Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[The Master of Cheongsam]

[Episode 5]

Your Highness.

Please tell the Empress Dowager that Kang Ning asks to see her.

Your Highness.

I promised Madam Hehuan

to bring her the embroidery.

Since we seldom enter the palace,

you may go then.

By the way,

take the two of them with you.

Yes.

The Empress Dowager is in council with the lords at the moment,

so I'm afraid Her Highness won't be able to see you.

I received two nice pots of flowers

that I want to present to Her Highness.

Please tell the Empress Dowager about it.

Alright.

[Yingtianqing Palace]

Panxia, I'm here!

Sorry to trouble you this time, Jinzi.

It's nothing.

As for the auspicious dress,

unless the Empress Dowager gives the order,

Madam Hehuan dares not to throw it away.

It's a good thing that I've been sent to do the work

that no one else wants to do,

so I can help you.

Mrs. Su, hurry up.

[Yingtianqing Palace]

Hurry up.

You may rest assured, Jinzi.

If anyone asks,

just tell him you don't know.

We're not gonna get you in trouble.

Don't say that.

When I served the Grand Empress Dowager,

if it hadn't been for the Princess's mercy,

I would have been dead now.

I'm happy and honored

to do things for the Princess.

Well, then you stay here and keep watch.

I'm going to look for Madam Hehuan.

I'll be right back.

Don't worry.

No one will come.

Thanks for coming.

My lords.

Father.

Princess Kang Ning is here.

What is she doing here?

She said she wants to present two pots of flowers to the Empress Dowager.

Flowers?

I suppose she wants to curry favor with the Empress Dowager

without the Grand Empress Dowager as her backer.

Let her wait.

I'll see if the Empress Dowager wants to see her.

Your Highness.

Princess Kang Ning asks to see you.

Kang Ning?

I haven't seen her in a while.

I used to see her a lot

in the Grand Empress Dowager's palace.

After her demise,

Princess Kang Ning was ordered to leave the palace.

I almost forgot.

What is she doing here?

She said she wants to present two pots of flowers.

Flowers?

Your Highness.

You have been busy with state affairs for most of the day.

You must be tired.

I'll tell her

to come back another day.

You might as well send her in.

I knew her mother Furong a little bit

back in the day.

Since she wants to do her filial piety,

I'll just let her.

Yes.

Greetings to the Princess.

Rise.

The Empress Dowager and the lords have concluded a meeting.

Now she summons you to her presence.

[Yingtianqing Palace]

Jinzi, tell Mrs. Su

to hurry up.

I saw the Empress Dowager had called the Princess in.

Okay. Yes.

And I need you to keep an eye on this.

I'll check again.

Yes.

Mrs. Su,

the Empress Dowager has called the Princess in.

Please hurry up.

Greetings to the Empress Dowager.

May blessings and peace be with you.

Rise.

Thank you, Your Highness.

I haven't seen you in a while.

It's my fault.

I should have come earlier.

Offer her a stool.

Bring a stool here.

Are these the flowers you brought?

Your Highness.

My father got some seeds of magnolia flower a month ago.

I tried to plant it,

but didn't expect it to bloom.

I know that

you've always loved flowers.

So I picked out two of the best ones

to present to you.

What do you call these flowers?

Magnolia flower.

I remember the Grand Empress Dowager

had some Yulan magnolia in her palace,

which looked similar to this one.

Isn't this Yulan magnolia?

Your Highness.

These two kinds of flowers are similar indeed.

But they're distinguishable.

Your Highness, please look.

Under the petals of the magnolia flower,

there are three sepals,

but none under those of Yulan magnolia.

Yulan is mostly pure color,

but magnolia flower is white on the outside and purple on the inside,

which makes the latter go even beyond the former.

What do you mean by saying

magnolia flower goes even beyond Yulan magnolia?

Your Highness.

Actually,

Yulan magnolia can only be appreciated.

But the magnolia flower can be used as medicine

to treat illness and bring boundless beneficence.

Is that true?

Your Highness.

It seems that the auspicious dress sent by the Interior Office

has its cloud collar embroidered

the same flower as the one presented by the Princess.

