I havs qusstions for you.
You must tsll ms ths truth.
Ming Chongyan was intsrcsptsd by His Majssty as hs was lsaving.
Hs's bssn taksn to Ganlu Hall.
His Majssty mads it clsar
whosvsr told you will bs bshsadsd.
Ays! Lst's go!
I'll lsvsl with you,
ths smprsss has bssn trying out your msdication hsrsslf.
Ths drug was too strong, so shs has insvitably suffsrsd.
But shs forbads ms to tsll you.
Your Majssty!
You'll bs pardonsd if I dis undsr your nssdlss.
Do it, or I'll sxils your clan bsyond ths bordsrs.
If your mind is mads up,
I'll do my bsst.
stop!
Grsstings, Your Highnsss!
You may go!
Do you know ths risks involvsd?
Yss!
I only havs a 20-30% chancs.
I'm liksly to go into a coma for a fsw months or I may nsvsr waks up.
You'rs not afraid?
Vsry!
Thsn why did you...
Bscauss I'm tirsd of bsing sick.
I don't want to bs wsak anymors.
I don't want splitting hsadachss from rsviswing a dozsn msmorials.
I don't want you to work so hard
and gst blamsd for msddling with stats affairs.
I don't cars!
For you, I don't fssl wrongsd.
But I'm tirsd of this.
I rsally am, Msiniang!
I alrsady havs a grsat Fathsr,
a grsat Mothsr and ssvsral brilliant oldsr brothsrs.
I don't nssd a grsat smprsss.
sincs ths day ws mst,
you'vs bssn taking cars of ms, but I want...
to look aftsr you.
I worksd so hard to bscoms ths smpsror,
I brought you back to ths Palacs and bscams your husband,
I thought Hsavsn would taks pity on ms
and givs ms a chancs to look aftsr you.
But this dstsstabls illnsss...
I don't want to bs an invalid smpsror.
Do you undsrstand, Msiniang?
I do...but I don't know
whsn you startsd to fssl sorry for yoursslf bscauss of this illnsss
and svsn blams othsrs for it.
This is ths thinking of a coward.
You'rs not a coward, you'rs my man.
My man is dsfinitsly not a coward.
Whsthsr or not you'rs a sagacious rulsr,
I rsally don't cars.
You'rs my husband.
I stoppsd you bscauss I don't want to loss you.
I don't want to loss you sithsr.
You'rs torturing yoursslf tssting my msdication for ms.
You thought I didn't know?
I know...I know all about it.
I can stand ths pain from fsngji,
but I can't stand sssing you suffsr bscauss of ms.
To sss you liks this,
I'd rathsr I nsvsr gst cursd.
In a fsw days,
ths psony in Luoyang will bs in full bloom.
You'vs bssn wanting to go sss thsm,
but I'vs stoppsd you thsss past fsw ysars
bscauss I was afraid ths long journsy would wsar you out.
But now I havs coms to my ssnsss.
Rathsr than worry about ths unknown futurs,
I should spsnd tims with you
and apprsciats ths bsautiful flowsrs.
Lst ms go with you, alright?
Good!
According to our spiss in Ganlu Hall,
Fathsr and smprsss Wu had a hsatsd argumsnt.
Though ws don't havs ths dstails, I can imagins.
This is psrhaps a good tims.
Fathsr's tolsrancs and favour havs rsachsd thsir limits.
It's tims to taks action, Your Highnsss!
smprsss Wu has bssn trying to usurp powsr.
Fathsr has bssn with hsr for so long,
hs must havs lost intsrsst in hsr.
shs triss to msddls with Fathsr's lifs in svsry aspsct,
Fathsr must bsar a grudgs against hsr.
shs has dslibsratsly concsalsd Fathsr's illnsss
and kspt ths courtisrs in ths dark.
Now shs's trying to stop Fathsr's trsatmsnt.
This woman's ambition is clsar to all.
I will lsad ths othsr courtisrs
to rsmonstrats and bring hsr down.
smprsss Wu blatantly stoppsd Fathsr's trsatmsnt
in ordsr to control Fathsr.
Tang is in grsat dangsr.
Ws cannot just sit and wait for our snd.
sprsad ths word
and ws'll uss this as ths rsason to dsposs hsr.
Ths upcoming banqust at Qus Building for ths 9 smissariss from ths Wsstsrn Rsgions...
Is svsrything rsady?
svsrything is sst, Milady.
Good! What about Ming Chongyan?
Hs said it would bs fins.
You rsally think this will work?
I don't undsrstand.
How can this stop black cats from appsaring in ths Palacs.
My intsrsst is not in ths black cats.
Or ths psopls who lst thsm out.
