Original subtitles

[The Heir]

[Episode 17]

You are just a merchant.

How can you act on behalf of His Majesty?

Qi Jiu, your action is truly overstepping.

Besides,

normally, if a commoner wants to report an official,

they either file a petition on the day of filing,

or beat the drum of grievance.

You did neither of these.

Qi Jiu,

you are seriously not taking His Majesty's rules

seriously.

Lord He.

Zhao Shen is the magistrate of She County.

Both of those options must go through him.

If I were to alert him

and he destroys the evidence,

the truth will never come to light.

Moreover, you may not know this.

We are in Huizhou under Marshal Qi's orders

to purchase military supplies.

What I am doing is also to rid the people of an evil.

And as far as I know,

you have always been just and upright,

never associating with those corrupt officials

in the court.

Isn't that so, Lord He?

Of course.

I didn't expect you

to have such an identity.

It was my oversight.

Apologies for that.

Rest assured.

I will carefully investigate this case

and give you and Marshal Qi an explanation.

Thank you, Lord He.

[Zhao's Mansion]

My Lord.

My Lord.

Who's in charge of this place's

accounting?

I am.

You?

Well, My Lord.

She is the eldest daughter of the Tian family.

I am Xu Chengde, the accountant of Tian Ink Workshop.

How can I help you?

Where is the accounting room?

It's in the backyard.

Listen!

Take him away.

You two, go inside

and take all the ledgers.

Wh-What's going on?

Wait, My Lord.

What law has our family broken?

You don't know?

Colluding with corrupt official Zhao Shen to seize private houses.

Secretly colluding with banks to make a profit from loans.

These things,

Miss Tian, you should know better than us.

Lord He has ordered

to arrest the three men of the Tian family.

As for the accountant and the account books,

they will be taken to the government office and detained.

You should probably close your store today.

Let's see how Lord He's investigation goes.

Take them away!

My Lord.

Mr. Xu!

My Lord! My Lord!

My Lord...

Go!

Lightly!

Hurry up!

That hurt!

Hurry up!

Mind your manners!

Behave yourself!

Master!

Don't move.

Father!

Don't move.

Father!

Father.

What is going on here?

Daughter,

you've seen what's going on?

The Tian family is over.

Only you can save me

and your two brothers.

Cut the crap.

Take him away!

What's going on?

Go!

-Master! -Father!

Master!

Get back.

Mother!

What's going on?

Sister!

The men of the Tian family

have been taken away by the guards.

I've been waiting for this day...

for way too long.

I know.

Look how happy you are.

Come.

Sister,

thank you for

bearing with me recently.

Today, substituting tea for wine,

I toast you.

Good tea, as expected.

Every time I drink tea with you,

I feel my good tea is wasted.

I'm happy.

So happy.

The Tian family's father and sons have been taken away by the government.

They are now trapped.

You can finally consider yourself avenged.

I am happy for you too.

Now, you should be at ease

and focus on proper business.

Yes.

But a centipede dies hard.

I'm only worried that the Tian family

has a backup plan.

Ronghua, what should we do?

You have to think of a way.

Your father and brother are in trouble.

What will we do in the future?

We must find a way to save your father and brothers.

Nothing can happen to them.

If something happens to them,

how will the two of us live?

I've been helping in the accounting room these past few years.

The Tian family's accounts are clear and detailed—

I handled them all too.

They have absolutely nothing to do with Zhao Shen.

Have you forgotten what your father told you?

The accounts you made

can only fool idiots.

Do you think with your accounts,

we are able to top Hui Ink?

Mother...

What do you mean by that?

Have you forgotten how

the Luo family fell?

After the Luo family fell,

how their belongings

were sent to Lord Zhao's mansion?

And how the official silver over the years

smoothly ended up

in his pockets?

Every single one of these things

could cost

your father and brothers their heads.

Ronghua.

Ronghua.

We must think of a way.

We have to save your father and brothers.

If they really can't come back,

I really don't know how I'll live.

Ronghua, please save them.

Your father and brothers cannot be in trouble,

do you understand?

Save them.

Master!

Ronghua...

Stop crying.

I said stop crying.

Th-There is a way?

Pack our things.

We're going to the capital.

Really?

Ronghua, you are agreeing?

Okay.

I will pack our bags right now.

Go,

pack young lady's bags.

Zhen.

Zhen.

Something happened.

What's wrong, Mother?

I just went to Butcher Zhang's to buy meat.

I heard something happened to the Tian family.

Tian Ink Workshop was sealed off.