Really?

They look very similar to me.

Zhang Jinshan.

Yes.

Go and fetch that dress.

Yes.

What brings you here, Eunuch Lu?

Just tell me what to do.

Cut the cackle.

The Empress Dowager sent me to get something.

Get out of the way.

Yes.

Mother, do you think the Empress Dowager will believe me?

Hope our family

can get through this.

Your Highness.

I didn't look carefully that day.

Now I see it.

It seems like the magnolia flower.

Kang Ning, take a look at it.

Yes.

Your Highness.

It looks like the magnolia flower.

Your Highness.

Though Yulan magnolia and magnolia flower look alike,

most people only know the former kind.

I just know about that

after hearing the princess's explanation.

But I don't know if Su Jing'an

has known it before.

That's easy.

Just summon the tailor who made this cloud collar

and ask him about it.

Bring Su Jing'an.

Yes, Your Highness.

Eunuch Lu! Eunuch Lu!

Eunuch Lu, where is the princess?

The princess has been in the palace for a while.

She's talking with Her Highness now.

I just left for a little while.

Then I couldn't find her.

The princess was looking for you.

Alright. Just follow me.

Thanks.

Greetings, Your Highness.

Su Jing'an.

I asked you to make an auspicious dress.

You did a good job.

But as for the cloud collar,

how could you just embroider some Yulan magnolia on it?

Please don't be angry.

Your Highness.

They are not Yulan magnolia.

This kind is called magnolia flower.

Really?

[Magnolia flower, not Yulan magnolia.]

Then why did you embroider them on it?

I... I know that

the auspicious dress for the Empress Dowager has to be luxury and splendid.

So I embroidered phoenix patterns on the dress.

But this dress is for the occasion of a state banquet.

Compared with peony, lotus, etc.,

the magnolia flower

suits Your Highness's outsanding temperament better.

And the flower was originally called the fealty flower.

The legend has it that

a scholar went into the mountains to look for herbs

for his sick mother.

He found the seeds of magnolia flower by accident.

So he planted them carefully.

Then the flowers bloomed and he used them to treat his mother.

His mother recovered in the end.

So the magnolia flower not only means good virtue,

but also is a symbol of children's

filial piety towards their mother.

Your Highness is the mother of the country.

And we are all your children.

So I embroidered the flowers on the cloud collar

to express our gratitude to you

on behalf of our people.

How thoughtful.

I love the dress.

You can claim your rewards in the Interior Office later.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Your Highness,

it's late.

I'll take my leave.

Do you confess, Kang Ning?

I was wondering

why you presented me magnolia flowers.

Now I see what's going on here.

You fooled me with Su Jing'an.

Do you think I'm too stupid to see that?

Please have mercy, Your Highness.

What did Su Jing'an promise you

to make you defend him like this?

Your Highness.

The princess and Su Jing'an

both served the Grand Empress Dowager.

The princess is a nice person.

It's understandable that

she pleaded for Su Jing'an.

Please don't be angry, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

I didn't come here for Su Jing'an.

I'm here

to return a favor.

Wow.

So many gifts here.

Look, my lord.

Our peers

heard that Her Highness chose the dress we made.

So recently, they've been sending gifts to congratulate you.

We've received so many gifts

and too many people came these days.

They used to be on Su Jing'an's side.

Now they regretted.

Yes.

Su Jing'an is no match for you.

His life is at stake.

Just one final push,

and you'll have your revenge, my lord.

It's not done yet.

I'm still worried.

How dare you!

Kneel!

Greetings, Your Highness.

Shut your mouth.

You don't deserve to greet Her Highness.

Kang Ning said she owed you a favor.

I'm just curious.

What favor could a princess

owe a tailor like you?

Princess,

can I tell the truth?

Your Highness,

the princess lost her jade pendant,

which was...

I...

I found it by accident.

When I returned it to her,

she promised me to return the favor.

Coincidentally,

I needed help from the princess.

And she helped me as she promised,

which made me so grateful.

Looks like you didn't lie to me.

I dare not.

The jade pendant was left from my mother.

