Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Special Lady]

[Episode 7]

I've long heard that

the teaching method of Yiyang Academy is unique.

But this is so strange.

In the first lesson after admission to the school,

they even arranged us to stay in this tea garden,

and we are exposed to the sun and wind.

That's right.

I've heard that even the Imperial College

merely gave martial arts training to new students for their enrollment.

Look at us.

We came to this tea garden to pick tea leaves.

They smell so good.

Isn't this a job for middle-aged women?

So this is how they look before they're cooked and drunk.

They have a pleasant smell indeed.

Well,

today, the academy arranged us to come to the tea garden to experience the work.

There must be a certain purpose for this.

So, don't underestimate the work today.

And what is a real noble man?

Even though you're wearing coarse cloth

and came to the garden to pick tea leaves,

it's still hard to hide the nobility on you.

Just like me.

Yes.

Dean.

-Dean is here. -Dean.

Hello, Dean.

Legend has it that Shennong tasted all kinds of herbs

and was attracted by their fragrance.

Thus, he picked the tea leaves and brewed them with water.

After drinking it, both his ears and eyes felt refreshed.

He named this tea.

Today,

let's be Shennong for one day.

-Okay. -Okay. -Okay.

Alright. Go ahead.

Okay.

-Okay. -Let's go. -Let's go.

The tea leaves picked around Qingming Festival are treasures.

The tea leaves will get old after the Beginning of Summer.

The tea leaves picked around the Grain Rain day are just fine.

Xue Hanfu.

You look rough,

but you know this?

I wonder who is the rough one actually.

Did you call me?

I didn't call you, Instructor Shen.

Let’s go.

I didn't call you, Instructor Shen.

I heard you call me.

Be careful not to scratch the inner leaves.

Which place in the mortal world is like a fairyland?

You will see it when you carry a basket to pick tea leaves on a mountain in spring.

Mr. Chen has such a keen interest

and is so talented in poems.

Slow down.

Be careful.

Are you okay?

Mr. Xue, I did fortune-telling this morning.

It indicated that I shouldn't do labor work.

Sure enough, I've already...

I've already felt dizzy.

Don't you feel tired?

I used to pick tea leaves with my father,

and even my feet got hurt from the rubbing.

Only till then did I realize how hard it was for those workers who picked leaves.

They are busy for a whole year

just for the harvest of one season.

Hang in there for some more time.

Hurry.

I can't hold on.

Hang in there for some more time.

I can't hold on. I can't hold on.

Farmers plant a seed in spring,

and they harvest tens of thousands of grains in autumn.

There is no fallow field everywhere.

But there are still farmers who have died of hunger.

I used to think that it was just a poem,

and it merely showed the poet's talent in literary,

his sympathy for farmers

and his understanding about farmers.

Only until today did I really understand that

the sympathy in the poem

is about the hard work of labor workers.

Only by experiencing the hardships of labor

can we truly understand the labor workers.

Getting the first-hand experience is better than reading thousands of books.

When we taste the sweetness of tea,

we know the hardships of planting tea.

Though this tea leaf is small,

it contains the truth.

In terms of people's livelihood and their sufferings,

only by experiencing their plights

can you understand the meaning of

"The people are the foundation of a state,

and only when the foundation gets stable can the state be in peace".

Only when the people live in peace

can we study intently in the academy.

As long as the people live in peace, the state will be peaceful.

Thank you for your teaching.

Why did you talk about the truth and his teaching?

In terms of tasting tea,

who can be more knowledgeable than me, the top master

in tasting tea?

Of course.

Mr. Li is right.

In terms of tasting tea,

who can compare to you?

Let's go.

Go. Go.

Dean.

I know something about the art of tea.

The tea leaves here are not the best in terms of their quality and appearance.

Later,

I'll ask my father to send you some better tea leaves so that you can taste them.

I should do my own work by myself.

Why are you holding the basket for me?

Gosh.

Yes, it's my fault.

Take your time to experience it carefully.

Okay.

Yes.

You're smart.

I've long heard that the student who ranks first is unusual.

What you said today is indeed extraordinary.

Besides, look at this person who failed in the entrance exam.

