Music
Stop.
When you walk
don't raise your arms too high
or too low.
They should be at a perfect level.
This is a rule.
Got it.
Yes.
Go on.
Wait a second.
Lady Liu.
We've been practicing for four hours.
We missed our lunch.
We're tired and thirsty.
Could you give us something to eat?
No.
You can't rest
before I think you're qualified.
Keep walking.
Stop.
Yihuan.
Who told you to sit down?
Lady Liu.
My feet are excoriated.
I can't walk any more.
But you should have asked me before you sat down?
How could you rest without authorization?
Like I just said
you broke the rule.
Was this breaking a rule?
Sure.
In this place
if you do anything you're not allowed to
or say anything you shouldn't
you're breaking rules.
Do you know one candidate girl last year
fed the mullets of
the empress dowager?
The mullets died.
Do you know how the girl ended up?
How?
She was starved to earth.
Starved to earth?
What a cruel punishment!
I...
Lady Liu
may I ask
could I take a rest?
No way.
Get up and go on.
It hurts a lot.
Lady Liu.
What's up?
My...
My head's itchy.
May I scratch it?
Yes.
Lady Liu.
Yes?
I...
I want to...
Sorry. Sorry.
You must be a reasonable lady.
You won't stop me from sneezing, will you?
I'll hold it next time.
Cut the crap.
Hurry and walk.
Lady.
What again?
You raised your hand three times in such a short time.
But you made it rule
that I must raise my hand for permission.
Well, what is it?
I...
I want to...
I want to fart.
How smelly!
Oh you!
I see.
You're trying to wrangle with me, huh?
No. No. No.
That's not what I mean.
I just failed to hold it.
Stop wrangling with me.
I could easily see you through.
Somebody.
Take her way for flogging twenty times.
Yes.
Wait a second.
Lady Liu.
Do you know Minister Ding of Personnel?
Sure, I do.
Then do you know
who his godfather is?
The grand secretary.
Hush.
Your...
A word to the wise is sufficient.
I don't need to
enlighten you too much, huh?
Forget it.
For the sake of your excoriated feet
I'll let you have some rest.
Thank you, Lady Liu.
Go on! Walk!
This is our director.
Greetings, Director.
You're the new Doctor Li?
I'm Li Jianqing.
Director
my pleasure to work with you.
You become an imperial doctor
at such a young age.
You must have your forte.
Some of the glossy ganoderma
is ten years old.
Some is twenty years old.
Some is thirty years old.
And some is a hundred years old.
It suddenly rained
when pharmaceutical assistants got it aired.
They rushed to get it back
but mixed some.
I wonder if you can
separate them according to their age in three days
for making prescriptions.
Three days. I don't think it's a good time.
Well...
How much time do you need?
Half an hour.
What?
- Half an hour? - Half an hour?
How arrogant he is!
Yeah.
How is that possible?
She sits
with something to eat and drink.
But we're walking, starved.
Watch out.
Be careful.
Why so careless?
My feet.
What's wrong?
Why did you all fall?
Are you okay?
- I'm okay. - Get up.
What's wrong with you three?
Why are you making trouble
instead of practicing carefully?
Kneel right here for four hours.
Lady Liu.
We didn't slip on purpose.
We slipped on something.
Lady, here.
Here is a broad bean.
Look!
Sis. Yulan must have stepped on it accidentally
and then fell.
But why is there a broad bean?
What's wrong with you?
Say something.
I...
I was choked.
Why would you be choked?
Saliva problem
that got me choked.
Saliva problem?
The smell of broad beans
comes from your mouth.
You still want to cheat me?
Show me your hands.
I've got nothing.
Show me your hands.
I really don't have anything.
Lady Li.
Still deny it?
It seems you won't understand imperial rules
before I teach you a lesson.
Somebody.
Wait a minute.
Lady Liu.
Don't you remember
I'm with
the grand secretary...
Whoever goes against imperial rules shall be punished.
Do you think
I still haven't seen you through?
