Original subtitles

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

The Story of Ming Lan

Episode 5

It takes a decade to grow trees, but a century to nurture people.

It would be best if Your Majesty can decide on the Imperial family child to adopt at the earliest possible time!

Are you forcing me to abdicate?

Your Majesty, please be appeased.

These are just the shallow views of the ministers.

Your Majesty lost a young son.

When Your Majesty is in pain, we too are in pain!

Your Majesty grieves for your son, we ministers grieve for the land!

May Your Majesty please adopt from the Imperial family,

test their moral character, select from the best and choose an heir.

Are you all going to do away with the last shreds of propriety?

You still say you're not forcing me?

I lost a son,

but still pushed myself to attend court and attend to government affairs.

But you ungrateful, shameless lot!

You dare to force me in this great hall!

I did not want to hurt your feelings, Your Majesty,

but I must insist on doing this today.

- Your Majesty-- - Silence!

It's to maintain Your Majesty's integrity in the later years.

Your Majesty, please adopt an Imperial candidate.

- test their moral character, - Mutinous!

- You mutinous bastard! - Choose from the best,

and establish him as heir!

Bastards!

This is the nation's foundation, Your Majesty!

Court is adjourned!

- Court is adjourned! - No!

Your Majesty. Your Majesty.

- Guards! Guards! - Your Majesty!

Your Majesty. Your Majesty. Your Majesty.

If we can set into stone

the matter of adopting from the Imperial clan,

even if I'm beaten thirty strokes, I am content!

Fine.

About adopting an heir,

I will listen to your advice.

I will leave it to whoever you want to appoint.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty...

do you suspect this old minister,

that I am favoring an heir?

Your Majesty, look at this old man!

This hair and beard,

I'm already more than seventy years old.

I don't have any children.

Would I still have any selfishness!

Royal heirs are the foundation of the national security.

So much turbulence happened in the past.

Each came from lack of early decisiveness!

Be decisive, Your Majesty!

If you say to appoint an heir, we will appoint an heir.

If you say to adopt from Imperial clan, I will adopt.

Whether I select or not,

someone has to come and be the Emperor,

but I no longer have a son!

Who... who can give me my son back?

Who can give me my son back?

Who?

That Lin Qinshuang, isn't she a reincarnated witch?

A few days in Yangzhou, the Magistrate gave her the cold shoulder.

She cried, and she's heating up things again.

Big Madam, don't think of these unimportant matters.

Soon, Scholar Zhuang will come to Bianjing.

We need our Young Master to hurry and get ready to study.

Ming'er is not going to study?

In the first place, she's the youngest and she's not getting up in the morning?

Second...

second, her concubine mother only recently passed away.

If she goes to the academy, she would just be unfocused.

This time, even Young Lord Qi from Princess Pingning Manor

will come to our manor to study and what a heavenly honor.

In the future, our Young Master and the Young Lord are classmates.

When it comes to studying, Changbai says Second Master Gu will come too.

I'm just worried about this.

That child comes from a great family, but he's not so sightly.

I don't want him to influence our Changbai for the worse.

But thankfully he's not coming anymore, he's going to some White Deer Academy to study.

I don't have to worry then.

Let her study.

First, having something to do will help her fade her sorrow.

Second, she needs to understand some ways too,

so she can be a person who is enlightened and learned.

Mother, you are right.

When the scholar is here, we will have them go greet him.

Young, I was witless in the world's affairs,

my natural wildness preferred the hills.

By mishap I fell into the snares,

and wasted are my thirty years.

Birds in the cage long for their old forest,

fish in bondage long for their former river.

I clear the wildness stretching to the south,

hiding my defects, homeward I return.

I built my house on ten mu,

eight or nine grass-thatched huts.

Elms and willows shade the eaves,

peach and pear trees spread before the courtyard.

A distant village gleams beneath the sun,

while smoke from nearby huts hangs in the breeze.

A dog is barking in the dark alley,

a cock crows from the mulberry trees.

All is clear of dust in my courtyard,

in tranquility and leisure I remain.

I have been imprisoned in a cage for long,

now back to nature I return again.

