Original subtitles

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

Or someone is using this to harm the prince,

it all goes to the Palace Investigation Bureau

for a thorough investigation!

Physician Liu,

ultimately,

you'll have

to explain it yourself.

No.

This prescription can't be wrong.

Did you mix something up?

No, it can't be.

My master checked it.

He scolded me for being stubborn.

But it wouldn't kill anyone even if it's strong.

Let me out.

I want to see Liu Jia's body.

I need to know the truth.

To stop the epidemic from spreading,

the Imperial Medical Office burned the bodies.

Then I'll never clear my name.

Instead of proving that eunuch is at fault,

find a way to prove your medicine works.

Your Ladyship, please get me a set of used bowls and chopsticks.

No one has ever ordered me around like this.

I spoke out of turn, Your Ladyship.

But I'm not doing this to compete with Supervisor Huang.

This epidemic shows no mercy.

We can't lose anyone else.

Saving lives comes first. I'll help you.

Pei Yu, Her Ladyship gave you this.

Be careful with it.

PRESCRIPTION

- Where's Her Ladyship? - She went back to her room to sleep.

She's usually up past the Hai Hour.

Why did she turn in so early tonight?

You're sick?

Your Ladyship?

Open the door!

I'm fine.

I'm still alive.

Li Peiyi? Open up!

How dare you

call me by my full name?

Don't hide.

You're burning up.

Why is it so bad?

Did you catch it in Lady Su's palace?

No. We can't waste time.

I'll go get Physician Liu.

Mr. Xiao, wait!

What's the use of finding the imperial physicians?

We both know there's no cure for this right now.

If I'm not meant to die,

I'll make it through this.

But if I can't escape it…

Don't talk like that.

I'll call the imperial physicians.

Once they arrive,

it won't be easy for me

to see you again.

You know

what haunts me most

is the truth behind the massacre at the Prince of Duan's manor.

If I die,

please uncover the truth for me.

You're thoughtful,

kind, and sharp.

I trust you.

You won't agree?

You never speak straight.

Forgive me. I can't promise.

If you won't, fine.

After I'm gone,

you won't let me down.

But then,

you wouldn't even agree with me saying that.

That old man Du Zhixing

never lets anyone rest easy.

He looks tough,

but all these years, he's ruined his health.

If I die,

promise me you won't mess with him using poison again.

And make him drink less too.

That girl Wuren

has gotten better at cases.

I'm not worried.

Prosecutor Gu is a good man.

If one day she wants to marry him,

you need to vet him for me.

Wait for me.

Mr. Xiao!

You want me to gamble with fate?

You're just lucky.

Thank goodness that arranged marriage wasn't binding.

Otherwise, if I really died,

you'd be a widower at such a young age.

These past few days, more people have fallen ill.

Our medical officials have gone to the palaces.

No one's left to make house calls.

If she runs a fever, she should drink this Minor Bupleurum Decoction.

If she coughs or her throat hurts, she should take these pills.

This is all we can do for now.

Tomorrow morning, if any medical officials return,

they'll go to the Palace Investigation Bureau.

Your Ladyship,

the imperial physicians are all out on calls.

Here's something for fever and throat.

Take them for now.

We both know they won't help.

They can't cure it, and they taste awful.

That's what really makes me suffer.

If you're truly miserable,

don't hold back.

No medicine beats getting a good sleep.

You should rest too.

If you catch the epidemic because of me, it won't be worth it.

So much for "I don't believe in that."

Looks like he's scared I'll die.

You didn't catch a chill, did you?

Last night, you fell asleep in the yard.

Her Ladyship told us to carry you back.

Her Ladyship is already sick.

You can't fall ill too.

Thank you.

How is Her Ladyship?

She won't let us see her.

To clear my name,

you even made yourself get infected to test my medicine.

I will do everything I can…

Mr. Xiao, you visited the Imperial Medical Office.

Since no physicians can treat me,

let Technician Pei try.

In that case,

Technician Pei, please do everything you can to treat Her Ladyship.

He's so kind.

If I die by your hand,

then no one can help you anymore.

