Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 23]

Earlier today, when you

took me into the city,

you never thought

I'd make it back alive, did you?

Mr. Gu,

where is this coming from?

What qualifications do I have

to be the Pacification Commissioner?

I offered Her Majesty the Empress Dowager

some Orchid Snow tea,

which offended the Sixth Prince.

And yet he still wanted me

to be the Pacification Commissioner?

What sense does that make?

Well...

Mr. Gu,

you've got that wrong.

From what you're saying,

since you already knew,

why did you still go?

Yes,

I knew.

Even knowing the risks, I had to go!

I wanted to

save whoever I could!

I'm sorry, my Lords.

Now that everything is settled here...

I'll go back to my village to grow tea.

From now on,

I will never again

try to outshine you, my Lords.

This commoner didn't know any better

and caused much offense.

I'll drink this one

as punishment.

Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu,

you've misunderstood! You've misunderstood me!

This is absolutely not the case!

My Lord,

you're an official, and I'm a commoner!

How could there be any misunderstanding?

-Come down first. -Mr. Gu!

Don't act rashly!

His Highness didn't mean it that way!

And you're not just a commoner!

You're the Pacification Commissioner appointed by the imperial court!

You still hold the appointment!

If you leave now, it will be seen as defying the court—

as inviting disaster!

Inviting disaster?

Come and arrest me then!

Hyah!

You...

Well...

Let him go.

We'll just risk a few harsh words—

just say we couldn't keep him here.

A man like him is too stubborn and too lucky.

Once he learns

our ways,

we won't be able to rein him in.

But what if the court asks about this?

Tomorrow we attack Hefei.

With such a great military achievement,

even the Empress Dowager herself

couldn't

punish us arbitrarily for this.

Come on.

Back to drinking.

My friend,

missing home?

[Safe]

What's happening?

The imperial court is going to kill us!

Everyone, let's stick together and rush out!

Run quickly!

Fire!

[Safe]

Congratulations, Governor Qiao.

Without shedding a drop of blood,

you've eliminated so many enemies at once!

Good thing your friend isn't around.

If he were,

this wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

It's heaven's will.

Help...

Help me...

Mr. Gu, you're awake.

Your qi and blood surged to your heart,

causing damage to your internal organs.

I've brewed some herbal medicine for you.

Here...

Killing those who surrender brings misfortune.

Killing those who surrender brings misfortune!

Misfortune?

Gu,

I'm not like you.

I'm not that lucky.

My position

was earned through battle after battle!

Because of this war,

my brother and elderly mother are missing.

Now, you tell me about misfortune?

Then misfortune it is.

We've already started attacking Hefei.

By nightfall at the latest,

Hefei will fall!

This great military merit

will be credited to all three of us!

Attack!

Attack!

This will earn us great merit!

Gu.

If you really walk out this gate,

then from now on,

I'll have no choice but to treat you as a rebel.

Your mother and brother are still out there.

Is this really worth the price?

Come with me.

[Marshal]

Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's decree.

Gu.

"Whether they surrender or not,

execute them immediately."

It's Her Majesty's order.

Gu, don't act on impulse.

Let me ask you something.

Given the current situation,

do you think they can win?

Whether they surrender

or die in battle,

the imperial court will never spare them.

You know it.

My friend, I too am a scholar.

[Marshal]

I don't want to carry out this order

to kill those who surrender.

But I thought it over—

if I don't do it, someone else will.

A court like this...

What's the point in saving it?

Gu,

about killing those who surrender,

we can't be soft-hearted.

The men Li Cheng commands

are all veteran rebels!

They've been fighting for 10 years!

You expect them to suddenly obey the law

and live as good citizens?

Is that possible?

In times like these, if you want to be a good person,

fine—

go home and grow tea.

Here's a chance to save

400,000 civilian households,

but you run off just to keep

your reputation clean.

Isn't that too selfish?

[Desheng Gate]

[Desheng Gate]

[Desheng Gate]

Your Highness!

Li Cheng!

Li Cheng!

Li Cheng!

How are you?

Are you hurt?

I'm fine.

Dear,

listen to me.

I'm afraid we can't hold this place until nightfall.

In a moment,

I'll send a cavalry unit

to escort you out of the city.

What did you say?

Escort you out of the city.

You want to send me away?

Where am I supposed to go?

