I have come to end your suffering.
Raven Consort. My sister.
Don't you want to be released from your pain as well?
Xing-xing!
Shouxue...
It's all right. The Owl is gone.
What did Xiao Yue say at the end?
I don't know. He probably called his sister's true name.
Gaojun, you're hurt.
It's just a scratch.
Wei Qing, Gaojun needs help!
The wound doesn't seem to be deep.
I see.
Your Highness!
Shouxue. Shouxue!
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
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 never kneels before the emperor.
Such is the Raven Consort.
Will it be able to stay the snow that falls in the summer?
Raven of the Inner Palace
You are already halfway to becoming the Raven.
Xiang Qiang fed the Raven flowers continuously.
They are a poison.
One that intoxicates us.
Owl!
Who...
Who am I?
Your Highness.
Yi Siha.
Monster.
The Raven Consort must desire nothing.
Desire breeds suffering.
And when you are consumed by it, that is when the monster will be born within you.
Shut up. Shut up!
Shouxue. Shouxue!
Shouxue.
Gaojun...
You're all right now.
Episode 13 Xiangfu Incense
How is your injury?
It's just a scratch. It will heal soon.
Your Highness?
Jiu-jiu...
Your Highness, you're awake—
Your Highness!
Whoa!
I'm so, so glad you're all right!
Your Highness, you're finally awake?
It's already past noon.
My stomach is growling.
Step back.
Your Highness, how are you feeling?
I'm all right.
You should take it easy for a while.
And...
What is that? More sweets?
No, I'll save it for another time.
You're not going to show me?
Now I'm curious.
I thought you wouldn't mind losing a wooden carving.
You're not wearing it.
I wouldn't want to lose it.
You made this after that?
Something like that doesn't take me long to make.
Regardless, I was careless.
I seem to have broken it when I fell last night.
I'll have to make a new one.
I don't need a new one.
It's still leaping and full of life.
It's better that it's slightly damaged.
Otherwise it would surely escape.
I see. I'm glad you like it.
Xing-xing, you're back?
You saved me.
Why, you little...
Xing-xing, welcome back.
You never listen to me.
Oh, no. You're filthy.
Where have you been, Xing-xing?
Xing-xing...
Halala.
Halala...
Quechao Palace
Your Majesty.
For the Magpie Consort.
Indeed.
Huaniang, I hate to trouble you, but I'd like you to look after the other consorts.
I won't let anything like this happen in the inner palace again.
You can count on me to look after your consorts.
What I'm worried about is...
The Magpie Consort's father must surely resent me.
Losing not only his son, but his daughter as well
must fill him with suffering and rage.
The flames of emotion eventually grow into an inferno.
I hate that I cannot wholeheartedly mourn the death of the Magpie Consort.
You try to take on everything yourself, just like someone else I know.
Ningguang Hall
Master, thank you for waiting.
You've completed your investigation?
Yes. As you suggested, Xiao Yue had a collaborator.
Someone was secretly exchanging letters with Feng Yixing, Xiao Yue's master.
They arranged for Xiao Yue to enter the inner palace as a eunuch.
Xiangniao Temple
Did you find him?
No. He's not in his bedchambers, either.
I have a request for the Raven Consort.
You! This is the inner palace.
Only the emperor and eunuchs can enter this place, so why are you...
We made a promise.
I agreed to tell you about Li Niang before I retired.
Come in.
So, this is the Ye Ming Palace.
Li Niang lived here.
She lived here all alone.
Let's chat over a game of go.
This is the last of the incense you sent.
Smells can resurrect past memories better than anything else.
Li Niang, why not gracefully admit defeat?
Silence, Yuyong. I'm thinking.
You really hate to lose.
I forfeit this—
Now we have to start over.
No fair!
No holding back this time, either.
No holding back.
She was no different from any other girl.
She was carefree, cheerful, smart, and she hated to lose.
Loved by her family and surrounded by friends,
solitude was a foreign concept to her.
At least, until the day she was chosen by Niao Lian.
That was the last time I saw Li Niang.
I'm no match for you, after all.
You're the one who insisted on no handicap.
Li Niang was the same.
Whenever I told her not to hold back, she smiled happily.
