Music
Junior Long was too excited.
When he hugged me
I wasn't hardhearted enough to push him away.
Do you know
how I felt
when I saw you hugging tightly
with Kangxi in the rain?
Bro. Zhu, you're angry?
But it's your plan, isn't it?
You asked me to approach him
to get more information.
How dare I be angry with you?
I'm hoist with my own petard.
Junior Sister.
An emperor is always the most heartless.
Big brother loves you most.
You can't be charmed
by Kangxi's hypocritical show of cordiality.
I'm not.
I know.
I only take him as my brother
and a friend.
Besides, he respects me
and is tolerate to me.
Yihuan.
You still are muddled about love affairs.
You can't see most of the game when you're in it.
But Qingcheng and I can see it clearly.
If you keep staying with Kangxi
but don't keep a certain distance
from him
something will change.
Junior Sister.
Do not fall in love in Kangxi!
Otherwise
you'll be not only sorry for Big Brother
and masters
but will also seek your own doom.
Sis. Xue.
Why are you also saying this?
You got me totally wrong!
Fine. Fine.
Stop arguing about love affairs.
Since we decide to stay here
for more information
every one of us
must focus on the big picture.
I see.
Got it.
Here comes the emperor.
Wish you good luck, Your Majesty.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Get up.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Dr. Li, there you are.
Consort Li was wounded
by the assassin Oboi sent.
Though her wound has recovered
her vigor was still hurt
and needs to be built up.
Wanxin.
You've been serving me with all your heart.
Besides, you almost died
when falling a prey to Oboi's plot.
Now I make you Imperial Concubine Li
as a little compensation for you.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Dear, get up.
Wanxin.
You're gentle, decent
and always behave well.
Your father is an old minister I rely on.
You deserve
this title.
Tomorrow
I'll have your things carried to the main hall of Palace of Eternity.
From now on
you rule the Palace of Eternity.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Wanxin.
Are you getting better?
Much better.
Thank you for asking.
Well...
I'll have you with me tonight.
Yes, Your Majesty.
When I was in the Pearl Valley
I couldn't understand many things.
But now I understand.
What a beautiful dress! Is it for me?
No, not for you.
Bring it to me.
Be a good girl.
This dress
is for your Sis. Xue.
Sis. Xue?
Didn't she leave the valley for Shanxi with Master Xueyi
for a secret mission?
Yeah.
For her mission
she must be dressed up beautifully.
So, we made this for her.
In what mission
can we be dressed up beautifully?
I want that mission, too.
You!
You can't learn anything well.
You don't have any skill.
Unlike your Sis. Xue.
She learns hard and is obedient.
We're relieved to send her for missions.
Besides
you don't look like Miss Shu.
Miss Shu?
Who is Miss Shu?
Why don't I understand?
That's classified. No more questions.
I see.
So much silver?
Master Mingzhang.
No wonder you're said to be
the God of Wealth in our valley.
You bring so much money back.
I'm not the God of Wealth.
I just manage our accounts.
Members of our alliance
made the money
very hard.
But, Master Mingzhang.
Since we aren't running out of money
why should we live frugally?
You little girl!
Look at your Bro. Zhu.
He's the crown prince.
Normally
he takes the initiative to live frugally.
Yeah, I know he does.
But this money is enough for us.
Why does he still live frugally?
To recover the Ming dynasty
our strength is far from enough.
We must recruit followers.
And that'll be a colossal sum of money.
We must use the money where it's needed most.
For the daily life
we should save as much as we can.
Master Mingzhang.
What a nice gold bracelet!
Is it for me?
Stop.
Give it to me.
Be a good girl.
You know what?
You will be the wife of the crown prince.
You and the crown prince
have priority over all good stuff.
But your Sis. Xue
will leave for a special mission.
All these things
are bought for her.
I knew it!
I knew I never had any good mission.
You always have partiality for her.
Do you want Master Yishou
to operate on your face
and turn you
into someone else?
In addition to martial arts
you must learn lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing and dancing.
Can you stand that?
What do you mean?
Operate on Sis. Xue's face
and turn her into someone else?
You'll understand
when she comes back tomorrow.
Junior Sister.
You like this gold bracelet, don't you?
I promise you.
On your birthday,
I will give you a bracelet
more beautiful than this one.
Forget it. This is too precious.
We have only half string of coins per month.
How can you afford it?
Rest assured.
Since I promised you
I will keep my promise.
I'll just have a look.
Okay. Okay. Go ahead.
Grand Master, I'm back.
Sis. Xue.
Why do you look different
from what you were last year?
Junior Sister.
