Original subtitles

(Guardians of the Dafeng)

(Episode 28)

You must have spent a lot of money on it.

(My future father-in-law is a warrior who's obsessed with martial arts.)

(It shouldn't be hard to get along with him.)

A precious sword needs a great hero.

You can't put a price on that.

Thank you, Miss Wang.

Why?

You lied to me! Xu Qi An, I'll never believe you again!

Just go!

Leave me to my own fate!

I can't stay in this house anymore!

I have no family.

Get out! Out!

Look at this great sword, my dear.

You must be Xu Ling Yue, right?

Just as Ci Jiu described,

you're graceful and stunning.

You flatter me, Si Mu.

After thinking it over, I decided this gift suits you best.

Isn't this the Beauty Balm from the Beauty Pavilion?

It's famous for brightening and nourishing the skin.

Madam Li gave me some before, and it worked wonders!

I've queued for days but couldn't get my hands on it.

Miss Si Mu, you're so thoughtful!

I used my connections to get it.

It's nothing. Only something this exquisite

is good enough for your unparalleled beauty, Ling Yue.

Let me try it first.

Thank you, Si Mu. You're very generous.

(Looks like she isn't like her mother.)

(She's got some finesse.)

(This should be interesting.)

Actually, I've prepared another gift for you.

Doesn't it smell good?

Here's the latest collection of poems.

You might enjoy reading it.

(The Top 101 Men of Dafeng)

Thank you, Si Mu.

And who's this curious little one?

On my way here, I passed by Guiyue Restaurant

and picked up some treats for you.

Guiyue Restaurant!

Guiyue Restaurant...

Dou Ding, hurry up and thank Miss Wang!

Thank you, pretty lady!

Go ahead and enjoy them.

I came in such a rush that I couldn't prepare properly.

Nonsense! You've prepared too well!

Really, Miss Si Mu.

You must be thirsty after traveling such a long way.

We're a small household, I hope you don't mind

- our humble hospitality. - That's right.

Not at all.

Stepping into your residence feels like

entering a haven of grace and refinement.

And now that I've met you, I see where Ci Jiu gets his talent

and pure-hearted nature.

You're certainly not wrong about that!

Ci Jiu has devoted himself to studying

for 18 years.

He's quite the scholar.

If he passes the imperial exams,

oh, his future

will be brighter than we could ever imagine!

18 years of hard study,

all for nothing!

My future,

it's ruined!

I've become the laughingstock of Dafeng's scholars!

How foolish of me!

So foolish!

Why did I trust the lies of a villain?

This is how I've ended up!

Without me,

Xu Xin Nian...

Xu Qi An, aren't you going to calm me down?

Ci Jiu, let it go.

Have some warm water.

Warm water?

Warm water?

Foolish!

So foolish!

I, Xu Xin Nian, am a fool!

It's just that

Ci Jiu seemed a little shaken today

because of me.

You're overthinking it.

Ci Jiu has always been an obedient child.

He's well-behaved, sensible,

and composed.

He's never done anything out of line

or given us reason to worry, right?

That's right.

- Are you sure it's fine? - Yes!

He's totally fine!

Totally fine!

Totally fine!

Totally fine!

Without me,

Xu Xin Nian,

Dafeng would have been plunged

into eternal darkness!

Ci Jiu,

that's enough.

I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap.

You're doing this for real?

Alright, alright, it's all my fault.

Please get down.

Leave me be.

You'll hurt yourself. Get down!

Let me die!

- Brother, knock it off. - Leave me be.

Let me die!

Ci Jiu is in this room.

Ci Jiu...

Ci Jiu is studying right now.

It's best if we don't disturb him.

What are you doing?

Miss Si Mu came all this way.

He can study later, it's no big deal.

What's wrong with your eyes?

- Ci... - Let me die!

Ci Jiu has always been so dedicated to his studies since he was little.

You're right, my dear.

Learning must start early.

Let's give him some peace to focus on his studies.

That's right.

I have something I'd like to say to him.

What do you think of this verse?

It's well-written.

Is there something you need?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Since Ci Jiu is busy studying...

Let's not

disturb him.

Yes.

Wait.

Ci Jiu, I'd like to apologize

on behalf of my father for what happened today.

