Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 32]

600 thousand dan?

Two or three hundred of...

Did you hear correctly?

It's absolutely true.

It's 3.6 million dan.

That much?

How could a small place like Nantong

possibly absorb it?

He originally planned

to transport it to Nanjing,

but seeing Nantong hit by disaster,

he wants to sell part of it here

before moving on.

Where's Li Million's

good-for-nothing son?

He hasn't returned to Nanjing yet.

But don't worry.

We've posted men at every dock.

As soon as he shows up,

he won't get away.

Look.

This is the place.

Sir,

greetings.

Who are you?

My surname is Yang,

and I'm also a rice merchant.

I heard you're here,

so I came to pay my respects.

May I ask your name?

My surname is Liao.

Please sit down and let's talk.

What brings you here?

You're such a big businessman.

Why don't you have a butler with you?

I'm not like those young fellows

who make little money

but put on a big show.

I'm afraid they'll

steal my money,

so I don't bring anyone with me.

I keep my own books.

Come on, sir,

you...

Sir,

I heard you brought

600,000 dan of rice this time.

I'm also in the grain business.

I'm a bit confused.

May I ask—

can you really sell

that much?

I heard Nantong's coastal embankment collapsed.

The farmland was flooded with seawater,

so it may take 2 or 3 years

before it can grow crops again.

What's wrong?

Can't sell it?

Hard to say.

It depends on your price.

You're fishing for my bottom line.

No.

If I know your pricing,

I can work with it.

We're on the same boat.

Let's not

work against each other.

Forget it.

I've been asking around.

The official price of rice in Nanjing

is 1.2 tael per dan,

but common folks pay

1.8

or 1.9 tael.

In Zhenjiang, the official price

is 1.5 tael.

But the common folks

probably pay over 2 tael.

Nantong is even crazier—

I heard it sells for 3 tael.

If I don't sell my rice here,

wouldn't I be a fool?

But haven't you heard?

Rice won't sell at 3 tael anymore.

I'm actually thinking about

lowering the price.

This is where you fall short of me.

Anhui had a good harvest this year.

I plan to drive my rice price down.

The price will be...

1.2 tael.

Anyway, I still have

3 million dan of rice

waiting to be shipped here.

This breaks the rules.

Your rules

or my rules?

Your rice is from Anhui.

If you drop the price by 0.9 tael,

you won't make a profit.

Along the way, there are expenses for food

for people and horses, road taxes,

and tolls—

all extra costs.

At 1.2 tael per dan,

you won't even cover costs.

I have a large quantity of rice.

That's not the point!

Calm down.

Sit down, sit down.

Think about it.

You sell at 3 tael,

and I sell at 1.2 tael.

Can you still stay in business?

You can't.

Then the business here will belong to me.

Once you leave,

I can sell at 3 tael,

maybe even 4 tael.

The imperial court is about to start a big project here.

I'll ship all 3 million dan of rice

over here.

I can

make money later.

You are a rich man with a big business.

There's no need to compete

with an old man like me in this small county.

I'm begging you.

I know a rice merchant from Anhui,

surname Sun.

He's been active in Wuhu for years.

Do you know him?

No, I don't.

He's currently in Nantong.

I consulted with him before coming here.

He told me

he knows all Anhui rice merchants

with business

over a million dan of rice,

but he doesn't know you.

I don't know him either.

I used to be in the tea trade.

That business failed,

so I invested my retirement money in rice.

If you know those

Anhui businessmen,

you can

ask them about

Mr. Liao from Huizhou.

That way,

you'd know my background.

How dare I

look into your background?

We were just chatting.

A single straight purple bamboo.

Come on, everyone.

Mr. Li, you are such an

elegant, talented,

and promising young man.

Yes, yes, yes.

Good wine.

Everyone.

In Nantong,

rice is extremely expensive now.

And if you want beauties

in Jiangnan,

you just need to bring a little extra rice.

Mr. Li Qin,

are the women in Jiangnan

really as pretty as you say?

