Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 22]

[Grand Vision for Long-Lasting Prosperity]

Everyone,

I behaved arrogantly and rudely in Anhui before

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.

Old Master Hu is a man of noble character,

and I respect him deeply.

Let's turn the page

on everything that happened before

and not bring it up again.

However, the gold-lettered plaque,

"Top Tea Under Heaven,"

belongs to Anhui,

not to me alone,

and it should hang in the hall

of the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association.

This

is my first gift

to Old Master Hu.

My second gift

is the recipe for our Orchid Snow tea.

Old Master Hu, please accept it,

make copies,

and distribute them to all tea merchants in Anhui.

Mr. Gu,

this...

this gift is far too valuable.

Not even a fortune could buy it.

If you don't explain your reason,

I cannot accept it.

The reputation of Orchid Snow tea

has already spread far and wide,

but with just

my brother and me

and a few dozen mu

of poor farmland,

we can't produce much in a year.

I'm afraid that in the future,

all kinds of counterfeits

might appear on the market

and damage its reputation,

and the blame

would fall on the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association.

So, Old Master Hu,

you must take this recipe

no matter what.

You...

You...

You left me

no room to refuse.

Mr. Gu, rest assured.

If the Gu family's Orchid Snow tea

becomes popular throughout the land,

it will be thanks to you.

The Anhui Tea Merchants' Association is at your service.

I can't take this position.

You see, I'm the kind of person

who can't stand hassles.

I'm used to an easy, leisurely life.

Looking after my tea plantation,

free and easy,

suits me just fine.

You should be the one in this position.

Mr. Gu, you're being too modest.

I'm not being modest at all.

In these chaotic times,

hundreds of thousands of tea farmers in Anhui

are suffering terribly.

I think

Orchid Snow tea

might be our one ray of hope.

If we can

promote this tea

successfully,

the people of Anhui

can live more easily.

This would be a great deed

of the Anhui Tea Merchants' Association.

[Benefiting the Local Community]

This time, Gu

has restored the honor

of the people of Anhui.

In the future, please put in

a good word for me in front of him.

Me?

If it weren't for Gu,

could our tea

have sold for such good prices?

Thank you, Mr. Gu.

Think about it—

Silver Bud—

what a rustic name.

Orchid Snow?

That's just perfect,

isn't it?

[Benefiting the Local Community]

Yes!

From now on, call him Second Master!

Call him Second Master!

Alright.

-Second Master. -Second Master.

It's so boring on the march.

I prepared for it in advance.

Mr. Gu.

How did those Anhui tea merchants

kowtow and admit their faults to you?

You must not let them off easily.

Thinking about it, I was too young back then,

insisting on making this Orchid Snow tea.

I can't really blame them.

You were simply lucky.

Who else in this world walks out their door

and runs into the Empress Dowager?

And who else

could earn her favor,

with a single word from her

turning everything around?

Why do you think His Highness

was so accommodating?

He had no choice.

That plaque granted by the Empress Dowager

has him completely pinned down.

When you invited me to that banquet,

that was also at the Empress Dowager's behest,

wasn't it?

Of course.

However,

I didn't bask

in your glory for nothing.

After we take Hefei,

the credit will be split between the two of us.

Even if we have to kill everyone in the city,

I won't hesitate.

Mr. Gu,

this is the kind of luck

that doesn't come once in centuries.

Our dynasty rewards military merit faster than anything.

With an opportunity like this,

you'll rise swiftly.

You're a scholar.

You should know this clearly.

Since ancient times,

it's been made very clear—

a head taken

is

a rank gained.

Come on.

Here.

Ms. Su.

You'd better not go outside.

My people are everywhere out there.

Without my orders,

if anyone suddenly sees you coming out,

you'll lose your head.

You really do look like

a high official now.

Pacification Commissioner of the imperial court.

How did you know?

Did you plant people

around Qiao Song too?

We were planning to kill Qiao Song,

but then we suddenly learned

that he brought someone

even the Empress Dowager

valued.

I was wondering who that could be.

So it's an old friend.

You came all this way

just to bring your head back to me.

What a waste of effort.

I'm no friend to you.

I'm a dead man.

That's right.

Keeping someone like you around

would only get in my way.

Tell me,

do you have any last wishes

or messages?

I want you to persuade Li Cheng

that Hefei can no longer be defended.

Tell him to withdraw early

and not drag down

the innocent people of the city.

And I'd also like to remind you:

when a great structure is collapsing, a single beam can't hold it up.

Your schemes

won't amount to anything.

You won't win.

