Original subtitles

My lord, you guessed it right.

Ji Shuran did go to see the Imperial Diviner.

First, a will-o'-the-wisp outside Eldest Princess's Mansion,

then an exorcism at the Jiang Residence.

The Imperial Diviner

doesn't work for the imperial court anymore.

Let's take them down in one fell swoop then.

This is the map of the Imperial Diviner Office.

I've sent our men to check it out.

My lord, Ms. Jiang Li has arrived.

My lord, Ms. Jiang Li is here.

Sorry to disturb you so late at night.

I didn't expect you to be busy with official duties.

I'm sorry about that.

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

Are you interested in joining us, Li?

I'm here to ask for a favor,

so I can't stay long.

Another favor?

It's in your interest,

so it's not overstepping.

I'm all ears.

Do you want to get rid of the Imperial Diviner, Duke Su?

Did you eavesdrop on us?

I came with your staff,

so I didn't have a chance to eavesdrop on you.

But now it seems like

I've come at the right time.

Is it about the Jiang family's exorcism?

Yes, my stepmother persuaded my father

to invite the Imperial Diviner for exorcism at our house.

I find this unusual.

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

After much deliberation,

the only person I have offended and can command the Imperial Diviner

is Eldest Princess Wanning.

The Imperial Diviner is in charge of palace rituals.

This concerns the imperial family.

Now that he's working for someone else,

how can you stand by and do nothing, Duke Su?

Brilliant.

Is that a yes?

State your request.

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

Is that it?

Yes.

-All right. -Thank you.

I won't disturb you any longer.

I shall take my leave.

Li.

What did you say earlier?

What?

You said it'd be in my interest,

so it's not overstepping.

I know I owe you a lot.

I panicked a little,

so I tried to find an excuse.

I used to think

I could 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 people at the Imperial Diviner Office...

Withdraw them.

Yes.

But how can Ms. Jiang Li deal

with the whole Imperial Diviner Office on her own?

It's all right.

If I can afford to lose,

she can too.

Ms. Jiang Li has someone to support her now.

That's great.

Today, you'll be spared from flogging

as I'm in a good mood.

Are we all set for tomorrow?

Yes.

The Imperial Diviner will arrive at 11:45 a.m.

When the time comes,

just put this pill into Ruoyao's mouth.

Keep a close eye on Concubine Hu.

Don't let her sabotage my plan.

Madam Ji,

I feel like the 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?

Jin Dai,

how many years have you been with me?

Since you were born,

it has been more than 30 years.

I've changed a lot

since then, haven't I?

Speak your mind.

Since you were a kid,

you've been the most opinionated one in the family.

You also 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 Ji, actually, 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 eldest daughter of the Ji family,

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.

SIMPLE AND ELEGANT

Miss, the person Duke Su got has arrived.

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

She's with Bai Xue right now.

Remember to tell her

to stay close to me today.

Not too close, but not too far.

All right.

I think there will be a ruckus today.

I don't have time to watch over you.

Find 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 tacky.

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

I don't want to live like the old days in Zhennv Hall

when I didn't have enough food to eat or clothes to keep warm.

What is this?

Open it and see.

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 running a 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'er,

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

Don't ever say that again.

Miss.

JIANG RESIDENCE

JIANG RESIDENCE

Greetings, Chancellor Jiang.

You're in charge of palace rituals.

Thank you for coming all the way here

for a trivial matter of my family.

Chancellor Jiang, you flatter me.

It all boils down to fate.

I came to Jiang Residence

to fulfill my destiny.

-Please come in. -Chancellor Jiang, after you.

Is she Ms. Jiang Ruoyao?

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'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er!

Yao'er.

-What's wrong with my daughter? -Yao'er.

Ms. Jiang Ruoyao is possessed by an evil spirit.

This evil spirit is so powerful

that it has almost sucked out her vital qi.

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 for no reason?

Imperial Diviner, are you mistaken?

Madam Ji, something big has happened.

The ancestral shrine is on fire.

Even the courtyard 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.

In serious cases,

you'll lose their lives.

Yao'er. Nothing can happen to my Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Imperial Diviner,

how do we exorcize the evil spirit?

The evil spirit needs a host.

Chancellor Jiang, please gather everyone in the residence immediately.

I need to perform a ritual and ask the spirit

to find the host.

The righteousness of the way of heaven lets everything go back to its origin.

Water purifies, spiritual talismans hold divine will.

Subdue evil spirits and reveal their true forms.

All demons and monsters could hide nowhere.

Demons and monsters?

It looks like a stunt to me.

Be quiet.

It's true.

I think so too.

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

If there's really an evil spirit in our residence,

it'll certainly be eliminated.

A wandering spirit left the grave without permission.

A true shrine, a false disturbance.

The gates of heaven and earth have opened.

Lost soul, appear now!

-My lady! -Jiang Li!

Imperial Diviner,

what's the meaning of this?

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 her,

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

Nonsense!

How can there be an evil spirit in Ms. Jiang Li?

