Episode 40
Today, I will hold a banquet in the palace...
to celebrate for you alone.
I heard that Cao Shuang performed exceptionally well...
in the battlefield.
Tell your son to come. Let me meet him.
Your Majesty, he's just a child. Don't spoil him.
Your Majesty.
Save the memorials for tomorrow.
Tonight, I will give Zi Dan all my time.
Your Majesty once ordered me to always present a report from...
the advisor of a sovereign immediately after receiving it.
Where is this from? -Juancheng.
Could it be that...
Zi Jian got drunk and did something again?
Your Majesty.
Ah Weng. -Your Majesty.
Summon Hua Xin and Man Chong immediately.
Don't inform the Secretariat about this.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, what happened? -Ah Weng.
Your Majesty.
There's no need to summon those two. You may retire.
Yes.
Your Majesty, what happened to Zi Jian?
This is our family's misfortune.
It's not something to be said to outsiders.
This is ridiculous!
Your Majesty, Zi Jian is too audacious.
After crying and cursing on the day...
Your Majesty ascended the throne...
now he is instigating Zi Wen to rebel...
and even claiming that...
Prince Rui is his son who will abdicate for him!
Your Majesty, this... -Enough!
Your Majesty, each time Zi Jian misbehaves...
you forgive him because the late emperor...
told you to be kind to him.
But, Your Majesty, Zi Jian is too disrespectful now.
He has become a threat to the country!
Your Majesty, we must not tolerate him any longer.
If it isn't because the empress dowager is old...
We don't have to report to Her Highness. Your Majesty...
I have an idea.
You can first summon your younger brothers...
and let them visit the empress dowager.
The empress dowager will surely be happy.
When the marquises enter the capital...
we'll put Zi Jian alone on trial.
If he's found guilty...
the empress dowager can't complain about it.
Alright. We shall do as you suggested.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Where did you go?
Our brothers all went to the palace.
Your servant said...
you went missing during the journey.
The empress dowager and emperor are worried sick.
Zi Jian, why did you flee?
Sister, please save me. I received information that...
Guan Jun, my advisor, reported to the emperor that...
I committed many crimes.
The emperor might be planning to punish me.
So, I fled and came to seek help from you.
Please plead with mother and let me meet mother first.
You're too daring. -What should we do?
But, we can't leave Zi Jian alone.
The emperor is so clever.
You can't hide from him in the capital.
If you bypass him and meet mother...
he'll be angrier.
I know that I asked for it.
But, I'm afraid of Brother Zi Huan. I fear...
I'll never get to see mother again.
Alright. Why don't you eat something first?
I'll take you to the emperor, so that you can apologise to him.
The princess will inform mother. With mother around...
the emperor won't punish you severely.
Thank you, my sister and brother-in-law.
The emperor has arrived!
I greet Your Majesty as a sinner. -Your Majesty.
Zi Jian, you've returned safely.
My sister. Brother Zi Lin. Please rise.
Thank you, Your Majesty. - Thank you, Your Majesty.
There are wine and food here.
Good. We haven't met for a long time.
Let's sit together and reminisce. Come.
Zi Jian.
It's been a long time since we last met too.
Do you want to drink and chat with me?
I'm aware of my misdeeds. Your Majesty, please punish me.
But, Guan Jun's accusation is only a defamation.
Please make a sound judgement.
What are you guilty of? What do you mean by defamation?
"Who knows me understands my needs."
"I am a mystery to he who knows me not."
Since you're not hungry, we shall talk elsewhere.
Your Majesty, he is our brother after all.
Please be merciful. -My sister. Brother Zi Lin.
Zi Lin is still mourning for Old General Xiahou.
Stay home and accompany him.
You don't have to worry about the court affairs.
Your Majesty. -Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
Zi Jian. -Zi Jian.
Zi Jian!
Now I'm under house arrest.
Think of something. The emperor will kill Zi Jian.
What can I do? He's the emperor.
Who in this world can save Zi Jian?
This...
The empress dowager. - The empress dowager?
Zi Jian is accused of treason.
The empress dowager can't intervene in state affairs.
The emperor won't spare Zi Jian.
Zi Jian is doomed. -No.
Perhaps one man can save Zi Jian.
This sinner...
greets Your Majesty.
This place is like a realm outside of the world.
It's a good place for honest words, isn't it?
Brother Zi Huan, it's true that I misbehaved.
But, I'll never dare to rebel.
You'll never dare to rebel?
Why did you cry the night I ascended the throne then?
And who is your love poems for?
Your sins can't even be described with the laws.
Don't you know what you're guilty of?
Brother Zi Huan. -Address me as the emperor!
Your Majesty.
I've seen how they interrogate here.
I don't want to see it again.
Mr. Man. -Yes, Your Majesty.
Interrogate him for me. -Yes.
Don't confess too quickly. Perhaps I'll change my mind.
