Original subtitles

Your Highness.

At ease.

The body has swelled. How do you know that's Consort Zhen?

The body has swelled. Its face is beyond cognizable.

But based on the outfit and the jewellery found on it,

We're sure it's Consort Zhen's body.

That's right. I can confirm it too.

You were there too when Consort Zhen went missing?

When His Majesty ordered me

to go to the Forbidden City to pick up Consort Zhen,

Dr Fuk was there too.

If the deceased is really Consort Zhen, why was she at the bottom of the well?

I still need to find out what happened.

This is serious. It mustn't be made public yet.

I need to report this to Empress Dowager. She will decide what to do.

Yes, Your Highness.

The deceased was really Consort Zhen?

So sad! How could she die in the bottom of the well?

I guess she didn't want to be violated by the foreigners

after they came into the Forbidden City.

So she threw herself into the well to preserve her chastity.

She did the right thing.

Your Royal Highness, Consort Zhen wanted to go meet His Majesty.

Unfortunately she was left alone on the way.

It doesn't make senses that she'd suddenly throw herself into a well to kill herself.

Dr To, you're not a woman.

Of course it's hard for you to understand how much chastity means to us.

It's good Consort Zhen considered His Majesty's dignity.

It's very likely that she threw herself into the well to commit suicide.

What Noble Consort Yu said makes sense.

Consort Zhen is really pathetic.

Then I'm sure Consort Zhen threw herself into the well

to commit suicide in order to save Qing's dignity.

The problem is how do we tell His Majesty

that Consort Zhen committed suicide by throwing herself into the well?

His Majesty's sick. He shouldn't be dealt another blow.

He shouldn't find out about this yet.

Find a nice graveyard for Consort Zhen's body and bury her.

We'll deal with the other matters later.

Yes, Your Royal Highness.

She threw herself into the well to kill herself

in order to protect her chastity?

Even you think she killed herself?

What I think is irrelevant.

Everything in the palace is decided by Empress Dowager.

We mustn't let Consort Zhen to die in such an obscure way.

We need evidence. If there's no evidence,

how can I convince Empress Dowager that Consort Zhen would never commit suicide?

Evidence? I've got evidence.

She gave me this love letter

before you came to the Northern Three Places to pick her up.

She told me to deliver it to His Majesty.

Dr Fuk, please figure out a way to deliver this letter to His Majesty.

No matter where I am, my heart will forever be with His Majesty.

I hope this will cheer him up.

She was thinking so positively. How would she kill herself?

And I have another piece of evidence.

She was wearing a pearl necklace. It's gone now.

That's right.

We did notice that the pearl necklace was missing from her body.

I always saw her wearing that pearl necklace

from the first time I met her.

She didn't take it off even when we left the Northern Three Places.

That shows how much the necklace meant to her.

Maybe it was an engagement gift from His Majesty.

She even returned our engagement gift to me.

So?

If Consort Zhen did throw herself into the well

to commit suicide like Empress Dowager said,

why would she take off the necklace before killing herself?

Why didn't she wear it when she threw herself into the well?

What happened between the time we found her and the time she committed suicide?

Who did she meet? We know nothing at all.

Perhaps she had already lost the pearl necklace when she ran off.

Exactly. Anything's possible.

Perhaps someone robbed her. The robber killed her.

This happened so long ago. Where will we find the pearl necklace?

That's why we need to investigate.

Are we supposed to let her death remain a mystery?

You're not going to investigate this, right? I'll do it myself then.

We just found out that our contact person in the palace

is in possession of a name register that contains the names of all the moles.

The senior officers said

we must find this contact person and get the name register.

Fuk Ling, I've been there before.

Don't think I don't know what's going on between you and To Chung.

If you really don't want to see him,

you should accomplish the mission as soon as possible.

Then you're free to go anywhere you like. We won't stop you from going.

Brother To, you want to go to the bottom of the well.

What are you looking for?

When I examined Consort Zhen's body earlier,

I noticed the nails on both her hands were chipped.

I suspect that she was still alive when she fell into the well.

Stop.

Dr To, you think Consort Zhen was pushed into the well?

She had a strong character.

If she threw herself into the well in order to save her chastity,

she wouldn't regret it.

I can't believe I would find scratch marks at the bottom of the well.

