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Zhao Si, this is our household.

I am the patriarch

and Shi Ying's elder brother.

You're welcome to attend the wedding if you want to,

(Fifth Master, Dou Shi Shu) and if not, you're free to leave.

(Zhao Si) Leave?

My foolish sister,

did you hear him clearly?

When your husband was studying in Chanxi,

he was being well taken care of by your so-called best friend.

And now she wants to marry into the Dou family.

And now they're having a wedding.

(Wang Ying Xue) Gu Qiu,

you know how difficult it was for me to survive alone in Chanxi,

enduring all kinds of ridicule.

Now that my father has been reinstated and promoted,

I could easily marry well.

But I admire Shi Ying's honesty and kindness,

(Seventh Master, Dou Shi Ying) and I cherish the close bond we share.

That's why I decided to marry him as his concubine.

It's common for officials to have multiple wives.

Better a friend

than some woman you don't know, don't you think?

A friend?

Is this how you repay my trust as a friend?

You knew she is my best friend,

and you knew he is my husband.

-How could you... -Why couldn't they?

Scholars of Shi Ying's age already have multiple children.

You've been married for nearly ten years,

and yet you've only given him one daughter.

If he doesn't marry a concubine,

are you trying to let our branch of the family die out?

Shi Shu, please stop.

It's stated clearly in our law.

Taking a concubine requires the consent of the legitimate wife.

My sister has every right to refuse.

Young Lady Wang's father, Wang Xing Yi,

is a protégé of the Grand Secretary, Wu Yi Fen.

Upon his reinstatement, he's now a fourth-rank official.

Marrying into the Wang family

would be a tremendous boost to Shi Ying's career

How could she refuse?

So you think my family is too insignificant and powerless to be

-of any help to you now? -Gu Qiu.

I would never think that.

The husband rules over the wife. It's the natural order of things.

Our family needs this marriage alliance.

Rubbish!

Over the years, how much gold and silver has my family

provided for your political connections

and for Shi Ying's education?

How much of it wouldn't stand up to scrutiny?

Is that your so-called natural order?

If you keep pressuring my sister,

I'll submit a memorial to the court exposing everything.

Zhao Si, hold your tongue!

Are you really going to ruin both our families

just for your sisters?

Try me.

Things aren't what they used to be.

If it comes to that,

we'll see whose future gets cut short.

I told you, didn't I?

Don't worry, Shou Gu.

My father will take care of it.

This concerns the future of Dou family.

Uncle Shi Shu won't give up so easily.

We must resolve this quickly,

or things will become much harder once Wang Xing Yi comes.

I only wanted someone to rely on.

I never meant to hurt you

or put Shi Ying in a difficult spot.

Gu Qiu, if you really can't forgive me,

grant me a white silk ribbon so I can hang myself.

Spare me the act.

If you really want to die...

Here.

Gu Qiu, since when have you become so cold-hearted?

Ying Xue!

Let go!

-Ying Xue! -Let me die!

Shi Ying!

Let me die!

Father.

Shou Gu?

I missed you so much.

Who is this lady on the floor?

Why don't you tell Shou Gu yourself

who she is?

She...

She's a guest here to offer her congratulations.

Shi Ying...

Why are you and Mother fighting over a guest?

We're not.

Father, Mother.

Tuo Niang,

please escort this lady out.

I want to talk to my parents alone.

Yes, that's right.

Since she's just a guest, let's send her out first.

We will let her know our decision later once we've talked over it.

-I'm not leaving. -Get up.

Let go of me. I'm not leaving!

-She... -Ying Xue!

Ying Xue!

-I can't breathe. -It's all right. I'm right here.

You're having an asthma attack.

When I had a cold, Ying Xue took care of me so closely

that she ended up developing asthma herself.

Gu Qiu.

I can't leave her like this.

(Blossom)

(Episode 2)

Madam, it is the legitimate wife's duty

to organize the ceremonies for taking a concubine.

