Original subtitles

♪ The human heart hatches schemes, stuck fast in the mire ♪

♪ In the Judge's ledger, the accounts are settled ♪

♪ Reckon the human face and the beastly deed. Count the debts of injustice ♪

♪ Walking the dark path, pleading for moonlight ♪

♪ The pitiful suffer, while the privileged command respect ♪

♪ Pluck one hair, and the stench of sin runs through the skin ♪

♪ Scoundrels have a form, while ghostly lies are intangible ♪

♪ Looking inward brings no answer. Ask Heaven for mercy ♪

♪ The book of sins is presented, proof of guilt recorded chapter after chapter ♪

♪ Grant mercy, and ruin follows ♪

♪ An inescapable net is cast. Look up in all four directions ♪

♪ Retribution will follow ♪

♪ Tigers, leopards, and wolves. Darkness laid bare ♪

♪ Your mercy only serves to share the loot ♪

♪ In the ledger of good and evil, words unfurl without end ♪

♪ Heaven's way tolerates no wrongful judgment ♪

♪ The book of sins is presented, proof of guilt recorded chapter after chapter ♪

♪ Grant mercy, and ruin follows ♪

♪ An inescapable net is cast. Look up in all four directions ♪

♪ Retribution will follow ♪

♪ Tigers, leopards, and wolves. Darkness laid bare ♪

♪ Your mercy only serves to share the loot ♪

♪ In the ledger of good and evil, words unfurl without end ♪

♪ Heaven's way tolerates no wrongful judgment ♪

[Adapted from a Shuqi.com novel]

[Original Author: Senlin Lu]

[Unveil: Jadewind]

[Episode 4]

Of course,

and you, too.

Peiyi.

How do you think Father

will treat me?

Like he's gotten me back,

or will he hate

having a rude,

unfilial daughter like me?

His Majesty is gracious and merciful.

No matter what,

you're still his daughter.

[Palace Investigation Bureau]

Your Ladyship.

Inspector Du wants to see you.

I'm not in the mood.

Your Ladyship, you should go.

I haven't seen him

that scary in ages.

Why are you kneeling?

Master, you called for me.

It must be because I messed up.

What did you do wrong?

I was too aggressive.

I had no sense of limits.

I overstepped my authority.

Enough.

All these years,

I've spoiled you too much.

From today on,

stop taking cases.

That Palace Investigation Bureau badge,

hand it over.

Why should I?

Because as an Inner Guard,

after you found the killer,

you didn't bring her to justice at once.

It looks like you were covering for her!

At best, you neglected your duty.

At worst,

you bent the law for personal ties!

Hand it over!

But I didn't take Wanshun

out of the Western Capital.

You didn't take the last wrong step

because Her Highness knew the bigger picture.

If Her Highness

had insisted on leaving,

right now,

would you already be

on a boat heading south?

If every enforcer

were like you,

how could the law work?

Today someone covers for you,

tomorrow you cover for them,

and the law becomes meaningless!

If I've done wrong, I'll take my punishment.

But she's Wanshun.

She must face justice too!

People aren't made of wood.

Who can be without feelings?

But you're the one enforcing the law.

To rule and punish, you can't shield your kin.

Your duty

is to find the truth,

not judge right and wrong.

If you can't even

understand that,

[Palace Investigation Bureau] you can't shoulder

this badge anymore!

I know you reported everything truthfully.

From here on,

let His Majesty decide.

[Zichen Hall]

Heed His Majesty's decree!

Left General of the Imperial Guards, Lin Ning,

lusted after Princess Ningyuan's beauty

and secretly bought black powder to stage an accident.

He took advantage of the chaos to kidnap Her Highness,

but Cui Manshu, niece of the Right Chancellor,

and several others stumbled upon it by chance.

Lin Ning saw his plot exposed

and brutally killed them.

He fled in fear of punishment.

Princess of Fuchang County, Li Peiyi,

and Deputy Director of Astronomy, Xiao Huaijin, saw it all clearly,

and killed him as he fled.

You two acted without hesitation,

brave and smart.

Princess Ningyuan was quick-witted,

and escaped safely.

All shall be rewarded.

Accept the decree!

Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness.

Her Highness is still recovering.

In three days,

His Majesty will host a banquet at Penglai Terrace

in Her Highness's honor.

You two may come as well.

Understood.

Stop!

Come.

Come to my side.

[Penglai Terrace]

Please, Your Highness.

I'm sorry to worry you, Father.

Come.

Wanshun.

I know you were wronged.

