Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 21]

You, come here.

Come here. Come here.

Look what I've got for you.

Take it.

This is for me?

Yes, for you.

Take it.

A little gift for you.

Thanks a lot.

Weapons

ready!

Salute!

One!

Two!

Weapons

back!

Nice!

Nice. Excellent.

Excellent!

Nice.

Nice.

If you like it, come again!

Sure.

Are we sleeping in the cave tonight?

We can't sleep in a cave at this kind of time.

The yin energy is too strong.

You keep watch for the first half of the night,

and I'll take the second half.

Just bear with it.

Things will get better once we reach the horse camp.

Aren't we going back to Ningguta?

Why are we going to the horse camp again?

There's still a treasure in that horse camp.

Once we sell this cartload of foreign weapons,

what treasure can't we buy?

My treasure can't be bought with money.

Here.

Take it.

Tell me.

After we hand over these guns,

what kind of official position do you think they'll give me?

If you're lucky,

they might reward you with a general's rank.

How long have you been taking this stuff?

This is taboo for officials.

Everyone in the official circle

is secretly taking this stuff.

I'll quit it once my cough is gone.

I'm going to be a general, you know?

A great general,

mighty and imposing.

Let's find a place sheltered from the wind to hide for a bit!

We can't hide!

If the horses freeze to death,

we'll never make it back!

Just keep moving—

we'll reach the horse camp before dark!

There's still one more mountain to cross!

Stop neighing!

Are you trying to call the wolves over or something?

I've fought with them for years.

They'd gather in packs trying to eat me,

but didn't they end up as meat in my mouth

and bedding for me to sleep on?

We're leaving tomorrow.

Let's bid them farewell.

Look how cowardly you are.

Come on.

Go get some rest.

I'll tie up the horses

and give them some fodder.

Bolt the door properly—

don't let the wolves get you.

There's wine in the pot. Feel free to drink.

We can't take it with us anyway.

What are you doing?

Do you know how to use a gun, boy?

If they smell the scent of blood,

they'll love it.

You stole my bullets!

Are you out of your mind?

You planned to die all along!

So why did you take me on

such a long detour to get here?

I want you to taste

what I've been through—

falling headfirst

from the clouds.

Fine.

Now things are just the way you wanted.

Go on then. Shoot me.

Shoot me!

In another 100 days,

or even 200 days,

no one will ever come here.

The wolves will drag you away,

leaving only a pool of blood on the ground.

When it heats up

and after a few rainfalls,

it'll be washed clean—

like you were never here at all.

I know you're out of opium.

Come back to the Central Plains with me.

I'll find you the best doctor.

And also,

that cartload of guns,

I won't take a single penny from selling them.

It's all yours.

My illness can't be cured!

I've told you it can't be cured!

I've been keeping myself alive with this opium

just to wait for you.

You've ruined my life!

I got sick right here

because of the cold!

Everything I ever had

has been ruined by you!

Look carefully.

This is the Ice Hell,

and I'm the King of Hell!

Get up, come on.

Go away!

Go away!

Here.

Are there any bullets left?

No, none left.

How do I check?

There's only one left.

The wolves are banging on the door again.

It won't be long before they break it down.

The two of us

are going to die sooner or later—

that's all there is to it.

Open this for me.

So this is your treasure?

My treasure is gone.

When that girl surnamed Su

came last time,

I was on the brink of death.

She left two crates of this treasure,

so I could stay alive and wait for you.

Isn't she just like

a living Bodhisattva who can predict everything?

Su Zixuan!

If I were you,

I'd use this thing

to put a bullet in my own head.

Being torn apart by wolves hurts a lot.

Judging by the direction,

they should be near the horse camp.

Yu'er,

don't rush.

The wind is strong and the snow is heavy.

Let's find a local to guide us there.

Isn't there a path right in front of us?

Yu'er!

Yu'er!

Yu'er.

Yu'er.

Mr. Chang.

My friend.

We traveled day and night here.