Fifth Master asked me to deliver these for you.

Please make the preparations soon.

Aunt hasn't even agreed to accept her!

What ceremonies?

Get out!

Mother,

as long as you don't agree,

given Young Lady Wang's family background,

they won't allow her to remain an unacknowledged mistress.

Even if she's fine with it,

her father, Wang Xing Yi, would never agree.

If we stall long enough,

the matter might quietly resolve itself.

Shou Gu,

how did you become so wise at such a young age?

My father says Uncle is a terrible man.

It's better for you to divorce him

and avoid all this suffering.

Divorce has always been seen

as a trivial matter for a man,

but for me and Shou Gu,

it would mean being judged and shamed for the rest of our lives.

I can't ruin Shou Gu's future.

Besides, after a divorce,

the children always stay with the husband's family.

How could I bear to leave her?

I'm not afraid of anything,

except seeing you suffer.

If you want to leave Father,

I'll go with you.

Uncle understands the law.

He'll surely find a way to help.

I'll go ask him.

I'm coming with you.

Have the kitchen prepare tea to clear the lungs,

and send someone to dust everything in the room.

-There mustn't be any trace of dust. -Yes, Master.

It's all right, Shi Ying.

My sachet has ephedra to soothe my lungs.

Just smelling it will help.

It's just that the magnolias in the courtyard

are in full bloom.

Ah, right,

you can't be around pollen.

Stop it! Please stop!

Why are you hitting the flowers?

Please just stop! Stop!

-Ignore her. Don't stop. -Stop! Stop!

Seventh Madam.

Who told you to hit the flowers?

It was me.

Gu Qiu,

this is all just a temporary measure.

Is taking a concubine a temporary measure too?

Or is all this talk

about heirs and your career just an excuse?

You really love her,

don't you?

Gu Qiu,

Ying Xue has asthma.

These flowers have to go.

They have to go...

All these years,

I thought I was the only one who could make you smile,

the only one who could weigh on your heart.

I didn't realize

someone else could too.

I'm begging you.

Please, just this once.

Go ahead.

Have the flowers removed.

I knew you'd understand me, Gu Qiu.

Thank you, Gu Qiu.

Quickly! Remove the flowers!

-Yes, Master! -Get rid of them all!

Remove them.

Over there too.

There.

There, and there.

The magnolia blooms without leaves.

When it has leaves, there are no flowers.

It's a symbol of purity and loyalty,

just like us.

For the rest of my life,

I will love only you.

Be gentle, don't damage the branches.

They'll bloom again next year.

The hibiscus blooms in the morning and falls by dusk.

How am I any different from the flowers?

-Have some. -I have no appetite, Zhang Ru.

You must have some. Dad told me to take good care of you.

Bad man! We don't want you to push!

Shou Gu, do you think I'm a bad person too?

I don't know.

You made this swing for Mother.

Does it belong to Young Lady Wang now?

Never.

This swing

will always belong to you and Gu Qiu.

It won't be for anyone else.

Zhang Ru and and I are small,

yet even we find it crowded sitting together.

How could Mother and Young Lady Wang

sit on it together and keep it steady?

I know

your heart has a place for Mother,

but it also has a place for Young Lady Wang.

Have you ever asked yourself

which weighs more?

You and your mother

mean more to me, of course.

Then why would you rather hurt Mother to keep her?

Is... Is taking her as a concubine really the only solution?

Bad man!

Shou Gu...

So, you regret it now,

and you want to settle this with money?

If I must choose,

I'd rather not hurt Gu Qiu and Shou Gu.

It's too late for that.

Zou Er, tell him.

Yes, Master.

Master Shi Ying, the doctor treating Young Lady Wang

said her fainting wasn't just due to her asthma,

she's over a month pregnant.

I've let Gu Qiu down.

And I've let Ying Xue down too.

If you don't take her in,

you'll be dishonoring our father's memory.

Do you remember the oath

he forced us to make before he passed?

