Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
The Story of Ming Lan
Episode 61
Sir, stop slapping!
I beg you! I admit my mistake!
Stop slapping! I beg you!
Stop slapping!
I haven't seen someone who dared to avoid the imperial decree of the empress dowager.
General, save me!
General! The soul of my older sister in heaven
- would ache for me! - Sir!
Please spare her.
It's the Empress Dowager's decree. Little Lady Zou offended her superior,
tried to kill the main wife, and caused the morality in this house to decay.
She had to be slapped in the face 50 times. There are still 25 slaps left.
No, sir, if you complete those 50 slaps,
her face would have been destroyed.
I'm just doing my job.
Men! Ask General to leave.
Sir, come with us.
Get lost!
Huh?
Who was that?
Sir, it's all my fault. Did I hurt you?
- Servant! Servant! Call the doctor! - I...
Sir!
I want to see Empress Dowager! I want to see Empress Dowager!
The House of Shen acted as you predicted.
They became violent.
Were you hurt?
Thank you for your concerns.
I slipped and fell on my own. I know my limits.
You old slick.
Yes.
Weibei General Shen Congxing
didn't cultivate good private morality and has a chaotic harem.
He hindered the execution of the law
and broke the law on family relationship.
He's just tarnishing the splendor of your imperial crown.
He should be severely punished without pardon.
I was the matchmaker in this marriage.
Now, it has become my fault.
Your Majesty is the ruler of the empire.
If you want the Zhang Family to spill their blood in the battlefield,
those men will not even knit an eyebrow.
Whatever you desire, wherever the blade of the sword of politics and military is pointing,
is a duty that all subjects should fulfill.
Moreover, this is just a measly marriage matter.
Your Majesty shouldn't be crying or worrying for the women.
The Zhang Family is indeed a family that has served three emperors.
No one can say such pressuring words
more suitable than
Duke Ying of the State, the Old General Zhang.
But aren't those words expressing loyalty to the emperor?
You... too soft.
When I look at this child, I feel at ease.
If you were not in the Shen Manor supporting me that day,
I fear that I won't be able to see the sun today.
In the future, he must call you his godmother.
No matter what happens,
I surely will ensure you and your child's safety.
I heard that day, you used a sword.
That day, when I arrived in the general manor
and saw that there was no one by your bedside, I panicked.
I'm thinking that time that even if I get struck by lightning,
I must get the doctor back.
Okay already. It's my fault. Let's stop talking about it.
You still have one in your womb.
You must be careful.
Our whole family is grateful for your help.
What about the Shen Family?
The Shen Family has always had a good relationship with your marquis husband.
They surely will be grateful to you.
I'm not talking about that.
I'm saying...
Did General...
He would come everyday.
It's just that I don't want to see him.
Empress Dowager treats me better than him.
Empress Dowager?
Not only did she personally come visit me,
she even harshly punished that Little Zou.
I heard that she got slapped a few times that it harmed her face.
But General instead cared for her in a spoiled manner
and invited so many doctors to see her.
Empress Dowager...
Stop the carriage!
What's wrong, Big Madam?
Turn around and go to the palace.
- Go to the palace? Now? - Yes.
This is Marquess Sheng of the Marquis of Ningyuan Manor.
She especially came here to thank Empress for her kind graces.
Please wait for a while.
Little Zou indeed did a despicable thing.
But Her Highness Empress Dowager
has already punished her with several slaps and put her in house arrest.
I think that it's enough.
Your Highness, even if you don't consider the sake of the Eldest Lady Zou, you must consider the pride of State Uncle.
Right now, those old aristocrats of Bianjing are still unforgiving.
What do they really want?
Do they want His Majesty and Empress to bow to them?
Sister, His Majesty has already taken a step back
and would only address his birth father as Royal Father and not give him any posthumos title.
But they didn't
accept it and instead kept pressuring His Majesty.
Now, even nephew fell in the palm of their hands.
General Xiao Duan has to go to the local court for questioning everyday.
We almost had no one to send for the salt inspection.
If we keep retreating like this, we won't have anymore path to retreat to.
