I'm sure that we can come to a satisfactory arrangement.
You're back!
Think it over, Master Luo.
I will.
Is Silver Phoenix asleep?
No!
You look dead on your feet!
Not at all. I was listening to Auntie.
Did she really drop off?
Auntie hit her. Don't mind her.
Leave us alone.
Auntie was discussing the fee for your freedom.
She wants 3,000.
I urged her to reduce it.
And I'll help you with some of it.
We can sort this out together. It will be fine.
Who asked you to pay?
I have plans of my own. You needn't be involved.
3,000?
We'll see.
All Aunties are calculating by nature.
My Auntie is a self-made woman.
She bought herself a few girls.
We didn't cost her much!
Take me. I've been working here for five years.
She's got nearly 20,000, just from me.
And my dresses and furniture are worth at least 10,000.
She'll keep all of it.
But she still demands 3,000!
Fine, 3,000.
If she deserves it, she'll get it!
Emerald, Master Luo thinks that your value is $2,000.
He'll pay half of it. Does that seem fair?
Give me a light.
I didn't realize you were so wealthy!
If I'm worth 2,000, bring me 5,000 first.
Where do you think I'd find so much money?
Come, this is no time for false modesty.
I thought you were serious about this!
If my freedom is bought...
I'll need 3,000 for clothes and accessories to start afresh.
You think 1,000 from you will be enough?
You want me to starve once I leave this house?
So you don't want my help?
Of course I welcome your help!
Take care of my clothes and accessories...
and I'll be grateful for any further help you can give me!
Mrs. Huang.
Forget what we discussed.
Her freedom is of no concern of mine.
Where is your conscience?!
Just reflect for a moment.
You were orphaned at seven and came to this flower house.
I sympathized and treated you like my own child.
I combed your hair, bound your feet, everything.
Now you treat me as an enemy! How did I offend you?
You want your freedom so that you can rise above us.
I wished you success...
so that you could reciprocate my favors.
And now you treat me like this!
So young and yet so cruel.
You'll come to a bad end!
Auntie, do stop crying! What does this matter?
I'm in your house...
you can decide whether to free me or not.
I don't want to buy my freedom.
And if we go on arguing like this...
they'll hear us next door.
I can make no sense of this.
A flower girl wants to buy her freedom.
Her patron wants to help.
If Master Luo had other ideas, he could discuss them with me.
But now you reject his help.
I see. You want all of his money for yourself!
''Three Great Fortunes.
''Four Joys! '' Let's drink!
Losers drink their own penalties.
All right, agreed.
That's good.
I don't want to see anyone without a cup in his hand!
Keep the wine coming!
Let me drink with you.
Come on, let's empty these cups.
Good!
Master Zhu is a fine drinker!
Let's play the drinking game.
Come on.
Shall we play as a team?
Fine, you two together!
Master Wang, let's play!
Let me beat him first.
Ready...
''AII Fortunes!
''Five Champions! Five Champions! Two Together! ''
Drink!
You have to drink!
Your turn. ''AII Fortunes! ''
''AII Fortunes. Two Together! ''
Drink!
He lost!
He lost! Empty the cup!
Master Luo, you should be drinking, too!
Come, have something to eat.
The food is getting cold!
This fish is straight from the Huangpu River.
What's going on outside?
What's happening?
I don't know. Go and see.
What's going on out there?
Go and see.
Something's happened.
Let's play another round.
''Two Together, Two Together.''
Sorry, I'll drink.
It's nothing.
Drink!
What happened?
Nothing.
It's a mess.
Drink!
They're just checking on gambling in the alley.
Nothing to worry about.
Just checking on gambling.
No need to worry.
There's been an accident in the alley!
What?
Someone has taken a bad fall, that's all.
Someone's had an accident!
What? Fell down?
Go and see!
Someone had a bad fall.
We should go and see.
Master Wang, please slow down!
You scared me. You could have fallen!
Where's the mistress?
