You really are my mother you're still alive
Trust me, Brother Nip We need a detail plan to win
lt appears Fook-chuen is protecting me
He didn't tell Sire the truth
What is he after?
lf he makes you his Empress l'm better off dead
Your Highness...
Look again, l am Fook-chuen
Fook-chuen?
lt's true!
Yes, you are Fook-chuen, Sire
Yes, l am the emperor
You'll get in trouble for saying that!
Don't provoke her, just play along or she might hurt herself
Sire, who is this woman by your side?
l am Man-kwan
l am the emperor, she is the empress You are the queen mother
Tell Queen Mother to put her hairpin down
Your Highness, put the hairpin down first
Listen to me, put it down
Your Highness, look
Remember this? You taught me how to make hand shadows when l was small
Yes, l did
This is your favorite dancing butterfly
Yes. But one butterfly is lonely
l want two dancing as a pair
Join me, l've taught you how
Sire, how come your empress doesn't listen to you?
l said a pair of butterflies No...
Come on, join me
Good, two butterflies are dancing together
Like His Late Majesty and me
Yes, exactly
l'm sorry, l made you go along with it lt's alright
Milord!
Kwai-lun?
How come you're here?
Of course you don't want me to be here
What do you mean?
Behave yourself in front of Her Highness
Behave myself?
Milord, you were being so intimate together Was it proper behavior?
Kwai-lun, you are mistaken
l saw it with my own eyes
You two used to exchange flirting glances
Now you flirt in the open
You know where it'll land you if someone sees that?
Stop your blathering
We did it for Her Highness' sake
Lady Man-kwan will be made empress Mind your words
l thought you had forgotten about it
She is going to be the empress the mother of the nation
She is Sire's woman
You two did such a thing, it's disloyalty lt's immoral, it means death
You know you will do him in?
Kwai-lun Shut up
How shameless
Don't you be rude to her again or you'll be sorry
l have done nothing wrong
l am your wife
But you don't have me in your heart You only care for this woman
Shut up
Your Highness
You hit me because of her?
Kwai-lun...
Sire, who was that woman?
She talked back to you throw her into the Cold Palace
Fook-chuen
Father, l thought you wouldn't be here until several days later
l missed Kwai-lun and Po-tai so l got here as fast as l could
l couldn't wait to see you either, Father
How's your health?
l am much better. l caught a cold whilst l was at the frontier pass
and my asthma recurred
When you are old, when ailment strikes you miss your family, especially Po-tai
This is the first time l saw him since his birth
A family reunion at last lt doesn't come easy
Right. But your health comes first
l am getting on, and my old ailment won't go away. My health is not getting any better
l have to retire sooner or later
Though l have no sons l have a good son-in-law
l'll recommend you to succeed me as chieftain of Red Banner
Sire can't see more highly of milord
He is in charge of lmperial Guard
And is in Sire's cabinet, helping Sire with the administration
He's already overwhelmed with work
Moreover, he has no military experience
l don't think he's the right man for the chieftainship
Something happened between you two?
l'm the lron Cap Prince
lf you're bullied, just tell me l am fine
Po-tai is sleepy, l'll take him in for a nap
Get some rest, Father
Fook-chuen
Just tell me the truth
You are a loving couple Why did she say such a thing?
You have upset her in some way?
Don't worry. Just a lover's quarrel
She's my only child
l don't want to see her unhappy
lf you wronged her in anyway...
You may be a prince l still won't let you off
l'll never wrong Kwai-lun
Where's His Highness?
He's out, milady
Why didn't you tell me?
He said he had to get some work done he would stay at the palace for the night
He left in a hurry l didn't have to chance to inform you
No sooner had he got home he left again?
l saw On Wing slipping out with His Highness' matauqin
Kwai-lun
Ha Sin
l'm here to see Po-tai
They said you were at the Study so l came in to see you
l hear that Uncle is back
l am off duty tonight Prince Yue has finished work for the night
l mean to have a drink with Uncle
He's finished work for the night
Yes, why?
He said he had to stay at the palace overnight
He's lying, isn't he?
He's at the palace, but it's not about work
you know what's going on?
