Original subtitles

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Subtitles and Timings By The Qing Hair and Those Who Dare Team @ Viki.com

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♫The sounds from the sheng and xiao die away in the distance, in the sparse, declining light ♫

(T/N reed instrument made of vertical pipes; end-blown flute)

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♫ Memories of my past, my companions in youth. ♫

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♫ Over boundless years, old affairs have become difficult to recall. ♫

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♫ I’ve used a lifetime of truth to put up a pretense. ♫

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♫ Parting without opening these cupped hands full of tears. ♫

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♫ Clears my vision and permits me to resist ♫

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♫ Perhaps when targeted by love it is not wise to separate ♫

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♫ The morning wind can not dispel the aftermath. ♫

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♫ Whose hidden tears made the blooming flowers blush, ♫

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♫ And in the desolate and dreary torrential storms to painfully droop low, ♫

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♫ Unwilling to blossom again alone? ♫

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♫ The coming day belongs to the young. ♫

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♫ As the glimmer of dawn becomes again the setting sun. ♫

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♫ Who is this person who does not sleep soundly in the middle of the night? ♫

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♫Sitting and watching the autumn wind puff out and penetrate the palace curtains. ♫

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♫One strand held in remembrance, shackling sentiment and concern. ♫

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♫ Always submerged in the fragrant incense of fleeting time ♫

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Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

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Episode 39

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Her Highness is in coma and dying

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but the Heavens bless her with happiness and grace.

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What nonsense are you spouting?

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Royal Mother is in her prime of life. How could she be dying?

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It's obviously that your medical skill is lacking and you are spouting nonsense.

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Jingse, your mother is critically ill.

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Only Qi Wei who, has served us for many years, would dare to say this.

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Your Majesty. Regardless of Her Highness' condition, you must quickly notify the the Internal Affairs Department

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Have them prepare the lucky wood in the capital.

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It's also good to rush it.

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I will do according to what you said.

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Qi Wei, do a good job of attending to this.

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If there are any movements, report to me immediately.

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Yes.

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Consort Ruyi, Her Highness is gravely ill from falling into the water.

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You and Consort Chun set off now to take care of Her Highness.

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Yes.

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The rest of you can go back.

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Yes.

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Jingse, come with me.

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Are you okay, Mistress?

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- I'm fine.

- Be careful.

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Congratulations. After all these years, you have finally benefited.

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Thank you, Noble Lady Ling.

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Mistress, why is there a hydrangea flower missing from your head?

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After knowing that Her Highness fell into the water, I was flustered and don't know when I lost it.

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I really deserve to die. His Majesty gave the hydrangea flower to me on the Double Seventh festival.

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Do you want me to help you to find it?

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Forget it.

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It's a chaos out there now. If you go out just because of a flower, His Majesty won't be happy.

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If I don't wear it, His Majesty wouldn't notice too.

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- Hailan.

- Consort Chun.

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Go and get a pot of nice tea.

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Yes.

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Wait outside.

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Yes.

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I was waiting for you.

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Her Highness is critically ill. I'm very worried upon hearing this.

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Come. I wanted to discuss something with you.

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Did you hear what Imperial Physician Qi said?

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He said that...

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He said that after they retrieved Her Highness from the water,

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she kept saying "an eye for an eye".

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I was thinking, could she has accidentally overheard our conversation?

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Or, after hearing our conversation, she was angry and jumped into the water?

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We heard a sound and didn't check.

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Do you think we won't be pardoned for not saving her?

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You are thinking too much into this. We really didn't hear anyone crying for help.

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How could we have known that someone fell into the water and that it was Her Highness?

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That's right.

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What if she regains consciousness and goes after us?

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How could Imperial Concubine Mei speak without using her brain?

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She has really created troubles for us.

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She is usually a calm person.

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I wonder what's wrong with her today.

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Who knows what's wrong with her?

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If Her Highness really were to come after me, what should I do?

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Look at her condition now. She won't be able to come after you.

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Why don't I go and kneel for my crime now?

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Ultimately, Imperial Concubine Mei wasn't cautious in what she said.

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How do you expect me to be calm?

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Her Highness wouldn't dare to look for you.

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She just heard

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Imperial Concubine saying "an eye for an eye" and then fell into the water.

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She couldn't recall this after she was rescued.

