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.
Ye Ming Palace
Though she lives in the inner palace,
she never kneels before the emperor.
Such is the Raven Consort.
Raven Consort Liu Shouxue
Is something the matter, Your Highness?
Someone's coming.
Raven Consort, are you there?!
I have a request!
What is your request?
You're the Raven Consort?
Yes.
Please, help me.
You're my only hope.
I request a resurrection.
I'd like you to bring someone back to life.
I cannot bring back the dead.
I'm only capable of summoning spirits.
Just once, I can call a spirit to the world of the living.
I cannot do more than that.
But, then... who am I supposed to turn to for help?
Lady-in-waiting Jiu-jiu
Do you suppose she's all right?
I don't know.
What should we do with this?
This smell...
It's xiangfu incense.
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
It smells like lilies.
Episode 8 Blue Swallow
Xiangfu incense is burned to mourn loved ones, isn't it?
Yes.
She must have burned some for someone dear to her who passed away.
Excuse me.
Raven Consort, I have something to discuss with you.
Well, if it isn't Yi Siha.
Miss Jiu-jiu.
Eunuch Yi Siha
You know each other?
Yes. He's a eunuch from the Feiyan Palace.
Oh, I'm sorry—
Ow!
My name is Yi Siha.
He's new. He just arrived this spring.
Your legs are injured, are they not?
What?
I knew it.
This way. I'll treat your injury.
Yes, Your Highness.
This will hurt a bit.
You were struck with a stick.
Were you caned?
Yes.
My master is always getting angry with me because I don't use proper language.
You can't help that.
Learning the way people speak here isn't easy.
Where are you from?
I'm Hadan.
I lived south of Yingzhou, by the sea.
That's a long way.
It is. But many children from there become eunuchs.
Fishing alone isn't enough to support an entire family.
Thank you.
It's fine.
So, what business do you have with me?
Well, there's a child standing in the Feiyan Palace.
A child?
He's about my age, or a little older.
He doesn't move. All he does is quietly say, "I'm sorry."
Only I can see him.
When I told my master, he told me not to speak such nonsense.
Then, your injury...
I'm not lying.
So, I just thought there might be something I could do.
After all, he looks so sad.
Plus he's Hadan, like me.
You're too honest.
What?
I know someone like you.
You wanted to know if there's anything you could do?
You've already proven there is.
After all, you came here.
Your Highness, there's an unusual bird over there.
It's a spotted nutcracker.
Huh. What a pretty bird.
It recently starting living here.
Birds are revered in the inner palace.
Perhaps it finds it comfortable here.
Feiyan Palace
Office of Dyeing Axiu
Why, if it isn't Jiu-jiu.
It's good to see you.
And that's the court lady from Ye Ming Palace.
No, she's the Raven Consort.
What?!
I'm sorry for not telling you the other day.
Could you tell the Swallow Consort that the Raven Consort would like to see her?
Right away, Raven Consort.
Swallow Consort Chang Huangying
I'd like to take a look at your garden. Would that be all right?
That's fine.
There isn't a ghost in there, is there?
I can't handle ghosts.
I simply wish to see your rabbit-ear irises.
I heard they're beautiful.
O-Oh? That's good.
Is this where the ghost appears?
Yes.
He's holding a blue swallow feather.
He looks so sad.
I wonder what it is that he regrets.
I don't know.
But Yi Siha's master may know something.
What?
He punished Yi Siha harshly for simply saying he saw a ghost.
There must be some reason for it.
It's true! I really did see a ghost!
Stop this.
Let go of him.
How cruel.
Are you his master?
Yes. My name is Kang Lan.
Eunuch Kang Lan
I'm sorry you had to see that, Your Highness.
However, eunuchs are often punished this way.
Please ignore what you saw.
Kang Lan, I'm here because I have questions for you.
I am the Raven Consort.
A eunuch must have died at Feiyan Palace at some point.
A Hadan eunuch, to be exact.
His ghost now wanders the palace.
You know something, don't you?
I have no idea what you're talking about.
You cannot hide things from me.
Speak.
Th-That eunuch fell in love with the consort.
As he was just a child, nothing happened between the two of them.
I heard that eunuch died later, but I don't know the particulars.
What was his name?
I don't know.
Does anyone know what happened?
Why did you try to hide what happened to the eunuch?
I'm sorry.
I thought the Swallow Consort might become upset if she heard tell of a ghost.
So you beat him with a stick to silence him.
Do not dole out ridiculous punishments.
Nothing good will come of it.
I know your name.
Wen Ying.
Eunuch Wen Ying
Tell Gaojun to come to the Ye Ming Palace soon.
Yes, Your Highness.
Are you all right?
In her eyes...
I saw a monster!
How unusual for you to request anything from me.
Emperor Xia Gaojun
I wish to know the name of someone executed under the previous emperor.
He was a eunuch serving the Feiyan Palace.
I'd also like to know where his master is now.
Has the ghost of a eunuch appeared in the Feiyan Palace?
Yes.
I see.
Emperor's Attendant Wei Qing
I'll have someone look into it.
Is it normal to discipline new eunuchs by caning them?
Is that what you saw?
I can't recommend the practice.
Several adult men restrained a small child and—
Shouxue.
Let's not discuss that in the presence of eunuchs.
Don't worry about me—
I'm sorry.
Now then, one of the consorts is sick and bedridden.
I'm on my way to visit her.
