Original subtitles

[Legend of the Magnate]

[Episode 38]

There's one month left

to the half-year bet

you made with Mr. Gu.

I said you will head over

after the seventh day of mourning.

Is Gu Pingyuan ready

to give up what he owes?

Why aren't you saying anything?

Say something.

Young Master.

I have failed you.

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

I invested so much money!

Two hundred shops!

I should have crushed him easily!

Young Master, it was not quite 200—

it was 188 shops.

Counting wages and rent,

we've been losing money.

No one would open

-two salt shops in each town. -That's none of your business!

I'll bear the losses.

The losses are mine.

But the profit

must have exceeded his, right?

Why aren't you saying anything?

Young Master.

Mr. Gu made an unexpected move.

He opened

231 shops.

For Guangdong, Guangxi, Shanxi, and Shaanxi,

he used canal transport and horse caravans

to transport salt from Changlu's salt farms,

well salt from Sichuan,

and salt from Lianghuai

to be sold there.

The profits are enormous.

He cannot win.

He cannot win.

This isn't right.

This isn't right.

He's openly defying

the imperial court's salt administration.

I'm going to the capital to report him.

Young Master.

Master has passed on.

Who can we rely on?

This time,

we've truly lost.

[Liangjiang Viceroy's Office]

You're really something.

How did you manage this?

We found a route

from Sichuan that allows us

to transport salt here.

The Changlu salt region

has been peaceful for many years.

Their salt reserves are abundant

and prices are low.

As for the salt regions in Shandong,

they can't sell outside the province,

but the province itself doesn't consume nearly enough.

But if you look at places like Jiangxi,

Guangdong and Guangxi,

and Shanxi and Shaanxi,

they have insufficient natural salt reserves

and have high salt prices.

But their food

consists mostly of preserved

and smoked food,

requiring large amounts of salt.

Since we're opening a salt shop,

why not

open in these places?

That makes sense.

The salt licenses from Lianghuai

also bear the Qing seal.

Moreover,

the ban on provincial monopolies

has been abolished.

As the saying goes, businessmen should travel the world.

Staying in one province

is being too restrictive.

I understand now.

Are you taking us

to do transprovincial business?

If Li Wantang can cross the Yangtze River

to acquire our Lianghuai salt fields,

what's so special

about what I'm doing?

If we had thought of this earlier,

why would we have been at odds

with Li for so long?

-Yeah. -Yeah.

This solution

has been there all along.

If he hadn't pushed me

to the edge,

I wouldn't want to deal with him this way.

I don't even want

to be the Viceroy of Liangjiang anymore.

Let's go make a fortune together.

Sir.

If you're done looking at it,

please let me go home.

My family is still in mourning.

How could you be like this?

It's fine, it's fine.

If not now,

I'll go back with you

to pay respects to Old Madam Gu.

What could she possibly say about me?

You're just taking advantage of my abilities.

Is Gu in there?

All the filial sons in the world

are reporting here.

Young Master Li,

weren't you going to come only after the seventh day of mourning?

Sir,

I'm here to check the accounts.

Sure.

Go ahead.

Take your time.

You stay right here.

Guards!

-Yes! -Yes!

Guard the door carefully.

Sharpen your blades well.

No one can leave today.

They can leave,

but not alive.

Yes, sir!

Your idea

is excellent.

Some days ago,

I also submitted a memorial to the imperial court

requesting to build railways.

Once goods can circulate freely,

and merchants can trade everywhere,

our people will become wealthy

and commoners will live better lives.

The imperial court is planning to establish a Ministry of Commerce.

I think

the Minister of Commerce...

Sir, if you continue this talk,

I'll bash my head against the wall right now.

Being such a minor official

has already exhausted me

to the point of vomiting and diarrhea.

And now you want me to go serve as an official in the capital?

You might as well kill me now.

Didn't we agree

that once I help you accomplish this matter,

you would let me return to Anhui?

