The Empress of China Episode 3
Your Highness
Reporting to his Majesty
This servant
Sister Xu, how come it's you?
I was waiting for you outside
And found you'd run over here
Let's go
Good
What is this you have to tell me right now?
Following His Highness' will
This servant has finished searching
More than half of the inner court
Even the house of the new maids
And the house of the cairen I've searched
But found nothing
All that remains are QianGan palace,
ChenXi palace and XianLing palace
But, those are
After all myladies' palaces
We give a new decree
When the time comes, you will have an excuse
To search these three palaces
Right, this servant withdraws
Quick, hide it
If others see it, there'll be trouble
Sister, say
The one who danced with me that night
Could it be
The same man as in the hall just now?
Why, after that night
Dancing with that man
You can't possibly
Be falling for him?
Get out
I saw you, returning
And the mask is false
You want to dance again
Isn't that so?
Don't laugh at me
But, really
These days, I honestly
Think about that person quite often
His eyes are really strange
Looking into my eyes
It was like
We already knew each other
But in his eyes
Was this great, great distress
So weird
Silly goat, you really shouldn't
Be so excited by this man
You don't even know who he is
Don't you remember your purpose for coming here?
If you still want to meet His Majesty
Don't go rushing into trouble everywhere
Just now, did you not see
What was pasted onto those doors?
It was a seal
"Out of bounds, trespassing is a capital offense"
Next time
You can't be so bold
You know?
I know, I know
Ruyi, right now
Are the days of dedicating the dance to His Majesty
At this time
The most important thing for you
Is to grasp
The chance at dancing the lead
And perhaps His Majesty's favour
Is just around the corner
You can't risk it by going back there
Wait until after the dance is finished
we'll go find out
What time no one visist that place
I'll go with you
And it won't be too late for the mask either
Alright, I'll do whatever you say
Alright?
Whatever I say? Then, one more thing
Starting tomorrow
We'll start learning
Palace history
I've heard those
Are all empress Wende's dearest writings
Aish, I'm talking to you
If other people see this thing
It will be dangerous
Put it away now
Let's go back and sleep early
We cannot be late again tomorrow
Alright
Look at you
Let's go
These ten volumes on women's etiquette
Are Empress WenDe's dearest writings
Recording past empresses and concubines
Commenting on merits and demerits
We can say, it is a
Masterpiece on becoming an empress
After empress WenDe's funeral
These books were presented His Majesty
As His Majesty read these books
He cried silently
Saying these were masterpieces of all time
To be handed down through generations
Therefore, we say
Reading these books is like meeting empress WenDe
Burn incense and bow before reading
If you wish to know how
Empress WenDe managed to monopolize His Majesty
The secrets lie in these books
This eunuch Zhang
Based on his words
Don't know how many women
Would defy death
To read these 10 volumes on women's etiquette
His Majesty has decreed
Within a month
Honored royal wives
Must each familiarize themselves with one book
Then write a paper discussing what you've learnt
We will cease talking now
No more fuss
Honored royal wives, look out for yourselves
Sister, you're still recovering
Wait here
I'll help you
Hurry, hurry, hurry up, hurry up
Take this one
So thick
Sister Xu, are you alright?
I'm fine
Here
Let go
Let's go, what's wrong with them?
Mine
Look at her grabbing
Really
Just give it to me
No
The two of us have only the one book
You, let go
This is the one I just grabbed
It was I who grabbed it
But for the two of us
there's only one book
Give it to us
You already have one
No, I grabbed this
Forget it
I didn't mean to
Pretending at friendliness
You have enough books, don't you?
Take enough and go
Some people here
Are really too savage
And you lot?
What are you going to do with all those books?
Do you have enough eyes
To read it all?
Then, how many hands do you have?
If these books were left for you
Would you have been able to move them?
What are you doing?
Let's go
Let's go, go
Don't look, don't look
We still have books to read, right?
