Original subtitles

Water Margin

Water Margin

Water Margin

Water Margin

Water Margin

A TV Maxi-Series

Written by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong

Episode 38 Imperial Amnesty

We've been here for two days

Song Jiang treats us well every day

He didn't kill us or let us go

What on earth does he want?

I can't figure it out

Inspector-in-chief Li

you're always resourceful

But you can't come up with any ideas now

I heard the soldiers caught alive have been released

Are we held hostage so they can bargain with the Imperial Court?

If the Imperial Court sends soldiers to attack here again

we'll definitely get killed!

Defender-in-chief Gao

please forgive me

for the poor conditions here

I've been in Mount Liang for several days

You didn't kill or release me

Instead, you treat me to delicacies and liquor every day

What's your intention?

You think too much

We want you to stay here

so we can show our respect

Respect?

A few words

and food and liquor

are not enough to show your sincerity

If you don't want to stay any longer, Defender-in-chief

I'll send you back to the Capital tomorrow

Are you serious?

I'm a man of my word

Of course, we hope

you can do something that benefits us

You're able to do it

If I can go back

I'll try my best to persuade the emperor

to grant you imperial amnesty

so that you can work for our country as major officials

We've wished for that for many years

Because of some malicious officials

we had many armed conflicts with the Imperial Court

As a result, our country is weakened and countless people died

My brothers and I are deeply grieved by that

Defender-in-chief Gao, the result of your attacking us this time

is that tens of thousands of soldiers lost their lives

That's a big misunderstanding

The saying goes that friendship is often born of conflicts

Before we meet this time

I didn't know Mr. Song and everyone here

are true heroes of great virtue

If you can serve our country, you'll have a bright future

I'll ask the emperor to appoint you as officials

or Heaven would punish me

and give me an ugly death in the battlefield

Instructor Lin

what are you waiting for?

It will be too late if you don't take action now!

If you're also a man of your word, and walk the talk

I'll deeply appreciate it

If you don't trust me, Mr. Song

Inspector-in-chief Li can stay here as a hostage

When the imperial edict for amnesty arrives

he can go back

No need

I trust you, so I decided to let you go

Defender-in-chief Gao, you're a major court official

who never breaks promises

so we totally trust you

Am I right?

May I go now?

You can't go, Gao Qiu!

Instructor Lin

Brother, leave this to me

Do you remember me?

I finally got you

I'll kill you

to console my wife's soul. She died of injustice

ten years ago!

Please don't, Instructor Lin

It was my adopted son

Gao Junior who did it ten years ago

It has nothing to do with me

I didn't know anything about it!

You're at death's door and you're still lying

Tell me!

Who set a trap for me in White Tiger Hall?

Who sentenced me to death and even wanted to kill me

on my way to where I was exiled?

Tell me!

Don't mess around! Just kill him!

Don't kill him!

-Brother! -Don't kill him! -Let me go!

Don't!

Someone help!

Brother, you're too rash!

Instructor Lin

I must kill him! I must!

I’ll tear him to pieces!

I'll kill him!

He ruined my family! I’ll let him pay with blood!

Mr. Song

Mr. Song

Instructor Lin has his reason to hate me, so I won't blame him

I'll apologize to him later

But earning the imperial amnesty is our major task now

We can't afford to wait

so please let me leave right now

I must kill Gao Qiu

I swear

Instructor Lin

he won't leave very soon

I'll ask Yan Qing to keep watch

We can go kill him when Song Jiang leaves

-He's gone! -What?

Song Jiang is seeing Gao Qiu off

Go!

Let's go!

Hurry up

Defender-in-chief, please remember

what I asked you to do

I will

Goodbye, Defender-in-chief

Gao Qiu!

Gao Qiu, you bastard!

Gao Qiu, you bastard!

My brother!

Brother Lin

Instructor Lin

Instructor Lin

Ask An Daoquan to come now!