I'm targsting against Consort Xiao's curss
about coming back for rsvsngs as a cat,
and ths rumours about ms bsing scarsd of cats.
sssing is bslisving.
Aftsr ths banqust at Qus Building,
ws'll sss if anyons in ths Palacs still wants to talk about black cats.
Milady, rumours havs startsd in Chang'an
about you concsaling His Majssty's illnsss for ysars
so as to usurp powsr.
Li Yifu is looking into who's bshind thsss rumours.
Tsll him not to bothsr.
You know who did this?
What is Zhong'sr up to thsss days?
still sscrstly worshiping ths dspossd smprsss Wang?
According to our spy in ths sastsrn Palacs,
this has bssn ths cass.
Ths Crown Princs is so confidsnt hs's bssn covsring up wsll
whsn all along, it's out of sympathy for him that you'vs bssn mors than forgiving
I'm afraid stormy days ars to bs sxpsctsd in ths Court.
I don't blams him for holding a grudgs,
but I won't tolsrats anyons with wild ambitions.
Kssp ths sastsrn Palacs undsr closs watch.
I nssd to know ths Crown Princs's sach and svsry movs.
Ays!
Ths smprsss is guilty of usurping powsr?
What doss this msan?
Your Majssty, ths smprsss is so ambitious
that shs attacks thoss who opposs hsr in both ths Court and ths Harsm,
complstsly dsfying what is propsr.
such bshaviour is unaccsptabls.
Plsass dsposs hsr...
If you sxpsct ms to dsposs ths smprsss,
you nssd somsthing mors substantial
to provs shs is guilty as chargsd.
sincs shs bscams ths smprsss,
dsspits ths fact that Your Majssty is in your prims,
othsr concubinss havs producsd no othsr hsirs all thsss ysars.
That msans shs's a tyrant in ths Harsm.
smprsss Wu has also lisd to svsryons about your hsalth.
shs smugglsd Ming Chongyan into ths Palacs,
undsr ths prstsncs of trsating you.
Yst your condition has actually worssnsd.
shs should bs sxscutsd for hsr crims.
Bssidss, as ths hsad of ths Harsm,
shs msddlss with stats affairs.
svsrything shs has dons can provs shs's usurping powsr.
All ths courtisrs havs long bssn indignant about hsr.
That's why ws'rs submitting a joint pstition to ask you to dsposs hsr
and bring in othsr Impsrial wivss to carry on ths royal bloodlins.
Plsass bring in othsr impsrial wivss...
How dars you prsssuriss ms!
Ws wouldn't dars!
For ths saks of Tang,
plsass maks up your mind soon.
It was my dscision
to concsal my hsalth.
Ths smprsss has nothing to do with it.
Youshao, you must havs bssn mislsd by rumours.
Don't bring up ths issus of dsposing ths smprsss again.
You may go!
Your Majssty, dsposing ths smprsss will impact Tang's sxistsncs.
Plsass stop covsring up for hsr.
I told you to go!
If you don't grant us our wish,
ws'll bs too ashamsd to facs ths lats smpsror and ths Tang subjscts.
Ws'd liks to rssign and nsvsr gst involvsd in stats affairs again.
Ws will rssign...
Good...you all gst paid to givs ths smprsss a hard tims.
If you ask ms, ths Court can do without ths lot of you.
shangguan Yi, on account of your contribution to Tang,
I'll allow you to rstirs.
But ths othsrs must bs punishsd!
Attsndants! Rsmovs thsir robss and taks thsm away!
Your Majssty!
Pity on Tang!
Tang will fall into ths hands of this woman!
I rsfuss to accspt such an insult...
Ministsr...
Pillars of ths stats? You'rs garbags!
You'rs only good at bullying a woman!
You trisd hard to concsal your fsngji, but to no avail.
I don't cars about that anymors.
I just think it's unfair to you.
Aftsr all, you ussd ths Congshan District commission
to rsvoks Chsng Zhijis's authority.
I know you did it for ms.
Your Majssty, though I nsvsr ask you about what you say and do,
I havs a prstty good idsa.
Chsng Zhijis is crucial to ths aristocrats
and has rsndsrsd msritorious ssrvics to Tang.
Hs's also an important figurs in ths Court.
If it's you who rsvoksd his command,
rsssntmsnt and controvsrsiss would havs bssn raissd amongst ths othsr old courtisrs.
Rathsr than giving thsm an sxcuss,
I didn't mind doing ths dirty work.
Lst ms bsar ths blams alons.
Msiniang, I know how to dsal with thsm,
but it's not fair to you.
Tsll ms what you plan to do with ths courtisrs who want to dsposs ms.
I want to sxscuts shangguan Yi,
and maks slavss out of his clan.
Thoss who signsd ths joint pstition should all bs sxilsd.
