All language subtitles for Story of Kunning Palace episode 29 [iQIYI]

[English subtitles are available]

As long as I can take over Ning'an Palace,

I'm willing to pay any price.

Cleanse the court of traitors and sycophants.

The cinnabar imperial brush determines one's life and death.

Everything

is like a dream.

I once was indebted to a lot of people.

Zhang Zhe, help me.

I'll be a good person after this.

I'll marry the one I spoiled.

There are things

you can't give me.

But he can.

To keep my life,

only you, Sir, can help me.

Everyone in the world is entitled to escape.

But I'm the only one who can't.

I want to do my best to make up for

my past regrets and wrongdoings.

Mr. Zhang, do you believe in predestination from the previous life?

I'd rather believe in what's in front of me.

Welcome, Your Highness.

Welcome, Your Highness.

Congratulations on returning to the capital of our homeland.

Ning'er, what are you afraid of?

But in the unfathomable,

there's always an invisible hand

that puts everything back to its original place.

You've taken revenge and paid your debts.

At the end of the day, who are you?

A bustling place, or a battleground.

A life of absurdity, a story of mistakes and regrets.

[Story of Kunning Palace]

[Episode 28]

In terms of taking down the Xue family,

it's a good thing.

But it's not for Her Highness.

If she really marries into the State of Yue,

when we declare war against them,

she'll be the first to die.

Why are you so sure that there will be war?

Because…

Xue Shu cut off the limb to save the body.

Her Highness will get married.

It's decided.

Mr. Xie.

That year, on our way to the capital,

I fed you my blood and saved your life.

Please, take my life

and spare his

to repay that debt.

Deal.

In the previous life, I asked him to repay his debt to me

by sparing Zhang Zhe's life.

This time,

I may use that debt

to get his help again.

You once told me

to fight against my fate.

Even if it's already a done deal,

for Her Highness,

I'll keep trying.

Even if it means risking your life?

Yes.

What are you doing?

You said

you've helped me so much

because I saved your life 4 years ago.

I know,

stopping Her Highness from getting married

will definitely cause you trouble.

That's not what I meant.

There's too much at stake.

I can't turn the tide myself.

So I'm asking you to return my favor.

If you help Her Highness stay,

we

will call it even

and wipe the slate clean.

Shut up.

Are you that desperate to get rid of me?

T-That's not what I mean.

Shen Zhiyi,

I'll help her stay for you.

But don't you ever

say anything like that again.

I'll take my leave.

Mother.

The State of Yue still wants to bring down the State of Qian.

Who knows if they'll break the alliance again?

Marrying Zhiyi into the State of Yue

[To be of Noble Character and High Prestige]

is sending her to her death.

Mother.

Please talk to Lang and let Zhiyi stay.

The imperial edict has been issued.

What do you want me to do?

Do you want me to disobey the imperial edict?

I…

Mother, for Jie's marriage

and for the Xue family's future,

you defied Lang.

But you can't

do the same for me?

Zhiyi.

You're the Princess of the State of Qian.

You should fulfill your duty as the princess.

Jie.

Don't beg her.

When Father was alive,

you only cared about Lang.

After Lang ascended the throne,

you focused on making the Xue family thrive

and only cared about Jie.

In your heart,

who am I to you?

You're my child too.

I only wish you the best.

If Xue Shu

hadn't sweet-talked Lang and clouded his judgment,

there would still

be something we could do

about your marriage.

Xue Shu is where she is now

all thanks to you, Mother.

Didn't you play a part

in making me end up like this?

Zhiyi.

Power and wealth

are actually

transient like clouds.

I hope one day,

Mother,

you can understand that.

Zhiyi.

Zhiyi.

Zhiyi.

Zhiyi.

You can't be married off just like this.

I'll go talk to Lang.

You've said and done

everything you could.

It's useless.

Lang never issues an imperial edict arbitrarily.

Once it's issued, it can't be changed.

Jie.

You've got enough on your plate.

Don't pique Lang and Mother

for me again.

But you…

Your consort selection day is coming soon.

You should think about

how not to let Miss Jiang down.

If we

hadn't been born into the royal family

and were just normal siblings,

it would be great.

Have you heard

that His Majesty has ordered

First Princess to marry into the State of Yue?

I'm so angry.

Unbelievable.

How has the State of Qian been reduced to that?

