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 40
- Your Majesty.- Her Highness Empress has lost her mind because of extreme grief.
You mustn't get near her.
It's me.
Empress.
Our Yongcong is gone.
You must pull yourself together, okay?
- No! No! Yongcong!- Your Highness!
Yongcong!
Empress!
Yongcong...
Empress!
It's you.
It's you who caused me to lose Yongcong.
Let go of me. Let go of me!
He's already dead.
Empress.
Yongcong has left.
Pull yourself together.
Don't lose your demeanor.
Don't forget
who you are.
Who I am?
Your Majesty,
you tell me, who am I?
You're my wife.
The Qing empress who is the motherly figure of the whole empire.
Right.
I'm the empress of the Qing empire.
Since the day I got conferred that title,
I have to attend to Empress Dowager,
respect Your Majesty,
be nice to the imperial harem,
do things in a cautious manner.
I was afraid to do any mistakes
and be criticized by the world.
I'm virtuous and of good morals.
I was afraid of getting spurned by you.
I didn't bear grudges.
I didn't get jealous.
I also didn't hate anyone.
In your behalf,
I protected the imperial harem.
I even treated their children
as my own children.
But Your Majesty,
what did I get?
Yesterday, new year's eve,
the day of family reunions.
I instead lost Yongcong on such a day.
I used my life to give birth to him.
He's the person I love the most in this world.
Why? Why?
All my life, I have never done
an evil thing.
Why did I end up in this state?
Why, Your Majesty?
Empress.
You're tired.
Your Majesty,
even you can't give me an answer?
You also don't have an answer.
Am I right?
Don't mind me anymore then.
Where are you going?
Let me just go!
- You need rest. When you wake up, everything will be alright!- Let me...!
Everything will be fine!
I'm going to save my son!
- Calm down!- Your Highness!- I don't want to be an empress!
- Let go of me! I'm going to save my son!- Rongyin...
- Rongyin!- Let me go see Yongcong. Your Majesty, I beg you.
Let me go.
I don't want anything. Let go of me!
Rongyin!
- Let go of me!- Hand me a rope!
Let go of me.
I don't want anything!
Bring me a rope!
Let me go...
I beg you.
Rongyin, you are my empress.
The legitimate wife of Aisin-Gioro.
You don't have the right to be unruly and willful.
The more a possibility to withdraw midway.
I don't care if you're sick
or gotten insane.
You must always remember
the responsibilities on your shoulders.
Responsibilities?
In this life,
what I have left are responsibilities.
Starting today,
you mustn't leave her side.
Guard and take good care of her. Understand?
Yes.
Your Majesty, the funeral matters of Seventh Prince have been arranged.
Your Majesty...!
I want to personally handle the funeral of Seventh Prince.
Your Majesty, this is against rules.
My words are the rules.
Then...regarding Empress Dowager,
should I order someone to inform her?
She also loved Yongcong a lot.
This news...
...I will personally tell her.
Your Majesty! An urgent news!
Governor-General Zhang Guangsi of Chuanshan sent an urgent military report
that the Tribe Leader Shaluoben of Dajinchuan attacked the territories of the Mingzheng tribes.
He desires to conquer the said vassal tribes.
Are you blind?
Seventh Prince just died.
How could His Majesty be in the mood for that? Leave now.
- Yes.- Wait!
Tell Prince He of the First Rank
to handle the funeral matters of Yongcong.
Call for the Grand Ministers of the State to meet me in Yangxin Palace for a meeting.
Yes.
Young Madam, what's going on?
Why did Young Master sent men to put you in house arrest?
Where did Fuheng go?
An urgent military report reached the palace today and Young Master was called for an audience.
At this time,
he probably is in Yangxin Palace.
Empress just lost Seventh Prince.
His Majesty is the birth father and Fuheng is the biological uncle.
Those two people are both not by her side.
Men are so cruel.
We just received the news today. Old Madam fainted from crying so much.
I'm the sister-in-law of the empress.
I should visit her in behalf of mother-in-law.
But, Young Master won't let you out.
If he doesn't let me out, can't I go out anymore?
But...
I'm pregnant.
My health is very precious.
