[MULTISUBup]EP12/33 嫁金釵 Where the Mask Ends|Tian Xi Wei/Yan An|杨龙执导|周末编剧|田曦薇/闫桉领衔主演|王一楠/尹文萱/毛林林/孔琳/恬妞/代高政/杨青/李佑川/潘珺雅等特别出演|优酷

‪ADAPTED FROM ‪JIA JIN CHAI‪, ORIGINAL NOVEL ‪BY XIAOJIAREN ON JINJIANG LITERATURE CITY Lady Li, the Empress Dowager has urgently summoned Noble Lady Wu'an. If Her Majesty discovers the truth, Lady Rao will surely be charged with deceiving the sovereign. I know I've sinned. I deserve death! Good. If you confess and name the mastermind, I can show leniency and spare your life. Her Majesty is seeing Noble Lady Wu'an. - Your Ladyship, please wait here. - Noble Lady Wu'an is here. Her Majesty will surely summon Her Ladyship. Step aside at once. I previously insisted that Han Liao answer for his frame-up, CHANGLE PALACE which inevitably implicated Prince Rong and incurred Your Majesty's wrath. I deeply regret it. But the Lu family has served with utter devotion and is revered by the people. If such a treacherous villain went unpunished, loyal ministers and generals would lose heart, and both imperial dignity and the law would be undermined. His Majesty set aside family ties and ruled impartially. That is true concern for his brother, sparing Prince Rong from condemnation by the people. You certainly have a glib tongue. That's not what I'm asking about. - So that's what this is about. - What is? Before I came to the palace, the Duke summoned me personally. Fearing Your Majesty might turn your anger on me, he insisted on bringing the entire Lu clan to the palace gates to seek justice. I reassured him that Your Majesty was wise and magnanimous, that you knew His Majesty's judgment was farsighted, so you wouldn't possibly punish an innocent woman over this one case. What's all this nonsense you're going on about? Well said. Step aside. Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy endless joy. You've only just been made Lady of Bright Deportment, and already you've forgotten your bounds. You even dare to barge into my palace now? Your Majesty, I heard Noble Lady Wu'an was suddenly summoned to the palace. I assumed Your Majesty took pity on us, mother and daughter, for being apart for so many days, and called her here so we could reunite. I was so delighted that I forgot my manners. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Since you're here, stay and listen. Lately, in the capital, a rumor has been spreading wildly. Someone secretly reported that the Wei family used a lowborn girl to impersonate a noblewoman and fraudulently obtain titles and rewards while deceiving the sovereign. I'm innocent! Your Majesty, I'm innocent! Even censors identify themselves when bringing charges at court. This accusation was made anonymously. A malicious scoundrel must be behind it! I don't even need Your Majesty to hint at it. I know who made the accusation. It must be that villain Han Liao, holding grudges, - who fabricated these charges! - You… To find excuses to search the Lu's ancestral temple, he had forced someone to make all kinds of false accusations against me. The men of the Lu family were outraged, which is why he received such a beating. My birth father died for the country, and his name will be honored for generations. The Lu family is also famed throughout the realm for generations of loyalty. How dare that villain utter such vile slander? I will never let him off! Your Majesty, just summon that villain here. I'll confront him face-to-face. If a single word he says in this hall is false, please clear my name and put justice above kinship by sentencing him to death! His Majesty knew I had been wronged, so he sentenced that man to hard labor. He bowed and begged for mercy. He even offered gold to buy his way out. So it was all an act. How I regret it. Had I known he was still scheming and utterly unrepentant, I shouldn't have held back with that cauldron. I should've just smashed that villain to death with it. Who knows how many lives would've been saved? Outrageous! Exactly! Outrageous! What a treacherous, shameless villain! No wonder Your Majesty is indignant on my behalf. Everyone knows Your Majesty is wise and just, never showing favoritism. You would never believe his slander against an innocent woman. When I next see His Majesty, I'll lodge a serious complaint against him and have him flogged half to death! I've been falsely accused and lost my composure. Please forgive me! - You… - You silly girl, you're far too guileless. Get up. Her Majesty summoned you simply because she wanted to meet the newly titled Noble Lady Wu'an. She was only testing your