Original subtitles

Timing and Subtitles carefully crafted by the MEI DAXIA Team at viki.com

♫ One flower, one world; One leaf, one enlightenment ♫

♫ The raindrops pattering against the banana leaves last night awoke me gently and gracefully. ♫

♫ Continuously and closely, continuously and closely, intoxicated within the aromatic air ♫

♫ Closely touching you, closely touching you. ♫

♫ So many poetic lines were left behind inside of dreams ♫

♫ The raindrops in front of the house drenched the spring clothing ♫

♫ Pitter-pattering raindrops, pitter-pattering raindrops, sprinkling and trickling over the memories ♫

♫ Entirely about you. Entirely about you. ♫

♫ I desire to ride a fair wind to separate, but my heart can't escape ♫

♫ Wanted us to be intertwined trees growing as one, wanted to enjoy the world together ♫

♫ I'm having fun in the mortal world, a cherry blossom free against the sky horizon ♫

♫ Playing you as a flute song, holding you prisoner within my embrace ♫

Untouchable lovers

Episode 43

Why did you insist on having a competition with Huo Xuan?

Why wouldn't it be good?

What do you treat me as? Am I not a human?

Haven't I got the power and privilege to choose for myself?

An independent choice? You naturally don't have one.

Chuyu!

Rong Zhi, it's not because of you that I accepted this competition with Huo Xuan.

All the people in the capital are looking down on me, belittling me,

telling me that this Liu Song princess is no mate, not fit to attend Great Wei's noble Prince Regent.

Certainly I, in the same way, need proof to supply for the benefit of those onlookers,

that I am not a useless person, and that I do understand some matters,

have I somehow not deserved to have a man to stand next to on this earth?

No matter what, immediately stop this competition.

But His Majesty has already given the decree. Everyone on the streets knows about it now. How are you going to stop the competition?

Chuyu, you can't beat her.

Do you know how strong Huo Xuan's fighting skills are,

what kind of training she received since she was little?

If you insist on competing, you surely will be paying an unimaginable price.

That's right! Her martial arts skills are outstanding and she's very smart.

She even can train soldiers to fight battles. Even men willingly submit to her.

But I'm not that bad either, right?

I believe that as long as I work hard, I surely will have a chance to compete with her on even footing.

That's why even if I lose, I must lose after competing,

and not because I feared her when the competition hadn't started yet. That's an act of a coward.

Also, I am grateful that you sent Her Highness the Empress Dowager there to help me out of that difficult situation.

But I've already made a pact with her, and will not take it back.

No need for you to be bothered by this.

What's the first round about?

Competing on wealth.

His Majesty gave me and Huo Xuan one thousand gold coins each.

He wanted us to spend this money on items

to be given to the citizens on his behalf.

Whoever has the item considered to be worth the most and would attract the most number of people, she's the victor.

Fengya Court

Everyone! Come look!

These are gifts given by His Majesty to the Wei citizens!

Place them.

It's coming down...

Look...

Fengya ("Elegance") Court

Everyone, hurry up!

These are the gifts!

It's silver! Mine! Don't compete with me!

Silver! This is mine!

This is mine! Thank you, Your Majesty!

General Huo, I'll wait for your answer!

So she didn't really think of shopping to buy anything,

but converted the entire amount of the gold into silver boats.

This way, it will be lively and auspicious.

What matter can create a better atmosphere like this?

Thank you, Your Majesty!

I have an idea now.

Huo Xuan!

Why did you bring me here?

Is General Huo answering my challenge here?

The Prince Regent's Consort just needs to continue watching and you'll understand.

The General is here.

Such a magnificent sight of golden rain.

Prince Regent's Consort, this is the gift that the General prepared.

I once heard that there was a rich salt merchant who wanted to spend ten thousand in gold.

His retainers then used this gold to buy golden leaves

and piled them up into a golden mountain. When the wind blew, they all got blown away in an instant.

