Original subtitles

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 24

These days here in Youyang are so comfortable, I almost feel it's unbearable to leave.

Is Youyang nice?

Of course it's nice.

Our Sheng House, what isn't good about it?

The people are nice and the place is nice too.

Speaking of people, the girl Pinlan is easy-mannered.

What about the one in He House?

The elder brother of the He House is a nice person.

How is he nice?

He's older than we are by some years, and he's gentle and friendly,

always looking after us.

That's what an older brother should do though.

That's not really worth mentioning.

Is there anything else?

I think what makes Brother He most precious

is that he understands it's hard to be a woman.

I think someone who can

sigh for the women of the world must be a good person.

His father died early, and his mother is sickly and weak.

The family all depends on the grandmother to hold it up.

Since he was little, he's witnessed his grandmother's hardship.

This nourished his mature and realistic temperament,

easily considerate of others.

And his clan passes down medical skills,

so he does indeed have some skills.

If one can marry a husband like him,

her whole life could be peaceful and secure,

easy and comfortable.

Yes.

Brother He deserves someone who is fully honest and committed to him to spend the days together,

truly devoted to being with him.

That's his luck.

And you?

Me? I . . .

I think mine's not here yet.

I fear it is... and you just don't know it yet.

Shoot the arrows.

Attack. - Attack!

Guards! Guards!

There an ambush! Scatter!

Release the arrows!

Attack!

Hurry!

Young Master.

Our ambush!

Their chief's already dead.

Let's hurry and congratulate our Great General Xie.

He used a closed-gate ambush to capture the enemy. How sage!

Yes, Young Master.

General Xie!

General, you are brilliant!

Brilliant! Brilliant!

The General is brilliant!

That Bai Ye is a true talent.

If you keep him by your side, he will be your wing to help you soar.

What did you say?

General, you're the one to soar above the clouds.

Of course I will soar above the clouds.

This group of treacherous renegades is the royal court's trouble of scabies and ringworm. (T/N body's disease)

Come to me, and I'm the medicine to cure the disease.

Other places? Is there anyone else who could have such a brilliant strategy?

Of course.

Think. Think. I am truly . . .

I am truly a talent.

I knew clearly the enemy force would raid in the middle of the night.

So I employed this going with the flow, lured the enemy in deep,

and closed the gate for the capture. This great strategy.

Right?

If someone delivers false military orders,

he should be beheaded. Right?

The General is right. Then what do we write about that Bai Ye?

What do you mean what do we write?

He is only a night patrolman.

Tell me how we write about him.

Slower. Walk slower. Walk slower.

No, no, no, don't rush.

Hurry. Pull up your strength. Slower.

Hurry, hurry, hurry. You pull up your strength and carry.

Slower. Don't rush.

Come, let me help you.

Hurry, hurry, hurry.

Hurry, go.

It's all up to you now.

Drink, drink.

Drink lots and eat lots.

- Mother-in-law, come sit and rest. - Alright.

How is it? Eat lots.

Eat and drink up. A great happy event.

We'll all celebrate together.

Alright. Alright.

Madam, the son-in-law young lord drank too much.

He's causing a ruckus outside.

It's just too busy today. Brother Changwu will come see you soon.

He'll come and drink with you.

Son-in-law, come on down.

My son. What's happened?

Old turd!

You dare to coax me?

Come on down. Don't fall now!

You clearly

treat me, this scholar husband badly!

You treat me badly.

That's an insult to culture!

Mother-in-law.

You will need to go to court... (T/N Magistrate's precinct)

and get flogged!

He was fine yesterday.

He even told me the good news that his mistress outside is pregnant.

Why is he now like this today?

Did you anger him?

- Mother-in-law, I dare not. - Was it you?

Okay. Okay. This is a joyous occasion.

If grandnephew-in-law wants to drink, just let him.

Once he has drink enough, his anger will dissipate.

Aren't you complaining that no one's drinking with you?

- Grandniece. - I'm here.

Go and tell my nephew

to come here and entertain our distinguished guest well!

The Xiucai is like my deceased husband, a very noble status!

Everyone must serve him.

Come, come, everyone!

Those who still can, and even those who can't!

Magistrate, all of you, come here to toast him.

- Thank you. Thank you. - This is the proper etiquette in attending to a guest.

No. No.

If each one toasts him with so many people here, he surely will get drunk!

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

Miss.

First House's Old Madam and our own Old Madam ask to see you.

At this late at night, did something happen again?

Old Madam said that you should go there and look.

