Original subtitles

Tonight...

I shall have with you

a moment

of heart to heart sharing

It is not appropriate for me to say them in court

I can only say them on this occasion

- We're listening... - We're listening to you, Your Majesty

I know that

before tonight

all of you

did have the Aisin Gioro family and me in your mind

But you also had Oboi in your mind

I don't blame you for that

Oboi had been controlling the court for years

If you did not do what is necessary

all of you would have suffered like Suksaha had

and have you and your whole family killed

What you have done

were technically in the Qing Dynasty's interest

Hence, I shall not blame you for that

But from this day onwards

you can only have in your mind the interest of Aisin Gioro

and the interest of mine

Your Majesty is wise

Long live, Your Majesty

Your Majesty

do you have any idea

how many of the wives of the ministers

had come to meet me today?

I have no idea

Since this morning

there wasn't a single quiet moment in this Cining Palace

There are around 40 of them

who came to see me

Some of them even came with some requests

which I had all declined

Grandmother

we all know they have their own objectives

They claimed to visit you

but in fact, they just wanted to find out

how I handled

the two chests of letters I discovered from Oboi's residence

Indeed

All of them

had no courage

All of them came for this

but none of them

were courageous enough to point it out

they only tried to get some clue

That is why

I just pretended that I knew nothing

If only you had given them an assurance

they would not have worried for the whole day

We all know very well

what these people

are thinking

Both of us know that

Honestly, Your Majesty

I knew you would have forgiven them

but I did not even expect

you would calm their worries

by burning those letters

so that they will be fully loyal to you

Thanks to your guidance, grandmother

Your Majesty

you have indeed grown up

If only you can be more mature

in terms of your relationships

then I would have no worries anymore

What?

Kang Xi burned all the letters?

I didn't expect

that Kang Xi is such a formidable opponent

Oboi was indeed ruthless

but he was without wits

That made him easier to deal with than Kang Xi

We've made a wrong move

Brother Zhu

since he is so formidable

why don't we just give up?

No way

The more formidable he is

the more we can't give up

I will definitely beat him one day

Only a Zhu can be the Emperor

not an Aisin Gioro

Xuan Ye

you are such an ignorant kid

Although I am your opponent

and we hate each other

I am still a member of the Eight Banners of Qing Dynasty

The conflict between us

will never affect the foundation of our nation

But the Li siblings are different!

You have no idea of their background

and given their suspicious actions

chances are they are spies from the rebellion!

Xuan Ye

you are indeed a useless king

You are tempted by Li Yi Huan's beauty

and being played by the Li siblings

One day the empire we helped you built

will soon be ruined in your hands

I shall see

how you are going to face

the ancestors of your Aisin Gioro family

I'm here

Brother Long, what are you doing?

You were zoned out

I was thinking about what Oboi said

when I visited him that day

What did he say?

He told me that

before I began my strike

he had already known my plans

because someone had leaked them to him

Someone had leaked your plans to him?

Who can that person be?

Oboi said it is your brother

How can it be possible?

I see that Oboi

is just creating conflicts even when he is about to die

How despicable

Brother Long

you wouldn't fall for his trap, won't you?

Am I that stupid?

I am glad to hear that

I was once

a pawn of Oboi

On one hand he controls me with the pill

and on the other he wanted me to become his goddaughter

He was giving me both carrot and stick

That is why

he never expected that

I will side with you in the end

He must be hating me

Big brother

I understand

everything you are saying

But please don't mind if I ask about your background

My background?

I am just Li Yi Huan

your office assistant

You know what I am asking

What I want to know

is the background of you and your brother

Where are you from?

Who are your masters?

Why do they teach you so many skills?

Look at you

You said you wouldn't fall for Oboi's trap

yet you are suspecting us

I'm not suspecting you

I am just curious

Brother Long

you have no idea that

people like us who came from the underworld

we have our own rules

Especially my masters

who wished to remain unknown

They have made their own rules to their disciples

I cannot reveal much

I want to be faithful to you

but I don't want to lie to you

If you trust my brother and me

we will continue to serve you in this palace

But if you don't

then...

then we will just leave the Forbidden City

and you will never see us again, is it all right?

