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 51

Do you know what other relief centers did?

Either exploiting the locals,

those country wealthy houses, or using grassroots or bark.

Then add on a strong military force to suppress the victims who can't dare to speak out.

My father was the most foolish. Travelling to each and every depot.

But he can't make threats or promises.

So he reaped so little.

So he put up all his own assets.

Even the fields Your Majesty granted him.

His manor, and all. He sold them all.

Even the old family stead and home.

That family stead passed on generation to generation.

When the victims aired their grief, my father wouldn't use military force.

He was afraid to harm the victims who had nothing to them.

But they almost beat him to death.

It as the acts of the victims of the disaster that incited the soldiers.

So the deaths that happened later occurred. He is just incompetent.

He couldn't bear. He just couldn't.

I know.

Your Majesty. I know you are in a difficult position.

So I don't dare to ask for forgiveness.

But on the account of his devotion, please spare his life.

Your Majesty. I have only begged you once in this life.

Spare him. Please.

Your Majesty. I beg you.

Alright.

I won't kill him.

Get on up.

- Your Highness. - Empress.

Empress.

Prince He. May you hold your step.

Empress. Your health is still on recovery.

How are you standing by the wind?

I know you have with you the royal decree.

To go and spare my father.

Empress. Hongzhou is useless.

I couldn't wash away Sir Narbu's wrongful accusation.

No. You have toiled and traveled to seek investigation.

For my father's incident, you have offended many. I have remembered these to heart.

To be able to do something for you is my honor.

And there's another matter I'd like to seek your help.

Zhen'er.

This is?

My father will be exiled to Ningguta which is a bitter cold place.

I prepared clothing and medicine for cold weather.

His leg is beaten to injury. There will not be a good doctor on the journey.

And no time to nurse the injury.

I just hope these injury medicines can come to use.

Empress, be at ease. I will surely bring it to him.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell Sir Narbu?

Tell him, his daughter is not filial.

That I can't send him off personally.

May he take good care.

Yes.

Your Highness, let's return.

Zhen'er. The clothing we prepared for Father.

Is it thick enough?

Your Highness, you prepared leather and fur for winter.

Of course they are thick enough.

But Ninggu is really so cold.

So cold.

Open up.

Sir Narbu.

Sir. His Majesty spared you from death.

And changed to exile. Hurry and thank the grace.

Sir.

My decree was a step too late.

I already sent order to prepare a good funeral.

If you want to arrange it personally, I can agree to it too.

Did you kill him?

No.

Then it was Empress Dowager's doing.

Empress. Your father.

He killed himself.

My father is loyal. He's foolish.

But he's human and cherishes life.

In order to live, he laid down his pride to come beg me.

Now he was clearly falsely accused.

So why would he commit suicide.

Empress, he has already left.

There's no point in pursuing this.

Your Majesty.

My father suffered and became

the most corrupted official in everyone's eyes. In the prison,

he committed suicide. Should his daughter

tolerate this without crying and keep quiet?

You clearly knew that he wasn't corrupted

and used his family to make up for the deficit.

In the end, he still needed to pay with his life.

He was cautious and a Great Leader for more than twenty years.

In the end, he lost his status and reputation and was cursed by everyone.

Where's the justice in heaven and earth?

Empress, I know that you are very sad.

You can blame and hate me

but not the Empress Dowager.

Your Majesty, do you think that the Empress Dowager is unselfish?

Empress.

No matter how sad you are, you shouldn't be rude to the Empress Dowager.

The nephew of the Empress Dowager also participated in the corruptions.

Before my father's case erupted,

her elder brother and his wife came to the palace to plead for clemency.

Once this is investigated, it will implicate the family of the Empress Dowager.

Hence, the Empress Dowager, without any hesitation,

pushed my father to become the sacrificial lamb.

Have you said enough?

Your Highness, don't say anymore.

Will His Majesty dare to listen to what I dare to say?

You have already said up till here.

Would I still not dare to hear it?

Your Majesty. The palace officials are mediocre, incompetent, greedy

and cunning.

It's the same in the beautiful and flourishing harem.

Everyone's a singer, chanting out a tune of a world in prosper with justice and clarity,

and ganged up to lie and trick you.

Even if you are diligent and hard working,

you still can't protect your subject who is falsely accused.

