Are you sure they're not abscesses?
No, His Majesty told me that they're birthmarks.
What about their positions?
If the positions aren't the same, the destiny calculated will be different.
They're exactly the way they were drawn in Madam lids picture.
Is His Majesty really my...?
Hey, this is serious.
Don't make wild guesses. Don't think wild thoughts.
You know this is serious. How can I refrain from thinking?
Oh, no. I'm thinking about it again.
I just thought of the bone weighing song that Mai sang.
You mean the song about Empress Dowager?
You remember too?
Everyone knows the rumor.
When Empress Dowager was still a lady,
she couldn’t get pregnant.
A charlatan did a calculation with her birth data.
He said she was predestined never to have a child.
Then lots of people asked the charlatan to weigh their bones.
He made a fortune. But he was unlucky. Soon after, Empress Dowager was pregnant.
She gave birth to His Majesty.
The charlatan was exiled for spreading the rumor.
He was exiled for such a trivial matter.
Was he actually right about Empress Dowager's destiny?
I told you not to talk nonsense.
Why make wild guesses? Why don't you ask her directly?
What? Ask Empress Dowager directly? Who'd have the guts to do that? I don't. Do you?
Of course I do.
What?
The snacks are so delicate. This reminds me of a word.
What word?
Superb. But don't make so many next time.
Why don't I make some more
for the sacrificial ritual to be performed by His Majesty?
Good idea!
If His Majesty presents them himself,
I'm sure the late emperor would be really happy.
I'll do my very best then.
Why does this cake look so special?
This is called sun cake.
It was made especially for the sacrificial ritual.
The sun shines on everyone like His Majesty.
I remember when His Majesty was born, his father Prince Pu had a dream.
He dreamt that the sun had fallen. So he gave His Majesty the name Shu.
Then Prince Pu succeeded to the throne and I became the empress.
Were there any stunning or strange phenomena
when His Majesty was born?
I gave birth to him. How could there be any stunning phenomena?
Was chickenpox a strange phenomenon?
Chickenpox?
His Majesty contracted chickenpox when he was less than a month old.
It was all over his body and face. It was really serious.
How was he cured then if it was so serious?
His dad Prince Pu asked Dr Chen and Su Xun to treat him.
They took him to the hospital for two days. They were wonderful doctors.
When His Majesty was discharged from the hospital, he was completely fine.
That Dr Chen was as good as my late father-in-law? Where is he now?
He was already old then.
This happened 30 years ago. I'm afraid he's dead now.
What's the matter? Why do you look so disappointed?
I thought if someone at home fell sick, we could ask Dr Chen for help.
He's dead. But the hospital is still there.
I heard that his student Dr Fang is in charge now.
If you need a famous doctor, I believe he's an option.
Dr Fang, I was told that
your mentor Dr Chen knew my dad well.
Dr Chen was such a wonderful doctor. You've learned everything from him.
You must be very competent.
Back then I was already a doctor. But I admired Dr Chen's reputation.
That's why I worked as his apprentice even though I was in my 30s already.
I heard that when His Majesty contracted chickenpox
he was less than a month old.
But you cured him. Yet people said your mentor Dr Chen did it.
Is that true?
I remember rt was stormy that night. Prince Pu brought a baby to the hospital.
Chickenpox had broken out all over his face.
He didn't have much hair. He had no teeth.
The baby was seriously sick, like he was going to die soon.
But what's strange is that when I got up the next morning,
the baby was crying loudly.
He was so healthy, like he'd never been sick.
At first, he's dying. But after one night, he was healthy.
Is it possible that it wasn't the same baby?
Did you fall asleep so someone could have swapped the baby without you knowing?
No way. Back then my mentor and your dad were watching the baby.
No one could have swapped it unless they did it.
But every baby looks the same. I wouldn't notice even if it had been swapped.
Excuse me...
The kids run everywhere... Honey, are you OK?
I'm fine.
Moonlit floor. So desperate on January 8th.
The baby grew fast. Then he killed the emperor.
Xu made a move. Grab the food and chew.
You hear what they're singing?
Yes. There are always new nursery rhymes.