It flew among the grasses and the trees and couldn't be recovered.

I initially thought it was just a legend.

Never thought that I'd be seeing a real one.

I'm sure that General Huo did a lot of work to turn the gold into golden leaves.

General Huo! You are the victor for this round!

I admit defeat!

Taihua Palace

I heard that Chuyu directly admitted defeated in the first round of competing with wealth.

Yes. I released some silver boats by the river

and indeed attracted several citizens.

But General Huo's golden rain has attracted half of Pingcheng.

For this round, no need for Your Majesty to judge it. I accept my defeat.

The Princess Consort is quite practical.

Your Majesty, isn't it?

If you're to win, you should win beautifully. If you're to lose, you should lose in a fitting manner.

But a competition is a competition. There should be a victor.

Since the winner for the first round has been determined, let's start the second round.

May Your Majesty give the topic.

Royal Mother, you give the topic for this round.

In the first round, you competed about wealth. I'll be clever then.

- For the second round, compete about poverty. - How are we competing with that?

Each of you must look for an impoverished individual within Pingcheng.

Within ten days, you must make them rich.

There are no limits in the method you can use.

What Your Highness the Empress Dowager means...

you want us to compete in terms of our wealth?

Of course, it's not asking you to directly give them money,

but to rely on your intelligence in helping those poor and dejected people.

How about it? Can you two do it?

General Huo's Manor

Where are you going?

To an appointment.

You have so many things to handle in your military camp, yet you just leave them like that.

You instead choose to go crazy with a childish lady.

Do you want people to say that you're similar to her, unruly and insensible?

Why are you so mad?

You're blaming us for treating you as a stake?

Or you're afraid that I'll bully Chuyu?

Huo Xuan!

Don't worry. My martial arts skills are better than hers and I've been on the battlefields often.

It can't be helped for me to win without fighting much in that aspect.

I've already offered the condition that we won't compete in martial arts nor military strategy.

We will just compete based on intelligence and problem-solving skills.

Why are you still worried then?

But you two have caused a great ruckus about this. How then will you both properly close it?

Then is the Prince Regent afraid that I will give up on you if I lose,

or afraid that Chuyu will leave Pingcheng?

What really do you want to say?

In my memory, there were never an instance that you got speechless.

Was I able to to guess what your heart's desire is?

Huo Xuan, I hope that you think about this clearly.

If Chuyu loses, she surely will leave Pingcheng.

Have you thought about it? She's the Prince Regent's Consort. How then can she return to her homeland?

If you lose, with your proud personality, you surely will just put down everything and leave. What about the Huo Army then?

A dispute caused by personal feelings like this is meaningless.

Maybe in the eyes of others, it is indeed like that.

But Rong Zhi, you are my reason for fighting.

A long time ago, I already knew that you would be my husband.

That's why I made your dream my dream,

I made your goal my goal.

As long it was you who hoped for me to accomplish something, I would do anything to fulfill it.

I wouldn't even ask for reasons.

This time, can you please consider things

from my standpoint?

Huo Xuan...

My soldiers are watching. The whole city of Pingcheng is watching! I must compete!

And I must defeat Chuyu.

Become your wife in an open and above-board manner.

No matter who,

not even you, can't stop me from doing it.

Okay. I understand now.

From now on, I won't meddle with your affairs anymore.

Thanks.

Who do you think I should look for?

Qingyue!

- Let go of me! Let go of me! - What's going on?

Let go!

You little thief, you dare to steal from me?

You look rich anyway, while I'm about to starve to death.

Will giving me some cause you to lose any flesh? Stingy ghost!

Everyone, come look! They are bullying me! Quickly come!

Let go of me!

Let go!

Uncles and aunties, I haven't had any parents since I was little.

I was just too hungry, that's why I committed a mistake.

I didn't mean to do it...

Let me go...

Lady, let's settle this amicably. Don't use force.

