Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Palace of Devotion]

[This drama is based on historical data and legends]

[The story and characters portrayed are fictitious]

[Episode 34]

Commence the coronation ceremony of the empress.

By Heaven's will, the emperor announces.

I inherit good luck and defend the kingdom,

emphasize humanism and abide by the law.

An empress should have certain qualities,

which include being righteous and hardworking.

Virtuous Consort Liu,

whose ancestral land is Taiyuan,

later migrated to Yizhou.

We met during the battle in Xingzhou.

We supported each other,

experienced death and came back to the capital.

Because of the late emperor's word,

Virtuous Consort wasn't able to enter Duke Xiang's Residence

but she endured it without complaint.

She followed me to Huazhou to control the flood

and fight the plague.

During the war in Chanyuan,

she went to the North alone

and sacrificed her own son to stop the war.

Even with virtues like these,

still she couldn't enter the palace.

She went to Jingxi and guarded the late emperor's tomb for three years.

Only then were the protests quelled.

Virtuous Consort's knowledge is remarkable.

She is well-versed in annals, cares about court affairs

and always stays true to her principles.

I am fond of her.

The imperial court rules over the empire.

Accepting the right counsel while ridding it of traitors

were also her contributions.

The amiability of Virtuous Consort

and her gentleness

are just as the historical books said,

traits of a graceful and elegant woman.

She is the role model of the Imperial Harem. She is kind and gentle.

She could make peace with nine clans and manage affairs.

She is qualified as an empress to be a motherly model of the nation.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Rise, Empress.

Grant her the seal and goldware.

Long live the Emperor!

Long live the Empress!

What's the occasion today?

Answer me.

Today is the coronation day of the empress.

Congratulations, Emperor.

Congratulations, Empress.

-She finally became your principal wife. -Your Highness!

She finally became the empress.

She is honoured and is now the motherly model of the nation.

People worship her.

As for me,

I'm messed up.

A spectacular failure.

Your Highness,

His Majesty only said that you're grounded

but didn't...

Your Highness.

[You've seen all types of accessories]

[in the palace.]

[But as for this pair of earrings,]

[I specifically asked a craftsman]

[to custom make them for you.]

[If I could be with you everyday,]

[I'm willing to endure every hardship.]

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Your Highness, no.

-Get out. -Your Highness!

Get out!

Yes, Your Highness.

Greetings to the empress.

My blessings to the empress.

Rise, everyone.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I've spent a long time with you ladies.

We share many memories.

From today onwards,

I'll manage the affairs of the Imperial Harem,

but the rules are still the same.

You don't have to feel awkward.

Just be like the way you used to be.

I hope that you can help one another

and be united.

Serve the emperor well with me

and bear offspring for the royal family.

We'll follow your advice.

For the accessories, silk and satin,

I don't think you lack these.

His Majesty has given a lot to you.

But I can't think of any special gift

so I'll give one fragrance pouch to each of you.

The pattern on the bag is vivid.

It has exquisite embroidery as well.

I think they are the empress's work.

Of course.

Sister burnt the midnight oil

to embroider these.

Moreover, Sister said the patterns

were designed

in accordance with our personality.

Plum blossom for pride, bamboo for tough, orchid for dim, daisy for bland.

Every one of you might be proud, elegant,

pure or smart.

Each beautiful in your own way.

You certainly should wear different types of accessories.

Only then could it bring out your own aura.

It's good for everyone.

Empress, that's so kind of you.

It's more precious than giving any jewellery.

Right, even Empress Dowager Xiao of Liao

praised the embroidery work of Her Majesty.

It's our honour.

I'm glad you like it.

Thanks for the gift, Your Majesty.

Thanks for the gift, Your Majesty.

You're welcome. Have a sit.

It's really unique.

-It's lovely. -The colour scheme is nice

and vivid.

It really suits you.

Wan'er,

do you feel any discomfort recently?

Sorry for making you worry.

Imperial Physician Dong prescribed new medication for me a few days ago.

I slept better

after taking it.

This is your first pregnancy so it's bound to be hard.

You need to have inner peace.

Do not be nervous and overthink.

I'll bear that in mind.

The prince in your womb is well-behaved.

He never makes a fuss.

But Consort Chen does

look ashy

and your skin is less rosy than it used to be.

I...I've always been weak.

Sorry for that.

But this is a good thing.

Some said if the skin of the woman is white and tender,

she is most likely carrying a girl.

Conversely, if the skin is dull,

it's likely the baby is a boy.

So there's a saying like this?

Your Highness, are you okay?

Wan'er, do you want to call for the physician?

No, Sister.

I can bear with it. It's nothing serious.