Why are you coughing so hard?

Does Pei Yu's medicine even work?

Put it down. Go.

You wouldn't let me see you.

Even just one day,

I missed you like crazy.

How can you be so heartless?

I'm not fully better yet.

I just didn't want you to catch it.

I got this from the Imperial Food Service.

It's cold and sweet.

It'll soothe your throat.

Take your medicine first.

Stop waiting for him. Mr. Xiao

left early this morning.

No.

He didn't ask if you're feeling better?

And you aren't curious whether I'm better?

Fever's gone.

My cough's much better too.

You were coughing so hard earlier.

So you were faking it.

Mr. Xiao, you're back.

From your pulse,

you have recovered.

For the next few days, eat some nourishing foods,

and you'll be back to normal.

How do you feel, Your Ladyship?

Much lighter.

I didn't cough at all last night.

Slept till dawn.

I told you my medicine was fine.

Tell Mr. Xiao

I'm not dying anytime soon.

Mr. Xiao left early this morning.

He didn't ask about me at all?

He's just calm and reserved.

He must've known I'd recover.

Your Ladyship, you're done for.

Now you even make excuses for him.

That day, a supervisor from the Imperial Medical Office came.

He'd draw lots to pick someone to test the medicine.

He carried a bamboo basket filled with folded slips.

He said whoever drew a slip with writing would go test it.

Everyone drew?

Yes. At first, a dozen were blank.

Until Liu Jia drew one with writing.

Everyone envied him at first,

until they heard the drug killed him.

Then they all got scared.

Did you see what the slip looked like?

On Liu Jia's slip, there was a character.

Everyone tried to get a look.

But Liu Jia said his hands were wet,

and the paper got damp and tore, so he tossed it.

What did the supervisor look like?

A man.

He had a scar on the back of his right hand.

Got it.

Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Highness.

You're really recovered!

Look at you.

You got sick and didn't say a word.

Only told us after you got better.

I'm here today to beg forgiveness.

With the palace gates sealed,

you still managed to stir up trouble.

I didn't cause a disaster this time.

Let's hear it.

Last time we tested the new prescription, a eunuch died suddenly.

Yet the Physicians at the Imperial Medical Office

all said this prescription wouldn't cause such a violent outcome.

To verify it again,

I chose to infect myself

and asked Technician Pei to treat me,

using the same prescription.

I acted first and reported later, so I'm here to apologize.

You were far too reckless.

Good thing you recovered.

Truly a stroke of luck.

Since this was to verify the new prescription

and ease Your Majesty's burden,

then please don't punish her.

Get up.

Look at you.

You made me and Consort Shu worry sick.

That's a crime! And crimes deserve punishment!

But… not today.

Where's the one who wrote the prescription?

She's only a woman technician.

She's waiting outside.

Summon the technician!

Your Majesty.

This guilty subject, Pei Yu, pays respects to Your Majesty.

Look up and speak.

Is this prescription the same as last time?

What Her Ladyship took was the same as last time.

Then why did it kill someone last time?

Your Majesty, because that man

already had a severe stomach illness.

These past few days, I've spoken to his coworkers.

They all knew he'd suffered from it for years.

The records show it as well.

When I took his pulse before the test,

I could tell he had stomach trouble.

But it didn't seem serious.

It seems he took stomach medicine before the test.

I adjusted the prescription,

but he still couldn't handle the strain,

so…

So the problem wasn't the prescription,

but the hidden condition,

which affected Technician Pei's diagnosis.

With this medicine,

can Jing handle it?

Before treating the young prince,

I'll review the pulse records from these days

and his current condition.

Good. Then my son is in your hands.

I won't fail Your Majesty!

You've recovered?

Yes. Thanks to Technician Pei's medicine.

And thank you, too, for getting help that night.

It was nothing.

If it were me who fell ill,

I'm sure you would do the same.

I have to say it, after all.

Mr. Xiao,

I got infected on purpose to help prove Technician Pei's prescription.

I promised you before I wouldn't hurt myself again,

but I broke it.

Say what you want.

