Subtitles by DramaFever
[Lost Love In Times]
[Episode 24]
Who knew Prince Ming is skilled in disguise?
Very few knew of it.
However, some veteran servants in the palace remembered.
Many years ago, Prince Ming performed for His Majesty's birthday banquet
and had changed into various disguises.
All of them were different.
Each one of them was disguised to perfection.
Even those close to him couldn't make out the differences.
His Majesty was delighted at his performance.
If so, it is not difficult at all for Prince Ming to appear as a woman.
Then many matters would now make sense.
What is it that you recall?
This is such rare information.
You've done well in finding it.
As you said, that was 10 years ago.
It was also a private banquet in the palace.
There are no records of it in the palace's "Everyday Notes."
How did you find out about it?
Elder Mo told me about it.
Mister Mo?
Mister Mo only started working in the palace a year ago.
Moreover, he's stationed outside the palace
so how could he know of such a private event in the palace?
I don't know.
Right, Prince Ling seemed to have made a visit to the Astronomy Bureau.
I understand.
There's one other piece of information.
It is said that before Feng Xian Wu died
she had been studying a medical classic.
It seems to be written in the language of the Western Regions.
This should be it.
This is the book title. Find me one.
Mister Mo could read the language
so please have him translate it for me as soon as possible.
Yes, I'll get it done now.
Greetings, Mother.
Do rise.
I heard from His Majesty that
you'll be selecting a princess consort soon?
I have come to visit you because of this matter
as well as to see if you have any requests.
You already run your own manor.
You should make your own decisions.
I only wish for you to find someone of your affection
so as not to leave any regret.
Mother should know that as a member of the imperial family
it's really hard to do as one wishes.
Indeed.
Life hardly turns out the way we want.
Let's not mention it.
There is one other matter that I'm here for.
All these years, Mother has never asked anything of me.
You only told me to protect The Mages discreetly.
I'd like to know if Mother knew what had happened with The Mages then.
Moreover, have you heard of an Elder called Ding Shui?
I do know the veteran sorcerers and sorceresses.
They only had two Elders.
The Mages have always been a mysterious tribe.
They rarely interact with outsiders.
What about the death of the empress?
Were there any suspicious sightings in the palace then?
The death of the empress?
It just came to my mind.
Xian Wu was leaving the palace that day and I happened to run into her.
I noticed that there was a strange dark red tint on her fingers.
The imperial physician later confirmed that the empress was poisoned
by a unique poison of The Meandering Skies, Flame Poison.
It's been said that Xian Qu had actually murdered the empress.
Flame Poison?
Exactly.
After Elder Mo learned of this information
he sent me here to inform you right away.
There's this book as well.
This is what you asked me to look for.
Why would you be so concerned about this book?
This book was placed on Xian Wu's desk.
The pages were worn around the edges.
It means that Xian Wu used to read it very often.
There could be clues in it.
However, the book is now covered in dust.
No one has flipped through it for quite some time.
I'm worried that it will arouse suspicion if I touch it.
That's why you had me search for another copy?
If writings are done on metal with very thin juices of grass
they would only appear when smeared with juices of the dancing-doll orchid.
Dancing-doll orchid?
There are many of such orchids in Prince Zhan's manor.
I got it!
It wasn't a stain on the copper mirror!
It was a clue that Xian Wu left behind.
The contents in this book can remind others how to find the clues.
Ming Yan, inform Mister Mo to do me a favor.
Perhaps, we shall find out the truth very soon.
Yes.
Ling, didn't you say that you'd stay out of matters concerning Feng Manor?
Why would you still bring your men here personally to assist her?
Mister Mo has asked a favor of me.
It had nothing to do with anyone else.
If dark sorcery can't be eliminated, our people will never be safe.
Why would we make a fuss about such a small favor?
I'm afraid that you share the same mind as someone else?
Elder Ding Shui.
Here you are, at last.
- Young Mistress? - Young Mistress?
