Original subtitles

They're so beautiful, so unique.

There's hot water in the kettle for you to wash up.

It's getting late.

Mrs. Fan, you should

get some rest early.

Thank you, Fuling.

What do you think?

It's pretty good.

This must be the surprise Qianqian mentioned.

The hot water is on the table.

Wash up first.

Okay.

Hold on.

Just pour it in here.

The water in the basin has already gone cold anyway.

Just pour it in?

You don't like soaking your feet?

I...

I don't know what you're used to,

but in my family,

we all soak in the same basin.

Or I can

ask Fuling to boil another kettle of hot water for you later.

No need.

That's not what I meant.

I'll just go outside and rinse with cold water in a bit.

Cold water?

In weather this cold, washing with cold water—

you'll catch a chill.

I'm used to it.

There's only one bed here.

You and Changning rest first.

I'll go stay outside for a while.

You can't stay outside all night, can you?

Fuling said

this is the only guest room left.

It's alright.

I'll ask the staff here at Yixiang Restaurant

if I can share a room with them for the night.

I'm going out first.

What went wrong?

Did the ambush with the sack scare him off?

Or did the foot-soaking scare him?

Is soaking feet really that frightening?

[Pursuit of Jade]

[Episode 15]

Mr. Yan, it's late.

Why haven't you gone back to your room to sleep?

She has her little sister with her,

so it's inconvenient.

I hadn't thought of that.

The staff here share rooms, two per room.

But one of them snores terribly loudly,

so no one can sleep well beside him.

If you don't mind,

you may rest in his room tonight.

I don't mind.

Don't tell me

you really don't plan to take the sisters with you?

Once you leave, it'll be hard to see them again.

How can I take them with me?

Take them to the front lines to endure hardships,

with their lives on the line every moment?

Precisely because the battlefield is fraught with peril,

you need a woman who can shoulder the responsibility

of being the matriarch of your family.

In my view,

she's no fragile woman.

She's wonderful.

She is resilient, more so than many women from noble families.

But I only want to see her

grow wild and free, like grass in an open field.

The role of matriarch would only confine her.

Wake up.

Wake up!

Scholar Song?

Quick, help him up!

Easy, easy.

Scholar Song,

you're covered in wounds.

W-Were you robbed?

One...

Two...

Three...

-Four... -L-Last night...

Five...

-Six... -I think I was beaten up by a child.

You didn't stay up all night, did you?

I told you last night.

That attendant in the dormitory snores terribly.

You must've been kept awake by the noise.

How about I go get you some tea?

Go get some sleep.

The staff at Yixiang Restaurant are looking after Changning.

Don't tell me

you really don't plan to take the sisters with you?

Once you leave,

it'll be hard to see them again.

Are you listening?

Go on.

What are you thinking about?

Nothing.

I just woke up,

so I'm a bit out of it.

What did you just say?

I said

the staff at Yixiang Restaurant are looking after Changning.

I can manage the braised meat shop by myself.

It's okay.

I'll go with you.

I need to buy something at the bookshop anyway.

Fatty Celery!

Mr. Yan, Mrs. Fan,

sorry about that, sorry.

Not that way. This way!

Instant karma...

Are you okay?

I'm fine.

[Noodles]

You have no appetite?

You seem out of sorts too.

Did the bookshop owner give you a hard time?

No.

Waiter, bill.

Coming.

[Noodles]

Sir,

that will be 30 wen.

I'll get it.

Okay.

A grown man out to eat with a woman,

and he lets her pay?

Isn't he ashamed of himself?

Could he be a kept man?

I know that guy.

He's the An family's matrilocal husband—

he lives off his wife.

Heaven knows what the An family's daughter

sees in that spineless man.

Just his pretty face, I suppose.

Are you full?

Waiter, bill!

[Noodles]

Coming.

That will be 21 wen.

Just

make it 20 wen.

Could he be a kept man as well?

With looks like that, he's certainly cut out for it.

Yeah.

Did you buy too many things for Changning?

No, it's just that I...

I bet

he saw the An family's matrilocal husband embarrass himself

and was trying to save face.

The money's underneath.

No need.

I'm afraid they won't have change.

Your New Year's gift. Open it.

Money is of no use to me.

You're not taking it with you?

