Original subtitles

EPISODE 25

We'll know exactly how Ms. Ji died when we open the coffin.

You don't have to worry about it.

That's not why I'm worried.

Brother, Qiao Du is an official of Congyi.

It means that he's a second-ranked martial Juren.

Pity that our country values literature over martial arts.

A martial Juren's prospects can't rival those of someone like Master Du,

a second-ranked scholar, at all.

He has no fixed residence in Bianjing and lives in the office now.

If he gets married someday, he'll have to rent a place.

How much is his monthly salary?

Is it enough to support a family?

I don't know.

However, the rich have their ways and the poor have theirs.

Even if a couple lives in a humble place,

as long as the husband and wife love and respect each other,

it's always better than the intrigue, scheming, and indifference

in the homes of the rich and noble, right?

You…

Qingshi. Stop at the Liang's roast duck shop ahead.

Old Lady likes their duck bones.

Yes.

Sorry for keeping you waiting.

Speaking of praying for a child,

Yanyue Hermitage in the western suburbs of Bianjing is the most efficacious.

Many women who have been infertile for years have gone there

before conceiving soon.

I'll take Guiniang to pray and offer incense in two days.

Mother, how about taking Huizhao's wife with us?

The vegetarian food there is also famous in Bianjing.

Guiniang has only been married for a few days.

Aren't you being a bit too hasty?

All right.

I appreciate your kind intentions.

Let's take Haode with us when the time comes

to listen to the sounds of Buddha, enjoy the beautiful scenery,

and savor the vegetarian cuisine.

It's a refined affair, isn't it?

Huizhao, what's wrong?

You don't look well.

I'm fine, Aunt. You need not worry.

Old Lady, I need to work in my study. I'll take my leave.

Go ahead.

Did he find something upsetting at the government office today?

What's with his displeased look?

Exactly.

One who doesn't know, might think I have done something wrong again.

He's making a long face. I wonder who offended him.

Didn't you say your headaches have been getting worse recently?

I asked the physician and got a new prescription

that includes Szechuan Lovage, Notopterygium, and Asarum,

herbs that unblock meridians and relieve pain.

I've finished it. You may go.

I've finished reviewing tonight's files.

There's nothing you need to help with.

You can go back.

Brother, do you know why I went to speak with Mr. Qiao today?

You said that we have a one-year agreement.

You must be making early plans to find yourself an ideal new husband.

But it's a government office, and he's an official.

Even if you have taken a fancy to him, it won't come to fruition soon.

You'd better disturb him less,

lest it invite criticism.

As for what happens after a year…

it's no longer my concern.

Where did these strange ideas come from? When did I say I had taken a fancy to him?

I do want to find an ideal gentleman, but it's not for myself.

My sister Qiongnu is not married yet.

I have to help her and pay close attention.

Is that so?

You have discerning eyes. Please do not wrong me.

I already have you. Why should I seek another gentleman?

Our relationship is an act after all. It's not real.

Then, are you hiding this for someone to give it to?

Who allowed you to touch my things? This isn't for you.

We had an agreement between us. In one year…

I cannot break the agreement. I cannot--

The agreement is broken, and the oath is disobeyed.

Are you still cold-hearted and refusing to yield to me?

After all, you learned Taoism from a young age.

With an undisturbed heart, the mundane desires cannot intrude on you.

Never mind. Maybe a forced union won't be happy after all.

Forgive my transgression tonight.

Please do not take offense.

Now I am familiar with the works in the government office,

I won't easily reveal any flaws.

You don't have to come with me.

When you have spare time, visit Sifu House more often

and talk more with your mother and sisters.

I need to accompany Grandmother to Yanyue Hermitage today.

My sisters have agreed to go as well.

Take care.

Come out.

My lord, the sedan is ready.

If you dare eavesdrop again, you'll receive ten beatings first.

My lord, the coffin has been dug out.

But the Deng's brought people to cause a scene.

YANYUE HERMITAGE

Amitabha.

Esteemed patrons, you must be tired from traveling.

Tea has been prepared inside the nunnery.

Please rest at the meditation room for a while

before offering incense to Buddha.