I know it all.

Father...

You're so generous and kind,

yet for my own selfish gain,

I stirred up such chaos.

My child, you've suffered.

I won't let any child of mine

be wronged.

I'll prepare another

generous dowry for you,

so you'll marry

in peace,

with no worries.

Congratulations, Princess Ningyuan!

Your Majesty,

what boundless favor!

In Uyghur,

Her Highness will be

the most honored, noblest queen.

Thank you, Father.

Don't be rash.

Please withdraw your order, Your Majesty.

Wanshun is a daughter of my Li family,

a princess of Great Tang.

If your father and mother

were still alive,

they'd surely explain

the sense of it all.

But since they're gone,

I don't have to understand it.

Peiyi.

Your Majesty,

Her Highness was blessed by your grace

and turned disaster into luck.

Her match with Prince Wutele

is fated to be.

Peiyi...

Let me speak

to His Majesty myself.

Your Majesty, if you're still in the mood,

may I offer a dance,

the Zhezhi Dance.

Mother once performed for you,

to thank your grace?

[Penglai Terrace]

For eighteen years,

I never had the chance

to speak with you.

Today is a rare opportunity.

I want to say what's in my heart.

Or later,

I may never get the chance.

I'm lucky

to be your daughter.

But my luck is also limited.

In eighteen years,

you only saw me three times.

The first time,

I was still little.

You were checking

the princes' and princesses' lessons.

You praised me for my talent,

so I studied hard.

From then on,

I never had another chance

to show you my work.

The second time,

at your birthday banquet,

I embroidered for you.

"Dragon Soars Across the Seas."

You praised it greatly,

and finally remembered

you had a daughter

born of a desert dancer.

So I kept improving my embroidery.

Your Highness, please.

Your embroidery has gotten even better.

Give it to His Majesty before the spring hunt.

He will surely be pleased.

But my patterns

never had another chance

to be shown to you.

The third time

was this betrothal.

This might be

the best fate for me

as your daughter.

But it's not so bad.

Father,

you won't forget me again.

Wanshun!

Your Highness!

Wanshun?

Wanshun...

Peiyi...

You're so stupid.

Why would you do this?

Because

this way

no one can force me again

to do what I don't want.

Stop acting.

Who keeps

staring at a flower all day?

His Majesty didn't see you.

Those palace maids

didn't see you either.

You just tripped.

Don't mind it.

But it's fine.

I saw it all, every bit.

His Majesty asked me to give you this.

Since you already finished that horseback piece,

why didn't you tell me sooner?

Then I could help you

get it to His Majesty before the spring hunt.

He would surely want to see you.

It wasn't well done.

Next time.

These gold bangles are the prettiest.

One for you, one for me.

I hope someday

we'll meet again.

♪ The night's not all that fades ♪

♪ A cawing crow deepens the gloom... ♪

The ones who killed Wanshun,

Lin Ning is one.

Cui Manshu is one.

I'm one.

And...

Who else?

Your Majesty,

the county princess has been tirelessly working.

And she lost her closest friend today,

overcome with grief.

Please allow her

to rest for a few days.

His Majesty is considerate.

Your Ladyship, rest well.

Stay away from the hall,

or seeing things there

will stir old feelings

and make you upset again.

[Zichen Hall]

[Virtue Shining, Ever-Progressing]

Your Majesty, the matter you ordered

has a lead.

Speak closer.

[A star has appeared in the Girl mansion. It is a most ominous sign.]

[On the Wuwu day of the first month, the star has appeared.]

This paper

was found

in Princess Ningyuan's residence.

Wanshun must have been misled

by that traitor Lin Ning

to come up with such a foolish move.

Lin Ning could move freely

in the palace.

Getting a secret memorial into the palace

was not difficult task.

Now that Wanshun has passed,

has the omen come true?

I dare not presume Heaven's will.

But it seems this matter

doesn't involve the former dynasty.

Your Majesty needn't worry.

[Princess Zhaoyuan]

Wanshun paid with her life

to escape that road.

In the end, someone still has to walk it.

There's something

I must confess to Your Ladyship.

Before the banquet that day,

I met the Fifteenth Princess.

Greetings, Your Highness.

Deputy Director Xiao,

I have a question.

I wouldn't dare.

Do you think

the stars above

can truly foretell human affairs?

I only know

the stars don't cause conflicts.

But people

use star omens to stir up trouble.

Then in your view,

was the chaos of the Lantern Festival

caused by an omen,

or by people fabricating one?

Every matter has its reason

and a whole story behind it.

