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[General And I]
[Episode 20]
Ping Ting.
Your Highness.
I've waited so long for you and you finally came.
Do you know what you're doing?
It's so windy out here.
Can you take it?
When Your Highness isn't by my side, my heart is icy cold.
It doesn't matter where I am.
Have you had wine?
Why didn't you ask me to join you?
Quit fooling around!
I told you to keep an eye on her!
What on earth are you both doing?
Chu Mo Ran!
Do you want to be executed?
You show yourself when he says so?
Don't be scared. He's just trying to frighten us.
Miss Bai is here.
Don't be scared.
Why would Your Highness vent your anger on someone else?
The night is long during winter.
Instead of drinking cold wine alone
why don't you come and admire the lanterns in the woods with me?
Wine in the goblet can't take away the sorrows of this world.
However, sparkles of light can relieve the sadness in your heart.
I'm not in the mood to admire the lanterns with you today.
I have done what I should and shouldn't do!
What more do you want?
I don't wish to leave.
If you don't wish to see me dead...
Keep me by your side.
How could I not want to keep you with me?
But now after all that has happened
it's hard for us to spend this lifetime without a care.
Do you know how many people are after your life?
It's too dangerous for you to stay here.
You don't have a say in this matter!
Ever since the day I barged into the palace
I've seen myself as a burden to Your Highness.
Dead or alive, I have put Your Highness in a tight spot.
After much thought, it isn't really up to me to decide if I leave or stay.
However, in this predicament, there is still one more way out for me
apart from being either alive or dead.
I can become someone else.
- Don't say a word. - Bai...
Miss Bai dared to...
Bai Ping Ting.
I dare you!
How I envy this zither.
It snaps so easily.
I know what your intentions are.
It isn't that I don't fear death.
It's just that I have come to realize one thing.
If I could never see you again...
My only wish is to see you again.
If I could never see Your Highness again in this lifetime
I would be no more than a living corpse even if I stay alive.
Your Highness.
Would you have me stay alive like that?
It's been so long since we have been this intimate.
Do you still remember that we made an oath to the moon
that we shall never betray each other?
What does it mean to not betray one another?
I think that it is when a couple faces obstacles together
without giving each other up.
When separated, they follow each other in life and death.
There are too many reasons for us not to be together.
There is too much uncertainty.
I've felt aggrieved over it and sad about it.
I've thought of leaving forever.
I've thought of repaying your love with my life.
But we swore to heaven and earth.
Never would I dare break my oath.
Your Highness.
Everyone knows that I'm already dead.
I could take a different name or even a different face.
Even if I have to disfigure myself or act deaf and mute
I'd have no regrets as long as I could stay by your side
to look after you, even as a slave.
I'm sorry.
This is my fault.
I took life and death too seriously.
In order to survive, I actually forgot all about our oath.
I made it sound so resolute that I did this all for your sake.
Don't belittle yourself again.
You're a lot more clear-headed than I am.
You have a higher moral standing than I do.
That sword stabbed right in my heart.
I understand it now.
You're so frail and small
but you've always been protecting me with your life.
Ping Ting.
The all-victorious Chu Bei Jie everyone thought I am
had wanted to send you away without even considering that
if I couldn't protect you, who else in this world could?
Your Highness.
We won't leave.
We're not leaving.
For your sake, I will take on the world.
I fear not the world.
Sister Bai, we aren't leaving?
That's wonderful! She doesn't have to leave!
Sister Bai isn't leaving!
Sister Bai!
This is wonderful!
You're not leaving!
Look!
What is the matter?
What's wrong?
Your Majesty!
- Your Majesty! - It's all right.
Everything's all right.
Would you like me to help you up and get some water?
Your Majesty.
Here, have some water.
You had a nightmare?
I just dreamed of a black tiger.
It had its mouth wide open and came charging at me.
It gave me such a fright!
A black tiger?
I was born in the year of the rabbit.
I've always been timid since I was young.
I fear tigers the most.
It's really scary.
Don't be frightened, Your Highness.
His Majesty is the real dragon here.
A black tiger
and even a flying or celestial tiger will be put into cages by him
so you can play with them like a cat.
When are you so good at jokes?
Wang De Quan.
No joke is to be told during the national mourning period.
Why have you gotten more muddleheaded now that you're older?
Slap yourself now.
I have sinned. I talked too much.
- Forget it. - I have sinned...
It's not that serious anyway.
Speaking of zodiac signs
I wonder if anyone in the palace was born in the year of the tiger.
- Wang De Quan. - Present.
Was anyone in the palace born in the year of tiger?
Your Majesty. Your Highness.
The former king was born in the year of the monkey
and his sign is in conflict with the tiger.
Queen Dowager gave orders to ban all who were born
in the year of the tiger from entering the palace.
Although King Emeritus is deceased, the rules still applied until now.
Strictly speaking, of all those who visit the palace frequently
there is still one born in the year of the tiger.
Who is it?
Prince of Zhenbei.
Prince of Zhenbei?
All right.
It's getting late.
You are all dismissed now.
Yes.
Step out.
Your Majesty.
I've had a question on my mind.
Ask away.
Prince of Zhenbei killed Bai Ping Ting with his own hands.
She died so tragically.
I wonder what happened afterward.
What could happen?
She was but a maidservant.
If she's dead, she's dead.
Bai Ping Ting is Prince of Zhenbei's most beloved woman.
