All language subtitles for Story of Kunning Palace episode 25 [iQIYI]

[English subtitles are available]

As long as I can take over Ning'an Palace,

I'm willing to pay any price.

[Ning'an Palace]

Cleanse the court of traitors and sycophants.

The cinnabar imperial brush determines one's life and death.

Everything

is like a dream.

I once was indebted to a lot of people.

Zhang Zhe, help me.

I'll be a good person after this.

I'll marry the one I spoiled.

There are things

you can't give me.

But he can.

To keep my life,

only you, Sir, can help me.

Everyone in the world is entitled to escape.

But I'm the only one who can't.

I want to do my best to make up for

my past regrets and wrongdoings.

Mr. Zhang, do you believe in predestination from the previous life?

I'd rather believe in what's in front of me.

Welcome, Your Highness.

Congratulations on returning to the capital of our homeland.

Ning'er, what are you afraid of?

But in the unfathomable,

there's always an invisible hand

that puts everything back to its original place.

You've taken revenge and paid your debts.

At the end of the day, who are you?

A bustling place, or a battleground.

A life of absurdity, a story of mistakes and regrets.

[Story of Kunning Palace]

[Episode 25]

I think

nothing is stronger than blood ties.

Instead of discussing it among ourselves,

it's better to simply ask Duke Xue.

How dare you!

I'm the Crown Prince.

How can you beat me?

I want you to admit defeat!

Your Highness.

The result is determined.

How can you cheat?

You're the one who's cheating.

I'll tell Uncle that

I won't play with you anymore.

Cousin,

I was wrong.

Don't be angry.

Let's have another round.

I'll let you win for sure.

Okay?

No!

Xue Dingfei!

Father.

I told you

to respect His Highness!

At such a young age,

you only care about momentary victory

and disregard your manners.

What a disgrace to the Xue family!

Father!

Stay here

until you figure out what you did wrong.

Father!

Yes, Duke.

Not only does Mr. Dingfei's identity

concern the Xue family,

but it also concerns state affairs.

Back then, Viscount Dingfei

was a loyal subject who protected his ruler.

And now, Mr. Dingfei

contributed to pacifying the rebellion.

Back in Tongzhou,

the Duke couldn’t believe that he was Mr. Dingfei.

But I just don't understand.

If such a loyal and brave man

is not the son of the Duke,

who else could he be?

Your Majesty,

the scar behind his ear

is the same as my son's scar.

But I was focused on dealing with the rebels back then

and couldn't attend to other matters.

I have to thank Junior Preceptor Xie for this.

Ever since Dingfei was young,

I've taught him

to be loyal to the emperor and the nation.

Now that he has helped pacify the rebellion in Tongzhou

and returned with merit.

It's a display of the Xue family's loyalty

towards His Majesty and the State of Qian.

Good.

Dingfei.

At ease.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Heaven has blessed the State of Qian

and safely returned Viscount Dingfei to us.

The Duke's loyalty is unrivaled.

From now on,

you are Xie Wei's substitute.

From now on,

your name

is Xue Dingfei.

Back then, if it weren't for Dingfei,

I would have long died.

Now, it's thanks to you that the rebellion is pacified.

I must reward you handsomely.

-Thank you...
-Your Majesty, please wait.

There's one more thing I don't understand.

Please answer me, Mr. Dingfei.

He is the Justice Minister, Mr. Gu Chunfang.

He is also Mr. Zhang's mentor.

Back when Lord Pingnan rebelled,

he wreaked havoc in the capital in order to find the Crown Prince.

Mr. Dingfei, you presented yourself in the name of the Crown Prince.

The rebels must have been wary of you.

How did you survive?

Your Majesty,

what happened back then

is related to the pursuit of the rebels.

So I think

we should discuss this in private.

You're wrong, Duke.

It's precisely because it's important

that we should make it clear in court.

The case of the 300 Loyal Souls

is a tragedy of the State of Qian.

All the officials need an explanation.

Official Zhang is right.

Dingfei.

Go on.

Yes.

I'm ashamed to say this,

but that battle back then

was particularly bloody.