Downstairs, I think.
Master Wang, you've drunk too much!
Liang, bring a hot towel.
Master Wang!
Master Wang has dozed off.
Master Wang!
Master Wang, what are you doing?
Please calm down!
Master Wang, don't be angry!
Master Wang!
Don't be angry, Master Wang!
Take care of these matters for me.
Congratulations, Jasmin!
It's good that you marry Jasmin now.
But you do still have some obligations to Crimson.
What obligations?
You are Crimson's only caller. She relies on you completely.
If you don't call, she'll have no one.
Bills are served at this time of year.
She'll have many expenses.
Her parents, her brother... they all have to eat.
If you punish her too much, it may kill her.
You may now consider Crimson's life worthless...
but we started out calling on her for pleasure...
and it shouldn't now come to this.
Pleasure shouldn't just turn into vindictiveness.
You're on their side, are you?
Don't be silly. Why should I side with them?
Then why should I call on her?
I warned you when you first called on her...
that it had no meaning.
You didn't listen, and you let the relationship grow.
Now you're furious with her...
and you accuse me of being on her side!
What can I say?
So why should I call on her?
I'm not asking you to call on her again...
just put in an appearance!
Why?
I'm thinking of you! What if something happens to her?
They'll be relieved if you just show your face.
Just to see how they're coping.
You've been calling on her for four or five years...
spending so many foreign dollars.
You can't leave them facing those small seasonal bills now.
If you help her settle those bills, she'll survive.
You need never call on her again if you don't want to.
Master Wang and Master Hong are here.
We never expected to see you here again!
Our mistress has been so anxious.
She'll be so relieved.
The downstairs staff are all worried...
that Master Wang has turned against our mistress.
I told them not to speak such nonsense.
Master Wang was furious.
That's the only reason he's been blaming our mistress.
Deep inside, he knew our mistress...
wouldn't have an affair with an actor.
I don't care if there was an affair or not.
It's not important.
Crimson.
If Master Wang weren't here, you'd be complaining.
Now he is here, and you're silent.
Liang, bring hot towels.
Azhu, bring hot towels.
Immediately.
Mistress, shall I have the table cleared?
Jingda, clear the table!
I've never seen you so angry in all the years I've known you.
A prosperous flower girl might have an affair...
with an opera actor.
But am I prosperous?
How could you imagine I was having an affair?
You could torture me to death with accusations.
But I'd die with a clear conscience.
If you say you didn't, then you didn't.
It doesn't matter.
My parents gave me this body.
But everything else in these rooms came from your generosity.
Even if you broke all of it, it wouldn't matter.
If you want to abandon me, my only option will be death.
One blue crystal bracelet.
One pair of cloud-pattern earrings.
One pair of blue chrysanthemum pearl earrings.
One pair of inlaid-gold jade earrings.
One jade bat-pattern pendant.
One embroidered silk blouse, maroon, with phoenix pattern.
One embroidered silk skirt, black, with flower pattern.
One embroidered silk blouse, black, with cloud pattern.
Zhao.
Woolen items in total:
Two large trunks, two medium and two small.
Cotton items, with or without linings:
Ten trunks, all accounted for.
Emerald, this has been a long day for you.
Auntie, please sit down.
I'm leaving your house, but you will always be my Auntie.
I'll always be Auntie Huang's girl.
Our fortunes will always be entwined.
We'll both do well.
You are capable in business, widely respected.
But you should choose better male friends.
This is my last word on this subject.
Have more respect for yourself. You're over fifty.
Don't make a fool of yourself with young men.
If you buy a new flower girl for 1,000...
you won't need to buy her clothes or jewelry.
Golden Phoenix will be very popular two years from now.
At least as popular as I am.
And so you'll prosper.
That's right.
Silver Phoenix is useless. If anyone wants her, let her go.
But Golden Phoenix will be a great success.
Take my advice, Auntie, and you'll do well.
Right, that's absolutely true.
The other things I said weren't true?
