Original subtitles

You're so incredible

to build a fertilizer plant for the Americans.

I built a fertilizer plant in India.

India?

What's the place like?

I haven't left Taiwan, not even once.

It's a large world.

Take a look around if you can.

But I'm getting married.

It doesn't rid you of your freedom.

Freedom sounds great.

But sometimes,

you don't get to choose.

My dad keeps saying that

the government's order will make us lose money.

But Nikko doesn't have a choice.

And I don't think I have a choice

because I was born into this family.

If they had a choice,

many people would want to be in your place.

What good would it be?

If I'm thrown overboard with one of our tea masters,

my dad would save him first.

Then it's important that you learn to swim.

What if it happens

to your company?

What would you do?

Our company?

The Americans would consider their profit.

They'd only think of others when they have nothing better to do.

But it's nothing like that in Nikko.

If Nikko goes bankrupt,

all the tea industry in Beipu will go with you.

And it's not good for any of you.

Here's what we're thinking.

We don't want Nikko to go bankrupt

before the fertilizer plant gets built.

Don't worry.

Nikko won't go bankrupt.

INSPIRED BY REAL PEOPLE AND HISTORY

You've woken up early.

Mrs. Chun.

The shoes don't fit.

Maybe they're old.

Why don't you make a new pair?

Let's take a raincheck.

I have something to do.

Yi-xin.

Papa.

Remember what you said that night?

What?

"The tea market hasn't been good.

Nine factories out of ten are struggling to survive."

If we don't risk it,

how do we know Nikko has no choice?

Today, we'll buy them at two dollars.

What? Two dollars?

But you said three dollars yesterday. And it's two dollars now?

-The price is going too far. -Yes.

It's two dollars today.

-What do you think? -We won't sell them.

We won't! Let's go home!

By doing that,

you are giving us no choice.

Master Tu is gone.

With such an order,

we'll have to buy good picked tea leaves.

Without good quality, we can't make the order.

If we do it with a good profit,

we'll buy them at a higher price

to take care of tea farmers.

But isn't it important to take care of our employees?

Taking care of our employees will keep Nikko going.

Then we'll have the energy to take care of others.

Our employees haven't been paid for four months.

They won't be here tomorrow.

It'll be your off day.

What off day?

If nobody is coming tomorrow,

Nikko will be ready to close down.

Dick, take a look at this.

It's from Washington.

I think this means we're going to have to leave Taiwan.

This does not apply to all our operations.

I'm afraid it does.

Look at this, sir.

With electricity,

we're greatly ahead of schedule.

When we have the electricity,

the efficiency will be in place.

Yes, sir.

It's a calcium carbide furnace away.

If you'll say yes,

just give it to the Nikko fertilizer plant.

Then we'll test it

and start production.

When we have fertilizer,

the state will prosper.

Guys, I'm really going to this area right here,

checking the pipelines where it was dissembled yesterday.

If there's some kind of problem with it…

I don't know. Figure it out.

The tea farmers won't sell.

That's it for today.

Stone, are we having an off day tomorrow?

The tea farmers are hardheaded.

They take it all out when it's three dollars.

They go away when it's two dollars.

We don't know

if they're coming tomorrow.

To be honest,

the fact that Miss thought about us the employees

touched me a lot.

It brought tears to my eyes.

ROLLING MACHINE

Stone?

You look more and more like Master Tu.

If you make the aged fragrance of the diplomatic tea,

the place of the chief tea master will be yours.

You don't make the aged fragrance.

You accumulate it with time.

How are you planning to do it?

With old tea leaves, of course.

But that's expensive.

The president said

that it would be an honor.

It's important to save face.

Miss, you're at the tea factory so late.

I can't sleep,

so I'm out walking.

I need to go.

They'll be here tomorrow.

How so?

My dad said that the market is bad.

The wholesalers have no orders.

There's no order for black tea.

They can't even sell Pouchong tea.

Teahouses have stopped purchasing

and are observing the market.

Observing the market?

Nobody wants to purchase tea anymore.

