Original subtitles

May your spirit roam beyond.

Farewell, Ninth Young Lady.

May your spirit roam beyond.

(Late Lady Fu of the Zuo Family) Farewell, Ninth Young Lady.

(Chastity memorial arches in ancient China)

(A Paragon of Virtue and Integrity) (are granted by the imperial court)

(A Paragon of Virtue and Integrity) (and erected by the clan.)

(A family granted such a memorial arch)

(could greatly enhance its prestige)

(and clear the way to official advancement.)

(And so, around these arches,)

(Grace Lost, Virtue Enduring) (countless schemes began to take shape.)

(Some would even cost)

(their lives.)

May your spirit roam beyond.

Farewell, Ninth Young Lady.

(Double Happiness)

Madam.

A wedding procession ahead

is blocking the road.

A wedding always gives way to a funeral.

(Spirit of the Late Lady Fu of the Zuo Family)

Tell them to move aside

and let us go first.

(Spirit Tablet of the Late Lady Fu of the Zuo Family)

My respects, Madam.

I trust you have been well.

What a fortunate coincidence.

My bride happens to be an old acquaintance of yours.

Why not come and see her?

Indeed, I should.

=The Road to Splendor=

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

=Episode 1=

(Over a month earlier) Snow turns foul on Huaying's ground.

So how does the snow at the Fu Residence stay so spotless?

Look more closely.

The blossoms are made of silk, and the snow is nothing but salt.

They wouldn't want the ladies' shoes and stockings dirtied.

(Hall of the Flower Goddess) You think they honor the Goddess?

They are really here for Madam Yu.

The Yu family of Yongning Prefecture.

Exactly.

(Fu Residence)

(Eldest Madam, Old Madam, Fifth Madam) This event decides Tingyun's marriage.

Nothing can go wrong.

(Fu Tingyun, Ninth Young Lady of the Fu Family)

(An Album of Erotic Paintings)

Look.

The brushwork is exquisite.

(Madam Zuo, Eldest Granddaughter-in-Law) Every figure looks almost alive.

We have been doing business for years.

Since you are a loyal customer,

I suppose

I will not charge you for this one.

(Admonitions for Women) All I ask in return

is a marriage alliance.

A marriage alliance?

Your younger brother,

Zuo Junjie,

lives with you

at the Fu Residence, right?

Staying under another family's roof is tough.

As it happens,

I have a kid here

who would be

a fine match for your brother.

That will not be necessary.

He is my only brother.

I arranged his marriage long ago.

May I ask

which family's young lady he is promised to?

Tingyun has beauty and brains,

and a noble standing.

She is the perfect match for my brother.

Madam Zuo,

you haven't heard?

Old Madam Fu

made her choice long ago.

Lord Yu

holds office in the capital.

He has only one son,

and the boy has the makings of a top scholar.

The Fu family

has already prepared the east wing,

ready to welcome him as a son-in-law.

Get out.

They're here.

They are coming.

(Madam Yu, Wife of the Left Censor-in-Chief)

Madam Yu.

Old Madam Fu.

I hear the esteemed Master Fan Kun resides in your household.

I've brought my son to study under him.

We'll need to stay here for a few days.

I hope we won't be too much of a bother.

Not at all.

Madam Yu, your timing is perfect.

Today is the Flower Goddess Festival.

(Fu Residence) The county is holding a grand ceremony.

You must join the festivities.

Let the young ladies of Huaying

share in some of your good fortune.

You flatter me, Madam.

(Yu Jingxiu, Yu Family's Young Master) To take part in such a grand celebration

is a privilege for me.

This is my son, Jingxiu.

My respects, Old Madam Fu.

Madam Yu.

My fifth son's household has a young daughter.

She has been raised exceedingly well.

She is today's chief celebrant.

Later, she will adorn the Flower Goddess with blossoms.

Perhaps you might say

a few kind words for her

and help secure her future.

You do me too much honor.

What is wrong, Madam Zuo?

The scriptures I copied are missing.

I must find them.

