Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[The Ingenious One]

[Episode 21: When things are done, brush up one's sleeve and leave]

Uncle,

why is the letter to Master so hard to write?

If you have decided to form an alliance with Young Master Xiang,

you just have to leave out the details.

If you still don't trust him,

then just tell Master everything.

Based on what he has done recently,

are you still afraid Master will sit back and do nothing?

How could I not know that?

I just don't know

whether I should trust him or not.

But when the both of you came back from Shangxin Pavilion yesterday,

you guys were clearly chatting happily.

I thought you have already made up your mind.

You know exactly what Yun Xiang is up to

right?

After investigating this for so long,

things are finally coming to light.

But the more I investigate,

the more I think the real murderer

is no ordinary person.

Either it involves the court,

or in it involves the Lingyuan Sect,

or both.

If that's the case,

if we let Young Master Xiang continue investigating,

we will attract a lot of trouble.

Uncle,

why don't you tell Master

and drive him out of Nandu

to prevent any further troubles?

If Yun Xiang is really like Wen Cong,

I wouldn't hesitate.

But somehow,

I always want to protect him again and again.

You are a man from Yuntai who has yet to break off from your affections.

No wonder you are not valued by Master.

Who cares?

Uncle,

you are compassionate and loyal.

You did not hesitate to deceive the Master a few times.

But how much do you know about Yun Xiang?

Are you not afraid that he is scheming

and a master at manipulating people's heart?

Master!

Master! Manager!

Tang Xiao's money is here.

Go receive it. Let me think about it.

Sir,

the delivery receipts.

Sir,

what do you mean?

Didn't Mr. Tang say to hand over the money in silver certificates?

Why is it all in silver taels?

These silver taels are 50 taels per ding.

It is definitely sufficient.

Why should you be worried?

This is the rule for acceptance.

Guanghui Bank has set so many rules.

Do you really think you are running a vault at the Ministry of Revenue?

Are all of you little pages from the Tang's Residence

just as rude as you?

How about this?

This is also a private bank.

Let’s check the stamp seals ding by ding.

If we convert all the silver taels into silver certificates,

it will take just one day.

What do you think?

Sir,

it's convenient for us

and also for yourself.

Let's go.

This is getting interesting.

Sir, just wait and see.

[Guanghui Bank]

Step aside!

Officials working on a case!

Get out of the way!

Move!

Move!

Move!

Be gentle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

These are Tang Xiao's silver taels?

Yes, I’ve checked.

The number of silver taels

are exactly right.

No, stop right there!

Open it.

Something is wrong.

The revenue from the gambling house should be in bits of silver.

[Tianqing State Treasury]

How could you accept these official ingots?

Uncle,

I...

Master! Manager!

Bad news!

We're surrounded by the government.

Uncle.

Hurry up and go find Yun Xiang.

What about you?

Go!

Uncle!

Go!

Constable Wang,

how have you been?

Why do you have time

to bring your brothers to Guanghui Bank today?

Come, have some tea inside.

Mo Bufan,

you're in trouble.

Don't scare me.

What happened?

The chopping board in my kitchen has indeed been soaked in water.

The Nandu Government Office lost 100,000 taels of silver last night.

Someone reported you immediately this morning.

I see we've caught you red-handed.

Let's see how you can deny it.

So, it's this trick.

What are you talking about?

I'm innocent.

I said I am innocent!

Innocent?

No problem.

Go and prove your innocence in court.

Come.

Take the offenders down.

[Qinmin Hall]

Prefecture Magistrate,

those silver taels

was sent by Tang Xiao to offset his debt with us, Guanghui Bank.

He clearly planted evidence in order to frame me!

You have been caught red-handed and yet you want to accuse others?

How dare you! Take him down!

Yes.

Sir,

are you trying to make me confess by torturing me?

40 strokes of heavy punishment.

Hit him well.

[To be perspicacious and impartial in judgment]

Mo Bufan has a lot to hide.

He always had a face of a crooked businessman who only cares about profit.

He also had no contact with Wen Cong before.

