Original subtitles

♪The Upper Three hold the seals♪

♪A valiant general, an opera star, and a ruthless cripple♪

♪The Middle Three stir the clouds♪

♪A fiend, a wandering hero, and a master of the blade♪

♪The Lower Three deal in gold♪

♪A beauty, a seer, and a scholar♪

♪The Upper, Middle, and Lower Three♪

♪Represent the nine houses of old Changsha♪

♪Together, they are known♪

♪As the Mystic Nine♪

[Mystic Nine] [Adapted from the novel of Kennedy Xu]

[Episode 2] [This story is purely fictional]

[Wu's Residence]

[Memorial Tablet of Late Brother Wu Tie]

You weren't this reserved before,

Master Zhang.

What's wrong?

You haven't come by in so long.

Getting shy now?

Everything's different now.

So,

I should dress more decently.

Even as enemies,

anyone from the Mystic Nine should face each other openly.

This rule

was set by you.

The water's not as hot as it used to be.

People's hearts have grown even colder.

Did the Eighth Master tell you everything?

Why do you always send him to talk to me?

Don't tell me

you don't have the nerve to face me?

What is this?

Fifth Master, if you're interested,

why not go down and have a look yourself?

I'm not interested.

No?

Then why ask me here?

Because you need my help.

Finally, I get to set the terms.

Even if I'm not interested, I have to be.

As expected of you. Straight to the point.

Lives are at stake.

We should depart at once.

Hold on.

How long

has this wall been there?

It's been buried underground for over eighty years.

Over eighty years?

So

waiting another year or two

wouldn't make much difference, would it?

You agreed to see me.

You certainly didn't come here to waste my time.

Get to the point.

But what I want to talk about

may not be what you want.

Laogou,

I didn't come to you

because I had no other choice.

Is that so?

I found something.

No idea whose it is.

Since you're an official,

take a look.

Where's my wife?

I picked up something,

not a woman.

Where is my wife?

Can't wait to kill me?

Looks like

you're not an upright official at all.

You take the law into your own hands

and treat people's lives like they're nothing.

What exactly do you want?

Your wife, or your soldiers.

Pick one.

As a member of the Mystic Nine,

you went back on your oath

by laying a hand on an ordinary civilian.

Have you no shame

calling Yin Xinyue an ordinary civilian?

If you can kill, why can't I?

One life

for 127 lives.

That's a fair trade, isn't it?

You're still stuck in the past.

No.

I'm stuck

in the day you pulled the trigger.

Zhang Qishan,

admit it.

You're selfish.

You can't decide.

I removed a bone from your spine.

It won't kill you,

but you'll be crippled for life.

The longer this goes on, the less you'll be able to move.

I'm not even afraid of death.

Why would I fear being crippled?

You may not,

but those men under you will.

They'll come begging me to save you.

They'll surely release my wife

and bring the dogs

to rescue my soldiers.

Xiaozhu,

bite me.

I know you wouldn't hurt innocent people.

But every wrong

has someone to answer for.

If it's a life you want,

take mine.

Name your price.

I want you to disappear.

I'll return your wife

and save your soldiers.

But you

must leave the Mystic Nine

and leave Changsha.

I never want to see you again.

Fine.

You agree?

Once I leave the Mystic Nine,

Xie Jiu will take my place.

I can leave with peace of mind.

I promise.

I'm a man of my word.

I don't believe you.

Put it in writing.

I'm not writing that.

Then what do you suggest?

Swear an oath.

Fine.

Tiezui.

Call Tiezui over.

Laogou,

can we skip a couple of lines?

No.

Not a single word.

Swear it.

Fine.

I...

I swear.

Today, I witness the agreement

between Master Zhang and Wu Laogou.

If Laogou rescues

those who disappeared under the hospital,

Master Zhang will...

He...

He will leave the Mystic Nine.

If I fail to make sure he keeps his word,

from this day on,

no matter how much money I make, I will lose it all.

Every shop I own will burn down.

The Qi Clan line will end with me,

leaving no descendants.