nerve just now. The memorials denouncing the Han family weigh over 120 jin. The Xuanshi Palace can barely hold them all. If Han Liao dares slander you again, His Majesty will surely punish the Han family severely. Rao, His Majesty has made you a Noble Lady. You should go thank him for his grace. After paying my respects to Your Majesty, I should indeed go to Xuanshi Palace to thank His Majesty. Lady Li, you've grown very bold. You're even giving orders in my palace now? I wouldn't dare. Please instruct me, Your Majesty. I'm tired. Thank you for the gift, Your Majesty. All this noise is giving me a headache. Take your daughter and go. - Thank you, Your Majesty. - Thank you, Your Majesty. CHANGLE PALACE Mother, you never should've listened to Han Liao's slander. He stormed the Lu family's ancestral temple and was beaten half to death. The entire capital sees him as a joke now. I summoned that Wei Rao because I wasn't sure whether to believe it. Lady Li and her daughter don't look much alike. They say Lady Wei Rao takes after her father. She must resemble her father's side of the family. That rude and uncouth manner of hers, that willful, arrogant tone, and her deceitful, scheming nature… She's exactly like that woman. Shameless and impossible to reason with. She must be her own daughter. There's no evidence at all. Mother, don't let the Han family drag you into this mess. Think about it. If that girl weren't Lady Li's daughter, why would she rush over to help? From now on, if Han Liao comes spouting nonsense again, just have him thrown out. Those two women are equally insufferable. Don't let either of them in again. Things have gone too far to undo. This is all your fault. At this point, the marriage alliance between Wei and Lu is in name only. My daughter no longer needs a husband from the Lu family. But you will have to pay for this. If I truly decide to act, don't think Lu Zhuo can protect you. What do you intend to do, Your Ladyship? You're a clever girl. You've hidden your mother and your siblings very well. Your mother has had tuberculosis for over ten years. She's gravely ill. There are very few people in the world who can treat her. Medicinal herbs that can prolong her life are rarer still. With those two clues, I can certainly find her even if it means searching high and low. Within a month at most, I'll have your mother brought to the capital to see you one last time. How does that sound? Your Ladyship, you're forcing me to kill myself. But seeing what happened in the hall today, you know the situation perfectly well. If you insist on fighting me to the bitter end, someone else may reap the benefit. A torn net can be mended, but a life lost can't be restored. Even if this reaches His Majesty, with the position I hold today, I can certainly protect my daughter. But in this world, who would come for you? And who could save you? Your days are numbered. Take your own life and at least leave your body intact. XIANZHUANG These pastries are delicious. I brought them especially for you. I don't want any. Look at you. You've been at this country estate less than half a month, and you've been this skinny. Just listen to me and come home with me. Go home? So they can lock me up again and make me live like a dog? That heartless old woman keeps siding with outsiders. In all the time I've been at Xianzhuang, has she even asked about me once? I see her for what she is now. All she cares about is reputation and status. She's terrified I'll tarnish the family's good name and has no affection for me as a granddaughter at all. She expects me to go back and apologize? In her dreams. All right, all right. We won't go back. Grandmother may have wronged you, but I've always doted on you. Then would you defy that old woman for me? My child, what wouldn't I do for you? Your father and I were twins. We were much closer than ordinary siblings. After he died, I swore never to celebrate my birthday again. I also keep a vegetarian diet and pray for him. You know I've never been blessed with children, so I've long seen you as my own child. What is there I wouldn't do for you? Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll always stand firmly by your side. Aunt Heng'e, you're the one who loves me most. Seeing you like this breaks my heart. I made all these pastries myself. Promise me you'll eat a little, all right? - Grandmother. - Sit. Look into that girl named A-Chou. I've already investigated her background. No. Investigate again. Don't just investigate her. Look into her parents and younger siblings too. Find out where the family moved from, what trade they lived by, and which households they worked for. The people in that compound may be gone, but her family lived in the capital for years, so there must be traces left behind. I want every household checked thoroughly. Don't miss a single detail. Understood, Grandmother. Do it yourself. Remember, not a word of this can get out. Most importantly, don't let Rao know. XIANZHUANG You two, keep watch on the Earl of Cheng'an's Residence. - The rest of you, come with me. - Yes. Brother Jue, why are you out here? Didn't Grandmother keep telling you to stay in more and avoid drawing attention? Aren't they all household servants here? You handpicked reliable people beforehand. Nothing can go wrong. Besides, I'm wearing a veil. I'm only taking a stroll in the garden. What could possibly happen? You forbid me from doing this and that. I'm about to die from boredom. Fine. As long as you don't leave Xianzhuang, you may walk around as you please. You seem to be in a hurry, Brother Jue. Where are you going? It's the eighth month. Taxes to collect in the countryside and household registers to verify. There's a lot to do. I'm taking some men to help. I have to go. Let's go. Yufeng. I was just going to see Mother. Would you like to come with me? Come with me. Everyone, leave us. You've been coming here every day to pester Mother, weeping and begging her to bring Rao back. But you suddenly stopped coming these past few days. I'm almost not used to it. May I ask what you've been busy with? Who upset you, Yufeng? I'll have them beaten up for you. I went to Xianzhuang to see Rao. How foolish! Yufeng, what did I do? You're all so heartless, leaving Rao there and ignoring her. She's my brother's only child, after all. I'm her aunt. Who could fault me for visiting and comforting her? Xianzhuang belongs to the Zhou family, after all, and everyone there answers to Lady Li. The more often you visit and the closer you seem to Rao, the more danger you put her in. Yufeng, aren't you being a little alarmist? That woman is far away in the palace. Her reach can't extend that far. How could she know so much? Have you forgotten? There's also the calculating Lady Shou'an! She rose from an ordinary peasant woman to a titled lady with a fief. She's not as foolish as you. If she notices even the slightest irregularity, both you and your precious Rao will be in grave danger! Yufeng, didn't you say we wouldn't mention what happened back then again? My Lady, the Dowager Lady wishes to see you. Remember what I told you. Be cautious in everything you say and do. Don't act rashly. Every word you said came from the heart. I'll remember it all. My Lady, this month's accounts have been checked. Please take a look. I'll look at them when I return. No. If Madam finds out what happened back then, she'll never spare me. I have to avoid this disaster. Is the ginseng soup a little bitter? Don't hide anything from me if you truly wish to be filial. Mother, are your eyes getting better? You Ladyship, Imperial Physician Liu performed cataract couching with a gold needle and prescribed Dendrobium Vision Pills. It's been half a month since the procedure. This morning, the Dowager Lady said her vision suddenly cleared, and she could finally see again. I've been worried every day that Imperial Physician Liu was too young and might have harmed you by acting too hastily. Don't change the subject. I'm asking you whether anything else has happened lately. Isn't your recovery wonderful news for the entire Wei family? I'll call Heng'e in - so she can share the joy. - Stop. I'm asking about Wei Rao, the new bride of the Duke of Ying's household, whom His Majesty just made Noble Lady Wu'an. I just didn't want to disturb your recovery. The Empress Dowager summoned Noble Lady Wu'an. Mother, forgive me for speaking plainly. We've all done our utmost to conceal the truth, but we're only fooling ourselves. Once word reaches His Majesty, it will be beyond repair. With the favor Lady Li enjoys, she may protect Rao, but no more. Besides, our family has already fallen out with her. For the sake of her own daughter's life, I'm afraid she won't help us and may even turn on us while we're vulnerable, making our whole family the scapegoat. Mother, we need to decide soon. I've lived my whole life openly and honorably with nothing to hide. I never imagined I'd raise someone who could bring ruin upon the entire clan. Keep everyone in this household silent. If anyone breathes a word of this, don't blame