Of course.

You haven't been

to Nantong yet.

As the saying goes,

"When Hunan and Hubei harvest, the whole country is fed."

I'm here this time

to buy rice on His Excellency's orders.

You just need

to ship the rice to Nantong.

I'm using it

for the coastal embankment project.

Before...

I have to make myself clear with you

before I get drunk.

Otherwise, in a while,

I'll definitely forget it.

Mr. Li,

have another drink.

One more! Come on!

Here, here!

Here, Mr. Li.

Here!

-You really can hold your liquor. -Great.

Impressive!

Hold him up!

I'm fine.

Brothers,

are you having fun today?

Yes!

Great!

You are having fun.

Be careful!

Careful!

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

Since you're having fun...

this is your reward!

♪ I've learned to be magnanimous ♪

♪ And forget the past grudges ♪

♪ I've traveled through the years ♪

♪ As life roughens my face ♪

♪ I've felt the coldness between people ♪

♪ I've seen the vast snow ♪

Don't worry about me.

♪ I was once held tightly by someone ♪

Be careful.

Don't worry about me.

♪ The meaning of survival ♪

♪ Is all about staying fed ♪

♪ Turn around ♪

♪ And try to be brave ♪

♪ The show is about to start ♪

Boss,

this is a great opportunity.

Only Li Million's

foolish son can't see it.

Let's make this clear—

we'll make money together,

no hogging the profits.

Tomorrow, each of us will send

a million dan of rice to Nantong.

While he's here having fun,

let's make a tidy profit.

Okay.

-More wine! -More wine!

♪ No matter how many tears you shed ♪

♪ As long as you can get up ♪

♪ You can brush it off as a joke ♪

♪ If I can still breathe ♪

♪ I can hold up this weight ♪

♪ And brave the blade and storm ♪

[Nanjing]

♪ Life is unpredictable anyway ♪

♪ I clench my teeth and keep going ♪

♪ Let them say ♪

They got here so quickly.

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

♪ Turn around ♪

♪ And try to be brave ♪

♪ The show is about to start ♪

Indeed.

Business is like war.

Without some determined tactics,

♪ As a thousand sails drift by ♪

how can you make money?

♪ All the sights of the world ♪

Look at these people—

♪ After everything is settled ♪

which one isn't here

to get a slice of the pie?

♪ A legend starts ♪

♪ This land so vast ♪

If Mr. Liao fails to close the deal

♪ I bear its weight ♪

and these people all head to Nantong,

that'll be trouble.

I've already checked.

There really is a Liao Wu

from Huizhou.

He was born into a noble family

and is skilled in making and appreciating tea.

However,

he was addicted to drinking and gambling,

ended up deeply in debt,

and lost everything

in business.

He has only one daughter,

and he indeed used to be a major tea merchant.

Now that he's on my turf,

it looks like he's going to

get a huge advantage over me.

He's even rented a shop.

I'm just afraid that once he opens tomorrow,

those sirs

will show up demanding a price cut.

This old fox is very cunning.

He wants to squeeze me out

and take

the entire imperial court's project for himself.

That won't do.

My Lord!

My...

My Lord!

My Lord!

My Lord!

Who is it?

Stop knocking!

My Lord!

Why are you yelling?

Didn't I tell you?

When I'm asleep,

even chickens and dogs are not allowed to make a sound.

My Lord,

Master Gu said just now

that your...

your father is dying.

He told me to wake you.

Otherwise, I absolutely wouldn't dare do it.

My Lord.

My father is dying?

Get Gu Pingyuan here.

Yes.

Stop.

Get out!

Sir.

Let me ask you—

Whose father is dying?

Even if you were desperate to see me,

you shouldn't have made up a lie like that.

Do you believe I'll cut you down?

Don't, Sir.

I had a reason.

So you just lied and said

my father was dying?

Good thing my father passed away

years ago,

or you would've scared me to death.

You dare to say anything, huh?

Sir,

why don't you look at this first?

See?

