[The Princess Royal]
[Adapted from Mo Shu Bai's novel,
The Princess Royal on jjwxc.net]
[This is a work of fiction.]
[Episode 28]
You're dressing in very
plain clothing today, Your Highness.
You look amazing.
Please.
I'm being followed. Make it brief.
As for the case
you mentioned to me previously,
is it a local squire
who took your friend's
examination candidature?
Yes.
Where did that happen?
Zhangping County. In Wangzhou.
Your hometown?
Yes.
You work for the Ministry of Rites,
and you can't handle it?
You must be jesting, Your Highness.
It's just a powerless position.
What can I do?
You have complaints?
You were offering yourself
back then.
What do you say?
Come here.
Are you doing this
for your friend or yourself?
What do you mean?
Haven't you ever thought
about making some achievements
as an official?
In the past, he was being
dissipated and unrestrained,
often lingered in brothels,
and showed no interest in politics.
However, I've read his poems.
From his words, I can tell
he is concerned
with politics.
I know what you mean.
Filing a complaint is just an excuse.
Your real goal
is a marriage of convenience.
You do that
because you want a strong ally.
You've aroused my curiosity.
Since you want to find a strong ally,
what's taking you so long to act?
Also
why me?
It'll be no fun
when you lay everything bare.
But yes, you're right.
I do want to pledge loyalty to you.
And I'm giving you
this case as a gift.
A gift?
How so?
I know Consort Rou is your enemy.
The individual who took the candidature
is Xiao Pingzhang,
a relative of hers.
You jest, Mr. Cui.
What does Consort Rou
have anything to do with me?
Right.
I know you question my reasons
for helping you.
You just need to know
that I want to be your ally,
so I don't mind making minor sacrifices.
How can I trust you
if you don't make everything clear?
If I tell you
it's because you're very pretty,
will it be enough?
So it's only because I'm pretty?
Yes.
Think about it.
My father was just a teacher,
but he could become an official.
Why? Because when I first
came to Huajing,
my poetry was outstanding.
I was also appreciated
by several noble people.
I'm poor and not very talented.
All I can rely on is my face.
If you don't want
to tell me the truth, so be it.
It's because you handled
the Qin Family's case.
It makes me think
that you're someone
who truly cares for people.
I knew you wouldn't believe that.
What makes you think so?
I understand now.
I shall be frank.
I will not take you under my wing.
But I can plant you around Consort Rou.
You want me to be your informant?
Yes or no? Answer me.
Yes, of course, since this is your wish.
To reassure me,
you have to take this.
It's a chronic poison.
On this day every month, we will meet
and I'll give you the antidote that can
temporarily suppress the toxicity.
Once Consort Rou is out of the picture,
I'll give you the antidote
that can completely detoxify you.
Remember now.
This is a test of your fidelity.
If you're truly capable,
regardless of your background
or physical appearance,
you can even be
the Secretariat Director.
As expected of women,
you are skeptical.
If you need me,
just come to my mansion.
Sure.
Well, Mr. Su,
you and Chancellor Su
indeed put me in a difficult situation.
The plan regarding the examinations
seems simple enough.
But there are many hidden details
to take care of.
His Majesty is supervising it,
so I can't afford to make any mistakes.
Come on, Mr. Wang.
No. I'm drinking no more.
Mr. Wang,
you will get many benefits
from this in the future.
They are poor scholars.
They don't have money.
What can I get from them?
Mr. Wang, don't
Well, Mr. Su,
I have tried my best.
But I still need to hand over the rest
to the others,
so I'm not failing the tasks that you
and Chancellor Su asked me to do.
What do you think, Mr. Su?
Listen to me, Mr. Wang.
You have to do this yourself.
I suddenly remember
that I have yet to feed my birds.
It's an emergency.
Mr. Su, let's have a chat next time.
All right?
I'll take my leave.
No wonder you'll be kicked out soon.
Because you can't see
the incoming change in this country.
Young Master.
What are you doing here?
It's none of your business.
Tell me.
How did Cui Yulang come here?
He rented a carriage.
The coachman
told me
that while he looked fancy,
he actually
haggled
with the coachman
for more than an hour.
Mr. Cui sure is very frugal.
Frugal?
He's not frugal. He's poor.
Right. Poor.
Leave two silver taels on his carriage.
Then, remove the wheels for me.
You want me
to steal the wheels?
You can't do it?
Well,
I can do that.
But it's not something
a gentleman should do.
Gentleman?
I've been a gentleman
for more than 20 years.
