Original subtitles

Episode 6

-Stop. -Make way. -Make way.

-Stop. -Make way. -Stop.

-Make way. -Stop. -Make way.

-Stop. -Make way. -Stop.

-Make way. -Catch them.

Intercept them.

Stop!

Stop!

What's up with them today?

This bunch of government office runners

are actually acting against Qi Mu.

Yeah.

That's unheard-of in Hu County.

Yeah.

-Beat him. -Beat him.

-Beat him. –Good job.

-Beat him. -Beat him up.

-Beat him. -Thrash him.

-Beat him. -Hit him.

Take him into custody.

Catch them.

-Bravo. -Bravo. -Hooray.

Bravo.

Move.

Lock him in that cell.

Yes, sir.

Let go of me.

You bastards,

Lord Qi won't let you off.

Go to hell.

Take it easy, my lord.

My lord.

I scolded you guys today

when we were chasing

after Xu Lin.

I called you spineless.

So you joined me and together

we captured Xu Lin at his home.

But I knew then it wasn't over.

It couldn't possibly be over.

If we let our rage and spite rule us

when we take action,

it won't help things at all.

What is a fight?

A fight is to make the impossible possible.

It means the weak beating the strong.

It means bloodshed.

Qi Mu has escaped today.

He won't let it go at that.

What about us?

What are we going to do?

This one small victory won't do.

We must win.

We must keep winning.

To keep winning,

we can't rely on Heaven and Earth.

We're on our own.

Our foes are as mortal as ourselves.

Who's afraid of them?

Who's afraid of them?

Who's afraid of them? Who's afraid of them? Who's afraid of them?

-My lord. -My lord. -My lord.

Li.

Yes, my lord.

Put Xu Lin

into custody.

Yes, my lord. I'm on it.

-My lord. -My lord.

-Hurry. -Come on. -Send for the doctor.

-Come on.

After persevering in my studies for ten long years,

I finally succeeded in the Imperial Examinations.

How I wished to realize my aspirations

and bring benefit to the folks in my county!

Master.

What a coward of an official

I've been!

Master.

Brother Xiaotian,

don't worry.

I've got lots of brothers,

and each is as strong as a horse.

I'll send a letter home tonight

and ask them to come and help you beat up that Qi Mu.

Yeah. Come off it.

Do you know how many henchmen Qi Mu has?

Two to three hundred at least.

How many brothers do you have?

Ten?

Or twenty?

I'm afraid they wouldn't even be able to defend themselves.

Don't belittle me.

I've got over 100 brothers.

Over 100 brothers?

With over 100 brothers

you could form a troop.

What do your family members do?

Mine is a big family.

Some of my brothers are hunters,

some are fishermen

and some are farmers.

Anyway, they're all tough guys.

Are they?

Here.

Blow on it first.

It's hot.

OK. Let me blow on it.

Brother Xiaotian,

I'm sorry.

I'm…I'm so sorry.

Why are you laughing?

You're clumsy

and bad at taking care of people,

but

I feel happy

to see you fussing over me.

Really?

Bastard.

Bastard.

I've never been so humiliated.

Calm down, Brother Qi.

Calm down?

Yeah, I will.

I will calm down

when that lunatic kicks the bucket.

Those are just angry words.

You can kill him, of course.

But after all,

he's a government official.

There's been bad blood between you two,

and the entire Hu County knows that.

Everyone would know you did it

if he were dead now.

There are so many people in Hu County,

so who could guarantee that no one would drop a hint?

Even if nobody would do that,

Ai's family would file a suit against you in the Capital City.

Then you'd be in serious trouble.

You'd be in a tight corner, wouldn't you?

Are you asking me to restrain myself?

A gentleman could wait ten years for the right opportunity to seek vengeance.

Ten years?

I can't wait ten days!

My men are detained in the county government office.

It'll be so humiliating for me

if that lunatic really has my men

sentenced to imprisonment.

It's beneath your dignity to say that.

Holding a court trial doesn't necessarily lead to a verdict.

Well,

what does a Judicial Clerk do?

A Judicial Clerk captures criminals and inspects prisoners.

Only the county magistrate has the right

to settle a lawsuit.

