Original subtitles

[Glory]

[Episode 35]

Yunshu is managing things quite well.

He's not back yet?

Yes.

Jun Dai just reported that

Mr. Lu was asked by Master Shuyu

to stay for dinner,

and you don't need to wait for him.

This Duke of Yongguo

is quite calculating indeed.

He's found a way

to control his son

so quickly.

My Lady, you mean...

First, luring with benefits,

then pressuring with authority.

When neither worked,

he appealed to emotions,

using me as a pawn to steady Jianglai,

and finally resorted to

fox-hunting tactics.

When the trap catches the young fox,

how can the mother fox

bear to escape alone?

If the mother doesn't work,

there's still the brother and nephew.

One of these baits will surely work.

Lu Jianglai,

you've been clever all your life,

yet you still fell for the old hunter's trap.

Pack the luggage.

I'll set off back to Linji

early tomorrow morning.

My Lady.

Cheers.

Let me toast you again.

I'm sorry for what I did.

That day when we talked,

I kept mentioning Madam Han.

I was just acting proud of my legitimate son status,

trying to gain a bit of face in front of you.

Legitimate son?

What kind of legitimate son am I?

What woman

could raise her husband's

son born by another woman

without any resentment

and treat him as her own?

True.

Clothing,

food,

shelter and travel—

she never mistreated me in any way.

She wouldn't allow anyone to look down on me.

But my wet nurses

never stayed longer than six months.

Loyal servants didn't last long either.

She couldn't bear to see me cry

and even less could she bear to see me smile.

Perhaps inside

she suffered more than I did.

As for Father,

before I was badly injured from falling off a horse,

he had high hopes for me.

He said I was his proudest son

and the future hope of the Xue family.

But once this leg was broken,

everything changed.

Nobody cares about me anymore.

This leg aches to the bone

whenever it rains or the wind blows.

Mother should have

taken me with her back then.

I'd have had my own mother

and brother.

I would have had a home.

Shuyu,

you do have a home.

As long as you treat your wife well from now on

and raise your children with care,

sooner or later

you will earn their forgiveness.

Don't wait until it's too late

to regret what you've done.

Shuyu.

Shuyu.

Take good care of him.

Yes.

Master Jianglai, you're drunk.

Watch your step.

Let's go.

Princess Jinxiang heard that Master Shuyu is ill

and ordered me to deliver

this calming medicinal soup,

insisting that Master Shuyu must take it.

Thanks for her concern.

Master Shuyu has already taken ginger soup

and is not seriously ill.

I'll report it after he sobers up from the wine.

This medicinal soup

can be kept warm on the stove.

After parting today,

may your worries fade,

troubles stay far,

joy be constant,

fortune and longevity increase,

Buddha bless you for good health,

and a good match be found soon.

[To Mr. Lu]

What are you doing?

Let me see what you're hiding.

Bao,

what do you mean by this?

Legend has it

when Sima Xiangru parted from Zhuo Wenjun,

he wrote down

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,

hundred, thousand, ten thousand and so on,

without "yi" (hundred million) meaning without love.

I thought it over

and couldn't write a proper farewell note.

So I left the letter blank,

only returning

what you once gave me.

Isn't the intention clear enough?

-You... -My Lord!

My lord!

Master Shuyu...

Master Shuyu...

is dead.

Jianglai!

Lady Shanbao,

the carriage is waiting outside.

Send someone to deliver a message to Yunshu,

asking her to come immediately.

Just in case,

gather all the reliable people

we have in the capital.

Lady Shanbao,

the boats at the dock are ready.

Old Madam is still in Linji,

eagerly awaiting

-your return. -Go ahead.

Yes.

Your Highness, it was him.

Last night, Master Jianglai

was drinking and talking with Master Shuyu.

I don't know what they discussed.

After Master Shuyu went to sleep,

Master Jianglai left.

The next morning,

Master Shuyu was still in bed.

