Original subtitles

Timing and Subtitle brought to you by ❤️ Love Blossoms In Adversity 🌸 Team

"Solitary Flower Among the Thorns" - Curley Gao

♫ Who gazes at the stars in the sky ♫

♫ Heading towards the shore in a broken boat ♫

♫ This time, hold onto fate and never bow your head ♫

♫ Family relationships are also difficult to maintain ♫

♫ The fearless dream is waiting for someone to save it ♫

♫ The wind and rain gather and disperse ♫

♫ A lone mayfly sail sways ♫

♫ A solitary flower blooming among thorns ♫

♫ It's bright colors pierced ♫

♫ Yet the uncrossed border, it grew an outline that flew against the wind ♫

♫ All things grow through the heart ♫

♫ Even if the dream is confusing ♫

♫ Calming the raging waves ♫

♫ Breaking through the tumultuous sounds of the heart ♫

♫ Having the courage to resist ♫

♫ Embracing the chant of destiny ♫

♫ Only love brings light ♫

♫ Only love is wanton and sharp ♫

♫ All things grow through the heart ♫

♫ Having the courage to resist ♫

♫ Embracing the chant of destiny ♫

[Blossoms in Adversity] ♫ Only love brings light ♫

[Adapted from a novel with the same title in MIGU]

[Episode 3]

Xiu'er! Yinzhu! Where are you?

Get those bloody servants in here!

- Madam. - Madam.

Where is everyone? How come there're only two of you?

Madam, the maids and concubines ran away on their own.

We're the only ones left.

Those spineless bastards

I don't wanna hear any of that.

Come on, clean the house inside out. Come on.

Excuse me.

Yingchun. Baoxia. You go fetch some water.

Fudong, go get a rag. Miqiu, help me out here.

Go and tell everybody to move the furniture in and tidy it up a little.

You either work or get out. Don't get in the way here.

Look at your Miss. Learn something.

Let's go, Third Madam.

Let's go. Come on.

We'd better go out now.

Let's go.

Nanny Su,

you and Jin'e count everything here after you finish this

so that you can make arrangements later.

Yes.

These maids are all useless.

I'll go buy some capable servants tomorrow,

and get more help quickly open a few big rooms to make life easier.

What time of year do you still need to buy someone?

I'm afraid those who are here now will be dismissed in the future.

Old Madam, I know things changed.

But look at all these things we took from our mansion.

Compared to normal folks, we are way better-off than them.

We all can be thrifty from now on.

These things can support us for several years.

We can still afford a couple of servants, can't we?

We still have to live this life.

Making it through the hard times doesn't depend on money, but on people.

Yingzhen, you are weak and soft-minded.

Under the current circumstances, I don't expect you to do much.

Take good care of your health, and three children with Ms. Qiu.

Don’t worry too much about other things.

Okay.

Huilan, in the past, all you cared about was Boli,

and nothing else mattered to you.

Will it happen in the future?

You must support Jin'e from now on. Understand?

Yes, Old Madam.

Yu'er, I'm sorry you have to go through all this after you just became a part of our family.

It's our Hua Family that feels sorry for you.

Old Madam.

Okay. Yu'er is young.

You in-laws should take extra care of her on the usual days.

Life won't be easy... going forward.

Life won't be easy... going forward.

We must pull together, so can we make it through.

- Right. - Right.

The men in our family were condemned by His Majesty,

our relatives and acquaintances will surely avoid us for fear of being implicated.

It is human nature. No hard feelings.

Jing'er and Xian'er will have a rather hard time in their husband's houses.

Don't cause trouble for them.

Please don’t contact your respective parents’ families for the time being.

Don't hurt them.

- Yes. - Yes.

All right, you can leave.

Jin'e, I want a word with you.

Okay.

You are a strong-willed woman.

It took a lot for you to manage the family.

And now we are facing problems that we have never dealt with before.

Old Madam, I can handle it.

As long as there is a glimmer of hope for my husband and sons,

even if I lose everything, I still have to save them.

If they cannot make it...

Old Madam, don't worry.

I will take care of the others in this family as long as you want me to.

I will do all I can.

In the past days, you managed the household affairs

because the men in our family were working hard in the outside world.

But now the sky has collapsed.

For example, anyone can get straight inside

and rob us because there is no man in the house.

A family won't thrive long without men.

I have to think of a way to find out what the Emperor is thinking tomorrow.

I have to think of a way to find out what the Emperor is thinking tomorrow.

If God is really unkind, we must find a reliable man

for our family as soon as possible.

Whether it's hiring or marrying into the family.

Whoever can take charge of the family for us will do.

Father, I want to...