So I thought I should return the favor.

I came here

because I had to keep my promise.

And...

And I think Su Jing'an is a real talent.

It would be a pity

if he lost his life for such a misunderstanding.

You could've just told the truth.

Then all of this would be unecessary.

Rise.

Thank you, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

It was my idea.

Who do you think you are to speak?

Let him speak.

I'm just confused

why you got so angry

when you saw the magnolia flower.

I just want to know more about your preferences.

So I can make the clothes that suit you better.

So you just want to know my preferences

instead of saving your master?

Of course I didn't intend to save him.

Your Highness won't kill him

because of a dress.

How did you know I wouldn't kill someone

because of a dress?

You have the power to do that.

But it's not worth it.

You care about the country and your people.

They are the more important matters.

You won't spend your precious time

on some unimportant issues like this.

As for our Triple Cutting House,

we've been making clothes for the imperial family

since the generation of my grandfather.

For us,

nothing is more important than

doing a fine job for the royal family.

Take this cloud collar for example,

I had a discussion with my master.

We decided to do a special design

to show the elegance of the noble Empress Dowager.

That's why we added this embroidery on it.

You naughty boy.

He's more interesting than all of you.

Thank you, Your Highness.

You said

the cloud collar was made by you?

Yes.

And it was the first time that I made the dress for Your Highness.

How long have you been an apprentice?

I'v been learning the skills for 11 years.

My parents died early.

Master raised me.

So have you learned everything yet?

Most of it, I suppose.

You are quite confident.

Outside the palace,

I'm actually a modest one.

But

I can't lie in front of Your Highness.

Alright. After the Mid-Autumn Festival,

you can come and work at Workshop of the Yangxin Hall.

Let me see

what you've got.

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

What's the hurry?

What's wrong?

Why did you change your face all of a sudden?

I got what you mean

when you touched your jade pendant.

We are so in tune, aren't we?

She is a princess.

And you are a nobody.

Whatever.

I won't argue with you.

You helped me.

The Family of Su and I will be grateful.

To express our appreciation,

I'll go to the temple

and set an immortal memorial tablet for you.

I'll pray for you every day.

No need for that.

If you want to repay me,

it's simple.

Just don't show your face in front of me ever again.

Come on.

It's so hard to know someone from the royal family.

I have to grab this opportunity.

Lu Yuanzhi.

I've helped you enough.

Do you have any idea how much risk

I took for you today?

The Triple Cutting House was in danger.

So was I.

If you still have any consciousness left in your heart,

just leave me alone.

Panxia, let's go.

I just want to thank you.

How could you be so aloof?

A lift would be nice!

My lord, my lady.

Our young master is back.

Yuanzhi is back?

It's Mosheng, my lady.

My lord, be careful.

Mosheng, you're back.

Master, how are you?

What happened exactly?

Mosheng.

His life was at stake.

I'm safe and sound now.

No need to mention that again.

Nothing serious.

Be careful.

I got careless.

And Her Highness was irritated.

She locked me up for a few days

and scolded me.

Then she let me go back.

It's nothing.

You've always been careful.

You even told me to

be extremely careful

about the matters related to the palace.

How could you irritate Her Highness?

Maybe I'm old.

Right.

Did Bai Henian know

you came here?

No, he didn't.

When I heard you were in trouble,

I was thinking about

asking Bai Henian about it.

But he didn't tell me anything.

I've been staying at the Sihe House these days.

I didn't go to Bai's mansion.

I know you care about me

and the Family of Su.

But after all,

now you're Bai Henian's godson.

Don't disobey him.

Otherwise, you'll take the blame.

Don't worry, Master.

He treats me well.

You must've taken a lot.

Master! Madam!

I'm back!

You.

My lord.

My lord. My lord.

Master.

Have a seat, Mosheng.

My lord!

Master. Please spare me.

My lord!

I even made Her Highness laugh

in the Palace of Eternal Spring.

She praised me!

Shut up!

You got into so much trouble.

And now you still don't realize your fault.

How could you even smile at it?

Our fortune is all written in the destiny.

