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 Episode 22

Yingluo, my heart almost jumped out of my chest earlier.

What's really going on here?

These past days, it's a trend in the palace to do dressing up games.

It has come to the point that everyone is doing it.

Today, Your Highness accompanied Empress Dowager to tour the garden and a matter like this has just to happen.

Mingyu blocked Zhilan so I was able to arrive before her.

I discovered that this palace maid has already fallen and died.

But her make-up was so flashy, and I heard the other two upstairs

whispering about Her Highness Empress.

I then boldly guessed that this must be related to the dressing-up games.

More importantly, Zhilan was so proactive.

I can't help but to suspect Noble Consort Gao is the one behind this.

Hence, you beat her to it and dragged her down first?

What's the story behind the greasepaint in the face of this palace maid then?

It's not greasepaint.

Just the juice of berry and garden balsamine.

Good thing that palace maid's face was full of blood after she fell.

Others will also not look at it in detail. As long as we insist

that she's playing an opera character, we can then bluff our way out of this.

The dressing up trend here in the palace

has led to the death of a palace maid today.

The dressing up matter started with Changchun Palace.

Empress Dowager will surely blame Her Highness Empress for it.

Wait. I'm a bit confused.

How did Noble Consort know that the palace maid will fall

and especially lured Empress Dowager to look at it?

No person in this world can predict things.

Those three are sweepers of Yanhui Pavilion to begin with.

They surely know about this area very well.

How could one just fall so suddenly?

Also, after it happened, they were dilly-dallying upstairs.

It's the same when they came down. They didn't show any grief.

Is that normal?

Hence, they were not really playing around.

They've planned this a long time and directly just pushed that person down.

What you mean is Noble Consort Gao used the life of a person to frame Her Highness Empress?

Not only Noble Consort Gao,

Noble Lady Shu is also involved.

Yingluo, you finally did something right.

If they have successfully framed Her Highness, our Changchun Palace would be in big trouble.

Stop saying it.

After such a huge thing happened,

are you still harboring thoughts of getting by by a fluke?

Was I too tolerant with you two?

Your Highness, slow down.

What's wrong with Her Highness Empress?

We clearly have successfully gotten through it, but how come she's mad instead?

Could I have done something wrong?

Stop breaking it apart! What are you doing?!

Stop destroying it!

Don't throw it!

Your Highness! Your Highness!

- They start demolishing it upon coming here. I couldn't stop them! - Move quickly.

- Don't demolish it! Don't demolish my opera stage! - Your Highness, be careful.

I'm ordering you to stop! Stop!

How dare you, servants! Do you know what place this is? You dare to act atrociously here?!

May Your Highness Noble Consort forgive us. This is the order of Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager's decree?

I'm ordering you to stop demolishing! You all stop! Stop, you hear me?!

- That one, demolish them all. - Quickly stop!

- Stop! - And those, burn them all.

Your Highness Noble Consort.

Your Highness, all those are your most favorite opera costumes and opera scripts.

Sorry. Empress Dowager gave orders

that the inner palace consorts of Qing Empire should be reserved, prudent,

able, and virtuous. Applying make-up all day to seduce the emperor

is really improper.

Just to make you concentrate on more appropriate matters,

all these opera costumes can't be allowed to stay. Burn them.

Momo Liu, these opera dresses are the favorite of Her Highness.

It's too pitiful to just burn them like this.

Can't you ask for leniency from Empress Dowager?

Your Highness Noble Consort, don't blame me for not warning you.

As a noble consort, you should obey the etiquette of the royal family.

Become a model here in the palace.

If anyone would be allowed to do just as she wishes, doesn't know to restrain oneself,

ruining the tone here in the Forbidden Palace,

Empress Dowager will not spare her.

Gugu Liu!

Continue burning!

Your Highness! Your Highness!

Your Highness Noble Consort, what are you doing?

Gugu Liu...

That costume...

...is my most favorite.

In the past, I didn't like the way it was sewed by the Embroidery House

and even personally sewed it stitch by stitch.

I don't want those anymore.

I don't what them all!

Just leave this one behind, okay?

I guarantee that I won't sing

or dance.

From now on, I would just keep these clothes away.

I won't bring them out anymore.

Just let me keep them, okay?

Gugu Liu.

I will forever remember this favor from you.

Your Highness Noble Consort, don't. I can't bear such treatment.