I thought he hadn't sobered up from the wine,

but when I tried to wake him,

his body was already stiff.

Your Highness, if you want to interrogate someone,

please question Master Jianglai.

Jianglai,

what did you and Master Shuyu talk about?

How could he end up like this?

Last night...

Last night we talked about

our childhood memories.

Shuyu drank too much,

so I helped him lie down

told the servant to take good care of him,

and then I left.

I don't know

what happened afterwards.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its cubs.

No matter how much I despise him,

I would never

harm my own child.

Someone in this room

is lying!

Jun Dai!

Bring the coroner

that Lang Zhusheng brought!

I want an autopsy.

Outrageous!

Your father is still sitting right here.

How dare you give orders!

After your brother injured his leg,

his temperament changed drastically,

hiding in this room all day long.

His leg wound wouldn't heal,

and his anxiety became an illness that no medicine could cure.

That's why he died suddenly in the middle of the night.

The men of my Xue family

either die on the battlefield

or on their way to war.

None of them has ever

died so pathetically

and so ingloriously!

Now you want to call for an autopsy.

Do you want to spread this

for everyone to know,

telling the whole world

that I have

a useless, crippled son?

What if I insist on an autopsy?

How dare you!

Lady Rong Shanbao,

you can't go in.

Well,

my own son

is conspiring with outsiders

to rebel against me.

Rong Shanbao,

do you think the Duke's Mansion

is some place

where you can barge in as you please

with such impudence?

Go.

I forbid it!

Your Highness, may we examine him now?

Go ahead.

Your Highness, Lord Lu,

I have examined the body.

Apart from eight whip marks on the back,

there are no injuries

on any other part of the body or the head.

A silver needle inserted into the deceased's throat

came out bright and clean,

so the deceased did not die of poisoning.

Not poison, not physical assault.

Then how exactly...

How did he actually die?

Your Highness,

based on my examination

of the body's condition,

Master Shuyu died suddenly

from an acute illness during the night.

It wasn't foul play?

No.

Lady Shanbao,

the room, floor, and windows

have all been examined.

No signs of struggle

or forced entry were found.

Your Highness,

Master Shuyu retired at 9 p.m. last night.

As he was usually a light sleeper,

servants were forbidden to move about or cough,

fearing they might disturb his rest.

The wine and food inside were left untouched,

and these two kept watch at the door all night,

seeing no one enter or leave.

The concubines were not summoned

and remained in their own chambers.

This morning at 7 a.m.,

Miss Ji Ping entered with her maid.

Shortly after,

crying and wailing were heard from inside.

Master Shuyu was truly heartless,

leaving me and our two children behind,

passing away just like that,

without even a final farewell.

No wonder you called for a coroner.

So it was sudden illness.

In that case,

your suspicion of murder

is completely cleared.

Princess Jinxiang, mind your words.

Fratricide is punishable by death by a thousand cuts.

Don't make baseless accusations

against innocent people.

Innocent?

Innocent,

your own brother

offered you the Duke's heir position,

while you pretended

to refuse it with false modesty,

acting as if titles and wealth

meant nothing to you.

Who'd have thought you were secretly

plotting to kill your own brother?

This way,

the title rightfully

falls into your hands,

and you even gain

a reputation for brotherly devotion.

Lu,

you're truly calculating

and vicious.

You're talking nonsense.

Father,

last night in the room,

there were only the two brothers.

What happened

is entirely up to him to lie about.

Besides, he once served as

an official in charge of criminal cases

and has handled

countless ruthless cases.

Who knows how many methods of murder are there

that a coroner can't detect?

My poor brother

was weak in character, pure and kind,

yet he treated a vicious wolf

as his own brother.

Father,

no matter how flawed Shuyu was,

he was still your own son.

You must not bestow the title

upon some

malicious outsider.

Nonsense.

These are all your baseless speculations.

The coroner already stated

that your brother died of sudden illness.

So many people were watching him.

They couldn't all be lying.

Don't speak such nonsense again.

