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 12=

My Lady!

My Lady, look.

(Fifth day, third month, Dog Year, You hour)

Qin Ruoyi really put on a fine show.

Let's return the favor with a show of our own.

You summoned us all here in the middle of the night.

What now?

I know

I disturbed Old Madam and all of you.

But a sharp pain

is gripping my chest.

It feels as if my whole body is being pricked by needles.

Have you seen a physician?

Yes.

He found nothing unusual.

Then what is it?

Perhaps it's the sinister thing

has not been fully driven away.

Could we invite that Taoist priest to come again

and cleanse the evil spirits for me?

Go invite him.

- Yes. - Thanks, Old Madam.

Ma'am.

Old Madam,

the manor's troubles are no mere lingering evil spirits.

This is a deliberate act of malice.

I have divined it.

In the due south of this manor,

a cursed object is hidden here, meant to harm Concubine Qin.

What?

Old Madam,

someone must envy me for carrying a child.

They want us dead!

Stop crying.

Take more maids and search around.

Yes.

This is the object

(Fifth day, third month, Dog Year, You hour) that made Concubine Qin fall ill.

If it hadn't been found in time,

I'm afraid that

in a few days,

her life would be in danger.

Audacious!

Who used curse sorcery in the residence?

Where was it found?

It...

It was found under Her Ladyship's bed.

How could it be me?

Why would you wish me harm?

My child would only

be born of a concubine.

Why must you be so ruthless?

Concubine Qin, why are you so certain?

What if I was framed? Someone could place it

in my room.

I know

you have never been fond of me.

Ever since I became pregnant,

you've seen me as a thorn in your side.

But the General is the father!

How could you be so cruel?

I'm not the only one

who detests you and sees you

as a thorn in my side.

What do you mean, Your Ladyship?

I did not want to say this.

But since Her Ladyship insisted

on pinning this matter on me,

I have no choice.

Old Madam,

Her Ladyship often spoke

of her envy toward Concubine Qin.

She must have

long planned to strike at Concubine Qin.

Shen,

do you have anything else to say?

Wait.

I have just divined

there is a second object.

There is another one

in the southeast.

(Southeast?)

(Isn't that my own courtyard?)

It's not me.

He said southeast, not you.

Why are you nervous?

It was found in Concubine Tang's room.

You dare to toy with me?

Tang,

we have always been on good terms.

How could you team up with Her Ladyship to against me?

Enough with the act!

Old Madam, this is all her act.

She was not possessed!

This is all a scheme she made up!

Old Madam,

do not be deceived by her!

Tang,

how could you make

such a lie to clear yourself?

I truly misjudged you.

Still playing the victim,

you wretch!

I didn't even touch her.

Old Madam...

Did you see?

Both of you, be silent!

The evidence is irrefutable.

You two are indeed suspicious.

Qin cannot possibly harm her own child

just to frame you.

Guards!

Take them both to the woodshed.

They shall face the family discipline tomorrow.

Old Madam,

aren't you being a bit arbitrary.

What defense do you have?

May I ask, Taoist,

what is curse sorcery?

The puppet is the vessel for the curse.

By writing the victim's

Four Pillars of Destiny on it

and piercing it with needles,

the victim will share the puppet's sensations

and suffer unbearable pain.

I see.

In that case,

it wasn't us trying to harm Concubine Qin.

It was Concubine Qin trying to harm us.

Fifth day, third month, Dog Year, You hour.

That is my birth hour.

22nd day, tenth month, Rooster Year, Hai hour.

That's my birth hour.

The Taoist just said

whoever's birth data is written

is the one being cursed,

so,

the one targeting me and Concubine Tang

could only be you.

If I were her

and went to such effort,

I'd aim to kill two birds with one stone.

Go take a look.

Is there also one of these

in Concubine Tang's room?

Be careful.

Don't worry.

You wretch!

She hold me.

Stop that!

You scared me.

It was you.

What a vicious scheme.

I'm vicious?

You're carrying the General's child.

No matter what, he will be the firstborn.

Why are you still so hostile

toward us

and use the curse sorcery on us?

Qin!

Look at what you've done!

Old Madam,

I had no knowledge of this.

Someone must have framed me.

That is possible.

After all,

all the clues came from the Taoist.

Taoist,

are you also envy Concubine Qin for being pregnant

and plot against her?

Old Madam!

I was merely following orders!

Whose?

It was...

It was Concubine Qin.

She told me

to place the puppets under false pretenses.

Old Madam,

I only did it for money.

Please spare my life.

How dare a charlatan deceive

the House of a Marquis!

Guards!

Hand him over to the Magistrate!

- Yes! - Old Madam, spare me!

Please have mercy!

- Please have mercy! - Go.

Please have mercy!

Qin,

you are pregnant and still not content.

You even tried to frame the Principal Wife!

Do you think I would not

punish you because you're pregnant?

Spare me, Old Madam!

I...

It was a moment of utter folly!

Old Madam,

for the sake of the child

of the Li Family I'm carrying,

please show mercy!

Guards!

Wait!

Lord Qin?

Father!

Ruoyi.

(Qin Ruoyi's Father)

Greetings, Old Madam.

Lord Qin, you arrived here at midnight

without even giving us notice.

Do you hold our Marquis House

in such low regard?

Old Madam,

I heard my daughter was pregnant

and rushed here to see her.

So, I neglected the time.

Please forgive me.

My apologies.

If so,

present your visiting card and come tomorrow.

Wait.

Though I do not know what Ruoyi did wrong,

she is carrying General Li's child.

Moreover,

I have always been loyal to the old marquis.

Please do not punish her hard, Old Madam.

Since you say it,

Qin shall be grounded for one month.

Without my command,

she is not to step outside her room.

I do not agree.

What argument do you have now?

Concubine Tang and I nearly died today because of her.

Yet she's only grounded.

Isn't that too light?

Old Madam is the matriarch!

How can you question her decision so casually?

Here is the marquis manor,

not the private estate of the Qins.

You...

Old Madam,

I said that for the sake of

the Li family's offspring.

Matters of my family

do not require your concern.

Greetings, Old Madam.

Please sit down.

General Li, you must be joking.

I only happened to witness this matter.

In fact, I came today

to discuss an important issue with you.

It concerns the Western Lands.

Why not leave this matter to Old Madam?

Let's move to the study

to discuss it in detail there.

Affairs of the Western Lands

will be decided by His Majesty.

What right do you have to interfere?

Yes.

I have overstepped.

You did overstep.

Paying a visit at midnight without notice,

do you take me for a corpse?

I would not dare.

Get out.

Yes, General.

Father.

Father!

Jingchuan,

haven't you been staying at the barracks lately?

Why have you come home today?

Lord Qin just returned from the border

and came straight to our residence.

Is it out of concern for his daughter,

or does he have other motives?

I don't understand

court affairs.

But you should understand the rules of this house.

Concubine Qin committed a fault.

She should be punished.

General,

I...

For the sake of your pregnancy,

the punishment is suspended, allowance halved.

You are grounded until the child is born.

If you dare offend Her Ladyship again,

I will punish you, with no regard for the child.

Thank you, General.

My Lady.

What is it that? Keep it hidden from me?

There's nothing that needs to be hidden from you.

Then why that expression?

Why aren't you wearing that green robe?

That looks good on you.

Did you find out something?

I didn't find out anything.

Tell me.

Only if you won't scold me.

This has nothing to do with me.

Alright.

You'll father someone else's child.

♪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♪