Original subtitles

[The Heir]

[Episode 35]

Zhen,

my men still haven't uncovered anything.

Perhaps the previous commotion alerted them.

Tian Benchang

must have covered his tracks long ago.

Thank you for your efforts,

Cuiqiao.

It's fine.

If this path leads nowhere,

I'll look for another.

There will always be a way.

Thank you, Zhen,

for being willing to go to such lengths

for Qi Jiu's sake.

Knowing that, he can rest easier

even in prison.

The water's gone cold.

Why hasn't the server come to add more charcoal?

Valued customers!

My deepest apologies,

valued customers!

We've been terribly short-handed lately,

so we've kept you waiting.

Please forgive us.

Didn't Prefect He

issue an order just a few days ago

encouraging businesses

to take in refugees for work?

Teahouse work doesn't require much skill.

How are you still short of staff?

To be honest,

we did

hire quite a few refugees before.

But... But...

Hasn't the recent riot

mostly been suppressed?

Those refugees who have land

and family back home

have long been eager to return.

Many people

just up and left

without so much as a word.

And since they aren't locals we know well,

where are we supposed to look for them?

We wouldn't even know where to start looking.

That's why we've kept you waiting.

Please b-bear with us, customers.

Bear with us.

Alright, we'll bring more charcoal right over.

Cuiqiao.

I'm thinking

the people Tian Benchang hired may not have been ink-makers at all

but refugees.

Refugees?

That's right.

Refugees wouldn't know the customs of the ink trade.

Most of them are illiterate,

and their whereabouts are uncertain.

Today they work here;

tomorrow somewhere else.

They're easy to control and difficult to trace.

I think

that may be exactly

why Tian Benchang targeted them.

Madam Wang, Miss Li Zhen,

there's a message from Master Qi.

Give it to me.

"I suddenly recalled the night I sneaked into the ink workshop

and saw straw mats.

Perhaps you can investigate among the refugees."

Cuiqiao, look.

Refugees often carry their own straw mats.

If Qi Jiu saw straw mats when he snuck into the workshop that night,

those workers were very likely refugees.

You two thought of the same thing.

Miss Tian,

this is where I must take my leave.

Madam says

she is fully aware of every deed

your family has done.

You've managed to cozy up to Commander Wu

and have helped him smear Marshal Qi.

By doing so, you've severed all ties with the Xu family.

Madam will never have anything to do with you again.

My Lady, please.

My Lady, don't keep looking.

There'll be trouble if someone sees you.

Ronghua?

Ronghua.

Ronghua.

Stop the sedan.

What do you want?

Silence.

Mind your manners.

Yes, My Lady.

When did you come back?

Just arrived today.

You just got back today?

That's good.

You haven't had a chance to look around yet, have you?

Huizhou has changed quite a bit since you left.

New jewelry,

silks, rouge, and face powder...

Also,

a new sweet soup shop opened over there.

It tastes exactly like what we had

when we were kids.

If you ever want to go,

I'll take you.

Alright, you must be tired from traveling today.

Head home and rest.

Go on.

Zhen.

Why are you crying?

Don't cry.

Zhen, I was wrong.

I was wrong, Zhen.

I really missed you.

Forgive me, Zhen.

Silly girl.

What matters is that you're back.

As long as you're back.

[Changsheng Garden]

Ronghua,

Lord Xu really

has cut all ties with us?

You think Lord Xu is unaware

of the things you've done?

It was only because the Emperor favors ritual poems,

which require fine paper and ink,

that Lord Xu was willing to give us a leg up.

But now you're fawning

over Commander Wu instead,

and you even dare to make an enemy of Marshal Qi.

Father,

Lord Xu is a distinguished official of the realm.

How could he have any more involvement with us?

What about Sage Qing He?

I've long known that Lord Xu cares too much about his reputation

to be someone we could rely on forever.

As for Sage Qing He, his influence is waning.

Since neither of them can be depended upon,

better to cut ties with them completely.

Now that Commander Wu is behind us,

what need do we still have for Lord Xu

or that fake Taoist?

Brother, I'm afraid you've also abandoned me

along with them.

