Original subtitles

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

Story of Ming Lan

Episode 28

Duke Qi of the State was only passing by Prince Yong's manor,

when the door gate suddenly opened and Prince Yong came out to welcome him.

He insisted on pulling him inside for wine and catching up.

The street was covered with people from the Prince's manor.

We really couldn't leave, so without any better option, we had to put on a bold face and go in.

And then?

I was only waiting in the corner.

Once it got dark, someone came to tell me to return to send word

that the Duke was a guest at the Prince Yong Manor's feast,

he drank too much and was too inconvenienced to move, so he won't come back.

May Princess and Young Lord take care of themselves.

Inside the Imperial fortress, under the feet of the Emperor, (T/N literally outside the palace wall, but inside the fortress wall of the capital where the highest nobles and royal family members live, under the nose of the ruler)

a noble Prince

commits an act of kidnapping?

They are too menacing.

Even if he does become the Emperor,

even the Emperor doesn't dare to menace his subjects like this.

Get my carriage. - Yes.

Mother, what do you intend to do?

I will go to the palace to meet His Majesty.

Mother, didn't you say the Emperor is gravely ill and unable to hold audience?

Even if I can't see him, I will still find a way to see him.

If it really won't work, I will just barge in.

If blame is to be cast, I will shoulder it all myself.

I will come with you.

It's cold out, and you're still sick. Just wait for my return.

How can I allow you to go alone to rescue my father? If I cannot enter the palace gate,

I will wait for you, Mother, outside the palace.

I have already sent someone to inquire at Prince Yong's.

That Princess Consort Yong,

she is a bit tyrant usually,

but to kidnap a merit noble of the royal court in public?

That's indeed too-- - Your Highness!

How is it?

I already sent someone.

Who did you send?

My foster son. My most trusted aide.

He's usually called by the name of "Xiaosi".

He arrived at the Prince Yong's manor and inquired, and the Princess Consort Yong said Duke Qi did indeed arrive

but before it was dark, he had already left and he wasn't there now.

She's lying! How can he not be at the manor?

My servant isn't blind or dumb!

He can't figure out whose manor the Duke of the State went into?

It must be that Princess Consort of Yong is lying.

You didn't have him go in and look around?

Xiaosi offended the Princess Consort,

looked around in detail in the manor, and Duke Qi was indeed not in the manor.

They must have hidden him.

In a Grand Prince's manor, why wouldn't there be a secret chamber or an underground cellar?

Your Highness! I swear to Heaven,

Duke Qi of the State is indeed being held hostage by Prince Yong and remains not yet returned home!

Or else, may Your Highness find Prince Yong and speak face-to-face with my servant.

If I am speaking half a falsehood, may my Qi House be confiscated and exterminated!

Rise quickly, my child.

I saw you grow up by me.

Why do you curse yourself like this?

You are anxious and I understand. But we're amid an auspicious time right now. (T/N palace rituals)

Prince Yong is offering sacrifices to the gods and ancestors on behalf of His Majesty, and the gate is sealed.

No one can see him.

He schemed this in advance!

How about this then?

I will have Eunuch Zhu take my edict and search his manor personally.

He's my confidant and the Princess Consort will not delay him.

You go to the warm hall and rest,

and await for news. Hurry and go now.

Royal Mother. Royal Mother.

I can only depend on you.

Go now.

Nonsense.

I don't believe it! I don't believe it!

I will go see Her Highness. I will go see Her Highness!

Her Highness has not sent an order to summon Your Highness. You cannot barge in, Princess.

Duke Qi of the State is in danger.

I will see Her Highness!

Your Highness.

[ Imperial Palace ]

Mother.

It didn't work, Mother?

What?

His Majesty doesn't care if we live or die either?

Sanxing... (T/N calling on the three deities associated with the belt stars of Orion)

His Majesty is gravely ill and I couldn't see him.

Her Highness is so busy too.

She doesn't have the time to worry about us.

Alright. Come. Let's go.

Prince Yong calculated the timing perfectly.

He is said to be offering to the gods and ancestors on His Majesty's behalf to beg for blessing.

Princess Consort Yong will not admit it no matter what.

So no matter what I say, I can't convince Her Highness.

Come, careful.

Duke Qi Manor

Here.

You're still ill.

Hurry and rest up.

Tomorrow I will wait in the palace again and beg Her Highness.

That Prince Yong, though he's swiped your father,

I don't imagine he'd dare to harm him.

So you be assured too.

Mother. You've drunk the calming tonic, so rest first.

After your weakened energy is restored,

we can go find Father.

Alright. Alright.

Good child. Go.

Young Lord, please rest.

I don't know if Buwei...

drank the Mengpo Soup on the Bridge of Forgetfulness. (T/N To forget all of this life, before reincarnation)

Elder Brother Buwei was most loyal and devoted to you.

