Original subtitles

[Glory]

[Episode 17]

Miss Xiu Qiong.

Don't throw them away.

These are all Mr. Lu's treasured possessions.

I don't care about any Mr. Lu

or whoever.

Go burn these things somewhere far away.

Don't dirty the Rong family's property.

[Hualin Courtyard]

Lady Shanbao isn't receiving visitors.

Please leave now.

Mr. Lu has risked his life

for Lady Shanbao

many times.

Surely that counts for something.

To hastily drive him away

based on a few slanderous words...

Isn't that too heartless?

Mr. Bai,

Lady Shanbao is not a rash person.

When I was imprisoned before,

no one could save me.

Mr. Lu came to my aid in that crisis.

How righteous was that?

Could he do something

as terrible as abandoning his wife and child?

I don't believe it.

No matter what you say,

I still won't believe it.

I'll go find him

and get to the bottom of this.

I advise you not to go.

Mr. Bai, you're due for the imperial exams next year.

Today is your

day to return to the academy.

Old Madam Rong said

you must earn an official title

to be worthy of Lady Yunshu in the future.

If you

speak up for this criminal today,

aren't you afraid of angering Old Madam

and ruining your promising marriage?

He makes sense.

No need for you. I'll go find him myself.

Yan Bailou, you're so confused.

A true man knows what to do and what not to do.

You know that woman's origins are suspicious

and Mr. Lu might be wrongfully accused.

How can you abandon and ignore him

because of your jealous, selfish heart?

What you're doing

truly violates the way of a gentleman.

I cannot agree with you.

Mr. Yan, wait for me.

I'll go with you.

Don't.

If you go,

you'll only increase Old Madam's resentment

and make the situation worse.

Return to the academy as planned.

I will certainly find him

and send you word.

Don't worry.

If he's truly innocent,

who would deliberately frame him?

How foolish.

Lady Shanbao, that Mr. Yan

seems to be a gentleman.

My cousin has become increasingly narrow-minded.

I've sent several letters to my uncle

but received no reply so far.

I fear my aunt is intentionally blocking them.

Send someone to Ningzhou with a letter

to urge the Wen family to come pick him up soon.

Yes.

Go.

Hurry.

Father.

- Father, have some cake. - Please try it.

Father, this cake is delicious.

- Have some cake, Father. - Father.

Just one bite.

This cake is really tasty.

- Have some cake. - Have some cake.

- Father. - Father.

This cake is so delicious.

Just take one bite, Father.

- Father. - Father.

Mr. Lu, please have some tea.

Mr. Lu.

Mr. Lu?

Come.

You may go now.

Thank you, sir.

Get out quickly.

Let's go.

Kill him!

Take him away.

Young Master, you've suffered.

How did you know

I had men waiting outside?

Who do you think Lady Shanbao is?

She's not easily fooled.

When you tapped me lightly during the day,

I knew exactly what was happening.

It was a trap to catch them all.

That's hard to say.

When you were young,

you traveled to study in many places.

You lived at Dongquan Academy in Qingzhou for a whole year.

Whether you deceived someone into marriage and had children

is difficult to verify

with such great distance.

That's impossible.

I have extremely high standards

and even higher ambitions.

I must find one who satisfies me in every way.

Otherwise, I'd rather remain alone forever

than settle for less

and end up despising each other.

Rushing into marriage only to regret it later

is something I absolutely would never do.

So, which one have you set your sights on?

Move!

Hurry!

Lady Shanbao,

I need to borrow the Rong family's prison.

I want to interrogate them myself.

[Rong Mansion]

I am a clerk from the prefectural office!

How dare you privately imprison an official of the Prefect!

Lord Xu won't spare you!

Let me out! Let me out now!

Servants who plot to kill their masters

are sentenced to death by a thousand cuts.

One causing grave injury to their master

first receives 100 strokes,

then be exiled to three thousand li away.

As a clerk,

conspiring with others to harm your superiors

is an even more serious crime.

I was planning to deal with current matters

before settling old scores.

But you've delivered yourself to my doorstep.

First, 100 strokes. Then we'll talk.

I don't know any of you.

You bunch of bandits!

I know nothing about what you're asking!

You could beat me to death and get nothing!

