Original subtitles

Meiniang,

am I a good Emperor?

I want the truth.

The Tang Code you revised during the Yonghui era

was the best law I have ever seen.

You wiped out the rebel army up north,

brought down the aristocratic clans,

provided a stable society

and gave poor scholars a chance of fair competition.

You extended the kingdom far beyond its territorial limits.

You're undoubtedly an excellent Emperor.

I'm afraid people would attribute everything to my Father,

and say that I profited from his effort.

When Yang Guang took over the throne from Yang Jian,

he inherited a much more prosperous kingdom.

Look what happened to it.

But who can inherit my glorious kingdom?

The children have their own fate.

Perhaps it's because we have been too strict

and our hands have reached too far,

so even at their age, they still won't amount to anything.

Or maybe we haven't done enough.

Meiniang, promise me you will guard this kingdom for me.

Your Majesty, all my life,

don't you think I have been cursed and condemned enough?

I know it's unfair.

To have a wife like you, I ask for nothing more.

If there comes a day when we can be buried together,

our lives would have been complete.

Your Majesty!

What do you call yourself these days?

Ruyi? Meiniang or Wu Zhao?

Your Majesty!

Whatever name you go by,

I hope you'll always remember,

I'm still the same old Zhinu.

I will always love you.

Tonight's fireworks are for us.

I was never interested in the kingdom,

but I have been the Emperor all my life.

At first, I was doing it to protect you.

Then it was the way to own you.

But all I ever wanted was to watch the fireworks with you.

Zhinu...

Your Majesty!

Zhinu...

I have been headstrong all my life,

and you have suffered for that.

It was my fault.

Zhinu...

If there was a next life, will you be my husband again?

(Who can shake the world like I do?)

(I charm the earth even when in tears)

(You promised in your past life...)

I'm good for nothing.

Someone like me

is perhaps destined to be a free spirited prince.

How about doing it for me?

I won't let anyone hurt you!

Zhinu!

Go! Mount the horse! Don't mind me, go!

For you, I'm willing to risk everything,

even my life and my kingdom,

as long as you're happy.

Meiniang... Catch mel!

Now that I'm the Emperor,

I'm so pitiful I don't even have the right or position to love you.

Zhinu, don't say it...

No! Meiniang, listen to me!

Since we met in Yeting,

you have been the love of my life...

To this day, that has never changed.

This time, no one can make you leave!

I won't let you leave again! Don't worry!

I don't want you to leave me.

That's why I want to be more than your Empress and bosom friend.

I want to give you counsel,

and fight alongside you.

Then you would never want to leave me.

(I'm grateful to have had you for that heart wrenching feeling)

(Who is the dream of my life? Who brought the most beautiful goodbye?)

(We can start all over again when I find you in the next life!)

(Let me bear all the jealousy and pain...)

Mother!

Great Emperor Tianhuang's posthumous edict.

Since I ascended the throne,

I have been in ill health which finally brought about my departure.

Crown Prince Xian will succeed me as the Emperor in front of my coffin.

The Heavenly Empress and I are inseparable.

I hereby will that, she be buried with me.

Aye!

Heavenly Empress, please obey the edict and prepare to be buried.

Xian'er!

Mother?

Your Father's body is still warm

and you already wish to bury your Mother!

What a fine son you are!

Heavenly Empress!

Today, someone will be buried with the late Emperor.

But it's definitely not me.

Heavenly Empress, please forgive me for being late!

I have the late Emperors instructions to deliver his posthumous edict.

Read it!

Aye!

The last edict of Great Emperor Tianhuang...

The size of the kingdom and the responsibility to its subjects

must be carried on.

The Crown Prince may become my successor in front of my coffin.

He is to observe the Han traditions

and must not be wasteful in building the mausoleum.

The Heavenly Empress will be the Empress Dowager.

After the Crown Prince takes the throne, she will continue her regency

and make decisions on all state and military affairs.

Aye!

I will carry out the late Emperor's wishes.

It was his ideal!

He made me do it!

You... I was ill advised.

Please forgive me, Mother...

You... Mother...

What should be done with these traitors?

Wei Xuanzhen will be removed from office and thrown in jail.

The others are dismissed.

Aye!

Arrest him!

Wu Meiniang!

I'll haunt you even as a ghost!

I'll never leave you alone!

Mother, thank you for sparing me!

Mother, thank you for sparing me!

Mother, thank you for sparing me...

Get out!

Thank you, Mother...

Zhinu, to the very end,

I was scheming and taking precautions.

Someone like me

is not really worthy of your love!

You knew, didn't you?

Why didn't you tell me?

Why didn't you say something?

You should have said something.

Why is it till the very end, you still wouldn't reprimand me?

How silly of you!

Zhinu, I know at the final moment

what was bothering you.

Even if I'm condemned for life!

Even if there'll be bloodshed,

I will do this for you.

I will guard your kingdom.

I promise! It's the only thing I can do for you.

Zhinu...

Zhinu...

(Whose features make the world gasp in admiration?)

