Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 7]

[Taiyufeng]

From now on, call him Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu.

He's sent here by our boss.

Mr. Gu.

Have you worked in a pawnshop before?

No.

No?

He's a genius.

Since the beginning of time,

our shop has finally welcomed new rules.

You all came at the right time.

From now on, Mr. Gu

will be our...

Fourth Manager.

Fourth Manager.

Strange things happen every year,

but this year, it's more abundant.

Make some room for the Fourth Manager.

Fourth Manager, please move aside.

Please move a bit more.

Fourth Manager, make way.

Fourth Manager,

please step aside.

You have to deliver gifts yourself?

He's just a county magistrate.

If this were in Beijing,

even if those officials with red hats

came to my house,

they wouldn't get to see my father

if he didn't feel like seeing them.

You're the young master,

and I'm naturally

just an errand boy.

After meeting the magistrate,

I'll know

how to survive in this place.

You've seen the silver mountain over there

that vexes all the thieves, right?

I really like it.

I plan to put one

in front of our shop too.

Right here,

I'll erect

a huge silver gourd over 3 meters tall.

The feng shui master told me that

the area near the city gate has the strongest fortune.

I plan to

absorb it all completely.

And those buildings over there.

I'll rent them too

to set up a large draft bank.

One for deposits, one for withdrawals.

What's so great about the Eight Families?

Besides their draft banks,

they have nothing.

My father even said that

the Li family will go all out

to make a big impression here.

I think it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

Three years...

No, in 3 months,

and the crowd to our shops

will reach the Eight Families' houses.

What are you laughing at?

I'm smiling at your ambition.

Do you not believe in me,

or do you lack confidence?

Pingyao isn't big,

but this is

the financial center of the Qing Empire.

Your father said

to go all out.

But I think even with all your efforts,

you may not be able to shake things up here.

The Eight Families of Shanxi have been around for over 200 years.

They have their own history.

I'll tell you about it later.

Since you've already run away,

why bother coming back?

Mr. Chang.

You're awake just in time.

The porridge is ready.

Look.

I borrowed a portable stove for you.

Some chestnuts for you.

And some shredded chicken.

This is best for restoring your energy.

I didn't make this.

Ms. Chang made it.

Here.

Try some.

Careful, it's hot.

Delicious.

Where did this cabinet come from?

From the government office.

Surprising, isn't it?

You must be the first person

in history to be imprisoned in such comfort.

What did you trade for this?

Myself.

What do you mean?

Wang Tiangui

gave me 30 days

to sort out his pawnshop.

I've also become the first person

in history to be the fourth manager in a pawnshop.

But for these 30 days,

you'll have to bear with the inconvenience.

Thirty days?

That pawnshop

has Wang Tiangui helpless over its management

for 30 years.

How could you possibly sort it out in 30 days?

That's fooling yourself.

It's only the first day.

There's still time.

I can learn.

Those old appraisers in the pawnshop

were trained by Wang Tiangui's father

when he was around.

They won't be easy to get along with.

Even

lifelong businessmen

would be helpless in there.

Mr. Gu,

this is a profession

you must not take lightly.

I wouldn't dare underestimate it.

But as the saying goes,

"Different trades share the same principles."

People's hearts are the same everywhere.

Their pawnshop

just has a slightly higher counter.

Even if it's a hard nut to crack,

I'll break it open.

Please take a look at this, Manager.

My eyes are blurry.

I can't see clearly anymore.

Sir,

what are you

trying to pawn here?

This is our family heirloom,

a jade from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

My elderly mother is ill and wants to pawn it.

A family heirloom jade?

Was your home underground?

Why does it smell so strongly of soil?

What?

Does your pawnshop

care about where items come from?

You really think you're the government office?

I wouldn't dare.

Catching thieves is not our business.

However,

if there's a major case at the government office,

they'll definitely come to our pawnshop

to investigate.

Sir.

According to the "Great Qing Legal Code,"

grave robbery is punishable by death.

You have

good eyes.

This jade piece

was acquired by my grandfather's generation

back then.

If I were to sell this in the capital,

it would fetch at least several thousand taels of silver.

I'm only asking for 500 taels from your pawnshop.

500 taels isn't much.

But there's one problem.

You claim it's from the Shang-Zhou period.