But I believe

that with your talent,

one day,

you'll ascend to the Grand Secretariat,

become a prime minister,

and achieve your dreams

with ease.

Since you're busy studying,

I won't disturb you further.

I'll visit another day.

That's be great.

(Ci Jiu, )

(I refuse to believe that you still won't fall for me)

(after this.)

You're hopeless.

What does this rock mean?

My heart is not a stone,

it cannot be turned.

I'm going to take a nap.

Your Highness.

How did it go?

Yang You De said Father is busy with state affairs

and turned me away.

His Majesty is the ruler of the land, overseeing countless matters.

Of course he's busy.

He's angry with me.

He doesn't want to see me.

I just heard a funny story earlier.

Let me share it to cheer you up.

He was kicked out of the Ministry of Personnel?

Yes. A lot of people saw it.

Word is, Xu Xin Nian was clutching his stomach like a dead fish

and couldn't move for a long time.

How bizarre.

Xu Qi An is so capable and brilliant.

Why would his brother be so foolish?

He's just a scholar,

yet he actually offended the Chief Advisor

who holds his future in his hands?

There's more to it than that, Your Highness.

I heard Xu Xin Nian has a crush

on the Chief Advisor's daughter,

which is what made the Chief Advisor so furious.

But Xu Xin Nian is one of the best scholars of Yunlu Academy,

a young talent.

What more could Wang Zhen Wen possibly want?

Talent or not,

Dafeng has no shortage of scholars.

Xu Xin Nian comes from a humble background,

without title or rank.

Even if he has some talent,

he's still worlds apart

from the Chief Advisor's daughter.

Is family status

really that important?

Of course. In Dafeng, people care a lot about being evenly matched.

That's Chief Advisor we're talking about.

And Xu Xin Nian is just a commoner.

Forget Xu Xin Nian,

even Xu Qi An, with all his accomplishments,

wouldn't be considered a match for her.

Your Highness!

That's not what I meant, Your Highness!

Xu Qi An is brilliant and capable.

He'd be more than a good match for her!

Your Highness!

I've never tasted anything so delicious before.

Has the Imperial Kitchen got new chefs?

No.

This dish just has a special seasoning added to it

called chicken essence.

It enhances the natural flavor of the ingredients.

And

the person who invented it is...

Xu Qi An?

That's right.

Mother, he's incredibly talented.

Not only can he write poetry,

but he also solves many cases.

The case of recovering the stolen tax money in Yunzhou

was orchestrated entirely under his command.

A man like this is not only a talent

but also my guest advisor.

Don't you think

he deserves a little reward?

I know what you're trying to say.

About granting him a title,

I'll find an opportunity to bring it up with your father.

Your father is well aware of his contributions.

Since he hasn't been rewarded yet,

it must mean your father has other plans for him,

plans beyond what you or I can influence.

Mother, just the fact that you're willing to bring it up helps immensely.

Thank you, Mother.

Eat up. You have some more too.

(Xu Residence)

What are these?

Wang Zhen Wen has been impeached by his political rivals.

Lord Wei wants you to deliver these confidential letters

to the Ministry of Personnel.

These are...

If these dirt...

I mean, if these documents were to leak,

who knows how many officials in the capital would be implicated?

Looks like Dafeng's bureaucracy might be in for a major shakeup.

The number of people who can access these can be counted on one hand.

How could they possibly leak so easily?

If it weren't for Lord Wei's order today,

do you think you'd even get to lay eyes on these letters?

The Night Guardians are helping Chief Advisor Wang?

No, wait, this is huge,

and it involves political factions.

Why did Lord Wei pick me for this?

Lord Wei said you're the only one who can handle this.

Here's the story,

the whole capital is talking about

how Xu Xin Nian got kicked out of the Ministry of Personnel

because of his feelings for Wang Si Mu.

As his elder brother, you, Xu Qi An, step in to help.

To support their budding romance, you steal these confidential letters

from the Night Guardians' document archives,

and deliver them as a grand gesture to Wang Zhen Wen

to mend their relationship.

Lord Wei really knows how to spin a story.

- He should've been a screenwriter. - Screenwriter?

This is serious. I'll get to it right away.

Wait.

You're just going like this?