To carry on the family line

and restore the family's honor.

At least you haven't forgotten.

I've lost two wives.

If I wanted to remarry, there aren't any suitable matches left,

so I've placed my hopes in you.

I will treat your children

like my own, and I'll personally see to their upbringing.

Shi Ying,

marry her as your concubine.

This will secure your career and the continuation of our family line.

Something bad has happened!

Why are they shouting?

Fifth Master, Seventh Master,

Seventh Madam is...

Madam...

Why, Mother?

Madam...

Pass my order.

Guard the main gate tightly.

Not a word of this can get out.

Yes, Master.

Master.

(The pure magnolia blossoms)

(remain untouched by dust or filth.)

(Shi Ying,)

(as flowers bloom,)

(they must also wither in time.)

(Our love has run its course,)

(and I do not blame you.)

(But the one person I'm worried about, the one person I feel guilty toward,)

(is Shou Gu.)

(I want you to protect her for the rest of her life)

(and never let her be wronged.)

(You must promise me this.)

Mother used that to hang herself.

This was the surprise she prepared for you.

It's the wine she buried on your wedding day,

praying for your success in the imperial exams.

She made your dream her own!

It's my fault!

I'm the one to blame!

I found out that Wang Ying Xue was pregnant,

and in a moment of anger, I told Madam.

-I deserve to die! -Silence!

Utter nonsense!

She killed herself because she was consumed by jealousy.

It's a sin of resentment and envy.

Even in death, she wants to tarnish our family's reputation.

Listen well, all of you,

Zhao Gu Qiu died of illness.

Anyone who dares to spread rumors will be flogged to death!

You committed adultery and drove your legitimate wife to her death!

Master Zhao, please calm down...

Go ahead, celebrate your heir, the security of your powerful ties,

and marry into prestige atop her corpse!

I swear I will risk my life, my honor, and everything I have

to drag you down with me!

The flowers have fallen.

Mother,

I thought you were killed by someone.

I never expected you would end your own life

because you couldn't tolerate betrayal.

(Dou's Residence)

My condolences.

Thank you for honoring us with your presence, Lord Li, Lord Liu.

It's an unfortunate tragedy for our family.

Madam Zhao was always frail.

We thought it was just a minor cold,

but who could have imagined

it would take her life?

Mother,

your flowers will never fall again.

This place is for close family.

Are you Zhao or Dou?

What right do you have to be here?

Shou Gu, don't cry.

Your mother has passed,

but I'll take her place in caring for you.

I'll treat you as if you were my own.

Ying Xue!

Father.

Now that his wife has died,

Dou Shi Ying drowns himself in alcohol,

wallowing in despair and avoiding responsibility.

(Wang Xing Yi) All the criticism and blame have fallen on you.

Rather than being belittled in the future,

you should come home with me.

A daughter of mine would rather remain unmarried her whole life

than become a concubine.

Xing Yi, you misunderstood.

We've told everyone that Madam Zhao passed away from illness.

So your daughter would naturally marry in as the legitimate wife.

We'll observe all the formalities

and host a grand wedding banquet to ensure her dignity is upheld.

The child she carries will be the legitimate heir of this family,

cherished and respected by all.

This is our family's treasury token,

which has always been held by the household's matron.

I now hand it to your daughter.

She may use it as she wishes for the dowry and wedding preparations.

Madam Zhao's dowry and personal belongings

will also be at her disposal.

Send the inventory list to my room later.

From now on, I'll review all the gifts

before they're put into treasury.

Yes, Madam.

Master Zhao,

why didn't you let me know you were coming?

Perfect timing, I just made some pastries.

Let Dou Zhao and Zhang Ru have some.

This was part of Gu Qiu's dowry.

Aunt always wore that bracelet before she passed.

Is that so?

-You... -Listen now, Zhao Si,

now that Gu Qiu is gone,

the bond between your family and the Dou family is severed.

I am now the rightful and legitimate wife.