Hey-

This was made this year!

You carved the jade,

heated it until red-hot,

and then threw it

into the abdomens of living cats and dogs.

You used their vital essence

to age it artificially.

Young man,

what you're doing

will bring bad karma.

You're talking nonsense!

Seek a third opinion.

If anyone says this is genuine,

you can pluck out these old eyes of mine

and step on them till they pop.

Go away.

I've smashed this jade for you

to prevent you from cheating others.

Mr. Zhu,

if it weren't for your expertise,

I would have been completely fooled.

Gu Chaofeng.

You're late on your first day.

Are your eyes on top of your head?

Why are you putting on airs

and pretending to be a big shot?

You're an appraiser,

and so am I.

Why speak so harshly?

Well, of course.

This guy

has never worked a day in a pawnshop before.

But he has the boss to rely on.

Of course, he doesn't see us as equals.

If there's anything

I, the Fourth Manager, can help with,

just let me know.

Young man,

let me ask you.

What does the fourth manager

usually handle at work?

I see.

I'd like to see

your previous years' ledgers.

Where might I find them?

The ledgers aren't here.

They're upstairs.

Manager!

Pawn these for me!

Give me 500 taels of silver for them!

This blade was given to me by the Marshal.

This Imperial Yellow Jacket

was bestowed upon me by the Emperor himself.

I risked my life

to earn

these two items.

I want 500 taels for them,

not a candareen less!

These two items together

aren't worth even 5 taels of silver.

Our shop can't accept them.

Perhaps

you should try another pawnshop.

What did you say?

Five taels of silver?

Are you looking down on the Emperor,

the Marshal,

or me?

No, no.

Give it!

Give it back to me!

Don't!

I'll cut you in half!

This is my precious blade!

Fourth Manager.

-Fourth Manager! -Give it to me!

Fourth Manager!

Your time to shine!

Hand it over!

You, look at them.

Take a good look!

You said you work for the Marshal.

May I ask what rank you hold?

My surname is Bao.

I'm here in Shanxi to collect military funds.

By the Emperor's grace,

I hold a second-rank military position.

What?

Do you want to see my red official's hat?

I've heard that under the Marshal,

there are two formidable commanders,

Sir Bao and Sir Ta.

Could you be

Sir Bao Qingde?

I've long admired you.

Taqibu has passed away.

Currently, military funding across the country

is not coming in promptly.

The soldiers in my camp

haven't been paid for half a year.

I had no choice

but to pawn this,

so my brothers in the Bao Regiment

can have something to eat.

If I've offended you,

please forgive me.

Only a true hero can be himself.

Sir Bao, how much would you like to pawn this for?

Just...

Just 500 taels of silver would be enough.

Just 500 taels isn't enough,

it's too little.

Staff, make a record.

One precious blade,

and one Imperial Yellow Jacket,

pawned for 1,000 taels of silver.

This...

Announce the pawn and write the receipt,

that's the rule.

What's there to fuss about?

Write it.

Sir Bao.

These are all banknotes from the Four Major Banks,

accepted everywhere in the country.

Thank you.

Gu Pingyuan.

You...

Who do you think you are?

He asked for 500, and you gave him 1,000.

You don't care about losses, do you?

This was your job to begin with,

you told me to do it.

You...

Someone come down here!

Quickly,

lock him up in a room somewhere

so he can cool down.

I think he's not right in the head.

You just watched him do that?

[Taiyufeng General Ledger]

[Seventh of the month; A set of porcelain vases, 10 taels]

[Eighth of the month; 2 bolts of embroidery, 25 taels]

[Ninth of the month; a set of red jade calculations, 15 taels]

You let him announce the pawn at the counter.

You couldn't make a decision yourself,

so you let an amateur decide for you.

You've really become senile!

Exactly.

You've set a precedent by letting him

announce a pawn today.

You won't be able to stop him from doing anything in the future.

I think the 3 of us

should pack our bedrolls

and leave while we can.

Head manager,

we've been following you for decades.

Whatever you say,

we'll do.

But about resigning from this job,

is it a real resignation

or a strategic retreat?

Please let us know.

We have to nip trouble in the bud.

This decision isn't mine to make,

it's the boss's.

Notify all employees that

the pawnshop won't open tomorrow.