Do you think sneaking into

the Night Guardians' document archives is that easy?

What does that mean?

I knew

you'd end up in my hands one day.

Hang on.

How did it go?

You didn't go too hard on him, did you?

No. I didn't even land a hit.

He said he's got a better plan that'll get the job done much easier.

Here's the story we'll use,

you got kicked out of the Grand Secretariat

because of your feelings for Wang Si Mu.

To rekindle this budding romance,

you sneak into your big brother's room,

steal these confidential letter,

and deliver them to Wang Zhen Wen as a grand gesture

to mend your relationship.

Remember, have Miss Wang deliver them.

That'll be even more effective.

You really know how to spin a tale.

Alright,

- I'll get on it now. - Wait.

You're just going like that?

- Then... - Do you think stealing something from me is that easy?

Well thought upon!

Pick one.

Which one

hurts the least?

They all hurt.

The more it hurts, the more convincing it'll look.

And the more convincing, the more touching.

Don't worry.

I know how to control my strength.

I won't hurt you too badly.

This one.

It's small and delicate.

Good choice.

One hit, it will leave six holes on you.

No.

It'll take longer for the wound to heal.

How about this one?

It's flat, at least it won't leave holes.

Even better.

Guaranteed to puff up your face like a balloon.

No!

What Si Mu likes most is my handsome face.

Let's go with this one.

It's a little big,

but as long as you don't hit my face, I can handle it.

Great, the mallet!

One hit, it'll split your head open for sure!

Absolutely not! A scholar's brain is his most valuable asset.

Let's settle on this one.

Tonight, I'll skip making soup for Mother.

With all the money we have, missing one meal won't hurt.

- Are you sure? - Yes.

- You're sticking with this? - Yes.

As you wish then.

Here comes the hit!

Look, Young Lady.

Take this. Go on.

Ci Jiu.

Si Mu.

Ci Jiu, what happened to you?

It's nothing.

I called you here tonight

because I have something for you

to deliver to Chief Advisor Wang.

These...

These confidential letters,

where did you get them?

I got them from Ning Yan.

Ning Yan?

Isn't he one of Wei Yuan's closest aides?

Ci Jiu!

Let me look at you.

How could he hurt you so badly?

He didn't hit me. I... I bumped into things.

I tripped

and fell.

Does it hurt?

No.

Si Mu.

Ci Jiu.

Si Mu.

It hurts if you keep pressing on it like that.

Sorry, Ci Jiu!

I went to the Imperial Court of Justice and the Censorate today.

I asked them not to pass a verdict,

but I didn't expect

Duke Cao had gotten ahead of me.

Lord Sun,

I also reached out to others in the Crown Prince's faction,

but as soon as they caught wind of it,

they all kept their distance.

Lord Wang,

perhaps you should yield to His Majesty

on the corvee labor for grain transport?

That corvee labor system is a disaster for the country and its people!

It's easy for me to yield,

but the common people will bear the suffering.

If it comes to it,

I'll resign.

Lord Wang, you mustn't!

You mustn't resign, Lord Wang!

Absolutely not.

If you resign now,

it will play right into Duke Cao's hands.

Resigning wouldn't be the worst thing.

I could treat it as stepping down gracefully

before things get worse.

Besides,

even after stepping down, I could be reinstated later.

A gentleman

should know when to advance and when to retreat.

But as an official, I have a responsibility to speak the truth.

As the Chief Advisor,

if I don't say it, no one else will dare to.

Father, I have something to tell you.

Miss Si Mu is a well-mannered young lady.

She wouldn't come to disturb us if it weren't something important.

Come in.

What is it?

I've come to help resolve the matter

that's been troubling you and the other ministers.

With these letters,

we now have the perfect opportunity to turn the tide in our favor.

Where did these letters come from?

They were delivered by someone you kicked out of the Ministry of Personnel.

Not only did he no hold a grudge,

he even paid a great price

to bring them here himself.

His elder brother

is Xu Qi An, a Guardian.

- Has she grown so much? - Yes.

I remember when I first saw her,

she was just a little girl about this tall.

Thank you for remembering my daughter, Your Majesty.

- Greetings, Your Majesty. - I hear your wife has been unwell.

She's just feeling a bit under the weather, Your Majesty.

