[MULTISUBup]EP23/33 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 STARS SHINE UPON AUSPICIOUS CLOUDS Your Zhuyu Estate had the finest scenery in the capital. {\an8}But you tore it down to help the needy. {\an8}My garden is nothing special, yet you're praising it to the skies. How strange. I begged you to stay at yesterday's banquet, but you wouldn't hear of it. Now you want a tour of the garden? Can this compare to the natural beauty of your Mount Yaowang? Who wants to drink with a bunch of obnoxious men? They're fat, bloated, and hard to look at. So vulgar. Only the most favored officials get invited to the Crown Prince's Residence. And you, my dear sister, have won the Crown Prince's favor. Half the world is dying of envy. And you're still not content? Enough about that. I heard the Crown Prince brought rare stones from the south for his garden. Every turn reveals something beautiful. Your Highness, show me around some more. I want to see it all. All right, all right. You always get your way. Watch your step, Rao. Look. NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED DURING FILMING FILMED UNDER PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION WITHOUT HARM - The Crown Prince hit the target! - Bravo! - Your Highness is mighty! - Indeed! - Your Highness is mighty! - Excellent shot. The Crown Prince is in fine form today. We've barely entered the woods, and he's already made a kill. Everyone knows you're a master archer, Lord Lu. I'm showing off before an expert. How embarrassing. Your Highness is so busy with state affairs, you rarely get to hunt. Otherwise, the rest of us would never get a chance to shine. Lord Lu, you've always been so aloof. Whenever we brothers invite you to a banquet, you make every excuse not to come. So you do know how to flatter my imperial brother. I meant every word. How is that flattery? Your Highness, I hear a great white tiger roams these woods. If you capture it alive and present it to His Majesty, he'll be delighted. Really? A great white tiger? Hunters say it's often spotted roaming the ridge ahead. I'll lead the way, Your Highness. Quick! Lead us there! I thought the Lu family was above all this. But the moment my brother became Crown Prince, they couldn't wait to cozy up to him. Come on. Let's capture that white tiger first. That'll be a great achievement. Brothers, wait for me! SPRING'S EMBRACE Anything unusual? - Everything's normal. - Good. The Crown Prince thinks very highly of you, Shu. When he acts inappropriately, you should try to set him straight. Set him straight? He holds the royal power. Who am I to tell him no? Sometimes, Rao, your innocence is almost adorable. SPRING'S EMBRACE What's inside that courtyard? Just a storeroom. Nothing worth seeing. Let's go feed the golden carp in the eastern lake. You must be hiding something precious in there. If Your Highness won't let me see it, that only makes me more curious. It seems the Lady of Wu'an didn't come for a tour today. My younger sister, Hongxian, was abducted for no reason. Someone saw she's in the Crown Prince's Residence. Hongxian is just a naive country girl. Please, Your Highness, show her mercy and let her go home. I'll owe you a favor, and I'll repay it someday. Who gave you permission to mistreat our guest? Leave us. There's someone I'd like you to meet, dear sister. Greetings, Your Ladyship. Your Ladyship, do you remember this man? He's Jin Chang, the head stewardess of my Wei family. He's also the man who got you out of prison. Leave us. I'd like a word alone with Her Ladyship. Forced to kill someone. Thrown into prison. Tortured so brutally that death seemed kinder. Just to stay alive, you had to grovel before the vilest guards and prisoners. - How humiliating that must have been. - Have some water. Drink it! In a place like that, - Drink! - a woman on death row… - Just trying to survive… - Good! - How much humiliation must she endure? - Drink! I can only imagine. But would Lord Lu understand? What about those refugees who worship you? Could they accept that the noble, untouchable Lady of Wu'an was once a lowly death-row inmate? Rao, rumors can destroy a person. - Are you threatening me? - I'm giving you a friendly warning. Rao, every step you've taken has been dangerous. You fought so hard to get where you are. Now you have a title and your own lands, not to mention everyone's respect. Why can't you appreciate what you have? Why did you have to stick your nose in? Hongxian is my adoptive mother's daughter. Rao! That's my sister's voice! I can stay out of everything else. Just give her back to me, please. Rao! Save me! Don't leave me! Rao! Rao! Are you begging me? Yes. I'm begging you. Wei Rao, you were born into the Wei family. Noble blood runs through your veins. How could you have a sister from the slums? Someone so lowly… - has nothing to do with you! - But… Don't you understand? Who would claim kinship with a servant's child? If you want to be true nobility, you must cut ties with those filthy, lowborn people. Have you given up yet? Be good and do as you're told. Let's go. Stop! Rao! Rao! Rao! Come here, you! SPRING'S EMBRACE - Hongxian! - Wei