Legend of Zhen Huan recap episode 15 甄嬛传 甄環傳 第15集
Huanbi gleefully exits and almost knocks into Jinxi. She apologises and goes off, leaving Jinxi to wonder what is up. Jinxi realises she had come from the room and YZ is inside.
In the room, YZ confides to Zhen, "The An Bihuai incident, I did not listen to Huafei. Huafei then threw a tantrum for a few days. I have to do something to soothe her. It's just that I treat you so differently from others, you know that."
Zhen is somber, "I do not dare to think that way. It's just that after the Yu and Li Pin incident, I still get chills from thinking about it."
YZ says gruffly, "Of course I know how you think. I have the intention of promoting you to "Pin" rank. It's just that you are still considered relatively new, and previously I promoted you before you served me, it was already against the rules set by our ancestors. When you get pregnant, your promotion will be justified."
Zhen, "Huanhuan doesn't care about ranks. As long as Si lang has me in your heart."
Huanbi gleefully exits and almost knocks into Jinxi. She apologises and goes off, leaving Jinxi to wonder what is up. Jinxi realises she had come from the room and YZ is inside.
In the room, YZ confides to Zhen, "The An Bihuai incident, I did not listen to Huafei. Huafei then threw a tantrum for a few days. I have to do something to soothe her. It's just that I treat you so differently from others, you know that."
Zhen is somber, "I do not dare to think that way. It's just that after the Yu and Li Pin incident, I still get chills from thinking about it."
YZ says gruffly, "Of course I know how you think. I have the intention of promoting you to "Pin" rank. It's just that you are still considered relatively new, and previously I promoted you before you served me, it was already against the rules set by our ancestors. When you get pregnant, your promotion will be justified."
Zhen, "Huanhuan doesn't care about ranks. As long as Si lang has me in your heart."
YZ interrupts her quickly, "How would I not have you in my heart? There are so many women in the harem, none of them give me any peace. It's only here that I could relax."
They talk about Shen and YZ asks Zhen when is she going to give him babies. She asks if he only wants boys. He replies that as long as it is theirs, he will like them all the same.
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They set off to visit Shen and meets An on the way to the same destination. At Shen, most of the harem, including the Empress and Huafei is there visiting too.
Huafei can't help throwing a few barbs at Zhen when YZ declines her invitation to dine at her place. YZ is a bit irritated at the back and forth.
He gestures at Zhen, "This gal is quick and witty, she is young and loves to joke. Does Huafei really want to compete in a war of words with her?" He doesn't look at Huafei and clearly on Zhen's side. He expects Huafei to give in and she quickly backs off as the situation is not to her advantage.
Huafei replies with a syrupy voice, "Your majesty, I like Wan Guiren's wittiness, that's why I joked more with her."
Empress butts in to change the topic and asks YZ to have some honeydew which were offered in tribute by some general. The Jing Shi Fang eunuch comes to ask YZ to choose a concubine for the night. Huafei looks expectant and pats her hair. YZ chooses the Empress, and while she is delighted, Huafei looks bummed.
Everyone takes their leave and sees someone hiding behind the bushes outside. They catch the maid Fulin. She is holding a bundle. Su asks her if she is stealing. Shen is angry and asks her to be expelled. Cao Guiren goes to examine the contents of the bundle. (Note that it is Cao Guiren who does so, when no one else even bother to touch it.) She pulls out trousers which has been stained with some blood.
Everyone is horrified.
Huafei looks around, wide-eyed and remarks, "Did someone kill to rob?"
YZ remarks that there is something to this, because if the maid was stealing, why isn't the loot valuables but just some dirty clothes?
Xin Changzai comments, "Could it be that Hui Guiren has seen red?" (A nicer way to say menstruated. Not in the english context where seeing red means getting angry.)
Huafei wants the maid sent to the Department of Punishments for interrogation. Shen agrees and orders her to be dragged away.
Fulin quickly pipes up indignantly, "Xiaozhu, nubi is helping you to destroy evidence but you are so ruthless. You want to send me to my death. Why should I stay loyal to you."
She then turns around and agitatedly address YZ, "Your majesty, since it has come to this, I do not dare to lie to you anymore. Xiaozhu is actually not pregnant! I did not steal these clothes. It's xiaozhu, her period came a few days ago and stained her clothes and got me to destroy them. These clothes are the evidence!"
Meanwhile Huafei and Cao Guiren are trying to hide their smirks and maintain a neutral expression.
