Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
Watching the person in the mirror's countenance pale and grow haggard,
Examining love together with regret, both new and old.
Keeping watch still by a lantern though it is daybreak, drenched with tears,
Watching others meet as promised, as twilight falls.
Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 5
Delicious.
Eat all these here before leaving.
Your Highness the Noble Consort, you are too kind!
You don't even mind that I've eaten so much.
Thank you, Your Highness the Noble Consort!
Looks like she's really a stupid one.
Quickly make her leave. She's annoying me.
Okay already. Stop eating. Her Highness wants you to leave.
I still haven't finished eating!
Take it and leave with it!
Ask the Imperial Household Department...
what kind of people are they hiring now?
Isn't that person mentally-impaired?
Your Highness the Noble Consort, I don't think so.
What you mean is...she's pretending to be dumb?
Whether she is or not, we just need to send someone to monitor her, and we'll know.
Stupid.
Are you at ease now?
Being careful will allow you to sail a boat for thousands of years.
I'm tired too.
You can withdraw.
Yes.
Your Highness, rest well. I'll take my leave.
What's wrong, Your Highness?
Don't know why, but I keep feeling something is off.
Your Highness, you're still suspecting that Wei Yingluo as pretending to be dumb?
If she is, then she's someone to watch out for.
Who doesn't know to pretend to be dumb?
Upon entering, she tripped.
She started talking in a silly manner.
This made Noble Consort assume that she's mentally-impaired.
But the problem is, Noble Consort at that point had not even started to interrogate her yet.
I don't understand.
How long will it take for you to walk from the Embroidery Workshop to here?
She has guessed that Noble Consort is planning to give her trouble.
She then immediately thought of a countermeasure.
It's not hard to pretend to be dumb. What's hard is how to dissipate the anger of Noble Consort.
Those seven bowls of lotus-root powder balls just came in very handy.
It's so late.
Why is Yingluo still not back?
Did something bad happen to her?
No, I must go check.
Where are you going?
It's the Chuxiu Palace. You want to die?
Yingluo has helped me before. How could I just leave her?
Jixiang, you are really stupid.
Does she need to spend such a long time in Chuxiu Palace?
In my opinion, she might have gone dating.
Jinxiu, this is the Forbidden City.
At night, the ones left are just palace maids and eunuchs.
Who will Yingluo be romantically meeting?
Other than the Emperor, there are other men here in the Forbidden City.
The four Imperial guards in the Qianqing Gates.
The Report Officer at the Yuehua Gates.
The two Imperial physicians in the Imperial Pharmacy.
That's seven men. There must be one that's meeting her tonight.
Shut up!
If you continue to spout rubbish, I'll rip your mouth!
Did I say anything wrong?
Last time, she wouldn't let us see the Imperial Guards, while she secretly went out to have a date now.
She thinks we don't have eyes?
She's still not back.
Good thing, Gugu Fang is sleeping now.
Or else, she would be dead!
You're still talking? You're still talking!
- Are you crazy? - Enough! Stop hitting!
Yingluo, this time...might be in big trouble.
Linglong, what did you say?
This afternoon, I saw Sister Zhilan's face and it was so scary.
Yingluo might have got into big trouble...
and can never return.
What?
Yingluo's back. She's fine.
Yingluo.
Let's sleep.
Jixiang, see, I wasn't wrong, right?
Someone is guilty.
She heard it, but isn't talking.
She indeed has a lover.
- You're still talking?! - I didn't say anything wrong.
Let's sleep.
You go first.
Yingluo, you two are not leaving?
No rush. Linglong and I haven't finished eating.
I'll get going then.
Yingluo, I need to go to the Embroidery Workshop now.
Linglong, on my way back last night, I kept thinking,
"Who could have leaked this secret to Her Highness the Noble Consort?"
How would I know?
If you really didn't know, you should have asked, "What secret was leaked?"
Even if you don't tell me, I know.
That day, you were in Yonghe Palace.
Yesterday, you and Jixiang even went out to deliver the spring clothes.
Other than you, who else could it be?
Yingluo...
- Yingluo, listen to me. - Say what?
