Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Destined]

[Episode 29]

Commander-in-chief, don't worry.

We'll come back immediately

after we harvest wheat.

Okay.

Good boy.

You did a great job.

We can go home.

We can finally go home. Thank God.

From now on,

Wanzhi will be my mentor.

You're going to learn to fight?

No.

I want to learn medicine

from Wanzhi.

Originally,

Wanzhi was a combat medic.

She dressed wounds for countless soldiers

and saved many lives.

Then she became

a general who led troops on the battlefield.

In this battle to guard Youzhou,

I saved lots of people too.

So in the future,

I want to be a combat medic too.

This is great.

You, my friend,

are both beautiful and kind.

You're an angel

who will definitely save lots of lives.

You can use money to do the same.

Stop making fun of me.

Well, I need to ask you for a favor.

No one else can help me.

It's hard to do business with the highborn ladies in the Eastern Capital.

I can't afford any mistakes.

Even the best rouge

needs someone pretty

to advertise it.

I think

on the opening day of Huarong,

if I can get a beautiful girl from Jiangnan

to use my rouge,

all the highborn ladies in the Eastern Capital

will come to know

what true elegance is like.

Then all my rouge will be sold out!

Young Madam is full of business ideas.

I've got a lot to learn.

Yuru.

You're pulling my leg again.

What did I do?

You don't believe me?

Ask Wanzhi what she thinks about it.

Not bad.

You're indeed gorgeous.

If I were a man,

I wouldn't take you as my student

but

would marry you!

Your Majesty,

the Yellow River's flood season has arrived.

The floods have done great damage.

[Zhao Yang, the Minister of Works]

Yongzhou suffered the greatest loss.

All the farmlands were flooded.

People there became homeless.

Numerous families were ruined.

Our people are living in hot water!

Your Majesty,

damming the Yellow River

has been delayed since the previous dynasty.

Now that we've embarked on a new era,

damming the Yellow River must be prioritized!

Your Majesty,

I heard that after the deluge last year,

atrocities

like eating children happened.

It was hell on Earth.

Now,

a new dynasty has started.

As policymakers,

[Zheng Shuhe, the Minister of Rites]

we should prioritize the well-being of our people.

Besides, the Yellow River overflows every year.

Your Majesty,

we really can't delay building the dam.

Damming the Yellow River

will be the most important task

this year.

Therefore,

the Ministry of Revenue will assess the funds needed

and allocate them for immediate construction.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

[Lu Yong, the Minister of Revenue]

Your Majesty.

Lord Liang, the traitor,

was in control of the Ministry of Revenue for over ten years.

He appropriated taxes

to recruit a private army,

which resulted in a great loss in the treasury.

To make things worse,

frequent droughts and floods

have completely depleted the coffers.

We don't have money to build the dam.

The previous administration left a real mess

after years of war.

Official Lu,

I understand your dilemma.

But every course needs a start.

If everything beneficial to the people

is to be delayed

because we don't have money,

Da Xia will repeat the tragedy

of the previous dynasty.

You're right, Your Majesty.

The country pays me

but I failed to solve its problems.

I feel ashamed.

I'm willing to

cut my salary by half.

It's not much money

but can be used

to buy a few more bricks

for the dam.

Your Majesty,

I'm willing to cut my salary by half too.

Good.

Approved.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Official Gu,

why are you laughing?

Your Majesty,

in my opinion,

the coffers were depleted

because there was corruption in the previous dynasty.

To reclaim the money,

shouldn't we check the ledgers

and analyze the expenditures?

I never thought about

using my salary

to make up for such a big hole.

I feel ashamed

compared to my selfless colleagues.

So I mocked myself.

[Liu Chun, the Deputy Minister of Revenue]

Official Gu,

you made a great point.

But the previous dynasty left countless ledgers

which are very complicated.

During years of war,

many documents were lost.

I'm afraid

we're not able to do that.

Your Majesty, you said just now

that every course needs a start.

I'd feel honored

if I could be the start.

Father,

I'd like to lead the inspection.

Yu'er,

what do you mean?

This is an important matter.

No one is more suitable

for this task than me.

I want to share your burden.

Yu'er,

you don't have enough experience.

Stay out of it.

Yes.

Official Gu will be in charge

of checking the old ledgers.

You'll have one month

to give me a satisfying answer.

Yes,

Your Majesty.

