Original subtitles

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Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.

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Watching the person in the mirror's countenance pale and grow haggard,

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Examining love together with regret, both new and old.

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Keeping watch still by a lantern though it is daybreak, drenched with tears,

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Watching others meet as promised, as twilight falls.

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Story of Yanxi Palace

Episode 12

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Why are you running around?

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Your Highness, don't worry. Everything has been arranged.

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I won't ever see that lowly servant again, right?

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I guarantee to you

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that you will never be bothered by her again.

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Why did you choose to deliver the medicine on the day of the tea party?

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The shell powder was especially washed with dye

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to prevent getting found out. The amount of dye used was very minimal.

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You need several months of taking it in for its poison to accumulate

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enough to show symptoms.

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But that Noble Lady Yu only used it for more than a month

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but already showing abdominal pain and having consults with the Imperial physician.

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She's making such grand movements.

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Don't you find it too deliberate?

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What you mean is...

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The Empress recently has been quite close with the Yonghe Palace.

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Wei Yingluo has also been delivering pearl powder frequently.

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What if we indeed got found out?

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It's more likely she is setting us up so she can capture us on site.

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But Noble Lady Yu suffering from excessive mental trauma leading to instability in her pregnancy

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may be true too.

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Are you sure about this? Don't mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup as a snake.

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This...I dare not be certain.

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But the best method

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is to go to the Imperial Academy of Medicine and ask for the medical records of Noble Lady Yu.

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We surely can notice any clues.

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If the medical records are not in sync with the words of Fangcao,

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we then are being deceived.

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If the result is similar with your guess,

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how do you plan to handle it?

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I heard that the Empress trusts Wei Yingluo a lot.

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She especially handed her the task

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of taking care of the lychee trees.

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Your Highness, don't you hate her very much?

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I've thought of a way

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that can make her disappear forever.

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It can even cause the face of the Empress to reach rock bottom, (T/N very embarrassed)

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and her mighty prestige completely destroyed.

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What must I do now?

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What happened?

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The lock got pried open. The lychee trees...

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are dead from being watered with very hot water.

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Yingluo, what should we do?

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Yingluo! Where are you going?

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Respectfully greeting Your Majesty and wishing you good health.

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You may rise.

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You may all be seated.

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Why are your hands very cold?

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Have you not yet fully recovered?

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Or your subordinates are tiring you too much?

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Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with others.

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I've always had cold hands and feet.

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The Imperial Physician has already prescribed me medicines.

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Consort Chun has also gave me a medicinal bath to dip my hands and feet in.

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However, they all have been not that effective.

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The Imperial Physicians in the palace indeed are highly-skilled in medicine, but they are too conservative.

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They don't know to be flexible. Just in prescribing medicines, they are usually trembling with fear.

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How can they cure diseases?

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A few days ago, I heard from Fuheng that there is a famous doctor in Jiangsu named Doctor Nanyang.

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He has divine-like medical skills.

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He can cure dead people, revive skeletons.

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I've already sent someone to get him and transport him rapidly back to the capital.

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By then, I'll let him nurse your health.

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Thank you for your care, Your Majesty.

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Yingluo, let's quickly report it to Her Highness the Empress.

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Can't you see that the Emperor is there too?

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The Emperor? So what if His Majesty is there too?

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The tribute from Fujian got totally destroyed.

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If you're the Emperor, will you get angry?

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Of course...absolutely.

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He might even have us beheaded.

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Someone destroyed the lychee trees then framed it on us.

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What should we do now?

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What to do?

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Of course, it's to start a war.

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I don't understand.

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Now, carefully listen to my words.

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Choose the most acceptable-looking batch among the lychee fruits.

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Send it to the Imperial Kitchen and tell them

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- that the Empress is having a lychee banquet. Tell them to immediately think of a way.

- Consort Chun.

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Afterwards, inform Her Highness the Empress

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that the lychees from the two trees were made into food.

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The fruits of the remaining tree will be picked on site.

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Picked on site? No...

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It's exactly if it's picked on site that we will get found out.

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Her Highness the Empress has already said that she's going to personally pick a lychee for His Majesty to eat.

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Of course, she can't casually take it back.

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There must be one that's going to be brought into the banquet.

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Of course, we still have to think of a plan beforehand.

