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[The Princess Royal]

[Adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel, "The Princess Royal"]

[Episode 21]

Your Highness, stop writing.

Your Highness, if you want to get divorced, just do so as soon as possible.

If you still want to keep the prince consort, then go back earlier.

Why haven't you left?

You're so young.

Why care about so much?

Your Highness, you're still very young yourself.

In fact, I'm a few years older than you.

Just listen to me. Go back quickly.

Your Highness, you've always been so decisive. Why are you being evasive now?

You can't stay at the Inspectorate Office forever and go through these documents until you die.

You have to go back and meet him sooner or later.

Do you think that I am now indecisive and unlikable?

If I go back now,

this is the me that Pei Wenxuan will see.

So what? Anyway, you're in Pei Wenxuan's heart.

And you also care about him.

Who told you I cared about him?

Your Highness, before this, have you ever fed anyone else soup?

Have you ever attended to anyone?

Have you ever tried hard to care about anyone else's feelings?

Have you ever cared whether someone liked or didn't like you?

Do you really not care about him?

Back when the assassins tried to kill you, you told me to do nothing about it.

But when they tried to kill Pei Wenxuan, you actually finished them off.

And now, even though it's too risky to kill Xie Lanqing,

- but in order to warn them, and for the prince consort, you still... - Insolence.

Your Highness, if you keep up like this, you'll forcibly

push everyone who loves you and everyone you love.

Have you really thought about how you want to lead your life?

I have thought clearly.

I don't need anyone to care about me.

I have wealth and power myself.

I can keep anyone I want by my side and can ensure that the people I care about can live a good life.

That's what I want.

Also...

you don't need to tell me how I should live my life.

I understand.

You think that everything needs a result.

Pei Wenxuan is trying to force me to give him an answer, and now you're doing the same thing.

Yes, he's right.

I don't want to make any effort yet hope that he will be by my side.

This is what selfishness is.

No matter how kindly I treat him, if I can't give him what he wants,

I'll need to express everything clearly and keep nothing.

What happened today is my fault.

I have been evading his feelings all this time. That's why I always assume the worst.

Had I been more mindful, I wouldn't have hurt him,

so I should apologize to him and explain everything to him.

I shouldn't presume that what I do is best for him,

and assume that by doing so, I can make up for all he has done for me.

I should give him whatever he wants, and if I can't, I should tell him clearly.

Your Highness, why have you never thought about being with him for real?

Your Highness, we're here.

Why have you never thought about being with Pei Wenxuan for real?

Rong'er, remember that in the face of power, all love and affection

are as transient as a fleeting cloud.

It will be quickly buried in the grave.

I am a bit worried about her.

Who is she to you?

My childhood friend.

Your Highness?

Got it.

Your Highness, you're back.

You haven't gone to sleep yet?

I have a slight wound.

I need to get up at night and change my dressing.

To not disturb you, I'm planning to sleep at the study starting tonight.

I hope you'll approve my request.

It's getting late and cold.

Your Highness, you should rest early.

I'm sorry.

In the past, I didn't make myself clear to you.

I have been evading you.

I shouldn't have done that.

I let down your feelings today.

It's my fault as well.

Your Highness, don't worry too much about it.

Everything is my own decision.

Whether you accept it or not, that's up to you. There's no right or wrong to speak of.

Today...

I was presumptuous.

I hope you'll forgive me, Your Highness.

Have you really thought about how you want to live your life?

Your Highness, you want to live a very good life.

You don't want to live as you did in the past.

You want the crown prince to be happy.

You want a happy family.

You want to find someone you love, who loves you.

You want to be surrounded by children.

You want someone who you can rely on and keep you company when you're old.

Right?

Pei Wenxuan, can you...

can you wait for me a little longer?

I know I'm not very likable.

Especially when it comes to relationships, I'm even more abhorrent.

I am unable to trust you or myself.

But that doesn't mean I can't feel how good you are to me.

Even more, I'm not purposefully trying to delay.

I know all the principles.

But I just can't do it.

I just can't let my guard down completely and hand over my heart to someone else.

That's why I need to constantly confirm that you won't leave.

Still, even if I have thousands of flaws, can you just take it into account that

even if it's just a dream, fate has brought us together after so many tribulations...

and wait for me?

Please don't go.

Forget it.

You must find this ridiculous.

Don't take what I said seriously.

Just...

Just follow your heart.

- It's all right if you want to leave. - Rongrong.

It's fine.

Rongrong, 10 years.

Or 20 years. Is that enough?

If it's not...

I can add another 20 years.