Your Majesty. -Your Majesty!
I'll be questioning you as ordered by the emperor.
Please answer me honestly.
The 29th of the 10th month...
in the 1st year of the Huangchu Reign...
was the day the emperor ascended the throne.
Did you cry in your home?
Zi Dan, you made a brilliant move indeed.
You know him well. -Uncle Zi Lian.
What's going on? It's been one whole year.
I can't believe you all did nothing...
and allowed Sima Yi and Chen Qun to dominate.
You let them restrain us and implement the new policies.
I can't believe... - Sima Yi is really tricky.
Xiahou Shang's daughter has married his son.
So, he can't go against him...
let alone me. I'm not like you.
You grew up with the emperor as his brother. What about me?
The emperor will punish me. -Forget it.
Now, he doesn't even care about me anymore.
Let's fight for the future then.
We just need to drag Zhen Fu down now.
If Cao Zhi can drag Zhen Fu and Cao Rui down...
the emperor will surely choose to appoint Cao Li...
was the crown prince.
Alright. We shall help the emperor to...
take care of the matters of the past.
Who is it?
I came upon the order of Princess Qinghe.
What's the matter?
The Marquis of Juancheng has been arrested by the emperor.
This is a problem between the brothers.
Why does Princess Qinghe need to tell you?
My dear, don't light up the lamp.
Cao Zhi's problem...
might become Consort Zhen's problem...
and Consort Zhen's problem will be Prince Rui's problem.
Prince Rui's problem is my problem.
You're worried about Consort Zhen...
angering the emperor because of Cao Zhi?
Consort Zhen is a very innocent and simple-minded woman.
She can't handle politics or protect herself.
She might plead for the Marquis of Juancheng.
But, when it comes to relationships...
the emperor tends to be paranoid.
Zhong Da, you can't interfere in this matter.
You know how much the emperor dislikes this.
This is between the two brothers.
It's not like the competition for heirship.
If you intervene in the affairs of the royal family...
you'll get yourself killed.
Rui Er. -Mother.
Why is father putting me on house arrest?
When did it happen?
They even said that I'm not father's son.
They said that Uncle Zi Jian is my father.
Is this true, mother?
Where did you hear these rumours? -Is it true?
Keep this in mind. You're the emperor's son.
You're His Majesty's eldest son...
and more importantly...
the legitimate future crown prince of Wei.
If that's the case, why is it that father hates me?
Father has never liked me.
Don't be silly.
No father in this world will hate his own child.
As long as you study well and do your work diligently...
when you become outstanding enough...
your father will surely feel very happy.
Don't imagine things. Have a good night's rest.
When you wake up tomorrow...
everyihing will be fine.
It's a rainy day. The emperor is feeling unwell.
Today's meeting is cancelled. Dismiss.
Zi Dan, Sima Yi is absent as well.
Could it be that he has received news?
It'll only benefit us if he offends the emperor.
Any report from Man Chong? -Not yet.
It looks like he hasn't admitted to it.
He's quite tough.
I hate rainy days the most.
After the Battle of Red Cliffs, I retreated from Huarong Road.
It was mid-winter and yet the southern climate...
made the sky rain on us. The icy cold rain...
felt like knives cutting our bodies.
The road became so muddy.
Many soldiers sank into the mud.
Zi Jian held on to a horse to warm his body.
He cried for my help.
"Save me, Brother Zi Huan!" "I don't want to die in mud!"
I can't believe this happened to us today.
Your Majesty, even if the Marquis of Juancheng is guilty...
he's your brother after all.
For the sake of the empress dowager...
please spare him.
Ah Weng, since when did you...
start interfering in my family business?
Please forgive me.
I'm sorry.
Your Majesty, Mr. Sima Yi came.
Another one came to meddle in my family business.
Tell him to get lost! -Yes.
Please return, Mr. Sima. The emperor won't see you.
What did the emperor said? -The emperor said...
"another one came to meddle in my family business."
"Tell him to get lost."
I request an audience with the emperor again.
Please tell the emperor that I have something impoflant to say.
The emperor is very angry now. No one dares to go against him.
His Majesty even cancelled today's court meeting.
Mr. Sima, you should just return. Don't kneel here.
I wish we can go back too.
If you stand up now and return to your suite...
without saying a word...
you will be Wei's empress.
I know that I am sinful.
I don't deserve to be the empress.
Please forgive the Marquis of Juancheng.
There's nothing between us.
Nothing? If there's nothing between the two of you,..
Why do you plead for him? Again and again...
since I was the General of the Household...
you plead for him.
Do you live to plead for him?
Do you intend to die pleading for him now?
I just don't want to see brothers harming each other.
Your Majesty hates him because of me.
We've lived half of our lives in mistakes.
I don't want the misunderstanding to go on.
Yes, I hate him.
