Original subtitles

Defying the law by unlawfully imprisoning others,

attempting to murder the heir of a marquis.

What punishment should you face?

Your Highness,

though your status is noble,

by ancestral law, the women of the inner palace

may not interfere in state affairs.

This is a court of law,

not a place for Your Highness to make a spectacle.

Please conduct yourself with dignity

and leave at once.

In that case,

I'll remain here

and go nowhere today.

Everyone in and around this yamen is under my command.

Until the court sends someone

to uncover the truth of this case,

no one here,

including you, Prefect Yu,

may leave this yamen.

Commandery Princess Zhaoning,

how dare you place an imperial official under house arrest!

This matter,

I will report to His Majesty at once.

Mo Yuan.

How dare you!

I am an imperial official!

Xihe!

Xihe!

Xihe!

Xihe!

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Magistrate Tang

has confessed everything.

The secret prison in Zenan

was orchestrated by Yu Zao.

I am willing to testify.

It was Yu Zao who ordered

the people to be secretly abducted,

forced to mine ore,

and illegally forge weapons

for a treasonous plot.

I have kept the account books

and correspondence as evidence.

Tang Juan, you wretch! May you die a miserable death!

Throw Yu Zao into prison

and keep him under strict guard.

Kneel!

The prefectural office is handling this case.

Drop your weapons and you will be spared!

Run!

Cui Jinbai!

Cui Jinbai!

Cui Jinbai, where are you?

Don't move!

Come out!

Hurry!

Cui Jinbai!

Stone Cui!

=Blossoms of Power=

(Adapted from the novel, After My Bloom, All Flowers Wither by Jin Huang)

=Episode 15=

Hurry!

Cui Jinbai!

Hurry!

Stone Cui!

I'm here.

How are you?

Are you hurt?

Did they... did they hurt you?

Seeing how worried you are about me

makes me very happy.

Cui Jinbai,

Yu Zao has been imprisoned,

and the Prefectural Residence has been seized.

I'm grateful

that you helped me.

But what you said to me before,

I hope you'll forget it.

Do you understand?

But you were clearly worried about me.

That's because you helped me.

Let's go.

Greetings, Your Highness.

These past few days,

you have worked tirelessly.

You flatter me, Your Highness.

I'm not trying to interfere with your investigation.

I simply wish to remain by your side

and be of some help to you.

There's no need to trouble yourself.

You should return to the palace at once,

lest His Majesty become concerned.

Though our wedding has been postponed,

our goal remains the same.

We both seek to eliminate corruption

and bring justice to the people.

I believe you

also wish to solve Bu Shulin's case as soon as possible.

After all,

you are as close as sisters.

Throughout the interrogation,

you will preside.

I'll merely observe

and lend my support.

As you wish, Your Highness.

Your Highness,

there's no need to waste your time on me.

Hasn't Tang Juan already confessed?

Whatever the sentence is,

so be it.

Yu Zao,

you secretly transferred

the imprisoned civilians into the mountains to mine ore

and forge weapons.

But as far as I know,

you hold no influence in the military.

So the mastermind behind the secret prison

is not you.

Who is the real mastermind?

It's me.

The secret prison has caused countless tragedies.

Families have been torn apart,

and lives destroyed.

Even if His Majesty sentences your entire clan

to death, it would not be excessive.

Then...

let it be.

Yu Zao,

have you not thought of your wife and children?

Or your brothers and sisters?

Will you really stand by and watch them

be dragged to their deaths because of you?

Yu Zao's attitude

is very unusual.

Indeed.

He's far too confident.

Your Highness,

do you still remember the Moon Palace game?

Black can become white,

and white can become black.

In this world, it's more than just a chess piece

that blurs the line between black and white.

Truth can become false,

and false can become truth.

Yu Zao faces the punishment of extermination of the whole clan.

Yet in prison, he has remained remarkably calm,

without offering a single word in defense of his wife or clan.

That means there's a strong possibility...

The Yu Zao in prison

is not the real Yu Zao.

Whether he's real or not,

that depends on your next.

I've kept you waiting, Your Highness.

Not for long.

When it comes to waiting for you,

I have all the time in the world.

