Epi. 23
Mantuo
You… Husband, you're back.
It is raining outside.
Did you get wet in the rain?
I specially prepare a steamboat.
Come to have a try.
Mantuo
I know.
Husband is worried about Madam Jin and Madam Feng.
Don’t worry.
Aunty is your relative.
How could it possible that she didn't consider the scenario.
It's just a light punishment.
They already went back to rest.
I have sent doctor to have a look.
They're alright.
Furthermore,
I have informed maids to cook ginseng and birdnest
to nourishing their health.
I know they feel embrassed.
So I purposely gifted something to them.
You see.
This is arrangement proper?
You said that they're alright.
But why I was told Madam Jin almost die in waterboarding punishment?
Waterboarding punishment?
She just got wet by some water.
How could it be waterboarding punishment?
You know how depth is the pond.
I think someone said it exaggeratedly
in order to seek for your attention.
If you don’t believe,
Madam Jin's courtyard is just there.
You can go to have a look whether she is still full of energy.
Well.
Since you say that she is alright,
then it is fine.
I think,
only you will get cheated by them.
You see.
This is crystal meat.
Elder sister purposely asked aunty to bring over here.
Longxi doesn’t have this food.
Really?
Come.
Okay.
It's delicious.
Mantuo
You have travelled so long to marry me to LongXi.
I let you suffer a lot.
As long as husband is with me,
I don’t feel that this is suffer.
Husband.
Aunty helped me to punish them,
she might offend many of them.
This is merely because my father and elder sister pamper me too much.
For my mom's sake,
please don't angry her.
If you want to punish,
please just punish me.
Well.
Why do you retain the formality?
I really want to apologize sincerely.
I have learnt some skills to manage household matter from my maiden family.
But I just married to Longxi,
and I'm in your favour.
Therefore, I'm lazy.
These few days, you were busy for your work
and didn’t come to visit me often.
The people in the mansion always gossip about our marriage.
I'm still below twenty years old.
I heard of this,
and I felt very impatient.
Therefore I only quarreled with you.
But aunty has teached me a lesson these few days.
I thought throughoutly.
Don’t worry.
I will stay at home to be a good madam.
I will be fair to servents and maids.
So that you don’t have to worry about home.
Tomorrow onward,
I will bring second and third princes,
and fifth mistress here and take care of them.
Of course.
I don’t have this talent.
But aunty came from a good background.
She was female officer in imperial court for many years.
Isn't it good idea to let her educate the children?
Exactly.
This will be good.
But how long will aunty stay here?
Initially aunty planned to stay here for a month.
But I beg her badly
and asked her to do elder sister a favor,
therefore she agreed to stay here longer.
But how long will aunty stay here?
Husband.
I have make a big contribution today.
May I ask for reward?
Sure.
If you're so good,
I must reward you.
But,
let me reward this to you first.
Come.
Husband.
Mantuo
Come. Mantuo.
Did madame do well this time?
Not bad.
Although she came from a poor backrgound,
she is still not bad.
She learns fast.
She has good style,
and also knows how to be seductive.
My effort to visit Longxi isn't a waste.
But, this mansion will have a good show soon.
Sister. Be careful.
My child.
Where is my child.
She is here.
Come.
You all leave first.
Mom is here to see you.
My little baby.
I'm your third aunty.
You're so cute.
Jialuo.
Does she look like me?
Yes.
She looks like me.
How is she getting on?
Pretty good.
She eats well and sleeps well.
This child is delivered in a weak condition.
But she grows up fast.
Why is she crying?
Don’t cry.
Why is she crying?
Have you feeded him?
Her eyes…
Madame.
When she was sent here,
she was like that.
Once she cries,
her eyes will turn blue.
Sister.
Jialuo.
Have you seen that?
I ….
Child's eyes.
I see that. It's blue colour.
Sister.
I don’t know why her eyes are blue colour.
Because she inherites from Yuwen Hu's
When Yuwen Hu is excited,
his eyes will turn blue.
Why my child has blue eyes?
No.