In this world, how could there be an emperor and empress
yielding to their subjects?
You have all worked hard for thinking of ideas for me for a whole day.
You must be all tired. Disperse and go home to rest.
Madam Sheng, how's your health?
I'm fine.
I especially came to thank you for the jewelries and valuable items you've sent me.
All those are just trifle matters.
Your husband has left to inspect salt.
I'm sure that he's not at ease to leave you alone in the capital.
Empress Dowager released a decree to slap Little Zou's face fifty times.
After slapping her twenty plus times, my little brother couldn't take it anymore
and stopped the eunuch implementing the decree.
When they were arguing, the eunuch slipped, fell off the platform,
Sit down and let's talk.
In the past, they caused a huge ruckus in your house's banquet.
Not only did you tolerate it, you even went to convince Lady Zhang.
But just after a few good days, they again caused trouble.
If you didn't come today,
I would also be calling for you tomorrow for some chat.
Since it was Empress Dowager's eunuch that got injured,
did she say anything?
Empress Dowager is very considerate of His Majesty
and didn't say anything.
Your marquis husband is a loyal and brave man.
Whenever there is danger, he would always put himself before everyone
and share the burden of His Majesty.
I find your words frightening.
Sharing the burden of the emperor is the duty of all subjects.
But this time, my Marquis Husband didn't do it just for His Majesty,
he also did it for General Shen and General Duan.
For them?
My Marquis Husband accompanied Prince Huan to the south
because His Majesty can't be at ease to entrust Prince Huan's safety
to other people other than those old generals from Yuzhou.
That's right. In their journey to the south,
Prince Huan has already faced two assassination plots against him.
Fortunately, your Marquis Gu was able to resist them all.
What?!
You don't know?
I...
Quickly sit down. Take care of your womb.
I'm pregnant.
If there's another choice,
I would never let my husband risk his life.
Those were my selfish words.
I hope you can understand.
His Majesty has very few trusted aides.
If left with no other choice,
he wouldn't let Marquis Gu leave the capital.
Now, if we also lose Duke Ying of the State
and hurt the heart of Bianjing,
his power and loyal subjects will surely dwindle.
His Majesty has already achieved the throne. He's making every effort to make the country prosperous and has great aspirations.
He mustn't maintain this stiff relationship with those old Bianjing subjects.
Didn't His Majesty decide on the marriage of General Shen and the House of Zhang
exactly because he wants to merge
with those old Bianjing subjects as one body?
Then... how should we do it?
What I'm about to say might offend the imperial family.
I asked you to stay because I want you to talk. Say it.
During the Three Kingdoms Era, Cao Cao ordered
that if there are any soldiers whose horse would step on the fields of good citizens, all would be executed.
When Cao Cao's own horse got frightened and charged into the cornfield,
although the landlord dare not punish Cao Cao,
Cao Cao still cut off his hair in place of his head.
He punished himself so others would follow his example.
Guo Ai, the son of Guo Ziyi from the previous dynasty, married a princess.
After getting married, he had an altercation with the princess and berated at her.
Offending one's superior, how grave is that crime?
Princess returned to the palace and told on his husband.
Tang Daizong scolded his daughter for using her power to bully other people.
He directly said that Guo Ziyi can be the emperor,
hence, the Guo Family became so loyal to the empire ever since.
I understand now.
You... You really said those words?
You're too bold.
Just any bit of mistakes and you would have invited fire to burn yourself.
Her Highness called so many people for an audience,
except me.
If it's not because she dislikes me,
then it's because she want to find another time to see me
and hear other words.
When I arrived in her palace,
those people said a lot,
but I never said anything.
But when we're about to leave,
Her Highness asked only me to stay.
Why is that then?
It is because Her Highness feel that the words they all said
were useless.
Since you're so smart and full of insights,
tell me then, when will this storm end?
It started with the Shen Family, so they must be the one to placate it.
Regarding the matter of Prince Shu being respected as the biological father,
although they were able to get half of the court's support,
they also lost half.