As a noble consort, you had to imitate those commoner opera performers.

It caused the atmosphere in the palace to get corrupted

and even the lost of one life. Empress Dowager almost got sick from anger.

Tell me, can these dark and messy items be allowed to stay?

Not only must they be disposed of, anyone who dares to dress up and play around from now on

would be like this opera costume,

be careful of inviting fire and burning yourself.

Her Highness still refused to eat.

What did we do wrong?

It was clearly Noble Consort who made a set up to harm people.

Now that we're able to turn the table around, why are we being blamed?

You're still talking. Her Highness has such an amiable personality,

but now, she's angry.

Tell me then, why is she mad?

Not only is she not minding us, she won't even eat.

We must know why she's mad, so we can cure the problem.

Look. You also don't know.

You still have the nerve to come?!

What rotten idea you suggested, causing Her Highness to suffer in your stead.

Miss Zhilan, everything was my fault.

Can you allow me to see Her Highness?

Her Highness will never see you again. Just leave.

Miss Zhilan! Miss Zhilan!

[Chuxiu Palace]

What is she doing?

She seems to be praying to the gods.

Wrong. She's paying respect to Her Highness Empress.

Your Highness Empress is like the deities in heaven,

beautiful, dignified, and kind.

However, deity is angry today.

I then came to pray to her.

My deity guide mortals like me.

Please tell us what did we do wrong.

Suck up.

What suck up?

Even if we did do something wrong,

may deity be benevolent and magnanimous to forgive all of us.

From now on, we surely will be careful with our words and actions, and will not make any more mistakes.

I'm not Chang'eh, so why are you imitating Diandang?

Your Highness Empress, so you also know the story of Chang'eh from the book "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio"?

Chang'eh imitated the four great beauties to have some fun.

You learned that.

Diandang was mischievous and caused troubles. She then burned incense to ask for forgiveness. You also copied that.

I think you're about to become an immortal.

Your Highness!

Your Highness, you're not mad anymore?

Tell them to come in too.

Your Highness, you can be mad at us,

but you mustn't skip your meal.

If you harm your health, we would have committed a great sin.

I'm not blaming you.

I'm blaming myself.

Aren't you all curious

why after I got married,

I became very traditional and very cautious.

Because a woman must take up the duty of bearing children and educating them,

attending to one's in-laws, and managing one's household.

If you indulge in singing and dancing all day,

in enjoying the pleasures of life,

that would bring disaster to your husband and to clan.

In ancient times, you have Zhao Feiyan and Yang Yuhuai,

who even though have beauties that can turn a state upside down,

because of acting frivolous

and immoral, they kept being criticized by the succeeding generations.

Without an outstanding beauty, would the empire really last forever?

In my opinion,

it is exactly because there are true beauties

that fake heroes are exposed.

Whenever an empire meets its downfall,

they would either blame it to treacherous evil subjects or to seductive consorts bringing disasters to the nation.

Why don't they say that the bed is too soft, the shoes are too bent,

they were in a bad mood, hence, they lost the empire.

You...

Full of unreasonable logic and you still say it as if you're so right.

I'm the empress. I then must act in a dignified manner, be cautious with my words and actions.

That way, I can be an model for all the six palaces.

But I actually have forgotten proper decorum.

I started to linger on the happiness and freedom I had before I was married.

I put on the fairy dress of River Goddess Luo and started dancing an inappropriate dance.

It caused the whole palace to start imitating and destroyed the proper palace atmosphere.

Hence, a huge disaster like this happened.

Your Highness, this clearly was a mistake of Noble Consort Gao.

No. It's my fault.

It's me who committed a mistake first,

and gave her an opportunity to use it.

Tell me, is today just about the lost of one life?

Did those two palace maids refuse to admit what they've done,

and insist that it was an accident?

Yes.

Just to pacify the anger of Empress Dowager, the Office of Careful Punishment

had them caned 50 times and then sent to the Workhouse.

Aren't all this matter a result

of me portraying as Goddess Luo?

Your Highness.

You really think Empress Dowager didn't see through it?

She just didn't want to expose me

and left me some dignity.

If this matter would happen again,

what face do I have to continue holding the position of the empress?

But Your Highness Empress was so happy when you dressed up as the goddess.

- Are you willing— - As a woman,

we can't break new ground and defend our country.

I can only manage well the six palaces.

