Original subtitles

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♫ No indulgence in self-admiration, no desire for splendor. ♫

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♫ Living in a scene of bustling prosperity, viewing oneself as a made-up mirror image far away. ♫

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♫ Removing her ornate woman's attire, ♫

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♫ donning martial armor. ♫

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♫ Gentle and wonderful scenery fills the eyes, ♫

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♫ how is this not still a battlefield? ♫

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♫ Autumn departs, winter arrives, just as Bailu ("white dew") turns to frost. ♫

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♫ The road is distant, the days are long, and only finished by death in battle. ♫

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♫ My heart wants to spend its last years with you, placed at your side. ♫

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♫ However long our lifetimes, ♫

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♫ there's no time for melancholy. ♫

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♫ In the ash-grey sky, love exists above all, ♫

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♫ just lift your head and look up hopefully. ♫

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♫ Brave and chivalrous bones, yielding emotions forged into steel, ♫

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♫ sharpened by practice to a cutting edge. ♫

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♫ Time is like a blade carving every moment onto your face, ♫

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♫ one will have no regrets, if you have loved. ♫

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Oh My General

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Your Majesty, you now look so similar to the late Emperor.

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Let that matter... rot inside your stomach... and never speak it out loud.

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I will take this secret with me into my grave.

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The wedding between you and General Ye was bestowed by me.

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So the two of you as a married couple must be of one mind and cheerfully and optimistically live your lives.

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Did you even think about this?

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Once this leaks out, you and I, and my mother and the entire Zhao family,

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and the entire Ye family will find it hard to protect our lives!

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I will bear the consequences of my own actions. I will not involve you in this.

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Divorce paper?

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"I, Ye Zhao, have been carefree and unrestrained since I was little.

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I am not willing to get bound to my family."

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Qing'er, I am leaving.

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Your Highness the Imperial Consort Chen...

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Your Highness the Imperial Consort Chen!

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Xiao Guizi...

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Xiao Guizi!

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Your Majesty, don't be too sad.

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For example, the Empress Dowager wasn't your real mother.

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Episode 24

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The life of Royal Mother Imperial Consort Chen was desolate. She didn't get to experience my filial piety.

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From now on, I only have you left as my close family.

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Although Imperial Consort Chen lived a poor and simple life while she was alive,

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she was devoid of any problems. Good thing Yang Wenguang and Ye Zhao were loyal to their master.

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They had arranged for her to see Your Majesty one last time.

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Empress Dowager Liu was afraid that after her death,

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Your Majesty would learn about the truth behind your birth and vent your anger on the Liu clan.

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She then handed me this "Inner Court Eastern Gate Discussion Regulation."

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She hopes that during the most dangerous times,

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I will do my best to protect Your Majesty and accompany Your Majesty in surpassing the crisis.

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Royal Mother gave birth to me. Empress Dowager Liu raised me.

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Little Mother also nurtured and cherished me. Three women all clearly were my Royal Mothers.

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Little Mother, you are now the Empress Dowager. You must enjoy your later years and take good care of your health.

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Ye Zhao secretly took His Majesty to Qingyuan Palace to see Imperial Consort Chen?

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Imperial Tutor, this is absolutely true.

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How good of you, Ye Zhao... You usually act upright, above-board, and stand aloof from worldly affairs.

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But secretly, you stabbed our Liu clan in the back!

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Isn't that right? After His Majesty learned that Imperial Consort Chen was his real mother,

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he immediately ordered that all Liu ancestral manors to be surrounded.

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He didn't even spare the Cining Palace where the Empress Dowager died.

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Since that Ye Zhao wasn't able to restrain herself from causing trouble against our Liu clan,

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we also can't just sit and wait for death.

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Xiao Guizi, go out and get your reward.

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From now on, you will live in my manor. You must monitor the palace matters tightly.

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Thank you, Imperial Tutor Liu, for taking me in.

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I surely will serve you wholeheartedly.

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The redundant officials, superfluous troops, and useless expenses in the government have become a cancer.

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It has reached the stage that it must be removed.

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The present civil exam champion Song Qi has tactfully said

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that there has been no change in the number of provinces and counties in our empire,

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but the number of officials have increased five-fold.

