Original subtitles

[Flourished Peony]

[Episode 3]

Your Highness, this way please.

Your Highness, this is your room.

All the furnishings in the room

are all crafted by my son.

We only wish you

to feel at home.

My favorite glazed cup,

vase

and handwarmer.

It's been so long,

yet he still remembers.

The curtains in the room

are also chosen by Zishu

for you, Your Highness.

Zishu keeps

all your preferences all in mind.

Finding Shuiyu curtains in Luoyang

is truly hard.

Zishu is really thoughtful.

Was this also chosen by Zishu?

Zishu's father saw the items Zishu has chosen

are elegant yet lack nobility,

therefore, he added a few items.

This gold and jade Ruyi…

Take it away.

Yes.

Servants, remove it.

- Hurry. - Yes.

Madame Liu.

The jade pillow on this bed is precious,

it is too cold and hard.

County Princess uses a medicinal pillow.

The silk quilt on the bed is too thin as well.

County Princess's body is fragile,

can only sleep on an extremely soft bed.

Your Highness.

Zishu does not understand the items used in a lady's room,

so I took the liberty of deciding for myself.

But I've never thought to make such mistakes.

Please spare me.

I will

have it replaced immediately.

Your Highness, are you feeling cold?

It is late spring in Luoyang,

but it's still a bit chilling.

The window screens of this room are thick,

blocking out all the sunlight.

County Princess

has been already tired from the journey,

and got frightened at the floral banquet.

How can she stay in such a cold and gloomy room?

I beg your forgiveness.

It is my oversight.

My son

has specially prepared

a jasmine pearl soup for you to relieve fatigue and warm the body.

Your Highness,

please go to the side hall to take a sip.

Just wait a moment.

I will immediately help you arrange a better room.

No need.

I am fully aware of

the mansion

of a Deputy Fifth-Rank official.

I presume this is

the best wing-room here.

We have brought with us the daily supplies.

Just change them.

Don't make Zishu's kindness go in vain.

Yes, I'll do it right away.

Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness.

This wing-room

is right next to Zishu's courtyard.

It's very convenient for getting around.

If you need anything,

please let him know.

The banquet has already ended.

Has Zishu not finished seeing off the guests yet?

Rou.

The County Princess's wing-room has been tidied up already.

What are you doing?

My lord.

County Princess is dissatisfied with the furnishings in the room,

and thus has sent someone

to fetch her own belongings for replacement.

Today, there is an event of negligence here.

If Zishu didn't

beg on his knees for mercy for the Liu family,

this matter certainly could not be easily glossed over.

If such negligence

had occurred in Chang'an,

everyone in the Liu Mansion

would all face the death penalty.

Such a mistake that has occurred

is all due to the incapability of Madam He.

What a disaster that the Liu family

has such a daughter-in-law.

Everyone knows

that since she married into the Liu family,

she has never been favored by Zishu.

The duty to manage the family

would never fall into her hand, the daughter of a merchant.

The place where she lives

is remote.

So she will certainly not bother you.

You protect her like this,

making me the one who is annoying.

Your Highness, you got me wrong.

I'm afraid that woman

will bother you.

Master Liu was demoted and transferred to Luoyang,

willingly degrades himself and makes a marriage alliance to a merchant family.

He has been ups and downs in his official career for a full three years.

And now, he is still

a minor regency official,

causing Zishu to be unable to even be an inherited official.

He can only study hard

for the Imperial Exam with great effort.

He is such a man of talent and value,

has fallen to such a state.

Do you really believe

the assets from the He family

could make him rise rapidly through the ranks?

Your Highness.

You are right.

We have held back Zishu.

For Zishu,

I will not tell my father

about the assassination attempt.

However,

the servants are so incompetent,

must be punished.

All the servants at today's floral banquet

receive eighty strokes of the cane as punishment.

Madam He failed to notice it,

and receive forty strokes of the cane as punishment.

Your Highness, please spare us.

Madam He failed to notice it,

and will be surely dealt with by us according to family discipline.

And we won't let off the servants

who deserve punishment.

However,

if given such a caning punishment,

they might get seriously injured.

Zishu can't bear to see these.

He will surely blame me.

If you care so much about

what Zishu thinks,

why forced him to marry someone he does not love?

If the punishment is not severe,

then it's hard to establish family discipline.

