Original subtitles

Greetings, Your Highness.

You truly are remarkable.

I wonder where you found someone from your past.

Yet she managed to secure the position of Palace Matron.

The fact that Matron Tan has caught Your Highness's attention

proves she is truly exceptional.

The inner palace has no shortage of women.

Just like

the rain from the heavens,

one shower after another,

without end.

You've done an excellent job assisting with the affairs of the Six Palaces.

But don't forget.

The Grand Empress Dowager and His Majesty

have been hoping to find a secondary consort for Crown Prince.

I hear the princess of Lanhai will soon enter the palace to pay her respects.

Perhaps when the time comes, you should see

whether the two of you can become sisters.

Your Highness, you're now ranked last among the Four Consorts.

Why worry about so much?

You resort to every scheme imaginable.

You'll surely face retribution.

My retribution

is holding great power,

beyond defiance.

=Blossoms of Power=

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

=Episode 24=

(Pure Integrity and Benevolent Heart)

Your Highness,

I must tell you.

During the first treatment,

three needles will be inserted into your spine.

The pain

will feel like countless ants gnawing at your bones.

Your Highness,

perhaps you should reconsider.

Begin.

♪Let it all go, give my tears to the flowers♪

♪Beneath my feet, eternal doom is more than wind and sand♪

Your Highness,

I beg you.

Please stop.

♪Hides in the clamor♪

Your Highness,

if it's too much to bear,

we can stop for now and proceed gradually.

♪I want destiny, and also tender words of love♪

♪As night stains my eyes♪

Continue.

♪I have a dream of a long wind in my sleeves♪

♪My heart rises and falls, we embrace in a sea of clouds♪

♪For how much joy do we share this life together♪

♪Withering and flourishing, year after year♪

(Clarity and Serenity)

♪Time rushes by as spring brings life, autumn brings death♪

♪A heart weathered by frost will melt in love♪

(I personally made this soup. Please let me know how it tastes.)

♪With this broken body, I'll become your armor♪

♪I want destiny, and also tender words of love♪

♪As night stains my eyes, I'll gaze once more at the rosy clouds♪

♪I have a dream of a long wind in my sleeves♪

♪My heart rises and falls, we embrace in a sea of clouds♪

♪In this eternity, you are a part of it♪

♪My longing can level mountains and cross countless rivers♪

♪Drunk or sober, it's all like a dream♪

♪Stars sink into my hair, the moon slips through my fingers♪

♪For how much joy do we share this life together♪

♪Withering and flourishing, year after year♪

Your Highness.

I didn't mean to.

Just pretend I did.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Youyou.

Luming.

Your Highness.

This parrot hasn't been given a name yet.

What do you think we should call it?

Baisui. [* Longevity.]

Let's call it Baisui.

Baisui.

Baisui.

Baisui.

Your Majesty.

Under Your Majesty's benevolent rule,

the realm has enjoyed peace for many years.

Our king is deeply grateful for Your Majesty's grace.

Thus, he has sent me to accompany Princess Yaoxi

to pay tribute at court.

(Princess Yaoxi, Princess of Lanhai)

This Princess Yaoxi

bears a striking resemblance to Princess Yun'an,

who married into the Le Tribe years ago.

Your Majesty.

This time, our king

has entrusted me to escort the princess to the capital

for another purpose as well.

Our king hopes

Your Majesty will find the princess a worthy husband.

Then, Princess,

have you taken a liking to any young gentleman?

Your Majesty.

If my heart belongs to someone,

would Your Majesty grant us your blessing?

If your feelings are mutual,

I

will gladly grant your wish.

Your Majesty.

When I was young, I met someone.

I was utterly captivated.

Seeing him again today, I fell for him at first sight once more.

I simply cannot forget him.

Princess Yaoxi,

you're frank and forthright.

Go ahead and say it.

I...

shall speak on your behalf.

I admire the Crown Prince's majestic bearing,

and I am willing to marry into the East Palace

as a secondary consort.

Xihe.

I...

I swear I have no other intentions.

Here you go again.

I believe you.

Huayong isn't feeling very well.

You should go and get some rest.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Your Highness is peerless

in all the world.

She only met you once when she was little,

yet you stole her heart.

