Beyond the Realm of Conscience

WAN is appointed as the Head of Furnishings while HO is promoted to the post of Head of Jewels. SHEUNG goes to see CHOI at her bedroom. She is not happy with WAN’s transfer and asks CHOI for an explanation. Knowing that YI is planning to free the wrongly convicted, LING tries to intercede with the Emperor for HO’s father and asks for an amnesty. KWOK suddenly arrives in the main hall with the spirit tablets of all the previous Tang emperors, in a deliberate attempt to force YI to abdicate. KWOK is so eager to weed out CHI and YI. She compels YI to punish CHI but YI and CHI team up together and put on a good show to shake off the allegation against CHI, which infuriates KWOK no end. Realizing that she has lost all her power and dignity, KWOK decides to commit suicide but is stopped by LING. KWOK is kept in an isolated room. CHI means to pour scorn on her and they get into a terrible quarrel right away.… ...

The dye HA will be using has been swapped with something else, which makes her extremely angry. The relationship between WAN and HA is once again on the rocks. CHOI asks SHEUNG whether it is she who has been stirring trouble for WAN and HA, and SHEUNG admits it right away. CHENG suggests that it is time for YI to settle down and find a partner now that he is already crowned. As YI is about to tell HO about the imperial concubine selection, KWOK’s handmaiden KAM-LEUNG comes to assassinate the Emperor. Luckily YEUNG is there and manages to stop the woman. Knowing that HO has already found her Mr. Right, YI decides to keep his love for her inside. LING reveals to HO that she has developed a strong affection for YI and their conversation is overheard by CHENG accidentally. CHI uses the assassination by KAM-LEUNG as an excuse to crack down on his own enemies. Left with no way out, YI chooses to escape from the problem.… ...

WAN goes to see PIK to discuss the design of the dressing table, during which she bumps into FUNG again. Believing that they have been having an affair, WAN gets so angry with WAN and means to pick on her. HO meets FUNG by chance, and sincerely asks him to have a word with PIK in the hope that she will stop humiliating WAN and treat her with more respect. FUNG is clueless about what is going on between WAN and PIK, but with HO’s detailed explanation, he finally comes to realize the problem. YI pays no attention to the government affairs and keeps fooling around all day long. Not wanting the Emperor to carry on like this, CHI decides to assign LING a new, respectable identity as the god-daughter of a general, which he hopes will facilitate the imperial concubine selection. YI is happy with the arrangement and agrees to take both YIN and LING as his concubines.… ...

SHEUNG submits some nice snacks to YIN and YIN urges her to prepare another set of desserts. SHEUNG turns to CHOI for help but is told not to spend too much effort trying to flatter YIN. FUNG asks WAN out for a chat and passes her some sweetmeats. To avoid any possible trouble, WAN turns him down. By coincidence, SHEUNG is somewhere around and spots everything. YIN receives a new collection of home wares from the Department of Furnishings and asks PIK to take a look. Knowing that the home wares are made by WAN, PIK expresses a deep sense of disgust and pulls them down to the ground. Inside the jewelry box PIK finds a short note to FUNG asking him out for a date. LING has arranged for a group of musicians to perform for YI but YIN manages to make YI stay in her place by stratagem. Consumed with anger and jealousy, LING is resolved to fight back.… ...

Fearing that ON and YEUNG will reveal all the gruesome details of his crime sooner or later, CHI is keen to weed out ON insisting that the man should be sentenced to death. FUNG tries to intercede with YI for ON and manages to save him from death penalty. YI pretends to be fooling around in a bid to lure FUNG into proposing a relief campaign. Realizing that YI is trying to fight back by making use of FUNG, CHI gets so angry and decides to transport all his properties back to his home village. YIN goes to fly a kite in the royal garden, during which she discovers a rabbit getting trapped inside a crack of the memorial tablet erected by the previous Emperor. To save the rabbit, YIN urges an attendant to break the tablet apart, for which she gets a severe telling-off from YI. HO tries to defend YIN by explaining to YI what she saw. HO gets bitten by a venomous snake.… ...

