Original subtitles

[The Heir]

[Episode 41]

Master Luo,

I asked you to stay

because I wanted to talk to you

about you and Zhen.

Our Zhen

seems reserved on the surface,

but in front of her mother and me,

she can't hide anything.

We can all see that for the

past 3 years,

this girl

hasn't been able to let you go for a moment.

However,

because she's the pillar of the house,

she doesn't dare

take a step forward easily.

If you

can't let her go either,

you should take the first step.

Is that okay?

Eighth Master Li,

I haven't forgotten Li Zhen for a moment in the past 3 years.

But...

now I

don't dare have any inappropriate thoughts about her.

Eighth Master Li,

3 years ago, I learned that

it was my father who ruined the Li family,

ruined Li Ink,

and ruined you.

Today, I...

dare not ask for your forgiveness.

I only ask that you

accept my bow.

Master Luo.

Please get up.

How old were you back then?

Just a child around Zhen's age.

No matter how great

the Luo family's sins were,

they cannot be blamed on you.

Thank you, Eighth Master Li.

But...

fate plays tricks on people.

This must be my destiny.

Fate does play tricks.

Indeed.

I'll go call Li Zhen back.

Come back!

This is

the crucial stage for the Liuhe Ink.

If you tell her,

and her mind gets distracted,

can she keep

making this ink?

My illness

can't be cured.

At this critical moment,

my current condition

should be kept confidential.

Only you

and I know.

Alright.

Eighth Master Li.

I trust you.

[Li Ink]

Zhen,

I will make this piece

of Liuhe Ink

with you.

Grandfather...

Jinshui.

Jinshui.

Think carefully.

You made a Teeth-etched Oath before the Founder's Black Banner.

If you touch ink now,

wouldn't that mean

you're breaking your oath?

Third Master Chen.

I, Li Jinshui, have been obsessed with ink-making all my life.

If I am lucky enough

to see the Liuhe Ink's birth,

what does it matter if I break my oath?

I've taught our Zhen to make ink for so many years,

but I've never made ink with her.

Zhen,

today,

we, as grandfather and granddaughter, will work together.

Okay.

I'll listen to you, Grandfather.

Mix the ink!

Mix the ink!

Wenqian!

Pour in the lampblack.

Okay.

Eighth Master Li, you...

Okay.

Grandfather.

Turn up the fire.

Got it.

Second mix!

Wenqian!

Pour in the lampblack.

Add some more glue.

Third mix.

Wenqian,

add more lampblack.

Okay.

Add jade powder and musk.

Wenqian,

add borneol.

Fourth mix!

Wenqian,

add lampblack.

Eighth Master Li, let me do it.

Grandfather,

why don't you rest for a while?

Leave this to us.

Have a seat.

Come.

Come on.

Come on.

Grandfather,

the fourth mix...

Why aren't the ink and glue mixing?

If it were really that easy,

someone would have tried it long ago.

Pour this out.

Adjust

the materials and glue mixture again.

Let's start over.

Okay.

Start over!

[Ink Workshop]

Fourth mix!

Add lampblack!

It's the fourth mix.

Fourth mix!

Continue.

Come on.

Add the materials.

Okay.

Fifth mix!

Okay! Come on!

Add lampblack!

Fifth mix!

Come on!

Rotate it.

Add the materials!

Come on. Add it.

Wenqian.

Take a rest. I'll take over.

-Sixth mix! -Sixth mix!

Come on!

-Sixth mix! -Sixth mix!

Add lampblack!

Come on.

Add it.

Come on!

Keep going!

Keep going!

Harder!

Tianhe!

Heaven aligns!

Earth aligns!

Earth aligns!

Human aligns!

Human aligns!

Technique aligns.

Technique aligns!

Dao aligns!

Dao aligns!

Again.

Again!

Come on!

Zhen.

Zhen.

We can do this!

Again!

Again!

Again!

Again!

Come on!

Zhen.

Zhen!

Eighth Uncle!

Eighth Master Li!

-Grandfather. -Eighth Master Li!

-Jinshui! -Grandfather!

Eighth Master Li! Eighth Master Li!

Grandfather!

Hurry!

Let's go!

One more sip.

You scared me to death just now.

Grandfather,

let me take you back.

The ink is important.

But your health is also important.

We are here.

Don't worry.

I'm sorry for scaring everyone.

I'm fine.

Uncles,

please go out first.

Leave it to us.

Right.

Okay, let's go then.

Don't worry.

Rest well.

Zhen,

I'll be fine after a short rest.

You are the chief ink maker of Liuhe Ink.

