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[The Virtuous Queen of Han]

[Episode Forty-Five]

I've never felt so carefree in my life.

I was born in the imperial family, and all I had was luxury.

Everything that I owned and used was always extravagant.

Never did I know that putting aside status and luxury

to enjoy life in the simplicity of countryside could be so carefree.

I have found the inner peace and serenity that I never had.

As long as you like it

I will keep you company wherever we go.

We will watch the sunrise in joy

and watch the ebb and flow of the tides.

It makes my heart as warm as the sun to enjoy such great scenery

with my husband every day of my life.

I hope that my health improves soon

then I can take you to more places further away next year.

We'll watch the fireflies dance in Jiangnan.

We'll watch the sand storms in the deserts.

We'll watch the ocean and the sky join as one by the seaside.

It's not just next year.

I want another ten years, twenty years, and thirty years.

Just like this, the two of us on a horse every day, every year.

We'll watch every beautiful scene together, hand in hand.

No matter what the future holds, I will always stay by your side.

I will hold your hand and grow old with you.

Now that I could have you by my side, I no longer have any regrets in life.

Listen.

It is the sound of the wind.

Don't open your eyes.

Just remember this moment.

Madame, Princess Pingyang is here.

Princess.

Madame Li is pregnant. Don't stand on ceremony.

Thank you, Princess.

Congratulations to Madame Li on your pregnancy.

Thank you, Princess.

Princess and Great General are newlyweds.

How is it to travel and enjoy some leisure?

Thank you for your concern, Madame Li.

I was perfectly well before I entered the palace.

How is Madame Li's unborn child?

The child is doing well.

I am occasionally dizzy and nauseous.

But to think that my child is slowly growing inside me

I am very satisfied.

Your Highness, would you like to feel the baby move?

Since you have said that you are unwell

I wouldn't dare to touch you.

Should anything happen to you...

I would be accused of harming the imperial heir.

Your Highness, why would you say so?

The moment I got back to Chang An

I heard the rumor that the Empress had tried to harm the imperial heir.

When I entered the harem, the rumors escalated even more.

Princess is wise.

I'm afraid this isn't some slandering rumor.

This is the truth.

I didn't expect the Empress to become so cruel because she's jealous of me.

She is jealous of you?

Exactly.

Now that you are dressed in such luxurious outfits

you are all glorious and splendid-looking.

Do you still remember how you got to become what you are today?

Of course, I do.

If Your Highness didn't recommend me then

and introduced me to His Majesty

how could I be in such favor?

I could never forget Princess' kindness.

Back then, I noticed that your appearance was outstanding.

You could also sing and dance very well.

I gave you a chance because you were modest and polite.

Since you remember that, you should know your place.

Don't become so cocky just because you are favored.

Don't you dare plot for more than you should ask for.

I am wronged.

I have always kept Princess' reminders on my mind.

I have served His Majesty well.

I'm now the most doted one and that got me harmed

because of the Empress' jealousy towards me.

I ask that Princess look into it!

Do you think that you can slander the Empress with your words?

Empress' virtuous reputation was built up slowly over the years.

It will also not be destroyed by a few words from you!

You should know that now you face the Empress and Emperor's own sister.

Also, there is the Minister of War, the Great General who controls the army.

A mere songstress like you dares to stir up trouble?

If I remember correctly

wasn't the Empress also originally a songstress from your manor?

As for rumors of you and the Wei family, I am aware of quite a few.

If I tell His Majesty what you have just said

to claim that you manipulate the imperial court and harem

out of your desire to overthrow His Majesty for power

how do you think His Majesty would handle this matter?

Go ahead. What have I got to fear?

Do you know that when His Majesty planned to appoint the Crown Prince

he didn't ask for the opinions of the imperial court officials.

Instead, he came to me, Princess of Pingyang

who is standing right before you.

Even if I do manipulate the court and the harem like you say

that is because of His Majesty's trust in me, his sister.

Don't assume that you can do whatever you please because you are pregnant.

There used to be a Madame Wang.

She was deeply favored and even gave birth to a prince.

She was even more doted on by His Majesty than you are.

As for what has become of her now, perhaps you should go and ask around.

Since I could get you up to such a high status

I can also trample you down beneath my feet!

You are on your own now.

It's so hard to be a good judge of one's mind.

It has only been a short while

and that Lady Li has already turned into a different person.

I really shouldn't have taken her back to the manor

and even allowed her to perform before His Majesty.

You had your reasons for doing so back then.

Besides, this current situation is beyond anyone's expectation.

But I am still responsible for this, no matter what.

