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[The Virtuous Queen of Han]

[Episode Twenty-Five]

The harem of Great Han has been cursed by witchcraft.

This is the day that I will have the chaos put to an end.

My merits are so great that any sin can be justified by them!

Everything that I did was to rid you of villains and keep the harem safe!

It is your own safety that you are guarding!

I beg Your Majesty to spare the Empress from the death sentence!

Your Majesty, for the sake of years of marriage with the Empress...

Don't bring up our marriage!

Both mother and daughter brought chaos upon the harem!

Your sins can not be pardoned! You deserve to die!

Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation.

How easy it is for you to want us dead.

I just didn't expect you to be so cold-blooded to the Empress!

Cold-blooded?

You're both extremely cruel and have harmed others.

Have you ever felt a pang of compassion or guilt?

When you saw others suffering, you might even celebrate with drinks

to congratulate yourselves for the success of your evil scheme.

You have both denied yourself of what 'affection' is!

Now that you're on the verge of death, you talk to me about 'affection'?

Ridiculous!

Guards!

Take them away!

Your Majesty!

All that Jiao Er did was to hold on to your affections.

She just wanted to be with you forever!

The gods can be her witnesses!

I beg Your Majesty to take back your orders!

I beg Your Majesty to take back your orders!

Your Majesty! I know that I have done wrong!

- I'm wrong! Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Even if you don't care about Jiao Er's devotion to you

you have to consider Grand Empress Dowager's sentiments.

Jiao Er has always been her favorite!

How dare you use my deceased grandmother to threaten me?

I wouldn't dare to do so!

I just know Your Majesty always followed the teachings of Confucius.

Confucius once said 'Served the dead as you would have served them alive.'

'That is how far-extended filial piety is.'

Were Grand Empress Dowager still alive

how sad would she be to see her grandchildren turn on each other?

The Emperor and the Empress become enemies?

To spare Jiao Er's life is to be filial to Grand Empress Dowager.

I beg Your Majesty to fulfill your filial duty

to comfort Grand Empress Dowager's soul!

I didn't expect you to be so shameless as to use kinship

as an excuse to stay alive.

What is justice if I allow evildoers to live?

What is filial piety if I allow the harem to stay in chaos?

Your Majesty, I know that I have sinned terribly.

I do not expect Your Majesty to forgive me.

But there is one favor that I ask of Your Majesty.

What is it?

Please allow me to see Madame Wei before I die.

Jiao Er...

Your Majesty once said to me that you were content with having just me.

You deceived me.

Your Majesty thinks that if we have mutual affection

we wouldn't plot against each other.

But Your Majesty did plot against me.

I'm only doing to you what you did to me.

Your Majesty is right.

But when I plot against you, I was plotting to get your love.

I hope to be treated with true affection.

But you plot against me to get someone else's affection.

You've deceived me with false affections.

May I ask Your Majesty, between us, which one of us let the other down?

I ask Your Majesty not for the sake of merits nor affection

but for the promise of the golden palace

please allow me to see Madame Wei.

Jiao Er...

Joy and bliss to Empress.

This might be the last time that anyone will address me as Empress.

You think that I deserve this, don't you?

Perhaps I do.

Now that I am in this predicament, do you still hate me?

Actually, I have never hated you.

But I can't help but bear a grudge against you.

Since I entered the palace

I've always been polite and modest. I never fought for anything.

But I still suffered from witchcraft and almost lost my life.

My three children almost lost their mother.

I can only resent that your hatred runs too deep

and took over your true character.

Actually, the resentment and hatred between us

did not stem from too much hatred

but from a love that is too deep.

How could I bear to treat the favorite concubine well

in order to win the favor of my husband?

His Majesty and I were childhood sweethearts.

I saw him distancing himself from me more and more.

How could you possibly understand how helpless I felt?

Now, everything has come to an end.

Little did I expect that as the leader of the harem

the Empress of Great Han

I couldn't even get a hold on my own fate.

I don't have any other requests.

There is just one thing that I wish to know.

Grandmother once told me on her deathbed

that she left me a life-saving charm.

I'd like to know if you are it.

Yes.

This is great.

I'd ask you for the favor now.

But it isn't for myself.

It is for the sake of my mother.

I beg Madame Wei to save my mother and spare her from death.