Say that you want Noble Consort Gao to kill me so you can vent your anger?
Or you want to tell me the jealousy in your heart?
Yingluo, I admit it.
I didn't watch my mouth yesterday, but I—
Do you know why I didn't confront you when I returned last night?
Because I'm too full. I'm too full that it hurts.
Last night, I ate a lot of bowls of lotus-root powder balls.
Yingluo, what do you want to do?
Eat it.
What is this?
The lotus-root powder balls that I brought home last night.
Don't worry. These were not vomited up.
Yingluo, we are good sisters that entered into the palace together.
Yes! Good sisters!
We should share the fortune and the misfortunes.
Hence, eat it.
I'm not eating...I'm not eating...
Eat it! Eat it!
You like to tell on others behind their backs.
If I don't block your mouth, you will do it again.
Eat it. Eat it!
Someone come!
Shout!
Make it louder! Let everyone hear it!
Anyway, Momo Zhang hates talkative people the most.
Be careful or she'll cut off your tongue!
I don't know any grand principles.
I just know that if people don't offend me, I won't bother them either.
If you don't finish this bowl today, don't even think of going out this door.
Eat! Eat it!
If you still don't eat them, I'll inform Momo Zhang
that you've associated yourself with Chuxiu Palace, and the workshop will not be able to accommodate you from now on.
You mustn't vomit one out!
Linglong, if you envy me, just directly tell me. We can openly compete through embroidery to determine the victor.
Resorting to underhanded tactics just because of fear of losing will only make others look down on you.
Hope that this bowl of lotus-root powder balls today
can seal your mouth and make you remember this lesson.
- Yingluo. - Gugu.
How is your illness?
The sun has risen from the west.
My back was almost completely broken because of you. You still dare to come here?
Gugu, I've always felt guilty about this matter and want to make up for it,
but we were too busy in the Embroidery Workshop.
Today, I finally got some free time.
No need.
I'll just slowly make you pay for it.
That is in the future.
Just let me help now.
- Sister Bingqing, let me do it. - No need. Just leave it to me.
Give it to me.
Wei Yingluo!
Gugu! Sorry! I didn't mean to!
You evil servant, leave!
How about I accompany you to clean your clothes?
No need! No need! Leave!
Get out! Get out now!
Sorry! I really didn't mean it!
Other than Sister's knot, could there be other clues?
What are you doing?
How nice! You dare to steal things in my room?
You're finally caught red-handed now.
Gugu, what are you saying?
Didn't your clothes get wet earlier?
I was looking for new clothes to give you.
- Look. - Put down the clothes and get out! Get out!
How about I help you put them on?
Get out!
When my older sister left the palace, she didn't have any items with her.
All her things were gone.
If she took them, where could she have
placed them?
You don't know? She came back so late last night.
- Didn't she go to Chuxiu Palace? - I didn't know.
You're stupid. She went out for a date.
- Who? - A date?
Her lover is an Imperial Guard here in the Forbidden Palace.
Is that true?
You mustn't make groundless accusations like that.
Who's making groundless accusations? I saw it myself.
If a palace maid gets involved in a scandal and Chief Steward Wu learns of it,
she'll get flogged to death.
My eyes are not only for display.
Tell us about it.
Last time, Gugu Fang went there to catch them.
It's just that she was too cunning. She was able to escape.
Next time, if you...
Yingluo.
Come over here.
What's there to be afraid of? We didn't say anything wrong.
I'm guessing that she won't be able to return anymore.
Yingluo, everyone is saying that you have an Imperial Guard as a lover.
Is there such a thing?
Momo, do you believe rumors like that?
Of course I don't, but three men talking makes it a tiger. (T/N as rumors are repeated, they grow larger)
The damaging effects of rumors is quite huge.
It's better that you be careful.
I can walk and sit straight. There's nothing to be afraid of. (T/N innocent - "upright")
I just fear that the rumors will get worse as they spread and get out of control.
One day, if it reaches the ears of Chief Steward Wu,
I won't be able to help you even if I want to.
These things I'm telling you are backed by evidence.
