American Perspectives: An Investigation of the Deceased Consort Feng ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 21)

 

The Emperor is at the Buddhist temple surrounded by his entourage, including 3rd Prince.  He asks for them to stay outside, as he would prefer to worship alone.

"Yes, your Majesty," they respond.

Zi Yuan and Yan Biao are running away from a group of assassins.  Yan Biao's uncle wants to have him assassinated for revealing Feng Xi's secret.  Left Prime Minister wants him assassinated because he doesn't want him telling the Emperor that he was the one who bribed Yan Biao to reveal the secret.  

Zi Yuan and Yan Biao run through the gate of the Buddhist temple, and almost crash into Emperor's entourage.  His gurads shield him, and immediately draw their swords.  Zi Yuan and Yan Biao freeze.  The immediately see the Left Prime Minister, who was the one who had stirred up all the drama in the first place.  The assassins are following close behind.  The Emperor's guards chase them out, as they are now a threat to him.

Left Prime Minister whispers to Zang Fei.  Zang Fei throws a tiny blade at Yan Biao, striking him in the heart, effectively killing him on the spot.

"Take down the assassin!" Left Prime Minister orders, in reference to Zi Yuan.

"Hold on!" says the Emperor.  He walks over to Zi Yuan and the corpse of Yan Biao.  Zi Yuan kneels to the Emperor.  "Isn't that Feng Family's old servant's son, Yan Biao?"  He looks at Zi Yuan.  "And who are you?"

"Your Majesty, I'm a servant under the Feng household," Zi Yuan replies.  "My master was framed by Yan Biao.  Before leaving the capitol, he ordered me to pay attention to Yan Biao's whereabouts.  I found out that someone wants to kill Yan Biao to keep him silent.  So that's the reason why I brought him here.  But unexpectedly, I was still unable to save him."

Left Prime Minister quickly interjects, "Your majesty, I was only worried that they would harm you.  I only had my subordinate take action as a last resort.  Your majesty, please investigate thoroughly."

"Your majesty, have you considered before, if Yan Biao had always known such a shocking secret, why would he wait until Left Prime Minister searched for Lord Feng's sachet to come out and testify? Isn't that too much of a coincidence?" Zi Yuan asks.

Emperor looks at her. "Then can you tell me the truth?"

"The truth is," Zi Yuan replies, "that Consort Wan found out the Imperial Noble Consort was in the early stages of pregnancy, and she was worried that if she had a son, she would become the Empress, so she went to her palace and planted miscarriage inducing medicine.  Yet somehow, this miscarriage inducing medicine didn't work, so she teamed up with Left Prime Minister, took Yan Biao to lie to the court in order to take down the Imperial Noble Consort and Lord Feng together."

Emperor looks at Consort Wan sharply. "Is this true?" he shouts, pointing at her.

Consort Wan kowtows.  "Your majesty, there's definitely no such thing!" she insists.  "I've been framed!" Tears well up.

"Guards!" commands Emperor.  "Go to Consort Wan's bedroom and conduct a search.  Go!"

"Your Majesty!" Consort Wan begs.

Left Prime Minister tries to cover for her. "Your Majesty, the treacherous Imperial Noble Consort Feng and Feng Xi committed adultery first, and then she killed herself out of fear of punishment.  These are all iron clad facts.  You mustn't let Feng Xi's supporters  make up nonsense here.  They should be immediately taken out and sliced a thousand times to death."

"Everything I've said is true," counters Zi Yuan.  "Even if the Left Prime Minister shredded me into pieces, the truth will still not change.  Your majesty, if you want to know whether or not the Imperial Noble Consort was pregnant, her coffin is right there.  A simple check will prove it."

Left Prime Minister is adamantly against it.  Consort Wan is terrified as she knows she's gotten in way too deep.  Left Prime Minister insists the body would be too decomposed to make the distinction.  Then he adds that opening the coffin would disturb the dead's spirit.  "It would be difficult to dispel the resentful energy."

Zi Yuan smirks. "Just a moment ago, she was called a treacherous consort.  Now she's become the Imperial Noble Consort again? I think you're just trying to hide your guilt!"

Left Prime Minister is startled by her observation.

Emperor asks for the Imperial Physician to be summoned.  "Open the coffin and check the body," he commands.

Left Prime Minister knows he's toast.

 

In the medical room, the coffin is opened.  The Physicians are taking a look...

They return to the Emperor in the courtyard, and confirm that Consort Feng's corpse had indeed had a fetus.

Left Prime Minister and Consort Wan are incredulous.

"Say that again!" says the Emperor.

"The Imperial Noble Consort was two months pregnant," says the Physician. 

The Emperor is a mix of sad and flabbergasted.

An investigator comes running to the king.  "Your Majesty, in Consort Wan's bedroom, we found the same type of medicine that Consort Feng had.  There were ten pills hidden in a secret cabinet."

Consort Wan insists they aren't hers. She insists she's being framed.

"Shut up!" Roars the Emperor. "I've always treated you so well.  Anything you wanted, I gave to you, but you still didn't think it was enough! Guards!" The guards surround Consort Wan. "Take this vile, venomous snake of a woman, strip her of her title, and throw her in the Cold Palace."

Consort Wan begs and pleads, insisting she's been wronged.  She is dragged away anyway because no one messes with Feng Xi, and no one messes with Emperor's favored concubine.

Left Prime Minister knows he's in deep shit now because his key game piece has just been dragged to the Cold Palace.

Before Left Prime Minister can save himself, Feng Xi runs into the courtyard, dressed all in black.  He kneels in front of Emperor.  "I also have something to say."

