Original subtitles

♪Having survived the winter I'm expecting the flower season♪

♪Smiling in a spring breeze I'm immersed in it♪

♪Whose breath warmed my cold heart♪

♪And stirred up ripples♪

♪A figure may be reflected in my eyes♪

♪Bring back numerous memories♪

♪Through my life I've endured hardships for love♪

♪With you My mind is still and peaceful♪

♪Don't blame fate and providence♪

♪And the merciless fortune♪

♪Wandering in the world of mortals like it's a game♪

♪Risking my heart♪

♪Isn't to be regretted♪

♪I'll exchange it for the love of my life delightedly♪

=A Dream of Splendor=

=Episode 1=

(Adapted from historical stories) (The Eastern Capital, the Northern Song Dynasty)

(Capital Security Office)

(Capital Security Office)

Venus appears in the day.

(Qiantang County) The Empress prospers.

(Qiantang County)

She'll be the second Empress Wu? [*The only female monarch in Chinese history]

(Venus appears in the day. The Empress prospers. She'll be the second Empress Wu.)

Stop.

(Officer Kong Wu of the Intelligence Agency of the Capital Security Office)

It's such a rebellious rumor.

Who asked you to make it up?

I'll confess!

I'll confess!

I'll confess everything!

Put him down.

I'll confess.

The man behind us is

Wei Ying, Magistrate of Renhe County.

He said the Empress lost her virginity a long time ago

and has deceived His Majesty for a dozen years.

The painting is proof.

What painting?

What painting?

Where is it?

Where is the painting?

Gu...

Gu Qianfan.

Living Devil.

He's the Living Devil!

(Commander Gu Qianfan of the Intelligence Agency)

(of the Capital Security Office) Now that you recognized me,

(of the Capital Security Office) tell me everything.

It's-It's in Qiantang County.

(Impartial and Perspicacious)

(Impartial and Perspicacious)

Qianfan, Qianfan.

Commissioner.

You're worthy of your reputation as the Living Devil.

You even flattened the suspect.

You flatter me. Thank you.

Don't be too modest.

His accomplice

(Commissioner Lei Jing) confessed many clues.

(of the Capital Security Office) confessed many clues.

You must be capable enough

to get to the bottom

of this case, right?

I'm just getting ready

for a trip to Jiangnan Region. [*South of the Yangtze River]

Qianfan, come.

I trust you more than anyone.

The Empress is a motherly model of the nation.

Having assisted His Majesty for years,

she's incomparably virtuous.

(Officer Yu Zhongquan) But upright officials

(of the Capital Security Office) But upright officials

always find her exasperating.

Shall I

bring back the painting

or shall I destroy it there?

Bring it back, of course.

But you must keep it secret.

It's the privacy of Her Majesty, after all.

The fewer who know about this, the better.

As for all the officials involved,

keep their mouths shut, too.

Aye.

Anyway, go forth and check it out.

Remember, we only take orders from His Majesty

to investigate all kinds of misconduct.

We're neither affiliated to the Censorate nor restrained by the Imperial Guards.

If anyone does not cooperate,

show him what you can do as the Living Devil.

If you solve the case successfully,

I promise you'll have a great future.

I'll get packed and set off immediately.

All right.

(Qiantang County)

(Zhao Pan'er, landlady of Zhao's Teahouse)

(Peach trees have blossomed.)

(Ouyang,)

(why haven't you come back yet?)

(Sun Sanniang, wife of the next-door merchant)

Pan'er!

Sanniang.

I made some Luming cakes this morning.

I used osmanthus honey,

as a blessing for success in the Imperial Examination.

Taste some and see if they're good.

I don't need to taste any.

All cakes you sell in my teahouse

can be sold out within half a day.

Customers say they like the tea I make.

But actually, most of them

visit my teahouse for your cakes.

Come on.

You're even more honey-lipped than the osmanthus honey.

If I weren't your neighbor for nearly nine years,

I would believe you.

(Delicate Fragrance)

God of Fame and Wealth,

please bless Ouyang.

Hope he won't fail the Imperial Examination again.

He used to fail

because he had bad luck.

But since you saved his life,

you've taken good care of him

like a maid for three years.

He's no longer unlucky.

You'll see.