You're just slandering her.

What nonsense are you spouting?

How can Jiang Li be an evil spirit?

Li'er 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'er lived in Zhennv Hall on Qingcheng Mountain

for ten years.

Zhennv 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 they easily attracts evil spirits,

leading to evil thoughts.

Since this lady

stayed in Zhennv Hall before,

an evil spirit must have followed her.

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

I'm afraid the reason lies

in Qingcheng Mountain.

You can say anything you want.

Why should we believe you?

Why should we just believe

whatever you say?

Mind your manners.

I was just telling the truth.

I'm sorry, Imperial Diviner.

We just don't understand it.

But Li'er

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

Please be more careful before judging her.

The personality of people

possessed by evil spirits usually changes drastically.

May I ask if this lady's personality

has greatly changed

since her return?

Yes.

Ms. Jiang Li'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 Ms. Jiang Li,

who lived in Zhennv Hall for ten years.

When she was about to return to Jiang Residence,

she was brutally murdered by someone.

I'm afraid even Ms. Jiang Li's father, the Chief Secretariat,

is in the dark.

The Imperial Diviner is right.

A person's personality

can't change drastically

in a short period of time indeed.

But I left home and lived in Zhennv 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 Zhennv Hall,

I'd still be kneeling there

for one whole day without drinking a drop of water.

That was the norm in Zhennv Hall.

Not having enough food to eat

and clothes to keep warm,

getting beaten at every turn,

and not even allowed to beg for mercy.

With such a cycle,

even the most honorable and gentle woman

or the most innocent and naive child

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 Zhennv Hall,

I've only had one quilt for my bed.

After using it for a long time,

all that's left are cotton scraps.

Forget colorful clothes.

Just being able to keep warm is good enough.

If I were still as arrogant as before

and still insisted on the same habits as before,

I might be dead already.

I changed

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?

Although evil spirits are bad,

they're spirits after all.

And if they're in a person's body for a long time,

they will cultivate with their hosts,

capture their souls, master their skills,

and take shape.

They're not to be trifled with.

And they'll keep looking for new hosts

before they take shape.

Then they can take the previous host's cultivation

with them.

Ms. Jiang Li is skilled at playing the guqin

although she has never had a teacher.

And she surprised everyone with her skill at the Annual Exam.

Perhaps this is the cultivation brought by the evil spirit.

Besides,

Ms. Jiang Li 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 late Xue Fangfei.

That's why I said

the reason for this might lie in Qingcheng Mountain.

Everyone, think about it yourselves.

-Xue Fangfei? On Qingcheng Mountain? -After Li'er

overturned Magistrate Xue's case,

she did not send him back to Huaixiang.

She even got him a physician and some medicines.

She cares for him so much.

But before that, Li'er had no connection

with Xue Huaiyuan.

Why would she be so concerned about an outsider?

Could it be true that...

Ms. Jiang Li,

have you ever encountered Xue Fangfei

and met her in person?

Of course I did.

I survived thanks to Xue Fangfei's help.

I'm grateful to her for saving my life.

It makes sense then!

That evil spirit

originally possessed Xue Fangfei and did evil things.

After Xue Fangfei died,

it possessed Ms. Jiang Li.

This evil spirit is vicious and cunning.

If we don't get rid of it in time,

the entire Jiang family might be in danger.

Father! Mother!

Ms. Ruoyao.

Yao'er.

Ruoyao.

-Mother! -My daughter.

My Yao'er.

-Imperial Diviner. -Mother!

What are you going to do about the evil spirit in my daughter?

Your residence is not a pure place,

so I can't easily suppress the evil spirit.

I need to take Ms. Jiang Li to the temple

to perform rituals for a few months

to get rid of the evil spirit.

Father!

Mother!

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

If we wait until the evil spirit completely takes over the body,

it'll be too late.

Yuanbai, you don't really believe that an evil spirit

possessed Jiang Li, do you?

Uncle Yuanbai,

please don't believe in people's slander.

Jiang Li already suffered once in Zhennv Hall.

If she suffers a second time,

-it will kill her. -Yes.

My lord, Ms. Jiang Li is innocent.

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

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

You can't let our family be destroyed like this.

-Or we can't live in peace, Yuanbai. -Yes, Yuanbai.

Aunt Yang, what are you saying?

How could you say such nonsense?

-How is it nonsense? -Enough!

Quiet!

Dear, what do you think?

Since the exorcism is harmless,

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

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

Ruoyao is already in this state.

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

Uncle Yuanbai!

Father!

Ms. Ruoyao.

I'm in so much pain!

Yao'er. My Yao'er.

I'm in so much pain!

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

Yao'er.

What should we do?

All right.

Jiang Li.

-Li'er. -Jiang Li.

Li'er.

What's going on?

Ms. Jiang Li.

-Li'er. -Jiang Li.

-Li'er, are you all right? -Jiang Li, don't scare me.

Are you all right?

Jiang Li.

Li'er.

