Original subtitles

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

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

Examining love together with regret, both new and old.

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

Watching others meet as promised, as twilight falls.

Story of Yanxi Palace< br> Episode 7

Congratulating Your Highness the Empress, wishing

Your Highness eternal youthful years and long life!

Isn't this maidservant...

How come you did not remove the silk cover upon entering the hall?

His Majesty has sent his gifts!

Rise!

Greetings to Your Highness the Empress. I wish Your Highness to be blessed with long life and good health!

Gonggong Li, rise.

Your Highness the Empress,

His Majesty instructed me to deliver your birthday gifts for this year.

I thank His Majesty for his grace.

All the Imperial consorts may rise!

My sisters, no need for formalities.

Please sit down.

Your Highness the Empress, for this year, other than the usual silk fabrics, gold, and silver,

His Majesty has especially prepared a gift for you.

Oh?

This is...

This is a clock?

Your Highness the Empress, just to give you this surprise,

he gave instructions to the clock manufacturer from early on.

It took them quite a long time to make you a birthday clock.

But His Majesty said that it is not a custom of our Qing Dynasty to give gifts like that during birthdays.

Hence, he ordered them to remodel it.

Look. This is a make-up box.

This small box on top can accurately report the time.

Your Highness the Empress, I caught a cold last night, I was unable to eat.

I cannot attend your birthday banquet anymore.

Thank you for sparing me of my crime.

Your Highness the Empress, Yongcheng has been sickly lately.

I will take my leave now.

I wish you long life and peace.

Your Highness the Empress, I still have to go back and update His Majesty.

I will take my leave now.

Li Yu, I will personally go thank him later.

Yes.

The one from the Embroidery House, quickly remove the cloth.

Yes.

This does not look like it's a gold thread nor silver thread.

The more it is not peacock feather thread.

Your Highness, you are right.

This more looks like it is a thread made from animal fur.

How dare you!

You dared to use such a coarse material to fool the Empress!

I dare not.

You dare not?

What is that thing then? Do you want to die?

What did you use to make this?

Replying to Your Highness the Empress,

in the past we would use gold, silk, or peacock feather thread to embroider it.

This year we especially turned deer tail fur into fine thread.

How come your Embroidery House used such a thread?

I heard that Your Highness the Empress has always been frugal.

You once said that gold and silver threads are extravagant and wasteful.

And to commemorate the experience of our ancestors during the dynasty's first founding days,

all the clothes and accessories were made from deer tail fur thread.

This time, I boldly gave up the gold and silver threads,

returned to the old tradition.

To honor Empress' wish to reduce extravagance during events.

It can also remind everyone to remember the hardship our ancestors went through to establish the empire.

Never thought that a small palace maid can be so eloquent.

That is right. And it sounded quite reasonable.

What reasonable?

Your Highness the Empress, you must not get fooled by this sweet talk.

I think that there must be another reason behind this.

What reason can there be?

It is just that this little servant has meticulous and clever thinking.

Within the palace now, the air of extravagance is slowly increasing.

If everyone can remember the hardships of our ancestors in establishing our empire,

we should forego luxury, and live our days in simplicity and frugality.

Servants! Reward her!

What did Yingluo say?

Not only did she not get punished, she even was rewarded.

Where is Yingluo? Why is she still not back?

After accepting a reward, one must of course express gratefulness to Her Highness the Empress.

Everyone else has left.

How come you are still out here kneeling?

Your Highness the Empress, I am here to ask for punishment for my crime.

Oh? What crime have you done?

Actually, the Embroidery House lost the peacock feather thread.

So I had no choice but to substitute it with deer tail thread.

Just to fool my way at the main hall earlier, I fabricated my speech.

I know.

Every year, the Embroidery House will gift me a court dress,

but they never used such a thread.

I did not expose you earlier

because today is my birthday.

I do not wish for any unhappy matter to happen. Do you understand?

Your Highness is benevolent. I will forever remember it in my heart.

