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 54

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Brother. You don't understand.

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I didn't understand before, but now I do understand.

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Yingluo. I admire that about you the most.

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We are the same kind of people.

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We are both cold-hearted. No one can warm us.

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What's the silly smile for?

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Your Majesty.

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What is this silly thing?

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Your Majesty, this is . . .

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Look at that look of yours.

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I know this must be a gift from someone you're fond of.

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But this maiden's needlework is too shabby.

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Your Majesty, you don't understand.

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This is about the heart.

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Women love to get wound up in trifling things.

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Today she embroiders you a lotus pouch, tomorrow a handkerchief.

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Such a waste of time, you know.

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I urge you not to look at it anymore.

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No matter how you look at it, there's no flower there to be seen.

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What do you wish to say?

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I just think,

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Consort Ling seems to be out of character lately and treats you rather lukewarm.

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So you're not happy and you're mocking me on purpose.

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Am I such a petty-minded person?

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I will never care if she wants to be lukewarm.

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So let her continue, and we'll see how much longer I will indulge her.

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Your Majesty, Yanxi Palace's Miss Mingyu,

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brought a hat.

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Saying Consort Ling made it personally for you.

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I already told you, right?

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Women love to do be busy.

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- This is?

- Consort Ling said,

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"This hat, made with this material,

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will be both light and warm for Your Majesty to wear in the winter".

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Your Majesty, it's still hot, so I'll put it away for you for now.

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When it's winter, I'll get it back out.

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No.

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You're the same.

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What are you saying?

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Your Majesty. I was saying, you see that Consort Ling is cold on the exterior,

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but in her heart, she's good to you. The fur you just sent her is sent back to you right away.

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- This means she's thinking of you all the time.

- Really?

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She is so idle, she has time for such useless constructions!

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When I go out, I have protection front and back.

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Why would I need it? It's unnecessary!

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It's perfect.

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- Hu--

- Don't worry about her.

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She deserves it.

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Hupo!

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Who said to bring her here?

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Mistress, she fainted on the side of the road.

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Xinzheku maids are to be managed by the Xinzheku supervisor.

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When has the Yanxi Palace become a shelter?

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Take her away.

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Sister Mingyu.

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Zhenzhu, if it weren't on your account,

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I wouldn't have brought her back.

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Hupo. Since you're awake now,

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you should return to where you belong.

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Your Highness Consort Ling! Your Highness Consort Ling, I escaped!

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I will be dead if I return!

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I beg you, on the account of the past.

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No, may you be merciful and spare me.

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Take her away.

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Your Highness Consort Ling! Consort Ling, I know a secret that'll be useful to you!

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May Your Highness give me a chance to make amends for my mistake!

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A secret that's useful to me?

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Yes, if Your Highness will spare me,

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I am willing to tell you everything.

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The day the late Empress passed away,

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the Madam of Duke Zhongyong (Fuheng),

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No, Erqing.

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She met with the late Empress.

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Erqing?

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Yes. That day,

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I delivered tea in.

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I heard what they were discussing.

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The manor just received news.

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And Mother fainted from crying so I saw that,

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and I couldn't bear it.

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Tell my mother I am very well.

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Don't worry.

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Her eyes are already bad.

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Don't let her cry any more.

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Erqing, what's wrong?

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Were you compromised?

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Your Highness the Empress. This matter has been in my heart for so long.

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I didn't dare to mention to anyone.

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I wanted to repent to Mother at first.

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But the Seventh Prince, he . . .

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I saw how sad Mother was.

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So I don't dare to add frost to snow.

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What has happened exactly?

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That night. That night was Second Prince's memorial.

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His Majesty stayed at Changchun Palace.

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I was angry at Fuheng and he wouldn't even listen to you.

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So I thought, this marriage was granted by His Majesty.

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As long as His Majesty speaks,

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as long as His Majesty speaks, Fuheng will curb his mocking.

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So,

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so I entered the side hall quietly.

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Who would've imagined,

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His Majesty was drunk with alcohol and insisted on favoring me.

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I couldn't dare to object.

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I was afraid someone would come in,

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and ruin Fuca's reputation.

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But who would've imagined, later on,

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I became pregnant.

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What did you say?

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I am pregnant.

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Go away!

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How shameful. Shameful!

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Your Highness, as long as you will say the word,

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I will go and die now.

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To oblige Fuca's prestige!

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Prestige? What prestige is left for Fuca House?