Inform Master right away.
You're awake?
Father?
What happened?
I was in the backyard when I heard sounds coming from Xian Wu's room
so I went in to take a look.
I only saw that the copper mirror was shattered on the floor.
Then a dark silhouette fleeted by.
I lost consciousness after that.
A dark silhouette?
Father... Who could have gone into Xian Wu's room?
Perhaps... It's some burglar?
How atrocious is he to barge into the minister's manor at night?
I'll surely have them investigate it thoroughly.
It's fine as long as you're all right.
Rest well.
[Lian]
Lian?
Ling, this is bad.
That person has escaped into the palace precincts.
No one is to enter the palace precincts freely.
You are all to stay out here.
I'll report this to Father first.
Yes.
The golden butterfly?
The Grand Sorceress has appeared?
Why is there such a strong enchanted spell around Lotus Palace?
Not even the golden butterfly could get in.
Could it be...
This won't do. I have to try and inform Ming Yan
to investigate into this immediately.
From what you just said, that person has really escaped into the palace?
Exactly.
Che and I had been to Celestial Dance House
in order to seek out the true culprit behind the dark sorceresses.
Who knew that although we lured this culprit out today
the culprit managed to escape into the palace?
What Ling said is true.
We saw this with our own eyes.
The culprit had escaped into the palace precincts.
Father, if that is so, everyone in the palace is now in danger.
This matter is of great consequences.
Should any mistakes occur
it would only stir up great chaos in the city and put everyone in danger.
Are you really certain of it?
I can guarantee this with my life.
The culprit is in the palace.
Crown Prince.
Present.
Inform the commander of the Imperial Army, Zhang Shu.
Have him assist Ling in capturing the culprit.
Yes, Father.
Go ahead.
Che.
Present.
Anyone in the palace who is injured in the abdomen must be checked.
Not one is to be missed.
Get this investigated thoroughly.
Yes, Father.
Father.
Have you heard of The Mages' Elder Ding Shu?
Ding Shui?
She's been dead for years.
Why would you bring her up?
Do you know her?
When the deceased emperor was in reign
the Elders of The Mages would come to the palace regularly
to pray for the imperial family.
Most of the people in the palace then had met them.
Elder Ding Shui was the youngest elder.
She made use of her trips to the palace to seduce the previous emperor
and then she betrayed The Mages.
She died when trying to break through the magic circle.
Everyone knew of this matter then.
Ling...
Could it be such a dangerous person hiding in the palace?
Head over to Lotus Palace right away to see if your mother is safe!
I'll head over to Mother's right away.
Judging from what Father just said
who could the Elder of dark sorcery be if Ding Shui is already dead?
Where is my mother?
Her Ladyship is inside.
Mother?
An assassin has barged into the palace.
I wonder if Mother is well?
It's all fine in here.
You can set your mind at ease.
That's good to hear.
I've asked Crown Prince to dispatch the Imperial Army
to level up the security.
You must watch out for the assassin.
Don't worry, I understand.
I'm already in bed so I won't let you in.
You could head back now.
Don't let me hold you up from important matters.
I take my leave.
This is exactly the same as the previous time.
That was why I had to take such ruthless actions.
You are all to dismiss now.
Without my orders, no one is allowed to disturb me.
His Majesty has been unwell recently.
I'll be praying for him in the Buddhist Hall.
Yes, Empress.
Consort Lian?
Ding Shui?
If you destroy my plans...
Even if you are the empress, you will still have to be killed!
A sorceress indeed.
She would actually set this trap up to lure me over?
With those petty powers of yours
you even dream of finding out my real identity?
I'm afraid it won't be that easy.
Qing Chen has located the whereabouts of the dark sorceress.
I don't believe that she could get away this time.
Lotus Palace?
How could she be here?
This is the slumber hall of Consort Lian.
Hardly anyone visits this place.
It is indeed harder to be spotted here.
Who is it?
It hurts!
What are you doing at Lotus Palace so late at night?
