Although Prince Zhu Di of Yan was appointed as a prince, he was stationed in the north to guard Yan territory. He has shown amazing perseverance and courage since childhood, and is the most outstanding among his brothers, but he missed the crown prince position because he is not the eldest son. After the unexpected death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang established his grandson Zhu Yunwen. Zhu Di was forced to retreat by the fiefdoms and had no choice but to rise up in rebellion. After the four-year Jingnan Campaign, he finally took control of the capital. Zhu Di had the world, but he carried eternal fame and lost his beloved in his heart. Zhu Di used the latter half of his life's hard work to rewrite the history of the Ming Dynasty, built the Forbidden City, relocated the capital to Beijing, and launched five expeditions to the northern desert, compiling the "Yongle Encyclopedia" and dispatching Zheng He to the West, achieving immortal achievements. He passed away on his triumphant return journey during his last expedition to the north.
Hya!
Hya!
I have never thought that
one day
when I enter the mansion of Yan
I would see such a scene.
Was I wrong?
Was I so wrong
that sister hates me so much?
Hya!Hya!
Why?
I came all the way here in Peiping
But when I'm at your home
I feel nothing but lonely
I have hoped
for so many times
that I could come in this door
and get together with you
But today
when I really
stepped in the door
I felt nothing
but unfamiliar and helpless
Was it because you weren't here?
Or was it because
I really hurt sister's heart
so deep?
I want to see you
But I'm afraid to see you
I'm afraid that
I can't control my feelings inside
I'm also afraid that
I will fail the mission
Why
is everything
happening to me?
Why do I and my loved ones
have to bear all the pain, the disturbance and the fears?
Hya!
Hya!Hya!
I'm sorry to my sister
I'm too ashamed to see her
I even don't know how to face you
Maybe. I shouldn't have come to Peiping
Hya!Hya!
Hya!
Hong Xing
Your Empress
Call the groom and the guards
We're leaving Peiping right now
Did we just get here?
Stop asking questions
Follow my orders
Do not disturb anyone. Hurry
Your Empress
Sister, I am sorry
But do not worry
The three sons of yours
will come back safe and sound
Your Empress. the carriage is ready
I'll go
Your Empress
Aren't you going to say goodbye
to Imperial Concubine Xu and His Highness Yan?
No. Let's go
Hold on
Miaoyun. What are you doing? Are you leaving?
Yes. Back to the capital
Are you going to leave
without a word?
I don't know which word to say
when I see you
Then why are you here?
I won't let you go
Do you know how much
I have been missing you?
Miaoyun, now that you are here
don't go back
to the capital
Just stay with me, OK?
Don't go
Miaoyun
I know what you have been through
all these years
I just fear, greatly
that those things in the capital
will actually happen to us
Don't be afraid. I'm here
It's no big deal
Maybe I'll just tear the imperial court down
Yan, what are you saying?
It is just a metaphor
Yan, are you really thinking about rebellion?
No
I'm just giving you some comfort
Look. You are thinking too much again
I hurried all the way back to see you
and I fell so many times on the way
God, I look like a mess
Why were you rushing?
Even though it's OK for you to not see me
I can't stand it
Your Majesty, it's too cold outside
Come back in. You'll get a cold
I just want to be alone
Your Empress
Withdraw
Yes
Where are Your Majesty going?
I know
what you are thinking about
You are worried about
Empress Xu, right?
I know what is worrying you
Empress Xu and seignior Yan were a couple
who loved each other
Late emperor forcefully broke them up
in order to bring luck to your father
Now that you have become the emperor
why can't you just
do them a favor?
Don't go back to the capital
You don't want your three sons?
This time I am here to see sister
and
to persuade you to make up with the imperial.
Make up?
You should say this to Zhu Yunwen
It's not about how I treat the imperial
It's about how the imperial treats me
Haven't you seen what Zhu Yunwen did
when he ascended the throne?
None of them were legal.
None of them could let people put trust in him
When the late emperor demised
he faked an imperial edict
to stop other sons from hurry back for the funeral.