(As time goes by)

(I have grown used to getting drunk in a party,)

(giving up dullness for splendour)

(My tears are scattered)

(All I have left is my kingdom)

(I don't know where I stand each night)

(I don't get to choose my destiny...)

(Emperor Gaozong died in Luoyang in 683.)

(Wu Zetian became the Empress Dowager and remained as regent)

(for Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong.)

(For whom did I look beautiful then?)

(For whom do I sigh today?)

(I don't want to waste what you have given me)

(I will go all the way, all for love!)

(For whom has love become magnificent?)

(For whom has my life become precious?)

(In between the joy and sorrow of parting and reunion)

(love thoroughly, hurt thoroughly!)

(For whom did I look beautiful then?)

(For whom do I sigh today?)

(I don't want to waste what you have given me)

(I will go all the way, all for love!)

(Love is not fleeting)

(For whom has my life become precious?)

(In between the joy and sorrow of parting and reunion)

(love thoroughly, even in complete loneliness...)

Greetings, Heavenly Empress!

At ease!

Thank you, Heavenly Empress!

Heavenly Empress!

Zhang Jianzhi, so Di Renjie recommended you?

That's right!

I didn't come to see you to ask for a position,

but also to dissuade you.

Dissuade me?

All these years, your presence in the Court as the regent

has given you complete control of the state.

Why must you take the risk of moving one step further?

It's uncalled for.

There has been no female Emperor in history,

if you declare yourself the Emperor,

people will oppose you for the rest of your life.

Just think, you're near 70,

where do you get the time and energy to deal with so much?

Men are hypocrites. With a female regent,

you're content with naming anyone as the puppet Emperor.

You'll look the other way and accept it.

But now, if I'm determined to remove this veil,

what can the lot of you do to me?

So what if you declare yourself the Emperor?

Imagine if you pass on the throne to a member of the Wu clan,

who would want to worship his aunt in the Imperial ancestral temple?

Heavenly Empress, if you pass it back to the Li clan

then what's the difference between Tang and the Wu dynasty?

It'll be all for nothing. Why bother?

Why bother indeed!

Perhaps I'm not as shrewd and calculating as people think I am behind my back.

Once I also wasn't sure what I was really after.

Was it love or desire?

Or maybe I'm just a stupid woman slaving all my life

for nothing but an illusion.

Forget it! I don't want to torture myself!

Let them do as they please.

Curse me, resent me or even hate me.

I'm willing to take the criticism.

If there's one thing I still insist,

it's that I don't want to see, their reason for opposing me

is simply the fact that I am a woman.

You're everything Di Renjie say you are,

honest and outspoken

but a bit too blunt.

Please forgive me.

In that case, if I wish to go further,

you are not willing to help me?

Not true. I will go as far as you want to go.

I'm just curious what lies ahead in the final destination.

Please rest assured, I'll do my best to assist you.

Effective immediately, you're a Censor and Minister of the Secretariat.

With the Mandate of Heaven, the Zhou Dynasty under the Wu clan shall commence.

The state will henceforth be blessed.

We hereby seek blessings from Heaven and Earth...

(...Giving up dullness for splendour)

(My tears are scattered)

(All I have left is my kingdom)

(I don't know where I stand each night)

(I don't get to choose my destiny)

(Something borrowed must be returned)

(Flowers in bloom will wither)

(My dream started with your glance)

(For whom did I look beautiful then?)

(For whom do I sigh today?)

(I don't want to waste what you have given me)

(I will go all the way, all for love!)

(For whom has love become magnificent?)

(For whom has my life become precious?)

(In between the joy and sorrow of parting and reunion)

(love thoroughly, hurt thoroughly!)

(Whose features make the world gasp in admiration?)

(There's no turning back)

(When things I own begin to fade)

(I remember they used to be brilliant like fireworks)

(My tears are scattered)

(All I have left in my hands in my kingdom...)

Long live Your Majesty!

Long live Your Majesty!

Where are my enemies?

Dead!

And my friends?

Dead as well.

What about my husband and children?

Your Majesty, except for the Prince of Luling and the Prince of Xiang,

the others are dead too.

(15 years later)

Your Highness, operation Shenlong has been planned for years.

This is the opportune time.

If we can move into Jixian Hall before the Imperial Guards catch on,

we can restore Tang.

Don't hesitate, Your Highness!

A subject must be loyal, and a son filial,

you're forcing me to become a traitor and unfilial son.

You're the Crown Prince of Tang,

the son of Emperor Gaozong.

Restoring Tang is the most loyal and filial thing to do.

We need you to justify the operation.

Please go to Jixian Hall now!

Please go now...

You killed Zhang Yizhi?

Yes, I acted on your order and cut off this traitor's head!

When did I give the order?

You're killing me!

The arrow is on the bow. There's no turning back.

The lives of the courtiers inside this hall and the soldiers outside

are all in your hands.

You must go to Jixian Hall!

Please go now...

Please get up!

You only wish to restore Tang, right?

