Original subtitles

[The Heir]

[Episode 37]

Tian family and Li family, hear the verdict.

The evidence of the Tians' illicit foreign trade is conclusive.

But regarding who the mastermind is and what the charges are,

we still need further judgment.

Except for Tian Ronghua alone,

Tian Benchang,

Tian Huai'an,

Tian Bensheng,

Wang Xiu,

Wu Xin,

and 3 accomplices of the Tian family's illicit foreign trade

shall all be remanded in custody to await trial!

The Li family's illicit foreign trade is

indeed a false accusation made by Wu Xin at the Tians' instigation.

It is completely

fabricated.

All members of the Li family

shall be released today.

-Thank you, Your Excellency. -Thank you, Your Excellency.

Court is adjourned.

Great!

Great!

Great!

Take it slow, Uncle Jingdong.

[Huizhou Prefecture Office]

Okay.

Eighth Uncle.

Zhen.

Zhen.

Uncle Jingdong.

Grandfather.

Zhen, what's the result?

Please rest assured.

The Li family has finally

been cleared of the false charges.

Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt,

and Zhengshen

will also be released.

Don't worry, everything is fine now.

Then let's wait here.

We'll wait for them to come out

and go home together.

Ronghua,

go home with us later.

Zhen,

can you go to the Chen Ink Workshop with me?

Third Grandfather.

Girl, you really are...

Uncle Junshan.

Zhen.

Ronghua

has something to say to you.

Third Grandfather,

Uncle Junshan,

during the previous Tribute Ink selection,

I was foolish to ask Qing He to step in,

causing the Chen family to lose the tribute ink contract

and disrupting the rules of the Huizhou ink industry.

Yet the peers in the Hui Ink industry still saved me today.

I feel extremely ashamed.

I know my sins are unforgivable.

Whether you want to beat me or scold me, Third Grandfather,

I will have no complaints.

Third Grandfather,

the Tian family's crimes were made public

all thanks to Ronghua placing righteousness above family loyalty.

Although the Tian family is notorious for the crimes they committed,

I can guarantee

that Ronghua is not cut from the same cloth as them.

The mistake has been made.

Regret won't change anything.

You can't change what's already happened.

You're right, Third Grandfather.

You can't change what's already happened.

I dare not ask for forgiveness.

But I promise,

if Qing He falls one day,

I will turn myself in, testify,

and restore the Chen family's reputation.

Before that day comes,

I promise I will not leave Huizhou, not even by a single step.

You clarified this matter in front of everyone

in the ink industry and Prefect He,

without shifting the blame

or making any excuses.

And you even promise to turn yourself in and testify.

It's truly not easy.

Also, my father

and brothers were engaged in illicit foreign trade.

They will definitely be convicted.

After that, I will disband the Tian Ink Workshop,

quit the ink industry,

and never make ink again.

I will also write down every detail

of all the crimes that the Tian family has committed

and submit it to the Literary Association for preservation,

so this record of crimes

can warn future generations

as a permanent admonition.

You are having the Tian family

remembered forever as a shame in the Huizhou ink industry.

It should be like this,

and should have been so long ago.

The title of Tribute Ink is

the lifelong pursuit of any ink maker.

But for family honor and personal benefits,

I trampled on it.

The Tian family even used the name of Tribute Ink to cause trouble

and bring about disasters, doing countless terrible things.

We've hurt you,

Third Grandfather,

Uncle Junshan, and so many people in the Hui Ink industry.

There's no way we can fully make up for it.

How I wish

I could do more

to make amends.

Third Grandfather.

You two girls

have one thing in common.

At such a young age,

you are both strong enough

to shoulder responsibilities.

Stand up now.

Miss Tian,

you had been away from Huizhou for too long.

Try the She County's Lotus Tea I brewed.

This is the taste from your hometown.

What are you waiting for?

Go ahead.

Third Grandfather has forgiven you.

Go ahead!

Thank you, Third Grandfather.

Give it a try.

How is it?

Zhen,

it's been such a long day.

I feel

it's longer than any day before.

So many things have happened,

and the sun is finally going to set.

Yes.

When the sun rises tomorrow,

everything that happened today will be in the past

and be gone forever.

Ronghua,

come home with me.

If you think City Gate Lane is too crowded,

you can live in my New Li Ink Workshop.

Zhen.

Do you still remember the employment letter

I gave you in Nanjing?

I've wanted to hire you as an accountant

at my New Li Ink Workshop.

You wouldn't live for free.

You have to work for me, understand?

What?

Are you refusing it

because you have quit your old profession for a long time

and gotten rusty?

Zhen.

I want to show you something.

Well...

You still keep

this abacus bead?

Yes, of course.

Ronghua,

I know

when you gave me this abacus bead back then,

you were entrusting me with the life

that you couldn't get to live.

