Original subtitles

MkvDrama.net

=Tigers Sniff the Rose=

(Based on the novel of the same name by Yiren Kuikui)

=Episode 29=

(Prince of Jin's Residence)

Look at that sweet little face!

Sleeping so peacefully!

Lingyi.

Come here.

Dear Chunhua,

you've done so much for my baby and me.

Lingyi.

- Come on. - The baby's asleep.

Say goodbye to Aunt Chunhua.

Lingyi!

Lingyi!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

(Drunken Immortal Tavern)

(Residence of the Military Governor of Lingnan)

(Residence of the Military Governor of Lingnan)

(Jiang Heng, Military Governor of Lingnan)

Yan Shang, Collator at Hongwen Hall.

Have you heard of him?

Never heard of him.

He may be a capital official,

but isn't he just some scribe at the academy?

I seem to recall

that he placed among the top three

in last year's imperial examinations.

An upright scholar-official.

Did he say why he's here?

He says he's from this region

and came to pay his respects while visiting family.

(Residence of the Military Governor of Lingnan)

My apologies.

The governor is busy with business.

He can't receive you right now.

Please forgive us.

You'll have to leave.

I see.

No matter.

Thank you anyway.

(Residence of the Military Governor of Lingnan)

High-ranking officials are hard to meet.

(Drunken Immortal Tavern) Shall we head home and rest, sir?

If we can't see the big officials,

we'll see the lesser ones.

Surely they won't all turn us away.

Come on.

Let's go to the County Office.

My lord! My lord!

May you live a hundred years!

May you live a hundred years, my lord!

May you live a hundred years! Bless you, my lord!

Get up!

My lord, please give us something to eat!

Please! Just a little food!

Please!

Please, my lord!

Just a little food!

May you live a hundred years! Bless you!

Please give us something to eat!

Just a bite, please!

Well,

you must be exhausted from your journey, my boy.

When did you arrive in our humble county?

Oh, by the way,

how has your father been?

Thanks for asking.

He's doing well.

You seem to be in excellent health yourself.

(Zheng Chengqing, County Magistrate) Not bad.

Not bad at all.

Come, my boy.

Last year, I happened to pass by the County Office

and saw you seeing Captain Zhang Renjing out.

He looked well fed and had plenty to drink.

I assume

you entertained him here.

What a coincidence!

It seems you

know Captain Zhang too.

More than that.

We know each other very well.

Speaking of Captain Zhang,

he must have had his ancestors' blessings.

He rose through the ranks so quickly.

But I heard

he owed his rise to that treacherous eunuch.

Now that the eunuch has fallen,

I wonder what became of Captain Zhang.

I know.

He's dead.

Dead?

I killed him.

I haven't had a chance to tell you.

On this visit home,

I did use visiting family as a pretext.

But actually,

(Circuit Inspector) I'm here on official business.

I see you recognize this.

Excellent.

That saves me an explanation.

Forgive my ignorance.

May I ask what brings the Circuit Inspector

to our county?

Now that Yu's faction has fallen,

the court must restore order.

Even a remote place like Santu County

is still imperial territory.

Every official must be thoroughly investigated

if we're to make a fresh start.

I'm afraid

some officials will lose their positions.

Or perhaps

their heads.

Your Excellency! Please spare my life!

At least

for the sake of my old friendship with your father...

My father was unfortunately driven into the wilderness.

Not only did he lose his household registration,

but he's apparently not even a whole man anymore.

Those words...

You said them yourself back then, didn't you?

I'm the sort of man who never lets a slight go.

You really

should've watched your mouth that day.

I deserve to die!

I deserve to die!

Forgive me, please!

You've been an official for many years.

Surely you know how much authority a Circuit Inspector holds.

As the Emperor's inspector of Lingnan Circuit,

I may not be able to touch military governors

or prefects so easily.

But taking a county magistrate's life?

All it takes is one more report to the throne.

I wonder if the cases you've handled over the years

could withstand such scrutiny.

Have mercy, Your Excellency!

I'll... I'll crawl on my knees to your home

and apologize to your father!

Please spare my miserable life!

There is one way.

The question is,

are you willing to do me a favor?

Yes! Of course!

Anything you ask!