Can't I be a despicable man for once?
When you said that,
you truly looked like a despicable man.
Go now.
Sure.
Take care, Your Highness.
You should return too.
Your Highness.
Perhaps you can reconsider me?
You and the Prince Consort
have already divorced.
When it comes to romance,
I'm as good as him.
Don't ever say that in public again.
You'll provoke others.
It's worth it
as long as I can get your attention.
Enough with your flattery.
Let's go.
What are you doing?
You told me to steal the wheels.
Where should I hide them?
Why did you carry them here?
Put them back.
What
Forget it.
Put them back tomorrow.
Leave them an extra silver tael
to compensate
for their accommodation and time.
Young Master,
why are you doing this to me?
Go now.
Sir, what should we do?
This is
Do you have an extra carriage?
No.
At this time, they are all gone.
That's right.
Mister,
can you help us?
Can you find me another carriage?
I have to attend
the morning audience tomorrow.
Even a donkey cart will do.
You're a court official,
yet you spent such a long time
haggling with me.
I hold a lowly position.
Can you please help me?
I can pay you double the price.
I had a look around
and found nothing.
Perhaps
you can try outside.
I'm so unlucky.
I'll refund you the payment
for the return journey.
Come on.
Help me fix the cart.
I should have
asked Her Highness to give me a lift.
Why on earth is this happening to me?
Young Master, Cui Yulang is there.
Mister.
Hurry.
Mister.
Mister.
Mister.
Mr. Pei?
Sorry, Mr. Cui.
I didn't see you.
I'm in a rush. See you.
Wait. Why did you pour water out?
To water the plants?
Wait for me!
Wait for me!
Wait for me.
Today's tea is so good.
It's nice.
It's the tea we've been drinking
for a long time.
Besides, you didn't even take a sip.
Your Highness.
What is it?
Someone in your family got into trouble.
He stole someone else's
examination candidature.
The victim is filing complaints
all the way
from his hometown to Huajing.
Sooner or later,
they'll drag me down with them.
Perhaps
you can ignore them
and cut ties with them.
My brother's soldiers in the Northwest
still need their support.
I cannot cut them off.
Oh, right.
Anything new about Pingyue?
Anything unusual?
Not at the moment.
But Second Young Master Su
is waiting for your reply,
Your Highness.
I need a capable man like him.
But his previous failure
made me doubt his fidelity.
We'll put that aside first.
You rescheduled our meeting
just because of Cui Yulang.
And now, when you see me
you're like nothing has happened?
Li Rong.
You are so heartless.
Pei Wenxuan is so good
at putting on an act.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Your first mission
is to impeach the Crown Prince.
Isn't that too risky?
You're scared?
Forget about our alliance, then.
But
Your Majesty,
I'd like to report something.
What is it?
It's about the Crown Prince.
Official Cui,
I remember you work
for the Ministry of Rites.
Why are you doing the job
of an official from the Censorate?
While I'm a powerless official
in the Ministry of Rites,
the issue concerns
the welfare of our country,
so I must report it.
Did Cui Yulang
obtain some solid evidence on Chuan?
He sounds so confident.
I don't think
I have made any grave mistakes.
If the problem is that serious,
pray tell, Official Cui.
Your Highness,
our country has been suffering
from natural disasters in recent years.
Let alone last year,
this year, the blizzard made people suffer
and they all complained about it.
I believe disasters befell us because
Because the Crown Prince has no morals.
Nonsense!
What nonsense is that?
Are you implying
that I've failed
to raise my child properly,
so I also have no morals?
Take him out and flog him.
The imperial court
is no place for your superstition.
Your Majesty, during the autumn ritual
we held last year,
His Highness sneezed
during the procedure.
His action might have offended Heaven,
which committed great irreverence.
What stupid accusation is that?
Your Majesty,
His Highness caught a cold last year.
Nevertheless, he made sure he attended
the ritual despite his frailty.
His devotion is palpable.
The benevolent higher beings
will not
punish the sagacious Crown Prince
for a mere sneeze.
While certain counties
did suffer from natural disasters
in recent years,
it wasn't serious.
Our country spans a vast land.
It is normal that we have
natural disasters every year.
It is far-fetched to regard it
as some sort of divine retribution.
To make such a blatant claim
is to be deserving of punishment.
I agree with Minister Gu.
- I agree with Minister Gu.
- I agree with Minister Gu.
While Mr. Cui's allegation
might sound ridiculous,
it is not utterly baseless.
How about this?
