Original subtitles

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

ONE MONTH LATER

Your Majesty.

At ease.

You don't seem too well.

Do you need more days off?

Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.

I have been blessed by divine favor,

and after the treatment, I have made a great recovery.

Even though I have submitted my qilin badge,

I must not forget my duty as the Deputy Director of Astronomy.

I will do my absolute best to meet your expectations.

Great.

We're at the end of the year.

The year-end blessing ritual is a major event.

It determines the peace of our nation and the well-being of our subjects.

Prior to this,

we simplified the Winter Solstice Ceremony due to circumstances.

And now, we must do our utmost to prepare meticulously

for the Southern Suburb Ceremony. It must be solemn.

I hereby request that you assist the Ministry of Rites

on behalf of your bureau

to exemplify our devotion for our subjects.

Much obliged.

You are a hardworking and dedicated man,

but you must take care of your body too

if you wish to serve me for the long term.

Thank you, Your Majesty. I will do everything I can.

Zhu Qing. Look at this place.

It's beautiful.

You see everything, including the palace and the markets nearby.

On the west, you can even see the Taiji Palace.

The Palace Servants' Quarters are over there.

The Imperial Medical Office is over there.

And that place should be the Palace Investigation Bureau.

I can't see it clearly.

It should be the Palace Investigation Bureau.

It's windy up here.

As you just recovered from your ailment and are still weak,

let's head back.

When the cold wind

meets the remaining warm current, snow will fall.

The harsh wintry wind,

accompanied by heavy snow,

freezes the land.

- Winter is cold. - Deputy Director.

The end of the year is upon us.

The old must be removed to welcome the new.

We must organize the ceremony that His Majesty

has been expecting properly.

We have many things to do.

The old must be removed to welcome the new.

After installing the heating pot, even the corridor feels like spring.

I don't feel cold at all.

How nice it is to be in the palace.

You have a heating pot in the corridor too.

Deputy Director,

we only have this recently.

They saw that the weather had turned cold,

so they specially added this.

The servants get to enjoy the benefits too.

We feel warm as well.

I see.

How thoughtful and generous of His Majesty.

Deputy Director Xiao, you probably have to enter the imperial palace frequently.

In this cold climate,

having the heating pot is reassuring.

You did all this for Mr. Xiao.

Why can't you tell him?

People said the heating pots

were mere considerations from His Majesty,

but His Majesty and Consort Shu don't even take that route.

You are just worried about Mr. Xiao's weak constitution.

He's weak because of me.

Besides, the heating pots bring comfort to the servants too.

It's not just for him.

I wonder who's more stubborn?

You or Mr. Xiao?

However,

I think Mr. Xiao misses you too.

That's his problem.

This is…

Consort Shu said

that everything she had was bestowed by Your Majesty.

Only her hair is truly hers.

Hence, she gave it to Your Majesty,

in hopes that Your Majesty

can grow old with her.

Speaking of which,

she has always held an excellent banquet

after the Southern Suburb Ceremony.

Get her

to hold it this year as well.

Understood. I shall relay the message.

Look. Another winning hand.

You caught it with your hands.

Of course, you'll get a winning hand.

No rules in the Chupu game forbid me from catching with my hands.

You've been in this chamber for a while now.

Why is your nose still red?

And your eyes too.

It's cold, and you have things to do.

You don't have to come here every day.

When I was working in the Palace Investigation Bureau,

you asked me to spend more time with you.

And now that I'm free, you are sick of me.

Oh, you!

You lost again. One horse left. Pay up.

I bear His Majesty's edict!

Given Consort Shu's gentle disposition,

His Majesty wants Consort Shu to return at once

to assist in the preparation of the Southern Suburb Ceremony.

Please make the necessary arrangements

lest His Majesty be disappointed.

Yes.

It's the end of the year.

The banquet after the Southern Suburb Ceremony

is very important.

Will you help me organize it?

I already come to see you every day anyway.

I'd love to do this.

FUCHANG COUNTY PRINCESS MANOR

Both the surface and the end

of the universe are limitless.

I know more than 100 stars.

The Orion Constellation.

The Big Dipper.

The Gemini.

The Dubhe.

The Merak.

The Orion Constellation.

The Gemini.

The Big Dipper.

The Dubhe.

The Merak.

We're just sands in the sea of the universe.

Yet in the same universe,

it's possible that two people will never meet

each other.

You're foolish.

My question

cost you 15 years of your life.

Do you regret it?

I never regret the choice I made.

Besides,

I really want to answer every question you have.

