Original subtitles

Imperial Concubine Du,

why are you so hard on yourself?

Hurry up

and clean the ground.

Yes.

Although the palace has cut its expenses,

Concubine Yun, who is pregnant with the imperial heir,

never lacks food.

Imperial Concubine Du has just given birth.

it is necessary to take care of yourself.

My maiden family

still wields military power in the court

and takes care of me in all the aspects.

In the future, Guanju Palace’s meals

will be like Xinyi Palace’s ones.

Should I believe a person

who used a midwife

to frame Concubine Yun?

You would not poison this dish, right?

I should have guessed

that sending Aunt Sheng’s son to Yuanxiu Palace

was your doing.

But I

will not plot against Imperial Concubine Du.

I cannot wait to bring

sacrificial offering to you.

Withdraw, you all.

Yes.

Are you buying

ten years of my time?

Ten years?

I am afraid it won’t even take ten months.

Imperial Concubine Du,

the whole situation has been reversed.

I am willing to follow Imperial Concubine Du

and deal with Nie Wushuang together

to help you get your lost son back.

Make your statement clear.

King of Li, your imperial brother

has never given up on you and Great Lan

Aunt! Aunt!

Ziyan

Ziyan was nagging to come and play with the Princess

so I brought him over.

We did not disturb your rest, right?

Of course not.

As it happens aunt was missing Ziyan too.

Have you finished the homework left by your teacher?

You are really obedient.

Shall we go to the imperial garden

and fly kites together?

Official Xue Bi pays respects to Imperial Concubine Shu.

Imperial son-in-law,

why did you come back?

I left several books on

art of war at home last time

and came to pick them up.

Do as you wish.

Imperial Mother!

This female servant greets Your Majesty.

Imperial Sister-in-law, you came.

I came back to Yi Palace

and heard Xue Ke say

that Concubine Shu took Ziyan

to see the princess.

I came to pick Ziyan up.

I hope he did not bother Princess too much.

How could he?

Ziyan listens to his aunt the most,

am I right?

Ziyan is really obedient.

Concubine Shu

The mourning period for Empress Dowager has not passed.

People from six palaces are now allowed to wear makeup.

Why did you make an exception?

this female servant has not slept well recently.

Today,

I only applied little rouge on my face,

nothing else.

Why do I feel

you look more radiant?

How could that be?

How could that be, Your Majesty...

Humble official Xue Bi pays respects to Your Majesty.

Imperial son-in-law is also here.

Humble official has matters to attend

and will withdraw first.

Ziyan,

Imperial Mother wants to ask you

why did Imperial Concubine Shu

take you to your aunt?

Did Ziyan say

that he misses his aunt?

Ziyan does miss his aunt

but Ziyan did not tell

Imperial Concubine Shu about it.

How did she know

that Ziyan misses her aunt?

Royal Highness, slowly.

Slowly, Royal Highness.

Be careful!

Princess Yunle has arrived.

Slowly, Royal Highness.

Ziyan.

Royal Highness.

Come. Come over.

Yunle greets Imperial Sister-in-law.

Royal Highness.

Yunle

Why did you come to see imperial sister-in-law?

Enough. Royal Highness, don’t run.

I did come to Imperial Sister-in-law

because of something.

Xue Bi always goes back

to the Imperial son-in-law’s mansion recently.

I do not want to face him

so I plan to stay in the palace for a few days.

I wonder if the Imperial Sister-in-law can assent.

Does Imperial son-in-law

not live in the army camp?

After Imperial Mother died,

he is always making excuses to come back.

Imperial son-in-law grew up with you

since childhood.

Knowing that you were sad recently,

he wants to show you his concern.

I do not want his concern.

Besides, Concubine Lian, Concubine Shu

and five other imperial concubines

are coming to see me often.

It may not be

a bad idea for you to come back and live here.

Ziyan always whines

to play with you.

You can spend more time with him.

Yunle thanks Imperial Sister-in-law.

Yunle shall withdraw first then.

I shall not bother the Imperial Sister-in-law.

I will play with Ziyan for a while.

Ziya, come to your aunt.

Royal Highness, this way.

Come, Ziyan. Come after me.

Xue Ke,

go and get my shawl.

Your Majesty, it is getting dark.

Where are you going?

Some things can be only dealt with

in the darkness.

it is cold outside.

Let maidservant go with you.

I go to Yuanxiu Palace

to discuss something with Imperial Concubine Lian.

You do not have to follow me.

Just take care of Ziyan here.