It says

[Ten Thousand Taels of Silver]

"Made in Xianfeng reign of the Qing Empire."

Isn't this your...

father?

Mine?

Yes, yours.

Let's say it's my father.

You gave me your private money

to do business.

The man I sent to sell the rice

has been gone 4 days,

and the deal still isn't closed.

A lot of grain ships

have arrived at Xiaguan Dock in Nanjing.

Once those ships reach Nantong,

we won't be able to make any profit.

Sir, please give an order

to hold them for one more day.

If this deal fails,

your banknote will be in trouble.

Isn't that your father

on his deathbed?

You're quite something.

Wait.

Send this to Jiu by fast horse.

He'll know what to do.

Let me be clear—

only one day.

If those ships block the river

and I don't let them pass,

there will surely be trouble.

Thank you, Sir.

I hate being woken up.

Everyone!

Stay where you are!

We're searching for rebels!

[A Pier in Nanjing]

Hurry!

Don't move!

-Don't move! -Nobody move!

Don't move!

Search all grain ships thoroughly.

Don't let any rebels escape.

Without my permission,

no one is allowed to unload cargo.

[Wende Bridge]

Pingyuan,

you've got so many tricks up your sleeve.

You even managed to bring Marshal Jiu's soldiers here.

[Wende Bridge]

Pingyuan,

is there still no news from Mr. Liao?

No, nothing yet.

Tell me the truth.

Have we bitten off more than we can chew?

Millions of dan of grain—

what if Yang

can't take it all?

Then we'll lose.

Pingyuan,

stop pretending you've got everything under control.

Let me do the math for you.

1.2 tael—

[Wende Bridge]

that's how much it costs

to transport all this grain per dan.

If you can't sell it, and...

I can't even calculate our losses, Pingyuan.

What are you afraid of?

The worst case scenario

is that we lose money.

But you promised me

500,000 tael.

[Wende Bridge]

If you lose, I'll be in trouble too.

What if Miss Liao thinks

I'm as unreliable as you

and refuses to marry me?

That would be good.

If she'd only marry you

for your money,

then you're better off

not getting married at all.

No, Pingyuan.

Whether I have money or not,

she's willing to marry me.

I'm just saying if I have money,

I can open a shop and support our family—

wouldn't that be good?

Then let me ask you,

why do you think people do business?

For money, of course.

Have you ever thought about this?

Why does Yang Qianwan

keeps buying more rice

without lowering his price

even a penny?

Because he wants to monopolize Nantong.

Right?

He wants to take over

the rice and flour supply business

for the coastal embankment construction project.

He's too greedy.

True, no merchant

is completely without greed,

but remember,

one must never be too greedy.

[1.2 Taels of Silver Per Dan]

It's choking in here—

feels like the room's on fire.

I've been waiting for Mr. Yang all night.

I'm the one burning up inside.

The room

isn't.

It's already daylight.

Are we opening or not?

If we keep selling rice at this price,

[1.2 Taels of Silver Per Dan]

we'll lose everything.

Weren't we making a profit before?

Can't it at least break even?

Chang Si made that profit.

If I lose on my turn,

won't

my son-in-law

look down on me?

Stop talking nonsense.

How is that nonsense?

Mr. Chang will definitely laugh at me.

And besides,

if this deal falls through,

what should we do

about your marriage?

You really took that seriously?

How could I not?

I have the most experience

in doing business.

Tell me,

how many businesses have I messed up?

And you're proud of that?

For a businessman,

keeping one's word is the most important thing.

A deal is a deal,

and a promise is a promise.

Gu Pingyuan has built

a successful business these years

because he keeps his word.

If I can help him

close this deal

and get my 500,000 tael,

then regarding your future

with Gu Pingwen,

I'll finally feel at ease.

Parents are only with you for part of your life—

only your spouse

is with you for life.

Come on. If he doesn't show up,

you won't open the door?

Won't I take care of you in your old age?

Are you opening up or not?

Yes.

I am.

I see.