What are you talking about, Ronghua?

How could I bear to cast my own sister aside?

Look,

didn't I send people

to bring you home properly?

You just need to be obedient.

Lord Xu may have abandoned you,

but you've seen far more of the world

than the rest of us, after all.

There will be plenty of times ahead

when I'll still need to count on you.

Yes.

Ronghua,

as they say, siblings share the same heart.

When the time comes,

you'll have to support each other.

Sister, you've returned home in glory.

The journey from the Capital

has exhausted me.

All I want now is some rest.

As for your affairs, Brother,

I'm afraid I won't be much help.

Where are you going? Stop.

Look at her,

she's been spoiled by life in the Capital.

Stop talking, dear!

Ronghua, wait for Mother.

Benchang.

We have a letter from Nanjing.

Those bastards!

Do they take our family for a bank?

Calm down, Benchang.

What happened?

Wu Weishi said there is another person in the Capital

eyeing the vacant post in the Directorate of Imperial Household.

With two bidders in the race,

the amount we originally agreed upon

is no longer enough to grease the wheels.

How much more do they want?

Five thousand taels.

Five thousand taels?

Well...

And the money must be raised within one month.

How many sticks of ink from that workshop are left?

Roughly 1,000 sticks.

But even selling all of them

won't add up to 5,000 taels.

We'll have to think of another way.

Benchang,

one more thing.

Li Zhen has still been secretly

digging around, trying to find our flaws.

She seems to have found a lead pointing to the refugees.

Hasn't Officer Zhang already gotten

the official document signed by the Prefect?

Yes.

Then why is Li Zhen still running around stirring things up?

The Lis did appear obediently before the prefectural office several times.

But no problems could be found in their accounts,

and in court, they answered every question flawlessly.

So, Zhang doesn't dare push them further.

Brother,

with your current status,

you could have any woman you want.

Why do you keep fixating on Li Zhen?

After Luo Wenqian was imprisoned,

Commander Wu specifically wrote to us,

instructing us to handle the matter properly.

Brother,

this time we must steel our hearts.

We cannot go soft on Li Zhen anymore.

You don't need to tell me.

I'll deal with it myself.

Manager Zhen.

We've found

a refugee who worked for the Tian family.

He's in the warehouse right now,

waiting for your questioning.

Let's go.

Mr. Xiao?

Mr. Xiao.

This is the man.

Tell the truth.

Did you make ink for the Tian family?

N-No.

I didn't do anything.

Still denying it?

If you never worked for the Tian family,

what's in this bag of yours?

Miss Li Zhen,

look at this.

A Japanese coin.

Exactly.

Possessing Japanese currency in secret is a serious crime.

If you don't tell us everything you know,

we'll hand you over to the authorities right now.

I...

I don't know anything.

Mr. Xiao,

where did you find him?

Over the past few days,

we've been searching for refugees.

But the Tian family is extremely cunning.

The refugees they hired have

either secretly moved elsewhere along with their ink workshops

and vanished without a trace

or been sent straight back to their hometowns.

It took us a lot of effort

before finally finding this man.

He'd stolen something from the Tian family

and, fearing retaliation,

hid himself in some back alley in the old district.

We staked the place out for days before catching him.

And he's particularly uncooperative—

he started yelling after just a few questions.

Afraid of drawing the Tian family's attention,

we brought him back first.

When you seized him,

did anyone else see you?

Search the place!

Help!

Somebody help!

Mr. Xiao!

Japanese coins, Japanese coins.

Officers, officers.

What do you think you're doing?

This is unlawful trespass!

Are you Wu Xin?

Yes.

I am Wu Xin.

This man's brother

has sued you for illegally detaining refugees.

And judging by what we've found today,

it appears the accusation is true.

Officer,

please save me!

A few days ago,

people from the Li Ink Workshop secretly approached me

and brought me to their workshop.

They claimed they wanted me to work there,

but what they had me making

was contraband ink for illicit foreign trade!

I had no way to escape

and was held there for days!

Fortunately, you officers came to save me today!

Officer,

you must bring me justice!

Officer Zhang,

Officer Zhang,

he's lying!

This is a frame-up!

