The Three Heroes and Five Gallants Episode 24
Third Brother said it right!
Good plan! Anyway, if the sky falls down now, there's Empress Dowager who will support it.
Why are we here getting worried for nothing?
I... I...
What you mean is...
Big Brother, since the water right now is already turbid,
why not stir it to make it more turbid?
Then...
Then we can take advantage of the turbid water and get the fish.
Good...
This has two advantages. First, we give Empress Dowager face.
Second, we will pull the Empress Dowager into the water.
Do you think we should inform Magistrate Bao about this?
No. No. No. Big Brother, especially don't.
Anyone can know about this
except him.
Third Brother, I haven't seen you for only a few days and you've got fatter again?
Are you angry?
Can you still do this?
Fourth, you're belittling your Third Brother too much.
Let me tell you, this thing for me is just too easy.
Fourth, look at this dark and gusty night.
Shouldn't we have 1 pot of --
Enough already.
Remember, Third Brother, once you get inside,
you must follow all the instructions I've given you.
Fine. Stop nagging now.
Who am I?
Although I look barbaric on the outside, but inside...
I used to be...a blacksmith.
Time to go to work. Go.
What? What?
Fourth, smell it. It's too pungent!
Is it?
Smell it.
I really feel that it's fine.
Third Brother, I think that this is just psychological.
It's a hallucination. I really feel that it's alright.
Go. There's nothing wrong.
You must overcome your mind.
Okay...I'll try it again.
Okay.
Hold your breath. Go down.
What is it again?
I am really psychologically fine.
No you're not.
Walking down to the water from over here...
Can't you just imagine this water you're going through
as fine wine and delicious food?
F-f-fine wine...delicious food...
Can't you overcome it?
It's wrong! This...this...
Fine. Fine.
Actually, there's one thing that I haven't told you.
But I felt that I should give you a surprise.
Empress Dowager has issued a decree just for this task of yours.
She said that if you can squeeze inside, she'll give you a big reward.
10 pots of good wine, all just for you. We, your brothers, can only stand on the side.
Who are you coaxing?
Xu Third, let me tell you, Empress Dowager's decree...
how many brains do I have, would I dare to coax you? It's definitely true.
Did Empress Dowager really issue a decree?
Definitely true.
Really issued a decree of 10 pots?
10 pots, not 1 pot less.
Go now. Overcome your self.
I'm psychologically fine...
- Go now.- Empress Dowager's decree...
That's right. You'll get to drink wine when you come up. Treat that as wine too.
Go now.
Third Brother, do your job well.
Fourth Little Brother...
Do you want to scare people to death, Third Brother?
Fourth Little Brother, 10 pots.
Yes, yes... 10 pots... not 1 pot less..
Work. Work! Be professional!
Okay. Okay. I'll get to work already.
Oh my.
Master, slower.
- Slower, Master.- Little Baby...
I won't just come back tomorrow night...
- I'll wait for you.- I'll put you into my bag...hic!...
Come with me right now!
Okay. Okay Okay.
- Slowly. Slowly.- Let's go.
This food isn't bad.
Bao Xing.. Bao XIng...
Sshhh...Quiet!
I understand.
Bao Xing... Bao Xing... Bao Xing...
Bao Xing...
Are you Bao Xing?
Who are you?
With this big face of mine, can't you recognize me?
- Come, look.- Third Master Xu?
Wait. I'll get in.
Third Master Xu.
Bao Xing.
How did you come in?
This rotten place...
I have received the Empress Dowager's decree.
They want me to look for you first.
As the Empress Dowager said.
After I find you, she'll reward me with 10 pots of wine.
Empress Dowager?
How can the Empress Dowager make a decree like that?
Isn't it stirring to make this turbid water even more turbid?
Never mind if it's turbid or not!
Bao Xing, I'll ask you.
How could you meet up with Third Young Master Bao privately, behind our backs?
I...didn't meet him. I didn't even take one step out of Kaifeng Court.
- Pretending... Pretending...- I'm not pretending.
But Third Young Master Bao said that you privately met with him.
This...this I also don't get...
I never really met him. He's slandering me.
Bao Xing, in what cell is Third Young Master Bao staying now?
I don't know. We were brought here separately.
I'll go look for him.
Why are you looking for him?
Change his testimony.
It won't work.
Why?
I suspect that there's more to this.
Otherwise, he wouldn't insist so much accusing me this way in Court.
But that won't do. I must still first find him.
