Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 5]

Gu.

I've been watching you for a while

but didn't dare to say hello.

Why?

Afraid I'd jump?

If you wanted to jump, you would've done it back in Ningguta.

You wouldn't have waited till today.

I couldn't sleep,

so I came out to think about something on my mind—

to think about the future.

I know.

You must be thinking about your mother

and feeling sad on your own, aren't you?

Sometimes, when the road is blocked by snow and wind,

I'd sit alone outside,

and I'd often think of my mother.

My memories of her

are very vague.

I only remember that when she was buried,

her hair was still black.

As for what kind of person she was

and what her temperament was like,

I've asked my father,

but he wouldn't tell me.

You're the same as me, aren't you?

You miss your mother.

But as for me, my mother is still in Huizhou,

yet I can't go back to her

or fulfill my filial duties.

She raised my brother and me all by herself,

hoping I would succeed in the imperial examinations.

Who would have thought I'd end up like this?

In Ningguta, everyone dreams

of escaping.

But once you really escape, then what?

The world is vast,

yet there's nowhere to settle.

Only a home I cannot return to, and a country I cannot serve.

I remember when I was young in the private school,

the teacher would start singing opera

whenever he got drunk,

sometimes it was "Lin Chong's Night Escape."

The lance instructor of 800,000 imperial guards

fleeing in haste,

forced to abandon both loyalty and filial duty.

Thinking about it now,

it truly makes me want to weep together with him.

Is that why

you were so determined to

take this deal?

I'm worried.

About what?

I'm worried that when we get to Horqin,

you'll stay there.

Why would you think that?

You can't hide it from me.

If I stay by Mr. Chang's side,

I would only bring

greater trouble upon you guys.

I can't just think of myself.

If you guys can

return safely this time,

it will be my way

of repaying his great kindness.

Who asked you to repay any kindness?

You're truly ridiculous.

What's wrong with you?

I'm going to bed.

Go ahead and jump!

Father.

This...

Where is this?

How come I never knew

we had such a large space in our house?

These gold and silver ingots

were just taken out

from the official furnace.

Most of the items against this wall

are freshwater pearls from Goryeo

and Hotan fine jade.

These are all medicinal herbs.

And this is the ginseng

you brought back from Ningguta.

Father.

Do you have something

you want to tell me?

The ancients say

it's easier to start a business than to maintain it.

All these years, I've been telling you

to find a shop

and learn business properly

instead of rushing into starting your own.

As long as you run the business steadily,

preserve our family wealth,

and pass it down to the next generation,

that's already remarkable enough.

Can you not go to Shanxi?

Father.

You've already promised me.

I must go to Shanxi.

I'm taking back my promise now.

I shouldn't have

let you go to Ningguta

to see all that commotion in the first place.

If anyone found out

you've been associating

with that escaped exile

and reported it to the imperial censor,

it would instantly bring unimaginable disaster upon us.

Father.

You yourself dare

to defy the imperial court's regulations

by sending ships beyond the pass for contraband.

Now you blame me

for befriending an exile?

That's why I'm regretting it.

If I hadn't been so greedy back then,

how much better it would've been.

Son.

As long as you listen to me

and stay in the capital,

you can do whatever you want.

I'll go to Shanxi myself.

Father.

If I really wanted

to be like those rich young men,

carrying bird cages around all day,

hanging out in teahouses,

gambling and visiting brothels,

I would have done so long ago.

But all this money

wasn't earned by me.

Keep it for yourself.

I'm definitely going to Shanxi.

Stop right there!

Why can't you just stay home and enjoy life?

The bigger your business gets,

the more attention you attract.

Once they've fattened you up,

they'll put a knife to your neck,

cut your throat open,

and feast on your flesh and blood!

I'm a person,

not some pet you've raised!

Do you know how those managers

under you see me now?

They think I'm a spoiled heir.

They think I'm useless!

You're Li Baiwan,

the greatest merchant north of the Yangtze River.

How can you raise

your own child as a good-for-nothing?

Shanxi is not a good place to go.

There's no good place in this world!

You always tell me yourself

that no one will ever give way to anyone.

