Original subtitles

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Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at viki.com

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The Story of Ming Lan

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Episode 72

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- An illness?

- Yes, she vomited blood on the streets.

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She must be so mad that it has affected her heart and she is unbearably weak.

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She just finished her first month postpartum. This isn't a sign of a long life.

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I think that the Emperor is really abandoning Gu Tingye as a pawn.

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Even the child was fetched back from her maiden house.

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She probably is afraid that she might suddenly die, so she wanted to see her child one last time.

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Watch Cheng Garden closely. If there are any movements, immediately report them to me!

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Yes.

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At this moment, Second Brother and Father shouldn't attend the morning court anymore. File for a leave of absence.

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With how you are now, stop worrying about these matters!

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Especially Second Brother. Stop thinking about submitting some complaint letter.

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I have finally figured it now.

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It's not really just the death of some Madam Kang,

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or if I as his Big Madam was an accomplice or not.

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The Emperor and Empress Dowager don't really care about the crime our Sheng Family committed.

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Second Brother, do you understand?

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He understands.

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What about you?

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Now that this matter is still a hot issue, let's allow it to grow cold first.

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Anyway, he'll get exiled only after autumn. We still have time.

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Let's plan it again.

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Well said.

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I've repeatedly angered the palace.

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State Uncle and Sister Zhang said that they'll help me convince Her Highness the Empress again.

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You used to plan with conviction first before making any move.

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This time, you got muddled because you cared too much,

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- Madam, Nanny Xiang is here.

- that--

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Madam's maiden family are all here.

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Old Madam, hello.

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Grand Madam had me come here to ask Madam to go to her room, for some discussion on important matters.

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Our Cheng Garden and your courtyard have nothing to discuss.

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Miss Rong, you can't say things like that. What's on the line here is the future of the Marquis Manor.

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It's not yet been settled to whom the title "Marquis of Ningyuan" is to be given. And Madam, your health is...

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Our Grand Madam is just afraid that what if you get so ill and unable to get up from bed,

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so she wants to have you go there as soon as possible.

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Bullying intolerably!

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Get lost! Get lost!

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Such an imposing manner, are you of high official status? (T/N sarcastic/sneering)

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Get lost!

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Let me make it clear then. You people have taken away the noble title,

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burned our house,

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and harmed my husband the Marquis.

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My health now has also been dragged down.

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Does your Grand Madam Qin want me to die or something?

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Madam, what are you saying?

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These problems happening to your house can't be blamed on my Grand Madam.

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I'm urging you to just quickly go there.

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Now, you've lost your conferred title status.

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If you don't go,

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I fear that you might end up with a crime of being unfilial and putting on airs.

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This time, no one will be defending you.

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Xiaotao.

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Let Shitou and...

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Liu Jingli guard Cheng Garden well.

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- Only close family members are allowed to casually enter or exit.

- Yes.

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Just a dog that's threatening because of the power of her master, (T/N nanny has no authority to be this rude)

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- Get lost!

- Get lost!

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Get lost now!

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You...

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- What kind of family is this!

- You nasty woman!

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Be good.

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Get lost!

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Urgent news from the borders!

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Urgent news from the borders! Quickly open the city gates!

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[ Dongjing, aka Bianjing - the capital of Northern Song Empire ]

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Never expected that the war on our borders would happen so quickly.

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Their new leader has ascended the throne at a young age.

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I heard that he's not even seventeen, and has a weak hold on his government.

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He probably just wants to establish his imposing presence to stun his subjects and force our empire to open up the trading market between us.

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That's right.

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But Prime Minster Han and I didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

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They actually broke through and conquered two cities now.

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Royal Father, I received a letter from Zhonghuai.

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He said that he was reckless in his previous actions.

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Now, he's willing to make up for his crimes and earn some merits. Willing to lead an army on an expedition.

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In Prime Minister Han's opinion, if there are adequate food supplies

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and the borders have enough winter clothes for the cold,

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how early do you think the army can set out?

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Royal Father, Zhonghuai is young and strong. He has a chest full of desire to serve his country. I would like you--

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Must I listen to you now in assigning a commander?

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You are also young and strong, and have a chest full of desire to serve your country.

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Everyone says that you're very good.

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That you are to inherit the throne in the future.

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But right now, it's still my empire.

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I feel that even if the main army can't set out immediately,

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there must be a reinforcement army going there now.

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Otherwise, if the morale of the border army becomes disorganized, then we'll surely lose.

