"Episode 26"
Your Highness.
If Your Highness suspects Lang Kun alone,
Your Highness would have asked him here alone.
Both Ning Zhi and I are asked to come.
That means Your Highness suspects us too.
How about this?
I'll give this chance to prove my innocence...
to Noble Consort Ning.
Take it.
Do it.
Didn't you tell me many times...
that you've long wanted to kill Lang Kun?
Don't worry about me.
There will be a lot of opportunities in the future...
to prove my innocence.
Take it.
Your Highness.
Your Highness will regret it if you kill me.
Shoot!
It's fine.
He betrayed us.
He deserves it.
Shoot.
Kill him.
Hold on.
Your Highness.
You won't be able to hit him if you shoot this way.
Three inches.
Go three inches lower.
Then, you can hit him right in the head.
Mr. Yan is right.
It's too high.
Go lower.
Wei Guang.
Go lower.
-Wei Guang. -Your Highness.
Shoot.
How is it, Mr. Yan?
What do you think about this position?
That will do.
Ning Zhi.
When have I lied to you?
Do it.
Good!
Good shot!
I'm still alive.
You missed.
Mr. Yan.
You kept telling me that there's a spy among the three of them.
Can you tell now?
Can you tell me,
among the three of them,
who is more like a spy?
Chief Commander Wei, you won.
It's a misunderstanding.
It's all a misunderstanding.
The three of you...
indeed share weal and woe together.
I'm almost scared to death.
I thought I'd die.
Aren't you fine now?
Yan Zheng, I think you are the spy!
You want all Princess Royal's trusted aides dead, right?
You actually wanted a woman to kill another person?
Princess Royal.
My hands are still trembling.
Noble Consort Ning, don't be angry.
This was indeed Mr. Yan's idea.
Fortunately, Wei Guang helped to make a timely adjustment.
That's how the arrow was aimed at the space between the eyebrows.
That's why...
Mr. Wei and Noble Consort Ning,
are the most trustworthy allies.
Why am I fine then?
I tampered with the crossbow.
As long as it's aimed right at the space between the eyebrows,
it would end up like earlier.
It would fly over the top of the head.
What a great plot.
I'm almost scared to death.
I'm loyal.
You're fine, aren't you?
"Yong De Palace"
You're really smart.
How did you know...
the arrow will go two inches higher after the arrow is shot?
Someone told me.
Who was it?
It takes a very fine skill to tamper with the crossbow.
Only those from the armoury can do it.
They're my best buddies.
If Princess Royal's henchmen make any moves,
they'll tell me about it.
Why won't I know about it?
You're so smart.
All right. Let's go.
You are not standing properly.
If Eunuch Li sees it, he's going to break your legs.
Is that so?
But that's how I was when I served His Majesty.
His Majesty didn't say anything about it.
Greetings, Your Highness.
What's wrong with you?
I'm sorry.
Go back and rest if you're sick.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Help her out.
Yes, Your Highness.
Pick them up.
Yes.
Why are you being so careless?
Sorry, Mr. Zhu.
I had a dim vision and couldn't see you properly.
How do you know me?
I... used to serve His Majesty.
Ban Ling Er.
When I was in the Pear Blossom Academy,
I didn't learn the etiquette and didn't know anything.
In the end, His Majesty sent me to Cheng Xiang Palace.
I was scolded by Eunuch Li.
You need to learn with your heart.
Otherwise, you won't be able to make it in the palace.
Mr. Zhu.
You are the Minister of Rites.
You must be familiar with the etiquette in the palace.
Please teach me.
That's the way to bow.
Your previous position was wrong.
Got it?
So that's how it is.
Sir, the palace maids said...
the way I greet isn't right too.
Why don't I show it to you?
Please guide me.
All right.
Take me as your master.
-You're dismissed. -Yes.
You lifted your head way too high.
Your pace is too messy.
What about now?
Your hands are placed too high.
Sir.
Why don't you come over and teach me?
This is the right position.
Master.
I shall take my leave now.
This is correct.
Let's do it again.
I shall take my leave now.
Ban Ling Er.
You're so pretty.
If you learn the etiquette,
the empress dowager will soon promote you to be the personal maid.
