Original subtitles

=The Road to Splendor=

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

=Episode 26=

It's you?

(Double Happiness)

Greetings, Mr. Yu.

Who told you to dress like this?

My aunt had planned

to offer me to Lord Wei.

Thanks to Miss Xie,

I was saved.

She even gave me this handkerchief

to dry my tears.

It is a pity, though.

She can protect me for now,

but not for the rest of my life.

So

you seem to be quite familiar with Miss Xie.

Mr. Yu, would you like to hear

a story about her?

Young Madam.

Young Madam.

Please don't forget your manners.

Young Madam.

Let her in.

Yes.

Mother.

Why did you bring into this house

someone Fu Tingyun had cast aside?

Where does that leave the Yu family's dignity?

Do you despise me that much?

Is it because of my humble birth?

Because my father is not from a noble house?

Your birth,

though not noble,

is still above that of common folk.

Your father is a great scholar.

But Fu Tingyun is now a commoner.

Her methods and strategy

are stronger than yours.

She can do

what you can't.

Miss Wu,

though young,

is far more sensible than you.

Her birth is even more humble than yours.

I once felt the same way about you

as you do about her now.

I accepted you completely.

In the end, we must all

live under the same roof.

That is a woman's fate.

Mother.

I will do as you say from now on.

You are my only support in this family.

Since you have already accepted me,

why would you still do this?

Why make Miss Wu a concubine?

Madam Wu's great-grandmother

was the Grand Empress Dowager's wet nurse.

So she can attend the palace banquet.

She can speak to Her Majesty.

If we forge that connection,

it benefits the family

and benefits you.

You should think carefully

about what you truly want.

Rest assured.

Even if Jingxiu leaves this family,

you would still have me.

Back then, for the sake of family interests,

you were willing to abandon Fu Tingyun.

Now,

you can abandon me too.

I have already made myself clear.

If you remain stubborn,

you will only become a bitter woman.

Instead, think back

to why you married into the Yu family.

If it was for love,

that is

no longer possible.

If it was for dignity and respect,

then you should not be looking so defeated.

Taking a concubine

is merely a move to protect the family's interests.

It also preserves your honor and dignity

as the Young Madam of the Yu family.

You had best not hold me back.

- Mother. - Mozhan.

Help the Young Madam back and see to her grooming.

Mother.

There is still a long road ahead.

(Double Happiness)

Please, Commander Zhao, wash your hands.

The bride and groom take their seats.

May spring fill the world

and blessings fill your home.

May your union be harmonious.

Now, the bride reveals her face.

Come on.

Now, drink the ceremonial wine together.

The couple drinks together,

never to part.

And so,

the bridal chamber rites are complete.

Congratulations, you two newlyweds.

May your hearts be as one

and your bond stand through all of life.

This very moment

is what I dreamed of.

When did you start dreaming

of marrying me,

Mr. Zhao?

Still calling me Mr. Zhao?

Ling.

The first time you proposed,

you said it was mutually beneficial,

that you needed me as your husband.

And I was

both annoyed

and yet overjoyed.

Annoyed that you treated such a momentous occasion

as a mere transaction.

But overjoyed

that it was me.

The second time was even more absurd.

You said it was for convenience.

You wouldn't even let me prepare the proper betrothal rites.

You insisted on getting married in Ganlin Town.

Thankfully, today,

all my wishes have come true.

Thankfully,

whether it was back then

or now,

you would say yes.

Wouldn't you?

I will give you a lifetime of devotion

in return for the knot we tied.

♪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♪

(Yu Residence)

Chengxin.

Young Master.

Who told you to let someone into my study?

Forgive me, Young Master.

Get out.

Mother could still offer me some words

regarding the concubine.

But you?

You won't even talk to me.

Are seven years of marriage

really this fragile?

I owe you an apology

for taking a concubine.

You have done far more than wrong me.

You have been heartless!

Heartless?

But have you ever considered

that I gave you more than enough time,

more than enough chances?

You were the one

who failed to make me love you.

What did I do wrong?

What is it that she has and I don't?

You are too ordinary.

There are millions of people in this world.

Even if I lost you in a crowd,

I wouldn't recognize you.

Ordinary?

That's right.

But rest assured,

Wu is ordinary too.

Besides,

you are still my principal wife.

I will give you the dignity you deserve.

But what brought us here

was the choice we made back then.

You chose the Yu family,

and I chose you.

The pain we endure today

is simply the price we each must pay.

From now on,

do not enter my study again.

Young Madam.

I never truly loved orchids.

But because of him,

I deceived myself.