me for being merciless. Yes. Governess Wang. Yes. Go to the Duke of Ying's Residence yourself and deliver something for me. Yes. Has Lady Lu returned? Her Ladyship is… His Lordship had been waiting for Her Ladyship. He even rushed to the palace gates to meet her. But she'd already left, so he hurried back. Can't you read the situation? HERITAGE PRESERVED, GOODNESS PROCLAIMED You still have time to…? What are you two hiding for in broad daylight? ‪Shh. All right, stop staring. Let's go. Let's leave. You too. Stop looking. Come on. You wicked woman. My Lord. My Lord… My Lord, General Qi is here. Long afternoon naps could bad for her. Have a maid wake her in a little while. Where's Noble Lady Wu'an? When I left just now, she was still napping on the couch. Don't play games with me. I have serious business with her. Talking to me works just as well. Lu Zhuo, you and I both know Wei Rao is the one registered in your family genealogy. Her birth details and background must match that identity. As for the woman inside, strictly speaking, she isn't really your wife. I'll be frank with you. The Hans may give up the title deeds, but still held on to the lands or tenants. Han Liao is vicious. He's seized control of the only irrigation channel. With the water cut off, the crops are about to die. Tell me that isn't serious. This is a matter for men to settle. Why involve her? I'll go with you. Aren't you coming? Your days are numbered. Take your own life and at least leave your body intact. Those maids are far too lazy. I was only gone for a moment, and they just let Your Ladyship sleep under the sun? Your face is all red. Don't blame them. I like it. You can't do this again. Noble ladies have delicate skin and can't take too much sun. Back when I was little, other children, though poor, got to grow up in their mothers' arms and on their fathers' shoulders. But for as long as I can remember, my Ma never kissed me or held me. Whenever I was cold and hungry, I'd lie in the sunshine, pretending Ma was holding me. It always made me feel warmer. Once I'd gathered enough strength, I could get back up again. My Lady, Old Madam Wei sent this. She said it must be delivered to you personally. This is… Old Madam Wei gave me this when I visited, and when I left, I gave the jade pendant back. Her second son left it for his daughter. Why would Old Madam Wei send you this jade pendant? Her son's untimely death is the one thing she can never move on from. She can't forgive her own granddaughter for breaking faith and putting the whole family on the brink of disgrace and ruin. Still less can she bear for her son, who died on the battlefield, to become a laughingstock. She's telling me she'll help me. Lady Li may be powerful, but her reputation is not that well. Old Madam Wei also hates her bitterly and won't make things easy for her. As long as you deny it to the bitter end, with Old Madam Wei vouching for you, there is still room to turn this around. Unless I'm willing to sacrifice Ma and Hongxian's lives. There will always be a way out. I'll find a way. Let me think. Just let me think. Follow her. Keep a close watch on her. Rest assured, Madam. Let go of me! Let go! Who sent you? I have money… And who are you people? I've started going gray. The only comfort is that you can no longer see it. Forgive me, Madam! Madam, that old woman really was harboring other intentions. Afraid what happened back then would come to light and implicate her, she fled the residence in the middle of the night. I sent men to seize her, but someone else abducted her on the way. Lady Shou'an really is an old fox. She's grown suspicious already. Send someone to Xianzhuang at once. Give Lady Rao a message for me. You're Lady Guo's most trusted governess. Why did you flee the Earl of Cheng'an's Residence at night? Master Huo, my husband fell ill at my country home and sent word asking me to come and see him. It happened just as the household began auditing the accounts, and Madam runs a strict household. How could a servant like me ask for extended leave? I slipped out quietly, intending to visit my husband, then return and apologize. Please show me mercy and let me go. Our families were related by marriage. I wouldn't dare harbor a runaway servant. Tie her up and send her back at once. Wait, Master Huo! {\an8}I'll tell you the truth! {\an8}I'll tell you everything, Master Huo. You get one chance. I know a shocking secret. It concerns the lives of my whole family. I dare not let word of it get out, unless… unless I can speak to Lady