Ruiniang,

who told you to bring the children here?

Young Madam,

didn't you order to bring

Master Peixun and Lady Xuanyu

here?

I gave the order.

Come.

Father,

look at your grandson.

He's only seven years old.

And there's Xuanyu.

She's also so innocent

and naive.

This poor pair of children

rely entirely on your protection.

Please forgive my bluntness.

After all, in this world,

no one lives forever.

One day, after you're gone,

whom can these innocent

young ones rely on?

In another year or two,

when our Xun

understands reason and propriety,

if he asks you, Grandfather,

why you gave the title to someone

who might have killed

their own father,

Father, how will you

explain it to the children then?

Princess Jinxiang, you spoke with hidden barbs,

so aggressively,

and kept mentioning titles and wealth.

Don't worry.

I don't care about the Duke's title,

nor do I want your Xue family's fortune.

Come here. Come to Mother.

Proving your innocence isn't hard.

As long as Lu Jianglai

gives up wealth and power,

writes a letter severing family ties,

leaves the Duke of Yongguo's Mansion from now on,

and has no connection whatsoever, in life, death, poverty, or wealth.,

and even if you meet

Xun on the street in the future,

don't have the nerve

to call yourself his uncle,

then I'll believe that you're

not greedy for power or wealth,

that you're an innocent good person.

Don't rush.

Her words may seem absurd,

but she's actually setting traps, pressing you step by step.

She intends to frame you for killing your brother.

If you refuse,

she'll say you plotted for the title and killed him.

If you agree,

people will be even more suspicious

that you're the real murderer,

driven out of the Duke's Mansion.

Whether you agree or not,

whether you inherit the title or not,

you'll face criticism either way.

They'll call you

a villain who plotted your brother's death.

What a vicious scheme.

Unless the truth about Shuyu's death

comes to light,

I absolutely will not

leave the Xue family now.

Your Highness,

Shuyu never sent anyone to kill me.

The assassination attempt the other night

was someone else's doing.

This person deliberately

creates discord and hatred

between us brothers,

provoking us to kill each other

for their own benefit.

I must expose this person.

Fine. Then tell me,

who would dare do such a thing?

Were

the food and wine Master Shuyu consumed

last night all tested?

They were all checked.

No poison or incompatible foods were found.

What about that bowl of ginger soup?

Ginger soup?

Well...

Earlier, when checking and inventorying items,

no ginger soup was found.

Wasn't it said that no one

entered Master Shuyu's room?

Then how did the leftover ginger soup

simply vanish into thin air?

Ji Ping,

did you deliver that bowl of ginger soup?

Yes,

that bowl of ginger soup

was indeed delivered by me.

But whether he drank it or not,

how much he drank,

and who took away the bowl—

I have absolutely no idea.

Last night,

Master Shuyu was incited by someone else

and drove me out

without explanation.

I didn't understand then,

but thinking about it carefully now,

if someone deliberately meant to harm Master Shuyu,

they'd certainly

want me out of the way.

You're like a thief crying "Stop thief!"

Xue Sangui,

go search her room.

Yes, sir.

Let's go.

You, with the coal braziers,

come here.

I've said before

that you are not

a sentimental person.

You'd overcome all obstacles to succeed.

Vulnerability and melancholy are rarely seen in you.

Indeed.

The same tradition applies to the Rong family.

As long as I'm not by your side,

someone will immediately

take my place!

Will it be Cheng Guanyu

or your cousin Wen Can?

Could there be something wrong with this brazier?

Master Shuyu was frail and feared the cold.

Every year at this time,

two braziers are added to his room,

burning the finest silver-frost charcoal.

Is there something wrong with the charcoal?

Lady Shanbao, Lady Yunshu has arrived.

Perfect. Invite her in.

Yes.

Our Xue family is discussing private matters.

We don't need the Rong family interfering.

Princess Jinxiang, please remain calm.

The person I've invited isn't an outsider,

but a witness.

