The Longest Promise (2023) s01e01 Episode Script

1
(Huotu Tribe)
(Zhu Yan, Princess of the Crimson Clan)
God of Fire above,
a feast of good fortune.
(Lord Ke'erke, Huotu Tribe)
(Great Consort, Huotu Tribe)
Best wishes for a long harmonious relationship.
Best wishes
for a long harmonious relationship.
I heard the Princess of Crimson Clan
is not willing to be married here.
That princess' heart
belongs to someone else.
But this wedding was granted
by the Sovereign Lord.
If she refuses to marry,
it'll anger the heaven,
and the whole Crimson Clan
will be implicated.
Young Lady,
it's not too late to stop this.
Young Lady,
you can never return
once you step out
of this tent.
His Lordship and Her Ladyship
are not young anymore.
You're their only daughter.
Do you really have the heart
to abandon them?
Even if I stayed here,
I can never see them
in this lifetime either.
It's no different than being dead.
Deliver the wedding gifts!
Enter the tent!
I will never marry
someone I don't love.
Young Lady, but
the person you like
will never marry you in this life.
Young Lady.
Silence.
Please receive the wedding gifts,
Your Highness.
First bow.
Second bow.
Third bow.
Best wishes
for a long harmonious relationship.
Exchange nuptial wine!
Sand Demon! Run!
Run for your lives!
Run!
(Finally,)
(no one will force me)
(to marry again in this life.)
Who's there?
(Shi Ying,
Priest of Grand Preceptor of Jiuyi Mountain)
Master.
How
How could you do this
to the gift I gave you?
Master,
what brought you here
out of a sudden?
I
I thought
I would never see you again
in this life.
Didn't you invite me
to your wedding feast?
♪Your silhouette in the twilight's glow♪
♪Awakens like snow, delicate and cold♪
♪Within your gaze,
countless destinies intertwine♪
♪A lifetime, a world of illusion
of just one person♪
♪As moonlight shimmers♪
♪Falling petals rest in my palm,
it's your sacred promise♪
♪Cultivating amidst the fleeting time
of this mortal world♪
♪To be as one, inseparable,
like a shadow in rhyme♪
♪Grant me a lifetime
of enchanting sights♪
♪I defy fate, turning it around♪
♪Fearless of heavenly decree♪
♪It is the courage
that blooms for you, profound♪
♪Unafraid of the destined trials♪
♪I only wish to make a vow with you♪
♪Like our initial encounter
etched deep within my heart♪
=The Longest Promise=
(Adapted from "Zhu Yan" by Cang Yue)
=The Longest Promise=
=Episode 1=
(Within the heaven and earth)
(and the four seas,)
(White Tower,)
(there's a sacred land called, Yunhuang.)
(Jialan Imperial City of the Kongsang)
(there's a sacred land called, Yunhuang.)
(The Kongsang Clan,)
(Merfolk,)
(and the Ice Clan)
(have lived here for generations.)
(Seven thousand years ago,)
(Lang Gan of Kongsang intended
to unify Yunhuang.)
(Yet, the God of Destruction)
(incited evil thoughts)
(for selfish gain.)
(Bewitched by the God of Destruction,)
(internal strife arises
among the six vassals of Kongsang,)
(external pressure comes
from the Merfolk marine force,)
(and the Ten Sorcerers of the Ice Clan,
repeatedly start an uprising.)
(Yunhuang)
(is about to fall into war again.)
(But if god takes pleasure)
(in seeing the world destroyed,)
(how does he deserve
to be worshipped by the world?)
(It's unprecedented for a mortal)
(to kill a god since ancient times.)
(Then let me,)
(Shi Ying, be the first.)
(Shi Ying, Crown Prince of Kongsang)
(Zhu Yan, Princess of the Crimson Clan)
(The wind sounds like a bell.)
(The flowers fall like snow.)
