Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[Under the Microscope]

[Episode 8]

There's meat today.

What kind of meat is this?

Is it good?

Yes.

Rat meat.

Just kidding.

Rabbit meat.

What?

Rabbit meat.

How can I not eat it

even if it's really rat meat?

Let me tell you,

you're lucky.

The clips we put on the hill

only caught two this month.

Twice?

What was the last time?

It was you.

Hey,

why did you call me a brute?

Where is your father?

Why didn't you ask your father to come for dinner?

He's working.

I kept the meat in the pot for him.

I'll take his shift after I finish.

Our peasant family is like a sparrow.

We count the grains to live.

You may starve to death even if you just slack off one day.

Is it that serious?

You really

know nothing.

Are all educated people like this?

My sister once said

I don't know much about the world.

Listen, educated man.

When my family

had five acres of land,

my father, my uncle,

and my cousin.

There were three strong men.

Although life is hard,

we can still live.

Isn't that good?

But the government's taxes is heavy.

Except for the regular tax twice a year,

there are also

other taxes

and corvee labor.

In the past year,

there was nothing left.

Two years ago,

my uncle and cousin went to the army.

One died at the construction site.

One fell sick.

We lost half of our men.

We don't even have enough farmers.

After paying the government tax,

I don't even have money

to buy seed next year.

What should we do?

Borrow?

But the only thing we can borrow

is the usury.

Then, Lu Feilong showed up.

He tricked us

to sell our land at a low price.

At first,

we sold second-class slope.

But the interest

is too much.

It's getting more and more.

Eventually, we can't pay back.

We sold out the slope,

selling the irrigated field,

and sold out the farmlands.

We barely paid back

the usury.

I had no choice

to come to the wilderness.

Is there no other way?

Once you lost your land,

you either become rich people's tenant peasant,

or run away

and become a refugee.

In that case,

rich people have

more and more land.

Then the ordinary citizen have

less and less land.

That's right.

Look at Tongyang,

the land of the gentry and the rich merchant

is contiguous

What about our ordinary people?

We can only make use of

every single place.

When we really need to pay taxes,

it will be bitter.

That's not right.

The more land there is,

the more taxes we pay.

Rich people have their own way.

There are many ways to pay less taxes.

Otherwise, how could they try so hard

to get the land?

But the government's taxes

is fixed.

If they pay less taxes,

we have to pay more.

You are a educated person.

Tell me,

why the richer people

the less taxes they pay?

What is the emperor thinking?

That's because the government cares about the noblemen.

That's why the provisions are exempted

to show virtue.

Who cares about our citizen's money?

The document is here, we can't delay it.

[Ren Hua]

Get out of the way!

Inspector Liu has been here

for two days.

Master,

are you really not going

to visit him?

Lanxi

was burnt clean.

How dare he

visit our Renhua?

What an unreasonable patrol.

By the way, here's a document.

[Consultation Tongyang County]

Tongyang sent it to Renhua.

They said Feng Baoyu and Shuai Jiamo

were caught.

They ran so fast.

They ran from Lanxi to Tongyang.

[Shuai Jiamo and Feng Baoyu were caught.]

What's the use of running?

We'll be caught anyway.

Logically, this is none of

our business.

Magistrate Deng

gave us a token.

What does it mean?

Are you playing or not?

Yes. Of course.

Hurry up.

The birds fly.

Brother Congde, have you learned the lesson?

The strife is deeper

far from the Midlands.

I'm just passing by,

unlike you, you are in the middle of this strife,

of course it will be harder.

I...

I put an useless chess here.

put this useless chess here

is to bring the big person outside

to here.

I saw the seal up was

from a tricky angle.

Then I took advantage of the power.

I'm sorry.

I'm really surrounded by rivals.

I had no choice

to lure Brother Congde here as a backup.

I didn't expect that...

they turned over the chessboard

when they arrived.

I've heard that the edge is hard to deal with.

The counties are incurable.

I didn't believe it at first.

It really broadened my horizon.

Brother Congde, do you think you can

still play this game?

We still need to solve

the Silk Poll Tax case.

In private, I was defeated in Lanxi.

If I don't win the game back,

I can't go to inspect Fengxing anymore.

