Original subtitles

[Brocade Odyssey]

[Episode 21]

Are you really willing

to let the flower you nurtured

be taken by someone else?

I'm not willing!

Mother, you don't understand.

That guy is unreliable.

I worry every day

that Yingying will suffer if she stays with him.

Then take her back.

She was yours to begin with.

She's offended the Niu family now.

Only by marrying her

can you truly protect her.

As long as she faces struggles like yours,

she'll come to understand you,

to relate to you,

and one day, she'll fall in love with you again.

[Yu Residence]

Is Ms. Ji not here?

She's inside discussing business.

A big deal!

A big deal?

Mr. Qian from Tubo

ordered 30 bolts of Rippling Grain Brocade

for their horse racing festival.

He's paying 30% above market price.

Isn't that a big deal?

If this order goes through,

we'll live worry-free for a year.

Mr. Jiang.

See Mr. Qian out.

Ms. Ji, Mr. Yu, please stay.

Take care.

This way, please.

Mr. Bai, what brings you here?

Is there an issue with the profit share from the first batch

of Rippling Grain Brocade?

The deal isn't over yet,

so why

should the relationship end?

Today, I'm here as a guest.

Mr. Bai, as a foreigner,

you might not know

that in our country, when visiting or doing business,

you must first knock and present a calling card.

Only with the host's consent can you enter.

Mr. Yu.

He's already presented one.

Mr. Bai, you adapt to local customs quickly.

Let's get down to business.

How's it going?

Yingying,

did you sign the order?

Isn't this deal going to make us rich?

What do you all think of this order?

Should we sign it?

Sign it, of course.

Why not make money?

What do you think, Mr. Bai?

I'm just an outsider

and don't understand brocade weaving.

I wouldn't dare make a decision lightly.

It's still up to you and Mr. Yu to decide.

As for this order,

we've already declined it.

Such a great deal,

why not take it?

Mr. Yu,

you should've stopped her.

Such a great deal

comes with conditions.

Mr. Qian offered

such a high price

because the timeline he set was too tight

too rigid,

and non-negotiable.

Of course,

if we push ourselves, work harder,

it's not impossible to fulfill.

But what if something goes wrong?

If we fail

to deliver on time,

we'll be left

with a huge penalty to pay.

Right now, our Bloom Society is growing steadily.

There's no need to take such a risk.

All right.

Let's go with Ms. Ji's decision.

It's just one order.

Earning a little less is no big deal.

Five days from now is a good day.

I'll treat everyone to a big feast at San Hua Pavilion.

Business is so good now,

and we have so many orders.

Where will we find the time for that?

Oh...

Why are you all standing around? Get to work!

Let's get to work.

Mr. Yu,

this batch of silk is ready.

Good. Let's go take a look.

Wait...

Aren't you all going to ask me

what's special about five days from now?

Did you win a cockfight or a cricket match?

If your father doesn't scold you, consider it a blessing.

Hey...

Why are you giving me such a hard time?

What's so special about five days from now?

Let me tell you,

five days from now...

Forget it. I won't tell you.

Um...

Ms. Ji's friends

can't also be friends of mine?

That's beyond me.

It's up to you to win them over.

Miss!

Gui.

Miss.

We have guests at home.

Madam asked me to fetch you back.

Mr. Bai, I'll take my leave now.

Who is it? Who came?

It's your aunt.

My aunt?

The heavens are against me!

Gui, let's go.

[Huanhua Dyehouse]

Where is she?

Auntie!

Auntie, why are you here?

Why are you yelling?

[Mrs. Li, Ji Yingying's Aunt] Why are you running?

How improper!

Greetings, Auntie.

Now, this is how a proper young lady should behave.

During your stay here,

teach her proper manners.

Come on, let's eat.

One must be graceful while eating.

How can you just grab food with your hands?

Chew your food slowly and thoroughly.

Look at you,

your mouth is stuffed, and your teeth are showing.

Auntie, how have you been feeling lately?

Have you forgotten the rule of no talking during meals or sleep?

It was Li Feng who told me

that my brother-in-law's case has been overturned.