Thank you, Master.

Where is your abbess, Master Zhiyuan?

And her two disciples,

Huide and Huixing?

Three days ago, I specially sent someone

to deliver her a message,

saying that we would be coming.

Why haven't they come out to greet us?

My master and two senior sisters have gone

to Zhenyang Nunnery in Luoyang to attend a dharma assembly

and won't return until the fifth day of the next month.

Ladies, please.

LOTUS SUTRA

You are pious.

As long as you offer the Universal Gate chapter

of the Lotus Sutra you transcribed by hand in front of the Bodhisattva

and pray sincerely every day, once your merits are fulfilled,

the Bodhisattva will bless you

with a child and everything going your way.

Amitabha.

I appreciate your auspicious words.

If our wishes are fulfilled,

I am willing to fund the construction

of a new lecture hall for Yanyue Hermitage

to facilitate the teaching of scriptures and the propagating of Buddhism.

Old Lady, you're zealous and find joy in charity.

It's all recorded in the book of merits.

The Bodhisattva knows of your devout heart

and will surely fulfill your wishes soon.

Amitabha.

You all must be tired and thirsty after traveling half a day,

especially since Old Lady is advanced in years.

I'm afraid you might lack the energy to listen to Buddhist teachings now.

It might be better to have some tea and refreshments first

before I take you all into the hall later.

Amitabha.

Serve the tea.

Watch out.

It's fine.

What does this mean?

With you, the esteemed guests, here,

it is indeed fortunate.

I fear that the humble tea and simple meal might be insufficient hospitality.

Please take a short rest, everyone.

I will go down first to make arrangements.

You are too kind.

We feel flattered. We will wait here.

Please go ahead.

FEAR NO SENSATIONS

This nun is so strange.

She's neither nun-like nor secular. Something seems off with her.

Haode.

Old Lady wishes to rest for a moment.

We don't need you here. You may leave now.

Our master has given orders.

Fearing you might have instructions, we dare not leave without her permission.

Please excuse us.

Everyone, let's have some tea.

Don't drink it, Old Lady.

Yanyue Hermitage seems somewhat amiss.

Indeed.

We've come all this way and have seen no other pilgrims.

And there are only a few young nuns in the nunnery.

It is eerily quiet everywhere, which is very strange.

What's so strange about that?

Perhaps they are all reciting scriptures in the hall.

I came to Yanyue Hermitage with my mother before.

These young nuns look very unfamiliar.

Never have I seen them before.

Ms. Liu.

Old Lady?

Take some people out to have a look.

Then go to the backyard and call everyone here.

Yes.

We've brought many people here.

Rest assured.

Old Lady wishes to change clothes.

Please lead me to see if the place is clean.

Follow us.

Who are you?

Boss, those people in the backyard have all been taken down.

When do we act against the women in the meditation rooms?

Although we are paid to do this job,

one careless move could lead us into great trouble.

Keep the women and kill all the men.

Only then can we rest easy.

Yes.

You couldn't even

do a small thing well.

I should have killed you at first.

You are annoying. Scram to the kitchen now.

Think about your masters.

If you dare to mess up my plans again,

I will make you into fertilizer.

Boss, just now, I saw from the back window

that young nun was about to tip off those women.

That's exactly what I wanted.

It would save me a lot of trouble.

You all are being overcautious.

They've treated us with warm tea and good food.

Why would they have the evil intent to harm us?

Each of you is scared as mice. People would laugh at us if word got out.

I'll go out and call Huijing in

to see what's odd about her.

Mother?

- Mother, are you alright? - Aunt? Aunt?

Qiongnu?

Old Lady? Old Lady?

It's not the tea. It's the incense.

Qiongnu?

Qiongnu?

Haode…

- Leshan? - I… I feel a bit dizzy.

Leshan.

Leshan, you mustn't sleep.

Shush.

Don't make a sound.

Haode. Haode.

This is bad. Someone escaped. Chase her, quickly.

Haode? Haode? Wake up quickly.

Haode, are you alright?

- Go find help. Hurry up. - But I…

- Go. - Okay, wait for me here.

My lord, it's opened.

Help! Help!

