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 40]

Mister.

Mister.

Mister,

I finally have Mr Li's information.

Where is he?

Li Zai Feng,

younger brother of Consort Chen,

is being detained in this place.

Who are you?

I'm the one you're looking for.

Shou Yi.

Your Majesties,

little Crown Prince.

We're blessed to join the banquet that Your Majesty gave.

We're really thankful.

May I propose a game?

It could be an entertainment during the banquet

in addition to blessing the Crown Prince too.

Do tell.

The name of this game is Let It Rise.

Everyone puts a cake.

Each piece represent a blessing.

The higher the cakes, the more blessings you get.

What do you think, Your Majesty?

Sounds fun.

Shou Yi is 100-day-old today.

The participants of this game

will be rewarded.

Your Majesty, please place the first cake.

Okay.

Shou Yi.

Look at Father.

How is it?

Do you see what Father is doing?

Who comes next?

I'll give my blessing first.

Okay.

Little Crown Prince is regal

and is born to have the appearance of an emperor.

May Little Crown Prince be smart and strong

so that he could make great contributions to Song.

Good.

I like what you said.

Your Majesty, I wish Crown Prince to shine bright upon the land,

and be blessed for a million years.

Not bad for Scholar Ding.

Very articulate. I take your word.

-Ping Zhong -Your Majesty.

You try it.

I wish Crown Prince could

be self-discipline and love the people,

be benevolent to the world,

set up a benevolent government for people,

to rule Song right when he grows up.

Good.

I wish Crown Prince could be happy and safe for his whole life.

Good.

Your Majesty,

I wish Crown Prince could be a wise emperor in the future.

Good.

Your Majesty, I wish Crown Prince could be safe in his whole life.

Good.

Empress.

Shou Yi, look what Father is giving you.

Shou Yi, come take a look.

Hold it, look, what is this?

What is this? Rice cake.

Consort Chen is here.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Please rise, Consort Chen.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Lin Lang, take Consort Chen to her seat.

Yes.

Here.

Little Crown Prince, Crown Prince,

don't cry.

Don't cry. What's wrong?

Don't cry.

Don't cry, good boy.

Why are you still crying? Good boy.

Little Crown Prince, be nice.

What's wrong with Shou Yi?

I'll do it.

Shou Yi.

Shou Yi, alright. Don't cry.

Alright, alright.

Why is he crying?

-Why is he crying? -It's alright.

Let me soothe him.

Shou Yi, you're little Shou Yi, right?

You've been appointed by heaven to bring benefit to the nations.

This is a good name.

Shou Yi is nice, good boy.

I made this cloth.

Do you like it?

You look great in it.

The cloth that I made for my son fits well.

There are clothes for four seasons.

We go and try them now, okay?

This...

Let go of me!

What are you guys doing? What is this place?

-Go! -Let go of me!

I'm not a criminal.

Why are you locking me up?

Let me go! I need to see my sister!

Get in there!

Su Yi Jian, let me out!

I don't want to stay in here!

Let me out! I want to get out of here!

Who brought you to the palace?

Pan Liang?

Su Yi Jian, hold on.

What do you guys plan to do with my sister?

My sister gave birth to a child.

That was just a raccoon.

My sister is being framed.

I'll avenge her one day, sooner or later.

I don't believe that

there's no law in the world.

Are the people like you trying to escape from the law?

One day, I'll meet with His Majesty.

Then,

I'll tell everything to His Majesty

unless you guys want to lock me up here forever.

Kill me if you have the guts.

Don't try to be smart.

You'll hurt others as well as yourself.

Su Yi Jian, don't go, come clean to me!

Su Yi Jian.

Let me out!

I've asked around the palace.

After the Empress got pregnant,

she had been taking medications which prevent miscarriage.

After she gave birth,

she's been taking supplements benefiting qi and nourishing blood.

The court physician has those records.

There are no loose ends to be found.

It's not a surprise the Medical Bureau to have those files.

Are the supplements required to be documented?

Sometimes, it really does need to be recorded.

Does it get documented every time?

It may not be the case.

