Original subtitles

WUYIN CHONG, SECRET ENVOY OF TIEMO

This must be Chen Valley.

Yes.

Do you know Chen Valley has another name?

Mingshanzi Gorge.

It is what we, the Tiemo people, call it.

That's right.

This piece of land,

170 li south of Mingshanzi,

used to be ours.

If Yan Fengshan is willing to give us this piece of land,

I'm willing to muster my troops

and crush the Baiwenhu Army.

When the time comes,

I hope you can grant me a small residence.

My ancestors were from Chang'an.

They lived in a small village just ahead.

Later, they moved north to this place

and lived here for 70 years.

The hill behind the village

is where my wife's grave lies.

Do you ask only for a small residence?

Nothing else?

It's best on a hill that faces the sun.

Why?

A hill that faces the sun

is full of white camellias.

It was also

my wife's favorite flower.

Genghui, you are a man with many stories.

If you hadn't accompanied me on this trip,

I'd have been bored.

To accommodate your request,

the person welcoming you

has arranged a musician for you.

Having music to accompany you

is better than having me,

a middle-aged man, with sad stories.

Stop!

Mr. Wuyin,

why are we stopping here?

Twenty-five years ago,

a man wielding a knife walked out of this granary.

He was a prisoner of war of Tiemo

but he is now ruling Chang'an.

There are ups and downs in life.

It's really unpredictable.

It's almost a historical site by this point.

Since we're passing by,

let's just take a look.

Legend has it

that General Fengshan can strike fear into both gods and ghosts.

I want to meet

a man like him too.

Greetings, Mr. Wuyin.

Since you are here,

I will bring the musician here as well.

This way, please.

GU

Mr. Wuyin, your reception and trip to Chang'an

are all attended by my master,

Yang Chuhao.

He knows you like guqin music,

so my master went through 700 musicians

and finally sent her here.

She is but a bondservant.

I hear Yang Chuhao is rich.

His wealth could rival half of Chang'an.

Is someone like him

part of the Huben Army too?

Yes. The Huben Army is everywhere.

That is why we can gain control of Chang'an.

Your guqin skills are the best among 700 people.

Play a song for me, then.

Yes.

Why did you play this song?

It's full of killing intent.

There's blood on the walls.

It's obvious that many people died here.

If you want me to play a decadent song for you,

I can't do it.

Since you've met me today,

you will no longer be a slave.

To make a girl of such guqin skill a slave,

Yang Chuhao does know how to appreciate talents.

That's…

Come with me.

Once we're in Chang'an, I'll help you teach him a lesson.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you, Eunuch.

You are the only one

who will send food to me.

I only stole two buns.

Next time,

I shall bring you Golden Milk Pastry.

Yan Fengshan doesn't live in the palace

and the young emperor doesn't eat much.

The cooks in the imperial kitchen have nothing to do.

They cook their own food

and have many delicacies.

It's all right.

Buns are filling.

It'll be Chou hour soon.

I have to collect the memorials

and send them to Emperor Yan.

Yan Fengshan is truly…

a formidable commander.

When you deliver memorials to him every day,

Chancellor, you still get to leave the palace.

Unlike us, the eunuchs,

we are trapped in these palace walls

and grow old inside the palace.

I'M STILL ALIVE.

I'M STILL ALIVE.

Tofu!

Tofu!

Miss, come buy a piece of tofu.

WONTON SHOP

Sha! Get me a bowl of wontons

and another sugary pastry.

You have a good appetite today, Boss.

Good appetite? Nonsense.

YANG CHUHAO

I'm troubled.

No matter what, I still have to eat

so that I have the energy to continue sulking.

You…

White Hair.

Mr. Yang.

We've not seen each other for 15 years

yet you still recognize me.

I will never forget

that gaze of yours.

Sha.

Did you kill him?

Even as a white-haired ghost,

I'm not here just to kill.

Come.

People may see us.

Let's talk inside.

Boss, what's wrong?

Sha,

go out.

You won't be doing any business today.

- I'm still cooking… - Hurry.

All right. It's your business anyway.

I've completed what was mentioned

in your letter previously.

That girl

has blended with the Tiemo envoys.

I thought I had already paid all my debts to your family.

I didn't expect

you to come here

and collect the debt in person.

After my family was annihilated,

Yan Fengshan tried to wipe out the remnants of my family.

At least 3,000 people

died in Chang'an.

Countless families were broken apart.

Mr. Yang,

you survived

and have done exceptionally well.

You even became Yan Fengshan's moneybag.

As an esteemed guest of General Fengshan,

do you think you've cleared your debt

compared to those who died?

I still need to live

and I still need to do business.

Do you want me to live my whole life

indebted to your family?

It's not a debt.