I was only six or seven years old.

I was so scared, I passed out.

When I woke up,

I was already captured

by that rebel and taken to Jinling.

Even if you can't remember the battle,

you should still remember

what happened in Jinling, right?

That old man, Lord Pingnan,

imprisoned me in Jinling.

I sought death several times, but failed to do so.

So I wanted to know

what his plan was.

For many years, I pretended to obey him.

At last, I found out by chance

that he wanted to gain my loyalty

so that one day, he could

send me back to the capital,

and I could rely on my bloodline

to legitimately take over

the troops in Xingwu and Tongzhou.

Then, I'd become his puppet.

How could Lord Pingnan be so sinister?

You must have suffered

a lot of beatings and interrogations in the past few years.

It's all in the past.

I solely focused on

helping the court in secret.

I happened to find out that the rebel Feng Mingyu

brought a lot of gunpowder to Tongzhou.

I was afraid that if the plan had succeeded,

we would lose our line of defense against Jinling.

Therefore,

I tried my best to follow his men to the north.

I didn't expect to find Mr. Zhang

among the group traveling to Tongzhou.

That was the case.

The rebels suspected my identity several times when I was with them.

If it were not for Mr. Dingfei,

I would have been dead long ago.

You have been through a lot, Dingfei.

But I see your sincerity

and loyalty to the nation.

Since you've returned safely and made great contributions,

I shall appoint you as Commandant Zhongyong.

Receive your appointment from the Imperial Guards.

You can visit the palace as you like.

As for your place of residence...

May I ask

to be allowed

to return to the Duke's Mansion

so I may

reunite with and catch up with the Duke?

It's great that you're filial.

I approve of it.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

As for the other officials who contributed to matters in Tongzhou,

Official Gu and I will sort out the battle report.

Those with merits will be rewarded,

and those with wrongdoings will be punished.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I prepared some wine tonight.

Hope you can visit my humble house, Viscount Dingfei.

That's right.

I'm glad you're fine, Viscount.

Viscount Dingfei.

I'm Chen Ying, Vice Minister for Justice.

Greetings, Commandant Zhongyong.

You're too polite.

Just call me Dingfei.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

When you spoke of the past just now,

you referred to the Duke by his title,

but not as your father.

Is there a reason why?

Chen, there's something you don't know.

In the 20 years that I was in exile,

I never regretted being loyal to His Majesty.

But there is one regret

I will never forget.

What is it?

Madam Yan was my mother.

She passed away from worrying about me.

However, in less than three months,

the Duke remarried.

Even if it was the order of His Majesty,

I cannot help but hold a grudge.

You bastard!

What nonsense are you talking about?

To bring a bastard into this world,

you must not be a good person either.

You...

A nobleman from a noble family

remarried a woman

who immediately got pregnant.

She gave birth after just seven months,

but her daughter didn't have any defects.

In fact, she was very lively and healthy.

Duke,

you've let my mother down.

You're disrespecting your legitimate mother too?

How dare you!

I don't even want

to acknowledge the likes of you.

Let alone

that damn woman.

You unfilial son!

I...

What?

Are you trying to play the role of a strict father?

If you want me to be filial to you,

you might as well treat me as a rebel

and kill me.

Everyone,

today is my first day back in the capital.

I booked a banquet

at Cengxiao Restaurant.

If you are free,

we can drink together

and make friends.

Alright.

Viscount Dingfei.

Wait for me.

Let's go.

Tonight,

we'll drink to our heart's content.

Duke.

The Empress Dowager wants to see you.

You mean,

Duke Xue embezzled military supplies from Tongzhou's barracks?

I think

Duke Xue's fault is more than that.

Your Majesty, do you remember

the case of the Yan family

colluding with the rebels of Lord Pingnan?

I didn't find any evidence of their collusion

during my trip to Tongzhou.

Instead, I learned that the officer, Zhao Xin,

whom Duke Xue caught and claimed to be close to the rebels,

was the scholar who smuggled weapons

to the Xingwu Guards in the military supplies embezzlement case.