♫ Will there be an embrace to accept me in this lifetime? ♫

I'm incredibly patient.

I can wait for a long time.

It's fine if you get there a little slower.

I won't get tired. I won't leave either.

Because...

I've liked you for a long time.

♫ No need to imprison myself in longing ♫

I will wait for you.

Just move forward.

What do you see in me?

I have a foul temper and I'm always bullying you.

♫ On this long and arduous journey ♫

♫ I'm fortunate that you passed into my life ♫

Personally, I like those with a foul temper.

I like being bullied.

That's why in my eyes,

you're better than anyone else in the world.

♫ I'll accompany you till the end of time ♫

This is so embarrassing. I'm sorry.

How is this embarrassing?

I love seeing you embarrassed. That makes me happy.

♫ We will youthfully journey through life together until the end ♫

You are the one who let me down for what happened today.

Do you know how many of those flowers you blew up cost?

No matter how expensive, you're using my money.

I haven't even blamed you for spending money on useless things,

yet you're telling me how expensive they are?

All right, I'll stop quibbling with you.

Bundle up. Don't catch a cold.

Come on.

Come on, I'll walk you back to the room.

Official Su, whatever you have in mind, you can just tell me.

Your Highness,

do you want Prince Su to replace his brother as the crown prince?

Our dynasty has always made the first son of the empress the crown prince.

I wouldn't dare think of it.

Your Highness,

I believe that if you want to ally yourself with my Su Family,

there are things you don't need to hide from me.

You may assume that no one knows your motive,

but perhaps the whole world knows.

If we have your genuine support,

then on behalf of Prince Su, I name you a high minister.

Very well.

Now, there is something that requires your help.

Your Highness, you should rest now.

Are you not going to rest?

Didn't you approve my request to sleep in the study?

Why are you still standing here then?

No, I mean...

you should sleep early, since you'll need to attend the morning court tomorrow.

I will respect your request, Your Highness.

I'll take my leave now.

What does he mean?

I thought we talked it through.

Why is he still sleeping in the study?

Men are so odd.

Your Highness,

there's something I forgot.

What?

♫ Watching the bright moon rise and set together ♫

♫ Sharing the same fate ♫

Good night.

♫ Then lighting up a candle of the city ♫

That scoundrel. When did he learn such tricks?

♫ Or our mistakes repeat ♫

♫ I know you will be with me ♫

Young Master,

I got you another quilt.

Cover your legs if you feel cold at night.

So, I have something that I don't know if I should say.

- Then don't. - What are you doing?

If I don't say it, it's going to stifle me.

Stop being angry at the princess, will you?

By moving here, what if you infuriate the princess?

How about this? Sleep here tonight and then go back.

You know nothing. This is called, advancing by moving backward; playing hard to get.

- It's a strategy. - Strategy?

You don't have much experience with strategies, do you?

If your strategy fails, you won't be able to regret it.

- Just half a night. - Enough.

Don't stick your nose in if you know nothing.

Go and get this room tidied up. It's so empty. What is this?

This still needs to be tidied up?

Are you sure?

Of course.

Fine.

I'll carefully get it arranged. You'll stay here permanently.

Let's see how many days you can stay here.

I'm infuriated.

- Brother Tong. - Miss Jinglan.

How's the prince consort's wound?

Two imperial physicians have come to check on him already.

They said he was fine and just needed some rest.

That's a relief.

But I heard that the Prince Consort is sleeping in the study tonight.

Yes.

No couples have overnight feuds. Right?

Yes, I agree.

I don't understand why they are like this.

Right, I just remembered that Her Highness put it this way.

She said it's called... called "spicing things up."

A separation can be considered spicing things up?

[Ministry of Justice]

Official, we found him. He's locked up in the Inspectorate Office.

Didn't you say that he hid poison between his teeth?

Why is he still alive?

Don't worry, Official. His life is in our hands.

Even if he's alive, he'll never dare to babble.

What is it?

Official, Official Su would like to speak with you.

Greetings, Teacher.

Let's talk inside here.

What is it?

Are you worried about Princess Pingyue's attempted assassination?

This is a serious matter.

Do you have any plans?

I didn't expect that these assassins would be so brazen.

As of now, I have no solution.

Teacher,

why don't we turn this disadvantage into an advantage?

Release Lin Feibai tonight.

Why should we release him?

Release him secretly. I have an agreement with him.

An agreement? What agreement?

- You'll know when it's time. - Noted.

Your Highness, the Xie Family's butler visited Mingyue Palace last night.

I'm afraid they might team up.

I got it.