YZ is still maintaining his calmness and orders, "Hui Guiren is shocked. Go get the physician to attend her."
Shen wants Liu Ben to attend to her but he is not on duty. YZ says any physician is fine.
The physician arrives and diagnoses that Shen is not pregnant. Shen is agitated. They want to get a 2nd opinion. Physician Jiang Cheng is summoned. When going into the chamber, he exchanges a glance with Guizhi who is standing outside.
Jiang Cheng confirms that Shen is not pregnant. He says that Shen would have had her period a few days ago, and that her period is not regular. Such symptoms would have been caused by taking medicine. He also says that Shen had approached him to get a prescription for delaying menses. Although he thinks there is something wrong with her request, Shen had said it is for getting pregnant. He gave her the prescription, but does not know why she has symptoms of nausea or liking sour foods.
Shen "Your majesty, I did get a prescription from Jiang taiyi, but it is for helping to get pregnant and not for delaying menses."
YZ asks to see the prescription but it is nowhere to be found. He then asks to summon Liu Ben. Su Peisheng replies that he checked earlier but Liu Ben has already absconded.
YZ "Shen Guiren, Liu Ben is from the same village as you, is that right? Liu Ben is recommended by you, is that right?"
Zhen is flustered and kneels by Shen. "Your majesty..."
YZ, "Whoever dares to plead for Shen will be punished in the same way."
Zhen tries again and Shen stops her. Huafei finally smiles secretly as the situation is fixed.
Qifei tries to chime in and points the arrow at Zhen, "Your majesty, Wan Guiren and Hui Guiren has always been close. I wonder if today's incident..."
YZ "Shut up!" Qifei fails at backstabbing Zhen and gains YZ's displeasure instead. It's quite obvious he doesn't like her.
He then looks towards a sobbing Shen. "Deceiving me and the dowager, how dare you still wear and flaunt the hairpin." He plucks out the hairpin and Shen's hair comes undone. (In ancient times it is quite shameful for a woman's hair to come undone in public so it is not a stretch to say that YZ is deliberately shaming her.)
YZ, "I've always thought you are very sensible. I have no idea that in reality you are so trashy. You fake a pregnancy to gain favor, it really disappointed me to the core."
Zhen and An plead for mercy. Jing Pin wanted to plead but decided to keep quiet in the end. The empress also asked YZ to consider his and Shen's wife/husband relationship.
YZ finally comes to a decision. He proclaims, "Guiren surnamed Shen, untenable in her words and actions, will be demoted to Daying, her title of "Hui" will be taken away. Confine her to her residence here, without my permission, no one is allowed to visit. Capture Liu Ben alive. Fulin, kill."
YZ and the empress leaves. Huafei and Cao Guiren exchanges a satisfied glance.
An gets back to her residence and feels frightened and weak in the knees. "How could this have happened? Will jiejie's issue affect me?"
She hurriedly asks Baojuan to burn the baby clothes she had sewed.
"This is a taboo subject for the emperor now. If this is discovered, aren't we going to get into big trouble?"
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Liu Ben is outside, waiting for his 5000 taels payoff. As expected, the person who met him tries to kill him, but he escapes.
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Huafei is informed by Zhou Ninghai that Liu Ben has escaped. She is anxious now and commands him to be killed asap. Fulin's family has been given a payoff.
Huafei, "I have promised Fulin, if this task is done well, her whole family will die. If it is done well, even if she dies, her whole family will live in wealth. "
Zhou Ninghai placades and flatters Huafei, "Niangniang is wise. Fulin is able to die for niangniang, and niangniang is taking care of her family. Fulin can be considered to have died for a good cause."
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An wants to pass some goods to an eunuch to bring back to her family. The eunuch now rejects her because of her association with Shen. Everything has changed overnight. The eunuch gossips and says Zhen would have been negative standing too. An then asks him to give it to her straight, so now how much money does he need to complete the task for her? He wants half of the goods. She has to comply.
An goes back to her residence and finds Songzhi asking eunuchs to move her furniture and decorations away.
Songzhi informs An with a smirk, "An Daying, my niangniang says you came in with Shen Daying. With your standing, you should not be staying in such a good place. With niangniang's grace, she will not be moving you. It's just that the decorations here, you are really not good enough to use them, so we have to move them away. It's a nice coincidence that these eunuchs have a lack of decorations in their rooms, so they'll be using yours instead."