He is also Zhao Guang's son.

So I suspect

that Duke Xue did all this on purpose.

But Your Majesty trusted him

and misjudged the Yan family's case.

Zhang Zhe, how dare you!

Do you know what you are talking about?

Calm down, Your Majesty.

Mr. Zhang is a straightforward person

and spoke out of place.

But he is loyal and

did not mean to offend you.

Your Majesty.

Mr. Gu is right.

Mr. Zhang has contributed to pacifying the rebellion.

He is also a righteous man.

Please don't be angry, Your Majesty.

Forget it.

Considering your contributions this time,

I won't hold you accountable.

But don't mention

such nonsense again.

Your Majesty may not mention it,

but I must.

You...

The Yan family was wrongfully exiled

while Duke Xue hid the truth from everyone.

I

ask Your Majesty

to reopen and reinvestigate the Yan family's case.

Your Majesty,

I'm too old and weary.

Mr. Zhang must be tired too.

Let's talk about it another day.

Please allow

us to leave first.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Let's go.

I don't care about the others,

but why did you testify for him too?

Your Highness,

when pacifying the rebellion this time,

the Xingwu Guards failed to handle certain matters properly.

His Majesty was already dissatisfied with me.

So I thought,

since we couldn't get rid of him on the way back,

we should keep an eye on him.

And this way,

his credit

naturally belongs to the Xue family as well.

It's not a bad call.

At first, there was just Zhang Zhe.

Then, Xie Wei went against the Xue family too.

Now, a bastard has returned.

Don't forget.

Back then, if it weren't for you,

would Lord Pingnan have killed everyone?

If he reveals what happened back then,

the entire Xue family

and I

will be targeted by the public

and spat on for thousands of years to come.

What do you think of

the matter reported in the book?

We cannot immediately conclude

that Due Xue was responsible for the theft of military supplies.

However,

no matter who stole it,

they are a hidden threat to the court.

I think

we should let Mr. Zhang find out the truth.

You're right.

Speaking of Duke Xue,

don't you think

his reaction in court

was weird today?

Did you notice it too?

Now that he's moving into my mansion,

if he tries anything funny,

I will definitely

get rid of him.

But since His Majesty

has conferred on him the title of loyalty and courage...

How about

we put this matter on the back burner for now?

It's not too late to take action

after Shu successfully marries Lord Linzi.

Now,

that's all we can do.

Your Majesty.

I heard that

His Majesty had invited

Old Imperial Physician Zhu who has already retired

to check Qin's pulse.

He said she might be pregnant with a boy.

If that's the case,

what should we do?

What do you want me to do?

Nowadays, His Majesty keeps a tight watch on her.

The whole Pixiang Hall

is guarded to the brim.

What else can I do?

Your Majesty,

how is His Majesty's

health lately?

What do you mean?

Listen.

Just focus on court matters.

I will handle matters in the harem.

The Xingwu Guards failed in their duties consecutively.

At this critical moment,

the Xue family must be careful

to avoid being targeted.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Logically speaking,

Xue Dingfei is Duke Xue's son.

No one in the court wanted

Xue Dingfei's safe return more than him.

But his expression in court today

was not one of joy, but...

Fear?

Yes.

I suspect that

the Xue family is hiding something from me.

And this something

is no small matter.

Your Majesty, do you think

the Empress Dowager

knows about this?

Mother and Uncle

have always been on the same side.

But I know,

in the end, the nation is surnamed Shen,

not Xue.

Official Xie, what are you doing?

Thanks to Your Majesty's grace,

I know where your filial piety lies.

Now that I know your determination,

I shall do my best

to protect Shen's nation for Your Majesty.

Official Xie, you're too serious.

May I

please ask you

to give me the seal to Yan's troops

for safekeeping?

Before we figure out the Xue family's intention,

Yan's troops must not fall into Duke Xue's hands.

This way, we can ensure your safety.

Okay.

We'll do as you say.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

You are too straightforward.

His Majesty is the Emperor, after all.

Even if he did something wrong,

you shouldn't have said it that way.

