Original subtitles

[Glory]

[Episode 26]

My Lord, I have failed you.

I fell into Rong Shanbao's trap.

My Lord, please rest assured.

I will definitely

deal with Yang Yitang.

I absolutely will not allow him

to stand in your way.

You have served me for years.

I've treated you well, haven't I?

Yes.

Yes.

Do you understand what I'm saying?

I understand.

I understand.

I understand.

[Linji Prefectural Office]

I was blinded

by greed

and took Yang Yitang's bribes

behind Lord Jiang's back.

It is well-known that Yang Yitang holds deep resentment

against the Rong family.

The Rong family is wealthy enough to rival a nation.

I also wanted a share of that fortune.

Therefore, I secretly assisted him

in seeking revenge against the Rong family.

Now that my crimes have been exposed,

I have nothing to say in my defense.

So you are claiming

that Lord Jiang was completely unaware of this?

That's right.

The bribes I accepted from Yang Yitang

are hidden in my residence.

You'll find them if you search my place.

For an official to neglect his duty

is to betray the Emperor's grace.

I know my crimes deserve death,

and I dare not implicate others.

I only ask for

some dignity after my death.

You don't seem surprised

by Zhang Zhong's suicide.

Jiang Yiqian has served as an official for 30 years.

If he couldn't handle

such a trivial matter,

then his 30 years of service would mean nothing.

He understands how the bureaucratic game works

and how his superiors think.

Even if he's under suspicion,

that alone isn't enough to convict him.

You allowed him to meddle

in the Rong Mansion.

Wasn't that all for nothing?

I allowed his meddling

because I had other plans.

I also used him

to purge the traitors within the Rong family.

Yang Yitang has confessed

to conspiring with Yunshu.

Since this matter concerns your family,

do you wish to handle it yourself,

or should I intervene and make the arrest?

But I must remind you—

the current manager of the Rong family

is her.

There is no rush.

She'll invite me back.

Now that Jiang Yiqian has revealed his true nature,

I'm afraid

he’ll be even more ruthless in seeking revenge.

You must be extremely cautious.

If things get out of hand, come find me.

Right now, Jiang Yiqian probably

wants you dead more than anyone else.

I'm just collateral damage,

caught in the fight between you two.

Since I've implicated you,

why not punish me

by keeping me as your personal guard?

Lord Lu,

you should now turn your attention

to the Wei family case.

Although the truth

of the Wei family case has come to light,

there are still some inconsistencies.

First,

if Jiang Yiqian didn't take bribes,

why would he help the Yang family

frame Wei Kejian for the murder of his wife?

Second, who is

still harassing

Madam Yang even after she's become a nun?

If you think about it,

both matters lead back to Jiang Yiqian.

Rest assured, I'll surely get to the bottom of this.

The fox's tail will be exposed sooner or later.

Thank you, Lord Luo, for uncovering the truth

and clearing my name.

A toast to you, Lord Luo.

Well,

it was simply my duty as an official.

You've been stationed in Linji for decades, Lord Jiang.

Your truly put a lot of effort.

But you should stay humble and cautious

to secure your future.

Thank you for your advice, Lord Luo.

I will surely keep it firmly in mind.

With the Yang Yitang and Zhang Zhong cases resolved,

Lord Luo, this time,

you've solved another case

during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.

Truly, it's the most capable people who do the most work.

Speaking of which,

the Rong family's hundred-year-old Tea King Tree

is truly a wonder of nature.

It's absolutely breathtaking.

But...

What is it?

Forgive me,

but the Rong family has recently suffered a series of misfortunes.

You should keep a close eye

over the birthday tribute, Lord Luo.

You cleared my name,

so my warning is out of goodwill.

The Rong family has long held grudge against me.

I'm worried they may stir up trouble

over the birthday tribute,

since they're unhappy with your verdict.

You could be charged

with dereliction of duty.

Linji is a complex territory.

I'm sure you'd prefer

to settle things quickly,

before they become more complicated.

That's a fair point.

Come.

A toast to you.

How's your health?

Here.

The drowned victim is here.

Take him away.

Have a drink first to warm yourself up.

Thank you, My Lord, for giving me a second chance at life.

Please sit.

As you instructed,

I've warned Lord Luo about the birthday tribute.