It seems I was just

born to be unlucky with the God of Wealth.

Who is it?

It's me!

Me?

How am I supposed to know who you are?

I'm the butler

of Mr. Yang, Yang Qianwan.

I've brought you the banknotes.

Mr. Liao,

please open the door!

Honey!

God of Wealth,

I misspoke just now.

You've always loved me the most.

I finally see hope

for my daughter's marriage,

and I might soon

have a grandchild.

Coming. Coming.

Open the door!

Mr. Liao.

Open the door!

Honey!

Now that the God of Wealth is here,

the door won't open.

The God of Wealth really doesn't care about me.

Mr. Liao!

You finally opened the door.

Please count them.

I'll settle the accounts with you in a bit.

Thank you.

Honey.

Open it.

Why should I open it?

Haven't you seen banknotes before?

I've seen banknotes.

But banknotes haven't seen me.

[Ying'en Gate]

[Nantong]

[Jiangning Rice Shop]

Master,

are we still opening the city gate?

This scene...

[Ying'en Gate]

looks a bit scary.

Open it.

I'll open it myself.

They're all Gods of Wealth!

Welcome all of them in!

One by one!

[Jiangning Rice Shop]

[Peace and Abundance]

All the carriages, come this way!

Everyone,

many houses in Nantong

have been destroyed.

Today I'll clear out

the government office

for you to use as a warehouse.

All those grain carts outside the city—

I'll make sure

[Breezes of Grace and Harmony]

they're brought in before dark.

Your Worship.

Your Worship.

Who are you guys?

We met each other

on the way here.

May I ask

what the current rice price is

in Nantong?

Three tael per dan.

Three tael per dan.

Guys.

Look at the current state...

[Breezes of Grace and Harmony]

of Nantong.

Come on. You...

Look at me.

Does it look like it can be sold?

Your Worship,

we're all from

Hunan and Hubei.

What do you mean it can't be sold?

You've all seen

[Breezes of Grace and Harmony]

the condition of people in Nantong.

As for the rice price—

it has to be reasonable.

How much do you think is reasonable?

At 3 tael per dan,

nobody will buy it.

You might as well take it all back.

[Breezes of Grace and Harmony]

Come on, let's go!

Wait.

Your Worship! Your Worship!

Let's go clean out

the government office.

We're doomed!

Please don't stop us!

Don't stop us!

We need to think about what to do.

I...

Listen to me!

Hold the price!

Mr. Yang,

please step aside.

Outside there

are hundreds of shops.

If I don't sell,

am I supposed to let the rice rot here?

Why don't you be a good man all the way

and buy all our rice?

You're keeping the price up anyway,

and we don't want that pearl.

Right.

You bought from others

at 3 tael per dan.

Since we're friends,

I'll sell it to you at 1.2 tael.

You've gone mad with greed.

You came here to take advantage of me?

Well...

Master.

How is it?

Calm down, Master.

Me calming down won't solve anything.

What's the price?

In Nantong now,

it's one tael of silver per dan.

What?

All that work for nothing?

Why did it drop so fast?

We're doomed.

That's absolutely impossible.

How can it be 1 tael?

Even in Nanjing it's 1.2 tael!

Goods have no bargaining power at the destination, Master.

I'd say by this afternoon

it'll be 0.8 or 0.9 tael per dan.

Then what do we do?

Do you really have to gamble with them?

Even if we

ship the rice back now, we'll still lose money.

Three tael per dan—

I bought 3.8 million dan!

It's all going to rot in the warehouse!

Gu!

Gu!

Gu!

Li?

I'm here.

[Tranquility of Autumn]

Come on.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

My goodness.

How much did you drink?

I...

Come, have a seat.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

One jin?

Ten jin?

I've been drinking nonstop.

Pingwen,

make some tea.

Why did you let yourself drink that much?

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

These past 10 days

have been crazy,

drinking 4 or 5 times a day,

and with every rice merchant

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

I had to drink twice

from bowls this big.