I'm not only

a good judge of pigs,

but also persons.

This time, Ouyang

(Zhao's Teahouse) will certainly succeed.

(Zhao's Teahouse) Not a maid, but a soulmate.

Sounds similar.

(Tea is Served) Shall we compete today?

Let's see which will be sold first,

your tea or my cakes?

Bring it on.

Good morning, Ms. Zhao.

A pot of Xieyuan Tea, please.

- All right. - No problem.

I won.

You did.

Who dares to be luckier than Mrs. Ouyang,

the bride-to-be of a Presented Scholar?

How many times have I told you that?

Do not tell anyone else about my relationship with Ouyang.

Scholars care about reputations most.

In Qiantang County, a lot of people know

what I used to be.

Don't worry too much.

After he takes you to the Eastern Capital,

and marries you,

you'll always stay at home.

Who can recognize you, then?

That's exactly my plan.

So, I bought some farmlands in my homeland.

When I'm in the Eastern Capital,

I'll be Ms. Zhao from Dengzhou.

Oh, you've got a plan already.

Then why were you worried

that Mr. Ouyang might fail?

What would you like, sirs?

A pot of Xieyuan Tea, please.

Xieyuan Tea.

Some Bean Cakes, please.

All right. Some Bean Cakes.

Someone ordered your cakes. Bean Cakes.

Got it.

Sirs, come in, please.

Thank you.

Come on.

Enjoy it, please.

Someone ordered your Bean Cakes.

Pan'er,

I heard girls in the Eastern Capital

can be very straightforward.

When you're there, you'll feel at home.

Ouyang told me

that there isn't a curfew in the Eastern Capital.

The city is illuminated throughout the night.

My husband went there once.

He told me

that girls in the Eastern Capital are

beautifully groomed just like fairies.

There are hundreds of colors

for lipsticks and face powder in stores.

The girls' clothes are

even stitched with gold threads.

You don't need to imagine.

You'll be there soon.

What cakes would you like?

Do you have Peach Blossom Cakes?

Yes.

Good tea is served here.

The new Perilla Drink

also tastes great.

Look.

This is the new Perilla Drink Ms. Zhao just invented.

Enjoy the drink, please.

Commander, do you find this teahouse noisy?

(Jia) I heard that you love drinking tea.

(Jia) It's the best teahouse in Qiantang County.

Here are good tea and delicious cakes.

The landlady is gorgeous, too.

Quite outstanding.

What is she doing?

The Tea Art, I guess.

It is.

How vivid!

That's right.

Kind of great.

Peach Blossom Cakes.

Thank you.

Here's your tea.

Ma'am, two cups of Fengsui Tea.

Be right there.

Here's your tea.

Plum Preserves.

They taste better with Ginger Salt.

Thank you, ma'am.

The gorgeous landlady?

A rural woman like her

can't be as beautiful

as young ladies in the capital city.

When you're done with this case,

I'll put you back in the Eastern Capital

so that you'll have better taste.

Really?

Thank you, thank you.

Let's get down to business.

Didn't that suspect confess

that Transport Assistant Yang Zhiyuan

of Liangzhe Region [*Including 14 states and two military regions]

had The Night Revels? [*Name of the painting]

Why haven't you got the painting yet?

Sorry, Commander.

But you asked me

to keep it as secret as possible

because it's the imperial privacy.

As far as I've investigated,

Yang Zhiyuan inadvertently collected this painting,

without knowing the secret in it.

He is a high official

and quite stubborn.

If I broke into his house and asked for the painting,

he would probably make a scene.

So, I had planned to sneak in and steal the painting.

Unfortunately, he keeps it so secretly.

I failed to find it at all.

Stop!

(Zhao's Teahouse)

Stop running!

- Stop! - After them!

- Put your blades down! - Don't get any closer.

Put your blades down!

- Don't move. - Stay back, all of you!

- Don't move. - Don't move. Freeze.

Put your blades down!

- Freeze! - Freeze!

Freeze, all of you!

Behave!

Stay back!

Put your blades down.

If you get any closer,

I'll kill them all.

Stop!

Put your blades down.

One, two...

Get up.

Put your daggers down.

Get out of the teahouse!

Don't hurt people and you can name anything you want.

We want five swift horses.

