Qin Dynasty Epic (2020): Season 1, Episode 23 - Episode #1.23 - full transcript
=Qin Dynasty Epic=
=Episode 23=
I was thinking
how His Majesty should make
his chess move.
(Presenter of Qin, Wang Wan)
Chess?
What chess?
(Li Si's wife)
(Chief Clerk of Qin, Li Si)
His Majesty will be able
to govern the nation soon.
He wants to promote me to Censor,
which is against
what Prime Minister wanted.
It's like playing chess.
We're both pieces on the board.
Since you
are in this position,
then His Majesty
must put his piece
in another position
to counter Prime Minister's move.
Si, you're thinking too much.
Prime Minister doesn't intend
to oppose His Majesty.
I think
Prime Minister is doing everything
for Qin's sake
and for His Majesty.
(Li Si's wife)
That is why His Majesty is hesitant.
No one can bear
to hurt someone
who is sincere to them.
However, currently,
Prime Minister still holds
all the power.
He has no intention of passing it on.
How can His Majesty not be concerned?
If Prime Minister still doesn't
understand this,
I'm afraid they will have
a falling out
very soon.
For his ambition,
he must turn
against Prime Minister, who has always
taken care of him.
His Majesty
would have a hard time
in making this decision.
Of course.
Being the King
is never an easy task.
If everything is done by the officials,
and he does nothing,
then he can only be a foolish
and useless king.
If he wants to fulfill his ambition,
he must endure the hardships.
As a King,
especially the King
who wants to rule the world
he must do
what ordinary people cannot.
He must bear the pain
that ordinary people
cannot imagine.
That's how he
can accomplish great things
that ordinary people cannot.
His Majesty must surpass this challenge
before he can become
an unprecedentedly wise king.
What you said
makes sense.
Wan.
Try this.
Sure.
This is the imperial edict.
As the year begins,
nature is waking up.
I hope the officials would work together
to strengthen Qin
in unifying the states.
Based on their accomplishments,
Wan is promoted to Censor,
Lao Ai is promoted to Chief Eunuch.
Thank you, Your Majesty,
Prime Minister.
(Dong'er)
Your Majesty.
What's troubling you?
Dong'er.
Why doesn't Mother help me?
Instead, she listens to everything
that Prime Minister says.
I'm not sure,
but I think
Queen Dowager and Prime Minister
want what's good for you.
I'm going to Yongcheng.
Fan Wuji.
Your Majesty.
Prepare the horse.
We're going to Yongcheng.
(Chief Guard of Qin, Fan Wuji)
Yongcheng?
Should we inform Prime Minister first?
We'll return quickly.
There's no need to inform godfather.
Well...
I'm going to visit my mother.
Do I even need his permission?
I'll arrange it right away.
(Qin)
(Dazheng Palace, Yongcheng, Qin)
Knock on the gate.
Open the gate!
Open the gate! His Majesty is here!
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
Open the gate! His Majesty is here!
Your Majesty.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
We didn't know that you're here.
I'll inform Queen Dowager right away.
Please wait a moment.
How impetuous!
How dare you make His Majesty
wait outside the gate!
Open the gate!
Hurry!
Open the gate!
Fan Wuji.
See what's happening there.
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
(Qin)
Open the gate!
(Queen Dowager of Qin, Zhao Ji)
Queen Dowager arrives!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Greetings, Queen Dowager.
Greetings, Mother.
Zheng'er.
Why are you here?
Mother, why did you come outside?
I came to visit you.
As a courtesy,
I'm supposed to bow to you at the hall.
(Chief Palace Attendant of Qin, Lao Ai)
I haven't seen you for a long time.
I'm very happy that you came.
So I couldn't wait to see you.
I'm happy too.
Let's go to the main hall.
I have many things to tell you.
We didn't know that you were coming.
It's a mess in the main hall.
We haven't cleaned it up yet.
How about
going to Qinian Palace?
There is no need.
Dazheng Palace is fine.
Eunuch.
Queen Dowager.
Clean up the main hall
to receive His Majesty.
Yes, Your Highness.
Let's go.
All of you, wait here.
Yes.
Mother, let's go.
Zheng'er.
I haven't recovered fully yet.
Don't walk too fast.
All right.
All right.
Will you be staying
overnight here?
If so, I'll ask them
to make preparations.
It's been a while since I met you.
Of course I want to spend
more time with you.
You came so suddenly,
do officials and your godfather know it?
I don't need to tell godfather
everything, right?
I knew it.
You didn't tell your godfather.
You're the King.
How can you
just leave the capital recklessly?
Your Majesty.
Queen Dowager.
We've already cleaned up the hall.
Mother, after you.
You came here from so far away.
There must be something important
other than seeing me.
Tell me.
A few days ago,
I asked someone to send you a letter.
I wanted to make Li Si the Censor.
But why did you still
promote Wang Wan?
So you came to complain?
That's not my intention at all!
Promoting Wang Wan
is Prime Minister's suggestion.