Thank heavens

that you're safe and unharmed.

What does the Empress Dowager look like?

Just a nose and two eyes—

like any normal person.

I don't believe you.

You're lying.

I'm not.

When I met her,

I didn't even know she was the Empress Dowager.

She's not as pretty as you.

What about Yimei?

Who of us is prettier?

I'm sorry, Gu.

I couldn't help but ask.

It's okay.

Whether she's pretty or not

has nothing to do with me.

She chose her own path.

But sometimes when I think about it,

I'm quite envious of her.

Why?

She believed that path was right,

so she just took it.

In life,

if you never go a little wild, you're letting yourself down.

Gu,

that's something only a true hero would say.

I've been messed up like this—

how could I still be called a hero?

What about you?

Still traveling with the horse caravan alongside Mr. Chang?

I didn't expect that

upon arriving in the capital, I'd hear that you're also here.

Li Qin asked me to tell you

not to go to the capital,

saying people there wouldn't treat you well.

If I don't go to the capital,

who am I supposed to sell all these guns to?

In this world,

aside from you and Mr. Chang,

hardly anyone truly cares about me.

After you left,

we made two more trips to Horqin.

On the way out of the city, it occurred to me

that you had once taken this very road.

When I got to the grasslands,

my mind went back

to that battle where we'd been

surrounded by cavalry.

You said...

You said that you'd never imagined

the two of us

would end up dying there.

If we had died then,

wouldn't that have actually been a blessing?

Up ahead is Ningguta.

Shall we revisit our old haunt?

Who's revisiting old haunts with you?

Once we enter the city,

we'll get two new horses,

buy some food, and continue on our way.

What were you two talking about?

You've cried so much that your eyes are all red and puffy.

It's too late to wipe your tears.

I'm hungry.

I'll go on ahead.

Mr. Gu.

Yu'er and I

won't be going to the capital.

This road leads straight into Shanxi—

it's very fast and convenient.

Mr. Chang, have you forgotten?

I've traveled this way with you before.

That's right. That's right.

All good things must come to an end.

Let's part ways here.

Mr. Chang.

What is this about?

Get up! Get up! I cannot accept this.

Listen to me.

You came from afar to save me—

such noble kindness

cannot be repaid

with a mere "thank you."

Get up now. Get up.

Come on, get up!

You're a good person in every way,

but occasionally

when you say those refined things,

I really can't take it.

My daughter and I have benefited from your kindness,

and this time, we've just repaid a little of it.

Actually, we're the ones

who should be thanking you.

All right.

Young fellows grow old in this world of strife—

who knows when we'll meet again?

Father.

You've picked up quite a few of

these pretentious phrases too.

After knowing Mr. Gu for so long,

isn't it only natural that I picked up a thing or two?

You two say your goodbyes properly.

I'll wait for you up ahead.

Yu'er.

I'll be thinking of you all the time.

You...

Don't make me cry,

or Father will just laugh at me later.

How about

I escort you back to Shanxi?

Forget it.

Even if

we get to Shanxi,

you're still going to leave, aren't you?

I don't want to live this kind of life anymore,

always begging the sun and the moon.

What do you mean, "begging the sun and the moon?"

I...

I beg the sun to set later,

so I can stay with you longer.

I beg

the moon to rise earlier,

and I wish this road

would never end.

But doesn't every road in this world

eventually come to an end?

And when it does...

It means we have to part.

Even if we go to Shanxi together,

it's not the end of the world.

Yu'er.

I know I owe you a lot.

I'm sorry.

What's there to apologize for?

O-On our way here,

my father secretly came to me and said

someone like you, who could venture deep into foreign lands

to buy weapons for the imperial court

and still escape death,

must be a person

blessed with great fortune,

with unlimited potential.

I...

I agree with that.

In the future...

In the future,

if you become a governor

or a general someday,

there will be...

There will be many more people who will like you.

You can't possibly apologize to me every day then, can you?

You're really something.

What governor or general?

I've never imagined such things.

