Episode 32
Slow down, Your Majesty.
Be careful.
What's the matter?
Why are you shivering?
I'll take Your Majesty to the bed.
Be careful.
Tell the imperial physician to come.
Yes.
Your Majesty.
I'll help you lie down.
I'm cold.
Then I'll...
I'll warm you up.
Come.
Lie down.
Be careful.
Your Majesty, how are you?
Lang Kun.
Are you alright?
I'm fine.
I have 9 lives.
Sir.
We're so busy today. We've kept you waiting.
Please forgive us.
It's alright.
Yandu hasn't been so happening for a long time.
Yes.
It's because of the secret of the royal family.
Everyone wants to know the truth.
Besides, the legitimacy of the current emperor...
and Prince Guang Ding...
concerns the fate of every citizen of Liang.
Yes.
If the war goes on,
the folks will bear the brunt.
Yes.
The debate will start in half an hour from now.
She will win.
What's going on?
Noble Consort Ning, please say something!
Noble Consort Ning!
Please tell us!
Noble Consort Ning, please say something!
What's going on?
Yes! Tell us!
Are you sure Wei Guang isn't coming?
I'd prefer an opponent who is equally strong.
Without Wei Guang, this debate...
will be so boring.
It doesn't matter who's present or not.
The fact is the fact.
Prince Guang Ding was adopted.
He has no rights to the throne.
Honestly,
I don't know if it's true either.
But, there were things...
I saw with my own eyes.
A year ago,
we got into war with Wuci.
Groups and groups of young men...
were sent to the battlefield.
The empress dowager was ill.
Yet, she went to the military camp despite the cold weather...
and put a charm on every soldier.
To her,
all of them were her children.
When the war came to an end,
corpses were carried back.
The empress dowager touched their foreheads...
and put a white cloth on them one by one.
She did not cry.
Because she had...
used up all her tears during the war.
That war...
made Liang...
sacrifice too many lives.
Whether or not Prince Guang Ding is a real prince,
the empress dowager loved him.
But, in order to prevent war,
she decided to give this child up.
Does it really matter whether the empress dowager...
was telling the truth or not?
Think about it.
Why did Her Highness do that?
She was one of the most powerful women in this country.
She could have watched from the sidelines...
and enjoyed her comfortable life.
Yet, she mustered her last bit of strength...
to walk into the court...
just to stop this civil war.
Once a war breaks out,
your relatives,
your fathers...
and your children...
will need to head to the battlefield!
Their lives could be sacrificed anytime.
War will only bring bloodshed.
Those who start a war...
are all sinners!
Let's honor the wish of the late empress dowager together...
and stop this war!
Peace for the country!
Right!
Peace for the country!
-Right! -Peace for the country!
Peace for the country!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Noble Consort Ning's speech seems to have worked.
Now, the folks on the streets are spreading the notion of...
fulfilling the last wish of the late empress dowager...
and rejecting war.
They are flocking to the palace in a large group.
Where's Ning Zhi?
Her Highness refused to return.
She wants to talk to the folks at other places as well.
How could she set aside her own safety?
Lang Kun, bring her back.
Yes.
Peace for the country!
Looks like we have reached...
a conclusion in this debate.
After seeing this record, the folks...
will know the answer.
Pang Tong.
Considering the fact that we're siblings,
if you take off your dragon robe on the spot,
I'll spare your life.
Report!
Your Majesty!
The folks are trying to break into the palace!
The Imperial Guard has tried their best to stop them.
They are at their limit.
The folks are shouting, "Peace for the country."
"Peace for the country"?
What's going on?
Report!
Your Majesty!
The folks who flocked to the palace...
vow to fulfill the last wish of the late empress dowager.
They want the three leaders...
behind this civil war...
arrested and punished on the spot!
Don't worry.
This is just Wei Guang's move.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, we heard that...
the Princess Royal sent assassins to assassinate Noble Consort Ning!
What?
Where's Ning Zhi now?
Did Lang Kun manage to find her?
The city is too crowded.
Mr. Lang is searching for Noble Consort Ning.
He ordered me to come back and send reinforcement.
Get it done at once.
