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

Light the fireworks! Burn the Dharma boat!

You really are sick of living.

How dare you burn paper money secretly in the Cold Palace?

That witch, Empress Dowager, regards this as taboo.

Once anyone treats this as placing a curse...

you'll have your head on a platter.

Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager, that lady in the Cold Palace is burning paper money.

How dare she!

Empress Dowager is wise!

Empress Dowager, you're hosting this ritual today

to commemorate the deceased, dispel ill fortune

and keep the palace chambers safe.

But that wench dares to do such a thing!

It conflicts with your prayers.

Empress Dowager, this is a serious matter.

Why don't you go and take a look?

Fu Jia.

You must be sick of living!

Do you still have any regard for law and order?

Greetings, Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager.

Offering incense and other items, and burning paper money are prohibited.

How dare you secretly burn paper money in here

in conflict with Empress Dowager's ritual?

What is it?

Do you want the palace to be stained by the ill luck of this place?

You deserve to die for it!

Cheng Han!

The Cold Palace is on the restricted grounds of the palace.

You've behaved with such ill manners by causing such a commotion.

Yes, yes. I acknowledge my mistake.

Empress Dowager, the Cold Palace is a filthy place.

Watch your steps.

Ru Yi.

It's the Hungry Ghost Festival today.

I've invited the Dharma masters to the palace.

Someone reported to me that you're burning paper money here

in conflict with the pious ritual to place a curse on me!

You really are bold!

Empress Dowager, please calm down. My mistress didn't curse you.

What is this if not a curse?

We already caught you red-handed!

I don't wish to use any torture on you.

However, the emperor and empress are currently away from the palace.

I'm the only one managing the harem right now.

If I don't handle such a serious issue, people will really think that

I'm just a useless and incompetent old woman now.

The regulations of the palace always come first.

- Cheng Han. - Present.

Give it to her.

Yes.

The seriousness of crime matters.

We'll start with Lady Ula-Nara!

Empress Dowager.

I wasn't burning paper money.

Is this still the time to make excuses?

What is all that, if not paper money?

Carry out the punishment!

Hold it.

Empress Dowager, there's the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra on it.

How could it be this?

Empress Dowager.

It's round to symbolize fulfillment.

The pattern of the word "million" that's a stroke short

symbolizes a million years of longevity that reaches no end.

As for the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra

it was bestowed to me by the master of Temple of Wondrous Sounds.

Dharma Master said that the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra

is the most recited of all.

It can rid us of bad karma and free our spirits.

I heard that Empress Dowager has invited Dharma masters today

to host a ritual of prayers.

Therefore, I've transcribed the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra

to be burned along with the chanting of sutra.

I'm praying for Empress Dowager as an act of filial piety.

Exactly, Empress Dowager.

Although my mistress is in the Cold Palace

she's truly filial to Empress Dowager.

Whenever there's a ritual, she always prays for your longevity.

She would never do anything in conflict with your blessings!

Who... who knows whether you're acting out of filial piety

for Empress Dowager or someone else?

Lady Ula-Nara, this is the 49th day since your father died.

You must be burning paper money to express filial piety to your father!

Eunuch Cheng Han, may I be so bold as to ask how you know about that?

Indeed. Cheng Han, the emperor didn't send any news of it back to the palace.

Yet you even know which day Narbu died.

I'm just a servant.

I have to gather some information.

Why didn't you inform Empress Dowager?

I... I was busy and forgot all about it.

Please forgive me, Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager, generally speaking, Lady Ula-Nara still burned paper money!

It conflicted with the ritual. This...

You mustn't let her off easily!

Empress Dowager, in my opinion

if she did burn paper money, it has to be in a certain form

or else it would be useless to burn it for Master Narbu.

Even if she means to cause a conflict with the ritual

she shouldn't have burned the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra.

Cheng Han.

Present.

You came running to tell me that someone is burning paper money

in the Cold Palace to place a curse on me.

Take this and look at what it is.

This--

You even made me come all the way to such a place.

You're really getting better at your job!

Empress Dowager!

Empress Dowager!

I'm... I'm so sorry!

I believed in the wrong information!

I'm so sorry!

You did believe in the wrong information.

But who was it that you heard from?

I'm sorry! I deserve to die!

Empress Dowager...

My own servant doesn't treat me as his mistress.

He's sounding out both sides to fawn on either mistress.

I think that he's misplaced his priorities.

Only those who serve Empress Dowager faithfully

can remain in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility

not one who plays tricks!

Cheng Han, you've shot yourself in the foot!

I deserve to die. I'm so sorry.

It's the Hungry Ghost Festival today. I don't wish to take anyone's life.

Cheng Han, since you like to serve someone else so much

I'll bestow today's punishment to you.

Empress Dowager!

Empress Dowager, spare me!

Empress Dowager!

Take him to the Office of Palace Justice later to have him interrogated.

Yes.

Take him away.

Empress Dowager, please spare me!

Empress Dowager, spare me!

Empress Dowager!

If this goes on any further, the day is about to break.

We should head back now.

Ru Yi.

You've been praying for me, and I'll keep that sentiment in mind.

I thank Empress Dowager for not punishing me.

Get up.

- Wench! - Empress Dowager, be careful!

You're finally here!

What are you doing?

- I'll kill you! - Watch out, Empress Dowager!

My lady!

I'll kill you!

Empress Dowager! Protect her!

Imperial Concubine Dowager Ji, put down the knife!

- Step aside! - Put the knife down!

- You mustn't do this! - Let go of me!

I'll kill you!

We've got her.

We've come late to your rescue. Please forgive us.

Empress Dowager, are you all right?

- I'm going to kill you... - You were nearly killed.

It's fine as long as you're safe.

How dare you try to assassinate me?

I'd like to see who is so capable of this!

Who are you, so sick of living?

Empress Dowager, it's an old acquaintance.

Imperial Concubine Ji?

It's you?

I couldn't kill you...

I actually couldn't kill you!

With your ability, you can only hurt someone with brute force.

If I actually died from such tricks of yours

doesn't it mean the gods wish to end my life?

If she hadn't saved you just now

you'd have been dead by my knife!

Of course. After all, that's why I'm the empress dowager.

I have immeasurable blessings.

I can turn misfortune to blessings!

Wench!

Wench!

You had me banished into the Cold Palace!

- You'll die a terrible death! - Hold her down!

You'll die a terrible death!

You'll die a terrible death!

Empress Dowager.

Imperial Concubine Dowager Ji has been in here for years.

She only tried to assassinate you in a moment's folly.

You've been in the Cold Palace for some time already

and you haven't learned your lesson?

Fu Jia.

Get rid of her.

Yes.

Since I'm here, Empress Dowager must not have her eyes tainted.

Ru Yi.

Cherish your life for that day to come.

Take her to the side hall!

Wench!

You'll die a terrible death!

- Wench! - Madam Fu Jia.

You'll die a terrible death!

What are you going to do to Imperial Concubine Dowager Ji?

- Let go of me! - Empress Dowager spared her once