No business will be conducted.

We're shutting down.

Jin, right?

Here, take it.

You know,

you've been locked up here all day,

and nobody's brought you anything to eat.

Well,

my wife made lunch.

I couldn't finish it,

so I brought some for you.

That's great.

Thank you, Jin.

Don't mention it.

I've been

idle all day

and I can't eat a thing.

Why have you been idle all day?

What happened?

The head manager

told us to put up the shutters

and stop doing business.

We're closed down.

He and the second and third managers

went to the boss to resign.

Did they resign for good?

How would people like me know about that?

Anyway,

in this pawnshop,

the three appraiser masters always

have the final say.

Alright,

I'm leaving now.

Just

don't tell anyone I gave this to you.

Thank you.

Doctor,

you need to

examine me thoroughly

for my illness,

so those gossipers

won't make snide remarks.

I've married so many wives,

but it's all for nothing.

From now on,

we'll take turns holding you.

Even if you were made of stone,

we'd warm you up.

Fan me.

Fan me.

Good.

Boss.

You're here.

You went to work for one day,

and they've already stopped working?

Indeed.

Those 3 old fellows

are too impatient.

Thank you for the compliment, Boss.

You think I'm complimenting you?

Didn't you ask me to be a black sheep

and stir things up in there?

Not even a day has passed

and I've nearly ruined everything.

I think it won't take 30 days

for me to get the pawnshop in order.

Those 3 old guys

really can't keep their cool.

Although you're making excuses,

there is some truth to what you say.

Have they resigned then?

I just need to nod, and it's done.

But according to the rules of this business,

you can't just quit today

and leave tomorrow.

They need to find a replacement

and get the business in order for the boss

before they can leave.

How long will that take?

At least 20 to 30 days.

That should be enough.

Boss.

Please approve their resignation.

My approval

is just a matter of saying the word.

But these 3 old appraisers

are important figures

with significant positions

in the pawnshop business.

If people find out

that these 3

are leaving soon,

many will try to poach them.

If they leave,

will you keep an eye on things?

Of course I can't.

But none of them

can truly leave.

This isn't the time for you

act smart.

They're already on high alert.

If you don't believe me,

go to the pawnshop tomorrow and see for yourself.

No one there

will dare tell you the truth anymore.

After 30 days,

I won't be able to keep them either.

By then,

because of this little trick

you've played,

we'll lose a significant business.

Tell me,

how should I punish you?

I never exaggerate.

We don't need 30 days at all.

[Wanyuandang]

[Wanyuandang]

[Pawn goods]

I want to pawn things.

Where's your boss?

We truly meet everywhere in life.

So my father can't blame me for this now.

What do you mean by that?

Before I came here,

my father was extremely worried.

He repeatedly warned me

to never speak with that

exile from Ningguta.

But today,

you walked in by yourself,

so you can't blame me.

Where is Ms. Su?

You've seen her?

Do you know?

The reputation of your Wanyuandang

has spread throughout Pingyao.

I heard about it when I entered the city.

Everyone is waiting

to see you make fools of yourselves.

Let them wait.

This business is so slow that even ghosts

wouldn't survive it.

I'm amazed you hung on.

I heard

you're recruiting good appraisers and staff.

Any luck?

Ms. Su is handling

these matters.

I brought some people from Beijing with me,

all experienced appraisers.

For the first couple of days, they were willing

to sit at their posts.

Now,

they're all hiding in the back room playing cards and drinking,

having a better time than I am.

I heard

you joined Taiyufeng.

What?

Are you here to spy on me,

or were you kicked out?

Of course I was kicked out.

An amateur like me

doesn't meet their standards.

But I do have some ideas.

Why don't we

team up again this time?

Team up?

We are both amateurs.

Haven't you heard of beginner's luck?

Confucius said,

Who's to say the new generation can't surpass the old?

Let's discuss it.

Today,

let's open for business.

How long have we all worked together?

More than 10 years.

That makes us old partners.

Yes.

Yesterday we stopped working

and asked the boss to let us resign.

The boss

agreed.

The Four Major Banks of the capital

and the Eight Families of Hedong

have been trying to recruit us for a long time.

Since the boss has made up his mind,

we ought to leave together.

This is the head manager's blessing.