I abandoned the daffodil and pretended to love the orchid.

No matter how much I tried to please him,

I could never win his affection.

In the end,

all I was to him was "ordinary."

I am too ordinary!

I am too ordinary!

Too ordinary.

Miss Wu, don't rush.

Miss Wu.

Back then,

you went to great lengths

to avoid marrying into the Wei family.

Now,

why would you willingly become a concubine in the Yu family?

Madam Wei was born into nobility.

If I had gone to the Wei family,

I would have been under her thumb for life.

But the Yu family is different.

Young Madam Yu may be proud of her talent,

but she does not have the Old Madam's favor.

Besides,

Madam Yu is a reasonable woman.

As long as I benefit the Yu family,

she will not treat me unfairly.

Then,

what about Young Lord Yu...?

I only need to do my part

and please him.

My life

won't be too difficult.

Look.

Now,

we have everything we need.

We can even eat our fill.

What more could I ask for?

They all want me to be like Miss Xie.

I suppose I have caught some of her fortune too.

Miss Wu,

you are right.

We have finally come

to a comfortable place.

Here.

Eat more.

We can finally have enough to eat.

So delicious.

Miss Wu.

Are you feeling better?

Miss Wu.

Have some water.

I told you not to eat so much.

(Double Happiness)

It's windy today.

I've had some hot soup prepared.

After court,

come back and have some.

Your thoughtfulness, my dear,

makes it hard for me to leave.

If you delay the morning court,

the censors will surely report you.

I'm off.

Wang Yi, Commander of the Gandu Garrison,

has served fifteen years at the border.

He has repeatedly driven back the Wangur invaders,

preserving the peace of our frontiers.

His merits are for the realm.

Now,

he is hereby conferred the title of Junior First-Rank Ronglu Grandee

and granted an imperial patent.

His wife, virtuous and worthy,

is hereby conferred the title of Junior First-Rank Imperial Lady.

Mo Yi, the guerrilla general,

is granted

the title of Senior Fourth-Rank General of Illustrious Might.

All other officers shall be promoted one rank in their substantive posts

and granted

eighty taels of silver.

I thank Your Majesty for your gracious favor.

Having received Your Majesty's great kindness,

I would not dare to make further requests.

But

my old wounds truly make it hard to carry on.

I take the liberty

to ask Your Majesty for permission

to remain in the capital

for a few days to recuperate.

Granted.

Returning to the capital is no easy task for northwestern officers.

All of you

shall stay with Commander Wang

in the capital.

Spend more time

with your families.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Five years.

Five long years.

Military provisions were withheld.

Border soldiers went hungry.

Our brothers fought on empty stomachs.

Can these rewards and riches

really cover that up?

No.

I must uncover the truth.

Otherwise, in the next five years,

will our soldiers go hungry again?

Yes.

My Lord,

the man behind Li Mao is Yu Guodong.

But the Yu family has deep roots.

Without absolute certainty,

a rash move

would only

tip off the enemy

and ruin the greater plan.

Alright.

Let us wait and see.

We wait for the right timing,

the right position, and the right people.

Good heavens!

This will be the death of me!

This drought came without warning.

His Majesty has summoned the Grand Secretariat

to discuss countermeasures.

On such major occasions,

that favored official would always be present.

But today,

not a trace of him was seen.

Clearly,

your strategy

is beginning to take effect.

That move with Her Majesty

has paid off.

Yesterday,

I went over the accounts

with His Majesty.

The imperial treasury has only over four hundred thousand taels left.

If we don't act swiftly on the salt reform,

forget disaster relief.

We won't even have funds for future expenses.

So I seized the chance of raising funds

and proposed to His Majesty

extending the salt reform nationwide.

Guess what?

From his tone,

he seems to be relenting.

Here, darling.

His Majesty is in urgent need of silver.

Whoever can collect the funds

will be the true favored official.

As long as he loses the Emperor's favor,

our plan

will succeed.

Your Majesty, I beg to report.

Yesterday's small court session reached a conclusion.

The number of drought victims has exceeded eight hundred thousand.

I have checked the imperial granaries.

Their reserves are less than ten thousand dan.

Treasury silver is limited.

The Ministry of Works has approved

a transfer of one hundred thousand taels

for the imperial mausoleum fund.

That must not be touched.

I propose

that we implement

the new salt reform nationwide immediately.

If approved,

the salt merchants' silver will flow into the Salt Transport Bureau at once.

The eight hundred thousand victims

will have

their immediate needs met.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Yes.

Your Majesty, I beg to report.