Well, I figured it out.
Why would the grand secretary
send an exaggerated girl like you
to the palace?
Since you're greedy for food
and afraid of being starved
I'll have you grounded.
No one shall give her anything to eat or drink.
What?
He really used only half an hour.
Yeah.
He seems to get something.
Impressive.
He's young.
He really is a good doctor.
Yeah.
He knows exquisite skills
Director
I've separated the glossy ganoderma.
Please kindly check it.
He did it in such a short time.
- Yeah. - Exactly.
We're really inferior to him in the identification skill.
You have great attainments
at such a young age.
Remarkable!
I'm just displaying my slight skill before you.
Please kindly enlighten me.
Good.
You're talented and modest.
Dr. Li.
You'll have boundless prospects.
Luckily, I have a broad bean left.
Yummy!
But I'm still starved.
I'm starved!
Starved to death!
I'll have some water instead.
Seriously?
I'm hungry.
So hungry.
I'm starved.
Roast duck?
What should I do? I'm starved.
I'll be starved to death soon after I come to the palace.
I wonder if Bro. Zhu has found Junior Long.
Junior Long.
Do you have a high post in the palace?
Can you overwhelm Lady Liu for me?
Brother?
Didn't we agreed to meet here?
Where is he?
Could he lose his way because he's new here?
No way.
He's so smart. How could he be lost?
Could there be any accident?
Brother?
I'm starved.
One. Two.
Three.
Shot!
I'll have sashimi tonight.
Here we go.
Go.
Sashimi.
You stole the fish! Stole the fish!
You stole the fish!
I'm freaking out.
It's you
who fooled me!
You scared me!
You stole the fish!
Again?
Fine.
See how I'll teach you.
I'll show you what I've really got.
Didn't your master told you that
disaster emanated from careless talk?
I caught you, huh?
Go.
You should talk less and work more in the palace.
Got it?
Don't nag like I do.
Too noisy.
No more yelling.
Seriously?
I didn't kill you.
Wake up.
You.
Wake up.
Come on.
I suffocated you?
I...
I didn't mean that.
I...
How about I read the Diamond Sutra
for you?
Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
The parrot we raised for years
was gone!
One carp in the pond was missing, too.
Tell me.
Who did it?
Do you know?
Who did it?
Not you?
I have no idea.
Do you know who did it?
Lady.
Yulan, Ronghui and Xiuhe went out last night.
Yulan.
Ronghui.
Xiuhe.
Fall out.
Last night
you were seen leaving your room.
Where have you been?
Sis. Xiuhe wanted to urinate.
It was dark
and she was scared.
Ronghui and I went with her.
Just to urinate?
Did you steal a parrot
or catch a fish
on your way back?
Please check it out, Lady.
How dared us steal in the palace?
But no one left her room
expect you three.
Who else could it be?
Somebody.
Take them away for slapping.
Yes.
Keep slapping them until they confess.
Spare us, Lady. Spare us.
Spare us, Lady.
Wait.
Besides them
someone else left the room.
Who?
Me.
You?
Weren't you grounded yesterday?
How dared you sneak out?
Yeah, I was grounded.
I had nothing to eat or drink.
But I had to urinate.
In fact, I suspected you.
Without any evidence
I didn't feel like asking.
You're the bravest among these candidate girls.
Maybe you had designs on
the fish and parrot when you were starved.
Do you have any evidence
when you accuse me of stealing?
You need evidence.
I'll figure it out
if you're wronged.
But Palace of Gathering Excellence
is always locked at night.
No one shall come in.
Nor can anyone go out.
I don't believe
you can also eat
the fish bone or feather.
Somebody.
Search for it.
Yes.
Humph, you bitch.
I don't believe you'll find it.
Sorry.
Sorry. Sorry.
Lady Liu, we found nothing.
This handkerchief is yours. isn't it?
It's the evidence.
Do you still want to deny it?
Look! Look!
Oh, you found it.
Well, let me explain.