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Also, the expenses of the three major ministries have grown twenty times from that during the time of Grand Emperor.

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My favored subjects, try thinking while putting yourself in my shoes,

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how should we resolve such a difficult problem?

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How is it that during critical times, no one is talking?

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Have you all become mute?

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Informing Your Majesty, although superfluous troops and redundant officials are indeed a hindrance to the progress of our empire,

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the degree of how Imperial relatives are being treated is a bigger impending problem.

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I also am thinking the same thing.

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Since Emperor Taizu's times, to reward the nobility for helping conquer the world,

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he allowed royal ranks to be inheritable forever.

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But in the past years, the number of royals has swelled greatly.

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If we don't find them jobs to do soon,

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not only will the government be unable to provide for them,

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just trying to idle their time away will surely leave troubles everywhere.

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The royal descendants just receive Imperial provisions and don't think of improving themselves.

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Their vitality has just gone to extreme waste.

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Informing Your Majesty,

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currently, there are some royal descendants holding office in the capital.

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But they handle matters in a simple and cruel manner, hence, inciting some public discontent.

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Why not let these royal descendants

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join the Imperial civil examination system like all other scholars?

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First, that can stimulate their drive and sense of responsibility.

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Second, we can successfully just give salary to those

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who will pass the initial test and this will be acceptable to ordinary citizens.

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Your Majesty, what Prime Minister Liu said is very correct.

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Being conferred a noble title and passing the Imperial civil examination used to be two different paths.

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If there will be highly-ranked nobles willing to join the Imperial civil examination,

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they will continue to be given salary if they successfully pass it.

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If they don't pass, their salary will be completely stopped

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or reduced to half. This can more or less lessen the burden on our national treasury.

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Other than Husband, there is no other royal descendant that's holding office in the government right now.

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Prince Qi is indeed starting to target him for causing a ruckus in his casino.

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What you two said is very reasonable.

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Hai Weining.

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I am here.

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Immediately announce the new rules for this year's Imperial civil exam.

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Also inform all the fifteen- to twenty-five-year-old royal descendants

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that they must join the exam too this year.

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I'll determine their salary for next year based on their grades from the Imperial civil examination.

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I will obey.

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Objection Letter

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I desire to do reforms so as to remove the drawbacks. How come it's being met with so many objections?

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Your Majesty, drink some cold tea first to calm your anger.

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Beloved consort, tell me.

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The number of redundant officials of our empire is the highest in history.

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I also heard about it.

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Now, everyone wants to be an official. Selling official or nobility positions has become a norm.

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Even ordinary citizens are saying that just casually throwing a net on the streets can catch you several government officials.

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That is indeed true.

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There are already so many persons who succeed in passing our empire's civil exams.

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Just the number of qushi, it's five times that of the Tang dynasty. (T/N: examiners)

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Good thing we have the civil exam rule.

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It allows those poor scholars with ambitions and dreams to have something to look forward to.

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But the problem exactly lies on the exemption rule.

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Imperial children, relatives, and their descendants get conferred official positions or noble ranks,

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everyone rushing like ducks. (T/N: a mob scrambling madly for a difficult to obtain object)

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The rich people just need to pay some grain or money and they are able to get a job in the government.

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That's how it is in the political scene. It is even more like that in the military field.

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But Your Majesty, these are things that you won't be able to hinder.

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As the old saying goes, "It's more refreshing to shelter under a huge tree."

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Having a connection in the government will make it easier for someone to get a position.

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This has become the golden rule.

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That's why reforming, removing the drawbacks, and establishing a new set of regulations to create a brand new government is a must.

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But after repeatedly thinking about it, with so many officials in the government right now, I really can't think of...

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any capable person that can implement the reforms on my behalf.

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My beloved consort, you've been by my side for so many years.

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Do you have any talented individual that you want to recommend?

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Your Majesty, this is a major political matter.

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I dare not intervene.

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There's nothing wrong in saying it.

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I'll boldly make a suggestion then. There is one able person

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that is currently a local magistrate in Muzhou.

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You're talking about...

