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

[The Princess Royal]

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

[Episode 31]

I've always wanted to suppress the northern enemies

to keep our country safe from constant skirmishes.

Official Pei, do you have any useful suggestions?

Perhaps we could hold a military examination next year.

A military examination?

That's a brilliant idea.

I have always wanted to build an army that truly belongs to the royal family.

It's a good idea to hold a military examination.

After we suppress the northern enemies,

I plan to station an army of 100,000 men in the South permanently

to spread our culture and influence foreign enemies, so that 100 years from now,

so that 100 years from now, the southern lands will be unified as one.

Your Majesty, your exceptional foresight will make your plans come to fruition eventually.

Besides, the southern lands have been plagued by floods for years.

Instead of repairing the dam all the time,

we should build another channel to divert the water flow.

Unfortunately, the elite troops, money and food in the country all belong to the noble families.

But the noble families only care for their self-preservation.

Let alone start wars at the borders, even if there is a war in the capital,

they will only try to negotiate rather than fight.

Those cowards.

What do you think of what I said?

You are a wise emperor.

I dare not say anything otherwise.

Just speak your mind.

My clan came from a humble background.

We gained our reputation for your appreciation.

My father has always been your loyal supporter, and I will follow in his footsteps.

Very well.

Your family and Cheng'er's mother's kinsfolk

may have been commoners, unlike those from the noble families,

but you have a heart of gold.

In the future, I hope you'll continue assisting me in the state affairs.

Especially Cheng'er. He's still young.

You should guide him on his journey on my behalf to share my burdens, understood?

I understand.

Official Pei.

His Majesty has high expectations for you.

Has His Majesty been experiencing health issues lately?

His Majesty has been experiencing temporary blindness in the morning for the past two days.

We are secretly searching for famous physicians.

Official Pei, you have to plan ahead.

His Majesty wanted me to remind you that only the commoners will truly support you.

I have conveyed His Majesty's message.

I'll take my leave.

Looks like chaos is drawing near.

Official Pei, Consort Rou wants to see you now.

Official Pei, a moment, please.

Your Highness.

Official Pei, come in, please.

Greetings, Your Highnesses.

This time, we've got ourselves into huge trouble for taking down Wang Houwen.

I have something to tell you.

Privately, if possible.

All of you may leave now.

I'll take my leave.

It's a fact that no one would dare to offend the noble families.

However, we can't simply do nothing.

After all, His Majesty is watching.

Now that Wang Houwen has been gotten rid of, you have taken your stand.

When you release the others afterward,

the noble families would think that you're doing them a favor.

If you release them from the beginning,

would the noble families still think that you're showing them grace?

Besides, this is the only way to create an opportunity for Prince Su to recruit talents.

Had I not done all that, the noble families might have assumed that you're scared of them.

You spoke my mind.

Official Pei, as the chief examiner for the metropolitan examination,

I'm sure it won't be hard for you to put a few names on the primary list of candidates.

[Yang Xu, Wang Zhao, Wen Tong, Tian Xiwen, Liu Li, Chen Qing]

Aren't these people all from noble families?

Why don't they just follow the Royal Selection route?

Their names are not included in the noble families' pedigrees.

They're only related to them somehow.

Your Highness, there are some things that I'm not sure if I should say.

Pray tell.

What do you want, Your Highness?

Is it getting a large amount of money and living a peaceful life in the palace,

or making Prince Su...

ascend the throne?

Sorry for my abruptness.

But there are limited positions in the imperial court.

Having more people from the noble families means there will be fewer opportunities for real commoners.

You should know better than I do

who can be of value to Prince Su.

The metropolitan examination will commence

on the 10th day of the 10th month in the 25th year of the Yongning Era. [Notice of Metropolitan Examination]

There will be two categories of passing candidates.

Those on the Primary List will be appointed directly in the capital,

and those on the Secondary List will be appointed in regional governments.

That doesn't sound very appealing? I heard those regional positions are posts with very little to do.

We'd better study harder.

After all, those on the Primary List can work directly in the capital.

- That depends on whether we can pass. - Yeah.

[Examination Hall]

Your Majesty, these are the candidates for the palace examination.

- Greetings, Your Majesty. - Greetings, Your Majesty.

- Long live Your Majesty! - Long live Your Majesty!

You may rise.