Go on, you
Go
Good enough
Two people working together, just right for 10 volumes
Right? Let's go
We'll go together in a moment
Okay
Your Majesty
Zhangyu Wuji - Minister of Works
This year's ceremonial sowing is on the tenth day
Spring sowing and summer ploughing, for common prosperity
Today is WenDe's memorial
If she were here still
She would join Us at the shared plough, the shared silkworms
That would've been a true pleasure
Receiving such care from Your Majesty
Sister was a lucky woman
However, Your Majesty
She died more than a year ago
Once dead, people don't come back
Rather, I hope Your Majesty might liven up again
Your Majesty, it's been some days
Since you last went to QianXiang palace
It's almost like something's wrong
Tell me, Wei Guifei's niece
Xiao Qiang already entered the palace
About that visit..
I hope Your Majesty will think on it
Minister
On WenDe's memorial day, We do not wish
To listen to this kind of petition
Your Majesty
If sister was still alive
She would also say this
You are Our prime minister
Your concerns should be on national concerns
Not on Our family matters
These are national affairs
Your Majesty, this is about the Wei family
And we hope Your Majesty will carefully think on it
We must study it properly
These 10 volumes on women's etiquette
Reading
Is sister's strong point
Of course
Books contain the wisdom of our forefathers
What's with you?
Tonight
You might see His Majesty
Why do you look so gloomy?
I'm still thinking of empress WenDe
And these 10 thick volumes of women's etiquette
Don't think of it
Pick a thesis, you definitely
Won't lose to anyone
My jewelry box is gone
Do you see it?
No
Empress Wende
Path of female virtues, Brightness of gifts
Yin teaches thus secluded, Concubine practice increasingly gracious
Worthy eldest son's Mother appearance how great
Beloved
Your Majesty
Come, drink a cup
Sorry to trouble you
Thank you, Your Majesty
Did you know?
I heard, tonight, Wei Guifei
Yang Shufei, Yin Defei
All the three ladies will come
Really
Then I want to dance even better
Alright, waiting just for you so hurry up
I'm coming, I'm coming
Ruyi, should be us
Don't be nervous
Here, I'll help you
Don't forget this
Hurry Hurry
Wu cairen
wait a minute, I-
Ruyi, What are you still doing?
Madame Zhao is calling
I know
Hurry up
I'm here, I'm here
Go
Ruyi, what's wrong, Ruyi?
Let's go
And your original mask?
Let's go
This is bad
How could it be here?
This could be good
Wu cairen
Hurry up
Not good, they're calling
Forget it, there's no other way
Hurry up
Come
Your Highness
This is "King LanLing"
Your Highness, that mask..
This woman who replaced Xiao Qiang
Wu Ruyi
Isn't that
Empress WenDe's mask?
Wasn't that stolen?
Hold
"King LanLing" remove your mask
Report your name
Daughter
Family Wuzhao, name Ruyi
We've heard of the official Wu Shihuo's daughter
Famed for her intelligence and litterary talent
Would that be you?
Reporting to Your Majesty, it's me
You know then, you've comitted a capital offence
Ruyi
Ruyi doesn't know
Still dares quibble
The mask in you hands, where did it come from?
You stole a previous empress' relic
And alarmed the emperor late at night
If not a capital offense, what then?
I, I didn't
Was this item
Not removed from ChenQing hall by you?
This, this
True, this Mask
Truly, it was Ruyi
Who took it from ChenQing hall
That's all
You're known as a litterary talent
Then this house
Will give you a chance
Today is empress WenDe's anniversary memorial
If you can, in seven steps
Make a poem
To praise the wisdom of empress Wende
Her beauty and virtue
This house will let you live
Your Majesty will be the judge
Alright, I'll try
Reporting to Your Majesty
Ruyi fails to make one
It would seem, your fame for talent
Actually doesn't fit
It's not that Ruyi is without talent
But this poem
Must have feeling and expression
Expressing the deepest heart
It's easy to express empress Wende's
Beauty, wisdom, virtue
But in Ruyi's heart
She was actually
A most pitiful woman
Come, have Wu Ruyi kneel
Yes
I
Your Majesty
This woman stole a previous empress' relic
Then tactlessly slandered her, it's unforgiveable
As law,
Prevent chaos by beating her dead in front of this hall
I
As a warning to others
Begging Your Majesty to spare her life
Begging Your Majesty to spare Ruyi's life
The reason to kill her is clear
The reason not to kill her
What is it?
