Original subtitles

[A Talented Girl Grows Up]

[Episode 11]

The so-called "Melodic Recognition"

involves five Guqin players performing

five different pieces of music simultaneously.

The first party

to distinguish all five pieces

amidst the cacophony wins.

Grieving Spirit,

Palace Secret Rhythm,

West Wind's Fury,

Mysterious Orchid,

and Mulberry Tree of the Path.

Feng Qiwu gave up.

Sangyi's man guessed the five pieces first.

We're going to lose.

It's all my fault

that the academy...

I'll get it back to you later.

No, look.

He hasn't given up.

He is just...

focusing on recognizing the pieces.

Have you finished guessing?

Yes.

My turn, then.

Everyone,

the first piece

employs the techniques of yin, nao, chuo, and zhu.

The final note falls on the Shang tone.

It doesn't end with the Yu tone, like "Grieving Spirit,"

but rather, it is from the same school

and equally a masterpiece:

"Living Soul."

The second piece

was once popular in Sangyi

but was banned

due to its excessively decadent nature.

Unfortunately,

it's a minor tune derived from "Palace Secret Rhythm"

and "Drunken Fragrance."

The third piece is indeed

"West Wind's Fury."

However, the fourth and fifth pieces

are Hu tunes: "Falling off a Horse"

and "Just a Dream."

Feng Qiwu answered correctly.

Feng's won!

Awesome!

Awesome! Awesome!

Bravo!

Good.

Awesome! Awesome!

I intended to lose,

but my skills were too good to allow it.

After all, entertainment is my forte.

Don't get too cocky.

We're still two wins away from victory.

Two...

The fourth round is

"Watching the Fan and Recreating the Painting."

Please send out your contestants.

I'll take the challenge.

Master competing himself, we can win this round for sure.

I believe you can do it.

Brother, come on!

Come on!

"Watching the Fan and Recreating the Painting"

is about observing a partially folded fan

and using the half painting on it to infer

and redraw the complete fan design.

The person who finishes the drawing accurately and in the shortest time wins.

Cui Jun.

You keep an eye on our opponent.

You keep your eyes on the fans.

I'll keep an eye on the table

in case they play tricks again.

Okay.

Why...

Why is there a fire?

How can we compete like this?

Yeah.

How can we compete, then?

Scholar Wen,

would you like to observe my folding fan with me?

Thank you,

but...

no need.

Feng will win!

Awesome.

Awesome.

Feng will win!

Feng will win!

In the fourth round of the competition, Feng wins.

Good.

In the presence of absolute skill,

any scheme or trick is nothing.

The fifth round is

the "Scholar Debate."

Please send out your final contestant.

Manyi,

whether we can win or not

now depends on you.

Manyi,

just go for it with your eyes closed.

I believe you can do it.

Manyi,

do you still remember what I told you?

Well,

what if I lose?

It doesn't matter.

I will bear

all the consequences alongside you.

Whether we win or lose,

it's the result of teamwork.

You don't have to

take all the responsibility on yourself.

For you...

the academy, and Feng,

I will do my best.

I believe in you.

Manyi! Manyi!

Manyi! Manyi!

Manyi! Manyi!

This debate topic this time is:

Is it better to govern through culture

or through military force?

The person who draws the short straw

argues for governing through culture,

while the one who draws the long straw argues for governing through military force.

Both sides can freely express their views.

The first to convince the audience wins.

[Short]

[Long]

Are you trying to get me killed?

Everyone knows

that governing a country through culture is better.

Take the Feng State as an example.

The Emperor of Feng values literature and respects scholars,

rules with virtue, practices benevolent governance,

opposes violence, and promotes education and moral cultivation.

All citizens pay more attention to literature.

What a vicious topic.

The difficulty of this topic

lies in

that if we argue,

we'll be challenging Feng's imperial system,

risking offending the Emperor.

If we abstain, we'll lose the match,

which will make our country lose face.

The lenient punishment

will be letting others run the academy.

The severe punishment

is that the entire Wen family will be beheaded.

Thus, the people of Feng are pure-hearted and honest,

and its customs are liberal and enlightened.

Governing a country through culture

is the path to prosperity.

Of course, governance through culture is not good.

Scholars are weak.

They are not as fierce as warriors are.

If we govern the country through culture for too long,

our soldiers may rebel,

generals could defect to our enemies, the Emperor's authority will wane,

and the Feng state will face the danger of destruction.

Outrageous!

Calm down, Your Majesty.

Calm down, Your Majesty.

Cheng Manyi,

how dare you

speak so recklessly in public?

Do you know that spouting such treasonous words

is a capital offense?

Your Majesty,

don't fall into Sangyi's trap.

Those words

are what they wanted me to say.

Nonsense!

Let her continue.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Sangyi pretends to advocate

for our policy of cultural governance,

but they have stationed 100,000 elite soldiers at the border.

Clearly,

they aim to confuse us

and take advantage of our unawareness

to train their own troops

and secretly bolster their strength.

Their wild ambition is plain to see!

Your Majesty, Sangyi has no such intentions.

