Original subtitles

When can the bamboo splints be taken off?

When your tibiae are completely healed. It'll take a couple of days more.

Wai-Shan, you've taken so many days off to keep me company.

Is the Imperial Hospital OK with it?

Don't worry. What matters now is to keep you company.

Dr To, are you there?

So this is Mrs. To?

You're really beautiful and astute. You're really charming too.

No wonder Dr To prefers staying at home instead of going to the Imperial Hospital.

Brother Yam, you're suddenly here. Is His Majesty sick?

No. Actually Princess Wojia asked me to bring her and Miss Youlan here to see you.

Dr To, you've been on leave for days.

Yam Sik-kan wanted us to memorize the medical books that whole time.

You want him to bore me to death?

I heard that you had an accident, Mrs To. Are you OK now?

I'm recovering. Thank you for asking.

Good. Dr To, when will you go back to work in the Imperial Hospital then?

In a couple of days.

Brother Yam, have you checked His Majesty's pulse these past few days?

How could he do that?

His Majesty refused to see me even though I wanted to see how he was doing.

He's stuck in Yingtai all the time. I don't know what he's doing.

He hasn't summoned the imperial doctors at all?

No. That's why the Commissioner's so worried

Your Majesty.

To Chung, you're here?

You look great today.

Thanks for your advice. Now I practice fighting for an hour each day

I also walk a thousand steps every day. At night I study foreign knowledge.

And I'm drafting a brand new proposal that fits Qing perfectly.

You look really energetic. I'm relieved.

Thank you for telling me to pull myself together

so I don't fail Consort Zhen's last wish.

Back then I was too impulsive. But I've learned a lesson now.

I've thought about it over and over again. The reform failed

because I failed to balance the interests of all the parties.

That's why Empress Dowager and the conservative party in the government

objected to it.

I've thought it over carefully. I've finally come up with a proposal.

But I have no real power. Even the best proposal can't be carried out.

Your Majesty, what's the objective of the new administration?

Of course I want to make the country strong

and ensure the people are well provided for.

But Empress Dowager is biased against me.

If I present the new proposal to her again, I'm sure she'll object to it.

I have an idea.

Pretend you're a doctor. But your patient is biased against you.

He won't take the medicine you prescribed. What would you do?

I could ask another doctor to prescribe the same medicine for him.

Aren't you afraid the other doctor will take credit for healing the patient?

It doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as the patient's cured.

I understand now.

You mean I don't need to propose the new administration myself.

I can ask someone to do it for me.

It's good you understand.

You're right. What's most important is finding the right person

who can convince Empress Dowager to carry out the new administration.

Who gets the credit is immaterial.

Just now you fought so well. I was really surprised.

Come on. How can I be your match in fighting, Prince Chun?

I have nothing to do in Yingtai. So I want to exercise a bit.

No wonder you're in such good shape today. You're so energetic.

What's the use of being energetic?

The nation is weak and the government is inefficient.

I feel really uneasy.

You must take care of your health

even though you're worried about the country and the people.

I'm the emperor.

It's my duty to worry about the nation and the people.

Too bad Empress Dowager doesn't trust me. That's why the reform failed.

I'm of the view that the greatest problem for the reform wasn't Empress Dowager.

It failed because someone double crossed you.

Yuan Shikai is really despicable. I was wrong to trust him.

Actually Empress Dowager wasn't entirely opposed to the new administration.

But Your Majesty trusted the wrong people.

You pushed too hard.

You even attempted to strip Empress Dowager of her power.

So you ended up antagonizing her.

Your analysis is so correct.

But it's not easy to gain Empress Dowager's trust again.

You have some ideas about the new administration?

Exactly. I do have some ideas. Would you care to hear them?

Sure.

Prince Chun, why did you choose this place

for the flower appreciation tea party?

Did you know in advance that the flowers here would be blooming so beautifully?

Actually it was Noble Consort Yu's idea to hold this party today.

How would I know such things?

His Majesty in in the mood to come with the Queen and Consort Jin

to look at the flowers today.

It's good to see they're happy and harmonious as a family.

