♪The white sail came too late♪
♪Where did he go?♪
♪Snow veils the mountains♪
♪Love endures beyond life and death♪
♪A black chess piece♪
♪Whose game did he stumble into?♪
♪All his life, there's no escape♪
♪In ten thousand years, what will still remain?♪
♪Will anyone still love with an unchanging heart?♪
♪I will remember♪
♪Those days long past♪
♪As the wind drifts with the white sail♪
♪Ten thousand years ago♪
♪Did you once walk this shore?♪
♪Why can't our bond be severed in this life?♪
♪I am lost yet willing♪
♪Still I love you with a steadfast heart♪
♪Until all things fade away♪
♪The stars will remember us♪
[Love & Crown]
[Adapted from the novel "My Queen" by Xie Lounan]
[Episode 26]
The baby...
How is the baby?
Cangcang,
don't worry.
Take good care of yourself.
We'll have another child one day.
♪Sky so vast♪
♪The wild geese cry long♪
♪Tonight my homeland feels as distant as a foreign shore♪
♪Snow so white...♪
I failed to protect him...
♪Half the city in rain half in ruin...♪
It was my fault.
I failed to protect you both.
♪The azure battle flag♪
♪Burning through the war flames for you♪
I don't blame you.
You said...
we'd have another child someday.
As long as...
♪Buried beneath the drifting sand...♪
we...
♪Let love and hate both fade away...♪
we're still together,
we'll get through this.
I'm all right.
♪A few strokes of history's ink♪
♪Who lifts a rusted half broken arrow♪
♪And knows it once belonged to yesterday♪
♪Shot at the moonlight?♪
♪Singing to the boundless sky♪
♪As tears fall in countless lines♪
The Empress is awake.
Good.
She reminded me
that I only have one brother, you.
And that brother
once risked his life
to bring me lifesaving medicine from far away.
So, Your Majesty,
for the sake
of the loyalty I once showed you,
please spare Ying's life.
Rise.
Go to Wuying Hall and pass on my order
and bring Xiao Ying back to the cold palace.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Everyone has someone they care about.
I know you care about Xiao Ying.
But indulging her
isn't truly loving her.
I understand.
As for this matter,
I won't just let it slide.
Why did Xiao Ying change so suddenly?
Why did she never show any sign before?
I believe
none of this is a coincidence.
There must be someone
pulling the strings behind her.
I will get to the bottom of this.
Even if it was my mother who ordered it,
I will not cover for her.
Good.
I expect you to give me an answer.
Ying,
what is going on?
Li Hongqing is just a guard commander.
He's not worthy of you.
The dead are gone.
Why would you seek revenge for him?
Has someone been filling your head
and leading you astray?
This must all be Xiao Huan again!
It's his plot!
What did you say?
The Empress suffered a grave wound
while saving His Majesty.
And the baby...
could not be saved.
Sir...
Sir!
Your Majesty,
the Imperial Father-in-law is in trouble.
Your Majesty,
the Imperial Father-in-law suddenly collapsed.
How is he now?
He's awake now,
but... not doing well.
Is everyone at Fayun Temple useless?
For now, don't tell the Empress.
Her body can't take any more.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Bring Ling Xuefeng back to the Capital.
Find him the best imperial physician.
Do everything you can to save him.
If anything goes wrong,
at least let father and daughter
see each other one last time.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Qianqing,
what did His Majesty say about this?
Will he have Ying executed?
Ying,
tell me the truth.
Did someone egg you on
to try
to assassinate His Majesty?
You don't need to ask her.
She's still not herself.
I'll have someone send calming soup
so she can get some real rest.
This time,
you were wrong.
When you do something wrong,
there is always a price to pay.
Qianqing, what are you saying?
I wanted to pay that price for you.
But His Majesty is right.
Always indulging you...
is not truly loving you.
Qianqing...
the flower is about to bloom...
The flower is about to bloom...
Qianqing,
what are you doing?
I've cut her inner channels.
She can never refine poison again.
Qianqing,
are you out of your mind?
I'm not!
I was the one running away before.
Ying had a miserable childhood.