Did all this money

grow legs

and walk into our house by itself?

Father.

All my life I've wanted to learn from you,

but why do you

keep pushing me away?

Kid.

You're not cut out for business.

You won't make it.

Unless you break my legs,

sew my mouth shut,

and brick me inside that wall.

Otherwise, there's no way you can stop me from going to Shanxi.

[Black Water Marsh]

Keep up, everyone!

There's a place to rest up ahead.

Patriarch.

Everything's ready.

Guys.

Taking the Black Water Marsh route

is us gambling our lives

with Heaven in exchange for food.

Let's go!

Everyone remember this:

6 people go ahead to scout.

Strike the ground with wooden sticks—

if you can pass, move forward;

if not,

leave markers.

Guys!

Life and death are predestined,

and wealth and honor are in Heaven's hands!

With auspiciousness, we travel the world.

Wealth keeps us safe!

[Medicine]

It's getting dark!

Everyone stay alert!

Put your back into it!

We'll rest once we get past this stretch.

[Medicine]

Let's take a quick break behind those trees!

Guys, take a rest!

Mr. Chang! Mr. Chang!

The carriage is stuck in the marsh!

Pull harder! Grab hold of them!

Don't let anyone sink!

Heizi!

Forget the carriage! Hurry and save our people!

Detach the carriage from the horses

and loosen the reins!

Hurry, save them!

Remove the reins!

Save them!

Save them!

Hurry, save them!

Save them!

Save them!

How did it get stuck?

[Jixiang Caravan]

[Jixiang Caravan]

Miss Chang is in danger!

Miss Chang is in danger!

Father!

Yu'er! Yu'er!

Father!

Yu'er, I'm coming to save you!

-Father! -How did Miss Chang end up there?

Miss Chang was returning from the toilet

and somehow got lost.

Don't be afraid, Yu'er!

I'm coming to save you!

Mr. Chang!

Mr. Chang, you absolutely cannot!

-Father! -Come back! Come back!

Yu'er, don't panic!

Mr. Gu!

-Mr. Gu! -Mr. Gu!

-Mr. Gu! -Mr. Gu!

Mr. Gu!

Be careful, Mr. Gu!

-Mr. Gu! -Mr. Gu!

Be careful, Mr. Gu!

Heizi, quick,

take our belts and tie them into a rope, and then tie it to a stone!

Got it!

Hurry!

Hurry!

Quickly, take off your belt!

Yu'er!

Yu'er, don't panic!

Stay calm!

Give me your hand.

Come a bit closer.

Your hand.

Come on.

Stop crying.

Stop crying.

Don‘t exert yourself too much right now,

or you'll sink even faster.

Come on.

Don't be afraid.

Come on.

It's okay. Don't be afraid.

Look at me. Eyes on me.

Don't be afraid.

If you don't look at me a bit longer now,

once I sink in,

you won't be able to see me anymore.

I know.

Mr. Gu! Yu'er!

Hold on!

Mr. Gu!

Hurry!

I'm so useless.

I've put you in danger.

I've dragged all of you down.

Don't say that!

At worst...

At worst,

we'll die here together.

With us dying together,

what's there to be afraid of?

On the road to the underworld,

we'll have each other for company.

We can chat and laugh together.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Come on.

Don't move around, you two!

The more you struggle, the faster you'll sink!

Yu'er, don't be afraid!

I'll come save you!

We need more planks. Hurry up and get more!

Quickly, go get more!

Move aside.

Father!

Father!

Mr. Gu, catch this!

Hold on, Mr. Gu!

Hold on!

-Mr. Gu! -Mr. Gu!

Hang on!

Mr. Gu, you're almost there! Come on!

Grab it!

Mr. Gu, Miss Chang can be saved now!

Mr. Gu, pull the rope tight!

Tie it around yourself!

Come on.

Come on, pull!

I think we're going to make it.

Hurry!

We need more planks!

Go find more! Hurry!

Got it!

Hurry!

Let me ask you something.

Earlier,

did I say something that offended you

and made you upset?

You didn't offend me.

Just now,

I really thought I was going to die.

When you came over,

my heart was filled with joy.

