[The Princess Royal]
[Adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel,
The Princess Royal on jjwxc.net]
[This is a work of fiction.]
[Episode 31]
I've always wanted to suppress
the northern enemies
to keep our country safe
from constant skirmishes.
Official Pei,
do you have any useful suggestions?
Perhaps
we could hold
a military examination next year.
A military examination?
That's a brilliant idea.
I have always wanted to build
an army that truly belongs
to the royal family.
It's a good idea
to hold a military examination.
After we suppress the northern enemies,
I plan to station an army
of 100,000 men in the South
permanently
to spread our culture
and influence foreign enemies
so that 100 years from now,
the southern lands
will be unified as one.
Your Majesty, your exceptional foresight
will make your plans
come to fruition eventually.
Besides,
the southern lands have been
plagued by floods for years.
Instead of repairing the dam
all the time,
we should build another channel
to divert the water flow.
Unfortunately,
the elite troops, money, and food
in the country
all belong to the noble families.
But the noble families
only care for their self-preservation.
Let alone start wars at the borders,
even if there is a w*r in the capital,
they will only try to negotiate
rather than fight.
Those cowards.
What do you think of what I said?
You are a wise emperor.
I dare not say anything otherwise.
Just speak your mind.
My clan came from a humble background.
We gained our reputation
for your appreciation.
My father has always been
your loyal supporter
and I will follow in his footsteps.
Very well.
Your family
and Cheng's mother's kinsfolk
may have been commoners,
unlike those from the noble families,
but you have a heart of gold.
In the future, I hope you'll continue
assisting me in the state affairs.
Especially Cheng.
He's still young.
You should guide him on his journey
on my behalf to share my burdens,
understood?
I understand.
Mr. Pei.
His Majesty has high expectations for you.
Has His Majesty been
experiencing health issues lately?
His Majesty has been experiencing
temporary blindness in the morning
for the past two days.
We are secretly searching
for famous physicians.
Mr. Pei,
you have to plan ahead.
His Majesty wanted me to remind you
that only the commoners
will truly support you.
I have conveyed His Majesty's message.
I'll take my leave.
Looks like chaos is drawing near.
Mr. Pei, Consort Rou
wants to see you now.
Mr. Pei, a moment, please.
Your Highness.
Mr. Pei, come in, please.
Greetings, Your Highnesses.
This time, we've got ourselves
into huge trouble
for taking down Wang Houwen.
I have something to tell you.
Privately, if possible.
All of you may leave now.
I'll take my leave.
It's a fact that no one would dare
to offend the noble families.
However,
we can't simply do nothing.
After all, His Majesty is watching.
Now that Wang Houwen
has been gotten rid of,
you have taken your stand.
When you release the others afterward,
the noble families would think
that you're doing them a favor.
If you release them from the beginning,
would the noble families still think
that you're showing them grace?
Besides, this is the only way
to create
an opportunity for Prince Su
to recruit talents.
Had I not done all that,
the noble families might have assumed
that you're scared of them.
You spoke my mind.
Mr. Pei,
as the chief examiner
for the metropolitan examination,
I'm sure it won't be hard for you
to put a few names
on the primary list of candidates.
[Yang Xu, Wang Zhao, Wen Tong,
Tian Xiwen, Liu Li, Chen Qing]
Aren't these people
all from noble families?
Why don't they just follow
the Royal Selection route?
Their names are not included
in the noble families' pedigrees.
They're only related to them somehow.
Your Highness,
there are some things
that I'm not sure if I should say.
Pray tell.
What do you want, Your Highness?
It's getting a large amount of money
and live a peaceful life in the palace,
or
making Prince Su
ascend the throne?
Sorry for my abruptness.
But there are limited positions
in the imperial court.
Having more people
from the noble families
means there will be fewer opportunities
for real commoners.
You should know better than I do
who can be of value to Prince Su.
The metropolitan examination
will commence
[Notice of Metropolitan Examination]
on the 10th day of the 10th month
in the 25th year of the Yongning Era.
There will be two categories
of passing candidates.
Those on the Primary List will be
appointed directly in the capital
and those on the Secondary List will be
appointed in regional governments.
That doesn't sound very appealing.
I heard those regional positions
are posts with very little to do.
We'd better study harder.
After all, those on the Primary List
can work directly in the capital.
That depends on whether we can pass.
Yeah.
[Examination Hall]
Your Majesty,
these are the candidates
for the palace examination.
- Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Long live Your Majesty!