You still can't change

that sharp tongue of yours.

Aren't you afraid of dying?

I am.

Aren't you?

Since I

ruined your plans before

and you almost got me killed,

I'd say we're even now.

Time to talk business.

I didn't expect you to be a businessman.

I want every

innocent civilian in Hefei

to survive.

Can we make that deal?

Go tell Li Cheng

that Hefei is now

surrounded on three sides.

He still has one last chance of survival.

Even heroes can't escape love.

You're still thinking about Miss Bai, aren't you?

I'm not doing this for Miss Bai.

I'm doing this for all the citizens.

A real man does what he must.

You've severely underestimated me.

You want him to withdraw,

but where can he go?

Under the walls of Jinling,

the court's northern and southern camps are stationed.

There are troops in the Zhejiang region as well.

As for Suzhou,

it depends on whether the prince there

is willing to take him in.

So we must work together.

You help him plan a way out.

Whatever you need from me,

I'll do my best.

I can't believe

you still dare to speak to me like this.

I'll remember your life for now.

I'll come back for you.

Greetings, Lord Gu!

[Hefei, Qing Army Station]

Mr. Gu,

act just like me.

If you treat them well

and see them as equals,

they'll only walk all over you.

That's how the bureaucracy works.

Mr. Qiao,

I'm hardly an official.

I don't need to learn those tricks, do I?

Lords, you must be tired

from the long journey.

Greetings, Pacification Commissioner.

Mr. Bao Qing,

I'm not an official.

You don't need to salute me.

How can that be?

Mr. Gu, you are the Pacification Commissioner,

personally appointed by the Empress Dowager.

That's far above my rank

as a fourth-rank military attaché.

How dare I break imperial protocol?

Come on.

Please.

The food and wine are already prepared.

Music!

Come on, everyone.

Let's toast to Mr. Qiao.

Mr. Qiao's arrival

is like the rising sun driving away evil.

The siege has lasted so long,

and today we finally see hope.

With the Pacification Commissioner here,

the local people feel as if blessed with a new parent.

The banners and umbrellas of gratitude

are too many to count.

The Empress Dowager's exceptional promotion of you

couldn't be more fitting.

We would also like to toast you.

Wait.

What banners and umbrellas of gratitude?

I haven't done anything.

How could there be such things?

You guys are so good at this.

Of course.

We had to prepare early.

You can't really wait

for the commoners to bring these things, can you?

Mr. Bao Qing,

there's one thing I don't understand.

I'd like to ask you about it.

Please, Pacification Commissioner.

I heard Hefei is about to run out of food.

When are you planning

to launch the assault?

We were waiting for your order.

As soon as you command it, I'll marshal the troops and attack.

I don't understand military affairs.

I'm just saying—

if you keep the siege going like this,

the people inside the city

really will starve to death.

That's nothing to worry about.

Only when those traitors

are too hungry to lift their swords

can we achieve victory in one battle.

Remind me—

what is my post again?

I've forgotten.

You're the Pacification Commissioner.

So does what I say carry weight?

Of course.

When you first arrived,

I said

everything would follow your command.

That is how the court

shows its care for the people and its defense of the realm.

Right, exactly.

In that case,

if you starve everyone to death,

who am I supposed to pacify?

Or...

are you trying to take my job from me?

Besides,

most of those so‑called enemy troops

are actually

common folk in Hefei

who were dragged into this.

If they end up

starved to death by you,

or cut down

by your swords,

wouldn't that tarnish

the Empress Dowager's benevolence?

Have you

ever seriously thought this through?

Mr. Gu,

I truly admire

what you just said.

I think

they've been starved long enough.

It's time we attack.

Right.

Mr. Qiao,

I've made my decision.

I'll go home to inform my family first.

In a few days,

I will personally go to Hefei

to persuade them to surrender.

That won't do.

If anything happens to you,

I don't have enough heads

to pay for it.

Rest assured.

Once this battle is over,

I'll make sure your military merits are recorded

and that you're granted an official post.

Mr. Bao Qing,

how could you forget what you just said?

"everything would follow Pacification Commissioner's command."

"That is how the imperial court"

"shows its care for the people and its defense of the realm."

I'll head back now.

Well...

[Marshal]

Pacification Commissioner.

Pacification Commissioner.

Qiao,

this Mr. Gu is indeed cut out to be an official.

That's what you get for being so careless with your words.

How was I supposed to know?

He learned so fast.

With just a few lines, he had me speechless.

Don't underestimate him.

We'd better

not offend men like him.

Why do you think the Empress Dowager

suddenly gave him the title of Pacification Commissioner

out of nowhere?