I, Chen Jiao, have never begged anyone

apart from His Majesty and Grandmother.

But in order to save my mother

I'm willing to kneel to Madame Wei until you agree to my request.

Your Highness...

Since I was little, my mother has always spoiled and doted on me.

After getting married to his Majesty, he was all that I cared about.

I only thought about how I could win the favor of His Majesty.

I didn't even care about my mother who has been by my side all along.

Until today in the hall, my mother pleaded for me

I saw her bent back and her feeble footsteps.

I then realized that the glamorous Grand Princess Dou

is just an old woman who has spent her life worrying for her daughter!

My mother raised me, helped me, fought for my status and favor

but I never was grateful for her grace.

But still, my mother tried to plead for me to be spared from death

by taking on all the blame and kneeling down on the ground.

She begged to be killed!

You are a mother and a daughter.

You should understand how I feel.

Please allow me to fulfill my filial duty before I die.

Allow me to use this life-saving charm to spare my mother from death.

I beg Madame Wei to grant me this wish!

You mustn't!

One may escape an untoward act of God

but never the evil of one's own!

Don't even dream of persuading me to pardon them both!

Your Majesty, one of them is your aunt and the other is your legitimate wife.

Aunt? Legitimate wife?

What do you think about this?

Why are your hands shaking?

Is it because of your anger, or have you contracted an illness?

Shall I summon the imperial physician?

My hands aren't shaking from my anger.

It isn't because of any illness either.

It is just because it is the time for me to take that Collar Soup.

They used poison on you to take your life.

They fed me an addictive potion to rob me of my will.

They wanted me to have to see the Empress for Collar Soup.

Your Majesty, how can this be cured?

The Minister of Imperial Medical Affairs said that it will take some time

to rid myself of this addiction.

Your Majesty...

I can't tell anyone about this.

Zi Fu...

I am so mad.

I thought of the pain that you went through

and I thought of the days when I was kept in the dark

and manipulated by the Empress everyday.

Then I got even angrier.

So much for 'Green is your collar'

'melancholic is my heart'

She has such an evil heart.

This is all my fault.

I didn't realize the pain that you were in.

Please forgive me, Your Majesty.

How easy it is to forgive you for this.

But they can not be pardoned!

Zi Fu, do you know what is the scariest beast in the woods?

Is it the tiger? Tigers eat people.

When the late emperor asked me the same question

that was what I answered as well.

He shook his head and told me

the scariest is the snake that spits venom.

A venom-spitting snake is scarier than a human-eating tiger?

Because a poisonous snake is hidden and can not be guarded against.

If you think that it is weak and treat it with kindness

it will turn around to bite you instead.

The venom that it spits out is enough to kill a person.

Therefore, once you have it captured, you must not release it easily.

I understand that Your Majesty has suffered greatly in their hands

so I shouldn't say anything more.

But since Your Majesty mentioned the late emperor

it reminds me of a story that I heard in the countryside.

It is about Your Majesty's grandfather.

It was said that when Empress Dowager Bo was ill

Emperor Xiaowen looked after her by himself for those three years.

He tried all her medication and did not sleep a day in peace.

My ancestor's filial affection could move both gods and men.

Therefore, our nation has always ruled with filial piety.

The Empress knelt to beg me, not for her own life, but that of her mother's.

I was deeply moved.

I came to plead on her behalf, despite her crimes and punishments

because of one thing.

Filial piety.

Your Majesty inherited the same principle

and has always treated Empress Dowager with obedience and respect.

Grand Empress Dowager treated Your Majesty with kindness as well.

You were very close to your grandmother.

I wonder if you know that Grand Empress Dowager asked me

to fulfill her last wish?

What is that?

Should the day come

when the Empress brings death upon herself

she hoped that I could do my best to save her life.

I would be so bold then as to ask you for a favor.

Please tell me what orders you have for me.

Jiao Er knows how to cheer me up the most

and she is also my favorite.

But it is also because of this that she is spoiled and domineering.

Zi Fu, should she commit an unforgivable crime in the future

I hope that you can save her life.

Grand Empress Dowager was worried that Empress would get into trouble

so she turned to me for help instead of

going to Your Majesty for a life-saving decree.

Do you know the reason behind this?

I'm afraid that the Emperor will be the one to sentence her to death.