He must have been appreciated due to your excellence.

Father, be careful.

Did our eldest brother went to the tea garden today?

Yes.

How are the students this year?

Not bad.

How is Zhou Ji?

Zhou Ji?

He's very good.

Our father also thinks highly of him.

Sister, thank you.

Brother, turn around.

Thanks for your hard work, Brother.

Please have some tea, Brother.

But I think

Xiao Yu also aspires to be outstanding.

Our father appreciates him more.

What?

Our father appreciates Xiao Yu?

Yes.

How?

Our father thinks highly of him and cherishes his talent.

Have you ever seen our father

do this to anyone else?

No, that doesn't mean anything.

Xiao Yu is not even a student in Song's Academy.

Don't worry about that.

With Xiao Yu's knowledge and vision,

I think our father should make an exception

to enroll him as soon as possible.

Even if he doesn't make an exception to enroll him,

in next year's entrance exam,

Xiao Yu will surely be admitted to Song's Academy.

Yueniang,

I think our father particularly

values your marriage.

He said he didn't want to be a student in Song's Academy,

and that he just wanted to learn from Mr. Chen.

Luckily, I didn't fall into his trap.

In my opinion,

Mr. Xiao is really a good man.

You'll be lucky to marry him.

Don't think about breaking off the engagement.

That's right.

Both Mr. Chen and our father think highly of him very much now.

I'll put in a good word in a few days

so that we can make an exception to enroll him.

No.

Brother, you can't do this.

Xiao Yu told me

he also wanted to break off the engagement.

He doesn't want to be a student of Song's Academy.

My silly sister,

if he doesn't want to marry you,

why did he try to show his merits in front of our father?

Your second eldest brother once read his articles,

and said that

Xiao Yu could be admitted to the Imperial College with his talent.

Why do you think he came to Song's Academy?

He even compromised

to be a teaching assistant in the girls' school.

In my opinion, it's all because of you.

It looks like what Lady Jin said

about the order of parents and the words of matchmakers

should be done immediately.

Brother, where is Xiao Yu now?

When I came back from the tea garden just now, he was still there.

I'm not sure where he is now.

It suddenly occurred to me that I forgot to take my textbook.

I'll go back to get it.

No.

Yueniang.

My... My tea.

Didn't you smell it enough in the tea garden today?

Is she targeting me now?

I agree with you.

Bastard!

Miss Zhu.

Why are you here?

I heard that you had made a hit today.

I'm here to congratulate you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Do you have other things to say?

Not really.

It's not that I don't trust you.

I just want to ask

whether the agreement between us is still valid.

Of course.

That's great.

Since it's valid,

please fulfill your promise.

I...

The agreement is still valid.

But Miss Zhu,

for this thing, I...

You can't do anything about this, right?

I know you want to say this.

I understand.

Therefore, today I came here

not to talk with you about breaking off the engagement.

I just hope that you can

tell your father about this,

and ask your father to directly suggest my father

to break off the engagement.

You just need to write a letter to your father.

Look.

You have made it clear that

you don't want to marry me.

And I've

also said that

I won't marry you.

Only by handing this matter to your father

can we solve our

problem easily.

What do you think, Mr. Xiao?

Are you going to refuse?

What did I say?

I knew it.

I knew you wanted to marry me.

It's all due to the fact that I'm so charming

and smart.

It's hard for you to be unwilling to marry me.

Well...

It's not that I really can't marry you.

When this matter is delayed for long enough,

then we won't have to worry anymore.

See you on our wedding day.

Bye.

Wait.

I'll write a letter to my father.

I'll prepare the brushes, ink, paper and inkstones.

It's not hard to write a letter to my father.

As long as he doesn't reply to my letter all the time, it'll be fine, right?

Miss Zhu

is so easy to fool.

To cooperate with a man who once tricked me,

how can I not prepare for two eventualities?

You cunning villain.

I'll break off the engagement with you first,

and then I'll kick you out of the academy.

That's good.

But my eldest brother supports him so much.

What should I do?

Yueniang.

Brother.

I'm here to bring you tea.

Bring me tea?

Will you take it away midway again this time?

Brother.

