Music
I deduced that
this spy shouldn't have known
our whereabouts outside the valley.
He couldn't even have expected that
we have sneaked into the imperial palace.
So we are safe for the time being.
It makes sense.
Okay.
As there is
such a wonderful way of conveying news between you and your sister,
I'm relieved.
I back off.
One moment.
What else instructions, Your Majesty?
I didn't imagine that
you could find the copper box so smoothly.
Otherwise,
master and I would not have bothered with
lurking in the imperial palace.
Please don't be sad, Sis. Xue.
I have another thing to tell you.
Tomorrow if
I fail to answer that third question,
that old woman is sure to beat me up.
At that time, I have to slip away as fast as I can.
Remember.
The copper box and
the treasures extorted
are hidden under my bed in Lodge of Eternal Happiness.
After we leave,
only you and Master Xueyi can be entrusted to fetch them.
Once you get them,
withdraw with us in a hurry
I've been looking forward to such a day for a long time.
Junior Sister,
In fact, you are right to leave the Forbidden City as soon as possible.
You don't know that
how displeased Big Brother is when
you stay with the Emperor together all day long.
Bro. Zhu is nice in all other aspects
except that sometimes he is narrow-minded.
Bye for now.
I have to go.
If discovered by others, I will get into a big trouble.
Take care.
I will.
Oboi refuse to hand over
the antidote of tonifying pill.
I've sent Songgotu to search Oboi's mansion,
but no findings.
Dr. Li,
Now that you can detoxicate my poison,
can you also detoxify
the toxin of the tonifying pill?
Your Majesty,
Oboi dare not to murder you,
so what he envenomed to you
is the poison that just disturbs the mind
with a small dose.
However, what he envenomed to me and sister
is an unique poison used to control his understrappers.
I've tried my best,
but I can only prepare the dose that just alleviates toxic attack.
I am ashamed of you and your sister indeed.
We cannot afford
your such concern, Your Majesty.
Please be assured.
I will go on with the experiment to
strive for the antidote as soon as possible.
It's already midnight.
Please get rest, your Majesty.
I've just taken over the reins of the court,
and there are still many major and minor matters to be disentangled,
especially the meandering case of Oboi
which is intertwined with many issues.
What's more, Shanxi and Zhili
are suffering the worst drought in decades.
How can I fall asleep at ease?
Back off.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I didn't imagine that he is so diligent.
I listened to Junior Sister's suggestion to
assist him in defeating Oboi.
Maybe I was injudicious on it.
Wish you good luck, Your Highness.
Wish you good luck, Your Majesty.
Wish you good luck, Your Grace.
Well
Did you come up with the answer?
Your Grace
I'm so ass-headed that
no answer has been got by far.
So, you have to think hard.
It's almost noon.
Sorry, Junior Long
Upon high noon
I'll get out of the palace.
We may never meet each other again.
Your Grace
with the presence of you and His Majesty here
I'm too nervous.
Can I go to the door to struggle for the answer?
Approved.
I'd like to see
what tricks
you can play.
I dare not to play any tricks.
Thank you, Your Grace.
I back off.
Hold on
Yihuan.
It's quite torrid outside.
I reward you with a fan
to prevent you from being sunburnt.
Otherwise, it's even harder to figure out the answer.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Wait
are there any words newly inscribed by Your Majesty on the fan?
Please show me.
In my opinion
your handwriting
is great.
Here you are.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Yihuan
the glazed pendant on your waist
is quite special.
I remember that
your brother also have one.
My brother and I
are twins.
My father gave the glazed pendants to us
as birthday gifts.
I'll show you, Your Majesty.
This is special decoction.
When people write with it
the words written on it will disappear after getting dry
without any trace.
However
through this colored glazed pendant
the disappeared words
will show up again
Yes?
It's true.
The words appear again.
And the word size becomes even bigger.
Actually, the glazed pendant
is a colored magnifier.
My father
bought two from a foreign businessman.
He gave them to me and my sister as our 10-year birthday gifts.
Each of us keeps one
and carries it with us all the time.
In the due time
please write down the answer
on the fan with the decoction
and give the fan to my sister.
Just remind her of
this glazed pendant.
Then she'll get the point.
Dr. Li
I really admire you that
you have a happy and interesting childhood with Yihuan.
Not like me.
When I was 10 years old
my parents died.
What's worse
I have to keep alert to
traps of different powers in the palace.
Well, go ahead.
If it is too late
even I cannot save you.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Hold on.
It's too hot outside.
I grant you a silk handkerchief to
wipe sweat away.
Thank you, Your Grace.
I back off.
Your Majesty
it seems that
you don't worry about her at all.
