" Princess Silver "
Episode 41
Lady Fu refuses to live in the palace for recovery.
She insists to stay in the Cold Palace.
Was it Senyan Palace?
Yes, I tried talking to her. But she refuses to leave.
So I ordered my men to renovate Senyan Palace.
Right, any reports from the south fringe?
Southern fringe is carrying out a new policy.
It has shown result for the past one year.
Qin Yong?
Back then, Qin Yong was able to carry out the people-based transformation...
because of Lady Yun's help.
It enabled Northern Realm to build up strong army...
and enrich the people in a very short time after we recovered from war...
to become a force itself.
Too bad Qin Yong lack judgement.
That's why his people-based transformation...
had failed in the end.
Your Highness, this new policy...
is carried out together by...
Prince Li and that consort of his.
Her?
Any other news?
We have a secret message from Qingzhou.
It is said that recently, there are some rumours in the city.
It's rumoured that...
there's a Silver-Hair Demon.
What Silver-Hair Demon?
They say that the consort is a Silver-Hair Demon.
Some said that this consort...
used the be a general's wife in Northern Realm.
They said that she's a wanton...
and had eloped with Prince Li to the southern fringe.
This rumour has spread like a wild fire in that city.
Pass down my order. Find the source of the rumour.
Yes, I understand.
-Follow me to Senyan Palace. -Yes, Your Highness.
Mother.
Chou.
Greetings, mother.
Chou. Finally, you are back.
Mother.
I had been engaging in war for the past one year.
Please don't blame me for not being able to take care of you by my side.
Look at you. You've been separated from me for so long...
until we are so estranged.
That's not true.
I'm gratified that you are putting...
the country before you.
-Why would I blame you? -Yes, mother.
Your Majesty, food is ready.
Come. Let's eat.
After you, mother.
I remember that when I was young,
you...
were always so distant and cold.
And you never ate with me.
Actually, I only understood later on...
that you were leaving me with all the good food...
while you sat aside to eat those leftovers in secret.
Unfortunately,
I still don't have a way...
to hold a feast for you.
But don't worry, mother.
I'll hold a coronation ceremony for you in a few days' time...
to welcome you back to the court.
It's all because of my mental illness.
Fortunately I've recovered now.
I won't drag you down that much anymore.
What are you talking about?
We've been through life and death to be together.
I'll fulfil my duty well as your son.
Where have you been for the past one year?
You never came back to Zhongshan.
You know how worried I am towards you?
I know.
For the past one year, I had been travelling north.
I had reclaimed the lands that were taken away...
by Wei one year ago.
North?
Why don't you go south?
Do you mean the southern fringe?
As for southern fringe,
it is guarded by Zongzheng Wu You's highly organised army.
We can't underestimate their strength.
I had sent some shock troops to southern fringe before.
But they were annihilated.
My thought is, before I can be sure of my enemy's strength,
I won't act recklessly.
I need to observe them first.
If I were you,
I'll send forth a fleet to defeat them...
once and for all before they become fully fledged.
But this is just an opinion of a woman.
You can just listen and forget about it.
You are worried about the country too.
I understand.
Serve the wine.
-Mother. -Wench!
-I'm going to kill you. -Mother.
I'm going to burn you to death.
Look at your face scar. I'm going to burn you to death.
-Please spare my life! -Mother.
-I'll burn you to death! -Mother!
-Spare my life! -I'll burn you to death.
-I'll burn you to death! -Mother!
Don't just stand there! Take her away! Quick!
Quick.
It's alright now, mother.
-Ask them to stop. Don't burn me. -Mother.
-Don't burn me! Ask them to stop! -It's alright now.
-It's alright now, mother. -Don't burn me.
-Don't hit me. -I'm in control of this palace now.
Nobody will hurt you. Don't be scared.
It's fine now.
-Don't hit me. -It's fine now.
Today is such a wonderful day.
If it wasn't for the celebratory wine bestowed by His Highness upon us,
I would have been sober for more than half a year.
Brother. Let's drink till we drop.
Alright!
Did you see that?
