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=Against The Current=

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

=Episode 47= (This drama does not correspond)

(to any real historical dynasty.)

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

Come catch me!

Be careful.

- It's Chinese New Year! - It's Chinese New Year!

Zhangrun, come catch me!

The fireworks are so beautiful!

See? If I do this,

you can't catch me!

Mother.

Mother, I miss Father.

The bad men have all been driven away.

Why isn't Father back yet?

My birthday is just over

two months away.

Father will surely be back by then

to celebrate my birthday with me, right?

Your father misses you both very much too.

I'm sure he'll come back as soon as he can.

On this Chinese New Year's Eve,

your father won't be here,

so you must stay up with me to welcome the Chinese New Year.

Later, we'll play Toss for Fortune.

When the time comes, we all have to put our strength into it

so we'll gain a fortune

and become rich.

I want to Toss for Fortune!

I want to get rich!

I want to get rich, too!

Come on.

When the fifth watch comes,

we'll take that

door bolt tied with red silk

and toss it high into the air.

And we have to shout,

"Let the cats come, let the dogs come!"

- "May the God of Wealth come to our home!" - "May the God of Wealth come to our home!"

- "May big ingots roll right in!" - "May big ingots roll right in!"

- "May little ingots squeeze in through the cracks!" - "May little ingots squeeze in through the cracks!"

- "Let the cats come, let the dogs come!" - "Let the cats come, let the dogs come!"

- "May the God of Wealth come to our home!" - "May the God of Wealth come to our home!"

- "May big ingots roll right in!" - "May big ingots roll right in!"

- I'll toss mine the highest and get the richest! - "May little ingots squeeze in through the cracks!"

I'm taller than you.

- And stronger than you! - "Big ingots,"

- I'll be the richest! - "roll right in!"

- "May little ingots squeeze in through the cracks!" - "May little ingots squeeze in through the cracks!"

It's snowing.

It's snowing!

A timely snow promises a bountiful year.

May the harvest be plentiful and bring us great fortune!

May the harvest be plentiful and bring us great fortune!

(Emperor, formerly the Retired Emperor)

It's already the Hour of Zi.

Your Majesty, you should get some rest.

Han Liang

is still outside the Imperial Study?

(Fourth-Rank Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Regalia)

Your Majesty hasn't allowed him to leave,

so naturally he doesn't dare leave.

Back when

Your Majesty had only just fallen into Wona's hands,

Han Liang was already in a great hurry

to urge the enthronement of a new emperor.

That alone shows his disloyalty to Your Majesty.

Now, after overcoming every obstacle,

Your Majesty has regained the throne,

yet Han Liang remains unrepentant

and instead criticizes Your Majesty

for placing your trust in eunuchs like us,

who are utterly loyal to Your Majesty

and would follow you even unto death.

Your Majesty is far too merciful.

You should make an example of him

as a warning to others.

Get some rest.

♪Every word carries countless thoughts♪

♪The encounters of half a lifetime are kept within this little world♪

♪Bit by bit, the passing years become the preface♪

♪The joys and sorrows of the past♪

♪Quietly dwell here♪

♪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♪

♪I won't dwell on the past anymore♪

Who would dare

build a snowman outside the Imperial Study?

Do they have a death wish?

That's not a snowman.

He's dead.

♪Let's begin with the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals♪

♪The late Emperor's successors rose and shaped the realm♪

♪How many emperors were wise, and how many were foolish?♪

(Six Months Later)

(True Joy)

I heard

it wasn't just Minister Han who died.

Several officials who followed Minister Han

in supporting the new emperor back then

were also framed by Eunuch Cao on various charges.

Some were dismissed,

while others were imprisoned.

The emperor keeps changing.

The capital

is truly in chaos.

Back then, I was so enthusiastic

about urging Lanxiang and Suhua

to buy land and houses in the capital.

Thankfully, Lanxiang had better judgment.

Not only did she refrain from buying any herself,

but she also persuaded us to abandon the idea.

We just happened to avoid it.

It's already June.

As long as Jinqi isn't back,

I can't

rest easy.

Aunt Lanxiang!

Aunt Lanxiang!