Even if I died,

I would still be happy.

Gu.

I will never

be angry with you again.

Our lives

are tied together.

I've never said this to anyone else.

D-Don't tell others about this, either.

Come on!

Hurry!

I-I won't tell anyone.

I won't tell anyone.

Rest assured.

I won't tell anyone.

Pull!

Come on! One, two, pull!

They're up!

[Military Horse Camp, Ningguta]

Xu San.

Why are you drinking

so much alcohol in the morning?

Xu San!

Xu San.

Wake up. Wake up.

Come on.

Look who's here.

Look.

Who...

Who brought this here?

It was this gentleman from Shanxi

who came all the way here after asking around.

You know him?

I've met him.

When?

On New Year's Eve.

Where?

In Pingyao County.

If you dare lie to me,

I'll chew you up alive.

I wouldn't dare!

That's my dog.

I'll go get him.

You?

We've reported this to the higher-ups.

They'll handle it officially.

-That's my dog. -Xu San!

I'll go get him.

Xu San!

That's my dog. I'll go get him!

That's my dog! I'll go get him!

Xu San!

We'll catch him

and have him stay here raising horses with you!

[Horqin Grasslands]

Mr. Gu!

My good friend.

Long time no see.

You're late!

We had a narrow escape from death.

Just being able to meet you again

is already a blessing from the heavens.

Mr. Chang,

we meet again.

Didn't he just say?

We had a narrow escape from death.

Thanks to the heaven's mercy,

we only lost one cart of goods.

Everything else is intact.

Alright.

Let's head back to the camp now.

Tonight, there's good wine and meat waiting for us.

Is His Highness here?

I need to pay

my respects to him first.

That's unfortunate.

His Highness has just led his troops

out to fight against

the Junior Khan of western Mongolia.

Let's go.

Let's go home first!

Let's go!

Come on, good friends of the horse gang!

Have some food and drinks to fill your stomachs first.

We've got 10 lambs roasting.

We'll continue drinking tonight.

Thank you for your hospitality, Head Butler Hanlong.

Cheers!

Bottoms up!

Heizi.

Take a few of our men

and get the tents set up.

Mr. Gu and I will share one.

Got it.

Come on, you three, follow me.

-Got it. -Got it.

Head Butler.

Here's to you.

Maybe we should

hold off on the drinking for now.

I think

we should distribute the medicine

as soon as possible.

If this disease spreads,

it would be disastrous.

Mr. Chang, you're right.

If this disease acts up,

we won't even be able to ride a horse.

That's why His Highness was in a hurry

for you to arrive on time.

Well, we've arrived as requested.

Let's first count the medicine

and settle the accounts and money,

then I'll drink with you for three days and nights.

How does that sound?

This way, you'll feel at ease,

and so will all my men.

About this matter,

I need to consult with His Highness.

Mr. Hanlong.

When His Highness left,

didn't he leave any instructions?

Wasn't he urgently demanding

these medicinal herbs?

Mr. Gu, listen to me.

These worms are in our stomachs,

not in yours.

I just spoke with His Highness

only a few days ago.

Why are you in such a hurry?

Is the wine on our grasslands not good,

or is the lamb not tasty?

Just have a good rest and enjoy yourselves.

"Anyway, these worms are in our stomachs,

not in yours."

What kind of talk is that?

So this Hanlong doesn't care about others

just because he isn't sick himself?

He was as urgent as a blazing fire when he hurried us.

We rushed here as fast as we could,

and now he's saying there's no hurry.

Dealing with this Hanlong

really takes some effort.

He's a fraud.

He's not even Mongolian.

If you've dealt with Mongolians before,

you'd know.

They don't have so many tricks up their sleeves.

Mr. Chang.

Now that His Highness is away

and Hanlong is in charge,

with goods worth tens of thousands of taels,

he might get greedy.

Nice shot!

Anyone who hits the coin gets two sheep as a reward!

Mr. Gu.

Let's drink.

By the way, Mr. Hanlong,

has His Highness replied yet?

No rush.

Let's drink first. Drink up.

Come on, Mr. Chang.

You may not be in a hurry,

but what about the worms in your people's stomachs?

