Original subtitles

=Against The Current=

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

=Episode 45= (This drama does not correspond)

(to any real historical dynasty.)

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

Your Lordship!

Your Lordship!

Your Lordship!

Your Lordship!

While Marquis Yuan was inspecting the coast,

his soldiers accidentally drank poisoned water

and were then ambushed by pirates.

Marquis Yuan

was killed.

Chengze...

is dead?

Is the news confirmed?

Your Lordship sent me

to warn Marquis Yuan.

But by the time I reached the Zhejiang coast, it was too late.

I only found Ding Peng, who was badly wounded.

He told me to get this to Your Lordship as soon as possible.

I returned to Jinling too late,

so I had no choice but to sneak into the residence despite the curfew.

Du Cuique.

It's all my fault.

Why didn't I kill her when I had the chance?

Ding Peng also said

Du Cuique's next target is the Lin Residence.

Your Lordship,

please make preparations as soon as possible.

I'll go to Duke Xiangguo right now

and ask him to send someone else to the capital.

I'll stay and wait for Du Cuique.

Your Lordship!

When she comes,

I'll make her pay for Chengze's death!

Your Lordship!

Your Lordship!

Chengze once saved my life...

I know.

Chengze once saved my life!

♪Every word carries countless thoughts♪

If not for Commander Yuan waking me up with a few words, there would

never have been an Assistant Commander Lin who traded his brush for a sword.

In private, just call me Yuan.

I am an official of the imperial court.

I have not failed His Majesty's trust,

nor have I failed the people.

Please help the Crown Prince leave Jinling, Fengtai.

Thank you for your help today.

We're family.

It's only right.

Brother-in-law,

you'll have to endure some hardship tonight.

To rise above others and bring honor to one's family,

what's wrong with that?

Shouldn't a man seek high office and generous rewards,

and win honors for his wife and children?

The eunuchs wield great power now.

You must be careful.

♪With what I know and what I do♪

♪I'll rewrite my fate♪

♪The long night is almost over♪

♪I won't dwell on the past anymore♪

♪With my own hands and heart♪

♪I write my name♪

♪Through countless lines of ink♪

♪Step by step toward the light♪

♪With what I know and what I do♪

♪I'll rewrite my fate♪

♪The long night is almost over♪

Come take a look!

Come and see!

Everyone,

take a good look!

See for yourselves!

(Notice)

Anyone who reports a lead to the authorities

will be rewarded twenty taels of silver.

Anyone who helps the authorities capture the fugitive

will be rewarded fifty taels of silver.

The fugitive Du Cuique, a native of Jinzhou,

(Wanted) born into a military household,

fled to escape her sentence of exile.

She willingly sank into depravity and became involved with a pirate leader.

She then conspired with his men

to poison and kill the pirate chief.

Strike a man in the face and attack his sorest point.

Such underhanded tactics

would never occur to someone

of Lin Jinqi's privileged upbringing.

Only that lowly servant Xu Lanxiang

knows what I want

and what I despise.

I'll kill Xu Lanxiang for you

and wash away today's humiliation with her blood.

This time, I'll do it myself.

I'll kill Xu Lanxiang with my own hands.

Attendant Eunuch Mao, please sit.

I wouldn't dare.

Now that the new Emperor has ascended the throne,

there is a new Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

A new sovereign brings new officials.

I'm no longer an Attendant Eunuch,

just a lowly eunuch with no standing.

Madam, just call me Mao.

Lin Jinqi suddenly fell seriously ill and asked Duke Xiangguo for sick leave

to recuperate at his residence.

I hear he's quite seriously ill.

The Fourth Young Lady of the Lin family has already returned home.

Even the Third Young Lady, who was only recently widowed,

has had to set aside Marquis Yongchang's funeral arrangements

and is trying to return to her family.

She and the Yuan family are now locked in a bitter dispute.

At present,

troops from all quarters

are rushing to the capital as reinforcements.

There is no one left in Jinling to spare.

Why would Duke Xiangguo agree to let Lin Jinqi take leave?

When illness strikes,

even Duke Xiangguo cannot defy fate.

With no other choice,

his son, Assistant Commander Xu,

will have to escort the provisions in Lin Jinqi's place.

I'm sure you still have instructions for Mister Zhang.

I'll wait outside.

I'll go with you to take revenge on the Lin family.

Let the third chief handle the provisions.

I went to great lengths

to use revenge as a diversion,

drawing Lin Jinqi away from the real target

and keeping him in the city.

You said Lin Jinqi was difficult to deal with.

Tonight, I'm only putting on a show.

My goal isn't revenge,

but to burn the provisions.

Without those provisions,

the capital is certain to fall.

Once the Wona army destroys the imperial court,

I will no longer be a pirate,

but the King of Jinling.

Just wait.

Tonight, I'll set a fire for you

that lights up the entire city of Jinling.

(Glorify the Family Name)

(Yuan Jiaming, age eleven)

(Yuan Jiaqin, age thirteen. Yuan Jiawei, age fourteen)

All these years,

things between Xiuru and Marquis Yuan

weren't as they once were,

but now that he's suddenly gone,

I'm afraid Xiuru

won't be able to accept it for some time.