Silver-Hair Demon!
You are drunk. You must have seen it wrongly.
That's right. That is General Luo Qiao's tent.
He is a bold and powerful man.
No demon will dare get close to him.
Let's take a look anyway.
-Let's go then. -Let's go.
This...
-General Luo Qiao! -General Luo.
-General Luo! -There, look!
Silver hair. It's the Silver-Hair Demon!
The Silver-Hair Demon has killed General Luo.
Your Highness, this is the overall situation of the incident.
The three soldiers who had discovered the body first hand...
are now under supervision.
They just had a fleeting glimpse of a person with silver hair.
But it's possible that they saw wrongly because they are drunk.
Question them carefully. We can't miss out on any details.
But most importantly,
we can't let this news spread and create further panic.
Luo Army has always been very strict.
They had blocked the news from spreading at once.
But tonight is a special night.
Many of them were drunk in the celebratory feast.
We can't be sure that the news won't leak.
This is indeed a sticky business.
The one who created the rumour...
seems to know us like the back of his hand.
He acts very cautiously...
and leaves no trail behind.
The scariest part is, he is quite the schemer.
He knows that he can manipulate the people...
through rumours and mystery.
Your Highness.
-Please back me up, Your Highness! -General, don't be rude.
General Luo Qiao is a close brother of yours.
That's why His Highness has been investigating on it all night long.
But we can't just look at one side of the story.
Lady Rong Le is with His Highness for the whole night.
Please give us the order...
so that Luo Army can depart immediately to the border.
What is your purpose for doing so?
I know clearly that...
the death of my brother is done by someone with ulterior motive.
His aim is to use my brother's life to make us waver, to threaten you...
and to put the blame on Lady Rong Le.
If we continue to stay at the outskirts of Qingzhou,
this case will be out in the open tomorrow morning. Everybody will know.
This will affect the people's loyalty.
Although my brother's life is important,
we can't ruin the reputation of...
Your Highness and Lady Rong Le.
You believe in Lady Rong Le?
Yes.
If she is in a killing rage and blood-lust,
there will be no survivor in this manor.
Moreover, when I met her that day,
although her hair is silver, she still looks like a normal person.
But she is willing to stay inside this manor...
because she doesn't want to startle the people.
Such a kind person like her won't commit murder.
Please rise.
The man who planned this is unfathomable.
Whether you leave or not,
I'm sure that this will only get worse and worse.
So, the thing that you should do is not to run away with your soldiers.
You have to use your reputation...
reassure your soldiers.
You've won victories after victories in the battlefield.
Are you going to lose to this kind of evil plot?
You believe in Lady Rong Le.
I hope that you can believe in me too.
I won't let General Luo Qiao die in vain.
Yes, Your Highness.
Thank you for your teachings.
I'll go back to the military camp now to order them...
to stay on high alert and gather any evidences that I can.
Leng Yan.
The Serene Hill Inn that I had asked you to seal up,
unseal it immediately.
Restore everything to normal.
Just like nothing had ever happened.
Are you trying to lure them out?
The murdering schemers are trying to create panic.
But if everything has gone back to normal,
they will be the one panicking.
Now, we don't have any evidence.
But when the time comes,
they might show their flaws.
Yes, Your Highness.
Sir Sun.
Now, His Highness is very cautious towards us...
aristocratic clans.
Is it safe for us to meet each other in your manor?
No need to panic.
Come, sit down and have some tea.
If you are not guilty,
then you have nothing to be afraid of.
But Sir Sun,
I think His Highness has found out that I embezzled the military funds.
Although Prince Chen didn't point me out in the court,
his warning was bright and clear.
Do we have a whistle-blower in the court?
I had already warned you not to be too greedy in the first place...
so that you won't end up like Zheng family.
But have you ever listened to me?
Luo Zhi is back in the court now.
His Highness has increased...
his effort in suppressing us scholars with the poor.
It's possible that he'll punish Cai family...
as an example to others.
I've regretted my doings.
Given that we are both prominent clans in Qingzhou...
and we are old family friends,
please save me and my family.