I entered the capital on my own
And he was at the Jinchuan Gate
Almost tear me to pieces
Have you forgotten how they
prisoned me in the west garden?
Have you forgotten how we
were almost chopped into pieces?
Have you forgotten how
how those officials make the mess?
I do remember
You remember? Then why are you speaking for him?
I'm not here to speak for him
I'm here to beg you
for the people of the world
Beg?
Beg me for what?
I am just a seignior
I can't even protect myself
What can I ever do for the people?
I am begging you
to make up with the imperial
and give up on your rebellion
to avoid killings
I'm thinking for the world
Who ever said that I wanted to rebel?
It is good
that you don't have this kind of thought
in your mind
Are you here in Peiping
to talk to me about all these?
Yes
You really are on Zhu Yunwen's side.
Whatever you think.
Can he ever
listen to what you say?
Perhaps
So it means that
you are willing to
be the Yang Yuhuan of Ming?
And you? You are An Lushan
Stop stop
What's going on? What's going on?
Get out of the way!
This time I am here in Peiping
to take a close check
on the mansion of Yan
Kid. You sure are tough
You must have no idea about who I am, right?
I am the Duke Ding
I have His Majesty's medal for avoiding death.
Take a close look. Look
Done?
In Ming
I'm the only one who has it
Not even Yan
Now you know who I am
Duke
Why are you here?
General Zhu Neng
Let me in there
I, the Duke
am going to check the mansion of Yan
I do wonder
if you are making weapons in secret
That's not possible
How could we
make weapons in secret?
Then let me in
I don't make the call
His Highness commanded that
nobody shall go in without permission
There must be something in there
What are you doing?
Going back to where I should
Don't go
I don't want you to go
Let go of me
Report
Your Highness
The Duke is insisting
to go into the backyard
Put him in the prison
Yes
Why are you arresting my brother?
Why?
You two
are here to be the spy
for Zhu Yunwen
I can let you go
But you need to tell Zhu Yunwen
that your brother-in-law Zhu Di
is starting a rebellion in Peiping
OK. I'll go
I will never ever
come here again
Miaoyun. I'm not letting you go
I am not needed here
I am annoying
I am the
Yang Yuhuan in people's mouth
Miaoyun
Don't blame me
I care about you so much
and my heart hurts so much
So I said things I shouldn't say
Do you have any idea that
how painful my heart is?
Do you want me to
take out my heart
and bring it to the capital?
If you are not in this world
why would I ever want to live?
It seems you are seriou
about checking the backyard
It's not my idea
It's His Majesty's idea
Are you bold enough to act against the order?
Where is the imperial edict?
I have His Majesty's oral edict
Oral edict?
What are you whispering about?
Look at yourselves
Sneaking!
You can hide things from others
but never me the Duke
Just let the Duke in
and have a look
Relax if you are not guilty
Duke. Please
That's right. Take it
Duke
Do you think that this is a place for weapon?
Don't rush me
I am sure and I will find something out.
Here. What is this place?
You bastard
What are you doing?
Duke. I'm sorry
Take him down
You
Move. Move
Go in there. Be quiet
You bastard. How dare you push me
Call Zhu Di to come
Call him now
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Make your waist and your haunch on the same line
Play your spear with all your strength
One more
One
Just a woman
-she's so not qualified to train us? -Two
What are you saying?
Your home
and your bed are right for you
The wilderness and the sand
are only bad
for your beautiful skin
Stop
You. Out
Are you looking down on me?
Then let's have a fight
Come on
Today
If anyone disobey the military rules
he shall be severely punished
Who's still not convinced?
Come on out now
I will beat him until he is convinced
An army without dignity and discipline
is doomed to
lose in a fight.
Do not think that
being a soldier is to muddle along
Look at you now
You haven't been on the field
But you've already been defeated
Keep your chins up
Understand?
Yes
Louder
Yes!
Is that the medicine for the princess?