And you, my bro,

needs political achievements

to return to the government.

In public,

Grand Secretary Zhang is determined

to check the land.

And Fengxing

has always hidden many lands.

And it's the biggest obstacle.

So we must achieve a big thing

to warn others.

Don't worry about your family.

Don't forget it.

Okay.

Come out.

You're well informed.

[Righteousness]

You're going to save your brother?

Unfortunately,

you can't save him.

I don't believe you.

Sorry, but

I'm the one who made the arrest document.

I wrote it.

Beat him up!

Fengcheng.

Madam Feng,

I advise you not to go.

If you go,

not only can you not save your brother,

but also hurt him.

Then tell me how to save him.

You can pay me

to buy the justice.

It's you who asking for my help.

Impossible.

I haven't finished yet.

That's it?

This will do.

I just don't understand you.

Before you wanted to save them,

and then you want to hurt them.

What are you

thinking?

As the saying goes,

It's reasonable and righteous to pursue justice.

Madam Feng,

see you next time.

Wait a second,

you haven't got the money yet.

Educated man,

take care of yourself.

Zhi,

let your father rest for a while.

He has been working all morning.

Well,

I'll ask my sister

to send something over.

You will survive

this winter.

You're such a fool.

You can't even protect yourself,

and you still think of others.

Ms. Chen.

Thank you for taking care of me.

Keep this jade for me.

It's not convenient for me to take this all the way.

When I'm done,

I will come back to you and take this.

Wait.

[Tongyang County]

Shuai,

they all bully me.

Alright.

Let's go. Go.

No, no, Shuai!

[Tongyang County]

Boss! Boss!

They are here.

I'm the head of the constable of Lanxi County.

I'm ordered to hand over the criminal.

Sir!

I want to report something!

It's him.

He's the bandit

who chased us.

Shut up!

Take him away.

He's after us.

The document.

The document!

Shuai,

I think

we can't reach Lanxi.

Why?

We're here for handover.

Leave the prisoners to us.

But we received an order

to send the prisoner to Lanxi County.

Don't give it to others on the way.

We just entered Wancheng.

Here.

I...

I'm afraid you're too tired.

You can walk less.

I'll buy you some drinks later.

No need.

Magistrate Deng

asked me to do so.

Let's go.

Go!

Yes.

This...

Brother, what...

You just gave one card at the first run.

[Consultation Tongyang County]

Don't you know how to play?

I know how to play.

I want to play like this.

Fang, hurry up.

Are you done?

Yes.

Hurry up. Do you want to play or not?

Do you want to play or not?

Come on.

Do you want it?

No.

It's my turn.

Madam,

don't tease me.

Don't move.

Who are you?

You...

What do you want?

I'm here to give you ham.

Feng Biyu?

I'll catch one.

What are you doing to do?

I have a complaint.

You want to sue,

go to the distributor room

to register.

You take a knife here…

You...

You've violated the law.

My brother is running out of time.

He...

He is guilty.

He has been arrested

by the Lanxi county.

They are preparing for trial.

I...

I really can't do anything.

I have only one question.

I'll leave after asking. I won't pester you.

Say it.

Where did you know about

the fire in Lanxi County?

About the arrest document that

Lanxi sent to other counties,

do you have any doubts

about this?

Are you trying to trick me?

I want to ask

didn't Magistrate Mao

inform you in advance?

About Lanxi County, why would he...

Why would he inform me?

The eight governors of Jin'an County

are allies.

This is a big case

that involves two important people.

No matter what,

they should have a servant

to send you a message.

That's the least respect they can show.

You put up with humiliation

and shoulder the criticism

for the overall situation.

What a great sacrifice.

Have they ever cared about it?

You're right.

After the discussion of Silk Poll Tax is over,

Lanxi, Tongyang and Wancheng

posted the document at the same time.

They're showing off

the victory.

You put in the most effort,

but they got benefits

and left you alone.

If you hadn't posted

the notice,

I'm afraid you won't even receive

a letter of consolation.

I think so.

[Consultation Tongyang County]

What if

they bribed you?

Did they send any money

to you?

Even if they want to bribe me,

I won't take it.