You have exaggerated.
Here.
Sir Sun, save me.
Sir Cai.
Have you heard about a rumour lately among the people...
saying that a Silver-Hair Demon had...
bring calamity to the country and had seduced the prince?
Are you saying that...
I didn't say anything.
But if you are smart,
you should know what you have to do.
Please give this to Miss Ling Yue.
Miss Sun. Why don't you give it to His Highness yourself?
If I give this to Sister Ling Yue,
she will think that it's for Lady Rong Le.
What nonsense are you talking about?
It makes no difference whether I give it to...
His Highness or Lady Rong Le.
You just need to give it to Ling Yue.
I've overstepped. Please forgive me, Miss Sun.
Ya Li.
You know how to use some tricks now.
-You may leave now. -Yes, Miss Sun.
You are in a good mood today, father.
Ever since I came to Qingzhou,
it has been a long time since I last see your smile.
Looks like you've thought things through.
I'm extremely glad.
You've always asked me to get close to His Highness.
Only now have I understood your purpose.
You always said that...
His Highness is the chosen one.
I have to marry him and become his consort...
so that I can be future empress.
Only then can we consolidate the foundation of Sun family...
and secure my happiness for the rest of my life.
Since you've understood this theory,
I'll be straightforward with you.
You need to know that...
although His Highness looks like he's close to me,
he has been guarding himself against me.
Now, more than ever, you need to get close to His Highness.
If this marriage alliance is successful,
the foundation of Sun family will be secured.
You are His Highness's teacher.
Now, you are the provincial governor of Qingzhou with the most power.
I just don't understand.
If you just remain within bounds,
nothing can shake the foundation of Sun family, right?
So what if I'm His Highness's teacher?
So what if I'm the provincial governor?
From the surface, it looks like Sun family is prospering.
But we are actually hollow underneath.
The more integrated the transformation is,
the more loss Sun family will suffer.
I have the most power in the court...
but it's just an empty title.
In order to carry out this transformation,
His Highness has arrogated all authority to himself.
It's like being close to a tiger.
I've been losing sleep because of this anxiety.
But father,
Rong Le and His Highness love each other.
Nobody can take His Highness away from Rong Le.
Same goes for me.
How will I be able...
to become his consort?
Where there's a will, there's a way.
As long as you treat His Highness wholeheartedly, he might waver.
Moreover, you can still form a marriage without feelings.
You should have learnt your lessons...
from the humiliation you received in Zhongshan.
Feeling is just a tool to control the weak.
It's worthless.
Is it...
really worthless?
Ya Li, Sun family will either...
become His Highness's family and share the world with him...
or we will be his enemy.
We can only fight to our last breath...
against such capable man like him.
Is this the only way?
Among the two choices,
you know that which one will be better...
for Sun family, for you and for me.
Even if worst comes to worst,
if the marriage alliance is successful, he'll let go...
of the Sun family for your sake.
Ya Li, everything that I'm doing now...
is for you sake.
Think about it.
Your Highness. Something bad had happened.
The bard that we had caught...
has suddenly died in jail without any reasons.
I'm afraid that we have rats working in the prison.
Now, the person behind the scene is getting more and more daring.
Looks like he has known that we don't have any concrete evidence.
How dare he do this right under our noses.
Your Highness.
These are all nonsense.
In order to force you to divorce Lady Rong Le,
they are quick to believe that she's the murdering demon.
Did Cai Yan He think that I won't know his motives...
if he didn't do it himself but by instigating...
his former disciples from Cai family to complain to me?
Your Highness, I've found out that...
Serene Hill Inn is here in Qingzhou for more than one hundred years.
It is a famous inn.
Although people of all sorts gather in this place,
nobody has dared cause trouble in this place.
Word is, this place is under the government protection.
According to rumour, the mysterious owner of this inn...
is very close to some high-rank officials in the court.
Could it be Cai Yan He?
Cai family has prospered in southern fringe for one hundred years and more,
but Cai Yan He is not a person...
who can carry out such perilous plan.