It was exhausting.

Come on, have some tea.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

You've really done

an outstanding job.

Here.

[Tranquility of Autumn]

Your contribution this time is enormous.

How enormous could it be?

It's enormous enough.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Early this morning

I went to Xiaguan Dock in Nanjing.

Over 300 grain ships were there.

They'd only just been released.

Over 300?

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Hurry and tell me

how things are on your end

so I can enjoy it.

Wait a moment.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Take a look.

[One Thousand Taels]

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

This is your capital.

Altogether,

we sold that old guy

3.8 million dan of rice

and took in

11.4 million tael.

Over 10 million tael?

Wonderful!

I just feel

especially attached to the money

I earn myself.

Li.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Do you remember

what we agreed on before?

Of course I do.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

These,

these,

these,

and these—

all this money...

will be used to fix the coastal embankment.

That's not what I meant.

This time,

our main goal

was to teach that old fellow a lesson

and get our revenge.

Li.

Now the two of us are each in charge

of fixing a coastal embankment, one in the east and one in the west.

If all the money stays with me,

it won't be convenient for you to use.

This is what you deserve.

Take it.

Pack it up and take it home.

Thank you, Gu.

What are you thanking me for?

This is the first time in my life

I've done business

not for profit.

It feels good!

So good!

Master!

Master!

Master.

Don't be too sad.

As long as the foundation remains, there's still hope.

It's already 1 tael per dan.

Get out.

Didn't I tell you to get out?

When that little bastard shows up,

I'll kill him.

But...

But that little bastard

is already here.

You're at least a young man from a good family.

Coming here now to laugh at me

is beneath your dignity.

How could I?

I came today

firstly to collect the pearl,

and secondly

to get

the reward from you.

You're quite something.

Let's go.

I'll...

get you the pearl

and the banknotes.

Alright.

Now we have a grudge between us.

0.9 tael! 0.9 tael!

It's 0.9 tael now!

Big discount!

Over here, 0.9 tael!

There's enough for everyone!

Come, come! 0.8 tael!

0.8 tael over here!

0.8 teals!

0.6 teals!

0.6 teals!

0.6 teals! Come!

0.6 teals!

It's 0.6 teals now!

0.6 teals over here!

What are you doing?

If those rice merchants see me,

they'll definitely

eat me alive.

Just tell them you're an official

sent by the imperial court to oversee the big project.

They'd be scrambling

to curry favor with you.

What are you afraid of?

Doing business

is just like putting on a show.

The ones acting are crazy,

and the ones watching are fools.

Everyone has their role.

[One Hundred Taels]

Sir.

Sir.

What?

You're a master of Neo-Confucianism.

Can't you control yourself a little

when you see money?

Have you ever seen a sage who was poor?

Nonsense.

If you were poor,

who would respect you?

Thank you

for the money.

I was just eliminating threats for the people.

There's no need to thank me.

Here.

I have a little something for you.

What is this?

A painting?

Mr. Gu,

I consider you one of my own.

How can you not show respect?

Sir,

you're a senior in the imperial examinations,

a first-rank viceroy,

practically half a sage.

And I'm

just a small merchant.

How would I dare call myself your equal?

Don't put on

that merchant's facade in front of me.

When I first saw you,

I told Jiu,

"Is this a merchant?"

"He's a born scholar."

Jiu told me about you

and wanted to transfer you under my command.

At first I had my doubts.

You,

your intelligence is too obvious.

Luckily, you have a kind heart.

Otherwise, who knows

how many times you would have died already.

This is a letter

I specifically submitted

in my name,

recommending you.

I noticed that this man handles matters with both tact and firmness.

He's unassuming in appearance but with the heart of a hero.

He claims

to have suffered from madness in childhood,

which flared up later during the imperial examination.

For causing a disturbance in the examination hall,

he was sentenced to exile at Ningguta.

I am willing to vouch for him.

He can be officially conferred the title of Associate Jinshi.

