[MULTISUBup]EP21/33 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 Your Ladyship. There's been a murder at the estate. We should turn the suspect over to the authorities. Even if we question the suspect, vigilante justice is not permitted. Why not? Your Ladyship, this is your land. AS THE SUN RISES Even the local officials need your permission before they can arrest a suspect here. Feng Sheng, what if you hand over the suspect and someone kills him to keep him quiet? There's more to this than meets the eye. We need to question more than just the craftsmen. Every maid serving Her Ladyship must be questioned, too. I don't know anything! I don't know anything! - I don't know anything! - I'm innocent! I'm innocent! Gejin, you share a room with Chilan. She never came back last night. And you didn't notice? Your Ladyship, Chilan, Siyu, and I share a room. Chilan was supposed to be on night patrol. When I got up last night, she wasn't there. I just assumed she was still on duty. Chilan is very hardworking. Even when she's not on duty, she often goes out alone at night to inspect every corner of the estate. She checks that the tea room stove is out. She's the last to bed and first to rise. But somehow, she… Question all of you together, and we'll find out, won't we? We've gotten to the bottom of it. A bandit had slipped into the estate. He was stealing valuables when Chilan caught him, so he killed her. Just a bandit? That's all? What else could it be? We've taken in so many refugees. All sorts of people have come here. I've ordered the steward to question every refugee. We can't let another thief slip in. You're dismissed. You two may leave as well. Wei Rao, there's something important you need to see tonight. Tonight? Yes. We'll go after dark. They're copper coins. The craftsman named Ben is actually a servant of the Han family. Once the edict came down, the estate changes hands. the Hans only had time to move some of their wealth. He was ordered to stay behind and guard what was left in the vault. Last night, he crawled out of the cellar and ran into Chilan. Afraid she'd discover his secret, he killed her without mercy. The Han family! Again! It was so dark. Chilan might not have seen a thing. But they knew they were guilty. They'd rather kill an innocent than take a chance. And Chilan wasn't his only victim. There are two more bodies buried in the woods southeast of the fields. Seven days ago, a father and son caught him contacting someone outside, so he killed them. If Chilan's body hadn't surfaced, even more innocent people would have died. Zhao Bai. Go see what else is in there. Carry these two chests out first. My Lord, there are over a dozen more chests inside. No wonder Han Liao wouldn't leave us alone. So that's what he was after. What are you going to do with it? Isn't it obvious? We've taken in so many refugees. The court's aid barely covers anything. Clearing new farmland won't feed them right away. We have so many hungry mouths to feed. The Han family's fortune… It was all stolen from the people. What's wrong with giving it back to them? Even if you kept every last coin, would the Han family dare report you? - They'd have to swallow the loss. - Qi Zhongkai. Don't act so noble. Who'd willingly give away a fortune in gold? Only a complete fool! Wei Rao. This money could feed and support your people. Han Liao wouldn't dare openly demand the gold back. But he won't just let it go. If you want to keep this gold, we'll need a clever plan. Move these gold bars out of the cellar in batches. Make sure no outsiders find out. Then seal up the piles of copper coins exactly as they are. So this vault contains only gold and copper coins? Nothing else? What else would there be? We can make sure there will be. Zhao Bai, I need you to do something. Yes, My Lord. What are you two being so mysterious about? There's nothing I love more than gold. Lord Han has given me such a generous gift. It's only right that I return the favor. And the gift I have for him… I hope he can handle it. By the heir's orders, no one may approach the cellar from this day forward! Violators will face military punishment. Yes! What if Her Ladyship finds out? No. I can't stay here any longer. Lady Li heard what happened at my estate. She worried I might be short on reliable help, so she sent Aman to me. From now on, she'll take Chilan's place. You'll all follow her