We can't take this lightly. Let me check it out first. Wait for me here
Mermen weep their pearly tears down a moon-green sea
Blue fields are breathing their jade to the sun
And a moment that ought to have lasted forever, has come and gone before l knew
We were in love but we met at the wrong time
You were chosen as a royal consort and there was nothing l could do
l thought we weren't each other's destiny
But we met again in the palace
My old love was rekindled
Kwai-lun looked so hurt when l hit her
then l realized that my love is no longer Man-kwan
But Kwai-lun who has always stood by me
l hurt her. lt fills me with remorse
lt's not easy for two people to be in each other's destiny
l've wronged my beloved wife. lt's my fault
This matauqin has been with me all these years, l would never part with it
But now l realize that it gets in the way of our love
Man-kwan, like this matauqin you are out of my heart
Kwan-lun, how come you are here?
l am sorry, l shouldn't have hit you
But l was lost and confused l didn't know what l was doing
You don't have to go on l overheard what you said
The matauqin got in the way of our love
Now that it's burnt l understand what it means
Let bygones be bygones l won't be upset about it anymore
l hope from now on we are one heart
Together with Po-tai, we'll be a happy family with no ill feelings
Right. We'll be a happy family with no ill feelings
lt's getting cold, let's go home
Reverend, you're back at Fahai Monastery l want to confirm this with you
Amitabha
The eighth day of the ninth month of the seventeenth year of Shun Zhi reign
The present Empress Dowager, along with the royal consorts, princes and princesses
came here to pray for blessings
l wonder if you still remember it?
lt was 25 years ago l was in the reception party
Her Highness went to pray to the Buddha
A royal consort and her daughter got lost
They found the royal consort but the princess went missing
l have heard of it
l was questioned by the lmperial Guard l was told not to leak it out
Anything happened that day, however trivial?
Now l recall that the Buddha statue in the side temple was old and worn
A benefactor was willing to pay for the gold plating
The reopening day happened to be the eighth of the ninth month
The benefactor was in the monastery
He didn't want to disturb the Empress Dowager so he stayed in the side hall
But l don't know his name
Don't you have a record of the donators?
Yes, we have a record of offerings made
A benefactor named Park Heii Hall donated 1 0,000 taels
Park Heii Hall? lt sounds familiar
Of course, look
The letters r and i They are of different shades
They were added in later
lndeed, so the spellings...Pak Hei Hall of Dashilan?
Pak Hei Hall
This is the offering record of Fahai Monastery
Eighth day of the ninth month of the seventeenth year of Shun Zhi reign
Park Heii Hall donated 10,000 taels
Have you heard of Park Heii Hall? No, l haven't
Take a look, in Park Heii, the r and i are of different shades
They were obviously added in
You think my guess makes sense?
l don't know what you are talking about
You do
Nice handwriting
Signed, Cheuk Shu-tong
So you wrote the couplets
The words Pak and Hei are identical to the two in the record
You donated the 1 0,000 taels
You later altered the record, am l right?
l don't know what you are talking about
lf you have proof, you can arrest me Otherwise, please leave
We suspect you... Yan Chak
lt's just a wild guess. We have taken up too much of your time. Excuse me
Come on
Cheuk was lying. He has something to hide
Let's go about this separately
You three stay here to tail Cheuk Don't lose your trail on him
Yes, sir
You asked me out so urgently what's it about?
l want you to make this clear for me
You said Cheuk is your adoptive father
He said your natural parents died in a boat accident, right?
Yes, why this weird question? What happened?
You have to keep it a secret
We are looking for Lady Sau's missing daughter, Princess Tuen-man
What has it got to do with me?
To be honest, l suspect you're the Princess
l am a princess?
lf this is some kind of a prank then excuse me
Do l look like l am joking?
You mean it?
How could a princess go missing? And that my father found her?
Why didn't the court take any action all these years?
What took them so long to go look for her? The court didn't know that she's alive
25 years ago, Lady Sau went to Fahai Monastery to pray for blessings
But she lost the baby princess She blamed herself and lost her mind
The crazy woman is Lady Sau?
After we found her, we learned that Princess Tuen-man is still alive
Your father was at Fahai Monastery that day. He adopted you then
So many people visited the monastery my father wasn't the only one there
How can you be so sure it was him?