Today,

I'm returning it to its owner.

Ronghua,

the past is

in the past.

From now on,

we'll start anew.

Zhen,

thank you.

Accepting this abacus bead

means you have agreed

to be the accountant at my New Li Ink Workshop.

Let's go, dear accountant.

Sister Cuiqiao!

Cuiqiao!

Zhen.

Is there any reply from the Princess's Mansion?

My men rode fast to deliver your letter

and waited there for a day and a night.

Here is the reply.

Did anything happen

at the Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor?

Don't worry.

Wu Ru hasn't taken any action yet.

The letter says that

the news about the Tian family's

illicit foreign trade has spread in Nanjing.

The Princess has personally intervened

and warned Commander Wu.

Commander Wu is in hot water himself

and cannot shield the Tian family anymore.

The letter also says that

the Directorate of Ceremony has blocked

the impeachment memorial against Marshal Qi.

Really?

Check it out.

For real?

This is wonderful.

Wenqian

finally got a silver lining.

Marshal Qi

can also breathe a sigh of relief.

Now, Commander Wu is tied up covering up for himself,

trying to save his own skin.

So this is

the perfect time for us

to completely bring down Tian Benchang.

Do you have any plans, then?

Although the Tian Mansion and Tian Ink Workshop

have been seized,

since they were

put into prison all of a sudden,

I think there might still be some clues

that they didn't have time to clean up,

and that would be

a chance for us.

So, we must try to thoroughly

look into the Tian family again.

Officer Zhang!

Mr. Zhang!

Mr. Zhang!

Shut up! What are you yelling about?

Officer,

it's been days.

Why hasn't my second brother been

sentenced for the illicit foreign trade?

Is there any news from outside?

Mr. Zhang, you're finally here!

Mr. Zhang.

Open the door.

Mr. Zhang.

Mr. Zhang,

is there any letter from Nanjing?

Eldest Young Master Tian,

let me be honest with you.

Since your Tians were imprisoned,

there hasn't been a single message from the Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor.

Didn't you always claim

that Commander Wu was on good terms with you

and would definitely protect the Tian family?

Did you make all that up in your head?

Mr. Zhang, could you please

get me a writing brush and some paper?

Don't forget,

you received quite a lot of money from me before.

If you push me too hard,

I'll spill everything in court.

Mr. Zhang,

please send this letter

to the Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor

and make sure you give it to Commander Wu personally.

He will surely help us out

once he sees this letter.

Prefect He is dead set on getting

to the bottom of your Tian family's illicit foreign trade.

The past few days, he's been dispatching people to investigate

the refugees making ink for your family.

If someone gives you away,

you'll be as good as dead.

Do not drag me down with you when that happens.

Mr. Zhang,

so long as you help me deliver this letter,

you'll be my savior.

I still have some money

deposited in Nanjing.

Take this receipt and withdraw it.

Consider it my gift for you.

When I get out of here one day,

I will never forget your kindness.

Is it clean money?

Clean, absolutely clean.

Ronghua, let's go...

Ronghua,

I can do the search on my own.

How about this?

You go back to New Li Ink Workshop and wait for me there, okay?

I'll search with you.

I know where everything is

kept here better than you do.

You told me before

that facing the past and exposing old scars

is the first step to a new beginning.

I also want to see the truest side of my home,

so I can say goodbye

to it properly.

Ronghua, you're the bravest person in the world.

Then let's do it together.

Let's go.

You're drinking?

Hi, Mr. Zhang.

W-Who is this?

A newcomer.

Take your time, sir.

Okay.

Who are you?

[Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor]

You're from the Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor?

What did Commander Wu say?

Where is that thing you mentioned?

If I tell you now,

can I get out of here?

Help me out of here.

If you don't tell me, I'll kill you right away.

Help me out of here,

and I will definitely hand over

the account book exactly as it is to you.

Otherwise, no one will get away with it!

Officer Zhang.

Officer Zhang!

Sir.

What's going on?

Zhen.

Zhen?

Zhen,

we've searched everywhere.

If there was really something important,

wouldn't Benchang

have hidden it somewhere else?

It is possible.

But I've always had a doubt.

At the critical moment

the other day, Tian Benchang

actually took out the documents of illicit foreign trade

and shifted all the blame

onto your second brother.

So I guess

he was always wary

and on guard.

Therefore, he must have

put those documents

somewhere he could easily access.

That means we can't miss

a single corner in the entire Tian Residence.

Let's keep searching.

If what you say is true,

then these things

must have been stored

where others wouldn't easily look through.

Ronghua.

What's that?

This is the scroll of a ritual poem that Benchang humbly

asked Sage Qing He to write in person.

Ever since our family got this scroll of the ritual poem,

he had cherished it like a treasure.

Not only did he mount and frame it himself,

but he also specially hung it in the study.

