A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
ADAPTED FROM TIANXIA GUIYUAN'S NOVEL HUANG QUAN
EPISODE 40
On one hand, it's my father here in the capital.
On the other, it's my uncle in Minhai.
They're both people closest to me.
If you were me,
what would be your decision?
Tell me.
It is a man's duty to plan.
I believe that if you have the determination to stop Lord of Minhai,
you will find the best way to protect both sides.
Protect both sides...
I have a good idea right now.
Wei Zhi, would you be willing to contribute
to the peace of Tiansheng?
As long as Tiansheng can be safe,
I'll do whatever I can.
Good.
Right now, Prince of Yan has gathered an army.
He will make a move soon.
Now we should worry about the Imperial Harem.
We don't know
if Ziyan will be able to stop the Emperor.
In my opinion,
you don't need to worry about Headmaster Xin.
I'm just worried that the little raccoon
will change her mind halfway and ruin your plan.
I'm not worried about Ziyan.
But Father is very paranoid.
If Ziyan isn't careful and provokes him,
he'll do the opposite of what we want.
I'm not worried about the little raccoon.
She's a woman of determination.
Once she's determined, she'll do anything to fulfill her duty.
If Prince of Yan panics, will she be in danger?
That's why we need to protect the golden box.
As long as the imperial edict is still in my control,
Ning Sheng won't hurt the little raccoon.
Your Highness,
Vice Minister of Rites, Xu Qirui, is outside.
He says he has something urgent to tell you.
Let him in quietly.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
So?
Shaoning is by his side.
They can hear everything.
Your Highness, the prisoner in the Imperial Harem
is gone.
Gone?
A living person just disappeared?
Someone must have come and taken him away.
You're useless!
-Go look for him! -No need!
Your Highness, if he escapes,
Xu Qirui will very likely turn against us.
He will for sure.
I pay respect to Your Highness.
You may rise.
Vice Minister Xu. Come.
Sit.
Vice Minister Xu.
What's happening?
Your Highness,
Prince of Yan summoned me and some other officers to watch them
act out a show of Chang Yuan's general forcing him to betray the Emperor.
They wanted Director Wei to see the whole thing.
I think I saw Director Wei and the Princess hiding behind a screen.
They're safe for now.
Yet, the next step,
according to Prince of Yan and the commander,
is to get rid of Wei Zhi.
The general?
Did you see the commander?
That is what I am here to tell you, Your Highness.
That commander, if I remember correctly,
was the Chief of the Imperial Camp, Yuan Chong.
He changed his name and appearance and hid as an Imperial Guardsman.
He's called Liu Guang now.
No wonder I couldn't find him all these years.
Chang Yuan must have helped him.
Vice Minister Xu, what are they going to do next?
After the Princess and Director Wei left, Prince of Yan gathered the officials.
Please rise.
I will persuade Wei Zhi to bring the imperial edict
to Shunping Gate to meet the Chief of the Imperial Guardsmen.
Go prepare now.
-Yes, Your Highness. -Yes, Your Highness.
Liu Guang.
When Wei Zhi takes out the edict, kill him immediately.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness, if you kill Wei Zhi--
Minister Peng,
you once said, "You must fight for the world
instead of just waiting for it."
Ning Cheng,
gather all the guards in the palace.
I'm going to kill that bastard, Yuan Chong, myself.
Yes, Your Highness.
Vice Minister Xu.
Yes, Your Highness.
It will be a sleepless night tonight.
Prince of Yan will be angry.
Don't return to his residence.
Stay here and be safe.
Your Highness,
I thank you.
You said
that Ning Sheng is tricking Zhiwei to go to Shunping Gate to kill her.
Where did you hear that?
At Prince of Chu's residence.
If that's the case,
go save Feng Zhiwei now.
Wait.
Do you know what Ning Yi thinks about this?
He's going to save her.
Nanyi, when you save Zhiwei,
kill Ning Yi during the chaos.
Go now.
Nanyi, kill Ning Yi during the chaos.