And if Master Zhang breaks this oath,

Laogou will no longer be bound by the rules of the Mystic Nine,

and the Zhang and Wu Clans may fight each other.

No one may interfere.

Happy now?

You two are such a pain.

Get everyone out,

and I'll leave the Mystic Nine.

That's the deal.

When do we leave?

Tomorrow morning at eight.

Where's my wife?

Don't worry.

My word is my bond.

When I give my word,

I keep it, no matter what.

Zhang Qishan.

I'll do this for you.

But let me make one thing clear.

I'm not doing this

to help you.

I'm doing it

for those still missing.

Get this through your thick skull.

Between you and me,

you owe me a life.

Laogou,

I'll be on my way.

Bye.

Master Zhang.

Master Zhang.

Wait.

Wait for me, Master Zhang.

I...

I'll go with you.

Tiezui,

what kind of person am I

to you?

Master Zhang,

you're not taking me back?

You hesitated.

I'm not happy.

Wait, I...

Master Zhang.

Master Zhang!

Master Zhang!

You...

It's a long way back.

Are you making me walk all the way back?

You're ditching me already?

You...

Jeez.

Master Zhang,

I've had them seal up the hole.

We'll be going down there too,

so be careful not to get possessed.

Possessed?

It can spread?

Ghosts or demons,

there's always someone pulling the strings.

Pick our best men

and have them ready.

We move out

first thing in the morning.

Yes, sir.

What about Madam?

Laogou won't go back on his word.

He may not be educated,

but he's no petty villain.

Knowing Madam's temper,

once she gets back...

[Wu Kennels]

Good morning.

Fifth Master.

Fifth Master.

How is it?

Don't worry.

Tianpeng and I have been watching.

Not a sound from inside.

The drug probably hasn't worn off yet.

Madam Zhang is still unconscious.

Good.

Kidnapping someone's wife wasn't exactly our choice,

but it's pretty shameful.

Send her back before she wakes up.

Open the door.

Alright.

Fifth Master,

see?

I told you.

Fifth Master!

[Yin Xinyue]

As per the Wu Clan's rule,

we don't hit women.

You!

You said it yourself.

No hitting women.

Wu Laogou,

why are you here?

Not bad.

You turned the junk here

into traps.

You've learned quite a lot from your husband.

I'm the young mistress of Xinyue Restaurant.

I've been playing with this stuff

since I was a kid.

Xinyue Restaurant.

The biggest auction house in Beiping.

When will you take me there,

Young Mistress?

Not while you're alive.

Maybe after you're dead.

The body of Wu Laogou of the Mystic Nine

should fetch a reasonable price.

You have so many enemies.

There wouldn't be enough to go around even if I chopped you into pieces.

Give them back.

What?

My Twin Chime Bracelets.

You stole them.

My husband gave them to me

as our love token.

They're important to me.

Give them back.

Give them back.

Now.

- Don't hit me. - Give them back.

You!

You kidnapped me.

What are you planning to do to my husband?

Little wretch.

Like husband, like wife.

We're cut

from the same cloth.

That's why he's my husband.

We've finished talking.

I'll send you back later.

What did you two talk about?

That's between men. Don't ask.

Between men, my foot.

Tell me.

What did you and my husband talk about?

You won't say?

I'll kill you.

Whatever you agreed on

won't count anymore.

Go on then.

What's going on now?

Uh.

She's not leaving?

She has to.

Otherwise, Master Zhang will think

we broke our word.

Let's carry her out.

Enough.

Hold your horses.

No more fooling around.

They'll take you back.

There's no point staying here.

An agreement between men

isn't easily broken.

Fine.

I'll have Zhang Qishan come get you himself.

Wu Laogou.

You don't understand women.

Or men, for that matter.

Do you think

a man who knows

the woman he loves

has been bullied

would still work with you?

My dear lady,

what exactly do you want?

Renegotiate everything.

Out of the question.

Zhang Qishan must leave the Mystic Nine.

Leave the Mystic Nine?

Your deal with my husband

was for him to leave the Mystic Nine?

