Original subtitles

♪Who gazes at the starry sky♪

♪Heading towards the shore in a fragile boat♪

♪I'm the master of my own destiny♪

♪My happy family is a thing of the past♪

♪Who will take me to the fearless dream♪

♪As the wind and rain come and fade♪

♪A lone sail sways♪

♪A flower blooms alone amidst the thorns♪

♪its petals were pierced through♪

♪Yet it turned into a pair of wings flying against the wind♪

♪Through the heart grows everything♪

♪Even if the dream is wandering♪

♪Smoothing out the surging waves♪

♪Breaking through the heart's tumultuous echoes♪

♪Having the courage to resist♪

♪Embracing the chant of destiny♪

♪Only love brings light♪

♪Only love embraces the thorns♪

♪Everything grows through the heart♪

♪Having the courage to resist♪

♪Embracing the chant of destiny♪

[Blossoms in Adversity] ♪Only love brings light♪

[Episode 3]

Xiu'er, Yinzhu.

Where have you been?

Bring those stupid maids

over in here.

Madam.

Where are the others?

How come only you two are here?

♪Who gazes at the stars in the sky♪

Madam.

The other maids and those concubines

ran away on the road.

We are the only ones left,

Those goddarned pricks.

I don't wanna hear any of that.

Come on, clean the room

inside out.

♪Who will take me to the fearless dream♪

Come on.

Excuse me.

Yingchun, Baoxia.

You go fetch some water.

Fudong, go get a rag.

Miqiu, help us out here.

Go tell everydoby,

move the furniture in and tidy it up a little.

You either work or get out.

Be useful here.

Look at your Miss.

Learn something.

Let's go, Madam Xia.

Let's go.

Come on.

We'd better go out now.

Let's go.

Ms. Su,

You and Jin'e

count everything here after you finish this,

we will wanna know that

just in case in the future.

Will do.

These maids

are all useless.

Tomorrow

I'll go buy some capable servants,

and get some helps

to clean up the big rooms

to rest for the nights first.

Things are not what it used to be.

I'm afraid we have to dismiss the maids here

one day.

Madam Hua,

I know things changed.

But look at all these things

we took from our mansion.

Compared to normal folks,

we are way more 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?

Life must go on.

To make it through the hard times

dosen't depend on money,

but on people.

Yingzhen,

you are just a soft person.

Under the current circumstances,

I don't expect you to do much.

Take good care of your health,

and three children

with Concubine Qiu.

Don't worry about other things.

Okay.

Huilan, in the past,

all you cared about

was Boli,

and nothing else matters to you.

But that has to change now.

You must support Jin'e from now on.

Understand?

Yes, Madam Hua.

Yu,

I'm sorry you have to go through all this

after you just became a part of our family.

We owe you that.

Madam Hua.

Okay.

Yu is young,

you in-laws

should take extra care of her in the usual days.

Life won't be easy

going forward.

We must pull together,

so can we make it through.

Right.

The men in out family were condemned by His Majesty,

our relatives and acquaintances

will surely avoid us.

It is human nature.

No hard feelings.

Jing and Xian

will have a rather hard time

in their husband's house.

Do not bother them at this moment.

And you also

don't contact your parents.

That would implicate them.

Yes.

Alright, 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 the problems

that we have never dealt with before.

Madam Hua.

I can handle it.

I will do whatever it takes

to save my husband and the sons,

even if it means spending our last dime.

If they cannot make it,

Madam Hua,

don't worry.

I will take care of the others

in this family

as long as you want me to.

I'm always be by your side.

In the past days,

what you managed were the household affairs.

That was because the men in our family

were working hard in the outside world.

But now they're in the prison.

For example,

anyone can get straight inside

and rob us

because we are a bunch of women.

A family won't thrive long

without men.

We must find a way

to put the feelers out

and see

if the Emperor changes his mind.

If he won't change his mind,

we must, as soon as possible,

find a reliable man for our family.

I don't care it's a butler

or a kept man,

whoever can take charge of the family for us

will do.

Father,

I wanna...

Eat your meal.

Do not talk while you're eating.

Why hasn't Huan 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.

Sorry I'm home late

and wasn't able to have a meal with Grandpa.

Please forgive me.

[The second son of the Shen family, Mister Shen Huan]

Get over here and eat with us

if you wanna make that up.

Why were you still outside so late?

Come on in.

Mother.

Where have you been?

Slow down a little.

Grandpa.

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 of 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, dad.