There was a rumor circulating

that the bride would be Miss Xue.

Why is the bride First Princess in the end?

Miss Xue?

She's His Majesty's Consort Xian now.

Besides,

the Xue family is so influential.

Who knows if they've pulled strings.

Have you thought it through?

Are you really going to help Jiang Xuening?

I can't cancel the princess's engagement,

but there's something else I can do.

It's the princess who will get married.

What can you possibly do?

I've consulted the Ministry of Rites.

Her Highness will leave the capital on March 21st.

She'll bid farewell to her family in the Taiji Hall

before hitting the road.

The imperial guards will escort her to the north.

Then

the Prince of Yue will have the wedding with her

on the prairie.

If I take action in the court,

there will be too many eyes watching

and we may easily get caught.

So,

I'll ask Dao Qin to follow her carriage

with a dead prisoner.

On the road,

he'll replace the princess with the prisoner

and then set the carriage on fire.

The dead can't talk.

Everyone

will think the princess has died in the fire.

Great idea.

This way,

the court won't try to find the princess back.

However,

if the bride dies halfway,

the State of Yue will ask for an explanation.

Don't worry.

Dao Qin will set the fire disguised as a Yue person.

They won't be able to prove themselves innocent.

If they want to start a war,

they'll be criticized by the whole world.

Moreover,

if a war really breaks out,

the court will need a commander

and we can seize the chance

to get Marquis Yan back.

Is that a plan

to help Jiang Xuening

or to achieve your own goal?

Is there any difference?

If you're helping each other out,

there's no difference.

But to get Marquis Yan back,

you just need to kill Shen Zhiyi

and start a war between the two countries.

To save the princess for her, you'll be risking too much.

If anything goes wrong,

all your efforts these years

will be in vain.

[Loyalty and Filial Piety]

When it dawns,

it'll be the consort selection day.

Looks like Hui has made up her mind.

As they say,

the young will eventually fly the nest.

It's just the way it is.

She's no exception.

It's all your fault.

You spoiled our girls.

I don't understand.

We always stayed neutral.

How come you have the guts

to stand against the Xue family this time?

You're right, My Lady.

I shouldn't have set a bad example for them.

But My Lady,

our girls have grown up.

They have their own paths to follow.

We can't stop them.

Think about the moon.

It waxes and wanes

at its own pace.

We can't change that.

Mother.

Miss.

Let's go.

You need to enter the court on time.

Empress Dowager.

The eldest daughter of the Jiang family

is elegant,

well-educated, and virtuous.

If His Highness chooses her,

she'll definitely make a great wife.

In that case,

you and His Majesty can get some peace and quiet too.

Go take a seat.

Yes.

Her Majesty is here.

-Greetings, Mother.
-Greetings, Empress Dowager.

What is she doing here?

Mother,

His Majesty wants her here.

What a great son

and a great niece I have.

Miss Xue is really Consort Xian now.

So the rumor is true.

I'm dispensable in this selection.

I'm just here as a formality.

I threw the I Ching when I left home this morning.

Today is inauspicious.

I wonder who's the poor girl who'll be selected.

Lord Linzi is here.

Your Highness, you'll have your consort today.

Why do you look so upset?

Your Highness, after you make your decisions,

give the peony

to the girl you want as your consort

and the roses to those

you want as your concubines.

Jiang Xuehui has got into too much trouble.

You can't make her your consort.

You can only make her your concubine tomorrow.

That's the biggest concession I can make.

Mother.

If I can't have Jiang Xuehui as my consort,

I'd rather not marry anyone in my life!

You stupid thing!

Mother, calm down.

That's nonsense.

You should know that you're Lord Linzi.

You have no right to be willful.

Mother allows you to have the Jiang girl as your concubine.

She's already being lenient.

Mother.

What has Jiang Xuehui done wrong?

Why are you so hostile to her?

Her mistake

is to make you disobey me.

You used to be the most obedient among your siblings

but have got into so much trouble

because of that woman.

What do you expect me to feel about her?

Choose someone else as your consort,

or just stay on your knees.

Because of Consort Xian,

Mother has been very angry.

Jie.

After you get married,

you'll move out of the court.

Does it matter that much to you

whether she's your consort or concubine?

Get up.

Do you think

I wanted to marry Xue Shu?

When you refused to marry her,

you humiliated the Xue family.

Duke Xue was resentful about it.