How can you...

How can you have no ambition

at all?

This regime

is not one for business.

We're different from foreigners.

That's insightful.

To be honest with you,

I've been telling the imperial court the same thing.

I said we can't keep clinging to

Mencius's old doctrines anymore.

Always going on about

righteousness versus profit,

and gentlemen versus petty men.

People are doing business with us

holding guns

and cannons.

Yet here we are, still talking to them

about Confucius and Mencius foolishly.

Do you think this makes sense?

The Minister of Commerce

is a high-ranking official.

If you're lucky,

in just a few years,

you'll be my equal.

What's good about

being in a position like yours?

Aren't you just worried every day

about your own fortune?

I don't have that confidence.

Sir.

I'm just a man with no ambition.

No,

you're not.

Alright, that's for later.

We don't need to discuss it now.

However,

in reorganizing the Salt Industry Guild,

your contribution has been tremendous.

I plan

to give you 20%

of the Salt Industry Guild shares.

Aren't you happy?

Sir.

The outcome is still uncertain.

Well, Young Master Li,

have you finished reviewing the accounts?

There's only one month left.

You can't turn the tables.

Sir.

I...

It's okay.

It's fine if you haven't finished checking it.

I've already had someone

to make a copy of the ledger

and deliver it to your residence.

Take your time reviewing it before your seventh day of mourning.

After that, I will go collect my debt.

[Ancestral Spirit Tablet of Qing Dynasty's Esteemed Li Wantang]

[Ancestral Spirit Tablet of Qing Dynasty's Esteemed Li Wantang]

[Ancestral Spirit Tablet of Qing Dynasty's Esteemed Li Wantang]

[Ancestral Spirit Tablet of Qing Dynasty's Esteemed Li Wantang]

[Shanghai Xianghe Trade House]

Friends have come from afar.

Mr. Li.

Please.

[Xianghe Trade House]

Well,

have different views

on the collateral.

Regarding the mortgage,

both parties

have different opinions.

Is it about the valuation

or about the collateral itself?

We have no doubts

about the collateral itself.

The sixty-some shops

that Mr. Li has offered,

we believe

are all profitable assets.

But the issue is

there are too many official connections involved.

Quality assets

are called quality assets

for a reason.

Mr. Richard,

after all your years here,

you must surely understand that

in the Great Qing,

a business without official backing

that grows too large

is nothing more than

a useless fat pig.

All these dozens of shops

that I'm offering

have government banks as shareholders.

So using these assets

as collateral

is the most secure

and trustworthy option.

When it comes to doing business,

the British Empire

is open-minded.

We have always believed

that business knows no borders.

We once intended

to invest in China's salt industry,

textile industry,

and even the food industry,

as well as to help restore

the development of Liangjiang.

You know those

narrow-minded officials with braided queues—

they always

maliciously speculate

that we would be invaders.

But in fact, that's not the case at all.

Xianghe Trade House

is willing to help you

to build your own salt industry empire.

For this, we are ready to provide

all funds

as well as assistance beyond funding.

What is assistance beyond funding?

What do you mean by

assistance beyond funding?

Assistance beyond the funding,

refers to the warships and gunboats

anchored in the

Huangpu river.

Assistance beyond funding,

are the

warships stationed in the Huangpu River.

Ask him to get to the point.

Make the point, please.

Yes, yes.

Let's get back to the point.

So, if we provide

all necessary funding to Mr. Li...

If we provide this funding

to you,

there will naturally be

British Empire's gunboats

and warships to remind them.

While protecting Mr. Li,

they're also protecting their investment.

[Liangjiang Viceroy's Office]

I will not compromise on this issue.

Mr. Richard says

that he will not

compromise on this matter.

He believes that free and open commerce

should not be limited by national boundaries.

Speaking of which,

Mr. Richard

also wants to open

a branch of

Xianghe Trading Company in Jiangning.

He is very pleased

to be your neighbor, Viceroy.