Why is it that you can always say such flirtatious things

as if they were nothing?

Because every word comes from the heart.

If this is how the conversation is going,

I'll be leaving now.

All right.

Let's talk about something else.

These documents

are evidence that Yu Zao accepted bribes.

Every payment can be traced.

Yet not a single payment went to his wife or children.

(Private Records of the Ningze Prefectural Treasury) Nor did any of it go to his relatives.

All the money ended up in one place.

Yuzhou.

You dropped this the other day.

I'll be there on time tomorrow.

Prefect Yu,

your crimes warrant the extermination of your whole clan,

yet you don't even flinch.

I've already made myself clear.

I know my crimes deserve death.

You two

shouldn't waste any more time on me.

You don't care about your fake wife and children.

Do you really care nothing

for your real wife and children?

What do you mean by this, Your Highness?

You show no fear of the extermination of your whole clan.

That goes against basic human nature.

Which leaves only one explanation.

Those people are not your real family.

That's why you remain unmoved.

You're not the real Yu Zao.

I don't know, Your Highness,

why you would make such baseless claims.

You may deny it all you like.

But of all the bribe money you took,

not a single payment

was sent to your wife or relatives in the capital.

Instead, it all went to Yuzhou.

I imagine someone very important to you is there.

The real Yu Zao

was ambushed by bandits

on his way to his post two years ago.

Your people killed him,

and you assumed his identity.

For the past two years,

you never returned home,

only kept in touch with Yu Zao's family through letters.

You and the mastermind

planned, over those two years,

to make full use of the secret prison

and forge enough weapons.

Then you would find an opportunity

to disappear without a trace.

I never expected

you would uncover even this.

If you admit your false identity and reveal the mastermind,

I will spare your real wife and children.

What do you say?

Given the situation,

is there a better choice than what Your Highness has offered?

(Zenan Prefecture)

The imperial decree has been issued.

You will pay for your crimes with your life.

That will bring this matter to a close.

Your real wife and children

have now been spared.

You can tell us now, can't you?

It was the Duke of Ying.

Twenty years ago,

I joined the army under the Duke of Ying.

The Duke of Ying showed me great kindness.

I could not refuse

any of his orders.

The Duke of Ying

is in Anlan now?

Something has happened to the Duke of Ying.

He had close dealings with a Hu merchant.

In the past,

he secretly obtained poisons

through that merchant.

The merchant gained leverage over him

and became increasingly overbearing.

The Duke of Ying decided to silence him.

Unexpectedly,

the merchant poisoned the Duke of Ying and escaped.

After being poisoned, the Duke of Ying

could barely eat anything.

His insides burned with unbearable pain,

leaving him in constant agony.

After that,

his whereabouts became unknown.

My fellow citizens,

I am the Deputy Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review.

By order of the court,

I have come to resolve the secret prison case.

The culprit impersonated Yu Zao,

and all his accomplices have been arrested.

The secret prison

has been completely destroyed.

The court is fully aware of the suffering you have endured.

His Majesty is deeply grieved as well.

By His Majesty's decree,

all victims of the secret prison case

and their families

will receive relief.

His Majesty has appointed Commandery Princess Zhaoning

to oversee these arrangements.

Everyone,

those who suffered in the secret prison case

and lost a family member,

please proceed to the green banner.

Each person will receive 500 copper coins

and 25 kg of rice.

The elderly, the weak, ladies, and kids

may proceed to the yellow banner.

Each person will receive an additional 6.25 kg of millet.

Those who are ill or injured

may proceed to the red banner.

A physician will examine you personally.

Anyone wishing to file a complaint

may go to the white banner.

A legal clerk will help prepare your petition.

Hot soup and rice cakes

have been prepared at every station.

Please help yourselves.

- Thank You, Your Majesty! - Thank You, Your Majesty!

Thank You, Your Majesty!

- Thank you, Your Highness! - Thank you, Your Highness!

Thank you, Your Highness!

Please, rise.

Please rise.

Please, rise.

Everyone, please rise.

Please, all of you, rise.

Please rise.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Go collect your relief.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Here, take it slow.

Your Highness, by the Crown Prince's order,

the front of this stele

is engraved with the Relief Proclamation.