I mean the lyrics, the innuendos.
So desperate on January 8th. That's the day Emperor Yingzong died.
The baby refers to his son.
Xu made a move. Xu is His Majesty's name.
Grab the food and chew. Does that mean someone usurped the throne?
Don't stretch the meaning.
Very soon there'll be some new songs. Then no one will remember this one.
I wish it were that simple.
Too bad the storytellers exaggerate the story to make it sound believable.
People will think it's true. Then the rumor will spread.
Right. There was a rumor about you too.
Exactly. That's why I'm so worried.
This is a lie. It's absolutely ridiculous.
People are smearing me by saying I killed my father to usurp the throne.
Please don't be mad.
Don't be mad?
The rumor has reached the harem chambers already.
Empress Dowager is so upset.
Your Majesty is the emperor.
The accusation that you killed your father to usurp the throne
is really devastating to your reputation.
I'm worried that such hearsay will shock the government and the people.
In the end it will affect your legitimacy.
How is that so?
Think about it. Who's the instigator of this nursery rhyme?
Why did they make such an unfounded allegation against you?
What's their objective?
I must root out this rumor.
If necessary,
I will resort to drastic measures to make everyone shut up...
Won't that be too violent?
One must resort to extraordinary means in extraordinary times
You love the people. They will understand.
You understand me best, Qin Cao.
Your Majesty, a wise man can't stop rumors. Only a strong man can.
Only a strong man can stop rumors.
Hua De Restaurant.
When the maid was in labor,
the queen ordered the supervising eunuch to bribe the midwife.
She swapped the maid's son with a skinned and bloody civet.
Back then there were a lot of rumors.
People said that the maid gave birth to a monster.
The empire would collapse.
The emperor was mad. He ordered the monster and the maid killed.
Then the swapped baby was adopted by Prince Baxian.
In the end, he even became the crown prince.
He found out about the terrible death of his mother.
He took revenge, killed his father and became the emperor.
The storyteller was talking about our emperor.
Seriously?
His Majesty killed his father by poisoning him?
So His Majesty is actually a civet?
Arrest them.
Yes, sir.
Who's the storyteller?
He is.
Arrest him!
Yes...Go.
Stop! Drag him out.
He's a government official. But he talked about my identity in private.
I'm already so magnanimous to only punish him with ﬂogging.
The sacrificial ritual is soon.
You guys aren't united at all. How can you face the ancestors of Song?
Your Majesty, you must face the rumor, not evade it.
I'm not evading.
I've ordered Officer Jiang to find out who the instigator is. What have you got?
I found out that the rumor came from Dr Li.
Rumor has it that when he was infected by the mutating virus,
before he died, he suddenly said the late emperor died of poisoning.
The rumormongers then composed a nursery rhyme to spread the rumor.
Then it spun out of control.
This is absolutely ridiculous.
Officer Jiang, I order you to bring in everyone
who was related to the late emperor's death.
I want you to interrogate them all in order to clarify the rumor.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, resorting to torture
will only cure the symptoms but not the disease itself.
Finding out what happened is better than using torture
Do you know a rumor is like an epidemic? It will spread faster and farther over time.
Your Majesty, why don't we let this incident blow over by itself?
Shut up.
Officer Jiang, whoever spreads the rumor
must be put in jail as a deterrent.
Yes, Your Majesty.
My son...
Sir, what are you doing here?
Dad? Dad, you're not sleeping or working. What are you doing here so late at night?
Your younger brother has fallen into the well.
My younger brother?
Wow.
Brother Dongpo.
Ghost...
Who's a ghost? It's me.
Ghost...
It's me.
Why do you look like that? You want to scare me to death?
Why did you kick me off the bed
I kicked you off the bed? Are you serious?
Yes, you did.
Are you hurt?
It really hurts.
Let me see. I'll rub it for you.
What's the matter? You had another nightmare?
I had a dream about my dad.
He told me that my younger brother had fallen into a well. So I pulled him up.
Guess who my younger brother was.
Who?
It was His Majesty.
I wonder if Dad came into my dream on purpose to tell me the truth.
No, you must have been hearing the rumors too much,
that's why you dreamt that. Don't worry...