Whether you take it or not is one thing.

Whether they do it or not

is another thing.

Hurry up.

Cheers.

Magistrate Fang,

please take the responsibility

as the head of the county

for the people.

That's easy for you to say.

I won't give you a hard time.

I have only one request today.

I won't break the law or be merciful.

Go ahead.

Please send this document

to Jin'an Residence.

[Consultation Tongyang County]

I've been thinking about

whether we did the right thing

on the Silk Poll Tax.

I've checked it repeatedly.

The numbers must be right.

I…

I'm not talking about the number's right and wrong.

The people down there

already had a hard live.

If the tax goes on,

someone will go bankrupt again.

The total amount of Silk Poll Tax

is the same.

3,530 taels.

But less people are paying the tax.

It's not the right direction to Lanxi.

Why do they stop?

Magistrate Deng left a word

and said that we take a rest here.

Shuai Jiamo,

come out.

Mr. Shuai,

it's been a long time

since the last time we met.

I remember you.

You don't talk much.

I'm old.

I'm just nobody.

Deng Siqi said

you knew something about my father.

I do have a history with your father.

Twenty years ago,

your father and I

were both officials in Jin'an Residence.

We're kind of friends.

I've seen you before.

I don't remember anything.

That's good.

I don't want to remember either.

That was

a rare and a bad year.

The crops withered and failed to yield.

Jin'an has the tradition of

worshiping the Dragon King.

We will worship the Dragon King

no matter we harvest or not.

That year

it was already to the situation that

we want to beat the Dragon King.

Before, we worship the Dragon King

for our harvest and beg him for plentiful harvest.

Now,

we even hit the Dragon King.

Do you know

my father wrote the Silk Book?

That book was written by your father.

I happened to have read it.

Do you remember the content?

Do you remember if he wrote about

the arithmetic skill?

Shuai Jiamo,

let's make a deal.

What do you think?

What deal?

If you withdraw the complaint of the Silk Poll Tax,

I will tell you the content

that I remember.

Is that your answer?

That book is very important to me.

But the Silk Poll Tax is more important to me.

Because it's wrong,

and the mistake

must be corrected.

About this book,

you must not mention it

to others again.

Duncheng,

I didn't expect that 20 years later,

he still went through the same path.

Brother Ren,

come down and help me.

Duncheng,

You know

this is the most evil field in Renhua.

No. 69 Wugong Tong.

It's complicated.

You even promised the household

to finish the measurement by today.

[60 steps and 0.3 acres]

How is that possible?

I have an unique method.

Where did you get it?

I figured it out myself.

Look.

The ancients tend to measure the fields by its width and length.

It's all based on the rope.

Every time I see you measuring the field,

it is really a kind of enjoyment.

Duncheng,

unfortunately, the government

don't have the subject of calculating.

Otherwise, with your ability,

it's easy to get the first place.

Everyone has his own fate.

I like what I'm doing right now.

If I can measure fields here

for the rest of my life.

I think it's pretty good.

You're right.

People should be happy to accept their destiny.

Just like me.

Since I'm an official in the household,

I won't think about a glorious future.

Even if I'm very lucky,

I can only be the head of a county.

Ren,

if you become the head of a county,

you have to treat me.

No problem.

[Lanxi]

Okay.

From now on,

this is Lanxi's boundary.

Give it to us.

Please identify him.

The prisoner, Shuai Jiamo

and Feng Baoyu

will be handed over to the police of Lanxi County.

You two

should beg for luck.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Boss,

when are we going to do it?

No hurry.

Find a place

with no one.

OK.

Shuai,

I think something is wrong.

I'll shout one, two, three.

-Let's run. -Hurry up.

Jiamo, here are your buns.

Play by yourself for a while,

your father will come out soon.

[Criminal Room]

One.

Two.

Three, run.

I am just looking around.

What are you looking at?

This is it.

Do it!

Shuai!

Shuai, run!

My foot! My foot!

Shuai, run!

Lu Feilong, stop!

Under Governor Jin'an's order,

I am here to interrogate the criminal

Shuai Jiamo, Feng Baoyu.

This is the case of Lanxi County.

You see?

