Original subtitles

My brother, we swore to share our weal and woe

You can have half of this

How can it be?

You are the one who cured the Emperor's injury

If I take your reward

the Emperor might punish me for that

Let's keep that a secret between the two of us

the Emperor wouldn't know. Take it

Thank you, big brother

but I really don't need them

Really?

Do I look like I'm in need of money?

Big brother, you just keep them for yourself

You are the one who refused them. Don't blame me

I won't

I know I have a loyal big brother

Just so you know

Big brother

I have already sent my men to gather the herbs you need

but there are a few types of herbs that can't be found in the palace

Even the palace doesn't have them?

To be honest with you

the palace does not have everything under the sky as you thought

Take herbs as an example

those herbs that are rare or seldom used

you won't find them in the palace

But don't worry

You can count on me

I will find the herbs that you need

I know you are loyal to me

Stop right there!

Where are you going?

I've finished my food. I'm going to buy some

Eating is all you know

Don't you know how much impact was caused to the court

by Sun Fu's disappearance?

Don't you know it is not safe out there?

I know that. But what should we be afraid of?

Sun Fu and his guards are all dead

You are good at nothing but still, you have guts

Nowadays the Qing Dynasty has become more and more serious

in getting rid of the influence of the rebels

Not only in Yuan Zhou

there are more undercover detectives in the capital too

I understand, Brother Zhu

I am just going to buy some food. I swear I'm going to be right back

Your assurance does not sound very convincing

Do you remember the procuress at Chun Feng Brothel in Yuan Zhou?

Of course I do

When Brother Ye and I

robbed everything from her the other day

she cried as if she has lost everything

I still remember how funny that scene was

Only you can come out with the idea

to rob a brothel

You act recklessly every time

I can't imagine how crucial that moment was

Can you be serious?

I heard that she has come to Beijing to report this to Oboi

If you happen to bump into her

do you really think your disguise

is able to fool her?

Brother Zhu, Beijing is not a small city

how can I bump into her so easily?

Then what if you really do?

If I really bump into her

then I will just run

Don't you know among the few of us

I am the one who is most skilled in Qinggong?

Catch me if you can!

Come back!

- Yummy - Here is your roasted duck

Put it here...

Enjoy, sir

I've been waiting for you

- Let's eat - Please wait a minute...

I'm sorry, this is not your roasted duck

Put it back

How can it not be mine? I ordered it

I'm very sorry

The guests in the room there had also ordered a roasted duck

But this duck is the only one we are left with today

Then it is still mine since I ordered it first

that makes it my roasted duck

Sir, what about this?

I will give you a 20% discount on your bill

and serve you two more dishes on the house

I don't want your discount

I have money

Look at it! This is real gold

Take it...

Sir, the guest over there is a big shot

he is not someone I can afford to offend

I hope you understand

I said no way!

This Capital's First Restaurant

cares only about money but not its customers

I don't care. This duck is mine

I'm sorry... This duck... I'll take it!

Give it to me!

This is mine!

- Stop it! - Who on earth...

dares to take the duck the Premier had ordered?

Take it, take it...

I suddenly have no mood for a duck

Just take it

But you have already eaten the duck, how can we have it?

Oh my goodness

how unlucky I am

It is you!

It is not me!

You wretched girl! I've already exposed you once

when you were in my brothel

I have met countless of people

do you really think you can fool me

with that kind of tricks?

Why can't I just have a meal in peace?

Arrest her!

Get her!

Catch me if you can!

You! Stop there! Go get her!

I can't see...

I'm blind

I can't see anything

I am blind

Your Excellency

Arrest her!

Yes, madam

- Help... - Don't resist, move!

Help me! Let me go!

Help!

Move!

What? Yi Huan was caught by Oboi?

Yes. Oboi is known as the bravest man in the Qing Dynasty

and he has some highly skilled guards with him

so we did not dare to rescue her

Young Master, what do we do now?

We have to be patient. Wait for the spies in the restaurant to report

in case we alert Oboi

Yes, sir

Brother Zhu, why did you curse me before I went out?

