Original subtitles

[Spring of The Blade]

[Episode 28]

So you not only killed my mother,

you almost killed me too.

Qingrong.

That wasn't what happened.

That wasn't.

It wasn't like that.

It really wasn't.

Listen to me.

It wasn't like that.

How much longer are you

going to put on this act?

Qingrong.

Qingrong,

please let me explain, okay?

Enough!

Qingrong.

I know I was wrong.

I deserve to die.

Xie Shu forced me.

He forced me to kill your mother.

I've always wanted to atone for it.

But I couldn't.

It was impossible.

Qingrong.

But I've treated you as my own.

That never changed.

I fed you and raised you myself.

Every time you were sick,

I was right by your side.

Have you forgotten?

You know how I treat you, right?

In this Xie Residence,

Xie Shu and Old Madam

only treated me as a stepping stone

to climb higher.

Only you...

Only you and Qingru

truly cared about me.

Without you two,

I would have died long ago.

Qingrong.

You can make me

do anything.

You can make me atone for my sins.

I only beg you...

don't disown me,

okay?

Don't disown me.

You raised me all these years

and called me your child.

Is this your trick to atone for your sins,

or do you just want to see me treat my enemy as my mother

so that you can enjoy it?

No, Qingrong.

I treat you as my own.

My feelings for you are real.

They never changed.

Without you, I'd be dead.

How can I be enjoying that?

I beg you.

Please don't disown me, okay?

I'm begging you.

Qingrong,

I beg you.

I stopped treating you as my mother long ago.

Do you know why you're sick?

I know.

I've known for a long time.

Otherwise,

how could I obediently

drink the medicine you fed me?

My life is yours.

I'm giving it back to you.

Mother!

I...

I...

This is just a drug to make people lethargic.

Why is this happening?

Qingrong...

Thank you.

Thank you for the medicine you fed me.

It is the antidote of my life.

No.

No!

Qingrong.

Qingrong.

This letter,

I've hidden it for 9 years.

It's time to return it to its owner.

Since you already know the truth,

why did you come to me?

I came to you,

first, to ask you to plead with Hu Xing

to spare Shen Zhibai's life.

He is an upright man,

and shouldn't end up like this.

Only you can do this.

Second,

I have a letter

that I want you to give to Lu Lingshu.

And please pass on a message:

I'd like to

meet her.

To tell you the truth,

after I see her,

I plan to leave Hengtang

with my daughter,

leaving all this behind.

Haven't you always wanted me to go far away

and never appear before Xie Shu again?

I've imagined countless times

how you would react after learning the truth.

But I never expected...

that you would choose to leave.

What I seek

is different from yours.

I never envied that mansion.

I didn't want my daughter to be trapped in there too,

unable to see the world outside—

the free life.

The secrets you want

are all in here.

Qingrong!

Why?

-Why? -Qingrong.

Qingrong.

Qingrong!

Qingrong!

Listen to me, Qingrong!

[Xie Residence of Hengtang]

Qingrong!

Qingrong!

Qingrong!

Qingrong!

Qingrong.

Qingrong.

I don't ask for your forgiveness,

or for you to acknowledge me.

I just beg you to

leave the Xie family,

leave Xie Shu,

leave this hellhole,

and never come back to Hengtang!

What are you doing?

How disgraceful!

Xie Shu?

You're finally willing to see me?

You're finally willing to see me.

What's the use of seeing me now?

You ruined my life.

I shouldn't have hated Jin Chunqing.

The one I should hate is you.

Hu Wenzhuo,

stop speaking nonsense,

tarnishing my innocence.

Innocence?

Whose innocence?

You're innocent?

For you,

for your family,

I've done evil all my life.

Today,

I will make it up to Qingrong.

I will destroy you with my own hands,

and expose your most unbearable,

most hidden secrets

to everyone.

It's time

the Xie family ends.

Lord Xie,

the patriarch of the Xie family,

Xie Shu!

Don't tell me you've forgotten it yourself

that you're a fake!

You're not the biological son of the Xie family!

You're an impostor!

Shut up!