I told you before, you don't need to report all your activities to me.
I'm simply sorry I couldn't stay long, even though a friend invited me over.
I don't really understand what friends are.
I see. Neither do I.
We'll simply have to blindly feel around for the answer.
The thing I know best about you is probably your food preferences.
You think you just have to feed me, don't you?
I simply want to see my friend happy.
I don't know what would make you happy.
Me? There's nothing in particular that pleases me.
What about birds?
You seemed happy while you were carving birds.
Did I?
I see. Perhaps you're right.
I've learned something new.
The name of the executed eunuch was Yuisha.
According to his master, there was someone close to Yuisha at the time.
Eunuch Dan Hai
He may know something.
And what is his name?
His name is Shi Yan.
I see. I shall invite him over and see what he has to say.
Jiu-jiu, prepare my writing materials.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
I know Shi Yan.
I shall deliver the letter.
Do you?
In that case, please.
Yes, Your Highness.
"Anything for you, Your Highness."
Dan Hai.
It's good to see you again. What is it?
Eunuch Shi Yan
Indeed.
This is from the Raven Consort.
That's...
Yi Siha.
Raven Consort.
What is it? Did your master do something to you again?
M-My master said he couldn't look after me anymore.
He kicked me out.
What?
It's because I mentioned the ghost.
I'm sorry.
It's not your fault.
What happens to eunuchs who are kicked out by their masters?
They're assigned to another master.
However, trainee eunuchs who have been kicked out before are treated harshly.
Wen Ying, isn't there any good news about it?
I'm afraid not.
But...
Very well.
I'll talk to Gaojun—no, Wei Qing about it.
Until then, stay with me.
Thank you.
You must be Shi Yan.
Yes.
You're the Raven Consort.
Yuisha!
I have questions for you.
What happened to Yuisha?
Yuisha was my friend.
It started when he picked up a fallen feather.
It was a blue swallow feather.
Since it was beautiful, he offered it to the consort of the Feiyan Palace.
The consort was delighted by it.
A bird's feather must have been a novelty to a consort from a distinguished family.
After that, Yuisha periodically offered feathers to her.
But they never pleased her like they did the first time.
Still, in order to please her, Yuisha gathered more and more beautiful feathers.
He even began catching birds in traps and plucking out their feathers.
It happened soon after that.
A blue swallow died in one of his traps.
We should give it a proper burial.
Killing birds is punishable by death.
But we're the only ones here.
As long as we don't say anything, no one will know.
So the two of you buried the bird.
No. Yuisha...
showed it to the consort.
Why?
I don't know exactly.
Yuisha was beheaded shortly after that.
I was afraid up until the moment he was executed.
I had helped him set the trap.
I was so afraid he'd tell someone.
I... I even hoped they'd execute him before he said anything.
Yuisha was my friend.
We lifted each other up.
But I can no longer call myself his friend.
Death is scary.
That's only natural.
You should accept that regret and live on.
Your suffering is your punishment.
I'm probably alive now because of punishments.
Thank you.
I see. That's why the ghost kept apologizing.
Yuisha wanted to apologize to the dead swallow.
Perhaps the tragic death of the bird awakened him to his own shamefulness.
Yuisha...
What's that?
A feather from the blue swallow that died back then.
I was going to dispose of it, but I felt like Yuisha's spirit dwelled within it.
May I borrow that?
I may be able to send Yuisha to paradise.
Yuisha!
Tongkaji.
What did Yuisha say?
"Tongkaji." It's something you say to a friend.
Yuisha...
A friend, huh?
Even you thought to bring flowers?
They aren't from me.
They're from the Swallow Consort, Chang Huangying.
Apparently she likes you.
It didn't seem that way.
Very well.
By the way, what is Yi Siha up to?
For now, he's serving me.
He's smart, isn't he?
Yes.
Can he continue serving you?
It's possible, but I can't promise he'll live.
Why not keep him here?
If you're the reason his master abandoned him,
you should look after him.
I took Wei Qing from his master and made him my attendant.
That said, he's been quite a handful, so I'm not sure if it was worth it.
What are you talking about?
I've caused no trouble at all.
Is that so?
I shouldn't have thoughtlessly reached out to him.
The previous Raven Consort taught you how to write and how to speak.
She gave you knowledge and wisdom.
That is love.
It should be acceptable for you to show someone love.
It's not that simple.
Tonight is a new moon.
Take this.
Because Yeyoushen will be out tonight?
Don't visit me tomorrow.
Why not?
I'll be tired tomorrow.
What do you mean by that?
I wish to speak with you.
I want to hear what you have to say.
I want to know what hurts you, what makes you sad,
and what makes you happy.
Your Highness.
What is it?
I may be overstepping my bounds, but may I say something?
That's fine. Speak.
Before I became a eunuch, I was an acrobat.
I was part of a troupe called the Red Sparrow.
One day, I raised a hand against a customer.
I was made a eunuch as punishment.
After that, I ended up at the inner palace and became a palace servant.
Why did you strike a customer?
He forced a lute player into his bed.
And only you were punished for that?
How cruel.
You said the same thing to Yi Siha.
When I heard that, I felt like I'd finally found what I'd been looking for.
I've always wished someone could have said that on my behalf back then.
I'll recommend Yi Siha to be your eunuch.
Someone like you is hard to come by for us eunuchs.
Please, help him.
Wen Ying...
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?
Episode 9
Water's Voice