Following the head manager is never wrong.

-I knew it. -Let’s work hard

before the new recruits take over.

We must not ruin the head appraiser's reputation.

Open up and do business.

Where's that guy?

Absent from work?

You mean that bumbling amateur?

He probably doesn't have the face to show up.

Sending such a fool to cause trouble,

I wonder what the boss was thinking.

[Wanyuandang City Gate Pawn Stall]

Here.

Put it here.

♪ I've read the Four Books and Five Classics ♪

♪ I've learned to be magnanimous ♪

♪ And forget the past grudges ♪

Everyone.

♪ I've traveled through the years ♪

♪ As life roughens my face ♪

Silver.

♪ I've felt the coldness between people ♪

So much silver!

♪ I've seen the vast snow ♪

♪ I was once held tightly by someone ♪

♪ The meaning of survival ♪

♪ Is all about staying fed ♪

Ladies and gentlemen,

young and old from Pingyao,

♪ Turn around ♪

and brothers from the surrounding areas,

♪ And try to be brave ♪

♪ The show is about to start ♪

I am Li Qin,

from the Li family in the capital.

Here in Pingyao,

I've opened the Wanyuandang pawnshop.

It's mainly for me

to learn from the trade as a student.

Thank you all for your support.

Nice!

We're amateurs.

We don't dare to trouble

everyone to walk all the way

to our shop for business.

We wouldn't dare

to stand behind that high counter

and look down on people, either.

We'll just do business

here by the city gate.

Goods for cash,

on the spot.

Wanyuandang's pawnshop is on the east side,

and our bank is on the west side.

Claim silver with your receipts. Fair to young and old alike.

Ladies and gentlemen,

please go ahead.

Great!

Let's go.

Come on.

♪ No matter how many tears you shed ♪

Madam,

♪ As long as you can get up ♪

what would you like to pawn?

Claim silver with your receipts.

♪ You can brush it off as a joke ♪

This hairpin.

Fair to young and old alike.

♪ If I can still breathe ♪

♪ I can hold up this weight ♪

♪ And brave the blade and storm ♪

♪ Life is unpredictable anyway ♪

It weighs 3 taels and 3 maces.

Round off the 3 maces.

♪ I clench my teeth and keep going ♪

One silver hairpin,

♪ Let them say ♪

pawned for 3 taels of silver.

♪ That I can't make it all they want ♪

-Three taels of silver? -Three taels!

Write the receipt.

♪ Turn around ♪

Really?

Ma'am,

♪ And try to be brave ♪

the 3 maces

♪ The show is about to start ♪

will be considered our small profit.

Are you satisfied?

Yes, very satisfied.

Come,

♪ The world is full of reasons ♪

sign these receipts.

[Wanyuandang] [1 silver hairpin for 3 tales]

♪ And tales of loyalty ♪

♪ We should be just and compassionate ♪

[Wanyuandang] [1 silver hairpin for 3 tales]

♪ Among the smoke there is just one path ♪

♪ I'll measure this life step by step ♪

One at a time, please.

Everyone,

♪ The sun will always rise ♪

don't rush.

Yes, we have them.

We have them right here.

Don't rush.

Don't push.

Here.

Find this hairpin for her.

Don't rush.

-Come on. Next. -Slow down.

Don't rush,

one at a time.

We have them all here.

Yes, we do.

Come on.

Look at

what they've done.

They've emptied out our storerooms.

That bumbling amateur

and that young master Li

from the capital

are spending money like crazy at the city gate.

He advanced a silver hairpin worth 3 taels and 3 mace

for 3 taels!

What kind of business is that?

It's laughable!

They didn't even invite an appraiser?

No.

Don't worry, sir.

A man like him from the capital

opening a pawnshop in Pingyao

is just showing off

in front of the real experts,

basically asking for failure.

The head manager from the bank is here

asking to see the head appraiser.

Appraiser Zhu,

what are you up to?

What are you talking about?

That guy at the city gate

has now extended his reach

into our banks,

and you're still staying silent?

What does this have to do with us?

Funny you'd say that.

You're really something,

sending your little devil out there

while you enjoy your peace and quiet here.

That guy from the capital

has raised the interest rates

at his own bank.