But according to the records,

the Empress will have to pick up the supplements every two to three days.

It should be recorded every time.

This is not counted as a loose end.

Even so,

that doesn't prove anything.

I've confirmed it for myself with the younger brother

of Consort Chen, Li Zai Feng.

There must be some truth of that outrageous affair.

Consort Chen has a mental disorder after childbirth.

Who do you think has the bigger problem?

You mean

the Empress didn't give birth to a boy?

How is it possible?

Why isn't that possible?

The dew water that the Empress drank at Xiang Guo Temple that day

must have worked.

The Empress already had a miscarriage.

If the Empress had a miscarriage,

even if she bribed the court physician,

how would His Majesty not find out as he

spent day and night with her?

Why couldn't His Majesty be involved?

Currently, there are three very important witnesses.

Who are they?

Madam Wang,

Beauty Yang,

Imperial Physician Dong.

A little faster.

Yes, Your Highness.

Mother.

Mother.

Don't be sad, my child.

There is circular causation.

I did something wrong to Consort Chen.

I took her child from her.

That drove her crazy.

Since that night,

I haven't had a peaceful night of sleep.

I'm tormented by nightmares.

It's karma.

I knew this day would come.

This is my punishment from the heavens.

With this,

I'll be relieved.

Mother,

don't say that.

I'm worried about you.

You are naive, without guile

and outspoken.

Now that you know this kind of secret of the palace,

even if the Empress treats you nice

and has your back,

it's unavoidable that you'll be used by someone with ill intent.

You will be doomed.

I've been in the palace for many years

and gone through lots of hardships.

I finally understand one logic.

Flies only crawl into open mouths.

Take this medication.

It could forever absolve you from the mess that is caused by bickering.

My child, come closer.

Let me take a look at you.

I won't force you.

It's your choice.

Nanny! Ying Luo!

Nanny!

Ying Luo!

Ying Luo, what's wrong with you?

What's wrong with you?

Your Highness, rest assured. She is fine.

-Nanny. --She will be fine in a few days.

Why did you do this?

My child is talkative since childhood.

Let her live the rest of her life peacefully.

This is my only way

to protect her as a mother.

Why did you do that?

Your Majesty, I knew you've always

felt sorry for Consort Chen deep in your heart.

So do I.

But we must not regret it.

Consort Chen is vulnerable.

She is not as tough as you nor as ambitious as you are.

Let alone the aspiration of Your Majesty.

Women are not inferior to men.

But only a handful can rise above ground.

Only Your Majesty could assume

the responsibility of the mother of Crown Prince of Song.

Your Majesty.

Nanny.

Your Majesty, I believe in His Majesty's choice.

Please believe it too.

Ying Luo will be left alone

in the world after I die.

I hope you and His Majesty

could treat her well.

Nanny, rest assured.

From now on,

Ying Luo will be my sister.

I will protect her.

I'm to blame as I was too late.

It's not your fault.

I never thought

Nanny Wang would...

I was close to Nanny when I was a child.

Then,

Nanny started to treat me more as a prince,

as a monarch.

She scrupulously followed the hierarchical courtesy.

But I knew

she treated me

as her son in her heart.

[Her mood changed according to my feelings.]

[Let's just say Nanny expended]

[all her energy on me]

[rather than]

[devoting herself]

[to the royal family.]

[Before Nanny passed away,]

[she fed Ying Luo medicine which caused her to be mute.]

That could protect Ying Luo,

but

it's more to protect me,

you

and our prince, Shou Yi.

I understand her intention.

She will rest in peace if she knew that.

[Bury Nanny with the title of First-class Madame.]

[Yes.]

I'll take charge of Nanny's funeral.

I have another request.

Your Majesty, please allow

Ying Luo to be Shou Yi's foster mother

and raise Shou Yi together with me.

I agree with you.

Just do what you said

and confer Ying Luo as Pure Consort.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, Physician Dong is here to see you.

Greetings to Your Majesties.

What's the matter?

Your Majesty, I'm old, weak

and powerless.

I know I cannot be of service to you anymore.

