Legend of Fu Yao (扶摇)

Your Highness, where should we go now?

We'll head back.

What?

We'll return to the Imperial City.

If we rush back to the Imperial City now

we'd really be walking into the trap.

Your Highness, do you have some other plan in mind?

A plan?

This is the last plan I have.

I've noted down Zhangsun Jia's distribution of armed forces.

If I can't rely on him, this will be the last thing that can save me.

Your Highness is so wise.

People...

If we don't know to leave a way out for ourselves

that would be like heading straight to our doom!

When we return to the Imperial City

Your Highness can tell His Majesty that it was all for the sake of the nation.

You had no choice but to bear the humiliation to get more information.

Your Highness, you're His Majesty's son, after all.

His Majesty will show you some mercy.

Yes!

No matter how my father punishes me, as long as I get to live...

Nothing could be better than that!

Isn't that right?

Xu Lai.

Do you know what I did wrong?

My only mistake was being born into an imperial family.

I shouldn't be the disfavored son who won't resign to his fate!

Your Highness, don't blame me.

Just blame the world for being unjust.

I've served you for so many years.

All I seek is a career.

Now that you're hopeless, shouldn't I think for myself?

Prince De said that you couldn't be trusted.

That I had to kill you if you tried to escape.

Someone like me... never had any principles.

Only the standing matters to me, not what's right or wrong.

That's what you taught me.

Young Master, it's already one o'clock in the morning.

You should get some rest.

Tell me.

If this pawn had a mind of its own...

what would it think?

This...

Life is but a game of chess.

Although we aren't pawns

we can't stand to be manipulated, so we end up manipulating others.

Over time, we forget that

however hard we calculate or plot, we can't get out of the game.

Who are you talking about?

Who do you think it is?

It can't be...

It can't be who I think it is...

But--

But by doing this, he--

Why would he do this?

Is it because-- Who is he targeting?

Is it Prince De?

Or you?

Could it...

Could it be Wu Ji?

You're quite clever.

This is...

I don't understand.

Of course you don't understand.

It all started because of something that happened in the past.

That year...

I was only 16 years old.

But there was already a man I loved dearly.

We were going to be together for a lifetime.

Just as he was about to ask for my hand in marriage...

the emperor who had just succeeded the throne said

that he wanted to marry me.

I didn't want to marry him. I thought of running away.

But so many from our families could be implicated.

In the end... I hesitated.

He gave up.

It was after I married into the palace that I realized...

that the emperor who married me didn't care about me at all.

Everything he did was just to break us up.

If it wasn't for Wu Ji's...

If it wasn't to have him succeed the throne soon someday...

I'd have given everything up and left with him.

As long as I can be with the one I love...

who cares about the rumors and the chaos in the world?

You wish to leave?

You want to enjoy your life with him.

That isn't entirely impossible.

However, my empress...

you've always confused your imagination with reality.

How can there be such a romance in this world?

Your Highness.

Are you badly injured?

I'm too incompetent.

Did you get any information?

The empress was indeed captured by the emperor.

Our plan was leaked.

Yes, I fought my way here to report back to you.

I'm afraid that the other informants in the palace are already...

Do you know where the empress is being held captive?

The emperor had her captured very discreetly.

I couldn't investigate thoroughly.

Get your wounds treated.

I deserve to die for failing to accomplish Your Highness's task.

Your Highness, please punish me!

Forget it.

This isn't your fault.

Go on.

Your Highness.

Crown Prince's reinforcements are rushing over here

from the mountain pass in the south.

It's estimated to be around 300,000 men.

Plus, they're already closing in on us.

Our plan...

Convey my orders.

Tomorrow on the battlefield, once the beacon is lit...

send General Ma out to war.

What about the arrangement in the palace?

I need to think about that carefully.

You're dismissed.

Yes.

You can leave now.

I'll have someone escort you.

You'll be safe.

I was the one who failed you.

Be it the sins, the mistakes, or the retribution

I should be the one to bear the consequences.

I failed to take care of you.

From now on...

I'm afraid I won't have the chance to make it up to you.

At the moment, all I can do...

is let you go.

To let you be alive and well.

Why aren't you asking me why I left with Lian'er without a word?

And where I've been hiding all these years...

How I got through the years?

I failed you back then.

You should hate me.

It wasn't because I was heartless that I didn't search for you...

It was just that I thought you'd be better off without me.

We'd be better off?

You have no clue what happened then.

What exactly are you up to?

Take a guess.

Where do you think Wu Ji's army is now?

No...

No!

Wu Ji is Crown Prince of Tianquan!

He's your son! He--

You can't do this to him!

Are you going to hurt Wu Ji?

Isn't it enough to just take my life and Zhangsun Jia's?

Why do you have to involve Wu Ji in this?

What did he do wrong?

Wu Ji respects you so much.

You're actually using him to seek revenge?

You both think that I'm using others.

But have you ever considered that all of Tianquan Kingdom

is using me too?

The Emperor of Tianquan appears to reign over the world

but it actually isn't so.

Empowered by the five kingdoms, and yet restrained by the people.

You've both witnessed it.

There's still some time left today.

I'll tell you a story here.

Perhaps, when the day is over

no one else will know the whole story anymore.

There were once two brothers.

They were born to different mothers but grew up together.

They were considered fairly close.

The younger brother had always been clever and sensible.

He was lovable.

Everyone just seemed to like him just a bit more.

As for the elder brother...

he was an old head on young shoulders.

He was bad with words.

His father regarded his maturity as mediocrity and slow-wittedness.

He wasn't good at explaining so he studied diligently...

and kept to himself.

He only hoped that one day, he could share his parents' burdens.

You should have guessed it by now?

The younger brother is Zhangsun Jia.

And the older brother deemed slow-witted by his father... is me.

In the years that followed

my father never concealed his trust in Zhangsun Jia.

Everyone in the Imperial Court knew!

After I was appointed as heir apparent

there were always suggestions of abolishing me to anoint Zhangsun Jia.

But my father never did that.

Fu Yao, do you know the reason?

Perhaps... your father still cared about you.

That's what I thought back then.

The throne of Tianquan is quite the jinx.

The previous three or four emperors didn't live past 40 years old.

This time, His Majesty suddenly fell ill.

It must be a bad omen.

Honestly speaking, when I took a look at His Majesty just now

it seemed like it's just a matter of three to five days.

Even if a remedy is found, I'm afraid it will be too late.

We have to make sure that we won't be killed.