Empresses In The Palace (甄嬛ä¼)

Episode 1

In the year 1722

Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing dynasty passes away.

Nian Geng Yao, Viceroy of Sichuan-Shanxi, and Long Ke Duo, Director of the Royal Infantry.

distinguished themselves during the Princes' fight for the throne

by notable service to the victory of fourth Prince Yin Zhen

They are now ministers highly esteemed by the new Emperor Yong Zheng,

holders of unparallelled political power,

and central figures in the new government.

Kneel

First Kowtow (bow).

Second Kowtow.

Third Kowtow.

All rise.

By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor hereby decrees

Long Ke Duo, by loyal service to the Emperor Kang Xi,(Cap: Su Pei Sheng)

esteemed service to me, and to the nation(Cap: Long Ke Duo)

is hereby knighted Duke of First Class.(Cap: Zhang Ting Yu)

appointed president of the Board of Civil Appointments, concurrently charged with running the Li Fan Yuan.

Nian Geng Yao, Viceroy of Sichuan & Shanxi, is hereby knighted Duke of Second Class.

All affairs related to the military(Cap: Nian Geng Yao)

as well as ministers of border defense, funds, (Cap: Zhen Yuan Dao)

and the governors of Sichan & Shanxi, Yunnan,(Cap: Gua Er Jia E Min)

shall all report to General Nian. Qin Ci (as decreed by the Emperor).

Gratitude for his majesty's benevolent grace.

His majesty indeed thinks very highly of General Nian

and Sir Long Ke Duo. - Sir, congratulations.

You have done the country a great service.

General Nian.

His majesty truly appreciates you greatly.

Sir.

You have rendered invaluable service to His Majesty.

Please wait for a few moments, Great General Nian.

Great General.

Royal Eunuch Su, what can I do for you?

His majesty is concerned about the wounds on your arm

and has specifically instructed me to deliver this precious medicine to you,for your use.

The humble Nian Geng Yao, appreciates his majesty's merciful grace.

I wish to ask, Royal Eunuch Su, is my younger sister doing well in the Palace?

Hua Fei Niang Niang's beauty and status surpasses all who have captured His Majesty's adoration.

Rest assured, Great General.

Please take care of her, Royal Eunuch Su.

It is my duty and pleasure.

Your Majesty

From the House of Respectful Affairs. (Records the Emperor's nightly visits to different concubines.)

Your majesty, please flip a name board over.

Cap： Xu Jin Liang

Your Majesty, it's been half a month since you've stepped foot into the harem.

The Dowager Empress will surely punish me if a name isn't flipped tonight.

Your Majesty!

You talk too much.

Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is here.

Hurry up, show her in.

Yes, sir.

Cap: Dowager Empress

Greetings, your Highness. (lit. good health be with you/my respect to you.)

Greetings, Mother.(lit.

The weather has been warm lately. I asked the Royal Kitchen to make some mung bean & lily bulb soup.

I thought it was pretty good.

I brought you some, knowing you were awake.

Thank you, Mother.

Your Majesty

These are the pickled vegetables Sir Long Ke Duo brought for the Dowager Empress fresh from Yang Zhou

He said that these are more delicious and refreshing than those made by Sanbi.

Over here.

Stop it with the long face.

It's like this everyday, no big deal.

It's already been over six months since His Majesty's coronation,

but we can count the number of his visits to the harem with one hand in any given month.

It's natural for the Dowager to be reproachful when the House of Respectful Affairs has less to do.

It must be distressing for you to be stuck in the middle.

Thank you for understanding my position, Royal Eunuch Su.

I hope you can bring the issue to His Majesty's attention on my behalf.

The Young Mistresses need His Majesty's presence,

the same way a dry field needs the rain.

We have said enough.

But His Majesty is so busy with state affairs lately that he can only manage to sleep 4-6 hours.

We wish to remind His Majesty to visit the Harem, but how do we even begin?

If Mother is bothered by the heat,

I can instruct them to bring some ice

to your palace.

The heat is not so bothersome now that I am old.

What worries me most is you.

You are always busy with state affairs...

But you can't neglect your own health.

I understand.

As busy as you are, have you looked over the third prince's lessons?

I examined his work a few days ago.

His calligraphy is coming along, but

knowledge of his subjects still leaves much to be desired.

The former emperor had 24 sons, including you.

Your Majesty cannot compare with that.

