Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Palace of Devotion]

[The series is adapted from history and legend.]

[It is a work of fiction.]

[Episode 22]

Liang'er,

what's the diagnosis?

Say something.

What's the outcome?

What is it?

The physician said

Yu Shu's blood is incompatible with the Emperor's.

She can never give birth.

Nonsense! He must be a con man!

How dare he curse Yu Shu!

Guards, seize this witch doctor

and send him to the Court of Judicial Review!

Father,

the physician has cured many people.

He's not called a great physician for nothing.

Also, we invited him here.

He didn't show up to cheat us for our money.

We're unlucky.

Your Highness.

We're unlucky!

Liang'er, did the physician say

whether this condition was curable?

According to the physician,

Yu Shu and the Emperor are not infertile,

but together,

they can never have children.

It's incurable.

There's no exception!

Your Highness.

Yu Shu!

Yu Shu, what should we do?

We did everything we could,

yet we ended up with nothing.

All hope is lost for the Pan family.

Rise!

One, heaven!

Second, earth!

Third, dark!

[Song]

Fourth, yellow!

Five, the!

Six, universe!

Seven, vast!

Eight, chaotic!

Stand down!

Master shouldn't have made the arrangement.

Stop talking.

I have been staying here for some time.

I'm used to the simple life.

I don't feel like returning to the capital.

Sister, if you don't return to the capital,

I'm afraid those in the imperial court

might be even more arrogant.

Those in the imperial court?

It's none other than the Guos, the Pans

and the Caos.

They think I'm like them

and enjoy fighting for power.

Little do they realise

I'm sick and tired

of the days of scheming in the palace.

When Ji'er's memorial tablet is included

in the Imperial Ancestral Temple three years later,

I'll be content.

By then,

we'll just stay here

and lead a simple life.

Of course I'm willing to spend the rest of my life

here with you.

However, the Emperor misses you.

There are the Empress

and many other consorts in the palace.

As time goes by,

the Emperor will have long forgotten me.

Instead of competing in the palace,

I might as well lead a carefree life here.

Let's go. It's scary.

What's the matter?

Look, sister.

What's wrong with him?

Come on.

I think he's ill.

Sister, we have no idea whether he's alive.

Why don't we ask the villagers to check on him?

What's his illness?

Why does he have blisters all over his face?

Sister, will we be infected?

He's having a fever.

I think he fainted.

Go back and bring Mr Ye here.

I'll watch over him here.

-Sister. -Return soon.

All right, sister, be careful.

Come on.

Don't come near him!

What's wrong?

What's his illness?

Madam, this is no ordinary illness.

Wan'er, find some pine leaves and burn them.

Smoke the house with it.

Hurry up!

Hurry up!

Sir, is it a plague?

It's worse than that.

He has small pox.

Small pox?

Is that all?

Do we need to add more herbs?

Hold on.

Soak this cotton cloth in wormwood.

After drying it, cover your mouth and nose with it

to avoid being infected when you get near the patient.

Tell the villagers about the prevention method

to prevent the spread of small pox.

I've already taught them.

That's good.

Even though it can be prevented,

it can't be cured.

Small pox is incurable.

A weak patient might not be able to take the miasma

and will eventually die.

One who is physically strong

can be quarantined.

Then maybe he or she can recover.

It all depends on the man's luck

on whether he'll survive.

Ms Wan'er,

let him drink this wormwood.

All right.

Eunuch,

you know small pox quite well.

Did you experience it?

Madam, to be frank,

when I was in the army,

I had small pox.

Half of the people in the camp died.

Luckily my condition was mild

and I took wormwood and herbal wine in time.

That's how I survived.

Now small pox is spreading.

I must write to the Emperor soon

so that he can do prevention

to stop it from spreading to the capital

Drink more.

Welcome back from the hunting trip, Your Majesty.

All of you may rise.

Your Majesty, it's been tough on you.

You've hunted so many animals.

Your Majesty, be careful!