Father.

-Ms. Jiang Li. -Father.

-Why's she like a different person? -What's going on?

Father.

I feel so much pain.

-It hurts so much. -Yue'er?

Yue'er.

-Imperial Diviner. -Yue'er.

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 Yue'er!

Let go of my daughter!

-Father. -My Yue'er.

-Concubine Hu? -Yue'er.

-Why is she here? -Yue'er.

-I have no idea. -My Yue'er.

My lord.

My lord.

Don't you remember?

It's Yue'er's voice.

-It's Yue'er's voice. -Yue'er.

Get someone to take her away. Quick.

-Yes. Guards. -It's Yue'er.

Concubine Hu, come with me.

-No. -Don't spout nonsense.

-Take her away. Don't spout nonsense. -My lord.

Let go of me!

Father!

Yue'er.

That's our Yue'er.

-Father. -Dear.

Father, help me.

Stop!

Stop, all of you.

Let go of her.

This concerns my eldest granddaughter, Jiang Yue.

No one can 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 really not crazy.

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

-Father. -Old Madam.

-Father. -She's really Yue'er.

-Father, help me! -My lord, listen.

Yue'er is calling you.

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

Father!

-Yue'er. -Dear.

Concubine Hu is really sick this time.

She's not sick.

This is Yue'er's voice.

It's our Yue'er.

Yue'er.

Yue'er.

Yue'er.

My Yue'er,

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. -All right.

Yue'er.

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 be afraid.

Don't kill me!

-Nonsense! -Don't kill me!

Jiang Li,

this is a trick of the evil spirit to mesmerize people.

-You're the one who killed Yue'er. -No!

-Don't be afraid, Yue'er. -You killed my Yue'er!

Don't kill me.

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

-Don't touch Madam Ji. -Why?

-Why? -Don't be afraid.

Let go of me.

Let go!

Why?

-My lady. -Jiang Li.

Father.

Grandmother.

The Imperial Diviner is really something.

I could really sense

something unseen.

Father,

I saw a little girl.

She said her name was 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 rockery,

but someone made it look like

she accidentally fell and drowned.

Ji Shuran, you're so cruel!

My poor Yue'er

died at your hands.

My Yue'er!

My Yue'er.

Nonsense!

Jiang Li is possessed by an evil spirit.

Imperial Diviner!

Is this all you've got?

Take down the evil spirit!

They said Jiang Li committed matricide and fratricide.

The mother was me

and the child she killed

was yours.

I was pregnant back then,

but she insisted on taking me to the attic to play,

making me fall and lose 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?

Ms. Jiang Li's soul has been seized by Xue Fangfei.

It must be exorcized immediately!

Miss, be careful!

The Imperial Diviner killed someone!

Let's go.

-Murder! -Tong'er!

-He killed someone! -No!

-Take him away! -Old Madam.

Take Old Madam back to her room!

I...

-Jiang Li, run! -Rui'er, do you want to die!

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

Li'er, run!

-Bai Xue, get a physician! -Run!

All right.

Run, Jiang Li!

Jiang Li!

What...

-What do you want? -Don't come near me!

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.

This is so nice.

You still owe me...

You owe me your life.

I'll find you

in my next life.

Wencai.

There are a lot of them.

-It's very inauspicious. It's so scary. -Yes.

-It's so serious. -How did something so bad happen? Look.

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

Let go of me!

Miss,

I'm sorry.

I can't be with you until 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 her ladyship.

Tong'er.

Please

bury me next to her ladyship.

You're so beautiful.

You look the most beautiful when you smile.

Don't cry.

I like to see your smile.

I won't cry.

Tong'er!

Tong'er!

Tong'er!

Tong'er!

Don't take her away.

Tong'er.

Tong'er.

You can't take her away.

You can't take her away!

Come back!

Come back!

-Jiang Li. -Jiang Li.

-Jiang Li. -Tong'er.

Jiang Li.

-Tong'er. -Jiang Li.

Don't go.

You can't take her away!

Tong'er!

Jiang Li.

Li'er!

Let her go!

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

Tong'er!

No!

Jiang Li.

-Jiang Li. -Tong'er!

Tong'er.

Tong'er, don't go.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Let's go with Madam Hu to check out new fabrics today

and dress her up.

JI SHURAN ALSO KILLED YE ZHENZHEN

BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO MARRY INTO THE JIANG FAMILY

Yue'er has finally redressed her justice.

I can feel at ease in meeting her now.

There's something I've kept to myself for years.

Ji Shuran also killed Ye Zhenzhen back then

because she wanted to marry into the Jiang family.

The Imperial Diviner Office knows the method of divination

and has a deep connection with the inner court,

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

I've been unhappy with the office for a long time.

Now that this has happened,

we can clean up and reorganize it.

Wanning would never have expected

that once Ms. Jiang Li joined the game,

all her chess pieces would be eliminated.

I guess we've made the right bet this time.

Xue Fangfei,

just wait.

The best part is yet to come.