Original subtitles

EPISODE 21

Didn't I tell you not to let anyone disturb me?

Master,

the old lady heard you were working late

and asked your wife to bring this chicken soup.

He already had dinner.

Don't waste Granny's care.

Perfect. I'm feeling hungry.

I'll drink it.

You can't drink this.

What's in it?

Just beetles, snake bed seeds,

silkworm moths, and bull…

pizzle.

How do you know that?

My family sells fragrant medicine,

makes incense pills and cakes.

I'm often around the pharmacy,

so I recognized the smell.

Don't you want to stay here?

Why stop this?

I… Oh, your robe is untidy.

Let me fix it.

Open the door.

It's the old lady's order. Please understand.

Yurui, this isn't right.

How can you lock the master in?

Outside the Shen house,

the master holds authority and respect,

but here, at home,

the old lady's word is absolute.

Stay here and behave.

Nonsense.

Granny meant well,

but if I just go along, it feels like taking advantage.

I may be from a humble family, but I have my pride.

I won't stoop to such tricks.

You sleep on the bed tonight. I'll manage on the chair.

- Li Haode? - I barely drank any of it.

Now I feel feverish.

Maybe I'm sick.

Don't believe me?

If you don't, then touch my forehead.

There's a cure, but get up first.

No, tell them to open the door now.

It's so stuffy in here. I need air.

Granny ordered no one

to open it until dawn.

Didn't you say there's a cure? Where is it?

SCRIPTURE

Write these out tonight

and you'll be fine. Stay calm.

- You! - Seem affected by the drug.

You won't sleep tonight.

Just take this chance to keep writing.

I'm off to bed.

It should go here.

Why do you smell of wine?

If I hadn't stepped in for your mom,

those guild folks would've kept pestering.

Even over tea prices, they made a fuss.

I meddled

but delayed coming home.

Who told you to play smart?

I want it to go here.

If I weren't smarter than you,

how could I bring you into my home?

You tricked me,

begged me over and over.

If I hadn't guessed your mom's and your ways,

how would I dare lure you into my trap?

So, when you said you'd sail away,

was that also to test me?

- Chai An? - Kangning.

- So, that's it. - Kangning.

Kangning, Kangning.

My dear Kangning.

My--

Honey, listen to me.

What are you laughing at?

Honey, I'll get back to work. I'll bring you a gift when I'm back.

I'm off now.

- Why not take a sedan chair? - No need for that.

I'll walk off the alcohol.

So she won't hold it against me.

Where's the Mahāra I brought from Pan?

The one

with the red vest and small hat.

Kangning glanced at it twice on the street yesterday.

You've bought her so many things already. Maybe it got misplaced somewhere.

Can we just get another one?

Check Pan Restaurant. It's probably still there.

Hurry, go now.

Wait here, sir. I'll be right back.

Hurry.

Murder!

He wants to kill me!

Please help me! Help!

He's the killer!

Save me!

He wants to kill me!

Alright, stop crying.

If not for your family's grand escort,

who'd bear this humiliation?

Granny didn't just bring soup. She locked the door.

If I hadn't borrowed your couch,

I'd have frozen to death.

What kind of official are you?

What cases do you even handle?

Forcing me to copy scriptures all night unfairly.

You'll crush people with injustice.

Li Haode,

ambition is admirable,

but it's wise to retreat from dead ends.

You've tried enough. It's time to let go.

For one year, we'll remain as a couple.

In private, we're like siblings.

When the year ends,

I'll find you a well-matched husband.

You'll be my adopted sister.

You'll marry with honor, alright?

- My lord. - Call me brother. All cousins do.

- But brother-- - What?

- You still have hope? - No.

- The old lady-- - That's my worry.

You don't need to fret about it.

The door's open.

Go back.

Come in.

Master, there was a murder last night.

Haode,

I dressed like this for you.

You agreed too quickly. Is this fair?

We made a bet, remember? Either…

treat me as your elder sister.

Dream on.

That day won't come, little sister.

My lady, your family gives you a message.

They said Master Chai was accused of murder.

- He's in jail now. - Murder?

This is bad.

Shouhua's away visiting family with Du.

They're not in the capital.

What do we do now?

KAIFENG COURT

My lady, when my lord hears cases, he never meets guests.

Not even family.

Tell him I'll wait in the side hall.

He'll finish eventually, right?

Shen Huizhao!

How can you punish blindly?

What kind of judge are you?

Chai.

Officials handling cases

can't be close relatives or in-laws.

This is the regulation.

This case should go to a higher court.

A fair decision will come.

I took this case and will be just.

I won't show favoritism.

You claim innocence in court,

but have no witnesses.

Twenty more lashes are due.