Che Er was born to become a legendary, wise emperor.

But he is also the one who can not bear to stand Jiao Er.

Now that he already reigns the nation

I'm afraid that one imperial decree

would only be about the law, but not the sentiments.

Should something happen to the Empress

prevent her from being killed...

for my sake.

Just treat this as repaying my kindness.

I will obey the orders of Grand Empress Dowager.

Now that I have your word, I no longer have any regrets.

Grand Empress Dowager had foreseen that Empress wouldn't let you off.

She was bound to get into trouble and I would not pardon her.

Of all the people in the world, only you, Zi Fu, would save the Empress

despite all that had happened between the both of you.

Since Your Majesty now knows about everything

why don't you allow me to hold on to my promise

and fulfill the last wish of Grand Empress Dowager?

Your Majesty, Great Han values filial piety.

Filial piety brings about the harmony of the family.

Harmonious families bring about the prosperity of a nation.

The imperial family is the role model to all families.

I ask that Your Majesty serve as the role model to all.

Spare the Empress and Grand Princess Dou from their death penalties.

The imperial decree arrives!

Senior Princess Liu Piao has no virtue despite being the first born.

Incited arguments and caused chaos in the harem.

In remembrance of her merits

she will be grounded in the manor of the Marquess of Tangyi.

She is never to step into the palace again.

Empress Chen has no discipline and virtue.

She instigated other women to assist her in witchcraft.

She will no longer be favored by the gods.

She is to hand over the imperial seal of the Empress.

She is to be deposed and confined to Changmen Palace.

In respect to her filial affection she shall be treated as she was

by the grace of His Majesty.

Thank you for your graciousness, Your Majesty.

My daughter was born with riches and splendor.

Step by step, she became Empress.

But that is now just a dream.

That towering Changmen Garden, with projecting rooftops and good feng shui

that I gave to His Majesty as a present

is now the cage to trap my daughter in.

It is already fortunate to have kept Mother alive.

Now that I could also be spared from death

that is an even greater grace.

I ask for nothing more.

It's just that one of us will now be shut outside the palace

and the other is locked inside the palace.

I'm afraid we will never see each other again.

The high walls of the palace will keep me away from all hustle and bustle.

I shall cherish this life, and always miss Mother.

Happiness and peace to Empress Dowager.

Warm blessings to Your Majesty.

Don't stand on ceremony.

Thank you, Empress Dowager.

Madame Wei was gracious and put in good words before the Emperor

to plead for Chen Jiao and her mother.

I just hoped that the chaos in the harem could die down quickly

and therefore spoke with my head instead of my emotions.

Spoke with your head indeed.

Both of them framed and harmed you in many ways.

But you repaid enmity with graciousness.

You really are of high virtue and prestige.

It's no wonder that the Emperor is so drawn to you.

Don't just tell those moral stories to the Emperor.

You have to tell them to my granddaughters as well.

They are studying in the palace now.

Later, you can take them back with you to Orchid Palace

to tell them stories about cultivating one's moral character and virtue.

Then they will tell right from wrong, and be understanding.

Yes.

I will bring them back here tomorrow.

Madame Wei, didn't you listen clearly?

What Mother meant is that the children will be under your care, permanently.

Really?

Your daughters miss you every day.

In the future, I feel at ease to have you discipline them.

With you by the Emperor's side

it is a true blessing to Great Han and the harem!

Thank you, Empress Dowager.

Here, come over here.

Don't forget to come over here with them often.

Go with me to look at the flowers.

You've been much aggrieved.

This is all because of that witch Chu Fu who came between us

and stirred up all this trouble.

Mother, don't worry.

I will definitely clamp down on this case.

Punishments and rewards will be given accordingly.

The case of poisoning has finally come to an end.

The real culprit is arrested and the mastermind has confessed.

The harem is now peaceful again.

Duan Hong and Zhang Tang went around to investigate the case.

They played a vital role.

I now appoint Duan Hong as Prefect of the Gentlemen-of-the-Palace.

He shall lead all the imperial guards.

Zhang Tang is appointed as Superior Grand Master

to draw up the laws and regulations.

By my orders, Duan Hong is to carry out my imperial decree

and Zhang Tang as his assistant

to supervise the execution of the witch, Chu Fu!