Do you really want to stay here

and not return to the capital?

But I've heard

that you and Lady Rong Yunshu

are still engaged.

Once I settle this old grievance,

I'll leave this place.

I treated her with sincerity,

yet she discarded me like a worn shoe.

Therefore,

I will no longer lower myself.

I will make her understand

that I am not someone

she can toy with.

Good.

That's how a man should be.

So, what's your next move?

The daughters of the Rong family appear united but are divided within.

We can first observe their internal conflicts.

When the time is right,

we'll cut off the foundation of the Rong family.

By then,

if you wish to take over

the Rong family,

it will be effortless.

Mr. Bai, you are truly a man of exceptional talent.

I believe that once you enter officialdom,

you will certainly reach the peak.

Come.

I miss Father.

Li.

Look.

Look at these vast tea fields.

One day,

you will have your share as well.

You're a bad person.

I don't want to play with you anymore.

I want to find Father.

Li! Li!

Li, come back!

Yun...

Lady Yunxi.

Why are you here?

Didn’t I tell you

not to come near the Rong Mansion again?

I prepared some mulian tofu.

I remember it's your favorite.

And Li,

she likes it too.

The Rong Mansion lacks nothing.

If you dare come here again,

I'll have you thrown out.

Lady Yunxi.

How is Li doing?

Does she still need

to hold someone's ear

before she can fall asleep?

Has she been eating well?

She used to have such a sweet tooth.

Every time I tried to feed her,

I had to chase her all around the courtyard.

Has she grown taller?

Does she...

miss me?

Lady Yunxi.

May I just see her for a moment?

I won't say a single word to her.

A glimpse from afar will be enough.

I miss her so much.

An Cha,

when you allowed Rong Shanbao

to take Li away,

you gave up on Li,

and you gave up on me.

Grandmother has no patience

for those who refuse to let go.

If you truly care for Li's well-being,

then stay out of her life forever.

Don't give people a reason

to laugh at her.

Miss,

The method of harvesting the Tea King Tree

is a family secret, known only to the Rong family heads

and passed down from generation to generation.

In the past, Lady Shanbao

was the only one who took care of it.

The roasting method that follows

is also known only to her.

With the Old Madam now bedridden,

I'm afraid she is indispensable

to this imperial tribute.

The heads of the Rong family.

Very well.

Then go and invite her back.

Station guards at Chongxi Hall.

For Grandmother's well-being,

no one is allowed to visit her

except me.

If you're not careful,

the final result will be

the leaves falling off.

How dare you come here?

That outfit suits you well.

You!

Yesterday, Lord Luo

sent people to ask about the tribute.

Only Shanbao knows

how to harvest the Tea King Tree,

which is why I came

to ask you to return.

So you came to ask for help.

Presenting a tribute to the Empress Dowager

concerns the future of the entire Rong family.

Previously,

Grandmother expelled you from the mansion,

but she is now ill.

So I'm making the decision in her stead

to bring you back home.

I hope you'll think of the bigger picture.

Since Yunshu is willing to compromise,

I shall graciously accept.

I wonder, Yunshu—

have you found Mr. Bai yet?

You don't need to worry about that.

I'll leave the tea plantation to you.

Please take care

of Yunyin and Wanwan.

Rest assured.

I don't need anyone to look after me.

As for you,

you must stay cautious.

You've already been fooled once.

Beware those

who appear kind but have a serpent's heart.

All of the Wei family's seized assets

have been returned.

Now it's the Wei family members

who are taking care of him.

They've consulted countless doctors lately,

yet his mental condition hasn't improved at all.

Do you know Yang Yun?

No matter what you ask, My Lord,

I'm afraid he won't be able to answer.

What did Jiang Yiqian do to you?

Wei has been mentally unstable for years.

As you can see,

he doesn't respond

to any external stimuli.

But the moment he heard

the name "Jiang Yiqian,"

he showed a look of terror.

I suspect

there might be a deeper secret in Wei's old case.

I'll interview Wei's family members right now

to see if I can find any clues.

Has Bai Yingsheng still not been found?

Not yet.

I've already instructed my men

to continue searching downstream.

As soon as I hear anything,

I'll report to you immediately, My Lord.

