Original subtitles

[Brocade Odyssey]

[Episode 18]

Mr. Yu!

Mr. Yu.

One hundred guan.

Nothing less than that.

During the brocade-weaving process,

you may watch,

but please do not interfere.

I will leave it all up to you to decide.

Well...

I wish you both success

in your work

and a speedy completion of the new brocade.

[The Yu Residence]

Deep roots, flourishing leaves,

and an endless legacy.

Let us begin the nail-dipping ceremony!

Open the brocade workshop!

Father,

as the silk is not ready,

it cannot go on the loom yet.

I am back.

Has the new brocade been weaved already?

The pattern has not been decided,

so the brocade cannot be woven yet.

They are still selecting threads, matching colors,

and perfecting the weaving method.

Hopefully, the pattern will be finished soon.

From what you are saying,

it seems that the pattern is the core of brocade weaving.

Silk dyeing has its own specific formula,

and the pattern is the formula for brocade weaving.

With the pattern,

even the most complex brocade can be woven.

However, I do not believe

that the pattern is the core of brocade.

Why are you looking at me like that, Mr. Bai?

You are speaking frankly

and from the heart.

I was not expecting you

to share that with me.

This is included in the 100 guan you paid me.

In business, I have always been fair

and honest with everyone.

With your character,

you are bound to achieve great things in the future!

Still, I cannot help but wonder.

Why would a woman like you

indulge in this field?

That question is not within the scope of the 100 guan.

Okay then. I will ask something else within the scope.

What is

the core of brocade weaving?

I will not

be able to answer that.

Everyone has

a different answer to it.

They should be working on

selecting the threads and matching the colors now.

Please come with me, Mr. Bai.

After you.

This green is a mix of indigo and gardenia,

perfectly capturing the fresh greenery of wheat!

He is right.

The green you picked is too dark!

Mine is much brighter and clearer!

It is indeed brighter.

Since we are making a shimmering brocade,

it needs to be bright and stunning!

Wait, I think...

Since we are aiming for something new,

we should innovate,

- right? - Wait! Wait!

Can I offer some advice?

These two colors are quite similar.

How about we roll the dice to decide?

Shut up!

Ms. Ji.

Mr. Bai.

You are right on time.

Please decide for us.

Which is better?

Talk it over among yourselves,

and do not get upset.

I will take Mr. Bai to...

the workshop to take a look.

Come with me, Mr. Bai.

Yingying!

Disagreements are inevitable

when two different parties work together.

Let us head to the workshop now.

My brother is there.

He likes to study.

He is technically a scholar.

Okay.

Why can we not use the old method then?

It is possible,

but...

What is wrong with it?

But to achieve the flowing ripple effect,

I think we should use colors instead.

Yingying is good at matching colors.

I think…

the wheat stalks should be done

in satin weave.

Satin weave?

Plain weave is the best for basic but delicate patterns!

That is it.

You are useless. Stay out of this.

Excuse me? Watch your mouth.

Do you even know who I am?

This place belongs to the Yu family.

Are you sure?

I am almost certain that it will become part of Bloom

pretty soon.

Excuse me, the Ji family!

Where did that come from?

Why would you say that it belongs to the Ji family or Bloom?

It belongs to the Yu family.

Is this what you meant by true teamwork, Ms. Ji?

It seems that I will not be

getting back my investment.

The table is filled with delicacies.

Why are none of you trying it out?

I am too upset

to have any appetite.

Since no one is hungry,

shall we play a game then?

Yes! What kind of game?

You shall ask a question about the brocade business.

If my brother answers correctly,

each of you will earn one wen.

Then, my brother will ask you a question,

and you answer it.

The more you answer, the more you earn!

The game continues until someone falls

or the board touches the ground.

Sir, what is your question?

The number of chopsticks represents the count for Shu brocade's cardinal colors.

Shu brocade's cardinal colors?

There are five colors.

Red, yellow, blue, white, and black.

Yes! You got it!

Here, it is your turn to ask!

The binary colors.

The binary colors of Shu brocade

are red, green, blue, and purple,

making four in total.

Excellent!

Another correct answer! Two wen in total now!

Hold as long as you can!

Whoever answers the most

will earn an additional three wen. Let us go!

How many patterns were featured

in the Five Stars Rising in the East brocade from the Han Dynasty?

Five.

How is it five patterns?

Is it five?

You…

think carefully.

It is five patterns.