I'm already the Crown Prince, right?

Let's just wait.

Wait for me to take the throne. Then...

I have been waiting for 15 years.

During these 15 years, she killed 34 members of the Li clan,

36 courtiers

and even people from her own clan,

she killed 24 of them.

You can wait, Your Highness.

Wait 20 more years for the throne.

But who knows? After 20 years,

will you get the Imperial Seal or 3 feet of silk to hang yourself?

We can't wait any longer!

Tonight is the best time in 15 years.

If you missed it,

there wouldn't be any hope of restoring Tang

and you'd plunge your future into the unknown.

That's enough!

You don't think I know all that?

I was the Emperor when I was 27.

Now I'm 45

and I'm still a Crown Prince.

A 45-year-old Crown Prince

is the biggest joke in the world.

I was exiled to Junzhou and Fangzhou for 14 years.

My life has not been happy.

You think I'm scared of her?

Of course I am! I'm scared to death!

Have you forgotten,

you have Emperors Gaozu and Taizong's blood running in you.

Their courage and glory of founding a kingdom

isn't good enough to help you face that old woman?

Is this a coup? Who is here?

Your Majesty, it's your son.

You should not be on your knees.

Didn't you come here to ask me to abdicate?

I wouldn't dare!

You wouldn't?

You're getting old

and you have become bolder.

Don't back off!

You can't back off!

Raise your head!

I hate this cowardly look on your face!

I'll take my leave...

Your Highness! Let go!

Stop His Highness!

Don't bother!

Tang is finished...completely finished.

Drop your weapons!

Do it!

I should be punished by death.

I just beg you to spare His Highness

and let the Li bloodline continue.

Li Xian is worthless.

But you chose to follow him, Zhang Jianzhi.

It must have been tough for you.

Whether it's Zhou or Tang,

as long as the people enjoy peace and prosperity,

and they can live a stable life,

what's the difference?

You can't possibly think this foolish son of mine

will be a better Emperor than I am!

If you ask me...

the Crown Prince was the Emperor for 44 days back then.

Judging from his behaviour, he's no doubt fatuous and self-indulgent.

Years have gone by,

he has made no improvement.

Then why must you oppose me?

Choosing a fool over a sage at the expense of the people's welfare?

Or is it because you can't accept a woman as the Emperor?

What I cannot part with is my loyalty to the Tang Dynasty.

Think about it:

the late Emperor entrusted you with the Crown Prince.

Now that he's a grown man,

you should pass him the throne.

That's the Mandate of Heaven and the will of the people.

Zhang Jianzhi may stay,

everyone else may go.

Let's pretend nothing happened tonight.

Your Majesty, they committed treason!

Nothing happened in Jixian Hall,

how can treason have been committed?

You may go!

Aye!

Sheath your swords!

You should go too!

Go!

Go!

Thank you for sparing my life!

Get up, Zhang Jianzhi!

Thank you, Your Majesty!

They say you can interpret dreams.

I've been having this strange dream.

Can you explain it for me?

Please tell me the details.

I've been having the same dream lately.

I see a parrot (ying wu) with broken wings

struggling on the ground trying to fly

and is in pain.

Wu is your last name.

The pair of wings represent your sons.

If you use them properly, you can fly high...

After all,

you still don't want the throne passed on to the Wu clan.

If you pass the throne to your son,

generations from now,

you'll be honoured and worshipped in the Imperial ancestral temple.

But if you pass it to your nephew...

pardon my candor,

if your son is unreliable, your nephew is even more so.

I think you already know that.

You just prefer not to deal with it.

You must also know

I'm terrible at interpreting dreams.

Mengjiang, after all these years,

you still have a sharp tongue.

Please forgive me!

Forget it! Back when I decided to become the Emperor,

you told me you'd go as far as I wanted to go

because you were curious what lay ahead

in the final destination.

Well, you have seen it.

The descendants of the Li clan will wear fancy clothes and have feasts,

ride gallant horses

and own beautiful women.

But they won't remember

who gave them their wealth and rank.

Never mind...I'm old and tired.

The Great Zhou started with me and will end with me.

Watch your step, Your Majesty!

The 15 years I spent as the Emperor,

were the loneliest time of my life.

Except for power, I had nothing.

(Wu Zhao died in Shangyang Palace in November, 705 at the age of 82)

(honured with the title of Empress Zetian Dasheng.)

(In 706, Wu Zetian was buried with Emperor Gaozong at the Qianling Mausoleum)

(marked by a wordless stele.)

(No one knew why she became the Emperor, or why she left a wordless stele.)

The man who danced with me that night, was he the same man in the Hall just now?

Someday, I will find my way to your heart.

Xu Hui and Wu Ruyi will become sworn sisters.

I'm your sister, not your shadow.

As of today, we're even.

I did nothing wrong!

Even if everyone objects

and I become their enemy,

I will do my best to bring her back to the Palace.

No matter who presides over the Palace,

the Palace itself

is its own master.

We're nothing but guests in transit.