Original subtitles

As expected, he wants blood on your hands.

Yet you are weak by nature.

How could you possibly do it?

Tomorrow,

I'll beg Prince Fuying

to choose someone else.

Father,

does Huo Zhongren's disappearance

have anything to do with you?

Lian.

Come.

Xiangjiu.

I'm so glad to see

that you're safe.

Mm.

Sit.

Lian,

does my father's disappearance

have anything to do with Prince Fuying?

I'm not sure,

but I heard Prince Fuying and Gongsun Wugui mention your father.

Your father's entrance into the palace

seems...

to be related to them.

Your father reported them?

In our Bronze County,

there's a Young Master Gao,

who abducted women

and acted like a tyrant.

My father, as the registrar,

arrested him a few times,

but the county magistrate always ordered him to release him.

That's why...

he entered the palace to file an accusation.

Could it be...

that Prince Fuying and Gongsun Wugui

were backing Young Master Gao

and then took your father?

From their conversation,

they just don't want you

to continue to investigate.

But regarding your father's disappearance,

they seem to know nothing about it.

Mentor's father disappeared in the palace.

Between these two,

if one of them

is related to your father's disappearance,

Prince Fuying is surely more suspicious.

After all,

compared to Gongsun Wugui, an official,

Prince Fuying can act more freely in the palace.

I should be able to hear what they're saying from the back door.

What are you doing?

I need to use the toilet.

Nature calls.

Can you please take me to the latrine?

The latrine of our Ningshuang Palace

is too good for your filth.

Go to the Eastern Palace.

The two palaces are so far apart.

How can I possibly make it in time?

Dear sister,

please help me.

We're both servants.

Why make things difficult for each other?

If I wet myself,

wouldn't that defile the Ningshuang Palace?

Come on.

Where is it?

T-T-There?

Stop rushing me.

H-Here?

Is this it?

Be quick.

Don't keep me waiting.

I need to find a way to sneak out quickly.

W-Well...

Why am I back here again?

This is crazy!

Will this never end?

Seriously?

Let her learn a hard lesson.

Master.

Master.

Tomorrow is your tribulation.

After this tribulation,

the cycle will shorten to 15 days.

After that, it will be 7 days.

The daily tribulation is not far away.

Are you still not going to ascend?

Mao Jin,

your first tribulation in 1,000 years

is approaching too, right?

Yes.

It's almost been 1,000 years.

If I'm counting right,

it should be another 10 days or so.

Are you scared?

Scared.

Scared...

of what?

Lord Howling Celestial Dog went through all this back in the day.

Since he could endure it,

of course I won't disgrace him.

If the pain is truly unbearable,

you can tell me.

I can help you dissolve the tribulation.

Dissolve the tribulation?

That means all my cultivation would dissipate.

Then my 1,000 years of cultivation would be for nothing.

Then I can only hope

you can find your ferryman soon

to help you ascend.

Don't worry about me.

Let's talk about you.

Your tribulation's cycle is getting shorter.

Your ferryman is right before you.

Why won't you let her help you ascend?

I have my own plans.

Master,

you've been with her for a few lifetimes.

Isn't that enough?

I've been with you for nearly 1,000 years.

Is that enough for you?

It's more than enough.

Of course... it's not enough.

You're my master.

Even if I stay with you for a few thousand more years,

it would never be enough.

Then between me and Le Ning,

who would you choose?

How...

H-How am I supposed to make that choice?

Choose with your heart.

Then between me and Huo Xiangjiu, who would you choose?

Huo Xiangjiu.

You didn't even hesitate?

Is it difficult?

It's nothing difficult.

You've hurt my feelings.

Alright, alright.

Tomorrow during the tribulation,

you must always stay by Xiangjiu's side

to prevent anything from happening to her.

Mm.

Don't worry, Master.

I'll take good care of your precious one.

Good.

What kind of place is this?

I don't believe I can't...

climb out of here today!

I sent Gao Wei to investigate

the days when Huo Zhongren infiltrated the palace.

During that period, a breach occurred in the river embankment south of the state.

Father decided to handle it with utmost urgency.

He summoned your father to the Ganquan Palace

to discuss it all night.

If Huo Zhongren wanted to file an accusation,

he would definitely run into your father.

But even so,

we can't conclude my father did it.

The person Huo Zhongren wanted to report

was precisely someone who worked for me.

And your father was also involved.

He climbed to his current position

from the descendant of a lowly person.

You should know

your father is capable of anything

to keep his wealth and status.

