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 43
Starting today, remember this well.
She's my Noble Lady Wei.
Stop addressing her wrongly.
Yes.
Li Yu.
I'm here.
Tomorrow, we'll set out to return to the palace.
Lord Suolun, did His Majesty get angry?
For His Majesty to not get mad is a good thing. Why then are you frowning?
- I'm worried.- Worried about what?
Worried what Fuheng will do once he knew all about these.
Your Highness, why did you agree to let Wei Yingluo enter the palace?
Isn't it very interesting?
That woman is very discontented with her lot and kept being unruly.
I'm afraid that she'll create future troubles.
Noble Consort Chun has been complacent for too long.
It's time to give her a rival. Am I right?
Your Highness, you have the intention to let Wei Yingluo
suppress Noble Consort Chun?
I've never said I would help anyone.
Whether she can obtain the emperor's favor and overshadow Noble Consort Chun,
that would depend on her abilities.
But aren't you worried that she...
My hands have been clean ever since.
The one who should be afraid should be Noble Consort Chun.
Your Highness is wise. Where do you think Wei Yingluo should be placed?
In my opinion, why not just place her in Zhongcui Palace?
It then would become very lively.
If I do that, it would be too obvious.
Arrange her to stay in Yanxi Palace instead.
How come Empress Dowager was like that?
How could she let a previous palace maid directly become a noble lady?
Yuhu, don't be disrespectful to Empress Dowager.
Yes.
During the birthday banquet, she created heaven sent auspicious signs.
Once this gets out, everyone will praise the benevolence of Empress Dowager
has moved the heaven. Of course, Empress Dowager was very happy about it.
Moreover, she's an old attendant of the former empress.
It's just normal for Empress Dowager
to try to help her.
Your Highness, she's just a palace maid from a lowly background.
There's no need to give her any importance.
Even if she's a noble lady upon entering the palace,
she surely won't be able to surpass you.
Consort Yu, I remember
that you two go way back.
Just a measly palace maid, yet she kept ordering me around.
I've long been annoyed by her.
If not because I gave the former empress some considerations,
why would I bother pay her any attention?
Are those sincere words?
Of course.
A palace maid will never remove such a lowly mark on her.
If sister wants to vent your anger,
I have an idea.
[Zhongcui Gates]
Let's go.
Wei Yingluo frequently go to Yonghe Palace before.
She even saved Fifth Prince from the hands of Noble Consort Gao.
Aren't you afraid that Consort Yu is insincere with her words?
I don't believe her.
I only believe in the human heart.
I'm slow-witted.
From the start, Wei Yingluo has seen
the lowliest and weakest past of Consort Yu.
If you're Consort Yu, will you like a person like that?
When a person attains success,
it would be hard for him to meet his friends when he was still poor.
That's the principle I'm driving at.
Now, you have boundless splendor,
but she has seen you in pain and grief.
She could easily make your heart ache.
That's too annoying.
What do you say?
Noble Lady Wei, this is Yanxi Palace.
From now on, you'll be staying here.
[Yanxi Gates]
Noble Lady, please.
Chief Steward Wu, thank you.
Nobel Lady Wei, you're being courteous.
You mustn't do this.
This is the practice. You don't need to refuse it.
If you have any instructions from now on, just call me.
I surely will do my best to help you.
Thank you.
I will take my leave.
Greetings, Noble Lady!
At ease.
- Yingluo!- Hupo!
Who told you to call Noble Lady like that?
Can't you discern the difference in seniority?!
But before, we all were serving Her Highness Empress together.
Noble Lady, have you forgotten everything?
Mingyu, I'm tired.
Let's go in and rest first.
Other than Hupo and Zhenzhu, everyone else can leave!
Hupo, why are you here?
Sister Mingyu, when the former empress died, we all got dispersed all over the palace.
A few days ago, the Imperial Household Department suddenly gave orders asking us to come to Yanxi Palace as palace maids.
Sister Mingyu, we finally can be together again.
Indeed. Indeed. Sister Mingyu. This is a good thing.
How come you're not happy at all?
This is Yanxi Palace.
Noble Lady Wei is now our mistress.
You openly offended her and directly called her name.
She's already especially gracious not to severely punish you.
You still don't know to mend your ways.
Noble Lady Wei has just entered the palace. Of course, she must establish a benevolent reputation.
At this time, if she openly punish a previous colleague in Changchun Palace,
it will just let people criticize her as forgetting her past.
Hupo, stop overstepping your boundaries!