You are framing us!

Officer, every word I've said is true.

If you don't believe me, look—

this is proof of their illicit foreign trade.

Shut up!

This was found on him.

Illicit foreign trade is a grave crime.

Officers,

take everyone involved back to the prefectural office for questioning!

Yes, sir!

I'd like to see who dares!

Let's talk this through calmly!

Mr. Xiao, Doggie!

Let go!

Fine.

Since someone has deliberately framed us,

we'll fight this to the very end.

Perfect.

We'll take this matter before the Prefect

and get to the bottom of it.

Let's go.

Court is now in session.

Silence and order!

Your Excellency,

all members of the Li family have been brought in.

Li Zhen, Li Ink's head manager,

and Li Jingdong, its proprietor,

are present to stand trial.

This is the evidence of illicit foreign trade found at Li Ink.

Li Zhen,

Li Jingdong,

do you admit your guilt?

Your Excellency,

Li Ink has been established in Huizhou for over a century.

For 100 years, we have been honest and law-abiding.

Never once have we committed even a breach of trust,

let alone a crime as heinous as trading with foreign enemies.

The pouch of Japanese coins,

along with this man,

must be a deliberate setup by someone

to frame us!

I implore Your Excellency to see through

this scheme and restore Li Ink's innocence!

Your Excellency,

I found that pouch of

Japanese coins by chance

in Li Ink's warehouse.

The moment I saw them,

I was terrified out of my wits.

But I knew the matter was too serious to ignore,

so I dared not dispose of them myself.

That's why I kept them in my bundle.

Your Excellency,

Wu Xin is spouting pure fabrication

and slander!

Officer Zhang,

you visited our ink workshop just now.

May I ask,

did you see even the slightest sign

of contraband ink being produced there?

Since you dare to engage in illicit foreign trade,

you must be extremely careful.

How could you possibly leave any obvious traces?

Well said.

Your Excellency, think carefully.

If we were

capable of erasing every trace

of illicit ink production so completely,

then why would we carelessly leave that pouch of Japanese coins

lying in the warehouse,

only for Wu Xin to stumble upon it?

Your Excellency,

doesn't all of this seem

far too suspicious?

That was your one oversight.

You gave yourselves away.

And Heaven itself has chosen to punish you!

Your Excellency,

after I was taken to Li Ink's workshop,

I personally saw the contraband ink

and the various tools used to make it.

Those things were not accessible to ordinary ink-makers.

Because I was a refugee from out of town,

they forced me to work for them.

Everything I've said is the truth.

Very well!

Then answer me this—

since you claim

we brought you to the ink workshop

to make contraband ink for us,

you must know

how we make all kinds of inks.

Tell me—

what type of ink

was the contraband ink you saw,

and how was it made?

You told me that

what you were secretly producing was your family's ancient lacquer-soot ink.

The lampblack was made by burning raw lacquer and tung oil,

and deer-antler glue was used as the binder.

Since I'm a layman

and had only just arrived at the workshop,

I could only do some heavy pounding work.

Manager Zhen, did I get anything wrong?

Wu Xin, who told you all that?

Speak!

Who told you that?

If so,

you must have been

in our smoke shed.

How could you forget, Miss?

The very first place you took me

after bringing me to the workshop was the smoke shed.

Your smoke shed

is located in the northwest corner of your ink workshop.

Am I right?

That's correct.

Then, what is the layout inside the smoke shed?

Naturally, the same as any ordinary smoke shed.

On one side are the pine-soot kilns for burning pine wood,

and on the other is the oil-soot shed for oil soot.

Your Excellency,

several months ago, Huizhou was struck by a pine wilt epidemic.

Afterward, the Tian family

forcibly requisitioned our pine wood supplies,

and then our workshop suffered a fire.

Pine wood will remain scarce for years to come.

Therefore, after rebuilding,

we renovated the smoke shed.

The pine-soot kilns, which were no longer needed,

were moved to our old ink workshop.

As a result,

there are currently no pine-soot kilns

in our smoke shed!

Nonsense!

Your Excellency, both facilities were operating at the same time!

Both facilities were operating simultaneously!