No such intentions.

You said it yourself

in the hall.

We were just being prepared.

Sangyi has no disloyal intentions toward Feng.

Your country and ours have been friendly for generations.

Then why do you need to train troops all day

to guard against us?

I'm afraid

only you know your true intentions.

Your Majesty,

we, Sangyi,

are nothing but loyal to you.

She's just making unreasonable accusations.

Whether you are really on guard

or have some plot...

Let me tell you.

We're not afraid.

Do you really think

that our wise

and mighty Emperor

can't see through your schemes?

Our Emperor has long known

that as long as there is culture,

our dynasty will continue

to flourish dynasty after dynasty.

While the military power is the strong backing

that allows us

to stand firm against outsiders.

That's why His Majesty

has set up the position of General of Cavalry to guard the borders

and the City Guard Department

to uphold order and reassure the citizens.

Although I'm not talented,

I deeply admire your political insight, Your Majesty.

I believe that, compared to ruling solely through culture

or military force,

Feng's future lies in managing both civil and military affairs simultaneously;

neither can be neglected.

This is the true way of governance.

Please, Your Majesty, don't fault me

for revealing the wisdom of your vision in public.

Well said.

Good!

Thank you, Your Majesty.

In this cultural competition,

Feng wins.

Bravo! Bravo!

Today, students of my nation have not disappointed me.

I am very pleased.

Vice Censor-in-Chief Du,

reward them.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Thank you, Father.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Goodbye, Father.

Goodbye, Your Majesty.

We won!

We won!

Who would have thought

that this grand and unprecedented competition's prize

turned out to be books, paper, and pens?

This prize isn't nearly as appealing as a simple autumn outing.

Wen Chenyi, tell me.

What snacks should we bring

for tomorrow's outing?

No way.

You have a treasure vault behind my back?

If you had come to the study a few more times,

you would've noticed all of this a long time ago.

Books. Books.

Nothing but books.

This one looks expensive.

But why haven't you worn it before?

I liked wearing it as a child,

but as I grew older,

I stopped.

Besides, this is only one half of a pair.

Where's the other half?

I gave it to a girl.

She once saved my life.

Then,

you're going to marry her to repay her kindness, right?

You...

We simply promised each other

that if either of us ever needed help, the other would answer the call.

"Answer the call," huh?

That opens up a lot of possibilities.

Wait!

What treasure is this?

The Letter of Commitment.

I almost forgot.

Now that the cultural competition is over,

then the commitment letter...

This Letter of Commitment has expired.

Does that mean our relationship should...

Should what?

Should end?

We should grow distant?

We should grow cold?

No!

What expiration?

You haven't found that ancient painting for me.

Let me tell you.

We are bound tightly

by the contract.

Does she not want to take things a step further with me?

It's okay.

As long as we're still bound by a contract,

there's still a chance for something more.

Right, right!

We haven't found the ancient painting yet.

So, we're still husband and wife.

Besides our fake marriage,

he should

have some feelings for me, right?

Do you have the same feelings for me

that I have for you?

Once we come back from the autumn outing,

I need to find a chance to ask her seriously.

My Lord, I coated the folding fan with white phosphorus

so that it'd ignite on its own, all for your benefit.

Once Wen Chenyi and his men lost,

wouldn't the academy be yours?

Idiot!

With such a grave enemy before us,

even your daughter has more sense than you do.

We were fortunate today to have Cheng Manyi and Wen Chenyi

turn the tide.

If your actions

had harmed the prestige of our Feng,

I'd have you flayed alive

to see

if your insides are stuffed with straw.

Please spare me.

I was foolish.

I did it without asking for your permission.

Please spare me.

I won't do it again.

I won't do it again.

Please spare me.

There will be no next time.

There will be no next time.

If there is,

you can go beg the King of Hell for mercy.

Thank you, my Lord.

Thank you, my Lord.

[A Talented Girl Grows Up]

Come on.

Stand there. Don't move.

Hit me. Hit me.

I dodge! Come and hit me!

Don't move!

Hit me.

Okay, let me show you

the power of my strike!

You continue to play. I'll pick it up.

Be careful.

Young Master.

I've found it.

Nice.

Okay.

Why do you have this?

This?

This is something I received

from a boy I saved when I was young.

He even promised at that time

that he'd grant me anything I asked for.

Are you that sure?

I'm not sure about others,

but he will never break his promise.

So,

should I ask him to marry me,

or ask him to break it off with someone else?

I advise you to stop dreaming.

What?

You just want to say

that the boy is Wen Chenyi, don't you?

Return kindness for kindness.

I'll repay your kindness for him.

It's natural that a wife pays for her husband's debts.

Tell me,

how should I repay you?

Stay back, Cheng Manyi.

Scholar Wen...

He is a man of his word.

I want him to repay me himself.

Fine.

Anyway, I advise you

not to make any excessive demands

that would only humiliate yourself.

I'm laying it out straight for you.

Wen Chenyi would never agree to those demands.

Master,

-look at mine. -Let me see.

Will he really choose Du Yaqin? What should I do?

Cui Jun.