And you can't even kill vermin with unending greed.

Li Yu.

The Empress is sick.

Tell the Imperial Physician to diagnose and treat her.

I will abide.

His Majesty doesn't dare to listen.

Your Highness, I'm begging you. Stop talking.

Empress.

The world is far from being satisfactory.

You are overly aggrieved today. I can forgive you this time.

If you speak and do anything without fears again,

I will not spare you.

Empress isn't ill.

Nonsense.

Empress contracted hysteria.

She's already starting to say crazy talk. How is she not ill?

But I took her pulse.

She's really very lucid.

If she were fine, how would she contradict and offend His Majesty?

His Majesty feels guilty so he pardoned her.

But I treat it as hysteria?

Yes, do that.

Prince, in order to investigate this case,

you haven't slept in days.

Now the matter is resolved.

You should return and rest up.

Resolved? Clearly they were afraid the cover up would be revealed.

So he was killed first to silence him.

The person is gone.

Now the case is hopeless.

Prince, please preserve yourself.

It's not your business in the first place.

Zhen'er. What are you doing here?

Oh. Prince He.

I was . . .

I was heading to Interior Bureau to retrieve something.

You are always tending closely to Empress.

When did it become your duty to run errands?

Prince He, I really am, by Empress's order,

heading to Interior Bureau. May you make way.

Prince. The palace will be locked soon.

Let's leave now.

You wait for me at Gate of Divine Might. I need to do something.

- Prince. - Prince.

Prince.

Prince, what are you doing?

What happened to Empress?

Tell me! You're going to pretend like nothing's happened?

Prince. Empress has disappeared.

I looked all over Chengqian Palace and Imperial Garden.

But I found no trace of her.

I don't dare to tell others.

So I can only search alone.

Let's separate and search.

We must find Empress before others discover it.

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Empress.

You're here.

What are you doing? Come down now.

Can't be that you think I might jump off from here?

Ack.

Empress.

Come down now.

What are you trying to do?

I stayed here all day.

I looked at the scenery afar.

Suddenly I wanted to know Fuca Rongyin.

How she felt when she stood here then.

So I came here personally to experience it.

You've really gone mad.

Fuca Rongyin and I.

We came into the manor in succession.

She was the main prince consort who is gentle and tender.

I was the second prince consort who is prudent and cautious.

We were similar in many ways yet different in so many.

We were similar,

in that we both entrusted our true hearts to our husband.

Difference is that she jumped off from here.

While I became the empress who is high and lofty above.

The matter was so long ago.

Why do you mention it again?

You're not Fuca Rongyin.

Yes, I am not Fuca Rongyin.

Because even if I stand here, I never thought I would jump.

Do you know why?

Because I am not content to.

I thought I would manage the six palaces.

And the master of Great Qing.

So I would never been trampled by others and never having to be cautious.

But I was wrong.

The Consort Xian of the past.

She couldn't preserve her mother and brother.

The empress now still couldn't preserve my father just the same.

Because my power is too little.

So little.

No.

It's not so.

It's because

you trust and admire His Majesty.

You want to be a good empress to him.

Your Highness.

Come on down.

Empress.

My heart is straight towards my lord.

To the tip of the cloud brushing away the blue sky.

It's time to return.

Empress.

If there's a need for me after today.

May you tell me. I want to do something for you.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

How is Empress?

Her Highness is overcome with grief upon losing her next to kin, hence speaking such offensive words to Your Majesty.

Now she is too late to regret.

If she knew Your Majesty came, she'd be so happy. Allow me to announce to her now.

There's no need.

Take good care of Empress.

Empress. His Majesty didn't pursue your loss of composure.

Why are you still so rigid?

Don't worry. His Majesty won't blame me.

Why not?

Because he feels guilty.

Your Highness.

You think I really went mad?

Even if everyone in the world goes mad,

I will still be ver lucid.

My father's death. If you want me to act like nothing happened,

then am I still living like a human?

Your Highness, you mean . . .

In the past, someone who acts according to rule and convention.

A rare going mishap and His Majesty would care.

As long as His Majesty remembers my grievance.

Remember my frustrated fury.

The entire six palace shall also remember.

Empress, His Majesty had Supervisor Li send this.

Put it down.