orders. Yes, Your Ladyship. Gejin. Aman is new here. Make sure you show her the ropes. Yes, Your Ladyship. His Majesty is visiting Shanglin Park today. I must go there as well. You all stay and look after the estate. Now, get back to work. - Yes, Your Ladyship. - Yes, Your Ladyship. Your Ladyship, the compensation for Chilan's family has been delivered as you instructed. Aman. I can't trust the people at this estate. There's someone I need you to keep an eye on. I've lost contact with my spy. I trust you can tell me what happened at the estate. Her Ladyship had a craftsman arrested. He… he killed Chilan. Then why are you running? Please don't kill me, My Lord! I'll tell you everything! Tell me everything Her Ladyship has been doing. Don't leave out a single detail. ZHAO That's amazing. - Yes, indeed. - Bravo. - They've got some real tricks! - Good moves! Bravo! - Look at that! - Wow! - That's amazing! - This one's beautiful, too! - Bravo! - Bravo! Such incredible strength! Reward him! - Enemies! - Father! Enemies! Kill! - Your Majesty! - Protect His Majesty! Charge! - Protect His Majesty! - Your Majesty, watch out! - Protect His Majesty! - Protect His Majesty! Mother! Shuo! Go! I failed in my duty. Forgive me for putting you in danger, Your Majesty. It was a test. A test for the princes. FURONG HALL DEW AND BLOSSOMS - Leave us. - Yes, Your Highness. Mother. These are all rewards from Grandmother and Father. But how did you know it was a test? For the past six months, officials have repeatedly urged His Majesty to name a crown prince. Of His Majesty's four sons, Prince Jing was adopted by the Empress. He has the advantage of being the eldest. But when it comes to governing and military strategy, he's nowhere near your equal. Prince Fu has used the Wang family's wealth and influence to win over many court officials who now speak on his behalf. Liu Shuo is the youngest, and he's reckless and unruly. On the surface, he seems the least fit to inherit the throne. But he happens to have a mother who enjoys the Emperor's favor. The court officials can't agree, and His Majesty struggles to decide. Your uncle has been watching closely for unusual activity in the palace and army. He knew His Majesty would put the princes to the test. When I become crown prince, I'll never forget all my grandfather and uncle have done for me. Did you see that clearly? Lady Li had eyes for no one else. She went straight for Liu Shuo? The assassins were after the throne. Liu Shuo was too close to the danger, and Wei Rao was too far away. Then you don't understand people at all. A child abandoned by her mother would never forgive her a second time. It looks like Zhaoyang Palace is in for another family feud. Yes. You're very wise, Mother. Be gentle. Ow! That hurts… SPLENDID AS BLOSSOMS What did His Majesty say? He's ordered that no one be allowed to see him. How is it? Come here. Let Mother have a look. It hurts. His Majesty really went too far. If he wanted to test his sons' character, he should've warned us first. Look what he's put you through. My poor boy! If he'd practiced his fighting skills, he could've been the hero today. Lady Li, you keep spoiling your son without thinking about the trouble ahead. His Majesty refuses to see anyone. He must be upset about what happened. Shuo is still so young. He's your own brother. Instead of worrying about his safety, all you can think about is scheming. Besides, His Majesty deliberately tested them by ordering the guards to lower their defenses. The men they let in were desperate killers. And you still wanted him to play the hero? You might as well wish him dead! You're so petty, Rao. You're just jealous. It was dangerous out there, and you were too far away. How could Mother possibly get to you? If I'd been the one in danger, would Lady Li have left her son to save me? Mother, she resents you. She's never been on our side. What did I do to deserve this? I only scolded Shuo for being lazy and refusing to practice. GREAT BLESSINGS, SPRING'S GRACE She accused me of being petty and resenting my own brother. She abandoned me when I was little. And when danger struck, she forgot about me again. Am I not her own flesh and blood? How can a mother favor one child so much? Rao. Today, His Majesty turned Lady Li away outside Xuanshi Palace. Then the Empress Dowager summoned her for a scolding, accusing her of raising her son poorly. She