Help!

The coffin is riddled with scratch marks, presenting a shocking sight.

Clearly, someone woke up inside the coffin,

desperately struggled, and called for help

before finally running out of strength and being suffocated to death.

Deng Jingfu, you entombed a living person in a coffin.

You deserve to die a thousand deaths!

How could this be?

My wife stopped breathing back then.

Mother, you saw it. Everyone in the Deng family saw it.

How could she come back to life?

Impossible! It's impossible!

Arrest Mrs. Deng and Deng Jingfu.

Order the coroner to examine the body. We'll set a new trial date.

My lord! We kept her body three days before burial.

Those who paid condolences can be our witnesses, my lord.

She was already dead back then, my lord.

- My lord, we are innocent! - Take them away.

- My lord, we are innocent! - My lord!

- We are innocent! - My lord!

- We are innocent! - My lord!

My daughter!

Your death is so unjust.

And you can't rest in peace even in death.

- My lord. - My poor daughter.

I never expected that someone would be entombed alive.

- The Deng family is so cruel. - Ah Tao.

Did she faint during childbirth

and was mistakenly sealed in the coffin?

Or was it an intentional murder?

A conclusion cannot be drawn yet.

If it's the latter, I will surely find out the truth

and not let the real culprit go unpunished.

She ran from the back door. After her!

- Yes! - Yes!

Move.

When putting on an act, you must go all the way.

You know what to do now, right?

- Yes. - Yes.

Go ahead.

- Yes. - Yes.

Let's go.

It's not bad today.

What did you hunt?

This? A pheasant?

We can find more game over there. In that area.

- Look at these. - Your arrows are not bad.

Help! Help! Please help!

Please help!

Young master, please help!

Who are you?

Why are you wandering alone in the wilderness?

I'm the fifth daughter of the Li family on Pan Restaurant Street.

I came to Yanyue Hermitage with my sisters to offer incense.

But the nunnery has been taken over by a group of bandits.

I must report this to Kaifeng Court. Young master, please help me.

So, you're someone from the Li family that runs Sifu House.

Li Leshan, do you still recognize me?

Back then, out of kindness, I offered to take Li Kangning as my concubine,

but your family filed a complaint against me to His Majesty.

I was rebuked by His Majesty and grounded for half a year.

Now look at us, old enemies on a narrow path.

What day is today?

Yang Xian, you scoundrel!

You'd better pray that you don't fall into my hands.

Or when that day comes, I'll skin you,

boil you alive, and crush your bones to dust.

No wonder people say the six Li tigresses do not adhere to women's virtues.

Indeed, you are fierce. It's a reflection of your family teachings, I guess.

You…

She fell.

Considering you are a woman, I won't make things difficult for you.

As long as you kneel and beg for mercy, swearing to be my maid for three years,

to take off my boots, grind my ink, and attend to my bed,

I will save your sister.

How about it?

You can be smug now. Sooner or later, I'll fry you in oil

to a pulp!

Young Master Yang, I beg you to save my sister.

I'm willing to be a slave, a maid, or anything.

My fourth brother-in-law is the chief officer of Kaifeng Court.

If you save them, the Shen family will repay you handsomely in the future.

She agreed to do that?

The Shen family? Which Shen family?

Young lady, how about I save your sister, and you serve me for three years too?

How is that?

Right, I will also go to save your sister.

You might as well consider me too.

- Exactly. - It would be better to serve me instead.

- That's right. - Count me in.

- She's angry. - Look at her.

- Serve me first. - Exactly.

- Give it a rest. - Enough.

- You're making her angry. - Haha.

You can obediently follow me…

Which Shen family did you mention?

There's only one chief officer in Kaifeng. Which other Shen family could it be?

Old Lady and other ladies have all been trapped in the bandits' den.

Get up.

Hold on tight. If you fall, I won't turn back to save you.

You two go to Kaifeng Court to report. The rest, follow me.

Yes.

You're leaving, Young Master Yang?

What should we do?

Are you just leaving like that?

Young Master Yang?

Young lady, didn't you come to pray for a child?

I am here to present a child to you.

Who are you?