Sir?

They normally come at ten.

And it's almost noon.

Should we still wait?

You…

lowered the price at will.

Nobody is coming.

Happy now?

Do you know how many picked tea leaves we need

for two million pounds?

You don't know how to judge tea.

And you're imposing on a tea deal?

There are cars coming, sir!

Good morning.

Hi, Mr. Ota.

Excuse us.

-Not enough tea bags. -Come.

-Come. -Come.

Hi, Mr. Fu-ji.

It's one dollar today.

What's wrong with you? It was two yesterday and one today.

What are you doing?

Nikko has no choice.

Mr. Fu-ji.

Nikko has no choice?

How much is it worth?

-Yes. -Nobody does things like that.

You don't have to sell them if you don't accept them.

Hey, uncles!

Our new president

doesn't comply easily with prices.

It's one dollar. Sell them if you want.

When she tells you that

Nikko has no choice,

it'll be 0.5 dollars.

What the hell? We're here anyway.

Yes. How?

Yes. Let's sell them.

-All right. -All right.

Here!

Here!

How many catties do you want?

Come on!

Hurry up!

Come.

Come.

Hurry up.

Here, come.

We purchased them at one dollar

and 30% more than yesterday.

How did you know they'd accept the price?

Shan-mei told me.

The tea market has been depressed.

Other teahouses don't have an order.

We're the only ones that purchase tea leaves.

And they can sell them to Nikko.

According to my calculations,

we've saved 15,000 dollars.

We'll pay them one month's salary then.

Our new president promised to pay us today.

-Really? -Yes.

-Great! -Great!

-New president. -New president.

-New president. -New president.

-New president. -New president.

With the extra tea leaves,

we'll complete the tea to Jardine Matheson.

The money Nikko has owed you

will be paid back this time.

New president, thank you.

Let's hurry up!

We'll get paid.

-Come on! -Yes!

-I'll treat you to dinner. -I'll treat you to dinner.

Let's drink wine this evening.

Please hurry up.

Thank you.

-Come. -Thank you.

Hi, Mr. Gu.

-Hi, Mr. Fu-ji. -Hi, Mr. Fu-ji.

Welcome.

Come in.

Takeo brought back

this cloth from Japan.

It's the trendiest and prettiest in the UK.

You shouldn't have.

It's all right.

When I walked up,

I heard them cheering from the second floor.

What made them so happy?

And who's the new president?

It's Ms. Zhang.

I see.

Yi-xin has earned 15,000 dollars

with the price difference.

They were just kidding around with the title.

Mr. Fu-ji.

What are you smoking?

Do you want to try the American green cigar?

I've never tried that.

I'd like to try it.

Please.

What's that, Mr. Fu-ji?

One day,

Nikko's tea will be sold to the world.

That's great.

BEIPU FARMERS' ASSOCIATION

Give me one, sir.

Thank you.

You'll feel cool when you drink it.

It's good.

There's a thief!

Take this.

-Come on! There's a thief! -Hey!

Here.

Go on!

What…

What the hell?

A kid can be a thief.

Forget it.

For you.

Thank you.

Why did you do that?

Have you stolen anything before?

But I have.

I loved this soda when I was little.

When I walked past a grocery store,

the owner wasn't there,

and I took one on the way.

As a kid,

being a thief is for oneself.

But not that one.

He's a thief for his family.

Is fertilizer hard to get?

You can't get it with money.

But why did he give rice in exchange?

The cost of fertilizer is less than half of rice.

But the government uses 1 to 1.5

in exchange for rice

mainly to control

the foodstuffs of the country.

But our fertilizer plant

can sell it to farmers, can't it?

I hope so too.

That's why we have to insist

on privatizing our fertilizer plant

and refusing to be monopolized.

But you're working against the government.

You brat! Who did you imitate?

How dare you steal fertilizer?

I'll beat you up!

Sir.

Make an apology.

Come on!

-It's all right. -See?

It's a nine-year-old boy.

Why did he steal?

Hey, boy?