Of course not!
At my age, I know good advice when I hear it.
I can hear them arriving. I'll go down.
Master Luo, don't trouble yourself.
This is the last time I waste words on her!
If she wants to be sad and lonely, so be it!
It's not easy to run a flower house.
And you've always criticized her openly.
None of the seven flower house owners in her group...
is any good.
If I made any mistake, she'd beat me.
Surely not.
Look at Golden Flower.
I've met three of those flower house owners.
Golden Flower's Auntie is kinder than ours.
She doesn't beat her girls often.
The girls in this house beg to be put out of their misery.
Tell me one flower house owner who is good!
Good people wouldn't be in this profession!
Madam, I'll read it to you.
''This contract of employment is hereby rendered null and void...
''by Miss Zhang, known as Emerald.
''She has paid 1,000 taels of silver.
''No voice of objection has been raised.''
- All right? - Yes.
''On this day of 6 October, 1884.''
Please give your fingerprint.
Yeah!
I'm next.
Here, see?
Correct. You, too, Madam.
Here, please.
Emerald, here's the agreement and the receipt.
Please check them for any mistake.
Master Luo, at your leisure.
Please check them for me.
Terrible calligraphy!
It's a standard agreement, no mistakes.
It's all right?
Yes.
''Dragon''? Is that someone's nickname?
He's one of her boyfriends. Looks kind enough...
but he's always really devious!
He never fooled me.
Please check once more.
Splendid! Well sung!
Everybody must drink!
Master Wang is being promoted! He'll be moving to Guangdong.
Let's all drink to Master Wang!
Congratulations, Master Wang!
May you enjoy continued success!
Please let me be your host tomorrow evening.
We'll come!
It'll be in Qingyun Enclave.
Your flower girl is Laurel?
None of us knows her.
She's new to me, too.
A friend of mine introduced us.
So you call on her!
No penalty limits when we play tonight!
Master Zhou, let's make a team!
''Two Together! All Fortunes! All Fortunes! ''
Drink up.
''Two Together! Two Together! ''
Everybody, drink up!
Now you and me.
''Two Together! ''
One man, one cup... that's right.
It's going to be a great night!
Master Wang, happy tonight?
If Master Wang is happy, so are we all!
Master Luo puts it well!
The best thing is his promotion!
Where's the wine?
Let's all toast Master Wang again!
Together!
Good fortune, Master Wang!
Come back to see your old friends in Shanghai!
Don't forget us!
You must come back!
I'm most grateful to Master Wang...
for introducing me to this position.
It was nothing.
Master Wang, you need a fresh pipe.
Have some tea.
Liu, bring a hot towel.
Immediately.
Master Wang, these will take away the bitter taste.
Clean the pipe.
Master Wang, your towel.
Master Wang, Crimson's mother is the only one attending her now?
Jingda left her and hasn't been replaced?
And she's moved to a smaller house, is that true?
I don't know.
Please smoke.
Master Wang has left?
Yes.
Why did Master Wang seem so depressed?
It's not Master Wang's fault!
He's going back to Guangdong, promoted.
Why should he be depressed?
Master Wang liked Crimson.
When Crimson proved untrue, he married Jasmin.
But Jasmin wasn't true to him, either...
and so he went back to Crimson.
His heart has been in turmoil.
How was Jasmin untrue?
Just take my word that she was.
Is it true that Master Wang beat Jasmin?
Yes, he beat her hard and abandoned her.
She took raw opium after that, but we saved her life.
Master Wang's nephew was sent away.
The whole affair was hushed up.
Jasmin was too audacious!
Crimson would be so amused if she knew about it!
A booking for Mistress Jade!
A booking for Jade. I must get back to work.
Please stay, Master Hong.
Jasmin was well off with Master Wang!
Why have an affair with his nephew?
If Master Wang weren't leaving, he could start calling on Jade.
That reminds me...
Mother asked me to discuss something with you.
What is it?