Stop making fun of me.

Things between men and women in this world are always like this.

Once we enter this world,

we're destined for a hard life.

If I could have a love to be remembered for a lifetime,

that would already be a blessing.

If I still don't know contentment,

even Heaven would blame me

for being unappreciative, right?

Gu,

please live well.

Do...

Do things that make you happy.

That's my greatest wish.

I want to tell you

that when life finally settles down someday,

I want to come find you.

But I'm afraid that day

might keep you waiting for too long.

Well...

Just like what my father just said,

"young fellows grow old in this world of strife."

If you want to come find me,

then hurry.

By His Highness's command,

please bring Mr. Gu in for an audience.

Mr. Gu.

The entire capital has been searching for you,

[Prince Gong's Mansion]

making me worried sick.

Come on,

pay your respects to His Highness.

Even for distinguished guests,

His Highness has never

come to the gate to welcome them.

Your Highness.

Please rise.

You're not an official,

so let's treat each other as equals.

I heard about it as soon as you entered the city.

So, this cart is loaded with foreign guns?

Indeed, Your Highness.

Let me see.

[Prince Gong's Mansion]

Mr. Gu.

You've had a long and tiring journey.

Thank you for your efforts.

Thank you, Your Highness.

It was no trouble.

Nice stuff.

Here.

Mr. Gu.

I truly never expected

that you'd be able to travel such a great distance

to purchase these guns from the foreigners.

This...

How can I ever repay this favor?

Mr. Qiao,

please don't say such things.

If you could truly help our country

reclaim lost territory,

all the common people

would be eternally grateful to you.

Come here.

Mr. Gu.

Stamp this batch of guns

with the imperial court's wax seal

and first send them to the Northwest Military Supply Station.

-Have our men keep a close watch. -Mr. Gu.

Don't let anyone take them away.

The Empress Dowager

has praised your insight

in front of me several times.

Do me a favor—

would you be willing to serve as

a Pacification Commissioner for the imperial court?

Your Highness.

I've never been an official,

nor do I know how to be one.

A Pacification Commissioner isn't an official,

but a bridge between the imperial court

and the rebels.

Once the war breaks out, casualties are inevitable.

Besides, not everyone in Hefei

is in collusion with the bandits.

We need someone to enter the city

and evacuate the civilians.

This person should be

a well‑known local figure—

a gentry trusted by both sides would be ideal.

Besides, Anhui is your hometown.

Mr. Gu,

you're obligated to help.

If you manage to accomplish this,

I will personally

grant you an official position.

How does that sound?

Since Your Highness has said that,

for the people of my hometown,

I, Gu Pingyuan,

will dedicate myself to it even at the risk of my life.

It's just

I have one humble request

that I hope Your Highness will grant.

Go ahead.

Years ago, my father came to the capital for the imperial examination

and never returned.

He remains missing to this day.

Later, when I went to take the imperial examination,

someone at the examination hall

falsely claimed my mother was gravely ill,

which made me cause a scene at the examination hall

and got exiled to Ningguta subsequently.

To this day, I still don't know whether my father is alive or dead,

nor who has been scheming against me

from behind the scenes.

I'm merely a commoner

with no authority to investigate such matters.

If Your Highness

could give the order,

perhaps the truth could finally come to light

and resolve the greatest confusion of my life.

As a filial son,

causing a scene at the examination hall for your ill mother

is understandable.

But your father's disappearance

is indeed somewhat strange.

Here's what we do.

Later tonight,

write a petition and have it delivered to my residence.

I'll have the Nine Gates Infantry Commander's men

investigate for you.

If there's any news,

I'll have them send word to you immediately.

How does that sound?

Thank you, Your Highness.

The Hefei Garrison General, Li Cheng, is really fierce.

Even though the situation has become hopeless for him,

he's still putting up stubborn resistance.

Let me show you something.

Do you know what this is?

This is...

This is Hefei city.

Those two mountains outside the city

were taken by the Green Standard Army

at the cost of countless lives.