Don't kill me. I've got a lot of money.

Where is it?

Over there.

Go.

Sanniang, the copper basin.

Pan'er!

No, no, no, sir.

Come on, it hurts!

Thank you.

What did you scream for?

- Come over! - Your breastbones are good.

Your thigh bones aren't broken, either.

Though your shanks just fractured,

you're not going to die.

You untaxed salt dealers,

you were just unlucky to run into Sanniang.

She used to be a butcher.

She could have castrated you.

You seem to do martial arts.

Where are you from?

Tell me your name.

Don't be rude.

Sir, please stay.

Thank you for saving my life.

I can offer nothing in return,

but a cup of tea.

This is Lingyin Buddha Tea of Qiantang County.

The annual yield is only ten liang. [*Equals 500 grams]

Please have a taste.

You can't do martial arts.

But you still helped them.

If you were hurt or dead,

wouldn't you regret it?

I wouldn't.

Once I make a decision,

however it ends up,

I will not regret it.

Capital Security Office?

You don't look like someone from the Capital Security Office.

You have to come with me.

(Capital Security Office) Open your eyes and look carefully.

(Capital Security Office)

Sorry I didn't recognize you.

Please forgive me.

You may rise.

Get back to your own case.

I didn't mean to spill it.

I beg your pardon.

Never mind. Get me another cup of tea.

It's precious.

This is all I have.

Then, make some more.

I'm not finding an excuse,

but when the intruders were here,

they knocked over the stove.

This was the only water available.

The spring water is gone, too.

If you're really thirsty,

another teahouse is right over there.

When the water is gone, go get some more.

When the stove is off, light it.

I insist on having some tea here.

If the tea you make doesn't taste good,

why not stop your business?

I'll have your teahouse torn now.

What do you think?

Oh my goodness.

He's from the Capital Security Office.

Why did you mess with him?

I just don't want them to enjoy the tea I make.

It was the officers of the Capital Security Office

who broke into my home in the middle of the night.

It's been 14 years.

When I saw the Lion-head Token,

I just...

What are you adding to the tea?

Don't do anything stupid.

This is just sugar.

Don't worry.

I've got ways to torture them.

I told the chief alone

about our identities.

But rest assured, Commander.

I warned him

not to tell anyone else.

Dragon and Phoenix Ball Tea.

Pear and Peach Preserves.

Carved Preserves.

Mung Bean Cakes.

Snakes and wasps are poisonous,

but women can be worse.

Evil woman, how dare you poison us in public?

Sir, what are you talking about?

I swear with my life

that the tea isn't poisonous.

If you don't believe me,

this is a silver hairpin.

Test the tea with it.

Dragon and Phoenix Ball Tea.

Pear and Peach Preserves.

Carved Preserves.

The preserves

seem to be ordinary sweets.

The smartest dish is this one.

Mung Bean Cakes.

People usually have such cakes with tea

unless they're brainless.

Dragon and Phoenix Ball Tea is named

for the Dragon-brain Leaves in it. [*Dragon-brain Leaves: Dipterocarpus]

Dragon-brain Leaves taste bitter while the mung is cold-natured.

Once I drink and eat together,

I will be all right at the moment.

But in four or five hours,

I'm afraid I'll be very sick with diarrhea and vomiting.

I don't get your point.

I can't predict things.

How did I know

you would order Bean Cakes?

When you fought the intruders,

the move you used to avoid their blades

came from Luyao Dance.

As far as I know,

most of these dancers

can't be decent.

Also, when you

brought drinks to your customers,

you deliberately coquetted.

No offense,

but which brothel did you work in?

I'm a common woman.

Don't talk nonsense.

Sounds like she was a pariah.

Very well. Tell me about your experiences.

Now that you hate the Capital Security Office,

you must know our jobs.

If you're honest,

I'll let you go for now.

But if you lie or hide anything,

I assure you,

in less than three days,

everyone in Qiantang County will be familiar

with whatever you have done.

I'm Zhao Pan'er,

24 years old.

I'm from Dengzhou.

At the age of nine, I was an official slave because of my father's guilt.

I served as a music performer in Hangzhou Music Bureau.

When I was 16, the Governor announced an amnesty

and I was no longer a music performer.

Enough.