I have no desire to have a stinky foreigner as my neighbor.

Don't translate this.

Has Gu Pingyuan arrived?

I've sent someone to find him.

He's asking where Gu is.

Regarding what you just mentioned,

I cannot make a decision at this moment.

You say that Li Qin

has already mortgaged half

of the Liangjiang salt industry shares to you.

I cannot believe this

until I hear it

from him personally.

Even if I believe it,

whether the imperial court

would agree to open

the salt industry to foreign countries

is something I must report

to the Emperor and

the Empress Dowager.

Therefore, I suggest

that he should go to the capital

and the Office of General Management

to seek advice.

Before coming, he already knew

you would pass the buck

and send this matter to the capital.

This is the typical practice

of Qing bureaucracy.

Have you seen Mr. Gu?

He's over there.

I've been looking for you everywhere.

If I still can't find you,

the Viceroy's Office would have arrested me.

Let's go.

The Viceroy of Liangjiang is waiting for you.

What use could I possibly be?

Such a major incident has happened

and those bloodsuckers

wearing red official hats,

have no solutions.

How can they expect common people like us

to have any solutions?

How could he

do such a thing?

That bastard,

he's nothing but a national traitor.

That's not what I meant.

That's exactly what I meant.

I am cursing him,

that darn traitor.

[Loyal to the Country, Just in Duty]

Sir.

Sir!

Sir.

I've quit for many years.

Would you like

a puff?

No, thanks.

Have a seat.

You're lucky.

I've already vented my anger.

Where have you been?

I went to inspect the salt fields.

I've just returned from Xiaguan Dock.

Did you see the British ships?

Last time they came

it was when Commissioner Lin

fought a battle with them

in Guangzhou over opium.

What should we do now?

We've brought trouble upon ourselves.

I

should have arrested Li Qin earlier.

I was too soft-hearted,

waiting for his mourning period to be over.

I didn't expect

he was so agitated

he became a traitor.

Sir.

The situation is different now.

If it were just Li Million,

no matter how hard he tried

to monopolize the salt industry

in Lianghuai,

you're the governor.

You could simply refuse

and he would have no grounds to object.

But now we're dealing with

the British.

We need to come up with an explanation.

Yes.

I had someone look into

the Elements of International Law.

A country

can declare important commodities

as state monopolies.

I've sent someone with the book

to ride quickly to the capital

and deliver it to the Office of General Management.

Now we'll see

if they can help me

stop this mess.

What should we do?

We really screwed up this time.

Why aren't you saying anything?

You're the Viceroy of Liangjiang, a high official,

and you have no ideas.

Yet you ask me to think of something?

I was trying to

protect your business.

Sir.

Let me be honest.

This is not

how merchants should act.

Either you're

relying on your official position

to pressure others

and do whatever you want,

or you're constantly giving in—

always backing down.

If you want to do business with the British,

this approach

simply won't work.

We're just too weak.

Do you believe

if I had 10 ironclad warships

like those,

no one would dare speak to me like this?

You...

Mr. Li,

why are you sitting in the shadows?

It's more comfortable this way.

Whiskey.

Much better.

There you go, Sir.

Thank you.

Cheers.

That sneaky old man

has given in.

That sly old fox

has backed down.

He's backed down?

Not surrendering—

probably just being polite.

This is just the beginning.

He'll get increasingly cooperative.

It's just the beginning.

Surely he will be more and more compliant.

Best do.

More whiskey!

The talks actually didn't go so well.

That old bastard was acting like he was playing Taichi with me.

He just won't admit.

Mr. Richard thinks

the negotiations didn't go well.

That old man is really good at dodging issues

and refuses to admit to anything.

He insists on meeting you in person.

But even if he meets you,

he will still consult with the Emperor

and the Empress Dowager.

Didn't your consul

already go to the capital

to see the Emperor and Empress Dowager

to resolve this issue?

