Original subtitles

[Glory]

[Episode 33]

Father, in all my years

I have never

suffered such humiliation.

After all, I am

your daughter, Father.

I was personally

ennobled as Princess Jinxiang by the Emperor.

She's merely a merchant's daughter,

yet she dares to be so arrogant.

You've made

tremendous contributions to the court.

You are the Emperor's most trusted minister.

If your son wanted a wife,

any imperial princess or daughter of the great houses

would have been his for the choosing.

But instead,

he rejected them all

and chose this demoness.

He nearly struck his own cousin.

If you won't stand up for me,

is it because you fear

that imperial jade seal

or that insolent woman?

Enough!

Father, you no longer care for me.

You allow outsiders to bully me,

and you will not even stand up for me.

I was widowed at the age of seventeen.

Once,

Father, you cared for me.

But now,

even you no longer show me any affection.

Then what's the point

of my living?

I might as well die.

I know you have been wronged.

You're quite fond of my

ruby-inlaid saber set, aren't you?

I'll give it to you.

I don't want it.

Stop this nonsense!

I know everything about

what happened at Hanyu Courtyard today.

It was your insolent words

that provoked her

to bring out the imperial jade seal.

You brought this humiliation upon yourself.

Do you understand?

Founding Emperor's decree

cannot be defied even by

the present Emperor.

She spared your life

out of respect for me.

Yingchuan, remember this.

This piece must be held firmly in your grasp.

Whether it bends or stands straight,

resists or submits,

so long as it serves its purpose.

Keep her under control,

and Jianglai will eventually submit.

I warn you.

Don't ruin my plans.

Otherwise, even though you are my daughter,

I will not spare you.

Father.

Would it not invite ridicule

to bring such an unfilial

and unvirtuous woman into our family?

It's just women's

petty squabbles.

How significant could it be?

Once she marries Jianglai,

the jade seal will belong to Jianglai's family.

Whose rules she will follow

will become clear with time.

How could a mere fragile woman

possibly stand against

the ways of this world?

So naive.

Father.

Are you truly going to grant the title to…?

I'm only

worried about Mother's health.

She hasn't been well lately.

After being angered by that woman,

she couldn't even get out of bed.

Is that so?

She's ill again?

[Baoshi Hall]

Come, follow me to Fuping Pavilion.

[Fuping Pavilion]

Master Shuyu.

His Highness has spoken.

The Xue family has few descendants.

You two are his only sons.

As brothers,

you should stand united

and support each other,

and together

uphold the family honor.

I don't understand.

Father's words

have left me confused.

What have I done wrong

that he would punish me by making me kneel facing north?

Please enlighten me, Steward Xue.

His Highness is firmly resolved

to have Master Jianglai formally reinstated into the family.

Yet you are unwilling and have obstructed it at every turn,

attempting to drive Miss Rong away

and expel Master Jianglai.

That would

only be possible

if the impossible were to happen.

The Duke's mind is made up.

Once he's decided on something,

it cannot be changed.

If you insist on stirring up

discord between you two in front of him,

how could he possibly spare you?

My ailment is in my legs.

I can barely walk

and am ashamed to be seen.

Let alone visiting Mother at Hanyu Courtyard,

I rarely even step outside

this Fuping Pavilion.

Mother has always valued rules above all.

She took it upon herself to discipline Miss Rong

for her temperament and conduct.

What does that have to do with me?

You don't often visit the Hanyu Courtyard,

but Princess Jinxiang

comes to

the Fuping Pavilion frequently.

Father cherishes his precious daughter,

yet the consequences

of Xue Yingchuan's pride and arrogance

must be borne by me as well.

Does Father truly believe

that I incited her to cause trouble,

or that I could presume

to control Mother's words and deeds?

He surely holds me

in far too high regard.

Disorder in the household

often breeds misfortune.

Master Shuyu.

His Highness has instructed you

to kneel here until cockcrow.

Please stop complaining

and save your strength.

Master Shuyu is already injured

and shouldn't kneel for long.

Might it be possible…

Get lost!

With Master Shuyu punished in this way,

I do not know how many

in the household will end up suffering.

Master Shuyu!

Master Shuyu.

Brother.

How did you know it was me?

I heard your footsteps.

You're lying.

When I came in,

you were lost in thought.

Weren't you going to visit Master Shuyu?

Why have you come back looking so glum?

You are brothers,

bound by blood,

yet he did not embrace you in tears

nor pour out his heart to you.