I spent one year on a secret mission
trying to
turn myself into someone else.
I was jealous of Sis. Xue.
I thought
she could have so many beautiful dresses
and valuable jewels
to make herself pretty
every day.
Unexpectedly
she lived such a hard life.
Not only her.
But every one of us
lives a hard life.
Yihuan.
When you spent three nights with Kangxi
were you also carried to his resting palace
like this?
Let bygones be bygones.
Nothing happened.
Skip it.
Seeing Kangxi summon Qingcheng
do you feel bad
in your heart?
Of course.
But don't get the wrong idea. I'm not jealous.
Instead, I think
Sis. Xue likes you.
But she has to...
Stop!
Staying in the Forbidden City
can be the greatest challenge
for me.
I have to endure humiliation
to kneel to my enemy and rival.
Besides, I have to watch him
humiliating you and Qingcheng.
One day
I'll chop his hands that hugged you
and make him kneel in front of me
as a slave.
Master Xueyi.
What are you coming for?
Don't worry.
I'm on duty alone tonight.
Good.
Come with me to the Palace of Eternity.
Qingcheng got very important information
when she spent the night with the emperor.
I drugged maids on duty.
But the effect will last only one hour.
We must hurry up.
I was playing chess with Kangxi tonight.
Halfway
Songgotu asked to see him for something urgent.
Kangxi asked me to stay in the resting hall
and he met Songgotu alone in the outer palace.
Lately
Songgotu has been taking care of Oboi's case.
He must be coming to see Kangxi in the middle of the night
for something very important.
They two were discussing
in a rather low voice.
I used all my strength to listen
and only heard a little.
It turns out that
Oboi has been running
an information network secretly.
He has planted spies for lords like Wu Sangui
and the Anti-Qing Alliance
including the Pearl Valley.
I should have thought of that.
Those bigwigs are not easy to deal with.
When we plant spies to them
they're putting chessmen into us, too.
Godfather rushed back to the Pearl Valley to figure out the spies.
But over eight hundred survivals
live in the Pearl Valley
all around.
I'm afraid we can't figure out the spies
in a short time.
Besides
to keep himself alive
Oboi refused to turn in the information network
whatever happens.
Tonight, he proposed some negotiation conditions.
He asked Kangxi to remit his crimes
send him back home
and allow him to control the information network.
Kangxi will be in direct charge.
Songgotu rushed in the middle of night to report it to Kangxi
because he thought it was a matter of great importance.
What's Kangxi's attitude?
He barely took Oboi down
after tolerating him for so many years.
He didn't want to be controlled ever again.
Therefore
he was enraged by Oboi's rampant proposal.
But soon he calmed down.
Then he asked the eunuch
to send me back to the Palace of Eternity.
When I left
I saw him leaving with Songgotu.
I guess they were going to see Oboi in prison.
Greetings
Your Majesty.
Oboi.
Since I took over the reins of government
it has been your first time to kneel to me.
I didn't
respect you, Your Majesty.
I'm very guilty.
So...
you made up your mind?
Your Majesty.
I'm a minister to three emperors.
I don't want to see our nation perish.
I don't want to see
our people falling back to Shanhai Pass again.
Oboi.
How dare you
curse our country
with malicious remarks?
Without you
can't His Majesty defend our country
with other ministers?
Exactly.
Your Majesty, see?
Oboi
hasn't repented his errors at all.
Oboi.
I think you'd better stay here
until you think about it carefully.
Your Majesty.
If you can't even
let go of an old minister like me
how could Wu Sangui, Shang Kexi, Geng Jingzhong
and other surrendering generals
feel safe?
Your family seems to rule the country.
But how many dregs of the Ming dynasty
are hiding throughout the country?
Your Majesty, are you aware of that?
Yes.
I take time to eat.
And to play chess.
After I deal with you
I'll uncover those enemies
who are threats of our nation
one by one
and kill them.
No, Your Majesty.
Though I have threatened
the imperial power of our country
I can't be the real enemy.
I don't want to
see our country perish.
That's why I agree to let go of personal grudge between us
after I calm down.
I want to deal with our real enemies
together with you.
Your Majesty.
Since you burnt
my secret letters with other ministers
you're generous and tactical.
Why can't you be more generous
and forgive me?
If Oboi manages to negotiate with Kangxi
that'll do great harm
to our entire alliance.
Our top priority
is to think of a way
to destroy their negotiation
and figure out the spy
in the Pear Valley
before Kangxi does
and kill the spy.
Now...
only Yihuan can
complete this task.
I can tell that
Kangxi cares for her very much.