These people

from the Office of General Management

are even better at stalling.

But they still

have many ways

to break their promises.

For example, the signing date

is being postponed indefinitely.

The British Empire now

has nothing but opium

to wage war

with.

This isn't exactly profiteering.

How is this not profiteering?

Is it really not so?

It's such a huge country

with so many people consuming salt.

My father spent 10 years

to gain control of only one-fifth

of Qing's salt industry.

You're telling me this isn't profiteering?

And you're telling me this is not a highly profitable industry?

Mr. Li.

Mr. Richard says

you are a very valuable person.

But if you make one step off this ship,

even the British Empire

will not guarantee

your safety.

He says if you

take one step off this ship,

even the British Empire

cannot guarantee

your safety.

When the time is right,

I will turn myself in.

[Loyal to the Country, Just in Duty]

Imperial Edict:

it has come to our attention

that the British envoy holds deeds to the Lianghuai salt fields

[Imperial Edict]

and has approached the Office of General Management

to negotiate payment.

I am utterly shocked by this news.

The salt industry

is vital to our nation's economy and people's livelihood.

[Imperial Edict]

How dare you

negotiate such matters with foreigners?

[Loyal to the Country, Just in Duty]

Viceroy,

report back with full details immediately.

By Imperial Order.

I humbly receive the Emperor's edict.

[Loyal to the Country, Just in Duty]

Long live the Emperor!

Are the Emperor and the Empress Dowager

still angry?

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

The Empress Dowager said

that Jiangnan

has been in chaos for years.

Such a thing happening

is not surprising at all.

Her Majesty is wise.

The Empress Dowager is wise.

The Empress Dowager also said

that these land deeds

originally belonged to us Chinese,

so how did they end up

in foreigners' hands?

If the Viceroy of Liangjiang doesn't know,

then are all the officials in Liangjiang

blind

and dead?

Well...

That's real fury indeed!

However, the Empress Dowager also mentioned

that most likely

there are traitors at work.

Yes.

Oversight can happen sometimes.

Yes, indeed.

Rui Lin

is experienced in state affairs.

If he handles this,

there will certainly be no problems.

See how

Liangjiang has been managed so well

in just such a short time.

The Empress Dowager is wise.

Wise indeed.

The Empress Dowager is wise.

The foreigners said

that this must be settled

within a month.

Last time,

the imperial court still owed

war reparations

of 16 million taels.

These British

have been constantly pressing for payment.

If it's not settled

within a month,

then all officials in Liangjiang

will have their personal assets confiscated

to pay compensation.

This...

This...

[Clear Mirror Hung High]

This...

Sir, this...

Sir...

This...

Sir, what should we do?

What should we do?

Please go upstairs to rest first, Sir.

I will certainly

resolve this within the time limit.

I won't let the Emperor

and the Empress Dowager worry.

Please.

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

Please.

Sir.

Sir.

Sir.

Sir, take it slowly.

-Slowly. -Sir.

Be careful.

Slowly, slowly.

What should I do?

What should I do?

Tell me.

I...

Tell me!

Sir.

That fellow is hiding

on a British ironclad ship.

We can't touch him.

That's right, Sir.

We can't do anything.

Yes.

We can't.

We really can't.

Go.

This is your brother.

Can you find a way

to get him to come down?

How can I persuade him?

Well...

I'll apologize to him.

I'll hand over Lianghuai's salt industry to him.

As long as these things

don't fall into the hands of the Westerners!

I can grant him an official position.

You figure out a way.

Give him whatever he wants.

What if he just hates me?

Go.

Go.

Go.

[Righteous and Diligent]

[Clear Mirror Hung High]

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

Tell me.

How can we trick

your brother off that ship?

Trick him into getting off the ship?

Yes.

As long as he comes down

here.

He's Li Million's son.

That's a lot of inheritance we are talking about.

I can confiscate

all of his property.

I can exile him.

I can kill him.

