Episode 11
Grand Prince, don't be sad. But it is strange that
this case still hasn't concluded.
Did He Wenxin actually kill anyone?
Yes, he did.
What?
I saw it myself.
Something bad has happened.
- What happened? - Young Master He killed Qiu Ze.
Murder?
I need to see.
Let me take a look.
Still waiting for the constable to catch him.
Imperial Uncle Ji is a witness to He Wenxin's case!?
There was chaos at the crime scene that day with numerous witnesses.
Gao Sheng didn't have to and would not have summon Grand Prince Ji as witness.
That's why we didn't know that he was at the scene.
This will make it difficult.
Imperial Uncle Ji may not be interested in politics and only cares for fun
but if Count Wenyuan begged him and His Majesty asked,
He will tell the truth.
If Count Wenyuan really asked Grand Prince Ji to redress his grievance in court.
The Ministry of Justice will not be at an advantage.
But you don't need to offend your Imperial Uncle for the child of a subject.
It seems that He Wenxin cannot be saved.
This matter may be difficult
but He Jingzhong has worked for me for years.
We need to keep trying.
If we cannot help it,
we must not implicate the Ministry of Justice.
Luckily I have you. I rely a lot on your insight into things.
Like now, you noticed the possible mistakes in the Ministry of Justice.
How should I reward you?
I may be a woman
but I always admired the politicians.
Now, I am lucky to gain your trust and
was able to work for our future Emperor.
I am already satisfied.
Good.
Your Highness, are you inside?
Yes, Princess Consort. What is the matter?
You have being working for the whole day you should have some supper.
Thank you, Princess Consort. Come inside.
My respect to Princess Consort.
Your Highness.
Oh, you are here.
Have you heard about Yang Liu Xin brothel's murder case?
This kind of case is good gossip material, the whole capital is aware.
It's a pity that He Jingzhong's son is the criminal.
If we can implicate the father
that will be great.
This case will be followed by Count Wenyuan. It has nothing to do with us.
Your Highness.
Your current priority shouldn't be on such minor things.
My current priority?
Your currently priority, should be
thinking of ways to reinstate your mother to her original position.
Prince Yu has the Empress in the Inner palace.
We are totally blind about happenings in the Palace.
I am also anxious.
To reinstate my mother's position, we need father's mercy.
What can I do?
Your Highness, we are just one month away from the New Year.
The end of year ceremony
is the most important event in our Court.
End of year ceremony and reinstatement of my mother's position?
What kind of linkage is between them?
Grandmother.
You are back!
Let me take a look.
Go, let's go home.
Go to the back hall.
Thank you, Marquis.
Minister Chen, your son hasn't been an officer for 3 years yet
but he actually dared to accept bribes from illegal horse traders.
His daring character,
is not like someone from a scholarly family.
Marquis, you have full control over this case.
Minister Chen, do you want to discuss this case here?
Oh, please proceed to my study for some tea.
Please.
Marquis,
do you mean the end of year ceremony?
According to customs, His Majesty will pray to Heaven.
Concubines below second rank cannot go on the stage with His Majesty.
They have to kneel outside, am I right?
Yes.
The Crown Prince, as next inline to the throne
after offering the wine he needs to hold his parents dress and kneel
to show his filial piety,
am I right?
Correct.
Look here.
How do we arrange Concubine Yue's position?
Is she the Crown Prince's mother or a low ranking concubine?
Should she go on the stage or kneel outside?
Minister Chen.
Aren't you in a dilemma too?
That's not an issue as...
What did you say?
Not an issue?
Minister Chen.
Please think over your answer carefully before speaking.
Please give me some pointers.
I won't make things difficult for Minister Chen
but I just want you to write a petition to His Majesty about the issue.
The ceremony protocols
is important to the Court and Royal family.
The fortune of the new year depends on the ceremony and cannot be treated lightly.
There a many steps in the ceremony
With regards to the explanation, as the Minister of Rites
I am sure that your words carry the most weight.
Isn't that right?