That is my eldest grandson's widow.

She has remained chaste since his death.

Poor woman.

She seldom comes out.

By spending just a little money,

now some are deemed above the rest before the Flower Goddess.

In looks, character, and family standing,

(Fan Yake, Master Fan Kun's Child) Tingyun is second to none.

If the chief celebrant isn't a Fu,

could it possibly be a Feng?

(Miss Feng, Feng Laosi's Child) That would never be you either.

You're only a schoolmaster's daughter.

Just because your father taught her a few poems,

you cling to her day in and day out.

Yet you couldn't even wrangle a place as assistant celebrant?

Master Fan runs a strict household.

Yake is rarely allowed out.

She had no wish to attend today's ceremony.

I asked her to come and keep me company.

What a grand affair.

My Lady.

Your things have arrived.

How beautiful.

Jewelry and precious gems.

What is this?

(An Album of Erotic Paintings)

You...

Reading such indecent books in private is bad enough,

but how dare you bring such filth here?

And your family even has a chastity arch!

Where did this filth come from?

My Lady.

(An Album of Erotic Paintings) I have no idea where it came from.

My respects, Madam Yu.

Madam Yu is our honored guest,

and all you noble ladies shine so brightly.

Someone as unworthy as I am

can only bask in your reflected glory

and come out to see the sun.

Please, carry on.

I still have scriptures to find.

Madam Zuo.

My Lady.

Madam Zuo said something is missing.

She has ordered every room searched.

Searched?

If they find

something filthy like this,

nothing good will come of it.

Don't drag us down with you.

Exactly.

This has nothing to do with us.

(Your late cousin's widow has repeatedly proposed a match.)

(She wants you to marry that good-for-nothing Zuo.)

(I refused.)

(For a woman, marriage can make or break her life.)

(Choose wisely.)

If word of this gets out,

forget about ever marrying.

It could cost you your life.

Tingyun.

I lost something.

I was hoping to look for it in here.

Madam.

That widow from earlier

has gone to the Ninth Young Lady's room.

Not sure whether she'll manage to get away.

Madam Zuo.

What are you doing?

That belongs to me.

Put it down.

You'll break it.

Leave our things alone.

What are you doing?

Unbelievable!

Be careful.

You'll break it.

Don't touch that.

Zuo.

Have you found your scriptures?

I don't believe...

not one of you saw anything.

What do you gain by covering for her?

At the Flower Goddess Festival,

you're only here to make her look better.

Are you suggesting

that

we search the young ladies themselves?

- What right do you have to search us? - How can you search us?

Search us?

You...

Madam Zuo.

Is this how the Fu family treats its guests?

Exactly.

- Right. - Exactly.

Madam Zuo.

Could your scriptures

have been left in the courtyard?

You

shouldn't disturb everyone here.

Come with me.

In the Year of Bingwu,

on the Flower Festival day,

celebrants, take your places.

There was only ever one chief celebrant.

Only she adorned the goddess with flowers.

Why are there more than a dozen this year?

And none is given precedence.

Exactly.

Weird.

Well, well.

Madam Yu, you were only meant to offer one blessing.

Now you will have to say a few more words.

Ninth Young Lady Fu,

you are a clever one.

I may be the chief celebrant,

but serving the goddess is a blessing in itself.

And among the officials' wives in the northwest,

Madam Yu is one of the most distinguished.

A single word of praise from her

could greatly improve a girl's marriage prospects.

Such good fortune

is not mine

to enjoy alone.

Rather than suffer alone for a false accusation,

we may as well

finish the ceremony together

and share the honor.

Will Madam Yu really praise us?

Gentle and refined.

Bright-eyed and captivating.

(Now that you have benefited from Miss Fu's generosity,)

(you must keep her secret.)

A radiant smile and graceful charm.

Elegant and composed.

A serene and refined bearing.

A luminous presence.

A beauty in full splendor.

The ceremony is complete.

Madam Yu,

of the thirteen beauties you just saw,

which one pleased you most?