This proves that Consort Zhen still had a desire to live.

In other words it's very likely that she was murdered.

But Empress Dowager said explicitly that she didn't want this to be publicized.

So you must act very carefully lest people find out Consort Zhen's dead.

You must inform me once you find anything.

Yes, Your Highness.

Your Highness, the allied troops delivered

a list of the prisoners-of-war and other documents.

Put them there.

Yes, sir... Thank you, Dr To.

Your Highness, is that the name of a eunuch?

Yes, that's Cui Gong-gong.

This is the date he was captured?

Yes. He was caught on this date in the western calendar.

It's July 23rd in the lunar calendar.

I remember His Majesty said Empress Dowager ordered Cui Gong-gong

to return to the Forbidden City to pick up Consort Zhen on July 21st.

Why is there a discrepancy of two days?

This is really odd.

The strangest thing is

that when he returned to the capital and saw Empress Dowager and Your Highness,

he didn't mention that at all,

it was like he had been immediately captured by the foreigners.

What did he do during these two days?

Cui Yugui seems really suspicious.

But he's Empress Dowager's personal attendant.

It'll be hard to investigate him without alerting Empress Dowager.

I know someone who can help us with this.

Who?

Me?

I haven't seen you since I went to work for Prince Chun.

I have today off.

I brought your favorite

smoked pig's knuckles and Nurhong wine.

You do have brotherhood, Kot Kan.

Other people treat me like a servant. They don't treat me like a human being.

That's not true. Empress Dowager is really nice to you.

She didn't hold you liable for failing to find Consort Zhen.

I get mad at the mention of that.

Empress Dowager refused to take Consort Zhen with her.

But she was afraid something bad might happen to her.

So she assigned me that terrible job. But I was lucky.

Otherwise I'd have been executed by the foreigners.

Did you find Consort Zhen?

Why?

I'm nosy...

Be careful. To Empress Dowager, Consort Zhen's death is a taboo.

You mustn't mention it again.

Right.

But I can tell you a secret.

What secret?

I've decided to marry and have a son.

Who is so lucky to be your wife? She's really lucky.

Yue-yee, you're in good health now. Just now you said you're getting married?

Yes. I can't believe someone would marry me.

Congrats.

But I had those diseases before. Will I still be able to bear children?

Sure. No problem at all.

Great.

Who's the groom?

Empress Dowager's personal attendant Cui Yugui, Cui Gong-gong.

Cui Yugui? Seriously? He's a eunuch!

He said he wanted to marry me just to have descendants for the Cuis.

He'll find a suitable person to get me pregnant.

At first I was hesitant about marrying a eunuch.

But he gave me such a valuable gift.

Cui Yugui really gave you such a valuable gift?

You don't believe it either, right? I was startled too when I saw it.

He gave you such a valuable gift

because he wanted you to help him procreate?

He wants children for his family. I'm his sworn younger brother.

So he wants me to be the father of his children.

This creep can really do all sorts of bad things.

You don't think I should do it, right? I don't want to do it either.

But I'm worried that if I antagonize Cui Gong-gong,

it'll jeopardize the mission that Prince Chun assigned me.

What mission?

Prince Chun told me to find out the details of what happened

when Cui Gong-gong went to the Forbidden City to look for Consort Zhen

and how he eventually got captured by the foreigners.

Why did Prince Chun suddenly want to investigate Cui Yugui?

Because Dr To told Prince Chun that

Cui Gong-gong was involved in Consort Zhen's death.

Don't worry, Consort Zhen.

When I come next time,

I will bring along the truth with me so that you can rest in peace.

You didn't just ask me to come here and pay respects to Consort Zhen, did you?

I asked you to come because I wanted to talk to you about

why Consort Zhen was found dead at the bottom of the well.

You're really not afraid of getting into trouble.

You're not either. You pretended to be indifferent.

But you secretly investigated her cause of death.

What have you got?

It seems you know what's inside.

The truth about Consort Zhen's death is finally known.

Why is she still inside?

Come on. Getting married is one of life's big events.

Let her make herself look beautiful before she comes out. Be patient.

I don't believe you're not eager.

You're consummating the marriage for me tonight.

Here comes the bride.

Cui Gong-gong, are you OK?

Why did you guys tie me up? What's going on?

Oh, you guys doped me with the wine.

