I'm your sister, not your shadow.
Thanks to you,
His Majesty has turned a blind eye to me!
Only when the harem is rid of you,
can His Majesty and I break free.
Mo Gong-Gong!
Greetings, Jieyu Xu!
This way...
What do I need to do to work with the Prince of Wei?
What will I get?
His Highness wants you to work from the harem
and do your best to help him depose the Crown Prince.
He will also try his best to help you replace Wu Meiniang.
You alone will have His Majesty's attention.
Eastern Palace is already linked up with Wu Meiniang,
so now helping the Prince of Wei is helping yourself.
As he wishes.
Take it away!
It's bitter and acerbic.
Anyone who likes it can drink it,
but definitely not me.
If you don't take this medication,
I won't know what to tell Consort Wei.
I'm not taking it!
Greetings, Your Highness!
Aunt!
save it!
Did you take your medication?
It's very bitter.
Do you know
how many people are watching this baby?
You think they want you
to deliver a healthy baby for His Majesty?
All they're actually hoping
is for you to miscarry overnight.
Well? You want them to get their wish?
No!
so this medication... will you take it?
Yes.
Tell Dr Zhou to decoct another dosage,
until she gulps down every drop of it.
Hurry!
Run, Chengqian!
Chengxun! Hurry!
Take him away!
Run! Watch out!
Take him away!
Help me, Chengqian! Chengxun!
Chengxun...
Chengxun!
Where are you, Chengxun?
Chengxun, where are you going?
Your Highness? What is it?
Chengxun!
Your Highness? Chengxun, where are you?
Your Highness, did you have a nightmare?
Chengxun! Your Highness!
You're Chengxun!
You're here! That's wonderful!
Father didn't take you away! Good!
Your Highness, it's me!
Get some sleep, Your Highness!
I don't want to sleep now!
Are you having the same nightmare?
Don't worry! Inside the Palace,
how many people can smile in their sleep?
You may go.
No, I want to be with you.
Fine! I can't sleep anyway.
saddle my horse!
sure!
Your Highness...
I envy the Mongolians.
They live on the prairie
They've never had a wall around them,
and can gallop anywhere under the sky.
I wish I could live such a life.
The prophecy crisis has come to an end.
You have fought off the danger of getting deposed,
and made contact with Cairen Wu
and enlisted her help from the harem.
Now everyone's happy.
But I've noticed
you still have a lot on your mind.
I'm worried about your safety.
The talk of the town in Chang'an
is about our so-called illicit relationship.
Father and Wei Zheng must have known about it.
But they have both kept quiet.
I know Father too well
and I know the kind of person Wei Zheng is.
The more they keep quiet, the worse is my fear.
I have become a burden to you.
Your enemy will use me to attack you.
It's time for me to leave.
But we're just friends.
Haven't they heard of the classic story of bosom friends, Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi?
Most people are mediocre,
they only see what's filthy and sordid
and only hear gossip and rumour.
Even if you try to explain,
who would believe it?
I thought I didn't care what people think.
I guess I was being too naive.
Where will you go?
Back home, north of the Gobi Desert.
My mother still lives there.
I enslaved myself for money back then
because I wanted to give her a better life.
I can go back to being a herdsman,
grow old up north and never return to Chang'an.
Beyond the Great Wall is good.
I'll make arrangements for your departure.
When I become the Emperor,
maybe I can send for you
and give you a cushy appointment.
Maybe...
The Crown Prince won!
You horse is truly remarkable.
It's even better than shizicong!
Yes, this horse is rare.
shifu, where did you get it?
sir!
This horse is from Ningyuan, in the Western Region.
It is a rare breed.
I couldn't possibly have found a horse like this.
It's not a gift from me.
Then who?
since when did you find that Wei Zheng knows how to judge a horse?
This wuzhui on snow is from me.
Greetings, Father!
Greetings, Your... Wei Zheng!
You're exempted.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
You may rise!
Thank you, Father!
How's the leg?
It's fine!
You did well on the horse!
Thank you, Father!
Congratulations on the reward from Father!
Father, can I ride the horse and try its strong legs?
You're asking me? It's your brother's horse.
Can I, Chengqian?
Of course!
Thanks!
Zhinu, don't go so fast!
I won't!
Chengqian, take a walk with me!
Aye!
Goodbye, sire!
Fine!
Chengqian, about your self-expostulation,
I've read it.
You did a good job, I'm most pleased.
That's why this horse is your reward.
I'm just doing my job, I don't deserve any reward.
If everyone does their job,
we'll have peace
and I won't have so much trouble.
You deserved this horse.
Thank you, Father.
Father, a while ago, when the prophecy first came out
it was rumoured that I...
That was over and done with.
My son
can't possibly commit such misconduct.
I believe you.
Thank you, Father!
Don't blame me for being harsh.
