Original subtitles

You have a drink too.

I'm just an old man now.

Why pretend to be tough?

I heard there will be some job recruitment later.

Let's see if there's any work available.

Dad.

Son.

You weren't kicked out by the Su family, were you?

Dad.

Why are you here?

Our family house—

When did you sell it?

Young master.

Actually, on the day you married into the Su family,

the house had already been mortgaged.

Some time ago,

the master was driven out by the head of the Xiao family.

The master has had nowhere to go for a while.

I'm fine, son.

It's just an old house, that's all.

Here.

Are you doing well in the Su family?

Dad.

I have money now.

Look.

You don't have to worry anymore.

My son has grown up.

He knows not to spend money recklessly now.

He even knows how to comfort his old man.

I didn't comfort you.

Forget it, it's not important.

You're right.

That house is so rundown.

It's fine if we don't go back.

You pick a place.

Anywhere you like.

From now on, we'll have our own household.

What do you mean, our own household?

I, Xiao Hetai,

was born a member of the Xiao family,

and will die as one.

Starting our own household

means being removed from the Xiao family records.

That would be a disgrace to our ancestors.

That's not what I meant by our own household.

Alright, you should go now.

All I want is for you to live well.

Go on, go on.

Hurry, go.

How can I make Father believe me?

Go.

Dad

You don't know

Our family ancestral hall was smashed

What

Master

This black-glazed chicken-head pot looks nice

But the chicken head is broken off

Do we still want it

Take it back to the residence

No reason not to take it if it's free

It's worthless once the head is broken off

Sir

You're not related to Grandet, are you

What

You didn't come back just for this pot, did you

You came back on purpose, right

Clan leader

How many things did you take from my house

Put them all back exactly as they were

I'm buying this house

Name your price

Alright

Ten thousand taels

Ten thousand taels

Clan leader

I only mortgaged two thousand taels to you in the first place

It's fine

Bring it up

Come on, come on

Come, come

Be careful

Ten thousand taels

Take it

It's a deal

Nephew, once you buy it, no regrets

The deal is done

Yes

Son

Even if you have money, you can't spend it so recklessly

It's fine, Dad

What should we do now?

Master,

they said

another ten teahouses have returned our goods.

Master,

Sunan Hongyu Hall, Xian Teahouse,

and more than a dozen other shopkeepers have come.

They said if they can't get

our shop rent today,

they'll report us to the authorities.

Leave, leave.

Oh my heavens!

Mother,

this, this...

It's all your fault!

If you hadn't insisted that Young Master Wei

get the salt tea sales rights

for the three counties of Sunan to sell salt tea,

we wouldn't have ended up

with so much unsold inventory.

Now we're on the verge of bankruptcy.

Who could have known that the tea from Nongcha Pavilion

would sell all over the region?

Now, just one tael of Nongcha Pavilion's tea

is being sold for ten taels and people are fighting over it.

It's sold out every day.

But our salt tea

can't even sell for ten coins a tael.

If we could get Nongcha Pavilion's tea

to sell at our Su family estate,

that would be a good idea.

But would Nongcha Pavilion be willing to work with us?

That's right!

That good-for-nothing from the Xiao family

is working as a servant at Nongcha Pavilion, isn't he?

Let's go.

Let's see what that good-for-nothing is up to.

If I had known Father would suffer so much,

I should have returned to the Xiao family sooner.

You useless thing.

Where did you go?

I was hungry, so I grabbed something to eat.

You've been freeloading in our Su family for so long.

Now,

it's time for you to prove your worth.

What do you mean?

You've been running errands at the Tea Pavilion for so long.

Have you managed to get close to the owner of the Tea Pavilion?

Don't tell me

they still haven't discovered my identity?

Say something!

Who is the owner of the Tea Pavilion?

What are his preferences?

You must tell me everything.

He's obsessed with money.

As long as it's a profitable business,

he never turns it down.

But can you tell me first,

what are you planning to do?

We plan to give him an opportunity.

Go and tell the owner,

that our Su family, one of the three great imperial merchants,

is willing to support the weak.

We can reluctantly

set aside our own business

to help him sell his tea.

So it turns out the Su family's salted tea isn't selling.

That's why you're asking others for help.

Is that any of your business?

You just need to tell me

where the owner of the Tea Pavilion is.

I think

he doesn't need your reluctant help.

You think

Who do you think you are?

How dare you act so insolent with me!

Before tomorrow

if you can't invite the owner of the Tea Pavilion,

I'll do it in front of everyone in Shangdu.

