Original subtitles

[Glory]

[Episode 31]

Our forebears of every generation hacked through thorns and brambles,

building this family through hardship.

They've painstakingly managed

the tea plantation for 400 years.

In the past, there were cases like this as well—

passing off inferior goods as genuine,

disgracing our family's name.

Father, you remember that, don't you?

By the Rong family's rules,

you should withdraw from the clan of your own accord.

How dare you be so insolent!

Although you grew up

with Grandmother

and never received

direct parenting from your parents,

you must have studied the classics

and learned proper etiquette

to understand what is meant by

the proper relationship between ruler and subject, father and child.

Parents to their children

are like heaven and earth, vast and mighty.

How can you, a mere daughter,

dare to speak such

words that defy filial piety?

Even if lightning doesn't strike you dead,

the contempt of others

would surely drown you.

Lady Shanbao, filial piety comes first in life.

Since ancient times, parents scolding their children has been

perfectly natural.

How could a daughter

criticize her own father?

This is greatly unfilial.

Quickly apologize to your father.

If this matter spreads,

who would dare take you as a daughter-in-law?

How could you ever marry

or establish yourself in society?

How could this be

the behavior of an obedient daughter?

It's truly frightening!

You all know about

the proper relationship between ruler and subject, father and child.

The ancient saying goes:

The people are most precious, the state comes second,

and the ruler is least important.

A ruler who deceives his people

cannot last long.

If this applies to a country, how about a family?

You sell inferior tea.

Damaging the Rong family's century-old reputation is a small matter,

but destroying the livelihood of thousands of tea farmers is serious.

If this matter spreads,

those who covet

the Rong family's business

will show you no mercy.

Tea farmers come from deep in the mountains,

with free spirits and fierce courage.

Whoever dares to starve them

will face machetes and hoes—

they will cut off his head and destroy his roots.

Even I

cannot stop them.

You are my father,

but not the father of thousands of tea farmers.

I can be forgiving,

but they will show no mercy.

Expelling you from the family

is already the most lenient treatment.

It's also for

your own safety, Father.

Before coming here, I went to see Grandmother.

Father, do you know

what Grandmother said?

What...

What did Mother say?

Disgrace! Fool!

Go and bring him back.

Hang him! I want him hanged!

I don't believe it.

How could Grandmother

threaten to kill Father?

He is her own son after all.

Grandmother is the head of the family first

and our grandmother second.

Steward Cheng.

This...

This is...

Old Madam insisted on being carried

and personally opened the ancestral hall

to report to the ancestors.

She said...

Before you're expelled from the family, Old Master,

you must receive 100 lashes with the iron whip.

But thanks to Lady Shanbao

who repeatedly begged for mercy on your behalf,

Old Madam finally granted mercy,

allowing Madam and Master Shanhui

to each take 20 lashes in your place.

And Lady Yunzhen,

being still young,

will receive only 10 lashes.

What... What did I do wrong?

This was all Father and Mother's idea.

What did my brother and I do wrong?

Why is Grandmother punishing us?

Grandmother can forgive a thousand mistakes,

but rats and worms within the family

who ruin our tea business

are what she hates most.

Knowing your father was wrong

yet not stopping him

and failing to come to Linji to inform Grandmother,

you must be punished for betraying the family

along with him.

How dare you! Father is an imperial official.

If he deserves punishment, the court will decide.

Who are you

to inflict such punishment here?

Just now you were

talking about filial piety

and now you dare to talk back to Grandmother?

Grandmother said

Uncle Heting obtained his position through family influence,

and despite receiving 10,000 taels of silver annually,

he still wasn't satisfied

and greedily opened tea shops to make more money,

proving his corruption as an official

and disgracing our family name.

After all, families have their own rules

and clans have their own regulations.

Even the law of the land cannot interfere

when a family disciplines its unworthy descendants.

If you don't want to follow clan rules, that's fine.

Just return all the money

that has been spent over these years

and we'll call it even.

Father, if you refuse to accept this,

Grandmother will go to the capital to file a petition,

accusing you of being ungrateful

and committing the crime of disobedience.

By then, you would not only lose your position

but could be sentenced to death.

No! I don't want to!

I don't want to be whipped!

Zhen!

Someone come here!

Zhen!