Anyone left alone because of official injustice

will receive 50 copper coins each month.

If a prisoner dies of illness,

(Relief Proclamation) the body must be examined

by the coroner, the family, and local elders.

The back of the stele bears the Collective Accountability Order.

If three wrongful imprisonments occur within a prefecture,

the prefect will be branded and exiled.

If there are more than five,

their entire clan will be permanently barred from office.

The secret prison case has now been solved.

The Crown Prince deserves some credit as well.

What did the Crown Prince give you

to make you keep taking his side?

The Crown Prince is always helping Your Highness.

I don't need any favors from him to take his side.

If Your Highness and the Crown Prince become husband and wife

and govern the East Palace together,

it would truly be a blessing for the people.

Are you really no longer considering

marrying the Crown Prince?

Once you enter the palace,

there can be no room for a soft heart.

Your Highness,

Crown Prince's carriage has been following us from a distance.

He hasn't come any closer.

Just ignore him.

♪A wall that collapses at a single push♪

♪Frost that melts at a single smile♪

♪How can you be this wonderful♪

♪I've hidden so many words♪

♪Too reluctant to tell you♪

♪So never uncover♪

♪The sand that slips away with one grasp♪

♪The flower that withers after one bloom♪

♪Silently buried deep inside my heart♪

♪Every answer I gave♪

♪Was both bittersweet and absurd♪

♪Hiding my tear-filled eyes when I hurt you♪

You truly are

a fairy beneath the Jade Terrace moon,

standing gracefully in the breeze.

And you

are no different from a snake that won't leave my side.

That's quite true.

I do tend to cling to people.

The secret prison case in Zenan District

was brought to a successful close

thanks to your brilliant plan.

Though you keep saying it's for mutual benefit,

you've also brought justice to the people

with the greatest care.

If Bu Shulin

were not the heir of the Marquis of Shunan,

I wouldn't have gotten involved

from the very beginning.

Then why don't we join forces

to bring down the entire Marquis of Shunan's Manor

and absorb them all into the Northwest Army?

What do you think?

See?

Why must you make yourself sound so heartless?

Your Highness,

no matter what you say,

this engagement

must be broken.

You are bullying me again.

♪Light as a dream, time drifts by♪

♪Pushing the sea of stars to flow across♪

♪Flowers wilt and bloom again♪

♪In an endless cycle♪

♪Whispers beneath the moon♪

♪Slowly spread across the branches♪

♪Longing is so beautiful♪

♪How many still wander as they did in their youth?♪

♪Amidst the flickering lights♪

♪Alone for several autumns♪

♪How to choose the one♪

♪To be with forever?♪

♪When I gaze upon you♪

♪Flower petals twirl gently in my heart♪

♪Gracefully♪

♪For all eternity♪

It doesn't matter if some things

take a little longer.

♪Quietly reflect in your sparkling eyes♪

I'm willing to wait.

♪Scattered red petals fall like rain♪

♪It's a wonderful time in the world♪

♪Bits of worries and sorrows♪

♪Are gently gathered into your elegant sleeves♪

♪Gradually, on the misty path♪

♪Not a trace of sorrow can be found♪

(Zenan Post Station)

Your Highness, look.

I'd like to travel with you.

We can look after each other along the way.

What do you say?

I don't need that.

But I do.

Don't you want to know

the truth behind Consort Liang's poisoning?

Before Yu Zao was executed, he told me

the mastermind behind the secret prison case

was the Duke of Ying.

He also bought poison from the merchant many times.

After committing so many evil deeds,

he was poisoned by that very merchant.

He should now be hiding somewhere in the imperial capital.

You're exceptionally perceptive.

I'd like to join forces with you again

to find his whereabouts.

This has nothing to do with our engagement.

We'll work together

only to find the real culprit.

Very well.

I agree.

Return to the palace.

(Residence of the Heir of the Marquis of Shunan)

You were injured in the black prison,

so you need to rest and recover.

Avoid cold and spicy foods.

I still can't eat that.

Then... then take a look at this.

Shouldn't I be eating something nourishing?

You should listen to Physician Xie.

I was only

trying to appear a little more delicate before Physician Xie

so he would take pity on me.