- Thank you, Your Majesty. - Thank you, Your Majesty.

Please set a question for the candidates Your Majesty.

How can a ruler ensure that his officials

are free from corruption, that his people harbor no greed, and that every family can sustain themselves?

How can the ruler maintain the country's traditions and culture,

create an education system that is accessible to all, and build a competitive agricultural industry?

A good strategist knows how to win a battle without fighting.

A good general knows how to quash his enemy's plans to end a battle

even before it starts.

Discuss the topics above.

I shall read your answers myself.

Out of the seven major noble families in the capital,

other than the four main ones who have lasted for nine generations,

I see we have representatives from the other three noble families.

I'm greatly honored by your gracious presence.

Your Highness, we're here to congratulate you in advance

for taking back the Inspectorate Office from Consort Rou

and being reinstated as the Supervisor of the Inspectorate Office.

You jest, Official Wang.

The Inspectorate Office is doing fine under the leadership of Consort Rou and Prince Su.

What do I have to do with this?

We're here today to discuss with you

how we can help you regain the Inspectorate Office's leadership.

Your Highness, if you have any request, pray tell.

Official Zheng, you're a sensible one.

Actually, I know why exactly you're here today.

Instead of putting it as helping me, I'd say that you're helping yourselves.

The fall season is ending soon.

The officials that Consort Rou has dealt with will all be executed by then.

You want me to take over and change the original sentence

so that your family members won't be executed, especially Official Wang's.

Let me guess what's on your mind.

Consort Rou is ambitious and bears a grudge against the noble families.

If no one stops her, she will become a threat in the long term.

While she's reforming the system of the imperial examination today,

in the future, she might be targeting your military forces, power, and supplies.

You see everything clearly, Your Highness.

Right now, Consort Rou is under my imperial father's protection,

so if you take action against Consort Rou, you would be taking action against my imperial father.

Yet, you wouldn't want to confront my imperial father directly,

so you're trying to make me a puppet of yours

and manipulate me to start a war against my imperial father.

However, why would I want to become someone's puppet?

You've misunderstood us, Your Highness. We're here to assist you, not to manipulate you.

So, you're willing to follow my orders?

Inform the Prince Consort

that I will ask Chen Houzhao to enter the capital tonight to lodge a case at the Ministry of Justice.

Tell him to order Pei Liming to act.

Make sure Su Rongqing doesn't intercept.

Also, prepare the testimonies provided

by the candidates which shows that they were coerced by Consort Rou to drop their cases.

I want to read them tonight.

You also need to inform Miss Shangguan to prepare the evidence

showing they used torture to force a confession.

Also, prepare a nice set of clothes for me.

Tomorrow, I must look pretty when I attend the morning audience.

Understood.

Your Majesty, [Taiji Hall]

Wang Houwen and his accomplices should be executed according to the law.

Please decide on a date for their execution.

I hope you can reconsider your decision, Your Majesty. My father was the Minister of Personnel.

We have only listened to Consort Rou's side of the story.

That's not enough to prove his guilt.

Therefore, I implore you to postpone the execution.

The execution dates have always been set by the Bureau of Astronomy.

Since when is this a topic of discussion in the court?

You've been working here for years. Don't you know the rules?

You have a point, Official Shangguan.

A woman usurps a man's power, which will destabilize the country.

What are you implying, Official Gu?

Your Highness. I am just fulfilling my duties as a censor.

You're calling me a woman usurping a man's power.

Why didn't you say the same thing when Princess Pingyue was here?

At least, Sister didn't make that many wrongful convictions.

Why are the officials unsatisfied with you?

Consort Rou, shouldn't you do some self-reflection?

You're all ganging up against me!

Your Highness, you said that I've made wrongful convictions.

Do you have any evidence?

If not, then you...

I do.

Greetings, Imperial Father. Long live Your Majesty.

I didn't summon you. What are you doing here?

For myself, for officials, and for all scholars of humble roots,

I'd like to seek justice from Noble Consort Xiao Rou.

I hope you can give us justice, Father.

Pingyue, you should be resting in your mansion today.

Imperial Father, please summon the plaintiffs.

You know I'm your imperial father, yet you dare order me around!

Your Majesty, since the Princess is filing a complaint against Consort Rou,

as the wise ruler of this country, you should resolve this case first.