What should I do now?

So, she is a girl

- Madam Liu... - Yes

Is she the girl who left the brothel

together with the mayor, Mu Tai?

Yes, Your Excellency

Can you not stare at me this way?

Your stare is terrifying

Calm down... I have to calm down

You wretched girl! Where are you hiding the mayor?

Come clean at once!

If I catch you lying...

Madam!

Madam! Save me!

As long as you tell us the mayor's whereabouts

I will ask the premier to show you mercy

and spare you from death. Speak!

- Really? - Speak!

Fine. I'll speak

That day, the mayor told me

that he was bringing me to a good place

I was so happy and thought that

I had finally found my destiny

that I could lead my life happily ever after

Who knows the mayor

brought me to the outskirts

I thought that

perhaps the mayor's wife is too fierce

so he had to keep me somewhere else

But when cart went into the woods

the mayor got down from the cart

and had me wait for him in the cart

Then I peeped through the window

and saw him talking

with a few men in black who had their faces covered

Men in black?

Then, what were they talking about?

They mentioned something like...

like a valley, some prince

and some alliance. I didn't hear it clearly

Were they talking about the Pearl Valley, and Prince Jin?

Yes... They were talking about this

The Pearl Valley is one of the rebel bases

And that Prince Jin should be referring to

Li Ding Guo who was named prince by Yong Li Emperor of Ming Dynasty

After Yong Li Emperor was killed by Wu San Gui

this Prince Jin faked his death and gathered a group of rebels

plotting to overthrow the Qing Dynasty

Could the mayor's disappearance

have something to do with the rebels?

What else did they talk about?

They said something like

this thing can't be exposed

and there is no going back, that is what they said

Is it possible that the mayor...

I've long suspected those generals who surrendered to us

might not be absolutely loyal to us

This Mu Tai was originally called Sun Fu

he was a trusted lieutenant of Li Si Xing, Li Ding Guo's second son

This must be a plot conspired by Li Ding Guo

He pretended to surrender to us

while conspiring with Ming loyalists in the dark

Girl, what else had they said?

Try your best to recall

I didn't catch what they said afterwards

I only heard some noises

But I did recall hearing a name

Whenever they talked about this person

they would repeatedly curse him

Who were they cursing at?

I heard them saying something like

"Useless Oboi, coward Oboi,"

"how dare you to call yourself the bravest man?"

"One day we will beat you to the ground."

Girl, don't be scared

Tell me, what happened after that?

After that, I heard that

the mayor intended to bring me to

Pearl Valley that you mentioned just now

But those men in black did not agree

they want the mayor to kill me

I was frightened at that moment

At that moment, the chief guard who was beside the mayor

drew his blade out...

Go...

Go! You, come and drive the cart

I will deal with them

I... I can't. I can't drive a cart

Hold the rope if you don't want to die! Be quick!

What happened next?

Later I was driving the cart

and kept on running

I heard the noise of blades clashing became louder and louder

as I ran away with the cart

When the horse was finally tired and stopped

I feared that they might catch up with me and kill me

so I just kept on running

This chief guard

was a spy I commanded to report on Sun Fu

I guess Sun Fu had killed him

because he found out Sun Fu's conspiracy with the rebels

Girl, why didn't you go to make a report

after such an incident?

I... I was scared

One of them was the mayor, and the rests are bandits

I was scared that if I went to report it at the yamen

I might even lose my life

Then let me ask you

what are you doing here in the capital?

I didn't dare to stay in Yuan Zhou

because I was afraid that they might come after me

That is why I wondered if I should come to the capital

and look for my long-lost brother

But how am I going to find him in such a big city?

I have no choice but to steal to survive

while I continue to look for him

Your Excellency

do you think we can believe her story?

This involves many complicated back stories

that is not some ordinary thieves will know

From the way she told us the story

it doesn't seem like she was lying

Your Excellency, I will never steal again

I will never dare to steal again

not even once more, Your Excellency.

