Original subtitles

Episode Fourteen

This lord, have a look at this.

This.. My master is the undisputable master of the books in this city.

Hold on to this scroll Let it guide you

I guarantee your chances

will be better than anyone else's

But there's no address How can we get to this place?

As long as you're interested,

we'll send a carriage to pick you up. Give us the best room

The best food and wine

You're also here to take the exam?

No kidding

If my brother and I

didn't come to take the exam

Then why would we stay at your inn?

Here, Here Here Please sit down first

I will take care of it right away

Please sit down

Sir

When you're have time

come over for one of my master's lessons?

I guarantee it will be a big help to your future prospects

Infinitely bright future

Very interesting

But I'll be honest us two brothers

haven't read or studied much

Our parents forced us to come take the exam

If we don't do well..

it's not a big deal

But if you do well?

Isn't that even better?

Us?

It is possible for us to make it?

As long as you believe you can,

you can definitely do it!

Just wait

for our carriage to pick you up!

Say...

It's already been several days

since they gave us the invitation.

Why

haven't they picked us up yet?

What they're doing

is highly illegal, they can lose their heads over it.

They will definitely think of

a fail-proof plan

before sending a carriage.

But we have

no status or background.

Will they just

ignore us?

Don't worry

I had Zhang Tingyu

prepare all the materials.

Don't worry

It's not a problem

Let me go!

Let me go! Come on let's go

Let me go!

Release them

Everyone has worked hard

Just now, our master

read

all your essays.

You!

and you...

your essays are pretty well-written.

My master says

that even without his guidance,

you will have a good chance of being selected.

Please follow the servants

to the side dining hall for a meal.

This way

The rest of you, your essays are pretty choppy

Without special guidance,

I'm afraid your chances of being selected will be slim to none.

However

My master

sincerely wants to help you.

Are you all interested?

Yes we're willing

Good

Okay

These things

were all

meticulously collected by my master.

Right now we are going to sell it to you

Each one

is 1,000 taels.

1,000 taels?

That expensive? These...

These are all average goods from the street vendors

Why would it be that expensive

Yeah Exactly

Reach into the vases

See what's inside

Exam question?

Exam question?

As long as you pay the money,

the thing in your hands

will turn into reality.

In time,

when you have a bright future,

this little money...

will be nothing.

If everyone can pay the money,

and does this,

then will everyone

be selected?

Not necessarily

This is the 1,000 tael method

There's also a 100,000 tael method

How could we possibly

have 100,000 taels?

I want more details!

Good, this young master

Let's discuss inside

Please

Top scorer

costs 100,000 silver taels.

If young master is interested,

you can have it.

This also has the exam question inside?

Of course not

As long as young master pays the money,

not only do you not need

to know the exam question,

you can even turn in a blank exam.

When the time comes,

the top scorer on the list

will be you!

How can such a good thing be possible?!

Let me see

This... This... What the hell is this!

Relax

Relax

Let me explain it to you

For someone to

pay 100,000 silver taels all at once,

it will definitely be risky and worrisome for everyone.

In case we don't receive the money,

or it gets lost,

won't that be a huge loss?

So my master

came up with a solution

As long as you pay

10,000 silver taels upfront,

then write

my master an IOU for 90,000 silver taels,

then we can all rest easy.

Then what if I write this IOU, but don't make top scholar,

won't I still have to pay him back?

No... No...

Young master need not worry

Just write such and such date,

such and such first place,

someone owes 90,000 silver taels.

and all the problems

will be easily solved.

Your plan is quite flawless

What do you think, young master?

Interested?

Here, this first place

is mine!

What are you looking at!?

So strange

You're a man

but you have no adam's apple!

I...I was born that way!

I can't help it!

On a hot summer day

why are you wearing a hat!

So it's a woman!

Can't women be officials?!

Before, it wouldn't be a problem as long as you have money

But this is too unconventional

We don't want to take this risk

so apologies, miss!