- Your Highness. - Emperor Chongzhen (Ming Dynasty) and Empress Zhou lost their harmony once.

Empress Zhou went on a hunger strike and disobeyed.

So Chongzhen sent an old leathered mattress to her.

The two reconciled as good as before.

Now His Majesty sent this old clothes to me.

It's to tell me,

he still remembers my unfairness.

He still cares about our attachment of age.

Then you want me to go see Prince He?

Prince He appears to be licentious and unruly.

But in actuality, he is passionate and righteous.

If I am to subdue him,

I need to put some thought into it.

Your Highness. Are you really not sad?

The matter's happened. What use is grief?

It's better to think of how I should use this.

To my biggest benefit.

Alright. You may go as well.

Greetings to Mother Ling. May you have peace and longevity.

Get on up.

In a blink of eye,

5th Prince is already so big.

Yongqi.

When you were first born, you were golden yellow from head to toe.

Everyone thought you were a monster.

If it hadn't been Mother Ling who protected you with her life,

you might not even be alive today.

Thank you, Mother Ling for saving me.

When Yongqi is grown up,

I will surely be filial to you.

Such a young kid,

and he speaks so seriously.

Get on up. Get up.

Come here.

Mother Ling, does it hurt a lot?

Yes, it hurts a lot.

But I can bear it.

When Mother got hurt before, she was clearly in so much pain that her eyes were red.

But she told me it didn't hurt.

Mother Ling, you are different than Mother.

Yongqi. Don't talk nonsense.

5th Prince. If she clearly got hurt but she forced herself to endure,

it's because your mother was worried about you.

Your mother regards you as the most precious treasure in the world.

In the future, you must be very filial to her.

I will be filial to Mother but can I be filial to you too?

My mistress will have her own kid to be filial to her in the future.

We don't need to trouble you, 5th Prince.

Mingyu, why do you speak so harshly?

Last night, I kept hearing strange noise. I was thinking it's strange.

The new year's not here yet, but the yellow weasel is already here.

Mingyu.

That girl Mingyu. It's been so many years.

But she's not changed at all. Still that temper.

Who's laughing?

What's wrong? Such a big temper.

Just a traitor so why show her good face?

Who is a traitor?

Tell me. Is Yingluo crazy?

To forgive Consort Yu?

She can't fight with Consort Yu outright though.

Don't forget. It was Consort Ling that preserved 5th Prince's life.

She can't bear to watch such a little kid lose his mother.

Yingluo's changed. Before, she did whatever she wanted.

Now, she's a different person. To be talking leisurely with smile with the enemy.

She's grown up.

- Mingyu. You too though.- Me?

Before, if it were this kind of situation,

you would've shoved Consort Yu and 5th Prince out of Yanxi Palace by now.

But I am still stubborn and immature.

That's not called stubborn and immature. It's called not being good at pretending.

Consort Ling has reasons to do things.

I am guessing she is getting close to Consort Yu,

because she wants to find a way to expose Noble Consort Chun.

The more you get close to your enemy, the easier to find. Right?

Hurry now and go back so Consort Ling doesn't worry.

I am a month older than you, you know!

How do you know?

I . . .

You looked into my age secretly.

I don't care about you.

Lighter, Your Ladyship. Even though the clamp is off,

you have to mind your movements very carefully.

I will prescribe an ointment for you to take on time for better recovery.

That way you can heal completely.

How is it? Much better?

Thank you, Royal Physician Ye.

I take my leave then.

Are we still mad at me?

Nope.

If you're not, then bring my tag.

And go to Interior Bureau personally.

And get something.

Here, to the left.

Yes, to the right.

Mingyu. Turn.

That's not what Teacher Yin said. Reversed. This way.

Yes, right.

Slower.

I don't want to dance. I can't dance.

Mingyu.

Try again.

Yes.

His Majesty.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Get on up.

What are you doing now?

This Western item. It was getting dust on at Interior Bureau.

So I asked Teacher Yin from France,

and he showed me a dance.

I had the French technician stay at Forbidden City to work out calendar and firearm.

It's not for you to play with.

Do you now how to dance, Your Majesty? I'll teach you.

I'm not interested.

I am not interested in horseback riding either.

But for you, I went to learn it too.

Be fair.

Your Majesty has to learn too.

- You're making farce. - Step, left foot.