Your Empress
Come on. I'll do it
Your Empress. This is for the servant to do
It may take two hours
I'm afraid your hands will get dirty
Don't say that
I want to do this for my sister
OK. I'll go first
OK.
My wife
Your Highness, what happened to your face?
It's hurt
It's OK. It's just a graze
How are you? Are you OK?
Cuiyu told me that
you came back before the sunrise
I went to Miaoyun first
She seldom comes here
It's right for you to see her
My wife. Don't think too much
Why would I think too much
She is my sister
What can I do?
When I said I wanted to marry her
didn't you say yes?
When have I ever said no?
It's just that
she really hurt me this time.
Maybe she has her own difficulties
Where's my brother?
What can he do?
He's just looking around
Don't worry. I've arranged everything
Last night
I had a quarrel with Miaoyun.
At that time
I was angry and aching
Now that I think about it I feel regretful
No matter what
she is still my sister
How can she ever hurt us?
Of course she won't hurt us
You seldom get together
Why not tonight
make a feast
and apologize to them?
Well
I'll do it for you
You just have a good rest
I am just
missing my sons
I sure was rushing too much.
If you are still worried
why not
just make the reception for the guest
as your wedding?
What?
It's been
so many years
If we are going to keep wasting time
we'll never know
what's going to happen
Look at my sister
She should be married at this age
But
Why?
You don't want to marry my sister?
It's not that
It's just that under the situation now
I'm afraid I will displease
Zhu Yunwen
He will have the excuse to discard the posts of seigniors
But aren't they all
accusing my sister as Yang Yuhuan?
Sice they all say
she is a curse
then we will keep her in Peiping
Though the messier this country or our family get
our love
cannot be broken
Don't think that
I was angry just because of
the words I said
I am not that mean
If I am so mean
how could I become your wife?
If you can make the decision
I would have loved that
Don't worry. I will go
talk to Miaoyun
What's between tho two of you
should be settled
It's been so many years
If I don't do it
nobody will do it
In my opinion
if you don't marry Miaoyun
till the day you die
you won't feel secure
Sister
Have a seat
Are you better?
Come on. Take your medicien
I'm sorry
I yelled at you yesterday
And today you even
sent the medicine here yourself
What are you talking about?
You are my sister
It's nothing
Besides
I am your sister
I can understand you. Come on
If those things never happened
we could have been
so happy
Don't worry
I will
get my nephews back
Otherwise
I will not be able to face you
I'll take the medicine later
I have something to say to you
Withdraw first
Yes
Tell me
Answer me
This time
are you here for anything else
beside paying me visit?
I just want seignior Yan
to make up with the imperial
This
I have heard of this yesterday
I just don't want Yan
to start a conflict with the imperial
It's still about the country
I don't want to hear it
Let me ask you
Are you willing to stay in Peiping?
Sister
You and Yan
have loved each other for so many years
I didn't perform the responsibility
as a sister
Years ago
I should have got you to Peiping
You don't have to be embarrassed
If I really mind
I wouldn't have let you and Yan
stay in the same house
Mother passed away early
It was me who brought you up
Of course I hope
you can marry to a good family
Sister
But I am already
a part of the imperial
Are you willing to
live like a widow
until the day you die?
This may be my destiny
If you have really accepted your destiny
then I'll have nothing to say
My sister
Actually I have always known that
in your heart there is no space
for Yan
Why not marry and come to the mansion of Yan
rather than being lovesick.
No. No, I can't
Why?
You don't want to marry Yan?
No
Actually it's been my wish for many years
to be married to the Yan
It would so good
to be living with sister and the Yan
It's just that
this time
I am here with a mission
If I don't go back
I would have nothing to tell him
There are so many officials under Emperor Jianwen
Does he need a girl like you
to be concerned over him?
Besides
I have already heard about
how the people around him are
insulting you and talking about you
If you go back like this
you may not even have some good time then.
I know
I am just genuinely thinking for you
If you really get married to Yan
and the two of you find each other congenial
he will never treat you bad
Think about it
Now the court is push so hard
and Yan is upset right now
you can stay beside him and give him some comfort.