Your Royal Highness, if you're tired,

you can take a seat over there and enjoy the cakes.

Good. Let's see what Western cakes Deling has made this time.

She's clever and thoughtful. I like her.

Prince Chun, why are you standing there? Youlan is anxiously waiting for you.

I'm not.

That's right, Prince Chun.

She's your fiancee after all. How could you be so cold to her?

Come over here and sit down. You must make it up to Youlan.

Your Majesty, you look sharp and energetic today.

You're even in such a good mood.

Apart from getting rest in Yingtai,

I also took To Chung's advice and exercised a lot.

That's why I feel much better now.

Apart from that, I also want to ask Your Royal Highness to teach me

the way to stay healthy.

It's perfect that you want to stay healthy.

Your Royal Highness is energetic and strong despite your age.

This is a blessing for Qing.

Look there.

I can't believe so many butterflies

have broken out from their cocoons at the same time.

What an unforgettable spectacle.

Congratulations, Your Royal Highness.

So many chrysalises turned into butterflies at the same time.

This is an omen for good luck. It symbolizes a new era for Qing.

Congratulations, Your Royal Highness.

The divination is excellent. It means great fortune and blessings.

The old will go and the new will come. The future is really bright.

Your Royal Highness, there were anomalies in

Shanxi, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Yunnan

in the past couple of days.

The governor-generals and governors of different provinces reported that

these anomalies were omens of fortune from God.

It implies that if Qing adopts a new administration,

it will become strong.

I would urge Your Royal Highness to follow God's will.

Your Royal Highness, following God's will is the beginning of prosperity.

Qing has been humiliated for too long. This will end now.

If we take this chance to make reforms, Qing will surely revive.

The heyday of the former emperors will come again.

Your Royal Highness,

if we grab this opportunity to carry out the new administration,

we're sure to be successful.

Your name will definitely go down in history.

Your name will go down in history...

Prince Chun, the proposal on the new administration that you submitted

looks really familiar.

It's more or less the same as His Majesty's previous proposal for reform.

You're sharp, Your Royal Highness.

We need to set up the Imperial University of Peking,

the Railroad and Mining Bureau and the Bureau of Commerce.

Our army needs Western military training.

We need to buy guns and cannons from the foreigners too.

All are imperative.

I banned those proposals back then.

If they're launched again now, people will laugh at me for backtracking.

Back then the timing was premature.

And His Majesty depended on the wrong people.

Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao and the others were ambitious but stupid.

They were incompetent.

Your Royal Highness had no other option but to ban all the new measures.

But it's different now.

Most important of all, Your Royal Highness

is leading the new administration and will carry it out in practice.

People will support this.

If we can gather the strength of all the officials

and make them work hard for Qing's revival,

I'm sure we will make it a great success.

Are you really that confident?

Your Royal Highness is visionary and decisive.

Under your astute leadership,

I'm sure Qing will march towards prosperity.

Your brown-nosing skills getting better and better.

I hope you're just as good at carrying out the new administration.

Much obliged, Your Royal Highness.

Empress Dowager really agreed to carry out the new administration?

She's even put me fully in charge of its execution.

This is really great.

Thank you for coming up with the idea of

creating the spectacle of butterflies breaking out of their cocoons.

You created the omen of good luck to persuade Empress Dowager.

But I don't understand how you could ensure

that so many butterflies would break out at the same time.

Actually, the day before the party,

I took my guards to the woods to collect pupae that were about to hatch.

Then we put them all in the woods in the back at night

and waited for the moment to come.

You're really so clever.

Thank you. The right timing was the most important.

We were lucky that all the butterflies broke out at the same time.

Otherwise how would Empress Dowager believe this?

Even God helped me in this. This shows Qing isn't doomed yet.

But the new administration is your idea.

Now I'm getting the credit. I feel really uneasy.

As long as we can make the country strong and provide for the people,

it doesn't matter who gets the credit.

You're so modest.

Let's not talk about that.

Now that Empress Dowager has agreed to carry out the new administration.

We need to discuss so many things in detail.

The most urgent matter is to select the right group of candidates.

Then we'll send them abroad to learn the foreigner's scientific technologies.

