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 50]

Lord Kou.

Lord Kou.

The palace is huge.

If there really is a will hidden somewhere,

what you're doing is reasonable.

If there isn't,

your action

is akin to disturbing the spirit of the late Emperor at his funeral.

What I'm doing

is to comfort the late Emperor's spirit.

If it isn't here,

could it be at somewhere else?

-Lord Kou. -You...

We've searched

the chamber and Imperial Study.

You did?

Did you search carefully

like how they're doing today?

Lord Kou, do you really plan

to turn the palace upside down?

Lord Kou,

who do you think you are

to treat the palace as your own mansion?

Your Majesty!

Father-in-law.

You've passed away.

Song has no ruler.

The officials and people lost their leader.

That's why it's so chaotic!

As the Grand Chancellor,

there's nothing I can do, Your Majesty.

I've let you down, Your Majesty.

Chancellor Wang, if you feel guilty,

you should do something

instead of crying here like a woman.

I've let you down, Your Majesty!

I've let you down.

Father-in-law.

if it isn't at this palace,

could it be with Consort Chen?

Lord Kou!

Are you done?

Have you found the will?

Your Majesty,

the will might be with Consort Chen.

This is absurd.

Lord Kou,

seeing how loyal yo were towards the late Emperor,

I believed what you said.

That's why I gave you the permission to find the will.

However, Consort Chen has just passed away

and you've turned

her palace upside down.

That's an act of disrespect towards the deceased.

Are you disregarding

the order and hierarchy now?

Your Majesty,

I mean no disrespect towards Consort Chen.

Your action showed otherwise.

Lord Kou, are you talking about searching Consort Chen's corpse just now?

I wouldn't dare.

That's not going to happen.

Consort Chen had been put into a coffin.

I'm against it

if you're going to disrupt her peace!

I understand, but the will...

I changed Consort Chen's grave clothes myself.

I'd know best

if there's a will on her.

I believe that's the case

if you said so, Your Majesty.

Then I'll search elsewhere.

Lord Kou.

Are you really going to search elsewhere?

Do you expect all of us

to wait for you to find it?

If you don't find it in a year,

are we going to waste an entire year?

Lord Kou, what's wrong with you?

Are you obsessed?

If you continue to do this,

it'll become a problem

instead of a display of your loyalty towards the Emperor.

I completely agree with Lord Su.

Lord Kou,

none of us is going along

with your insensible act.

The fact is the late Emperor's coffin

is at the hall.

So stop causing a ruckus.

Your Majesty, I'm incapable.

None of this matters

if we can't find the Emperor's will!

Lord Kou, do you mean

everyone's life should stop?

Officials should stop managing political affairs,

people's lives will come to a halt

and the Imperial Court will stay empty, with no one to care for our home country?

Are you telling me the people of Song

are supposed to search for this will

which might be non-existent?

There's definitely a will.

Lord Kou, I just said that...

That's enough.

- I don't believe your words! -Lord Kou!

Enough!

Stop arguing.

The nation needs an emperor.

Crown Prince should ascend the throne immediately.

That's without a doubt.

I believe all of you agree, right?

Of course, Your Majesty.

The late Emperor's burial

is just as important.

That's why I think

Crown Prince should ascend the throne first.

The enthronement ceremony

will be held after the late Emperor is buried in the imperial tomb.

As for regency,

we'll talk about that later.

About the will, let's set it aside first.

Your Majesty's arrangement

regarding the succession of throne is reasonable.

After all, Crown Prince is still young.

I'm afraid regency is necessary

for the time being.

In that case, elect a few officials first

for regency purposes.

Your Majesty.

Aren't you going to be part of the regency?

I am talking about officials.

That's inappropriate!

The late Emperor did leave me a message,

saying the Empress would be the regent.

No way!

Gentlemen.

One of you

was the late Emperor's mentor,

while the other

was the Emperor's subordinate and friend.

Your ties with the Emperor aside,

the late Emperor

left behind the Empress and Crown Prince.

True, they lost their dependent,

but you can't simply

rob them of their rights.

