Episode 6
You are exceptionally clever.
But, I hope that you will also be loyal.
Sir.
On a personal level, you once saved my life.
On the other hand,
you are a benevolent man.
If you succeed to the throne, it's good for the country and people.
Since you are the person I chose to support,
I will not be disloyal.
But, I also hope you can put yourself in my position.
Put myself in your position?
I heard you love to drink alone occasionally.
The weather is cold now...
and even warmed up wine turns cold easily.
This wine bottle has a custom made inner liner.
It can preserve the warmth.
You don't have to drink cold wine anymore.
Thank you for the concern.
I shall excuse myself.
Sir.
It's time to greet the empress dowager.
Yu Hao.
From today onwards,
observe Liu Shang's actions.
Yes.
Why is Xiao Tan always acting weird?
Even if she's saying strange things because she's not in her right mind,
she can't possibly forget about everything in the past.
In fact, Xiao Tan's handwriting...
has become so crooked and messy.
It's completely different...
from her neat calligraphy back then.
Even if she has lost her memory,
how can her handwriting change?
Is there something interesting on the floor?
Prince Jing Xuan.
By the way,
This is inkstone for painting eyebrows from Persia.
It's a premium one.
But, I'm a man and I don't need it.
You... You can have it.
Prince Jing Xuan, I'm just a maid.
I don't need to paint my eyebrows.
Even if I paint my eyebrows, no one will admire them.
You can draw your eyebrows for me.
Sir, why are you staring at me?
Sir.
If you don't need anything,
I shall excuse myself.
Why does she look so unhappy?
Intruder!
After him!
Hurry!
So, Mr. Liu Shang asked you to go to his room...
just to play chess with him?
He didn't say anything throughout the game,
but asked you to prepare roses in a vase?
He even said he'll come and collect it at night.
What a weirdo.
Speaking of the devil.
I'll open the door.
Mr...
Tan Er, I miss you so much.
How are you lately?
Did anyone bully you?
I'm so useless.
I couldn't protect you.
Prince Yi Huai?
Looks like he's the guy in this love triangle.
Prince Yi Huai, I'm not Qu Tan Er.
Please let go of me.
Of course you're my Tan Er.
I said I'm not!
I don't want to get involved in this love triangle!
Of course you're my Tan Er.
I see.
You're also...
You're the same as me.
We're from the same place.
This watch looks old.
It should be an antique.
Could it be that...
you're older than me?
Don't let outsiders hear us.
You're right.
We must conceal our identities.
Tan Er has really gone crazy.
She doesn't even remember me.
But, so what?
No matter what happens to her,
she'll always be the love of my life.
Tan Er.
I'll take you back.
You're really too nice!
I can't believe you offered to take me away right away.
From now on, you're my buddy!
I'll take you back now. Let's go.
Sayonara.
Brother Yi Huai.
You're still under house arrest...
and you're trying to take my maid away.
Aren't you guilty of two offenses at the same time?
Brother Lian Cheng.
Tan Er and I grew up together...
and we love each other.
We've sworn to stay together forever.
Please do me a favour.
Yes. Prince Yi Huai and I love each other very deeply.
It's death penalty for leaving without permission.
If you want to leave this place as soon as possible,
be cooperative.
If you cooperate well,
I'll free you.
Brother Yi Huai.
Tan Er is now my bedchamber maid.
In the future, she'll be my princess.
No one can touch my woman.
Why is Prince Lian Cheng...
so irresistible to me?
I won't give Tan Er up so easily.
Since you're a member of my household,
from now on,
you're not allowed to look at another man.
Prince Yi Huai is gone.
We can stop this, right?
Tan Er, I...
Prince...
What a nice touch.
I...
You go first.
How was...
my acting tonight?
Sir, you are a man of your word.
You said you'll free me.
You can't go back on your word.
But,
don't let others know that...
we met here.
Otherwise, the promise will be annulled.
Ms. Tan Er.
Maids are not allowed to go out after the curfew.
Why did you break the house rule...
and still look so remorseless?
The prince ordered me to come here.
Nonsense.
Prince Lian Cheng?
Why is he in the horse carriage?
He even changed his clothes.
What exactly is going on?
Yu Hao.
Tell Housekeeper Zhou...
to deduct her monthly salary.
If she repeats the offense, have her flogged.
Yes.
Who is he putting up an act for?
This schizophrenic prince...
changes his attitude all the time.
I shouldn't have believed in his stupid promise.
Prince Jing Kang has arrived!
Greetings, Brother Yi Huai.