Official Lu.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Deputy Minister Gu is young

and works under you.

Offer him

your assistance.

Deputy Minister Gu is talented

and has great potential.

He'll definitely become the pillar of the Ministry of Revenue.

I'll spare no effort

to help him.

[The Ministry of Revenue]

Minister Lu.

Deputy Minister Gu.

You came.

When will we

start the inspection?

It's an arduous task.

There's no need

to start it in a rush.

Deputy Minister Gu,

if you got things to attend to at home,

just clock in

and go back.

We can talk about it

tomorrow.

There's nothing I need to attend to at home.

I see.

Young people like you

are so hard-working.

You can stay and walk around

to get familiar with the environment.

Thank you, Minister Lu.

But the ledgers…

No hurry.

The ledgers you want to check

are in the charge

of Liu Chun from the Granaries Bureau.

He won't come to work until two in the afternoon.

Two in the afternoon?

But it's only nine-thirty in the morning.

Two…

Nine thirty?

My bad.

I forgot to tell you

that from 10 am to 1 pm,

Deputy Ministers

and other clerks

will have a break.

Deputy Minister Gu,

you've been bustling around for so long.

Why don't you take a break?

It's my first day here.

I don't think it's proper for me

to slack off.

Young man,

don't be so rigid.

This is not slacking off.

Working hard is commendable

but breaks are necessary too.

Go take a rest.

Okay.

I don't remember seeing you before, madam.

Is this your first time to Huarong?

Manager Yin is busy.

Do you want me

to give you an introduction?

No, thanks.

I'll walk around myself.

Okay.

Ladies,

this way, please.

The peony is better.

It's graceful and implies the prosperity of the capital.

The rouge exclusive to the Eastern Capital

will use this pattern.

Yes.

Young Madam.

Manager Yin.

You've been so busy.

I finally caught you.

Her Ladyship

has been talking about your new product

for days.

Today,

you must sell one to me.

The Right Counsellor's wife.

Go.

Let's go.

[Granaries Bureau]

[Granaries Bureau]

Why is time passing so slowly?

Deputy Minister Gu.

Deputy Minister Liu.

You came.

You must've waited for a long time.

[Granaries Bureau]

Sorry.

Unlike you young people,

I feel lethargic

when it's noon.

If I don't take a nap,

I'll be drowsy the whole afternoon.

It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter.

[Granaries Bureau]

You've had the review document signed, right?

Don't forget to copy it.

It needs to be kept on file in the Tax Bureau.

Document?

What document?

Wait.

Deputy Minister Gu,

I was so afraid

of impeding the important task given by His Majesty

and hurried back

to open the archive room for you.

But you haven't even finished the procedures.

Are you kidding me?

No, no, no.

I'm new here

and not familiar with the procedures.

Please enlighten me.

You flatter me.

I asked you for the document

not because I want to make things hard for you.

This is the rule

of the Ministry of Revenue.

The ledgers

contain the flows of the treasury.

If anyone

could have a look at them

just by asking,

those with ulterior motives

would be able to learn the movements of the court.

It would be disastrous.

You're right.

Thank you for telling me.

Well,

let me tell you

what you need to do.

Okay. Go ahead.

You need to file a document

which contains the amount

and categories

of the ledgers you want.

The application time

should also be included.

You should also state why you need the ledgers,

who are involved in the process,

and who will read them.

All the papers need two copies.

Then send the document to the Granaries Bureau,

the Treasury Bureau,

Salt-and-Iron, Grain Transport, Remittance, and so on.

14 bureaus in total.

After the Directors sign it,

submit it to Minister Lu for further review.

Then you…

Deputy Minister Gu.

Do you…

Do you understand?

Yes.

Yes.

Good.

Thank you.

See you around.

Minister Lu,

this is Meishou made by Lefeng Restaurant.

Since Old Master passed away,

it's been low on stock.

It's very hard

to buy it in Jingdu.

I went to great lengths

to finally get a jar of it

and have been reserving it for you.

You're so considerate, Deputy Minister Liu.

Has Gu Jiusi

gone to you for the ledgers?

He came to wait for me before one in the afternoon.

I sent him to go through the procedures.

I guess, at this time,

he should be drafting the review document

in the Tax Bureau.

He's so audacious,

dreaming of checking our accounts.

I'll make his legs sore

from running from bureau to bureau.

Yeah.

That's not enough.