You all must protect Noble Consort Ning.
Yes!
Your Highnesses!
Bad news!
The folks are trying to seize you...
to avenge the late empress dowager!
Then let those lowly people come in!
I'm right here.
Come and get me!
Xiao Yu!
Arrest them!
As long as you surrender your weapons...
and pledge allegiance to me,
I will forgive you...
and spare your lives!
You're finally back.
Thank you for saving me.
You finally won this war.
Did they withdraw their army?
Or did His Majesty arrest them?
It's too chaotic out here.
I've yet to receive an update.
But, I know that the war...
has come to an end.
Your words are being passed on.
Soon enough, the entire nation will hear you.
They are being condemned now.
No one will take sides with them.
The court officials who remained neutral...
will choose the one supported by the folks.
The Princess Royal and Princess Guang Ding have no support.
It's over for them.
Chief Commander Wei.
I have a few questions for you.
Go ahead and ask.
Brother Lang said...
you left without a word...
and left us a huge mess to clean up.
You even asked them to send me...
to debate with Yan Kuan in your place.
Is this true?
I did say that.
Brother Lang also said that...
you told me to ignore the truthfulness of...
the empress dowager's claim...
and follow my own heart.
Is this true as well?
Yes.
You don't feel bad about it at all.
Do you know that I got into a huge fight...
with His Majesty because of this?
What if...
I mess up the whole thing?
I was worried about that.
But, I knew that...
only you could do that.
We both know that...
the empress dowager lied.
I can't turn a lie into a truth.
I don't want a war to break out again.
Yet, there was nothing I could do.
So you chose to pass the problem to me?
Do you still remember the story of that game of chess?
That old man didn't want to discourage me.
So he let me win.
But, everyone...
has their own forte and innate qualities.
Yan Kuan and I are both strategists.
Strategists are deceptive.
Even if I manage to defeat him,
I can't convince the people.
But you're different.
You're kind and loving.
You were a commoner.
You grew up in the common society.
You know the words the folks understand.
You know what matters to them.
So, you are the only that can convey...
the empress dowager's last wish...
and her love for the people.
I'm not that great.
You're the impressive one.
You made use of me.
Ning Zhi.
You are a genuine person.
That's why you earned the people's genuine support.
You moved them.
You might know nothing about war and politics,
but you're the only one that can...
restore peace.
This is so nice.
It's over.
It was all thanks to Your Highness.
Wei Guang.
You forced me to go to the front line.
I'll be leaving the rest to you.
Am I wrong?
Even though His Majesty has arrested the masterminds,
they still have remaining forces...
in other counties.
Those men have no way out.
They will make desperate moves.
Of course.
It won't end so easily.
I will...
get rid of them one by one.
Remember what the empress dowager said.
Put an end to the war.
Of course, Your Highness.
Let's go.
Your Majesty's cold disease did not recur.
You are healthy.
There's no need to continue taking the medicine.
This is another good news for me.
You may leave.
Yes.
I'd like to get changed.
Yes.
You may all leave. Ban Ling Er can stay.
Yes.
Why are you crying all of a sudden?
Your Majesty.
I'm fine.
I'm just happy.
Prior to this, Your Majesty was fretful and pale.
Now that you've recovered,
I'm moved to tears.
Ban Ling Er.
You took good care of me.
When I was tortured by my cold disease,
you were the only one who would warm me up.
I remember...
what you've done for me.
-Your Majesty. -What do you want?
Just tell me and I will give it to you.
I don't need anything.
I only wish to stay by Your Majesty's side...
and serve you.
Is this really your only wish?
Don't you have any other wish?
As long as I can serve Your Majesty,
I'm content.
I know you're a good girl.
I'll order to transfer you to my palace.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, Noble Consort Ning is back.
Did she get hurt?
Her Highness is fine.
She's waiting for Your Majesty in the Royal Study.
Noble Consort Ning...
is always such a handful.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Chief Commander Wei.
You have the nerve...
to come to my palace.
Today's a good day for me.
I don't want to see blood.
You'd better know your place...
and get lost!
I don't want to see you!
I don't understand. What did I do?