It was only after Young Master Xiang entered the city that he gradually appeared.

But you used extreme means to steal silver from the treasury,

and plotted to pass the blame to Mo Bufan.

He won't be able to turn the situation around.

I am just giving Yuntai a slight warning,

so that they can restrain themselves.

Can't turn the situation around?

Mr. Ye, are you flattering me

to send me away from Nandu as soon as possible?

I dare not.

Young Master,

someone sneaked into the dungeon of Tang's Residence,

and took away the bodies of Tang Xiao and those servant girls

before the official soldiers did.

Who did it?

Why are you not answering Mr. Ye?

Young Master,

judging from their dressing,

it should be the same group of people who were spying on Tang's Residence yesterday.

Young Master ordered you to guard the Tang's Residence,

but you let such a thing happen.

If Young Master Xiang knows Tang Xiao is dead,

he will definitely sense something is fishy.

Useless!

You can't even handle such a small task.

Mr. Ye has been working hard in Nandu for years.

You clearly wanted to expose his identity deliberately.

I know I am wrong.

Mr. Ye, don't worry too much.

Since this is trouble caused by my people,

I'll take care of it for you.

Anyway, I won't let you look too bad

in front of Mr. Nangong.

Let's go.

Does it still hurt?

No.

You lied.

I'm sorry.

We can't fall out with Nangong Fang's men now.

We need to leave him with a way out.

I know.

It's my honor

to share your burden.

I have no choice.

This private bank just closed down with no warning.

[Guanghui Bank]

Didn't you hear?

This place is a thieves' lair.

They are all a bunch of bandits!

No way. This place has been running for more than ten years.

It looks like a proper business.

All businessmen are evil!

[Seal of the Nandu Government Office]

How can you tell that?

They stole the Nandu Prefecture Treasury.

They were caught red-handed this time.

Really?

I was going to find you.

You left for an entire day without telling me.

What happened?

I'm fine.

Something happened to Guanghui Bank.

Kang Qiao is waiting for you.

Was the money sent here first?

Yes.

I thought something was amiss,

so I drove them away.

Yun, you are finally...

You said Mr. Mo was arrested at 9AM.

You only came to Liansheng House at 3PM.

Where have you been for the four hours in between?

Mr. Mo asked me to find you immediately.

But I ascertained that the first priority was to take down Tang Xiao,

so I took my men to Tang's Residence.

That's wise.

Tang Xiao is dead.

He died in the Tang's Residence cellar.

He was dismembered with a knife and died a tragic death.

There were several female corpses next to him,

who all died with knife wounds on the neck.

Judging from the wound, it looks like suicide.

All of these don't matter.

What matters is what you did with the bodies.

They were all taken away.

Good.

There's room to turn this around.

Mr. Mo will definitely defend himself,

saying that Tang Xiao framed him.

According to the law,

Tang Xiao must show up in the court

and testify against Mr. Mo,

before the court can convict him.

If the officials found

Tang Xiao's body first,

they would most likely think that

Mr. Mo wanted to kill him in order to silence him.

Stealing from the treasury is not an ordinary case.

The Magistrate of Nandu, Shao Yiheng,

is a well-known corrupt official.

It's very likely that in order to protect his position,

even if he can't find Tang Xiao,

he will fabricate imaginary charges

to make Mr. Mo take the blame.

Don't worry. Let me think of a solution.

When will you come up with a solution?

Mr. Mo is suffering in prison.

He's not as relaxed as the both of us.

Xiang,

you know who is behind Tang Xiao.

You're the one who provoked Tang Xiao,

but the one who is imprisoned is Mr. Mo.

What would you do

if I can't come up with a plan?

I don't want to say anything more.

I'll go back and gather the shadowmen.

If you don't have a plan,

I will personally see to it before dawn.

Kang Qiao,

if you go against the government,

you are breaking the rules.

How dare a person like you talk about rules with me?

Stop waiting here.

Get back to work.

He'll tell us when he comes out.

But I've never seen him like this.

Something must have happened to Mr. Mo.