While he's not around, let's see who can dare block me.
- Where is Fuheng?- Your Majesty, Lord Fu hasn't arrived yet.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Where did you go?
Replying to Your Majesty, I went to Changchun Palace to visit Her Highness Empress.
Just follow what we've discussed. Order Necin to be the commander and provide reinforcement. All of you can leave now.
I'm taking my leave.
Fuheng, stay.
I called for you to discuss state affairs and you instead went to Changchun Palace?
Who gave you the boldness?!
Your Majesty, Empress is gravely ill.
Please be merciful and allow her to leave the palace to recuperate.
If Empress is sick,
she should stay in Forbidden Palace to rest.
Your Majesty, suffered extreme grief
twice successively. She's about to lose it.
If she continues to stay here, I fear that she might really go crazy.
Go crazy?
Fuheng,
you started from being an imperial guard to a post in the Council of State.
Your progression in the ranks was so fast, that people are casting side glances.
Why did I give you much importance?
Because I saw your ability,
hence, I treated you like an important high official.
But today, you disappointed me so much.
Your Majesty,
I'm willing to give my everything
in exchange for sister's safety and happiness.
Exchange?
On what basis?
Everything that you have is given by me.
I can take them back anytime.
You can take them back. You will not hear any word from me.
Fuheng.
You don't give any importance to power, status, fame, or wealth.
Do you find yourself so mighty and very righteous?
But do you know
that because of this war that Sha Luoben of Jinchuan started, the border citizens are now in turmoil.
While you only are thinking of your loved one,
thinking about your sister.
Your Majesty, I just couldn't bear—
Couldn't bear to?
A great man has the nation and its citizens on his shoulders.
What can't you endure?
What can't you abandon?
Let me tell you that not only Yongcong,
but if the one who died is Empress...wrong.
If all the women in the imperial harem died,
I still attend court meetings as if nothing happened.
Because I'm the emperor.
The king of the Qing, the ruler of the empire.
I give you all glory, splendor, wealth, status, and power.
Those are all to be paid with loyalty and sacrifices.
When I need you,
you then must go into the battlefield.
Go fight for the citizens. Sacrifice your life for Qing.
When heavy burdens are on your shoulders, you are duty bound.
I'm like that. You are too. And so are all the citizens of this empire.
Hence,
your sister will never get out of the palace.
Even in death, she's the empress of Qing.
Do you understand?
I understand.
Erqing, why are you here?
I took mother's visiting request.
I went to greet Empress Dowager first.
And then came over to check on Her Highness Empress.
Her Highness doesn't want to see anyone right now.
I know.
But the more she's alone, the more her heart will be anxious.
- Just let me in to talk with Her Highness alone.- But...
Before, I'm best in knowing about the thoughts of Her Highness.
Now, I'm also the daughter-in-law of the Fuca family.
It's by duty to take care and ease the anxiety of Her Highness Empress.
Mingyu, just let me in.
Even if I'm unable to convince her, it can be comforting to her.
Okay. Go in then.
Zhenzhu! Zhenzhu!
Yingluo said that she'll be back before sunset.
Go to the palace gates to check.
Yes.
Did the mood of Her Highness Empress get better?
With me talking with her, of course, it's better.
I fear that she might think of killing herself.
Don't worry. Her Highness is forgiving and magnanimous.
She surely will figure it out. It's getting late.
I must leave the palace before the gates are closed.
You must serve her well.
Hupo!
Escort Young Madam out of the palace.
Yes.
Mingyu.
Your Highness.
I'm hungry. I want to eat something.
I'll go instruct the kitchen now to prepare them.
I want to eat the polished glutinous rice cake that you make.
Your Highness, if I go make it now, it would take some time.
You haven't drunk anything all day.
Why don't I let the kitchen prepare some Job's tear grains congee?
It's fine.
Go now. I can wait.
Okay. I'll go right away.
Have a good rest.
Mingyu.
Is Yingluo back?
Still not.
I understand. Go now.
My entire life. I've committed countless mistakes.
Born into the Fuca House, but born despising restraint.
Yet marrying into the imperial family of all families, and becoming the empress.
That was my first mistake. Becoming the example of the six palaces.