Anywhere.

Just stay alive.

No.

If we cannot share the same bed in life,

we shall share the same grave in death.

That's what you promised.

Do you want me to go to a place

where I know no one

and beg for food until I die?

I won't leave.

The south gate has fallen!

[Desheng Gate]

No.

No!

No...

[Peace and Abundance]

By order of Pacification Commissioner Gu,

all the uninjured

shall form ranks,

build detention quarters, and remain imprisoned here,

awaiting the imperial decree!

Commanding General Li Cheng and his family

will be placed elsewhere!

These two are

rebel leaders and will be sent to the capital in chains!

Keep a close eye on them!

-Yes, sir! -Yes, sir!

He's dying!

Are you going to send

his corpse to the capital?

The man is dying!

Someone, help!

Anyone, help!

Help!

This is the best trauma powder

I could find.

[Trauma Powder]

Apply it to him.

It will keep him alive for now.

You want to throw me in a prison cart

and take me to the capital,

so the Emperor can watch my head fall

to the ground at the Meridian Gate, right?

Otherwise,

the Emperor will get angry,

and you'll all lose your official positions.

Li Cheng,

you've greatly misunderstood me.

Those soldiers who surrendered

now lie buried beneath the city.

They all believed your words

and went out.

Four hundred and sixty-one lives.

I remember them all.

If there's retribution,

I won't hide from it.

But I must keep the promise

I made to Mr. Bai.

Bai Yimei—

I must ensure her safety.

Enough, Gu.

You're a high official.

I'm just a commoner.

You don't need to worry about my life.

I'm not going anywhere.

What I mean is,

I want both of you to live.

I'm the defending general of Anhui.

Save me?

How many heads do you think you can afford to lose?

Nanjing has fallen.

On June 16th,

the city walls collapsed

and all nine gates fell.

After ten days of burning, killing, and looting,

Nanjing is now a city

of utter devastation—

its tragedy beyond words.

Time to wake up from your dreams of

being Prince and Princess Consort.

From now on,

you need to live for yourselves.

Even if the King of Hell

wants to take your lives now,

I'll do everything possible

to pull you back.

Just don't give up on yourselves.

Take care.

[Trauma Powder]

Do you believe him?

Go with him.

What nonsense...

Neither of us can escape if you take me along.

Go with him.

If I wanted to go with him...

why did I run out in the first place?

If we die, we die together.

Li,

you can't decide for me!

No one can!

What about our child?

Can our child decide for you?

You're pregnant.

Why didn't you tell me?

Promise me...

you'll keep this child alive.

Through him,

I live on.

No. No, no.

I'm not going.

We'll all survive together.

Rest well and heal.

We'll all be fine.

We'll all survive.

Just like you said—

the God in heaven

will help us.

Whatever we've done,

He will forgive us.

Don't waste your strength.

Lie down beside me for a while.

Are you going to leave me alone...

in this world?

Li Cheng!

I heard you've been commended.

I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet.

Don't you think

you owe me an explanation?

What do I need to explain?

I didn't kill

those 400-plus surrendered soldiers.

I knew nothing about it.

If you don't believe me,

go on, kill me.

If I didn't believe you,

do you think you would still be breathing?

I tried to

persuade Li Cheng.

He's set on dying.

I can't change his mind.

Aren't you supposed to be the clever one?

Don't you know how to persuade someone?

Before becoming Pacification Commissioner...

I thought with my ability

and wisdom,

I could change things.

But after taking this position,

I realized that...

all I can do is go with the flow.

I can't change anything.

The so-called history

is merely an emperor's family genealogy.

How ridiculous.

So you've become enlightened.

Are you planning to go back to growing tea

or become a monk?

I'm not going anywhere.

Since I've already

been dragged into this matter,

I must Li Cheng and his wife's

safety.

I need your help.

Go ahead.

Recently,

I've been reading the imperial court bulletins.

It's like doing business.

I need to understand the situation.

To those officials at court,

Li Cheng and his men

are like merchandise,

waiting to be sold to the highest bidder.

They can be handed over to the Empress Dowager

in exchange for an official position

or recruited under one's own command

to expand one's power.

In these chaotic times,

one might gain greater fame and fortune with them.

However, this batch of merchandise

can't be kept for too long.

They told me

they wouldn't kill innocent people indiscriminately.

