Original subtitles

SUBTITLE | RiPPED FROM A YOUKU YOUTUBE RELEASE

A "Spirit of Joy"

refers to a deceased person who can't be buried right away.

This Midnight Inn caters to both the living and the dead.

Its white lanterns in the front yard welcome passing merchants,

while its red lanterns in the back yard welcome the spirits.

♪ The first day, the wooden stick breaks from beatings ♪

♪ The next day, the embroidered dress is worn from kneeling ♪

♪ Once buried, a wife must still fulfill her duties ♪

Hurry up.

A red coffin, red attire, red joss paper, and red lanterns,

these four reds signal

a ghost bride's reburial for a ghost marriage.

But there's a custom:

before the marriage, the bride must spend a night at the mortuary,

where the esteemed innkeeper Huai,

who knows the ways of the living and the dead,

helps set the rules for her.

Hurry now.

The red thread and cinnabar powder.

Oh no, I forgot them.

( Qiao Xianglan from Binjiang )

Do you really think we might run into a ghost?

Better safe than sorry.

Who is it?

Sorry to bother you.

You are peddlers, right?

Oh, you are the innkeeper.

Do you have a needle, red thread, and cinnabar powder?

I have the needle and thread.

How much cinnabar powder do you need?

Eight qian, and it needs to be premium grade.

Please wait.

We don't have any cinnabar powder.

Isn't this just rouge?

There's no guarantee for others,

but I'm giving you the right amount.

Here you are.

If there's any noise outside, act like you didn't hear it.

Don't open the door if someone knocks after I leave.

And if the sticky rice changes color...

it means trouble.

All right.

See you.

Who is it?

Scissors.

Scissors, huh? Wait there.

Scissors.

Why does she need scissors in the middle of the night?

My goodness.

Um...

Why are you so drenched?

Mr. Huai.

It's all right now.

It's a sleep talisman drawn with cinnabar powder.

It can calm the spirit.

Cinnabar... cinnabar powder?

( Midnight Inn )

In the end, those two crooks

had their souls consumed by the female ghost.

Fortunately, our innkeeper was tough

and managed to escape.

Just think about it.

These scoundrels sold fake cinnabar powder.

They might fool people,

but can they deceive the heavens?

You are scaring people with ghost stories again, aren't you?

I'm not making this up.

The innkeeper told me this himself.

That's enough now.

Go boil some water.

Will the Spirit of Joy really rise from the dead?

Don't listen to his nonsense.

It's just the old man's way of entertaining us.

It's getting late.

If there's nothing else, you should get some rest.

Master,

this place is pretty creepy.

They are moving! Master, the paper figures are moving!

At the entrance to the underworld, by the River of Yin and Yang,

The Midnight Inn has many rules.

White lanterns welcome the living,

while red lanterns greet the dead.

Don't look at the sticky rice near the threshold when you enter.

If it's the dead, it will change color.

It's best to stay away from this place

to avoid risking your life for a mere bargain.

Don't talk nonsense at this late hour.

Who would come to this godforsaken place if they had money?

Here.

When did you come in?

Listen.

The innkeeper isn't here today,

so I won't kick you out.

Once the rain stops, you better head out yourself.

I suggest you all don't hang around.

Rumor has it that a terrifying Spirit of Joy is here,

and his name is Sage-like.

Are you done yet?

- If the dead were to rise, - Enough already.

- none of you would make it out alive. - Leave.

Madam,

you don't look like you're here to check in.

Is there something I can help you with?

Is the innkeeper around?

He's out at the moment.

If you need anything, you can tell me.

Sir, does your Midnight Inn

have a Spirit of Joy named Sage-like?

Master, who is Sage-like?

The Midnight Inn caters to both the living and the dead,

so naturally,

we've had quite a few bodies.

However, none match the one you just mentioned.

You are Mrs. An, right?

Your family owns half of the banks in Qingyun Town.

Did you come at this hour

just to search for a corpse?

Sir,

could you take me to the morgue for a quick look?

I've already told you.