Rao, this is the Crown Prince's Residence! You can't just barge in! Rao, go home. Bury your past forever. Stay away from those lowborn people. You're only lowering yourself. Come here. ‪SPRING'S EMBRACE Learn from the Lady of Wu'an. She knows when to give in. I'm trying to save Wei Rao. And I'm trying to save you, too. If you keep being stubborn, you'll end up joining the dead. Clean her up. Then send her to serve His Highness. Yes, Your Highness. Get up! My Lord, this courtyard's been abandoned for years. No one's lived here. Why would Her Ladyship come here? Wait outside. Yes, My Lord. Wei Rao. She could've done me a simple favor and given Hongxian back. But she didn't. Even with my title as Lady of Wu'an, those royal nobles still see me as beneath them. They look down on me. Deep down, they despise me. - Wei Rao. - Tell me… Why did fate bring me to a place like this? The rich feast on the finest grains, while the poor survive on scraps and husks. My stomach isn't like theirs. I can't stomach their rich food and wine. My eyes aren't like theirs, either. When I see dancers entertaining the nobles, all I can think about is how little their families sold them for, and whether their children are going hungry. And my hands… Look. Feel them. My hands aren't like theirs, either. They're different. No matter how many expensive treatments I use, they're still rough. Why? Why did fate make me this way? I'm neither a commoner nor a noble. When I sit among them, I never fit in! They call me crazy! They call me a fool! But I could've lived just as comfortably and carefree as they do. Why can't I? Why? Why can't I? Why can't I?! You're different. Then be different. Now, come with me. Do you see? That was me. I was her. All of this… I already know. But you've never seen it with your own eyes. If I were still dumping chamber pots, and you rode past on horseback, would you even spare me a glance? You wouldn't. Neither would Qi Zhongkai. Even the stray dogs would run away from me. Who could ever love that version of me? What if I were just an ordinary, ugly, boring man? Not the heir to a duke's estate. Not the man you see before you. Would you still marry me? When we first met, I was the heir to the Duke of Ying. And you were the substitute bride. I can't go back and give you an answer. The woman I see is the one standing here, right in front of me. Your past may have been painful. Then let it be painful.So what? I should be thanking her. For what? For her strength. For never giving up. For her ambition. For never once bowing her head. Step by step, she made her way to me. That girl named A-Chou… How remarkable she must have been. But Lu Zhuo… I don't know what to do anymore. They're pressuring me. They won't stop. Who? Who's threatening you? My shameful past… I don't want anyone to know. I can't bear those judgmental looks again. But the Crown Prince… He's gotten hold of Jin Chang, the Wei family's steward. He's the one who got me out of prison. He knows every humiliating, awful thing I went through. I can't take it anymore. Please help me. Help me get rid of this threat, please. Where is he? The Crown Prince has a private prison on the east side of the city. Jin Chang is being held there. If he gets out and starts talking… - Then I'll… - He won't. You'll never see him again. I promise. Really? {\an8}Here. {\an8}They call it the Crown Prince's private prison, {\an8}but it's really just a separate estate. Our scouts say he keeps thieves and runaway servants there, caught during his patrols. That's all. The Crown Prince is known for his kindness and humility. He has an excellent reputation at court. But he's still royalty. Who knows what he's really like in private? Are those prisoners truly criminals or innocent people? Who would dare question him? The man you're looking for… Is he really inside that estate? NOBLE AND BRIGHT Maybe. You never make a move unless you're sure. Why are you being so evasive? Is something wrong? Stop asking so many questions. You'll find out soon enough. Don't you think Wei Rao has changed a lot? I trust her. - Why are we here? - No idea. - Do you know what is it about? - Let's hear it. So many people train here, but I chose only you. Do you know why? No idea. All of you fled here from the northwestern frontier. You're fighters by nature. Some of you were attacked by raiders, fought them to the death, and fled after your homes were burned down. Others had their land stolen by powerful landlords, killed their enemies, and had to flee. Aman. That's a lot of money! His Majesty has issued a secret decree. He needs you to carry it out. Succeed, and you'll all be richly rewarded. All that money? - Really? That good? - But if you fail, you'll lose your heads. Get lost! Your Ladyship, I crawled out of a pile of corpses. I was once so hungry I couldn't walk. I could even cut flesh from my own thigh for food. Not one of those rich officials in the capital ever gave me so much as a sip of water. You were the one who saved my life. We don't answer to any emperor. We answer only to you. Whatever you say, we'll do it. - That's right! - Yes, Your Ladyship! - We follow