Your Majesty, please summon the plaintiffs involved in the case handled by Consort Rou.

- Summon them. - Summon them.

- Greetings, Your Majesty. - Greetings, Your Majesty.

- Long live Your Majesty. - Long live Your Majesty.

These plaintiffs... have already been found guilty.

Your Highness, you think someone is framing you?

What about him?

He is?

I am Chen Houzhao, one of last year's candidates from Qingcheng, Yuzhou.

It's you.

I tried searching for you, but you were nowhere to be seen.

Are you here today under someone's coercion?

Your Highness. Why would anyone coerce me?

Even if someone did coerce me into coming here,

I wonder who coerced your cousin, Xiao Shunwen,

into stealing my exam candidature in the spring examination.

I couldn't find you when I was investigating the imperial examination fraud.

If you truly have grievances, why didn't you lodge a complaint earlier,

instead of coming here today and making these stories up?

Making stories up?

Do you know how much I've suffered while studying for the past dozen years?

Do you know how many clothes my mother had washed to earn my tuition?

She even over strained her eyes since she worked too hard embroidering.

My family had pinned all their hopes on me,

yet those scoundrels, Xiao Shunwen and Xiao Pingzhang, stole my identity, my examination script,

and my endeavors over the past dozen years!

And you're saying that I'm making stories up?

Young Master Chen, calm down.

I just wanted to confirm the truth.

If you have grievances, you don't have to yell. Just tell us what happened.

I will remain impartial and seek justice for you.

Justice?

The justice you mentioned was sending your men to search for me and hunt me down,

hoping that I'd never return alive, and that this case remains forgotten?

- What nonsense is that? - Don't you even know what you've done?

You lied that I died of illness in the capital

and threatened my mother with my brother's future

so that she wouldn't come to Huajing and pursue my case further.

I even have a letter from you that promised you would arrange a position for my brother.

Your Highness, is there anything else you have to say?

Now I know.

Your Majesty, this is a set-up!

All the evidence they're presenting is fabricated just to set me up!

Chen Houzhao went missing after he lodged his case with Pingyue.

If I really wanted to harm him,

why would I search for him, and argue with Princess Pingyue over him?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty. Why don't you dismiss these people who are kneeling here first?

- Thank you, Your Majesty. - Thank you, Your Majesty.

Next up, I'm going to show you the next batch of plaintiffs.

The second batch of plaintiffs are the victims of the imperial examination fraud case

that was investigated by you. [Wen Xingzhi, Wen Lunhai, Wen Zhaoke...]

You said you made painstaking efforts to deal with this case, so justice could be served.

Then, Your Highness, since you've claimed to uphold justice,

why did you threaten to bar these candidates from the metropolitan examination

unless they drop their cases?

While those who stole their candidatures can go unpunished,

all you're doing is just returning these candidates' rights that were theirs all along.

Was this what you meant by upholding justice?

Your Majesty. Consort Rou abused her authority in the Inspectorate Office

to demand bribes from our Gu Family.

Here is the ledger that proves it. Please check it, Your Majesty.

The Zheng Family also has the ledger proving she demanded bribes from us.

So does the Wang Family.

So does the Lian Family.

- So does the Peng Family. - So does the Sun Family.

- So does the Chen Family. - So does the Hu Family.

And the Zeng Family as well.

Your Majesty, they're framing me...

Your Majesty.

Consort Rou engaged in corrupt practices and bent the law for personal gain.

She deliberately attempted murder and framed innocent loyal people.

Therefore, I implore you to take Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,

and punish her according to the law.

Your Majesty, we implore you to take Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,

and punish her according to the law.

Official Pei.

Official Su.

Why aren't you two kneeling?

Your Majesty, I implore you to take Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,

and punish her according to the law.

Your Majesty, I implore you to take Consort Rou into custody, investigate her,

and punish her according to the law.

Very well.

Very well. You're all trying to pressurize me.

You're all colluding to pressurize me!

Your Majesty.

We are not pressurizing you.

If Consort Rou did not do all that, no one would do anything to her.

But since Consort Rou did all that, then she should know that justice has long arms.

This day had to come sooner or later.

You are the Emperor, the ruler of this country.

As the people's leader, you should set an example.

You can't bend the law to your liking.

I understand that you favor Consort Rou,

but you've put your heart and soul into the imperial examination.