What's the use of being pretty?
Your wife is blessed.
She's married to a good man like you.
My hands are clean.
I can't be compared to my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence.
This is strange.
Everyone gets their official's salary.
Why are the ministers in the Ministry of Defence richer?
You don't understand.
You won't get it even if I told you.
Is it because they defected to the Princess Royal?
Then...
they took the bribes from the Princess Royal.
These things can only be perceived, but not expressed in words.
Let's not talk about this.
Let's practise a few more times.
Mr. Zhu, what are you doing?
Didn't you ask me to teach you the etiquette?
No physical contact between men and women.
Sir, mind your conduct.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Ban Ling Er.
Didn't I ask you to serve the empress dowager?
Why are you back in Guang Xuan Palace?
Your Majesty.
Many people in the Ministry of Defence have defected to the Princess Royal.
The imperial guards are under the Ministry of Defence,
and responsible for the safety of the capital city.
Your Majesty, please change them at once.
Otherwise, when there's mutiny...
Don't worry.
Talk slowly.
Your Majesty, you can't hesitate anymore.
Your Majesty must change all the imperial guards,
-and the commander too. -Ban Ling Er.
Do you know it's a capital crime for a palace maid,
to discuss the politics?
But I can't keep mum about it.
I've observed the commander of the imperial guards.
There's neither respect nor fear in the way he looks at Your Majesty.
This clearly shows that he's being disloyal.
I personally appointed the commander.
I need to give him a sack because of a palace maid?
You need to know that you're just a palace maid.
Just do your part.
You shouldn't interfere with the political affairs.
If it wasn't because you rendered great service in handing over the map,
with that spate of nonsense,
I could have killed you.
Thanks Your Majesty for not killing me.
I shall take my leave now.
Ban Ling Er.
Ban Ling Er, what's wrong with you?
Ban Ling Er.
Actually, I know that...
this is an offence.
But I can't keep mum about it.
For Your Majesty's safety...
even if I die...
there's nothing pitiful about it.
Why torturing yourself over this?
I've been here for so long.
Seeing Your Majesty working hard day and night,
and be mentally and physically exhausted,
how can I brush it aside?
I dream of Guang Xuan Palace every night.
I didn't mean to blame you.
I just wanted to remind you,
that you must be careful.
If the Princess Royal got wind of this,
you could get killed.
With Your Majesty here...
I'm not afraid at all.
Your Majesty, you must be careful of those from the Ministry of Defence.
Also, Mr. Zhu from Ministry of Rites and the commander of imperial guards.
Come.
I shall take my leave.
The black represents the loyal royalists.
The green represents,
those whom we suspected have defected to Princess Royal.
The red represents those who are sitting on the fence,
and trim sails to the wind.
There are so few of the black ones.
It's less than one-third of it.
Over the past few years,
Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding have been winning the people over,
and said the late emperor wanted to pass the throne to Prince Guang Ding,
that His Majesty was treacherous and usurped the throne.
Your Highness, is this a baseless claim?
It's utter nonsense.
His Majesty is the rightful emperor.
Everyone needs a cause.
By flying the flag for the support of the rightful heir,
and be men of loyalty, patriotism, and righteousness.
But it's only for their own benefit.
Wei Guang, what should we do next?
Act according to the original plan. Quick in three and slow in one.
Quickly settle the gunpowder warehouse.
Quickly find out the distribution of their military forces.
We managed to do both.
The last thing to do is to take care of Yan Zheng.
But given our current situation,
it's not the right time for us to make a move.
Mr. Lang and I will leave the palace tomorrow.
He'll head south, and I'll head north.
We'll find out the situation with those generals.
Well, the empress dowager and I will stay in the palace,
and prepare for the slow action.
Don't let the Princess Royal and His Majesty,
get into a conflict that soon.
I thank all of you on behalf of Liang.
"Three days later"
Waiter, prepare a few dishes and deliver to my room.
Waiter!
Who are you?
Why did you put this here?
It's Mr. Yan.
What brings you to this town?
It's the same old question.
Are you a spy?
Mr. Yan’s perseverance,
is really incomparable to that of ordinary people.
