The Empress of China Episode 87
ai::bowo-subs
Ming Chongyan pay a visit the Empress
No formality
Thank you, Empress
About my prescription
was it effective
I broke out in a sweat.
I couldn't stop my hands from shaking.
Chongyan this prescription
you can't prescribe this for His Majesty
No doubt this prescription
is rather strong,
or else it cannot cure fengji.
Empress, you're in good health.
you should not test the prescription.
I will not take any chances
with His Majesty's health.
Everything prescribed for him,
I must first try it
before I'll give it to him.
Chongyan, this illness
really
has no safe cure
Judging from his pulse,
His Majesty's condition
than the first attact
has worsened.
If this keeps up,
unless we take a chance,
there's no hope for a cure.
Empress, I still think
we should try phlebotomy.
Phlebotomy. No!
It's too dangerous.
I've already told you
not to do this method.
We'll think of something else.
Chongyan, I summoned you here
because I need your help
with something else
You may know in this Palace,
about black cats present
Now entire Chang'an city
discussed about this matter
I don't think
it's a supernatural event,
but a man-made incident.
You want me to find out
who let out those black cats
I don't care,
I care more about
the sensation this incident has stirred up.
Chongyan,
You're a seasoned traveller.
you must have met many people with different abilities.
I want you to find someone for me
who can tame animals,
such a public figure
I need to put an end
to the great alarm and trepidation
it has caused.
Certainly, Empress
Before I leave the Palace tomorrow,
I will go to the Imperial Pharmacy
and prescribe something
to relieve His Majesty’s symptoms.
Good! Thank you.
Mother,
I hope to ascend the throne soon
so that
I can remove Wu Mei Niang
and avenge you.
Who is it
it's Shangguan Yi pay a visit Your Highness Crown Prince
Your Highness
Youshao
At this late hour
what brings you here
Actually
Your highness Crown Prince safety is guaranteed
inside the Eastern Palace.
A precaution like this seems unnecessary.
I can't help it. If I'm not in here
I simply can't fall asleep.
A moment ago
I just dreamt of Empress Wu
sending assassins after me.
Youshao, you came to see me
to persuade me
to sleep in my chamber
I got word from Ganlu Palace
that Ming Chongyan is here.
For the time being,
don't let the cats out anymore.
Father Daren,
I recall that
after the late Emperor passed away,
you used to worship him in Zhao Mausoleum.
Why is it in recent years,
you do it
away from there
What is it
Shangguan Yi,
Han Yuan and Lai Ji
want to see you tonight,
to discuss how we'll deal with Wu Mei Niang
and those poor scholars she supports.
So that they can complain about
how they have offended her
Tell them, don't!
Father, I think
their worries
are not entirely groundless.
Since His Majesty ascended the throne,
he seldom objected
to your memorials.
But now
Wu Mei Niang has been allowed to seize power.
Recently I repeatedly have compared
His Majesty's handwriting
on the memorials.
I believe
the recent ones
were mostly approved
by Wu Mei Niang.
Father
Who knows for how long Wu Mei Niang has been
meddling with state affairs
in His Majesty's name
I think
Good, good
Father already know
I've told you again and again,
we must wait for the right time to act.
Go back and tell them
I already have a plan.
When the time is right,
I will take care of things
once and for all.
Go!
I want to stay out here a bit longer.
I see.
Your son asks to be excused, Father
Your Majesty, Zhangsun Wuji would like
to worship you at the Zhao Mausoleum,
but I’m too ashamed to go there.
You heard
what Chong just said.
Tang is facing such a state
because of my incompetence.
But don’t worry,
Our promise,
I have not forgotten
I certainly as soon as possible
I will join you to your side
That means Father Emperor
has not recovered
Empress Wu has been keeping us in the dark
Yes it is
Feudal officer has
found out from Zhangsun Chung,
in recent years,
Empress Wu has been
approving memorials by forging His Majesty's handwriting.
That woman has gone
so far out of line
She has covered up Fathers illness,
forged his handwriting,
and couldn’t wait
to show up at Taiji Palace.
She's trying
to command the courtiers in Father's name.
This woman is very ambitious.
If you wish to inherit the throne,
you must get rid of her.
She summoned Ming Chongyan
to help cure Father
Our spy dared not get too close
and did not hear clearly.
Ming Chongyan seems to have
found a cure for His Majesty's illness.
But for some reason,
the Empress forbids it.
She is meddling in state affairs
as well as in Father's treatment.
This woman
is a control freak
No man can stand
a woman like that
Too much is as bad as too little.
The more she wants
to control Father,
the more she's pushing him away.
Try to tell Father,
that
Ming Chongyan
has a cure for him.
Good
Stop
Your Majesty
Thank you, Your Majesty
Chongyan,
I have questions for you.