Now, everyone in Pingyao

who has any money

has withdrawn their silver

and deposited it with them.

[Taiyufeng Draft Bank Manager Wang]

Appraiser Zhu,

please give us some advice!

People are already withdrawing from my bank.

My shop has plenty of silver.

Let them withdraw all they want.

The business cannot fail.

Someone come here.

Yes, sir.

Tell the staff

to prepare all the silver.

Make a trip every 2 hours

to deliver them to our own bank.

Get going right now.

Okay.

Appraiser Zhu,

what if

it's not enough?

Those two bumbling amateurs

have really stirred up

a hornet's nest in Pingyao.

Well...

All other banks are in the same situation as we are.

Everyone is withdrawing their money

and depositing it into their bank.

If we're not careful

and one bank fails,

we'll become a laughingstock.

We can't let amateurs

destroy the professionals.

If they think they can outspend us,

they've come to the wrong place.

Don't worry.

If you run short of funds,

I'll transfer some for you.

Boss.

The stuff people

redeemed from us

all ended up in the hands

of that bumbling amateur duo.

Isn't it funny?

Don't rush. One at a time.

Weigh it for me.

This is how much we earned today.

Deposit it.

Yes, sir!

One pearl hairpin,

pawned for 5 taels of silver.

Your vase transaction is complete.

Sign here.

[May 3, the 11th year of Xianfeng] [9 maces and 3 candareen]

Nine maces and 3 candareens of silver.

Just make

an X mark here.

I'd like to pawn this!

One bundle of fine cloth,

pawned for 10 taels of silver.

It's redeemable anytime.

See that large silver gourd

at the entrance of my shop?

If I can't pay you back,

you can take an axe

and chop down that silver gourd

tomorrow and carry it away.

I won't say a word.

Nobody's here.

They've been causing a scene

at the city gate all day.

If this continues,

the magistrate will send troops

to drive them out.

They can't even close the city gate.

I just don't understand.

Is Gu Pingyuan working

for Taiyufeng or not?

Why is he helping outsiders now?

He wanted to join Taiyufeng,

but Taiyufeng rejected him.

It doesn't matter.

I want to see

what these two can accomplish.

The items redeemed today

exceed those of several years.

Congratulations to you.

That bumbling amateur accidentally

ended up helping us.

He's not an amateur,

but an increasing threat.

Be careful with that jar.

Carry it inside.

Watch the floor.

Alright.

Oh great,

I have gathered all the junk

in Pingyao.

Excuse me, Manager.

Why do I feel it's still not enough?

We've outdone ourselves

as amateurs.

Someone literally just

walked out

after pawning his stuff here

and started laughing at us.

We're basically burning our cash

to buy publicity.

If you can't take the risk,

then don't do it.

There's no risk

in the world I cannot take.

Let's continue tomorrow.

Today was busy because of the market.

I'm afraid there won't be

as many people tomorrow.

Tomorrow,

we'll adjust our tactics.

We'll sweep through

all 9 townships and 12 villages,

and visit every household in Pingyao.

This is called...

It's called...

Door-to-door pawning.

Gu.

That's a good name.

Door-to-door pawning it is.

[Li Mansion]

All the world's goods have come to Shanxi.

And in Shanxi,

they've gathered in one city.

They used to belong to different masters,

but now they're united under one roof.

How can there be

such a coincidence in this world?

It's quite fitting for that Mr. Gu

and Young Master

to unite as a team.

How so?

In our line of work, we call people like these two

bumbling amateurs.

It's amazing how many

weird ideas they can come up with.

They've left the people of Shanxi

completely bewildered.

When they turn on each other,

he won't be so happy.

This child...

Such a headache.

[Taiping Bank]

The pawnshop business isn't doing well.

When I left, the young master said that

the locals don't trust

that they'll stay in business long,

so they refuse

to pawn their items there.

But it's nothing short of a miracle that

he got the draft bank up and running.

Draft banks offer loans, and pawnshops release funds.

The loans and funds

must be balanced to the candareen.

This kind of

short-sighted approach

just shows his inexperience.

The young master asked

if the family could find a way

to support him for a while longer.

So I

promised to come back and speak on his behalf.

He's only been gone a few days,

and already wants the main branch to send money?

Ask him if he can manage or not.

If not, come back.

