she'll try everything in her power
to secure her position
and make her son the Crown Prince.
send someone to bring Li Zhong to Lizheng Hall.
It's time I met with the boy.
You mean...she'll adopt one?
You plan to stop her?
Watch your step, Your Highness!
There's food over there, Your Highness!
They're your favourite. Go take a look.
There's more over there!
Take your time...
There's more...
This boy is not bad.
I was told
he's very attached to his mother.
They depend on each other.
Don't worry, Milady.
Kids are easy to coax.
Just let him know Lizheng Hall is the place
where he can enjoy fancy clothes and good food
and he'll be waited on.
soon, he'll forget about his mother
and that shabby yard he lives in.
Food and clothes can make a child forget his mother?
It's not that simple!
I tend to think
this boy has more character than we give him credit for.
Greetings, Your Highness!
Get up!
You may go!
Are you having a good time?
I haven't had this much fun in a long time.
Thank you, Your Highness!
Would you like to be happy all the time?
Can I come again?
Of course! As long as you're willing,
you can live in Lizheng Hall.
If I live here, can I still be with my mother?
Lizheng Hall has rules,
if you move in you must follow its rules.
You'll enjoy a higher status.
Maid Liu is only a Palace maid,
it'll be beneath you to visit her.
Well? Would you like to live with me?
It's getting late, Your Highness!
My Mother is waiting for me.
Your Highness,
can I bring some of the food for my Mother?
Of course! Xiuzhu...
Pack some more for him.
Aye, Milady!
Thank you, Your Highness!
Mother!
Was everything alright at Lizheng Hall?
Yes!
Did you see the Empress?
Yes, but she doesn't like me.
she only gave me pastries and nothing else.
That's good...
Are you hungry?
I'll make your favourite dishes.
Good!
Mother, you don't like the Empress?
says who? I do not dislike her.
They say it was because of her you didn't get a title you deserve.
There's no such thing.
For tonight's dinner, I'll make your favourite pancakes, alright?
Great!
Xiuzhu!
Yes, Milady?
Here's another reminder from Chancellor Zhangsun.
Prepare the gifts by tomorrow morning
for Zhong'er's mother.
Let's wrap up this adoption business.
Be polite. I don't want any hitches.
Don't worry! I'll make the arrangements.
Remind Maid Liu once Zhong'er is adopted by Lizheng Hall,
she's not allowed to see him again.
But if she misses the boy,
once every 3 months, I can arrange for her to see him.
Your benevolence
is Maid Liu's great fortune.
Don't worry, Milady,
I'll get this done properly.
Zhong'er means more to me than my life.
Please put in a few good words for me
and ask Her Highness to revoke the order.
You ignorant wench!
Milady has bestowed upon you great wealth.
All mothers would want their children to enjoy wealth and a high rank.
Look at you...your allowance
is even worse than high ranking eunuchs.
If you want to live like a dog, at least spare your child.
I don't ask for wealth and a rank.
I only wish to be with my son.
Being able to raise Zhong'er will be my greatest happiness.
If I lose him, life will have no meaning to me.
As for his future...as a prince, fancy clothes and good food are secondary
to sparing him from any power struggle within the Court.
Pardon me for saying this, of all the Crown Princes of sui and Tang
how many had a good ending?
shut up, wench! How dare you engage in such wild talk!
Pardon me for shooting off my mouth.
I beg Her Highness to revoke the order.
As long as you don't take Zhong'er from me, I'm willing to do anything...
spare me the cliche!
If you'd rather die than give consent, I should go.
Her Highness doesn't like rejections.
That's why she only asks everything once.
Your Majesty!
After the Prince of Wu finished coaching the princes,
he went to the Imperial Library.
I know.
Your Majesty, please take a break.
Here...
Have some ginseng soup.
Put it down!
Are you aware of any rumours about Zhaoyi Wu and the Prince of Wu?
Well...
I have heard a word or two.
But the Palace is never short of despicable minions with loose tongues.
They neglect their duties and circulate groundless gossips.
There can't be anything between Zhaoyi Wu and the Prince of Wu.
Where is she now?
I think she's in the Imperial Library.
The reputation of those two
should not be used as gossip by stupid minions to kill time.
Aye...
Pass my order...
should anyone engage in such gossip again
they will lose their tongues.
Aye!
Take that away!
Keep an eye out for me.
If he's seeing Zhaoyi Wu, report to me immediately.
Aye!
Per your request, this contains a lethal poison.
A tiny dose is enough to kill several.
You must be careful.
The Empress wants to adopt Zhong'er.
But Maid Liu turned her down.
Now Maid Liu is petrified and keeps asking me what to do.
What do you think?
I've looked into the Empress' past.
she's not as gentle and virtuous as she appears to be.
soon after she married His Majesty,
two of her maids who tried to approach His Majesty
died under dubious circumstances.
They were likely poisoned.
Just a few days ago,
a maid from Lizheng Hall who
fell in love with an Imperial Guard was caned to death.
The girl was pregnant.
