"Episode 37"
The concubine who accompanied His Majesty isn't noble by status.
She caused harm to the people and committed a heinous crime.
If someone like that goes to the sacrificial ceremony,
isn't that going to cause God's wrath?
Empress.
Are you going to act like how you are in the harem,
in front of the officers in the court?
Are you really so shameless now?
Noble Consort Ning is here.
Chief Commander Wei is here.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Both of you are really strutting around,
and seem so composed.
Your Majesty.
If you want to appease the Gods and beg for mercy,
please solve this case together then.
I'm here...
to redress an injustice for the deceased.
He was the supervisor of army provisions, Mr. Zhou Guan Zhong.
I've said that I'm going to the ancestral temple for prayer.
-We can't miss the auspicious hour. -Your Majesty.
This matter is related to thousands of victims in Beihuai.
I've said it.
We'll talk about it when I get back.
Still not leaving?
I really want to leave.
But for the sake of this loyal minister,
for the sake of a hundred innocent soldiers who died,
for the sake of thousands of victims who starved to death, I...
can't back off at all.
How does Your Majesty go for worshipping with such injustice?
Isn't that being disrespectful to the Gods?
Gods won't let people like you go for worshipping.
Very well.
Let's see what is it that you want to tell me.
Quickly say it.
Half a month ago, someone asked,
to personally send the food relief to Beihuai.
After that, someone wanted to earn a merit and acted on her own,
ignored Mr. Zhou's advice,
and insisted to transport the food through Mount Yuehua.
In the end, they ran into the bandits,
and caused all the transporting officers,
and a hundred soldiers sacrificed their lives in vain.
Thousands of disaster victims suffered because of it.
Sister.
I know you don't like me.
How could you slander me like that?
Why are you being so anxious?
Could you be the one Noble Consort Ning was talking about?
That's right.
The person I'm talking about...
is Consort Min.
Not only she was unrepentant after that incident,
she even colluded with local officials and pushed all the blame to Mr. Zhou.
Mr. Zhou refused to make a confession to plead guilty.
So, she bribed the physician,
to tamper with Mr. Zhou's medicine,
so Mr. Zhou thought he was suffering from incurable disease.
You're lying.
Mr. Zhou was such a good person.
You forced him and made him throw away his life and reputation.
He hanged himself after signing the confession.
He left behind three last wishes.
First.
Don't implicate his family.
Second, be kind to his comrades' children.
Third.
He asked the court to immediately send food relief to Beihuai again.
No.
There's no such thing.
Mr. Zhou?
A physician?
It's all a slander.
There is a big banyan tree in the local area.
The people will hang their wishes on the tree.
Those local officers wanted to fawn over you.
They would surely tell you the entire tree is full of,
congratulatory messages of you becoming an imperial concubine.
You must have been very proud.
But actually...
everyone wished...
that Liang will never be at war again.
After Mr. Zhou's death,
the banyan tree turned white.
Return Mr. Zhou!
Clear Mr. Zhou's name.
Seek justice for Mr. Zhou.
Return our officer!
You're slandering!
Do you have any proof of that?
No proof.
How can you say that without proof?
That's right.
Noble Consort Ning. Wei Guang.
What evidence do you have?
This is a confession of 18 officers.
The doctor who made a false diagnosis for Mr. Zhou is also among them.
I've taken them to the Supreme Court.
If Your Majesty wants to try them yourself,
you can do it too.
Your Majesty.
All officers.
Don't believe what they say.
It was my idea to transport the food,
through Mount Yuehua?
Why would I do that?
What's in it for me?
Ban Ling Er.
Because of your selfishness and ignorance,
it has killed the devoted minister and thousands of lives.
It made the officers and the people feel bitterly disappointed.
Your Majesty.
Don't trust them.
Both of them are adulterers.
Of course they're in it together.
They must know that their time is running out.
So, they're finding a way to frame me.
For Your Highness to say something like this,
I'd like to hear the details.
Still trying to deny it?