Go. One, two.

Left.

Raise your head, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty. Isn't it pretty fun to dance?

That Westerner put his hand on your waist too?

Teacher Yin and the junior eunuch showed it to me like this.

Your Mistress is something else.

His Majesty had a day of foul mood.

Now so fast he's cheered up.

No.

What's wrong?

Wait.

I heard the Westerners, when they dance,

the man holds the woman's waist.

Wei Yingluo, you're taunting me again.

Did I hurt you?

I was trying to cheer Your Majesty up.

By teaching me the woman's steps?

Then we'll switch. Don't be mad anymore.

Don't.

Step left foot.

This way, right?

Your Majesty, so you know how to dance.

You knew how to dance. You were tricking me.

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

Your Majesty is upset again?

Yingluo. If one person must be killed,

what would you do?

Kill him.

If he was falsely accused?

Release him.

What if he was falsely accused,

but for the big picture,

he must be killed?

Both kill and release.

What is that talk?

On the surface, kill him decisively.

But in privately, do a switch.

Your Majesty can find someone,

who is on death row with similar appearance.

And the secret switch.

That'll do, right?

You think think the Ministry of Justice is the vegetable market?

You have to ascertain one's identity before you behead him.

Your Majesty is indeed talking about Lord Narbu.

But you do want to kill him then.

Nonsense. I never thought so.

Your Majesty, even if you granted Empress the grace,

to change beheading to exile, but during the exile,

can he be safe?

There's no one the emperor cannot spare in the world.

Your Majesty really don't want him to live.

Can't be that because I said the truth,

that you're going to kill me to silence me?

Your Majesty.

So you're scared of death too?

Was what I said right?

You are right.

Narbu didn't take disaster relief.

But his first wrong is not reporting when he knew of it.

Second wrong, muddle-headed and incompetent.

Many places in Eastern Zhejiang face similar situations.

But they didn't have any revolt or deaths of disaster victims.

Sometimes, a muddled and incompetent officer,

his jeopardy may not be less than that of a greedy officer.

I sentenced him to exile.

It was all on Empress's account.

To give him an honorable death.

I didn't think, Empress Dowager would be a step before me.

Yingluo,

do you feel that I am a cruel monarch?

I do.

So what if I do though? You always want to be perfect.

But how can anyone be perfect?

If you kill the greedy officer, the greedy officers will hate you.

If you kill an ordinary subject, the ordinary subjects will resent you.

Let them hate and let them resent.

The fallen seed never regrets. Never turn around.

You pushed yourself again, didn't you?

Last night you insisted on dancing.

When an officer is ill,

he still needs to attend court.

When a consort is ill, she still needs to cheer up the emperor.

This is called duty.

You're so full of bizarre logic.

I'll go find Royal Physician Ye. Don't move.

Why is it hurting so much suddenly?

That's called boasting yourself excessively.

Give me your hand.

Brother!

- How are you here? - Consort Ling.

You're a ranking consort now.

But to call me brother still? I don't dare.

No matter what, you're still my brother.

Alright, Consort Ling.

- You sit. - Gentle.

- You deserve to ache to death. - Lighter, Brother.

So comfortable.

My anger hasn't dissipated, you know.

I have been angry at you the whole last six months.

The stuff you sent me have piled up like a mountain.

But you never showed up.

I was afraid I'd make you more angry.

You promised me back then.

That we'd shoulder trouble together and enjoy fortune together.

I thought through and now, you're Consort Ling.

So I will stay at your Yanxi Palace and be the supervisor.

Will you agree?

Fine.

Consort Ling, don't call me Brother so easily in the palace.

Many people and wily mouths here.

Just call me by name.

Meeting you is truly my misfortune.

Meeting you, Brother, it's my lifelong fortune.

Empress. Empress, be merciful and save me.

I am dying. Empress.

Empress, forgive us. This servant is unruly and needs to be taught.

Hupo, how dare you collide into Her Highness.

Do you want to be whipped?

Empress, I used to work at Changchun Palace.

It's because I made a mistake,

that I was punished by sending to Xinzheku and endured all sorts of torment.

Empress. May you be merciful and save me.

Empress. Save me.

She is . . .

Your Highness, she's Hupo who used to work at Changchun Palace.

Hupo?