How can she testify?

Your Highness,

my sister Yunshu

had eye trouble as a child,

which led her to develop

a sense of smell keener than a fox's.

I identify tea mostly with my eyes and hands,

but she relies solely on her nose.

Yunshu, would you please smell

if there's something unusual in this brazier?

This silver-frost charcoal is also known as white charcoal.

Its enduring properties

conform to

the alchemist's pursuit of immortality,

which is why it's often used

to make elixirs.

When Grandmother was ill,

doctors would use white charcoal

to line the bottom of the brazier,

place an iron mesh above to steam medicinal pills,

enhancing their efficacy.

I remember.

Yunshu,

has anything been added to this charcoal?

It's Valley Lily mixed with honey,

made into pills.

Valley Lily?

What effect does it have?

Valley Lily, also called Convallariae Majalis.

It can promote blood circulation and dispel wind.

When the charcoal burns, the lily's fragrance emerges.

Since its subtle scent is hidden,

often masked by charcoal smoke

and room incense,

it's not easily detected.

Over time,

the occupant becomes prone to illness.

Minor symptoms include irritability,

palpitations, anxiety,

and uncontrollable mood swings.

In severe cases,

it can lead to heart failure and death.

Your Highness,

this packet of pills has a faint scent,

each the size of a mung bean.

They were found

in Miss Ji Ping's room.

I don't-

Seize her!

Spit it out!

It's Valley Lily scented pills.

Thank you. You may go rest now.

I'll wait for you in the library.

Ji Ping,

Master Shuyu loved you so much.

Why would you harm him?

Release her. Let her speak.

Easy for you to say, Mrs. Xue.

You're the principal wife

and the legitimate consort.

And what am I?

I'm just a concubine,

and a lowly woman

from the opera troupe.

When others say Master Shuyu loves his concubine,

envy beyond words.

But who knows

how dark and suffocating this mansion is,

not seeing my parents for years.

Forget going to the peddler at the back gate

to buy a flower or some makeup to wear—

I haven't even

stepped outside this door.

When Master Shuyu was happy,

he'd grant me a smile.

When he returned after being scolded by the Duke,

my body would be bruised for two months.

In my next life,

I'd rather be a pig or dog than a concubine.

Yes, I am a lowly person,

but however humble, I am still human.

He never treated me as a person,

so don't blame me for taking his life.

Who doesn't live

like this in a deep mansion?

Since ancient times, those who kill must pay with their lives.

And you killed your own husband.

There's no way out for you.

Mrs. Xue, there's no need for you

to waste your kindness.

I'd

rather be dragged to the execution ground

than be suffocated

to death

under this mountain.

[Fuping Pavilion]

You wretch!

Plotting against your husband is against heaven's law.

You deserve to be flayed alive.

I only fear if this becomes public,

it will ruin our family's reputation,

letting outsiders gossip and stir trouble,

tarnishing Father's lifelong good name.

In my humble opinion,

this vile woman

shouldn't be openly sent to the government.

Better to handle this privately.

Grant her a white silk rope

to end her own life.

Take her away now!

Wait!

Jianglai,

you wanted to catch the murderer,

and I didn't go against your wishes.

Now we've caught the culprit.

Your brother can finally rest in peace.

What more do you want?

I haven't finished my interrogation!

I drank too much last night,

faintly hearing Princess Jinxiang

sending over a calming tonic.

I wonder if Master Shuyu ever took it.

Master Shuyu woke up in the middle of the night,

complaining of a headache.

In the past when Master Shuyu was drunk,

Princess often showed her concern

by sending sobering tonics,

and Master Shuyu praised its effectiveness.

I just want to know

if he actually took it last night!

The calming tonic was kept in the corridor,

warming on the charcoal stove.

I poured half a cup.

Master Shuyu drank it and went back to sleep.

The rest is in the tea room.

Lu Jianglai,

we've already caught

the real murderer.

Why are you still asking all these questions?