Please, Your Majesty, spare this woman's life
At the memorial of empress Wende
In front of His Majesty, comitting such slander
Shouldn't she die
This servant has a question
To ask His Majesty
In His Majesty's heart
What is the purpose of this memorial?
For Us
WenDe is dead
But while We remember today
She will not truly have left
Exactly, You Majesty
Because people remember, the dead
Turn sacred and immortal
Hence I believe
If empress Wende in the netherworld knew
Would she not wish
Your Majesty's image of her
To have a bit of colour?
How does beloved yin
Believe we should deal with this?
This servant believes in Buddha, who doesn't like killing
But today
This woman really comitted a great offence
An unforgiveable sin
And deserves a heavy, heavy punishment
Temporary arrest in Yeting, awaiting punishment
His Majesty has decreed
Arrest cairen Wu Ruyi in Yeting
To await punishment
Mylady
Why would mylady save Wu Ruyi?
What if His Majesty hadn't agreed?
A bit too easy to lose
Last time when Xianfei slipped
Wu Ruyi spoke
Offending concubine Wei
Tonight I rekcon she's also sympathetic
Besides, in the palace
Rules live a long time
Suddenly there's a person
Who won't play
Really awakens the thrill of the hunt
I don't know why
I have a hunch
If only she'd managed to hide this robbery
In the future
She will definitely make concubine Wei bitter
Let's go
This night, fear is comitting sin
Mylady
That silly goat in front of His Majesty's face
Calling empress Wende pitiful
She simply doesn't know the complexities of things
She was the only one who suceeded to become empress
Small cairen
Easily judge
Unknowing of seniority
And they haven't His Majesty's dotage
Seeing the empress as pitiful
Is to slander His Majesty
In this way infuriating Emperor nilin
Really, courting death
Mylady
You only took advantage of this
Some reasons makes one deceieve others
But never to decieve ones own conscience
It's all ended, however
Playing jackal to the tiger? Be done with it
Mylady has mylady's own difficulties
Who really wants to kill that silly goat
Is that person over in QianXiang palace
Mylady just wishes to be with His Highness
And had to follow that woman's idea
If His Majesty remains king
Growing up in Changan
Changan - capitol during Han and Tang
Mylady's knees surrounded by sons
Then why
Look to concubine Wei before breathing?
Enough
Those years, His Majesty
Spared me and my brother's lives
Doing everything possible
I cannot blame him
As for difficulties
That harmful one
Has no small amount of difficulties
Concubine Wei starting on that silly goat
Is that not also
For the youngers of her house?
Food for ya
This idiot, if you don't want to eat, just don't eat
Why spoil the food?
You
You want me to bribe you?
Look at you saying such terrible things
What are bribes?
First I'll tell you the rules for eating
A fried cake - one silver tael
If with pickles or plain congee
Add another tael
Meat buns, spring rolls
Are also one tael each
When I first entered the palace I didn't understand
Why people in this palace
All regarded eunuchs as crows
Now I understand
All this noise, completely shameless
Don't you know
Like crows, you make people nauseated?
An old saying goes
People don't go to the toilet by the warehouse
You're the creature in the toilet
Eating mice through shit
You little slut
Actually coming up with such conceited nonsense
When you're in a position as this
Still telling me to act some act
See if I don't kill you
Slut
You dare nag me, see if I don't
You dare?
Do you think
The woman in here
Couldn't possibly
Be able to get out?