I won't make excuses.

I trusted Technician Pei…

but I didn't know if I'd live.

I lied to you about why I got sick.

But what I said back then was all from the heart.

If you're angry,

I don't blame you.

But…

being sick is awful.

Don't ever get sick.

I've seen you risk your own body for the cases.

And I always thought it looked brave

yet somewhat reckless.

But this time,

I finally get your intention.

In this deep palace,

sometimes only a do-or-die move

can lead you to the truth and save lives.

You're flattering me.

I'm not that noble.

My position just grants me

more room to act than others have.

I'm anxious about the epidemic here. That's true.

I wanted to help Pei Yu prove the prescription. That's true too.

I'm not afraid of death. That's true.

But I'm afraid…

Don't be.

You drew an auspicious hexagram.

I knew I'd be fine.

You didn't come to check on me those days,

so I thought you were mad.

Turns out I was being petty.

You were investigating that eunuch who tested the medicine.

If I were hovering around you all day,

you wouldn't have recovered this fast.

You wanted to clear Technician Pei's name.

All I could do was a small thing

to prove that failed test wasn't entirely her fault.

Liu Jia being picked to test it wasn't a coincidence.

Right.

The one who came to pick someone was Huang Futong.

You chose Liu Jia on purpose, didn't you?

So you're saying

his death from Pei Yu's prescription was my scheme?

That woman can barely practice medicine,

yet her witchcraft is impressive.

Everyone's defending her.

Pei Yu's prescription is harsh.

To keep her from rising,

you found Liu Jia infected with the epidemic

and with a stomach disease on top of it.

How ridiculous.

I do one rotation every three months,

and I've treated countless.

How would I know who has stomach trouble?

Besides, the patient was picked by drawing lots.

It was fate.

HUANG FUTONG

Fate…

like this?

I don't know what "magic" you're playing,

but if you have solid proof

that I rigged anything,

I'll plead guilty.

Otherwise,

I'd ask you to stay away from the Medical Office.

We're already short-handed.

If you delay treatment for the nobles,

you won't be able to bear that blame.

It's alum.

The Medical Office has plenty of that.

I suspect Huang Futong used alum water to write on every slip,

then tricked Liu Jia to wet his fingertip before the draw.

That way, no matter which slip he took,

the hidden ink would show.

But Liu Jia is dead,

and the slips from that draw have long vanished.

Master!

Master!

Still steaming your eyes now?

Master?

Master?

Master?

Master?

Master…

Master…

When you arrived, Physician Song was like this?

No.

When I came in,

Master had a cloth over his head.

He had an eye illness.

Every night before bed,

he would steam his eyes with this decoction.

He leaned over the basin and let the steam bathe his eyes.

It's been cold lately.

With a warm cloth on top, the water would cool more slowly.

Could there be something wrong with this medicine?

I know Master's formula.

It wasn't the problem.

Then this decoction?

If there were an issue, Master would've noticed.

And it was mild in nature.

No clashing ingredients in it.

Did he steam his eyes every night?

Yes.

Who knew about this?

Everyone at the Medical Office knew.

Technician Pei, please step outside with me.

Without her master's protection,

with that blunt temperament,

it'll be even harder for her there.

Had Physician Song been acting odd lately?

The epidemic can't be contained.

Every day, Master was working on new prescriptions.

Last night I spoke with him a bit,

then someone called him away.

What time was that?

Around… half past the Xu Hour.

Did you see him after that?

The next time

was just now.

Your Ladyship.

Your Ladyship,

this wasn't caused by medication.

His eyes were bloodshot, his ears flushed.

Likely from a violent surge of qi and blood inside.

A sudden stroke?

That's right.

He passed out in an instant,

and his face fell into the decoction.

When it hit, he still had a faint breath,

but couldn't save himself and drowned.

He was in his prime. How could he have a stroke so suddenly?

Physician Song already had a tendency toward strokes.

With the epidemic, he was swamped. No sleep, no rest.

So it struck him all at once.

Pei Yu! Physician Song died because of you!