Left Prime Minister is shocked.  "Wait how did--Guards!  Capture this criminal!"

"Stop! Do you see me as Emperor at all?" 

"Your Majesty," Left Prime Minister says, "Didn't you issue a decree to banish Feng Xi from the capitol, and to kill him if he enters the city?  Now, not only has he appeared in the Capitol, but he's even appeared in front of Your Majesty in such an arrogant and bold way!  This is proof he does not respect the hierarchy!"

"Your Majesty," Feng Xi interjects.  "I'm guilty, so I know it'll be hard for me to get out of this alive, but my sister was humiliated.  In order to stay alive, I had to set aside vengeance for my sister.  Today is the seventh day of her death.  We must get to the bottom of all of this once and for all." A tear rolls down his cheek.

Emperor is watching him.  He instructs his guards to take Feng Xi to the Buddhist Temple.  He has further questions to address in private.

In the Temple, Left Prime Minister continues to insist it was Feng Xi's evil scheme.

"Feng Xi," asks Emperor. "Why haven't you said a single thing?"

"Your Majesty, these days, I have been riddled with self blame.  If I wasn't so unwilling to work with Left Prime Minister, then my sister wouldn't have had to die.  But last night, she suddenly appeared in my dream.  She said that in the afterlife, who she worried about most was your majesty."

"Are you telling the truth?" asks Emperor.

"If I'm even telling half a lie, I'm willing to be struck by lightning, and die terribly."

Left Prime Minister gives him side eye.  It is known throughout that Court that Feng Xi is an excellent liar.

"What else did she say?  Is she willing to forgive me?" asks the Emperor.

"Her resentment is hard to quell, but her biggest wish is to not see you be deceived by traitors and be hurt from it."

"It's all my fault," says Emperor.  "I was the one who caused her death, and caused the death of her child."

"Feng Xi," Left Prime Minister interjects. "You use these clever tricks to blindside his Majesty!"

"It doesn't matter whether or not Your Majesty believes my words.  I, Feng Xi, am wiling to die."

"Feng Xi is a traitor!" Left Prime Minister insists.  "You simply cannot trust a single word he just said."

Emperor asks for 3rd Prince's input.  3rd Prince bows.  "Royal Father, right now, the Imperial Noble Consort's case is full of unresolved suspicions.  We cannot jump to conclusions so easily.  However, a few days ago, when I was investigating the crimes in the North Mountains, I found out there were some strange things happening there.  It may have something to do with the Noble Consort's situaiton."

The Emperor wants to know more.  3rd Prince tells him the Ministry of Defense reported 100,000 troops in the North Mountains who conducted a massacre over Li Pass.  They needed troops from Lu Yuantong to assist.  According to 3rd Prince's spies, only a couple thousand troops were in the North Mountains.  The Ministry of Defense had exaggerated.  He suspects that Yin Shi and Lu Yuantong have been conspiring.

Emperor wants to know how this is relevant.  Left Prime Minister insists Feng Xi is trying to start a rebellion, and is using the deceased Imperial Noble Consort as a reason to do so.

3rd Prince presents a map that shows the areas that Lu Yuantong and Yin Shi have been working with.  At the bottom is a note from the Left Prime Minister (forged by Lu Chuan).

Left Prime Minister insists he didn't write it.  Because the forgery was done so well, Emperor doesn't believe him.  Left Prime Minister is about to be arrested, but 3rd Prince suggests a trial.

Emperor agrees, but he orders to have Yin Shi arrested.  Left Prime Minister is placed on house arrest.

Feng Xi asks to be killed.  Emperor helps him stand up. "Feng Xi, I've wronged you."

Feng Xi shakes his head, and he's in tears.  The Emperor continues, "To compensate you, I will cleanse you of all guilt and let you return to the capitol.  At the same time, I will name you my Right Prime Minister to replace the Left Prime Minister."

3rd Prince is shocked.

"You will become the head of all departments, and oversee all six ministries," Emperor continues.

"I will never be able to repay this kindness!" Feng Xi responds.

 

Dong Yue is looking for Feng Xi during the night.  She goes to Feng Manor, and she's calling for him.  Wen Xin comes running to her.  Dong Yue wants to know why she's there.  Fireworks are bursting in the sky, and Feng Xi is behind her, holding up her missing jade pendant.  He places it in her hand.  He confirms to her that he is finally allowed back in the capitol, and he has been promoted.  The embrace and watch the fireworks.  He says he got the fireworks to celebrate their 200 day anniversary.

Feng Xi serves her breakfast in bed, while wearing his navy blue, Right Prime Minister robes.  Beautiful silver cranes are embroidered all over the front.

He hands her some soup, and feeds it to her.  She smiles at him.  He made the food for her himself.

Dong Yue is skeptical that he got reinstated, and then promoted, fair and square.  She suspects he schemed his way back in.  He denies it.

Dong Yue has some investigating to do.  She's conferring with 3rd Prince, who wants her to get away from Feng Xi.  He warns her that the scheming is only going to escalate.  He shows Dong Yue the map with the forged signature.  They both know only Feng Xi could pull something like this off.  Though Dong Yue doesn't want it to be true.  She notices the events are occurring just as they were before she time travelled and intervened.  She's wondering what more she can do.  She takes her leave and goes looking for Feng Xi.

She finds him in his study.  She wants him to stop helping Lu Yuantong because she knows he will be the one who kills Feng Xi, and it's going to happen soon.  She confronts him about the forgery.  He confronts her about talking to 3rd Prince behind his back.  She wants him to stop scheming, which he isn't able to do just yet.  The two are at an impasse.  She wants him to live and be honest.  He thinks his scheming is exactly what he needs to do that accomplish that.