Subtitles by DramaFever
Episode 32
General Xiao.
I'm sorry. Le Er has decided she won't return to Chang An (capital city).
Why?
She said she doesn't want disturbances in her peaceful mind.
If she is to be disturbed, she will leave this place.
But our people need her.
Is there anyone who can persuade her?
- Yes. - Who is that?
Yun Kuang. But he's dead.
Please leave now, General.
We're not going back to the capital! Let's go to Peng City!
General Xiao, this way please.
Sire, look. Since Yun Kuang was defeated, His Majesty has not tended to this place.
It has been idle for a long time.
However, I have sent servants to clean this place every day.
General Xiao is here! Why are all of you still standing around?
- Leave now! - Yes.
General Xiao, feel free to take a look around.
Let me know if you need anything.
[My goal in life is to obtain happiness and fortune for the world. By Yun Kuang]
Her Highness will return to the palace when she sees this.
Qing Guo?
Are my thoughts reflected in my dreams?
Or my eyes playing tricks on me?
This is his writing. This was his dream.
Are you willing to fulfill his dream for him?
Yun Kuang, it's been three years.
I've forged you a blade every year for the past three years.
Do you like them?
I was going to stay here and forge blades for you all my life.
But now, I've read about your ambition.
That was once the ambition we shared.
Yun Kuang, would you like me to go back?
Would you really want me to?
Peace must reign over the lands.
Rest assured that I will fulfill your wish.
I definitely will.
Your Majesty, Her Highness is here.
- Greetings to Your Majesty. - Greetings to Father.
Stand up.
Let me take a good look at you.
Ying Er.
Ying Er, didn't you say you wanted to see your father?
Why are you so quiet now that you've seen him?
I...
He's always been very shy.
Your Majesty, please don't take it to heart.
Don't worry. We'll take things slow.
I'm really happy you're home. I really am!
Le Er? You've really come home?
I thought it was some stupid maid's joke.
Greetings to Your Ladyship.
I am but a peasant without a title.
It's too flattering to have Your Highness greet me in such a manner.
Flattering? Not at all. You deserve it.
Now that you've come home, you're the Empress.
She is but a concubine.
It's not even too much to ask, if you want her to bow to you.
Please don't be so modest now that His Majesty has already bestowed upon you your title.
I have already tidied up Phoenix Court for you.
Why don't you come with me and see if you like it?
Let's go.
Has she really come home to me?
Am I having a dream?
It's true. Her Highness has returned.
Do you think we can still...
Do you think we can still get along like we used to?
Your Majesty, why do you lack confidence in your self?
I have strange feelings stirring up because we haven't seen each other for years.
I missed her, but I was afraid to see her.
I was afraid to see her, but I wanted to.
General Xiao, thank you.
Greetings to Your Highness.
Do you still remember her?
Lu Qiao?
- You may get up. - Yes.
Ever since I knew you were coming home, I've been quite worried.
I was worried you couldn't get used to living in the palace.
I was wrong for all I did in the past.
Don't bear a grudge against me, please?
When have I ever bore a grudge against you?
I'm glad you haven't.
- I have a favor to ask of you. - Go ahead.
This is your first day back in the palace and His Majesty should stay with you.
But today is Ru Yi's birthday...
You want His Majesty over at yours?
- If you aren't willing to do so... - Of course I'm not.
Xi Bing, I've known you for such a long time.
I know you too well.
This is my first day in the palace.
And yet, you want His Majesty to stay at your place.
This is just to establish your authority in the Harem.
You want others to think His Majesty favors you more.
You've misunderstood me.
Why are you still pretending?
That's unlike you to do so.
You know what I am like.
I play fairly.
Besides, this is my first day in the palace.
His Majesty can decide where he wants to go.
All right. You may leave now.
Yes.
Your Highness.
This is just like a battlefield.
It's the same everywhere.
Where is Ying Er?
He just got here, so he must have be out to play.
The prince just returned to the palace, so no one would dare to harm him.