If it weren't for my daughter's upcoming wedding,

I should've come sooner.

After all these years,

my brother-in-law has finally cleared his name.

You've waited so long for this day.

I'm truly happy for you.

Yes,

I've finally waited for this day.

Come, have some tea.

Why do I find it hard to believe?

When our family faced trouble

and we sought their help,

do you remember how Uncle insulted us?

Uncle may be mean,

but two years ago,

thanks to Auntie's secret help,

we managed to get through it.

I'm grateful to Auntie, of course.

But as for Uncle,

he must see that we've prospered

and now wants to reconnect.

Shh.

Look at your daughter,

she's already settled and married.

Yet in our family,

the two of them haven't made a move.

You know what?

I've actually been preparing for this.

Yaoting, Yingying,

come in quickly!

Auntie.

This time,

I've brought you gifts.

Come and see if you like them.

This one's for Yaoting,

This one's for Yingying.

Thank you, Auntie.

But Auntie,

did you mix up mine and my brother's gifts?

No, I didn't.

This hairpin

is for his future wife.

And this golden sash

is naturally for your future husband.

You two

shouldn't delay your future plans.

Don't make your mother worry.

Yaoting,

do you like this jade hairpin?

"Thinking of my gentleman,

gentle as jade."

I certainly like

Auntie's gift.

As long as you like it.

Over the next few days,

I will find a few fine matches for you

so you can take a good look.

Your matters are also on my mind.

But you're not like your brother.

If you want to marry,

you must first properly learn etiquette.

Exactly.

Understood.

[Yuebuhuan Inn]

Madam, Ji Yaoting needs you for something.

He's asking you to head over.

Help me handle this.

Understood.

Yaoting,

you need something from me?

Please, take a seat.

These past few days,

my aunt

has been arranging a match for me.

That's great news.

Congratulations!

She kept asking

what kind of woman I like.

In my mind,

a certain someone's image surfaced naturally.

That's when I realized

I could no longer deceive myself.

I always felt

she's seen all the sights,

while I'm just an ordinary man.

How could I possibly catch her eye?

But I thought it over for a long time.

All my life, I've played it safe.

This time,

no matter what,

I want to try.

No matter the outcome.

Yuniang,

the first time we met

was on May 10th, three years ago.

Yingying had run away from home

and she stayed here with you.

Back then,

you were practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

[From Cao Zhi's "Ode to the Goddess of Luo River"] "Light as a startled flying swan goose,

and graceful as a swimming dragon."

It was the first time I saw a woman

so free and unrestrained.

For some reason,

from that moment,

I knew

I'd never forget you.

But my family was struggling

and I couldn't act on my selfish desires.

I didn't even have the confidence

to stand before you and express my feelings,

until these past few days,

when fate brought us together

several times.

No matter what you think of me,

I want to openly,

clearly confess my feelings to you.

I don't want to approach you sneakily

under the guise of friendship,

nor do I want others to think

I'm too close to you

and tarnish your reputation.

Yuniang,

I admire you deeply.

I want to marry you.

♪Year after year♪

♪Just for a fleeting moment to hold dear♪

♪Far away, two entwined♪

♪Yet I remain, my shadow behind♪

♪Unforgotten♪

♪Memories entwined, stronger than love's song♪

My father ran a merchant caravan.

From a young age, I traveled with him across lands far and wide.

I'm like a gust of wind,

neither rivers could stop me,

nor mountains could block my way.

That wind

once stopped for someone.

As for what happened afterward,

I'm sure you've heard of it.

I've thought long and hard.

Am I truly incapable

of being a dignified woman?

It's not that I can't.

It's that I don't want to.

I'm a selfish person.

Compared to loving him,

I love myself more.

The baggage I carry is light.

Once it holds freedom,

it can no longer hold him.

But the part of you I love

is your unrestrained self.

I've never wanted you

to change anything for me.

He said these words too.

Do you think Yang Jingshan

is someone who goes back on his word?

But who isn't helpless

when faced with difficult choices?

I don't want to go through

the same thing again.

Shh.

Yaoting, did you forget

what Auntie said?