The one you are looking for isn't here.

I've come to Midnight Inn because I am in real trouble.

If this isn't resolved,

the An Family

may never have a peaceful life.

In that case,

why are you seeking out Sage-like?

In fact, this issue's been bugging me for long.

It's like a nightmare

I can never escape.

That year,

my mother died,

and my father seemed to become a different person.

He became addicted to opium,

and he got into gambling.

Sit down!

Another round!

Another round?

Gong Laosan, your money, house deed, and land deed are all here.

Lose again, and you'll be left with nothing but your underwear.

Look at yourself!

Don't say I didn't try to help you.

You've still got something left to bet.

If you're willing,

the money and deeds will be yours again if you win.

What is this thing then?

Go ahead and keep gambling!

You're actually using your own daughter as a bet.

What kind of father are you?

Don't you know what kind of a scumbag Luo Laoqi is?

All his wives were beaten to death by him.

- I might as well die! - Qing!

Don't do that!

Please don't!

I'm a terrible person.

I've failed my daughter.

Anyone home?

Who is it?

You are...

I'm Liu Er, the butler of the An Family.

I'm here to inquire

about the mortuary attire for our mistress tomorrow.

What burial...

Father.

Rest assured, Mr. Liu.

I've got the clothes ready.

I'll bring them over to you tomorrow.

All right.

Also, please remember

that the waist of the clothes needs to be half a chi larger.

Yes, I remember.

That's good then.

Has Mrs. An passed away?

I've seen her before. She wasn't overweight.

Why does the clothing need to be half a chi larger?

She was pregnant,

so two lives were lost.

You spend all your time gambling.

What could you possibly know?

Qing.

Two lives were lost.

( The Technique of Fortune-Bearing Child )

Fortune-Bearing Child.

This is quite unexpected.

How come Mrs. An passed away all of a sudden?

Father,

look at how big their residence is.

Sir, may I ask...

Father, he's a guest.

Please make way.

Thank you.

He's here.

Master,

Sage-like is here.

Mr. Sage, I've been expecting you.

Hao, come and greet Mr. Sage.

Mr. Sage, this way, please.

Please.

Excuse me,

could you tell me

who this is

and why was he greeted by Master?

You don't know him?

I don't.

Sage-like is renowned as a skilled fortune-teller.

When the mistress was still alive,

she would often have him perform rituals

for divine intervention,

and it always worked.

Now,

Mr. An has specifically invited him here

to perform a funeral ritual for Mrs. An.

Perform a funeral ritual.

Mr. Gong, why are you just arriving?

Have you got all the clothes with you?

- We have. - They are all here.

Hurry and come with me.

Let's go.

Oh, isn't this Gong Laosan?

You two are really getting fancy, huh?

Gong Laosan,

you have to give me 500 silver coins in three days.

If you can't pay up,

your daughter will be mine.

In that case,

I suppose I should start calling you father-in-law.

Guess we'll be family soon.

What are you trying to do?

Three days.

You only have three days.

Let's go.

Father.

Father.

I'm really sorry.

We're out of options here as well.

We'll definitely provide offerings every year

and keep the incense burning.

Father, let's leave.

Even if you took the jade in her mouth,

it's not worth 500 silver coins.

We won't be stealing it.

Qing,

have you ever heard of Fortune-Bearing Child?

This stillborn baby,

having died before birth,

carries immense resentment.

By making offerings to keep it in the world,

it might help grant our wishes

and bring us luck in exchange.

However, it's an extremely dangerous practice.

If it works, it brings wealth.

If it fails, it can be deadly.

Father, how can you do something like this?

There will be repercussions.

That's the least of my concern now.

I'm not going to sell you to Luo Laoqi.

Move aside.

Father, someone's coming.

Someone's coming.

Stop hiding. Come out now.

I knew something was off about you.

So you really are the one responsible for her death.

What are you up to?

Not going to tell me, huh?

Master!

Young Master is dead!

Young Master is dead!

( Gong's Undertaking Shop )

Mr. Gong.

Mr. Gong.