Yu Shu, get out of the way!

Yu Shu!

-Yu Shu. -Yu Shu.

Are you all right?

Yes.

Great.

The Imperial Guard protected her.

He'll be rewarded with 100 taels of silver and two rolls of fabric.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Get Bureau of Military Affairs to record this.

Bring the horse back.

Yes.

Luckily Yu Shu is fine.

Let's go.

Come on.

Your Majesty, you ruled the hunting ground today.

You remain skilful.

Song is blessed.

Although it's peaceful now

and we give up military skills for education,

I dare not neglect my horseback archery training.

Not only did you not neglect it,

you've improved, Your Majesty.

That's why we get to enjoy the good food.

Come.

Come.

Yuan Fen.

I heard Duchess Ji could dance well.

Can you perform as we drink?

Your Majesty, pardon me.

Your Majesty, Si Qi

is pregnant again.

She can't dance as she's unwell,

but my concubine Yan An dances well, too.

Si Qi has been teaching her.

Can she dance for you instead, Your Majesty?

All right.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Yan An.

Your Majesty, you're in a good mood.

Why don't you drink more?

Come.

Yuan Fen.

How many children do you and Duchess Ji have now?

Your Majesty, she's pregnant with my sixth child.

Sixth?

Yuan Fen is blessed.

I wonder

what I did wrong.

My imperial harem is not blessed.

So far,

I only have a prince, You'er.

Pardon me, Your Majesty.

I had a slip of the tongue.

We don't know whether Si Qi is pregnant with a boy or a girl.

Your Majesty, you're the Emperor.

You'll be blessed with many children.

Your Majesty, you're young and physically fit.

You don't have to worry about children.

You may rise.

I'm a little drunk.

I'll go back first.

Your Majesty, you're tired after hunting for a day.

You should rest in the palace.

I shall not visit the imperial harem.

I'll stay overnight at the hunting ground

to revisit my days

on the battlefield.

The small pox in Lingnan has spread to the mausoleum

It might spread to the capital.

Small pox?

It's incurable.

Your Majesty, can you tell me

who sent the letter?

Consort Liu wrote it.

She'd never lie to me.

Your Majesty,

Consort Liu couldn't enter the palace since she returned from Chanyuan.

She has to guard the mausoleum the suburb. Maybe she's dissatisfied

and she ended up exaggerating it.

Don't believe it, Your Majesty.

Consort Liu meant every word she wrote.

How can I ignore it?

I'll go to the mausoleum!

Your Majesty, you can't do that.

If Consort Liu is telling the truth,

small pox has already spread to the area near the mausoleum.

Your Majesty, you shouldn't take risk.

Your Majesty, you should protect yourself.

Don't ever put the nation aside

for Consort Liu.

Your Majesty, please stay in the palace.

Your Majesty, please stay in the palace.

I care about the nation.

I also remember my ancestors' teaching.

Stop persuading me.

Tell the Imperial Guards to get ready.

I'll go to the mausoleum now to worship my ancestors.

Yes, Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

The mausoleum is far.

Your Majesty, by the time you come back from there,

the imperial court will have been interrupted.

The late emperor

wouldn't want this to happen.

Your Majesty, you claimed to be worshipping your ancestors,

but you're actually visiting Consort Liu.

Please stop, Your Majesty.

One of you is my father-in-law,

while another is my teacher.

You're the most important ministers.

Do you think

I don't get what you mean?

Consort Liu failed to enter the palace

because I listened to you.

Now I just want to visit her,

yet you're trying to stop me at every turn.

I give in!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

This is the map of the areas around the mausoleum.

Grand Tutor, why did you bring it here?

Grand Preceptor,

the Emperor secretly left the palace today

with his trusted guards.

Don't you know, Grand Preceptor?

You mean

the Emperor

went to the mausoleum

to visit Liu E after all?

Yes.

It seems the Emperor still loves Liu E.