With my skill of disguising a man as a woman,

I disguised myself in the form of a woman.

I have traveled through various places and tainted many women.

Few have seen through me.

The abbess of Yanyue Hermitage kindly took me in,

a lonely and helpless woman.

But I let the bandits in at midnight and occupied her nunnery.

Stop hopping.

Are you hoping that your husband will come to your rescue?

I'm actually afraid that he won't come.

Yanyue Hermitage is a trap?

Who exactly are you people?

Why do you want to harm my husband?

This question is not for you to ask.

In the dead of night, we will burn this place down.

If you don't wish to have your body exposed in the wilderness,

you'll have no choice but to comply with me.

You rape and kill women.

If I comply with you, I'm sure I will only face death.

I might as well die

rather than be defiled by you.

Young lady, if you comply with me,

how could I bear to kill you?

Even if my life is spared,

the pain will be unbearable.

That's right, young lady.

Come on.

Young lady, I will be very gentle.

You wretch! How dare you hurt me?

Wretch! You wretch!

Haode. Haode.

It's okay now. It's okay.

Yanyue Hermitage is a trap. There are ambushes on the road.

They want to kill my husband. They want to kill him.

Li Leshan, don't forget the oath you made.

I will ask you to fulfill it.

- Haode. - It's okay.

I'm fine.

I am the lady of the Shen family. I must not panic.

Right, we must first rescue Old Lady.

Haode.

Guiniang? Guiniang? Wake up quickly.

Guiniang? Guiniang? Guiniang?

No. Someone has broken in!

Mother, you're awake. Are you alright?

Kill everyone inside.

Avenge our brothers.

Don't come over.

Don't come over. Don't!

Haode?

Old Lady. Old Lady.

It's alright now.

It's alright now.

Qiongnu, wake up quickly. Qiongnu?

Qiongnu.

Leshan?

Yes, I'm here.

Lord Shen, something happened to your family at Yanyue Hermitage.

Protect the lord.

My lord!

My lord? My lord, are you alright?

My lord?

We were attacked in the outskirts.

Those attackers were all well-trained assassins.

Each of them struck with lethal force.

They targeted Lord Shen's life.

Fortunately, Young Master Yang led people to intervene.

Seeing their failure, the assassins hastily retreated.

Sorry. I failed to prevent the lord from being injured.

They set a trap at Yanyue Hermitage

to lure Huizhao out of the city to rescue his family.

They came prepared. It was hard to guard against them.

Young Master Yang, thank you for your help.

I'll personally visit to express my gratitude another day.

You are welcome, sir.

When my grandmother was alive, she got along well with Old Lady.

With Old Lady in danger, I'd definitely not stand by.

Luckily, I brought many guards to hunt, allowing us to save Old Lady.

But, sadly, even doubling back to warn Lord Shen

was already a step too late.

I'm overwhelmed with shame and dare not accept your thanks.

This is not the place to talk. Let's speak in the parlor.

Mr. Qiao, your injury is severe. You'd better have it treated now.

Yes.

Please.

Old Lady just took

some sedative decoction and fell asleep.

Haode, you haven't eaten or drunk since we came back.

Have some porridge, okay?

Brother, do you know?

I killed a living person.

My hands have been shaking.

Yet, I feel so proud.

Because the person I protected

matters a lot to you.

Wake up quickly.

And praise me, will you?

Just praise me.

Actually, I am very scared.

I'm so scared.

My lord, sorry. I failed the task.

I know all about it.

You are a chivalrous hero of high integrity.

Having you go undercover at Kaifeng Court must've been hard for you.

My lord, I was naive to the ways of the world then.

Full of righteous indignation, I always stood up for others.

I was envied by my commander.

Even losing my official post and resigning wouldn't save my life.

I managed to survive entirely thanks to your lordship's help.

Later on, when I was broke and unable to afford my mother's funeral,

it was you who helped me return to my hometown to bury her.

I can hardly repay your kindness with a thousand deaths.

Yet should you command it, I wouldn't dare shirk it.

I meant nothing by saying that. Don't take it to heart.

Get up now.

After this battle,

you have become the most trusted person by Shen Huizhao's side.