That's right. He's still a child.

- It's bad for the strong to bully the weak. - He's emaciated from too much hunger.

He probably just had a moment of wrong decision.

Just forgive him this time.

Look at your clothing. Just one look and we know that you're from a rich family.

What's wrong with giving someone charity once in a while?

Pitying the weak is a normal human affection.

But stealing just because of being poor

and getting forgiven because of being pitiful,

then everyone should just stop working hard.

All of you just go steal. Anyway, when one is poor,

stealing is reasonable. Anyway, I can cry, so I'm not afraid even if I got arrested.

Why do you talk like that? We're just helping out.

But the reason you wanted to tell me earlier was clearly

that I should share him my wealth because I'm rich, and that he should be spared because he's pitiful.

If I don't let him go and even take him to the local court,

you all will say that I don't have any charitable heart.

Let me ask you all then. Did the money of rich people just fall down from the sky?

They should get robbed, is that it?

You all earlier not only stopped me from catching a thief,

you even forced me to get money from my pouch to give to him as alms.

How can there be such a logic in this world!

Those who doesn't work, will not have any food to eat.

Those who are lazy and keep playing underhanded tricks will be poor for a lifetime.

Not only can I not let you go, I must even teach you a lesson. Come with me.

- Painful... - She's too unreasonable...

Lady, I just took your item earlier.

I already returned it to you!

How come you still won't let me go?

I initially wanted to let you go, but you not only refused to admit your mistake,

you even cried, shouted, and begged for those people to pity you.

Okay. I'm going to take you to the local court.

No, Lady! Don't take me to the local court!

I won't dare to do it anymore! I was just too hungry earlier.

I promise that there won't be a next time.

You don't want to go to the local court?

Okay. That's okay too.

Help me with something.

What do you want me to do?

You tell me.

I won't sell my body!

You wish. You think I would like you?

Brother Li!

Brother Li, take these medicines.

Take care of your wounds when you go back home. Once you're done with them, just come back to me to get more.

- Okay... Thank you, Brother Gu. Thank you. - Go now. - He's there! Hurry!

Who told you not to pay your debts...

- What are you men doing? - Kick him!

Paying one's debts is just right and unalterable.

He owes us so much money.

- We must look for him to— - Listen to me, brother.

If you kill him now, the more he won't he be unable to pay you back. Stop hitting him already.

Move aside! Beat him up!

What? Still want to fight?

Don't... Lady, we didn't know who were up against.

We won't fight anymore...

Say it. What really is happening here?

Say it.

My black chickens are all dead. Just tell them to kill me!

Black chickens? What are black chickens?

Black chickens are chickens with black eyes, beaks, and even internal organs.

It can be used as a food ingredient. It's price is quite high now and can be sold to noble families.

Then it means that he got so depressed because all the chickens he's caring for have died?

I invested all my money to raise black chickens.

I've even pawned the land title of our house and field for it.

Who would've known that someone would be envious

and heartlessly killed all my black chickens.

Now I'm full of debts, poor, and depressed.

How am I still going to live?

Enough...stop crying... Crying will not solve the problem.

Full of debts, poor, and depressed...

Then it means that you're a poor man now?

How can you talk like that?

Let me tell you that this person is already very pitiful.

His poultry farm was actually quite large, but all his chickens just got killed overnight.

Stop adding insult to injury.

- Okay. I'm interfering in this matter then. - You're interfering?

After ten days,

I will let this poultry farmer that's full of debts become the richest person here in Pingcheng.

Lady, are you crazy?

Don't bother caring how I'll do it.

If he's unable to pay you his debts after ten days,

I will bear all the responsibilities.

- Let's go. - How could a man like you cry like this here?

Let's go. Take me to look at your chickens.

Let's go.

Stand properly.

Raise your arms. Higher.

Straighten your arms.

- Your back... - I...

I don't want to learn anymore!

