Original subtitles

Previously...

Ma Xiang Yun

I didn't think that to make me appear,

you would direct your maid

to make a scene

and act so shamelessly here.

Such disgraceful conduct

is a first,

even for you.

What's the matter, seeing me not dead

How dare you Concubine Di!

Not kneel

before the Empress!

What a joke!

You, Ma Xiang Yun, are the one

who should be kneeling before my Imperial Father and Mother!

Even if you knelt

it would not erase your lifetime of sin!

What goes around comes around

Retribution will come one day!

Who is she? what is she talking about?

Who are you?

How come every word you've said

I can't understand

Lu Qiao, who is she?

Why does she accuse me of a lifetime of sin?

Niang Niang, please don't be agitated

Ma Xiang Yun

What trick are you playing again?

I'm not lying to you

All of the past

I've really forgotten everything

If you don't believe it

you can ask Lu Qiao

Since you left Northern Han,

Niang Niang

completely lost her memory.

talking about it

These years,

all the hardship Niang Niang suffered

were bestowed upon her by you, Princess.

Even this leg,

which is crippled,

was indirectly caused by you.

Ma Xiang Yun

You think that pretending to lose your memory

can completely erase

all your past crimes?

Your maid is even smarter

covering up your crimes with excuses

and blaming it on me.

sister

Xiang Yun

If I really

wronged you in any way,

I now apologize for my crimes.

Sister

Everything from the past

I've really forgotten.

Exactly what

kind of woman was I in the past?

Why do you and Lian Cheng

both hate me so much,

and hate seeing me?

Niang Niang

Your body is weak

Please get up

Even if this Concubine Di

is Princess Fu Ya,

you don't need to make

such grand gestures to apologize.

What an affectionate pair of master and servant

You were the one

who tricked me.

And you, remember Hong Xiu?

Just because she witnessed your master's

small mistake,

she died a violent and tragic death by caning.

Hong Xiu contradicted master

Death cannot atone for her crime

Besides, so many years have already passed

There's no proof

Princess, don't falsely accuse

our Niang Niang!

Whether it's a false accusation

you know very well.

Sister

I really don't understand

why you hate me so much.

Who is Hong Xiu?

Did I kill her?

I really don't remember anything!

I won't be deceived by you again.

Sister

I've really turned a new leaf

If you don't believe me,

I will apologize to you right now.

I kowtow for you

Niang Niang

Empress, please get up

Niang Niang

You've already taken too long

inside Hong Luan palace.

I'm afraid that the Emperor will be coming soon

Then,

if you're caught violating his order,

things might get difficult.

Niang Niang, don't cry

Since they won't welcome us,

let's leave early.

Did she really break her leg?

Princess

A married woman's heart is most poisonous

You can't be so soft-hearted

and fall into this cheap woman's trap again.

I didn't think that Concubine Di

would really be Ma Fu Ya.

If we had known this earlier,

we should have poisoned Princess Di Lian to death

when she entered the palace.

But since we've already met,

if we poison her now,

it would draw suspicion.

No, poisoning is a wise move

But not on her,

on me.

Niang Niang

What do you mean?

Quickly get the imperial doctor

Niang Niang, what is this...

Niang Niang!

Quickly get the imperial doctor!

The Empress has fainted!

Empress!

Get up

How is the Empress?

Reporting to Empress Dowager,

Empress has an acute case

of poisoning,

stagnation of energy flow and chest pain.

Extremely unbearable, worse than death

Lu Qiao!

How did you take care of your master?

Reporting to Empress Dowager, Niang Niang...

Lu Qiao, don't speak any nonsense

Niang Niang

Someone has harmed you to the verge of death

Why still be considerate of her?

Are you going to wait until after death

and tell the king of Hell?

Who would be so bold,

to harm the current Empress?

Reporting to Empress Dowager,

this disaster was all caused by Concubine Di's

cup of tea.

Tea?

But Concubine Di

is confined to Hong Luan palace.

How could she harm you?

This was a coincidence

Niang Niang's beloved kite

fell into Hong Luan palace,

but the cheap servants in that palace

snatched it and wouldn't return it.

They also destroyed it before me

Servants taking advantage of master?

Moreover,

those servants of Concubine Di

acted so righteous.

Our Niang Niang was terribly mistreated

Those cheap servants

were disrespectful towards Niang Niang.

This...this must have been

under Concubine Di's direction.

This Concubine Di is too arrogant!

Empress Dowager, Concubine Di is none other

than

Princess Ma Fu Ya of the last Chu dynasty.

She must have come

to seek revenge on Niang Niang.

What?

Empress Dowager

Our Niang Niang is so pitiful

That Ma Fu Ya

ignored Niang Niang's handicap

and forgot everything

from the past.