We appreciate your concern.

- You De. - Yes, Your Majesty.

Order someone to retrieve a golden elixir from Lingbao Court

and send it to Lord Wang's residence.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, did you summon me...

Let's continue our conversation another day.

Yes, Your Majesty.

See Lord Wang out.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, I will take my leave.

At this morning's court session,

His Majesty actually changed his mind.

Not only did he reject the Chief Advisor's resignation,

but he also absolved him of all charges.

I suspect

those confidential letters

have something to do with Duke Cao.

Duke Cao is one of Father's most trusted allies,

loyal only to him and unaffiliated with any political faction.

That's why he's held such power for so many years.

It seems this time,

Wang Zhen Wen must have found some leverage against him,

making Father compromise.

As for the accusations against Wang Zhen Wen,

Father likely saw through them.

It's all just a show

to intimidate the court officials,

a warning to keep them in line.

Still, it's surprising how,

in just one night, Chief Advisor Wang managed

to turn the tide completely in his favor.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, how did Wang Zhen Wen...

How did he get hold of those confidential letters?

Wei Yuan... Yes, it must be Wei Yuan!

- You De. - Yes, Your Majesty.

I'm feeling tired.

- Help me to my chambers to rest. - Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, Wei Yuan colluding with court officials is a serious threat!

You must be vigilant, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

You should mind your own business.

If Lord Wei is involved,

there's no way His Majesty would turn a blind eye.

Father sees everything with perfect clarity.

Lord Wei's heart is with the people.

His plans are not tied to the court,

nor is his ambition

rooted in political factionalism.

The Night Guardians' claim to oversee

all officials sounded like an empty boast,

but now it seems you do have some capabilities.

We're merely doing what's needed for the court.

Then why are the Night Guardians helping me?

A pound of unhusked grain costs 8 coins,

coarse rice 12 coins,

and polished rice 18 coins.

Two years ago,

you could buy a pound of unhusked grain for just 4 coins

and coarse rice for 6 coins.

Lord Wei,

if you want to discuss rice prices,

come to my residence,

I could talk numbers with you all night.

Who could have imagined

that the prices would double nowadays?

The past two years have been tumultuous.

There's been war in the north and drought in the south.

The national treasury is running dry.

I've held back the pressure from the palace

and kept this year's land taxes from increasing,

yet the situation remains dire.

When the realm is peaceful,

prices remain low.

But when there's unrest, fields lie fallow,

roads are obstructed, prices inevitably soar.

Though you and I hold high positions,

and care for the people,

we can't really

grasp their hardships without experiencing them ourselves.

Even here in the capital, there are people struggling to make ends meet.

Across this vast land,

how many lives

are ground into the dirt,

silent like

the grains of rice trampled into mud?

Lord Wei, your empathy for the people humbles me.

I was wrong to doubt your intentions.

My Lord.

After you, My Lord.

I helped you because,

even in the face

of overwhelming pressure

and His Majesty's wrath,

you've stayed true to your principles

and spoken on behalf of the people.

That's why

I have an important matter to entrust to you.

Lord Wei,

what do you need of me?

The Wizard God Sect is wreaking havoc in the north,

slaughtering innocent people.

Soon,

I will petition His Majesty

to launch a campaign against them.

When the time comes,

I'll need you

to hold the court together

and safeguard Dafeng.

Look up,

with no shame before the heavens;

Look down,

with no guilt before the people.

My Lord, Silver Guardian Xu Qi An requests to see you.

Without an imperial decree,

the Night Guardians have no authority to enter the Ministry of Personnel.

Please leave.

Wait, my man, I'm Xu Qi An,

Xu Xin Nian's older brother.

- Yes, I've heard about you. - I'm a Silver Guardian.

A Silver Guardian.

I'm here under orders from Lord Wei to investigate a case.

Didn't they tell you that?

Let me repeat myself.

The Ministry of Personnel is a restricted area.

Without an imperial decree, the Night Guardians cannot enter.

Now, please leave.

Sir.

Please make an exception.

An exception.

Sure, sure. An exception.

Hang on...

Watch my hand!

- Forget it. - Why are you stopping me?

There's another way.

You're so slow.

I've been waiting for you forever.