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What plan...

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Consort Xian, on my birthday last time,

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you gave me a pair of jade ruyi.

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After looking at them several times, I couldn't notice anything unusual about them.

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Afterwards, it was Erqing who pointed it out

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that you actually had the Heart Sutra carved on its handle.

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Afterwards, I heard from Imperial Physician that your finger got injured

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because you personally carved the Heart Sutra.

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I really feel guilty about it.

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For Your Highness the Empress' birthday, I only just exerted my measly effort.

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I hope that Your Highness can have good health, and a peaceful and smooth life.

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Erqing.

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Your Majesty, I've said before

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that I will choose my most favorite among all my birthday gifts

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and then reward the person who gave it.

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Initially, it was Your Majesty's gift that was the most unique.

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But you are the Emperor of Great Qing and you already have the empire.

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I have no way of rewarding you.

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Hence, I want to give this reward to Consort Xian.

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What do you think?

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Your Highness the Empress, I don't deserve it.

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The reward of the Empress shows her sincere appreciation to you.

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You mustn't refuse it.

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Thank you for your reward, Your Highness the Empress.

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I will accept it.

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Hurry and rise.

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Just trying to win people's hearts. Fishing for fame and compliments.

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So pretentious.

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Hurry and get it back.

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Yingluo, will this work?

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Of course not.

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It won't?

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Guard here. You must not leave a step.

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You also must not let anyone get near.

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Just go there when it's time to offer the lychees.

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You understand?

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Yes.

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But...

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Noble Lady, today is the lychee party that Her Highness the Empress organized.

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If you keep hiding like this and refusing to see people,

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it will really hurt the heart of Her Highness the Empress.

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With my feeling like this,

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it's better to not go there and kill the joy for everyone.

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All the members of the harem have gone there. Only you are not going.

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What if others learn of it? They will again say that you're using your pregnancy

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- to look down on everyone else.

- I already told you that I won't go. Can't you understand that?

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Yingluo.

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What are you doing?

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I'm here to invite Noble Lady Yu to attend the lychee banquet.

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Even you are going to put me in a difficult spot?

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You clearly know that I'm afraid of seeing those people.

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I don't want to go. I don't want to see Imperial Concubine Jia.

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Even more so, I don't want to see Noble Consort Gao.

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Please leave us.

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What are you doing?

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Aren't you afraid?

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Once you're dead, then everything will be over. No one will try to harm you again.

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Yingluo...

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Noble Lady Yu, Noble Consort Gao and Imperial Concubine Jia

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repeatedly tried to harm you.

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You think that by hiding here, you'll be fine?

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The more you're afraid of trouble, the more they will bully you.

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Think about the tragic death of Imperial Concubine Yi.

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Think about how you almost got strangled to death.

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This palace is not a safe harbor.

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It's just a tomb that can be sealed anytime!

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This place buried Imperial Concubine Yi. The next one...

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will certainly be you.

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You're right.

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I'm afraid.

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I'm so afraid.

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Every time I remember those people,

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remember the things they've done,

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I tremble with fear.

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But Yingluo, I did fight once.

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You also saw what happened...

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to Sister Imperial Concubine Yi.

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Noble Lady Yu, when I was eight,

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I got bitten by a bad dog.

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It was so painful that I cried the whole night.

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The next day, I took a bamboo rod

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and chased after that bad dog.

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I chased it around almost half of the capital. Towards bad dogs,

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you must become braver and fiercer,

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so you can scare them away. With the same reasoning,

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evil people bully the weak but fear the strong.

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The more you are afraid, the more they will bully you.

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For your child,

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for the unfortunate Imperial Concubine Yi,

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pick up and aim your weapon

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and face your enemies.

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Weapon...

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Me?

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What weapon do I have?

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Your weakness,

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your tears,

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your Imperial child,

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are all your weapons.

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If you want to fight back,

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today is your best chance.

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Your Highness the Empress, this dish is "White Snow, Red Plum",

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especially prepared by the Imperial Kitchen.

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The Imperial Kitchen really toiled for this.

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The look itself is refined enough.

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Your Highness the Empress, it's easy to have excessive internal heat with lychees.

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Hence, they especially soaked them in salted water

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and even paired it with wolfberry to neutralize its effects.