Zhen!

Let me go!

What are you doing? Release me!

Let go!

Silence! No crying!

It's just a few lashes.

I can endure it.

I cannot bear to watch Father being punished,

so I must take my leave first.

Oh, right.

Grandmother also said

this house

was purchased by her years ago.

It was originally family property

and shouldn't fall into outsiders' hands.

Father, once you settle everything,

you should move out as soon as possible.

Mother.

My dear mother!

How could you be so cruel

to your own son?

Father!

Heting.

Father!

Stop beating him.

-Father! -Stop!

Stop it.

Uncle Heting is still her flesh and blood.

Grandmother

is truly ruthless.

Twenty lashes with that iron whip

will tear his skin to shreds.

The Rong family fortune

cannot be destroyed by vermin.

Grandmother is being stern

only to

give the family an explanation.

But it puts you in a difficult position, Shanbao.

If Father weren't Grandmother's own son,

he wouldn't face such severe family punishment.

If he weren't the father of the next family head,

I wouldn't need to handle this personally.

So many eyes

are watching how I deal with this.

It would be easy to pardon him alone.

But for the sake of family sentiment,

to disregard the entire family's interests

and the tea farmers' livelihoods...

In the future,

how could I face our family members

or maintain authority?

Family matters are not the difficult part.

The real trouble lies ahead.

The tea sold by the fake Rongzhai

was all sold

under our family's name.

Lady Shanbao.

Our servants just

questioned the manager of the fake Rongzhai.

According to him,

not only in the capital

but new shops have opened in nearby counties too.

Just the ones he knows of

number no less than 12.

The managers in the capital all knew,

but due to the Old Master's position,

no one dared send word to Linji.

Uncle Heting is truly reckless,

not even consulting with Grandmother

and causing such a disaster.

So many shops,

and who knows how much tea they've sold.

He can gather inferior and aged tea easily,

but our family's tea shops

produce a limited amount

of tea each year.

Moreover, this year's torrential rains and hail

have ruined countless tea crops.

Outsiders don't know the truth,

but this debt

will all be charged to the Rong family.

This will truly

destroy our family's livelihood.

We must compensate where we can and make amends.

Money is trivial, reputation is everything.

If we can't make full compensation this year,

we'll continue next year.

Yunshu,

go to the Zhuang, Xu

and Zhao family tea shops again.

Ask them to arrange

5,000 jin of top-grade tea leaves

for our emergency needs.

Xiu Qiong, go investigate again

who my father...

No.

Investigate who Madam Liu has been associating with these past 6 months.

Yes.

You suspect...

With their courage and ambition,

how dare they open so many new shops?

He doesn't have

that much capital.

There must be someone

scheming behind the scenes.

I'd like to see

exactly who

dares to plot against the Rong family.

Report!

Lady Shanbao,

servants from Duke of Yongguo's Mansion have delivered a visiting card.

Mrs. Xue has come to pay a visit.

[Rong Residence]

Having such an inconsiderate birth father,

if it were anyone else,

they would have fallen apart long ago.

Fortunately she cut through the mess decisively.

If it had continued for

ten days or half a month more,

it would have become unmanageable,

and Grandmother would have been angry.

What are you thinking about?

Since ancient times, officials have their ways

and merchants have theirs.

The Rong family is wealthy.

Ordinary impoverished nobles who want to associate with us

aren't even worth Grandmother's attention.

But Duke of Yongguo's Mansion holds real power,

and the old Duke has illustrious military achievements

with great influence at court.

Mrs. Xue personally came to visit Shanbao.

I fear they

must have ulterior motives for condescending to associate with us.

The sun is warm today

and there's no wind or dust.

Why wear this troublesome thing?

The customs here differ from the south.

In the capital, women from wealthy families

rarely show their faces in public

or go out for business,

especially

unmarried young ladies.

Even if they just visit temples

twice a month to offer incense,

they will be gossiped about

and criticized for being unruly women.

To make things easier,

we must follow local customs

and bear with it.

Wild bees insist on chasing winter plums,

not fearing their wings might freeze.

Lady Xiangling!

Bad luck! Let's go quickly.

Are you Lady Xiangling?

I have an urgent matter and need to see Lady Rong Shanbao.

Mr. Lang, you truly have

keen ears and eyes.

