Original subtitles

♫ The falling snow ♫

♫ Is bitter cold ♫

♫ My sigh ♫

♫ Misted the path in front of me ♫

♫ The moonlight knows my intention ♫

♫ I just want to make a place for me in your heart ♫

♫ I laugh and I cry ♫

♫ Quietly building a pond in my heart ♫

♫ I accept all the gifts from sorrow ♫

♫ I can't let down my regrets ♫

♫ I won't admit defeat ♫

♫ I slowly chew on the bitterness of life ♫

♫ The fragrance remains the same after the bleak winter ♫

♫ Awaiting spring to color the way back home ♫

[The Double]

[Episode 28]

My Lord, you guessed it right. Ji Shuran did go to see the Imperial Diviner.

First, people caught on fire outside Eldest Princess's Residence,

and then he's going to Jiang's Residence to exorcise an evil spirit.

The Imperial Diviner isn't the Imperial Diviner who only works for the imperial court.

Let's take them down in one fell swoop.

This is the map of the Office of Imperial Diviner.

I've sent our men to check it out.

My Lord, Second Lady Jiang has arrived.

My Lord, Second Lady Jiang is here.

Sorry to disturb you so late at night.

I didn't expect you to be busy with your official duties, Duke Su.

Sorry about that.

It's all right. We're just playing weiqi.

Would you be interested in joining us, Li?

I'm here to ask a favor, so I can't stay long.

Another favor?

It's in your interest, so I'll not overstep the bounds.

I'm all ears.

Would you like to get rid of the Imperial Diviner, Duke Su?

Did you eavesdrop on us?

I came with Duke Su's men, so I didn't have a chance to eavesdrop on you.

But now it seems I've come at the right time.

Is it about the Jiang family's trying to exorcise an evil spirit?

Yes, my stepmother persuaded my father

to invite the Imperial Diviner to come to our house to exorcise the evil spirit.

I find this unusual.

She alone can't persuade the Imperial Diviner to help her.

On second thought,

the only person I have offended and can command the Imperial Diviner is Princess Wanning.

The Imperial Diviner is in charge of exorcism in the palace, and it's about the royal family.

Now that he's working for someone else, how can you stand by and do nothing, Duke Su?

Brilliant.

Do you agree?

State your request.

Get me someone who's good at vocal mimicry and ventriloquism.

That's it?

Yes.

- Okay. - Thank you.

I'll not disturb you any longer.

I shall take my leave now.

Li,

what did you just say?

What?

You said it'd be in my interest, so you'd not overstep the bounds.

I know I owe you a lot.

I was a little panicky, so I tried to find an excuse.

I used to think I would pay you back everything I owed you.

Now that I've done the math, I don't think I can pay you back.

Don't pay me back, then.

You'll suffer losses.

I can afford it.

I'll get going then.

So the manpower at the Office of Imperial Diviner...

Withdraw them.

Yes.

But how can Second Lady Jiang deal with the whole Office of Imperial Diviner on her own?

It's okay.

If I can afford to lose, she can, too.

Second Lady Jiang has someone to support her now.

That's great.

Today, you'll be spared of your beatings as I'm in a good mood.

All set for tomorrow?

Yes.

The Imperial Diviner will arrive at the third quarter of the hour of Wu.

By then, you can put this pill in Ruoyao's mouth.

Keep a close eye on Concubine Hu.

Don't let her sabotage my plan.

Madam, I think that Imperial Diviner is up to no good.

What should we do if something goes wrong again?

What's there to worry about?

You're risking your life.

Do we have to go this far?

Jindai, how many years have you been with me?

Since you were born, that's more than 30 years.

I've changed a lot since then, haven't I?

Speak your mind.

Ever since you were a kid, you have been the one who has a mind of your own in the family,

and you disobeyed your father the most.

But now, you're becoming more and more like him.

Even you think I've changed, don't you?

Madam, in fact, whatever you become is the same to me.

I'll protect you no matter what.

But I don't want to see you unhappy.

I really miss the First Lady of the Ji family,

the one who was carefree, and always had a smile on her face.

Once Jiang Li is out of the picture, everything will be fine.

You must take care of yourself.

I shall take my leave now.

Miss, the person that Duke Su found has arrived.

I've helped her change into a maid's clothes.

She's with Baixue right now.

Remember to tell her to stay close to me today,

not too close, not too far.

Okay.

There will be a ruckus today.

I don't have time to watch over you.

Get yourself to a safe place.

Don't worry, Miss.

I'm agile.

Come here.