Are they also that patient?

Mr. Gu.

You're a good man.

I'm a good man too.

Let me make a deal with you.

Would you do me

a favor?

Hey.

What kind of talk is that?

In front of you, Sir,

how dare I talk about favors?

Whatever you need us to do,

just give the order.

Cheers!

Come on.

Well then.

His Highness has been fighting at the front line,

and things haven't been

going well.

He keeps pushing for the medicine.

He never mentioned anything

about the payment,

and since he's in a bad mood,

it's not the right time to ask.

Since we're all friends here,

just give us the medicine first.

Let our soldiers take it

and get their strength back.

If we win this battle

and His Highness is pleased, who knows,

he might even reward you with a little extra.

Well,

that does sound good.

It's just I...

It's just the members of our horse gang

all come from poor backgrounds.

They all have families to feed.

If we stay too long

on the grasslands,

waiting for His Highness

to win the battle before we could go back,

their families will have starved to death.

How about this?

Pay our men's travel fees

and the cost of the medicine

in full,

and let Mr. Chang return to Pingyao.

When the weather gets warmer,

we'll come back to Horqin

to thank His Highness properly.

I'll stay here

and drink with you.

Mr. Gu.

For this small amount of money,

you don't even care about

the lives of our Mongolians

at all.

No, that's not true.

Then I can't

consider you my friend anymore.

I'll immediately send someone

to inquire about it.

Even if we have to take a beating,

I'll settle the payment with you.

Thank you very much then, Mr. Hanlong.

At the end of the day,

Hanlong just doesn't want to pay.

So the noble prince's people are actually trying to rob us?

Keep it down.

We're on their territory.

They have strong forces.

We have no say in this.

We can't fight them,

and we can't escape.

Over the past few days,

Hanlong has been gradually

bringing in about 100 cavalry.

At first I thought

he was sending them to the front line.

But it turns out

they're here to surround us.

Are we going to die here?

If we really go back

empty-handed like this,

not to mention our men's travel fees,

how are we going to pay

for all those carts of medicine?

They're really pushing us to the edge.

If there's no other way,

we'll have to give them the medicine.

These men

all came with me from home.

I must bring every single one of them back

safe and sound.

They absolutely cannot die here.

Mr. Chang.

If you leave the medicine

here for them,

we'll only die faster.

Hanlong will definitely

send a cavalry unit to chase us,

intercept us on the way,

and slaughter us all.

We can't back down on this.

We need to fight them head-on.

I've come up with an idea,

but we need to act immediately.

It has to be done tonight.

We Mongolians

are all sick like this,

yet they refuse to give us the medicine

and even want to charge us more.

Today,

we're going to

teach them a lesson properly.

-Let's go! -Let's go!

Mr. Hanlong.

What's this about?

You...

Mr. Gu.

Ms. Chang.

Why are you here?

I found two horses.

They're right outside.

Let's go now.

You're being ridiculous.

Go back right now!

Where to?

Back to let him tie me up?

Let's go.

Where's the medicine?

Go find it!

Yes!

Let's go find the medicine!

My father told me

that in recent years, outsiders have been raiding this area,

and the Mongol tribes have been in constant turmoil.

They fight over rivers, over pasturelands,

and they even seize each other's children.

Such beautiful grasslands...

Yet now they're consumed by war and conflict.

Shoot!

Chang Si!

My medicine!

-Don't touch my father! -Don't move!

Go away!

Where's my medicine?

See that pit over there?

I do.

That's where you'll all be buried.

There are only a few of us.

Why did you dig such a big pit?

Laughing, huh?

Laughing, huh?

Laughing, huh?

Clueless fools!

Keep laughing!

Where did you hide the medicine?

Hanlong!

Do you really think

there's no one in this world

who can control you anymore?

Do you?

In broad daylight,

with everyone watching,

you plan to rob us outright?

You're even worse than bandits!

His Highness won't spare you when he returns!

When His Highness returns?

When His Highness returns, I'll tell him

that your goods were never delivered.

Delaying military affairs is punishable by death.

Fine.

Come on.

A real man

keeps his word.