You mean…

Just let the case be tried.

As long as we keep the county magistrate under the thumb,

we'll watch they try the case with vigor

and close it without a conclusion.

You'll see who's going to be humiliated in the end.

Excellent.

Tell Hua Qingfeng

that I'll make him a cuckold

if he displeases me at the trial.

All right.

Have you heard of it?

Qi Mu's men have been arrested.

That's old news.

Listen,

this time not only Qi Mu's men

but Qi Mu himself

was thwarted.

Who was so bold and daring

as to challenge Qi Mu?

Who else dare do that?

It was Ai the new Judicial Clerk.

Listen to me,

this new Judicial Clerk

is as stubborn as a mule.

So that guy is actually

a man of integrity.

My lord,

you're awake?

Captain…Captain Zhou?

My lord.

Please don't look at me like that.

I don't have any queer habits.

This is embarrassing.

I didn't know you're so humorous.

Is this…

Is this your home?

My lord,

this is your home.

Then what…

My lord,

after hearing about what happened yesterday,

I insisted on paying you a visit.

My family failed to dissuade me,

so they

carried me here.

It's very kind of you

to come and see me

when you're injured yourself.

All right. Since they carried you here,

you shall stay here to save trouble.

You'll be a plaintiff and witness

at the trial.

You can stay here

since my place is close to the court.

So now

we two

are fellow sufferers.

I'm flattered, my lord.

Oh right, when will the trial be held?

The trial?

Don't worry about it, my lord.

Earlier you passed out, my lord.

The trial has been postponed until tomorrow.

That bunch of suspects

have been thrown into prison.

Did Qi Mu

come and make trouble?

No, he didn't.

You scared him off,

didn't you?

I scared him off?

My lord,

I didn't see with my own eyes

what happened yesterday,

but I felt my blood boiling with indignation

when hearing it from my buddies.

How I wish I had been there

thrashing those bastards with you.

Tell you what, my lord,

since my uncle handed down

this constable post to me,

I got promoted to captain after years of hard work,

and this is the first time that I've felt

that being a constable is so awesome.

My lord, you've no idea what it was like in the past.

The local despots bullied us.

The folks mocked us.

Even that blasted condemned prisoner

dare make fun of us.

Condemned prisoner?

The condemned prisoner

must have been in your hands.

How did he make fun of you?

Before his execution on an autumn morning two years ago,

a condemned prisoner in my charge gave me a scrap of lining

on which he'd written a few words.

He told me

that he considered me a brother

since I was there to see him off,

and that he had a gift for me.

He advised me to open it

when I could no longer carry on.

Was it a treasure map?

I thought so, too.

It wasn't?

I was deeply moved at the time,

as he told me to open it when I could no longer carry on.

I couldn't wait another day.

No sooner had he been taken to the execution ground

than I opened it.

I found a sentence on it.

What did it say?

Come to me when you can no longer carry on.

What a bastard he was!

I did consider going to him.

Why are you laughing so hard, my lord?

Li,

you often make caustic remarks,

but you're not a bad guy.

I owe you an apology for what happened last time.

Beat me if you still resent me,

now that I'm too weak to strike back.

My lord,

I was to blame, too.

Life hasn't been easy

on Tao Tao,

yet I treated her like that.

I was being heartless.

In any case,

I wasn't in the position to lecture you about it.

After all,

you're older than me, right?

It's OK.

Besides,

we both know

that I'm not really…

No.

There's only one official in Hu County,

and that person is you, my lord.

You're the only official I acknowledge, my lord.

This is a wound-healing drug prepared by my family.

Give it to him.

Thank you, Sister Ning'er.

Don't you want to go in and see Brother Xiaotian?

Why would I want to see him?

I can't stand the sight of him.

When I was a kid,

I saw the Jiajing Emperor on a tour of inspection one day.

The guard of honor looked so impressive,

the two way-leading tigers, in particular.

They were so majestic-looking.

So I kept begging my father to keep two tigers.

In the end, my father had no choice

but to draw a character that resembled a tiger's signature mark on my brother's forehead

so that I could walk him leisurely all day.

Sister Yingying,

marry him

if you do love him.