You can't just leave.

Go now.

Eighth Master Li,

how about this?

I'll stay here with you.

You don't need to worry about me.

Both of you, go.

Go.

Doggie.

Please take care of my grandfather.

Yes.

Go on.

Let's go.

Keep going!

Okay!

Eighth Master Li.

Lie down for a while.

Alright?

Here.

Here, Eighth Master Li.

Get some rest.

Call me anytime.

I'll be right outside.

[Young Li Jinshui]

Jingqi,

what does it mean to forge a sword with blood?

It's just a rumor recorded in books.

In my opinion,

using blood as an initiator

represents the determination to make a good piece of ink.

Think about it.

[Young Li Jintai]

With the determination to die for something,

what can't be accomplished?

But

since the book says so,

there must be a reason.

When I grow up,

[Young Wang Rujun]

I will try all these anecdotes from the book

one by one.

Maybe I can make

the best piece of ink in the world

for our Li Ink.

Well said, Eighth Brother.

In the future,

our Li Ink will have to depend on you.

Eighth Brother.

Eighth Brother.

Rujun?

Jingqi?

[Middle-aged Li Jintai]

Eighth Brother,

it's not your fault.

Leave the rest to the descendants.

They will surely forge their own path.

Eighth Brother,

come with me.

Jingqi.

Forging a sword with blood?

Give me some time.

Using blood as an initiator.

Just give me some time.

I beg you,

give me some time.

Using blood as an initiator?

Zhen,

take a break.

Let's make another plan, okay?

-Eighth Master Li? -Eighth Master Li.

-Eighth Master Li. -Eighth Master Li.

Grandfather.

Eighth Uncle!

What are you doing?

-Eighth Master Li! --Eighth Master Li!

Grandfather!

Grandfather, what are you doing?

Don't touch me!

Grandfather!

What are you doing?

In ancient times,

the couple Gan Jiang and Mo Ye

used their blood as an initiator

and their bodies to cast a sword.

That's an ancient legend,

not to be believed.

Human blood has a coagulating effect.

It might be worth trying

in ink-making.

Ink like this—

I would rather not make it!

All my life,

I have never believed in ghosts or gods,

only in myself.

If I don't see the birth of Liuhe Ink,

how can I face Jingqi and Rujun?

Zhen,

I must try it.

Using blood as an initiator...

to give the ink its soul.

Sixth Mix!

Mix the ink!

-Eighth Master Li! -Eighth Master Li!

Mix the ink!

Come on. Hurry.

Take a break.

Heaven aligns!

Heaven aligns!

Earth aligns!

Earth aligns!

Human aligns!

Human aligns!

Technique aligns!

Technique aligns!

Dao aligns!

Dao aligns!

Heart aligns!

Heart blends.

Heaven blends.

Heaven aligns!

Earth aligns!

Earth aligns!

Human aligns!

Human aligns!

Sixfold alignment!

The ink is done!

It's done!

Eighth Master Li.

It's done!

Sixfold alignment...

It's done.

It's done.

It's done.

-Eighth Master Li? -Eighth Master Li!

-Eighth Master Li! -Grandfather!

-Eighth Uncle! -Grandfather!

Doctor!

Quick, get a doctor!

Hurry!

Grandfather, don't scare me.

Hurry!

Grandfather!

Grandfather!

Grandfather said

he wants to go to the ancestral hall.

Grandfather,

Liuhe Ink is complete.

Zhen.

I want to be alone with you for a while.

Alright.

Alright.

Everyone, please leave us.

Offer incense

on my behalf.

Okay.

Ancestors,

Jinhe,

Jingqi,

Rujun,

I

and Zhen

have brought the ink here.

Grandfather,

Sixth Grandfather, Seventh Grandfather,

and Seventh Grandmother in heaven

will definitely see it.

Rest assured.

Zhen,

don't cry.

I won't.

My Zhen

is smart,

eager to learn,

and diligent.

But I have never

properly praised you all these years.

Instead, I often scolded you

and stood against you

for the Li family.

I'm sorry, Zhen.

No, Grandfather.

I know

you did it for my own good.

I understand.

Actually,

I have always wanted to tell you

that my Zhen

has always been the best.

You've never let me down,

and you've always been my pride.

I

just can't bear to leave you.

Grandfather!

Grandfather!

Grandfather!

Grandfather!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Liuhe Ink is complete!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Liuhe Ink is complete!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Liuhe Ink is complete!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Liuhe Ink is complete!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Lift the coffin!

When I was young,

the Eighth Branch was expelled from the clan,

and my father passed away early.