Sister Mingyu, in terms of experience,
you have worked here longer than Wei Yingluo. In terms of beauty,
you are naturally beautiful. Isn't it such a pity to stay as a servant by her side?
If she can become a Noble Lady, why can't you?
Hupo, what is the temperament of Mistress Wei,
I'm sure you know it better than me.
I urge you to not incite any trouble.
Or else, no one would be able to save you.
Sister Mingyu, what I'm saying is the truth!
His Majesty sent her in this Yanxi Palace,
the most remote palace of them all. The emperor would never come here in ten years.
What's there to fear with a person like that?!
Hupo, what are you doing?
A Noble Lady that's destined to get no favor, I'm not afraid of her,
so why would you be afraid?
Now, everyone is talking about the auspicious signs during the birthday banquet.
Empress Dowager was so happy, hence, she rewarded me with these so many gifts.
All are rare precious items.
Come and look.
I'm not looking.
That Hupo is totally evil.
How come I didn't see that she's like this when we were still in Changchun Palace?
Someone exactly sent her here to anger you.
If you really got affected by her, you then have fallen into her scheme.
Hupo humiliated you in public, yet you were able to endure it?
Think about it.
Hupo is a palace maid of Changchun Palace. She was once my equal.
Now, I've become a Noble Lady
and she got transferred here to serve me. Would she accept that whole-heartedly?
She saw how I was bowing and lowering down myself before.
Won't she be so happy to announce it now, so she could shame me?
- But you clearly know—- But I can't punish her.
Why?
She is a palace maid by the side of my old mistress.
If I punish her, I would be called an ingrate.
Hateful. The person who plotted this is so sinister.
Hence, the more you know that she's deliberately doing it, the more you shouldn't get mad.
Yanxi Palace is the remotest palace.
It's very hard to see His Majesty here.
Now, Hupo got sent in here, thinking of ways to contradict you everyday.
What should we do now?
No rush.
Yingluo, I kept feeling like you've changed to another person upon our return.
In the past, if you encounter a matter like this, you would have jumped out and face it.
This is beautiful!
Mingyu, take it.
Yingluo!
Mingyu,
before, I have Her Highness Empress protecting me.
I can be fearless.
Now, Her Highness is gone.
I can only be careful and cautious.
I'm afraid that the future days will not be a smooth sailing one.
Sister Hupo, last night, I also dreamed that I've become a Noble Lady.
Cut it. You kept daydreaming.
It's better to just go back to work.
Hupo, go to the Imperial Household Department and get our monthly allowance.
Sister Mingyu, I dare not.
Why?
Our Mistress has entered the palace for quite a long time.
But His Majesty has never visited.
There are so many rumors spreading in the palace.
They're saying that His Majesty is looking down at our mistress.
He just forcefully kept her by his side in consideration of Empress Dowager.
Those people in Imperial Household Department serve dishes based on how they look at you.
I urge you to better not go and embarrass yourself.
Mingyu, what are you doing?!
I respected you because you once served by the side of the former empress. But times have changed.
You think it's still like the past?!
I'll go get it...
Sister Mingyu, stop being mad.
Hupo, you better just talk less.
If you go later and got ridiculed,
don't blame me for not warning you!
What's wrong?
Endure... I can't endure any longer!
You can't endure any longer?
Of course! Look at this Yanxi Palace. It's the remotest palace among all the harem palaces.
His Majesty has never stepped in here.
When we just arrived, there are weeds growing all over.
The eastern rooms are leaking wind and rain. The food they deliver everyday are cold.
Just to get a monthly allowance, we still have to repeatedly rush them.
The days are already hard.
Now, even the servants here dare to casually discuss their mistress.
What kind of world is this?
If I continue to endure, I'll become a turtle soon!
What are you laughing about?
- Mingyu, I finally saw your sharp spirit again.- What do you mean?
Noble Consort Chun frightened you so much. You would cower just by the mention of her name.
It's unbearable to see you like that.
Today, you look more human.
Yingluo!
I've been in Yuanming Garden for more than 2 years.
The first thing I learned is patience.
But, the temporary patience is for a pleasurable future.
- Let's go.- Go where?
Without the graces of Empress Dowager,
I would have long starved to death.
Shouldn't I quickly go to thank her?
This little sister, have I seen you before?
You're making up things again.
When did you ever see her?
Although we have never seen each other, with such a kind face,
she can be considered to be an old friend of mine in my heart.
Today, why then can't we act as
reuniting after a long time?
In my opinion, how is that a mischievous lad?
