Story of Yanxi Palace (延禧攻略)

Watching the person in the mirror's countenance grow pale and haggard,

Examining love together with regret, both new and old.

Keeping watch still by a lantern though it is daybreak, drenched with tears,

Watching others meet as promised, as twilight falls.

Story of Yanxi Palace Episode 10

There is only one possibility then.

Fuheng raped Sister.

Yingluo, you must not casually say such words.

I directly asked him today

if he knows A'Man.

He said he doesn't, but his expression changed.

Everything requires evidence. Do you have any?

I'm sure that he knows my sister but he denied it.

Doesn't that show the problem?

What problem can that show?

Yingluo, you clearly are a smart girl.

How come when it comes to A'Man, you become irrational?

Think about it.

Maybe that jade pendant was just accidentally picked up.

She couldn't find the owner, so she wasn't able to return it to him.

Or maybe, Fuheng indeed knew your sister,

but he had nothing to do with her death.

If his conscience is clear,

he should have been truthful with me.

Covering it up

clearly shows that he's guilty.

Yingluo,

can you stop being so stubborn?

Momo, you said that Sister lost her virginity,

but persistently refused to name the man.

Other than the Emperor, the only men in this palace are the Imperial guards.

If it was the Emperor, she was then favored. Why wouldn't she say it?

It can only be an Imperial guard.

On the outside, Sister looked gentle.

But inside, she was very tough.

If she suffered humiliation, she surely would seek justice.

She didn't say it,

not because she didn't want to,

but she didn't dare say it.

She was afraid to bring trouble to her family, to Father and I.

Who could make her be that scared?

Only a powerful and high-ranking Fuheng.

He is the precious and noble Young Master of the Fuca Clan.

He's the biological brother of the Empress. He's a trusted aide of His Majesty. A future Imperial court official.

How can he bear having such a scandal?

This is the reason why Sister was killed.

Okay.

But all this is just your deductions.

You dare say that I have no basis at all?

Very well.

Even if your deductions are true,

tell me then,

- what do you plan to do? - A life for a life.

Paying for one's debts

follows heaven's law and earth's principle.

Yingluo, you know the background of Fuheng.

Acting rashly is surely a moth flying into the flame.

Your sister painstakingly cared for you.

Was it just to let you kill yourself?

You...

Calm down first, and think about it.

Is it Yingluo?

Come in.

Help me grind the ink.

Yes.

This is the accounting book of the selling of stocks by the Imperial Household Department.

Why is Your Highness selling the stocks kept in the Imperial Household Department?

The six stockrooms are full of accumulated items from the past reigns.

I ordered them to transfer these items to Chongwen Gates and sell them.

All the money earned will be donated to the Virtuous Hall

to provide for those homeless orphans.

Your Highness, shouldn't the Virtuous Hall of the capital be funded by the state treasury?

The country is so vast. There is drought here, flood there. How can you have so much money?

Her Highness Empress suggested that the Virtuous Hall be revived and the funding will be shouldered by the Imperial Household Department.

But the Imperial Household Department kept delaying it.

They kept saying that their funding isn't enough, that they are in dire circumstances.

Hence, Her Highness decreed that the old stocks in the storage room be sold

and the usage of each palace be reduced, so we could come up with the fund.

The intention was initially good, but people are complaining.

They said that Her Highness is just fishing for fame and all the money is ending up with Changchun Palace.

Helping out the poverty-stricken is a good thing.

Why won't Your Highness just tell them the truth and instead opt to bear their criticisms?

If people can see your good desires, then that's not true kindness.

When a person is in a high position, he should help the poor.

He should do his best to give out all possible aid.

This should have been a matter of course.

Letting everyone know that you've done a good thing, announcing it left and right,

is not a true good deed.

If people can see your good desires, then that's not true kindness.

Your Highness, I'm not that well-educated.

However, I find this saying very reasonable.

I'll continue grind the ink for you.

You're just kissing up!

Mingyu, I ordered you to Yonghe Palace to check on the health status of Noble Lady Yu.

Did you pass the task to other people again?

I dare not.

I just came back from Yonghe Palace.

Noble Lady Yu is still like before.

Always crying all day. Frequently wakes up in the middle of the night.

She has grown so thin. I couldn't even recognize her anymore.

Didn't His Majesty visit her?

His Majesty is busy with state affairs. How could he still have time for her?

It's easy to obtain a priceless treasure, but it's hard to find a man who loves you.

Too bad, Noble Lady Yu isn't Consort Dong'e. (T/N "Consort Xian" - of the Shunzhi Emperor)

And where will we find another Emperor Shizu? (T/N Qianlong's great-grandfather, first Qing Emperor to rule over all of China)

Your Highness, His Majesty treats you so well.