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Although His Majesty is concerned about Her Highness

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but if he hears this, he will be suspicious

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about the evil deeds that Her Highness did.

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Thus, even if Her Highness regains consciousness, she wouldn't dare to look for me again.

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This is good then.

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If I don't do this, my child will not be implicated.

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Don't worry.

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Your Majesty, His Highness has regained her consciousness.

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I'm going to take a look.

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You can leave.

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Yes.

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Empress, you are awake.

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Your Majesty.

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After going through all this, I know I am near my end.

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but when I opened my eyes,

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I could immediately see that you are by my side.

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I'm really very happy.

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Don't say such negative things.

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You only suffered a shock by falling into the water. You will be after recuperating.

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I'm not blessed

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to protect the life of the official eldest son.

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Today...

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Jingse already has a good prospect.

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I'm begging you. If I'm gone, don't let Jingse mourns for three years.

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She is no longer young.

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In the past, I couldn't bear to marry her off.

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I can't delay this now.

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Jingse is our only official female eldest child.

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I will definitely consider this.

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Thank you, Your Majesty.

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I have another request.

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Empress, lie down and talk.

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Your Majesty,

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I know that I don't have long to live.

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This seat of the master of the harem.

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Please choose my successor.

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Imperial Consort Chun gave birth to a son for you.

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She's virtuous and gentle and tender.

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Her virtues are plenty to be the central palace.

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Empress.

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This is not for you to consider.

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The name, "Empress" is just a name and an identity.

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You are also someone next to me.

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Hence, regarding this matter, I should consider it.

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I would like to say something else.

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Regarding Noble Consort Chun and Imperial Concubine Shu,

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if you want to chose either of them to take over my place, I'm not worried.

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But there is something whom you absolutely can't.

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Consort Ruyin was born as Ulu-Nara.

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You know that she was very vicious towards the late Emperor of Jingren Palace.

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A woman with such a descendant, she must not be the head of the palace.

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Empress, rest now. Don't talk about this.

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Your Majesty.

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It has been a long time since you called me by my name.

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Do you still remember my name?

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How could I not remember it?

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It's Langhua Fudi. It means the splendid woman.

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Langhua.

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You are just like your name.

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Subtitles and Timings By The Qing Hair and Those Who Dare Team @ Viki.com

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Younger sister, what are you doing here so late in the night?

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You don't have much time left to wait on Her Highness.

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I came to stand outside of the Blue Tit Ship, to offer some respect is good too.

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There is something I don't understand. Just because of the word "fear", you are willing to help me a lot.

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Of course, I'm afraid.

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Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min died in labor with her baby girl and everyone says it was done by Empress.

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You and Concubine Yi's babies. Imperial Noble Consort Huixian's death. I'm so scared of all.

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I'm a coward and dare not take actions.

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You're resolute. If it were me, I would've been too scared and chickened out already.

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Your Majesty, in my life, there were times when I wasn't satisfied. I was scared too.

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Scared?

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You were my legitimate princess before and now you're the empress. What is there to be scared of?

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As for bitterness, perhaps there are some that are not satisfying to you.

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Since I was little, I was taught how to be a good wife.

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How to be a good wife and mother and homemaker.

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but I know that,

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I wasn't your first choice as the official wife. Isn't that so?

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The one you were already fond of since early on was Ula-Nara.

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I was only someone Late Empress and Royal Mother forced you to take on.

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You blame me?

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I don't dare.

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Just that I am startled and restless.

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I've never had a complete husband.

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I never had his heart completely.

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But I can't resent.

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I can't hate. I can't lose my status.

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I have worked hard to become a good wife.

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But I am just a woman. I want my husband's love.

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Am I not good to you?

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You're my legitimate wife. You've got son and daughter and you are the shrine of the central palace. What else is there?

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You are good to me.

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But this kind of good, is the good a husband gives to wife, but not a deep love.

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All the concubines piled together and I stand on the summit.

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I have nothing to lean on.

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If your heart changed,

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what I have seemed stable but would all disappear.

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Empress. I never heard these words you're saying now.

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I never knew you felt this scared and this restless.

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You're my main wife. I honor you. I protect you. I endure you.

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You birthed to legitimate sons to me and I cherish you especially so.

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Hence, somethings, I have shut an eye to.

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Feigning ignorance.

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What?

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Other things. Forget them.