You… You!

Think, will you?

Hold on tight! Hold it!

Are you okay?

It is four patterns!

Seriously, do you even know about brocades?

Grass lizards, talisman tigers,

suns, moons,

and the white-colored small seal scriptures.

The white-colored small seal scriptures are included?

The white-colored small seal scriptures?

That is included?

The characters are part of the pattern.

I meant to test you,

but now it is me who has...

shown my weakness.

I have made a fool of myself.

Congratulations to both of you for getting two wen!

Two wen!

I am rich now!

People in the Shu brocade business are straightforward!

If there is a question, we will ask it,

and if there is a disagreement, we will settle it through competition.

But we must remember,

whatever we do,

it is all to create new brocade.

Remember, we succeed

and profit only

by supporting each other!

Yes! Well said!

That is right.

We win and we make money.

Anyone else want to play the game?

Mr. Li,

shall we?

Okay. Let us do it!

I will ask the question!

Let me do it instead.

Exchanging knowledge,

deepening understanding,

and building closer connections.

You truly live up to your name, Ms. Ji.

This three-in-one approach

is indeed a great method.

By the way,

there was a question just now

about

what is most important in the Shu brocade business.

I am sure

that your answer is unity,

right?

Yes!

Unity.

People are the core.

The patterns and the loom are lifeless.

Only in the hands of skilled artisans do they come to life.

Whatever your plans are,

please remember to value these craftsmen, Mr. Bai.

I will keep that in mind.

Mr. Li won!

Do not worry, Ms. Ji.

Give me the money! I won!

Why are you asking me? You should be giving me the money!

Next! Who will be the next one?

What is it, Mr. Chen?

Ms. Ji,

Mr. Bai,

have a try.

Mr. Bai and I will not be participating.

Wait!

Anyway,

I guess I am now

somewhat part of the brocade business.

Why not give it a try?

Give it a try, Ji Yingying!

Yes! Give it a try!

Give it a try!

Okay, okay. I will give it a try.

Very well. Let us give it a try.

After you.

Watch out.

My question is,

how sincere are you about wanting to be friends with me?

Your question is not about the brocade business.

You just said

that the people are the most important thing in the brocade business.

So, asking about the heart

is naturally part of it.

If you do not answer,

you will be hurting my sincere heart.

Ten chopsticks!

Ten chopsticks?

Really?

Did you fail to sense

my utmost sincerity

in doing business with you, Mr. Bai?

You are hurting my sincere heart.

Very well then. I have lost this round.

But

please give me another chance.

You can ask the question.

Okay!

I would like to ask,

how many days will you be staying in Yizhou, Mr. Bai?

Is this within the scope of the brocade business as well?

The core of the brocade business is the people.

Since you are an important figure here,

this naturally relates to the brocade business.

You are right.

Well, I should think carefully

about the answer.

Ms. Ji, make sure you grab the rope.

Hold on tight.

What are you doing here?

I am sharing the joy with the people!

I have not finished my round

with Ms. Ji.

If you wish to participate, Mr. Yang,

you should wait for a moment.

From what I see,

this round should have ended a while ago.

Both of you,

I, Ji Yingying, am a person,

not an item that you can try to snatch from one another!

I will not be going anywhere

just because you ask me either!

Since you two love this game so much,

you should both play instead.

Sorry, I was being rude.

I'm sorry.

Thank you for walking toward me, Ms. Ji.

Yang Jinglan,

is the silk thread in your hands

the Flushed Rose that I dyed?

Flushed Rose!

Yes.

I had no other choice.

Do you know how much effort it took me

to dye this silk thread?

Yeah!

It took days! It was so much work!

How about

I compensate you?

Compensate me, you say?

That will not do.

I will double it.

Is that good enough?

No way!

Doubling it is not enough.

I will triple it. That is the most I can do.

You will triple it?

Those who are caught up in emotions

cannot achieve great things.

[The Yu Residence]

Ms. Ji, you have been working hard. Why not take a break for lunch?

What are you doing here?

I have come to apologize

for mishandling the silk thread

and disrespecting

your hard work.

What is that?

Take a seat and give it a try.

Be careful.

Push back with your legs.

This is interesting.

But... what is the use of this?

Put this in the brocade workshop.

You can sit on it and move around with ease.

It will help you save some energy,

and keep you entertained.

Did you make this yourself?

Yes.

Can you forgive me now

for mishandling Flushed Rose?