She only remembers falling off a cliff

so she used a cup of tea

to poison our Niang Niang!

Empress Dowager

Concubine Di deliberately plotting

to harm the Empress

has already created a buzz among the imperial court and the people.

I sincerely ask Your Highness to put Concubine Di to death.

I think it's strange

that you officials

care so much about my family affairs.

Is the court

lacking official state affairs?

The emperor's family affairs are also national affairs

For the friendship of the two kingdoms,

if we don't put Concubine Di to death,

Chu Kingdom

will not

let this matter go.

Then what if I refuse?

Subjects sincerely ask Your Highness to put Concubine Di to death!

Subjects sincerely ask Your Highness to put Concubine Di to death!

You all listen to me

From now on,

whoever mentions killing Concubine Di,

I'll kill him first.

...

You asked me to wear this

Where are we going?

You'll know when you get there

Do you still remember

back then when I asked you to

show me around Chu Kingdom,

and you said

you would go through fire and water for me?

Are you still willing to now?

I never go back on my word

I would not hesitate to go through fire and water

for a close friend.

Empress Dowager arrives!

Mother

I didn't know Empress Dowager was coming

Please excuse me for not personally welcoming you

No need to kneel

If the Emperor sees you kneel,

his heart will ache.

Thanks Empress Dowager

You are indeed beautiful enough to cause the downfall of a nation.

And now you cause the downfall of the Emperor.

But your vixen charms

will not cause my downfall,

Princess Ma Fu Ya

Imperial mother's visit to Hong Luan Palace

is for what purpose?

I came to ask Concubine Di

You've harmed my daughter-in-law,

and now you're bewitching the Emperor into taking a trip with you?

Imperial Mother

The trip

was my idea.

Concubine Di did not bewitch me

And Xiang Yun was not necessarily poisoned

by Concubine Di.

Cheng er

You are now already

her lips and tongue.

You trust her

Why should I

also trust her?

Because

I'm the ruler of the kingdom.

So, I know how to read people.

Fine

Ma Fu Ya is an expert in medicine

There's a fine line between medicines and drugs.

Even if you didn't poison her,

for sentiment and reason,

you should visit the poisoned empress

at Jiao Huang palace.

No she shouldn't!

You didn't poison her

The act of healing is an act of kindness.

But the person who framed her

wouldn't think the same way.

If she goes to visit the Empress

the people there will think that she

is there because of a guilty conscience.

Thus they will mistakenly label

her as the culprit.

What good reasoning.

To make new faces smile,

while ignoring the tears of older faces.

As the Kingdom's Monarch

you should speak more cautiously.

Imperial mother's lesson is right

but this is no joking matter.

I promised to

take Concubine Di to admire the plum blossoms in the snow.

So of course I must abide by my promise.

Concubine Di, let's go.

Don't you believe that she

no longer has any recollection of the past?

Why prevent me from going to heal her?

She's the Empress,

naturally I will order people to heal her.

But I didn't want you to go and be subject to

insults and anger.

This was all my negligence,

I shouldn't have let her into Hong Luan Palace

and cause you all this trouble.

This wasn't your fault,

I don't want to cause you bother either.

The Empress Dowager already sees me as foe.

I don't wish to be the cause of

a rift between you and your mother.

Us mother and son

have never been on good terms.

Thoughout my growing up

she's treated me as

a tool in her struggle for power.

For the sake of competing for the throne,

there's no resource she wouldn't exhaust.

Fu Ya, you were also the child of Royalty.

Surely you understand my sufferings.

I don't want to live my entire life

as someone else's puppet.

Forget it,

let's not dwell on such unhappy matters.

I brought you here today

to show you something very important.

What is it?

Open this and see.

Why have you still kept these?

Over the last few years

these have been my only tie

and my only hope.

Lian Cheng,

you shouldn't be this invested in your feelings.

I'm not as great as you perceive me to be.

I'll speak with you honestly,

I did previously believe

Xiang Yun truly transformed into a better person,

just like you.

But it looks to me now

that I was wrong.

Don't you worry.

I won't let her harm you again,

absolutely not.

Milady, how are you feeling?

Milady.

Don't worry.

I will hang on until Ma Fu Ya

is beheaded.

Milady, don't worry,

the letters you wrote for home in Chu Kingdom

have already been sent out by me.

I believe that in not too long

your Imperial father will send a reply.

Lu Qiao, I'm stuggling to breathe.

Milady, milady.

Quickly go report to the Empress Dowager.

Tell her that I

will no longer be able

to be her filial daughter-in-law.

I will go. I will go.

All of you must

take proper care of the Empress.

I'm going to the Empress Dowager

to send a report.

The Empress is not going to make it.

Yes.

She's been poisoned?