Empress Liu had been handling state affairs for a long time.

She's also the mother of the Crown Prince.

Tell me. Can we, the officials,

compare to her when it comes to teaching the Crown Prince?

Her Majesty has been tirelessly

teaching Crown Prince.

Can't you see that?

If the late Emperor

saw you

bullying the mother and son,

what would he think?

Would he rather come back to life

to punish you people for deceiving the Emperor,

or praising your effort

of helping Song's society?

Mother always explains state affairs to me

until midnight.

Empress and Crown Prince,

I suggest for Your Majesty to be part of the regency.

As for how the regency will form eventually,

like what Your Majesty has said,

we'll talk about it later.

Crown Prince will ascend the throne immediately.

The late Emperor's burial

cannot be delayed any further!

I second that.

I second that.

I second that.

What do Lord Kou and Grand Tutor think?

Since Crown Prince said so,

I have no objection.

What about you, Lord Kou?

I

will follow your order, Crown Prince.

Your Majesty, Madam Kou requests to meet you.

Let her in.

Yes, Your Majesty.

[Su Xun, Madam Kou's distant nephew]

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Please rise, Madam Kou.

I came to seek forgiveness for my husband.

Madam, please don't say that.

Lord Kou is loyal to the Emperor and the nation.

He's also a good friend of the late Emperor.

Now that the late Emperor passed away

and the nation lost the pillar of support,

all the more righteous officials who work for the stability of nation and people,

such as Lord Kou, are needed.

I don't blame him.

Thank you for being understanding, Your Majesty.

Who is this boy?

He's my distant nephew.

His name is Su Xun, with the courtesy name of Ming Yun.

Ming Yun, greet the Empress.

Greetings, Your Majesty. I'm Su Xun.

Su Xun?

Which character of 'xun' is it?

Your Highness, 'xun' as in 'uniquely beautiful'.

He seems intelligent.

Judging by your accent,

you seem to be from Shu.

I'm from Meishan prefecture.

So we're from the same hometown.

Are you willing to be Crown Prince's reading partner?

The Crown Prince will ascend the throne soon, right?

Yes.

I'm willing.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

♫ Vine grows over thorn tree ♫

♫ Weeds in field overspread ♫

♫ The one I love is dead ♫

Who is reciting a poem?

Your Majesty, it's Duke Chu.

Everyone left after the mourning,

but Duke Chu refused to leave.

He's been sleeping at the funeral hall.

At night,

he recites poems

and it sounds melancholic.

I think it's because my brother-in-law knows

his third brother has passed away.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Please rise, Eunuch Zhang.

Your Majesty,

I have a request.

Go ahead.

For the past few days,

I've been dreaming of the late Emperor at night.

In the dreams, I'm

serving the late Emperor as usual.

I wish to resign from the position of Head Eunuch.

After the coffin is moved to the imperial tomb,

I wish to keep vigil beside the coffin

to keep the late Emperor company.

Eunuch Zhang, you had served the late Emperor

for more than 20 years.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I'd been serving the late Emperor

[ever since the late Emperor was the Crown Prince.]

[I'd seen]

[the late Emperor being troubled over state affairs,]

[as well as worrying about the lack of royal offspring.]

I've also seen the Emperor

feeling overjoyed

[when you were pregnant and later, gave birth to a prince.]

Whenever the Emperor was happy,

he'd chat with me.

[When he's upset,]

[he'd take it out on me.]

[More often than not,]

[he'd have a heart-to-heart talk with me.]

[I've spent half of my life]

by the Emperor's side.

Eunuch Zhang, you've worked hard.

I have not.

Being able to serve the late Emperor,

who was benevolent and wise,

was my honour.

I was used

to staying by the late Emperor's side.

Forgive me for saying this.

Being alone on my own,

I'd long treated the late Emperor

as my family.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Jing Zong.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Go with me.

Thank you, Your Majesty. I will.

When the Emperor passed away,

it was as if the sky collapsed.

I lost the centre of my universe

and I've been feeling anxious.

My heart aches.