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Fan Zhongyan!

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Fan Zhongyan.

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Correct. Only this person can help me with the reforms and removal of drawbacks.

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My beloved consort, you've made a good suggestion.

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It's Your Majesty who is wise.

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Your Majesty, can you now drink some cold tea?

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Okay.

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You're saying that His Majesty has really decided to let the royal descendants join the Imperial civil exam?

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I went to visit the new Empress Dowager this afternoon and she personally told me that.

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All fifteen- to twenty-five-year-old nobles

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must join the examination.

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Yujin just happens to be twenty-three years old this year.

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He precisely falls within the bracket.

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Empress Dowager also said

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that if they were unable to pass the initial exam,

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their salary will be forever be removed.

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Ha? Forever removed?

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His Majesty is determined to do reforms.

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Never thought that he'd start with the royal descendants.

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When the government wants to do reforms, they just make changes so suddenly.

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If His Majesty really removes the salary of Yujin,

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how would he live his days then?

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Just those three concubines,

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he won't be able to provide for them.

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That won't happen. Brother-in-law Yujin is very smart. He surely will pass.

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My son can pass?

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It's all my fault. Yujin has been weak since he was little.

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I kept worrying that studying and writing

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would exhaust his strength,

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so I just turned a blind eye on it. I was satisfied with just him getting by.

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Mother-in-law, don't you have confidence in Yujin?

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A mother knows her son better than anyone.

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Whether Yujin can pass or not, would I not know?

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It's fine.

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Mother-in-law, don't worry. Doesn't the General still have a salary?

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Their lives won't become too difficult.

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Absolutely not. My son can't rely on the support from Ye Zhao.

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Or else, those sharp-tongued women here in the Capital

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will start gossiping again.

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Why so? A husband and wife being united as one is what's proper.

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If that day really comes, the General will surely take responsibility for their household.

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In a woman's life, other than treating her husband as her law,

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she should be more like Mother-in-law in putting prime importance on her household

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when met with whatever difficulties and continue persisting.

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Yuque's marrying you is his good fortune.

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Who did Yujin marry?

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It's that uneducated and unrestrained, domineering woman!

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No.

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I must tell Yujin to ask the Empress Dowager to beg His Majesty on his behalf.

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See if he can be given a source of livelihood in the government like Yuque.

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- Cuizhi, hurry. Prepare the carriage and we'll go to the Junwang manor.

- Yes.

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Hurry...

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Mother-in-law, it's already late. Why don't you just go tomorrow?

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The earlier I inform Yujin, the earlier we can come up with a plan.

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Husband, you're back.

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I have something to tell you.

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Just save it for later. Sit first.

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Let me show you a treasure. Look.

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What is this?

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That is no ordinary item.

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It's a treasure, Shezhou's ink stick made by the Li's.

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Shezhou's Xi family are ink makers for generations.

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Their ink sticks are gentle like jade and colorful like paint.

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But isn't their surname "Xi?" How come it became "Li?"

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You don't understand.

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The Emperor of Southern Tang, Li Yu, obtained this ink and treated it as a treasure.

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He then conferred Xi Tingui as the ink officer and gave him the surname Li as a reward.

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From then on, the Xi clan changed their surname to Li.

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The Xi family of Shezhou then became famous throughout the world.

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There's a saying that it's easier to get gold than to get Li ink.

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Husband,

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you know so much. Look at our house.

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These famous paintings and calligraphy scrolls, golden stones and jade displays, they are all your collection.

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Princess Consort Dowager, be careful of your steps.

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Junwang obtained a Shezhou Li ink today.

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He and General are currently playing with it inside the room.

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I initially thought that when General Ye Zhao married into our house,

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she would assist his husband and teach their children, supervise and urge her husband to improve.

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Now, when these two are together,

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it's either making a ruckus in a casino,

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or some murder case of an imitation expert.

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It's getting more and more absurd.

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Princess Consort Dowager, don't worry. The murder case of Master Li has been concluded.

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It had nothing to do with the Junwang at all.

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Of course. Or else, it will be an outrage.

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As a servant, you all should be more observant and frequently give your masters reminders.

