EPISODE 9
I was worried it had something to do with an important issue.
That's why I forced myself to have drinks with him.
It's fine that you wrongfully accuse me,
but if this affects your future,
things are going to get ugly.
So Headmaster Xin,
did you discover anything?
I'm glad I drank with him.
Prince of Zhao boasted
that he held the evidence related to the remnant of Dacheng Empire.
And that he will soon report to His Majesty in private.
This would put you at a great disadvantage.
Do you know what the evidence is? Where did he hide it?
He didn't tell me that. We are not that close.
His Highness is an intelligent man.
Since it is so important,
he must carry it with him at all times.
YUHUA
This is too strange.
Your Royal Highness,
how did Prince of Zhao get his hand on this?
First, a Bloody Pagoda member assassinated a Royal Guard.
Immediately afterward,
the news of the remnant started to circulate in Yanzhou.
We always thought
that they were just rumors spread by people with a malicious agenda.
But now,
someone tried to assassinate Prince of Chu
and also Your Royal Highness.
Could this letter be true?
-The remnant of Dacheng Empire-- -Uncle.
The remnant fell off the cliff and died after I shot him.
So what are you talking about?
The infant in Gu Heng's arms was the remnant of Dacheng Empire.
Uncle, do you disagree with this?
Your Royal Highness, you are right. I was confused.
In that case,
why don't we get rid of Qiu Mingying without anyone knowing?
We can put an end to this matter.
His Majesty doesn't know about it,
but the little brat has already heard the news.
Your Royal Highness, are you talking about Ning Yi?
He probably doesn't know the content of this letter yet.
He has only found out
that Qiu Mingying is the widow of Gu Heng.
He couldn't find that woman.
Therefore, he came to me
to ask for my advice on how to tell His Majesty.
What a handful. That brat.
If we had captured Qiu Mingying and both of her children that night,
I could've brought their bodies to His Majesty
and ended the hopes of those malicious people.
Unfortunately, one of them escaped.
It's a tricky situation.
As of now,
I...
I can't think of a countermeasure.
Has anything happened?
Nothing has happened.
Why do we need a countermeasure?
Your Highness, are you done playing here?
I am only a small, unimportant ant,
but I have my own family and life.
I will not play up to powerful men, and I will not sit by idly either.
Your Highness, can't you be the bigger person?
Stop messing around with me.
I called you stupid.
I was right.
Look at you.
Do I look like I am in the mood to mess around with you?
If I wanted to play, I would've gone to House of Lanxiang.
Your Highness, if you are not interested in me,
then why are you holding me captive?
I am only an eyesore to you.
We should stay out of each other's business.
Thank you for rescuing me.
Please allow me to return the favor.
Do you want to save your mother and brother?
Of course.
Your Highness, do you...
Do you have a plan?
Of course, I have a plan.
But the thing is,
you must disappear.
Will you be able to do that?
-Disappear? -Yes.
I will comply with Your Highness' order
as long as you can save my mother and brother.
Really?
-Really? -Yes.
All right, then.
Your Highness, Colonel Qiu would like to invite you to his residence.
For what?
He said that his sister and nephew have returned home.
They have?
-Is that true? -Tell him
that I will be right there.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness, I would like to go too.
Get your hands off me.
You don't behave like a girl at all.
Didn't you agree to disappear?
Don't just stand there.
Just disappear.
QIU RESIDENCE
-Your Highness. -Please rise.
Let's cut to the chase.
Madam, I believe you know the reason
why I am at your residence today.
Yes, I do.
But there is someone in this room who doesn't understand.
And I hope that he will never understand.
What do you mean?
How will you make sure he doesn't?
If Your Highness hadn't come here today,
I would have already forgotten about it.
How could he learn about things that I have already forgotten?
Mother, what are you talking about?
Enough.
You will be able to see them when they come out.
Don't forget what you've promised His Highness.
Come here.
Do you know a thing or two about your sister?
I hear you two are twins.
You and your sister
do look quite alike.
Where is she now?
Why didn't she come and pay her respect to me, Madam?
We don't know where my niece is.
It will be difficult to arrest her right away.
Mother.
I have no idea
-where my sister is right now. -You don't?
