Timing and Subtitles brought to you by the Legend of the Phoenix Volunteer Team @ Viki
[Legend of the Phoenix]
[Episode 15]
I'm not a doctor, but I know one with very effective medicine.
Before, I had worse hip pains.
I had to walk like this.
After eating the medicine, I can now walk like this.
I don't have any problems with marching.
Then... does the medication cost money?
Of course not, take it.
Thank you.
What a kind person.
- Lord Ye. - Ban Ling'er.
How was it? Did anyone follow you?
Did our sisters from Lihua notice you leave?
No, I told them I'd be out for a little while.
I didn't even tell Ah Jiao or Ah Qiao.
That's a relief.
Lord Ye, why'd you call me over so late?
I have trouble sleeping these nights.
I was afraid something may happen. I'm extremely scared.
As if I'm not afraid.
That was still a human life.
Now that he's dead,
the important thing is that we live.
The investigators won't search me now, and they won't search you either.
Don't worry.
Oh right,
His Majesty made you his consort.
It was so sudden. Everyone was very surprised.
Ban Ling'er, if you want to be safe,
just ignore and don't ask about this.
From now on, pretend like it never happened.
I understand.
Lord Ye, could you move me to serve by your side?
I will serve you well.
Lord Ye, you're my savior.
If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be innocent and my life would be gone.
I... I really don't know how to thank you.
Get up, there's no need to kneel.
I don't even know what my future will be like.
You should still stay at Lihua Academy.
Wan Xiang Hall
Your Majesty!
Look at you, where did you run off to in the middle of the night?
I'm reminding you, you're no longer a maid or Lord Ye.
You are now a royal consort. Remember that.
Yes.
My Lady, please move to Yong De Hall.
The conferment ceremony will happen in two hours.
Tell the Emperor that my head suddenly started hurting and I can't leave the palace.
But...
His Majesty knows why my headache flared up again.
He probably can empathize.
Just respond quoting what I said.
Yes.
Hold on.
Although I can't participate, but the etiquette is still essential.
After she has been conferred as Consort Ning, she must come here to bow and pay respects to me.
Yes.
♫ It's a shame that we can't have love and rule the world at the same time ♫
♫ It never goes our way ♫
♫ Time does lovers apart ♫
♫ And they fall further apart from each other ♫
♫ It's easy to fall out of love ♫
♫ And it's usually one-sided ♫
♫ But I think about us over and over ♫
♫ I can bear the hardship in the journey ♫
♫ I can fight my life for you ♫
♫ I can travel across mountains and waters for you ♫
♫ Life and death failed to trap me ♫
♫ We who say forever to each other ♫
♫ Will not give up on one another ♫
♫ I can be alone for you ♫
♫ I can be your background ♫
♫ I can turn to a lonely city for you ♫
♫ Only with that temperature of yours ♫
♫ And the destiny which is so close ♫
♫ How can we just look at each other in this mortal world? ♫
♫ We will have to pretend not to be ourselves. ♫
Kneel three times in nine sets.
Kneel.
Bow.
Mid autumn already passed, but the day is still so hot.
It's not a good sign.
The ceremony is over. Everyone, leave.
Consort Ning, remain here.
I would like to chat with you.
Yes.
Your Highness, I know you have hatred and resentment in your heart.
I don't know where to start.
This step is my last resort.
But I will forever remember your kindness.
You can stop being so fake.
There's a debt in everyone's heart.
You may be grateful to others, but they might not feel that way.
Consort Ning, I really want to know.
The debt in your heart,
what exactly is it like?
I never executed you when you lied.
I only disciplined you with a few lines when you were so clumsy.
After you boldly spoke out against me,
I let the Empress Dowager take you.
I was afraid that others would've killed you.
But, in the end?
You got close to the Emperor.
Ye Ningzhi, you really are scheming!
Your Majesty, I definitely did not betray you.
You will understand one day.