I saw it with my own eyes!

Your Excellency,

I dare say

that no ink workshop in all of Huizhou

could possibly operate both pine-soot kilns

and oil-soot sheds simultaneously these days—

except for

the Tian Ink Workshop that seized

our pine wood!

Well...

How did the Tian family suddenly become involved in this?

Your Excellency,

before...

before I worked at Li Ink,

I'd worked in other ink workshops.

I simply mixed them up for a moment.

I had no intention of deceiving the court.

I beg Your Excellency's understanding.

Wu Xin,

you speak nothing but lies

and still dare to argue?

Since you claim you worked in other ink workshops,

tell me—

which workshop, where was it located,

and who was the owner?

Speak!

Insolent Wu Xin,

why have you suddenly gone silent?

Your Excellency,

this man's testimony contradicts itself.

It's clear that someone

has fed him this story behind the scenes

to frame our family!

We implore Your Excellency to investigate thoroughly

and redress the injustice done to us!

We implore Your Excellency to discern the truth!

Wu Xin,

if you can't give a reasonable explanation,

I will immediately convict you of framing!

Your Excellency,

I am innocent.

I am innocent!

-Speak! -Say it!

-Speak! -Speak!

Speak!

Say something!

Speak!

Report!

[Prefect He, evidence confirms that Huizhou merchant Li Zhen]

[has colluded with Japanese pirates in illicit foreign trade.]

[Given the threat to coastal security and imperial law,]

investigate without omission and purge all traitors.]

Your Excellency?

In the matter of

Li family's illicit foreign trade,

the evidence and witness testimony are now conclusive.

By order of this Prefect,

the Li residence and its ink workshops are to be sealed at once.

All members of the Li family,

along with every ink-maker connected to this case,

are to be imprisoned at once

and strictly investigated individually.

As for Wu Xin,

detain him for now.

His disposition will be decided once this case has been concluded.

Your Excellency,

what is the meaning of this?

What new evidence was contained in that letter just now

that could cause you to distort the facts so completely?

Your Excellency,

we're innocent!

Enough! Say no more!

Arrest Li Zhen and Li Jingdong

immediately!

Your Excellency!

Your Excellency, please see the truth!

Your Excellency!

You're the guardian of the people of Huizhou.

How can you wrong the innocent?

Your Excellency,

we implore you to see clearly!

Your Excellency!

Your Excellency!

Please see the truth!

Court dismissed!

Li Ink is innocent!

Your Excellency, please wait!

President Hu!

Third Grandfather!

We pay our respects to Your Excellency.

I, Hu Xuanlin, president of the Huizhou Literary Association,

am willing to stand surety for Li Ink.

Li Ink has upheld its reputation for a century.

How could they possibly engage in illicit foreign trade?

I, Chen Jiru, manager of Chen Ink, vouch for the Li family!

I, Huang Shan of Huang Ink, vouch for the Li family.

I, Pan Ruogu of Pan Ink, vouch for the Li family.

Yeah!

-Yes! -Yes!

Great!

What on earth are you doing?

Stand down at once!

Anyone who obstructs this official in adjudicating the case

will be charged as an accomplice.

Your Excellency,

Chen Ink and Li Ink have been fellow members

of the Huizhou ink industry for many years.

I, Chen Jiru,

am well acquainted with the Li family.

From the late Sixth Master Li

to the Seventh Old Madam,

every elder of the Li family

was a person of virtue and standing in town!

With such family traditions,

I firmly believe

that the descendants of Li Ink today

would not betray their ancestors' teachings

and engage in illicit foreign trade!

I implore Your Excellency to

investigate thoroughly and not allow villains to frame them!

Your Excellency,

I am Pan Ruogu, descendant of Pan Ink.

My father passed away only recently,

and Manager Zhen of the Li family showed us great kindness and support.

Her integrity and righteousness are a model for all.

I beg Your Excellency for leniency.

Your Excellency,

we have not come here

to challenge your authority.

We ask only that you give the Li family a chance.

Now that the Li family stands accused,

surely they should be allowed to prove their innocence!

Your Excellency,

I, Li Jingdong,

am willing to be imprisoned pending investigation

along with the entire sixth and seventh branches of the family.