Chief Commander Wei.
Stop pretending.
You always sneaked into Noble Consort Ning's chamber,
and had a private meeting with her.
Even on the day she was poisoned,
you were in her chamber too.
Her maids saw it.
Do you dare to deny it?
I've never had a private meeting with Noble Consort Ning.
But on the day she was poisoned,
I was in her chamber.
That's Noble Consort Ning's chamber.
You sneaked into it.
Besides having a private meeting,
what other reasons could there be?
I've been investigating about the fake deaths of Yan Zheng and Yan Kuan.
But I reported it to His Majesty.
His Majesty thinks Yan Kuan is dead for sure.
I could only secretly investigate to find more evidence.
But I found out Yan Kuan disguised as Dongfang Xuan,
and sneaked into Noble Consort Ning's chamber.
It was a matter of life or death. Her Highness was feeling unwell.
To ensure the safety of His Majesty's favourite concubine,
I'm duty bound to it as an officer.
That day, Yan Kuan who disguised as Dongfang Xuan,
used Your Majesty as an excuse,
to dismiss everyone.
He and I were the only ones in the chamber.
I wasn't feeling well and couldn't ask for help.
My life was on the line.
Chief Commander Wei rushed to my rescue in time.
I'm very grateful to Chief Commander Wei.
Thank you for saving my life.
Your Majesty.
If you believe them instead of me,
just grant me death then.
I'll die and prove myself in the presence of the officers.
God, tell everyone.
Everything they said is fake.
It's all fake.
Officers.
Consort Min is right.
Everything Noble Consort Ning and Chief Commander Wei said,
is just a one-sided story.
The witnesses they found...
could have been bribed.
Likewise.
The thing Consort Min said...
could be fake too.
The palace maids that she mentioned...
might have been bribed too.
Could this be an unresolved case then?
We have so many officers.
But we can't solve a food transportation case.
If so, let me...
share with you the things I heard in the harem.
Nearly a thousand people died,
in Yong Dong Gate's explosion on March 24th.
She had sleepless nights,
and worked non-stop to save the disaster victims.
It was Noble Consort Ning who woke up after she fainted,
and continued providing disaster relief.
Two months ago, there was a drought in Ning Province.
It was Noble Consort Ning who was there to provide disaster relief.
What was Consort Min doing at that time?
She was seducing His Majesty.
Your Majesty.
You can't see it clearly from here.
Why don't we go under the banyan tree,
and asked those people who hanged those white silk?
Let's see if Noble Consort Ning has the capability,
to bribe all the people,
to frame Consort Min?
Everyone in Beihuai can prove,
that Mr. Zhou was a clean and upright officer.
Such an honest and upright officer died a wrongful death.
It makes people feel so bitterly disappointed.
All comrades.
All of us are serving the government.
Who among us aren't concerned and doing it for Liang's sake?
But in the end.
No one knows our contributions.
We ended up falling from grace, and die with resentment.
How does such a government able to bring peace to the world?
Your Majesty.
Let me start the trial immediately.
With endless disasters, we need to be answerable to the people.
Your Majesty.
I think the ancestral worshipping can be delayed.
If we can't clarify the matters,
it's disrespectful to the gods and couldn't appease the people.
It's better to postpone this for now.
Your Majesty, please give the order to investigate the situation.
Your Majesty, please give the order,
to investigate the situation.
Your Majesty.
His Majesty didn't convict Consort Min for her crime in the court.
It looks like His Majesty still cares about her.
We can't let Ban Ling Er have the chance to turn over the case.
No matter how great she is,
she can't possibly intervene with the Supreme Court.
Needless to mention, her father was a convict.
He's been dead for years.
There are no officers in the court that she can win over.
She has only His Majesty.
It's exactly because she has nothing.
That's why she holds on tightly to His Majesty.
And she would drag me in by any means.
But His Majesty wouldn't ignore the law because of her.
His Majesty did it once for me.
Right now, His Majesty is all about Ban Ling Er.
