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 58]

[Imperial Temple]

Everyone,

since the Song dynasty was established,

no woman has ever governed the nation.

Her Majesty has been scheming for long.

She used the excuse that the emperor was young

to assume regency.

But in fact, she has overstepped her authorities.

Her Majesty's intention is crystal clear.

That's right.

Doesn't she aim to follow the example

of Empress Lu of Han and Wu Zhao of Tang

to rule and proclaim herself as sovereign?

Yes. Exactly.

We have to uphold the doctrines prescribed by our forefathers

and be loyal to the emperor of Song.

What the Grand Tutor said is very true.

He hit the nail on the head.

How

would Song proceed from now on?

Hope my lord can show us the way today.

I'm willing to follow you.

We're willing to follow you.

Good. Today is the late emperor's death anniversary.

I want to take this opportunity

to protest to His Majesty in front of the ancestors and the late emperor,

let Her Majesty step down

and return the power to His Majesty.

Today is the day.

Father,

[Memorial tablet of Emperor Zhenzong]

when you were alive,

I was just a small child.

You didn't tell me the truth before you died.

But how long must it be kept from me?

When exactly

can I dispel the clouds and see the sun?

If you're watching over me in heaven,

please give me your blessing

to find out the truth soon

and clear up my doubts.

My lord,

the Grand Tutor has gathered a group of ministers and students

at the Imperial College.

He wants to depose Empress Dowager when His Majesty is worshipping

in the Imperial Temple.

Lord Guo,

please come with me.

Guo Chong Xin and Su Yi Jian suddenly left.

Something is up.

Just stay out of it.

Let's wait and see.

Go.

Yes.

For those who want to remonstrate in the Imperial Temple,

please come with me.

We're willing to follow you.

Great.

Let's go!

-Let's go. -Let's go.

Grand Tutor, Grand Tutor.

Grand Tutor, bad news!

The Imperial Guards has surrounded the place.

What...what should we do?

Stay calm.

I'll go and have a look.

Okay.

Let's go.

Well...

Greetings to the Grand Tutor.

Lord Su.

What do you mean by this?

I'm sorry about this.

Hope we can talk inside.

Grand Tutor, don't go back in there.

Grand Tutor, don't go back in there.

Don't go back.

Lord Guo, close the gate.

No one can get in or out

without my order.

Yes.

Close the gate.

Let us out! Let us out!

Don't be disrespectful.

Let us out!

Let us out!

Let us out! Let us out!

Lord Su.

The Imperial College is a place for imparting knowledge.

But you have brought

the Imperial guards to besiege the establishment.

Who gave you the order to do so?

Grand Tutor,

I heard that you're going

to take the crowd to the Imperial Temple

and disturb His Majesty when he's worshipping the late emperor.

This is urgent.

I have no option but to mobilize the Imperial guards.

I'm not going to the Imperial Temple

to disturb His Majesty when he's worshipping.

I just want to admonish the Emperor and Empress Dowager

in front of the late emperor's grave,

and ask Her Majesty to hand back the power.

Right, hand back the power!

Grand Tutor, if you want to admonish,

you can talk to His Majesty at the court.

Why start a riot on the late emperor's death anniversary?

Do you know what the Imperial Temple is for?

It's a place where the royalty pays respect to Heaven and the ancestors.

If you disrupt His Majesty's worship of the late emperor,

what consequences can you bear?

Grand Tutor,

I'm stopping you

for your own good.

Su Yi Jian,

don't assume that I'm afraid of you

because Empress Dowager has your back.

Grand Tutor,

you've been going against Her Majesty for years.

But she's been lenient with you

as you're an important official

who has served three emperors.

Unexpectedly,

you've gone so far as to rally the masses

to overthrow Her Majesty.

I think

you should be appreciative

and think before you act.

A failed government enrages Heaven!

If Her Majesty is unwilling to step down,

Song will never have peace.

I must go to the Imperial Temple to admonish His Majesty.

No one can go out!

Su Yi Jian.

Are you not afraid

that your action will earn you a bad name in the future?

Grand Tutor,

compared to you,

I'm afraid what you've done

is even more condemnable.

Look at your despicable faces.

You overstep your authorities, hold a candle to the devil,

and seek for undeserved fame.

You want all the loyal ministers

of Emperor Taizong out of the picture.

There are no Emperor Taizong's ministers in Dongjing anymore,

nor anyone like me

who carries out the late emperor's will,

showing undivided loyalty,

guarding against the Empress Dowager

and protecting the Song Dynasty.