you! - Your orders are ours! - We're with you, Your Ladyship! - Your Ladyship! We follow you! What's your name? I don't have one. They call me Xiao. Your Ladyship, let me bring a few more men. They are the same as me. We lost everything, killed the governor's entire family, and fled. Each of them can take on ten men. - They're all fierce fighters. - Good! Xiao, I'll remember you. Listen up, everyone! Under my command, you'll be rewarded for your achievements. The more you accomplish, the greater your reward! And if any of you are captured alive… They'll only take us dead. If anyone dares betray our benefactor, I'll carve them up alive, piece by piece! We obey your orders, Your Ladyship! Will you report this to Lady Li? Because if you do, you'll be betraying me. When I left the palace, Lady Li told me that my life is tied to yours. I answer only to you now, not to anyone in the palace. ZHUYU ESTATE Your Ladyship, it's past the Xu hour. There's no rush. It's almost the Hai hour. When are we making our move? Wei Rao isn't here yet. She's a pampered noblewoman. Why wait for her when there's fighting to be done? Why don't we make it a contest? First one to find Jin Chang wins. - I'm worried… - You're getting soft. It's just a small operation, and you're already having second thoughts? - I'm worried she won't show up at all. - Why are you being so secretive? Can't you just spit it out? Enough with the riddles. You're getting on my nerves. {\an8}Her Ladyship left the estate with some men. {\an8}She shook off everyone tailing her. We don't know where she went. I knew it. Qi Zhongkai. Move in. Now. Move! - Your Highness! - Your Highness! - Over here! - Your Highness, come here! Your Highness! - Hurry! - Hurry! Talk. Where are the prisoners? My Lord, looks like everything's going smoothly. Let's go. Your Highness! What are you doing here? Your Highness, there's trouble. The estate on the east side is on fire. Intruders slipped in during the chaos. Everyone, out. They let all the prisoners escape. Earlier, some foolish clerk at the Court of Justice accepted a petition from those troublemakers, claiming young women vanished without cause The Commandant of Justice had those rebels arrested and locked up at the estate. They hadn't been executed yet. Take half the men from the residence. - Go capture them immediately. - Yes, Your Highness. And remember, keep it quiet. Leave no survivors. Send word to the Northern Army, too. There'll be some unrest in the city tonight. Tell them to stay out of it. - Go. - Yes, Your Highness. Your Highness. Where's that girl I had my eye on? The one selling flatbread. Right, right! I'll see to it at once. - Quick! Go! - I'll send her in. CROWN PRINCE'S RESIDENCE Didn't they just leave? Why are they back? Secure the main gate, rear gate, and both side gates. No one gets in or out. I scouted the place thoroughly during the day. Only one narrow alley from the rear gate leads to the inner courtyard. There's a guard every seven paces. Security is tight. This is a restricted area! Who dares trespass? JINGXING PAVILLION Kill them! Kill them! I… I don't work for the Crown Prince… Please spare me! Have mercy… You think you can fight back? Stop struggling. I'll have some fun with you. You think you can… Who's there? Your Ladyship. What about the women locked up in the back courtyard? Free them all. Don't be afraid. I'm here to rescue you. - Come on! - Let's go! - Hurry! - Move! Come. Someone will meet you at the end of this alley. Whatever happens, don't look back. Just keep running. - Thank you, sir! - Thank you! Go, quickly! Once the job is done, don't hesitate. Avoid Xiyin Street. It's full of government offices. Hide in Jiuquan Alley, Guangbu Ward, or Jingji Ward. Those areas are crowded with refugees and full of winding streets. It'll be nearly impossible to track you down. Go! There are intruders in the Crown Prince's Residence! Alert the Northern Army! Catch those intruders! Let's go. ‪Rao. Her Ladyship said to spread out. We can't waste any time. UPHOLD VIRTUE AND HONOR TRADITION Your Highness, forgive my late arrival. I heard His Highness was injured. How is he? His Highness… How is His Highness? Your Highness, His Highness was only shaken up. - He's not seriously hurt. - I'll go see him. Your Highness, His Highness has taken his medicine and gone to bed. He's ordered that no one disturb him. General Li. His Highness orders you to search the entire city. You must capture those intruders before dawn. Understood. It was her. It had to be her! Anyone bold enough to storm the Crown Prince's Residence must be a ruthless criminal. How would Your Highness know such people? The leader has a wound on the chest. Take your men and search every nearby residence. Question anyone suspicious, regardless of rank. Let no one escape. - But… - The Crown Prince is heir to the throne. An attack on his residence threatens the throne itself and defies His Majesty's authority. I've ordered you to find those criminals. Are you defying my orders? Yes, Your Highness. Move out! Hurry! Move. I thought His Highness was only shaken up. What's going on? The imperial physicians are treating him. Please don't worry, Your Highness. What kind of injury is so serious that even I, his own wife, can't be told? Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Search every street thoroughly! Don't let anyone suspicious get away! You men in the back, keep up! You… What am I supposed to do with you? DUKE'S RESIDENCE General, this is the Duke's residence. Are we searching it too? - Knock on the door. - Move! ‪Search under orders! You… SONGYUE HALL SHIZHAI Who dares barge into the Duke's Residence? At midnight tonight, intruders attacked the Crown Prince's Residence. By order of the Crown Prince, I'm searching the entire city for the culprits. Please inform Lord Lu of my arrival. Wait here. My Lord, the Northern Army is here. They say the Crown Prince's Residence was attacked and want to search. How dare you! I'm Li Wei, a captain in the Northern Army. I'm here to search on the Crown Prince's orders. Lord Lu, please come out and speak with me. I heard you. A handful of thieves broke into the Crown Prince's Residence? You men are utterly incompetent. What? And now you want to search my residence? Do you think my men are just as useless as yours? I wouldn't dare. I'm only following orders to search the premises. The thieves may have slipped in disguised. We're just taking precautions. I apologize for the intrusion. Please forgive us, Lord Lu. Please allow us to conduct the search. Absolutely not. - Lord Lu. - There's no one in my room. You may leave. I'm merely following orders. If Lord Lu insists on stopping us, perhaps there's something inside you don't want us to see. What's all that noise? Stop! Think carefully before you act. I'm afraid you don't have the nerve to face who's inside. Zhao Song, Zhao Bai. Keep an eye on him. The leader has a chest wound. One look will confirm it. How dare you! Who said you could come any closer? Get over there and kneel when you speak! Who do you think you are? How dare you lift my bed curtains? Forgive me, Your Ladyship! I didn't recognize you! Please calm down, Your Ladyship. You've got some nerve! What exactly are you looking for? You want to inspect my body? Go ahead, inspect me! You're hardly dressed properly. Go back inside. I won't! Didn't he want to search my bed? Go on! There's a thief hiding in it! Hurry up and search! Open those eyes of yours and take a good, hard look! I didn't know Your Ladyship was here. I was only… You're a captain in the Northern Army! Instead of catching thieves, you sneak into women's private quarters and demand they undress for inspection? Have you no shame? You shameless, filthy creep! Go on. Search! Find a thief, and I'll see you're rewarded. Find nothing, and I'll charge you with abusing your authority! I'll make sure you lose your rank and your job! Had enough? Now get out! He's useless in battle, but he sure knows how to bully women! And he claims he's hunting thieves! Where are they? Who told you to let him leave? - You're no better than him! - Enough. All right, that's enough. It's freezing out here. - You'll catch a cold. - Sheathe your swords! Report! General. We've searched all the other courtyards. There's no sign of the intruders. You worthless scoundrel! Tomorrow, I'll send people to the Marquis of Zhennan's estate to curse you out for a whole month! I'll make sure your entire family, inside and out, is disgraced! Let's go! - How is she? - My Lord, the wound is deep and narrow. It may not heal easily. Once she's recovered a little, the chief physician should examine her. No. We can't call the chief physician. It's just a small wound. I'll be fine. Just change the dressing every day. I'll do everything I can. Have a carriage prepared. At daybreak, send Her Ladyship back to Zhuyu Estate. My Lord, Her Ladyship is injured. She should stay here and recover. You're worrying for nothing. She clearly knows better. She does whatever she wants. She doesn't care what you think. All your concern and worry are completely wasted on her. Heartless woman. Let go. I said, let go. Lu Zhuo. Don't you have anything to say? About the estate… Tell me! Where did you get the nerve to storm the Crown Prince's Residence and rescue those people? And you hid it from me? Easy. That hurts. Well, I read in a military strategy book that success depends on secrecy… No, wait. Speed is everything in battle. I didn't want to keep it from you. But you have important responsibilities. I couldn't drag you into this. I had to handle the dirty work myself. Can't you forgive me just this once? Please? Will you change? No. But I can swear to you. This is the last time I'll ever lie to you. - If I ever lie again, I'll… - You'll what? Be reborn as a pig or a dog. I swear. Your wound hurts again? Are you still mad at me? The Crown Prince's Residence is heavily guarded. If anything had gone wrong, can you really made it out alive? - Actually, I… - You went in knowing you might never come back. Didn't you? You're nothing but a liar. I can't trust you anymore. Lu Zhuo. Your Ladyship, Lord Lu sent me to look after you. Whatever you need, just let me know. ‪NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED ‪IN THE MAKING OF THIS SHOW