I know you're not an ignorant rural woman.

But an unbending tree is easily broken.

I hope you can understand that.

Learn your lesson.

We should go.

(Tea is Served)

Don't take that personally.

Pretend he was talking nonsense.

I'm fine with that.

I was a pariah, so what?

It was my fate,

but it wasn't my fault.

At the pariah status, I was chaste

and I didn't sell my body.

When I'm a civilian, I sell tea for a living,

instead of abandoning myself to vice.

I don't feel shameful at all.

What a filthy woman!

She's way too offensive!

Commander,

should I...

Gorgeous.

Rural woman.

Evil woman.

Filthy woman.

You indeed have a broad vocabulary.

This is where you stop.

Do not make trouble for her.

You just heard her, right?

She was made a pariah because of her father's guilt.

Under such circumstances,

she's very likely to be the daughter of a guilty official.

She changed her attitude abruptly.

I guess her family were captured

by guards of the Capital Security Office.

No wonder she doesn't behave

like an ordinary woman.

So, she was from an official family.

(Fu Zifang, Sanniang's son)

Nice kick, Ms. Zhao!

Fu Zifang, how dare you skip classes again!

Come on. Come and hit me.

You can't get me.

How dare you still run!

Don't you dare!

Stop.

How dare you run!

You play truant every day!

Pan'er!

Yinzhang.

I heard your teahouse was broken into

and then I rushed over.

Are you all right?

(Zhao's Teahouse)

(Zhao's Teahouse) Yinzhang.

(Zhao's Teahouse) Yinping.

Who is this?

(Zhou She, Song Yinzhang, Yinping)

This is Zhou She.

In case I got too worried,

he dropped me off.

Zhou She?

I'm Zhou She. Nice to meet you, Ms. Zhao.

Every day,

Yinzhang talks about you at least ten times.

Ms. Zhao,

you're indeed bright and special.

Step in, please.

Let me help you.

(Zhao's Teahouse) (Tea is Served)

Who's that man?

Yinzhang met him 15 days ago.

A lot of tea sets were broken.

What a pity!

Pan'er.

I know famous porcelain merchants in Qiantang County.

If you need...

Don't bother.

I'm just doing small business.

Certainly nothing that would require your thumb.

Come here, please.

Zhou She, be seated.

Today, we're here

because we have something to tell you.

According to Yinzhang,

you're like her real sister.

I had a crush on her

and I love her deeply.

So, I came to propose marriage.

My family has been doing business in Huaiyang for generations,

trading fur products.

I have a dozen stores, nearly a hundred servants,

and several houses.

If you kindly allow us to get married,

I will treat her as my lifetime treasure

and love her forever.

No. You can't marry him.

Yinzhang, you're still young

and you only focus on pipa playing. [*Pipa: a plucked string instrument]

I told you how to judge people.

But I guess

you've never kept it in mind.

According to Yinping,

you've known Mr. Zhou

for even less than 15 days.

Think about it.

He's a traveling merchant

and he has seen all kinds of beautiful girls.

Why did he have a crush on you at first sight?

It's just our fate.

Yinzhang and I fell in love because of a song.

Exactly.

That day, I was upset,

so I played the Song of Wang Zhaojun. [*Wang Zhaojun: Famous beautiful girl in history]

He heard the song from afar on the lake

and then he played the flute with me.

Then we got to know each other.

Pan'er,

Zhou She is my soulmate.

What follows "She left the palace for the desert desolate"?

He doesn't even know Du Fu's poem. [*Du Fu: A famous poet of the Tang Dynasty]

What makes him your soulmate?

Such easy tricks for the demimonde

can only fool girls like you.

Pan'er, Zhou She isn't that kind of man.

Look how he's holding the teacup.

With his middle finger and thumb.

It's how a gambler holds the dice.

He also has the smell of Freshening Incense.

This kind of incense

can only be afforded in the costliest brothels.

He's good at playing the flute?

What kind of rich merchant

has time to play the flute?

He's nothing,

but a debauchee among brothels.

Ms. Zhao, let me explain.

- Don't bother to explain. - I...

Stop making up more stories.

Anyway,

I don't allow you to get married.

But Pan'er...

In this case,

I'll take my leave.

Do yourself a favor and leave.