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I'm willing to share Your Majesty's burden, and lead an army to go there.

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- I...

- The borders are in danger right now. Your mother is a bit afraid.

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Just stay in the palace to comfort her.

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Yes, Royal Father.

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I currently don't have enough generals.

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I earnestly ask Your Majesty to temporarily pardon Criminal Gu, and assign him to me as a vanguard.

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Once the borders have been pacified, he will be escorted back to be imprisoned and exiled.

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Other than him, don't I have other people around me now?

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Although Criminal Gu was overbearing,

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he's skilled in both scholarly arts and fighting, has outstanding intelligence in strategies.

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He is also very familiar with the topography of the borders.

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Shut up!

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Criminal Gu is bearing a heavy crime. He killed a wife of an official. I'm already generous with him for not executing him.

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Just for private reasons, each of you are disregarding state laws!

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I'm not doing it for private reasons! This is for our government!

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Informing Your Majesty.

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Your Majesty, a state's military matters are of grave importance.

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If it will be beneficial to our borders, our House of Wang can temporarily not go after the crimes of Gu Tingye.

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That's right. You think...

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So it means that you all think that I have no one to use,

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and will just let that Gu Tingye get a hold on me?

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Your Majesty!

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I'm willing to use my official status as guarantee!

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Your Majesty, I'm also willing to use my official status as guarantee.

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As a soldier, a soldier!

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Criminal Gu indeed committed a grave crime.

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Although we need him to join our army, it's not really to allow him to wander around and be carefree.

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I think we can just demote him to be an ordinary citizen without achievements, join the army as a foot soldier, so as to make up for his crimes.

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Your Majesty, the battlefield is a dangerous place. Having an additional help means having additional hope.

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How many soldiers need not uselessly die because of it?

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Good! Great!

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- Thank you, Your Majesty!

- Thank you, Your Majesty!

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- Thank you, Your Majesty!

- Thank you, Royal Father!

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Old Geng, if he escapes,

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I'll make you answer for it!

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Your father...he is over there.

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Father!

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- He has left?

- Yes.

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You have something to say?

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I don't understand.

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Why did Empress Dowager let the House of Wang

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especially facilitate his inclusion in the army for the expedition? It will only invite future troubles.

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That Gu Tingye was imprisoned by the Emperor's side. (T/N in the palace prison, well-guarded)

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He has relatives and friends all over the capital.

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It's not easy for Empress Dowager to make any move.

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But if anything bad happens to him on the battlefield,

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who...will say anything?

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Then it means that we just need to wait for good news now?

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This military disaster came at the right time.

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This will all end soon.

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Big Madam Zhang is here.

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One more mouthful.

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Why is she still drinking medicine?

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Madam suffered some trauma during her first month postpartum.

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It wasn't easy to finish her first month, but then fainted outside the palace.

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How could she not suffer any damage?

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Imperial Physician Zhang has checked me. There's no big problem.

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He just asked me to rest more.

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I'm just a little tired.

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Your Majesty, our elite soldiers...

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have all perished!

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The elite soldiers...

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have all...perished?

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- Your Majesty!

- Your Majesty!

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Imperial Physician! Send for the Imperial Physician!

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Call the Imperial Physician! Hurry!

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Afterward, there's no more news about Marquis Gu.

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My father said that he recklessly moved forward because of rushing to gain merit,

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and pursued the enemies nearly fifty miles from their city.

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It's still not known if he has fallen into quicksand or an ambush.

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Anyway, that team of his...

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None of them was able to return.

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I've hidden this from you for several days.

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Now, we also lost any news from my father and his men.

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I'm afraid...I'm afraid...

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Sixth Little Sister..Sixth Little Sister...

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Don't scare me, Sixth Little Sister.

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Breathe. Breathe, Sixth Little Sister.

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- The doctor! Call the doctor!

- Yes.

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Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at viki.com

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Fill up all these water urns.

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- Okay.

- Okay.

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Tell them to set it up more densely following the southern wall. They must fill up those parts in the back.

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Okay. Yes.

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- Move faster! Fill up the urns!

- Yes. Yes.

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Put jars on the southern wall too!

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Fill up all the water urns. Hurry up!

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Mother! Mother!

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Mother... I heard from people outside that Second Brother...

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Second Brother is gone.

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The adjacent house is already preparing funeral clothes.

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The general situation will be decided soon.

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Are you happy?

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Mother, when Second Brother got into trouble,

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was it you?

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The House of Gu is all yours now.