Your Highness being safe

is what matters most.

So you already knew.

Looks like

you don't believe in fate.

I do.

But we mortals

can see what fate looks like

only at the end of life.

Thank you.

You saw that secret memorial?

You must've guessed

it was me and the Princess together.

At the Princess's residence,

I found clues

tied to that secret memorial.

But the Princess alone

couldn't have gotten that memorial

into His Majesty's study.

It's a pity that even after seeing

such a dire omen,

His Majesty still wouldn't change his mind.

Congratulations, Deputy Director Xiao.

Why congratulate me?

Back then you agreed

to help me with the case

because you wanted the chance

to help His Majesty find

who delivered the secret memorial.

Now the Princess's case is solved.

The matter you wanted to check

is clear as day.

Isn't that worth celebrating?

His Majesty believes

this was all Lin Ning talking the Princess into it.

Mr. Xiao,

law and loyalty,

how can you have both?

The law

is where rule begins.

A gentleman

is where rule is rooted.

I'm odd and unruly.

I'm no gentleman.

But I'm no villain either.

I don't really know you.

So I can't judge.

And I won't accuse you.

Farmers have their hardships.

People in the deep palace have theirs.

I just had a bit of luck,

played a few clever tricks,

won a little favor,

and only then stood back up.

Wanshun was another me.

A me who never stood back up.

His Majesty has ordered

a lavish burial for the Fifteenth Princess.

Posthumous title: Zhaosi.

His Majesty still cherished

the Fifteenth Princess.

You and I both know

what "cherish" means.

"Soaring past clouds,

the soul ascends."

Good thing

she's already gone

to the place she wanted.

You're not

a cold, rigid man of law.

I know that when you came back from the temple

you didn't go to see His Majesty.

[Palace Investigation Bureau]

[Xiao]

[Xiao's Mansion]

Huaijin is usually on duty

at the Astronomical Bureau

and rarely comes home.

[Wang Yuxiu, Madam Xiao] Looks like you came for nothing.

It's fine.

The cakes you made

are even better than the palace ones.

I didn't come for nothing.

Your Ladyship,

so you like touhua cakes?

When I was little, I'd throw a fit.

Only touhua cakes could cheer me up.

They're soft, sweet.

One bite and I'd feel right.

Then I'd calm right down.

Madam, your scent

is different from Mr. Xiao's sachet.

That kind of sachet

was made

just for him and his father.

My own incense

is mostly floral.

You make your own incense?

Bring me my incense.

None of these are what Mr. Xiao uses.

They've used theirs up,

and I haven't made more yet.

These scents

don't include the one you like?

In Mr. Xiao's sachet,

there are sandalwood and myrrh.

I really like it.

Princess Consort of Duan

also likes men's incense.

Your Ladyship is so dashing.

You really do look

like her in her youth.

I misspoke.

I've offended you.

Please forgive me.

The case at my home

fifteen years ago was too tragic.

It's no secret.

But these fifteen years,

everyone's been afraid to offend me.

So about my parents,

they all keep it hush-hush.

I thought no one remembered Prince of Duan

or his consort anymore.

Hearing you praise my mother just now,

I'm truly comforted.

Madam, don't be so stiff.

I'd actually like to hear more

about my father and my mother.

When I was young,

I met Princess Consort of Duan once

at the Shangsi Festival.

Her Highness

was stunning,

bright and bold.

Unforgettable at first sight.

Prince of Duan

was brave in battle,

his name known far and wide.

Heaven

is always so unfair.

Yes.

From that Lantern Festival on,

I could never reunite

with my parents again.

That Lantern Festival,

Huaijin

was on night duty at the Astronomical Bureau

and didn't come home.

My husband and I

kept Old Madam Xiao company.

She was used to keeping vigil and chanting sutras

during the Lantern Festival.

She only slept after midnight.

That night my husband had official business,

but to honor his filial duty,

he stayed with Old Madam

through the Zi hour,

then hurried out.

The Zi hour?

Early the next morning,

my husband came home.

Only then did I learn

something terrible had happened.

I was too young back then.

I don't remember that night at all.

For some things,

to forget

is a blessing in itself.

Move.

So you finally visited the Xiao's mansion.

How else would I find the killer?

If you can

find the killer here,

I'll call you Master.

Why can't I?

So you really are hiding something from me!

Yes.

I hid it from you.

I drank great wine at Zuixian House.

And I ate a plate

of top-notch braised lamb.

So what did you find?

Looks like you found nothing.