(Lin Zhangjun, 24 years old) Uncle Jinqi is back.

His Lordship has reached the wharf?

Uncle Jinqi

has already reached the side gate.

♪The golden sunset♪

♪Sketches my thoughts♪

Look. Does this have three heads and six arms?

One, two, three?

Father, this sword is so heavy,

but I like it.

Slow down, Zhangcheng.

Didn't you miss your father?

♪I wonder if the past has ever been heard♪

♪Yesterday's brush and ink♪

Look.

Mother is back.

Mother, hurry!

♪Love and guilt intertwine♪

♪If the reflection isn't real, what does it matter?♪

♪I still remember your name♪

♪I no longer blame the moon♪

♪For withholding its light♪

Mother, Father gave me this sword.

He's going to teach me swordsmanship, too.

Be careful.

Don't hurt anyone.

All right.

The blade hasn't been sharpened yet.

Once Zhangcheng has mastered swordsmanship,

we'll have it sharpened.

You've had a long journey, Your Lordship.

Go play with your sister.

I want to play with Father.

Father and Mother haven't seen each other for over half a year.

Why are you getting in the way? Come with me.

Father, Mother.

Come on.

I'll take you to play by the pond.

♪Yesterday's brush and ink♪

♪Lightly trace the cause and effect♪

♪Half a lifetime of longing♪

♪Returns to this moment♪

♪Love and guilt intertwine♪

I'm home.

I've waited so long for you.

♪I no longer blame the moon♪

♪For withholding its light♪

♪I only pray that those I've known♪

♪Still live and thrive♪

♪I no longer search through old dreams♪

♪Leaving them buried deep within the years♪

Originally,

I could've made it home for the Chinese New Year.

But at the time, we had to welcome

His Majesty back,

so I couldn't just leave.

It would've seemed disrespectful.

Later, I thought

I could make it back

for Zhangcheng's birthday.

But then His Majesty reclaimed the throne.

I decided I had to leave no matter what.

But then

something happened to Minister Han.

The Han family has few relatives.

Madam Han was left alone with her children.

Minister Han and I

were both disciples of Scholar Shouyi.

I couldn't simply look the other way.

So I made up my mind

to escort Madam Han

and Minister Han's coffin back to Suzhou.

We laid Minister Han to rest in his ancestral grave.

By the time the funeral arrangements were complete,

it was already this late.

Will Madam Han and the children

return to the capital?

Madam Han is strong-willed.

If she stays in the capital,

I'm afraid

she'll clash with those eunuchs sooner or later.

At the urging of her sister and brother-in-law,

Madam Han settled in Jinling.

She now lives in

Minister Han's former residence on Wenchang Street.

Back when Madam Han

was still Young Lady Dong,

she killed Dai Rui with her own hands

and avenged her father.

If she didn't have children now,

I'm afraid she'd risk her own life

to kill Eunuch Cao.

Scholar Shouyi

had already retired to his home,

but when he heard that his prized disciple had died unjustly,

he was so shaken

that he had his grandson carry him from place to place,

rallying renowned scholars throughout Jiangnan

to submit a memorial to His Majesty.

It said that the founding Emperor

had wrongfully condemned Grand Secretary Shen and his sons

and petitioned His Majesty

to clear Grand Secretary Shen and his family of all charges.

The sages taught

that a son should not speak of his father's faults.

Besides, during his reign,

the founding Emperor was diligent and incorruptible

and was considered a wise ruler.

That memorial won't be approved.

His Majesty didn't approve it.

However,

after receiving the memorial,

he released all the other officials

who were being held in the imperial prison.

Scholar Shouyi

saved them by drawing attention elsewhere.

He made those eunuchs

wary of going too far.

It's good to remind them

that integrity still lives on

in the written word.

Petty disputes can spiral out of control,

just as an anthill can bring down a dike.

From now on,

I'll stay by your side with the children

and live a peaceful life.

All right.

Stop.

Straighten your back.

Look straight ahead.

Raise your hand higher.

Do you remember this move?

I do.

I'm not tired.

Father, I'm not hot.

Downward strike.

Horizontal sweep.

Turn and thrust.

Do you remember what I just taught you?

I do.

Come on.