Shut up. Cui Yugui, answer my questions.

Did you kill Consort Zhen? Why did you kill her?

What are you talking about?

I never saw her. How could I kill her?

You can't deny it.

If you didn't kill Consort Zhen, how did you get the pearls?

What? I found it in the Forbidden City.

How would I know the necklace belonged to Consort Zhen?

You're still lying about it?

I didn't say the peals came from Consort Zhen's necklace.

Don't try to frame me. Have me arrested if you have evidence.

You want me to break your limbs before you'll confess? Come on.

If Empress Dowager finds out you're doing this to me,

she will have all of you beheaded.

Even if we get beheaded,

you still won't have the chance to witness that.

We didn't just put a sedative in the wine; there's also poison.

If you don't confess now, the poison will soon kick in.

You'll itch all over. Then you'll be in pain

In the end, you will die from festering and ulceration.

Well? Are you itching all over now?

You think you can scare me like this?

Don't talk then.

After a short while, even the antidote won't save you.

The antidote's here.

Do you want to talk while you feel itchy or die in great pain?

OK. I'll talk.

Empress Dowager had ordered me

to go back to the Forbidden City to pick up Consort Zhen.

When I got to the Northern Three Places, I didn't find Consort Zhen.

I went to the palace. I saw the foreigners looting the place.

I knew Empress Dowager would punish me if I returned empty-handed.

So I grabbed some valuables and planned to return to my hometown.

But then I ran into Consort Zhen on the way.

Your Highness?

Cui Yugui? Why are you here?

It's good to see you.

Empress Dowager ordered me to pick you up so you can join His Majesty.

Really? But Dr To and Dr Fuk haven't come back yet.

We should wait for them to come back.

There are foreigners everywhere.

If you don't come with me now, you won't be able to escape later.

But Dr To and Dr Fuk...

It's easy for them to escape. You had better come with me now.

Let's go.

Wait for me.

Why do you have so many valuables?

We need money for travel expenses. So I took some just in case.

You're lying. They're treasures.

Sell any of them and you won't need to work for the rest of your life.

If you just wanted to cover travel expenses,

Why would you take so many?

You're so troublesome.

I want them all including the pearl necklace you're wearing.

You can't take my pearl necklace.

You still want the pearls? They don't belong to you.

Give them back to me. Give them back to me.

You pushed Consort Zhen into the well for the sake of taking the treasures.

Are you human?

She lost her balance and fell into the well.

How could you still say something so cold-blooded.

She didn't die right away after she fell into the well.

She struggled to climb up.

If you had thought to help her, she wouldn't have died in the well.

Kan, get his signed confession.

I've told you guys everything now. Give me the antidote.

We're not as cold-blooded as you.

We didn't poison the wine. We just put dried lacquer on you.

It makes you itch, but it won't kill you.

We have evidence now. You can't deny it anymore.

No, I don't want to die.

You want to run?

Hey, you still want to run? I'll break your leg.

There's a tattoo of a hanging bat near his heel.

Watch out.

Don't let him get away.

Ouch.

Are you OK?

I think I've twisted my leg.

Now what?

Kot Kan, go after them. I'll look after her.

OK.

No, Kot Kan. Don't chase a desperate villain.

We don't know how many are with them.

It's dangerous to go after them recklessly.

This is so frustrating.

Who are you? Let me go.

Wind blowing in garden. So cold that butterflies won't come.

Fragrance all over Changan. Yellow flowers all over the city.

So you're a friend.

I really can't believe you are our contact person in the palace, Cui Yugui.

Since you know I'm a friend, let me go. Look. I just want money.

I don't care what your conflicts with the government are.

I have the name register of all the moles sent by the government.

Pay me enough, and the register is yours.

Money is not a problem.

Hand over the name register, and I'll ensure your safety.

That's a deal.

Are these pearls really from Consort Zhen's pearl necklace?

Yes.

Why do you have them then?

You said you couldn't find Consort Zhen.

I really couldn't find Consort Zhen.

I found the pearl necklace by chance when I went back to the Forbidden City

to pick up Consort Zhen by Her Royal Highness's order.

I was greedy. I kept this from Her Royal Highness.

I wanted to pocket the pearl necklace.

Why have you suddenly decided

to turn yourself in to Her Royal Highness now?

