The Legend of Hao Lan (Mou Qin / 皓镧传)

~ Moonrise by Lu Hu & Huang Yali ~

The Legend of Hao Lan

Episode 48

Your Majesty, if we kill Lu Buwei, we can calm the anger of the people. Kill him!

That's right. Kill him!

Kill him!

Your Majesty, if I can't recover the gold by tomorrow,

I'm willing to die.

Fine. I will give you another day.

Okay then. The deadline is tomorrow.

Fine, tomorrow is the deadline.

It's a deal.

Crown Prince, one more time.

Crown Prince, over there.

Crown Prince, you are great.

You lost. Come and be punished.

Punish him now. He lost.

What's this? The game is inferior.

Who are you?

Crown Prince, that's Minister Lu.

I'm the Crown Prince of Great Qin. Whatever I do, it's none of your business.

As the Crown Prince, you should be playing the most interesting game in the kingdom.

What's so interesting about fooling around with a group of people in the palace?

What's the best game in the kingdom?

Follow me.

Why should I follow you? You are the subject. Follow me.

Crown Prince, this...

- It's empty. - That's right.

The biggest weakness of a battle is the rear.

If a cavalry attacks from the rear, it's very likely to collapse.

If I replace another row, you won't be able to do anything.

I don't believe you. Do it again.

Crown Prince, Minister Lu is very busy. He wouldn't have the time to play with you.

Your game is not interesting. Scram!

This is very easy.

Line up according to the arrangement of the stones. I will hit it and show you.

Come, I will change to another method. Do it again.

Arrange the position and line these up again.

You are awake.

How pitiful.

If this knife has gone in deeper,

even if I invited the best physician in Qin state,

you would have gone to heaven.

Your humble servant, Situ Que,

greets the Prince and Prince Yangquan.

No need to force yourself. Sit and talk.

Prince's kindness in saving me, I will etch it in my heart.

If I can survive, I will repay your kindness.

Saving you was an accident.

Whether you can survive or not, it depends on your determination. It has nothing to do with me.

But I didn't imagine this.

You are extremely loyal to Lu Buwei.

Because of a woman, he treated you ruthlessly.

Prince, you are a righteous person.

Can you tell that he and his Master have obviously set up a trap

to deceive us to take the bait?

Is that so?

Prince Yangquan, do you really think Lu Buwei would allow himself to be captured without putting up a fight?

Why?

The so-called seven days deadline was just a delay.

For the last 7 days, he has secretly dealt with his businesses in all countries.

Everything has been emptied out. The real estate and land have been gradually sold.

Even the ancestral estate of Wei state has been cast off.

At daybreak tomorrow, even if he can't make up for all the gold, the difference will be negligible.

What do you mean?

Whether this is true or not, investigate it and you will know.

I don't need to lie to you. I can't really help you.

This information is my way of repaying you.

Stop there.

I've been following Lu Buwei for many years. I know his ways.

He is deeply conniving and quickly adapts to changes.

Even if he comes to a dead end, he will still survive.

Based on what you said, what should we do then?

I can't do anything.

Can't do anything?

You really can't do anything?

Situ Que,

haven't you thought of taking revenge?

Also, once you leave Xianyang,

you will never be able to see your beloved person again.

You have already repaid what you owed Lu Buwei.

Don't you want a way out to find a new path?

Prince.

I have a trusted aide in Lu Manor.

But, Prince, are you willing to trust me?

I will. I will give you a chance.

Prince.

Greetings, Empress Dowager.

Why are you here?

I heard that you are sick and came to visit you.

It's a pity that my body is heavy and clumsy. The prince doesn't want me to leave the house.

There are people guarding the front and back doors. I managed to sneak out today.

Comforting gifts have already arrived at Hope Peace Palace.

Is there a need for you to make your way here?

Prince's wife, if there's anything, just be blunt.

Empress Dowager, you are anxious. I will be blunt then.

Lu Buwei has been diligently investigating the lost gold.

He didn't even go back to Lu Manor.

But this afternoon, he was in the garden playing with the Crown Prince.

What are you trying to say?

I believe you have heard the rumors going around in the streets of Xianyang.

I'm here to advise you to relax.

The Empress, from being a down-and-out woman from Zhao state, became the Empress of Great Qin.

She knows what to decide and plan things in advance,

Between a Qin prince and a common merchant, the choice was easy.