I'll level with you.

He asked me to look for Unit 401.

The place where they disappeared

is extremely dangerous. There's little chance of making it back alive.

But once they're found,

he'll leave the Mystic Nine immediately.

And he agreed?

He did.

That's wonderful!

Wu Laogou,

well done.

You just said

the Wu Clan doesn't hit women, right?

You two had a hand in this too, didn't you?

[Changsha Defense Headquarters]

Master Zhang.

Are you alright?

Did Wu Laogou threaten you

with me?

And you agreed?

Zhang Qishan.

Have you always thought I was a burden?

You're laughing?

Did you really think he could keep me locked up?

I beat them out of their crap all by myself.

Hadn't you stepped in,

I would've made it back on my own.

I bought your favorite pastries.

You must be starving.

Try this.

Is it good?

No.

Too sweet.

Try this one.

Just so-so.

Walnut pastries from Sanjizhai are pretty good.

Have them send more.

Not the ones from Laosanhuang.

They're awful. Don't buy them.

Yes, sir.

Zhang Qishan,

Wu Laogou said

you're going somewhere.

It's extremely dangerous.

Just be careful.

Alright.

I will.

I'm not interested

in Mystic Nine business anyway.

Zhang Qishan,

my father wants me to return to Beiping.

He says there are many matters at the Xinyue Restaurant

that need my attention.

When?

Tomorrow.

Once I'm done,

I'll go to Beiping immediately to see you.

My father hasn't accepted you as his son-in-law.

You'd better think carefully

about how to win him over.

Don't worry.

This time,

I'll try everything I can to make him accept me.

[Changsha Defense Headquarters]

Master Zhang,

a telegram from the Ministry of War.

Qishan,

have you made up your mind

about the Mystic Nine?

Don't put it off any longer.

[Taihe Pleasure House]

Don't disappear for so long again

like last time.

Alright.

I'll come by whenever I can.

It's a promise.

Take care.

[Huo Xiangu, Huo Clan of the Mystic Nine]

Have a drink with me.

Sure.

This is for you.

[Ding Qiansui, Manchu loyalist]

Wait outside.

[Huo Nianyi, Huo Clan; Huo Xiaomei, Huo Clan]

Miss Huo,

we'll go in with you.

No need.

But Ding Qiansui

has always been a bully.

We're worried...

Miss Huo,

sorry to trouble you

with this trip.

But don't worry.

Everything has been arranged.

Not a word will get out.

Thank you.

Ding Qiansui,

Miss Huo is here.

Miss Huo,

sorry to make you come all this way.

Well,

I really am sorry.

No need for that, Ding Qiansui.

You didn't invite me here

to catch up.

Let's get to the point.

You're straightforward.

Then I'll skip the pleasantries.

I heard

Zhang Qishan and Wu Laogou have joined forces.

They're heading under the hospital

to search for a missing military unit.

I'd like you

to go down there with them.

Find out

what's going on.

You have plenty of people

who are good at doing dirty work.

Have they all died?

Now you want the head of the Huo Clan to spy for you?

Ding Qiansui,

we may

do business together,

but I can't agree to this.

Miss Huo,

are you leaving?

[Loan Note]

This is your Huo Clan's loan note.

Next month, your family will borrow three thousand silver coins from me.

If I refuse,

your aunts will come begging again.

As for how they'll beg,

well...

Without that money,

whether the Huo Clan can make it through next month,

I couldn't say.

In times like these,

it's not easy for women to survive.

For the Huo Clan

to earn a place among the Mystic Nine was even harder.

This is the fate

of every woman in the Huo Clan.

[Huo Yuping]

[The Huo Sisters Guild] You have to accept your fate.

I'm just worried

that if the Huo Clan falls

and your enemies

come after you,

what will you do?

So soft.

Your skin is as soft as a baby's.

Xiangu,

you're so beautiful.

If those enemies ruined your face,

I'd be

heartbroken.

Just agree

to spy for me down there,

and I'll lend the money

to the Huo Clan.

Not only that,

I'll wipe out

all your debts.