She hasn't stopped thinking about you since.

My lady.

Are you jealous?

No.

We're husband and wife.

There's no need to be shy.

So, are you jealous or not?

No.

Not even a little?

No.

Not at all?

No.

Has Crown Princess not asked even once about Princess Yaoxi?

No, she hasn't.

Not even once?

The Crown Princess sleeps well, has a healthy appetite,

and is no different from her usual self.

Your Highness.

Princess Yaoxi requests an audience.

I will not see her.

Yes, Your Highness.

Wait.

Escort Princess Yaoxi to the front courtyard.

Yes, Your Highness.

Greetings, Your Highness.

Please, have a seat, Princess.

What brings

you here today?

I have come to ask for your forgiveness.

Forgiveness?

I have feelings for you, Your Highness.

I spoke out impulsively at the banquet.

I hope you won't take offense.

What are you laughing at, Your Highness?

Your father is gravely ill.

His condition has worsened in recent months.

But no physician could help.

Your younger brother is still a child.

He has yet to establish any authority.

On top of that, your uncles, who each command military forces,

are all watching the throne with eager eyes.

Your royal family's rule is hanging by a thread.

So you're eager to secure a marriage alliance with our dynasty

and seek our protection.

What does any of that have to do with love?

Since Your Highness has spoken so frankly,

I won't hide the truth either.

This marriage

would not benefit me alone.

First,

I dare say I'm not lacking in beauty.

Second,

if you marry me,

you gain half of Lanhai.

My younger brother and I are devoted to each other.

Once he comes of age and ascends the throne,

he will remain unwaveringly loyal to Your Highness.

Lanhai has a powerful army.

If Your Highness were to bring me into the East Palace,

that would make it even better.

Isn't that a good thing?

Your Highness.

Princess Yaoxi and the Crown Prince had a great conversation,

and sat in the front courtyard for a long time.

Did they?

What if she really asks for an imperial decree of marriage?

After all, she's a princess.

And she isn't asking for the position of Crown Princess.

His Majesty and the Grand Empress Dowager may not refuse her request.

You are the Crown Prince.

It's only a matter of time before you take consorts.

If I were to enter the East Palace,

I would always honor the Crown Princess above all.

I would never compete for your favor.

Even if I were to bear a royal grandson,

he would have no claim to the imperial throne.

I have vowed

to marry only the Crown Princess.

Even taking a consort in name only and not in fact

would still be breaking my promise.

Princess, have you heard

that I am gravely ill?

I do not have long to live.

The physicians have declared that I have

less than a year left.

If I truly pass away,

all the support you hope to gain

will vanish with me.

Even so,

would you still be willing to marry me?

You're quite straightforward.

So, to protect your younger brother,

you must help him secure the throne before he comes of age.

I'm not the right choice.

Then who should I marry?

Bear the consequences

without regret.

That choice

can only be made by you.

My lady.

Don't prepare my dinner tonight.

I have an appointment with Princess Yaoxi.

Understood.

(East Palace)

Your Highness.

It's getting late, and Crown Prince still hasn't returned.

What kind of meal takes this long?

Why don't you send someone

to ask the Crown Prince to come back?

Zhen Zhu, Mo Yu.

Yes, Your Highness.

What are your orders?

Pour me a cup of tea.

- Yes. - Yes.

Your Highness.

You wouldn't let me inform the Crown Princess,

and Crown Princess hasn't sent anyone to invite you back.

At this rate,

this can't go on like this.

If she doesn't come looking for me, I won't go back.

Understood, Your Highness.

You just want the Crown Princess to get a little jealous

and show that she cares about you.

But in my opinion,

I'm afraid that day will never come.

Why are the lights out?

Have you seen what time it is?

It's already past bedtime.

(Clarity and Serenity)

Your Highness.

Well...

Tian Yuan.

Will I never live to see

the day the Crown Princess gets jealous?

Your Highness.

If all else fails,

I think we should find a way

to give ourselves a way out.

At first,

all I wanted was for her to marry me.

I asked for nothing more.

But after we got married,

I couldn't stop wanting more.

I don't blame her.

I blame myself.

Your Highness.

I've already decided

who I'm going to marry.

His Majesty.

How did Your Highness know?