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A lychee being used in a meal is quite common.

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After all, there are dried lychees being sent here every year.

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But if you add other ingredients with the lychees,

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its taste would be different.

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People who really know lychees

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are only interested with the fresh ones.

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Your Highness the Empress, didn't you say that you're going to personally pick the fruits today?

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How come we still haven't seen that yet?

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Where's Yingluo?

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She...

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Where is she now?

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Your Highness,

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Yingluo—

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Noble Lady Yu has arrived!

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Noble Lady Yu.

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I came late. May Your Majesty and Your Highness the Empress forgive me.

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Noble Lady Yu, you're here.

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Quickly rise.

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Your Highness the Empress has set up a banquet.

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It's just right that I come.

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Your Highness the Empress is caring, the more so then I shouldn't be idling around.

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Noble Lady Yu, how's your health?

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Thank you for your concerns, Your Majesty.

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My health has recovered a lot.

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That's good. You must take good care of your health,

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so that Empress won't be worrying and tiring herself just for you.

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Yes.

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Hurry and sit down.

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Your Highness the Empress, where's Miss Yingluo?

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My mouth is watering for that fresh lychee.

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Empress, where really did she go?

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- Your Majesty—

- I was making some preparations.

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Sorry to have you all wait.

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Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.

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Your Highness the Empress, please personally pick the fruits.

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Your Highness!

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Xueqiu!

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Your Highness the Empress!

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Help! Don't bite me!

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Catch that dog!

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Men! Catch that dog!

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Quickly go after it!

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Don't come near me!

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Don't be afraid...

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It's alright now. The dog has been caught.

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It's fine now.

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Are you alright, Noble Lady Yu?

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Noble Consort Gao , you frightened me last time in the Imperial Garden.

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Today, you're frightening me again!

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Are you deliberately trying to kill me!

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What's going on here?

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What is Noble Lady Yu talking about?

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Replying to Your Majesty, a month ago in the Imperial Garden,

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Xueqiu suddenly charged out and scared Noble Lady Yu badly.

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Because no one got hurt that time, Her Highness the Empress was magnanimous and didn't investigate it further.

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It's just that Noble Lady Yu had to drink nerve-calming soup every night since then before she can sleep.

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Today, she's in a much better spirits, but unfortunately encountered the dog again.

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Consort Chun, what do you mean by that?

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Are you saying that I ordered that beast to harm people?

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Everyone saw it.

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Noble Consort Gao, why bother denying it?

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Consort Chun, you are so good in making unfounded remarks.

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Did you see Xueqiu only charging towards Noble Lady Yu?

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Your Majesty! Your Majesty...save me.

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I really can't endure it anymore.

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Your Majesty, if this continues,

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I fear that it will end up with one corpse and two lives lost.

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Your Majesty, save me! Your Majesty!

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Assist Noble Lady up first.

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Your Majesty.

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- I beg Your Majesty to give me justice.

- Stay on the side and rest first.

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I will decide on this.

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Noble Lady Yu, get up first.

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Your health is more important.

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Noble Lady Gao, you repeatedly disturbed Noble Lady Yu.

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I let it pass. But today is my lychee banquet,

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yet you indulged your pet to act wildly.

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You caused Noble Lady Yu to get traumatized again. What is your motive?

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Noble Consort Gao, hurry and answer the question of the Empress!

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Your Majesty, I really don't know what's going on.

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Xueqiu is very obedient. It never caused any trouble.

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- The one in the Imperial Garden last time was just a misunderstanding. Today—

- Misunderstanding?

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My lychee tree has already been destroyed to that state and you still say that it's a misunderstanding?

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I repeatedly warned you

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to not indulge your bad dog to bite people.

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Today, the dog actually didn't bite anyone.

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It just took interest in the tribute product of Fujian,

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the gift that His Majesty gave me.

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Your Majesty, if you could just have delivered a tree to Chuxiu Palace,

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how could this matter today even happen?

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At the bottom of it all, it was because Noble Consort Gao harbored resentment

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and vented her anger on this innocent lychee tree.

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It was just quite a suffering for Noble Lady Yu.

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She had to remember that fearful past again.

