Original subtitles

=Against The Current=

(Adapted from He Yanshan's novel, Orchid Fragrance Fate)

=Episode 2= (This drama does not correspond)

(to any real historical dynasty.)

(The systems, culture, attire and other dynastic elements have been adapted.)

Keep a close eye on her these days.

I'm afraid

Young Lady can't get over it anytime soon.

I'm just afraid

she can endure what's before her,

but not what's to come.

What if

someone gets suspicious?

Don't worry about that.

Our Lanxiang

has lived in the capital since childhood.

She's also been sick at home for many years.

Let alone Jinling,

even in the capital,

hardly anyone truly knows

what Lanxiang really looks like.

If she ever

meets some acquaintance,

just say she's grown and changed.

Anyway, from today onward,

she is Lanxiang.

After we return to Jinling,

we'll just have to endure more hardship.

We mustn't let her suffer.

It's just that I'm sorry

our Lanxiang

can't be laid to rest.

Chrysanthemum greens for sale!

Fresh chrysanthemum greens!

Chrysanthemum greens!

(Jinling City) Fresh chrysanthemum greens!

Chrysanthemum greens for sale!

(Taiping) Chrysanthemum greens for sale!

Fresh chrysanthemum greens!

Want some chrysanthemum greens?

Chrysanthemum greens!

Our secret-recipe duck!

Fresh plum cakes!

Freshly cooked pork-skin noodles!

Chrysanthemum greens!

Fresh chrysanthemum greens!

Chrysanthemum greens for sale!

Chrysanthemum greens!

Fresh chrysanthemum greens!

Slow down.

How about I make you

something tasty?

You little rascal!

- Watch out! - Stop!

Stop!

Can't you two slow down?

I just hung up those clothes.

(Young Lv Ji'er)

(Hu Sui'er) Boys are mischievous.

(Liu Wujiu's Wife) He never behaved.

Wujiu.

Look, you're sweating all over.

(Liu Wujiu)

Ji'er, come serve the dishes.

Coming.

(Wang Jinpan) Careful. Don't spill it.

(Lv Ji'er's Mother)

Grandpa, time to eat.

(Mr. Lv, Lv Ji'er's Grandfather)

Hurry.

Little bro, run.

Careful, don't bump into anyone.

This oilcloth...

Where'd you get it?

The shop didn't want it.

The tiles on our roof are broken.

Whenever it rains,

the rain drips onto the bed.

I begged the head shopkeeper for this piece of oilcloth.

It'll be perfect for the roof.

That's much better.

Now we don't have to worry about Lanxiang getting rained on.

Put it here for now.

You two really dote on your daughter.

We can't help it.

She's our only daughter.

Is she still not fully recovered?

You've moved here for so long,

yet I've never seen her go out.

I hit it!

I finally hit it!

Amazing!

I hit it!

I finally hit it!

Stop fooling around. Go on.

Go play over there.

Thanks for asking, Liu.

My daughter's condition has improved.

She still needs to rest.

Once she's fully recovered, she'll naturally come out.

Get back to what you were doing.

How shameless.

Serves him right.

Didn't he see?

They're from the capital.

Like they'd ever give us the time of day.

Madam...

Forget it.

Forget it.

Why are you pulling me?

Better to avoid trouble.

Forget it.

Forget it.

Get back to work.

Come give me a hand.

You must be hungry.

Hurry and eat.

The younger should respect the elder.

You two, please eat first.

Here, sit.

Sit.

Here.

Eat.

Eat. We'll eat, too.

Your father

hasn't been paid this month.

Let's eat this for now.

Once he gets paid,

I'll go to Butcher Zhang's

and buy 100 grams of pork.

You're too kind.

Don't spend money on me.

I can eat this.

I'll eat outside.

It's a little hot inside.

Come.

Good food is being handed out!

Everyone, gather around.

Gather around.

There's a happy occasion today.

Come.

Come quickly.

Young Master is getting married today.

Our First Madam has ordered

that each household gets wedding cakes.

Everyone can share in the joy.

Why are you still standing there?

One each. Don't grab.

Don't rush. Everyone will get one.

Three over here.

There are more of us.

There are more of us.

Why are you pushing?

Three people.

Young Master is getting married today.

Wedding cakes are given per person.

We got three.

Here.

I don't like these sticky things.

I'm used to eating steamed buns.

I'll put these two away.

Eat another one tomorrow at noon,

and one at night.

(Lin) This is Young Lady's betrothal document.

(Lin) And this other one...

Is the Lin family

trying to break off the engagement?

(Letter of Broken Engagement)

Father.

Could Young Master get married every day?

(Lin)

Then we'd have wedding cakes every day.

I want that, too.

Eat. Come on.

Look at the "Double Happiness" character.

These wedding cakes are delicious.