I'm doing this for Zishu.

He's set to rise step by step.

He will receive guests more often in the future.

If such accidents happen again

and offend other nobles,

who can protect him?

Rest assured.

This matter has nothing to do with you.

I will make the decision.

Zishu.

As you say,

my father, my mother and I

are all guilty of negligence,

should all be punished with death together.

What does this have to do with you?

It was you who protected me when I was in danger.

I took it all to heart.

Whether to kill or to punish, you would never be involved.

Get up.

Even if they are at fault,

still people of the Liu Mansion.

Whether to lightly punish

or severely deal with,

whether to beat them or execute them,

are all matters of the Liu family.

How can we trouble guests on this?

Zishu.

You never used to talk to me like this.

I'm doing it for you.

But Youzhen

would never

take the lives of half the people in my Liu Mansion with just one sentence,

and force my mother, past fifty, to kneel down.

Your Highness is doing it for you.

How can you fail

her kindness?

Think it over.

If you don't like me meddling in your family affairs,

then I won't, okay?

Get up.

Help your mother

to rise as well.

Your Highness, you are generous.

Zishu.

Don't be willful.

- Thank you, Your Highness. - Thank you, Your Highness.

Zishu.

is so into studying,

and he's long forgotten how to speak with women.

Your Highness,

please forgive his blunt words.

Your Highness pardons you all.

Hurry and kowtow, then leave.

Your Highness, thank you so much.

I'll take my leave.

I can't bear to see you frown.

Youzhen.

In a few more years,

once I've succeeded in the imperial exam and secured an official position,

I will definitely propose to your father

and marry you.

There are many guests coming

to seek my father's support.

Should I also go ask my father

for an official position for you?

This way, you won't have to study hard for years

and can also be promoted in rank.

I know you mean well.

But I study

for the purpose of understanding principles

and improving myself.

I wish to serve the imperial court with my talent and knowledge,

instead of climbing ranks by relying on others.

I see.

You have lofty ambitions and are knowledgeable,

surpassing those dandies who rely on

their family background.

One day, you'll surely top the imperial examine and be appointed to the highest official rank.

Let me tie it for you.

Okay.

I have a gift for you.

I hope to be with my beloved,

never apart in life or death.

County Princess is my beloved daughter,

regarded as the Second-Rank,

honored and noble.

She has been living in wealth since childhood,

and has never suffered the slightest

grievance or neglect.

With your Liu family's rank and status,

how could you possibly match her?

And how could you take good care of her?

Please go back.

Father, as long as I'm with Zishu,

I don't care about rank and status.

Your Highness.

I hereby swear

I will never let Youzhen suffer the slightest.

And I will cherish and value her

as a treasure.

Please agree.

Please agree.

Take County Princess back to her room.

Yes.

- Your Highness. - Zishu.

- Your Highness. - Zishu.

Zishu.

Your Highness.

- Zishu. - Youzhen.

Zishu.

Zishu.

Once you were

my Youzhen,

not the same as those high-handed noble ladies.

But just now,

you became the County Princess Ji'an.

Your demeanor and words

all made me feel so strange.

I am always Youzhen before you.

I did that

just because I care too much about you.

I'm afraid someone will hold you back.

We have finally reunited.

Don't let this little thing upset us, okay?

You've lost weight.

So the rumors are true

that you are not living well.

Zishu.

Times have changed.

Do you think about moving back to Chang'an?

My father holds a minor official position,

how could we go to Chang'an?

I am living well.

Do not trust the rumors.

Don't worry about me.

In this world,

apart from you,

who else is there for me to worry?

Don't hide it from me.

I know

you have always kept

my portrait in your room.

Even after getting married,

you've never spent the night in Madam He's room.

You've been alone for three years,

and never betrayed our vows.

I know well

your sincerity.

Youzhen, all this you mentioned

is all privacy in my mansion.

You are in Chang'an,

how would you know so clearly?

I've kept you in mind,

so, I got to know

everything about you.

So, whether it is to punish my servants,

or to inquire my privacy,

it's all about your one sentence.

County Princess Ji'an,

have you ever asked for my opinion

or cared about my feelings?

I care about you,

so I did so.

I'm worried…

I'm worried that you would forget about me.

I'm afraid that you would be bullied

and not living well.

Zishu.

If you don't like it,

from now on,

just tell me all about it yourself.