(Lin Zhangcheng, 16 years old)

Good.

You're every bit as good as I was at your age.

Father, you're flattering me again.

In this world,

apart from a very small number

of exceptionally gifted women,

most women are naturally

not as strong as men.

If you can avoid a fight,

then don't fight.

The best strategy is to outthink your enemy.

The next best is to win through diplomacy.

Only after that should you resort to force.

Winning without bloodshed

is the best course.

So,

Father, you mean

I should learn more from Mother?

I may be clever,

but your mother

is truly wise.

Of course you should learn more from her.

I'll remember that.

But once you do have to fight

and draw your sword,

you must show no mercy.

Either you die

or I live.

Remember,

your parents

want you to live.

I'll remember that.

I would never dare make you grieve.

It's getting late.

I still have to hurry to the Matchmaker Temple

to offer incense.

The Matchmaker Temple?

Why are you still awake?

Come.

Sit with me for a while before we sleep.

Zhangcheng said

you went to the Matchmaker Temple today.

Were you praying for our son to find a match?

Zhangrun is only thirteen.

Isn't it a little early to worry about that?

I

was praying for a match for myself.

In our next life,

I want us to be husband and wife again.

The Matchmaker God has already granted my wish.

If I'd known I would marry you,

I would've taken better care of myself

back in Jinzhou.

They say

when no debts remain in this life,

there will be no meeting in the next.

I've thought about it carefully for a long time.

I owe you so much in this life.

So in our next life,

you must come find me and make me repay you.

If you don't come find me,

I'll follow this red thread

until I find you.

No matter how fate entangles us,

in the end,

we're meant to be husband and wife.

One lifetime

is enough.

We were brought together by fate.

How could you

not give yourself to save me?

You're such a fool.

♪Look at us♪

♪We've shared countless beautiful moments♪

I've already made a deal with the Matchmaker God.

When I became engaged to my wife,

her name was Shen Jialan.

When I married her,

her name was Xu Lanxiang.

♪There will always be someone to share it with♪

The red thread

has always bound me to the same person.

♪Even if we must part in the end♪

Please...

Please...

Please...

♪Every sincerity you've shown me♪

don't get it wrong...

♪Our bond runs deep♪

♪Binding us closely together♪

♪After all the questions life has brought♪

♪This love has never faded in the slightest♪

♪A trace of fragrance lingers on♪

♪How fortunate to find one person in a lifetime♪

♪Through the warm passing years♪

♪My heart remains as true to you as ever♪

♪Look at us♪

♪We've shared countless beautiful moments♪

♪Through life's winding road, we've weathered countless trials♪

♪I'm blessed to spend each peaceful day and night with you♪

♪However deep the joy or sorrow♪

♪There will always be someone to share it with♪

♪Our bond runs deep♪

♪Binding us closely together♪

♪After all the questions life has brought♪

♪This love has never faded in the slightest♪

♪A trace of fragrance lingers on♪

♪How fortunate to find one person in a lifetime♪

♪Through the warm passing years♪

♪My heart remains as true to you as ever♪

♪Time unfurls a long scroll♪

♪Flowers bloom in turn as twilight falls♪

♪Through rise and fall, people meet and part as they always do♪

♪Each plant endures its own trials before reaching shore♪

♪Flowers drift with the ties of fate♪

♪Plum blossoms bloom, enduring the frost♪

♪Yet their proud spirit fades with wind and snow♪

♪Bamboo shadows embrace quiet contentment♪

♪Only orchids dwell in secluded places♪

♪Watching the old and new take turns in this world♪

♪Spring comes, and I smile upon a garden in full bloom♪

Life is short.

We should do what we love most

to make this life worth living.

I can write, keep accounts, and run a business.

Someday, I can be a shopkeeper myself.

I'm the eldest sister.

If anyone is to lead the way, it should be me.

I want to start over

and live a better life than before.

I hope

you can all live better lives too.

We

should always hope

that each year will be better than the last.

I learned to read and began studying.

The road ahead grew wider and brighter.

I will learn to ride a horse,

travel far and wide,

and see all the wonders of the land.

I don't want to live in fear anymore.

I want to live a life of wealth and privilege.

