Original subtitles

=The Road to Splendor=

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

=Episode 28=

Madam Zhao.

Your tactics have grown sharper.

You know how to use personal ties to orchestrate a scheme.

You managed to mend even the rift

between the Emperor and his grandmother.

Impressive indeed.

You jest, Madam Yu.

I only used sincerity to break the deadlock.

You simply refuse to believe

that true feelings do exist in this world.

After all,

His Majesty

was raised by Her Majesty herself.

That bond of blood and love

cannot be faked.

You suffered so much in Huaying.

How can you still believe

that a grandmother would truly love her grandson?

I have not only endured the hardships of Huaying.

I have also lived in Ganlin Town.

I have seen husbands and wives who truly care for each other.

Comrades who protect each other with their lives.

The military wives,

though bound by no blood,

are closer than sisters.

Are those

not real feelings?

If I only remembered the suffering in Huaying

and ignored all this love and loyalty,

then whether I win

or lose

in this life

would no longer matter.

What good is it to climb so high?

Even if you reach the pinnacle of power,

you would be nothing more

than a walking corpse.

Madam,

no matter where

my husband's future may lead him,

whether he becomes a regional commander,

or

a grand chancellor or marquis

all I know

is I would not want to live

the way you do.

Even with boundless wealth

and great power in your hands,

is there any true love

between husband and wife,

parent and child,

or mother-in-law and daughter-in-law?

My dear.

You're back.

This move of ours has failed.

Instead, Zhao Ling has gained even more favor.

Things have become highly troublesome.

You must find a solution quickly.

Master,

I have not been feeling well lately.

Can we hold off for a while?

Hold off?

Are you joking?

The salt reform is urgent.

You...

How can you claim illness now?

You couldn't have picked a worse time.

Ms. Shu.

After all these years with my husband,

can it be called true love?

I have shaped myself into his sharpest blade.

Inseparable.

Is that not true love?

Madam.

Forget it.

This is the path I chose.

I cannot be like Fan,

wanting both dignity

and true love.

Madam,

please have a seat.

Come on.

Take a seat.

Mother.

Zhao Ling has been restored to his post.

We should send a generous gift as well.

I understand.

It is just that

Fan has never gotten along with the Ninth Young Lady.

Perhaps

we should send Concubine Wu instead.

I take my leave.

Send a concubine to visit?

What was he thinking?

Still,

it might give Fu Tingyun

some trouble.

It can also be useful.

How could a lowly concubine

call on a fourth-rank official?

Please calm down, Young Madam.

How can I calm down?

He won't even let me into his study,

yet she can come and go as she pleases.

I'd like to see

who

the real Young Madam Yu is.

(Yu Residence)

You've been here so long,

with only Cairong to serve you.

It's truly not right.

Mozhan.

Go and bring

the indenture contracts of the new maids.

Concubine Wu,

pick one that catches your eye.

Thank you, Young Madam.

(Indenture Contract)

(Signatory: Zhao Shitou)

(Signatory: Wu Youde. Go-between: Ms. Wang)

(Indenture Contract of Wu Youde)

(Named Lingyi, age sixteen)

What?

Don't they suit your taste?

You fool!

The indenture of Concubine Wu

should not be with the servants' contracts.

Take it away at once.

Young Madam,

you are his wife, married with all due rites.

I am nothing but a passing fancy.

If I have offended you,

it was thoughtless,

not deliberate.

And second,

if I have been used as a tool,

I had no choice but to play along.

Why blame someone like me, who was only a passing fancy?

My Lady.

How did your indenture contract

end up with the Young Madam?

Aren't you a noble concubine?

They're far too cruel...

But today, I finally see it clearly.

What the Young Madam did today

was not aimed at me.

It was a warning to the Young Master.

This quarrel between wife and concubine

is really a quarrel between husband and wife.

In this household,

my fate

is not for her to decide.

Such an exquisite painting.

So lifelike.

Young Master.

I am restoring

the painting for the ladies

at Ji's first-year banquet.

Is this

the Ninth Young Lady?

I've tried time and again to capture

her grace and bearing,

yet her spirit still eludes me.

Who wouldn't admire

a remarkable woman like her?

Unlike me,

lowly as dust.

Even my own indenture contract

is held in someone else's hands.

Has she made things difficult for you?

I will carefully rework

this painting until it captures her true likeness,

so you may enjoy it at your leisure.

Rest assured.

I'll handle this

for you.

If a child is not taught,

his nature will change.

The way of teaching

lies in focused dedication.

You're here.

You've grown quite bold,

putting on airs as the lady of the house,

daring to meddle with my people?

If you have any grievances,

you can come and tell me directly.

Why trouble a poor soul?