even said that once the Fourth Prince recovers, he'll be sent to the army for training. Lady Li was just upset, so she took it out on you. He's utterly incompetent! Lady Zheng, you heard her yourself. She blames me for everything Shuo did wrong. Well, Shuo has always lived with his mother. He's still young, so naturally she dotes on him. As his older sister, you'll have to be understanding. It breaks my heart to see a mother and daughter at odds. Here's what we'll do. I'll host a banquet tomorrow and invite Lady Li. I'll help you two make peace. A mother and daughter shouldn't stay angry. Surely talking it out will settle things. Thank you, Lady Zheng. No mother loves all her children equally. The one she raised herself will naturally be her favorite. But she's still your mother. Say a few kind words to her, and she'll come around. Unlike me. Being a royal daughter-in-law isn't easy. I have to watch every word around my mother-in-law. I can't afford a single mistake. When I first married into the family, she looked down on my humble background. I had no powerful father or brothers to support me. She found fault with everything I did. Fortunately, later on… What happened later? Master Min, who makes immortality elixirs for the Empress Dowager, gave me a talisman. It's meant to mend ties between in-laws and keep husbands and wives from arguing. Did it work? You've been separated from your family since childhood. Your family ties have always been fragile. So I got you a talisman to strengthen family bonds. May it help you and your mother reconcile. Life rarely goes the way we want. You need to let go of your resentment and open yourself up to better things. Please don't be stubborn and turn against your mother. She's the one you can truly rely on. I understand. Thank you, Shu. JOY AND PEACE Your Ladyship. Your Ladyship, it's a talisman for family harmony. It's common among folks. Nothing harmful about it. That's a relief. Lady Zheng is hosting a banquet tomorrow. I must go to the palace. Hurry up. Go on. This pair of jade pendants was a gift from His Majesty years ago. I'd like you two cousins to have them. Consider it my way of thanking Princess Consort Duan for helping us reconcile. Lady Li, you're too kind. I don't deserve such praise. Rao is my own cousin. I only want what's best for her. We may have kept Rao's past from others, but there's no hiding it from you two. My daughter was brought back from outside the palace. There are many court rules she doesn't know. I'm grateful Lady Zheng has taken her under her wing. I should be the one thanking you. Actually, I envy you. You have such a bright, thoughtful daughter. Unlike my son. All he ever does is practice fighting. Even on his days off, his father summons him to attend court. All I have is my daughter-in-law to keep me company. As capable as she is, she's no substitute for a loving daughter. Yinggu. Is my gift for Lady Zheng ready? Bring it here at once. Bring it in. DEW AND BLOSSOMS What's all this? Shu, please open it and see. They're here. Rao. All of you, leave! Lady Li, I hosted this banquet out of kindness to help you make peace. And this is how you repay me? Lady Zheng, you've certainly thought of everything. You didn't just help us reconcile. You also had this palace maid sneak into the bedchamber in Zhaoyang Palace SPLENDID AS BLOSSOMS and hide something rather interesting. This is an Enmity Talisman. One must slay a dam and her pups, burn their heads and drink the ashes mixed with water. Bury the pup's bones far apart, so mother and child shall loathe each other for all eternity. It must be a curse against the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. This one is even worse. A Soul-Stealing Talisman. It's meant to take lifes. Whose birth details are written on it? The Empress Dowager's. Lady Zheng. You ordered a palace maid to hide talismans in Zhaoyang Palace. Were you trying to frame Lady Li for practicing forbidden witchcraft? How… How could… How could this happen? You even gave me a Blessing Talisman. So it seems you planned to accuse me for bringing these evil curses into the palace. No, Rao! It wasn't me! I swear! It was Mo… I thought… Rao, I never meant to hurt you. I don't even know this palace maid. You can't pin this on me. Whether you know her doesn't matter. False accusations are as serious as treason. Once I report this to His Majesty, I'll have