That's right.

What kind of poison?

Wait until I've done some experiments

for me to know the result.

Who are you? Who are you?

Grim reaper.

You've already got one foot in the doorway to Hell.

What a hard life that child has led

and now she's faced with another calamity.

Which is why she had to see you for one final time.

Alright, no need to follow any further.

Yes.

I do not believe

that someone so young

cannot out live an old lady like me.

No, I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.

Emperor, save me.

Save me, Emperor!

Who poisoned you?

Empress Dowager has arrived.

Emperor what are you doing?

Milady, are you alright?

Imperial mother. . .

Imperial mother,

the Emperor brought someone to kill me.

Emperor, do you want the Empress killed?

I don't want to kill her.

I want her saved.

Tell me, why have you brought this person

to the Empress' bed chamber in the night?

Didn't I already tell you?

I'm here to save her.

Save her?

Does saving people involve such a murderous air?

Besides, the Empress' palace

is not a place any person can freely enter.

This person harbors sinister thoughts.

Can people like him

even be able to save the Empress?

Didn't Imperial mother want me to save her?

I'll of course do so.

However,

I want to help concubine Di

clear her name.

Hence I had to seek out

Northern Han's finest doctor.

Cheng Er,

did you think that my wisdom is lacking

and that my eyes do not see clearly?

This vile spawn

is the son born from that slut.

Observe the expression in his eyes as he looks at me.

It is exactly the same as his mother's.

Cheng Er what great audacity you have.

Before, I had the entire nation on the hunt for him.

Yet you sheltered him.

What? You bring him here today

to demand my life?

Poisonous hag, not only are you not a moron,

you also have great powers of observation.

You're right

I am that vile spawn you wanted to exterminate by all possible means back then.

What? Seeing me alive, are you scared?

Crazy felon!

How dare you speak so insolently to the Empress Dowager!

How dare you draw a sword before me!

Trying to kill the emperor?

Servant wouldn't dare

Old witch, I didn't die

so I can come take your life.

Back then,

however you poisoned my mother to death,

I want you to die the same way.

What a filial emperor!

keeping this vile spawn alive

He's not vile spawn

He's my imperial brother

Imperial brother?

Cheng er, you dare betray me?

I want you to know

that to guarantee your throne,

I am capable

of doing anything.

Imperial Mother

I will never betray you

You can rest assured and be your Empress Dowager

I won't let Lian Xi harm you

But at the same time,

I hope that you won't harm Lian Xi either.

Little brother, are you happy?

Yes, faster!

Xi er

Quickly get down

How could you ride on the crown prince?

How inappropriate. Quickly get down.

It's no problem

Lian Xi's my only brother

As long as he's happy

You two...

Reporting to Milady, very bad news

The Empress framed your brother for treason

Your entire family is to be killed

Right now,

Right now,

she's heading over with imperial guards to capture Milady.

Your Highness Crown Prince

Rong Yi is not afraid of death

but your brother is still young.

He can't die unjustly

I'm begging you, please save him!

Mother, don't cry

Don't cry

Rong Yi, don't worry. I will protect my little brother well.

Rong Yi thanks your highness

Everyone in Concubine Rong's palace

is to be executed on the spot!

Don't let anyone go!

Yes!

Crown Prince, I leave Xi er with you

Quickly leave. Quick!

Milady

The Empress came so quickly

You just finished wiping out my maternal family

and now you rush here to kill me.

Your elder brother maintained his own armyand defied orders from the government

with plans to usurp power.

If I don't kill you traitors,

should I instead wait for you to come

take my head?

Slow

Empress

I know. Even if I beg you,

you wouldn't agree to it.

But Rong er still must say it

I beg Niang Niang to have mercy

Let that poor child of mine

Lian Xi go.

Find the vile spawn of this slut. Kill him!

Yes

Faster!

Little brother, this is a bag of golden leaves

Take it. Run in that direction.

Don't ever come back again.

I don't want to!

I want to go back and find my mother!

Take her with me!

You can't. Brother Xi

Listen

Your mother is already dead

I wanted to save you

so I brought you here.

You have to escape quickly!

I don't want to! Without mother

and big brother,

what will I do? What will I do in the future?

Cry! The killers are catching up to you.

What's the use in crying?

Listen, winner takes all

If you want to live, then you no longer have the right to cry

Brother

Stop your tears

Tears are for the weak and defeated

Ok, I won't cry. Brother, I want to keep living.

That's what a man should do

Starting today, Xi er won't shed a single tear

I want to keep living. Live to see you again,

and avenge mother's death!

That's my good brother

Brother, I promise I won't cry anymore. No one can make me cry.

One day, I will come back alive to visit you,

and see my enemy cry!