Erqing said that when you were waiting outside the hall, you kept delaying the time.

What were you waiting for?

Only if Your Highness the Empress will not punish me will I dare say it.

I pardon you for your crime. Say it.

Your Highness the Empress is highly-favored by His Majesty.

I then guessed that His Majesty will surely send gifts today,

hence, I kept waiting.

I wanted to borrow the easterly winds of His Majesty to make Your Highness happy.

This way, when I entered the hall and informed you of your gift,

Your Highness the Empress would not get too mad.

How dare you!

I have already prepared myself.

If Your Highness will give punishment, please just punish me.

Do not involve the innocent people of the Embroidery House.

Are you not afraid of death?

I am afraid,

but I also know that being afraid is of no use.

Whether I stay alive or not is just a moment of decision by Your Highness the Empress.

You're quite a bold servant. You dare to use His Majesty.

May Your Highness the Empress forgive me.

You want to use His Majesty's gifts to make me happy,

and then use that chance to absolve yourself from your crime.

You are quite cunning.

If His Majesty learns of this, he surely will get very mad.

But, since you lost the peacock feather thread, I still must punish you.

I'm punishing you to make me another casual dress...

using deer tail fur thread.

Did you take note of it?

Yes.

Erqing.

I am here.

I have never seen such a cunning maidservant.

If Your Highness likes her,

let us transfer her here to Changchun Palace to add some fun.

I quite like her.

Why not transfer her here once she finishes the court dress.

But regarding a thief suddenly appearing inside the palace,

Wu Shulai cannot deny his responsibility for this.

Order him to investigate this matter.

Yes.

Yingluo, you are quite fortunate and so bold.

You actually dared to say those words in front of Her Highness the Empress.

If it were me, I would have been stunned from fear with my knees buckling down.

Jixiang, from now on, you must be very meticulous in doing things.

You must not make any more mistakes.

Yes. Yingluo, I have one question to ask you.

Ask away.

Why must you tell Her Highness the Empress the truth?

Actively telling it to her is way better than her knowing the truth from someone else in the future.

But I keep feeling that it was too risky.

If Her Highness the Empress is really like as Momo Zhang said,

a generous and warm ruler of the six palaces,

I then have won myself some chance of survival.

Moreover, as long as you are able to grasp all crises properly,

you can turn them into opportunities instead.

The Empress is intelligent and wise.

By taking the initiative to admit my mistakes, exposing all those childish thoughts of mine to her,

I might win her favor.

Yingluo, what really do you want to do?

I want to go to Changchun Palace.

Ha? Why are you going there?

Imperial Guard Fuca is the biological younger brother of the Empress.

I'm going to Changchun Palace...

Of course, it's so I can frequently bump into him.

What? Yingluo, didn't you say that you are not interested in making connections with the high society?

So I was lying to you earlier.

Stupid!

Hey! You actually dared to fool me?

Hey, have you heard? Her Highness the Empress liked Yingluo a lot.

Chief Steward Wu also especially instructed Momo Zhang to transfer Yingluo to Changchun Palace.

Really? She gets to attend to Her Highness the Empress?

She is so fortunate.

Yes, I envy her.

But I am not as daring as she was to spout that rubbish while in the main hall.

But no matter what, she did earn fortune from a misfortune.

Going back to it, Linglong, it was really quite a pity for you.

What's so pitiful?

Of course, it is quite a pity.

In terms of appearance and embroidery skills, you are not inferior to her.

But Momo Zhang is too biased.

If the person who offered the gift was you, the person going to Changchun Palace

wouldn't be Yingluo!

Actually, it's also good that she'll be leaving.

From now on, Sister Linglong will be the center of attention.

Yes. The Embroidery House will be relying on Linglong from now on.

This fabric is so smooth and silky. It's softer than my hands.

Of course. These were tributes submitted by the weaving factory in Jiangnan.

Yingluo is so fortunate.

Let me touch them too.