We're truly in very dangerous times that concerns survival right now,
we mustn't let the ripples become huge waves.
If it gets bigger,
I fear that this capital would be floating amidst a storm.
Who would have expected
that you would be discussing about the government here now?
If you're a man, you surely won't be inferior
to your father and Changbai in politics.
Grandmother's words may sound like you're praising me,
but in reality, you're praising yourself, right?
How am I praising myself?
I grew up by your side,
that's why, I became this smart. Aren't you then praising yourself?
I've never heard of anyone
praising themselves in such cheesy manner like you do.
You little macaque!
You dare to make me your past time now.
Look at that.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
Your Highness, you've been sitting here the whole night.
In a few moment, people from other palaces will be coming to greet you.
Why don't you go rest for a while?
Nanny Su,
remove my outer robe and make-up.
I'll tell the other palaces then
that you're not feeling well today, hence, no need for greetings.
No. Don't cancel it.
Let them come.
Let them see it.
Let them spread it.
Your Highness.
Go and get my headdress with a huge pearl on it.
Your Highness.
Deliver this to the ducal house of the Zhang Family.
Tell them
that it was all my fault that the Shen Family
favored Little Lady Zou.
Cao Cao cut off his hair in place of his head.
Ask them to accept this precious pearl
and treat it as my punishment.
Your Highness, but you're the empress.
Zhuxiang,
after removing my head adornments and imperial robe,
let's go to His Majesty and ask for punishment.
Yes.
You all get up now.
Asking for punishment from His Majesty?
But His Majesty has never said anything.
This is a trouble that the Shen Family started.
Of course, it should be our family that must pacify it.
I want you to personally deliver it.
Your Highness Empress!
Your Majesty, have you read my memorial?
The attendants of Empress Dowager went there to implement her imperial decree.
General Shen instead hurt one of them.
About this matter,
the imperial court has been deliberating about it for 7 to 8 days.
May I ask Your Majesty how you plan to deal with it?
I indeed am paying attention to it.
Your Majesty, Empress Dowager is staring her attack,
yet you kept delaying giving your decision.
Do you plan to harbor private interest and disregard the law?
Have you forgotten your grand aspirations after ascending the throne?
Have you forgotten the soldiers guarding our borders?
Have you forgotten about the territories that have fallen into the hands of our enemies?
Prime Minister, you said it too seriously.
By helping you fight to have your deceased father Prince Shu garner some respect,
I've already bore numerous fawning and despicable reputation.
But I'm not afraid of them nor am I regretting it.
I did it for the future of this government.
Today, if Your Majesty is going to favor your relatives
leading to the loosening of the government foundation and destruction of court order,
I also would not agree to that!
Prime Minister Han, there's something that you don't know.
The past Big Madam Zou—
Your Majesty!
What empress owed the Zou Family is a private favor.
What General Shen owed the Duke Ying of the State is a state favor.
How could you discuss those two together?
I, a lady of Shen, has committed a crime!
I failed in restricting my family.
I especially come here to ask for punishment from Your Majesty!
Your Highness! Your Highness!
I, a lady of Shen, has committed a crime!
I failed in restricting my family.
I especially come here to ask for punishment from Your Majesty!
I...
Your Majesty, I sit on the throne of the Kuning Palace Hall, but didn't follow its rules.
I am ashamed to face you.
I am ashamed to face the the grand empire established by our ancestors.
I have failed the teaching of Empress Dowager.
I also am ashamed to face an old able general like Duke Ying of the State.
Your Majesty, please punish me.
I'm willing to accept it.
Empress.
You are my empress.
You accompanied me to survive our days in Yuzhou.
Your mistake is my mistake.
If you are asking for punishment, then it means that I must ask for punishment too.
Let's go ask for punishment from Empress Dowager together.
Since our empire was established, no one acted like how the empress did.
She has really brought shame to our imperial family.
His Majesty has been resting in his palace all this time and seems to have no desire to punish her.
He did lecture her last night.
You heard and saw it?
Didn't she go ask for punishment now?
His Majesty must be spurning her now.
Have you seen any empress
who is willing to bow down and admit their mistake to a subject?