190

In a few days, it will be Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min's birthday.

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She died in labor.

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I want to know. Her death. Was it done by human or by God?

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Your Majesty.

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A few years after she passed away, there were rumors that I was jealous she bore the eldest son.

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So I made her die in labor.

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So you thought so too?

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I -- I swear.

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With Fuca's hundred year glory and wealth, I swear.

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Imperial Noble Consort Zhe Min's death was not my doing at all.

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Then what about Imperial Noble Consort Huixian?

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She did many evil and killed royal heirs.

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But framing Ruyi to enter Cold Palace. You had no hand in it?

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What all did you do to Ruyi?

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I -- I didn't.

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I just didn't like.

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How she raised Yonghuang and she wanted the legitimate title.

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So I believed she did evil.

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I swear.

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You're confused.

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If swearing is truly useful, why would we need iron rules?

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Your Majesty, all I did was to preserve Great Qing's bloodlines.

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To be honorable to Fuca clan and the glory it exchanged with blood.

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If I had a choice, I wouldn't have pushed anyone to death.

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I wanted Ruyi to be my legitimate wife.

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So you treat her as a foe.

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Imperial Noble Consort Huixian's father Gao Bin, you shunned too.

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So early on you sent them expensive bracelets to ban them from getting pregnant.

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Even when Ruyi went into Cold Palace, you thought of all ways to kill her.

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So all these things. You already knew.

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But you endured till today to ask me.

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Yes. I didn't want them to get pregnant before me.

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I hate Ula-Nara cursed my Yonglian to death.

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So I continued to torment her when she was in Cold Palace.

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But the snake issue in Cold Palace and her arson incident. I really didn't know about them.

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Who's framing me?

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Who's trying to harm me?

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No one's harming you. And no one can.

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These years, everything you did, I know some.

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To be an empress, you can be said to be capable.

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But if I expose you,

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you will become a filthy point in my reign.

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And be cause of the imperial family being the laughing stock of the world.

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Because of that only.

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You're my wife. Years of attachment aren't light.

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Your mistakes, on the account of the imperial family's reputation,

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and Fuca's reputation and our children, I won't mention it.

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Your Majesty's royal grace is immeasurable.

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You are sage and wise but you are cold and heartless.

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Those close to you will be hurt by it.

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Since we're here now,

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all the wrongs I committed I will shoulder myself.

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But in the future, whoever ascends the seat of empress,

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her ending will not be better than mine today.

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Then I shall keep these eyes open.

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And watch from above.

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Watch from the sky.

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This life's not settled yet and you already think of the next life.

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No wonder in your unconscious state, you kept yelling, measure for measure.

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But today, these retributions, onto whom have they come to?

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Are you eating the evil fruit of your own?

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Your Majesty.

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Empress, rest well.

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Your Majesty.

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Your Majesty!

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Li Yu. You've served Empress and I for so many years.

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Do you deem Empress an evil person?

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Your Majesty, though Empress is the master of the six palaces,

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she's also an ordinary woman, filled with love and hate, joy and sadness.

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I still remember the day I married her, Empress said to me.

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She wishes the hundred year glory of Fuca accompany me.

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That she would birth daughter and son for me and be a diligent wife.

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Careful, Your Majesty.

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But Empress and my children.

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There's only Jingse left and even Jingse will marry far.

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Our decades of fate together, is there only suspicion and resentment?

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Your Majesty is sad.

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You over-worry and you are devoted, accompanying Empress all along, but you must be careful of your royal body too.

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Your Majesty. Your Majesty!

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Your Majesty. Empress has passed.

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Royal Mother.

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Royal Mother.

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How can you just leave?

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You said you would watch me marry.

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Royal Mother.

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Royal Mother.

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Empress. How do you just leave, abandoning us?

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Where is our master now?

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Noble Consort Chun, you must not overly lament. We're just a bunch of people all lamenting here.

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But we need you to make orders so we can make arrangements.

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Empress passed away suddenly.

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We are not at the palace, but we must make all things formidable.

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Yes. All things by your order.

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Has everything been arranged?

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Yes.

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The fleet and the servants will all be in mourning white.

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Noble Consort Chun's gone to the Blue Tit Ship to arrange the funeral.

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She's diligent.

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You be with me.

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Yes.