What did my brother do?
Is His Highness talking nonsense again?
It is not nonsense. Haven't you been listening?
Even if you stare at me, I still don't know.
Your Highness, our family has been through a lot.
Feng Hao has always been close to his sister.
He didn't mean to be impudent.
Please forgive him.
Be at ease.
Having an unfilial daughter is a disgrace to our family.
I have already severed all ties with her.
Even if she were standing in front of me now,
I would only feel humiliation.
I have no love for my daughter anymore.
How dare you?
Ning Cheng.
Your Highness.
This lad lacks a sense of propriety.
Drag him out and spank him 20 times.
Yes, Your Highness.
Mother, how could you say that about Zhiwei?
-It was-- -It was her!
She has been disrespectful and impudent since she was young.
A while ago, she had the nerve
to kill Madam Yuhua
simply because they had a quarrel.
She dragged Feng Hao and me into it. We were imprisoned for no reason.
That's why Your Highness wasn't able to find us.
Luckily, Chief Gu was wise and observant.
He cleared my name and Feng Hao's.
Not only did that unfilial girl
commit an unlawful act by murdering someone,
she also selfishly abandoned her family to flee on her own.
I gave birth to a sinful and immoral daughter.
I should have redeemed myself by committing suicide.
Unfortunately,
Feng Hao, my only son who carries the family name,
is still a minor.
In order to protect him,
I have to sever my ties with her.
From now on,
Feng Zhiwei is no longer my daughter.
Mother, how could you say that? How could you do this to her?
You are insane! You have all gone mad!
Mother is right.
Feng Hao is the one who carries the family name.
Feng Zhiwei, where are you going?
I, Wei Zhi,
have acted inappropriately today.
I will accept the punishment when we go back.
What a family misfortune.
Your Royal Highness,
Prince of Chu has gone to Qiu Residence
and met Qiu Mingying and her son.
Okay.
Your Royal Highness,
I have also planted my people there.
The minute Feng Zhiwei shows up at Qiu Residence,
the three of them will be reunited
on the road to hell.
Great.
-You may be dismissed. -Thank you, Your Royal Highness.
Your Royal Highness, please have mercy.
Your Royal Highness, please forgive me.
Your Royal Highness, please have mercy.
I can't hear you!
Louder!
Do you regret it?
No, I don't.
You say, "No," with your lips,
but your heart must be in pain.
I have experienced many times
the pain of being abandoned by family.
Your Highness.
How are you able to remain so calm?
He who conquers others is strong.
He who conquers himself is mighty.
Do you have any other wishes?
I only wish
that one day, no one will be able to bully me.
And that one day,
I can fly like a bird across the sky.
You have nowhere to go now.
Stay here.
And I promise
I will make your wishes come true.
You will regain your freedom.
Thank you.
But there is one thing in life that I will never do.
What is it?
I will never be someone's servant.
The world is big.
There will definitely be a place for me.
Farewell, Your Highness.
Young lad.
I think you are drunk.
What is your name?
Where do you live?
Should I take you home?
My name is Wei Zhi.
I don't have a home.
You don't? Where are your parents?
I have no parents.
No...
Everyone in this world has parents.
It's weird to hear that you have no parents.
That's right.
I said I have no parents, and you heard it.
You must pay.
I don't have money.
No money?
How dare you come here and drink without money?
Tell me. Where do you live? Ask your family to come here and pay me.
No one will send money over.
I, Wei Zhi, have no family.
I am all alone in this world.
How free am I?
How could you laugh?
Pay up!
Give me the money!
She is really pitiful.
Ning Cheng.
How could you let her get so drunk?
Zhu Yin.
That little raccoon is too stubborn, I...
Your Highness, I was incompetent.
I failed to keep an eye on her.
I am really worried about her.
You may be dismissed.
Your Highness, are you worried about a woman?
Or are you worried about a pawn?
A pawn.
An excellent pawn.
This pawn is quite a nuisance now.
Besides, we'll find out soon
whether it was a smart move or a bad move.
All right. Don't worry about the future now.
If she is a pawn,
why don't I watch over her for you two?
How does that sound?
Thank you for your help, Zhu Yin.
I asked you to come over today because I have old news for you.