You're finally back after 10 years.
Why isn't the palace holding any celebration for you?
Having you to welcome me personally...
is better than any form of grand welcoming ceremony.
You weren't home last night.
Don't tell me you left to meet...
that Ms. Tan Er you mentioned numerous times in your letters.
I heard...
Ms. Tan Er...
has become a maid in Brother Lian Cheng's household.
That's why...
I tried to rescue her last night.
Unexpectedly,
Brother Lian Cheng appeared in the nick of time...
and stopped me.
If this is brought to father's attention,
I'm afraid Brother Lian Cheng...
will make a huge fuss out of it...
under the pretext that you left your residence...
without permission during house arrest.
Do you believe that...
I'm a person from the future?
Although I don't completely believe you yet,
if you're telling the truth,
the pain of the forbidden act you are currently facing...
is both a warning from the Productive and Diminish Cycle...
and a compensation for destroying the order of time.
Lately,
the syndrome of overlapping is worsening.
Even if I don't make any physical contact with my family...
or the other me,
it'll still act up.
You appeared at a place where you shouldn't exist...
and the consequence will surely be a repercussion.
The pain of the forbidden act came from this as well.
My concern is that...
as time goes by,
you'll gradually lose your senses...
and eventually disappear from this place completely.
By the way,
I have a few dozen of pills here.
If you take a pill during a seizure,
you will be relieved.
You cannot take too much of this medicine.
Because every time you consume it,
it will aggravate the next seizure.
If that goes on,
you'll disappear even sooner.
Now, it's most important for you...
to wait for the recurrence of that strange phenomenon.
You should leave as soon as possible.
Don't worry.
I will observe the stars and the sky for you.
If there is anything unusual,
I will surely inform you immediately.
Prince Jing Kang has arrived!
Greetings, father.
Kang Er, rise at once.
Kang Er, you've spent 10 years in that cold and desolated place.
I've always felt bad for you.
Now that you've returned,
I decided to reward you properly.
Do you have any wish? You may tell me honestly.
Father, I request that you release Brother Yi Huai from house arrest.
Brother Yi Huai has been reflecting all day and night...
without eating and resting properly lately.
I'm really worried.
Kang Er.
The empress died too young.
Huai Er misbehaved...
because I failed to educate him well.
I'm responsible for this as well.
But, I believe you understand that...
as a prince,
he rejected the marriage I planned for him...
and disregarded our system.
How can I entrust important undertakings to him in the future?
Brother Yi Huai angered you as he was swayed by his emotions.
Yesterday, he was so remorseful that...
he almost killed himself with his sword.
Father, please make a sound judgement.
What?
Huai Er is this remorseful?
Convey my order.
As Prince Yi Huai has repented,
he shall be released from house arrest.
Yu Hao, this letter is very important.
The content can get Brother Yi Huai into deep trouble.
You must guard it properly.
Do not let anyone take it away from my study.
Yes.
The time Brother Yi Huai returns...
is the perfect opportunity to...
find out if Qu Tan Er is a spy.
Keep an eye on her.
If the letter is taken away from my study,
report to me immediately.
Yes.
Greetings, sir.
Today, everyone in the court praised me for being far-sighted.
But, they have no idea that...
it is your wisdom I rely on.
Sir, what do you mean?
As you predicted, the Yellow River...
overflowed and caused a flood 2 days ago.
Everyone in the court thinks I took preventive measures...
because I foresaw it.
You are a thoughtful person yourself.
Even without my advice,
you would have taken precautions.
Not many in this world can predict a flood.
How did you see it coming?
I was impoverished since I was a child.
I was once a beggar.
In order to survive,
I picked up divination from a Taoist priest.
Besides,
if I'm not even capable of doing this much,
how can I ever assist you?
I heard...
His Majesty has just released Prince Yi Huai from house arrest.
I believe Prince Yi Huai has begun to prepare...
for a comeback.
The officials currently favour me.
Should I take this opportunity to...
create a conflict between my brother and Noble Consort Dugu?
The competition over the throne is extremely perilous.
If possible, you should...
do your best to honour brotherhood.
Do not end up regretting your decisions.
Could it be that...
you foresaw that...
I will regret it?
I saw with my own eyes...
how my eldest brother died in my father's arms.
That was when I realized that...
what mattered to me prior to that isn't really that important after all.
The agony of losing your family...
will make you restless and regretful forever.
I hope you can understand this.
I didn't know that...
you're a person with so many concerns.
Why isn't there any cooked food at all?