- Get up! - I'm not getting up.

This is too hard. No matter what you say, I won't learn it.

You'd rather steal than learn real skills, is that it?

Anyway, I'm unable to learn it.

Where are you going?

Who are you? Let go of me!

- This is the person that you chose? - Who are you? - Right.

I urge you not to put your hopes on this child.

He looks like rotten mud that won't be able to stick on a wall. (T/N won't amount to anything)

I'm not some rotten mud! Let go of me.

When one has gained benefits without working hard for it for too many times,

he will treat an easy lifestyle and aversion to work as just right and proper.

You rely on other people's charity to live your life. If you're not rotten mud, what are you?

I am not! I'm just not! You're making up things!

Even if he was that before, he won't be like that from now on.

Because I will teach him how to earn money and feed himself.

He won't do any more "imitating dogs in stealing chicken" kind of things.

Don't forget. Your goal is to turn him to a wealthy man and you only have ten days.

Do you have the confidence?

I believe that he's just insensible. He will understand it in the future.

If you are unable to make him understand, I do have ways to make him to.

Based on our empire's law, stealing should be punished with forty strokes with a paddle, (T/N planking or flogging)

and one year of hard labor. Looking at your small body,

don't mention even forty, but just one stroke and you'll die.

I only stole because I have nothing to eat.

Laws are laws. If you kill someone, you have to pay with your life. If you make a mistake, you have to bear the punishment.

You won't get forgiven because you're rich.

Your punishment will also not lessen because you're poor.

No one has the right to instruct others on what to do in front of the laws.

If all will be like you, relying on one being weak to do things willfully

and use other people's charity to fool them,

will there be anyone following the laws anymore?

Shen Yu, drag him to the local court and let him look at how wide a plank is.

No...I don't want to go to the local court! Let go of me!

Sister...save me. I beg you.

I'll learn. I'll learn. I surely will learn it well.

- Really? - Really.

A lazy temperament can't be changed.

Shen Yu, choose another person for the Princess Consort to fulfill her bet.

I'm choosing him. I'm not allowing you to touch him.

You won't regret it?

I never will.

Remember, a man's reputation is earned by himself.

It isn't blown by the wind.

I will learn well and will not give you the chance.

See that?

A person who earns without exerting any effort is looked down by everyone.

That's why, from now on, you must not be lazy and goof around.

In the next ten days, I will think of ways

to turn you into a rich man.

But can learning well really turn me into a rich man?

A sage has his clever ways.

Timing and Subtitles carefully crafted by the MEI DAXIA Team at viki.com

- General. - Is everything prepared?

Everything has been prepared.

Following your instructions, I've brought all the chickens. Are we doing it now?

No. Wait for a little longer.

General Huo, what are you doing?

These chickens are all dead.

Did you drag them all here to throw into the river?

You will know later. Why rush?

Where is the item that I want?

- I've already concocted it. - Thanks.

Huo Xuan really did that?

That is quite mysterious.

What really is she planning to do?

I also don't know.

- What about the Prince Regent's Consort? - The Princess Consort took in a little beggar.

For the past days, she has been meticulously teaching him.

She probably has already devised a plan.

Senior Maid Qin, go and visit the Prince Regent's Manor on my behalf.

Remind Chuyu

to guard against that Huo Xuan.

Yes.

Straighten your arm. Stop pushing your butt forward, lower it.

Your back is curved.

Raise your head. Squat down more.

Senior Maid Qin, why are you here?

Senior Maid Qin. Just put them down there.

Yes.

Senior Maid Qin, what are these?

Prince Regent's Consort, it will be ten days soon.

These are gifts from Her Highness the Empress Dowager.

Gifts? What do you mean?

Princess Consort, Her Highness the Empress Dowager is giving you these and asking you to accept them

so you'll win this round. Aren't you going to hurry and thank her?

I can't do that.

This is goodwill from Her Highness the Empress Dowager.