Because he tried to cover it up it only makes it more suspicious
lt doesn't mean l am the princess
Hence l want to find it out
You mean to report it to the court?
Though l am not his natural daughter He raised me up, l will never forget it
l don't care it's true or not l'll never leave him
Father?
What is he doing here?
Cheuk Shu-tong!
No... Give way
Father, you're alright?
No...
Father...
Tuen-man
Princess Tuen-man...
Nip Dor-po, Sir please don't leak it out
l'm sorry, it's my duty
lf you keep the secret for me name me your price
l can even give you Pak Hei Hall
Please don't take Chi-ying away
We can't be separated Father, please
Chi-ying, l've wronged you
lf l had known you were a princess l wouldn't have made this terrible mistake
Father, so it's true?
Tell me it's not true. l'm not a princess
When l found you at Fahai Monastery
l knew from the exquisite clothing on you that you came from a noble family
But it never crossed my mind you were a Qing princess
l didn't know until you came to see me
You thought by destroying the evidence no one could prove Chi-ying's identity?
Deceiving the court is capital crime
l know the truth will leak out
But if you will keep the secret for me...
lf you won't tell, no one will know Please, l beg you...
You know it's not possible
lt's not up to me
Please, sir
Dor-po, l don't want to go to the palace l don't want to be a princess
l can't leave him, please help us
Please, Your Honor Please, get up first
Cheuk Shu-tong
What is that, Your Honor?
Never mind that Go back with me
What do you want? When will you let me go?
You can't leave here for the time being
What about my father?. What have you done to him?
Don't worry, your father is fine
He'll be released if it's proven you're not the Princess
l have said many times l am not
Greet Prince Yue
Greeting, Your Highness
You are Miss Chi-ying?
lf you are Tuen-man, you are my sister
l am not worthy
What do you mean?
l was an orphan Father took me in and raised me up
We only have each other we are no different from flesh and blood
l don't want him to suffer because of it
Don't worry, before the truth is known l promise you, he will suffer no harm
But...l really am not a princess
lt's of great importance
Whether you are or not, l've to find it out and inform His Majesty. Please understand
l made this pair of tiger-head shoes. There were some wrong stitches in the embroidery
A part is missing in the word Tuen
lt's Tuen-man's... Mother...
A part is indeed missing in the embroidery
This pair of shoes is genuine
Tuen-man is so blessed? She is still alive?
Mother...
Remember where you took Tuen-man?
Fahai Monastery...the well there
Tuen-man was crying hard and it got on my nerves
Then she was nowhere to be found She must be mad at me
lt's her ghost, she's come back for me lt must be!
Mother, calm down
She is not dead, she is still alive
Tuen-man is alive?
So commoner Cheuk Chi-ying is Tuen-man?
Sire, we can't ascertain the truth with some baby wear
What if someone uses them as false proof of identity?
Sire, you will be fooled
Grandmother, you are right. Evidence is not enough. We need a physical test to be sure
Tuen-man
Physician Fu Yes, Sire
Conduct the blood test Yes, Sire
l'm putting Lady Sau's blood and commoner Cheuk Chi-ying's blood into the jade cup
lf they mix together in water it'll prove they are related by blood
Dor-po
Your Highness, please get ready for an audience with His Majesty
This is a chance of a lifetime
That crazy woman you and Dor-po saved...
l've learnt that she's Lady Sau, Shun Zhi's consort
l saved a baby girl from the well of Fahai Monastery 25 years ago
From her clothing l knew she came from a noble family
Your mother loved her very much and raised her up as her own
But she died from an illness three months later
Your mother was devastated then we came upon you
Your mother was convinced Heaven gave her another child
That's how you became our daughter
l still have the baby's clothing with me
lt's part of a grander scheme
The baby girl was Lady Sau's daughter
Princess Tuen-man whom she had left inside the well
Chi-ying, l have an idea
You want me to pose as her and get into the palace
But baby clothing isn't evidence enough
lt's not so easy to fool them. l've a scheme
First, l have to make the imperial guards believe l had been to Fahai Monastery
l'd alter the donation record to from Pak Hei Hall to Park Heii Hall
to show it was an attempt to cover up your true identity
Then l'd try to destroy the evidence
The lmperial Guard will be convinced that l don't want them to find you out
Then they won't suspect our hidden agenda
What if they want physical proofs? They'll find out the truth
The most that they can do is give you a blood test
You have nothing to worry about it
You have forgotten Physician Fu is in my pocket?