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Or else, aren't we just providing for you all in vain?

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Princess Consort Dowager's teachings are indeed right, so right.

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Princess Consort Dowager, be careful of the stairs.

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I don't have any bad habits.

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It's just that I have strong feelings towards the treasures of human civilization.

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Currently, antique collection is quite a fad in the Capital.

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Scholar officials and merchants will surely have their own collections.

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There's a rumor among the citizens that a house without calligraphy paintings isn't a good one.

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In my opinion, these people are just pretending to be cultured and going with the trend.

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Anyway, I feel that among the collectors here in the Capital,

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no one can compare to your keen eyes and unique taste.

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Look at those officials in the Imperial court.

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Attending the court is just for mere formality.

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After the court session, acting busy but not really accomplishing anything.

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When His Majesty asks questions, all just keep quiet.

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I feel that all of them are not as cultured as you.

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How am I cultured?

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I am just an ordinary player.

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Who says so? In my eyes, you are an all-knowing encyclopedia.

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Husband,

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have you thought of joining the Imperial civil exam,

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getting famous overnight, and letting His Majesty see your talent and intelligence?

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My talent and intelligence?

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Why are you suddenly bringing up such a serious topic today?

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I'm a noble.

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Upon birth, I don't need any talent or intelligence. My noble status was given by my father.

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In the future, I also will pass them to my descendants and that will continue for generations to come.

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The government will continue to provide for us.

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Even if I'm a parasite, Royal Uncle must still keep supporting me.

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But you're not a parasite.

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Husband, look. You are well-versed in music,

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your dancing is very graceful, and you even know how to design clothes.

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You know how to discern precious items and rare treasures. You also did a satisfactory job as the city patrol censor.

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You punished illegal merchants, arrested those giving fake medical treatments.

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Helped and assisted the weak and small. You even helped seek justice for Old Gao and bravely charged into the casino.

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You have so many talents.

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Wife, do you have a fever?

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What seizure are you having that you keep praising me?

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I just feel that... you should muster up the courage and give it a try.

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Wife, I don't need to join the examination. I am able to enjoy a house and salary without doing so.

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What's one purpose in joining the examination? It's to get promoted, to earn money, and to get married.

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I have a wife and a salary. Why then must I compete with the poor scholars?

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Moreover, I so want that weasel to take away my position

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as the City Patrol Censor already, so I can have more relaxed life.

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But... don't you want to prove yourself?

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Prove myself?

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I'm the famous loser Junwang. The elite of the hedonistic world.

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These were all conferred to me by people in the streets.

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What must I prove? To whom must I prove myself?

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- To me.

- To you?

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Right. Prove to me.

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Princess Consort Dowager, you came here this late at night and you're not entering to sit for a while?

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I'm not going in anymore.

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Let's go back to the manor.

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Xiao Xiazi, just light the path ahead. The Princess Consort Dowager wants to go home now and rest.

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Okay.

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Be careful as you're walking.

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His Majesty personally announced during the court session today

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that he's requiring the royal descendants to join the Imperial civil exam.

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What! That weasel wants the royal descendants to join the exam?

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Which damned minister suggested that?

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A lot of them did.

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The national treasury now is almost empty.

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The redundant officials and superfluous troops are burdening the Empire too much.

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His Majesty is also left with no other choice.

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This... since I was little, I never seriously studied.

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In terms of eating, drinking, and having fun, no one can compare to me.

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But to truly study and learn isn't my specialty.

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I don't think so. Let's work hard together.

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Husband, I know you can do it.

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I, Fan Zhongyan, respectfully greet Your Majesty.

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Favored subject, rise.

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Thank you, Your Majesty.

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Favored subject, did you have any new understanding while at Muzhou?

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As vast and hazy as cloud-covered mountains, as magnificent as a river,

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the demeanor of a sage ruler is both noble and far-reaching.

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I am indeed right about you.

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Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving me important tasks.

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Don't rush in thanking me first. I desire for reforms and the removal of drawbacks.

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Making the reforms successful is the greatest way you can repay me.

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Favored subject, do you have any good suggestion?

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The world has been at peace for a long time, hence there surely will be useless roles in the government.

