Subtitles by DramaFever
[The King's Woman]
[Episode 22]
Your Grace.
No... What do you mean by this?
You just said that you're staying for the night.
Why are you making your bed here?
My bed is so big!
It's big enough for two.
Look at your bed.
It's so small that... Look!
It's only big enough to fit me.
It's only big enough for me!
That's why this is my bed.
Your bed is over there.
If this is what you insist on doing
I might not be able to fall asleep.
Then I'll stand here and watch you sleep.
Do as you please, Your Grace.
I'm going to bed now.
No...
Can you fall asleep like that?
Hey!
You're really going to sleep like this?
Brother Jing, there's a stone door to your left.
Let's take a look.
Slowly.
Father has shown me such lights.
These are long-lasting lights designed by warriors of Mo family.
Once they are lit, they won't go out.
Why would such lights be in here?
Mentor was quite close to the warriors of Mo family.
What can this mean?
Be careful.
Cao Mo?
Zhuan Zhu?
Yu Rang?
Nie Zheng?
All these names sound so familiar.
Nie Zheng...
I think I heard of the name from Mentor.
Is it that legendary warrior who assassinated the king of Han State
by himself, some hundred years ago?
It is.
I heard that after Warrior Nie Zheng assassinated the king of Han State
he knew he couldn't make it out of the palace
so he destroyed his own face and killed himself.
No one really knows if it's true.
Mentor told me that with Warrior Nie's combat skills
it's impossible for him to have not made it out of the palace.
That corpse with a disfigured face was actually Warrior Nie's enemy.
Warrior Nie used him as his scapegoat.
He escaped and went into hiding.
If Warrior Gongsun said that, then it must be true.
I found it strange back then.
I wondered why Mentor knew so well about what happened a century ago.
It turns out that Warrior Nie Zheng...
was also related to Swan Swordsmanship.
[Yuchang] Fish intestine?
"Once Swan Swordsmanship is learned"
"the stone door shall open."
Brother Jing, those shadows...
Could they be the stances of Swan Swordsmanship?
It's highly possible.
Those stances are rarely seen.
They are also quite exquisite and profound.
If I can master some of the stances
I'd be able to dominate the fighting world.
What's wrong?
Did you have a nightmare?
You dreamed of your grandfather?
It's all right.
I'm right here.
I'll protect you.
Your Grace...
You really stayed up all night?
I did.
Didn't I say that I'd watch you sleep?
All right.
Sleep.
I'll protect you.
Here.
Good.
Be good, sleep.
Come on, sleep.
Brother Jing.
Lan, where have you been?
I took a look around the place.
I wanted to find a way out of here.
This cave might be big but there's no path that will lead us out of here.
This is the only exit.
That means...
There's no other way out of this cave.
There's underground water here in the cave.
Drinking water isn't an issue.
However...
I couldn't find any food at all.
You mean to say...
If we finish all the rations we have on us
before I manage to learn Swan Swordsmanship...
We'll starve to death in here.
I'm afraid so.
It's all right.
Have a seat and get some rest. Come.
Have some food and water first.
Get some rest.
I'll try to open this stone door.
Then, we'll go get wine and meat.
Get some rest then. I'll learn the swordsmanship.
Sure.
Madam! Madam!
Bad news!
Shang Yi, how many times have I told you?
Don't panic when anything happens.
But I have a very important matter to report to you, Madam.
What could be so important?
That witch, Consort Li, has already left the palace with His Grace.
Madam, let me finish what I have to say.
It's not about Madam Li.
It's Virtuous Lady Jing!
What about Lady Jing?
I just gathered some information from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Virtuous Lady Jing is pregnant.
What?
Virtuous Lady Jing is pregnant?
His Grace is away from the palace these days.
He wouldn't have been informed of it yet.
Lady Jing is overjoyed.
I bet she must be grinning from ear to ear now.
That wench...
I've underestimated her.
I've tried everything to conceive.
Yet she managed to conceive one first!
Greetings, Madam Chu.
Lady Jing is here?
Don't be so nervous.
Have a seat.
Thank... Thank you for bestowing me with a seat, Madam.
Sister Jing...
I've especially invited you here today.
Do you know why?
Madam, I do not know.
It's nothing, really.
It's just that there is a rumor going around the palace recently.
I invited you over today to have you confirm whether or not it is true.
A rumor?
What kind of rumor?
I haven't heard of it.