As long as my brother is safe

and Mother is happy,

I'll have everything I need.

♪Each plant endures its own trials before reaching shore♪

♪Flowers drift with the ties of fate♪

♪Plum blossoms bloom, enduring the frost♪

♪Yet their proud spirit fades with wind and snow♪

Great-Grandmother.

♪Only orchids dwell in secluded places♪

♪Watching the old and new take turns in this world♪

(Many Years Later)

(Lin Zhihuan, 20 years old) Great-Grandmother, why are you

(Lanxiang's granddaughter) here alone? Where are the maids?

I wanted some time alone,

so I sent them away.

Let's go back.

Take your time.

Great-Grandmother,

I've seen all the other plays.

Why

is every woman in these plays

named Tanniang?

"Tan" comes from the udumbara flower.

The wondrous Dharma

is like the udumbara flower,

which appears only once in a great while.

There is a deeper meaning in the play.

The listener must discover it for themselves.

"Tan"

also evokes something fleeting like the udumbara flower.

In this world,

how many women can soar away like an eagle

or become a female general?

For most women,

such things truly are like a beautiful dream,

as fleeting as the udumbara flower.

The udumbara flower is rarely seen,

but that

doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Go on now.

(Shen Lan, the youngest daughter, brings honor to the Shen family.)

(Cui Mei to her daughter and niece. Daughters of the Shen family)

(must be educated and well-mannered)

(All these years,)

(I've written play after play,)

(telling every joy and sorrow in women's lives.)

(But in truth,)

(when I first resolved to write plays,)

(I only wanted to tell the story of the Shen family.)

(Remember the present...)

(I wanted to write down)

(those warm days I remembered)

(so I would never forget them.)

(Never forget...)

(Later,)

(I became driven by a greater purpose.)

(Never forget the past.)

(I wanted more than for the Shen family to be remembered.)

(I also wanted to clear the names)

(of my grandfather,)

(my grandmother,)

(my father,)

(and my mother.)

(Walk this life once...)

(The ruler guides his subjects.)

(As subjects of the realm,)

(whether we live or die,)

(we can only endure.)

(Only fools live in ignorance...)

(But no matter how high an emperor sits,)

(he still eats the grain of the land,)

(wears clothes woven from mulberry and hemp,)

(and is sustained by the people.)

(As long as my plays)

(continue to be sung among the people,)

(the injustice suffered by the Shen family)

(will be remembered.)

(The Shen Family Chronicle)

(The glow of fireflies and stars)

(can also)

(reveal that justice ultimately prevails.)

♪The wind blows past distant hills♪

♪The moon kisses the rising smoke♪

♪Whose oil lamp burns tonight?♪

♪Peace of heart in three places♪

♪The years are calluses in our palms♪

♪And the worries etched between our brows♪

♪Birds carry twigs into the distance♪

♪While two pairs of eyes watch from below♪

♪Flowers bloom again by the fence♪

(The Shen Family Chronicle)

(One hundred and thirteen years later,)

(after repeated petitions initiated by the people,)

(the Emperor cleared Shen Qihan and his sons of all charges,)

(granted him the posthumous title Wenqing,)

(honored the women of the Shen family for their virtue and fortitude,)

(returned their remains to their ancestral home for burial,)

(and had a tomb and memorial shrine built.)

♪People gather, then part♪

♪Regret is a letter wishing you well♪

♪Yet a figure hobbles away♪

♪Back home, leaves fall upon the blue-tiled roofs♪

♪Leaving only a little house behind♪

(Upholding the Virtue of Generations Past)

(Bringing honor to the family name)

♪Flowers bloom again by the fence♪

♪Snow hangs thick upon the eaves♪

♪Four seasons wax and wane, year after year♪

♪Whose footsteps come and go?♪

♪This side of the river is also a shore♪

♪From this side of the mountain, I miss you deeply♪

♪Sweeping away the grass before the door in April♪

(Peace)

♪The evening breeze blows past distant hills♪

♪The moon kisses the rising smoke♪

(Love given returns as love, and blessings bestowed return as blessings.)

(Jia Yi, New Writings: Spring and Autumn, Han Dynasty)

(The End)

♪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♪

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