Maid Liu rejected the Empress' offer outright and bluntly.
What do you think the Empress will do?
I think Maid Liu is in danger.
If that's the case,
you should move them to Penglai Hall and try to protect them.
No. I don't intend to protect her.
What? Didn't you want to stop the Empress from adopting Li Zhong?
No, I want to bring her down.
Just think, if His Majesty finds out
in order to secure her position,
his Empress killed a woman to take away her son, what would happen?
You plan to watch from the sideline?
Watch the Empress kill Maid Liu and do nothing?
I have replaced the old eunuch who takes care of them.
My people will save her should anything happen to her.
But they'll act a bit slowly.
I'll let her get seriously hurt, but she won't die.
This is the only way to carry out my plan
and take out the Empress for good.
How do you know she won't die?
What if the Empress sends an assassin?
she'll be dead instantly.
Or what if there's no antidote for the poison? What then?
There's no such thing as a foolproof plan.
Including mine.
I think the Empress
wouldn't want anyone to know
she killed Maid Liu just so that she could adopt Li Zhong.
she'll pay off the doctor
and claim she died of an acute disease.
That would be her plan.
I'm taking a gamble.
Gamble? With someone else's life?
With the boy's future?
What happened to them is sad enough.
You can use them, but is it necessary to kill Maid Liu?
Like the killer, you're victimising someone.
What's wrong with you?
Of course I am victimising someone!
That's what happens when you take revenge?
When I first came to the Palace,
I'd like to think of myself as a good person.
After a while, I was just glad I wasn't the most vicious one here.
Now...I only want to avenge my dead child at all costs, including becoming the devil!
I have no regrets!
The pain of the mother being separated from her child,
no one knows that better than you.
To avenge your child,
you're ready to make another child lose his mother.
Have you given Li Zhong any thoughts?
Fine. I have done what you asked of me.
From now on, let's not meet again.
Yifu, during the Zhenguan years,
you and the others compiled the Book of Jin.
I have read it and I'm impressed with your talent.
I have decided to let you edit the imperial history.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
This is a task usually reserved for aristocrats.
I'd lay down my life for you and still can't repay your grace.
It doesn't take long for The Cat to show its true colours.
You!
Is it so hard to stop ingratiating yourself?
To fill the vacancy of the Military Governor of songzhou in Henan District,
I intend to appoint the Prince of Wu.
What do you think?
You want him to report to songzhou
or take the commission from Chang'an?
Henan District is a strategic region, of course he must report to songzhou.
Your Majesty, there are pros and cons.
The up side...
You're against it, right?
Your Majesty,
courtiers of humble origin are small in number,
within the Tang court,
the Prince of Wu is the only one Your Majesty can rely on.
Your Majesty, the Prince of Wu requests an audience.
send him in!
May I be excused, Your Majesty!
Greetings, Your Majesty!
At ease!
Thank you, Your Majesty!
I came here to resign!
Why is that?
My work load at the Ministry of Defence is growing,
I don't have time to spare.
Please find another coach for the princes.
Pardon me for shirking my responsibility.
Very well,
since you value the Ministry of Defence, I'll approve.
Thank you, Your Majesty!
If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave.
Wait...
About your resignation...
Are there other reasons for it?
No!
Come to think of it,
when was our last sword duel?
Let's have a go in this nice weather.
A sword duel, Your Majesty?
A sword duel between brothers.
As you wish.
I have underestimated you.
Your offence is swift and fierce.
I did not give up on my practice.
Even if I can't be like Father,
I must at least try.
Come on, forget I'm the Emperor,
show me your true colours,
and let's have a nice, clean fight.
Good!
Maybe your sword is not suitable for you.
In the long run, it may do harm to your hand
and the sword would become worthless.
Zhinu!
I'm willing to give up my sword.
Will you let go?
I lost.
But only because of my poor swordsmanship
not because the sword is not suitable.
I love this sword.
When I love something,
I like to keep it forever.
I won't give up so easily.
If there's someone
who can possess her and grow old with her together,
it's not Father, not you.
It's me.
In that case,
I wish your dream will come true soon.
Excuse me!
The pain of the mother being separated from her child
no one knows better than you.
To avenge your child,
you're ready to make another child lose his mother.
Have you given Li Zhong any thoughts?
What is it? Can't sleep?
Did I wake you, Your Majesty?
Your Majesty...
Wait!
Go away, I beg you...
Please...
stay away!
I don't want you! Why?
Come back!
Meiniang, you're so beautiful, come here...
Go away!
Meiniang...
stay away!
Come on...
Don't come after me!
Go! Go...
I got you!
You did not!
After their dance, the man said to the woman,
"look up into the sky and watch the moon",
Don't laugh!
"you'll remember this night belongs to us."
"As long as we remember this moment,"
"we'll always be together."
Meiniang...
since you become my Zhaoyi,
I have never seen you smile again.
I was not qualified as the Emperor,
but because of you, I'm gradually convinced I can become a good Emperor.
But without you by my side,
I don't know if I can carry on and how long I can keep going.