I thought in your eyes,

you were the only pitiful one.

Who would have thought

you'd start caring for others too?

You come from a scholarly family.

Why must your words be so sharp

and bitter?

When you made me share a room

with a woman of unknown origin,

did you ever consider

the dignity of a scholar?

Dignity?

You want to be like Mother,

a respected lady of the house.

But have you considered

that Mother never

squabbled with a concubine?

I was given some insight today.

It made me realize something.

The wife-concubine quarrel is a husband-wife quarrel.

Father and Mother were united.

Father never made Mother

feel as humiliated as I do now.

I want to ask you one thing.

Young Master,

do you truly wish for us

to drift apart

and turn against each other?

Whoever you love,

whoever you value,

that is fine.

But why her?

You even extended your favor

by sending Concubine Wu in my place.

Have you forgotten the past?

You disregard my dignity.

What about your own?

Do not speak of the past again!

Young Master,

you won't even mention it now.

Bring me Wu's indenture contract.

I have already given you status and dignity.

From this marriage alone,

you have gained more than enough honor.

From now on,

stop doing such unseemly things.

My honor was given by you.

Then who gave you yours?

(Rosy in the Evening Glow)

Fan is the future lady of this household.

You owe her dignity.

But have you not always been

the lady of this house, Mother?

Even Wu

was brought in under your authority.

No matter how lovely a flower is,

one grows tired of it.

That is only natural.

Whether you fertilize it

or prune it,

since it is planted in the pot,

you must

give it some water

and not let it wither.

Otherwise, my garden

will not look as beautiful.

Forgive me, Mother.

Young Master.

Please take a seat.

Why are your hands so cold?

I...

Young Master,

you came about the indenture contract, didn't you?

It is only right to give it to the Young Madam.

As long as I can stay by your side,

that's all that matters.

(Indenture Contract)

Jingxiu was wrong

to treat you poorly.

Why did you not come to me?

I did not dare to trouble you.

Fu Tingyun

wanted to enter the Yu family back then.

She chose me,

not my son.

So many years have passed.

I thought you would have understood that by now.

(From now on, you will listen to me.)

(I will protect you well.)

I am the Young Madam of the Yu family.

Why does Concubine Wu

live more freely than I do?

What Mother said today

was just moving me from Jingxiu's cage

into her cage.

Even as the Young Madam of the Yu family,

I am still being pushed around.

Now I no longer want to listen to anyone.

Whether they think well of me

or not,

they have endured me all these years.

Let them endure a few more.

(Capital Specialties)

This is top quality.

One hundred taels.

This piece of junk,

one hundred taels?

This...

Do you take me for a fool?

You jest, Madam.

Charge it to my account.

They say good jade has a spirit.

Today, I see it is true.

Who are you?

My family runs a small business in Anzhou.

I only recently came to the capital.

I have little talent,

but I do have sharp eyes.

I can recognize most

of the prominent figures in the capital.

You must be General Mo's wife.

No one does anything without a reason.

Why would you

give me such a valuable gift?

It's not really a gift.

I am a regular here.

I get a thirty percent discount.

Under my name,

seventy taels.

How about that?

Done.

Then I will accept your kindness.

Thank you, Madam.

Do come by often when you have time.

Mention my name.

At the very least,

I won't let you lose out.

Aunt.

She will certainly

come looking for me again.

Don't be fooled by all the power in this capital.

Human nature here is no different from anywhere else.

You offer them what they like,

and slowly nurture the connection.

Only then can they serve your purposes.

Do you remember?

Yes.

Sir.

Yes.

(Wife of Minister Wang of Personnel) Old Madam Sun's South Sea gem

needs a red sandalwood case.

Qiu Ying's painting for Chen

(Wife of Vice Director Shen) needs a signature.

Madam Wang's Diamond Sutra

must be written by the abbot himself.

Here.

Now that you are in the Yu family,

you must have some respectable items

to hold your own.

Thank you, Aunt.

Remember,

now that you're part of the Yu family,

you must put in a good word for me.

I am your greatest support.

Mr. Zhao.

An urgent dispatch.

(To Commader Zhao of the Capital)

(Commander Zhao,)

(I have recently reviewed Anzhou salt administration archives.)

(I found the old grain-for-salt system)

(has serious discrepancies.)

(Various embezzlement methods)

(emerge without end.)

(Succeeding officials, faced with the complexity of the accounts,)

(refused to investigate deeply.)

(Shen Congsi of Anzhou, respectfully) (These abuses have festered for years.)

What is it?

An urgent report

from Shen Congsi.

The former Anzhou prefect

was a student of Grand Secretary Yu.

Then the embezzlement in the old Anzhou accounts

most likely traces back to the Yu family.