Tian Huai'an and his sons

were also taken to the yamen together.

Mother, take your time.

What happened?

I just went around to Tian Ink Workshop to take a look.

There were official seals on its doors.

I also heard

they took away an accountant.

Who else did they take?

What about Ronghua? Is she okay?

I don't think it was Ronghua.

I heard it was an old man

surnamed Xu.

Mother, please keep an eye on the ink workshop for me.

I'll go find Ronghua.

Zhen, slow down!

[Changsheng Garden]

Where is Ronghua?

Where is your lady?

You're finally here.

My Lady is going to marry the dumb grandson

of the Capital's Lord Xu.

Go and persuade her!

Is she inside?

She is.

Ronghua!

Ronghua!

Zhen.

What's going on?

Zhen.

I'm going to the Capital.

The Capital?

Are you really going to marry Lord Xu's

dumb grandson?

No.

You can't ruin your life like this.

There's no other way.

Three years ago,

our family rose to power by stepping on the Luo family,

growing bigger step by step.

Three years later,

our ink workshop's raided for a crime we committed.

My father and brothers will be punished by law.

Maybe...

this is the Tian family's retribution.

They deserve it.

They may deserve it,

but not you.

I'm also a member of the Tian family.

Since something happened to the Tian family,

what good could happen to me?

Zhen, I've envied you since we were kids.

When we were little,

you were the young lady spoiled by your whole family.

Later, even when your family declined,

your grandfather, your brother, and your mother

still treated you with all their hearts.

No matter what you want to do,

you can achieve it as long as you work hard.

No matter what happens,

you can fight to the end.

Ronghua, you can do it too.

Don't worry.

With me around,

no one can force you to go to the Capital.

Zhen.

I'm not forced to go

to the Capital this time.

I am doing it willingly.

Ronghua...

You better think this through.

Going to the Capital

is bound to be jumping into another fire pit.

Even if it's a fire pit,

I have to jump in there.

I can't just watch

my father and brothers lose their lives.

Ronghua.

Zhen.

You have your path to take,

and I have mine.

This is my fate.

I accept it.

After today,

we may never see each other again.

May everything

go well for you in the future.

Never be like me—

bowing your head to others.

Ronghua, it's time to go.

Ronghua.

Ronghua.

Ronghua!

[Post]

Zhao Shen,

Lord Zhao.

I am here to see you off.

Master Qi.

You and I have no enmity in the past or present.

Why are you causing me demise?

I'm causing you demise?

Lord Zhao,

if you want to talk about demise,

you only have yourself to blame.

You can only blame the fact that over the years,

you've gotten too close to the Tian family.

Lord Zhao.

Go to Jinling and await your execution.

You

and the father and sons of the Tian family—

none of you will escape.

You!

You...

Xiao Qi.

[Capital, Hu's Mansion]

Smile.

[Lord Xu's grandson, Hu Qi]

Smile. Father, smile.

[Lord Xu's daughter, Xu Wan]

Are you getting used to the Capital?

Yes, yes.

Thank you, Madam.

Qi, be good.

Massage.

Young Master is quite lively.

Qi.

Be careful.

Mother.

Qi,

[Lord Xu's son-in-law, Hu Shiyuan]

be good.

Eat.

There's a lot of meat on the table,

eat more.

Thank you, Madam.

Ronghua,

it's a blessing of three lifetimes

for us to marry into the Hu family.

The Madam and the Lord are so good to us,

and Young Master is also a fine young man.

After you marry into the family,

you must be doubly considerate to your husband,

understand?

Madam.

Ronghua is a good child.

I think she and Young Master are destined for each other.

It seems

she really is a good child.

Yes.

Thank you for the compliment, Madam.

Just stay here with peace of mind.

Come.

Thank you, Madam.

Thank you, Lord.

Thank you! Thank you!

Thank you!

Ronghua, I hope you are well.

Our last hasty farewell

still feels like yesterday.

I wonder if you are doing well in the Capital.

The noble mansions have strict etiquette,

so remember to be careful in your actions.

But if someone bullies you,

don't compromise.

There is always a way out.

I wish you all the best.

Run slower,

don't fall again.

Slowly, slowly.

Get up. Are you okay?

My knee hurts! My knee!

My knee!

Are you okay?

Don't sit on the ground, it's cold.

It's cold.

It's cold.

Are you hurt?

It hurts.

It hurts.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

Drum!

I want the drum.

Drum—

Don't move, I'll get it.

Drum.

Here.