We need to find a way

to test Prince Fuying.

Let me handle this matter.

No.

You're in danger right now.

Since Prince Fuying has confined you,

it means he's begun to suspect you.

How would he possibly take the bait then?

So the priority now

is for you to extricate yourself quickly

and leave the Eastern Palace.

Don't worry.

I'm on your side.

Only beasts

would shield a man who abuses women.

But why did you marry him back then?

Your Highness,

why do you have so many questions?

What's wrong with asking?

We're all friends here.

Among good friends,

there should be no secrets.

Your Highness.

Never mind.

To be honest, Princess Ningshuang,

back then, I saved His Majesty when he fell into the river by the cliff.

I've always been grateful to His Majesty.

It was because of His Majesty

that I met my beloved.

Gongsun...

Your Highness?

Your Highness!

Father!

Yicheng!

Father!

Daughter!

Daughter!

Father!

Your Highness!

Father,

save me!

Get lost!

Father,

help me!

Father.

Gold beans.

The price of gold has soared recently.

We're going to be rich!

Let go!

Father!

Father!

Father!

Bastards!

Prince Fuying and this father-son duo

are all jerks!

What happened next?

I was trapped at home by my father and younger brother.

One kept watch over me day and night,

while the other went to negotiate terms with Prince Fuying.

Prince Fuying was worried that the matter of him raping me

would reach His Majesty's ears,

so he agreed to marry me.

At that time,

I discovered I was pregnant.

What?

What about the one you loved then?

We rarely meet in life.

We're as distant as the stars in the sky.

He...

is Gongsun Hao?

Gongsun Hao?

How did you know?

He came to me.

Why did he go to you?

He doesn't want you to fight against Prince Fuying.

He's worried Prince Fuying will harm you.

He wants me to help you.

Gongsun Hao

is quite affectionate.

But given your current situation,

are you willing to live like this forever?

I was before.

But not anymore.

Why?

I'm pregnant.

I don't want my child

to be born into such an environment.

And I don't want him to have a father like that.

I want to escape,

not just for myself,

but also for my child.

After I help Xiangjiu find the clues,

I'll leave.

No.

If you lose your life because of this—

looking for one person only to harm another—

how could I be at peace in this life?

That's right.

About Mentor's father,

I'll also think of a way.

Now we need to find a way to help you

escape from the palace quickly.

You've done nothing wrong.

A person without fault

shouldn't live a life in hiding.

Since you're leaving,

leave openly and honorably.

Divorce him.

I support you.

But my maid, Yuan Xiang,

was placed by my side by Prince Fuying to watch me.

She knows my every move.

I'll handle it.

You can't be serious!

You're having a lot of fun!

Doesn't the Eastern Palace

have a latrine?

Yes!

Here. Here.

Thank you.

Song Yicheng has been brought back.

Strip him of his position.

Send him away to find a job outside.

If he continues to stay in the palace,

he might cause more trouble.

By then,

you will surely be implicated.

Song Yicheng is your younger brother.

Can you bear to do that?

I can't ease your burdens,

but at least

I shouldn't be your burden.

It's good that you think

this way.

Where is Yuan Xiang?

Didn't she go with you?

When I arrived at the Ningshuang Palace,

to humiliate me, Princess Ningshuang

treated me like a servant.

When I waited for her anger to subside and came out,

she was no longer there.

I thought

she came back early.

Aren't you...

the Princess Consort's maid?

What happened to you?

It's you.

Greetings, Mentor.

Please rise.

Mentor, why are you crying?

Forget it.

Well...

how has the Princess Consort been lately?

I haven't seen her for a long time.

She's been doing very well.

Don't worry about her, Mentor.

Plain.

Too plain.

What's plain?

The Eastern Palace...

treats people rather poorly.

Come.

Look.

I heard...

this is a rare luminous pearl,

a tribute from another state.

A luminous pearl?

Mm.

It really glows!

Of course!

It glows at night.

You don't even need to light candles at night.

His Grace gave you this?

As you know,

His Majesty

dotes on His Grace

more than on Prince Fuying.

These things are nothing at all.

His Grace often rewards me.

He always rewards me.

I have so much jewelry that I need a box to store them.

You like it?

No.

I don't like it.

This is nothing.

It's quite ordinary.

If you like it, take it.

You're giving it to me?

This isn't proper.

But it's your kind gesture, Mentor.

If I refuse,

I would seem too ungrateful.

Thank you, Mentor.

Come.

Beautiful.

Truly beautiful.

Then I'm going back.