General Huo's family is very wealthy. How sure are you that she won't cheat?

Don't be stupid.

But Her Highness the Empress Dowager already said before the competition started

that we must help poor people, but must not directly give them money.

If I take this, isn't that cheating?

Thank you for Her Highness' good intentions, but I really don't need them.

What if General Huo...

I don't care what she'll do, but I must not cheat.

This way, even if I won, I would have won without fighting.

Prince Regent's Consort, you really don't know how to appreciate the good intentions of others.

Wait.

What? You regret it?

Take the chests with you too.

Take them away.

Look.

- Senior Maid Qin! - Princess has placed all her hopes on you.

- You must focus on learning. - Okay. - Senior Maid Qin!

Do you remember everything I taught you earlier?

Senior Maid Qin!

Senior Maid Qin!

- Let's continue. - Okay.

You forgot again.

- Stomach. Back. Princess Consort, why didn't you accept them?

Her Highness the Empress Dowager just did that out of good intentions.

Losing is losing, winning is winning.

But I really can't accept those thigns.

You...

Come over here.

You said before that you steal because you're too hungry.

Then are there a lot of kids like you?

Of course, there's a lot of us.

How come you just brought them all back?

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, you wanted to help her win,

but she wouldn't accept your help.

For you to come back here angrily,

I'm sure Chuyu has vehemently refused my gifts.

I had never seen a person as unappreciative as she was.

Just with her trifling tricks, how can it compare to the Feifeng General?

Your Highness was helping to increase her chance of winning.

If it's other people, they would be so happy in thanking you.

- She's such an idiot. - You have to say it,

Chuyu is indeed quite stubborn.

We can only wait, once she loses the Prince Regent,

for her to know what regret means.

Your Highness, what should we do now?

What can we do?

Didn't we already do what we can do?

Just observe and act accordingly.

His Majesty has arrived!

- Greetings to Your Majesty. - Greetings to Your Majesty.

No need for formalities. Just show me the result of your plan.

Okay. Do it.

- This is... - Silver dragon. (T/N this appears to be a type of eel, both food and medicine use)

Right. A fish like this has a meat that's fresh and flavorful,

very soft like tofu. Officials and the nobility love to eat it.

But these past years, people have been fishing them without restraints, this is affecting their numbers.

A price of one silver dragon now is even several times more than one gold.

Since it's very hard to fish for one of them, how were you able to fish for so many of them?

Silver dragons like to eat decomposing meat the most. I placed chicken meat in the basins as a bait, and they naturally fell for it.

What about the chickens?

They've already been consumed.

Good. This is indeed a good idea.

Huo Xuo, you are indeed smart.

She is indeed smart.

But a decomposing chicken will contaminate the river.

We will then rely on Physician Gu for that.

I scattered some medicines that I've formulated

over the chicken, to keep it encapsulated.

This way, the decomposing meat won't contaminate the river.

The chickens were originally his.

I just used garbage of his to make him become a rich man overnight.

Your Majesty, my part of the competition is done.

It's the Prince Regent's Consort's turn now.

Where did the Prince Regent's Consort go?

Your Majesty, please follow me.

Why did you bring me here? Where is the Prince Regent's Consort?

She told me to bring you here and said that you'll understand it just by watching.

Hurry and come look! A fun acrobatic performance!

Everyone! If you have the money, then share some with us! If you have none, then just be our audience!

Hurry and come look!

Today, I will be performing an act for everyone.

Come out!

Timing and Subtitles carefully crafted by the MEI DAXIA Team at viki.com

Good!

Good! Good!

Good!

Good!

Good!

These children are really interesting.

Good!

Zun: "Respectable"

It's a "zun" word.

Good!

Thanks! Thanks!

Thanks! Thanks!

Come over here.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

He is your choice?

Yes. Your Majesty, he was just a little beggar here in Pingcheng.

These other kids are like him.