Please spare my life, Your Highness.

Your Highness, just now I saw Cui Yugui stealing property from the mansion.

He even tried to escape.

I did take some decorative items from the mansion.

But the money is mine. I didn't steal it.

Nonsense. You're just an Imperial Household servant.

Your salary is low. How could you have so much money?

Talk. Where did you steal the money?

Please spare my life. The money is really mine. I didn't steal it.

Shut up, slave. You're already a convicted person.

You've shown no remorse at all. You stole and tried to escape.

You're guilty.

Drag him out and chop his hands off to feed the dogs.

No, Your Highness. Please spare my life.

Your Highness... I'll tell you a secret. It's about the rebels.

Wind blowing in garden. So cold that butterflies won't come.

Fragrance all over Changan. Yellow flowers all over the city.

Where's the name register?

Where's my money?

What are you doing?

What? You think you can get away?

Scum, you sold me out? Step back or I'll kill him.

Your Highness.

Look out.

After them!

Yes.

Uncle Tsat, stay with me. Uncle Tsat.

Fuk Ling, I won't make it. Leave me. Run.

No, I won't.

Forget about the trifles when doing big things.

The name register is what's most important.

Remember, for the sake of the revolution,

you mustn't let your emotions cloud your judgment, OK?

I can't carry on with you. I'm counting on you to overthrow Qing.

Uncle Tsat... Don't worry. I will fulfill this last wish of yours.

Search the houses one by one.

Yes, Your Highness.

Kot Kan, did you see the rebel?

No, Your Highness.

Go ahead and search.

Yes, Your Highness...

Kot Kan? What's the matter?

Dr To, it's bad. Miss Ling's in trouble.

Water.

Dr To, how's Miss Ling?

She's bled a lot.

I took the bullet out in time. The bleeding has stopped.

But she won't wake up so soon.

We have to take her to Father Taylor's hospital right away.

No, Dr To. No one can find out about this.

Why was she shot? Who shot her?

I don't know. Ask her when she's come to.

Please look after her.

I must get back to Prince Chun's Mansion

or he'll get suspicious.

What would he suspect?

Just look after Miss Ling for the time being. I need to go.

Thank you, Dr To.

To Chung... To Chung...

You're awake?

To Chung...

Are you awake?

To Chung...

Why? Why can't we be together? Why are you so nice to me?

To Chung, don't go. To Chung, don't leave.

Don't worry. I won't leave. Don't worry.

I wanted to give you a nice surprise.

I don't need to go to the palace today. Let's make dumplings together.

Great. Let's see who will make the biggest and most beautiful dumplings.

Good idea. Lin-chi, I'll go answer the door.

Dr To, it's bad. Miss Ling's in trouble.

Pak-hop, there's an emergency case. I need to go out now.

We'll make the dumplings when I'm back.

How come Dr To still hasn't come home yet?

You're awake? Easy.

Thank you.

Thank God Kot Kan came to me in time.

Otherwise you'd be in trouble from all the bleeding.

I really can't believe you're the one to save my life in the end.

Honestly, I don't enjoy saving your life.

I just want you to be safe and not to get injured or hurt again.

You still have a temperature. Have some porridge.

I had a very high fever last night?

You mumbled in your dreams.

Did I say anything funny?

No.

Where's my jade pendant? It's not here?

Is it very valuable? Is it an engagement gift?

My mom left it to me.

She told me to carry it with me until I find the one I'm destined to be with.

I thought it would accompany me for the rest of my life.

Relax. Here it is.

When I took the bullet out for you yesterday,

it fell to the ground. I was keeping it for you.

Is it really predestined?

What did you say?

Nothing. To Chung, thank you.

No problem. Can you tell me who shot you?

There are things you had better not ask.

It will only put you in danger you if you know.

OK. Your wound is inflamed. You still have a fever.

I'll go get you some medicine. You get some rest here.

It's fine. There's medicine in Chuen Yan Clinic too.

You don't need to come and go.

Don't move so much or you'll start bleeding again.

You don't want your family to find you in such a state, do you?

Wait until it's dark. Then I'll take you home. It's decided.

