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 45
Your Majesty!
- Greetings, Your Majesty.- Rise.
Why did you come?
Seems like I haven't been here for a long time.
For the past month, you've only called for Imperial Concubine Ling to attend to you in bed.
I also haven't seen you for a long time.
You don't blame me?
If you come, I'll welcome you with a smile.
If you don't come, I'll look forward and wait for you.
Noble Consort Chun. Do you know what I like about you?
What?
Whatever time I get to see you,
you're always gentle, caring, and considerate.
Empress is virtuous. Imperial Concubine Jia is adorable.
Imperial Concubine Shu is passionate. Noble Lady Qing is naive.
- In this Forbidden City—- Your Majesty, please.
Among a cloud-like number of beauties, I feel most relaxed when I see you,
because you never request anything from me.
I don't have any request.
My only request is to make you happy.
This latest Jinchuan victory has ended a problem of yours.
Why then are you still frowning and your forehead still tightly knitted?
Oh, right. You should tell this good news
to Imperial Concubine Ling. Let her be happy too.
Why would she be happy?
While still in Changchun Palace,
Fuheng took care of her a lot.
Afterwards, he went to war. I'm sure Imperial Concubine Ling was very worried about him.
Now that he has safely returned,
she can put down that rock in her heart already.
Your Majesty, what's wrong?
Nothing.
The night is deep. You sleep early too.
Sending off Your Majesty.
Go to Yanxi Palace.
Go to Yanxi Palace!
Lower down the sedan!
Return to Yangxin Palace.
Sister Mingyu!
- What's wrong?- I saw His Majesty earlier passing by Yanxi Palace.
He didn't get off his sedan and just directly left. Why is that?
Really?
I saw it myself. His Majesty didn't went down and directly turn around and left.
♫ Willow by the palace walls, jade hair clasp ♫
♫ Slender rosy, soft hands ♫
♫ The wine of solitude locks away the sorrows of spring ♫
♫ It is hard to speak about matters of the past ♫
- Is that true?- I don't know.- I heard that they all saw it.
It's better to not casually talk about matters like that.
It's true. Hey!
Have you heard it?
Imperial Concubine Ling and Lord Fuheng seem to have...
- Yingluo.- Something's off.
Go and ask around.
Yes.
- Is is true?- Looking at the two of them. It's really hard to say.
Stop making up nonsense.
Mistress, your restriction has been lifted. You should go out and have a stroll.
Go out to do what? Let that vixen laugh at me?
Now, the one people are laughing at isn't you.
It's Imperial Concubine Ling herself.
What?
Mistress, we've been confined into our palace, hence, we're not updated with the news.
This news has spread all over the palace.
Good! See if I don't skin that vixen this time.
Imperial Concubine Jia, His Majesty already said that he won't see you.
You can't keep kneeling here, right?
Does His Majesty
despise me now?
I really admit my mistake!
I especially came to apologize! Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, if you won't forgive me,
I will keep kneeling here!
Your Majesty!
Chief Steward Li, Imperial Concubine Jia was good to you.
- Please beg for leniency in her behalf!- This...
I'll give it a try then.
Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Jia has been kneeling outside for more than 2 hours.
Looking at her delicate built,
if she continues to kneel,
I fear that her body won't be able to take it.
Let her in.
Yes.
Your Majesty,
I admit my mistake. I really do.
You really know your mistakes now?
Your Majesty, since Imperial Concubine Ling entered the palace,
there's no more women in your eyes.
Who am I?
I'm just a little lady who doesn't know anything.
You're the only one in my heart.
But you kept being with her all day.
I got so upset, hence, my mind got muddled.
Made a mistake of punishing her to kneel.
I was wrong. I really was wrong.
Your Majesty, I won't dare to make things difficult for her again.
It means that you've figured things out?
I did.
Your Majesty, you know that everyone gets jealous.
If you can just share with me
even a tenth of your goodness to Imperial Concubine Ling,
I'll be satisfied.
Will all women in this world get jealous?
Of course. As long as they have you in their heart, they will get jealous.
Unless...
What if a person never cared if I visit her or not?
It can only mean that you were never in her heart to begin with.
Your Majesty, you're not angry at me anymore?
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
Then...I'll accompany you here to chat a little then.
Your Majesty, you're painting a new courtyard?
I plan to bestow Fuheng a new house with the Dong'an Gates
and personally name this mansion.
I just haven't thought of the name yet.
Why not Yujing Garden?
Why?
State of Shu with its flowers already exhausted.
Gardenia with its blossom already bloomed.
Beautiful like the fairy.
Fragrant like Jade Capital.