Old news?
A few days ago,
Your Highness and Headmaster Xin mentioned
that the Crown Prince may have been supporting Bloody Pagoda.
Do you remember that?
Of course.
Perhaps that's why my father and the third prince was framed
and was killed unjustly.
ROYAL GUARDS
You are all dismissed.
-Yes, my lord. -Yes, my lord.
From now on,
I, Gu Yan, will serve Your Highness with my all heart
until the day I die.
As a matter of fact,
I have a favor to ask of you today.
Please give me your command.
Since Dacheng Empire fell,
how many killings have been committed
in the name of Bloody Pagoda?
I remember when my father was murdered.
I was still a naive child.
The adults didn't mind talking in my presence.
If I recall correctly,
right before the third prince and my father died,
they were investigating an assassination of an important official by Bloody Pagoda.
Your Highness.
These are the files related to the assassinations committed
by Bloody Pagoda in our empire.
This murder took place in the ninth year of Changxi.
The Chief Advisor, Hua Wenlian, whom His Majesty favored at that time,
was murdered by Bloody Pagoda at his residence.
His Majesty was infuriated and ordered the third prince to investigate this case.
However, it remained unsolved.
Your Highness.
If you are hoping to find leads to Bloody Pagoda
in these old files,
I am afraid you will be disappointed.
Bloody Pagoda always appears out of the blue
and vanishes into thin air after committing the murder.
They leave no traces behind.
The ninth year of Changxi.
His Majesty didn't permit me to attend the Court.
Therefore, I don't know anything about this Chief Advisor, Hua Wenlian.
Chief Gu, did you know him personally back then?
Your Highness.
I served the Crown Prince in the past.
Chief Advisor Hua Wenlian didn't get along with the Crown Prince.
Therefore, we weren't friends in private.
Look at the names of the people
who were assassinated
by Bloody Pagoda in these files.
Did you know any of them personally?
No, I didn't know any of them.
Well...
Chief Gu, did looking through the names
trigger something?
I understand now.
Other people wouldn't have noticed this.
Since Tiansheng Empire was established 18 years ago,
and I have been serving the Crown Prince,
I am the only one who can tell.
The people on these files who were assassinated by Bloody Pagoda
were either important officials or small officers.
Some were even merchants.
But all of them
were the Crown Prince's stumbling blocks.
When my third brother was investigating the case,
did he go through these files too?
Yes, he did.
Therefore,
the third prince probably found out during his investigation
that the Crown Prince had been using Bloody Pagoda
to eliminate his political opponents.
The reason the Crown Prince fabricated the infamous witchcraft case
was to frame the third prince and everyone who knew about it,
so that he could kill them and cover up his crime.
My third brother definitely knew
why he was framed,
and he was aware
that everyone who knew would be killed too.
Therefore, although he was going to die,
he tried to protect me by keeping me in the dark.
Your Highness.
Everything is destined.
After I was released,
in order to avoid trouble,
Ning Sheng designed the murder of the Royal Guard by Bloody Pagoda.
Now everything is stirred up again.
I am following in my third brother's footsteps.
But this time,
the person who is going to die will not be me,
but Ning Sheng.
That's enough. Put it down.
Wei Zhi, you can go home now.
I told you, I don't have a home.
Your family came to look for you and cleared your tab.
Mother?
Mother.
You have suffered a great deal.
Come home with me.
Zhu Yin.
It would be great if you were my real sister.
Unfortunately, I have no family or relatives.
I don't have such privilege.
Are you Zhu Yin?
She looks exactly like her.
She is the replicate of Lan Yin.
Your mother was as blind as an owl.
She married a man who committed treason with the third prince.
What a pity.
That's right.
You ended up being a courtesan.
If she knew her fate, she should have just been with me.
Wait a minute.
Sirs.
Would you like to taste our signature dish?
-Stop there! -Stand still!
-Hurry! -Don't move!
-Stop running! -Where did this maniac come from?
Don't you run from me!
Don't you run away!
In your opinion,
we shouldn't question anything Ning Yan does.
I feel that this matter is too strange.
What is strange about it?
It was there with him. We caught him holding the evidence.
That is what I find strange.
How did you know he was carrying it with him?