I hope so.
Can I sleep inside later?
Why?
I don't want to be kicked off the bed again when you have a nightmare.
Sorry. You sleep inside then.
Don't think about it. Go to sleep. Come on. Go to sleep.
Aren't the streets really quiet today?
It's not quiet. They just dare not talk.
I don't care. You must get it done.
What do you mean you can? I'll come get them in three days.
Get to business now.
Sir, Mrs. Su, what a coincidence?
I heard you from a distance since you were talking so loudly. What's the matter?
There aren't enough rocks for the prison So I came here to order some more.
Are you kidding? Not enough locks? Have you arrested lots of people?
His Majesty gave the order that
whoever says the wrong thing has to be locked up.
How can there be enough locks
since so many people were arrested all of a sudden?
I'm innocent, sir.
We were only talking about our cow at home. We weren't talking about His Majesty.
Tell the judge yourselves.
Master Si.
Hey, what a coincidence.
Do you have any spare locks?
We don't have enough.
Don't arrest so many people if you don't have enough locks.
Goodbye.
Sir, I need to run. Excuse me.
It seems His Majesty has lost it from trying to stop the rumor.
You must talk less from now on. You know you talk too much.
Sometimes you don't need to work so hard if you know less.
Then you'll make fewer mistakes.
We've forgotten someone.
I won't leave. I haven't found my son yet.
Don't be so stubborn, Madam Jia..
You don't know where to look for your son. You don't know if he's alive or dead.
What do you mean I don't know?
I've asked a fortune-teller. My son is still alive.
But so many years have passed.
Even if you could find him, he may not recognize you.
It will only break your heart.
That's right.
At least I'll know how he's doing.
That's easy then. Go back to your hometown now.
Master and I will keep looking for him. We'll tell you when we've found him.
Right. I'll provide for your travelling expenses
and give you an extra sum of money to spend in your hometown.
It'll be enough to last a year or so.
Right.
When we find your son, you can go meet him, OK?
Well...OK. But I want to see someone before I leave.
You want to see someone?
You want to see so many people? Who do you want to see?
Empress Dowager.
Are you serious? You want to see Empress Dowager?
She's my benefactor. She was my master too.
I managed to survive back then all because of her help.
I want to thank her in person.
But she's the empress dowager. I really can't help you.
Please do me a favor.
Madam Jia...
We lost my son already.
Get up phase.
Please let me to see Empress Dowager.
Get up please. Honey.
It won't help to plead with me.
She wants to see the empress dowager. How is that possible? Please get up.
Just promise her. I have an idea.
People say that placing lanterns in the water
will carry away the year's misfortunes.
And you'll be happy afterwards.
Yours is going so fast. Mines so slow.
Oh, no. It's predestined that my boredom will stick around.
You're still thinking of marrying a husband?
Yes. Where are you, my fourth husband? Show yourself how.
Why don't you ask Empress Dowager to help?
I've asked many times already.
What about His Majesty? Your relationship with him is so good.
If Empress Dowager says no,
His Majesty will listen to her and say no too.
Then she'll say that
since His Majesty said no, how can she say yes?
In the end, I must take no for an answer.
In other words, you have to get Empress Dowager's approval. She's so stubborn.
Nothing aside good food can change her mind.
It'll be the first day of the month soon. You can cook some vegetarian food for her.
I only know how to eat. I can't even handle a spatula.
You're already really smart to know there's something called a spatula.
As for cooking, I can give you a hand.
Really?
Let me figure out some nice new dishes.
I promise the empress dowager will agree to all your requests.
Great. Teach me how to cook then.
The vegetarian dishes are so good. Did you cook them?
I dare not He about it.
I cooked all the vegetarian food on the table.
But the princess is bringing another dish.
She cooked that herself
She asked you to teach her how to cook?
Has her temperament really changed so drastically
after her toy boys were dismissed?
Perhaps she's learning for her future husband.
Here comes the princess.
Your Royal Highness, this is fried noodles with shredded pork.
Shredded pork?
It's vegetarian pork. Please try it.
The noodles are crispy and moist. The vegetarian pork is tasty.