Yes.

Aunt,

Zitong cannot accept that Aunt’s death

is related to Fuxiang.

Zitong does not want to

be tortured by such thoughts.

The truth must be found out tonight.

If Aunt is looking down from Heavens,

bless Zitong so that she

founds the truth

Imperial Mothe!r

Wake up!

Fuxiang! Fuxiang!

Fuxiang, come quickly!

I am scared.

Help me rub her hands.

Maybe we can still revive her!

Imperial Mother!

Fuxiang! Fuxiang, hurry up!

I dare not.

Why not

She is our aunt!

I ask Buddha

to bless Li State and let them destroy Lan

so that my Xue Family can

settle their grievances

Official Xue...

Fuxiang?

Fuxiang...

Official Xue, I missed you so much.

I have not seen you for so many days.

You have no idea how worried

I am that something will happen to you.

Rest assured.

These days of fear

will soon pass.

Everything is going well.

Our days of freedom are coming.

They are almost there.

Then you and I won’t have to

sneak around like this

but we will live far away together.

But

meeting always here at Shangyuan Palace

is not a long-term solution.

I am afraid that one day

our secret will be exposed

by others.

Fool, you forgot already.

Be brave. I am here.

Your Majesty is troubled

by Li State’s

Heavenly Warrior already.

Empress Dowager Wang’s death

will conclude without conclusion.

Besides,

that old hag did all kinds of evil when she was alive.

I do not know

how many people

applauded secretly when she died.

And who would investigate her death anyway?

In the end,

this matter will be soon

forgotten by everyone.

But

Empress Dowager pulled off

one of my earrings when she was dying.

I am afraid others

may start to suspect me.

It has been more than a month since the old witch died.

Since it has not been discovered,

then it must be gone.

It is just an earring.

Even if someone finds it,

you can still say

that you lost it a long time ago.

Earrings cannot talk.

How can anyone

suspect you.

Official Xue’s words

make me feel at ease.

Rest assured.

In the future, Xue Bi will be more than

just a deputy head of the imperial guards.

I will take you with me

wherever I go.

I will pamper you day by day

and be your backer.

Official Xue,

this is the earring that I lost.

Why is it here?

Did you lose it here before?

No.

It was obviously Empress Dowager

that tore it off that day.

Who? Who is here?

Who is it? Come out!

Who? Who is here?

Your Majesty!

Cousin!

I finally understood today

why Empress Dowager died that day

and why you were afraid

to enter the Shangyuan Palace.

You killed your aunt

because she stopped

your adultery affair.

Your Majesty!

No, Cousin.

Empress Dowager is dead already.

So what if you have

found out the truth?

Las time…. did you not forgive me

the matter with Aunt Sheng as well?

This time...

Let me off this time as well.

Official Xue, we should leave tonight

and never come back

from now on.

All right, Cousin?

Impossible.

I am not like you.

My conscience was not eaten by dogs.

The biggest mistake of my life

was to bring you into the palace

and correct

your mistakes again and again.

As for you,

Mr. Xue, you are a traitor.

His Majesty allowed you to live

because of Xue Family's

meritorious services for Great Lan

but he did not expect to bring trouble for him this way.

Cousin... Cousin!

We really had to

kill Aunt that night.

Are you telling me

that it was excusable for you

to commit murder and adultery?

This mistake can never be undone.

Her death is not to be regretted.

Your Majesty,

why do you say that?

Are you so flawless yourself?

Have you not made a mistake

that can never be undone yourself?!

Who is responsible for the state I, Xue Bi, am now?!

Who scattered

albizia powder

into the wine

and ruined my and Yunle’s life?!

Is this the paragon of motherhood

Your Majesty should be representing?!

Very well!

Since you want to rip open

my face today...

Come.

I have enough courage

to hold Fuxiang’s hand,

walk in front of all the people

and say out loud that I love her

and that I want to be with her.

What about Your Majesty?

Do you have the same courage as me?

Are you ready to speak out

in front of all the people

about the despicable act of treason

that you have committed?

If it ever happens, how will you be able to

manage the six palaces

and face His Majesty again

and the whole world?

if you don’t want to experience it,

trade your scandal

for the truth you have learned today.

No.

I will never be threatened by you.

I will confess the matter

with albizia powder to His Majesty

even if I am to be laughed at by the whole world.

Even if I have to hand over empress’ phoenix seal,

even if His Majesty hates me,

I have to avenge

Aunt’s death.

No...

Let’s go.