- Seeing him in person today. - Please.

Physician Xie truly has the grace of a jade-like immortal.

Then how does Physician Xie compare to Vice Minister Cui?

Physician Xie is as gentle and refined as jade.

As for Cui Jinbai,

he's nothing but a dull, useless lump of stone.

How can jade

be compared to stone?

Young Master, you do love to joke.

I mean every word.

I'll take my leave.

I have matters to attend to at home.

I'll be going as well.

- I'll come see you another day. - Xihe...

What sweet words you have.

Looks like you've recovered.

Just now,

I was only complimenting our guest.

I didn't mean to put you down.

I'm glad you're feeling better.

Jin Shan, look at him.

Such a terrible temper.

Go see him off.

Yes.

Young Master,

I've escorted Vice Minister Cui to his carriage.

If he's gone, then he's gone. No need to tell me.

Jin Shan,

where's that box from Shiweizhai?

The one carved with peonies?

That's the one. Go bring it to me.

I saw Vice Minister Cui was quite upset,

so I already gave it to him.

Who told you to give it to him?

Who told you to give it to him?

Why are you so worked up, Young Master?

It's only a box of pastries.

Stone Cui!

Stone Cui!

Stone Cui!

I gave you the wrong box of pastries.

Then who was it meant for?

Wang Sanlang of the Marquis of Zhenbei's Manor.

You're giving him something like this?

You two must be very close.

We're just drinking buddies.

I promised him long ago. I couldn't go back on my word.

Don't take it to heart.

I'll give you a new box another day.

I've given instructions regarding Your Highness and the Crown Prince's

search for the Duke of Ying.

Every apothecary in the imperial capital,

if anyone tries to buy antidotes,

I'll know about it.

I'll have to trouble Physician Xie again this time.

No need to be so polite, Your Highness.

Your wisdom and decisiveness

have earned my admiration.

To have you as a friend

is my great fortune.

You flatter me, Physician Xie.

Actually, there's something I've always wondered.

Back then, Physician Xie,

why did you sever ties with the Duke of Xie,

give up your title, and become a physician?

The reason I studied medicine

was because of my mother.

She died from a prescription mistakenly written by a physician.

The medicine wasn't poisonous,

but it wasn't the right treatment.

My mother took it for three years

and died without a cure.

And all of it

was arranged by the man I called father,

the Duke of Xie.

Why was the Duke of Xie so heartless?

He had someone he loved in his youth.

To marry again, he murdered his first wife

after careful planning.

Yet he pretended to be a devoted husband,

showing endless care and concern.

That was why

I couldn't bear to stay in the Duke of Xie's Manor another moment.

Being able to speak honestly with Your Highness today

has eased the burden I've carried in my heart.

I'm truly grateful.

Just remember, Physician Xie,

we are true friends.

If you ever face any hardship,

I'll do everything I can to help.

(Baicao Herb House)

Those people did indeed buy antidotes.

Do you know who they are?

Speak at once.

They were from the Duke of Xie's Manor.

Young Master,

should we

inform the Crown Prince and Commandery Princess first?

No.

I'll go myself.

Three days from now,

if I haven't returned,

inform the Crown Prince and Commandery Princess Zhaoning.

Yes.

(Duke of Wei's Manor)

Your Highness,

something has happened to Physician Xie.

Duke of Xie dared not invite a renowned physician to treat Duke of Ying,

so he could only search the city's apothecaries in secret

for antidotal herbs.

Your Highness,

what if

the Duke of Xie denies it?

Your Highness,

the message has already been sent to the Crown Prince.

His Highness said

everything is up to Your Highness.

How wonderful.

Crown Prince respects Your Highness from the bottom of his heart.

Your Highness's decisions

have always had the Crown Prince's full support.

You two

never miss a chance to speak for the Crown Prince.

(Duke of Xie's Manor)

Your Highness, my lady says she hasn't been feeling well lately

and is unable to receive Your Highness.

Once she has recovered,

she'll send Your Highness an invitation.

Your Highness's cat ran off.

- What? Your Highness... - Catch it!

Having you announce my arrival

was merely to show her some courtesy.

What are you waiting for?

Go help!