Give it to me

Defender-in-chief

I asked them

to make the snow fungus soup especially for you

The experience in Mount Liang was too scary

so you have to rest for some time

Have you heard any gossip about that?

They all know you can't fight because of your illness

and came back for a rest

I mean, did anyone speak ill of us

in front of the emperor?

No one dares to do it

No one!

That's right

We don't have to worry

Defender-in-chief

how should we fulfill our promise to Song Jiang?

Promise?

I made it

just so we could escape

Someone from Grand Preceptor's Mansion is here with a gift

Got it

Go have a look

Say thank you to Grand Preceptor

If more people come, tell them I'm not well enough

to meet them

Yes

Gao Qiu was once a villain

He's never a trustworthy man

In my opinion

he won't keep his promise

I let him go as I don't want to offend the Imperial Court

If he could really talk to the emperor

about our intention

it would be better

I don't trust him

We need to find another way

How about this? Let Yan Qing go to the Capital again

to ask Li Shishi for help

If the emperor

can know our wish

things may change for the better

That's true

Even though the horse is dead, we have to flog it

Goodbye, sir, remember to come back

Someone wants to see you

Only some white beans

Too ordinary to make me

see him

Where is he?

Come in, please

She's there

Sis

Greetings, sis

The commotion on the night of the Lantern Festival

disturbed the emperor

And you almost died because of it

So

you don't feel sorry at all?

Please don't be angry, sis

I'm here to apologize to you

Please sit down

Why did you steal my flute?

I love it so much

Originally, I wanted to borrow it from you

But I didn't get enough time

Now I'm giving it back to you

I'm afraid you're not thinking about the flute now

On top of apologizing and returning it

it seems you want to do something else

It's that matter again

We need your favor, sis

Please let the emperor know

that my brothers and I want to

serve our country and people

If the Imperial Court can grant an amnesty to us

sis

you'd be doing a great favor

to my tens of thousands of brothers in Mount Liang

I'm only a prostitute

How can I be entrusted with such an important task?

Besides

even though I'm close to the emperor

I can't meet him at will

or ask him to do everything

Sis

you promised to help us

I've helped you once

This time I won't

Please

I'm only a criminal

I don't deserve this, sis

To be honest

I respect upstanding men like you

in the vast world outside

Please

I don't drink

You can't

deceive me

A great hero who doesn't drink

Who can believe it?

I'm afraid

you just don't want to drink with a prostitute

It's not like that

I never drink. It's true

What if I insist?

Then

I have no choice but to obey you, sis

Sis, I want to take this opportunity

to drink a toast to you

Come on, sis

Sis, after the Lantern Festival

the Imperial Court asked Defender-in-chief Chen to persuade us

He was so mean to us

that we tore the imperial edict apart

Then Defender-in-chief Gao tried to conquer us with his soldiers

We beat them

Most of the soldiers died

And we captured Defender-in-chief Gao

We should have killed him

But Song Jiang didn't want to make the Imperial Court our enemy

so we let him go

He swore solemnly

that he would ask the emperor

to make us an official army

My brother Song Jiang

knows that he's a hypocrite

He doesn't trust him

so he sent me here to ask for your help

Would you like a song, brother?

It would be my honor to listen to your song

Alright, please play the instrument

I know little about music

I'm not good enough to play it for you

But I insist

Then pardon my poor skills, sis

No message came from my hometown since I left

When will my homesickness end?

Swallows didn't come. Flowers faded

When will I meet my love again?

I'd rather we never met

My dream almost came true but didn't

Singing birds tell me spring has arrived

Sis

Do you like my song?

It's the most beautiful song

I've ever heard

Because you played the instrument well

Here

Here's to the music. Cheers!

Cheers!

I can't drink anymore, sis

I really can't

Please

Please

Sis

let's call it a day

Sis

I heard you have tattoos on your body

Could you please show them to me?

Sis, well…

You want to hide them

That makes me more curious

Sis

Alright

How old are you, sis?

Why?