And you found it right away when you sent someone to look for it.
You came just in time.
Headmaster Xin, you came at the right time.
-Your Royal Highness. -You may rise.
-Duke Chang. -Headmaster Xin.
Headmaster Xin, you started this matter.
Please explain Ning Yan's ambition to Duke Chang.
Zhu Yin.
It looks nice on you.
When I was young,
my mother loved seeing me in pretty clothes.
Zhu Yin.
We are all struggling in this world. Everyone has secret sorrows.
If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask you.
It's fine.
The men earlier were talking
about my parents.
Were they talking about the rebellion stirred up by the third prince?
Was your father involved in the infamous witchcraft case
that happened eight years ago?
That's right.
Ten or more known officials' lives
were sacrificed for one man's self-interest.
And hundreds of people
had their lives changed,
like me.
Like my mother, an innocent woman who had a tragic fate.
"The bones of the soldiers lay uncollected by a river.
The widows still dream of their return."
The officialdom is a tricky world.
It is no different from fighting in a war.
I am only a woman.
I don't have the strength to fight on a battlefield.
But I am going to use my own methods
to deal with the officialdom,
and avenge my father,
my mother,
and all the innocent women like me.
I will seek justice for them.
Headmaster Xin, did he tell you personally
that he held a piece of evidence that was unfavorable to the Crown Prince?
No.
Prince of Zhao, he...
What did you mean, Duke Chang?
You made it sound as if I was plotting against His Royal Highness.
Even if I am not currently in His Majesty's good books,
I don't deserve such humiliation.
Hey, Headmaster Xin!
Headmaster Xin, please stay.
I have known you for years. Of course, I trust you.
I believe that Duke Chang had no such intention.
Although Prince of Zhao is impetuous, he is not stupid.
How could he make such a rebellious statement?
How ridiculous.
Besides, no one in this palace is straightforward.
You have to read between the lines.
If you insist on asking, I can only answer you this way.
It was my conjecture.
I had no evidence.
Prince of Zhao didn't tell me that.
Duke Chang, please go ahead and arrest me for fabricating rumors.
Headmaster Xin, please don't get mad. It was just a random question.
Please forgive me.
You are too kind to me.
I don't deserve it.
-I don't deserve-- -Enough, Headmaster Xin.
We are a family.
Come on. Take a seat.
-Please sit, Duke Chang. -Take a seat, Headmaster Xin.
If I guess correctly,
Your Royal Highness summoned me so urgently
because you want me to think of a plan to take down Prince of Zhao,
but Duke Chang is hesitant about it.
He feels there is something fishy about this,
that someone is trying to drive a wedge between you two. Am I right?
You really are the reincarnation of Zhuge.
You got everything right.
Thank you for your compliment.
Have you come up with a countermeasure?
We couldn’t think of a good plan, which is why I summoned you.
Let’s discuss it together.
Duke Chang, do you have any good ideas?
Headmaster Xin, just say it.
I have a perfect plan.
Let us hear it.
Do you still remember
the witchcraft case that happened eight years ago?
My third brother
had lost his mind.
He fell for those evil things and grew a rebellious heart.
It was pathetic and sad.
Your Royal Highness.
If Prince of Zhao has developed a rebellious heart,
will he also fall for these evil things?
Is this your perfect plan?
This plan can clear Duke Chang’s suspicion
and relieve Your Royal Highness of your worries.
Look.
If Prince of Zhao is still loyal, he won’t fall for it.
It will simply be entertainment for him.
If Prince of Zhao has picked up bad behaviors
and decided to plot against you,
then you can either be the bigger person and keep Prince of Zhao around,
keeping him at your disposal.
Otherwise, you can inform His Majesty
and present the evidence to get rid of him.
Great idea.
Let's recreate the witchcraft case.
Your Royal Highness.
How could you make up a treason like that?
Headmaster Xin, that's absurd.
Your Royal Highness, maintain your sanity.
Uncle, you are a man of principle.
But Headmaster Xin and I only want to test him.
If he doesn’t take the bait,
it will clear my doubt.
If he takes the bait,
it is proof that he is disloyal. It is not entrapment.
Your Royal Highness.
Please allow me to flaunt my seniority for once.