Yun Xiang.

Tang Xiao is dead.

Mr. Yun.

Mr. Yun, this...

What happened?

The theft of the silver taels and the framing

wouldn't be a serious enough issue to make you this upset.

Have you ever had a dream where

you kept trying to open your eyes,

you thought you were awake,

but later you realised

you are still in the darkness.

Again and again.

I seldom dream,

but I want to hear you talk about it.

I can see the truth.

I saw that it was very close to me.

It was very clear.

I reached out my hand, grabbed it,

and clutched it in my hand.

I want an answer.

I want a clear answer.

It either is,

or it isn't.

There should be only one answer.

Then I open my hands,

and it's empty.

Did you find the murderer behind the massacre at the Luo family's village?

Tell me who it is.

I'll kill him to avenge you.

If so,

it means that I'm extremely foolish.

I can't even tell a friend from a foe.

What do you mean?

Is the murderer someone around us?

Yun Xiang.

This is not the time for you to get drunk.

It's the Su family.

Are you ready to deal with Su Mingyu?

He was still young at that time.

Our priority

is to save Mr. Mo first.

Let me be alone for awhile.

I'm fine.

Yanan,

you're the only person I can trust now.

Miss Shu.

Wait.

Don't let the guests go to the backyard for now.

Same for all of you.

Don't disturb Mr. Yun.

Yes.

What do you want?

Young Master wants to see you.

It's been three years.

I haven't received a single letter from you.

When I saw you by the river yesterday,

you don't even look good.

I'm here to tell you something.

Mother has been talking about you lately.

She has been wondering how you're doing out there.

But I bets he didn't expect that

her dearest daughter is already used to her new identity.

I'm afraid she even forgot her surname is Kou.

Am I right, my dear Sister?

[Liansheng House]

Have you really made up your mind?

Yes.

Don't worry.

Mr. Yun is also

worrying about Mr. Mo now.

He has no time to think about other things.

Why would he vent his anger on you?

You have no idea.

He's so cold that

it gives me chills.

Instead of guessing blindly on your own,

why don't you ask him directly?

There'll be less misunderstandings.

Miss Shu said she'd go and ask.

Didn't she also went and never came back?

I am not going to go and cause more trouble.

Stop drinking. I'll go with you.

I'm not going.

Let's go.

Go.

Let's go.

Sister.

Sister.

I'm here to give Miss Ke a gift.

Open it.

Sister.

Is this the pair of suet jade bangles that Father gave to Mother?

Yes.

Now,

this is a betrothal gift for Miss Ke.

This is the heirloom of the Su family.

Sister,

receiving generous love from you and Mingyu

is more than enough.

I can't accept this betrothal gift.

Don't be silly.

After receiving this betrothal gift,

you are now the daughter-in-law of the Su family.

Thank you, Sister.

No need to thank me.

I have always known that

you are smart and sensible.

After what happened last time,

Mingyu has indeed grown up a little,

but the world of business is ruthless.

Therefore, the Su family will still depend on you.

With you around,

Mingyu has become more and more responsible.

Don't worry, Sister.

Yes, Sister.

I've also learned a lot recently.

I will learn well from you by being at your side in the future.

I will definitely make great progress.

This is for you.

[Nandu Chamber of Commerce]

[Official correspondence from the Nandu Chamber of Commerce]

There is no faster way to improve

than to put in hard work in the business world.

Sister,

why did you

give me the chairmanship for no good reason?

How am I supposed to do a good job?

I also didn't immediately know everything at first.

Don't worry.

I've found a teacher for you.

Take me to Young Master Xiang.

Mr. Luo.

Chairman Su, you don't look like you are here to ask for forgiveness.

That's not the point.

I've prepared two generous gifts for you.

Sister, Yun,

what are you all talking about?

Just listen.

There's a past incident that

I had planned to keep to myself forever.

Because once it's exposed,

the Su family's enemies

will be more than just Yuntai.

I would like to hear more about it.

On the 1st day of February, in the 24th year of Tianqing,

my father

met a guest of unknown origin.