Let him do such legwork for one month.

If one month is not enough,

make it two.

After dealing with you,

he'll be faced with me.

Checking the ledgers

is a great matter.

Rules must be followed.

If he can't even go through

the basic procedures,

I'm afraid

he's not qualified to be the Deputy Minister of Revenue.

He's too young

and needs a lesson.

Undergoing some ordeal

can do him lots of good.

-That's right. -That's right.

Who's it?

Deputy Minister Gu.

I'm Chen Qianzhong, the Director of the Treasury Bureau.

[Chen Qianzhong, the Director of the Treasury Bureau]

I saw the lights in the Tax Bureau still on

and thought some colleague was working late,

so I came to check out.

I didn't mean to disturb you.

Please forgive me.

It's okay.

I used to work in the Tax Bureau.

If you need any help,

just ask.

Do you know how to write a review document?

Yes.

Deputy Minister Gu.

There's no need to rewrite it.

The part about the Granaries and Inspection Bureau is all right.

The omitted date

and rotation document for the Treasury Bureau

need additional proof.

After the Treasury Bureau reviews,

signs, and stamps it,

it can go to the next bureau.

I don't need to rewrite it?

Then how should I revise it?

I worked in the Tax Bureau for a year

before I finally made out the procedures

and got all the files required

to check the ledgers.

A year?

Yes.

A whole year.

Then I was transferred to the Treasury Bureau

and no longer had use for this knowledge.

Now,

what's your job in the Treasury Bureau?

At first, I kept accounts

of the taxes collected from each state.

Later,

they wouldn't let me do that either.

Now I send salaries

to officials in different Ministries.

I have lots of leisure time.

Since that's the case,

why haven't you gone home? It's already nine.

Deputy Minister Gu,

I heard that you want to check the old ledgers.

Are you serious?

Several inspections were conducted in the past

but they were all just for appearances.

I always wanted to do this

but there were too many obstacles ahead

preventing me from making progress.

I gave up checking the old accounts

and started keeping new accounts.

But out of my expectation,

the new accounts could be tampered with too.

Even if you have His Majesty's support,

once you try to check the ledgers,

you'll inevitably antagonize many people.

No one knows how many obstacles

you'll be faced with.

My words carry little weight.

There's nothing much I can do for you,

but I can help with these trivial things

and give you warnings.

Hope I can save you unnecessary detours

and as much trouble as possible.

How many years

have you been working in the court?

Over 20 years.

Then you must know

other officials very well.

I do know a lot about them

and have a lot to say.

I wonder

what you want to ask.

I have only one question.

How on earth

can I check the old ledgers?

I mean a serious inspection.

If that's your question,

I can give you

three names.

Xiong Zhiquan from the Ministry of War.

Wen Ruxu from the Ministry of Rites.

Han Guangyuan from the Ministry of Personnel.

These three people are critical

to the inspection.

They've all been working

in the court for many years.

They're both well-informed

and well-connected.

Most importantly,

they all got their positions through exams

instead of inheritance.

They don't have much to do with Empress Dowager and the dignitaries

in the previous dynasty.

Those people

are all from a distinguished ancestry

and look down on

those who newly found their footing in the court through exams.

Although they serve the country together

and smile when they meet,

they never get along with one another

and have nothing in common.

In this case,

they may really be willing to

give us a hand.

But to win

these three guys' trust

is not gonna be easy.

Xiong Zhiquan from the Ministry of War

is a brave and decorated warrior.

He only respects

those who fight better than him.

-Bravo! -Bravo!

Wen Ruxu from the Ministry of Rites

is a distant relative of the Ye family.

He was a famous scholar in the previous dynasty.

He couldn't bear

the corruption of the previous dynasty

and has been on medical leave for years.

Mr. Wen,

it's a great honor to meet you.

Are you Ye Zhiqiu's only grandson?

Yes.

It's a pity that I didn't get to spend much time with my grandfather.

He passed away

when I was very young.

A good end for him.

At least he was spared the chaos

before the demise of the previous dynasty.

"I'm happy that I don't have much time left.

I won't suffer as many hardships as you young people will."

Grandfather wrote these words

in a letter to me.

So I guess you're right.

Young man,

you came to me

because you need my help in the court.

You probably think your grandfather and I

used to be classmates,

so you can easily ask me for a favor.

Actually, I already learned

that you cut ties with my grandfather

and never saw him again.