He promoted me today
just to stimulate her.
What does your promotion
concern to Yihuan?
Big Brother, don't be nervous.
It's just because
Yihuan is muddled about love affairs
that Kangxi tries a lot of ways to test her.
It also shows that
she only takes Kangxi
as her sworn brother
and has no love for him.
Now you can feel relieved, can't you?
In such a critical moment
I have to consider the overall situation.
Your Majesty, to be honest
I have planted
many spies
in Wu Sangui's troops and the Anti-Qing Alliance.
They take my orders only.
If you kill me
they'll become useless.
Oh, Oboi.
I understand.
You're firm in speech
but you still want to survive.
Well.
Turn in your information network
and you'll live.
Under such circumstances
let's
just be frank.
You should free me
to atone for what I've done
and let me manage the information network.
Otherwise
I'll bring the information network I've built for years
to my grave.
How dare you!
How dare you specify the terms
in your last hours?
Are you threatening His Majesty?
Not threatening
but requesting.
Your Majesty
I request you not to cause destruction to us
for our country.
I've shown
the maximum sincerity.
Shouldn't you show some, Your Majesty?
Oboi.
If you really are sincere
you should give me the antidote to the tonifying pill.
Sorry, I can't give you
the antidote to the tonifying pill.
Dr. Li and his sister are not good persons.
If I can't leave the prison alive
to figure out
their true identities
I'll bring them with me
even if
I have to risk my own life.
I'll eliminate the trouble for you
as the last thing
I can do
for you and our country.
Oboi.
Are you going to
revenge yourself
by killing the most useful persons
who work for His Majesty?
Songgotu
if you defend them
just because of the personal grudge between us
you'll be cherishing a snake in your bosom.
You will be condemned by history.
Oboi.
You don't need to drive a wedge.
I have my way to check
if they are loyal to me
or have other intentions.
It seems
you still don't believe me.
But you're at least
on guard against them.
It'll relieve me.
Since you refuse to give me
the antidote to the tonifying pill
I won't bother
to negotiate with you.
Your Majesty.
Do you know
how horrible
the news is
that I got
from Wu Sangui, Shang Kexi, Geng Jingzhong
and the secret base of
volunteers for the Ming dynasty?
Alarmist talk!
No, Your Majesty.
This can never be alarmist talk!
As long as you agree on my condition
I will
tell you a top secret
about the Anti-Qing Alliance.
Your Majesty, I promise you.
This news
is good enough to be exchanged for my freedom.
Your Majesty.
If Oboi told the truth
and withheld such secrets from you
he did the crime of lying!
If he wasn't telling the truth
he did the crime of lying, too!
Therefore...
Your Majesty.
Think about it.
For our country, Your Majesty.
Bro. Zhu.
You mean
you want me to drive a wedge between Oboi and Kangxi
to spoil their negotiation?
No.
Just the opposite.
I want you to advice Kangxi
to meet Oboi's demands asap
and release him.
Did I hear it wrong?
We're of unknown origin.
Oboi also drives a wedge against us.
Kangxi hasn't completely
trusted us yet.
If you
still stir up trouble between them
he will suspect us more.
Oboi is rather crafty.
He will not turn in the information network.
He will control it himself.
But he will contact his spies secretly.
As long as he's released,
we'll have a chance
to figure out the spy.
Oh, your explanation
enlightened me.
Bro. Zhu.
It's so clever of you.
Finally
you praised me.
But...
don't be jealous
when Kangxi
flirts with me again.
Wish you good luck, Your Majesty.
Wish you good luck
Your Majesty.
Humph, Junior Long.
You ignore me!
Leave me.
I want to take a walk alone.
Greetings, Your Grace.
Don't stand on ceremony.
Yihuan has gone to see Kangxi.
I wonder how it's going with them.
You don't need to worry.
Kangxi seems to be
angry with Yihuan.
It also tells us that
he cares for Yihuan very much.
So she will definitely handle Kangxi.
Lady Attendant.
Mind your manner.
It's great guilt to forget your manners in front of His Majesty.
My legs are trembling.
I can't stand anymore.
Kneel then.
How can you
sit on the ground
so rudely?
Get up.
Hurry.
Li Defu.
Yes, Majesty.
Go check if my medicine is ready.
Yes.
Junior Long.
What luck we have!
We really are sworn brothers.
Look!
You're taking medicine. So am I.
I had a cold.
Before I came,
my brother made me a big bowl of medicine.
I just took it.
Junior Long.
I know you're mad at me.
It's okay.
But do not ignore me.
Fine.
Since you don't want to see me
and regard me as an eyesore
I'll just leave.