[15 years ago]

Your plan is indeed brilliant.

But how dare I easily spread rumors of

the Imperial Court starting a sea ban?

Besides the fact that it's a serious crime that will exterminate my entire family,

I don't even have a single piece of evidence.

Wen Cong won't be fooled easily.

Who says there's no evidence?

Whether to open up sea trade

has been a focal point of discussion

within the court these past few years.

What you are holding is the petition letter of

nearly 100 officials from last month.

I was too young back then,

so I wasn't interested to hear more.

According to what happened afterwards,

I guessed my father

did not trust the petition.

The events afterwards were just as you expected.

The merchants knew that if there was going to be a sea ban,

it will certainly set off a storm.

Hence, there was a wave of land buying.

Of course,

Wen Cong, who was blinded by greed, would never miss it.

But after the refutation letter came from Beidu,

Wen Cong had already taken a great hit

and had no way back.

Therefore, even though you had deduced about 80% of what happened,

you had no way of knowing

how my late father spread the rumor of the sea ban.

I guess the past I had mentioned just now,

has a clear cause and effect.

You have told a great story.

But even with this information,

it can't prove that the massacre at the Luo family's village

wasn't done by your father.

Yun,

why would my father be related to the Luo family's village?

So you also know about the Luo family's village?

How much do you know?

Young Master Xiang,

you promised me.

Don't worry, Chairman Su.

You don't have to interrupt.

After listening to your deduction,

I would be lying to say that

I don't have a single doubt about my father,

Businessmen tend to be greedy for profit.

But, I can guarantee that

Mingyu and I know nothing about this.

If this was really the actions of my father,

what is your intention?

Are we supposed to make up for our father's mistake?

It is hard to say.

I came here alone today

because I'm sure you're a reasonable person.

You know a little about Qian Rong's skills.

If the officials come to know that

the fire at Yufeng Warehouse was caused by you,

it's going to be difficult for you to leave unscathed.

Are you threatening me?

So what if I am?

The fact that you came to seek your personal revenge

is already against the rules of the sect.

Yuntai will never interfere.

Sister, Yun,

there must be a misunderstanding.

How could things be like this?

Misunderstandings

can't undo the current dead knot.

That's true.

But I brought two gifts.

Maybe you'll be more interested in that.

I also want to know what kind of gift

can revive the 313 innocent lives

of the Luo family's village back then.

At this point, I hope you can still consider the present.

As I expected,

although you may have a thousand ingenious ideas,

but you have nothing against the officials.

My first gift to you is therefore,

to help you save Guanghui Bank's Mr. Mo.

Sure.

Chairman Su,

can you do me this favour?

Sister,

this is no child's play.

It can't be taken seriously.

You've already heard

a good deal of what's been said.

If you go to Uncle Qian,

he will tell you

how to get Mr. Mo out of prison.

Why are you hesitating?

You call yourself a martial artist?

There's no sense of responsibility from you at all.

No...

Go immediately.

Yun,

I don't know why things turned out this way,

but she is my sister after all.

Please don't...

Don't you worry.

The second gift from Chairman Su

is to make Su Mingyu the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

That's right.

The tragedy of the Luo family's village

did happen during the land purchasing fiasco in the east coast.

The Su family can hardly absolve ourselves from the blame.

I can’t give you the truth you seek,

so I can only compensate you with all my property.

I hope you'll be satisfied.

I've transferred all of the Su family's assets

to Mingyu.

Also,

the paperwork for the Chamber of Commerce has just been completed.

Mingyu will be the chairman on my behalf.

However, he is still young.

He can't convince the public.

He will still need someone to assist.

Therefore, you are free to use

all of Su family's connections and money,

Of course,

if you want to replace him,

that is also not completely out of question.

That is very sincere.

But before I decide whether or not to accept,

I have one last question.

I'm afraid neither of us

want to hear that name.

That is...

the Lingyuan sect.

Young Master.

How could a place as quiet and remote as the Luo family's village,

has anything to do with Lingyuan?

