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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 54

Brother. You don't understand.

I didn't understand before but now I do understand.

Yingluo. I admire that about you the most.

We are the same kind of people.

We are all cold hearts. No one can warm us.

What's the silly smile for?

Your Majesty.

What is this silly thing?

Your Majesty, this is . . .

Look at that look of yours.

I know this must be a gift from someone you're fond of.

But this maiden's needlework is too shabby.

Your Majesty, you don't understand.

This is about the heart.

Women love to tangle on trifle things.

Today she embroiders you a lotus pouch, tomorrow a handkerchief.

Such a waste of time, you know.

I urge you not to look at it anymore.

No matter how you look, there's no flower there to be seen.

What do you wish to say?

I just think,

lately, Consort Ling seems to be out of character lately and treats you lukewarm.

So you're not happy and you're mocking me on purpose.

Am I such a petty-minded person?

I would never care if she wants to be lukewarm.

So let her continue and we'll see how much longer I will indulge.

Your Majesty, Yanxi Palace's Miss Mingyu,

brought a hat.

Saying Consort Ling made it personally for you.

I already told you, right?

Women love to do be busy.

- This is? - Consort Ling has said,

This hate made with this material,

would be both light and warm for Your Majesty to wear in the winter.

Your Majesty, it's still hot, so I'll put it away for you for now.

When it's winter, I'll get it back out.

No.

You're the same.

What are you saying?

Your Majesty. I was saying, you see that Consort Ling is cold on the exterior,

but in her heart, she's good to you. The fur you just sent her is sent back to you right away.

This means she's thinking of you all the time.

She is so idle she has time for such useless makings.

When I go out, I have protection front and back.

How would I need it? It's unnecessary.

It's perfect.

- Hu . . - Don't worry about her.

She deserves it.

Hupo.

Who said to bring her here?

Mistress, she fainted on the side of the road.

Xinzheku maid is to be managed by Xinzheku supervisor.

When has the Yanxi Palace become a shelter?

Take her away.

Sister Mingyu.

Zhenzhu, if it weren't on your account,

I wouldn't have brought her back.

Hupo. Since you're awake now,

you should return to where you belong.

Consort Ling, I escaped.

I will be dead if I returned.

I beg you, on the account of the past.

No, may you be mercy and spare me.

Take her away.

Consort Ling. Consort Ling, I know a secret that'll be useful to you.

May you give me a chance to make amend for my wrong.

A secret that's useful to me?

Yes, if you will spare me,

I am willing to tell you everything.

The day Late Empress passed away,

Madam of Duke of Zhongyong (Fuheng),

No, Erqing.

She met Late Empress.

Erqing?

Yes. That day,

I delivered tea in.

I heard they were discussing.

The manor just received news.

And Mother fainted from crying so I saw that,

and I couldn't bear it.

Tell my mother I am very well.

Don't worry.

Her eyes are already bad.

Don't let her cry more.

Erqing, what's wrong?

Were you compromised?

Empress. This matter has been in my heart for long.

I didn't dare to mention to anyone.

I wanted to repent to Mother at first.

But 7th Prince, he . . .

I saw how sad Mother was.

So I don't dare to add frost to snow.

What has happened exactly?

That night. That night was Second Prince's memorial.

His Majesty stayed at Changchun Palace.

I was angry at Fuheng and he wouldn't even listen to you.

So I thought, this marriage was granted by His Majesty.

As long as His Majesty speaks,

as long as His Majesty speaks, Fuheng would curb his mirth.

So,

so I entered the side hall quietly.

Who would've imagined,

His Majesty was drunk in alcohol and insisted on pampering me.

I couldn't dare to object.

I was afraid someone would come in.

And ruin Fuca's reputation.

But who would've imagined, later on,

I became pregnant.

What did you say?

I am pregnant.

Go away!

Shameful!

Your Highness, as long as you will say a word,

I will go and die now.

To oblige Fuca's prestige.

Prestige? What prestige is left for Fuca House?

It's all you.

All thanks to you!

I never want to see you ever again.

Your Highness, I deserve to die.

But this trouble was started by His Majesty.

One of you. Two of you.

All are my closest people.

Why do you join hands,

join hands to treat me like this?

Why?

I will go and report to Mother now.

Leave myself to her disposal.

Stop there.

You came today,

what you said to me,

you are not allowed to let Mother,

know half a word of it.

You.

You're never allowed to enter the palace.

Never.

What you said is really true?

I can swear to Heaven that every word is true.

Do you remember that morning.

You saw me clean up the side hall, right?

Hupo.

What are you doing?

Sister Mingyu.

Last night, His Majesty was drunk and vomited everywhere.

So that undergarment was hers.