Once this is over, do you have any plans?

Actually, I'm quite simple.

I just want to live a life of comfort and luxury.

I don't want to live like the old days

in Zhennyu Hall when I didn't have enough to eat or wear.

What is this?

Open it and check it out.

Once this is over, I'll be more than happy if you choose to stay with me.

But now, you know how to read.

If you want to explore the world someday, I have bought you a house in Luyang.

You can try to make a living by doing some small business.

If you want to marry someday, just find a good man.

If you don't, you'll be able to live a life of comfort and luxury as you wish.

How could I deserve this?

Tong, I've long thought of you as my own younger sister.

Don't ever say that again.

Miss.

[Jiang's Residence]

[Jiang's Residence]

Greetings, Grand Chancellor Jiang.

What you're dealing with is all ceremonial in the palace.

Thank you for coming all the way here for a trivial matter of my family.

Grand Chancellor Jiang, you flatter me.

Everything happens for a reason.

I came to Jiang's Residence to fulfill my destiny.

Please come in.

Grand Chancellor Jiang, please.

She's Third Lady Jiang?

Yes.

Evil spirits are born in the heart, and evil grudges take shape.

No shadow in a thousand years, no root in the ages.

With summoning, you have nowhere to go.

Show yourself, you evil spirit!

Yao.

Yao.

- Yao. - Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

Yao!

Yao.

What's wrong with my daughter?

Third Lady Jiang's possessed by an evil spirit.

This evil spirit is so powerful that it has almost sucked out her essence.

If it can't be eliminated from the source, her life will be in danger.

Imperial Diviner, where is the evil spirit now?

Just now, I saw a dark haze hovering over your residence at the door.

I'm afraid the evil spirit is in the residence.

Nothing strange has ever happened in this residence.

How can there be an evil spirit here?

Imperial Diviner, did you see it wrong?

Madam, something big has happened.

The ancestral shrine... It's on fire.

Even the yard next door is on fire.

We must get rid of the evil spirit as soon as possible.

If the evil spirit forms and invades, more disasters will happen to all of your family,

or in serious cases, they'll lose their lives.

Yao. Nothing can happen to my Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

Imperial Diviner, how to exorcise the evil spirit?

The evil spirit needs a host.

Grand Chancellor Jiang, please gather everyone in the residence immediately.

I need to perform a ritual to find the host by questioning its soul.

The Way of Heaven, the Righteousness of All Laws.

Water purifies, spiritual talismans hold divine will.

Subduing evil spirits and revealing their true forms.

All evil spirits, demons, and monsters could hide nowhere.

Evil spirits, demons, and monsters?

Looks like a stunt to me.

- Be quiet. - I was telling the truth.

I think so, too.

It's said that the redwood sword can ward off evil spirits.

If there's really an evil spirit in our residence, it'll certainly be eliminated.

A wandering spirit has left the grave.

The sacred shrine has been disturbed.

The gates of heaven and earth have opened.

The lost soul, appear yourself now!

- Second Lady! - Jiang Li!

Imperial Diviner, what do you mean by doing this?

Grand Chancellor Jiang, this lady in the residence is the host of the evil spirit.

This lady is possessed by an evil spirit.

If we don't get rid of it in time, not only will it harm the lady,

but the entire Jiang family will be in chaos from now on.

Nonsense!

How can there be an evil spirit in Second Lady?

You're just slandering her.

What nonsense are you talking about?

How could Jiang Li be possessed by an evil spirit?

Li is usually very gentle and quiet.

She doesn't look like an evil spirit's host.

Is there a misunderstanding here?

Imperial Diviner, you must be mistaken.

There can't be an evil spirit in Jiang Li.

Yes, Imperial Diviner.

Li lived in Zhennyu Hall on Qingcheng Mountain, for ten years.

Zhennyu Hall is a pure place.

- How can there be evil things? - You're wrong.

The tall trees and thick grass in the mountains are the most humid,

so it's easy to be possessed by evil spirits, and thus have evil thoughts.

Since this lady stayed in Zhennyu Hall before,

she must have been followed by an evil spirit.

And since her return, her mind has gotten increasingly disturbed.

I'm afraid the reason lies in Qingcheng Mountain.

You can make baseless accusations all you want.

Why should we believe you?

Why should we just believe what you've said?

Mind your manners.

I was just telling the truth.

I'm sorry, Imperial Diviner.

We just don't understand it.

But Li is a sensible and well-mannered young lady of the Jiang family.

Please be more careful before judging her.

If people are possessed by evil spirits,

usually, their personalities will change drastically.