The people of Song,

just be the abjectly obedient subjects

of the Empress Dowager

and muddle through your lives with ignorance

in the city where the ruler and ministers fail to live up to their duties.

I must make a stand today even if I have to die.

-Grand Tutor. -Grand Tutor.

Grand Tutor!

-Grand Tutor! -Grand Tutor!

-Grand Tutor! -Grand Tutor!

Why did you do this to yourself?

-Grand Tutor! -Grand Tutor!

-Grand Tutor! -Grand Tutor!

Your Majesty, something bad has happened!

What's going on?

Lord Cao gathered a crowd in front of the Imperial College.

He intended to go to the Imperial Temple to remonstrate

and force you to step down.

Lord Su and Lord Guo brought the Imperial Guards to besiege the place

and forbade anyone to go in or out.

As a result, Grand Tutor Cao was infuriated and...

And what?

He killed himself by smashing his head against a pillar.

What?

The Imperial Guards are still laying siege

on the Imperial College.

Summon Yi Jian and ask him

to wait for me in the imperial bedchamber.

Yes.

Young Master, bad news.

What's going on?

The Old Master was teaching at the Imperial College.

But the Imperial Guards

suddenly surrounded the place.

The Old Master was so angry that he knocked against a pillar and died.

My father knocked against a pillar and died?

Right.

Father, where are you going?

Stay at home and don't go anywhere.

Wait till I get back.

Mother, I'm done worshipping the late emperor.

You and the ministers should go back.

Is there anything else?

Nothing.

You should go back to the palace too.

[Imperial College]

Go away! Let me in!

Guo Chong Xin, give me back my father's body.

The Imperial College is closed off.

No one is allowed to enter.

Guo Chong Xin, I'm here to get my father's body!

Give his body back to me! Move away!

Guo Chong Xin!

Lord Cao, without Her Majesty's order,

no one can act rashly.

Guo Chong Xin, we're both officials.

How dare you do this!

You have no conscience!

You can't bring back the dead.

Loyalty and filial piety clash with one another.

I can only offer my condolences to you.

Guo Chong Xin,

you're responsible for my father's death.

I'm going to ask Her Majesty for justice.

Just you wait.

It was too urgent.

I rushed to the Imperial College

before I could consult you.

To my surprise, the Grand Tutor was so strong-minded.

I...

Grand Tutor Cao had served three emperors.

I didn't expect

that he would oust me at the cost of his life.

I was too reckless.

I deserved to be punished.

It's not your fault.

The Grand Tutor most probably had planned for it a long time ago.

He risked his life

to put up a fight against me.

We have to handle

his funeral with care,

in case his followers make trouble.

I understand.

Thanks to Su Yi Jian's aggression.

Otherwise,

the Grand Tutor wouldn't have killed himself.

Being overconfident in one's ability will bring one disaster.

He's too full of himself.

He can't escape the blame for causing the Grand Tutor's death.

If he's convicted for both Physician Dong

and Li Zai Feng's cases,

he'll be doomed.

[Qian Yuan Gate]

My lord, please wait.

I have something to report to tell Her Majesty.

My lord, the Emperor and Empress Dowager

went to worship the late emperor.

No one can enter the palace

without Her Majesty's permission.

It's an emergency.

I have to see Her Majesty today.

My lord, sorry that I can't let you in.

I have to see Her Majesty today.

If don't see her,

I'll kneel here for as long as it takes.

No matter how much I've done for Song

or for the Zhao family,

I'm still unable

to get the old ministers' recognition.

Is it because I am a woman?

Your Majesty,

you're protecting the Song Dynasty

and the Emperor.

Your contribution is evident to all.

Even Cao Jian can't take it away

from you.

The posterity will determine my merits and demerits.

I just want

to fulfil my duty as a wife and mother,

and honour the late emperor's wish

to groom Shou Yi to be a qualified monarch.

Your Majesty,

-you've already achieved it. -Your Majesty,

Lord Cao is kneeling and begging you

outside Qian Yuan Gate.

He requests to take the Grand Tutor's body back.

Your Majesty,

we haven't investigated the riot at the Imperial College.

But Cao Li Yong wants to take back the Grand Tutor's body now.

Could it be that he wants to rally

the students and followers in the Grand Tutor's funeral?

I don't think we should let him take the body.

Comfort Lord Cao.

The court will do the necessary

for the Grand Tutor's body.

Yes, Your Majesty.

[Qian Yuan Gate]

Lord Cao, why are you kneeling here?

Your Majesty.

I beg Your Majesty

to stand up for the Cao family.