You're not governing the state yet.
Your godfather and I are doing that
on your behalf.
Of course I must listen
to what he says.
What's the matter?
You think it's inappropriate?
It's not that.
It's just that Li Si is a lot
more talented than Wang Wan.
The Prime Minister has his reasons.
It must be for Qin's sake.
Just watch and learn.
There's no need to worry.
If you came here just because of that,
then you are making a fuss here.
The imperial edict has been announced.
How can we take it back?
Besides,
even if Xianyang is not far
from Yongcheng,
you still need to travel a day by horse.
You only brought
so few people with you!
What should we do if something happens
on the way?
What's the matter?
You're silent again.
You don't want to hear it?
You've always been this way
since you were little.
Whenever I tell you off,
you'd just stay silent.
Why are you still the same
after becoming the King?
Forget it.
Stay in Qinian Palace for a night.
Go back to Xianyang tomorrow morning.
Lots of state affairs
need to be handled.
Don't always make Prime Minister
and the others worry about you.
Lao Ai.
Bring people to clean up Qinian Palace.
Yes.
There's no need.
I'll go back to Xianyang now.
You may all go.
Queen Dowager.
His Majesty has already left.
My goodness.
I was so scared
that my legs are still shaking.
Mother! Mother!
Slow down.
Go to your mother.
Go.
Hurry.
Hurry. Stand up, come on.
Hurry.
Go to your mother.
Come.
Rui'er, come here.
Go.
Go to your mother.
Go.
(Rui'er, Ming'er)
Mother, why are you crying?
Why are you crying?
(Spy of Zhao, Mo Bi)
Lord Chunping.
Winter is gone,
do you need Spring's clothes?
(Lord Chunping of Zhao, Zhao Yi)
I'll prepare them for you.
There's no need.
If the people of Qin know
that I have new clothes,
they'd give me a hard time again.
I'm fine as is.
In the past year or so,
they didn't send me to repair the tomb.
They're already being kind.
You've already helped me a lot.
Your identity is a secret.
You mustn't interact with me too much.
Lord Chunping.
This can't go on.
We must think of a way to return
to Zhao.
Zhao?
Does anyone even remember me there?
All these years in Qin,
whoever asked about me?
Lord Chunping, don't lose hope.
According to what I heard, Zhao...
In the four years of Zhao Yan's reign,
he's been indulging in women and music,
ignoring state affairs.
Even more, for personal grudges,
Guo Kai removes officials as he wishes,
and openly receives bribes.
Many officials in Zhao
are very dissatisfied with them.
They want to dethrone him
and support a new king.
If you go back to Handan now
and talk to the officials,
you can surely become the King.
Brother Mo,
are you serious?
Even horses need an alpha horse
to lead them,
so they can find an abundant place
with grass and water,
wihtout worrying about food.
Zhao's many officials
have been waiting for a new king
for a long time.
Lord Chunping,
you're the Crown Prince
the late king appointed.
You have integrity,
and the citizens admire you.
You're the chosen one.
If you can return to Handan now,
you'll surely accomplish great things.
Handan?
Go back to Handan?
It's not an easy task.
We need proper planning for this.
After father passed away,
I don't know
what Zhao Yan has turned the state into.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
(Wife of Zhao Yan, Chang Nv)
No more drinks.
(King Daoxiang of Zhao, Yan)
What's the matter, Your Majesty?
I'm tired of this boredom!
Why did I become king?
To kill that son of a bitch, Qin!
Summon Guo Kai
and Pang Nuan!
I want to send troops
to battle with Qin!
Go!
Go!
You may all go.
Your Majesty,
indulging in music and
enjoying life everyday
is something others can only dream of.
Why put so much effort
into provoking Qin?
Remember this, my dear.
I will never stop
until I kill Ying Zheng.
Your Majesty has always been
a man of his word.
What you desire
will definitely happen.
But when will it happen?
My dear.
My dear, what's the matter?
You promised me
that you'd make me the Queen.
When will that happen?
It's not that
I don't want to make you the Queen.
I've mentioned it
to the officials many times.
They all objected.
I feel helpless too.
Your Majesty once said
that your kingship was unstable,
so you had to make
that person the Queen,
and make her son the Crown Prince.
But currently in Zhao,
who isn't afraid of you?
Do you need to use the officials
as an excuse?
You played a big part
in helping me ascend to the throne.
I won't forget that.
It's just that I'm really
in a difficult situation now.
Perhaps it's because
I come from a lowly background,
that you've never thought
about making me the Queen.
My dear.
What are you saying?
How can I think of you that way?
If that's the case,
in the first place,
why did I marry you
behind my father's back?
My dear.
My dear.
Just bear with me.
I'll convince those officials.
I'll surely make you the Queen.
That day,
His Majesty went to Yongcheng,
and came back to Xianyang at night.
(Queen Dowager Huayang)
According to
the guard who went with him,
(Official of Qin, Mi Dian)
it seems like His Majesty and Queen Dowager
parted on bad terms.
