Original subtitles

[Brocade Odyssey]

[Episode 32]

The three of us share a bond forged through life and death,

so I will be frank.

If the day ever comes

when I am left with no choice

but to betray the Commissioner,

would you two stand by me?

May I ask what could possibly drive you

to such an extreme, General Niu?

I am sure you have heard the rumors.

Chang'an is investigating me.

It is all thanks to Yang Jinglan

who is causing chaos in Yizhou

and fabricating charges against me.

I am already walking a tightrope over the edge.

If these charges are false,

surely the Commissioner, given his trust in you,

will uncover the truth

and do everything he can to protect you.

Does truth ever exist in this world?

What if the Commissioner decides to throw me to the wolves to save himself?

What am I supposed to do, then?

The Commissioner has his own considerations when making decisions.

No matter what,

you must remain loyal to him.

What a truly loyal and honorable man.

Chen,

I am glad

you did not disappoint me in this test.

It is rare to have a friend like you

in life.

Here!

Come on.

Chen, here is a toast to you.

Yes. All right.

Cheers!

Niu Jin!

Why…? Why did you do that?

It is a shame to lose such a loyal and honorable man.

I cannot believe he chose duty

over reality.

Li, you are a man who values friendship deeply.

You would not make the same choice,

would you?

If I become Commissioner one day,

I will hand over

the position of Deputy General to you.

I will listen to your command, Commissioner.

Li, you are being too hasty.

If Commissioner Mu values our past relationship

and supports me,

we will still be like brothers.

But if things take a turn,

then the position of Deputy General will fall to you, Li.

I am willing to serve you, Commissioner!

Great!

Here is a toast to you, Deputy General Li.

Cheers, Commissioner Niu!

Yingying!

Tubo.

We are finally here.

We have finally navigated

through this trade route.

Sheng Dalang,

look!

We are finally here.

But without trust, there is no foundation.

I am not quick-witted,

and I can be a bit awkward with words.

But I am loyal.

Once I give my word to you,

I stick to it.

You can count on me.

I will keep

my promises.

Yang Jinglan,

we did it.

I hope everything goes well for you, too.

After enduring countless challenges, Ji Yingying and her team

finally reached Tubo.

The merchants in the Tubo market were thrilled

to see the brocades,

and the brocades quickly became highly sought-after items.

This is bad!

They have escaped!

Hold your position!

We will chase after them!

Yes!

Understood!

It is dark and cold now.

You have just drunk, Your Highness.

You should be careful not to catch a cold.

Please return with me

so that others will not worry about you.

You are really smart.

What if I refuse to return with you?

I will be in serious trouble

if anything happens to you, Your Highness.

How about this?

Let's make a deal.

Niu Jin and my master have been very cautious.

There is no concrete proof

of past transactions between them for years.

However, I have a token here

that Niu Jin gave to my master

as a gesture of sincerity

and to help with the transportation of goods.

[Niu]

Niu Jin has been cautious

about making a move

against me due to the Commissioner

and the crown prince.

Yet, now you give me this damning evidence against him.

You are planning to use Niu Jin to take me out, aren't you?

You and I can work together to take him out.

Well, it is indeed

a good deal.

But you forgot something.

I am not a merchant of the Tang Empire.

Instead, I am a government official.

Officials can endure humiliation

and face death without fear.

But they cannot lose sight of right and wrong

or work hand in glove with others.

Oh, yes.

You are right.

Do you know

why I waited

until today to escape?

It is because my plan needed the right timing.

By escaping today,

I can catch up with Ji Yingying

when she returns from Tubo.

I can bring her with me to Nanzhao

and visit the place.

Before that,

please come with me.

How bold you are, Yang Jinglan!

How dare you hurt Prince Bai?

Yang Jinglan,

I am Prince Bai of Nanzhao,

a guest invited by your empire.

How dare you try to kill me?

Get a physician here now!

That is not needed.

I do not trust anyone

from the Tang Empire.

Your Highness,

what…? What is going on exactly?

Are you blind?

We have the evidence and witnesses of the crime!

Arrest the man who tried to assassinate His Highness now!

If I wanted him dead,

do you think he would still be alive?

Yang Jinglan,

are you saying the blood on your sword

does not belong to me?

There is no need

to go to Chang'an now.

That is a bad idea!

If you leave now, Your Highness,

we will not be able to complete our task.

Your task?

If you hand me over like this,

every one of you

will be labeled as failing to carry out your duty.

Think about it.