You're still not going to draw the blade beneath your robes?
Didn't you come here to kill me?
Master!
You're the one who snuck Xiao Yue into the inner palace.
Indeed.
Did you know what his goal was?
I asked him, and he told me that the Raven Consort must be killed.
Why?
You snuck an assassin into the inner palace to kill the Raven Consort!
Indeed, I did.
That matter is not mine to decide.
It is fate, even if it means Shouxue must die.
And you had no qualms with that?
Shouxue saw you as a friend—
Gaojun, enough.
You always show such affection for Shouxue.
I warned you numerous times not to get too close to the Raven Consort.
But you would not heed me.
I...
You keep asking me "why," but allow me to ask you something, instead.
Why did you assume I bore any goodwill towards Shouxue?
Why did it have to be Shouxue?
Shouxue has a eunuch and a lady-in-waiting to serve her.
She even has you.
Shouxue is blessed.
The previous emperor never concerned himself with Li Niang.
If only Li Niang had an emperor who cared about her.
Li Niang was alone.
She was always, always alone.
She had Shouxue.
Li Niang had Shouxue.
She taught Shouxue to write, showed her the way of things,
and treated her with care.
You can tell just by looking at Shouxue how much love Li Niang poured into her.
Shouxue's existence was tremendous to her.
Was she not Li Niang's salvation?
And you put that precious girl's life in danger.
You said you wished to retire. I'll allow it.
Say nothing, and leave this place.
Your bandages came undone.
Yuyong entered the Ministry of Works for Li Niang's sake.
I think he wanted to research the Raven Consort so he could set her free.
You're right.
He hated me because he loved Li Niang.
Would you have accepted being killed by Yuyong?
Perhaps the old me would have.
But when I accepted death and closed my eyes,
I saw your face.
I saw you calling, "Shouxue."
You once told me that you wished to be friends.
That you wanted to understand my pain.
Those words were my only salvation.
It's done.
Ah...
Thank...
You're clumsy, aren't you?
If all you do is complain, I won't help you ever again!
Wait.
Can I sleep here tonight?
I slept here once before.
I troubled you then.
I'd never slept better than I did then.
I think I had pleasant dreams.
This is my bed, not yours.
Perhaps I need you nearby.
You're having trouble sleeping again?
Some, yes.
Burn a silk feather for the Magpie Consort.
Spend a little bit of time mourning her.
All right. I will.
I'll burn a silk feather as well, so the Magpie Consort can cross the sea.
When you can't sleep, have someone massage your hand.
That's what Li Niang taught me.
I see.
Your hands are warm.
Oh, you're writing a love letter to His Majesty?
It's not a love letter.
I'm sure he'll be delighted!
You never listen to me.
Yuanqian Palace
Oh, my!
I'm not here on any particular business, but I thought we might have some tea...
It's so good. Have some of these, too.
Oh, no! Have some tea!
Thank you.
If I were to call anyone sister, perhaps it would be someone like you.
I wonder how His Majesty is doing.
Huaniang, do you think I can help him?
What is it?
The wound has closed, but there's some bruising.
There's nothing unusual about it.
There's no telling what might happen.
Allow me to stay by your side.
That won't be necessary.
If anything happens, I'll let you know right away.
I am Qin Xiaojing.
Qin Xiaojing
I do not know how to apologize for what my daughter Huiyao did.
You need only mourn your children and take care of your wife.
I'm the one who must offer you an apology.
You're too kind.
Hardly.
Did you not burn a silk feather for Huiyao?
How do you know that?
I received a letter from the Raven Consort.
From the Raven Consort?
She said she would mourn Huiyao's soul, so she would not lose her way.
That you would burn a silk feather for her, as well.
I felt great sympathy for Huiyao in the Raven Consort's words.
She is a kind person, and so are you.
Your Majesty, are you shedding tears for Huiyao?
Can't sleep, Xing-xing?
I see.
In that case, I'll tell you about my hometown.
Xing-xing, have you ever seen the sea?
Souls are beautiful things.
They twinkle in the darkness like pale white stars.
The Raven lives in the night.
Raven.
Gaojun!
At the bottom of the deep sea, lying in the silence of night,
I wait...
for the day I can be myself again.
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