Last night
when I was passing by
I saw the parrot trying to eat the fish.
I tried to stop it.
So I covered its face
with my handkerchief.
Unexpectedly...
Unexpectedly, it died.
At such a time
how dared you still
talk madness!
I meant to flog you twenty times.
But considering how you behaved
I'll make it thirty times.
Yes.
Wait a minute.
Thirty times?
Lady Liu, don't forget
I'm with the grand secretary.
If I believe such bullshit
I'll be a total fool, aren't I?
Take her away for the flogging.
Yes.
I was telling the truth.
I...
Wait.
Lady Liu.
May I have a word with you?
I kind of
like this girl.
I'll plead for her, then.
His Majesty awarded me may jewels yesterday.
This bracelet is
too big for me.
I think
it'll fit you best.
Thank you, Your Grace.
For your sake
I'll let her go today.
Thank you then.
She doesn't know rules well
but she looks pretty.
Why don't you give her to me
and let me train her for you?
It'll be her luck
when you train her yourself.
Yihuan.
Say thank you to Consort Li.
Thank you, Your Grace.
Sis. Xue.
Masters shouldn't have sent you to the palace.
The empress is our greatest enemy.
But you had to give yourself to him.
Whenever I think of it
I feel upset.
Don't blame masters.
They did this
just to find the copper box
and get the treasure map and list of volunteers
to expand our alliance.
But your happiness is sacrificed.
Compared to the career to revive the Ming dynasty
personal happiness is nothing.
Besides
I was an orphan.
If Master Xueyi hadn't adopted me
I would have been dead in the snow.
She is
my master.
But more like my mother.
Unluckily
after only a few years of happy life
The Plum Sect
was slaughtered.
Go!
Dad, I'm not leaving.
I won't leave without you.
Take Qingcheng to Duke Jin
and revenge us.
Dad.
Grandpa.
We won't leave without you.
- Go. - Dad.
Dad.
At that time
I was too young
to understand anything.
Master Xueyi told me that
those assassins
were from the imperial court.
All sects who refused to surrender
had been slaughtered.
But you're a weak girl
and you must take such a revenge.
I...
I don't know what to say.
Aren't you the same with me?
All kids grew up in the Pearl Valley
share the same fate.
Even you and our senior brother.
He's the last crown prince of the Ming dynasty.
And you'll be his wife.
But to recover our dynasty
you risked yourselves
to sneak into the palace, didn't you?
but I'm different.
I come in
to raise the conflict between the emperor and Oboi.
Once we succeed
we can leave.
But you must stay in the palace
and serve the emperor
until you find the copper box.
You don't need to worry about me.
Since I came here
I've won the favor of the emperor.
Master Xueyi and I
are trying to buy spies and get more resources
in the palace.
I believe we'll find the cooper box soon
to complete our mission.
Sis. Xue.
When I was little
I wondered why adults was best to you.
They gave you valuable jewels and pretty dresses.
We couldn't drink the milk.
But you could bathe with it.
So they planned to send you to the palace.
When I was little, I was too narrow-minded
that I was jealous of you!
Yihuan.
When we were little
we couldn't help striving for people's favor.
People in the Valley used to care for you.
After I went there
they cared for me more.
If I were you
I would be jealous, too.
Now you know.
In the heart of our masters
they always
care for you most.
Sis. Xue, don't worry.
Bro. Zhu and I have come.
And I befriended a trusted guard of the emperor
named Long San.
We'll try to
help you to find the cooper box.
Then we can leave the dangerous place
together.
Okay.
We'll make efforts together.
Sis. Xue.
Look at me. Do I look good?
You walk steadily.
Dad?
Sis. Xue.
Isn't that my father?
Why is he the eunuch?
That's not your father.
That's Eunuch Li Defu.
He's the chief of eunuchs.
Greetings, Your Grace.
Hi, Eunuch Li.
Greeting, Eunuch Li. I'm the candidate girl Li Yihuan.
Sis. Xue.