Did you all hear that?

The Xie family swapped the fake son in!

This Xie Shu,

is not the biological son of the Xie family at all.

He is an impostor!

The one who gave birth to him

was just a street gambler—

one worse than a beggar who sold his son!

Don't believe her!

This shrew has gone mad!

Mother.

Mother.

Not only did I drink it,

but I also...

added things...

that worsens it.

I wanted to untie the knot in your heart

and repay you with my life.

Qingrong...

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Mother...

Mother.

What are you thinking about?

I had a very, very long nightmare.

In the dream,

I hurt you—

very, very deeply.

All my life,

I lived in heart-piercing guilt.

Until I my last breath,

I was still begging for your forgiveness.

In the dream,

did you love me just as much?

Of course.

I treated you like my own.

Then did you

truly repent for your mistakes?

Every moment,

I lived in the torment of regret.

Then,

on behalf of my dream self,

I forgive you.

Qingrong,

I am sorry.

I love you.

Mother...

Mother.

Mother!

Mother!

Mother.

Mother.

Mother.

Mother.

Your Majesty,

the ginseng soup is ready.

The noble families in Hengtang are outraged.

They demand severe punishment for Xie Shu

to set the record straight.

What?

Xie Shu is of commoner origin?

Madam Hu shouted it out right before she died,

right at the gate of the Xie family.

Many people heard it.

She was the Head Madam of the Xie family.

Could her words be false?

No wonder.

Xie Shu never looked like someone

with ancestral blessings.

Turns out he is just a cuckoo in the nest.

This is outrageous!

A hypocrite who abandoned his real name

actually relied on deception

to hold a high position for years.

He...

He even put on an act to lead the prominent families.

This is a disgrace!

Xie Shu is audacious.

How dare he impersonate the son of the Xie family for so many years.

He deserves death for his crimes.

How dare a fake put on airs

and try to command the prominent families of Hengtang?

How could the prominent families spare him?

By letting a person of unknown origin

hold important posts

and command a region,

it's a big disgrace to our court.

How can the people be at peace?

This matter must be thoroughly investigated

to give everyone an explanation.

And to give us prominent families an explanation.

Everyone.

We should quickly submit a joint petition

to the Emperor

to ask the Emperor to look into this clearly

and severely punish this imposter.

Otherwise,

we will never accept it.

But over the years,

Hengtang's tax revenues have been abundant.

Pass down my order.

This matter is of great consequence.

I will investigate it thoroughly.

As for Xie Shu,

I'll wait and see how he'll deal with it.

If he can prove his innocence,

or give an explanation,

there might still be room to turn things around.

Yes.

[Xie Residence of Hengtang]

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

Mother.

Only when disaster strikes,

you realize one's true nature is hard to change.

Even if Mount Tai collapses before you,

you should remain calm.

Since the day you learned to read,

that was the first thing I taught you.

Even today,

you still haven't learned this.

Yes.

You are absolutely right, Mother.

Back then,

if you hadn't

swapped me in my youth

into this life of luxury,

I would still be forging iron by the furnace,

poor as a dog.

But I am truly worthless.

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

I still can't rid myself of the cheapness in my bones.

Don't put on an act

in front of me anymore.

I know why you came to me.

Hu Wenzhuo

has made your identity public.

You came to me

for a way out.

Mother.

The Emperor ordered me to give an explanation within 3 days.

Those prominent families

are all eyeing us like tigers,

baring their fangs and claws,

waiting for a chance to strike.

My life or death is a small matter,

but the Xie family's fate is what matters.

You must save me, Mother.

If this matter is found out to be true,

our home will be confiscated and our family wiped out.

I am only afraid that

in the future, Hengtang

will no longer have a Xie family.

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

To solve this problem,

there is only one way.

I will take

all the blame.

I arranged everything myself

and you knew nothing about it.

No.

This way,

the government can appease the public anger.

And the Xie family

will have a chance to survive.

Are you really going to do this, Mother?

Doesn't that mean

you'll have no way out but death?

[Spirit Tablet of the Late Ancestors of the Xie Family]

Of course

I can die.