Or else, I won't get those 10 pots of wine from the Empress Dowager.
You still...
I'll go now.
- Then be careful.- Okay. Okay. Okay.
What a rotten place this is!
Be careful!
Third Young Master Bao...
Third Young Master Bao... Third Young Master Bao!
Who? Who?
Third Young Master Bao, it must be you.
Is it you or not?
I am Bao Shirong,
I was looking for you so...ah!
...hard!
If I'm not mistaken,
you must be the one who can squeeze into burrows,
Mountain Rat, Xu Qing, right?
I'm indeed him.
- Pleasure to meet you.- Same here.
Who are you?
I am Sun Rong.
Sun Rong? What thing is Sun Rong?
- Oh, right. Sun Rong is not a thing, right?- Shut up!
You rascal are facing your death and you still dare to insult me?
- Take him away!- Stop!
Let me tell you.
I came here because of the Empress Dowager's decree.
If anyone dares to touch me,
think about your own head first!
Take him away!
Don't you want your heads any more? Ah?
Come, bring the criminal in.
Oh, everyone's here.
You worked hard...
You worked hard.
Be more courteous!
Everyone's here. Pleased to meet you!
How dare you madman!
Dare to smile mischievously within the court?
It seems that you don't want to live anymore!
Who said that I'm going to die?
I have to go on living to drink the wine
that the Empress Dowager will reward me with.
- Who's the person kneeling in front of me?- Old Xi'er.
Report your name!
My miserable family name is Xu,
first name is Qing...Xu Qing.
Are you Kaifeng Court's
six-star ranked Imperial Guard Xu Qing?
Right. Right. Right. It's me.
As a government official,
you should know the laws very well.
Why did you trespass the main prison in the middle of the night?
What's your motive for trespassing the main prison? Say it!
Who ordered you? Hurry, speak honestly!
- Speak!- Fine. Fine.
Why are you being so fierce? Let me tell you,
- I'll say what I need to say.- Then start talking.
Fine, I'll speak. Let me tell you. I was ordered by the Empress Dowager through a decree.
Rubbish! Why will Empress Dowager give a decree
ordering you to break into the main prison?
Mr. Official, you don't believe me, right?
If you don't believe me, then go to the Empress Dowager.
Nonsense! Men!
- Prepare the hard tortures!- Hey...wait a little!
You guys want to torture me, right?
Sure. Think about it well.
If you torture me today,
I will remember the face of each of you
very, very clearly.
After you've finished torturing me,
I'll go and tell Empres s Dowager.
I'll let the Empress Dowager put to death!
- Start the torture!- Hold on!
Although Xu Qing is vulgar and ignorant,
I don't think he would dare using the Empress Dowager's name.
I think that this matter really involves the Empress Dowager.
Judge...
He is clearly draping himself in this banner as a tiger skin to intimidate others.
Falsely using Empress Dowager's name to frighten us.
I think that it will be better to inform His Majesty tomorrow
and ask him to make the decision.
Judge...
when we meet His Majesty tomorrow,
we must only mention Xu Qing trespassing the main prison.
We must absolutely not involve Empress Dowager in this.
Why is that?
I think that
whether this really involves the Empress Dowager or not,
we must not reveal this thing
in front of all the ministers.
If Empress Dowager really has something to do with this
and she received news about it,she'll definitely react.
What Master Sun said is reasonable. We have to conceal the matter.
What the two of you said is very right.
Men! Put Xu Qing into the main prison.
Strictly watch over him for now.
Wait.
This Xu Qing has the ability to shrink his bones.
The prison's wooden bars can never lock him.
Then use iron chains to bind him.
Iron chains can never bind me.
Be more courteous!
Let me tell you. Only wet cow leather
can bind me, nothing else will work.
If I don't say it, no one will know.
Men!
Hurry and look for cow leather strips and soak them in water!
How did you know?
I know! It must be that short legged Fourth who told you.
You said it right.
It's that short fourth brother of yours, Jiang Ping,
who told us about it.
I fell into Fourth's trap again.
Reporting to Your Majesty. Last night, there were two murders in the Capital.
Renhe County's messenger, Zhao Qing, the one came here to file his complaint,
was killed in his room at the inn.
The other one, the guard who escorted Bao Shirong back to the Capital,
was killed in a brawl while at the main town area.
Who's that bold
to dare to do violence in the Capital so recklessly?
Was the criminal arrested?