Baojuan, "Pei! Keep mentioning Shen Daying this Shen Daying that. We didn't get much to gain when Shen Daying was in favor. Now she has become a Daying everyone wants to kick her when she's down, and they want to kick us too. What sort of world is this!"
An is frustrated but resigned, "Don't say anymore! It's enough that we know."
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Zhen is waiting for YZ to grant her an audience outside the court. Su Peisheng comes out and informs her that YZ is very busy with the on-going war. These few days, he has only attended court and working in the study, marking memorials, conferring with the ministers. He has no time to see her.
Zhen politely thanks Su and says she wants to wait. He kindly gives her an umbrella. Huafei comes out with Songzhi at this time. Zhen looks awkward.
Huafei, "Wan Guiren, why are you standing beneath the hot sun? Is it because you are trying to get rid of the stink of misfortune on yourself?"
Zhen kneels to her and gives the standard greeting. "Huafei niangniang wan fu jin an. " (Ten thousand blessings and golden fortune)
Huafei, "An evil person in the palace has been gotten rid of, of course I feel wan fu jin an. Rise."
Zhen keeps her expression natural. "Isn't YZ very busy?"
Huafei, "Of course. The war is still on-going now, and YZ is very concerned about my brother. My brother has sent me a letter, I naturally have to let the emperor see it."
Zhen, "May I ask if the emperor is free now?"
Huafei says smugly, "Cao Guiren and Wenyi are inside."
Zhen attempts to go in on hearing this, and Huafei stops her with a wave of her hand.
Huafei, "Ay, Wan Guiren, is your purpose for going in to plead for Shen Meizhuang? His majesty has been annoyed for days. Now he has the company of Wenyi, he can enjoy being with his daughter and enjoy being a father. If you go in like this, whether you bring up Shen Meizhuang or not, you will let YZ think of her faking her pregnancy. Do you think his majesty will be further angered?"
Zhen says calmly, "I believe that Mei jiejie will not do this kind of thing."
Huafei laughs deridesively, "Do you think he will believe you or the reality that's before his eyes? His majesty did not kill Shen Meizhuang, she should count her blessings from her ancestors. Using dragon seed as a joke, she'd better prepare to die of old age in the palace."
Both of them stare challengingly at each other.
Huafei knows she has won, "Hai the sun is so hot. Songzhi, we go back."
Zhen asks Su to convey her request for an audience again. Inside, YZ is playing with Wenyi.
Cao Guiren, "Your majesty, do let Wan Guiren in. The sun is so hot outside, and Wan Guiren is worrying about Shen Daying, what if she gets heatstroke? If Wan Guiren is sick, Shen Daying also can't stay in her confinement in peace."
YZ looks irritated at the mention of Shen and says, "Sing the song you just sang to Wenyi, it's nice."
Su goes out and informs Zhen to go.
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Shen and Jing Pin are in Shen's room. She is taking care of her. Jing Pin advises her to take care of herself so that she can survive until she gets exonerated. She feels some responsibility as Shen is from her main residence. Jing Pin has not had experience of having babies, so she did not manage to detect any trickery. Now only she is authorised to come in to talk to Shen. Zhen is unable to come in as there are many guards outside. Shen asks Jing Pin to remind Zhen that she should preserve her own standing, and not offend YZ just to seek redress for her.
"Meimei, no matter how much I remind you guys, it's also not as good as you taking care of your own body. If anything happens to you, Wan Guiren will take it hard."
"Then I will eat something."
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Zhen is pacing near the streams and destroying some lotus stems mindlessly. She is worrying that Shen will get bullied. Shen is normally so prideful, how can she take it? What if she commits suicide? Jinxi advises Zhen to talk to FangRuo momo. She was Zhen's teacher and she is serving the emperor directly. Zhen hurriedly takes off a gold bangle and sends Jinxi to ask FangRuo to take care of Shen. She also asks Jinxi to give FangRuo momo a Luozi Dai, a special type of eyebrow pencil.
Jing Pin is back watching Shen eat. The NeiWu Fu only sends 1 meal a day. Jing Pin says she is also not allowed to bring things in. She tells Shen to test her meal for poison. She takes a silver hairpin and tests the food. The rice is ok but the side dish does indeed have poison as the silver turns black.
Zhen gets the news that the emperor will be with Huafei tonight.