He was also unhappy after he returned.
(Official of Qin, Mi Qi)
All right.
(Huayang Palace, Xian Yang, Qin)
Go and get your reward.
Thank you, Queen Dowager.
Did you hear that?
Zhao Ji and His Majesty
are in disagreement.
This is our chance.
Zhao Ji, the regent Queen Dowager,
hasn't been managing state affairs
over the past few years.
She went to live in Yongcheng,
and left the palace affairs
to old lady Xia.
There must be a reason behind this.
However, that is precisely how
I was able
to control a lot of people
in the palace.
It's just that Lv Buwei
has been keeping tight control
over the people around His Majesty,
so until now, I haven't been able to
arrange a spy around him.
Only our current plan
would be able
to arrange someone beside His Majesty.
I'll do my best.
It's just that my daughter Mi Hua
has always been with my parents in Chu.
After so many years,
I don't even know
what Hua'er looks like now.
I wonder if His Majesty will like her.
How can a woman
from the Mi family not be good?
His Majesty's Queen
must be from Chu.
I heard from Dong'er
that after coming back from Yongcheng,
Your Majesty has been down.
Let's go to Mount Li tomorrow
for a change of pace.
Right.
This is early spring.
The scenery on the mountain
must be nice.
(Meng Tian, Meng Yi)
It'll be good to go riding too.
It's so boring, staying in Xianyang
all day.
Our grandfather
just received some good horses.
How about a race tomorrow?
There's no need to trouble you.
Tell the Minister of Imperial Stud
to prepare some good horses.
Let's go racing tomorrow.
Yes.
The Minister of Imperial Stud
is picking the horses.
He said that His Majesty
will go to Mount Li for horse racing
with the two young generals
from the Meng family.
When will they leave tomorrow?
In the early morning.
All right. Go and get your reward.
Thank you, Queen Dowager.
This is the perfect opportunity.
Jing Han and Mi Hua
will be arriving soon.
Tomorrow, take Mi Hua to Mount Li,
and think of a way
to let her meet
His Majesty coincidentally.
(Qin)
(Mount Li)
Splendid!
Reward him!
(Qin)
Your Majesty.
This is already the fourth round.
The palace
and the Meng family
each won two rounds.
It's a tie right now.
(Qin)
For the last round,
I'll personally ride the horse.
We'll determine the winner
in that round!
Yes.
I'll race with Your Majesty.
(Qin)
Since it's hard to determine the winner
on the track,
let's take this path.
Whoever gets to the camp first
wins the round.
Don't intentionally let me win.
I can let Your Majesty win
in other things,
but definitely not in horse-racing.
You must not let me win
in other things too.
If you do that,
and get caught by me,
I definitely won't spare you.
Yes.
Starter's order.
Rise!
(Qin)
Fall!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
Come.
Your Majesty!
(Qin)
Protect His Majesty!
(Mi Hua)
Mi Hua.
Did you get hurt?
Hua'er.
Did you get hurt?
The Mi family?
Your Majesty, are you all right?
Your Majesty.
Please forgive me
for not recognizing Your Majesty.
You're Mi Qi.
I am.
Mi Qi! How dare you disturb His Majesty!
Fan Wuji.
Let him go.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
This is my daughter.
She grew up in Chu,
and just came to Qin.
We were touring here today.
I didn't expect
that we'd interrupt Your Majesty,
Please forgive us.
My horse was too fast,
and it scared your daughter.
Are you all right?
His Majesty is asking you a question.
Fan Wuji.
You twisted your foot?
Can't walk anymore?
Our horse carriage is far away.
What should we do?
Where is your horse carriage?
I'll bring you there.
Halfway up the mountain there.
Hop on.
I'll take you there.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Come on.
Hua'er.
You're lucky.
You met His Majesty.
Otherwise, what would I do,
all alone here?
Pity, I wanted to take you around
for a couple more months.
We have seen nothing,
but have to go home.
Do you still want to stay in Mount Li?
I'm asking you a question.
It's all up to you, Your Majesty.
Fan Wuji.
Yes.
Send men to accompany Mi Qi
to his carriage,
and take him to Li Palace in Mount Li.
Li Palace?
I'm not returning to Xianyang tonight.
I'll stay in Li Palace.
Send someone to tell Dong'er,
so that she won't worry.
Yes.
You, go to Li Palace quickly.
Tell the people there
to make preparations.
His Majesty's going there.
Yes.
Mi Qi.
If you dare to pull any tricks,
I'll kill you.
What are you talking about?
Even if I'm from the Mi family,
I'm still a citizen of Qin.
(Qin)
You, go with him to get
his horse carriage.
Yes.
That's the beacon tower over there.
In Mount Li,
there are 16 beacon towers in total.
They were used to defend
against the Quanrong tribe.
Now, they're used to defend
against the Xiongnu.
♪Dressed in colorful garments
like a flower♪
The beacon towers
were once used
to trick the dukes.