I plead with Your Majesty to allow my retirement.

I accept your request.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

As expected,

the family of Physician Dong

were threatened as soon as they just left Dongjing.

Are they all right?

I already sent his three grandchildren to a safe place.

Then did you capture the assassins?

There were about seven to eight persons.

I barely repelled them.

I didn't capture a single one.

Are you hurt?

It was only minor injury, no worries.

Yi Qin,

go get the medicine which was sent from Dashi

for Lord Su.

Yes, Your Highness.

Your Highness, rest assured.

I'll keep looking into this case.

Just that...

Just what?

Could it be His Majesty?

No.

If His Majesty wants Physician Dong's life,

he doesn't have to go through all this trouble.

Moreover, I know His Majesty.

According to his temperament,

since he allowed Physician Dong to return home,

it meant he's off the hook.

Right.

You know His Majesty best.

I'm thinking that

these people might

not really want Physician Dong's life.

You mean they only want to take him.

The trees may prefer calm but the wind will not subside.

There's one more thing.

Do you still remember

at the time when you were pregnant,

you went to Xiang Guo Temple to pray.

There was a woman who gave you a bowl of dew water.

I found this woman when I was checking the food you had

before and after your miscarriage.

This woman had disappeared

without a trace for over a year.

I'd tried everything but there wasn't a sign of her.

You mean someone is trying to stop you from finding her?

There must be.

This person is very cunning.

I have not met them personally

but I can feel their resistance fully.

Today came the news of the woman that

her family had been killed.

My miscarriage wasn't the will of heaven

but man-made?

Be careful.

He still can't sit.

How could you let him stand?

Your Majesty.

Yes.

There is a

missing person column in Dongjing in recent days.

Minister Cao must be very free recently.

Get straight to point.

Yes, Your Majesty.

The Supreme Court has received a case.

The family of an Imperial guard

hasn't heard from him in a long time.

But there is no such person in the palace

so they passed a complaint letter to us.

For such a matter,

just let the Imperial Guards handle it.

Why should I personally handle it?

I've asked the Imperial Guards.

That guard was from the Pan's Residence.

And he was taken back by Pan's Residence as well.

The Imperial Guards

know nothing about him missing.

Since it concerns the Pan's Residence, please decide, Your Majesty.

Conduct a thorough investigation

as long as citizens report their case to the government

no matter who he's related with.

But could you confirm that

the guard really is from Pan's Residence?

Your Majesty, I found

that missing person's name is Zhong Qiao. He has six fingers.

He has the same name with the guard who worked in

Pan's Residence years ago. They both have six fingers.

I think they should be the same person.

What happened to your hand?

Get over here.

What's wrong with you?

She is still young. Why did you hit her?

I'm teaching my own daughter.

I don't need your permission.

Have your own child if you are so capable.

Shou An, let's go.

Do not take flowers from anyone!

Alright, you go and investigate this matter.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Stand down.

Look, take a look at Father.

Look, he's staring at you.

Your Majesty,

this is sent by Lord Cao.

He said this is the thing you asked for.

Do not tell anyone about this,

especially people near His Majesty.

I understand.

It's nothing.

Your Majesty.

Shou An.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Come over.

Why are you alone?

I sneaked out when my mother's asleep.

Sneaked out?

Did you sneak out to see your brother?

Look at him.

Do you want to play with him?

Your Majesty,

I heard Aunt Yue'er said

his name is Shou Yi, right?

Yes, his name is Shou Yi.

Here.

You can take this

and play with Shou Yi.

Shou Yi, Shou Yi.

Little brother, my little brother.

-Yi Qin. -Your Majesty.

Go and summon the head of the Imperial Guards.

I have something to ask him.

And call a physician over too.

Don't let others see it.

Yes, right away.

Your Highness, the weather is nice today.

Let's put the Guqin in the court yard.

Where's Shou An?

She was learning to write just now.

She probably went out to play.

Send someone to bring her back.

She hasn't practice Guqin yet.

Yes.

Your Highness.

Take the Guqin outside first.

Don't forget to look for Shou An.