I just realized that dealing with people like you,

who operate outside the system,

being in official uniform doesn't help. It's useless.

What is with Wang Zhen Wen?

Doesn't he know how to repay kindness a hundredfold?

And that official just now,

such a low-ranking nobody,

yet he was acting like some big bureaucrat!

Also, why did you stop me earlier?

If you hadn't, I'd have turned the Ministry of Personnel upside down!

Calm down.

I've sent someone to deliver a message.

I've asked Miss Wang to help.

Really?

Alright then. Bye.

Where are you going? Aren't we going to plan this out?

Plan what? If something comes up, Su Su will find you.

Have you paid?

Boss, put it on my tab.

Got it!

Hey kid, give me back my wallet.

Yours? How do you prove it's yours?

I found it, so it's mine now.

That wallet has gold ingots inside.

And it is engraved with the word "Zhi."

Open it and check it.

Hand it over.

- Give me the wallet. - What are you trying to do?

- What, you want to fight me? - That's my wallet!

Do you even know who I am? You've got some nerve.

- Give me that wallet. - Yours? No, it's mine.

This is my wallet.

How did you know this pouch has gold ingots inside

and is engraved with the character "Zhi"?

Because it's my wallet, so of course I know.

Your wallet?

Sure, there's a "Zhi" engraved on it,

but it's not gold ingots inside.

(It's a note that says "rascal.")

I was wondering why I'd been so unlucky.

Every time I go out, I lose my wallet.

Turns out you're the rascal stealing them!

(Looks like the unlucky one has shown up.)

Miss, he's the one who stole your wallet.

- I saw it with my own eyes. - Yes.

You have to believe me.

He even hit me!

- You brat! - So, how?

Whose wallet is this now?

I see what's going on.

In broad daylight,

under the clear skies,

I'm starting to suspect you two are running a scam together.

A setup, huh?

Fine, let's sort this out at yamen.

- Want to go to yamen? - No.

- No? - I didn't say anything.

I didn't see anything

What? Your partner ran off, didn't he?

You're coming with me to yamen.

I...

I'll let it go this time.

But if it happens again,

I won't let you off.

Mission accomplished.

Here's 600 taels, sir.

Thank you.

Father, your calligraphy has improved.

The strength of the strokes practically leaps off the page,

forceful and precise.

But this verse,

"Look up, with no shame before the heavens;

look down, with no guilt before the people,"

doesn't quite align with your recent actions, does it?

What exactly are you trying to say?

If you're here

for the Night Guardian of the Xu family,

no need to say anything.

Oh? Did my criticism hit the mark?

Father,

you know the Xu family has done you a great service.

By avoiding them like this,

aren't you betraying that very principle of your verse?

Xu Xin Nian and his brother

are clearly working together.

Mu,

you're clever and perceptive.

Surely you're not fooled by this obvious ploy?

As you say,

what Ci Jiu did

might just be a little trick,

but what I value is the fact

that he was willing to go to such lengths for me.

It shows how much he cares for me.

Even if it's a ploy,

I'm happy with it, I fell for it willingly.

Besides, he only did that

to change your opinion of him.

If he wants to change my opinion,

he should pass the imperial examinations first.

That's a long way off.

Father, you haven't answered me.

Why won't you help the Xu family?

Acting so petty

would only make others look down on us.

The Ministry of Personnel is a vital department of the court.

Since I took office as Assistant Minister 14 years ago,

no Night Guardian has ever been allowed into the archives.

There are no exceptions since the founding of Dafeng.

Well,

they don't really need to go in,

do they?

You...

This chicken soup of yours is packed with too much seasoning.

Alright, I've had my fill.

Take it.

This wound medicine with secret formula is highly effective

and hard to come by.

Father,

who are you giving it to?

To your pitiful Ci Jiu.

Chu.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Thank you for waiting.

How did it go?

I got screwed over by some old geezer.

Great wine!

This is a thirty-year-aged masterpiece.

Smooth and rich.

Let's not dwell on worries today.

Let's drink away our troubles.

- Cheers! - Cheers!

Here we go.

Ouch!

Just endure it.

Be gentler!

Forget it. It's just a small wound, it's no big deal.

A small wound?

I only hit you once.

How did you end up badly injured?

Where did these extra scratches come from?