No one ever taught her right from wrong.
But in this world,
no one can spoil her forever.
Ying...
forgive me...
forgive your brother.
Qianqing!
Xiao Qianqing!
Ying...
it's all right.
It's all right now.
From now on,
you can't make poison.
I'll keep you company in other ways.
I will always...
always stay by your side.
Xiao Qianqing,
tell me,
are you afraid of Wuying Hall now?
Mother,
did you
have anything to do with this?
What did you say?
Did you order Ying
to try to assassinate His Majesty?
Is this how you speak to your mother?
In this palace,
who but you would dare think that way?
Yes!
I wish he would just die right now!
But...
do you really think
I would send Ying to do it?
Her mind is not sound.
She is beyond my control.
If anything went wrong,
Xiao Huan would suspect me first!
Why would I set myself on fire?
And if Xiao Huan survived,
I,
the whole Liu clan,
and you included,
would all be buried with her!
And today,
you question me for Xiao Huan's sake.
Qianqing,
has your heart
already turned to him?
Have you forgotten
the humiliation I suffered back then
and how coldly I was treated?
[Prince of Yuzhang's Manor]
Xiao Qianqing,
I'm back!
Zhong Lin!
I found it!
This method really works?
It has to work.
Though Gold Incense is colorless and tasteless,
the red flying ants that grow on dead branches
of thousand-year-old golden nanmu
will swarm straight to it.
They can sniff it out even from ten zhang away.
I managed to get two of them.
We can give it a try.
You've really helped me a lot this time.
If we can prove my mother is innocent,
I'll make sure she credits you with great merit.
I'm not doing this for your mother.
I'm doing it for you and Ying,
and for Cangcang.
Her baby is just gone.
Whoever is behind this,
I'll drag them out into the light.
His anger at you
was just anger at himself.
Once we catch the culprit,
things will work out.
I know.
Besides,
even if he keeps his distance from you,
you still have me.
Right?
if one day I leave this place
and never return,
who would you choose
between Ling Cangcang and me?
If Cangcang is safe and happy,
that's all I wish for.
As for me,
of course I'll go wherever you go.
I go where my man goes!
Your Majesty.
In the future,
Ying can never refine poisons again.
The venomous insect she used this time
is called Dual-Pupil.
It can rapidly draw out a person's inner power,
but it does severe damage to the mind.
Right now,
Ying only recognizes me.
Whatever I say,
she doesn't really understand.
I can't get any answers out of her.
But on the day she attacked,
her mind was clear.
That's what Dual-Pupil does.
Once it forces out all your potential
and unleashes your power,
you quickly become dull and witless.
Your Majesty,
though my mother raised Ying,
she would never make her
use a secret art that ruins her own body.
If my mother chose to use Ying,
she'd be setting herself on fire.
She's not that foolish.
I truly believe
the one pulling Ying's strings
must be someone else.
I will find them.
But Xiao Ying can't say anything now.
How will you find them?
She finished
breeding this insect long ago.
She even bragged about it to me.
But to get this kind of insect into the body,
you have to take Gold Incense
for several days in a row.
This stuff is highly addictive.
It's worth a fortune.
It's contraband.
It should never appear
inside the palace.
So you already have a plan?
Within five days,
I will get to the bottom of this
and give you an answer.
[Upright and Honorable]
Sir, please don't be angry.
We've been setting this up for so long,
and Xiao Huan is still alive.
On top of that,
I've even lost a grandchild I never met.
How am I supposed to calm down?
But you use this chance to return to the Capital.
And I've helped you quite a bit.
Now that you're back,
we can finally aim for bigger things.
I've already lost my grandchild.
I just want to go back
and see my daughter.
Are you thinking of backing out?
Don't forget:
the Empress losing her child
was partly your doing.
Do you really think you still have a way out?
Commander of the Capital Patrol Office,
Zhang Heng,
please come out.
I heard you two have never gotten along.
Because of you,
Mr. Zhang was demoted three ranks.
He had to start over as a lowly clerk in the North City Patrol
before climbing back up to commander.
And even as commander,
he gave you no end of trouble.