No one in our family, whether master or servant,

is allowed to stay out past dark.

I did forget.

But it's okay.

I already told them you were asleep.

That's rare indeed,

like when I sneaked out to open the door for you.

Yaoting,

you...

Yu...

turned me down.

She said she's afraid of repeating the same mistakes.

Yu...

appears carefree and unrestrained,

but deep down,

she has a soft side.

She once told me,

in the martial world,

the most skilled fighter

doesn't engage in combat.

Because as long as they don't fight,

they won't lose.

She's protecting herself.

It's because I haven't done enough.

I spent a long time thinking below her window.

All I told her was that I like her,

but what can my feelings

actually give her?

If I can make her like me enough,

make her feel safe enough,

make her trust me enough,

how could she still be afraid of repeating past mistakes?

So words aren't enough.

I'll show her with actions.

That's my brother for you.

But Yu

has a strong will.

Once she makes a decision,

it's hard for her to change her mind.

This path

might be a long one for you.

I have never been a clever man,

but as long as I'm certain of something,

I'll stick to it.

Why are you calling for me?

No one's paid attention to me all day.

Do you even know what day it is today?

I've been busy!

If you all ignore me,

there are plenty of others who won't.

What...

What does this mean?

Who said no one cares about you?

This sachet under the lantern

is woven from silk I personally dyed.

My wife and mother made it by hand.

I wish you a lifetime of success,

prosperity and glory!

I wish you good health,

peace, and joy.

May you sail through life smoothly

and make the most of your youth!

May you always win your bets,

except in backgammon!

So, you all knew!

On this fine day,

I send my best wishes.

Sang Shisi, happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

I knew it.

You wouldn't forget about me!

I've prepared something too.

Sang An, serve the dishes!

Right away.

Serve the dishes!

Everything looks great.

This one's the best!

Let me wear this one first.

Why is Miss Zhu's

always the best?

Why?

Well...

How could anything else

compare to hers?

All right.

Let's eat!

Stop teasing him.

Set the dishes on!

After hanging the lanterns, come and eat!

Got it!

Ms. Ji,

here's my calling card.

This is the Yu residence.

Shouldn't you

see Mr. Yu first?

A few days ago,

Mr. Sang said

"five days from now is a good day."

I get curious

and come to see for myself.

Sorry to intrude.

A guest is always welcome. Please, go ahead.

If I'm not mistaken,

all of this

must have been your idea.

Ms. Ji,

do you put such thought

into all your friends?

That depends on the friend.

I don't mind if my friends are clever

or have their own agendas,

but to be my friend,

there's only one condition:

sincerity.

So, what about us?

Can we be considered friends now?

For now...

we're half-friends.

[Bai Residence]

Mr. Zhao, why have you

come here today?

The waters of Yizhou run deep.

You don't know their depth,

yet you've stepped right in.

As the Brocade Master of Yizhou,

I feel compelled to warn you.

What do you mean by that?

Abandon your collaboration with the Bloom Society and the Yu family,

and our Zhao family

is willing to befriend you.

Whatever they offer,

we'll double it.

What do you think

I value most?

In business,

profit is the obvious answer.

But I've never said

I'm just a businessman.

If you don't value profit,

then what is it you want?

A stake in your Zhao family's brocade business.

What price would you be willing to pay for that?

Who exactly are you?

You don't need to know who I am.

All you need to know

is that

I can help you win Ji Yingying.

[Huanhua Dyehouse]

Mr. Chen,

move all of this over there.

Got it!

Yingying,

is that Mr. Chen?

Auntie, you know him?

He may look strong and sturdy,

but I've heard he has a bad temper.

If he gets upset in the future,

he might even hit you.

That's unacceptable.

Mr. Sheng,

is everything moved?

It's done.

As for Mr. Sheng,

he looks steady and dependable,

but he's been frail since childhood,

always carrying medicine on his back.

He might have trouble having children in the future.

Yingying, this won't do either.

Yingying,

where should these go?

Put them inside.

Got it.

Good day, Auntie.

Who's this?

Jiang Liu. He's already married.

Auntie, they're all my friends.