(The Snowy Rosa
in Jialan Imperial Palace)
(is so beautiful.)
This flower looks the prettiest.
It's perfect for Crown Prince.
Mister,
was it you who helped me?
You said you wanted
to give this flower to Crown Prince.
Do you know him?
I'll eventually know him
after I give him this flower.
You want to see him?
Why?
As the Princess of the Crimson Clan,
I should learn
some powerful magic techniques
to protect Western Huang.
But Father always forbids it.
He said a lady like me
should enjoy tea and do some needlework
like other princesses.
He said it's enough to learn
some defense magic techniques.
That's why
I want to see Crown Prince
so he permits me
to learn magic techniques.
That way, Father wouldn't dare
to forbid me from learning.
Why didn't you ask Emperor
for permission instead?
Emperor and Father are no different.
I'm afraid all Emperor will say is
what a lady should and shouldn't do.
But Crown Prince is different.
They said he's favored by heaven.
A young promising man
who keeps improving.
I'm sure he'll understand my feelings.
Her Highness, the Empress has arrived.
Mister,
I have to take my leave now.
We shall meet again if time allows.
"A young promising man
who keeps improving."
(Bai Yan, the Empress of Kongsang)
(Lady Qiushui,
a merfolk, the Imperial Consort)
(Helu Garden, Jialan Imperial City)
Lady Qiushui is pregnant.
May Your Highness make way for her.
Forgive me, Your Highness.
It's all because I'm pregnant.
The Imperial Academy of Medicine
repeatedly advised me not
to go up and down excessively
because the prince
in my womb isn't stable.
I hope Your Highness can forgive me
for the inconvenience.
Make way.
We'll stand aside.
She's nothing but a Merfolk,
a slave of the Kongsang people.
Has she forgotten her place
now that she's being doted on?
Quiet.
The Merfolk are also like us,
the people of Yunhuang.
Next time,
don't say anything discriminatory.
Or else it'll cause trouble.
Assassins!
No,
I'm not an assassin.
I accidentally bumped into Lady Qiushui.
I'm truly
Her Highness is pregnant.
If anything happens,
can you be responsible?
You're wearing scarlet attire.
You're from the Crimson Clan.
Did your father send you
to crash into me on purpose
because he can't bear the sight
of me carrying a royal bloodline?
No.
Your Highness,
my father doesn't know anything.
I'll be responsible for my action.
Please
punish me alone.
How dare you talk back at me?
My flower!
Give it back to me.
This flower is evidence
of the Crimson Clan trying to harm me.
Let me go.
My flower.
Give it back.
My flower!
You
You
Why do you want to frame my father?
You're so beautiful.
Yet, you're so malicious.
You
Dare you say that again?
Stop!
Greetings, Crown Prince.
Why are you fighting here?
I have my reasons.
Are you trying to meddle
in the affairs of the Imperial Harem?
(Crown Prince?)
(So that's Crown Prince.)
(I can't believe I've said)
(so many offensive things.)
I'd never interfere.
But according to Kongsang ancestral law,
it's the Imperial Prince's duty
to guide other princes.
(The rumor is true.)
(Is His Highness here to help me?)
Since you're carrying
Father's bloodline,
I have to carry out my duty
as an older brother
to teach my younger brother
in your womb.
The Emperor who possesses good virtue
will grant amnesty
to the world's most heinous people
on auspicious days.
Let alone a child.
Did I make myself clear,
my brother?
All right.
Since Crown Prince has stepped in,
we'll let her go.
Let's go.
Yes.
Wait a moment.
Is there anything else, Crown Prince?
According to Kongsang ancestral law,
all princes must copy
the Holy Words of Emperor Xingzun
ten times
as a gift for the Emperor's birthday.
Since my brother is not born yet,
I can only ask you to return
to your chamber
and copy it on his behalf.
Why you
You're being mean to me
and causing me trouble
because I'm a Merfolk.