Master.

Take your time.

I've got it. Slowly!

According to Zhang Hailing of last dynasty,

what an era of beautiful nature.

Look at how he wrote the "ping" character.

Such handsome ink strokes.

Sit.

His "ping-an" (peace) card is my favorite.

I love Wang Youjun's character "an" on the ping-an card.

"An" is a hard character to write. Wang Youjun's "an" character,

the side strokes are arched and perfectly balanced in thickness. It's the hardest to accomplish.

I've tried to work on it since youth.

Now, I still haven't mastered it.

That's not something you can rush on.

And who is this Wang Youjun? (T/N aka Wang Xizhi, the more famous Chinese calligrapher.)

I dare not study his handwriting, I'd lose all faith in myself.

You are being lazy.

How wonderful. You are still in good health I hope.

By your grace, all good.

Grandmother, Old Madam, Big Madam, my respects.

Sit.

My body is still in good health,

I won't be returning home until Yanran has been betrothed.

You should know about my family matters.

There is no hope...

- in relying on her father and step-mother. - The father and son's calligraphy may be similar

but their personalities are different.

Every character in Wang Youjun's cursive scripts is different.

But Wang Daling carved a new path, completing everything in one stroke. (T/N Wang Xianzhi, "one-stroke cursive")

The top and bottom connected, with their pulses fluid.

With that father and that penmanship, he was divinely fortunate.

You are right, Uncle.

Then I shall go and change.

Go then.

This child is mature.

A good child.

Later, have the Ming girl take Yanran and play in the room.

At my house, you can let the child go wild.

A little girl playing wildly is quite cute.

Mother. I have been good. I don't go wild.

I wasn't talking about you.

So unruly.

Second Brother Gu, when will he be back?

It will take a few months.

He can only come back when the studies halt.

I heard he's already passed the provincial level Imperial Exam at White Deer Academy. (T/N first of three)

He can just come to our academy and study under Scholar Zhuang.

Is that really something like this?

He and I already agreed.

He's coming back for the next Imperial exam.

It would be best if he returns.

He used to be hedonistic and never too serious.

Now he's devoted to his studies for a few years,

and he's passed the first level exam.

You! Studying and writing,

you're not accomplished in anything!

You don't feel bad? Still asking when he will be back?

I'm telling you, before the Lantern Festival,

Scholar Zhuang already saw your essays weren't good.

He will definitely tell your father.

I just came across some areas I don't understand when I study them,

so I want to ask you for help.

Lately, you have improved compared to before.

That's good now.

If there's anything you don't understand, I will teach you.

I won't hide it from you, but soon I have a poetry society meeting with Qiaojiu and the rest.

It's the day after New Year's. Old Madam Yu and the Young Duke even came to greet the New Year.

What do you mean, "poetry society"? Stay home and eat!

- My time to depart is here, I can't miss this appointment. - What?

I will learn from you on another day. I'm going!

You..!

Are you thinking of having your meal here before you leave?

I heard Old Master Yu is coming in the evening too. Since I am an exam candidate,

I should seek more understanding from the elders.

Who are you coaxing? You just want to stay at Sheng House to be alone with Sixth Miss--

Shut up!

It was supposed to be alright to go home later after coming to welcome the New Year.

But Her Highness already said to be sure to get back for dinner.

Let's do this then.

Let's bid them farewell later before we leave.

Thank you, Brother, for doting on me,

Wait for me here.

Brother, that was quick?

Where is my handkerchief?

Where did I drop it?

Come. Let's search the places where we first arrived.

If it still can't be found,

I must have lost it at the hall. If it's not there, then...

This handkerchief isn't worth much.

We are wasting our time by looking for it. It's almost time to eat.

We still need to bid farewell.

I must find it.

Not only do I need to try to it, I need try to find it with all fanfare. (T/N make it known to all)

Finding it or not isn't what's most urgent.

What matters is that have I lost my handkerchief.

A close to the body item like that, if it falls into another's hand (T/N personal or intimate)

and they bring it out again later on,

I can never give enough excuse for it. (T/N example: a girl might argue he gave it as a promise to her... )

Uncle.