With such solid evidence,

why would I need to interrogate you?

Since you hid in the Prefect's Government Office

the one secretly committing murder

must be Xu Song without doubt.

Though he has some friction with me,

it wouldn't lead to risking the murder of an imperial envoy.

Unless...

he is deeply implicated in the old Wei family case.

When he heard about opening Madam Yang's coffin,

he became completely distraught

and committed murder.

As I suspect,

the previous magistrates

also...

lost their lives at his hands.

After he receives 100 strokes,

give him one bowl of plain congee a day

to keep him alive.

The 3,000 cuts at the execution ground

are still waiting for him.

I'll talk! I'll tell everything!

It was Lord Xu who ordered me

to commit these terrible deeds!

My Lord, spare my life! My Lord!

It was Lord Xu who made me

commit these heinous crimes!

My Lord!

Young Master, this villain is cruel and vicious.

We can't let him off easy.

I'll come every day

to give him 30 or 50 strokes,

just not letting him die.

It's just that I

am wholeheartedly devoted to your plans

and would brave any danger for you.

If you're reinstated to your official position in the future,

please don't leave me behind.

Don't worry. I'll keep it in mind.

When people arrive from the capital,

that's when both sides will truly clash.

The most urgent matter now

is still to find Madam Yang.

[Linji Prefectural Office]

How could a living person

just disappear?

Search.

Turn Linji upside down if you have to.

Alive or dead, I must see the body!

Yes.

Your Lordship appreciates Clerk Qing's

loyal service,

naturally bestowed him generous rewards

and exceptional promotion.

But he rose from humble origins

and lacks foresight.

That person is now hiding in the Rong family.

We need a foolproof plan

to lure him out,

so we leave no evidence

and eliminate the threat completely.

If he acts hastily out of anxiety,

I fear he might alert our target,

implicating Your Lordship

and causing endless trouble.

Useless fool!

The Rong family.

It's the Rong family again!

During my time in office, I've benefited this region.

Receiving some tribute from tea merchants

is only proper.

But this Rong family refuses to show respect.

Every year, leading those ignorant

mountain folk to cause trouble with me,

even daring to attack the imperial tax officers...

They show me no regard at all!

Brilliant.

A perfect hiding place.

If he dares to reveal his identity,

it will give us the perfect excuse.

I can then uproot the entire Rong family

and eliminate the threat forever.

How wise, My Lord.

Didn't she say she was only going to check the shop?

Why isn't Lady Shanbao back yet?

Indeed.

It's getting late.

Young Master.

The

rain outside is too heavy.

Young Master, Lady Shanbao is back.

Quickly, go inside.

There's been constant thunder

and relentless rain these days.

How dare you go up the mountain in such weather?

Are you trying to risk your life?

It's been raining heavily for a day and night.

Seeing that the rain wasn't letting up,

I was worried something might happen to the tea plantation,

so I rushed there to check.

I still need to go to Chongxi Hall.

- Take it. - Go in.

Change into dry clothes before we talk.

Xiu Qiong, have someone prepare water quickly.

Lady Shanbao needs to bathe.

She's caught a chill.

Also, call for a physician

to prescribe medicine to induce sweat and drive out the cold.

I'll go right away.

Jun Dai,

there's freshly brewed ginger tea in the tea room.

Go get it quickly.

If this rain doesn't stop,

can the tea plantation hold up?

The two tea plantations at the foot of the mountain are flooded.

Along the riverbank,

many tea seedlings in the flatlands

have been washed away too.

Fortunately, I prepared early

and had people raise the embankment beforehand,

so it's still holding up.

But if this rain doesn't stop soon,

forget about the autumn tea...

Even next year's tea supply

will be in jeopardy.

The Rong family's responsibility is immense,

and Lady Rong has invested so much in nurturing you.

You refuse to fail everyone's expectations,

never uttering a word of complaint,

always exerting yourself a hundredfold.

Even ten men could not match you.

I deeply admire you

and know I can't stop you,

but I have some heartfelt words to say.

No matter how capable you are,

you're still made of flesh and blood.

You can't possibly handle everything in the world.

Others don't know your heart;

they'll only resent you for being power-hungry

and autocratic.

Who will feel grateful or remember

your kindness?

