Original subtitles

Recently, Youting sent some gifts

to the noblemen and officials

during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Even Minister Dou has accepted his gifts,

and they seem close.

What do you think?

I shall not talk bad about our key ministers.

Moreover, we need the rice from Lizhen in the north.

Minister Dou

is the only one in the palace who can speak their language.

He has immense power in politics.

If we denounce him simply because of that,

the people in Liaodong would be rattled.

Aren't you worried that Lord Qing and Dou Shishu may work together

to weaken your influence as the Crown Prince?

Father, you are unwell now.

It would be disloyal of me to fight with my brother now.

This may also lead to speculation among the officials

that we are trying to remove dissidents,

which will in turn cause a public uproar.

You've grown sensible.

However, remember this.

You cannot clap with just one hand.

You should learn from your brother

about being a ruler

and gaining your subordinates' support.

I apologize for my foolishness.

All I know is to improve myself

and love my country and people.

I've spent so many years working hard

to become a good Crown Prince,

hoping to bring honor

to our ancestors and kingdom.

You may leave now.

What do you think of the Crown Prince?

I wouldn't dare comment anything

about the Crown Prince.

You watched him grow up.

He may seem proud and quiet,

but he has a benevolent heart.

Every year, on my birthday,

everyone else tries to impress me

by offering precious treasures,

but he would instead

gather locusts, seedlings,

and cloths from all over the kingdom.

He doesn't even know how to maintain a facade.

How will he gain the support of the officials?

I don't know if I should blame Liang Jifang

for teaching him too well, or teaching him until he's grown foolish.

I understand your worries, Your Majesty.

The Crown Prince is morally upright.

There will be good officials who will stay loyal to him.

Yousheng is the Crown Prince

and my son.

It's time for him to learn

how to use his best weapon, Yantang.

=Blossom= (Adapted from the novel "Blossom" by Zhi Zhi)

=Episode 27=

(Yizhi Hall)

So, the Crown Prince wasn't trying

to win your favor, but he's been

spying and warning you.

All the Crown Prince wants

is to protect his kingdom.

He's taking his role as the next emperor seriously.

He's not the mastermind.

If the Crown Prince loses support,

and Lord Qing wants to seize the throne,

what would he do?

First, he needs military support.

The ministers in charge of the troops

have always sided with Lord Qing.

Moreover, there's a new horse market in Liaodong,

making it a major trading hub at the borders.

They'll be able to grow their troops easily.

Now that Dou Shishu has control over the Ministry of War,

he has the power to deploy the kingdom's troops in any way he wants.

If he supports Lord Qing,

he could launch a coup easily

and attack the capital.

(Capital, Shengtian Court)

Also,

before he launches a coup,

he needs to make sure the ministers can keep this a secret.

To do that, he will need support from the civilian ministers

to stabilize the political situation.

You're right.

Other than my fifth uncle

and the other key ministers,

there must be many people who are secretly supporting Lord Qing.

I've heard from Mr. Chen

that Mu Chuan became the Minister of Works

because he had the support of Empress Wan.

Apart from military power and the royal court,

he also needs to seize control of the palace and capital's reserves,

such as the Imperial Guards stationed at the palace itself.

If we look at history, both Wei Lue

and Tang Shu's coups were successful

because they got the Imperial Guards

to deliver the fatal blow.

So, no matter where they start launching their coup,

they will have to go past you.

That's why they planned the bandit invasion,

so they could replace the capital's military reserves with their own people.

By then, they could easily

open the city gates

or imprison His Majesty.

Among the eunuchs, other than the two Eunuch Wangs,

there are another six to seven eunuchs who hold power.

But if we investigate them one by one,

we might alert them.

The Crown Prince has always

behaved like an ascetic,

and I don't really know what he's thinking.

However, if he knows about Lord Qing's ambitions,

I wonder if he'd panically confront him,

or secretly plot against him.

Why don't we test him?

Lord Qing has a bigger chance of winning.

Still, if we support Lord Qing,

even if he does become the Emperor,

that doesn't make him any less of a thief and a traitor.

The results are bound to be ugly

whether he succeeds or not.