I shall just withhold
Cui Yulang's wage for two months.
Crown Prince, you will kneel
at the ancestral shrine tonight
to apologize for your mistake
in the previous autumn ritual.
Father is deliberately targeting Chuan.
Yes, Father.
Dismissed.
Court dismissed!
- Take care, Your Majesty.
- Take care, Your Majesty.
Mr. Cui.
Your Highness.
You should proceed with caution
in the imperial court.
You just assumed your office
not long ago.
Make sure you consult your seniors
for anything regarding your work.
I appreciate your advice, Your Highness.
Cui Yulang.
You sure picked a wonderful excuse.
But it's okay. Don't worry about it.
Excuse me.
Your Highness, I'm even poorer now.
You're too soft-hearted.
How could you fail
in such a simple matter?
How will Rong and I
rely on you in the future?
If Cui Yulang can make you get punished,
what's going to happen in the future?
You'll watch as more powerful ministers
pick on you?
What's happening now?
Every time I come,
I see Chuan being scolded by you.
You too.
Why didn't you discuss it with me
before you got divorced?
And it took you this long
to show up here.
Do you even care about my feelings?
Mother,
Rong is also very upset.
Don't scold her.
Silence! Reflect upon yourself.
Calm down, Mother.
Or your health will be affected.
Let's speak calmly.
Why are you arguing?
I was told
that Cui Yulang
had complained about him.
I want him
to teach Cui Yulang a lesson,
but he doesn't want to do it.
Can't you see what your father is doing?
Cui Yulang set up a precedence.
If Chuan doesn't retaliate,
many more people
will want to give him a hard time.
Even though we both
hold a high position,
we're both women.
Our honor and pride
are contingent upon Chuan.
If something happens to him,
what do we do?
I'm doing this for his own good,
but he won't listen.
He doesn't behave
like a crown prince at all.
If I had another son, I'd
Mother.
Have some tea.
Chuan. Stand up.
I came
to talk about Cui Yulang.
Rong, even though Cui Yulang
complained about me in the court,
he didn't do anything wrong.
No need to
Cui Yulang works for me.
I told him to complain about you.
So don't do anything to him.
Rong, what are you
Mother.
Chuan is old enough now.
We can't sit around and do nothing
as Consort Rou becomes
more powerful, right?
You want to get rid of her?
But what does Cui Yulang have anything
to do with this?
Besides, your father
is very protective of her.
How can you get rid of her?
[Qianqiu Gate]
If I may have your time, Mr. Cui.
You are?
I am Consort Rou's maid.
How may I help you, miss?
Prince Su's art teacher cannot come
due to sickness.
Her Highness wanted me to ask
if you could tutor Prince Su
since it was said
that you were an expert in painting.
Please ask for Her Highness's
and Prince Su's forgiveness.
I have made plans for today.
Think it carefully, Mr. Cui.
It's Consort Rou and Prince Su
who are inviting you.
I'll take my leave.
After arguing with Mother,
you won't speak to me either?
No.
I'm just tired.
I want to rest.
Mother said those words
in the heat of the moment.
Don't take it to heart.
I won't.
Actually
Mother was right.
If she had another son,
perhaps all of us would be happy.
I wouldn't have to be the Crown Prince.
Mother wouldn't have to
pin her hopes on me solely.
If you were a man,
I wouldn't be this exhausted either.
Chuan.
I know
you won't blame me for anything.
I'm just saying.
You and Mother
have sacrificed a lot for me.
As the receiver of this glory,
I will not back off.
Don't worry, Rong.
Do you know
why I'm supporting you unconditionally?
Because I hate
to see you forcing yourself
like this.
Well
I might have found someone to rely on.
I have Pei Wenxuan now.
Once I resolve the conflict
between the noble families
and the imperial family,
I'll have power, love,
and freedom.
But you would spend
the rest of your life
in this palace.
As if you're caged here
forever.
You work for Mother,
for me,
for the Shangguan Family,
for our people, for our country,
but not for yourself.
Oftentimes,
I want to do something for you.
I know
you worry about me,
your younger brother,
not the Crown Prince.
Yes.
You're not just the Crown Prince.
You're Li Chuan too.
He really said that?
Yes, Your Highness.
What if Cui Yulang is a useful pawn
that will do your bidding?
Perhaps his open criticism
of the Crown Prince
is just a way to attract attention.
We don't know what he wants yet.
I can't wait to see
what he will do next
and what Shangguan Yue will do too.
Have our people keep an eye
on Cui Yulang.