Do you know about it?
No.
Can you tell me about it?
♪Turns back and rests on the cloud♪
Over 500 years ago,
Zhou's King had a wife
named Bao Si.
Bao Si was an unparalleled beauty.
♪Bright and blazing♪
King You of Zhou loved her very much,
but Bao Si was a cold beauty.
No matter what King You of Zhou did,
she wouldn't smile.
♪He comes to rest at the Shou Palace,
he glows with the sun and moon♪
So King You of Zhou announced a reward,
anyone who was able to make her smile
would get 1,000 taels of gold.
Later on, a wicked official
made a suggestion.
He wanted to use the beacon towers
to make her smile.
The beacon towers?
How would they make her smile?
When King You of Zhou and Bao Si
came to the foot of Mount Li,
they lit up the beacon tower.
When the beacon towers
saw the tower next to them lit up,
they successively lit up theirs too.
When the dukes saw the fires,
they thought the Quanrong tribe
had attacked,
so they mobilized troops
to protect the king.
♪Longing for Him with a deep sigh
my sad heart is greatly troubled♪"
But when they came
to the foot of Mount Li,
they only found King You of Zhou
and Bao Si enjoying themselves there.
So they all returned.
When Bao Si saw that the dukes
being completely at the King's disposal,
she found it very interesting.
She finally smiled.
♪Soak in a fragrant bath
filled with orchids♪
King You of Zhou was very pleased.
Since then,
they lit the beacon towers
many more times.
But fewer and fewer dukes
came to the place.
♪Dressed in colorful garments
like a flower♪
Then what happened?
Then the Quanrong tribe really attacked.
King You of Zhou commanded
the beacon towers to be lit,
but none of the dukes came.
Quanrong took Haojing,
and killed King You of Zhou, Bao Si,
and their children.
Zhou was forced to relocate its capital.
♪Bright and blazing♪
My ancestor
protected King Ping of Zhou
when he moved the capital to Luoyi,
so he was granted a duke title.
The world
started becoming chaotic then.
♪He comes to rest at the Shou Palace,
He glows with the sun and moon♪
For the sake of making Bao Si smile,
a king died,
and the world went into chaos.
Bao Si was not a virtuous woman.
♪Soaring about here and there♪
King You of Zhou
was also a foolish king.
♪Dazzling, landing from the sky♪
♪He back to heaven
in the blink of an eye♪
♪Great foresight, skillful,
boundless grace♪
♪Longing for Him with a deep sigh,
my sad heart is greatly troubled♪"
Your Majesty,
my foot is fine now.
Prepare a room for this lady.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Go with them.
Rest a bit.
After your father arrives,
someone will take him to you.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
(Qin)
You're already here.
Why are you in a rush to leave?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
I was afraid I'd disturb you.
Do you know what I was thinking about?
How can a girl like me
know what Your Majesty
is thinking about?
While we were eating,
you didn't say anything.
I've lived with my grandparents in Chu
since I was little.
There are very few people in our home.
I'm not at ease around people.
I'm not good with words either.
When you're silent,
what are you thinking about?
"Ospreys are calling
on the river islets.
Gentlemen want to marry elegant
and virtuous women."
I've never thought
about those things before.
I heard someone sing that before.
Qin also has a folk song
about...
about love.
Are you willing to sing it for me?
♪The green reeds by the river
have dew frosted on them♪
♪Where is the one I love?
Somewhere by the river♪
♪Looking for her against the current,
the path is long and dangerous♪
♪Following the current, it seems
she's in the middle of the water♪
I've never heard
a better version of "Song of the Reeds".
Your Majesty is too kind.
Your Majesty terrifies people.
But not in a bad,
or hateful way.
It's like the gods.
People are awed by you.
I just turned 20.
It has nothing to do with the age.
It's the king's aura
that emanates from you.
I think
as you get older,
that aura would be even stronger.
At that time,
I won't even have the courage
to look up at you.
However,
I don't know if I'll be fortunate enough
to see Your Majesty again.
I like you.
After we get back to Xianyang tomorrow,
go back to Chu.
Xianyang doesn't suit you.
Can you sing the "Song of the Reeds"
for me again?
♪I remember the cold wind last night,
look at the world♪
♪It's boundless and vast♪
♪Each year is sad and very tumultuous♪
♪Military exercises at the plateaus,
horses drinking by the Yangtze River♪
♪Communicating the unification
of the country♪
♪Brandishing the safety of the world♪
♪The land was given to officials for
500 years, lives flourished and decayed♪
♪Ruined structures, sorrows, heroes'
tears, I must have great ambition♪
♪In the vast mountains and rivers,
the weather keep changing♪
♪Bring peace to the world, build a
new universe, be like the sun and moon♪
♪Armed for battle,
the soldiers are unstoppable♪
♪A land consumed by war,
the beginning of the king's law♪
♪Follow the footsteps of
our ancestors and martyrs♪
♪A great nation's
iron-willed representative♪
=Episode 23=
I was thinking
how His Majesty should make
his chess move.