You haven't heard of it?
It's being said that you're carrying the king's child
but you haven't heard of it?
Are you really that silly...
Or are you just feigning ignorance to deceive me?
I wouldn't dare!
How could I dare to deceive Madam?
That is but a rumor.
It's all fabricated by others, and... totally groundless.
If it's sheer fiction, what inspired it then?
If it's totally groundless...
How did it come about in the first place?
Such a rumor wouldn't spread without reason.
Madam... I really don't know what you're talking about.
If the rumor isn't true, why are you so nervous?
Sister Jing, you're being too sensitive.
I just invited you over for some tea.
- Shang Yi. - Yes.
Serve Lady Jing some tea.
Anyone there? Serve the tea.
I'm not an unreasonable person.
If you drink this tea...
I'll still regard you as a sister.
Should you refuse to drink it...
I don't know if I can still tolerate your presence in this palace.
You should know that His Grace is away on a conquest.
No one in the palace can help you.
What kind of tea is this?
This tea is bestowed to you by Grand Empress Dowager.
You can't get this often in the palace.
Palace Woman Han, am I right?
Yes.
Madam is right.
What is it?
You find this tea too ordinary?
No, it's not--
Fine.
Then next time, I'll report to Grand Empress Dowager
that her tea isn't good enough for Virtuous Lady Jing.
I'll drink it.
Does it taste good?
It's tasty.
Drink it all then.
It was bestowed to you by Grand Empress Dowager, after all.
I heard that...
Lady Jing miscarried?
Madam, you're so well-informed.
That is indeed true.
Lady Jing is too young.
She's ignorant of the dangers lurking in this world.
Concubines must only summon physicians they can trust
when it comes a matter as important as pregnancy.
Once the pregnancy is confirmed, it must be kept confidential.
The longer it remains unknown to anyone else, the better.
If it's not a trusted physician, the news will be spread very quickly.
Yes, Lady Jing might have been too delighted and overlooked it.
She didn't summon a physician that she could trust.
Besides, it's said that Lady Jing was so overjoyed
that she couldn't help telling her servants about it.
In my opinion
Lady Jing was so carried away that she got too cocky.
She wasn't cautious enough and got herself in such a predicament.
Even if His Grace returns to the palace now
he won't look into the matter further.
After all...
Lady Jing isn't Madam Li.
Even if His Grace is annoyed
he can't bring back a child he has lost.
[Qin State's military camp]
Your Grace, you said that Mister Han Fei is extremely talented
but I just can't understand this.
In order to recruit a Confucian scholar
we're deploying 100,000 men to war in Han State?
If anyone learns of it, they will laugh at us for being so cocky!
Just how capable is this Han Fei?
Meng Wu, you...
You really do think like a military man.
You don't understand the importance of having scholars when governing a state.
A talent like Mister Han Fei is treated like some old shoe by King of Han.
If I politely invite him from Han State
King of Han might not let him go.
An, the King of Han, is cowardly and ignorant.
I'm taking my troops there to scare him.
That way, he'll let Han Fei come to Qin with humility and respect.
I see.
Since I'm recruiting Mister Han Fei, I'll certainly hold him in high regard.
I'll adopt his strategies to attack and conquer the six states.
By then, people will realize that I'm not some tyrant.
Rather, they'll know that the King of Han is a fool.
Indeed, Your Grace is still so wise.
[Han State]
[Han]
[Qin]
Your Grace, we only have 30,000 men guarding the capital of Han.
We estimate that Qin State has deployed 100,000 men!
- 100,000 men? - 100,000 men?
This...
What should we do?
This is...
This...
Why would the King of Qin attack Han State now?
What have I done wrong?
I've offended that devil, the King of Qin?
Your Grace...
- Your Grace... - Your Grace...
Your Grace, is there a problem with our annual tribute?
Even powerful states like Chu State have offered tributes to Qin State.
Could it be that the King of Qin finds us insincere in our tribute
and intends to ask us for a lot more by attacking us?
- Exactly! - Exactly!
How should we handle this? What should I do?
My dear subjects, do you have any good ideas?
Your Grace, the pressing matter at hand is dealing with Qin State's army.
It's pointless to stand here, guessing the reason for this attack!
Your Grace, look!
That's Qin State's general, Meng Wu.
The one riding next to him is...
Why does it seem like a woman?
How could it be a woman?
Enough said!
Open the gates right away!