The witch, Chu Fu, bewitched with her curses and spells.

She incited chaos in the harem. This is a crime of treason and heresy!

Her sins are such that she cannot be pardoned!

She is particularly sentenced to be chopped in half

from her waist to have a taste of extreme pain!

Then her head is to be displayed in public to serve as a warning!

Time is up! Carry out the execution!

No! Don't!

Please don't chop me up!

Don't chop me! I'm scared of pain!

Let me go!

Let me go! Let me go!

Let me go!

You have to avenge me.

She is sentenced to be chopped in half at the waist

to have a taste of extreme pain!

Damn you, Emperor! You're so ruthless!

You have such an evil heart.

You used the most excruciating death penalty on her.

You made her die in so much pain!

Wei Zi Fu, what monster are you?

Drugs and poisoning couldn't even take you down.

But you took her life so easily!

Wei Zi Fu, don't gloat too soon.

May the heavens and earth be my witness.

I swear to bring chaos to the palace!

I will make Wei Zi Fu pay with her life!

Zi Fu, you've been so restless for the past few days.

Have you fallen ill?

You should have a rest.

I'm all right.

Sister!

Our oldest brother has fallen ill.

How is he now?

He is now resting in our old little hut.

The physician said that he is not going to make it!

We're a family, bound to each other through our hearts!

Be happy when life is bitter and when life is sweet.

Take life as it is and be happy about it.

Strive as a family, stay strong yet kind.

Be happy whether we're poor or rich.

Be happy when life is bitter and when life is sweet.

Take life as it is and be happy about it.

Strive as a family, stay strong yet kind.

Zi Fu, don't be upset anymore.

Your brother is already buried.

His Majesty ordered the funeral to be held in propriety

and he also allowed you to mourn for a hundred days in the palace.

I'm sure that if your brother knew, he'd have been comforted.

After the praying ritual today, you should stop mourning.

The dead are already dead. I understand that.

You don't have to worry about me.

That's good then.

Ming Yue, what is the matter?

Ming Yue's bosom friend was taken to the Drying House for interrogation.

She has been worried about her.

What is it about?

It is because of the voodoo case.

Even now, there are still people being implicated.

Some were arrested and some threatened by means of torture.

They rat out more people and more are arrested.

No one knows when the investigation will come to an end.

A few days ago, Si Rong from Changxin Palace was arrested.

She hasn't even returned.

I imagine that I'll never see her again.

I heard that they would rather get a hundred wrong than to miss one.

Everyone is in a panic.

No one knows if they are afraid of the punishment or the torture.

Ones who committed the crimes should be killed

but I'm afraid that the innocent will also be implicated.

I heard that even Jin Yao killed herself.

Jin Yao?

Madame Xu Li's personal maid?

Madame, the soup isn't too hot now.

It's just right.

After the praying ritual, I'd like to go to Zengcheng Palace.

Madame! Madame Wei is here to see you!

Madame? Madame!

Madame!

- Madame Xu Li! - Madame!

- Madame Xu Li! - Madame!

Go and get someone here to help!

- Madame Xu Li! - Madame!

Hurry up!

Yes!

Why would you still save me?

Do you know that I have sinned deeply?

I deserved to die. I held the candle for the devil.

It was not my intention, but I had no other choice.

I would never harm Madame Wei like this.

Empress is the head of the harem

and your authority is that of the Emperor.

But I'm afraid that I can't obey your orders to harm anyone.

Don't be in such a rush to defy my orders.

Make your decision after reading this.

I'm afraid that after reading it, you might even beg me to let you do it.

County magistrate, Xu Li Guang...

took bribes and abused the laws.

He harmed the people of Juyan and failed His Majesty.

He shall be executed today.

According to the law, once this record of interrogation is submitted

and isn't corrected within three days

it will become a closed case.

You can only blame your brother for causing too much trouble.

But there is still a way to save him.

You now have his life in your hands.

I was selfish and wanted to save my older brother.

So I allowed Jin Yao to poison you.

I almost got you killed.

I have failed both you and His Majesty.

Please don't say that, Sister.

I understand the kinship between siblings.

That day when Princess Weizhang wanted to drink that soup

you knocked it over on purpose.

You didn't want the princess to be poisoned as well.

I will remember that sentiment.