Even if you risk your life,

you may not escape sisters turning distant

or petty people betraying you.

I don't need their gratitude.

But do you know there are people who care about you?

I shouldn't interfere in this matter.

Once I get involved,

you'll surely suspect I have ulterior motives.

But today I must intervene.

You only know how to cultivate and rescue tea,

but you don't know how to manage people.

I manage thousands of mu of tea plantations.

How could I not know how to manage people?

Then do you know how to govern people's hearts

and make your sisters

behave properly and work together in the future?

I do have a solution,

but I need you to agree to one condition.

What is it?

When two people spend every day together,

even if as close as lips and teeth,

there will inevitably be friction and stumbles.

If I make mistakes in the future

and upset you,

please remember all my good deeds today

and forgive me once.

You can't hate me or resent me,

and especially can't ignore me.

Fine. I agree.

Is the tea plantation

really that easy to manage?

There are countless traps and troubles.

Just let go a little first,

let her feel smug

and do as she pleases.

After a month or two,

when she's suffered enough setbacks and shown her weakness,

then you'll see.

Put it there.

Usually by this time,

Lady Shanbao would have come to report.

Today is quite strange.

Hurry up and check on her.

How dare she keep Grandmother waiting?

Yes.

Don't worry, Grandmother.

The mountain path is difficult in this heavy rain.

Lady Shanbao must have been delayed by something.

She'll be here any moment.

Sorry I'm late, Grandmother.

The wheels got stuck in the mud,

so I had to walk down the mountain.

Fearing the dampness on me was too heavy

and might alarm you,

so I went to clean up and change first.

How is the plantation doing?

The rain is too heavy.

Many tea seedlings were washed away.

Fortunately, we reinforced the embankments in advance,

saving all the plantations at the foot of the mountain.

But if this downpour continues,

the waterlogged tea seedlings will easily die.

If the old tea trees soak for several more days,

we won't be able to harvest the autumn tea,

and next year's tea will also...

She must have caught a chill in the rain.

Lady Shanbao looks unwell.

It's better not to go up the mountain tomorrow.

Exposure to wind and rain will add more chill...

Wouldn't that only make you worse?

That won't do.

Grandmother,

if the mountain tea plantation suffers damage,

it would be a devastating loss.

If this heavy rain continues for two more days,

I fear mud and stones will slide down the mountain.

I must go to properly manage the situation.

We need to recruit more workers below the mountain

to repair the river embankments.

How can it be done without me?

Doesn't Linji

have heavy rain every year?

The tea plantation has survived in the past years.

What? Without you for just one day,

will the plantation face a great disaster?

Shanbao,

everyone knows you're in charge of the tea plantation.

Even if you don't go for a few days,

who could possibly take away

your authority?

How improper.

If you dare speak nonsense again,

you'll be kneeling in the ancestral hall.

We need to reinforce the embankments,

clear the flooded tea fields,

and take care of the tea plantation on the mountain.

Major tea merchants from all over

are also arriving in Linji one after another,

all waiting for the autumn tea harvest.

No matter how capable Shanbao is,

even with three heads and six arms,

she couldn't manage it all without rest.

Yunyin was worried seeing this,

and spoke harshly in the heat of the moment.

Shanbao wouldn't take offense at all.

Yunyin just wants to help you.

That's an exaggeration.

If she's not at the newly opened plantation

on the mountain,

the workers below will neglect their duties

and delay important matters.

Although you

all manage teahouses and estates,

and your skills in management and accounting

are quite good,

your expertise in tea processing

is insufficient.

After flooding, tea plants easily become diseased.

Which one of you could replace her?

That breathing doesn't sound right.

Quick, feel her forehead.

It's burning hot.

Lady Shanbao has a fever and you didn't even know.

Has a doctor checked on her?

Lady Shanbao insisted on coming to report.

I couldn't stop her.

A chill invading the body can be minor or severe.

Those who are usually healthy

often get hit the hardest when they fall ill.

Rest at home for two days first.

As for the tea plantation,

leave it for now to Yunxi

and Yunyin to manage.

I blame my body for being so weak.

Sisters, I have to trouble you

to share my burdens.

Water.

Water.

Come.

Has the rain stopped?

The wind and thunder have ceased.

The rain has stopped too.