If I must choose

one of these young ladies,

it'd be the daughter of Master Fan Kun,

who teaches in your household. Is she here?

Who is she?

It's her.

Miss Fan,

please step forward.

I find Miss Fan the finest of them all.

You flatter me, Madam.

Master Fan is well-versed in both ancient and modern texts.

His daughter has inherited his fine intellect

and is highly accomplished.

A true young lady of distinction.

What token may bind two hearts?

A pair of bangles around the wrist.

I present this jade bangle to you.

May you

be blessed with a match made in heaven

and a lifetime of love and happiness.

Old Madam Fu,

a servant just informed me

that my son's bed was made up in the east wing.

But he sleeps little when he studies,

and cannot bear the morning sun.

The east-wing bed does not suit him.

Please move him to the west wing instead.

Mr. Fu, you scattered salt around your home to mimic snow.

(Feng Laosi, Salt Merchant) And all that salt

was supplied by us.

(Magistrate Fu of Huaying County) Now that the marriage has failed,

you are forcing salt prices down instead.

The court has sent an Imperial Envoy

to investigate the price of salt.

Please,

I need your cooperation.

The price truly cannot rise any further.

Twenty copper coins a catty is the absolute maximum.

Others may not understand,

but surely you do.

The salt itself isn't expensive.

The permits are.

The price of salt

simply cannot be brought down.

If you must,

arrest a couple of salt smugglers and call it done.

I heard something interesting.

Jiuweijiao has a shipment of salt

headed for Huaying.

A full hundred thousand catties.

Jiuweijiao?

Who is this person?

He's only the biggest salt smuggler

in the entire northwest.

He has manpower, money, and supply routes.

Bring him down,

and you won't have to fear the salt-price investigation.

With an achievement like that,

a promotion is as good as yours.

Is this Jiuweijiao easy to catch?

His name says it all.

Think about it.

He's slippery as an eel.

Apart from his closest men,

hardly anyone has seen his true face.

(Zhao Ling)

Drink this toast to fortune.

From this day on, here in Huaying,

we share the good times

and face the bad together.

Mr. Zhao and I grew up together.

He's

(Jin Yuanbao, Salt Shopkeeper) capable and quick-witted.

Stick with him,

and none of us will lose out.

- Hear, hear! - Hear, hear!

Cheers!

- Cheers! - Cheers!

We're going to make a fortune!

The good times are coming!

- Come on! - Drink up!

Fill every bowl!

Come on!

- Have another! - Come on!

Soon we'll be living like kings.

That's right!

Why is that courtyard

so bright?

That's salt.

They're gathering it up

to create a snow scene.

Salt prices are soaring in Huaying.

Ordinary people can barely afford it.

What family would waste salt like this?

The County Magistrate's.

His name is Fu.

They held a banquet earlier today.

They called it

a feast for the Flower Goddess Festival.

They made flowers out of silk

and scattered salt to look like snow.

You think it's ten thousand catties of fine salt.

They just wanted it

clean and pretty.

The County Magistrate?

If they can keep

its salt so spotless,

then the only dirty thing must be the money.

Here, darling.

A man can take the imperial examinations

and win wealth and status for himself.

But a woman

can only gain them through marriage.

Look at this scene in the play.

A young lady waits faithfully by the bridge

until a scholar on his way to the examinations appears.

She gives him gold and silver

to pay for his journey.

They make a promise:

"If you pass with high honors,

do not forget me."

But what if

the scholar

is not learned enough

and returns without success?

Or perhaps

he simply

has no interest in the lady at all?

And so, you see,

after Mr. Zhang leaves,

she waits for Mr. Wang, Mr. Li, and Mr. Zhao.

The lady reasons,

"If I give my handkerchief to enough scholars,

surely one of them will pass.

Isn't that so?"

We are

a family of standing.

(Chastity Honored Through the Ages) And with those three arches at our gate,

I will make certain you marry above your station.

Okay.

At the Flower Goddess Festival,

you saw thirteen beauties.

Which one caught your eye?