Instead, he treated you like a guest,

distant and polite.

The Duke's heir you met

is quite different from

the refined brother

you had imagined,

isn't he?

I...

I laugh at you for seeing so little

of what's before you.

Master Shuyu, burdened by his leg ailment, avoids society

and rarely appears before others.

But the Duke is getting old,

and his estate cannot be left without an heir.

So he spares no effort

in forcing you to return to the family.

But if you truly acknowledge him as your father,

Master Shuyu will fall from favor, and then lose his title.

Left in such an awkward position,

how is he supposed to

face you, his own brother?

Don't tell me

you're not here to compete for the title.

That's not up to you.

Rong Shanbao.

What brings you here?

I told you already.

Don't try to fool me with those words.

If you intended to strike back at the Duke's household,

there were other ways.

But you came in person,

patiently dealing with people,

listening to their nonsensical chatter.

Where do you find

such leisure and patience?

What is it you truly came for?

The trivial matters in the capital

are all handled by Yunshu and Yunling.

They are excellent assistants.

So I don't need to oversee everything personally.

With this rare moment of leisure,

I came specifically

to see you, Lord Lu, tossing and turning,

your heart in torment,

torn between choices, hesitant and indecisive.

And to see you struggling between family ties

and wealth and power,

torn between

choosing your full brother

or that exalted seat of authority.

After all, with a single nod,

purple robes and jade belts will be yours,

and you will rise to high rank.

You will no longer need to struggle

or scheme endlessly,

entangled with those

contemptible figures of the world.

You can fully display your talents

in your official career,

and your name will be recorded in history.

It will repay the long years

of suffering endured by your mother,

the humiliations you suffered

because of your humble birth,

and all the lofty ambitions

you have long harbored.

Who is it?

My Lady, it's me.

Come in.

My Lady.

Just now, I went out

and heard from the servants

that the lady of Hanyu Courtyard has fallen ill.

We've only been talking for a while

and she's already sick?

She's trying to blame you

and deliberately smear your reputation.

Just ignore it.

I don't mingle much

among the ladies of the capital.

My own reputation matters little.

However, the Duchess

is still my elder after all.

If she is indeed ill because of me,

I ought to go and pay my respects,

so as not to damage your reputation

as the Second Young Master of the Duke's household,

cause others to accuse you of disrespecting elders,

or ruin your bright future.

My Lady.

What's the matter?

You seem different

from how you are at home.

your words and actions

are hard to fathom.

I've noticed that

even Lord Lu appears confused

and unsure how to respond.

Just now,

he stood outside the door for a long time,

watching you leave.

His expression was quite forlorn.

I don't have any ill intentions.

I came only

on account of my own concerns.

My Lady, are your concerns

related to Lord Lu?

Once he inherits the title

and resumes his position

as the Duke's heir,

my concerns will be settled,

and I will be able to return

to Linji without any lingering worries.

My Lady, don't you

want to be with Lord Lu anymore?

The Lu Jianglai who once strove tirelessly

and harbored great ambitions

was never meant to be with me.

The Duke's heir of Yongguo's household

and the heir of the Rong family

were never meant to walk the same path.

Go find Cheng Guanyu

and tell him to get

the box of ginseng from the carriage.

Yes.

Have you decided

what to carve on the bisque

for the kiln opening?

I'll have to give it some thought.

Once it's carved,

the clay can't be reshaped.

So secretive.

Perhaps only by saying nothing

can I stay by her side for a lifetime.

That might be for the best.

[Imperial Yongguo Mansion]

Madam Chang suffers from diabetes

and cannot endure the slightest agitation.

And now you're forcing a sick woman to move.

Where do you expect us to go?

Steward Xue.

How can there be

such unreasonable behavior in this world?

Madam Zheng, please don't misunderstand me.

My Lady, something's wrong over there.

His Highness has said

that Hanyu Courtyard lies too close to Baoshi Hall.

The late Duke spent his life on the battlefield,

burdened with too much bloodshed.

Madam Chang may have been affected by it,

which is why her illness has lingered.

Asking Madam Chang to move to Yunzhen Hall

is also for the sake

of her health.

You scoundrel,

telling such blatant lies.

Yunzhen Hall is secluded

and sits right beside the servants' quarters.

It has always been noisy and unruly.

You...

Madam Zheng.

Steward Xue.

Madam Chang has just taken her medicine and lain down to rest.

Waking her up now

is not what we servants should do.