We've only been in the capital for a few days,

yet you already know everything.

Unfortunately,

Lady Shanbao is entertaining important guests.

I'm afraid she won't be available today.

My apologies for the poor reception.

Please come back another day.

I'm looking for Lady Shanbao to save a life!

Whose life?

My Lord.

[Xie Huiqing, Mrs. Xue]

The Rong family and the Duke of Yongguo's Mansion

have never associated with each other.

Mrs. Xue, I wonder why you

have suddenly honored us with her presence.

Lady Shanbao, there's no need to be so modest.

The Rong Mansion dominates the South,

with a formidable reputation.

Even a provincial Governor,

when arriving in Jiangnan,

must first pay respects to Old Madam Rong.

With such prestige

and benevolence,

you're deeply respected by the local people.

Not just among Jiangnan clans,

but even among the noble families in the capital,

many cannot compare.

I apologize for my intrusion

with this visit today.

Please forgive me, Miss Rong.

I see you're straightforward

and not concerned with trivial matters.

So I'll speak frankly.

The reason for my visit

is about my brother.

You mean...

Lu Jianglai.

No.

His true surname is Xue.

What are you saying?

Lu Jianglai is Duke of Yongguo's biological son?

Yes.

That day, an imperial edict arrived

summoning my lord to report to the capital immediately.

As soon as he left the palace,

he was immediately

invited to Duke of Yongguo's Mansion.

I waited at the post house for days

but there was no sign of him.

I boldly went to inquire

but was turned away at the door.

If Jun Dai hadn't been clever enough

to send a message out,

I would still be in the dark about what happened.

How dare they

detain an imperial official!

Two years ago, the Duke's heir unfortunately fell from his horse

and became disabled.

The old Duke has been ill with grief ever since.

The Emperor has sent medicine 3 times

and dispatched imperial physicians,

showing the Duke enjoys imperial favor.

Now he's using filial piety

to force my lord to return to his ancestral family.

I fear some nobles in the palace

are willing to facilitate this.

After all, that secret imperial edict

came at a suspiciously convenient time.

If he must return to his family, so be it.

It's wealth and honor falling from the sky.

Why are you so anxious?

For others, it would be a blessing,

but for my lord, it's a bitter hatred.

I fear he would rather die

than acknowledge his ancestry.

They say there's no marriage without grievances,

no father-son relationship without enmity.

The past grudges and entanglements

are not for me, a younger generation, to discuss.

But blood ties are hard to sever.

How can he refuse to acknowledge his father

and his family forever?

Our dynasty rules through filial piety.

If the Duke

is determined enough

to accuse him of defying his father

and disrespecting filial duty,

he can forget about his official position.

Even if he becomes a common peddler,

he'll still be despised.

What face would he have left in this world?

Alas, I've said all the nice words I could,

but he's completely stubborn,

refusing to acknowledge the Duke,

causing chaos in our household.

I've shamelessly come today to ask for help,

hoping that you

might persuade him.

Mrs. Xue, your words are strange.

This is your family's business.

Why come to my door for help?

Miss Rong, there's no need to pretend.

I'm afraid Secretary Lang

has already come to seek your help.

He didn't go to anyone else,

but specifically came to your chambers.

Surely your relationship

with Lord Lu

is obvious without asking.

The Duke has eyes and ears everywhere,

and has already investigated my family's situation.

Then you should also know

my engagement with Lord Lu is broken.

We have no further ties.

There is no connection between us.

Which ancestors he acknowledges,

which family temple he worships at,

are all his own affairs.

Mrs. Xue, you've come to the wrong person.

I've just arrived in the capital and am busy with many matters,

so I cannot entertain guests.

Please see yourself out, Mrs. Xue.

I apologize for not seeing you to the door.

This engagement isn't something you can just break off.

The Duke considers you his daughter-in-law,

so you are the Duke's daughter-in-law.

There's no escaping it.

Your father this year

owes 30,000 jin of tea debt,

which must be giving you quite a headache.

The Duke's Mansion is willing to intervene.

With the Duke's influence,

all problems

can be easily resolved.

I haven't figured out

my family's accounts out myself,

yet you seem to know them perfectly.

So it seems

you're trying to force my hand.

I apologize for being abrupt.