The Ninth Young Lady, of course.

It was plain to see

that you were fond of her.

Young as she is,

she knows when to sacrifice a small advantage

to protect the greater good.

And she remained perfectly composed in a crisis.

She carries herself with a certain nobility.

She has the makings of someone remarkable.

But the Fu family

was none the wiser.

The imperial court

is investigating the salt trade and tax revenues.

Yet the Fu family

tried to win my favor

by wasting salt to create a spectacle.

The Fifth Master may have risen to the fifth rank,

but his post carries no real power.

The men of the family are of little use,

so they rely on chastity memorial arches to advance their careers.

Otherwise,

(Lewd books like The Carnal Prayer Mat) why let a widow run wild like this?

You shameless wretch!

I used to turn a blind eye to your behavior.

You showed no gratitude,

and now you've lost all sense.

How dare you jeopardize the Ninth Young Lady's marriage?

It no longer matters how much I favor her.

Our family

is on the rise,

while theirs is in decline.

It would be a poor match for us.

Mother.

Please remember that my daughter-in-law

has remained a widow for our family for ten years.

Show her some leniency.

Eldest Master has greased the right palms.

In a few more years,

the masters' promotions will be secured.

We cannot let all that effort go to waste.

Tingyun is still unmarried.

If her reputation is ruined,

at best, she'll marry beneath her.

At worst, it could cost her life.

What do you think she intended?

I'm sure you know.

Zuo.

Yes.

Even if you destroy Tingyun,

I will never marry her

to that worthless brother of yours.

Take Madam Zuo away.

If she means to be a virtuous widow,

she should remain quietly in her chambers

and copy Lessons in Female Virtue and Admonitions for Women a few times.

(Grace Lost, Virtue Enduring) She must not leave without cause.

(Huaying County)

White as snow.

Fine as dust.

Salt of this quality

is hard to come by.

Twenty copper coins a tael.

Do you want it or not?

Do you have an official permit?

You must be joking.

If this were government salt,

it wouldn't be this cheap.

No salt permit?

Then it's contraband.

These days,

the authorities are cracking down hard.

I wouldn't dare stock illegal salt.

This is called Ground Snow.

In the entire northwest,

I'm the only one who has it.

Whether you make a fortune from it

is entirely up to you.

I'll take it.

(Yang Yucheng, Salt Smuggler)

It's just business, whoever you're dealing with.

Go.

Hurry.

How much Ground Snow do you have?

(Sen)

I want a hundred thousand catties.

I'm going out for a meal.

I'll tell you when I get back.

Is there any dirty money you won't touch?

After him!

Hurry!

Zhao Ling!

This way!

That way!

Sen, how many times have I told you?

You'll kill someone hitting them like that.

You can't get blood on your hands.

Sen.

I knew you had it.

Out of the way!

Move!

Officer!

Someone is selling illegal salt here.

Open up!

Open the door!

- Open the door! - Open up!

Open up!

Open the door!

This way!

Hurry!

What are you doing?

Stop!

My Lord.

Save me.

They're salt smugglers.

They're trying to silence me.

You truly have no shame.

And who are you?

I serve the imperial court.

I'm here to arrest salt smugglers.

I...

I have intelligence.

Illegal salt is hidden in the third house

on Anping Lane.

There is more at Cangxue House

on Ningde Street.

A full hundred thousand catties.

Send men to seize it at once,

before the thieves get there first.

Mother.

Mother.

Wonderful news.

The best news imaginable.

What happened? Why the rush?

The court has sent an Imperial Envoy.

He is the son of the Imperial Salt Censor,

sent ahead to prepare for his father's arrival.

Mr. Zhao

identified three storehouses

containing a hundred thousand catties of salt.

I sent men to investigate,

and it turned out to be

top-grade Ground Snow.

(Western Capital Salt Transport Bureau) All contraband was seized.

This was reported to the court,

and your son earned great merit.

How old is this Mr. Zhao?

Has he earned any academic honors?

And is he married?

Where are we?

The Magistrate's residence.