She can't have blue eyes. No.
She can't have blue eye.
Sister.
Sister. What are you doing?
Mistress. Sister.
She can't have blue eyes. Sister.
No. Mistress. Sister.
No.
Mistress.
She is your child.
You can't kill her.
I won't kill her.
I just want to make her blind.
I want to remove her blue eye.
So that Yuwen Hu won't discover.
There must be another way.
There must be another way. No way.
If Yuwen Hu sees that,
everything is over.
Sister.
Sister. Stop. No. Mistress.
Don’t blame your mom.
I'm forced to do that.
I'm sorry.
Sister.
Mistress.
Sister.
Mistress.
Sister is unstable lately?
Mistress has premature delivery.
Her health condition is weak.
She misses princess so much.
she didn’t eat well and sleep well.
She told me yesterday that,
when little princess grows up,
she will adopt her and bring her to palace.
But with this blue eye,
how is she going to raise her up?
Be good.
Eat some.
It's delicious.
It is delicious, isn't it?
You see. Your mouth is dirty.
Imperial mother. Let me feed you too.
Mom.
Who are you?
You're a sinful woman.
As a woman,
you have affair with others.
You mess out royal family's lineage.
This is heinous crime.
I didn’t mean it.
I was forced to do so.
Stop argueing.
You have cheated many people.
You're a lier.
God will remember your sin forever.
You will never have another child.
You will never build the legend of Dugu.
Shut up.
I'm sorry.
Bore. You have a nightmare?
It's alright.
Come.
I'm here.
I have told you not to go around before you get well.
But you didn’t listen.
See. You get sick again.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. It's alright.
Go to sleep.
After all,
I'm here to accompany you.
Go to sleep.
Dad.
Don’t say anymore.
After second thought,
I would consider I never deliver this child.
Bore.
Have you thought twice?
Haven't I thought it clearly?
Dad.
When I see her blue eye,
she is like reminding my wrong doing anytime.
She reminds me that Hu and I are her parents.
But child is innocent.
How will she know…?
In order to protect her,
I fell from a staircase,
and took risk to deliver her.
I have done more than enough.
Jialuo.
Do you think I don’t want to keep her?
She is part of me too.
But she has a blue eye.
How can I keep her?
If what she is seen by Hu?
I don’t care.
Dad.
It's none of my business whether you want to send her to other,
or throw her away.
Bore. But… you.
This is what you taught me.
You told me that
if this child wasn't here,
His majesty and I wouldn't have conflict.
Yuwen Hu will not act recklessly because of guilty.
Didn’t you?
But I didn’t ask you to use this extreme way.
Do you know that Yuwen Hu has beaten his elder son badly?
His son is banished to Dengzhou.
So?
I have make such a good plan,
it's worth.
Bore.
You have gone to an extreme.
Dad.
Don’t tell me that I can be an empress by being birtuous and wise.
You…
Dad.
Sister.
Please stop quarrel.
Let me raise up this child.
Baby.
You must grow up quickly.
When you know how to talk,
you can accompany aunty.
What a beautiful child.
She is almost fullmoon.
She is quite pity,
she has no name even she is a princess.
Why not mistress gives her a name?
She looks beautiful like a flower.
Flower sounds like Hua.
Why not call her Lihua?
Don’t keep touching her.
Let her sleep.
Speaking of which,
why prime minister agreed you to raise up this baby?
Dad might sound cruel,
but this is still his first grand daugther.
How could he not feel pity of her?
Moreover,
instead of giving her to others,
it's better to give to me.
So that he can rest assured.
Am I right?
Thank you for trusting me, and tell me a big secret. Jialuo.
Because I need your help.
Lihua will grow up one day.
If mansion has a baby suddenly,
how do you explain?
Furthermore,
what if little Lihua grows up and looks alike Yuwen Hu?
Jici temple has many orphans.
Just say that I pick few of them,
and want to adopt them.
I think outsiders won't say too much.
I will let her stay at home more often in future.
Your sister isn't so cruel actually.
It's just that she can't face this child only.