My handkerchief is missing.

Your handkerchief is missing?

It's not worth much money, so it's not worth being alarmed.

It's because it was personally-embroidered by Mother.

You are a very filial son.

Help him to look for it.

Alright.

Thank you, Uncle.

Don't worry. It won't remain lost.

Sit here and wait.

You could have dropped it over there.

Wait for a while.

Your family has the best rose cakes.

Our Sixth Miss also loves to eat them.

Old Madam specially instructed the kitchen to make these.

Eldest Miss, you should try and eat more too.

I eat will a lot then.

Here.

Suqin?

Go back to the room first.

There's a commotion here.

Look, there are so many things going on. Why don't you go to my room to rest first?

When it's time for dinner, they will call us.

Big Madam.

I couldn't find it.

Big Madam.

I didn't see it.

Everyone that's been to the main hall. Summon them to the side hall to see me.

- Yes. - Yes.

This Young Duke is usually always afraid to trouble others.

But he's making such a fanfare.

It's very strange.

Because that handkerchief is a close-body item.

Even if he doesn't find it, he needs to announce it loudly.

Or else if something happens later on, it will be hard to explain.

The Young Duke is so thorough in thought.

He always carries himself prudently,

but I keep feeling there's something strange?

I don't know why it's with me.

It really wasn't me, Big Madam.

I didn't steal this.

I don't know why it's with me!

I really didn't steal it!

Big Madam.

Your mother is really great.

She found the thief that fast.

She found the thief?

Let's go now.

Luckily, your mother found the thief,

or we wouldn't know how to answer to Young Master.

Why would a maid steal the handkerchief?

She must have done it to sell it.

No, if it's for thieving for wealth from the Young Lord,

he has so many items that are more valuable than the handkerchief.

Why didn't she steal those?

If it's not because it's valuable, then...

it's for...

This is not right.

If it's because she covets the Young Lord,

then she would want to keep that handkerchief on her at all cost.

My father was in the hall just now.

When he said he wanted the handkerchief found,

she must have heard it in the hall.

But we just walked this path,

and she could've easily just thrown the handkerchief somewhere

and she would be spared from implication?

She could come back later to fetch it, and it's a perfect plan.

It seems so too. Then how could it be there..?

It must be that the person who stole the handkerchief

passed by her

and stuffed the handkerchief into her clothes, but she didn't notice.

That's how they found it when they searched her.

You mean it was planted on her?

But the one who planted it, why didn't they throw it on the path

and stuffed it into Suqin's clothes instead?

Because that person can't throw it on the pathway.

I don't understand.

It means the one who stole the handkerchief can't come out here.

She can't leave. She can't throw it on the pathway.

She is confined to the hall.

Suqin?

She was falsely accused. Falsely accused!

Wait.

If you tell Mother, would she believe it?

And if she said it, it would make her lose face and you are adding oil to the fire.

Perhaps that maid may be punished even more severely.

Let's go find the Young Lord, it's his matter, so he's the most persuasive person.

You can't, The Young Lord, Young Lord...

This Young Lord is a male from outside the family, so we can't.

Why don't we look for Second Brother?

Alright, your Second Brother is always about justice without bias to family.

Let's go.

Young Lord.

Sixth Little Sister's talent is indeed so sharp.

Also, we are schoolmates.

How could I be an outsider male guest?

Forgive me, Young Lord.

I... We are going to look for Second Brother.

No need.

I heard what you said, and I already told Buwei to go.

He will tell your Big Madam the details of this wrongful accusation.

Don't worry, I will definitely protect that person.

Really?

Yes.

The heavens love to spare lives. Young Lord, your merit is not shallow this time.

Sixth Sister has merits and virtues too.

It's heaven's merit and virtue.

It's about to get dark.

At your leisure then, Young Lord.

You did me a favor.

I should thank you instead.

Tame the horse and train the soldiers, mine the mountain and cast the weapons.

Put together our strengths and work as one.

That is how Qin became the first dynasty. (T/N thus marking the end of the Warring States Period)

While the warring states were six on one side, (T/N Chu, Yan, Qi, Zhao, Han, Wei)

on the other side, was one. (T/N Qin, the eventual victor, with the First Emperor in 221 BCE)

But the six are divided.