You are right.

But I still think the Yan family had been wronged.

We have to investigate it.

You've worked hard.

During your trip,

was Junior Preceptor Xie acting suspiciously in any way?

Although he is moody,

he is a righteous

and good man.

There were many things that didn't make sense along the way.

But he saved us today.

So can you

not tell the court about those things?

Today, he suddenly brought Xue Dingfei back.

I found it rather strange.

When did he

establish contact with the rebels,

and why didn't he tell us in advance?

Junior Preceptor Xie is devoted to the court.

He even risked his life

to save us at Shangqing Temple.

There was nothing suspicious about him.

In that case,

we'll put his matters aside for now.

Although His Majesty didn't agree to reopen the Yan Family's case,

before you came back,

His Majesty was angry about Xue Yuan

escaping in the face of danger.

I believe the Ministry of Justice

can investigate the case in secret.

When we get more evidence,

we can report to His Majesty.

I'll go to the Ministry of Justice now.

No hurry.

Your mother came to me before

and asked me what crime you committed.

I couldn't tell her the truth.

I'm sure she must be worried about you.

You should go back first.

I'm sorry.

Please punish me.

All right.

No need to bow.

Junior Preceptor Xie told me about it.

Actually, Ning contributed

to the pacifying of the rebellion this time.

But

they didn't mention it to His Majesty

to protect her reputation from harm.

But Junior Preceptor Xie promised me.

He has also reminded Mr. Zhang and Duke Xue

not to mention her involvement in this matter.

Alright.

As long as we are safe.

This matter is over.

Don't mention it again.

Don't blame yourself too much.

What did you say?

You're just letting her go like this?

How dare you mess with the rebels?

How many lives do you have?

Aren't you afraid of death?

Mother.

Don't take it to heart, Sister.

Mother is just worried about you.

What am I worried about?

Miss Jiang here

is very ambitious.

She never listens to

what I have to say.

I am worried...

I am worried that if something happens to her,

the whole Jiang family will be implicated.

What are you talking about?

Mother, don't worry.

I'll bear the consequences myself.

I won't implicate the Jiang family.

What did you say?

You...

Enough.

Madam, you...

Enough.

You're going to be the death of me!

-Ning.
-Calm down.

You must be tired

from your trip.

Go back to your room and rest.

Let's talk about other things tomorrow.

Madam, what were you thinking?

You were worried about her every day.

Now that she's back,

you insist on saying those things instead.

Why do you do this to yourself?

I'm worried about her...

Miss!

Miss.

You're finally back.

I thought I would never see you again.

I burned incense and prayed

for your safe return every day.

I know you're worried.

I'm back now, aren't I?

Don't worry. It won't happen again.

There's nothing in Tongzhou.

I haven't taken a proper bath for a long time.

Take a sniff.

I stink.

Won't you hurry and

prepare hot water for your lady?

Yes.

I'll go get some clothes.

Wait.

Why haven't I seen

this dress before?

This was from Nanny Yang

on your birthday.

First Young Lady and you each received a set.

I thought Mother wanted me to die outside.

But she remembered me after all.

Maybe Jiang Xuehui didn't want it, so it was given to me.

Miss.

It won't be good

if someone hears you say that about your elders.

[Zhang Residence]

Mother.

Mother?

Mother.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother...

Wake up.

I'm back.

Wake up.

Mother!

Mother!

Miss!

What happened?

Don't rush.

I heard

Mr. Zhang's mother had passed away.

Miss Jiang, you're here.

Mr. Chen.

Where is Mr. Zhang?

After setting up the mourning hall

and laying Old Madam to rest,

he locked himself in his room

and refused to come out.

Mr. Zhang is a filial son.

Everyone in the Ministry of Justice knows that.

But because of this matter,

he lost his mother.

When did it happen?

When you were in Tongzhou.

In order to carry out the mission,

Mr. Zhang didn't tell his mother the truth.

Old Madam thought Mr. Zhang was wrongly imprisoned

and tried everywhere to seek justice for his son.

It was fine at first.

But that day,

it happened to snow heavily.