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All yours now!

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No, I don't want a house like this!

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If something bad happens to Second Brother,

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I'll then submit a memorial asking Second Brother's child to inherit the Marquis of Ningyuan title!

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Hold that!

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You...

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Lower the carriage.

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Madam. Madam!

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People from the palace are here to promulgate an Imperial edict.

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Are they from the palace of Empress?

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Doesn't look like it, and they didn't ask that the long altar with incense burner be placed.

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Who came?

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I don't know them. They all look unfamiliar. Their leader claims to have a surname "Huang".

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I don't remember any "Eunuch Huang" in the palace of Empress.

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Sorry for making you wait.

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I wasn't feeling well these past days, and thus wasn't able to get up as soon as possible.

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Big Madam, no need to be courteous. This matter is too sudden.

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Her Highness the Empress is rushing that it be done,

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hence, no need to pay attention to etiquette anymore.

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May Big Madam quickly come to the palace with us.

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Her Highness has important matters to tell you.

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Okay.

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We've already prepared a soft carriage for you outside.

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Madam, let's quickly go.

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Sir, your face is quite new to me.

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There are a lot of servants in the palace.

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It's understandable if you haven't seen me before.

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Yes. It's because I have limited knowledge and experience.

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The Empress will usually send Chief Eunuch Han whenever she sends me Imperial graces or messages.

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After not seeing her for some time, may I know if she's been doing well?

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The Empress has two Chief Eunuchs by her side.

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One has the surname "Ma", the other is "Wu".

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Was there anyone with a surname "Han"?

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Are you trying to test our words?

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Can you even fake people from the palace?

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If you don't believe us, let your old needlework maidservants here check then.

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See if our clothes and accessories

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are from the palace or not?

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No need for that.

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You all are indeed from the palace.

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I just fear that you're not really working for the Empress.

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In the palace of Empress, the main eunuchs are indeed Wu and Ma.

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But both are now old.

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His Majesty then assigned a Steward Han to replace them.

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Since a year ago, the palace maids and lower-ranked eunuchs have long started calling him "Chief Eunuch Han".

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If you really work for the Empress, how can you not know this?

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And if you know, why aren't you respectfully addressing him as "Chief Eunuch"?

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Unless...you're not really working in her palace?

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An Imperial edict was issued asking you to enter the palace. You dare to not go?

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- I'm not going!

- You...

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Are you rebelling? You're rebelling!

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I'll go back to the palace...and report that your House of Gu wants to rebel!

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All of you...you all...!

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- Don't move!

- You all dare to arrest people from the palace?

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You... We are here with a verbal decree!

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- Quickly let me go!

- You had better behave!

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Let me go, or I'll have your whole clan annihilated!

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Immediately send people to deliver messages to the different high officials.

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Someone's trying to fake Imperial edicts to abduct officials and their families into the palace and threaten the government with them.

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- Tell everyone not to believe it!

- Yes!

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- Yes, Madam.

- Drag them away!

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- Move! Move!

- Take them away!

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- I can walk!

- Move!

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It's zi time now (11 pm to 1 am).

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Big Madam, something seems to be happening outside.

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Instruct the kitchen to put oil in pans and heat them.

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Station people by the courtyard's wall and put a pile of stones every twenty steps.

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Then put the heated oil by the wall.

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Leave two people with every pile of stones.

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Yes.

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Take care.

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Hurry! Hurry up! Go! Go!

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Inform everyone to strictly guard the corner doors.

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Watch the walls on the backyard, and don't let anyone enter by climbing over them amidst the chaos.

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- Yes. Yes.

- They are killing people...

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Father! Father!

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It's dangerous to stay outside!

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They are killing people!

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Father. Hurry. Close the doors!

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Quickly close the doors!

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They're killing people.

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Take all the children to Weiruixuan to hide!

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- Right. Right.

- Guard the main gates well.

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Hong'er!

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Mother, why did you come here?

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This...is this a mutiny?

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His Majesty is critically ill, and there's an urgent situation now on the borders. Someone then made use of the chaos to revolt!

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- They've started killing people out in the streets.

- Did you hear me!

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- Ming'er! What about my Minglan?

- Changbai, what about Ming'er?

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- Ming'er.

- Where's Ming'er?

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Grandmother, don't worry. Zhonghuai left his men in Cheng Garden.

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All have been on the battlefield. Their security is better than ours.

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What about our house? Those evil people won't come in our house, right?