He actually braved the risk of being infected with small pox

and went to the mausoleum.

I'm afraid he's not just visiting her.

I think the Emperor wants to bring Liu E back to the palace.

We can never allow Liu E to enter the palace.

However, the Emperor is already on his way to the mausoleum.

What can we do?

Grand Preceptor,

have you never thought

of making the Emperor give up completely?

Make the Emperor give up completely?

Grand Tutor,

have you seriously made up your mind?

Your Majesty!

You're leaving the capital.

It'll surely be a mess in and outside the imperial court.

I've been condoning them for long.

Now

the ministers are trying to limit my freedom.

I heard small pox was spreading in the west of the capital.

You must be careful along the trip

and take care of yourself.

It's precisely because small pox is spreading

that I must bring Consort Liu back to the capital.

However,

she has not completed the three-year period of guarding the mausoleum.

The ministers will surely use this as an excuse

to stop you again.

What a bunch of stubborn and conservative old fools.

Even if I can't bring Ying'er back to the palace,

at least I'll bring Ying'er back to Du Yun Pavilion

to prevent her from being infected.

Yes.

Let's go.

You're awake.

Come, be careful.

Where am I?

This is the royal mausoleum.

You collapsed by the street two days ago.

We brought you back.

You're lucky to have survived.

You're recovering now.

Thank you.

Thank you for saving my life, Miss.

Don't mention it.

By the way, what's your name?

Where are you from?

My name is Li Zai Feng.

I'm a native of Hebei Road, Dizhou Mansion, Yangxin County.

Do you have any family member?

My parents died young.

I had been staying with my sister.

At the age of ten,

there was a drought in our hometown.

My sister left the place with me.

Little did we know

as we escaped,

I'd be separated from my sister.

I never saw my sister again.

Then,

what's your sister's name?

My sister is Wan'er.

Li Wan'er.

My father named her.

My sister was good at sewing.

While we were escaping,

she made two sachets,

one for me and one for herself.

She said it could be tokens.

I'll show you my sachet.

Oh no.

Oh no, where's the sachet?

I must find the sachet.

I can't afford to lose it.

That's the only thing my sister left me.

Is this the one?

I can't afford to lose it.

Thank you, miss.

Chinese zodiacs are embroidered on the sachets

Mine is an ox

while my sister's is a rooster.

I wonder if my sister still lives.

Even if she is alive,

we might not even recognise each other if we meet.

Are you...

I'm Li Wan'er.

Sister?

Feng'er.

Sister.

Sister!

I thought you died.

I'd been searching for you.

Sister.

You're still alive.

It's great that we're both alive.

Sister, come here.

Feng'er, greet my sister.

What's the matter?

She's been taking care of you in the past two days.

That's why you could recover so soon.

-Sister, this is my younger brother. -Thank you for saving my life.

He is your brother?

I found my brother.

Is he seriously your brother?

Yes.

Zai Feng,

you two are finally reunited.

I'm really happy for you.

Wan'er had been telling me about you.

She asked about you whenever she went,

but she found nothing.

How did you end up here?

Since I was separated from my sister,

I'd been to many places

and done many businesses

just to make a living.

A year ago, I went to Luoyang city.

However, there's small pox this year.

So I thought of trying my luck in Dongjing.

I was infected with small pox and ended up collapsing on the street.

It's fate's arrangement

that Wan'er and I ended up saving you.

Sister.

Thank you, Madam.

This is great.

Zheng'er, leave with Madam!

Ye Zheng, what happened?

Madam, there's an assassin out there! Follow me!

They must be targeting me.

Come on, sister! Hurry up!

-Come on. -Let's go!

Wan'er, hurry up.

Hurry up.

Let's go together.

Don't bother about me! Leave!

Father!

Let's go!

Sister.

Stop!

I'm Liu E!

Aren't you targeting me?

Don't hurt them.

Sister!

-Ying'er. -Yuan Kan.

Are you all right?

Yes.

I was late.