Did I do a good job? Shouldn't I be rewarded?
With a husband perhaps?
You've done all this just for men?
Please have pity on me.
Life is really boring without a husband to keep me company.
You've been married three times already. You still want to marry again?
You know how sad it is not to have a husband.
It's good that you're reaming how to prepare vegetarian food now.
Why are you so desperate for a man?
Everything I do is for the appreciation of men.
You're so shameless.
You criticized me in front of so many people?
Madam Jia...You can't go in.
What's the matter?
Your Royal Highness!
Your Royal Highness, Master, I want to beg you for your favor.
That voice sounds so familiar?
Lift your head. Let me see your face... Xiaomei?
I can't hear anything.
Oh, no! She's been inside for so long.
Did she say something that shouldn't be said?
I don't think so.
If she tells the story, Empress Dowager might kill her to shut her up.
Madam Jia may be old. But she's not stupid.
I can meet my old friend
and catch up with her today all because of you two. Thank you.
Much obliged, Your Royal Highness.
Mission accomplished, Master. It was unexpectedly easy.
What was the empress' reaction when she heard the secret?
I'm taking the liberty to tell you my secret.
Years ago, I had an affair with Officer Su Xun. I got pregnant.
I have Prince Pu to thank for letting me
leave the prince's mansion with Officer Su
after he found out that I was pregnant.
How come I have no knowledge of this?
You were already carrying the emperor.
Why would you notice where a servant had gone?
Actually my son and His Majesty were born just a couple of days apart.
You said you were alone these past decades.
Where's your son?
That traitor swapped him. The baby was fine when he was born.
But when I woke up, it was a dead baby with chickenpox all over his face.
I haven't seen my own son all these years.
Your Royal Highness is powerful. Please help me find my son.
He has three stars on his chest.
I would never forget
because the three birthmarks took exactly like three stars.
Once she heard me mention three stars, she looked stunned.
She didn't even realize she had spilled the tea.
Since both the empress dowager and Su Dongpo have bought the story,
we'll proceed with our next step.
Yes, Master!
No wonder he was never close to me.
Whenever he was unhappy, he never asked me to hold him.
He would never eat what I had take a bite of either.
Here comes His Majesty.
Empress Dowager.
You have time to come see me?
Actually I'm busy. But I know you're worried about the silk.
So I've come to tell you that
the premium satin made from silk from Silk Village is ready now.
It's being delivered here.
You can relax and eat the bird's nest pudding now.
Birds nest is just the saliva of swallows. Why do people like to eat that so much?
Because it's good for the skin and health.
Why don't people eat their parents' saliva then?
They do. Why wouldn't they?
Don't they find it dirty?
No, it's part of human nature for parents and children to exchange saliva.
Really?
Bird's nest pudding is good for health. You must eat more, OK?
Everyone in the capital is talking about your legitimacy.
Aren't you worried at all?
Other people don't know if I'm your son. But it's impossible that you wouldn't know.
All those are just rumors They're not supported by facts.
I've already ordered that all the rumormongers be heavily punished.
Peace in the capital will be restored very soon.
You don't need to worry.
How could anyone believe in something so ridiculous?
You must be tired.
Why don't you eat a piece of the pudding too?
No, thanks.
I have to read a lot of memoranda.
You must finish the bird's nest pudding. Goodbye.
He said he didn't mind my saliva.
But when I asked him to eat, he refused.
There must be a basis for the rumor.
We'll be back in the capital soon.
I thought I could spend some quality time with you in Silk Village.
If we could really do that,
it would be like Fan Li and Xi Shi retiring to row a boat in the lakes.
First you mention retirement. Then you say you want to row a boat in the lakes.
So it's not really retirement.
You keep finding faults with me lately.
No, I don't.
You're finding fault with me?
Stop it! It's not good if someone sees this.
We're husband and wife. What's the problem if someone sees this?
Besides, there's no one around. What's your worry?
Those are soldiers. And it's 1,000 miles urgent.
What does that mean?
For important documents being delivered to the government,
it's usually 600 miles urgent. Now it's 1,000 miles.
Something serious must have happened in the palace.