Eat your meal. Do not talk while you're eating.

Why hasn't Huan'er come back?

Have you seen your brother?

Maybe now he is at some brothel enjoying himself.

He's spoiled because of you.

Father, calm down.

I will deal with that little brat when he comes back.

The grandson came back late and was unable to have dinner with his grandfather.

I made a grave error!

[The second son of the Shen Family, Shen Huan]

You're already late, why don't you come in for dinner?

Why were you still outside so late?

Come on in.

Mother.

Where have you been?

Like a starving ghost reincarnated.

Grandfather, I'm exhausted today.

I watched puppet shows all day.

I thought the puppet was pretty funny, so I bought one from the puppeteer.

Give me a couple of days and I'll be able to perform as well.

How much did it cost?

Two hundred qian?

Two thousand?

You were the one who said "do not talk while you're eating".

He has bought that anyway.

Just let him finish the meal first. Okay?

Go ahead.

Go ahead.

- Go ahead. - Thank you, Father.

Qi'er, how is your studying recently?

After the New Year, you will be taking your imperial examination.

- I know. I dare not slack off. - Good.

"I dare not slack off."

Father.

What's the matter?

I need money for an emergency.

I wonder if I can ask the accountant to advance on some money first.

You're not like Huan'er spending all day idly outside.

You are always at home. Why would you need money?

If you need to buy some stationery and books, just tell your mother.

She can have someone buy them for you. Your studies come first now.

Do you hear me?

Brother. Brother!

Brother!

What's wrong? Are you short of money?

How about I lend you some?

Do you know how much our mother gives me a month?

Do you know? Do you know? Do you know?

Do you know? Do...

Don't go.

Yesterday, I heard that our mentor was in trouble,

so I went to our colleagues and pooled some money together.

If we can't get our mentor out with that money, we'll send it to those women of the Hua Family.

It's the least we can do.

Madam Hua is old, and there are only women and children in the house.

How can they make a living?

Brother Chen, we are both commoners.

Although I want to help, I don't have money.

It's all right. I still have some that can support them for a while.

If it's money we're talking here, we can't help much.

I'm afraid the main concern of those women is not about money.

Our mentor was always good to me.

Now that the house is full of women and children, we must not stand idly by.

How about this?

You go and prepare some clothes and food.

I'll figure out a way to mortgage the house.

It's the south, but it is still cold at night out in the wild.

There isn't even a bed here.

The straw is all clean. We can sleep on it.

How? There're so many people.

Even servants are here.

Do we need to sleep with them together?

It's warmer that way.

Keep your voices down.

Old Madam is already sleeping in her bedroom.

Bear with it for a few more days.

Once the furniture and bedding come, it'll be fine.

Besides, it will be easier for the maids to attend to us.

Can we add more charcoal to the fire then?

For such a big house, it's just too...

Mother, I moved the charcoal out from the kitchen.

If we burn too much it'll be all gone.

Maids, you can live in these two corners.

Sleep there.

- Don't make a sound. - Yes.

Go to sleep.

No.

Everything is dirty here, even my clothes.

- Honglei. - Miss.

I need to bathe. You go and heat up some water, and get the incense ready.

Miss, there's no firewood here, nor a bathtub.

We didn't bring bath beans and incense along.

I still need a bathe though.

We walked for a whole day, I'm covered in dust.

You can fall asleep, but I can't.

Miss!

- Miss. - Let her be.

Rong'er, why are you crying?

Sister Zhi, what are we going to do next?

Do we have to live in this shabby house forever?

Are we going to starve to death?

Did you see the people beside the road on our way here?

Yes, I saw them. They were all laughing at us.

Look around. We're not different from those people outside.

Those with hands and feet will not die of hunger.

Do you think our father and brothers can come back to us?

Help!

Help!

Help!

- What happened? - Miss Ling has fallen into the river!

All relevant properties of the Hua Family have all been confiscated.

I have made a list of them.

We found some published works in Hua Yizheng's study,

but no new manuscripts.

[Confiscated properties list of the Hua Family]

It's overcast today.

My old wounds hurt badly.

I'll take a look at the report tomorrow.

Now I feel like my little Yan Xi is back.

Have a seat.

When you went to the north, you were still a young kid.

But now you have become such an upright man.

And I am getting old.

You're in the prime of your life. You're just a little overworked.

Don't flatter me here.

When I was young, the rewards and punishments of life and death were just a matter of seconds.

Now I am old, and so is my brain.

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decisions every time.

What was right? What was wrong?

I am the Emperor.

I can bless the world,

and I can also punish the world.

Yanxi,

remember. I would rather kill the wrong person than let him go.

Noted.