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Then it means that Noble Consort Gao feels

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that I'm biased towards the Empress and harbored resentment for it,

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deliberately used this dog to launch an attack on the Empress, and show me your might?

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Your Majesty...

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Xueqiu is a beast to begin with.

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It disturbed everyone's enjoyment today.

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I'll skin it when I go back.

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It is just a dog.

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How could it know about right or wrong?

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You're going to blame all the mistakes

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on a dog?

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A tiger and a rhinoceros got out of their cages,

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the tortoise shell and jade offerings got destroyed while in their containers,

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who is to blame then?

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Your Majesty, the tiger and rhinoceros coming out of their cages,

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the tortoise shell and jade ornaments getting destroyed in their containers,

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are of course the mistake of the person in charge of watching them. When we were transporting the tree today,

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Xueqiu was running around underfoot of everyone.

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But it happens to be a beloved pet of Her Highness the Noble Consort,

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so the servants wouldn't dare pursue or drive it away, hence, causing this kind of matter to happen.

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It was my fault for not properly watching the tree. I'm willing to accept punishment.

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Wei Yingluo,

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you indeed committed a mistake. I'm punishing you—

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Punishing you to have no salary for half a year.

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Thank you for your grace, Mistress.

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I'm going to be bold and ask on behalf of Noble Lady Yu.

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The person watching the lychee tree has been punished. What about the one that destroyed it?

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How dare you, servant! Do you have a place to talk here!

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Can't the person involved defend herself?

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Moreover, she's asking on behalf of Noble Lady Yu.

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Doesn't the victim have any right to ask anymore?

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Your Highness the Empress, you are kind. Forgive me for being disrespectful.

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Noble Lady Yu is carrying an Imperial child. Her status is very honorable.

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The lychee was the yearly tribute of Fujian, and was bestowed by His Majesty.

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Her Highness the Empress is magnanimous.

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Her position is to be revered and any provocation shouldn't be tolerated.

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All these matters are connected with Xueqiu,

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but Xueqiu is an animal. It doesn't understand etiquette or rules.

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If we're going to blame anyone, it is his master.

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She didn't discipline or control it.

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I boldly ask Your Majesty to make judgement.

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Noble Consort Gao,

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you...what do you have to say?

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Your Majesty,

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it was all my fault.

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Her Highness the Noble Consort knew that Xueqiu is quite naughty

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and that it might destroy the banquet of Her Highness the Empress,

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so she especially instructed me to keep watch of it.

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It was I who was careless. A moment of negligence almost caused such a huge mistake.

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It totally has nothing to do with Her Highness the Noble Consort, Your Majesty!

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Noble Consort Gao is the main mistress of Chuxiu Palace.

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Imperial Concubine Jia, if you've committed a mistake, can she exclude herself from the crime of not disciplining you well?

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Your Majesty, it's all my fault! If you want to punish anyone, just punish me!

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Your Majesty, please forgive me!

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This lychee tree is the annual tribute of Fujian.

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It had to travel thousand of miles to arrive here in the capital.

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I personally gifted it to the Empress,

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so that she can be happy.

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But because of this negligence of yours, all my hard work was gone.

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You shouldn't be apologizing to me.

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You should be apologizing to Her Highness the Empress.

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Your Highness the Empress, it was all my fault.

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I'm incompetent and didn't discipline the dog well.

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May Your Highness the Empress have mercy. Please forgive me.

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May Your Highness Empress have mercy. May Your Highness please forgive me!

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What got destroyed for me is just a banquet.

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But Noble Lady Yu this time

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suffered another huge trauma.

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If anything bad happens to her,

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if her Imperial child is harmed,

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how are you going to pay for it?

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I fear that no matter how many heads you have, you won't be able to make up for it.

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Imperial Concubine Jia,

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what Her Highness the Empress means is

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you should be apologizing to Noble Lady Yu.

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Imperial Concubine Jia, what else are you waiting for?

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Could it be you are not contented with the judgment of His Majesty,

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or you're not sincere in repenting?

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I...I dare not.

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Noble Lady Yu,

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it's because of a moment of my negligence

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that a grave mistake almost happened.

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Please forgive me.

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I...

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am not worthy to accept your bow.

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Of course you are. It's all my fault!

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May Little Sister Yu forgive me!

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Hope that you're repenting sincerely.