Zhen, "The more he is closer to Huafei, the worst he will think of Mei Jiejie. I'm afraid he has also grown suspicious of me, that's why he does not visit. If he really trusts me, he would have come to see me after Mei Jiejie got into trouble, he will not ignore me instead. Even thou he shares my pillow, he also shares others' pillow. How different am I from them?"
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Shen is shaken. She thought that it is YZ who wanted to kill her because she has caused damage to the royal family's reputation. Jing Pin is not convinced.
Jing Pin, "No, YZ is not that heartless. Besides your family does hold a high rank and have some power. You are from my Gong, if you are dead, people will say that you commited suicide because you feel guilty. I can't escape any responsibility also. To want to harm both of us, there is only one person in this palace. "
"How would I not know her ruthlessness? In the earlier year she hated me and was so defensive against me, and used various methods to make my life difficult."
Shen asks Jing Pin to tell the emperor.
"But my words do not carry weight in front of YZ. What use is it coming from me? Since those people want to harm you, they expected to insist that you will commit suicide out of guilt. If we do this, it may alert them that we found out. In future you must check your food and beverages, plus every single thing in case they did some tricks. I will report to the empress to give permission for your food to be cooked here, it will also be less trouble for the workers. "
Shen, "Thank you jiejie for saving my life. Do not tell Huan'er what happened today. Otherwise she will not be able to control her impulses."
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FangRuo serves YZ his tea. He notices that she has drawn her eyebrows in a "YuanShan Dai" style. FangRuo mentions she has served Empress Chunyuan before and drew this for her too.
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That night, Zhen is informed by Xiaoxiazi that YZ will be visiting. She says she will have to hold her silence looking at the current unfavorable situation. She will be unable to help Shen by speaking up. The whole palace are just hoping she will go beg the emperor and get into trouble herself. She will not be walking into this and grant them their wishes.
Too bad there is no evidence. Zhen instructs Xiaoyunzi to contact Wen. She also wants her family and Shen's family to find Liu Ben, alive or dead.
She sees a plant that is unhealthy. "This Huang Guiquan is getting good, he even dares to send such a plant to me."
Liuzhu, "These small villians like to curry favor when you are high up and step on you when you are down. After Meizhuang xiaozhu fell and YZ did not come, he use such things to do the job. I'll move it away so you don't get aggravated."
Zhen, "Even I am treated this way, jiejie will be treated much worse. Place the plant in the most conspicuous place instead, so that it can remind me of my situation today."
Zhen waits for YZ. It is very late. YZ finally comes, and says he is tired. Zhen serves him some dessert.
YZ, "Do you have other things to say to me?"
Zhen talks about inconsequential things like the weather and flowers and what to go with them.
YZ, "Is this your urgent business?"
Zhen, "Women make themselves beautiful for their loved ones. Isn't it important?"
YZ, "Indeed.
YZ, "Are you not going to plead for Shen?"
Zhen, "Only when the road is difficult then we can tell the strength of the horse. Only time can tell a person's heart. If this matter has a shred of truth, there will be evidence in future."
YZ, "And you insisted so much to see me."
Zhen, "Si lang has not come see me for such a long time. Why can't I go visit you instead?"
YZ, "Everyone says that you are close to Shen and that you must have been involved with Shen's deception. Why aren't you trying to speak up for yourself?"
Zhen, "Si lang is a wise emperor and knows my character well. Naturally you will not easily listen to those people. If Si lang is really suspicious of Huan Huan, I'm afraid we not will be here sitting and chatting tonight."
YZ, "Do you trust that I do not have suspicions of you?"
Zhen,"Si lang is HuanHuan's pillow mate, who else can I trust and depend on?"
YZ takes her hand finally. (Zhen is being tested all the time and needs to jump through so many hoops just not to lose his trust.)
Zhen,"Mei jiejie's affair, Si lang has already given the verdict. I'm in no position to say anything else. Besides you have told me before, after Huafei returns to favor, I may be running into some difficulties. I won't make things difficult for you. Go to sleep."
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At the empress's daily meeting,
Huafei, "Empress niangniang, I woke up this morning and got the news that Huang Guiquan did something wrong. He has been sent to the Shenxing Si to do time?"
Empress, "Of course. He can't even do his job well. Today morning YZ came out of Wan Guiren's residence and saw a lousy plant. He got angry and asked people to throw it out."
Huafei, "I thought it was some big matter. Let him come back after some time."
