The Virtuous Queen of Han (衛子夫)

Episode One

Greet His Majesty, Emperor of Han!

Please rise!

Thank you, Your Majesty!

Welcome Madame Wei!

The royal prerogative of the Empress

is equal to that of the Emperor!

Worship the gods!

Revere the ancestral shrine!

Be the mother model of all people!

Who is your father?

You want to be a part of my family? Don't even dream about it!

You're but a puddle of mud that is of no use at all!

Sister, why isn't my surname Wei, like yours?

We have different fathers.

Our father already passed away.

Zi Fu, I have always been a maid.

I have no hope left.

You have to depend on yourself in the future.

Mother...

In the past, there was Yin, the mother of the legendary founder Shang Tang

there was Tai Jiang, Tai Ren two virtuous queens of Zhou

Two dynasties of virtuous queens...

- Mother! - Mother!

- Mother! - Mother!

- My children! - Mother!

- I'm so glad that you're all here! - Mother...

- I'm so glad that you're all here! - Mother...

I'm so glad that you're all here...

I was so worried that I would never see you again!

Mother, what is wrong?

I heard that this rainstorm is unlike any others

so I asked to leave work a bit earlier.

I saw landslides on my way home.

It has killed many people already.

If I chose to stay and make a bit more money

leaving all of you here alone

should anything happen to you I wouldn't want to live either!

- Mother. - Mother...

Don't be like this.

Master Zhou said that all is well as long as one is alive.

Life is easier with a smile.

Master Zhou said that we should be happy whether we're poor or rich.

- We should be happy when life is sweet - and when life is bitter.

We'll endure the bitterness and enjoy the sweetness together.

We should take life as it is and be happy about it.

We'll strive as a family stay strong yet kind.

- Mother! - Mother!

Be happy whether we're poor or rich.

Be happy when life is bitter and when life is sweet.

Take life as it is and be happy about it.

Strive as a family stay strong yet kind.

Find a place to hide, children!

- Mother! - Mother!

May the royal family prosper.

May they be blessed with an abundance of offspring.

The current Madame Wei is respectful and modest

humane and kind.

She is not arrogant even in her distinguished position.

In great virtue and elegance...

It's raining soon! Go home now my little brother! Hurry!

Yes, if you get sick from the rain

your father will get angry!

No, this is Wei family's farm so all of us have to work hard on it.

We're a family, bond to each other through our hearts!

He is my little brother!

glamour and brilliance

her virtue will rule the harem.

- Zi Fu! - Hong!

- Duan Hong! - Hong, come back here!

- Hong! - Zi Fu!

Hong, stop running!

Duan Hong!

Duan Hong!

Zi Fu! Zi Fu!

You're my best friend!

You're also my best friend!

In memorial to the throne

she is to be given the title

as the mother to billions of people.

Today, Madame Wei is to be crowned the Empress.

May the gods bless you forever with their fortune.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Please rise, my Empress.

Censor-in-chief, Zhang Ou

presents and hands over the seal.

The Empress accepts the seal!

Greetings to Your Highness, the Empress!

You may all rise.

Thank you, Your Highness!

Don't be overjoyed with the birth of a son...

Don't be sorrowful with the birth of a daughter...

Empress Wei brought great prosperity to her family...

Great prosperity...

You gave me a son and I have to feed your entire family?

I'm really unlucky!

I still have a wife and children back in the countryside!

What am I to tell them?

Duan Hong! Duan Hong!

Sister, it is Duan Hong.

- Duan Hong! - Duan Hong!

Zi Fu!

- Zi Fu! - Duan Hong!

What are you shouting?

Get off the cart if you keep on shouting!

Zi Fu!

- Where are you going? - Hong!

- Get back here, Hong! - I don't know.

Get back here, Hong.

Hong!

- Zi Fu! - Duan Hong!

Duan Hong!

Hong!

Uncle, could you please stop the cart for a while?

- Why should I stop? - Zi Fu!

- Get off the cart if I stop it! - Zi Fu!

- Hong! - I promised to give it to you!

I won't break my promise!

Duan Hong!

Zi Fu!

- Zi Fu! - Hong!

Duan Hong! Duan Hong!

- Stop running! - Zi Fu!

You are my best friend!

So are you!

You are my best friend as well, Duan Hong!

I'll never forget you!

- Straw shoes! Get some shoes! - Have your fortune told!

- Have your fortune told! - Straw shoes!

Accurate readings!

Have your fortune told!

Get some shoes!

All accurate readings...

Sir, would you like to have your fortune told?

Uncle... Uncle...

What are you doing?

Are you going to get your fortune told?

It's none of your business!

Why don't you spend the money on a pair of straw shoes instead?

Do you think that by coming here with me to carry my things

will get you something in return?

You want me to get you a pair of straw shoes?

Not a chance!

It's not for me.

My brother's shoes are all worn out.

Uncle, Master Zhou once said that

fortune tellers only lie with sweet sounding words to swindle others.

Sir, I won't take a penny from you even if my words might not sound nice.

You won't charge me for it?

I beg you to take Zi Fu with us!

How could you believe in a fortune teller?

Then who should I believe in?

She will jinx me.

She will bring about my downfall!

I won't take her with us!

I'm begging you!

Whatever for?

If you keep nagging, I'll only take Qing with me.

He is my biological son.

How many children could a woman like you possibly raise on your own?

- Get out of my way! - I'm begging you!

Please don't be so cruel...

She is just a child!

Sister, look.

This fish is for you.

But it is a bit too small.

It's getting late. We should head home.

I've already mended your shoes.

Here, try them on.

You're so wonderful!

My feet don't hurt anymore. Thank you!

Hurry up! Get on the cart!

Get on the cart! Hurry up!

My son!

- Sister... - My son!

What are you crying about? I'll kick you off the cart if you keep of crying!

Wei Ao!

What are you dilly-dallying for?

Hurry up! Come out here to leave with me!

Wei Ao! I'm going to leave now if you still won't join us!

Sister...

Sister...

Sister...

Sister...

Mother...

I can't bear to leave you...

Here, have some rest.

I'm starving.

Do you still have anything to eat?

I'm so hungry.

- Give the bread to me! - It's mine!

- Give it to me now! - Don't take my bread!

- Give it to me! - It's my bread!

- My child can survive now! - Don't take it!

There's food!

There's food!

Give me a bite!

Give it back to me!

Uncle? Uncle...

Mother said that whether we are sick