Grandma
Yihuan is pure and kind by nature
but not stupid.
I'm sure that she'll come up with the answer.
Be careful, Grandma.
Come on.
Your Majesty
could you ask two people to
help me push the carriage?
Approved.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
You two please help me push the carriage.
Give me a hand.
Let's go.
Okay. Stop.
Come on.
Put it down.
Well, can you give me a hand again?
You see, Your Grace
The carriage only can be moved by people who push it
not by the those who ride in it.
Am I right?
Good.
This answer is excellent.
Grandma
this answer not only settle the question
but also seemingly gives us all a warning.
Something can only be done by onlookers
rather than the involver himself.
Yes
you should see that
this maid is not stupid
as you said before.
She is quite clever.
Those closely involved cannot see clearly. But you must keep clear-minded.
You are right, Grandma.
I'll keep your teachings in mind.
I didn't imagine that
Li Yihuan is so smart.
Did she see the handkerchief that you granted to her?
Last night
after hearing your remarks
I draw the answer to the third question
on the handkerchief.
But she opened and saw it
after she had given her answer.
You are smart indeed.
You are quick on the uptake.
His Majesty and Li Yihuan
are clear about your assistance
especially His Majesty.
He will feel grateful for your open mind.
Queen is just a title.
You must win the heart of His Majesty.
So you will be secure and firm in your position.
Thanks for your reminding, Grandma.
Godfather
when my uncle is not on duty
he often goes to the Mirror Lake for fishing and relaxing.
You can wait near the Mirror Laky
to find a change to meet him.
Okay.
Then I'll pretend to meet him by chance
and won't mention you and Yihuan.
Good.
Wish you a smooth recognition
with my uncle.
I hope so.
So many years have passed.
I really don't know
when I, his brother
appear in front of him
how will he react?
Xuanye
You dare to see me finally.
Oboi
After so many days in prison
have you understood?
Do you feel remorseful?
Of course I'm guilty.
The first guilt is that
I shouldn't risk my life to
rescue Emperor Taizong.
The second guilt is that
I shouldn't go through fire and water in battles
for your Aisin Gioro family
to seize the sovereignty.
The third guilt is that
I shouldn't keep my blind loyalty to the deceased emperor
to whole-heartedly
assist you.
The fourth guilt is that
I know that you are full-fledged and
wanna kill me to
arrogate all powers to yourself
but I failed to gain the upper hand to
wipe you out.
Now
you are still in deep slumber for the records of merits decades ago
without any introspection.
You enclose land, persecute fellows and stay intimate with our enemies
You deceive me
with the guilt of playing power and misleading the country.
If you hadn't saved Emperor Taizong
and if you hadn't created significant military merits
for our Great Qing
I could put you to execution
for many times.
Now I'm a prisoner.
I don't care your comments
on my merits and demerits.
However, Xuanye
Don't think that your throne will be secure
after you kill me.
Two poisonous snakes lurk
by your side.
They'll kill you at any time.
What do your mean?
I don't understand.
Okay, I tell you.
Do you think that Li Jianqing and Li Yihuan
are loyal to you?
But in fact
they aim to provoke the internal strife between you and me
with an ulterior motive.
They assist you in arresting me
just in order to win your trust.
Before you started your plan
Li Jianqing came to me
and tell me your plan.
I took it lightly and didn't believe that
those blokes
trained by you
could never catch me
the best warrior of Great Qing.
But I didn't image that Li Jianqing and Li Yihuan
turned their coats
which resulted in your narrow victory by luck.
Your Majesty
what I said is the truth.
No wonder he took the antidote in advance.
You asked Eunuch Li to grant him poisonous tea
which lost its effectiveness.
Maybe there is spy in deed
to divulge secrets to him.
The copper box is true.
Sis. Huan
you are so great.
You've fulfilled
such a difficult task.
Who often says that
I can't complete this or I can't accomplish that?
Now you know to praise me.
Sis. Huan
I'm your Big Brother
and your fianc¨¦.
When you are right
I should praise you for sure.
But when you are wrong
I should criticize you.
Stand erectly.
Both praise or criticism are
for your own good.
I know. I know.
You've been repeating such few sentences since childhood.
Even my ears are tired of them.
Sis. Huan
I find that you increasingly dislike me
after you come to the palace.
Oboi
do you think I'll be victimized by your scheme to
sow discord?
Well
Your Majesty
Faced with imminent death
I'm still
sowing discord.
Sow discord?
Xuanye
you are such an ignorant villain.
Though I'm a thorn in your side
I'm an off-spring of Great Qing's Eight Banners.
