Original subtitles

♪When sorrow and joy blend into ink♪

♪Flowers fade, rain falls, helpless as time♪

♪Lament this frail body, tangled in love and hate♪

♪Yet I still wrestle with fate♪

♪Snow drifts down, burying all glory♪

♪Blame this destiny granted to me♪

♪Trapped in the chains of love and cause♪

♪When the dust finally settles♪

=Glory in Shadows=

=Episode 21=

Jingchuan.

Just admit your mistake to Father.

Why? I've done nothing wrong.

Kneel.

Hit him.

Hit him hard.

Father.

Father.

Stop it, Father.

I beg you, please stop.

Stop hitting him.

If we don't curb his arrogance now,

how will I manage him in the future?

♪This life, like foam♪

♪The wind is bleak, leaving me alone♪

♪Drifting with nowhere to anchor♪

♪Like falling crimson petals♪

Get up, now.

If you want to hit me, fine.

Consider it repaying your care in raising me.

But if you dare lay a hand on Yaochu,

don't blame me for shattering

what little bond we have left.

You'd turn on your own father

for such a woman?

Have you no respect for me?

A father's kindness breeds a son's respect.

You once vowed to my mother,

yet soon after, you cast us aside.

That is heartless.

Zhao Qingru has guarded your family for years.

Yet you abandoned her.

That is dishonorable.

A man so cold and ungrateful as you

is not worthy of being my father.

I'm not worthy?

Li Jingchuan.

Do you believe I'd kill you?

With your influence,

can you even kill me?

Dear,

this time, I'm here for you.

Your father hit you today

just to force you into casting me aside.

Even if this hadn't happened,

he would've found a way to punish me anyway.

I know you were shielding me.

And what about you?

You took the lash for me.

It must have hurt.

Yes.

My body is wounded.

But my heart is finally healing.

If I hadn't met you,

the pain in my heart

might never have eased in this lifetime.

And you?

Would you tell me about the pain in your heart?

- My mother was sold into a brothel. - I feel cold.

That place held her captive for half her life.

She entrusted her heart to Li Hongshan.

But all she received was deceit and abandonment.

And because she was carrying me,

she was cast out of the brothel.

My mother knew her days were numbered.

She feared I'd be left alone.

(Li Manor) So, she brought me to Li Manor,

begging Li Hongshan to acknowledge me.

I can no longer protect you.

But if your father accepts you,

I can die

without regret.

No, I don't want you to die.

- For his reputation, - Please don't die.

Li Hongshan took me in.

Our fates are so much alike.

Still,

though we've faced countless hardships,

we both found our way through.

Right?

(Stability Ensures Peace)

This Fragrant Concubine Treading on Snow came from Xingwan.

The scent really is identical.

Is Xingwan truly the murderer?

If it were Shopkeeper Liu and Qin Ruoyi,

she does seem suspicious.

But on the day my mother died,

she stayed with you the whole time.

When would she have had time to kill someone?

That's not right.

She wasn't with me the whole time.

She said she'd pick morning dew to make tea.

So she left early.

When I arrived at Guanyin Nunnery,

she was already there waiting.

Jingchuan,

why join me at the nunnery

to offer prayers?

I had nothing else to do, so I came for a stroll.

Why didn't you bring Yaochu along?

I see.

What do you mean?

You're such a fool.

You really think I killed your mother?

If that's the case,

Xingwan would be the prime suspect.

In this household,

I keep my guard up with everyone,

except Xingwan.

Whenever she appeared,

she always made me feel

she was pure and kind-hearted.

But if it was all just an act,

that would be truly frightening.

Xingwan was taken in before I returned.

Zhao Qingru had just given birth to Li Jingxu

and nearly died in childbirth.

She kept a young girl nearby to bring some joy,

but since she wasn't a real Li,

she was bullied everywhere she went.

So, she followed me from a young age.

In my eyes,

she had always been timid and weak.

Was that just a disguise?

I must've overlooked something.

In such a scheming household,

she grew up safely.

How could she be simple?

But she bore no grudge against my mother.

Why would she want her dead?

Why don't we just ask her?

Wait.

Right now, our only lead is the scent.

If Xingwan really did it,

she could easily claim that Concubine Tang is slandering her

and refuse to admit it.

If it wasn't her,

wouldn't that harm your bond as siblings?

Besides, the Fan Scorpion Poison hasn't been found.

Let's not alert her just yet.

Then what should we do now?

Find someone

to follow her quietly.

Let's see if she does anything suspicious

and check

whether she really has the Fan Scorpion Poison.

Alright.

Wait.

General.

What's inside here?

This...

It's a calming potion.

My lady hasn't been sleeping well.

So, we asked a physician to prepare it.

Go on.

Yes.

Jingchuan.

Jingchuan.

I saw your maid take medicine out.

Why?

Are you feeling unwell?

I've been waking up suddenly at night.

So, I drank some calming potion.

It's nothing serious.

Jingchuan,

has your injury healed?

I was just about to visit you.

It's fine.

Jingchuan,

I know you don't like Father.

But what Father said

does make some sense.

Xingwan,

you should know

Yaochu and I love each other.

I'd never cast my wife aside for ambition.

Jingchuan,

you and Yaochu are so sweet.

My Lady!

My Lady,

the Master has asked for you.

Understood.

Does he call you over every day?

Father just woke up

and was met with sudden troubles at home.

It's left him troubled.

He's asked me to speak with him often.

Go on then.

What's this?

I followed Zhenzhu all the way.

I saw her toss the leftover herbs in a hidden spot

and step on them to bits.

I picked the remnants back up

and went to consult a physician.

The potion turned out to be...

Tell us.

It was a contraceptive potion.

My Lady,

that potion is bad for your health.

Shall I fetch the physician to examine you?

Do you want everyone

to know about my shame?

I would never dare.

Leave at once.

Only when pain cuts deep into the bones

can hatred last forever.

Why would she drink such a thing?

Could it be she...

This matter must never be revealed.

Yes.

Leave.

She rarely socializes with anyone.

How could that be?

Given the situation,

they've been in contact for quite some time.

Even if she was secretly seeing someone,

why would she kill someone?

That depends

on who her lover is.

(Qifang Pavilion)

These past few days,

she hasn't reached out to anyone outside?

I've been following her.

I even checked everything going in and out of her room,

but found nothing suspicious.

Could it be

that this person is inside the manor?

Wait...

What is it?

Impossible.

That's absolutely impossible.

(Stability Ensures Peace)

♪New snow falls thick beneath the eaves♪

♪Covering the courtyard gate♪

♪Your gaze melts winter into spring♪

♪Turning back from the boundless multitude♪

♪Gazing at you in that fleeting moment♪

♪All the hardships fade into drifting dust♪

♪A foolish dream turns earnest with you in it♪

♪Even a feigned play can grow into true affection♪

♪Too many dusks walked alone beneath my umbrella♪

♪Yet I crave the warmth left in your embrace♪

♪Among thousands of bright lamps, is there one♪

♪That waits quietly for me?♪

♪Time grinds through the rings of memory♪

♪Only you keep me warm in the long night♪

♪Scars left by the days gone by♪

♪Lie upon the lines of our hands together♪

♪I hold out a heart sincere and true♪

♪Crossing the deep courtyard♪

♪Just to trade it for one kiss from you♪

♪Praying our hair turns gray without regret♪

♪So that true love will finally come to be♪