Your Highness, I'm still a bit worried that if we push them too hard,

most of the noble families might shift their allegiance to Prince Su.

A'Ya, do you know why my imperial father dotes on Consort Rou?

He dotes on her so much to check the power of my mother, actually.

No matter what mistake Consort Rou or how guilty Prince Su is,

my father would never abandon them.

If he did, there would be only one reason.

They're no longer bargaining chips.

Your Highness, I understand now.

I'm going to release that bait now. Get some rest.

When you release him, return all his belongings to him,

especially the jade pendant.

Yes, Your Highness.

Officials, we've gotten the information.

Go ahead.

Someone from the Xie Family went to Mingyue Palace to deliver a white jade hairpin.

A white jade hairpin?

Does it have any significance?

It's the trendiest accessory in Huajing lately.

A white jade hairpin?

Greetings, Your Majesty.

You may rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

I heard you have something interesting to tell me.

That's right.

Lately, everyone in the city is enamored with white jade hairpins.

It's very difficult to get one.

White jade hairpins are nothing new.

What's so special about this?

It was made popular by a top courtesan in Yizhou, who wore it in her hair.

Preposterous.

You may not know that its price is even more preposterous.

How much does one cost?

I'm afraid my yearly salary can't even afford it.

Lately, there's been a plague in the Southwest, and people are dying on the streets.

Yet, the people in Huajing would rather chase after such superficial things.

The court must intervene.

Who's selling the hairpins?

Well...

What is it?

As an imperial censor, there are still things you don't dare to say?

It's the Xie Family.

I want the Censorate to discuss this white jade hairpin tomorrow in the morning court.

Yes, Your Majesty.

[Mingyue Palace]

Imperial Father, I don't understand what I have done wrong.

Someone!

Lock this undiscerning thing up!

Only release her when she understands!

- Imperial Father, the hairpin is a gift... - Huayue!

Please calm down, Your Majesty. I have spoiled this girl.

Reflect on your wrongdoings, go!

Your Majesty, Huayue is still young.

- It's my fault... - Do you take me as a fool?

Do you think this hairpin is really for Huayue?

Remember.

If you behave like those people, I will never visit your Mingyue palace again!

Your Majesty, I won't socialize with the noble families again.

You'd better not.

Young Master, Her Highness had some rest this morning in the study,

then she had her meal, and later returned to her room to continue resting.

Who did this?

It wasn't me. Her Highness was here alone in the morning today.

This shows that Her Highness's emotions are still not very stable.

Did she invite me to eat with her?

No. You wish.

Eat with her?

Young Master, listen to me.

Stop playing coy. Go and pay her your respects.

- Ease your relationship... - No need.

It's all part of my strategy.

More strategies?

My current strategy is to get a good night's sleep.

- Come on, help cover me with the quilt. - Freeze.

Hopefully, it helps you be more clearheaded faster.

Pei Wenxuan is getting more and more impudent.

He didn't even come to say good night before bed.

What is he up to now?

Forget it.

The security here is actually so lax.

I should find an opportunity to remind him.

I thought it was a cat scratching the windows, so I got up to check.

I didn't expect that it was a big cat!

Then you saw wrong.

It's a little wildcat that is nothing but ferocious.

You'd better be careful, Official Pei.

Your Highness, if you want me to go back, you could have just said so.

Aren't you afraid of catching a cold, coming here late at night?

I can't pay you back for those buttercups.

So you're still angry at me, aren't you?

I'm not angry.

- But you're ignoring me. - I'm not ignoring you.

You are.

You're sleeping in a separate room.

That's because you told me to wait for you.

So, I thought I should give you some personal space.

I was also thinking that I should let you decide what our relationship should be like.

I'm fine with sleeping in the study. It's just a little cold here.

Stop deliberately saying things like this.

I finally understand that you're just playing hard to get.

You're putting on an act, aren't you? You're setting me up.

How am I playing hard to get?

Everything I say is true and comes from my heart.

They're all from your heart?

Fine.

- No, I'm wrong. - From your heart?

They're all fake.

I'm so happy that you would come here to see me.

I'm sleeping here so that you would feel bad for me.

If you want me to go back, just tell me, and I'll immediately help you save face.

Save face?

- Come back with me then. - All right.

Quickly.

They look like Young Master and Her Highness.

I'm so sleepy that I'm seeing things.

It's more comfortable to sleep here still.

Let me ask you something.

Huayue got slapped by Imperial Father yesterday.

Was it your doing?

I only told him about the skyrocketing price of the white jade hairpin.

The Xie Family owns a white jade mine in Kunzhou.