We're hunting down an assassin in the palace now.
If you can't explain your actions today
I'll report to Father right away
and get you interrogated at the Judicial Court of Review.
What was Your Highness doing at Lotus Palace as well?
You'd better not tell me that
you don't know about the regulations of the palace?
Even as the prince
Your Highness isn't allowed into the harem without permission.
Should His Majesty ask you about it
I could say that I was out observing constellations
and discovered the Purple Star above Lotus Palace
so I was there to verify the auspicious sign.
But then...
What is Your Highness's reason for showing up at Lotus Palace?
You...
Fine.
It isn't that I'm not reminding you.
If you get too curious and wander around randomly within the palace precincts
and get caught by the guards, don't blame me for not rescuing you.
Stay here obediently.
That sorceress slipped into Lotus Palace.
I have to inform Qing Chen right away.
Who knew that you would have such a powerful disciple?
She could actually set a trap and injure me.
So it is actually you?
I should have figured out your identity sooner.
Ding Shu.
If I weren't so badly wounded today
you wouldn't even figure out till death who you were defeated by.
Indeed, I hadn't thought in the first place that
you would use the forbidden powers of dark sorcery to change your appearance.
It seems that your powers have improved from the last I saw you.
You're already so badly wounded
and yet you could still keep the forbidden powers intact.
Senior, you are also indeed the Elder of The Mages.
You are of a different stature from those mortals.
Even though I'm badly wounded, my powers are enough to fool them.
I will surely let you know the truth before you die.
I will have the entire tribe of The Mages...
Buried along with you.
It's no wonder that you wanted to destroy the Meandering Skies.
You went to great lengths to carry out such a scheme
just to seek revenge for your exile?
Shouldn't I?
As one of The Mages' Elders
you defied our tribe's regulations and fell in love with the previous emperor.
You brought upon your own bitter end.
Yet, you now blame this entirely on The Mages?
Senior Xi Xie, His Majesty and I are truly in love with each other.
It is not wealth and glory that I seek.
Ding Shui.
As the youngest Elder of The Mages
you were initially appointed for your outstanding talent.
Who knew that you would be so muddleheaded?
You actually fell in love with someone in the imperial family
and totally disregarded our tribe's regulations!
I understand that I have committed a grave sin.
Should Senior Xi Xie punish me for it, I still won't regret my actions.
However, I am willing to give up my identity as a sorceress
in exchange for a lifetime with His Majesty.
Senior Xi Xie, please allow me to do so!
So much for having such high expectations of you!
Junior Ding Shui, why would you refuse to come to your senses?
You should understand that you're different from a common sorceress.
As one of the Elders in the Meandering Skies
you must all the more not violate our regulations!
Senior Tao Yao, do you truly think that
all of The Mages' regulations are reasonable?
If I were to say
you are the one who still refuses to come to your senses!
You grew up with Senior Xi Xie.
The both of you are clearly deeply fond of each other
but why would you insist on complying to The Mages' rule of abstinence
and forego your happiness?
Even if you were right
shouldn't we all have responsibilities in life that we should answer to?
We couldn't all choose to place our own desires before duties.
In our lifetime, why can't we lead our life carefree without any regret?
I don't understand.
You would give up the one you love just for the sake
of responsibilities that were forced upon you?
Could it be right to ignore what you truly feel?
If what you seek could only be attained at the price of the nation and people
then in this lifetime...
Senior Xi Xie and I would rather let each other down
than all living creatures of this world.
That is what you and Senior Xi Xie have chosen.
I admire the both of you for your sacrifice to protect all lives.
However, you don't have the right to ask that of everyone else.
That is the law of Heaven and The Mages!
Once you enter the Meandering Skies
the regulations of The Mages are what you're destined to follow.
Senior Xi Xie, since you emphasized on the regulations of our tribe
I, too understand them very well.
As long as I can get through the Magic Circle of Blades and Flames
my ties with The Mages will be severed!