Because my conscience pricks me. I failed to discharge my duties.

I failed to accomplish the mission Her Royal Highness assigned to me.

I was even greedy. I intended to pocket Consort Zhen's property.

I deserve to die. Please punish me, Your Royal Highness.

Cui Yugui, do you know you've committed a capital offense?

I deserve to die.

Her Royal Highness is so good to me. I don't want people to get her wrong

since my failure to discharge my duty indirectly caused Consort Zhen

to throw herself into the well and kill herself.

As long as I can clear Her Royal Highness's name,

I won't regret it even if I must be sentenced to death.

Enough. Your crying is such a nuisance.

I'm sorry.

Cui Yugui, you failed to discharge your duty.

You failed to find Consort Zhen. You indirectly caused her death.

You even pocketed her belongings. You should be executed.

Yes, Your Royal Highness. I know I'm sinful. I deserve to die.

But you've served me for years.

Besides, Consort Zhen committed suicide in order to save her chastity.

That's not your fault. So I will spare your life.

I'm so grateful for your grace.

But you must still be punished.

You will be stripped of the rank of Grade Two official.

You will work in Prince Chun's Mansion as a junior servant.

Reflect on your mistakes.

Much obliged, Your Royal Highness.

Wine.

Your look tells me that Cui Yugui wasn't sentenced to death.

I heard he confessed

and pretended to be so pitiful before Empress Dowager.

In the end Empress Dowager was so moved she spared his life.

She punished him just by making him work as a servant in Prince Chun's Mansion.

That's way too easy for him.

Empress Dowager likes covering up the mistakes her people make.

Besides, Consort Zhen died

because Empress Dowager refused to take her hunting in the west.

So how could she sentence Cui Yugui to death?

I'm so angry.

It won't help to get upset.

We were careless to let that mysterious guy rescue Cui Yugui.

He even took

the fingerprinted confession he made.

Consort Zhen asked me to deliver this letter to His Majesty.

You do it for me.

His Majesty passed out

when he found out that Consort Zhen had disappeared.

If we tell him now that she's already dead,

I'm afraid he won't be able to take the blow

I believe Consort Zhen wouldn't want His Majesty to be so despondent.

I hope this letter can help him pull himself together.

Please help fulfill Consort Zhen's last wish.

Yingtai.

I have to bid you farewell today. I don't know when we'll meet again.

I cry all the time. I can't forget you.

Please take care and cherish all your blessings.

Don't let romantic feelings hinder your ambition.

I hope we can meet where there are roses everywhere.

When you have successfully established yourself,

I want to spend the rest of my days with you and we shall never part again.

Consort Zhen told me to take care. So why did she leave me then?

Without her here, how will I survive the days to come?

Your Majesty...

You mustn't do this, Your Majesty.

Let go of me.

Your Majesty...

I want to die so that I can be with Consort Zhen.

No. If you die, who will avenge her?

What are you talking about? You mean Consort Zhen didn't commit suicide?

Dad, why don't we take a carriage?

I was told that Prince Chun wants to put the blame on me

for causing the invasion of the

Eight-Nation Alliance and the Boxer Uprising

So we can't let anyone know that we want to flee.

Where's my boat?

Prince Duan, you've packed everything and left in a hurry. Where are you going?

I need to go to Jiangnan for something urgent.

Do I need your permission?

Nope. But Empress Dowager gave her order just now.

She ordered that you to go to the palace right away to discuss something important.

So I hurried here to inform you.

How do I know if that's true? Perhaps it's a fake order.

If you want to find out whether the order is true,

just come with me to the palace and ask Empress Dowager.

Escort Prince Duan to the palace now.

Protect the Big Brother.

Yes.

Prince Duan, please.

Renshou Hall.

Prince Duan abused his authority for private gain

and colluded with the Boxer bandits in the uprising.

They killed foreign consuls and caused hatred.

As a result, the allied forces invaded the capital.

When the uprising was over, he even attempted to flee the country.

He's sinful and guilty.

Would Your Royal Highness please punish him accordingly?

Nonsense. I recommended The Boxers to Empress Dowager

to support Qing and exterminate the foreigners

in order to avenge the grievances Qing has suffered all these years.

We were defeated because we were outnumbered by the allied forces.