My father rules all under Heaven.

Right now, the princess

needs to protect your younger brother.

Who could be a more suitable choice?

Besides,

my father spent half his life on the battlefield.

He is an extraordinary man.

But His Majesty hasn't taken a new consort in many years.

After Princess Yun'an married into the Le tribe,

my father never took another consort.

Princess Yun'an

was the love of his life that he lost forever.

Princess Yun'an?

Princess Yun'an...

We were very close.

She was gentle, virtuous, and devoted to helping others.

She watched me grow up.

We were as close as mother and daughter.

That's all the better.

Then does Your Highness mean

I should follow Princess Yun'an's example to win His Majesty's favor?

An imitation

might earn you a few extra glances from His Majesty.

Your advantage doesn't lie in imitating someone else.

It's the many years

you spent by Princess Yun'an's side.

Through constant exposure,

you naturally learned all of her finest qualities.

Perhaps it's for the best that I'm not marrying you.

You're far too skilled at reading and influencing people's hearts.

You're too kind, Princess.

However,

there is one person who is beyond your control.

The Crown Princess.

Your Highness has gone to such great lengths

to invite me out in broad daylight

just to put on a show for the Crown Princess, haven't you?

Isn't that the Crown Princess's personal maid?

She is.

Princess, would you mind

smiling a little more brightly?

You helped me,

so I'll help you.

I also hope

that after you marry my father,

you and the Crown Princess

will become allies.

So Your Highness is trying to win me over

for the Crown Princess's sake?

If you form an alliance in the palace,

you can look after one another.

I also hope that once your younger brother ascends the throne,

the Lanhai Army will stand behind the Crown Princess as well.

But everyone says the Crown Princess is cold and ruthless.

She isn't cold or ruthless.

She is exceptionally wise,

strong,

proud,

honest

and genuine.

When it comes to the greater good,

she never shirks responsibility,

nor is she ever willing to owe anyone a debt.

If you're sincere with her,

she'll return that sincerity.

She is

the kind of ally you can trust with your back.

I believe every word Your Highness has said.

Because never before in the palace

have I seen a husband

admire his wife so deeply

or love her so wholeheartedly.

Then I also wish, Princess,

that your wish comes true.

This afternoon weather

is becoming unbearably humid.

Your Majesty, why not rest for a while in the pavilion?

These past few days, the Crown Prince and Princess Yaoxi

have been together everywhere.

Shooting wooden ducks, drinking tea, and eating fruit.

They've made no attempt to hide it.

Tomorrow they're even planning to have dinner together.

The time has come.

What are you trying to do?

Princess Yaoxi,

please come with me.

Shen Xihe?

How dare you!

I am the Princess of Lanhai.

I am His Majesty's honored guest.

Even if you're the Crown Princess,

how dare you treat me like this?

Let me go!

Not only do I dare to tie you up,

today,

but I'm going to hang you from a tree.

You're utterly outrageous.

Aren't you afraid I'll report this to His Majesty?

Not at all.

Hang her up.

Yes.

This is outrageous!

I won't let this go!

- Gag her. - Don't touch me!

Yes.

Shen Xihe,

don't touch me!

Don't touch...

Your Highness.

Princess Yaoxi is, after all, a princess of high rank.

What exactly are you trying to do?

Let me down!

Let me down!

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Princess Yaoxi came to me in tears.

She said you

abducted her in broad daylight,

and then hung her from a tree outside the city.

What exactly happened?

Your Majesty,

does Princess Yaoxi have any evidence

that proves I was responsible?

So you're saying

that without evidence,

even if you did it,

nothing can be done to you?

Princess Yaoxi's intentions toward East Palace are plain for all to see.

She and I are naturally at odds.

Why does Your Majesty believe only her side of the story?

What if Princess Yaoxi

staged this to frame me?

Then what?

Huayong.

You're actually laughing?

Just look at

your sharp-tongued Crown Princess.

Very well.

Then we'll wait

until Princess Yaoxi has fully recovered.

The two of you

will confront each other in person.

Yes.

You...

Father.

If Father has no further instructions,

I'll take Xihe back to the East Palace.

(Sea Within the Heart)

Why did you make such a spectacle with Princess Yaoxi this time?

