Original subtitles

Fok Yee-tai must have lost to the pirates

and brought some fishermen back as substitutes to claim merit.

All these years, you've volunteered to handle flood control work in Yunnan,

fight bandits in the Northwest and corruption in Zhejiang, with great success.

But none got you the credit you deserved.

Why bother to stick your neck out again?

I am Sire's favourite.

He had the nerve to take on us.

To wipe out the pirates at one go,

the commander has to be given the military control of Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian.

Sire, please reconsider.

In case this is just an excuse to seize military power.

I'll give you military control of the three provinces and 100,000 men.

I want it done at one go!

Do it again!

Come on...

Greetings, Milady.

Milady, how come Sire is not up yet?

Sire was so strong last night.

That had not happened for some time.

Milady, you're really blessed. Sire is so partial to you.

I am grateful for that...

What? Do you covet this favour too?

It never crossed my mind.

Greetings, Lady Yim.

Lady Shun is here. She asks to see you.

Didn't you see Her Ladyship is just up? Tell her to come later.

Yes.

Ask her to come in.

Milady, Sire is still...

Did you hear me?

Yes, Milady.

Lady Shun, Lady Yim asks you to go in.

Thank you, Tung-suet.

Sis, you're here so early. Is something the matter?

I am here because Man-ho...

Oh yes, I wonder if you have tried the red bird's nest I sent you?

Is it rejuvenating?

You are so kind.

I have had it prepared for Sire instead.

He found you very considerate.

He told me to have it prepared for the Crown Prince as well.

I see. I really should thank you.

Well, I think I earned it.

Tung-suet, Sire is up.

Help Sire change.

Yes, Milady.

So Sire spent the night...

Sire came on very strong last night.

That's why he is up late.

I see.

Greetings, Sire.

Greetings, Sire.

So you are here.

Yes.

The red bird's nest is really good.

Lady Yim, Fok Yee-tai may not be competent,

but the red bird's nest he got back is efficacious.

Sis, you just said you're here about Prince Man-ho.

Lady Shun.

Sire, I know it's rash of him to report against Fok Yee-tai.

That why I came to ask Lady Yim for her forgiveness.

You spared the rod and so you spoiled him.

That's why he's so arrogant and rude.

It's my fault. I'll straighten him out.

Lai Gong-Gong's here.

Greetings, Sire.

Greetings, Miladies.

Sire, the ministers are already in the Qianqing Palace,

waiting for the morning audience to begin.

I have to go.

Sire, allow me.

Sis, let me.

Leave it to Lady Yim.

I have to go.

Sire is leaving.

Oh yes, Lady Shun, tell Man-ho to deliver what he said he would.

I let him go south to wipe out the pirates,

but that doesn't mean he has free rein.

Yes, Sire.

Sis, you aren't mad with me about the red bird's nest, are you?

Why should I?

I know an old woman has no place in Sire's heart.

You wait on Sire for me. I am grateful.

You are so understanding. Then I am relieved.

Lady Yim, could you do me another favour?

Could you chip in a good word for Man-ho to Sire?

You heard it, Sire...

Sis, Prince Man-ho is a clever man. He can handle things on his own.

I am sorry.

He's too impetuous and he offended you.

You are forgiving. Please don't take it to heart.

Who did it? Who did it?

What?

Master Po, sorry...it's alright...

Scholar Suen, have you figured out the Western sack?

Examination takes time. Have patience.

That means "no".

Yes is yes, no is no.

Saying yes when it should be no is a big no-no.

It is beneath me to do such a thing.

Some talker.

Give it here! I'll go ask the wench instead.

You've been going to her all the time.

Indeed, so frequently. It seems you do want to see her.

Hey... Keep it to yourselves, don't be so frank. Or Master Po...

Just shut up, you three crows.

Let me tell you.

I took the wench back. I'm not done torturing her.

I'll show her how ruthless I am.

Ruthless?

Sis Kiu...