It's more like a womanizing young man.
- Today—- What story are you telling
that's making Empress Dowager so happy?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
What street stall story was that?
You dare show it to Empress Dowager?
Look at how you're dressed up.
Don't blame her.
It's me who called her to come here to amuse
and chat with me. Just saying is boring, so she put on a costume too.
It's also hard on her to try to make me laugh.
But this story is indeed quite interesting.
How about Your Majesty, come and listen to it too?
So outrageous. Quickly leave.
Yes!
I will take my leave!
Your Majesty, we're just joking around.
Don't be mad.
I'm not mad.
I've been in the palace for so many years.
I've seen a lot of filial and virtuous imperial consorts.
But someone as quick-witted and strange like her,
being able to come up with a hundred ways to make me happy everyday,
is really rare.
Your Majesty.
Empress Dowager.
That girl easily takes advantage of others' weakness.
It's better that you don't spoil her,
so she won't become arrogant.
Yes.
Wait.
[Noble Lady Wei of Yanxi Palace]
[Imperial Concubine Jia of Chuxiu Palace]
[Consort Yu of Yonghe Palace]
[Noble Consort Chun of Zhongcui Palace]
[Shoukang Palace]
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Yingluo, you come here everyday, but His Majesty kept ignoring you.
What should we do?
How long have we been coming here?
This...it's more than a month already.
We always bumped into him, but His Majesty just wouldn't talk to you at all.
More than a month...
Let's not come tomorrow then.
Why?
I got exposed to the wind and is a little sick.
My voice is gone and couldn't tell a story anymore.
Just request for a leave of absence from Empress Dowager first.
What are you trying to do?
Subtitles brought to you by The Gentle Empress Team @ Viki.
Your Majesty, please have some tea.
Were you able to ask around?
Your Majesty, what should I be asking?
I did. They said that Noble Lady Wei is sick.
Sick?
Who said that I'm asking about her?
This...
I talked too much...
I'll just go out and walk around.
It's so hot!
Noble Lady Wei, you're so delicate.
If it's hot, you could have just blown it a little.
Hupo, who allowed you to talk like that to me?
Noble Lady Wei, a person shouldn't forget where he came from.
Before, when we were in Changchun Palace,
we helped each other out.
Now that you've become an imperial consort.
don't go forgetting that.
No matter what I say, you would find fault.
You're so hard to serve.
That was before. But, I'm now a Noble Lady.
Your current attitude is offending your superior.
You...are you not afraid that I'll tell Her Highness Empress this?
Yes... You are a high and noble mistress.
I'm a lowly servant. Of course, I must follow your order.
Since you don't want to drink it, then don't.
I'll go throw it away now!
Your Majesty...!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Drag her out. Cane her 80 times and transfer her to the Workhouse!
Your Majesty! Your Majesty! I admit my mistakes!
Forgive me! Your Majesty!
Noble Lady Yu indeed was a palace maid before.
But after becoming my Noble Lady, no servant is allowed to belittle her.
Hit her outside and let everyone see it.
Men, drag her away!
I really admit my mistakes! Your Majesty, have mercy!
Noble Lady Wei! Noble Lady Wei! I beg you to save me!
Noble Lady! Your Majesty, have mercy! Noble Lady Wei!
Save me!
When did you become this weak?
You dare allowed a servant climb above you?
Your Majesty, she's the servant of the past empress.
She was once my colleague.
You were once a servant,
but you're now my Noble Lady.
You must remember that.
Don't embarrass me.
Yes.
Noble Lady Wei, congratulations.
Sister Mingyu, go beg for leniency from mistress in Hupo's behalf.
She already knows her mistake. She really does.
The one she offended this time is His Majesty.
If His Majesty wants to use her to establish his might, mistress won't be able to do anything about it too.
- Tell Hupo to serve me later.- Tell Hupo to serve you?
Right. Let her attend to me closely.
But she kept slacking off. Can she attend to you well?
I exactly want her to slack off.
The more slacked off, the better.
Have you all personally seen it?
That is the consequence for anyone who dares to slack off in serving our mistress.
From now on, whoever dares to offend the superior will be seeking his own death.
We dare not! We dare not!
Have you recovered from your cold?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
How come it's you?
I came to greet Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager went to change her clothes. I was here waiting.
Who did His Majesty mistake me as?
No one.
Your Majesty, I heard that Empress Dowager developed a liking for a book lately.
She would ask Noble Lady Wei to come here everyday to narrate it to her.
But, Noble Lady Wei is sick.