Then I will stop doing so.

Don't blame me, okay?

No one in the Liu Mansion

dares to blame you.

It's getting late.

I'll go help my mother prepare for the dinner,

in case any mistake happens again.

Good.

Nice.

Mr. Jiang.

I will be heading to Chang'an next month.

From now on,

I hope you could continue to support me.

The Chen family has the backing of His Highness,

and your official career is thriving.

Where would you need the support of a minor official like me?

Mr. Jiang.

His Highness is so powerful.

The families backed by him

not just my Chen family.

So many names

presented before His Majesty,

if

anyone is fortunate enough

to be mentioned by you,

then he would secure an official position.

I get countless requests every day.

And I am not wise as His Majesty,

I can't remember everyone.

Mr. Jiang.

It was my oversight.

I can't let you help me for nothing.

A small token.

Please accept it.

Mr. Jiang.

Don't you like

the item in this box?

The only thing I don't like is

that the gift is not great enough.

Are you kidding me?

Such a cheap item

is usually only fit for my guard.

Thank you, My lord.

Mr. Jiang.

What a huge misunderstanding!

Knowing you are liberal with money,

this is

just for you to give away.

The real token

is right here.

Eight shops in the eastern market of Chang'an

and a hundred mu of fertile farmland on the outskirts of the city.

Your father has taught his son well.

His Majesty

shall soon know it.

Thank you, Mr. Jiang.

Pour the wine.

Mr. Jiang, a small token.

Please accept it.

Mr. Jiang, please accept it.

Stop it.

Stop it now.

What happened?

Young Madam has suddenly left

and said to go check

the two shops that came with her dowry.

Mudan has always been obedient.

Even if she knew we sold her shops,

she would not say anything.

A husband's family has no right to sell the wife's dowry. How could you…?

If not,

then how could we get the money to receive the noble people?

And how could we support your future official career?

Her being like this

must be because she saw our attitude towards County Princess

and felt resentful.

Has she recently had any quarrels with you?

Not at all.

That's fine then, you go ahead.

I'll take some people to check it out.

We must not let today's business get disturbed.

Take it slow.

The breakfast sent from the Liu Mansion is so plain.

I'm afraid we'll be busy,

Madam, have a piece of cake to fill you up.

After the divorce,

we still need to rely on these two shops.

Without resolving this matter properly,

how can I have any appetite to eat?

After you get divorced,

the He family will take care of you.

No need to operate the shops.

Be careful.

After mother passed away,

my stepmother managed the family.

I don't want to be looked down

by her and younger brother.

And I don't want to see my father in a pickle.

I plan to sell one of two shops

that came as my dowry

and procure some property.

And I personally operate the other shop.

At the very least,

mother has a garden in Chang'an.

We could go there

and live,

being self-sufficient

and living at ease.

No matter what you wish to do,

I will always be with you.

You've loved the rose steamed cakes.

Eat some,

so you can

help me mess up the Liu family's business.

After we're done,

let's eat together.

Be careful.

Mudan.

Mudan.

Come on.

Father.

Why are you here?

I wanted to ask you.

Why aren't you staying at home

but hanging around here?

Mother asked me

to help my husband settle matters in the officialdom.

I have two shops in my dowry.

Today I thought I'd come and check

if I could arrange some funds.

I have already dealt with it.

So you don't have to worry about it.

Go back.

If the family needs money in the future,

we will always need these two shops.

Father, don't be courteous.

I told you no.

If you don't want to go back,

then I'll have someone take you back.

My lady wants to check her own dowry.

Why do you refuse?

How bold you are!

You have no right to speak here.

You obstructed me like this,

is there something you want to hide?

A woman should be

gentle and compliant.

Just listen to whatever your husband's family says.

Don't ask questions.

I don't want to defy you.

It's about my dowry,

and I have to go.

Stop her.

My lady, just go.

I'll hold them off here.

My lady, go.

Move!

Hurry, My lady.

Hurry, My lady.

- Hurry and stop Young Madam. - Go stop Young Madam.

Stop Young Madam.

Move!

Move!

My lady.

Someone has fallen into the water!

Someone has fallen into the water!

Come save her!

Yulu.

Anyone who can swim?

- Hurry, save her! - Somebody, save her!

I can't swim, Master.

I can't either.

Yulu!

Crazy!