Big brother

I was just asking out of curiosity

It is no big deal if you don't want to tell me

I will not use someone whom I don't trust

Surely I do trust you both

Oboi had many spies in this palace

The person who leaked my plans to him

might very well be the one who tried to poison me back them

and Oboi was just trying to make you both the scapegoats

Don't worry

I will not fall for his tricks

Thank you for trusting us

Big brother

the injury on your arm is not yet healed

I think you should rest

in Yongle Residence for the time being

The drought is bad in Shanxi

I have to plan to improve the situation

and I also have to handle Oboi's remnants

I might have no time for you

I understand

The reason Kang Xi asked about our background

is surely because of Oboi's words

He must have suspected us

You must be careful in everything you do

so that he won't know your identity

You must not be childish to think that

he is really treating you as his big brother

or even his friend

But Brother Long said

he will not use someone whom he doesn't trust

Definitely, he trusts us

Only you will fall for such lies

He ascended to the throne when he was 8

yet he can grow up without being harmed

in this palace full of traps

and even dealt with Oboi without implicating many

that shows that he is far more formidable

than we can imagine

The reason he treats us good

is the same as why we are serving him

We are just using each other

Yi Huan

listen to your eldest senior

You are indeed clever

but you are too trusting

Have you forgotten how Kang Xi lied to you before?

Sister Xue

I didn't know an Emperor

will even tell such lies?

Why can't an Emperor lie?

An emperor is the best liar

that is why

he can deceive everyone

to be loyal to him

Brother Long

is it true that the way you are treating me

are all lies and manipulations?

Songgotu

Yes, Your Majesty

Yi Huan refused to tell me her background

What do you think?

Your Majesty

there are many talents like this

in mine or Minister Ming Zhu's residence

Some of them are also from the underworld

who do not wish to reveal their backgrounds

so that they are unpredictable

I reckon this is some sort of rules

that people like them abide by

I seldom ask them regarding this

I am only using them

for what they are good at

You have a point

One's background doesn't matter much

What matters is how his master is using him to his best

Yes, indeed, Your Majesty

Since Li Yi Huan came clean with me

it is still better than her making up stories to fool me, isn't it?

Yes, Your Majesty

In my opinion

what Oboi did

was to create conflicts

If the Li siblings are indeed up to no good

soon we shall be able to see

I'm sure given your wisdom

you can surely tell if they are truly loyal

Meanwhile, I will also

monitor them to see what their motives are

All right

By the way

whatever Oboi told us

remains between the both of us

Tell no one about it

especially the Grand Empress Dowager

and the Li siblings

Do you understand?

Yes. I understand

It is so hot

It hasn't rained

ever since I reached Beijing

The weather is indeed crazy

even the flowers are sweating

Here you are, Lady Yi Huan

His Majesty is summoning you for food!

Ever since Shanxi and Zhili were stricken by drought

it has been a few days that the people in the harem avoided eating meat

even the Emperor himself

had not taken any meat to pray for a rain

Now he is asking me for food...

Is it because he knows I am craving for food

hence he has prepared something good for me?

Lady Yi Huan

this is a kind of favour

which even the Empress had not received

I can see that His Majesty

is indeed favouring you

Thank you, Eunuch Li

I'm off for good food!

Let's go...

Don't you be happy so soon

Oboi was once favoured like you are now

yet now he is rotting in prison

Your Majesty, Lady Yi Huan is here

Greetings, Your Majesty

I know that you have been craving for good food

that is why I have prepared this for you. Have a look

Roasted duck!

I'm already drooling just by looking at it

You seemed very well mannered

when you greeted me just now

But all your protocols are gone

when you see food

Is there anything else greater than food?

A few days ago you made an order that

besides the Grand Empress Dowager

and a few grand concubines

everyone in this harem must live in simplicity

until the heaven gives his favour and rains

But what is this?

Every one of us is starving

yet you are still

enjoying your roasted duck behind our backs?

Didn't I call you here for the duck?

Let's see what else you've...

So you are eating the same food as we are

besides this roasted duck?

Why?

Do you think that

I am a hypocrite

who doesn't practice what I preached?

When did I say that?

I didn't say you are

The drought in Shanxi and Zhili

had caused famine in those affected areas

I have made it clear that

I will suffer together with them

and share their hardships

That is why

I am only eating these plain food

Lady Yi Huan

you have been resting in Yongle Residence all this while

That is why you have no idea that

His Majesty has been living a simple life

just like every one of us does

It is only because

the Grand Empress Dowager can't bear to watch it anymore

hence she made an order

to add one more dish for His Majesty

This isn't just an order she made

this is also how she shows her love

to her grandson

I can't bear to reject her kindness

neither I wish to break my own oath

I know that you are a big fan of roasted duck

since we first met each other

That is why I ask you to come here

and help me

to finish this roasted duck

Your Majesty

you have lost some weight

So finally you are shifting your attention

from the roasted duck to me?

Can you not laugh at me?

Then, do you feel bad

because I've lost weight?

Of course I do

You are the Emperor

If you are unhealthy

then it is a bad news for everyone

There is no one else here

I prefer you to call me Brother Long

Brother Long

why don't we just take half a duck each

and finish this plate of duck?