Yes.

Your Highness, I've verified the facts.

Pure Consort Yang really can't talk.

Pure Consort?

She's only a lowly slave.

The Empress tries so hard

to cosy up to His Majesty.

Firstly, Consort Chen was anointed.

Now, she presented her loyal follower to His Majesty.

Pure Consort? Phooey!

Such a fool.

Keep going. How did she become mute?

It is unknown.

Since Madam Wang passed away,

Pure Consort has been reclusive and is rarely seen in public.

It is rumoured that she was deeply in grief

because of Madam Wang's passing

and cried until she became mute.

Grief?

You believe in this kind of lie?

Did they send a physician over to treat her?

Yes, Physician Dong did.

Didn't Physician Dong already retire?

Yes, he diagnosed Pure Consort before he left.

Physician Dong?

Physician Dong seems to serve only the Empress.

He was the main physician when the Empress

and Consort Chen were pregnant.

And he was the one

who treated Yang Ying Luo as well.

But my useless brother

didn't get to catch him.

Your Highness, lower your voice.

You said

Nanny Wang died.

Yang Ying Luo has become a mute

and Physician Dong has resigned and left the palace.

This...

I'm starting to think what my brother said

isn't circumstantial.

The Crown Prince who the Empress gave birth to seems odd.

[How could she possibly give birth to a deformed child?]

[There must be something wrong]

[with one of them.]

The empress already had a miscarriage.

And she conspired with Madam Wang who delivered the baby for Consort Chen.

They used the fire in the palace

and switched the Crown Prince

while putting out the fire.

They dared switch the Crown Prince?

That's really bold of the Empress.

See how nice the Empress treats her sisters.

But exactly how much does His Majesty

know about it?

[About what happened in the imperial garden today,]

His Majesty was acting weird.

The actual person who is behind this

is likely to be the current emperor of Song.

His Majesty can't seriously be part of it?

Your Highness, please watch your words.

Let's talk in there.

No matter how much His Majesty is involved in this,

once this is exposed,

there would be no return for the Empress.

It would be hard for His Majesty to save her then.

Your Highness, please say no more.

We could be beheaded for this.

How bold of them.

This...

Who did this?

Your Highness, I don't know.

Hurry up! Get rid of it!

Yes. I...

No. Burn it.

Your Highness, do you want to ask who...

No, don't ask.

Don't ask. Quickly go!

Yes, rest assured, Your Highness. I'll go burn it right away.

Empress,

Her Highness has already rested.

It's inappropriate for Your Majesty to go in.

Please come back tomorrow.

Right, Your Majesty.

-You can't go in, Your Majesty. -You can't go in, Your Majesty.

You really can't go in.

Your Highness.

Who is this memorial service for?

Empress is the head of the Imperial Harem

but you can't trespass my chamber like this.

Open burning to worship is a taboo in the palace.

Don't you think I should manage it?

It's none of your business.

Yi Qin.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Take them away.

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

It's me who didn't abide the rules of the palace.

What do you want to do with me?

[Missing person column, Zhong Qiao]

What is this?

When I first entered the palace,

I heard a rumour

saying that Empress Guo had reported to His Majesty

that there was a man in your chamber.

But His Majesty didn't believe it.

There were servants who got punished for this matter.

It was not only His Majesty who didn't believe it.

I didn't believe you, Concubine Pan,

had the guts as well.

This is the forbidden court of the palace after all.

Moreover, you're the daughter that

the Pans nurtured after all.

That was only a rumour.

Empress has an excellent memory.

About the scar on the left hand palm of Princess Shou An,

I asked a physician to check it thoroughly.

It is a bone fracture.

Who are you to check my daughter?

I asked the head of the Imperial Guards as well.

It's true that Zhong Qiao has six fingers.

What does that prove?

There are many people who have six fingers.

If you have nothing else,

you should leave Feng Hua Hall.

It's true that this doesn't prove anything.

But there's one thing you didn't know.

Zhong Qiao's family submitted a complaint letter to the Judicial Court

as they couldn't find him

after disappearing without a trace.