Bring me the county's financial records.

As for any injustices or illegal acts,

even if you weren't responsible,

someone else surely was.

I trust you'll

tell me everything you know.

Make a list of everyone involved

and what they did.

I'll be

most grateful for your help.

(Prince of Jin's Residence) Your Highness!

(Virtue Shines) Your Highness!

Please give me back my baby, Your Highness!

We've given her the finest food and lodging every day.

Why is she crying like that?

How strange!

Indeed.

Everyone knows how kind you are, Your Highness.

Never mind.

It's only right.

After all, my child

happened to be born from her womb.

Your Highness!

She doesn't even have to nurse the baby,

or lift a finger.

Yet she's still ungrateful.

Thank you for coming personally to bring gifts for the little prince.

Your Highness!

Please give me back my baby!

Your Highness!

Please give me back my baby!

Attendant Liu.

Attendant Liu,

this register lists the traitor's remaining followers

whose offenses were minor or whose guilt couldn't be proven.

(Liang Yuanhui)

Please advise us, Attendant Liu.

If any of the traitors have escaped justice,

His Majesty may be displeased.

We'll investigate thoroughly.

Every last one!

(This year: 38 people lost, 10 fled, 9 killed in battle, 6 lost at sea;)

(many sugar-trading ships diverted to Rongzhou.)

(Revised land-allotment records: 450 qing allocated across the townships.)

(Shanwei: 8 qing of farmland destroyed. Current registered households.)

(Zhao Shi extorted villagers. Registrar Li Jie embezzled labor funds.)

(Wang Jia: Arrests made, cases dropped. Wei Feng, Senior Secretary,)

Wei Feng, Senior Secretary

(falsely drew military supplies.) of the Fifth Rank,

falsely drew military supplies.

Someone!

(Chen Da, Bailiff of Santu County) At your service, sir.

(Wei Feng, Senior Secretary of the Fifth Rank)

Oh my...

That young fellow...

He's actually a Circuit Inspector!

He's got some nerve!

He's already summoned Senior Secretary Wei for questioning!

- Prefect! - Prefect!

Prefect, who exactly is this man?

What are we going to do?

Don't panic.

But I've heard

he's got a list of names

(Wei Feng, Senior Secretary of Shaozhou) and plans to question everyone on it.

I...

I'm just the first.

What?

Prefect, what...

Quiet.

I've already looked into his background.

He's a nobody from the countryside, with no connections.

His Majesty was probably short of men after Yu's downfall,

so he promoted this man.

Then why

send him here of all places?

Could he already have...

Sir, the military governor has sent for you.

The Circuit Inspector has already arrived in Santu County.

How do you

intend to handle him?

We're discussing that very matter.

I heard that before summoning the local officials,

he visited the Santu County office.

But someone told me

that before meeting Magistrate Zheng,

he visited your residence.

Yes, yes, he did.

Well...

That's because

he attended a local school

and...

was a classmate of my son.

He brought back a few gifts for my son.

But

he never revealed his official position to me.

Otherwise, I would've made arrangements much sooner.

That doesn't matter now.

At least

your son seems to know him quite well.

With that connection,

he still has to treat you with respect.

Surely he'll show you some consideration.

Prefect Liu.

The longer he stays here,

the more people he'll implicate,

and things

will only get harder to control.

Surely

you understand that.

Wei Feng

is your most trusted right-hand man.

If he dares summon Wei Feng,

who's next?

Before things get out of hand,

you'd better put an end to this.

Understood, sir.

One more thing.

A dog won't let go

unless you give it some meat.

Yan Shang

has climbed so high

in just a few months.

He must be quite calculating

and ruthless.

You mean...

If necessary,

throw him a few bones to keep him quiet.

For instance,

if you can't save Wei Feng,

hand him over.

As for the others,

use your judgment.

Yes, sir.

(Residence of the Military Governor of Lingnan)

Sir!

Sir!

If I can't

get this situation under control,

I'll become a pawn

he can sacrifice whenever he pleases.

Then...

what do you plan to do, sir?

Tomorrow,

we'll host a grand banquet here.

Yes.

(Residence of the Prefect of Shaozhou)

(Residence of the Prefect of Shaozhou)

This way, please.

