Original subtitles

‪ADAPTED FROM A SHUQI.COM NOVEL ‪ORIGINAL AUTHOR: SENLIN LU

RUISHENG, PALACE MAID

Ruisheng…

‪GRACE ACCUMULATED, BLESSINGS REFINED

SONG OF THE WEEPING CHILD

HANLIANG HALL

Your Ladyship, my stomach hurts so much.

Her belly swelled overnight.

It looks as though she's about to give birth.

Your Ladyship, am I going to give birth soon?

Please save me.

Your Ladyship,

back in my hometown, I heard of a woman with the same condition.

She died before the child was born.

I have nothing to do with it.

I'm not its mother.

Your Ladyship, I don't want to die.

Your Ladyship,

I've also heard that these things feed off the mother.

Is it going to eat me alive?

If you die,

wouldn't whatever is in your belly die too?

Oh no! It's moving!

It's moving! It's moving.

Your Ladyship, that needle is so long.

What if you poke whatever is inside and anger it?

Please don't.

In that case, bear with it for now.

After noon, when the yang energy is strongest,

I'll return to drive out evil spirits for you.

The food is not bad for such a deserted hall.

When Lady Wang was still alive, meals like this were nothing special.

But ever since she suddenly passed away at the start of the month,

all the other maids at Hanliang Hall have been dismissed.

Only the two of us remain.

Our rations have been cut.

Still, there's meat and vegetables.

It could be worse.

We just eat whatever the Imperial Food Service sends.

These past few days,

the food has suddenly gotten much better.

I couldn't say why.

Hanliang Hall and the other nearby quarters

each have only two or three maids.

The meals are all the same.

I don't need to read it.

The food wasn't handed directly to the maids, was it?

That was my oversight. With so many places to deliver meals to,

we just left the boxes at the door

and let the maids collect them.

Does Your Ladyship suspect

someone may have tampered with Hanliang Hall's food?

Where are you going?

Mr. Xiao finishes his shift at the end of the Si hour.

I'm going to ask him to help with a ghost hunt.

So that's why you said "after noon."

You wanted to see Mr. Xiao.

Things have been quiet in the palace. I haven't seen Mr. Xiao in a while.

Otherwise, I wouldn't bother him with something this minor.

I really am the one who knows you best.

Let's go.

I was saving that for last!

After you take this,

the symptoms should subside within two hours.

It smells like an herbal soup.

It's called the Three-Purity Tonic.

It disperses foul energy,

repels evil, and calms the spirit,

protecting one from evil spirits.

HANLIANG HALL

Fangsheng,

if that thing calls you "Mother,"

it must want something from you.

Did it ever say anything to you?

No,

it just keeps calling me "Mother."

I don't know what it wants.

Forgive my boldness,

but does Your Ladyship think

we staged the ghostly apparition?

Why would you say that?

Hanliang Hall is secluded. Only we saw the apparition.

No one else can vouch for us.

The shadow was frightening,

but all these days, it never truly harmed us.

Your Ladyship doesn't believe in ghosts.

If I'd only heard about this,

I would've thought it was just a trick too.

No, we didn't make this up!

Of course we believe you.

It's the person behind the apparition who has an ulterior motive.

We're just powerless palace maids.

Why would anyone come after us?

Think carefully. Have you ever crossed anyone?

We haven't been in the palace long. We barely know our way around.

Since Lady Wang passed, we've hardly spoken to anyone,

let alone offended anyone.

Fangsheng might speak a bit harshly sometimes,

but that's hardly enough for someone to seek revenge like this.

Was there anything else unusual before all this happened?

We only came to Hanliang Hall with Lady Wang

a few months ago.

It's always been lonely and quiet here.

Frankly, it's quite dull. Nothing strange ever happened before.

The tune you heard that night.

Had you heard it before?

I'm no musician,

but it did sound a bit familiar.

Right.

Lady Wang often played her ruan and sang alone.

Now that I think about it,

the melody that night was rather similar.

What day did Lady Wang pass away?

The sixth day of this month.

It's been almost half a month now.

The apparition first appeared on the 12th,

the seventh night after Lady Wang's death.