We came

to Huaying

to investigate the salt-smuggling case.

But we never expected

to be cornered by those smugglers in the salt shop.

We barely escaped with our lives.

Fortunately, Magistrate Fu arrived just in time

and rescued us.

He even brought us here to recover.

So,

we are now staying

in the west-side quarters of the Fu Residence.

Mr. Zhao.

My uncle has sent men

(Fu Tingzhuo, Seventh Young Master) to Anping Lane.

All the Ground Snow stored there

has been seized.

So quickly.

Every last bit.

As expected.

No case ever lingers on his desk.

Rest well, Mr. Zhao.

We shall take our leave.

Wait.

All our goods are gone.

What are we going to tell the others?

The authorities may have seized the salt,

but as long as we get paid for it

from the state coffers,

it will be as good as sold.

Then we'll split the official silver among the men.

That'll sound even more impressive.

You can do that?

What else would we do?

Do you have a better idea?

What's the first rule

of surviving out here?

If words will do,

never use your fists.

If fists will do, never spend money.

And if money will do, never risk your life.

I'll remember that, Mr. Zhao.

Call me

Young Master.

Young Master.

I am now the son of the Imperial Salt Censor,

an imperial envoy.

No one does it like you, Young Master.

He...

Mr. Zhao, you...

My knees have gone numb.

I forgot to ask earlier.

Would you like to write home

and let your family know you're safe?

The roads beyond the city are overrun with refugees,

and travel is difficult.

I wouldn't want to trouble you.

But

won't your parents

get worried?

They don't know I've been injured.

What about your wife and children?

Won't they worry?

No.

I have yet to marry.

I have neither wife nor children.

Not yet married...

Get some rest, Young Master.

Not yet married...

That hurts.

Madam Yu.

Congratulations, Old Madam.

Congratulations, Eldest Madam.

I hear Eldest Master Fu has crushed a band of salt smugglers

and seized tens of thousands of catties of Ground Snow.

Such a remarkable achievement

will surely be rewarded by the imperial court.

Lord Yu serves in the Censorate.

When the officials' performance is reviewed,

we shall be counting on his support.

Mother.

Mr. Zhao

heard that the elders of the family were here

and asked to pay a visit

to offer you his respects.

Very well.

Madam Yu.

Mr. Zhao.

My respects, ladies.

His father is the Imperial Salt Censor of Liangzhe Circuit,

an imperial envoy.

He is investigating the case on his father's behalf

and is staying in the west-side quarters.

Tingzhuo,

see that our honored guest is well looked after.

We meant well.

We mustn't let a small oversight in his sleeping arrangements

displease our guest.

That would never do.

Rest assured, Old Madam.

I never intended to impose upon your household.

It is just that

securing the funds

needed for the investigation will take some time.

Secure the funds?

The brute who injured me

takes orders from Jiuweijiao.

Jiuweijiao

- not only keeps hired thugs, - Jiuweijiao?

but also hoards weapons in secret.

I would like

to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

So I intend to set the bait,

using ten thousand taels of silver as the lure.

We'll pretend to arrange a deal

and draw him out.

Unfortunately,

here in Huaying,

I have few useful connections,

and I did not bring enough money.

For the moment,

I can't put the plan into motion.

Well...

How about

we lend some money to you?

Set the bait?

But you have neither a hook

nor any bait.

This is

Madam Yu of Yongning Prefecture.

Her husband holds office in the capital.

Mr. Zhao.

I've been away from the capital for several years.

Are the elders of your household keeping well?

My respects, Madam.

Meeting an old acquaintance far from home

is one of life's great joys.

Hardly.

The last time I visited your residence

was three years ago.

We...

met before.

The male and female guests dined separately.

You and I have never met.

Then I must have been

remiss in my manners.

At your wedding banquet,

Mr. Zhao,

you were

too busy to attend to every guest.

Wedding banquet?

You're married?

I later heard

you were blessed with a son.

Your household could then boast

four generations under one roof.

And even has a child?