Go and look at the winds and waves. Meet the leopards and wolves of the mortal world.

I know that you're filial.

You don't want me to see those messy things.

I also want to pretend to be deaf and mute,

and allow you to practice your filial piety.

But do you want to get tormented to death,

and then just tell me your grievances through my dreams?

Mother, I'll go handle it.

I already told you a few months ago

that you should go think about a back-up plan.

What did you come up with?

You sent them another two shops.

If I allow you to handle this again,

you'll just use money to earn the good favor of that grandson-in-law of mine.

When he caused trouble once before, he got two shops.

If he does it again, he'll get another two shops?

You're giving him money too easily.

Not just him, even I want to cause trouble.

It's hard to satisfy insatiable greed.

I'm thinking that they are legal husband and wife after all.

He has already wasted half of your daughter's dowry.

He also now has several dozens of concubines.

What else is he not satisfied with?

Mother-in-law told me not to disturb my husband from studying.

She wants me to stay in her room and attend to her.

This past month,

we rarely slept together.

Afterwards, she told me that being unable to bear any descendants is an unfilial act.

I then got him concubines. But he complained that those concubines are too uninteresting.

He then housed a prostitute outside.

When that prostitute got pregnant, Husband and Mother-in-law insist that she be allowed in our house.

I said... that our family has ancestral teachings

that we won't live in the same house with prostitutes.

He then... hit me.

They are bullying us intolerably!

Tomorrow, I'll personally go to their Sun Manor.

I'm going to reason it out with him!

This... is also isn't their fault.

Only after three years of marriage did he get his first child.

It's just natural for them to treat that child so preciously.

If you go, you'll just get humiliated.

This... can't be blamed on Shu'er.

Shu'er was only able to sleep with that useless xiucai three to five times a year.

She can't really have a child out of nowhere, right?

Mother, what should we do?

What should we do?

I don't know.

Shu,

tell me the truth.

If I'm willing to bear losing some good karma,

to get my hand dirtied with blood just to fulfill your wish,

are you willing to

raise that prostitute's child as your own,

just so you can continue staying in the House of Sun?

This way, you'll still have a husband.

I don't know.

I don't know! I don't know!

Open your eyes and look.

She's your own daughter.

With a mother-in-law and husband like that from the House of Sun,

how could she bear to live with them for the next decades?

Shu'er... How could I bear to slight my Shu'er. She's flesh from my own body.

Just one wrong observation and I've lost it all.

If the Sheng Family has a daughter that gets divorced,

what about the other ladies in our family that haven't been married yet?

And my girl Pin, she doesn't even have any marriage agreement yet.

If no one will take her, what then?

Ming.

Ming, shut up.

Grandmother, for Sister Yanran, I charged to the front line and fought.

But this is about my biological cousin.

I can't shut up, and I don't want to shut up.

Child, get up.

Do you have any good ideas?

None. Dynasties can easily change, but human character can't.

If that Xiucai Sun doesn't meet any great calamity that endangers his life,

he will never change that bad attitude of his.

With one wrong step, Sister Shulan has already entered a blind alley.

Since that's the case, what do you want to say?

Since it's a blind alley, she should turn around immediately.

She mustn't wait until her whole lifetime has been spent in regret, when it will be too late.

Sister Pinlan has a straightforward attitude, a magnanimous bearing.

She surely won't agree to use the bones of Sister Shulan as a stepping stone into marrying into a noble family.

Once Sister Pinlan gets married off, if the family of her husband sees how harsh her sister is being treated by her in-laws,

while the Sheng family is enduring everything,

won't they develop intentions to slight Sister Pinlan too and the Sheng family?

I'm saying these words not for Sister Shulan, it's also for the sake of Sister Pinlan.

What if my girl Pin doesn't get married off to a good family because of this?

A person can only live for decades,

while a clan can exist for hundreds of years. There will be no end in the change of government.

If relatives can't subdue themselves, observe proprieties, and live through times together hand in hand,

everything you're managing now will just become dreamlike illusions and will be gone in an instant.

If the family of the marriage prospect of Sister Pinlan can't see through the character of the House of Sun,

their character and intelligence are indeed worrisome.

If things capsize, who will protect Sister Pin?

Then it means that if Pin doesn't get married off, it's just fine?

It's no big deal if I never get married off!

Marriage fate is set by the heavens.

If I have that fortune, even if Eldest Sister gets divorced,

I surely will find that suitable man.