He's a real man.

No, I won't.

I've always wanted to marry a great hero.

You can regard him as a hero

in your dreams.

Enjoy your dreams.

I must be off.

Bye.

Sister,

you're leaving?

Where are you going?

I'm going to Tongren.

Tongren?

What's the matter?

I remember it.

Once you told me

that you'd go to Tongren with me.

I've changed my mind.

Um, I wish you a safe journey, Sister.

Yeah?

Bye.

Sister,

you're not going in to say good-bye to him?

We chance acquaintances will never meet again.

What's the point of saying good-bye?

We'll never meet again?

I'll never visit Hu County again,

as I have so many sad memories here.

Bye.

I can't leave him now

since he's injured.

I'll leave this place, too,

when he's well again.

Big brother.

Big brother.

He's asleep.

Big brother,

why wouldn't you listen to me?

How could you afford to challenge Qi Mu?

He's ruthless.

But don't worry, big brother,

I'm determined to avenge you.

I'll avenge your injury

by staring hard at him

next time I see him.

Why is Big brother lying still in bed

when I've said so much?

Alas.

He's still breathing.

I'm so glad he's still alive.

I'm so glad he's still alive.

Big brother,

you can't entrust Yingying to my care.

Yingying doesn't like me.

We'll have to develop a relationship.

It'll be exhausting, Big brother.

Blasted butterball,

what are you talking about?

My words might have escaped you,

so let me repeat myself.

Big brother,

you should have left Qi Mu alone.

He's passed out again?

What happened?

Judicial Clerk Ai is so bold.

He dared to challenge Lord Qi.

Do you know why he's so bold?

He's got backers?

Bah.

That's because he's a lunatic.

You're talking nonsense.

We folks could live a happy life

if all officials had this lunacy.

Ye Xiaotian captured Xu Lin

and enraged Qi Mu.

He's brought so much trouble to our county.

What shall we do?

Master,

please don't worry.

There's no use fretting about it.

Nice to meet you, Madame Hua.

Hello, County Magistrate Assistant Meng.

Let's go.

You're still worried about what happened today?

County Magistrate Assistant Meng,

Hu County won't get a moment of peace

if this matter remains unsolved.

It's not that serious.

You're over thinking the matter.

What do you think about it?

It's quite easy

to appease Qi Mu.

Does Qi Mu really care about Xu Lin so much?

No.

In Qi Mu's eyes, Xu Lin is but a running dog,

a mongrel dog.

Qi Mu considers Xu Lin a mongrel dog

that he could kill at will,

but wouldn't allow anyone else to kick him.

I've reasoned with Qi Mu for a long time.

He understands your difficulties

and is willing to make a comprise.

Isn't Ye Xiaotian eager to have the case tried?

Try the case, then.

Qi Mu will feel appeased

and the problem will be solved

if you conclude the case

by acquitting Xu Lin on account of insufficient evidence, right?

Then I'll be the one

condemned by the folks

as a muddle-headed official.

County Magistrate Assistant Meng,

that may not be a sound solution.

Would you like to hear my idea?

Go ahead, please.

As you see,

Ye Xiaotian is a fraud

we found to pose as Judicial Clerk Ai.

We were planning to get rid of him

in a few days.

So why don't we take this opportunity

to have him done away with?

We could tell the public that he died of acclimatization problems.

And Qi Mu shall feel appeased.

What do you think?

County Magistrate Assistant Meng,

is there anything wrong with this proposal?

I saw your beautiful wife

when I walked inside just now.

Madame Qi wanted to invite her

to go to the temple fair together.

What?

I declined the invitation in your behalf.

Hopefully Madame Qi won't invite her again.

Speaking of the trial tomorrow,

you might as well follow my advice.

Don't bother yourself about it anymore, my lord.

Is there

something wrong with my proposal?

The rolling thunder

sounds like an outcry of injustice.

Yes, my lord.

Come off it, Big brother.

It's been raining for days.

It was rainy five days ago.

It was rainy four days ago.

It was rainy three days ago.

It didn't rain yesterday. Today…

Why don't you join the Imperial Board of Astronomy

if you know so much about weather?

Big brother, you think I'm official material?