You didn't lie to me, did you?
He...
He isn't my father?
No, he isn't.
When I saw him for the first time
I was freaking out, too.
I almost took him as Grand Master.
But I found the difference after a few more looks.
Grand Master is solemn and magnanimous.
He always looks serious.
It's easy to tell his mood.
But Eunuch Li
is outwardly kind but inwardly cruel.
You'll never know what he's thinking of.
Oh, that explains.
You're already the consort.
But he still doesn't respect you.
You don't understand.
Come on.
Eunuch Li
is the chief of eunuchs.
He's very powerful in the palace.
The empress dowager trusts him, too.
Therefore
all consorts in the imperial harem
fawn on him.
Even including the empress.
I'm a mere consort.
He won't respect me for sure.
I see.
He greeted you.
But totally ignored me.
Huan'er.
Whenever you see Eunuch Li
you must greet him.
Staying here is different from in the Pearl Valley.
We must be very careful when getting along with people.
We'll easily offend someone if we are carelessly.
You may be ignorant
if someone hurts you in the back.
Isn't that dangerous?
This is exactly a hell!
You...
you used to be self-indulgent.
But you came here involuntarily.
It must be hard for you.
Have you got in touch with your sworn brother
Long San?
Oh, stop it.
Not at all.
That Lady Liu
is horrible.
I didn't have any chance
to get way from her spies.
I had to ask Bro. Zhu to find him for me.
Well, hope he can
get in touch with Long San
and ask him to plead for you in front of His Majesty.
In this way
you'll be safer.
Otherwise, I can't protect you
considering my humble position.
Sis. Xue. Master Xueyi.
Don't worry.
Now I know how dangerous the palace is.
I swear
I'll never make any trouble
for Sis. Xue, Master Xueyi and Bro. Zhu.
I won't cause any trouble.
Well, we don't dare to believe that.
If only...
if only you could behave yourself!
Greetings, Grandma.
Don't stand on ceremony.
Empress, come and sit.
Thank you, Grandma.
Leave us.
Grandma, what's wrong?
I just knew that
Oboi arranged some spies
among the candidate girls.
Spies?
I warned him.
And I thought he would restrain himself.
Unexpectedly, he was aggravated.
If I don't show him my power
it seems he thinks
I'm just a useless old lady.
A few days ago, another imperial doctor and I
were kept in the institute to be on night duty.
And I failed to get out.
But on recent nights
I sneaked into the imperial garden.
But I didn't see Long San
when I waited till the middle of the night.
Could he be sent somewhere on duty
just like you
and lose the chance to get in touch with me?
Who the hell
is your sworn brother Long San?
I asked many people.
But none of them have heard of
an imperial guard named Long San.
No.
Hush.
He told me that.
He wouldn't lie to me.
How do you know that?
You have little experience.
And you haven't known him for long.
He may not be loyal to you.
But we swore to be brothers.
So what?
You concealed
your true identity to him too, didn't you?
It's my fault.
We met in the Best Restaurant every time.
I was focused on eating
and failed to figure out his true identity.
Long San
must be from the palace.
But it's hard to say
if he really is an imperial guard.
Tens of thousands of people live in the palace.
Not everyone is the friend with each other.
I'll keep asking around.
I'll ask Sis. Xue and Master Xueyi
to ask around for me, too.
Since yesterday
the erotic emperor Kang Xi
has started to pick out girls to spend night with.
What if he chooses me?
I must find Long San before that
and ask him for help.
Okay.
You'd better give me a portrait of him
and I can ask around with it.
Okay. I'll draw it for you tonight.
And try to give it to you tomorrow.
Okay.
See you.
Your Grace.
The candidate girl Fucha Ronghui comes to see you.
Greetings, Your Grace.
Good luck, Your Grace.
Raise your head.
Really?
She was a nice girl?
Sis. Yulan.
What are talking about?
Sis. Huirong...
What's wrong with her?
Wasn't she summoned last night?
She was the first
among all of us.