Your crime will grow with you.

You should know that.

Don't ever do that again.

You hear that?

Excuse me.

As long as we get it back.

I'm sorry.

-It's all right. -The kid knows nothing.

PUBLIC ENTERPRISE AND PRIVATIZATION

BY LIU KUN-KAI

Mr. Gu is indeed the chairman of the Textile Federation.

The wedding dress is indeed delicate.

You're beautiful.

It's a bit loose here.

Let's send it back for some busheling.

After the busheling,

you'll be a perfect bride.

How is it?

It's delicious.

I feel like I'm back in Shanghai.

After the opera, I wanted to eat some.

I knew you'd love that.

That's why I asked somebody to buy it.

But I'm asking you about the article

written by Mr. Liu Kun-kai.

Don't make a fool of me in front of Mr. Liu.

I'm but an ordinary opera singer.

What do I know?

But after reading your article

on the distribution of social cost

using a metaphor of marriage,

even I can understand the idea of a free economy.

Bravo.

I just want more people to know that

free economy should go back to the market.

The government shouldn't intervene too much,

especially setting rules,

or satisfy the interest of a minority of people.

Don't say that, Mr. Liu.

It's no big deal.

Although it's under martial law,

we should at least have freedom of speech.

Mr. Liu's article is about our economic system.

Don't be overcritical.

The article will be published

in our next issue.

Thank you, Chief Editor Xu.

I have to go back to Hsinchu.

What's the rush?

Ms. Xia is going on stage this evening.

You'll have to see it.

I'm a boorish guy.

I don't understand Peking opera.

I'm sorry, Ms. Xia.

Never mind.

-You've done a good job. -Good job!

Don't sing it!

Go!

Where's her husband?

She isn't married.

She adopted Yue-ting.

Adopted?

From where?

She picked her up by Huangpu River

on the year that Japan was defeated.

It's destiny.

They're lucky enough to be family.

It's wriggling.

Of course.

How are you feeling?

Mr. Gu designed the wedding dress.

It must be beautiful.

I'm looking forward to your wearing it.

Miss?

Mr. Takeo is here.

Mr. Takeo?

Be careful!

Slow down!

But I want to see how your husband looks.

Her previous engagement got broken off because Nikko was in debt.

Be honest and run it well for them.

I know.

They don't have any cash.

But the family has property and forestry.

I asked my friends about making tea.

Taiwanese tea has no future.

Once we get married,

I'll ask Mr. Fu-ji to close the factory down.

Even if you convince the president,

what about the new one?

I can see that Yi-xin

is interested in running the tea factory.

What can a woman do?

After getting married and having a baby,

however clever she is, she can't do anything.

Takeo.

Be quiet.

This is someone else's house.

Yes, I know.

I'm here to help.

Hi, Ding-gui and Takeo.

-Be careful. -Hi, Mr. Fu-ji.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

I went to choose the menu for the wedding reception.

Everyone will be impressed.

You only get married once.

You'll be picky about the dishes.

Yes.

Mr. Fu-ji, these are cigars.

It's my sincerity.

But you shouldn't have.

I'm fine. As long as you love them.

I'll just smoke less.

They're all yours.

You're biased.

He has them, but not me.

I'll buy you some in Japan.

Takeo is a good-looking man.

Yes.

But well…

He's a bit too chauvinistic?

Takeo won't get to live well.

And you?

How's your bet?

It's okay, isn't it?

As a woman,

we don't have a choice.

Thinking would be useless.

In fact, I'm happy to enjoy a common life.

Common happiness?

Yes.

There and here.

Okay.

Yi-xin, you're home.

You're home.

I've finally done

what I promised your mom.

Before passing away,

she kept mumbling

that you'll have to get married

and have a happy life.

Papa?

I won't get married.

What are you talking about?

The bed

was made of the best Formosan michelia.

-And until now… -I really won't get married.

What did you say?

Do you know what you're talking about?

A child grows up and gets married.

Do you know what it means?

Besides,

you'll live at home when you're married.