My Lord, I also heard

that Lady Rong Shanbao has returned to the Rong Mansion.

During your absence, Shanbao,

did I take proper care of the Tea King Tree?

Not bad.

Grandmother is bedridden with a serious illness.

For this imperial tribute,

we'll have to count on you, Shanbao.

But rest assured, Shanbao.

I'll stay right by your side

until the tea roasting is finished.

You want to learn the method?

Have you forgotten that

the tea-making method

belongs exclusively to the heads of the family,

and cannot be shared with outsiders?

Shanbao,

I am now the Rong family's manager.

Why can't you pass it on to me?

Have you asked Grandmother about this?

As I said,

I am now the Rong family's manager.

Why is that so hard for you to understand?

What will you do

if I refuse?

Shanbao,

the moment you stepped back into the Rong Mansion,

you lost your right to choose.

If anything goes wrong with the tribute,

you alone will bear the blame.

After all, everyone saw

that I personally welcomed you back.

Shanbao,

you should think carefully.

Will you choose

to teach me the tea-making methods

or delay the tribute

and be arrested for it?

You're competing with me

for control of the Rong family.

If the family falls, we all fall.

If the tribute is delayed,

the entire Rong family will suffer.

Even if you win,

what benefits would you gain from it?

The one who cares more is the one who loses.

Shanbao, I know

you value the Rong family more than I do.

Miss Shen.

Lady Yunxi said Li is here.

Please, Miss Shen, do me a favor

and allow me to say a few words to her.

I want this one.

Here you go.

She's playing over there.

This one is pretty too.

Wanwan.

Xiangling.

Father.

Thank you, Miss Shen.

Father.

Li.

Li.

Li, I miss you so much.

Do you miss me?

Yes.

Yunxi must have been blind.

How could she fall

for such a weak man?

Keep your voice down!

Let's pick a bit of this, too.

Wanwan.

Is the tea tree a toy to you?

Don't touch it!

No!

Stop it, you two.

Why are you arguing with a kid?

Come here!

Be careful.

You can't catch me.

Sit down and have some water.

Li,

I want to take you somewhere.

Come here.

Are you coming or not?

No!

Rong Yunyin.

Don't go too far.

You can't catch me!

Come here.

Come here!

Lady Shanbao.

Lady Shanbao.

We're here on Lady Yunshu's orders

to secure Hualin Courtyard.

Lady Yunshu personally welcomed Lady Shanbao back home.

There is no justification

for keeping her confined like this!

Yunshu won't allow me to see Grandmother.

Mr. Yan, do you know

how Grandmother is doing?

Lady Yunshu

hasn't actually stopped me from visiting.

Every two days or so,

I pay a visit to Chongxi Hall.

Old Madam Rong...

she is still unable to get out of bed,

but she's speaking

much more clearly now.

While you were away from the Rong Mansion,

I made sure

to take good care of Old Madam Rong.

Thank you.

Lady Shanbao.

If...

you ever need my help...

No need.

Xiu Qiong, you may leave now.

You can come out now.

How did you know I was here, Lady Shanbao?

Sneaking into my courtyard—

you've grown increasingly rude lately.

I came to pay a formal visit,

but your servant

drove me away.

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt.

I was worried about you,

so I slipped in.

I intended to leave

once I knew you were safe.

But you caught me first.

By the way,

where is your

Steward Cheng?

Whenever he hears that I'm here,

he's always the first one to chase me away.

These days,

has Jiang Yiqian tried to harm you?

You're worried about me?

Xiu Qiong.

Wait.

Jiang Yiqian has been very quiet lately.

I deliberately made a show

of summoning the Wei family members,

but he hasn't made a single move.

There's something I need your help with.

Why are you smiling?

Because you're actually willing to ask for my help.

That's nice.

You were eavesdropping on my conversation with Mr. Yan.

I overheard it unintentionally.

You said

you needed my help with something?

I'd like to see

the inventory list of the Wei family's seized assets,

and the list of items

that were returned

after the case was closed.

All right.

I'll go to the office and retrieve them for you.

But Yunshu

has confined you to the Rong Mansion

and won't allow you to see anyone.

Since you won't let me sneak into your courtyard,

once I get the records,

how am I supposed to deliver them to you?