Since you know,

why did you come to see me?

Aren't you afraid that I'll kick you out?

I also know

why you fell out

with my grandfather.

Han Guangyuan from the Ministry of Personnel

is smooth,

greedy,

and tactful.

He knows the secrets

of many officials,

but no one

has ever gotten anything on him.

Your uncle used to be my superior.

We worked together for years.

Since you're his nephew,

I'll treat you as my own nephew.

Just tell me how I can help you.

I'll do my best.

What if I'm here

for the Book of Officials

which you put great effort into compiling?

That's a treasure.

I'm afraid you didn't bring enough money.

I understand.

[Bank of Darong] [One thousand brass coins]

Still not enough.

Huarong Rouge Shop

is famous in Youzhou

and also in the Eastern Capital.

It makes a fortune every day.

With this,

you'll have a cash cow.

Not enough.

Far from enough.

Deputy Minister Gu,

If you can't offer

a higher price,

I'm afraid I have to

bid you farewell.

Han Guangyuan

is such a sly dog.

I tried my best to tempt him

but he wouldn't relent a bit.

I've told you the names

of the three guys.

What to do next

and how to persuade them

will be problems

you need to solve.

It's getting late.

I'll take my leave.

Director Chen,

did my uncle

send you to me?

Minister Jiang said

if his nephew

can't even tell

such an obvious move,

I don't need to tell you his last warning.

Han Guangyuan is hard to understand.

Whether he's good or wicked,

a friend

or a lethal snake,

Minister Jiang is not sure either.

You have to decide

by yourself.

[One month later]

Your Majesty,

I've finished examining the old ledgers.

According to ledgers offered by the Ministry of Personnel,

Ministry of Rites,

and Ministry of War,

I found

that there is15 million missing.

Unbelievable.

There's actually

15 million missing!

The loss of the treasury is shocking.

The Ministry of Personnel, Rites,

War, and Revenue

will submit a joint petition

for a more thorough investigation.

Official Gu,

you led the inspection.

What do you think we should do?

Just be frank.

I think

we should delve into it and reclaim the lost money.

The previous administration was poor

and there were years of war,

so the huge loss of the treasury

can't all be attributed to corruption.

Those in the court

are all pillars of the country

and men of integrity.

I suggest

investigating the treasury thoroughly,

rewarding the upright ones,

and punishing the corrupt ones.

With rewards and punishments,

order can be restored.

Great idea.

Official Gu,

there's no need to give this case to someone else.

You'll continue

the inspection and reclamation.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I

have another request.

Go ahead.

Investigating the treasury

is a complicated task.

May I

ask for

a few assistants?

Okay.

Approved.

Officials,

will anyone

help Deputy Minister Gu?

Well…

I will.

I will.

I will.

Anyone else?

♫It was autumn when we parted ways♫

I will.

♫We sang songs about a brighter future♫

♫Sharing a boat with you, we drift down the rivers♫

♫Walking the path with you, we travel the martial world♫

♫With a smile, we talk of right and wrong, life and death♫

♫Joy is hard to define♫

Bravo! Bravo!

♫Riding alongside you, I see the world unfold♫

♫Fighting alongside you, I no longer fear the unknown♫

He's good.

Amazing.

Unbelievable.

♫In the dust stirred up by the wind, we write our own fates♫

Yeah.

You fought well.

Who did you train under?

No one trained me.

No one trained you?

When I was young,

I picked up moves here and there.

All unorthodox skills.

Can't believe

someone can be so talented in martial arts.

To be honest,

I came to fight with you

because I need your help.

If I win,

can you do me a favor?

If you win,

let alone one favor,

I can do you ten favors!

No need.

Just one.

Stop.

I will, Your Majesty.

I read

the letters you and my grandfather exchanged

when you were young.

My grandfather

didn't care much about court affairs

and just wanted to bury himself in books.

But you thought

scholars should serve their country

and make the world better.

You were close friends

but had different life goals.

It's understandable

that you parted ways.

It was all in the past.

Actually, your grandfather and I

were not that different.

I devoted my life to making Darong thrive

but it met its doom all the same.

Now I stay out of the court

like he did

and wait for death to arrive.

You're different from him.

Sir,

you've lived in seclusion for so long.

You may not have heard

that I and my younger sister

are the only ones left

of the Ye family.