My eldest brother is so handsome and graceful.

You won't make your sister angry, right?

You're here to butter me up in the middle of the night.

There must be something.

Say it.

It's nothing.

It just suddenly occurred to me that

you had said that Xiao Yu couldn't do anything.

Is it true?

Yes.

In the tea garden this morning,

he couldn't do anything at first.

But his comprehension ability is quite strong,

and he has a broad vision.

How can he just have a broad vision?

If he can't do anything,

and I really have to marry him,

how will he take care of me?

You have to give him some time

so that he can learn, right?

Brother,

I think now your arrangement is to

make him learn to take care of himself,

rather than take care of me.

What's your suggestion?

I've heard that after the students of the boys' school are admitted,

they need to do chores at the school.

For example, they need to work in the kitchen.

Brother, why don't you take this opportunity

to train him?

I don't think this is appropriate.

Brother,

are you going to

watch me

marry a man

who can't do any labor work?

Not really.

I know you care about me the most.

Brother, don't think that you're harming Xiao Yu.

Think about it.

The Xiao Family is a wealthy family.

He has never had the chance to learn to do such chores.

Why don't you take this opportunity

to train him?

Otherwise, after I marry him,

I'll be the one who suffers.

Yueniang, you don't need to worry about this.

The Xiao Family is a wealthy family.

Of course there are servants there.

Brother.

With our father's thrifty personality,

do you think he will let us use the servants?

Well...

If you really care about me,

just promise me.

Well, you're the one who will marry him.

Our father won't go there with you after you get married.

Brother, you don't care about me at all.

My lifelong happiness is entrusted to you.

Alright, I promise you.

I promise you.

Song.

Are you here to see Mr. Chen?

Mr. Xiao,

I'm here to discuss something with you.

What is it?

There are some chores in the boys' school which are hard to be arranged.

Besides, you're the only teaching assistant in our academy.

So, during your extracurricular time,

can you go and help?

What do you want me to do?

Just some trivial matters.

For example,

ring the morning bell.

Ring...

Ring the morning bell?

Do you know that roosters crow in the morning?

Yes, I do.

It's the same as that.

Is there any other problem, Mr. Xiao?

No.

It's settled then.

By the way,

the bell is hung in the Luwen Hall by the teaching ground.

Go get familiar with it first.

Don't delay it tomorrow.

How should I ring the morning bell?

Croton, oh, croton,

you'll be useful soon.

Brother.

You're finally back.

Yueniang.

Why do you always expect me to come back early recently?

Because I'm happy to see you.

Brother.

Have you asked Xiao Yu to help in the kitchen?

No.

I think

if we ask Xiao Yu to help in the kitchen right at the beginning,

it'll be too hard for him.

Thus, I suggested Mr. Chen

to let him ring the morning bell.

I think it's better to have a transition from easy work to difficult work. Right?

Yes.

Why didn't my eldest brother ask Xiao Yu to work in the kitchen?

Instead, he asked him to ring the morning bell?

This has disrupted all my plans.

I even specially told Mr. Zhang that

Xiao Yu couldn't do any labor work

so that he would have a bad impression on him first.

I thought about waiting for him to cause trouble,

and then Mr. Zhang would definitely kick him out of the academy.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

If I make Xiao Yu delay ringing the morning bell,

then I can go to Mr. Zhang to complain about him.

-That's it. -What is it?

Nothing. Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Why is she so unpredictable

and so mysterious?

Mr. Zhou.

Mr. Zhou.

I don't think Song Zhu can make trouble again this time.

Lai Fu, what time is it now?

It's fine, Young Master.

It's only around 10 p.m. now.

Mr. Zhou, did you ring the morning bell?

Morning bell?

It's only around 10 p.m. now.

I thought you rang the morning bell.

Hurry up!

Slow down.

Did the bell ring?

Didn't you hear it?

The bell at the Luwen Hall rang just now.

What time is it now?

I'm so sleepy.

Let's see how you'll ring the bell tomorrow.

I'm such a charming

and smart girl.

Has it been blown away by the wind?

[Yiyang Academy]

Who is supposed to lead the morning reading today?

It's Song Zhu.

