Original subtitles

=The Road to Splendor=

(Adapted from China Literature author Zhizhi's novel of the same name)

=Episode 12=

Could it be

that Madam intends to make me a bedchamber maid?

Mozhan,

what are you doing here?

Young Madam.

Oh, right.

Just keep doing what you did before.

Make two orchid-pattern pouches for me.

I'll give them to the Young Master later.

Understood.

These handkerchiefs were bought at the market.

Do you recognize the stitching?

These are indeed the handkerchiefs we embroidered at the academy.

Good gracious,

that wretched instructor Zuo

used teaching as an excuse

to make my sister work like a seamstress.

Then she sold the finished handkerchiefs at the market.

Sister,

we made these handkerchiefs.

But the instructor treats us very well.

She would never do such a thing.

Morning lessons are about to start.

If I wait any longer, I'll be late.

What are morning lessons?

Every day, we must stand in the courtyard

and embroider half a passage of the Admonitions for Women.

Only then are we allowed inside to listen to the lecture.

My poor sister is too simple.

She won't listen to anyone.

Don't worry.

I will make sure what Zuo has done

spreads to every household.

She will never dare do this again.

The Fu family's embroidery is truly exquisite.

Why do these girls

seem to have been bewitched?

Zuo lost the Fu family's support,

yet she still rules unchallenged in Ganlin Town.

I bet she's got

someone backing her up.

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

Sister?

Get out here.

What is it?

Why are you hitting me again?

Did you sell those handkerchiefs?

No.

I just thought

I'd sell a few of them

to buy myself some wine.

You worthless fool.

You call yourself a scholar?

Don't you know

these are all unmarried young ladies?

If this gets out,

- what happens to them? - I...

I risked my life to get you out of prison

and hide you here.

If you still can't get it together,

you'll spend your whole life

as nothing but vermin!

A vermin. That's what I am.

Yes.

A vermin hiding in dark corners,

hiding in the Admonitions for Women Hall,

under this table.

I can't see the light.

I can't see anyone.

Same people, different fates.

Our fates today

are all because of Fu Tingyun.

If you've got the spine,

go after Fu Tingyun!

If not for her,

would you and I

have ended up like this?

I've made peace with it.

So should you.

Get out.

Get out!

The mountain pass is hard to cross.

Who will pity the one who has lost his way?

Go.

Bring Concubine Lu to me.

I have my ways

to make Fu Tingyun suffer the same fate as me

and spend her life mourning a dead fiance.

Lin.

What does

this bugle call mean?

The enemy is raiding the border again.

Our troops will go out to drive them off.

That's when the bugle sounds.

Will there be any danger?

Don't worry.

General Mo is leading the troops himself.

Those barbarians

always make a lot of noise but do little.

They run at the sight of our banners.

Then

will Mr. Zhao be going too?

All banner commanders and below will go.

But

Banner Commander Zhao, due to his last absence without leave,

can't go out this time.

It's alright.

There'll be plenty of chances to earn merit later.

Take less salt if you take more grain.

- Take less grain if you take more salt. - Mr. Zhao.

Lu Dahu used his position

to withhold grain from us.

Next.

Especially those without battle merits.

Do you deserve salt?

If you have any shame,

take fewer supplies

for the heroes on the battlefield.

Next.

Mr. Zhao.

Mr. Zhao.

We can go without salt

and take more grain

to fill our bellies.

Next.

Commander Lu.

Grain is negotiable.

But at least give us some salt.

We

can go hungry for a few meals.

But with no salt, we have no strength.

How can we train?

- Yucheng. - Hey.

Buddy, don't fall!

- Biao. - Buddy!

- You alright? - What happened?

You okay?

Bear with it.

I'll scrape some soot

from the bottom of a pot

to mix with your rice

so you get some salt.

No matter what,

the training can't be delayed, right?

What do you say, Commander Lu?

Come on.

Commander Lu,

tell me the truth.

Are we

short on salt?

Here.

We have grain.

But salt...

we truly have none.

Unless...

Unless what?

Give me three-tenths

of your pay.