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This is something that no empire can prevent going through.

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If you want the reforms to be successful,

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we shouldn't neglect major problems.

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Favored subject, just tell me your ideas.

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I think that in making reforms, we must repeatedly consider several elements.

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Give three to five years as a deadline to implement methods that can lead to step by step progress.

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Ensure that the basic interests of the majority won't get affected.

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The society shouldn't get obviously shaken up.

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With it, everything is being influenced unconsciously

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into a positive and improved manner. That is the new policy.

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I think that only through that kind of method of new policy implementation

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will it become long-standing.

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But my dynasty has been present for over eighty years.

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The drawbacks that have accumulated are deep. We don't have time to take things slowly.

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We should cut off the rotting parts with a sharp blade immediately.

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Inject new vitality so there could be a new atmosphere.

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Allow me to think about it.

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Favored subject is a talent when it comes to handling the main points.

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For your return to the Capital this time, I'm promoting you to a Councilor of the Secretariat.

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Favored subject, is that okay with you?

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Thank you for Your Majesty's grace.

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It will be the civil examination soon.

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I hope that you can be a fair judge and be strict in checking the exams.

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I will personally do the final judging.

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Yes.

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I'm toasting this cup to Brother Fan to congratulate you in returning to the capital.

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I was unskilled. I caused you to worry.

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I heard that in your return to the Capital this time,

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His Majesty has asked you to handle the civil examination for this year.

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That's right.

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I really feel guilty for being able to obtain His Majesty's favor and promotion.

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Brother Fan has become more courageous the more setbacks you go through. I really admire you a lot.

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The General has asked me out for a cup of wine today

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not just purely to celebrate my return to the Capital, right?

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You can indeed clearly see the downy feather of autumn. (T/N: idiom from Mencius, nearly omniscient)

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Indeed. I have something to ask of you.

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Say it. As long as the request isn't excessive, I surely will do my best to do it.

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But if it's beyond the scope of my power, don't bother saying it.

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We've known each other for a long time. You clearly know my personality.

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I know.

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I'm sure that Brother Fan has also heard of it.

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My husband Yujin will be joining the Imperial examination this year.

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Not only the Junwang.

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All royal descendants here in the Capital that fulfill the required age must join.

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Yes.

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I just don't know what the scope of this year's Imperial civil exam is.

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What topics will be asked?

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In a civil exam, we first check their essays about current affairs and then test them on poems and talents.

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Through the essay, we see if they have the major points we want. Through the poems, we can see their full talent.

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Through their major skills, we determine where they should be placed. Through their talents, we determine their positional level.

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I also don't understand those things.

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I just want to ask if the questions will be hard.

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As they say, it's not hard for those who know it, those who don't will surely find it difficult.

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We want examiners to have high level of summarized understanding and refinement abilities

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in politics, education, production, and management.

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If there will be someone that's talented on governance and finding the main points,

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or someone who is a genius in writing essays, these people can be prioritized to be recruited.

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Can Brother Fan suggest

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one or two good teachers for Yujin to teach him before the exam?

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That's not hard. As they say, a chronic disease can make a patient a good doctor.

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There are a lot of outstanding talents that will be joining the civil exam this year.

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Do you already have a definite person you want to suggest?

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I do.

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This person can be said to be an incomparable genius. He calls himself the "white-robed ruling minster."

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"White-robed ruling minister" is...

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Go back home and ask the Junwang and he surely knows who he is.

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Come, let's drink.

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Come.

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I transferred all these books from the Prince Zhao Manor.

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Mother-in-law already said that I should accompany you in studying.

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I've read all these antique books when I was little.

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Why move them all here?

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You've read all of them?

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That's great. Then for yourself to memorize them,

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on the day of the exam, just directly copy them on your exam paper.

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Why must I copy those things? I'm not a bookworm.

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That's right, too.

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Oh right, isn't the tutor that Lord Fan suggested coming today? How come he's still not here?

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I'm guessing that he must have encountered some delay on the road.

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But it's okay.

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I can first get my idea on what to learn into shape.

394

Right...

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Lord Fan said that there's still a month before the exam.