Thank you for warning me.
Yingluo, let's quickly go.
Let's go.
Those are materials for the pottery workshop.
Stop looking. Let's quickly go.
I just couldn't embroider a sunset cloud. So annoying.
Although Yingluo has a bad temper,
her embroidery skills are indeed superb.
Or else, Momo won't be favoring her a lot.
It shows that she is truly capable.
Are you saying that I'm not skilled?
Jinxiu, I'm praising Yingluo. What does that have to do with you?
So what if she's skilled? She keeps having illicit affairs with some Imperial Guard.
One day, the boat in the sewer will capsize! (T/N fail miserably)
What's the use of just saying it?
Where's your evidence?
Don't worry. I surely will get some.
You do not know?
Gugu Fang, stop making it hard on me.
I really don't know.
Do you really not know, or just afraid of Wei Yingluo and won't dare say it?
Gugu, Linglong doesn't know, but I know.
You know?
Last night, I personally saw Wei Yingluo leaving our dormitory
and only returned around dawn. She must have gone to meet her lover.
You didn't follow her to have a look?
Gugu, I wasn't able to catch up with her.
Linglong, last time when she met that Imperial Guard,
what did he look like?
Do you still remember?
No, I don't remember anymore.
Don't worry. Just this one time.
From now on, I won't bother you anymore.
I'm unable to describe it.
But if you let me see him, I surely can recognize him.
That's easy. I'll let Yujie take you to identify him.
No, you must not.
This...
Without any evidences, how could I just go and point him out?
Linglong, it's fine. Just go and identify him.
Once you do, your task with me is done.
Okay. Treat it as me helping you.
But I will only identify the person.
As for other matters, I dare not get involved anymore.
Don't worry. For this matter, I have my plans.
You won't get involved.
You sure?
It was indeed that person that Linglong said.
Was he in the palace last night?
The Imperial Guards go on duty every five days.
Last night,, he was indeed on duty guarding the Qianqing Gates.
It's like having a sore on the back of one's head. She thinks that everyone else is blind!
If there's a first time, then there will be a second one.
She''ll get in trouble sooner or later.
Just you wait!
Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
Qingxi, you're something.
You were able to fool around with some beautiful palace maid without even making a sound!
The ancestral rules forbid us from having affairs with palace maids.
For matters like this, as long as no one complains, the officers will not investigate it.
The palace maids will be sent out sooner or later.
If you like her, then just marry her in the future.
It'd be just for a concubine, not the main wife, so what's the fear?
But in taking in concubines, you must still consider their background.
Lord Fuheng.
Hand the item out.
Lord Fuheng, I...
A palace maid and an imperial guard must not exchange items. This is the palace rule.
You should have known it on your first day here.
She gave you a stone?
This represents that her heart is like a stone.
You got rejected!
Is it funny?
Hold it.
Everyone must memorize the Imperial Guard rules one hundred times.
Yes.
Lord Fuheng! We're innocent!
Fuheng, say, could he had been falsely accused?
How could anyone gift someone a stone?
What does Yingluo mean by this?
Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
I told you to monitor her, but it's already three months.
You just keep telling me these minor things.
Gugu, Wei Yingluo is a very crafty person.
I currently am unable to catch any of her weaknesses.
That is because you're stupid.
Then, how about you personally try it?
Don't you dare challenge me.
My back will recover soon.
I will deal with her then.
Watch her closely!
Yes.
Complete. Let's eat.
We're eating these again?
I want to eat fish.
If we smell like fish when we walk in front of our masters,
be careful of getting caned. Quickly eat.
I'm just thinking about it. Can't I do that too?
What's going on with her?
Yingluo. Are you alright?
Do you have a stomach upset?
When my sister-in-law got pregnant, she was like that too.
I'm fine.
It's just that my gut has not been feeling well after eating that many lotus-root powder balls.
For people like us, we'd better just endure it.
Okay already. Hers will be the same as before.
Jixiang.
Let me see.
Look at you. You've grown bigger again.
Say, we've just done your summer clothes.
You probably won't be able to wear it now.
We all would eat up to eighty-percent full.