Go with me immediately and face it.

No!

Let go!

- Come with me! - Let go!

You cannot ruin Xue Bi!

- Let go! - Let him go!

Your Majesty, let go of him!

Cousin... Cousin... Cousin!

You are out of your mind!

What are you still doing here?

Hurry up and leave. Leave!

Hurry and leave! Leave!

- Leave! - Cousin

Your Majesty

Your Majesty, it’s bad! It’s bad!

Something big happened!

Her Majesty...

Her Majesty… at Shangyuan Palace….

had an accident!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

Zitong?

Your Majesty!

Zitong... Zitong! Zitong!

You will be fine.

Zitong, wake up...

We are just in front of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

We will be there soon.

Zitong...

Zitong...

Zitong, wake up.

Wake up.

Zitong

Zitong, you woke up...

You woke up...

Zitong...

Zitong,

don’t close your eyes!

Zitong!

Zitong!

We have been strangers since the very beginning.

Zitong...

Zitong?

Zitong, you cannot leave...

Zitong, you cannot leave...

You cannot leave...

Zitong...

Do you remember, this is the way home,

but it is adorned with the fallen flowers.

If you look back, we will still be strangers just like in the beginning.

Go. Go and check this way.

This way.

Go.

What to do, Official Xue?

There are so many people.

Do not be afraid. I am here.

Why don’t we leave the palace

and live an ordinary life from now on?

The palace gate is the most guarded

and the two of us are unarmed.

How can we escape?

Besides,

if I leave the palace at this moment,

I will be worthless to Gao Yang.

Will that not be a waste of my previous achievements?

This side is clear.

What to do?

There is always a way.

In short, you and I will both live and die together.

This space is clear.

Official Xue, go.

I will distract them.

Absolutely not.

I cannot run anymore.

I will get you in trouble if we go on like this.

Hurry up and leave.

You can only save me

when you are alive.

Hurry up and go. leave.

Hurry up.

- It’s too late. - Hurry up and go!

- This side. - Hurry!

This way! Quick!

What a crazy show...

Who are you?

Jiao Tong.

Did you not leave the palace already?

This female servant is weak by nature,

unable to make a decision.

She could not share Your Majesty’ worries

even when Your Majesty was in danger.

This female servant

does not deserve to be empress.

Your Majesty, restrain your grief.

Who the hell was it?!

Who dared to murder my

Imperial Mother and Zitong

Who was it?!

I, Xiao Fengming,

hereby make an oath to all my ancestors,

that I will find out the real culprit

at all costs.

Please.

I am still restless.

I have to go to Mingyue Palace

and see if Official Xue is safe.

Wait.

Xue Bi will feel bad if he

sees you like this.

Jiao Tong,

take a trip to Mingyue Palace for me

to reassure Imperial Concubine Shu.

Yes.

Imperial Concubine Shu,

have a cup of tea to get over a shock.

Why did you save me?

Imperial Concubine Shu,

when I encountered the most dangerous time

you turned hostile towards me,

but how could I do the same?

How can I stand by with folded arms

when you are in danger?

But sooner or later it all will be revealed.

His Majesty will not spare us then.

Concubine Du, can you think of a way

for me and Official Xue to escape to Li State?

Losing Lan State is tantamount

to losing this game of chess.

Losing glory, splendour, wealth and rank.

Have you asked Xue Bi

how would he conduct himself

for the rest of his life then?

But

the disaster we ran into

cannot be turned back.

Since it cannot be turned back,

I assume

it must be related to human life?

Empress Dowager’s death and empress’s death

has nothing to do with you,

does it?

I don’t know what you are talking about?

Concubine Shu and Imperial son-in-law are intimate lovers.

I am truly envious.

It is not

time for love now, though.

It depends on the player

whether this game can be still won.

And on whether Imperial Concubine Shu

can trust me completely.

Only those who think highly of themselves

stir up a fire only to burn themselves.

How is it.

Replying to Imperial Concubine,

Imperial son-in-law has successfully returned to the barracks

and has joined

His Majesty’s hunting team

that is tracking the murderer.

Withdraw.

Yes.

I have long said

that Imperial Concubine Shu is blessed with a great luck

And this earring

will come in handy soon.

We will be finally able to use the military forces

my Imperial Brother has secretly planted in the palace.

Concubine Du means that...

Empress Dowager and empress’ murders

will not be concluded without conclusion.

If you want to find someone

that will become scapegoat for you,

I believe no one

will be more suitable than her.

Nie Wushuang?