Don't you want to eat?

Lanxiang.

What's wrong?

♪The golden sunset sketches my thoughts♪

♪All things fall silent, fearing to disturb this moment♪

♪My restless heart seeks a place to anchor♪

♪I wonder if the past has ever been heard♪

The bride, Young Lady Zhao, is quite something.

Her grandfather

is a favorite of His Majesty.

He's a First-Rank official.

Do you know what a First-Rank official is?

A really, really high-ranking official.

♪Half a lifetime of longing returns to this moment♪

Peace for every generation.

♪I still remember your name♪

♪I no longer blame the moon for withholding its light♪

What's wrong, child?

You have to eat.

Starving yourself will only hurt you.

Be a good girl.

Here, eat.

Is...

Is this Lin family...

the one...

I can't read.

This...

This... This is the character "Lin".

Is it

the Lin family I was betrothed to?

They don't even know their place.

Everyone in our compound,

young and old,

is born a servant of the Lin family.

Servants born to servants.

(Lin)

Look. It's so beautiful.

So pretty.

Cry.

If you want to cry, cry your heart out.

Cry as hard as you can.

Cry it all out.

Then we'll live well afterward.

Live with all your might.

Live fiercely.

Just like wild grass.

Live shamelessly and freely.

From now on,

there'll only be spring

and no winter.

We'll live without a care.

Here.

Here, give it to me.

Enough?

That's enough.

Enough.

Just a little is enough.

Keep your hand low,

and the oil won't splatter on you.

How is it?

Feeling better today?

No, I can't take your family's things.

Why are you so polite?

Take it.

Keep it and eat it slowly.

If it's good, tell me later.

Keep it for yourselves.

Take it.

No.

I can't take your things.

Father.

The paste.

I've already put it up.

How does it look?

It's upside down.

This is how it should be.

Alright.

Let's go. Come inside.

Lanxiang.

Come.

I've got good stuff.

Write one.

(Six Years Later)

(Xu)

♪The wind blows past distant hills♪

(Xu Lanxiang)

♪The moon kisses the rising smoke♪

♪Whose oil lamp burns tonight?♪

Father.

Write this character.

This is...

"Xu".

This is how you write "Xu"?

Alright.

Let me see.

Start with a dot.

Then draw a long horizontal stroke.

Then two below.

♪Flowers bloom again by the fence♪

♪Snow falls white upon the eaves♪

♪Four seasons wax and wane, year after year♪

♪Whose footsteps come and go?♪

♪You're a river flowing to shore♪

Lanxiang.

Mother.

Come help me

hang up the clothes.

(Lv Family's Eldest and Youngest Sons) Hit her.

(Lv Ji'er)

You little rascal!

Give back the slingshot.

Stop!

You brat!

You can't even do this simple task.

What's the use of raising you?

Look.

Careful.

Are you alright?

Hurry and hang them up.

Lanxiang.

Father.

We're here.

What's wrong?

All these years,

I've been asking around

where the Shen family was buried.

But there was never any news.

Today, a merchant from the capital

came to the shop.

He happened to mention

that six years ago,

someone

collected the remains of Grand Secretary Shen's family.

Really?

Absolutely.

But he doesn't know

who this kind soul is

or where the Shen family was buried.

May the Bodhisattva bless us.

Amitabha.

The stone in my heart

has finally been lifted.

Lanxiang.

Go on.

Light incense for your parents

and your other family members.

Amitabha.

At least they're no longer

restless spirits with nowhere to go.

Father.

Mother.

Don't worry.

The Xu family treats me very well.

In this life,

I'll be sure to treat them well

and care for them until old age.

In my next life,

I'll be your daughter again.

Heaven above,

and Earth below, bear witness.

Today, honorable men have recovered the remains

of the Shen family and Lanxiang

and laid them all to rest.

I owe them a debt beyond measure.

I'll never forget what they've done,

and I swear I'll repay them one day.

(Lin Jinqi) The rebel leader is dead.

(Jinzhou Seaside Fishing Village)

Those who resist...

are to be killed without mercy.

- Good! - Good!

- Good! - Good!

(Nanke, Lin Jinqi's Attendant) Good!

- Good! - Good!

(Jiugao, Lin Jinqi's Attendant) Good!

(Du Zheng, Courtesy Name Congyi, Junior) - Good!

(Banner Officer of the Jinzhou Guards) Good!

- Good! - Good!

Fresh chrysanthemum greens.

Chrysanthemum greens.

(Rongbao Pavilion)

Look at Xu.

Look at this mess.

He finally minded the shop,

yet he was so unlucky.

He lost everything this time.

You're here.

Master Craftsman.

(Rongbao Pavilion's Master Craftsman)

Lanxiang.

Bringing your father his lunch again?