Wait...

Give it to me.

This isn't like you at all.

Having a wife really does change a man.

Why do you have so much to say?

Here, here, here.

Sir, you must be joking.

We're just a small shop. Such a large silver ingot…

We really

can't break it.

I... I...

I have some loose coins.

That's good.

Let me pay with the coins.

Alright, please come again.

Then take this.

Look at this young gentleman,

so young...

Then I'll keep it for you.

Maybe

he's some noble young master,

coming to our area

to observe the lives of common folks.

Yes, exactly.

Who would carry a whole silver ingot just to pay for a meal?

Where did you get so much money?

Don't tell me the bookshop owner gave it to you again.

Just keep it.

[Xigu Lane]

You're finally back.

Something terrible has happened!

What happened?

The county office suddenly requisitioned grain.

Not only grain—

they want money too.

They're levying it per person—

four taels each.

That much?

Isn't that daylight robbery?

Exactly!

Our family can barely manage,

but those landless hired hands and tenant farmers—

they have neither money nor grain.

And the New Year festival just passed.

What are they supposed to do?

-Yeah, we can't survive this. -What are we supposed to do?

I also heard people

from the neighboring village went to kneel at the county office to beg for mercy.

They knelt all day

but didn't even get to see the Magistrate.

Our family can manage to pay

some taels of silver now.

But in Xigu Lane, there're folks

who can't even scrape together one tael,

even if they empty their savings.

It's just after the New Year festival;

everyone is out of money.

I have to go check on my grandfather.

Since Uncle passed away,

who will pay this money for him?

Do you need me to go with you?

No need.

I'll just sneak a look and leave.

I won't run into that woman.

You going would attract too much attention.

Well, why would the county office

suddenly demand so much money?

When the government requisitions grain,

all county offices in the Jizhou Prefecture

receive the same official documents.

Requisitioning both grain and money like this—

it's practically unheard of.

Unless other counties are doing the same,

it's possible the Magistrate here is taking the chance

to line his own pockets.

That's enough.

Oh, right.

Slip the money quietly into Mrs. Zhao's house.

The New Year just passed.

Everyone's pockets are empty.

Don't let the old couple worry.

Okay.

Requisitioning both grain and money...

They're pushing us into a dead end!

Some old wretches

can't carry anything or do any work,

yet they hole up in their rooms

all day,

eating and drinking at others' expense!

They're just a burden to everyone!

As the saying goes,

"An old man who won't die is a thief."

Grandfather.

Grandfather!

Get up!

Are you all right, Grandfather?

Changyu, what are you doing here?

Go. Go, quickly.

I'm just a useless old man.

I've brought this suffering on myself.

Your son is dead, yet you still sponge off your daughter-in-law!

You shameless old fool!

You wretched old thing,

I'll kick you out sooner or later!

You jinx!

Grandfather can't even get a sip of water,

yet... yet you sit here eating meat!

You...

Get out of here!

Pah!

This house is mine!

Get the hell out immediately!

Back then, you and your husband said,

"If there are no males in the family,

the property goes to the nearest male kin."

Your husband is dead now.

What gives you the right to occupy this house?

My eldest daughter can bring in a husband!

The Legal Code of Great Yin states,

"If a wife is unfilial after her husband's death,

the father-in-law can repudiate her in his son's name!"

You jinx,

you're full of crap!

Fan Changyu,

bullying your elders will land you in prison!

Dad! Dad!

Fan Changyu slapped your eldest daughter-in-law, Dad!

Fan Changyu slapped me!

Open your darn eyes and look.

[Buyer: Fan Erniu]

The name on this title deed is my father's.

Grandfather can testify.

What is this?

This is impossible.

I can throw you out of this house whenever I please!

Changyu, I'm begging you!

Please don't kick us out! I'm just a widow with children!

Your uncle's mourning period isn't even over yet!

-Please, Changyu! -My parents' mourning period wasn't over

at that time either, and what did you do?

Get out.

Grandfather,

keep the title deed with you. Put it away safely.

Whether to kick the whole lot of them out,

you decide.

Changyu,

you're just like your father—

good and kindhearted.

Just go. Leave me.

Life and death are fated.

What fate?

I don't believe in fate.

-Come with me. Let's go home. -Go!