I'd better tune you out.

My lord,

why aren't you attending

the public trial today?

Zhou,

would you believe it

if I told you I'm a little scared?

No, I wouldn't.

My lord, you were bold enough to challenge Qi Mu.

Zhou,

I am scared this time.

I fear that Lord Hua might succumb

to the pressure from County Magistrate Assistant Meng

and the threat from Qi Mu.

I can reason things out with you guys,

but not with him.

Erudite men like him

wouldn't listen to other people's lectures, would they?

We'll have to wait

for him to come to his senses

on his own.

Please uphold justice, my lord.

What are you guys doing?

Please do justice to the Guo family, my lord.

Please do justice to Captain Zhou, my lord.

Please do justice to the government office runners of Hu County, my lord.

Please do justice to the folks of Hu County, my lord.

Big brother, forget about it.

Wait until he comes to his senses?

He's more sensible than you.

Apart from senses, courage is also essential in this matter.

But he's the magistrate of Hu County after all.

With so many people attending the trial today,

he's supposed to handle the case impartially

if only to avoid becoming a laughing stock, right?

I see, my lord.

My lord,

judging from what happened in the adjacent hall

and what will happen in the principal hall,

you're driving the county magistrate

to drastic alternatives.

That's an overstatement.

I was just trying to arouse his courage

and uprightness a man is supposed to have.

After all, Lord Hua

is the magistrate of this county.

It stands to reason

that this trial today…

What reason, Big brother?

It stands to reason

that this kind of outrage happens at all times and in all lands.

It wouldn't have happened

if you could have reasoned everything out, would it?

Why are you being such a chatterbox today?

You had to discourage me, huh?

Big brother,

did I say something wrong?

No.

Why are you upset, then?

I'm upset

because you're right.

Wei Wu.

Wei Wu.

The court trial begins.

Wei Wu.

The court trial begins.

Summon the suspect.

His Lordship the County Magistrate summons

the plaintiff to appear in court.

We've let Lord Judicial Clerk down.

Lord Judicial Clerk,

whatever happens,

my family will bear in mind

your kindness

for the rest of our lives.

I was chatting with others at the time.

When I heard people shouting “Murder”,

he had dropped to the ground.

I really don't know

who struck a blow first.

Maybe it was Guo Li who struck first.

How would a kind-hearted man like Xu Lin

provoke Guo Li?

That Fatty Guo went too far.

He shouted abuse

and kept hitting Xu Lin.

To dodge the blows, Xu Lin accidentally shoved him.

Fatty Guo fell down

and hit his head, and then died.

Xu Lin can't have killed him, I'm sure.

All neighbors know

what a fine man

Xu Lin is.

Everyone gives Xu Lin

a thumbs-up.

Everyone praises his filial piety towards his mother,

his loyalty to friends,

and his uprightness…

Stop talking nonsense.

I didn't see clearly.

Guo Sheng,

do you have any objections to the witness's testimony?

Guo Sheng,

do you have any objections to the witness's testimony?

Guo Sheng.

Uncle,

His Lordship was talking to you.

Guo Sheng,

do you have any objections

to the witness's testimony?

Your Lordship,

I was blinded by greed

and…and wanted to blackmail Xu Lin.

My son…

My son

died of illness actually.

All right.

Next, we shall try the case

of Xu Lin's assault on Zhou Siyu, Captain of the County government office.

Summon Zhou Siyu the victim.

I humbly bow to Your Lordship the County Magistrate.

Captain Zhou,

listen to me,

do you recognize the suspect on his knees?

Yes, I do.

Should he be held accountable

for your bruises?

Yes, he should.

Good dogs don't get in the way.

Big brother.

Daheng.

Big brother, that was outrageous.

A gentleman could wait ten years for the right opportunity to seek vengeance.

Ten years? That's too long, Big brother.

But a base person can do that

every single day.

What do you mean, Big brother?

I've never called myself

a gentleman.

You finally admitted that you're no gentleman?

What are you doing here? You're worried about me?

Get over yourself.

I came to see how you embarrass yourself.

My lord, I'm telling the truth.

I shall leave the matter at Your Lordship's discretion.