Why?

She's long been displeased

with the Sixth Prince.

You and I both work for His Highness.

So she gave Gu

a nominal post as Pacification Commissioner.

Though it's just a nominal post,

if you dare to disobey his orders,

that becomes a real problem.

Also,

You must

keep him here.

Why?

Who gets the credit if he achieves merit?

And if he causes trouble—

who will be blamed?

You are wise.

But there's one thing

I still don't understand.

Since we're holding him in high regard

and giving him credit for free,

why is he still insisting on

going into the city to persuade them to surrender?

That's a suicide mission.

Why didn't you stop him?

Did you try to stop him?

I did.

And?

I couldn't stop him.

Then he's choosing death himself.

Nothing we can do.

He's the Pacification Commissioner.

That's his duty.

[Gu's Mansion]

Why aren't you wearing the tiger skin?

[Blessings and Auspiciousness]

I waited half the night

hoping to see you in it.

Pingyuan, you know the Empress Dowager.

Why don't you talk to her?

You don't want to be an official anyway.

Get me

a tiger skin to wear.

Just imagine me walking around the village—

how majestic I'd look.

What do you need a tiger skin for?

When I was chased by wolves beyond the pass,

I didn't see you coming to save me.

All you ever do is borrow my power.

You're so heartless.

I searched everywhere for you.

I can't even remember

how many times I cried.

Try to be stronger from now on.

Stop crying all the time.

Pingyuan, seriously—

someone's offering you an official post.

Why won't you take it?

Enough. Don't talk to me about being an official.

I'm already annoyed.

They say, "Even the prime minister's relatives"

"hold seventh-rank posts."

If you became an official,

I could become a magistrate.

Anyone who dares disobey me,

I'd slam the table

and have them punished.

Get lost!

Mother,

I'm back.

If you're resting,

I'll come pay my respects in the morning.

Come in.

Pingwen said you almost lost your life.

I was scared to death.

A friend dragged me beyond the pass.

I left in a hurry

and didn't have time

to tell Pingwen.

I don't believe that.

Mother, I promise you

I won't go that far away again.

Mother,

I have some good news for you.

This time in the capital,

I handed a note to Sixth Prince.

He promised to have people

in Nine Gates Infantry Commander's Office

help me look for my father.

If even they

cannot find him,

then he really can't be found.

Don't be too upset.

I'm not upset.

I just can't help

holding onto a small hope.

I just feel like he's

still alive somewhere.

If he is,

knowing that you

and his two sons are waiting at home,

how could he not come back?

Please don't say that anymore.

It only brings more pain.

If you're safe,

and if you have the chance,

continue searching for him.

Even if he's dead,

at least I'll be able to cry at his grave,

and that would give me peace.

I'm going to sleep.

I'm not going anywhere tonight.

I'll stay right here with you.

Sleep well.

[Hefei City]

I am Gu Pingyuan, Pacification Commissioner of Anhui.

I want to see General Li Cheng!

Yimei.

How have you been?

Why are you here?

Am I not allowed to be here?

I didn't know you had become

the Pacification Commissioner.

Life is unpredictable.

Who can guarantee

what role they'll play tomorrow?

Yesterday you were Bai Yimei,

and today you're playing the Princess Consort, aren't you?

I can never win a debate with you.

Tell me,

why are you here?

Tell me and then just leave.

This is a dangerous city.

I need to see Li Cheng.

He's busy with military affairs and won't see you.

If there's nothing else, just go now.

What military affairs do you still have?

Right now in Hefei,

people are starving.

If you don't escape now, when will you?

Do you want to drag everyone in the city down with you?

You really do

speak for the imperial court.

Yimei,

now that you are a Princess Consort,

your heart has hardened too?

Do you really want that many people buried with you?

Why make things difficult for me?

I'm not.

I'm begging you.

Even if you choose

to go down a dead‑end path,

at least spare the innocent people of Hefei.

Leave them a chance to live.

If Mr. Bai

saw you like this,

he would be heartbroken.

Gu,

you can't talk about me like that.

Even if I wanted to leave,

this isn't my decision to make.

What's going on here?

How come you two old friends are arguing

the moment you meet?

What he just said

was for our own good.

Brew some tea.

Please.

In these circumstances,

this is the best

I can offer you.

Is this

what you're eating now?

This is good stuff.

I tore out the gardens in the Prince's Mansion—

front and back—

and planted a lot of peanuts.

I haven't asked you yet—

should I call you Gu,

or Lord Gu now?