Even if I smash my head against this place and die,

I won't go with you.

I don't deserve it.

What are you saying?

What's all this talk about deserving or not?

Your father wasn't my biological son.

It's my fault your whole family suffered.

This is my retribution.

It's all retribution.

Seventeen years ago,

your father came to Xigu Lane with your mother.

He gave me a large sum of money,

saying he had made enemies while working as an escort

and needed to lie low.

My real son, Erniu, was snatched by human traffickers when he was little.

So he asked me

if he could register under Fan Erniu's identity.

Then, I told outsiders

that Erniu, who had gone missing all those years ago,

had found his way back.

The day before the incident,

your father and mother came to me.

They gave me a final letter

and this title deed.

I asked

if the enemies from back then had finally found him.

He wouldn't say anything.

He just said

that only by their deaths

could they protect the lives of you and your sister.

As you know,

Daniu had fallen into gambling over the years.

After the incident with your parents,

he just stole that letter and burned it,

wanting to seize all your family's property!

I'm old and useless.

I couldn't control him at all.

Later, Daniu met with misfortune,

and his wife was unfilial...

I believe

this is all retribution for my selfishness.

Father and Mother already knew

their days were numbered before they were killed.

Why did Father believe

that dying with Mother would protect Changning and me?

But why is it different from what Lord Li said?

What really happened?

Why are you sitting here alone?

Well,

did my parents really die at the hands of bandits

over a treasure map?

You want to

avenge your parents?

I do.

I dream about it every night.

Then what if everything the authorities said

when they closed the case was a lie—

what would you do?

Why would the authorities lie?

Just as your uncle colluded with Advisor Guo when he tried to

seize your family's property—

even a small county office

is full of intrigue.

Higher up—

in the prefecture and the court—

the web of relations becomes even more tangled.

Factions, colleagues, mentors and students, and family ties—

the officialdom of Great Yin

is bound together like a spider's web.

But what does my parents' death

have to do with the government or the imperial court?

I was only giving an example.

No matter how vast the Great Yin court is,

it simply means

there are more officials with power.

If it comes to the worst,

I'll take my grievance all the way to the Emperor.

No matter

who is involved in my parents' death,

I will investigate to the end.

I don't care about Great Yin's spiderweb.

They must follow state laws and social rules.

There must be reason and justice.

Otherwise, the world would fall into chaos.

If I were a man,

I might take the imperial examinations or the military examinations

to enter officialdom

and get to the bottom of my parents' deaths.

But I'm only a woman.

I can't become an official,

nor do I know any high-ranking ones.

The only way...

is to let money do the talking.

But the money needed to move those high officials

won't be a small amount.

Every obstacle can be overcome;

there will always be a way.

I've been meaning to ask—

is there anything you want for your birthday?

I'm not in the mood to celebrate my birthday.

Just make a wish.

Think of it as...

Think of it as a gift for all your birthdays to come.

You're leaving?

♪ In a lifetime of storms, a fleeting bloom ♪

Do you really have to go?

♪ The most beautiful scenery becomes a poem ♪

♪ For a chance encounter ♪

♪ A single letter of longing, half a lifetime apart ♪

Listen to me,

♪ I'll burn out my passion for you ♪

it's not like you're leaving forever.

♪ Just for a glance ♪

♪ In this life ♪

♪ All that I can see or hear ♪

♪ Is that we'll live and die together ♪

Right?

♪ On this journey ♪

♪ You're all that I care about ♪

♪ My soul yearns and my dreams linger ♪

♪ After we part ♪

♪ Where love dwells, where fear lies ♪

♪ Just one thought makes me sick ♪

♪ I wish to leave this world with you ♪

♪ We'll never be apart ♪

[Li's Mansion]

My engagement to the Princess Royal is, for now, agreed upon as stated.

Since Her Highness has said so,

this marriage is set.

What does it matter if the wedding is delayed by two years?

I thought you would be angry, Grandfather,

since the wedding won't happen immediately.

Following your sister's appointment as royal consort,

the Princess Royal is willing to marry into our Li family.

Our clan shall once again shine with honor.

My wish in this life

is now fulfilled!

By the way,

this urgent dispatch arrived today, sent express.

Take a look.

Wei Xuan has detained General He?