The Xue family has been in charge of Xingwu Guards for many years.

Although they've been accused of being responsible for several old cases,

no solid evidence has been found.

Besides, the Xue family carries a lot of clout in the court.

They can't be easily uprooted.

I married Xue Shu

for you

and for the balance of power in the court.

Sorry for causing you trouble, Lang.

Jie.

You have to understand this.

Today, Mother allows you to give her a flower.

But if you insist on making Jiang Xuehui your consort,

what she'll be given

will be poisoned wine.

Sorry.

Everything is possible.

♫How many people can one love in a lifetime?♫

You haven't given it a try.

How do you know it's impossible?

As long as you're willing to take part in the selection,

to take that step,

I'll take care of

♫Can you understand the love and hate♫

everything else.

Okay?

♫In the eyes looking at you?♫

♫How much true love exists in this vast world♫

Elder Miss Jiang.

Are you refusing to marry His Highness?

Think carefully.

♫To be worthy of so many poems?♫

Miss Jiang.

♫There are too many stories to be written♫

♫Youths know no worries♫

♫We drank under the moon amidst flowers♫

♫We saw flowers blooming yesterday♫

♫And thought they'd still be blooming tomorrow♫

Your Highness, thank you

♫When we were young♫

for choosing me.

♫We believed that as long as we could♫

Jie.

You haven't chosen your consort.

♫Hold those warm hands♫

♫We could be with our beloved one forever♫

♫Time flies and everything's like a dream♫

Me?

♫I traveled so far but still can't forget you♫

♫I spent half my life loving you but ended up being a joke♫

I knew I left home at an inauspicious time.

Something terrible has really happened.

♫My heart is broken♫

♫But I never regret loving you♫

First Young Lady is such a poor thing.

Marrying the prince sounds great,

but she'll only be his concubine.

His consort was given a peony,

but she was only given a rose.

She'll be inferior to another woman her whole life.

I feel so sorry for her.

Let's go.

[Ancestral Hall]

A long while ago,

in the Baiguo Temple,

I lit a lamp for Wan Niang.

After I marry Lord Linzi,

I won't be able to come out very often.

I didn't want her to feel lonely

so I begged Father and Mother

to allow me to bring her lamp back.

I made so many efforts

but ended up like this.

You must be gloating now.

I used to envy you

and hate you.

You used my identity,

stole my parents,

and enjoyed a wealthy life that was supposed to be mine.

But you're better than me in everything.

I'm tactless

and irritable.

The harder I try to impress others, the more likely I'll fail

and be looked down upon.

But recently, I've realized

that my mother loves you

but also constrains you.

There are so many fine ladies in the capital.

You see each other as rivals and don't dare to make any mistakes.

So I think,

if I could be showered in riches

and have doting parents

but had to live a boring life

and become a cold person,

I'm afraid I wouldn't find that

very appealing.

So growing up in the countryside

sounds more appealing to you?

Do you want to know

what kind of person Wan Niang was?

You're not like her at all.

As long as I can remember,

she'd been a woman with backbone.

We lived in the countryside at that time.

Because we were kicked out of the Jiang Mansion,

many people bullied us

and said nasty things about us.

I was scared.

But she would walk out of the house

and argue with them with a smile.

Can you believe it?

Even in a hellhole like that,

she still made herself

look beautiful every day,

even if she could only use the cheapest rouge.

She was literate,

so she taught me to read

and do accounts.

She also told me

I needed to have my pride.

At that time,

Wan Niang was the most unique,

beautiful,

and amazing woman

I'd ever seen.

But she sometimes looked at me in an absent-minded way

as if she was trying to see

someone else in me.

It's so beautiful.

It's fine that the Jiang family wouldn't let you go back to the capital.

I'll take you back one day

and buy you the best rouge and clothes.

No one will dare to bully us again.

If you want to go back to the capital,

go back yourself!

Later,

I learned about my true identity.

Thinking back to the time I spent with her,

I realized why she was so temperamental

and why she often looked at me that way.

She didn't want to go back to the capital

perhaps because of fear.

She was afraid that if she came back,

the truth would be revealed

and I'd abandon her.

She was also afraid of

ruining the bright future of her own daughter.

Before Wan Niang died, she held my hand

and asked me to give you this bracelet.

After she passed away,

I clutched this bracelet in my hand

and cried for two days and three nights.