That Yujing (jade capital) two characters,
come from this poem.
Jade Capital?
It's chanting the gardenia flower.
Yes. I hear Lord Fuheng,
he's ordered men in search of esteemed gardenia everywhere.
I imagine it's because he loves that flower so much.
So to name his garden Jade Capital would be most suitable, no?
Get out.
Your Majesty. I . . . did I misspeak?
You thought I couldn't hear through?
That you're misdirectingly defaming Concubine Ling?
Your Majesty.
The one who truly loves you is before you.
But you don't cherish it.
You put that one who befools with tricks to your heart.
Even if you want to kill me today, I must still say the truth.
Concubine Ling. She owes you.
Get lost.
That vixen is done with.
But His Majesty was clearly angry just now.
What do you know?
His Majesty is just using it to vent out his fury.
Who is His Majesty?
The king above everyone, high and lofty.
His favorite concubine coveted by his subject.
Can his pride swallow that?
But if you do that, Mistress.
That's still too risky.
So what if it's risky?
Before, I was His Majesty's favorite.
I won't let that vixen snatch His Majesty from me.
If she's rid of,
His Majesty will surely return to my side again.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Empress.
Rumors are rampant within the palace lately.
Have you heard?
Rumors?
Can't be that Your Majesty is referring to Concubine Ling and Lord Fuheng?
Even you've heard of it.
It goes to show how the rumors are increasing.
Lately, Your Majesty,
you've pampered Concubine Ling continuously and it's brought upon jealousy in the palace.
The rumors going around is hard to avoid.
May you be at ease, Your Majesty. I will investigate the matter thoroughly.
To return justice to Concubine Ling.
In that sense,
you trust that she's innocent?
Lord Fuheng is away on campaign most of the time.
And Concubine Ling is in the palace.
If on rare occasion they run into each other and exchange a few words, that's only natural.
Since Concubine Ling used to be a trusted handmaiden of Late Empress after all.
Their relationship was already different from others before.
Relationship?
You misunderstand, Your Majesty.
I mean, that's in the past.
Since Late Empress passed away and Concubine Ling moved residence to Yuanming Garden,
she never saw Lord Fuheng.
And Concubine Ling is now Your Majesty's concubine.
And she's cautious and bending to rules.
What is there to criticize?
Your Majesty is lenient and magnanimous. Such petty matter,
it was never a real care to you in the past.
From now on, if anyone discusses this matter again,
they are to face the rod no matter who.
- Your Majesty. - That's all I want to say.
The rest,
you see to it, Empress.
Your Highness, do you think this matter . . .
I've never seen His Majesty so worked out and hostile over a woman.
This Concubine Ling, what trick did she use?
Maybe it's because she's refreshing for the moment.
Since His Majesty has never seen a woman like her before.
After this period, she won't be so interesting anymore.
I see then that Noble Consort Chun has met her life's biggest foe.
I've already looked into it.
Lately there are rumors about you and Lord Fuheng.
They are saying the two of you already confirmed your love while at Changchun Palace.
And saying that for the sake of promotion, Lord Fuheng,
he spared his beloved to offer to His Majesty.
And saying the two of you are still deeply entangled.
All these nonsense spoken in such clear and detailed fashion.
In that case, that makes sense.
You mean His Majesty mistakenly trusts the rumors.
So he's not coming to Yanxi Palace again?
What other reason would there be?
When I think about it, it's true that His Majesty never summoned you for sleep.
Yingluo, what should we do?
Rumors stop at wise men.
I just didn't think even His Majesty would believe them.
Your Ladyship, we've been out for so long. Let's go back.
No. I can't go.
If I leave now, then others will say I ran away frantic.
But . . .
Yingluo. I have something to say to you.
Then say it here.
I'm telling you.
Why?
I didn't want to be a palace maid anymore.
Why didn't you wait for me to return? I could have . . .
To become your concubine?
No.
If I were to go and become your concubine . . .
It's better to be His Majesty's concubine. At least it's a rank higher.
Yingluo. What you say now, I don't believe a word of it.
Fuheng.
Do you know there are rumors going around about us out there?
They say you and I are soiled.
You are an esteemed subject who's set high merits.
His Majesty won't trouble you, naturally.
But he's venting anger at me.
So please stay far away from me.
Do you understand?
I just want to see you. I just want to help you.
But not only can't you help me,
you will also implicate me.
This is your sincere words?
Do you still remember that day with heavy snow?
You and Erqing stood together.
A pair of beautiful people.
From that day on, I swore to myself.
From now on, I will wield out my sword and cut off ties.