How about it?

I'll give you

everything Li Million has.

How's that reward?

Where are you going?

Sir,

I'm afraid you're overthinking this.

This brother of mine

may not be very smart,

but since he dared to do

something like this,

he's already considered all the consequences.

What you're saying

is useless.

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

You...

[Righteous and Diligent]

I don't believe it.

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

Mr. Li,

I am...

I know.

Mr. Tu.

Head of the Salt Industry Guild

and salt merchant magnate of Lianghuai.

Please sit.

This chair is so soft.

Speak.

Mr. Li,

I've come on

the Viceroy of Liangjiang's orders

to have a talk with you.

Previously,

there might have been some misunderstandings.

There's no misunderstanding.

What misunderstanding could there be?

He is the Viceroy,

and I'm just a small merchant.

If there's any misunderstanding, it must be my fault.

No, no.

He says it's his fault.

He says

as long as you're willing to come ashore,

he'll agree to

any conditions you have.

Really.

Tell us,

what official position would you like?

No problem.

Any position in Liangjiang,

whichever one you fancy,

we can discuss it.

The Salt Industry Guild

has also discussed this.

As long as you're willing to come,

Mr. Gu

will return to Anhui.

The Salt Industry Guild

will treat you highly.

I stake my life

as a guarantee to you.

Such sincerity, huh?

Manager Gu

has won a complete victory.

Why would he be returning to Anhui?

He said...

What did he say?

Speak up!

He said

that though salt

may seem insignificant,

it's essential for every meal.

If foreigners get to control it,

you'll be condemned by history,

just like Qin Hui.

He asks you to have some self-respect.

These aren't my words.

That sounds like something my brother would say.

But he's the kind of person

who's just too serious.

Take a message back for me.

Please go ahead.

I have just one request.

Sir,

Li Qin has replied?

I had Tu Ying

write down every word

they said.

Have a look.

This is what your brother said.

[Viceroy, Gu Pingyuan destroyed my family.]

[He shouldn't have ever come back from exile.]

It was that friend of mine surnamed Gu

who destroyed my family.

He shouldn't have ever come back from Ningguta.

Tell Rui Lin

if

he can send Gu Pingyuan

back to Ningguta

and chain him up there like a dog

for the rest of his life,

I'll come ashore immediately.

This is human nature—

truly despicable.

What do you plan to do?

Look.

You've done so much

for Liangjiang.

How could I agree to his demand?

But now

this problem isn't mine anymore.

It's yours.

I know.

Then exile me.

I'm tired of staying

in Liangjiang anyway.

Look at you,

getting upset after just a few words.

Your temper

is even worse than mine,

the Viceroy of Liangjiang.

Even if I had

extraordinary abilities now,

they would be useless.

They have their cannons pointed at me.

I absolutely cannot watch

the salt industry fall into foreign hands.

What if

it still isn't settled

after you exile me?

You need to tell me the truth

so I know where I stand.

Well...

Your brother can die, then.

What if we still don't succeed

even after killing him?

Then I'll start a war!

If our salt

is controlled by foreigners,

when I die,

I won't be able to face my ancestors.

This is from the bottom of my heart.

Sir,

I'll help you with this matter,

but you must help me too.

If I can't handle it,

how can you?

If I can't resolve it,

I'll pack my things

and return to Ningguta myself.

Come, sit.

Tell me

how I should help you.

Whether you agree to his demands or not,

he will come ashore sooner or later.

The key to this matter

is that we can't proceed without him.

After he gets off the ship,

whether you kill him,

confiscate his property,

or offer him titles and promises,

I think none of it will work.

It's better to just honestly take responsibility.

I

take responsibility?

Have you lost your mind?

How about I serve as the Viceroy of Liangjiang

for a few days?

I'll be your proxy and handle all negotiations.

After it's done, let me return to Anhui.

For the rest of my life,

leave me alone.

For the rest of your life?

That's too long.