I'm telling you
There are no absolutes
If you want to hit me today
You should just kill me
This mouth, I
Or else, wait for the day
I leave this Yeting
For that will be the day you die
Ok, you stubborn wretch
You just wait for me
Congratulations Your Highness
This "King LanLing" mask was finally regained
Your Highness, tonight
Think on which concubine to visit
Leave the register
Let Us think
His Highness still thinks of
The circumstances at GanLu palace just now
This Wu Ruyi
Is really audacious
Dares to call empress Wende pitiful
Made this servant's heart truly enraged
Pitiful
Withdraw first, would you
Yes
Slowly
What is Your highness' command?
From next year on
This "King Lanling enters battle"
No longer needs be arranged
Yes
Wu cairen
A small gift of food has arrived for you
They're all your favorite things
Come, eat while it's hot
You're not kicking
How would I dare?
Last time
Was all a misunderstanding
Wasn't I going to die?
And now there's this great meal
What are you talking about?
You're joking
Hurry, eat it while hot
Who made you do this?
None, None
This is all this small person's own idea
If there is anything you need
Feel free to order this small one
Eat up, this small one will withdraw first
Wait up
Take it away
Then, the congee and bread
Bring it back
That's what I should be eating
Wu cairen, don't embarrass
This servant
Take it away, now
Tell me
Who sent this food?
This
It was the lady Defei
The lady Defei?
Wu cairen
Isn't it GanLu palace's
Eunuch Chen?
My respects
Wu cairen
Congratulations Wu cairen
Congratulations
Wu cairen, His Majesty instructs
The imperial palanquin is waiting at the gate
Let us be off
His Majesty
This Wu Ruyi
What exactly is her background?
This servant sent people to check
The official's early death
His family financials have been bad for a while
Currently
Concubine Yang Defei
Seems unconnected
As for her supporters
Acting like this
It's mere bluster
And too incredible to be believed
This silly girl is quite the character
Talent, nerve
Even her luck is good
When Qiao slapped her
She still took no offence
What time is it?
Reporting to mylady
It's almost 9pm
It seems tonight His Majesty
Won't be coming to QianXiang palace
Tonight
Is after all empress Wende's memorial
And that Wu Ruyi
Made such trouble in GanLu palace
Figures that tonight
His Majesty won't go meet concubines
You don't understand
Every time His Majesty is upset
He comes to play chess with me
Leisurely playing, calming his heart
Greeting mylady, that Wu Ruyi
She left Yeting
His Majesty released her?
Not so
His Majesty decreed she enter GanLu palace
For the night
How could this be?
Mylady
Not only did His Majesty not kill her
But then had her come serve him at Ganlu palace?
But His Majesty really did this
Calm down, mylady
It would seem that this Wu Ruyi
Is not to be underestimated
Arise
We had you come
To ask you one thing
Why do you pity the empress?
Your Majesty
Before I answer this question
Your Majesty, could you
First answer a question of mine?
Taking a mile from an inch
Ruyi did not wish to overstep herself
I'm just afraid this question
Once answered
His Majesty, angry
Will drag me out again to kill me
Ask
That night in Chengqing hall
The one who danced with me
Was it you, Your Majesty?
This is what you want to know?
This is very important to Wu Ruyi
Then, listen well
That day in Chengqing hall
Who danced was you
Whenever you were about to fall
It was Us who lent a hand
Understand?
Understood
No matter what
Ruyi will never forget
That night
Your Majesty
When you looked into my eyes that night
Were you really looking at
Empress Wende?
No
We had a moment of trance
Your Majesty
How did you and empress Wende
Grow feelings this deep?
Because she
Was unlike any other woman
How was she different?
Was she not also of the inner court?
Of all those women, she was the only one?
Women of the court
They love His Majesty
Not me
And to be empress
Teenagers would marry me
Her love was for me, the person
Not caring if I acted the son of heaven
Or a beggar
She always stayed with me
Giving me children
A true partner in life
There won't be another like that
Who says there won't be?