Could Lady Wang have returned?

HANLIANG HALL

Mother.

Mother.

Mother.

Who are you?

Mother. I want Mother.

That way. But the person probably got away.

I'll go after them.

Your Ladyship!

Did you find anything?

I see.

The simplest method

and one that leaves the fewest traces is to use moonlight.

The alley is cluttered everywhere except this wall.

The person used bronze mirrors

to reflect moonlight onto this north wall.

Would you like to test your theory?

Go ahead.

The shadow's too blurry.

It's too dark inside.

Maybe the moon has moved,

so the mirrors can't catch enough light now.

It's only been about a ke, and the sky is clear.

The brightness hasn't changed much.

Something's missing here.

At the Astronomical Bureau, we use pinholes to observe eclipses.

But to get a clear shadow, you need something like this to focus the light.

Whoever did this is meticulous.

They only slipped up because of our sudden appearance.

Let's try again.

Your Ladyship!

Mr. Xiao?

Did you two create that ghostly shadow just now?

The culprit used a polished disc to focus the light

and tied these paper cutouts with thin thread.

They moved the apparition

by controlling the cutouts like shadow puppets.

And by moving them closer or farther away, they made the shadow larger or smaller.

Not only did they create a ghostly apparition,

but they also deliberately fed Fangsheng food that bloated her stomach.

They went to all this trouble not for money or murder,

but just to scare people?

Exactly.

If you've already created an apparition,

why stop at just scaring a few unlucky maids?

Why not go after someone's life?

You're from the Palace Investigation Bureau.

Isn't it a bit improper to say such things?

The perpetrator used bronze mirrors and a polished disc.

They're both clever and meticulous.

Now that they've slipped away tonight, will we ever find them again?

Mr. Xiao will make the culprit show themself to us.

I thought the incense ash in these corners

was just to comfort the maids, since it's dark and gloomy here.

But it seems there was another purpose.

The steps are light, and the stride is long.

These are Her Ladyship's footprints.

These two prints show more weight on the right side.

They're yours, Miss Wuren.

Even I can't recognize my own footprints.

Because your hand was resting on your right shoulder,

your weight shifted that way.

Now look at these.

The sole isn't made of cotton or leather.

It's hemp rope.

Even with brocade socks, these shoes would rub your feet raw.

No one of high status in the palace would wear such shoes.

Judging by the size,

they should be about the same height as Prosecutor Gu.

But when I fought them, they seemed about my size.

With all the clutter in the alley

and the ground uneven,

it's hard to judge.

A short person with large feet.

They are probably a man.

They were certainly strong.

I struggled quite a bit when grappling with them.

Wait.

Their voice sounded like a woman's.

If someone is skilled at vocal mimicry,

they can imitate a woman's singing or a baby's cry perfectly.

So, it is likely they aren't a woman.

You both make good points.

We both make good points?

So the person's both male and female?

Look here.

The edges of these footprints aren't clear. Most are quite blurry.

The toe is especially indistinct, and there are scrapes at the back.

Small feet in oversized shoes?

I didn't get a clear look at their build, but from the shoe prints,

they can't be taller than five chi seven cun.

They're either a tall woman

or a slight man.

The left footprints are deeper than the right ones.

That means they tend to lean left when walking.

So after all this, we still don't know if it's a man or a woman.

Are we going to just wait until tomorrow night to try again?

We've already alerted them today.

Even if they want to repeat the trick, they won't act until next month.

Next month?

Past the third quarter moon, the moonlight won't be this bright.

Then how do we continue the investigation?

Look into the thread tied to the paper cutouts.

This thread…

It is smooth and slips easily.

It's thicker than ordinary silk thread,

very tough, and hard to break.

Look closely. The mark will fade soon.

This ruan seems unused.

I suppose so.

Most of Lady Wang's clothes and belongings

were burned after the funeral.

These were her favorite things when she was alive.

Her parents passed away.

It's said she had a cousin doing business in Huzhou,

but he hasn't arrived in the Western Capital yet.

So these belongings of hers are still here in the palace.

When was Lady Wang granted her title?

Why don't I remember it?

About half a year ago.