They were all orphans left by the war.

They don't really have anywhere to go, but can only wander around.

Sometimes, they would even steal.

Didn't Your Majesty tell me to turn a poor person into a rich man?

So...I gathered them all

to form an acrobatic troupe to earn money by performing.

How much did you earn?

There's no need to count anymore.

Those silver dragons can turn a poultry farmer into a Pingcheng tycoon,

while these children that the Prince Regent's Consort brought only earned that much.

It's very clear that the Prince Regent's Consort lost.

We already were very diligent. We really were very diligent in training.

Don't be sad. It's fine. I don't mind.

No. This time, I lost.

General, you must not yield to her during times like this.

General Huo, don't yield to me just becuase

- you pity these children. - Who told you I'm yielding?

I will never yield to anyone in this lifetime.

Why then?

Your Majesty, I understand General's meaning.

Rather than giving fishes, you should give people the knowledge to fish.

Catching some silver dragons can only resolve a moment of difficulty.

If you want to forever eat fishes, you must learn how to fish.

General Huo's method may have looked effective.

But that poultry farmer didn't do anything,

and just became a tycoon overnight.

While the method of the Prince Regent's Consort is to teach the little children how to do acrobatics step by step,

to use their own hard work in exchange for money.

If we are to calculate based on the source of the money,

it is indeed General Huo who lost.

In catching silver dragons, you must do it in the right season.

And you can only use it once. People will imitate you very soon.

When the price of the fish decreases, it then becomes invaluable.

But actively learning acrobatics will lead you to create new moves nonstop.

You naturally can perform hundreds or thousands of times.

Based on the length of time, it is indeed the Prince Regent's Consort who won.

Huo Xuan said it right. Chuyu indeed won this round.

Even you are saying so?

Yes. They still haven't said one more reason.

What reason?

It's not that they didn't say it, but even more that they didn't dare say it.

Who Chuyu helped are orphans of war. These children should have been taken care of by the government.

It's because they were not taken care of well that's why they ended up wandering. If they continue to wander,

they will only get used to the easy lifestyle and refuse to work.

Chuyu teaching them to eat off from their own strength is actually helping lessen the government's burden,

while she bears these responsibility herself. What she gave the children is spiritual wealth.

It's more meaningful than a desperate man regaining wealth.

Well said!

For this round, I'm naming the Prince Regent's Consort as the victor.

Really?! Then, Your Majesty, can these children...

Men!

Present.

Make sure to properly give each of these children their basic needs.

Remember not only them, but all the children that lost their parents because of the war,

and were forced to leave their homes and wander around Pingcheng are all our responsibilities.

Yes.

- Let's go back to the palace! - So great!

So great!

Don't you regret giving up on this round?

If I insisted on using the amount of wealth to measure the competition, I naturally would have won this round.

But anyone who has a sense of responsibility will not give a blow to a child's confidence like that.

Even if it's for these orphaned young lads, I must lose.

Moreover, I surely will win the third round.

You're that confident?

I'm sure of it.

Just leave these two pots behind. You two leave first.

Yes.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, for the second round, the Prince Regent's Consort won.

Never thought that this foolish young lady really had any skills.

You can say so, but she's still too proud.

Any able person has the right to be proud.

Moreover, Chuyu is still this young. It's just right for her to be a bit imposing.

Oh, right, what is the topic for the third round?

I also was very curious and sent someone to check on it.

But after His Majesty returned to the palace, he has shut himself inside Taihua Palace.

There is no news about it at all.

That mysterious?

Maybe His Majesty also hasn't decided yet on the third round.

If it's about literary skills, Chuyu will lose.

If it's fighting skills, Chuyu will still lose.

Now that the standing is one each, this is the best situation.

I'm sure that His Majesty is having a headache now regarding the topic for the third competition.

He doesn't know with whom he should lean towards more.

In your opinion, who does His Majesty favors more?