They have jade shops all over the place, most famous for their white jade hairpins.

However, it's not easy to get one.

Not only are they expensive, but it depends on the buyer's status, too.

Given Consort Rou's family background, even if Huayue could afford to buy one,

the Xie Family might not sell one to her.

That's why my father's slap wasn't just meant for Huayue, but also Consort Rou.

More importantly, my father is getting suspicious of Consort Rou,

suspecting that she might be colluding with the noble families.

Your eyes are filled with your admiration of me.

That's not admiration.

I'm just thinking that you're as witty as a devil, and that's very unsettling.

You're unsettled by that?

Official Pei, what other secrets do you have that I don't know?

Tell me.

There are many.

Madam Shangguan.

You may leave now. They will change shifts with you.

But Official Su ordered that we must stand guard here.

What is he saying? It's just a regular change of shift that happens daily.

Don't you want to rest?

Thank you for your concern. Let's go.

Your Highness, it's time to get up.

Well, you don't have to get up.

What's going on?

I still made a careless mistake.

I forgot to tell her not to wake me up today.

Your Highness! Your Highness, bad news!

Your Highness, please forgive me!

I don't want to come in, but my young master is missing!

He may have run away! We need to go and find him now!

What's all that yelling for? I'm right here.

- Who's that? Why is there a man talking here? - It's your young master, Pei Wenxuan.

Sorry for disturbing your rest!

Goodness.

I took the blame for you this time. You should give me credit for that.

Sure, I will.

- All right, let's get some more sleep. - You can still sleep?

I'm so sleepy. Let's sleep a while more.

- Your Highness. - Your Highness.

- Official Pei. - Official Pei.

Prince Consort is taking over the military provisions and funds case as His Majesty has commanded.

Cooperate with Prince Consort like how you usually cooperate with me.

- Yes, Your Highness. - Yes, Your Highness.

- Yes, Official Pei. - Yes, Official Pei.

By the way, while you were investigating, didn't Su Ronghua try to stop you?

The Su Family wouldn't do something recklessly, including Su Ronghua himself.

Actually, I don't understand why you're so confident in the Su Family.

Do you know... when I first met Su Rongqing?

Look, Imperial Father. I've got a bamboo dragonfly. It can fly!

I want to have wings when I grow up so I can fly to the most beautiful places in the Great Xia!

Your Majesty, Official Su is here.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

You may rise.

Your Majesty, I implore you to rescind your command, and not to start a war in the North.

I, Su Rongqing, hope that you would rescind your command too, Your Majesty.

Let the war end so that the people can rehabilitate.

You may rise.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Fulai.

Bring the two children out to play for now.

I need to talk to Dear Official Su.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Go.

Why did you come to visit my father?

Because he wants to conquer the Northern lands, and I have to stop him.

But Father said that the war is to attack the bad people.

Why do you want to stop him?

We have already reclaimed our lost territorial lands,

and if the war continues, we'll be invading other nations.

If we win, the credit goes to the emperor.

However, the emperor's achievements will be achieved by the blood of the common people.

The South has been experiencing three years of drought.

The people are suffering.

Rather than starting a war to conquer foreign enemies in the North,

I hope we can implement policies that benefit the people,

ensuring that the common people have enough to fill their stomachs.

Aren't you afraid that my father might flog you, or even kill you if you anger him?

What's so scary about death?

The Su Family has always lived for the people and died for the nation.

Actually...

But...

it's not them who are bad, but human nature.

A big family like theirs is bound to have someone who harbors evil intentions.

Still, I will hold them in respect.

They've got their bottom line, and it will be fine if I don't cross it.

Brother Tong.

Jinglan, you scared me.

I don't understand.

When Her Highness and Prince Consort just got married,

they were always showing off their affection.

Then, they started sleeping in separate rooms.

But now... now I don't understand.

This is probably their strategy.

The harder it is for them to meet, the more they long for each other.

So, should we just pretend that we don't know anything?

Of course, we have to continue.

Your Majesty, Princess Pingyue hired an assassin to kill me!

Please seek justice for me!

Do you have any evidence?

Fortunately, I was blessed by your grace to capture the assassin.

I have solid evidence!

Summon Pingyue here now!

Yes, Your Majesty.

Is everything going well with Prince Consort?

Yes.

Send some pastries over to him.

Sure.

Tell him not to get too tired. You may go now.

Your Highness, bad news!

- What is it? - Lin Feibai failed and was captured.

What a pity.

Your Highness, you need to come up with a plan now.

Xie Lanqing will definitely make an issue of it.