‪ZI, CHOU

THE MISALIGNED SEVEN STARS

Greetings, Your Majesty, Consort Shu, and County Princess.

Your Majesty, the auspicious hour has been decided accordingly.

I came to invite Your Majesty to sign with the cinnabar brush.

My dear, since you are organizing the banquet,

you can sign it for me.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

TWELFTH MONTH OF THE YEAR OF DINGCHOU

Don't go.

Deputy Director Xiao!

- Quick! Put out the fire! - Put out the fire!

Quick.

Take him to the Imperial Medical Office.

No need.

I'm sorry.

Please punish me, Your Majesty.

This isn't your fault. But the banquet is near.

I do not wish to see another accident.

Take Consort Shu back to rest.

And tell the Palace Investigation Bureau to come here.

Yes.

Peiyi.

It is a shocking event.

Please return and rest.

You can count on me. Don't worry.

Deputy Director Xiao,

I count on you and Peiyi to investigate this.

I will do my best.

Autopsy isn't my expertise. After you, Your Ladyship.

What is going on?

Your Ladyship? Mr. Xiao?

What do we do now?

You're the boss. Are you asking me?

I'm not working in the bureau anymore. So I'm asking you.

No unusual coloration under the tongue or nails.

It's not poison.

Bring him back and examine carefully.

The banquet demands my attention.

If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.

Mr. Xiao is so cold.

It's good that he's keeping some distance from me.

Those near me will suffer misfortune.

Staying away is the best decision.

That way, I don't have to worry that he'll suffer any misfortune one day.

Don't jinx it.

Are you all right, Deputy Director Xiao?

Coughing blood again?

Quick.

Eat this.

I fear we'll have to ask Prosecutor Gu to send us more medicine.

You still need to take it.

Speaking of him, he has a noble soul.

This is an expensive pill.

It might cost his monthly wage.

Is it very expensive?

I don't know medicine, but I've picked up

a thing or two by working with Deputy Director since young.

The rhinoceros horn and pearls in the pill cost a lot.

It can cure the blood-coughing symptoms caused by a bloated liver.

This thing perforated the intestines.

There are blood clots in his abdomen.

What is this?

Iron caltrops?

Do you know this?

What is this?

- This is… - This is…

- Is it for spinning threads? - It seems too small

for spinning threads.

Perhaps it fell from a weapon?

Yu Shishun. Shut it if you don't know anything.

It's too small. I can't see it clearly.

No one will swallow an iron caltrop,

regardless of how small it is.

That's easy. Just conceal the caltrop

inside a pill or honey paste.

They will be digested after two hours.

PRESCRIPTION

Minister Liu was haunted by anxiety.

He took a calming pill every day to calm himself.

This is the diagnosis and prescription found on his table.

Come with me.

This is where he usually worked.

He took the pills often, so he placed them here.

The pills were placed in a high-traffic area,

easy for unscrupulous parties to tamper with.

They are indeed the calming pills made in my shop.

After we make the pills,

the patient will come and retrieve them.

But there's something wrong with the pills.

What's wrong?

Miss, take a look.

These two have a shell

and this one doesn't.

The shell-less one, does it feel or taste any different?

Yes, but not much.

You're to take several pills at once.

It'll be even harder

to notice the difference if you mix them when you take them.

It's cold at night.

Your Ladyship, don't stand too long in the cold.

I'm fine. It's not windy now.

I'm glad you're back, Your Ladyship.

It makes me more confident in the investigation.

And you won't be if I don't come back?

Haven't you been doing well? You don't need me.

Boss.

Your presence is reassuring.

All the more reasons for me to leave.

With me here, you'll think you have a way out.

Boss, are you not coming back at all?

I got involved in this by chance.

We'll see if I'll return for real in the future.

I still keep your things where they are.

The bureau is as it was when you left.

Everyone misses you.

The eastern wind thaws the ice, turning it into snow.

As the cloud parts and the Sun appears, the spring light feels gentle.

The southern wind is mild, and smoke rises from the wet soil.

The drizzling rain does not cease, signaling the hot summer.

The western wind is strong,

and the yellow leaves shed.

As the sky is clear and the clouds are thin,

the autumn breeze feels cool.

The harsh wintry wind, accompanied by heavy snow,

freezes the land. Winter is cold.

I forgot to move it.

It sounds creepy at night.

It points toward the north. The wintry wind is harsh.

I suppose it'll snow soon in the Western Capital.

I don't want you to be upset when you see it.

I'm fine.

Years pass by as the wind blows.