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Stop tolerating that bad dog in harming others.

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I won't. I won't anymore.

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What about you, Noble Consort Gao?

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Your Highness the Empress.

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Although it was just a moment of negligence from Imperial Concubine Jia and she wasn't able to discipline it well,

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I also have a fault.

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From now on, I surely will restrict Xueqiu more.

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I won't let that dog commit any mistakes again.

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No need!

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I don't want to see that dog again.

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Due to a moment of negligence, Imperial Concubine Jia committed a grave mistake.

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She's demoted to Noble Lady and grounded for three months. (T/N from 5th rank down to 6th rank)

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- Your Majesty...

- As the headmistress of Chuxiu Palace, Noble Consort Gao

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couldn't discipline her people and her dog.

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You're really so incompetent.

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I'm punishing you to have no allowance for one year, go back to your palace to reflect on your actions.

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Your Majesty!

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Respectfully sending off Your Majesty.

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Your Highness..?

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Sister, how come the punishment was so severe?

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What do you know? Destroying the tribute item from Fujian,

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disturbing the banquet of the Empress,

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plus traumatizing Noble Lady Yu which almost harmed the Imperial child,

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after committing that series of crimes, who can escape punishment?

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No matter how smart that Xueqiu is, it's still just a dog.

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If you don't make its mistress pay, who would?

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Isn't that matter in the Imperial Garden already in the past?

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It's not that she didn't seek vengeance, the timing is just not right yet.

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Today, didn't the new and past debts all get paid?

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Your Highness the Empress, that's the complete detail of what happened.

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What?

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Quickly get him back.

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Xueqiu! Xueqiu!

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Xueqiu! Xueqiu!

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What are you looking for?

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Have you seen Xueqiu, owned by Her Highness the Noble Consort?

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- It seems to have went that way.

- Xueqiu!

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I decided on my own. May Your Highness the Empress forgive me.

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Yingluo, Yingluo...

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You even dare think of such an idea.

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Noble Consort Gao used Xueqiu to scare Noble Lady Yu.

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Having her pay for an old debt today

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is not really aggrieving her.

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It's a small matter for me to admit my mistakes and accept punishment.

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The action of Noble Consort Gao and Imperial Concubine Jia

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is to completely embarrass Your Highness. How could I let them succeed?

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I wasn't able to watch the trees properly.

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It is considered a major offense that the lychee trees got destroyed.

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But compared to Noble Consort Gao instigating that bad dog to harm Noble Lady Yu,

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and destroying the lychee tree to spoil your banquet,

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my crime was much smaller.

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Noble Consort Yu kept shouting and asking for justice.

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His Majesty has not time to care about your mistake anymore.

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He focused his attention on Noble Consort Gao instead.

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But Yingluo, you told me

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that you didn't study much.

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How come you were able to continue His Majesty's words?

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The tiger and rhinoceros escaping out of their cages,

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the tortoise shell and jade offering getting destroyed while in their containers, who is at fault?

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Your Highness the Empress, are you talking about these words?

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His Majesty said it too fast.

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I wasn't able to react immediately.

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His Majesty was trying to go after the perpetrators.

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Your Highness the Empress, in the "Analects of Confucius",

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I only know three statements,

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"Isn't it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?"

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"When I walk along with two others, I surely will learn from one of them."

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And lastly, "The tiger and rhinoceros escaping out of their cages,

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the tortoise shell and jade offering getting destroyed while in their containers, who is at fault?"

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Those three statements were even heard by me from the Cultivated Talent neighbor of ours.

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I only guessed half of the time.

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Yingluo,

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you are very quick-witted.

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It's just that

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you didn't get taught well when you were at home.

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I came from a poor family.

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Being able to have a full meal and warm clothes are already great fortune for us.

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How could I still have luxurious hope of studying?

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Your Highness, most women in this empire

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are like that.

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Starting tomorrow, I will teach you.

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Your Highness the Empress.

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You're so intelligent. I'll teach you

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to read books and know the proper etiquette.

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We must not waste the talent and intelligence

470

given to you by the heavens.

471

I thank Your Highness the Empress!

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Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.

473

Your Highness Consort Xian.

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It was you who told Her Highness the Empress that I urgently needed money, am I right?