Free the emperor from any unnecessary worries.

This is the only thing that I can do

for the country and the citizens.

Doing my best to fulfill the duty of an empress

is more important than winning the favor of His Majesty.

Yingluo, thank you.

But I'm the empress of the Qing Dynasty.

Don't ever forget that.

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

Main Madam, the rules.

Your Highness Noble Consort!

What's the use of kneeling?

Even if you bleed from kneeling, I won't pity you.

Whenever I see you, I would remember my lost treasures.

Leave. Stay as far away as possible.

Your Highness Noble Consort, I kept disappointing you and is indeed ashamed to return.

But I've knelt here and reflected on my actions all night.

After thinking about it, I'm to blame for belittling my enemies.

An evil dog is an evil dog.

But Your Highness, if a person would lower down herself to the level of a dog, that's truly being silly.

To deal with a dog, just one meat is enough.

I think you've become crazy from kneeling.

You're starting to spout crazy words.

Your Highness!

Your Highness, any person has a weakness. As long as she desires something,

let's not be afraid of not catching her weakness.

Your Highness, by that time,

wouldn't she still end up being ordered around by you?

What you mean is...

...to let that bad dog work for me?

Yes.

What are you doing?

Your Highness Noble Consort.

Your Highness Noble Consort, may I know why you had me come here?

Momo Zhang, I heard that Wei Yingluo is your disciple.

Noble Lady Shu, you're joking.

Wei Yingluo indeed stayed in the Embroidery House for some time.

I'm the gugu who is directly in-charge of the Embroidery House.

Technically, we can be said to have a teacher-disciple relationship.

But in reality, we don't have any direct relationship.

Now, she already has made connections with the Changchun Palace.

The more she won't put any importance on me anymore.

Momo Zhang, when you speak, you really don't leave anything out.

Too bad, when a goose passes, it will always leave marks.

If we don't have any bit of evidence, we wouldn't have tracked you.

Noble Lady Shu, what really do you want to say?

I'm confused.

Wei Yingluo was born among the Booi of the Plain Yellow Banner.

She has a father and a sister.

Her sister's original name was Wei Yingning.

Since it's the same as the name of Noble Consort, it was you

who personally changed her name to A'Man.

A'Man got expelled out of Forbidden City for breaking palace rules.

Afterwards, she hanged herself. In less than 3 months,

Wei Yingluo entered the palace and became your favored disciple.

Tell me, isn't that too coincidental?

- Noble Lady Shu— - You must know

that since I'm able to investigate the background of Wei Yingluo,

I then know about yours too.

Noble Lady Shu, my parents are both dead.

I'm the only one left in my family.

All my live, I've served the Forbidden City.

There's nothing to investigate about.

Momo, maybe because you're old, you tend to forget things.

What? You even forgot your own older brother?

You...

That older brother of yours

is currently living at...

...the main street outside Yongding Gates.

Too bad, he left too early.

He only left one descendant.

And all your savings

were being used to support that child.

Your Highness Noble Consort.

Your Highness Noble Consort, that child

is only 6 years old. He doesn't know anything.

I beg Your Highness Noble Consort...

I beg you to let him go.

I beg you.

You're an old personnel of the palace.

And you have been attentive to your duty.

As long as you told me everything you know,

of course, I will not treat you badly.

Sister Yingluo, what instructions do you have for me?

This is Empress's informal dress.

The collar here needs adjustment.

Don't worry, Sister. We will tend to it now and get it delivered to Changchun Palace by noon.

Where's Supervisor Zhang?

Empress has more instructions.

Supervisor Zhang never came to the embroidery house.

She is always up at Tiger Hour (3-5am) and starts work at Rabbit Hour (5-7am).

Even when she's sick she would exert herself to check the embroidery house.

How can she be absent?

Perhaps she's gravely ill?

Let me go see.

Sister Yingluo.

Supervisor Zhang.

Yingluo.

What brings you here?

Are you alright?

I thought you were sick. I was about to come see you.

I did have a cold earlier but I'm well now.

Really?

Silly girl. Why would I lie to you?

Look. I'm perfectly fine.

Your cold is recovered.

But your leg joint pain, you need to take care of it.

Don't think it's now so it's nothing.

When the winter comes, the pain will start again.

Last time I made the knee pads for you but they are too thick for use now.

Tomorrow I will make another pair of thin ones.