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

You must understand.

It is not because of your hypocritical pleas

that I choose to die.

I am doing this for the Xie family.

The Xie family used to be

just an ordinary

noble family in Hengtang.

I devoted my entire life to it

to lay its foundation,

which made it Hengtang's

most prominent family.

I will never allow

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

what I worked for my whole life

to become a joke

because of a bastard

like you.

[Xie Clan Ancestral Hall]

Your righteousness

commands my admiration, Mother.

On behalf of the Xie ancestors,

I thank you, Mother.

Speak.

How much time do I have left?

[A Legacy of Virtue for Eternity]

One day.

[Danyue Pavilion]

You're here.

Have a seat.

These are the belongings

left by your mother.

Now,

they should be returned to their rightful owner.

It was Xie Shu

who forced you to take the blame for him

so he could escape punishment, right?

Throughout my life,

I've only walked the path I chose.

No one can force me.

Then that day,

when you abandoned your own daughter...

was that also a path you chose?

This is yours, isn't it,

Lu Lingshu?

My mom's

biological mother.

Yes,

it's me.

This was a secret

I was going to take to my grave.

[Lu Lingshu]

At that time,

to secure my position as the Head Madam of the Xie family,

and to continue the family line

so we wouldn't be divided by the collateral branches,

I had no choice

but to exchange my biological daughter

and a baby boy

from outside.

Madam,

this is the baby boy the Celestial Master calculated

whose birth chart best matches the Xie family.

Have a look,

madam.

But when I checked the genealogy that day,

Lu Lingshu's name didn't appear

on the Xie family's genealogy.

Not long after I gave birth to Chunqing,

my husband

passed away.

That left me alone with my child,

along with a few restless concubines.

With the main branch fallen,

the other branches were eyeing us.

They were anticipating to tear the Xie family apart.

The main branch has withered.

The only boy

is still in swaddling clothes.

They have no successor.

Exactly.

The main branch has no successor.

Wouldn't this huge estate

go to waste?

A century of the Xie family's hard work

cannot just disappear like this.

In my opinion,

we'd better act early to

inventory the assets

and distribute them among the branches.

-Distribute? -That's right.

-Distribute it! -Everyone!

Uncles and clansmen,

the patriarch's body is not yet cold.

Yet here you are, already discussing

how to divide the estate he left behind?

You can't put it that way.

We are also worried that

the main branch has no heir.

Who says the main branch has no one?

The patriarch

left his bloodline.

Niece-in-law,

the patriarch's legitimate son is still a baby.

How can he manage the huge Xie family?

This is no child's play!

Yes.

Exactly.

Since Second Uncle said

a young child cannot bear the heavy responsibility,

then I, Lu Lingshu, today,

in front of everyone,

as the birth mother of the young master,

swear to the ancestors.

From this day on,

I will forever forget my old surname

and abandon my old name.

From now on, I will change my name.

I will use the name Xie Chengyuan

to raise the young master

until he comes of age.

He will then inherit the clan

and bring glory to the family.

Throughout my life,

I will do my utmost

to make the Xie family prosper—

nothing else.

[Chengyuan]

If I violate this oath,

may heaven and earth not tolerate me

and the ancestors forsake me.

Those collateral branches,

they were all waiting to see me become a joke.

Let's see how long a woman like you

can hold out.

But I am naturally stubborn.

I just wanted to make them shut up.

But my only weapon

was the son I exchanged for.

Mother,

I haven't let down your cultivation.

In this palace examination,

I ranked in the second class.

Can you allow me and Shen Zhibai

to stay and take office in the capital?

I forced him to study hard,

to seek an official position.

I spent all my money

to pave the way for his success.

But...

Mother.

After he passed the imperial examination...

Today's...

He had the audacity to...

Bad policies and acts

have taken deep root

both in

and out of the court.

The world is exhausted,

and everything needs to be rebuilt.

Brother Shen Zhibai and I

made a great vow

to emulate the wise ministers of ancient times:

abolish the noble families

and clear away the powerful clans.