Hence Su Xun stated, (T/N Famous Song essayist, one of the 8 Masters of Song and Tang, with Su Zhe and Su Shi)

the six nations need to bow to Qin.

And Su Zhe also stated

that the warring states couldn't see that Han and Wei nations had superior lands,

but Qin was aware.

Su Shi also stated,

respect yourself as soldiers.

Yuanruo, you are so sentimental. (T/N Courtesy name of the Young Lord of the Qi House, Qi Heng)

Yes.

Then today, let's all each write your own essay on the Six Nations. (T/N of the Chu Alliance)

Dismissed.

Gratitude to Scholar Shuang for your teaching.

Sixth Miss, remain here.

No matter how many words he punishes you with,

don't forget to embroider my lotus pouch. Can't miss the date.

Scholar.

This writing of yours.

I am ashamed.

If you can write the character "yong" well, you can write all the characters well.

This is the calligraphy rule left by Wang Youjun.

Write the word "yong" for me. (T/N the yong meaning "forever")

If you write it well, you won't need to copy the book today.

Do I still need to copy the book?

I have trained hard for days and I still don't show improvement.

I don't dare to show my misgivings before you.

No matter what punishments you dish out to me,

I will willingly accept them.

Fine.

It's noble for a person to have self-awareness.

Many calamities are courted by the greed to be more.

Fine, then you transcribe for me the "Salt-Iron Discourses".

Hand it over to me in three days. You may leave.

"The Salt-Iron Discourses"? (T/N Transcript of debate before Emperor Wu of Han, 81 BCE)

Scholar. Y-You're giving me grief.

So many words in the "Salt-Iron Discourses".

Give me one more day.

It's better... it's better if it's four days.

Master, what are you looking for?

Where did my jade pendant go?

Then I will make you some chives with striped bass.

A few days ago,

you didn't like the quail made by the kitchen.

Some bamboo shoots came in today. So I could make you,

three flavored bamboo shoots on fried quail.

With the fragrantly braised sea bass?

Master, I found your jade pendant.

You left it in your book.

Four days then. You are not allowed to drag it for another day.

Thank you, Scholar.

Two bowls of bamboo shoots. Two bowls.

Fine.

Let's go!

Learn and be aware.

Miss received punishment and need to copy the book again?

Why don't you find someone to help you to write it? How about Fourth Miss?

Why would Fourth Sister help me to write? She writes very well.

One look, and the Scholar would know.

That's right too. I'm so stupid.

What about Fifth Miss?

She even asked you to embroider a pouch for her.

If you are punished to write, you may not have time to embroider a pouch.

Why don't you ask the other Misses to write?

When did she ask me to embroider a pouch for her?

She ordered me to embroider a pouch instead.

The difference between the two is huge.

These two older sisters of mine. I don't wish for anything.

Just as long as they don't harm me, they are already good.

You're wrong though. Old Madam dotes on you the most.

No one can harm you.

Yes, Grandmother dotes on me the most.

If she finds out my haphazard writing requires someone to come help,

- she will be so upset. - I'll accompany you when you write then.

Sixth Sister!

Greetings, Young Lord.

Your two older sisters both call me "Yuanruo".

So why are you so formal?

Sixth Sister, though it's cold lately,

Madam Wu of Count Yongchang Manor

has opened a horse stable outside Xinzheng Gate.

There's screen on all sides, and the horses run in it

and play jiju. The goals are set lower by half too. Quite amusing. (T/N Polo, started in the Han Dynasty)

Has your manor gone there yet?

We have not.

Good then. Next time,

I will ask their Sixth Young Master to send an invitation here.

By the way, Madam Wu also set up colorful display.

They're all nice game prizes.

You are sure to like them upon sight, Sixth Sister.

None of us sisters know how to play jiju.

You needn't trouble yourself with it, Young Lord.

It's no trouble. No trouble at all!

It only takes the time to brew a cup of tea to reach the ducal manor.

It's getting late. We need to return to our courtyard for the meal.

