Original subtitles

It's cold and windy.

Madam, take care of your health.

I'll be fine.

I'm not that weak.

But I'm really worried

about Ansu.

She must be heartbroken

But it's not convenient for me to visit her.

Go and buy her some tonic.

Yes, Madam.

Who is it?

Directress Su?

What are you trying to do?

Zhao?

You can leave us.

Yes, Princess.

I'd like to ask Madam something.

Where did you get this silver hairpin?

Madam, my mother asked me to give this to you.

Thank you for your help.

I cannot accept this.

A mother and her son gave it to me.

When Yantang saved them,

their village had already been attacked by bandits.

The boy's arm was burned.

But luckily he was saved in time.

Otherwise,

he would have died on the streets.

The people you saved

were my mother and younger brother.

Madam, could you take me to them?

(Zhaowen Bookstore)

Your mother and brother

(To Su Yan) are doing well in Liaodong.

As long as you stay loyal,

I will take good care of your family.

(I will never forget the kindness)

(you showed the Su Family.)

I'm willing to serve you faithfully

until my dying day.

Madam, please don't tell them I was here

to avoid any complications.

Don't worry.

I'll get going now, Madam.

Yan.

Yan!

- Yan... - Mother.

Mother.

I was deceived by a treacherous person.

I didn't know you and Brother suffered

so much.

Yan,

I've finally found you.

Mother,

please live well with my brother.

Madam.

Get up quickly.

Madam, you saved

my mother and brother

and helped them settle down.

I will never forget

such kindness.

If I ever get the chance,

I will repay this kindness

a thousand times over.

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

=Episode 30=

(Natural Grace and Talent)

Madam, what are you doing?

I'm making glutinous rice balls.

I nearly forgot the palace banquet is around the corner.

That's right.

By the way,

we must not be careless

now that Lord Qing is returning to the capital.

The more evidence we gather,

the closer we get to safety.

We need to find out what cards Lord Qing is holding.

Being far away,

he can't quickly grasp the situation in the palace.

So he must have important allies here,

and not just one.

It's too difficult for us to interfere with palace matters

unless we leverage the Eastern Palace's influence.

But the Crown Prince is very stubborn, and I can't get through to him.

It doesn't matter.

Lord Qing can use our family to target you.

We can use that method to our advantage too.

The Crown Princess invited me to discuss the banquet at the palace.

This is a good opportunity.

Lord Qing and the Crown Prince also invited me to hunt.

I'll pick you up after the hunt ends.

Eating glutinous rice balls together is quite interesting too.

What a clever idea.

No wonder Mother specifically instructed

to let you make the arrangements for the palace banquet.

But as her daughter-in-law,

I'm not as thoughtful and understanding as you.

Since it's a state banquet,

it naturally honors the Empress and the Crown Princess.

I'm only lending a hand.

These glutinous rice balls may look novel.

But kneading the dough and preparing the fillings

rely on the Imperial Kitchen.

It's the Eastern Palace hosting the banquet after all.

The Empress doesn't like rigid banquets.

These...

How about focusing on elegance?

The Music Office can change the first piece of performance

to "Song of the Clear River" or "Hymn to the Emperor."

The Imperial Food Service can also prepare dishes using the best produce

from this year's harvest.

So when His Majesty asks,

it will also please him.

Proceed as the Duchess suggested.

- Yes, Your Highness. - Yes, Your Highness.

My archery skills aren't great.

So I'd appreciate your guidance, Brother.

If you want to show off,

you should do it in front of Father.

On this hunting ground,

you're picking the wrong person.

That's right.

I can never forget

Yantang's blindfolded archery.

Yantang,

my brother excels in literature

while I, in martial arts.

Do you prefer literature or martial arts nowadays?

My only preference now

is peace at home.

To be able to spend time with my wife,

watching plays, admiring lanterns,

and living a peaceful life

are enough for me.

Ah, Yantang, you've learned the art of deflecting questions.

Balancing family peace

and court politics

is possible.

Look at the Crown Prince.

Your alliance for power

isn't my concern.

But it greatly affects you, Brother!

How many supporters do you still have at court?

And how many are questioning or impeaching you?

Since you're discussing royal family matters,

I shouldn't be listening.

I'll take my leave.

Song Mo!

As the Commander of the Imperial Guard,

it's your duty to protect the royal family.

If anything happens to the Crown Prince

or me today,

you won't escape responsibility.

Youting!

You don't even try to hide your treasonous intentions, do you?

I could kill you

for what you just said.

You always like

to accuse people

without evidence.

But accusations of treason

require proof.