- That won't do! Bring him back now! - Yes.
- Who are you? - I am the Emperor's son.
I'm also the Emperor's son.
I'm five years old, and you?
- I'm four years old. - That makes me your older brother.
You don't seem to be much older than me.
I don't like having older brothers.
What are you eating? It smells so good.
Can I have some?
No! I don't have much left.
You can ask for some at the imperial kitchen.
It's there. Just go through the corridor and you'll get to the kitchen.
All right!
Mother, have I done well?
You did well. I'll make you something nice tonight.
Don't run around in the palace.
You should know you are my only child.
What will you have me do if you get into any trouble?
- Do you remember my words? - Yes, I do.
- Let's get you changed. - I don't want to.
- What are you hiding behind your back? - Nothing.
Hand it over.
Your Highness, look how adorable this white fluffy cat is.
- Lu Qiao, I'll get Ying Er to nap a bit. - Yes.
Your Highness! Look!
- Ying Er! - Mother?
Who gave you these black beans?
I picked them up at the window outside the imperial kitchen.
They are poisonous. Who told you where to get them?
Father's other son told me where to get them.
He ate those beans as well.
Another son?
- His Majesty's other son? - It should be Prince Ru Yi.
I saw him eating black beans this morning.
Lu Qiao.
Yes.
Your Majesty! Something's wrong!
Whay are you in a panic?
Your Majesty, Ru Yi is running a fever.
Could you take a look at him?
Of all days, he has to be sick today.
- Have you sent for the imperial physician? - Yes.
I'll visit him tomorrow.
But Your Majesty, Ru Yi kept asking for you.
Aren't you worried about him?
Your Majesty should visit Ru Yi.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
- Le Er, I'm sorry. This is your first day home... - It's all right, children should come first.
Should we go now, Your Majesty?
He's over at Phoenix Court.
Your Majesty should visit him at Phoenix Court.
What?
Xi Bing is not very experienced in child-raising.
She's gotten so anxious over a small fever.
All children run a fever when they are teething.
They have to be taken good care of or there might be problems.
Your Majesty has so many things to take care of.
You will be very busy so why don't you let Ru Yi stay in Phoenix Court?
He can grow up with his older brother.
He won't be so lonely if they have each other.
- This won't do! - Why not?
Anything is possible if we have the children's best interests at heart.
- Your Majesty, Ru Yi's fever is gone. - Really? That's great.
But Your Majesty, I have already started teaching Ru Yi manners in the palace.
It's not that I want to tell you off, but you just came back to the palace.
There are a lot of palace regulations and manners you aren't aware of.
I immediately greeted His Majesty when I saw him.
You must be too worried about your child.
So worried that you've forgotten your manners.
It's all right that you don't greet me.
But don't you have to greet His Majesty?
Le Er is right.
Xi Bing, you should reflect upon your behavior.
Ru Yi will be entrusted to Le Er for the time being.
Let's go!
Your Majesty!
Xi Bing is a woman who doesn't deserve much of your attention.
But I am still quite glad
you are finally willing to pay some attention to me.
Your Majesty is everything to me.
It's only right I pay attention to you.
- You're not telling the truth. - What is the truth?
You have to mean it when you tell the truth.
The truth means nothing when you don't mean it.
Xi Bing is not capable of assisting Your Majesty.
She only pays attention to herself.
I'm worried that not only does she offer no assistance whatsoever to you
but she might bring you trouble.
So you're here to rid me of any evil and help the people?
For someone as lowly as I am, there's not much I expect in life.
If there is something I can do, I will try my best.
What about me? What am I to you?
You are everything to me.
You are also the father of my son.
What about Yun Kuang? What is he to you?
The love of your life?
Are you speechless?
You don't know what to say.
Lu Le...
You really are a ruthless woman.
No matter how ruthless I am, I will always stay by your side.
I will be the most useful woman to you.
Thank you. Thank you for being useful.
I will repay you with twice as much gratitude.
No, I should say I will thank you with twice as much gratitude.