Me too, so I get to share with the blessing.

Before I leave the Embroidery House, I must catch that thief.

Hey! Stop touching them!

All these are gifts bestowed by Her Highness the Empress.

If they are damaged by anyone even a bit, it would be a crime of disrespecting a master. Don't damage it.

Petty.

Indeed.

Yingluo is right.

The gifts bestowed by our masters should be treasured and worshiped.

Yingluo, I'll help you store them.

Keep them well.

Linglong, you must be the one who stole the peacock feather threads, right?

Yingluo, you... What are you saying?

First of all, having the chance to use the charcoal brazier to induce a commotion,

that person must be staying here in the palace.

Second, she deliberately avoided the time when I was the one guarding the peacock feather threads

and chose to make her move when Jixiang was the one keeping watch.

This person most likely knows our temperaments very clearly.

Third thing, if the Embroidery House is unable to offer a gift, all the palace maids in here will get punished.

This person must hate me a lot for her to do it.

If you failed the first time, you would try to destroy me another time.

So I purposely said I would put away the gift to lure you.

Yingluo, I...

I just haven't seen such beautiful gifts.

I know that you never liked me.

Hence, I could only secretly touch it during late at night, when there's no one watching.

How could you say that I'm a thief?

It's not you?

- It's not me.- Who then could it be?

It's really not me.

Come with me and explain it to Momo Zhang.

Yingluo!

Since I was little, no one has ever falsely accused me like this.

I did not do anything,

yet you say that I'm a thief.

Okay.

I'll die to prove that I'm innocent!

It was really not me. You all must believe me. It wasn't me.

Yingluo, you are going overboard!

Linglong just wanted to touch it. Is that committing some heinous crime?

Hey! Why are you bullying people like this?

On what basis are you saying that she's a thief? What evidence do you have?

Yingluo, just drop it.

I feel that it wouldn't be Linglong.

Maybe, there is really some misunderstanding here.

Linglong, while people do things, the heavens are watching.

I hope that you are truly innocent.

Chief Steward Wu, Momo Zhang.

Where are they going? Moving so hastily.

I heard that Chief Steward Wu and Momo Zhang are going around to capture the peacock feather thread thief.

You think they'll be able to catch her?

It's hard to say. Her Highness the Empress was the one who issued the decree.

Chief Steward Wu will surely not stop until he catches the thief.

Wow! Yingluo, where did you get these noodles?

I got it from the kitchen by exchanging it with some embroidered items.

But how did you know that today is my birthday?

On the day we entered the palace, when the eunuch in charge was verifying the name list,

did he not especially mention it?

You remembered it since then?

That time, you were standing right beside me.

He repeated it three times. How could I forget?

Yingluo, you are really good to me.

Once you go to Changchun Palace, I won't be able to see you every day.

I surely will miss you a lot.

Jixiang, while in the palace, you must use your brain more.

If you have any problem, you can come see me.

Remember, you must always be cautious.

Yes.

What's wrong?

Before, only my grandmother would care for me like this.

I miss her.

I also miss my sister a lot.

You have a sister?

How come you never mentioned it?

She's gone.

Yingluo, sorry.

It's fine.

No matter where I go, I can feel my sister accompanying me.

Then from now on, let's take care of each other,

like real sisters.

Okay. Let's take care of each other.

Here.

I'm gifting you this silk handkerchief.

Jixiang, I wish you many more birthdays to come.

Thanks.

Wow! So pretty. I will cherish this.

Just quickly eat your noodles.

I must hurry and return to work. I'll get going now.

- Okay. Go now.- Hurry and eat.

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Jixiang, do you hate me a lot right now?

Before we entered the palace, we were very close.

But after entering the palace, we've grown far apart.

I know that you don't like me always targeting Yingluo,

but you must think for my sake too. I worked so hard.

My embroidery work is not inferior to hers. Momo keeps favoring her. I...

Can I not have any grudge in my heart?