Mr. Gong.

Coming.

Gong Qing.

Mr. Liu,

why the sudden visit?

Didn't we deliver the clothes to you yesterday?

This time, it's for my young master.

What happened to Young Master An?

Don't even get me started.

Sage-like said my mistress was carrying an evil fetus.

Not only did it cause her death,

but it also emerged

from her corpse last night

and killed Young Master An.

Now, our whole household is in chaos.

Sage-like is trying to find a way to capture that evil fetus.

Gong Qing,

Can you rush the mortuary attire for us?

Sure.

I'll count on you then.

I must attend to other matters and take my leave now.

Oddly enough,

ever since we made offerings to the Spirit Child that day,

my dad's luck with gambling has suddenly improved.

Another round!

Qing,

I've paid off my debt.

And I still have quite some money left.

Take it.

When you get married,

it will be part of your dowry.

What's wrong, Qing? Is there something troubling you?

Father, my right eyelid has been twitching lately,

and I have a bad feeling that something's going to happen.

Maybe

we should tell the An Family about the murder Sage-like committed.

It's better to avoid trouble if we can.

We're just common folk.

We can't afford to make enemies.

If the An Family hadn't listened to that evil fortune-teller,

they wouldn't be in trouble.

It's not our fault.

I'm hungry. Go get me some rice.

That's strange.

Why aren't you eating?

Qing?

Father,

I feel cold.

What's the matter, Father?

I'm fine.

Father, our lives are better now.

Please promise me

that we'll live a steady and reliable life from now on,

and quit gambling for good.

I promise you.

I will never gamble again.

I want to see my daughter

marry with honor and pride.

Father.

I'll go get some rice for you.

Who is it?

Father, open the door. I'm back.

I just delivered Young Master An's mortuary attire.

Open the door, Father.

Father, open the door.

Father.

Open the door, Father.

I'm back.

Father.

Open the door, Father.

Father, open the door.

Father.

Father!

Father!

Go!

Father.

Father.

What's going on, Father?

Father.

Father! Open the door, Father.

What's happening?

Father!

Father.

Open the door.

Father.

Father.

Open the door, Father.

Open the door, Father.

Cutting the clothes

and opening the belly,

it was you who made a wish to me.

The red thread has snapped,

and you didn't burn any incense.

Now, you must pay with your life for your ingratitude.

- Father. - Don't go inside. Let's leave.

The fire's too intense. Let's get out of here!

Father!

Father!

It wasn't until later that I found out

the Spirit Child was a wicked fetus

cultivated by Sage-like for his Vajra Practice.

Getting entangled with it

meant the only solution was to pay with your life.

If, as you said,

the dead fetus had been cremated,

why are you still looking for Sage-like?

You used to sell mortuary attire.

How did you become Mrs. An?

After my father died,

I told the An Family about the murder Sage-like committed.

Mr. An reported it to the police,

and Sage-like was shot dead.

Later, seeing my plight,

Mr. An took me in.

This young lady is so beautiful.

If I were Mr. An, I'd want to marry her too.

Daydreaming again, huh?

Done cleaning the table?

If you are, go keep watch at the morgue tonight.

Why is it me again?

Half a year ago,

Mr. An died of illness,

and I thought all the troubles were over.

But just a few days ago,

Once again, strange things have resumed.

Cutting the clothes and opening the belly,

it was you who made a wish to me.

The red thread has snapped, and you didn't burn any incense.

Now, you must pay with your life for your ingratitude.

Madam.

That day...

That day, I almost killed my own child.

I thought that the evil fetus was burned to ashes.

How come it reappeared?

I find it strange too.

I believe that the evil fetus was crafted by Sage-like.

He must be involved in this.

Could it be that he's still alive

and that's why the evil fetus has returned?

Sir, please tell me.

Is Sage-like's body

at the Midnight Inn?

Master.

Someone, please come!

- Someone! - What's wrong?

Sir, look. Sage-like's coffin has been opened.

Don't go.

How come it's him?

This old beggar was actually stealing from the dead.