I added a few more myself.

But what's the point of being hurt worse?

I didn't even get to see Chief Advisor Wang.

That's on me.

Let's apply more medicine.

Forget it.

I had a realization yesterday.

With someone as seasoned as Chief Advisor Wang,

he probably saw through our little tricks from the start.

I should just focus on studying,

that's the right path.

Is it necessary to start right away?

Of course!

Those ridiculous tricks you've been teaching me,

they'll only backfire.

Who knows when I'll see Si Mu again?

Right now,

only by excelling in the imperial exams

and earning my place in the court

will I be worthy of visiting her house again.

Right, right.

Get out, Ning Yan.

I don't want to see you anymore.

- Ci Jiu, I can explain. - I don't want to listen.

- At least try to talk my way out of it. - Hey, you're both here.

I was just looking for you.

Miss Wang is here. Mother is hosting her.

Which Miss Wang?

Who else could it be?

These are all pieces Ci Jiu wrote when he was a child.

Look, he even drew two frogs on it!

His current wild cursive style is so bold and free,

but these childhood writings

are just adorable.

Adorable, yes, very much so.

Oh, and take a look at this.

This was painted by a hired artist

when Ci Jiu turned 100 days old. It's a family portrait.

Madam, you look just as young and beautiful as you did back then.

Oh, I know.

Look at Ci Jiu, he was crying so hard back then.

It had me completely flustered. I had no idea why.

I only found out later.

Do you know why?

He wet his pants!

Stop, stop! Stop looking at that!

Ci Jiu!

- Miss Wang. - Why are you being flustered?

We have a guest here.

Sister-in-law, you're here!

- When did you arrive? - Who are you calling sister-in-law?

This is improper! You're being rude.

Yes, I'm here.

Sister-in-law, you don't know,

but this brat was just talking about how he couldn't see you again

and vowed to work harder to succeed.

And now that you're here,

he's all shy and awkward.

Xu Ci Jiu,

is it true that you scholars always say one thing and mean another?

Don't listen to his nonsense.

Is it really nonsense?

Not entirely.

By the way, Ning Yan. I have something important to tell you.

Could I have a word with you?

Sure.

My father said that the archives are a restricted area.

Outsiders aren't allowed in without an imperial decree.

However, it's the rainy season now.

The humidity could damage the documents

if they get damp or moldy.

So today,

they'll be moving all the records

to the backyard to air them out.

I've made the arrangements.

Just take my carriage to the backyard,

someone will be there to assist you.

Thank you for pulling some strings, Sister-in-law.

Ci Jiu, you're such a lucky guy.

Ci Jiu,

let me take a look at your wound.

It doesn't hurt.

It really doesn't.

Ning Yan,

don't you have things to take care of?

If it's important, hurry up and get to it.

Yes, yes, I'll get to it right away.

Aunt.

Did you wash my uniform?

Where did you put it? Help me find it.

- Excuse me. - Help me find it.

How many times have I told you? The uniform is made of silver.

You can't wash it. Why did you wash my uniform?

They're gone.

(Xu Residence)

Ning Yan, let me ask you something.

I heard you talk about...

Some "restricted area" just now.

Miss Wang's family background

must be pretty significant, huh?

Aunt, your sharp eyes never fail.

Her father does hold a position in the court.

It must be

a pretty high-ranking one, huh?

- It's decent. - What does "decent" mean? How high?

- Let me give you an example using Uncle's rank. - Alright.

Uncle is an Imperial Sword Guard. His rank is...

He is a seventh-rank official.

You know that, right?

I do. Go on, go on.

Her father's rank is...

About six levels higher than Uncle's.

Got it now?

Coachman, let's go.

Please make the horse run faster.

Does it hurt?

It's just a small injury.

This is nothing to me.

Ci Jiu,

do you know who gave me this medicine?

It's a secret imperial formula

that my father specifically prepared for me.

Since my father

is willing to help your family in secret

and hasn't stopped me from coming to see you,

with your intelligence,

surely you understand what this means?

I will study hard

and earn a position.

I will not let you and Chief Advisor Wang down.

One day...

One day, I will...

I just applied the medicine on it. Don't touch it.

Si Mu.

Ci Jiu.

Si Mu.

Ci Jiu.