May I ask if this lady's personality has changed since her return?

Yes.

Second Lady's personality and temperament are completely different after her return.

It's as if she's a different person.

Yes, that's true.

I just feel sorry for Second Lady Jiang, who lived in Zhennyu Hall for ten years,

and was about to return to Jiang's Residence, but was brutally murdered by someone.

I'm afraid even Second Lady Jiang's own father, the Secretariat Director,

has been in the dark.

The Imperial Diviner's right.

It's true that someone's personality can't change drastically in a short period of time.

But I was away from home and lived in Zhennyu Hall

for not just a day or two, not a month or two, but ten years.

Ten years is not a short period of time, is it?

If Mrs. Liu hadn't met me in Zhennyu Hall, I'd still be kneeling in there.

A day and a night without getting a drop of water is the norm in Zhennyu Hall.

Having not enough to eat and wear, getting beaten at every turn,

and not even allowed to beg for mercy.

With such a cycle, even the most honorable and gentle women,

or the most innocent and naive children won't have the same personality as before.

As for the habits mentioned earlier...

Father,

I've always loved meat, soft quilts, and brightly colored materials for my clothes.

But in all my years in Zhennyu Hall, I've only had one quilt for my bed.

It's been used for a long time, and all that's left of it is cotton scraps.

It's lucky if I could get enough clothes to keep me warm, not to mention the colorful ones.

If I were still as arrogant as before, and still insisted on the same habits as before,

I'd be dead already.

My changes are just to survive.

Did you hear that?

Jiang Li was forced by circumstances.

There's no such thing as an evil spirit.

What do you know?

Though evil spirits are evil, after all, they're spiritual,

and if they have been in a person's body for a long time,

they will follow their hosts' cultivation,

take in their hosts' spirits, master their hosts' skills, and take shape.

Evil spirits should never be underestimated.

And they'll keep looking for new hosts until they take shape.

And they can take the previous host's cultivation with them.

Second Lady Jiang's skilled in playing the qin even though she's never had a teacher.

And she surprised everyone at the Entry Exam.

Perhaps this is the cultivation brought by the evil spirit.

Besides, Second Lady Jiang risked her life to overturn Magistrate Xue's conviction,

and she looks very similar to Magistrate Xue's daughter, Xue Fangfei.

The last host of this evil spirit was probably the dead Xue Fangfei.

That's why I said the reason for this is on Qingcheng Mountain.

Everyone, think about it yourselves.

- Xue Fangfei... - Before this,

On Qingcheng Mountain?

After Li overturned Magistrate Xue's conviction,

she did not send him back to Huaixiang

and even got a physician for him and sent him medicine.

She has cared for him so much.

But before that, Li had no connection with Xue Huaiyuan.

Why would she be so concerned about an outsider?

Could it be true that...?

Second Lady Jiang, did you ever encounter Xue Fangfei, and meet her in person?

Of course I did.

I survived thanks to Xue Fangfei's help.

I'm grateful to her for saving my life.

That's right.

That evil spirit possessed Xue Fangfei and did evil things.

After Xue Fangfei died, it possessed Second Lady Jiang.

This evil spirit is vicious and cunning.

If we don't get rid of it in time, the entire Jiang family will be in danger.

Father! Mother!

Third Lady Jiang.

Yao.

Ruoyao.

- Mother! - My girl.

My Yao.

Imperial Diviner, what are you going to do about the evil spirit in my daughter?

Your residence is not a pure place, so I can't suppress the evil spirit here.

I need to take Second Lady Jiang to the temple to perform rituals for a few months

to get rid of the evil spirit.

Father!

Mother!

Grand Chancellor Jiang, you have to make up your mind soon.

If we wait until the evil spirit takes over the body, it'll be too late.

Yuanbai, you don't really believe that Jiang Li is possessed by an evil spirit, do you?

Uncle, please don't believe in others' slander.

Jiang Li had already suffered once in Zhennyu Hall.

If she suffers a second time, it will kill her.

- Yes. - Master Jiang, Second Lady is innocent.

There can't be any evil spirits in our residence.

- Yuanbai, make a decision quickly. - Yes, Yuanbai. Make a decision quickly.

You can't let the Jiang family be destroyed like this.

Otherwise, we won't be able to live in peace, Yuanbai.

- Yes, Yuanbai. - Aunt, what are you talking about?

How could you talk such nonsense?

- How could it be nonsense? - Enough! Stop it!

My dear, what do you think?

If the exorcism is harmless,

why don't we let Imperial Diviner take her back to check her out?