Even if someone did plan a rebellion,

given the current situation,

giving up the position of heir

to a capable person

could save the people and the state

from suffering.

How dare you!

Imperial Guards, listen up!

- Yes! - Yes!

All soldiers turn your backs!

Anyone who listens or watches

will face military punishment!

- Yes! - Yes!

His Highness is truly magnanimous.

Lord Song admires him for that.

Only a scholar

could speak so eloquently

about such a stubborn person.

Every wife in the world

would obey and agree.

But they all scold their husbands in their hearts.

Your Highness,

are you pregnant?

How did you know?

This season's shad fish is the freshest.

But you find it too fishy.

When pregnant,

a person's sense of smell is heightened

and their food preferences change.

I am like that too.

The imperial physician diagnosed me earlier.

He said I have a weak body,

making it hard to conceive.

That's why I didn't announce my pregnancy.

I still feel very nauseated.

Eunuch Wang,

please bring me a magnolia branch.

Yes, Your Highness.

Pick that one for me.

Yes, sir. Watch out!

Watch out!

(It's him.)

(If the Crown Princess gives birth to a prince next year,)

(the Crown Prince's position will be secure.)

(Lord Qing will surely rebel.)

Your Highness.

The Crown Princess is very weak.

Take her to the palace hall.

Quickly, fetch the imperial physician.

Your Grace, be cautious.

The Crown Princess is pregnant after all.

Shouldn't we wait for the physician

- before making a diagnosis? - It'll be too late.

I must administer acupuncture now.

Please reconsider, Your Grace.

Are you defying orders?

I dare not.

You've got plenty of soldiers.

But I came alone.

If something really happens today,

what will the court officials think when they find out?

Your Highnesses,

these are different times.

You can't fight like you did when you were kids.

Every punch now

affects the state.

Please reconsider your actions.

Song Mo!

You always helped me in fights before.

Who will you help now?

Crown Prince.

See that, Crown Prince?

Yantang is always on my side.

Lord Qing.

- Song Mo! - Song Mo!

- Are you out of your mind? - Are you out of your mind?

Haven't I treated you and your son well enough?

I allowed you to participate in political discussions.

Youting has vast lands

and high income, much more than Yousheng.

Can't you be content?

What more do you want?

If Father truly despises us,

you could order our deaths.

But don't wrong my heart.

After three years apart,

I never thought what I longed for day and night

would turn out like this.

Your Majesty,

I am ashamed of myself.

I will resign from my position in the central palace.

Please strip Youting of his title and make him a commoner.

My son and I only wish for peace.

Your Majesty, please calm down for your health's sake.

Official Lu has arrived!

How's the Crown Prince?

Your Majesty,

I've been to the Eastern Palace.

The Crown Prince isn't badly injured

and is not in danger.

For goodness sake, Song Mo.

I can't believe you helped that jerk to hit me!

I will remember this.

If Yantang hadn't interfered,

you would have lost

a limb or two.

You're welcome.

See that?

He's even proud of himself.

Do you have no respect left for your monarch?

How insolent!

If Dou Zhao hadn't been here

to perform acupuncture and medication in time,

your son

would not have survived.

Your Highness, you give me too much credit.

It's just my duty.

Thank you, Duchess.

I know Your Highness

despises underhanded schemes.

But if a nobleman dies because of such schemes,

what's the point of being noble?

Lord Qing is back in the capital,

aiming to eliminate

Your Highness and Yantang.

Since you know

the truth about Duke of Ding's death,

revealing it

and exposing Lord Qing's allies

could be your safeguard.

I swore before Father

never

to speak of it.

Well,

you swore, but I didn't.

If you don't tell,

I will.

Don't you dare!

- If you tell, I'll... - Divorce me?

Sure, go ahead.

I'll take my child and remarry.

I won't let us die with you.

He won't speak

because it involves royal secrets.

Even a word would cause chaos in the state.

The Emperor never intended to kill the Duke of Ding.

He ordered the Shadow Guard to escort the Duke of Ding to the capital

because the emperor

was gravely ill

and feared his death was near.

At that time,

Father was very sick.

The Duke of Ding pacified the pirates and opened up sea trade,

which benefited the state.

Although he provided disaster relief and defied imperial orders,

they were a timely help to the people.

Why did you suspect him

and have him escorted back here?

Jiang Meisun is the only person in this world

whom I can completely trust.

Why would I suspect him?

Then why...

He obeys and trusts me.

But will he obey and trust you in the future?

You

don't know how to manage ministers.

Pleading for him in private

does no good.

Wait until I reprimand him,

imprison him, and strip his title.

Then you can plead for his innocence in court.