I'm giving you one last chance.
Are Wei Guang and Noble Consort Ning with you?
Who else is your accomplice?
You'd better tell me everything.
No wonder when I had a drink with Prince Guang Ding the other day...
His Highness said he suspects you.
You're indeed diverting attention to cover your misdoing.
You could hide it from everyone.
But you couldn't hide from me.
Cut the crap.
If you have proof,
arrest me and take me to the Princess Royal.
Get out of the way if you have no evidence.
Don't get in my way of running errands for Prince Guang Ding.
That's right.
I know.
You gained Prince Guang Ding's trust.
And the empress supports you too.
I can't lay a finger on you.
But...
I can easily make a move on the woman in this coffin.
Who's in the coffin?
This woman is called Liang Xiu Lan.
She died of illness when she was 23 years old.
I heard that she died of a critical illness because she missed her fiance.
Her fiance's last name is very special.
His last name was Huo.
His name was Huo Yang Hong.
He was a famous imperial physician.
He once treated the empress and the empress dowager.
You said so many things.
What does it have to do with me?
It seems irrelevant.
But two months ago,
you gave a huge amount of money to Liang Xiu Lan's family,
to repair her grave.
Why is that?
Mr. Yan.
You must have lost your mind.
Why are you making a fuss over such a trivial matter?
Stop pretending.
I found out you've been taking care of her family in the past 18 years.
Physician Huo once saved my life.
What's wrong for me to treat his family well?
Nothing is wrong.
But for the past 18 years, you never missed the Spring and Autumn Festival.
And some villagers saw you crying in front of her grave.
Why is that?
All the signs only point to one thing.
You're Huo Yang Hong.
When I was young, I lost myself in the red-light district,
and caught some illnesses.
I wanted to die.
But Physician Huo saved me.
He even cured me.
But it's a shame that his body was never found.
I could only cry in front of his fiancee's grave to express grief.
What's wrong with that?
-Mr. Lang. -Mr. Lang.
-Don't cry.
I'll take you to the officer,
to report against him for digging up the grave.
Come with me.
Step aside!
He asked you to step aside.
-Mr. Lang. -Mr. Lang.
-Squat down. -Mr. Lang.
-Mr. Lang.
Don't move.
Mr. Lang.
Stand back!
Don't move.
-Don't move! -Squat down.
Don't move.
Fight them!
Fight!
Leave!
Quickly let Mr. Lang leave!
Leave! Hurry.
-Let go of me! -Leave.
-Leave! -Let go of me!
Open the door!
"Yong De Palace"
Lang Kun.
What's the matter? What happened?
Get up.
Get up. I'll do you justice.
I went to Tao Xi County earlier.
I was caught by Yan Zheng,
in an inn.
Yan Zheng?
He dug up the coffin...
of my late wife, Xiu Lan.
He even captured Xiu Lan's family.
He interrogated me and asked if I'm a spy.
In order to give me the chance to escape...
Xiu Lan's family blocked the attack.
I'm afraid things aren't looking good for them.
Lang Kun.
Don't go anywhere.
Hide here.
I'll find a physician from outside of the palace for you,
to help to cure your wound.
Stay outside of Yong De Palace and observe the situation.
See what Her Majesty is up to.
Whatever the situation, report to me right away.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Majesty, you need to make up your mind.
I...
Greetings, Your Highness.
Ban Ling Er, you're dismissed.
Yes.
Ning Zhi, why are you being so anxious?
Your Majesty.
I saw the commander of imperial guards and Mr. Zhu being arrested.
I would like to know if this was Your Majesty's order.
Yes, it was my order.
I got wind that both of them are defecting to Princess Royal.
Your Majesty, do you have proof or any witnesses?
Why are you so nervous?
It's not like I'm having them executed.
They're sent to Ministry of Justice to be interrogated.
The commander of imperial guards is not an ordinary officer.
Him being caught,
will spark off dispute and cause panic among the officers.
I have considered it carefully.
If the commander of imperial guards is disloyal,
my capital city will be an empty city,
waiting for the Princess Royal to take over it.
Then, I'll lose my final protection.
That's why I'll take no prisoners.