Your Majesty, we're still investigating who the murderer is.
Your Majesty, last night, Kaifeng Court's 6th rank imperial guard, Xu Qing,
trespassed into the main prison and was arrested on site.
Xu Qing dared to trespass the main prison?
Your Majesty, I think
that both Zhao Qing and Guo Hong's killing and Xu Qing's trespassing
are related and part of a well thought of plan.
The mastermind behind them
is Bao Zheng.
How do you know that the two are related?
And also...
that Bao Zheng is involved?
Your Majesty, that Zhao Qing
was Bao Shirong's original accuser.
Yesterday, Guo Hong admitted in Court that he witnessed
Bao Shirong and Bao Xing's meeting.
Bao Zheng instructed the criminals
to kill these two.
His aim was to scare away those accusing Bao Shirong
and warn others who would follow suit.
Regarding the reason for Xu Qing trespassing into the main prison,
it like a chicken eating a firefly,
we all are well aware of it tacitly.
Bao Zheng
I'm here.
Do you have anything to say?
I don't have anything to say.
Looks like you don't want to
defend yourself anymore.
Even if I try to defend myself,
I'm afraid that Your Majesty will still not believe me.
How dare you!
Are you saying that I've already
lost the ability to discern right from wrong?
I wouldn't dare! Reporting to Your Majesty,
all these things were done meticulously, seamlessly and flawlessly.
Even if I wanted to defend myself, I wouldn't know where to start.
Bao Zheng, in the face of these hard truths,
can you still disclaim them?
Other than bowing your head and admitting your crimes, you have no other choice.
Chancellor Pang, I'm really stupid,
going as far as to do in just one night,
these stupid things that even I myselfcan't explain clearly.
Your Majesty, what Bao Zheng is doing is clearly trying to deceive us.
If he's not involved in these things, then who is?
Who else could instruct Xu Qing to trespass alone into the main prison,
in order to fabricate a story with Bao Xing and Bao Shirong?
Bao Zheng, do you have anything else to say?
I don't have anything to say.
May Your Majesty issue a decree to hand Bao Zheng over to the Supreme Court
to be sentenced for his crimes.
May Your Majesty issue a decree to sentence Bao Zheng of his crimes.
What happened is already very clear, so what's the use of going to Court?
Men! Remove the hat on Bao Zheng's head.
He's demoted to the rank of commoner,
must immediately leave the Capital and return to his province. Do not delay.
I...will abide.
Empress Dowager! Empress Dowager!
Empress Dowager...
What happened that you're so agitated?
I just heard from Wang Lu
that His Majesty stripped Bao Zheng of his position and demoted him to commoner rank this morning.
He's been banished out of the capital already.
Lady Consort, if Bao Zheng doesn't die,
it will cause endless trouble.
Are you still worried that he'll return to power and haunt us?
As long as he's still alive, there's a chance.
Even if one day the Emperor really allows him to come back,
the Bao Zheng of that time
will no longer be the strictlyimpartial, incorruptible,
upright and honest Black Bao.
He'll be no different from anyone else.
He won't be able to threaten our Pang clan anymore.
What if they are able to get to the bottom of this?
Didn't you say that your guys did it flawlessly and completely in secret this time?
But this is Bao Zheng. Even if you only give him one cow hair,
he's able to get hold of 9 cows.Besides, he still has
a group of clever and capable men under him. Each of them is difficult to deal with.
Then why didn't you take the chance when His Majesty removed his position
to also suggest dealing with his subordinates?
I was about to bring that up,
when don't know for what reason, I was immediately interrupted by His Majesty.
- Immediately interrupted?- Yes.
That's why I...can't stop worrying.
Why didn't you inform me first
about such an important matter?
Magistrate...it was I who told Third Brother.
not to tell anybody that it wasthe Empress Dowager who sent him.
That's even more ridiculous! How can we also involve the Empress Dowager into this?
Informing Magistrate, I indeed have a strategy
the Empress Dowager must be dragged into this.
Isn't better if we stir this deep water and make it more turbid, thicker, and stickier?
But in the morning court this morning,
whether Wen Yanbo, Sun Rong, or Liao Tiancheng,
mentioned anything about this.
Magistrate, could it be that Third forgot about it?
He wouldn't, Big Brother.
Although Third Brother is usually muddleheaded,
he wouldn't forget such an important thing.
Sun Rong and the others are also not stupid. They must have guessed your purpose.