I then thought Empress Dowager must be inching to listen to the story.
Hence, I took the initiative to memorize the book.
Although, it was just some love story between a scholar and a beauty,
it indeed has its distinct style.
I still have to do something. I'll get going now.
Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Don't you want to listen to it anymore?!
I've memorized it for a long time, Your Majesty!
Empress Dowager, what are you laughing about?
I'm laughing that there is finally a tremendously skilled girl
that arrived here in our palace.
Without a word or movement, she was able to hook the soul of the emperor away.
You're talking about Imperial Concubine Shu?
Imperial Concubine Shu?
Imperial Concubine Shu, where did we stop earlier?
Continue with the story.
Is Noble Lady Wei still sick?
Yes.
Tell Ye Tianshi to treat her.
Yes.
Your Majesty, even if you don't say it,
the Imperial Medical Academy will surely do their best to treat Noble Lady Wei.
Forget it. No need to go.
Return to Yangxin Palace.
Transport His Majesty back to Yangxin Palace!
No. Go to Yanxi Palace.
Go to Yanxi Palace!
Is that the scent of cape jasmine?
It seems so.
Your Majesty.
Where's Noble Lady Wei?
Noble Lady took some medicine and is already sleeping upstairs.
Why didn't she sleep inside her room?
Replying to Your Majesty, Noble Lady ordered people to transfer some cape jasmine in the garden.
When the mild wind blows by, the fragrance will spread.
Noble Lady is afraid of the heat, so after admiring them, she fell asleep upstairs.
She said that not only will it be cooler, there's also fragrance blowing from time to time.
Acting so arbitrarily.
No wonder you'll get sick from cold wind exposure.
Who allowed you to sleep here?
Your Majesty?
Is it that surprising to see me?
I--
Your Majesty, this is not appropriate to the rules.
Whatever I do is appropriate to the rules.
All of you, leave...
Miss Mingyu, why are you so slow?
Let's go. Stop looking.
Mingyu?
Mingyu!
You go patrol somewhere else. Come, give that to me.
Why are you alone here?
What has happened?
I think I've done a mistake.
In this world, who doesn't make mistakes?
No. You don't understand!
If I didn't understand, you can explain it to me.
If I didn't say anything,
Yingluo would have successfully gotten out of the palace when she reaches 25 years old.
A person like her can obtain bliss wherever she goes,
but I've now personally destroyed her happiness!
I caused her to forever get locked up here in the Forbidden City.
It's my fault.
Mingyu, you didn't mean for it to become like this.
No. I did it deliberately.
Noble Consort Chun kept bullying me.
I couldn't accept it and wanted to seek justice,
hence, I dragged Yingluo down with me.
I'm so despicable. I'm a very vicious person!
You are totally not that kind of person!
Stop blaming yourself!
I don't know what Noble Consort Chun did to you,
that you were forced to be at an impasse.
But, from now on, if you need any help from me,
I surely will do my best.
Really?
I... It's better that I don't trouble you.
I'm a man of a my word.
If you have any trouble, just come seek me.
Hailancha, thank you.
You're really a good person.
In this life, I would be very grateful to you.
Congratulations, Noble Lady Wei!
Noble Lady, His Majesty just left.
Her Highness Empress has rewarded you with a lot of gifts.
Noble Consort Chun also sent some afterwards.
Noble Lady, you finally have achieved success.
You all leave now.
Yingluo, are you happy?
I'm one step closer to my goal.
Of course, I'm happy.
Not only you are working hard, I will work hard too.
Mingyu, what did you do?
I will slowly grow up to become your right hand man.
As long it can help you, I'm willing to do anything.
You're so great. You said that you'll obtain the emperor's favor.
Now, you've done it.
- Did I say anything wrong?- You think
that success is just earning the favor of the emperor?
- But...- His Majesty now just treats me as a novel toy.
In a few days, he'll forget about me.
Unless I walk into his heart.
I'm still very far from toppling
Noble Consort Chun.
Your Highness Empress, Wei Yingluo has been attending to His Majesty in bed for 3 successive days.
Her eyes have now grown above her head.
Look, what time is it already?
She still hasn't come here to greet you.
Maybe, Noble Lady Wei got delayed by some matter.
What delayed? She clearly have become arrogant from being favored.
She's after all a palace maid once.
She is so unruly.
In my opinion, Your Highness should send a momo there
and lecture her well.
Imperial Concubine Shu, whoever His Majesty favors is his choice.
Other than obeying it,
we all mustn't say more.
