02x09 - Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

Grand Madam.

Do you have something urgent you wished to meet me in the alchemy room?

Guru. The Empress Dowager is investigating

the make-up kit that was given to the Meng Mansion. Did you know about this?

Since you know, of course, I'm aware too.

You are not anxious at all?

Grand Madam.

I'm leaving.

Why should I be anxious?

Did you not say that the box you swapped

was a box you bribed the craftsman to make?

So what?

Aren't you afraid that craftsman would be recruited?

It has been seven years

died seven years ago.

Grand Madam, don't worry. The Empress won't be able to find out anything.

Pay attention and keep it clean.

Okay, leave now.

Come, all the carriages that go in and out from here,

you must inspect them carefully.

The braizers

in First Master's teahouse must be doubled.

Yes.

Also,

have you ordered

the fruits and vegetables from the south?

First Master, what instructions do you have for me?

Housekeeper Zhou came with mother when she married into this family.

He has been with us for many years. Now that he's getting in age,

just let him focus on taking care of father.

There are many chores in this mansion. From now on,

I will leave my Eastern courtyard in your care.

It can be considered as sharing the load with Housekeeper Zhou.

Alright.

Good!

Good!

Great!

Grand Madam.

The four branches are complete.

There is conflict and rage. The murderous intent is strong.

Grand Madam, this is not a Four Pillars of Destiny's horoscope of an ordinary person.

This person is in high position.

He has gathered too much k*lling karma.

It is already time for him to fall from the pinnacle of power.

I can pray for Baishen to put a curse on him

to realize what's on your mind.

It's just that there is a a balance between heaven and earth.

For any grudges, they will have counter reactions.

I wonder if you dare to face the consequences.

Miss, have your meal.

Okay.

Sister Yun, help me to replace these with wild mugwort firewood.

Double the amount. The cold spirit inside Heir's Consort must be washed off by very high heat.

Yes.

Is the Second Son of Chang Lin very busy?

He hasn't been here for the past two days.

Sister Yun. If you are not busy, could you help me with acupuncture?

Miss.

Wait, Miss.

Miss, would you like to take a break?

No need. This acupuncture technique is complicating.

Not only the needle must be fast, there must not be any mistakes too.

I must practise till I'm familiar with it.

With such strong winds

on a chilly night like this, it's likely there'll be a snowfall.

It's unfortunate that Pingjing is outside in this weather.

He calls himself as a member of the pugilist world, and often wanders around alone.

It's just some unpleasant weather. There's no need to worry.

Looking at you, it seems like you have some secret to tell me.

I've heard that the envoys from the Kingdom of Donghai

will be arriving at the Capital after the new year.

Donghai has always had diplomatic relations with Liang.

The w*r with Northern Yan hasn't begun,

so it's normal for them to send ambassadors over.

Even I've heard the news. Surely you would know as well.

They're saying that Northern Yan is sending a princess over for marriage. Am I right?

Diplomatic marriages between countries have existed for a long time. It isn't the first time

that our dynasty has secured alliances through marriages with noble ladies from other countries.

Why are you so interested this time round?

Stop pretending you don't know what I mean.

I'm wounded! I have a wound!

Are you okay?

You first.

You're right.

Imperial father has always told Pingjing to remember the old promise and wait for his betrothed,

but his Majesty has always thought otherwise.

These couple of years, his Majesty has always wanted Pingjing to marry.

Regardless of what happens though, Northern Yan has nothing to do with his marriage.

However, I heard that...

You've been paying a lot of attention to rumours these couple of years.

His Majesty may not even agree to Northern Yan's conditions.

Even if he does, a political marriage between two countries is not a simple matter.

Everyone knows what type of person Pingjing is. Even though the orders of an emperor and a father take precedence,

in reality, he always does things according to his own will.

He can't always do as he pleases.

No matter what, we should still keep an eye out for him.

You are right. When the mother has passed away, the sister-in-law is most important.

Regardless of who the bride-to-be is, she must pass your test first.

I actually have my eye on a girl already.

However, there's the childhood promise, and imperial father hasn't said anything either.

I don't dare to mention it.

Now that Northern Yan is bringing over a princess,

I'm feeling very anxious. That's why...

Rest assured. Even if the princess is here for a diplomatic marriage,

she won't be engaged to Pingjing.

Not Pingjing?

Who else?

You definitely know. His Majesty shares his thoughts with imperial father,

and imperial father will mention it to you. Don't keep me guessing.

Why do you care? As long as it's not me,

then the issue has nothing to do with you.

You've thought about marrying Northern Yan's princess?

You have to defeat me first!

Aren't you wounded?

Stop it!

You're still waiting for me in this weather. I've inconvenienced you.

I'm not waiting for you.