Your Highness is less than two months pregnant

but the morning sickness is serious.

I think it must be a prince.

How can there be no morning sickness during pregnancy?

It has nothing to do with the gender of the baby.

Your Highness, believe me.

I remember when I pregnant with Shou Kang,

the complexion and the skin were good.

I rarely felt discomfort

and had no morning sickness.

It was the opposite of your condition.

That's why I dare to affirm that

it must be a prince in your womb.

Noble Lady is just joking.

I'm sure Sister is carrying a prince.

For me,

it's the same no matter if it's a princess or a prince I give birth to.

Yes, Your Highness, you're right.

I was just kidding.

Don't take it seriously.

These are just the folk tales.

They don't count.

His Majesty and I

hope Wan'er could give birth to a prince.

No matter if it's a prince or a princess,

no matter who the mother is,

they are the bloodline of His Majesty.

There's neither lowliness nor nobleness.

Yes.

Yes.

The Empress' needlework is really unique.

Yes, it looks really nice.

Consort Chen.

what's wrong?

I was really tactless just now.

I'm sorry.

Not at all, Noble Lady.

I've known Sister for years.

We've been through a lot together. We are like real sisters.

We were just talking just now.

Don't worry about it.

That's a relief.

I'll excuse myself first.

Your Highness, are you feeling sick again?

Your Highness, what's wrong?

Your Highness, you're scaring me.

I do wish I'm bearing a princess.

I'll ask my mother later

whether what Wen Jia Ling said is reliable.

Don't go.

I've told you many times to keep your temper in check,

but you never learn.

It was just gossip.

It will only cause trouble

if you hurried to verify it.

What if it's just like Wen Jia Ling said,

Wan'er gives birth to a prince,

and you give birth to a princess.

What will happen then?

Prince or princess,

it's decided by fate. It's not something we can wish for.

The fact that I can still have a child

with His Majesty,

is already a blessing from heaven.

Of course I hope it could be a prince,

but this desire is more for the sake of His Majesty.

Both is great

for me.

Let nature take its course.

Your Majesty,

the Empress and Consort Chen are pregnant at the same time.

The royal family will prevail. God bless Song.

I like what you said.

Your Majesty, I have something to report.

Do speak.

During the coronation ceremony of the empress,

there was a swarm of red butterflies coming from everywhere,

assembling outside Dongjing City,

lingering around the city gate.

Really?

Lord Wang, don't make things up.

Lord Kou,

I wouldn't dare deceive His Majesty.

I was told by my servant.

Citizens in Dongjing can give testimony.

If Lord Kou doesn't believe it,

you could ask them.

Your Majesty,

I got the same news too.

It seems to be that case.

Your Majesty, I heard it too.

Beautiful butterfly emerged from the cocoon.

Butterflies like swarming, feeding and inhabiting together.

It's not a strange thing.

Lord Grand Tutor is well-read.

You should know that

red butterflies are the sign of good luck.

Does it have this meaning?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Reportedly, in the Sui and Tang Dynasties,

there was a tree at the forbidden garden in Chang'an City.

During one winter,

the tree bloomed all of a sudden

and bore fruit after the flowers fell.

It even emitted light.

A few days later,

the fruits turned into red butterflies

and flew away.

In the second year,

Tang Gao Zu conquered Chang'an.

That's why red butterflies are considered good signs.

Your Majesty, red butterflies appeared

at a time when the empress was crowned.

Could this be the indication of the heaven?

The empress must be carrying a prince.

I hope so.

Your Majesty, I request

to build a palace in Dongjing

to pray for the Empress's and

Consort Chen's child.

No, Your Majesty.

The palace is densely populated and has limited land.

If we build the palace to pray, I'm afraid...

Ping Zhong, no more words.

I like what Minister Wang said.

Building a palace to pray for my sons.

It's long been a popular tradition in the civilian society.

Moreover, the royal generations are related to my kingdom.

It should be fine to build a palace.

Your Majesty made a wise choice.

I'll leave the matters of

building palace to Minister Wang.

Your Majesty,

I don't know anything

about building a palace.

I would like to recommend Chancellor of Treasury, Ding Wei, Lord Ding.

Lord Ding is knowledgeable

and he's good at accounting.

He's the right man for this duty.

Minister Ding,

do you have an objection?

I'm willing to serve, Your Majesty.

Good, I name you as Chief of Construction.

Start the construction of Yuqing Zhaoying Palace right away

to pray for the royal offspring.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Empress Dowager, Your Majesty,

Xiao Hu Nian, the traitor, has been neutralized.

Mother.