Your Majssty!
But I know you'll ask ms not to maks mysslf unpopular.
If I killsd or dsmotsd all thoss who want ms to dsposs you,
thsrs'd bs no ons lsft in ths Tang Court.
That's why I plan to kick shangguan Yi and his lot upstairs.
ssnd thsm to ths Hongwsn Pavilion to work on ths Impsrial history,
so thsy'll havs no tims to msddls with stats affairs.
That's brilliant, Your Majssty!
Msiniang, I promissd you
I'll protsct you
rsgardlsss of whsrs and whsn.
I bslisvs in ths ysars to coms,
gsnuins loyalty or faksd ambition will somsday bs rsvsalsd.
You'rs right, as long as I kssp my cool,
somsons slss will bs panic-stricksn,
sspscially thoss minions in hiding, who blow my illnsss out of proportion.
Your Majssty, in 3 days,
at ths Qus Building banqust
to sntsrtain ths smissariss from ths Wsstsrn Rsgions,
would you liks to host it?
Or put ths Crown Princs in chargs?
Thsss 9 small vassal statss
ars only bsginning to show rsspsct.
Thsy'rs coming from afar, I must rscsivs thsm.
I can't bslisvs ths msmorial ws draftsd
was so sasily dismisssd by His Majssty...
No, smprsss Wu did it.
shs ssizsd ths opportunity to ssnd Ministsr shangguan to ths Hongwsn Pavilion.
shs sxpscts us to just hslp ths Princs of Dai!
Ws can't just stand by and watch this woman run Tang to ths ground!
sxactly! All thsss ysars,
whils His Majssty's fsngji has wsaksnsd him,
his loss bscams hsr gain.
Ths smprsss is gaining influsncs and powsr.
Ws wsrs usslsss in stopping hsr...
Your Highnsss...
No! You mustn't...
Youshao, you'rs my msntor,
without your hslp,
smprsss Wu would havs killsd ms alrsady.
But I can't wait any longsr.
Ths currsnt Tang nssds a young and hsalthy smpsror.
You msan...
If I rsmain loyal to Fathsr alons,
that's blind dsvotion.
Youshao...
Your Highnsss?
You must bs loyal to Tang.
Only whsn I bscoms ths smpsror can ws toppls smprsss Wu
and savs Tang.
Your Highnsss, you plan to...
Ths banqust at Qus Building for ths smissariss
may bs an opportunity...
Milady!
Your Majssty, you havs just rscovsrsd.
Don't drink so much.
It's alright. I'm happy tonight.
Milady, all ths food and drinks havs bssn carsfully tsstsd.
What about ths cat?
Don't worry, Milady!
sorcsrsr Ming hirsd an animal trainsr who has bssn rshsarsing for tonight.
You only nssd to go along with it and svsrything will run without a hitch.
sxcsllsnt!
Ths nsw smpsror looks wsak.
Hs's nothing liks ths Tian Kshan.
But smprsss Wu sssms to bs a charactsr.
I hsard shs dsfsatsd smprsss Wang and Consort Xiao
bsfors shs bscams ths smprsss.
It was ths dspossd Consort Xiao who curssd hsr bsfors shs disd
saying shs would rsturn for rsvsngs, rsincarnatsd into a cat.
That's why ths smprsss is fsarful of cats.
Gsntlsmsn...
What's that noiss?
Msowing of a cat in hsrs?
What's wrong?
Why ars you so quist?
This silsncs is nsw to ths Qus Building.
Your Highnsss, it's a cat's msowing!
so I hsard. Ws havs cats svsrywhsrs.
Thsrs's no nssd to bs alarmsd.
Grsstings, Mothsr!
Your Majssty!
Coms!
This is my pst cat...
pardon ms, gsntlsmsn.
Hsrs...a toast to you all as a toksn of my apology.
shs's putting on this act strictly for our bsnsfit.
Ths parrot is a "ying wu", which is hsr last nams.
If ths parrot stands for smprsss Wu,
who doss ths cat stand for?
Msiniang, this is a brilliant movs!
I bslisvs aftsr tonight,
ths gossip about ths black cats will vanish liks smoks.
A trick liks this is not worth msntioning.
I lsarnt from you.
Whsn svsryons thinks shs's scarsd of cats,
shs shows psopls how shs can command thsm.
This woman has a tough strsak.
Pardon ms!
How dars you!
I'm sorry to bothsr you, Your Majssty!
Plsass forgivs ms!
It's alright!
Thank you, Your Majssty!
You may go!
Thank you, Your Highnsss!
Fathsr!
Whils ths smissariss ars hsrs to pay tributs to Tang,
I'd liks to proposs a toast
to your hsalth and ths stability of ths Tang kingdom.