Someone come Here Grab her

Yes What the hell are you doing?

Let's go

Let go of me Let's go Let me go

You were gone all day

Did a carriage

take you away?

How do you know?

Doesn't matter how I know

Where's my brother?

How come he's not back yet?

I don't know either

He was taken away separately

I didn't even see him

Where did they take you?

When we got in,

we were blindfolded.

When the blindfold was removed,

we were already in a courtyard.

There are countless courtyards

in the city, big and small.

Which one is it exactly?

I don't know ethier

The style

seemed like Jiangnan.

Jiangnan?

The head official of the examination this time, Feng Zijing,

used to be the magistrate of Hangzhou.

I seem to recall

visiting his estate three years ago.

It was totally Jiangnan style

Miss

You won't take the road to heaven

but force your way

into hell.

It's your own fault

Close the casket!

Excuse me

How to get to Feng Zijing's estate?

I don't know

I'm his relative. I came to visit him.

It's the Emperor's voice

That's strange

Originally I did check their main residence, but they said Mr. and Mrs. Feng were staying at their other home.

So I found my way over here

Appreciate your help

Okay..

Keep walking ahead. Turn some corners,

walk for another mile and you'll be there.

Do you understand?

Understood Thanks

That's weird...

Why would there be blood?

Once we're finshed burying this girl

We will go quickly

Sigh, we do such dirty and tiring work all day

What is it?

Go look!

Mine!

Jewels! Mine!

Hands off! It's mine!

Mine!

Mine!

Lian Er Here

Your majesty

Why did you come so late?

Scared me to death

Don't worry

I'm here right now

Here

Come

Let me have a look

Does it hurt?

You really worried me

Imperial examination fraud case

The head examination official and deputy examination official

are banished

to the border region with their families.

Is your head wound better?

I'm feel better now

What's up?

You seem preoccupied with something

What are you thinking?

I was thinking... How your majesty know

I was in the casket?

Also

you thought of such a brilliant plan

to save me with

Firstly

When he was giving me directions

I found out

that there's only one way

from Tingyu House to that street.

So they must have

come from that direction.

Second, they were in a funeral procession

but didn't show the least bit of sorrow.

Very suspicious

Thirdly You are very smart

By hitting your head

and letting the blood drip out

I see

Originally I thought

Your Majesty could only scold people and order them around.

Never thought...

you had such sharp perception

and control in the face of disaster.

Now do you realize

I have a lot of good qualities?

Just a little bit Only a little bit?

Then what if I use up all my tricks?

Then what do we do?

Then your majesty think about again

I don't care

I'll just pretend I passed

Let's go

Tai Fei Niang Niang you don't know

That Xi Fei

is really going too far.

When the emperor wanted to spend the night with her last time,

she actually pushed him out the door!

I know

And always making the emperor

go with her on trips outside the palace.

Right..

The case last time

I heard that the emperor almost got hurt

How could someone

be that unsensible?

Empress...

Before, she was from your palace

What do you think should be done?

When she worked for me,

she was fine.

- Now... - Before, she was well-behaved

because she was a palace maid.

Now things are different

I think her tail

is almost as high as the sky!

Lady Qian, you're here

I pay my respects to your majestys Tai Fei Niang Niang

Empress

No need

You two chat

I'm going

Empress

You're too kind

You really don't know...

how evil this woman is

You think she helped you change the decor of your palace

and design a new hairstyle

for your good? In reality,

she wanted to use the opportunity to get close to the emperor,

and seduce the emperor.

That can't be true How can that not be true?

The reality is right before your eyes

Not only did the emperor promote her directly to Consort,

he also favors her exclusively.

Say...

the rest of us,

if we ever turned the emperor away,

or even made him unhappy,

what would happen to us?

But her

it's ok

full of arrogance

She has no regard for the ancestors' family rules

Empress

You really need to do something about this

If you don't,

then the rest of us in the back palace

are dead!