We were putting on an act.

The Crown Princess went to such lengths to invite me here.

What is this all about?

How about joining forces with me?

Joining forces?

I know you're looking for support for your younger brother.

I'm sure the Crown Prince has already explained everything.

There's no need for me to repeat it.

The two of you

really are alike.

I came today

to lend you a hand.

And how do you intend to help me?

Let's make it appear that we're sworn enemies.

What do you think?

Don't worry.

I've arranged for Mo Yuan and Mo Yu to stay nearby.

You only need to hang there for two hours.

No.

I want to stay up here all night.

It's only for show.

Don't have to put yourself through this.

You don't understand.

Only if it looks real will His Majesty believe it.

Besides,

this is the perfect chance to find out

how much I truly matter to His Majesty.

By the way,

thank you for helping me.

It's just that once word gets out,

your reputation in the palace may suffer.

I don't mind

being the villain.

I knew it.

You're the one who had Princess Yaoxi approach His Majesty.

If she's bullied and falls ill,

His Majesty will only dote on her more.

I'm simply giving you a helping hand.

My lady is truly perceptive.

If Princess Yaoxi enters the palace as a consort,

she'll be able to support her younger brother.

As for me,

I'll gain another ally

in the inner palace.

Once her younger brother comes to power,

he'll command the hundreds of thousands of Lanhai troops.

What you've done today

will not only stabilize the inner palace,

but also secure the border.

That's one reason.

The second

is that I want to make an example of her.

So everyone will know

that any lady who sets her sights on the Crown Prince

will end up just like Princess Yaoxi.

Do you really mean that?

You've been spending so much time with Princess Yaoxi.

Weren't you doing it just for me to see?

You always think I don't care enough about you

or get jealous.

What did you mean by what you just said?

You have feelings for me?

You're jealous?

You're always thinking of me.

So, of course,

I should make you happy once in a while.

Tian Yuan.

His Majesty's decree.

Princess Yaoxi is hereby bestowed the title of Consort Shu,

ranking among the Four Senior Consorts.

By imperial decree.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

- Greetings, Consort Shu. - Greetings, Consort Shu.

Young Master Bu.

- Young Master Bu. - Young Master Bu.

This one's good.

Look at this. This one.

Now that's impressive.

Look.

Hey, what are you doing?

When the young masters of noble families gather,

they compose poetry.

How is it that you always end up looking at this sort of thing?

I'm taking these. No more reading them.

Lin, what's gotten into you?

Weren't these books the ones you gave us?

What are you doing?

What am I doing?

I'm burning them.

- No! - No!

Why burn them?

I have to.

Don't.

No... Don't!

You two, take a break.

What brings you here?

It's one thing for you young masters to spend your days chasing after women

instead of doing something worthwhile.

But now,

you've become this brazen.

Don't any of you think this is disgraceful

and dishonors your family?

We're only reading these in private.

It's not against the rules.

What about you?

Did you get our permission to come in here?

And now you're standing there judging us.

Exactly.

Isn't Vice Minister Cui here among the flowers, too?

Don't be a hypocrite.

Tonight's on me.

We're not leaving until we're drunk.

Good!

- Good! - Good!

Come on.

Come on!

Here, pour the liquor. Let's keep going.

- Young Master Bu. - Young Master Bu.

Vice Minister Cui, you're in quite the mood.

Why are you still here?

You ordered liquor, yet you haven't had a single drink.

Were you worried about me?

Shouldn't you be back in your gentle paradise?

What brings you to my quiet little corner?

That bunch can't hold their liquor.

They're already completely wasted.

Actually,

I was trying to snatch those books away and burn them.

What exactly are you trying to do?

I'm here to apologize.

I made you angry earlier.

I'll punish myself with three cups of liquor.

You want to drink?

Fine.

I'll drink with you for as long as you want.

That's it.

It's all gone.

Still want to drink?

Yes.

All right.

I'll get more.

Changmin already suspects that Bu Shulin is a lady.

He plans to expose it through an arranged marriage.

Someone, help!

- The Fourteenth Prince has fallen into the water! - Help me!

Someone!

Young Master Bu.

Are you all right?

Has your poison flared up again?

It's nothing.

♪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♪

♪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)