Didn't betray me?
Ever since you put on a luxury gown,
you had already betrayed me!
I only know that I was always loyal to you.
Ye Ningzhi, you're still lying?
I've already realized, but Wei Guang hasn't.
He's fighting furiously and bloodily alone,
all for what?
It's all to marry such an ungrateful woman like you!
Your Majesty, do you really think of me like that?
How else should I think of you?
What kind of person are you?
Do you truly know yourself well?
Do you really recognize yourself?
You think that you like Wei Guang.
You think that you're loyal to me.
But honestly, you haven't realized what you wish for inside, that's it.
Consort Dong was like this too.
At first, we were like sisters.
But later, to get what she wanted,
she didn't hesitate to abandon past friendship.
Ye Ningzhi, you'll become like that too!
You're right. I'm like that.
After entering the palace, I got what I wanted.
But you're a Noble Consort and I'm just a concubine.
You wear the peony and I only dare to wear the rose.
Are you satisfied?
I'm leaving.
In total, it's ten ounces of silver.
- Here. - Thank you.
Here.
Bro, I haven't met someone as strange as you before.
You come to buy bricks every day, are you building a new house each day?
You really want to know? Every year, I marry a whole house of concubines.
You have good luck with beautiful women.
As for the rest, come and get it later.
Okay, okay.
Careful on your way!
You all can leave. There were recent reports from the frontline.
Wei Guang smashed into the enemy's territory. The war will end in less than two months.
Two months?
Your Majesty, didn't you say four to five months?
What's up with your face? Call a doctor!
No, no, don't panic.
Are you having smallpox?
How could it be smallpox? Look.
It's fake, it rubs right off.
Ningzhi, if you don't come up with something new every day
and shock me greatly, then are you dissatisfied?
This is my technique to get out of the palace.
Two months later, Lord Wei Guang will return to the Imperial court in victory. Because of an injury caused by an arrow, he needs to leave the palace to recuperate.
As for Consort Ning, she passed away from chickenpox.
So, you have already thought about how to leave.
I must plan this carefully.
When I saw the craftsman carving the portrait of Empress Dowager, it was true to life.
I hope the craftsman would carve one for me too. I will place it in my coffin.
It will be top secret.
But I still have a lot of things to do before leaving.
I need your help. I have to fix up that Lang Kun.
I want him to know how formidable I am. Also, the rumors regarding the haunted harem must be redressed.
Your Majesty, are you alright?
Wei Guang indeed must be exhausted, he should rest.
I already know that you'll leave someday.
No matter if it's Wei Guang or you,
I won't be able to keep either of you.
Your Majesty,
Princess Royal is back. I wonder when she will launch another attack.
She has never acknowledged me as the Emperor. I have a premonition that
she will plan something in advance to usurp the throne.
I feel that being born into a home of an Emperor, there's no familial affections.
As an Emperor, there were no friends too, until one day,
I saw you and Wei Guang, and I felt something that
there's someone whom I could tell my innermost feelings to. Who knew that,
you both would eventually leave and live your own lives.
And left me to face all the drama. People lie and cheat, and kill each other.
Who can rely on who, and who is betraying?
I will be left alone in this palace
and having problems sleeping every night.
Your Majesty, it's my fault.
You paid such a great price to save me.
And, I was only thinking for myself.
Your Majesty, don't worry!
Even if I leave, Wei Guang will help you defeat the princess.
Lord Wei, I thought of an idea.
After you bring back victory, we'll secretly leave the palace together.
But, I feel bad for His Majesty when we leave.
He won't have any people who are sincere to him.
I've already told you about what happened and what's going to happen.
Now that the Emperor has started his feelings, he'll get Ningzhi no matter what.
If you still have any doubts, when you are back in Yandu,
you can check with the junior eunuch who serves His Majesty.
Greetings, Consort Ning. May you have happiness and good fortune.
Rise!