When you visited my residence the other day, Mr. Yan,

I was unfortunately occupied with urgent business

and couldn't invite you in for a proper conversation.

I've arranged today's banquet

to make it up to you.

You're all my seniors.

Making you wait

was rude of me, not you.

Please, have a seat.

After you.

Please.

Mr. Yan,

since you're a Circuit Inspector,

why didn't you tell me the other day?

I owe you an apology.

That was my mistake.

To tell you the truth,

I'm from Lingnan myself.

I only traveled north for the examinations last year.

Now that I'm home, meeting officials who govern my homeland

makes me feel

(Yinbin Hall) right at home.

Besides, Prefect Liu and I go back a long way.

And you're all his longtime subordinates.

So, really,

fate has brought us together.

We're all among friends here.

But Mr. Yan,

as soon as you arrived,

you started summoning officials for questioning.

Now everyone in Lingnan is on edge.

It almost seems

you're trying to put me in my place.

(Yinbin Hall) Prefect Liu, Senior Secretary Wei,

since we're all gathered here today,

I'll

get straight to the point.

His Majesty

intends to restore order throughout the empire.

He appointed me Circuit Inspector to investigate Lingnan.

Think about it.

Why would he do that?

(Yinbin Hall)

Why make Lingnan his first target?

Surely there's a reason.

If His Majesty has grown suspicious,

he must

have heard some troubling rumors.

What do you intend to do, Mr. Yan?

Please, speak plainly.

His Majesty specifically sent me here.

Can I really

return empty-handed and say,

"I found absolutely nothing"?

Gentlemen,

surely you must give me something

to report to His Majesty.

Prefect Liu,

I'm not a stubborn man

who refuses to compromise.

I'd gladly put in a good word for all of you before His Majesty.

So,

I'll need your cooperation.

Don't leave me standing before His Majesty

with no answers to give.

Then what exactly

do you want to know?

I already have

the financial records of one county.

By my rough calculations,

across the entire Lingnan Circuit,

I'm afraid there are at least ten million strings of coins

have likely gone missing.

Am I right?

Right now,

I'm the only one

who can protect you from the consequences.

But first,

I need to know exactly

what I'm covering up.

Prefect Liu,

where are Lingnan Circuit's

real financial records?

What is it?

Word from the military governor's residence.

This man works for the Crown Prince.

I've given it some thought.

What you've said, Mr. Yan,

is truly sincere and heartfelt.

So I suppose

I ought to

show you the same sincerity.

Bring me all the financial ledgers.

Yes, sir.

(Financial Ledgers)

Here's the information you wanted, Mr. Yan.

Much obliged.

However,

you may only examine them here.

Very well.

You'll need something to report to His Majesty.

I understand completely.

Therefore,

I'll draw up a list of names.

You may deal with anyone on that list.

As for everyone else, I ask you to show mercy

and keep the investigation contained.

Of course.

(Lianshan County Financial Ledger, 20th Year of Yingxiang)

(Household Registration Records)

(Ledger: Land Acreage by Category and Individual Allotment)

(Ledger: Land Acreage by Category and Individual Allotment)

(Residence of the Prefect of Shaozhou) Thank you all for today.

Thank you, Prefect Liu.

I'm truly grateful.

We're the ones who should thank you, Mr. Yan.

Escort Mr. Yan safely back to his residence.

No need to see me out.

Farewell.

Yan Shang!

That's the military governor's carriage.

What are you doing here?

I'm on my way to Mount Lufu to pray and happened to pass by.

What?

Do I need your permission?

(Bamboo Goods; Rice Cakes)

I sent Fang Tong to speak with Jiang Heng.

You nearly got yourself killed! Do you realize that?

I know.

It's all right.

Have mercy!

Please spare us some food!

Why don't we look around?

Would Your Highness do me the honor?

Stop the carriage!

I'll accompany Her Highness to do some shopping.

You may return and report back.

Yes, sir.

(Wontons)

(Rice Cakes)

(Shuying Rouge House; Scented Powder)

Let's have a look inside.

(Rice Cakes)

(Wontons)

(Shuying Rouge House)

What can I show you two?

This young gentleman...

You're a returning customer!

