Succession War

At the Lunar New Year’s Eve in the 3rd year of JIAQING Era, QIANLONG as usual writes calligraphy with words of blessings at the Yangxin Hall and bestows it upon his son JIAQING. He also tells JIAQING to write something for HESHEN, to which JIAQING dares not to oppose. At HESHEN’s Villa, the representative of East India Company finally has an opportunity to meet up with HESHEN, the “Vice Emperor”. HESHEN is attacked by a mystery man at night, and he is certain that General ZHANGJIA AGUI is behind this. So, he leads his troops to arrest that person, and they end up having a big fight. When QIANLONG goes out to enjoy the snowy view, the cape he wears spontaneously catches on fire all by itself! HESHEN claims it’s very unusual. With himself being attacked and the cape catching on fire all by itself, he believes that they are intended targets.

Feeling perturbed, HESHEN rushes to the palace and learns that QIANLONG coughed up blood; whereas QIANLONG pretends nothing happened, instead, he wants HESHEN to go out with him as promised. At the first Day of the Lunar New Year, all the court officials are gathering inside of the Yangxin Hall as well as outside. When QIANLONG announces the imperial decree, he suddenly passes out. Worrying that QIANLONG’s days are numbered, PRINCE YONGXUAN wants HESHEN to help him usurp the throne immediately, but HESHEN refuses, claiming the time is not yet ripe. ZHU GUI returns to the capital to make an audience with JIAQING, and even discusses with LIU YONG and JI XIAOLAN about how to deal with HESHEN. Once again, QIANLONG leaves the palace, and HESHEN arranges for a Tibetan doctor to attend to him, only to find out that he suffers from a rare poisoning!

With PRINCE YONGXUAN purchasing a large amount of firearms and hiding them in his residence in the capital, JIAQING has HESHEN’s son FENGSHEN-YINDE lead the troops on a raid to his residence. The situation is becoming more volatile, fortunately, HESHEN shows up in the nick of time and calms things down. Out of the blue, HESHEN’s crony FUCHANG’AN, whom QIANLONG has regarded highly, is sent by QIANLONG to station in Gansu. He can’t help feeling resentful, so HESHEN tries to comfort him. HESHEN gets help from DOUKOU, the owner of Mi House, successfully bringing a blind fortune teller back to the palace. It turns out that QIANLONG met the blind fortune teller during his inspection tour, and he wants the blind fortune teller to divine the future for him again. At night, HESHEN is summoned back the palace. To his surprise, QIANLONG prepares a coffin for him.

Sensing the uncertainty, HESHEN asks his second wife CHANG MEI to write a letter in English then tells FUCHANG’AN to hand it to the representative of East India Company as a contingency plan. Hundreds of court officials gather in HESHEN’s mansion for the Spring Festival gathering, which makes CHANG MEI feel relieved as she thinks that HESHEN’s political influence hasn’t waned. Just as JIAQING laments how people can be so indifferent, he is urgently summoned by QIANLONG. QIANLONG passes away. Hearing the death knell coming from the palace, HESHEN worships the heavens, pouring out wine to bid farewell to QIANLONG. HESHEN is getting ready to go to the palace. Though CHANG MEI reminds him it’s very dangerous, HESHEN insists on going there. Prior to his departure, HESHEN goes to a lodge to pay tribute to his late wife. Suddenly, FENGSHEN-YINDE appears, announcing that he is under the imperial decrees to escort HESHEN back to the palace.

JIAQING puts HESHEN and FUCHANG’AN under house arrest at the Qianqing Palace, commanding the two to confess their crimes in public the next morning. FUCHANG’AN is very uneasy, but HESHEN doesn’t panic at all, because JIAQING is the one whom he taught! JIAQING has a confidential conversation with PRINCE YONGXUAN, who is willing to testify against HESHEN on the charge of treason. JIAQING then has a drink with PRINCE YONGLIN and gets his support to deal with HESHEN. GULUN PRINCESS HEXIAO brings along CHANG MEI and her son FU’EN to the palace to greet NOBLE CONSORT DOWAGER YING, who just returned from Mongolia, but FU’EN suddenly disappears. HESHEN and FUCHANG’AN are summoned by JIAQING to stand trial for their crimes, unexpectedly, explosion-like sounds are heard everywhere from the Forbidden City!

JIAQING receives a record book containing the list of court officials who received bribes from HESHEN, so he immediately instructs LIU YONG to get ready to publicly prosecute HESHEN. Following his failed assassination attempt on HESHEN, NAYANCHENG has a narrow escape and he makes an audience with JIAQING as soon as he recovers from his injuries. Worrying that HESHEN is going to collude with the White Lotus Sect, JIAQING orders NAYANCHENG to infiltrate the White Lotus Sect for intelligence. Just as the members of the White Lotus Sect are discussing about how to rescue their leader QI LIN, DOUKOU out of the blue shows up. NOBLE CONSORT DOWAGER YING returns to the capital from Mongolia, bringing along her cousin Mongol Prince LAVAN DORJI, who is received by JIAQING, demonstrating the close relationship between Qing and Mongolia. The rescue action launched by the White Lotus Sect causes chaos on the streets.… ...

When JIAQING questions the court officials who received bribes from HESHEN, the record book is switched with another one, above which it’s reported by an official that LIU YONG’s adopted son LIU HUANZHI allegedly misappropriated the seized funds and properties. Suddenly, the case takes a new turn, which JIAQING underestimated. HESHEN makes an audience with NOBLE CONSORT DOWAGER YING in private, thanking her for offering a helping hand. He then arranges for the White Lotus Sect members to flee the capital, but runs into PRINCE YONGLIN, who is leading troops for investigation. HESHEN receives a token from HELIN, who is heading to Shandong to conquer the White Lotus Sect. The token indicates that HELIN is safe, making HESHEN feel relieved. DOUKOU leads her men to eunuch CHANGCHUN’s home, only to find out his family members were massacred, except his younger sister, who hid herself in time.

At night, JIAQING visits ROYAL NOBLE CONSORT, who is under house arrest on the conviction of possession of a prohibited drug. He asks her about the night that the late Empress died in the Qianqing Palace fire, but she seems to prevaricate, making him feel that she is hiding something. The White Lotus wreaks havoc in the capital and even burns down the government granaries, which exasperates JIAQING so much that he accuses HESHEN of taking advantage of a national crisis to reap huge profit as he manipulated the venders to elevate the granary prices and sell it back to the government. JIAQING summons FUCHANG’AN in private, ordering him to arrest HELIN and bring him back to the capital so as to weaken HESHEN’s military power. Using the pretext of rewarding the army, FUCHANG’AN is about to depart, ahead of which HESHEN suddenly arrives and even asks unsuspecting FUCHANG’AN to send a bag of pine nuts to HELIN.