- Strangers upon meeting.- Strangers upon meeting?
Yes.
Hence, the farther you stay away from me the better.
But if I say, I cannot do it?
I can't not think of you.
I can't not be concerned about you.
In my heart you are not His Majesty's Concubine Ling.
You are the Wei Yingluo in my heart.
The very stubborn one from before, the Wei Yingluo full of sense of justice.
Justice?
You are a gentleman with the disposition of fine jade.
I am a petty person who seeks revenge for the smallest grievance.
You and I were never of same kind.
Your praise of me.
That's just too touching.
I am right, aren't I?
Switching to a different place to play chess is a change of mood.
Soon, the willows will recede and the flowers bloom.
You all set up the chess over in that gazebo.
Your Highness, there's already someone in the gazebo.
Isn't that Concubine Ling?
The one by her is . . .
It's Lord Fuheng.
Your Majesty, Concubine Ling used to be a palace maid at Changchun Palace.
Naturally she is well acquainted with Lord Fuheng.
They are speaking in public and with a palace maid in attendance.
It's surely all very candid.
Even if it's all candid,
why does it require you to explain it?
Your Majesty, I am just worried you might miscast blame on Concubine Ling.
Since she's still quite young after all.
She is ignorant of palace rules.
A rare mishap in conduct is all too understandable.
When Her Ladyship is back and sees you, she'll be upset.
Alright, Zhenzhu, stop crying. It's all spread around the palace.
How will Her Ladyship not know? Don't cry.
What has happened?
Mistress. Today, I . . .
I accidentally knocked and hurt myself.
- Who did this? - I tripped myself.
You can fall like this yourself? You think we're dummies?
Zhenzhu, tell me the truth.
Today, I went to Imperial Tea House to get snacks.
I ran into Chuxiu Palace's Lan'er.
That's clearly a snack Imperial Tea House made for you.
But Lan'er kept saying Chuxiu Palace needs it urgently.
And snatched it.
The people at Imperial Tea House all helped her.
Alright. Don't cry anymore.
Later, I will send a bottle of ointment to you. We can't have you have a scar.
Why are we missing a pair of bracelets?
Yingluo, how do you still have the mood to water the flower?
Didn't you see Zhenzhu getting bullied?
What should I do then?
Storm into Chuxiu Palace and beat up the junior Concubine Jia?
You still can't just let the wild rumors spread everywhere though.
You finally received the favor and it's only been a few days.
Yanxi Palace becomes the Cold Palace.
And even the servants are implicated.
I have no way of not thinking of you.
I have no way not to be concerned about you.
In my heart, you are not His Majesty's Imperial Concubine Ling.
You are the Wei Yingluo of my heart. The old very stubborn one.
But the Wei Yingluo full of sense of justice.
Yingluo.
Greetings to Concubine Ling.
Desheng, does His Majesty have some instructions?
What are you doing?
Imperial Concubine Ling, His Majesty has stated.
The smell of chamber pots at Yongxiang Alley is too strong.
We'll borrow your gardenia to fumigate.
How can you do that? These flowers are diligently selected by my mistress.
You are going to use it fumigate Yongxiang?
Don't move them.
Let them go.
Imperial Concubine Ling, His Majesty is angry at you.
After his anger is dispersed in a bit,
naturally it will be better.
I am just carrying out order cast on me. May you not blame.
Imperial Concubine Ling, I take my leave.
That's too much!
Hurry. Hurry up now.
How are they taking them all away?
Our mistress has lost favor completely then.
When our mistress was favored before, His Majesty knew how much she loved gardenia
He picked out the most precious specie to deliver them here.
Now they are all moved out and used to fumigate Yongxiang at that. That's outright shaming her.
Yingluo, what does His Majesty mean by this?
Go ask. Has His Majesty gone to Imperial Garden today?
Oh no. Then he must have seen you and Sir Fuheng meeting.
He's only showing me this to warn me.
Really?
Yes. From Yanxi Palace.
Wow.
So fragrant.
Sister Mingyu.
It's in the middle of the night. Why are you running around?
I am on duty tonight but my tummy hurts suddenly.
I need to go relieve myself.
Wait.
What's hiding in your belly?
I can't endure anymore. Sister, I'm going.
So you're the thief.
Imperial Concubine Ling, I know my wrong.
I was a fool momentarily to steal the treasure.
I really know my wrong now. May you spare my life.
You are not momentarily foolish. You knew I lost favor.
So you thought of seizing the opportunity to steal items from Yanxi Palace to sell off outside.
Your Ladyship, if you wish to beat me or scold me, please do so.