The internal strife between you and me
won't destroy the foundation of Great Qing.
However, Li Jianqing and Li Yihuan are different.
Their origins are unknown
with weird behaviors.
Maybe
they are remnants of Great Ming.
Well
you are Manchu
and they are from Han.
But it was you who stabbed me with a dagger
and it was Li Yihuan who put her forward bravely to block the dagger for me.
Without the counterstrike of Li Jianqing and Li Yihuan
I'm afraid that the situation of you and me
would be reversed.
So I understand that
you hate them
and wanna doom them to death.
I won't fall for your trick.
Xuanye
you are a futile emperor indeed.
You are confused by the beauty of Li Yihuan
and fooled by
her and her brother.
The territory created by the off-springs of Eight Banners
will be ruined in your hands.
I'll see how can you
face the ancestors of Aisin Gioro.
Shut up.
I'm not
the puppet that has been played by you any more.
If you speak disparagingly for once
I'm sure your blood will splash on my dragon robe.
Come on.
I work myself to the bone for
Aisin Gioro in my whole life.
You are such a
insidious and foolish coward.
Xuanye
Open the cell door
Let's make a one-to-one duel.
Come on.
Nowadays, Kangxi is
vigorously weeding out Oboi's remaining confederates.
All people in the capital are in panic.
If we transport the copper box and the treasures searched by Yihuan
outside the palace and
put them in Charity Pharmacy, it'll be unsafe, instead.
I suggest
to still keep them in Lodge of Eternal Happiness.
You are right, Master.
By far, the Lodge of Eternal Happiness is safe.
Before Grand Master leaves the capital
let's take out the copper box secretly
to ask Grand Master carry it away.
No
the copper box cannot be kept in Lodge of Eternal Happiness.
Sis. Huan cannot stay in the Forbidden City any longer.
Now that we have found the copper box
let's get out.
We
we withdraw now.
Well
do you wanna still stay in the palace?
Do you forget
those three departed candidate girls who entered the palace?
Do you forget who
was granted with poisonous wine just
just because they saw you slap Kangxi?
Okay, Bro. Zhu, I follow you.
Master Xueyi and Sis. Xue
let's withdraw together.
Bullshit!
Oboi
you are such a scoundrel.
Faced with imminent death
how dare you disrespect His Majesty?
Do you think
you are really the so-called best warrior in Great Qing?
I tell you.
That's just
a reluctant blandishment to you
when you are in power.
Do you wanna fight?
Come on.
I'll be your counterpart.
Songgotu
if your father is still alive
maybe I'll not refuse to
save his face.
Well, look at your grisly appearance
you don't deserve to fight with me.
Get away.
Oboi
with the presence of His Majesty
it's nonsense to bark more than bite.
Apart from the resentment of our two families
it's a mortal sin that
you disrespect His Majesty.
I tell you
your death is knocking at the door.
You're really good at flattering him.
Ridiculous.
Your father Songni
is against me in his lifetime.
But I respect him as a integrate man.
I didn't image that
how does he have you
such a gutless son?
Oboi
even if you are a real warrior
a boor like you
only deserves
to be a lackey of Aisin Gioro.
I'm the Son of Heaven.
I should be good at administering the country and ensuring national security.
Your fighting skill is just inappreciable craft.
What does it matter even if my fighting skill is inferior to yours.
Keep your eyes on him.
Don't allow him to suicide.
You such a wimp
come back.
You'd rather believe Li Jianqing and Li Yihuan with ulterior motive
than me, a dedicated minister of three reigns.
Come back.
I'll see Her Grace.
Come Back.
No
we shouldn't withdraw now.
Firstly
Mosheng and Qianying
haven't found the 1st golden key.
What if the golden key
is just in the palace?
Secondly
most importantly
whether has Oboi deployed spy
in Pearl Valley?
Who will be the spy?
We must figure out.
Big Brother, how about
you withdrawing with Yihuan?
Master Xueyi and I stay in the palace.
We'll finish the remaining task.
No, no.
How can I leave you two in the palace?
We shall advance and retreat together.
Now
Kangxi trusts you and Yihuan very must.
To find out the spy
in Pearl Valley
you have more chances
than Qingcheng and I.
Now it's not the time to retreat.
Master Xueyi
I didn't consider this matter thoroughly.
I just wanted to ask Yihuan to leave Kangxi in a hurry
to avoid being puzzled by him.
I was too eager to
forget the important issue to
figure out the spy.
Crown Prince
you are always calm
but you tends to react impulsively
when somethings involves Yihuan.
Godfather
please recognize my uncle as soon as possible.
Maybe he knowns
who is the spy deployed by Oboi in Pearl Valley.