Do you want to send

a battered Prince Bai to Chang'an,

or do you

want to send

Yang Jinglan as the scapegoat to take the fall for you?

Think about what is at stake

for yourselves and your families.

I bet

you know what matters more.

Troop Six,

deliver a message to Chang'an for me.

Tell them

that Nanzhao will

seek revenge for today's incident!

Yang Jinglan,

I have a message for you, too.

You cannot

protect everyone.

Mr. Yang, please forgive me.

I hope you can personally explain this to the emperor.

[Yizhou]

[Wanted]

[Wanted]

That old man, Niu Jin, is cunning.

Even before the court made a decision,

he pressured local officials

to plaster your wanted poster everywhere.

It is even more frustrating

that not a single person

from Troop Six stepped forward to vouch for you.

After all, Prince Bai of Nanzhao did get injured.

Someone has to take the fall.

You must head to Chang'an

and talk to the crown prince

to clear your name!

No.

He may try to aid me,

but I do not have any evidence

to prove my innocence.

The court certainly

will not risk offending Nanzhao's prince

for a brocade officer as insignificant as me.

What should we do, then?

Should we grab Sheng Fengze for a confrontation?

But this guy seems to have completely vanished.

We cannot find him anywhere.

Do you think

he might have gone back to Nanzhao?

He went to such lengths to come to Yizhou.

I do not believe it is just for business.

He must have something else in mind.

That is why

I cannot leave now.

I need to act quickly and stop him.

If he is trying to use others as a weapon against me,

then I will turn

the tables on him.

However,

I still need another ally.

Who?

Mu Hui.

He might turn a blind eye to his subordinates' greed,

but he would never tolerate them

colluding with outsiders.

If there is solid evidence that Prince Bai is working with Niu Jin,

even if I indeed tried to assassinate him,

it would mean I uphold the law

and protect the safety of the Tang Empire.

Nanzhao would be in the wrong, and even if they decided to attack,

they would not have a legitimate excuse.

Would showing him only this token

be enough to convince him?

That's why I still need Zhuge's testimony about the foreign merchants.

All right. I will handle that.

Besides, I am not your subordinate.

So, they have no reason to arrest me.

Sneaking in should not be a problem.

The situation at the court is complicated.

Do you really think bringing him

to Chang'an will result in a clear resolution?

Do not worry.

I will do everything I can

to bring him to justice.

But no matter what,

Niu Jin will not be able to escape.

As compared to getting revenge,

I am more concerned

about whether you will make it out unscathed.

You have not forgotten

that I still owe you a grand wedding, have you?

When I...

When we return to Yizhou,

we will host a grand celebration.

The entire city will talk about it.

All right.

Yingying, wait for me a moment.

Here.

Do I look good with it?

Of course.

I do not want you to leave.

I do not want us to part.

Then, I will not go.

Liar.

Yang Jinglan?

You must be safe.

Fang.

There is one more thing

I would like your help with.

Tell me.

Please deliver something to Yingying for me.

All right.

Consider it done.

Waiting for the unknown

or knowing the truth?

Which one

hurts you more?

What do you mean by that, my dear?

Yu Yuan was sold to a family in Lincheng as a maid.

But the matriarch of the household

feared she would attract her husband's attention,

so she found an excuse

and had Yu Yuan killed.

I will find her body

and give her a proper burial.

For this,

I owe you an apology.

Ms. Niu,

please get up. The ground is cold.

Yu Yuan?

Yu Yuan,

was I wrong?

I should have listened to my father

and become his pawn.

If I had, I would never have met Ji Yingying

or Yang Jinglan.

I would never have married Zhao Xiuyuan,

and you would never have left me.

If that were the case, you would not need me, either.

You just chose a path

that your mother and sisters

never dared to explore.

It is a road you have traveled alone for too long,

leaving you feeling isolated.

That is why you wanted someone to walk alongside you.

I am not your maid,

your friend,

or your family.

I am another version of you, instead.

The one who reassures you,

encourages you,

and tells you that you have not taken the wrong path.

Yu Yuan,

you are my Yu Yuan.

You are a part of me.

You are me.

Jingshan...!

Did I not warn you long ago?

The Yang family could face danger,

and we needed to prepare in advance.

But what did you do?

You always told us to wait for Yang Jinglan.

Well, he is now a wanted man.

What are you waiting for?

There must be something wrong.

Besides, words from the caravan said

Jinglan went to Chang'an,

while Yingying continued on

with the caravan to Tubo.