I remember now.

How did you befall to this plight?

Empress, she was supposed to be assigned to Yanxi Palace.

But she offended Consort Ling,

and she was sent to Xinzheku to do hard labor.

But she can't endure any hardship,

but Empress, don't worry, I will teach her properly.

Empress. May you be merciful and save me.

- Shut up. - She's Late Empress's old servant.

So she should be treated well.

Give her lighter chores.

- And don't whip her anymore.- Yes.

- Let's go. - Empress.

Empress. Empress! Your Highness.

- Empress. Empress! - Stop daydreaming.

- Your Highness. - Not even the empress can save you.

- Empress. - Shut up.

Your Highness.

Greetings to Mother Ling. Yongqi heard you can get up now.

So I came to bid you wellness especially.

Mother Ling, I don't think Sister Mingyu likes me.

Yep.

By convention, shouldn't you actually say it's all a misunderstanding?

Why should I deceive you?

But everyone in the palace does that.

Mother Ling doesn't like that.

Sit.

Eat.

Clearly you really want to eat it.

It's by your hand, so why don't you take it?

Mother said to grab it without asking is not cordial.

Eat.

Mother Ling said yes.

Is it good?

Yongqi. Since you're already coughing,

you shouldn't eat sweet things anymore. Got it?

[ Yanxi Palace ]

The tea is cold.

I will go switch it.

This.

Give me.

What are you laughing about?

I'm laughing that you're a dumb egg!

She stole two very obvious chess pieces of yours.

But you can't see it?

Yingluo! You're too much.

Last time you stole two chess pieces from His Majesty.

His Majesty was so mad he ignored you for two days.

- Now you're repeating? - I just love seeing him mad.

I love it when he's mad.

You're such a strange one.

I don't know why either.

I just like to bully people who are serious.

Supervisor Li.

What brings you here?

Consort Ling, His Majesty invites you to go to Yonghe Palace.

Yonghe Palace?

Why would she go to Yonghe Palace now?

May Your Ladyship mobilize immediately.

I will accompany you.

No.

I will accompany your ladyship.

Mingyu. You stay and watch Yanxi Palace.

Don't be nervous. Nothing will happen.

Your Majesty, Consort Ling is here.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Is 5th Prince ill?

What are you trying to do?

Consort Yu, what was that for?

Your Majesty. How big is 5th Prince?

She actually laid such a poisonous hand on him!

How evil is she!

Poisonous hand?

What does that mean?

Consort Ling. Today, did 5th Prince go to Yanxi Palace?

Yes.

Consort Yu told him to come visit me.

And brought reishi and deer antler to me.

Did he eat a snack there?

- He ate a piece of lotus cake. - There it is then.

Royal Physician Liu.

Consort Ling, 5th Prince has been coughing lately.

I am managing his illness mainly with fritillary bulb.

But fritillary bulb has a peculiarity.

It cannot be eaten together with the likes of aconite no matter what.

Such as wolf's bane, monkshood, devil's helmet and the alike. All are shunned.

If they are consumed together, what happens?

Replying to Empress.

If consumed together, it's very likely that due to the medicinal properties clashing, one would be poisoned.

Such as paralysis of the entire body, unstoppable pain, or death.

I took 5th Prince's pulse.

I discovered he had signs of poisoned by wolf's bane.

Yanxi Palace's lotus cake,

does it contain wolf's bane?

Only Consort Ling would know.

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♫Softly falling into the hollow of my palm,♫

♫Resting frozen in the center of my palm.♫

♫Our meeting across past incarnations was inevitable,♫

♫Our meeting across past incarnations was inevitable,♫

♫Though plainly given words of discouragement,♫

♫Pretending to hear nothing but exhortation.♫

♫ Endless tears, believing it cannot be true,♫

♫ In this life, being born under an unlucky star.♫

♫I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫

♫ Though I close my eyes, it's impossible to stop the vision.♫

♫ Nothing you can do about being approached, not being inconsistent in love,♫

♫ Though merely holding onto it from the outside, prone to this sort of circumstance.♫

♫ I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫

♫ As though you are holding me closely, and speaking sweetly.♫

♫ Opening your eyes to a sky filled with merciless snow falling,♫

♫ Who, after suffering this loss for a lifetime, is fond of this scene?♫