Madam... please help me to beg for mercy

please don't let me be killed

These are what I have stolen, you can have them all

please beg for mercy on my behalf

Please don't have me killed...

- Madam... - Your Excellency...

what should we do with this girl?

We should not make this public first

Let's bring this girl back to my residence

from there we will see what to do next

Thank you, Your Excellency...

- Master! Bad news! - What happened?

Just now I was sending your message to Ci Hang Drugstore

The cashier at the store told me that Young Master Li had gone missing

Yi Huan is missing?

The cashier told me that

Young Master Li's brother is so worried

he had sent his men to look for him

Come, let's have some food

What? Just two plain buns?

What else do you want?

Do you think you are still enjoying food like a rich man

in the Capital's First Restaurant?

Madam, sorry for being disrespectful to you at the restaurant

But have you forgotten

that I have given you two ingots of gold?

That is why...

I am bringing you two buns

I am a woman of principles

Two buns for two ingots of gold

this must be the most expensive bun ever

But it is still better to have some buns

at least I wouldn't starve to death

I must eat

Imagine there are few pieces of duck meat in the bun...

Imagine the gravy of the roasted duck running in my mouth...

Even at this moment, you are only thinking about food?

Aren't you scared that this might be your last meal?

Of course I am scared

I have to eat. I can't just sit here and wait for death to come

Madam, there are actually many gullible people in the capital

whom I have cheated

I still have some money in my hideout

What if we split them equally?

No way

Then you take six portions and I take four, deal?

No way, even if you pay me

I don't dare to flee you

What good will it do to have money

but no head on my neck?

Madam, I beg you

It is so easy to have me killed

but what good will it do to you to keep me here?

Since there are so many fools in the city, let me cheat some for you

when I'm back I'll give you every single penny I get

Is it a deal? Can you let me go?

You are a funny little girl

I have trained so many girls

who were all personally selected by the premier himself

But none of them has a face

as pretty as yours

and a brain as witty as yours

Madam, are you saying...

you can let me go?

How can I?

But since I am a woman of principles

I can't just take your gold for nothing, don't you think so?

Let me show you a way to escape death

Please do, madam

Miss Yi's story was so detailed

that no one was able to tell she was lying

not even a man as cunning as Oboi

This wretched girl is fearless just because she is a little smarter

Although she managed to fool Oboi

yet she was still taken to Oboi's residence

It is difficult to tell what Obo is planning to do with her later

We have spies in Oboi's residence

But Oboi isn't very trusting of us

and only let our men stand outside

But I have instructed them

to get as many information as they can

Oboi is a heartless person, Yi Huan is not safe in his captive

We must rescue her as soon as we can

Young Master, Long San sent his men to check

if we have managed to rescue Yi Huan

and if we need any help from him

Tell his men we have yet to find Yi Huan

but we can handle this ourselves

Thank them for their kindness

Yes, sir

Madam, you made the right choice

Look at my bright eyes and my double eyelids

and what a beauty I am. And look at my fair skin and my black hair

my long legs and my adorable size

you have indeed made a good choice

I really am a beauty you can't find else where

Are you saying that you agree to it?

Why? Don't you agree to it?

The premier has a lot of money

all he wants is a beauty like you

This is your last chance

Then, can I first have a roasted duck

and a bottle of sweet olive wine?

I must fill my stomach before I can think

Xiao Hu, inform the spy in Oboi's residence

Tell him we will wait for his signal

within a hundred yards from Oboi's residence

Ask him to send a signal as soon as Oboi wants to kill Yi Huan

Are you saying that if Oboi wants to kill Miss Yi Huan

you will go and rescue her yourself?