It will also help me avenge my son.

But how could it be possible

with only one earring?

That all depends

on who is controlling the situation from behind.

Although Empress Dowager was domineering

and empress timid,

but their deaths

were unimaginable

blow to His Majesty.

If we add another blow to King of Rui,

my Imperial Brother will obtain Lan State

with half the effort.

Xiao Fengming might be a better monarch

but he is in a truly fragile state now.

What do I have to do now?

Go back and freshen up,

remove the heavy makeup from the face

and put on a sad expression.

If someone

founds out that you

were not at Xinyi Palace

when everything happened,

tell them that you

went to see me in Guanju Palace after I

went insane after losing my son.

I should say you lost your mind?

I will pretend that I did

so that I can do many things behind people’s backs.

No one will suspect

that I was the one

behind everything.

Afterwards...

who will soothe His Majesty’s heart...

who will control the six palaces...

As for Nie Wushuang,

she will only face a dead end.

When Yunle came

to see Imperial Sister-in-law,

Imperial Sister-in-law was still fine.

How did it turn like this?

Xue Ke,

describe what happened last night.

Whom did the empress meet with last night?

Tell me

everything one by one.

yesterday evening,

Princess Yunle came to Yi Palace

to see Her Majesty

and then she stayed in the palace

to recite poems for Her Majesty and Eldest Prince.

Maidservant has always been with Her Majesty.

At midnight,

when maidservant was helping Her Majesty prepare for bed,

Her Majesty seemed to be preoccupied with something.

How could she go to Shangyuan Palace’s

Buddhist temple without a reason?

How could she hit her head on the candle table?

After Eldest Prince fell asleep,

Her Majesty suddenly went out.

Maidservant wanted to accompany Her Majesty

but Her Majesty did not allow it.

What did she say?

That some things

can only be dealt with when it is dark.

Did she say who she was going to see?

maidservant remembers

what Her Majesty said.

She said she was going

to see Imperial Concubine Lian.

Yes, it was Imperial Concubine Lian.

But Her Majesty

did not come to Yuanxiu Palace.

Continue.

Maidservant saw that Her Majesty was not coming back

so she was very worried.

I therefore lit a lamp to find her.

I never thought...

Imperial Concubine Lian

Your Majesty has never treated you coldly.

Why would you harm Your Majesty?

How could I harm

Her Majesty?

Concubine Lian

did you go to see the empress yesterday?

I did not.

The weather has been cold recently.

Yuanxiu Palace closed the palace gate early.

Wushuang was already asleep

around Haishi shichen. (9-11 pm, in the system of two-hour subdivisions used in former times)

Maidservant can testify for Imperial Concubine.

Maidservant was with

Imperial Concubine last night.

If empress was going to Shangyuan Palace,

why would she

lie to Xue Ke about it?

This matter is odd.

There must be something hidden in it.

I ask Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate.

Reporting to Your Majesty,

Imperial Physician Shen of the Imperial Medical Bureau requests an audience.

Granted.

Humble official Shen Wan greets Your Majesty.

Imperial Physician Shen, what did you find out?

Humble official has checked

Her Majesty’s cause of death.

He found that her Majesty was holding

an earring in her hand.

Xue Ke, do you recognize this earring?

Maidservant recognizes it.

It really belongs to Her Majesty.

Maidservant went to retrieve it

after it was inlaid with gems

by the jewelry department

but Her Majesty rarely wore it.

But Her Majesty

was often carrying it around

these days,

looking at it thoughtfully.

The earrings were originally a pair.

What about the other one?

It is probably

in the bedroom of Her Majesty’s Yi Palace.

Lin Mian,

Humble one will go there immediately.

Your Majesty,

can this female servant

take a look at this earring?

This female servant remembers

that Her Majesty

gave this earring to someone

but I cannot remember correctly.

Think about it.

Reporting to Your Majesty,

there was no earring

in Her Majesty’s bedroom.

This female servant remembered it

but maybe she remembered it wrong.

Speak.

Who did the empress

give the earrings to?

Imperial Concubine Lian.

How come...

Your Majesty

Wushuang has never seen this earring before.

Lin Mian go and search the Yuanxiu Palace.搜

Yes.

Wait.

I ask Your Majesty to allow humble official

to search the Yuanxiu Palace by himself.

All right, I trust you the most.

You will definitely handle it impartially

and keep the public interests in mind.

Yes.

General Miao, Imperial Concubine is not in.

What are you doing here?

