01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

= Dominion and Devotion =

= Episode 5 =

I wonder if all the money
is enough to pay the fine.

Even if we gather enough this time,
what about next time?

They forbid private sale of cloth now.

Next time,

we won't even get to keep Tudou's field.

When will these days come to an end?

It's okay.

At worst, we can all rent fields to farm.

It'll be a bit harder.

But we still have to get by.

Am I right?

I used

to live in constant fear

for a slim chance of survival.

I thought

even if making a living

is tough outside the palace,

at least there'd be fewer schemes

and no worry about survival.

But now,

as I stand outside the palace,

I realize

that the country
is ruined by traitors and pests,

and people's livelihood

has withered to this extent.

The women of Junlai Village

struggle to survive against all odds,

for they cannot own land as women.

And I

can do nothing?

Are you

thinking of going back to that place?

I can't go back.

Pack up.

We'll set off now.

Yulu Buns are tasty.

[Junlai Village]
Chewy and bouncy,

they're divine.

Your Majesty.

Have you had enough fun?

Time to return.

Your Majesty is actually a woman.

What a grand lie!

Master Pei,

it's all my fault.

Her Majesty did nothing wrong.

Who do you think you are

to conceal such a big matter

and keep it hidden?

Back then,

Prince Ning's concubine went mad.

She gave birth

to a girl.

But for some reason,

she insisted that
she had given birth to a prince.

I had no choice back then.

At that time,

it was the former emperor's ascension,
and the princes were about to be conferred.

If at that time we told people
she was not a prince,

I fear

she wouldn't survive at all.

Master Pei, Her Majesty has
been burdened by his birth mother

and trapped in the palace for many years.

Now, she finally managed to leave there.

Please, Master Pei, have mercy on her.

I am willing to take Her Majesty's place

and follow you back
to the palace to face death.

Then you might as well die now.

Your Majesty,

no!

Let go.

Master Pei,

I beg you.

I beg you to spare her.

Master Pei!

It is all my fault.

It was me who told the lies.

Master Pei,

I beg you to spare Her Majesty.

I beg you!

As a dignified monarch,

you kneeled to beg me.

I thought you were capable.

That day in the imperial study,
you were indignant.

But you simply escaped from the palace.

I thought highly of you.

You're cowardly.

Your Majesty!

Master Pei,

as you have known,

I am a woman.

I was walking on thin ice in the palace.

Protecting myself was hard.

Let alone caring for others.

You're a woman, so what?

Is this your excuse?

So it turns out

you are as selfish

as those people.

You

really disappoint me.

Wu!

Wu!

Wu!

Thank you both.

We appreciate your kindness.

But we cannot accept the money.

I made these.

They're durable

and very soft and won't hurt your feet.

If you don't mind,

take them with you.

Thank you.

I like them very much.

Then we will go back now.

When you have time,

come visit us again.

Let's go.

See you.

Let's go.

Since it has come to this,
I don't want you, a puppet.

If you return to the palace to die,

I will release Madam Li.

Thank you.

Your Majesty, don't!

Before returning,

can you let me finish one more thing?

Don't think about running away.

I absolutely won't.

Who is beating the Drum of Justice?

It's me.

Where did this brat come from?

I don't know.

He is so presumptuous.

Exactly.

Do you have a scholarly rank
from imperial exams?

No.

How audacious!

If you have no scholarly rank,
why didn't you kneel to me?

Guards!

Make him kneel.

Ten strokes with the cane for contempt.

Yes!

You're so eager to punish me.

Do not regret it later.

[What's the background of this brat?]

[He speaks so arrogantly.]

Then tell me.

Why did you beat the drum?

I want to accuse Local Gentry Hu Quan

of running amok

and bullying women.

Do you know who Hu Quan is?

How dare you accuse him?

I haven't finished yet.

What's with the rush?

Qinnan County's new policy forbids
private cloth sales without market tickets.

Did you issue that policy?

Finally, someone is here for that policy.

I wonder about his background.

That policy has cut off our livelihoods.

Silence!

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.

Clear policies are needed
to better control the cloth market.