Why hasn't she come yet?

Ring the bell.

[Luwen Hall]

How is this possible?

Miss Zhu.

You only thought about setting a trap for me,

but you didn't know I had discovered your scheme.

What a coincidence!

How come I can encounter you everywhere?

It suddenly occurred to me that I had to go to the classroom.

I'm leaving.

No hurry.

Wait!

Don't leave in a hurry.

I have something to tell you.

But I have nothing to tell you.

I have something to say.

Did you

hide that hammer of the bell?

I don't understand.

You don't understand?

Then this handkerchief...

I've never seen it before.

You're just reluctant to admit it.

Look at the exquisite embroidery on the handkerchief.

It must be made by Song Yi from the Song Family.

Do you think I should I take this handkerchief

to the Song's Mansion

and ask everyone to recognize it?

You...

I also don't want anyone else to know this.

Zhu,

you shouldn't have made such a big mistake.

Tell me. What do you want?

I've promised you to write a letter to my father.

Why did you go back on your word?

How dare you say that?

You tried to show your merits in front of my father,

which made him have a better impression on you.

Even my eldest brother wanted to persuade my father

to make an exception to enroll you as a student.

How dare you say that?

That wasn't my intention.

Besides, I once told you that

I wouldn't be a student of Song's Academy. I wasn't lying.

Who would believe you?

I don't want to explain to you.

This time,

I won't hold you accountable for it.

But if you continue to

be so stubborn

and go against me in every aspect,

let alone the letter,

what do you think will be the result

if I go to see Dean Song with this handkerchief?

With this handkerchief as the evidence,

I don't think you can deny it.

You lifted a rock only to drop it on your own feet.

You didn't sleep at midnight,

and you came to hide my bell hammer.

You intended to stop me from ringing the morning bell?

You really took great pains to do this.

Unfortunately,

you just couldn't stop me from ringing the morning bell.

You want to ring the bell, right?

Come on. Let me help you ring it enough.

Come on. Ring it enough.

Here you are.

Ring the bell.

Time to ring the bell!

Time to ring the bell!

Ring...

Do you admit your mistake?

Yes, I do.

I'm willing to be punished.

Do you admit your mistake?

Yes, I do.

Mr. Chen asked you to ring the morning bell,

not to ring the bell randomly.

If you can't even do this little thing well,

how can you be a good teaching assistant?

The morning reading is not just your own business.

It concerns the entire girls' school.

But you were late for no reason, which affected everyone.

Mr. Chen, please don't be angry.

I won't do it again.

Someone accused you of ringing the bell randomly at midnight last night,

which made many people unable to sleep well.

I don't think

Mr. Chen can protect you this time.

Since you like sleeping late so much,

in this semester,

you'll lead all the morning reading.

You should arrive an hour earlier than others every day to prepare for it.

I've heard that you can't do labor work at all.

Go help in the kitchen.

Yes.

Who is it?

It's Lord Zuo from the Bureau of Military Affairs.

What brings you here?

Mr. Zhang, how have you been?

I've been fine.

Come in, please.

I passed by Yiyang today,

so I took this chance to send a letter to Mr. Song

for Officer Wan.

Zuo Hongzhang is Wan Li's trusted subordinate.

If it were just an ordinary consolation letter, he wouldn't have sent it personally.

Thank you, Lord Zuo.

You're welcome, Mr. Zhang.

In order to deliver letters, you've travelled between the capital and Yiyang many times.

Thanks for your hard work.

Don't mention it.

Yiyang Academy is known as a retreat away from the turmoil of the world.

People here don't associate with officials.

How come Wan Li frequently asks Zuo Hongzhang to send letters?

Song's Academy is famous in the world and it has students everywhere.

And Song's Academy is even considered as a unique sect.

For the students who graduated from Song's Academy,

many of them have become officials or businessmen.

Now there are still many alumni

who write to Mr. Song every day.

It shows how much they miss Mr. Song

and care about the academy.

-Yes. -Officer Wan

is just one of them.

Yes, yes, yes.

It seems that there are still other officials

who have been writing to Song Xu.

There are many eminent officials in the imperial court

who keep in touch with our dean by writing letters.