The Kongsang people and the Merfolk
are the people of Yunhuang.
There's no difference between us.
But as for you,
you wanted to slap
a Saintess of Kongsang
over a trivial matter
and implicate a Kongsang Lord.
I only
slapped her.
Do you need to
make a big deal out of this?
All right.
Forget it.
I shall see
how long you can remain so arrogant.
The Prince favored by heaven
is standing here now.
It was my fault for being reckless
with my words.
I hope Your Highness can forgive me.
Is your face all right?
I'm all right.
It was just a slap.
Thank you for your concern,
Your Highness.
But
It's a pity for this Snowy Rosa.
I wanted to present it to Your Highness.
What kind of magic spell is this?
It's amazing.
Restoring Spell.
If you practice magic spells diligently,
you can do it one day too.
This Snowy Rosa
is my proof to you.
You can take it
to your father.
Can a lady
do it too?
There is no difference
between men and women
in guarding the country
and protecting the family.
I'll not
let you down, Your Highness.
(Longevity Hall, Jialan Imperial City)
Yu,
remember to behave later,
okay?
On this holy feast,
allow me to present you
with a dance performance.
Good.
Very good.
(Emperor Beimian, the Emperor of Kongsang)
(In the past, the Emperor Xingzun)
(managed to comprehend
seven magic techniques)
(from the seven luminaries
and the bright full moon)
(and was acknowledged
by the Heavenly Divine Ring.)
(The marvelous scene)
(of the past would reappear)
(in the night.)
(Shi Yu, the Second Prince of Kongsang
Qing Yun, the Imperial Consort)
Many skilled mages haven't been able
(Lan Tianyu, the King of the Blue Clan)
to master a single technique.
(Qing Dongfang, the King of the Azure Clan)
Crown Prince was born with a divine spirit
(Bai Jing'an, the King of the White Clan)
and wisdom.
(Zhu Gaozhao, the King of the Crimson Clan)
It's Kongsang's blessing
to have such a prince.
Marvelous!
Impressive!
Remarkable!
Lady Qiushui has arrived.
Qiushui.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Get up quickly.
Why did you come so late?
You just missed
the prince's sword dance.
Perhaps the prince punished me
to copy the scriptures ten times
because he didn't want me
to watch the sword dance.
What?
How dare the prince punish you
to copy scriptures?
I'm weak.
I feel weary
after copying the scriptures.
So I can only come to wish
Your Majesty a long
and healthy life.
I shall take my leave, then.
Are you all right?
I'll accompany you.
Your Majesty,
the auspicious hour has arrived.
The birthday banquet is about to begin.
Let's go.
The birthday banquet matters more.
I can return by myself.
If you come with me,
many people
will make mean accusations
about me.
I'll wait for you at Qiushui Pavilion.
All right.
You had to pick this day
to make things difficult for Qiushui.
Do you admit your mistake?
I apologize for my mistake.
Since you're good at swordsmanship,
you can keep watch at night
in the court.
Yes, Father.
Mother,
brother hasn't eaten yet.
Hush.
Please help us, Your Highness.
What's the matter?
I'm from Qiushui Pavilion.
Today, Lady Qiushui was ordered
by Your Highness
to copy the scriptures.
So she vented her anger
at the palace servants.
My sister
is about to be flogged to death.
I snuck out to ask Your Highness
for help.
Please help us, Your Highness.
Where's the punished palace servant?
She is inside.
I dare not enter.
Lady Qiushui.
Lady Qiushui.
Lady Qiushui, are you all right?
Lady Qiushui.
Anyone, help!
Anyone!
Your Highness.
Your Highness.
Lady Qiushui.
Lady Qiushui, please get some rest.
I'll send for the Imperial Physician.
We must protect the baby.
Lady Qiushui,
what are you doing?
Your Highness,
you're finally here.
No.
His Majesty has arrived!
Lady Qiushui.
You.
I know you hate me, Your Highness.