Just call me Gu Pingyuan.

It was petty of me.

My apologies, Gu.

I'm here today for...

I heard the title "Pacification Commissioner"

just now when I got here.

Good.

Very good.

In this entire world,

among all the civil and military officials of the Qing court—

plus that old emperor—

not one of them

deserves that title.

But you...

you're the perfect person

for it.

Now that you're here,

it puts my mind at ease.

Oh right, Yimei.

Go to the storeroom.

There's a good bottle of wine

under the blade rack.

Bring it here.

I want to have a drink with Gu.

You haven't eaten anything yet.

We have peanuts.

Go on.

Given the state of Hefei right now,

Gu,

do you have any advice for me?

Hefei is now surrounded

on three sides.

Why don't you withdraw?

Once you cross the Yangtze River, you'll reach Jinling.

It seems

you really haven't been in office for long.

Yes.

If we leave Hefei,

where can we go?

Zhejiang?

The regime's troops there are waiting for us.

Suzhou?

My old brothers

won't agree to that.

Jinling?

Outside Jinling,

there are hundreds of thousands of troops in the north and south camps.

Even if I fight my way into the city

and sit with my brothers,

my end...

may be even worse.

Why?

Do you know about Jinling's

current situation?

I don't.

My brothers are fighting among themselves.

The crisis will unfold in a matter of days.

Our death is near.

Gu,

this toast is for you.

You were right earlier.

I shouldn't drag

everyone in Hefei down with me.

After this drink, you should go back.

Tomorrow morning,

I'll open the gates and let the people go,

without harming a single soul.

As for my wife and me—

we will repay your great kindness

in our next life.

Gu,

I'd like to toast you as well.

I was rude earlier.

Please forgive me.

Thank you for always treating me kindly

and for helping me bury my father.

My husband and I

will repay your kindness in our next life.

Fine.

One of you chooses loyalty, the other chooses love.

But have you thought about others?

Who are you referring to?

Your brothers.

What are you trying to say?

They've never been princes,

nor lived in a mansion as large as yours.

What do you think they're eating right now?

I doubt they're willing

to die with you.

Do you know

what you're talking about?

We're all born and raised by our parents.

As long as a man can fill his stomach,

who would choose rebellion?

Yes.

You chose righteousness

and loyalty—

but did you ever ask them?

Do you dare ask them this question

and let those who don't want to follow you

leave the city with me,

leaving you to die alone?

Anyone who disrupts the army's morale before battle

deserves execution.

Don't hurt Gu.

Why did you say that?

Leave now!

Did I say anything wrong?

Your lives matter,

but theirs don't?

If you can't accept that,

then kill me!

Guards!

Yes!

Honey!

Honey!

Pass my order.

I'll address the troops before the battle.

-Yes! -Yes!

Come with me.

I'll show you

if any of my men are cowards.

[Li]

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

[Li]

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

[Weiwu Gate]

I joined the Resistance Army when I was 6.

[Weiwu Gate]

Back then my brothers asked me,

"Why do farmers toil all year"

"only to starve by the roadside?"

"Why do laborers work themselves to the bone"

"only for their bodies"

"to be thrown into the fields as fertilizer?"

[Weiwu Gate]

The officials and nobles of this world

lie to us

and whip us with their lashes.

They oppress our parents,

abuse our children,

and drain us completely.

In a world like this—

how could we not rise up?

[Weiwu Gate]

Kill!

Kill!

Kill!

Kill!

Many of you are my old brothers

who came from Guangxi.

And some of you

joined us in the past year or two.

Now we're trapped here

in Hefei

with nowhere to go.

The great battle is imminent.

I won't force anyone.

Those who choose to stay,

finish the remaining food

and sharpen your blades.

After we die,

we'll continue to be brothers.

Those who don't wish to stay—

tomorrow morning

the Qing Army will pull back 10 miles.

They've sent a Pacification Commissioner.

You can go with him

and return home.

No one is allowed to stop you.

Our blades

will never fall upon our own brothers!

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

Heaven soldiers have descended!

Peace will come to all lands!

[Weiwu Gate]

[Desheng Gate]

Satisfied now?

Would you like to ask

the rest of your brothers as well?

Do you really think

I don't dare to kill you?

Since I left Ningguta,

I've been walking on the edge every day.

If everyone in the city

can be saved because of me today,

my death will be worth it.

Look at these people.

After the war,

[Desheng Gate]

they'll all be farmers without land.

You should be happy for them.

What difference does it make if they leave the city?

Everyone's fate

is already written by heaven.

Is there really

an all‑powerful heaven?