Ever since the transformation is carried out,
because of the land distribution of fiscal policy,
the scholars in southern fringe are threatened.
And the one with the most losses...
will be desperate enough to take this risk.
-Are you saying that Sun... -Let me go in!
What is it, Ya Li?
It's dinner time.
If you don't have anything important, please allow me to excuse myself.
Miss Sun, this is His Highness's habit.
During this time of the day, His Highness will be off limit.
If you have anything urgent, you can tell me first.
Your Highness, please forgive me for my rudeness.
But after thinking it through,
you are the only one I can think of who can save me.
What do you mean?
When you were banished to Qingzhou because of...
the Yun's Tomb incident back then,
is the promise you made to me that time...
still holds true?
Princess, look.
You've cooked these personally for His Highness.
So, of course you should personally invite him for dinner...
in order for it to be more formal.
It has already become a habit for us to have dinner together every day.
Why do you want me to personally invite him?
What do you have in your mind?
Is he not going to come if I didn't invite him?
I'm saying that because you look so anxious and impatient.
That's because you've tricked me...
saying that I've treated him shabbily by preparing...
only simple food for him every day.
Although I'm still not very good at it this time,
I still want him to have a taste.
Yes. Only His Highness...
is able to stomach the food that you made.
A good night with good wine...
served with good food.
Everything is ready.
Now, you'll only have to invite His Highness here for dinner.
Go and invite His Highness.
When you were banished to southern fringe,
I was not willing to be married to Zheng family.
So, you had given me this silver bracelet.
And we had covered up for each other.
Do you still remember about it?
Of course I do.
But I too remember that Zheng family is here no more.
And I had already settled the issue for you.
I didn't break the promise between us.
If there's nothing else, I'll have to leave.
Now that I think of it,
when I was under your protection back then,
it was the most peaceful...
and happiest moment in my life.
I had been thinking lately.
If I can continue to stay by your side,
maybe I won't need to go through so many hardship.
Ya Li.
-You shouldn't say this. -Your Highness.
I know that this is wrong.
I had tossed and turned, thinking about it lately.
I'm not sure if I should confess to you.
But I heard that...
Lady Rong Le is thinking about marrying me off to General Luo Zhi.
And recently, my father...
has been forcing me to make a choice for my marriage.
After giving it some thoughts,
I think that although I feel bad for Rong Le,
I have to fight for myself.
Princess, this...
Say no more.
Ya Li.
You should be very clear that...
besides Man Yao,
I love no other.
Of course I know that...
Rong Le is the only one in your heart.
And I had seen with my own eyes that...
you had sacrificed yourself for Lady Rong Le.
I had fallen for the wrong person once.
So, I know better than anyone that you are the only one...
in this world who has real sentiments.
You just need to give me some love and warmth.
I just need a little bit of them...
and I'll live with no regrets forever.
Ever since you saved me in the palace regardless of your life,
I've already fallen in love with you.
Ya Li.
Have some respect for yourself.
The smell in this room...
is from the calming incense that I had made myself.
I wonder...
if you've ever dreamt of me.
Princess, don't be sad.
Maybe this is just a misunderstanding.
I don't blame Wu You.
And I trust him.
I just never thought that...
Ya Li...
will be in love with him.
Princess Rong Le.
His Highness has brought Miss Sun back to southern fringe...
because she looks so desolate.
It's only normal that...
Miss Sun feels grateful for His Highness.
Ya Li is dainty with a harsh life.
She has such dominant father...
and her feelings was once used by Fu Chou.
So, I've always had a tender affection for her.
And I hope that...
she can find her true love.
And I don't want her to be involved in family fights.
Before this,
I mentioned about Luo Zhi's marriage proposal to her.
I didn't force her as well since she's not willing to.
But I never thought that...
Princess,
what are you going to do then?
There's nothing that I can do.
I just know that...
I believe in me and Wu You's feelings.
I'm tired. I want to rest.
Then...
what about the surprise that you've prepared for His Highness?
Take them away.
I'll...
let Wu You take care of it himself.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Man Yao has eaten her dinner?
Why didn't she wait for me?