I imagine the heavens will pity him

and in his next life, he will be born into a good family.

I hope Buwei's next life,

can be a lifetime of happiness and bliss.

Let him not fall into a house like ours again.

Young Lord, do you consider the ducal manor not good?

People outside look at us.

They think we can have wind when we want it, and rain if we want it. (T/N all things go our way)

We look up to the palace,

and we also think Emperor is majestic and powerful.

But we are all just human.

We are not saints.

The Emperor has pain in his heart.

People like us...

have pain in our hearts too.

This pain...

that cannot be mentioned.

This ache...

that words cannot stop.

Though three thousand stars fall into the river...

they are still not as bright as the moon.

Laughable.

It's too laughable.

For hundred of years,

people needed only to do good deeds.

Do good deeds.

Young Lord, what urgent matter do you have

that you have to come here this late at night?

May Prince Yong practice charity and allow me an audience.

His Majesty is sick, so my husband went to pray for him. He's not inside the manor.

Then may Princess Consort Yong do a good deed...

and let my father go.

Young Lord, what are you saying?

How come I can't understand?

I can then only leave my corpse behind

to marry the Princess.

People all say that the Young Lord of Qi House has a temperament similar to his father.

Gentle and amicable. Easy to manipulate.

Never thought that the people got it wrong.

I think that inside of you,

there's still a sense of arrogance.

You indeed are the son of Princess Pingning.

Although my Qi Family only has me as their descendant

and is not as prestigious as it was before,

we still can't just do nothing and let others kill us.

Although I don't have any merit or noble title,

I still have shown my face to the Emperor.

Even if the Royal House of Yong has power that can cover the heavens,

it still can't cover up such a huge case.

Young Lord, you're still too young.

Our inviting Duke Qi of the State to be a guest in our house isn't a threat.

It's just that there are things that we clearly must discuss the pros and cons of with him.

We both are royal relatives.

Saying some commoner words, we will see each other regarded as such.

Why must we use violence, and destroy our harmonious relationship?

You people abducted my father and kept him in your manor.

You still think that our harmonious relationship won't get affected!

If we hadn't invited him over,

you... how could you come into our house?

There are some words that must be said to you personally for them to be effective, Young Lord.

I know that you persist on refusing to be married with my daughter,

because you love that illegitimate daughter of the Sheng family.

You... what are you planning to do?

Indeed. Just as you've said, if you insist on not obeying,

I can't really kill you and your father.

But the House of Sheng is different. With Prince's status and since it's still not known who the throne will belong to,

to have a fifth-rank official move away his entire family and disappear

won't be that hard for us.

You really... think that this empire is already in your bag!

Even if it's not in our bag, the House of Sheng is still just that of a fifth-rank official.

Young Lord, if you die,

that Sheng lady must die too.

The House of Qi having no descendant, won't Princess Pingning and Duke Qi of the State

be guarding an empty house for the remainder of their lives?

In this vast world, there are hundreds of talented men.

Why must you insist on choosing to kill our family?

If a family like yours who only has an empty position

can laugh at us openly, but curse us behind our backs,

what then about the current empire?

If my daughter can't get the things that she wants,

and still can't get it even now,

I will have been a useless mother.

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

What a good...

a good and deep motherly affection.

Such a good display of a benevolent mother and filial child.

Princess Consort,

if parents love their children, they should plan ahead.

You think...

that this is planning ahead?

Stupid. Stupid!

The heavens wants to harm His Majesty.

My dynasty's empire...

will actually end up in the hands of people like this.

Qi Yuanruo,

you have no other choice.

If you sign this marriage contract,

your father can go home immediately.

The House of Sheng will also be at peace from now on.

Even if she's a princess of the first rank or a third rank,

I will never take her in as my wife.

The main wife that I'm marrying

can only be Sheng Minglan.

Sign it.

You have no other choice.

Big Madam, your face looks like spring.

Is there a joyous occasion at home?

You can say so. I'm inviting you

and these three ladies to be guests in my house.

These three daughters of mine

are crude and lacking in proper etiquette.

They might embarrass themselves once they reach your Count Manor.

You're being too humble.

Your three ladies even went to the Marquis Gu Manor already.

What more a measly Count Manor like mine?

Moreover, if you come this time,

you don't need to fear bumping into that tigress Princess Pingning.

Why?

Her only son Qi Heng will be marrying Princess Jiacheng soon.

Since she's busy preparing for the wedding, she won't have time to come out for social gatherings or finding this son a woman anymore.

Are you talking about the daughter of Prince Yong?

Of course.

If you ask me, she can be considered one of the most noble ladies here in the capital.

I fear that her future is very promising.

After picking here and there, Princess Pingning finally got the top prize.

But this matter mustn't be publicized too much. His Majesty is severely ill.