Don’t blame her.
I know.
Sister has this baby because of me.
I will definitely raise her up wiesely.
I didn’t expect that your sister has chosen Yuwen Yu finally.
Don’t talk about unhappy thing anymore.
You see.
Little Lihua is so cute.
How good if she is our child.
What nonsense are you saying?
Sweet dream.
It's duke's birthday.
We need to invite female guests too.
Madame.
Don't be too cool and arrogant when you deal with people,
although you're the highest ranking in Longxi.
You have to know that these madame are come from noble families.
They have strong support in Longxi.
If you can make friend with any of them,
you will have support in future.
Madame.
Too bad. Madame.
Something happened in kitchen.
Few chef are food poisoning.
They are vomitting and having diarrhea.
What to do now?
This dinner is going to start in three hours time.
How come all chef are sick at the same time?
Guests arrive soon.
This is not good if they make the food dirty.
Steward.
Send them all out.
Don’t let me back to mansion without permission.
Yes.
What about the dinner?
Are they the only persons who know how to cook?
Use my own saving to ShengXin Restaurant at West Gate,
ask them to send thirty tables of their best foods here.
Yes.
Good job.
All these guests just come here to send birthday present as etiquette.
No one will really care about the foods are prepared by restaurant.
Yes.
Madame also said that
since chef were unable to take care the safety of own foods,
this was neglect of duty.
So, all of them were fired.
It's no big deal.
They're just servants.
Madame arrives.
Madame Dugu never go to outside.
She knows none of these female guests.
I want to see how is she going to handle.
Let's go.
Let's go to see the joke.
This is Madame Cui, right?
Madame Cui.
Your husband is madame's uncle.
What a coincidence.
We're all relatives.
This is really unexpected.
I didn’t expect we would meet in Longxi.
You're sister Cui.
Nice to meet you.
We're all from notable family and great clan.
We're not strangers.
You're from Generan Chen's family?
Yes.
I'm the forth madame of Chen's family.
My dad said that
he really appreciated Duke of Luoyang promoted him last time.
He would like me to say thank you to Master.
It's no big deal.
Come to meet Madame.
Greeting. Madame.
You're welcome.
She is good.
This is impossible.
She doesn’t meet anyone before.
Why does she know all of them?
You came from village.
Of course you don’t know about book of surname.
This book is compiled by the emperor of former dynasty.
All linkages of noble families are written on the book.
Madame Feng.
Didn't you feel sick?
Why do you come out now?
This is Madame Lin, right?
Last time, your old madame's birthday,
Madame Feng went to sent in her blessing.
I heard that you both are good friends.
Madame. Don’t listen to others.
I don’t know her at all.
This bitch is shameless.
I actually came from Le's family.
She shows off her second madame's title everywhere because she has a son.
Madame. You may not know that.
Last time, when she came to the birthday party,
my old madame didn’t chase her out due to her respect to Duke.
But she was angry and illed after that.
Madame Lin.
All madame are gathering here.
Why is a humble concubine here?
Madame Feng.
Do you hear that?
Why still stand here?
Quickly leave now.
Yes.
Quickly send someone to clean the floor.
Yes.
Aunty. Aunty.
Quickly clean the unpleasent scene here.
Slower.
Does madame feel that she is pity and you're happy now?
If I'm not here,
you might be the pity one.
The winner takes it all.
This is the principle since ancient time.
Madame has time to feel happy,
why not use this as warning?
You thought Duke visited you frequently in these few days,
and you're safe.
Man is undependable.
If a woman wants to stay strong,
she has to depend on herself.
Come. Madame. Lift up.
Slower. Okay.
Master.
Can this really increase the chance of pregnant?
The women in the palace used to do this.
Come.
Is this okay?
Did you give Madame to drink the herb according to the schedule?
Yes.
I dare not forget.
But Master…
However, Madame still doesn't have good news yet.
You already think of to change the successor of the family?
This is such a big matter.
Everything must have proper planning.
No planning will cause to failure.
When your sister was still a mistress,
she already planned how to support her husband to be emperor.