Only our little Emperor knows that.

Guiren Feng.

Your Highness the Prince Regent.

Your Highness, did you just escort His Majesty back?

What a coincidence that I bumped into you here.

Yes.

Looks like you're living quite well.

His Majesty has provided me excessive love.

All my extravagant hopes before have now been fulfilled.

After living a fairy-like life here in the palace,

have you then forgotten your initial intention for entering this place?

I dare not forget the grace that Your Highness has given me.

The love of an emperor is like the flower in the mirror, or the reflection of the moon on the water.

How your future will unfold...

will still depend on you.

Yes.

Guiren.

Let's go.

Who is there? Who is that!

Liubei Palace (Flowing Glass Palace)

Your Majesty, what is worrying you? Why do you keep on frowning?

I'm thinking about the competition.

The Prince Regent's Consort and the Feifeng General are now tied.

Then the third round will be the deciding round.

But...what if the Prince Regent's Consort loses?

What then?

I also am at a loss with these two.

Huo Xuan has followed her father onto the battlefield since she was little.

She has a firm and persistent character. Is good in both literary and fighting skills,

but she's more stubborn than a man.

If a strong woman like that isn't married off to the Prince Regent, who else would dare to marry her?

As for the Prince Regent's Consort, she's the Liu Song Princess after all.

Unless left with no choice, I also don't want to disappoint Liu Song.

Too bad, the two of them are both very outstanding.

Too obstinate. Unwilling to share their husband.

Your Majesty, you're wrong.

Where am I wrong?

As a woman, who would dare have the thoughts of having the Prince Regent all to herself?

For Huo Xuan, she just wants to have that most important place

in the Prince Regent's heart.

For Chuyu, since she was able to accommodate Ma Xueyun before,

why would then she be unable to accommodate Huo Xuan?

Maybe she still can't forget that we fooled her and is bearing grudges about it.

No.

I think that Chuyu has truly fallen in love.

It is because she cares too much about the Prince Regent,

that's why she wants to prove that she's not inferior to anyone.

Too bad...

There's nothing bad about it.

Hongxiu, Rong Zhi is the Prince Regent of Great Wei.

He has no personal will. He must put Wei first all the time.

That's why, His Highness has never expressed his real stand. It's not that he doesn't want to,

but it's more that it's impossible to have one.

Huo Xuan and Chuyu are both superiorly intelligent women.

How could they not know it too?

Since the Prince Regent can't choose,

they will do the choosing for him.

A very intelligent woman will easily make people fear her.

Your Majesty, a woman who's too dull makes others feel bored,

while a woman who's too smart makes others fear her.

These two women that Prince Regent met

are both too proud and too smart.

They also will not use dressing up to earn a man's amusement.

So they want to fight in a competition.

Even if they lose, they won't have any regrets.

Then in your opinion, the topic for the third round...

Your Majesty! Your Majesty, something bad has happened!

Your Majesty, there's huge trouble!

Eunuch Pan, how long have you been here in the palace?

You've seen so many important events. How come you don't know how to talk anymore?

- There's a ghost-- - Silence!

Your Majesty, let him finish his words.

A person shouldn't talk about ghosts or monsters.

If you dare speak nonsense again, I will not easily spare you!

Hurry and clearly explain it.

Last night, there was a part-time palace servant that died inside Liubei Palace.

His whole body....the blood in his whole body has been sucked dry.

What?

Has the topic for the third round been determined?

Tell me.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, a dried corpse suddenly appeared in Liubei Palace.

His Majesty has already rushed over there.

What did you say?

Not only that, the Prince Regent's Consort and the Feifeng General

were also here this early morning to wait for the topic for the third round.

As this moment, they all have been called to go there.

They also went there?

Then...how about the Prince Regent? Where is the Prince Regent now?

His Majesty didn't attend the morning court today. At this moment, the Prince Regent

surely is also at Liubei Palace.

