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

You are now the empress and mother of the legal first born prince.

His Majesty also treats the Fuca clan generously.

Everything's great.

Mother, I'm now pleased and content with what I have.

It's good to be content.

However, even when you're happy

you mustn't forget to look into the distance.

His Majesty favors the Gao clan and treats the Ula-Nara clan kindly.

Particularly Lady Ula-Nara.

If it weren't that the former emperor preferred you

she'd be the empress now.

You've been cautious of her all these years.

You mustn't let your guard down in the future.

I've kept Mother's words in mind.

Fortunately, although they are both favored concubines

neither of them conceived.

After all, the standing of a woman is determined by the birth of sons.

Mother, I just have to hold on to my position as the empress

and I could have everything.

I don't have to vie with them for every little thing.

They won't dare to offend me either.

Your Highness, you're right.

However, if you don't take any action at all

how will you have a hold on the other concubines?

Mother, you mean...

Since you're already married to His Majesty

you should understand that there are concubines from when he was a prince

and there will be numerous new concubines in the future.

As the legal wife, you'd have to take everything into consideration.

However, you don't have to see to every matter.

There are servants who can be of service to you.

Why would you get your hands dirty?

Your Highness, you needn't see me out.

His Majesty is gracious.

I'll have opportunities to visit you.

Your Highness.

You must take good care of your health.

I won't see Mother out then.

I'm going over to the Office of Fulfilled Wishes

to have my portrait done by Master Lang .

Su Lian.

See my mother out for me.

Yes.

Su Lian, you're the empress's maid from her maiden home.

You've served by her side in our manor as a child.

You're the most thoughtful one.

Unlike Lian Xin, who is a maid from the former prince manor.

She's nothing like you.

I understand.

Although Lian Xin is clever

she only started serving under the empress a few years ago.

If there's anything she fails to consider

I'll be sure to have everything well thought out.

The empress is high in her position.

There are some matters that she might not have thought of.

Even if you do and tell her about it

she might not be able to fully understand.

After all, I reside outside the palace.

I can't be of much help to Her Highness.

She'll have to rely solely on you for certain matters.

Su Lian.

You must assist the empress.

Share her burdens.

Madam Fuca, do rest assured.

I'll be here to help with anything.

It's also my fault that I didn't do well enough.

I've always only raised Her Highness to be a good princess consort.

Although she's grown up into a generous and befitting lady

she's too kind. She's too gentle and mild.

If there are matters that Her Highness can't bear to do

the plans might be sabotaged if she learns of them.

Su Lian.

It's all right even if you do take bolder actions.

Madam... I understand.

I'll take matters into consideration for Her Highness.

If certain matters can be done by me, I won't let her hands get dirty.

Good.

What a good maid.

If Her Highness lives well, there's no doubt that you also will.

Thank you, Madam.

I can now set my mind at ease.

This character, Yi, has a really good meaning.

It consists of three characters, one, time, and heart.

The heart flutters once at a time.

I think it should be that the heart flutters only once in a lifetime.

That's a good definition.

I like it.

This is the music score of "Over the Wall"

that I gave you when you were grounded.

It's the first play we watched when we first met.

"From over the wall and on horseback, our mutual gaze defied the distance."

I hope that Your Majesty won't let me end up becoming like Young Mistress Li

who was forced to abandon her children to leave in disgrace.

Don't you worry.

I'm only as affectionate as Pei Shao Jun

but not weak-willed and heartless like him.

I--

Lang Shi Ning greets Consort Xian.

Do get up.

Consort Xian, please don't blame me for greeting you while sitting down.

Just stay seated. It's all right.

Master Lang.

I've often heard from His Majesty that your drawing skills are exquisite

so I wanted to take a look.

I'm sorry for disturbing you.

I've been painting in the palace for many years now.

However, I'm still quite confused about the various titles.

I've only met the empress dowager and the empress.

I've never seen anyone as pretty as you are on my paintings.

All the ladies in the harem are so beautiful

but I can't draw portraits for all of them.

I could only draw His Majesty and the empress.

I hope that some day, I could also draw a portrait for you.

The empress is His Majesty's legal wife.

That's why the empress can be drawn with His Majesty.

The concubines aren't allowed to do so.

Is it not so in the west?

From where I came from, a husband can only have one wife.

There are no concubines.

There's only one wife?

Is there such a thing in this world?

Master Lang, are you joking?

Not at all.

Why would I be joking?

Master Lang, do you mean that in the west

a man only stays in love with one woman and doesn't fall for another?

If there's no love between them anymore

the man can leave the wife he no longer loves.

The woman can also leave the husband she no longer loves.

It's called mutual consent divorce.

End a relationship on a good note.

In Great Qing, the common folks and princesses can do so.

But the royal concubines cannot do so.

If there's no love between them, why can't women initiate a breakup?

Sir, you're talking nonsense, aren't you?

Only women get divorced, not men.

Whenever I talk about this, everyone assumes it's nonsensical.

My Lady, Master Lang is just talking nonsense.

No one believes him.

It's already getting late.

We should head back.

Master Lang, I take my leave.

Excuse me for disturbing you.

I'll see you off, Consort Xian.

Consort Xian, I'll see you off.

My Lady, since you returned from the Office of Fulfilled Wishes

you seem so absent-minded.

After hearing what Master Lang said

it's as if he's pointed out what's bothering me.

I think that Master Lang is just talking nonsense.

Which man doesn't fancy beauties and take concubines?

Why do I find such nonsense the true sentiment of what every woman feels?

What are you talking about?

Haven't you suffered enough hardship already?

Aren't you worried about being punished for saying such words?

I'm just saying.

What woman will actually like being a concubine?

What wife will like sharing her husband with other women?

It's fine to say this to me but you mustn't mention it to anyone.

I know.

Hand the next one to me.

Your Majesty, what if...

I mean what if...

What if a man only has a wife and no concubines?

Have you gone silly?

Why do you keep thinking about Lang Shi Ning's small talk?

Empress has warned the others not to disturb Lang Shi Ning.

I think that she's trying to keep you away.

I'm just thinking about his words.

Daydreaming is totally meaningless.

Fortunately, Lang Shi Ning is a veteran official.

Otherwise, it would be against the rules for the both of you to converse.

I do know that.

I'm just thinking that perhaps some day

all men in the world only have wives but no concubines

or when there's no love between couples women can also initiate a divorce.

All right now.

Lang Shi Ning has been in the capital for years.

I believe he must have told many others about this as well.

However, no one took it seriously.

You're the only one quibbling over it.

I just think that it's actually quite good if it were true.

Every one can just stay true to one person.

If they can't, they will break up.

This is such nonsense.

Ru Yi, you're a woman and you're here in the palace.

You have to abide by the three cardinal guides and five constant virtues

as well as hierarchy in the palace!

There are other possibilities apart from cardinal guides.

Those western customs are different from ours.

We might have different customs

but the minds of our men and women are no different from theirs.

Your Majesty, don't you wish to only fall for one person in a lifetime?

That's enough.

Stop talking about it.

Since Your Majesty said so, I'll bear it in mind.

I won't dare to speak so casually before Your Majesty again.

I'll be sure to speak cautiously and respectfully to Your Majesty.

I take my leave.

Your Majesty, the Office of Fulfilled Wishes sent someone