Your Highness, no!
Qiushui!
Qiushui!
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
I had no idea
the prince
could be so vicious.
No, it wasn't me.
I can no longer serve you.
Also
Our son
Your Majesty, please take care.
My
My soul will return to Biluo Sea.
I hope I can be with you
in the next life.
Qiushui.
Qiushui.
Qiushui.
Qiushui.
Qiushui!
Qiushui!
It wasn't me.
Father,
it wasn't me.
It's you.
No.
It was you!
You killed Qiushui out of anger
because I punished you, right?
Father, I ask that you investigate this fairly.
I don't know
why she would use her death
to frame me.
Are you still trying to deny it?
I'm going to seek justice
for Qiushui.
Ying!
Ying.
Mother.
Ying, are you all right?
- Mother.
- Get up quickly.
Your Majesty,
Ying is not a bloodthirsty killer.
I ask Your Majesty to think about
what's odd about this incident.
Why?
Are you here to vilify Qiushui too?
Who do you think you are?
I can't believe
you'd actually doubt
your birth son
over one unrelated Merfolk.
After all these years,
the Merfolk marine force
has planted so many spies here.
Quiet or I'll kill you!
Mother, watch out!
This matter has nothing
to do with Mother.
I'm willing to take the responsibility.
Ying,
why should you be responsible
for things you didn't do?
Tell me
you didn't do it.
Did you hear that?
He admits it.
He killed my Qiushui.
Your Majesty.
How could you use
such a despicable means
to force your birth son
to admit a false accusation?
Because you're scared.
If it weren't Ying who killed her,
it would mean Lady Qiushui
was the one who cast the bone.
It would also mean
you gave your heart
to the wrong person.
That's why you insist
on making Ying the killer!
You wretched woman!
Mother!
Are you mad?
Mother.
You're a mad person.
Mother.
Mad!
Yes, I've gone mad.
I'm mad.
Mother.
There's no need for anyone
to bring down the State of Kongsang.
It is already ruined
at the hands of a fatuous emperor
like you!
Mother!
Protect the Emperor!
Protect the Emperor!
Mother!
Mother!
Mother!
What are you doing?
Mother, let go.
No!
Let go, Mother.
Mother!
Mother.
Mother.
Mother, what's wrong?
Mother, open your eyes.
Mother.
Fire! Fire!
Fire! Fire!
Fire!
Hurry!
Hurry!
Yan'er.
Hurry! A fire broke out!
Young Lady.
Yan'er.
Father.
Yan'er, run!
What happened?
They said
Crown Prince killed Lady Qiushui
over an argument.
The Empress set herself on fire together
with His Highness in Kunyuan Palace.
(Kunyuan Palace, Jialan Imperial City)
Ying,
don't be afraid. I'm here.
Mother.
Yan'er,
where are you going?
Father,
you don't know about what happened.
I offended Lady Qiushui today.
It was His Highness
who stopped her from punishing me.
So that's what happened.
Yan'er. Yan'er.
Lady Qiushui
must have framed His Highness
because of me.
Do you want to die?
- Come back with me!
- Father.
Yan'er!
I must save His Highness!
Yan'er!
Yan'er, listen to me.
I have to save His Highness.
Yan'er.
Yan'er.
Listen to me, Yan'er.
Your Highness!
Yan'er!
Listen to me. Don't go.
Let me go!
Your Majesty,
it was the Empress
who started the fire.
The Empress may be alive.
But she's disfigured
and lost her voice because of the smoke.
As for the Prince,
we only found his charred body.
Shi Ying was a curse.
Just drag his body out
and bury it outside the city.
Don't announce his death.
Don't mourn for him.
Don't build a tombstone
or a memorial tablet for him.
From now on, the whole country
shall not mention this person.
It's an offense equal to treason,
punishable by the familial execution
of nine generations.
Bai Yan of the White Clan
shall be deposed of her title
as the Empress
and banished to the Cold Palace.