If this were the old Xiuru,

she'd already be in tears.

But with the way she is now,

I can't quite tell how she'll react.

I don't even know how to comfort her.

What matters most right now

is dealing with that murderous ghost, Du Cuique.

Xiuwan is right.

I'll sleep beside you tonight.

Since we're all sleeping on the floor anyway,

I'll sleep on the outside

and protect you.

I'm the eldest sister.

If anyone should face danger first, it should be me.

It's not your turn yet.

What are you two arguing over?

Suhua.

- Suhua. - Suhua.

Xiulai.

Where's Lanxiang?

After Lanxiang picked me up,

she went straight to take care of Uncle Xu and Aunt Guihua.

Look how fast I can fly.

Zhangcheng,

no more running around.

Let me test you on a few characters.

Come on, Mother.

"Child."

"Grandchild."

You know "grandchild", too?

You're Grandpa's granddaughter.

"From child to grandchild, down to great-great-grandchild."

"Great-grandchild."

You know "great-grandchild", too?

Xu.

See for yourself.

I've finished it.

Good.

Go on. Get back to what you need to do.

Your father

and Zhangcheng are here with me.

That's enough.

Go on.

I've been an unfilial daughter.

Mother, even while you're ill,

I can't stay home and care for you in peace.

My precious darling now

is Zhangcheng.

Just seeing her

makes me happy.

As for you, you'll have to take second place.

Seeing Grandma makes me happiest, too.

Is that so?

Lanxiang,

go on.

Go.

Go.

Go on.

Grandma,

Grandpa made these two little birds for me.

I'll give you one.

It's flying!

It's flying so high!

Grandma,

you have to get well soon.

Then I can tell you stories from the plays.

The courtyard gate will be locked soon.

Father, make sure you bolt the door.

No matter what you hear,

don't come out.

Don't worry.

Back when that Emperor's army reached Jinling,

your father was better at hiding than anyone.

No lamps in the house.

No moving around and no making a sound.

Make it seem as though no one's home.

No lamps, no moving around, and no making a sound.

Even prisoners in the imperial prison

don't have to suffer like this.

You're too troubled to sleep too, Mother?

There is a curfew at night.

Soldiers guard the entrances to every ward.

No one dares wander around.

Lanxiang is just worrying over nothing

and frightening everyone.

Mother,

with so many people crammed into one room,

none of us can get any proper rest.

Why don't we each go back to our own rooms and get some sleep?

That way, we'll have the energy tomorrow

to deal with Du Cuique.

Mother.

Stop going on about it to me.

Lanxiang is in charge of the household now.

If you want to go back to your own courtyard,

go ask Lanxiang.

All this fuss over nothing.

You're only scaring yourselves.

Du Cuique is just one woman.

How dangerous could she possibly be?

Fire!

Come put out the fire!

- Jinling City has twenty-five wards. - Fire! There's a fire!

Come put out the fire!

Three months ago,

- I sent men to infiltrate the wards. - Put out the fire!

They familiarized themselves with the terrain

and searched for suitable places to start fires,

while secretly spreading rumors

that the Wona people were bloodthirsty killers.

The Wona are here!

The Wona have breached the capital!

They've reached Jinling!

They've reached Jinling!

Once the time was right,

it would take only a few men

to throw the entire city

into panic.

(Longjiang Pass Wharf)

All the provisions loaded aboard have been inspected.

We're about to set sail.

The fate of the realm is at stake.

Stay vigilant throughout the journey.

- Yes. - Yes.

The auspicious hour has arrived. Prepare to set sail.

- Yes. - Yes.

(Glorify the Family Name)

(Glorify the Family Name)

Xu Lanxiang,

you're now

the Marchioness of Marquis Jing'an's Residence.

Even with Jinling's defenses stretched thin,

you should have sent a few more soldiers

to at least put on a show of strength.

Just these few women?

Do you really

expect them to cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang themselves

to scare me away?

Recently, the Imperial Theater

has been staging a new play

called The Tale of the Burning Lamps.

You really should go see it.

Where is Lin Jinqi?

As Commander of the Longjiang Garrison,

His Lordship was ordered by Minister Han to escort provisions to the capital.

Naturally, he's carrying out his official duties,

guarding the provisions

against traitors conspiring with Wona to cause trouble

and attempting to burn the provisions.

You...

When did you find out I planned to burn the provisions?

The day we received the flower ornament.

Someone like you who operates in the shadows

would seek revenge

by plotting from some dark corner.

Yet you not only openly

killed Marquis Yongchang,

but deliberately let Ding Peng escape

so he could bring back the flower ornament.

That's not like you.

His Lordship and I

naturally had to calm down

and think it through.

The autumn weather is dry.

The provisions can easily catch fire.

A few sparks would be enough.

Whether Lin Jinqi can protect the provisions

remains to be seen.

Xu Lanxiang,

tonight,

you will die.

(Glorify the Family Name)

The scriptures say,

"From one lamp, many lamps are lit,

until ten thousand lamps shine bright."