CHOI has been ill for quite a while. She reveals that she would like to step down and that only the best candidates in terms of both ability and ethical rectitude will be considered for the post of Bureau Chief. SHEUNG pays CHOI a visit and finds her behaviors a bit suspicious. PIK keeps vomiting after eating some of the dishes prepared by the Department of Food. FUNG grabs this chance and rebukes the Department for being too careless and causing WAN to suffer from a rash years ago. SHEUNG is so eager to escape responsibility that she tries to shift all the blame onto HA. YEUNG asks HO out for a chat, during which he reveals that he is going to leave the Palace to do something for YI, and passes her a bottle of ointment. SHEUNG visits CHOI again and notices a strange smell from her flower pots. Accompanied by WAN, HA goes to pay a tribute to her late mother. They talk about the past and pick a row soon afterwards.… ...

CHENG treats LING, YIN and PIK to dinner, during which PIK notices that YIN has a partiality for sour food, which makes her think that the girl may have been pregnant. In fact it is LING who is expecting. LING stumbles on a painting roll and falls over. The royal physician points out that LING has suffered a miscarriage, but LING forces him to keep it secret. YI mentions that PIK has been acting very strangely. LING pays YIN and PIK a visit and notices their strange behaviors. Following FEI-YIN’s thorough investigation, LING makes a shocking discovery… CHENG is going to prepare a range of accessories for her future grandchild, and LING means to act sick before the Empress Dowager. As LING is being treated by the royal physician, YI and CHENG go to question FEI-YIN. Believing that someone has been trying to cast a spell on LING, CHENG becomes irritated and decides to do something for LING.… ...

PIK is sentenced to death. YIN waits for YI at the Tortoise’s Tomb hoping that he will give in to her persuasion and overturn his verdict. But by stratagem LING manages to deter YI from showing up. FUNG is to deliver the relief donations to designated locations but gets attacked and robbed along the way. In fact it is all a plot by CHI, who has ganged up with the bandits and organized the robbery. CHI even intends to kill YEUNG in one go. YIN is devastated by PIK’s death and expresses deep regret for failing to bid her a last farewell. After giving YIN a few words of comfort, HO accompanies the grieving lady to PIK’s grave to pay tribute. Knowing that YIN has visited PIK’s grave in secret, LING becomes furious and decides to bring the issue to the attention of CHENG. As punishment, YIN is barred from taking part in any festive activities for the following six months.… ...

WAN has made a bronze mirror for PIK as her funerary amulet, for which FUNG is very grateful. Rumors about them begin to circulate around the Imperial Household Bureau. CHENG puts HA in charge of the Departments of Attire and Furnishings while WAN is promoted to the post of Bureau Chief. HA brings a present to CHEUNG’s place preparing to celebrate his birthday together with SHUN, but is astonished to hear that the man has fallen to his death accidentally. HA goes to the accident site to pour a libation to CHEUNG, during which she remembers CHEUNG disclosing that he was going to meet WAN. HA asks WAN if she had seen CHEUNG before he died, but WAN denies. HA returns to the accident site to make sacrificial offerings to CHEUNG. There she runs into YUNG, who claims to have seen WAN and CHEUNG talking to each other before the mishap. HA is resolved to find out the killer.… ...

YIN who is detained in her place offers to copy the Buddhist text for various temples outside the Palace. YI happens to discover YIN’s manuscripts of the Buddhist text, and feels a bit touched when he learns that YIN has been eating on a vegetarian diet for the sake of LING’s late baby son. Knowing that YI is planning for the restructuring of the Special Tactics Force, CHI decides to take some action to fight back. YI points out to CHENG that YIN has changed a lot in her behavior, thus managing to convince the Empress Dowager to stop punishing YIN. HO wonders if WAN can cope with the heavy workload and offers to help her out. HA comes to WAN’s place and is shocked to see HO there. She rebukes WAN for being too lazy and incompetent. LING asks HA out for a chat, during which she praises HA for having punished HO and WAN in a “just” manner. This comes as a real surprise to HA.… ...