Ministry of Rites thinks that
the end of year ceremony protocol has some difficulty?
Yes, your Majesty.
The rest is still manageable
but we are in a dilemma over the position of Concubine Yue.
Her Ladyship is the natural mother of the Crown Prince.
if we follow the rules and ask her to kneel outside,
I am afraid the flow of the ceremony will be interupted.
If we arrange for her to be on the stage,
we are worried that it will go against the hierarchy.
Your Majesty, Marquis of Ning requested to see you.
He is here to report on West-North army requirements.
We arranged to hear his report today
but I forgot about it. It's good that he's here either way.
He's someone who has no relation in this issue,
we can ask for his opinion. Ask him to come in.
Yes.
Rise.
Marquis of Ning may enter.
I am here to report to Your Majesty on the West-North army requirements.
Please review.
This isn't urgent.
Just leave the report here and I will look at it later.
Your Majesty is in the middle of a discussion,
I will take my leave.
Since you are here, I want to ask you something.
If we reinstated Concubine Yue to Noble Consort,
will there be any problem?
This matter belongs to the Inner palace, I don't dare to comment.
I asked you this question, just answer.
I my humble opinion, the Crown Prince is virtuous,
Concubine Yue should be credited.
However if for her lack of respect in serving Your Highness
that she is demoted from First Level Noble Consort to just Concubine, perhaps it is too heavy a punishment.
There were other views at the time,
But because it was your Majesty's domestic affairs,
No one commented too much.
If Your Highness' intentions have changed and mean to spare her,
you only need to issue an order.
I wonder what is still troubling.
Ah, you don't know.
Consort Yue was punished
because she humiliated Nihuang in the Palace.
I am worried that if I pardon her too easily,
it will disappoint the soldiers guarding the southern boarder.
Your Majesty,
I am willing to personally apologize to the Duchess. Please have mercy, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, if it's due to that incident
I think all the more you should agree to the pardon.
Why?
Please consider this, Princess Nihuang may be precious
but compared to Concubine Yue, she is still her subject.
To hold a grudge against their superiors,
is not the correct conduct of a subject.
Didn't you already reprimanded and punished Crown Prince?
To the Princess, it is already good enough.
If there's more...
There are no outsiders here, say what you want
I am from the military too
and I know that we cannot allow people with high pride and arrogance to grow in strength.
Your Majesty should make use of this matter to censure her.
Nihuang isn't such a person.
You read too much into it.
In the past, Chiyan army became so powerful
due to the lack of restrain on them.
What does Ministry of Rites think?
Your Majesty,
the Year End Ceremony is a major event for our country.
I am of the thought that you should reinstate Concubine Yue to her Noble Consort status
and allow Crown Prince to complete his ceremonial rituals.
Prepare for my edict.
Yes.
Your Highness
Violent rage does harm to oneself. Your Highness must take care.
Oh, it's you.
Is there a problem?
It's nearly New Year. I have drawn up
the list of gifts for the Emperor and Empress.
I'd like you to review and see if there anything inappropriate.
You know mother's preference.
She is always pleased with your arrangement. Let's just follow your proposal.
Yes.
If our servant fails in their duty,
it's my responsibility.
Please don't be mad because of them.
It wasn't the servants.
His Majesty just issued an imperial edict to reinstate Concubine Yue's status to Noble Consort.
...how's mother?
Mother must be angry.
She's always liked you, you should visit her often
and comfort her on my behalf.
Yes.
That woman may not have succeded
but it's too quick to pardon her.
She was only demoted for a few days and now she's reinstated again.
Are we to be treated so badly in the Capital even though we fought fiercely on the Southern border?
His Majesty did not handle this issue well.
I wasn't around when it happens but I still felt disappointed when I heard about the incident.
The Crown Prince was relieved of all blames on the spot
and even Concubine Yue is reinstated now.
What justice is there?
That's right.
Do you all think that I'm not angry?
It's just that I've given up.
The southern border has been peaceful.
This is the best time to exert their control over military.