It's not that I don't want to
It's just I don't have other ways
Are you willing to be with Jianwen instead of Yan?
No
If Yan knows that
you don't want to marry him
what would he think?
It seems like I have talked too much
as a matchmaker
Sister
Miaoyun
Have you really changed your heart?
No. Really
Sister, listen to me
I have to go back
I have to go back myself
to get my three nephews back
If I don't
I will not be able to predict what's going to happen next
You are my sister
I want to see you and your family
live a happy life
In this way I can be truly happy
If I don't go back
a storm is surely going to happen
Let alone three nephews
it's going to be dangerous
to seignior Yan and the mansion
Your Empress
called me in in such a hurry
Do you have anything to tell me to do?
Aren't you having dificulties in
finding evidence to discard Seignior Yan?
I
Lord Qi
I am not
the mistress of Seignior Yan
You don't have to beware of me
Yes
Your Empress can see things so clearly
I have nothing more to hide.
Seignior Yan has always wanted to rebel
He is a hidden danger to the imperial court
But His Majesty is too softhearted
For so many times
he couldn't make up his mind to solve this problem
Now the power of Peiping
is not that strong
It's still rather easy for the imperial court to take him down
But if we miss the great chance
the consequence is unimaginable
I have an idea
to let His Majesty to
take Seignior Yan down
What's your idea?
Didn't the old lover of Seignior Yan
just go to Peiping?
Yes
Then you can spread some words
outside the palace
that Empress Xu is not coming back
and she is going to
get married with Seignior Yan
If this can be tolerated, what cannot?
How can a seignior forcibly take
an empress away?
This is against the system prescribed by the ancestors
and a capital felony which insults the laws of the imperial court
At that time
if you suggest to raise an army
how can he not agree
when he is in a fit of anger?
What a great idea!
Your idea is excellent
For the peace of the imperial court
I have advised His Majesty for so many times
But he rejected all
Now
everything can
be seen in the clear
Zhu Di.
You bastard
How dare you lock me up?
I am the Duke Ding
You are plotting a rebellion
That is monstrous crime. Zhu Di!
Come out. Zhu Di!
Miaoyun
Where did you take my brother to?
He's fine. Do not worry
He is my brother-in-law
What can I ever do to him?
He said he wanted to look around
So I called someone to be his company
You. What are you doing?
Are you still leaving?
I was about to ask you
Why won't you marry me?
What is the reason?
Why?
Let go of me
Tell me first
Let go of me
I can't be married to you
Why?
All these years
I have been waiting
Waiting for today
so I can marry you as my wife
Why not?
Aren't you looking forward to it?
Or is it that you have changed your heart?
Whatever
Your Highness
What are you doing here? Get out
Have you changed your heart to Zhu Yunwen?
I have only one heart
It has been yours since years ago
Then why
won't you marry me
when you have already had your sister's permission?
Don't you want to be my woman?
I want to
But I don't dare to and I can't
What is stopping you?
I don't want to be the Helen of Troy
You are the woman I love
Why would you be the Helen of Troy?
If I do this
the imperial will not let me
and you off
I don't care about the imperial
I also don't care about Zhu Yunwen
I am marrying you
for sure
No one can stop me
Not even the imperial
All that I can do
is to rush back to the capital
and get your three sons back
It was me
who sent my own son to be the hostage
You don't have to worry about that
Your Highness
Why do you have to say things like that to me?
Zhu Yunwen will not do anything to them.
He feted them
When Gaoxu did something back
he even rehabilitated him
That was because I was there
Now the officials in the court
haven't cooled their resentment down
If I stay
they will have the excuse
to stir things up in front of His Majesty
Then
not only your three sons
even you will be in danger
Besides, I'm here to mediate
I can't be
the source of the disaster
You
know this
better than me, right?