No wonder he is pushing so hard for the salt reform

to scrap the old grain-for-salt and switch to silver.

It was all meant

to collect new salt revenue

to cover the old deficits.

Back then, the Yan family

also sold salt permits illegally

and bled the merchants dry.

Eight years have passed.

These parasites have hatched new schemes.

It seems no matter how the salt laws change,

corruption runs rampant

like weeds.

But those who root out corruption

are like sparks,

never fading.

Once,

we brought down the Yan family together.

Today,

we will do the same to the Yu family.

Since you know the old Anzhou accounts are the key,

what is your plan?

Mislead them,

then...

Strike where they least expect.

Move first, and move hard.

You know me

better than anyone.

Oh no.

What are we going to do?

Grand Secretary, you're here at last.

Commander Zhao is going to seal

all the grain transport ledgers passing through Anzhou.

Whether they are carrying grain or salt,

anything passing through the Anzhou waterways

will be sealed and fully investigated.

Stay calm.

Commander Zhao, shouldn't you be suppressing water bandits?

With such a large-scale operation,

what are you really after?

Anzhou sits at the strategic lake-mouth pass

and connects to the Grand Canal.

To clear out the water bandits,

I must first determine

the exact amounts

of money, grain, and salt that were stolen from the court.

Only then will those beasts

who have devoured the people's hard-earned wealth

have nowhere to hide.

So you're only using this as a pretext.

Commander Zhao, turns out

you are after the old accounts of Anzhou.

Why didn't you inform me sooner?

The prefect of Anzhou

happens to be my former student.

I could have arranged

some extra hands

to assist you.

I appreciate your kind offer,

Grand Secretary.

Tally the accounts.

Seal the boxes.

Deliver all ledgers to the Jinwu Vanguard Office immediately.

Without my direct order,

no one is to touch them.

Yes!

He's not really after water bandits.

Anzhou?

He's clearly

after my head!

Zhao Ling has the upper hand now.

He's got his eyes fixed on Anzhou's accounts.

If we try to doctor the accounts now,

it's already too late.

But those discrepancies in the accounts

will eventually reach His Majesty.

Then we muddy the waters.

It's not like

only Anzhou's accounts

(Anzhou) are problematic.

You're counting on the idea that the law can't punish everyone?

If that works,

the Yu family

has at least a fifty percent chance of walking away unscathed.

But to make it happen,

we need at least three months.

I have a plan

that will surely make Zhao Ling

set aside his duties and step away from the center of power.

And it buys you another thirty percent chance of winning.

Mother!

I have failed you!

You toiled all your life!

And now in death, you cannot even rest in peace!

(Shou) All because of that unfilial daughter,

insisting on moving your grave

and tore us apart!

Mother!

He is a filial son.

All the way here...

Over mountains and rivers,

you don't even have a male heir

to carry your spirit banner!

Where is the justice in this?

I will carry the spirit banner!

I will escort Grandmother home myself.

Fu Tingzhuo, what are you doing here?

You get back...

You...

What are you doing?

Your grandson is here to see you!

Rest assured, Grandmother.

I will see you home.

You will not be alone on this journey.

What are you saying?

I am her son!

You are my son!

I am the head of the Fu family!

Who are you to speak?

But I am her grandson!

The next head of the Fu family.

Besides,

this matter was personally approved by the Grand Empress Dowager.

If you wish to stop me, Father,

go ask the Imperial Clan Court first!

You...

You...

Unfilial wretch!

For generations, the Fu family's name and power

were built on women's blood and tears.

That is the true evil.

True filial piety

is to cut off this vicious cycle

of devouring women and kin!

Fu Tingzhuo.

(Spirit Banner of the Late Madam Li) Fu Tingzhuo, how dare you!

Put it down!

From this day on,

this evil

ends with me.

(Spirit Banner of the Late Madam Li of the Fu Family)

My children,

remember what your father did today.

Lift the coffin!

Filial piety is not blind obedience.

It is knowing right from wrong.

Who would dare?

Righteousness is not empty fame.

It is breaking old rules.

What your father has cut down today

is a century of shackles on the Fu family.

What he has opened

is a new path for generations to come.

It is what filial piety should truly be.

My dear.

They say

that only when husband and wife are of one mind

can a family be established.

I truly want to build up the Fu family.

Can you help me?

What scheme are you cooking up now?

No.

If we go back to Huaying,

we will always be one step behind.

Why don't you pretend to be ill?

I can stay behind to care for you.

That way, we can stay in the capital.

Then there's a chance for reinstatement.

But I no longer want to play along.

I have already hidden the money.

You will not find it.

Hand it over. Do you hear me?

Twenty-six years ago,

I brought thousands of qing of land

into the Fu family.