How can I?

I made an oath before the Gods

to avoid meat and liquor

until the heaven gives his favour and rains

I can't break my oath

and lie to the Gods

Why are you staring at me?

Is there something on my face?

I am just thinking

you are actually quite handsome, Brother Long

Am I?

When I first saw you

you called me

an evil and stupid king

you even said I am the only man that doesn't deserve to be loved

But now, you are praising me

Brother Long

to be honest, I think whether it rains or not

has nothing to do with your diet

I am also quite sceptical to all these Gods

But since we are sworn brothers

we should suffer together

If you don't want to have this duck

neither will I have it

I will keep with you

your oath before the Gods

- Are you serious? - Of course

Are you doubting me?

Do you think I will always give in to food?

All right...

It is my fault

Then let us just enjoy

all these plain food together?

But...

I have to move this duck away

so that I won't be tempted by it

Brother Long

since the drought was really bad

it doesn't really help much

for us to simplify our diet, isn't it?

That is why I've sent the Provincial Governor of Shanxi

Liu De Zhao, to open more inns to cater to the victims

and ordered him to use the money in the reserve to help them

The central government had also allocated a fund for them

and ordered the regional officials to dig a deep well every 10 miles

to help with the situation

I still remember when I was 12

there was a drought going on in my hometown

The harvest was really bad

I can only follow my fellow villagers

to find some wild food in the jungle

I will never forget

how I struggled to survive

It was awful

I remember

the drought you are talking about

But this time

the situation is far worse than what happened years ago

That is why

besides doing what I can to help with the situation

every night I will sit down and copy the scriptures

to pray for a rain

Copy the scriptures?

Your Majesty, since my arm is almost healed

I will copy the scriptures with you tonight

All right

Let's eat

Yummy!

Brother Long?

Brother Long, what happened?

Help!

Help!

What is wrong, Your Majesty?

What is wrong with your hand?

Your Majesty

please take care of your health!

Lady Yi Huan, please help us to advise him

His Majesty said that

the drought that is going on

is all because of his own sins

He wants to punish himself

Look at the scriptures he copied

They are not written using ink

but his own blood!

Shut up!

Faster

Faster

Eunuch Li, Physician Li

Your Majesty, your pulse doesn't seem to be normal

Although you have been lacking rest

and are not well nourished

your pulse shouldn't be this weak too

He has been copying the scriptures with his own blood

Look at how much he has written

surely he will fall sick because of this

I see

Your Majesty, you must take care of your health

I will prescribe you some medicine

to improve your stamina and your blood circulation

But you have to take care of yourself, Your Majesty

You must have a balanced diet and enough rest

No one can persuade him

unless Heaven gives his favour and rains

All right. I am fine

You must tell no one

what happened tonight

especially the Grand Empress Dowager

Your Majesty

I take back what I have said before

You are indeed a good Emperor

Imperial Physician Li

quickly go make some medicine for His Majesty

I excuse myself, Your Majesty

Big brother

you are so easily moved

I was merely copying some scriptures

yet you are already praising me

I think to become a good Emperor

is the toughest task in this world

It is a difficult question

How can it be this easy?

Although I have no idea

on how to be a good Emperor

I do know that

you have been trying your best to become a good one

That is already enough

Goodwill is not

going to make someone a good Emperor

All right, I should get back to work

and continue copying the scriptures

Forget about it

You just sit here and rest

Aren't we sworn brothers

who will share our fortunes and sufferings?

I will help you with what you cannot do

I know my blood is not as precious as yours

but I am as sincere as you

All right

I believe that as long as you are sincere

your blood is equally precious as mine

I'm sure Heaven will be moved

by our sincerity

Finally

It is done

Big brother

Yi Huan

Brother Long

look at this

I've finished copying

All with my own blood

How are you going to reward me?

What about I give myself to you?

Look at you. You are not making sense

We are praying for rain

If the Gods see this

they will think that you are not sincere

Then let's take a look at the scripture you have copied

Big brother

now I know why back in the First Restaurant

you didn't dare to write on the wall

You still have much to learn from me

in terms of your calligraphy skills

Of course. You are the Emperor

It will be shameful if you can't write well

But I am nobody

No one is going to collect my writings

neither can it be sold to anyone

It doesn't matter if it is not good

I'm sure the Gods are not this picky

Your Majesty...

Great news!

It is raining!

Let's go!

Yi Huan

surely the Gods have heard my prayers

The Gods must be touched by our sincerity

when they saw us copying scriptures with our blood

I want to thank you

I'm sure such a heavy rain

will be able to save the people

They are saved!

Brother Long!

I'm so happy!

Brother Long

this is for you

for your sacrifice for the people