Please, Steward Xue, show some mercy

and go back to report to the Duke first.

Once Madam awakens,

we will certainly inform her.

We servants only follow orders.

His Highness commanded that the move be made at around one-fifteen,

and we dare not delay for even a moment.

After all, the Duke's orders are as firm as mountains.

No matter how much you care for Madam,

you wouldn't have me beaten, would you?

You can't go!

Steward Xue!

You can't go! You can't!

Don't go in there!

Steward Xue! Steward Xue!

You cannot go in there!

You cannot go in there!

Madam.

Why are you out here?

I am here on the Duke's orders.

He sent you to force me to relocate?

His Highness

is concerned about your health, Madam.

He said that

the ancients taught that even in great thirst or hunger,

excess must be avoided.

Madam Chang, your illness

is the result of immoderation.

Excess leads to indigestion,

disrupting the balance of blood and vital energy.

Yunzhen Hall is quiet and secluded,

making it ideal for convalescence.

From now on, a simple diet of rice congee and vegetables,

and handling everything personally

will help restore your health.

You cannot go there.

I'm just a guest here,

so I shouldn't interfere.

But you can.

Madam Chang is extremely proud.

She would never allow her juniors

to see her in such a miserable state.

As her daughter-in-law,

I cannot damage her dignity even more.

The mistress of this noble household

is being forced by servants

to relocate while ill.

Yet she still clings to her dignity.

What sense does that make?

Madam Chang comes from a prestigious scholarly family.

Her grandfather was once the Grand Tutor.

Steward Xue wouldn't dare offend her too much.

When has he ever

treated me so well?

Or is he afraid

I might die here in the courtyard

and bring him bad luck,

shortening his lifespan?

I wouldn't dare trouble you, Madam.

I'll help you move.

Who gave you permission to stand here grinning,

talking out of turn

and showing no respect?

Do you have no manners at all?

Every generation's mistress of the Xue household

has lived in this courtyard.

I was also married into the Xue family

with full propriety.

If Xue Maotang

wants me to move elsewhere,

let him come and tell me himself.

You servants have no right

to give orders here.

Madam Chang.

Get lost!

You heartless, treacherous wretch.

Get out now!

You whisper slanders into your master's ear every day.

Heaven's thunder will strike you dead eventually!

Madam Chang.

Madam.

Please go rest.

I apologize for this scene.

After Madam Chang has freshened up,

you can visit her then.

You didn't do anything wrong,

so why apologize?

This red ginseng has fine striations and a brocaded surface,

is perfectly balanced in the five elements,

and full of vitality.

This is indeed a top-grade,

century-old wild ginseng.

Miss Rong.

You're very thoughtful.

Madam, you're my elder and very magnanimous.

I hope you won't mind my earlier discourtesy.

Mother!

Madam Chang!

Madam.

Mother.

You're awake.

Are you feeling better?

The doctor will be here soon.

I don't want a doctor.

Make them all leave.

Out.

You all may leave now.

Madam Chang's agitation has stirred heart fire,

causing hot phlegm to rise

and her head to feel dizzy.

A thin slice of the blood ginseng

placed beneath the tongue

will clear heat and calm the heart.

Yes.

Mrs. Xue, I'll take my leave now.

Please rest and recover, Madam.

Getting angry will only harm your health.

Stand there.

If you have any requests, Madam,

please wait until you've recovered.

You should speak less now

to avoid depleting your energy.

Come here.

I don't need your help.

So you won't bring out your jade seal again.

Aren't you afraid

people will say you're using your power to bully others?

Madam.

Political tactics are for dealing with usurpers.

Knives are for dealing with bandits.

In business, harmony comes first.

My grandmother always says

that whatever method you use,

adapting to circumstances is the key to victory.

The Duke's household chose to rely on power first,

so I had no choice but to follow suit.

For any offense I've caused,

please don't take it to heart.

Old Madam Rong,

or rather, your grandmother,

I am indeed most curious to know

what manner of woman she is.

How could she raise

such an unruly granddaughter as you?

If you were born in the Chang family,

and dared to contradict your elders,

they would pull out your teeth,

so that you would be too ashamed to speak again.

Well,

I'm also proud to be born in the Rong family.

In our family,

daughters who are meek and fearful

would have been beaten harshly by Grandmother.

Madam Chang, you should rest well,

lest I speak out of turn again

and anger you further.

That would be my fault.

Mother, Miss Rong is right.

You should lie down for a while.