You've been up all day and all night. Right?

You haven't returned home since you came back. Right?

Don't stay in the palace tonight.

Go home. See your father.

Yes.

Your Highness.

What happened to your face?

There are often fights in the military camp, and bumps and bruises are inevitable.

I'm not like Your Highness, living a nice life in the capital.

I thought you had died in the North.

Unexpectedly, in a blink of an eye, you ran back to His Majesty again.

Our father trusted Qi Ruhai most.

How could he sentence him to death like it was nothing?

Now I know he did that for you.

I've still got things to do. I will catch up with you another day.

Yanxi, as your elder brother, I want to give you a heads-up.

The Imperial Capital is not like any other place.

Many people are watching you.

His Majesty killed Qi Ruhai for you today, and maybe tomorrow,

he will also do the same to you for just one word from the new commander.

Sooner or later, you will understand, in the eyes of the Emperor,

you are no different.

Well, if my brother meets the new commander, please give me a nice word.

Well, if my brother meets the new commander, please give me a nice word.

Here.

Here. Put it on.

Are you out of your mind? How dare you go into the water?

Pick a right time even though you want to throw yourself into the lake.

Seriously!

I've never felt so cold in winter when in the Imperial Capital before.

Silly girl. We had charcoal fires and warm blankets back then.

And your feet have been extra carefully wrapped since you were little.

If you want to look good, you will inevitably suffer some pain.

Say no more.

We'd better sleep early before we feel too hungry.

At this moment in the past days,

it was just the time for a bowl of sharkfin soup.

It would warm up my stomach.

And then we could even play mahjong for a while.

[A daughter of the Third House of the Hua Family, Hua Duo] Mother, it's so dark in here.

Why don't we light a lamp?

Duo'er, come here. Good girl.

We'll buy some candles tomorrow.

And just like before, we can use them to light the room.

We'll also need to buy a few more ink sticks for Boli.

No matter where we are, he can't fall behind on his studies.

[The eldest son of the Second House of the Hua Family, Hua Boli] I forgot to bring my hair oil.

The one with the osmanthus fragrance. I need to buy a bottle of that.

Third Aunt, I want to eat plum blossom pancakes and yak-buttered snail-shaped pastry.

Let's buy more while we still have money.

Bolin, you brought your cricket, huh?

I want to buy my father.

Fine. Write down everything you need and lack, and we'll head into the city at dawn tomorrow.

Bring home everything we need. Okay?

Uncle Zhong, how did you come back?

The moment we went into the prison, they separated us from the masters.

Those guards verified our identities, and after that,

they kept the stewards and the accountants

and released the rest of the servants.

I originally planned to stay by the Old Master,

but they drove me out.

Then how did you find your way here?

I asked around.

They told me that you were out of town and went in this direction.

So I guessed this was the right place.

Actually, I've escorted Old Madam to this manor several times before.

- So... - Uncle Zhong.

Why are you the only one coming back?

What about the servants and the guards?

And where is Li Gui?

I couldn't stop them and they all ran away.

All of them?

I've always paid their monthly pay in full, but I raised a nest of white-eyed wolves!

The Hua family hasn’t collapsed yet.

Forget it. Those servants are all clumsy.

I would be worried if they had stuck around.

All right, Uncle Zhong, go inside and have some rest.

First Miss—

Uncle Zhong is a manservant after all.

Does he have to share our room?

Right. It's inappropriate.

Let's go.

Uncle Zhong, you can share the house with us.

Zhi, Second Madame is right.

How can I, a man, stay in the room?

It's okay.

It's not too cold recently in the Imperial Capital.

It might be cold at night,

but I can get by if I carry o.

Let me tell you.

Before your father was born,

Master Hua and I ran all around the country.

We even slept in the snow cave.

All right. Go back now. Don't catch a cold.

They are...

They are inspectors from the Security Bureau, following us all the way here.

I guess they won't be leaving for a while.

[Lord Ling Mansion]

Aunt Xiao.

[Lord Ling's imperial concubine, Xiao] You're finally back.

Let's go home.

I had someone clean up your room right away once I knew you came back.

It was in a hurry though.

Settle down first and tell me if you need anything.

These days, your father has been in seclusion at Yuqing Temple.

I've sent a messenger to tell him.

He should be home tomorrow.

No need to bother, Aunt Xiao. I won't stay long. I will leave soon.

Leave?

Where are you going?

Do you still want to go to that bitter-cold place?

To the palace.

I guess you must be busy with things.

Visit us more often when you have time then.

I have made some stewed mutton for you. It's already in your room.

- Eat up. - How is Shaoyao?

She's doing fine.

Grown up to be a young lady.