Obeying rules of tradition yet still nostalgic of the past.
Never awakening from such grand dreams. A mistake.
Losing my true self. Becoming a wood puppet with strings.
Yet coveting love.
Wishing to gain the love of the emperor.
That is another mistake.
Birthing Yonglian, Yongcong.
Yet without any power to protect them.
To suffer the pain of losing beloved sons. Unfit as a mother.
That is a mistake. The world never had love.
Etiquette and rites, rigorous and strict.
Yet I deluded myself to think the emperor is loving.
Unwitting of the fact that human hearts are evil and ways of the world are cruel.
Again and again suffering betrayal.
One step of mistake and every step a mistake.
Your Majesty, you were right.
I am not a good empress.
♫ Though I close my eyes, it's impossible to stop the vision.♫
♫ You have no way to approach me ♫
♫ but that is not being sparse with your love ♫
♫ Only coveting the beautiful scenery outside the window ♫
♫ I can slowly hear the sound of the snow falling ♫
♫ It's as though you are speaking sweetly by me ♫
♫ When I open my eyes ♫
♫ the sky covered with snow ♫
I'm sorry, Yingluo.
I agreed I'd wait for you to return to the palace.
Regrettably, I can no longer wait.
However, you must be happy for me.
From now on, I will no longer be empress.
I'll only be Fuca Rongying.
I am only Fuca Rongying.
Is that mourning bell?
What happened in the palace?
Empress has left the world.
Changchun Palace
"Govern the six palaces with merit"
Why are you just coming back now?
Changchun Palace suddenly met with a big fire.
7th Prince died unfortunately.
Her highness was struck by grief.
And she jumped from the building.
Wei Yingluo, why are you late by a day?
Why are you coming back so late?
No. No! Her Highness is full of blood.
Don't look.
Changchun Palace
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Change Empress and put makeup on her.
I will have Empress leave honorably and grand.
Yes.
Your Majesty.
I will clean Her Highness's blood.
But Her Highness already chose to give up jewels.
And accessories, these items of burden.
May you spare them.
She is empress.
She can't leave unadorned.
Your Majesty. If Her Highness really cared about these materialistic items,
why would she go from the high place,
and jump down?
Yingluo. Are you crazy?
May Your Majesty be gracious.
Allow Her Highness
to leave without care or burden.
Mingyu, dress up Empress.
Your Majesty.
She is my empress forever.
She cannot be without burden. Even more so, she cannot be free.
That is her fate.
You can brush it of so lightly, Your Majesty.
Do you blame her for falling to death on her will?
And committed a grave offense?
As the empress,
to be so weak.
So useless.
I . . .
Will never forgive.
Your Majesty.
Her Highness had a body as chilly as icy.
Her bone-deep pain was unbearable.
Yet she wagered her life to give birth to 7th prince nevertheless.
Everyone says, she did it so secure her empress seat.
It is not.
Her Highness knew very deeply,
that Your Majesty wanted a legitimate son to succeed the crown.
For Your Majesty's need, she sacrificed herself.
Even if she paid for it with her own life.
And the result?
New Year's Eve.
The pain of losing her son.
Piercing through her heart and her bones.
Your Majesty.
You sit at Yangxin Hall daily.
Did you ever hear Her Highness's cry of despair?
She was waiting for you to rescue her.
Yingluo, don't talk anymore.
Why shouldn't I talk?
Her Highness loved Your Majesty sincerely.
She was sincere in her dealing of everyone in the palace.
But her sincerity earned her your oversight.
It got back to her the schemes and plotting of the harem.
Everyone says Her Highness is a fool.
No. She is not foolish at all.
Her Highness was innately clever and she's the most kind-hearted person on earth.
The best person. But she just couldn't bear.
She couldn't bear to hurt the women who was bound to the deep palace along with her.
And she couldn't bear more so to hurt Your Majesty's feelings.
But Your Majesty, why can't you,
give her a bit of pity?
Give her a bit of love?
Why are you so cold?
Is your heart,
made of ice?
Li Yu.
- Your servant is here. - Wei Yingluo been offensive repeatedly.
Acting rebellious.