I haven't finished asking my questions.

Madam Chang, what exactly do you want to ask?

Has your grandmother

really never married?

She never married,

nor was she ever married off.

By your logic,

I have three grandfathers.

Miss Rong.

Don't ever say

such shocking words in front of Madam Chang.

Let her speak.

Divorces happen all the time.

But it's not something to be proud of.

This is the first time

I've heard someone speak so boldly about it.

With the wealth and status of our Rong family,

if Grandmother were truly

after young and handsome men,

it would be easy for her to have a few.

But she said that

what matters is mutual affection

and a harmonious marriage.

Even if you asked her to find another,

she would find it too troublesome.

Unfortunately, fate is unpredictable,

always leading her to the wrong people

and denying her happiness.

So she had no choice but to turn back

and find another suitable match.

In a lifetime,

to meet even one true lover

is fortune enough.

For those who indulge in pleasures

and passions,

having ten lovers is no excess.

Spring brings warmth and flowers bloom.

Winter comes and the rivers freeze.

Reunions and partings are inevitable.

It's best to let things take their course.

Madam, I'll take my leave now.

Wan.

Did you hear that?

I never imagined there could be

such a woman in this world.

The way she just spoke to me

was so different.

You all saw what just happened.

Living to this day,

I have to endure a little girl

pitying me.

How ridiculous.

Mother.

Miss Rong is broad-minded.

Though she doesn't always follow proper etiquette,

she is a kind-hearted person.

She's standing up for you

and won't spread this matter around.

Everyone was once young,

charming, and fair.

Yet my parents reproached me

for being too alluring and seductive.

So they shaved off my eyebrows

and bound my feet,

teaching me to be proper, obedient,

and cautious in speech and behavior.

But when I married into the Xue family,

he said that

in all my movements and expressions,

I followed the rules too rigidly.

I could not compare to his late wife,

who was beautiful, cheerful

and skilled in all the arts, from music and chess to calligraphy and painting.

He called me a block of stone,

a calculating mind.

He said

I did not know how to please him,

and was not romantic enough.

So after just ten days of marriage,

he never came to my room again.

And me?

All these years,

I've managed his household,

worked endlessly,

upheld his reputation,

and brought one concubine after another for him

over the course of twenty years.

My husband...

My husband

has been dead for twenty years.

Madam, you must be losing your mind!

You can't say

things like that in front of others.

What's there to hide anymore?

Mother.

Mother, please don't continue.

Don't let others hear it.

Well.

Your life is even harder than mine.

The Duke's household is prestigious,

wealthy and bustling.

But what do I have to do with their family bonds?

I...

I subsist on mere meals,

yet he refuses

to give me a courtyard

to live in.

Why should I

keep up appearances for him?

Why should I?

Mother, you're tired.

I'll come pay my respects again tomorrow.

Wan.

Your fate

is a little better than mine.

At least

you have a son

who can inherit the title.

Nanny.

I'm so tired.

Madam Chang.

I'm so tired.

[Fuping Pavilion]

-Please spare my life. Master Shuyu. -Please spare my life. Master Shuyu.

Please spare my life.

-Please spare my life. Master Shuyu. -Please spare my life. Master Shuyu.

Get out!

Get out now.

Yes.

I told you to get out!

Why are you mad at me?

It wasn't me who made father

punish you.

You're clearly the one stirring up trouble.

If you hadn't provoked Rong Shanbao,

why would Father have punished me?

Because you're disabled,

stripped of

your right to inherit the title,

everything bad in this house

is automatically blamed on you.

Why are you mad at me?

You should

blame your mother

for giving you a brother.

Even without the title,

I'm still the Duke's son,

the Eldest Young Master of this household.

You fool.

You don't know that

Lu Jianglai

has been locked in the Daiyan Tower by Father.

The longer he holds out,

the more danger you're in.

If Lu Jianglai agrees, that's fine.

But if he keeps refusing...

What happens

if he doesn't agree?

The emotional cannot achieve great deeds,

and the compassionate cannot command armies.

Father is ruthless and decisive,

strict beyond measure.

He spares no one

who disobeys his will.

If Lu Jianglai refuses,

it must be out of concern for your brotherly bond.

He does not wish to bear the blame

for usurping your title

while you are still alive.

But

can you

really live long enough?

No.

He won't do it.

He won't.

Is that really so?

Others might not know,

but you do.

Back then, it was you who reported

the secret affair between his favorite Madam Fang,

and the steward of the household.