Then I'll give you salt.

Sorry,

but I have a family too.

Three-tenths is too much.

I have so many brothers here today.

I only ask for a handful of salt.

No money? Then get out.

Cut out the nonsense.

How can I eat this?

No taste at all.

What are you mixing in there?

Soot from the pot, Commander Wang.

Salt is scarce.

The men came up with mixing soot into the rice.

This idea...

It's really hard to swallow.

How can I eat this?

Today's tofu

is really fresh.

Yeah.

I can't eat this.

Add some more soot.

What's going on?

Didn't they say we're short on salt?

Is salt free for you or what?

Commander Wang.

A few of the brothers

came from salt-making families.

They can refine cliff salt for their own use.

Cliff salt?

For their own use?

If we have enough hands

and enough time,

we can produce enough salt

for around a hundred men.

Then we won't worry about salt.

Really?

Alright.

If you can really deliver on that,

I'll promote you to company commander.

Mr. Zhao.

If you really make it to company commander,

then we're one step closer to returning to the capital.

Yeah.

Always with these clever tricks.

I'll be watching

to see if you even live to take that post.

Chuan, here.

I'm coming.

Mr. Tuo.

That new Banner Commander Zhao

can refine cliff salt.

He'll steal our business sooner or later.

You've got that skill, huh?

Then we'll take you alive.

Guys,

- get him! - (Yes!)

Chuan, go warn the folks down the hill.

Got it.

Let's go!

Stop running!

Catch them!

Stop!

Hold it!

Get them!

Help!

Quick, save him!

Commander Lu,

please save him.

A group of bandits

took Mr. Zhao up the mountain.

The bandits came so suddenly.

Who knows how many more are up there?

Rushing in blind is not wise.

Let's wait for Commander Wang to return to camp.

Does he really think he'll make it back alive?

But what if he actually escapes?

Missing from camp for seven days

will be reported.

Declared dead after half a month.

If he does come back,

it's too late.

He's back.

What's the news?

Any word on Mr. Zhao?

No.

Don't worry, Miss Xie.

Mr. Zhao

is favored by fate.

He'll be fine.

Feed the horse.

Sure thing.

Cheers.

Drink up!

Fill the cup!

Alright.

These men's arrival

is suspicious.

They don't seem like bandits.

Come, lend a hand.

Come on.

They seem more like

salt smugglers.

Unload the cart.

Got it.

How would salt smugglers get warhorses?

Wu, come here.

Coming.

Bottoms up.

Keep a close watch.

Are you hurt?

I'm fine.

Let's stand up first.

We can plan once we get these ropes off.

Why are you standing here?

You two are out of luck.

You ran into us.

My brothers haven't had meat

in weeks.

How can we drink

without meat?

Kill you two,

then we'll have our meat.

But without salt, how will that work?

You are professional.

Come.

Tell me.

What is the situation?

Before I joined the army,

I used to be a salt smuggler too.

Just like you.

Me too.

You two really have some skill.

We're looking to bring more men into our ranks.

Looks like fate has brought us together.

Why not join us?

But between the two of you,

I can only keep one.

Whoever survives

gets to stay.

Here are the weapons.

Take your pick.

A petty official like that means nothing.

As I said,

today,

whoever walks out of here alive

will be second-in-command

here.

Silvers, women,

meats and wine.

Whatever you want,

I'll give it to you.

Good!

I'll take this one.

Mr. Zhao, forgive me.

Very well.

Since you didn't treat me like a brother,

then I don't need to be polite with you either.

Excellent!

He's got some strength.

Kill him!

Good!

Good!

Go get him!

Good!

Go!

Fighting like dogs.

How satisfying!

Mr. Tuo, you really know how to have fun.

♪The wind sweeps the yellow sands as a long song rises♪

♪A lone rider heads for the distant frontier♪

♪The road stretches on, swallowed by wind and sand♪

Excellent!

Kill him!

Good!

♪Let the yellow sands bury the bones of who I was♪

♪Still, my resolve has never wavered♪

♪I lift a cup of humble wine to the passing breeze♪

There's a fire!