You're all Dugu's family members.
Why sister is able to change the emperor,
you’re not able to change a successor of a family?
God.
Please pray to god that our madame not to have the same incident as empress.
She has miscarried after seven month of pregnancy.
God blessing.
Nothing is perfect.
Empress is capable as compare to men in the world.
But she has no fortune to have a child.
Now, we can just pray to god
for blessing empress to pregnant soon.
May god blessing empress.
Reporting to Your Majesty.
Qi and Great Zhou are in a good relationship.
There is no war in both country.
Since Prime Minister Dugu back to imperial court,
imperial tutor makes concessions too.
This is nature.
Prime Minister is right.
Since Zhao Gui's offense is enforced,
we should get an replacement for position of the eight generals
I think Yuwen Yong is good.
We should grant him a position of general.
I'm still young.
I can't take this important position.
Your Majesty.
Yuwen Yong is good and honest.
But in usual practice,
the position of general won't grant to royal family.
If Your Majesty would like to get a replacement,
General Gesu is talented in military affair.
He is the right candidate.
Yuwen Yong is my only biological brother.
He suffered so much in the previous dynasty time.
Can't he get a position of general?
Is usual practice more important than my decision?
I dare not.
Master.
Seem like Your Majesty has make up mind.
Exactly.
Master.
Since Your Majesty has make a decision,
I shall not give any comment.
Master.
I never think of to fight for a position of general.
It's just that if I give up the position,
the officers in the imperial court are tactful,
in future they may not…
She can't get up now.
Gesu.
Those presents that you sent over were rejected and returned back by Chunshi.
I hope she can forgive me one day,
so that I can feel better.
Isn't it just a general position?
What a big deal?
My son could inherite the throne initially.
But he was….
Could it be a fate?
Finally, I can experience the power of words as an emperor.
Father-in-law is in the imperial court.
So that Yuwen Hu's power is reducing slightly.
We must grap the timing to gain support.
The ancient saying is right.
Brothers are working together in the battlefield.
You must help me to stablize the country.
I will definitely exert all my strengh
in order not to disappoint imperial brother.
Formality is not necessary among brothers.
When I was just a duke,
I wasn't happy to see Jue bullied you.
But it was no choice.
After all, he was the emperor at that time.
But this is different now.
In future,
we must cooperate and be of one minded
so that we can fight against Yuwen Hu.
Exactly.
Of course.
You can't be too tired too.
If you're exhausted,
Jialuo will be worried.
If she is worried,
empress will be angry too.
Imperial brother.
Obviously you treat your wife better than me.
After all, my intention is to help you.
Think about it.
Why father-in-law doesn’t allow Jialuo to marry you?
First, you don’t have a proper job.
Second, your health condition is weak.
He worries that you can't protect Jialuo.
But this is different now.
You're now general.
So,
the next step is to noursing your health.
Once you have achievement and build up your career,
I believe father-in-law will change his mind.
Aren't you planning to leave the palace immediately
to share this good news with Jialuo?
No.
No?
This is lie to emperor.
Be careful. This is a crime.
It's fun?
Give it to you.
What do you say when you receive something from others?
Thank you.
You're welcome. Good girl.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
It's okay. Come.
Go to play.
Thank you. Go.
Congratulation.
I haven't seen you so high spirited for a long time.
You look handsome with this cloth.
Anyway,
I have to share the burden with emperor in future
to handle imperial affairs.
Finally, I have a place to show my talents.
I'm no longer the useless Yong.
If I hear anyone saying this in future,
I will not forgive him.
Jialuo.
I will protect you in future.
That's great.
Could you do me a favour?
Just tell.
Could you please give suggestion to His Majesty that
the size of Jici Temple is too small.
When winter comes,
number of refugees will become greater.
I worry instead of helping the poor,
we will cause to trouble.
So, why not quickly renovate and expand the temple?
Firstly, it's beneficial to commoners.
Secondly,
we can do charity on behalf of royal family.
What do you think?
You're right.
I will give suggestion to His Majesty.
