Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (Legend of Ruyi / Hou Gong Ruyi Zhuan / 如懿传)

Since I succeeded the throne

I've governed diligently and loved my people.

I respect the gods.

However, why do my children die one by one before I do?

I have to bear the sorrow of seeing my children die.

What have I done wrong?

I know that Yong Huang died because of psychological derangement.

After Empress Xiaoxian passed away

I also realized that he had the intention to become the legal son.

As a father, I'm delighted to see my children grow up.

However, if they grow up to be incompetent

it's worrisome.

If they become ambitious, it's frightening.

In history, the emperors' greatest fear was the princes vying for power.

Your Majesty, you're in your prime.

You're at the zenith of your power.

Once you reach the apex of power, then you can only go down from there.

I have to be wary that the children I've raised might grow up to be unfilial

so I took precautions against Yong Huang.

I also reprimanded him.

But deep down, I still loved him.

After all, among all of my children

he was the one who had stayed by my side the longest.

If Yong Huang were to know what you have on your mind, Your Majesty

he would be comforted even in the netherworld.

Before Yong Huang passed away

he had Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin on his mind.

He regretted that he couldn't fulfill his filial duties to her.

Yong Huang even told me that

it was Imperial Concubine Jia who told him

Empress Xiaoxian killed Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin and Second Princess.

Therefore, he bore a grudge against Empress Xiaoxian.

Hence, he expressed no sorrow before her coffin

and you reproached him for it.

If it weren't that Imperial Concubine Jia had instigated him

Yong Huang wouldn't have fallen out of your favor and died depressed.

Before Empress Xiaoxian died

I asked her about Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin's cause of death.

She swore a deadly oath and refused to admit to it.

However, there was such a rumor in the palace after Imperial Noble Consort died.

If Imperial Concubine Jia really said that to Yong Huang

she must have believed in those rumors.

All in all, Yong Huang did have the intention to become a legal son.

My doubts forced him to his death.

Ru Yi...

I perch high above all others, overlooking millions of people.

However, up above everyone else, there's not a single soul at the peak.

I always feel so alone.

Come to me. I wish to be with you.

Haven't I always stayed by your side?

Ru Yi...

You were the one I chose in the first place.

I wanted you as my princess consort. I wanted you as my legal wife.

Since Empress Xiaoxian passed away

I've been thinking about making you my empress.

Your Majesty...

I'm terrified at the thought of the position of the empress.

You're terrified?

Why are you terrified?

Is it because of your aunt?

Ru Yi...

You're unlike your aunt.

How is my aunt any different from me?

We are both daughters of the Ula-Nara clan.

The men we love are emperors.

So what if you're from the Ula-Nara clan?

In the past, I had no other choice.

But that's now behind us.

I can decide who my empress should be.

Listen up.

I'm an emperor, and also a husband.

The one by my side is my empress.

She is also my wife.

Your Majesty...

I've never wanted to be empress.

But my aunt asked me a question before she passed away.

I then hesitated.

What did she ask you?

My aunt asked me if I would like to share my bed with you when alive

and then be buried by your side in death.

I do yearn for that.

However, the only way I can share a bed and then a tomb with you

is to become an empress.

This means that we are destined to be together.

Ru Yi...

Right at the peak without a single soul in sight

I feel terribly alone.

I want you by my side.

You're the only one I want by my side.

Will you?

Yes.

Good... good.

Ever since news came up of His Majesty planning to make you his empress

I think that everyone is now very respectful

of the future mistress of the harem.

All right, don't appear to be too visibly pleased.

Otherwise, someone might speak ill of us.

Yes.

Xiang Dai!

Relocate to the Garden Villa.

Bai Juan.

Relocate to the chambers. Hurry up.

Where are those maids from?

My lady, those maids have no family so they stay to serve in the palace.

The Imperial Household Department has relocated them

from the Gardens of Perfect Clarity and said that they are very skilled.

They are preached and reassigned.

Eunuch Zhao!

Why did you assign the ones who bribed you to the harem?

The rest of us don't have the money to bribe you

so we have to work in the Laundry Bureau!

How is this even reasonable?

Listen up.

Money matters the most in the world!

How dare you make a fuss!

- I dare you to make a fuss! - San Bao.

Halt!

Go.

Make sure you bear this in mind!

Zhao Quan Cai!

Imperial Noble Consort Xian is present. How dare you act insolently?

Greetings, Imperial Noble Consort!

Her Ladyship gave orders that Zhao Quan Cai acted arbitrarily.

Go and get yourself caned 50 times at the Office of Palace Justice.

You'll no longer work at the Imperial Household Department.

Your Ladyship, please forgive me!

Please forgive me, Your Ladyship!

San Bao, bring that maid over here.

Yes. Come over here.

Yes.

San Bao. Inform the Imperial Household Department.

Tell them to be more impartial.

Otherwise, they will all end up like Zhao Quan Cai.

Yes.

Thank you for upholding justice, Imperial Noble Consort Xian!

You're very straightforward and bold.

Aren't you afraid to land yourself at a disadvantage for being so honest?

It's fine if I do.

But I can't allow the other sisters who can't afford bribery to suffer.

You do have your principles.

I like that.

Come and work in the Palace of Earthly Honor.

Thank you, Your Ladyship!

- Let's go. - Yes.

Head back to the palace.

It still turned out to be her in the end.

Mother, what did you say?

His Majesty chose her to be his princess consort in the first place.

It was the former emperor and Empress Dowager who objected to it.

Now, she still gets to be the empress after all.

Mother, don't worry.

Even if Lady Xian becomes the empress, you still have me and Yong Xuan.

But she has no one.

My son...

I don't stand a chance at all now in becoming the empress.

But you're definitely going to be the crown prince.

Although there's a precedent of the empress's coronation ceremony

as well as the Ministry of Rites and Imperial Household Department to host it

you won't have to worry about the complicated formalities

and I'll be assisting you.

It's just like when I first married into the Old Residence.

Everything was arranged by the others.

All I had to do was put on my wedding gown.

Indeed.

Ru Yi, the measurements for the ceremonial gown are taken.

The wedding headdress is also ready.

Although there are precedents to follow

His Majesty still kept reminding them to have everything made exquisitely.

My lady.

Lady Yu, have some snacks.

You even rushed over here from outside the palace.

You're so thoughtful.

It's such a great joy that my mistress is crowned as the empress.

How I wish I could serve by your side every day

to do whatever I could.

By the way, Ru Yi, how is that Rong Pei?

She didn't smile or say a word.

Rong Pei? She's courageous and resolute.

She's efficient in doing chores and pays attention to details.

She's quite good.

What about her background? Did you look into it?

San Bao already looked into her background.

She was born into poverty and became an orphan.

It's a clean background.

You should all be more careful.

These are for the Palace of Earthly Honor.

Is Imperial Noble Consort Xian in?

You've arrived. My mistress is in.

Please come in.

Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, Qin Li

is here to deliver colorful brocades from the tributes.

Send these back.

Imperial Noble Consort Xian won't like such bright-colored brocades.

This madam is...

I am Rong Pei, new to the Palace of Earthly Honor.

Oh...

You're new here?

I'm afraid you don't know what Her Ladyship's preferences are

nor the etiquette in the palace?

These brocades are for Her Ladyship before she is anointed as the empress.