It's not like she won't be brought back.

Ruoyao's already in this state.

If anything happens to Jiang Li, I won't be able to live on either.

Uncle!

Father!

Third Lady.

I'm in so much pain!

Yao, my Yao.

I'm in so much pain!

Yao.

Yao. Yao.

Yao.

Yao.

What to do?

All right.

Jiang Li.

- Li. - Jiang Li.

Li.

What's going on?

Second Lady.

- Li. - Jiang Li.

- Are you all right? - Don't scare me.

Are you all right?

Jiang Li.

Li.

Father.

- Second Lady Jiang. - Father.

Why is she like a different person?

Father. I feel so much pain.

- It hurts so much. - Yue?

Yue?

- Imperial Diviner. - Yue.

Jiang Li has been possessed by an evil spirit. Take her away!

Take her away!

Father. Father, help me.

Father, help me.

Let go of my daughter! Let go of my daughter!

- Let go of my daughter! - Father.

- My Yue. - Concubine Hu?

- Why is she here? - Yue.

I have no idea.

Master Jiang. Master Jiang.

Don't you remember? It's Yue's voice.

It's Yue's voice.

Yue.

Get someone to take her away. Quick.

- Yes. Guards. - It's Yue.

Concubine Hu, come with me.

- No. - Don't spout nonsense.

Take her away. Don't spout nonsense.

Let go of me!

- Father! - Yue.

That's our Yue.

Father! Father, help me.

Stop it.

Stop it.

Let go of her.

This is about my eldest granddaughter, Jiang Yue.

No one is allowed to leave until we get to the bottom of this.

Old Madam, it's this crazy woman's doing.

- Ms. Sun, take her away. - Yes.

Old Madam, I'm not crazy.

How could I not recognize my own daughter's voice?

- Father! - Old Madam,

- Father! - she's really Yue.

- Father, help me! - Master Jiang, listen, Yue is calling you.

- Father. Father, help me! - She's calling you.

- Father! - Yue.

Dear, Concubine Hu is really sick this time.

She's not sick.

This is Yue's voice.

It's our daughter.

- Yue. - Yue.

Yue. My girl, I'm sorry.

I feel so much pain.

Where does it hurt? Tell me.

My head hurts.

There's blood all over my head.

My head hurts so much.

- Dear. - Don't be afraid.

Yue. Yue.

I won't dare to bully Ruoyao anymore.

Mother, don't push me. My head hurts so much.

There's blood all over my head.

- Don't kill me! Don't kill me! - Don't be afraid.

Don't kill me!

Nonsense!

Jiang Li, this is a trick of the evil spirits to mesmerize people.

You're the one who killed Yue. You're the one who killed Yue!

- Don't be afraid, Yue. - You're the one who killed my daughter!

My daughter was only eight years old. Why did you kill her?

- Don't touch Madam Ji. - Why?

- Why? - Don't be afraid.

Don't be afraid.

Let go of me. Let go of me!

Why?

Second Lady.

Father.

Grandmother.

The Imperial Diviner is really something.

I could really sense something unseen.

Father,

I saw a little girl.

She said her name is Jiang Yue.

She begged me to apologize to her mother.

What exactly did you see?

I saw Jiang Yue playing with Ruoyao.

Just because Ruoyao was crying,

Mother took it out on Jiang Yue, and pushed her.

Poor Jiang Yue died after hitting her head on the artificial hills,

but someone made it look like she fell off the artificial hills and drowned.

Ji Shuran, you're so cruel!

My poor daughter died at your hands.

My Yue!

My Yue.

Nonsense! Jiang Li has been possessed by an evil spirit.

Imperial Diviner! Is that all you've got?

Take down the evil spirit!

It's said that Jiang Li killed her mother and her brother.

The mother was me, and the child she killed was yours.

I was pregnant, but she insisted on taking me to the attic to play

and I fell and lost the baby.

If it wasn't for her, you and I would still have a son.

And you wouldn't have to live in such loneliness and despair.

I've always wanted to avenge my child.

Don't you want to?

So, will you help me get rid of Jiang Li now?

Second Lady Jiang's soul has been seized by Xue Fangfei. It must be exorcised immediately!

Miss, be careful!

Imperial Diviner! The Imperial Diviner killed someone!

- Let's go. - He killed someone!

Tong!

No!

- Take him away! - Old Madam.

Take Old Madam back to her room!

I... I...

- Jiang Li! Run! - Rui, don't risk your life!

- Rui! - Jiang Li, run! I'll fight you.