475

Yes.

476

Why did you do that?

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I only mentioned it as some idle gossip.

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Who knew that Her Highness took it to heart and especially granted you a gift today.

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I know that you aren't willing to be of one group with me.

480

But today, let me tell you some sincere words.

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Her Highness the Empress has never had intentions of recruiting or roping in people to her side.

482

She also never demanded anyone to repay her kindness.

483

She just helped you because she heard that you're in trouble.

484

She was afraid that you'll have some mental burden, hence, she looked for a reward as an excuse.

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She even especially did it in front of His Majesty to make it more legitimate.

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This money is now officially yours.

487

No one will comment about it now.

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Sister, now that you have the money, quickly save your brother.

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Your Highness, you're assured now, right?

490

Why not?

491

Can't be that you're still suspicious of Empress' intention?

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I never suspected the Empress.

493

If she really wanted to cast mercy on me, she could've easily summoned me quietly to Changchun Palace.

494

Today she rewarded me under proper measures.

495

Because she didn't want me to carry a burden.

496

But Consort Chun.

497

What's wrong with Consort Chun?

498

Consort Chun is very sharp.

499

She knew I wouldn't accept money, so she told the Empress.

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In doing so, this favor of hers, even if I don't want to owe it, I must.

501

Your Highness, your servant can't comprehend your words.

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I only know that Young Master can be saved now.

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Alright. Since it's already like this, I can only repay the favor slowly.

504

Hurry and deliver the silver out of the palace.

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Yes.

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Gonggong Li.

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Guard Suolun. His Majesty has cast an order

508

to dispose this dog.

509

We are all His Majesty's close attendants.

510

If we get blood on us and there's a clash, that wouldn't be good.

511

It's best for the guards to carry it out.

512

Gonggong Li!

513

What "fear of blood taint"?

514

He's just worried that Noble Consort Gao will come after him.

515

You men go patrol elsewhere.

516

Guard Suolun.

517

You are..?

518

Oh, the one in Yonghe Palace last time.

519

I am a palace maid of Changchun Palace.

520

I know. Your name is Wei Yingluo.

521

When you hit that junior eunuch last time,

522

that was so fierce! I'll never forget it.

523

To preserve myself, I had no choice. May you understand, Officer.

524

I am here today because Snowball hurt Noble Lady Yu

525

and ruined the Empress' banquet, and caused me to be punished.

526

I want to take this dog back with me.

527

Take it back to Changchun Palace?

528

What are you going to do with it?

529

First, I will vent my anger, then I'll kill it.

530

You're just a young lady and can you bear to?

531

You're funny, Officer.

532

This dog almost made me lose my life.

533

Though I got to keep my post barely, I got scolded by my mistress harshly.

534

If I don't skin it!

535

Fine. I'll let you handle it then.

536

Wait.

537

What is it?

538

If His Majesty asks about it later?

539

Don't worry, Officer. Naturally, I wouldn't cause you to seem derelict of your duty.

540

Alright. That's a deal.

541

You're so bold! You dared to pass off your duty?

542

She asked me for it herself. Not like I forced it on her.

543

Don't pretend.

544

You were worried Noble Consort Gao would wake up later,

545

and ask about how her beloved dog died.

546

She can't do anything about His Majesty but not so with guards.

547

A woman's hatred is the scariest. It's best not to touch it.

548

Then you just pushed it on Wei Yingluo?

549

She's a Changchun Palace maid. Changchun Palace and Chuxiu Palace were always enemies.

550

Adding more hate to enemies isn't anything to be scared of.

551

I just worry that she couldn't bear to do it since she's a girl, after all.

552

Maybe you underestimate Wei Yingluo too much.

553

Your Majesty, what's wrong?

554

It's not right.

555

What's not right?

556

Do you still remember how that lychee tree looked at the end?

557

I don't understand what Your Majesty means.

558

That lychee tree was ruined by Snowball, wasn't it?

559

The lychees on the lower part could be ruined.

560

But the ones on the higher part?

561

That?

562

Go to Changchun Palace right away and bring me that girl. I am going to seek her crime!

563

Yes.

564

Wait.

565

Come back.

566

Your Majesty.

567

No need to go again.

568

Your Majesty, you...?

569

That audacious girl! She played a game of redirecting disaster.