Only my grandfather struggled to support our family

and raised me.

Later, when I started making ink,

he was both an elder

and a strict teacher to me.

If it weren't for him,

I wouldn't have made it to this day

or achieved what I have today.

You dedicated your life to making ink,

ranking first among the Five Ink-making Grandmasters.

When the Tribute Ink case occurred,

you left Li Ink with unyielding integrity.

Later, you made a Teeth-etched Oath

to never touch ink again.

Up until this very day,

you gave your all for our family, our country,

and the entire Huizhou ink industry,

dedicating yourself until your last breath.

Throughout your entire life,

you never lost

your pride as an ink-maker.

Today,

before your coffin, I make this vow—

I wish only to follow in your footsteps all my life,

to revive our family's legacy,

and to carry forward Li Ink and Hui Ink to their fullest glory!

Lift the coffin!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Farewell, Eighth Master Li!

Hang the portrait!

Enter the ancestral hall!

[Spirit Tablet of Jinshui, Son of the Li Family in Ming]

Present the ink for painting!

Your Highness.

The Li family's Liuhe Ink

and the Kuroda family's Sihe Ink

are both Superior Grade One.

After the painting test,

the Li family's Liuhe Ink

[Sihe Ink] [Literary Association] [Liuhe Ink]

and the Kuroda family's Sihe Ink

are still both Superior Grade One!

This is the 4th round of the competition,

and there is still no winner.

Are you confident this time?

I witnessed Eighth Master Li and Zhen

working together making Liuhe Ink with my own eyes.

Everyone made it with all their might.

I believe we definitely won't lose.

Your Highness,

My Lords,

and ink makers of the Li family's Liuhe Ink.

The Kuroda family's ink-making technique originated in the Southern Tang Dynasty.

We came here

to learn from the famous

Hui Ink of Ming.

Unexpectedly, after 4 rounds of competition,

there is still no winner.

This shows that our ink is not inferior to Hui Ink.

Your country has an old saying,

"The latecomers surpass the old-timers."

I suppose this is what it means.

Please be patient, sirs.

Our Ming also has another saying,

"The truth is only revealed at the last moment."

The ink contest is not over yet.

How can we jump

to conclusions so early?

After 4 rounds of competition,

your dignified Liuhe Ink

couldn't beat our Sihe Ink.

Your Highness.

The superiority and inferiority between them

surely

need no further competition to be proven.

Just as Li Zhen said,

it is not until the last moment

that we can easily judge which is better.

Then, Your Highness,

please give us a way to distinguish the better one.

You're giving me a hard time.

Your Highness.

I

actually have a way.

I once heard

that Li Tinggui, the ancestor of Li Ink,

made ink that was imperishable like jade.

Once, a high-ranking official

dropped a piece of Tinggui Ink into a pond,

and it was accidentally retrieved a year later.

Only then did people discover

that the ink left underwater for a year

was still as solid and bright as new.

Since our Sihe Ink and the Li family's Liuhe Ink

both originated from Li Ink,

I wonder if the Li family dares to compete with us

in a water test.

Li Zhen.

Do you dare to accept the challenge?

Your Highness.

The Li family

is willing to compete with the Kuroda family

in a water test.

If Li Ink loses—

do you know the consequences?

The ink made by Eighth Master Li, the head

of the Five Ink-making Grandmasters, at the cost of his life,

will never be defeated.

As expected of an ink-making family from a great nation,

such noble bearing.

In our previous competitions,

there was no clear winner.

So, Your Highness, I would like to ask you

to add a reward to the competition.

If the Kuroda family wins,

please report this to the Ming Emperor

and allow us to establish

a trading house in Yue Port in Zhangzhou of Great Ming.

This will fulfill our wish to learn from

and communicate with the Ming ink industry.

You don't even dare

to agree to such a small request?

Your Highness,

both sides can ask for a reward.

Since the Kuroda family has requested a reward from Ming,

if Li Ink wins,

we should also request a reward

from the Kuroda family.

That makes sense.

I heard that the Kuroda family's swords

originated from our Tang swords.

Although the Tang sword-making technique has long been lost in Ming,

it has been passed down in the Kuroda family for centuries,

becoming one of its most valued treasures.

So, in this ink contest,

if the Li family wins,

I will ask you

for the Kuroda family's sword-making technique as the reward.

This will fulfill our desire to learn from and communicate with each other.

What do you think?

Well...

What's wrong?

You don't even dare

to agree to such a small request?

Let's do as you said.

Good.

Pass my order.

Put the ink into the water.