Now you don't have to worry about your tea trees

being washed away, do you?

Take it easy.

Even if you weren't pretending to be ill,

you wouldn't be getting up tomorrow anyway.

The doctor has already said,

you've taken three doses of medicine

but still can't sweat.

The cold has penetrated from outside

into your lungs.

You'll really have to go up the mountain.

To lie in the rear mountain cemetery.

You know,

you'd better recover quickly.

Otherwise I'll take an axe

and chop down your Tea King Tree myself.

You wouldn't dare.

But...

I can't stop worrying.

When I was young, my cousins bullied me for not having a mother.

I beat them until they cried for their parents.

Later my father died too,

and my uncles and elder cousins

came to fight over the estate.

I sold and gave away my meager fields.

They thought

they had gained a huge advantage.

When I passed the imperial exam and became an official,

these opportunists

were scared out of their wits.

They offered back the fields and properties

and were willing to be servants just to seek forgiveness.

You see them as closest sisters,

so to you they are family.

If you disregard that kinship,

those people are worthless.

The Rong family wasn't like this before.

Sisters and brothers were raised together from childhood,

with no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate,

and no separation between branches.

Men and women knew their roles,

and the women would

take care of the children together.

The children could hardly tell birth mother from aunt...

After all, they all called them Mother.

It doesn't matter who's the biological child.

When the younger generation grew up,

they would elect the smartest one to take charge.

Sisters would support each other

through thick and thin.

I don't know when it started,

but everything suddenly changed.

The men in the family gradually adopted outside customs,

desiring imperial exams, taking concubines.

The family developed distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate lines.

Everyone wanted their own household.

For wealth and favor,

they valued profit over righteousness and put self-interest above the common good.

The family spirit was corrupted.

What strange custom is this?

I've never heard of such a thing.

And what happened later?

Be quick about your work.

The rain has stopped,

but this work can't stop.

Why are you dawdling? Hurry up.

Can't you see the tea trees

have all been washed askew by the heavy rain?

If the roots are damaged,

they won't recover next year.

Hurry and get people to straighten them and add soil.

Lady Shanbao instructed

to gather hands first to clear the ditches

and drain all the standing water from the plantation.

Too much water will rot the roots.

Don't use her name to pressure me.

Now I'm in charge of this plantation.

All the tasks I've assigned,

I will personally inspect tomorrow.

If there is even one thing

that doesn't meet my expectations,

it will be your fault

for being lazy and deceitful.

Then you won't need to manage the plantation anymore.

Just pack your things and leave.

Lady Yunyin,

I'm not trying to shirk my duties.

I truly can't manage it all.

Workers have been sent downhill to build embankments.

The plantation needs both dredging and replanting.

We don't have enough people at the moment.

Don't think you can fool me because I'm young.

This area hasn't suffered from floods or droughts for a century.

The tea plantation has always enjoyed favorable weather.

My family just donated money three months ago

to help the government raise the embankments.

Now the heavy rain just stopped...

What embankments are you fixing now?

Someone must be seeking glory

and embezzling money,

making up excuses

and deliberately fabricating lies!

Bring me the ledger for the embankment repairs.

I will inspect it myself.

And call back the people

who are working on the embankments.

First straighten and fertilize the tea trees.

Then check for plant diseases after the rain.

Anyone who dares to be negligent or whine

will receive lashes of the iron whip!

All of you, stop for now.

Do as Lady Yunyin says.

I'll go down the mountain to get help.

Shouldn't we wait for the soil to dry a bit?

Exactly.

The water isn't fully drained, and the soil is too wet.

If we mound it now,

it could suffocate the tea roots.

The new boss is riding us hard.

Feels like we're walking on coals.

I've checked all over the plantation.

Dozens of tea trees

were knocked in this area.

Other areas are fine though.

With some repairs and tidying up,

the autumn tea harvest should be safe.

I'm going to meet the tea merchant soon.

You stay and keep an eye on the plantation.

Alright.

Why get angry at a mere servant?

Aren't they deliberately trying to provoke me?

Bringing back such a bunch

of unruly troublemakers

who oppose me at every turn.

They're clearly building up someone else's authority.

Someone, for the sake of

gaining a reputation for respecting talent,

has allowed these lowly servants to forget their place.