And for many reasons.
I hate him because he competed for heirship with me.
I hate him because he caused the deaths of Xun Yu and Cui Yan.
I hate him because he is an alcoholic...
who messes things up.
I hate him because you and him love each other.
He can easily obtain things I must painstakingly pursue.
Yet, he doesn't cherish them at all.
Isn't this enough?
But, Your Majesty has succeeded.
He's your younger brother after all.
Your Majesty, don't you treasure this brotherhood?
The late emperor's soul in heaven will be sad...
to see his sons harming each other.
Don't you bring up the late emperor again!
The late emperor...
made only one mistake in his life...
and that was marrying you to me.
That's why we all came to this today.
I hate all of this.
I don't want to be...
buried with you when I die.
I don't want to face you in resentment.
I'll never be able to rest in peace.
Your Majesty, do you believe in the calumny...
and believe that Rui Er is not your son?
We've been married for more than 10 years. Don't you...
trust me at all?
Alright. Since you don't trust me, I can use my death...
to prove that Rui Er is your son.
But, you must promise me that...
you won't harm Rui Er when I'm gone.
Please protect him, treat Dong Xiang well...
and be kind to your brothers. Can you agree?
Go back.
I'll send someone to deliver the poison to you.
Cao Zi Huan.
If I reincarnate...
I hope I don't see you again.
Mr. Sima, bad news!
The emperor has granted Consort Zhen death!
The poison wine has been delivered to her suite!
Hurry. Take me to Consort Zhen's place.
We must save Prince Rui.
You can't go. You're an external official.
If Prince Rui sees his mother committing suicide...
and misbehaves...
Wei will lose the right crown prince!
We've no choice then. I'll take the risk with you!
Let's go. Stand up.
Get lost!
Go forward.
This way.
Your Highness!
Mother!
Let go of me!
Mother! Let go of me!
Let go of me!
Mother!
I want my mother!
Let go of me!
I want my mother!
Let go of me! -Brother Yi, what's going on?
The emperor has granted Consort Zhen death.
You're the only one who can save Prince Rui now.
Kneel! Call her "mother"!
Call her "mother".
Listen to me. Before the emperor demotes you...
only Consort Guo can save you. You must call her “mother“.
Else, your mother will die for nothing!
Do you understand? Kneel!
Call her "mother"! -Say it.
Say it! -Say it!
Mother.
Come, my child. Don't be afraid.
It's alright. I'm here for you.
The emperor has arrived! - Don't be afraid. Come. Hurry.
Kneel.
Sima Yi! How dare you!
I'm unforgivable.
Fine.
Arrest the two of them!
Yes! -Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Ah Zhao, I've ordered to...
demote Prince Rui to... -Your Majesty!
I've adopted Prince Rui.
My order has been sent to the Secretariat!
He called me "mother. So, he's my son now.
Your Majesty, didn't you give me permission to adopt a son?
I'll only take Rui Er.
Why?
There are so many younger children here...
for you to raise.
They'll treat you like their own mother.
Why is it that you chose him?
Your Majesty.
You know why.
Please approve my request.
Guards.
Revoke my order.
Hurry. Thank the emperor.
Thank the emperor.
Sima Yi...
has started to intervene in my family business.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty. -This is from the previous reign!
You've no right to interfere.
Your Majesty!
Come. Don't be afraid.
Don't be afraid. -It's alright now.
Do you regret it?
I intruded the royal harem.
I deserve death.
I have no complaint or regret. -Don't give me that.
Do you think I won't kill you...
if you act all holy and righteous?
I dare not.
I know I'm unforgivable. -If you know it's unforgivable...
why did you do it?
Or is it because I've indulged you all?
Now everyone dares to defy my order...
and act like a selfless hero.
Your Majesty, the eldest prince should be the heir to the throne.
Only Prince Rui should inherit Your Majesty's legacy.
Your Majesty understands this very well.
Yet, you want to demote Prince Rui for a personal reason.
I must stop Your Majesty.
Get lost!
The eldest prince should be the heir to the throne?
Are you saying that...
I'm about to die? - I dare not suggest so.
Since Eastern Han Dynasty, it is proven that a young ruler...
will be manipulated by powerful officials.
If anything goes wrong, both of us...
will not be able to face the consequence.
Stand up. -I dare not.
I've had enough of you lying on the floor...
and manipulating me by acting humble.
I want you to stand up!
Lift your head.
Look at me.
L...
already entrusted the state affairs to you.
Why do you still need to interfere in my private affairs?
Are you going to...
"manipulate my crown prince in the future?
L...
have known Your Majesty for 23 years.
I have sewed Your Majesty for 18 years.
I do wish to attain outstanding achievements.
But, I have no intention of betraying Your Majesty.
Not in this lifetime...
and not in...
an eternity.
I've already wasted this life.
Does eternity matter to me?