I know

you're no ordinary woman.

You know how to make a deal.

Does Wu Laogou know about those old debts?

If he did,

I'm sure he would do something.

Would he?

Miss Huo.

Miss Huo,

are you really going to put up with this?

Do we have to do what Ding Qiansui wants?

I'll take care of it.

If you take this matter

to Master Zhang,

by the rules,

he won't agree.

Getting Wu Laogou's help

would be even harder.

Exactly.

Wu Laogou

flirted with you last time,

and even said he wanted to court you.

The elders were strongly against it.

You must hate his guts.

And now you have to ask him for help.

What are you going to do?

Enough.

You wouldn't understand.

Do you have that much faith in Huo Xiangu?

I wouldn't say I have faith in her.

Actually, I have faith in Wu Laogou.

Love is always dependable.

You can go back.

Love

is also the easiest thing to take advantage of.

Turn back.

Why are you here?

I heard

someone called Wu Laogou was flirting with you.

How come I never heard about that?

If you don't clear that up,

what will your family think of me

after I marry into your family?

I think you should put it another way.

For instance,

say I owe you money and won't pay it back.

I'm asking why you're here.

Are you angry?

Men like coming to places like this.

You came here to see Ding Qiansui.

But every time you leave after meeting him,

you get upset and take it out on me.

I was worried about you,

so I came.

I've only been out for an hour.

How did you know where I was?

That old geezer sent me a note.

Ding Qiansui has been hiding out here,

yet he's keeping a close eye on Zhang Qishan.

Turn around.

Ding Qiansui wants me

to follow you and Master Zhang down there

and spy for him.

Ding Qiansui

still hasn't given up on Zhang Qishan.

Did you and Master Zhang make up?

That's between him and me.

Stay out of it.

Even you're keeping me in the dark?

I can tell you.

Once we're married,

I'll tell you everything.

Not now.

I haven't secured my place as the clan head yet.

What about after you become the clan head?

Can we continue?

That Ding fellow actually wants you to work as his spy.

Are all his men dead?

No more talking.

I've got to go.

You must let me know

when Master Zhang goes down there.

Don't go yet.

Those are fireworks from Dongshan House.

But we can only see them from Taihe Pleasure House.

I don't understand the Huo Clan.

But fireworks are free.

Even if they last only a moment,

no one can hold on to them.

We're going underground at eight tomorrow morning.

I'll be waiting for you.

Turn it to the left.

Then lift it up a little.

Who are you?

Shift handover documents.

You're not one of the guards.

You're a military engineer.

But

why are you changing shifts?

[Unit 401, Zhang Peiwu]

Unit 401?

Squad leader, he's from Unit 401.

Squad leader.

Squad leader.

Stop!

Or I'll open fire.

♪The past fades like smoke♪

♪A choice is made in silence♪

♪In this labyrinthine puzzle♪

♪Who can reach the shore?♪

♪Just an ordinary farewell♪

♪The sun seems to shine bright over our heads♪

♪But this could be our last trip together♪

♪The spring breeze continues outside♪

♪Who was it who left in such haste?♪

♪Caught in the game, the raging waves fall silent♪

♪Who believes in fate?♪

♪For my home and my country, the years pass like a dream♪

♪When the song ends, who will still be waiting?♪

♪With a nod, we bid farewell and set out again♪

♪Take care♪

♪We once raced♪

♪For the dawn♪

♪Ever-lasting bond, a satisfying vindication♪

♪In the web of fate♪

♪No one can escape♪

♪Life and death cut like a blade♪

♪We too were young once♪

♪Fortunate to brave the raging waves together♪

♪Keep the ember lit♪

♪To illuminate the journey ahead♪

♪The spring breeze continues outside♪

♪Who was it who left in such haste?♪

♪Caught in the game, the raging waves fall silent♪

♪Who believes in fate?♪

♪For my home and my country, the years pass like a dream♪

♪When the song ends, who will still be waiting?♪

♪With a nod, we bid farewell and set out again♪

♪Please, do take care of yourself♪