My guess is,

on the Lantern Festival night fifteen years ago,

they haven't

sent anyone to visit your family.

Clearing suspicion

is still a gain.

Peiyi,

let it go.

Clinging too hard makes you see enemies everywhere,

and clouds your mind.

What was clear and simple

will turn hard to grasp.

But if I can't even

trust myself,

who can I trust?

Don't worry.

Whatever I said back then,

today

I'll say the same.

Do you think

she truly forgot?

She is sharp and quick.

She came today

for more than just liking

that incense.

If she remembers,

we must find a way to handle it.

If she doesn't...

We must stop her from remembering.

If she doesn't get

the answers she wants here,

she likely won't come again.

Thank you, Mother.

I'm going back to the Astronomical Bureau.

Your father will be back soon.

See him before you go.

No need.

And today's matter

needn't be told to Father.

I'll be going now.

[Spring of the 13th year of Dali; Xingqing Palace]

So there really are

such special flowers in this world.

I thought it was an exaggeration.

Your Majesty, look.

When the breeze blows,

they glimmer with light.

Like droplets of water.

They aren't like the peony,

so grand and noble,

so bold and open.

But they're delicate and enchanting.

And their scent

is faint, yet there.

It makes you want to lean in.

No wonder they're called "Hundred Charms."

Your Majesty,

this lady truly is so beautiful

that it shames the moon and flowers.

These flowers

should be given to a beauty.

This servant will pick them for you at once!

The wall!

There's something inside the wall!

Your Majesty!

- Your Majesty! - Hurry!

Get Consort Shu back to her palace, now!

Get Consort Shu back to her palace!

I deserve death!

I deserve death!

In Xingqing Palace,

such cruelty happened!

Summon the Palace Investigation Bureau

to thoroughly investigate it!

This servant obeys!

Thanks for covering for me, Deputy Director Xiao.

That robe

let me burn it for you.

Much obliged.

Hurry!

[Flower on the Wall]

Your Ladyship,

you just got your post back.

Don't do anything rash.

By the order of His Majesty,

you are forbidden to examine the body.

Keep your voice down.

Then no one will know.

"Hundred Charms"?

More like "demon charms."

What did the Assistant Director here say?

Tried to be clever, scared stiff,

he couldn't say a word.

Take him back.

We'll question him tomorrow.

- Understood! - Understood!

Your Ladyship,

I heard

there's a man-eating flower in the South Sea.

Its seeds are tiny as sand,

light as dust,

hard to notice.

If it lands on someone,

it takes root right away,

feeding on flesh as soil, marrow as fertilizer.

By the time you notice,

it's already too late.

You can only be drained alive,

and die in agony.

Xiang embroidery...

It must be from the palace.

The seeds in the sachet sprouted,

using the soil inside the wall

and the spring rain,

and bloomed into flowers.

Director of Embroidery, take a look.

Is this stitching Xiang embroidery?

Your Ladyship,

it is Xiang embroidery.

And workmanship like this

can only be Birou's.

Get her out here.

Birou isn't with the Palace Workshop Service.

She serves Talent Wang.

Please wait.

Your Ladyship, are you saying

the owner of this sachet.

[Birou, Palace Maid]

Is already dead?

Your Ladyship,

I gave this sachet

to Hanxiao.

Hanxiao from Consort Shu's palace?

Did Hanxiao

have any identifying marks?

On the inside of both ankles,

she had cinnabar moles,

perfectly symmetrical,

very distinctive.

Your Ladyship,

did that body have them?

[Palace Investigation Bureau]

I found Hanxiao's exit record in the Bureau of Palace Ladies,

dated half a year ago.

His Majesty cares for the palace maids.

Every maid released

gets a resettlement payment,

so they can marry

and make a living.

She already collected the money.

Her exit date and household register

are all here.

Chang'an County...

Is this the Cai household?

Yes.

[Zhenzhen, Hanxiao's younger sister] Miss, you're from the palace?

Do you know my elder sister Hanxiao?

So, you're Hanxiao's younger sister?

Yeah. My name's Zhenzhen.

Miss,

do you have any news of my sister?

Who is it?

Mother!

They're from the palace!

So,

do you have any news of Hanxiao?

Hanxiao

was my best friend in the palace.

After she left the palace,

we lost touch.

I came to Chang'an County on business today,

so I thought I'd check on her.

How could she go missing?

Outside the palace,

did she have anyone close?

She never

talked to us about that.

So I don't know.

Miss,

I heard

the court gives

those leaving the palace

a resettlement payment.

