Good Bye My Princess (Dong Gong / 东宫)

If the crown princess consort knows that you've been praying for her day and night,

she would definitely return safely.

I hope that is so.

Grand Empress Dowager, when the crown prince came yesterday,

why didn't you ask about the crown princess consort?

What's the use in asking?

I know his temperament.

He will keep it all inside and not talk about it.

Besides, she hasn't been found yet, why add to his frustration?

From what I see,

between the crown prince and the crown princess consort, there seems...

How can I not know? Those two are really good kids.

They just don't know their feelings about each other.

I really want to give them a push.

As to what the end result would be, it all depends on their love fate.

The way to great learning...

The way to great learning... (children reciting)

...is to comprehend high virtues...

...is to comprehend high virtues...

...to be close to people...

...to be close to people...

...to never stop pursuing until perfection is met.

...to never stop pursuing until perfection is met.

The way to great learning...

The way to great learning...

....is to comprehend high virtues...

...is to comprehend high virtues...

...to be close to people...

...to be close to people...

...to never stop pursuing until perfection is met.

...to never stop pursuing until perfection is met.

Knowing to stop until a plan has been set...

Teacher, an older brother is here.

Grand Preceptor,

I hope you have been well.

Greetings to the crown prince.

Grand Preceptor, please rise.

Miss Mingyue, the imperial physician is here to check your pulse.

Ask him to enter.

Please.

Greetings to Miss Mingyue.

You can all leave. I'll call if there is anything I need.

Yes.

The emperor will be here tonight. You are skilled in cooking, so prepare some snacks.

Make it varied. Don't be lax.

Yes, Miss Mingyue.

This is yellow chrysanthemums that I grew myself.

The water is collected from the mountain creek in the morning.

It smells fragrant and tastes slightly sweet.

You are thoughtful, Grand Preceptor.

Please don't call me Grand Preceptor anymore.

I am a civilian and can't bear that status anymore.

Grand Preceptor, once a teacher, always a teacher. You will always be my teacher.

Are you here on anything special?

Is it about growing flowers, brewing tea,

humming poems, and writing poetry, maybe I can be of help.

You are too humble. You are the only one who can help me with this matter.

I've left court politics for many years.

I'm afraid that I can't help you much.

Do you need anything from me that's why you have to enter the palace this time?

It's...

just to take a look at my daughter.

How does the emperor treat you? Is anyone bullying you?

The emperor is very nice to me. With him defending me, no one dares to bully me.

The emperor is busy with a lot of things. He can't be around to defend you all the time.

The inner palace is not a safe place to stay. When you recover, you should leave quickly.

I know very well that the emperor has fallen for me.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought me to the palace.

If I don't grab this opportunity, there won't be another chance.

How much is love worth?

The emperor has others matters that are more important than love.

He can love you today, but can also be vicious to you tomorrow. Don't you know that?

I know.

The inner palace should not be where you will settle. The imperial court...

is also not what I aspire for anymore.

Can you bear leaving it?

Can you drop everything that you've fought for?

All these years,

everything that I've done is not for the prestige and money that I've lost.

Eliminating Gao Yuming is for the emperor's sake,

for the Li Empire!

For twenty years, I've never forgotten the emperor

who I swore supreme allegiance to. To clear treachery and betrayers from his side

is probably the last thing I can ever do for him.

Aren't you also stuck in the midst of it?

But it only needs one person, me, to fly toward the flame like a moth.

You are still young, and you can have a future.

Father, don't think about abandoning me again.

This time, I will leave with you.

Here.

I'm leaving now. The inner palace is an abyss.

Do not ever get stuck in it.

Father, don't come to the palace again. It's too dangerous.

The emperor is here!

Greetings to the Emperor.

You are excused. Sit.

Imperial physician, how is Mingyue's body?

Your Majesty, the recent prescription has been effective.

The imperial physician said I am fine now.

Is that right?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

You may go down now.

Your Imperial Majesty has sacred virtues that protect Miss Mingyue.

It will also protect the people of Li Empire

and all the common people under the heavens.

That year, seven applicants in the imperial civil exam

were unjustly dropped due to being framed, and they committed mass suicide out of despair.

You surely still remember this big case that shocked the entire court.