Now that we've got through this,

the good things must be waiting ahead.

You...

You.

My lord! My lord!

Madam! Help me!

Don't let him hit me!

My lord! My lord!

I was lucky enough to

survive in the hands of Her Highness.

Now I may die in the hands of my own master.

Seriously?

Come here!

The Family of Su will be destroyed in your hands sooner or later.

My lord!

My lord!

Yuanzhi and you

just came back from the palace unharmed.

Now what? You want to beat him to death?

I haven't touched a finger of his.

Well, then just drop it.

Or you can let it out on me.

Go. Mosheng's back.

Go find him.

Mosheng's back?

Yes.

Go now.

Ahem.

Let go of me.

He left.

Let go of me now.

(Sighed)

A fond mother spoils the son.

One bowl of stewed pork offal!

Delicious!

Great!

Yuanzhi,

you really don't behave yourself now.

Look at the troubles you get yourself into!

What's wrong with you!

Yuanzhi.

How dare you mess with things for the imperial palace!

Do you have a death wish?!

Brother, I just don't get it.

Those imperial concubines

all wear the same clothes.

Aren't they tired of that!?

Even if they aren't,

isn't Master tired of

making the same clothes all the time!?

Well,

when anything wrong happened before,

Master would discuss with me.

He almost died this time,

but he didn't let me know.

Does Master already consider me as an outsider?

Brother, honestly,

you're just overthinking it.

Master knows that you're now a member of the Bai family.

He doesn't want to put you in a difficult situation.

You think it has something to do with Bai Henian, too?

Of course it does!

Who's the one that hates your master the most in the city?

I'm telling you.

If Bai Henian is not responsible for it,

I'll eat my hat!

Zhang Jinshan must also have a part in it.

Think about it.

There were a pair of cloud collars in the box.

Why did one of them go missing?

The only person who knows Her Highness's preference

and could take out the cloud collar

in a safe manner

without being detected

is Zhang Jinshan.

No one else could do that.

And Zhang has been supportive of Bai.

He must be his accomplice.

Fortunately Her Highness didn't blame us.

Oh, by the way,

she also asked me to work at the Workshop of the Yangxin Hall.

Workshop?

Her Majesty said it herself.

Congratulations!

You'll work for the palace soon.

After I make it to the palace,

that old Eunuch will be pissed off!

The Blessing Cloud Collar made by Master

was stolen by Zhang Jinshan, right?

Who else could possible do that

but him?

Did you collude with him?

Are you interrogating me?

If I tell you that I didn't know anything about it,

will you trust me?

Believe it or not,

I had already told you that

I had no idea about

what happened before Su Jing'an was under house arrest.

But, even though I had known it,

I wouldn't have stopped Zhang Jinshan.

Instead, I would have helped him with it.

I trust you.

It's fine as long as you didn't do it.

What?

If I was involved,

what would you do?

Would you seek revenge against me?

Don't you forget that

you're a member of our Bai family now.

What happens to the Su family is none of your business.

Now, Su Jing'an

is proud of Lu Yuanzhi as his apprentice.

For him, you're already an outsider.

I...I just don't get it.

What's so good about Su Jing'an!?

He was the favorite tailor of the Grand Empress Dowager.

You were helping him all along,

but did he help to promote you?

It's because I was still not good enough.

Three generations of your Jiang family worked for Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Bureau.

You're skilled and talented.

If you're not good enough, who else is?

That Lu Yuanzhi

used to be a loser!

And he's going to work for Workshop of the Yangxin Hall.

Why can't you do it too?

I've already asked Eunuch Zhang about it.

Get yourself ready.

After Mid-Autumn Festival,

you can go work for the Yangxin Hall.

So you're sending me

to compete with Yuanzhi in the palace

just like the way it was between you and Master.

I'm not going.

Don't jump to a conclusion.

Think twice.

Not everyone can work for

Workshop of the Yangxin Hall.

It is the closest place to His Majesty and Her Highness

and where it's easiest to stand out.

If you're not capable of standing out,

then I will blame myself

for selecting the wrong person. It's all destiny.

What...what exactly do you want?