her sent to the Commandant's Office. There, the ruthless interrogator Boyao will question her personally. I hear Boyao specializes in torture by steaming. Perfect. Let this maid try it first. He can make the blind see, the deaf hear, and even the mute speak. You! Come forward! I was forced into it! I'll tell you everything! Lady Li, please spare my life! Please spare me, Lady Li! Rao. I swear to heaven I never meant you any harm. My mother-in-law only told me that this blessing talisman could help you and your mother reconcile. I thought I'd be doing a good deed. I never imagined it would cause so much trouble. Please believe me, Rao! Why are you crying? You're all spineless cowards! Weren't you going to report me? Go ahead! Do it now! I refuse to believe that some lowly palace maid could bring me down with a few words! The Zheng family is powerful and influential. Lady Zheng is used to getting your way. Who would dare hold you accountable? But right now, His Majesty is about to choose a crown prince. I wonder if the Empress and the Han family will seize this chance to make things worse. And what about Lady Wang and Prince Fu? Will they take advantage of your downfall? You planned all of this. Let's go. Spare me, Your Ladyship! Don't worry, Shu. Lady Li is generous and forgiving. She didn't drag the maid before His Majesty because she cares about Prince Duan's reputation. No wonder. I knew this plan to lure the culprit out wasn't something Lady Li would come up with. Whenever she feels slighted, she runs to His Majesty and acts helpless. She's so used to being spoiled that she'd never hold her anger in for this long. You've certainly outdone your elders. Compared to your mother, you're a little more capable. DEW AND BLOSSOMS You're too kind, Your Ladyship. My younger brother has always been a troublemaker. He's no good at books or fighting. As for the crown prince's position, Prince Duan is clearly the only choice. Lady Li would gladly lend her support. But… But what? The Empress rules over the inner palace. The Han family fully supports Prince Jing, and the Empress Dowager backs him, too. So the crown prince's position… The Empress… Noble Lady Wu'an, you certainly hold a grudge. I wonder, though, what you think, Lady Zheng. I… Of course we should join forces, dear sister. Your cousin is so cunning, yet you saw none of it! You've brought shame upon Mother. Apologize to her at once! It was my carelessness. Please forgive me, Mother. Please forgive me! Enough. Spare your hands. Mother, do you mean we're really going to ally ourselves with them? After they played us for fools? My son is a man of rare talent, truly born to stand above the rest. Who else deserves to be crown prince but you? If I must suffer a little humiliation for your sake, what does it matter? Once you become crown prince, we'll have our chance to settle the score. I knew it. You're the only person in this world who truly cares about me, Mother. As for everyone else, I can't count on them at all. Did Noble Lady Wu'an say what we should do next? They said the Zheng family should hold off for now. Let the court officials recommend Prince Jing as crown prince. Recommend my eldest brother as crown prince? Did she really say that? Keep up. Hurry. Lord Han. They carried seven or eight chests out of the cellar. Every chest was heavy. Aman was there to receive them, and they took everything into the storeroom. - Are you certain? - I saw it myself, my lord. I wouldn't dare lie. I remember Noble Lady Wu'an took in some refugees and earned praise from the court. His Majesty even granted her money and grain from the treasury. That's right. Since I can't get my gold back, I might as well put it to good use. Noble Lady Wu'an, my family's fortune isn't yours for the taking. Lord Han, you promised me yourself that you'd make me your concubine once this was done. I'll serve you faithfully from then on. That depends on how well you carry out your task. I'll do everything I can, My Lord. COMMANDANT'S OFFICE - What's she beating that drum for? - Yeah, what's this about? - What happened to her? - Right. What happened? My lord, that's her. My lord! I wish to accuse Noble Lady Wu'an, Wei Rao, of outrageous greed and stealing relief funds and grain! - How can she do such a thing? - Really? Is she? I knew it. She's skimming off our money. - Exactly! - How awful! {\an8}Your Majesty, wise rulers have