Have you forgotten

that how Father

dealt with them?

That woman

was eventually

driven insane by fear.

Weren't you so scared that

you couldn't sleep for half a year?

Father then scolded you for being weak and incompetent,

unable to stand the slightest bloodshed,

nothing like his son at all.

But look at this now.

A proper son has come.

He is talented in all matters, resolute and brave.

I heard that

he handled

the affairs in Linji so well

that he earned the Emperor's favor.

My dear brother,

who is truly the Xue Shuyu?

It's him, isn't it?

If you don't get rid of him,

you'll be the one who suffers.

My dear brother.

I feel so sorry for you.

Then

what should I do?

This is nice.

How do I look?

Surely you're a refined gentleman,

handsome and elegant.

Then will you come

with me?

You brothers will surely wish

to talk long into the night.

There are things

best not said before others.

Yunyin has been much more obedient lately,

listening to Yunxi

and diligently studying tea-healing.

Next month, I plan

to send her out with the tea team.

Only by understanding the hard work of her elder sisters

will she become more sensible.

This is all thanks to you.

I'm very grateful.

It's all thanks to your guidance.

I wouldn't dare take the credit.

You keep telling me

that unending leniency among sisters

will only cause trouble

and create rifts.

And that perfect sisterly affection

is also impossible.

Bao, thank you for reminding me.

I've never tied

a scented sachet for any man before.

You're the first.

Wait for me tonight.

I have something important to tell you.

Be careful.

This piece

was left by Mother years ago.

Unfortunately, it's only half complete.

After Mother passed away,

no one played it anymore.

I felt it a great pity

and sought many people to complete the second half,

but none could do it satisfactorily.

Eventually I decided to compose it myself.

What do you think?

The piece you completed

is excellent.

The first half is full of spirit,

graceful and delicate.

The second half is technically sound,

but lacks the same inspiration.

My talent is limited.

I failed to inherit Mother's artistic gifts.

What I added is but a poor extension,

and is likely to invite ridicule.

She was extraordinarily talented.

At sixteen, her writings had already made her famous in the capital.

How many women of such talent

and beauty exist today?

I'm merely

using this piece

to express my

longing for her.

Mother?

Who exactly is your real mother?

That woman who nearly

drove your birth mother to death?

You've come all this way

and won't even take a single cup of wine.

What kind of sense does that make?

Drink this one,

and I'll pour you another.

Xun.

Come.

Come over here.

Come to me.

Your father is looking for you.

Just go.

Xun, come here.

This is your Uncle Jianglai.

Greet him.

Are you Xun?

Xun, say hello.

Call him Uncle Jianglai.

Xun, say hello.

It's his first time meeting you,

so he's a little shy.

Please don't mind, Jianglai.

It's fine.

Xun.

Here.

Take this and go play.

Go.

At such a young age,

Xun dares to embarrass his father in public.

You've raised such a

disobedient son.

As his mother, you are to blame.

Hurry and offer Jianglai a cup

to apologize.

What are you all standing there for?

Keep singing! Keep dancing!

Other wives serve their husbands

like subjects serving their lord,

respectful and obedient in everything.

But you?

When I'm enjoying family time with my brother,

you sulk, and deliberately

try to ruin my mood!

You've taught Xun to disrespect his elders,

and turned him into a timid, weak boy.

Are you deaf?

If Jianglai won't drink,

then just persuade him to!

Shuyu.

In front of others,

you should show respect to Huiqing.

How could you order her

to offer drinks in front of all these dancers?

That's not proper.

Huiqing, just forget about it.

No way!

Father always praises you for being virtuous,

yet I can't even get you

to offer a single cup of wine.

What kind of virtuous woman are you?

I'm not a virtuous woman,

and you're not a virtuous man either.

Perhaps I committed

too many sins in my past life

to be condemned

to marry into your miserable family!

What did you say?

Shuyu, what are you doing?

Everyone, leave.

Whoever dares to leak this matter

or gossip about it privately,

if even a word

reaches me,

I will show no mercy.

Yes.

Jianglai, you're quite impressive,

giving orders in my courtyard now.

Shuyu.

You're truly drunk.

Right.

I've had too much to drink

and misspoke.

Jianglai, don't take offense.

I've just recently come to the household.

But Huiqing comes from a noble family

and is gentle and virtuous.

She attends to you personally

with utmost care.

Everyone here respects her.

No matter how displeased you are,

you shouldn't embarrass her

in front of others.