It's not impossible for His Majesty to do it for her sake.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Today, when we were in the court...
the prime minister and other officers believed in Noble Consort Ning.
But there was only one person who didn't speak.
That was Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, please tell me.
In your heart, do you believe in Noble Consort Ning...
or me?
Your Majesty.
If you're not talking...
that means you don't trust me anymore.
Your Majesty is the only family I have...
in this world.
I...
Here's where my life has come to.
This is where it all ends.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty need not go through the trouble to prepare the white silk.
I prepared it myself.
I'll return and end my own life.
I don't want to live in this cold world anymore.
I...
believe in you.
Consort Min.
Why are you standing there?
Your Majesty.
This case hasn't been confirmed yet.
I'm still a sinner.
I dare not sit down and eat.
You can do it when I said so.
Sit down.
Enjoy the meal with me.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
That's the way.
Sit down and have a good meal with me.
Look at you.
You look so haggard, and not as pretty as before.
If you do that again, I won't come to Chang Shi Palace anymore.
Yes.
I'll take care of myself when I go back.
Come.
I haven't been in a good mood.
After the meal,
go to the Imperial Garden with me.
Consort Min.
-Look. -Your Majesty.
-They smell good. -I have a feeling.
After a while, the officers will change their attitude.
They'll think that,
there are a lot of doubts with Mr. Zhou's case.
Consort Min might not have done anything wrong.
Perhaps, after some time,
everyone will think that she's innocent.
On the contrary, they'll praise her,
for being a virtuous imperial concubine.
It looks like...
His Majesty's attitude is obvious.
The officers who try to figure out His Majesty's intention,
will know whose side to take.
But Ning Zhi and Wei Guang will have to suffer.
It wasn't easy for them to defeat Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding.
And now, such a vile woman appears.
I'm really worried,
that this battle will be harder than before.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Rise.
Thanks, Your Highness.
Previously, I misunderstood that all of you gossiped about me,
and even ordered for you to be punished.
But things are clear now.
It has nothing to do with you.
Today...
I came here to apologize.
Your Highness is not at fault.
We can't afford it.
I purposely brought some pastries that His Majesty gave to me.
These are some good quality snow bird nest.
It's very nourishing for women.
Please accept my gifts.
We dare not.
I was from the Pear Blossom Academy.
We're sisters.
His Majesty always rewards me with gifts all the time.
I can't finish them.
Instead of wasting them,
I might as well share it with all of you.
I haven't come to visit you for a long time.
How are you doing?
Dong Mei.
Take Kang Er out to play first.
Yes.
I want to talk to you...
about Mr. Zhou's case.
His Majesty doesn't want others to handle the case,
and wants to deal with it himself.
The other day, when we were in the court,
those who claimed to believe in you,
have now gave in,
and hid themselves at home.
Is this what you came to tell me?
I'm here...
to persuade you.
His Majesty truly loves me.
I truly love His Majesty too.
Since you don't have feelings for His Majesty,
don't get in our way then.
Do you dare to deny it?
During last year's Mid-Autumn Festival,
we were by the lotus pond,
when you personally told me,
you merely revere His Majesty,
and have no love for him.
I remember it.
And I remember during the Mid-Autumn Festival,
it led to Prince Bei Ying's death because I was trying to save you.
You begged me.
If it weren't for you,
I wouldn't become Noble Consort Ning.
Do you still remember...
you once told me...
you knelt before Her Majesty and said she'll always be the legal wife,
and you'll always be the concubine.
So what?
Never did you expect,
for the prophecy to come true.
You were destined to be a concubine.
Even if the Empress is sent to the Cold Palace again...
you can never get the most honourable position in this harem.
How long has it been since you won His Majesty's favour?
You can actually think of things of the far future.
Do you still remember Consort Hua?
His Majesty pampered her so much.
But now...
she has been sent to the frontier,
and is suffering from the cold.
She has become so old.
Also, the empress.