Therefore,

I also want to accuse

the magistrate of Qinnan County,

Cao Shouren.

Who did you say you want to accuse?

It's you,

Master Cao.

Article 274 of the Laws of Great Ning

forbids local officials to make laws
and regulations in private.

You privately issued new policies

and colluded with Hu Quan
to monopolize the cloth market.

Can you hear people's grievances
outside the court?

Moreover, the rent for farmland is
stipulated by the imperial court.

Yet you allow Hu Quan
to arbitrarily increase rents,

overburdening the tenant farmers
in Junlai Village.

What I want to accuse

is precisely the two of you.

Mr. Advisor,

please record it clearly.

According to article 84
of the Laws of Great Ning,

if someone doesn't
record cases truthfully in court,

they commit the crime of falsifying documents
and will be exiled for ten years.

Master Cao,

do you admit guilt?

How audacious!

What crime could a magistrate
like me admit to?

If we follow your words, according
to article 106 of the Laws of Great Ning,

civilians who hit the Drum of Justice

will be punished with 30 strokes first.

Okay.

Then go ahead and beat me.

Young Master,

why don't you

be honest with me?

Tell me.

Who is the noble you work for?

We might be on the same side.

Mr. Advisor,

the county magistrate just said,

"Young Master,"

"why don't you be honest with me?"

"Tell me. Who is the noble you work for?"

"We might be on the same side."

What are you waiting for?

Write those down.

Since you are so determined to die,
don't blame me for being cruel.

Beat him!

Yes.

How audacious!

Do you have a death wish
to lay a hand on him?

Greetings, Seal-Holding Eunuch
of the Inner Court.

You're Seal-Holding Eunuch.

Then

who is he?

I, Pei Shenzhi, failed
to protect Your Majesty.

Please punish me.

Your...

Your Majesty?

Your Majesty!

I deserve a hundred deaths
and cannot be pardoned.

Now you admit to your crime?

But it's too late.

You colluded with Hu Quan
to bully women and children.

Return every single cent of the money

you took from Junlai Village.

You're a corrupt official

[Court Record]
who embezzles.

Your duty is removed immediately.

You'll be deprived of family property
and exiled to the far south.

Your Majesty,

I have noted everything down.

Lastly,

by imperial decree,

you and relevant persons
will be punished with 30 strokes each

right

at the entrance of Junlai Village.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Your Majesty is wise.
- Your Majesty is wise.

Start!

They deserve it.

Bathed with imperial grace,

Junlai Village's people are all overwhelmed.

Is Your Majesty satisfied?

They don't know it's me, do they?

Do you want them to know

or not?

No.

Why?

They treat me sincerely.

But I've kept secrets.

I feel a bit ashamed.

Don't worry.

It's so disgraceful.

I've kept it a secret.

Master Pei,

your words are really harsh.

Pleasant words

are often traps.

I still want to thank you.

It can be considered as having done
one comforting thing

before taking off my imperial robe.

It's the imperial power.

The throne you escape from

can both k*ll people

and save people.

Now

do you want to return

and continue to be an emperor?

Master Pei,

will you spare my life?

I have changed my mind.

I can keep your secret of being a woman.

Moreover,

a female emperor

is unprecedented.

A female emperor?

♪ Candle lights the halls
through springs and autumns ♪

♪ Love and hate are written in a few strokes ♪

♪ Imperishable ♪

♪ Bloodstained vows with a touch of tenderness ♪

♪ Fate is written by the universe ♪

♪ Unending ♪

♪ Heaven falls ♪

♪ No concern for cause and effect ♪

♪ On the throne ♪

♪ Is it a shackle ♪

♪ Locking you and me up ♪

♪ Break through the wind and clouds ♪

♪ A dream lasts a lifetime.
The world has changed ♪

♪ One step forward, gaze back at the youth ♪

♪ At a glance, all beings bow their heads ♪

♪ I'm in the midst of chaos ♪

♪ At the end of the night ♪

♪ Having the loneliest dream in this world ♪

♪ Move on ♪

♪ Don't look back ♪