Li, run!

Baixue, get a physician here!

- Run now! - Okay.

Run, Jiang Li!

Jiang Li!

What...

- What are you trying to do? - Stay back!

Stay back!

If any of you come any closer, I'll kill her!

Let's go.

Imperial Diviner.

Don't hurt Madam Ji.

Don't hurt Madam Ji!

Liu Wencai.

I'm so lucky.

Before I die, you're the last person I see.

It's so good.

You still owe me your life.

I'll find you in my next life.

♫ Who can escape the humiliation of time? ♫

♫ My anger is hidden beneath the fallen blooms ♫

♫ How can I stand against so many obstacles? ♫

♫ I laugh and I cry ♫

♫ Quietly building a pond in my heart ♫

♫ I accept all the gifts from sorrow ♫

♫ I can't let down my regrets ♫

♫ I won't admit defeat ♫

♫ I slowly chew on the bitterness of life ♫

Wencai.

♫ Awaiting spring to color the way back home ♫

♫ I laugh and I cry ♫

♫ Quietly building a pond in my heart ♫

♫ I accept all the gifts from sorrow ♫

♫ I can't let down my regrets ♫

♫ I won't admit defeat ♫

♫ I slowly chew on the bitterness of life ♫

♫ The fragrance remains the same after the bleak winter ♫

♫ Awaiting spring to color the way back home ♫

A lot of people died.

It's so inauspicious. It's horrible.

It's so serious.

How did something so bad happen? [Jiang's Residence]

I haven't put away Shuran's stuff yet.

Let go of me!

Miss, I'm sorry.

I can't be with you till the end.

The time I spent with you was the happiest time of my life.

I want to meet you again as your sister in the next life.

No.

Miss, I'm glad.

I'm finally going to my lady.

Tong.

Please...

bury me next to my lady.

You're so beautiful.

You look beautiful when you smile.

Don't cry.

I like to see your smile.

I won't cry.

♫ Withered flower, so white and flawless ♫

♫ Where is it going to paint a picture of love? ♫

Tong!

Tong! Tong!

Tong!

Don't take her away.

Tong. Tong.

You... You can't take her away.

You can't take her away!

Come back!

Come back!

- Jiang Li. - Jiang Li.

Jiang Li.

- Jiang Li. - Tong.

- Jiang Li. - Don't go.

You can't take her away!

- Tong! - Jiang Li.

♫ Under the sunset, a crow returns to its nest ♫

Li!

Let her go!

The sooner she leaves, the sooner she'll be reincarnated!

Tong!

No!

- Jiang Li. - Jiang Li.

- Jiang Li. - Tong!

Tong.

Tong, don't go.

♫ A crow returns to its nest ♫

♫ Wishing the twilight clouds could carry its message ♫

♫ If you see the Spring Flower, tell her ♫

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Let's go with Madam to check out the new fabrics, and dress her up.

[Ji Shuran murdered Ye Zhenzhen because she wanted to marry Master Jiang.]

Yue has finally had her justice redressed.

My mind can be put at ease and I can go meet her now.

There's something I've been keeping to myself for years.

Ye Zhenzhen was also killed by Ji Shuran

because she wanted to marry into the Jiang family.

The Office of Imperial Diviner knows the method of divination

and has a deep connection with the imperial court,

but it fell into the hands of such a treacherous and evil person.

I've been unhappy with the Office of Imperial Diviner for a long time.

Now that this happened, it's time to clean up and reorganize the office.

Wanning would never expect Second Lady Jiang to join the game, and kill all her pawns.

Looks like we've made the right bet this time.

Xue Fangfei, just you wait.

The best is yet to come.

♫ If there are no happy memories ♫

♫ How can we traverse the forbidden land of sorrow? ♫

♫ Two cold and unfeeling bodies ♫

♫ Holding hands, can we get through the snow season? ♫

♫ In the cold wind, in the long night ♫

♫ Embracing the remaining warmth ♫

♫ The depth of the sea, unfathomable ♫

♫ Can it bury yesterday's sighs? ♫

♫ Continue to love, cherishing it with my life ♫

♫ Continue to live, even with only a glimmer of hope ♫

♫ Whether in sorrow or joy, I believe in you ♫

♫ I'd rather be trapped in the world's extremes ♫

♫ Continue to live, exhausting all courage ♫

♫ Continue to love, until the breath runs out ♫

♫ Traversing half a lifetime of loneliness, just to meet you ♫

♫ After the hardships, never to part again ♫

♫ After the hardships, never to part again ♫