Ask them if they are here to negotiate a peace treaty!
Yes!
Convey the orders to open up the gates!
I wonder what has made Qin State launch its army upon Han State?
King of Han, fear not.
We're not here today to conquer Han State.
Nor are we here to kill anyone.
That's good to know.
Whether Qin State would like to ask us for beauties
or treasures, I will certainly offer them to you wholeheartedly!
King of Han, you have such poor sight.
Do you think that Great Qin would deploy its army here
just for beauties and treasures?
It's no wonder that Han State is so poor and weak.
Then...
Then why is Qin State attacking us?
We're just here to ask you for one man.
As long as you consent to it, we'll withdraw our army right away.
Who is it? Who dares offend the King of Qin?
I'll surely have him arrested and hand him over to you!
- Exactly! - That's right.
Han Fei.
- Han Fei? - Han Fei?
Lan.
Brother Jing.
Brother Jing, are you all right?
I'm fine.
I can do this.
Get some rest.
Don't keep pushing yourself.
That won't do. We've been trapped in here for days.
I still can't wrap my head around that swordsmanship.
If I can't master the swordsmanship soon
we'll both starve to death in here.
Brother Jing, don't be too anxious.
My father often said that it takes sudden inspiration
when training in swordsmanship, so it's best to be spontaneous.
Then you can break through barriers and move to the next level.
You should get some proper rest.
Divert your attention elsewhere.
Then you'll improve tremendously when you get back to training.
Lan...
Why do you seem weaker?
I'm all right.
Brother Jing, you must be hungry?
Here, have some food.
No. This is your share.
I'm all right.
It's all up to you to get us out of here now.
If you can't train well because of an empty stomach
it'd be such a shame.
- Here, have it. - No.
This is--
See? Your stomach is growling.
All right now, have it.
You can only save me if you're well fed.
I'm depending on you.
Quickly, eat up.
Go on.
Slow down.
Sister Li, you went with His Grace and recruited Mister Han successfully.
It seems that His Grace will make you his queen very soon.
We didn't get into any battles on this conquest to Han State.
His Grace only used the appointing of a queen as an excuse
to stall Grand Empress Dowager.
Sister Min, don't take him too seriously.
Since you're not interested in becoming the queen
I'll say no more.
However...
Han Shen seems to have recovered quite well.
You can now put your mind at ease.
My senior is doing very well.
Thank you for your concern.
Mister Han Fei, please.
I... thank... thank Your Grace for this... banquet.
Mister Han Fei is indeed an honest and upright man.
Even in my presence, you don't act pretentiously.
Please have a seat.
Thank you, Your Grace.
Your Grace, you indeed have remarkable insight.
When I was mentored by Xun Kuang years ago
I was Han Fei's classmate.
I thought he was very clear-minded and highly talented.
After I read his books
I was even more convinced that he's a knowledgeable man.
Now that Your Grace has recruited Han Fei to Qin State
I believe it will greatly benefit Great Qin.
"Tact is the means whereby to create posts according to responsibilities"
"hold actual services accountable according to official titles--"
"Exercise ... Exercise... Exercise the power over life and death."
"And examine the officials'... abilities."
"It is what the lord of men has in his grip."
I hereby officially announce Mister Han Fei as a visiting official.
If I can have the assistance of Mister Han Fei
then it's as good as having the mind of 1,000 men
and the force of 1,000 soldiers.
It will surely be of great help in Qin's unification of the world.
I... I'm honored to be acknowledged by Your Grace.
I truly... am overjoyed.
However... However I...
Forgive me for being so bold.
Your... Your Grace...
You wish to accomplish a great achievement.
You wish to unite all states as one.
What... What is the true intention behind this ambition?
Mister Han's question is very amusing.
Everyone knows I intend to unite all the states.
But no officials dare speak to me as frankly as Mister Han Fei does.
I... I am all ears.
I'd like to know your answer.
Sure!
Since the collapse of royal authority in Eastern Zhou period
the Crown Prince of Zhou's authority have been weak.
The central plains were ruled by him.
Yet there were endless battles.
The people never had a day of peace.
Since I took the throne as a child
I thought of how I could have my people live in peace.
There was only one way.
It's to put an end to the disparity between all the states.
A single written language.
A single currency.
A single standard for transport.
If it is achieved, the world can then be unified as one.
All men shall be of one nation.
Only then would there be no war.
The people could then recuperate and be nourished.
They can then live in peace.