Are you playing dumb or what?
You promised me that...
you would debate with Yan Kuan.
Yet, you ran away in the last minute.
If it wasn't for Noble Consort Ning,
I would have lost my throne that day!
Do you plead guilty?
Your Majesty.
Chief Commander Wei did that...
in order to use a passive approach...
as a fundamental solution.
He first made a promise with Yan Kuan...
to make him put down his guard...
and proceed with spreading rumours to the folks.
However,
it is a taboo to compromise the reputation of one's mother.
With that, Prince Guang Ding...
was criticized for being unfilial.
Then, he ruined Yan Kuan's plan.
He made Yan Kuan feel confident...
and then caught him off-guard while he was getting carried away.
It was such a brilliant idea. How could he be guilty of anything?
Were you the one behind all that?
Your Majesty, do you believe that...
I'm capable of doing all that?
Wei Guang, why didn't you tell me beforehand?
Were you happy...
to see me panic?
Your Majesty.
Chief Commander Wei felt that...
the plan would only work best...
if I were unaware of everything.
I was angry with him too.
But,
I must admit that...
he did arouse my determination.
Chief Commander Wei took the risk of angering Your Majesty...
to solve the problem for you.
Isn't this enough to prove his absolute loyalty?
How bold of you, Wei Guang.
You deceived even me.
Since you've saved me from a crisis,
I shall forgive you.
I heard that...
Your Majesty intends to execute the princess and her aides.
Only their deaths...
can appease me.
In my opinion,
we can kill Yan Kuan,
but not the Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding.
Why?
If I were defeated,
they wouldn't hesitate to kill me.
My biggest mistake in my life...
was being too kind to those two.
Your Majesty.
I'm suggesting this for a reason.
I've had enough of your reasons.
If you want to change my mind,
you should try and convince the officials first.
Let's see...
if they'll listen to you.
His Majesty has arrived!
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Ning Zhi.
Do you feel better now?
I'm fine now. Don't worry.
Good.
Your Majesty is still having a cold?
I'm fine now.
Escort His Majesty to the tea table.
It's a bad year.
After the locust plague, a flood struck.
Eight countries are affected.
After her trip, Senior Supervisor Hua...
informed me that...
the situation out there is really serious.
Now, our priority is to...
save the victims from famine.
Your Majesty.
Wei Guang requested that you spare the princess and prince.
What did the court officials say about that?
Of course they disagreed.
It'll depend on whether or not Wei Guang is eloquent enough...
to convince them.
I met Her Majesty today.
She has changed a lot.
Her Majesty is much more calm and composed now.
Even though she's in the Cold Palace,
she is able to accept her environment.
Is that so?
I can't believe the selfless Noble Consort Ning...
came to visit...
a prisoner like me who initiated a failed coup.
I just want to know...
if you feel any remorse at this point.
You're about to be executed.
Won't you be too ashamed...
to face your mother in the afterworld?
Remorse?
I have regrets and resentment.
I lost my entire life.
I lost to two men.
Wei Guang.
My biggest regret in life...
was falling in love with your father.
Because of his cowardice,
he ruined my entire life.
And for revenge,
you ruined me and Xiao Yu.
We could have taken the throne.
All along,
the Princess Royal I knew...
loved my father deeply.
But, I know that...
my father loved only my mother.
You were just a child at that time.
Could you understand love?
When your father went to the battlefield,
no matter how busy he was,
he would always send me letters.
He told me to eat well...
and take good care of myself.
He loved me.
I could see it in his eyes.
He was just afraid.
He was afraid of being called a social climber.
He was afraid of being criticized by his peers.
He was afraid of so many things.
His pride was more important than me.
Wei Guang.
The next time you pay your respects to your father,
pass him a message from me.
I resent him.
He wasn't a man.
He was a coward!
Even if General Wei Yan was a coward,
he was loyal to his wife.
He kept to his love for his wife.
I feel happy for his wife.
Wei Guang.
You're as strong and clever...
as your father.
But, you're also...
a coward like your father.
You clearly love Ye Ning Zhi.
Yet, you allow that foolish emperor...
to steal her away from you.