Rather than being remorseful

why don't we work hand in hand to protect my sister?

Actually, as your husband, I'm already very touched

that my virtuous wife would stand up for my sister.

Only when the seedling is planted straight

can the tree grow upright.

I must let it grow crooked.

Let us water and fertilize this red bean tree together.

When its flowers bloom, we'll be here to admire them together.

Sure.

I will make you the promise to be here to admire its flowers in ten years.

Ten years later, when this red bean tree blossoms

I'll come here with you to harvest its fruits.

We'll plant even more red bean trees.

We'll use the rest of our lives to admire the beauty of nature.

And there's also Jun Yi, who needs you to care for him.

You have to help him continue his bloodline for generations to come.

Sure.

I promise you that in ten years time

we will take Jun Yi and his children here

to stroll among red bean trees.

You're not to break our promise to be here to admire flowers in ten years.

Never.

Let's head home.

Leave it.

Don't be scared.

Hide behind me.

Wei Qing?

Wei Qing?

Wei Qing...

Wei Qing... Wei Qing...

Wei Qing!

Wei Qing! Wei Qing!

Wei Qing! Wei Qing!

What?

Great General was attacked and his heart was injured in the fight.

His condition has deteriorated over the past few days.

I've already said that Great General must be cured!

We have already tried every possible means.

But Great General has fought in battles for years

and accumulated many injuries and inner ailments.

This time, new injuries are added to the old ones.

He... I'm afraid...

I'm afraid that he cannot hold on much longer.

I cannot lose Great General!

Send over more imperial physicians until he is fully cured.

Or else, don't bother to see me again!

Yes.

You said that the assassins are the Hu merchants

who travel between Chang An and the western regions?

Yes, and they are all originally trained as soldiers.

They are disgruntled about Great Han.

All of the assassins were killed

so we haven't found out if they have more accomplices or a mastermind.

Keep investigating!

We must also keep a close eye on the frontier.

We have to prevent the foreign enemies from launching an attack.

Yes.

Your Majesty!

Has the messenger we sent to Qin County reported to the Empress yet?

When can Empress get back to Chang An?

The messenger didn't get to see Her Highness in Qin County.

What?

When the messenger got to Qin County

the relief team was still distributing rice grains to the people.

But Her Highness and Commandant Duan went to Pingyang County

with a small team of men.

Why have they suddenly gone to Pingyang County?

They didn't send anyone over to inform me of that!

The messenger has already sped up to deliver the message to Her Highness.

Send more men to go after Empress.

She must return to Chang An immediately!

Yes.

Get ready to head to Great General's manor!

Yes.

[Courier Station]

There is something fishy behind this.

The messenger who came to Qin County said that Your Highness'

mother's tomb was damaged by the rainstorm.

But we've discovered that the tomb is intact.

Even the watchman of the tomb said that he never sent a messenger.

And at the same time, my brother was attacked.

Who could it be? Who wanted to trap me like this?

We must head back! We must head back immediately!

Your Highness, it is impossible for us to leave right away.

The bridge that leads back to the capital has collapsed in the landslide.

If the bridge is collapsed, we will go through the mountains.

The route is very narrow, only lone riders can get through.

The carriage wouldn't pass through it. Moreover, there is a rainstorm now.

It's too dangerous to take the route through the mountains.

I once walked through mountains that were piled with corpses.

Do you think I am scared to pass through the mountains in a storm?

Duan Hong, I have to rush back.

Wei Qing must be in a critical state.

Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't keep summoning me back.

I must head back as soon as possible to see Wei Qing.

I beg you to help me.

Wei Qing is my brother.

I want to see him immediately as well.

But your safety is my priority.

My safety?

For years, Wei Qing has always protected me in every way.

He risked his life for me.

He never once considered his own safety.

Now that my brother is on the verge of death

how could I only consider my safety, and disregard him?

Everything that he did was to keep you safe.

That is why nothing must happen to you!

Since we were little, Wei Qing and I kept each other company

and looked after one another.

Whenever I was in pain, helpless and in grave danger

he risked his life to protect me.

But now he is severely ill, and could possibly die.

He needs me the most now.

I am his older sister. How could I not be by his side?

The deep kinship between siblings...

cannot be hindered by this storm!

After spending all this time out here

I've dreamed of him very often.

I saw him in my dreams and we were both still children.

He caught fish for me and I was mending his shoes.

We went through hardships together and supported each other.

It was all so lovely.

But now...

I know that he must be waiting for me.

He must want to see me very much.

Since the gods bestowed me a brother who went through ups and downs with me

they will allow us to pull through this crisis together.