You guys prefer the stick to the carrot.

What have I taught you about being a pirate?

Be ruthless. Kill without any hesitation.

Money comes first. Rob without mercy.

Of course!

Po-tsai, what else?

Be fair and square. Avenge every wrong done.

Return every kindness.

I got it that when you're pursued by Wong Yi he meant to fire a cannon at you

The Western girl saved you using the torpedo trick.

Was it kindness or some wrong done?

Kindness.

What?

Kindness.

Then why treat her as a foe?

This black stuff belongs to her.

You took it and wouldn't return it.

This is returning kindness with hatred. It'll draw the wrath of Heaven.

Return it to her.

No! It's not easy for us to get it.

So you won't listen to me now?

I got it that when you're pursued by Wong Yi he meant to fire a cannon at you

The Western girl saved you using the torpedo trick.

Was it kindness or some wrong done?

Kindness.

What?

Kindness.

Then why treat her as a foe?

This black stuff belongs to her.

You took it and wouldn't return it.

This is returning kindness with hatred. It'll draw the wrath of Heaven.

Return it to her.

No! It's not easy for us to get it.

So you won't listen to me now?

I will, yes...

That's my boy.

Brother Yat...

Go for it...

Brother Yat...

I go check the boas with Brother Yat.

You, walk your talk.

Yes, Sis Kiu. I'll do as you said.

Scholar Suen, stop!

I'll return this black thing to her...

Plus interest.

Master Po, go for it.

That's it. What do you think?

You really want to keep the Western girl in the Heroes' Den?

You don't agree?

Since it's your idea, how will I say "no"?

I don't care what her background is.

Once she's here, she's a pirate.

Stay near someone and pick up his habits. She'll become one of us in a while.

Brother Yat.

Tired? Want to sit down for a break?

No, what are a few steps to me? I can run all the way up.

Brother Yat, your legs are weak. What running all the way up?

Yes, they are a bit weak.

But you know why.

I showed my worth last night.

I rode all night.

Rode what? You did show your lack of strength.

You're just sleeping through the night!

Biu said I didn't sharpen his axe hard enough last time.

The arm of the merchant ship captain was left dangling.

How clumsy.

Sharpen it harder.

We are their women, we want them to bring more treasure back.

Look at this gold necklace,

the blood stain just won't go.

I told them not to pull necklaces from the neck.

It'll add to our chores. How troublesome.

Are you cold-blooded?

You see killing and robbery as ordinary as household chores.

But killing and robbery make the daily work of pirates.

As simple as cooking and laundry.

Aren’t you worried that your husbands will be caught by the police?

Piracy is not a lifelong job.

Go talk them over.

Tell them to leave the Water Stockade when the chance comes up.

They can be good people again, alright?

Good people?

I used to be a good person decades ago.

How come you have ended up here?

Back then we were all law-abiding people.

Daughters of a modest family, a scholarly family,

and that of a government official.

We were taken by pirates as hostages.

After a while, we married them and gave birth to their children.

My grandson is now a pirate.

Stay near someone and you'll pick up his habits.

You'll get used to it.

When I first came here, like you, I tried hard to escape.

But then we found out it's not so bad being a pirate's woman.

My man said Master Po brought you back.

He caught you when you tried to slip away.

I say Master Po is interested in you.

Good for you. Master Po is the Number Three here.

Being his wife makes you half the mistress here.

Right.

Pick a promising man.

You'll overtake us in time.

What?

Are you mental?

Marrying that pervert? I'd rather drown myself.

Drown myself?

I can't stay here.

Such bad luck I lost my gun and my phone got dropped into the water!

Rascal Cheung Po-tsai...

Wench.

MY backpack!

Want the Western sack back?

I don't think you will give it back.

I don't want to. Someone has forced me to.

MY backpack!

What a muddy duck!

You brat... Sis Kiu...

I told you to return it to her, not to play a prank on her.

Now give it back.

You stupid woman!