I am not blessed with many children. I only have three sons.

I am sorry for making you worry about me.

It is not your fault.

The former Emperor had more consorts so naturally more children as well.

You only have a few consorts.

The Empress, Princess of Modesty (Duan Fei), Princess of Regularity (Qi Fei),

they are no longer young.

It would be difficult for them to give you children.

I am also concerned that my children are but few.

It is the Imperial Family's duty to have many children.

Only then can the dynasty see a long succession of heirs.

It's for this reason that we need to audition new consorts every three years, to fill the harem.

It is as you lecture Mother.

Then we have agreed on hosting an audition.

I will do everything as per your arrangements.

I am old, what could I possibly arrange?

Let Internal Affairs Authority pick a propitious day.

After rounds of auditions,

the outstanding women will become your wives and consorts.

I will be waiting for my grandchildren.

The Empress is busy. The Princess of Glory (Hua Fei) assists her in managing the Harem.

Let Hua Fei manage the audition.

She is not only competent and beautiful,

but has already enjoyed your adoration for so many years.

It would not be a bad thing to have someone new.

Your affection should be shared equally by the harem, not adorning a single woman.

Yes, but I have just one request, Mother.

What would that be?

Since we are hosting an audition now, I do not think it necessary to host any more in the future.

Every three years is much too wasteful.

I have always believed that the Manchu and the Han are all part of the same family.

So this time,

I would like to choose more girls from families of the Han military banners.

These are just details, I see no problems.

As long as Your Majesty agrees to add to the harem.

But don't forget the existing consorts either.

No matter how important state affairs are, you should still visit the Harem regularly.

And your Empress, she will always be the center of your Harem.

I understand.

My apologies for asking you to come at this hour.

I must have interrupted your afternoon nap.

Unfortunately I have not Niang Niang's good fortune to enjoy so much free time. (Cap: Empress)

May I inquire what urgent business Niang Niang has with me?

The auditions are almost at the final round, where His Majesty will choose those who will remain.

How is everything?

Rest assured, Niangniang. Huang Guiquan sent a reply in the afternoon

saying that everything was in place.

Since His Majesty said the treasury was not as "strong" at the moment,

that we should learn to economize.

Although I cannot make money appear out of nowhere

I will at least uphold the Imperial honour.

How can other people understand the difficulty of MY job?

I must thank you for your troubles Meimei.

I have ordered some new pastries to be made,

please do have a taste Meimei.

Huichun.

Meimei, pick anything you like.

Take whatever you wish.

Or maybe you have already had enough of these.

Jianqiu, bring the Peony Rolls to Hua Fei.

Yes.

Songzhi - Yes

Thank you, Niangniang.

Oops, please forgive me, Empress.

I did not mean to.

Have you no manners what so ever?

You wasted Niangniang's kind intentions.

Why aren't you begging for Niangniang's forgiveness?

Please forgive me, Empress Niangniang.

You have served me from before my marriage into the Imperial family

And yet you are still capable of incomprehensible mistakes like the one you just made.

Why do I even bother teaching you anymore.

If the Empress will not forgive you,

I will not let you off lightly.

Meimei, it is not important. (Cap: Song Zhi)

There is no need to be so angry.

She is not very bright and she is clumsy.

Thank you for forgiving her.

I will give her a good lesson after we take our leave.

Songzhi is your servant from your maiden home.

She is different from the other servants.

Do not make her do things like serving tea or water.

Do not be angered, even if you think her incompetent.

Right?

Fuzi.

Greetings, Empress.

Greetings, Hua Fei

She is newly selected by Internal Fairs Authority.

She is actually a bit intelligent, so why don't you have her?

Although Songzhi is clumsy and stupid...

The Palace of Wings has plenty of servants.

Why not keep her?

I have heard that servants from the Palace of Wings (Hua Fei's Residence) are competent.

Fuzi should learn from them.

Perhaps, with Sister's governance and by helping Songzhi do some heavy chores,

they will learn manners.

I will take my leave.

We are leaving. - Yes.

I wonder how the audition is going.

The Harem truly needs new faces,

so that His Majesty can finally have more children.

Go away. Such audacity to think you can walk beside Niangniang!

Go, follow us from behind.

I cannot achieve prominence in affairs of the state as men can,

But I will not take myself lightly

If I were to marry someone,

I must marry the best man in the world.

Form a true conjugal bond, from which only death will separate us.