(Presenter of Qin, Wang Wan)
Chess?
What chess?
(Li Si's wife)
(Chief Clerk of Qin, Li Si)
His Majesty will be able
to govern the nation soon.
He wants to promote me to Censor,
which is against
what Prime Minister wanted.
It's like playing chess.
We're both pieces on the board.
Since you
are in this position,
then His Majesty
must put his piece
in another position
to counter Prime Minister's move.
Si, you're thinking too much.
Prime Minister doesn't intend
to oppose His Majesty.
I think
Prime Minister is doing everything
for Qin's sake
and for His Majesty.
(Li Si's wife)
That is why His Majesty is hesitant.
No one can bear
to hurt someone
who is sincere to them.
However, currently,
Prime Minister still holds
all the power.
He has no intention of passing it on.
How can His Majesty not be concerned?
If Prime Minister still doesn't
understand this,
I'm afraid they will have
a falling out
very soon.
For his ambition,
he must turn
against Prime Minister, who has always
taken care of him.
His Majesty
would have a hard time
in making this decision.
Of course.
Being the King
is never an easy task.
If everything is done by the officials,
and he does nothing,
then he can only be a foolish
and useless king.
If he wants to fulfill his ambition,
he must endure the hardships.
As a King,
especially the King
who wants to rule the world
he must do
what ordinary people cannot.
He must bear the pain
that ordinary people
cannot imagine.
That's how he
can accomplish great things
that ordinary people cannot.
His Majesty must surpass this challenge
before he can become
an unprecedentedly wise king.
What you said
makes sense.
Wan.
Try this.
Sure.
This is the imperial edict.
As the year begins,
nature is waking up.
I hope the officials would work together
to strengthen Qin
in unifying the states.
Based on their accomplishments,
Wan is promoted to Censor,
Lao Ai is promoted to Chief Eunuch.
Thank you, Your Majesty,
Prime Minister.
(Dong'er)
Your Majesty.
What's troubling you?
Dong'er.
Why doesn't Mother help me?
Instead, she listens to everything
that Prime Minister says.
I'm not sure,
but I think
Queen Dowager and Prime Minister
want what's good for you.
I'm going to Yongcheng.
Fan Wuji.
Your Majesty.
Prepare the horse.
We're going to Yongcheng.
(Chief Guard of Qin, Fan Wuji)
Yongcheng?
Should we inform Prime Minister first?
We'll return quickly.
There's no need to inform godfather.
Well...
I'm going to visit my mother.
Do I even need his permission?
I'll arrange it right away.
(Qin)
(Dazheng Palace, Yongcheng, Qin)
Knock on the gate.
Open the gate!
Open the gate! His Majesty is here!
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
Open the gate! His Majesty is here!
Your Majesty.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
We didn't know that you're here.
I'll inform Queen Dowager right away.
Please wait a moment.
How impetuous!
How dare you make His Majesty
wait outside the gate!
Open the gate!
Hurry!
Open the gate!
Fan Wuji.
See what's happening there.
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
Open the gate!
(Qin)
Open the gate!
(Queen Dowager of Qin, Zhao Ji)
Queen Dowager arrives!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Greetings, Queen Dowager.
Greetings, Mother.
Zheng'er.
Why are you here?
Mother, why did you come outside?
I came to visit you.
As a courtesy,
I'm supposed to bow to you at the hall.
(Chief Palace Attendant of Qin, Lao Ai)
I haven't seen you for a long time.
I'm very happy that you came.
So I couldn't wait to see you.
I'm happy too.
Let's go to the main hall.
I have many things to tell you.
We didn't know that you were coming.
It's a mess in the main hall.
We haven't cleaned it up yet.
How about
going to Qinian Palace?
There is no need.
Dazheng Palace is fine.
Eunuch.
Queen Dowager.
Clean up the main hall
to receive His Majesty.
Yes, Your Highness.
Let's go.
All of you, wait here.
Yes.
Mother, let's go.
Zheng'er.
I haven't recovered fully yet.
Don't walk too fast.
All right.
All right.
Will you be staying
overnight here?
If so, I'll ask them
to make preparations.
It's been a while since I met you.
Of course I want to spend
more time with you.
You came so suddenly,
do officials and your godfather know it?
I don't need to tell godfather
everything, right?
I knew it.
You didn't tell your godfather.
You're the King.
How can you
just leave the capital recklessly?
Your Majesty.
Queen Dowager.
We've already cleaned up the hall.
Mother, after you.
You came here from so far away.
There must be something important
other than seeing me.
Tell me.
A few days ago,
I asked someone to send you a letter.
I wanted to make Li Si the Censor.
But why did you still
promote Wang Wan?
So you came to complain?
That's not my intention at all!
Promoting Wang Wan
is Prime Minister's suggestion.
You're not governing the state yet.
Your godfather and I are doing that
on your behalf.