- Long live Your Majesty!
You may rise.
- Thank you, Your Majesty.
- Thank you, Your Majesty.
Please set a question
for the candidates, Your Majesty.
How can a ruler ensure
that his officials
are free from corruption,
that his people harbor no greed,
and that every family
can sustain themselves?
How can the ruler maintain the country's
traditions and culture,
create an education system
that is accessible to all,
and build a competitive
agricultural industry?
A good strategist knows
how to win a battle without fighting.
A good general knows
how to quash his enemy's plans
to end a battle
even before it starts.
Discuss the topics above.
I shall read your answers myself.
Out of the seven major noble families
in the capital,
other than the four main ones
who have lasted for nine generations,
I see we have representatives
from the other three noble families.
I'm greatly honored
by your gracious presence.
Your Highness, we're here
to congratulate you in advance
for taking back the Inspectorate Office
from Consort Rou
and being reinstated as the Supervisor
of the Inspectorate Office.
You jest, Mr. Wang.
The Inspectorate Office
is doing fine under the leadership
of Consort Rou and Prince Su.
What do I have to do with this?
We're here today
to discuss with you
how we can help you
regain the Inspectorate Office's
leadership.
Your Highness, if you have any request,
pray tell.
Mr. Zheng, you're a sensible one.
Actually, I know why exactly
you're here today.
Instead of putting it as helping me,
I'd say that you're helping yourselves.
The fall season is ending soon.
The officials that Consort Rou
has dealt with
will all be ex*cuted by then.
You want me to take over
and change the original sentence
so that your family members
won't be ex*cuted,
especially Mr. Wang's.
Let me guess what's on your mind.
Consort Rou is ambitious and bears
a grudge against the noble families.
If no one stops her,
she will become
a threat in the long term.
While she's reforming the system
of the imperial examination today,
in the future, she might be targeting
your military forces, power,
and supplies.
You see everything clearly,
Your Highness.
Right now,
Consort Rou
is under my father's protection,
so if you take action
against Consort Rou,
you would be taking action
against my father.
Yet, you wouldn't want to confront
my father directly,
so you're trying to make me
a puppet of yours
and manipulate me
to start a w*r against my father.
However,
why would I want
to become someone's puppet?
You've misunderstood us, Your Highness.
We're here to assist you,
not to manipulate you.
So, you're willing to follow my orders?
Inform the Prince Consort
that I will ask Chen Houzhao
to enter the capital tonight
to lodge a case
at the Ministry of Justice.
Tell him to order Pei Liming to act.
Make sure Su Rongqing doesn't intercept.
Also,
prepare the testimonies provided
by the candidates which shows
that they were coerced by Consort Rou
to drop their cases.
I want to read them tonight.
You also need to inform Miss Shangguan
to prepare the evidence
showing they used t*rture
to force a confession.
Also, prepare a nice set
of clothes for me.
Tomorrow,
I must look pretty
when I attend the morning audience.
Understood.
[Taiji Hall]
Your Majesty,
Wang Houwen and his accomplices
should be ex*cuted according to the law.
Please decide on a date
for their execution.
I hope you can reconsider
your decision, Your Majesty.
My father was the Minister of Personnel.
We have only listened
to Consort Rou's side of the story.
That's not enough to prove his guilt.
Therefore, I implore you
to postpone the execution.
The execution dates have always been set
by the Bureau of Astronomy.
Since when is this
a topic of discussion in the court?
You've been working here for years.
Don't you know the rules?
You have a point, Mr. Shangguan.
A woman usurps a man's power,
which will destabilize the country.
What are you implying, Mr. Gu?
Your Highness.
I am just fulfilling my duties
as a censor.
You're calling me
a woman usurping a man's power.
Why didn't you say the same thing
when Princess Pingyue was here?
At least, Rong didn't make
that many wrongful convictions.
Why are the officials
unsatisfied with you?
Consort Rou, shouldn't you
do some self-reflection?
You're all ganging up against me!
Your Highness,
you said that I've made
wrongful convictions.
Do you have any evidence?
If not,
then you
I do.
Greetings, Father.
Long live Your Majesty.
I didn't summon you.
What are you doing here?
For myself,
for officials,
and for all scholars of humble roots,
I'd like to seek justice
from Consort Xiao Rou.
I hope you can give us justice, Father.
Pingyue,
you should be
resting in your mansion today.
Father, please summon the plaintiffs.
You know I'm your father,
yet you dare order me around!