Prepare my horse.
Yes, sir.
Your Majesty, I monitored the entire process
for the weaving of the satin in Silk Village.
The satin has been delivered to Empress Dowager for her inspection.
Thank you, Officer Qin.
Apart from that, did anything special happen in Silk Village?
Forgive me for being candid.
I really didn't hear any rumor about Your Majesty in Silk Village.
But as soon as I left and started making my way back to the capital,
I heard people talking about it all the time
This is outrageous.
I've already ordered the imprisonment of all the rumormongers.
Those commoners still haven't learned a lesson.
Officer Su, I order you to imprison everyone who talks about me
whether they're lauding or criticizing me.
I must punish them heavily as a deterrent.
Please reconsider, Your Majesty.
In the capital alone, lots of people have been arrested already.
The prison is full. People are panicking.
If this carries on, your reputation and authority will be undermined.
How about this? Let's release the prisoners now.
On the one hand, they've been imprisoned for some time.
They should have learned a lesson.
On the other hand, we won't need to feed them.
This will save the government a lot of money
That makes sense. Pass my order. Release everyone involved.
But if they make the same mistake again, I will definitely punish them heavily.
Much obliged, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, there's one other thing.
Go ahead.
On my way back to the capital,
I saw two imperial messengers leaving the capital.
It was even 1,000 miles urgent. I wonder what's happened in the palace.
If something's happened in the palace why don't I know about it?
Here comes Empress Dowager.
Your Royal Highness, Your Highness...
At ease.
Much obliged, Your Royal Highness.
Empress Dowager, why have my two younger brothers returned to the capital?
The rumor about Your Majesty has spread all over Song.
Even if Empress Dowager hadn't summoned us,
we still would have come back to the capital.
Empress, you believe the rumor too? You doubt me too?
No, I don't.
I summoned the two princes
because I want to prove properly that you are my son.
How could I not be the late emperor's son unless you cheated on him?
You're the emperor.
How could you say something so monstrous and vulgar?
You've got it wrong, Your Majesty. The rumor is not about Empress Dowager.
Rumor has it that someone swapped the baby
and that you're the illegitimate son of an official and a palace maid.
This is really so ridiculous. Who do they say is my father then?
Su Xun. In other words, Su Dongpo's father.
That's ridiculous.
I found out
because Officer Su brought the maid who had served me to see me.
It's very likely that you're the illegitimate son of the maid, Your Majesty.
You're calling me an illegitimate son?
Enough. To clarify this matter,
Your Majesty should take a blood mingling test to prove we're related.
There are rumors everywhere casting doubt on my legitimacy now.
This has seriously undermined the authority of Song.
To clarify the matter,
Empress Dowager and I have summoned all of you here.
I have no choice but to prove His Majesty's legitimacy in your presence
so as to ease people's minds.
You will all bear witness.
Sorry, Your Royal Highness.
Your Majesty, it'll just hurt a bit.
They won't mingle Today, all officials have witnessed that
the emperor really is not the son of Empress Dowager and the late emperor.
He's not the legitimate successor of Song.
He's really an illegitimate son. Guards, seize him.
Stop.
Your Royal Highness, Your Majesty,
I should have come earlier to dispense justice.
Wang Anshi, you were dismissed long ago. On what basis can you in come here?
You're even boasting that you'll dispense justice? On what basis?
On the basis of the trust and favor
bestowed on me by the late Emperors Renzong and Yingzong.
Your Royal Highness,
since Master Wang is here, why don't we ask him to be the judge then?
Master Wang is loyal to Song. He's contributed his whole life to it.
And he was trusted by both late emperors. It's proper to ask him to be the judge.
Get me another set of silver needles and bowls.
I want to take your blood this time.
You shouldn't worry if you have nothing to hide.
I don't think you two have any objections, right?
Fine.
Go ahead.
Please excuse me, Your Royal Highness.
Look, they don't mingle.
How come?
Your Royal Highness, please excuse me again.
You see? My blood mingled with that of Empress Dowager.
So does that mean I'm related to Empress Dowager?
You see? My blood mingled with that of Empress Dowager.