Goodbye, Mentor.

What are you doing here?

I came to take you home.

You're helping the Princess Consort again?

It's not that I want to help people.

It's that the immortals don't care about the mortal world.

They receive offerings from mortals,

yet they turn a blind eye...

to mortals' suffering!

Don't litter.

Yet so many people insist on becoming immortals.

Just like you.

Tell me,

why do you cultivate immortality?

What's 1,000 years of cultivation for?

I ask for nothing...

but my daily bread.

I didn't expect

that you're quite selfish.

The radical of the character Xian (immortals)

is Ren (human).

Humans naturally put themselves first.

Then what about the suffering in the mortal world?

You just stand by and watch?

If the mortal world had no suffering,

it wouldn't be the mortal world anymore.

It's better to decide your own fate

than turning to immortals or divination.

No wonder immortals are indifferent.

So those who cultivate immortality

are all indifferent people like you!

Everyone

has their own destiny.

You...

Watching others suffer, unable to extricate themselves,

you stand by and do nothing.

And you call that destiny?

Then...

Then it's like...

I'm your ferryman,

but I refuse to help you ascend,

and I tell you

this is your destiny.

If it were you,

could you accept that?

Indifference is indifference.

Don't use destiny as an excuse.

Oh, right,

you need to help me with something later.

I can't help you.

I'm indifferent.

You're

not just indifferent! You also hold grudges easily!

Hurry up.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Where did you go?

I was delayed in the latrine for some time.

Did you fall into the latrine?

When you went out today,

it seems you weren't wearing this hairpin.

On the way back,

I ran into Mentor.

She sent her regards to you, Your Highness.

And she just gave me this hairpin.

Huo Xiangjiu is quite generous.

Your Highness,

I'll take my leave.

Today, at the Ningshuang Palace,

was there anything unusual?

Nothing unusual.

You saw Huo Xiangjiu?

What was her mood like?

A bit sad.

She's probably still grieving her father's death.

Do you like this hairpin?

Mm.

Haven't I given you anything?

Why did you accept something from the Fucang Palace?

I know my mistake!

Your Highness, please don't be angry!

This hairpin can't compare to what you gave me!

What are you doing?

Something so precious—

it's only natural that you like it.

Throwing it like this

is truly a waste.

Since you like it...

eat it.

I was wrong!

I won't dare do it again!

I won't dare do it again!

Do you want me to feed you?

Eat it.

Eat.

What happened to your mouth?

Where's your luminous pearl?

Such a precious thing.

It was ruined just like that.

Stop crying.

I've been to the Fucang Palace.

Things like that—

the Fucang Palace has plenty of them.

Huo Xiangjiu told me the same.

But so what?

They're not mine.

Pick a couple of pieces from my things.

These ordinary things of yours

can't compare to those from the Fucang Palace.

They're not for you.

They're for you to give as gifts

to Huo Xiangjiu.

Although these

can't compare to hers,

she values the gesture more.

People from the Fucang Palace attach great importance to dignity.

If you use these to return the courtesy,

she'll surely give you something more valuable.

Really?

Of course.

Why else would I befriend someone like Huo Xiangjiu?

Then I'll...

take a couple more.

You want me to seduce her?

That is utterly ridiculous!

It isn't seduction.

It's called a beauty trap.

You're going too far.

I have no other choice.

Yuan Xiang is Prince Fuying's trusted maid.

If we can use Yuan Xiang,

we can help Song Lian escape her misery,

and perhaps

we can find clues about my father from her.

Killing two birds

with one stone.

Nonsense.

These past few days, my hounds have been searching the palace.

I've been searching the Eastern Palace.

More than half is already done.

Wait a little longer. We'll have news soon.

But they aren't mutually exclusive.

Mao Jin takes care of the Eastern Palace.

We take care of Yuan Xiang.

A two-pronged approach—

wouldn't it be much faster?

No matter what,

I'll never engage in seduction.

You...

Mentor.

Mentor?

He truly is a wily fox.

He said he won't engage in seduction?

He's practically a soul-snatching envoy.

How dare you not bow

before me?

Greet...

Greetings, Your Grace.

You're a maid from the Eastern Palace.

What brings you to the Fucang Palace?

At noon,

I ran into Mentor.

She gave me a luminous pearl hairpin.

I'm deeply grateful,

so I prepared some gifts

and came to return the courtesy.

Although these pieces of jewelry

aren't worth a fraction of what Mentor gave me,

gaining Mentor's appreciation

fills me with gratitude.