Classmate, I never thought we would meet again in Great Qin.
This is such a joyous occasion.
Li... Master Li.
I should thank you.
You... you must have recommended me to His Grace.
That's... That's why I got to come to Qin State.
You're too modest.
Han Fei, your knowledge surpasses that of many others.
You're highly talented.
I admit I'm not as capable as you are.
Even our mentor, Xun Kuang, has said it before...
that you're the only one who can inherit his school of thought
and still come up with your own original philosophy.
You flatter me.
It's such flattery.
I am but mediocre.
I only write some articles because I'm not at all eloquent.
Don't be too modest.
Anyway, you can now be of service to His Grace.
The both us can render our services to Great Qin at the same time.
We should exchange our ideas more often and learn from each other.
Mister Han Fei, Palace Woman Han is here.
Lowly concubine, Han, greets Master Han Fei.
Palace Woman Han, what brings you to Master Han's room so late at night?
Master Li, His Grace has sent me especially to attend to Master Han Fei.
This... This is...
Because Master Han and I are both from Han State
His Grace had me bestowed to Master Han.
If there's anything you need, you can have me do your bidding.
Since it is so...
I will take my leave.
Don't see me out, Brother Han.
I heard that His Grace bestowed Palace Woman Han to Mister Han Fei?
Is that true?
Yes, after 9 o'clock tonight
Palace Woman Han was sent over to Mister Han Fei's room.
Madam, Palace Woman Han has always been loyal to Madam Chu.
Could it be...
that Madam Chu is using Palace Woman Han
to win over Han Fei since His Grace holds him in high regard?
His Grace and Madam Li brought Mister Han Fei back to the palace.
As for Palace Woman Han...
Madam Chu wouldn't have a say in it.
It's probably because His Grace thinks highly of Mister Han Fei
and is concerned he might be bored in the palace.
So he had Palace Woman Han, who is also from Han State
bestowed to Mister Han Fei?
However...
Would Madam Chu use Palace Woman Han
now that she's serving Mister Han Fei, to stir up some trouble in the palace?
With Madam Chu's tiny bit of wit, she can't cause much trouble.
Instead of worrying about Madam Chu
let's see what Mister Han Fei's motives are in serving Great Qin.
Madam, you mean...
His Grace holds Han Fei in high regard.
Therefore, his strategies and opinions on the six states will surely
influence His Grace's actions and policies.
But Han Fei is, after all, from Han State.
Would he sacrifice other states in order to save his own motherland?
It's still too soon to tell.
Stop running!
Be careful. It's slippery!
We just said the same thing!
You run so slowly!
See, I caught you?
All right, you win.
This is so tiring.
Be careful.
Can we stop running?
This is too tiring.
Your Grace is tired?
Anyone? Escort His Grace back to his palace.
Don't bother.
I'll be sleeping here tonight.
You're all dismissed.
- Yes. - Yes.
What is it?
Can't I sleep over?
Your Grace, but you never sleep in any concubine's quarters, do you?
Can't I make an exception?
I'm willing to sleep here today.
Then...
Qing, escort His Grace to the bed.
- Yes. - Don't bother.
I will sleep right here.
Your Grace, it's so uncomfortable here.
It's all right.
I'm happy to sleep here.
Qing, bring the pillow and blanket here for His Grace.
Yes.
Qing, you're dismissed.
Yes.
Your Grace, get a good rest.
You're not to leave.
Sleep here with me.
Madam, are you complaining
that you may end up lonely like Empress Dowager if I die someday?
Do you also want a few kept men?
Why are you such a petty man?
As a king, you get to have so many women.
But you expect every woman in the harem to be faithful to you.
Forget it.
If you don't want to be my queen
I won't beg you either.
There's something I want to tell you...
I like you very much.
Sister Li is the only one you love.
That's why...
You must master the swordsmanship and rescue Sister Li.
I'll always watch over you.
I'll always watch over you...
An ill-tempered and mean tiger like him...
I don't mind ignoring him.
Madam actually calls His Grace a mean tiger?
Even a tiger has a better temper.
He gets angry so easily.
Sometimes, he's as childish as a child
but then he's sometimes as gentle as a grown man.
I'm already being nice by calling him a mean tiger.
Qing, listen.
If he dares to throw a tantrum for no reason again
I'll slap him so hard that he won't be able to talk for days.
You mean... you aren't scared that the tiger will eat you?
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