That was right after Princess Ningyuan passed away.

You weren't paying attention to other matters.

Was Lady Wang ever pregnant?

No.

That was her favorite dressing case.

She never let us near it when she opened it.

She would spend ages playing with the things inside,

crying and laughing.

The joints fit so tightly. They must be mortise-and-tenon joints.

Without knowing the pattern,

forcing it open might break the case.

Let me give it a try.

You've figured it out?

These round pieces that look like flower centers

can be linked together to form the Wings mansion.

A few of the stars were out of place.

Once they're set in the right order, the box will open.

Impressive as always, Astronomer Xiao.

These are Lady Wang's treasures?

DU'S MANSION

Take a guess.

- At what? - You need me to spell it out?

What are you doing here?

What,

did you dream of that plump lady again?

Watch your mouth.

Don't slander someone's reputation for no reason.

Feeling protective already?

I'm retired. Leave me alone.

I'm not here to make you taste-test medicine.

I need your help identifying these items.

Fine, leave them here and get going.

When will I get your wedding invitation?

That'll never happen in your lifetime.

When are you going to leave?

Always mentioning my sore spots.

Time to get back to that romantic dream.

Wuren bought every kind of thread she could find on the market.

But to identify the exact type,

I'll need your help, Mr. Xiao.

How about this one?

It feels the same.

It has the same sheen too. This should be it.

That's it.

The mark matches as well.

Are you two reading palms?

Read mine too.

We've found the thread.

You figured it out from a palm reading?

The silk-wrapped string?

That rings a bell.

It's called the silk-wrapped string because it's silk wrapped around silk.

It's very tough

and used as strings for instruments like the pipa and the ruan.

But commoners mostly use gut strings instead.

Only wealthy families or the Music Office in the palace

can afford silk-wrapped strings.

Lady Wang used to work at the Music Office.

Does Your Ladyship like this piece?

My mother loved it.

When my father left for war, she always played it at home.

It's the incense that's making my eyes water.

This version

was commissioned by His Majesty for last year's Shangsi Festival.

Didn't you know about it?

I truly didn't.

But when I was a child, I did hear

the Princess Consort of Duan was skilled at the pipa.

Really?

I had long forgotten.

Mr. Xiao, let's make a bet.

We're here to find the truth,

not to compete.

Just say it if you're afraid of losing. At worst, I'll tease you a little.

What are we betting?

The winner decides.

Who do you think it is?

Many musicians here use silk-wrapped strings,

but we deduced that the person was less than five chi seven cun tall,

had strong hands,

and leaned left while walking.

Looking now, since they're all sitting,

I'd say it's between the pipa player and the guqin player.

You first, Your Ladyship.

I bet on the guqin player.

The black-clad figure that night looked similar to her in build.

All she lacks is a pair of oversized shoes.

That's your only reason?

The key is her hands.

Her performance involves

wide finger spans and high speed.

Her hands are not only nimbler but also larger than most.

She must be quite skilled at manipulating paper cutouts.

But many of the musicians on stage could fit the criteria.

I think it's more likely to be the pipa player.

That night, when you struggled with that person,

they relied on their right hand for strength.

A pipa player's left hand is agile for fingering,

and their right hand is strong for plucking.

That matches the black-clad figure.

JIN AHAO, MUSIC OFFICE MUSICIAN

Why isn't he singing?

Your Ladyship, Mr. Jin only plays the pipa. He never sings.

What's this piece called?

"Crossing a Thousand Mountains."

CROSSING A THOUSAND MOUNTAINS

Everyone else is back there collecting their reward.

Where are you sneaking off to?

A young lady like you shouldn't be here alone.

Why not?

I'm of low status.

Being seen with me would sully your reputation.

You really aren't like other men.

No wonder the guqin player said it took luck to meet you.

I'm not worth your interest, madam.

I'll take my leave.

What's the rush?

Stay and talk to me.

Please show some restraint, madam.

‪Oh my.

Did I hurt you?

Are you injured?

It's common for musicians in the Music Office to have injuries.

But how did you end up with bruises from playing the pipa?

Who did this to you? I'll get justice for you.

I've never crossed anyone.