The season changes.

Some people move on faster, some slower.

But we all move on eventually.

Keep it. I think it's nice here.

FUCHANG COUNTY PRINCESS MANOR

Your Ladyship, I have delivered the thing you asked me to.

But please don't ask me to do it again.

I'm not good at lying.

Your compass broke, didn't it?

I know

it belonged to your master, so it meant a lot to you.

I've been meaning to find you a good replacement.

I asked around

and found this compass…

that was used by Li Chunfeng. I came to give it to you.

Judging from Mr. Xiao's reaction,

I think he figured out that I didn't buy

the pills and the compass.

Thank you, Gu.

The restaurants in the Western Capital

have begun offering winter seasonal dishes.

Pick one. It's on me.

It's not that, Your Ladyship.

It's not a hassle. I just…

I understand. Thank you, Gu.

Blood.

There's blood!

Another victim.

The victim is a performer from the Music Office.

She was a musician from the Music Office

called Su Zhuo'er. She was kind,

definitely not a troublemaker.

When was the drum placed here?

These drums are here for the dance performance at the banquet.

They were placed here more than ten days ago

for our rehearsal.

But no one was guarding

these instruments.

PAVILION OF SONG AND DANCE

The drum skin has been refastened, in a very amateur way too.

A musician knows to take good care of their instruments.

The culprit is unlikely to be a musician.

Dismiss everyone. Keep the drum here.

Don't let anyone near it.

Yes.

The drum is huge.

How could the culprit carry so much water

in such a short amount of time?

The copper pot, intended for fire relief, contains water.

The inside of the drum is clean.

There's no blood or spraying pattern.

The victim was inserted after she died.

The culprit placed the body

inside the pre-heated water so that the blood slowly seeped out.

Then, he refastened the drum skin

and let the body be discovered the next day.

As for how he heated the water up…

Lime, I knew it.

After putting the body inside the drum, add some lime,

and the water temperature will rise.

Just enough for blood to seep into the water.

Go find out who was with Su Zhuo'er last night.

The ministers in the Music Office must know something.

You're quick.

You hid the pots, but you can't hide the smell.

Madam. Have mercy.

Relax. I don't care if you drink alcohol.

I'm here to investigate.

But if you help me,

I'll help you too.

All right. I'll speak.

- Come. - Come.

Cheers.

- Come. - People like us

hold our drinks very well.

Yet for some reason,

we became drunk very quickly last night,

as if the liquor was stronger than usual.

Su Zhuo'er drank ten cups in one go.

- When she left, she was very drunk. - You're leaving already?

Did she tell you

where she was going or who she was meeting?

No.

When she left at that time,

she said nothing, and we never pried.

Your Ladyship, I examined the residence of Su Zhuo'er.

This is the maid who shared a chamber with her.

The victim didn't even unroll her bed last night.

She probably was killed before she returned home.

Do you remember what Su Zhuo'er wore when you last saw her?

A small dark green coat. A thick one at that.

Your Ladyship, anything wrong with her attire?

It's winter, yet she wasn't wearing a lot.

Where did her coat go?

Her coat was left in the bushes.

She was probably tackled down here.

Perhaps someone forced himself on her.

But there are no wounds or signs of rape on her.

Don't tell me she took off her clothes and lay there.

Old man once told me that during winter,

drunkards were often frozen to death naked by the street.

Under the influence of alcohol and extremely low temperature,

one might begin to hallucinate and feel warm.

They will begin removing their clothes before they succumb to the cold.

The culprit knows the performers drink every night.

He might even know the custom that if one wants to leave early,

one will have to drink with everyone first.

So, he tampered with the liquor.

If the culprit appeared during the pre-determined time,

Su Zhuo'er wouldn't have died.

What's cruel is that the culprit

probably waited in the dark

until Su Zhuo'er died from the cold.

And then, he placed her body

inside the drum and let her blood out.

What kind of grudge deserves such an elaborate plan?

Your Ladyship,

don't you think the culprit's motive and actions are contradictory?

- How so? - The culprit was careful.

He killed Su Zhuo'er without leaving a trace.

Therefore, he must be quite discreet.

Yet he put her inside the drum intended for the banquet performance.

Doesn't that mean he wants people to find out?

This feels familiar, doesn't it?

Liu Guanghan?

The culprit hid iron caltrops inside the victim's honeyed pills,

killing him silently.

Yet he also arranged it in a way that Liu Guanghan

would die before His Majesty.

The death of both victims is carefully planned,

yet mysteriously arranged.