Manyi.

Do me a favor.

Go ahead.

Ask Wen Chenyi

to meet me in the firefly field

tonight at 8 p.m.

No problem.

Not bad.

Give this to Mr. Wen.

Tell him to meet me at the pier tonight at 8 p.m.

Okay.

I'd like to see...

if Mr. Wen will keep his promise.

My foot.

Wen Chenyi will never come to see you.

I told you.

The real world is better.

Spicy crayfish, BBQ, movies, and the World Cup.

You may even become a police officer when you go back.

But this world has Wen Chenyi.

If he likes me, I'll stay.

But does he like you?

Did he ever say that?

You can't just

hang on to that commitment letter forever.

It's time to clear things up.

I'll ask him when he comes.

Why isn't he here yet?

He will come.

He won't come.

He will.

Manyi?

Why are you here?

It is me.

I'm here to tell you

that he's not coming.

Maybe he forgot the time.

He will come.

Manyi.

He went to meet someone else.

Manyi.

I can't believe we missed each other for so many years.

♫It's like deep and true love losing to time♫

I wouldn't dare dream of taking Manyi's place.

I just want a chance to stay by your side.

♫Only sadness and wounds can be commemorated♫

If after trying,

you still don't like me,

then I'll leave, alright?

♫Just like movie plots and stories, only imperfections hold beauty♫

I'm only asking for a chance

to stay by your side,

even if it's just for ten days,

three days,

or five days.

♫It can become destined regrets♫

Please, Wen.

♫When do we feel loved and indebted♫

Manyi, stop watching. He's not worth it.

♫It seems as if deep affection is captured in film♫

That Du Yaqin, her trick is so old.

Finding someone who only looks like Wen Chenyi from behind

and trying to fool me.

♫Crying, laughing and fading, so the drama can be praised♫

♫The curtain falls, leaving an extra moment of warmth♫

Turns out, we're only

♫I'll gradually be forgotten by time♫

bound by a mere contract.

Wen Chenyi, how dare you?

♫It's better to part ways than to gather with red eyes♫

We haven't cleared things up between us,

and you had the nerve to agree to her demand.

Scoundrel. Jerk.

♫But you left in a hurry♫

Go to hell!

♫Leaving me with a darkened theater♫

Manyi!

♫There's no place to say goodbye♫

Manyi.

If you feel really upset,

you can cry it all out.

It might make you feel better.

Cry? Why should I cry?

It's not worth it

for such a jerk.

Do you want more?

Thank you.

I've been single since birth for 20 years,

and just when I'm about to get into a relationship,

it suddenly turns into nightmare mode.

A mistress wanting to become the legitimate wife.

Catching your boyfriend

cheating.

What a crazy drama.

No scriptwriter would ever dare to write something like this.

Thank you.

Manyi,

let me be honest.

You really don't need to waste your time

feeling hurt over the cheating man, Wen Chenyi.

There are plenty of good men in Feng.

We don't even have to look far.

Actually,

there's a great choice right by your side.

Yes.

Cui Jun.

He's strong, loyal,

♫It's like deep and true love losing to time♫

and gets along with me.

For example, Jiaobai.

He's a bit simple,

♫Only sadness and wounds can be commemorated♫

but he's a hundred times more humorous than Wen Chenyi.

So, let's break up, fine.

The next one will be even better.

♫Just like movie plots and stories, only imperfections hold beauty♫

Any more?

More what?

♫It can become destined regrets♫

What about me?

Are you kidding me?

You are my best buddy.

♫When do we feel loved and indebted♫

I'll never

have any inappropriate feelings towards you.

You can rest assured.

♫It seems as if deep affection is captured in film♫

But I...

I don't want to be...

just your buddy.

♫Crying, laughing and fading, so the drama can be praised♫

What?

Nothing.

♫The curtain falls, leaving an extra moment of warmth♫

Let me show you something.

I've brought the ancient painting you asked me to find

♫I'll gradually be forgotten by time♫

for you.

Great.

I can go home now.

♫It's better to part ways than to gather with red eyes♫

What do you think?

Is this the one?

It looks very similar,

but it's not the one I'm looking for.

♫But you left in a hurry♫

It's not?

♫Leaving me with a darkened theater♫

Alright then.

♫There's no place to say goodbye♫

♫No one forces you to act a certain way towards me♫

Manyi, don't be too anxious.

I swear,

even if it costs me everything I have,

♫Heartfelt emotions don't rehearse and then bloom again♫

I'll find the real painting for you.

Give me some more time,

okay?

Thank you.

♫So please don't push yourself too hard♫

Go home and rest.

♫And don't lie when you're tired. Exit quietly♫

Manyi,

it's already very late.

Where are you going?

♫In silence♫

I have a place to go.

Don't worry.

[Guiyuan Inn]

Boss, get me a...

Boss, may I put it on...

You want to put in on credit?

Do you have a death wish?

Get lost now!

I'm the World's Greatest Talented...

I don't care

if you're the number one scholar in Feng.

Even if you're the emperor himself,

there's no credit here!

I'm not a beggar.