It isn't convenient for the Prince Yong Manor and Duke Qi House to organize a grand celebration.

Hence, they only quietly invited some old friends.

There are a lot of families in Bianjing that still don't know about it.

Say, a marriage between royal families

is actually being done in such stealthy manner.

Don't you find that funny?

Funny. It is indeed funny.

From the looks of it, Prince Yong most likely will get the position.

Princess Pingning is close with the people in the palace.

Maybe she received some news

from the Emperor,

or else why would she suddenly settle on the daughter of Prince Yong?

That Big Madam Wu is clearly being happy at the disaster of another.

She was still laughing like that. Who does she think is stupid and cannot get her meaning?

Isn't it just the Duke Qi of the State House?

There are so many noble and highly-ranked families in the capital.

There are ducal, count, and marquis houses everywhere.

I don't plan on hanging myself on just one tree.

Once I get splendidly married-off to a higher-ranking family,

I'll eventually come back to mock her.

- Miss, are you alright? - How are you?

What's wrong? Are you alright?

I'm fine. I-I'm fine.

Grandmother, why did you come?

"The Wu and Kuaiji Commanderies are not my hometown.

How can I stay here for long?"

Ming'er, where do you want to stay?

You may all leave us.

How old are you, and you still trip on level ground?

Come, let me see it.

I'm fine, Grandmother. It's not painful anymore.

I've heard about what happened in the House of Qi.

He was quite a good child, just isn't fated to be with our family.

A person can't have everything go his way.

Just treat it as encountering a setback.

You tripped and got hurt, so just cry it out.

After crying, climb up again. You still have to live your days.

Stop drilling horns. (T/N paying too much attention to unimportant matters)

Don't be sad. The marriage of children of aristocratic families are not for them to decide in the first place.

You've fought for yourself already.

There shouldn't be any regrets.

If you have hurt your knees because of tripping, I can blow on it for you.

If you have hurt your heart,

I will find you a better man in the future.

Inviting me?

On the outside, your General Xie wants you to pay respects to me on his behalf.

But in reality, he wants me to shut myself up and ponder my actions.

I don't think I'm worthy of the word "invite.

No. No. No.

The General persuaded to wait on you as a true talent.

You are able to defeat a hundred just by yourself. Always victorious in your battles.

Without you, won't we all just

be going to our death?

So in short, you people want me to become your stepping-stone.

I've said the wrong words.

The General is so good at strategy.

To say that I'm superior to him at fighting battles,

I'm not worthy.

Rongjie, quickly come down.

Father has important matters to discuss. Don't disturb him.

Momo, I'm going to the front line soon.

While I still have time, let me teach Rong'er to write some more words.

So actually it turns out we're expected to wait together here and banter among ourselves?

We'll set out tomorrow.

Since you've decided to go back, why must you make things difficult for those two?

Before, I would use my own body to fight off anything, causing myself to be badly battered.

Now, I've learned to be smarter because of my Eldest Brother and his wife.

Once they faced problems in battle, they would naturally come to beg me to help.

If I acted to ignore them, they would then not dare belittle me when I go back.

What has the world come to?

Forcing the pure, loyal, and upright people

to continuously scheme just to get by.

Momo is just biased toward me.

How am I a pure, loyal, and upright man? That would best describe Yuanruo.

Talking about the Young Lord of the ducal House of Qi,

I heard that he's about to marry the daughter of Prince Yong.

Young Master,

when will you get married?

Momo, did you hear it wrong?

The House of Qi is really making a marriage alliance with Prince Yong?

How can it be fake?

I heard it from idle servants of the Marquis House gossiping in the market yesterday.

They said that the House of Qi has taken into consideration that the emperor is sick, hence, didn't publicize it too much.

They only invited close relatives and old friends to attend the wedding.

I'll go see Yuanruo.

I heard that Prince Yong has prayed to the heavens on behalf of His Majesty.

Yes.

Then does the Princess find this wedding

very suitable?

Second Uncle, if I don't agree,

even the House of Sheng will face a disaster.

If you were I, what would you do?

If I were you...

I'd enter the palace and have an audience with the Emperor.

Sue the whole family of Prince Yong in Wende Hall!

If that won't work, imitate the method of Prince Yong.

If he can kidnap the daughter of someone, I can also kidnap his!

Without the princess of the third rank, who will he marry off to you?

By then, because of the delays,

won't this matter eventually get foiled?

Taking a step back, no matter how unbridled and arrogant that Princess is,

she wouldn't dare marry a husband as harsh and unreasonable as you, right?

This is a method of hurting him by a thousand, but hurting yourself by eight hundred.

Prince Yong will soon be named the Crown Prince.

Such an act might lead to clan annihilation.

Place him on a field of death and he will fight to live.

Since you want to live according to what you desire, you then must take risks.

Growing up, you were able to get whatever you wanted.