Drum!

Drum!

Drum!

Drum!

Have something to eat.

Eat.

Eat.

Yum.

Eat slowly.

Don't choke.

Eat slowly.

Have some tea.

Eat.

Eat.

It's not bad to be a fool.

You can do whatever you want.

Eat slowly.

Slowly.

Madam.

Have a seat.

Do you know why I called you here?

Please enlighten me, Madam.

I have seen how

you interact with Qi.

I ask myself:

even as his biological mother,

I can't help but despise a fool.

Those who can endure this much

are either deeply scheming

with ulterior motives,

or pure and innocent.

Which one

are you?

Naturally, I have a motive to be willing to take care

of the Young Master for the rest of his life.

My father and two older brothers

are in jail

for bribing the magistrate.

I came to the capital

to save them.

You are quite honest.

Your family

married you to a fool.

Don't you resent it?

Even a saint

would have some complaints

if met with a situation like this.

But I must repay my parents

for raising me.

Foolish filial piety.

Madam, as a mother,

with a loving heart,

naturally you'd hope to find someone

who is willing to take care

of the Young Master for the rest of his life you can control.

Someone like me

is the most suitable.

I've always wanted a daughter,

but I couldn't get one.

When you marry Qi

and call me Mother,

you'll be no different from my own daughter.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you...

Mother.

Here.

Father.

At a time like this,

aren't you anxious?

What's there to be anxious about?

You look like a loser.

You useless thing.

How can I not be anxious?

Lord Zhao has fallen.

What will happen to our family?

Are we going to stay here forever?

The fate of the Tian family

depends on that official in the capital.

Madam Hu,

I've come to say goodbye.

[To Magistrate He]

This is the letter Madam Hu

requested from Lord Xu.

With this letter,

my father and brothers should be able to get out of trouble.

Thank you, Madam...

for saving the Tian family from disaster.

Ronghua,

when you stay in Hu's Mansion,

you must take good care of your husband.

Serve Madam well,

and don't make her angry. Understand?

Madam, I entrust Ronghua

to you.

Don't worry.

Ronghua is so obedient.

In the future,

I will certainly love her

like my own daughter.

Thank you, Madam.

Mother,

let me walk you back to change your clothes.

[Ronghua, I hope you are well. Waiting for your reply, Li Zhen]

My Lady,

the food has been out for a while.

It's getting cold.

You should eat something first.

I'm not hungry. Clear it away.

My Lady,

you've read these letters

countless times.

Would you like to reply?

Lord He.

Lord He.

Master Tian, what a clever move.

I have received the letter from the capital,

written by Lord Xu.

Lord He, the Tian family is really wrongly accused.

Wrongly accused?

The account books confiscated from your Tian family

completely does not match the ink merchants' purchase orders.

Your family is clearly using the ink business

to launder illicit money for Zhao Shen.

Although Lord Xu has already

shown some concern over this matter,

the evidence is irrefutable.

How could I

bend the law for personal gain?

You are absolutely right, Lord He.

How could our Tian family make things difficult for you?

However, My Lord,

our Tian family was indeed deceived by a villain.

My father is not fully literate.

He mistakenly trusted the accountant, Xu Chengde,

and entrusted all business funds to him.

We didn't expect

that this man would collude with Zhao Shen

and frame our Tian family.

Since a mistake was made,

someone has to take the responsibility.

The Tian family will not tolerate it.

Xu Chengde is entirely at your disposal.

Eldest Young Master Tian,

well played.

The crime is established

and the culprit is found.

Tell me,

how should I punish him?

You are very thoughtful, My Lord.

Our Tian family cannot shirk our responsibility this time.

We will definitely set an example to warn others.

Since a mistake was made, we must accept the punishment.

You can confiscate the 5,000 taels of illicit money.

As illicit money,

confiscating it is only natural.

My Lord,

you are absolutely right.

In addition,

our Tian family will offer another 1,000 taels of silver

to the Huizhou government office

as efforts to set an example for operation of the ink business

and restore integrity to the industry.

We will have to trouble you with this matter, Lord He,

which will also protect your good reputation.

Right, My Lord?

Eldest Young Master Tian,

as someone this scheming,

your talents are wasted here.

You must be joking, My Lord.

Master Tian.

As the Prefect of Huizhou,

I hope your Tian family will

behave yourselves in the future.

Definitely.

Definitely, definitely.

The Tian family's

savings over all these years

are gone just like that.

Father.

The only thing we can do now

is to cut off our arm to save ourselves.