You miserable wretch.

Of all people,

you just had to steal from Sage-like?

It's like a starved ghost meeting the god of death.

You're cursed with bad luck!

Sage-like.

Does this mean

Sage-like isn't actually dead?

Where's the body then?

A dead person can't cross the sticky rice near the threshold,

so he can't go anywhere.

He's definitely still in the inn.

Let's go look for him.

Miss Gong,

do you recall our first encounter?

It was at Mrs. An's funeral.

That year, the An Family invited us to perform a mourning opera.

Since the mistress died tragically,

according to tradition,

we had to perform

for the dead on the first night

to ward off evil and ensure peace.

Back then, I wasn't famous yet,

and I always played the role of the hanged ghost.

Are you ready, Changwu?

Yes, I am.

Come quickly.

Get up now and arrange the offerings properly.

Back then, nobody dared to play a ghost

for fear of bad omens.

Mr. Patriarch,

when will I become a star?

Why are you here?

Who are you?

This isn't for the living to eat,

and this play isn't for the living to watch.

Hurry up and leave.

I have nowhere to go.

You...

Stop.

Stop the performance.

Have you seen a young girl?

A young girl?

I haven't. Besides, no living person would have the guts

to watch this performance.

Where did the young maid serving the mistress go?

The mistress has passed away.

Why is she running around instead of watching over her?

What do you think?

Sage-like, the fortune-teller,

said that the mistress died with unresolved grievances,

so they picked a maid to accompany her in death.

Her brother agreed to get money for his bride price.

Go check in the back.

All right, let's go.

Don't stop.

Hurry and continue.

Come with me.

Go hide in here and stay quiet.

You go over there.

Okay.

If you dare to hide her,

your troupe won't be able to perform ever again.

Don't worry. If anyone dares to hide her,

I'll break their legs

so they can't perform for the rest of their life.

What's inside this?

The statue of the Opera God.

Open it.

The sacred box cannot be opened.

It really cannot be opened.

You might not know this.

During the performance for the dead,

the sacred box backstage protects the troupe.

Therefore, it must never be opened.

If the box is opened, it will invite all sorts of calamities

and cause trouble on stage.

Exactly.

Please be lenient.

This box is dedicated to our ancestors,

and we certainly can't afford to offend them.

That's right.

Who are you trying to scare here?

I knew you wouldn't dare.

Indeed.

Know your place.

Yes.

Who do you think you are?

You are just after the money.

Hurry up and set up these offerings.

Be careful not to anger our ancestors.

Come out now.

Hide out here for a few days.

I'll take you out once we finish the performance.

Thank you, Sir.

I don't even know your name yet.

You can just call me Changwu.

What's your name?

I'm Xianglan.

What a shame.

Not really.

I don't deserve to have those proper costumes.

Changwu, I saw it just now.

Your performance was excellent.

No matter how well I perform, I'll only get to play the hanged ghost.

You will surely get other roles other than the hanged ghost.

Be careful, all of you.

I'm sorry.

- It's all right. - Sorry.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

It's so hard to find that brat.

Even so, we still need to find her.

Young Master told us

to find her no matter the cost.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

Xianglan.

Xiang...

Changwu.

Jiang Changwu!

Coming.

Mr. Ma, one more time, please.

An encore, please, Mr. Ma.

Sir.

What is it?

When can I get on stage?

How can you go on stage when your wig's all burned up?

- Bravo! - Bravo!

Changwu, I'm the one performing today.

You have no right to take this, don't you think?

Changwu,

I was just joking with you. Take it.

I heard that you are extremely good at doing somersaults.

Sir.

It seems a good opportunity today. Shall we give him a chance?

Okay then. Since Mr. Ma has made the request,

we'll give him a chance today.

Changwu,

hurry and thank Mr. Ma now.

Thank you, Mr. Ma.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Bravo! - Bravo!

You two are really getting fancy, huh?

He's not so good after all.

Let's go.

Stop.

You've failed my expectations and embarrassed me.

You incapable fool.