Only a few questions in,

and already the rod?

Shen Huizhao, you're a fool.

Hold the suspect for now. We'll try the case later.

You shouldn't be here. Go home.

I've been to court. Why not the side hall?

How do you punish without inquiry?

We are related!

I'm not asking for leniency, just no extra punishment.

Because of the Shen-Chai ties,

should it be worse?

Anyone linked to my family,

if guilty, gets harsher punishment

if I'm the judge.

Qingshi.

- Master. - Ready a carriage for her.

Sure.

Brother!

Haode, we have no leads yet.

What do we do?

Leshan, listen to me.

Mom and Kangning will be worried sick at home.

Go home and tell them I'll figure something out.

Alright.

No need to say more.

That Madam Liu, she's the wife of Liu.

She said Chai was drunk and raped her.

Later, her husband caught them and was killed by Chai.

Chai An has a big name.

He'd never do that.

Besides, Deqing only left briefly.

How could he commit such acts?

This isn't your concern.

No matter what, stay away from the court.

I can't ignore my brother-in-law's plight.

If you don't explain, I'll go tomorrow.

Days ago, I sentenced 12 criminals.

They were ruthless bandits.

Some escaped capture due to poor enforcement.

When going out, you should inform the old lady.

Take more people with you.

Stop rushing out alone.

But isn't it dangerous for you?

You can change your mind.

Take the divorce papers. I'll keep my promise.

Never.

Why are you getting in my way?

Stay calm.

Step aside.

The horse is spooked!

Get out of the way!

Watch out!

Qingshi, what's going on?

Be careful! The carriage is out of control!

Move!

Watch out! Hurry, move!

Master!

- Is anyone inside? - Master!

Brother.

- Check on them. - Brother.

Brother!

Don't scare me.

Brother!

Sir,

how's my grandson's condition?

When will he wake up?

Lady,

forgive my bluntness.

Head injuries

aren't cured with medicine.

In this case, even a miracle worker

wouldn't dare give a prognosis.

Let's wait for him to wake.

Please, do your best.

If he recovers,

I'll reward you greatly.

- Yingying! - Yingying!

- Yingying! - Stop right there!

Stop! Step back! Let me go!

Yingying, don't be scared.

Son, save Yingying!

Tell them to back off!

Son.

SHEN YINGYING

Dad!

Let her go. I'll agree to anything!

I'll make him release you now.

Son, are you listening?

- Yingying's scared. - Let her go!

- I'll trade for her. - Stop!

Who'd believe your lies?

Tell them all to back off! Let me go.

Back off!

Son.

You killed 12 people in Fengqiu County.

If I let you escape today,

how many more will die?

Anyone who retreats is an accomplice!

Son!

Fine, then we all die together!

- Yingying! - Yingying!

Son, your mother's grief

has caused her to fall ill.

Focus on work, not sorrow.

You don't deserve family.

I'll pretend you're not my son.

Sir!

Oh my God!

- Old lady! - Lady!

He has been unconscious for a full day.

To avoid keeping Granny's waiting,

please inform her.

I'll let her know once he wakes.

Tell her to rest easy.

Don't worry, my lady. Sure.

Mom knows. Kangning is on it.

He won't suffer much.

Brother.

You're awake!

How do you feel?

How do you feel?

Hao…

My lady.

Why does he seem… off?

Who…

Who are you?

My lady, is he…

Is he…?

Master.

This is your wife.

How could you forget her?

Honey.

I…

I don't know you.

Why would I lie to you?

You're so sick, you've forgotten me.

The physician's staying nearby.

I'll fetch him immediately.

Don't move around. You'll make it worse.

Leshan, let's go.

Oh no, Shen has turned into a fool.

Can the old lady handle this? Will they let you off?

This isn't a big deal.

But Chai's case will be tried by other judges.

Or get transferred.

Then, we'll have no way then.

But misfortune can bring opportunity.

For you, it's good news.

Good news?

If you can win him over,

you'll be a true Lady of the Shen family.

Don't miss this chance.

Do whatever it takes.

Don't slip up.

Du said before

the magistrate's position is tough.

He hasn't been officially appointed yet.

He's just acting as a stand-in.

His position isn't secure.

So what?

The people of Bianjing

want a fair and strict magistrate.

If he loses that seat because of me,

then I'd be to blame for it all.

That can't happen.

Yes, we're married,

but no temple visit.

You didn't want to marry me.

You saw me as a sister. So, I called you brother.

Do you remember now?

You're overseeing Kaifeng as acting governor.

You're an incorruptible and just official.

You're the third son of the Shen family.

With no brothers to help, you bear it all.

This attack injured your head severely.

Your servant Qingshi's leg was hurt too.