To preserve such a pillar for the imperial court

and such a talent for the southeast

is my great pleasure.

I dare not accept such praise.

"Handles matters with both tact and firmness."

"He's unassuming in appearance but with the heart of a hero."

In all my years of evaluating people,

only you

deserve these words.

This is a letter

from the Ministry of Rites.

[Gu Pingyuan, from Jianshan County in Huizhou Prefecture]

Go back

and prepare a record of your ancestors for 3 generations.

I will submit the memorial first thing tomorrow morning.

Does this small token of gratitude

meet with your approval?

Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu!

Are you stunned?

To wash away a lifetime of shame

is like being reborn.

Indeed.

How could a hero remain in obscurity for long?

I am satisfied with having handled this matter.

Today,

don't go back to Nantong.

Spend time with your family,

get the 3 generations' record ready,

and bring them first thing tomorrow.

Yes.

Sir,

there's another troublesome matter.

When I was a kid, my father went to the capital

to take the imperial examination

and has been missing ever since.

I don't know whether he is alive or dead.

I've actually

heard Sixth Prince mention this.

The year your father went to take the imperial examination,

there was a major epidemic in the capital,

and many people died.

The Nine Gates Infantry Commander at the time

had all the bodies burned,

so there's no way to verify.

Just write it that way.

Sir.

I want to sincerely kowtow to you

on my father's behalf.

So all this time

you weren't really sincere in your kowtows,

were you?

Most of the time, no.

This time,

being able to bring honor to 3 generations

and earn him an official rank,

I'm even happier than if I received it myself.

Of course.

With an official rank,

even in the afterlife,

it's still an honor.

Also,

it wasn't easy for your mother

to raise you from childhood.

Once you achieve merit,

I'll submit a memorial for you

so the imperial court can grant her an honorary title.

I thank you on behalf of my mother.

I'll go back now

and tell her about this.

Okay.

By the way, Sir,

there's one more thing

I hope you'll allow.

Li Qin and I are brothers after all.

Li Wantang is Li Wantang,

and he is himself.

He made great contributions to the coastal embankment project

and the reduction of the rice price this time.

He wants to earn the operating rights

of the Lianghuai region's salt industry

only because he made a bet

with his family,

wanting to become independent from them.

I hope you can see this clearly.

How about you

let him handle the salt fields?

I have a reason

for not giving him the salt lands.

Last time you went to negotiate with the Westerners,

they refused to budge even a little.

They want to get into tea

and silk business—

anything that makes money,

they want their hands on it.

If we really

give all the salt fields to Li Wantang

and he sells them to the Westerner,

what should we do?

Can I stop him?

What if the Westerners jack up the salt price

and the people of the Seven Provinces of Jiangnan

revolt?

Can you take responsibility for that?

I didn't consider that.

I was short-sighted.

I'll request credit for him

for the coastal embankment project.

He can have some of the salt fields,

but the imperial court must keep some too.

And frankly,

those salt fields he has

were taken

by exploiting the chaos

during the war in the south.

One shouldn't be too greedy.

Gu Pingyuan,

you know,

your intelligence is too obvious.

Trouble will find you in the future.

You spared him today,

but in the future, he might not

show you the same mercy.

You may go.

Yes.

[Tranquility of Autumn]

Mother.

Mother.

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Father.

Uncle Liao.

Come here.

Hurry.

What happened?

My eyes

are failing me completely.

Mr. Chang, please read it to me.

Alright.

Gu Pingyuan,

from Shanjian Village, Huizhou Prefecture.

In the third year of Xianfeng,

he placed third in the county-level exam

in Shanjian County, Huizhou Prefecture.

In the fifth year of Xianfeng,

he ranked first in the Huizhou provincial exam.

For his merit, he was granted

the title of Associate Jinshi.

Recommender: Ling Gui, Minister of Rites.

Guarantor:

Rui Lin, Viceroy of Liangjiang.

Is this for real?

Heaven has smiled upon us?

Heaven has smiled upon us!

