Story of Yanxi Palace (延禧攻略)

Watching the person in the mirror's countenance pale and grow haggard,

Examining love together with regret, both new and old.

Keeping watch still by a lantern though it is daybreak, drenched with tears,

Watching others meet as promised, as twilight falls.

Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 25

If not because His Majesty kept suppressing it,

I don't know how huge this matter could have escalated.

Empress Dowager...

Empress Dowager, I beg you to save Hongzhou.

I beg you to save Hongzhou.

Rise quickly.

Hongzhou was sickly since he was little,

but he's especially close to his royal brother.

Every time he had some delicious food or fun games,

he would remember to share them with him.

In his heart, the words "royal brother"

are more important than I am.

Even if Hongzhou indeed did something very bad,

may Empress Dowager and His Majesty consider the past

and spare him!

Hurry and assist your mistress up first.

It's not that I don't want to help you.

The public is now watching closely and there are rumors spreading everywhere.

Even His Majesty is being pressured by the Imperial relatives.

He's really in a difficult spot.

Your Majesty, you usually are very resolute.

How come only towards Prince He of the First Rank...

Forgive me for being talkative. I know that you have a benevolent heart.

But this matter of Prince He of the First Rank has incited public rage. If he doesn't get severely punished,

I fear that we won't be able to silence the critics.

It's all his fault for being usually too arrogant.

He has offended so many people.

Even if I want to save him,

I must rethink it many times.

Your Majesty, I actually have an idea.

What idea?

No one personally saw

Prince He of the First Rank committing this absurd act.

If...we secretly...

handle Wei Yingluo,

you then delay this matter for three to five years,

once the scandal has passed, no one will remember this case.

Would Prince He of the First Rank not be fine then?

You're asking me to execute Wei Yingluo?

Your Majesty, this idea is indeed a bit sinister but effective.

Get lost!

Yes.

Yingluo!

Imperial Consort Dowager Yu wants to see you.

Imperial Consort Dowager Yu, what are you doing?

Miss Yingluo, I went to the Prince He of the First Rank Manor earlier.

I already know all the story behind this case.

It was Hongzhou who did wrong.

As his mother,

I apologize in his behalf.

A person should take responsibility for his own actions. This has nothing to do with Your Highness.

Hongzhou is my biological son.

He makes mistakes because I didn't discipline him strictly.

Now, he's unconscious from shock

and is gravely ill. The Imperial physician said

that this illness will reduce ten years from his lifespan.

I know that these ten years of life won't be able to pay for A'Man's life.

Even more so, it's not enough to eliminate your hatred towards him.

But I beg you, whatever hatred or grudges,

just let me pay for it. I beg you to let him go.

As long as you're willing to forgive him,

I can agree to any conditions of yours.

No!

Her Highness the Empress guaranteed my testimony in front of His Majesty.

If I retract it now,

what kind of person will I make Her Highness the Empress look like then?

Wei Yingluo, you're just a lowly palace maid.

With the status of Imperial Consort Dowager, she still is kneeling before you now.

Don't push it too much.

All mistakes in the world can be forgiven,

only a human life can't be repaid. If you want me to forgive Hongzhou,

resurrect my sister first.

You...

Enough. Bailing, don't blame her.

I came this time

just to exert whatever effort I can and leave the rest to heaven.

For Hongzhou to end up in this state

is not someone else's fault.

Miss Yingluo, sorry to have disturbed you.

Respectfully sending off Imperial Consort Dowager Yu.

Doctor Ye!

Doctor Ye!

Doctor Ye!

Doctor Ye!

I came to return you the medicine pestle.

Doctor Ye!

Stop right there!

It's me.

Hateful!

I already told you not act recklessly.

You just won't listen. Do you know that you almost died earlier?

I...

You're worried that Hongzhou will silence me, so you stopped me from investigating the real culprit?

Hongzhou is severely ill and currently unconscious. How can he have you killed?

The person trying to kill me today

isn't Hongzhou?

I've already told you many times that Hongzhou is indeed absurd,

but he never killed anyone. Your sister's death

was really not his doing.

Could it be His Majesty is trying to silence me

to protect his biological brother?

Before, I'd also guessed that possibility.

Just to preserve the reputation of Hongzhou,

he might have eliminated the victim A'Man.

For His Majesty, this doesn't count as murder.

It's just lightly brushing away some dirt.