Of course I must listen
to what he says.
What's the matter?
You think it's inappropriate?
It's not that.
It's just that Li Si is a lot
more talented than Wang Wan.
The Prime Minister has his reasons.
It must be for Qin's sake.
Just watch and learn.
There's no need to worry.
If you came here just because of that,
then you are making a fuss here.
The imperial edict has been announced.
How can we take it back?
Besides,
even if Xianyang is not far
from Yongcheng,
you still need to travel a day by horse.
You only brought
so few people with you!
What should we do if something happens
on the way?
What's the matter?
You're silent again.
You don't want to hear it?
You've always been this way
since you were little.
Whenever I tell you off,
you'd just stay silent.
Why are you still the same
after becoming the King?
Forget it.
Stay in Qinian Palace for a night.
Go back to Xianyang tomorrow morning.
Lots of state affairs
need to be handled.
Don't always make Prime Minister
and the others worry about you.
Lao Ai.
Bring people to clean up Qinian Palace.
Yes.
There's no need.
I'll go back to Xianyang now.
You may all go.
Queen Dowager.
His Majesty has already left.
My goodness.
I was so scared
that my legs are still shaking.
Mother! Mother!
Slow down.
Go to your mother.
Go.
Hurry.
Hurry. Stand up, come on.
Hurry.
Go to your mother.
Come.
Rui'er, come here.
Go.
Go to your mother.
Go.
(Rui'er, Ming'er)
Mother, why are you crying?
Why are you crying?
(Spy of Zhao, Mo Bi)
Lord Chunping.
Winter is gone,
do you need Spring's clothes?
(Lord Chunping of Zhao, Zhao Yi)
I'll prepare them for you.
There's no need.
If the people of Qin know
that I have new clothes,
they'd give me a hard time again.
I'm fine as is.
In the past year or so,
they didn't send me to repair the tomb.
They're already being kind.
You've already helped me a lot.
Your identity is a secret.
You mustn't interact with me too much.
Lord Chunping.
This can't go on.
We must think of a way to return
to Zhao.
Zhao?
Does anyone even remember me there?
All these years in Qin,
whoever asked about me?
Lord Chunping, don't lose hope.
According to what I heard, Zhao...
In the four years of Zhao Yan's reign,
he's been indulging in women and music,
ignoring state affairs.
Even more, for personal grudges,
Guo Kai removes officials as he wishes,
and openly receives bribes.
Many officials in Zhao
are very dissatisfied with them.
They want to dethrone him
and support a new king.
If you go back to Handan now
and talk to the officials,
you can surely become the King.
Brother Mo,
are you serious?
Even horses need an alpha horse
to lead them,
so they can find an abundant place
with grass and water,
wihtout worrying about food.
Zhao's many officials
have been waiting for a new king
for a long time.
Lord Chunping,
you're the Crown Prince
the late king appointed.
You have integrity,
and the citizens admire you.
You're the chosen one.
If you can return to Handan now,
you'll surely accomplish great things.
Handan?
Go back to Handan?
It's not an easy task.
We need proper planning for this.
After father passed away,
I don't know
what Zhao Yan has turned the state into.
(Longtai Palace, Handan, Zhao)
(Wife of Zhao Yan, Chang Nv)
No more drinks.
(King Daoxiang of Zhao, Yan)
What's the matter, Your Majesty?
I'm tired of this boredom!
Why did I become king?
To kill that son of a bitch, Qin!
Summon Guo Kai
and Pang Nuan!
I want to send troops
to battle with Qin!
Go!
Go!
You may all go.
Your Majesty,
indulging in music and
enjoying life everyday
is something others can only dream of.
Why put so much effort
into provoking Qin?
Remember this, my dear.
I will never stop
until I kill Ying Zheng.
Your Majesty has always been
a man of his word.
What you desire
will definitely happen.
But when will it happen?
My dear.
My dear, what's the matter?
You promised me
that you'd make me the Queen.
When will that happen?
It's not that
I don't want to make you the Queen.
I've mentioned it
to the officials many times.
They all objected.
I feel helpless too.
Your Majesty once said
that your kingship was unstable,
so you had to make
that person the Queen,
and make her son the Crown Prince.
But currently in Zhao,
who isn't afraid of you?
Do you need to use the officials
as an excuse?
You played a big part
in helping me ascend to the throne.
I won't forget that.
It's just that I'm really
in a difficult situation now.
Perhaps it's because
I come from a lowly background,
that you've never thought
about making me the Queen.
My dear.
What are you saying?
How can I think of you that way?
If that's the case,
in the first place,
why did I marry you
behind my father's back?
My dear.
My dear.
Just bear with me.
I'll convince those officials.
I'll surely make you the Queen.
That day,
His Majesty went to Yongcheng,
and came back to Xianyang at night.
(Queen Dowager Huayang)
According to
the guard who went with him,
(Official of Qin, Mi Dian)
it seems like His Majesty and Queen Dowager
parted on bad terms.