Yucheng!

Quick, stop them!

Miss Xie.

- Miss Xie. - Come on, Miss Xie!

I brought your favorite sesame flatbread.

Freshly dried sweet apricots.

Try some.

Why are your eyes red?

Must be worrying about Banner Commander Zhao.

Miss Xie.

Miss Xie.

Lord Li

has come to our house.

Banner Commander Zhao has been held by bandits for seven days.

No ransom request,

or a word at all.

By custom,

he is to be declared dead in the line of duty.

Let's leave.

You have no body,

no certificate

from the authorities confirming his death.

And Zhao Ling

hasn't even been missing for half a month.

How can you be so sure

that Zhao Ling is dead?

This is settled.

No more argument.

The Admonitions for Women Hall has prepared

(Admonitions for Women) a fine quarter for you.

Ms. Zuo

will guide you properly.

No way.

You want to use our young lady

to earn a chastity memorial arch

and report it to the capital

for your own merit.

Today, you decide

whether Zhao Ling lives or dies.

Some day,

when someone decides your future,

I hope you

will be just as decisive.

What do we do now?

Don't panic.

I've gone to beg Madam Wang to intervene.

Maybe

there's still room to turn this around.

Ninth Young Lady.

Does this room

look familiar to you?

Doesn't it remind you of the Fu family in Huaying?

Go ahead. Touch it.

Feel the grain of these bricks.

The innermost room of the west wing.

Laid crosswise and lengthwise,

one hundred and eight bricks in total.

On those sleepless nights,

I used to count them over and over.

Now these bricks

will require you, Ninth Young Lady,

to count them yourself.

When the nights were hard to bear,

I would take this copper coin

and rub it against the brick

over

and over.

Take a guess.

How long does it take

to wear one down smooth?

Let me go.

Let me go!

Release me!

On the first day of every month,

I must drink a bowl of Chastity Tonic.

Do you know what the Chastity Tonic is?

It's a decoction brewed

from gelsemium elegans,

musk, and arsenic.

Drink it,

and your skin will decay,

your hair will turn white,

and you'll never bear children.

This soup

is bitter.

But what's bitterest

is the chipped rim of the bowl.

Over time, it wears your lips raw.

Ten years

are enough to forge a mouth no longer knows how to cry out in pain.

I've endured

all this suffering.

Now,

it's finally your turn.

Drink it.

Drink it now!

Drink!

The Fu family

left me a widow for ten years.

You should suffer as I did.

Feel what I endured for ten years.

You're mad.

I was getting better.

I had someone by my side at night.

But then you came.

And it all came back,

those ten years I lived like a beast.

We could have stayed out of each other's way.

Why must you keep coming after me?

Why did you have to come to Ganlin?

How about

you live this life

for me instead?

I'm sorry I'm late.

I knew it.

I knew you wouldn't die.

What's the point of all that bluster now?

Zhao Ling.

Don't think that a little skill alone

can take you straight to the top.

The world

isn't as simple as you think.

I'm telling you,

your career ends right here.

From now on,

you won't go any further.

Let's go home.

What?

There are women inside.

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

Mr. Zhao.

We can't just let this go.

Let's go back.

Are you just letting that viper off?

Of course not.

(Admonitions for Women Hall) We'll settle the score, one by one.

If I don't avenge this,

how could I ever marry her?

I'm fine.

I'm just glad you came back safely.

It's not being a widow that I fear.

What I fear

is a world without you in it.

♪The past brushes by like a falling leaf♪

What?

I have few family ties.

And I come from the army.

So I don't care much for those taboos.

I'm afraid you'll have to make do with this.

♪How I wish I could stay a little longer, but I can't♪

♪I turn away, afraid goodbye will fill my eyes with tears♪

♪Etched deep within my heart, yet buried without a word♪

♪The warmth of your hand in mine♪

♪Still makes us want to believe♪

♪One promise for a lifetime, echoing long after we part♪

I was too impatient.

All I could think of was refining cliff salt to earn a promotion.

Once I've made something of myself

and earned the right to marry you...