It's not that I don't want to stay
I have no choice
After all
I am the useless one
Seignior Yan, do not say that
I am truly afraid that
if you go this time
I don't know when I'll see you again
Comparing to the grand world
our love
is just nothing
It's just a drop in the ocean
I do not want to be the sinner
I don't want to mess up the world, either
Your Majesty
I suggest we should send an army to Peiping right now
to arrest and condemn Seignior Yan
Your Majesty. If this can be tolerated, what cannot?
Seignior marrying Empress Xu
is a felony
which is degrading to the majesty of the imperial
Your Majesty
Seignior Yan is ready to
start his rebellion
Now he even made use of this opportunity
to embarrass the imperial
If Your Majesty keep forbearing
Seignior Yan is going to be more rampant
I want to see
how long he can
keep being rampant
It is even possible for him to grow ambitious
and attack the imperial
But why would he do that?
I've been treating him good
Why would he do that?
Please give orders now, Your Majesty
Please give the order to remove the post of Seignior Yan
OK. I will give my orders
I order Li Jinglong
to take an army to the north
Your Majesty. Please don't
Governor Zuo. What are you doing?
Your Majesty
have sent my brother and my sister
to Peiping to mediate
They are not back yet
Your Majesty cannot
suddenly send an army to the north
just because someone's words
Xu Zengshou, don't you try to quibble
You are on the same side
with the the brother and sister
who sold out to the enemy bringing calamity to the country and people
Nonsense!
You Majesty, I think
we should arrest Xu Zengshou
in case the betrayers in the court make any mess
Your Majesty
The brother and sister of Xu's sold out to our enemy
Seignior Yan
But Xu Zengshou is still here in the capital
stealing the secrets of the imperial
and conspiring with Seignior Yan
He is unforgivable
We should take him down
Your Majesty
My brother Duke Ding has always been loyal
to the imperial and Your Majesty
Your Majesty sent him to Peiping
because you trust him
And my sister Empress Xu
You know her
If she ever wanted to rebel
against Your Majesty and the imperial
they wouldn't have
gone all the way to Peiping
All that they did
are for you, My Majesty
Xu Zengshou, stop quibbling
Are the secret reportes of Peiping
fake, too?
You are the only one who know that
if the reports
are true or not
I am
the brother of Empress Xu
I don't even know
that my sister is marrying to Seignior Yan
How come that you officials
knew this before me?
You
Your Majesty. I have a suggestion
Do you want to hear it?
Tell me. What is it?
I am willing to be the hostage
If they really want to
stay in Peiping and not come back
I am willing to accept the punishment from Your Majesty
Your Majesty. This must be his trap
A trap set by the Xu's
Your Majesty, you can't trust them!
Your Majesty
I hope Your Majesty
can give brother and sister seven more days
After seven days
if they are still not back in the capital
I will cut my head off myself
Your Majesty, I suggest to send the army right away
We can't give Seignior Yan time
to prepare an army
In my opinion
Zhu Di wouldn't
play tricks, right?
Your Majesty
What if Seignior Yan
forces Empress Xu to marry him
even if Empress Xu doesn't want to
she is there now
What can she do?
Anyhow
Seignior
is going to be put to death for sure
Your Majesty, please have mercy
Just give my brother
and sister seven more days
After seven days
the truth will come out itself
If then they are still staying in Peiping
you can send someone
to the mansion of Yan
carrying my head
OK
I will give you seven days
Seven?
If in seven days
Empress Xu still does not want to come back
I will take an army myself
and attack Peiping
Thanks, Your Majesty
Your Majesty
Hurry. At full speed
Report to the Yan's
to let Empress Xu and Duke Ding
come back to the capital
Something big is going to happen! Something big!
Your Highness. When I was in the capital
I heard from Gaoxu that
you were enlarging your army
while keeping a low profile
Is that true?
How is that possible?
It must be Gao Xu's nonsense
Why would Gaoxu
speak nonsense to me?
It's not a joke
Your Highness
But I have to say this
At this point of time
do not trust anybody
What happened in the mansion of Yan
and the training at Old North Entrance
cannot be known by anybody
Even
your closest ones
Miaoyun. Do you think that
it is possible?