[Huang Ningdao, Liu Jing]

This document

is signed by

Governor Huang and Inspector Liu.

I'll report to Magistrate Mao.

No need.

Your master has gone to

Renhua County.

The joint trial of the three departments.

[Ren Hua]

Oh no.

Oh no.

Oh no!

The cat demon

is back.

Hurry up.

Prepare the mat.

Yes, straw mat.

Straw mat.

Really?

Of course.

Guys, it's ready.

Let me know if you need anything.

Well,

it's quite interesting.

I came to help you last time.

We came back together this time.

Isn't it lost in Lanxi?

Why did it come back by itself?

It knew you're in prison.

It's like a human.

Magistrate Mao.

-Hurry. Inform Master Fan. -Please.

Master Fan.

Mr. Fan is reading.

Well...

What is it?

I don't know why

this case suddenly is sent

to Jin'an Residence for trial.

The fire burnt

the Archives in Lanxi.

And the document was also issued

in Lanxi County.

Lanxi County should

handle this case.

I have

a few spies in the Government of Jin'an.

According to them,

Renhua County

sent the document to Jin'an.

Then Magistrate Huang sent the message.

Fang Shixiang?

I did send him an arrest document.

But why did he

send it to Jin'an?

Magistrate Mao is scared?

Mr. Fan, you worry too much.

I'm not afraid.

But I think

since Shuai Jiamo

came back alive,

Huang Ningdao and Liu Jing

will definitely make a big deal

about this case.

They are all

authorities.

They are in a higher level, it's scary.

I…

It's really hard to deal with.

Since they want an official solution,

let's deal with it

the official way.

You mean…

Cheng Renqing?

With all due respect,

Mr. Fan,

don't rely

too much on him.

He only cares about money.

He gets carried away with a little favor.

If you say something bad, he will resent you.

We're not building a memorial house.

What's the big deal about his personality?

But Cheng Renqing

is just a lawyer.

Even if he can argue,

if the magistrate and the governor

threaten him with their power,

I'm afraid he can't handle it.

If we rely on him,

I'm afraid...

Who said I will rely on him?

Tonight, I'm going to treat

some old friends in Jin'an to dinner.

Why not invite Magistrate Fang over?

Shangxian.

No, Shuai Jiamo.

Commissioner Song wants to see you.

I told you to stop,

but you didn't listen.

Look at the situation

you got yourself into.

Uncle Song,

have you heard of the Silk Book?

Silk?

Silk Book.

Recently, a lot of memories

of my childhood came to mind.

I always dreamed of this book.

I remember

on the night my parents passed away,

this book

appeared in my house.

My father took this book out

from a package.

I only read one page.

It's very obvious that

it's written 3,530.

[The Silk Book]

[3,530]

I can't remember

other details.

That means

your father left you this book.

But you haven't

seen it, right?

No.

Director Ren seems to know what's going on,

but he refused to tell me.

Jiamo, stop talking about

this book.

Tomorrow,

the trial will be held.

I heard

they are determined

to close your case.

I've found

good evidence.

As long as we can read the Book of Employment.

Jiamo, this is not the place for you

to find the truth.

This is where the Yin and Yang are reconciled.

Yin and Yang?

Yin and Yang

means that everyone is satisfied

and everyone is not satisfied.

In the end,

this is the only way.

There's Yang in the Yin and Yin in the Yang.

This is the way of compromise.

This concerns interests.

So your efforts

is meaningless.

I don't understand what you're talking about.

Why can't you understand

what I am trying to tell you?

Listen to me.

I hope I can

save your life

in the trial tomorrow.

So,

you have to cooperate with me.

How?

You don't say or do anything.

You mean

you want me to stop calculating this?

Don't do anything.

Many things have come to my mind lately.

But I can't remember

more things.

So I have more

and more doubts.

The Silk Book.

Why is it called the Silk Book?

Silk.

What does it have to do

with the the Silk Poll Tax?

What is the relationship between

the case and the arithmetic skill.

My father's crime

is also about the Silk Poll Tax.

If I could see that book…

What can you do

even if you can see that book?

You need to figure out

your own situation now.

Don't be like your father

who can't figure out his own position.

Think about it

yourself.