Have you really thought this through?
Sea of Flames, Mountain of Blades.
There's no life, but only death.
But for the sake of love, life and death matter not.
This is...
I assume that you must have kept me in the dark
and practiced dark sorcery by then.
Back in the Mountain of Blades'
you faked your death to cover up your tracks.
You changed your appearance and identity to be married into the palace.
However, in the end, you still brought about the previous emperor's death.
If it weren't for your obsession
the previous emperor wouldn't have died so young.
Why am I the one who had His Majesty killed?
If The Mages hadn't made the wrong decision then
to support the wrong ruler
how could Yuan An even have a chance to usurp the throne?
He killed his own brother and married his sister-in-law.
What have The Mages done to stop him?
You claimed to have covered up the truth for the sake of the people!
But who remembered the wrongful death of His Majesty?
Who would uphold justice for him?
Since the Meandering Skies would not interfere with this matter
leave it to dark sorcery to right the wrong!
You've been plotting all this painstakingly for years.
You already rendered The Mages homeless with the death of the empress!
What else is it that you still want?
Senior Xi Xie, do you really wish to know of it?
Not only will I make The Mages pay a dear price for it
but I will also make Yuan An pay for his sins with his life.
I will let him have a taste of being betrayed by his kin.
I want the empire that he had stolen to be torn to pieces!
I want him to lose what is the most precious to him.
I want him to live a life worse than death!
The Mages had reasons for the choices we made!
We need not be doubted by others.
The forbidden powers of dark sorcery are against nature.
How long do you think you could conceal your ways?
One day, you'll eventually pay a dear price for it.
I never believed in destiny.
You want me to pay the price for my actions?
Just with that disciple of yours, Qing Chen?
Senior Xi Xie, listen up.
Ding Shui... I'm no longer who I once was.
That Ding Shui I knew was already dead.
Exactly.
Since I could use her death in exchange for life
I can make her die again.
No one would ever learn of this matter.
Elder.
Senior, what do you think of her?
You actually used The Mages' Purple Soul Crystal?
Since I have plotted all this
I know that some day, my identity might be exposed.
Recreation of one's own physical form.
This isn't just some simple forbidden power.
You've used blood from your heart to feed the sacred pebble.
Even so, you will need to use most of your powers to manipulate it.
Otherwise, one small blunder will have the powers backfire.
You might then be taken over by this substitute.
In the end, your soul will vanquish into thin air.
I have already used the power of the sacred pebble to control her actions.
I already told you.
I am no longer the Ding Shui you once knew.
Senior, don't worry.
In terms of schemes, you have indeed taken everything into account.
When I took you away from Celestial Dance House
your disciple went searching for you and even alerted Tao Yao.
Never will they expect me to create another self today.
Senior, don't bother wasting your energy.
I've set up this enchanted spell with the lives of eight palace maids.
They are all still alive.
If you break this spell by force
all eight of these women would die immediately!
Senior, do give it some thought.
You can always break free.
Who knew that you would stoop to such despicable means?
You'd take innocent lives!
How is anyone truly innocent?
If I were to devise great strategies
I have to use every means possible!
Senior, such a great performance...
You should just sit here and wait to see it unfold.
The tribesman of The Mages that I detected at Celestial Dance House
is that Qing Chen she just spoke of?
Why would she proclaim herself as my disciple?
It seems that Tao Yao already trusts her deeply.
Where does she come from?
How is it possible that she could have Ding Shui wounded so?
The spiritual powers of the Purple Soul Crystal are mysterious and unpredictable.
Everyone would most likely be deceived by the fake Ding Shui.
How could I warn them in advance?
Your Highnesses, have you located Ding Shui's whereabouts?
I suspect that she was the one who abducted my mentor.
If we could find her, we could probably find my mentor.
I have asked my father to seal off the palace.
He will have the palace searched.
I'm sure that we would get the results soon.
Thank you, Your Highnesses.
