The Virtuous Queen of Han (衛子夫)

Do not be so reserved.

This is Wei family's gathering.

I'm just here to join in the fun.

Just be as carefree as you were when you were playing music

after making offerings to your mother.

I will make a toast to you first.

After this drink, we will speak our minds with ease like a family.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

- Thank you, Your Majesty. -Thank you, Your Majesty.

All right, you may all get up.

Bottoms up!

- Bottoms up! - Bottoms up!

The folk song that you sang is very interesting.

Do people sing it very often?

It was written by a teacher in our hometown.

He wrote it so that we could remember the philosophy that he taught us.

He taught very well.

If everyone learned his philosophy of life, the world would be peaceful.

Is this teacher still alive?

I would like to reward him heavily.

We all fled on our own in that rainstorm.

Since then, no one has seen Master Zhou.

It is such a pity.

Besides this folk song that Master Zhou taught you

What other interesting facts and local customs did you have as children?

Tell me about them.

There isn't much.

We are from a poor village, so children practiced writing

on the sands near the fields.

Yes, my sister liked to write on baskets that were used to

dry flowers and fruits in.

My sister learned to write very quickly and very well.

Master Zhou doted on her the most.

That was why children were very jealous of Zi Fu.

But she often said that she would abide by our teacher's lessons.

So whenever she knew that someone felt bad because of her

she would make a huge effort to patch things up with them.

Aren't we supposed to be talking about customs?

Why are you talking about me instead?

I love listening to that.

Continue.

I'll continue then.

My sister's specialty dish is her steamed bread.

Yes, it is a very special steamed bread.

What is so special about it?

I add garlic into the dough. That's why it has more flavors.

It's been almost two years that we haven't had Zi Fu's steamed bread.

If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I'll go and make some steamed bread now.

Uncle Yi Han and Shen Jia will be helping me with it.

It can be ready very soon.

Sure, go ahead.

I'd like to try your steamed bread as well.

Yes.

Don't stop talking because she left.

I really would like to know about interesting facts in local regions.

Continue!

Your Majesty, we loved to light bamboo lanterns when we were little.

We would make boats out of bamboo and write our wishes on them.

That was Zi Fu's favorite game.

- Yes, we often played with those. - Exactly.

We would use them to pray for others.

Bamboo lanterns... I think I've seen her make them before.

- There are petals on the top, right? - That's right.

And there is also...

We also like to play the game of intertwining hair.

Intertwining hair?

Greetings to Your Majesty.

There are thick and thin strands of hair.

This is not the hair of one person.

It is a token of love between lovers.

You carry this token with you at all times.

The owner of the hair must be the loved one that you think of every day.

Who is she?

It is a young lady that I met while I was serving on the frontier.

That lady is now married.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Do you know how serious it is to lie to the emperor?

Please pardon my ignorance. What is Your Majesty referring to?

I wouldn't dare to lie to Your Majesty.

You told me that you had a relationship with a woman outside Shanhaiguan.

Is that true?

You said that intertwining hair is a custom outside Shanhaiguan.

Is that true as well?

How dare you claim that you did not lie to me?

- Your Majesty, please hear me out! - There's no need for that!

I already have a witness.

Wei Qing!

Your Majesty.

Duan Hong, why have you kept this from me?

The penalty for lying to an emperor is the death penalty!

Duan Hong, Duan Hong...

Have you already forgotten about the games we used to play

in the countryside when we were little?

How forgetful are you?

His Majesty was almost teased by our family.

- His Majesty was nearly embarrassed. - Exactly!

You said that intertwining hair is a custom from outside Shanhaiguan.

But there is such a custom in the central plains as well.

You've played the game before when you were little.

When they brought it up last night, I even refuted.

You had me embarrass myself in front of so many people.

I've really forgotten that I had played such a game when I was young.

All that was on my mind was that relationship I had outside Shanhaiguan.

I never meant to deceive Your Majesty.

I'm sure Your Majesty understands.

I know that you'd forgotten about the childhood games you played.

But I didn't just ask you about folk customs out of curiosity

I really would like to know more about people's lifestyles and traditions.

If you aren't honest with me, wouldn't that be...

I deserve to die.

If I killed for this matter, no one in the imperial court would still be alive.

Fortunately, this happened when I was with Zi Fu's family.

If I had been discussing about matters in imperial court

and was corrected by other officials, my reputation would be marred.

I admit my mistake.

You assisted me in arranging Zi Fu's family reunion.

I had promised to reward you for it, so we'll just call us square.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

- Duan Hong! - Wei Qing!

Do you have a question for me?

Pardon me for asking, but did you really intertwine your hair with another

outside Shanhaiguan?

Of course! How would I dare to lie to His Majesty?

Judging from your close friendship with my sister back then

it's hard to believe that you had forgotten about intertwining hair

with my sister when you were little.

We were still very young then.

It was just some random game.

Why would that be on my mind?

Duan Hong.

Since we've been reunited, I've never heard you mention that relationship.

The relationship was over.

Why would I still bring it up?

If you were me, would you?

That night, His Majesty asked me about folk customs and traditions.

I really didn't know where the custom of intertwining hair came from.

We all played that game anyway.

It isn't really a folk custom so...

I must have thought too much about it.

Please don't blame me, Duan Hong.

Don't worry.

Not to mention that I'd forgotten about intertwining hair

with Zi Fu when we were little

Even if I remembered it, I would never mention it.

Although it was just a childhood game

but who knows if it would have an impact on His Majesty's love for Zi Fu?

I treat Zi Fu as my younger sister.

I would be cautious about anything that could possibly harm her.

Countless villains are ambushing your sister.

We have to be of one mind in order to prevent them from harming her.

Duan Hong!

With the grace of the Emperor you are honored to have your lands expropriated

for the expansion of the palace!

This is your blessing!

I have already filed a report to the imperial court

to ask for a bountiful compensation for you.

From now on, none of you will need to do laborious tasks like farming anymore!

You could start a small business!

- We don't know how to do business! - We only know how to farm!

Marquess! We have been farmers for generations.

What do we know about doing business?

- Exactly! - That's right!

Then just take the compensation and do farming elsewhere!

Where could we go? We are not going anywhere!

We are not going anywhere!

Even if we could move away, we can't take our ancestors' tombs with us!

That is abandoning our ancestors and our clans! We would never leave!

Right! We cannot leave!

This has been decided by the imperial court. Who dares to object to it?

- We are not going anywhere! - Shut up!

We would never leave!

Bold peasants! Are you trying to rebel?

I heard that His Majesty bestowed favors everywhere he inspected.

How could he possibly force us to tear down our ancestral tombs?

Exactly!

Could it be this conniving official wants to take our lands for himself?

Insolent!

- Marquess... - Wei Qing!

Arrest all those who are making a scene here! Await my verdict!

Hit him!

Barbaric peasants!

Barbaric peasants! All of them!

Let's leave now! Hurry!

Follow me!

- Conniving official! - Don't get so agitated!

You only bully the civilians.

Marquess, leave now!

Hit him!

Marquess, leave now!

Marquess, leave now!

You can yell out if it hurts a lot. Your sister won't hear you.

I can tolerate this bit of pain.

Now that things have gotten to this stage

I feel upset about it.

This is the Marquess' duty.

You are but a small soldier sent from Jianzhang Palace.

It's enough that you are doing tasks like relaying messages or coordinating.

Why would you worry so much?

How can I think like that?

I have to give my best in whatever I do.