If I'm to have an extravagant betrothal gift

in exchange for Sister getting tormented to death in that lair of tigers and wolves,

I don't care about this lifetime of glory then!

Mother, if you're afraid of dragging me into trouble,

I'll go cover my head and go up the mountain to become a nun by tomorrow.

Mother, leave Sister a path to survive.

Child.

Come, good child.

Mother.

Stop crying.

You all are crying as if the sky will be falling down. Those who doesn't know

might think that our Sheng family wasn't having a wedding, but a funeral instead.

Divorce? Dream on!

They can only separate amicably.

- Leave! Leave! - Hear me out.

Leave! Leave!

- No... - Go on, go!

Who's separating amicably with you!

Must I still pretend to be nice with your Sheng family!

That shameless and unfilial jealous wife

only deserves a divorce letter from me and to be expelled out of our house!

Doesn't know what's good for her! A black-hearted ingrate!

Just because her family has some money, she dares to behave atrociously in the house of her xiucai husband.

Everyone, come and look!

Come and look! This is the good house teachings

of the rich Sheng clan of our Youyang!

Their own daughter was unable to bear any child!

Now that my son's concubine was able to get pregnant,

she's hiding in her maiden clan's house and refuses to come back.

Unfilial to her mother-in-law. Not serving her husband!

She's even using the excuse of amicable separation to blackmail her in-laws.

Bullshit!

Madam Sun, you should talk reasonably.

When your Sheng daughter-in-law married into your house, that's the time your family was able to become rich.

Have you forgotten your pitiful appearance of washing clothes to live by?

Leave! Leave!

What do you know? My son is a xiucai!

He will bring me wealth, status, glory, and splendor in the future to enjoy!

How is that a blessing from that little bitch?

Mother! Mother! Stop lowering yourself to their level.

It will degrade your refined status.

You! Go back and tell the House of Sheng,

if that Sheng Shulan will obediently come back here, kowtow and admit her mistake, and be a virtuous wife from then on,

- No... - our Sun family...

will still provide her food to eat.

Leave!

- Leave! - Leave!

Looks like they won't ever let Eldest Miss go.

Don't be upset. With such a measly matter,

we surely can handle it. Go and rest first.

That kind of wolf is afraid of might and not kindness.

We should find some strong and buff men within the people working for our lands to beat him up.

He surely will behave afterwards, and write whatever we ask him to write!

What nonsense are you saying?

Although that were indeed nonsense,

I am at ease.

You are indeed an unruly child.

I won't worry for you getting take advantage of in this life.

Ming, after hearing your words last time,

I find it very reasonable.

Now that we're faced with this predicament,

what should we do?

Rather than trying to stop water from boiling over by scooping it up and pouring it back in,

it's better to just take away the firewood from under the cauldron.

What do you mean?

Tell them...

that if they don't cooperate with an amicable separation,

then they... will never get any of the items

that Sister Shulan brought to their house.

Look at that. That is what a house steward should be like.

Maid Bian!

Maid Bian!

Maid Bian, where did you go?

Maid Bian!

Big Madam wants to eat some bird's nest. Quickly instruct someone to buy it.

Big Madam has already returned to the Sheng family.

Where did another Big Madam come from?

You dare talk to my mother like that?

Good thing the Xiucai knows that we all are servants from the Sheng family.

Now that someone from their family is calling us to go back, it's far better than being separated from our loved ones,

we'll be resigning and leaving today.

- Stop right there! - This is totally preposterous!

You all...

If you all dare to leave our house by even half a step today,

- I'll see you all at the local magistrate! - That's right!

I'll sue you for the crime of escaping from your master!

The master we went to serve is the House of Sheng,

and not your Sun Family. In our contracts, the name written is that of the House of Sheng.

On official papers, it's clearly written in black on white.

If you want to file a complaint, then go ahead!

Let's go!

Stop right there! All of you stop!

- Stop! Stop! - Okay.

Stop! Stop! All of you, stop!

- Mother! - Stop—

Mother! That's being uncultured.

This is revolting!

Let them leave!

I don't believe that we can't do it by ourselves!

They are still not here.

Miss. Miss.

Nanny Bian.

You've worked hard, Nanny Bian.

How come you didn't bring any luggage?

We've long wanted to leave that tiger's lair.

When we heard that we can go back, we didn't bother packing our things.

But I've brought the items that Miss Ming asked for.

Those are the deeds for the farmlands and shops that Eldest Miss brought with her as her dowry.

I've kept those well-hidden, and didn't let that mother and son take them.