When she first abandoned Lu Buwei and threw herself into the Emperor's embrace,

it's also human nature.

Prince's wife, watch what you say.

It's that between them, one discards old love and the other hungers for wealth and power.

They hoodwinked His Majesty.

If the Crown Prince is really not His Majesty's biological son...

their evil intention is really very scary.

Shut up!

Empress Dowager, don't be angry.

Will your health be able to take it?

Empress Dowager, take care of yourself.

Today, you are standing here

because you just want to sow dissension

and gain all the benefits?

Don't you think I am aware of your ambition like a wild wolf (aggressively greedy)?

That's right. I'm here to stir up troubles and sow dissension.

My husband is the same as His Majesty. They are both impressively from the bloodline of the Great Qin.

Of course, he should have the right to succession and ascension to the throne.

But, what right does Zheng'er have?

Is it based on his birthright from a mother who was a dance performer?

Or is it based on his biological father who came from a lowly merchant background?

Get lost.

Empress Dowager, the occupant of the Yongmen Palace isn't the Empress.

The one who stands in the imperial court is also not Prime Minister Lü.

They are a pair of thieves who schemed to seize the state of Qin.

At all times, they glare like tigers watching their preys (eyeing covetously) with the intent to usurp the throne.

As for you, as the Empress Dowager of the Great Qin,

how can you just look on helplessly?

Looking on helplessly as the throne falls by the side.

Looking on helplessly as this pair of Great Qin thieves live on freely, happily and unrestrained.

After a lifetime, how would you face the late king?

Also, how would you face the ancestors of the Great Qin?

I'm asking you to get lost! Men!

Let's see who would dare to touch me.

I won't trouble you, Empress Dowager. I will leave on my own.

But you must think clearly and thoroughly.

No matter who will end up on the Great Qin's throne,

it shouldn't be Zheng'er.

Empress Dowager, Princess Consort is maliciously trying to sow dissension.

Of course, I know what her intentions are.

It's just that there is something she said that's right.

The hardships and painstaking struggles of the Great Qin ancestry

that broke new ground till the state it is today was not an easy feat.

How can it fall into the hands of an outsider?

Go. Invite the Empress over here.

Go immediately!

Yes.

Greetings, Empress Dowager.

Come. Take a look at my bonsai plant.

Back then, when Zichu was held as a hostage in the state of Zhao,

I think of him daily, crying so much that my eyes are almost blind.

To divert myself from feelings of loneliness, my time was idled away with this.

Each leaf and each branch of this bonsai plant,

including even the little pebbles, are all decorated by me.

Look. The little stone figurine by the faux mountain was also carved by me.

In order to carve this,

even up till today, my fingers are deeply scarred.

The plant is very fragile and it could grow worms or be ill. It needs tender loving care at all times.

What difference is there when compared with raising a child?

Empress Dowager!

Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager!

What are you doing? Daughter-in-law here is unable to bear it.

No matter how much effort is spent on a bonsai plant, just watering it with a pan of hot water is all it takes for it to wilt.

However precious it may be, it would never be comparable to my beloved biological son.

In my heart, Zichu is the one and only treasure in this world.

Please get up first and we'll talk.

Empress Dowager, what exactly do you want to say?

Empress, ever since your return,

Zichu protects you at every turn and is very fearful that I'd neglect you.

As a mother, of course I would feel disappointed.

But, as long as Zichu is happy, I'd be contented.

But, right now, there's a rumor spreading all over the city of Xianyang.

It says you are the concubine of Lu Buwei

and that Zheng'er is his biological son.

Empress Dowager, why would you believe in such complete nonsense?

Since the matter is at this stage, whether the rumor is true or not is no longer important.

What's important is that Zichu's political foes are beginning to doubt the lineage of Zheng'er.

They say Zichu is foolish and outrageous

to let himself be toyed with in the palms of Lu Buwei.

They say he is not fit to sit on the throne of the Great Qin.

They want to drag him down and take over his place.

Empress.

The rumor has spread quickly and widely.

There's no way to reverse this desperate situation.

I just hope that time will heal all this.

You... Could you leave the city of Yong with the Crown Prince temporarily?

It only needs three years, no, it would probably be even shorter.

Once the rumor has calmed down, you two can come back.

Haolan, I beg you.

Just consider it as my pleas.

Don't ruin my son.

Don't ruin your husband.

Empress Dowager, you don't need to behave this way.

Zichu is your most cherished treasure.