Although Sage Qing He got into trouble,

he hasn't completely fallen from power.

The officers were probably afraid of him,

so they didn't dare to touch his thing.

The antiques and paintings in our house

have all been searched by the officers.

But only this scroll of the ritual poem

seems untouched.

Wait.

There's something inside.

Take it down.

Okay.

See?

Ronghua, don't tear it.

What's there to be afraid of?

This place is still beyond Sage Qing He's reach right now.

How much pain did he bring to your family

and Third Master Chen back then?

Since I introduced this person here,

I should be the one

to end this evil trend with my own hands.

Take it slow. Be careful.

A travel permit?

[Travel Permit: An official travel document issued by the Ming government]

Lu Wei,

[for people to prove their identity during long journeys.]

a merchant from Fujian.

So,

why did Tian Benchang

go to such great lengths

to hide a travel permit?

Manager Zhen, Miss Tian,

are you still inside?

Bad news! Tian Benchang...

He's escaped from prison!

Let me in!

I want to see Lord He.

Let her in.

Your Excellency, Tian Benchang...

Li Zhen, hold on.

You go on.

Your Excellency,

Officer Zhang brought a stranger over tonight.

I was just about to go take a closer look,

a-and that man just knocked me out.

Zhang Guang,

I can't believe you dared to help someone escape from prison!

M-My Lord,

I know nothing.

That person knocked me out.

And I just

woke up to this state.

What is that person's name and background?

I-I don't know his name.

H-He seems to be...

I think he... I think...

Out with it!

Yes...

I think he's from the Nanjing Garrison Commander's Manor.

I once asked someone to help

Tian Benchang send a letter to the Nanjing

Garrison Commander's Manor.

Soon after, that person came,

saying he wanted to see Tian Benchang.

Your Excellency,

Commander Wu

had been ignoring the Tian family.

But his man took such a risk tonight

to get Tian Benchang out of jail.

There must be a reason behind it.

I guess

Tian Benchang must have

gotten something on Commander Wu,

blackmailing Commander Wu to help him out.

Tell me

what that letter said.

It said... It said...

Right,

an account book.

Yes, it said there was an account book

that Commander Wu wanted.

But Tian Benchang said

he would only offer it after he broke out.

Bring the prisoner, Tian Bensheng, over here.

Tian Bensheng,

where is Tian Benchang?

If he really gets away,

you'll be the one taking the death penalty for illicit foreign trade.

Try your best to recall

where that account book is!

I have no idea, Your Excellency.

I've confessed everything

I know about our family.

I've never even heard

of the account book you mentioned.

Tian Benchang didn't tell me everything.

My father

only saw me as a fool.

I don't know anything else.

I really don't know anything else.

Your Excellency,

I would like to see Tian Huai'an.

Perhaps right now, besides Tian Benchang,

only Tian Huai'an knows

where this account book is.

Well...

[Travel Permit]

Your Excellency, it's hard to travel at night.

Tian Benchang couldn't have gone far.

It'll be too late

if we delay any longer.

I'm begging you.

Please let me give it a try.

Alright.

Thank you, Your Excellency.

How much further is it?

It's right in the woods ahead.

Sir,

I haven't been here in a while.

I think I have forgotten the way.

Maybe we should go that way.

Where exactly is that place?

Sir,

if you put this sword away,

maybe I'll start remembering it.

This place is so desolate

that no carriages can pass, and no one is around.

I couldn't escape even if I had wings.

Since you promised me

that you'd let me go

once you get the account book,

I have no reason to play tricks with you.

Sir!

Sir,

could you lend me

your token?

What do you need the token for?

I am penniless now,

and I can't go back home to get my travel permit.

With this token,

I can at least enter a city somewhere else

and settle down.

You can worry about the future after you hand over the item.

Thank you.

Master Tian.

Madam Tian.

Why are you here?

Master Tian,

that day in court,

you didn't mention anything about Tian Benchang

and put all the blame on Tian Bensheng.

You must have believed that

sacrificing Tian Bensheng alone

would leave the Tian family a way out.

Indeed,

as stupid and incompetent as Tian Bensheng is,

abandoning him is fine.

As long as you can save your eldest son,

the Tian family

still stands a chance,

right?

I don't get

a single thing you are saying.

I came here today

just to inform you both that Tian Benchang

has escaped from prison.

What?

He's escaped from prison?

Just last night,

someone sneaked into the prison

and got him out of here.

Don't listen to her nonsense.

He didn't escape.

He must have been released.

D-Don't listen to her nonsense.

I didn't want to give this to you,

but at this point...

Master Tian,

check this out.

Do you recognize the words on it?

This was found inside the scroll

of the ritual poem in Tian Benchang's study.

It seems that Tian Benchang

left himself a way out long ago.

With this travel permit,

he can change his name

and start anew.

But what a pity.