One more muddy duck.

My maiden clothes fit you. Good.

You've been a Western girl for too long.

Now you don't know how to wear Qing clothes?

Don't bother.

I feel more comfortable in my own clothes

It may be so, if you don't mind looking weird.

If you want being seen as a monster here,

change back into your own clothes.

I asked Po-tsai to return that thing to you not because I am partial to you.

It's because we pirates are fair and square

However fair and square, you are still felons.

What do you mean? So you are very righteous?

I hate nothing more than criminals.

What a firecracker!

No wonder you keep fighting with Po-tsai.

I wonder if you have heard of the expression "alone and outnumbered"?

You are caught between a hard rock and the deep blue sea.

You are surrounded by the sea.

What's more, you are at a disadvantage.

So? Will you tell me your name now?

Wong Tai-mui.

Water Mui?

Not Water Mui. Wong Tai-mui.

W.0.N.G. and T.A.I.

Finally.

Stupid thing! I kept asking you.

You either talked back or took me for a ride. Water Mui.

Since when having you been standing there? For peeping or eavesdropping?

Peeping? Eavesdropping? For what?

Peeping? I saw everything last time in the cabin.

I have yet to settle the score with you for that last time!

Let me say it again.

It's not peeping. It's checking it out.

Pervert!

Wench!

Pervert!

Wench!

Pervert!

Wench!

Stop it!

You shut up!

You shut up as well!

You two keep locking horns,

I am tired of it even if you aren't.

You!

You call her by her name, Wong Tai-mui.

You!

I don't know what pervert means.

You call him Cheung Po-tsai.

Who is she to call me Cheung Po-tsai?

It's Master Po.

Hey, I got it from Po-tsai, you dropped from the sky.

What happened?

I want to know that too.

Actually, a waterspout took me here.

Waterspout?

Then you were lucky.

Few taken by waterspouts could survive it.

A walking dead then.

Walking dead who?

Whoever answered that.

Waterspouts are frequent in these waters during the ninth and tenth month.

Lucky you.

Frequent?

Mui, you were taken here from Hong Kong of 2015.

You rode into a waterspout in a speedboat.

It was during the height of the Leonid meteor shower.

The convergence brought you here.

If you want to go back to Hong Kong of 2015,

a waterspout is the key.

Are you mental?

What are you doing here?

I am here to reminisce about my room, alright?

Mental.

Master Po, it's said you are very generous.

You let her have your room.

Sis Kiu made me. Or I would never have done it!

What are you doing here?

Sis Kiu asked me to help...

To help me pack?

How very kind of her. All inside.

To help Wong Tai-mui.

Really? How very kind of her. Thank you.

Master Po, it's said you are very generous.

You let her have your room.

Sis Kiu made me. Or I would never have done it!

What are you doing here?

Sis Kiu asked me to help...

To help me pack?

How very kind of her. All inside.

To help Wong Tai-mui.

Really? How very kind of her. Thank you.

I can do it myself.

Good.

If it's loaded, I would shoot you dead.

But it isn't. What to do?

So you don't need my help?

There's more inside.

Get lost!

Hey...don't force yourself...

Scholar Suen. Yes?

Since I met you, I've found you smart and capable.

Could I ask you a question?

Go ahead.

Are waterspouts frequent in the waters here?

You can say so.

Could you tell me when the last one took place?

What for? But if you want to know,

You can check out the Xin'an County Annals.

Xin'an County Annals? What is that?

It is a year by year record of local happenings,

including natural and manmade disasters.

Waterspout is a natural disaster.

I am sure they were recorded.

Is the coming one recorded?

Annals is a record of past events.

For future happenings, consult fortune telling books.

Fortune telling books...

How would Jiaqing records carry what's going to happen later?

Mui, how stupid of you!

The Guangxu edition would be a different story!

Actually the Cheung Chau Police Station site used to be an ancestral hall.

There are lots of records and county annuals from the Qing Dynasty.