Fine. I will let it slide this time.

But that is not all I am here for today.

I have another favor

to ask of you.

What is it?

Teach me about brocade.

Is it because you have to deliver the tribute brocade?

It is because

I want to see the world

as you do.

Take a seat.

I will get the brocade.

Cover your eyes.

What for?

Do you not wish to learn how to identify brocade?

Ms. Ji, you sure have a unique method

for identifying brocade.

A true expert does not rely

solely on their eyes to identify brocade.

They must use their heart.

Yeah.

It is done.

Can you see?

Ji Yingying, stop right there.

I am ready.

Alright. Let us begin with our first brocade.

Touch it.

Take your time to truly feel it.

Can you identify it?

How can you identify this brocade

just by blindly feeling it?

This is a petal.

It unfurls in layer.

This is a stamen.

The weaving is delicate.

This is a leaf

and a vine.

Flowers bloom on all six sides.

There are leaves among the flowers,

and flowers nestled in the leaves.

Layer upon layer,

the pattern unfolds evenly.

Take a moment to feel it again.

This is the Lotus Blossom Brocade.

Nicely done!

Alright. Let us move on to the next.

♪The curve of Spring's first thunder♪

It looks like being blindfolded

really muddles your thoughts.

♪Rain drizzles gently down♪

Yang Jinglan,

I...

♪Mist softly caresses the tranquil lake's surface♪

♪The little ripples of early summer rise♪

♪A crescent of soft yellow, your gaze in my eyes♪

♪You painted for me, the delicate arch of your brow♪

♪A tapestry of love, woven into my heart♪

♪As dusk falls, with the sound of sea-bloomed flutes♪

♪Watching swallows gracefully settle upon the branches♪

If you are willing,

I will slowly come to you.

If not,

♪Golden threads intertwining, hour by hour♪

I will wait until you are ready.

♪I yearn for a smile that will last forever♪

♪With the promise of snow, and time that expands♪

Yang Jinglan...

I am here.

You are stepping on my foot. It hurts.

How about

we try again?

I... I mean,

let us identify the brocade.

It looks like being blindfolded

really muddles your thoughts.

If you are willing,

I will slowly come to you.

If not,

I will wait until you are ready.

Guo Kui, stop barking!

[The Zhao Residence]

Dear, you sure are thorough.

You are personally checking the brocade before its delivery.

What are you doing?

You have been working hard these past few days,

and overseeing the brocade daily.

How could anything go wrong?

The servants can handle the brocade delivery out of the city.

You really ought to get some rest.

I am just reminding you

to stay out

of the brocade delivery.

Have you forgotten

how Master Ji died?

Load the carriage.

Yes, sir.

My dear,

this will be a dangerous journey.

Be careful out there.

I will be going with you

to deliver the brocade.

The list of people handling the brocade delivery

has already been finalized.

Even though you are the Brocade Master,

you cannot come with me.

This has been done by past Brocade Masters.

It is just a matter of choice.

Do not try to force my hand

with that official document.

Fine. Do as you wish.

Let us go!

Here.

Why are you here?

I wish to personally deliver

the Shu Red Silk I have dyed.

Just wait for me to return.

Back then, my father was killed

because of Shu Red Silk.

Yang Jinglan, I am worried about you.

Even if you will not bring me along,

I will still follow you.

Ms. Ji,

I truly need you.

However, this time,

I need you to stay in Yizhou

and not by my side.

You need me to stay in Yizhou?

Yes.

If I get tired from the journey,

I would like to come back home.

Okay?

Please, Ms. Ji.

General,

we have received word from Yizhou.

Yang Jinglan and the rest

are making their way to Chang'an with the tribute brocade.

Please keep him safe.

He is a good officer.

He is vital to Yizhou,

and someone I deeply care about.

I pray for his safety.

Ms. Ji.

Mr. Bai, what brings you here?

I was having a drink at San Hua Pavilion

and happened to see you rushing past.

I thought something had happened.

Thank you for your concern.

Oh, right,

the shop had just two left,

so I bought them all.

Here is the last one. You can have it.

This is...?

This is a tradition in Yizhou.

After making a wish, you throw the red ribbon on the tree.

It is believed to keep your loved ones safe,

and a way to send your thoughts to them.

I do not have anyone

I miss.

Everyone has to face

a lonely, cold path at some point,

but life will not always stay that way.

Give it a shot.

