

I more or less know that it was the General's wife and children

- that died from it.
- Seventeen.

The entire family of my second and third uncles, my wife...

my two sons, my younger sister, and my twin younger brothers.

After one epidemic,

the Di family manor was left with no one.

Your Highness sent me a letter saying that the epidemic in Jinling has yet another hidden truth.

That it was not created by the heavens but was created by man. How then could I not come?

How then would I not ask!

Informing the Princess Consort, the outer courtyard sent word that His Highness is still in the study.

They are not sure what time he will be back. May the Consort rest early and not wait anymore.

What time is it already and he is still in the study? No matter how busy he is, he must take care of his health.

But the messenger did not say what he is doing there. How about I ask again?

What can you get from asking them? It is better that I personally go and look.

- Yes.
- Yes.

General, I am sure that you have

already investigated the secret files and documents of the government upon returning to the capital. Am I right?

Of course.

Were you able to find anything?

There are not many differences from the official documents I got before,

saying that the epidemic was not made by nature but by a group of Yeqin survivors seeking revenge.

The criminals were not able to escape afterward and have all been executed.

I really did not find anything wrong with that.

For the other truth that Your Highness has spoken about, I can only ask you to personally tell it to me.

The reason you were unable to see anything wrong with them

is because all those written reports were not lies.

The capital's epidemic indeed started from the revenge of the Yeqin people.

It is also true that all were crimes done by Puyang Ying.

Since that is the case--

General, do not rush. Let me finish.

Puyang Ying's crimes are undeniable.

But he is not the only who should answer for this crime.

Who else?

Who else!

Let me urge the General again,

it is better if you let it go now and do not ask anything more.

Who else!

General,

it is better if you see it for yourself.

Princess Consort...

Princess Consort, be careful.

Princess Consort?

What the Prince is busy with must be official matters. I suddenly feel that if I disturb him like this,

it might be inappropriate.

But is there anything inappropriate about the Princess Consort being concerned with the Prince's health?

It is better to just urge him next time. Let us go back.

- Yes.
- Yes.

May the Princess Consort forgive me!

I did not see things clearly earlier and mistook the guard outside the Prince's room to be a ghost.

I then got scared.

You scared me, too.

Pei'er.

Princess Consort, please forgive her this time.

Quickly get up. It is not some big matter.

Thank you, Princess Consort.

That fellow is not a guard of the manor. He is an old subordinate of the Prince.

He recently just got promoted.

Why would the commander of the Patrol Guards

be on guard outside the study of the Prince?

What did you say?

Nothing. Let us go back quickly

- Yes.
- Yes.

The Empress' Imperial Command?

Is this the actual Imperial Command document of the Empress?

The whole thing Puyang Ying clearly states in his own hand in his confession letter

about this document, clearly indicates this is indeed Her Majesty, the Empress' Imperial Command.

With a truth like that,

what can General Di do even if you now know about it?

The then Empress is now Her Highness, the Empress Dowager.

And the person that caused her to do all of this is now the very Emperor of this nation.

Who else can give you the truth?

Who else can give you justice?

Who else can give you the chance to mention this old case?

Then Senior Grand Secretary Xun...

Does he know about this?

If Senior Grand Secretary knew about this beforehand,

I am sure he would not have let such an absurd matter occur.

I also thought about this matter too simply.

After I got this evidence from Puyang Ying,

I actually followed the proper procedure and submitted them to the Cabinet first.

The late Emperor was still alive, then.

Xun Baishui was afraid that the Empress would get punished, so he covered up for her. Am I right?

Yes.

I also spent a lot of means and methods

before, to be able to preserve these two important pieces of evidence.

Could it be that in their hearts,

there is no justice?

Justice?

General, how old are you that you still believe in justice?

Your records in the Ministry of Personnel

were personally checked by Xun Baishui before you got recalled here.

But when he read that your wife and children died from illness,

he never even connected it to that plague from years ago

because he has long forgotten it!

For them, all those people who died

were just part of some past epidemic!

They are not worthy of being remembered!

Does the General still expect that a person like that

can give you justice!

Traitors and scoundrels...

Traitors and scoundrels!

General!

General Di, what are you planning to do?

- Let go of me!
- General Di!

- Let me go!
- General Di!

- Your Highness!
- Get out!

General Di, do not forget...

You are a subject of Great Liang!

What you are doing now is rebelling!

What Your Highness said is right.

What can I do, even if I know about it?

As a subject of Great Liang, how can I not follow my master?

Yes.

If the General can think that way, you might feel better.

What other way can I think?

May I ask the General, are you loyal to Great Liang or to the Imperial clan,

or only to the person sitting on that Imperial throne?

What is the difference?

Does the General know why I invited you to come here at night?

Was it not just to tell me the truth?

I told the General the truth to make you be firm in your resolve

and help me achieve my goal.

Achieve what goal?

I want to ask the General to help me

take away Xiao Yuanshi's Imperial throne.

Not possible. That is a treasonous act.

Definitely impossible.

I initially was like the General.

I only thought of just accepting the circumstances with goodwill and doing my duties as a subject.

But after everything that has happened in these past few years,

each one making one's heart grow disappointed and cold.

Does the General know

that when I put on my armor and set out on the Eastern Border Expedition,

what I was thinking

was already not to loyally serve that person at the top of the golden steps.

Could it be that there are other things?

General, what do you think was the real reason that the House of Chang Lin was forced to leave the capital?

The Assistant Minister Qi, that conspired with Donghai,

was whose trusted aide before?

I fought the enemy bravely and resisted Donghai,

not for merits or to serve a puppet Emperor.

I did it

to not disappoint the royal blood in my veins,

to not bring disgrace to my Imperial grandfather,

the generation of brilliance that was the late Emperor Wujing.

But His Majesty himself did not commit any mistake.

His Majesty indeed did not do anything wrong.

But he has already fallen under the control of a mediocre subject and a woman.

I am sure... that he will not be able to emulate the past greatness of (his father) the late Emperor.

No matter how disappointed you are,

General Di, you still must believe

that the heaven-sent fate of Great Liang is surely not like this?

♫ The long, slow song rises like wind flowing through the corridors reaching the imposing, opulent and bright Imperial Hall ♫

♫ Memories of that certain year, when far-away borders blazed with fires of war, in vast fields of ice and snow ♫

♫ From this world, the many slanders pass through the vermilion gates, over the palace walls ♫

♫ Beneath iron armor, together with silken skirts and silver spears, hair grows hoary as though with early frost ♫

♫ Luminous cherry trees, deep-rooted with long and slender frames, still sport magnificent flowers ♫

♫ Unexpected torrential rain and heavy wind, what does it matter? ♫

♫ Between the trees, the moon brightly guards peak after jagged peak ♫

♫ Between the trees, the moon brightly guards peak after jagged peak ♫

♫ Fiery liquor consumed at the end of the world, at the limits of exhaustion, is a feast! ♫

♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the war in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫

♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫

♫ Good bows hoarded; likewise, so as not to injure, sigh against the way of heaven when stored indefinitely ♫

♫ Clouds of fear calm shameful waves, the night air stops their bickering by starlight ♫

♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the war in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫

♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫

♫ Hoping for the whole world to remain at peace, quench the fires of war ♫