Of course, I remember.

But that case was already closed at that time. After so many years,

what's the point of you mentioning this case again?

That's true.

Every year there are many applicants who fail at the imperial civil exam.

However, these seven men hanged themselves at home on the same day, as if it was agreed upon.

These were the lives of seven well-learned scholars. Do you really think it's pointless?

It's not up to us to judge the value.

People have died and mouths were sealed back then.

There is no proof to find anymore.

Yes. Someone spent a lot of money to keep the case down.

He pacified the family members of the dead. But he didn't know

that there was still a letter written in blood that has remained.

These dead scholars wrote a plea in blood that documented in detail

how they were dropped from the admitted list for no cause, then got bullied and humiliated, eventually pushing them to that desperate path.

There was also a list of names included in the blood letter that listed the real cheaters.

Many are now important and prestigious officials of the court.

The most important is...

These people are all allies of Gao Yuming,

who was the chief examiner at that time.

As the Li Empire's Crown Prince, if I can't protect our people,

how will I be able to protect our land?

I plea for Imperial Father to reopen the case and give justice to those scholars!

I have a favor to ask. Please secretly take the Grand Preceptor out of Shangjing.

Do not let anyone know where he's gone, especially Prime Minister Gao.

Heaven has eyes. ("There will be justice.")

Master! Master! I just received news from the palace that the crown prince... has been deposed.

I know you've always wanted to protect my eldest brother.

You stopped making any moves and hid the blood letter just in time when he was in trouble.

You gave up on attacking Gao Yuming and, thereby, avoided more trouble for my brother.

Your Imperial Highness, for you to have reached your high position today

is partly because of Prime Minister Gao's efforts.

When you do this now,

aren't you destroying your own base?

I will never remember my mother's last name.

To overthrow Prime Minister Gao isn't just for my mother, it's also for justice.

Now that I know about this wrongful case,

I will give justice in the name of all the scholars in the world.

My eldest brother was my closest sibling. Now, there is only me left to finish this mission of his.

Your Imperial Highness, don't you know that

it isn't enough to knock down Prime Minister Gao based on one blood letter?

I know that, but I believe it is the starting fuse.

I believe you also have a wish,

that someday the truth will be revealed.

"The way to great learning is to comprehend high virtues." You taught me that.

I will never forget it.

I will exert my full force to achieve it.

Gao Yuming thinks that I am frustrated now for not finding the assassin.

He wouldn't have imagined that

someone would reopen this old case at this time.

This blood letter mentions many powerful nobles.

You touch one and you will be shaking the whole picture.

With this one move, there will be chaos in the court.

I exactly want Imperial Father to see

how many close associates Gao Yuming has in court.

And how these associates used dirty schemes to get to their high positions.

The case about the assassin. The case about the scholars.

Just based on these two cases, it's enough for Gao Yuming

to exhaust all the trust the emperor has in him.

He is vicious in how he does things. For self-preservation,

he will definitely deploy ruthless methods. We must be careful.

Now that we have the blood letter, all we need is a brave scholarly official.

Court Minister Xi Qingzhuo of the Court of Judicial Review.

Why is there no one here at Bearing Graces Hall?

The servants are probably not in the mood to work when the mistress is missing.

Forget it. Let's go.

Miss A'Du, Related Lady of Excellence is here to bring you some items.

This is the snack that My Lady has brought you.

And a pretty dress that any girl would like.

A'Du, don't be shy.

I am like a sister to your mistress.

When she is not here, I should take care of you.

A'Du, since your mistress has been missing for so many days,

isn't there any news at all?

Has the crown prince come here recently?

Did he tell you something?

Or did you hear him tell other people something?

That's right, she can't speak.

Jian'er, go get some paper and a brush.

Yes.

Be careful.

Don't rush. Eat slowly and think slowly.

Don't you like this dress?

Then, I will bring something else for you next time.

A'Du, I know that you can't write Central Plains words.

It's okay. You can draw instead.

What does that mean?

Are you drawing... a target?

A'Du is my sister. I can't leave her behind there.

If you don't go with me, then I will go by myself to get her.

I didn't say I wouldn't go with you. But it is too dangerous to go now.

We may not be able to leave if we return now.