Done downloading your Wong's Genealogy?

Not only that, even Qing records and county annals...

How greedy of you!

1809, natural disasters, waterspouts...

Here it is.

On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the Chinese calendar,

Xin'an County was hit by a waterspout.

It wreaked havoc along the coastal line for a day.

It didn't stop until it reached the Nine Dragons Temple in Chek Chu (Stanley).

The 15th day of the 10th month...

That's four days from now.

Mui, it means if you can find out where Nine Dragons Temple is,

and wait for the waterspout to come.

Then you can go back to Hong Kong of 2015!

Yeah...

Prince Man-ho picked on everyone.

He's mad!

Sire wanted me to work out a pirate suppression strategy with him,

so I suggested one after another.

But he found fault with whatever I said.

He didn't like my idea of sowing discord,

and he hated the idea of feigning an attack

You didn't know him yesterday. You know how difficult he is.

Take it easy.

Lady Yim, you have no idea how unreasonable he is.

Luring out the devil was Commander Hon's idea.

Yet he kept lashing out at me for an hour for that.

Even Commander Hon couldn't stand it and pointed out his mistake.

Did he apologise to you then?

Apologise?

Know what he said?

Fok Yee-tai, how capricious of you.

You were aware I made a mistake but you didn't correct me.

You wanted to make me look bad!

That's him.

I have to go down south to wipe out the pirates with this terrible man.

I am sure you will have to prepare my funeral within six months.

Either he will nag me to death or I'll drown myself trying to get away.

In this case, my plan of using you to thwart his plans on victory won't work.

That's right...

Then, the best way is to have a person get close to him, be my spy,

and report to me on his moves?

Up close and personal.

If there's nothing else, you may go.

May I be excused?

Tung-suet, you've waited on me for years. I find you quite smart.

Milady, thank you.

Sometimes too smart for your own good.

Such a pretty girl within Sire's sight...

Will you take over my bed one day?

It never crossed my mind.

From today on, you are a palace maid trainee

Milady, please believe me.

That never crossed my mind.

Please don't demote me to a trainee.

But unless you are new here,

Prince Min-ho will be too suspicious for you to get close to.

Milady, you mean...

I want you to become his personal maid. You must work well for me.

Milady, rest assured. I'll report in case he plans against you!

Good.

If you could pull it off, I promise you

you could leave the palace,

and I'd marry you into a nice family.

Milady, thank you.

The capital is so prosperous and so lively!

I am a country bumpkin from Hunan.

I have never seen such a crowd or so bustling a place.

Hey, the palace...

My hands will be full training these newcomers.

(Ha Sim, the Snow Lotus)

The palace is so big, much bigger than the Pure Water Nunnery.

I wonder whom I'll wait on.

Whoever, just pray you won't be assigned to the Imperial Kitchen.

Or your life is over.

Why? It means food all the time.

Imperial Kitchen?

Greetings, Prince Man-ho.

Lai Gong-Gong.

Highness, you...

I was summoned to present to Sire my strategy on suppressing the pirates,

but I came in vain.

You've come too early.

Sire has the habit of taking an afternoon nap.

It'd be to your advantage if you come in an hour's time.

Sire is in better spirit and mood after his afternoon nap.

The man is so imposing looking. Who is he?

From his expensive attire you can tell he's a nobleman.

Lai Gong-Gong, thanks for the reminder.

Prince Man-ho, you are welcome.

So he's Prince Man-ho.

It's said he's still single.

If only I could wait on him...

What are you talking about?

Stop your daydreaming. Come on.

Mama, will we be fed right away?

What?

My belly is grumbling.

Behave yourself!

1:00 pm, the 11th of the 10th month.

Lai Gong-GNU?

A solar eclipse.

Old habit die hard.

So you know astrology.

It used to be my trade before I became a eunuch.

Old habit die hard.

Horse, thank you for taking us here.

You must be hungry by now.

Hunger is hard to bear.

The exact minute.