And you are dreaming of becoming a star?

What a joke.

Changwu.

When did you come out?

Are you not afraid that they might see you?

Changwu,

I saw it just now. It wasn't your fault.

Your somersaults were so good.

You are bound for stardom one day.

No need to comfort me.

This is my fate.

Changwu,

this is for you.

You are quite skilled.

My mother used to make this for me.

When I was little, she enrolled me in an opera troupe for training

I was only five.

We barely had anything to eat at the time.

My mother was bullied a lot by those jerks from the troupe

to get me the chance to learn how to perform the opera.

I've made an oath since then.

I must try hard

to become a star

and make it big.

Now I've only got myself to blame.

What did you use to fix it?

It's fine. My hair's quite long.

But you must promise

that you won't damage it

or give it to others.

Also,

you must give it back

if you no longer need it.

I promise.

I will definitely treasure it.

I'll be doomed if I don't keep the promise.

Sir,

Miss An wants to see Mr. Ma playing the hanged ghost.

Is it still okay to ask you to play the hanged ghost,

Mr. Ma?

Since Miss An wants to see it,

I shall do my best.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Bravo! - Bravo!

As expected of Ma Shuncheng.

Sir, it doesn't seem right.

No one would play the hanged ghost like that.

What do you know?

This is what we call skills.

He's dead!

My goodness.

Did any of you mess with the sacred box?

What are we going to do about this, Sir?

Sir. Something bad has happened.

Young Master An died last night.

This is such bad luck.

How are we supposed to perform

the funeral opera now?

Keep performing

and you must perform well.

Mr. Sage, you are finally here.

Something evil appeared here yesterday.

Please help us take a look.

Sage-like is here.

On the day you started your performance,

something evil appeared

and someone was haunted by it.

I knew it.

This is such a mess.

Mr. Sage,

please help us check

what kind of trouble we are we faced with?

It's a vengeful ghost.

A vengeful ghost? What should we do know?

What do we do?

It will show up

tonight as well.

Mr. Sage,

please help us

think of a solution.

Yes, Sage-like, please help.

This evil being likes opera.

So just perform another opera tonight.

Let him do it.

Mr. Sage, you have keen eyes.

He usually plays the hanged ghost in the troupe.

No.

Let him play the divine warrior

and slay the ghost with the blade.

Stay focused, all of you.

Changwu.

Move!

I don't want to be buried with the mistress.

Stop struggling.

What's going on here?

What's the matter?

This is the young girl we were trying to find the other day.

It turns out she was hiding in the haystack in the barn all along.

You are quite wily, aren't you?

Luckily, Sage-like figured it out.

Or else, we won't make it to the burial.

So this is the young maid you were looking for?

Of course. Or do you want to replace her?

Are there any other maids?

There's only one maid.

If you want, you two could make a pair.

Then,

who is Xianglan?

There was a girl named Xianglan who lived on the main street

and loved watching operas.

She went out one time to see an opera and never came back.

Her body was found in a water tank.

Her death was quite peculiar.

She probably fell victim to a human trafficker's trap.

Why does Sage-like want to let Jiang Changwu

play the divine warrior to subdue the ghost?

Don't you know?

Sage-like said

that the female ghost's target is Jiang Changwu.

Changwu.

- Slash her. - Do it now, Changwu.

We will make you a star.

You must give it back

if you no longer need it.

- Slash her. - Do it now!

- Slash her. - Changwu!

- Slash her. - You must give it back.

We will make you a star.

- Slash her! - Do it now!

Changwu.

Blood!

What's going on?

What's happening?

There really is something evil.

I need to take this broken hair and burn it

to make sure it turns to ashes.

( Binjiang News: Sage-like,.. )

( ..the Human Trafficker and Wicked Fortune-Teller Is Executed )

Later, I finally became a lead actor,

but then I saw in the newspaper

that Sage-like had been shot.

Years went by,

and I thought that was the end of it.

Until today...

- Bravo! - Bravo!

Mr. Jiang, thanks for your hard work today.