To Chung, you'll come back, right?

Yes, I will. Wait for me.

I'll wait for you.

Pak-hop...

Wai-Shan, you're home?

Yes. I'm sorry.

The patient was in critical condition. So I couldn't come home last night.

It's fine. Saving the patient should take priority.

Why don't I help you to the bedroom to get some sleep?

No. You remember what you told me before you left?

You said you would make dumplings with me when you come home. Let's carry on.

Dad said he likes dumplings with leeks. But I think leeks have too strong a taste.

I like dumplings with cabbage. What about you? Wai-Shan.

What?

Do you like dumplings with leeks or cabbage?

Leeks. It tastes stronger, so it's tastier.

But I've made cabbage dumplings for you all along. So you don't like them?

No. I said I liked leeks better.

I didn't say I didn't like dumplings with cabbage.

Since you'd eaten cabbage dumplings for

so long, I thought you'd grow to like them.

You'll be back very soon, right?

Yes, I will. Wait for me.

I'll wait for you.

I'm sorry, Pak-hop. I have to go out for something really urgent

What's so urgent that you have to leave me behind?

I'll be right back.

Fuk Ling.

You've saved my life time and again. I'm really grateful.

Given your intelligence and talent,

you must have realized by now that my life is not simple.

I don't want to get anyone into trouble.

Let's not see each other again unless it's absolutely necessary.

Please take care. Fuk Ling.

Move.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

At ease.

Much obliged.

Our shop is cramped.

Please forgive us for failing to entertain Your Highness properly.

Your Highness, why have you come to Chuen Yan Clinic today?

Do you have a worker called Ho Tsat here?

Uncle Tsat does work here.

Do you know he's actually a rebel?

Really?

Your Highness, is this some kind of mistake?

We really didn't know Ho Tsat is a rebel.

Where's Fuk Ling? I don't see her here.

She...

I'm here.

Ling, we didn't see you this morning. I thought you went to the palace.

I was tired. I overslept.

Your Highness, we didn't know you were coming.

Please forgive us. Kot Kan, serve tea.

Yes.

According to all of you, you didn't had no idea about Ho Tsat's background?

We run a small business here.

Are we supposed to thoroughly check a casual worker's background?

That's right. If Kan weren't working as your guard,

we wouldn't need to hire that Ho Tsat as a casual worker.

How could there be such a coincidence? Kot Kan went to work as my bodyguard.

Then Ho Tsat took his place here in Chuen Yan Clinic.

I can't help but suspect that someone arranged this.

Your Highness is really meticulous.

But don't forget that it was your good friend

Miss Deling

who made arrangements for Kot Kan to work for you. Is she suspect too?

Your Highness, we've searched all of Chuen Yan Clinic.

There's nothing suspicious.

Your Highness, what else do you want to know?

Let's go.

Good bye.

I was told that Dr Fuk is very good at massage.

I aggravated an old injury in my shoulder

when I tried to catch the rebels yesterday.

Can you massage my back for me, Dr Fuk?

Your Highness, I know how to do massage too.

Let me help you.

No.

Kot Kan, you're clumsy. You'll make Prince Chun unhappy.

Since Your Highness doesn't mind, I will do the massage for you then.

Is the pressure OK? Is it too strong?

You can apply more pressure.

Actually your ligaments and muscles have loosened a lot already.

If I apply more pressure, there'll only be adverse effects.

Heed my advice.

You must pay attention when you practice Kung Fu.

Don't wear yourself out.

Whether it's been loosened must be tested.

Dr Fuk's massage skills are really good.

I don't feel any obstruction when I strike.

Thank you.

I can't believe you even fight better than Kot Kan. Very good.

Thank you.

I'm sorry for the interruption. I have work to do. I can't stay. Let's go.

Miss Ling, how are you?

I feel much better after putting on some fresh medicine.

How come Uncle Tsat was a rebel? How come you...

After I had left the capital, I went to Guangzhou. Lots of things happened.

Anyway it's a long story.

I'm sorry, Kot Kan. I didn't know I would get you into trouble.

Please don't say that.

Mentor took me and my mom in when I was a kid.