It triggered an old illness of hers.

This was supposed to happen after Zhou Yinzhi joined the Xue family

and framed Zhang Zhe.

Why was it brought forward instead?

A snowy day,

seeking justice for her son,

it's all the same.

Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu.

How is he?

He lived with his mother for many years.

Now, he is hating himself.

He wouldn't even drink a sip of water.

He has always been stubborn.

Once he has made up his mind,

no one can persuade him to change it.

I'm afraid it'll be even harder this time.

Mr. Gu.

Let me try.

This is Minister Jiang's second daughter.

She knows Mr. Zhang well.

Sir.

Chen Ying just sent a message saying that

Mr. Zhang's mother

has passed away.

What a pity.

Zhang Zhe has just started his career.

I'm afraid the mourning will delay his career for three years.

Then, do you need someone else

to investigate the Xue family?

Since you killed Gongyi Cheng,

you've been setting the stage.

Step by step,

everyone is your pawn.

You can abandon them anytime

and kill them to silence them.

Mr. Zhang is in mourning.

I should send him my condolences.

Prepare the carriage.

I'll pay him a visit.

Yes.

I'm sorry.

If you hadn't agreed

to investigate the Yan family's case,

you wouldn't have gotten involved in this.

Then, your mother wouldn't have...

Mr. Zhang.

If you must blame someone, blame me.

It's not your fault.

It's me.

I killed my mother.

When I was young,

my father was framed and imprisoned.

He died of injustice.

At the mourning hall, my mother made me swear

that I would become a good and just official

and investigate all the injustices in the world.

You did it.

In court,

no official is better than you.

I lied to my mentor today.

I didn’t tell him about Junior Preceptor Xie.

As a subject, I haven't been loyal.

Mother had suffered for a long time.

I knew that all her life,

she only hoped that I could stand upright

and never let people down.

But because of me, she died with hatred in her heart.

How can a disloyal and unfilial person like me

be considered a good official?

Mother gave birth to me and raised me.

But I resulted in her death.

I couldn't even send her off.

I'm unfilial.

I hate

myself.

Why should I live?

No.

It's me.

I made you disloyal and unfilial.

It's my fault your mother died.

You are a good official

and a good person.

You should be the bright moon in the sky.

You are not a good-for-nothing man

in this muddled world.

Everything

is all my fault.

Miss Jiang, you don't have to do this.

I made all the choices.

It has nothing to do with you.

That night, when it snowed in Tongzhou,

I should have thought of it.

I knew it.

I should have thought of it in advance.

Mr. Zhang.

When we were in Shangqing Temple,

I asked you

if you believed in past lives.

Believe it

or not,

I had a dream.

In my dream,

the world misunderstood you

and despised you.

On the same snowy night,

she sounded the same drum of justice.

Old Madam yearned for justice for her son

and died with hatred.

Everything

really happened.

It was just a dream.

No.

It's me.

I knew that keeping you in Tongzhou

would result in Old Madam's death.

But for the sake of the Yan family case,

I didn't tell you anything.

Say no more.

I know you're not that kind of person.

Not that kind of person?

Zhang Zhe.

Do you really know me?

Ever since we met in Tai'an Hall,

I've known that you're tough, straightforward,

and have great judgment of people.

Regarding your engagement with Yao Xi,

did you really think I was upholding justice?

You're such a capable and upright official.

Who doesn't want to pull you closer to them?

Didn't you say

that I have a plan for everything in Tongzhou?

That was because I knew,

as long as you were by my side,

I could rest assured!

Enough!

Stop talking.

I killed your mother.

Yet you're still protecting me.

How could there be such a stupid person like you?

Since you've been using me for so long,

why don't you keep using me?

A person like me

will only spare an effort

for someone useful to me.

Now that you're leaving your job to observe mourning.

You're useless to me.

I can't be bothered to put on a show anymore.

Zhang Zhe.

Last time, you hated yourself for your mother's death

and lost the will to live.

This time,

I'll take the responsibility

for killing your mother.

I thought I could change fate.

But in the end,

these things didn't change.