And which empress has ever cried right in front of her throne room?
This is called destroying one's pride. Nothing can be lower than that.
This matter has occurred for so many days, but she just held out.
His Majesty held out. Hence, I found a chance to intervene.
Who gave her the idea to admit her mistakes and ask for punishment?
She actually learned to do this trick?
Even if she's able to get past His Majesty,
a thorn has already been embedded in His Majesty's heart.
With the emperor and empress not being united, everything can be easily done.
- Empress Dowager. - What is it?
His Majesty and Empress are here.
His Majesty came with the Empress?
- His Majesty... - Quickly bring her to the inner rooms to hide.
His Majesty asks that you go out.
What?
Asking me to go out?
Your son, Zhao Zongquan...
Your daughter-in-law, Shen Congying...
Respectfully wishing Empress Dowager good health
and especially came here to ask for punishment!
Weibei General Shen Congxing
protected his concubine and offended your close attendant.
I, your son Zhao Zongquan, and your daughter-in-law, Shen Congying,
especially came here to seek punishment.
Hurry. Hurry. Hurry and get up.
Quickly get up, Your Majesty. Get up.
Quickly get up. Quickly get up.
Emperor, why the need for such grand bows?
You are scaring me.
The two of us are just doing appropriate work for the empire.
What crime can there be?
Emperor, you mustn't listen to the instigation of other people.
Weibei General Shen Congxing
favored one's concubine and harmed one's main wife,
is to be punished with 20 caning and without salary for a year.
You are to stay indoor and reflect on your mistakes.
Concubine Zou,
you've become arrogant because of being highly favored, offending your superior.
Empress Dowager has given an imperial decree that you be punished with 50 slapping,
your conferred title be removed, and you will be locked inside a very simple room.
You're not allowed to attend to your husband from now on.
Zou Chu detained the royal physician.
and almost causing Main Madam Shen to have a difficult labor.
You are to be caned 30 times
and compensate the House of Duke Ying of the State with 10,000 strings of silver
to be earmarked as assets of Madam Zhang.
General Shen, accept the imperial decree.
I, subject Shen Congxing who has committed a mistake, is accepting the decree.
Thank you for His Majesty's graces!
Official...
Official, just let my older brother go.
Zou Ming, you forcefully occupied the farmlands of an ordinary citizen,
which ended up with the death of one person.
The court has already given a sentence.
You are to be exiled 3,000 miles in the northwest.
State Uncle, take good care of yourself.
Respectfully sending off His Majesty's envoy.
Brother-in-law...
Brother-in-law, save my older brother.
Brother-in-law, my older brother grew up with my older sister.
Servant.
You've carried him while riding your horse. Have you forgotten?
Servant! Assist Little Madam away!
- Brother-in-law, don't you care about me anymore? - Slap her mouth and lock her up!
- Sister-in-law! Sister! - Brother-in-law,
- for the sake of my deceased older sister, just spare my little sister! - Sister!
Brother-in-law!
Sister, can you see it?
All the people in this world have no conscience!
When the person leave, the tea gets cold.
Now that General has a new wife and son,
he has forgotten about you!
Daughter.
If you don't want to go back,
we'll inform His Majesty about it right away.
Things have already become like this.
There's no turning back.
Child.
Your father and I have planned it.
We can say that after going through this ordeal, you've realized your big mistake.
You'd rather stay aloof from worldly matters, go to the mountains, and be a daoist nun.
Your father and I will then go to the Shen Family to placate things.
We'll say that even if you've converted to serve the deities,
we and them are still in-laws.
This way, His Majesty will have nothing to say.
Live in the daoist temple for several years. Once this matter has passed,
we'll let the child go to the monastery to cry a few times.
We'll then be able to successfully fetch you back to our house for secluded cultivation.
Our family can still reunite.
The stage has been placed.
How could the performing actor not come out to act?
Father and mother have raised me.
Why then can't I charge out
and fight to obtain my own piece of world?
Congratulations! Congratulations!
Okay. Okay.
Please go in. Please go in.
