Episode 26
Who is that?
Run.
Otherwise, neither of us can escape.
We must leave together.
You need to find the evidence to prove my innocence!
I'm a prince! They won't hurt me!
Does anyone have an idea?
Sorry.
If nothing else works,
I think we can only lead the Imperial Garrison over...
to rescue them from the prison.
That'll do. I agree.
Who's joining me? Raise your hand.
Just the two of us?
I raised my bottle, not my hand.
Jing Xin, you...
Jing Xuan.
You haven't even married Jing Xin...
and you're already henpecked.
Tracheitis (homophone)?
Tan Er, you...
That's not true.
I... I'm a healthy man.
Fine.
We're not the same kind of people.
I'll go alone!
Xiao Tan!
Cheng Cheng!
You don't have to feel embarrassed.
In Xiao Tan's world, hugging is...
a very casual and normal thing.
It's a natural action...
people in love will carry out under the influence of hormones.
What are hormones?
What's the price for 1 catty of them?
Mr. Lian Cheng.
Why isn't Brother Lian Cheng back with you?
We ran into the prison guards.
The prince let me leave without him to investigate the assassination.
Jing Xuan, did father make a decision?
Grandmother pleaded with father...
not to punish Brother Lian Cheng too severely.
But, Mo Yi Huai interfered.
Then, father ordered me to investigate alongside Mo Yi Huai.
But, with Mo Yi Huai's participation,
this case won't be handled fairly.
Yu Hao, is there any other problem?
No.
I almost forgot.
Some time ago,
Mo Jing Kang was secretly gathering...
relevant evidence.
I believe it was because he didn't want us to obtain the evidence.
Since Mo Yi Huai intends to make use of the assassination...
to bring down Prince Lian Cheng,
he must be hiding some evidence.
Looks like we need to sneak into his residence.
Speaking of his residence, I just recalled something.
That day, I found a secret compartment...
in Mo Yi Huai's study.
I think there's a secret letter in that secret compartment.
Tan Er, do you still remember the location?
Can you draw it out?
Of course. I'll draw right away.
The prison is heavily guarded.
Yet, he managed to escape!
Convey my order.
Dispatch the Imperial Guards to search Lian Cheng's residence.
Arrest this man who claimed to be Liu Shang.
Yes.
Who is it?
What was that sound?
Don't worry. I'm just checking.
Is it not here?
Sir.
We've searched every corner of the mansion.
The intruder is nowhere to be found.
One more thing.
We received news from the palace that...
Liu Shang escaped from the prison.
Your Highness, please have some food.
I've no appetite.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Where is Chief Imperial Physician Li?
Ever since the late emperor passed away, Your Highness...
has been suffering from insomnia.
I might be the only person who can treat Your Highness.
Retire.
Please rise.
Yes.
Are you Cheng Er or that impersonator?
Your Highness.
This secret letter is the evidence that reveals the real mastermind.
That vile woman.
I knew it. She masterminded it.
This evidence...
can prove Cheng Er's innocence...
and expose Mo Yi Huai at the same time.
Who exactly are you?
Grandmother, I am Liu Shang...
and also Lian Cheng.
I am Mo Lian Cheng from the future.
How dare you!
Open your lowly eyes!
How dare you stop the empress dowager's palanquin!
Forgive me, Your Highness. The crown prince ordered...
to examine everyone entering and exiting...
the palace with the exception of those holding His Majesty's decrees.
Come here.
You are so loyal to the crown prince.
I will surely inform His Majesty of this...
and have him "reward" you generously!
Mercy, Your Highness!
I'm sorry!
Get lost at once!
Depart!
Mother.
It's lunchtime.
What brought you over?
Your Majesty.
Tell the others to leave.
I've something important to discuss with you.
Alright. Please sit down.
Retire.
Mother.
Rise.
Liu Shang?
You escaped from the prison...
and even came to my royal study!
How dare you!
Calm down, Your Majesty.
I brought him over for a reason.
Please listen to me first.
Liu Shang has identified the mastermind of the assassination.
It was Dugu Yan who secretly orchestrated it.
Liu Shang.
Present the evidence to His Majesty.
Yes.