Unlike her, eating with so much fun. How can she not get fat?
Eat less. If you are unable to properly bow in front of our masters, you'll get caned. Other measurements are the same.
I'm hungry.
Yingluo, come. Let me see.
For the sleeves, just follow the one before.
Yingluo.
How come your waist is an inch larger?
Did you get fat?
I...
How is that possible?
Yingluo recently will vomit out what she eats.
She totally couldn't eat anything.
Didn't you say last time that you got indigestion after eating lotus-root powder balls?
I have some medicines for indigestion. Get them from me later.
Thank you, Momo.
Sewing it like that is quite pretty. Just do that then.
Momo said that we must rush the production of the spring clothes for the palace,
before we do ours.
Hence, let's just alter the ones in the stockroom and make do with it for now.
- Here. - This one looks new. - Thanks.
- Look if this fits me. - More or less.
- This part is a bit tight. - Yes, it is indeed.
Isn't it too long?
Let me see.
Gugu.
Good. That is what you truly call getting caught with both human and material evidences!
Where are they?
Wei Yingluo.
Someone filed a complaint that you have committed a scandalous act.
Do you admit to your crime?
May I ask the Gonggong who is the complainant?
It is I!
What scandalous act?
You even have the nerve to ask?
You are having illicit affair with an Imperial Guard and got pregnant out of wedlock.
Where's your evidence?
Jinxiu is the witness.
As for the material evidence, we all will know clearly after taking off your clothes.
Chief Steward Wu, Gugu Fang has always disliked me.
Do you believe the words she speaks?
Then it means...that you are denying it?
Of course, I will never admit something that is non-existent.
It's fine if you admit it or not.
Just remove her clothes and you'll know.
Her stomach is quite big!
Wei Yingluo, if you really did it then honestly confess,
so that you won't be more embarrassed after the examination.
I told you
that I didn't do it, so I will never admit anything.
Debauchery in the palace must be caned to death.
Chief Steward Wu, stop wasting time talking with her.
Immediately have someone check her.
- Momo Zhang. - Yes.
No.
Yingluo is the favorite palace maid of Momo Zhang.
This makes it unfair.
Momo Yan, you go examine her with Momo Zhang.
Yes.
Yingluo, let's go.
Wait.
You want to plead for mercy now? It's too late.
Chief Steward Wu, even though we're palace maids,
we still came from good families.
My clean reputation just got tainted like that.
If it was other people, they would be committing suicide by now.
This complainant clearly wants me dead.
Let me ask then.
If I were proven to be not guilty, how should the complainant be handled?
The palace has its rules.
People who make groundless accusations
would get caned and expelled out of of the Forbidden City!
Okay. It's a deal then.
Just wait to watch a good act.
What's going on?
Look at her.
Here they come.
Momo Yan, she did do a scandalous act, right?
I didn't falsely accuse her.
Momo Yan, were you able to examine her properly?
We did.
Tell us.
Miss Wei's stomach indeed has grown bigger.
See? What did I say?
She really did a scandalous act?
I told you so. She frequently behaves sneakily.
So she was going out for some romantic rendezvous.
So what if her embroidery skills are good. With such an immoral character, she brought shame to us!
Impossible. This is impossible.
- Yingluo isn't that kind of person. - Why is it impossible?
The matter has come to this. Even the gods can save her now. Stop saying it.
Gugu, in my opinion, cutting people like her into pieces
is not enough punishment.
Stop being noisy.
Wei Yingluo is a virgin.
What did you say?
Chief Steward Wu, I said that Wei Yingluo is innocent and still a virgin.
I told you so. It's impossible for her to have done such things.
Her stomach is already big. How could she still be a virgin?
Jinxiu, you clearly saw her stomach being big, right?
That's right, Chief Steward Wu, I personally saw it.
Yingluo kept saying that she had stomach upset from eating too many lotus-root powder balls.
She always feel bloated. You all didn't believe her.
Impossible! I'm not stupid.
I have seen pregnant women.
Her stomach has grown a lot bigger and she frequently vomits!
Also, when she was changing her clothes that day,
I personally saw it. How could it be fake?