That way, he will be indebted to you

and be loyal to you.

Duke of Ding is loyal and just.

I don't want to humiliate and subdue him with power tactics.

I can visit him sincerely

and win his trust.

A father knows his son best.

You have a kind heart

and will be a benevolent ruler.

But kindness alone

won't secure the state.

Come closer.

My illness fluctuates.

If something happens,

Lizhen in the North

and the pirates in the South will invade again.

The feudal princes will be restless.

I would rather Meisun hate me,

but you must hold onto this valuable ally.

After my demise...

Father.

After you ascend the throne,

release him from prison

and restore his power.

Only then

will the country remain stable.

Do you understand,

my son?

If Duke of Ding had reached the capital,

everything would have been fine.

But someone took advantage of the situation.

Your Highness.

Come in.

Eunuch Wang is here.

Eunuch Wang is closer to Father

and knows more about the circumstances

of Duke of Ding's death.

Eunuch Wang.

Since His Majesty already knew

why was he still convicted?

Because Her Majesty persuaded His Majesty

that it was too late to change things.

If Duke of Ding was declared innocent,

the public would see it

as the emperor unjustly killing a loyal subject,

damaging the royal family's reputation.

An emperor

can never be seen making a mistake.

My uncle sacrificed

his life for the emperor.

Yet his loyalty

was less important than saving face.

His Majesty couldn't bear it.

So he gave a lenient sentence,

allowing Duke of Ding's body to be collected and buried,

and lightly punished the Jiang family.

Thank you, Eunuch Wang.

Given the current situation,

if you two don't work together

to save the state,

the peace and prosperity

that the emperor and Duke of Ding worked hard to build

will be destroyed.

I've always suspected one thing.

If Lord Qing intends to rebel,

but he's far away in Liaodong.

Even with inside help,

communication would take too long.

How could he react to changing situations

and give his order without delay?

If I'm not mistaken,

the true mastermind

behind this rebellion isn't Lord Qing

but Her Majesty Wan.

Am I right?

Her Majesty Wan?

The people of Futing

go to Duke of Ding's shrine

and hail him as a hero.

He used his own salary

to give bonuses to the army,

effectively making them his private army.

When you sent the Crown Prince to provide disaster relief,

he defied orders and did it himself.

Now, in the people's eyes,

the court is to blame, and he is credited.

You might as well make him a feudal prince

and give Futing to him as his fief.

It would've saved a lot of trouble.

(Xuanyue Palace)

You were supposed to keep an eye on things

and not let the Crown Princess and Duchess of Ying get too close.

How could you let this happen?

Calm down, Your Majesty.

I failed you.

Please punish me.

Useless thing.

Get out.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Father's illness relapsed many times over the years.

Each time it relapses,

it's been you working tirelessly, handling state affairs,

and reviewing memorials.

That's how you develop night blindness.

The imperial physician repeatedly warned you not to cry.

I was impulsive in the incident

with the Crown Prince today.

I've let you down.

Youting,

I know you've endured humiliation for years

just to return to my side.

How is this letting me down?

Come.

Get up.

My genuine tears

have long since dried up.

Your father has been a heavy burden

on us for decades.

It's not easy

to replace him.

In times of great importance,

one must remain calm.

But I can't stand

seeing you kneel before him.

With your wisdom and sacrifices

for the country and the royal family

over the years,

it's he who should be kneeling to you.

If this fragile pretense is about to crumble,

there's no need to keep up this charade.

It's time to act.

The time for the reckoning I've set for him

is approaching.

I truly want to see

the day the nation falls

and family turns against each other.

Will that selfish, hypocritical man

still have tears left

to shed?

She's meddling in state affairs to the extent

and even poisoning Father.

Why are you only telling me now?

Because His Majesty has always been frail.

For these past few decades,

he can no longer do without the elixirs of the sorcerers.

Her Majesty Wan knows such a method well.

The elixirs provided had immediate effects

but drained his vitality.

The doses were so small

that even Official Lu noticed it late.

A mix of poison and medicine taken over the years.

If we stop giving it without a solution,

I'm afraid...

No wonder His Majesty knew the truth

but had to cover it up.

Your father's life,

the nation, and the throne,

will you save them or not?

If you want to seize power

and trample on the royal family's dignity,

I will never support you.

The ruler is above his subjects, the father above the son.

Do you think

royal prestige

is more important than the injustice suffered

by one person, one family, and an army?

Justice, law, honor,

and morality.

Are these just false idols used

by the royal family to control the people?

If so,

Song Mo and I have no reason

to serve a foolish and selfish ruler.