Yuan Chong.
Your days of changing your name and living in secrecy
are coming to an end.
Prince of Chu,
I was forced.
The Chang family is powerful. I'm nothing compared to them.
Your Highness, please forgive me.
Please forgive me.
Your Highness, you should kill this bastard.
Killing him would taint my hands.
Send him to the Ministry of Justice and punish him according to the law.
Gu Nanyi?
Why are you here?
If you die, she'll be sad.
His Majesty summons
the princes and officials to the palace.
Wei Zhi, what should we do?
Come with me.
Where are we going?
Isn't it in your room?
It's here.
Careful.
-The golden box is here? -Quiet.
-Your Highness, are you all right? -Your Highness.
I was lucky.
His Majesty has ordered that the golden box be brought to the palace.
Open the door.
I shall obey, Your Highness.
Wei Zhi.
Why are you here?
I was worried that if the golden box disappeared,
His Majesty would be mad.
-So I-- -That's enough.
Bring it and come to the palace with me.
Ning Yi, what's wrong with Father?
Why does he need the golden box now?
If you're a good daughter, don't ask too much.
Let's head back to the palace.
Wei Zhi.
Do you think there's something wrong with Father?
I'm scared.
Your Highness,
the Emperor is in good health.
Maybe he has other plans.
Don't worry, Your Highness.
You should trust His Majesty.
Yes,
I should trust Father.
But I'm worried that his arrangements
will cause me to live my whole life alone without anyone to rely on.
His Majesty loves you.
He's your real source of support.
Father is getting old now.
One day, he'll leave me.
When that day comes,
whom will I rely on?
Wei Zhi, get out.
Go out and see what they want.
I'll wait for you here.
Very well.
Your Highness,
this is treason.
Please, take back the order.
Please trust me, Director Wei.
This is the best plan.
If you believe it's the best solution,
I'll do what you say.
Wei Zhi, the carriage is too slow.
You must ride to the palace. Hurry.
What happened?
Some Imperial Guardsmen loyal to the Chang family are on their way.
We need to bring the golden box to His Majesty right now.
Where is the golden box?
Your Highness,
please give me the golden box.
Get on the horse.
-Your Highness. -His Majesty summoned us this late.
-What is it about? -I don't know.
Wei Zhi.
Prince of Chu, please come with me.
Grand Secretary Yao.
Director Wei.
Do you know why His Majesty summoned us here in the middle of the night?
Grand Secretary Yao.
I came here as soon as I heard.
I don't know the reason.
But don't worry.
His Majesty must have his reasons we don't know about.
I hope so.
I'm worried about the empire.
Grand Secretary Yao, please fend off the princes for me.
This golden box is drawing attention.
Very well.
I need to borrow you and Father's golden box
to let Lord of Minhai's followers see that it is my name in the edict.
Only then will they back off from their plans.
Is that all you want? To make them back off?
-Grand Secretary Yao. -Prince of Wei.
Ning Sheng, have you seen Father?
I haven't seen him yet.
But Imperial Doctor Zhang is with him.
There's no need to worry.
Did you do what I asked of you?
Ning Sheng, you must think clearly.
If you get caught, you could be convicted of treason.
Given the current situation,
I have no choice.
His Majesty has given orders.
Grand Secretary Yao, Director Wei,
open the golden box
and read aloud the imperial edict.
-I shall obey. -I shall obey.
"When the emperors unite the vast empire,
they must respect the gods and follow the examples of ancestry.
They must do so
with utmost sincerity and unwavering determination.
Therefore, every day on the throne,
the emperor must be aware and cautious.
Ever since the first year of Changxi,
I have always done so..."
You have nine sons whom you love equally.
If you can't bear to do this,
I'll go tell Wei Zhi to stop reading.
"For the welfare of the empire, this duty is almost sacred."
Ning Yi,
there's a box next to my bed.
Bring it to me.
Yes, Father.
Father.
Come.
We must put an end to this.
"I am getting old now.
If my successor is able to continue these duties,
I will pass peacefully."