During the public trial of the case involving Guo Li's death,

which was allegedly caused by Xu Lin,

we summoned many witnesses and heard a great deal of testimony,

and now we've reached the conclusion that it's a false rumor.

How could it be?

-Bah. -How could it be?

What a bastard!

It was just an ordinary neighborhood dispute.

Guo Li provoked his neighbor Xu Lin and beat him.

To dodge the blows,

Xu Lin shoved Guo Li to the ground,

when the latter accidentally hit his head on a rock and died.

Xu Lin didn't commit intentional homicide

or manslaughter.

It was justifiable defense.

Guo Li's death was an accident,

and thus Xu Lin shouldn't be held accountable.

How could this be?

It's outrageous.

What a lousy verdict!

-This is outrageous. -How could this be?

What a preposterous verdict!

Yeah.

He ignored his conscience.

Now we shall try the case of Xu Lin's assault

on Captain Zhou Siyu.

At the public trial,

the facts are clear

and Xu Lin's crime has been verified.

Xu Lin shall be flogged 20 times.

He shall be flogged?

Are you flogging his bottom or my face?

He's not finished yet.

But in consideration of Xu Lin's devotion

to his brothers,

his crime is unforgivable

but the reason behind it is understandable.

Thus we shall exempt him from the punishment of flogging

and change it to three-month imprisonment.

-What? -Three months?

Only three months?

That's a light sentence.

Imprisonment?

No way.

You're humiliating me if you sentence him to any punishments.

After all,

Captain Zhou was beaten black and blue, right?

Imprisonment won't be too bad.

I have the final say in this matter.

He won't have to do any forced labor

and he'll be released in three months, right?

I said no.

Xu Lin could atone for his crime by paying silver.

By paying three taels of silver he can be exempted from imprisonment.

This is downright outrageous.

This is preposterous.

I have nothing to flaunt but money.

I'll pay money for his release.

Only three taels? That's absurd.

I shall offer 10 taels.

Am I not generous?

What?

This is preposterous.

He's rich. So what?

Lord Judicial Clerk is here.

Lord Judicial Clerk is finally here.

Wonderful.

My lord.

Let's go.

Who's his?

I don't know, either.

He looks like a clown.

Good.

I like watching clowns.

Invite him to perform

at my birthday party next year.

Yes, my lord.

I'll have it arranged.

A mere clown

should be cheaper

than Captain Zhou.

He's worth about 15 grams of silver.

The Qi family can't be so stingy.

A whole day's performance at my party

should earn him at least

one tael of silver.

You're behind the times. You have no sense of propriety.

You're ignorant of the depth of things. You're irrational.

You're wet behind the ears.

Now you see the situations

in Hu County, don't you?

You delight in being ridiculed, don't you?

Yes.

I'm a buffoon, aren't I?

I'm ridiculous, aren't I?

Grandpa, look at your grandson beside you.

Look into his eyes

and tell him his father died of illness.

Do you have the nerve to say so?

And you guys.

Look at the dead man here.

Until a few days ago,

he went out every day

and greeted you warmly,

calling you brothers.

Look at him.

Tell everyone in the court

that he provoked Xu Lin and that his death

was nobody's fault but his own.

Can you do that?

Lord Hua,

Your Lordship the County Magistrate,

look at that inscribed board above your head

and hold your seventh-rank seal of office in hand.

Do you have the nerve to tell everyone

that I, the unwise Ye Xiaotian,

shall be held accountable for the humiliation

suffered by the Hu County government

and the injustice suffered by Hu County folks?

County Magistrate Assistant Meng,

all the constables

and government office runners

are your subordinates.

You serve the Qi family

while getting your salary from the Imperial Court.

Have you the nerve

to tell them so?

Everyone in this hall,

now speak out of conscience,

provided that you have one:

Do you find me ridiculous?

The case has been tried.

But the case isn't closed yet.

We've failed to seek justice here in Hu County.

But there's the Department of Penalty.

If that doesn't work,

there's Yingtian Prefecture.

If that doesn't work,

there's Shuntian Prefecture.

If that doesn't work,

there's the Imperial Court.

I'll never give up

as long as there is

a glimmer of hope.