I only wish to express my gratitude.

I never expected a maid like you

to understand etiquette so well.

This...

This...

This...

This is a luminous pearl?

This guy...

Don't tell me what I'm wearing

was also transformed from a toilet stick.

Raise your head.

This...

is yours.

Mine?

You don't like it?

I like it!

How could I not like it?

Do you want me to deliver it to you personally?

A precious hairpin...

for a beautiful lady.

Let me...

put it on for you personally.

How disgusting!

Utterly disgusting!

I never expected that there's such a beauty

from the Eastern Palace.

Your Grace, I'm flattered.

What a pity.

Why do you sigh, Your Grace?

Such a beauty

is not from my Fucang Palace.

It's truly regrettable.

How could I be so fortunate

to serve you, Your Grace?

Never mind.

Life

is full of regrets.

Go back.

If you don't mind, Your Grace,

I'm willing to stay at the Fucang Palace to serve you.

Do you truly mean that?

Absolutely.

But I

have a quirk.

I wonder if you can accept it.

Actually,

Prince Fuying also has quite a few quirks.

It doesn't matter.

As long as I can stay to serve you,

no matter what quirks you have,

I can accommodate them all.

My quirk is

I loathe servants with former masters.

What does that mean?

Former masters

are like ex-lovers.

Better dead than alive.

Moreover,

I'm not asking you to take action against Prince Fuying.

You're the Princess Consort's maid.

You just need to think of a way

to drive her...

out of the palace.

Then you won't miss your former master in the future.

Drive her out of the palace?

But

she is the Princess Consort.

Just wait for the right opportunity.

Once you drive away your former master,

I will have you...

transferred to the Fucang Palace.

You are so nice, Your Grace.

But

how long do I have to wait?

How about...

just killing her?

Absolutely not.

This woman

is truly ruthless.

Your Grace, you care about her?

No.

I simply...

care about a beauty like you.

These fair, jade-like hands

should not be stained with blood.

You are so nice, Your Grace.

But

I was just saying.

I usually don't even dare to speak loudly.

Go back.

When...

the time is right,

I'll tell you what to do.

Okay.

Your Grace, wait for my good news.

I'll... come to serve you soon.

You are so nice, Your Grace.

You won't engage in seduction?

Was that seduction just now?

That wasn't seduction?

You were practically a soul-snatching... envoy.

Y-You've completely bewitched Yuan Xiang!

You even helped her put on a hairpin.

A precious hairpin for a beautiful lady.

Bah!

What's beautiful about her?

Didn't you tell me to seduce her?

Did I tell you... Did I tell you...

Did I tell you to seduce her like that?

Did I tell you to touch her chin?

Then teach me

how I should seduce her.

How would I know how to seduce someone?

I've never seduced anyone before.

Who says you haven't seduced anyone?

Then who... did I seduce?

Oh, right.

Why didn't you ask her about my father?

Asking now

will make her suspicious.

When the time is right,

I will ask her.

No wonder they say foxes are cunning.

It's true indeed.

Foxes are cunning—

that is what you humans say.

If foxes are truly cunning,

how would you humans be able to tell?

That means we humans

are

even

smarter.

You pride yourselves on being clever,

yet you look down on us for being cunning.

Tell me,

who's more cunning?

But not everyone is cunning.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be unfortunate people like the Princess Consort.

You

always think of others.

Aren't you tired?

Not thinking of others—

does that make life more carefree?

When I help others,

the body may be tired,

but the heart

is at peace.

You haven't changed at all.

You're still as kind-hearted

as before.

Why does it sound like you knew me before?

You're so practiced at seducing people.

How many women have you seduced before?

None.

Not a single one?

I don't believe you.

Then for the past few thousand years,

have you never fallen in love with a woman?

I have.

Then how many?

You could say many

or just one.

What does that mean?

Clear streams trickle by jade-like leaves.

Longing drips like dew, brushing past seal-script incense.

I don't understand.

Master.

Tomorrow is your tribulation.

The daily tribulation is not far away.

Are you still not going to ascend?

By the way,

tomorrow, I need to go out of the state

to find a medicinal herb for His Majesty.

You're leaving the state tomorrow?

Will you come back tomorrow?

You won't spend the night outside?

That's good then.

Don't worry.

I'll have Mao Jin watch over you.

Listen carefully.

Don't run around.

Just stay in the Fucang Palace.

As for you,

don't flirt with anyone.

Will you miss me?

I will think of you all day long.

You are so nice, Your Grace.