Just curious

I'm 27

That's good. I'm 25

two years younger than you

Please be my elder sister

Grand Preceptor, please

Defender-in-chief Gao, you look so well

Thank you, Grand Preceptor

I'm very grateful

The illness is mild

I'm afraid the emperor will blame me, so I applied for sick leave

You know it, Grand Preceptor

Yes

But you can't avoid facing the emperor forever

Conquering Mount Liang was our idea

And now you avoid attending court to hide the truth

If you keep doing so, I'm afraid the emperor would know it all

Then we would both suffer

Please

Please

So what's your opinion, Grand Preceptor?

Fang La, a rebel in the Jiangnan area

conquered many prefectures and caused chaos

Recently he even claimed to be an emperor

who ruled a kingdom rivaling ours

The Imperial Court was shocked

Our country won't be stable

until Fang La is arrested

Some officials took this opportunity to bring up old issues

They hoped those in Mount Liang could become an official army

So you mean…

We can follow their advice

and persuade the emperor to appoint Song Jiang as an official

Let them bandits

fight against their own kind

If Song Jiang defeats Fang La

his army will also be hurt badly

Then he won't have enough strength to do big things

But

we didn't agree to grant imperial amnesty

If we support it now

is it…

Things have changed, so opinions alter

It depends on how you express your idea

An idea

may seem ridiculous when someone talks about it

But if you talk in the right way, it will become valuable

You're really experienced

Is he better now?

He has had much medicine, but didn't get better

He often complains about chest pains

He's mentally ill, not physically

Instructor Lin

Instructor, it's time for medicine

Brother

Brother

You…

You…

Take the medicine now

Brother

You and Counselor have many things to deal with

Please don't worry about me

I'll recover after having more medicine

You want me to be your sister

so I'll never win your affections

That's all right

We can be sister and brother

I only hope someone can worry about me

think of me, and miss me

That's all I want

Sis, I'm aware of your feelings

But I have a major task

Stop

You can live in Fragrance House

so that we can support each other

From now on, I'll look after all your affairs

Sis

You're from Mount Liang

so you must be good at martial arts

Do you like the flute?

Of course

You stole it away last time

If you can snatch it from me now

it will be yours

Alright

Sis

Sis

I'll take it with me forever

Clouds change their forms

Stars fall from the sky

The Milky Way is so wide

We meet in autumn

Nothing is more wonderful

Love flows like water

Next date is like a dream

It's time to bid farewell

If we really love each other

Distance cannot separate us

If we really love each other

Distance cannot separate us

Distance cannot separate us

Your Majesty

Defender-in-chief Gao has not recovered from his illness

so he's taking a rest at home

He tried to conquer Mount Liang

As a result, most of his soldiers died

I heard he was captured by the gang

Why didn't you report to me on such an important shift?

In this battle

both sides lost some strength

If Defender-in-chief Gao had been captured

he wouldn't have come back alive

He's really in poor health and can't fight now

I heard that though Song Jiang and his gang

are bullies in the mountain

they never make trouble in cities

or disturb people's lives

They want to become an official army and work for our country

Is that true?

Yes

Those bandits are afraid of the Imperial Court

They are not what they used to be

and really want to work for us

But…

But

Fang La in Jiangnan

has occupied some prefectures and robbed the money and food there

He claimed himself to be an emperor like your majesty

and that's big trouble for us

In my opinion…

Go ahead, Grand Preceptor

In my opinion

you could write an edict for amnesty

and send it to Mount Liang

After making them an official army

you could ask them to suppress the rebellion in Jiangnan

That's a good idea, Grand Preceptor

But

who can send the edict for me?

Song Jiang has been a bandit for many years. He's violent

So we need a sweet talker to persuade him

Your Majesty, please reinstate Su Jing

and send him to Mount Liang

He won't disappoint you, Your Majesty

Su Jing is no longer working as an official now

Is he willing to go?

If you order him to do it

he can't refuse

Alright

Ask the scholar to write the imperial edict now

Yes

The imperial amnesty!