This is great.

Let's go and take back the shops.

Take our own shops back!

Eldest Young Master...

- What does this mean? - Are all the books there?

- They are all here. - Don't—

Lock the doors well.

Young Master.

Those Sun family leeches,

they have sucked enough blood from my sister.

Now that all the assets have been taken back, let's see what they will eat or drink from now on.

This family is very shameless and dishonorable.

I fear that it might not just end here.

Let's just deal with whatever they throw at us.

That's right. We must rescue Sister Shulan

from this family's fiery pit.

Let's go. Go.

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

That prostitute is so delicate!

Just because she's pregnant, she treats herself as in some throne room,

and she has even started ordering me around!

Son, since all those maids of the Sheng Family left,

I'm so exhausted.

Now that our shops have been closed

and the farm titles and money all got taken by that Sheng maid back to their house,

we now don't have servants and money.

Right? And this pregnant woman inside

wants to drink chicken soup or bird's nest every day.

We don't have that much money left.

How about you go to the Sheng Manor

and fetch Sheng Shulan back?

That way we'll have money and servants.

- I'll also be more relaxed. - Enough. Enough.

If she wants to leave, just let her leave.

Will that Sheng Family endure a reputation of an abandoning wife?

In a few days, the Sheng Family will surely

send her back here with another two shops. Okay, I'm leaving.

Son, son.

We will soon run out of money.

How about this?

Today..don't treat those poet friends of yours to any more banquets.

Let's try to spend less, so that we can make do until

the Sheng Family returns your wife?

You are totally absurd!

Those people are all scholars. How can I break my promise?

It will make me look uncultured. I'm going now.

Son...

How did you find the meal today?

It was good! Definitely good!

Thank you, Xiucai Sun, for that extravagant meal!

How about we change to another location and have some more drinks?

- Sure! As long as it's you who's paying, - Great!

we're fine with going anywhere!

That bill... put it on my credit.

Xiucai Sun, actually you don't have a credit account in our shop.

How about you pay for your bill today?

What do you mean?

People from the Sheng Family came and said that your accounts will only be your accounts. (T/N to pay)

The accounts of Eldest Miss Sheng is hers.

Put it on my tab now!

Once that bitch returns, I'll pay you!

Xiucai Sun, look here.

When Official Zhao comes to eat, he pays.

Look here, isn't it unsuitable for you to not pay?

- How much? - The total is two strings and four coins. (T/N one string of small coins is 1000)

Xiucai Sun, we won't dare come at your invitation again!

We're afraid that we won't be able to leave! (T/N in custody to magistrate or having to work it off... )

- Let's go. - Let's go.

Two strings and four coins, is that it?

Is this item enough for you!

Bitch. That bitch...

Bitch!

Bitch!

Bitch!

What could be happening in the front receiving hall now? Could they be bullying my sister?

Don't be afraid.

If there is any news, Xiaotao will come inform us.

Stop pacing. If you're not dizzy yet, I am!

The Sun Family refused an amicable separation and insists on divorcing.

As the old saying goes, if there are no descendants after seven years, that's a great mistake.

My daughter married into their family

for less than three years,

and already got him twelve or thirteen concubines.

In the whole county, which family's main wife

has willingly taken in that many concubines for her in-laws?

What nerve do you have to say that she's shameless and unfilial?

Even if it was twenty-two or twenty-three,

weren't they all still unable to bear me any children?

Clan Elders, now that my outside mistress is pregnant,

she should lower herself, welcome her into our family, and treat her well!

But she? She instead left our house

and stayed in her maiden house, refusing to return.

What's the use...

of having a woman like that?

Okay.

Since that's the case,

then have the mother leave and let the child stay.

Have the mother leave?

Absolutely impossible!

Huaniang is already pregnant. She has toiled hard and contributed great merit!

If your daughter refuses to welcome Huaniang into our house,

she only deserves a divorce paper from me and to become an abandoning wife. (T/N losing her honor and future)

Shut up!

Our Sheng family would never allow a prostitute to become a concubine!

Just wait for my divorce letter then.

Those atrocious scholars.

Aren't they trying to destroy my sister's life?

Their family was initially very poor.

Their house, shops, and servants were all from our family.

So shameless. How could there be such a shameless person in this world?

The servants were also from your family?

Of course. What in their family was not from my family?

Even his studies before were all funded by us.

So shameless.

Is Brother Changwu around?

He's in the main hall.

Main hall...

Go and look for Young Master He. Tell him to wait for me at the western side door.