always put the realm's welfare first. They know the succession must come first. A rightful heir gives the people peace of mind. Prince Jing is Your Majesty's eldest son. He is kind, humble, frugal, and devoted to his people. I humbly ask Your Majesty to heed the people's wishes and name Prince Jing crown prince, securing the throne and reassuring the people. Who else among you supports Prince Jing as crown prince? We all support Prince Jing! You mean you advised the Zheng family to stay out of it and let the ministers push for the Empress's son? His Majesty is blessed by heaven and still in his prime. He's in no hurry to name an heir. {\an8}The harder they push, the angrier he'll become. Naming a crown prince is a matter of great importance. We shall discuss it another day. Do you have anything else to report? Your Majesty, Noble Lady Wu'an is arrogant and overbearing. She abuses her power without restraint. She secretly tortured her maid, Gejin. Covered in wounds, Gejin fled to the Commandant's Office. She publicly accused her mistress of stealing the court's disaster relief funds and grain. Lord Han failed to win Noble Lady Wu'an's hand and was wounded by the Thousand-Bolt Crossbow. He must still hold a grudge. Now, without a shred of evidence, he accuses Her Ladyship of stealing relief supplies. One might suspect he's seeking revenge and question his integrity as an official. Your Majesty. I speak only in the interest of justice, with no personal grudge. Your Majesty granted relief funds to help those in need. If someone truly dared to line their pockets with that money, even a hundred executions wouldn't be enough! Your Majesty, don't believe these baseless accusations! Your Majesty! Hundreds of refugees have gathered at the Commandant's Office, causing an uproar. Rumors are spreading throughout the capital. I request permission to take troops to Zhuyu Estate. If Noble Lady Wu'an is truly innocent, we can clear her name before everyone and put the people at ease. Qi Zhongkai. Take troops with Han Liao and accompany the Commandant to investigate this matter. As you command. ZHUYU ESTATE It's all in there. I saw it with my own eyes. They exchanged the stolen relief funds and grain for gold bars. You shameless wretch. Her Ladyship has always treated you well. How dare you betray her and falsely accuse your mistress? Whether I am telling the truth will be clear once we open the storeroom. Her Ladyship receives only a modest allowance. How could she have a treasury? My lord. There's a whole mountain of coins inside. Break it open! Do you think the people will believe that the kind and generous Noble Lady Wu'an is innocent? No one will believe her now. From now on, every coin in her storeroom will be seen as wealth wrung from the poor, stolen from disaster relief funds. Her spotless reputation will be stained beyond repair. And this refuge she worked so hard and sacrificed so much to build will be destroyed by vicious rumors and reduced to nothing in an instant. All because of that gold and money, she'll lose the people's trust and become a public enemy. Han Liao. How utterly despicable you are. And how cruel. The refugees have nowhere else to go. And you want to destroy their only home! You see right through me. Just what I'd expect from Lord Lu. She has only herself to blame for rejecting me - and wasting my sincere affection! - You shameless despicable cur! What a cur can't have, he'll destroy completely! Found it! We found it! Lord Commandant, take a look. Everyone here, come and see for yourselves! Look at this Noble Lady Wu'an, so kind to the poor and elderly, practically a saint! See how much she's stolen from the people! Look closely. Are these gold bars or copper coins? You scoundrel, Han. Is this the fortune you claim she stole from the people? Open it! Open every last one! Noble Lady Wu'an, what… What are these? Winters are long and bitterly cold. The refugees don't have enough warm clothing. Noble Lady Wu'an entrusted Princess Consort Duan to collect those from noble households. The ladies also generously donated old jewelry, antiques, and ornaments. The stolen goods aren't in the storeroom because you knew we were coming! My men have been guarding the estate's entrance. There's no way you could've taken the money out. Search the whole estate, and we'll find it. Search! Keep searching! Lord Bo. I found a cellar. There's a