All my family and distant relatives,

more than 100 of them,

were slaughtered

by rebels

during the Rebellion of Yangzhou

before Darong was subverted.

Back then,

to escape the darkness of politics,

my grandfather left for Jiangnan to focus on his studies.

Who'd have thought

it would end so tragically?

The rise and fall of the country

affect everyone's life.

So I think

if we could rewind the clock,

my grandfather would definitely choose

to stand with you

and fight for the people

to the last moment.

But…

But Da Xiang

is faced with so many uncertainties.

The court is full of

fools and leeches.

Both you and me

are just powerless scholars.

What big changes can we make?

What if…

What if it'll be a wild goose chase again?

"We should devote ourselves to our country

without expecting anything in return.

That's the only way to live without regrets."

I read

these words

in an article you wrote

when you were young.

It was those words

that lit my way

out of the darkness.

Today,

I repeat your words to you

in the hope of getting your help.

Sir, I need you.

Da Xia

needs you even more.

We all need you

to hold on to hope.

Director,

if I offer you

a thorough investigation of the treasury

and a peaceful country

with clean governance,

will it

be a satisfying offer to you?

Good.

Great.

I feel honored

to have you in my court.

It's a blessing for Da Xia.

Your Highness.

Mind your step.

Father hasn't asked about

my school performance in a long time.

I've improved a lot lately.

I'll tell him what I've learned.

I'm sure he'll be happy.

Wang Hong.

Your Majesty.

You know.

It didn't take long

for Gu Jiusi

to make headway on the case.

I think

before long,

he'll be able to reveal the truth.

Deputy Minister Gu is indeed very capable.

I hope I could have a son like him.

He's competent

and loyal.

Yes.

I heard that his father died before his time.

He's loyal to Your Majesty.

Perhaps

he has more or less

regarded you as his father.

You think so?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Good.

Actually,

I do wish

he were my son.

If Yu'er

could be as able as him,

it'd be wonderful.

Just some old, messy tallies

from the previous dynasty.

No one can find any solid proof.

There's nothing to worry about.

Gu Jiusi

made some small waves

and you panicked?

Why did you lose your cool so easily?

Minister Lu,

Gu Jiusi is indeed something.

I've never seen

anyone so efficient.

In just a few days,

he finished the procedures

and checked the ledgers.

Now,

he joined hands with the other five Ministries

to conduct the investigation.

I…

I'm really…

Scared.

If

they reconcile the expenses together,

the hole we made

can't be covered anymore.

Gu Jiusi wants to hit the ground running.

Let him

ride on his high horse for a few more days.

Don't worry.

The one who can help us

will be here soon.

By then,

he'll make sure that Gu Jiusi

hits the ground hard.

I didn't expect things

to go so smoothly.

Exactly.

Too smoothly.

Will something

go wrong?

Don't jinx it.

Luo Zishang, the Grand Tutor, may come in.

[Changgeng Palace]

[Changgeng Palace]

Jiusi.

I already know.

Let's leave the court first.

I specially ordered the imperial chefs

to make some Yangzhou dishes.

I hope

you'll like them.

Thank you, Your Highness.

You're welcome.

Since I became the Crown Prince,

everyone has been

so polite to me.

Grand Tutor, you're a righteous man.

You led Yangzhou to pledge allegiance to Da Xia.

I should thank you.

I love my country

and respect you

because it's my duty as a citizen.

You treat me

amicably

and friendly

because you're benevolent.

There's a huge difference

between the two.

You're right, Grand Tutor.

I understand.

Your Highness,

you have His Majesty's aura.

You're self-possessed

and will definitely become a great ruler.

Grand Tutor,

do you mean it?

Of course.

But Father always treats me like a child.

Men

even after they reach thirty years old

are still boys in their fathers' eyes.

His Majesty is a loving father

and sees you as the apple of his eye.

It's understandable that he still dotes on you as if you were a kid.

I guess Deputy Minister Gu also treats you

as his own brother, right?

I also wish

that Gu were my elder brother.

Deputy Minister Gu is a shining star.

He's accomplished at a young age

and showered with praises.

He also has His Majesty's trust.

Any family will see it as a blessing

to have him as a son.

Of course.

Grand Tutor.

I want to grow up quickly

to share my father's burden

and win his trust.

You Highness, I'll help you

get what you want.

Here,

I want to drink to you, Grand Tutor.

Thank you, Your Highness.