(Tea is Served)

Zhou She, don't leave!

Yinzhang, say no more.

I was being nice to her

just because she's your sister.

But what did she do to me?

I do business everywhere

and I need to be respected.

She just cared too much about me.

In this world,

only you and she

care about me.

I know she's concerned about you.

But if I have to wait for this long,

I can't bear it.

I'll go persuade her.

(Zhao's Teahouse)

If you still regard me as your sister,

do not hang out with him anymore.

Pan'er,

I'm not as lucky as you.

You met Ouyang

and you two love each other.

Now that I can't marry a scholar,

marrying a rich merchant

for the rest of my life

would be the best choice for me.

You were set free a long time ago

and you don't know

how hard life could be for pariahs like us.

I used to be a fool.

Over the years,

I cared for nothing, but pipa and music scores.

I thought of myself as a musician

that even noblemen respected

and I always looked down

on those singing performers who pleased others by their beauties.

It was not until you told me

that a musician was a music performer

did I wake from my dream.

The pariah statue is handed down through generations.

A pariah can't marry a common civilian

or redeem herself.

Pan'er, I don't want to accompany guests

in drinking at official banquets.

I don't want to be caged forever.

Didn't I tell you?

When Ouyang passes the Imperial Exam and becomes an official,

he'll come back and plead with Prefect Xu

for setting you free.

What if he fails?

What if Prefect Xu doesn't help?

I'm not your biological sister, anyway.

And I'm the best pipa player in Hangzhou.

Will Prefect Xu easily get me out of the pariah status?

I don't want to wait for even a single day.

Now, Zhou She wants to marry me.

And he's rich.

He's rich?

But are you short of money?

You know that.

No registered musician

can be redeemed with money before she's 35.

If you only have a wedding,

you can't be a common civilian.

Actually, you aren't even a concubine.

I'll be his wife, of course.

Zhou She promised,

as long as I marry him,

he will beg his uncle, Controller-general of Yingtian Prefecture.

With his uncle's help,

I can soon become a civilian.

If Prefect Xu doesn't free you,

how can Zhou She's uncle do that?

How can a Controller-general of Yingtian Prefecture

interfere with Hangzhou Music Bureau?

Think it over.

If Zhou She were really that perfect,

why did he suddenly come to Qiantang County?

And why would he marry no one but you?

I know life is hard for registered musicians.

But you get paid by the Music Bureau,

accept rewards from noblemen,

and enjoy a rich and carefree life.

You even have a maid.

Compared to what we suffered,

your life is already wonderful.

Instead of being a trapped parrot in the gold cage,

I prefer to be a free wild bird in the field.

But how do you know

that he isn't up to something else?

He just loves me and cares about me.

What else can he be up to?

He's already rich.

Why would he be greedy for my money?

You always expect to marry a Presented Scholar.

Why can't I marry a rich merchant?

Fine. I'll stop arguing with you.

Leave and marry him

as you wish.

But the stores and assets

I'm taking care of on your behalf...

Never dream to take away any of them.

They belong to me.

Why can you hang onto them?

Because before your sister died,

she asked me to look after you.

You say that he'll be nice to you,

fine.

Let him prove it.

Ask him to marry you officially in Qiantang County.

If he does that,

I'll give you

every penny of yours.

And the dowry I have long prepared for you.

Otherwise,

I would rather throw your money in the West Lake.

Did Yinzhang really say that?

If I did not do something harsh,

she would not wake up.

All these years,

you've been protecting her too much.

She isn't silly.

She's just simple-minded.

But I have to protect her.

I owe her sister, anyway.

Where on earth does Zhou She live?

To deal with such a man,

we should just punch him.

Come on,

why didn't you tell me earlier?

You were busy punishing your son.

Mother, I'm your son.

If you hurt me,

who else can make you an official's mother?

How dare you come back!

If I didn't come back, no one could notify you of something.

When I was on Ren'an Bridge,

I saw Ms. Song and Mr. Zhou

getting out of the town by boat.

Her maid Yinping

stayed with them.

They were taking a lot of cases.

Can they be eloping?

What did you say?

Commander, what do we do?

Go to Yang Zhiyuan's house immediately,

tell him who you are and ask for the painting.