I have another matter.
Say.
Could you please go to Guanyin Temple with me?
I would like to pray for Lihua.
What's wrong with Lihua?
She is good.
It's just that I feel worried.
So, I would like to do something to make me comfort.
This isn't difficult.
If you want to go,
I can go with you now.
You really give me positive response to all my requests.
Thank god.
Dugu Jialuo would like to make a wish.
I don’t have ambition to build "The Legend of Dugu".
I just want a healthy son.
And Luhua can be a good life.
I know that praying for peace is a big request.
I have nothing to pay back.
I will worship god sincerely in future.
The storm.
Jialuo.
You have grown up.
I can see that you're mature and do as good as your sister
Yong.
Since you are here,
don’t you want to make a wish?
No one can help me to accomplish my dream.
You're right.
But praying can let you feel peace.
Whether your wish is achievable or not,
it's another matter.
As believers,
as long as we worship sincerely,
we will have more confidence.
This confidence will help us to achieve our goal.
This is god's blessing.
Well.
I listen to you.
Come.
God.
I, Yuwen Yong, makes a wish.
I hope I can marry Dugu Jialuo in this life.
I hope god can assist me to make my dream come true.
By accident, many things happened in my life.
I return back to enjoy the scene. I will always wait for you.
Although loving you may cause to a bad ending. Dream will get cold.
Jialuo.
I, Yuwen Yong, swears.
I won't disappoint you forever.
But my dad….
I just want you to tell me sincerely.
What's wrong with you?
Mistress.
Why are you covering your head and keep silent?
As your maid,
I feel uneasy to stand or sit here.
Stop making fun of me.
What am I thinking?
You're heard is as bright as mirror.
You're flattering me.
I'm not in your heart.
How do I know what is in your mind?
As for the new general,
may be….
What a bad maid.
I'm sorry.
Mistress worries that old master may disagree this marriage arrangement??
No.
Mansion is busy lately.
Dad doesn’t want me to marry so soon.
This is normal.
So, you're not worried that you can't marry general?
Then…
Dong Qu.
You're the smartest.
Tell me.
If you love someone,
and can't leave without him,
this is what kind of feeling?
Mistress.
If you ask me about grocery pricing,
I can read it out all the historical data since last year.
But if you asked me about the matter of love,
you have asked a wrong person.
No.
You must answer me.
Are you giving me a hard time?
But…
Aren't you have this feeling with Yuwen Yu?
I don’t know.
Therefore, I ask you.
If I asked you whether Yong is good to me,
of course, he is good to me.
But if you're asking me whether I'm willing to be his wife,
this seem like not a bad choice.
I think my marriage life in future will have many freedom and enjoyment.
But I don’t know why,
when I want to make a pledge of love,
there is some resistent in my heart.
It's like a fly buzzing in my heart.
Mistress.
You have explained it complicatedly.
After all,
it's just simple as that,
you don’t want to marry.
But does any woman refuse to marry?
Mistress.
Don’t force yourself.
May be you will understand two years later.
Sometime, it takes time to understand a matter.
May be you just treat Yuwen Yong as a brother or relative.
Third mistress.
What's matter?
Imperial court has an decree.
His Majesty will visit Jici Temple to announce decree.
Yong passed my message to His Majestry so fast?
Jici Temple was setup by empress and her sister.
When empress was still staying in maiden house,
you're so kindhearted.
So, I would like to make it better.
Yuanfu.
Your servant is here.
Ask engineer to expand the the Jici temple.
All expenses to be borne by imperial court.
Yes.
Quickly say thank to His Majesty.
Thank you. Your Majesty.
Yuanfu.
Your servant is here.
Ask them to distribute all these items.
Yes.
Listen to me.
We have prepared foods and clothes here.
Please line up and take one by one.
Come.
Be slower. All line up.
Slower.
Come.
Thank Your Majesty for kindness.
Jialuo.
Will you blame me for grabbing your job?
Your majesty is the richest in the world.
Jialuo dare not tell lie.
Where is your sister?
She can't sleep well lately.