There's no spicy strip, duck neck or shredded squid.
The ancients really lived dull lives.
You disregarded the curfew again and again.
Will you only learn...
after you get flogged?
I sleepwalk.
My subconscious mind must be too desperate for food.
So, my body moved against my will...
and brought me to the kitchen.
The day you get flogged,
you can say the same thing to convince your body...
to accept the punishment for you.
Sir.
Please give me...
one chance to turn over a new leaf.
Surrender the thing you're hiding behind you.
Do you know that it's a capital offense...
to disobey me in my residence?
Why is it death penalty for every single thing?
Because I left without permission last night,
Housekeeper Zhou punished me by starving me one whole day.
If I don't eat something now,
my hunger might even lead to renal failure.
Sir.
If you let it slide this time,
I'll surely change...
and be a good maid.
Take it back and eat it.
Don't waste any of it.
Don't waste any of it?
He's a schizophrenic prince indeed.
I'll eat it.
Sir.
You never learn.
You're leaving without permission again.
Last night, I caught you stealing steamed dumplings.
You forgot your lesson so quickly.
This prince...
is always picking on me instead of...
doing his work and handling the state affairs.
I'm not leaving without permission.
I'm going out to shop for groceries.
According to the roster,
you're not the one in charge of grocery shopping today.
What is this?
You changed the roster on your own?
Sir.
I really miss home.
That's why I took the risk to change shifts and come out.
Considering the fact that I'm a filial daughter,
please spare me.
Spare you?
I can.
However,
I have one condition.
My condition is,
you must promise me 3 things.
Promise you 3 things?
First of all,
you can't have eye contact with me.
I'll treat him as that huge snake in Harry Potter...
that'll turn the beholder into stones.
Secondly,
you can't take the initiative to come close to me.
But, the precondition is,
I can come close to you.
Thirdly,
you must not...
enter my bedroom.
If I can do all those,
will you...
hide this matter from Housekeeper Zhou?
Sir, you can't break your promise.
Otherwise, you'll be struck by lightning.
However,
you can't leave without permission again.
Yes! Thank you, sir.
Otherwise,
you'll be struck by lightning.
In the past,
I started falling for Tan Er...
because I suspected her.
Looks like...
if I don't interfere,
history might repeat itself.
I didn't expect it...
to be so unbelievable.
I became my own love rival.
How come he changed his clothes again?
Each time he changes his clothes,
it's like he'll transform into a dark tyrant.
I'm always the one that gets into trouble.
Why are you serving tea so rudely?
His personality is changing again.
I'm just following...
the rules you set.
Raise your head.
I dare not.
Maybe I frightened her back in the kitchen last night.
You may return.
Yes.
Sir.
Did Tan Er do anything unusual lately?
Since last night, Ms. Tan Er...
never entered your study without permission.
The secret letter is still in its original place.
But, there is indeed...
something unusual about Ms. Tan Er.
Tell me about it.
Today,
Ms. Tan Er seems to be deliberately avoiding you.
Wherever you go,
she avoids going.
I noticed that as well.
From today onwards,
you don't have to monitor Ms. Tan Er anymore.
Yes.
Tell them to bring me a basket of steamed dumplings.
Yes.
Brother Lian Cheng, why are you so happy?
You rarely smile.
Did something good happen?
Why don't you tell me...
and share the joy with me?
Say something, Brother Lian Cheng.
Brother Lian Cheng.
Sir.
You may leave.
Yes.
Steamed dumplings?
Brother Lian Cheng, when did you start liking steamed dumplings?
As far as I remember,
steamed dumpling...
is the food you hate the most.
Jing Xuan.
If a woman...
is suddenly afraid of having eye contact with you...
and keeping a distance,
what does that mean?
I see.
You're vexed because of a woman.
In my opinion,
judging from your description,
those are the symptoms of shyness when a woman is in love.
If she is rebellious...
and repeating mistakes,
is it because of this as well?
I think...
when one is in love,
one will surely be different from usual.
Just like how you suddenly love steamed dumplings now.
Brother Lian Cheng.
Who is the lady you're talking about?
Prior to this,
I hated steamed dumplings so much.
But now,
I think it's lovely and tasty.
I don't even remember why I used to hate it.
Sir.
Look.
Unless necessary, our spy in the palace...
won't request to talk to you personally.
Could it be that it's related to the appointment of crown prince?
It's pointless to guess.
Prepare my horse immediately.
Don't alert others.
Yes.
Jing Xuan.
I want you to head to the palace immediately and investigate.