Damn it!

You may all withdraw.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, you forgot your composure earlier...

Didn't you hear it? She said earlier that it's Liubei Palace. It's that—

Your Highness the Empress Dowager!

There was just a minor palace servant that died inside Liubei Palace.

That's right.

Just a minor palace servant.

Why must I be worried?

Let's go. I want to personally see it.

The details were really done well. It looks so real.

The Emperor is here!

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Who noticed him first?

Greetings to Your Majesty?

You...can't talk?

She has no tongue.

You're a mute?

Feifeng General, this servant broke the rules before and her tongue got cut off.

His Majesty considered that she has served Liubei Palace for a long time, so he allowed her to keep staying here.

She's in charge of cleaning this place. She can't talk anymore.

You...tell us.

Replying to Your Majesty, this morning, we came here to clean this room just like we used to.

Upon entering the door, we noticed...noticed him...

Before you two came in, were the doors tightly shut?

Yes. The doors and windows were tightly shut.

Okay already. Immediately go out. Go out.

Her Highness the Empress Dowager is here!

Greetings to Your Highness the Empress Dowager.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, you're also here.

There hasn't been such a major thing that happened in the palace.

I was too worried, so I especially came here to look.

How about it? Has the killer been found?

The corpse has all his blood sucked out. We haven't found the culprit yet.

Completely sucked out?

What person can have such ability?

Your Highness Empress Dowager, this corpse was too disgusting.

Look.

Put it down! Put it down immediately!

Princess Consort, you scared Her Highness.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, I was too reckless.

It's fine.

I just haven't seen such a scene.

Thinking about it, it was really scary.

It was indeed scary. Even I feel disgusted by it.

Royal Mother, if you don't feel well, then go back first.

Thank you for Your Majesty's concerns.

I am fine.

Your Majesty.

Weren't you having a hard time in thinking of the topic for the third round?

I suggest...to use this as the topic.

What?!

That's good to. Let's use this as the topic.

After ten days, whoever is able to solve this case, she wins the competition.

You can't!

His whole blood got sucked out. How dangerous is that?

Your Majesty, if you allow this, a big problem might happen. You must not.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, if we are unable to catch the killer, other people might still die.

I am willing to follow His Majesty's decree to find the culprit and let him answer to the law.

It's fine for the Feifeng General.

You have after all gone to the battlefield and have seen so many dead people.

What about Chuyu?! She's the Prince Regent's Consort. How can she bear such things?

Chuyu, you must not be muddled.

Chuyu, are you afraid?

I'm not afraid.

Chuyu.

Your Highness the Empress Dowager, don't worry.

I have never met this kind of thing before, so I'm willing to try.

You two are indeed courageous women.

- But the worries of the Empress Dowager are reasonable too. - Your Majesty—

How about this? I'll still set ten days as the deadline for you two to find the culprit.

Whoever is able to find the killer within the deadline,

she is then the final victor.

- Yes. - Yes.

♫ If life is like first meetings ♫

♫ It would be better to yearn more than meet ♫

♫ The misty rain of Jiangnan is so short-lived (idiomatic phrase, literally "night-blooming cactus blooms once")

♫Even while it's raining, it drizzles continuously ♫

♫ If we will see each other often in life ♫

♫ What must we do so we won't get fed-up with looking at each other? ♫

♫ At this day last year, It's the same sky ♫

♫ But the faces are different ♫

♫ I'd really like to see you again ♫

♫ Confess to you all my regrets in parting with you ♫

♫ Drawing a circle in the air ♫

♫ Praying that love will never change ♫

♫ I so want to rub my face against yours ♫

♫ Being greedy about your every moment ♫

♫ Don't ask how many years was I in pain ♫

♫ Turning back, it's all my tears...from my eyes ♫

♫ Don't ask how many years was I in pain ♫

♫ Turning back, it's all my tears...from my eyes ♫