How come you're also making that kind of rueful comment?

I'm really muddled.

Look at what I have said.

But the words of Mistress aren't wrong too.

In the past, when Consort Dong'e died, Emperor Shizu got very ill because of it.

He didn't mind converting into a monk. But a hopeless romantic like that

will never exist again.

Emperor Shizu was so infatuated with Consort Dong'e.

It is indeed worthy to be envied.

But looking it at another aspect, it will become completely different.

What do you know?

Let her speak. I want to hear it.

I dare not say.

Say it. I will forgive you for any crime.

Greetings to Your Majesty.

Her Highness the Empress will surely be happy if she learns that you're here.

- I'll go inform her now. - No need.

I'm here to chat with the Empress. You may all take your leave.

Yes.

When Consort Dong'e died, Emperor Shizu became inconsolably brokenhearted.

He cancelled Imperial court meetings for five days and burned two Imperial palaces and thousands of pieces of jewelry.

He also ordered the execution of thirty palace servants.

Towards Consort Dong'e,

it was indeed fortunate to have met such an infatuated Emperor.

But for those thirty palace servants, they also had their loved ones and family.

They were also human lives.

Moreover, just for Consort Dong'e, Emperor Shizu disregarded millions of citizens.

The political and military officials, the ordinary citizens, they all would rather the Emperor be heartless—

How preposterous!

Who allowed you to presumptuously comment about Emperor Shizu?

Your crime is punishable by death a thousand times over.

- Men! - Your Majesty, please calm down.

It was I who allowed her to talk bluntly, and didn't see it right to suddenly take it back.

In behalf of Yingluo, I humbly apologize.

I beg Your Majesty to forgive her.

Yingluo, hurry and apologize to His Majesty.

I admit my mistake.

You didn't finish, right? Come, continue speaking.

I want to hear what treacherous words you still have to say.

- Tell me. - Yingluo.

Speak!

Your Majesty, Emperor Shizu once left an edict admitting all his crimes.

He mentioned that he treated Consort Dong'e too well.

He wasn't able to stop his love with virtue, and felt regretful about it.

Earlier, I just repeated the words of Emperor Shizu.

Then you blaming Emperor Shizu for letting those palace servants be buried with her, did I hear that wrong?

Your Majesty, of course, you can't be mistaken.

But... Emperor Kangxi has already given a decree (T/N next Qing Emperor after Shunzhi, grandfather of Qianlong)

prohibiting the act of burying servants with their masters.

From then on, there are no more practice of burying live people with the dead.

So this means you also repeated the words of Emperor Shengzu ? (T/N Emperor Kangxi)

My mouth is dumb.

I wasn't able to narrate it well, hence, led to a misunderstanding.

Okay. Let me ask you then. You said earlier

that the citizens would rather the emperor be heartless. What does that mean?

I heard that Your Majesty will wake up at the mao hour (3 to 5 am) every day.

During the summer season, the sky isn't bright yet.

During the winter season, that's only just after the fifth night watch hour.

When there is a military operation on the western frontier, whenever there are military reports,

even if it arrives at midnight, Your Majesty would still call the Grand Ministers of State over to discuss it.

Grand Ministers of State would be on duty every five to six days.

That's quite a toiling task.

The more Your Majesty, who is like that every day, every year.

Your diligence is worthy to be admired and praised.

But Your Majesty is busy with state affairs.

You have no time to care about the Imperial harem. It can't be helped for the Imperial consorts to feel lonely.

It shows that to be a wise emperor, you must have affection

to the nation, to the citizens, and can only be heartless to your consorts.

Your Majesty, I am dumb.

Did I say anything worng?

You're right.

Great love is indeed heartless.

His Majesty is a wise emperor that's diligent with governing the nation.

Your Majesty, please drink tea.

Aren't you going to hurry and leave? Are you waiting to be caned?

Thank you for Your Majesty's grace!

Wait.

This voice and manner of speaking, how come I keep finding it very familiar the more I listen to it?

I remember. You are—

Quickly go out and kneel.

Stop annoying His Majesty here.

Your Majesty, please calm down. Yingluo is a very intelligent and quick-witted servant.

She has helped me a lot.

May Your Majesty forgive her on my behalf.

Empress, I have seen that person.

A month ago, she's still a lowly palace maid.

In less than a month, she's already in Changchun Palace.

She even earned your trust. It shows that this person harbors evil intentions and unfathomable motives.

Empress, how could you have such a person at your side?

As her mistress,

I know very well her character.

I'm willing to vouch for her.

Empress, being overly-generous

is nurturing a tiger to invite calamity.