Then who are you waiting for?

The final piece of herbal medicine.

Whoa!

Whoa.

Young Miss, don't worry about the quality. Old Master made this himself.

Thank you.

Giddy up! Go!

Is everything ready?

Did you find the plant?

I picked this much. Is it enough?

Thank you.

Lin Xi.

I'll go home and prepare.

It should be ready after the new year.

Okay.

Thank you, young miss.

Pingjing.

Have a peaceful new year.

Mother, wait for me.

Sister-in-law, have a safe journey home. Goodbye.

We'll be leaving now.

Chang Lin Manor

Older brother.

Let's wait for imperial father here.

I know exactly what father and his Majesty are thinking.

But for so many years, I have never asked you.

What are your thoughts on this arranged marriage?

What thoughts can I have?

I've known about the promiset for as long as I can remember. Mother has always told me

that there is a girl who means something special to me.

I have to protect and take care of her.

I have no choice.

Fine. I'm give my honest opinion.

Imperial father's promise is my responsibility.

So, I've thought about this matter many times.

Where she is,

how she looks, and what type of person she is.

I never hoped to be together with her.

Yet I sincerely hope that she can be safe and sound

for her entire life.

You make it sound like we'll never be able to find her.

Isn't that obvious? Imperial father may intend to keep the promise,

but even if the girl is standing in front of me right now, we won't be able to recognise her.

Your Highness.

Imperial brother, it must have been exhausting preparing for all the rituals and ceremonies.

- You must drink to heart's content tonight.
- I will.

Don't worry if you get drunk, I'll get my men to send you back in a palanquin.

Your Majesty, that doesn't seem possible, given your tolerance for liquor.

I'm not that old.

Here, imperial brother.

Yuanshi.

Have you wished your imperial uncle a happy New Year?

I cannot accept the greeting.

The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne.

I cannot accept his greetings.

This is a family gathering. We will only adhere to the formalities between young and old.

Don't be so reserved. Give your greetings.

If you must greet, then a bow will suffice.

Imperial uncle, wishing you happiness and longevity.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Do you like imperial uncle's present?

I do. I like it a lot.

However, mother said I can't ride such a big horse because I'm not tall enough.

So, I can only look at it.

Her Majesty is correct. If Your Highness grows just a bit taller,

you will be able to ride fierce horses and bend large bows. When that time comes,

you'll just need to tell me what you want. Imperial uncle will have everything prepared.

What's up? You don't like the food?

It's normal for the food to be tasteless during big banquets like this.

My sister-in-law baked these. Try one.

After watching you eat them, I feel like tasting them as well.

Imperial father, may you have a peaceful and prosperous new year.

You may rise.

Thank you, imperial father.

Xue'er. Help Pingzhang up.

Yes.

Imperial father, may you have a peaceful and prosperous new year.

You may rise.

Thank you, imperial father.

Alright. It's almost the zi double hour [11pm - 1am], so I guess we've welcomed in the new year.

There was a lot of socialising during the banquet, and Pingzhang doesn't look like he's fully recovered either.

Xue'er, you may go back first and prepare some snacks.

I'll let him go once we've finished offering incense to our ancestors.

Yes.

You two both know that this no name tablet

was created and venerated by the past emperor.

He gave it to our House of Chang Lin to be worshiped.

Although we pay respect to it every year, I only mentioned the profound meaning behind it once

during the time that Pingzhang was made the heir.

Do you two still remember it?

How could we dare to easily forget the teachings of father?

There are numerous heroic spirits in the world but not all had their names remembered by the young generations.

Although this tablet has no names, the affection is in one's heart.

Any person that one wants to give offering to,

it may be a teacher or an elder,

an old friend,

or souls of Great Liang soldiers that have died in vain,

you can pray for them in front of this tablet.

To put at ease one's anxieties. To remember a long affection.

You said it right.

You two go and offer the wine.

Yes.

Lin Xi! Lin Xi!

These are new year's gifts from sister-in-law.

She especially made it for you.

Even I was not allowed to eat them.

You are done preparing?

Although I am not 100% sure that it will work,

I am already almost done with the preparations. It is better to start early.

Since it is a treatment, we need the cooperation of the patient.

It is already time to let Sister Meng know the truth.

Although my older brother is not talking,

I know that he has not been sleeping well these past days.

What is most hateful is

we might never know who the culprit behind this was.

Just thinking about it make me feel so suffocated.

Good thing, Sister Meng is a happy and optimistic person.

She most likely can survive this trial.

It is already the end of year yet I have to tell brother about things like these.

I really feel so sad.

[Ji Feng Hall]

Customer, this way please.

- Young Prince is finally here.
- Young Prince.

Hurry and sit down.