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As long as we tightly guard our doors and not recklessly go out,

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we will be safe.

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Guard the main door well!

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It's better that we go back to our room and hide.

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Any part of the courtyard that's not lit,

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you all light torches there.

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Don't let any of the evil people come in! Open the stock room in front of the stable.

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All of you who are young and strong, go get a torch.

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If anyone dares to break through our doors, kill them!

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Yes!

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[ Gu ]

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Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at viki.com

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The Imperial edict is here!

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People from the Gu Manor, aren't you going to hurry and come out to receive the decree?

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Nonsense!

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It has always been palace eunuchs who promulgate decrees.

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Just listening to you, one knows that you're not from the palace. You must be a liar!

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Quickly leave!

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His Majesty has given orders that since evildoers are revolting,

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the situation has become urgent! We were especially ordered to go house to house

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and escort noble families to the palace to hide.

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Hence, we didn't bring any palace eunuchs with us.

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My house has high and sturdy walls. We're not afraid of evildoers!

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Thank you for His Majesty's good intentions, but we won't go!

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Gu Family, you had better just listen to my words!

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What if the rebels enter your house? Then you will all die!

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My Madam already said

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that life or death is all fated. She will not bear any grudges.

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We swear to survive or die with House of Gu!

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You dare to disobey an Imperial decree?

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You don't know how to appreciate goodwill.

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Break open their doors!

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Yes!

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Charge!

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- Release the arrows!

- Release the arrows!

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Close the doors!

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Leave someone alive!

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Nanny, I'm afraid.

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Rong'er, don't be afraid.

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Your father is a great commander who is peerless in bravery.

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You are the daughter of a general. You should be like them, unafraid of anything.

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I'm afraid of fire.

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We have people guarding all the courtyards and walls.

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No one can enter. Just carry your little brother and amuse him.

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Okay.

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Your Highness the Noble Consort Liu!

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Brother-in-law, you work so fast!

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In just a tea time, you've already occupied the Imperial city. (T/N boil water/brew tea, less than an hour)

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It's just that the people sent out to fetch those officials and their families

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still haven't returned. I fear that we still haven't won yet.

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It's just a matter time before that happens. Anyway, the palace is now under our control.

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My husband won't be able to escape now. (T/N the current Emperor)

332

That's true indeed. What next?

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Is there any movement inside?

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Nothing's happening inside. I've knocked a few times, but no one's opening the door.

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Should we just break open the door? Just give your order, and I will let them break them open.

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Wait.

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Go, and invite the Empress Dowager to come here.

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Yes.

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We must have the verbal decree of Empress Dowager, so we can justify our actions.

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Yes.

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Men! Surround it!

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Yes!

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Big Madam!

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Big Madam, Second Tu sent a message to say

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that Nanny Xiang opened the inner gates, and guided a group of assassins to enter!

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They've all been captured.

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They've been interrogated and confessed that with them,

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there's still one person dressed as a maidservant in our manor

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who was wearing a veiled hat and following by Nanny Xiang's side earlier.

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Wearing a veiled hat?

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Yes.

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It means that people in our courtyard know her.

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Where did that person disappear?

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At the second gate. She wasn't seen at the Mingzhen Corridor anymore.

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Oh no! Oh no!

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You bitches that wants to die! You dare do a sneaky move on me?

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- Shitou and Xiaotao come with me. You stay behind and help Jingli.

- Yes.

358

I'll tear your little house down!

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I'll capture you alive, then rape you, before killing you!

360

Storm the gates!

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Could the evil people in front be coming?

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What's going on? What's going on?

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- It's you?

- Get lost!

364

Mother?

365

You ungrateful little bastard.

366

You dare to hit me?

367

Why are you defending that little scoundrel?

368

I'm going to kill him, and seek vengeance for your brother!

369

Mother!

370

Little Brother...

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Little Brother...

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Little Brother...

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Mother!

374

Mother!

375

Mother!

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- That's...

- Mother...

377

My mother is dead!

378

I don't have a mother anymore!

379

She's dead.

380

I don't have a mother anymore!

381

They're using cloud ladders to storm their way in. The main gates will be lost soon. (T/N folding siege ladder)

382

"Cloud ladders"?

383

No wonder they started fires first.

384

So they were stealing the cloud ladders!

385

With them, any high defensive wall can be conquered!

386

- Shitou, quickly take the children and escape first.

- Okay.

387

No! If you take two children, it will easily attract attention.

388

Put out all the fires, and let's all go to the secret chamber.