See you?
Come closer and you'll lose!
I'll force myself for some cold sweat.
What?
Is it the breakout of tonifying pill?
Hope everything will go smooth.
If we manage to figure out the spy soon
we can
leave the Forbidden City early.
I gotta go.
Wait a second.
Big Brother.
I have something
to tell you.
But I don't know where I should start.
We grew up together
as if we were own brother and sister.
If you have something to tell me
be frank.
Yesterday you saw me sent to spend the night with the emperor.
You...
Qingcheng.
You sacrificed your chastity
for our career to recover the Ming dynasty.
Your loyalty
engraves in my bones
and I don't dare to forget it.
I was ready
to sacrifice everything.
Unexpectedly
I'm still
a virgin.
Come on. Take the medicine first.
How do you feel? Better?
You're not angry with me, huh?
Eunuch Li told me that
you stayed up to one o'clock again.
You are sick.
How can you stand it to stay overnight?
You hate me, don't you?
Why do you pretend to care for me?
What are you laughing at?
Nothing.
I just find you
very lovely.
You look awe-inspiring in front of ministers.
But sometimes
you get in a rage just like a kid.
But if you want that
you'll lose.
Since I was little
my father, masters
brothers and sisters
has never defeated me in getting angry.
They were usually pissed off.
So...
stop being angry with me.
Yeah.
You're pretty good at that.
Whenever I think of your pushing me into the lotus pond
I'm so pissed off with my chest.
Fine. Fine. Junior Long.
Don't get angry.
I'll rub it for you.
Better?
Rub it.
Why are you suddenly so gentle to me?
No one will be nice
with no reason.
Come on. What do you want?
Like I said
the emperor is the hardest person to deal with.
When I keep distance from you
you say I'm too cold.
When I become nice, you say I want something.
What should I do?
So it's my fault?
No. No. No.
It's not your fault.
You're the cleverest and most righteous man in the world.
You're always right.
I'm wrong.
I'm wrong
because I take you as my own brother.
I risked my life for you
and defended you from the assassination.
But I didn't know how to win your love
by pretending to be a lady.
I realize that
you only take me as your brother.
Forget it.
A gentleman gets profits from quitting something.
I shouldn't have been greedy.
Don't worry.
I won't force you ever again.
You mean
Kangxi haven't had sex with you?
Did he suspect you?
No, he didn't.
Because Oboi and Wu Sangui
sent many girls to him
trying to seduce him.
He was conscious of that long ago.
In fear that he might be addicted to love affairs
and get low spirit
he sometimes
summoned consorts for the night
but did nothing.
In fact
he only cares for political affairs.
He doesn't care much for love affairs.
Unexpectedly
Kangxi is not only brave
and shrewd
but also has extraordinary wills.
He wanted nothing, but to take down Oboi
and get the real power of throne.
Right now
Oboi is in prison.
He has to deal with many hard cases.
So he doesn't have a mood for girls.
Therefore
he doesn't really love me.
Kangxi doesn't really love you.
It's not good for us
to recover the Ming dynasty.
But to you personally
it's good.
Now
I don't need to sacrifice my chastity
to win the love of the emperor.
Even if he forces me to sleep with him
I have a way to get him off me.
Because I have the one...
I love.
I will protect myself
from being easily taken by others.
The more people, the more eyes.
I gotta go.
Be careful with everything.
Eunuch Li.
Leave this to me.
I'll feed him.
So bitter.
Junior Long.
You're so brave!
Come on. Take the medicine when it's hot.
Wait.
Miss
When we test the medicine
we must
pour it into another bowl.
But you...
You got your saliva
on the bowl.
How can His Majesty take it?
Sorry.
Why don't you made another one?
Don't bother.
Take it.
Junior Long, sorry.
I forgot that.
So I failed to obey the rule.
It's okay.
It's not my first time to have your saliva.
Don't you remember?
In the Star Restaurant
we ate the imperial dishes on the sly.
You brought
some wine.
Cool.
How do you feel?
Awesome!
Oh...
You still remember that?
Sure.
I'll always remember that.
I believe
you also remember that.
You look lovely when you are shy.
Oh
do you still have
the wine?
I miss its taste.
Yes.
I've reserved some.
After you close the case of Oboi
in a few days
I'll bring it to you
for celebration.
Oboi?
I'm getting irritated about his case.
Why would you?
Oboi
did enclosure and arrogates all authority to himself.
He also poisoned you.
All are great guilts.
I think
you should just promulgate his crimes
and kill him.
Done, huh?
Do you think it's cutting a watermelon?
How could it be that easy?