Is that true?

Of course.

It's a lot of money.

Then

can we... claim it?

Why?

Is your family short on money?

My husband has been sickly.

He can only mind a shop for others,

and earns next to nothing.

But everything costs money at home.

Thankfully, we had Hanxiao.

She landed a position in the palace

and supported us all.

She was our backbone.

If you rely on Hanxiao to support you,

shouldn't you find her first?

We...

We will!

But our whole family

has to live, too.

Madam, it's been so hard on you.

This is all the money I have.

Here.

Oh...

Well

I just don't know

where else to get news of Hanxiao.

We have letters she sent before.

Go get them, now!

Hurry!

The really old ones are gone.

These are from the past two years,

up until.

[To Mother and Father] she went missing.

I kept them all carefully.

Miss, take a look.

Maybe they'll help.

I'll come again another day.

If you remember

anything else,

tell me right away.

Yes!

Hanxiao was blessed

to have friends

like you two.

Truly blessed!

Miss!

Miss!

If you find my sister,

please tell her

I'm grown up now.

I can fold 500 paper ingots

and earn one wen.

I can help the household.

She doesn't have to work so hard.

And

if she really doesn't want to come back,

then let her go.

I won't beg her to return.

I just want her safe.

Hide it well.

Don't let anyone find it.

If your parents try to send you into the palace

or force you to marry,

take this jade token

to the Palace Investigation Bureau in Xingqing Palace.

Remember?

Promise me,

and I'll help you find your sister.

[Zuixian House]

Money for her father's medicine,

money for her brother's schooling,

money to fix the stove,

money for coal and winter clothes...

These letters are basically

about the family asking for money,

and Hanxiao sending money.

That family is playing poor,

squeezing their daughter dry.

You paid so much for these letters.

You're encouraging

their habit of extortion.

Look again.

Do they say anything else?

Where she'd go after leaving the palace,

whether she needed her parents to meet her, anything.

There are lots still unopened.

I'll read them one by one.

Even if there is, it's not worth that much.

This lamb is so tender.

Try some.

What I gave Hanxiao's family

was tribute silver.

The moment it hits the market,

someone will report it.

The money will come back fast.

So these letters

didn't cost anything.

I checked both the Capital Prefecture

and Chang'an County offices.

In the past half year,

there's no record of Hanxiao registering.

She left the palace,

yet her body ended up back inside.

Looks like the killer

can move freely in the palace,

go anywhere without suspicion,

and even come and go from the palace.

What kind of status would that be?

And they can hide a body in the harem.

Mr. Xiao has the qilin badge.

He could do it.

Or maybe it's not someone important,

but someone low enough

that no one notices them.

Did you spread the word I told you to?

I did.

Hanxiao got along with people.

Hearing she died so horribly,

some palace maid

will surely come with clues.

Didn't His Majesty

order a quiet investigation

to avoid panic?

His Majesty also ordered

we solve it fast.

I'm done eating.

Let's go back to the Palace Investigation Bureau and wait.

We already have a lead so soon.

Your Ladyship, blessings.

I'm Qingquan from Consort Shu's palace.

I

I know who killed Hanxiao!

♪ Gazing at the moon from a distant terrace ♪

♪ The dreams are weighed down by suspicions ♪

♪ The injustice in the world remains unrighted ♪

♪ Yet all I do is kick up a cloud of dust ♪

♪ The verdict sounds like thunder in my ears ♪

♪ I see the truth, sharp as a blade ♪

♪ I read the books of sin stained with blood ♪

♪ What wise words do you offer? ♪

♪ This journey will take me to uncover buried truth ♪

♪ And dive into deep waters for the reflection of the moon ♪

♪ I swear to bring back a peaceful world ♪

♪ And eliminate all evil ♪

♪ I will leave no hiding place for darkness ♪

♪ And illuminate this glorious age ♪

♪ Justice is my sword, piercing through the fog of mystery ♪

♪ Let stars and moon shine through the dark night ♪

♪ The verdict sounds like thunder in my ears ♪

♪ I see the truth, sharp as a blade ♪

♪ I read the books of sin stained with blood ♪

♪ What wise words do you offer? ♪

♪ I will leave no hiding place for darkness ♪

♪ And illuminate this glorious age ♪

♪ Justice is my sword, piercing through the fog of mystery ♪

♪ Let stars and moon shine through the dark night ♪

♪ One day, the sky will turn clear ♪

♪ One day, the sky will turn clear ♪

♪ One day, the sky will turn clear ♪