Shut your mouth, you lying servant!
You even dared to pretend to be experienced in front of me?
- How many women have you seen - I...
that you dare to conclude that she's pregnant?
I've been in the palace for thirty years.
How many palace maids or embroidery maids have I seen?
Won't I be able to discern a pregnant woman from one who is not?
That's now what I meant.
You didn't mean it that way? What do you mean then?
A good respectable lady
was splashed by you two with dirty water. Such an immoral act! (T/N tainting one's reputation)
Those palace rumors before
were being narrated in such a vivid manner.
I also thought they were true.
Looks like they were just spread by you two.
So shameless!
Chief Steward Wu, the truth is now out.
I was proven to be innocent.
Please deal with those people harboring evil intentions.
Chief Steward Wu, there must be something wrong in this.
It's impossible that she's not pregnant!
I don't believe it.
Gugu Fang, the truth is right in front of us.
It's fine if you don't trust Momo Zhang.
Momo Yan has been working in the palace for thirty years.
For women matters, even the supervisors of the Imperial Academy of Medicine can't be as experienced as she is.
Several pairs of eyes saw it.
Wei Yingluo was indeed falsely accused.
As an Administrator Gugu, you have done such a shameful act.
Chief Steward Wu, I also just believed the lies of that maidservant Jinxiu.
I didn't know that she's sick!
Chief Steward Wu, it's not like that!
Gugu Fang, how could you blame everything on me?
It was you who told me to monitor Yingluo.
It's all your fault! You said that she's pregnant!
She said it like chopping the nail and slicing the iron, (T/N with much determination and courage)
or else I wouldn't have taken the bait and got fooled by her!
Chief Steward Wu, it's not like that!
It's her. It's Gugu Fang. She bears a grudge towards Yingluo!
- She used this chance to seek vengeance! I'm innocent! - You servant...
You dare spout rubbish?
- You dare spout rubbish? Say it again! - I'm not saying rubbish!
Enough!
You two stop it!
- Enough! Stop fighting! So unruly. - I'm not lying!
Chief Steward Wu, I really was just ordered by Gugu.
I didn't do anything.
Chief Steward Wu,
she made up a story.
That's why I had the misunderstanding.
Right. This is a misunderstanding. Chief Steward Wu, these are all just a misunderstanding!
Wei Yingluo. You are the victim.
What do you say?
Yingluo, I was wrong.
It was all my fault.
I was too harsh.
For this matter, it wasn't my fault. It's all hers.
She sowed discord between us!
You are a good lady. She's the evil one!
Yingluo... Don't listen to her.
She only wants you to forgive her.
- I'm not making up things! - We entered the palace together. You know me well.
You know that I'm a coward.
For such a huge matter, I dare not plan it by myself!
Yingluo, I would never do such a thing! It's all her!
- You still are talking?! - Shut up!
No matter if it's inside or outside the palace,
how many people have been destroyed by gossip?
You want to easily pass this off
as a misunderstanding? Absolutely not.
As for Jinxiu, she was just a lackey and an accomplice.
This was not the first time that you've done things to harm others without benefit to yourself.
This time, I have nothing more to say.
Chief Steward Wu, I've long heard that you're fair in rewarding and punishing. You follow the rules very strictly.
If in the future, people will all follow Gugu Zhang,
just casually throwing dirty water onto other people
and then slapping one's mouth afterwards as if nothing happened,
will there still be any discipline here in this huge Forbidden City?
Have you two heard it clearly?
This is the Forbidden City.
If everyone will imitate you two,
this palace will have turned upside down.
Men!
Palace maid Jinxiu envied a colleague and sowed discord.
- She is to caned twenty times and demoted to be a state bondservant. - No...
Don't! Chief Steward Wu!
Take her away!
No! No! Chief Steward Wu!
No! Chief Steward Wu! I was wrong!
As for palace maid Fang Yizi,
she gave false evidence against others and committed repeated offenses with her speech.
Cane her forty times and expel her from the palace!
Chief Steward Wu, don't!
Chief Steward Wu!
What place is the palace? You people dare to create rumors?