It won't be long.

Reading a book?

Dear, listen to this.

Do you want to hold this?

Yes.

Good. I'll put it here.

Is it fun?

Yes, it's fun.

You see,

Lord Jiang is also very fond of children.

Would you like to try this?

You will be

very safe here.

No one can

take Li away from you.

Why did you help me?

The women of the Rong family are mostly heartless.

Since we've both been betrayed,

helping you

is no different from helping myself.

Lady Yunxi is not

a heartless person.

It's just that I acted on impulse.

Only now do I realize

that I can't let go of Li,

and I can't let go of her either.

Eat slowly, take your time.

An Cha is Li's biological father, after all.

He seemed so gentle and harmless,

and he claimed that you were the one who sent him,

so I let down my guard.

I was busy stopping a fight,

and when I turned back, he was gone.

He has certainly grown bolder.

He even learned how to deceive people now.

It seems I underestimated him.

In your opinion,

now that Li has been taken,

where would they go?

Do we need to send people

to search for her in the city?

He won't leave Linji.

You don't need to worry about it.

I'll find them myself.

After Shanbao returned,

-did she say... -Miss.

Miss.

Here's a letter for you.

What's wrong?

It's just a private matter.

I'll take my leave now.

What?

Is Shanbao still refusing to make the tea?

That's not the issue.

A servant just reported

that Lady Yunxi went to check the Tea King Tree

and then left with the guards.

What is she up to?

I'm not sure, Miss.

I only heard Lady Yunxi mentioned

that a wall in her courtyard collapsed,

so she took the nearby guards

to clean up the debris.

Fetch my clothes.

I must see this for myself.

Yes, Miss.

Quickly! Find people to extinguish the fire!

Help! Somebody help! Hurry!

This...

Come! Come!

Hurry! Hurry! Come on!

Hurry.

Hurry up!

Put out the fire! Come on!

We need more people!

Quickly! Quickly!

Hurry!

-Water! Get the water! -Put out the fire!

Coming!

Hurry up!

Hurry up.

Come on, quickly!

Get some water from the well!

Bring the water here!

Coming!

It's not enough!

Get another bucket of water!

Carry the water!

-Hurry up! -Coming!

-Coming! -Hurry up.

-Coming! -Hurry!

Come on.

Quickly!

Coming!

Get the water!

Mr. Yan.

Mr. Yan.

There's a fire.

Did you do this?

What nonsense are you talking about?

I had nothing to do with this!

My courtyard wall collapsed for no reason,

so I sent Cuiwei to seek assistance.

After they arrived,

Cuiwei and I

watched them the whole time.

It only took about 10 minutes in total.

Yunshu,

you are manager of the mansion now.

Even if you want

to evade responsibility for your poor management,

you should not slander me like that!

If you hadn't

moved the guards away,

the Tea King Tree would never have been ruined!

When Shanbao was in charge,

the Tea King Tree was never in danger,

even without a single guard!

Ultimately, this is a result of your own incompetence.

You!

Are you satisfied now?

Didn't you refuse to teach me

the tea-making methods?

Does this incident

have anything to do with you?

You!

That slap

was for your failure

to prioritize what truly matters.

In times of crisis, you only think of yourself.

You are so obsessed with our rivalry

that you ignore

the pack of hungry wolves outside

waiting to devour the Rong family.

The Tea King Tree is ruined,

threatening the century-old foundation of the Rong family.

Now that disaster has struck,

you don't think about how to fix it

or investigate the security breach,

yet you have the nerve to vent your anger on me.

All of this happened

because Rong Yunxi

moved the guards away.

Why didn't you slap her instead?

Your poor management was the root of it.

There is a traitor lurking in this mansion,

yet you noticed nothing.

You don't need to lecture me.

You're living in the Rong Mansion.

Now that the Tea King Tree has been destroyed,

and you are also responsible for it!

Instead of standing here,

calculating who is more to blame,

you'd better start thinking

about how to deal with what comes next.

The imperial tribute is now destroyed;

this is a matter of life and death.

Grandmother is now severely ill

and cannot handle any further bad news.

If this reaches Chongxi Hall,

you'll all be punished.

If you want your daughter to be safe,

at 7 PM,

move the guards away from the Tea King Tree.