Princess is asleep already.
Did she suffer a relapse?
Your Highness, she heard about the Silver-Hair rumour today.
She's not happy about it and she's exhausted.
So, she has had an early night.
The Silver-Hair rumour?
She's not someone who will be affected by rumours.
Take good care of her.
Yes, Your Highness.
Please help me, Your Majesty.
Now,
who else can I save?
Your Majesty, Prince Regent is back.
He has always shown you respect.
If you beg him, he might be able to spare Lan's life.
Lan?
Which Lan?
She is my younger sister.
She has served you before.
Recently, she has been transferred to Senyan Palace to serve Lady Fu.
But I haven't been able to find her for the past few days.
After some efforts, I found out that...
when Prince Regent came back that day,
Lan had accidentally splashed some tea on Lady Fu.
So, Lady Fu had kicked and hit her.
And after that, she went missing.
If I want to save her,
I'm afraid that you are the only one who can do that.
I heard that...
Prince Regent is going to enthroned Lady Fu as empress dowager.
What?
Empress dowager?
-Yes. -You said that...
he's going to enthrone her as empress dowager?
Yes. Prince Regent said that she has recovered.
She has recovered?
Then, has she regained...
all of her memories in the past?
She is going to be empress dowager now.
I'm the empress.
I've taken her place.
She won't let go of me.
Your Majesty, no matter what, you are the previous empress.
Fu Yuan is just a woman who has just recovered from insanity.
She won't be a threat to you.
And there's Prince Regent.
He has always been respectful towards you, right?
People like you...
know nothing.
-Your Majesty. -Do you know...
what kind of a person Fu Yuan is?
She came back from hell.
She is just like the demon itself!
-Your Majesty. -She's here to take our lives.
-What's wrong with you, Your Majesty? -She's here to take our lives!
-Your Majesty! -Go out.
Go out! Go out now!
Please save me.
All these years,
I've been putting my pride in my pocket.
I've never fought for anything.
It's all because of self-preservation.
I've dedicated my whole life to this palace.
I've dedicated myself to His Majesty.
But now,
His Majesty is dead.
Crown prince is dead.
Wu You has left.
The people who I can rely on in the past are gone.
I can't rely on them anymore.
Now,
Fu Yuan is back.
When she comes back,
she won't let go of me.
She'll make me wish that I'm dead.
Why?
Just like Sister Yun,
we've never wanted to hurt anybody!
I'm a devoted believer,
a loyal servant to Buddha.
Why are you treating me like this?
Why did you put me in such a sorry state?
Why?
This is so unfair!
Why would the late empress pass away suddenly?
There are rumours from the harem saying that...
she didn't die from illness.
They say that she hanged herself.
The maidservants found out about it when they brought her dinner.
Impossible.
The late empress is from a clan of scholar.
She has always been smart, cautious and has taken care of herself well.
-That's right. -Even Prince Regent...
has treated her with courtesy.
Why would she commit suicide?
That's right.
Arrival of His Highness!
Greetings, Your Highness.
Please rise.
Thank you, Your Highness.
All of you here are the pillars of the country.
I've summoned you here today...
because of one thing.
I want to enthrone Empress Fu as empress dowager.
I want to give her back the Golden Scroll and Phoenix Seal...
and bring her back to the ancestral temple.
As for the details,
I can only decide after I've discussed with all of you.
-This... -This...
From the way you look,
is there any objection?
Your Highness, the late empress had just passed away yesterday.
If we are so quick to enthrone the empress dowager,
-I'm afraid that it's unacceptable. -Why is it unacceptable?
She has just passed away and the truth behind her death is still uncertain.
The late empress has fallen ill...
because she misses the late emperor until the illness has taken her away.
Now, the late empress is together with the late emperor.
What truth do we need to be certain about?
Please be rest assured. I'll take care of...
the funeral of the late empress.
No need to worry about it.
Your Highness, if I may be so bold.
Fu Yuan's identity is vague at best.
Enthroning empress dowager will affect the country.
-Please reconsider. -Insolent.