I heard that Prince of Zhenbei signed a five-year peace treaty with Yan State
and even retreated from the battle with Liang State without a fight.
He also...
You beat about the bush just so you could imply
that I forced him to kill his beloved woman
and he bears a grudge against me?
I'm just worried about Your Majesty.
People do change.
Besides, Prince of Zhenbei holds great military power.
One can never be too careful.
Why do you start showing concern for political affairs?
The harem is never to meddle in any state affairs.
You seem to be too concerned.
Wang De Quan!
Your Majesty.
I find it too warm here in Fangqin Hall.
Get me dressed.
I'll head back to sleep in the East Heated Chamber.
Yes.
Black tiger?
If you didn't make this cut yourself
the person who did it would have turned into ashes by now.
I believe it would be so.
You're still smiling?
All right, lie down now.
Get some rest.
Hold on.
It's my birthday tomorrow.
Miss Bai, I knew that you'd be awake by now.
This robe is so pretty!
It must be from Brother Bei Jie.
This is charmeuse from the palace.
What is charmeuse?
I've heard of it
but this is the first time that I get to see it.
I heard that the weaving of this fabric is very complicated.
It would take two highly skilled weavers a month to weave only three meters.
It's very precious.
There's even gold thread woven into this fabric.
It's said that the queen only receives such fabric on her birthdays.
It seems that Brother Bei Jie dotes on you and treats you like a queen.
Don't say such nonsense.
How could I be compared to the queen?
This is too luxurious.
As for me, I just have to make a gift out of someone else's
and present flowers to the beauty!
This smells so nice!
Where did you get it from?
From the courtyard.
It does seem a bit bizarre.
They weren't there yesterday, but then just overnight
there are suddenly quite a few plum trees in the courtyard.
I wonder who planted them there.
I know who it is.
Where is His Highness now?
Is he awake? I'd like to thank him.
Right after His Highness planted the plum trees
he went out early this morning without getting any rest.
I asked him where he was going, but he didn't answer.
He only said that he'd be back in two days.
Did His Highness bring any of his troops with him?
He's probably gone out alone.
His Highness ordered me to stay to look after Miss Bai.
He said to remind you not to leave this country house.
Is this country house guarded by the troops?
In order to keep Miss Bai safe
His Highness has deployed 1,000 solders around the house.
Miss Bai, don't worry.
These 1,000 men are the prince's most loyal subordinates.
I'm not worried about myself.
I'm worried about His Highness.
Do you still remember what day it is tomorrow?
Miss Bai means to say...
The last seven days of after-death ritual for the young princes commence tomorrow.
His Highness must have gone to the palace.
I heard from Zui Ju that when I was still unconscious
assassins attacked.
I'm afraid that someone in the palace will harm His Highness.
This person is someone of authority.
Miss Bai, what you said coincided with His Highness's theory.
His Highness is also worried that someone is behind all this.
He just doesn't know who it is.
Mo Ran. Send a troop into the city to get news of the palace.
Update me anytime.
Yes.
Report!
Your Highness, word is sent from Imperial Hall to urge you.
All visiting envoys are present.
The ritual is also about to begin.
Please get dressed and head over there quickly.
What is the rush?
Why are you so ill-mannered?
Can't you see that Her Highness is occupied?
Please forgive me for offending Your Highness.
I'm just acting on the orders of Eunuch Wang to invite you over.
Has Prince of Zhenbei arrived?
Early this morning.
His Majesty ordered him to wait outside Imperial Hall.
Potted plants...
You simply have to trim them.
Whichever branch stands out, just snip it off.
Only then can it last for a long time and be pretty.
Go on.
Take this incense to Eunuch Wang.
He knows how to burn it.
Yes.
Get me dressed.
Yes.
Noble Consort of Great Jin leads all concubines and honored ladies of ranks
to offer incense to the queen and two princes!
Kneel!
First kowtow!
Again!
Third kowtow!
Rise!
[Memorial Tablet of Queen First and second prince of Great Jin]
Prime Minister of Great Jin, Xie An, and Chancellor Zhang Yuan Sheng
leads all civil and military officials
to offer incense to the queen and two princes!
Kneel!
First kowtow!
Again!
Third kowtow!
Rise!
Summon!
Envoy of Bai Lan State Prince Consort He Xia seeks audience!
Kneel!
First kowtow!
Again!
Third kowtow!
Rise!
Your Majesty.
If my eyes aren't mistaken
isn't this Yan State's Young Prince of Jing An?
I am here on behalf of Bai Lan State
and Princess Yao Tian to offer our condolences to Your Majesty.
Right.
You're now the prince consort of Bai Lan State.
What a beautiful couple you make.
Princess Yao Tian does have a trick or two up her sleeve.
Unfortunately, I've been too occupied
with various matters to congratulate the princess on her marriage.
Princess Yao Tian met the queen once.
She mentioned many times
the queen's compassion and grace as the mother of a state.
Her Highness was greatly upset by the news
of the queen and princes' sudden deaths.
Our sincere condolences, Your Majesty.
Thank Her Highness for her kindness.
Prince Consort has traveled far.
Please get some good rest.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Summon the envoy of Yan State Lu Ke to seek audience!
Kneel!
First kowtow!
Again!
Third kowtow!
Rise!
How many more people are there?
Your Majesty.
Prince of Zhenbei is still waiting outside.
Will you summon him?
Summon him.
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