Empress, "There is no such thing as a small matter in the palace. Today he can be careless over flowers, next he can get negligent over food and beverages. Or he will get proud and try to humiliate his masters. I know Huang Guiquan is your distant relative, so we have to set a good example now. Meimei, you are so kind and think that this is a small matter. But others think that he is abusing his power because he is related to you. In the end it will hurt your reputation, plus YZ may get angry and neglect you... isn't that not worth it?
Huafei, "I only thought that Huang Guiquan has experience in running NeiWu Fu and it's hard to find a replacement in such a short time. I was just commenting, I did not mean anything."
Empress, "That's why it's important to disassociate yourself. Don't let others ruin your reputation. I have already replaced him with the deputy Jiang ZhongMin."
QiFei, "Didn't YZ choose Huafei's plague yesterday? Why was he at Wan Guiren?"
Empress, "Sometimes it is a moment's inspiration."
Qifei, "Of course. If Huafei had been able to keep YZ by her side, Huang Guiquan would not have been so unlucky this morning."
end of episode 15
They talk about Shen and YZ asks Zhen when is she going to give him babies. She asks if he only wants boys. He replies that as long as it is theirs, he will like them all the same.
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They set off to visit Shen and meets An on the way to the same destination. At Shen, most of the harem, including the Empress and Huafei is there visiting too.
Huafei can't help throwing a few barbs at Zhen when YZ declines her invitation to dine at her place. YZ is a bit irritated at the back and forth.
He gestures at Zhen, "This gal is quick and witty, she is young and loves to joke. Does Huafei really want to compete in a war of words with her?" He doesn't look at Huafei and clearly on Zhen's side. He expects Huafei to give in and she quickly backs off as the situation is not to her advantage.
Huafei replies with a syrupy voice, "Your majesty, I like Wan Guiren's wittiness, that's why I joked more with her."
Empress butts in to change the topic and asks YZ to have some honeydew which were offered in tribute by some general. The Jing Shi Fang eunuch comes to ask YZ to choose a concubine for the night. Huafei looks expectant and pats her hair. YZ chooses the Empress, and while she is delighted, Huafei looks bummed.
Everyone takes their leave and sees someone hiding behind the bushes outside. They catch the maid Fulin. She is holding a bundle. Su asks her if she is stealing. Shen is angry and asks her to be expelled. Cao Guiren goes to examine the contents of the bundle. (Note that it is Cao Guiren who does so, when no one else even bother to touch it.) She pulls out trousers which has been stained with some blood.
Everyone is horrified.
Huafei looks around, wide-eyed and remarks, "Did someone kill to rob?"
YZ remarks that there is something to this, because if the maid was stealing, why isn't the loot valuables but just some dirty clothes?
Xin Changzai comments, "Could it be that Hui Guiren has seen red?" (A nicer way to say menstruated. Not in the english context where seeing red means getting angry.)
Huafei wants the maid sent to the Department of Punishments for interrogation. Shen agrees and orders her to be dragged away.
Fulin quickly pipes up indignantly, "Xiaozhu, nubi is helping you to destroy evidence but you are so ruthless. You want to send me to my death. Why should I stay loyal to you."
She then turns around and agitatedly address YZ, "Your majesty, since it has come to this, I do not dare to lie to you anymore. Xiaozhu is actually not pregnant! I did not steal these clothes. It's xiaozhu, her period came a few days ago and stained her clothes and got me to destroy them. These clothes are the evidence!"
Meanwhile Huafei and Cao Guiren are trying to hide their smirks and maintain a neutral expression.
YZ is still maintaining his calmness and orders, "Hui Guiren is shocked. Go get the physician to attend her."
Shen wants Liu Ben to attend to her but he is not on duty. YZ says any physician is fine.
The physician arrives and diagnoses that Shen is not pregnant. Shen is agitated. They want to get a 2nd opinion. Physician Jiang Cheng is summoned. When going into the chamber, he exchanges a glance with Guizhi who is standing outside.
Jiang Cheng confirms that Shen is not pregnant. He says that Shen would have had her period a few days ago, and that her period is not regular. Such symptoms would have been caused by taking medicine. He also says that Shen had approached him to get a prescription for delaying menses. Although he thinks there is something wrong with her request, Shen had said it is for getting pregnant. He gave her the prescription, but does not know why she has symptoms of nausea or liking sour foods.
Shen "Your majesty, I did get a prescription from Jiang taiyi, but it is for helping to get pregnant and not for delaying menses."