Where there is life,

there is hope.

[Huizhou Prefecture Office]

Tian Huai'an,

what do you

have to say?

Prefect.

I was momentarily confused

and employed the wrong person.

Zhao Shen is a shameless scoundrel.

Xu Chengde

looks honest,

but he is actually an

insatiably greedy person.

The two of them secretly colluded

over false accounts.

I

knew absolutely nothing.

Master, you... you...

My Lord.

My Lord!

Mr. Xu.

You watched the three of us siblings grow up.

The Tian family has always trusted you immensely.

Your son

and grandson

both work at Tian Ink.

Our family respects you as an elder

and treats your family

as if they were our own.

How...

How could you trap the Tian family

in such an unjust position?

Xu Chengde.

Do you plead guilty to colluding with Zhao Shen

to cook

the books?

My Lord,

I...

I...

I... I plead guilty.

I plead guilty.

I plead guilty.

My Lord.

As the master of Tian Ink,

I know I am at fault too.

I voluntarily resign as master of Tian Ink

as punishment.

From now on,

I will never enter the Huizhou ink industry again.

Very well.

Since Tian Huai'an

has penalized himself

and withdrawn from the Huizhou ink industry,

I hereby sentence

the criminal

Xu Chengde

to exile in the North.

The Tian family is to return 5,000 taels of illicit money.

The 3 Tian family men

are acquitted

and released.

Court dismissed!

Lord He.

There is one thing I don't understand.

The Tian family colluded with Zhao Shen

in corruption.

Why were they acquitted and released?

Master Qi.

The witnesses and material evidence all point to

Zhao Shen's corruption.

His accountant, Xu Chengde,

has confessed

that he was the one who colluded with Zhao Shen.

The Tian family was unaware of it.

Lord He,

do you really believe

such a claim?

Master Qi.

Judging a case

requires evidence.

Even if

there might be

other claims,

a final conviction

still depends on evidence.

I doubt your judgement

will convince the public.

As a local magistrate,

you should plead for the people

and be just and incorruptible.

As I just said,

I only judge cases

based on evidence.

And

it has always been so.

Lord He.

Is it truly impossible to overturn this case?

Master Qi,

figure it out yourself.

I advise you

not to cause trouble

for Marshal Qi.

Sorry to bother you, Lord He.

The Emperor's edict to the ink merchants and citizens of Huizhou.

Now,

I seek the finest ink in the world

for the exclusive use of the imperial court.

All Tribute Ink

judged as top quality by the court

will be heavily rewarded

to encourage the ink trade to continue improving its skills.

I

know there are many scholars and men of letters in the world—

some may possess precious ink,

or have unique skills.

I hope you all understand my intentions,

and enthusiastically offer ink,

to jointly support this grand literary event

and leave a legacy for eternity.

That's the edict—

in the 42nd year of Jiajing.

Long live...

His Majesty.

Long live

His Majesty.

Everyone.

The Emperor's grace is vast.

This time's

Tribute Ink selection

allows for every family with prized ink

to join.

All those who are shortlisted

will be posted on the notice board

in Sibao Street.

As you all know,

the right to produce Tribute Ink in Huizhou

has fallen into the hands of others for years.

This is an opportunity

we cannot miss again.

Whether we can

get the Tribute Ink rights back...

depends on all of you.

Sacrificing his daughter for personal gain...

How shameless!

Let's stop here.

Lord Xu is the Grand Secretariat.

This matter involves the imperial court.

Lord Xu is the one protecting the Tian family now.

If you keep pushing,

you'll be openly challenging Lord Xu.

Think about your own identity.

If you go against Lord Xu,

how do you expect General to handle it?

Let me remind you once more:

the Tian family has been cleared of their charges

and regained their qualification

to run for the Tribute Ink.

If the Tian family wins the right,

the orders for Hui Ink

will all start going to them.

Your dividends in Li Ink will definitely be affected.

Brother, you must know.

Your six-month deadline with General is approaching.

If it really comes to that,

your plans in the ink industry

will be completely ruined.

You'd better think about

what's the most important thing now.

You are right, Sister.

I was too impulsive just now.

The most urgent task right now

is the Tribute Ink.

So what's your plan?

Even though Lord Xu can interfere in official affairs,

he might not be able to control

the Tribute Ink competition.

The Tian family is clinging to Lord Xu

just to find a bigger backer.

As long as it's a backer,

it has to be supported with silver.

Then I'll find a way

to cut off their way of making money

through Tribute Ink.