Are you sure that you, just to protect her,

want to ruin the justice that hundreds of upright scholars deserve,

destroy our country's laws and principles,

and sully your reputation that will be recorded in historical records?

If you still show favoritism towards her, how would our Li Family's ancestors think of you?

How would the officials think of you? How would the people think of you?

Centuries ahead of now, how would historical records describe you?

Your Majesty, as your child and your official,

I do not wish to see your reputation tainted.

Therefore, I ask you to enforce the law impartially by taking her into custody

and investigating her thoroughly.

Your Majesty.

- Someone! - Your Majesty. You don't trust me?

Throw Consort Rou into prison.

The Ministry of Justice will take over this case.

Your Majesty. Princess Pingyue had worked tirelessly to establish the Inspectorate Office,

yet she was then maligned by Consort Rou, saying that she killed Scholar Chen Houzhao.

However, it is clear that Chen Houzhao is not dead, which proves the Princess is innocent.

Therefore, I request that Princess Pingyue be reinstated

so she can investigate Consort Rou's case.

Does everyone else here hold the same opinion?

- We do! - We do!

Fine.

I have a fine daughter.

A fine one, indeed.

I did not misjudge you, after all.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Since all of you... have already come to this agreement,

why am I even here?

Before Consort Rou is sent to prison, I want to meet her at the Imperial Study.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Court dismissed!

- Take care, Your Majesty. - Take care, Your Majesty.

Someone. Take the suspect, Xiao Rou, away.

Don't touch me. I can walk myself.

It's not too late to give up now.

Thank you for your kind reminder.

I appreciate it.

[Taiji Hall]

Rong Rong, I've always been by your side.

I thought you would assume that I'm happy.

Then are you happy?

What's there to be happy about all this in-fighting?

Perhaps the past me would feel happy.

But after going through so much,

I no longer feel any joy in bringing down someone like Consort Rou.

The only thing that would elicit joy is when no one like her exists anymore.

No one is more noble than anyone else.

I was just born into a more noble family than she was.

You are kind enough to feel pity for her.

In this world, there are lots of victims and sufferers.

However, there are only a few evil-doers.

If everyone uses their tragic backgrounds to justify their wrongdoings,

then there is nothing to restrain evil anymore.

Your Highness. Detesting evil is the only way to celebrate kindness.

Am I kind, though?

You can be kind. Be someone who slays evil.

Actually...

I've been thinking of something.

Be it the noble families or commoners, why do we separate them into different classes?

If there comes a day when we no longer talk about noble families and commoners,

and everyone gets to be treated the same way,

that can be called true fairness.

That's an immense act of kindness.

If it is an immense act of kindness...

then we have to stay on this path.

Rong Rong, I'm glad that you're truly on my side this time.

Your Majesty, Consort Rou is here.

Your Majesty.

I knew you wouldn't abandon me.

Your Majesty.

You useless woman!

I plotted so hard to wrestle the authority of the Inspectorate Office for you

and I kept reminding you that other than the certain noble families I told you,

you were to do nothing to anyone else.

Look what you've done.

Just for a few chests of silver taels, you've ruined half my life's work!

- I... - You've dug your own grave!

I was framed. I was set up.

- Pei Wenxuan... - Enough!

Even if what you said were true, who would believe you?

If you had at least half of Shangguan Yue's composure,

Cheng'er would have been the Crown Prince by now!

Your Majesty. I'm too foolish. I'm wrong.

Don't be angry with me, please.

Take care of your health, Your Majesty.

I only have you left.

But I only have myself left.

The only thing you can do now...

is to find a suitable time to write a letter.

You can say that the Crown Prince framed you,

and that you would prove your innocence by death.

When you die, all this will come to an end.

This is the only way to keep Cheng'er's reputation untainted.

Your Majesty!

Don't blame me.

Given how things are now, I can no longer help you.

Your Majesty.

You're the Emperor and you can't help me?

You can't even protect your woman?

In the end, it's all because of your cowardice and incompetence!

You're scared of the noble families.

- You're scared that they would overthrow you anytime, and that you have to do... - Silence!

I will show you some mercy on the account that you're Cheng'er's mother,

- so stop spouting nonsense! - Am I spouting nonsense?

All I did was expose your weakness.

I'm going to die anyway, so what else can you do to me?