389

Okay. Let's go.

390

Nanny, let's go.

391

[ Zhu Manniang ]

392

Hurry! Hurry! Go up!

393

Hurry up! Hurry and go up!

394

Hurry!

395

Shoot!

396

Shoot!

397

Quickly go up!

398

Hurry and get up there!

399

Raise!

400

Charge!

401

Your Majesty, be careful of getting cold.

402

- Your Majesty!

- How are things?

403

Your Majesty, Funing Palace Hall has been surrounded.

404

How many are they?

405

It's dark, so I can't see it clearly..

406

More than a hundred. All are wearing Imperial Guard uniforms.

407

We wanted to go out, but we got pushed back.

408

The leader said that no one is allowed to leave!

409

With just those Imperial Guards in the palace,

410

it's impossible that they could have surrounded Funing Palace Hall.

411

Your Majesty, the whole capital is in chaos!

412

They seem to have attacked using cloud ladders.

413

How can there be cloud ladders in the palace?

414

They're from the Fire Rescue Team.

415

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

416

Royal Father, Royal Mother, don't be afraid.

417

I'm here.

418

Help! Someone is killing people!

419

Move! Move!

420

Enter the city!

421

Save the Emperor!

422

Enter the city!

423

Save the Emperor!

424

Shitou, move these away.

425

Okay.

426

How come there's such a place?

427

Don't talk anymore. Quickly go in.

428

Shitou, stay inside and protect them well.

429

- Come.

- Okay, Madam.

430

Nanny, be careful. Slowly.

431

- Shitou.

- Give me Tuan'er.

432

There is food and water inside.

433

If I don't come to look for you, don't come out.

434

- Okay.

- Come.

435

I will stay with Miss until death.

436

If you don't let me go with you, I'll tell people about this place!

437

Okay.

438

Mother!

439

Mother!

440

What did you call me?

441

It's full of soldiers and very chaotic outside.

442

Our whole family must stay together!

443

Mother!

444

Rong'er, don't be afraid.

445

I surely will protect you well.

446

Mother...

447

Don't be afraid.

448

Mother.

449

- No! I want to be with Mother!

- Come, listen to your mother. Rong'er!

450

Rong'er, listen to your mother.

451

Come. Come, listen to your mother's words.

452

We will be meeting the leopards and wolves soon.

453

Are you afraid?

454

I am.

455

Let's go.

456

Let's go.

457

You bunch of treacherous and wild people without an emperor in your eyes!

458

You dared use the names of Her Highness the Empress and Her Highness the Empress Dowager

459

to deceive the Prime Minister!

460

- What punishment must— How dare you!

461

Shut up!

462

Her Highness has issued a decree that if there are people who persistently refused to enter the palace for hiding,

463

they will be killed without leniency!

464

How dare you, madman!

465

You dare to kill a current high official of the government out in the streets! What punishment must you be dealt with?

466

Ma Hui! Ma Hui! Come out here!

467

- Ma Hui!

- Execute him!

468

Father!

469

Commander Gu! Commander Gu, you're not dead!

470

You didn't die.

471

Commander Gu!

472

Commander Gu is back! Commander Gu is back!

473

Commander Gu!

474

Prime Minister, rest for a while!

475

I still have to handle some affairs up ahead! Have to take my leave first!

476

Commander Gu! Commander Gu is alive!

477

Commander Gu! Commander Gu!

478

Commander Gu, you're still alive! Commander Gu!

479

Commander Gu!

480

Commander Gu!

481

Marquis Gu! Marquis Gu!

482

What really is going on here? What's going on!

483

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at viki.com

484

T/N In the following song, "Don't You Know, Don't You Know?", Lines 5 to the end are the poem by Li Qingzhao, a famous female poet of the Song Dynasty, the poem is titled "Spring Ends".

485

♫One morning, a flower opened and approached a willow tree,

beautifully fragrant and mistaking him for her lord♫

486

♫Even if drinking in water in the morning, red clouds have half a day of sunshine,

the wind and rain do not affect them completely♫

487

♫In the palace, you are constantly brave and growing thin,

from on high, your cold tears of distress flow♫

488

♫Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me,

not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫

489

♫Last night, gusty winds and rain

during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫

490

♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up

and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫

491

♫Don't you know, don't you know,

there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫

492

♫Last night, gusty winds and rain

during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫

493

♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up

and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫

494

♫Don't you know, don't you know,

there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫

495

♫Don't you know, don't you know,

there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