What's wrong?

(Qiguang Wanfo Pagoda) Your Highness,

(Qiguang Wanfo Pagoda) the throne isn't yours yet,

and you're already eager to kill those who supported you?

Don't worry.

I know what to do.

I will not make you suffer because of my loyalties.

My uncle is helping Lord Qing to collude with other ministers

to steal the throne.

If proven guilty, he will be a horrendous sinner.

My grandmother, my father, and even me

will be prosecuted.

Empress Wan was so eager to arrange our marriage

probably to set the stage up

and use you as a bait.

The Art of War states

that there are five dangerous faults can lead to the downfall of a general.

The most dangerous one

is being overly compassionate,

which leads to constant worry and trouble.

In some cases, the enemy captures the loved ones

of the opposing party as hostage,

forcing them to surrender without a fight.

I am nowhere

as ruthless as Dou Shishu.

I won't be held hostage by anyone.

I have a mind of my own.

I don't take threats from anyone.

I won't repeat the mistakes of my mother and the Duke of Ding.

What they couldn't achieve,

we will.

Very well.

I'll dye your hair

every month so that

you won't become

a white-haired imp.

Deal.

Madam, you've always been good with crafts.

That new pattern looks pretty.

Madam!

Madam!

Madam , bad news!

Grand Princess Shude sent an urgent letter

saying that she has a dreadful emergency!

What happened?

She needs another player.

(Ningshou Palace)

Dou Zhao.

If Her Majesty didn't remind me,

I almost forgot

that we could invite you for mahjong.

This is the Empress.

And the Crown Princess.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Greetings, Your Highness.

I've heard that the Duchess of Ying is a successful businesswoman.

You are a model to the kingdom's women.

You flatter me, Your Majesty.

You're just in time.

We need another player for mahjong.

Let's begin now.

Come in.

I hope that Your Majesty

and Your Highnesses

won't mind me if I fumble.

Nine.

I wonder how lucky I will be today.

Luck doesn't matter.

Winning is all about tactics.

A good game depends

on the person playing.

If you want to win,

you need to see who's playing against whom.

You have a point, Mother.

That's how games are.

Someone wins, and someone loses.

Sometimes, wins and losses are not determined in a split second.

Thirty thousand.

I win.

Seventy thousand.

I can't believe this.

Come on, let's play another eight rounds.

We'll see if you're really that lucky.

I just lucked out.

Mother, you're still

the star player here.

(Eight rounds?)

(Against the Grand Princess,)

(the Empress)

(and the Crown Princess?)

(This isn't a game.)

(This is a landmine!)

I win!

This is so fun.

Still, Dou Zhao.

It seems like you're unlucky today.

You've never won even once.

My dear Duchess,

did you go easy on us?

I just learned how to play mahjong,

so I'm not very good at it.

Back when the Duke of Ying went to Liaodong

to help the Jiang clan settle down,

I heard that he hit it off with Lord Qing

right after they met.

Yantang did request His Highness

so that the elder folks in the clan

could get treated,

and that the leaking roofs could be fixed.

That's typical of him.

He's a loyal citizen.

To do that, you need to be loyal to your family first.

I raised Youting

until he was 12 years old,

and he was deployed to the barren lands.

He never received any education from famous scholars,

but he was still respected by the court officials.

Nevertheless, it's only because

they admired his loyalty to the kingdom.

Five dots.

I win.

You're a clever lady, Duchess.

You're good at mahjong.

Madam, I thought you were playing mahjong?

Why do you look so lethargic?

I've been playing since noon till now.

I didn't know

they're so enthusiastic when they play.

It's not a simple game.

Who won the most?

Judging from the number of wins,

it's the Empress, of course.

Your Ladyship.

Her Majesty wants to see you.

Please head to Kunning Palace now.

My pleasure.

Lead the way.

This way.

Your Majesty, the Duchess of Ying is here.

- Your Majesty. - Finally, help is here.

Here, take a look at these papers.

Lately, the Emperor wants to reduce the palace's expenditure,

which covers everything from clothes and rewards to even papers.

Here, look at this.

The palace uses more than nine million pieces of papers every year.