That's the only choice.
But
no matter what the consequence is
don't tell it
to Yihuan
Qingcheng.
and your Master Xueyi.
Godfather
actually Qingcheng and Master Xueyi
are different from Yihuan.
They can always keep secrets.
I don't distrust your Master Xueyi.
But
as the leader of warrior alliance of Great Ming
I have a brother
as the chief of eunuchs in Qing Court.
If this story is past forward
I'm ashamed to
face other compatriots of our alliance.
I see.
I wish that my uncle can cherish the bonds of kinship
and join our alliance
as our planted agent.
It seems impossible.
I hope so.
I only wish that ancestors Li's family
can bless my brother and
he can forsake darkness for light.
Boatman
What melody are you playing?
I'm quite familiar with it.
It seems that
I've heard it somewhere before.
It's a ditty from
my hometown.
It's called
Missing Family Members.
I feel so familiar with
this melody.
But I did remember
its name.
This is my father's favorite melody
to play
when he was alive.
My younger brother also
loves it.
I was fond of listening to his melody in my childhood.
But I haven't heard it for many years.
Now I almost forget it.
But I didn't imagine
to hear it here today.
Are you also
from Yulin, Shaanxi?
Yes.
Do you remember that
in Zaojiao Village
there is a peasant family surnamed Li?
Twin brothers were born in that family.
The elder brother is named Li Delu
and the younger one
is named Li Defu.
Are you?
You.
Defu
Do you still remember me, your elder brother.
You're still alive.
You didn't die.
Defu.
I didn't expect to
meet you again
in my lifetime.
I thought that
you've past away.
Brother.
Defu.
Brother.
Defu.
Lady Attendant
Lord Suo
why are you in a rush?
I tell you that
in Oboi's mansion
I find another small adytum.
Maybe the antidote of tonifying pill
is hidden inside.
But those craftsmen are too clumsy
to open it.
What should we do?
I thought it over and
finally thought of you, Lady Attendant.
I'm not sure whether I can open it or not.
But I'll try.
Great!
Let's go. This way.
Have your been married?
Is my sister-in-law virtuous?
How many children do you have?
Yes, I've been married and
have three children
two sons and one daughter.
But your sister-in-law
has past away.
Well
this world is not peaceful.
Only few families
can enjoy the reunion together.
You are unfortunate
but your situation is much better than mine.
After you turned off the pursuing forces in that year
I started to wander around on my own and
pry into your whereabouts.
But Dorgon grabbed me afterwards
to be a lackey in his mansion.
Several years later
he saw that I was clever
so he castrated me
and sent me to Hong Taiji.
At that time
I had fallen in love with a girl
but I was forced to
be a eunuch.
My younger brother
you've suffered so much.
I didn't imagine that
you can still call me brother.
I thought that
now in the Forbidden City
you are commanding and creditable
but
I'm down and out.
I didn't expect that
you can still recognize me.
My elder brother
what did you say?
In the world
you are my only family member.
How can I deny you?
Brother
now I have endless treasures
and I'm worrying about that nobody shares with me.
It's so good
that you come.
Please bring my nephews and niece to the capital.
I'll buy a big house
and then arrange a wife and some concubines for you.
Let's enjoy the rest of our lives.
My younger brother
thanks for
your kindness.
But I come to you
not for money.
Brother
so you must want
a good job, right?
Please be assured.
Count on me.
I'll get an easy official post for you within one month
and I'll find a chance by the end of this year
to arrange you
to an affluent place with plenty benefits.
All right?
I'm not going to be an official.
You neither wanna make a fortune or secure an official position.
My elder brother
what do you exactly want?
It's no problem
as long as I can make it.
Defu
do you know
my identity at present?
What kind of identity?
Long time ago
I changed my name
instead of Li Delu.
So
what are you called now?
Li Dingguo.
I'm exhausted.
Lady Attendant
thanks for your effort.
Go ahead, Lord Suo.
I need to check, Lord Suo.
Lord Suo
there is no antidote in the boxes
only papers and letters.
No antidote at all.
Let me see.
Nasai.
Here.
Seal up the two boxes
and carry them to the palace
to His Majesty.
Defu
Would like to
fulfill a great work with me to
revitalize our Great Ming?
Defu
don't be silent.
Defu
are you willing to be
a slave of Qing Court?
Is there any demerit to be a slave of Qing Court?
What did the Ming Court grant to me?
It killed my parents
and drove all villagers to starve to death.
It made us separated
and left no way for me.
In order to live, I could just dig up something to eat from corpse heaps.
Afterwards
I was forced to be an eunuch.
I've suffered
for over 30 years.