Didn't Tingzhuo say

Mr. Zhao had no family?

A boy or a girl?

I had no wish to speak of it.

But since you insist on asking...

The child...

The child...

died in infancy.

My father feared I would be consumed by grief,

so he sent me traveling

to ease the pain of my loss.

Yes.

Your wife is still young.

You will have more children.

Is she taking any restorative medicine?

My family has an excellent prescription.

I can have it prepared

and ask Fifth Master to have it delivered,

so she can begin taking it at once.

My wife and child...

passed away together.

In my view,

Mr. Zhao, you are blessed with good fortune.

In time,

you will marry again.

Of course.

You are still young.

Very young indeed.

Exactly.

Let us hope so.

The Imperial Salt Censor may not rank highly,

but it is a highly lucrative post.

He even has the Emperor's ear.

If we can arrange this marriage,

it would be an excellent match.

Madam Yu

and her son

are still staying under our roof.

Madam Yu

did not choose you.

Why waste your time

waiting for her to change her mind?

I just feel

that Mr. Zhao's arrival

was a little too convenient.

Better to arrive at the right moment than the earliest.

Is it because he was married and had a child?

His wife and child are both gone.

A man who has been married before

knows how to cherish his wife.

Exactly.

(Fu Residence) Lord Yu

can advance your father's career,

while Mr. Zhao can help your eldest uncle.

Both proposed marriages

would trade your future for the men's advancement.

At least we know

the Yu family well.

But what if Zhao Ling

is an impostor?

All they see is the salt,

not the man.

They are not afraid that Zhao Ling is a fraud

and that my whole life will be ruined.

They are afraid he might be genuine

and they might miss their chance to gain influence and promotion.

The Fu family's stake

has never been gold or silver.

It has always been its unmarried daughters.

Then

ask your seventh brother for help?

Seventh Young Master has always protected you.

He is an upright man.

He would never join hands with a swindler.

That may work.

As it happens,

I brought two pots of narcissus today.

When you see him,

you could give him one.

Just have Yuwei trim the wick with scissors.

You always use a gold hairpin to tend the lampwick.

I know you're wealthy,

but you shouldn't ruin fine things like that.

It was simply the first thing to hand.

Yake is another name for the narcissus.

Miss Fan wants you

to play matchmaker for her.

Shall we deliver it for her?

Yake has no powerful family behind her.

If she truly married into our family,

her position

might be even worse than Zuo's.

Keep the flowers here for now.

When I find the right opportunity,

I'll explain everything to her.

All right.

(Tingzhuo.)

(I suspect Zhao Ling is an impostor.)

(Help me test him.)

(Tell him)

(you've written a letter)

(and ask him to deliver it on his way back to the capital)

(to Master Cao in Tong County.)

(Say he's Zhao Ling's brother-in-law.)

(If he agrees,)

(that will prove he is an impostor,)

(because)

(I made the brother-in-law up.)

Sorry to have kept you waiting, Mr. Zhao.

A small token

of our appreciation.

You shouldn't have gone to such expense, Mr. Fu.

When the matter is reported to the imperial court,

I will ensure Magistrate Fu receives the highest credit.

That is most kind of you, Mr. Zhao.

But I haven't come today

on official business.

The truth is,

there is another matter I'd like to discuss.

Mr. Fu,

please speak freely.

In a few months,

I will travel to the capital for the imperial examination.

I heard your wife's elder brother

holds office in Tong County.

Would you

write me a letter

of recommendation

and have him vouch for me?

(My)

(brother-in-law?)

(Next Episode)

I heard

Feng Laosi, the salt merchant, has bad blood with Jiuweijiao.

Why don't we turn the situation to our advantage?

Take them down!

We'll let someone else deal with the fraud for us.

(Wanted Notice) Zhao Ling and his accomplice

infiltrated the Fu Residence in Huaying

and fraudulently obtained

ten thousand taels of silver.

(Fu Residence) At first, I thought

if we lost that money,

then so be it.

But after what happened today,

I can't just let this go.

♪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♪