I'm going to the back to find him.

Head Shopkeeper.

Head Shopkeeper.

Please take another look.

Just one more look.

Move aside.

Get out of the way.

Please take another look at this painting.

It really is a fine painting.

Just take one more look.

I told you to mind the shop.

(Huang Youzhi) Just mind it.

(Rongbao Pavilion's Head Shopkeeper) Look what happened.

You took in a fake painting.

I'm only making you pay five taels.

That's already very merciful.

Just look at it again.

Get out of my way.

Father.

Useless fool.

Lanxiang.

This...

How could this painting be fake?

Five taels of silver?

Five taels?

How many nights

will Lanxiang and I have to work

to earn that much again?

How could it be fake?

That painting

and the poem on it

have this indescribable

artistic charm.

What artistic charm?

You only learned

a few characters from Lanxiang.

You really think you're a scholar?

I won't learn anymore.

I'll never learn again!

Never again!

What's the use of learning?

Learning to read only brought trouble.

A good-for-nothing will always be one!

Learning won't change that.

I just thought...

If that painting is real,

and we sell it,

I could get a silver tael as a reward.

Lanxiang isn't young anymore.

We need to save some money

to buy her freedom.

What else can we do?

Are we going to let her be like us,

two slaves giving birth to another slave?

Be slaves for generations to come?

Father, Mother.

I have an idea.

We won't have to pay the five taels,

and maybe

we can even make some money.

Really?

(Rongbao Pavilion)

Old Master.

These just came in this month.

This calligraphy is quite good.

Didn't Father say before

that Old Master Lin collects landscapes

and visits the shop every ten days?

As long as we see Old Master Lin...

Old Master.

What do you think of this calligraphy?

It's good.

Good.

It's a pity we never get an original by Li Yingqiu.

Quite a few people have heard

that you like Li Yingqiu,

so they bring fake paintings to sell.

Let's look upstairs.

Who hung this painting here?

Take it down.

Quickly.

Old Master.

This fake painting

was bought by a shop hand.

That day, I went south of the city

to buy antiques.

I wasn't at the shop.

Why are you hiding? Come here.

Greetings, Old Master.

Xu.

It... It was him.

Old Master will surely ask you

why you took that painting.

The brushwork and ink

are very much like Li Yingqiu's style,

but

the inscription uses the lampblack ink of Hui ink.

Li Yingqiu lived in the early Northern Song,

but this lampblack ink

hadn't appeared in the early Northern Song.

It's clearly a fake painting.

That's exactly what the head shopkeeper said.

What if Old Master asks the same thing?

Just answer

why you took the painting.

(Drifting Alone on the River)

I just thought

it had an artistic charm.

Artistic charm?

Yes.

Artistic charm.

I can't really explain it.

I just thought the painting was good,

and the calligraphy was good, too.

But the best part

is still this poem.

Inscribed on the Cold Mountain Painting.

You can tell Old Master Lin the truth.

You don't understand poetry.

You only learned a few words from your daughter.

But you're a hereditary slave.

How could you know how to read?

Mother.

Don't you remember?

When we were in the capital,

I was often ill.

The housekeeper feared catching my illness

and made us move out.

The three of us

had no choice but to stay at a nunnery.

The nun there

was very fond of my daughter.

She often took her to chant prayers.

That's how she learned to read.

Also,

ever since I came to Jinling

and worked at Rongbao Pavilion,

I've often received the head shopkeeper's guidance.

I don't understand much either.

I just think this poem is well written.

Xu.

I told you not to take it to heart.

Teaching you

was also for the shop's sake.

It seems Buddha intended

for Li Yingqiu's Cold Mountain

to see the light of day again.

This painting...

It's fake.

Yet it's also real.

This painting was once owned by Scholar Yi'an.

In her later years, Scholar Yi'an suffered through war.

Most of her antiques, calligraphy, and paintings

were looted and lost.

To protect this painting,

she made an identical copy

and left an obvious flaw, lampblack ink,

(By Heyang's Li Yingqiu) in the inscription.

This meant that even if someone stole it,

they'd think it was a forgery.

They'd never imagine the original was hidden beneath the fake.

That's right.

To find it later,

Scholar Yi'an

wrote this poem as a marker.

Who would've thought?

Who would've thought that two centuries later,

an uneducated servant

would become her kindred spirit?

They say fools can be lucky,

but Xu is diligent, too.

Our shop currently

needs a third shopkeeper for calligraphy and paintings.

What do you think, Old Master?

Well...

You can decide

the shop's affairs.

Alright.

Why wait for a better day when today's perfect?

Starting today,

Xu is Rongbao Pavilion's

third shopkeeper.

Wonderful.

Then...

Congratulations, Xu.

No.

Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper.

Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper.

- Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper. - Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper.

- Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper. - Congratulations, Third Shopkeeper.

Thank you, Old Master.

This is the reward Old Master gave you?

It's ten taels.

Ten taels.

Lanxiang.

Did you know all along

that it was a genuine painting?

When I was ten,

I heard Grandfather tell this tale.

When I saw that painting,

I recognized it.

You have a keen eye.

You bought a genuine work right away.

It's mainly thanks to your teaching.

And thanks to your reminder

not to offend the head shopkeeper.

This is the six taels of silver

our family has saved over the years.

With this ten taels,

we have 16 taels in total.

I've already asked around.

For a girl at Lanxiang's age,

16 taels is more than enough to buy her freedom.

That's right.

I'll find someone to ask our master

to free Lanxiang.

Put it away.

Put it away.

Father.

Father.

Mother.

I'm very grateful

for your kindness.

But under the current law,

I'm a hereditary slave.

I can't be freed from servitude alone.

What do you mean you can't be freed from servitude alone?

Then...

Does that mean you'll be a servant all your life?

Yes.

Mother, don't you remember?

When Father sold himself to the Lin family,

he signed a life contract.

That means

we can be freed from servitude with Father.

With me?

Yes.

If we're being freed from servitude,

we do it together.

Be freed from servitude together?

Be freed from servitude together.

Become free citizens together.

- Become free citizens? - Become free citizens?

But...

How many years would we need to save that much?

We won't always get lucky like this.

That's right.

Father, don't you remember?

You're the third shopkeeper now.

That's true.

You're the third shopkeeper now.

Things are different now.

Your monthly salary

is much higher than when you did odd jobs.

And I'll get rewards for doing well.

Lanxiang.

Teach me more characters,

and also

teach me how to identify paintings and calligraphy.

I'll work hard to make more money.

Sure.

Then I...

Starting tomorrow,

I'll take on more embroidery work.

Lanxiang.

These patterns you drew for me

are beautiful.

I'll embroider them well

and earn a few more coins.

We'll work hard together

and buy our freedom from the Lin family.

When that day comes,

Father will open a shop.

I'll help out at the shop.

Mother, you can just count the money.

Sure.

♪Peace of heart in three places♪

Loquats! Fresh loquats!

Loquats! Fresh loquats!

Loquats!

(Jinling Lin Residence)

How novel!

Red as cinnabar,

and lovely as rouge.

I've never seen it before.

I wonder what it's called.

It's a new item

brought back from the West by Defense Commander Zheng.

It's called foreign pepper.

- Foreign pepper? - Foreign pepper?

There are only a few pots

in all of Jinling.

It looks so festive.

Quite fitting for the occasion.

Congratulations, Lin.

Your son distinguished himself fighting Japanese pirates

and has been promoted to Vice Commander.

He's been transferred back to Jinling.

What a promising young man.

He couldn't succeed in his studies,

so he could only become a soldier.

Lin, you're too modest.

Master.

Master.

Master.

(Yang Zhong, Lin Residence's)

(Head Bulter) Young Master is back.

That wretched boy

had to come back right now, of all times.

He just had to ruin everyone's mood.

=Against the Current= (Next Episode Preview)

Stand properly.

Greet Young Master and Young Madam.

- Young Master. - Young Master.

- Young Madam. - Young Madam.

There are 12 hereditary slaves

who came of age this time.

First Madam chose these four

and ordered me to bring them

to Zhichun Hall to serve you both.

Please tell First Madam

we appreciate her kindness,

but Zhichun Hall has enough staff.

♪Spring slips from the branches once more♪

♪Flowers bloom unseen, as they have before♪

♪All the joys and sorrows come and go♪

♪While loss leaves winter in the heart♪

♪Though all the world may fade♪

♪Time rolls on as countless lives rush by♪

♪Night winds wander through the halls of long ago♪

♪No page could hold the longing words can never show♪

♪Every joy and sorrow in this fleeting life♪

♪Fades into the past as new wounds rise♪

♪While whispers of perfume linger beneath the eaves♪

♪Let the cold wind rage, let the wild rain fall♪

♪Let sorrow spill like shadows over all♪

♪Let love fall to pieces, let old anger burn away♪

♪Let the past die with yesterday♪

♪One last fire, one last cup of wine♪

♪And silver moonlight to guide me through the night♪

♪Let beginnings fade as endings come to call♪

♪From this endless dream, there's no return at all♪

♪Let the cold wind rage, let the wild rain fall♪

♪Let sorrow spill like shadows over all♪

♪Let love fall to pieces, let old anger burn away♪

♪Let the past die with yesterday♪

♪One last fire, one last cup of wine♪

♪And silver moonlight to guide me through the night♪

♪Let beginnings fade as endings come to call♪

♪From this endless dream, there's no return at all♪