Are you afraid you won't recognize her?

I'll go see her.

All right. I'll take you there.

Your Highness.

Over the years, Lord Ling has kept Shaoyao in the house.

I have also told him that was not good.

But having such a daughter who has a mental disability is indeed an ominous sign.

If outsiders were to know, it would certainly cause an uproar.

So we just claimed that she was ill.

Shaoyao has a weak heart and soul, and she really can’t stand being disturbed by outsiders.

Don't worry though. Our servants would not dare to slight her.

Shaoyao was not born with a mental disability.

How could I not know?

In the years since you left,

we have seen all famous physicians across the city.

Shaoyao has taken a lot of medicine since young, but it has no effect.

Lord Ling had no other choice. He has his difficulties, too.

Shaoyao.

[Lord Ling's daughter, Shaoyao]

Shaoyao, I am...

Shaoyao, he's your brother.

Did I scare you?

I'm sorry.

You're not my brother.

She likes studying these things.

Over the years, she has been getting medical treatments in this courtyard.

All the medicinal materials are cooked and dried inside and outside the house.

She has to take medicine every single day.

Medical techniques are the only topic that those physicians will talk to her about.

As the days passed, she was learning by herself.

In the usual days, she would make medicinal ointments and pills for fun.

A few days ago, a kitten came into the yard.

It was all covered in wounds.

Shaoyao said she would treat the kitten.

She went through medical books for days

and she made so many ointments all of a sudden.

So much ointment is applied to the kitten every day.

And somehow she actually healed the kitten's injuries.

I had no idea where she got the prescription from.

That book over there.

[Treatise on the Origin and Symptoms of Diseases]

Let me help you put these medicines into the jars. Okay?

Go ahead.

Aunt Xiao, I want to be with her for a while.

All right.

Mother, I'm so cold.

Put up with it. It's no big deal.

That wretched girl. Doesn't she know how to shut a door?

What was wrong with her?

Yingchun.

Baoxia. Wake up!

Wake up!

Everyone, wake up.

Come on.

Uncle Zhong! Uncle Zhong!

Brother.

Brother.

Brother, put it on your head.

Brother.

Brother.

Brother. Brother.

Yanxi.

[Lord Ling, Gu Yanxun]

Yanxi.

Father.

Xiao told me that you have returned,

so I set off in the middle of the night and headed back.

You were not in your room,

so I figured you must have come here.

It has already been ten years since the fire broke out.

Recently, I often dream of your mother at night.

Thank you...

for still remembering her.

How long can you stay this time?

I'm not leaving.

Great.

What would you like to eat tomorrow? I'll tell the kitchen to prepare it.

I've got things to do tomorrow.

All right then.

Rest early.

My Lord, Xi'er has been away from the capital for many years.

It's normal that he is not familiar with us.

After some time, it'll get better.

He was never close to me even before he left the capital.

My royal brother is really good at it.

It's fine that he's paranoid and thinks ill of us, his own brothers.

But now he also wants to take Xi'er away from me.

Locked next to him, always by his side every day.

You know what? I don't blame Xi'er, as he is a good son.

It's just he was still young when going into the palace,

without the ability to see right from wrong.

Xi'er, he has grown up now and has also returned.

He will understand one day.

I've wronged you all these years.

My Lord, how can you say such a thing?

Lady Zhou died of disease and left two children behind.

You became their stepmother when you were so young.

Over these years, I have been aware of all that gossip in the mansion.

But I know that no one treats my two kids better than you.

You yourself also took the medicine for infertility,

you won't have your own kids anymore.

Do you really think it's worth it?

A stepmother is also a mother.

I know all your sufferings and bitterness.

One more heir in our family, more suspicion from His Majesty.

As long as you are safe and sound, and Xi'er can find time to visit us from time to time,

then I want nothing more.

- Thank goodness we didn't get injured. - Right.

Nothing else matters.

Old Zhong, thanks a lot.

Old Madam, it wasn't me. It was First Miss.

She managed to open the door; otherwise, I wouldn't have noticed.

Old Madam, it was lucky that you didn't sleep with us.

How come none of you sensed that?

While the charcoal is burning, we can't shut all the doors and windows.

If it's burned incorrectly, we could suffocate to death inside.

That's not right.

We spent the first half of the night chatting there.

I remember now!

When we laid down, First Miss was still outside.

If you knew it would be suffocate us, why did you shut the door?

It wasn't me. After I fell asleep, someone else shut the door.

It wasn't you? Everyone was asleep.

Was it a ghost?

First Miss, it's okay to be careless and we won't blame you.

Don't be stubborn and deny it.