I don't believe it.

If there really was one,

there'd be no war,

no disasters.

And your rebellion—

was that heaven's idea too?

Sir.

Please invite Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu, please.

Mr. Gu, you risked your life

for the country.

Thank you for your hard work.

I don't deserve such praise.

These men...

Everyone who has returned to the rightful side,

listen up!

Lay down your weapons

and gather at the North Camp!

Weren't you supposed to send us home?

We have no weapons left!

What do you need weapons for?

-I want to go home! -I want to go home!

We want to go home!

I want to go home!

I want to go back!

Sir,

don't!

Don't worry, Mr. Gu.

Since they've already surrendered,

they're still citizens of the Qing Empire.

You can't do this.

You misunderstood.

It's a misunderstanding.

I'll talk to them.

Fellow brothers,

I am Qiao Song, the Governor of Anhui.

Since you've surrendered,

you're still good subjects of the imperial court.

Therefore,

we've cleared out the North Camp to house you.

First,

you've been under siege too long.

Your bodies are weak

and need food.

Second,

you need to shave your heads.

Third,

you need to change out of your military uniforms.

The area around for hundreds of miles

is filled with the imperial court's troops.

You can't just go out like this.

If you think

I have any ulterior motives...

Come on.

Put down your guns!

Clear the way!

If anyone still wants to leave,

I...

will respectfully see you off.

Let's go, brothers!

The food is ready!

The water is boiling!

After eating,

you can bathe and get a shave.

Tomorrow, you'll all get your travel money!

Let's go!

Come on.

-Let's go. -Let's go.

Gu.

Come on.

Let's go for a drink.

Sir,

I apologize for my offensive words earlier.

Now you're being too formal with me.

Gu, your loyalty and bravery are unmatched.

Alone, risking your life,

you rescued so many civilians and soldiers.

I've already had the adviser draft a memorial

and rush it to the throne to report your merit.

Yes.

The Empress Dowager and Sixth Prince

will be very pleased when they see it.

You'll certainly be promoted.

We must have

a preemptive celebration drink.

That won't be necessary.

Let's go.

Please.

Please.

Your Highness.

Who allowed the Princess Consort to come up?

Don't blame them.

I insisted on coming.

Stand back.

I'll keep you company.

What were you thinking about?

I was thinking...

if we weren't in wartime,

you and I

standing up here on the city wall enjoying the view

would be wonderful.

If there were no war,

you'd still be mining coal in Guangxi.

I wouldn't even know you.

Yes.

Perhaps

you've already married Gu Pingyuan.

What?

Are you still angry with him?

A real man distinguishes between gratitude and grudges.

He treated you well.

Even though he offended me,

I won't hold it against him.

This Gu—

he's first‑class in both character and ability.

I'm just worried

that being around those corrupt officials,

he'll get himself into trouble sooner or later.

What do you mean?

Never mind.

Not understanding this makes life easier.

I'm just curious.

You still care about him, don't you?

Look.

All those densely packed

Qing troops outside the city—

they know we're short

on food and ammunition—

so why haven't they attacked?

Because they want to make money.

As long as we're still alive,

they can

keep asking the imperial court for men,

money,

and weapons,

and the imperial court will keep giving.

Once the imperial court can no longer provide,

then they'll attack.

In their eyes, we're nothing

but a tool for promotion and profit.

Gu came to persuade us to surrender

because someone was trying to kill him.

They wanted to use me

to take his life.

There are no good people

around him.

You mean

they sent him here to die?

But Gu is

extremely clever.

He must have seen through this.

That's also his weakness.

What?

Being too kind-hearted.

In these chaotic times, good people don't survive.

Honey,

it's windy up here. Please go down now.

Guard!

Send the Princess Consort down.

Yes.

They're about to attack.

Brothers!

There's food, brothers!

Don't rush, brothers!

There are stir-fried dishes over there!

And wine too!

There's plenty!

Don't fight over it! Don't fight over it!

There's enough for everyone!

Don't rush!

Slow down! Slow down!

Give me one! Give me one!

Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu!

You deserve the most credit!

A toast to you

from the two of us.

-Here. -Fill it up.

-Fill it up. -Sirs,

I really can't handle alcohol.

Please stop forcing me to drink.

Alright.

Gu, that's absolutely unacceptable.

Come on.

Come on.

If I give you one reason,

I can skip this drink.

What is it?

When you

sent me into the city today,

you didn't think

I wouldn't make it back alive, right?

Mr. Gu,

what makes you say that?

What qualifications do I have

to be this Pacification Commissioner?