Now you ask me to be a descendant of Zhu's family
with the risk of death.
Defu
listen to me.
No.
I know.
I've heard about you, Li Dingguo.
The court
thought that you died in the battle in Yunnan.
I didn't imagine that you are still alive
and even establish a pro-Ming warrior alliance.
We stand in different positions with different outlooks.
We don't need to try to persuade the other one.
My last sentence
If you decide to be Li Delu
you are still my elder brother
and I'd like to share glory and great wealth with you;
However, if you insist on being Li Dingguo
let's just assume that
we both
have died 40 years ago.
My younger brother.
My elder brother
my last question
will you be Li Delu
or Li Dingguo.
I, Li Dingguo
live for Great Ming
and even die for Great Ming.
He
he left.
I counted him on
to get some information about
the planted agent deployed by Oboi.
Godfather, what should we do now?
Now that he lusts for high position and great wealth
and is willing to be a flunky for Great Qing
I'll assume that he died 40 years ago.
Now, he
is just the chief of eunuchs Li Defu
not my younger brother any longer.
In the future
you do everything for the interest of our alliance.
Never mind the brotherhood between I and him.
He was poisoned by Oboi's tonifying pill.
At present
Oboi was put in prison.
Without Kangxi's personal order
nobody is allowed to visit him.
Oboi has no way to
give him the monthly dose of antidote for tonifying pill.
Godfather
should I give him
the antidote that
can completely detoxify his toxicity?
No.
You cannot completely detoxify his toxicity.
You've sounded him out in the palace for several times.
Depending on his intelligence
after this recognition with me this time
he'll probably suspect you.
In case that Oboi confesses about him
then he'll probably
betray you and Yihuan
even me, his elder brother
so as to expiate his crime.
Do you mean that
now we
control him by tonifying pill.
In this way
on one hand, the safety of you and Yihuan
in the palace can be ensured;
on the other hand
with his assistance
you and Yihuan
can act easier in the palace.
But he is your brother after all
and the uncle of me and Yihuan.
But if you do in this way
I wonder whether it is too...
Crown Prince
do you think that
I feel good?
He is
my younger brother
who I risked my life to protect in the past.
But now
for the sake of national righteousness
I can't take brotherhood into account.
I, Zhu Cixuan, on behalf of all descendants of Zhu's family
and all our forebears
appreciate for your great righteousness.
I didn't imagine that
Eunuch Li is by father's younger brother
and my uncle.
Yes
Eunuch Li is saponaceous and selfish
with completely different nature and temperament with your father.
But Bro. Zhu
although he is saponaceous and selfish
he is my father's younger brother
and my uncle after all.
He won't join us
but he hasn't done anything
to betray us.
My father told us
to threaten him with tonifying pill.
I feel sorry for it.
In fact
I also feel guilty.
But now that godfather has commanded
we have to fulfill.
Sometimes my father is so cold-blooded.
He even killed my mother
She was his wife
who had given birth to 3 children for him.
He also shot an arrow at me.
Luckily I carried one jade pendant with me.
Otherwise
I had already been dead.
Sis. Huan
Please don't say that.
If godfather hears
how sad he will be.
Godfather was compelled to
sacrifice the ego interest for the great righteous cause.
Just like the martyr Cheng Ying in ancient times
who gave up his own son to
save Zhao's orphan.
However, I never thought that Cheng Ying was right.
Why did his son have to die
for Zhao's orphan?
Weren't the lives of both of them equally important?
I've never understood since I was a kid that
why my father thinks that
the lives of you and your father
are much more important than the lives of me and my mother.
Increasingly outrageous.
These are cardinal guides and constant virtues between emperor and his ministers and between father and his children.
Remember
what you said just now can't be heard by godfather in the future.
I know. I know.
I just told you alone on the sly.
I know that such works are outrageous.
I won't talk about it any more.
Please don't tell my father.
Keep it as a secret.
Sis. Huan,
Remember,
it doesn't matter that
you are self-willed or talk nonsense on normal occasions.
But please never say anything
against cardinal guides and constant virtues.
Why are you
the same as Junior Long?
I'm frightened when both of you are serious.
Bye for now.
I'm going to play with Junior Long.
Sis. Huan.
Back off.
I wanna be alone.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Junior Long.
You also back off.
What's up?
Even Junior Long is also so serious.
What did you say?
Nothing important.
Well,
I back off.
Uncle has struggled for over 30 years to
get the seemingly glamorous high position and great wealth.
While my father didn't hesitate to
kill his wife and daughter to
revitalize and fight for Great Ming
in his whole lifetime.
I can't live
as either of them.
Music