I'll find someone else to take over.

How much can you offer?

Two taels.

-Look. -We are the door-to-door pawning service.

It's our new service, door-to-door pawning.

What kind of scam is this?

Not a scam, it's door-to-door pawning.

No thanks.

Coming!

Who are you?

Hello, ma'am.

I'm the manager

of Pingyao's Wanyuandang.

We've just launched

a new service called door-to-door pawning.

If you have anything

you need to pawn,

you don't need to travel far.

Just go to the village entrance

and find Mr. Gu.

The silver and pawn tickets

are already prepared for you.

[Templeside Pawnshop]

This is

a "Diamond Sutra" written in blood

by our master in the Tang Dynasty.

I wish to pawn it for 50 taels of silver

[Upright and honorable]

to rebuild the meditation hall

[Templeside Pawnshop]

that burned down last year.

Record.

Record!

One Tang Dynasty "Diamond Sutra" written in blood

for 50 taels of silver,

payable upon presentation of receipt.

Venerable Abbot,

please sign here.

Benefactor,

aren't you going to check it?

It's such a sacred object.

Casually flipping it open

would be sacrilege.

[Wanyuandang Templeside Pawnshop]

Before the Buddha,

I dare not be deceitful.

Master, have no doubts.

Just take the silver.

It's not even

tax season yet.

Besides,

we have money at home.

We don't need to sell anything.

Yes.

If you're not spending that money

and you have items to pawn,

after pawning them, you can immediately

deposit the money in our bank.

Our bank offers 3% interest.

It's 1.5% higher than everywhere else in Pingyao.

And the more you deposit,

the higher your profit will be.

Fair to young and old alike.

I think you won't be able

to spend all this silver at once

on renovating the temple.

Why not hire workers

and deposit this money

in Wanyuandang's bank first?

The costs for materials and workers

can be withdrawn as needed.

The interest generated

can be considered

our donation to the temple.

[Daxiong Hall]

Very well.

Let's do that.

[Taiyufeng]

Boss.

Welcome, Boss.

Good day, Boss.

Please, everyone, sit down.

Why did you

ask me here today?

Are you planning

to resign again

and leave right away?

Boss,

please stop teasing us.

That matter about us leaving

is over.

That's right.

That matter is finished.

Gone with the wind.

Yes.

Today,

we invited you here

because we want to ask

about that young man.

We don't know

what dealings you have with him.

But his actions

have caused public outrage in Pingyao.

We have to

inform you about this.

That amateur

has broken all the rules.

In these past 10 days or so,

he's been through every corner of Pingyao,

taking everything he can get.

All the pawnshops are empty,

everything's been bought up by his business.

Items worth 3 taels

he pawns for 5.

Things worth 5 taels, he gives 10!

He comes with a bank

offering high interest rates.

He's been causing trouble

for every bank in Pingyao.

Everyone's withdrawing their money

and depositing it with his bank.

It's gotten to the point where

both our pawnshops

banks are empty.

In this world,

nobody does business this way.

He's truly a black sheep.

You're familiar with the county magistrate.

Please step in and do something about him.

If this chaos continues,

things will really get out of hand.

The pawnshop's profit

comes mainly from interest

and undervaluing collateral.

Conditional pawning

sucks people dry.

While outright pawning

squeezes the last worth out of them.

And yet you've somehow managed to ruin

this extremely profitable business.

They offer discounts and still profit,

but what about you lot?

You only know how to make me call the magistrate to arrest people.

This isn't how you do business.

You're just waiting for your own deaths.

Boss.

Boss.

You shouldn't be so harsh

on us.

If we fail now,

we won't be able

to survive in this business anymore.

If you keep talking like this,

then you're

not honoring all we've done for you.

Please, Boss,

think of all we've done for you.

Boss,

please think of all we've done for you.

All you've done for me...

General Bao is here

to redeem his blade and Imperial Yellow Jacket.

This...

Go get it.

Gu Pingyuan handled this pawn, right?

General Bao says

he won't take his things

unless he sees Mr. Gu in person.

You go.

Shoo.

We've been hunters all our lives,

but now we're the hunted.

You all better

behave yourselves!

Boss.

He has now

gone to Wanyuandang to find Gu Pingyuan.

Do you know who he is?