Whoever dares to gossip again and create trouble,
their ending will be your ending too!
Yes!
I'm so busy. You even dare invite me to handle such a mess?
Momo Zhang.
Yes.
Discipline these palace maids of yours.
Yes.
Gugu, Chief Steward gave a little leniency and allowed you to pack your things.
You have to leave the palace in an hour.
It's all your doing.
If not because of you, just half a year more,
I would be able to leave the palace.
Now, I got expelled. Not only did I lose my compensation,
even my family won't dare accept me.
How is this my fault? This was all a misunderstanding.
Say it. What's the truth
behind your stomach?
You two kept spreading rumors about me here in the palace.
You caused me to have no place to hide myself from shame.
The best way to eliminate the rumors
is to escalate the matter and let people know the truth.
But how could I get you all to believe me?
First, I must rendezvous often.
I would make sure that you don't catch me. After several times, you would surely get very anxious.
Second, without a real bulging abdomen, how could I fool anyone?
Hence, I asked for some kaolin clay from the pottery craftsman.
If you take it in small amount, it won't kill you and can bloat your stomach.
I only looked a bit like one, but you took the bait.
Can't wait to eliminate me.
You bitch. You are like your older sister.
A naturally-born lowly ruffian!
You finally admitted that you knew my sister!
Say it! How did my sister die?
- How come her knot accessory is with you? Say it! - I...
I don't know.
You really won't say it?
Chief Steward Wu got played earlier.
He actually planned to let you leave with nothing.
If I inform him now the usual crimes you do against the palace maids,
tell me, what would he do to you?
Don't tell him.
Do you still remember that white ceramic pot?
Above it is a level of soil.
What's hidden under that is my sister's ashes.
I brought her into the palace to seek justice for her!
Say it! Tell me! How did my sister die?
How did she die? Is it connected with you?
I really don't know.
Don't go! Don't go!
I only know that your sister committed a major mistake and was sentenced to be expelled from the palace.
She gave me that knotted accessory as a remembrance.
You still dare to lie!
That knotted accessory was
personally made by me for my sister.
On the night before my sister entered the palace,
I didn't sleep all night. I made twelve of them.
I gave her the most beautiful one.
My sister never removed that item.
Why then would she give it to you?
I am wrong...
I only secretly stole some of her items and money.
There's nothing more.
Is that the truth!
It's true. I can swear by the heavens.
Your sister's cloth bag is over there.
I'll leave them all to you. I won't get any of them.
I beg you to let me go.
- Just these? - The other money got spent by me.
When I heard your name,
I already found it familiar. After giving it much thought,
Wei Yingning changed her name upon coming into the palace.
Everyone got used to calling her A'Man.
Hence, I didn't remember it right away.
If I said any lies, I will be hit by lightning!
Yingluo, let me give you a warning.
Stop investigating the cause of your sister's death.
She committed a huge scandalous act. No one would dare mention it.
Liar! My sister was not that kind of person!
If you don't believe me, you can ask Momo Zhang.
Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
♫The Forbidden Palace's walls surround them, feeling like a good place to reside.♫
♫As the walls sever the setting sun's rays, they lose their past dreams as it grows cold.♫
♫Decaying leaves cover the neglected shuttered window, that remembers the cold winds of twenty harvests.♫
♫Knowing only how to go with the flow, and pass the years.♫
♫Unmarried and hopeful, the heavy, dark gates are locked, ♫
♫Cultivated and proud, gem-like beauties, and yet somehow♫
♫Flowers who stay may endure breakage, causing them ask to change their karma
♫Can not an empty branch give them a carefree place to rest upon?♫
♫Longing to be together with him, separated as the illumination in the western window declines,♫
♫At leisure to be melancholy, also perplexed and worried about it all.♫
♫Who will pity her, and record her lifetime full of misery?♫
♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫
♫Longing to be together with him, separated as the illumination in the western window declines,♫
♫At leisure to be melancholy, also perplexed and worried about it all.♫
♫Who will pity her, and record her lifetime full of misery?♫
♫A pretentious, showy vision on a stage.♫