He wants the body to be publicly displayed without exposing himself

or being suspicious.

Are you sure it's done by the same person?

But why?

To sabotage the banquet?

It's too early to jump to conclusions now.

How come Peiyi isn't here?

We had a game of Chupu just now.

We toppled a cup of water and she was all wet.

I didn't want her to look improper before Your Majesty,

so I asked her to get changed.

I see you have pretty much recovered.

I have already made a full recovery.

All thanks to Peiyi's company, of course.

That little girl

has been distraught lately.

I'm glad you're keeping her company.

Your Majesty. I'm worried about her too.

While she often forces herself to be cheerful before me,

I know she is miserable.

She has suffered enough.

I don't want to see her like this.

I understand your concerns.

But she needs to deal with her problem personally.

Your intervention might do more harm than good.

Your Majesty,

Deputy Director Xiao Huaijin is here.

Greetings, Your Majesty, Consort Shu.

Great timing.

I've been re-reading Zhuangzi lately.

The line, "Today, I forego myself,"

resonates with me deeply. What do you think of that?

I wouldn't dare comment.

To be one with everything is to discard your self.

It means to forego your self and your constraints,

let go of your obsessions and return to your originality.

I don't need your explanation.

I want to hear your opinion about it.

Can you recall what Ziqi of the Southern City looked like

when he forewent himself?

He looked withered and emotionless.

You look withered and emotionless too.

Have you foregone your self?

Your Majesty,

Deputy Director Xiao just recovered, and he's busy.

When you're consumed by work, you fail to see things clearly.

Are you waiting for me, Mr. Xiao?

Your Ladyship, I have some questions for you.

Don't worry, Mr. Xiao.

After the banquet,

I will request His Majesty again to annul the marriage arrangement.

The marriage arrangement is the result of my willfulness

and your bid for time.

From now on, we will walk separate paths

and have nothing to do with each other.

Inspector Du,

initially, I wanted to share this pot of liquor with you

during the wedding ceremony.

But it seems like it's just my wishful thinking.

You worried that after she left you, she'd be in trouble,

and you asked me to look after her.

I did try supporting her.

I even fantasized

growing old with her.

But fate can be cruel.

And in the end, I am where I am right now.

I am selfish.

I've studied astrological charts, both old and new.

I know the name of every star in the world.

Yet I do not know

the path ahead of me.

Inspector Du,

please provide some guidance.

I see it now.

You too think you placed the duty on the wrong person.

I failed you.

I failed her.

In that case,

let's share this liquor.

Inspector Du,

you really are biased toward her.

After what I said,

you even refused to drink the liquor I brought.

Whatever.

It's my fault.

Stop!

Help!

Stop!

- Stop! - Stop!

- Stop running! - Stay right there!

Stop running!

- Stay right there! - Stop running!

Stop!

- Stop running! - Stop running!

Capture them all.

Wait.

Greetings, Deputy Director Xiao.

What did these people do that you must use force on them?

People have been holding the ritual privately

to summon Venus.

This belief has misguided the people.

Summon Venus?

Deputy Director Xiao,

it wasn't our intention to capture the offenders in public,

thus creating chaos.

But similar things always happen.

We do not have a choice.

What is the summoning of Venus?

Deputy Director Xiao, are you aware of the nursery rhyme

that's getting popular lately?

Nursery rhyme?

Five, four, three, two, one

Fire, water, earth, wood, metal

As Venus soars above ground

The divine beast's roar Silences the dragon

When Venus descends upon the palace

The world will know true peace

What an interesting nursery rhyme.

The popularity of the nursery rhyme comes with a rumor.

After Consort Shu earns His Majesty's favor,

our nation hasn't had any war or disaster.

They say when Consort Shu was born,

Venus appeared during the day.

And rumor has it that Venus will appear again.

Whoever could summon Venus would rise before all else.

Venus appeared when Consort Shu was born? That is nonsense.

That has never happened.

Indeed.

But the more mystical the rumor is,

the harder it is to get rid of it.

Look at these kids.

Their parents brought them to summon Venus.

Ask them to get up now.

Everyone, get up now.

Everyone, when Consort Shu was born,

Venus did not appear.

Do not believe the rumors

or you'll just be manipulated by someone else.

You see, Deputy Director Xiao.

This has persisted for a while now.

You see this in Chang'an and Wannian.

We have stopped this many times.

Not only is our effort futile, the people are getting more fanatical.

We do not dare to take more drastic measures,

so we have submitted an emergency report,

pending instructions from our superior.