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

My lady, we should hurry up.

His Majesty is already waiting for you in his private quarters.

I heard you.

My lady, I'll bring you your clothes.

Her Ladyship is almost ready.

Fold these clothes up.

Yes.

Where is her undergarment?

Your Highness, Xiao Rui Zi is here.

Come in.

Greetings, Your Highness.

- Get up. - Thank you, Your Highness.

How are things?

Your Highness, Imperial Physician Jiang rushed back to the capital as decreed

but when he traveled through Shandong

he suffered from diarrhea that was either caused by fatigue or food poisoning.

It held him up for several days.

He's much better now and has set out to the capital.

He fell ill?

What about Yong Qi and Consort Shu?

They are both fine. Fifth Prince is getting better.

Consort Shu is fine except for her kidney disorder.

I can set my mind at ease now.

You should go and get some rest.

It's been hard on you.

Yes.

Your Highness!

- Master Ling is in trouble. - What happened?

Noble Consort Jia should be attending to His Majesty tonight

but the governesses tidying up her clothes discovered that

the undergarment was missing.

Eunuch Li Yu conducted a search

and found it among Master Ling's clothes in the guards' quarters.

Ling Yun Che?

Li Yu found it?

Yes, many others also saw it.

His Majesty threw a huge fit.

Noble Consort Jia kept pestering His Majesty to execute Master Ling.

Master Li has been tortured.

Eunuch Li sent a message to ask what he should do.

Let's go to see His Majesty.

I didn't!

You didn't?

Would I wrongly accuse you?

Stop it!

The empress is here! Don't get all bloody!

Yes.

I... didn't do it.

I didn't.

Your Majesty...

This is so humiliating. I might as well be dead.

Your Majesty, I can't go on living!

No, you can.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

It's so late and you've still come over?

It's of my negligence that there's a disturbance in the harem.

It has nothing to do with you.

It's my guard who is light-fingered. He committed such a shameless act.

Li Yu!

Your Majesty.

It's said that Noble Consort Jia's undergarment was missing.

It was found in the guards' quarters?

Yes.

The governesses discovered that

Noble Consort Jia's undergarment was missing

so I sent my men to search for it discreetly.

In the end...

we found this in Guard Ling's laundry.

Noble Consort Jia.

Is this your undergarment?

It definitely is mine.

His Majesty said that I look good in this color.

His Majesty likes it.

Am I right, Your Majesty?

Don't bring that up at such a time.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

Severe punishment should be dished out to anyone who committed such a wrongdoing.

However, after listening to the details

while this case might seem to be supported by evidence and logic

it somehow sounds fishy.

Empress, you said it yourself that there's evidence and logic.

What's so strange about it?

Noble Consort Jia, if someone really stole such an intimate item

should he not have hid it on his person?

Why would he leave it in the guards' quarters

where so many people have access to it?

Is he waiting for someone to find it?

Greetings, Consort Ling.

Your Majesty, Guard Ling has always served you faithfully.

If he's been framed by someone

you'll lose a loyal and capable subject

if you choose to kill him in a fit of rage.

Then Noble Consort Jia won't truly find out who humiliated her.

Your Highness.

Are you pleading on behalf of that shameless tramp?

I have His Majesty's best interests at heart.

This is His Majesty's first tour of inspection in the south.

It's following in the steps of Emperor Shengzu's good deeds

to inspect and observe his people so as to demonstrate his graciousness.

If His Majesty ends up killing a guard because of you

this might become some scandalous rumor should anyone else learn of it.

It will ruin His Majesty's reputation.

I wish to see His Majesty.

Yes.

Greetings, Your Majesty.

Greetings, Your Highness.

What brings you here?

I heard that there was trouble in your private quarters

so I rushed over here for fear that Your Majesty might get sick from anger.

Who knows if you're truly concerned about His Majesty or just here to mock me?

That's enough.

Quit it.

Yes. However, Your Majesty...

I overheard what the empress just said when I was outside.

I think that Her Highness was absolutely right to think so.

It doesn't matter even if Guard Ling is wronged and killed.

What matters is that Your Majesty's reputation might be marred.

If Your Majesty finds him an eyesore, just remove him from your sight.

Send him far away.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Consort Ling's suggestion is quite the compromising solution.

Your Majesty, did you hear that?

I suffered such a huge humiliation

but the empress and Consort Ling pleaded on behalf of that lowly guard!

Noble Consort Jia.

Consort Ling and I are concerned about the imperial clan's reputation.

Why do you insist on making this known to everyone?

Are you not considerate of His Majesty at all?

Forget it.

Li Yu, convey my orders.

Send Ling Yun Che away to Mulan Paddock

for penal servitude as a cleaner.

He's not allowed to return to the capital.

Yes.

There was such a huge disturbance tonight.

Your Majesty must be tired so get some sleep soon.

Noble Consort Jia is also in no condition to attend to you.

I'll have someone escort her back.

Consort Ling can stay.

- Yes. - Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Ling Yun Che is badly injured this time.

He has to recuperate for a while before setting out.

Your Highness, fret not.

I'll arrange to have Ling Yun Che recuperate in a safe place

before sending him away to Mulan Paddock.

I'll leave it to you to take care of it.

Yes.

Your Highness, who do you think tried to frame Master Ling tonight?

Could it be Noble Consort Jia who set this up herself?

Noble Consort Jia bear no grudges against Guard Ling.

Besides, why bother marring her own reputation to frame someone?

Who could it be?

Who would want Guard Ling dead?

Your Highness, can it be targeted at you?

Perhaps.

But why is Consort Ling so nice to Guard Ling?

She even came to plead on Guard Ling's behalf.

Deliver some medicine to Guard Ling tomorrow.

Yes.

Now that it has come to such

My lady, why did you hold back again?

Now, Ling Yun Che hasn't been killed

and Eunuch Jin Zhong went to all that trouble for nothing.

He surely won't let you off easily.

He's just a castrated man. Why should I fear him?

My lady.

Greetings, Consort Ling.

My lady, I only came here to tell you

that you'll have to be more cautious when attending to His Majesty from now on.

You mustn't allow His Majesty to notice that although your body is with him

your mind is with Ling Yun Che.

I simply don't want Ling Yun Che to die.

What of it?

What of it?

What do you think?

You wanted me to get rid of Ling Yun Che and I did but then you pleaded for him.

What do you mean by that?

I do wish to get rid of Ling Yun Che.

But I don't want him dead.

Now that he's been driven out, it is just as good.

I was the one who let him down in the first place.

This is my way of repaying him.

However, Jin Zhong...

if you can behave well, we can both be wealthy.

If this matter gets known

the empress might at least help me for the sake of her benefactor, Ling Yun Che.

What about you?

If Noble Consort Jia finds out that you were the one to embarrass her...

you'll be the first one that she kills.

Yan Wan...

Are you now full-fledged enough to leave the nest?

Are you really not scared that His Majesty might find out

about your past romance?

How dare you threaten me?

We'll go our own ways then!

By all means, go and tell His Majesty

how I begged you then in order to move up the ranks

and what I promised you.