Ning Zhi.
Why do you look..
so pale?
I just came back from Hua Xiang Palace.
It's divided into two groups among Princess Royal's men.
One group advocates that it's better to act at once.
The other group advocates...
to bide their time and wait for the right time.
Which group has the upper hand?
Judging from the current situation,
the latter group gains the upper hand.
The Princess Royal too thinks that it's better to bide their time.
But today...
Your Majesty arrested the commander and Mr. Zhu for no reason.
Will the officers think it's better to push forward,
the Princess Royal's plan,
in order to protect themselves?
This is hard to say, Your Majesty.
I actually hope that...
the pro-war faction will gain the upper hand.
Your Majesty.
Mr. Wei had made a sand table drill.
Those who defected to Princess Royal make up 80 percent.
Only 20 percent is loyal to Your Majesty.
Once Princess Royal makes the move...
it's us who will be at a disadvantage.
What do you want me to do?
Do you want me to keep chopping and changing?
I'll ask the Ministry of Justice to make the most of the trial.
If both are innocent, I'll let them go.
Your Majesty, quickly let them go.
It has no advantage whatsoever for us to arrest the officers.
If the commander of imperial guards is loyal to Your Majesty,
that will strike hard on the morale of those loyal officers.
If he has defected to Princess Royal...
Your Majesty is obviously declaring war on the Princess Royal.
I got it.
Don't be anxious. I'll issue the decree...
to release them.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, your personal maid is at the door.
She said there's an urgent matter.
Your Majesty, I shall take my leave now.
"Yong De Palace"
Eunuch Chen left Yong De Palace in a hurry. So, I followed him.
Eunuch Chen conveyed an imperial decree from Her Majesty,
to mobilise 20 elite soldiers,
from General Zheng's camp.
-Are you feeling better? -Your Majesty.
Don't move.
How can you not eat?
Your body wouldn't be able to take it.
I'm fine.
I've sent people to investigate.
Xiu Lan's coffin is still with Yan Zheng.
He has not killed her father and her three brothers yet.
But I still couldn't find the place they are being held captive.
Don't worry. Once there's news,
I'll tell you at once.
Your Majesty.
You've to send someone to burn down the cabin on top of the mountain.
Also...
the brick path leading to the top...
of the mountain must be destroyed at once.
Why?
You built the cabin on the top of the mountain for me.
Why do we have to burn it?
In order to investigate my identity,
Yan Zheng has become completely unscrupulous.
He would have found out clues about me sooner or later.
In that cabin...
I hid the letters that the empress dowager wrote to me.
If Yan Zheng found it...
there would be dire consequence﻿s.
I got it.
I know what to do.
Don't bother about those things.
Take good care of yourself and recuperate well.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Noble Consort Ning, you can't go in!
Noble Consort Ning, you can't go in there.
What are you going to do, Your Majesty?
You completely disregarded me.
The door is closed and you still barged in.
If you don't tell me,
I'm not going to leave.
They are the imperial bodyguards,
led by my cousin brother, General Zheng.
Recently, the Princess Royal is making some moves.
General Zheng sent these men to protect me.
Is there a problem?
If they are here to protect Your Majesty,
why are they in plain clothes instead of their uniforms?
They're obviously killers.
Your Majesty, what do you want to do?
Is it because of Mr. Lang?
I'll surely not let me saviour endure such suffering.
Your Majesty wants to kill Yan Zheng?
No.
It's not the right time.
I knew you'd object.
People.
Take Noble Consort Ning to take a rest inside.
Your Majesty.
If Your Majesty does this, it's going to screw things up.
Your Highness!
Your Highness, this is bad.
Her Majesty wants to kill Yan Zheng.
What?
Her Majesty mobilised 20 elite soldiers from the imperial bodyguards.
All are armed.
Her Majesty wants to avenge Mr. Lang.
Wei Guang told me to keep the palace under control before he left.
Otherwise, things will get out of control.
Quickly stop the empress.
I've went to dissuade Her Majesty but she wouldn't listen.
Your Highness, take a trip to Yong De Palace.
Go to Yong De Palace.
Your Highness.
-Your Highness. -Your Highness.