And I had already reported this to Empress Dowager

and discussed it with the cabinet ministers.

So how could I be guilty?

Zaiyi, you knew the so-called invulnerability of the Boxers

was simply nonsense.

They couldn't withstand the foreigner's guns and cannons.

But you insisted on waging war against the allied troops.

In the end, Qing suffered heavy casualties.

You're absolutely responsible for that.

Would Your Royal Highness find Zaiyi guilty

of the offense of disrespecting the emperor?

I come from a family of one of the eight banners.

If you punish me for some trumped-up charges,

how will you be able to face the ancestors?

Your Royal Highness, if we tolerate evil and spare this culprit

who caused the invasion of the capital by the Eight-Nation Alliance,

I'm afraid we won't be able to explain it to the people.

A nation has laws and a family has rules.

If we don't enforce the law, how will we be able to rule the nation?

I would urge Your Royal Highness to punish Zaiyi accordingly.

You're right.

But Zaiyi's last name is Aisin Gioro too...

Here comes His Majesty.

Your Majesty. At ease.

Much obliged.

I was told that Empress Dowager and the officials

are sentencing you today for the crime you committed earlier.

I want to say something too.

Zaiyi, you colluded with the Boxers bandits

resulting in the Eight-Nation Alliance sending their troops into the capital.

Many valuables and treasures in the palace were taken by the foreigners.

Do you know you're liable for that?

During the war with the allied forces, many soldiers and people were killed.

In the end, we had to sign a settlement treaty.

The government has to pay damages

in the amount of 400 million taels to the various countries.

Zaiyi, do you know why the amount was 400 million taels?

400 million taels means that every person in the country must pay one tael.

You made everyone in the country suffer due to your personal ambitions.

You made Qing lose face. You're unforgivable.

You tried to poison me before. I could let it go.

But the allied forces invaded the Forbidden City because of you.

Consort Zhen died because of that. I will never forgive you.

But I'm a member of the Royal Family. You and I share the same ancestors.

Your Royal Highness, please be fair to me.

Zaiyi, you asked for this. There's nothing I can say to plead for you.

Your Majesty, how do you want to punish him?

Please spare my life, Your Majesty.

I will strip him of all his titles and ranks as a nobleman.

He and his son will be exiled to the Southern Borders with immediate effect.

They will never be allowed to step foot in the capital again.

I'm sparing your life all because I want to do some good deeds

for the deceased Consort Zhen.

Consort Zhen, I've already punished the person who caused your death.

Empress Dowager has formally agreed too

to confer on you the posthumous title of a noble consort.

At least from now on, I can pay my respects to you openly.

I hope you will rest in peace.

And I've restored our engagement gift. Let me help you put it on again.

I'm a lousy husband. I failed to protect my own wife.

I know you always hoped that I would gain control of the administration again.

I swear to God that someday

I will make Empress Dowager realize that everything she did was wrong.

Wai-Shan, is it really OK for you to take the whole day off?

Don't worry. It was so hard to get a day off Let's enjoy it.

OK... Look, Wai-Shan. They're flying kites.

Right.

I think that little girl doesn't know how to fly a kite.

Let me help her. OK.

Dr To is so happy. It seems he really likes kids.

Wai-Shan, why do these medicinal herbs smell different this time?

Dr Fuk came just now. She gave you two packs of medicinal herbs.

Thank you.

I want to try some new medicinal herbs to see if there are new healing effects.

I must cook some sweet dumplings for you later then.

Just ask Lin-chi to do that.

No. A wife must be presentable and able to cook.

Only then will I deserve you.

Wow, the water's boiling.

It's boiling? Let me put them in.

Are you OK?

What happened?

Just now, when Mrs. To put the dumplings in the pot,

the boiling water splashed onto her thigh.

How are you, Pak-hop? Are you OK?

I'm fine. It just hurts a bit. It's OK.

You said it hurts? Your legs can feel?

Thank God your clothes protected you. You should be fine.

Do your legs feel anything now?

A little.

Try to move your toes.

I've done my best already.

Relax. Now that your legs can feel. That means they could move anytime.

I hope so.

Let me check the medical books right away,

see if there's any special therapy that will expedite your recovery.

Wai-Shan.

Look, he cares about you so much.

As soon as he knew your legs had a bit of sensation, he was so thrilled.