Please don't overthink it.

What do you mean overthink it?

I'm doing this for your own good.

Auntie,

you are my aunt,

and I'll accept any guidance you give me at home.

But they're my friends,

and you can't talk about them like that in front of me.

I don't need you to find me a husband either.

You don't need it?

Could it be

you already have someone in mind?

Which young man is it?

Tell me,

and I'll check him out for you.

No,

No one.

Do I have

no other choice but to marry?

If you don't marry, then what will you do?

If you don't marry,

are you planning to become a nun?

I want to do my own thing.

I want to restore the Ji family's honor.

I want to make a name for myself as a woman.

I want to clean up the brocade industry.

I don't want to be a woman

whose life revolves around her husband and children,

confined to the inner chambers!

Auntie, I didn't mean it like that.

I...

Auntie...

All right.

You have grand ambitions.

I'm in your way here.

No...

I will pack up and go home now.

- Auntie, no... - I don't want to trouble you anymore.

Is Mrs. Li here?

Who are you?

Why are you barging into my home?

Mrs. Li,

your husband owes our gambling house a thousand guan.

He hasn't paid it back for months.

We've already detained him.

If you can't gather the money to pay,

then be prepared to collect his body.

Li Feng has never entered a gambling house.

How could he owe you money?

[Li Feng's Debt Note]

Believe it now?

Your husband has been

to the gambling house countless times this year.

He's already gambled away everything you own.

Our boss said,

if you truly can't pay,

then you and your daughter will pay the debt instead.

Detaining citizens,

kidnapping women,

do you have any regard for the law?

Paying debts

is a natural obligation.

Even if you go to the magistrate,

we're not afraid.

Our boss said,

if you pay back the money in three days,

there will be no trouble.

If not,

prepare to see what happens

to your husband and daughter!

Three days...

only three days.

Where am I supposed to find a thousand guan?

Dear...

Don't panic.

Let's not panic just yet.

We still have some money at home,

but a thousand guan...

there's no way we can gather that much.

How about

we report this to the authorities

to at least save Li Feng's life?

No! We can't go to the authorities.

Absolutely not!

If word of this disgrace gets out,

it'll ruin my daughter's marriage prospects.

Yingying,

does Bloom Society still have money in its accounts?

Yingying,

if there's any money left in the accounts,

please, no matter what,

use it to save your uncle.

No, you'll be saving your aunt.

You'll be saving your cousin.

You and her are like real sisters.

Yingying...

Auntie,

don't worry just yet.

When our family faced hardships,

out of all our relatives,

you were the only one who helped us.

Now that you're in trouble,

we won't stand idly by.

But a thousand guan is no small amount.

Let me figure out a way, all right?

All right.

I won't push you.

Think of a way for me.

I have no one else to rely on but you.

What's going on?

- Why call all of us here? - Yingying.

What happened?

There's trouble at home,

and I need money.

I'm thinking of revisiting

Mr. Qian's order.

I'll go out to investigate

whether Mr. Qian has signed with someone else.

I'll contact the silk suppliers.

If we can secure the deal with Mr. Qian,

I'll quickly place an order for silk.

The dyes we bought last time might not be enough.

I'll check with the shopkeepers.

You're not asking me

what happened specifically?

It doesn't matter what it is.

If there's money to make, we'll make it together.

If there's trouble, we'll face it together.

Hey,

what can I do?

Actually, there's one thing

only you can handle.

Then it's settled.

I've found out

that every June,

there's a grand horse racing festival in Tubo.

Everyone participates,

from officials and nobles to commoners.

[San Hua Pavilion]

Welcome, honored guests.

Please, come inside.

It seems fine.

Nothing to worry about.

Deals that seem too good

always make people uneasy.

Let's investigate a bit later

to see if this Mr. Qian

is truly from Tubo.

No problem, leave it to me.

Ms. Ji,

what a coincidence!

Mr. Bai, you're here too.

To be honest,

I came here specifically to wait for you today.

How did you know I'd be here?

May I have a word with you in private?

Shisi, go warm the wine.

All right.

All this secrecy...

I'm not interested in listening anyway!