Thank you, Consort Ning.
Time has passed by so quickly.
I still remember when I had just entered the palace, I learned from here.
The Empress passed by here and visited us.
I didn't realize that, after wearing this palace outfit,
this is how it feels.
Take them away to be punished!
My Lady, spare our lives.
What's going on? You're all so timid.
I was joking, stand up.
My Lady, we were really afraid.
Right. Whenever I see someone dressed so luxuriously, I can't help but start trembling.
Do you all want to be weak forever?
Were you born to be bullied by those people?
Sometimes I think,
the outfit I wear is not normal palace maid uniform,
but it is a war cape gifted from the heavens, ensuring me to fight this battle.
Consort Ning, the Empress doesn't like you saying this.
How she views me is no longer important.
What's important is you all.
Starting from today, I will think of a solution to help you to settle down.
My Lady, what's the meaning of "settle down"?
Your Majesty, there was news from the frontline. Why are you still worried?
I heard that Princess Royal personally went to the frontline to find Wei Guang.
It seems that she's serious about convincing him.
Wei Guang is completely loyal to you, he won't ever betray.
Why are you so nervous? Who else could I trust, other than you two?
I just agreed to the Empress Dowager...
to let Prince of Guangding return to the palace. He will be arriving in a few days time.
But didn't Your Majesty said that Prince of Guangding and Princess Royal are known to be ambitious?
You must not let them step into Yandu again.
I don't have any other choices.
Now that more than half of the governors have turned in their complains.
Even the Prime Minister can't reject it.
We can't let the people in the kingdom thinks that I'm someone
who doesn't take my family into consideration and without any virtues.
When the late Emperor was alive,
he used to say that my weakest flaw was being too kind.
This is definitely where I fail into this.
All those years, because I took into consideration of their blood ties with me,
I allowed them to do whatever they liked.
I didn't expect that, not only they weren't grateful,
on the contrary, they secretly nurtured and influenced someone to oppose me.
I'm unable to do anything to them now.
That person is the Prince of Guangding.
Prince of Guangding?
Not only is he arrogant, but he's also very lustful.
Isn't he the younger brother of His Majesty?
He's back to live in the palace now.
Princess Royal will be back later.
You must be very wary of these two.
Isn't this Consort Ning?
Do you still remember me?
Of course I remember, Prince Guangding.
It's been a year since we've last met.
Consort Ning went from a palace servant,
to a consort favored by the Emperor.
This palace sure is interesting.
I'm sure that everyone already knows of Prince Guangding's return.
His Hua Xiang Palace requires palace servants.
Our Lihua Academy will send over ten people.
For those whose names are called, pack up your things tonight.
Tomorrow, go to Hua Xiang Palace.
Zi Ling.
Chen Yu Yun.
Feng Qin.
Wu Jingwen.
Ban Ling'er.
Ban Ling'er, where are you going?
Everyone, hurry and stop her!
Ban Ling'er! Stop her!
Ban Ling'er!
Calm down!
Calm down! Ban Ling'er!
Calm down!
Listen to me! Calm down!
What are you doing?
Prince Guangding wants to select ten palace girls to be his servants.
Ban Ling'er is one of them.
Ban Ling'er, trust me.
I will help you solve this.
You cannot help me.
It's the rules of the palace for the princes to select palace servants.
I can only blame my bad luck for being selected.
Everyone knows
Prince Guangding has an explosive temper and anyone who enters his palace will not be able to live.
He's the youngest son that the Empress Dowager dotes upon.
Who can touch him?
Even if you use your status as a consort to save me,
he will still try to find other girls.
Are the girls in the academy not innocent?
You can still think of others at this time.
Consort Ning, you have already helped me a lot.
Perhaps this is just my fate.
People cannot override the will of the heavens.
Your Highness, please take care of yourself.
If in our next life,
I will definitely repay your favor.
Ban Ling'er!