My calculation is correct.

Help..

Highness, are you hurt?

Should we call for an imperial physician?

Are you alright?

I...

Today is your first day in the palace.

Zhong Cui Palace is where you will stay before you are assigned a mistress.

Your mistress is either a noble consort or a noble concubine.

The bed is where they wait on Sire.

Whether they can gain a place in Sire's heart

depends on how well Sire can sleep on the bed.

If you want to be a trusted maid,

the first thing you should learn is making the bed. Do you get it?

Yes.

Mama, the bed is made. Please check.

Good! Ha Sim, well done.

You've passed the first test.

Mama, thank you.

Mama, is now meal time?

You are as thin as a rail. Yet you love food.

Food gives us the strength to work.

It really is rice unlimited.

The palace really is a haven.

I came to the right place.

It's your first day here, so you are served extra dishes.

Look at the stewed meat!

I've never seen big pieces of stewed meat like these!

Did you see Prince Man-ho's heroic act?

I should have faked being caught by the rein.

Then I would have been the damsel in distress he saved.

Ha Sim, you had all the luck.

What luck?

He saved you. He must have an impression of you.

So what? He won't be the one I wait on.

We are here to wait on consorts.

But there is a custom here.

Maid trainees will sometimes be given to princes as personal maids.

Oh yes, Prince Man-ho held you during the rescue.

Maybe he will want you.

This is a choice piece. You are chosen.

My piece of meat.

Heaven has given me premium rice.

I won't miss it for the world.

I am not done with you yet.

What are you doing?

Stop it!

Lai Gong-Gong.

Greetings, Lai Gong-Gong.

You are in the palace.

Who are you the newcomers to make a scene here?

Greetings, Lai Gong-Gong.

As you said, the row was about a piece of stewed meat?

It's not easy to have stewed meat to go with rice, but...

Your name is Ha Sim?

Yes.

Which noble family did you come from?

Who referred you?

It's Reverend Han-wan of Pure Water Nunnery.

She took pity on me after my family tragedy

She took me in as a chore helper.

It was half a year ago.

They said some people came to make offerings for the noble consorts.

Somehow I was said to have auspicious birth data,

which is compatible with Sire's.

So Reverend used the chance to refer me as a palace maid.

"They said", "somehow"...

You aren't that bright, are you?

Reverend said ignorance is bliss.

Why didn't you stay in the nunnery?

I wanted to, but Reverend said I ate too much, I would bankrupt them.

So you have not harboured the idea of becoming a consort one day.

No. All I asked was rice unlimited.

I never thought there would be stewed meat as well!

I have been in the palace for years.

I worked my way up to become manager of the Imperial Palace.

Yet I have never seen a girl as simple and uncalculating as you are.

Good!

Lai Gong-Gong, does it mean I won't be punished?

There are rules to follow in the palace.

You crossed the line, you have to pay for it.

You get up early tomorrow and clean every maid's night soil bucket.

What?

You won't have the strength to work if you are not fed.

You'll be sent a bucket of rice and three pieces of stewed meat.

Fill your belly and work hard tomorrow.

Great! Rice and stewed meat!

I don't mind cleaning night soil bucket every day.

Lai Gong-Gong, please forgive her naivety.

Tung-suet is Lady Yim's personal maid.

How come she's among the trainees?

It's Lady Yim's order.

I dared not ask why.

Sire, Prince Man-ho's audience should be 11 am.

It is 3 pm already. He's still waiting outside.

Summon him in.

Yes, Sire.

Prince Man-ho, you are summoned.

Greetings, Sire.

Sire, I've rewritten the pirate suppression strategy.

Please review it.

Sire.

Pick up your lousy strategy and think hard again.

Redo it.

Yes, Sire.

Highness.

I'll work hard on it again.

May I be excused?

Prince Man-ho?

A fire attack?

Princeling, bring it on.

I'll never forget this.

What's this?

A waterspout?

A waterspout!