Are you seriously not returning with me?

I've told you.

I don't feel like returning and I can't either.

I have not completed the period of guarding the mausoleum.

If I return,

the ministers will criticise me.

You can't convince others, too.

This place is so dangerous.

Small pox is spreading out there.

Are you sure you want to stay?

No matter what,

since I promised the imperial court

to guard the mausoleum for three years,

I'll fulfil my promise.

Only then can Ji'er's tablet be included in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

I'd rather stay in the mausoleum

and fight small pox with the people here

than return and face the imperial court.

All right.

After I return to the palace,

I'll arrange for a team of Imperial Guards to protect you nearby.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I'll see you off.

Since I got to the mausoleum,

I realised that

the late emperor had been keeping a suicide squad.

Each of them was loyal to the late emperor.

[The members of the suicide squad live among the people.]

[They aren't productive, yet they're living a comfortable life.]

[They're highly skilled.]

[Someone must be supporting them financially.]

[Also, they committed suicide right after they failed to execute the assassination,]

[so that you wouldn't be able to identify]

the mastermind.

Yi Jian, don't make this known to anyone.

After we return to the capital,

I want you to investigate it secretly.

I want to know

who's been keeping the suicide squad behind my back

and going against me.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Let's continue the journey.

Yu Shu, you've seen

all kinds of jewellery in the palace,

but I specially got a skilful craftsman

to customise this pair of earrings

for you.

Do I look good?

Your Highness,

the Emperor just returned to the capital from the mausoleum.

He'll enter the palace soon.

Your Highness, you should get changed

and wait for him outside the palace.

Yue'er, lead Zhong Qiao out through the back door.

Don't let anyone see him.

Yes, Your Highness.

This way. Follow me.

Your Highness,

please have breakfast.

Place it outside.

Yes, Your Highness.

Your Highness, stop thinking about Mr Zhong.

It'll be a crime

if the Emperor finds out.

Yue'er,

have you ever been in love?

Your Highness,

have you fallen in love with him?

You must not.

Your Highness, this...

Your...

Jing Zong, why are you panicking?

This is inappropriate.

Your Majesty, please don't be mad.

I was too happy.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

What's the matter?

Your Majesty, I heard from the imperial physician

that Lady of Cultivated Deportment is pregnant.

This is a piece of good news for you,

as well as Song!

Seriously?

Your Majesty, I wouldn't dare to lie.

It's absolutely true.

Imperial Physician Huang and Imperial Physician Zheng

checked her pulse personally.

They confirmed that she's pregnant.

Great.

I'm finally going to have another child.

There will finally be another child in the palace.

Yu Shu has already lost two children.

We must keep the child.

Get the Secretariat to draft a decree.

I'll appoint Yu Shu as Noble Consort,

Pan Bo Zheng as Duke of Han

and Pan Liang as Deputy Commissioner of Privy Council.

Yes, Your Majesty!

Follow me to visit Yu Shu.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Congratulations, Master and Liang'er, for the promotion.

Master.

Mother!

You two finally have your wishes granted.

Liang'er and I are promoted this time.

Yu Shu is reappointed as Noble Consort.

This time,

our reputation is restored.

Duke of Han is a high-rank position,

but it's just an empty title.

After Yu Shu gives birth,

you can request the Emperor

to make you Prime Minister.

I'm already old.

I'm content with being Duke of Han.

The Pan family

will rely on you sooner or later.

Therefore, the position of Prime Minister

belongs to you, Liang'er.

Liang'er.

Don't worry, Father.

I'll be Prime Minister sooner or later.

Good.

The Pan family got to where we are,

thanks to Father's planning.

Master, why are you unhappy?

Now that Yu Shu is pregnant,

Zhong Qiao becomes a problem.

That's right.

What if Yu Shu's child

doesn't resemble the Emperor?

What should we do then?

No matter what,

don't let the Emperor know anything about it.

My dear subjects.

Noble Consort is pregnant.