Apart from anything else
when Oboi still
has the antidote to the tonifying pill
I can't kill him.
Yeah.
My brother has been working on
the antidote to the tonifying pill.
But he fails every time.
Whenever
the tonifying pill
breaks out
it hollows me out.
Junior Long, do you have any way
to force Oboi
to turn in the antidote?
There's only one way
to get the antidote.
Meet his demand.
Meet his demand?
Why?
He's a prisoner.
Why can he negotiate with you?
Silly girl.
Oboi worked for three emperors.
He also saved Emperor Taizong.
Mostly importantly
he controls a very important information network.
Those are important spies of the royal court.
They are loyal to Oboi
and under his direct control.
It's easy to kill Oboi.
But then
I'll lose the information network the imperial court
has been working on for years
and become absolutely ignorant.
I'll fail to know
the trends of individuals and organizations
who are against us secretly.
Oh, that's why
he threatens you?
He wants me to
remit all his crimes.
I can discharge him.
But he won't be loyal to me
or give me the antidote
unless he can continue
controlling the information network.
But do you think
he really will be loyal to you?
I don't trust him.
He has bullied me for so many years.
After all the trouble, I have the chance to
rectify the royal court.
If I easily let go of him
and get controlled by him again
I'll feel rather reconciled to that.
Junior Long.
I'm not very clear about
political affairs.
But I think
a true man can take temporary setbacks.
You're the emperor
the truest man in the world.
So, for your country and its people
it doesn't matter when you suffer from injustice sometimes.
Besides
lately Oboi will definitely
contact his spies.
You...
can keep a close eye on him.
You can execute him after you control
the entire information network, can't you?
You're right.
I'm the emperor.
The truest man in the world.
For my country
and my boss Yihuan
I'll meet Oboi's demands.
Junior Long.
I always support you.
I heard you caught a cold
in the rain
when you were seduced by Li Yihuan, right?
Grandma.
Don't mind the rumor.
I was so excited
to see the rare rain
that I rushed into it
for celebration
regardless of anything else.
It doesn't have anything to do with Yihuan.
Besides
I just caught a cold.
I have taken some medicine
and get better.
Yihuan. Yihuan.
So close, huh?
In fact
before Li Yihuan came into the palace
you hadn't been that impulsive.
You seldom lose control of your emotions
for either great hardship
or great joy.
You should know
your health
is the indicator for the royal court.
It's okay when you sneeze
in the imperial harem.
But for the royal court
there'll be great waves.
You're right, Grandma.
I know I was wrong.
I won't
yield myself up ever again.
I hear you're going to remit Oboi
and let him go home?
Yes.
Oboi
worked for three emperors.
Grandma, you must be clear about
his personalities, too.
If we fight recklessly
we both will be hurt.
So, I agree on his demands
and send him back.
As long as he still contacts
his spies
I'll find the chance.
You didn't spare Oboi
for national affairs only, did you?
I heard Li Yihuan
was poisoned by Oboi.
When the antidote hasn't been found yet
Your Majesty, are you anxious about that?
Grandma.
Yihuan was poisoned because of me.
I want to care for both public and private interests. Then.
But please rest assured, Grandma.
I don't dare to be addicted to love affairs.
As for Yihuan
I think she's very lovely
and knows some tricks
that other consorts don't.
Most importantly
she can amuse you.
You like her
and don't use me as your excuse.
You're the emperor.
It's not bad to have some girls
who can make you happy.
But do remember.
There's an old saying that
deep love always hurts.
Your grandfather and father
ignored their country.
Over so many years
whenever I think of it
I feel pitiful and sad
for them.
Don't worry, Grandma.
I know very well that
which one is
more important.
Oboi.
For the sake of your old merits
and for the sake of Yihuan
I'll get you fired and grounded
instead of killing you.
From now on
you can't leave your home
without my permission.
I see, Your Majesty.
I will
give two timely antidotes to Miss Li and Dr. Li every month
to keep them safe.
Though you're still in charge of the information network
you must immediately report to me
in case of any important information.
Don't worry.
To repay your kindness
to defend our nation
and to the repent of
my crimes
I will manage the information network well
and report to you at any time.
Oboi.
You said you had planted spies for
Wu Sangui, Geng Jingzhong, Shang Kexi
and the Anti-Qing Alliance.
What have you got
over so many years?
Your Majesty.
May I have a private talk with you?
Leave us.
Yes.
Your Majesty.
Oboi has admitted his guilt.
But he's very skilled in martial arts.
If he assassinates you all of a sudden
guards outside there don't have enough time to protect you.
Music