Ban Ling'er, remember this!
You better remember this.
You are not alone. We will
help you solve everything together.
Trust me.
That's right! We'll handle things together!
Look at me.
Ban Ling'er, look at me.
Trust me.
[Hua Xiang Palace]
Consort Ning has arrived!
- Greetings to Prince. - Consort Ning,
how do you have time to come to my Hua Xiang palace?
Prince, I want to talk with you.
What a joke, you're my sister-in-law.
It's inappropriate for you to enter my palace.
Prince Guangding is afraid?
Are you afraid of His Majesty blaming you?
Unfortunately, I already made plans to drink with my brothers.
If you really have something to talk about, come again some other day.
Fine, I will go back and request His Majesty to issue the order.
I'll come back to greet you again.
If you have something to say, say it now.
I heard that Prince Guangding selected ten girls from Lihua Academy.
How unfortunate, I already selected them earlier.
I wonder if you would be able to leave me some face and give them to me.
Consort Ning, there are rules in the palace dictating how many servants one can have.
Given your rank,
if you add ten more servants to your courtyard,
wouldn't your standing be above the Empress'?
Prince has misunderstood me.
My courtyard already has some that are quite old, I am preparing for them to retire.
According to Great Liang's rules,
I am a prince of legal age, and I have full rights to select any palace girls I like.
I'm telling you,
I want those ten palace girls.
I didn't say that Prince can't have ten palace girls.
I just think that the palace girls from Lihua Academy
are too young and won't be able to serve you well.
Even so, that is my business!
If you want those ten palace girls,
then you'll have to drink with me. Are you afraid?
It's just drinking with you!
I can!
Prince also knows that I'm from a circus troupe from outside the palace.
I'm more than aware of how to drink.
Within this palace, Consort Ning is also a unique person.
I heard that this wine is quite strong.
Normal people can't handle more than three cups.
Do you dare to bet with me?
For every cup I drink,
you will give me a palace girl.
Do you not dare to?
A bet is just a bet. Drink!
Prince Ning, please.
One!
- Two! - Good!
Three!
Four!
Consort Ning, four!
Consort Ning, it's the seventh one now.
You drank seven cups at once. I'm quite impressed.
You don't need to drink the remaining three cups. Leave.
It's not the end yet.
How many is it?
You drank eight cups.
I always keep my promises. I will give eight of the palace girls to you.
Don't be in a rush.
Here.
Go away.
Even one can't be missing!
Consort Ning!
- How did you get so drunk? - Hurry and get a pillow!
Put it behind her.
Sit down.
What are you doing just standing there? Hurry up and find some sobering tea for her.
You all...
No one needs to go now!
Your Highness, what are you saying?
Where don't we need to go?
You don't need to go serve Prince Guangding.
You don't need to go serve Prince Guangding!
You don't need to go to Hua Xiang Palace!
Is this true?
Alright now, Ningzhi.
Come, drink some sobering tea.
You'll feel better once you drink it.
- Ningzhi! - Consort Ning!
Help her to the bed to rest now.
No, the palace's consort can't stay here.
Hurry and help her back to the Emperor.
Be careful!
Make sure to hold her well!
You guys don't need to go!
Slow down!
What is it?
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Did she drink too much?
Your Majesty, when the maid from Lihua Academy
brought her back, she was already completely drunk.
You all can leave.
Yes.
You don't need to go anymore.
Your Majesty! Why am I here?
Did I... scare you?
What happened?
Being a lady, why would you drink so much?
Do you know how long you slept? Three hours.
I committed a breach of etiquette, Your Majesty.
Where are you going? Running away... you haven't sobered up yet.
I have something to show you.
Look who's drawn here.
This...
Is this me?
Then would it be me?
Two years before you entered the palace, you were performing for the Empress Dowager.
At that time, I already noticed.
You were smart and clever. You didn't plead or harm anyone.
Very different from the other palace maids.