I'm overjoyed.

All who attend this banquet

are officials close to me.

Make yourselves at home and drink to your hearts' content.

Have a great time with me.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Yu Shu, don't drink too much.

Noble Consort, you lived up to the Emperor's expectations

and are pregnant with his child.

The Pan family is honoured.

Duke of Han, speaking of that,

I'm reminded of another important matter

regarding the Pan family.

Pan Liang, I once told you

I'd arrange a marriage between you and Ling Yang.

What do you think?

It's entirely up to you, Your Majesty.

Since the Emperor has mentioned it,

you should visit

the princess more often, brother.

I wanted to,

but the princess had been turning me down.

The princess can't possibly know how I feel about her.

Please help me out, Your Majesty.

It seems that the feelings are not mutual.

Since Ling Yang is unwilling to see you,

I shouldn't be arranging the marriage for you.

Your Majesty, don't feel bad.

I'll leave it to you to decide.

Since Ling Yang returned from Tangut,

she's been single.

I would like to find her a great husband.

My dear subjects,

do you have any candidate?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, I have someone in mind.

I think you'll agree with me.

Official Wang, go on.

Your Majesty, I recommend

Ding Xian Rong, the eldest son of State Fiscal Commissioner Lord Ding.

Lord Wang, my son

is not good enough for the princess.

Lord Ding, don't be humble.

Young Master Gong is handsome and talented.

He's well-versed in literature and classics.

Knowledge-wise,

he's as good as Lord Ding.

Your Majesty,

Ding Xian Rong is a sixth-rank officer,

an imperial diarist.

He shall be the pillar of the imperial court in the future.

Your Majesty, I'm unwell.

Please allow me to leave.

Yu Shu, you're pregnant.

You should rest more.

Come, return to the palace.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, Ding Xian Rong and the princess

are compatible.

They're a match made in heaven.

Please decide, Your Majesty.

Official Ding,

what do you think?

Your Majesty, if the princess agrees to marry my son,

I'll be deeply honoured.

All right.

In the next few days,

arrange for Ding Xian Rong to enter the palace

and meet the princess.

If the princess is interested,

we can make arrangements.

Since Ling Yang returned to the palace from Tangut,

she's suffered a lot.

I

don't want her to suffer anymore.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

If this works out well,

it will be double happiness in the palace.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

Come.

-Thank you. -Congratulations, Lord Wang!

Congratulations, Lord Ding.

Congratulations, Lord Ding.

Thank you, Lord Wang.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

Small pox is of yang energy.

Noble Consort is pregnant.

She should stay away from light.

Then the yin and yang will be balanced and she will be safe.

Your Majesty, if you want her to deliver safely,

Noble Consort should be quarantined from light.

Your Majesty,

small pox is prevalent in damp and rainy times.

In the current season,

if we quarantine Noble Consort,

I'm afraid the risk of infection will increase.

Your Majesty,

small pox is rampant in the capital now.

Everyone is at risk.

You should move Noble Consort

out of the palace.

Your Majesty, you can't do that.

Noble Consort can't simply move around,

let alone leave the palace.

Small pox is spreading outside the city.

What if she's infected with small pox outside the palace?

Your Majesty,

please quarantine Noble Consort from light.

It'll help her instead of harming her.

She'll be in a stuffy space if she's quarantined from light.

Would you be responsible

for harming Noble Consort and her child

if anything bad happens?

Shut up, all of you.

You keep arguing

in front of me. Ridiculous!

The three of you may leave first.

Come up with a solution

before seeing the Emperor.

Your Majesty, pardon us.

Jing Zong.

Yes, Your Majesty.

In your opinion,

which one's claim is more reasonable?

Your Majesty,

I think Imperial Physician Dong's words make sense

Small pox is of yang energy.

Noble Consort should be quarantined.

Let's do as you say

and move Noble Consort to Cheng Ping Palace at once.

Yes, Your Majesty.

[The end of Episode 22]