If you're born into an ordinary family,
I would have indulged and spoilt you.
But you're the Crown Prince,
you bear a heavy burden.
Nothing must go wrong.
I was anxious and some of the initiatives
were meant to be lessons for you to learn.
But the fact that you're the Crown Prince remains unchanged.
I understand.
It's better for an Emperor to be crooked than be straight as an arrow.
There are things best left unsaid.
I'm hoping you can learn from experience.
Yes!
You have good news, Your Highness?
The mole I planted in the Eastern Palace just sent word.
Chengqian is arranging for Chengxin's departure.
Where can he go?
As far as I know, Chengxin is a filial son.
so are you.
Where would you go?
Home!
Right!
He's heading back north to look after his mother.
Congratulations, this is your good chance!
This Crown Prince brother of mine is very interesting.
Rather than being the Crown Prince,
he'd rather be a horseman roaming the land.
As his younger brother, I must oblige him.
What's that, Your Highness?
A Taoist priest from Taibai shan prescribed this for me.
He said this medicine
could clear the mind and improve my vital energy.
It can also help me stay calm and bring all sorts of good luck.
Do you feel anything unusual?
I feel refreshed and much younger.
Your Highness!
Mo Gong-Gong just sent word.
He said Jieyu Xu agreed.
see? All sorts of good luck! And here it comes!
Your Majesty!
Father, these reports...
Take a look!
Father, it's groundless...
All these reports
accuse you of rendezvousing with a male lover.
Because of your misconduct,
Venus, the sign of calamity, and "the woman ruler named Wu" befall Tang.
I've already told you I believe you.
Get up!
Thank you, Father!
Though I believe you,
other people may not.
You must use extraordinary means to make up for it.
Chengxin must go.
I understand.
I'll arrange for him to leave Chang'an.
People may believe you will turn over a new leaf,
but they won't believe he's not your lover.
You must do something astonishing
to let them know, from now on
the gates of the Eastern Palace will only stay open for loyal courtiers,
and won't breed evil by being too lenient.
A real promise is one smeared with blood.
Chengxin must die.
It's best that you personally end it all.
But if you don't have the heart,
I can help you.
Don't worry, Father!
I'll take care of it!
Did you have a nightmare?
I'll go fetch the doctor.
No, I just had a nightmare.
I felt the baby disappeared all of a sudden
and Aunt reprimanded me.
No, Heaven protects the good.
Besides, Consort Wei has ordered me
to wait on you properly.
If anything should happen to you,
I'll be dead even if I had 100 lives.
The good?
I'm bored from sleeping.
I want to take a walk.
It's after 1 o'clock. You need rest.
since when...
do I have to take orders from you?
Jieyu!
Go report it! Aye!
Today is cold and windy,
please go back inside before you get sick.
Please go inside, Jieyu!
Go away!
Please go inside...
Ignorant minions!
How dare you get in my way!
Greetings, Jieyu Xiao!
It's cold and windy out here,
please go back inside.
If the cold wind hurts the baby,
everyone in the house will be executed.
Please go back inside...
Consort Wei sent me to bring you this
fertility Guanyin inlaid with luminous pearls.
Look.
Her Highness meant to bring it herself,
but she's tied up at the moment.
she also said
hopefully you wouldn't let her down.
Do take care of yourself.
The pastry...
Her Highness ordered the Imperial Kitchen
to make them for you.
They can help you sleep better.
Please don't take anymore walks.
You need bed rest and don't do anything to affect the fetus.
Zhilan, mark down the time.
Every 4 hours, you must serve it to Jieyu Xiao.
If Jieyu Xiao gets out of bed again,
I won't go easy on you!
Aye!
Thank my Aunt for me.
To ensure the effectiveness of the medicine,
the taste has been compromised.
I'm afraid it'll be tough for you.
I understand
Aunt wants what's best for the baby.
Right! All for the baby.
Chengxin, this path you chose is very quiet
Quiet is good.
I remember the first time we went hunting,
it was on a quiet afternoon like this.
Now that I'm leaving, I think this will be the last time we go hunting together.
Your Highness!
Nice shot!
Congratulations, Cairen Wu!
You cleared the suspicion about you as "the woman ruler named Wu".
There's no crime bigger than tyranny,
no grudge greater than lack of virtues.
After General Li Junxian was suddenly transferred to Huazhou,
I bet he had probably met his doom.
Yet who can prove he's "the woman ruler named Wu"?
His future
is not something you should worry about.
For you,
as long as you're with His Majesty,
everything is worth it.
Right now you should focus on
your position in the harem.
Don't forget,
the predatory Consort Wei.
she's not after you now
because she has yet to find a chance.
I'm sure in the years to come
you don't want to be on the defence.
You should be more proactive.
Thank you for your concern.
I'll think about it.
Today is a good day to go for a walk.