I don't trust them.

That's why I stayed.

You don't believe them?

Of course not.

Fame and profit—

fame comes first, and profit follows.

What nonsense about "scholars having a conscience"?

That's only because

they haven't risen high enough in officialdom yet.

When it truly comes to trading lives

for an official position,

who would care about

what they once said?

For the people

and the safety of Hefei,

I need someone more powerful

to help me.

I've run out of leverage.

I need someone with real clout

to back me up.

Who do you suggest?

Have you heard of Marshal Jiu?

The foremost marshal

under the Viceroy of Liangjiang.

From what I know,

his military force is formidable,

unmatched in the world.

He is the person with real clout

that I have in mind.

I'm afraid even you wouldn't be able to

approach such a heroic figure.

You're trying to goad me into it.

Jiu owes me a favor.

He should feel honored

that I even bother to see him.

Report!

Marshal Jiu

from the Jiangning camp has sent a letter.

Double the guard at noon.

Go to the city and order

the best Yan cuisine banquet!

Yes, sir!

Jiu is utterly arrogant and disrespectful!

He's been besieging Jiangning for three years

without gaining an inch of land!

Now he comes here

to steal my credit!

What should we do?

I'll write a memorial to impeach him!

I've only heard that the man carries a murderous air.

Throughout the Yangtze region,

the army under his command

is the most powerful.

We must not offend him to his face.

As for a memorial,

the imperial court is counting on his service.

If you file a report,

will the court side with him...

or with you?

Then what should I do?

Those prisoners of war are elite soldiers.

Hefei has been taken,

and now he just writes a note

saying he's going to come take

those 1,000-plus prisoners

to incorporate into his army.

Isn't that...

Isn't that outright robbery?

Send Li Cheng and his wife to the capital

in chains to present them to the court,

and just give those prisoners to Marshal Jiu.

He should at least leave us

some scraps, right?

That's also how things work in officialdom.

Report!

Marshal Jiu's advance troops have arrived at the camp gate!

Set up the ceremonial formation!

All of you, look sharp!

We'll wait outside the camp

to welcome Marshal Jiu!

Yes, sir!

Where's our tea-selling

Pacification Commissioner?

This man, Gu Pingyuan,

is neither truly a scholar

nor truly a merchant.

Why are you keeping such a close eye on him?

I fear his intentions

are no longer aligned with ours.

If we don't keep a close eye on him,

there might be trouble.

San!

Go invite Lord Gu here immediately.

Tell him Marshal Jiu has arrived.

As the subordinates, we're hosting a banquet,

and he is obliged to attend.

Yes, sir.

He's here.

What an impressive display!

Jiu's carriage is quite novel.

That's a foreign-style carriage, like a turtle shell.

-Welcome, Marshal Jiu! -Welcome, Marshal Jiu!

-Welcome, Marshal Jiu! -Welcome, Marshal Jiu!

-Welcome, Marshal Jiu! -Welcome, Marshal Jiu!

[Marshal of Jiangning, Marshal Jiu]

Rise.

I dare not trouble you with this.

You two have worked hard.

I heard about the victory at Hefei,

and I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet.

This small achievement

can't compare to yours—

years of bloody battles at Jiangning.

It's hardly worth mentioning.

Governor Qiao.

Mr. Bao Qing.

He's a descendant of an old friend of mine.

I just ran into him on the road—

he kept me company.

You all know each other?

Of course.

Mr. Gu is the Pacification Commissioner personally appointed

by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.

Amid the fierce battle,

Mr. Gu has accomplished great merit.

I was just looking for him

but didn't expect to find him here with you.

Isn't it hot standing out here?

After the meal, I'll take the men with me.

Yes, of course.

Please, Marshal Jiu.

Mr. Gu,

you actually know Marshal Jiu?

We've known each other for a long time.

There are only about 1,000

prisoners of war from Hefei?

What about the others?

Where are the others?

All killed?

Buried to fertilize the soil?

No.

After such a long siege,

some starved to death, while others escaped.

Those 1,000 or so

are the ones who fought to their last breath

protecting their commander, Li Cheng.

They're all severely wounded.

Marshal Jiu, I'm afraid you can't transport them now.

It's better to leave them here.

Once they've recovered,

I'll tie them up

and send them to your camp.

Not long ago, I was in the thick of battle,

and my forces were strong!