When Zheng clan was defeated back then,
all the officers were against her being the empress.
But His Majesty...
insisted to act on his own.
All good things come to an end.
I advise you to behave.
Or else...
His Majesty's favour flows away like the running water.
The day you fall from grace is coming.
Just you wait.
Your Majesty.
The Supreme Court has set aside the food transportation case.
There are witnesses and evidence.
It couldn't stop His Majesty from defending Consort Min.
This emperor is really...
Ning Zhi and Wei Guang have tried so hard to fight this witch.
Is she...
harder to be dealt with as compared to the Princess Royal and Yan Kuan?
His Majesty has always been like this.
Back then, His Majesty stopped Prince Bei Ying's case because of me.
Actually, it wasn't Wei Guang or me who suffered the most.
It was Mr. Zhou...
and the people who are starving to death waiting for the food relief.
Judging from the pulse,
Your Majesty's condition is getting better.
Is that so?
No wonder I don't feel the chest pain anymore.
Mr. Lang.
You haven't practised for some time.
Why do your medical skills keep getting better?
It's not that I'm getting better.
I was guided by an expert.
I had an epiphany and changed my prescription.
If not, I would still be stuck.
Who's that expert?
I want to reward him.
I can't tell Your Majesty.
Why are you keeping me on tenterhooks?
Your master was the only one who could have guided you.
But he has passed away.
Who else could it be?
He wouldn't let me say.
I swore a blood oath.
This time, it's all thanks to you.
You're welcome.
Physician Jiang.
I thank you on behalf of the empress.
Thanks to you,
Her Majesty has recovered a lot.
I should thank you.
If it wasn't for you...
I would have been taken to Beidian by Yan Kuan,
and become a lackey to that two traitors.
Physician Jiang.
What are you going to do next?
I plan to conceal my identity,
and practice medicine in the countryside,
with my family.
Mr. Lang.
With all due respect...
you can't control the state affairs.
Take good care of yourself.
Of course I can't.
But I would like to give it a try.
Physician Jiang.
Till we meet again.
At first, I thought...
His Majesty will strip me off my title,
and that Noble Consort Ning will be implicated too.
But who would have guessed that things are quiet now.
It's just the calm before the storm.
Liang may once again fall into the chaos.
The Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding are hiding in Beidian.
They are all washed up.
Who would have expected Yan Kuan to be able,
to persuade the emperors from Wuci and Xia Sheng.
If they joined forces,
there would be dire consequences.
After Yan Kuan escaped...
I have sleepless nights.
Things really turned out the way I expected it.
It caused so much damage.
The blessings and misfortunes are connected.
With the Princess Royal getting restless,
His Majesty wouldn't dare to do anything to us.
I'm in a good mood today.
Let's not worry too much.
Why don't we drink and enjoy?
Come.
A toast to all of you.
Here.
Priest Jiu Yun.
Why are you looking for me at this late hour?
Congratulations, Your Highness.
What's the good news?
I was observing the stars.
I found out that Your Highness will be pregnant in three months' time.
This child is precious.
He will become the future emperor.
Really?
Which one of my prophecies,
didn't come true?
If it's like what you said...
I'll have hopes then.
But you have to be extra careful.
There's a misfortune in the blessings.
And the Emperor Star is flickering.
His Majesty's love for Your Highness isn't strong enough.
Your Highness must find a way to win His Majesty's heart.
What should I do?
Please enlighten me.
That's all I can say.
The rest...
is up to Your Highness.
Your Majesty.
According to the spy...
Yan Kuan and those two traitors,
just met Prince Ping Yuan of Wuci.
How was their negotiation coming along?
We don't know the details yet.
But according to the spy, the negotiation went quite well.
Prince Ping Yuan personally sent them off too.
Prime Minister.
Represent me to Wuci.
Find a way to win Prince Ping Yuan over.
Give him some benefits when necessary.
In short,
you can't let Prince Ping Yuan collaborate with those two traitors.
Your Majesty.