Your Majesty, please show me mercy

by allowing me

to stay by the late Emperor's side for the rest of my life.

Actually, I should agree

to this request of yours, Eunuch Zhang.

However, Crown Prince will ascend the throne soon.

There are a lot of matters to take care of in the palace.

We need someone who is meticulous

and can keep the overall situation under control.

I'm afraid the only person who can do so

is you, Eunuch Zhang.

You were close to the late Emperor

and were trusted by him.

I also trust you.

I wonder if you'll work for a few more years

for me,

as well as the Crown Prince?

Moreover, we've known each other for a long time.

Now that the Emperor is gone,

I don't wish to see

our old friends leaving our side, too.

Your Majesty.

I can't bear to leave you and Crown Prince either.

Will you agree to it?

I'll stay.

I'll stay.

That's good.

I know

you've been grieving lately.

Take a break for now.

Let Vice Head Eunuch Lei take care

of the matters for the time being.

Thank you for being understanding, Your Majesty.

I'll serve you

and the Crown Prince whole-heartedly.

♫ A night of winter ♫

♫ After a hundred years ♫

[Da Qing Hall]

♫ In the same tomb we'll stay ♫

Lord Kou.

Lord Kou, this...

Lord Kou, you rushed back to the capital

and you were grieving.

You should be taking a rest at home.

Why are you...

Why?

You people are the newly elected assisting officials.

Do you think only you can come to the Imperial Study?

As a subject of Song,

can't I greet the new Emperor?

Lord Kou, you're exaggerating.

That's not what I meant.

That's right, Lord Su didn't mean it.

Lord Kou,

you're also one of the assisting officials now.

I'm not.

I'm just a low-rank official.

How can I compare to you, the Emperor's right-hand men?

I'm doing this for the sake of the late Emperor.

I'm unlike someone,

whose aim is to gain power and deceive the Emperor.

Jing Zong,

what's going on there?

What is it?

That chair.

Lord Kou,

that's the Empress Dowager's Phoenix Chair.

Phoenix Chair?

It's placed beside the Dragon Throne

at an equal position.

It's obviously for the purpose of administering state affairs.

Take it away!

Lord Kou, this...

Didn't you hear what I said?

I told you to remove it.

Lord Kou, it's not up to me.

You can't remove it.

Lord Kou,

where is Empress Dowager going to sit if you remove her chair?

Imperial Study is the place

for the Emperor to discuss state affairs with officials anyway.

Members of the Imperial Harem shouldn't be here.

Lord Kou, you agreed to it

that day.

You're being unreasonable now.

Either way...

Either way, there shouldn't be an extra throne.

-Take it away. -No!

Who would dare to move it?

Greetings, Empress Dowager and Emperor.

You may rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Eunuch Zhang.

Yes.

Take that chair away.

Your Majesty.

Take it away.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, in my opinion,

the chair shouldn't be removed.

It can be placed below.

It's all right.

Take that chair away.

Your Majesty, please be seated.

Go ahead and sit.

The Emperor just ascended the throne.

The matter of regency has only been decided recently.

This is the handover period between two dynasties.

You're all important officials.

You should consider and carry out

ways to pacify the people

as well as building a reputation of Song's new emperor,

instead of fussing over unimportant matters.

Empress Dowager is right.

We apologise.

Now the Emperor and I are concerned

about the progress of the imperial tomb's construction

and the late Emperor's burial.

Does anyone have a plan?

Your Majesties,

the construction of the late Emperor's imperial tomb

will take about half a year.

Therefore, the late Emperor's burial

can take place in early summer next year.

I've asked Chief of Astronomy Lord Xing

to come up with an auspicious date for the burial.

At the same time,

the Ministry of Rites will go ahead with the burial arrangement.

As for the late Emperor's coffin,

I've grouped

imperial guards into batches consisting 214 people each

to take turns to guard it day and night.

Other than that, I've also sent envoys to deliver the news

to Liao, Tangut and other neighbouring countries.

Chancellor Ding, you're thoughtful.