So does that mean I'm related to Empress Dowager?
How could this be?
Your Majesty, people's blood actually fall under several types.
Some people's blood can mingle with most other people's blood.
In other words two people may not be related in blood
even though their blood can mingle.
For those whose blood can't mingle, there may still be kinship between them.
That's correct.
That's why this blood mingling test is proven invalid.
So it's a farce. His Majesty is still the real dragon.
Not necessarily. There must be a basis for the rumor.
And the maid was able to describe His Majesty's traits precisely.
There must be something we don't know.
That's right. I believe His Majesty is not the legitimate emperor.
How dare you! I'm the legitimate emperor. How can you say I'm not?
Your Majesty, what evidence do you have to prove that you are?
The blood mingling test doesn't work now.
The late emperor's dead already.
The only person who knows the truth is Empress Dowager.
She summoned us to the capital because she's not sure.
What other evidence do you have?
God will prove it for me.
How?
You really going to rely on that?
I'm honest and upright. What do I have to fear?
Fine. Let God be my judge. It's been overcast for days.
The sacrificial ritual is in a couple of days.
I swear that if it's sunny on that day,
it will mean the ancestors are confirming my legitimacy.
Fine. Since humans can't prove your legitimacy, let God prove it.
Brother Wang.
Yes?
A toast to you.
If you hadn't take action today,
His Majesty would be in dire straits.
Actually I don't feel comfortable drinking this.
Me neither.
I've been worried since just now.
His Majesty had already survived the blood mingling test.
Why did he decide to ask God to confirm his legitimacy for him?
No one can tell
whether it will be overcast or sunny on the clay of the sacrificial ritual.
Is there really no other way aside from asking God to decide?
Now that the blood mingling test has been disproved by Brother Wang.
I'm afraid one must really ask God to verify his legitimacy.
I don't care whether His Majesty is the offspring of the late emperor.
Emperors Taizong and Taizu
founded the nation with their own effort and hard work.
They weren't the offspring of an emperor.
Too bad every emperor deems himself the chosen one.
What's the use if only Brother Wang and I don't care?
The rumor is out of control now.
I'm afraid His Majesty must ask the sun to show its face on time
if he wants to stay on the throne.
The sky is so dark.
It's night time. Of course the sky is dark.
I'm afraid it will be this dark on the clay of the sacrificial ritual.
It won't be. It's been overcast for so many days already.
I'm sure it will be sunny in a couple of days.
I asked the imperial astronomer just now.
He said it would be overcast in the coming weeks.
Even you're not sure of your legitimacy?
I've never doubted it.
I grew up under the love and protection of the late emperor and Empress Dowager.
I can really feel our kinship.
Especially when I was sloppy and slack,
my father's expression of tough love
can only be found on the face of a biological dad.
Then you don't need to worry.
So many things have happened recently.
I've lost confidence in peoples hearts. They're so unpredictable.
There are times when your servants can turn against you.
The officials fake their concern.
Even your good friends will prove to be unfaithful and dishonest.
I'm afraid even God will trick me.
This won't happen. Don't scare yourself.
I only trust you won't betray me, Qin Cao.
Honey.
What is it, honey?
His Majesty is offering the sacrifice to his ancestors today.
If it doesn't turn sunny, the princes won't spare us.
We can only leave it to God then. Let Him decide.
The rain has stopped. Maybe it will be sunny later.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Here comes His Majesty.
Your Majesty!
Your Royal Highness!
Your Majesty, its time to ask God to make a decision.
Your Majesty, you must make an offering to the ancestors first.
The sacrificial ritual can wait. You must ask God for a decision first.
Your Royal Highness!
Will the clouds disperse?
It's been overcast for days. Why would it turn sunny all of a sudden?
We've failed by a narrow margin. Is Song really so lucky and blessed?
I am the legitimate emperor.
Long live Your Majesty...
Congratulations, Your Majesty...
Congratulations, Your Majesty, on proving your legitimacy.
Officer Su, first you gang up with Empress Dowager.
Now you're happy for me.
Is this what people call "sitting on the fence"?
Anyway, I'm glad I got to see what you've done.
I will never forget it.