You could wish

for someone

worthy of your thoughts

one day.

Alright, then.

To be honest,

I do not believe in deities

or making wishes.

How about

you make a wish for me, Ms. Ji?

I have made wishes for my mother, Yaoting,

Mr. Chen, and Ms. Zhu before.

But they are my close family and friends.

As for you, Mr. Bai, we are not quite there yet.

We have known each other for some time.

We have made deals

and shared moments of camaraderie.

But as a friend,

I find you

not entirely honest.

Let us stick to business, shall we?

Farewell.

Make your own wish.

Sincerity is what counts.

Mr. Yang, thank you for your hard work.

Long time no see, sir.

It is late.

Please rest here at the inn tonight, Mr. Yang.

Tomorrow morning, we will set off to inspect the brocade.

Very well.

This way, please.

Hurry!

Replace all the tribute brocade with the fakes.

If you want to blame someone,

blame yourself for offending the wrong person!

Are you talking about me?

Do not move!

Mr. Yang?

You have swapped the tribute brocade

and attacked me, logistics officer.

This is a capital offense.

At this point,

stop accusing others to cover up your own crime.

Instead, you should reflect on this.

Your plan was so meticulous.

If someone did not betray you,

I would not have caught you red-handed.

I have no idea

what you are talking about.

You know that I am at odds with Niu Jin.

Niu Jin wields absolute power in Yizhou.

But tell me,

why do you think he does not dare to kill me?

It is because he fears the person backing me.

The person backing you?

Who is it?

Tell them to get inside.

Go inside!

Shut the door!

Mr. Yang,

can you tell me now?

The person backing me is not important.

What matters is this.

Niu Jin does not dare make a move against me

because

he needs to give both me and the person behind me an explanation.

Do you still remember Ji Guinan, sir?

When the truth was revealed,

he became the scapegoat.

Does that sound eerily familiar to what is happening now?

I do not understand what you are saying!

After what happened to Ji Guinan,

you stopped transporting tribute brocade altogether.

Yet now that I am here,

you have suddenly returned to the role.

Niu Jin wants you

to die by my hand

or I die by yours.

With that, he can close the case.

If that is true,

then why have you not acted yet?

I do not wish for both of us to lose,

only for Niu Jin to benefit.

Moreover,

you were only following orders back then.

Killing you is not enough

to bring peace to the departed.

What if

you and I joined forces?

No matter who I collaborate with,

death is the only outcome.

There is a difference

between one death

and the death of an entire family.

What do you think?

Be careful!

Whose men are those?

It seems that I underestimated Niu Jin.

He does not just want one of us dead.

He wants us both dead here!

Later, you will be said to have swapped the tribute brocade

and I risked my life to catch you.

You take the blame for his crime,

and I die in the act of apprehending you.

At this point,

do you still not see that this is a death trap?

Collaborating with me

is your only way out.

Have you not figured it out yet?

Now that it has come to this,

I will collaborate with you!

I am willing to write a confession

for my role in the tribute brocade affair

and expose the traitors.

But in return,

you must guarantee the safety of my wife and daughter.

Very well.

I promise you.

Yang Jinglan has captured the logistics officer.

Take 100 elite soldiers and head north immediately.

You must intercept them

before they reach Shannan Road.

Leave no survivors.

What about Mr. Zhao?

I said, leave no survivors!

Yes, sir!

Yang Jinglan

captured the logistics officer two days ago.

How is it that they have only just reached Shannan Road today?

They are moving so slowly

and not concealing their tracks.

This has to be bait.

So, General, you are saying...

Mobilize our men immediately.

We return to Yizhou at once.

Yes, sir.

Ms. Ji,

may I have a word with you?

Master Gao,

where is Yang Jinglan?

Has something happened to him?

Ms. Ji,

Mr. Yang risked his life this time

and took such a dangerous gamble.

It is because

he wants to clear your father's name.

He convinced the military commissioner

to assign the logistics officer who was involved in your father's case

to handle this current shipment.

This was to lure Niu Jin into making a move.

Then, he used the opportunity

to capture the logistics officer,

tricking him into believing

that Niu Jin planned to make him the scapegoat.

Then, we disguised ourselves

as assassins sent by Niu Jin

to make the deception more convincing

- and force the logistics officer. - Collaborating with me

is your only way out.

Then,

he took a fake logistics officer to Chang'an,

drawing Niu Jin's attention away from us.

What about the real logistics officer?