If the servants don't listen to you,

just drive them down the mountain.

It's not worth getting upset over.

You'd only cheapen your own status.

Focus on doing your work now,

so that Grandmother can see

that among the ten fingers,

the one that seemed long isn't necessarily the longest,

and the one that seemed short isn't necessarily the shortest.

Only when she falls will you have the chance to stand out.

Let her stare helplessly and stew in anger.

How difficult can tending tea trees be?

I grew up in the Rong family,

listening to Grandmother's teachings every day

until my ears were calloused from it.

Just because Rong Shanbao can do it

doesn't mean others can't.

Don't worry.

The tea plantation will be

put in order within seven days.

It absolutely won't delay

the autumn tea harvest.

I've traveled from afar

to come to Linji.

Unfortunately, I knew no one

and had no connections.

I couldn't even meet

Lady Rong Shanbao.

Lady Yunxi, thanks to your kind arrangement,

this large deal can be concluded.

I'm truly grateful beyond words.

This humble gift is but a small token of respect.

I hope you will present it to Lady Rong

to express my sincerity.

Master He, your generosity

is too much for me to accept.

For the first autumn white dew tea,

the He family arrived in Linji a month early.

With such sincerity and earnestness,

how could I not fulfill your wishes?

I'll report to Grandmother upon my return,

and good news will come within days.

Please go back and wait at ease.

Alright.

Lady Yunxi, please have some tea.

My Lady,

I heard that the He family

started as river pirates

and only later went into the tea business.

Lady Shanbao thinks they're not presentable

and won't let them through the door.

How pedantic.

One can't stick rigidly to rules in business.

Whether merchant or pirate,

they're bringing real money,

and there are guarantors.

We just sell tea

and ask no more.

Yes.

Let's go take a look at Lotus Lane.

Take a look.

Sweet and delicious pastries.

Be good, Li.

Here.

Here's your tea.

Thank you.

Excuse me,

we'd like some tea here.

Little bird.

Your tea.

Bitter,

and a bit astringent.

Bi.. Bitter?

I specially improved it.

The first brew does have some mixed flavors,

but with the second brew,

you'll taste the roasted rice aroma.

Wait a moment.

I specially saved some magnolia tofu

in the ice bucket in the back yard.

Wait for me.

I'll be right back.

Be good, Li.

Play with her for a while.

You can only eat it in small bites.

If you behave,

I will give you this.

Okay?

In a few days,

I'll buy you again

these delicious candied hawthorns.

Okay?

Li'er is so good.

My Lady, they've left.

Let's go back.

She's one with sky-high standards,

picking over the gentlemen's

looks and wealth,

and none meets her approval.

Who would have thought she'd fancy

someone from a lowly household,

untalented in both civil and martial arts,

and a widower with a child?

A man who brings misfortune to his mother and wife.

He'll never be accepted into the Rong family.

No wonder they need to be secretive

and meet in private.

The fever has lasted for two days now,

and you've been coughing at night.

We should find another doctor.

It's nothing serious.

Lady Shanbao should take her medicine now.

Tell her I said she must take the medicine.

No matter how important, it can wait.

Other matters can be left to them,

but reinforcing the banks

must not be delayed.

If those two refuse to listen,

report to Grandmother for me.

Then ask Ms. Yan to supervise in person.

That's the most urgent matter right now.

I understand. Don't worry.

Young Master, what are you looking at?

At the rain clouds.

This area often has thunderclouds,

coming in waves.

A gust of wind and they're gone.

The raindrops on your face

haven't even dried yet.

When I was tuning just now, the strings were loose.

The soundboard was very damp.

I couldn't tune it properly despite several attempts.

There will definitely be heavy rain within two days.

Look at the southern horizon.

The dark clouds have a faint reddish tint.

I'm afraid

this rain will be most unusual.

What?

Mr. Lu can also read weather signs?

Lady Yunshu,

I'm not an expert in this field.

Just making casual observations.

I often hear elders say

that when hail clouds appear,

they always have high tops and low bottoms,

growing like rolling snowballs,

heavily tilting downward.

Daisy,

are today's clouds like that?

My Lady, those clouds are quite far away.

They seem to be moving eastward.

Then it's not that.