Uncle Jingdong...

But the eighth branch of our family was expelled

from the clan more than 10 years ago.

Even if the Li family is guilty,

the punishment shouldn't extend to those who were already cast out.

Your Excellency,

this has been the principle

of the Huizhou clans since ancient times.

I beg Your Excellency

to show some flexibility.

Uncle Jingdong...

Uncle Jingdong.

Please make an exception, Your Excellency!

Please, Your Excellency!

Order, order!

The laws of this dynasty are rooted in clan customs and traditions,

but

Li Zhen is the manager of Li Ink,

so she cannot

stay out of this matter.

Your Excellency, I have no intention of staying uninvolved!

Today, I'm

honored to have the elders of the ink industry vouch for me.

I humbly request 20 days from Your Excellency

to prove the innocence of

the Li family and Li Ink!

Your Excellency,

the Huizhou Literary Association

is willing to stand surety for Li Zhen, manager of Li Ink.

Please give Li Ink a chance

to prove their innocence!

Your Excellency, Chen Ink is willing to stand surety for Li Ink!

Your Excellency, Pan Ink is also willing to vouch for the Li family!

Please show mercy, Your Excellency!

Huang Ink is willing to vouch for Li Ink!

Please show leniency!

-Please grant them this chance! -Please, Your Excellency!

Order!

Fine.

Li Zhen,

I will grant you this chance.

But 20 days is too long.

I can only give you half a month.

After half a month,

this court will reconvene.

If by then you cannot prove your innocence,

I will pass the full sentence according to the law

and show no leniency whatsoever.

I, Li Zhen,

thank Your Excellency!

-Thank you, Your Excellency! -Thank you, Your Excellency!

Detain

Li Jingdong.

Court dismissed!

-Yes, Your Excellency! -Yes, Your Excellency!

Uncle Jingdong.

Uncle Jingdong.

Uncle Jingdong...

Zhen,

don't be sad.

Go do what you need to do.

Our entire family

is counting on you now.

Uncle Jingdong!

Jingdong.

Uncle Jingdong,

don't worry!

[Huizhou Prefecture Office]

Zhen.

-Zhen! -Mother, Grandfather.

You had us worried sick!

Grandfather,

Uncle Jingdong, Third Aunt,

and Eldest Aunt have all been taken...

It's the Tian family framing us again.

No, we can't just let this go.

I'm going in there right now to confront them!

Mother, come back.

Who would you confront?

Just now in court,

we exposed the villain's plot

to frame us.

But I didn't expect

the Prefect to suddenly receive a letter

and change his stance on the spot.

I guess

it must have been some high-ranking official in Nanjing

backing the Tian family who intervened.

Tian Benchang has planned everything.

What good would it do to confront them?

That family is truly rotten to the core.

Then... what about

Eldest Aunt and Uncle Jingdong?

The Tian family has powerful connections.

We'll have to seek our own connections.

Princess Shouyang has always held our family in high regard.

I'll leave for Nanjing at once to seek an audience with Her Highness.

If she is willing to show us any favor,

then there is still a chance.

Mother, let's go first.

Let's go.

Those old fogies with one foot in the grave

dare to ruin my plans.

Bensheng.

You must keep a close watch

and never let Li Zhen stir up any more trouble!

Benchang, don't worry.

Tian Benchang,

you ordered the man to frame the Li family for illicit foreign trade,

didn't you?

Whatever I do

is none of your concern.

Illicit foreign trade is a capital crime.

What you've done won't just destroy Zhen,

but also the dozen or so members of the Li family!

Why?

Why would you do something like this?

Li Zhen forced my hand.

She colluded with Luo Wenqian

and ruined my plans again and again.

If I didn't act,

there would be no place left for us

in the Huizhou ink industry!

Zhen grew up with us!

Do you have even a shred of conscience left?

You've done all manner of wicked things.

Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?

You ungrateful backstabber!

Brother.

Don't act like some saint.

You're nothing but a worthless woman the Xu family sent back.

If you can't stay obediently at home,

then get out of this house!

Go back to your room.