Yes.

Today, you're getting out of class,

why so late?

Scholar Zhuang said my Miss writes badly and needs to transcribe the book.

Transcribe a book again?

Then let me do half for you. I can imitate your writing.

The Scholar punished me to transcribe and it's for my own sake.

I will just do it myself.

Xiaotao, let's not delay.

Wait.

These are nuts sent in by the Yangzhou manor.

I hear they're only available every summer.

This batch was frozen in the ice cave and when you eat them in the winter, it's also refreshing.

Try one, and tell me if you like the flavor.

Young Lord is not accustomed to it. That's not how you peel the water caltrop.

Miss, look!

Hurry and put it away!

Such a nice brush for me to use is a waste.

Why did Young Lord give you brushes? He should've given you more water caltrops instead.

They're powdery and sweet.

Water caltrops in the winter are a rare commodity. Where would there be so many?

Young Lord is afraid my brush isn't good so I can't write well.

Young Lord is quite muddled.

Your writing, no matter how great the brush, it's still bad.

Nonsense. It's not that inferior.

That's not nonsense though.

Old Madam teaches you to ride the horse and to write too.

Whatever impossible moon-and-stars ball skills, you can master them right away.

It's just this calligraphy. You blame the brush and you blame the ink.

Then you blame the paper, and nothing ever comes out very well.

Some things just can't be. I was born incapable,

so it's better not to put hope in.

I don't understand. Do you mean writing?

Young Lord is like an eagle. The mighty eagle.

It is meant to soar over the majestic mountains and deep ridges.

I am just a swift under the roof eaves.

I can only watch from afar.

Since we were not born into the same nest,

I won't hope to be with him.

Why not? You're the best Miss in the world!

If I were to think like you, I would be deceiving myself.

Pear blossoms fall in the courtyard overflowing with moonlight.

Willows catkins draping the pond, dampening the wind.

Yan Tongshu's poetry is so great. (T/N Yan Shu, Song Dynasty poet, calligrapher and statesman)

You understand Minister Yan very well. If he were still alive, he would deem you his soulmate.

What nonsense are you spouting?

Where is the willow? Putting on a fake elegant air!

You people from Linqige just like to speak words when you see humans and bark when you see dogs. (T/N Forest Pavilion, Mistress Lin's wing of the house)

Fifth Sister, you only know a few words and you still have the cheek to say that about me?

I wonder who's the one who laughed until her mouth is twisted?

Since the old times, we girls who are born to the legitimate wife learn to manage the house and be the mistress of a manor.

Not like you, born to a concubine.

You can only rely on your coquetry to be singing of the wind and the moon. (T/N vacuous and sentimental)

Fifth Sister, you are just envious of me, and hiding behind your birth as legitimate one.

Envious? Why should I envy you?

You're envious that Brother Yuanruo and I can discuss poetry and you're piqued.

While you, putting on your frame of being born to main wife,

you can't even talk to him.

Fifth Miss, what are you doing? That belongs to my lady.

Look at this brush. Does it look nice, Fourth Sister. Look at this.

This brush must be made from the violet rabbit hair of the northern border.

Like a willow leaf, great for making a sharp stroke. And this brush head,

it's made with rhinoceros horn. Oh, right.

How crisp is that sound? That can only be rosewood.

No wonder it's so crisp.

Sixth Sister's items are always granted to her by Grandmother. What's that to you?

Grandmother is so unadorned. Why would she have such precious items? It's gifted to her by Brother Yuanruo.

For you.

What?

Young Lord took pity on my bad writing and that I was punished by Academy Master to transcribe "Salt- Iron Discourses".

Hence, he gave this brush to me. He said that if the brush is better, I can write better too.

That haphazard penmanship of yours. Even if you're gifted with Imperial brushes, you won't see anything proper.

Don't worry about proper or not. The issue is you don't have this brush!

You sound like you have one too. I didn't see Brother Yuanruo gift you two of them.

I don't care at all.

Frankly, Fourth Sister is right. If the words are written well,

even if you write on sand with a tree branch, you can still write well.

Just like me. Even if it's a brush from an official's family, it's useless too.