Could it be that you suspect

I killed my own brother?

Even without Master Shuyu,

this title

couldn't possibly fall to me anyway.

Are there any Valley Lily in the mansion garden?

Or has anyone grown them in their courtyard?

The garden only has exotic flowers and plants.

No one has ever grown Valley Lily.

That's strange then.

A sheltered woman from the opera troupe,

with little experience of the world,

who has never even stepped beyond the courtyard gate—

who told her that Valley Lily is poisonous

and how to kill without leaving a trace?

And where did she obtain

the Valley Lily scented pills?

Ji Ping, who are you conspiring with?

If you don't name the mastermind behind this,

the water dungeon in the Duke's Mansion will show no mercy.

Take her away and torture her severely!

No! I'm not going to the water dungeon!

I'm not going to the water dungeon!

Then tell me!

Please, Your Highness,

grant me a quick death.

Let me die. Let me die!

I'm not going to the water dungeon!

I'm not going to the water dungeon!

I don't want to go to the water dungeon!

Your Highness, if you use severe torture,

she might make false confessions.

We must also prevent her from implicating the innocent

and wronging the good.

Ultimately, the result might fall short.

No.

Jianglai.

Jun Dai.

Yes.

Go to the tea room

and bring the calming tonic.

Test it, and we'll know.

Yes.

You suspect

I conspired with a concubine?

Fine, test it then.

I've done nothing wrong,

so there's nothing to fear.

Young Madam.

Mother!

What's wrong, Mother?

What's wrong with you?

Mother!

Wake up!

Wake up!

Mother, wake up!

Mother!

Has the culprit been caught?

His Highness has ordered

Ji Ping to be detained for now.

What about the mastermind behind this?

Miss Ji Ping

grew up with the opera troupe,

traveling streets and alleys.

She's seen many shady secrets

in noble households.

It's no surprise she knew Valley Lily is poisonous.

Regardless of where the Valley Lily came from,

we'll question everyone in Fuping Pavilion,

and the truth will eventually come to light.

I doubt that.

Why do you say so?

The Xue family has many secrets.

That day when I entered the garden,

I happened to see Lady Xue Xuanyu

playing with someone.

Guess who it was?

It was that aggressive woman

who strongly accused Lord Lu of being the murderer,

Princess Jinxiang.

Xue Yingchuan?

She's the children's aunt.

What's wrong with her playing with Xuanyu?

That's exactly what's strange.

When she saw a stranger then,

she immediately avoided being seen.

Given how sharp-tongued and cutting

she was today,

how could she be

someone who's shy and avoids people?

Just now, I recognized her

and had my maid

get information from the Xue family's servants.

Guess what?

What secret

did you uncover?

The Xue family's maid said

this Princess Jinxiang

despises noisy children the most.

Even her own niece is no exception.

She usually avoids them, keeping her distance,

and is quite cold.

Something unusual must have a hidden cause.

Either her standing up for her nephew and niece

has ulterior motives,

or she's hiding something

unspeakable.

That makes sense.

What about the person I asked you to investigate?

You guessed correctly.

She's indeed acting suspiciously.

This is the calming tonic

that Princess Jinxiang sent last night.

After Master Shuyu drank a cup,

there wasn't much left in the pot.

I tested it on a rat.

After taking this tonic,

the rat was still alive and kicking

half an hour later.

If it had no effect on a small rat,

let alone on a human.

It's clear that no poison

was added to this tonic.

I'm not so sure about that.

There are many ways

to harm people in this world.

My Lord, I've found the person you wanted.

Greetings, My Lord.

It took great effort to bring him here.

The Tao family has practiced medicine for five generations,

with ancestors who served as imperial physicians.

When it comes to expertise in pharmacology,

if Dr. Tao claims to be second best,

no one in the capital

would dare claim to be first.

Dr. Tao, I entrust everything to you.

My Lord, I'm flattered.

On the way here,

Mr. Lang

has already explained everything clearly to me.