Oil?

- Oil? - Oil?

I advise you all to stay back.

Du Cuique has a firearm.

She must be carrying incendiary charges.

Once they catch fire,

they'll explode.

Kill her!

Kill that wretched servant!

Zhang Shuizai is dead!

The pirates sent to burn the provisions are all dead!

His Lordship has won a decisive victory!

- It's a trap! - We've been tricked!

- Zhang Shuizai is dead! - Run! Go!

- The pirates sent to burn the provisions are dead! - Run!

His Lordship has won a decisive victory!

Run! Hurry!

Kill her!

Kill them!

Kill her!

(Glorify the Family Name)

Xu Lanxiang,

you want me dead?

Fine.

Fine.

Then come to hell with me!

Xu Lanxiang!

Die!

Die! Die!

Xu Lanxiang!

♪Like passing clouds, fierce and unforgettable♪

♪How can I fill the emptiness deep within?♪

♪It fell into my heart♪

♪And has never faded away♪

♪If there were a promise♪

Lanxiang!

Lanxiang!

Lanxiang!

Lanxiang, are you all right?

I'm fine.

♪Those things I can't forget♪

♪The absurdities I can't let go of fill every page♪

Madam!

I'm fine. What about you?

We're fine.

♪Memories hide away again♪

♪Silent, yet♪

♪They never stop shining♪

♪Still burning bright♪

♪That's what made me who I am♪

♪The best days of my life♪

♪Etched into my heart♪

I'm fine.

These past few years,

whenever I couldn't sleep alone,

I'd play the pipa to pass the time.

I never imagined that today,

I'd use it to take revenge.

She truly got what she deserved.

There's a reward for helping the authorities capture the pirates.

Will we get one, too?

Madam said

the reward is fifty taels of silver.

Everyone will get a share.

That's wonderful!

That's wonderful!

His Lordship has won a decisive victory.

Was anyone hurt?

The city gates are closed.

How could we know what's happening outside the city?

I was just giving them a taste of their own medicine.

I deliberately had people shout those words

as a bluff

to throw the pirates into disarray.

His Lordship promised Zhangcheng

that he would bring Nanke and Jiugao

back safely.

Three against one.

You treacherous cowards.

Lin Jinqi,

if you dare, kill me with one strike.

Don't kill him.

Have him sent to the Ministry of Justice.

Robbing imperial tribute, murdering court officials,

colluding with Wona to burn the provisions,

and committing treason.

Whether principal or accomplice,

under the law,

all shall be executed by a thousand cuts.

Make sure the executioner knows

there must be a thousand cuts,

not one fewer.

Yes.

Rest assured, Your Lordship.

To honor the spirits of Marquis Yuan,

Commander Ding,

and all our fallen brothers,

there will be more, not fewer.

The pirates scattered sulfur powder over the provisions.

I wasn't comfortable leaving it unattended,

so I stayed to make sure the soldiers cleaned it all up.

That delayed me somewhat.

Sorry to have kept you waiting, Assistant Commander Xu.

You killed over a hundred pirates

and captured more than twenty alive.

As the bait,

I have fulfilled my mission.

Many thanks to Duke Xiangguo and Assistant Commander Xu for your help.

Take him away.

Move!

Go!

The Xu family descends from a founding general.

My father's generation is only the third since then.

Our ancestor's valor has not yet been forgotten.

It's just that...

I'll leave things here to you, Marquis Lin.

I must hurry back to oversee His Grace's funeral.

Funeral?

Duke Xiangguo...

That night, you had Nanke deliver a secret letter

asking Father to support your plan to turn their scheme against them

and lure the pirates into a trap.

Father was already struggling to hold on as he made the arrangements.

Not long after Nanke left,

Father passed away.

Before he died, he instructed us

to keep his death secret

in order to maintain morale.

If we failed to protect the provisions,

the realm and our family would both be lost.

Then he would rather be left without a burial.

If we succeeded in protecting the provisions,

I was to return and lay him to rest.

When you pay your respects before his spirit tablet,

please offer three sticks of incense on my behalf

and tell Duke Xiangguo

that I will deliver the provisions

safely and intact to the capital

and hand them over to Minister Han.

All right.

♪My thoughts are like a red umbrella♪

♪Drifting through the rain♪

Go.

♪Held tightly in my hand, shielding me from hidden currents♪

♪How could a thousand words soothe this aching heart?♪

♪With guilt in my heart, how could I ask to meet again?♪

♪May I be like a firefly awakening in the dark♪

♪Even if I only illuminate a single corner♪

♪If I could bring light to someone's eyes♪

♪I'd spend this life and call it courage♪

Set sail!

- Set sail! - Set sail!

Press on day and night!

- Press on day and night! - Press on day and night!

Make haste for the capital!

- Make haste for the capital! - Make haste for the capital!

- Yes! - Yes!

=Against the Current= (Next Episode's Preview)

The Wona forces have withdrawn!

What?

Really?

The Wona army has retreated!

The Wona forces have withdrawn!

The Wona army has retreated!

♪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♪