YZ asks to see the prescription but it is nowhere to be found. He then asks to summon Liu Ben. Su Peisheng replies that he checked earlier but Liu Ben has already absconded.
YZ "Shen Guiren, Liu Ben is from the same village as you, is that right? Liu Ben is recommended by you, is that right?"
Zhen is flustered and kneels by Shen. "Your majesty..."
YZ, "Whoever dares to plead for Shen will be punished in the same way."
Zhen tries again and Shen stops her. Huafei finally smiles secretly as the situation is fixed.
Qifei tries to chime in and points the arrow at Zhen, "Your majesty, Wan Guiren and Hui Guiren has always been close. I wonder if today's incident..."
YZ "Shut up!" Qifei fails at backstabbing Zhen and gains YZ's displeasure instead. It's quite obvious he doesn't like her.
He then looks towards a sobbing Shen. "Deceiving me and the dowager, how dare you still wear and flaunt the hairpin." He plucks out the hairpin and Shen's hair comes undone. (In ancient times it is quite shameful for a woman's hair to come undone in public so it is not a stretch to say that YZ is deliberately shaming her.)
YZ, "I've always thought you are very sensible. I have no idea that in reality you are so trashy. You fake a pregnancy to gain favor, it really disappointed me to the core."
Zhen and An plead for mercy. Jing Pin wanted to plead but decided to keep quiet in the end. The empress also asked YZ to consider his and Shen's wife/husband relationship.
YZ finally comes to a decision. He proclaims, "Guiren surnamed Shen, untenable in her words and actions, will be demoted to Daying, her title of "Hui" will be taken away. Confine her to her residence here, without my permission, no one is allowed to visit. Capture Liu Ben alive. Fulin, kill."
YZ and the empress leaves. Huafei and Cao Guiren exchanges a satisfied glance.
An gets back to her residence and feels frightened and weak in the knees. "How could this have happened? Will jiejie's issue affect me?"
She hurriedly asks Baojuan to burn the baby clothes she had sewed.
"This is a taboo subject for the emperor now. If this is discovered, aren't we going to get into big trouble?"
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Liu Ben is outside, waiting for his 5000 taels payoff. As expected, the person who met him tries to kill him, but he escapes.
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Huafei is informed by Zhou Ninghai that Liu Ben has escaped. She is anxious now and commands him to be killed asap. Fulin's family has been given a payoff.
Huafei, "I have promised Fulin, if this task is done well, her whole family will die. If it is done well, even if she dies, her whole family will live in wealth. "
Zhou Ninghai placades and flatters Huafei, "Niangniang is wise. Fulin is able to die for niangniang, and niangniang is taking care of her family. Fulin can be considered to have died for a good cause."
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An wants to pass some goods to an eunuch to bring back to her family. The eunuch now rejects her because of her association with Shen. Everything has changed overnight. The eunuch gossips and says Zhen would have been negative standing too. An then asks him to give it to her straight, so now how much money does he need to complete the task for her? He wants half of the goods. She has to comply.
An goes back to her residence and finds Songzhi asking eunuchs to move her furniture and decorations away.
Songzhi informs An with a smirk, "An Daying, my niangniang says you came in with Shen Daying. With your standing, you should not be staying in such a good place. With niangniang's grace, she will not be moving you. It's just that the decorations here, you are really not good enough to use them, so we have to move them away. It's a nice coincidence that these eunuchs have a lack of decorations in their rooms, so they'll be using yours instead."
Baojuan, "Pei! Keep mentioning Shen Daying this Shen Daying that. We didn't get much to gain when Shen Daying was in favor. Now she has become a Daying everyone wants to kick her when she's down, and they want to kick us too. What sort of world is this!"
An is frustrated but resigned, "Don't say anymore! It's enough that we know."
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Zhen is waiting for YZ to grant her an audience outside the court. Su Peisheng comes out and informs her that YZ is very busy with the on-going war. These few days, he has only attended court and working in the study, marking memorials, conferring with the ministers. He has no time to see her.
Zhen politely thanks Su and says she wants to wait. He kindly gives her an umbrella. Huafei comes out with Songzhi at this time. Zhen looks awkward.
Huafei, "Wan Guiren, why are you standing beneath the hot sun? Is it because you are trying to get rid of the stink of misfortune on yourself?"