Please forgive my rudeness.

General He is a loyal and capable general

and also my teacher.

Seeing him persecuted like this,

I cannot just sit idly by.

So,

you leave tonight.

Go back and assist He Jingyuan.

And while you're at it,

hinder Wei Xuan.

Grandfather, do you not mind that he's of the Wei faction?

Wenkan,

do you know

how turbulent the Imperial Court's situation is at this moment?

Your teacher, He Jingyuan,

is a loyal and righteous general.

He submits to Wei Yan solely for the sake of the Imperial Court

and the people.

But it was because of Wei Yan's groundless suspicion

that he ended up in prison.

You mean, Grandfather,

Wei Yan letting Wei Xuan act this way

is to isolate loyal subjects?

Back then,

Wei Yan and I both served the Eastern Palace.

We once swore solemnly

to protect the realm of Great Yin.

But now, he's become a powerful minister,

monopolizing the court and eliminating dissidents.

Our Li family

has naturally become a thorn in his side.

I know

you're like your teacher—

you care for the common people and aim to protect them.

To realize your ideals,

there is only one way.

That is

to thoroughly eradicate the treacherous officials led by Wei Yan.

Only then can the chaos in the court be quelled

and the foundation of the state secured.

Wenkan,

you're a good child.

Your sense of loyalty

is your greatest strength,

but it's also your weakness.

It is I who have burdened you.

I do this willingly.

I'll do everything in my power

to help you bring down Wei Yan once and for all.

Reports from the front say our Northwest Army is retreating in defeat.

The Eldest Young Master has even imprisoned He Jingyuan.

He refuses to follow military orders

or return to the capital with his troops.

He says, "A general in the field is not bound by every command from above."

He wants to regroup

and fight again.

Fight again?

The army is defeated and exhausted. How can they fight again?

Moreover,

it's the middle of winter, and the New Year has just passed.

Where would there even be a battle to fight?

You,

take my commander's seal

and force him to hand over military authority and He Jingyuan.

Then,

tie him up and bring him back to me.

Yes, sir.

Grandfather,

the Marquis of Wu'an, Xie Zheng, was set up during the battle in Chongzhou.

I have reliable information

that he's still alive.

I believe

if we can join forces with the Marquis of Wu'an...

He's different from Prime Minister Wei.

Even if the uncle and nephew have fallen out as rumored,

blood is still thicker than water.

Do not mention

allying with the Marquis of Wu'an in front of me again.

Spread out and check if anyone is still alive.

-Yes. -Yes.

It was Wei Xuan's troops who did this.

Such wanton slaughter—

it's absolutely monstrous.

It wasn't Wei Xuan.

I've had men tracking his troops' movements.

I'm afraid another group is stirring the pot behind the scenes.

Quick, send word to Lord He.

Yes, sir.

My Lord, look.

There're footprints.

Someone escaped.

Could they have let one go on purpose?

Murder... Murder...

Murder... Murder! Murder!

Everyone, our Ma Village is poor.

We could barely pay the grain and taxes,

so our Community Head took us to the county office to petition,

hoping for a chance to survive.

But who could've predicted

that halfway there, we'd be ambushed and cut down by the county's own soldiers?

I only survived by playing dead!

Fellow villagers,

we should gather everyone in the village

and go with me to find the damned corrupt official

to get justice

and take back our grain!

-Take back our grain! -Take back our grain!

-We want justice! -We want justice!

Kill that corrupt official!

-Kill that corrupt official! -Kill that corrupt official!

Take back our grain!

-Take back our grain! -Take back our grain!

General.

Why are you here?

General, the Wei Army has slaughtered those innocent villagers.

Looks like Lord Changxin has made his move.

[Yixiang Restaurant]

A perfectly healthy person, dead just like that!

We can't let this go!

Exactly!

She must pay with her life!

[Yixiang Restaurant]

He died from their food!

A man died just like that?

Sir, what happened?

You don't know?

A man has died after eating at Yixiang Restaurant!

His family came early this morning to seek justice!

This Yixiang Restaurant is nothing but a criminal den!

If you ask me,

that woman manager should be arrested and beheaded!

Right!

A life for a life!

Don't you all agree?

-Yes! -Exactly!

A life for a life!

They charge such high prices,

and they poison the food on top of it!