Thank you for your concern.

Let go of me!

We clearly met at Hanliang Hall on the night of the 17th,

yet you act like a stranger.

I'm deeply hurt.

That night, I was performing at Lady Su's palace.

I never saw you.

I checked.

You were indeed at Lady Su's palace that night,

but you left without collecting your reward.

Lady Su's sister hasn't forgotten you.

She even brought your reward to you today,

an inlaid rosewood pipa.

You would've loved it,

but you left so quickly that she missed you again.

When did leaving without collecting a reward

become a crime?

It isn't,

but using tricks to haunt the palace and deceive people

is a serious offense.

JIN

Most people would see only the mother-of-pearl flowers,

but these bits of shell actually

form the Wings mansion, which governs music.

Such an exquisite case is rare,

yet there are two

in this palace.

You should know where the other one is.

There's also a polished disc just like yours

now with the Palace Investigation Bureau.

We found it under a window at Hanliang Hall.

If you keep denying it,

we can compare them directly.

How careless of you.

Why didn't you destroy your ghostly props after using them?

Still won't talk?

Then I'll have to arrest you for disrupting order

in the inner palace.

I expected more from you, Your Ladyship.

But it turns out this is all you've got.

How else was I supposed to get you, Lady Wang's good friend, to talk?

You…

How did you know?

Mr. Xiao's divined it.

Women in the Music Office are often harassed by nobles.

To avoid trouble, I always dress as a man.

Yet you still can't hide your charm.

Please don't tease me, Your Ladyship.

It's difficult to get into the Music Office.

We musicians take pride in our craft.

I was chosen from the commoners to serve here

and was bullied a lot at first.

Luckily, I met Yushu.

You lack skill. You are unfit for this post.

If I lacked skill,

how would I have been chosen into the palace?

Who knows what you relied on to get in?

Skill speaks for itself. Let's compete and find out.

She performed on the streets. What about you?

Background doesn't matter.

Is it not skill that counts here?

Since when do we judge by background?

ETERNAL SUMMITS, CEASELESS STREAMS

Yushu came from a wealthy family

and entered the palace to refine her art.

She was proud

and despised scheming and currying favor.

Because of her, my days here became easier.

We played and composed,

and more than three years passed in a blink.

I grew up an orphan.

Her parents had long passed as well.

We agreed that, after finishing our service,

we would leave the palace and travel together.

The day was so close,

but it all changed that night.

Your Majesty.

I have heard this piece many times at the Music Office.

It was always gentle and restrained.

But tonight, you played it boldly and freely.

It felt wild and full of exhilaration.

It was something entirely new.

You played well.

Yushu reinterpreted the piece.

I merely accompanied her.

Such grandeur and force

came from a woman's interpretation?

Why can't it be a woman?

You…

Miss, prepare yourself

and come with me.

Please.

At the time, we didn't know

what that summons meant.

Yushu.

Yushu.

Yushu, don't ruin your hands.

You still need to play the ruan.

- I hate this so much! - Yushu.

Yushu!

Thank you

for not asking why Yushu cried

or why she was reluctant.

- She didn't want to remain in the palace. - No.

We were going to leave

and finally live freely.

We planned to see snow in the eighth month

and sail a thousand li in a single day, just like in the poems.

But after that night,

she was forever trapped within the palace as Lady Wang.

Was Lady Wang's child the Emperor's?

I don't know.

Didn't you cause disturbances at Hanliang Hall

to make us discover her pregnancy?

Yes.

But I was never certain.

Yushu never told me directly.

I know that after moving to Hanliang Hall,

she was never summoned again.

I saw her become quieter, pretending to be strong.

She said she liked the peace,

and that it gave her plenty of time to work on music.

But I knew she was just trying to make me feel better.

She did not mind being neglected by His Majesty,

but how could she accept living out her days like that?

She never talked about it,

so I kept quiet as well.

In time, we just got used to it.

But two months ago,

she began to change.

You have been coming less often.

It's getting hot.

I wrote something new. Take a look.

CROSSING A THOUSAND MOUNTAINS

You seem brighter lately.

Did something good happen?

Ahao,

do you remember we once planned

to travel the rivers and see the snow?