- Say that again, and I will remove Cheng'er's title as a prince! - Go ahead!

If you want to free your family from the Shangguans' clutches,

Cheng'er is your only choice. You won't have another son anyway!

What did you say?

After I gave birth to Cheng'er, you've never had any children.

Haven't you thought about why?

What did you do to me?

The soothing soup you drink every day is made by me.

I'm going to kill you, you evil woman!

You can't bear to do it?

You can't bear to kill me?

Li Ming, why are you such a coward?

You're neither kind nor ruthless enough.

You fail to be a benevolent ruler. You fail to be a filial son.

You fail to be a loving father. You fail to be a worthy husband!

You're a selfish man, after all, yet you were born with some conscience.

You could have enjoyed your life as a cowardly emperor,

and the Shangguan Family could ensure you're well taken care of.

Yet, you are unwilling to do so.

Now you're halfway through your life, but what have you achieved?

You're left with nothing, not even a real family!

Even I find you pathetic!

Li Ming.

Wait till you reach the end... and die alone.

Your Majesty.

Consort Rou has been sent to prison.

Should I summon the imperial physician here?

Fu Lai.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I remember that when I first met you...

you were only 11 years old, right?

Your Majesty, I had just turned 11 back then.

Have we...

all grown old?

Your Majesty.

I have been serving you for almost 40 years.

Ever since I was ten years old,

I swore I would be a good emperor.

I worked diligently for decades,

but now...

everything seems to be back to square one.

I am all alone.

I finally understand why people

call an emperor a loner.

Many years ago,

I was pretty happy

when I sent people to build Beiyan Pagoda.

Come on.

Summon Consort Rou's nephew, Xiao Wen.

I need to talk to him.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Consort Rou has fallen.

It's time to clean house.

Mother!

Huayue.

Why are you here? Are you doing well?

I didn't implicate you, did I?

As soon as I heard that you were in trouble, I sent someone to ask my third uncle for help.

He used his connections, and finally managed to get me in.

What about Cheng'er?

He's doing fine. He's in the mansion now.

Mother, what should we do now?

We fell deep into the enemy's trap this time.

Remember, in the future, trust no one else other than our own family.

Do not ever use Cui Yulang again.

Mother, what should I do?

What can I do to save you?

I'll get married.

- I'll marry someone powerful... - Huayue.

Stop having such impractical thoughts.

Stop thinking about how you can save me.

I'm afraid I can't escape death this time.

What you should do now is take care of yourself and Cheng'er.

There are two paths that you can choose.

The first path is...

don't come to visit me in prison anymore.

Sever all ties with me.

Beg your father to allow you and Cheng'er to move to stay with your uncle,

stay away from the royal family, and lead a peaceful life.

No, I don't want this path.

The second path is...

You need to take a gamble and risk everything you have. It will be very difficult, though.

Mother, just tell me what to do.

Kill Li Chuan.

Better yet, kill Li Rong as well.

That would make Cheng'er the only remaining prince

and your father would protect you and Cheng'er from any harm.

When Cheng'er ascends the throne, you will become the Princess Royal.

Take this token.

Go to your uncle. He can mobilize troops.

Huayue.

No matter which path you choose,

I will write a confession to take all the blame

so that you and Cheng will remain safe.

Huayue.

There's nothing else I can do to help you.

You will have to rely on yourself in the future.

[Xiao Mansion]

Don't panic. Don't panic.

I can't let people laugh at me.

Don't panic. I can't let other people think that without my mother, I'm totally vulnerable.

Uncle! Uncle, it's me, Huayue!

Calm down.

Did your mother leave any messages?

Mother handed this token to me. [Rou]

She told me to kill Li Chuan as soon as possible.

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

♫ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♫

♫ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♫

♫ In the night's chill breeze ♫

♫ What is she singing for? ♫

♫ The wind caresses the hills ♫

♫ The wind causes ripples on calm water ♫

♫ Moonlight graces passing souls ♫

♫ Her steps get slower and slower ♫

♫ She's trod a lengthy path ♫

♫ Memories lost then found ♫

♫ Gazing idly as clouds roll by ♫

♫ She holds a red candle ♫

♫ To brave the thick fog ♫

♫ Life can be bitter sometimes ♫

♫ Experience it 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 moon is reflected in her eyes ♫

♫ In her gaze, the unwavering faith remains ♫