Qi,

how is your study recently?

The coming year

will be your imperial examination.

I know, I'm doing my best here.

Good.

I'm doing my best here.

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

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,

my dear big brother,

my best big brother.

What?

Are you short of money?

How about I lend you some?

Do you know how much money

our mother gives me a month?

Do you know that?

Do you know that?

Do you know that?

Do you kno...

Hear me out.

Yesterday I heard that our mentor was in trouble.

so I went to our colleagues.

We raised some mone together,

and had a discussion.

If we can't get our mentor out of prison with that money,

we'll send it to those women of the Hua family,

and it's the least we can do.

Madam Hua is old,

and now just women and children are left in the house.

How can they make a living?

Chen,

we are both commoners,

although I want to help,

I don't have that much money.

It's all right,

I still have some here,

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

are not about money.

Our mentor was always good to me,

and now his family is in need of help,

we have to do something.

How about this...

You go 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,

but the straw is all clean,

we can sleep on it.

How? There're so many people

in the house.

Do we need to sleep

with the servants together?

It's warmer

that way.

Keep your voices down,

Madam Hua is already sleeping

in her bedroom.

Just bear with it for a few more days,

once the furniture and bedding come, it'll be fine,

it will also be easier for the maids to attend to us.

Can we add more charcoal fire then,

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

Mom,

I moved the charcoal

out from the kitchen,

we need to be frugal now.

Maids,

go to these two corners,

sleep there,

and don't make a sound.

Yes.

Close your eyes.

I'm not sleeping,

everything is dirty here,

even my clothes.

Honglei.

Miss.

I need to bathe,

you go heat up some water,

and get the incense ready.

Miss,

there's no firewood here,

nor a bathtub,

let alone bath beans and incense.

We didn't bring these things along.

I still need a bathe though.

We walked for a whole day,

I'm covered in dust.

I don't understand

why you all can just sleep like that?

Miss.

Miss.

Let her be.

Rong.

Why are you crying?

Zhi,

what are we going to do with this situation?

Do we have to live in this broken 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.

We can make a living

with our hands.

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 for it.

We found some published works

in Hua Yizheng's study,

but no new manuscripts.

[The Huas' confiscated properties list]

It’s overcast today,

my old wounds hurt badly.

I'll take a look at

the report tomorrow.

Now I see

the little Yanxi inside of you.

Have a seat.

When you went to the north,

you were still a young kid.

But now you have become

such a big guy.

And I am getting old.

You're in the prime of your life,

you're just a little bit overwhelmed.

Don't flatter me here.

When I was young,

I was sharp

with good judgments.

Now I am old,

and so is my brain.

Sometimes I will think

if I made right decisions every time.

It doesn't matter

anyway.

I am the Emperor,

I can take good care of all my people,

and I also can make them fear with my power.

Yanxi.

Remember.

Better sorry that safe when it comes to your enemies.

Noted.

You haven't got some proper rest yet.

You haven't returned home

since you came back, right?

Don't stay in the Palace tonight.

Go home.

See your father.

Okay.

Prince Xian.

What happened to your face?

With all those swords in the barracks,

you will get scratched a little now and then.

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

I thought you had died in the North.

But just like that,

you met His Majesty again.

Father trusted Qi Ruhai most,

how could he sentence Qi 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 a 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 some words

said by the new Commander.

Sooner or later, you will understand

for the Emperor

you're not that special.

Then please put in a good word for me

when you meet the new Commander.

Come on.

Come 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 swim.

God.

I've never felt so cold in winter

when in the Imperial Capital before.

Silly girl.

We had charcoal fires,

and warm felt blankets back then.

And your feet have been extra carefully wrapped

since you were little.

Everything in the world

comes at a price.

Stop it.

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 fin soup,

it would warm up my stomach,

and then we could even play cards for a while.

Mother,

[Madam Xia's youngest daughter, Hua Duo] It's so dark in here.

Why don't we light a light?

Duo, come here.

Good girl.

We'll buy some candles tomorrow.

And just like the old days,

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.

[Madam Qi's eldest son, Hua Boli]

I forgot to bring my hair oil.

The one with the osmanthus fragrance.

I need to buy a bottle of that.

Madam Zia,

I want to eat plum blossom pancakes,

and buttered snails.

Let's buy more while we still have money.

Bolin.

You brought

your cricket, huh?

I want to buy Daddy.

Fine.

Write them all down,

go to the downtown at dawn tomorrow.