At least the bandits have been caught.

My silly sister.

Leshan, quick, get the physician.

Sure.

It's okay.

That's my real sister.

She disguised herself to stay by my side,

afraid I'd be mistreated by the Shens.

Brother, ask me anything.

I'll tell you everything I know.

But about your illness…

Granny's health isn't great.

Whether to tell the truth or not

depends on you.

My grandson.

Always making enemies with outlaws.

How can you ever have peace?

Better resign and quit being an official.

At least you won't come back

injured again.

How would I handle it next time?

I'd rather close my eyes for good.

Better than living in constant fear.

Granny, forgive me for worrying you.

I'm fine now, truly.

See?

Blessed people are always protected.

Just stay careful when you're out.

Don't let scoundrels take advantage.

Look at him acting innocent.

He's better than me.

- Tell me about the case. - Okay.

Three nights ago,

my brother-in-law was passing Tianshui Alley.

He was falsely accused.

Like this.

Remember?

Zhang Ping's wife, Liu,

accused him of drunken assault.

She said Zhang caught him, they fought,

and Zhang fell out and died.

But here's the strange part. Only two people were there.

Why not question Zhang's wife?

Why only beat your brother-in-law?

You told them to beat him. I don't know.

- You know why. - Me?

What? You really don't remember?

In this situation,

how can we hide this from Granny and Dad

and let you preside over this case?

Let me think more on it.

I heard Shen got hurt. Is it serious?

What about Chai's case?

Tell me. What is he going to do about it?

Mom, just minor injuries. He's fine.

As for the case, he'll handle it.

No need to worry.

- I-- - Haode.

- You're here. - Kangning.

Kangning.

Does Chai have a royal pardon document?

Ca-can it save a life?

Mom, he didn't kill anyone.

No need to worry, okay?

- Don't worry, Mom. - I don't.

How is this?

What happened exactly?

Chai told me

Shen didn't even ask any questions first but hit him directly.

He's afraid of being accused of favoritism.

He's not like the old strict Judge Shen.

Your brother-in-law found it odd,

so he went along and took the punishment.

He wants you to find him

and ask him what's really going on.

He does have calculation,

but he doesn't remember anything. What should I say?

Kangning, I admire you so much.

Even in such chaos, you stay calm.

If he's not panicking, I shouldn't either.

Haode, let's sort this out together.

Come, sit. We'll figure this out.

KAIFENG COURT

Summon the plaintiff, Liu,

and the defendant, Chai An.

How could Chai An

carry a grappling hook home?

It was late night. All doors were shut.

Why was your window wide open?

Did you let him climb in through the wall?

My lord.

I don't know why he had a grappling hook.

I was ill

and opened the window for air.

He got mad and knocked me out

when I caught him sneaking in.

When I woke up, my husband was dead.

No one else was there. Who else could it be?

I'm just a widow seeking justice despite shame.

It's clear he killed my husband.

Yet you question me

instead of punishing him?

Are you favoring him?

We've never met.

Why lie to harm me?

Even to death?

My lord.

I passed by the Zhang house,

and he was dead.

How do we know she and her lover didn't do it?

Who'd dare fake such a serious accusation?

It's about life. Who would fake it?

I never leave the house

and follow the rules. Everyone knows my reputation.

My lord.

He's not just a killer

but also slanders me.

If you don't punish him,

it's clear favoritism.

I'm a widow but won't stand it.

If I can't get justice here, I'll go higher.

The Ministry of Justice will hear my case.

If you refuse fairness,

I'll die right here.

I'll cause an uproar.

If you protect the guilty

and help your relatives,

you'll face the law.

Losing your title is the least.

You could be exiled.

Are you willing to risk that?

Liu, one more false word

and I'll charge you

with court contempt.

Chai An, did you hear that?

She insists you're the killer.

Her words are quite convincing.

If you don't confess, I'll have to use force.

You only care about your title

and your officialdom.

But what about an innocent life?

Shen Huizhao,

how ironic.

Letting a woman manipulate you like this?

I didn't kill anyone.

Beat me to death if you want. I won't confess.

Fine. Let's see how tough you really are.

Guards, give him 30 strokes.

Shen Huizhao,

you're ruining lives with torture.

Injustice! I'll die unjustly!

Injustice!

Shen Huizhao.

My lord, he was already beaten

- in the last trial. - You wronged me.

His wounds are severe.

One more hit could kill him.

Are you sure?

Don't stop.

Beat him until he confesses.

Injustice!

- Shen Huizhao has truly lost his way. - You wronged me.

Afraid of favoritism, he's gone too far.

Haode, Chai An just took a beating.

If this keeps up,

even ten lives won't save him.