I'd like to remind Your Highness of a matter.
Ding Shui is no ordinary person.
Now that she's in the palace, everyone in it can be in danger.
I wonder if Your Highness has already been to Lotus Palace?
I have been to visit my mother.
She is well. Don't worry.
Consort Lian has always kept to herself.
Your Highness, please pay her closer attention.
Ling already stationed the Imperial Army there.
Should anything come up, they will send urgent messages.
Be it that Ding Shui has infiltrated Lotus Palace for years
or that she had only fled in there
we mustn't alert the enemies.
Moreover, she's now in the harem.
Any oversight would turn this into lese-majeste.
I could only expect this from Yuan Ling first.
What is on your mind?
I'm thinking about how to lure this sorceress out.
Why don't you ever heed my advice?
I told you not to venture into Feng Manor but you insisted on doing so.
What then?
You nearly got yourself into huge trouble.
Should anything happen to you, what am I to--
I'm begging you.
Stop putting your life at risk.
Don't worry, Your Highness.
Unless I come up with an all-round strategy
I won't act hastily.
I'll take my leave.
Your Highnesses should get some rest soon.
Walk her home.
Your Highness, please don't see me to the door.
Isn't this the back door of Feng Manor?
I left the manor discreetly.
It won't do any good for anyone to see us.
All right.
Miss Qing, please be careful.
Miss Qing Chen, hold on.
I really can't understand.
All this time, from the border to Heavenly Capital
I've observed you and noticed that although you treat Ling coldly
you're deeply concerned about him.
Ling also defied my father and turned down the marital bond for you.
Now that he will soon have to select his princess consort
I hope that you could give this some thought
as the second young mistress of Feng family.
There is bound to be a princess consort chosen.
Whoever Ling might marry
he could never truly be happy if she isn't the one he loves!
I never regret my decisions.
It doesn't concern me who Prince Ling marries in the end.
Take care, Your Highness.
My decision...
Could it really bring you happiness?
Elder.
How is the investigation going?
I might have figured out where my mentor is.
If I am right, I might even be able to solve the empress's murder
and clear The Mages of our name.
Do you mean it?
I'd need your help to lure out the Elder of dark sorcery.
What is your plan?
On the empress's death anniversary
I'd try to sneak you into the palace.
I leave the arrangements to you.
I'll offer any assistance.
Ling, is it really all right for you not to go to Lotus Palace?
I just took a look around.
There's nothing suspicious.
Dark sorceresses are full of trickery.
They aren't so easy to tackle.
Why don't we carry out our plan as intended?
This should give us a better chance in winning.
Miss Qing Chen does devise great strategies.
She really is very clever.
However...
She seemed to have kept some matters from us.
She also seemed quite perplexed?
When did you get such insight into one's mind?
I've followed you for years.
Could I not even figure that out?
If even you can figure that out, do you think that I can't?
Why would you still trust her so?
You chose not to take any action and went along with her plan.
Speaking of gaining insight into one's mind
sometimes, it's more of an instinct at the first glance.
Something is troubling her.
But the look in her eyes...
What is it in her eyes?
Her eyes reveal her affection.
I'm afraid that it's not just her, Ling?
This is the first time that I've seen you like this.
You conceal a smile on your face.
The look in your eyes...
It reveals... some sort of affection!
I have matters to handle so I'll get going now.
Ling, take your time.
Your Highness, it was as you have expected.
Prince Ling has already taken actions.
I heard that the person they are after has escaped into the palace.
Instead of saying that Ling has taken actions
it might as well be said that Qing Chen did.
Your Highness means...
Qing Chen is searching for her mentor
but her final goal isn't that simple.
She should be...
She's planning to redress The Mages' case.
But The Mages have long been banished into exile by His Majesty.
How could it be so easy to redress this case?
But as long as Qing Chen wishes to do so, it can be done.
Get our men to keep monitoring their next move.
I'd like to see how Qing Chen gets this case redressed.
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