Bring home everything we need,

okay?

Mr. Zhong, how did you come back?

The moment we went in the prison,

they separated us

from our lords.

Those guards

verified our identities,

and after that,

they kept the stewards

and the accountants behind

and released

the rest of the servants.

I was gonna

stay by the Lord,

but who knew?

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 to this directon.

So I guess

this is the right place.

Actually, I've been here

a few time before

to escort Madam Hua.

Tell me,

Mr. Zhong,

why you're the only one

coming back?

What about the servants and the guards?

And Li Gui?

I couldn't stop them,

they all ran away.

All of them?

I've never shorted them on their monthly pay,

but they were just ungrateful.

We are still hang in there.

Forget it.

Those servants

are all big and burly,

I will be worried for your safety

if they're really here.

Alright, Mr. Zhong,

go inside and have some rest.

Zhi,

Mr. Zhong is a manservant after all.

Does he have to share our room?

Right.

It's inappropriate.

Go back inside.

Mr. Zhong,

you can share the house with us.

Hua Zhi.

Madam Qi was right,

I can't

share the room with you.

It's okay.

It's not too cold recently

in the Imperial Capital,

it might be cold at night,

but

I can get by.

Let me tell you,

before your father was born,

the Lord and I

ran all aorund the country.

We even slept

in the snow cave.

Alright.

Go back now.

Don't catch a cold.

They are

spies from the Seven-Star Bureau,

followed me all the way here.

I guess

they won't leave for a while.

[Prince Ling's Mansion]

Aunt Xiao.

[Prince Ling's consort, Xiao]

Let's go home.

I had someone

clean up your room right away

once I knew you came back.

It was a bit 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 you've come back.

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?

To that bitter and cold place?

To the Palace.

I know you're busy,

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.

You might not recognize her.

I'll go see her.

All right.

I'll take you there.

Your Highness,

Over the years, Prince

has kept Shaoyao in the house.

I have also told him that was not good.

But having such a daughter

who is mentally defective

is indeed an ominous sign.

If outsiders were to know,

it would certainly cause an uproar.

So we just claim

that she is ill.

She is mentally fragile,

so she do need a quiet space.

Don't worry though,

our servants

would not dare to slight her.

Shaoyao was not born

like this.

How would I not know?

In the years since you left,

we went to all famous doctors

in and outside the city.

She has taken all sort of medicine

since she was little,

but she just didn't get any better.

Prince had no other choice.

He is struggling, too.

Shaoyao.

[Prince 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 stays in the yard to get medical treatments.

Medicinal herbs are everywhere

in here.

She has to take medince

every single day.

Medical techniques are the only topic

that those physicians would talk to her.

As the days passed,

she was learning 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 in a sudden.

Every day,

she applied them to the little cat.

Smearing and smearing.

And somehow

the kitten was healed.

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.

Alright.

Mom,

I'm so cold.

Put up a little

It's nothing.

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.

Mr. Zhong.

Mr. Zhong.

Brother.

Brother.

Brother.

Put it on your head.

Brother.

Brother.

Brother.

Brother...

Yanxi.

[Prince Ling, Gu Yanxun]

Yanxi.

Father.

Xiao told me

that you have returned,

so I hurried back late at night.

You were not in your room,

so I figured

you must have come here.

The fire

has already been ten years ago.

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.

I've got things to do tomorrow.

Alright then.

Rest early.

Prince,

Xi has been away from the capital for many years.

It's normal

that he is a little estranged.

He will get used to us again soon.

He was never close to me

even before he left the capital.

The Emperor truly has his ways.

It's fine that he's paranoid

and thinks ill of us, his own brothers.

But now he also wants to

take Xi away from me.

Keep him by his side every day.

You know what?

I don't blame Xi,

he is a good kid.

It's just that

he was still young when going into the palce,

without the ability to see through things.

Xi,

He has grown up now.

and also has returned.

He will understand one day.

You sacrificed a lot

all these years.

Prince, how can you say such a thing?

Consort Zhou died of disease

and left two children behind.

You became their stepmother

when you were so young.

Over these years,

I am aware of all that

gossip in the mansion.

But I know in my heart

that no one

treat those kids better than you.

You have also taken

the medicine to sterilize yourself,

you won't have your own kids anymore.

Do you really think it's worth it?

A stepmother is no different from a mother.

I know

all your sufferings and bitternesses.

One more heir in our family,

more suspicion from His Majesty.

As long as you are safe and sound,

and Xi can find time to visit us from time to time,

then I want nothing more.