Madame wei, you're so forgiving.

Xu Li will always be grateful.

Sister, please get up.

You never meant to hurt me.

I am fine now so I won't look into this any further.

We are still sisters like we were before.

Thank you... But I have already made a grave mistake.

It can not be undone.

Now that Jin Yao had already killed herself for fear of punishment

I will be implicated sooner or later.

Instead of waiting in fear every day of being arrested and tortured

I'd rather take my own life.

Sister! Sister...

The mountains and rivers are as of those in a painting.

How spectacular.

Music is as of that in the heavens.

How splendid.

To stroll with the emperor...

How joyous.

A match made in heaven...

My smart Zi Fu, you could at least finish the sentence with

'how delightful'?

It is indeed delightful.

But here I am having a great time with Your Majesty

while there are many others who are in panic and fear.

How sorrowful.

We asked each other out for a stroll and all I think about is

to walk around with you to rid us of our troubles.

But you have something else in mind.

It is just that I saw how scared the servants and concubines are

because of Superior Grand Master Zhang Tang's investigations.

I feel bad about all this.

I understand that many are implicated in this case.

But if we don't get to the bottom of this matter

and kill those involved to serve as a warning

we would be indulging the villains.

The consequences could be dire.

It's just that it has already been quite some time.

The Empress is already deposed.

The culprit, Chu Fu, was also executed.

Even if the others are involved

it could be that they were forced into carrying out the orders.

It is already a punishment that the others are in such fear.

I beg Your Majesty to have mercy on them.

Allow the innocent to be at ease and the guilty to repent.

Your Majesty, let us close the case.

I have just lost my older brother.

I understand the pain of losing one's family.

The harem is now my home.

Everyone in the harem is my family.

I just hope that my family in the harem can be harmonious and safe.

That they can all be happy.

I ask that Your Majesty grant me this wish.

I also hope that it is harmonious in the harem.

You made such an effort to ask me out here

and also spoke so sincerely.

How could I not grant you your wish?

I just hope that what I seek can also be accepted by Zi Fu.

Your Majesty is the ruler of the nation.

You could just tell me what it is.

Why would you need to put it this way?

You know that I've always wanted to pacify the frontier

and attack the foreign enemies.

Wei Qing volunteered to go out to battle.

I'm worried that you've just lost your older brother

and wouldn't bear to let Wei Qing leave.

It's fine. This is yet to be decided.

We still have to see how much provisions we can gather

and the supplies we can dispatch.

I'll make a decision when this is all prepared.

I understand that there are no homes without a nation.

The nation should come before the family.

Moreover, Wei Qing has trained in martial arts since he was little

and studied military strategies since he came to the palace.

He hopes that he can realize his ambitions.

If he can win your admiration and trust to lead your army

it is the honor of Wei Qing.

I would only be happier and even more proud of him.

All right.

I am right about you.

And I am also right about Wei Qing.

Don't worry, Wei Qing is sure to ride across the desert

and make a name for himself in history.

Sir, are you here to see Fei Luan?

Princess took Fei Luan out for a ride this morning.

Your Highness.

Fei Luan looks very lively today.

He's more agile and strong than ever.

Fei Luan, are you feeling especially happy today?

Your two favorite people are here to see you.

Two favorite people...

Two people who like Fei Luan the most.

I am about to leave for the battle.

I came here to see you before I leave.

I might not be able to see you for quite some time.

I find it a bit hard to part with you.

This is a good opportunity for you to accomplish your goals.

You've trained so many years for this.

It isn't about parting with anything.

It is about what you can and can not do.

Right, Fei Luan?

Since His Majesty has plans to conquer the western regions

I've been training Fei Luan even more.

He is now fearless and mighty.

If he storms the battlefields with you, you will win every battle.

Fei Luan, stay with Princess, will you?

No.

The foreign enemies are vicious.

Over the years, Great Han has lost many of our soldiers and commanders.

More battles were lost than won.

I can only be at ease if he accompanies you to war.

Wars are dangerous and weapons show no mercy.

Fei Luan is your favorite.

He should stay by your side.

I could then be at ease.

If you'd like me to be at ease, I want you to listen up.

Since you've promised to serve me, you have to get back alive.

I will not let Your Highness down.

I will return in victory.

Promise?

I promise.

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