I believe that with her capabilities,

she will sell the brocade

and return safely.

She should have been back by now!

Why has she not shown up after all these days?

What could it mean?

Has she

abandoned her family,

run off with the money from selling Yang Brocade,

and now lived freely

elsewhere?

I did not come to the Yang residence

to listen to these matters, right?

Mr. Zhao is here to offer help in our time of need.

Help in time of need?

Why has the Yang family fallen into such straits?

Have all of you forgotten?

If we accept the Zhao family's order,

what dignity will the Yang family have left?

How will we hold our place in Yizhou?

Mr. Yang, calm down.

At present,

the Yang family's weavers have all quit,

and no new orders are coming in.

In my view, your family is on the brink of collapse.

That is why I think,

compared to having dignity,

the survival of the Yang family

is what truly matters right now.

Well said!

You are absolutely right!

Jingshan,

you are still too young.

You have spent all your energy on brocade,

but you lack experience

in operating business.

But do not worry.

I will not stand idly by

and watch the Yang family crumble

because of your clash of egos.

Let me tell you

exactly where the Yang family stands right now.

We were already weakened previously,

and now, we are burdened with Yang Jinglan.

Who would dare do business with the Yang family from now on?

Mr. Zhao's order

is, quite frankly,

the only lifeline the Yang family has left.

Uncle Juli!

Enough!

If you cannot make the decision,

that is all right.

I will make it for you.

Everyone,

if you trust me,

then let us toast

to Mr. Zhao today.

Come on!

All right!

Mr. Yang Jingshan!

Sir!

Ms. Ji has returned!

Yingying,

are you all right?

Now that everyone is here,

let us open the chest.

Before I left,

all of you

sold your brocade to me.

Inside this chest is the remaining payment owed to you.

The Yang family has braved countless dangers this time

and finally opened a new route.

It is from Yizhou southward,

connecting Tubo and Nanzhao.

The brocade woven by the Yang family

was highly praised

among Tubo's nobles and wealthy merchants.

It was in such demand that we could not meet it.

No matter how others try to tarnish us,

gold will always be gold.

Yang Brocade remains worth its weight in gold.

In addition to selling off the brocade,

I also brought back new orders.

800 bolts of Shu Brocade.

Uncle Juli, please inspect and verify.

Well, not bad.

You have done all right.

I thank you on behalf of the Yang family.

But from now on, this matter

has nothing to do with you.

What do you mean by that?

What do I mean?

Officers,

come in!

Were you not looking for Yang Jinglan?

His wife is right here.

Take her away and interrogate her.

Use any methods you like. Torture her,

and you will get all the answers.

Uncle Juli!

Ms. Ji,

come with us.

Yang Jinglan has not even stood trial yet.

Even if his entire family were to be implicated,

it is far too soon to arrest me now.

Enough with that nonsense!

Whoever Mr. Meng orders must come with us!

I cannot go.

This...!

[Letter of Separation]

The letter of separation is here.

Whether Yang Jinglan is innocent or guilty

no longer concerns me.

Rather than asking a stranger,

you would be better off asking Yang Jinglan's uncle.

You say it does not concern you, and suddenly, your word is law?

The letter of separation?

How did she get that?

She must have met Jinglan on the road.

Am I right, officers?

Well, take this troublemaker away.

Torture her if you must,

and you will know everything soon enough.

This letter of separation

was written by Yang Jinglan

when we were exploring the trade route.

The mountain paths were perilous,

and bandits roamed freely.

He feared that if something were to befall him,

I would be left a widow,

tarnishing my reputation.

Officers,

I am no longer Yang Jinglan's wife.

I am Ji Yingying,

successor to Shu Red Silk

and the pioneer of the new trade route.

Chang'an knows my name,

and Tubo recognizes my work.

If Chang'an no longer values Shu Red Silk,

and Yizhou does not care about new trade routes,

then by all means, fabricate your charges

and take me in for questioning.

This...

We will report this to the magistrate

before making a decision.

Come on!

Officers!

Uncle Juli...

Or should I say,

Sir Yang.

May I have the order back now?

No, you may not.

You have separated from Yang Jinglan, have you not?

That means you are no longer part of the Yang family.

The Yang family's orders are none of your concern.

Perhaps you have forgotten, Sir Yang.

In the main hall, the matriarch agreed

that if I could sell Yang Brocade

and help the family through its crisis,

I would be allowed to manage the family affairs as well.

That day, the elders had no objections.

That is true.