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It's all you.

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It's all thanks to you!

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I never want to see you ever again!

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Your Highness, I deserve to die,

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but this trouble was started by His Majesty.

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Each one of you. The two of you.

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Both are my closest people.

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Why did you join hands,

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join hands to treat me like this?

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Why?

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I will go and report to Mother now.

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Leave myself at her disposal.

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Stop there.

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That you came today

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and what you said to me,

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you are not allowed to let Mother

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know even half a word of it.

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You.

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You're never allowed to enter the palace.

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Never.

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What you said is really true?

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I can swear to Heaven that every word is true.

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Do you remember that morning.

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you saw me clean up the side hall, right?

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Hupo.

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What are you doing?

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Sister Mingyu.

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Last night, His Majesty was drunk and vomited everywhere.

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So that undergarment was hers.

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She could even . . .

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When I first entered the palace, I was cared for by Erqing a lot.

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She at first told me she had an urgent matter to beg His Majesty.

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I was soft-hearted and let her.

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Who would've thought that would've happened. I was so scared.

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I didn't dare to mention it to anyone.

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Your Highness Consort Ling, may you please

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spare me for making amends for my error with merit!

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Attendant!

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- Your Ladyship.

- Take her away and keep her locked up for now.

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- Without my order, don't let her meet anyone.

- Yes.

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Your Ladyship, you agreed to spare me. Your Highness must make it true!

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I never want to return to Xinzheku. Your Highness!

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Your Highness, you agreed to spare me! Your Highness!

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Your Highness!

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Yingluo, someone like her,

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deserves to be hacked into mincemeat!

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The true cause of the disaster.

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It's Hitara Erqing.

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I greet Your Highness Consort Ling.

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Today, His Majesty summoned the military commanders to a discussion.

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He won't be able to come himself,

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so he had me bring you some delicious items.

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Wild duck with butter.

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Four small appetizers.

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Swallow's nest with shredded chicken. Polished rice.

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Your Ladyship, last time you complimented the chef from Suzhou with surname Zhang.

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His Majesty sent him here too, saying he will cook for you from now on.

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I thank His Majesty for the grace.

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Since the person and the items are delivered,

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you may leave.

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Yes.

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Yingluo.

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[ Yanxi Palace ]

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What as that sound earlier?

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I didn't hear any sound.

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Go carefully, Gonggong Li.

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You all be careful, all the way to Silkworm Hall.

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You be careful. That's a gold hook!

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Hurry up! Don't delay the auspicious time. Hurry!

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Your Majesty, the Silkworm Ceremony is ready.

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Tell the Empress I will be there soon.

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Yes. About that...

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What's wrong?

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Duchess Zhongyong begs an audience.

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Because Fuheng favored a handmaiden

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it caused a huge uproar and chaos at home,

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and because the handmaiden made slanders repeatedly,

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Fuheng even suspected An'er's birth.

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I was so angry that I married her out of the manor!

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Then Fuheng went off, saying he would disown me.

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How can you repudiate me?

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This was granted by Your Majesty. How can you repudiate it?

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Mother wouldn't allow it until the end,

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and Fuheng took his anger out on me.

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He confined me to the Buddhist shrine.

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Mother is ill and in bed.

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Fuheng ignores.

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This Silkworm Ceremony,

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I finally got a chance to come out,

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to beg Your Majesty.

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Erqing.

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Tell me.

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Who is An'er's true . . .

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Though I was in the past,

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in the past with misgivings,

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but the past is the past.

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I wanted to be a good daughter-in-law of Fuca with all sincerity.

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Fuheng fights in battles and all along,

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I'm always the one toiling with household management and care for the parents.

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I never made any mistake.

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Your Majesty, I can swear.

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Fuca Kang'an is Fuheng's son.

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He's defintely Fuca's blood.

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But no matter how I explain, Fuheng just won't believe it.

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Fuheng forced my son and I to part, a pain harsher than death.

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Your Majesty, I know.

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A subject should not report about the subject's family affair.

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But this marriage was granted by Your Majesty.

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I have no other wish, just for my son...

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not to be away from me. Don't snatch away my An'er!

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Enough. Say no more.

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Your Majesty.

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You're angry?

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Your Majesty.

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Please, on the account of the past affection,

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help me.

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Your Majesty.

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You and I...never had any affection.