Old Madam Gu,

Pingyuan has finally achieved success.

He has a prestigious title now.

Congratulations!

Mother,

the Viceroy of Liangjiang recommended Pingyuan,

granting him

the title of Associate Jinshi.

My son has left behind his lowly status?

Indeed.

Prostitutes, actors, musicians,

and major criminals of the imperial court

are barred from taking the imperial examinations for 3 generations.

Now it's perfect.

Your grandson

and his descendants

will have

a bright future.

Where's our hero?

[Gentle Breeze & Bright Moon]

Don't call him that.

Pingyuan is now an Associate Jinshi.

Jinshis

are like stars descended from heaven.

He doesn't have time

to chat with us about trivial matters.

Indeed, Father.

And stop calling him

Mr. Chang anymore.

He's now

the father-in-law of an Associate Jinshi.

We should call him Master Chang.

Master Chang.

Stop putting on airs.

Your son-in-law

won't mind your humble origins?

You should go ask around.

Will the daughter of the Viceroy of Liangjiang

marry him?

Indeed.

Anything could happen.

He doesn't have a daughter to marry him.

That's so improper.

Why do I remember that he has one?

Mother,

let's go inside.

He does?

Yes.

[Half a City]

Careful. Be more careful.

It's Emperor Jiaqing's calligraphy.

Damaging even a bit of lacquer is a serious offense.

Every time I see this plaque,

I always think

it's only natural that

I've accomplished nothing in my life.

Look, your ancestors

[Half a City]

were already so prestigious a hundred or so years ago.

Truly incomparable.

This belongs to my wife's ancestors.

Back then their holdings

were barely half a city.

But in your hands, Master—

my goodness—

the business is nearly half a country now.

The current emperor

should write you a new plaque.

Write me a plaque?

Such little gain for so much effort.

You may go.

Master, look.

These are all the guests who,

knowing we're reopening Li's Draft Bank

in Nanjing,

want to pay us a visit.

Which one should we see first?

Let's see them one by one.

It's customary for visitors to pay respects to residents.

Let's start with the Liangjiang Viceroy's Office.

I've already arranged it for you.

His Excellency said

he'll send his sedan chair tomorrow

with 6 imperial guards

to invite you to his residence.

Even the 6 guards

wear official's hats.

In the entire Liangjiang region,

no one else has such honor.

It's merely a formality.

Do you think I dare ride in his sedan chair?

If an imperial censor sees me and reports it to the court,

it would be a disaster.

That old fox.

He is holding on to the salt fields

and won't let me lay my hands on them.

Master,

didn't you give this matter

to Young Master to handle?

Why not have him stand up?

[Everything as Wished]

He's been kneeling since early morning.

[Grand Vision for Long-Lasting Prosperity]

[Everything as Wished]

Come on.

Directly appointing a jinshi to serve as a local official?

This is called the "Tiger List?"

At the very least, you would be a county magistrate.

Being a county magistrate is not bad.

A county magistrate

is the parent official of a whole county.

That's a lot of power.

You lowly commoner.

You're not convinced, are you?

The magistrate is holding court!

I'll stand aside.

It's a good thing

you're not the one becoming an official.

If you were,

the world wouldn't be big enough for your ego.

Pingyuan,

I'm just happy for you.

I just can't stand

seeing you frown like that.

I'm telling you,

sometimes,

people just can't help making things hard...

for themselves.

Who are you talking about?

Who are you talking about?

Get out!

Mother.

Mr. Chang.

Mr. Liao.

Son-in-law.

My Lord.

Your mother deserves your bow,

but the two of us don't now.

That's right.

Mr. Chang—

No, no.

Master Chang said

you've finally made something of yourself.

If you ask me,

kid,

you've built great virtue

by fixing that coastal embankment.

At noon,

we should have a proper lunch, right?

Mother,

I...

You're afraid you can't handle it?

A little bit.

Come.

Come with me.

Let's have lunch together.

Come.

It's fine.

You may go.

Have you figured it out?

Not at all.