Do other officials have anything else to add?

Then, let's go ahead with Chancellor Ding's plans.

I'll entrust my father's funeral matters

to you, Chancellor Ding.

Yes, Your Majesty.

It's about the arrangement

of the Emperor and Empress Dowager attending the Imperial Court.

The Emperor is still young.

Empress Dowager, you don't have to exert yourself.

That's why I suggest

for you two

to attend the Imperial Court at Wen De Hall

on the first and 15th day of each month.

In case there's a significant event,

please gather the assisting officials

to come up with solutions together.

Other times,

we can submit the memorials to Da Qing Academy

to you two

for your perusal within the palace.

I disagree with you, Chancellor Ding.

According to the ancient system,

they should attend to state affairs at the Imperial Court

every five days

to pass a resolution.

I disagree as well.

If they remain within the palaces,

relying on eunuchs to deliver political decisions,

as time goes by,

corruption is bound to occur

on this link which connects the palace with the outside world.

That's right.

If eunuchs collude with officials of the previous dynasty,

not only the safety of the Emperor and Empress Dowager

can't be ensured,

the imperial power will also be threatened.

Even worse, the society and nation will be in danger.

Collusion?

I suggested that

for the sake of the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

I didn't think of that.

So it seems General Guo and Lord Cao

have thought in depth.

However, you might've forgotten

you're also among the assisting officials.

You...

Are you two

already thinking about ways to isolate

the Emperor and Empress Dowager from administering state affairs?

Chancellor Ding, don't blame others without proof!

Chancellor Ding,

you claim that your request is earnest.

What makes you think

we have ulterior motives?

The two of them are right.

On the other hand, the ancient system mentioned by Lord Su

is also correct.

Lord Ding,

I don't think your suggestions are appropriate.

I'm not against the idea of following the ancient system.

However,

Empress Dowager has yet to administer state affairs,

because of Chancellor Kou.

Desperate times

call for desperate measures.

Chancellor Ding, you're trying to gain power and deceive the emperor.

I wouldn't dare. I'm like the rest of you.

I'm an assisting official.

We should be polite and refer to each other's opinion

in serving the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

Is that what you mean by being loyal, Lord Ding?

Lord Su,

Chancellor Ding is being considerate of my son and I.

This memorial

can be approved.

Your Majesty, you can approve it.

Your memorial is approved, Chancellor Ding.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

There's something I don't understand.

Why do you allow Ding Wei to do whatever he wants?

The Emperor...

I mean the late Emperor's burial

in the imperial tomb is crucial.

If Ding does his job,

I won't argue with him.

However, he's been carefully planning

to supersede you and the Emperor

to gain power on his own.

Wang Qin Ruo, who had a leg injury,

has been resting at home

and opting for the 'wait and see' approach.

Ding Wei is the Vice Counsellor.

He's the most powerful official in the Imperial Court.

Now that the late Emperor is gone,

although my son and I

won't be bullied,

how can we possibly

topple the vice chancellor who has great influence?

Don't disregard any small act of evil, lest it becomes great evil.

If we don't nip it in the bud,

it'll only get worse.

Shou Yi is still young.

My participation in politics

is unjustified.

If I reprimand and find fault

with the assisting officials,

firstly, it's an unreasonable act.

Secondly,

it'll backfire if we aren't careful.

However, the late Emperor did say

Crown Prince would ascend the throne and you'd be a regent.

We aren't confronting them

as we want to avoid further chaos.

What's wrong with all of us

assisting the Emperor together?

Yi Jian,

I've been wanting

to ask you something.

Go ahead.

The late Emperor...

Did the late Emperor really leave a verbal edict?

Your Majesty.

I wouldn't dare to force an edict.

You'd been helping the late Emperor to handle state affairs earlier on.

Moreover, you were loved and respected by the late Emperor.

No matter how we see it,

the late Emperor would leave such a verbal edict.

Don't you agree?

You have the talent to administer state affairs

and the Emperor is a child.

Would the late Emperor not entrust the Emperor to you,

and let the Emperor be surrounded by officials

and be deceived by them instead, causing chaos at the Imperial Court?