570

What's the use to go now? When all the dust's settled already.

571

Your Majesty, for that precise reason,

572

we can't let that girl off. I will go and carry her here from Changchun Palace immediately!

573

Carry what?

574

I just finished punishing Imperial Concubine Jia and Noble Consort Gao.

575

Then in less than four hours I revoke myself?

576

Your Majesty, then you don't blame her,

577

for framing Noble Consort Gao and Imperial Concubine Jia?

578

Seeing how apprehensive Noble Lady Yu was,

579

Chuxiu Palace must have had something to do with the lychee and Noble Lady Yu matter.

580

Now, we'll just consider it as her own karma.

581

Your Majesty.

582

You are just going to let her go like that?

583

That girl put all her mind into it,

584

for the sake of protecting the Empress.

585

If nothing else, on the account of the Empress, I can't be too harsh.

586

Just that she actually used my hand to take her revenge.

587

Despicable. So despicable.

588

Supervisor Li, what's wrong?

589

Desheng.

590

How is our Emperor usually?

591

Diligent in governing and loving of his people?

592

No, I don't mean that.

593

Then..? Oh.

594

He's decisive in killing and punishing.

595

Yes. Look. Who is His Majesty?

596

The Emperor of Great Qing. The master of the world.

597

He can just point and it's done if he's not fond of someone!

598

When did he ever spare someone? That's courting trouble to yourself.

599

Supervisor, maybe His Majesty has some reservations.

600

What reservations can there be?

601

Oshan. So cherished, and so many begged for his mercy.

602

In the end, he was killed when he was needed to be without a blink of an eye.

603

What are you laughing about?

604

No, not the same.

605

- That depends on if it's a man or woman.

- Woman.

606

Now, if it's a woman, it depends on if she's pretty or ugly.

607

She's very despicable-looking. When I think about it...

608

Slow down, slow down...

609

You. What did you mean?

610

Actually when I think about it in detail, she's very good-looking.

611

You mean..?

612

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

613

Supervisor Li. The world is so vast, so how is anything impossible?

614

This..

615

His Majesty's intention. You think I can't grasp it?

616

If I say it's impossible, then it's impossible.

617

Then it's impossible. Impossible.

618

I am the one deluding myself in trying to fathom His Majesty.

619

Impossible.

620

Did you kill it?

621

It ruined the Mistress' banquet.

622

I beat him up to vent my anger.

623

Then I killed it.

624

Where's the flesh?

625

At first, I was going to send it to the Imperial Kitchen.

626

But I heard before Great Qing was established here,

627

our bannermen all hunted for a living accompanied by hunting dogs.

628

So since the days of Taizu, the law was set to ban the consumption of dog meat.

629

Though Snowball was ordered by His Majesty to be killed, we still can't eat it.

630

I was so angry I just decided to bury it right then and there.

631

Then afterwards, I remembered I need to preserve evidence for you, Officer.

632

So I delivered the fur here.

633

Alright. Then, you keep it.

634

If Gonggong Li asks about it, I will answer to him fittingly.

635

Thank you, Officer of the Guard.

636

Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.

637

♫The Forbidden Palace's walls surround them, feeling like a good place to reside.♫

638

♫As the walls sever the setting sun's rays, they lose their past dreams as it grows cold.♫

639

♫Decaying leaves cover the neglected shuttered window, that remembers the cold winds of twenty harvests.♫

640

♫ Knowing only how to go with the flow and pass the years.♫

641

♫Unmarried and hopeful, the heavy, dark gates are locked, ♫

642

♫Cultivated and proud, gem-like beauties, and yet somehow♫

643

♫Flowers who stay may endure breakage, causing them ask to change their karma♫

644

♫Can not an empty branch give them a carefree place to rest upon?♫

645

♫Longing to be together with him, separated as the illumination in the western window declines,♫

646

♫At leisure to be melancholy, also perplexed and worried about it all.♫

647

♫Who will pity her, and record her lifetime full of misery?♫

648

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫

649

♫Longing to be together with him, separated as the illumination in the western window declines,♫

650

♫At leisure to be melancholy, also perplexed and worried about it all.♫

651

♫Who will pity her, and record her lifetime full of misery?♫

652

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫

653

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