Today, my place in the Yang family

is not

as Yang Jinglan's wife

but as its leader.

Absolutely not!

The matriarch is gravely ill,

and the Yang family is in turmoil.

We cannot let this troublemaker

step through our doors.

Perhaps you should take a closer look at the order in your hands, Sir Yang.

Whose name is signed on it?

[Signed by Ji Yingying]

Ji Yingying, how dare you!

You are lining your own pockets!

You have replaced us!

You have no shame!

Enough!

Show some respect.

Sir Yang, rebuke me all you like,

but it will not change the fact

that the name on these orders is mine.

If I am not allowed into the Yang family

and not permitted to make decisions,

then I can give these orders

to the Yu family,

the Ji family, the Zou family, or even the Wang family.

Even if my name were not on these papers,

do you know to whom

the brocade is for, Sir Yang?

Do you know where to get the remaining payment?

Do you know the appearance and whereabouts

of the shopkeeper

at Wangyue Pavilion?

Today, I ask all of you.

Am I allowed

to step

into the Yang residence?

You are allowed!

Of course, you are allowed!

Someone, come here.

Here!

Prepare a feast to welcome Ms. Ji.

Understood!

Jingshan!

What do we do now?

What should we do?

This is your family matter.

It is not something I can interfere with.

Madam?

Madam, I have returned.

After you left,

news came

that Mother had fallen seriously ill.

Father and Jinglin remained in Chang'an to continue negotiations,

but I rushed home immediately.

When I arrived,

I found Mother gravely ill.

What caused her illness?

At first, we thought it was exhaustion from overwork.

But despite treatment, she did not recover.

In the end, she fell into a deep sleep.

The physician said

it was possible Mother was poisoned.

This strange illness occurred

when none of us were at home.

There is certainly something suspicious about this.

Jingshan,

I need to know

something only Madam

can know or possess.

Mother is the only one

who can use this seal.

Jingshan, please spread the word

that I brought back a miraculous remedy from Tubo

that can cure the madam's illness.

Good idea. Whoever poisoned her

would not want her to recover.

So, upon hearing this, they are bound to act.

We might be able to draw them out.

By the way,

many of the family's weavers

have been poached by the brocade workshop in Mianzhou.

Sir Yang is vying to take charge,

and the elders are pushing for him to manage the family.

Madam,

do not worry.

I will protect the Yang family

and make sure you wake up soon.

As for the weavers, I will investigate thoroughly tomorrow,

and we will discuss the matter further.

For now, I have something to attend to.

Please manage the affairs at home

in my absence, Jingshan.

Very well.

Ms. Ji,

Yang Jinglan was right.

You truly did return.

Have you seen him?

Where is he now?

Is he hurt?

Is he safe?

I met with Master Gao.

He said Yang Jinglan was safe and unharmed.

We have already devised a plan to address the situation.

You can rest assured.

Are you all right?

Do not worry. I am fine.

What is he planning now?

Is there anything I can do to help?

Take care of yourself.

That is all he wishes for.

Oh, and this.

This is something

he asked Master Gao to bring to you.

He said you would understand once you read it.

[Letter of Separation]

Though the ties of marriage begin by chance,

our youthful meeting became a bond.

We reunited

as two blooms on one stem,

woven with threads

of deep affection and duty.

♪Threads of fate unravel, weaving dependence bold♪

May our union span many lifetimes,

and our hearts unite until old age.

If my family survives this calamity,

I promise to come find you and become your friend!

♪My heart's a lone boat, sailing to your hold♪

I will rely only on myself.

Through storm and strife,

I vow to protect you, Ms. Ji.

Will you

marry me?

♪In memories, I find the way we unfold♪

♪In the fleeting world, our hearts still share♪

I do.

Though times have changed and fate is fickle,

the end of this road makes me feel unworthy of beauty.

♪How could yesterday's memories fade♪

Yet the full moon above, though bright,

♪Clad in white♪

fails to reflect in the candlelight below the eaves.

Since we can no longer move forward as one,

let us reunite with our families.

♪Still waters run deep, where love resides♪

To part ways

and pursue our respective paths.

♪Blossoms bloom, their beauty will not decay♪

I wish you every success and well-being in all matters

after our divorce.

[Yang Jinglan] May you find joy each year without fail.

♪May the days ahead bring no more despair♪

I want to tell my moon

that after all this is over,

if he still longs for the open road,

I will accompany him, sword in hand, wherever it may lead.