When I met you in the capital,

I thought

I'd rather die

than give you this bracelet.

If I were you,

maybe I would've thought the same.

She owed me a lot.

But I owe her nothing.

I've fulfilled

her last wish.

I've returned to you

everything that belongs to you.

Since you've chosen your path,

just keep moving forward.

Being a concubine is not the end of the world.

It can't be worse

than the whole identity-swapping situation.

In this life, Jiang Xuehui's fate

has changed.

So the princess's fate can be changed as well.

I also have Xie Wei's help this time.

I can definitely change it.

What?

Xingwu Guards will replace the imperial guards to escort the princess?

His Majesty just decided that today.

The empress is not feeling well,

so His Majesty has let my sister

be in charge of all the marriage rites.

Xingwu Guards have been under the Ministry of Justice's

investigation these days.

But my sister said,

"Instead of letting them idle around

and be paid for doing nothing,

we should give them this job

so that the imperial guards can stay to defend the Imperial City."

I wonder what has got into her head.

Has Consort Xian

found out about your plan?

Whether she has or has not,

I have to give up that plan.

Then what are you going to do?

I have to go out on a limb

and do it in the court.

The court is heavily guarded.

There's no way to bring a corpse in.

Looks like

you have to replace the princess

with a secret sworn guard

who is a similar size.

That way, even if it comes out,

you won't be implicated.

I'll go tell Ning'er about it.

How…

How about me?

Stay here.

Fine.

I shouldn't

have asked.

[Mingfeng Palace]

I'm the bride today.

You should feel happy for me.

Why do you look so sad?

Every girl

has to get married.

Some are married near home.

Some are married in faraway places.

You care a lot for me.

But you can't look out for me my whole life.

I have to see

the world outside myself.

I have to face

the storms outside myself.

Today,

if I cry,

I'll only be looked down upon.

So I'd rather smile

and show some courage.

Your Highness.

You'll leave for the State of Yue today.

His Majesty let your old study partners enter the court

to bid you farewell.

I used to be your study partner too.

So I came to check on you.

Consort Xian,

you brought so many people to my palace.

Are you worrying that I'll run away?

You may not run away,

but someone may come to take you away.

That day, you went to meet Jiang Xuening in a hurry.

She's quite bold.

Let me

remind you.

If she does anything she shouldn't do today,

I won't

be easy on her.

That day, outside the Tai'an Hall,

you accused us of making you end up like this.

Actually, even if you had married Jie,

in the end,

there wouldn't be much of a difference.

You'd just hide your true colors for a little longer.

Xue Shu.

We're cousins.

I should feel close to you.

But recently, there's been something

I've really wanted to tell you.

Do you know

how shameless you are?

I didn't choose to be shameless.

I wish I'd had a better choice.

There's been something

I've been meaning to tell you too.

Since I was little,

I've thought

if being willful is being a princess all about,

I can be

a princess too.

You're so high on the pedestal

that you don't know how hard life is

or what it feels like

to be inferior

and condescended to.

Your Highness.

The State of Yue

is far away from here.

Take care of yourself.

Remove all the additional guards from the Mingfeng Palace

and send them to watch the two gates in the northwest and northeast.

Without my permission,

no one can leave his post.

Besides,

get someone to watch over the princess.

If Jiang Xuening comes,

report to me immediately.

She's close to the princess.

I don't believe

she won't do anything.

-Yes.
-Yes.

Your Highness.

All the other study partners have bid you farewell.

You've been waiting here for a long time.

Maybe something has happened and Miss Jiang can't come.

She will come.

She will definitely come.

Consort Xian has changed the guards

and must have taken other precautions.

You won't have much time

to be with Her Highness alone.

It's fine.

After I meet Her Highness,

I'll play it by ear.

I've found a substitute.

She'll hide in the Mingfeng Palace in advance.

Her Highness will leave the court at 5:45 PM.

You must get her replaced by 5:15 PM.

My men will help her leave through the Shunzhen Gate.

After she leaves,

she'll no longer be a princess.

Are you sure she'll agree?

She once told me

she wanted to live freely outside the court.

She'll surely agree.

Your Highness.

It's almost time.

His Majesty and Empress Dowager

have gone to the Taiji Hall.

It's time for you

to go to bid them farewell.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Time is running out. I'll make it short.

I've arranged everything.

I'll get you changed now

and someone will lead you out of the court.