To encourage our students,

he stored these letters

in the academy.

This is good, sir.

This is good.

Sir, who is this?

This is the new teaching assistant of the girls' school,

Mr. Xiao.

Go to the kitchen to receive your punishment.

Since you can't do any labor work,

you should hone your skills.

-Go. -Yes, yes.

Lord Zuo, please.

No.

Today, besides sending the letter,

I also want to see Mr. Song face to face

and ask him about some knowledge.

Unfortunately,

our dean has gone to do farm work personally.

Every time when I want to see him,

he's always doing labor work.

He even does the farm work personally.

Forget it.

Mr. Zhang,

I have something important to do.

-Lord Zuo. -I have to go.

Well...

By the way, sir...

No need to see me off.

[To Song Xu]

School rules, oh, school rules.

Because of you,

my proper business is delayed.

Come on.

Brother, why are you here?

I'm here to tell you some bad news.

What bad news?

Your fiance Xiao Yu got into trouble because of ringing the bell wrongly.

He was punished to work in the kitchen.

-I'm a prince! -Young Master.

Young Master, keep your voice down.

Keep your voice down.

I will never help in the kitchen.

Young Master, calm down.

This is just a temporary measure.

Didn't you say that

even Lord Zuo from the Bureau of Military Affairs

went to the academy?

Mr. Zhang also said that

Song Xu had been in contact with many officials by writing letters.

If we want to know the connection between Song Xu and these officials,

we might find some clues from those letters.

Right.

Song Xu claimed to stay away from the official circle.

Actually, he associates with the officials secretly.

Young Master,

is the secret letter of the Crown Prince

also among these letters?

I think so too.

So, Young Master,

just go to the kitchen then.

Cover up your real purpose with the identity as a helper.

Get familiar with the terrain.

Maybe you can find those letters.

No!

This is inappropriate!

I will never go to the kitchen.

Young Master.

Think about it again, Young Master.

All of these foods are prepared for the people?

What are you talking about?

If they're not prepared for the people, are they prepared for Yaya?

Yaya?

Yaya

is Mr. Zhang's favorite pet.

Yaya.

Yaya.

Don't just stand there to watch me cook.

Get me a radish from the backyard.

Radish?

Where is the backyard?

Alright. I'll take you there.

Over there.

The backyard.

Right.

It's good to do some work, right?

Come on. Put it there.

Put it there.

Why are you looking at me?

Go make the fire burn more fiercely.

Add some firewood.

Where should I add it?

Add it to the stove.

It's funny for you to ask where you should add it.

Can you do it?

[Admire Noble Moral Character]

Every time when a new student sat here,

I would think of the days when I was a student.

To study,

what should we learn?

How do we study?

You should judge it by yourselves.

We understand.

If you really understand,

you should throw away all the books in your hands.

People often say that knowledge and action should be combined together.

The purpose is to make you learn how to judge by yourselves.

Rather than believe in all the content in the books, you might as well give up the books.

You're right, sir!

Okay. Let's start the class.

Alright. Take it to the dining hall.

I'll take it there?

If you don't do this, should Yaya do this?

Just go.

Be careful!

Don't spill it.

Look at you.

My soup!

You...

I... I didn't...

Why are you so clumsy?

I didn't do it on purpose.

The more you helped, the worse it was.

Xiao Yu is so clumsy.

Look. It's all ruined.

I have to make another pot of soup.

God!

Yaya, are you okay?

Are you scared?

Don't just stand there.

Make Yaya go back to the goose house.

Hurry up.

Go inside. Go inside.

Go, go, go.

Go!

Go, go, go.

Go, go, go.

Go! Go! Go!

Yaya.

Yaya.

Yaya, let’s go.

Let's go out and play.

[Emulate Those Better Than Ourselves]

[Wenjing Hall]

It's weird. Why did it come out?

Let's go.

This looks like Mr. Zhang's goose, right?

-Yes. -Hurry up. Hurry up.

How come it's here?

Who knows?

Why are you so clumsy?

Go... Go...

Go back to the goose house.

Stop!

You stupid goose!

I'll stew you!

Come on. Wait for me.