HA praises SHEUNG and HO for the recipes and the accessory layouts they have submitted. The two departments led by WAN have only handed in one layout respectively. WAN points out that the layouts have already been approved by CHENG. WAN and HO come to learn about the meaning and the origin of SHUN’s name. WAN is shocked to hear that SHUN has the same background as her own son. HO arrives with the accessories she made for LING and YIN at CHENG’s request. LING means to break the pearl necklace apart and the pearls are scattered all over the ground. YIN stumbles on the pearls and falls over. The royal physician comes to see YIN and is pleased to find that she is pregnant. CHENG refers to HO as the Goddess of Mercy that has brought her good luck and the grandchild. Thrilled by YIN’s pregnancy, YI decides to declare an amnesty. YEUNG looks forward to ON’s release but CHI emphasizes that ON’s sin is too great to be forgiven.… ...

HO and PAK go to KO’s Mansion with a gift to celebrate ON’s release. HO and YEUNG are shocked to find that PAK and ON have been poisoned. PAK is found dead while ON is being in a coma. HO and YEUNG say their last farewell to ON. With YI’s permission, the pair can finally fulfill ON’s dying wish and get married. YEUNG and WAN run into SHUN, who points out that it is possible for the murderer to poison the tea caddy within a split second if he/she knows how to do magic tricks. YEUNG recalls that Eunuch LAM’s fingertips have all turned black. He tells YI about that and YI decides to question LAM and his supervisor CHI at once, which gives CHI a great fright. YEUNG asks FUNG out for a chat and warns him to beware of CHI. WAN has made a pair of shoes for SHUN claiming it as a thank-you gift to him for his help in rooting out the murderer of PAK. HA gets irritated when she becomes aware of that.… ...

HO asks YIN about PIK’s malevolent plot against LING. YIN admits that PIK had an intention to cast a spell on LING but was stopped before she could start. HO puts LING to the test and finally finds out the truth. As she is about to notify CHENG, LING starts to throw up blood. All members of the Imperial Household Bureau are busy preparing for the welcome party for Prince DUOJI of the Tibetan Empire. WAN has some good suggestions regarding the welcome party, which have earned her recognition and critical acclaim. HA is so jealous of WAN that she decides to create trouble for her. CHI, HA, WAN and HO arrive at the Department of Furnishings and witness SHUN holding an axe and the broken neck of a bronze crane, which is a present for DUOJI. HO believes that the bronze crane is not damaged by SHUN but by someone else. Despite her reasonable argument, CHI decides to put SHUN in jail.… ...

YEUNG and FUNG are sad to hear that YUE, who was demoted earlier, has just passed away. FUNG blames YI for failing to distinguish right from wrong. YEUNG has no choice but to reveal the truth to him. YI sends YEUNG out of the Palace to look for loyal officials who will stick by him. He asks YEUNG to compile a name list and keep it carefully. YEUNG goes to say goodbye to HO, during which CHI comes along with his assistants and rebukes YEUNG for keeping a long list of names of the rebellious officials. HA goes to collect the annual report from the Department of Furnishings. She says she is prepared to take up the task of drafting the annual report given that WAN is still recuperating. But to her surprise, WAN has already finished the annual reports of the Departments of Furnishings and Attire. An old eunuch comes to pay tribute to CHEUNG. He apologizes to HA expressing regret for advising CHEUNG to take the short cut.… ...

YI has not defended LING when she is rebuked by CHI, but has apparently stood up for HO when she is reprimanded by the eunuch. HO has the support of both YEUNG and YI, which makes LING so jealous that she has decided to weed out the girl. As arranged by LING, DUOJI encounters HO in the royal garden and falls in love with her immediately. DUOJI wishes to marry HO and bring her back to the Tibetan Empire, which puzzles YI and YEUNG no end. YIN suggests YI may take HO as his concubine hoping that DUOJI will give up on HO completely with her new identity. LING is terribly irked by YIN’s proposal. YEUNG asks HO out for a chat, during which he expresses that he would prefer HO to become YI’s concubine rather than marry DUOJI. YI asks YEUNG to elope with HO while he himself will face the problem alone. HO has a gathering with HA and WAN and manages to persuade them to make up again. It comes as a big relief to HO.… ...