These words come from me alone.

They are now in your keeping.

How to decide

is up to you.

How can others influence you?

You're busy with important matters.

No need to see me out.

The Duke is at home,

awaiting your favorable reply.

This is outrageous!

I wondered how

this trouble came about so suddenly.

It's all their family's scheming.

The old Duke uses both carrot and stick,

but still failed.

Knowing Lord Lu

is strong-willed and difficult to manipulate,

and can't be forced.

So he resorts to this scheme,

trapping the Rong family,

which means he's got hold of

Lord Lu's weakness.

To avoid involving you, Lady Shanbao,

Lord Lu will have no choice but to submit.

In others' eyes,

am I really that important

to your lord?

You're certainly someone very dear to his heart.

All because of Lu Jianglai's involvement.

Who did our family offend? Who did we provoke?

You shouldn't put it that way.

They've woven their net and set their trap.

If you hadn't taken the bait,

this disaster wouldn't have happened.

If you must blame someone,

blame Mrs. Rong's endless greed

and Master Rong allowing his wife to amass wealth.

After all, you can't clap

with just one hand.

You're still going on?

Shanbao, you absolutely cannot go.

That family has ill intentions.

Their methods are ruthless.

They're not to be trifled with.

You must not go under any circumstances.

I must go.

To settle this matter,

we'd have to run around exhausting ourselves

and owe many favors.

The tea we borrowed this year

will have to be repaid next year.

Whoever tied the knot must untie it.

They've come to us voluntarily,

offering to solve our troubles.

And what's wrong with that?

It's nothing more than

wanting me to act as a mediator.

Lady Shanbao, I fear they don't want a mediator,

they want to hold you as a hostage.

Old Duke is a battle-hardened veteran,

ruthless in his actions,

who tolerates no disobedience.

He wants to use this matter to control the Rong family.

Once he takes you captive,

Lord Lu will have no choice but to comply.

Hostage?

They've schemed so much to invite me there.

Whether it brings fortune or misfortune

depends on their own fate.

[Imperial Yongguo Mansion]

He threw things again?

Master Jianglai.

A father and son reuniting is

only natural and proper.

The Duke is earnestly keeping you as a guest.

Even the Empress Dowager

has given her approval.

If you have any grievances,

take them out on us servants.

Beat us or scold us as you wish.

Don't keep your anger

bottled up inside.

Making yourself sick with anger

isn't worth it.

Master Jianglai.

It's not that I refuse to open the door for you.

Last time when you ran away,

the Duke sent

so many officers and guards,

and they barely managed to find you.

I ended up receiving forty...

Forty lashes.

I haven't fully recovered yet.

Please, stop making trouble.

The Duke said

since you're fond of

the eldest young lady from Rong Mansion in Linji,

he's gone to invite her here for you.

Mrs. Xue has already gone to invite her.

She'll arrive by noon.

She'll come to keep you company,

and you'll surely feel better then.

Get in here now!

Master Jianglai, what are your orders?

Didn't you say an honored guest is coming?

How can I receive visitors looking like this?

Yes, yes.

Quickly help Master Jianglai wash up.

So he can welcome the honored guests.

[Rong Residence]

Are you really going?

I've been to deserts and seas,

faced sandstorms and huge waves.

Why would I fear the Duke's Mansion?

Of course I'm going.

Shanbao, don't underestimate them.

Lord Lu may thrive in official circles

like a fish in water,

turning danger into safety,

but at the Duke of Yong's mansion

he can hardly make a move,

all because of filial piety

weighing him down.

If you're going...

What?

You're afraid I'll be dragged down too?

Shanbao, please don't joke.

The customs here

are very different from Linji.

Women are confined at home and restricted everywhere.

Especially in the inner quarters of noble houses.

I fear you won't be accustomed to it

and might fall victim to others' schemes.

We do not require you

to send an eight-bearer sedan chair to receive our lady.

When Lady Shanbao goes out,

our household provides our own carriage.

Why do you send

a cramped little sedan chair to humiliate us?

Look at this yourself.

The door is so narrow.

One must enter sideways.

It's so low you'd hit your head the moment you step in.

And once inside, you'd have to sit all hunched up.

Fine, even if you fit in,

can you sit up straight?

What kind of thing is this?