Lady Qin, perhaps it really wasn't Zhi'er.

Then tell me. Who was it?

Lady Qin did it. I saw it.

That wretched girl. Doesn't she know how to shut a door?

Boli, you were all dazed, so you must have mistaken it for someone else.

It wasn't me.

It wasn't me. It wasn't me.

It wasn't me.

I slept like a baby. It wasn't me.

Old Madam, I've been wronged. Old Madam.

Old Madam, it wasn't me.

He's just a child.

Why would he accuse you unjustly?

If it weren't for these children, I would have jumped into a well and died.

And now I'm still here and even wronged by you.

You are just a lowly person, stop pretending.

I really wish to sell you.

Second Sister-in-law, I should have the final say whether to sell her or not?

Do you mean Boli is lying?

Whether he lied or not, I really don't know.

Lady Qin is one of your people. Of course, you would defend her.

- Kids don't lie. - Stop arguing!

Beat her then.

Old Madam, let me walk you to your room.

Second Sister-in-law, manage your own people properly.

My precious cricket is dead.

The clouds have dispersed. So many stars in the sky.

Right. People are born innocent, just like the sky itself.

Zhi'er, why did you climb up and unfurl the sail today?

Because none of them wanted to.

Since I can climb trees, I figured climbing this wouldn't be hard.

So, why wouldn't the boatmen climb?

Is it because they can't?

They are struggling in the storm,

and each man is watching out for his own.

But if no one unfurled the sail, the boat might have capsized.

There's no telling if the boat won't capsize.

But if one of them climbs up the mast and falls into the sea by accident,

or gets struck by lightning, then there will be no one left.

With such a trade-off,

no one was willing to risk their lives for the sake of others.

Zhi'er, you have been clear-minded since you were little.

Not being afraid is sometimes a good thing,

but sometimes it is not.

If something is beyond your capabilities, you don't have to do it.

One should know what to do and what not to do.

Grandfather, I don't understand.

Take what happened today as an example.

You're good at climbing trees,

so you climbed up the mast without a second thought.

It's your first time going to sea, not knowing anything about this situation.

If something bad happened to you, what could I do?

And what if you got scared halfway and regretted it?

How would you be able to turn back then?

Zhi'er, you are still young and you have a long time ahead of you.

No matter what decisions you will make,

you should always think twice about whether you should do it or not, and why you should do it.

Only when you make good judgments, the roads become clear.

If you've got a second chance, will you choose climbing up that mast?

Of course. Because you are on the boat.

Zhi'er, will you blame me?

You've been traveling all over with me at such a young age,

going through all kinds of hardships.

What's not good about that?

I want to be with you forever.

Travel all over and be a well-read person.

What a pity, Zhi'er. You're a girl.

In a few more years, you won't be able to disguise yourselfas my little page.

Grandfather, is that the North Star?

Yes.

Yesterday, I saw someone holding up a wooden board and watching the stars through it.

That's a sextant.

The sea and sky are boundless.

One must rely on the constellations to discern the path ahead.

As long as you find the right star,

you will ultimately reach your destination.

[Zihuang Residence]

Shen Qi, there are inspectors of the Security Bureau watching us.

It doesn't matter. We are just here to pay a visit.

Greetings, Madam Hua and Madams. I am Chen Zhi.

- I am Yu Zhengyao. - I am Shen Qi.

Everyone is avoiding us, I didn’t expect that there would still be three gentlemen.

Old Madam, I have brought some clothes, blankets, and food. They are in the carriage outside.

Your visiting us is already valuable to us.

How can we just baselessly accept all of these things?

Timing and Subittle brought to you by 🌸 Love Blossoms In Adversity ❤️ Team

♫ Not one patch of land is uncultivated ♫

♫ Not one tea plant is left to wither ♫

♫ Rain falls from sky, birds eat insects, and chickens leave fertilizer ♫

♫ The heart and soul are used to irrigate the land ♫

♫ The tea leaves may be coarse ♫

♫ But the taste is of spring ♫

♫ Ah, for a happy future, we pluck a few ♫

♫ Ah, let's enjoy the abundant spring together ♫

♫ Not one patch of land is uncultivated ♫

♫ Not one tea plant is left to wither ♫

♫ Rain falls from sky, birds eat insects, and chickens leave fertilizer ♫

♫ The heart and soul are used to irrigate the land ♫

♫ The tea leaves may be coarse ♫

♫ But the taste is of spring ♫

♫ Ah, for a happy future, we pluck a few ♫

♫ Ah, let's enjoy the abundant spring together ♫

♫ Ah, for a happy future, we pluck a few ♫

♫ Ah, let's enjoy the abundant spring together ♫