You may throw your weight around for now,

but can you stay here forever?

Aren't you worried that once you're gone,

I'll take out all this anger

on Dou Zhao?

This is so delicious!

Have some more if you like them.

Just tell me what you love to eat, and I'll make it for you.

Shou Gu is still young and naive, after all.

Give her a snack, and she forgets everything.

Young Lady Wang, my stomach hurts so much!

What's wrong?

Shou Gu!

You wicked woman, what did you put in there?

-Call a doctor! -Go! Go!

Shou Gu, throw it up.

Come on.

Poor girl.

(Old Madam of Dou family, Madam Cui) You're finally awake.

Shou Gu,

this is Grandmother Cui.

She's your grandmother.

Grandmother.

Give me a hand.

It's no wonder Shou Gu doesn't recognize me.

I've been estranged from those two ungrateful sons for a long time.

If not for Gu Qiu writing to me before she hanged herself,

asking me to look after you,

who knows how many lives they'd destroy before they would stop?

Shou Gu,

what happened today?

Young Lady Wang broke Mother's dowry.

She said if I behaved, I could have more pastries.

The doctor said

Shou Gu was poisoned with ephedra.

Ephedra is a powerful drug.

For Wang Ying Xue, who suffers from asthma,

ephedra is an essential medicine.

But for a child, it's a deadly poison.

She's trying to wipe out all opposition

and seize the family fortune.

You wicked woman!

The evidence and witnesses are all here,

and you still deny it?

My daughter would never stoop to such despicable acts.

Let's sit down and sort out this misunderstanding.

The law clearly states

that poisoning with the intent to kill warrants execution.

Even if the victim survives,

the perpetrator is to receive 100 lashes and three years of labor.

All three of our families are officials.

If this matter reaches His Majesty's ears,

could it really be dismissed as a mere misunderstanding?

I didn't poison her!

I don't know how she ingested ephedra.

Mother, you've lived on the family estate for so long.

How can you believe one-sided accusations and condemn me?

I refuse to accept it.

Since you address Old Madam as your mother-in-law,

you shouldn't defy her authority.

Old Madam is the only daughter of the Cui family of Ji'an.

Her ancestors were founding contributors to the dynasty,

honored in the imperial ancestral temple.

The Cui family has been a lineage of officials for generations.

Half the court officials today

were students of the Cui family academy.

Considering her status and reasoning,

how could you not accept her judgment?

Old Madam Dou, you're actually...

My surname is Cui.

I do not take my husband's surname.

Please sit.

If this matter reaches the court,

we all know how it will turn out.

Lord Wang,

you once risked demotion

to speak out against the horse market ban,

earning a reputation for integrity.

But now, fresh from reinstatement,

you allow your daughter to commit such crimes.

What do you think His Majesty will make of this?

Forcing a marriage,

driving the legitimate wife to hang herself,

poisoning the legitimate daughter, and seizing the family fortune,

how do you propose we settle these three charges?

How do you think

we should settle it, Old Madam Cui?

If ours and Wang families can settle this privately,

it would provide Shou Gu with real security.

I've instructed my son

to transfer all of Gu Qiu's dowry

to Dou Zhao,

amounting to 3,000 taels.

Your family should compensate the same amount.

That's impossible.

Your family was a family of merchants.

You can afford 3,000 to 5,000 taels,

but my father has just been reinstated.

Where could he possibly find that kind of money?

Well, he can borrow from others.

Over the years, my sister must have given you

at least a hundred taels.

With your father as a fourth-ranked official,

borrowing a thousand taels shouldn't be hard.

As for the rest,

draft a promissory note.

Whether it's five or ten years, you will pay it off one day.

But Shou Gu is so young.

How could she manage all this wealth?

That's not your concern, Young Lady Wang.

The victim here is Shou Gu.

Our opinions don't count.

Go and ask her

what she thinks.

Yes, Old Madam.

The real victim here wasn't me,

it was my mother.