Grant her suicide. To be buried with Empress.
Your Majesty. Your Majesty, you can't.
Yingluo. Hurry and beg His Majesty.
Yingluo.
- Come. - Your Majesty, you can't do that.
Your servant.
Is willing to follow Empress with her life.
Thank you for Your Majesty's grace.
Her Highness wouldn't want you to do so. Beg His Majesty.
Yingluo.
Yingluo. Yingluo!
Your Majesty. Her Highness was most fond of Yingluo.
You can't do that.
It's precisely because she is Empress's favorite handmaiden.
That I send her to accompany Empress.
Continue to dress and brush Empress.
Miss Mingyu, hurry now.
She would never! Her Highness is so kind.
She only wanted Yingluo to be happy.
Your Majesty, you don't understand Her Highness at all!
Not at all.
Miss Yingluo, this is also on the account of your fidelity to Empress.
That you get this kind treatment.
If it's another, it's just a rope.
But you can choose.
Wei Yingluo. Wei Yingluo!
His Majesty has spared you. You don't need to die anymore.
Empress left a will.
To preserve your life.
Your Majesty, Rongyin leaves and we wil part forever.
Only my handmaiden Yingluo with her iron devotion and conviction, unbending,
and unsuitable to remain in the palace.
May Your Majesty allow her to leave the palace to pursue her freedom.
In hopes that she will cherish herself. Honorably Yours, Fuca Rongying.
This letter only mentions Wei Yingluo.
Not a word left for me.
Empress.
The grudge in your heart.
Is it so deep as this?
Your Majesty. By custom, we should report to the generals, the ministers and the imperial clansman,
the grievance of the death of Central Palace.
But the matter happened so suddenly and I truly don't know.
Empress.
Due to 7th prince's death, was overtaken by grief.
And with the toil of the eastern patrol, was unable to recover after falling ill.
Thus her sudden departure from life.
This. Everyone in the palace,
I fear we can't keep it a secret.
If you fail to stop the mouths of the servants,
I will pluck your head.
Then, what about Wei Yingluo?
Since it's the last will of the empress.
Naturally, I can't kill her.
I don't ever want to see her again in the forbidden city.
Miss Yingluo, His Majesty has allowed for your immediate departure from the palace.
You are to report to Yuanming Garden's celestial hall.
To guard Empress's portrait.
Never to return to the forbidden city.
Didn't you come to work?
Brother. What are you doing here?
I got transferred to Yuanming Garden.
You are already in charge of interior bureau's storage and you are appreciated by Noble Consort Xian.
What are you doing transferring to Yuanming Garden?
Yingluo, we agreed.
You and I, no matter if it's the golden temple,
or the infernal hell. We would be together forever.
You promised me. You said so yourself so you better not go back on it.
That's not what was said originally.
Who even remembers the original words. Anyway, the gist of it was that we share the blessings.
And we carry the troubles together.
Have you gone mad?
You worked so hard to climb up and you finally got this chance.
But you just give up on it yourself?
Therefore, Wei Yingluo, you must remember everything I give up.
Yingluo, from now on,
you and I stay at Yuanming Garden.
We will forever never part.
If you don't say anything, I will regard it as you agreed.
Wei Yingluo.
Wei Yingluo?
Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
♫Softly falling into the hollow of my palm,♫
♫Resting frozen in the center of my palm.♫
♫Our meeting across past incarnations was inevitable,♫
♫Joined together, deeply experiencing and holding onto the end of happiness.♫
♫Though plainly given words of discouragement,♫
♫Pretending to hear nothing but exhortation.♫
♫ Endless tears, believing it cannot be true,♫
♫ In this life, being born under an unlucky star.♫
♫I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫
♫ Though I close my eyes, it's impossible to stop the vision.♫
♫ Nothing you can do about being approached, not being inconsistent in love,♫
♫ Though merely holding onto it from the outside, prone to this sort of circumstance.♫
♫ I hear the sound of the snow slowly falling♫
♫ As though you are holding me closely, and speaking sweetly.♫
♫ Opening your eyes to a sky filled with merciless snow falling,♫
♫ Who, after suffering this loss for a lifetime, is fond of this scene?♫