Let go of me.

Let go.

Liu Chang, I'm begging you.

Please save Yulu.

I'm begging you, please save Yulu.

- Save her. - Yes.

Yulu.

Yulu.

She's been saved.

You don't go and keep County Princess company.

What are you doing here?

After all, Madam He is my wife in name.

If she has made a mistake, it should be me to discipline her.

I wouldn't dare trouble you, Father.

Wake up.

Yulu.

Wake up, Yulu.

Wake up, Yulu.

Yulu.

Young Madam.

- Yulu. - Yulu has stopped breathing.

Call the physician now.

It's too late now.

It's not too late.

Medical books said

putting two dan of stove ash

into the body from head to toe,

then water will come out of all seven orifices,

and the person who has drowned will be saved.

It certainly works.

Go.

Go!

Young Madam.

It really is too late.

Yulu has already gone.

Father.

Please save Yulu.

I'm begging you.

I'm begging you.

I'm begging you.

Please save Yulu.

I'll do whatever you want me to do.

I'm begging you, Father.

I'm begging you, Father.

Liu Chang.

Liu Chang, please save Yulu.

I'll do whatever you say.

I'm begging you.

Please save Yulu.

I'm begging you.

- Please. save Yulu. - Get up.

- Please save Yulu. - She has stopped breathing.

I'm begging you.

She hasn't.

She hasn't gone.

Yulu.

Yulu, don't scare me.

Yulu.

Yulu.

Don't scare me.

Please don't scare me.

Please don't scare me.

Please don't scare me. I'm begging you.

Please.

Please wake up, okay?

We had agreed…

We had agreed

to go eat steamed cakes together.

We agreed to be live at ease.

Please wake up, okay?

Say something, Yulu.

Mudan.

I didn't mean

for this to happen.

How about this?

I will deduct three months' wages from the steward

as a warning to others.

Do not act rashly anymore.

If you hurt Young Madam,

can you afford to compensate?

Furthermore,

Yulu was resisting,

then the accident happened.

If you didn't defy against your husband's family,

how could Yulu die?

Don't be willful anymore.

Be well-behaved.

I'll

find you a better maid then.

Mudan.

Why do so for a maid?

Hurry back to freshen up.

Don't catch a cold.

She is not my maid.

She is my sister.

Yulu.

Let's go home.

Go home.

[The Tomb of Yulu]

Whenever I make mistakes out of playfulness,

grandmother would punish me by not allowing me to eat.

But you

would always steal some snacks for me.

And,

you would

always get caught,

then spanked on the palm.

Yulu.

I still remember

after the Qiongtai Yulu was first cultivated,

and when you learned that my mother and I

named it after you,

you were delighted for a long time.

But you didn't get to wait

the Qiongtai Yulu bloom.

[The Tomb of Yulu]

Since childhood,

you have always worried about me,

fearing that I would not live well.

When the Liu family bullied me,

you were even angrier than I was.

Yulu.

From now on,

you don't have to worry about me anymore.

Yulu.

Rest assured.

I won't force myself again.

[Women's Precepts] I once thought

to conceal my edge

would allow me to live at ease.

In the end,

I couldn't even protect

the closest one to me.

No matter how difficult,

from now on,

I will live as I please.

I will become back

to the carefree

He Weifang.

This way.

Mudan.

What are you doing?

We are all family.

Why make it seem like we're dividing the family?

In just one year,

I've been deceived and cheated,

and my dowry has reduced by more than half.

Is this what you call a family?

Mudan, have you misunderstood something?

County Princess and Floral Envoy have come.

Many gold and jade ornaments,

antique calligraphy and paintings in your dowry

are just temporarily

placed in their room.

Sooner or later, they will be put into storage.

Everything should prioritize the Liu family.

Why be so calculating?

Yes, Young Madam.

You can't snatch with them.

Why can't I be calculating?

Those are mine.

Let me ask you. Why can't I be calculating?

The two nobles are just staying at the Liu Mansion temporarily.

No matter how noble they are,

they shouldn't take what I cherish.

If you wish to flatter others,

I don't care.

But I

won't let others manipulate me.

Liu Chang.

You pride yourself on being a scholar.

In the past, you deemed yourself as the most lofty.

Are you also willing

to use a woman's dowry

to pave your way to success?

Mudan, you…

I did not know before

that they were your dowry.