Half of them are used for books and records.

While bamboo and jute are cheaper,

they tend to rot easily, which makes them hard to store.

You could opt for papyrus instead.

If there's a papyrus factory near the capital,

you could simplify the process

and save up to 40% in costs.

If you use recycled paper,

you could save even more.

You do know a lot.

You're a great help to me.

You flatter me, Your Majesty.

You're such a demure lady

and a clever merchant,

while the Duke is both strong and courageous,

defending the kingdom.

He will be able to protect our kingdom if stationed at Liaodong.

Unfortunately, he's ill now.

Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.

In Liaodong, there's a snow lingzhi that grows every 300 years.

They say it can even resurrect the dead.

This is a Xueyuan pill

that contains snow lingzhi.

I'm sure you're good at medicine,

so why don't you try whether this pill is as miraculous as they claim?

Lord Shi

wanted to give this to the Duke too,

but he didn't even look at it,

and shooed Lord Shi out right away.

I know as his wife, you should respect the Duke's wishes,

but, Your Ladyship,

can you really see him die?

Your niece is a clever lady.

I'd love to help her too.

She is indeed capable.

Even those who never involve themselves in politics

are in this mess thanks to her.

You're the one who dragged me into this mess.

The entire palace knows I recommended you to become minister.

Now that you're helping Lord Qing,

the officials and the Emperor would think

that I also support Lord Qing in seizing the throne.

I am part of the royal family.

You should know where my bottom line is.

Whatever you're doing,

stop.

I can't.

You're not listening to me anymore?

Calm down, Your Highness.

Don't kneel if I didn't ask you to.

As your servant, I am obliged to kneel.

Life is like swimming against the currents.

You have to abandon everything unimportant

to be able to swim upwards.

That's what you taught me.

When did I teach you that?

Back when I was an assistant magistrate in Dengzhou,

I was still a lowly official

with no prestigious background.

All those years,

I wasn't treated like a human.

Those crooks treated me

like a doormat.

I worked hard every day and night,

and they took my credit

to rise through the official ranks,

yet I was still the doormat.

So,

I wanted to resign and retake the imperial examination,

but they wouldn't let me do that.

Back then, my old husband just died.

On the day I went to pray for him,

you wrote me a hymn,

and I promoted you in return.

Now, you're already a key minister.

Isn't that enough?

I loved the hymn you wrote for me.

What can I do for you?

I only hope to resign my post

and retake the imperial examination to earn a better rank

and be assigned to a place where I can unleash my talents.

Such a place doesn't exist.

I wrote a letter of recommendation for you to the Ministry of Personnel.

Next month, you will be the Magistrate of Haiyan.

I only wish to rely on myself...

Taking shortcuts is not something to be shameful of.

Your dignity and principles

shouldn't be within your consideration now.

I've abandoned so many things.

They said I was a brown-noser

with no shame,

but I didn't care.

I just wanted to see

how far I could go

along the shortcut I took

in exchange for my principles.

And I will go as far as it takes me.

My family

used to be mere peddlers.

It was me

who made us a prestigious clan.

Shishu.

I sacrificed my marriage

for wealth and freedom.

However, I didn't harm anyone.

The path you're taking is too risky.

You will harm yourself

and me.

Your Highness.

You have my support.

Someday,

I will give you

everything you've wanted.

You're back.

Where did you get this Xueyuan pill?

From the Empress.

She's offering me this so-called antidote to make me one of her cronies.

You know very well

that I'd never disregard my principles to survive.

I know.

You want to avenge your family.

But, this pill is so rare

that Mr. Chen couldn't find it anywhere.

Now that the pill is right in front of you,

why don't you try it?

The Empress and Lord Qing is taking advantage of my illness.

If the pill works

and prolongs my life,

it'd be harder for both of us to say goodbye when my condition worsens.

By then, we'd want to get another pill, and another afterwards.

We'd be at the Empress bidding.

We can solve these problems as they come.

As long as there's a glimmer of hope,

I want you to live.

That's exactly what the Empress is planning.

She wants us to side

with Lord Qing.

I know the Empress is plotting something.