Alright then. Yingluo, I've got work piled up.

I need to go and busy myself. You go back first.

Yingluo.

You need to watch out at Changchun Palace too.

Supervisor, you seem very strange today.

Did something happen?

I'm old so I nag a lot. Hurry and go back too.

Wei Yingluo.

Do you want to know about A'man's death?

Tonight at midnight, come to Chuxiu Palace alone. Remember.

If the words get out,

you can count on never learning the truth.

Chuxiu Gate

Greetings to Noble Consort

and Noble Lady Shu.

Wei Yingluo.

I was just making bets with Noble Lady Shu about whether you'd dare to come.

Allow me to be bold and ask.

Did you win, Noble Consort.

Or did Noble Consort Shu win?

I always hate a sharp tongue.

Especially you.

You ruined so many of my great plans.

But today you can come alone to Chuxiu Palace.

I admire your guts too.

I am easily scared.

Before coming to Chuxiu Palace, I left a letter.

If I am not back in two hours,

then I seek Empress to come fetch me.

Stop your tongue wagging here.

I summoned you here today

to have you meet someone.

Come on in.

Who is he?

I am Xiao Zhangzi, a junior sweeping eunuch of Imperial Garden.

Tell us what you saw the night of the first tenth day of the first month.

That night, His Majesty was entertaining the royal clansmen at Qianqing Palace.

Imperial Garden's supervisors were all loafing and went to play cards.

Only I was on guard duty.

Later, I heard a movement at the rock garden so I sneaked over.

What did you see?

I saw . . .

Let go of me.

Let me go.

Save me. Let go.

Let go of me.

Why didn't you save her?

I didn't dare.

That person. Who was it?

I don't dare to say.

Say it.

I will be your justice.

It was Fuheng. It was Fuheng.

You heard that clearly, right?

The one that raped A'Man was Fuheng.

Are you nuts? Is this funny?

A great story you knotted.

You mean, we are telling you a story to deceive you?

My sister's incident. My goal of coming into the palace.

Supervisor Zhang is most aware of it.

She is a always assiduous but she was missing in the morning.

If she were sick and couldn't get out of bed, that's understandable.

But her footsteps are light and no sign of illness.

But her speaking was evasive and concealing, and stop and go.

Isn't that strange?

Wei Yingluo, you are so suspicious.

You admit?

Noble Consort summoned Supervisor Zhang that day.

It was only to ask a couple of questions.

You found out from her my secret.

So you want to use this to frame Fuca Fuheng.

Force me to be a pawn of Chuxiu Palace.

Wei Yingluo.

You thought the evidence was just one jade pendant?

What do you mean?

Bring it out.

Later, I picked up this.

This court band.

It was by the rock garden. He probably left in such a haste,

that he didn't attend to it.

Go on.

Yes.

Fuca Fuheng.

If it's just a jade pendant,

it could be just a coincidence.

But even his cour band is here.

This is a personal item of a first ranking guard.

Can't be that this is also a coincidence?

Fuheng ruined A'Man's chastity.

And the upright and virtuous Empress.

In order to protect her own brother's reputation,

she chased that pitiful palace maid out of the palace.

Even so, she still didn't feel at ease.

If this palace maid went out and talked unruly, it would affect the Fuca reputation.

So for the guaranteed security, she . . .

Enough.

Look at you. I haven't said anything.

You're already shaking in anger.

But I do understand.

You put in so much effort to enter the palace.

It was all to find the enemy that murdered your sister.

But in the end?

You yourself became the best sword in your enemy's hand.

Devoting yourself to her cause and putting yourself to shield danger from her.

That pair of pretentious sister and brother,

Maybe they are laughing at you behind your back.

Saying you're such a fool to acknowledge the criminal as your master.

Noble Consort. You're telling me this secret.

What exactly do you want me to do?

Empress is most versed in putting on a tranquil pose.

She used her upright and virtuous looking face,

to deceive the entire world to ascend to empress seat.

Now, the truth is out.

I hope you can renounce the dark and join the light.

Work for me.

How?

Empress fooled and deceived you.

Don't you want a revenge?

Just put this in Empress's daily food and beverage.

And you can kill her without even the ghosts aware.

You want to me kill the empress with poison?

What? You're scared now?

Or maybe . . .

You never wanted to seek revenge for your real sister A'Man.

Of course I do.