I watched you and the other princes grow up together.
Ning Yan is neither brave nor intelligent.
His mother had a low social status.
His Majesty has never loved him.
He lacks the ability and the powerful connections to plot against you.
I believe that Prince of Zhao is loyal to you.
If you carry out this plan
and malicious people take advantage of it,
you might actually force Prince of Zhao to turn against you.
Duke Chang, you have got a point.
If that ill-intentioned person does actually exist,
he must be brave, intelligent, competent,
and have powerful connections.
That's right.
He must have powerful connections.
Uncle, let me ask you this.
If I lose the title of the Crown Prince,
who can replace me?
Who will my family and yours support?
Your Royal Highness, if this is really what you think,
you have fallen into the enemy's trap.
Prince of Zhao and Prince of Yan
have been loyal to you for years.
Ning Yi is quite something.
It has only been six months since he left Zongzheng Temple,
and yet, he has coaxed you into breaking your own arms.
Duke Chang.
If there are maggots and pus on both your right and left arms,
you have to cut them off quickly before your body gets affected.
If you don’t decide now, it will be too late to regret it later.
Headmaster Xin.
You are right.
I am young and rash.
I can easily fall for tricks like this.
I am lucky to have you by my side
to remind me all the time.
That’s right.
Everything started from the moment
Ning Yi came back to the palace.
He hates me to the bone.
-Your Royal Highness, Prince of Chu-- -Headmaster Xin.
Don’t bring up the witchcraft plan again.
Don’t bring it up again.
I will comply.
Jiaojiao, Yunyun.
-Take good care of the guest. -Headmaster Xin is here.
Is something troubling you?
You are in House of Lanxiang, yet you seem upset.
Something serious must be bothering you.
The two of you are the most intelligent and understanding girls in this house.
You could tell right away.
There is indeed something troubling me.
Go and get me a knife.
Cut my hair off.
Cut my trouble away.
Hold it there, young lady.
Yes, you.
I am going to cheer up very soon.
There is a new girl here.
Why didn’t you introduce her to me?
Headmaster Xin, she is not a new girl.
Whether she is a new girl or not,
I will have to take a look at her
to decide.
Come here.
I have been here for a while.
I can no longer be considered new.
You are...
-Headmaster Xin. -Headmaster Xin.
Are you the headmaster of Qingming Academy, Xin Ziyan?
You are playing hard to get.
I am going to toss and turn all night.
That’s right. That is my name, Xin Ziyan.
I am Headmaster Xin.
You are quite knowledgeable.
You are a scholar.
How could you act so impudent?
Being in House of Lanxiang doesn’t give you the right
to forget your manners and treat girls impudently.
Confucius says,
"Men and women have strong desires.
The desire for food..."
-"And sex is nature." -"And sex is nature."
It is a saying by Confucius. There is nothing impudent about it.
Ask the girls.
Have I ever lost my manners and acted out of line?
I am afraid
that wildflowers
aren’t worthy of my love.
Wildflowers and peonies in the garden are attractive in their own way.
Attractive?
Headmaster Xin, how could you be so narrow-minded?
-Narrow-minded? -You have read many books.
How could you not know the wonder of nature?
The wonder of nature?
Your reputation surely precedes you.
Hold on.
You have quite a sharp tongue.
You called me narrow-minded.
All right. I will be straightforward with you today.
There are only a few things in the world that I favor greatly.
Even if I named them, you wouldn't know what they were.
Wouldn't that be pointless?
Go ahead and tell me.
Maybe I happen to have the thing that Headmaster Xin treasures.
How arrogant you are.
All right.
Come with me.
Okay.
Come.
-Headmaster Xin. -Headmaster Xin.
All right.
I will tell you the thing that I like then.
If you could bring that to me today,
I will bow and apologize
for being impudent to you.
What if you fail?
I will accept whatever you do to me.
Did you hear that?
You all heard it.
All right then.
Listen up.
Of all the things in the world, the thing that I favor the most
is made of heavenly water in between.
It blooms in all seasons.
It is dirty, but is also a clear treasure.
It is soft, but also hard.
Everyone cherishes it.
Young lady.
Could you show it to me?
Subtitle translation by Judy Lu