Don't worry, though.

I got this pill

by stealing it.

You stole it?

I managed to find out that Lord Qing was planning

to deliver some precious gifts to the Empress today,

which includes the Xueyuan pill.

Beat him up!

Take everything away!

It might be valuable!

Come on!

I don't want to side with Lord Qing,

but I also want my husband to live.

I'm sorry, Ms. Longevity.

I was wrong to accuse you.

In the past, I ignored everything to discover the truth

and avenge my family.

But now, you gave me a family.

I am no longer alone.

I promise you this.

In the future,

even if I had to sacrifice something,

I'd protect this family.

I'll take the pill now.

Back then, he was already on Lord Qing's side,

so he must have taken the Xueyuan pill.

However, his hair was white, and he was still poisoned.

Wait.

Su Lan.

Madam.

Get me some warm water

and my medicine box.

Yes.

Are you suspecting

that something's wrong with this pill?

Poisoned blood should be purplish black in color.

If this antidote works,

the blood should react to it.

Look.

The color's changing!

That means the antidote works.

Ms. Longevity!

Zhangru?

Ms. Longevity!

What brings you back?

I thought you're visiting Uncle in Diannan?

Why are you back?

The Mid-Autumn Festival is here.

I'm back to celebrate.

Have you forgotten?

You've never been so enthusiastic

about a festival.

Don't tell me

someone's celebrating with you today.

No.

The lantern parade is starting soon.

Why are you still cooped up here?

I'm going to the parade now.

Come on.

Let's take a look.

To think we were robbed

right inside the palace.

What a joke.

The bandits seemed to be remnants of Cangbei Gang.

We have already eliminated the entire gang.

Besides, this is too much of a coincidence.

The Xueyuan pill was also stolen.

Could it be Dou Zhao?

No.

She looked so firm

when she rejected me.

Since she had already refused you,

why do they have to go through the trouble to steal it?

Looks like they're just plain robbers.

They must be more than mere robbers.

Dou Zhao is a sly woman.

It must be her.

How dare she oppose us?

Why don't I send someone

to bring Dou Zhao here right away?

No.

We have no proof now.

We can't do anything to her.

Since we can't be allies,

we'll have to be foes.

Hot buns fresh from the oven! Take a look!

Lantern quizzes available here!

Want to take a quiz?

It's two wen for a guess.

If you get it right, you'll get a lantern.

"At the end of the year, there's fish and rice."

I can read it out,

but I don't understand.

It's the character "lin".

"Lin"?

Let's see.

("Lin")

It really is.

Officer Chen, I didn't know

you're also good at quizzes.

Here's your lantern.

How cute.

It's a rabbit.

It's so cute.

Look.

Do you like this lantern?

Yes.

Ms. Longevity.

What is it?

I feel like we're being followed.

Who?

Perhaps I was worrying for nothing.

Let's go.

Why did you pull me?

Don't try to cheat.

We had a deal.

If you disturb them,

that'd be counted as cheating.

I wasn't trying to disturb them.

I just don't want to lose their tracks.

Come on.

Take a look.

Are you fine?

I'm fine.

Let me carry you.

This is so embarrassing.

Watch out.

I'm about to slip off.

Let me light up the path.

Want to see who can run faster,

my bunny or you?

They're gone

- in a blink of an eye. - Let's look around.

Oh no, she must have seen me.

No, it's so dark, she couldn't have seen you.

- Don't worry. - She must have seen me.

Her eyes met mine.

It was just a while.

I guess they didn't see us.

Right?

What's wrong?

Officer Chen?

No,

we're not supposed to go there.

We need to go back, not this way.

This is the right way.

Your Lordship, Your Ladyship.

Ms. Zhao sprained her ankle.

I will take her home safely.

Don't worry.

Zhangru.

Be careful.

Ms. Longevity.

No matter what,

it's responsible of Chen Jia to show himself

and explain to us.

Shall we continue following them?

No.

Then, can we finally

enjoy the rest of the lantern parade?

Second Young Master.

Miss Miao.

I got this lantern for you

from the lantern parade.

Tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Why aren't you celebrating?