Just that, please don't send me into Punishment Bureau.
I would be dead for sure.
If I didn't discover you, would you come clean?
Now people outside are bullying Yanxi Palace.
And you are acting like an ingrate too.
Stealing your mistress's items. Where were you planning to sell them too?
Well . . .
If you don't say, I have no other way but to send you to Punishment Bureau.
Your Ladyship, I will tell you.
Palace eunuchs stealing treasures is a common occurrence.
Qianqing Palace and Yangxin Hall included.
As long as the master doesn't discover, there are channels to send them out.
Find a known contact at Glaze Factory to sell off quickly.
- Is that so? - Every word is true.
If you would spare my cheap life,
from now on, I will climb the mountain of knives,
and enter the sea of fire for you without half a complaint.
I can forgive you.
But what you said earlier, don't ever forget.
Thank you, Your Ladyship. Thank you, Your Ladyship.
Leave the item.
No one ever pays attention to these wares usually.
He's actually stole so much while we were unaware!
Yingluo, how can you just let him go so easily?
Didn't he say before?
That he's willing to climb up the mountain of knives and into the sea of fire?
You believe in such little splashy words?
I do.
How are you so incompetent, to be discovered!
Miss Lan'er, please don't be mad.
It's all that Mingyu. She's too vigilant.
And my fault for being careless.
But don't worry now.
I've already used stealing goods as my excuse
to muddle through. She won't discover.
But what use is that?
What my mistress wanted is gone.
Miss Lan'er, you should look and see who I am.
Will I disappoint you?
What you promised me?
Thank you. I'll leave first then.
Miss Mingyu. You were looking for me?
I troubled you last time.
I came to thank you.
I didn't help with anything.
Hailan Cha. Can I call you that?
Of course you can. Come look for me anytime you need something.
What are they doing?
It's Noble Consort Chun's instructions. She's preparing a special gift for Empress Dowager.
Special gift?
It was supposed to be a secret but you're not an outsider so I'll tell you.
Suzhou Street?
Our opportunity has come.
Empress Dowager, careful now.
It's so bustling. My.
I can't see a thing.
It's so bustling.
Noble Consort Chun, what mystery are you pulling now?
Empress Dowager, listen.
Hurry. Take it of of me. Off.
Please look.
Noble Consort Chun, what all is this?
Empress Dowager, haven't you always been pulled towards Jiangnan's scenery?
Our Forbidden City is absent of the small bridge and flowing water.
So I relied on my childhood memory,
to have the eunuchs and the palace maids dressed as commoners to open the palace market.
Though we lack the willows swaying and the murmur of flowing water,
we nevertheless have floating wine flags and pedestrians weaving through.
Regard it as me inciting a joy out of Empress Dowager.
Noble Consort Chun, you are thoughtful.
Noble Consort Chun, your thoughtfulness is quite clever.
But this is not real, after all.
I have already decided I will have the two shores of Royal Rivers connected in front of Longevity Temple,
Install especially for Empress Dowager, a Suzhou Street.
When it's done building, Empress Dowager can personally witness the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan.
Emperor. That's too much work involved.
As long as Empress Dowager is happy,
your son is content.
Empress Dowager, do you wish to go down and see?
Alright.
Not bad.
Really.
Good.
I like this fabric.
Empress Dowager, Noble Consort Chun is so smart indeed.
The way I see it, since the palace market is already set up,
we shouldn't just look at it.
We should really put it to use.
How do we put it to use?
Since the Jinchuan war is just subsided.
Though the royal court won victoriously, we did lose so many soldiers.
The pensions received by families of the deceased soldiers are very limited.
Widows and orphans displaced.
I suggest we ask every palace concubine and up,
to donate some jewelries and treasures for charity sale.
Of course, since it's a charity sale, we shouldn't limit to inside the palace only.
We can put these stalls outside the palace gate.
The monies in exchange can be used for casualty compensation.
Empress, you are very thorough.
This is indeed a great idea.
That way, we won't just bury away the diligent work by Noble Consort Chun.
Since Emperor and Empress both say so,
then let's not build Suzhou Street yet.
Let's put that money where it should be spent first.
Empress Dowager.
When the national treasury is abundant, it's not too late to build Suzhou Street then.
Then, your son will thank Empress Dowager for her kind concern on behalf of Great Qing's soldiers.
Empress is indeed so thorough in thought.
I only thought about making Empress Dowager happy.
I didn't think about a deeper layer.
Since that's the case,
I will put in some thought too.
Actually we don't all need to be like this. Just some sincerity.- Come buy some wine.
As long as Empress Dowager sends out decree,
all the officials of the court will follow suit in succession.