Your Majesty, this is the secret letter.
That day,
Your Majesty was attacked by an assassin sent by Dugu Yan.
The assassin deliberately let Your Majesty...
stab the left side of his chest.
They forged your decree to summon Prince Lian Cheng to the palace.
After entering the palace, Prince Lian Cheng...
fell into Dugu Yan's carefully planned trap.
Dugu Yan then stabbed Prince Lian Cheng in his chest...
to confuse everyone and frame him.
I can tell from the handwriting that...
this is indeed a letter written by Dugu Yan herself.
But, how did you obtain this letter...
and why didn't you present it earlier?
Back then, the prince's crisis was solved because of me.
As such, we did not look into it.
But then, both the prince and I were wrongly accused because of this.
So, I was forced to re-investigate.
Then, I found out that Dugu Yan attempted to silence the witnesses...
and destroy the evidence.
But, the assassins left behind this secret letter.
Dugu Yan is dead.
It's impossible to forge this evidence.
Moreover, looking at the political situation at that time...
and Dugu Yan's character,
you should...
I believe Your Majesty can tell that...
it was indeed Dugu Yan's deed.
This witch turned out to be so vile.
I can't believe I was deceived by her for so long.
Your Majesty, I have another thing to report to you.
Go ahead.
Your Majesty.
The Emperor's Token?
Cheng Er said that it was stolen.
The Emperor's Token was indeed stolen.
The person who stole it was none other than...
the crown prince, Mo Yi Huai.
The secret letter was also found in the crown prince's residence.
It has been proven that he hid the evidence...
and stole the Emperor's Token.
Please make a sound judgement.
What is Mo Yi Huai...
trying to achieve by stealing the Emperor's Token?
Your Majesty, the truth has prevailed.
Cheng Er is innocent.
Please issue an order to release him immediately.
He's not necessarily innocent, mother!
He got himself a substitute...
to deceive me!
How is he different from Dugu Yan and Mo Yi Huai?
Your Majesty.
I'm solely responsible for the impersonation.
The prince has nothing to do with this.
And who are you?
Why do you look exactly like Cheng Er?
From what I gather,
the real Liu Shang is dead.
What were you trying to achieve...
by disguising as him?
Mo Lian Cheng.
I am Mo Lian Cheng.
I'm Mo Lian Cheng from the future.
You might find this unbelievable.
But, I'm telling the truth.
I've even gone to Xuanling Continent...
and met my grandfather, Mo Yi Feng.
I was named...
after grandfather's best friend,
Mr. Lian Cheng.
My father didn't tell anyone but me about this.
How come you know?
Your Majesty.
I too do not understand the concept of time and space...
Cheng Er tried to explain to me.
But, the world is vast and full of incredible things.
I believe Cheng Er.
I know that...
he is Cheng Er.
You're Cheng Er too?
Father, do you remember...
my grandfather's bamboo container?
It was never seen again after I was born.
That bamboo container...
was used to seal the soul of Mr. Lian Cheng.
It is the Seal of Heaven and Earth.
On his deathbed, my father...
told me that...
Mr. Lian Cheng's soul...
was sealed in Cheng Er's body.
Are you really Cheng Er?
Come!
Convey my order.
Mo Lian Cheng and Liu Shang have been pardoned with immediate effect.
On the other hand, as Crown Prince Mo Yi Huai...
has been devious, deceptive and schemeful,
he shall be deposed with immediate effect.
Yes, Your Majesty.
The eighth prince, Mo Lian Cheng,
is virtuous, caring, compassionate,
intelligent and strong.
I have high hopes for him.
He shall be my successor.
Announce the news to the entire nation.
Thank you, father.
Brother Lian Cheng.
Look at yourself now.
You're so lonely and shameful.
Isn't it better to end your life...
than live on miserably?
Drink this wine...
and you will leave gracefully.
I'm a man...
with nothing to hide.
How am I miserable?
You should worry about yourself.
You're in cahoots with Mo Yi Huai.
Won't you feel too ashamed to live?
Stop!
I'm here to convey father's order.
Prince Lian Cheng had been framed.
Now, the truth has prevailed.