Years ago, he stopped your carriage,
saying you were too extravagant
that your carriage exceeded your rank.
If Sir had really wanted to make things hard for me,
could I have risen safely to commander?
The one playing the game
will sometimes place a hidden piece.
And that hidden piece
often sits at the most critical spot.
Truly,
he is a masterful piece.
Right now,
I've turned the key hidden piece
face up for you to see.
Do you still think
I would back down?
General Lu,
let me remind you of one thing:
the Imperial Preceptor is sacred and untouchable.
The last Imperial Preceptor had a secret affair
and I personally carried out
her sentence of death by fire.
Inside here are red flying ants.
They love the scent of Gold Incense.
If someone has come into contact with it,
even a dozen days later,
the red flying ants can still sniff it out.
This register lists everyone
who has entered or left the cold palace recently.
Once we test them with the ants,
the one behind it all is sure to be exposed.
[Cold Palace Entry Log]
Wufu.
Yes.
Summon Lu Qi.
Yes.
Wait.
Why isn't Lu Qi's name
on this register?
He's Li Hongqing's right-hand man.
That doesn't make sense.
He could've had contact with Xiao Ying too.
That day, the situation in Wuying Hall was deadly dangerous.
Yet he showed up late,
saying he'd suddenly taken ill.
How could it be such a coincidence?
Lu's family has been loyal for generations.
He's an upright man,
even a bit stubborn.
It's hard to believe he'd be bought off.
We'll know
as soon as we test him.
Summon Lu Qi!
Yes.
That's roughly what happened
in the cold palace that day.
It was my failure in duty.
I didn't notice anything unusual about the princess.
It's not your fault.
Any news of Li Hongqing?
None yet.
I've sent more men
to search for Commander Li.
All right.
You may go for now.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Put someone on him.
Check everyone
he came into contact with.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
I'll look into this myself.
I want to see who's really behind this,
whether they're man or ghost.
Your Majesty,
is something weighing on your mind?
Here,
have a candied fruit.
Your Majesty,
have you found the real culprit
behind the princess?
We have a lead,
but nothing is certain yet.
You said
you would never keep anything from me.
All right.
I promise you
I won't hide anything.
But you have to rest
and fully regain your strength.
Otherwise, how can I feel at ease
telling you all these troubles?
I'm almost fully recovered.
Even Physician Li says so.
I can run and jump now.
See for yourself...
All right!
I know.
I know you're back on your feet.
Promise me
that whatever happens,
we'll face it together.
All right.
General Lu.
Open the gate.
Your Highness.
Open the gate.
Trinkets!
Trinkets! Take a look!
Kites! Have a look!
Take a look!
Mother,
which of these two
looks better?
Wrap them up.
- Got it. - Ladies.
Take your time and look around.
Not bad.
Sir, another bowl!
Miss, have a look.
How did Zhang Heng, commander of the Capital Patrol Office,
and Lu Qi, deputy commander of the Imperial Guards,
end up together like that?
[Imperial Assembly Patrol]
[Lu Qi, deputy commander of the Imperial Guards]
[Zhang Heng, commander of the Capital Patrol Office]
The Imperial Assembly patrol
was always handled by Li Hongqing.
Now,
his fate is unknown
and he still hasn't returned.
So the duty has fallen to Lu Qi and Zhang Heng.
Someone's plotting something at the Imperial Assembly?
But who is behind it all?
Lu Qi was the one
who escorted Ling Xuefeng back.
You mean
Ling Xuefeng still won't give up his ambitions?
But Zhang Heng has always been his sworn enemy.
That's why I trusted him so deeply
and put the Capital's defenses in his hands.
But thinking about it now,
if Ling Xuefeng really wanted to block him,
how did Zhang Heng
rise so smoothly to commander?
Could Zhang Heng
have been Ling Xuefeng's secret piece all along?
So,
from Shi Yan's incident,
to Li Hongqing leaving the palace,
to Xiao Ying's attack,
and even Zhang Heng and Lu Qi colluding now,
it was all within his design.
If this really is Ling Xuefeng's work,
his scheming runs too deep
for anyone to see through.