She could even . . .

When I first entered the palace, I was care after by Erqing a lot.

She at first told me she had an urgent matter to beg His Majesty.

I was soft-hearted and let her.

Who would've thought that would've happened. I was so scared.

I didn't dare to mention to anyone.

Consort Ling, may you please,

spare me on making amend for my wrong with merit.

Come.

- Your Ladyship. - Take her away and keep her locked up for now.

Without my order, don't let her meet anyone.

Your Ladyship, you agreed to spare me. You must make true.

I never want to return to Xinzheku. Your Ladyship.

Your Ladyship, you agreed to spare me.

Your Ladyship.

Yingluo, someone like her,

deserves to be hacked to mincemeat.

The true cause of the disaster.

It's Hitara Erqing.

I greet Consort Ling.

Today, His Majesty summoned military commanders to discuss.

He won't be able to come.

So he had me bring you some delicious items.

Wild duck with butter.

Four small appetizers.

Swallow's nest with shredded chicken. Polished rice.

Your Ladyship, last time you complimented the chef from Suzhou with surname Zhang.

His Majesty sent him here too, saying he will cook for you from now on.

I thank His Majesty for the grace.

Since the person and the items are delivered,

you may leave.

Yes.

Yingluo.

Yanxi Palace

What as that sound earlier?

I didn't hear any sound.

Goodbye, Eunuch Li.

You all be careful. All to Silkworm Hall.

You be careful. That's gold hook.

Hurry. Don't delay the auspicious time. Hurry.

Your Majesty, the Silkworm Ceremony is ready.

Tell Empress I will be there soon.

Yes.

What's wrong?

Duchess of Zhongyong begs an audience.

Because Fuheng pampered a handmaiden,

causing a huge uproar and chaos at home,

and because the handmaiden made slanders repeatedly.

Fuheng even suspected An'er's birth.

I was so angry I married her out.

But Fuheng went off saying he will disown me.

How can you repudiate?

This is granted by Your Majesty. How can you repudiate?

Mother wouldn't allow till the end,

and Fuheng took his anger out on me.

He confined me to the Buddhist shrine.

Mother is ill and in bed.

Fuheng ignores.

This Silkworm Ceremony,

I finally got a chance to come out,

to beg Your Majesty.

Erqing.

Tell me.

Who is An'er's true . . .

Though I was in the past,

in the past, with misgivings,

but the past is the past.

I want to be a good daughter-in-law of Fuca with all sincerely.

Fuheng fights in battles and all along,

it's always me toiling with household runnings and care for the parents.

I never made any mishap.

Your Majesty, I can swear.

Fu'kang'an is Fuheng's son.

He's defintely Fuca's blood.

But no matter how I explain, Fuheng just won't believe.

Fuheng forced me and my son to part, a pain harsher than death.

Your Majesty, I know.

A subject should not report about the subject's family affair.

But this marriage was granted by Your Majesty.

I have no other wish. Just for my son,

not to be away from me. Don't snatch away my An'er.

Enough. Say no more.

Your Majesty.

You're angry?

Your Majesty.

Please, on the account of the past affection,

help me.

Your Majesty.

You and I never had any affection.

I know my wrong. I know my wrong.

I spoke without thinking. I know my wrong.

May Your Majesty take pity on me as a mother,

to disallow me to be parted from my son.

Don't let An'er leave me.

You go first. I will think about it.

Thank you Your Majesty.

This way, Duchess Zhongyong.

You take Duchess Zhongyong to Silkworm Ceremony.

- Show me the way.- Yes.

That woman can change face.

This isn't the way to Silkworm Ceremony.

Where are you taking me to?

By Consort Ling's order, may you make the trip.

Today is Empress's tribute of Silkworm Ceremony.

It's almost time. I have no time to see her.

Duchess of Zhongyong.

Where are you headed to?

Let me go. Let me go!

Old acquaintances united.

It's a blissful event.

Why is it that your face,

shows not half a sign of bliss?

Consort Ling.

Today is Silkworm Ceremony.

You took me hostage to Changchun Palace.

Whatever for?

You tell me.

Now you're His Majesty's favorite consort.

Your future is bright.

I must remind you.

Don't forget your status.

If you don't cross me, I don't cross you.

If you push me,

I will not be so kind either.

At worst, everything gets exposed.

I will see if this Consort Ling of yours,

can still be pampered.

Erqing. You look back.

Do yo still remember the old mistress?

Mingyu.

Though you are not serving Consort Ling,

you shouldn't still forget about our past friendship.

Friendship?

All because I valued too much a groundless friendship,

that I was used by you to harm Empress.

I hate how dumb I was.

That I didn't see through your heart of a fierce wolf.