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I, your servant, know my mistake! I know my mistake! (T/N drops from duchess to servant in speech)

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I, your servant, spoke without thinking. I know my error.

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May Your Majesty take pity on me as a mother,

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to disallow my to be parted from my son.

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Don't let An'er leave me!

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You go first. I will think about it.

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Thank you, Your Majesty.

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This way, Duchess Zhongyong.

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You take Duchess Zhongyong to Silkworm Ceremony.

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- Show me the way.

- Yes.

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That woman can sure change faces.

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This isn't the way to Silkworm Ceremony.

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Where are you taking me?

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By Consort Ling's order, may you make this trip.

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Today is Her Highness the Empress' offering for the Silkworm Ceremony.

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It's almost time. I have no time to see her.

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Duchess Zhongyong.

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Where are you headed off to?

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Let me go. Let me go!

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Old acquaintances reunited.

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It's a blissful event.

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Why is it that your face...

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shows not even half a sign of bliss?

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Consort Ling.

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Today is the Silkworm Ceremony.

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You brought me as a hostage to Changchun Palace.

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Whatever for?

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You tell me.

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Now you're His Majesty's favorite consort.

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Your future is bright.

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I must remind you,

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don't forget your status.

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If you don't cross me, I won't cross you.

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If you push me,

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I will not be so kind either.

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At worst, everything gets exposed.

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I will see if this Consort Ling of yours,

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can still be the favored one.

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Erqing. Look back.

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Do you still remember the past mistress?

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Mingyu.

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Though you are now serving Consort Ling,

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you shouldn't still forget about our past friendship.

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Friendship?

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All because I valued too much a groundless friendship,

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I was used by you to harm the past Empress.

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I hate how stupid I was....

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I didn't see through your heart of a fierce wolf.

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I don't know what you mean.

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The ceremony is about to begin.

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I must leave this place.

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Wei Yingluo! You're holding the wife of a Duke of the First Rank hostage. What in the world are you trying to do?

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What's wrong? Are you scared?

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What am I scared of?

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Scared that someone might expose the ugly incident of you betraying your past mistress!

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Erqing. The three of us all served at Changchun Palace together.

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Her Highness the Empress, how she treated us. Did you forget it all?

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[ Govern the Six Palaces with Merit ]

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I didn't forget.

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Then how could you do such a thing?

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Are you even human?

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Her Highness the Empress jumped by herself to her own death.

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What has it to do with me?

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Her Highness had lost her beloved son,

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and was deep in grief.

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You shouldn't had ever given her...

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that final heavy blow.

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I don't understand.

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You grew up in Changchun Palace and received preferential treatment by Her Highness.

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And became the Young Mistress of Fuca Manor.

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If Her Highness was doing well, it would even be better for Fuca Manor.

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By doing this,

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what was it for?

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What did I do it for?

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What did I do it for?

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Wei Yingluo, everything is because of you!

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Before you came to Changchun Palace,

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Her Highness valued me the most.

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But when you came

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and became Her Highness' confidante,

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she pushed me to the back of her mind.

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Hence...

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you deliberately provoked me

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and instigated Mingyu to go against me.

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You hid in the dark

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and reaped the benefits.

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Erqing. Although you envy Yingluo,

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you are already married to Fuheng.

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This was the grace of Her Highness the Empress!

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It was I who fought for it.

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It was I who told Fuheng that

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if he insisted on going rebelling against the Imperial decree, I would kill Wei Yingluo.

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It was I who fought for all this.

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Ask her.

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Ask her if she ever spoke up for me!

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But you had already fulfilled your wish. Wasn't that enough?

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It wasn't enough! It will never be enough!

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When I married him, he regarded me as just an ornament.

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He was cold toward me and kept his distance from me.

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I suffered for many years

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and fell into this state.

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Fine then.

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I want him

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to be in pain for the rest of his life.

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Charming His Majesty,

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was your retaliation?

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As long as His Majesty becomes a subject under my skirt,

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this will force Fuheng to bear the kind of humiliation which can never be erased.

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I have succeeded!

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You didn't see his expression then.

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What did this...

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to do with the Empress?

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Who told her not to help me?

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The both of you forced me to do this.

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Hence, I only needed to tell this good news to the Empress,

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especially when she had just lost the Seventh Prince.

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I was pregnant with the child of the Emperor.

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To her, it must be the greatest comfort.

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Maniac.

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You are a lunatic!

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I'm a lunatic.