So then, Yingluo, this empress is Fuheng's biggest dependence.

In order to cover up for her own brother, she didn't spare to kill A'Man.

But poor A'Man. First she loses her virtue and chased out of the palace.

Then at last, she was strangled to death.

All these misfortunes.

All done by Empress and her brother.

But you remain compassionate and soft like this?

Take it.

Wei Yingluo. This is the final chance I give you.

I hope you don't disappoint me.

For A'Man. And for yourself.

Think about it clearly.

Yingluo, I tell you once again.

I, Fuheng, do not engaged in harm and immorality. I never have.

Guard Fucha.

Yingluo.

You're here, Young Master. I'll go report to Empress.

Hey. What's wrong?

You're the first one to run up and greet him usually.

He's not waiting to see me so why should I go seek boredom?

Didn't you see? Where his eyes were?

- Zhenzhu. - What are you doing here?

I came to see how the tea preparation is going.

It's almost done.

Yesterday, Empress ate an extra sachima.

She feels it was too much.

Today, present pu'er tea.

Pu'er? Which pu'er?

Yunan's tribute. Gourd tea.

As for Guard Fuca,

he usually loves tieguanyin from Anxi.

The biluochun you prepared isn't to his accustom.

How do you know?

Not only do I know that Guard Fuca likes to drink tieguanyin tea from Anxi,

I also know Consort Chun lates drinking milk tea.

She likes jasmine tea from Suzhou.

Consort Xian used to like enshiyulu, but now she likes biluochun.

What about His Majesty then?

His Majesty?

He won't let you decipher what he likes or dislikes.

But from my seeing,

it seems the dragon well pleases the royal mind the most.

Of course, it depends also on His Majesty's mood.

If you find him unhappy today,

forget the dragon well, even if you present a bejeweled nectar,

you will be misfortuned regardlessly.

Hurry and teach me how you figured.

Every time a guest comes, look at the tea cup they used and you'll know.

You should go and check on the snacks in the kitchen now.

I'll wait for you and we'll prepare the tea together.

Alright.

Greetings to Consort Chun.

Pardoned.

Are you here to see Empress, Consort Chun? Her Highness is holding an audience with Guard Fuca.

I will go and report it first.

Since Guard Fuca is in the main hall, there's no need.

I will return first and come back after noon.

Yes.

Didn't I tell you?

Don't frequent Changchun Palace if nothing is the matter.

His Majesty gave you a decree of mercy but that's not for you to waste recklessly.

Don't worry, Sister. This time, it was Mother asking me to come.

She prayed for a peace charm from Huguo Temple

She asked me to bring it to you no matter what.

Yingluo. Help me fetch my fan.

Yes.

Mother is too much.

From Longfu Temple to Guanghua Temple to Huguo Temple.

Is she bent on going to all the temples,

and pray for peace charms?

For your sake, even if Mother wears out her legs,

she does so willingly.

I think not just for me though.

Probably for you, for a match.

Matches are set by God. I believe . ..

Maybe God has already delivered my fated match to me.

Consort Chun, what are you doing?

You should ask, Your Highness, what she is trying to do.

What do you mean by that, Consort Chun?

Noble Consort Gao, in order to win royal favor, she exhausts in seeking medicine to scent her body.

Everyday she takes a pill, not just to scent her body,

even the clothing she's worn and the room she's stayed in

are all extremely fragrant.

In order to prevent others to snatch her favor, she bans the palace personnel from copying her.

Wei Yingluo,

why do you have this scent on you?

Consort Chun, maybe . . .

She got it on her unconsciously?

Your Highness, you and I see Noble Consort Gao daily.

But we never contracted the fragrance.

Only one possibility.

You went to Chuxiu Palace.

And you stayed there for quite some time.

Because the incense burner in Chuxiu Palace fumigates the same fragrance.

And it doesn't dissipate.

Now, Changchun Palace and Chuxiu Palace are in discord of water and fire.

Wei Yingluo, why did you go to Chuxiu Palace?

Yingluo. You should say something.

She has nothing to say. I smelled her scent earlier,

I wasn't sure,

so I had Yuhu go and search her room.

And I found this.

What is this?

The medicine pouch containing strong poison. It's empty.

I am certain that the tea earlier, if you had drank it,

you'd be dead immediately.

Yingluo.

I don't trust words of others.

You tell me yourself. Do you wish to kill me?

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.♫