A quarter later,

there will be a fire in the Mingfeng Palace.

Everything will burn to ashes.

They won't even find a body.

Princess Leyang will no longer exist.

After you leave the court,

you'll be free

and can live the life you want.

Your Highness?

Ning.

I can't leave.

Your Highness.

That day, in the Baiguo Temple, you told me

you wished you hadn't been born into the royal family

and wanted to escape the court

to live a free life.

You silly girl.

I drank too much and was joking.

You can't take it seriously.

You must be joking now.

Didn't you leave the court to meet me

because you didn't want to get married?

Why do you have to do something you don't want to?

I've arranged everything.

As long as you leave the court,

you'll be a free person.

I'm very happy

that you've done so much for me.

But Ning,

everyone in the world is entitled to escape.

But I'm the only one who can't.

Mr. Xie told us in class

that if the emperor provides for one,

one shall serve the emperor faithfully;

if the people toil to keep one fed,

one shall strive for their well-being.

I'm respected as a princess

and enjoy the privileges of the royal family,

but I can't take it for granted.

Taxes are levied

and labor is forced

so that I can live a luxurious life.

Growing up in the court,

I was spoiled

and didn't know much about the outside world.

That day,

you showed me around the capital.

Only then did I know how the people lived.

If I escape,

the engagement will be broken off

and war will be declared.

The enemies are powerful

yet we don't have capable commanders.

How can we win?

The royal family will be overthrown.

But what's worse is that the people will suffer.

No matter how corrupted the court is,

I'm still

the Princess of the State of Qian.

The State of Qian is not yours alone to defend.

Why should you make such a sacrifice?

Your Highness.

If you marry into the State of Yue,

you'll die.

I beg you.

Please don't be a hero.

Just be selfish for once.

I'm not trying to be a hero.

I'm just afraid.

I'm afraid if I run away,

I'll become a coward.

I'm afraid if I weasel out of my duty,

in the future,

when the world is in chaos,

I can't hold my head up

when I hear children cry.

Don't do this.

Don't do this.

Your Highness.

Leave the court with me.

I'll take you away.

I've made up my mind.

I have a long journey ahead.

There's no telling when I can come back.

Don't cry when you see me off,

will you?

You once said to Yan Lin

that in the future,

he'll definitely become an invincible general.

This time,

give me your blessing as well,

will you?

One day,

when Yan Lin brings down the State of Yue

with the troops of the State of Qian,

come to me with the soil of my homeland

and bring me back

to the capital

of my home country.

Ning.

Don't cry.

Now that you're here,

draw a flower around my scar again,

will you?

You told me

that as long as I'm strong enough,

nothing can daunt me

and no one can hurt me.

Ning.

I'm not afraid of anything now.

Don't worry about me.

Your Highness.

His Majesty and Empress Dowager have arrived at the Taiji Hall.

It's time

for you to go meet them.

Ning.

From now on,

I can't protect you anymore.

In the future,

don't be so reckless again.

When I'm not around,

you must take good care of yourself

and stay safe.

Do you hear me?

I'm leaving.

Your Highness.

I promise you.

I promise you,

when our troops take the State of Yue,

I'll come to you with the soil of our homeland

and bring you back to the capital

of our home country.

Consort Xian.

Miss Jiang has arrived at the Mingfeng Palace.

Here is my order.

Close the northern gate immediately.

You guys,

go to the Mingfeng Palace with me.

She actually didn't do anything.

You watched the princess leave

and couldn't do anything.

How do you feel now?

She was married off because of you.

You cajoled Zhang Zhe into speaking ill of me in the court

and made me unable to marry Shen Jie.

Then you pulled strings

and made me Consort Xian.

Aren't you the mastermind behind everything?

You chose this path yourself.

Trying to shift blame

can't change the fact that you have no shame at all.

I have no shame. So what?

Now, my status is higher

than yours.

Shen Zhiyi leaving the court is just the beginning.

Jiang Xuening.

I'll make you pay

for everything

you put me through.

Why are you laughing?

Do you think

Her Highness is leaving

because your words carry great weight?

Her Highness is getting married

of her own accord.

She's brave and dutiful.

But you

are selfish, ruthless, and snobbish.

Just looking at

someone like you

disgusts me.

Jiang Xuening, how dare you

look down on me?

Let me show you

what someone like me

is capable of.