A prestigious Duke's Mansion

can't even send

a decent sedan chair?

Is this not deliberately insulting?

Madam Shanbao, please don't be upset.

Nonsense! She's no Madam Shanbao!

She is our eldest young lady.

Lady Rong Shanbao

and our Second Young Master

almost completed their wedding ceremony.

Everyone in Linji knows this.

Then you two

are rightfully

an engaged couple.

If we were in Linji,

our Second Young Master

would marry into the Rong family

and follow the Rong family's customs.

But now that we're in the capital,

we must

follow our Second Young Master's status

and address you as Madam Shanbao.

It is our family tradition

to welcome the bride in a small sedan chair.

Any woman who becomes another family's daughter-in-law

must first learn to endure,

to yield, to bear hardship.

Only then can she show her gentle virtue

and refined upbringing.

This sedan chair

was used by Mrs. Xue

in the past.

Though the door looks narrow,

the inside

is quite spacious and comfortable.

Madam Shanbao, please get in the sedan chair.

Shanbao, I wasn't exaggerating.

You've seen it yourself.

Madam Shanbao.

Madam Shanbao, you mustn't!

If you go like this...

-And when others see it... -Madam Shanbao.

They'll surely gossip about it.

Madam Shanbao!

Don't block the way.

You...

Depart.

You...

Madam Shanbao!

Madam Shanbao!

Go, hurry up and follow.

Ma'am, you must be joking.

We only have these legs.

How can we keep up with

that magnificent steed?

If you want to catch up,

you'd better go by yourself.

Return to the mansion.

-Close the door. -You...

You are extremely rude!

Madam, a servant reported

that Miss Rong from Linji

was too proud of her status

and refused to ride in the sedan chair we sent.

She prepared her own lavish carriage to visit.

[Ms. Chang, Duchess of Yongguo]

Wanniang.

Yes, Mother.

You were entrusted by the Old Master

to personally visit this young lady.

In your opinion,

what kind of person is she?

Mother,

I only met Miss Rong briefly,

so I don't yet know her character.

From her appearance,

she seems noble and dignified,

a graceful and beautiful lady.

Is that so?

In this world,

how could there be

a daughter who would banish her father from the clan?

Even if her father committed a grave mistake

and disobeyed her grandmother's orders,

as a daughter,

she should kneel and beg again and again.

Even if it meant not eating or drinking,

starving to death,

she should have sought her grandmother's forgiveness.

But look at her!

From so far away,

she sent a horrible order

to expel his father from the clan.

And she can remain completely unmoved.

One can imagine

how cold-hearted she must be.

I sent a small sedan chair to receive her

precisely to

test her temperament.

If she were respectful and gentle,

a lady who follows proper etiquette,

she would be like you,

arriving in the sedan chair.

But she deliberately changed to her own carriage,

which was enough to prove

her defiant nature—

a fierce, untamable woman.

I've heard

that in the Rong family from Linji,

the women behave wantonly,

disregarding proper etiquette,

spending their days among men,

speaking and acting without restraint.

Such a woman

would bring misfortune to any family.

The Old Master shouldn't have brought her into our home.

Mother, you're right.

His Highness acted

to persuade Jianglai to return home.

Mother, please be patient a little longer.

Don't bother with her.

A virtuous wife keeps her husband from trouble.

Seductive women without virtue

are nothing but trouble.

I certainly hope

the Old Master gets his way this time.

I don't want this woman

to bring any misfortune into our household.

Wanniang.

You'd better go welcome her yourself.

Don't let her cause any trouble.

Yes.

Beyond the small willow grove

stands Xianyi Pavilion,

bearing an inscription personally bestowed by His Majesty.

The Duke once

beat His Majesty at chess here.

The Lansha Hall to the east

was where the Duke

studied in his youth.

On the rockery in the southwest corner

stands the Buyi Pavilion.

You can view maple leaves in autumn and snow in winter.

The scenery is magnificent.

Past this corner gate

is the inner residence.

Madam Chang is very strict about rules.

I'm afraid...

You don't need to follow us any further.

Lady Shanbao, your status is exalted.

Old Madam repeatedly instructed

and ordered me

to never leave your side

and ensure your safety.

Even if you order otherwise,

I dare not comply.