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As long as you work hard, there's a big chance.

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Husband, let's come up with a learning plan.

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We still have to set a learning plan?

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There are twenty-four hours in a day. At the very least, you should study for twelve hours a day.

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Twelve hours a day?

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Wife, don't you need to attend the Imperial court today?

402

I'm on leave today.

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Don't you need then to visit your brothers in the military camp?

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What's good about looking at brutes and old men?

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Of course, it's more important to accompany Husband in your studies.

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At the same time, I get to learn, too.

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I'll read some books and study writing.

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Study writing?

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Practicing writing is indeed good. Come, wife.

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Come... Come here and practice your writing.

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Sit...

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Wait a minute.

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Practice now.

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Junwang.

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General.

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So, it's Lord Liu. Sorry I didn't recognize you.

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"White-robe ruling minister" gives us honor with your presence. Your bearing is different from before.

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I thank Lord Fan for recommending me to be your tutor.

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How could I dare make any delay?

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This.

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This.

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And all the rest of these books, you don't need them all.

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He doesn't need all of them?

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In writing essays, you can't just study dead books.

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When an expert make his move, you can easily see if he has it or not.

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Brother Liu has long achieved mastery of this subject.

427

He had eaten up those books and swallowed them into his stomach.

428

This is called "eating the books and defecating out an essay."

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The Junwang can really understand things easily. Your analysis is so clever.

430

Okay already, Wife. Go and practice your writing.

431

Okay. I'll go practice my writing.

432

The General is as mighty like a tiger, yet she is able to smell the rose.

433

The Junwang and General are happily married.

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Your relationship must be very bonded.

435

My wife insists on supervising my studies. I couldn't drive her away.

436

Okay then. Let's start with our first lesson today,

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making an appraisal of personages and affairs of human life, and understanding characters.

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Okay.

439

- Brother Liu, let's start.

- Okay.

440

In making an appraisal of personages and affairs of human life,

441

- Yes?

- the so-called affairs pertains to current events.

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It's also the background of a lot of popular poems and songs.

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Even for lyricists,

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they usually write about things related to them.

445

Based on that, we can then understand the thinking behind their works,

446

its core, and their three views.

447

What are the three views?

448

Good question.

449

"Three views" pertains to what you see, what you hear, and what your heart feels.

450

In writing essays, you must learn to observe by your eyes,

451

listen well, and empathize.

452

Observing by one's eyes, ears, and heart.

453

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454

Junwang, we'll end our lessons here today.

455

I'll take my leave.

456

Thank you for your teachings today, Brother Liu.

457

Brother Liu, I have a high-grade Shezhou Li ink stick that I'm going to gift to you.

458

Thank you, Junwang.

459

Wife!

460

Junwang Manor

461

Look there! Right, let's go convince him.

462

Brother Yujin.

463

Brother Yujin.

464

Why are you two here? Where is Liu Long?

465

You still need to ask? Of course, he's at home memorizing books and preparing for the exam.

466

How come you two have the free time to visit me today?

467

Don't mention it anymore.

468

My father enrolled me in a pre-exam tutoring class.

469

Upon going, oh my god!

470

Almost half of the royal descendants in the Capital

471

are all there studying.

472

Also, the tuition fee is so expensive.

473

This review class of his is taking advantage of the urgent need of the examiners

474

and keeps increasing the tuition fee.

475

And do you know what's worse?

476

To enroll in this class now,

477

you have to draw lots. Only once you draw the right lot can you enroll.

478

Don't tell me that you both failed in the lottery?

479

So... we've thought of the very smart and quick-witted Brother Yujin,

480

- to see if you can come up with ideas for us.

- That's right.

481

What ideas can I have?

482

My wife arranged for Liu Yong to be my pre-exam tutor.

483

If you two are not doing anything, you can come and listen to him, too.

484

Liu Yong?

485

Isn't he joining the exam, too? He didn't pass the exam last time.

486

That's right.

487

Not passing the exam doesn't mean that you're not cultured.

488

Liu Yong is an outstanding genius.

489

Really?

490

Stop with your nonsense. Are you two coming or not?