♪Birds soar as lush grass lines the rugged way♪

♪Rippling waters sing as the wind sways♪

Every success and well-being in all matters.

May you find joy each year without fail.

♪Even tears shimmer with hues that stay♪

♪In the fleeting world, our hearts still share♪

It won't happen

♪Who will untangle this knot of ties♪

because your fate remains uncertain.

♪How could yesterday's memories fade♪

♪Clad in white♪

I still owe you a grand wedding.

♪Though the horizon seems far and wide♪

When I...

When we return to Yizhou,

we will host a grand celebration.

The entire city will talk about it.

All right.

I will wait for you.

♪Until snow melts, and spring returns to abide♪

Yaoting!

The caravan's aftermath

has been dealt with.

Let us go home.

Yaoting,

There is something

I need your help.

Keep an eye on Sir Yang for me.

Find out who he has been meeting,

what he has been doing,

and where he has been going in the past few days.

All right.

Everyone,

the allocation of this order

and the procurement responsibilities

have been strictly determined

according to the Yang family's established rules,

with Mrs. Yang's approval.

Does anyone have any objections?

I object!

Mrs. Yang's approval?

That is nonsense.

Everyone knows that

the matriarch has been in a deep slumber for a long time.

How could she have possibly reviewed and approved anything?

In her dreams?

I forgot to inform everyone.

The matriarch drank the miraculous remedy

I brought back from Tubo.

She woke up last night.

Impossible!

That is absolutely impossible!

Why not?

Isn't Mrs. Yang's recovery

a great blessing for the Yang family?

Why do you seem upset

and even displeased by her awakening, Sir Yang?

Ji Yingying,

do not slander me.

I am not upset.

Of course, I am delighted that she has woken up!

I am merely questioning why,

if she is truly awake,

she has not consulted with us

about this matter.

Mrs. Yang is still weak.

After waking, she entrusted me

with some important matters,

and then she returned to rest.

If she had not awakened,

how could I possibly obtain

the Yang family's seal,

something only she is authorized to handle?

That is right.

I saw it with my own eyes.

Mother

personally handed the seal to Ms. Ji,

entrusting her to assist me in managing the Yang family affairs

with the authority to act first and report later.

Mr. Zhao, you are finally here!

Did I not tell you

not to bother me

unless it was something pressing?

Do not talk to me like that.

We are in the same boat now, remember?

Do not think you can burn the bridges.

The poison was yours.

You administered it yourself,

and you were the one who rallied the elders.

How does any of this involve me?

All right!

I admit you are right.

You warned me not to poison Mrs. Yang to death,

saying that if she died,

Yang Juxian would return for her funeral,

and I still would not get to be the patriarch of the Yang family.

So, I thought

I would use the antidote to force them into compliance.

But who could have guessed

that Ji Yingying went to Tubo

and acquired some supposed miraculous remedy?

Now, my antidote is useless.

If Bai Sheng

left you the poison,

how could they

have found an antidote so easily?

This is no place to linger.

No need to rush.

So, it is really you, Sir Yang.

Hand over the antidote.

Yang Juli,

it truly is you!

You vile, heartless man!

Hand it over now!

You came here with your men,

so I am sure you will leave safely.

But do not think for a moment

that I am alone or powerless.

The Yang family is dealing with its own traitor.

Mr. Zhao, you have no authority to intervene.

Not at all. Please, go ahead.

Mr. Zhao, you cannot burn bridges after crossing them!

Yang Juli conspired with outsiders,

betrayed his own family,

and poisoned the matriarch.

His crimes are unforgivable.

Someone, punish him accordingly!

Understood!

Punish him accordingly!

You...!

Ji Yingying,

I...!

I am...!

Give him 50 lashes!

Do not move!

I surrender!

Yingying!

Ms. Ji, I surrender!

I will confess everything!

I will tell you everything!

Do you want the antidote?

The antidote

is inside the three-colored porcelain vase in my study.

Yingying,

this entire scheme

was not my idea.

It was all Bai Sheng's!

I was nothing but a pawn.

The poison came from Bai Sheng, too.

He told me that

if I could obtain

the Yang family's list of merchants in Chang'an,

he would support me in becoming the patriarch.

He also said that

if anything went wrong,

I should seek out Zhao Xiuyuan for help!

Did you conspire with Bai Sheng?

He helped you a lot.

What does he want from the Yang family?

He said that once I became the patriarch of the Yang family,

he would take something from us.

But he never told me

what that thing was.

He demanded a pattern from the Zhao family.

♪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♪