For the people of the world,

we dedicate our loyal hearts,

even at the cost of our lives.

so as to live up to your cultivation

and this official title.

Abolish the noble families

and clear away the powerful clans?

Yes.

Xie Shu,

think carefully.

Is your second class official title

really achieved through

your hard study,

or was it paved by

Xie family,

a powerful clan's

splurging?

This...

You don't think

that leaving the Xie family,

with your little talent,

you could cross the chasm of the noble families

and reach the imperial palace directly?

Mother.

Don't mention this again!

Kneel down!

Listen to me.

I have agreed with the Hu family.

Choose an auspicious day,

and you will marry

Hu Xing's sister,

Hu Wenzhuo, as your wife.

Mother!

The Hu family

is the head of the noble families in Hengtang.

Their eldest son, Hu Xing,

will

certainly achieve

great success in the court.

He

is your foundation to stand firm in the court.

He enjoyed

the life of luxury that my daughter should have enjoyed,

so this is the price he must pay.

The Xie family's

wealth and dignity today,

is all built up by me,

Xie Chengyuan,

a desperate

woman

step by step.

For decades,

I have racked my brains

to achieve how magnificent

the Xie family is now.

Looking at the entire Hengtang

and even the capital,

which woman in the inner courtyard

could achieve what I have?

That's right.

Jin Chunqing

is my own child.

So what?

For the Xie family,

if I had to sacrifice her,

then I sacrificed her.

What you want to know,

I have told you everything.

I used to be Lu Lingshu,

and I also used to be

your mother's mother.

But Lu Lingshu

is long gone.

And I, Xie Chengyuan,

have absolutely nothing to do

with you, Chen Qingyuan.

I won't implicate you.

I just wanted...

to see you again.

I've said all I needed to say.

You may leave.

Is that so?

If you are truly

as heartless and resolute as you claim,

why did you tuck the copper mirror

into my mother's swaddling clothes?

Your name

is hidden in it.

Weren't you just hoping

that one day

you could meet again?

Also, I remember when I was young,

there was a lord

who always secretly helped us.

If you really forgot about her,

then how can this longing

be explained?

Old Madam Xie?

Lu Lingshu?

Or should I call you...

Grandmother?

Actually, I've been silently watching Chunqing.

Watching her grow up,

watching her graceful figure on the stage,

I was happier than anyone else.

Back then,

was Mom's encounter

with Xie Shu

really a coincidence?

No.

It was destiny.

Xie Shu's friend, Shen Zhibai,

loved listening to operas.

That day,

he dragged Xie Shu to watch a play.

Little did they know, this trip

would forge an ill-fated relationship

between Chunqing

and Xie Shu.

-Bravo! -Bravo!

-Bravo! -Bravo!

Sure enough, not long after,

the two of them

fell in love.

After discovering they were in love,

I went from being terrified to hesitant.

Gradually, I even looked forward to it.

Chunqing.

Look.

That's the inner household library.

Later, Xie Shu told me he wanted to marry Chunqing.

I was thrilled.

I thanked God for using this way

to bring Chunqing back to me.

Greetings, Mother.

Chunqing,

you're back.

Welcome back.

From now on,

this is your home.

Thank you, Mother.

[Danyue Pavilion]

I wanted to doubly compensate her.

[Fuyu Pavilion]

So I gave the best Danyue Pavilion to Chunqing.

I wanted to keep her safe.

But, what a pity.

Soon, Xie Shu

was favored by Eunuch Xia

[Jingmu Hall]

and was promoted to work in the capital.

And Xia Yingying, forced upon us by Eunuch Xia,

pushed all of this

to ruin.

[Jingmu Hall]

-If you have any complaints... -Chunqing.

You can...

Shut up!

The concubines in the residence

hated Xia Yingying

deeply.

But towards Chunqing,

they were jealous.

After Xia Yingying died,

Hu Wenzhuo's brother, working under Eunuch Xia,

began investigating the matter.

The outcome would definitely be unfavorable to Chunqing.

So,

I made a deal with the Hu family

to let Chunqing leave the Xie Residence.