Oboi's residence is heavily guarded

You must not be reckless, given your identity

I will only act if I have no other choice

If Oboi is really going to kill Yi Huan

then I will not have a choice

You indeed love Miss Yi Huan with all your life

Too bad she is still too young to appreciate it

and has been causing you troubles instead

It wasn't a mindful mistake. I don't blame her

You should go and gather more information

I will have to be ready to break into the residence to save Yi Huan

Yes, sir

I'm sure Yi Huan is in danger

that is why his brother doesn't want us to be involved

You should not be too worried about him

They have experience in the underworld

surely they will have their ways to handle things

Moreover, it is not appropriate for us to intervene

Then

you will send some men to wait at Ci Hang Drugstore

have them report back to us as soon as there is any progress

Yes, sir

Master, it is getting late

Do you want to go home?

If your mother finds out you are out this late

I will be blamed again

- Shall we go? - All right

Please

You have finished the whole duck. Have you made up your mind?

I have

I will have to dress up before I go and meet the Premier

I knew you are a smart girl

Madam Liu

do you really think Yi Huan is suitable?

Your Excellency, although there are countless of beauty in the palace

most of them are timid

A girl like Yi Huan who is active

and smart is not often seen in the palace

Since the Emperor is so young

he should be easily attracted by this kind of girl

But this girl is full of guts and often goes crazy

I am afraid that once she is in the palace

it will be difficult for us to control her

Yi Huan has many weaknesses

She is greedy of food, money and enjoyment

and scared of pain and death

She will be easily manipulated

Moreover

we can just feed her with the tonic pill

then we will not have to worry about her being disobedient

We have sent many girls into the palace

but only one was favoured by the Emperor

It is a shame that she is now outshone by the new Noble Lady Li

We don't really have any better candidates at the moment

We can only...

make a bet this time

But I am worried that

since she was trained in martial arts

will she create suspicion once she enters the palace?

That is not to be worried

Manchuria girls have learnt from their fathers and brothers

how to ride houses and ways of archery since young

It is perfectly normal

Perhaps

I can fake for her a background of a female warrior

so that it explains

why she is trained in basic martial skills

Indeed...

Master, Miss Yi had dressed up

and is waiting for you outside the hall

Bring her in

Yes, sir

Greetings, Your Excellency

- Good... - Thank you for sparing my life

Yi Huan

are you genuinely willing to serve me?

I swear my loyalty to you, Your Excellency

What is this?

It smells good

This is a tonic pill

It will enhance your beauty

and keep your youth forever

Really?

Of course

This tonic pill can indeed improve your blood circulation

and help to improve your health

But after you have taken one

you will have to take one pill every month

or your intestines will rot from the inside

and give you a painful death

What do you think? If you are genuinely willing to serve me

take this tonic pill

If you are obedient enough

I will give you one pill each month

Your Excellency, if I don't take this pill

are you going to kill me?

You withheld information of the conspiracy of the rebels

and then you committed theft in the Emperor's city

either of these will cause you your head

What kind of tonic pill is this?

Isn't this a type of poison?

I've learnt how to make and cure such poison when I was 10

I am only looking frightened to fool you

Do you really think I'm terrified?

I think you are a smart girl

Take this pill

and you will have endless luxury waiting for you

If you don’t

you'd have to say goodbye to your head

It tastes just like sweets! Do you have more?

Do you really think it is an ordinary sweet?

Look at you, when I refused to eat, you threatened to kill me

But after I ate and ask for more, you are too stingy to give

How interesting this girl is

Madam Liu

In 7 days, the last batch of ladies will be sent to the palace

You must not waste time

Train her so that her identity will not be exposed

Yes, Your Excellency

What?

Oboi didn't just spare Yi Huan

but also gave her a house

and sent two maidens to serve her?

I reckon Miss Yi had come out with some ideas

This has gone beyond my expectations

But since Miss Yi is safe for now

you should retreat first, Young Master

Our spy will think of a way to contact Miss Yi

We will let you know as soon as there is a progress

All right. Be careful

Your Excellency, this Yi Huan is indeed intelligent

She can easily learn new things

but she is too lazy to put in the effort

I've tested her

in terms of music, chess, calligraphy and dancing

she is a jack of all trades but a master of none

Your Excellency, there are only five days left

we won't be able to make it

no matter how patient I teach her

Madam, Your Excellency... You can't blame me for this