There are too many secrets

in the 30 letters you and my father sent each other

for ten years.

Hidden Soldier Alley, Cangshui River,

and the blueprints you and my father designed for the imperial dynasty.

Even Yan Fengshan might not know about that.

TO LIU ZIWEN

This is evidence

of you being a part of my family's faction.

Mr. Yang,

this is just one of the letters.

You…

Yes.

I am a close friend of your father's.

That's true.

But I've done a lot for the Huben Army too

by running a business for them.

All my money is earned with hard work.

If I want you to go down with me

and tell Yan Fengshan the truth,

who do you think will die first

between the two of us?

Try it.

They've pursued me for more than a decade.

I was stabbed and beaten.

Even my last family member is dead.

Do you think I'd be afraid?

Yang Chuhao, you have a family and a huge business.

Can you afford to lose?

Do you dare to lose?

Speak.

Tell me.

What else do you want me to do?

The Tiemo envoys will enter the Capital in secret.

Three days later,

they will enter Jinguang Gate at night

and meet Yan Fengshan at the courtyard of Yankang Ward.

Purchase Huaiyuan Ward

and the street right next to Chonghua Ward.

I have something to do over there.

Remember.

The most important thing is that no one can be around there.

When I'm done, what's next?

You'll give me something else to do, right?

I serve Yan Fengshan.

Each favor

I grant you may cost me my life.

Will it ever end?

Sha has run this eatery for 20 years.

On the surface,

it's just a place to eat wontons.

In truth,

this was where my father used to meet you in secret.

Sha was also a part of my family's faction.

Mr. Yang,

you have always protected him.

I see you are still someone who cherishes old ties.

I don't want those

who cherish old ties to die.

I'll count on you

for what comes next, Mr. Yang.

Thank you, sir.

- Take care. - Sure.

Mr. Zhou!

NOODLE BOWLS

Su, give my warm regards to your boss.

You've worked hard, Mr. Zhou. The boss is doing well.

He asked you to take care.

You can only make money for him when you are healthy.

Help me thank him.

Mr. Qi.

- See you again next month. - Sure.

It's all thanks to you.

Mr. Song! I'm here again!

- I've prepared everything for you. - Sure.

- No problem. - All right.

I'm leaving.

- Here you go. - Have you been waiting for me?

- I hope you're not paying less this month. - Not at all.

See you next month.

- Thank you, sir. - Take care.

TAIYIJI CLINIC

The sound of the abacus is nice.

It's comfortable listening to it.

It makes me sleepy.

Is that so?

How is it different from the usual kind?

There's a huge difference.

Normally, we need to make the calculations.

I get headaches whenever I calculate.

You are right.

What are you doing?

You're back. I'm checking the ledger.

It's a bit of a mess,

so I'm sorting the accounts.

I'll be done soon.

Then, have you checked the inventory?

Have you swept the floor?

I checked the inventory

and I swept the shop.

I'm used to doing all this.

I even cleaned the corners. Don't worry.

Mr. Su, you are so nice.

You are so enthusiastic.

That's right.

I remember you are our creditor.

You two are letting our creditor check stock and books.

Are you two out of your minds?

Why are you spacing out? Get him out!

Hurry up!

- Let's go. - I'm not done with the accounts.

Go out quickly.

Miss Shen!

Listen to me!

You are really interesting.

People collect debts by splashing red paint or releasing mice,

yet you come and work at my shop every day.

You won't come and see me even when I'm here,

and I have nothing to do there.

Forget about all that.

You were really daring today and even touched my ledger.

What are you planning to do?

I was only trying to help you.

Last time, you said the ledger was a mess.

That was an excuse I used to not pay you.

Stop coming here to annoy me.

I'll pay you when I have the money.

If you clear your debt,

can I still come here?

BLESSINGS ABOUND

MISFORTUNE FADES

There's something

in your eyes.

Do you fancy something valuable in my shop?

I…

Listen.

You will meet no good end

meddling with folk like me.

You should leave at once.

Farewell.

I…

TAIYIJI CLINIC

Miss Shen.

You're still here?

Huai'an.

Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Everyone is still alive.

Even the pageboy survived.

That's great.

That's great.

Boss!

I'm back!

These are the ledgers for this month.

- Good. - I've collected them all.

Here you go.

The account for the silk shop is wrong.

Look.

Last month's remaining stock was 70 bolts.

This month, 130 bolts were brought in.

One hundred ten bolts were sold. Twenty bolts are remaining.

The cumulative balance is 90 bolts.

However,

the number of bolts doesn't match your money.

The account is right.

Boss,

you were trying to fool me.

If I didn't do that,

how would I know if you were paying attention?

I'm devoted

to serving you.

You are lying.

I've been observing you for quite some time.

Something in your eyes tells me there's a problem.