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When I was in Forbidden City for six years,

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I was forced to be crazy every day!

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Mingyu.

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You and I are both top three banner bondservants,

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but our fates were different.

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My grandfather was the grand secretary.

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You are just someone who came from a family that has lost everything! How would you know how I feel?

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The Empress did treat me well

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but she treated Consort Ling even better.

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But as long as you exist, I will have hatred!

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I will have hatred!

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Hence, I wanted to make it unbearable for the Empress.

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I wanted to see her in pain. I wanted to see her go crazy.

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The lofty Mistress

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being tormented by me,

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that made me incomparably happy.

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Your Majesty. The Empress sent men to report that

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Consort Ling didn't attend the Silkworm Ceremony.

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Did you send someone to find her at Yanxi Palace?

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I did, but there was no one keeping guard there.

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Even Sister Mingyu is nowhere to be seen.

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The Silkworm Ceremony is an important event.

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She's not even at the location.

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There's no one at Yanxi Palace either. Where did they go?

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- There's something else.

- What's wrong?

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The wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank is not at the location either.

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Erqing.

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You used to like to smile, and were a warm person. I didn't expect you to do this.

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I need to slave away in the palace, what was there to smile about?

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What I hate in this lifetime....

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is to smile.

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But in order to make the Mistress happy,

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I needed to smile until I feared that I would be bruised all over my body!

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I feared that even if my heart was bleeding, I still needed to smile!

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Don't use your despicable conduct as an excuse.

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Everything about life in the palace is tough.

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Every single person is struggling.

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You are not the only who had it tough.

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You suffered bitterness.

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But you added your bitterness to the Empress'.

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Did she owe you anything?

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Her Highness...

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treated you very well.

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And then you...

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stabbed her in the back.

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Compared to Noble Consort Chun,

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you are more ruthless,

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more evil and poisonous.

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You got His Majesty to favor you.

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Your telling Her Highness the Empress...

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delivered the final blow.

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So what?

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Today, I'm under the shelter of His Majesty.

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Who dares to touch me?

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Make a choice. Don't make me take action.

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Wei Yingluo, are you crazy?

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I'm a titled woman of the Imperial court and the wife of the Duke of First Rank, and you even dare to force me to kill myself?

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Make your choice.

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[ Govern the Six Palaces with Merit ]

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Respectfully greeting Your Majesty!

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- Wei Yingluo, you even dare--

- Why wouldn't I dare?

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Hitara Erqing is a titled woman in the Imperial court

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and the wife of the Duke of First Rank!

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Your Majesty. I poisoned the wife of the Duke of First Rank. It has nothing to do with Consort Ling!

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You are from Yanxi Palace. You killed someone. What's the difference?

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Erqing...

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on the day of the late Empress's death,

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confessed her liaison with Your Majesty.

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She revealed everything...

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causing the Empress to be subjected to indignation and grief.

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Completely disheartened.

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Hence, she needed to die.

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Wei Yingluo, it's not what you think.

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Your Majesty, tell me then.

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- What's the truth?

- It's because...

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Your Majesty, the Empress is here.

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Consort Ling, what did you do?

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Empress. The wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank

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came to commemorate the late Empress.

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She was extremely sad

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and unfortunately left to follow the late Empress.

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Your Majesty. Are you saying that the wife of the Duke killed herself?

444

But what is Consort Ling doing here?

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When I rushed here,

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Consort Ling had just arrived.

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Consort Ling, is this the truth?

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Empress, do you not trust what I said?

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Of course, I trust Your Majesty,

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but there were hundreds of noble wives and women with titles who entered the palace today.

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Everyone saw Erqing smiling and entering the palace.

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If it's said that she commemorated and followed the late Empress, I fear this is not appropriate.

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Why not let me handle this?

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Empress, how do you plan to handle this?

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Zhen'er.

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I'm here.

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Go personally to clean up the body of the wife of Duke Zhongyong.

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Don't leave any signs.

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Just tell the others that I was suddenly summoned by the Empress Dowager.

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After saying a few words,

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she rushed out of the celebration.

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After everyone had left, a small sedan took her back to the Fuca manor.

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She had a seizure on the way back.

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Embargo the news. Issue the obituary seven days later.

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But regarding this, we still need the Fuca manor's co-operation in the investigation.

466

It will at least require me to present someone to persuade Old Madam Fuca.

467

As for Consort Ling,

468

say that...