I
Are you saying you would?
You know what kind of person I am?
Know
How old I was when I first killed someone?
Know how many scars are on my body?
How much I regret?
Know when I'm raging?
When I'm happy?
Know what is my life's
Greatest regret I cannot escape from?
Not knowing any of these
Still dares to speak such words
Tell me
The empress' renowned virtue
Impressing even the barbarians of the west
How come you're here
Calling it pitiful?
Ruyi thinking such
Is probably also because
These past few day, reading women's stories day and night
The heart gained some new experiences is all
Tell me, what experinces?
Ruyi used to think
Empress Wende enjoyed a joyous life
Of His Majesty's favor
Indeed
A woman of great happiness
And so
Using my heart to experience these books
Wishing to find in these books empress Wende's
Secret of gaining His Majesty's adoration
But suddenly, one day
I found
Empress Wende, giving borth to 7 children for His Majesty
Becoming a mother
Taking care of children
Acting as empress
Taking care of the inner court
If she could still
Be with His Majesty day and night
Then where did she get the time
To write such very thick
10 volumes on women's etiquete?
Behind these beautiful words
I fear there's
Countless nights with only a lamp by her side
Countless days and nights spent alone
And so, Ruyi thought
His Majesty couldn't have loved her very much
Continue
I couldn't really connect it
How did His Majesty love empress Wende so deply?
And reading those books
I slowly realized
Rather than saying
His Majesty loved empress Wende
Rather, calling it deep regret
Might be more appropriate
Regretting he didn't properly cherish her
So this
Woman of the court
Who always turned a blind eye
Eagerly arranging
Empress Wende's memorial ceremony
Also illustrates His Majesty's
Remorse for empress Wende
And how deep it really is
People all over believe empress Wende
Fully enjoyed His Majesty's favour
While the truth is she didn't
She only managed som fake fame
Which His Majesty has to carry
So Ruyi believes
Empress Wende was truly pathetic
What I had to say
Was only this
Smarty
Wu Ruyi
For slandering the previous empress
And being resposible for cutting short the memorial ceremony
You are asigned to daily duty at Chengqing hall
Daytime cleaning, nighttime copying of "women's etiquette"
Until repentant, as a warning to others
Mylady
You didn't sleep well last night
And today again you woke early
Or you could go back to rest
I just want to see
His Majesty
How will he deal with Wu Ruyi?
Reporting to mylady
News just came in
His Majesty has had Wu Ruyi
Enter Chengqing hall as punishment
Mylady, His Majesty
Why would he send her to Chengqing hall?
On empress Wende's funeral day
Chengqing hall was sealed off
Other than His Majesty
Only us supreme concubines
Could enter
Now that Wu Ruyi
Is suddenly allowed to wander freely
And see for herself the truth of "Women's etiquette"
Where is the penalty?
This is clearly a reward
This servant doesn't understand
Why would His Majesty do this?
They say, last night
When Wu Ruyi faced the emperor in Ganlu palace
She drove the emperor to a rage again
This house raised you
To solve problems
Not ask questions
Hearts of men
Other than loving new, discarding old
They don't change
Other than that
Any woman would know
This servant knows her mistake
Mylady, calm down, calm down, mylady
Arise
Translation by Iseria2you Timing: ai::bowo-subs
Thank you, mylady
Mylady, this servant
Worries
You said, after some days
When this Wu Ruyi has finished copying "Women's etiquette"
Is it not so
That she will be favoured that day?
Why would we wait until she's finished?
The brainless fools in this palace
Aren't few
This house believes
We already have a lot of people
To go fawn and flatter
Who's to say
This Yang defei
Won't win over one or two?
But in that case
Our own Xiao cairen
On the road to curry favour
Wouldn't Wu Ruyi
Throw her farther out of view?
We how should we answer?