You once lost your reputation because of me

and paid with your life.

If we continue to be together now,

I'm afraid I'll hurt you again.

If so,

I'd rather be separated from you.

Zhang Zhe.

I'm sorry.

Hate me instead.

I just hope that you can live on.

Mr. Gu.

Mr. Xie, you're here too.

Ning'er.

Sir, please hold on. I'll go check on her.

Sir.

Don't follow me.

You are the best person

I've ever met.

In that case, Your Highness,

I beg of you.

Please leave.

What are you doing here?

Are you here to laugh at me?

Your body, skin, and hair are all bestowed on you by your parents.

Worrying hurts the spleen, and sadness hurts the heart.

No matter what happens,

you shouldn't be like this.

A man like you

won't feel sad.

But not everyone in this world is like you.

Everyone has their own ideas.

Why do you care about me?

If you're really that decisive,

I'll have to think highly of you.

But you obviously couldn't let go.

Why are you forcing yourself?

What kind of capability is this?

What do you know?

You're right, I don't know.

If you like him, you shouldn't let go.

But if you choose to let go,

then control your feelings.

Have you never ever

lost control of your feelings

over someone

or something?

Are you that good at detaching yourself from everything?

Why are you laughing?

You're right.

I can't control my feelings.

Do you know about the white jade vase?

It's made of white jade from Longzhou.

It's flawless

and perfect.

It should be the most beautiful thing in the world.

But if one day

the mouth of the vase is broken,

a flaw will be left behind.

Even the best method in the world

can't restore it to its past perfection.

So?

Too much has happened

between me and Zhang.

Too much.

I thought

I could pretend that nothing had happened.

I thought I could change things.

But it didn't work.

Some things

will always happen.

Even if I forcefully make amends,

cracks will still be left.

Just like a vase with a flaw.

He is such a good man.

He shouldn't have any flaws.

I'd rather he hates me

than let him hate himself.

But why can't I do it?

Why do I still

feel so sad?

Sir, you're knowledgeable

and know everything about people's hearts.

Can you give me an answer too?

Why?

♫How much do I have to give♫

♫In exchange for the love I deserve♫

♫I thought letting go was the best choice for memory♫

Whether the vase is broken or not,

♫Lend me a breeze♫

it's all in the past.

♫To pursue the unsolved dream♫

Ning'er.

Since you've made your choice,

♫But it disappeared as the snow fell♫

just look forward.

But he is so good.

What if I can't forget him?

Then find a better one.

You're lying to me.

In this world,

there won't be someone better than him.

Then...

Find someone more suitable.

There will be one.

Ning'er.

There will be one.

I'm sorry.

Ning'er.

Since you've made your choice,

just look forward.

But he is so good.

What if I can't forget him?

Then find a better one.

I'd missed out on such a good person.

There won't be another one.

Miss.

Chang Zhuo is back.

Let him in.

Miss.

How is Mr. Zhang...

How is the Zhang family?

I visited the Zhang family

in the name of the Master.

Although the old madam left so suddenly,

thanks to Mr. Gu's help,

the funeral proceeded smoothly.

But...

Mr. Zhang locked himself in his room

and refused to see anyone.

But I heard that he ate and drank a little.

With Mr. Gu around,

the Zhang family

should be safe from trouble.

As long as he's eating.

As long as he's eating.

Keep an eye on them for me.

If something happens to Mr. Zhang,

report to me immediately.

If the funeral needs anything,

don't hesitate to help.

I'll talk to Father about it.

Yes, Miss.

Miss.

You haven't been eating well

for the past few days.

You'll damage your body like this.

Did something happen between you and Mr. Zhang?

If there is any misunderstanding,

you could just explain it to him.

Misunderstanding?

Since I've made my decision,

I shouldn't turn back.

Otherwise, it'll only

hold both of us back.

Why bother?

Miss.

Miss.

A servant came to deliver an invitation.

It seems that Miss Fangyin wishes to invite you over for a chat.

Fangyin.

[From: You Fangyin]

Why is she inviting me to the Lyu Mansion?