Your Majesty, since you want me to rule the Harem
I will handle all matters impartially.
But if I should offend any of your beloved concubines
or make you unhappy in any way
please don't take it to heart.
Because everything I do is to keep my child away from harm.
Of course. I know that.
You don't even care about me so why would you stoop to despicable actions to gain favor?
Do you know why I've kept Xi Bing by my side even though I know she's not kind?
Because I am all she cares about.
But you have too many things to take care of.
I feel as if I am less than a speck of sand in your heart.
Your Highness, why do you do this to yourself?
Even if you can't forgive him, he is still the Emperor.
Only if he is happy can we...
It's all right. We know each other well.
It's because we know each other so well that we end up hurting each other.
The important matter at hand is to rid His Majesty of 'evil.'
I'm willing to do anything to restore peace to the Harem.
Help!
You are so timid.
You're afraid of a dead cat.
How could you survive in the Harem?
It's you? You're trying to hurt me.
In the Harem, I am the Empress.
You are but a concubine.
Do I need to hurt you?
I could have had your head chopped off for not greeting me just now.
Greetings to Your Highness!
Whosoever understands the times is a great man.
All I wanted was to lead a peaceful life.
But now that someone won't let me lead my life, no one else should.
Don't worry. Ru Yi is well-treated at my place.
He eats and sleeps with Ying Er.
I tell him ghost stories whenever I have the time.
Ru Yi is a timid child.
If he gets scared to death, no one will suspect foul play.
This is a lot better than poisoning or setting anyone up or to kill by another's hand.
Isn't that so?
Your Highness, if you're angry you can take it all out on me!
Please spare my child! I beg of you!
Are you frightened? That's good.
If you let me see how arrogant you are or try to come up with any tricks
I'll make sure that you pay for it.
I hope such a day will never come.
General Xiao, please save me.
Who am I to be approached in such a manner?
I know I did wrong in the past.
I shouldn't have bitten off more than I can chew.
I should never have challenged the Empress.
She has Ru Yi in her hands and he is always bumping or falling over something.
If this continues, Ru Yi and I will both die!
That can't be true.
Her Highness wouldn't do that.
Why won't she? You can ask around.
The Empress is the most authoritative figure in the Harem now.
Please help us! Please help me!
'You can't gain independence if you don't learn ettiquette.'
'Do unto others what you would have them do to you.'
You have to be punished if you can't memorize the text.
Put your hand out.
Ying Er, I'll take you out to play.
Let me take a look.
Who did this to you?
This is too much.
General Xiao.
Why do you avoid me the minute you see me?
Have you done something wrong?
Greetings to Your Highness.
So you do still know I am the Empress.
Then why did you tell on me to His Majesty?
I... I just think you shouldn't be so strict with children.
I am his legitimate mother, so I have the right to discipline him.
You've kept such a trivial matter on your mind.
If I should have a say on national affairs, you would probably wipe me out.
I wouldn't dare to.
I know you now regret asking me to come back to the palace.
But since I am here already, I have my method in dealing with certain matters.
Please don't worry too much about it.
Or you will be in trouble if the child can't be diciplined.
His Majesty has changed.
Her Highness has changed as well.
Everyone's changed.
Should I still persevere? Should I?
Qing Guo, is that you?
Qing Guo, I'm so lonely.
Are you dead or alive?
Please keep me company.
Qing Guo, don't leave me.
Qing Guo...
Qing Guo, don't leave me.
Don't leave me...
Your Highness is in such a good mood
that you invited me along to look at the blossoms.
I know I have taken a different approach to the one you thought I would.
But that doesn't mean I'm not a good Empress.
It's said you are so cold and ruthless that everyone in the Harem is terrified.
I'm just trying to bring up my son to be a good emperor in the future.
I protect him from anyone who might bully him.
I want him to grow up safely.
I am willing to take on any hardship in order to accomplish that.
The palace can really change a person.
I haven't changed. I've only adapted to it.
General Xiao, I've only adjusted to the life in the palace.