She always have nightmare at night,
and say that she is sinful and guilty.
So, I'm thinking to do more charity for her sake.
I'm afraid Your Majesty has other intention.
What is it? Tell me.
What other intention I have?
To buy supports from commoners.
Your Majesty.
If you want to compete with Yuwen Hu,
only getting loyalty from my dad is not enough.
This is because Yuwen Hu has military power in his hand.
You're right.
You're indeed daugther of Dugu's family
You can make sharp analysis.
Since this is the case,
I will tell you directly.
I don’t have any eunuch who I can believe.
So,
I hope you can help me to arrange all these things.
Of course.
As for all the expenses,
Imperial court will bear it.
How is it?
I would like to assist Your Majesty.
But, I have two things to report to you.
Tell me.
First,
I have chosen a land in Luonan.
The land has some minerals.
But according to the law of Great Zhou,
commoners should have private property.
Do you mean you want to prepare some dowries for yourself?
Well. This is simple.
I will awarded you a title of duke,
and grant this land to you,
and never get it back.
How is it?
Thank for Your Majesty's grace.
What is the second matter?
I have a troop of guards in Jici Temple.
I named them as Guards of Jici.
Guards of Jici?
I know.
Your sister mentioned this to me before.
There are many thing happened in Prime Minister's Mansion lately.
It really needs a troop of guards to ensure the safety.
What about this?
You're now a duke.
I will transfer these guards to be your soldiers.
But you have to take care of their pay and allowances by yourself.
What do you think?
Thank you. Your Majesty.
No.
Thank you. Brother-in-law.
Are you happy now?
Amitabha.
Your Majesty comes to temple to worship personally.
empress should be able to get well soon.
In normal day,
would appreciate if you can assist to worship,
so that my son can release to heaven quickly.
Your Majesty's decree is noted.
How dare you.
His Majesty is here.
Who is making noise here?
Please spare my life.
Yuanfu? I didn’t do that.
Not me.
He is just doing cleaning.
Why is he so panic?
Your Majesty. Please spare my life.
I wasn't the person who did that.
Not me.
Release him.
What make you so scare?
I have nothing to do with the accident happened to empress.
I just heard something on that day.
I didn’t see it by myself.
Imperial tutor. It's imperial tutor.
He did it.
Rise your head.
Say clearly.
How did the accident happen actually?
I don’t know.
I saw empress was quarrelling with imperial tutor.
Imperial tutor pushed empress aside.
Then empress fell down.
I'm not the one who did it.
Please spare me.
Yuanfu.
Your servant is here.
Check it out. Yes.
Although this is lie to emperor,
empress and imperial tutor have warned us.
I dare not disobey.
I ask you.
When empress has an accident on that day,
was it because of slippy floor or
she was pushed by imperial tutor?
Yes.
Amitabha.
The person who applied oil on the staircase wasn't Zhao Gui.
The person is the servant of imperial tutor's son.
Servant of imperial tutor's son?
Please spare me.
I ask you.
Do empress and Yuwen Hu always meet in Longxin Temple?
No. No.
Empress always come to temple alone.
Imperial tutor just passed by occassionally on that day.
But after a short conversation,
empress started quarrel with imperial tutor.
Then….
Amitabha.
I swear,
if I didn’t take revenge,
I wouldn't be the emperor.
Your Majesty.
I have investigated.
What the monk said is true.
On the day which empress had an accident,
imperial tutor lashed his son personally,
and expelled him from the capital.
If this was unreal,
why did imperial tutor do this to his son?
This is desperate strategy.
He thought I would forgive him if I knew about this.
Pay respect to Your Majesty.
Your Majesty…
How dare you.
She is rude to His Majesty.
Send her to the cold palace.
What did I do wrong?
Your Majesty. What are you saying?
Go quickly. Your Majesty.
Your Majesty. Please spare me.
Your Majesty. What's wrong to concubine Lin?
What did she do to piss you off?
She gossip about you in front of me.
I must punish her when I heard about that.
The wind is strong here.
Let's go in.