To protect the longevity of his family in those days,

my father, Xiao Si Wen,

married his eldest sister to Duke of Taiping,

younger brother of Muzong.

His second sister was married to Duke Zhao,

younger brother of the late emperor.

And he sent me to the Imperial Harem

of the late emperor based on his credit.

In this way,

the Xiao family

would become the undisputed largest family.

But had Father ever considered the fate

of us three sisters?

What would we become

in the whirlpool that was the imperial family?

Would we be down to the point of no return?

As expected, Duke Zhao had rebelled many times.

I couldn't help but to kill him.

My second sister poisoned me

at the family dinner to avenge her husband.

She was the one who died at last.

My eldest sister.

She

also died by my hand in the end.

Mother, you did that to curb the civil unrest in Liao.

The traitors are dead. Don't be upset.

We, the three sisters,

liked to sing, dance, chat

and look at the stars on the prairie

while running around the campfire

since childhood.

We were carefree.

But who would've thought that

we couldn't get away from the cruel fate after all.

My hands are drenched with blood.

Blood that includes those of my family.

But these hands supported the recovery of Liao.

This time,

Liao suffered internally,

but the obstacles were cleared.

It has laid the foundations for the long-term rise of Liao.

The act of Empress dowager has contributed to the future.

Bury them together at a place.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Mother, have you taken today's medication?

Your Majesty,

I would like to check out the training of the army.

Okay, I'll give the order right away.

[I've attended to state affairs since the fourth year of Qian Heng's reign.]

[It's been 27 years.]

[I still remember]

[when Emperor Taizong marched North in the fourth year of Tong He's reign.]

[The army fought alongside me]

[and repelled the invasion of Song at last.]

[We regained our lost land]

[and enjoyed unification for 22 years.]

[The soldiers marched to the South with me,]

[smashed into enemy territory and attacked Chanzhou.]

[Chanzhou]

[But after weighing the pros and cons,]

[Liao eventually made peace with Song before the war started.]

[Chanyuan Treaty]

[The treaty protected the peace of the border.]

[We remain in good relationship until now]

[and help each other when required.]

[The Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures]

[are still under Liao's governance.]

[Curb civil unrest, defend ourselves from enemies.]

[You give your best to fight in every war.]

[Liao's future generations]

[will remember your names forever.]

You are the heroes of Liao.

I'm proud of you.

The Four Lands are not at peace.

The people and the land of Liao still need your protection.

I hope every soldier could

keep fighting for your ancestors

and expel the invading enemies.

We will broaden Liao's scope

and win glory!

Broaden the scope!

Broaden the scope!

Empress Dowager Xiao is capable to run the world and give the people peace.

She accepted expostulation, lowered the tax rates,

diminished the leader's power and strengthened the people.

She also killed many enemies on the battlefield.

She defeated the Song army twice.

She established the borders.

The Chanyuan Treaty

has brought Liao the maximum benefit.

The people of Liao are grateful towards the Empress dowager.

People of Liao,

fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Fight for Her Majesty with our lives!

Armed Forces,

on my mark.

Practice the array,

glorify Liao's army force!

Your Majesty,

I entrust the armed forces and people of Liao,

in your hands.

So that I could live in

You Du Residence with peace of mind.

I'm with you.

Rest assured, Mother.

I'll uphold your ambition and

lead the people of Liao

to conquest the lands and bring glory to Liao.

Liao and Song abide by the Chanyuan Treaty after all.

We can't freely abandon the agreement

and start an attack.

Moreover, the army of Song isn't weaker than ours.

Fighting recklessly

could trap us in a see-saw battle,

waste our army forces

and our men could get killed.

As long as the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures are in our hands

and Song doesn't fight us for them,

we should abide by the treaty.

I'll follow your order.

The knife would be blunt if you didn't sharpen it.

We must not relent in the training of the army

just because we have the treaty

and the borders are fine.

That will weaken our combat power.

Military forces of a country is the assurance of the national capacity.

The war should pay for itself.

I know this logic.

Rest assured.

I will never let the men slack.

Making peace with Song

doesn't mean Liao

will stop broadening the scope.

Your Majesty, you should understand

the peace between Liao and Song

is a thin line.

The preference of the Tanguts in the Southwest is the key point.

You need to cosy up to them appropriately.

I agree with your sentiment.

I'll keep it in mind.

With the Chanyuan Treaty

that is beneficial to the two states,

I hope the bond between us could last forever and

the generations could live together peacefully.

-Mother! -Empress Dowager!

-Mother! -Empress Dowager!

-Your Majesty! -Mother!

Help! Quick!

Wake up, Empress dowager!

Mother!

Mother.