Had I known,

I would never have touched it.

Go get the furnishings from the guest room.

Zishu,

I'm afraid County Princess will be displeased.

Mother, Mudan is right.

How to deal with the belongings of the Liu Mansion

is not something outsiders to criticize.

Go now.

Apart from the items in the storage,

there are also the two shops that were sold previously.

I hope you could return them all together.

Without my permission,

anyone in the Liu Mansion

can't touch my belongings again.

Mudan.

Why are you like this today?

Being so calculating

and seeking money.

You are not like an official's family.

I've been like this.

But you all have come to know it today.

Mr. Jiang.

Wait.

Why is this jade on you?

Chen Zhang gave it to me.

I found its quality to be decent,

so I gave it to Chuanyu.

As for where Chen Zhang got it from,

I'm afraid you'll have to ask Master Liu.

Mr. Jiang.

This was mine.

Could you

sell it back to me?

You are a stingy person,

are you willing to spend money

to buy back what was yours?

Someone from the Liu family gave it to someone else

without letting me know.

It has nothing to do with you.

I have no reason to make you bear this loss.

You are quite reasonable.

However,

I have already given this jade to Chuanyu.

Whether it is to be sold or kept,

you should ask him.

I…

This item was a birthday gift

from me to Yulu.

Now, somehow,

it has ended up in your hands.

To me, Yulu

is like my younger sister.

Now that she's gone,

I just want to

take this item to remember her by.

Well,

the quality of my jade is even better.

I am willing to exchange this jade

to get back yours, how about it?

This was your item.

I should give it back to you.

You can keep it.

No way.

You take this. Take it.

My lord.

My lord always gets bribe.

And he gives me many things.

This one item won't make a difference.

My lord treats me very well.

I know how close

you and Yulu were.

I can feel what you feel.

If I were to accept your jade,

my lord would surely look down on me.

Regarding Yulu,

please accept my condolences.

Thank you.

Mr. Jiang.

Could you keep this jade

and return it to me tomorrow?

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Jiang.

What does she mean?

What is she going to do tomorrow?

Just wait and watch the play.

Why is the rabbit so fierce?

It bites.

What are you afraid of?

No matter how fierce, it's still a rabbit.

Just soothe it by stroking its fur.

County Princess.

I've told Zishu before

I like fluffy things.

I didn't expect after such a long time,

he still remembers it.

Please thank Zishu.

Bring the rabbit over.

It's for Young Madam?

Yes.

My lord.

I am incompetent.

The rabbit bit me

and it ran away.

It ran away?

Then what's with the blood on you?

My lord, please forgive me.

Qiushi, I'm asking you a question.

Answer me.

It was County Princess.

She saw the rabbit,

realizing it wasn't for her.

Then County Princess asked me

to kill the rabbit.

County Princess asked you

to kill the rabbit?

Tell County Princess

that she's still in her mourning period.

I fear others will gossip about her.

I won't go boating on the lake tonight.

You may leave.

Yes.

Three years have passed.

People have changed.

Well,

Zishu not going boating with me

is for me,

or for that Madam He?

Madam He is nothing.

Mr. Liu never cares about her.

Your Highness, please don't overthink it.

If he never cared about her,

why would he give her a rabbit then?

♫ In endless Chang'an, the zither's melody distant ♫

♫ Plum and willow trees bask in the sunshine, as splendor returns with the year ♫

♫ Copper palace battlements, songs and dances, glass goblets ♫

♫ Idle clouds and duckweed, a thousand flowers burst forth ♫

♫ Time passes gracefully, affairs settle like fading smoke ♫

♫ Let the years go by, carried by the wind to early desires ♫

♫ If the heart is like water, the bloom is ever-present ♫

♫ Still cherish the moon of my hometown, to meet for long ♫

♫ The distant night sky strewn with stars, reflecting the lovely moon ♫

♫ The peony's magnificent beauty fills the fragrant garden ♫

♫ With a heart as my lantern, I don't mind the distant mountain paths ♫

♫ The flute's sound, a fleeting life's wishes fulfilled ♫

♫ Time passes gracefully, affairs settle like fading smoke ♫

♫ Let the years go by, carried by the wind to early desires ♫

♫ If the heart is like water, the bloom is ever-present ♫

♫ Still cherish the moon of my hometown, to meet for long ♫