Thank god we didn't get injured.

Right.

Nothing else matters.

Zhong,

We owe you one.

Madam Hua,

it wasn't me,

Yes, it was Zhi.

She got the door opened,

otherwise, I wouldn’t have noticed.

Madam Hua,

it was lucky that

you didn't sleep with us.

How come

none of you sensed that?

While the charcoal is burning,

you can't shut all the doors and windows.

If something comes up,

we could suffocate inside.

That's not right.

We spent the first half of the night

chatting here.

I now remember!

When we lay down,

Zhi was still outside.

If you knew it would be stifling,

why closed the attic door

so tightly?

It wasn't me.

After I fell asleep,

someone else locked the door.

It wasn't you?

Everyone was asleep.

Who shut that door?

Zhi.

It's okay to be careless,

we won't blame you.

Don't deny it.

Be honest.

Concubine Qin,

perhaps it really wasn't Zhi.

Then tell us,

who was it?

Concubine Qin did it.

I saw it.

That wretched girl.

Doesn't she know how to shut a door?

Boli.

You were all dazed and all,

you must have mistaken someone else as me.

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.

Madam Hua, I've been wronged

Madam Hua.

Madam Hua, it wasn't me.

He's just a kid.

Why would he accuse you

of something you didn't do?

If it weren't for these kids,

I would have died after what happened.

And now I'm still here

and even wronged by you.

You are just a lowlife,

stop pretending.

I really wish to sell you.

Huilan,

this

should be up to me, right?

Do you mean

Boli is lying?

I don't know

about that.

Concubine Qin is one of your people.

of course, you would defend her.

Kids don't lie.

Enough talking.

Use your fists then.

Madam Hua,

let me walk you to your room.

Huilan,

keep your dog under leash.

My precious cricket

is dead.

The clouds have dispersed.

So many stars in the sky.

Yes.

People are born naive and innocent, just like the sky itself.

Zhi.

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 wind and rain,

each man is watching out for his own.

But if no one unfurl the sail,

the boat might capsize.

Or it won't.

But if someone climbs up the mast

and fall into the sea by accident,

or gets struck by lightning.

Then he will be dead.

With such considerations,

no one is willing to risk

for the sake of others.

Zhi.

You have had a pure heart since you were little.

Being fearless

can be a good thing sometimes.

But it depends

under certain circumstances.

If something is beyond your power,

you don't have to do it.

One should know what to do,

and what not to do.

Grandpa.

You lost me.

Take the sail thing today as an example.

You're good at climbing trees,

so you climbed up the mast without a second thought.

You went out to sea for the first time,

you knew nothing about what would happen.

If something bad happend,

it would break my heart.

And what if you got scared halfway?

You regreted it?

How would you be able to turn back then?

Zhi.

You are still young,

you have a long time ahead of you.

No matter what decisions you are gonna make,

you should always think twice about

what and why

you do that.

Only when you make good judgement

can you make your life better and better.

What if

you've got a second chance

to choose climbing up that mast.

Will you?

Of course.

Because you are on the boat.

Zhi.

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.

You're a girl.

In a few more years,

you can't disguise as my little page.

Grandpa.

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 spies of the Seven-Star Bureau

watching us.

It doesn't matter,

we are just here

to pay a visit.

How do you do?

I am Chen Zhi.

I am Yu Zhengyao.

I am Shen Qi.

Everybody is avoiding us now,

I really appreciate your visit.

Madam Hua,

I have brought some clothes and food.

They are in the carriage outside.

We can't be grateful enough

seeing you come here to see us.

How can we accept those

without merit?

♪Not a patch of land is wasted♪

♪A tea plant never grows old♪

♪The sky drops rain, birds eat worms, chickens leave manure♪

♪Effort and sweat to water and nourish♪

♪The tea leaves may be rustic♪

♪But the taste is of spring♪

♪Ah, joy in the clear spring, pick a little♪

♪Ah, enjoy the abundant spring together♪

♪Not a patch of land is wasted♪

♪A tea plant never grows old♪

♪The sky drops rain, birds eat worms, chickens leave manure♪

♪Effort and sweat to water and nourish♪

♪The tea leaves may be rustic♪

♪But the taste is of spring♪

♪Ah, joy in the clear spring, pick a little♪

♪Ah, enjoy the abundant spring together♪

♪Ah, joy in the clear spring, pick a little♪

♪Ah, enjoy the abundant spring together♪