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

Greetings, Empress Dowager.

Mother.

What brings you here?

Your Majesty...

There's something that no one dares to inform you of.

I have to be the one to do so.

Mother...

Yong Cong is all that matters to me now.

As for other matters... I don't wish to hear about it.

I don't want to know.

Your Majesty...

Yong Cong... has passed away.

Your Majesty...

I'm also upset that Yong Cong is gone.

However, even though Yong Cong passed away

you still have other sons.

Your Majesty, you must bear with the agony.

Otherwise...

Otherwise, the Forbidden City... will come crashing down.

Your Highness...

You should at least... eat something.

His Majesty is attending the family banquet and can't be here.

He had this specially sent over.

Please take care of your health.

Heng Ti, whenever you visit me in the palace

it always feel as if times flies by.

After the New Year celebrations

I'm going on the tour of inspection to the east with your brother.

We won't get to meet for some time.

This is my brother's first tour of inspection to the east

after he ascended to the throne.

I believe it will surely be grand.

There's been tours of inspection in the east

since the Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han.

The most solemn ceremony will be the worship of Heaven on Mount Tai.

We haven't had a smooth year.

There was one funeral after another.

Being in the palace reminds the emperor of sad memories.

It's better that he gets to go out and distract him from sorrow.

His Majesty is filial.

He's asked Empress Dowager along.

It's just that I heard the empress is now so sick

that she's almost a bag of bones.

I wonder if she can join the tour.

I'm not going to worry about that anymore.

All I care about is you, my daughter.

Heng Ti...

For women your age, you should already be considering marriage.

Mother, I don't wish to get married.

I only wish to stay by your side

and get to spend more time with you in the palace.

My silly child.

How could you not get married?

My older sister is already married to a faraway place.

Mother, could you bear to see me leave?

Definitely not.

Speaking of your sister, it makes my heart ache.

Therefore, Heng Ti, in regards to your marriage

I won't let you be married off to such a faraway place like your sister

no matter what happens.

Mother...

Greetings, Mother.

Why are you crying?

Mother, I'm worried about you.

Your brother is gone.

What's the point in crying?

Mother, although Yong Cong is gone, you still have me.

You can depend on me.

I will make you proud!

What good can a daughter do?

If I have a son, my daughter can be that icing on the cake.

Without a son...

my daughter is no less than the charcoal that can bring me warmth.

It's just better than nothing.

Mother...

Do you think so little of me?

It isn't that I belittle you.

I just despise myself.

A mother like me who can't even protect my own son...

What's the point of staying alive?

Mother, you mustn't say so.

If you're so depressed and crestfallen

what am I to do?

Father has so many concubines and children.

But... you're all I have left!

Seriously...

How can Father still be busy arranging the tour of inspection to the east

when you're so severely ill?

The tour of inspection to the east?

What tour of inspection to the east?

Father is taking the concubines of the harem to Qilu area.

They are going to Mount Tai and worship the temple of Confucius.

This is His Majesty's first tour of inspection to the east

after ascending to the throne for 13 years.

I'm the mother of the nation.

How can I not go with them?

Mother, you mustn't. You're still ill.

His Majesty wanted Your Highness to go on the tour of inspection to the east.

But he's worried that you're still in great sorrow and poor health

so you won't cope well with the traveling.

Therefore, he never mentioned it to you.

But if I don't go with them

it will be Noble Consort Xian who gets to overstep her authority again

to act on my behalf.

Mother, she's just a noble consort.

What else can she do?

- She's a noble consort. - Your Highness.

But has this noble consort not taken over my duties often enough?

No...

Even if Yong Cong and Yong Lian are both gone

I am still the empress!

Do they regard me as dead?

- Mother! - Your Highness!

All right... I might be useless

but I'm the only daughter you have with Father.

Whatever your decision might be, I'll definitely stay by your side.

Su Lian.

Send for Imperial Physician Qi.

I... I must have him treat my illness.

Yes!

Judging by the celestial signs, February 4th is the most auspicious date

to set out on Your Majesty's first tour of inspection to the east.

Good.

The empress insists on joining me on this tour of inspection.

I also hope that the empress can be relieved of her sorrows.

Your Majesty, there's one matter I don't dare to keep from you.

Speak.

There's a great change in celestial signs.

There's a Guest Star in the Resting Palace

indicating that calamity shall befall upon the empress.

The empress has lost her beloved son and suffers from illnesses.

That's already a calamity.

Why would you say there's any inauspicious sign?

I'm sorry.

Jin Zhong, escort the Head of the Astronomical Bureau out.

Yes.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Li Yu.

The empress is striving to get well so she could join me on the tour.

Go and make the arrangements.

Everything on the tour must run smoothly.

Yes.

It's been half a month since we left the capital.

The empress is travel-worn after such an extensive journey.

Are you exhausted?

I feel all right as Your Majesty has been accompanying me.

When the commoners see that

Your Majesty and Your Highness never leave each other's side

they are all envious of how loving you are.

Exactly.

I had intended to take the empress on this tour to distract her from sorrow.

I thought that the empress would be bedridden

but who knew that you'll recover so soon?

This is Your Majesty's first tour of inspection to the east.

I definitely should accompany you.

Besides, that day when we went up Mount Tai

to pray to the Shrine of Jade Maiden

I've been seeing the Jade Maiden calling out to be in my dreams.

It's said that the Jade Maiden is extremely powerful.

It can bless one with good health.

The empress keeps seeing Jade Maiden calling out to her in her dreams.

It seems that her wish is about to be fulfilled.

This is an auspicious sign.

Although this is an auspicious sign, I have just recovered from my illness.

I'll still need Imperial Physician Qi by my side to see to my recovery.

We can set our minds at ease once Your Highness has recovered.

Exactly.

My mother is the female role model of the nation.

She is definitely blessed by the gods.

You are but the concubines.

You must attend to my mother attentively.

Jing Se!

Princess, you're right.

Your Highness, you seem fine but you aren't able to sleep well.

You're totally exhausted.

Fortunately, I have you to dress me up every day.

It takes you four hours to cover up my haggard looks.

Your Highness, Imperial Physician Qi prescribed this medication

to boost your energy.

Drink it up while it's hot.

Why is it thicker than the ones I had a few days ago?

Imperial Physician Qi doubled the quantity.

He said that you're travel-worn so if the medication isn't strong enough

he's afraid that you might not be able to withstand the fatigue.

Imperial Physician Qi has given us instructions

that you must have slices of ginseng in your mouth at all times

to boost your energy.

Honestly, why would you put yourself through this tour of inspection?

You can't withstand all this traveling.

This is His Majesty's first tour of inspection to the east.

If I don't accompany him, I'll surely be mocked by the people

saying that I'm not a dutiful empress.

That will embarrass the Fuca clan.

The people are all praising just how loving you and His Majesty are.

I'll be sure to hold on to this affection

till His Majesty bestows marriage to Jing Se so that she can marry someone

who will be able to support the Fuca clan.

Your Majesty seems to be displeased?

Do you know that the Khorchin Mongols are asking on behalf of their prince

Sebuteng Bale-zhu'er to marry a legal princess of ours?