You were the one who kept asking me to come back to the palace.
I took your advice to come back here to realize the dream of a peaceful era.
It is not that easy to create a peaceful era.
You can easily say there are wolves and tigers lurking in the Harem.
Everyone is waiting to pounce on me.
If I don't get rid of these obstacles, why did I choose to come back?
Your Highness, you have a point.
General Xiao, will you assist me in fulfilling the dream to create a peaceful era?
Certainly.
Good. Come with me.
I want you to meet someone.
Qing Guo.
This woman risked her life for you.
She would bear your children.
She suffered in loneliness for you.
Could you bear to let her down again?
Qing Guo, why are you so silly?
I thought I'd never see you again.
I don't want to be your burden.
No, you are not a burden.
Don't you know that you are my life?
You are my life.
You haven't seen each other for years.
Spend some time together at home.
General Xiao's son is adorable. Come here.
He will stay with me.
I will let him grow up with Ying Er.
Rest assured I will treat him like my own.
- Your Highness, you mean... - General Xiao!
Didn't you say you will help me puruse my dream?
You will help me pursue my dream in creating a peaceful era.
Your Highness won't even trust me?
After all I've gone through, who else could I trust?
Should I trust His Majesty or Xi Bing?
Good boy. Come with me. Let's go.
I'm sorry, Qing Guo.
I always make you upset whenever you see me.
I'm really sorry.
I'm all right. Don't worry about me.
We'll be fine as long as you are all right.
I won't cry.
Yun Kuang, our childhood dream was to restore peace to the world.
But as we grew up, we strayed from that path and had different dreams.
You and Miao Ge are both dead.
I'm left here all alone.
But I am now still on the path to achieve our goal.
- Her Highness has arrived! - Stop the carriage.
Greetings to Your Highness!
General Pang, who is this woman?
This is the new concubine, Lady Li.
She looks all right.
His Majesty's taste for women is getting weird.
But somehow, I seem to have seen her before.
Isn't it?
Ever since His Majesty took over Central China
all his favorite concubines share a common trait.
What is it?
Your Highness, they either resemble you in some way
talk in a similar manner
or behave and act in a similiar way to yours.
You can't judge a book by its covers.
It's the same with a man. You have look into his heart and see who is in it.
You should see who he is fighting for and working so hard for.
His Majesty might have had a lot of concubines lately
but once you've seen the beauties he's chosen
could you not say he is in love with you?
Is that what His Majesty wanted you to say to me?
His Majesty doesn't have time to plan all this.
He's occupied with many national affairs.
I'm just speaking my mind because I'm in a position that allows me to.
For His Majesty, no... For the sake of a buddy who went through thick and thin with me
I'm putting in a few words for him.
You may punish me if I have offended you.
Where is His Majesty?
He is offering prayers on top of the mountain.
- You may leave now. - Yes.
What are you thinking about?
I'm thinking about the past and my blood-sworn brother, Yun Kuang.
I'm thinking about Miao Ge and you.
I'm thinking about the past, which can't be reversed.
Your Majesty, the world is now yours.
Is the past still important to you?
If I could turn back time, I wouldn't have made the same choices.
Is that so?
Look at Yun Kuang.
He's dead and yet you are still in love with him.
Miao Ge was in love with him as well.
He should be very happy.
What about me?
You don't love me and I don't love you either.
But we have to stay together like this until the end of our lives.
How ironic. What a punishment this is.
You don't love me anymore?
I'm too tired from being in love with you, so I can't love you anymore.
If I hold you like this, do you really not love me anymore?
What's the matter? This is not like you.
Your Majesty can change for me.
I can do the same for you.
- Le Er. - I've been by your side. Always.
But I couldn't read your mind.
But now you can?
- Is it too late? - No, it isn't.
I always thought the true essence of love lies in understanding and waiting.
But I was wrong.
I regret that I didn't cherish you.
We will have many more years to come.
I'll always be here waiting for you.
Subtitles by DramaFever