There is only one travel permit,

with no others.

What is this travel permit about, Darling?

What exactly does Zhen mean by this?

Madam Tian,

do you still not understand?

Tian Benchang could even abandon

and make use of his own sister.

What else can't he let go of?

Darling,

Benchang won't leave us behind,

right?

Don't talk nonsense!

I'm not talking nonsense.

Our family ending up like this

is all your fault!

You indulged them!

So they've turned out like this!

Madam Tian.

Madam Tian.

Madam Tian, please calm down.

Madam Tian.

Madam Tian,

I understand how you feel.

A mother's love

for her children knows no bounds.

A mother cherishes her every child

deeply in her heart.

She cannot bear to lose any of them.

That day in court,

you must have been heartbroken.

Now that Tian Benchang has escaped from prison to avoid punishment,

his crimes have only escalated.

And Tian Bensheng is basically dead meat.

The two of you will

also be severely punished.

Even Ronghua

can't escape punishment.

The disaster caused by one person

will drag the whole family down.

I think

this must be the worst outcome.

Bensheng, Ronghua...

Darling,

we must save Ronghua and Bensheng,

these two poor kids.

Zhen,

what exactly do you want?

Master Tian,

I know

Tian Benchang has an account book. Is that right?

Master Tian, listen to me.

This account book

might be your Tian family's only

and last chance.

Tian Benchang managed to escape

because he used this account book

to trade for his life with Commander Wu.

But in reality,

once Commander Wu gets this account book,

he will definitely get away unscathed.

After that, he will surely turn against your family.

In that case,

your whole Tian family

will be doomed,

with no one surviving.

Master Tian,

the only way out now

is to find Tian Benchang,

bring him to justice,

and let him confess his crimes.

Only then can this case

be completely solved.

Darling,

Zhen is right.

If you know where Benchang

has escaped to,

o-or if you know about the account book she just mentioned,

just tell her right away.

Be honest with her now.

How could it end up like this?

Benchang said

he wouldn't abandon us.

He wouldn't abandon us?

He already fled!

You call it not abandoning us?

Darling!

Don't make any more mistakes.

Now,

you can't protect Benchang anymore.

Now, we can only try our best to keep Bensheng

and Ronghua safe.

Our family can't fall apart, Darling.

Zhen,

I'm begging you.

Please save Ronghua.

You two are such good friends.

Madam Tian,

whether the Tian family can be saved

is not up to me now.

It's up to Master Tian.

Hurry up.

Where is it?

Inside the room.

Go.

Are you fooling me?

Do you want to die?

Where on earth is it?

Sir,

it's behind the curtain.

Behind the curtain.

It'd better be over there.

It is.

It is.

Come here.

Behave yourself.

Okay?

[Tian Family's Account Book]

Hurry.

Go.

Go.

Where is he?

Let me go!

Father,

Wensong,

thanks to Miss Li Zhen,

the Tian family has finally been thrown into prison.

The lost souls of our Luo family

can finally rest in peace now.

You can finally get over the nightmares that you've

suffered from all these years.

Zhen.

This is a toast to you.

From our childhood acquaintance,

to knowing each other better later,

and through all the situations that followed,

it was all thanks to you that things

could take a turn for the better.

I'm lucky to have met you.

Thank you.

A toast to you.

Master Qi.

Luo Wenqian.

This one is for you.

Thank you for always sticking with me

through thick and thin.

No drinking.

Drinking too much will give you a headache.

At least I don't act wildly when I'm drunk.

Somebody

caused a scene at our house after drinking,

made Benchang take care of him,

and kept crying and demanding

to go to the second floor.

I really didn't know the second floor was your bedroom.

If only I had known...

Let's eat.

Let's eat up.

How silly.

Eat up.

Come on.

I made all of the dishes.

Give it a try.

Oh, right, before we eat...

Sit down first.

I want to discuss something with you.

Besides the military funds

which need to be handed in,

I still have 2,000 taels of silver.

I asked Cuiqiao to convert them into two vouchers.

You can turn to her

whenever you're in need, okay?

You want to push me away again, don't you?

No, no.

That's not what I meant.

Even though the Tian family is in prison,

my sentence

will likely be

exile for at least 10 to 20 years.

I mean, if

I'm not around

and you ever

need money, just in case,

you can use this for emergencies.

And this rouge ink,

could you

keep it for me for the time being?

During my exile,

I don't want to affect

your happy life for the next 10 or 20 years.

You can completely start over...

Of course, if one day

I can come back,

I will find you...

You can't take back what you've given.

Look at me. Look me in the eyes.

Luo Wenqian, listen up.

For the person I love,

not even the end of the world

could make me give in.

Whatever the verdict is tomorrow,

I will face it with you.

Understood?

Don't be sad.

It was my fault just now.

I shouldn't have said that.

Tears will mess up your face.