Your Majesty,

His Majesty ran into Lord Cao

at Qian Yuan Gate just now.

And they have gone to the Imperial College.

His Majesty has gone to the Imperial College?

Yes.

If His Majesty insists on going in,

I'm afraid Lord Guo is unable to stop him.

The son whom I've raised for 20 years

is going to stand up against me

as the ruler of the country.

Oh, Grand Tutor.

You've fought against me your whole life.

Even after you died,

you could still put me in a dilemma.

You've succeeded

in making your stand with your life.

Your Majesty,

I'm going to admit my mistake to His Majesty

and persuade him to leave.

His Majesty is in a fury.

How could you possibly stop him?

As the emperor of Song,

he is dismissed by his own courtiers.

How is he supposed to maintain his dignity as a sovereign?

But if we don't stop His Majesty now,

he's very likely to take the Cao family's side.

Your Majesty, if you give in now,

you'll be giving in to the Caos

and the Grand Tutor's gang.

And His Majesty

will most probably be manipulated

by the Cao family or people with evil intentions.

The consequences could be tragic.

Even you understand this

but His Majesty can't seem

to figure it out.

He never sets my mind at rest.

His Majesty has arrived!

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Greeting to Your Majesty.

I heard that the Grand Tutor killed himself.

Lord Cao wanted to take the body back

but you turned him away.

What's going on?

Your Majesty,

the Grand Tutor rallied his gang and students to go

to the Imperial Temple to remonstrate

and force Her Majesty to relinquish,

disturbing Your Majesty's worship of the late emperor.

Lord Su, the Commissioner of Privy Council ordered me

to surround the Imperial College

Then why did the Grand Tutor commit suicide?

Lord Su went inside to talk sense into him.

Unexpectedly, the Grand Tutor refused to listen.

Furthermore, he threatened to kill himself.

Eventually, he knocked against a pillar and died.

I order you to withdraw the guard,

open the gate

and let Lord Cao retrieve the body now!

Your Majesty, I'm afraid the Grand Tutor...

I'm afraid the Grand Tutor's gang and students will revolt.

So I can't withdraw the Imperial Guards now.

Your Majesty.

The Imperial College is an educational institution.

The civil officials and students are defenceless.

How will they revolt?

Open the gate now!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, I can't withdraw the guards

and let anyone in or out

without Her Majesty's permission.

How dare you!

I order you to withdraw the guards and open the gate now!

I dare not.

[Imperial College]

The Empress Dowager has arrived!

Greetings to Mother.

I wonder why you've ordered to besiege the Imperial College.

The Imperial College has become a base of the rioters

who conspired to stage a revolt while we're worshipping the late emperor.

I have no choice

but to give the order to besiege it.

Mother,

the late emperor set up the Imperial College

to cultivate talents.

It's a place for the circulation of thought.

Why do say that there's a revolt?

Today, the Grand Tutor was going

to lead the civil officials from different places

and the students to go

to the Imperial Temple to remonstrate

and force me to step down.

He clearly wanted to overthrow me.

Isn't it consider a revolt?

Mother, the Grand Tutor thought that I should take over the reign.

It's totally legitimate.

It's not a revolt.

It requires great loyalty to make a stand with his life.

The Grand Tutor devoted his life in educating people

and served three emperors.

But after his death,

his family can't collect his body

and bury him.

Isn't it upsetting?

Your Majesty, calm down.

Please go into the Imperial College with me

to find out what happened.

Lord Guo,

open the gate.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Open the gate.

Yes.

Your Majesty.

Let's go in together.

Greetings to Emperor and Empress Dowager.

Father, it's my fault.

Sorry that I'm late.

Today's incident happened for a reason.

The Grand Tutor died unexpectedly.

I'm also deeply saddened by it.

I will surely give him

a grand funeral.

Lord Cao,

you may take the Grand Tutor's body back home.

Thank you, Your Majesties.

Lord Cao, please get up.

I'm sorry for your loss.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

[Imperial College]

Li Sheng, the Right Counsellor Remonstrant.

Yes...Yes.

You accepted 800 taels in bribes from Ge Jian

and recommended him to be the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Clan.

Mercy, Your Majesty.

Mercy, Your Majesty.

I dare not do it again.

Lu Zhi Lian, the Magistrate of Luoyang in Xijing.

I'm sorry. I'll confess.

I had my head turned by my greed

and stole 2600 taels

and more than 80 fine woods

which were supposedly for the construction of the Royal Nursery,

I've realized my mistake.

I promise

I'll be honest and dedicated to my duties from now on.