I've made a bowl of soup to soothe your throat.

We're counting on you to support our little troupe.

Also,

there's a box here

that's specifically for you.

Changwu.

I don't see anything.

I know

that even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me.

What's that awful smell?

Is this the hair of that ghost Xianglan?

I thought Sage-like had already burned it?

I am just as confused,

so I came to the Midnight Inn looking for Sage-like.

So,

you're saying Sage-like really isn't dead?

After all, neither of us actually saw him

get executed back then.

Mrs. An,

it sounds like you and him

are quite acquainted from the way you're talking.

I wouldn't say we're well-acquainted,

but I often hear Miss An

mention Mr. Jiang.

Miss An?

Sage-like has died long ago.

What makes you so sure?

I was the one who retrieved his body back then.

The old innkeeper had some ties with Sage-like.

I was just a kid

when we brought the body back.

It's been kept in this inn ever since.

Fascinating.

A rich and powerful lady

and a famous Peking opera star

are visiting this desolate place

in the middle of the night to find a deceased person.

Stay here.

Don't come any closer.

Even if you turn into a ghost, I'm not afraid of you.

You were meant to die anyway.

You were meant to die anyway!

Your daughter's death has nothing to do with me.

It has nothing to do with me!

You both

have told such captivating stories.

Since you're here,

let me share my own story as well.

It's far more terrifying

than yours.

( Sage-like's fortune-telling stall )

Freshly cooked buns.

This one.

This one, then.

An egg.

One egg a day,

keeps the illness at bay.

I've got an egg.

Father, you are being biased.

Where's my egg?

Father.

Mr. Sage-like.

I'm Liu Er, the butler of the An Family.

My master would like you to come by the residence

for an important matter.

We'll count on you.

A sparrow.

You keep playing.

Father, is he your new customer?

The mistress of the An Family passed away.

They want me to go and arrange a date for her burial.

The An Family?

Father, considering how rich the An Family is,

they must have hired an opera troupe for the funeral, right?

Even if there is a performance, you can't go.

I'm busy with important things,

and it's inappropriate to bring you with me.

Father, please take us with you.

There's no business lately anyway.

Besides, it'll be so crowded

that no one will notice if we slip in.

Can we go?

Right, Xiangyu?

There's an opera performance. Do you want to go?

- Father, please take us with you. - Please.

All right then.

You will have to keep an eye on your brother.

Stop!

Stop running!

Make way!

- Stop! - Stop!

I dare you to run away again.

Get up.

- Take him away. - Move!

Mrs. An was born during a time of day with heavy yin energy

and she was pregnant,

making her yin energy even more intense.

Tomorrow, people born in the Year of the Rooster

should avoid heading west.

The Azure Dragon will emerge,

providing strong yang energy.

Hence, the most suitable time for the burial is tomorrow.

Master, we have a guest.

Coming.

Father.

Father, let's go watch the opera together.

I've got other things to attend to.

Qiao.

Please make way.

Qiao, it really is you.

Are you blind or something?

I didn't expect to see you here, Qiao.

It's been so long since I last saw you.

Yes, it's been years.

This is...

She's my daughter.

This is Uncle Qiao.

Back then, we encountered some bandits at the inn.

It was your Uncle Qiao who saved me.

Just some old story. No need to bring it up.

This is my daughter, Xianglan, and my son, Xiangyu.

Why are you two only arriving now?

Have you got all the clothes with you?

We have.

Hurry and come with me.

- Let's go. - Excuse us.

- Hurry up. - Qiao.

Come to my place for a drink next time.

Okay.

A rich lady remains a rich lady,

adorned even in death with gold and gems.

Just look at this jade piece.

How much do you think it's worth?

She was born into immense wealth.

How can we compare with her?

However,

people's fates are predetermined.

However rich she was,

she's lying here now.

I refuse to believe in fate.

Why was I born poor

with a gambling addict for a father?

I was trying to help cure your mother.

What other options do I have?

But she wasn't cured in the end.

Instead, it left us with a huge debt.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Bravo! - Bravo!