Prince Lian Cheng and Liu Shang shall be released immediately.
The Imperial Army is right outside.
Whoever acts against this decree...
shall be deemed guilty of treason...
and executed on the spot!
Brother Lian Cheng, are you alright?
I'm fine.
Father has pardoned Mo Lian Cheng.
Father...
How could father depose you?
On top of that,
he drafted a decree to pass the throne to Mo Lian Cheng.
We need to think of something.
You can't let our hard work go to waste.
You're prepared.
I secretly planned this...
in case things go wrong.
I didn't expect father to be so cruel to me.
Don't blame me for this then.
Yun Ying.
Tell the Commander of the Palace Guards to...
surround the palace from the north gate.
Soldiers of the Ministry of Defense shall charge in from the south gate.
The Imperial Guards shall assist us in the palace.
At 11 p.m. tonight,
we must occupy the palace.
Yes.
That treacherous son!
Please calm down, Your Majesty!
My decree for appointment of successor...
must have been stolen by this treacherous son.
Mo Yi Huai attacked the palace...
and usurped the throne.
My loyal subjects, do not be deceived by him...
and do not surrender to him.
It is too late to regret my mistake.
As such, I decided to pass my throne to the eighth prince, Mo Lian Cheng.
Please do your best to assist him.
Eunuch Xue.
Hand this decree to the empress dowager quickly.
You must not fail.
Yes.
Prepare a cup of...
poison tea for me.
No, Your Majesty! You must not do that!
Don't waste time. Go.
Yes.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
Go and prepare it.
Go!
Prince Yi Huai.
You seem to be in the middle of an important task.
It's late night.
I'll let Yun Ying escort you.
-Yun Ying. -Yes.
Take good care of him.
Yes.
You treacherous son.
How dare you rebel!
You left me with no choice.
You were fooled by Brother Lian Cheng...
into deposing me.
Which part of him is better than me?
Why do you favour him?
I favour Cheng Er?
Huai Er, do you know that...
prior to this,
you've always been...
my ideal successor.
Yet, you...
used a despicable method to frame your own brother.
You even launched a coup and committed treason.
You are disloyal and dishonourable.
I'm extremely disappointed.
It's all your fault!
Tan Er and I grew up together and we loved each other deeply.
I knelt and begged you...
to let me marry Tan Er.
Yet, you coldly declined.
I just wanted to be with the person I love.
You're the one...
You're the one who ruined my happiness!
I have to do whatever it takes to seize the throne...
to be with Tan Er forever.
The betrothal...
was not my idea.
It was the will of the late emperor.
In the will,
the late emperor betrothed Qu Tan Er to Cheng Er.
It's fate.
Huai Er.
Give up.
You won't succeed.
If news of your coup gets out,
my armies will come and rescue me immediately!
When I got hold of the Emperor's Token,
I changed all the commanders to my trusted aides.
No one will obey you.
You should quickly write a decree...
to pass the throne to me.
Huai Er.
Even if you can control my armies,
can you earn everyone's acknowledgement?
Even if I let you have the throne,
to everyone in this nation,
you're still a treacherous usurper!
All powerful officials have pledged allegiance to me.
As for the folks,
I can just tell them that...
you're severely ill.
Who will know the truth?
It's getting late.
You should quickly write a decree to pass the throne to me.
I'm thirsty.
Come.
Bring me tea.
Huai Er.
Your desperate attempt...
might just come to naught.
Write the decree now!
Write it!
Write it already!
I'll write.
Sir.
Huai Er.
Let me take one last look at you.
I won't blame it on you.
Because you've always been...
my most precious son.
Let me hug you one last time.
Father!
-Father! -Father!
What's wrong, father?
Sir.
Father has passed away.
Father.
I didn't want to take your life.
I only want the throne!
Father.
Help!
-Summon the imperial physician! -Sir!
-Summon the imperial physician! -Calm down, sir!
Summon the imperial physician!
Sir.
Now, we need to seal off the palace...
and the empress dowager's royal villa immediately.
No one shall be allowed to move freely in the palace.
Whoever lets the word get out...
shall be executed.
Father talked of fate all the time.
So what if it's fated?
Father.
I'm sorry.