Hurry and come buy wine.
Hurry and come buy wine now.
Thank you.
What are you doing here?
Dear customer.
Do you want some wine? Try it.
Customer.
Mulberry wine. Xinfeng.
Chrysanthemum. Bamboo leaf. Red rice wine.
Customer, which wine would you like to drink?
Concubine Ling?
What is this you're dressed as?
There's no Concubine Ling today. Only the wine-peddling woman.
These are all rare great wines of Jiangnan.
A rare for a taste test.
You actually dressed yourself as a wine peddling woman?
Looking at you, I can't contain myself from laughing.
This wild idea. Only she can think of and carry it out.
Your Highness Empress Dowager. [ in Jiangna dialect] So if you're not buying?
[ Jiangnan dialect ] I'll need to sell it to someone else.
[ Jiangnan dialect ] Mulberry wine, 20 wen for a crock.
[ Jiangnan dialect ] Xifeng, 40 wen. Chrysanthemum, 30 wen.
[ Jiangnan dialect ] Bamboo leaf, 20 wen.
[ Jiangnan dialect ] Red rice wine, 25 wen. Hurry and buy now.
What accent are you speaking with?
Noble Consort, didn't you grow up in Suzhou?
Your Suzhou dialect should be most native.
Hers? Isn't she showing poor skills before the master?
Try it.
Concubine Ling, you are so skilled.
These hometown words. I can't even remember well.
[ Jiangnan dialect] Buy wine. Come and buy wine now.
Concubine Ling is so full of ideas.
Look at her attire. So amusing.
Are you dumb? Don't you see her seducing His Majesty?
Look at His Majesty's pupils. So intense.
But because she's got ideas. If it's someone else,
even if they can think of it, they can't let off their guard.
What is this wine?
I think it's Dukang.
The mulberry wine and the bamboo leaf wine are from Shanxi.
When did they run over to Suzhou?
If you want to sell wine, you should check market price.
Who dares to buy your wine?
[ Jiangnan accent ] Hurry and buy.
[ Jiangnan accent ] My wine ladle. Mine.
[ Jiangnan accent ] Hurry and give me back my ladle.
This wine is undrinkable.
Give me wine money.
I gave you wine money.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Come. Do you know rules?
You saw His Majesty and you still don't go and tell your mistress to come receive?
Mistress said His Majesty will surely pass by and not come in.
So she won't expend energy for nothing.
She's so clever again?
Your mistress, is she trying to scheme against His Majesty?
Look at how you speak. My mistress,
she only tells truth as is.
Pretend. You go pretend more.
But I must tell you. His Majesty came angry.
Even if Concubine Ling lured His Majesty to come.
It may not necessarily be a good thing.
Greetings to Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
I treat you with all my heart and devotion.
But you are fond of that vixen instead.
Throwing me aside.
I couldn't get over it for the time.
So I targeted her on purpose.
Your Majesty, even if I have,
a thousand flaws,
that's all because I love you.
Concubine Ling likes gardenia.
Lord Fuheng likes gardenia too.
How can there be such a coincidence in the world?
The way I see it, the two of them,
they are clearly soiled.
You pampered her for nothing.
That Concubine Ling.
She really deserves to die.
Wei Yingluo.
What in the world are you trying to do?
Concubine Ling and Lord Fuheng.
They were acquainted before.
So they meet by coincidence and exchanged a couple words.
Even if there's indecent feelings,
that's all in the past regardless.
Now that Concubine Ling has entered the palace, the past is just passing clouds and fog.
I believe,
Concubine Ling isn't the type that shoots her red apricot over the wall,
such shameless woman.
You . . .
Your Majesty, be at ease.
I, as the empress of the six palaces,
will surely investigate strictly who is behind the rumors.
To return justice of innocence to Concubine Ling.
You entered the palace not long ago.
But you comprehend each and all of them so well?
What you said earlier.
It seems as though you heard them say something for real.
If you want to talk about understanding of women.
Your Majesty is worse than me.
You know what they will discuss in private.
But you still dare to meet Fuheng in the garden?
If I turn around and leave right away,
then they will say again.
Concubine Ling, as soon as she saw Lord Fuheng, she turned and left.
It's clearly a case of guilty showing.
Your Majesty, rumors confuse everyone.
It takes only three people to say there's tiger for it to be believed.
I hope the same time you favor me,
you can give me more trust too.
Or else, even if I am made of bones of steel,
I will be ground to tofu still.
In the harem,
only you are the one with most tricks.
Always plucking me.
Then, do you like me?
I just love bad women like you!
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?♫