I'll summon Xiao Hetai to the Su residence

and take you back with me.

Don't use my father as an excuse.

I'm your elder.

What can you do to me?

Su Xueyan,

you were the one who said salted tea would sell well.

Now it isn't selling.

And now you're forcing the Tea Pavilion to buy it.

Is this how the Su family does business?

This is the Su family's

business with the owner of the Tea Pavilion.

It has nothing to do with you.

Why are you still talking to him?

Hurry up and go invite him.

Remember,

before tomorrow.

No,

listen to what I have to say.

I...

Young Master Xiao

Please come with us.

Which family are you from?

Even if the deal falls through, we should part on good terms.

Why are you kidnapping me?

Don't panic, Young Master Xiao.

We're just following orders.

Please cooperate with us.

The Prime Minister's residence.

What's wrong?

Then why are you doing this?

Who doesn't know the Prime Minister's residence?

It's the rule of the trade.

Please.

Could it be because of the last poetry gathering

where I offended Han Hongzhi?

Are you bringing me here today to vent your anger?

I... I need to use the restroom.

No, no, no.

Move.

No, no, no.

I can't hold it anymore, I can't hold it anymore.

I can't hold it.

Can't hold it.

Last time I spent two thousand taels of silver

and still couldn't meet you.

Young Master Xiao, you're really hard to meet.

You're the one who wanted to discuss business with me last time.

So it wasn't Han Hongzhi who wanted to see me?

You even know my

good-for-nothing son?

Son?

Seeing how young this beautiful lady is,

I thought you were her older sister.

Older sister?

How dare you!

This is the young concubine of the Prime Minister's residence.

Lady Lingluo.

Watch your tongue.

You're too talkative.

Please rise.

I didn't expect, Young Master Xiao,

not only are you good at business,

but you also have such a sweet tongue.

May I ask why Miss Han asked me to come here?

What is the reason?

Lingluo is very interested in the Tea Pavilion.

I wonder, Young Master,

would you be willing to part with it for me?

Miss Han,

someone has already invested in the Tea Pavilion.

I, Xiao Ning, do not have full authority over the Tea Pavilion.

What does "invested" mean?

It means that when I was starting out,

I already found someone to invest.

Now, half of the Tea Pavilion's revenue

belongs to someone else.

Young Master Xiao, to think you could come up with

such a business method,

and even gave it a name.

Lingluo truly

admires you even more now.

Since Miss Han and I

have no business to discuss,

I'll take my leave.

Why are you in such a hurry, Young Master Xiao?

Although we didn't reach an agreement about the Tea Pavilion,

we still have other business to discuss.

Other business?

But aside from the Tea Pavilion,

I have no other businesses.

Young Master, you

are my new business.

I

Although I do have some looks,

but

I've never thought about selling myself.

Lingluo admires you greatly, sir.

If you are willing to come to my side,

I'm willing to offer one hundred thousand taels of silver.

You may use it as you wish, Young Master Xiao.

Giving me one hundred thousand taels for nothing?

How could there be such a good deal in this world?

Miss Han, if you have any conditions, please state them clearly.

It's not a difficult matter.

As long as you return the principal to me within three years,

and give me thirty percent of the annual profits.

So you want to be my professional manager.

Professional manager?

You do know this method, sir.

Lingluo really wants to open up Young Master Xiao's head

and see how it works inside.

Auntie

The Prime Minister requests your presence.

Luor, who did you invite to the residence?

Why didn't you inform me?

Master

Lingluo only invited Young Master Xiao from the Tea Pavilion

to discuss some business.

I didn't expect to disturb you.

You are Xiao Ning?

Greetings, Prime Minister.

Enough with the small talk.

The Tea Pavilion—

Are you selling

or not?

I have already discussed this with Miss Han.

I'm afraid I cannot agree to this.

Xiao Ning

My mother invited you into our residence

which is already a great honor for you.

Now you even dare to refuse my father.

Do you think the Han residence is so easy to enter?

The Han family really acts ruthlessly.

Staying alive is more important.

Not at all.

The Prime Minister personally made the request.

How could I possibly refuse?

It's just that...

I wonder how much your esteemed house is willing to offer me.

How much silver?

At the current price,

to acquire the Tea Pavilion,

it would cost about one hundred thousand taels of silver.

One hundred thousand taels?

For just this one tea shop?

In my opinion,

at most fifty thousand taels.

Xiao Ning,

do you have any objections?