You said you wanted to buy

a three-courtyard house in the capital,

and I sold half.

Ten years ago,

you said you wanted to buy an office,

and I pawned another hundred or so.

Last month,

you said you needed to pull some strings

and the silver wasn't enough,

so you came to me for more.

What have I been doing all this for?

To bring honor to the Fu family!

Was it for myself?

You have lived comfortably,

supported by me all these years.

And in the end,

you torment my children.

I will no longer be under your control.

If you think you can take more money from me,

that is absolutely out of the question.

You dare!

Watch me.

(Mutual-Consent Divorce Agreement)

I have already written a mutual-consent divorce agreement.

(Initiating Party: Xie Yuzhen; Joint Signatory: Fu Shichang)

Oh.

My dear.

Whether it was twenty-six years ago,

ten years ago,

last month,

or in the future,

listen to me carefully.

From the moment you married into the Fu family,

your words

have never carried any weight.

Master, he's here.

Grand Secretary.

That precious son-in-law of yours

has been stirring up trouble these past few months.

I suggest he follow your example

and observe mourning.

You mean...

Since he prides himself on being filial,

he should observe a full hundred days.

That would be fitting

for his mother-in-law's affection.

But Grand Secretary,

she...

She is my wife.

Since your mother's grave is empty now,

someone should fill it.

That way, you can stay in the capital.

By the way,

the post of Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue

will open up

in the second half of the year.

Quanhui.

Come here.

Mother.

Mother.

Quanhui, you've grown up.

Remember what I say.

The way of husband and wife lies in supporting each other.

Though there may be hardships,

face them together.

Life is short.

In this life,

to have a true companion

is the rarest gift.

All wealth and glory,

gold and power alike,

are but fleeting dreams.

I will always remember this.

Mother.

Mother.

Mother, where have you gone? Mother!

What's wrong?

I dreamt of Mother.

In the next day or two,

I will go back with you

to see her.

What are you looking for, Mr. Zhao?

Before,

I sent a few bundles of herbs home.

I remember there was some Wangyou among them.

Perfect.

I can brew you a calming tonic.

Let me brew it for you.

I didn't know you could do that.

Not only can I brew it,

but I can also feed you with my own hands.

I...

Let me practice a bit first.

Ow!

So hot!

Careful.

Watch out, it's hot.

It's too hot.

Try again.

Mr. Zhao.

I won't fool around. Come on.

Take it slow.

Is it alright?

Let me try again.

Come on.

Madam.

Ninth Young Lady!

Ninth Young Lady!

Fifth Madam...

Fifth Madam passed away last night.

This morning, white banners were hung at the Fu Residence,

and the authorities have been notified.

How could this happen?

At our wedding,

she was still well, wasn't she?

After you left home,

the Fifth Madam's health has been failing.

The healer said before

that her body was already worn out.

She has clung to life

only to avoid

delaying your wedding.

Last night,

she could hold on no longer.

Tingyun.

Knowing her health was failing,

she once said

she wished to return to her hometown in Jiangnan

for her final rest.

Ninth Young Lady,

you must go and see.

Fifth Master wants to bury her in the grass hut.

(In Memoriam)

My wife and I

treated each other with respect.

She bore me children

and served my parents.

But in the end,

she never knew a day of happiness.

Now

you have left before me.

How could you bear to leave me?

I will fulfill your final wish.

I will build a hut on the outskirts,

eat only vegetables and fast

for six years,

eight years,

ten years.

Even ten years cannot redeem my regret!

The Fifth Master's devotion

to his mother was deeply moving.

And now, his love for his wife is equally deep.

Truly,

(Spirit Tablet of the Late Madam Xie) he's loyal and filial!

Yes.

Yes.

Madam,

your daughter and son-in-law

have come to see you.

They are all grown up now.

They can take care of themselves.

So go in peace.

Look, Tingyun is offering incense for you.

(In Memoriam)

(Spirit Tablet of the Late Madam Xie)

My dear,

how could you bear to leave us?

I will plant a loquat tree in the courtyard.

In years to come,

it will grow into a great shade.

When we eat its fruit,

we will see your face and hear your voice again.

How long are you going

to keep up this little show?

(Next Episode)

You are no longer part of the Fu family.

What right do you have to meddle in our affairs?

You can talk until you are blue in the face,

but I will still take Mother back to the Xie family in Jiangnan!

Zhao Ling!

Even if I am a heartless wretch,

I am still Fu Tingyun's birth father!

You two will pay for this!

We've come so far to get here.

Why the rush?

You are willing to part with your mother-in-law today.

Tomorrow,

who else will you be willing to part with?

(I will make you pay blood for blood.)

♪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♪