Did you bring him back to Yizhou?

Yes.

Initially,

we planned to hide him in a secure location.

But we just received news

that Niu Jin

is leading a large troop

and is heading toward Yizhou.

He has seen through our plan

much sooner than Yang Jinglan anticipated.

If he starts searching,

we will not be able to keep the real logistics officer hidden.

Yang Jinglan told me

that if anything unexpected happens,

I should come to you, Ms. Ji.

Stop!

It is time.

Turn around!

We are heading back to Yizhou!

Come!

New brocade pre-orders from Bloom Society!

All interested buyers who attend the event

will receive a complimentary pouch.

First come, first served!

Let us go!

Bloom Society's pouches

are exquisitely crafted, durable,

and have a uniquely pleasant fragrance.

The carriage is here!

The carriage is here! Make way!

Ji Guinan is hereby sentenced to immediate execution

for presenting inferior goods as tribute,

deceiving the emperor,

and resisting arrest!

Everyone,

the logistics officer has been arrested

for dereliction of duty and theft.

This matter threatens the entire brocade industry of Yizhou.

To protect the interests of the brocade merchants,

I, Zhuge Hong,

representing Brocade Bureau,

will now interrogate the accused

to ensure

that justice is served.

What crimes have you committed?

Speak truthfully!

While transporting the tribute brocade,

I swapped

the real goods for inferior ones

to seek personal gain.

Mr. Yang discovered my actions

and caught me red-handed.

Swapping tribute brocade

is an unforgivable crime!

With such audacity,

there must be someone else behind this.

No one gave me the orders.

I acted alone.

You have been a logistics officer for years.

How many times

have you committed this crime before?

Ten years ago,

in the case of Ji Guinan's alleged corruption over the tribute brocade,

it was my doing.

I framed Ji Guinan.

He knew nothing

about the embezzlement.

I was not expecting you to come in person, General Niu.

How may I help you?

The logistics officer is a soldier of Yizhou's military.

Even if he broke the law,

he should be handed over to the military.

How is it proper for Brocade Bureau

to make such a spectacle?

General Niu, your reasoning is flawed.

This man swapped tribute brocade

and undermined Yizhou's brocade industry.

He must be tried publicly,

in front of every brocade merchant in Yizhou,

to ensure a fair and transparent inquiry.

Ms. Ji,

this man is ruthless.

Leave him to us.

If anything were to happen to you today,

how would I explain it to Mr. Yang?

My father was falsely accused for years.

I believe in justice and the law.

It will give us the truth we deserve.

You are no officer.

Your baseless accusations

and incitement of the people

are punishable by death!

Take them all away!

Yes, sir!

Wait!

I am here under Mr. Yang's orders.

What authority does Brocade Bureau have

to investigate someone from my army?

Take them away!

Yes, sir!

Hold on...!

General Niu...

Everyone,

the tribute brocade is a treasure beloved by His Majesty.

It is the labor of countless silk and brocade artisans.

It is the pride of Yizhou.

Now, it has been tarnished by traitorous hands,

bringing shame upon us all.

Should we not demand

an explanation?

Exactly!

We deserve an explanation!

General Niu, please investigate thoroughly and seek justice for the people!

♪Fallen petals, scattered on the ground♪

♪Love awakes, but it fades before it grows♪

♪Like dust in the creek, it slips away♪

♪Time just spins, tearing at the seams♪

♪I walk through the pain, but I still chase the dream♪

♪The road is ahead, but it feels so unknown♪

♪How can we, so small, fight against this tide?♪

♪Holding on tight, as the ropes pull me inside♪

♪To show that the soaring crimson is mine to own♪

♪Red like a vow, that's burning slow♪

♪Silent red, where all my memories go♪

♪Throw the thread, and let the heartache show♪

♪Drowning in this, can't let it go♪

♪Red like flames, that burn through my soul♪

♪I walk these miles alone, through sleepless nights♪

♪Love in the wind, alive, it's everywhere we've been♪

♪Red blooms bright, but it dies all alone♪

♪Red like a vow, that's burning slow♪

♪Silent red, where all my memories go♪

♪Throw the thread, and let the heartache show♪

♪Drowning in this, can't let it go♪

♪Red like flames, that burn through my soul♪

♪I walk these miles alone, through sleepless nights♪

♪Love in the wind, alive, it's everywhere we've been♪

♪Red blooms bright, but it dies all alone♪