Knowing Shangguan Yue,
she'll either rope him in
or find an excuse to get rid of him.
She is not dumb enough to k*ll him
now that he just impeached
the Crown Prince.
I guess they will want to rope him in.
Let's
observe for now.
Yes, Your Highness.
Miss, who are you?
Fengming, an imperial guard
in the Eastern Palace.
The Crown Prince would like
to have a talk with you.
Mr. Cui,
if His Highness wanted you dead,
he wouldn't have sent me here.
Please lead the way.
Your Highness,
it's as you anticipated.
The Crown Prince met with Cui Yulang.
Go to see Cui Yulang and tell him
that I want to see him
and that Prince Su will double
what the Crown Prince offers.
Yes, Your Highness.
Thank you.
You're welcome. Everyone will have some.
Thank you, Mr. Su.
You're welcome.
- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you, sir.
Let's find a place.
[Recruiting talents]
Thank you, Mr. Su.
You're welcome.
Your Highness, why did you
buy this all of a sudden?
He loves it.
What if he comes over tonight?
My family is providing convenience
for the scholars in the capital.
I look forward to your assistance.
Mr. Su.
Ronghua.
Come on.
Everyone will have some.
Not bad.
Please wait for me at Su's Perfumery.
Here.
Who would've thought
that I'd run into you here, Mr. Su?
My family
has several establishments here
that accommodate exam candidates
who can't afford a place to live.
Would you like
to have a visit, Your Highness?
Sure.
This way, please, Your Highness.
Aren't you leading the way?
Walk before me.
Your Highness, that is inappropriate.
You're leading the way.
How is that inappropriate?
Besides, you're a young master
of the Su Family,
the Right Minister of Justice.
You're not a servant.
Don't stand on ceremony.
Don't you have something else to ask?
Don't you have something else to say?
I have no questions.
If I want to find out anything,
I can investigate it.
It's not hard
to deduce your goal either.
You're as candid as ever, Your Highness.
I might only ask you a question
when that specific moment arrives.
It's when one of us will fall.
I won't visit your establishments.
Let's go, Jinglan.
Your Highness.
Take care.
Are you done gawking?
No.
I just
ran into Su Rongqing.
He's giving accommodations
to exam candidates in Huajing.
Earlier on, I heard
that he's not just taking in candidates
but also people
who are trying to file complaints.
I don't know what he wants now.
If he's taking care of exam candidates,
I can assume that he wants
to get into their good graces.
But why someone
who wants to file complaints?
How is Cui Yulang?
What's the plan
Cui Yulang and you are having?
Why did he complain
about His Highness in the court?
If he did that,
Consort Rou would come to him.
He comes from a humble background,
which is the opposite
of Su Rongqing's.
I'll just have to
put on a few acts with him
to earn Consort Rou's trust.
That way, the alliance
between Consort Rou
and Su Rongqing will fail.
What an ingenious plan.
Of course.
Without Su Rongqing,
Consort Rou is barely a threat.
If Prince Su and she are gone,
Su Rongqing will never
defeat His Highness on his own
unless he's committing treason.
That's what I'm thinking.
All right.
There are so many people here.
I should go. This is for you.
Rong.
What?
Go now.
All right.
Mr. Cui, Her Highness said
Prince Su would give you double
what the Crown Prince offered.
Please lead the way, miss.
Consort Rou must be sitting behind him.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Long live Your Highness.
You may rise.
Greetings, Your Highness.
You may rise, Mr. Cui.
Thank you, Your Highness.
I heard
after the incident at the court today,
the Crown Prince tried to recruit you.
Yes.
Then, why are you here, Mr. Cui?
His Highness offered me
a fifth-ranked position.
But your messenger told me
that Prince Su would double the offer.
Therefore, I'm here.
Everyone wants power.
I like your honesty
as well as the strategic alliance
we share here.
Tell me.
What can you do for me?
And how far will you go for me?
Since you're so candid, Your Highness,
I shall be frank.
Your Highness,
would you like
to have the Inspectorate Office?
I know very well that you have
many advisers by your side.
As such, I did not come empty-handed.
Complaining about the Crown Prince
is just the stepping stone.
The Inspectorate Office
will be my real gift, Your Highness.
Would you like
to receive this gift, Your Highness?
I found out
that since early this year,
Su Rongqing has been
taking care of scholars
who came to Huajing
to attend the examination.
Ordinary candidates will stay
at the residence you've seen.
Those who wish to remedy injustices
will stay at another residence.