I don't know what you mean.

The ceremony is about to begin.

I must leave this place.

Wei Yingluo, you hold a first ranked duchess as hostage. What in the world are you trying to do?

What's wrong? You're scared?

What am I scared of?

Scared that someone might expose the ugly incident of you betraying your mistress.

Erqing. The three of us all served at Changchun Palace together.

Empress, how she treated us. Did you forget it all?

Govern the Six Palace with Merit.

I didn't forget.

Then how could you do such a thing?

Are you even human?

Empress jumped herself to her own death.

What has it to do with me?

Her Highness lost her beloved son,

and was deep in grief.

You shouldn't, ever give her

a final heavy blow.

I don't understand.

You grew up in Changchun palace and received preferential treatments by Her Highness.

And became the Young Mistress of Fuca manor.

If Her Highness was doing well, it will even be better for Fuca manor.

By doing this,

what was it for?

What did I do it for?

What did I do it for?!

Yingluo, everything is because of you!

Because you came to Changchun Palace,

Her Highness valued me the most.

But when you came

and became her confidante,

she pushed me to the back of her mind.

Hence...

you deliberately provoked me

and instigated Mingyu to go against me.

You hide in the dark

and reaped the benefits.

Although you envy Yingluo,

but you are already married to Fuheng.

This was the grace of Her Highness.

It was I who fought for it.

It was I who told Fuheng that

if he insisted on going rebelling against the Imperial decree, I would kill Wei Yingluo.

It was I who fought for all these.

Ask her.

Ask her if she ever spoke up for me!

But you have already fulfilled your wish. Isn't this enough?

It wasn't enough! It will never be enough!

When I married him, he regarded me as just an ornament.

He was cold towards me and kept his distance from me.

I suffered for many years

and fell into this state.

Fine then.

I want him

to be in pain for the rest of his life.

Charming the King,

was your retaliation?

As long as His Majesty becomes a subject under my skirt,

will force Fuheng to bear this kind of humiliation which can never be erased.

I have succeeded.

You didn't see his expression then.

What has this

to do with the Empress?

Who told her not to help me?!

The both of you forced me to do this.

Hence, I only need to tell this good news to the Empress,

especially when she just lost Seventh Prince.

I'm pregnant with the child of the Emperor.

To her, it must be the greatest comfort.

Maniac.

You are a lunatic!

I'm a lunatic.

When I was in Forbidden City for six years,

I was forced to be crazy every day.

Mingyu.

You and I are both third-banner bondservants,

but our fates are different.

My grandfather was the grand secretary.

You are just someone who came from a family who has lost everything. Why would you know how I feel?!

The Empress did treat me well

but she treated Consort Ling even better.

But as long as you exist, I will have hatred!

I will have hatred!

Hence, I wanted to make it unbearable for the Empress.

I wanted to see her in pain. I wanted to see her go crazy.

The lofty Mistress

being tormented by me

made me incomparably happy.

Your Majesty. The Empress sent men to report that

Consort Ling didn't attend the Silkworm ceremony.

Did you send someone to find her at Yanxi Palace?

I did but there was no one keeping guard there.

Even Sister Mingyu is not to be seen.

The Silkworm ceremony is an important event.

She's not even at the location.

There's no one at Yanxi Palace too. Where did they go?

- There's something else. - What's wrong?

The wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank is not at the location too.

Erqing.

You used to like to smile and was a warm person. I didn't expect you to do this.

I need to slave in the palace. What's there to smile about?

What I hate in this lifetime,

it's to smile.

But in order to make the Mistress happy,

I needed to smile till I fear that I will be bruised all over my body.

I fear that even if my heart is bleeding, I still needed to smile.

Don't use your despicable conduct as an excuse.

Everything in the palace is tough.

Every single person is struggling.

You are not the only who has it tough.

You suffered bitterness.

But you added your bitterness to Empress.

Did she owe you anything?

Her Highness

treated you very well.

You...

stabbed her in the back.

Compared to Noble Consort Chun,

you are more ruthless,

more evil and poisonous.

You let...

Her Highness...

received the final blow.

So what?

Today, I'm under the shelter of His Majesty.

Who dares to touch me?

Make a choice. Don't make me take action.

Wei Yingluo, are you crazy?

I'm a titled woman in the Imperial court and the wife of the Duke of First Rank and you even dare to force me to kill myself?

Make your choice.

Govern the Six Palaces with Merit

Greetings to Your Majesty.

- Wei Yingluo, you even dared...- Why wouldn't I dare?

Xitaxi is a titled woman in the Imperial court

and the wife of the Duke of First Rank!

Your Majesty. I poisoned the wife of the Duke of First Rank. It has nothing to do with Consort Ling.