You were jealous of her, weren't you?
She...
She did something
that annoyed His Majesty.
The empress dowager asked her to suicide.
Annoyed His Majesty
and was asked to suicide?
We were sacred.
Oh.
Sis. Xiuhe was also summoned tonight.
I wonder
if she'll be luckier tonight.
Oh my God.
I...
I'll hurry and draw the portrait.
Bro. Zhu.
How merciless the emperor is!
After he slept with Ronghui
he turned his back right away
and left her killed by the empress dowager.
Kings and bears often worry their keepers.
I wonder how Sis. Xue will end up.
So we must find Long San asap.
Where is his portrait?
Come on.
All are his portraits.
Why so many?
I'm not sure if I was drawing correctly.
So I made a few more.
Are these portraits
of Long San?
Yeah.
This one.
The nose is okay.
But smaller eyes.
And this one.
Bigger eyes.
But a wrong jaw.
This is a correct jaw.
But smaller eyes.
This one, eyes okay.
But a bigger face.
More or less. Check them yourself.
Yihuan.
When we went to classes in the Pearl Valley
I asked you to listen carefully.
But you always refused.
Now you regret, huh?
All right. Stop complaining about me.
Criticism doesn't help now.
Well, I think
I'll just go to the imperial garden
and try my luck to see if I can find Long San.
You may go back.
Okay.
His Majesty commanded that
the candidate girl Yulan should be summoned for tonight.
Thank you
Your Majesty.
Get up.
Come with me to get washed and changed.
Eunuch Li.
Where is Xiuhe?
Why hasn't she come back yet?
She's not coming back.
She committed suicide under the order of the empress dowager.
Suicide?
But how come?
Sister.
Why would this happen?
Eunuch Li.
Do you know what wrong she has done
that got her killed?
Could you enlighten me
so that
I can learn from that?
Well...
I'm not sure about that.
When our masters want to kill anyone
they'll just give an order.
Who dares to ask for a reason?
What should we do?
Yulan.
What should we do? I don't wanna die.
Will Yulan be all right?
How I regret coming into the palace.
If I knew it, I wouldn't have come.
Yeah.
I'm screwed. How come?
Junior Long.
If I still can't find you
I'm afraid I'll let go of my mission.
I'll have no choice
but to escape.
I don't wanna die.
I killed all the three spies
among the candidate girls.
The emperor will have a peaceful time.
Grandma.
In this way
Oboi will
hate you.
In this place
a lot of people love me
or hate me
as much as my hair.
They grow old, too.
I don't have much hair now.
To protect the emperor
I could do anything
for him.
Grandma.
His Majesty always said that
he couldn't live without you.
You supported a lot
for him and our country.
Yeah.
We keep each other company
all these years.
And that was hard.
The emperor
is my lifeblood.
I'll be satisfied
as long as he isn't like his father.
Don't worry, Grandma.
His Majesty won't share the fate of his father.
Over all there years
His Majesty
hasn't cared for a consort.
With so many candidate girls
he doesn't seem
to be very interested.
How old is he now?
He's young
and eager to take back his power.
Sure, he won't care much
for relationships.
After he stabilizes the imperial court
that'll...
be hard to tell.
Look at his father.
He was totally different before he met Consort Dong.
Yulan was killed, too.
The emperor must be crazy.
He summoned three girls
in succession.
But in the early morning
he sent them to the empress dowager
with the excuse that they were careless.
And the empress dowager
killed them all.
It doesn't sound right.
Emperor Kang Xi is steady.
He doesn't look like a man
who is unpredictable or loves to kill.
Qingcheng also told me that
he was very gentle with her.
It wasn't hard to satisfy him.
Then why did he kill
three candidate girls?
There must be something fishy.
Unfortunately, Qingcheng and I tried many ways
to find Long San but failed.
Otherwise, Yihuan could ask Long San
what had exactly happened.
Master Xueyi, don't worry.
I've figured out a way
to find Long San.
What is it?
Music