Your Majesty, you shouldn't have had such doubts.

It's true.

I shouldn't have.

I shouldn't have doubted.

Please rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Allow me to say this.

Regarding the regency...

Your Majesty.

Duke Ji wants to bring Duchess Ji out of the palace.

Duke Ji?

Why are Duke and Duchess Ji still in the palace?

Duchess Ji had a miscarriage.

Duke Ji.

Your Majesty, what's the meaning of this?

Are you leaving?

Now that the Emperor has ascended the throne

and you're a regent,

why are you still dissatisfied?

Don't tell me

you want my wife and I to stay in the palace forever?

That's not what I mean.

I'm just thinking.

Duchess Ji is feeling weak now.

She can stay in the palace to recuperate.

It's all right.

Since you have no intention to ask us to stay,

both of us have somewhere else to go.

Don't worry.

My lifelong ambition is not with Da Qing Hall.

Goodbye.

Unfilial son!

Say it clearly before our ancestors!

Do you know what you did wrong?

Stop, Master!

Master, stop hitting him!

He realises he's wrong.

Yong Zhi, apologise to your father!

I didn't do anything wrong.

You...

You caused Si Qi's miscarriage and you still deny you're wrong?

Move aside!

Master!

She shouldn't have entered the palace

and instigated Duke Ji to usurp the throne.

On top of that, she got the entire Cao family involved.

She's trying to get the Cao family

to perish with her!

You think you're right?

If you didn't conspire with Liu E and Guo Chong Xin,

Duke Ji wouldn't have been trapped in the palace.

Father,

you still think Duke Ji will succeed at this point?

Let's say when I returned to capital,

I first told you and Duke Ji

about the late Emperor's death,

did you have the troops

to usurp the throne

or force Empress Dowager and the Emperor to abdicate?

Could you

win the officials' trust

to replace the Crown Prince,

Song's rightful successor to the throne?

Nevertheless,

we wouldn't have been in this state and at others' mercy.

You're the praying mantis,

trying to stop a chariot with its arms.

You overestimate yourself by attempting something impossible.

Father,

don't you understand?

I don't need you to lecture me.

It's only natural and justifiable for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne

and Empress Dowager to be the regent!

Father, you're the Grand Tutor,

the late Emperor's teacher!

Even if you don't value

your relationship with the late Emperor,

what about Song

and the stability of the nation?

Father.

You've taught me since young

to see loyalty and filial piety as our legacy,

be filial to the family and loyal to the nation.

What about you?

You've been holding on to the ancient system of succession your entire life!

Who exactly are you loyal to?

Is it Song,

the royal family of Zhao,

Duke Ji

or

your own selfish desire?

Rascal! I...

Master, no!

Yong Zhi!

Am I right?

Yong Zhi!

Yong Zhi, no!

Let me finish.

Father, the path you're taking

leads to nowhere.

In the Imperial Court, your son

has always been careful.

I've been very cautious when I speak to others.

Do you really think

your son is useless

and timid?

That's because you

made too many enemies.

By doing so, your son

has to tread on thin ice.

Human heart isn't like water. Trouble might come out of nowhere.

Father, I am so afraid.

I am afraid you'll offend the Emperor one day.

When a man is going downhill, everyone will give him a push.

If that happens, the Cao family will be like the Pan family!

When we're drafting the edict, it was obviously a lost cause,

yet you were still planning a rebellion.

Although a few officials

are now regents alongside the Empress Dowager,

Empress Dowager

had gained power long before that

and she might even gain more.

If Empress Dowager

keeps finding fault with the Cao family,

Father,

everything you and me did before this

will be wasted.

Very well.

Very well.

Very well.

From now on,

the honour and disgrace of the Cao family

will be up to you, Cao Yong Zhi.

Father!

Only one person has absolute control over Song

and that is the Emperor.

The only person

who is able to shelter the Cao family from trouble

is me,

Cao Li Yong!

Yong Zhi.

Master.

[End of Episode 50]