Jade started refusing callers...
when she returned from Shanjia Gardens.
We asked why...
and she said Young Master Zhu had promised to marry her.
We couldn't bear to disillusion her.
Can you ask Young Master Zhu...
if he really wants to take her as a second wife?
If not, please tell Jade so that she can return to work.
Jade is such an ambitious girl!
Both of them must be dreaming!
Even if Young Master Zhu weren't engaged already...
how could Jade expect to be his first wife?
What's that about being a first wife?
Why do so many flower girls want to be first wives?
Crystal thought of nothing else, and she died.
And then there was Celandine, and she failed.
And now there's another one!
Have you finished?
You've forgotten the lesson of the hookah.
You'll never be a match for Jade.
Young Master Zhu, take some rest.
I want to talk to you.
What about?
In July, at the Shanjia Gardens...
we were talking, just like now... remember?
I remember.
You remember what we said?
Tell me!
We vowed to be man and wife, didn't we?
We said we'd die together if we couldn't live together.
I knew you wouldn't forget!
I've brought something.
What is it?
One cup for you and one for me.
Drink it!
What's in it?
Drink it!
Help! Help!
Somebody! Help!
What's happened?
Jade, what's happened?
Did you argue?
What happened?
Quick! You drank this?
What is it? Opium?
Quick! Qiaonan, come here!
You cruel and terrible man!
You vowed to die with me!
I'm taking you to hell!
Did you drink any of it?
Quick, rinse your mouth in water!
You believe what callers tell you? You're so naive!
It's always nonsense! Rinse your mouth!
Even if Young Master Zhu weren't engaged...
he'd never take you as his first wife!
First wife? He vowed to die with me!
My uncle arranged the engagement, not me!
I had no say!
You pig! You're already engaged by your uncle!
Why don't you die?
Which medicine? Quick!
Drink this!
Why did you do this?
Quick, drink it!
Quick, take the medicine!
Put it there, I'll help myself.
If he doesn't die, why should I?
I won't die before he does!
Such nonsense!
Take the medicine!
Help her take it.
Uncle.
I told Jade Master Zhu arranged the engagement.
The young master was not to blame.
And I told her it doesn't matter if she's first or second wife.
She can marry the young master anyway, I'll be matchmaker.
But she refused! What on earth is she thinking?
Who has she been listening to?
Certainly not us! Our advice would be...
to work hard, not create scenes like that one!
I think that what Jade did...
was half because of Young Master Zhu...
and half aimed at Treasure!
You may be right!
Shuren, did you once say...
that you'd give Jade whatever she wanted?
Yes.
Then let me help you resolve this problem.
It will cost you at least 8,000, at most 10,000. Can you agree?
Yes.
Good, then bear with me a moment.
I'll think of a solution.
How, Uncle?
Don't ask.
If it works, I'll tell you. Be patient.
Pearl, please tell Jade he'll pay...
5,000 for her freedom and 5,000 for her dowry.
Everyone can agree to that. What do you think?
It might not work.
I think it will! The Zhu family is very rich.
Young Master Zhu, please stay for dinner.
Azhu, order some dishes.
Young Master and I will dine here.
Yes.
Put it to her, see what she says.
All right, I'll try.
What did she say?
Everything's settled, as you predicted.
5,000 for her freedom, 5,000 for her dowry.
Jade is afraid of looking ridiculous...
if things don't work out as agreed.
Never mind! I'll take all responsibility in this matter.
Then I'm sure all will be well.
Reassure her again.
Shuren, everything's settled.
5,000 to pay for her freedom and 5,000 for her dowry.
Jade's ''face'' stays intact.
Your side spends a bit of money, everyone's happy.
Who will she marry, Uncle?
Don't ask, nothing's harder than arranging a marriage.
Anyway, you can leave it to me.
Uncle, who will she marry?
I told you, marriages are hard to arrange!
Be grateful that we've found a solution!
Be patient!
Ripped by: SkyFury