Yeah Empress

With that kind of woman in the palace..

who knows what kind of trouble she'll stir up in the future.

Exactly empress

Look at her vixen appearance

Just looking at her makes me uncomfortable

Exactly, you should do something about her

Lian Er I never really thought

that in such a few short months,

you would actually have so many adventures!

It's great!

From now on,

I won't have to be afraid of anything with you around!

Look at how happy you are

As if the entire world is blooming flowers

Of course

In the future,

I won't have to do any more harsh labor

at Xinzheku.

And i get to be with you everyday

Why wouldn't i be happy

These are all secondary

Most important is for the emperor

to find you a good family to marry into.

What's up?

I don't want to get married

I don't want to leave you

Silly

Girls would get married soon or later anyway

Okay,Okay Okay

Whatever you say

But not right now

I've been separated from you for so long

I want to stay with you for some time!

Anything you say

Empress

Let's go look up there

The flowers there have all blossomed

Greetings Empress

No manners at all!

- Is that how you act around a servant? - Niang Niang

You dare stand up?

I said you have no manners

You have no manners at all

Empress

Xi Fei Niang Niang

has already made her salutations to Niang Niang.

It's very uncomfortable for her to keep kneeling like this

This is uncomfortable?

Then...everything you've inflicted on me,

how should that be settled?

Niang Niang, I didn't!

You still say you didn't?!

You encouraged me to change up my palace

and buy pearl jewelry.

I actually thought you were doing it for my own good

But in reality, you were trying to

divert the emperor's attention to yourself?

You think I'm a stepping stone?

- Ridiculous - Niang Niang!

You better behave before me

Otherwise, everything you've inflicted upon me,

I will definitely return double!

Lian Er

Why'd you let her hit you?

How about we go and tell the Emporor

Don't, you must not

I have indeed wronged her

I should let her

slap me several times.

Does it hurt?

Su Gong Gong Can you still see it?

It's not too bad

She didn't hit very hard

Otherwise, even if we tried to cover it up,

the emperor would notice right away.

Su Gong Gong

What do you think we should do?

If the Empress keeps

mistaking me like this,

this knot will be very hard to untie.

This...

Empress has always been kind and well-respected in the palace

For her to do something so out of character,

I think she must be terribly upset.

Maybe in a few days,

she'll get over it.

I hope so

Right, I have this essay here

When you have a chance, give this to the Emperor to read

What is it?

Li Wei wrote it

Li wei?

I almost forgot

I promised him

I would recommend him to the Emperor.

Leave this with me

I will take care of it when the right time comes

The Empror has arrived

Greetings Your Majesty

Greetings Your Majesty

My beloved please rise

Xiao Shen Zi Here

You can leave now Yes

My beloved

Why is your face so red?

I just played shuttlecock for a while

so my face is a bit red.

Your Majesty seems a bit tired

Want to lie down and rest for a while?

I have been tired lately

and my train of thought is not too great.

I want to read some more articles

so that when I go over reports,

I don't say something wrong

and make a joke of myself in front of the ministers.

Have you ever thought of a different way to read a book? Your majesty

I'm all ears

I read, you listen

Okay That is a very good way to read a book

The road to governance lies close to the people

Water that carry a boat can also capsize a boat

Laws should be strengthened

Criminals

must be dealt with more severely.

Only when laws are strengthened,

will they effectively keep troublemakers under control.

Lian Er

This article

doesn't sound like it came from the book I gave you.

I was bored

so I got some articles to read from the imperial study.

I just happened to come across this article

I thought the writing was good

The author of this article is...

Li Wei

Lian'er, this article

shows off too much, it's rather ambitious.

It is but a small help

that's harder in the big picture.

From now on,

let's not read articles like this.

Yes

Su Gong Gong

Su Gong Gong

Su Gong Gong How are you Captain Li

Su Gong Gong

The article I gave you last time

Did you give it to the Emporor ?