It's just that, at that, it was hard to get rid of Princess Royal and the Empress who were fighting each other.
I didn't have the time to look for you.
After that, I heard you left the palace.
I thought that that might've suited you better.
Subsequently, because I was bogged down with state affairs, I wanted to leave the palace and look around.
Unexpectedly, I saw at the end of street,
you were performing circus tricks and you smiled at me.
I don't know why, but I unintentionally smiled too.
I wanted to keep your smile, and I wanted to keep you.
But, you left.
I sent people to look for you, but I never saw your smile again.
At that time... my mother became ill. We returned to the countryside so she could recover.
A year later, you entered the palace again and became one of the Empress' maids.
Unknowingly, you saved me.
I think that this is fate.
Ningzhi, I...
really like you.
Your Majesty, I have to leave!
Greetings, Your Majesty. I want to leave the palace and am asking for your permission.
Why?
You're just in a rush to leave me?
Is it because I shocked you?
You're really kind to me,
Just... I don't want to stay anymore.
I know that you are from outside, and is not used to the rules here.
But don't worry. I will gradually eliminate the estrangement in your heart.
I will take good care of you and won't let you be discomforted.
Your Majesty, I think you know clearly...
That you aren't the one in my heart.
I know.
I just think that although you don't like me now,
After some time you'll see my sincerity,
and maybe realize that I am worth liking.
Moreover, the current situation is not stable. I will never abandon you.
I know, Wei Guang is still fighting,
Princess Royal and Prince of Guangding are very ambitious.
Your Majesty, you are having difficulties in taking your meals and sleeping.
Even if I do stay by your side, what could I help with?
I'm just a woman. I can't help with the situation.
Do you really think you can just leave so easily?
You have to know that the person you killed was the Prince.
If you leave my protection, his henchmen will not let you off.
By then, not only will your life be in danger,
your mother and members of the Baxi Circus will be implicated too.
Then...
Wei Guang told me that the war would end in two months.
I'll just stay in the palace for two more months.
Please reduce your visits to Wanxiang Hall for these two months.
News will naturally spread that I have lost favors with you.
I will then find the opportunity to publicly clash with you.
You can use the excuse to demote me to a commoner and kick me out from the palace.
I think nobody will still remember me by then.
Your Majesty, I still have on thing to ask for.
No matter what,
please protect my mother, don't let me drag her down.
Your Majesty, I will forever remember
the kindness and generosity that you gave me.
All of this...
We'll do as you say.
Wei Guang, I have good news for you.
The Emperor has already agreed that when you return successfully,
he will demote me to a commoner and send me away from the palace.
The first thing I'd do is go find my mother and restart the Baixi Circus with her and the members.
I'm secretly training right now, it won't take long.
I'll be able to perform like once again!
Wei Guang...
Didn't you say that you loved watching me perform most?
Now, I can perform at an even higher level! After I leave the palace,
You have to be my first audience!
Your Majesty, it's been a while since we left the palace,
Where are we going?
Wait a while and you'll see.
Let's go back.
Timing and Subtitles brought to you by the Legend of the Phoenix Volunteer Team @ Viki
♫ In the clear sky, thousands of fireflies drift around ♫
♫ You were once the most ordinary firefly of them all ♫
♫ When you approached me, time stopped ♫
♫ My heart started racing ♫
♫ It was like a dream ♫
♫ I travel against the light in search for a faraway shadow ♫
♫ The crowded mountain cities, but I find it so peaceful ♫
♫ I really want to let go of my name and identity ♫
♫ I will watch the peaceful marketplace with you ♫
♫ I will wait with you for the rain to stop ♫
♫ I travel against the light in search for a faraway shadow ♫
♫ So that all the dangerous rivers can soften your eyes ♫
♫ Like the crystal tears in the dead of night ♫
♫ My heart has become more transparent and stronger ♫
♫ Even if it aches, it will not break ♫