The Virtuous Queen of Han (衛子夫)

Zi Fu is so thoughtful.

You know that I've been having discomfort in my throat

so you specially prepared this fruit stew to nourish my lungs.

Your Majesty has been coming over to Jiaofang Palace day after day.

That is why I can express my concern for you.

But the new persons of the household have yet to hear

even the coughing of Your Majesty.

I promised Shi Yi yesterday that I'd be here to check on her homework.

How could I break my promise to my own daughter?

Here is the homework that Your Majesty asked to see.

Good, I'll see if Shi Yi's handwriting has improved or not.

It's 'By the shores of the marsh.'

Are you sure you're not giving me homework?

'By the shores of that marsh there are rushes and lotus plants.'

'There is the beautiful lady. I am tortured for her, but for what?'

'By the shores of the marsh'

reflects the feelings of those new concubines.

They have been waiting all day long for you, Your Majesty.

All men in the world want to rob me of my nation.

All women in the world want to steal my heart.

Only Zi Fu would push me away when I reach out for you.

As a woman, I definitely wish for a lifetime with my husband.

We each take care of our duties and share our lives together.

Nothing is better than a harmonious marriage.

No one else but us are in this marriage.

However, my husband is the emperor and I am the empress.

I not only share my husband's glory, but also share the same responsibility.

I cannot ignore the peace and prosperity of Great Han

for my own selfish reasons.

Zi Fu...

Moreover, I am just putting myself in their shoes.

Years ago, when Your Majesty was out investigating the needs of the people

I waited for you all alone in the Lateral Courts.

As seasons went by

I can still taste that loneliness of waiting for Your Majesty.

I can empathize with how those new concubines feel right now.

You only remember the loneliness of waiting for your husband.

But I remember the times when you were framed, poisoned

and on the verge of death.

You're not afraid to bring up the past.

But I'm afraid that the history will repeat itself.

In the harem, troubles brew when more people come in.

Those persons of the household will start being cocky once they are favored.

By then, there will be pangs of jealousy.

Who knows how aggrieved you will be?

That won't happen.

It is different now.

I am already the Empress now.

I can protect myself.

Moreover, the persons of the household that I have chosen

are all kind and pure-hearted.

They are all outstanding in appearance.

They truly excel in both virtues and beauty.

Just like Lady Wang and...

All right, all right.

I'll listen to you.

The path turns and another strange flower blossoms.

I can give you a few words of advice for your trip to the palace.

Listen.

Be yielding and put on a delicate front.

Be yielding means that

during the period of the selection, your sister is your first priority.

In all basic necessities of life, yield whatever you can to her.

For example, I'll have to give my food to my sister even if I'm hungry?

When you're left with nothing will be the day when you get everything.

What does putting on a delicate front mean?

Once you get to see His Majesty, you must appear frail and delicate.

You must win him over with your tears.

Sir, you want me to put on an act?

I couldn't do that.

- I'm very dumb, I... - If you can't, then hurt yourself.

Just get teary eyed like you did when you fell and hurt yourself.

His Majesty arrives!

Greetings to Your Majesty.

You may get up.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Why have you cried?

I never thought that I would ever be favored by Your Majesty.

I'm surprised and happy.

I can't help but cry.

This is a small token from me and my sister.

Yuan Shu, thank you both for your generous gift.

It seems that your younger sister is greatly favored by His Majesty?

Judging by my sister's mediocrity and stupidity

she only succeeded because of your wise words.

I wonder what great strategy you have for my sister this time?

She must be respectful and yielding to others as always.

She only needs to stay dumb and timid.

Don't worry. She is naturally so.

I will take my leave now.

You're after wealth and luxury.

What I want is chaos

for the imperial family of Great Han!

Qu Bing's swordsmanship has improved.

Great!

Your Majesty, thank you for bestowing the soccer ball to me!

Stop praising him, Your Majesty.

Look. He loves to show off to you even more now.