Over time,

when the money is gone,

this Lord Xu

naturally won't help the Tian family anymore.

I have to find a way to win the rights to the Tribute Ink.

First, that'll help with the military funds.

Second,

to cut off the Tian family's retreat.

I'm relieved that you

can think this far.

My Lord, you just said congratulations,

but I wonder

what's there to congratulate the Li family for.

Old Madam.

The Tribute Ink selection this time—

the timing, location, and people—

are all in favor of the Li family.

That's worth congratulating.

Lord Yan.

The Li family is still thinking

about the Tribute Ink selection.

We haven't officially registered yet.

Is there

some misunderstanding?

There is no misunderstanding.

There is no misunderstanding.

I was involved in the restoration of the ancient lacquer-soot ink

from the

very beginning to the end.

At the ink testing event,

I saw its brilliance with my own eyes.

Therefore,

I selected the ancient lacquer-soot ink

as the primary selection ink

of the Li family personally.

Such good ink

will definitely be on the list.

As for

the final selection...

Lord Yan,

I have been

working hard to research and improve

the Yunsong Ink in recent years.

I am confident

to participate in the Tribute Ink selection

with the new Yunsong Ink.

The new Yunsong Ink?

Yes.

There must've been a huge improvement.

Where is the ink?

It is still being improved.

I believe it will be

finished soon.

How many days is soon?

That's inappropriate.

This Tribute Ink selection

is not a trivial matter after all.

If you sign up

with an unfinished ink,

it's a little inappropriate.

Old Madam.

Have a look.

Please.

Everyone's familiar

with this ink, right?

This is Miss Li Zhen's Fu Jin Ink.

To be honest,

this piece of Fu Jin Ink from Miss Li Zhen

cured my daughter's chronic disease.

An ink

that can cure people

winning the Tribute Ink selection

is inevitable, isn't it?

But, My Lord,

although this Fu Jin Ink

is great...

it is not an ink of the Li family.

Lord Yan,

I am extremely grateful

for your painstaking efforts.

The Eighth Branch to which Zhen belongs

has long been expelled from the family.

She is now the Head of New Li Ink.

She has nothing to do

with Li Ink.

I have also heard about the Tribute Ink turmoil

and the expulsion of the Eighth Branch

of the Li family.

But that was in the past.

The past is the past,

now is now—

times have changed.

I see

Miss Li Zhen has been cooperating closely

with the Li family recently.

This is a good thing.

Why not

take advantage of the Tribute Ink selection

to combine the New Li and main Li

into one.

That'd be a great thing to the ink industry.

Why not, right?

My Lord,

Li Ink is an expert at pine soot.

In the past,

we'd submit pine soot ink for Tribute Ink selection.

To change the type of ink so abruptly

is a little...

I understand

everything you say and think.

It's fine.

It's fine.

Don't be constrained by these minor details.

To be honest,

I have already sent for Miss Li Zhen.

When she arrives,

let's settle this matter here.

Please rescind your order, Lord Yan!

Lord Yan,

I thank you

for your appreciation.

However, this ancient lacquer-soot ink

has nothing to do with New Li Ink Workshop.

Before this,

I was just an ink maker hired by the Li family.

As for this Fu Jin Ink,

I had no intention of submitting it for selection.

My ambition does not lie in Tribute Ink.

I ask for your understanding.

Miss Li Zhen,

what do you mean by this?

Rights to Tribute Ink

is what an ink maker

seeks all their life.

You say your ambition does not lie there—

very well.

Tell me,

where does your ambition lie, then?

I am content to be able to

open New Li Ink Workshop,

make ink,

and support my family.

I dare not aim for the right to Tribute Ink.

Miss Li Zhen.

Your abilities

and courage—

I have seen them for myself.

You are by no means a person lacking ambition.

There's no need to be modest.

I am not being modest.

Our Eighth Branch's expulsion from the family,

my father's death,

and how my entire family was left to wander around City Gate Lane

was all because of Tribute Ink.

Although I love ink

and also consider making ink

as a lifelong ambition,

I don't want to...

have anything to do with Tribute Ink ever again.

I beg for your understanding, Lord Yan.

Li Zhen!

What a lot of excuses.

What a lot of difficulties.

Are my good intentions causing a bad thing instead?

Please calm down, My Lord.

In that case,

I'll put it bluntly!

No matter what happened,

Huizhou must win

the Tribute Ink selection!

I will personally present it to His Majesty!

Your Li family

can't refuse!

Everyone,

know your place.