Don't worry.

- He knows his limits. - You wronged me.

Limits?

He's cold and ruthless, famous for it.

Haode, you married him.

Does your heart follow him?

Forget your family?

Fine! I won't meddle anymore.

Let's see how you tell Kangning.

Haode.

Even if I die

and fall into hell,

I won't let you go, Shen Huizhao!

Shen Huizhao!

My lord, he couldn't endure the torture.

He bit his tongue and killed himself.

- Really? - Exactly.

He was only questioned three times.

The beating didn't reach 200 strokes.

You all saw it. I wasn't being cruel.

The suspect took his own life in fear.

Exactly, 30 strokes can't kill a man.

He died to escape his guilt.

Though he didn't confess,

evidence is clear. There's no way to deny his crime.

Since he died guilty,

inform his family. Let them claim his body.

As for the details of the case,

Liu's testimony will be recorded in full.

Everything related to the case,

I'll submit them to the court.

Once approved, the case will close.

Thank you for your fairness.

You're a beacon of justice.

My husband can rest in peace now.

I heard Mr. Shen's an honest official.

Indeed, he's a man of great principle.

My testimony is enough to close this case, right?

Don't worry. Once it's approved, it's over.

Chai An.

Chai An.

Chai An.

You…

You!

How could you leave me all alone?

How am I supposed to go on now?

You were such an upright man.

How could fate deal you this blow?

If your spirit lingers, bring justice.

Punish those who made you a scapegoat.

Take an innocent as a scapegoat.

Another life taken by her hands.

Heaven won't let her go so easily.

Justice will find its mark in time.

No one escapes the wheel of karma.

Exactly. That's why karma is after him.

If you dare speak ill again,

heaven will punish you.

KAIFENG COURT

Hurry inside.

Why are you so late?

Did you miss me?

- Lock the door once we're inside. - Hurry.

- Seize them. - What are you doing?

- Why are you arresting me? - Take them.

Do you even know who I am?

I remember your face!

Let me go!

Kangning.

Eat something. He's gone.

Kangning, this is too big to keep secret.

A funeral must happen.

Let's return him to the Chai family.

His mom will know eventually.

My son-in-law,

such a fine man he was.

Gone just like that, out of nowhere.

What grudge does the Shen family hold?

Why help outsiders to harm us so?

Now my daughter's a widow for no reason!

Damn it all.

Haode's a heartless girl.

When Haode returns, I'll break her legs!

Kangning, congratulations!

Are you out of your mind?

Her husband just died and you congratulate her?

His grave's not even settled and you're already talking remarriage?

What nonsense are you saying?

Mom, what are you talking about?

Enough.

The court caught Liu's lover.

They interrogated him overnight. He's already confessed everything.

Confessed?

My good son-in-law.

If you'd been a day later…

They've caught him!

Honey.

Did you hear that? They got him!

Honey, am I right?

Justice prevails.

I'm blessed, and the truth is out.

How was my performance in court?

Why did you pick up that relic? It brought us so much trouble.

Of course, I had to pick it up.

It's what brought us together. Can't lose it.

You!

And you guys!

- Mom! - Madam!

- Wake up! Madam! - Mother!

Mom!

- Mom. - Are you alright?

Both of them confessed?

Liu refused to admit it.

But Wangsheng couldn't endure the torture.

By morning, he confessed everything.

Turns out they were meeting in secret.

Zhang Ping accidentally caught them.

They fought,

and Zhang Ping fell.

So, my brother-in-law is innocent?

How did you figure this out?

I planned this during the first trial.

You're a great officer.

Forty strokes after one session.

There had to be a reason.

With no witnesses, Liu denied everything.

If she never admitted it,

this case would stay unsolved.

So, you had to lure her out and then do the trick.

Well, am I clever or not?

Sure.

Actually, my sister's even smarter.

She just refused to trust you at first.

Good thing I convinced her.

This case was way too easy.

Honestly, I could've handled it myself.

So, he loves sweets, huh?

Brother,

you might not remember much.

But with me around, you'll never blow your cover.

What if he kept denying everything?

This case was simple. You got lucky.

If you faced something tougher…

In my current state, it'd be hard.

Hard or not, it has to be done.

The Li family case dragged for years.

They said family disputes were tricky.

It stretched on year after year.

My mom grew terrified of officials.

If only we'd met

someone like you earlier,

we wouldn't have had to leave home.

Brother. As an official, stay just.

Losing your position isn't a big deal.

But if some fools take over,

how can common people live?

Enough of this.

The physician said your injuries take time.

You can't get better so soon.

Leave this case to the magistrates.

Take time to recover. That's your priority now.

Subtitle translation by: Yi Yang