That's good. I want to see what other tricks he has up his sleeves.

Great swordsmanship!

Greetings to Emperor and Empress.

Don't stand on ceremony!

Qu Bing, your skills have improved quite a bit.

I have been learning and training diligently.

Only then can I one day catch up with my mentor's mentor, Uncle Duan.

You can't even defeat your uncle.

And you already want to defeat your Uncle Duan?

I'll wait for Uncle's victorious return

and then challenge him to three rounds of sword fighting.

After I defeat him, I'll challenge Uncle Duan.

How ambitious!

We have many capable men in Great Han and young ones are stepping up.

This is truly our blessing.

Your Majesty is wise.

Qu Bing is indeed of great potential.

He learned the skills of archery from Wei Qing at a young age.

He wasn't even taller than the bow.

He prides himself with his unusual strength

and practiced archery all day long then.

He almost severed all the tendons in his fingers.

That is what great aspirations and determination mean.

Sister.

Greetings to...

Please do not stand on ceremony, my sister.

Sister is alone in here on Mother's birthday.

It must be that you miss her dearly.

But the dead are dead. I hope that you can stop grieving soon.

If there's something weighing on your mind

you can be forthright with me.

I wouldn't dare to do so.

If I have offended you in any way, I beg you for forgiveness.

I wish to borrow a glass of wine to apologize to you with it.

I prepared this for Mother.

I beg Your Highness for forgiveness.

I am the careless one.

I hope that you won't take it to heart.

Your Highness has always been thoughtful and careful.

How could you have been careless?

At most, you're just a hypocrite.

Sister...

I truly want the best for you.

But I can't be well at all because of Your Highness.

When I first sent you into the palace, you were framed for murder.

I risked offending Empress Chen and Grand Princess Dou

in order to protect you.

When you were poisoned by voodoo and critically ill

I risked going against my mother to take the princesses to you.

I treated you with great affection and faith.

I've never forgotten the kindness that you've shown me.

I can only do my best to repay your kindness.

Repay my kindness?

How did you repay my kindness?

For your bosom friend, for your own desire to be crowned as the empress

and for your fear of being accused of monopolizing the harem

you tore apart two people who are in love with each other.

That is how you repay my kindness?

I ended up being married off to a faraway place.

I couldn't stay by my mother's side to serve her.

I nearly couldn't make it to see her before she died.

That is how you repay my kindness?

There is already animosity between me and my husband.

But you had to give me another kick when I was already down.

You drove a wedge between us.

That is how you repay my kindness?

I didn't do so.

Could it be that Marquess of Ruyin...

How could a spoiled and willful person like me

be fit to be a close kin of the Empress?

If I turned out to obstruct the future career of your brother

wouldn't that have been worse?

Fortunately, after the fuss that Marquess of Ruyin kicked up

I got to know what Your Highness is truly thinking.

That was never my intention.

I just wanted to help you get along better with the marquess.

Perhaps I didn't choose my words well that day

and Marquess of Ruyin misinterpreted my words.

But I've never once slandered Princess.

Moreover, I didn't force Wei Qing...

You didn't?

Then someone else forced him to give up the one he loves?

You're trying to say that Mother did it?

I do not wish to lie to you.

But I also do not wish to break my promise.

Please forgive me for not being able to tell you the truth.

You're really smart.

You put all the blame on a dead person. Then there is no witness.

I know that nothing I say can change your mind.

It is just that hate and despair will harm your health.

I hope that you can let it all go.

You repaid my kindness with ill will.

You are sure to be punished severely by the gods.

You'll fall out with your husband and all of your closest kin.

When you're all alone by yourself, I can let it all go.

Greetings to Your Highness.

Don't stand on ceremony, Duan Hong.

I've just received a scroll to report.

I thought that His Majesty was here at Jiaofang Palace.

Unfortunately, His Majesty has already gone to Feichang Palace.

Is it urgent?

It isn't urgent news.