I will do my utmost

and dare not fail.

[Fuping Pavilion]

Your Highness,

I have examined it.

Speak.

This calming tonic contains ginseng,

lotus seeds, ophiopogon,

poria, and angelica,

which nourish the heart and relieve irritability.

Due to Master Shuyu's leg injury,

tortoise shell and tiger tibia bone were added

to strengthen his bones,

which is truly beneficial.

Father,

you heard it yourself.

This calming tonic contains

only beneficial herbs.

I was nearly wrongfully accused

by this malicious person.

Jianglai,

your sister-in-law is overwhelmed with grief.

Despite her illness,

she insists on hearing your judgment,

just to seek justice

for your brother.

Is this your solid evidence?

Dr. Tao hasn't finished speaking.

Why are you so impatient?

Fine, continue.

In the residue of the calming tonic,

there's also cinnamon, aconite,

and monkshood.

These are used to treat rheumatic pain

and relieve pain.

What about cinnamon and aconite?

Ginseng, poria, and angelica

are indeed excellent herbs

for strengthening the body and blood.

But with aconite and monkshood added

to dispel evil and wind,

it has

the effect of Great Reviving Pill.

I questioned his personal servant.

Due to Master Shuyu's back and leg pain,

when encountering rainy or changing weather,

he often had stiff limbs at night,

difficulty bending and stretching,

and the joints of his sick leg were deformed.

Dr. Liu from the palace

left a good prescription.

I've seen the prescription.

It's the Gastrodia Pill

for relieving pain and benefiting the liver.

Taking one dose daily of Gastrodia Pill

is appropriate treatment.

The Great Reviving Pill

also won't kill anyone on its own.

But taking the two together is different.

Especially aconite, which is hot-natured and toxic.

Once overdosed,

even beneficial medicine

can become deadly poison.

You knew Master Shuyu

was taking the Gastrodia Pill

and should have avoided any contraindications,

yet you deliberately sent this calming tonic

with hidden intricacies.

What were your intentions?

You're slandering me!

Even Dr. Liu couldn't see any problem.

How would I know

if they could be taken together?

Besides, this is just your speculation.

Whether taking both could kill someone

is still uncertain.

Very well. If you're so certain it's harmless,

why not try it yourself?

Take the Gastrodia Pill

and the Great Reviving Pill

together in increased doses.

If you remain perfectly safe,

I'll leave the Duke's Mansion immediately

and never return.

Yingchuan,

what do you have to say?

Why won't you take it?

This is your perfect opportunity

to prove your innocence.

Father,

since Mother has been ill and depressed for a long time,

unable to sleep at night,

I specially invited an imperial physician

to prescribe calming tonic for her,

and it worked wonderfully.

I was simply sharing the benefit,

concerned about Shuyu's health,

with absolutely no ill intentions.

As a daughter,

I can neither uphold the household

nor inherit any titles.

Shuyu and I grew up together

with deep affection.

How could I possibly intend to harm him,

only to let an outsider gain advantage?

The saying that I would harm my brother

makes no sense emotionally or logically.

Your Highness,

Mother has long suffered from diabetes,

often complaining of numbness in her limbs,

and has difficulty walking.

I went back to beg my grandfather

to prepare a prescription for her.

He said it's the best for treating numbness in the limbs.

The Xie family's medical skills are passed only to sons, not daughters.

I don't understand pharmacology.

Mother said she felt better after taking it,

so she kept taking this prescription.

It's all my fault.

I should have been more cautious,

understood the contraindications of the medicine,

so this later misfortune

wouldn't have occurred.

Father,

I swear.

This medicine

indeed came from

Mother's quarters.

I truly didn't know.

I've been wronged.

I've been wronged!

You must believe me!

You may not know the inside story,

but others might have ill intentions.

Bring Madam Chang here.

Go!

Yes.

The Xie family's daughter is graceful and magnanimous,

renowned for her virtue,

which is well-known in the capital.