-Get the imperial physician.
-Yes. -Quickly go.
-Look after Her Highness. -Yes.
Your Highness.
Have a seat.
Your Highness, be careful.
Report!
Your Majesty.
I got the news.
Yan Zheng has arrived near Da Zhi Sha. He brought five men with him.
He'll arrive at Qing Chi Hot Spring﻿ in another two hours.
Got it. You're dismissed.
Yes.
Set up an ambush near the hot springs.
Kill Yan Zheng on sight.
If you can't kill him, answer to me with your dead bodies!
Yes.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, quickly go to Yong De Palace.
Her Majesty wants to kill Yan Zheng.
Kill Yan Zheng?
That's right. Yan Zheng is Yan Kuan's younger brother.
The Princess Royal's strategist.
Whether or not Her Majesty is successful on this,
as long as Her Majesty makes the move,
the Princess Royal will surely rise in revolt.
Chief Commander Wei isn't in the capital now.
The commander has just been arrested.
The capital is weakly defended now.
Your Majesty.
We can't alarm the Princess Royal.
Quickly go to Yong De Palace.
Her Majesty did this to help Your Majesty deal with Princess Royal.
Her Majesty is being impatient, Your Majesty.
His Majesty has arrived!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Empress.
Did you secretly mobilise the guards behind my back?
What do you want to do?
I'm asking you.
Where did you send the guards to?
How long have they left?
Yan Zheng commits all kinds of atrocities and deserves to die.
Report!
Your Majesty.
The palace guard saw a group of guards leaving the palace.
They carry Her Majesty's official pass.
They left about five minutes ago.
In which direction did they head to?
They headed to the south.
Grand Marshal.
Send the imperial guards to get them back.
Tell them to listen to me.
Let them know the consequences of defying the emperor's order.
Yes.
"Wan Xiang Palace"
Noble Consort Ning.
Your Majesty.
Get out of here!
His Majesty came to Yong De Palace to stop me from killing Yan Zheng.
That scoundrel will return to Princess Royal's side soon.
He's going to do harm to others next time.
Noble Consort Ning.
You'll be the accomplice.
-His Majesty stopped you. Great. -You...
Your Majesty, calm down.
Yan Zheng deserves to die.
But this is not the time.
When will it be then?
After he kills me or His Majesty?
Or when he has ruined the country?
The one who's ruining the country is the Princess Royal.
Yan Zheng is just a pawn.
Your Majesty.
Wei Guang has taken the whole situation under control.
We just need to move step by step,
to get rid of these traitors.
I don't want to know about your plan.
I just want to know when can I avenge Lang Kun.
Your Majesty.
Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding have great influence.
If we act on our own, we won't be able to wipe out their henchmen in a go.
That's because His Majesty is too weak!
If I were His Majesty...
I would have beheaded both of them.
His Majesty is consumed with needless fears.
How does he become an emperor?
I've been the empress for so many years.
The harem is within my jurisdiction.
Do you see anyone who dares to act presumptuously with me?
His Majesty is indeed weak.
But Your Majesty.
How about Wei Guang?
Doesn't Your Majesty believe in Wei Guang?
Isn't he Your Majesty's most trusted advisor?
I don't want to talk about it.
All I know is that I want to avenge Lang Kun.
I'll kill anyone who gets in my way.
I'll kill Princess Royal if she stops me.
If you try to stop me, I'll kill you as well.
Lang Kun has done me great favour.
If I can't even handle this...
I don't deserve to be the empress.
I don't deserve to be a human too.
Mr. Yan.
Stop the palanquin.
Report.
We took a portrait of Lang Kun and asked around in Yong Du County.
Someone recognised him.
The strangest thing is that the guy from the brick shop said,
Lang Kun goes to the store every year to buy seven picul weight of bricks.
-Seven picul weight of bricks? -Yes.
A month ago, a mysterious lady brought many people to ask about Lang Kun too.
Don't return to the palace yet.
Head to Yong Du County.
Yes.
Mr. Yan, we found a path paved with bricks.
It's very secluded and leads straight to the top of the mountain.
Mr. Yan.
This is it.
-Open it. -Yes.
Keep up.