Without him, I really don't know what would have happened to us.

I believe nothing you do would be bad. I trust you.

Just let me know if I can be of help.

Thank you for your offer.

But I don't want to get you and Madam Kot into trouble because of what I do.

I chose this. I'm prepared to sacrifice my life.

But you're different.

What would happen to Madam Kot if something bad happens to you?

Don't just think of brotherhood or returning favors.

If you really want to help me, just pretend that you don't know anything.

Whatever you say.

But Dr To can tell that you were shot. What if he files a report?

He's a smart person. He won't get himself into trouble.

My greatest worry now is that scum Cui Yugui.

He knows your identity?

Not yet. But he double crossed Uncle Tsat.

He could do that to other people too.

He managed to escape in the chaos.

I must find him before Prince Chun does.

I need to get rid of him.

Don't worry. I will exhaust all means to find him for you.

Also, I will tender my resignation to Prince Chun tomorrow.

No. Prince Chun isn't easy to deal with.

If you suddenly resign, you'll raise his suspicion.

If you want to help me, you must pretend you know nothing.

Carry on working in Prince Chun's Mansion.

Boss, where do you want to go?

Just keep going.

You two are the closest to me. One's my good friend.

Why betray me together?

There's nothing between To Chung and me. Not in the past, not now, not ever.

Maybe I'll never walk again.

Wai-Shan, I'm so scared. Please don't abandon me.

I can't survive without you.

Why would I abandon you?

I promised to look after you. I will never leave you. Don't worry.

Why can't we be together? Why are you so nice to me?

To Chung. Don't go. To Chung.

I won't leave.

I'm sorry, Pak-hop. I have to go out for something really urgent.

What's so urgent that you have to leave me behind?

I'll be right back.

You've saved my life time and again. I'm really grateful.

I don't want to get anyone into trouble.

Let's not see each other again unless it's absolutely necessary.

Please take care. Fuk Ling.

Boss, we can't go any further. Shall we turn around?

Turn around.

Pak-hop... Pak-hop...

Pok-hop's mother died when she was a little girl.

She fell sick and she couldn't walk after she got well.

She was always teased and bullied because of that.

She cried all the time.

After she married you, she finally started smiling.

I thought you could make her happy.

But now you made her so mad that she's even left home.

I'm so sorry.

I shouldn't put my nose into your affairs.

And I don't know what happened.

But I'm an old man. She's my only daughter.

I hope you will love Pak-hop the way I love her.

Don't break her heart again.

Pak-hop, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you behind.

Don't be mad. Let's go home.

Do you remember this pair of figurines?

Immortals of Harmony and Union?

Aunt Ping gave them to us when we got married.

I always thought they were a lot like us.

One's always sitting there and the other's always standing.

They weren't in harmony at all.

Actually I really wanted to stand up again.

I thought if I could, then I could... But...

Pak-hop, please don't do this.

I thought you really wanted to cure my legs.

Actually you wanted to cure me so you could leave me sooner.

Please don't think that way.

I swear to God that never crossed my mind.

You swore to God too that you would never leave me behind.

What did you do in the end?

You left me behind for that girl Fuk Ling. You left me.

She was seriously injured.

You should understand that as a doctor, I can't sit back and watch her die.

Sometimes I feel like it's better to be your patient than your wife.

I really hate myself so much. Why am I just lame?

Why can't I be seriously sick in other ways too?

At least you'd stay with me

and make me feel like you care about and cherish me.

You're the closest person to me. Why would I not care about or cherish you?

You've treated me like family all along.

I don't just want the kind of care and concern you show for a family member.

I want you to cherish and love me as your wife.

Get out. I don't need your fake feelings. Go see your Fuk Ling.

The relationship between Fuk Ling and me, it's not what you think.

Do you know what I'm thinking?

I knew I couldn't keep your heart. I just hoped I could keep you with me.

But now this only hope of mine has been shattered by you.

Pak-hop, trust me.

No matter what happens, I will never leave you.

Fine. Let me tell you what happened.

I told you earlier that my legs had regained sensation. I lied.

And my legs didn't break because of an accident. I broke them myself.