You still shouldn't keep targeting her.

I know that I was wrong.

Yingluo hates me. You also blame me and ignore me.

I really regret my actions.

Jixiang, before, your stepmother was very harsh to you.

My mother would take you home to eat with us.

Our relationship was like real sisters since we're little.

Even if I did anything bad, can't you just forgive me?

Linglong, can you guarantee that you won't do anything bad again?

Yes. I swear that if I still have any evil thoughts,

let the heavens punish me to have a tragic death.

Don't say that word. It's against the rules.

Jixiang, do you forgive me now?

Yes.

Oh, right. Today is your birthday. I have a gift for you.

Really? Where is it?

Making it so mysterious.

What gift is Linglong giving me?

Jixiang! What are you doing?

Chief Steward Wu, Momo Zhang, why are you here?

I was wondering why this thief can't be caught.

Is she able to fly or escape underground?

So it turns out you put a flag where you hid your dirty act.

A maggot of the embroidery house wants to revolt?

Chief Steward Wu, what are you saying?

What am I saying? Let's just open that and everything will be clear.

How come it's like this?

Didn't you steal these?

No, Chief Steward Wu! I didn't steal these!

Have you seen a thief that will admit his crimes?

It was Linglong. She told me she's giving me a birthday gift. That's why...

Shut up!

Don't listen to her nonsense. Take her away!

Chief Steward Wu, these were really not stolen by me! Chief Steward Wu!

- I didn't steal them!- Jixiang!

Momo Zhang, I didn't steal them!

Momo Zhang, you must believe me!

- Jixiang!- Momo Zhang, it wasn't really me!

Chief Steward Wu, Jixiang has always been honest.

She surely wouldn't steal.

There must be some misunderstanding behind this.

How about you investigate it further?

She was caught red-handed. Why is there still a need to investigate further?

Moreover, Her Highness the Empress only gave me two days.

Now that I've caught the thief, I will be able to report to her now.

Momo Zhang, don't cause any more unnecessary trouble. Understand?

Chief Steward Wu, how do you plan to punish her?

Stealing the peacock feather threads...

Of course, she'll be caned to death.

So pretty. I will cherish this.

Linglong, stop crying. Your eyes are swollen.

I grew up with Jixiang.

I really couldn't believe that she's that kind of person.

Something must be amiss.

Quickly look. She didn't even cry one teardrop now that her best friend is gone.

As the old saying goes, "You can test a horse's strength by the length of travel. You can see a person's heart as time passes."

It is at this time that you can see who truly has affection.

Even if Jixiang made a mistake, she was true to her.

Whenever she would be late, Jixiang would save her food for her.

But now she's so cruel-hearted.

Indeed. Really never noticed that she's this kind of person.

Yingluo, look at this yourself. How did you sew this clothing?

The sewing method and color combination are all wrong.

Sorry, Momo. I will redo it.

Do you know what fabric this is?

You think you can just alter and redo it?

You have disappointed me!

Momo, Yingluo has been doing too much work lately.

She must be just too exhausted, hence, made a mistake.

Momo, you are magnanimous. Please forgive her.

If there are any tasks, just let me do them.

Linglong, she never treated you well and you're still helping her?

We entered the palace together. We should be helping each other out.

Everyone makes careless mistakes. Shouldn't we help each other?

Enough. Yingluo,

do this clothing well. If there's a next time, I won't be this forgiving.

Yes.

Yingluo, let me help you.

No need!

Why are you so careless.

Get lost!

Yingluo, they all say that you're heartless,

but I know that you are very upset that Jixiang is dead.

Jixiang wasn't the thief.

I..I also don't believe it, but it's the truth.

Tell me then,

why would Jixiang steal the peacock feather threads?

Jixiang lost her mother very early. Her father then married again.

Since she was little, it was her grandmother that raised her.

A few days ago, her grandmother got very sick.

I'm guessing that she was gathering money for her medicine.

Act. Continue acting.