I'll go arrest Zhang Heng and Lu Qi right away,
then find a way to call off the Imperial Assembly.
No need.
I want to see
what he plans to do
at the assembly five days from now.
[Linghe Hall]
Your Majesty.
It's so late.
Why are you still up?
I just saw Zhong Lin and Luo.
Luo said
you told Zhong Lin to bring him here.
Luo Xianxue helped Hongqing save Shi Yan.
I think
he did it all for you.
Calling them into the palace now,
what for?
I want them to protect you.
Since what happened to Hongqing,
there are so few people in the palace I can trust.
I believe
the two of them
would risk their lives to guard you.
[Wuying Hall]
Everything is ready.
If we fail,
we die trying!
All officials of the Imperial Assembly, enter the hall
and pay respects to His Majesty!
Proceed!
At the dawn of a new year,
all things are made new.
We pray Your Majesty
receive Heaven's blessing
and share in its glory!
Stow your tablets!
Kneel!
All hail!
Long live Your Majesty!
You may all rise!
Present your tablets!
By Your Majesty's grace,
in the ninth year of Yongxi, Great Qi is rich and strong.
In the southern provinces, the land is fertile and the waters full.
Though we faced locust plague,
the damage was slight.
Every home has grain stored.
The people are all well fed.
At best, fields yield two dan of grain per mu.
As for the remaining details,
[Memorial] I've set them out in full
for Your Majesty's review.
Such prosperity
is thanks to all you ministers.
What Great Qi seeks
is not short-term gain.
I hope you will all work as one,
abolish outdated rules,
and push forward new policies.
Let the brave know righteousness,
and the wise cherish benevolence.
We will heed your teachings!
Imperial Preceptor Du has prepared Tusu wine for everyone.
Let's all raise a toast
to Great Qi's future,
with fair winds and timely rain,
and a peaceful, prosperous people!
How could this cup of wine
possibly go
without me?
Ling Xuefeng,
you dare commit treason!
So you've been planning this for a long time, Sir.
Since you've come today,
I'm sure
you have plenty to say.
Of course.
Today I came
to ask just one thing:
Without the full support
of the Ling clan and me,
what right or ability did you have
to sit securely on the throne?
So,
you want to take it for yourself?
I have no wish to usurp you.
But I have already received an imperial edict.
It states His Majesty is gravely ill with a cold illness,
and thus
he has passed the throne to the prince in the Empress's womb.
He orders me to bear the imperial seal,
ascend to the Taiji Hall,
assist the new emperor,
share in handling state affairs,
and oversee the realm and armies.
This minister
dares not refuse.
Why didn't I know
about this edict?
Because...
during today's court session,
you will suddenly be taken ill
and die.
You're that sure
everything will go your way today?
The hearts of men are with me.
Good.
Very good.
So,
you'd planned ahead all along.
I've already spent the night
replacing the Imperial Guards with my own men.
In fact, I could've taken down
the Capital Patrol commander earlier.
But...
I wanted to see
just how many people in this court
truly stand
on your side.
Now that you've seen it for yourself,
allow me
to send Your Majesty on your way.
♪Who walks lone through storm and snow♪
♪Reading every warmth and chill♪
♪Of the heart?♪
♪Who stands proud against a thousand weights♪
♪Grace only a mask he wears?♪
♪My blade sweeps the heavens♪
♪Blood once drenched♪
♪My armor and charging steed♪
♪I know what it means to let go♪
♪When to step in, when to hold back♪
♪A broken blade cuts through♪
♪Years of winter and summer♪
♪Enemy flags burn to ash like gauze♪
♪Yet my heart still bears the scars of rise and fall♪
♪I'm willing to wield my sword with you and burn the waning moon♪
♪I'm willing to brave all storms with you, boiling with passion♪
♪I'm willing to break my wings and become the blade in your hand♪
♪I'm willing to write with you this torn, enduring page of history♪
♪I'm willing to travel thousands of miles, seeking your ambition♪
♪I'm willing to give my life to keep you safe for a lifetime♪
♪I'm willing to sing through every farewell and wait for you another thousand years♪