I'm breaking off the engagement.

Breaking off the engagement?

How dare you say that?

What incompatible?

Maybe Takeo is so good-looking

that he might cheat on you?

Don't worry.

When you're married,

we'll all watch him.

Having two broken engagements

would be bad for your reputation.

Stop guessing.

I've thought it out.

I don't want to concede.

I'll take this pair.

Which is made by Stone?

Which is made by Shan-mei?

I'm confused.

Which do you choose, Stone?

Well…

What should I say?

What about you, Shan-mei?

It's up to you, sir.

Since you're so humble,

the diplomatic tea…

It's up to Yi-xin.

Me?

Aren't you great?

You're great at purchasing it.

Why don't you try to judge it?

It's you.

You're making tea at this hour?

I'm not making it but judging it.

I heard that you've paid off what you owed the employees.

I can manage the numbers,

but judging tea…

I don't really know it.

I think it's a blackout.

Don't worry.

Why do you always have to do that?

Can't you drink tea nicely?

It's this one.

It's a tie again.

Once more.

Yi-xin.

Since they taste the same,

why don't we choose according to cost?

I've decided to use this.

Shan-mei's recipe.

How so?

We've all drunk them.

Shan-mei makes the same flavor as Stone.

But Shan-mei's recipe

costs a lot cheaper than Stone's.

I'll calculate it.

Sir,

as for the aged fragrance,

I've added 20-year-old tea leaves.

That's why it's expensive.

But how does Shan-mei make the aged fragrance?

Why can't I see it from her tea leaves?

I've used worm tea.

I've raised them specially.

When tea leaves are eaten and digested by worms,

with oxidization,

the tea has the aged fragrance of old tea.

My great-grandma did that too.

Then why didn't you think of that?

Well, I…

Listen. I've calculated it.

With Shan-mei's recipe,

we can save 600,000 dollars.

The tea master chosen by Master Tu is great indeed.

Really?

I've calculated twice. I'll do it once more.

Shan-mei, can these do?

Not yet.

Sir.

-Hello, sir. -Hello.

Hello, sir.

Calculate this.

I'll do it for you.

Not like that.

The diplomatic tea has been shipped out.

I'm glad that our new president

has turned our losing into earning.

And we've paid all the employees.

The new president has talked to our creditors

to pay up all the interest

and shipment fees, and--

How many times do you have to mention her?

Does Yi-xin mean more than I do?

Sir,

we've passed this month

with a surplus of over 800,000.

It's good that we've passed.

Give me 600,000.

Good morning, Miss.

Mr. Wan,

I gave Mt. Daping to you

at this desk half a year ago.

Now, I'm going to take it back

at this desk again.

600,000?

That's a half year before.

How can it be the same?

Many people want a house.

And it's good doing lumbering.

How can I return it at the same price?

What do you mean?

It costs at least two million.

I'm not a benevolent society.

Come on.

Two million?

But it was 600,000.

Making a deal is for earning money.

You don't want a losing deal, do you?

The land is worth two million.

You're doing great business in Hsinchu.

But I only have this company.

We've been making deals for so long.

I've never played a trick.

But it has been in a great depression.

Do me a favor.

Don't perplex me.

Two million is a bargain for you.

I've planted those trees.

Back then, I came back from Japan.

My dad wanted me to do nothing

other than smoke opium.

He said that we did a great business

and that we were supposed

to keep everything in hand.

I began to do business with the lumber

and built the tea factory

to run Nikko

to prove to your grandpa

that I could do big business.

But it all belongs to Mr. Wan now.

That's what Grandpa would say.

What has Takeo done?

Takeo is your son-in-law,

but not my husband.

What are you talking about?

The son-in-law I picked is your husband.

That's your destiny.

What is your destiny, Papa?

We've broken off an engagement once.

One more time and they'll laugh out loud.

You'll make us lose face.

Papa,

you don't want to be just a foster son.

Neither do I want to be

an ordinary woman who cares only about her husband and kids.

You've struggled for half of your life.