You can never be with her now.
Aren't you resentful?
Don't you feel unresigned?
You could have reclaimed her.
You could have helped me and Xiao Yu...
take back the ruling rights that belonged to us!
You could have reclaimed your woman.
Why didn't you do it?
Be it Wei Yan's love...
or Wei Guang's loyalty,
you can't have any.
This won't change even if you kill them.
Your Highness.
You claimed that the world is unfair to you.
Tell me.
Who gave you all the fame and fortune?
And who was it...
that painstakingly raised you?
She was already so old.
Yet, you cursed her every day.
She's your mother.
If you're remorseful,
Chief Commander Wei and I may persuade the officials...
to spare you and your brother.
Wei Guang.
Let's go.
Wei Yan.
I met you when I was 17 years old.
Since then,
my heart has been frozen at 17 years old.
For you,
I remained single all my life.
Why couldn't you love me?
So this is your last try?
I thought that if I could move the folks,
the empress dowager's daughter could change too.
But I forgot that...
there is no love in the royal family.
People in the royal family...
stand on top of the world.
They only desire the unattainable.
They won't long for what commoners desire.
But this time,
I'll surely convince His Majesty...
to spare the Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding...
to honor the empress dowager's wish...
and improve his reputation.
The affairs of the royal family...
are extremely complicated.
I still prefer...
life in a circus troupe.
I want to live in harmony with my friends and family...
and...
explore the beautiful world with you.
Ning Zhi.
You didn't belong to the royal family.
One day,
your wishes...
will all come true.
Really?
Every step I take...
is to ensure that you will obtain...
real happiness and freedom one day.
Dear all.
Wei Guang pleads for the Princess Royal...
and Prince Guang Ding.
What are your opinions?
Your Majesty.
In my opinion,
the two traitors are unforgivable.
If we don't kill them,
the people will be angry.
It'll also be a humiliation to Your Majesty.
We second the notion!
If we don't kill them,
disloyal people out there...
will not fear the consequence of treason.
Someone might follow in their footsteps.
Dear all.
I believe you all understand that...
they were defeated simply because they lost the people's support.
Noble Consort Ning's speech...
could not prove that Prince Guang Ding is not a son of the late emperor.
Yet, she still earned the support of the people.
Why?
It was because Prince Guang Ding was disrespectful to the empress dowager.
A disloyal and unfilial person...
will lose support.
If His Majesty...
executes the Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding,
he'll be guilty of killing his siblings.
The people will criticized him...
and become less supportive.
Your Majesty.
If we don't get rid of them, they'll grow into a huge threat.
The people resent them.
They can no longer pose a threat.
Would you rather be criticized for killing your siblings...
or spare your biggest enemies with a big heart...
for good reputation and karmic reward?
I believe Your Majesty can judge on your own.
Now, the country is plagued by natural disasters...
and there is no sign of the situation getting better.
If Your Majesty remains benevolent and filial,
the people will stay united in this ordeal.
Your Majesty will be praised for ages.
A country has its laws and a family has its rules.
Traitors and rebels must be executed!
The folks know nothing about laws and rules.
They only know that...
the princess and prince are Your Majesty's siblings...
and children of the late empress dowager.
Wei Guang.
The game is not over yet.
Don't be too happy.
We will meet again.
Hopefully, Yan Kuan's execution...
will make the Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding give up.
Don't worry.
You'll just have to assist His Majesty...
as the late empress dowager wished.
I will...
assist you.
As long as we're alive,
the country will be fine.
Your Highness.
I've investigated as you instructed.
Recently, His Majesty frequently summons officials of...
the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Personnel.
He also had a few leaders under Chief Commander Wei...
questioned by the Ministry of Defense.
Also,
His Majesty has learnt that...
you went to the prison with Chief Commander Wei...
to visit the Princess Royal.
Alright.
Thank you for the hard work.
Yes, Your Highness.
Serves him right.
-He deserves death. -Right.
Yes, kill him.
Brother.
What should we do next?
It's easy.
Remember how you "died"?
Wei Guang made a brilliant move.
We'll let him have...
a taste of his own medicine.