I'll draw up the documents to exchange between nations.
Prime Minister.
Wait a minute.
Your Majesty.
I have a request.
I heard that Prince Ping Yuan loves his empress.
If I go with the Prime Minister...
I can get close to his empress, and make a move from her.
This is a good plan.
You're really my favourite concubine.
When you get there,
you must find a way...
to get along well...
with the empress of Wuci.
Yes.
I received a secret letter from you.
You said you saw Consort Min met a Taoist priest.
Have you found out who that Taoist priest is?
This Taoist priest is like showing out of thin air.
There was no trace of his whereabouts.
The spy looked at him from afar.
This spy is good at painting portraits.
This is the priest that he painted.
"Wuci"
Greetings, Prince Ping Yuan.
This is the Prime Minister and Consort Min of Liang.
It's better to meet in person than to know you by name.
When I was in Liang,
I've heard that the empress is a beautiful woman,
and your look is unforgettable.
Now that I've seen your face,
it's indeed true.
Consort Min, thanks for your compliment.
I received the document exchanges between nations,
and found out Liang is sending an envoy.
The first person I thought of was Chief Commander Wei.
Back then, we were at war.
I had a confrontation with Chief Commander Wei at the battlefield.
I really admire him.
It's a shame I don't get to see him now.
Chief Commander Wei couldn't leave.
That's why His Majesty sent the Prime Minister here.
Empress.
I chose a few gifts for you.
Take a seat.
Please.
These luminous pearls are called Double-dragons Pearl.
At night,
the entire room will be illuminated,
as though it's in the daylight.
If you put it on the shoes,
it will be dazzling.
It's like a fairy descending to the world.
If so, I need to take a good look.
What brings you here, Prime Minister?
Actually...
You're a first-ranking minister,
and came here on behalf of Emperor Liang.
I'm afraid it's more than just sending gifts.
Is it related to the Princess Royal's meeting with me?
Yes.
His Majesty sent me here,
to discuss the alliance with you.
Alliance?
I have no intention at the moment.
I'll discuss it with you again when the time comes.
Let's have a drink first.
Although the pearl is beautiful,
it's too heavy have it on the shoe.
Of course not.
You will know after wearing it.
This is a pair of silk shoes that I asked the embroiders to make.
The shoelace is made of golden silk.
Your Highness.
You will like it.
Please.
Prime Minister.
Why didn't you take the things I said seriously?
I've told you before.
We need to focus on strategy in negotiation.
Your Highness.
You brought up about alliance when we're not close to Prince Ping Yuan.
Of course he'll think we're being anxious.
He'll start to put up a front.
How else are we going to negotiate?
We got off on the wrong.
How are you going to explain to His Majesty?
Your Highness.
I plan to...
My dear.
My dear, I miss you so much.
You're finally back.
It must be tiring.
How did it go?
I hit it off with the empress right away.
The empress was very kind to me.
Prince Ping Yuan was very friendly.
He kept talking about Your Majesty.
If so,
there's hope for alliance?
Of course.
But that depends if Your Majesty is willing to accept them.
Is that so?
But the news from the spy...
revealed that Prince Ping Yuan and Princess Royal are very close.
Princess Royal and Prince Guang Ding are Your Majesty's siblings.
Of course Prince Ping Yuan dares not offend them.
But think about it.
They're just some disowned dogs from Beidian.
What benefit can they give to Prince Ping Yuan?
Weigh the pros and cons.
Of course they will choose the Emperor of Liang.
You're right.
Prince Ping Yuan is my defeated opponent.
I'm the only one who can make him utterly convinced.
So, Your Majesty.
No need to rush into forming an alliance.
Right now, Wuci needs Liang's help.
Your Majesty.
It's been a long journey.
I shall take my leave now.
Prime Minister, thanks for the hard work. Get back and rest.
The Prime Minister looks tired.
Did something happen in Wuci?
The Prime Minister is old.
It's inevitable for him to feel tired.