Is it because of money?

No.

You pay me well.

Then, it must be because of a woman.

Which woman is it?

She runs the clinic on Xiaocaomen Street.

Xiaocao…

All right.

Take me there to take a look.

Let me see if she suits you.

Please don't do that.

- You'll be chased out. - What?

She would chase even me out?

Half of the shops on Xiaocaomen Street belong to me.

She doesn't care who you are.

She will chase anyone she dislikes out of her shop.

A fiery lady.

All right. Starting next month,

I will increase your salary.

Let's save up a larger amount for the betrothal gift.

What do you think?

We aren't that close yet.

I can also tell that something

is troubling you, Boss.

Is it related to money?

Do you think I have a problem if it's related to money?

Then, it must be a woman.

Not a woman,

but a man.

A man?

Boss.

Don't do this.

Nonsense! What were you thinking?

He's the son of a former friend.

He's here to collect a debt.

That's not a problem.

We have a lot of money in the treasury.

He's here to collect a debt of life.

Speaking of which,

that man just now looked honest.

We've not met for a few months

and you're acting like a matchmaker now?

If you have no feelings for him,

why did you keep testing him?

I don't know what you mean.

With your wealth,

you can even purchase half of the street's shops.

Why borrow money from him then?

I think you are purposely testing his patience.

Don't expose me.

How can I still show myself in the future?

Huai'an, what are your plans after coming back?

Yan Fengshan is meeting the Tiemo people.

This is our best chance to strike back.

I saw this

at Hidden Soldier Alley.

It wasn't too long ago

when I entered Hidden Soldier Alley.

When one endures hardship,

life

becomes muddled.

Bai Wan wouldn't want to see you like this.

Once you settle things in Chang'an,

go to a new place

and start all over again.

Have you found the people I asked you to find?

I did. Apparently, they moved south.

However, there are many towns south of Nanwei Trough.

I've sent men to look for them.

We'll know immediately if there's any news.

All right.

They lost their daughter.

No matter what,

I must give them an explanation.

GLOWING MIST

Yang!

General, why are you here?

I bought two seabass at the market.

They are fresh.

Zhiying is busy today and can't cook

so I decided to come here to make grilled fish.

Seabass is fatty this season.

Why not steam them?

You have high standards.

Let me taste it for you.

No wonder they say you should steam seabass in spring.

It's a delicacy indeed.

Those who eat the back of the fish first

are poor people.

Were you poor when you were young?

To be honest,

I was born poor indeed.

Well, how else could I claim that I started from scratch?

Here. Have this.

General, you take good care of me.

Speaking of which,

do you still remember White Hair?

Are you talking about the son of the Liu family?

I've not heard this name in many years.

Right now, besides Xiao Wuyang

and the person from Yulong Ridge,

the only one who is worthy to become my opponent

is White Hair.

General, you rate him so highly.

Is he causing you trouble?

In strategy, I may not match him.

I heard you had former ties with the Liu family

so I didn't tell you

about some of his doings.

However, I need to give you a reminder.

We will be meeting the Tiemo people soon.

It is crucial and nothing can go wrong.

I think White Hair might appear.

I'm worried that he might pay you a visit.

I… General, this isn't necessary.

He is a vengeful person.

I think you won't be able to escape from him.

Besides, you don't have many guards in this residence.

The only person I know is the kid who collects debts for you.

I don't think he's any help.

Take this.

If he comes to you, you can use it to defend yourself.

I…

Thank you, General.

Then, I'll keep it for now.

However, I really don't think it's necessary.

People our age

don't have many friends left.

I hope you can stay safe.

After hearing what you say,

I'll make sure to survive.

I still want

to eat fish and drink wine with you

after 20 years.

All right.

- Come on. - Cheers.

ALL-GOODS SHOP

Sir. What do you want? Browse on your own.

Sure.

Sir,

there's a plant used for chewing

called Bitter-After.

I've searched many shops but I couldn't find it.

I wonder if you have it here.

You're in luck today, sir. I have it here.

Sir, please take a look.

- This is it. - There's no mistake about it.

Few in Chang'an bought it before.

It was too bitter.

Many people have been buying it recently.

You know your stuff.

Buy all of them and I'll only charge two liang of silver.

I might not be a regular customer

but isn't this too expensive, sir?

Besides,

this can be found everywhere in Tiemo.

It should be cheaper than the hay used to feed horses.

Sir, it's like this.

Bitter-After was dirt cheap at first,

but these are troubled times.

There might be a war with Tiemo tomorrow.

There's an unstable supply so it is scarce.

Naturally, the price has increased as well.

All right. Give me a bundle of it.

Got it.

Is this meant for family or friends?

No.

It is for an old acquaintance I have been separated from for many years.