By Your Majesty’s imperial decree

we are to search Yuanxiu Palace.

You go over there.

You go over there.

Yes.

Search everything carefully.

Did you find anything?

No.

What about you?

Nothing here either.

Why are you so alarmed?

What is it?

Replying to the commander,

these are just some withered flowers

and waste paper from practicing calligraphy.

Where did it come from?

This is Imperial Concubine Lian’s

No, this humble one does not know.

This humble one does not know.

Raise your head.

Take it back.

Yang Zhi, tell me.

Did Imperial Concubine Lian

ordered you

to throw this earring away?

Your Majesty, humble one...

Humble one dares not speak.

Speak

Tell me everything in earnest.

Imperial Concubine Lian was in a hurry.

She...

She came back to Yuanxiu Palace in the early morning

and told the humble one to throw that earring away.

Your Majesty,

Wushuang has never seen this earring before

and she never ordered Yang Zhi to throw it away.

- Imperial Concubine… - You!

Yang Zhi, you are talking nonsense.

Your Majesty, this is clearly a frame-up.

Maidservant was with Imperial Concubine

all day.

She never left

Yuanxiu Palace last night.

Xia Lan has once died after taking medicine.

Are her words

really credible?

Concubine Lian,

do you have anything else

to explain to me?

Replying to Your Majesty,

a while ago

Wushuang discovered

that Yang Zhi was a secret spy

sent by Li State

to serve at Wushuang’s side.

He is very good at imitating my handwriting.

He has forged a lot of evidence

for my collaboration with the enemy.

Your Majesty, I was wronged.

Imperial Concubine...

Yang Zhi has always been loyal to you.

How can you harm this humble one like this?

Since you found him suspicious,

why did you not report him to me?

First, Empress Dowager was killed.

Then Li State challenged Great Lan

with Heavenly Warrior.

Your Majesty was already upset.

Wushuang thought

that she should not report it to Your Majesty

until the state affairs have calmed down.

You concealed it

just like you concealed that Lao Tie

is in fact Gu Qinghong,

am I right?

Am I right?!

Your Majesty,

Empress Dowager and empress’s deaths

need to be investigated.

I ask Your Majesty to be impartial

and severely punish the murderer.

I ask Your Majesty to examine everything.

During one day,

Li State used Heavenly Warrior to deal with Great Lan

and even demanded the surrender of Donglin Temple

and Imperial Concubine Lian.

Therefore, Imperial Concubine Lian

had a great influence on

the diplomatic relations between Lan and Li.

Even if Empress Dowager’s

and Her Majesty’s death

are really related

to Imperial Concubine Lian,

one cannot listen

to one side of the story.

Your Majesty,

please allow this female servant to say a few words.

Imperial Concubine Lian is too weak to withstand a gust of wind.

After Empress Dowager’s murder,

the imperial physician concluded that there was more than one perpetrator.

This female servant thinks

this matter needs to be examined in detail.

One should not jump to conclusions

and hurt innocent people.

Your Majesty, that day at the drill yard,

King of Li had said that Concubine Lian

is in fact Miao Qianqian.

What is the relationship between

Concubine Lian and General Miao?

One should trace who was

the accomplice in this matter.

If Your Majesty does not believe Wushuang,

Wushuang is willing to bear the punishment alone.

She is unwilling to bring trouble to others.

If the accomplice was not General Miao,

who in the whole palace

is always willing to protect

Concubine Lian at all costs?

Who hated Empress Dowager so much?

Impossible.

Fifth Elder Brother would never be an accomplice in this matter.

Enough.

How many more people

do you want to implicate?

Where is King of Rui?

Replying to Your Majesty,

King of Rui has been building a magnet field.

He has been away from the palace for many days.

Call him back to the palace.

Put Concubine Lian and Yang Zhi

in jail first.

Wait till King of Rui comes back to interrogate them.

Yes.

Heavenly Warrior

let us reconcile with Great Lan first

and have a good rest.

Wait for your partner to be born.

At that time,

how many fields in Great Lan will be barren

and its crops withered.

At that time,

you will accompany me to see the nation's popular sentiments.

If you go a mile further,

there is a decent teahouse.

King of Rui does not have to bear this inconvenience.

It doesn't matter what I eat.

One should save money.

I should act as an example.

Grand Marshal Xu,

when the support of the

national treasury will be available?

Although this is not a small matter,

the costs of mining magnetic ore is huge

and should be directly reported to the imperial court.

it will take at least five days

to get the support from the state treasury.

It will be too late then.