Move aside.

I heard you're urgently in need

of a sum of money lately.

This deal with Mr. Qian...

tight deadlines, heavy tasks,

the risks aren't small.

If you trust me,

I could

lend you some money to tide you over.

Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Bai.

But I think

business calculations are straightforward,

while personal favors are not.

Personal favors often carry risks

greater than business deals.

In the end,

you still don't trust me.

But it's fine.

After all, the two of us

are only half-friends.

I have other matters to attend to,

so I'll take my leave.

Mr. Qian, sorry to keep you waiting.

Ms. Ji, please sit.

Last time, you made it clear

that you wouldn't work with me.

So why

have you changed your mind now?

We didn't consider everything thoroughly before.

Today, we've brought a gift

to apologize to you personally.

This gift

is much simpler than the one I gave you last time.

But it’s filled with heartfelt sincerity.

To show our sincerity,

let me put it on you personally.

What are you doing?

How dare you touch the head

of a Tubo person so casually!

Apologies.

It was disrespectful of us. Please don't be angry.

Here, this is the finest wine from Yizhou.

Mr. Qian, please try it.

Excellent wine!

Ms. Ji,

if you want to work with us,

let's have a proper discussion.

Thank you, Mr. Qian.

That's great!

Please.

Thank you for your efforts.

Yingying,

we're buying so much raw silk.

Doesn't that leave Bloom Society's account

nearly empty?

For now, there isn't much money left.

But in six months, once we settle accounts with Mr. Qian,

we'll make a huge profit.

But...

what if we don't complete the delivery on time?

I still feel uneasy.

For Auntie and my cousin,

there's no other choice.

We'll have to take a gamble.

There really was no other way this time,

but in the future, we should take fewer risks.

No more all-or-nothing gambles.

Be more cautious.

In the future, don't take risks,

and definitely don't place everything on the line.

Yingying.

It's nothing. I just thought of

an ally.

An ally?

This way.

[Nanzhao]

Throughout all of Nanzhao,

Prince Bai loves Shu brocade the most.

In his Brocade Vault,

he has collected the most precious silks and brocades in the world.

But Prince Bai

has been ill for quite some time,

resting and not making public appearances.

Currently, the entire palace

is managed by Ning Dai,

the daughter of the former Qingping Officer (Senior Minister),

Prince Bai's mentor.

Prince Bai has a mortal enemy:

the current Qingping Officer, Du Yan.

Ning Dai fears that Du Yan will seize the chance to stir up trouble,

so she has secured the palace

as tightly as an iron barrel.

It's not easy to get in.

Not easy

doesn't mean impossible.

Someone's trying to assassinate the Prince!

Protect the Prince!

Hurry!

Quickly!

Rippling Grain Brocade!

Even Yizhou doesn't have many bolts of it.

How does Nanzhao have this?

Shu Red Brocade!

No wonder this Brocade Vault is off-limits.

Turns out they're smuggling tribute brocade!

All right...

I can't win against you.

I'm not competing anymore.

But...

if I call out,

the guards outside will hear me.

By then,

we'll both perish together.

What do you want?

I'll help you sell this.

As for the money...

we'll split it fifty-fifty.

This piece is mine.

Take whatever else you want.

No way.

Shu Red Brocade is the most valuable.

But...

how did you know there was Shu Red Brocade here?

I had to dig for a long time to find this out.

Do you want to know?

Of course I do.

For us thieves,

information is everything.

Here's a deal:

tell me your informant,

and I'll consider working with you.

You've been waiting for me a long time,

Ning Dai.

What are you talking about?

I don't understand.

The scent on you

matches the smell of this garden.

You pretended to be a thief to extract information from me,

set up an inescapable trap,

and then caught me.

I know I can't escape.

But if I shout now,

my companions will inform all of Nanzhao

that your Prince Bai

has secretly kept a Shu Red Brocade robe

and not presented it to the Emperor.

Is this mutually destructive outcome

what you want?

Yingying,

thanks to you this time.

Thank you.

Auntie, back when my family faced hardship,

you helped us too.

We're family.

No need to mention it.

♪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♪