On such a fine day,
why didn't you ask the Crown Prince to accompany you for a walk outside the city?
Not today.
He is out hunting already in the hills.
still with that Chengxin?
so you have heard?
There's hardly anyone in the harem
who hasn't heard of Chengxin.
You used to live a secluded life
and seldom set foot inside the harem.
That's all for the good of His Highness.
But now you take the trouble
to go hither and thither between the Eastern Palace and the harem
also for the Crown Prince's sake.
You love him with all your heart.
He should not treat you like this.
When I was very little, my parents already taught me
how to be a dignified and virtuous lady.
My world is tiny,
and revolves only around His Highness and our children.
I'm willing to do anything for them.
But sometimes...I really wish
he could be a bit more gentle to me.
If you still have expectations of your relationship,
changes are inevitable.
For a powerful man
and a man who values power,
to win his heart,
devotion and sacrifice are not good enough.
The best way is to become his equal.
If you treat yourself low as dust,
you'll never earn his respect,
let alone true love.
You have a point.
But can you do it?
Me?
Very often, not!
Men can be such a hassle.
sis Wu!
Zhinu? What are you doing here?
I've heard, you come here often.
You probably can use this.
Between Tang and the rebel army in the north, war is inevitable.
Father often says,
all but this missing piece is within the kingdom.
Looks like Father is quite determined to take them out.
Lately I've been busy studying books on the art of war.
Like you,
I wish to share Father's troubles.
Too bad I'm stupid and I have a lot of questions.
Maybe after you finish reading this,
you can give me some answers.
Zhinu,
I thought you'd never grow up.
Perhaps I was being short-sighted.
Zhinu has grown up already.
This is my duty as a prince.
I'm sorry you and Father had to worry about me.
Understanding your duty is indication you have grown up.
Zhinu,
thank you for bringing me the book.
It's very useful to me.
someday
if I can get first-hand experience,
I'd probably understand more.
First-hand experience?
You made quite a catch today.
Indeed!
I heard you went hunting, Your Highness.
How did it go?
His Highness didn't miss any shots.
He shot rabbits, pheasant and...
shifu, what brings you to the Eastern Palace?
I thought you'd go hunting with him and come back alone.
It's the right thing to do.
Does Chengxin have to die?
Everyone does. It's just a matter of time.
To sacrifice himself for your future is his good fortune.
I'm all ears, shifu.
You must understand
the person stopping you from ascending the throne,
is not Li Tai or Li Ke, but yourself.
I'll wait to hear your good news.
You've been staring at the map of the north for 2 hours.
What's on your mind?
Your Majesty, this expedition against the rebel army...
how long will it take?
I'll know when I engage them in battle.
6 to 12 months if everything goes well.
I'll write you.
Then you can look at this map and know where I am.
I want to be with you on the battlefield.
Absolutely not!
Why not? What's so funny?
I cannot wield a sword,
but I can ride a horse and shoot an arrow as well as any man.
Besides, in the olden days,
we have the legend of Mulan who fought in her father's place.
I can accompany you on the battlefield, what's wrong with that?
To me, the legend of Mulan is complete nonsense.
If the state needs to send a woman to the battlefield,
this state is not far from its downfall.
There are rules in the army
and women are not allowed.
Besides, on the battlefield terrible things can happen
and it won't be a pleasant sight,
I'd rather spare you from it.
It can't be that bad!
My father has told me before,
severed limbs are all over the place,
the ground is running with blood,
the stench from the bloodshed lingers on for months.
That sounds so scary.
Just imagine...
Benevolence is a natural instinct.
But war makes you forget your human nature.
You'll pick up any weapon to slaughter your own kind.
Can you imagine the change?
What about you?
When you go to war, how do you feel?
You're asking me?
When I was young,
I was arrogant and wilful
who thought I could do no wrong
and people I killed deserved to die.
I was going into battle
to save the people and uphold justice on behalf of Heaven.
With this idea in mind,
I took many lives,
and never had a nightmare about it.
But as I grow older, I've begun to realise
I have doubts, confusion and even regret.
I keep thinking
my killing of some people was not justified
or even some of them didn't deserve to die.
Come...
The guilt and confusion from the killings over the years
are all in here.
Your Majesty, all these lamps
are in memory of the dead?
Each time I killed someone and I felt uneasy about it,
I'd light an altar lamp.
I ended up with these over the course of time.
I hope I won't need to add more.
Your Highness, it's late.
You should get some rest.
Where are you going?
You came much later than I expected.
Your Highness, don't drink anymore.
It's bad for your health and can cause trouble.
I'm sorry!
You have your problems.
I understand.
I just hope I can go in peace.
Very well!
Your Highness, drink no more!
We used to get drunk all the time,
but as you see me off,
I hope you can be sober.
How about right here?
I'll look after your mother.
Chengxin, take care!