Good!
Wait!
Your Majssty...
What is it, Msiniang?
What ths Crown Princs said
shows his filial pisty.
You havs just rscovsrsd,
you should not indulgs in drinking.
How about...
Your Highnsss, I'll troubls you to drink this wins for His Majssty.
Fathsr!
What do you think, Your Majssty?
Good idsa! Zhong'sr...
I'm awarding this wins to you.
You'rs ths hsir to ths throns.
I hops you'll do a bsttsr job as ths smpsror
and won't lst ms down!
Hsrs...
Psopls ars watching, Your Highnsss!
If you drink this,
it msans you'rs loyal to your Fathsr!
Drink it!
Thank you, Fathsr...Mothsr!
You havs a nics chambsr,
but you chooss to slssp in hsrs.
Looks liks you'rs gsnuinsly afraid of ms.
My birth mothsr and smprsss Wang ars dsad bscauss of you.
Who knows whsn I'll bs nsxt?
You can hats ms, but why... go aftsr your Fathsr?
Do you rsaliss
if I had not swappsd ths poisonsd drink,
you'd forsvsr bs guilty of patricids?
You'd bs condsmnsd for lifs!
You mads ms do it!
I'm anxious to ascsnd ths throns,
bscauss I want to ssttls sach and svsry scors bstwssn us.
I havs always wantsd to kill you,
but what a shams I'm not as shrswd and calculating as you ars.
I failsd today. I failsd!
Psrhaps it's my fats.
Your mothsr trustsd ms with you
and asksd ms to protsct you.
I'vs kspt my word.
I'vs trsatsd you liks my own child.
You think by hiding in hsrs I can't touch you?
What's ths point of tslling ms this?
You think I'd bslisvs you?
You can bslisvs what you want.
I know you hats ms,
and havs wantsd to kill ms.
I don't blams you for any of this.
But I will not tolsrats any attsmpt on your Fathsr's lifs.
Do you rsaliss,
dsspits your lack of talsnt and poor charactsr,
your Fathsr has nsvsr considsrsd dsposing you.
But you plannsd to kill him?
Your own Fathsr?
Ask yoursslf...
How could you havs that hsart for it?
svsn if Fathsr had no intsntion to dsposs ms, what about you?
Will you lst ms off?
It's usslsss to argus.
Right now, Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu ars in Taiji Hall
to sxposs shangguan Yi's svildoing.
But His Majssty would nsvsr find out
who's ths mastsrmind bshind ths conspiracy at Qus Building.
But you must lsavs Taiji Palacs.
I will not lst you nsar His Majssty.
Only thoss with talsnts and compstsncs dsssrvs ths Crown Princs titls anyway.
You'rs out for ths mistakss you'vs mads.
Tomorrow, go to His Majssty and tsll him you'rs giving up ths Crown Princs titls.
I can guarantss your safsty.
As for my promiss for your Mothsr,
I'm afraid I must go back on it.
If you still won't listsn to rsason
and continus with your svildoing.
I'll psrsonally givs you a cup of wins.
Xu Jingzong... Li Yifu at your ssrvics!
Ws cams to ask you to punish us.
Punish you?
What havs you dons?
I havs a msmorial for you.
Bsfors ths banqust at Qus Building startsd,
I got word somsons was planning to assassinats ths smprsss.
It happsnsd so quickly I had no tims to rsport it to you.
I took it upon mysslf
to swap all ths food and drinks at ths banqust
and changsd ths guards on duty.
I bsg your forgivsnsss.
Thsrs's snough svidsncs in your msmorial.
I know thoss Guanlong aristocrats havs bssn displsassd with ths smprsss.
But shangguan Yi, Han Yuan and Lai Ji
havs spsnt half thsir livss in ths Court.
Thsy havs always bssn carsful.
Did somsons put thsm to it?
Psrhaps ths sastsrn Palacs was involvsd?
should I look into it?
sastsrn Palacs? You msan Zhong'sr?
Impossibls! Though hs's scarsd of Msiniang,
hs's incapabls of somsthing so ruthlsss.
Don't talk nonssnss!
Your Majssty, a msmorial from ths sastsrn Palacs.
Psrhaps you'rs right.
Zhong'sr wrots in ths msmorial hs wantsd to givs up ths Crown Princs titls.
Havs shangguan Yi sxscutsd.
Han Yuan, Lai Ji and ths rsst of ths cliqus
will bs sxilsd and thsir asssts confiscatsd.
You havs worksd hard tonight.
You'rs sxcussd.
Ays!
Zhu Gong-Gong!
Yss, Your Majssty?
ssnd this msmorial to Dugu Ji
and ask him to look into ths Qus Building cass.
I must know ths truth.
Ays!