♪So light, yet my steps still pause for you♪

I will never let you suffer again.

♪Through every rise and fall, our memories remain without regret♪

♪Carved into the rings of time♪

♪How I wish I could stay a little longer, but I can't♪

♪I turn away, afraid no one will ever come home to me again♪

♪If we can build our future together, no storm can chill my heart♪

♪The warmth of your hand in mine♪

♪Still makes us want to believe♪

This is a peachwood hairpin.

Though

it's not valuable,

my mother said

it wards off evil.

Just take it.

I...

I spent all my money on sweet cakes the day before yesterday.

So I just pulled some foxtails from the wall and wove this.

From now on,

I'll be more careful with my money.

And I have something too, Miss Xie.

This is a hair ribbon.

Miss Xie,

this is a comb.

Thank you all.

(Yu Residence)

Young Master.

Open it and have a look.

Thank you.

Just leave it there.

Do open it and see.

I sewed it with pale cream thread,

with stitches as delicate as the color of narcissus.

But this is the color of ink.

None of you should waste your thoughts

on such matters.

Yake,

attend to Mother,

manage the household,

and I will not be unkind to you.

Mother.

It's so late. Why aren't you resting?

You even came to pay your respects.

I came

to speak to you about Yake.

Mother.

It hasn't been easy for her, marrying from Huaying to the capital.

I beg you to show her compassion.

Leave her someone

to talk to by her side.

I beg you,

Mother,

to relent.

My son sees things clearly.

But a mother

who acts for her son

can have no ill intent.

Rest assured.

As for matters within your chambers,

I will not interfere.

Thank you, Mother.

Then

I will take my leave.

Once trust between hearts

is cracked,

it will shatter more completely.

When she has no one

to speak to in this house,

let's see if she still dares to act so high and mighty with me.

You were taken up the mountain by bandits,

and yet you came back in one piece.

You've got some skill.

You are too kind, My Lord.

I was just

lucky.

I waited until they were drunk,

then slipped my ropes and ran back.

My Lord,

now that we've found the salt mine,

what about what you promised me?

I did indeed make a promise.

But this time, I'm afraid I'll have to break it.

We'll find another chance

to reward you for your merits.

Why?

I made a promise to my brothers.

I said I'd lead them to a better future.

And now...

How am I supposed to face them?

Then you should think carefully

about

whether you've offended anyone lately.

(Your career ends right here.)

(From now on,)

(you won't go any further.)

The promised merit, gone just like that.

This lousy job.

It's not even as good as when we smuggled salt.

That was more satisfying.

This lousy token.

Whoever wants it can have it.

Right.

Who cares about this thing anyway?

Right.

(Yan Guard)

You two are right.

But my mother always said,

one should always walk

the righteous path.

Come on.

Chuan.

From now on, don't ever say such things.

Deep down, Mr. Zhao

has it harder than any of us.

Mr...

What's wrong, Mr. Zhao?

Commander Wang

went back on his word.

My promotion

may not happen anytime soon.

The question is, who has Zuo

managed to attach herself to,

that even Commander Wang is wary of?

Mr. Zhao, do you remember

this piece of brocade?

This cloud-geese pattern

can only be worn by civil officials of the junior fourth rank or above.

This is an unfinished

man's garment.

Advisor Li?

No wonder he insisted

on forcing me to the Admonitions for Women Hall.

I had thought

it was just for a chastity memorial arch

to earn some political merit.

I never expected

it was all for Zuo.

Now that we know who our opponent is,

it'll be easier to deal with.

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

Why are you so clumsy?

You can't even put my shoes on properly.

Don't be scared.

They've all been through it.

Fawning over him, are you?

You little tart.

Dare to show off in front of me?

You little jealous thing.

She's just a girl.

Not worth getting angry over.

What's so fun

about that little runt, Hanyan?

Next time you come,

I'll give you something even better.

You really know how to make people happy.

Remember,

use the side door at the back.

Don't let anyone see you.

From now on,

you don't need to serve here anymore.

Those ten years with the Fu family,

only you and I had each other.