The old salt law has been in place for a hundred years.

Traders and civilians in the northwest

transport grain to the border in exchange for salt permits.

Thus border grain reserves have been abundant.

If we suddenly switch to silver payments,

the livelihoods of the northwest people will be destroyed.

The border grain routes will surely collapse.

Border troops

will have no provisions.

Trade routes will be cut off.

The northwest will fall into ruin.

With border defenses weakened,

I fear...

the Wangur will attack.

Commander Zhao,

you come from the northwest,

and your heart remains with it.

But do not forget this.

The lives of the northwest people matter.

Are the lives of those other victims any less important?

Across the realm,

there are millions of mouths to feed.

The drought is now ravaging the land.

The dead lie scattered everywhere.

Zhao Ling.

Apart from the salt reform,

do you have any other way to raise funds?

Zhao Ling.

Seven years ago, when you fled with the refugees,

you saw with your own eyes

bodies lying along the roads,

people digging up grass to eat.

Now that you have become an official,

have you forgotten

the common folk who once ate grass with you?

Your Majesty,

every word Commander Zhao said is true.

His unwavering loyalty is clear for all to see.

Your Majesty,

the three northwestern garrisons rely

on salt merchants

for thirty percent of their supplies.

If the salt reform is pushed through,

and the grain routes collapse,

the Wangur mounted warriors will surely sweep in

and attack the border.

Your Majesty,

disaster relief is an immediate concern,

and border defense is a long-term one.

Both must be taken into account.

I

stake my head on this.

I beg Your Majesty

to postpone the salt reform

and give the northwest

a chance to catch its breath.

I

have already made myself clear.

The most pressing matter now

is the drought!

How dare you bargain with me here?

Guards.

Drag him out

and give him thirty strokes.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

- I speak from the heart, Your Majesty! - Out!

Your Majesty!

Zhao Ling.

I appoint you as Assistant Censor-in-Chief.

You will take full charge

of implementing

the salt reform nationwide.

If your delays

leave us short of funds,

I

will hold you personally responsible.

Yes,

Your Majesty.

Though you didn't get the post of Imperial Salt Censor,

the family

has secured you a position

as a Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue.

Why have you been so listless

these past few days?

My learning is shallow.

I fear I am not up to the task.

If Zhao Ling heard you say that...

- Grand Secretary Yu. - Grand Secretary Yu.

He would laugh at you.

- I have duties at the ministry. - Grand Secretary Yu.

Grand Secretary Yu.

I would like to take my leave.

If you refuse to heed my words today,

you will suffer all the more for it tomorrow.

Do you think Zhao Ling's

predicament in court today

was because his learning was shallow?

It was because no one taught him.

Father.

The Ministry of Revenue is waiting for the accounts to be verified.

Go.

Go and see to your important matters.

I take my leave, Father.

Young Master.

Every day after court, you take a detour to pass by here.

Why do you put yourself through this?

(Xie Residence)

At court today,

Zhao Ling was reprimanded in public.

His future looks uncertain.

They're newly married,

and already this has happened.

I wonder

if she'll regret her choice.

Miss Wu.

Miss Wu.

Young Master's carriage has just entered the front courtyard.

He and his father serve at court together.

Master always returns earlier than him.

Did something happen

with Young Master today?

Which direction did his carriage come from?

The north.

Shijia Hutong is also in the north.

Join me.

Thank you, Miss Wu.

Did something happen

at court today?

Grand Secretary Yu

used the drought to push for the salt reform.

Mo is straightforward.

To protect the northwest's grain supply,

he received thirty strokes from His Majesty.

How badly is General Mo hurt?

His flesh is badly torn.

He'll be bedridden for at least half a month.

Commander Wang cannot speak up either.

If the northwestern commanders present a joint petition now,

it will only trouble His Majesty further.

As for Mo,

if you have time tomorrow,

go to the Mo household.

Bring more wound salve.

Don't worry.

I know all that.

What disturbs me most

is that His Majesty has already agreed with Grand Secretary Yu.

If I raise any objection,

it means I care only about the northwest and neglect the rest of the realm.

The lives of the northwestern people matter.

But I also understand

that the lives of all drought victims matter even more.

But how to strike the right balance,

I still have no clear idea.

You and I climbed up from the bottom.

We know the suffering of the victims best.

You are not someone who only cares about his own advancement.

His Majesty is no tyrant

who ignores the border either.

Today's conflict

is simply because the situation

is far too difficult.

At the small court session yesterday,

His Majesty did not summon me.

Help me think.

Where exactly does the problem lie?

Let me lean on you for a while.