You came last year to learn how to make rouge, didn't you?

I'd never forget a face!

Congratulations, young man.

Looks like you won the lady's heart.

Thanks to you.

What a lovely young lady!

Would you like to see our new lip rouge?

Sure.

Wait.

Not just lip rouge.

Bring out your new face powder, eyebrow powder, and forehead ornaments.

I'd like to see them all.

Of course! Just a moment!

Congratulations.

For what?

Becoming a Circuit Inspector.

Quite an impressive position,

Yan Shang.

What is he using to threaten you?

Your father?

Your family?

Me?

So,

what exactly have you uncovered?

First, tell me

what you said to Jiang Heng

to make him spare my life.

Did you tell him

that I'm secretly working for the Crown Prince, just like him?

It seems

you've finished your investigation.

Last night,

at Prefect Liu's residence,

I saw

records of every payment they sent to the Crown Prince.

And I have you to thank for helping me.

Yan Shang!

Across the entire Lingnan Circuit,

all 24 prefectures and 93 counties,

money squeezed from the people through oppressive taxes,

even the recent disaster relief funds,

mostly ended up in the Crown Prince's pockets.

The person His Majesty wants to bring down

is the Crown Prince.

So,

that's why he sent you to Lingnan.

Yan Shang,

you told me before

that you wanted to go to Sheng'an

to study at the Imperial Academy.

That was the first time you lied to me.

This time,

you told me

you came to Lingnan

because you'd requested leave to visit your family.

That's twice now!

I'm warning you.

Three strikes, and you're out.

You two.

Come take a look, you two.

Come on, take a look!

These are our latest cosmetics.

We've got forehead ornaments, rouge, and lip rouge!

Have a look!

Young man,

this eyebrow powder is all the rage.

Why not let your girl try it?

(Serene and Content) I'm done playing.

Your Majesty...

Your mind is elsewhere.

Yes.

Forgive me, Your Majesty.

What's on your mind?

I wouldn't lie to Your Majesty.

I'm thinking about a former student.

By my reckoning,

he should have been in Lingnan

for several days now.

Your Majesty,

(Serene and Content) he once told me

that if he entered public service,

he would punish the wicked and bring peace to the realm.

It seems

he truly has the talent

and the ambition to do so.

What a pity.

A pity he was born in troubled times.

In an age of peace and prosperity,

he might become a chancellor who brings the empire to greatness.

But in times like these,

with the court as it is,

the whole edifice is crumbling, and one man cannot save it.

He can only serve as a blade,

worn down until it breaks.

Your Majesty...

If we're to put his talents and ambition to good use,

the best place for him

is Lingnan,

where he can clash with my dear son, the Crown Prince.

Either one will crush the other,

or

they'll destroy each other.

Since Your Majesty has already decided

to use Yan Shang to cut out the rot in Lingnan,

why did you let Princess Danyang go there too?

To protect Yan Shang,

Her Highness

will surely do everything she can to stop his investigation.

Such a fine blade...

If it breaks in Lingnan after just one use,

even I would consider that a waste.

Wanyao is a clever girl.

Perhaps she can help him come back alive.

With a little more sharpening,

the blade can be used again.

(Shuying Rouge House) Come again!

They're still following us.

Follow me.

(Flatbread)

(Wang's Tea Shop)

Where'd they go?

This way!

This is a nice spot.

You certainly know where to go.

This is my hometown, after all.

What are you going to do?

Do His Majesty's bidding

and bring down the Crown Prince?

Do you realize

that if you do this,

the Crown Prince won't be

the only one facing ruin?

Your Highness,

you can wash your hands of all this

and retreat to safety.

But I won't!

Yan Shang,

you know

how much I risked

to secretly meet

military commanders for the Crown Prince.

You also know

how much time and effort I spent

winning those officers over.

They're not just loyal to the Crown Prince.

They're loyal to me too.

Someday, I'll need them

to protect myself.

Must you really take away

the support I worked so hard to build?

Your Highness, on your way here,

did you see what Lingnan has become?

Fields lie abandoned.

Families are torn apart.

There are hungry, destitute children,

far more than in Sheng'an's Infirmary.

This

is my home.

Before I came here,

I had no idea they'd brought Lingnan to such ruin.