Is that batch of goods ready?

Everything has been arranged as you instructed.

But with all the rumors outside right now,

are we really going to transport the ink at a time like this?

Remember this—

if we can't give Wu Weishi the money on time,

I won't get the post in the Directorate of Imperial Household,

and all our efforts will be wasted!

And if Commander Wu

decides to wash his hands of us,

both you and I

will be guilty of a capital offense.

This batch of ink...

must go out.

But...

Okay.

Out with it!

But what about the money that still hasn't been raised?

If only Ronghua were still under the Xu family's care,

we could still rely on them.

Now...

Ronghua...

[Princess's Mansion, Nanjing]

Li Zhen greets Your Highness.

May Your Highness enjoy blessings, longevity, and prosperity in all things.

I've already heard about

your family's troubles.

If you've come to plead for your family,

you may leave.

I can't help you.

Your Highness, I did not come today

to plead for my family.

Your Highness must be aware that

due to the disputes involving the Li, Tian, and Luo families,

Marshal Qi has been impeached by Commander Wu of Nanjing.

I am here this time

to ask Your Highness

if there is anything I can do for you

and for Marshal Qi.

What does Marshal Qi

have to do with me?

I heard

that Japanese pirates were rampant a few years ago,

and they once invaded Fujian,

murdering and plundering.

The prosperous villages they attacked

often suffered terrible losses.

Fortunately, Marshal Qi arrived with his troops

and protected the region.

Among the villages he saved

was

Du Village, the hometown

of Your Highness's mother, the Noble Consort.

I believe

Her Grace must be grateful for the kindness

Marshal Qi showed in protecting her clansmen

and would surely not wish to

see him slandered and framed by others.

Kindness?

Kindness is the most useless thing in the imperial court.

I also know

that among all the princes

in the Capital,

the one closest to you

is His Highness Prince Yu.

And at the imperial court,

Commander Wu has repeatedly tried to steal Marshal Qi's credit,

claiming the achievements of

the anti-piracy campaign as his own.

Fortunately, Prince Yu stepped forward

and fought hard on Marshal Qi's behalf,

which is why Marshal Qi's reputation remains intact today.

So I would venture to guess

that the people least willing to see Marshal Qi

brought down by Commander Wu now

are Your Highness

and Prince Yu.

Rise and speak.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Your Highness,

to speak plainly,

I want to save my family

and also help Marshal Qi.

I ask nothing from Your Highness.

I ask only that you regard me as a blade wielded

on behalf of Your Highness and Marshal Qi.

Even if it means throwing myself into the fray and being destroyed,

I will not hesitate.

I'd like to hear

what you can do for me.

I swear on my life

to fight against the Tian family,

find evidence of Commander Wu's collusion with them,

eliminate the menace for you and Prince Yu,

and ensure Marshal Qi's safety.

This maid has made inquiries.

A post in the Directorate of Imperial Household is indeed vacant.

Previously, Wu Ru pulled strings

to give it to the Tian family of Tribute Ink.

But a few days ago, someone from a noble family in the Capital

also tried to take it through their connections.

If the Tian family still wants the post,

they'll likely need to spend several thousand taels more.

Otherwise,

all their efforts will be in vain.

I've given you

the guidance you asked for.

If you can strike a fatal blow,

your family will be safe.

But if anything goes wrong in the process,

I will not protect you.

I understand.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Cuiqiao.

Zhen.

Someone is competing with Tian Benchang

for the post in the Directorate of Imperial Household?

But what does that have to do with their illicit foreign trade?

Ever since Wenqian

visited the Tian family's contraband ink workshop at night,

Tian Benchang has hidden

all the traces.

But now that someone is competing with him for the post,

he surely won't let all his efforts go to waste.

Even at great risk,

he will continue to raise money

to bribe Wu Ru.

In that case,

the Tian family will continue their illicit foreign trade in secret.

As long as they keep at it,

we'll have leads to follow.

No wonder the refugees said

some of them

have gone missing again recently.

Could the Tian family be using the same trick again—

abducting refugees to make ink for them?

Cuiqiao,

during the time I was in Nanjing,

did the Tian family make any moves?