I happen to have two brushes. Here's one for each of you.

That will do better justice to Young Lord's excellent brushes.

Thanks.

Let's go!

The Young Lord likes that wench Ming'er?

Who said he liked her? He's just kind at heart and pities her foolishness.

But what if he actually likes the foolish kind. Don't be too sure.

Mother, you're being too serious.

If he really likes her, how could she bear to to give the Young Lord's gifts to us?

That's because she can't tell the difference in goods.

She's just a concubine's daughter. How can she covet the sole heir of Qi House?

But you are also a daughter of a concubine.

How am I the same as her? I'm my mother's daughter, the Fourth Miss of the Sheng family.

I live a life more noble than the legitimate daughters and I placed first at the last poetry match. Who doesn't respect me?

How can that Little Sixth Sheng even compare?

Yes, yes, when my Fourth Miss marries into the Qi family, we've made it big.

- You're here. - Good.

Second Brother Gu is here!

- Second Brother Gu. - Changfeng, Zecheng.

Slow down.

Why did you only bring Shi Tou? Where is the baggage?

You can't go back empty-handed either.

Just a few boxes and a... new family member?

What do you mean by an additional family member?

I met her in Bianjing before and I found her pitiful.

I gave her silver to dismiss her.

Subsequently, a bad older brother tricked everything from her family.

Her older brother spent all the money and jumped down from the cliff, to his death.

I saw how pitiful she was with nowhere to go, so...

I took her in.

Where is she?

She didn't come with me. I took her and some chests, and let her live outside.

These are boring matters!

Scholar Zhuang holds academy at the exact start of the Hour of Rabbit (6 am) and we can't be late.

Han Niu.

Shi Tou, there's nothing here.

Go to them and help tidy up. Don't let them mess up.

Okay, Master.

Brother Gu, where did this handkerchief come from? What great embroidery work!

Can't be that Chief Wei embroidered it personally?

I haven't used it. If you like it, take it then.

Hurry up now. It's the proper hour.

Miss, don't sleep anymore. What do I do? Fourth and Fifth Misses don't sleep as much as you!

Sshh.

Stop fanning.

Stop fanning.

- Yuanruo! - What are you doing here?

Second Uncle? I should be asking you

- that instead! - Come here.

Second Uncle, I'm studying here.

Hey Young Lord, why did you call your Second Uncle here?

We are relatives up the generations but at our generation, I'm his nephew.

Second Uncle, this is the Sixth Daughter of the Sheng family.

Sixth Miss.

Hello, Second Uncle.

We can't delay. Scholar Shuang will punish us if we're late.

But he won't be early today. Since you're sleepy, go nap a bit more.

- Xiaotao. - Here!

- Take care of your Sixth Miss. - Yes.

Sixth Sister, we are taking our leave. Let's go!

Let's go.

Alright, Miss, do as Second Young Master says and lean on me to nap more.

You really thought it was to nap?

Second Brother. It's because of...

he's helping me avoid suspicion, in case others see me with the Young Lord together and gossip.

When Young Lord was here, why didn't you tell me?

If this happens again, I'm going to kick you out.

Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss were laughing with the Young Lord.

Last year's Lantern Festival,

we ran into the Young Lord while strolling to see the lights and both the Master and Madam saw.

Fourth and Fifth Miss even pestered the Young Lord to buy some lanterns.

You are the only one who didn't want to do it.

Can I do the same? The two of them,

one has dignity and one has the status.

They have many mothers to take care of them.

I only have Grandmother, and I can't add trouble for her, right?

Yes.

Young Master Gu is already back after finishing his studies.

My mother has been deceased for so long too.

Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki

♫ One morning, a flower opened and approached a willow tree, beautifully fragrant and mistaking him for her lord ♫

♫ Even if drinking in water in the morning, red clouds have half a day of sunshine, the wind and rain do not affect them completely ♫

♫ In the palace, you are constantly brave and growing thin, from on high, your cold tears of distress flow ♫

♫ Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me,

not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫

♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫

♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫

♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫

♫ Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect ♫

♫ When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before. ♫

♫ Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers? ♫