His Majesty already ordered the Judicial Court to investigate it.

If you really did something wrong to His Majesty,

you could tell me.

I might be able to find a solution for you.

What's your intention?

Trap me? Test me?

To be honest with you.

If you really did something wrong to His Majesty,

no matter what the reason is,

I would turn a blind eye.

But I pity Shou An.

She is innocent.

His Majesty and Shou An have spent years as father and daughter.

If any dark past was exposed,

His Majesty would still be the one who gets hurt.

What you said sounds really noble.

It's all for my daughter and His Majesty.

Like I'd believe you.

You may not believe me

but you have to make clear of one thing.

With the case-handling means of the Judicial Court,

it's not a hard thing for them to find out a man's life.

Let alone this person had frequented the palace.

Many people would've seen it.

Can you guarantee you left no trace about what you did?

I didn't do anything.

If you're still unrepentant,

no one can help you when the truth comes to light.

I feel sorry for Shou An that she has

to face all this inhumanity at such young age.

As for the Pan family,

they are not innocent as well.

You can trust me once.

Think about it.

Come find me once you make up your mind.

But do it soon.

Cao Li Yong, minister of the Judicial Court,

is a person who do things efficiently.

If you wait too long...

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

Empress. I see.

Stand down, all of you.

Good job!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty! Greetings to Your Majesty.

Nice one, Pan.

Fornication in the palace.

You betrayed me!

Your Majesty, what are you talking about?

I don't understand you.

You don't understand?

Cao Li Yong.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Highness,

I found out

Zhong Qiao, who was an Imperial Guard back then,

was once drunk

and mentioned with his comrade

that he had an affair with a concubine

in the palace.

And that concubine is you.

Lord Cao, when did the Judicial Court start believing in

the drunken talk of a dead man during investigation?

There's no evidence.

There's no way

I would accept the accusation.

Your Majesty, please clarify it.

Zhong Qiao was wishing to give that concubine

a gift of promise.

The friend

happened to be a jewellery craftsman.

So,

Zhong Qiao personally drew a

sample design of earrings

and asked him to make it.

What does the thing you said have to do with me?

After helping Zhong Qiao, that friend

realised it concerned palace affairs

and took precautions.

He lied about losing the sample picture.

But the fact was

he kept it.

Your Majesty, this matter should not be publicized.

It happened years ago after all.

Moreover, she is Shou An's mother.

Don't talk to me about that vandal!

Vandal?

Right.

Shou An is a vandal.

If it wasn't because I couldn't pregnant with Your Majesty,

I wouldn't have had this vandal with another man.

Stop saying that!

When I first married Your Majesty,

I was a pure girl

who desired for love.

I hope to be loved and cherished by my husband as well.

Your Majesty was Duke Xiang at that time.

Now you are the emperor.

I never asked for your devotion.

I only wish that

you could have mercy on me.

You appointed me as concubine

only because of the order of the late emperor.

On our wedding night,

you left me alone.

I held it in.

I told myself

that I love you, miss you.

I'd stay by your side.

Maybe one day

you could see the good in me.

Don't you want children?

I risked my life

to bear your child.

But what about you?

What did you give me

after my miscarriage?

You gave me a contraceptive pill.

I was mad.

And she,

this woman.

You seemed possessed.

Because of what she said,

you rather sleep with a lowly servant

than taking another look at me!

Right.

It's true that my father and brother placed Zhong Qiao in the palace.

But I despised him

at first.

I was just trying to find a way.

Enough, stop talking!

I was just trying to bear a child for Your Majesty.

But then,

I increasingly found that

I liked spending time with him.

Your Majesty,

I'm fully aware that I'm guilty

but I have no regrets even if I died.

-You despicable woman! -Your Majesty!

You despicable woman!

Your Majesty, calm down!

Your Majesty.

About what happened tonight...

I didn't hear anything.

What about the Imperial Guard who was close to Zhong Qiao?

Your Majesty, rest assured. I'll take care of it.

Remove the Pans.

Yes, Your Majesty.

[End of Episode 40]