Mr. Lu,

Lady Shanbao hasn't recovered from the cold yet.

If all those complicated, trivial matters

are reported to her

and exhaust her spirit,

even if she takes medicine,

it won't help.

Please take extra care, Mr. Lu.

It's best to limit visitors these days

and let her rest peacefully.

My Lady, it's starting to rain again.

I love this gentle drizzle.

It's so refreshing.

Young Master, I'm too foolish

to understand Lady Yunshu's true meaning.

Young Master, is she...

Mind your own business.

Since we've taken on this responsibility,

none of us would dare not give our all.

It's just that our experience is limited.

Lady Shanbao has worked hard for many years,

and her reputation in the tea business has been growing.

She has always been a respected authority.

Some people inevitably abuse their power,

always boasting about the Rong's tea talent,

refusing to take orders

from anyone but her.

Who's an outsider?

You were sent

by me to manage the tea plantation.

Who dares to be so insolent?

Pass down my words:

whoever refuses to obey,

no matter how great their skill,

cannot stay in the Rong family.

Yes.

With your words, Grandmother,

I can rest assured.

From now on, I'll keep a whip handy.

Anyone who doesn't obey

will behave after a good whipping.

To be honest,

Shanbao has been

far too lenient.

Every tea farmer should know their place,

yet the ones she recruited are all troublemakers.

They rely on their tea skills

to do the opposite of what they're told,

refusing to be led, backing away when pushed,

even daring to talk back to their masters.

I won't tolerate such stubborn behavior.

Even so,

they are all

experienced masters in our tea plantation.

They have real skill in growing tea.

You must act with propriety.

Grandmother, don't worry.

Yunyin may seem impulsive,

but she handles matters reliably.

She knows exactly who to keep, who to use,

and who needs discipline,

with perfect clarity.

Yunshu, you're here.

How is Lady Shanbao doing?

I went to Hualin Courtyard at noon,

and she kept asking me all sorts of questions,

concerned only about the plantation.

I advised her

to mind her own health,

but she simply wouldn't listen.

She's better during the day,

but fever certainly returns after dusk.

The doctor said

she needs bed rest for a month,

otherwise the illness will linger

and become increasingly difficult to cure.

At this critical moment,

she can't be relied upon at all.

Regarding matters in the tea plantation,

you must pay more attention.

The autumn tea harvest cannot be delayed.

Don't worry, Grandmother.

As soon as the rain stopped,

I ordered people

to quickly clean up the plantation.

Yunxi has also been

busy running around

and entertaining

tea merchants from all over in town.

We work in perfect harmony inside and out,

and won't delay any important matters.

Invite Lady Yunyin to come.

Just say I have urgent business.

Yes.

Wait.

Tea farmers are often

free-spirited mountain folk,

and tea cultivation masters

are even more prideful.

Finding fault with her

is as easy as pie.

Within two weeks,

they'll be begging at your door.

Then we'll be halfway there.

I know.

But the thunder outside is too fierce.

I'm worried.

I call her to give some instructions.

It won't hinder your plans.

Go quickly.

Yes.

Say what you need to say, but don't get upset and harm yourself.

Otherwise, your illness

will never get better.

You may seem decisive,

but you're actually weak inside,

nowhere near your fifth sister,

who is cold-hearted and ruthless.

You mean... Yunshu?

She can't wait for your fourth sister

to cause a terrible disaster

and fall into a bottomless abyss.

[Mugwort]

The realgar wine shouldn't be drunk in excess either.

[Realgar wine is toxic. Do not imitate.]

Drinking too much makes me dizzy.

Let the sisters go play.

Come,

accompany me for a walk in the garden.

Mugwort is an essential element

in Dragon Boat Festival customs.

Its main functions are

warding off evil and preventing disease,

as well as praying for good health.

The ancients discovered

mugwort's versatility long ago.

Its strong smell repels insects;

it relieves itching used in baths;

its smoke fumigates for disinfection;

and pounded, it makes moxa wool.

It's the ancient version of a miracle herb.

Around Dragon Boat Festival, there's a lot of rain,

easily breeding mosquitoes and insects.

Hang it in your home,

and mosquitoes and insects dare not come near.

Don't think it's just a custom.

This is pest control technology

proven effective over thousands of years.