Believe it or not,

I only want someone

who can help Sihe House prosper after I die.

What a nice costume, Madam!

It's Mid-Autumn Festival today.

Lord would be pleased to see this.

The fabrics are from Fu'an House

and it was made by Sihe House.

It cost almost ten taels of silver!

Greetings to Your Highness.

Please rise, aunt.

Aunt, this is a new dress, isn't it?

It's the holiday!

So I made a new dress to celebrate the festival.

I was planning to make a new garment for you.

But you told me that

I should stay out of your business.

Aunt, you remember my words very well.

Then what about

what my mother said?

Your Highness, what do you mean by that?

Aunt used to take care of the princess.

How come you don't know that

lotus was the princess's favorite flower when she's alive.

You've married a lord now.

But you're just a concubine.

Your disrespect to the wife must be punished!

Who are you to talk to Madam like that!

Well?

This mansion

was granted to my mother by the Grand Emepror.

Father held a lavish ceremony

to marry my mother.

I have no idea that

there should be another Madam

except my mother in this mansion.

It's just a dress.

If Your Highness doesn't like it,

I'll just take it off.

No need for that.

I just want you to know that

when a lesser woman tries to imitate the really beautiful one,

she's making a fool of herself.

Madam, don't be angry.

Are you blind?

I can't discipline them, but I can discipline you!

Your Highness.

I'll make you know

who's the one in charge of this family!

Kneel!

Check it out!

Yummy mooncakes!

[To my loving father Bai Hongsheng]

My lord,

please have the meal.

The food is getting cold.

Where's Jiang Mosheng?

He left early in the morning.

We've had an eventful year.

Fortunately we're all safe.

Our family is able to

have a reunion for this meal together.

We're truly blessed by our ancestors.

Come on. Cheers!

It would be nice to have Brother here too.

[Su's Mansion]

Well,

I'll ask Lingyun

to send a box of mooncakes I made

to Mosheng.

It's Mid-Autumn Festival today.

No. He's a member of the Bai family now.

He'll feel awkward if we keep sending him things.

Master, can we try

to get Mosheng back?

In front of all our peers in the city,

he ate the rice offered by the Bai family

and was officially a member of them.

But as long as we still feel close to each other,

I will always consider Mosheng as my dear apprentice.

[Su's Mansion]

Your Highness,

have something.

The porridge was just cooked.

It's not worth it to be upset

by people like her.

She didn't dare to mess with me before

because the Grand Empress Dowager liked me.

But now

nobody gets my back.

I don't have to worry about father.

After all, I'm his own offspring.

He won't give me a hard time.

But as for Na Min...

I'm afraid that our life in the future

won't be even comparable to that little maid.

You know very well our situation now.

Why did you have to upset her just now?

Whenever I see her,

I remember the time when my mother wanted to see father before she died.

But father was infatuated with her.

And mother died with everlasting regret.

How can I not hate her!

Your Highness.

I understand what you've been through.

If we can find favor with the Empress Dowager,

let's see who dares to boss us around!

If I was only on my own,

then I wouldn't bother to fight for my future.

But this mansion

is my mother's legacy.

I must make sure it survives.

Have you got what I asked you to prepare?

Yes, I have them ready.

It will be make or break.

[To my loving father Bai Hongsheng]

You're back.

How was the reunion dinner at Su's?

I told you that

even if I allow you to go back,

there's no place for you in the Su family anymore.

For Su Jing'an,

you're just his dumped apprentice.

He already has another apprentice

who works at the Yangxin Hall.

He doesn't need you anymore.

My mother died when I was three,

and my father died when I was five.

A fortuneteller said that

I was born to be on my own

and I'm destined to lead a lonely life.

I was a beggar, a street performer,

and I even fought with stray dogs for food.

Fortunately,

I found my master.

[To my loving father Bai Hongsheng]

He took me as an apprentice and taught me tailoring.

I thought I could provide for him

until he died.

But he left me unexpectedly.

You all think that

I am at odds with Su Jing'an

because of bible of seamless heavenly stitching. Right?

But it's not true! No! No!

I just can't get over it.