The kindness of elders

must never be refused.

I can't ask them to leave either.

Mrs. Xue, please have someone guide them

to the outer courtyard for temporary accommodation.

The capital is different from our home.

You must behave yourselves.

Don't wander around without reason,

and never disturb the host family.

Yes.

Please follow me to meet the Duke.

He's still breathing,

yet she brings his enemy into the house.

Just to appear as a virtuous wife,

while pushing her husband toward death.

What a black-hearted, shameless woman!

The most virtuous woman in the world?

Bah!

[Xue Yingchuan, Princess Jinxiang]

Please.

In my army, during battle,

killing one enemy exempts a family from labor service.

Whoever takes an enemy officer's head

will be rewarded with land and a mansion.

Military discipline has always been strict,

[Loyalty and Filial Piety Endure]

and rewards and punishments just.

The same applies in my household.

Serve diligently,

and you'll be generously rewarded.

Anyone who dares to be negligent

will be punished a hundredfold.

A perfectly good tea tree,

and seven or eight of you can't keep it healthy.

What use are you then?

Mercy, Your Highness!

Spare us, Your Highness!

I truly don't know

what disease the tea tree has.

I've never seen this disease before.

Mercy, Your Highness!

Stop.

Don't be afraid, Miss Rong.

His Highness has been rather short-tempered lately.

When servants make small mistakes,

he flies into a rage.

If you could persuade

Master Jianglai to change his mind,

all these problems

would turn from misfortune to fortune.

That would be their blessing.

Go inform the Duke

that Miss Rong has arrived.

Yes.

Your Highness.

Let me examine

what disease the tea tree has.

Wanniang, please explain to her.

Yes.

Miss Rong.

These tea trees are extremely significant.

They once saved His Highness's life.

Previously,

when His Highness was fighting in the southwest border,

it was a remote area

with harsh conditions.

Once,

His Highness led 2,000 light cavalry

pursuing enemy forces

when they accidentally entered a misty forest.

Fog was everywhere,

making it impossible to find direction.

For 7 days and nights,

they couldn't find clean water

and nearly perished there.

Fortunately, His Highness

found more than 10 wild tea trees.

By chewing tea leaves,

they found a chance for survival.

Finally, they found a way out of the mountains

and returned safely.

Later, His Highness

brought back 6 tea trees.

They were fine for the first 2 years.

But since last year,

the tea trees began to wither and die.

Many tea masters were consulted,

but none could save them.

Near the tea trees,

are there roses planted?

Answer quickly.

Yes.

There are about 10 rose bushes nearby.

They were all

planted by Madam Chang herself back then.

Speaking of those roses,

they bloom rather poorly.

Two have already died.

Black whiteflies parasitize the back of leaves

and easily cause various tea diseases.

Over time,

just like this tea tree,

not only do leaves yellow and fall off,

but branches also wither.

From a single rose, the disease can spread through the tea grove,

leaving large numbers of tea plants dead.

To prevent the disease from spreading,

the best solution is to uproot them completely

and burn them.

Can you cure them?

Yes, I can.

Good.

Then stay here

and treat my tea trees.

Please give me an axe.

Yes.

Your Highness,

you care so much about these tea trees,

but do you know why they're sick?

You just told us.

I'm not deaf.

This disease isn't difficult to treat.

Experienced tea farmers

know how to pick leaves and prepare medicine.

But once the roots are damaged,

treatment can only help temporarily.

It will eventually wither and die.

That's why the tea farmers you've hired

can't fix the problem

and don't dare tell you the truth.

Your Highness claims to care for these tea trees,

but it's all about your own whims.

You grow tea trees

without considering what each variety needs,

doing only what pleases you.

Tea trees grow naturally on hills and mountains.

Their roots need to grow deep

in warm, moist, sandy loam

to thrive.

You've trapped these tea trees

in small containers,

using heavy clay soil,

placing them in sunny spots sheltered from wind.

If the tea tree doesn't die today,

it will surely die tomorrow.

Are you showing gratitude

or seeking revenge?

How dare you!

Are you talking about tea

or people?

Your suspicion is correct.

I'm talking about Lu Jianglai.

Miss Rong,

you shouldn't be

so disrespectful before His Highness.