Don't worry. You will find another chance.

My lord, you are magnanimous.

I have asked to be discharged from service to return to farming.

His Majesty praised me for putting righteousness before family

and made every effort to retain me.

I still have many days ahead

and can wait for the right opportunity.

One day,

I'll make him utterly discredited and isolated. When he looks back by then,

I'm afraid he will be filled with regret for not dying yesterday.

Huizhao, save Yingying.

Brother, help!

You heartless thing!

You don't deserve to have parents, a wife, or children.

I won't take you as my son anymore.

Although your bridal sedan came to our family, we're not a real couple.

If one day I am capable enough to change your mind,

we'll make a great couple. Let's make a deal for three years.

One year.

By then, I will prepare a dowry for you and find you an ideal new husband.

Brother?

Brother?

Brother.

Brother.

You're awake.

Brother, you're awake.

It's good that you're awake.

What happened in Yanyue Hermitage is like a terror of night,

so frightening that my bones chill.

But I managed to survive and see you again.

Li Haode.

Brother-in-law, y-you remember everything?

He's awake?

Quickly help me up. I need to go see Huizhao.

Old Lady, rest assured. The physician has checked him.

Huizhao's injuries are all external.

But you've been frightened. You must rest well.

Otherwise, if you fall ill, how can Huizhao be at ease?

It'll be harder for him to recuperate.

But your eyes are red.

You're not deceiving me, are you?

Is Huizhao really fine?

He's perfectly fine.

Old Lady, just rest assured.

I… I'm just too happy.

Haode.

The situation was dire yesterday.

Our lives were hanging by a thread.

Thanks to you. You saved us.

Huizhao marrying you

is truly a great blessing for my entire family.

Old Lady.

Old Lady, outside…

Outside, a young lady named Fang has arrived.

She says she has come to seek refuge as a relative.

Old Lady, Huizhao cannot be left alone. I'll take my leave.

Okay.

Go ahead.

It's Huizhao's

late maternal uncle's daughter,

his blood-related cousin.

She has brought

only an old nanny and a young maid.

The bandit leader at Yanyue Hermitage was behind dozens of rape-by-fraud cases

in the areas of Shaozhou and Wuzhou.

He was killed by Young Master Yang with a sword.

The remaining 12 either died or fled.

We captured two of them alive.

Under severe torture, they both claimed they acted under orders

and didn't know the mastermind. As for those assassins,

Official Du led his men to search Bianjing

but found no traces of them, as if they'd vanished into thin air.

Even a passing bird's shadow can be cast on the ground.

It shows that the mastermind behind this is not ordinary at all.

Before your injury, you were investigating the death of the Deng family's wife.

The case file has arrived.

My lady.

My lord, you just woke up. Yet you're working already.

If your health is damaged,

Old Lady will blame me for not taking good care of you.

Li Haode, close the door. I have something to say to you.

Sit over there.

- I'm about to say something seri-- - I know what you want to say.

You will say that the tumble has brought back your memories,

we're not a fine couple, and you want to keep your distance, right?

Brother, you are in my room and sitting on my bed.

If you truly have forgotten it,

let me remind you again.

You slept in this bed more than once.

I'm afraid it's too late for you to say that to me now.

As a woman, you--

You aren't ashamed for being heartless. Why should I feel ashamed?

The feigned play has long become real.

The position of me as Mrs. Shen can no longer be revoked.

If you abandon me, I'll go to the elders for help.

Do you have anything to say?

You and I are not on the same path. We won't be husband and wife for long.

I care not whether you are willing or not.

Just consider

I'm destined to you, and you can't get rid of me.

You'll have to bear with it

until you get used to me.

In 20 or 30 years…

we will also count as growing old together.

Rest well. I still need to talk to Leshan.

Haode, don't resent me for being heartless.

Keeping your distance from me

is for your own good.

Haode.

Haode.

Now is not the time to cry.

Do you know who that Lady Fang is and why she visits the Shen family?

She is the fiancée that Shen Huizhao's mother chose for him.

She is here to force the Shen family to honor the marriage agreement.

Subtitle translation by: Grace Zhao