Mid-Autumn Festival?

There's no one else left

whom I can reunite with now.

These are freshly made Dingsheng cakes.

There's peanuts inside.

I left some for you.

It's tradition to eat cakes duing the Mid-Autumn Festival

to usher joy and happiness.

Thank you, Miss Miao.

However,

joy and happiness

is beyond my reach now.

Young Master.

You need to forge your path one step at a time.

When my family experienced its downfall,

all of us

held on together

and survived through the hardest moments.

Things will get better.

Try one.

That's right.

The hardest moments are over.

Thank you, Miss Miao.

You always comfort me when I feel down.

I don't know how to repay you.

When you handed me the cakes, I noticed your hands were cold.

Here you go.

If chatting with me

makes you feel better,

that makes me glad.

Perhaps it's just small talk to you,

but to me,

you're a lifesaver.

I can't keep hiding anymore.

I need to leave this courtyard

and live like a man,

forging my own path.

Look.

The moon is beautiful

when it's quiet.

Yes.

I remember a poem

about moons and bamboos.

What was it again?

"Is there ever a night

with no moon and bamboo groves?

But there is definitely a dearth of idlers like us two."

Correct?

Yes.

(Harmonious Nature)

Ms. Longevity.

Ms. Longevity, why are you crying?

The antidote

can only suppress the poison temporarily.

It does not cure it.

It can only prolong your life for a while.

It's fine.

See?

I'm still alive and well.

Besides,

it's possible that the poison might just stay dormant.

There must be a way.

Don't cry.

(Liaodong)

Your Highness, you haven't missed a shot.

You're definitely

one of the best archers in the kingdom.

You Song brothers are interesting.

One of you kept rejecting my offers,

while the other came all the way here

just to flatter me.

My brother and father didn't appreciate your offer,

but I do.

I do not like incapable men,

and I absolutely detest

those who are disloyal.

In the past, I had no choice.

But now,

I want to make my own choice.

I don't want to spend my life feeling inferior to someone.

All I need is an opportunity,

and I shall repay you in ways

that exceed what Song Mo can offer.

Pray tell.

While you were practicing earlier,

you released your arrow even before you pulled it all the way back.

That's because you're used to practicing with the same equipment,

and you know where the arrow will land.

However, in the battlefield,

nothing is certain.

I suggest that you need a practice partner

to train your adaptability skills.

That will improve your archery, too.

But if I accidentally shoot you,

it'd be bad for my reputation.

If your real target is Song Mo,

I'd be the perfect training partner.

Compared to a mere servant,

I have the status

to help you befriend

the younger noblemen and officials.

I also know how to plan strategies to secure your position in politics

and navigate through uncertainties.

I also know how to fight, and I can make sure that the capital troops

won't completely fall under Song Mo's hands.

You sound like

I need you more

than you need me.

If you were to separately evaluate

my background, warriorship, and scholarship,

I may not be your best choice.

However, I do fulfill those three criteria,

and more importantly, I have the determination to fight till I die.

War is all about strategy.

Ever since I was born, I was destined to thwart Song Mo's plans.

I'm the only person

who can help you secretly

align everyone to your side.

The ministers are planning to organize

a supplementary imperial examination to search for new talents.

If you can pass the initial examinations,

I will take you in.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Master Ji.

Song Han came to me with an offer,

just as you predicted.

You are truly an oracle.

It's just a strategical deduction.

Song Han is now desperate,

and if he doesn't get to grow into a mighty wolf,

given his paranoid nature,

he'd have to live in fear and guilt.

By then, life would torture him to the core.

Song Han's situation is actually similar to mine.

In the Song family, no matter how capable he is,

Song Mo will always outdo him.

After all, nothing can change the fact that he was an illicit love child.

His only choice is to help me claim the throne

so that he can stand tall in the future.

Master Ji, you're truly a far-sighted strategist.

Here's a token of my appreciation.

Just seeing them carrying these chests makes me feel exhausted.

Why do I need so much money?

Forget it.

Where are you going, Master Ji?

Back to the capital.

At first, I wanted to help you

since the Empress supports you,

and you were so eager to learn.