I don't believe one word of it.

I will find out the perpetrator who framed Jixiang sooner or later, and clear her name.

Just wait.

The seamstress in charge of His Majesty's usual clothing is sick.

She still has a bunch of work she didn't finish.

Now, we need to find someone to help her out

and finish the remainder of her task.

Momo, can I do it?

Momo, let me do it!

Momo, give the task to me.

If I give it to you, can you do it?

Casual clothes are easier to make than Imperial robes or court dresses.

Moreover, my recent embroidery skills have improved a lot.

I can surely do it.

Momo Zhang, tasks like this were usually given to me.

Yingluo.

The quality of an embroidery work depends on the individual's skills.

Since you would like to do it so badly,

why don't we have a competition?

Let's see who does it better.

Yingluo, never thought

you have such a deep prejudice against me.

Just say if you dare to compete or not.

Linglong, compete with her!

Right. What's so good about her?

Linglong, compete with her.

Yingluo, fighting!

Yingluo, we support you!

Linglong we support you!

Okay. If you want to compete, I will keep you company.

Okay then. We'll set it at three days.

At that time, I will only look at the result and choose the one with better sewing work.

The stitch-work is so pretty on this and the edges are so fine.

I have only sewn half of it.

Just with that, you think you can beat me?

Yingluo, why do you talk like that?

The finishing is the key. The eyes of the dragon matter most.

The face of the dragon is supposed to represent a diety.

You can create that?

Linglong hasn't finished embroidering. How sure are you that she can't?

Okay. Let's wait and see.

Yingluo is still not back?

She's really something.

We usually will just do spring clothing of the servants from different palaces.

The highest ones will be those for the Imperial consorts.

When did we ever touch work for the Yangxin Palace?

Only the most skilled seamstresses can do jobs like those.

She's really bent on defeating Linglong.

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Linglong, you embroidered that dragon so well.

Mighty and serene. So life-like.

That's right. Your current skills keep getting better.

When will you teach us?

I just do my best.

Linglong!

Where is the robe I made?

What are you saying?

When I woke up today, my clothing got switched.

This is totally not that robe that I made!

Yingluo, you're confusing me.

This...

If this wasn't the one you made, who made this then?

Wei Yingluo, Linglong has submitted this work and Momo Zhang was so satisfied.

She immediately had it delivered to Yangxin Palace.

You lost, so just accept it.

Indeed. You were always in a daze.

Unable to finish your work and you still dare to blame it on others.

Linglong.

Can you dare swear by the heavens

that the casual robe you submitted to Momo Zhang was personally made by you?

I swear to the heavens that I made that robe!

Okay.

Linglong, don't mind her. She's just jealous.

How come I couldn't find her?

Desheng.

Say, could that maidservant have flown to the sky or dug her way underground?

Chief Steward Li, you can really joke.

How can there be a person in this world who can fly or disappear underground?

Why then can't I find her?

The personnel here in Forbidden City are too numerous and complicated.

It's just normal to be unable to find someone.

Bullshit!

I initially thought that this will be a chance for me to gain merit.

Who knew that I would just waste efforts and get nothing, and even end up being scolded.

This is a memorial from Zhong Yongtan. Read it yourself.

[ I heard that Oshan frequently receives bribes...]

Your Majesty, this is an impeachment complaint from Zhong Yongtan against Infantry Commander Oshan

receiving a bribe of ten thousand liang in silver.

Not only Oshan,

he also complained about Zhang Tingyu.

Did you not sense anything?

Zhong Yongtan is a disciple of Grand Secretary Ortai.

Right. Hence, this impeachment complaint

is Ortai waging war against Zhang Tingyu.

And he even wants to use me as his sword.

Zhang Tingyu and Ortai

are important subjects of the late Emperor. We must not handle this matter hastily.

It is exactly because they were the right-hand men of the late Emperor,

that's why I have repeatedly tolerated them.

But what did they do?