I've said everything I can.

Indeed,

in all possible sense,

my father was the prime suspect.

But it's hard to investigate the past.

The truth may not be what you think it is.

Now that you have my Su family's lifeline

in your hands,

why can't you let it go

and look for other possibilities?

Miss Su,

I admire how you conduct yourself

with such wisdom and broad-mindedness.

You may leave.

Yes.

Young Master, the dishes are all here.

Sister,

this Longjing shrimp is known as the best in Nandu.

Try it.

Just two people,

but twelve dishes?

You don't find it enough?

Let's order some more.

Yuewu.

Yes, Sir.

Stop right there.

What do you exactly want?

It's been three years since my sister left.

It's a rare meeting.

I want to treat you well as your brother.

What's wrong with that?

I want to ask

why are you here?

Why did you suddenly appear in Nandu?

What exactly do you want to do?

That's an interesting question.

Half a month ago, someone sent word that

someone from Yuntai came to Nandu again,

and caused a lot of chaos.

As for this matter,

I obviously hate Nangong Fang for letting it go

and doing absolutely nothing about it.

But surprisingly,

that the girl beside Young Master Xiang

seems to look just like the eldest daughter of the Lingyuan Sect's master.

Sister,

you approached Young Master Xiang

for the benefit of our sect, right?

My alliance with Young Master Xiang

is to obviously suppress

the expansion of Nangong Fang's influence.

Well said!

Nangong Fang is getting more and more presumptuous.

Even his lackey,

the captain of Nandu, Ye Xiao,

dares to pay me lip service.

If we let them establish their foundation step by step,

the master of Lingyuan sect might just really change.

So you stole the treasury,

in order to seem like you are helping Ye Xiao deal with Yuntai,

but you are actually just disturbing Nandu,

so as to disrupt Nangong Fang's deployment.

Isn't it such a good plan?

How foolish!

What kind of person is Nangong Fang?

The Kou family and him has always kept each other in check,

carefully balancing our powers between a fine line.

Whatever you are doing is just declaring war to him.

If he makes any changes,

there will definitely be internal strife within Lingyuan.

But what Young Master did is all for the sake of the sect.

Shut up.

My sister has been away from home for three years,

traveling around all alone.

Before you left, you said that

you would find a good way to have checks and balances against Nangong Fang.

You think I'm stupid?

Is your so-called good idea

that weak Young Master Xiang?

Of course.

I also heard that he has some tricks up his sleeve.

I just want to remind you that

although Nangong Fang is our enemy,

Yuntai is even more so.

Why don't you let me stay in Nandu to assist you?

Once that Young Master Xiang completes his mission,

I'll kill him for you.

What do you think?

[Liansheng House]

You cannot afford a single mistake when dealing with the government.

Remember what Uncle Rong taught you.

Don't worry, I have remembered it all.

Are you really leaving?

The luggage is in the car.

If we set off now,

we will leave the city before it turns dark.

You're leaving today?

You don't care about me anymore?

Look, you are being childish again.

I know you always settle matters decisively

without regret.

But this time,

can we wait a little longer?

This time, it's my turn to be willful.

I want to travel around the world.

We share the same blood.

You loved going around all corners of the country,

and so do I.

This time I can go out

and see the mountains and rivers.

Got it, Sister.

Miss Ke,

from now on, you are the mistress of the Su family.

You must take care of yourself.

Overseeing the entire Su family is a really difficult task.

I feel assured

to leave Mingyu in your hands.

Don't spoil him.

Sister, come back often.

If you feel uneasy when you are out and about,

come back early.

Home is wherever my heart is at ease.

Perhaps one day, I may come back.

Maybe,

I will never come back.

But no matter where I am,

both of you will always be in my heart.

My lady, it's time to go.

Otherwise, we can't leave the city.

Uncle Qian,

you must ensure Sister's safety.

Take care of yourself too.

You liked to admire the sunset ever since you were a kid.

You liked reciting Li Yishan's poems.

Now, I enjoy the tranquility after sun sets.