Have you seen a boy who's about this tall?

I haven't.

Xianglan, what are you looking at?

What are you doing? Where did you go?

I didn't go anywhere.

Father said that you shouldn't wonder about. Come.

I'm a big boy now.

I won't get lost.

Come and watch the opera with me.

Come now.

Look.

Sit here.

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Bravo! - Bravo!

- Bravo! - Bravo!

That's Sage-like's daughter.

You have to give me 500 silver coins in three days.

If you can't pay up,

your daughter will be mine.

He's not so good after all.

Wait for me here. Don't wander off again.

Actually, I think your performance was great.

It's better than the other ones I saw before.

You are bound for stardom one day.

No need to comfort me.

Our troupe leader is right.

I

am just so incapable

and I'll never succeed.

So what?

People who start incapable

could also achieve something great in the future.

Trust me. You will make it big in the future.

What's your name?

Xianglan.

And your name is?

I'm Jiang Changwu.

I'll remember that.

Get in there.

Let me out.

Let me out.

You are Xianglan, right?

Where's my brother?

Don't worry. Someone's looking after him.

Since you are here,

join me for a drink.

Come.

What's the meaning of this?

Come.

Do you like them?

I don't need these.

No. I have to go home.

Let go!

Let go of me.

You better know your place.

Do you know how many women are trying to sleep with me?

Yet, I won't even take a look at them.

Don't come any closer.

Come over here.

Let go of me.

Let go of me.

Let go of me!

You darned girl, you sure know how to hide.

You two, go to the back yard. And you two, go to the front yard.

- Yes! - Make sure to find her.

Over there.

Hey, what's the matter?

A young girl stabbed Young Master to death.

Leave now since you aren't involved.

Let's go.

Have you seen a girl in a red waistcoat?

I haven't.

Really?

Really.

- Keep searching. - Okay.

Why are they trying to catch you?

Don't be scared.

If you have nowhere else to go, you can hide here for now.

After we finish performing in three days,

I'll help you leave.

Father.

( Two months later ) Please let me marry Changwu.

No.

I won't agree with that.

Father.

Father.

I know you're looking out for me,

but I'm already with Changwu,

and

I'm pregnant with his baby.

Xianglan.

Come here.

Xianglan, what happened to your hair?

I cut it to fix Changwu's wig.

Xianglan,

are you about to leave?

Swear before the ancestors of the Qiao Family.

First,

you must not get involved with other women.

Second,

you must not harm her in any way.

Third,

if things don't work out between you two,

don't mistreat her

and return her to us.

Take care of our father.

Okay?

Xianglan.

I'll leave now.

Xianglan.

Xianglan.

Xianglan.

Soon after,

the police chased us here,

and my father and I had to constantly move and hide.

( Gong's Undertaking Shop )

Gong.

Come in.

Dig in. Make yourself at home.

We were completely out of options.

Otherwise, we wouldn't have troubled you.

That's no trouble at all.

You and I

go way back.

Just make yourselves comfortable here,

and I'll find you a place in a few days.

Qing.

Qing.

Tomorrow morning, go to the market and buy some good food.

I want to welcome your Uncle Qiao.

Let's catch up properly.

Here.

( WANTED: Generous reward for information )

Make way.

Move aside.

- Go away. - Gong.

Changwu.

you are the only family

I have left.

Mr. Jiang.

- Qingnian. - Madam.

Where's Changwu?

He...

I guess he's already left.

If there's nothing else,

I'll leave too.

About what I told you,

how's it going?

I told you already.

I need more time.

It's been over half a year already.

If we keep delaying,

the kid will be old enough to call you father.

Don't forget,

I made you famous.

If I could make you famous,

I can make someone else famous too.

My lady.

Oh, my dear lady,

don't be upset.

I truly didn't mean it like that.

My lady,

please hear me out.

I only have you in my heart.

The meal is almost ready.

I've made your favorite dish, West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy.

Xianglan.

Changwu.

Let's not talk about anything unpleasant today.

Let's eat first.