If he still doesn't give it to you,

I have to go and meet him personally.

Aye.

Did you fail to catch up?

Take it easy.

Zhou She is from Huaiyang, right?

We know his identity.

He can't run away.

I asked in the fur store.

Zhou She isn't a merchant from Huaiyang at all.

And among all controller-generals,

no one has a wife named Ms. Zhou.

So, he's a fraud?

Luckily, Yinping is sensible.

Now that she has left with Yinzhang,

she will try to send us messages.

Hope so.

My teahouse is smashed.

Sanniang, stop cleaning.

Ouyang used to say

that a scholar would have a bad reputation

if he married a businesswoman.

I was worried

about who would take care of my teahouse

after I went to the capital city.

Looks like

this is just my fate.

You don't need to close the teahouse.

I can't make tea.

But I can make cakes

and drinks.

I can also serve as the cashier.

You should solve Yinzhang's problem first.

Yinzhang is a silly girl.

She doesn't know

that she will be flogged for leaving without permission.

If authorities of the Music Bureau know

that she eloped, what would happen?

Then what do we do?

I want to request Mr. Yang Zhiyuan

to plead for Yinzhang with the authorities.

Mr. Yang came occasionally for the tea

and bought some paintings from you.

Will he take on such a big responsibility?

I can't care for so much now.

He kind of owes me, after all.

Mr. Yang lives out of the town.

And it's getting dark.

Be very careful.

I will.

Ms. Zhao, be patient, please.

Master is busy with the river engineering work

and he seldom comes out of his study these two days.

How about waiting in the back room?

I'll check it out in his study.

But I'm in such a hurry that I can't wait.

Let me tell Master about your visit, all right?

These are cakes for Mrs. Yang.

Please give them to her.

Thank you, Ms. Zhao.

Be seated, please.

How daring!

I'm Transport Assistant Yang Zhiyuan of Liangzhe Region!

Who dares to break into my house?

(Commander Gu Qianfan of the Intelligence Agency) I'm Gu Qianfan,

Commander of the Capital Security Office.

You...

Oh, I see. Since I don't sell the painting to you,

you broke into my house so late.

How...

How lawless you are!

Stop!

Search. Search carefully!

You stop!

What do you think you're doing?

Don't break anything!

Even if you're from the Capital Security Office,

you can't be such a bully!

Give me The Night Revels and I'm leaving immediately.

Why must you have that painting?

(Augury)

(Transport Assistant Yang Zhiyuan) Augury?

I came to Jiangnan Region

to arrest Magistrate Wei of Renhe County.

I don't mean to hurt you.

But if you don't appreciate my kindness...

I'll just give you the painting.

Commander, here it is.

Gu Qianfan!

Are you the grandson of Gu Shenyan, the former Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites?

I am. Why, ma'am?

It is really you.

Honey, Honey,

he's Gu Qianfan. The Living Devil!

He came here because of the augury.

We mustn't mess with him.

I'm not scared of him!

Honey, Honey...

Shuniang,

(Mrs. Yang) if you could feel in heaven,

have a good look.

Look how your ridiculous son is

bullying your old friend!

As a literary family for five generations,

the Gu Family has unyielding integrity.

But you're an exception, scoundrel.

You even work for eunuchs!

Honey, Honey, stop.

She's sick.

- You frame officials and attack opponents! - Get her back to her room, hurry!

You're so wicked, just like your father!

Hurry.

My wife was a little bit crazy

and she was just talking nonsense.

Commander, please don't be angry.

Mr. Yang,

this is a fake painting.

♪A feeling of depression♪

♪Falls on those will part just like moonlight♪

♪How can we forget each other♪

♪Wind blows and time flies♪

♪When the splendor fades away only the smell lingers♪

♪In the corner of memories there are sad moments♪

♪Emotions go on and on♪

♪Because time is short but love is hot♪

♪Stars wink for you♪

♪Romance is crazy about you♪

♪Who even waits for you♪

♪Until the end of her life♪

♪When I look back one day♪

♪I'll let go of everything♪

♪I'll hold your hand and never let you down♪

♪Ah Ah Ah♪

♪When our eyes get wet with tears for each other♪

♪Ah Ah Ah♪

♪I'll enjoy a simple life with you♪