Yes, Your Majesty.
(Crimson Residence, Ye City)
I lost the only thing
Crown Prince
had given to me.
Your Highness,
are you looking for this Snowy Rosa?
(Chi Yuan, a merfolk,
the butler of Crimson Residence)
You've been calling Snowy Rosa
when you were having a nightmare.
I think
this should be
your favorite thing.
So I asked the cleaner of the carriage
to keep it.
Thank you, Keeper Yuan.
You're both Merfolk.
Yet, you're so different in character.
If Lady Qiushui
was as kind as you,
Crown Prince wouldn't have died
from being framed.
Now, Crown Prince is dead.
Yet, no one dares
to make offerings for him.
His Majesty has issued a decree
that holding a private ritual
for Crown Prince is taboo.
No.
Even if it's defying the decree,
I'm going to make offerings to him.
I'd never believe
that he was a villain.
All right.
Since you want to make
an offering to Crown Prince,
I shall accompany you.
Keeper Yuan,
are you willing to go with me?
Do you also believe
Crown Prince was framed?
I'm a Merfolk.
I don't know
who was the Prince of Kongsang.
But as the keeper
of the Crimson Residence,
it's my duty
to protect your safety.
Making an offering to Crown Prince
is what Your Highness wanted to do.
Since I can't stop you,
I can only help reduce the risk.
We can never know
what a person is really like.
Before this, the whole world said
he was noble and righteous.
Who would have thought
that he was capable of killing people?
As they say, indulging one's child
is the same as ruining them.
It was the Empress' fault
for spoiling him.
It is my unlucky day
to be doing such a task.
Do you think
there are evil spirits nearby?
Stop talking.
We should finish burying him
and get out of here.
When I was in power,
they praised me.
They would revere me
and cry for me,
even though I've never done anything
for them to be grateful to me.
When I fell from power,
they vilified me and spat on me.
They wished they could add
more injuries to me,
even though I've never done them wrong.
Mother, let's leave this place.
Come and leave this palace with me.
We can live
with different identities forever.
Ying,
I'll send you out of the palace.
This is Jade Bone.
It's an ancient artifact passed down
by Empress Bai Wei.
Who are you?
Ying,
don't be afraid.
(High Priest of Grand Preceptor,
Jiuyi Mountain)
Remember this.
Tonight, the mad Empress
set herself on fire,
and a puppet was burned
in the fire in your place
in Kunyuan Palace.
He'll lead you out of the palace.
This is the High Priest
of Grand Preceptor
of Jiuyi Mountain.
He'll be your master from now on.
Yan,
must you do this?
Yu,
I'll leave Ying to you.
I owe you
in this life.
Yan.
Mother,
I don't want to leave.
Ying,
don't worry.
I'll always
pray for you
in the palace.
I will not take my life
and let those who harm us
get what they want.
Ying,
feigning your death is a crime
of deceiving the Emperor.
Once you leave,
don't ever return.
Mother, let's leave together.
Our ties as mother and son
are now severed.
Remember.
No need for revenge
and no need to hate anyone.
All that matters is being safe.
Mother, I don't want to go alone.
Let's leave together.
Ying.
Mother.
Mother.
This is humanity.
There's an abnormal sign in the sky.
Crown Prince has returned.
- Run.
- Go now.
Let's go.
I cast a spell to hide your fate.
It shines like the sun and the moon.
The vision of the Yin and Yang
is the magic I use
to alter the stars.
Follow me to Jiuyi Mountain
to hide your strength and bid your time.
One day,
you'll return to your real body.
You'll get back
what you lost today.
I, Shi Ying, swear
that I will return to Jialan
to clear my mother's name
and take her with me
after I've completed my cultivation.
Your Highness,
I don't know
if I have the right
to perform sacrificial rites for you.
They said
you were a bad person.
But I believe that you were framed.