Your Majesty,
since the Princess is filing
a complaint against Consort Rou,
as the wise ruler of this country,
you should resolve this case first.
Your Majesty,
please summon the plaintiffs involved
in the case handled by Consort Rou.
Summon them.
Summon them.
- Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Greetings, Your Majesty.
- Long live Your Majesty.
- Long live Your Majesty.
These plaintiffs
have already been found guilty.
Your Highness, you think
someone is framing you?
What about him?
He is?
I am Chen Houzhao,
one of last year's candidates
from Qingcheng, Yuzhou.
It's you.
I tried searching for you,
but you were nowhere to be seen.
Are you here today
under someone's coercion?
Your Highness.
Why would anyone coerce me?
Even if someone
did coerce me into coming here,
I wonder who coerced your cousin,
Xiao Shunwen,
into stealing my exam candidature
in the spring examination.
I couldn't find you
when I was investigating
the imperial examination fraud.
If you truly have grievances,
why didn't you lodge a complaint earlier
instead of coming here today
and making these stories up?
Making stories up?
Do you know how much I've suffered
while studying
for the past dozen years?
Do you know how many clothes
my mother had washed
to earn my tuition?
She even overstrained her eyes
since she worked too hard embroidering.
My family had pinned
all their hopes on me,
yet those scoundrels,
Xiao Shunwen and Xiao Pingzhang,
stole my identity,
my examination script,
and my endeavors
over the past dozen years!
And you're saying
that I'm making stories up?
Mr. Chen, calm down.
I just wanted to confirm the truth.
If you have grievances,
you don't have to yell.
Just tell us what happened.
I will remain impartial
and seek justice for you.
Justice?
The justice you mentioned
was sending your men to search for me
and hunt me down,
hoping that I'd never return alive,
and that this case remains forgotten?
What nonsense is that?
Don't you even know what you've done?
You lied that I died of illness
in the capital
and threatened my mother
with my brother's future
so that she wouldn't come to Huajing
and pursue my case further.
I even have a letter from you
that promised you would arrange
a position for my brother.
Your Highness,
is there anything else you have to say?
Now I know.
Your Majesty,
this is a set-up!
All the evidence they're presenting
is fabricated
just to set me up!
Chen Houzhao went missing
after he lodged his case with Pingyue.
If I really wanted to harm him,
why would I search for him
and argue with
Princess Pingyue over him?
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Why don't you dismiss these people
who are kneeling here first?
- Thank you, Your Majesty.
- Thank you, Your Majesty.
Next up,
I'm going to show you
the next batch of plaintiffs.
The second batch of plaintiffs
are the victims
of the imperial examination fraud case
[Wen Xingzhi, Wen Lunhai, Wen Zhaoke]
that was investigated by you.
You said you made painstaking efforts
to deal with this case
so justice could be served.
Then, Your Highness,
since you've claimed to uphold justice,
why did you threaten
to bar these candidates
from the metropolitan examination
unless they drop their cases?
While those who stole their candidatures
can go unpunished,
all you're doing is just returning
these candidates' rights
that were theirs all along.
Was this what you meant
by upholding justice?
Your Majesty.
Consort Rou abused her authority
in the Inspectorate Office
to demand bribes from our Gu Family.
Here is the ledger that proves it.
Please check it, Your Majesty.
The Zheng Family also has the ledger
proving she demanded bribes from us.
So does the Wang Family.
So does the Lian Family.
So does the Peng Family.
So does the Sun Family.
So does the Chen Family.
So does the Hu Family.
And the Zeng Family as well.
Your Majesty, they're framing me
Your Majesty.
Consort Rou engaged in corrupt practices
and bent the law for personal gain.
She deliberately attempted m*rder
and framed innocent loyal people.
Therefore, I implore you to take
Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,
and punish her according to the law.
Your Majesty, we implore you to take
Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,
and punish her according to the law.
Official Pei.
Official Su.
Why aren't you two kneeling?
Your Majesty, I implore you to take
Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,
and punish her according to the law.
Your Majesty, I implore you to take
Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,
and punish her according to the law.
Very well.
Very well.
You're all trying to pressurize me.
You're all colluding to pressurize me!
Your Majesty.
We are not pressurizing you.
If Consort Rou did not do all that,
no one would do anything to her.
But since Consort Rou did all that,
then she should know
that justice has long arms.
This day had to come sooner or later.
You are the Emperor,
the ruler of this country.
As the people's leader,
you should set an example.
You can't bend the law to your liking.