491

Brother Yujin, why are you not using your god-given talent

492

and instead opted to be serious in your studies?

493

That's right.

494

You two keep hinting at something with your words.

495

What evil scheme are you thinking of?

496

Hurry and say it!

497

It's like this, Brother Yujin.

498

Through an insider, I learned about the direction of the topic for this year.

499

Do you want to know?

500

You two are too bold!

501

Privately buying information on the exam topic is a crime punishable by beheading!

502

Just say if you want to know this topic or not.

503

Right.

504

How am I going to know it?

505

It's like this. I already made a deal with the seller.

506

As long as the three of us can come up with one thousand liang in silver.

507

- One thousand liang.

- he guaranteed that we'll get the item in exchange. How about it?

508

There's such a good thing?

509

It's real. I'm guaranteeing with my head.

510

Are you in or not?

511

Brother Yujin, think about it.

512

You have one wife in your household and a lot of tongfang maidservants.

513

Right.

514

Although I don't have a wife, I have a lot of tongfang maidservants.

515

- Right?

- Right.

516

We princes all must provide for a house full of people.

517

Also, think about it. If you're unable to get the designated grade, you won't be able to get salary from His Majesty.

518

Right...

519

Can you bear to let Concubine Yang, Meiniang, and Xuan'er,

520

- these three women, become destitute and homeless?

- That's right.

521

Even if you don't kick them out, you would have to rely on your wife to live from now on.

522

Brother Yujin, where will your dignity go then?

523

Let me think about it first.

524

That's good. Once you're done considering, bring three hundred and fifty liang in silver tonight

525

and meet with us below the bridge beside Apricot Brothel.

526

We'll go prepare the money now. See you tonight.

527

Right.

528

This is a good chance.

529

Once we have the topic,

530

- we don't need to fear anything anymore.

- This is great.

531

Your Highness.

532

What's wrong? Why are you three crying?

533

Junwang, we heard that if you don't pass your Imperial civil exam,

534

you'll lose your salary forever.

535

Master, are you going to divorce all three of us?

536

Are you not going to leave any tongfang concubines behind,

537

for you won't be able to provide for us?

538

Junwang, I've handled the books of the manor for so many years.

539

I know that our manor has been spending too much.

540

So... what do you three want to do?

541

Master, these are the jewelry items that the General usually gifts to me.

542

Just take them and exchange them into money.

543

Also, mine.

544

I didn't know the value of money before and wasn't thrifty.

545

I also have some jewelry and silver.

546

Just take them first.

547

I haven't taken the exam yet.

548

Moreover, reforms can change in an instant.

549

Who knows what will happen in the end?

550

Master, my family has been poor since I was little

551

and had a lot of debts.

552

Just to pay for my father, I almost got sold into a brothel.

553

It's all thanks to Her Highness the Princess Consort Dowager for buying my freedom and taking me into the Prince Zhao Manor.

554

I even got to be Your Highness' tongfang maidservant.

555

Before, I gave all my monthly allowance to my family to support them.

556

From now on, I don't need to support them anymore.

557

I don't need a monthly allowance.

558

I also don't want any gold, silver, or jewelry.

559

Even more so, I don't want any glorious, splendid, and wealthy life.

560

Your Highness, don't drive me away.

561

Just let me stay in the manor even as a normal servant.

562

Sister, me, too. I won't go anywhere.

563

Things aren't as serious as you think.

564

Don't worry. As long as I still have food to eat, you three won't starve.

565

Your Highness, since time immemorial, when the tree falls, the monkeys will scatter.

566

A tower can fall in an instant.

567

If you really want us to leave, you also need not feel it difficult.

568

I will never forget that I'm a concubine of the Zhao family.

569

If you are done considering, bring three hundred and fifty liang in silver tonight

570

and meet us below the bridge near Apricot Brothel.

571

Concubine Yang, get me three hundred and fifty liang in silver.

572

Three hundred and fifty liang? That much?

573

What if the Princess Consort Dowager finds out about this?

574

Moreover, if it's more than one hundred liang,

575

we need the Princess Consort Dowager's personal signature for us to get the money from the bank.

576

Hateful.