Mercy, Your Majesty.

Mercy, Your Majesty.

I'm not going

to reprimand you one by one.

Everything is recorded in the memorials.

I know clearly

what you've done.

Some of you are too self-serving,

some are corrupted.

That's why you don't want me

to reign from behind the curtain.

Once His Majesty takes over,

you can take advantage of Grand Tutor Cao's influence

to deceive His Majesty

and get away scot-free.

Certainly,

some of you

are innocent.

Yi Jian.

Yes.

Take the guilty ministers to the Judicial Court for trials.

As for the others

and the students,

no matter what you have done

with Lord Cao,

I won't take any actions against you.

As to when I will hand the state power back,

I'll make my own judgement.

Praise to Your Majesty's wisdom.

Thank you for showing mercy upon us.

This is your favourite snack.

You promised

to come back and eat with me.

Is Lord Guo, the Vice Commissioner of Privy Council here?

Yes, Your Majesty.

The Imperial Guards responded so fast

to besiege the Imperial College.

Lord Guo had dispatched them promptly.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

It's my duty

to maintain the order of the Capital

and serve Your Majesties.

But don't you require a military order

to dispatch that many guards?

Does the Vice Commissioner of Privy Council

has the right to dispatch them?

Your Majesty, since Emperor Taizu imposed the military order,

the dispatch and the command of the Imperial Guards

are separated.

No one can dispatch any soldiers

without an official document from the Privy Council.

Lord Guo,

did you dispatch the guards without approval?

Well...

Your Majesty,

Lord Guo didn't dispatch the Imperial Guards on his own

He and I brought

the Imperial Guards to besiege the Imperial College.

I thought

if we both led the troops together,

no official Privy Council document was needed.

The Privy Council dispatched

the Imperial Guards without my approval.

Is it considered an unauthorized dispatch of troops?

Your Majesty,

it was urgent.

I didn't have to time to report it to you.

Lord Cao and a group of unarmed ministers

were deliberating at the Imperial College.

They wrote up some memorials

to submit to me and Her Majesty.

You said it was urgent.

What's the urgency about it?

Or was it your and Lord Guo's own assumption?

I know

a general in the field isn't bound by the sovereign's order.

But you're in the Capital.

You mobilized the Imperial Guards to besiege the Imperial College

without my permission

or Her Majesty's order.

Isn't this an unauthorized dispatch of troops?

They didn't seek your permission,

but after the incident,

they told me everything truthfully.

They're forgivable.

If all generals in the armies

follow the example of Guo Chong Xin

to use the excuse of an emergency

and dispatch the Three Armies

without a military order or my approval,

then what's the use of the law and military order?

If the Privy Council

dispatches the troops to surround the palace

and my bedchamber one day,

are they still forgivable?

Your Majesty, please simmer down. I've realized my mistake.

Since that is the case, Lord Wang,

what should I do with them?

Your Majesty,

according to the Song law,

they should be demoted and...

Your Majesty, it's unnecessary.

There are rules and regulations.

But we have to act according to the situation.

If Your Majesty wants to punish them,

you can punish me first.

Mother.

Su Yi Jian, Guo Chong Xin,

you know that we have strict military discipline.

Yet, you still made such a mistake.

Pass down my order.

Your salary will be deducted for half a year.

Should it happen again,

I won't be lenient with you.

Yes, Your Majesty.

It's such a grave mistake,

How can we just deduct their salary?

Ministers, is there anything else you'd like to report?

Your Majesties,

I think Lord Guo can be absolved of the blame.

However, a man has violated the criminal law of Song.

His crimes are unpardonable

and he should be sentenced to death.

Who is this man you're talking about?

Your Majesty,

the man whose crime is unpardonable

and who should be sentenced to death

is none other than Su Yi Jian, the Commissioner of Privy Council.

Why do you say so?

Your Majesty,

the Grand Tutor was extremely loyal.

He was the pillar of Song who served three emperors

Lord Su led the Guards to besiege the Imperial College

and backed the Grand Tutor into a corner.

The Grand Tutor is strong-minded.

As a result, he killed himself by knocking against a pillar to make a stand.

I deeply admire

his integrity.

We all feel upset

and indignant as it's unfair to the Grand Tutor.

Your Majesty is principled.

Shouldn't Lord Su be held accountable for it?

Your Majesty,

I never meant to hurt the Grand Tutor.

He wanted

to bring a group of civil officials

to the Imperial Temple to remonstrate.

I worried that it'd disrupt the late emperor's memorial ceremony.

So I advised him earnestly.