Dou Zhao,

how dare you!

Well said!

- I scolded her well, didn't I? - Dou Zhao,

I'm willing to pay you

to come here and scold him every day.

You...

There's one more thing.

It involves the Duke of Ying's household.

I once overheard

Lord Qing and Her Majesty Wan talking

in her palace

about a letter from Duke of Ding hidden at the Duke of Ying's Residence,

that has yet to be found.

I know about that.

His Highness came to my house looking for that letter.

What is it about?

What's written in the letter?

I don't know the content of the letter.

But I do know the letter is important.

The messenger I captured confessed

that a servant had received the letter.

Despite searching it secretly several times,

I haven't found it.

And Lord Qing is coveting this letter too.

So no matter what,

we cannot let Lord Qing have this letter.

I've already said

what I can.

Whatever both of you decide

will be fate.

I shall take my leave now.

Many thanks, Eunuch Wang.

You've studied the teachings of Confucius and Mencius.

If idols fall,

rituals collapse,

and everyone rebels

like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang,

can the world still be at peace?

The teachings you speak of

is to have virtuous rulers like Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun,

and then refine the customs of the people.

But in reality, the royal family condones

the nobles taking farmland, enslaving people,

and leaving the common folk struggling to survive.

Should we silence them

to make them cheer for us?

The tragedies of the Dou Family, Song Family, and the royal family

stem from the same source.

The ruler and father are supreme,

while wives, concubines, and children are lowly.

These lowly ones fight amongst themselves for dominance.

If we judge everything

based on rank rather than right and wrong,

schemes and plots will never end.

Rituals and laws are meant to stabilize hearts.

But if they instead cause chaos,

the state will inevitably fall to ruin.

The people are the foundation of the state.

If you become a good ruler,

I will help you pacify the country and eradicate evil.

But under one condition.

It's not blood for blood,

or seizing power.

But for the emperor

to publicly reveal the truth,

restore the loyal's honor,

and console the aggrieved.

If you agree,

then we are allies.

If you don't,

I don't mind having one more enemy.

Song Mo,

are you negotiating terms with me?

It would be a pity

to be just allies.

The Crown Prince and I like Dou Zhao's character.

What if we arrange a marriage for our unborn children

and become in-laws too?

- Who wants to be in-laws with him? - Who wants to be in-laws with him?

He might become

a traitor one day.

Then you must have turned into a stubborn and foolish ruler.

You have a heroic spirit.

How did you end up

with such an arrogant fool?

Crown Princess, please keep your husband in check.

He's sharp-tongued, rigid, and arrogant.

Everyone from all walks of life finds him difficult

to get along with.

Dou Zhao, keep your husband in check too.

If he continues to be reckless,

you'll end up dead on the streets!

You need

to reflect on yourself.

You've become too self-important

and now you've learned to insult others.

You're right.

I need to reflect on

how I ended up

with a shrew

who sides with others.

A shrew, huh?

- Come, I'll show you. - Please...

- Tell me who's the shrew. - I'm sorry.

Sorry, huh?

Why are you still frowning?

Our alliance with the Crown Prince

and distancing from Lord Qing is ultimately a good thing.

We should be happy about it.

What's bothering you?

I think

the Crown Prince seems to admire you.

Haven't you two only met a few times?

Are you seeing things?

It's the Crown Princess who admires me.

Next time you see him,

don't dress up so nicely.

No need for hairpins or fancy clothes.

Just wear something black.

That won't work either.

You also look beautiful in black without makeup.

When the Crown Prince was selecting a consort,

he favored intelligence, resilience, and extensive knowledge.

Isn't that describing you?

Though everything you say is unreasonable,

I love hearing every word.

Stop the carriage.

We're not home yet.

Your shoe seems dirty.

No, it's not.

What are you doing?

I understand what I must do now.

This poison needs to be treated.

I want to live long

and take good care of my appearance.

So the Crown Prince feels inferior

when he sees me.

Put me down.

So many people are watching.

I want the whole capital to know

that you, Dou Zhao, are the Duchess of Ying.

This is embarrassing.

It's not the first time I've carried you like this.

(Natural Grace and Talent)

I didn't even look at him.

Would that hurt Yousheng?

You're considering the big picture, Your Majesty.

The Crown Prince will surely understand your intention.

The Crown Prince and Lord Qing are of noble status.

They were injured in their fight.

(Palace of Heavenly Majesty) If this issue is brought to light,

the first to be blamed will be Yantang

who was responsible for their safety.

If he was dismissed,

the court's balance would be hard to maintain.

Your Majesty,

the medicine is getting cold.