secret passage inside. Everyone, follow me! This way, please. Wei Rao, you may have hidden or moved the gold, but could you move an entire mountain of copper coins? Noble Lady Wu'an, what do you have to say for yourself? With your modest allowance, how could you possibly amass such a fortune? There's a treasury beneath the estate's cellar? I truly knew nothing about it. My lord, don't believe her. Her Ladyship ordered the cellar to be dug. The relief funds and grain she stole were all hidden down there. That mountain of copper coins is proof of her crimes. Lord Bo, while we were digging, our shovels struck something that sounded hollow. I had the men move the pile of coins and dig deeper. We found another chamber, hidden extremely well. Inside were 120 suits of armor. Armor hidden beneath the cellar? Noble Lady Wu'an, nobles may keep private guards to manage estates and maintain order. In wartime, they must also fight for the realm. But the court has long forbidden the private manufacture or sale of armor and shields. Possessing just five suits of armor is punishable by hanging. This is high treason! What armor? I didn't even know there was a treasury beneath the cellar. How could I be plotting treason? I'm just a woman. Why would I rebel? What rebellion? Lord Lu, General Qi, you must testify on my behalf! I've been falsely accused! Han Liao. This is fish-scale armor laced with iron and bronze fittings. It even bears your family's crest. This estate once belonged to you. The one plotting treason is clearly you. You've framed me! Seize this traitor at once! I've always been loyal to His Majesty. It's you! You've conspired to frame me! Your Ladyship! Your Ladyship! I… The Han family deceived me. Please, Your Ladyship, for the sake of the years I've served you, spare my life! Before Chilan died, do you think she was also praying that her killer would spare her life? Your life matters, but Chilan deserved to die? You betrayed your mistress. You shameless wretch. How dare you beg for mercy? Your Ladyship, I know I was wrong! I don't want to die! Please spare my life, Your Ladyship! Seize her! Your Ladyship, please spare me! Your Ladyship! I don't want to die! - Save those words… - Please spare me, Your Ladyship! And explain yourself to Chilan in the afterlife. This case is extremely serious. His Majesty may wish to question you himself. Noble Lady Wu'an, please accompany us to the Commandant's Office. Rest assured. Everyone knows Lord Bo upholds the law without favor. He never favors nobles or imperial relatives. I'm sure he'll judge this case fairly. - Lord Bo, I'll go with you. - This way, Your Ladyship. Looks like Han Liao has finally fallen into his own trap. He got what he deserved! Don't celebrate just yet. The Han family won't go down so easily. We still have a tough fight ahead. Mother kindly tried to arrange a marriage for Noble Lady Wu'an, yet she had the nerve to reject it. Raised by that nursemaid's daughter, she was born lowly. She doesn't know what's good for her. Don't worry, Mother. Once I become crown prince, I'll deal with that mother and daughter. Your father is still alive. Even if you become crown prince, what can you do to those two witches? They say the Emperor will live forever. But no emperor can truly live for thousands of years. Father will grow old eventually. I may be Empress and mother of the realm, but all these years, His Majesty has always favored Lady Zhou. I've endured so much ridicule because of it. One day, GRACIOUS BLESSINGS when our time finally comes, I'll strip her of her fine clothes and jewelry. You'd better make me proud. These are all gifts the ministers have sent me. It's clear who the court supports. Your wish will soon come true, Mother. As for Noble Lady Wu'an, I have a way to avenge you right now. Doesn't she love taking in refugees? I hear leprosy is spreading through a village in Beihan. One little mistake, and she'll be covered in festering sores. That filthy, stinking refugee camp will have to be burned to the ground! Think carefully before you make your move, dear sister. I won! I won! Lady Zheng, luck is on your side today. It seems your wishes are about to come true. I can't match your beauty, dear sister, or your endless favor with His Majesty. Fortunately, I have a son I can rely on. Heaven has blessed me in that regard. Mother. Everything is arranged. {\an8}JIAOFANG PALACE {\an8}Your