I believe in you.

Help her up.

Although a major incident has occurred in the mansion,

Madam's health is not well.

She's only had half a bowl of rice congee in two days.

Her legs and feet

are too swollen for her to walk.

What matter must be inquired about now?

It's most inhumane.

Set down the sedan.

Gently, all of you.

-Madam. -Madam.

You're still ill.

His Highness won't blame you.

-Just let them... -Help me get off the sedan.

Madam.

Let go.

-Madam. -Let go.

-Madam! -Madam!

Let go.

What?

A joint interrogation

has come upon me?

Shuyu was not your biological son,

and you've always been distant with him.

But I thought that coming from a noble family,

though not agreeable in temperament,

you would raise the children

and manage the household

with diligence and fairness.

I never expected

your poisonous intentions were hidden here.

Knowing full well that Shuyu

was the heir of the Duke's Mansion,

you instigated Yingchuan to poison him.

How malevolent.

You've not only disgraced the Xue family's honor,

but also brought shame upon

your own Chang family.

Even death by a thousand cuts would be too merciful.

Your Highness,

Madam Chang used the medicine

only to treat her own illness.

You readily believe Xue Yingchuan's inciting words

and lightly conclude her guilty.

Is the Great Reviving Pill

only available in Madam Chang's quarters?

Couldn't Xue Yingchuan get it elsewhere?

Madam Chang has no sons of her own

and no grudges.

Why would she scheme to harm Master Shuyu?

No grudges?

Of course she has grievances,

but they shouldn't be directed at Shuyu.

They should rightly be aimed at me.

Your Highness,

Mother has always been fair

and strict in managing the household.

She treats herself

more harshly than she treats juniors

and servants.

That's why this household is so orderly

with proper respect for hierarchy.

While you were at the front

fighting in the war,

Mother has been managing everything at home.

I don't believe Mother

would ever plot to harm anyone.

Please investigate this matter carefully.

Mother wouldn't harm Master Shuyu,

but I would?

She has been neglected for years,

so it's natural she harbors resentment.

In a moment of poor judgment,

she made a terrible mistake.

Yet you keep defending her.

Are you trying to shift

the blame onto me?

Father, I've been wronged.

It was me.

I killed Xue Shuyu.

[Brewing Tea, Tasting Tea]

No matter where the Valley Lily came from,

we'll question everyone in Fuping Pavilion.

The truth will eventually come to light.

I doubt it.

Why do you say so?

China has a vast variety of teas,

with various ways to appreciate them.

In our drama, the Rong family

mainly cultivates Longjing tea.

To drink Longjing properly,

you need the right method

to taste its fresh, vibrant flavor.

First, warm and moisten the cup.

[Warming the Cup]

Pinch some tea leaves and place them at the bottom of the cup.

Let boiled water sit for three minutes,

allowing it reaches about 80 ℃.

Add a little water to the bottom,

just enough to cover the tea leaves.

Hold the cup and swirl it

counterclockwise twice.

This step is called "moistening the tea to release aroma."

[Moistening Tea to Release Aroma]

Then using

the "Phoenix Nods Three Times" method,

pour water until the cup is 70% full.

Watch the tea leaves float and sink,

releasing the tea fragrance.

After waiting two to three minutes,

the tea soup will gradually turn

a bright yellowish-green color.

This is the perfect

temperature and taste for appreciation.

We can savor it in three stages.

[First Sip, Second Sip, Third Sip]

The first stage

is to appreciate its rich, fresh aroma.

When half the tea soup remains,

refill with water.

The second stage reveals the tea's true flavor—

fresh, mellow and full,

leaving a lingering fragrance with each sip.

When the cup

has one-third of tea soup left,

refill with water.

The third stage brings

a mouth-watering sweet aftertaste.

The aroma is subtle yet long-lasting.

After finishing the last round,

remember to pour out the tea leaves

into a basin of clear water.

You can admire how the spent leaves

still bloom beautifully.