Sorry

I didn't think we would run into her

It will happen sooner or later

You can't prevent it

Are you thinking of your mother?

Cry if you want to

Do I still have the right to cry?

Ever since that day you taught me,

I always kept in mind that crying

is for the weak and the defeated.

After joining the Black Dragon Society,

I learned to harm people with poison

and kill people for joy.

Now everyone's lives

are in my hands.

What do I have to cry for?

Brother

You are after all made of flesh and blood

Any human

would have emotions.

I'm not human

With emotions

comes conscience.

So I can't be human

I want to be heartless and emotionless

This way,

I can kill people as I please

and take revenge.

I know

My mother is your mortal enemy

But think about me

I really don't wish

for there to be so much hatred

between you and my mother.

If it could reduce

an iota of hatred

between you and my mother,

I'm willing to do anything

to fix it.

Too late

She forced my mother to die

Ths irreconcilable hatred

is already set in stone.

Brother, don't make it difficult for me anymore

Don't impose this on yourself anymore

I already said

in this world, I only know you.

Only you

Fu Ya

You still want to see him?

I don't want to deceive you

He and I are already in love

When I fell off the cliff that year,

he was the one who saved me.

All these years,

he was the one who charged through

life and death catastrophes with me one after another.

He's kind, loving, and fair to me.

You and him?

Then what about me?

What if I want to kill him?

I would follow him to the afterlife

For your lover,

Fu Ya, you indeed emphasize both affection and comradery.

Don't worry

Either in public or private,

I won't kill Meng Qi You.

Then what do you plan to do with him?

Imprison him for a lifetime?

Meng Qi You is a great enemy of my Northern Han

Not killing him is already being merciful

As for how long he'll be imprisoned,

that depends on the circumstances.

Then

when can I see him?

Emperor!

Emperor!

Bad news

This time it's life-threatening!

What happened?

Emperor, Concubine Di

News of the Empress's poisoning

has already reached Chu Kingdom.

The Chu Emperor is furious

I heard he already sent the ambassador

with a letter

demanding that your majesty kill Concubine Di!

No...the murderer.

Damn

I haven't even charged her for the crime of framing you,

yet she came to harm you first.

Xiao An Zi, in the future, such muddy affairs

are not to be reported in Hong Luan Palace,

to avoid disturbing Concubine Di's quiet.

Xiao An Zi obeys your order

Don't worry

Even if the sky collapses, I will support it

Ma Xiang Yun came for me

I just don't believe

she would deploy rescue troops on such a grand scale

to eliminate me, Princess from the last dynasty,

if she really lost her memory.

Milady

Your Imperial Father

has already quickly dispatched an ambassador here.

The spy's secret report says

he wants you to rest and recuperate well.

Before the Han court, our ambassador

will certainly force the Emperor

to kill Ma Fu Ya.

Good. This is great.

Reporting to Milady, Concubine Di is here

I came to help

the Empress take her pulse.

You can all retreat

Lu Qiao, invite her to sit

Concubine Di is known

for her god-like medical skills,

but I don't think

she is all that brilliant.

Milady, let servant

summon the imperial doctor for you.

Don't be impolite

The Empress

has indeed been poisoned.

But this congenital internal toxin

was triggered by deliberate use of poison.

But of course

You did it

Lu Qiao

The Empress's poison can only be treated

with medicine between 11 and 1 tonight.

I will come to treat you then

Whether you eat it or not is up to you

So do you have a conclusion?

It's because she took poison...

She took poison to reactivate

the congenital toxins she previously had under control.

How do you know?

Aside from you,

I have another

highly skilled doctor.

Someday I'll introduce you

You two will definitely hit it off

Isn't she coming around midnight?

Why is she going back on her word?

Lu Qiao!

Lu Qiao

Master, have a bowl of pickled plum soup

to relieve your innate toxins and internal heat.

You...you're Hong Xiu?

Aren't you dead? Don't come over!

Master, drink your pickled plum soup

When you're done,

you can hit the road with me.

No. You can't blame me

You're just unlucky

that you saw me fall from the stage,

so I had to put you to death.

You're already dead!

Why did you come back here?

Master, Hong Xiu really misses her family

Quickly finish your pickled plum soup

and bring Hong Xiu's ghost spirit back home.

Alright

I will find someone to chant prayers for you to be reincarnated

I...

I remember you're from Yingzhou

I will

have someone bring your ashes

back to your hometown to be buried.

Don't come looking for me anymore!

Didn't master lose her memory?

Still remember Hong Xiu is from Yingzhou?

You treat human life as if it weren't worth a straw

No wonder you can't sleep at night

Ma Fu Ya

You dare falsely incriminate me! You!

If it weren't for Fu Ya's clever plot,

how would you show your true form?

Vile woman!