Majesty, Your Highness! Look at the sky! {\an8}A heavenly omen has appeared! Your Majesty, cranes have arrived in this age of peace! Surely this is a sign of great fortune! Your Majesty's kindness and Prince Jing's wisdom have earned heaven's favor and brought this blessing! {\an8}Congratulations, Your Majesty and Your Highness! I've prayed every day for peace and prosperity throughout the realm! Heaven has finally heard my prayers and sent us this wonderful sign! Hurry! Tell His Majesty! No. This is a blessing from heaven. I'll bring Father the good news myself! JIAOFANG PALACE Could my lifelong wish finally be coming true? Your Majesty, I'm innocent! Lu Zhuo and Noble Lady Wu'an planted false evidence to frame me! I wouldn't dare hide armor illegally, no matter how bold I was! - That cellar was… - Dug by your Han family exactly! Your Majesty! That treasury was extremely well hidden, buried two to three zhang underground. Its walls were lined with straw to keep out moisture and coated with tung oil. A cellar that large would need an enormous amount of tung oil. No one could gather that much in just a few months. My estate can barely afford enough food for winter. How could I possibly afford such a project? Marquis of Xiting. You disgraceful son! Our family dug that cellar! How dare you deny it before His Majesty? Be quiet! Forgive me, Your Majesty. My unworthy son abused his office to exploit others for profit and secretly amassed a fortune. That alone is a serious crime. Then he quarreled with Noble Lady Wu'an, bribed her maid, and framed an innocent woman. I failed to raise him properly, and I'm deeply ashamed. I'm willing to surrender my title and retire to atone for his crimes! He hid armor and plotted rebellion. Losing the title won't make up for that. You… Marquis of Xiting, do the laws of this realm mean nothing to you? Your Majesty! The hidden treasury is real, but the armor accusation is completely false! Noble Lady Wu'an learned the treasury's location from the workers and deliberately set a trap for me. They planted that armor themselves! The estate is short on everything. If I'd found a fortune, I'd have claimed it for myself. Would I sit idle and await your accusation? You already got your hands on the gold. You hid gold, too? Where? I haven't seen any. You! The armor was hidden extremely well. No ordinary person could've found it. Lord Han tried to turn things around by framing Her Ladyship so he can reclaim the cellar. But we followed the clues and dug up the armor. I'd say you brought this on yourself. Lu Zhuo. You're framing a loyal official over a personal grudge! Loyal? What loyal servant has mountains of gold? What decent official robs the poor and lives off their taxes? You've betrayed your Emperor and your people. Han Liao! - You deserve to die a thousand deaths! - Your Majesty! The Lu family is clearly seeking revenge and eliminating their rivals! Enough! You both tell different stories. How am I supposed to decide? His Highness Prince Jing has arrived! Father, your wisdom and blessings know no bounds. Just now, heavenly music filled the air, and cranes descended from the sky. Above the Jiaofang Palace, they danced and sang, circling endlessly. Such an omen is seen once in a century. It signals wise leadership and an era of peace and prosperity! You say a divine omen appeared. Where? Above the Jiaofang Palace. The sacred cranes are a blessing upon our dynasty. Heaven has also blessed Her Majesty the Empress. Everyone in the palace witnessed it. It's a tribute to Mother's virtue and kindness to all! It's Heaven rewarding the Empress's virtue, or praising you as our wise future Crown Prince? I'm unworthy. I'd never covet the throne. I got carried away. Please forgive me, Father. What? Your Han family hid armor and staged a divine omen just to put him on the throne? - Your Majesty! - Father! - I'm innocent! - I would never dare! Guards! Strip Prince Jing of his royal robes! Throw him in the Commandant's prison along with the Marquis of Xiting and his son. Have Boyao detain and interrogate them! Confine the Empress to her Jiaofang Palace! No one is to be released without my order! Father, I'm innocent! I've been framed, Father! Father, I… I'm innocent! I'm innocent! - Father! - Your Majesty, I'm innocent! I'm innocent, Father! Father! ‪NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED ‪IN THE MAKING OF THIS SHOW