Duan Hong!

I understand.

It hurts you more not to see Wei Qing than to be battered by rain.

We will take a risk this one time.

I'll escort you back on horseback.

We will leave immediately.

[Great General's Manor]

Recuperate well.

Foreign enemies have not taken any action.

Don't worry. I will avenge you.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Wei Qing, you could trample thousands of soldiers under your feet.

You can surely get through this crisis.

You must pull yourself together.

Throughout my entire life

my merits and fame were all bestowed by Your Majesty.

I'm grateful to Your Majesty for the recognition and opportunities.

Your Majesty discovered my talent like Bo Le spotting a fine horse.

If a talented man isn't recognized, how can he make the best of his skills?

You deserve all the glory.

You risked your life in battles and raged through the deserts.

You attained great achievements for pacifying the frontier

and repelling the barbarians for me.

Thank you for your trust in me, Your Majesty.

If Your Majesty keeps my merits in mind, can you make me a promise?

I am sure to promise you anything.

Go ahead and tell me.

I...

I have been through all sorts of different experiences in life.

I already have nothing more to ask for.

Now, I only have one worry.

It is my sister.

I will take care of her.

You have nothing to worry about.

Your Majesty, the imperial court is always unpredictable and changing.

The harem is just the same.

I am worried that one day my sister will be harmed by others.

I would never allow that to happen!

My sister has been devoted to Your Majesty all her life.

Her sincere devotion can be vouched for by the gods.

But time brings great changes to the world and everything is unpredictable.

If I could exchange my meritorious services

for Your Majesty's promise...

Go on.

No matter what might happen in the future

please guarantee that my sister will be protected from harm

please guarantee that my sister will be protected from harm

and lead a life free from worries on behalf of my merits.

I will.

I give you my word.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

You must hang in there.

Your sister will be here to see you.

Gods! You have already taken my dear daughter away!

Are you going to take away my virtuous son-in-law as well?

If you have to take someone, take me instead!

I'm but an old bag of bones. What's the point of staying alive?

Get up.

Great General led his life in the army to protect the nation.

The gods will protect such a hero and help him pull through this.

When one is alive, what matters most is that we live life to the fullest.

As for the other things, there isn't much to worry about.

I know that.

You will take care of the three children.

Now... I...

I know.

I know that you are worried about your sister.

I promise you that as long as I shall live

no one can harm Zi Fu.

Should anyone wish to harm Zi Fu, they will have to kill Pingyang first.

I am sorry, my Princess.

I could not fulfill my promise to you

to watch the flowers bloom in ten years' time.

Great bliss doesn't lie in the length of time that was spent together.

Even if I've only spent a moment with you

I will never forget that moment.

I, Wei Qing, moved up from a stable boy

to a Great General who led an army of hundreds of thousands.

I have not let my parents down.

I have not failed my brother and sisters.

In the last days of my life, I was able to stay by your side.

I am already satisfied.

If only I could see my sister one last time

I would truly have no regrets.

You will definitely get to see your sister.

Definitely...

Dear gods above

I hope that you can have pity on Wei Qing and Zi Fu

and help Zi Fu rush back in time to see Wei Qing.

Then they can bade each other farewell without regrets.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty! Her Highness is back!

Where is she now?

She has arrived in Xinfeng and will be entering the capital soon!

It's great that she's made it back.

Greetings to Your Highness!

Greetings to Your Highness!

My brother... Your sister is here...

Wei Qing...

I am here.

Didn't you promise me?

Didn't you?

When the world is at peace

you would enjoy the rest of your life in happiness.

Wake up, my brother.

Wake up and look at me.

I am here!

You promised me!

We would meet up in leisure

and talk about the happiness and hardships in our childhood days.

Wei Qing...

Now that you have a good wife and filial sons

and everything that we wouldn't dare dream of when we were little

how could you break your promise and abandon us all?

I still have so much to say to you.

You are the greatest gift that the gods ever gave to me!

What I am the proudest of in my life...

is to have such a good brother like you.

I am so proud of you.

Rest in peace...

Wei Qing spent his life in the army.

Seven battles he led and seven he won.

His meritorious services are honorable enough to be known for generations!

I will have Wei Qing buried on the other side of Maoling.

I will have Wei Qing and Huo Qu Bing on the left and right

to keep me company for all eternity.

The entire army is to line up from Great General's manor to Maoling

to see off Great General's coffin.

I obey Your Majesty's decree.

I will make all the appropriate arrangements.

Wei Qing isn't just my national defender

but also a member of my family who is as close as my own sibling.

Great General must have a grand funeral in great glory!