Shou'an herself. Otherwise, Master Huo, even if you have me beaten to death, I won't dare breathe a word. What secret could be so grave that you must tell my grandmother in person? I'm afraid once you hear it, you'll be too shocked to stay on your feet. HERON LODGE Has Grandmother gone to bed? Grandmother was afraid I'd be bored, and invited me to play weiqi. She's such a terrible player, yet she never admits defeat. She got tired just now, so she finally sent me away. Something urgent, Brother Jue? There's a problem with the estate accounts. I'll check with her in the morning. You've doted on me since we were little, but somewhere along the way, you've grown distant from me. Now you're even keeping things from me. I'm not trying to hide anything from you. It's just… Fine. Come with me. Brother Jue. If you trust me, let me question her alone. - But I promised Grandmother… - Brother Jue, that old woman has always been sly and devious, Cheats above, hides below. Full of lies. She always used to side with my third sister, Wei Chan. Knowing I had no parents to protect me, she'd constantly speak ill of me to Grandmother. Now she's demanding to see my maternal grandmother. Who knows what lies she'll tell about me? I need to question her first. I tried both coaxing and threatening, yet I still couldn't get a word out of her. How do you plan to question her? I have my ways. Don't worry, Brother Jue. You should go. Go on. If you don't, I'll get angry. You two, keep an eye on that old woman inside. Don't let her hurt Her Ladyship. - Yes. - Yes. Take her to the rear hill. I said I want to question her alone. Don't you understand? - Understood. - Understood. Lady Rao. My Lady… Please spare me, My Lady! My Lady… Please spare me! I don't want to die. You've served Aunt Yufeng for so many years. You should know how domineering I can be. Every insolent old servant in the household has learned to obey me. Answer what I ask you today and tell me the truth. If a single word is false, I'll slice off your flesh and feed it to the wolves. What secret were you going to tell my maternal grandmother? Nothing. I wouldn't dare… If you still won't talk, I'll aim it at your eyes. I'll talk! I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything! My Lady, back then… when you went missing at the lantern market, it was Lady Heng'e who had you abandoned! Nonsense! - Aunt Heng'e has always treasured me… - I swear to Heaven! Wet Nurse Zhang, who carried you out that day, had been bribed by her. I saw it with my own eyes. Pick one. - Pick one for the child. - Do you like it? - Bravo! - Bravo! YOUNG WEI RAO Which one do you like? Lady Rao's shoe is missing. Split up and look for it. - My Lady, have another look. - Quick! Search around the back. You two, come with me over there. - All right. - Search over there. - Let's go this way. - Come take a look. Bravo! Pick one. This shoe is quite nice. Lady Rao! Lady Rao, where are you? Lady Rao! Lady Rao! The Dowager Lady reported it to the authorities. Everyone in the city was talking about it. The wet nurse and the guard fled for fear of punishment and ran into bandits at the South Mountain. Both got what they deserved and died. Neither survived. Why would Aunt Heng'e do that? Your aunt blamed your mother for your father's death on the battlefield, so… She acted rashly in a moment of anger. Fortunately, you were blessed with good fortune and were eventually found again. Your aunt deeply regretted it and tried her best to make amends. I'm only a servant. How could I dare say anything more? You insisted on seeing my maternal grandmother just to tell her this? You kept silent all these years. Why speak up now? My Lady, there's something you don't know. I… I've always had a gambling problem. I was short of money recently and stole some gold items from Lady Guo. Now Madam has started asking questions, so I hoped to use this secret to get some travel money from Lady Shou'an and return home. Please show mercy, My Lady. Please spare me! Please don't tell Lady Heng'e. She'll beat me to death. I only wanted to swindle some money. I never meant to hurt anyone. My Lady, please let me go home. I'll kowtow to you! Please let me go home! - My Lady… - You're scared over something so small? - Get up. - Yes. I'll give you some money. Go home on your own. You're so merciful, Lady Rao. You're a living bodhisattva! My Lady… You're lying to me. I'm not. - Please, My Lady! - Help! - Help! - I did nothing! Help! Please don't, My Lady! I didn't do anything! Hurry and report this to Master