Fu Yuan is my birth mother.
She was the previous empress of the last sovereign.
How can her identity be vague?
What objections do you have?
Your Highness, Empress Fu has passed away more than 10 years ago.
We can't be sure of this woman's background.
And without proof, how can she be the model for all woman?
And how can she make the people submit to her?
Yang Wei.
You've served the late emperor for many years.
Are you really unable to recognise Empress Fu Yuan?
His Highness, I had served the late emperor.
Of course I know about Empress Fu.
And I know very well whether or not she's qualified...
to be the model for all women.
So, no matter she is Empress Fu or not,
I won't allow her to be empress dowager.
Yang Wei.
How dare you talk back to your superior.
I think you have had enough to be the minister of Ministry of Rites.
Even if...
I'm not the minister of this Ministry of Rites,
I'll never recognise Fu Yuan as empress dowager.
Yang Wei!
You are a senior official who had served for more than 10 years.
Among all the others here, you should have known better!
That day, in this very place,
you had doubted my identity.
Now,
you want to do the same?
You've defeated our enemy and brought peace to the country.
They are great merits.
But if you enthroned her as empress dowager,
I'm afraid that from now on, the court will be in chaos...
and it'll be a disaster for the country and the people.
The merits that you've achieved before this...
will be gone in a split second.
My mother is a weak lady. How can she bring chaos to the court?
Southern and northern regions are all the same!
Why do you have to condemn such a weak lady?
You just say that she'll endanger the nation and accuse her for something.
Her honour...
is not something that others can look down on easily.
Guards!
This...
My fellow officials. Now,
any of you still have objections?
Your Highness.
The coronation for empress dowager...
is under the Ministry of Rite's duty.
Other officials in this court...
have nothing to do with it.
If you insist on your decision...
to enthrone Fu Yuan as empress dowager,
I'm willing to be punished for being disrespectful.
I'll retire and go back to my hometown. From now on,
please look for others to take my place.
Sir Yang.
We'll discuss about the coronation of...
empress dowager again next time.
Your Highness, according to custom,
late empress should be buried together with the late emperor.
But she is not given the title as empress dowager yet.
What kind of funeral should we give her?
How would I know about these overelaborated formalities?
By the way, remember...
not to let anyone see the looks of the late empress.
I understand.
How could a person who's living well...
commit suicide just like that?
By the way, don't tell mother about this.
It'll only make her worry.
Lately, she has recovered from her illness even more.
Arrival of Her Majesty!
Greetings, mother.
Chou.
You have to take care of yourself.
Health is more important.
Thank you for your care. I'll remember it.
Mother, have a seat.
Why do you...
have so many reports today?
Yang Wei...
has left his post.
After he left his post,
Some of the vice ministers from the Ministry of Rites...
have quit their job as well.
It's normal to have more work when you have less people.
It's not a big deal.
-Chou. -Mother.
I won't blame Sir Yang...
for what he did.
He's just being more cautious because this concerns...
the benefit of the nation.
If you want to hire him to work for the court again,
I won't mind it as well.
I know Yang Wei quite well.
With his temper by nature, since he has left,
he won't be coming back anymore.
Mother.
I've been...
delaying your coronation again and again.
Do you really don't mind about it?
You said it many times.
I know. You have no choice but to do it...
because of the current situation.
Thank you for your understanding, mother.
Somebody lacks judgement.
If they want to leave, let them go then.
No need to rack your brains for it.
Mother.
You don't understand.
All the officials in this court...
have stayed behind...
not because they are willing to serve me wholeheartedly.
They did it for the benefit of Northern Realm only.
After this coronation incident,
I can see it even clearer now.
Although I've been ruling Northern Realm for more than a year,
these officials...
still haven't submit themselves completely to me.
I have my Armour Army to force them.
But...
it's not enough to suppress the arrogance in them.
That is because...
you are not ruthless enough.
Chou, as the ruler of the country,
you are too soft-hearted.
Mother.
Making them submit by force...
is of the worst plan.
Although I can't say that I'll be a sage,
I don't want to be a tyrant as well.