Zhen kneels to her and gives the standard greeting. "Huafei niangniang wan fu jin an. " (Ten thousand blessings and golden fortune)
Huafei, "An evil person in the palace has been gotten rid of, of course I feel wan fu jin an. Rise."
Zhen keeps her expression natural. "Isn't YZ very busy?"
Huafei, "Of course. The war is still on-going now, and YZ is very concerned about my brother. My brother has sent me a letter, I naturally have to let the emperor see it."
Zhen, "May I ask if the emperor is free now?"
Huafei says smugly, "Cao Guiren and Wenyi are inside."
Zhen attempts to go in on hearing this, and Huafei stops her with a wave of her hand.
Huafei, "Ay, Wan Guiren, is your purpose for going in to plead for Shen Meizhuang? His majesty has been annoyed for days. Now he has the company of Wenyi, he can enjoy being with his daughter and enjoy being a father. If you go in like this, whether you bring up Shen Meizhuang or not, you will let YZ think of her faking her pregnancy. Do you think his majesty will be further angered?"
Zhen says calmly, "I believe that Mei jiejie will not do this kind of thing."
Huafei laughs deridesively, "Do you think he will believe you or the reality that's before his eyes? His majesty did not kill Shen Meizhuang, she should count her blessings from her ancestors. Using dragon seed as a joke, she'd better prepare to die of old age in the palace."
Both of them stare challengingly at each other.
Huafei knows she has won, "Hai the sun is so hot. Songzhi, we go back."
Zhen asks Su to convey her request for an audience again. Inside, YZ is playing with Wenyi.
Cao Guiren, "Your majesty, do let Wan Guiren in. The sun is so hot outside, and Wan Guiren is worrying about Shen Daying, what if she gets heatstroke? If Wan Guiren is sick, Shen Daying also can't stay in her confinement in peace."
YZ looks irritated at the mention of Shen and says, "Sing the song you just sang to Wenyi, it's nice."
Su goes out and informs Zhen to go.
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Shen and Jing Pin are in Shen's room. She is taking care of her. Jing Pin advises her to take care of herself so that she can survive until she gets exonerated. She feels some responsibility as Shen is from her main residence. Jing Pin has not had experience of having babies, so she did not manage to detect any trickery. Now only she is authorised to come in to talk to Shen. Zhen is unable to come in as there are many guards outside. Shen asks Jing Pin to remind Zhen that she should preserve her own standing, and not offend YZ just to seek redress for her.
"Meimei, no matter how much I remind you guys, it's also not as good as you taking care of your own body. If anything happens to you, Wan Guiren will take it hard."
"Then I will eat something."
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Zhen is pacing near the streams and destroying some lotus stems mindlessly. She is worrying that Shen will get bullied. Shen is normally so prideful, how can she take it? What if she commits suicide? Jinxi advises Zhen to talk to FangRuo momo. She was Zhen's teacher and she is serving the emperor directly. Zhen hurriedly takes off a gold bangle and sends Jinxi to ask FangRuo to take care of Shen. She also asks Jinxi to give FangRuo momo a Luozi Dai, a special type of eyebrow pencil.
Jing Pin is back watching Shen eat. The NeiWu Fu only sends 1 meal a day. Jing Pin says she is also not allowed to bring things in. She tells Shen to test her meal for poison. She takes a silver hairpin and tests the food. The rice is ok but the side dish does indeed have poison as the silver turns black.
Zhen gets the news that the emperor will be with Huafei tonight.
Zhen, "The more he is closer to Huafei, the worst he will think of Mei Jiejie. I'm afraid he has also grown suspicious of me, that's why he does not visit. If he really trusts me, he would have come to see me after Mei Jiejie got into trouble, he will not ignore me instead. Even thou he shares my pillow, he also shares others' pillow. How different am I from them?"
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Shen is shaken. She thought that it is YZ who wanted to kill her because she has caused damage to the royal family's reputation. Jing Pin is not convinced.
Jing Pin, "No, YZ is not that heartless. Besides your family does hold a high rank and have some power. You are from my Gong, if you are dead, people will say that you commited suicide because you feel guilty. I can't escape any responsibility also. To want to harm both of us, there is only one person in this palace. "
"How would I not know her ruthlessness? In the earlier year she hated me and was so defensive against me, and used various methods to make my life difficult."
Shen asks Jing Pin to tell the emperor.