You never knew how to compete or struggle for something.

Of course, you also wouldn't know that in competing or fighting for something,

you need methods.

Second Uncle, you're saying that

it was my mistake?

Of course it was!

From the start, you should have expressed your stand to your parents.

No matter how much the Princess tried to hinder you, you should have been willing to die than to submit!

Aren't you getting married now?

But you kept pondering about it and kept feeling that it wasn't the right time.

I've wronged Minglan.

I now don't have the nerve

to enter the Sheng Manor anymore. Second Uncle.

Second Uncle.

This...

Please give it to her on my behalf.

We can still talk about this. Yuanruo, the House of Sheng doesn't have a very high rank.

Getting liked by you is already their having climbing a very high branch.

This matter has spread all over the capital such that everyone now knows about it.

If you're going to marry the Princess now,

won't Minglan have become a joke?

How can she still seek marriage in the future? Who will still give her any respect?

Have you thought about it for her sake?

I know that, but what can I do!

You are now living on your own. You can ignore everything. But I'm different, I--

I... I can't put the whole Qi Clan in danger

just for my own happiness.

Yuanruo, if you dare fight for this lady,

there's no need for your House of Qi to act.

I'll go to the Prince Yong Manor and abduct that lady for you.

We're now in critical times. Prince Yong wouldn't dare publicize it.

This is your last chance. Think about it well.

Come, Yuanruo.

As long as you give the permission, I'll go through any kind of danger for you.

I don't think that Sheng lady deserves to suffer like this.

The remainder of her life all depends on your decision!

Yuanruo.

Say something!

What destiny makes fools of people?

While walking in this world, if you are afraid to take three steps forward,

and afraid to take five steps backward, don't even bother planning anything.

Sister Yanghao.

What does Second Brother actually want to gift me

that he's gone through this trouble of hiding it?

I don't really know either.

Second Young Master said he didn't want it known,

and if Fourth or Fifth Miss find out, they will snatch it from you.

Second Uncle Gu? Where's my Second Brother?

I wanted to borrow the border boundary map to see.

He went to get it from Uncle Sheng and asked me to wait.

Then please wait, Second Uncle.

I will come talk to my brother later.

Sixth Miss.

I wonder if you, Sixth Miss, have received any new calligraphy books lately?

Your Second Brother heard

that a great calligrapher has appeared from Liaodong.

So he sought a sample from him,

and had me bring it to you to see.

Liaodong is a remote area. What great calligraphy can arise?

Perhaps, since your brother isn't here now,

you'd like to take a look first?

Danju and I will prepare a bowl of great tea for you.

I told your Second Brother...

that if you don't want to see it, you needn't look at really,

I can just send it back to Liaodong.

Are there any messages from Liaodong?

He said it is a great calligraphy book, and he wrote in it badly.

He owes you greatly.

What else did he say?

Not much.

He only feels it was a great calligraphy book and he's written it into this state.

He is ashamed to face you,

and he doesn't want to give any excuse.

He just asked me to bring the book to you.

May you wait briefly, Second Uncle.

Xiaotao! Bring me my clay doll and have it wrapped nicely.

This clay doll.

You said it looks like one of me smiling.

But looking similar is useless.

Young Lord went against his promise to you.

Miss, I'll go shatter this clay doll to pieces now.

Good Xiaotao. We won't blame him.

Though he doesn't say it, I know he has his painful reason.

What he hopes to achieve just can't be achieved.

We won't blame him.

Let's go now to return this to him

to finish this.

Let's go.

♫ 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? ♫

You will not keep it as a memento?

No need.

What's so funny?

Back then, I told you Manniang wasn't a good person.

You wouldn't believe me and I lamented that you were a fool.

That day at the Marquis Manor, you compared Qi Heng and I to Emperor Ming and Consort Yang,

and I also didn't believe you.

It seems now we are just too dumb and too foolish.

We just wouldn't listen.

This world has always been full of mishaps and bad timings.

- You . . . - I understand.

Alright.

Alright.

The war on the southern frontier is pressing.

After I return the book, I will leave.

The world is chaotic and tumultuous now.

Swords and spears on the battlefield have no eyes. May you, Young Master, take care of yourself.

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

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

Thank you.

If there are too many idle rumors later on, or your marital talks don't fare smoothly,

you must not let it bother you.

Wait for me to return and I will teach those broken mouths!

We don't need to mention about marital talks again.

Why not?

The future is never predictable.

If it hadn't been for your persuasion,

I fear I might still be with the Canal Gang, surviving in the world.

Look at me now, not long after that,

I am already an important member of the army, heavily entrusted.

Come now, you're acting foolish!

In all matters, look ahead.

Light your way to a good future.

♫ 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♫

It's true. Our eyes are grown on the front side,

so we should look ever forward.

You come to the world and suffer. You should try to live well.

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? ♫

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