If it's really His Majesty, you will never be able to seek vengeance.

I'd rather that you don't know anything, so you can be safe.

If the Empress didn't come that day, His Majesty would indeed have killed me to vent his anger!

No. The matter today proves that everything has nothing to do with His Majesty.

He's the Emperor of the Qing Empire.

If he wants your life, he could just give instructions

to secretly execute you. Why would he still resort to such a huge ruckus?

If it's not the Emperor,

then there's only one person left.

Let's quickly save Doctor Ye!

Your Majesty, Imperial Consort Dowager Yu sent her servant to deliver some water lily snacks.

I heard that Imperial Consort Dowager went to Jinshui River early this morning to pick some water lilies.

She then sent them to the Imperial Kitchen to make this snack.

Empress Dowager said that this is your favorite snack when you're little.

Imperial Consort Dowager Yu then sent her servant to bring some here.

I think...she has an ulterior motive.

Hongli, you and Hongzhou entered the palace to accompany Royal Grandfather.

Although you're able to earn his favor, you got separated from your family.

Second Madam misses you a lot. Hence,

she especially asked me to bring you your favorite water lily snack.

This...my mother made me these?

Third Brother, thank you.

Have a taste. It's still hot.

Give me one! I want to eat one!

Hongzhou!

Third Brother was petty, thus Royal Father didn't like him.

He feared that the biased love of Royal Father toward me would affect the fight for the future Crown Prince position,

so he thought of making the first move of eliminating the obstacle, which was me, to gain the upper hand.

If not because Hongzhou was naughty, I'm afraid I would have eaten that water lily snack.

Afterwards, although Hongzhou was able to be revived,

his health drastically deteriorated.

This move by Imperial Consort Dowager Yu...is to remind me to never forget

that I owe Hongzhou a life.

What is this? - Ice delivered by the Imperial Household Department.

It indeed feels a bit cooler.

Summer came quite early this year. Your Highness has also been afraid of heat.

I was even worried that the Imperial Household Department would drag in their work.

Never thought that this time, they were quite fast.

Later, once we open and fan it,

the cool wind produced will surely be more comfortable.

Oh, right. Have you delivered the snacks to Yangxin Palace as I instructed you?

Imperial Consort Dowager, don't worry. I sent them early this morning.

This is so delicious!

Wei Yingluo, you are getting bolder.

You're now meddling with my affairs.

Your Highness, although watermelon juice is good,

it's a cold item.

You really can't drink another cup.

I'm ordering you to pour me one more cup.

I'm just following the instructions of Doctor Ye.

As long as it's for your good, I'm willing to get punished.

Wei Yingluo! - Your Highness, please calm down.

So lively. - You're getting more and more—

Greetings, Your Majesty.

The weather is really too hot.

Oh, right. I remember that you're afraid of extreme heat the most.

I especially asked them to deliver you some ice. Do you feel better?

Thank you for your care, Your Majesty.

But this year, Yingluo came up with a good idea.

It's very useful.

What is this thing? What's new about it?

Your Majesty, this is an ice mirror. Yingluo.

Yes.

What's wrong?

What is that?

What should we do!

What's the lead paint for?

Replying to Your Majesty, it can block off the external heat and preserve the temperature inside the box.

Because of this, if you want to eat a cool fruit or drink, it will be much easier.

Li Yu! Tell the Imperial Household Department to make two of these and send to Yangxin Palace.

And then send another one to Empress Dowager.

Yes.

Oh, right, Empress, I still want to tell you one thing.

What is it?

After two Imperial physicians have examined Prince He of First Rank, they concluded that he's severely ill

and needs to recuperate in peace.

I can only wait for him to fully recover before dealing with him.

His Majesty, by doing this, you will need to endure the pressure from your Imperial relatives,

and suppress the different criticisms against him.

You are so magnanimous towards Prince He of the First Rank.

Hope that he can mend his ways and cherish your grace.

Prince He of the First Rank is my biological brother.

No matter what mistake he commits, I must be the one to personally sentence him.

I also will not allow anyone to do it...on my behalf.

Mingyu. Have you prepared the ice bowl that Her Highness the Empress keeps asking for?

Soon. Soon. I'll be done soon.

Why didn't you use honeyed peach or melon in this bowl?

What do you know? His Majesty loves to have iced grape bowl every peak summer.

This is just my first year in the palace. Of course, I don't know that.