Sis, how about this?
I'll go find Mr.Su.
He has many ideas,
let him help you to get back at them.
Finished.
Why are you still idling here?
What do you want me to do?
Didn't you hear the news about reinstating Noble Consort Yue?
His Majesty has issued an imperial edict.
I just came back from Mu Palace
Young Prince Mu was angry that
he almost left teeth marks in his nanmu chair. TN: nanmu - timber from Phoebe zhennan tree
Its easy.
Fei Liu said it.
Nanmu is soft, it's easy to bite.
- You... - Have one.
Don't joke.
xiao-Shu.
Aren't you surprised by the news?
What surprise?
Not matter the severity of the crime, it wasn't directly at his Majesty.
This Emperor of ours never puts the sufferings of other's in mind.
You know this.
It is not necessary to describe his Majesty like this.
Anyway
it's all got to do with the year end ceremony.
What has this incident got to do with the ceremony?
According to routine,
after Crown Prince offered the wine he needs to hold his parent's dress.
That's why Ministry of Rites claim that Noble Consort Yue should be on stage.
Doesn't the Crown Prime have an Imperial Mother?
You don't need to serve me here.
Your mother was just re-instated.
Spend more time with her.
Thank you father.
Father, don't worry. I will offer my apologies to Mu Palace personally.
Why go there?
You never remember.
You are the Crown Prince!
Next in line to the throne, ranked beneath me only.
Understand?
Yes.
You don't have to go to the Mu Palace.
I will send someone.
According to customs, after the Crown Prince offers the wine
he should kneel down and
hold His Majesty, the Emperor and Her Majesty, the Empress's dress.
That's the rightful display of filial piety.
Isn't that right?
But..
But in the past, we've always...
In the past,
she is a Noble Consort of the first rank. Conferred with the 9 bead phoenix crown.
She has the right to stand with Her Majesty at the Emperor's side.
That's why the Crown Prince could hold her dress when he kneels.
That's why everyone thinks that it's rightful.
Even Ministry of Rites, who's most sensitive to customs
didn't raise any issue.
Don't expect others to notice the difference.
The ceremony's routine is so complex.
The exact flow and steps,
the Ministry of Rites must be very clear.
If Minister Chen had already petitioned His Majesty,
I thought he must have his basis for the claim.
Chen Yuanzhi?
Since things have come to this stage,
it seems that we must shake him up a bit as well.
You want to remove him?
Eastern Palace has the advantage now.
You've considered it through?
Have one, it's sweet.
Minister Chen Yuanzhi of the Ministry of Rites is preparing the ceremony grounds
and I have checked his work.
Everything is well done.
Please don't worry.
Good.
I, Tian Dezhi, have a matter to report.
What is it?
I want to complain about Minister Chen.
How dare you!
How can you blabber rubbish on court?
He has the right to complain.
He has yet to talk
and how do you know that he will talk rubbish?
What do you want to complain about Chen Yuanzhi?
As the Minister of Rites,
he knew that the usual routine of the ceremony is wrong
but fails to rectify it.
Allowing a consort to override the Queen's authority.
Eastern Palace, Crown Prince did not show his respect to Her Majesty, that's a no-show of filial piety.
Ministry of Rites never rectify him
and that's outrageous.
Please check the truth and serve the rightful punishment.
Insolence!
Our ceremony has always been arranged by Ministry of Rites.
You are just an inspector, how can you claim that the routine is wrong?
Noble Consort Yue has always followed Palace rules
and I didn't do any wrong either.
Moreover, in His Majesty's precence
you actually tried to frame a Minister!
How audacious of you.
Please be appeased, Crown Prince.
In front of father, we aren't competing on who can talk louder.
I thought his complaints sounds valid.
We should check the matter.
Your Majesty,
Chen Yuanzhi has been a two generation Minister.
He is in-charge of Ministry of Rites for many years.
Is there anyone in court who's
clearer about the rites?
Yes, you are right.
Yes, nobody in court knows more about Rites than Minister Chen.