I understand
that you favor Consort Rou,
but you've put your heart and soul
into the imperial examination.
Are you sure that you,
just to protect her,
want to ruin the justice that hundreds
of upright scholars deserve,
destroy our country's
laws and principles,
and sully your reputation that will be
recorded in historical records?
If you still show favoritism towards her,
how would our Li Family's ancestors
think of you?
How would the officials think of you?
How would the people think of you?
Centuries ahead of now,
how would historical records
describe you?
Your Majesty,
as your child and your official,
I do not wish to see
your reputation tainted.
Therefore, I ask you
to enforce the law impartially
by taking her into custody
and investigating her thoroughly.
Your Majesty.
Someone!
Your Majesty.
You don't trust me?
Throw Consort Rou into prison.
The Ministry of Justice
will take over this case.
Your Majesty.
Princess Pingyue had worked tirelessly
to establish
the Inspectorate Office,
yet she was then
maligned by Consort Rou,
saying that she k*lled Chen Houzhao.
However, it is clear
that Chen Houzhao is not dead,
which proves the Princess is innocent.
Therefore, I request
that Princess Pingyue be reinstated
so she can investigate
Consort Rou's case.
Does everyone else here
hold the same opinion?
- We do!
- We do!
Fine.
I have a fine daughter.
A fine one, indeed.
I did not misjudge you, after all.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Since all of you
have already come to this agreement,
why am I even here?
Before Consort Rou was sent to prison,
I want to meet her
at the Imperial Study.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Court dismissed!
- Take care, Your Majesty.
- Take care, Your Majesty.
Someone.
Take the suspect, Xiao Rou, away.
Don't touch me.
I can walk myself.
It's not too late
to give up now.
Thank you for your kind reminder.
I appreciate it.
[Taiji Hall]
Rong.
I've always been by your side.
I thought
you would assume that I'm happy.
Then are you happy?
What's there to be happy
about all this in-fighting?
Perhaps
the past me would feel happy.
But after going through so much,
I no longer feel any joy
in bringing down someone
like Consort Rou.
The only thing that would elicit joy
is when no one like her exists anymore.
No one is nobler than anyone else.
I was just born
into a nobler family than she was.
You are kind enough
to feel pity for her.
In this world,
there are lots of victims and sufferers.
However, there are only
a few evil-doers.
If everyone
uses their tragic backgrounds
to justify their wrongdoings,
then there is nothing
to restrain evil anymore.
Your Highness.
Detesting evil
is the only way to celebrate kindness.
Am I kind, though?
You can be kind.
Be someone who slays evil.
Actually
I've been thinking of something.
Be it the noble families or commoners,
why do we separate them
into different classes?
If there comes a day
when we no longer talk
about noble families and commoners,
and everyone gets to be treated
the same way,
that can be called
true fairness.
That's an immense act of kindness.
If it is an immense act of kindness
then we have to stay on this path.
Rong, I'm glad
that you're truly on my side this time.
Your Majesty, Consort Rou is here.
Your Majesty.
I knew
you wouldn't abandon me.
Your Majesty.
You useless woman!
I plotted so hard
to wrestle the authority
of the Inspectorate Office for you
and I kept reminding you
that other than the certain
noble families I told you,
you were to do nothing to anyone else.
Look what you've done.
Just for a few chests of silver taels,
you've ruined half my life's work!
I
You've dug your own grave!
I was framed.
I was set up.
Pei Wenxuan
Enough!
Even if what you said were true,
who would believe you?
If you had at least half
of Shangguan Yue's composure,
Cheng would have been
the Crown Prince by now!
Your Majesty.
I'm too foolish. I'm wrong.
Don't be angry with me, please.
Take care of your health, Your Majesty.
I only have you left.
But I
only have myself left.
The only thing you can do now
is to find a suitable time
to write a letter.
You can say
that the Crown Prince framed you
and that you would prove
your innocence by death.
When you die,
all this will come to an end.
This is the only way
to keep Cheng's reputation untainted.
Your Majesty!
Don't blame me.
Given how things are now,
I can no longer help you.
Your Majesty.
You're the Emperor
and you can't help me?
You can't even protect your woman?
In the end, it's all because
of your cowardice and incompetence!
You're scared of the noble families.
You're scared
that they would overthrow you anytime,
- and that you have to do
- Silence!
I will show you some mercy
on the account
that you're Cheng's mother,
so stop spouting nonsense!
Am I spouting nonsense?
All I did was expose your weakness.
I'm going to die anyway,
so what else can you do to me?