During the end of year, all the manor are busying about. But for idle people like us who are not handling anything,

we can only eat and drink like this.

We two are idle people

but Prince Laiyang is an official imperial descendant,

an imperial relative. Maybe anytime from now,

he would be given something to do.

Mother went out to pray to the gods and ordered me not to accompany her.

I also felt bored staying in our house.

Since you two said that there are wine to drink here,

hurry and serve them!

Waiter, serve the wine!

Subtitles and Timing provided by Gone With The Shirt Team at Viki.com

A'Tai.

- Why are you here?
- Second Young Master.
- Where is Yuanqi?

Young Prince went up already.

Right now, he is drinking with some friends.

This Yuanqi, does not even know to call me for drinks.

So not a friend.

Okay.

You two take care. Customer, please come inside.

The first day of the year is the time to pray and place incense.

Not only your mother, half of the noble ladies in this capital has left their houses.

Who cared if they believe in Baishen or Huangshen?
[a play with the words bai [white] and huang [yellow]]

- Anyway, everyone is going to place to pray to.
- That is so right.

When I was on my way here,

I happen to bump into the carriage of the Consort of the Heir of Chang Lin.

Looking at the direction, she seems to be on her way to Qinglian Temple in Western Mountains [Xishan].

Qinglian Temple in Xishan?

That is a place to pray for descendants.

Heir's Consort is so beautiful but has not bore any child yet.

She must be getting anxious already.

If you ask me, what is the use of praying to the gods?

There are rumors spreading in the capital that because Old Prince has been leading the army for so many years,

he has k*lled so many people and had pent-up too much dark spirit.

All these are being paid for by his descendants,

- that is why his daughter-in-law is unable to bear any child.
- What nonsense are you saying?!

Pingjing?

Don't!

Xiao Pingjing! Who do you think you are?!

This place is the imperial city of Jingling. It is right under the feet of the Emperor.

It is not a place for you to be casually reckless and be unruly!

You did not even ask anything yet so sure are you to I was being unruly?!

I do not need to ask! No matter how big the mistake they did,

the doors of the office of the capital governor is always open for you to file a complaint,

while you are publicly beating up people and taking the law into your hands here.

Is it because you want to publicize how your temperament is or is being arrogant and domineering?!

Someone was talking bad about my House of Chang Lin and even involved the women in my family

and you want me to just file a complaint to the local official about it? Are you sick?

Involved women in your family? Who?

Do you not know how many women are there in my family now?

Men, tie them up!

Yes!

Take them away!

Go back and tell your masters that if they want these people back, go to my Imperial Jin Office to get them!

Pingjing!

What is going on? I still have not vented my anger.

I am sure that someone already told you about me beating up people in the streets today, am I right?

Yes.

Have people talked about our House of Chang Lin like this before?

The House of Chang Lin is a tall tree that catches the wind. [very famous so it invites criticisms] Not only now,

even when the past emperor was still around, there were already several rumors.

I still remember those years when His Majesty still had no son.

There were worse rumors talking about father then.

Afterwards, the Crown Prince was born

and two other imperial sons were also born in the palace.

The situation then got better.

Are we then just going to allow people to slander us and do nothing?!

How are we going to handle it then? When we hear them,

teach them a lesson like you did?

If we are unable to hear them, why look for problems?

Since time immemorial, rumors are endless and a soft tongue is as sharp as a knife.

Even if you are the greatest hero in the world,

you might be unable to come up with a good idea to resolve it too.

Fine then. That Xun Feizhan too,

do not know what is wrong with him today

that he suddenly meddled in my business. And he even said that I am the one who is being domineering.

I believe that Feizhan had no bad intentions.

You went to Ji Feng Hall today?

Do you not have any words to tell me?

Miss Lin said...that we must tell sister-in-law about it already.

You two leave first and close the doors with you.

Yes.

What is it?

Xiao Xue, there is one thing that I must tell you now.

- Let go of me!
- Xiao Xue! Xiao Xue!

Xiao Xue...everything will be fine...

Although we lost several years,

good thing we married early and we are still young.

Once Miss Lin are able to nurse your health back,

we will have as many kids as you want.

Let those perpetrators see

that you are not that easy to harm.

Tell me, what was wrong with me?

What mistake have I done that they must harm me like this?

Who did I offend?

What those evil people are thinking,

unless they say it,

how could normal people guess it?

Not because someone wants to harm us,

it already means that we did something wrong.

Didn't Granduncle used to frequently say

that the world will always have evil and injustice

which will bring torment and sufferings.

But a person who is righteous and upright,

that tranquility in his heart,

can never be experienced by these evil people.

What husband said is right.

I am a daughter of the Meng family.

I strictly follow the teachings of Granduncle.