But our Liang Empire emphasis ruling with civility. How can we not investigate any suspicions.
I believe that clarity cannot be reached without debate.
Since we have disagreement about this,
why don't we invite scholars
to debate with Minister Chen in court.
We shall check if we made any mistakes in our Rites
clarify the hierarchy of the Inner palace
and check if there's any breach of rules in our Rites ceremony.
Jinghuan, are you requesting
for a Court debate?
It's the noble way to allow Confucian scholars to debate on policies.
The First Emperor, Taizong Emperor, Jing Emperor all held such debates in their Court. TN: previous Emperors of the Liang Empire
They are still taught as anecdotes of good governance.
My Lord Father, please grant this request.
Father.
Prince Yu's arguments are sound.
The idea of a Court debate,
Who suggested it to you?
Why?
Is there something not right Imperial Mother?
You forced the decision from his Majesty
it's likely you've angered him.
That harlot, having no respect for me for all these years,
is all because she has his Majesty's favor.
Mr. Su is correct.
We can slowly regain the Emperor's favor,
but if we win this debate
we can suppress Yue's bluster and raise your standings, Imperial Mother.
More importantly
we can use this opportunity bring a thing to the Court's attention.
A thing that people may have overlooked.
What thing?
Everyone has forgotten.
Yue, is a Consort concubine.
The Crown Prince is her son, so he is still the son of a concubine.
Should the Emperor abolish and replace him,
no one needs to feel bewildered.
He is not the oldest nor a son of the Empress,
he's not untouchable.
If it wasn't for my Lady's invitation,
I wouldn't have been able to see such beautiful scenery.
I had been busy with house moving
I hope you don't mind that
I've not had a chance to thank you
for your gifts.
No matter, Mr. Su
My Lady experienced many frustrations
after coming to the Capital.
But you've not complained or shown anger.
MyLady is very gracious.
Perhaps it's because I've seen too many battles.
It is frustrating to see
these people scheming.
So I don't want to think about them at all.
Speaking of places to view plum blossoms,
There are very few places in the capital
that will be better than the Plum Blossom garden in Mu Palace.
Of course there are better places.
Just that, with situation in the Court, not many people
have the leisure to appreciate flowers.
Looks like my Lady still hasn't vented enough
for Noble Consort Yue's scheme
It's not that.
Prince Yu and the Crown Prince's fight for his Majesty's favor is flaring.
I heard that you are involved as well,
so I paid a bit more attention.
What is my Lady's opinion on this?
Who would win this Court debate?
The Empress has no son.
She adopted Prince Yu,
even if he is not the Crown Prince
he still seems,
more noble than others.
That's just in appearance.
There is no son born to the Empress, hence whether it be the Crown Prince, Prince Yu,
Prince Ning or Prince Jing, they're all sons of consorts.
No one is better than the other
in terms of birth rights.
Prince Jing?
Since we'll be vexing her again,
would my Lady like to lend a hand?
I'd like to ask for a favor from Mu Qing
What can Qing-er help you with?
Looks like,
we cannot avoid this Court debate.
Father might look angry
but he still agreed with Prince Yu.
Letting him make all the arrangements.
It's the noble way to allow Confucian scholars to debate on policies.
His Majesty could not refuse.
This 5th brother of mine is quite menacing.
He's certainly prepared for this.
Mother what are we to do.
Since it's a Court debate, who knows who'd win
Why are you loosing your confidence already?
Aye, Mother,
my 5th brother is a fame chaser.
He's always paying respect to those so called scholars.
He spends a lot of effort on these kind of things.
So what.
You are the Crown Prince, You have your status by legislation.
Prince Yu can invite famed Confucian scholars,
so can we.
Mother what are you thinking of
If we spare no expense and not put on airs,
we can find scholars,
just as well.
These are all philosophers of great standing.
They are important guests, host them well.
Yes.
The weather is old and they're all elderly,
make sure we have enough coal
We are very careful, and have made sure of a constant supply of coal.
Good.