I will be here in person to attend his dressing and encoffining rituals.

He shall be honored in great glory before and after his death!

I thank Your Majesty on behalf of Wei Qing.

Go ahead with the arrangements.

Yes.

Hold on.

What are your orders, Your Majesty?

Zi Fu. Sister.

You have to take good care of your health.

I will take care of the funeral.

Take some rest with ease.

Thank you for your concern, my brother.

I have Empress by my side to comfort and enlighten me.

I have already calmed down a lot.

Your Majesty, I wish to stay here for another day

to keep Sister company.

Please allow me to return to the palace tomorrow instead.

I'll do as you wish.

My sister and Wei Qing were deeply in love.

I shall be here to place my hand on Wei Qing's heart

on the day of his encoffining ritual.

It is to thank him for his achievements

in bringing peace and safety to the nation.

I will have his achievements made known to generations to come.

You will place your hand on his heart?

As a subject, it is Wei Qing's greatest honor to have

Your Majesty's hand on his heart

as the highest form of a farewell ritual at his funeral.

Your Majesty, thank you for being so kind to him.

He deserved it.

I have already ordered Duan Hong to handle

all matters related to the funeral.

You can both discuss the details with him later.

I will do my best in arranging the funeral

so that Great General Wei can be mourned in glory.

Your Majesty and Your Highnesses, please be at ease.

I will be at ease with Duan Hong taking care of Wei Qing's funeral.

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

Her Highness has arrived.

Where is she now?

They have reached Xinfeng

and they will soon get to the capital.

It's great that she made it in time.

- Greetings to Your Majesty. - Greetings to Your Majesty.

Don't stand on ceremony.

- Thank you, Your Majesty. - Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty is upset about the passing of Great General Wei.

I have specially prepared some soup that calms nerves and relieves stress

so that Your Majesty can be comforted.

All right. You've worked hard.

Your Majesty has to pull yourself together to console the Empress.

Your Majesty has lost your most treasured subject.

But the Empress lost her brother who is connected to her

by flesh and blood.

She didn't get to see him before he passed away.

Her Highness must be in great sorrow.

Fate has really played a joke on them.

If Her Highness hadn't taken a detour to head back to her hometown

she wouldn't feel so remorseful now.

She was providing relief to the poor in Qin County.

Why would she head back to her hometown with Commandant Duan?

Fortunately, Commandant Duan was there to protect her.

Otherwise, if she ran into any dangers on her way back in the rainstorm

Your Majesty would have been terribly worried.

Stop talking!

Did I say anything wrong?

Please forgive me, Your Majesty.

I might have thought too much about it.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty came here late at night instead of going to bed.

Is it because you missed Wei Qing?

Or are you here on an important matter?

I have doubts on my mind and they won't go away.

I wonder if you can release me from these doubts of mine.

I am willing to share your burden.

I sent Commandant Duan to Qin County to protect Empress

but the both of you went over to Pingyang County instead.

That was why Wei Qing couldn't see his sister before he passed away.

He passed away with regrets.

When the Empress was providing relief to the poor

a messenger who claimed to be from Wei Manor came with a message.

He said that Empress' ancestral tomb had crashed and was damaged.

Therefore, Empress was anxious

and decided to take a small group of people with her to Pingyang County.

The rest of the team stayed on to help the poor.

I know all about that.

But whose orders did the messenger act upon?

I do not know.

I only know that when I escorted Empress back to her mother's tomb

we saw that everything was intact.

The watchman also claimed that he didn't send any messengers.

I figured that someone must be behind all this.

It was a trick to get Her Highness to head to her hometown

out of some ulterior motive.

As for the reasons behind it, further investigation is needed.

What ulterior motive could it be to trick Empress back to her hometown?

That still needs to be discussed.

But if Wei Qing wasn't attacked...

You went back with Empress to her hometown

to indulge in reminiscence of your childhood days.

That is quite an enjoyable matter.

Is Your Majesty suspecting something?

Since I have many doubts on my mind, there is much for me to suspect.

Commandant Duan couldn't resolve the first doubt that I have.

I wonder if you can resolve the next one for me?

I bestowed a marriage to you years ago.

I thought that you and Lady Li were a perfect couple.

But then you suddenly asked me to grant you a divorce.

That made me really doubtful.

I thought of the time you risked your life to save Lady Li.

Your affections were strong and vigorous.

But you divorced her just because she didn't bear you any children

after a few years of marriage.

I thought about this matter afterward and find it truly baffling.

I explained it to Your Majesty then.

There are three unfilial deeds. One, no heir...