So
I came to send you off.
How could this be?
Your fate
is encountering a calamity.
Unexpectedly, there's someone
who's performing sacrificial rites
for you.
When the whole nation condemns me
and forsakes me,
she's doing this for me?
Who is she?
It doesn't matter who she is.
When you see her,
Yin and Yang will meet,
and Starflower will bloom,
you must kill her then.
Or else
she'll be the one
who'll take your life in the future.
Keeper Yuan,
did you see
that flash of light?
Yes.
What's different about the Snowy Rosa
given by late Crown Prince?
What kind of magic spell is this?
Restoring Spell.
It's Restoring Spell.
Since this flower can come to life,
does that mean humans
can be revived too?
Does a magic spell like this exist?
There are countless magic spells
in Kongsang.
There are numerous Taoists
for the past thousands of years,
I'm sure something
like Restoring Spells exists.
I, Zhu Yan, swear
to master such a skill
to help Crown Prince
turn the dangerous situation around.
(Five years later)
You again.
I told you that
our master is in seclusion.
He won't be seeing anyone.
Just go back.
How long do I need to wait?
He'll come out from seclusion, right?
If I don't see him today,
I'm not going down the mountain.
You lass,
why are you being so unreasonable?
Even if my master came out
from seclusion,
he won't meet you.
Just leave the mountain.
I've waited earnestly for seven days
at the foot of the mountain.
How is that unreasonable?
Since you said
I'm an unreasonable person,
I'll show you
what an unreasonable person
is like.
You lass,
you have gone too far.
Chase her down the mountain.
Tell me.
Where's the Master?
Your Highness,
do you want to see me?
(Master Xuanzhen)
Greetings, Master.
Greetings, Master.
Master, do you know me?
Your Highness, you're famous
for visiting mountains all these years.
How can I not know?
Then I'm sure you know
my purpose here.
When I was young,
a young man saved me.
But too bad he died a wrongful death.
So I'd like to ask Master
to bring him back to the mortal world.
You only met him by chance.
Why do you still think about it?
Our encounter
may be a brief moment.
Yet he stood up for me,
taught me to be kind,
and protected me.
Besides,
it was because of me
that he was implicated.
So you're returning his favor.
But do you know
the Transcendence Spell
is an art
that defies the laws of nature?
It comes with a hefty price.
I'm willing to do everything I can.
I ask that you'll fulfill my wish.
I'm not capable of it.
So I'm afraid I can't help you.
But Your Highness is sincere.
Perhaps you can try
going to Jiuyi Mountain.
Jiuyi Mountain?
Jiuyi Mountain
uses Kongsang's magic spell,
(which is at a higher level.)
(That's the only place)
(you can find)
(the Resurrection Spell.)
(Starry Lake, Jiuyi Mountain)
♪How fateful was our encounter♪
♪How tragic, destined by fate's decree♪
♪How fragile,
like glass and snow's embrace♪
♪Love and hate entwined,
indistinguishable♪
♪How prophetic, a single word spoken♪
♪How transient,
the rise and fall of destiny♪
♪How balanced,
each sip and bite, no debts owed♪
♪Tears well in eyes
with jade-like brows♪
♪The drop of blood in your heart♪
♪Has dried into a lock that binds me♪
♪Securing my path,
thousands of miles long♪
♪Never apart from you♪
♪The drop of blood in your heart♪
♪Has dried into a lock that binds me♪
♪Even if our hearts
and guts are torn apart♪
♪Our gazes forever intertwined♪
♪The drop of blood in your heart♪
♪Has dried into a lock that binds me♪
♪Securing my path,
thousands of miles long♪
♪Never apart from your side♪
♪The drop of blood in your heart♪
♪Has dried into a lock that binds me♪
♪Even if our hearts
and guts are torn apart♪
♪Our gazes forever intertwined♪
♪How fateful was our encounter♪
♪How tragic, destined by fate's decree♪