He was also unhappy after he returned.
(Official of Qin, Mi Qi)
All right.
(Huayang Palace, Xian Yang, Qin)
Go and get your reward.
Thank you, Queen Dowager.
Did you hear that?
Zhao Ji and His Majesty
are in disagreement.
This is our chance.
Zhao Ji, the regent Queen Dowager,
hasn't been managing state affairs
over the past few years.
She went to live in Yongcheng,
and left the palace affairs
to old lady Xia.
There must be a reason behind this.
However, that is precisely how
I was able
to control a lot of people
in the palace.
It's just that Lv Buwei
has been keeping tight control
over the people around His Majesty,
so until now, I haven't been able to
arrange a spy around him.
Only our current plan
would be able
to arrange someone beside His Majesty.
I'll do my best.
It's just that my daughter Mi Hua
has always been with my parents in Chu.
After so many years,
I don't even know
what Hua'er looks like now.
I wonder if His Majesty will like her.
How can a woman
from the Mi family not be good?
His Majesty's Queen
must be from Chu.
I heard from Dong'er
that after coming back from Yongcheng,
Your Majesty has been down.
Let's go to Mount Li tomorrow
for a change of pace.
Right.
This is early spring.
The scenery on the mountain
must be nice.
(Meng Tian, Meng Yi)
It'll be good to go riding too.
It's so boring, staying in Xianyang
all day.
Our grandfather
just received some good horses.
How about a race tomorrow?
There's no need to trouble you.
Tell the Minister of Imperial Stud
to prepare some good horses.
Let's go racing tomorrow.
Yes.
The Minister of Imperial Stud
is picking the horses.
He said that His Majesty
will go to Mount Li for horse racing
with the two young generals
from the Meng family.
When will they leave tomorrow?
In the early morning.
All right. Go and get your reward.
Thank you, Queen Dowager.
This is the perfect opportunity.
Jing Han and Mi Hua
will be arriving soon.
Tomorrow, take Mi Hua to Mount Li,
and think of a way
to let her meet
His Majesty coincidentally.
(Qin)
(Mount Li)
Splendid!
Reward him!
(Qin)
Your Majesty.
This is already the fourth round.
The palace
and the Meng family
each won two rounds.
It's a tie right now.
(Qin)
For the last round,
I'll personally ride the horse.
We'll determine the winner
in that round!
Yes.
I'll race with Your Majesty.
(Qin)
Since it's hard to determine the winner
on the track,
let's take this path.
Whoever gets to the camp first
wins the round.
Don't intentionally let me win.
I can let Your Majesty win
in other things,
but definitely not in horse-racing.
You must not let me win
in other things too.
If you do that,
and get caught by me,
I definitely won't spare you.
Yes.
Starter's order.
Rise!
(Qin)
Fall!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
His Majesty shall win!
Come.
Your Majesty!
(Qin)
Protect His Majesty!
(Mi Hua)
Mi Hua.
Did you get hurt?
Hua'er.
Did you get hurt?
The Mi family?
Your Majesty, are you all right?
Your Majesty.
Please forgive me
for not recognizing Your Majesty.
You're Mi Qi.
I am.
Mi Qi! How dare you disturb His Majesty!
Fan Wuji.
Let him go.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
This is my daughter.
She grew up in Chu,
and just came to Qin.
We were touring here today.
I didn't expect
that we'd interrupt Your Majesty,
Please forgive us.
My horse was too fast,
and it scared your daughter.
Are you all right?
His Majesty is asking you a question.
Fan Wuji.
You twisted your foot?
Can't walk anymore?
Our horse carriage is far away.
What should we do?
Where is your horse carriage?
I'll bring you there.
Halfway up the mountain there.
Hop on.
I'll take you there.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Come on.
Hua'er.
You're lucky.
You met His Majesty.
Otherwise, what would I do,
all alone here?
Pity, I wanted to take you around
for a couple more months.
We have seen nothing,
but have to go home.
Do you still want to stay in Mount Li?
I'm asking you a question.
It's all up to you, Your Majesty.
Fan Wuji.
Yes.
Send men to accompany Mi Qi
to his carriage,
and take him to Li Palace in Mount Li.
Li Palace?
I'm not returning to Xianyang tonight.
I'll stay in Li Palace.
Send someone to tell Dong'er,
so that she won't worry.
Yes.
You, go to Li Palace quickly.
Tell the people there
to make preparations.
His Majesty's going there.
Yes.
Mi Qi.
If you dare to pull any tricks,
I'll kill you.
What are you talking about?
Even if I'm from the Mi family,
I'm still a citizen of Qin.
(Qin)
You, go with him to get
his horse carriage.
Yes.
That's the beacon tower over there.
In Mount Li,
there are 16 beacon towers in total.
They were used to defend
against the Quanrong tribe.
Now, they're used to defend
against the Xiongnu.
♪Dressed in colorful garments
like a flower♪
The beacon towers
were once used
to trick the dukes.