Your Highness has fought valiantly on battlefields,

achieved remarkable merits,

earning respect from everyone inside and outside the court.

Who would dare offend your dignity?

However, the Rong family also has its principles.

Respect others, and you'll be respected in return.

If you show me respect,

I'll return it tenfold.

But if someone takes advantage,

tries to intimidate,

or bullies others with their power,

then don't blame me for fighting back

and refusing to yield an inch.

What do you dare to do?

Your Highness keeps forcing

Lu Jianglai to submit,

using both threats and bribes,

trying every possible method.

Haven't you considered that

when his fortunes wither

and his mind is consumed by demons of his own making,

his pride broken and will crushed,

will he still be

the son you truly want?

I fear by then,

whatever bond you share will be no different from this tree...

Dying a slow death.

That won't happen.

You have a natural gift for tea.

As long as you're here,

it won't wither and die.

You act very much like your grandmother did

when she was young.

I can't remember which year it was.

When supplies were most scarce at the front,

your grandmother led a merchant convoy,

risking great danger

to deliver

200,000 shi of military provisions to me.

Even to this day,

I haven't forgotten this kindness.

I had wanted to keep

the horses and carts that transported the provisions.

But then she...

Look here.

She cut a big gash on me.

So many years have passed.

It became a deep scar.

She said her carts were heading north.

The tea stock from that year hasn't been cleared yet.

You tell me.

A woman so fierce and fearless,

daring in thought and deed,

is one I have seen only once in a lifetime.

Thankfully she's not my wife,

or I'd be driven mad with frustration.

Her granddaughter is also quite courageous.

My son is lucky

to find a wife

like you.

Your Highness.

Master Jianglai is still waiting to see her.

Go on. Try to persuade him.

If you can't convince him,

he'll never

be allowed to come out again.

Yes.

Open the door!

Didn't you say she had arrived?

Why isn't the door open yet?

Where is she?

Open the door for me!

Hurry!

Master Jianglai.

♪ Get caught in a heavy, wild snowfall ♪

Bao.

♪ Watch magpies fluttering past my eyes ♪

♪ It's tormenting itself all alone ♪

Master Jianglai!

Jianglai!

♪ Unable to find any peers for a get-together ♪

Quick, help me take him inside.

♪ Wait for a perfectly full moon ♪

Yes.

♪ Yet every slice of it seems incomplete ♪

♪ Is it because my prayers are too presumptuous? ♪

♪ Or do I lack a bit of the sacrificial blood? ♪

♪ The biting cold wind makes me stumble as I run ♪

♪ Laughing innocently, I find my spirit broken ♪

♪ Just like this, I'm drunk in a spring night ♪

♪ Just like this, I'm lost in enduring hardships ♪

♪ Intertwined with you ♪

♪ No longer fret over who loves more ♪

♪ Gradually rid myself of the snakes and scorpions in my heart ♪

♪ Drink a cup filled with bold passion ♪

♪ Sing a line about lovebirds and butterflies ♪

♪ Put an end to all karmic ties and sins ♪

So pitiful.

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere.

Bao.

Bao.

Bao.

Don't move around.

Bao, leave.

Leave quickly.

Then let go of me,

and I'll leave immediately.

Sit still.

Here.

I heard you haven't had

any food or water for 7 days.

Are you trying to die of thirst and hunger?

Drink this water first.

Bao, don't go.

You must not leave.

[Tibetan butter tea]

[What to Drink for Afternoon Tea in the Depths of Winter?]

Tibetan butter tea

is a traditional Tibetan beverage

originated in China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

with a history of over a thousand years.

People in highland regions

need high-calorie foods

to resist the cold.

But vegetables are scarce there.

Tea drinking not only aids digestion

but also maintains the body's acid-base balance.

It compensates for

deficiencies in the dietary structure.

In Tibetan areas, tea is typically made by mixing tea leaves,

brick tea or Pu'er tea,

with butter extracted from yak milk

and salt,

adding sesame seeds, walnuts

and other ingredients.

It's repeatedly churned in a Duomu pot

to create a nutritious,

high-calorie Tibetan butter tea.

Tibetan butter tea

is a product of Han-Tibetan cultural integration.

And it is an essential part

of China's diverse

tea culture.

It embodies the Chinese nation's

inclusive and diverse tea culture.