Then why wouldn't you take a concubine

instead of insisting on divorcing your wife?

Why wouldn't you remarry after the divorce?

It must be that your feelings have gone cold.

You don't think that Lady Li was as wonderful as the lady

you met when you were young or even when you were still little

whom you had the romance of intertwined hair braids.

- It was not as romantic? - No.

The past romance is in the past now.

Your Majesty, please believe my words.

I am the only child, so I must not let my ancestors down.

Then I should select ladies from families of officials right away.

I will bestow marriage to you so that you can continue your bloodline.

I knew that you could not forget about that childhood romance.

- I... - You threw away the hair?

The past romance is long gone?

These are all lies!

Your affection for the one whom you intertwined your hair with

troubles me greatly!

I will ask you once again.

Why did you change plans and go back to your hometown with Empress?

You even rode on the same horse with her on the way back.

How do you plan to resolve this issue of mine?

Your Majesty, the bridge was broken and the path was blocked.

I was in a hurry to escort Her Highness back to Chang An to see Wei Qing

and that was why I had to resort to that solution.

I have indeed violated the protocol

But Her Highness and Wei Qing are such close siblings.

Wei Qing and I are as close as brothers.

I lost my head in a time of great emergency.

I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness.

You lost your head?

She is my Empress!

Don't you have any regards for the manners between subjects and lords?

Please forgive me, Your Majesty. This is entirely my fault.

I've only brought up these three doubts.

Yet you could not resolve any of these three issues.

I can't help but be disappointed.

I was quite touched when you said how deeply attached you are to Wei Qing.

Duan Hong, accept the decree.

Present.

Great General Wei Qing and Commandant Duan Hong

are bonded to each other in brotherhood.

Great General was just recently buried.

There are still many things yet to be arranged.

I command you to take charge of those issues in Maoling.

You are to leave the capital first thing in the morning!

You could then fulfill your duty as a brother.

That will also give you time to think carefully

about loyalty and propriety in your actions and words.

I am sure to do my best at the burial grounds

so as not to let Your Majesty down.

Wei Qing always liked apricots.

Please allow me to plant apricot trees around his tomb as a comfort.

Apricot trees bloom and yield fruits in four years.

I will not return until the day the apricot trees yield fruits.

I will allow that.

My sins are so deep that I would rather stay away.

I only hope that my departure can

bring you peace and safety.

You are pleased now?

Everything is going according to your plans.

All I did was to get someone to pass on a false message

so that Wei Zi Fu and Duan Hong would rush to Pingyang County

to check on the ancestral tomb.

That damn Emperor fell for my trick immediately.

He now assumes that they have had an affair.

Brilliant and wise?

Royal prerogative?

He is still blinded by jealousy when it comes to love.

Coincidentally, Wei Qing died from the attack.

Empress lost her biggest support and Duan Hong was sent away.

Even Princess Pingyang and Elder Yi both left Chang An.

Empress is now not as powerful as she used to be.

You're indeed very wise.

You said that we needed the right time, right place, and right connections.

Of course, power changes with time.

Our perfect timing is here.

It's just that those fragrance pills that Lady Li has been taking

can make her smell seductive

but the poison in them has already spread throughout her body.

I haven't found an antidote for it either.

She is now carrying the imperial heir, but her health is deteriorating.

If this continues the best case scenario is that she will be disfigured.

The worst is that she will die from the poisoning.

If both Mother and child should perish, you will have lost your support.

You won't be able to enter the palace at will anymore

to carry out your plan of vengeance.

That is why I need this odorless and tasteless poison from you

that cannot be detected by the silver needle.

Who are you going to kill with this poison?

The Emperor? The Empress?

Or...

Neither!

How could I possibly let them off so easily?

Then who are you going to kill with this poison?

Madame!

Wake up quickly, Madame!

- His Majesty arrives! - Madame!

- Greetings to Your Majesty! - What happened?

Your Majesty, Madame is...

I can't seem to wake her.

Summon the imperial physician!

Yes!

Lady Li! Lady Li!

Didn't you say that you wished to speak to me?

My daughter!

My daughter!

My daughter! What's wrong?

Godfather is here.

When did you discover that something was wrong with Madame Li?

Who has she seen today?

What has she done?

Your Majesty, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

Your Majesty, my daughter is...

My daughter! I have come too late!

How could you abandon me?

Why didn't you wait for me to get here?

Madame Li...

How could you leave with your child?

Wake up!

I came late! I've failed you!

You summoned me over urgently

so there must be something that you wish to tell me!

My daughter!

Wake up and tell me what it is!

What is this?

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