Stop!
Ning Sheng.
-Father. -Ning Sheng, what are you doing?
-Father, what's wrong? -Ning Sheng.
Why aren't you here with us, with the princes and officials?
-Ning Sheng. -Father!
Are you in such a rush to see me
because you hope I'm dead, Ning Sheng?
That is wrong, Father.
I am always praying for your good health.
If so,
let Wei Zhi continue reading.
Yes, Your Majesty.
"The Prince of Yan, Ning Sheng,
is a trustworthy person who resembles me greatly.
He is able to take on these duties
and take over the throne as an emperor.
He will follow the traditions
and go into mourning for 27 days.
After that, an announcement will be made to the whole empire."
That day, I wrote two copies of the edict.
One was put into the golden box and guarded by Yao Ying and Wei Zhi.
The other was placed next to my bed.
It is now in the hands of Prince of Chu.
Ning Yi.
Yes, Father.
Read it to Prince of Yan.
Yes, Father.
"All my sons are very dear to me.
If they love each other,
are loyal to each other, and let go of all grudges,
they will be able to focus solely on my wishes
and put the welfare of the empire before themselves.
By doing so, they will spare the empire of danger
and rule it with peace."
Father's words
touch the deepest parts of my heart.
Very good, Ning Qi.
Thank you, Father.
Tell me, Prince of Yan.
Do you understand the content of the edict?
Father,
I have been wronged.
Someone must have
switched out the edict in the box to frame me.
My loyalty to you, Father,
is evident to all.
Your loyalty to me?
Zhao Yuan.
-Yes, Your Majesty. -Search him.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Pardon me, Prince of Yan.
Your Majesty.
Prince of Yan, would you like to read it to me?
Father...
You switched out the edict.
Father.
This is what you call loyalty?
Zhao Yuan.
Yes, Your Majesty.
-Bring him out. -Yes, Your Majesty.
You tried to poison me.
That's what you call loyalty?
Father...
Father, I...
It was him.
Ning Yi framed me.
He framed the Chang family, Father.
He worked with Wei Zhi to frame me for these crimes.
Father.
Father, you must understand.
Where is Xu Qirui?
Your Majesty, I am here.
You worked with Lord of Minhai's followers to try overthrowing me.
Did Ning Yi frame you for this as well?
Father.
Father, I was wrong.
I was wrong indeed.
Lord of Minhai's followers blinded me.
That's why I did something unforgivable, Father.
Please, Father. For my mother's sake,
forgive me, please.
Don't kill me, Father.
Please forgive me, Father.
Forgive you?
When you committed these crimes,
your only goal was to take my life, wasn't it?
Wei Zhi.
Yes, Your Majesty.
-Issue an order. -Yes, Your Majesty.
Prince of Yan, Ning Sheng, will become a peasant.
-A day will be chosen-- -Father!
Father.
Father, don't kill Ning Sheng.
He's my brother.
He's also your own son.
Father.
Ning Sheng has admitted to his crimes. Please don't execute him.
Father, please.
Take peasant Ning Sheng
and lock him in Zongzheng Temple.
I'll deal with him another day.
Take your dirty hands off me!
Father,
ever since Lord of Minhai came to the capital,
you've been prepared, haven't you?
You were wary of Lord of Minhai's power,
so you didn't kill him.
Yet you pretended to fall ill.
Father.
Did you know?
The person you entrapped today
is your own biological son.
It's like Jiang Ziya's fishing.
Those who are willing, jump at the bait.
My bait is the throne.
Nobody bit it for a long time.
Yet, you were blinded by your lust for power
and you became that willing fish.
Nobody entrapped you.
Go.
No more excuses.
Fine. Losers are always in the wrong.
Father,
after we part ways today,
we will be as far apart as heaven and earth.
You will never want to see me again.
Please allow me to bid you goodbye.
Careful!
Ning Yi! I'm going to kill you!
Ning Yi!
I'll kill you!
Your Majesty.
Noble Consort Chang wishes to see you.