When we were in Wuci,
he often couldn't answer Prince Ping Yuan's questions.
I had to try to salvage the situation.
Otherwise, Prince Ping Yuan would look down on Liang.
It looks like I have to consider...
having a new candidate.
The view from here...
is still so beautiful.
I don't know how long more...
can I see such a view.
Why did you say that?
Today, I met the Prime Minister.
He wants to resign.
I stopped him.
The Prime Minister was sent to Wuci, and the negotiation went well.
He should be commended for that. Why would he...
The negotiation with Wuci...
was different from the things Consort Min said.
There was a lukewarm response from Prince Ping Yuan.
He never thought of forming an alliance with Liang.
It's obvious that Princess Royal has won him over.
Why did Consort Min say that Prince Ping Yuan wants to negotiate peace?
This will cause a huge chaos.
His Majesty loves to listen to unreasonable comments.
Does His Majesty only believe in Consort Min?
The things Consort Min say are those that His Majesty loves to hear.
So, he won't be able to see the wood for the trees.
If Prince Ping Yuan really form an alliance with the Princess Royal,
how is she going to answer to the people?
Right now...
she only wants to please His Majesty.
Why would she think of a long-term future?
In no time...
the faithful officers will be pushed aside.
It will tackle the fancy of the wicked people.
No one in the court dares to speak out.
If the external enemies stir up chaos...
how are we going to protect the people?
Since you've predicted the crisis...
you must have thought of a way to solve it.
I know you very well.
Actually, this time...
I've no countermeasure.
We can only throw caution to the winds...
risk our lives...
to protect this world.
We've overcome all the hurdles along the way.
No exception for this time.
Wei Guang.
You could have left and lived your life.
But you stayed because of me.
And now you're in danger.
You...
No regrets.
The handwriting is like the person itself.
Such vigorous handwriting at such a young age.
He'll surely make great achievement next time.
All right. You're dismissed.
Thank you, Imperial Father.
Your Majesty seems to be in good spirits.
That's right.
I've heard a lot of good news lately.
Of course I'm in a good mood.
Your Majesty has a peace of mind.
I believe Your Majesty has taken care of the internal rebels.
Previously, I was worried that,
Princess Royal would collude with the neighbouring state to attack me.
Right now, Wuci is trying to curry favour with me.
I'm not afraid of anything else.
Why should I feel worried because of those two traitors?
Not long ago, Wuci was at war with Liang and suffered heavy losses.
Could they possibly not harbour any resentment?
Everyone in the world,
is after their own interests.
Now, Liang has strong army.
Wuci is wise to submit to circumstances.
I heard that many officers are complaining.
They said the court cut their salaries.
It was Consort Min who submitted the memorial.
It's Consort Min's good intention.
We have a tight financial situation.
All the officers have insatiable greed.
They'll not be satisfied with any amount of salary.
The Great Ancestor set rules, harem shouldn't interfere with politics.
I've never restricted myself to use a certain kind of people.
Consort Min is smart and willing to learn.
Why can't I let her be?
I'll teach her if there are things that she doesn't know.
Besides, there were times when you crossed the line too.
I agreed to it, didn't I?
Previously, you accused Consort Min in the court.
I've checked it.
It was a misunderstanding.
I love Consort Min dearly.
I care about you as well.
It looks like...
Yan Kuan is not the only thorn in our sides.
Ban Ling Er is a trouble.
It's all thanks to His Majesty,
for helping to add fuel to the fire.
Wei Guang.
What do you think of Prince Ping Yuan?
Do you know what is painted on the flag of Wuci?
A jackal.
Kill a jackal and the rest will come in swarms.
They won't stop if they don't bite off the enemy's throat.
When I was leading the army to fight Wuci,
I killed 100,000 of Wuci soldiers.
In other words, they will take revenge.
It's just a matter of time.
Wuci people are impatient.
They'll cause a chaos soon.
But the key to winning this war is not them.
It's in Xia Sheng and State of Qiuye.