Is that a yes or no?

You're the Viceroy of Liangjiang,

a leader among court officials.

Can't you say something

that I can believe?

Fine.

If you can make this happen,

you'll have freedom to come and go in Liangjiang as you please.

Are you tired?

If you are, go inside and take a nap.

I'm not tired.

It's so rare

to have a meal with you.

Who says so?

Then I'll come back to eat every day from now on.

Please don't.

If you don't find it annoying, I certainly do.

Where's Pingwen?

What's wrong with you lately?

Didn't Pingwen escort Mother's coffin

back to Anhui?

He won't be back to help until next month.

Recently, things

have been coming one after another.

My head is about to explode.

It's always been like this.

Yet here you are, talking about coming home for meals everyday.

Li Qin has

caused a huge mess.

He mortgaged the Lianghuai salt fields

to the British.

Now the British have brought

their gunboats to the Yangtze River.

The work at the salt fields

seems impossible to continue now.

I think we don't need to wait for

Pingwen to return.

We should just go back to Anhui

and grow tea instead.

Not just the two of us,

but also the little one in your belly.

You're all talk.

If there are gunboats on the Yangtze,

shouldn't we find somewhere to hide?

Let them be there.

They won't fight.

It's just that business

will be difficult from now on.

They keep

bringing their gunboats here.

How can we negotiate?

It's truly infuriating.

Mr. Gu.

Yes?

Someone's here

asking you to meet him at the door.

Why doesn't he come in?

He insists you meet him at the door.

Who is it with such an attitude?

Bastard.

How dare you show up!

Heizi.

Who is this?

What are you doing?

Don't hold me back!

Have you gone crazy?

Don't hold me back, I said!

How dare you come here!

Alright, alright.

You rascal!

Here.

Hey!

Put this on your eye.

The bruise will heal soon.

You're just lazy.

If I taught you a few moves, he'd be dead by now.

Don't you dare help.

If I helped,

your body

would already be cold.

Even better.

You should go back first.

Talk things out properly.

Don't fight anymore.

You have the nerve to come here?

I can't enter

Nanjing now.

I don't know what kind of

vicious tactics

that old bastard will use against me.

Did you just come to see

if I'm still around?

I've packed my bags,

ready to go to Ningguta anytime.

Isn't you going to Ningguta

a good thing?

You should have stayed there

to start with, no?

Is something wrong with your head?

Why did you do that?

I can't help you now

even if I want to, you know?

I don't need your help!

You can't help me either!

I'm just

a useless, incompetent person,

a child you all make fun of,

a worm, a traitor—

but so what?

You should've just

rotted and died in Ningguta!

I've lost my entire family.

I have nowhere to go.

After I'm gone,

I hope you and Li Qin will be good brothers.

Take good care of him.

This kid is quite clever,

but he is too impulsive.

If he gets into serious trouble,

for the sake of

how I helped you solve your problems before,

please protect him.

Parents always plan

for their children's future.

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

[Righteous and Diligent]

Greetings,

Sir.

There is no place left

for you

in Liangjiang.

I know.

The Emperor and Empress Dowager are furious.

[Righteous and Diligent]

They're confiscating your property

and all your shops.

Yes.

You're still young.

Don't do such things

out of spite.

[Righteous and Diligent]

If you handle the salt matter

properly,

I'll protect you.

The Qing Dynasty

cannot afford such a scandal.

What if I can't?

If you die,

disappear,

and turn to ashes,

I'll put those ashes

in a cannon shell

and fire it into the sea.

Let's see who can prove

those deals you've made.

[Clear Rivers and Ringing Shrines]

If I were afraid of these things,

I wouldn't have come here.

Sir,

before coming here,

I've signed a contract to transfer my shares

with the British Consulate.

If my personal safety

is threatened,

the warship on the Yangtze River

will not let you off.

Don't believe me?

Just try it.

You're determined to betray your country,

aren't you?