Stop smoking.

It's bad for your throat.

Xianglan, come here. I have something to...

Changwu.

You've become a star at last.

I can tell

you've been very happy these days.

I'm just a country girl

and can't do much to help you.

Changwu,

you should go.

I don't want to be a burden.

I can provide for both the kid and myself.

I've left your belongings by the door.

I'll keep the hair

as a keepsake.

Xianglan!

Xianglan!

By the time I found my sister,

she was already dead in the street.

The old innkeeper took me in

out of pity.

I've waited ten years

for this day.

All these years, I've been thinking about you.

To tell you the truth, I've been right beside you all along,

though you never knew it.

My story is over now.

Today

is the day to wrap things up.

Don't kill me. Don't come near me.

Don't kill me.

Chunsheng!

Your sister was a murderer.

She deserved to die.

It was only right for me to report her.

I did nothing wrong.

She deserved to die.

She deserved to die!

Jiang Changwu.

Pick up the knife

and kill him.

Kill him!

He's a fugitive. Kill him!

Freeze, all of you.

This is getting better and better.

Help me. He's going to kill me.

He's going to kill me.

You...

What are you doing?

Who are you people?

You're quite something, aren't you?

You're pretty ruthless.

That old beggar is still unconscious.

I heard everything you said just now.

I was also present at the An Family's funeral

years ago.

Stop right there!

A decade ago, I was just a rookie cop.

I had a fleeting encounter with Sage-like's family.

As fate would have it,

the very next day, I went to pay respects on behalf of our chief

and saw Sage-like there again.

This is Uncle Qiao.

You are Sage-like's daughter?

During the opera that night,

I saw someone take Xianglan away myself.

I happened to be at the An's residence that evening when the incident occurred.

Xiangyu, are you scared?

With you by my side,

I'm not scared no matter where we go.

Later,

when I tell you to run, just run

and don't ever look back.

Why?

No reason.

You remember what I said?

Run!

Stop!

- Xiangyu! - Stop!

Don't shoot.

I let you go

because I thought there was something strange about this case.

Did you see him?

A fortune teller

was portrayed as an evil figure.

As a small-time police officer,

I had little influence and couldn't change much.

Recently,

I've received new information

that the body of Sage-like is in the Midnight Inn.

This is certainly related to the case from back then.

By coincidence,

I ran into you all.

But just now,

I discovered the true murderer of Young Master An.

Gong Qing,

it's you, isn't it?

Don't talk nonsense.

The murderer is Xianglan.

It has nothing to do with me.

Back when I was investigating the case, I also heard

that the jade piece of the deceased mistress

was stolen that night.

What are you doing?

Go check over there.

Okay, let's go.

Over there. Hurry.

Get in there.

Let me out.

Let me out.

Let go.

- Let me go. - Come over here.

Someone!

Someone!

Who's there?

You are the one making mortuary attire.

What are you sneaking around for?

How dare you steal from the dead?

Just you wait.

Someone, come here.

Someone!

When I was examining the wounds back then,

I found that only one wound was inflicted with the right hand,

while the fatal wound was made with the left hand.

And just now, when you were drinking tea,

you used your left hand.

On the floor of the young master's room,

I found rouge.

You used it for Mrs. An's mourning makeup, right?

You turned us in back then

to make us bear the guilt for you.

So what if it's true?

You're just a small-time cop.

Yet, you are trying to overturn the case?

The truth of this world is defined by the victors.

I called the police before coming here.

As soon as Chief Qian arrives,

I'll be seen as a victim wronged by you,

and you

will still be a fugitive.

Hurry.

Don't!

Help!

Don't shoot!

Don't shoot.

Drop the knife now.

I'll make sure you get the justice you want.

You can't give me

the justice I seek.

Do you remember what your father told you?

He told you to keep running

and never look back.

He didn't want you to be consumed by hatred

and end up on a destructive path.

I can't.

I can't!

Fire!

No!

♪ If you're meant to be ♪

♪ You'll find yourself on the path to love ♪

Changwu.