If you're destined to be like this,

you wouldn't plant trees in Mt. Daping

or open a tea factory.

Who do I take after?

It's you, isn't it?

You've given the walking-your-own-path spirit to me.

Papa, I don't want to concede like that.

GOOD FOR YOU

Miss is going to break off the engagement?

Yes. She said they're incompatible.

And she said it now?

Without Takeo,

how will Nikko do?

Can't Yi-xin take over?

A girl will get married,

but not do a great business.

But Takeo has a good background.

A match for our family.

Why did Miss say no?

It's simple.

A girl doesn't get married

because she has someone else.

-Who's that? -Who's that?

Hello?

Haven't you got the notice?

Yes, of course.

Mr. Fu-ji said that he wanted the best.

See? They're all the best.

I've got everything.

Congratulations, Miss.

I've notified everybody,

everybody but the cook.

Let's eat.

In White Company,

you must have heard that the US House of Representatives

has refused all aid to us.

I gave you electricity and calcium carbide furnace,

and everything you needed

because I was cheated

by your dream of the first fertilizer plant!

The Americans are giving us up.

We don't have aid.

Your Nikko fertilizer plant

has become the only one in Taiwan.

Manager Liu,

that's a great job!

Mr. Vice Minister,

I don't want to lie to you.

Now, we're going to produce the first batch of fertilizer

-once-- -Once I purchase everything that you need

for the fertilizer plant, right?

Aren't you going too far?

Isn't it a waste if we don't use it?

My goodness!

We're a big factory

with high personnel costs.

We need a large order to strike a balance.

So we need to do business

through foreign firms or merchants.

Can you understand that?

Why can't we export directly?

We'll make a good profit when we do that.

But it's extremely complex to export

and difficult to collect payments.

Selling to foreign firms gets a lower price,

but at least, cash on delivery

makes no risks.

The Tea Association controls

the export of the tea industry in Taiwan.

They have connections and systems

and are well-informed.

When I was young,

I wanted to go to the Association.

But the puddle

was too deep to muddle along.

Okay.

Okay. I see. Thank you.

What is it about?

Yi-xin, do you think KK has a girlfriend?

I was just asking.

No other feelings.

Don't pull a long face.

Sir!

-Sir! -Wu Zi?

What's wrong?

Help…

Help with what?

Help my dad.

Wu mien?

What happened?

Dad!

Keep out of it!

Wu mien! What are you doing?

Why are you doing this?

Sir,

take a look.

The tea garden is hopeless.

I asked for fertilizer every day.

But I didn't get any.

I couldn't condition the soil.

Wu mien!

When my fertilizer plant is built,

I'll give you the first batch.

Wu mien,

let's work together to make the tea garden green again.

KK,

when will the plant begin its production?

I'm afraid we can't produce anything.

What do you mean?

The US doesn't want to get involved in our civil war.

All US aid will stop.

Without them,

-…nor does it have any intention -we may no longer have a plant.

of utilizing its armed forces

to interfere in the present situation.

The United States government will not pursue a course

which will lead to involvement

in the civil conflict in China.

Similarly, the United States…

KK?

Do you think there are more uphill roads

or downhill roads in the world?

They're basically the same

because when there's an uphill road, there'll be a downhill road.

In fact,

there are both uphill roads and downhill ones

to make the world so beautiful.

Although it's tiring to go uphill,

your view gets broader.

Doesn't a difficult thing

seem precious?

I don't know if I'm rich enough,

but I've made up my mind to build a plant.

Taiwan tea is only 1% in the world.

We'll have to raise our quality to compete with the world.

The fertilizer plant has to carry the responsibility

of not only the Beipu tea,

but also all the tea of Taiwan.

The fertilizer plant has been built,

but the government refused to import the ingredients

with foreign currencies.

-What ingredients? -Calcium carbide.

What's that?

Carbide.

Carbide?

You mean for the ripening of bananas?

Mr. Fu-ji?

Mr. Fu-ji.

You want calcium carbide.

It's all over the place.

So,

we can start to recruit workers.