She died with a broken heart.

If Young Lady Wang marries into our family

and I'm forced to call her mother,

how could my own mother ever rest in peace?

Shou Gu wants Young Lady Wang

to kneel in mourning for her mother for three years and not marry into

-the Dou family during that time. -That won't do, Mother.

If we don't take her in officially,

how can her child be considered legitimate?

We can't allow our bloodline to be left outside.

If it's about legitimacy,

a formal remarriage document will suffice.

But I'm carrying your family's child.

What if kneeling harms the baby?

After the new wife enters the household,

she will go to the Youmin Temple for three years

of reflection and repentance.

Let's ensure no bad karma falls on the child.

Once the baby is born,

they will be raised by a nanny with teaching experience.

Shi Ying, say something!

I've wronged Gu Qiu.

I'm willing to observe mourning for her

and separate from my new wife.

Ying Xue will go to the Youmin Temple,

and I will move into Gu Qiu's room,

offering incense and reciting prayers for her day and night.

I'm sorry.

I've learned my lesson now.

We'll pay the compensation.

Please spare my child.

I'm sorry, Shou Gu.

I won't be able to watch you grow up.

Mother, I don't blame you.

I never wanted to be your burden

or watch you suffer for life.

Don't worry.

I'll take care of myself.

The magnolias have fallen.

The swing is covered in dust.

This is no longer your home,

nor is it mine.

Mother,

if your spirit lingers,

may you soar beyond these high walls,

past this residence,

and find freedom and peace.

Madam.

Good.

(Zhending, Cui Family Estate)

It's such a beautiful estate.

Greetings, Old Madam.

-An Su, greet Old Madam. -Greetings, Madam.

This is Madam Miao and Mister Miao,

neighbors from the estate.

Entering a new home,

we must first dust ourselves off.

Sweeping away the past

brings in blessings and fortune.

This is yours.

And this is yours.

And one for you.

Grandmother, what flower is this?

Nine-Layered Purple,

a humble wildflower.

Peonies and orchids are delicate and beautiful,

but they compete for nutrients,

can't survive heavy rain and drought,

and constantly need human care.

Wildflowers are different.

They thrive without perfect conditions.

Scatter their seeds, and they'll cover the mountains in bloom.

That day, you took the poison yourself, didn't you?

Ephedra is bitter.

At a toxic dose,

it's so bitter that it's nearly impossible to swallow.

That child is so precocious.

She must hate me to the core.

She will always disobey me in the future.

I must get rid of her.

Young Lady, don't you have ephedra on you?

That substance is harmless for adults,

but children mustn't come into contact with it.

Even in tiny doses,

long-term use

will lead to depleted vitality and weakened lungs.

And I'll appear to be caring for her

with utmost devotion.

People will see me as a virtuous wife.

Wang Ying Xue was trying to back me into a corner.

Rather than waiting for her to make her move,

I chose to take the poison first

to protect myself.

Grandmother,

I am not an evil person.

To those who are kind to me,

I would risk my life to repay them.

But for grievances and wrongs,

even if it costs me dearly,

I will ensure they're repaid in full.

Shou Gu,

remember this,

I forbid you to do such things again.

I brought you out of the residence

because I value your maturity and intelligence.

If you limit yourself to petty family rivalries,

you'll grow twisted and narrow-minded,

confined to scheming over a mere patch of land.

You will lose sight of the vastness of the world.

I want your brilliance to reach beyond the household,

to the mountains, rivers, and lakes,

and even to the country and its people.

That is where you will truly shine.

This is my mother's bracelet.

Even something broken can shine again.

Grandmother,

I understand.

Coming to this estate,

I've realized I don't want to be a delicate, sheltered flower,

but to become as resilient as the Nine-Layered Purple,

able to withstand wind and rain.

From now on,

I will live well for myself.

I studied under learned masters

(Chen Qu Shui) to gain knowledge of the world.

Will you pay or not?