Eager to rescue WAN, FUNG means to talk about the past and how he has helped CHI all these years. CHI has no choice but to release WAN. CHI and the rest of the cabinet urge YI to pursue and arrest HO for DUOJI’s sake. All of a sudden, YEUNG turns up with a statue of the Goddess of Mercy. YI and others go to CHENG’s place, where they find HO resting in bed. YI has finally come up with a way to make DUOJI give up on HO. SHUN runs into FUNG, who surprisingly invites him to dinner. Later WAN asks FUNG to adopt SHUN as his godson. FUNG agrees and passes a jade ornament to the lad as a gift. It has happened so quickly and the whole thing seems a bit too complicated for SHUN to digest. SHUN asks HA to estimate the value of the jade ornament, based on which he can find out how serious FUNG really is about their godfather-godson relationship. HA does not know whether to laugh or cry when she hears SHUN’s comments.… ...

FUNG is shocked to discover that LING has been trying to harm YIN and her baby with various poisonous plants. Knowing that her plot has been thwarted, LING gets extremely furious. FUNG and SHUN hold a ceremony to confirm their godfather-godson relationship. WAN gets a bit envious when she hears SHUN call FUNG “Daddy”. Later she also adopts SHUN as her godson. CHI has bribed FUNG’s subordinates to poison FUNG. FUNG has miraculously survived but is left paralyzed. FUNG directs YI to refer to a book through eye movements. YI finds a feather inside the book, from which he infers that FUNG would like him to turn to Prince KEI for military support. Sadly KEI is the son of MO CHUNG. YI worries that KEI and Imperial Tutor PANG are still angry with him and might not be willing to help. To sort it out without a fuss, YI needs YEUNG to have an audience with KEI in Juzhou.… ...

Having forced YIN to drink the abortion potion, LING starts to reprove her. After that she has one further explosive secret to reveal to YIN. YI is devastated by the death of YIN. As he is about to start the investigation, CHENG comes to turn herself in. YEUNG and FUNG are setting off for Juzhou but get attacked by CHI’s men along the way. CHI berates HO for stealing fetal medicine from the Imperial Health Bureau. Members of the Imperial Household Bureau have all come to intercede with CHENG for HO. Suddenly YI comes along to announce his engagement to HO. On their wedding night, YI explains to HO that he regards her and YEUNG as his two best friends and that he is trying to save her and her baby by taking her as his concubine. While YI and CHI are discussing national policy issues, CHENG comes along and urges YI to hold a worship ceremony at Mount Tai. CHI agrees with CHENG and keeps putting pressure on YI.… ...

WAN asks HA if she knew from the very beginning that SHUN is not her biological son. HA has no choice but to reveal the truth to her. HO tells CHENG that LING has tried to put WAN and SHUN on trial without proper authorization. CHENG disapproves of LING’s attitude and gives her a bit of a telling-off. On their way to Mount Tai, CHI realizes that YI is prepared to perish with him. CHI announces that YI will stay at the temple to keep praying for the royal family while he himself will manage the day-to-day running of the government for the time being. CHI infers from LING’s behavior that she has been poisoning CHENG for quite a while. To further consolidate his power base, CHI decides to gang up with LING. HO is bitterly disappointed with LING who has turned out to be in league with CHI. She decides to accomplish the task entrusted to her by YI.… ...

CHI incites the rest of the cabinet to denounce and punish HO. HO claims that she is pregnant with YI’s son and that no one can harm her before her son is born. She can thus keep herself safe temporarily. YI finally gets to meet KEI. Unfortunately KEI and PANG still hold a grudge against YI and refuse to provide military support. HA, WAN and SHEUNG ask FEI-YIN to testify against LING. Suddenly, LING, CHI and a group of ministers come forward claiming to have witnessed how HA and others have tried to bribe FEI-YIN. The three department heads are thrown in jail on charges of bribery and false accusation. YI is willing to pass the throne to KEI so long as he can provide military support. YI and a large force of troops march into the capital city while CHI is busy packing up for his escape. LING would like to follow CHI but CHI finds her very disgusting and puts all the blame on her.… ...