Tell the stable to prepare the horses.

- I don't need a carriage, just three horses. - Okay.

Go quickly!

- Veiled hat. - Veiled hat? - A long veiled hat.

Two of them.

Why do you need those?

Maybe their Sun Family forgot some items.

What items?

A registration deed.

A registration deed? What is that?

Whether in buying slaves or taking in concubines, there must be two copies of deeds.

One is your census registration deed.

The other is your selling contract.

Didn't you say that the House of Sun never had any servants?

I'm thinking that maybe they never knew this rule.

They surely don't know. Even I don't know.

I also just learned about it when I handled the documents as a house steward.

They surely bought the sale contract from Qianjin Brothel.

But Huaniang is a prostitute.

It's not enough that you obtain her sale contract.

Let's go to Qianjin Brothel.

Are you crazy? That's a brothel.

Do you want an amicable separation or not?

Let's go.

Muddled. So muddled.

Why must it reach the point of divorcing your wife?

Just for a prostitute, you're saying conscienceless words.

Although Huaniang is from a brothel, she's very clean!

How could I abandon her?

You all... are just greedy of their wealth.

Hence, you're distorting the truth here.

Brother Hongwen,

go inside Qianjin Brothel and find the madam in charge.

Tell her that if the registration deed of Huaniang is still with her,

she must bring it to us

and she'll be heavily-rewarded. We'll wait in the private room inside the restaurant.

Okay. Hold this.

Come and have fun. The girls here are all very good.

Are there wines to drink?

There are! Come inside and take a look.

Let's go.

Will this work?

Don't even think of divorcing! We will only allow for an amicable separation.

Amicable separation? Who wants to do that and pretentiously preserve your reputation?

I will only write a divorce letter.

Even if you want a divorce letter,

you still have to return the shops,

money, and servants to us

before my son will write it.

Those are the dowry items from our Sheng family.

Since she has married into our Sun family,

she will then have to live and die as a member of the Sun family.

All these things now belong to the Sun family!

What do you mean by yours and mine?

It all now belongs to the Sun family!

Not only a main wife,

but even the dowry of concubines

are their own possessions.

Even if they are divorced or they die,

the maiden family has the right to take them back!

If you want money,

go the capital and and file a complaint!

Mother.

You don't want to return the shops and farms of our family?

Okay.

Okay.

Then just wait for us take in that Huaniang in as concubine

when we go back to our house today.

If your Eldest Miss wants to continue being the main wife...

just let her live like a widow then!

What's your name, Madam? (T/N brothel madam, the boss, not a wife)

It's been such a long time since anyone asked my name.

My surname is Fei.

Please sit down.

We asked you to come here today to buy the registration deed of Huaniang.

Since you're treating me this respectfully, I dare not deceive you.

It's just that Huaniang has been bought by someone else.

They said that she's going to be taken in as a concubine.

That deed you're asking about

then becomes useless.

Madam Fei, I'll pay you twice their price.

Miss, what are you planning to do?

You had better clarify it first.

Three times their offer.

This is not a matter of money.

Never thought Madam Fei is this stubborn.

Don't know if this Qianjin Brothel, being named qianjin (T/N "thousand gold")

can really afford to lose so much money?

What do you mean?

There are bandits roaming around the Youyang territory lately.

I fear that your Qianjin Brothel might have some bandits already mixed in.

The government lately is worried, and has vowed to investigate it.

Don't know for how long your Qianjin Brothel might still be open?

How much money will you be losing, Madam Fei?

Who really are you?

That woman has already been sold. This registration deed has no use for you now.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to sell it to us at a high price?

Madam Fei, do you have a chronic headache illness?

When it attacks, not only is it unbearable, you even still hear ringing in your ears?

How did you know?

I can't cure your headache,

but I can do acupuncture and prescribe you with medication.

At the very least, you can have a peaceful sleep every spring and autumn night.

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

T/N In the following song, "Don't You Know, Don't You Know?", Lines 5 to the end are the poem by Li Qingzhao, a famous female poet of the Song Dynasty, the poem is titled "Spring Ends".

♫ One morning, a flower opened and approached a willow tree, beautifully fragrant and mistaking him for her lord ♫

♫ Even if drinking in water in the morning, red clouds have half a day of sunshine, the wind and rain do not affect them completely ♫

♫ In the palace, you are constantly brave and growing thin, from on high, your cold tears of distress flow ♫

♫ Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me,

not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫

♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫

♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫

♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫

♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫

♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫

♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