Of course.

In six months, you'll be able to leave the palace.

When that day comes,

you must go and do it all.

I wish

I could go with you.

I wish I could go with you.

Actually,

I sensed something was wrong with her that day,

but when I saw she'd found new hope in life,

I was happy for her

and didn't think much of it.

But when I saw her off…

Yushu.

You…

After that,

Yushu never came again.

Musicians from the Music Office

can only enter the inner palace when summoned,

so it was hard for me to see her again.

The next news I heard of her

was of her death.

She was murdered.

Why are you so certain?

Yushu was always healthy.

How could she die of a mere cold?

Besides, she was pregnant but didn't dare report it.

I suspect…

She must have been killed.

I have to get justice for her.

So that's why you caused disturbances at Hanliang Hall?

Before entering the palace, I studied vocal mimicry.

I only meant to create some commotion.

Even if the Palace Investigation Bureau didn't react,

the murderer would surely hear of it.

As long as they reacted,

- I could… - You could what?

There wasn't much more I could do.

Did Lady Wang have any other close friends?

Back at the Music Office,

she was always with me

and never met with others alone.

As for the situation after her promotion,

I don't know.

Do you still have the sachet you mentioned earlier?

I was going to give it back to her

when she came to see me again.

Here.

Aside from this plectrum inside, there's nothing special about the sachet.

However…

Let's go.

Your Ladyship.

When will you arrest me?

Mr. Xiao has already driven out the evil spirits at Hanliang Hall.

The strange happenings are over.

Why would I arrest you?

Thank you, Your Ladyship.

MUSIC OFFICE

How did you realize Ahao was a woman?

When we fought, I grabbed her wrist and knew immediately.

Men and women have different bone structures.

That can't be disguised.

But I knew you'd figured it out before I did.

I noticed from the way she stood up.

So who won, Mr. Xiao?

You caught her first, so you win.

But you guessed right first. I'd say it's your win.

Let's call it a tie, then.

Lady Wang's medical records can't be taken out,

so I copied them all down.

SELECTED LADY WANG'S MEDICAL RECORDS

That's it?

This single page covers

all her diagnoses and prescriptions over the past six months.

There's no record of pregnancy.

"Died of a cold"?

A 20-year-old woman's life,

summed up in four words.

What did the Medical Officer in charge say?

He returned to his hometown to visit family ten days ago.

In that case, let's go ask Lady Wang herself.

The dirt was intentional. It's more convincing this way.

This is the imperial mausoleum. No trespassing.

Do I look like a trespasser to you?

Your Ladyship.

This is Lady Wang's cousin.

Lady Wang died young.

His Majesty spared no effort to locate her kin

and gave him special permission to pay his respects.

Lady Wang has already been encoffined and will be buried soon.

If you wish to mourn her, Your Ladyship,

you'll need to present proof of permission.

His Majesty is compassionate.

The presence of Lady Wang's relative is proof enough.

Wood shavings are highly flammable. Be careful with the candle.

LATE SELECTED LADY WANG

These are pine shavings,

used to keep out moisture and odors.

But in this heat, they aren't much help.

She suffered greatly before death.

The contorted expression on her face

shows she died in pain.

Mr. Xiao, please take notes for me.

Eyes wide open.

Jaw tightly clenched.

Skin bluish.

It seems the medical records weren't truthful.

So she didn't die of a cold?

If she had, her complexion would be sallow,

with her eyes and mouth closed.

Fortunately, the ice has slowed down the decay.

There are no obvious wounds or signs of impact,

but…

the skin is covered with red spots.

A rash?

It doesn't look like a surface rash.

It's more like subcutaneous bleeding.

So Your Ladyship didn't buy the flatbreads as offerings.

If it were only a rash, heating wouldn't change anything.

Was it injury or poisoning?

The underside of the tongue is black. It was poisoning.

The body's starting to decompose. It's hard to tell much by touch.

So Lady Wang died of poisoning.

The poison left only subtle traces

that would've been missed without an autopsy.

But the two maids said

Lady Wang had no enemies.

Why would someone poison her?

Hate isn't the only reason people kill.