Miss LIn said that she can help you nurse your health back.

It means that this matter still can be reversed.

Do not overthink. Just listen to the doctor's instructions.

What if I am unable to be cured?

No matter what the result is,

we will bear it together, right?

This is for imperial mother.

This is for imperial father.

This is for imperial uncle.

This is for uncle's manor.

Hold them well.

Your Highness Crown Prince, slow down.

What is wrong, Your Majesty?

Consort Shu loves red plum the most.

If she were able to successfully deliver that child in the past,

that child at this time might also be here in the garden picking plum flowers for her.

That is right. Your Majesty loved her dearly.

Too bad, Consort Shu had such weak fortune

that she was unable to save her child.

So many years have past

but when Consort Shu's matter is mentioned,

I still feel sad.

But I know that Empress already did what you could have done.

This must be fate.

Although Consort Shu had such short life,

she surely is already comforted in the netherworld

for Your Majesty is missing her like this.

Come.

- You must be tired from playing.
- Yes.

Wipe your sweat.

I am a bit hungry, Imperial Father.

Eat.

Oh, right, on the 16th day of the year, the court will resume.

The Court for Dependencies has already started preparing to welcome the Donghai envoys.

Regarding the offering for Consort Shu, I will leave that to you, Empress.

Offering for Consort Shu?

Donghai listed a few requests in their state letter.

One of them is to make an prayer offering to Consort Shu using their state's practice.

I thought about it earlier

and I have decided to consider and allow it.

Inform the cabinet to make a copy of the state letter

and send someone to explain the details to the Empress

Yes.

Imperial Father, eat one too.

I will accept your decree.

A huge matter like

Donghai sending a letter requesting that Consort Shu be offered a prayer offering,

why then brother did not tell it to me beforehand?

Your Lady Highness, Consort Shu has been dead for a long time.

It is also just normal for her original state to send someone to offer a prayer to her.

It is no big deal.

May Your Lady Highness not worry about it.

I am not making a fuss.

It is just that...I do not feel comfortable about it.

She has already been dead for 7 years!

Why must she still disturb my life?!

Your Lady Highness, the envoy troupe of Donghai will be entering the capital soon.

Regarding the offering to be done in the inner palace,

His Majesty has already ordered Your Lady Highness to handle it.

A person who had died does not really know or feel anything anymore.

There are some events that are done just for show.

For so many years, Your Lady Highness has been virtuous and careful.

His Majesty surely notices it.

I believe that Your Lady Highness

will surely do things remain unflustered and thorough just for the blessings of the Crown Prince.

Such thick medicinal scent.

Sister has always been healthy and rarely had interactions with medicinal herbs.

It cannot be prevented that you will find the strength a bit strong.

But after staying for a long time, I find it okay already.

Miss Lin, the medicine can be taken now.

Okay. Sister, please.

There are not much food that should be avoided.

Just do not eat too full or eat food that are too hot or pungent.

I will remember.

Oh, right, I initially planned to let Pingjing fetch you.

But before his brother and father went to the palace to discuss some matters,

they left a lot of paperwork to him.

At this moment, he is in the study feeling very bored.

Sister, no need to be so courteous. I frequently go out to do consults. No need for any fetching or sending off.

Do not know if he has used up his little patience.

Why don't we go to the study together and look?

I still need to do something in the pharmacy. I will take my leave.

♫ The long, slow song rises like wind flowing through the corridors reaching the imposing, opulent and bright Imperial Hall ♫

♫ Memories of that certain year, when far-away borders blazed with fires of w*r, in vast fields of ice and snow ♫

♫ From this world, the many slanders pass through the vermilion gates, over the palace walls ♫

♫ Beneath iron armor, together with silken skirts and silver spears, hair grows hoary as though with early frost ♫

♫ Hoping for the day when we can sincerely join hands in a faraway place without a second thought ♫

♫ Fiery liquor consumed at the end of the world, at the limits of exhaustion, is a feast! ♫

♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the w*r in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫

♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫

♫ Good bows hoarded; likewise, so as not to injure, sigh against the way of heaven when stored indefinitely ♫

♫ Clouds of fear calm shameful waves, the night air stops their bickering by starlight ♫

♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the w*r in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫

♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫

♫ Good bows hoarded; likewise, so as not to injure, sigh against the way of heaven when stored indefinitely ♫

♫ Clouds of fear calm shameful waves, the night air stops their bickering by starlight ♫

♫ There is little intention to return the real men to the w*r in the north, though willing, they are not given free rein ♫

♫ Discussions about their heroism led them to be questioned, and suffer dismal complaints around them, unable to clear their names ♫

♫ Hoping for the whole world to remain at peace, quench the fires of w*r ♫