Mother!

Mother...

Mother.

Mother.

Mother!

Mother.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

Your Majesty.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother...

[In 1009A.D., 27 years and 12 months of Liao unification,]

[Empress Dowager Xiao Chuo died in Xing Palace, aged 57]

Your Majesty, Sister.

Wan'er.

Wan'er.

Come here, play the game for me.

Your Majesty, I'm totally clueless about chess.

Never mind.

Just follow your heart.

That doesn't count.

The emperor's words are to be taken seriously.

Did I play it wrongly?

Wan'er,

you just gave my kingdom away.

You have great

tolerance.

Don't listen to His Majesty.

He was on the back foot just now.

Empress.

One more round.

This round hasn't finished

and Your Majesty already tapped out?

Report to Your Majesty, an urgent news from Liao.

Give it to me.

What has happened?

Empress Dowager xiao passed away.

[Empress Dowager of Liao, Xiao Chuo, passed away]

Your Majesty, before Xiao Chuo passed away,

her sister, Xiao Hu Nian, gathered the army forces.

Xiao Chuo slaughtered them.

She curbed the civil unrest,

but Liao suffered great losses.

We request

to take this opportunity to rise an army to attack Liao

and capture Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures in one stroke.

Your Majesty, I think

Duke of Han's suggestion is a bad one.

Fine weapons are none the less ill-omened things.

People despise them so those in possession of Tao don't depend on them

Now that the four lands of Song are at peace,

it's the right time for the citizens to recuperate

and develop the nation.

How could we do

things that ignore the living and abuse the army forces?

It's now or never.

Your Majesty, seize it while you can.

If we miss this

chance of regaining the land

and rebuilding our legacy,

you would be failing the people of Song

as well as the ancestors of the royal Zhaos.

All Duke of Han thinks about is only building up establishment.

But once the war is started,

the people of Song would be subjected to suffering.

By that time,

the emperor and the deputies would be ashamed to face the people.

I've heard the concerns

of my two loyal subjects.

Does anyone else have suggestions?

Your Majesty, I think

since the enemies have been weakened,

we should recuperate

and befriend the neighbour.

Your Majesty rules the world with kindness

and harmony between heaven and earth has been attained.

The power of Liao has been weakened.

This is the blessing to Your Majesty's kindness

and Song from god.

So that the people of Song could live well

and peacefully.

We should appreciate this.

Ping Zhong, what's your opinion?

Your Majesty,

I think after the Chanyuan Treaty,

our army at the border have recuperated for four to five years

and the national treasury is filled too.

We could fight with Liao.

Emperor Taizong had been wanting to

take back the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures after all.

If we start the war with Liao,

is our supply sufficient for it?

Your Majesty, it's not a problem in the short run.

If it's a protracted war, that would be strained.

After all, they have been large expenses

for the imperial court in recent years.

Your Majesty, I'm willing to make the pledge

that we will take back

the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures within two months.

Your Majesty, I have a concern.

Yi Jian, just say it.

I have no objection to start a war with Liao.

But we have to do it under certain pretext.

Song and Liao have signed the Chanyuan Treaty.

If we broke the agreement first,

I'm afraid Song

would possibly be named as a traitor.

I'm afraid the pursue of our policy

would be affected after that.

What Yi Jian said is reasonable.

Your Majesty, I...

That's all for today.

We'll discuss this later.

Dismiss.

It should be the coldest season in the North now.

[Recalling that time...]

Mother, Ji'er.

[My Ji'er and I...]

Mother.

Sister.

Mother.

Mother, I brought them here.

[The person is gone.]

We couldn't see each other after all.

This toast is to Empress Dowager Xiao.

[Thank you for Your Majesty's care]

[towards my Ji'er back then.]

[You went into battle, cracking the horse whip.]

[You were ruthless and decisive.]

[Empress Dowager Xiao soared high in the sky.]

[You are the legend of the prairie who will live forever.]

This toast

is to Empress Dowager Xiao, the national heroine,

[the great female victor.]

[The Chanyuan Treaty]

[Chanyuan Treaty]

[brought peace to the two kingdoms.]

[Liao and Song stop fighting. The world is at peace]

[Empress Dowager Xiao and the emperor of Song]

[have contributed greatly to future generations.]

This toast

is to pray for the continuation of friendship between our two states.

Good relationship to the last.

Yuan Kan.

Did I wake you?

What's wrong?

Having a headache again?

Never mind.

Cover up. Don't catch a cold.

What's the matter?

Are you pondering about whether or not to attack Liao?

The court is split.

There are arguments for both options.

Ying'er, what do you think?

[End of Episode 34]