It's over there! Hurry!

(It smells like medicine.)

To the south.

Greetings, Commandery Princess Zhaoning.

(Duke of Xie's Manor)

(Yuan, Wife of the Duke of Xie)

This is the Duke of Xie's Manor.

How can Your Highness search it so openly?

My cat went missing here.

Naturally, I have to look for it.

Mo Yu.

How dare you!

Commandery Princess Zhaoning,

you certainly have some nerve.

Duke.

(Duke of Xie) Your Highness,

do you take the imperial capital for the northwest?

Neither princes nor princesses

would dare behave with such arrogance.

Greetings, Duke of Xie.

I'm only looking for my cat.

Guards!

Mo Yuan.

(Duke of Xie's Manor)

His Majesty has granted me 500 guards.

The Duke's guards

number only forty or fifty.

Do you truly intend to stand against me, Duke?

I will never allow you

to disgrace the Duke of Xie's Manor.

The Duke of Xie's Manor is heavily guarded.

If we remain at a standoff,

Physician Xie will be put in danger.

We should make this matter bigger

and bring the Prefecture of Jingzhao here.

We'll use their authority to our advantage.

Please calm down, both of you.

(Gathering Auspiciousness and Virtue) Please calm down!

Prefect Zhang,

Commandery Princess Zhaoning is abusing her authority

and insists on searching my manor.

Prefect Zhang,

the golden plaque bestowed by His Majesty is missing.

The Duke of Xie and his wife refuse to return it.

What utter nonsense!

Your Highness, do you have any evidence?

We'll have our evidence once we find it.

Do you realize, Your Highness,

that if the golden plaque is not in the Duke of Xie's Manor,

you will be caned according to the law?

I'm certain the golden plaque is in the Duke of Xie's Manor.

Duke of Xie,

the loss of the golden plaque is a matter of great importance.

I dare not take it lightly.

Why not

allow me to bring two guards

to conduct a search?

You...

Thank you, Prefect Zhang.

This is the last room.

Your Highness, please stop.

This is the Xie family ancestral hall.

Outsiders are not permitted inside.

Your Highness,

this hall enshrines our ancestors' spirit tablets.

Those outside the family should not enter.

Perhaps we should leave it at that.

Precisely because of that,

this is the most concealed place.

Are you trying to disturb the peace

of my Xie ancestors?

If it's not found here,

I'll personally apologize

before the Xie family's ancestral tablets.

(Xie Family Ancestral Hall)

(Spirit Tablets of the Xie Family Ancestors)

My goodness!

(Spirit Tablets of the Xie Family Ancestors)

(Ning)

The golden plaque!

That's impossible!

If the Duke of Xie refuses to accept this, then appeal to His Majesty.

Once we're inside the Duke of Xie's Manor,

it'll be your turn to make your contribution.

(Ning) We need to lure the Duke of Xie

out of his manor,

so the Crown Prince can find the Duke of Ying

and rescue Xie Yunhuai.

Use this to lure Du Huo.

(To the south.)

Mo Yu.

How dare you!

(Xie Family Ancestral Hall)

(Xie Family Ancestral Hall)

(Sixian Hall)

Your Highness,

Commandery Princess suspects the Duke of Xie's Manor has a secret passage.

To make it easier to move the Duke of Ying,

it shouldn't have only one exit.

It must connect to a second exit.

Tian Yuan, bring me the map.

(The Imperial Palace) A single passage can have many exits.

They're built by a waterside pavilion,

leading directly to the underground waterway for an easy escape.

On the southeastern side of the Duke of Xie's Manor,

there is indeed a river.

But there's only a bare dock.

There isn't a single building.

It's nothing but the riverbed and rocks.

How could there be an exit?

I once read in the military defense records

that an exit

could be disguised as a mooring post.

On the surface,

it looks just like any other mooring post.

But it's actually hollow,

with a hidden mechanism inside.

Tian Yuan,

bring me twenty guards who are skilled swimmers.

There must be a secret passage beneath the dock.

(Dock)

Your Majesty,

throughout the realm,

only the Commandery Princess

possesses this imperial golden plaque.

Even if I stole it, it would be useless.