Say that again, and I will
remove Cheng's title as a prince!
Go ahead!
If you want to free your family
from the Shangguans' clutches,
Cheng is your only choice.
You won't have another son anyway!
What did you say?
After I gave birth to Cheng,
you've never had any children.
Haven't you thought about why?
What did you do to me?
The soothing soup you drink every day
is made by me.
I'm going to k*ll you,
you evil woman!
You can't bear to do it?
You can't bear to k*ll me?
Li Ming, why are you such a coward?
You're neither kind
nor ruthless enough.
You fail to be a benevolent ruler.
You fail to be a filial son.
You fail to be a loving father.
You fail to be a worthy husband!
You're a selfish man, after all,
yet you were born with some conscience.
You could have enjoyed your life
as a cowardly emperor,
and the Shangguan Family could
ensure you're well taken care of.
Yet, you are unwilling to do so.
Now you're halfway through your life,
but what have you achieved?
You're left with nothing,
not even a real family!
Even I find you pathetic!
Li Ming.
Wait till you reach the end
and die alone.
Your Majesty.
Consort Rou has been sent to prison.
Should I summon
the imperial physician here?
Fulai.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I remember that when I first met you
you were only 11 years old, right?
Your Majesty,
I had just turned 11 back then.
Have we
all grown old?
Your Majesty.
I have been serving you
for almost 40 years.
Ever since I was ten years old,
I swore I would be a good emperor.
I worked diligently for decades,
but now
everything seems
to be back to square one.
I am all alone.
I finally understand
why people
call an emperor a loner.
Many years ago,
I was pretty happy
when I sent people
to build Beiyan Pagoda.
Come on.
Summon Consort Rou's nephew, Xiao Wen.
I need to talk to him.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Consort Rou has fallen.
It's time to clean house.
Mother!
Huayue.
Why are you here?
Are you doing well?
I didn't implicate you, did I?
As soon as I heard
that you were in trouble,
I sent someone to ask
my third uncle for help.
He used his connections
and finally managed to get me in.
What about Cheng?
He's doing fine.
He's in the mansion now.
Mother, what should we do now?
We fell deep
into the enemy's trap this time.
Remember,
in the future, trust no one else
other than our own family.
Do not ever use Cui Yulang again.
Mother, what should I do?
What can I do to save you?
I'll get married.
I'll marry someone powerful
Huayue.
Stop having such impractical thoughts.
Stop thinking about how you can save me.
I'm afraid I can't escape death
this time.
What you should do now
is take care of yourself and Cheng.
There are two paths
that you can choose.
The first path is
don't come to visit me
in prison anymore.
Sever all ties with me.
Beg your father
to allow you and Cheng to move to stay
with your uncle,
stay away from the royal family,
and lead a peaceful life.
No, I don't want this path.
The second path is
You need to take a gamble
and risk everything you have.
It will be very difficult, though.
Mother, just tell me what to do.
k*ll Li Chuan.
Better yet,
k*ll Li Rong as well.
That would make Cheng
the only remaining prince
and your father would protect
you and Cheng from any harm.
When Cheng ascends the throne,
you will become the Princess Royal.
Take this token.
Go to your uncle.
He can mobilize troops.
Huayue.
No matter which path you choose,
I will write a confession
to take all the blame
so that you and Cheng will remain safe.
Huayue.
There's nothing else
I can do to help you.
You will have to rely on yourself
in the future.
[Xiao's Mansion]
Don't panic.
Don't panic.
I can't let people laugh at me.
Don't panic.
I can't let other people think
that without my mother,
I'm totally vulnerable.
Uncle!
Uncle, it's me, Huayue!
Calm down.
Did your mother leave any messages?
[Rou]
Mother handed this token to me.
She told me to k*ll Li Chuan
at the soonest.
♪ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♪
♪ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♪
♪ In the night's chill breeze ♪
♪ What is she singing for? ♪
♪ The wind caresses the hills ♪
♪ The wind causes ripples on calm water ♪
♪ Moonlight graces passing souls ♪
♪ Her steps get slower and slower ♪
♪ She's trod a lengthy path ♪
♪ Memories lost then found ♪
♪ Gazing idly as clouds roll by ♪
♪ She holds a red candle ♪
♪ To brave the thick fog ♪
♪ Life can be bitter sometimes ♪
♪ Experience it with grace ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Neither warmth nor cold will last ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ The moon is reflected in her eyes ♪
♪ In her gaze,
the unwavering faith remains ♪
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