Surprisingly, the Grand Tutor already had the intention to end his life.

Hence, he knocked his head against a pillar and died.

I...

I've realized my mistake.

I'm deeply saddened by the Grand Tutor's death.

But it happened for a reason.

Su Yi Jian resorted to that move

to ensure the stability of the court.

I'll organize a state funeral

to mourn the Grand Tutor.

I'm willing to go to the Cao's residence

to pay my respect to the Grand Tutor.

If Lord Su hadn't pushed the Grand Tutor too hard,

the Grand Tutor wouldn't have killed himself.

I think

Lord Su isn't remorseful at all.

Lord Ding.

Lord Ding, it was an accident.

Su Yi Jian is at fault,

but he didn't commit a capital crime.

I'll decree immediately

that he'll be demoted three ranks with no pay.

Are you fine with it?

As Your Majesty said so.

But it's not the only reason why I said

that Lord Su should be sentenced to death.

What is the other reason?

He had murdered an official

and an imperial physician.

Lord Ding, what are you talking about?

Lord Ding, don't scruple.

Please speak up.

Li Zai Feng, a former official

who is also Consort Li's brother

and Physician Dong who had worked in the palace for years

had been living a normal life.

But a few days ago,

both of them died one after another.

Lord Su, was that an accident?

Lord Ding,

what does Lord Su has to do with it?

Lord Su

plotted to murder them.

Shouldn't he be sentenced to death?

Are you saying

that Su Yi Jian killed Physician Dong and Li Zai Feng?

Do you have any proof?

Your Majesty,

the Judicial Court already heard the case.

They have both witnesses and physical evidence.

Lord Wang, Lord Ding,

the Judicial Court heard the case

without my presence.

How can you sentence me to death?

This is serious.

I'll review the case personally

and ask the Judicial Court to rehear it

before making a final decision.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Yi Jian, how could you make such a blunder?

Li Zai Feng and Physician Dong already left Dongjing

and lived a secluded life.

Why did you have to kill them?

Ding Wei has already learned about them.

If I didn't take any action before him,

Ding Wei would surely bring them

to His Majesty.

If Ding Wei gets this hold over you

how are you going to explain to His Majesty?

But right now...

Ding Wei has found witnesses against you.

Your life

is in his hand.

He won't let you off the hook easily.

I knew it was coming.

Your Majesty, I don't regret it.

I just regret that I didn't do it earlier.

Yi Jian.

You shouldn't have done this.

Your Majesty!

You've endured all kinds of hardships

and worked your heart out for His Majesty.

Ding Wei tricked His Majesty and sowed discord between you,

because he wants you to hand back the power to His Majesty,

so that he can manipulate him and take control of the court.

He's so outrageous.

I can't sit back and do nothing.

Everyone knows what Ding Wei aims for.

Why do you put yourself in such a situation?

I have no choice.

Ding Wei is very cautious.

If he wasn't absolutely sure,

he wouldn't have confronted me at the court.

Tomorrow,

he will probably present you the result

of the hearing at the court.

I won't put you in a spot.

If it really happens,

I hope that you can be decisive.

Yi Jian!

[Noodle House]

Shopkeeper, is it closed?

Yes.

Sir, are you...

Can you cook me a bowl of noodle soup?

Sure, sir. Please come in.

Sir, come.

This way please.

Come.

Sir, please wait a moment.

Get ready to cook.

Add more vinegar.

No problem.

Shopkeeper, he's a high official.

Right, he came to have noodle soup

at such a late hour.

Do you think he's in a trouble?

Who knows?

Alright, just cook it.

Here you go.

Sir, please enjoy it.

Thank you, sir.

This is...

Your Majesties.

The Judicial Court has heard Su Yi Jian's case

and submitted the witnesses' statements

for Your Majesties' perusal.

What is the result of the hearing?

Your Majesty,

the two assassins have signed on the plea

and confessed to their crimes.

Both of them pointed out

that the assassination of Physician Dong and Li Zai Feng

was masterminded by Su Yi Jian, the Commissioner of the Privy Council.

When Li Zai Feng was assassinated,

he was with a courtesan.

The witness statement

provided by the girl

is consistent with the assassins'.

What did they do with the Commissioner?

Your Majesty,

as Her Majesty ordered,

the Imperial Guards has put Lord Su under house arrest.

Just present it to Her Majesty.

Yes.

Your Majesty.

I'll read it back in the palace.

Your Majesties.

Since the Judicial Court has closed the case,

I hope Your Majesties can pass the order

to sentence Su Yi Jian.

[End of Episode 58]