Yesterday, a customer suddenly fell ill in the restaurant.

The manager noticed and thought it might be epilepsy,

so she immediately sent someone to fetch a doctor.

The customer's family was very grateful at first.

But after they took him home,

he died suddenly in the night.

Early this morning,

they brought a coffin to the door and made a scene,

demanding we pay for the old man's death.

Isn't that outright extortion?

-Yes. -Exactly.

What did Qianqian say?

Our manager tried to reason with them

and offered money

to send those troublemakers away.

But those scoundrels refused no matter what we offered.

They're clearly here to cause trouble.

The manager got suspicious,

fearing another restaurant had set this up,

so she went to report it to the officials.

But it's been a long time now,

and she hasn't come back yet.

This is so worrying!

-Yeah. -Yes.

Someone is clearly scheming against you.

What should we do now?

We can't just keep waiting here and do nothing.

Well...

I have an idea.

But you'll have to lure the police runners away from the door first.

That's so wicked!

See them?

Those three who talk the most.

The one with stubble.

The one with the hat.

And the one in black?

I'm never coming to the restaurant again!

Never again!

They must give us an explanation!

[Decheng's Tavern]

I heard long ago that the manager of Yixiang Restaurant

knows some shady tricks.

Do it!

What are you doing?

Repaying debts is a universal principle!

Never seen a gambling house beat someone?

Never seen debt collectors at work?

[Decheng's Tavern]

What are you looking at? Get lost!

Get lost!

Take it away!

Behave yourselves.

Speak.

Who sent you to cause trouble at Yixiang Restaurant?

No one sent us.

Someone died from the food here.

Are we not allowed to seek justice?

You've tied us up and brought us here.

Do you want to kill us

to silence everyone?

Yixiang Restaurant is no restaurant.

It's clearly a murderous den of thieves!

-Exactly! -Exactly!

It's clearly a criminal den!

You talk too much.

That tongue of yours is quite nimble.

Cut it out, chop it up, and feed it to the dogs.

No.

Heroine, that's against the law!

Heroine!

Wait, wait!

I mean it!

Spare me, Heroine!

Of course!

That fellow struggled quite a bit.

I couldn't get the whole tongue out,

so I only managed to chop off a piece.

This pig's tongue looks quite convincing.

Bring a dog here.

Take it out and feed it to the dog.

Speak.

Who sent you here to cause trouble?

If you utter a single lie,

your tongues will also be cut out and fed to the dog.

I'll talk. I'll talk.

I'll tell you! I'll tell you!

-I'll go first! -I'll go first.

-Me first! -I'll go first!

-Me! -Me!

Enough!

You speak.

It was Advisor Guo...

It was Advisor Guo's page boy who sent us.

You're lying!

Milady, we really aren't lying!

It really was Advisor Guo's page boy who sent us!

Advisor Guo has no grudge against Yixiang Restaurant.

Why would he make you do this?

We don't know either.

Still not telling the truth, huh?

Someone come here!

Cut off their tongues and feed them to the dog!

-We really don't know! -We really don't know!

We don't know! We really don't know!

We really don't know!

Let them go.

Aren't you taking them to court for confrontation?

You just got it out of them yourself.

It was Advisor Guo who instructed those people.

Some restaurant trying to steal your business

found their way to Advisor Guo

and tried to frame you?

It's even worse than that.

Then what exactly is going on?

Yixiang Restaurant is about to be lost.

I was out all morning,

calling in every favor I could—

but I didn't get to see a single one of them.

Even Magistrate Cui avoided me.

My family has some connections with Constable Wang at the county office.

I'll go speak with him

and see if he can help you.

It's useless.

I appreciate your kindness.

Don't go to Constable Wang for help either,

lest you bring him trouble.

Manager, bad news!

Police runners have forced their way in through the back door.

I'll go there now.

I'll go take a look too.

I want to know who exactly they are

and what they're trying to do here.

Don't stick your neck out for me.

You'll only end up caught in a lawsuit.

I know Magistrate Cui very well.

I have my own way of handling this.

What's more important now is

that you stay here

and make sure no one finds Bao'er.

You're Manager Yu of Yixiang Restaurant?

I am.

Take her away!

Okay.

I'll come with you to the county office.