At court today,

I almost couldn't hold it together.

In court,

things can change in an instant.

I will face them

with you.

You tactless fool.

Did you have a death wish,

defying the Emperor in public?

What do you know?

Someone from the northwest army had to step up.

We can't let Zhao

go into battle alone

without anyone backing him up.

Does Zhao Ling even need you to back him up?

You both fought for five years.

See what he has accomplished. Now look at you.

Commander Zhao's career has flourished.

Now,

he's the Emperor's favorite.

And you?

First you got rewarded,

and now you get beaten.

Zhao Ling is His Majesty's trusted aide.

It's different.

You've been with His Majesty

even longer than Zhao Ling.

Easy.

Are you trying to kill your own husband?

With you being so useless,

if His Majesty didn't kill you,

I'd poison you myself.

Mother.

Madam Wang and my sworn mother are both in the front hall.

Go attend to them first.

I'll be there shortly.

I'll deal with you when I get back.

Take this in to your father.

Please, have a seat.

In this scorching heat,

it's so kind of you two to think of us.

Madam,

it hurts so much!

I'm dying!

What are you yelling about?

I'm not dead yet!

Please excuse us.

It couldn't be

the ointment we just sent in...

No.

I was just a bit rough when I applied the medicine.

We came to see how you were doing.

It's a relief

to see you doing well.

We're not the type to worry about losing face.

A few beatings are nothing.

But you...

I heard

His Majesty struck Mo Yi on the surface,

but his true target

was Commander Zhao.

The Emperor's will is hard to read.

For now,

I have no clear answer.

When you got married,

His Majesty didn't send anyone.

I felt something was off then.

Do you know anyone in the capital

who could gather information?

(Xie Residence)

Madam.

Concubine Wu sent you an invitation

(Invitation) to Hefeng Garden to admire the lotuses.

Admire the lotuses?

It's already late summer.

The lotuses are almost gone.

What is there left to admire?

This Concubine Wu...

Every time you meet,

she has something to ask of you.

Now,

she is already part of the Yu family.

We

shouldn't get involved in their affairs.

You're right.

Now that she's part of the Yu family,

could it be

that she has some news?

(Hefeng Garden) You didn't ask me here

just for the lotuses, did you?

You may not know this, Madam.

Though I've married into the Yu family,

I still have to

look to others for permission,

even for something as small as using ice.

These days

are truly hard to bear.

Last time we met,

you said you couldn't even get enough to eat.

Now you even get to use ice.

Fan and I are old acquaintances.

I know what she's like.

She may be harsh with you,

but withholding your food and necessities

is not something she would do.

The real reason I came today

is to ask a favor

of you, Madam.

I'd like to learn how to make sesame flatbread.

The same kind

you used to make in Ganlin Town.

How did you know about that?

Because I noticed

that Young Madam Yu

hates sesame flatbread above all else.

But at Ji's first-year banquet,

a sesame flatbread dish suddenly appeared.

And you come from the northwest.

After some thought,

I realized Young Master must have had it added because of you.

But rest assured, Madam.

I won't take your help for granted.

I'd like to make a trade with you.

I can tell you

how Commander Zhao

fell out of the Emperor's favor.

It was because my aunt

and Madam Yu plotted against you.

By custom, the Grand Empress Dowager must be buried

in the consorts' mausoleum.

(Hefeng Garden) She asked every year

to be buried with the founding emperor.

Her son,

the late Emperor, never granted it.

Before his death,

he left a decree

stating

that ancestral laws must not be broken.

And so,

Her Majesty

began to pressure her grandson.

She said

one cannot honor only one's father

and neglect one's grandmother.

That was the true purpose

behind that birthday banquet.

(As descendants,)

(we cannot honor only our father)

(and neglect our grandmother.)

You're an interesting one.

Making a trade

by showing all your cards.

Because I trust your reputation, Madam.

So, Madam,

will you teach me how to make sesame flatbread now?

But I don't want to make this trade.

I no longer wish to have

any involvement with Yu Jingxiu.

Then how about

I put it another way?

Can you promise me

that the young master of the Yu family

will never taste your flatbread?

(Next Episode)

To gain the Emperor's favor,

Zhao Ling dared to take on the imperial mausoleum project.

Since he insists on jumping into the flames,

we might as well

add fuel to the fire.

Where will the million taels

come from?

Effective immediately,

strip Zhao Ling of all his posts

and reduce him to a commoner.

Now,

the court is in turmoil,

and the people are seething with resentment.

Fu,

do you acknowledge your crimes?

♪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♪