You're mistaken, Duke of Xie.

Once someone leaves the imperial capital,

local officials recognize only the imperial golden plaque.

Seeing it is the same as seeing His Majesty himself.

They need only obey.

Your Majesty, the Xie family has served with distinction for generations.

I have never harbored disloyal intentions.

Your heart lies within your own body.

How could His Majesty know

whether you harbor disloyal intentions?

Minister Tao is unmatched in the art of debate.

I can't outargue you,

but I will never allow such slander and false accusations.

Who's there?

Your Highness?

The Duke of Ying is gravely ill.

How can you recover

in this dark chamber?

Why not come with me?

I'll find another renowned physician to treat you.

I have no desire

for Your Highness renowned physicians.

Since Your Highness

has walked in here,

I'm afraid

you won't be walking out through this door again.

The Duke must be so ill

that you've forgotten how to judge the situation.

Move!

Let us go!

Let him go.

Your Highness...

I still have many questions

to ask you.

Your Majesty,

the imperial golden plaque

was not stolen by the Duke of Xie.

Your Highness,

wasn't that what you said yourself?

I never said

the Duke of Xie stole the golden plaque.

It had been lent to Xie Yunhuai.

Xie Yunhuai?

He has lived on the outskirts of the capital these past few years,

treating the common people.

To make traveling easier,

I lent him

the golden plaque.

But he disappeared a few days ago,

while the golden plaque turned up in the Duke of Xie's Manor.

That is why I concluded

he was being held in the manor.

Duke of Xie,

is Yunhuai

really in your manor?

Your Majesty,

Prefect Zhang has already searched my manor.

Did he find my son?

Your Majesty,

I did not.

Your Majesty,

Crown Prince requests an audience.

Let him enter.

Greetings, Father.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Rise.

What exactly happened?

I was held in a secret chamber

behind the wall of the Xie family ancestral hall.

I was fortunate to escape.

Your Majesty,

my son

has long resented my remarriage.

He has always been prejudiced against me.

I did not imprison him.

I only

wanted him to stay at the manor so we could spend more time together

and resolve the rift between us.

Duke of Xie,

you denied it outright and concealed the truth.

You have committed the crime of deceiving your sovereign.

As this is your first offense,

your salary will be suspended for one year.

You are confined to your manor

to reflect upon your conduct.

Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy.

I shall return and reflect on my actions behind closed doors.

Thanks, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty,

I have one more request.

Speak.

Lady Fan, the mother of Xie Yunhuai,

was virtuous and wise, managed the household with distinction,

raised her children well,

and was respected by the whole clan.

I humbly ask Father to issue another imperial decree,

posthumously conferring upon Lady Fan the title of First Rank Lady,

so that both justice and propriety may be upheld.

Huayong,

your proposal is most appropriate.

Lady Fan's virtue

deserves this honor.

Why aren't you thanking His Majesty?

Thank you for Your Majesty's great grace.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

(Receiving the Mandate and Establishing the Foundation)

He refused to send reinforcements,

causing Prince Qian's death,

then claimed the throne himself!

How dare you!

Duke of Wei has returned.

Youyou,

my daughter

isn't someone who can be married off so easily.

He's far too scrawny.

How could he become a son-in-law of the northwest?

Only a real man like your father

and brothers will do.

♪I've hidden so many words♪

♪Too reluctant to tell you♪

♪So never uncover♪

♪The sand that slips away with one grasp♪

♪The flower that withers after one bloom♪

♪Silently buried deep inside my heart♪

♪Every answer I gave♪

♪Was both bittersweet and absurd♪

♪Hiding my tear-filled eyes when I hurt you♪

♪How hard it truly was?♪

♪The wounds that healed with just a little comfort♪

♪The lies made whole with a single embrace♪

♪Pretending to be brave as if I'd never been hurt♪

♪It's a shame I never could♪

♪Give you a moon in return♪

♪With the same open heart you loved me♪

♪I've crossed the wasteland of memories♪

♪Never knowing I was lost♪

♪Why don't you take me away?♪

♪Lead me out of this endless game of hide-and-seek♪

♪You'll never♪

♪Know how much I long to, long to♪

(No animals were harmed in the making of this film)