If you don't bury us alive today,

right here,

then you're nothing but a darn coward!

That's right!

A darn coward!

Lead the way!

Do you see that

purple-red battle flag?

[Jasagh]

That should be

Prince Horqin's territory.

That bluish-green one over there

should be the western Mongolian Senior Khan's.

Look at that one behind,

that tent without a top.

That should be

where Prince Horqin is.

It's so far away.

There might be another way.

I can cut straight across the battlefield.

Shoot!

You can't go.

Be good and listen to me.

Why should I listen to you?

You should be the one listening to me.

There are tens of thousands of people on that battlefield,

firing cannons nonstop.

How many heads do you have to make it through alive?

So what are you suggesting?

Take time to go around it?

We already spent so much time

coming around this way.

If you die on the battlefield,

you'll be no better than a worm.

This camp isn't that big.

If they search thoroughly,

they'll quickly find out

where the medicine is.

Since we got out of there

together,

we absolutely can't die together.

I have to take this gamble.

Get in!

Get in!

Are you okay?

I'm okay.

Chang Si.

Who's the darn coward now, huh?

Where's the medicine?

That Mr. Gu

and your daughter

also stole two of my horses.

That I didn't know.

You think I'm a three-year-old or something?

There are hundreds of cannons over there

and 40,000 to 50,000 cavalry.

If those two try to petition His Majesty,

I'm afraid there won't even be

bone fragments left of them.

I'm actually giving you a chance now

by asking you questions.

You're giving me a chance?

Since I, Chang Si, dared to take my daughter

and my men through Black Water Marsh,

I've already placed my life in heaven's hands.

Now that the medicine's gone,

I'd like to see how you'll explain this to His Highness.

Bury us!

You think I don't dare?

Just wait and see whether His Highness will believe me

or them when he comes back!

Found it!

Old Chang.

Quite cunning, aren't you?

Hiding the goods under the stable,

thinking I wouldn't find them.

In your next life,

you'd better pray to the Bodhisattva

for a better fate.

Bury them!

Why are you here?

I'm here to collect your corpse!

Let's go!

Attack!

Nobody move!

Put your guns down!

-Put your guns down! -Or I'll kill him!

Chang Si,

you wouldn't dare!

Hanlong.

Do you think I, Chang Si,

am just a lump of dough

for you to knead however you want?

Chang Si,

you wouldn't dare!

Heizi,

tie them up!

[Prince Horqin's Military Camp]

Move it!

Get in!

Hurry up!

Move it!

Hurry!

The newly caught—

send the man to the army,

make the woman a slave,

and have her serve Her Ladyship.

Come here!

Ms. Chang!

Get in there!

Come here!

Get in!

Work properly.

Otherwise,

I'll strangle you to death!

Serve Her Ladyship properly here!

What are you looking at?

Behave yourself!

If you try to escape,

you'll die.

Your horse isn't as fast as theirs,

and you don't have a bow.

Don't do anything stupid.

I still have a friend here.

I need to go find her.

Friend?

In this place,

I haven't heard

that word in years.

What's wrong?

What's going on?

It's a plague!

It's the Black Plague!

Everyone stay away from him!

It's the Black Plague!

Quick! Quick!

-Stay away from him! -Stay away from him!

Black Plague!

Stay away from him!

Stop!

Stop right there!

Stop!

Shoot!

Shoot!

My Lady.

Please come in.

Go ask His Highness to come here.

Yes.

Your Highness.

[Prince Horqin]

How could they fight the battle like this?

Your Highness.

[Prince Horqin's Wife]

We can't afford to lose any more soldiers.

You must stop scolding them like this.

No matter how accurate our archers are,

their arrows are no match for the enemy's firearms.

How did things end up like this?

Colluding with outsiders

and killing our own people—

how can that be called being a hero?

They don't care about being heroes.

Your Highness.

What they want is the Horqin Grasslands.

If I were defeated,

I could give him the grassland,

but that would be giving it to our own people.

But now that he's become a traitor,

I won't give him a single inch of land!

Unless

the blood here runs dry!

Your Highness.

The Junior Khan of western Mongolia is here.