Official Zhang, you're here.
Thanks. Thanks.
Please go inside.
Empress Dowager.
I personally saw the eight dukes of state
going to the manor of State Uncle.
Half of the Censorate also came, while those that didn't sent their gifts.
All the military officials are almost complete.
Half of the scholarly officials didn't go, but their families did.
Say, those heartless things,
they actually all went!
What's there to be surprised about?
Have you seen any empress without a headdress and wearing plain clothes
kneeling outside a palace hall, begging for forgiveness and asking for punishment?
And how many people
are able to receive the pearl in an empress' headdress as a compensation?
Those old subjects...
The old loyal ones are getting fewer and fewer...
You two scoundrels!
What right do you have to tie me up?!
Get lost! Release me!
Yuzhen! Yuzhen! Save me!
If not because of my older sister,
you all would have died in god knows where!
Let go of me! Ungrateful bastards!
You even know who has carried you?
At such young age, you already know to identify who carried you?
Don't cry anymore.
What's wrong?
It's you.
It's you who sent Sister Ping away.
Even if you have any anger, you mustn't destroy your older brother's event today.
I know that Sister Ping offended the empress dowager,
hence, she committed a unpardonable crime. But is there anyway we can save her?
Towards our family, eldest sister-in-law... I...
This is already the best ending. All three were able to preserve their lives.
If I continue to indulge them, I fear that their assets will get confiscated and their clan executed.
But older brother, how come ever since we entered the capital,
it's always our family that's wrong?
Are you doing well in your husband's house?
He didn't make things difficult for you because of our family's matter, right?
He didn't.
Older Brother, look at this room.
Sister Ping was dragged away!
Nanny Su was really so ruthless!
I... I'll take my leave now.
You can't go! It's because of you.
My older sister asked you to stay and the next day, the palace released a decree—
Shut up!
You just fling your arms so cleanly.
What about my sister-in-law?!
Looks like I've spoiled you too much too!
Older brother, have you forgotten about sister-in-law?!
- I... - General Shen!
I...
General, loving a person is enough to put him in harm's way.
Loving someone too much to the point of indulging will invite a deadly disaster.
You've committed a mistake from the start.
I've committed a wrong step, and all my steps thereafter were wrong.
You have obtained great wealth and had the heart to assist the Zou Family.
But because you've always treated Third Miss like your own little sister,
you hesitated and wouldn't marry anyone.
That is your first mistake. Since you can't marry her as a main wife,
you should have just continuously treated her as a little sister.
Find her a good family.
But you instead took her in as a concubine. That's your second mistake.
What do you know?
My older brother has a predicament.
He was trying to preserve the status and wealth of the Zou Family.
We will never be able to pay back what we owed the Zou Family.
Hence, you two, including Her Highness Empress,
cannot do anything to restrict the actions of Concubine Zou.
That is the third mistake.
When empress made the decision, you think she was not in pain?
She was. But regardless, she has to do it.
It's not only for now.
It's more for the future.
Future?
You're saying Prince Huan...
What should we do now?
What should we not do?
First, His Majesty will still heavily use General Shen.
Second, since the two families didn't amicably separate,
the House of Duke Ying of the State will not allow anything bad to happen to you.
If in the future...
Hence, General, you just need to stay at home and recuperate your strength.
His Majesty still have important tasks to entrust you in the future.
After saying so much, what about Sister Ping?
She already got taken to the farmstead outside of the city.
Can she still come back? She's only a few years older than me.
Your nephew, the eldest legitimate child of the House of Shen,
is already more than 13 years old.
He still has two little sisters, one 5 and one 7.
- So what? - With Concubine Zou here, Big Madam Zhang
can never truly become their legitimate mother.
If children are brought up by a concubine,
just by that, all those good families outside would be avoiding them.
Your nephew can still inherit a nobility title, so fine.
But what about those nieces of yours?
They have to be married off.
They are the real flesh and blood of your first sister-in-law.
If she has consciousness below and learns that her children
didn't end up well, how sad will she be?
My first sister-in-law has such a hard fate.
Take good care of yourself.