Prepare all of the evidence of their attempts to kill me in the past.

Your Highness, I don't understand.

Why did you order Lin Feibai to assassinate Xie Lanqing?

He's the Minister of Justice. How could he be so easy to kill?

Now that Lin Feibai has been captured alive, if he betrays Your Highness

you already have a lot of problems.

I'm afraid even His Majesty can't protect you.

You're planning to threaten him with your knowledge of his stronghold?

But Lin Feibai is no fool.

Would he actually be threatened by that?

He's the one who sees me as a fool, scheming with Xie Lanqing to throw me off.

There are many possibilities for this assassination.

Given how cunning Xie Lanqing is, he'd prepare a backup plan for failing.

Since you know that, why did you get him to kill Xie Lanqing?

I only have two choices.

If I believe him, I'll fall into their trap.

But if I don't, I'll never be able to trap the old wolf that is Xie Lanqing.

By ordering Lin Feibai to kill Xie Lanqing,

Xie Lanqing will surely accuse me of that in court.

And by doing so, he'll have to come out from the dark.

That gives me the chance to sink my fangs into him.

So, your fangs are...

Really?

Absolutely.

[Hanqiu Palace]

Greetings, Imperial Father.

Skip the formalities.

Minister Xie said you sent this assassin to kill him.

Do you plead guilty?

Imperial Father, I'd like to ask him a few questions first.

Permission granted.

You said I ordered you to kill Official Xie.

So, please tell me how I found you and how I ordered you to do so.

I am an assassin for hire.

Half a month ago,

Her Highness came to me with a painting and hired me to kill a high-ranked official.

Although Her Highness was wearing a veil, and I couldn't see her face,

I remember her voice.

You've got sharp ears.

What happened next?

Then, I followed my employer's request

and went to Butterfly Gorge to kill the man in the painting.

Then, I was ambushed and thrown into prison. I entered the Inspectorate Office.

It was there that I saw the princess.

After hearing her voice, I knew that she was the one who hired me to kill Official Xie before.

I immediately realized that the princess staged this whole show.

The princess knew I was a capable killer, so she asked me to kill Official Xie.

Otherwise, she'd have me beheaded for the crime of trying to assassinate her.

He made up this story quite nicely. Looks like he's prepared.

Is he speaking the truth?

Imperial Father, I'd like you and the other officials here to observe this man and Official Xie.

Don't they look rather similar?

After taking a closer look...

- They do look quite similar. - What do you mean?

Imperial Father, here's the truth.

Half a month ago, I received a threatening kite with the word "stop" written in cinnabar.

That same evening, someone tried to assassinate the prince consort.

Your Majesty, Her Highness ordered me to investigate this item.

We found out that the cinnabar used [Stop]

comes from a stationery shop in the capital called Huiming Shop that caters to the nobility.

I've investigated their recent accounts for this half year,

and the Xie Family is one of their customers.

Of course, this fact itself is not enough to prove that Official Xie is related to this case.

The situation back then was that the enemies were in the dark while I was in the open.

It was impossible to defend effectively.

That's why I planned to draw them out. I purposefully went on an excursion with the prince consort

and made news of this public.

We then set up an ambush at Butterfly Gorge, using myself as bait,

and we caught a group of assassins alive, which included this man.

Upon investigation, this man is adept at using Seven-star Darts.

He is the Deputy Sect Leader of the top assassin organization in the martial world, Seven-star Sect.

During my investigation, I found something on him.

What are you doing?

Why are you scared?

Don't you want to know the truth?

Subtitles and Timing brought to you by the Royal Troubles Team ⚜️ @viki.com

♫ Who gazes up at the sky? ♫

♫ Who gazes up at the sky? ♫

♫ In the night's piercing winds ♫

♫ Why is she singing? ♫

♫ The wind caresses the hills ♫

♫ The wind causes ripples in the water ♫

♫ Moonlight graces passing souls ♫

♫ Her pace slows ♫

♫ As she walks the long path ♫

♫ Memories are forgotten and recall again ♫

♫ Gazing idly as the clouds pass ♫

♫ She holds a red candle ♫

♫ Traversing the thick fog, unafraid ♫

♫ Life can be bitter sometimes ♫

♫ Experience it and carry on with grace ♫

♫ Like a fleeting dream ♫

♫ Like a fleeting dream ♫

♫ Neither warmth nor cold will last ♫

♫ Like a fleeting dream ♫

♫ Like a fleeting dream ♫

♫ The moonlight reflects in her eyes ♫

♫ In her gaze, an unwavering faith remains ♫