You are from Yangxi Palace. You killed someone. What's the difference?

Erqing...

on the day of the late Empress's death,

confessed her liaison with Your Majesty.

She revealed everything.

Causing Empress to subject to indignation and grief.

Completely disheartened.

Hence, she needed to die.

Wei Yingluo, it's not what you think.

Your Majesty, tell me then.

- What's the truth? - It's because...

Your Majesty, the Empress is here.

Consort Ling, what did you do?

Empress. The wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank

came to commemorate the late Empress.

She was extremely sad

and unfortunately, left to follow the late Empress.

Your Majesty. Are you saying that the wife of killed herself?

But what is Consort Ling doing here?

When I rushed here,

Consort Ling just arrived.

Consort Ling, is this the truth?

Empress, do you not trust what I said?

Of course, I trust Your Majesty

but there were hundreds of Fujins and women with titles who entered the palace today.

Everyone saw Erqing smiling and entering the palace.

If it's said that she commemorated and followed the late Empress, I fear this is not appropriate.

Why not let me handle this?

Empress, how do you plan to handle this?

Zhen'er.

I'm here.

Go personally to clean up the body of the wife of Duke Zhongyong.

Don't leave any signs.

Just tell the others that I was suddenly summoned by the Empress Dowager.

After saying a few words,

she rushed out for the celebration.

After everyone has left, a small sedan took her back to the Fuca manor.

She had a seizure on the way back.

Embargo the news. Issue the obituary seven days later.

But regarding this, we still need the Fuca manor's co-operation in the investigation.

It will at least require me to present someone to persuade Fuca Madam.

As for Consort Ling,

say that...

Consort Ling is sick.

Your Majesty, I'm sick?

You are sick.

Your illness is serious too.

Hence, go back to Yanxi Palace now.

Summon the Imperial Physician to diagnose and treat her well.

I will comply.

Consort Ling, you are too reckless.

She was the wife of Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank.

You just grant her death without ever asking His Majesty first.

Hitara Erqing was His Majesty's lover.

Would His Majesty bear to kill her?

In terms of your decisiveness to kill. I do admire you.

It's a pity that just because of a Hitara Erqing,

the grace with His Majesty has been severed. Is it worth it?

I mentioned Hitara clanswoman

was His Majesty's lover.

Your Highness is not surprised at all.

Could it be that you have known earlier?

Even if you know what's going on in the palace, you should also pretend not to know.

This is how you can live longer and has the last laugh.

Consort Ling, you must

remember my warning to you today.

So, it was you.

What are you talking about?

It was you

who sent Hupo to me.

I don't understand what you are saying.

Before Hupo told me,

I believe that

you have already gotten the facts from her.

Thus, you deliberately sent Erqing

to me and you were certain

that I must kill Erqing.

Your Highness,

Regarding the borrowing of the knife to kill someone,

you have my admiration.

Whose knife did I borrow?

You borrowed my knife.

Who was killed?

Hitara clanswoman was the one who was killed.

And also the grace and affection that His Majesty gave to me.

His Majesty said that you are sick. I didn't believe it.

Looking at it now, Consort Ling, you are really sick.

Go back and treat your illness.

Yingluo.

Did we fall into her trap?

Mingyu.

If you personally killed Erqing,

will you regret?

No.

I wouldn't regret.

This is what she deserved.

This is where the Empress is brilliant at.

She calculated each and every of our steps

to make me look perfectly happy about this

and stepped into her trap.

Your Majesty, it's past the meal hour.

Your Majesty.

What are you doing here?

I...

Ever since I left the palace,

I've endured Fuheng's

despising and cold treatment.

I wanted to find the Empress and complained bitterly to her

but Her Highness is pregnant now. I dare not disturb her.

I wanted to look for Your Majesty to help me seek justice,

but who would have expected that

Your Majesty would be drunk last night.

Knowing that I'm guilty,

I'm willing to die for my crime.

But Your Majesty, I beg you.

I beg Your Majesty not to blame my family.

I'm willing

to be a slave to repay Your Majesty's grace.

If you were to die in Changchun Palace, you will be insulting the Empress.

- Your Majesty...- Get out.

I heard the best items were given to Yangxi Palace.

His Majesty is too biased.

Just materialistic possessions. What's the urgency?

This represents His Majesty's grace and the dignity of the harem.

In the past, fur bought from Kyakhta,

the best would have been given to Chengqian Palace for Your Highness to distribute.

But it's good now.

But today, Consort Ling killed the wife of Duke Zhongyong.

It's considered a major offence to His Majesty.

Tell me. Do you think she will completely lose favors?

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

♫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?♫