Her son committed treason.
How dare she come see me?
I won't see her.
Your Majesty,
you and Noble Consort Chang are husband and wife.
Before you banish her,
you should at least see her once.
She's been kneeling for a long time.
Your Majesty, I came here to see you.
This...
This is all my fault.
Yongmei,
I know you're here for your son.
Just stop talking.
You worried about your family,
yet they brought you down in the end.
Why can't you understand what's going on?
Your Majesty,
I admit I was wrong.
Such a pity.
It's too late for that now.
Since you've been with me for 30 years now,
I'll demote you to a royal servant.
You shall move to North Palace.
Your Majesty,
I beg of you, please let me die.
Ning Sheng did what he did
because I told him to.
I'm willing to die for him.
Poisoning the Emperor and switching out the imperial edict are serious crimes.
You cannot bear the severity of these crimes for him.
Your Majesty.
Before I came,
I already took poison.
To prevent tainting Fengyun Palace,
please allow me to return and die in my palace
in return for Ning Sheng's life.
-Are you threatening me? -I wouldn't dare.
Your Majesty.
I'd like to ask you
if you remember
why I can't have more children.
A Dacheng assassin tried to kill me when I let down my guard.
You and Ning Sheng in your womb blocked it for me.
You had to deliver him early.
After that,
the wound caused you to become infertile.
Please, Your Majesty,
remember how Ning Sheng saved you while he was in my womb.
Let him live.
Even in captivity.
Even as a peasant.
Let me die for him, please.
I can't go against the law and forgive his crime of treason.
Your Majesty,
do you remember
the poem about melons by Zhang Huai?
"Melons were planted under the yellow terrace.
The melons soon ripened.
Picking one helps the others grow better.
Picking another will leave fewer melons.
You can pick all three of the melons,
but you will be left with only the vine."
You once had ten sons.
People envied you.
Now, you have only four left.
In the future,
when you're old,
you will have only a few sons and even fewer grandsons.
You will have no one by your side.
Won't that be terrible?
You're willing to die
to save Ning Sheng's life?
I'm Ning Sheng's biological mother.
He committed the crime because I didn't teach him well.
Right now,
you are less like a daughter of the Chang family, and more like a mother.
Your Majesty.
After I die,
the whole Chang family
will inevitably be killed.
I had two sons and one daughter.
Now, one son is dead,
the other is a peasant.
Your Majesty.
Please protect Shaoning.
Even though she's my daughter,
she's also your biological daughter.
I've always loved Shaoning.
I don't think of her as a Chang family member.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Now that the fates of my children
have been arranged,
I can return
and wait to die now.
Your Majesty.
I...
I thank you for the love you have shown me over the years.
I am sorry
I won't be able to be by your side until the end.
If possible,
I hope I will be able to serve you in my next life.
Yongmei,
you died for Ning Sheng.
I will bury you in the royal tomb.
Thank you,
Your Majesty.
By the way, Nanyi,
where has Huaishi been these days?
Do you know where he is?
-He ran away. -Ran away?
Where did he go?
We're missing two horses.
Probably somewhere far away.
So, he went back to Minhai?
Maybe.
No loyalty.
Nanyi,
you've seen in the past few days
that the princes have been fighting for the title of Crown Prince.
The capital is very dangerous now that even I want to run away.
How can we blame others for doing so?
If Huaishi is safe from the danger,
I can rest assured.
Where do you want to go?
That's right,
where can I go?
Director Wei.
Huaishi.
What is this?
See for yourself.
Map of the Minhai pirates' location?
You went to Minhai for me?
I thought you wouldn't come back.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry as well.
Nanyi, you...
What are you doing?
Even though I'm from a family of business,
I know that the capital is a dangerous place nowadays.
If you can use this to persuade His Majesty to let you go to Minhai,
it would be good for everyone.
We're on the same page here.
I was also thinking about how I could leave the capital.
Now that I have this, we can leave once and for all.
Huaishi, thank you.
Subtitle translation by Sophie Chang