Aren't you performing divination?

No.

I already have

my answer.

(Funeral)

Today is the seventh day since Anping's passing.

The wives of the officials treat you as they always have.

At the memorial feast,

they show you nothing but respect.

It's clear that everyone knows

Dong Qi truly deserved his death.

I'd rather have stayed in Futing

as a lowly merchant woman for my entire life

than be wealthy

and lose my brother

like this.

(Tomb of Miao Anping)

Anping was arrogant.

But he wasn't reckless.

Without striving for a higher position,

we can only watch our loved ones be bullied.

I was the same in the past.

Now,

as the Commander of the Tengxiang Guards,

I hold real power

equal to Song Mo.

From now on,

we no longer need to bow to anyone.

The Tengxiang Guards

is lesser-known among the twenty-six guards unit.

The most crucial aspect of it

is that it controls most

of the grain and warhorse supplies for the capital.

It may seem like one unimportant unit

that no one is interested in.

But in times of war,

cavalry that can charge

and dominate on the plains

will be the key to victory,

whether on the frontier or elsewhere.

Even if the Imperial Guards and Shenji Camp have firearms,

they're useless

without horses.

The capital is peaceful now.

But you made it seem it's at war.

But peace today

doesn't guarantee peace tomorrow.

Song Mo faced bandits

as his opportunity.

I'll have mine too.

I only want to protect you and your parents

when the time comes.

Muyu,

thank you for taking care of my parents recently.

Climbing the official ladder often requires favors.

If you need anything, just let me know.

(Tomb of Miao Anping)

One day,

I will repay you a thousandfold.

(Tomb of Miao Anping)

(Duke of Ying's Residence)

Watch your steps.

Does this place look familiar to you?

Your Grace, Madam. Have some tea.

Have a seat first.

Try to recall.

What were you looking for?

Medicine.

Someone.

Medicine.

Duchess of Ying was ill.

She was gravely ill. Am I right?

She was ill. She took medicine.

A fan.

Fan the stove.

Nine types of herbal medicines.

For six hours.

Fan the stove.

Nine types of herbal medicines.

Was there also a letter?

Letter?

Letter...

Who gave it to whom?

What does it say? Where is the letter?

Letter...

Give the letter to me now.

Letter.

Give the letter to me.

Give it to me.

Here you go.

Madam! Madam!

Duke of Ding sent a letter!

Duke of Ding sent a letter!

Follow her.

Madam!

Madam, Duke of Ding has sent a letter.

My brother is playing his riddles again.

Go,

fetch a pen.

Bring some tea.

Yes, Madam.

Madam!

Why are you coughing blood?

Qi Xia,

quickly.

Dry the painting and hide it.

Tell no one about this.

Don't give it to anyone.

You can only tell Song Mo.

Only Song Mo can know.

- Yes, Madam. - Go now.

Yes, Madam!

Hide it. I must hide it.

Madam, where should I hide it?

Where should I hide it?

Hide it. I must hide it.

Madam! Madam!

Where should I hide it?

Where could be the perfect spot?

Qi Xia!

Qi Xia!

Yes, Madam.

No place is safe to hide it.

Yes, it will be discovered.

Go.

Help me hang it up.

The more visible, the better.

Let's go.

When the throne changes hands,

you and your husband

won't have a way out.

If I can't be Lord Qing's sharp blade,

I'll be the thorn he must pull out.

Song Mo has gone mad.

He set off explosives in the street,

endangering the people.

Execute him on the spot!

♪I lean in and gaze at you as calm as serene waves♪

♪I'm aware of the vast and turbulent world♪

♪Moving forward alone, the expectations of many are hard to bear♪

♪When the time comes, I will cast aside a lifetime of pride♪

♪To wear a flower stick for you♪

♪Or perhaps my heart yearns for the other side♪

♪Yet there's no place for me to go in the end♪

♪Your presence my side is irreplaceable♪

♪Like a ship crossing the desolate river♪

♪That brings me through a chapter of my life♪

♪You are the light that saves me in the darkness♪

♪Having you is a blessing♪

♪My heart filled with warmth♪

♪By your side, I spend the rest of my life♪

♪Your presence by my side is irreplaceable♪

♪Where my heart yearns is where I will go♪

♪Breaking waves over the desolate river♪

♪The wind rises as my heart finds peace♪

♪You are the light that saves me in the darkness♪

♪Having you is a blessing♪

♪Only by being by your side♪

♪I can spend the rest of my life♪

♪Until the waves are all spread out♪

♪And the past sinks into the river♪

♪Always together, looking back♪

♪Only sighing at the commotion♪

(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)