Mother... Ding Lan?
Master!
Did the ghosts appear in your dream again?
Why not consult the Raven Consort about it?
It's fine. Don't tell her.
But at this rate, you'll ruin your health.
Qing.
I said it's fine.
I'm sorry.
Deep in the inner palace,
there lives a consort known as the Raven Consort.
She holds a special position. Despite her title of consort,
she does not perform nighttime duties.
Though she lives in the inner palace,
she has no contact with the emperor.
It is said that she can use mysterious arts...
Will His Majesty come again tonight?
Episode 5 Confidant
There's no need.
There you go again.
And yet, you're impatiently waiting for him.
Listen to me, Jiu-jiu.
I am a consort who does not perform nighttime duties.
Yes, I know that.
Well, what a coincidence.
He's arrived, Your Highness.
What do you want today?
You think all you need to do is bring food, don't you?
Do you not want it?
If I didn't want it, I'd have thrown you out by now.
I'm glad you like them.
I said nothing of the sort.
I came today because I have a request.
Apparently, the inner palace is haunted.
Yes, I'm tired of hearing about that.
They say the ghost has silver hair.
Are you aware there's a willow tree south of Huaniang's palace?
The ghost appears nightly beneath the tree while it is in bloom,
and ceases to appear once the tree produces down.
Is the ghost a man or a woman?
I don't know. Why?
I thought it might be Luan Bingyue.
I see. Luan Bingyue, huh?
Is there something you know?
He was the grandson of Emperor Luan,
a maverick who distanced himself from rule and was skilled in sorcery.
His master and foster father was a sorcerer named Feng Yixing.
He was fostered by a sorcerer?
It's unclear why, but his master is still alive.
I'm currently looking into the matter.
I'll let you know as soon as I learn anything.
Meanwhile, I'd like you to handle the ghost haunting the willow tree.
I'll consider it.
It has just begun blooming.
The ghost should be appearing soon.
Are you familiar with Yeyoushen?
The god who kidnaps people under cover of night?
Yes.
Yeyoushen despises bright lights.
That's why the inner palace and red-light district are kept so well illuminated.
The red-light district should be unknown to you.
I hear stories.
It's bright outside in the red-light district, but not many flames are kept indoors.
To prevent accidental fires?
No.
It's to prevent people's faces from being seen clearly.
They'd look boorish in bright light
that would fail to conceal their thick makeup and wrinkles.
You seem to know it well.
Raven Consort, cease your useless riddles.
Don't you think you're being rude?
It's fine. I've learned something new.
Yeyoushen sometimes mingles among the people.
He could be right by your side.
You should be careful.
I see. Then I shall.
I'm not joking.
I never thought you were.
You wouldn't threaten someone as a joke,
and you don't say things to hurt others.
I believe your words can be trusted.
I shall return.
I keep telling you not to come back!
Master.
I simply tripped.
Shall I stay by your side during the night?
That's not necessary.
Neither my mother nor Ding Lan do anything to harm me.
Oh, it's you.
Xing-xing was making a racket, so I was wondering who had come.
What do you want?
I...
Don't tell her.
I know you. You must've come for help with something concerning him.
No, I'm here to warn you.
Warn me?
As a survivor of the previous dynasty,
you will someday become trouble for my master.
You should know that very well already.
Before that time comes, you should mend both your words and ways.
Mind your language around him, and treat him with the utmost courtesy.
What if I say I cannot?
Don't you understand that I'm telling you you're in no position to say that?
You came here in the middle of the night just to tell me that?
You're an unpleasant man.
I feel the same way about you.
Isn't that a bit too blunt?
You're not a consort according to the law,
and your name isn't even on the inner palace's register.
The Raven Consort is something other than a consort,
so I find it unnecessary to demonstrate
the same courtesy I would show to other consorts.
When you called me unpleasant,
did you think I would not respond in kind?
Is it because I'm a eunuch?
Excuse me.
What are you researching?
Do you remember our visit to Xue Yuyong?
He said that because the ghosts haunting Yandi were exorcised,
the Raven Consort and her mysterious arts could no longer be used carelessly.
But that doesn't explain her forced solitude.
I thought there might be more secrets.
You're researching the Raven Consort again?
I'm curious.
Who exactly is the Raven Consort?
Sir, I've come to make my report.
Dan Hai.
Have you learned anything concerning the sorcerer?
I heard several rumors about a possible sorcerer west of the city.
Where is he?
Because there were numerous sorcerers chased out of the city at the time,
I have yet to determine that.
It will take some time.
Fine. Continue your search.
Yes, sir.
Master, I shall also look into the matter concerning the sorcerer.
What?
We've been dealing with too much trouble recently.
I'd like to remove the source of the problem as soon as possible.
Still, there's no need for you to go.
Would you permit it anyway?
Fine.
Thank you.
But don't push yourself too hard.
That's not Bingyue. Who is she?
An agate pendant?
Yes. The willow ghost had one hanging from her sash.
Does that sound familiar?
I've seen one before at the Ningguang Hall storehouse.
If we check the records, we should be able to figure out whose it was.
I see. Show me, then.
The records?
The inside of the storehouse. It will be quicker.
That will be difficult.
Only the eunuchs who manage the storehouse and I are permitted entry.
Just don't tell anyone, then.
What's the matter?
Nothing. I thought he might have something to say about it.
Wei Qing isn't here today.
He's away running an errand.
I see. It's unusual for him to leave your side.
Regarding the storehouse, you should do as you please.