I've already sent men

to transport the Western cannons to the mountaintops.

If he still refuses to surrender,

we'll fire from above

directly at his mansion.

But if we keep fighting like that,

won't all the civilians in the city

be blown to death?

Mr. Gu, you truly have a compassionate heart.

No one has ever cared about

these civilians anyway.

Mr. Gu, look.

I've only encircled the city on three sides,

leaving one side open.

We've been digging tunnels under the city for nearly half a year,

and we've secretly placed 30,000 catties of explosives

beneath the city walls.

Now that our forces are strong and well-equipped,

we can guarantee victory in one decisive battle.

Will Li Cheng and his men be willing to retreat?

He's a fierce general.

We've besieged them for so long

that the citizens have even started eating rats,

yet they still stand firm

with undiminished morale.

I wonder

what kind of dark magic he's been using.

They've already started eating rats?

Mercy has no place in commanding troops.

For someone like him,

even if 100,000 people

died right before his eyes,

he wouldn't care.

He was just granted the title of prince—

if he doesn't hold on to the city for a few more days,

he'd be unworthy of

the official's hat bestowed upon him.

This is the number one rule of being an official:

every feather and bead on an official's hat

is stained with the common people's blood.

[Public-Welfare Clinic]

Didn't I tell you to set up a stall to distribute porridge?

Your Highness.

In a little while,

we won't even be able to run

our troops' soup kitchen,

let alone have anything left

to distribute to the civilians.

Mr. Gu?

Your Highness.

This is Orchid Snow tea.

It's grown by my family.

Look.

He's startled.

The Empress Dowager herself named it

the Top Tea Under Heaven.

How could it be anything but the best?

Mr. Gu, all the tea grown by your family

has been collected

and delivered to the capital, not a leaf less.

But most of it ended up in the palace.

We brothers

only got a few taels.

When the Anhui tea merchants left,

you don't know

how many people with money

wanted to buy

the Orchid Snow tea seedlings from them.

Not just those from Anhui,

even tea merchants from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian

wanted to destroy

their own tea plants

and grow Orchid Snow tea instead.

That seems unnecessary.

There are various exceptional teas in this world.

And there are so many excellent teas

in Fujian and Zhejiang.

If they were all destroyed

to grow Silver Bud instead,

it would be too great a pity.

Mr. Gu.

This is the second rule of being an official:

the value of all things in this world

is determined by a single word.

This is somewhat different from

your business acumen.

I'm enlightened.

Truly enlightened.

[Anhui Merchants' Hall]

[Niu's Fodder Shop]

Welcome! Mr. Gu.

I was totally lacking in perception.

Please punish me, Mr. Gu.

It's too late for that now.

Shut up.

Old Master Hu,

what's this about?

I was totally lacking in perception before.

Please punish me, Mr. Gu.

This is no empty talk.

I've brought trouble upon everyone.

I caused this trouble alone,

so I should be the one to bear the consequences.

Even in front of His Highness,

I would say the same.

Everyone,

[Anhui Merchants' Hall]

you are all my seniors.

Please don't shorten my life with such gestures.

Mr. Gu,

please come in.

Please come in.

Mr. Gu Pingwen,

please come in.

Please, this way.

[Anhui Merchants' Hall]

Please.

Please.

[Grand Vision for Long-Lasting Prosperity]

Everyone in the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association

begs for your forgiveness.

I cannot accept this, Old Master Hu.

I really can't.

Please get up.

You're even older than my mother.

I cannot possibly accept such a gesture.

Everyone,

if you truly

wish to follow my lead,

then please listen to what I have to say.

Please, everyone be seated.

Old Master Hu,

please take the seat of honor.

Bring it out.

Don't play dumb.

Everyone,

I was arrogant and disrespectful in Anhui

and offended Old Master Hu.

Today, Old Master Hu

wants to apologize to me,

and I'd also like to apologize

to the entire

Anhui Tea Merchants' Association.