You must use Shoujin coal, not Yingxie coal.
Be careful of fumes at night.
Be meticulous with the food and cloths.
- Yes. - Carry on.
Your Highness!
Your Highness.
He invited so many?
Yes.
All the scholars the Crown Prince has invited have arrived. He's housing them in the Eastern Palace.
He not only paid them handsomely,
he's also paying his respect to them everyday.
Xiao Jingxuan is really going all out.
Yes.
The scholars the Eastern Palace has invited are just as strong as ours.
While we are in the right
we annoyed the Emperor this matter.
During the thick of argument
if his Majesty is biased in anyway, even if we don't loose,
things will end up in a mess. Then it'll all be for naught.
I started this matter, and angered his Majesty already
if I don't win, then it'll be more harm than good.
I never expected,
the Crown Prince to gather such a crowd.
I underestimated him.
But the debate is tomorrow and as is
we are on thin ice.
If we could get Master Zhou to come,
would your Highness still be worried?
Master Zhou?
Master Zhou Xuanqing?
That's impossible.
He secluded himself years ago. He does not like matters of the Court,
would not meet any Nobles or Royals.
How are we to get him to come to the Capital?
Nothing is impossible. I heard that Mu Qing has already gone
to Lingyin Temple to invite Master Zhou.
Mu Qing?
You are not the only one unhappy with Noble Consort Yue's re-reinstatement.
Your right.
The Duchess must also be unhappy.
So tomorrow's outcome,
will depend on if Master Zhou accepts our invitation.
With Master Zhou's reputation
if he's willing to assist me there would be nothing to worry about.
But can a kid like Mu Qing
convince Master Zhou?
You might be right,
but let him have a go,
it's not a bad thing anyway.
The old master said, he no longer cares for worldly matters
and will not meet anyone. Please take your leave.
Please don't,
I did not come empty handed.
I have something,
Doesn't matter what you have,
the old master
won't accept it, he won't even look at it.
I'm sure he'll change his mind for this.
This is a signet from a friend of Master Zhou,
you won't recognize it but Master Zhou would.
Show this to him,
I'll wait for you here.
Keep this safe and be careful on the road.
Don't worry older Sister,
I'll head off now.
Lingyin Temple to west of the CapitalZhou Xuanqing
To: Mu Palace of Yunnan General Mu, Duchess NihuangFrom: Chiyan Base, Lin Shu
The handwriting is different
Did I really,
overthink things.
What is your surname, is it Li?
Of course not, my surname is Mu.
I'll go ask again, please wait.
Chief,
the bell has chimed.
Has Mu Qing returned?
Not yet.
Chief, its been so many years,
can a signet really move the old master?
I trust that no matter how many years has passed,
old Master's temperament would not have change.
I just don't know if, Prince Yu
can hold out until then.
Chief,
You know, this pair of hands,
used to bend bows and tame horses.
But now it can only hide in the dark
and stir the pot.
Jingyan, what's the matter
I'm joining the fight
for the Crown.
Are you joining the Crown Prince or Prince Yu?
My own.
I want it.
For elder brother Prince Qi, for xiao-Shu TN: xiao- is a diminuative endearment
for everyone.
I must obtain the Crown.
You've decided then.
Yes.
It's very hard.
I know.
Then go ahead.
But Mother,
Do not be held back by me.
Whether you succeed or fail
as long as we share the burden
what is there to fear?
Your Highness,
You said the person who gave you the jade cicada
will be waiting outside the city gates?
Yes, he said he'll wait for you on your way back to Lingyin Temple,
for a brief meeting.
Master Zhou.
Is this jade cicada yours?
Yes.
Who gave it to you?
It's Li Chong, Master Li who gave it to me.
Please.
Who is Li Chong to you?
I had received teachings under Master Li
At the time, Brother Li held the position of Imperial Tutor,
but he never refused the common folks.
Establishing lecture halls outside the Palace walls,
his pupils are spread across the land.
But there were few students he was proud of.
I've seen all of them.
But you...
I have never met before.