Huo. - Go! - I didn't mean to do this. - Yes. - I didn't mean to do this. Aunt Yufeng said you were going to complain about me to my maternal grandmother. Whatever you planned to tell her, I won't allow it. Since you won't tell me the truth, then you can die. DUKE'S RESIDENCE Those scoundrels dared to ambush us? I'll bash his head in tomorrow. Easy! Can't you go back to your own residence to have that treated? Have you no heart? Forgot how I got hurt? My Lady, please wait. His Lordship isn't inside. Didn't he just return from Mount Yaowang? I have urgent matters to talk to him. My Lady, His Lordship really isn't inside. I didn't know General Qi was here. Forgive the intrusion. No harm done. It was an honest mistake. What is it? All right, I'm dressed. I heard there was trouble at the foot of Mount Yaowang. I came to ask what happened. It's just displaced people causing trouble. It'll be settled within a couple of days. You needn't worry. Those people aren't honest farmers who lost their land. Han Liao incited the local thugs among them to seize the fields. Farmers can't work on it. He even had the only irrigation channel blocked. With the water cut off, people and livestock will die of thirst, and the crops can't be watered. Qi Zhongkai and I went there today. Han Liao kept hiding and refused to face us, using the displaced people as human shields. If he'd fight me head-on, I wouldn't be afraid. But Lu Zhuo kept holding me back, leaving me unable to fight properly, and I ended up getting hurt. I've never suffered such humiliation even on the battlefield. How could I not stop you? Those people may be carrying hoes and machetes, but they're still civilians. Farm tools aren't weapons of war. You're a battle-hardened general. You don't know your own strength. Injured even one of them, and you'll fall right into Han Liao's trap. Then he'll step forward to seek justice for them and accuse Noble Lady Wu'an of killing civilians. You'll have dragged her into trouble. Thank you, Lord Lu, for thinking of me and putting up with that villain. And thank you, General Qi, for standing up for me. I won't forget your kindness. Enough complimenting him. Han Liao puts the displaced out front and hides behind, raking in the benefits. Brute force alone won't solve this. Then I'll report him to His Majesty! - No, we can't. - No, we can't. Absolutely not. I may know little about politics, but I've heard Mother say that since ancient times, only daughters of princes could be made Noble Ladies. I was granted the title so suddenly that people are bound to question it. If I take this local unrest to His Majesty, people will only say I'm talentless and unfit - for such responsibility. - But you… Your good deeds won you those lands and tenants, and His Majesty bestowed that title on you. But… …whether you can be a good female thane ultimately depends on your own ability. A female thane. I like the sound of that. Quick, fetch the physician! Yes. What exactly happened? This old woman fled in the middle of the night. She must have stolen from my family. I only meant to frighten her a little. I said I'd turn her over to the authorities and have her given 30 strokes. Then she turned vicious and tried to kill me. We struggled, and she lost her footing and tumbled down the slope. If you don't believe me, ask him. Yes. We saw it with our own eyes. That woman pulled a knife and tried to harm Her Ladyship. Brother Jue, she's a runaway servant from the Wei family. If you harbor her without permission and my grandmother finds out, there'll be trouble, and it'll only deepen the rift between our two families. In my view, we should carry her back to the Wei Residence and hand her over to Aunt Yufeng. What rift? Grandmother. Didn't you go to bed already? What brought you here? Brother Jue caught a runaway servant from the Wei family. I was just urging him to send her back. The Wei family really is looking for her. Rao questioned her in private, but the woman panicked and lost her footing on the steep slope. Now she looks close to death. Grandmother… Let me see her. Grandmother, the smell of blood is strong in here. I'm afraid it may upset you. Why don't we wait until the physician has checked on her? Then I'll let you know. I know you're concerned for me. But I have weathered more storms than you can imagine. Do you think this can frighten me? Do you have something to say? Lady Shou'an is here. Say whatever you want to say. She… She's an impostor. ‪NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED ‪IN THE MAKING OF THIS SHOW