It's the imperial amnesty!

The imperial amnesty!

It's the imperial amnesty!

The imperial amnesty!

It's the imperial amnesty!

Flowers and leaves decorate the beautiful mountain

Heroes of great virtue moved Heaven and good news finally came

The emperor's decree is as follows

From the day I ascended the throne

I have ruled with virtue and righteousness

Changing the world by ceremonial rectitude

Bringing peace through punishments and reward

Never have I ceased seeking good ministers or loving the populace

I endeavor to dispense charity and bestow happiness equally upon all

As a practitioner of Taoism, I grant mercy to all of my people

Song Jiang, Lu Junyi, and others

are loyal and upstanding men never engaged in violent persecutions

They always have the sincerest ambition of serving our country

Though they committed crimes, they had their reasons

Today I send Defender-in-chief Su Jing

to deliver this edict to those in Mount Liang

Amnesty is granted to Song Jiang

and his fellows

Thirty-six gold plates, thirty-six rolls of red brocade

Seventy-two silver plates, seventy-two rolls of red brocade

These are for Song Jiang and other leaders

From the date of this decree let them cast doubt aside

return quickly and submit. Important tasks will be given them

Let this be proclaimed so that all may know

Day 9, 3rd Month of the fourth year of Xuanhe

Long live the emperor

Take it, Song Jiang

The emperor has granted us amnesty. Our dream came true

Without Defender-in-chief's help

this can't be achieved

Thank you, Your Majesty

My brothers and I will remember this forever

The imperial liquor!

Share the liquor

Here

Wu Song

Wu Song

Well…

Heroes

from now on

we all work for the Imperial Court

Let's protect our country together

Play the music

Wu Song

Wu Song

Stop

What's wrong with you?

I don't want to drink the liquor

It's the emperor's reward!

We're resentful

Even if it's from Heavenly Queen, we won't drink!

If I drink it, I'll have to obey those officials

Not exactly. It's the Imperial Court

The Imperial Court?

You think you'll work for the emperor?

Those officials would control us!

Defender-in-chief Su

you risked so much

to persuade the emperor to grant the amnesty

Now the clouds disperse and we finally see the sun again

We will never forget your help

I know that you and your brothers

are loyal and upright

and have longed to work for our country

But there are so many treacherous officials in the Imperial Court

that I met many difficulties

That's why the amnesty, which benefits our country and people

didn't come until today

As the saying goes

good things take time

Defender-in-chief Su, you've helped us a lot

We'll drink a toast to you to show our gratitude

We're both officials now

You don't have to thank me since we both work for our country

Now that you've agreed to serve the Imperial Court

and everything is fine

I have to go back to report it

Please get ready and go to the Capital soon

That will satisfy our emperor who granted you amnesty

I'll start my journey in ten days

Please say kind words about us when you see the emperor

Please don't worry, Mr. Song

When you arrive at the Capital

you may give me a heads-up

I'll go out to greet you with full formalities

Brother

Instructor Lin is dying

Brother

Lin Chong, my brother

Instructor

our brother Song Jiang is here to see you

In this vast world

Runs the spirit of our nation, long inherited through the ages

By the old imperial walls and on the streets and alleys

Who's telling stories of heroes over and over again?

Riding up hill and down dale

Heroes risk their lives for justice and righteousness

Ups and downs, twists and turns

Striving for the right time, right place and right people

Ups and downs, twists and turns

Striving for the right time, right place and right people

Riding up hill and down dale

Heroes risk their lives for justice and righteousness

Ups and downs, twists and turns

Striving for the right time, right place and right people

Striving for the right time, right place and right people

Next on Water Margin

Song Jiang's army

can stay in the suburb for now

Soldiers from Mount Liang can't enter the city without permission

Or they will be punished severely

Stop yelling, or I'll kill you

You want his life? Kill me first

Episode 39 Bloodshed at Chen Bridge Station To Be Continued

We shouldn't have killed him

He Cheng, my brother!