Why is he
doing this?
I don't know yet.
But interestingly,
Mr. Pei's men are among them.
Tell Cui Yulang
to speed up
the plan with Consort Rou.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
A scholar came to the office
and claimed that someone had taken
his examination candidature.
I brought him here.
Greetings, Your Highness.
Are you Chen Houzhao?
Yes.
Do you have the written complaint?
Yes.
I did go to the Su Family,
but when I was there,
they tried
to buy me off.
What exactly
did they do?
They tried to silence me.
Why did you come to me, then?
A friend of mine
told me that you could be trusted.
You are willing to trust me?
Yes, I am.
Su Rongqing
has taken in aggrieved individuals
but has forbidden them
from filing complaints.
What is he trying to do?
Take the money and leave Huajing.
By Huajing Moat,
there is an old man called Mr. San.
Board his boat and leave.
The boat will sink
when approaching Zhang County.
You will swim to the shore with Mr. San.
Someone will take you to safety.
Lay low for a while
and wait for my order.
Yes, Your Highness.
Thank you.
Your Highness,
what are you trying to do?
You will serve someone else soon.
Get ready.
You're giving up on the office for now?
[Mingyue Palace]
Your Highness, Prince Su,
please seek justice for me.
What is the problem?
Tell us.
Your Highness, I have a friend
from my hometown
called Chen Houzhao.
A local squire took
his candidature
for the spring examination,
so he came to me in Huajing
to seek help.
I redirected him
to Princess Pingyue.
Just as I expected,
after Her Highness received
the written complaint,
she sent him out of Huajing.
And now,
I can't even locate the boat
they used to send him out.
Is this true?
Chen Houzhao
left this written complaint to me.
Please take a look.
I believe
you can summon Princess Pingyue
here tomorrow
and show her the written complaint.
After that,
we can expose this in the court.
Your Highness,
do you know why Princess Pingyue
wanted to k*ll Chen Houzhao?
Pray tell.
Stand up and speak.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Pei, brew some tea for Mr. Cui.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness,
Princess Pingyue
is the Crown Prince's sister, after all.
While they are against
the noble families on the surface,
they are one of them.
Thus,
she could investigate
the Qin Family's case
and the military provisions
and funds case,
but she cannot harm the foundation
of the noble families.
His Majesty implemented
the imperial examination
to keep the noble families in check.
There are so many people involved
in this case
and she is in a precarious position.
Therefore, she will not take the case.
Not only will she reject it,
but she also has to
protect the noble families.
If those noble families fall,
so will the Crown Prince.
Thus, she must get rid of Chen Houzhao.
You already knew
that she'd k*ll Chen Houzhao
before you sent him to her?
I said I'd give Prince Su
and Your Highness
the Inspectorate Office.
Did you think
I was joking?
We lured her into k*lling Chen Houzhao.
With that, we got something on her.
Then,
we can force her to take
the imperial examination fraud case.
She doesn't want to handle the case.
Besides, we got something on her.
Leaving the Inspectorate Office
will be her best option.
Once she's gone,
someone has to run the office.
Whoever is willing
to investigate this case
will be the new leader
of the Inspectorate Office.
Your Highness,
His Majesty appreciates your background
as you are from a humble family.
That is Prince Su's foundation.
The harsher you are
to those noble families,
the more His Majesty
will be fond of you.
Princess Pingyue was investigating
the noble families.
Thus, she was allowed
to establish the Inspectorate Office.
If you want to earn His Majesty's favor,
you'll have to be more ruthless
than Princess Pingyue.
Your Highness.
I'm Consort Rou's maid.
Her Highness said
that she hadn't seen you in a while
and would like to talk to you.
Sure. Lead the way.
Why would Consort Rou
want to see the Princess?
♪ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♪
♪ Who gazes at the sky from afar? ♪
♪ In the night's chill breeze ♪
♪ What is she singing for? ♪
♪ The wind caresses the hills ♪
♪ The wind causes ripples on calm water ♪
♪ Moonlight graces passing souls ♪
♪ Her steps get slower and slower ♪
♪ She's trod a lengthy path ♪
♪ Memories lost then found ♪
♪ Gazing idly as clouds roll by ♪
♪ She holds a red candle ♪
♪ To brave the thick fog ♪
♪ Life can be bitter sometimes ♪
♪ Experience it with grace ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Neither warmth nor cold will last ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ Like a fleeting dream ♪
♪ The moon is reflected in her eyes ♪
♪ In her gaze,
the unwavering faith remains ♪
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