Original subtitles

♪When sorrow and joy blend into ink♪

♪Flowers fade, rain falls, helpless as time♪

♪Lament this frail body, tangled in love and hate♪

♪Yet I still wrestle with fate♪

♪Snow drifts down, burying all glory♪

♪Blame this destiny granted to me♪

♪Trapped in the chains of love and cause♪

♪When the dust finally settles♪

=Glory in Shadows=

=Episode 10=

Why would the head of a bank

visit a lady's room at midnight

and help her frame the General's wife?

I had no idea

where you hid that silver you took in secret.

But last night,

you were acting guilty.

You wanted to retrieve the deposit slip.

But once you realized I was following you,

you set me up.

Though I managed to escape,

I left behind a sachet.

You seized the chance to stir up trouble,

spreading rumors that I was cheating.

But you never knew I'd turned him to my side.

Today,

he went to give Mr. Liu a false report.

That's why he came here to meet with you.

Concubine Qin,

the more secrets you try to hide,

the more flaws will show.

Stop framing me!

You

had an affair with Erlang.

You two plotted together to set me up.

Erlang?

Who's Erlang?

I...

How would you know he's Erlang?

You're acquainted with the head

and the accounts clerk of Yongle Bank.

Doesn't that mean you're admitting

the money that was skimmed off

is sitting right in Yongle Bank?

Your sharp tongue always bests me.

But don't think you can frame me.

I say there's nothing, and that's it.

And you?

She has nothing to do with you?

Of course I have no other dealings with her.

Concubine Qin only stored some money with me.

Don't frame me.

Fine.

Guards.

Do you know what the law says

about sneaking into the Marquis' Manor at night.

I... I don't know.

The General holds a crucial post.

The Marquis' Manor holds many secrets.

If it were tried as treason,

that'd mean death by slow slicing.

Or,

if you wanted to harm the General's wife,

by law, that's execution by dismemberment.

You still refuse to tell the truth?

This is coercion!

I... I...

I'll talk.

It was...

The rashes...

The coroner has confirmed the cause.

Your mother was poisoned first,

then someone cut her throat.

Qin Ruoyi,

was it you who poisoned?

No.

It wasn't me.

I swear it wasn't me.

Yaochu.

These banknotes and receipts are forged.

It wasn't me.

It truly wasn't me.

I...

Yaochu.

What happened to you?

Madam, why have you come out?

The medicine is ready.

Please drink it while it's still warm.

Where did this come from?

After you fainted last night,

you remained unconscious.

The General said your worries have made you ill,

and you have grown weak.

So he rushed to Jishi Temple overnight

and prayed for this medicine.

It's priceless.

General.

It's an ordinary medicine.

Drink it before it cools.

Thank you, General.

General,

my mother's death might have something

to do with the people of Li Manor.

Last night, Mr. Liu died suddenly.

The way he died was similar to my mother's.

The only one who benefited was Qin Ruoyi.

I did suspect her before.

But she bore no grudge against my mother.

So why would she do such a thing?

Shen Yaochu.

I told you

I'd look into this matter.

I must investigate too.

You know this person is skilled in poisons.

So you should stay away,

or you're only putting yourself in danger.

Will I be safer if I don't investigate?

The killer

was coming after me.

Madam, that's wonderful news!

Madam...

Madam, something terrible has happened.

Concubine Qin tried to hang herself.

Then why are you smiling?

Because I'm happy.

Please don't lose hope.

- Let me go! - They're framing you!

- Don't stop me! - Why seek death over this?

The Old Madam no longer trusts me.

The General doesn't trust me.

That makes me feel tainted.

There's no such thing as being framed.

Today,

I'll prove my innocence with my death!

Madam!

Stop this!

I've had the matter investigated.

You are innocent.

No one will dare wrong you again.

Come down.

But... Mr. Liu is already dead.

Which means there's no testimony left.

I have no way

to clear my name.

I'd rather die than live on in disgrace,

being talked about like this!

Madam!

General.

You believe me,

don't you?

This matter is still unproven.

We can't draw a conclusion.

Ruoyi remains a concubine.

Anyone daring to speak recklessly of this will be

punished with twenty strikes.

Any leads yet?

The poison was administered to Mr. Liu

two hours before his death.

But at that time,

he had contact with far too many people.

The body has been taken over by Shuntian Prefecture.

It's not convenient for me to intervene.

You handle it.

All questioning stops at the gates.

I'll manage matters inside the manor.

Yes.

Wait.

Madam has already rested.

(Shen Yaochu.)

(Do you truly not care at all?)

Why still stand there? Go!

(Li Manor)

Concubine Qin.

Concubine Qin.

What's wrong with you?

I'm not sure.

Ever since the general

favored me a month ago,

I've felt weary all over.

My back aches and my waist feels sore.

Thought it was because...

Because the General had exceptional stamina.

But now, a whole month has passed,

and there's no improvement.

Lately, I don't know why,

but I've been feeling

weak all over, with no appetite.

Are there any other symptoms?

Like unusually sleepy.

Yes, exactly.

Wan'er, how do you know that?

Could it be that I have some grave illness?

Back when I was living on the estate,

I happened to see the steward Shunzi's wife expecting a child.

Her symptoms were exactly the same as yours.

You might be pregnant.

Really?

That day was only just over a month ago.

Your morning sickness is already this severe?

Everyone's constitution is different.

We can't generalize like that.

Let's get a physician to take a look at her.

Yes.

Physician Zhang, what do you think?

Congratulations, Old Madam.

Although Concubine Qin's pulse is still faint,

it can be basically confirmed

that she is indeed pregnant.

Thanks, Physician Zhang.

I truly didn't expect this.

Madam has served the General for so long,

yet she's not pregnant.

And now I'm the one carrying the General's child first.

It seems

fate wants me to have the eldest kid of the Li family.

Madam, you won't be upset, will you?

After all, it's the General's child.

Even if born of a concubine,

they will still call me Mother.

How could I be unhappy?

Even as a kid born of concubine,

he is still the eldest kid of the Li family.

♪New snow falls thick beneath the eaves♪

♪Covering the courtyard gate♪

♪Your gaze melts winter into spring♪

♪Turning back from the boundless multitude♪

♪Gazing at you in that fleeting moment♪

♪All the hardships fade into drifting dust♪

♪A foolish dream turns earnest with you in it♪

♪Even a feigned play can grow into true affection♪

♪Too many dusks walked alone beneath my umbrella♪

♪Yet I crave the warmth left in your embrace♪

♪Among thousands of bright lamps, is there one♪

♪That waits quietly for me?♪

♪Time grinds through the rings of memory♪

♪Only you keep me warm in the long night♪

♪Scars left by the days gone by♪

♪Lie upon the lines of our hands together♪

♪I hold out a heart sincere and true♪

♪Crossing the deep courtyard♪

♪Just to trade it for one kiss from you♪

♪Praying our hair turns gray without regret♪

♪So that true love will finally come to be♪