If today, you're the one that His Majesty favors,
I then send someone to lecture you,
what then did I become?
Your Highness Empress, you also shouldn't say it that way.
Among the four women virtues, morality, speech, appearance, and craft, morality comes first.
For such a disrespectful and unruly lady like that,
if we allow her to be frequently by His Majesty side, it will induce trouble sooner or later.
Your Highness Empress, you mustn't become lenient in handling the palace affairs.
Her Highness is benevolent. She wouldn't lower down herself to the level of a little Noble Lady.
But if she steps beyond her boundaries and induce trouble, that is not a minor matter anymore.
Your Highness, it's better to guard against it as earlier as possible.
Your Highness Empress!
Your Highness Empress, I'm done collecting the morning dew.
When Her Highness Empress hasn't woken up yet,
Noble Lady Wei has already arrived.
She saw that Her Highness still needs to wash up, she then went to the garden and collected some dew first
to be used in Her Highness' tea.
Noble Lady Wei is really very diligent
in serving Her Highness Empress.
This is part of my duty.
Okay already. Since you all have greeted me today,
you all can go back now.
I will take my leave.
Your Highness, look at what they've said earlier. So outrageous.
His Majesty has just visited her a few times.
Each one are like a black-eyed chicken, showing off their ugly side.
But His Majesty has indeed never successively had one imperial consort attend to him in bed.
It's no wonder that everyone is getting anxious.
Looks like that Wei Yingluo is indeed a rival to be contend with.
No matter how beautiful a flower is, you'll eventually get sick watching it.
His Majesty has seen so many women.
No matter how able Wei Yingluo is, how long can she keep him by her side?
Only short-sighted women like those
would get so agitated.
Anyway, no matter how they fight,
Your Highness has already sat on the fishing stage. Just let them fight then.
The fiercer, the better.
Greetings, Imperial Concubine Jia.
I thought it's some world-renowned beauty,
but you look so ordinary.
Let's go.
That is the younger sister of the previous Imperial Concubine Jia?
Yes. Upon entering the palace, she immediately got conferred a Noble Lady title.
In less than 2 years, she became the lead mistress of her palace.
Now, other than Noble Consort Chun, she and Imperial Concubine Shu are the favorite consorts.
This younger Imperial Concubine Jia is so arrogant and overbearing because of it.
But, during the birthday banquet,
she got sick and got left behind in the palace.
She indeed is tender and beautiful. Compared to the past Imperial Concubine Jia,
she indeed is way better.
There are so many women in the imperial harem, yet she was able to stand out.
It means she's outstanding in some aspect.
- Where does she live now?- Chuxiu Palace.
Looks like, she treats me as her enemy.
His Majesty has let you attended to his bed for 3 successive days.
It can't be helped for you to become the enemy of everyone. You must be careful.
Lan'er!
Go and tell Chief Steward Li
that I'm sick, and it's very grave.
If I don't see His Majesty soon, I'll die.
- Mistress, I don't think that's a good idea.- What's wrong about it?
Didn't that bitch fool His Majesty like that?
How come I can't do the things she did?
- Mistress—- Go! Go! Quickly go!
Yes.
Useless people.
- Wait.- All of you, stop!
What's going on here?
You, come over here.
What's going on?
Replying to Your Majesty, Noble Lady Wei said that the weather is too hot.
She ordered people to set up a reed mat like this
on the paths that you'll take.
The reed mats where all old and unused reed mats in the Imperial Household Department.
It just needs some effort to fix. Not much money was spent.
Attendants are all staying under it to cool down and rest.
Everyone in the palace are grateful to her.
Fine. Leave first.
Continue moving!
Go to Yanxi Palace.
Yes. Turn around to Yanxi Palace.
Lan'er, put more powder here.
If my face is too red, I will look too ugly.
Yes.
Here.
Under the eyes, put some eyebrow liner, the dark blue one.
- Okay. - Okay...
Very good. Hurry!
Mistress, was about to reach Chuxiu Palace.
But in an instant, he turned around to Yanxi Palace.
What?!
Your Majesty rushed to Yanxi Palace.
Vixen... You vixen!
You dare to steal His Majesty from me?
Wei Yingluo!
- Mistress.- I'm so angry. Don't touch me!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Where is Wei Yingluo?
She lured me here but she didn't know to come out and welcome me?
- Your Majesty, Noble Lady is not inside the palace.- What?
Noble Lady said that the weather is too hot today, so she went out for a stroll.
Where did she go?
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?♫