There is one thing,

but please don't get upset when you hear it.

Tian Benchang

apparently believes that relying on Wu Ru alone

isn't secure enough.

Word is he has arranged to marry Tian Ronghua off

as a concubine to Vice Minister Liu

at the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing, a man of considerable influence.

Pushing his own sister

into misery once wasn't enough—

now he's using her to trade for his future.

That poor girl.

Is that true?

The wedding is being rushed.

I heard the dowry is already fully prepared,

and she is scheduled to wed in three days.

Beast.

At a time like this,

Tian Benchang is still bent on

selling his own sister for glory.

He's worse than an animal.

Indeed.

Of all times, it has to be now.

Cuiqiao,

could you do me a favor?

Go ahead.

You call being married off to some old man

as his concubine a "glorious future"?

Whoever thinks it's such an honor can marry him themselves.

I won't.

Sister, Sister.

Sit.

Sister,

all girls have to get married eventually.

If you ask me,

those first two times don't count as real marriages.

This time, our brother has arranged everything.

He will definitely marry you off in full ceremony and splendor.

If you don't marry,

how am I supposed to rely on you to put in a good word

for me with Lord Liu

and help me secure the post in the Directorate of Imperial Household?

At this point,

it's not up to you.

Whether you're willing or not,

I'll make sure you get on that bridal sedan.

Keep a close eye on her.

Don't let her cause any trouble for me.

Yes.

Bensheng, come with me.

My Lady, Taisheng Shop has sent over the silks for you.

Take them to the storehouse.

Yes.

Come with me.

Zhen, why are you here?

I heard about your marriage and came to see you right away.

Is it true?

When all is said and done, our family has wronged you.

I know you mean well,

but don't try to persuade me anymore.

Go quickly before my elder brother

finds you.

Ronghua,

even now, you still don't know

what your elder brother has been doing behind everyone's backs.

For his own future, he has colluded with

the Nanjing Garrison Commander's son and secretly engaged in illicit foreign trade.

It's a capital offense.

If he keeps going down this path,

your family will eventually be destroyed.

Illicit foreign trade?

The reason our family was framed

was that we uncovered his secret.

That's why he's been doing everything

he can to silence us.

Otherwise,

how could those Japanese coins

have suddenly appeared in our household?

So,

while he's been secretly doing all those wicked deeds behind my back—

causing the Xu family to cast me aside—

he's now

forcing me into another marriage

for his own gain.

I've already asked Cuiqiao to inquire about it.

The Vice Minister Liu you are marrying

will retire in one or two months.

Your brother isn't marrying you

to him for influence or protection,

but for the generous bride price.

Bride price?

Tian Benchang can only secure that post in the Directorate of Imperial Household

by spending a few thousand more taels.

And Vice Minister Liu

has some family fortune

and is known to be lustful.

So your brother had someone introduce you to him

and even asked for an exorbitant price,

demanding 1,000 taels of silver.

So you're saying

he's selling me

to buy himself an official post?

And there's more.

That 1,000 taels is still

not enough for him to get that position.

Think about it—

why is he rushing

your wedding through at a time like this?

He must be up to something,

using your wedding as cover.

Ronghua,

have you noticed

anything unusual about Tian Benchang lately,

or any suspicious people

coming and going from your household?

Zhen, you don't know.

Ever since I came back,

he's been guarding against me in everything.

The people who came to arrange the dowry these past few days

are all new faces.

Some of them

don't even sound like locals from Huizhou.

Dowry?

He's probably going to use your dowry

to smuggle that batch of contraband ink out,

to raise the money he needs to buy the post.

Ronghua, think about it.

With the heat this high right now,

he couldn't blatantly

smuggle the batch of ink out.

But no one would think to inspect

the dowry of the Tian family's daughter.

He truly is my dear brother.

Once you get on the bridal sedan chair,

you become an accomplice to the crime.

If it's discovered, you won't be able to defend yourself.

The punishment will be severe.

Ronghua,

in Tian Benchang's eyes,

you are not his sister.

You're just a tool for his illicit foreign trade

and a commodity to be sold.

Zhen, tell me,

what should I do?