You also must be careful.
Take care on your way.
Miss! Miss!
Quickly go back and take a look! Old Madam is dying!
What happened?
Old Madam fainted. The doctor only said that she's sick,
but couldn't determine what's wrong. Until now, she still hasn't woken up!
Quickly take my name card and find a royal physician in the palace!
Yes!
She was still well this morning, and started feeling unwell by the afternoon.
Old Madam initially didn't want us to call for a doctor. But when we were setting up her food,
Old Madam then fainted.
Miss, you are pregnant and shouldn't be going.
But I then thought that Old Madam dotes on you the most.
I fear that if anything bad is to happen, she surely would want to see you!
Miss, what should we do?
Royal physician, what really is wrong with my mother?
Old Madam must recuperate properly.
There mustn't be too much people in the room.
Okay.
Official Sheng, let's talk in private.
- Okay. Okay. - Please.
Little Sister, you go listen to. I'll be here to attend to her.
Thank you, sister-in-law.
- Please go inside. - Okay. Okay.
Please sit down.
Doctor, what really is wrong with my mother?
This...
It's hard to say it.
Royal Physician, just say it. We can afford any medicines.
Anyway, I've stabilized her condition at the present.
Just nurse her well in the coming days.
Doctor, you have miraculous skills.
Doctor, we've caused you to exert yourself.
If there's anything that you needed, just tell us.
I surely will do my best to fulfill them.
Official, your filial piety can move the heavens.
Doctor, my grandmother's body has always been very healthy.
She has been well all this time. How come she would fell ill just like that?
Royal physician, why do you think so?
Asking for the royal physician to come at this late night is already troubling him too much.
How can you be disrespectful and kept interrogating him? Royal physician has his own considerations.
It's fine. It's fine.
A doctor has a heart like that of a parent.
Old Madam is very old.
Her health can't compare to that of young ones.
It's just normal for her to experience some illness.
This...
It's very hard to say which area is wrong at this point.
I must slowly observe.
Hard to say?
It's just that she's too old.
I initially planned to wait for tomorrow before informing Ming'er about this.
Who knew that the servants are that talkative and brought you here tonight.
It's like we don't know how to take care of her.
Can you speak less?
The child is just being filial. Why do you still have to argue with her?
What did I argue about?
Official.
Just follow this formula and brew her medicine.
Okay.
Although grandmother has been stabilized, she still hasn't woken up.
I hope that royal physician can stay for one night, so we all can be at ease.
If ever grandmother would have an attack at night,
we all might panic and be at a lost, causing us to delay her treatment.
That's right. Hope doctor can exert more efforts.
It's just normal for people like us to be called in the middle of the night.
Official, please be at ease. I'll just stay for the night.
- Thank you then, doctor. - Thank you, doctor.
This is great.
Ming'er, if there's nothing else, go back to your manor first.
If anything happens, I'll send people to call you.
No, father. Just let me stay by grandmother's side for tonight,
so I could practice my filial piety.
Okay. Stay then.
I'll guard by mother's side for tonight,
so that she has someone by her side if ever her illness situation changes.
Father, you still have to attend the morning court tomorrow.
The night is also late. You and Main Mother should go back to your room to rest.
Being absent for a day is also no big deal.
You are old.
If there's anything, let the younger ones do the work. You still have me.
You are the pillar of this family.
If anything major happens in the family, you still have to handle the general situation.
What you said is right too. Okay.
Doctor,
sorry to have troubled you.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
T/N In the following song, "Don't You Know, Don't You Know?", Lines 5 to the end are the poem by Li Qingzhao, a famous female poet of the Song Dynasty, the poem is titled "Spring Ends".
♫ One morning, a flower opened and approached a willow tree, beautifully fragrant and mistaking him for her lord ♫
♫ Even if drinking in water in the morning, red clouds have half a day of sunshine, the wind and rain do not affect them completely ♫
♫ In the palace, you are constantly brave and growing thin, from on high, your cold tears of distress flow ♫
♫ Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me, not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫
♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫
♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫
♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫
♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫
♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫
♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