577

This money were obtained by exchanging the jewelry and expensive clothing of women.

578

- He's still not here.

- That's right.

579

It's too long. I'm getting anxious.

580

He's here.

581

You're finally here.

582

- Did you bring it?

- You're so not a friend. We're just waiting for you. Where's the money?

583

Don't worry. Where is the person who's selling the questions?

584

- Wait a minute. It's not yet the agreed time.

- He's not here yet.

585

Brother Yujin, you didn't tell your tigress

586

- about our meeting here tonight, right?

- Right.

587

How could I? If she knew about this, she surely will mess it up.

588

- Your wife is so that way.

- That's right!

589

She should be supportive of matters like this.

590

- That's right.

- Think about it. Just spending three hundred fifty liang in silver,

591

- Three hundred and fifty liang...

- you'll get to have a lifetime of salary.

592

- So worth it.

- That's a lifetime!

593

I'm worried that my wife will get disappointed with me.

594

Disappointment? How much is that worth?

595

Brother Yujin, you're getting muddled.

596

She would happily accompany me to study every day.

597

And she even asked Master Liu to be my pre-exam tutor.

598

She must feel that I'm so talented and will surely pass the exam.

599

But in reality, can you pass it?

600

That's right.

601

I don't know.

602

"Don't know" is equivalent to "can't pass it," Brother Yujin.

603

Your wife is just having blind confidence in you.

604

- Where are the topics?

- Where is the money?

605

Show us the items first.

606

Give me the money first.

607

If you don't show us the questions, how would we know that you have them?

608

- Forget it.

- Hurry.

609

I don't want the topics anymore. You two just save it for yourself.

610

I will surely not tell anyone.

611

Don't, Brother Yujin!

612

- What are you doing?

- Brother Yujin,

613

- how could a real man just back out at the last minute?

- That's right.

614

If you leave, what about the three hundred fifty liang silver deficit?

615

That's right. This money...

616

I'll give you the money. Just treat it as a brother helping his brothers out.

617

I don't want the test items anymore.

618

Brother Yujin, this is an opportunity that's hard to come by.

619

Brothers are indeed brothers.

620

It's fine. Once we get the test items, you can regret it anytime.

621

I'm going to join the exam to prove myself.

622

You're going to prove yourself? For whom to see?

623

That's right. Do you still need to prove yourself?

624

That's right.

625

You... Really!

626

Stop! Stop right there!

627

Hurry and run!

628

Hurry and run!

629

Stop! Stop!

630

Still running?

631

Timing and Subtitles brought to you by Gone with the Shirt Team @ viki.com

632

♫ From disaffection and doubt until trust is formed ♫

633

♫ How many times must two people embrace tightly before one won't feel like a stranger? ♫

634

♫ Turning back to think about the past life, while living in the present lifetime ♫

635

♫ In this lifetime, to never casually mention separation ♫

636

♫ Sincerely you embrace me, to remember my body's warmth ♫

637

♫ In the center of my heart, your fingerprints are engraved ♫

638

♫ Both love and hate, seriously taken to heart ♫

639

♫ Only for one not to live one's life in vain ♫

640

♫ I am willing to be loyally steadfast to you ♫

641

♫ Using this in exchange for a missing depth of affection ♫

642

♫ I'm grateful for your recognizing my worth ♫

643

♫ For granting me a healthy body ♫

644

♫ Even though the world is rich and diverse ♫

645

♫ It cannot compare to your pure and honest gaze ♫

646

♫ I am willing to be loyally steadfast to you ♫

647

♫ Using this in exchange for a missing depth of affection ♫

648

♫ I'm grateful for your recognizing my worth ♫

649

♫ For granting me a healthy body ♫

650

♫ Even though the world is rich and diverse ♫

651

♫ It cannot compare to your pure and honest gaze ♫

652

♫ I am willing to be loyally steadfast to you ♫

653

♫ Not caring about the scars ♫

654

♫ Setting aside my pride ♫

655

♫ and submitting to you ♫

656

♫ Even if I disappoint the entire world ♫

657

♫ I will never turn my back on you ♫

658

♫ My only care in this life is one person ♫

659

♫ It's you ♫