We'll pre-arrange the test result
We'll give your blood sample to Physician Fu
He'll swap it with Lady Sau's
That way we can fool the Manchu emperor
You will go into the palace as a princess
Greetings, Your Highness
You're going to have an audience with Sire
You are new to the court You don't know the proper etiquettes
Sire and the Empress Dowager will understand
You can pick up on other etiquettes later
You should know how to greet His Majesty
Bear it in mind
When you see His Majesty, curtsy, and say Greetings, Sire
Chi-ying, you are going behind enemy line lt's dangerous for you
But if you can get close to the Manchu emperor
You'll have the chance to assassinate him
Once he's killed, the country will be thrown into chaos
lt'll be a chance to restore Ming
See yourself as Princess Tuen-man Don't slip up
Princess Tuen-man is here
Greetings, Sire
Greetings, Empress Dowager
Greetings, Lady Sau
Greetings, Prince Yue Greetings, Prince, Kung
At ease
Thank you, Sire
Tuen-man, you recognize Mother?.
Mother Tuen-man
Are you still mad at me?
You haven't met each other all these years She has to get used to it
Right, you are her mother How will she be mad at you?
Tuen-man, l am your brother You are not mad at Mother, right?
lt never crossed my mind l am a princess l am still not used to it
How will l be mad at Mother?
That's good, you are not mad at me
Tuen-man, let me take a look at you
l have seen you before?
Lady Sau and Princess Tuen-man are reunited How joyous!
Princess Tuen-man is back in the palace and with her family
l understand that she had been living with the commoners
lt takes time for her to adjust to the life here
She'll stay with Lady Sau in the Hall of Harmony
Thank you, Sire
l'll visit you whenever l am free
Sire, in time Lady Sau and Princess Tuen-man will grow close
Tuen-man, let me have a good look at you Yes, Your Highness
Don't be scared
Really a pretty and charming girl
Worthy to be the late Sire and Lady Sau's daughter
Mother, don't worry. Grandmother is only concerned about Tuen-man
Tuen-man, be content to be a princess
What happens outside the palace is not your concern
Live up to your status as a Princess then l'll be relieved
l understand
lt's late Sire's blessing that Tuen-man was saved
And is now back with her family after so many years
Sire, my adoptive father Cheuk Shu-tong raised me up
Please forgive him for deceiving Sire
l understand, he didn't know about it
He saved your life
lnstead of dispensing punishment l'll give him 1 ,000 taels of gold as reward
Thank you, Sire
May l ask for one more favor?
l understand that court protocol forbids going out of the palace
Please grant me the wish
Let me go back to Dashilan for the last time
To bid farewell to my adoptive father and friends
You're a filial daughter Your wish is granted
l have an idea. lt has been my wish to see how the people live
But l am tied up by state affairs l can't do as l wish
You lived amongst the people all these years
You are the bridge between me and the people
l grant you a free pass out of palace
Besides making visits to your adoptive father
report to me the people's way of life and what they want addressed
Thank you, Sire
Give way
The princess is Miss Chi-ying of Pak Hei Hall?
What does she come back for?.
Cheuk has raised up a princess
Give way...
Dor-po!
He looks so gallant heading the retinue
He is now a first rank imperial guard
He is no longer just the heir of Sheung Moon House
lt must be Chi-ying inside the sedan chair
Just like a princess on tour
You fool, she is a princess!
Dor-po...
Dor-po!
Don't call him He is escorting Princess Tuen-man
lf something happens because he's distracted, it won't be good
Give way...
Dor-po, take care of yourself
Who would've known Chi-ying is a princess?
lf it were me sitting in the sedan chair l would look like a princess too
lt's not in your destiny
Chi-ying is a princess Dor-po may become prince consort?