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[ Emperor Qianlong's 12th year in reign. Empress of Fuca Clan dies. Posthumously named Empress Xiaoxian. ]

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Consort Jia said the empress falling into water was suspicious. Is there any clues yet?

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What does this mean?

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My mistress found this near where Empress fell into water.

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I'm not sure which mistress dropped it and such coincidence.

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Tell me, do you think it's linked to Empress falling in water?

297

This bead flower is so familiar.

298

I think it's --

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Empress passed away but there were many things she wouldn't acknowledge.

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Even if she didn't acknowledge in her deathbed, she did what she did nevertheless.

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I know Empress cared about me.

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She cared about title. She cared about being the main wife of Great Qing. She cared about Fuca's glory.

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All these things were things she couldn't let go.

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Empress used Fuca's hundred year glory and support to swear to me.

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Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin dying in labor. Snakes in Cold Palace.

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Colluding with Imperial Noble Consort Huixian to kill royal heirs.

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And your arson incident. She was unwitting of all.

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I don't believe it.

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Sulian and Lianxin are Empress's closest servants.

310

Perhaps we could summon Sulian and Lianxin to ask.

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Come.

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Present.

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Summon Sulian and Lianxin.

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Yes.

315

Your Majesty, you needn't summon Sulian anymore.

316

Sulian already hit herself on the pillar and died, to die along Empress.

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Sulian died for Empress?

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Yes.

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Lianxin couldn't find Sulian so she had no choice but to ask me to look for her together.

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Who knew, that we found her by the stone bridge in the garden offshore.

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When we found her, she had already hit herself on the pillar by the bridge and died.

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It's a glorious honor to die for one's master. Why would Sulian do it in secret?

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Li Yu, go have Yu Hu look through Sulian's corpse.

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Lianxin is anxious and she followed me here so she's outside.

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- Have her come in.

- Yes.

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Bidding good night to Your Majesty, to Noble Consort Xian.

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Lianxin, Empress's illness wasn't just a day or two.

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You and Sulian lived together. Did you already know in advance she wanted to die for her master?

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Sulian had always worried about her elderly mother at home who is ill, and she wanted to leave the palace to care for her.

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Sulian worried about her family, then why would she suddenly die for her master?

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Can't be because she knew too much and she felt guilty?

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Eunuch Li, Sulian was Empress's servant.

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If she is with offense, then what becomes of Empress?

334

If she wanted to commit suicide, she didn't need to be so worried about her family.

335

Yes, yes.

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Your Majesty, I misspoke.

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Lianxin. What all did Empress and Sulian do. You must know a thing or two.

338

Since I returned to serve by Empress,

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so many things I couldn't know because I wasn't close by.

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I served Empress for many years and I do know her temperament.

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Empress loves her children and she was angry at you when Crown Prince Danhui died.

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And she shunned you because you were once the selected main wife.

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But I felt, so many things, she wouldn't have done.

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Why wouldn't she have?

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Empress may have done some things out of personal bias but there are many things she wouldn't do.

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Because she was afraid if she had done them they would bring down the glory of Fuca clan she so cared about.

347

And the seat of the crown prince that she longed for day and night.

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Ruyi. Empress's funeral. We will need you to toil over it.

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It's getting late. You should go back and rest now.

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Sulian served Empress for so many years.

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I need to talk to her about some arrangements upon the death of Empress.

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Yes.

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Lianxin, you can say these for Empress and that's a rare thing.

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This bead flower is very familiar.

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How did this maiden die?

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Her forehead is fragmented and her cervical spine is fractured.

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It's plausible that she accidentally tripped and her head hit the stair case.

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Or it's plausible she was killed by someone,

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You are both the best autopsy examiners.

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You can only do this chore well today but not speak of it.

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Or it's death.

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We understand.

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The funeral must be done carefully in all aspects.

364

We're not in the palace right now but this has to be formidable.

365

The late empress's funeral is the utmost important matter now.

366

Go check on it again.

367

Yes.

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Sister.

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Sister Jia, you're pregnant so why do you still come?

370

When I think about Late Empress.

371

I just feel so sorrowfully I can't sleep.

372

So I wanted to come and bow to Late Empress.

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Consort Jia, your respect for Late Empress.

374

It's such an example to the harem.

375

What am I an example of?

376

Before the incident, what did you say, Sister Chun?

377

Be the one to start and you will not lack a crowd.