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Consort Ling is sick.

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Your Majesty, I'm sick?

471

You are sick.

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Your illness is serious too.

473

Hence, go back to Yanxi Palace now.

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Summon the Imperial Physician to diagnose and treat her well.

475

I will comply with your order.

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Consort Ling, you are too reckless.

477

She was the wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank.

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You just granted her death without even asking His Majesty first.

479

Hitara Erqing was His Majesty's lover.

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Would His Majesty bear to kill her?

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In terms of your decisiveness to kill, I do admire you.

482

It's a pity that just because of a Hitara Erqing,

483

the grace with His Majesty has been severed. Is it worth it?

484

I mentioned that the Hitara clanswoman

485

was His Majesty's lover.

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Your Highness is not surprised at all.

487

Could it be that you had known earlier?

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Even if you know what's going on in the palace, you should also pretend not to know.

489

This is how you can live longer and have the last laugh.

490

Consort Ling, you must

491

remember my warning to you today.

492

So, it was you.

493

What are you talking about?

494

Back then, the one who sent Hupo to me...

495

it was you.

496

I don't understand what you are saying.

497

Before Hupo told me,

498

I believe that

499

you, Empress, had already gotten the facts from her.

500

Thus, you deliberately sent Erqing

501

to me and you were certain

502

that I must kill Erqing.

503

Empress...

504

Regarding the borrowing of the knife to kill someone,

505

you have my admiration.

506

Whose knife did I borrow?

507

You borrowed my knife.

508

Who was killed?

509

Hitara clanswoman was the one who was killed.

510

And also the grace and affection that His Majesty gave to me.

511

His Majesty said that you are sick. I didn't believe it.

512

Looking at it now, Consort Ling, you are really sick.

513

Go back and treat your illness.

514

Yingluo.

515

Did we fall into her trap?

516

Mingyu.

517

If you personally had killed Erqing,

518

would you regret it?

519

No.

520

I wouldn't regret it.

521

This is what she deserved.

522

This is what the Empress is brilliant at.

523

She calculated each and every one of our steps

524

to make me look perfectly happy about this

525

as I stepped into her trap.

526

Your Majesty, it's past the meal hour.

527

Your Majesty.

528

What are you doing here?

529

I...

530

Ever since I left the palace,

531

I've endured Fuheng's

532

despising and cold treatment.

533

I wanted to find the Empress to complain bitterly to her,

534

but Her Highness is pregnant now. I dare not disturb her.

535

I wanted to look for Your Majesty to help me seek justice,

536

but who would have expected that

537

Your Majesty would be drunk last night.

538

Knowing that I'm guilty,

539

I'm willing to die for my crime.

540

But Your Majesty, I beg you.

541

I beg Your Majesty not to blame my family.

542

I'm willing

543

to be a slave to repay Your Majesty's grace.

544

If you were to die in Changchun Palace, you would be insulting the Empress!

545

- Your Majesty...

- Get out.

546

I heard the best items were given to Yanxi Palace.

547

His Majesty is too biased.

548

Just materialistic possessions. What's the urgency?

549

This represents His Majesty's grace and the dignity of the harem.

550

In the past, fur bought from Kyakhta,

551

the best would have been given to Chengqian Palace for Your Highness to distribute.

552

But it's good now.

553

But today, Consort Ling killed the wife of Duke Zhongyong.

554

It's considered a major offense to His Majesty.

555

Tell me. Do you think she will completely lose favor?

556

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

557

♫Softly falling into the hollow of my palm,♫

558

♫Resting frozen in the center of my palm.♫

559

♫Our meeting across past incarnations was inevitable,♫

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♫Joined together, deeply experiencing and holding onto the end of happiness.♫

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♫Though plainly given words of discouragement,♫

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♫Pretending to hear nothing but exhortation.♫

563

♫ Endless tears, believing it cannot be true,♫

564

♫ In this life, being born under an unlucky star.♫

565

♫I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫

566

♫ Though I close my eyes, it's impossible to stop the vision.♫

567

♫ Nothing you can do about being approached, not being inconsistent in love,♫

568

♫ Though merely holding onto it from the outside, prone to this sort of circumstance.♫

569

♫ I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫

570

♫ As though you are holding me closely, and speaking sweetly.♫

571

♫ Opening your eyes to a sky filled with merciless snow falling,♫

572

♫ Who, after suffering this loss for a lifetime, is fond of this scene?♫