Huang Futong! Don't lay a hand on her!

You've never obeyed Physician Song.

He must've stopped you from crossing the line,

so you killed him!

Nonsense!

I have proof!

Your Ladyship.

I saw Pei Yu arguing with Physician Song in the dispensary last night.

I couldn't hear clearly what they were saying,

but his last words were loud and clear.

What did he say?

He said,

"Only over my dead body!"

- So you killed him! - I didn't kill my master!

Supervisor Huang said you argued.

Is that true?

I…

Yes, I argued with Master.

Master and I have always argued like that.

Sometimes we say harsh things.

But how could I kill him for that?

Still lying, are you?

We've already checked.

Physician Song died of a sudden illness.

No one killed him!

But his stroke-related illness had persisted for over ten years.

He was always fine.

If not for working himself to death lately,

how would he die so young? So suddenly?

If you'd noticed sooner

it wasn't a cold but the epidemic,

you could've eased his burden.

He wouldn't have worked himself to death.

- You… - Enough!

Your Ladyship,

Physician Song's sudden death

leaves Supervisor Huang overwhelmed with grief.

Forgive the outburst.

Leave.

Treating the young prince matters most. Go back first.

I regret that.

I shouldn't have given Master that prescription

and made him angry.

Father, Mother, I'm done drinking it.

Come on. Let's go play!

Just keep it up for seven more days,

dress warm, morning and night, and he'll be fully well.

We really have Technician Pei to thank.

Your Majesty should reward her.

Of course I will.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Thank you, Lady Su.

Your Majesty,

Technician Pei has studied under Physician Song since childhood.

She's exceptionally gifted.

She just never had the chance to ease Your Majesty's burden.

Now that the new prescription works

and she understands this illness,

I believe the epidemic here

can be wiped out within half a month.

So you're saying

Technician Pei already has a cure?

I'm still working on it.

You're being modest.

You've studied this illness

and written so many notes.

Everyone at the Medical Office has seen it.

Our previous treatments were too cautious.

But your approach is a pleasant surprise.

You'll surely overcome this epidemic!

Earning Your Majesty's trust is my honor.

I'll give it everything I have.

If… I can't clear the epidemic within half a month,

I'll resign.

She got a few compliments

and thought she's something,

swearing an oath right in front of His Majesty.

In half a month, she'll pack up and leave.

Supervisor Huang really knows how to play it.

I've never liked her, honestly.

Right?

I…

I worked hard to find that eunuch with the stomach disease.

I didn't expect her to be so lucky.

Even the County Princess is protecting her.

I thought once she "killed" someone, she'd be kicked out.

Instead, she ended up winning the Emperor's favor.

Don't celebrate too soon.

Only the end reveals fortune or ruin.

Fine. We'll just endure her for half a month.

Your Ladyship, save me!

Your Ladyship! Pei Yu's trying to kill me!

She found out Liu Jia was picked by you on purpose.

How… How did she know?

You deserve death.

Your Ladyship!

I did do something awful to her before,

but does that make murder okay?

You can't just ignore it!

Look, you haven't lost a single hair.

Why say she's trying to kill you?

It's…

Because…

Because on my bed was a headless dead rat!

She did that to warn me.

She'll kill me the same way she killed that rat!

Your Ladyship, it's right there!

You're a supervisor.

Can't you tell the cut isn't from a blade,

but from a cat or weasel's teeth?

Maybe that witch trained it?

Then summon Pei Yu and confront her.

Forget it.

If you're truly scared,

come back with us to the Palace Investigation Bureau.

We'll keep you safe.

Really?

You killed Liu Jia.

That's enough to rot in our prison for the rest of your life.

I spoke without thinking just now.

If you want to pursue this,

then show me proof.

I have urgent business to attend to.

Your Ladyship. Deputy Director Xiao.

Take care.

Someone's dead!

Someone's dead!

Someone's dead…

You're not from the Imperial Medical Office.

Your Ladyship,

‪XIA SHISAN ‪IMPERIAL FOOD SERVICE EUNUCH

this servant is from the Imperial Food Service.