Why would I do that?
Besides I have only a few troops.
How can I start the rebellion?
Then why would you
reject His Majesty's kindness?
Why wouldn't you go to the imperial court
and be the Left Prime Minister to help govern the nation?
That is a position
which is only second to the emperor
Miaoyun. I live in Peiping
and I have jurisdiction over all the important affairs of army and government
What more could I want?
Besides, if I had gone to the capital
and really become the prime minister
would they stop talking about me?
They will still say that
I'm controlling the political situation
using the emperor's power
Why would I put myself
in that position?
Nobody understands me
Besides
knowing that you think the same way
I seriously have nothing to say
Now I'm relieved
As long as you are not going to rebel
nothing will happen to the imperial
and the world will be at peace
I'm only afraid that Zhu Yunwen
will drive me to a dead end
He won't
How do you know that?
I will talk to him
After all
you are still on his side
In fact you don't have to
say this kind of words to me
You know where my heart is
the best
If I only seek for glory and wealth
and pass my affection to another
would I still come to Peiping?
Would I still need to care so much about
your life and your glory
every day and night?
Miaoyun
To be honest, I want nothing
but for you
and your family
to be safe and sound
Are you really willing to
stay in the palace?
Are you willing to be a relict
at this young age?
Are you really willing
to age and die in the palace?
I don't want to but I have to
If some day I really start my rebellion
I am doing it
in order to change your destiny
Seignior Yan, you can't do that
It's not worthy. I don't deserve it
You deserve it
You deserve it if you tell you so
Forget about me. Please
I can't
Miaoyun
These days
I have been suffocating because of my fear
I have been worried about
the relationship between you and Zhu Yunwen
Are you on the imperial's side?
Are you choosing to believe
the rumors out there?
If it is for the imperial
I can forgive you
But if you give all your heart to Zhu Yunwen
I will kill you
and that bastard
We didn't
Is there anything
more despairing
than being in the palace
and thinking of you
which keeps me up all night?
You are giving me a heartache
My heart is so painful that I can't breathe
In the future, despite if we are far apart
or meeting on the battlefield
I want you to be my woman
I want you to be my woman forever
I'm always yours
Miaoyun
No. Your Highness
Miaoyun. I want your body
I want your heart
I want you to be my woman
No! Really. Seignior Yan
You don't want to?
Sister is still sick
Is His Highness here?
His...His Highness is in here
talking to Her Empress
Wel...Then...
His Highness
His...
His Highness. Master Daoyan is here
waiting for you in the front hall
Your Empress
What have I done wrong?
Why would I not know what to do
when I face him?
Zhu Di, you bastard
Give me some food
If you starve me
in the future how can I
keep working for the imperial?
Zhu Di, how dare you lock your brother-in-law up?
Zhu Di!
Show your face, Zhu Di!
Empress Xu
has left around three to five o'clock in the morning
Sister. I'm sorry I left without a goodbye
It is so hard for us
to see each other
So I didn't say goodbye
I hope that you
can be healthy again soon
I was born unlucky
and I let my family down
I wanted to be as excellent as men are
and to bring honor to our family
I wanted to drive the enemy away
and bring peace to Peiping
I wanted to put an end to war
and smile instead of hostility
But the trip to Peiping
makes me feel blank
The world belongs to men
Women are like the plants
They can not stop the fire of men
But I have promised my sister that
someday three princes
will gather around sister's bed
I think I can expect sister
to be healthy again soon
But I still want to tell sister
and Seignior Yan that...
...you can't enjoy a peaceful life
even if you have all the wealth
and power
Do not violate the laws
If you start your rebellion without knowing what you can really do
you will be self-defeating and universally condemned
Everyone will spurn you and you will be written into the history
and remembered by people for your notoriety
It's not worth it
Hya! Hya! Miaoyun! All my respect to sister
Miaoyun!
Miaoyun!
Music