I thought he had finally come to his senses.

It turns out he was used once again,

and dragged me down with him.

What happened today must not leave this room.

Yes, Miss.

The Empress Dowager's birthday tribute—

how dare you treat it with such negligence?

Do you have any idea what penalty you'll face?

There was a traitor in the mansion.

Rest assured, My Lord.

I will investigate it thoroughly

and give you an explanation.

I don't care about that traitor.

I want the tribute!

The Tea King Tree has been destroyed,

thereby offending the Empress Dowager.

How many lives will the Rong family pay

to atone for this?

Rest assured, My Lord.

The Rong Mansion has other

century-old tea cakes.

They're surely

no inferior to the Tea King Tree's harvest.

Do you not understand?

Her Majesty specifically requested

tea leaves from the Tea King Tree.

Her Majesty values

the Tea King Tree's centuries-long history

and its enduring blessing.

How could

any other tea possibly replace it?

The Rong family has grown arrogant under royal favor.

You even treat the Empress Dowager's birthday

with contempt.

You failed to deliver the tribute,

yet you're trying to get away with it.

Guards!

-Yes. -Yes.

Take every member of the Rong family

to the County Office for questioning.

Yes, My Lord!

Wait.

Lady Rong Shanbao.

The Rong family's Jade Seal is an imperial gift,

not a Death Exemption Token

to protect you from your crimes.

By flaunting it again and again,

are you trying to use royal favor

to stand above the law in Linji?

Lord Luo, you misunderstand.

This Jade Seal—

I want to entrust it to you for safekeeping.

What do you mean by that?

The fact that the Tea King Tree got burned

was due to our negligence.

This Jade Seal is the Rong family's heirloom.

I'd like to use it as a guarantee.

Within five days,

I will surely find a tribute

worthy of the Tea King Tree's tea.

There's still time before the Empress Dowager's birthday.

Why not wait five more days, Lord Luo?

I believe Her Majesty

would rather see the tribute presented

than see people punished.

Lord Lu, you are the magistrate of Linji.

You shouldn't get too close to merchants,

or you may invite unnecessary gossip.

Lord Luo, you misunderstand.

Today,

I'm not here

in my capacity as Prefect.

Then what is your role?

As an admirer of Lady Rong Shanbao.

Lord Luo.

What do you think?

I'll take this Jade Seal.

I hope Lady Rong Shanbao

will not disappoint me.

You have my word.

What kind of birthday tribute are you going to prepare?

That is none of your concern.

For the time being,

you should stay in the mansion

and reflect upon what you've done.

What kind of birthday tribute do you think

Rong Shanbao will offer Her Majesty?

No matter what she comes up with,

the Rong family's Tea King Tree has already been destroyed.

After this,

the Rong family will be severely weakened

and will never recover.

That's not enough.

We have to take her life

while she's vulnerable.

Rest assured, My Lord.

I already have people watch Rong Shanbao.

No matter what kind of birthday tribute

she's planning to offer,

I won't let her succeed.

No wonder they say, "One should never underestimate a scholar."

You truly are

a lucky star sent by God.

Thank you for your kind words, My Lord.

Actually, I have a favor to ask.

What is it?

Now that the Rong family is under house arrest,

I'd like you to give me control over the guards.

Are you concerned that Lady Rong Yunshu may be mistreated?

No.

She used to trample upon me.

Now,

I want her

to get a taste of her own medicine.

You've done a great service.

This is a small thing to ask.

Just consider it done.

Lady Shanbao.

Lady Shanbao.

Are you leaving?

The Rong family is in trouble.

You're not a member of the Rong family.

You may pack your things and leave.

Are you going to look for another tribute?

I'm just buying time.

I have to find a way

to save the Rong family.

Is there anything

I can do to help?

All my past suitors sought marriage

only because my name is Rong Shanbao.

If the Rong family falls,

would you still stay at the Rong Mansion?

I see. I have my answer.

What did you two talk about?

It's none of your business.

It... it's you.

I thought the first thing you'd say

when we met again

would be whether I am human or a ghost.

You were the one who burned the Tea King Tree?

Shouldn't you be asking me

how I survived?

Why did you burn the Tea King Tree?