Dream on. We used to be of equal status
Chi-ying is now royalty Our son is just her mere subject
Don't you mention it again Or it may do us in
lndeed, they are of two different worlds lt's not possible between them
Dor-po, you're so gallant
Pak Hei Hall
Mistress, you look gorgeous in this outfit
Manchus are our mortal foes
Don't you forget your mission You are not some princess
l won't
Miss Tsui-yuk, Chi-ying is risking her life for us. l have total trust in her
There are people outside, walls have ears Be careful with your words
Have you raised any suspicions?
Not for the time being
But l have to be constantly on guard especially that Empress Dowager
That old hag has overseen three emperors and she still holds sway in court
With the failed assassination attempt at Cloudy Monastery
it's understandable if she is suspicious of you
You have to be very careful
l understand
He's worried that you that you can't handle it alone
He has arranged for someone to help you out in the palace
Yes, you don't know martial arts
Tsui-yuk will pose your personal maid
Just tell that Qing dog emperor that you are not used to the maids in court
You want to bring a maid of your own
Tell him Tsui-yuk is your adoptive cousin
l'll feel relieved if she's there with you at the palace
Halt
What is it, Your Highness?
l want to take a break here
Your Highness, it's my order to escort you back to the palace
A stop may lead to unforeseen incidents
Your Highness, please, step back in
l just want a break, it won't take too much of your time
Whatever happens, l alone am responsible
All of you stay here
Just lmperial Guard Nip will do Yes, Your Highness
l never thought l would leave Dashilan and Pak Hei Hall and Father
You are now a princess lt has changed everything
We were never this formal lt makes me feel uneasy
lt's just the two of us here Let's go back to the old days
l am an unworthy minion
Stop saying you're a minion, alright?
But l am not in the position to do so
Stop saying that, alright?
lf l had a choice, l would rather be the Chi-ying of old
At least, Chi-ying would cherish this
Unless...Chiu Chi-lung didn't mean it
Chiu Chi-lung meant it
l wish l were him But it's not possible in real life
l am not the Nip Dor-po of old
You are not Miss Chi-ying of old
Your Highness, it's getting late let's resume our journey
Alright. But one day, we'll be Chi-ying
and Nip Dor-po of old again
Sire, Nip Dor-po is here
Nip Dor-po at your service, Sire
At ease
Thank you, Sire
You've found Princess Tuen-man You did a great job
You'll be rewarded. Tell me what you want
Sire, l want no rewards
Sire, may l ask to join your entourage?
Yung-yurk, Nip Dor-po wants to be another you
Nip Dor-po is an outstanding imperial guard He's sharp of mind and a martial arts adept
He will be a great help to Sire
Sire, he has an excellent track record
Sire should keep him by your side Please grant him his wish
Good
Yung-yurk, you have a great help
Nip Dor-po, you are now in a Southern Study staff,. You can stay by my side
Thank you, Sire
Sire, Naplan Ming-chu is here
Summon him
Greetings, Sire
At ease
Thank you, Sire
Ming-chu, what's so urgent?
Sire, the lnfantry Garrison is in trouble
Commander-in-chief Yu Shing-lung reports
that the superintendent has raped and killed a commoner girl
He is put in prison to be executed
How come?
Sire, in his memorial
Yu Shing-lung has accused Sak Long Muk of misappropriation of Shanxi relief fund
lt was later dropped due to insufficient evidence. But they have since become foes
Sire, Yu Shing-lung wants to convict Sak Long Muk. Sak claims it's a setup
l have looked into it
The incriminating evidence looks dubious lt's not the whole story
lf Sak Long Muk is executed, it may turn out to be a wrongful conviction
What do you think, Prince Yue?
Sire, l too find it a bit suspicious
Yu Shing-lung is an honest official He is known as Yu the Bold
Why should he frame a court official?
Prince Yue, he may be known to be honest But the case is suspicious
l don't rule out personal vendetta
Sire, Yu is the commander-in-chief
He's in charge of 30,000 guards and the protection of the capital
Minister Naplan made a serious accusation
Awrong step and the capital's order will be in jeopardy
Precisely because he is the commander-in chief, he cannot flout the law
lf he frames a court minister he has to be duly penalized
Calm down, you two l know what to do with this case