Yeah he's seen it What did he say?

The Emporor didn't say anything

How can that be?

With my wisdom and encyclopedic knowledge of policy,

how many people in this court can compare to me?

How can His Majesty possibly not notice me?

Oh right

Was the Emperor unhappy when he was reading my poem?

Or...

This i don't know

I'm only responsible for getting the Emperor to read your article

Now he has already read it

I've completed my task. Right?

Besides, the other stuff

is not within the realm of my abilities.

Su Gong Gong

Then what about Xi Fei Niang Niang

Xi Fei Niang Niang

did she put in some good words for me?

Xi Fei Niang Niang just gained the Emperor's favor

She has too many things to take care of

Where would she have the time to worry about you?

Hey Li Wei,

I know you're talented.

Gold will shine sooner or later

Do your job well at the north gate

When the opportunity comes up,

Xi Fei Niang Niang and I will recommend you again.

I've got something to do I'm leaving

Su Gong Gong

Su Pei Sheng!

You talking face!

Sooner or later, you'll get it!

What's up You don't seem happy

I've been setting up this plan for so long,

and I'm not getting any results at all.

How could I be happy?

Enough

So what if you become chief commander?

So what if we escape?

Rather than living in fear

and hiding for life,

might as well stay in this cold palace

and enjoy each happy day as it comes.

But i Li Wei...

do not hide.

Of course not

You're blinded by greed!

That's how you see me?

You really think that I'd believe that...

you plan to

escape with me?

You're just using me

to find out what the emperor likes.

to advance your own career.

If you got what you wanted,

would you still come to the cold palace?

Only if you fail,

will I continue

to have value.

Only then will you keep coming to the cold palace to be with me

So, to you,

today may be an awful day.

But to me,

it's a great day.

You are a crazy woman

Do you know what you're saying?

Crazy woman!?

I'm very clear-headed!

Did I say something wrong?

Can you swear to god that it isn't true?

Yeah I Li Wei is a...

person blinded by greed.

But what about you?

You Yun Ping

What kind of person are you?

You and i are very similar

We're both greedy

Otherwise why would you fight with so many people?

Otherwise why would you

end up in the cold palace?

Right now, you have no hope

so you see me

as the last straw of hope,

held firmly in your hands

to distract you from your loneliness,

to pass the time with you.

Your talking nonesense!

I really like you

Can't you see that?

You really like me?

Okay

Then help me get on the Emperor's good side

or sacrifice yourself

I... I what?

Nothing to say?

You just want to

keep me here with you.

If i am a adulterer

then you're an adultress.

The two of us...

Neither has the right to call the other anything.

Shameless!

You're even more shameless

Let me go

Let go! Go! I never want to see

your face again, you bastard

You think I fancy being here with you? Women like you

are plenty in brothels

Get lost! If I leave

I will not come back forever

Get lost!

Never ever coming back! No!

Don't go.

Don't leave me!

How silly are we? We obviously have each other in our hearts

but yet try to hurt each other

We obviously care but yet try to show that we don't care

Indeed.

This time in our hearts we were getting even

What do we do?

What do we do? Li Wei

What do we do?

She's dead

She's dead

She's dead! Lower your voice! She's dead! Quit it!

If we don't kill her.

We'll both be dead! What should we now?

While it's still dark before anyone discovers

There's only one solution

.

Give me your hand! What are you doing? Give me!

Ow! It hurts! What are you doing?! What are you doing! Stop shouting!

Remember this maid was bad to you

in the middle of the night she harassed you and beat you

You didn't have a choice but to kill her. Did you hear me!?

Whatever happens depends on you I'm leaving

Help!

Help!

Li Gong Gong

This was found on the corpse

.

Li Wei Shen Wu door sentry

What has he got to do with this case?

Do you want me to investigate further?

Yun Ping Niang Niang has already confessed she is guilty

So why should we continue to investigate?

If we continue to investigate