You really don't care if I live or die.

Why that look?

Why don't you cry, show weakness,

or at least try to explain that you didn't mean it?

In the past,

didn't you play that part quite well?

If you want revenge,

don't drag the whole Rong Mansion into it.

The thing you're most proud of

is the Rong family name, isn't it?

If I destroy the Rong family,

will you still be so high and mighty,

looking down on everyone else?

Bai Yingsheng.

You're not this kind of person.

You don't know me at all.

Bai Yingsheng.

Don't go against Rong Shanbao.

You're no match for her.

This is

what you asked me to get earlier.

The inventory list of the Wei family's seized assets.

It's all here.

This scribe here

must've been with the County Office for a long time, right?

That's Scribe Liu.

He has served in the office

for 30 or 40 years.

Shouldn't you be worried about the birthday tribute?

How do you still have time for this?

Last night at the Rong Mansion,

someone actually

managed to burn down

the Tea King Tree right under your nose.

My courtyard was being watched.

How could I possibly know

everything happening in the mansion?

But I've always felt

that you're extraordinary—

capable of anything.

I'm not sure I can do it.

What?

I said,

about the Empress Dowager's birthday tribute,

I'm not sure I can handle it.

So what?

Through thick and thin,

I'll be right there with you.

What about your career?

I've always been alone in this world.

Wherever you are

is where I belong.

Have you heard of

"Chin Hsiu Wan Hua Ku?"

What is it?

It's a rare Song Dynasty book collection.

For any book lover,

a single glimpse would make one's life complete.

If I remember correctly,

the Empress Dowager loves collecting books.

You're planning to...

Exactly.

Her Majesty doesn't truly care about tea.

She's just curious about the Tea King Tree

because of its century-old reputation.

If I cater to her true interests

and replace the tea with something she loves,

I hope it will appease her anger,

and give the Rong family a chance to survive.

So where is

this rare book collection now?

When Mrs. Yang was alive,

she happened to mention it once.

Wei Kejian had this book

collected in the Wei family library.

No wonder you wanted to see

the inventory list of the Wei family's seized assets.

While reviewing the files earlier,

I learned that the year Wei Kejian was imprisoned,

the Wei family servants

fled with stolen valuables

and accidentally set the library on fire.

Could this book have been burned?

This book is incredibly valuable.

The Wei family servants surely knew its value.

If they were looting the place,

this book would've been their first target.

Wait.

You asked for the inventory list

before the Tea King Tree was burned.

Did you already anticipate

that something would happen to the tribute?

No.

I asked for the list earlier

to find the truth

behind Mrs. Yang's death.

I was hoping

if I could find any clues from it.

Now it turns to be a lucky coincidence.

Time is precious.

I need to post notices

and offer a large reward for this book.

As for Mrs. Yang's case,

I'll need your help to investigate it.

She would never have taken her own life for no reason.

Don't worry.

Justice will be served.

Those who do evil deeds will eventually pay the price.

[Tea Refreshments]

Eat slowly, take your time.

China's tea refreshment culture

can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty.

During the Tang Dynasty, the decoction method was popular.

Tea refreshments were mostly used to cleanse the palate,

such as sesame cakes and Bo-tuo noodles,

as well as preserved dates and dried lychees.

These helped balance the tea's bitterness.

By the Song Dynasty, the whisking method became trendy.

Tea refreshments became more delicate and elegant,

like fried butter shells and spring rolls.

They offer a rich variety of textures.

During the Ming Dynasty and Song Dynasty,

tea refreshments became more mature.

During the Ming dynasty, a Tea Bureau was established for tea banquets,

serving various cakes and pastries,

such as osmanthus cake and gorgon nut cake.

It also served nuts,

like fried ginkgo nuts and salted pine nuts.

Suzhou-style tea snacks,

such as sesame biscuits and rose crisps,

were paired with Biluochun tea.

Northern teahouses served

Manchu-Han pastries,

like sachima, tuckahoe pie, and pea flour cake.

The iconic Qing imperial tea snacks,

known as the "Jing Ba Jian,"

were paired with jasmine tea.

Chaozhou lard sugar pastries

were paired with Fenghuang Dancong tea.

What do you think?

Out of all these tea refreshments,

is there anything you like?