Otherwise,

do you think I'd have stood by and done nothing?

I believe you.

I believe you didn't know.

Then keep believing in me.

Believe that one day,

I'll have the power

to restore military discipline,

cut out the corruption,

and root out

these long-standing abuses.

But Your Highness,

the officials here

have been imposing crushing taxes and exploiting the people

for countless years.

It didn't start with the Crown Prince,

or with Yu Cheng'an,

or even with the Rebellion of the Seven Military Governors.

This place

is rotten to the core.

People die here every day.

Every year, the land is littered with victims of starvation.

Your Highness,

what this place needs

is swift, decisive justice

to root out

every trace of corruption.

Are you going to root me out too?

Yan Shang,

promise me.

You found nothing here.

Forget everything that happened here.

Yan Shang,

one day,

I'll set things right

in my own way.

Trust me.

Promise me.

All right.

♪- May time be free of fear; - Boats rock♪

♪- May time be free of pain; - Lights fade, seasons turn♪

♪You're the only one I need♪

♪Sharp winds or fierce rain, nothing can break us♪

♪- Be my one and only in this world; - Be my one and only in this life♪

♪My last untouched innocence♪

That's an order.

You're coming

back to Sheng'an with me right now.

What about your escort and attendants?

I only brought Fang Tong.

Jiang Heng has kept him at his residence.

We've agreed

to leave separately.

I've hired a carriage from a local merchant.

It's waiting at the city gate.

I told them

I'm taking my husband north to visit my family.

When we get there,

speak a little of the local dialect to the driver.

Looks like

you've thought of everything.

Wanyao,

before we leave,

come home with me to say goodbye.

Shang, why so suddenly?

You just got back, and now you're leaving?

Didn't you promise to stay?

I'll come back to visit whenever I can.

Xiaozhou,

take care of yourself,

and look after our elder brother and Father.

Father.

Take care!

♪I gaze at high peaks and sails far away♪

♪With the world in my heart, I leave the shore♪

♪Frost on my shoulders, joys and sorrows stretch afar♪

♪A thousand miles of lights keep me company♪

Shang!

Shang!

Shang!

♪By noon, the mist will lift; rivers will bend♪

Shang!

Take good care of yourself, Shang!

♪Today, lean on the rail with me again♪

♪Tread the boundless clouds and rise with the wind♪

♪March to the gates with fearless hearts♪

♪Break every gate♪

(Next Episode Preview)

What's wrong?

Hoofbeats are approaching.

Horses moving that fast

aren't privately owned.

This coachman is up to something!

Hold on tight!

♪Be the ferry where you wait for the sun♪

♪Be the blue silk that catches your tears♪

♪Be the sleeve we held, worn by dust and years♪

♪Let's conspire to grow old together♪

♪Let me be a captive beast bound by the same lock as you♪

♪- Through trails of mud and blood; - let grief drown in your eyes♪

♪Soar with the wind; plunge into hellfire as one♪

♪Burning bright as a song♪

♪See how roses and green bamboo enchant♪

♪Be the vow I make with all my heart♪

♪If we say forever, then forever it shall be♪

♪Not a single hour less♪

♪However deep the snow, I'll wait if you're there♪

♪We'll be gods above, or wandering souls♪

♪In heaven or the underworld, you're all I need♪

♪If we can stay, let's return to the village of our first meeting♪

♪- May time be free of fear; - boats rock♪

♪- May time be free of pain; - lights fade, seasons turn♪

♪You're the only one I need♪

♪Sharp winds or fierce rain, nothing can break us♪

♪Be mine in this world; be mine in this life♪

♪My last untouched innocence♪

♪If only we could return to the village where we first met♪

♪Stay by me; help me forget the frozen dream of last night♪

♪Fireflies glow, flowers kiss our lips; just us, through dawn and dusk♪

♪- May time be free of fear; - boats rock♪

♪- May time be free of pain; - lights fade, seasons turn♪

♪You're the only one I need♪

♪By your side, through joy and pain, is that eternity?♪

♪Till fireworks flood the town♪

♪Till the lake is still and clear♪

♪You're the only one I need♪

(No animals were harmed or mistreated in production.)

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