You must tell me the truth.
Minister Guo Daren,
you have quite a pitiful past.
Though I came from a prominent family,
I hate aristocrats.
If the Empress don't mind,
I'm more than willing
to serve the Empress.
Notice the Empress,
I've found out
these black cats
came from the Crown Prince.
Very well. You may go
Yes
Guo Daren
You're not sewing me.
You're serving His Majesty.
Guo Daren, with your talents,
In the future
His Majesty will give you an important task soon.
But for the time being,
I'd like you to hold the post
to assist Li Hong,
the Prince of Dai.
What do you think
Thank you for the opportunity
Empress, empress
I should go, Your Highness Empress
Empress, not good
What is it
Ming Chongyan was intercepted
by His Majesty as he was leaving.
Now,
he's been taken to Ganlu Palace.
His Majesty made it clear
whoever told the Empress
would be beheaded.
Let's go, hurry!
Yes
I'll be honest with your Majesty
Recently,
the Empress has been trying out
your Majesty medication.
But the drug was too strong
and the Empress has inevitably suffered.
Yet, she forbade me
to tell your Majesty.
Your Majesty
If I die under your needles,
you'll be pardoned
Do it, or I'll exile your clan
beyond the borders.
If your mind is made up,
I'll do my best.
Stop!
Greetings, the Empress
You may go
Your Majesty, do you know
the risks involved
ai::bowo-subs
Yes, I know
I only have a 20-30% chance.
I'm likely
to go into a coma
for a few months
or I may never wake up.
You’re not afraid
Very...
Then why did you...
Because I'm tired of
being sick.
I don't want to be weak anymore.
I don't want
splitting headaches from
reviewing a dozen memorials.
I don’t want
you to work so hard day and night
and get blamed for
meddling with state affairs.
I don't care for your Majesty.
I don't feel wronged.
But I'm tired of this.
I really am, Mei Niang
I already have
a great Father Emperor,
a great Mother Empress
and several brilliant older brothers.
I don’t need
a great Empress.
Since the day we met,
you've been taking care of me,
but I want
to look after you.
I worked so hard
to become the Emperor,
I brought you back to the Palace
and became your husband.
I thought Heaven would take pity on me
and give me a chance to look after you.
But
this detestable illness
starts to send ashamedly
I don't want to be
an invalid Emperor.
Do you understand, Mei Niang
I understand that. I understand
but I don't know
From when
your Majesty started to feel
sorry for yourself
because of this illness
and even blame others for it.
This is the thinking of a coward.
You're not a coward,
you're my man.
My man is definitely not a coward.
Whether or not you're
a sagacious ruler,
I really don't care.
You're my husband.
I stopped you
because I don't want to lose you.
I don't want to lose you either.
You’re torturing yourself
testing my medication for me.
You thought I didn't know
I know, I know all about it.
I can stand the pain from cold.
but I can't stand seeing you
suffer because of me.
To see you like this,
I'd rather
I never get cured.
Your Majesty, in a few days,
the Peony in Luoyang
will be in full bloom.
Your Majesty has been wanting
to go to Luoyang to see the flowers,
but these past few years,
Mei Niang has stopped you
because I was afraid the long journey
would wear you out.
But now I have come to my senses.
Rather than worry about
the unknown future,
I should accompany your Majesty,
spend time together
and appreciate the beautiful flowers.
Let me go with you to see the flowers, alright
Good... good
According to our spies in Ganlu Palace,
Father and Empress Wu
had a heated argument.
Though we don't have the details,
I can imagine.
This is perhaps
a good time.
It seems like
Father's tolerance and favour
have reached their limits.
Your Highness, it's time
to take action,
Empress Wu has been trying to usurp power.
Father has been with her for so long,
he must have lost interest in her.
She tries to meddle with Father's life
In every aspect, Father must bear a grudge against her.
She has deliberately concealed
Father's illness
and kept the courtiers in the dark.
Now
she's trying to stop Father's treatment.
This woman's ambition
is clear to all.
Officer will lead the other courtiers
to remonstrate the Emperor at risk of death in Taiji Palace
and bring her down.
Empress Wu blatantly stopped
Father’s treatment
in order to control Father.
Tang is in great danger.
We cannot just sit and wait for our end.
Spread the word
and we'll use this as the reason to depose her.
The upcoming
banquet at Quo Building
for the 9 emissaries from the Western Regions
Is everything ready
Reply to the Empress
Everything is set.
Very good
What about Ming Chongyan
He said it would be fine.
Empress, you really think
this will work
Rui'an doesn't understand.
How can this
stop black cats
from appearing in the Palace.
My interest is not in the black cats.
Or the people
who let the black cats
walks randomly on the wall
I'm targeting against Consort Xiao's curse
about coming back
for revenge as a black cat,
and
the rumours about me
being scared of cats.