Do you know about it?
No.
Can you tell me about it?
♪Turns back and rests on the cloud♪
Over 500 years ago,
Zhou's King had a wife
named Bao Si.
Bao Si was an unparalleled beauty.
♪Bright and blazing♪
King You of Zhou loved her very much,
but Bao Si was a cold beauty.
No matter what King You of Zhou did,
she wouldn't smile.
♪He comes to rest at the Shou Palace,
he glows with the sun and moon♪
So King You of Zhou announced a reward,
anyone who was able to make her smile
would get 1,000 taels of gold.
Later on, a wicked official
made a suggestion.
He wanted to use the beacon towers
to make her smile.
The beacon towers?
How would they make her smile?
When King You of Zhou and Bao Si
came to the foot of Mount Li,
they lit up the beacon tower.
When the beacon towers
saw the tower next to them lit up,
they successively lit up theirs too.
When the dukes saw the fires,
they thought the Quanrong tribe
had attacked,
so they mobilized troops
to protect the king.
♪Longing for Him with a deep sigh
my sad heart is greatly troubled♪"
But when they came
to the foot of Mount Li,
they only found King You of Zhou
and Bao Si enjoying themselves there.
So they all returned.
When Bao Si saw that the dukes
being completely at the King's disposal,
she found it very interesting.
She finally smiled.
♪Soak in a fragrant bath
filled with orchids♪
King You of Zhou was very pleased.
Since then,
they lit the beacon towers
many more times.
But fewer and fewer dukes
came to the place.
♪Dressed in colorful garments
like a flower♪
Then what happened?
Then the Quanrong tribe really attacked.
King You of Zhou commanded
the beacon towers to be lit,
but none of the dukes came.
Quanrong took Haojing,
and killed King You of Zhou, Bao Si,
and their children.
Zhou was forced to relocate its capital.
♪Bright and blazing♪
My ancestor
protected King Ping of Zhou
when he moved the capital to Luoyi,
so he was granted a duke title.
The world
started becoming chaotic then.
♪He comes to rest at the Shou Palace,
He glows with the sun and moon♪
For the sake of making Bao Si smile,
a king died,
and the world went into chaos.
Bao Si was not a virtuous woman.
♪Soaring about here and there♪
King You of Zhou
was also a foolish king.
♪Dazzling, landing from the sky♪
♪He back to heaven
in the blink of an eye♪
♪Great foresight, skillful,
boundless grace♪
♪Longing for Him with a deep sigh,
my sad heart is greatly troubled♪"
Your Majesty,
my foot is fine now.
Prepare a room for this lady.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Go with them.
Rest a bit.
After your father arrives,
someone will take him to you.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
(Qin)
You're already here.
Why are you in a rush to leave?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
I was afraid I'd disturb you.
Do you know what I was thinking about?
How can a girl like me
know what Your Majesty
is thinking about?
While we were eating,
you didn't say anything.
I've lived with my grandparents in Chu
since I was little.
There are very few people in our home.
I'm not at ease around people.
I'm not good with words either.
When you're silent,
what are you thinking about?
"Ospreys are calling
on the river islets.
Gentlemen want to marry elegant
and virtuous women."
I've never thought
about those things before.
I heard someone sing that before.
Qin also has a folk song
about...
about love.
Are you willing to sing it for me?
♪The green reeds by the river
have dew frosted on them♪
♪Where is the one I love?
Somewhere by the river♪
♪Looking for her against the current,
the path is long and dangerous♪
♪Following the current, it seems
she's in the middle of the water♪
I've never heard
a better version of "Song of the Reeds".
Your Majesty is too kind.
Your Majesty terrifies people.
But not in a bad,
or hateful way.
It's like the gods.
People are awed by you.
I just turned 20.
It has nothing to do with the age.
It's the king's aura
that emanates from you.
I think
as you get older,
that aura would be even stronger.
At that time,
I won't even have the courage
to look up at you.
However,
I don't know if I'll be fortunate enough
to see Your Majesty again.
I like you.
After we get back to Xianyang tomorrow,
go back to Chu.
Xianyang doesn't suit you.
Can you sing the "Song of the Reeds"
for me again?
♪I remember the cold wind last night,
look at the world♪
♪It's boundless and vast♪
♪Each year is sad and very tumultuous♪
♪Military exercises at the plateaus,
horses drinking by the Yangtze River♪
♪Communicating the unification
of the country♪
♪Brandishing the safety of the world♪
♪The land was given to officials for
500 years, lives flourished and decayed♪
♪Ruined structures, sorrows, heroes'
tears, I must have great ambition♪
♪In the vast mountains and rivers,
the weather keep changing♪
♪Bring peace to the world, build a
new universe, be like the sun and moon♪
♪Armed for battle,
the soldiers are unstoppable♪
♪A land consumed by war,
the beginning of the king's law♪
♪Follow the footsteps of
our ancestors and martyrs♪
♪A great nation's
iron-willed representative♪