But damn it,

a plague wiped out half my troops.

I need to replenish my forces immediately!

Those over 1,000 prisoners—

as long as they're breathing, I'm taking them all.

Marshal Jiu,

those 1,000-plus prisoners

are indeed severely wounded.

Let us

reorganize them for you—

shave their heads,

feed them well,

dress them warmly,

restore their spirits,

and then deliver them to you.

Wouldn't that be better?

Will you even be able to send them by then?

You think I don't know?

You want to incorporate

those captives into your own troops.

Then later,

you'll send me a bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled leftovers

to fool me, is that it?

Are you envious of my military success

and want a share?

Please.

Marshal Jiu,

I wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare.

If you want them, just take them.

How would we dare

compete with you, Marshal Jiu?

I want Li Cheng too.

He's being held in prison.

We're preparing to send him to the capital in chains immediately.

But we can't give this person to you.

We've worked so hard for so long.

Otherwise, we'd have no credit

for our efforts.

For a tiny little Hefei,

you besieged it for so long,

asked for so much money...

and now you still want credit?

Marshal Jiu.

He's

the only valuable piece we have left.

You wave your hand

and take all those prisoners—fine.

At least leave us

something to earn a promotion with!

You've got a death wish?

No, no, no.

Why are you shouting at Marshal Jiu like this?

You...

You're going too far!

Bao...

What disgraceful behavior!

Well...

This is outrageous.

What's this all about?

I told him.

Apart from those 1,000-plus prisoners...

I want Li Cheng

as well.

That's...

Well... T-That really won't do.

Won't do?

Won't do.

Won't do?

Well...

You want this, you want that!

You should at least leave us something!

You dare to fight me over a prisoner?

You... keep...

You need to keep your word.

I avenged you.

So you're just taking them by force?

I'm not a businessman.

I'm here precisely to take what I want.

But you'll have to

repay this favor.

He's not dead yet, is he?

Marshal Jiu!

Marshal Jiu, Marshal Jiu.

Get them out for me.

I'll take both of them.

Marshal Jiu,

these two are supposed to be

sent to the capital in shackles.

If you take them both,

how can we explain it to the Empress Dowager

and the Emperor? Please...

at least leave us one.

Yes, yes.

Even crickets are kept in pairs.

One alone won't survive.

Take them both.

Let's go!

Gu, you invited Marshal Jiu here?

Ms. Su invited him.

Jiu is notorious for

being merciless and leaving nothing behind.

I originally thought I'd face him

on the battlefield—

never thought I'd end up

at his mercy like this.

He's the Qing court's general.

How could he possibly save us?

Don't be fooled by him.

The price must've been high, hm?

Indeed, the price is high.

But Gu, the money you spent

might only be enough to save

my wife and me.

If you want all my men

to live as well,

how should you negotiate this deal?

Please show some mercy.

Give my men a chance to live.

Mercy?

Marshal Jiu means that...

your men can be released...

but you two

must join his troops.

And he wants you to serve under him

as a military adviser.

That way, he can justify himself

to his subordinates

and to the imperial court.

After the war is over,

he'll send you back home.

Gu, you've risked your life

and braved danger for us.

I won't make things difficult for you.

Bring me the clothes.

I accept your offer.

Stop!

I, Zha Lanchai, Vice Commander

of the Tiger Battalion under Marshal Jiu's command,

am here to attend to you while you change, Sir!

This bandit chief Li

is truly skilled in battle.

I really don't understand

how an illiterate child,

a filthy mine laborer,

could have risen so far.

What a pity.

We couldn't meet on the battlefield.

The Qing Empire's fate is sealed.

Foolish rulers and incompetent ministers maintain the status quo,

flattering those above and oppressing those below,

yet remain blind to their own doom.

The military campaign in Jiangnan is over.

Spring has arrived,

and the Central Plains are ripe for conquest.

Marshal Jiu.

Are you interested in claiming the Central Plains?

[Delusion]

[Delusion]

This is a fine blade Marshal Jiu had forged

by master craftsmen.

Only officers who achieve great merit

are rewarded with one.

General, now that you've turned to the righteous side,

your future is certainly bright!

All of you, sit down!

I know.

Wearing these robes

betrays our men who died in battle.

But if I don't wear them...

I betray the friend who risked his life to save me.