Seeing is believing.
After the banquet at Que Building,
we'll see if anyone in the Palace
still wants
to talk about black cat.
Right Empress
Recently
rumours have started in Chang'an
about the Empress these years
concealing
His Majesty's illness
so as to usurp power.
Li Yifu Daren is looking into
who's behind these rumours.
Doesn't use
Tell him not to bother.
So
The Empress know who did this
What is Zhong'er up to these days
Still secretly
worshiping the deposed Empress Wang
According
to our spy in the Eastern Palace,
this has been the ease.
The laughable Crown Prince is so confident
he's been covering up well
when all along,
it's out of sympathy for him
that you've been more than forgiving
I’m afraid stormy days are
to be expected in the Court.
I don't blame him for holding a grudge,
but I won’t tolerate anyone
with wild ambitions.
Rui'an, keep the Eastern Palace under close watch.
The Crown Prince's each and every move.
I need to know
Yes
Now what do you want
I don't know your family
What so badly,
needs immediately reports
Your majesty, take a look, please
The Empress is guilty of usurping power
What does this mean
Your Majesty, the Empress is so ambitious
In both the Court and the Harem,
she attacks those who oppose her
completely defying what is proper
Such behaviour is unacceptable.
Asked your Majesty, please depose her
If you expect me to depose the Empress,
you need something more substantial
to prove the Empress is guilty as charged.
Despite the fact that Your Majesty is in your prime,
All these years,
since she became the Empress,
other concubines have produced no other heirs.
That means
she's a tyrant in the Harem.
Empress Wu has also lied
to everyone about your health.
Actually she smuggled
Ming Chongyan into the Palace,
Under the pretense of treating you.
Yet your condition has actually worsened.
She should be executed for her crime.
Besides, as the head of the Harem,
she meddles with state affairs.
and interference in the Court
Everything she has done
can prove she's usurping power.
Courtiers have long been indignant about her.
That's why we're submitting a joint petition
to ask you to depose her
and bring in other Imperial wives
to carry on the royal bloodline.
Please your Majesty
bring in other imperial wives to carry on the royal bloodline.
Dissolute
How dare you pressurize, me
We wouldn't dare
Please your Majesty,
for the sake of Tang,
please make up your mind soon.
It was my decision
to conceal my health.
The Empress has nothing to do with it.
Youshao, you must have been
misled by rumours.
Don't bring up
the issue of deposing the Empress again.
You may go
Your Majesty, deposing the Empress
will impact Tang's existence.
Your Majesty, please stop
covering up for her.
I told you to go
Your Majesty
If you don't grant us our wish.
we'll be too ashamed to face
the late Emperor and the Tang subjects.
We'd like to resign and never get involved
in state affairs again.
We will resign.
Well,
you all get paid daily
only know
to give the Empress a hard time.
If you ask me, the Court can do
without the lot of you.
Shangguan Yi,
on account of your contribution to Tang,
I'll allow you to retire.
But the others must be punished
Guards
Remove their robes
and take them away
Pity on Tang
Tang will fall into
the hands of this woman
Such an insult today
The old men refuse to accept it
Shangguan Daren, Shangguan Daren
Pillars of the State?
You're garbage
You're only good
at bullying my woman
Your Majesty tried hard
to conceal your Cold,
but to no avail.
At this moment
I don't care about that anymore.
I just think
it's unfair to you.
After all, you used the Congshan District commission
to revoke Cheng Zhijie's authority.
All these
I know you did it for me.
Your Majesty, although I never
ask you about
what you say and do,
I have a pretty good idea.
Cheng Zhijie is crucial to the aristocrats
and has rendered meritorious service to Tang.
He’s also an important figure
in the Court.
Your Majesty
If it's you who revoked his command,
resentment and controversies
would have been raised
amongst the other old courtiers.
Lets your Majesty with it
Rather than giving them
an excuse,
Mei Niang didn't mind doing the dirty work.
Let me bear the blame alone.
Also
Mei Niang, I know
how to deal with them,
but it's not fair to you.
Your Majesty, tell me
what you plan to do
with the courtiers who want to depose me.
I want to execute Shangguan Yi,
and make slaves out of his clan.
Those who signed
the joint petition
should all be exiled.
Your Majesty
ai::bowo-subs
But I know you'll ask me
not to make myself unpopular.
If I killed
or demoted
all those who want me
to depose you,
there'd be no one left in the Tang Court.
That's why
I plan to kick Shangguan Yi
and his lot upstairs.
Send them to the Hongwen Pavilion
THANK YOU
to work on the Imperial history,
so they'll have no time to meddle with state affairs.
That's brilliant, Your Majesty
Mei Niang, I promised you
In any event I'll protect you
No matter when and where