These men,

they see a woman and want to demean her.

In this house,

it's enough that one of us has to live in the shadows.

(Virtuous, Serene and Proper)

Look at this embroidery.

Do you like it?

It's beautiful.

This one is beautiful too.

Where is my shoe?

Why is there only one left?

This is the third time this month.

Last time it was a handkerchief.

Before that, a bracelet.

And now today,

even the shoe went missing.

Could it be

haunted?

Have you heard, Miss Xie?

Strange things have been happening

at the Admonitions for Women Hall.

The embroidered shoes of Miss Wang

disappeared

in plain sight.

My little sister is learning at the Admonitions for Women Hall too.

Oh, what should we do?

In this world,

there are no ghosts or spirits.

Someone is just playing tricks behind it all.

Please don't worry.

I will get to the bottom

of this matter.

- Alright. - Alright.

Sister, let's leave.

Be careful on the way.

- Okay. - Okay.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Is what you said true?

Of course it's true.

How terrifying.

There is indeed something wrong.

Could it be that Advisor Li

hides under the cabinet to peek

and steals the girls' personal belongings?

What a beast.

We need a plan

to draw this snake out.

That way, we get rid of the menace

and keep the students from being harmed by Zuo.

(Advisory Hall)

My Lord.

Are you heading to the ancestral hall again?

Isn't it almost time to knock off?

It's getting late.

I'm going to the ancestral hall

to burn incense for my late mother.

As a son,

one should never forget

the kindness of one's parents.

No wonder you're famous far and wide as a filial son.

This is the way to the Admonitions for Women Hall.

His ancestral graves

are at the Admonitions for Women Hall?

Third Brother,

when are we

going to make our move?

Not yet.

Let's go tell Miss Xie first.

I came to let you know I'm safe.

I heard that a few days ago,

you went to great lengths for me.

But because of the rules,

you couldn't break them.

Still, I will remember

this kindness.

You look to be in one piece.

They didn't wear you down at all.

Thank you for your concern, Madam.

I will always remember it.

Thankfully, Zhao Ling is quick on his feet.

It was a close call, but no harm done.

Don't stand.

Have a seat.

Madam, have you heard

from Miss Mo

about the strange happenings at the Admonitions for Women Hall?

Strange happenings?

Miss Wang's embroidered shoe

vanished into thin air.

Miss Qian's handkerchief

also went missing for no reason.

I suspect Zuo is hiding a man in there,

damaging the young ladies' reputations.

Now I need your help, Madam.

This kind of filth

needs someone like you to put a stop to it.

Fine.

Let me see which filthy scoundrel

dares to play tricks right under my nose.

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

(Admonitions for Women Hall)

Open the door!

Open the door!

Open the door now!

Open the door!

(Next Episode)

I just received my orders.

I'm escorting supplies to Shaqiong Town tomorrow.

Take care while you're in Ganlin Town.

Do you think I got where I am today

because of my brother-in-law?

It's because

I am better

than all you useless scum.

Just one rank above you,

and I can crush you.

Zhao Ling attacked a superior officer.

He defied military orders.

Kill him on sight!

♪The past brushes by like a falling leaf♪

♪So light, yet my steps still pause for you♪

♪Through every rise and fall, our memories remain without regret♪

♪Carved into the rings of time♪

♪How I wish I could stay a little longer, but I can't♪

♪I turn away, afraid goodbye will fill my eyes with tears♪

♪Etched deep within my heart, yet buried without a word♪

♪The warmth of your hand in mine♪

♪Still makes us want to believe♪

♪One promise for a lifetime, echoing long after we part♪

♪For one fleeting moment, I found you in the crowd♪

♪Without a word, you lit up half my life♪

♪In silence, a love too deep for words♪

♪Kept close within my heart♪

♪From now on, no one else is worth waiting for♪

♪I turn away, afraid no one will ever come home to me again♪

♪If we can build our future together, no storm can chill my heart♪

♪The warmth of your hand in mine♪

♪Still makes us want to believe♪

♪One promise for a lifetime, echoing long after we part♪