But now,

you're repaying me with flattery and gold,

without a hint of truth.

Why should I waste my time?

If you want to end my life,

get someone to come with me.

Wait, Master Ji.

I treat you with utmost sincerity.

Utmost sincerity?

How did the Duke of Ding die?

You refused to mention a word of it.

Working for a sly and paranoid man

will only ruin my elaborate plans.

I understand, Master Ji.

I will tell you everything about the Duke of Ding,

from the beginning till the end.

When I eventually succeed,

you will be my top adviser.

Is that what

you promised Dou Shishu, too?

Both you and Dou Shishu

are my right-hand men.

However,

Dou Shishu offered his horse market to show his sincerity,

and he's willing to sacrifice his niece.

As for you,

you still haven't helped me gain Song Mo's support.

Song Mo?

He's loyal to the Emperor.

If I recruit him,

I'd be opposing the Emperor directly.

You think the Emperor would let me do that?

What would you do by then?

Start a coup in Liaodong, which is thousands of lis away?

Are you certain about that?

But if we don't eliminate him,

he'd be a threat.

The Imperial Guards are elite soldiers that defend the palace.

We have to seize control of them.

That's why

I'm asking you to recruit Song Han instead.

Since we can't recruit the Songs publicly,

we can take advantage of their family issues.

Song Han wants his dukeship.

He's at loggerheads with his brother now.

That's between him and his brother.

No matter how things develop,

it will only benefit you,

and this is a guaranteed result.

I understand.

The ice cream tastes good.

(Lu's Dental Clinic)

Song Han is just an illicit love child.

You're recruiting him?

I think he has a special position to play.

If we use him well,

we can turn the tide.

He's a lowly man with high ambitions.

A man like him

is more likely to heed our bidding.

I lose.

Minister Lu, did you lose to me,

so you can ask me for a favor?

To be honest,

I don't think my son will pass the normal imperial examinations.

As for the upcoming supplementary imperial examinations,

we still need some help.

The palace is in need of military talents.

His Majesty is taking the military examinations seriously.

I have been ordered to appoint another examiner,

and I guess they already have a candidate in mind,

so I'm afraid I have to disappoint you.

I can't interfere in something that's beyond my authority.

But you're in charge of imperial examinations,

so I'm sure you can

do something about it.

For the written examinations, there's still some room for wriggling.

However, the military examinations

will test their true abilities.

Don't worry, Minister Dou.

As long as he can pass the written examinations,

I'm sure my son

is good enough

to fight his way through.

I just want to make a name for myself through my own capabilities,

and you're stopping me?

You might as well kill me

in front of His Majesty.

Mantis Song is now a public enemy.

For your sake and your family's,

you can't take this risk with him.

Leave him.

♪The golden fiery steed rides across the vast horizon♪

♪In this life, oh♪

♪Without you♪

♪What is there to envy?♪

♪Let me lay down my blade and leave the sea of battles♪

♪To adorn your hair with a jade hairpin♪

♪Let a thousand, ten thousand blossoms♪

♪Bloom in a single night for you♪

♪The splendor of the world is but fleeting sorrow♪

♪Should the flames of war arise♪

♪I shall hold your hand♪

♪And walk through the dust♪

♪I want to hold you in my arms♪

♪Leaving the world behind♪

♪From now on, all the vast wonders of the world♪

♪May be left as blank spaces♪

♪The dazzling spring moon over the city♪

♪Is no match for your beauty♪

♪Why ascend to high towers again?♪

♪I will lay down my blade and leave the sea of battles♪

♪Break my spear to crown you♪

♪With a golden-branch hairpin♪

♪Let a thousand, ten thousand blossoms♪

♪Bloom for you♪

♪No more guarding lonely towers♪

♪Spring is near, ripe for the taking♪

♪Holding your hand♪

♪Till we reach beyond the noise♪

♪Only for you, I shall paint♪

♪With bold strokes and vibrant colors♪

♪And for all else♪

♪Let it remain pale and void♪

(No animals were harmed in the making of this drama.)

(Every medical behaviour involved and medicine used in the drama)

(is required by the story. Please don't try this at home.)