Did you see anyone pass by just now?

I…

I just came out and saw…

Enough. If you remember anything, report it at once.

Understood.

Before it happened, where were you two?

Your Ladyship, we were in the dispensary, sorting the new medicines.

Did you notice anything unusual?

When it happened,

you were standing closest to the dispensary.

Did you see anything?

The Imperial Medical Office has been nonstop today,

not a moment to rest.

If that eunuch hadn't screamed,

we'd never have known a murder happened.

The killer likely used a rake to pry up the millstone,

then set one side of it on a wooden sleeper.

The millstone slid down.

There was no one on the roof.

The millstone must've been held in place by some method,

then dropped at the right moment when Huang Futong showed up.

So that's it.

Rope.

Let's check inside.

This spot is perfect.

With a rope from the roof into the room,

someone inside can control the millstone.

There were five or six people in here then,

all busy with their own work.

No one likely noticed who was who.

Supervisor Huang is dead!

Supervisor Huang is dead!

Pei Yu killed Supervisor Huang!

Pei Yu killed Supervisor Huang!

Your Ladyship, save me!

It… It had to be Pei Yu!

I can't stay here anymore. Your Ladyship!

Pei Yu will kill me too!

She'll kill all of you!

Your Ladyship, save me!

It was her.

It was her!

Pei Yu hasn't come back to the Imperial Medical Office.

How can you be so sure she killed Supervisor Huang?

Who knows how she did it?

All I know is, if you cross her,

nothing good happens.

Technician Pei has been focused on the new prescription.

So what did you do to offend her?

That woman really has some skill.

Even Mr. Xiao speaks up for her!

Quit talking nonsense out of jealousy.

If you were innocent, we'd speak up for you too.

Before,

Pei Yu leaned on Physician Song's protection

and looked down on all of us.

Now, because of one prescription, she has won His Majesty's favor.

All of us who studied for years

feel even more bitter!

So a few days ago, Supervisor Huang

deliberately praised her to the skies in front of His Majesty,

forcing her to promise

to end the epidemic within half a month.

And if she can't?

If she can't,

then, of course, she'll get kicked out.

As imperial physicians,

instead of stopping the epidemic,

you waste your schemes bullying your colleagues.

If Huang Futong really died because of Pei Yu,

then maybe it's fate.

No, Your Ladyship!

You have to save me! Please, save me!

Where would the rope be tied?

No.

The sleeper hasn't moved.

If it were tied to the sleeper,

it'd be hard to pull the rope back.

It must've been something smaller,

lower than the sleeper.

The sleeper's edge has cut marks.

The killer likely cut it to the right length

to test and balance the weight.

Wait.

How long has it been since you went back?

I haven't kept track.

His Majesty allowed you to go out openly and treat patients,

but it must still be hard.

I'm still just a woman technician.

His Majesty gave the order,

but those people may not listen to me.

So I have to do everything myself.

Huang Futong is dead.

We're short-handed now.

The Imperial Medical Office will be even busier.

You don't want to know how Huang Futong died?

If what you mean is whether I killed Supervisor Huang,

then I'll tell you now,

it wasn't me.

These days, all I think about is to keep people alive.

I don't want to see anyone else die.

The epidemic has improved a lot.

The consorts and princes are getting better,

but the infected servants are still dying in droves.

I can't stop for even a moment.

Why? Don't you already have a prescription?

Rhino horn and pearls are far too rare and expensive.

Ordinary eunuchs and maids can't get treated.

I want to use common herbs to make a new prescription,

but I still haven't cracked it.

Your Ladyship, it's all ready!

Keep watch at the entrance.

Understood!

Your Ladyship, begin!

It landed right on the spot where the millstone fell that day.

This pit.

Looks like we're right.

But…

Where could a rope so long be hidden?

There really wasn't any rope in the dispensary.

No, Your Ladyship.

Look,

the millstone fell here,

right by the edge of the dispensary door.

But when people go in and out, they rarely hug the side.

How did the killer know

Supervisor Huang would enter through this exact spot?

- That cart. - That eunuch.