I can't accompany you, but I'll make arrangements to allow you in.
Are you sure?
They say the Raven Consort could have anything if so desired.
Simply viewing the treasures in the storehouse should be trivial.
Everything could be yours if you desired.
Did you hear what he just said?
Hear what?
So, he did hear.
The sorcerer?
Yes. I heard you know where he is.
Do I? My memory isn't what it used to be.
Will this help you remember?
I think he may be in the red-light district.
The red-light district?
Yeah. The previous dynasty apparently thought highly of him,
but Yandi drove all of them out of the palace.
He must really resent the current emperor.
Red-light District
Hey, wait up.
What?
Sure, there's probably a sorcerer or two mixed in among us.
What do you think this place is?
Lies are layered on top of other lies here.
I'm aware.
This is a waste of time. What am I doing?
Que Er?
Is that you, Que Er?
I knew it was you. Do you remember me?
Your mother and I—
Stay back! Stay back!
Hey! Wait a minute, Que Er!
Que Er. That used to be my name.
My mother was the store's most beautiful entertainer.
My father was one of her best customers.
There was even talk of him buying her freedom and making her his mistress.
But perhaps my father never intended such things.
In the end, nothing came of it.
My mother died after stabbing herself in the throat with a razor.
The smell of powder, sweat, and the suffocating stench of blood...
That is my last memory of this place.
As a young child left all on his own, I had only two choices.
One was to become a male prostitute.
The other was to become a eunuch and enter the palace.
I refused to become a prostitute,
so I chose to become a eunuch instead.
Name?
My name is Que Er.
Que Er? Cute name.
But my masters taught me that both choices were the same.
Unable to withstand the humiliation inflicted on me by the masters,
one night, I ran away.
I still remember the warmth of his hand.
I was covered in wounds,
but he asked no questions and instead sheltered me, appointing me his attendant.
Even now, my master has never once asked me about that time.
My master gave me both my surname and given name.
I abandoned my previous identiy.
I was reborn as a eunuch who protected his master.
At least, I thought I'd been.
But...
Wait a minute, Que Er!
Que Er? Cute name.
Que Er.
Master...
Master, what happened?
Excuse me.
You're back.
I know you've only just returned, but I'd like you to do something for me.
Could you make some tea?
I'm sorry.
I was unable to locate the sorcerer.
Next time...
You've done enough. I'll have someone else handle it.
But...
Where did this tea come from?
It's from Wuzhou.
It's good.
Whether it was tea or calligraphy, you picked it up quickly.
It's because learning was so much fun.
It was something I'd never even hoped for, before you saved me.
Your tea is the best, after all.
Master...
May I ask that you make more tomorrow?
Yes.
My fate had tainted
The heavily falling snow black
The sun shines in gradually
And freshly melts it away with its summer warmth
The dream you saw in your eternal sleep
I'll do whatever I can to make it come true
(I want to help you, it's true)
Because you made your wish to me
Just like the sun shining through the darkness
The bouquet of light
That you had given me
Still connects the seasons that will never meet
The proof of this pain
Will it be able to stay the snow that falls in the summer?
It's you.
Raven Consort, we need to talk.
What is it?
It's true...
I am, in fact, a gloomy and unpleasant fellow.
No, I'm sorry about the other day.
You were correct.
Because you were a eunuch and subordinate to me,
I assumed you wouldn't say such things.
Despite claiming I don't care about courtesy,
it had become ingrained in the back of my mind.
I'm the one who's unpleasant. I'm sorry.
The Raven Consort truly is different.
No consort would ever bow her head to a servant like a eunuch.
It would seem you're not a true consort, after all.
You are an unpleasant man.
What I wanted to discuss was the ghosts that appear in my master's bedchamber.
Ghosts?
Of Lady Xie Fei and Brother Ding.
Brother Ding? You mean Ding Lan?
That's what I called him.
He was old enough to be my father,
but he said he preferred it because it was less stuffy.
His mother and Ding Lan are ghosts?
They began appearing to him over the past month.
They apparently don't harm him,
but my master is increasingly exhausted day by day.
Why didn't you tell me?
Because he told me not to.
I see. You must be desperate.
What is it?
Nothing. I was expecting a crueler answer.
Who do you think I am?
Forgive me.
There's something else I'd like to say to avoid misunderstandings.
I may come to regret turning to you for help.
But depending on how it is used,
a poison can become a medicine for healing.
My master is suffering.
Please, help him.
Having someone like you at his side must make him happy.
Very well.
Ningguang Hall
This smell...
Do you smell something?
Wen Ying, is his bedchamber that way?
Yes.
This will require some clever planning.
Clever planning?
I'm going to deal with the storehouse first. Where is it?
I see. This way.
You must be the Raven Consort.
I have been waiting for you.
I am Yuyi.
Yuyi is your official title as one who manages the storehouse.
What is your name?
I don't have one.
Please call me Yuyi.
Yuyi
Very well.
I'll be waiting here.
All right.
Please wait here.
What's this?
I shall play the best role of all
The saddest role where one kills the most
Even at the ends of this square ocean, people change and are replaced
You forget that you're playing a role in this world
Everyone is just a bird in a cage
We all look forward to the day we can escape
And once it's within our grasp
The great big sky overwhelms us
MYSTERIOUS
Call out the name and bring calm
No one can stop your MYSTERIOUS
My MYSTERIOUS
Now, I shall play the best role of all
Raven of the Inner Palace
Episode 6
The Summer King and the Winter King