"But my words do not carry weight in front of YZ. What use is it coming from me? Since those people want to harm you, they expected to insist that you will commit suicide out of guilt. If we do this, it may alert them that we found out. In future you must check your food and beverages, plus every single thing in case they did some tricks. I will report to the empress to give permission for your food to be cooked here, it will also be less trouble for the workers. "
Shen, "Thank you jiejie for saving my life. Do not tell Huan'er what happened today. Otherwise she will not be able to control her impulses."
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FangRuo serves YZ his tea. He notices that she has drawn her eyebrows in a "YuanShan Dai" style. FangRuo mentions she has served Empress Chunyuan before and drew this for her too.
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That night, Zhen is informed by Xiaoxiazi that YZ will be visiting. She says she will have to hold her silence looking at the current unfavorable situation. She will be unable to help Shen by speaking up. The whole palace are just hoping she will go beg the emperor and get into trouble herself. She will not be walking into this and grant them their wishes.
Too bad there is no evidence. Zhen instructs Xiaoyunzi to contact Wen. She also wants her family and Shen's family to find Liu Ben, alive or dead.
She sees a plant that is unhealthy. "This Huang Guiquan is getting good, he even dares to send such a plant to me."
Liuzhu, "These small villians like to curry favor when you are high up and step on you when you are down. After Meizhuang xiaozhu fell and YZ did not come, he use such things to do the job. I'll move it away so you don't get aggravated."
Zhen, "Even I am treated this way, jiejie will be treated much worse. Place the plant in the most conspicuous place instead, so that it can remind me of my situation today."
Zhen waits for YZ. It is very late. YZ finally comes, and says he is tired. Zhen serves him some dessert.
YZ, "Do you have other things to say to me?"
Zhen talks about inconsequential things like the weather and flowers and what to go with them.
YZ, "Is this your urgent business?"
Zhen, "Women make themselves beautiful for their loved ones. Isn't it important?"
YZ, "Indeed.
YZ, "Are you not going to plead for Shen?"
Zhen, "Only when the road is difficult then we can tell the strength of the horse. Only time can tell a person's heart. If this matter has a shred of truth, there will be evidence in future."
YZ, "And you insisted so much to see me."
Zhen, "Si lang has not come see me for such a long time. Why can't I go visit you instead?"
YZ, "Everyone says that you are close to Shen and that you must have been involved with Shen's deception. Why aren't you trying to speak up for yourself?"
Zhen, "Si lang is a wise emperor and knows my character well. Naturally you will not easily listen to those people. If Si lang is really suspicious of Huan Huan, I'm afraid we not will be here sitting and chatting tonight."
YZ, "Do you trust that I do not have suspicions of you?"
Zhen,"Si lang is HuanHuan's pillow mate, who else can I trust and depend on?"
YZ takes her hand finally. (Zhen is being tested all the time and needs to jump through so many hoops just not to lose his trust.)
Zhen,"Mei jiejie's affair, Si lang has already given the verdict. I'm in no position to say anything else. Besides you have told me before, after Huafei returns to favor, I may be running into some difficulties. I won't make things difficult for you. Go to sleep."
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At the empress's daily meeting,
Huafei, "Empress niangniang, I woke up this morning and got the news that Huang Guiquan did something wrong. He has been sent to the Shenxing Si to do time?"
Empress, "Of course. He can't even do his job well. Today morning YZ came out of Wan Guiren's residence and saw a lousy plant. He got angry and asked people to throw it out."
Huafei, "I thought it was some big matter. Let him come back after some time."
Empress, "There is no such thing as a small matter in the palace. Today he can be careless over flowers, next he can get negligent over food and beverages. Or he will get proud and try to humiliate his masters. I know Huang Guiquan is your distant relative, so we have to set a good example now. Meimei, you are so kind and think that this is a small matter. But others think that he is abusing his power because he is related to you. In the end it will hurt your reputation, plus YZ may get angry and neglect you... isn't that not worth it?
Huafei, "I only thought that Huang Guiquan has experience in running NeiWu Fu and it's hard to find a replacement in such a short time. I was just commenting, I did not mean anything."
Empress, "That's why it's important to disassociate yourself. Don't let others ruin your reputation. I have already replaced him with the deputy Jiang ZhongMin."
QiFei, "Didn't YZ choose Huafei's plague yesterday? Why was he at Wan Guiren?"
Empress, "Sometimes it is a moment's inspiration."
Qifei, "Of course. If Huafei had been able to keep YZ by her side, Huang Guiquan would not have been so unlucky this morning."
end of episode 15