Last year, Liu Tongxun also filed an impeachment complaint against Zhang Tingyu

conniving with the Zhang's and Yao's of Tongcheng

to includ half of the number of names in the list of officials.

I thought then that it was over-exaggerated.

But from the looks of it now...

What he said that was extremely to the point.

As for Ortai, his second son Oshi and original wife just died not long ago,

he then immediately married the daughter of Grand Secretary Gao Bin.

Establishing family ties with Noble Consort Gao.

Tell me, what is he planning?

Your Majesty, the Han people now have attached themselves to Zhang Tingyu,

while the Manchurians are siding with Ortai.

Not only the officials in the Imperial court,

but even the local governors are choosing sides.

If you want to touch Ortai and Zhang Tingyu, we must wait for the right time.

I've waited long enough!

Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please calm down!

Your Majesty.

In catching the thieves, you should catch their ruler first.

I'm going to call Prince of the First Rank Yi, Prince of the First Rank He,

Grand Secretaries Ortai, Zhang Tingyu, and Xu Ben,

and Minister Neqin for an audience and a public trial.

I'll take Oshan's head off first.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, what's wrong?

Your Majesty, please forgive me!

What is this?

Your Majesty, it must be just a negligence of the workhouse.

It might not be some deliberate murderous act.

Your Majesty, please do not be mad!

Those servants in the workhouses are all useless! They actually dared harm Your Majesty's body!

Your Majesty, it is my negligence!

For an unimaginable thing like this to happen,

it shows how lax the person is who made these clothes!

Investigate it! All involved personnel

must be severely punished!

Chief Steward Wu, she's Linglong.

Take her away!

Chief Steward Wu! Momo! Momo!

Chief Steward Wu!

Chief Steward Wu...what did I do wrong?

What did you do wrong? You tell me!

You were asked to make His Majesty's casual clothing.

You dared to be careless and leave a needle in the collar!

Do you know what this is called?

If it had caused great damage, you would have been sentenced for rebellion!

We all would lose our heads because of you!

What should we do?

That's right...

No...

I don't know about any needle!

It was Yingluo! That robe was made by her!

It must have been Yingluo who was careless.

Yingluo, quickly tell Chief Steward Wu

that you were the one who made that clothing.

It was you who was careless for a moment.

It wasn't me! It wasn't me!

Chief Steward, it was indeed Linglong who personally sewed that casual robe

and handed it to me. I didn't get it wrong.

Take her away!

No! Chief Steward Wu!

It wasn't me! It's true!

Momo! Momo! It wasn't me!

Someone would even dare visit a palace maid who has committed a crime?

This is rare.

But there is no such rule here in the Office of Careful Punishment. Quickly leave!

Gonggong.

Just for a while.

I will not cause you any delay.

Let's go and have some tea first.

You... It was you!

You framed me!

No. It wasn't me.

I kept thinking about the Jixiang's death.

Because of my absent-mindedness, I left that needle.

Before handing it over, I surely would have checked it first.

But you were too anxious.

Maybe...it is Jixiang who is punishing you.

I don't understand what you're saying!

Because you killed her.

No.

I didn't.

Jixiang...would never steal.

It was you who stole the peacock feather threads.

You got afraid when Chief Steward Wu started investigating. To rid yourself of any suspicion,

you fooled Jixiang to go into the Embroidery House at night and she eventually got caught red-handed.

That day just happened to be her birthday.

My guess is you told her

that you hid a gift there as a surprise.

But Jixiang was naive.

She never would have thought that you would use such a sinister method to frame her.

You're making up things. You don't have any evidence.

At this point,

is there any use for you to keep hiding it?

Right. It was me who made Jixiang

my scapegoat.

She is dumb to begin with, so she deserved it.

You want to frame me

and seek vengeance for Jixiang?

It was just a minor negligence.

His Majesty has issued a decree

to cane you eighty times,

banish you to Ningguta, and never allow you back into the capital.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫

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

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

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

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫

♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