Do you hear me?

They deserve it!

(Su Lan, Su Xin) I recruited skilled maidservants for protection.

Finally, I established myself in the world of commerce,

achieving success in every venture.

(Futing, Duke of Ding's Army Camp)

Run!

Next!

(Ding)

Grand General,

-a child has come to enlist. -Faster!

We guard the border

so that children can stay safe at home,

far from disaster.

I never take in children here. Send him away.

(Yan Chao Qing) Grand General,

please turn around and take a look first.

(Duke of Ding, Jiang Mei Sun)

Catch up!

(Young Song Mo) Grand General!

You've come to enlist, huh?

Have you lost your mind, brat?

Running away from home to join the army, huh?

-Stop right there! -Calm down now, Uncle.

I didn't run away from home.

I'm here to enlist for real.

You think enlisting is some kind of game?

Stop right there, do you hear me?

Kid, if your father finds out, he'll ground you for a year,

and I won't speak up for you.

You've got two choices now.

Either leave on your own, or I'll have you escorted back. Your choice.

You'll have to catch me first.

You're messing with me, aren't you?

-Somebody, tie him up! -Yes, sir!

Grand General, we might need more men to tie him down.

I didn't think the brat could run this fast.

What are you standing here for? Go help them!

Yes, sir!

Young Master.

You're not even as tall as a pirate's blade,

and you're already thinking about killing pirates?

Isn't that a little...

Now, am I good enough to kill them?

Extraordinary! Truly extraordinary!

Outrageous!

Get down!

Hand me the blade.

Think you're so capable, do you?

Take him back home.

Uncle!

If you turn me away too,

I'll truly have nowhere to go.

Got kicked out by your father again?

Unbelievable.

What kind of father is Song Yi Chun?

Uncle... No, Grand General, please take me in.

I'm ready to go through fire and water without hesitation!

Go through fire and water?

Do you even know how to start a fire and cook?

A cook?

-I want another role. -If you don't want it, go now.

I'll do it! I'll do it!

Get to work then.

Jiang Mei Sun! Just you wait!

One day, I'll rise from a cook

to a Grand General who protects the nation!

Give it to me!

Come!

Come on.

Look!

Zhao, you've sold off more than half of your cloth shops

and rouge stores in Guandong,

only to buy dozens of silk factories and tea estates in Futing.

(Miao An Su) Although the prices were low,

these are tough businesses with thin margins.

On top of that, Futing has been plagued by pirates for years.

Nine out of ten trade ships are looted.

Isn't this too risky?

We've reclaimed all the islands along the coast.

Cherish this,

there aren't many battles left to fight.

The court assigned Duke of Ding, Jiang Mei Sun,

to pacify the seas years ago.

The pirate chaos will soon be quelled, and maritime trade will flourish.

These seemingly insignificant silks and teas

will one day be worth more than gold.

That's why we must secure these businesses now.

They'll bring exponential returns later.

Is everything that happened in my dream

destined to come true?

Little one,

why are you so upset?

Someone actually believed a story I made up.

So, how do you like my tale?

You wrote it?

I've tried my best,

yet why couldn't I change the outcome?

Throw a stone into the river.

Throw a big one,

so big you can't even lift it.

See,

no matter how big the stone,

it only creates ripples for a moment.

You can't change the river's course.

Then how can I change the river's course?

If one day,

you possess the strength

to collapse the towering mountains

before you,

then the river's course will change.

Fate

is not unchangeable,

nor is it insurmountable.

This time,

I will gain the strength to topple mountains.

I will take control

of my destiny.

(Dou Shi Shu)

(Wang Ying Xue)

(Song Mo)

This family banquet is set up just to let Grand Secretary Wu's eldest grandson

meet the Dou family daughters, isn't it?

Song Yi Chun delayed critical military operations.

Add 30 lashes.

Grand General, please let me take the punishment in my father's place.

An outstanding son with a useless father!

How foolish!

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