When I don't even know for whom I'm working so hard,
I'll inevitably slack off and accomplish nothing.
Meiniang, something is troubling you.
Why won't you tell me so that we can deal with it together?
You're awake, Milady!
Where is His Majesty?
He left for the morning assembly.
set up a room in Penglai Hall.
The Prince of Chen and his mother will be moving in.
We'll have a fight...
Zhong'er!
Greetings, Zhaoyi Wu!
Where's your mother?
Mother, Zhaoyi Wu is looking for you!
Milady! Oh no...
Maid Liu...Milady, she passed out!
Maid Liu...
What happened?
Maid Liu... This doesn't look good, Rui'an!
send for the doctor!
Aye!
Maid Liu...
Mother! Wake up!
Please punish me, Milady!
Forget it! Don't blame yourself!
Maid Liu's abode is out-of-the-way
and there's no one to run errands.
she should have been dead.
Who'd have expected Wu Meiniang to show up?
Milady, maybe after she was poisoned,
Maid Liu would be too scared and may give her consent.
You're being too optimistic.
Remember what I told you?
Win over others with virtues and reason.
That's the right way.
I'll pay Maid Liu a visit in a day or two.
Let's hope she'll change her mind.
Dr Zhou, how is she?
Can we have a word outside?
Forgive me, Milady! There's nothing I can do
Nothing? Why?
Maid Liu woke up just now.
Yes, but the poison
has spread to her inner organs. I cannot expel it.
I can only slow down the toxin.
she'll only have 7 more days to live at most
7 days!
That's correct.
she'll be dead after 7 days.
In other words, I'm a living corpse!
You may go, Dr Zhou!
If anyone should ask you,
tell them Maid Liu is stricken with a serious illness.
Excuse me, Milady!
Zhaoyi Wu, did the Empress poison me?
I can only say she's a likely suspect.
But I have no solid proof.
I'll be dead in 7 days.
Can I ask you for a favour?
Anything within my power, I will do it.
I can't say I had a good life.
I came from a poor family and my days in the Palace are not much better.
It wasn't easy for me to have Zhong'er
and after a few pleasant years with him,
the Empress spotted him and wanted to take him from me.
I have nothing to live for. I'm only worried about Zhong'er.
I don't want my killer to raise him.
The Empress is vicious.
she can't possibly love him.
she only wants to use him.
Within the entire Harem,
the only person who would care about him is you, Zhaoyi Wu.
I beg you
to take Zhong'er under your wings when I'm dead.
Very well, you have my word!
Thank you, Milady!
But you must know the Empress is determined to adopt Zhong'er.
Unless we topple her, it'll be impossible for me to keep Zhong'er.
To topple her, perhaps... ...there's one way.
Are you willing to sacrifice yourself?
My days are numbered.
Nothing is worth getting caught up in.
But if I can bring the Empress down,
I would have avenged myself and I'll have no regrets.
My only wish is that after I'm dead,
you'll take good care of Zhong'er and keep your word.
I won't let you down.
Thank you, Milady!
What should I do?
Tell the Empress you'll let her adopt Zhong'er.
Find a chance to meet with her in Lizheng Hall.
Congratulations, Milady!
Maid Liu agreed to let you adopt her son.
she's coming over to Lizheng Hall to personally apologise to you.
If that's the case, Maid Liu seems to be quite sensible.
We have been a bit rude to her.
Hurry up and tell her she's always welcome at Lizheng Hall.
Aye!
Yongan!
Yes?
When Maid Liu arrives, search her carefully.
Nothing must go wrong.
Aye!
Zhaoyi Wu said when you go to Lizheng Hall,
you must wear this.
We're counting on you!
Mother!
Mother...
Zhong'er!
Mother, have you recovered?
Don't worry. I'll be fine!
Mother, take your medication.
Zhong'er, are we ready?
We're going to Lizheng Hall now.
Yes!
When we arrive at Lizheng Hall.
I will give you this ring.
Take this ring throw it away when no one is looking
or bury it in the ground somewhere.
Understand?
Is this a game?
Yes, this is a game.
But don't tell anyone.
Alright!
The medication is bitter, have a piece of candy.
Zhong'er, from now on, feed yourself well and stay warm.
You must look after yourself.
What is it, Mother?
Nothing! I just feel a bit emotional.
Mother, if you don't want to, let's not go to Lizheng Hall.
We're going there now.
Everything went rather well today.
Meiniang, it's still early.
Take a walk with me by Jingchu Pond.
Milady, the nectar soup is ready.
Finish it, Your Majesty.
I have an idea.
Let's go over to Lizheng Hall.
Lizheng Hall?
Because of your protection,
I became a Zhaoyi, despite the objection from other courtiers.
A lot of people are not happy about it.
If I relied on your grace and still wouldn't pay a visit to the Empress,
I would appear too arrogant.
I don't want people to gossip behind my back,
and say I'm abusing your grace.
Good! We'll go to Lizheng Hall.
Come to think of it, its garden is quite impressive.
It's worth seeing. Come on...