378

You must lead the horse.

379

Sister.

380

Late Empress is gone now.

381

In many aspects, she who does it more colorfully might be the next empress.

382

You're both noble consorts but you've got sons.

383

Don't let her compare you down.

384

Thank you, Sister.

385

If that day truly comes,

386

then I shall not forget your reminder today.

387

- Kexin.

- Yes.

- Tell Noble Consort Xian she should rest early today.

388

Tomorrow we can make funeral arrangements together.

389

Yes.

390

Her Highness said you should rest today and tomorrow you can make funeral arrangements.

391

Send my gratitude to Noble Consort Chun for me.

392

Yes.

393

Late Empress just passed away.

394

But someone can't wait to take the stage.

395

In this time, someone needs to arrange things.

396

Noble Consort Chun is a detail-minded person, so let her.

397

Noble Consort Chun's matters, we can let her be.

398

But you mentioned earlier that His Majesty said Empress didn't acknowledge various harms onto us.

399

Do we let that go too?

400

Hailan. Late Empress cared so much about Fuca's glory.

401

Somethings, perhaps she really wouldn't have done.

402

Could we have misunderstood her?

403

I actually feel, for her clan's sake,

404

even if she did it, she wouldn't have acknowledged it.

405

Somethings, even if she didn't do they personally,

406

A'Rou's matter, Imperial Noble Consort Huixian's matter,

407

must be linked to her in some way.

408

She's gone now and we'll never get to the bottom of it.

409

These years of fighting and rivaling we've had with Empress.

410

Hailan, what will future days be like? Who is to know?

411

Sister. Somethings, one must really not overthink it.

412

Other people's lives, they go on and they may be able to live it peacefully.

413

But our lives. One step into Forbidden City,

414

and we are destined to live each day as a repeat of yesterday.

415

A life of never stopping.

416

We can only do our best to survive.

417

Or else, the one who lays there tomorrow,

418

shall be ourselves.

419

These words. You taught them to me back then.

420

I've remembered them all along.

421

You mean, somethings, Sulian might have known.

422

But Late Empress might not have been aware?

423

Sulian is Late Empress's close servant. Her actions,

424

wouldn't they have been instructed by Late Empress?

425

Late Empress is born into noble family.

426

How will she know about the various effects of plants and herbs?

427

Or the likes of luring snakes, she had no idea.

428

You mean, other than Sulian and Late Empress,

429

there are others involved and giving instructions?

430

Late Empress, other than Imperial Noble Consort Huixian,

431

those being very close, who else is there?

432

Noble Consort Chun, and Consort Jia came by often too.

433

But Consort Jia and Imperial Noble Consort Huixian got along on the surface but not in reality.

434

Consort Jia doesn't have a filter and says what she thinks.

435

Noble Lady Chun only thinks about her kids and nothing more.

436

Then I don't know either.

437

It couldn't be Madam Fuca's pointers, right?

438

Forget it.

439

You're willing to tell me these and that's very good already.

440

I allow you to leave the palace. Have a good life.

441

I thank Your Majesty greatly.

442

Empress.

443

You and Wang Qin ruined my entire life.

444

And I was unfaithful to you too.

445

Let me beg you for forgiveness under the ground.

446

Your Majesty.

447

Sulian's death, is there any clues yet?

448

Yes.

449

Subtitles and Timings By The Qing Hair and Those Who Dare Team @ Viki.com

450

♫ The dawn rises, sweeping over the beautiful woman,♫

451

♫ glacially increasing frost to temples’ raven locks.♫

452

♫ Lightly caressing the pillow’s edge with tears,♫

453

♫ only to realize old dreams are like acts in a play.♫

454

♫ Year after year, aspirations have merely served as situations that have already allowed one’s heart to regret.♫

455

♫ Ruby lips, rosy cheeks pale with one’s youth brief as a flash in time, disastrous to pursue.♫

456

♫ Gazing wistfully at the bright pearl moon through layer upon layer as it waxes and wanes.♫

457

♫ Regarding the world as act after acts in a play, departing from one’s own self.♫

458

♫ Reasons to leave the aging, worn pavilion, willing to become Zhuang Zhou’s dream butterfly, (T/N Zhuangzi, Warring States period philosopher)♫

459

♫ balancing on the wintry edge of a plum blossom branch for a single day.♫