Deliberately omitting the Empress Dowager's thing to avoid the Emperor knowing.
Fourth Uncle! Fourth Uncle! Stop pulling me!
Fourth Uncle, let me ask you.
My husband, Stinky Old Xi'er, was he...
arrested by that whoever person?
Who told you?
Just say yes or no!
Third Sister-in-law, I'll explain you. But now,
we are discussing serious matters here. Let's go outside to talk.
- Let's talk outside.- No, this is serious too. My Old Xi'er thing is also serious.- Yes. Yes. Yes.
Say, was he locked up?
Magistrate
Third Sister-in-law, listen to me.
Listen to me!
What is there to say!
I must look for my Old Xi'er.
- You...-Third brother
is in the Supreme Court now.
In the what?
Never mind the temple name,
just tell where the temple is.
Thirs sister-in-law...
The Supreme Court is not a temple.
It is the Imperial government's office where legal cases are tried.
What? Has Old Xi'er been dragged there to be beaten up?
No no no! Calm down! Calm down!
There is no beating up, it's not so serious.
My Third Brother going there...they'll serve him good wine and meat.
No way! You are lying to me.
Isn't the Yamen a place where people are beaten up?
I know this!
No, no...She is rather smart...
Listen, others who go in could get a beating,
but our Third Brother went in
to be treated with the good wine and meat.
Do you know why?
Because my Third Brother
was sent by the Empress Dowager.
What thing is an Empress Dowager?
Empress Dowager is not a thing.
- Then...- Empress Dowager is a thing.- That's right.
Oh, my!
Let me ask you. Who's the most powerful in this world?
- My Old Xi'er!- You're talking rubbish.
Isn't the Emperor the most powerful in this world?
Who is the Empress Dowager?The Empress Dowager is the Emperor's mother.
Think about it. If my Third Brother gets to be close to the Empress Dowager,
in the future, big fish, lots of meat,good wine and good food
will never dwindle, right?
- I'll go look for him.- Hey, Third Sister-in-law...
What are you two doing?
The place is a yamen,
a common person doesn't go in.
I don't care. I want to go.
I am Old Xi'er's wife.Wherever Old Xi'er is,
I'll be there.
Are you finished or not?
Why are you shouting?!
That's an official workplace.
You going there is called obstructing justice. Do you know that?
Those who obstruct justice are flogged.
Fourth Master...Fourth Master...
Sister-in-law, as Fourth Master already said earlier,
Don't cry.
Third Master will be back in 1-2 days.
Don't be anxious.
Let's wait for a few days more.
Listen to Miss Yalan.
B-b-be obedient.
You two out to buy some food later.
Go to the Aid the Dynasty Temple to admire the peach blossom or something.
I'll go back now. Going back now.
Slowly.
Third Sister-in-law, don't cry anymore.
Emperor is really benevolent and righteous.
Not killing Bao Zheng and giving him a chance to live.
Killing him or removing his official position,
to me, to him,
to the Great Song dynasty, are the same.
The strictly impartial, incorruptibleBao Zheng of earlier days
is already dead forever.
Your Majesty, you don't need to be so sad.
I don't believe that our Song dynasty will never have
someone like Bao Zheng again.
It's easier said than done.
In several hundred years, successive emperors and dynasties,
you can count with your fingers
how many officials as upright as Bao Zheng there have there.
Probably 3 to 5.
And how many corrupt or mediocre officials?
Then...then there's so many of them.
As many as there are hairs in 90 cows.
That's right.
That's why, you must know
how important this Black Bao is to me.
Your Majesty, you're so brokenhearted.
Why didn't you let Bao Zheng kill a lot of corrupt officials
before he made this mistake?
Stupid servant!
If I've let go of my hold and
let Bao Zheng kill a lot of corrupt people,
wouldn't this government have been left
with only myself and Bao Zheng?
The Empress Dowager is here!
- Royal Mother, peace be with you.- Empress Dowager, peace be with you.
Get up. All of you, leave us.
I have something to say to the Emperor alone.
Did you fire Bao Zheng?
He only has himself to blame for it.
Your Majesty, it's all my fault.
It was me who ordered Lu Fang
to send Xu Qing there.
Royal Mother, stop taking complete responsibility for this.
It won't work. Not only will I not believe it,
no officials on this dynasty will believe it.
It is the truth.
Royal Mother, were you really behind it?
That's right.
How can Lu Fang also be that daft?
At the time, Lu Fang also advised against it,
but I thought that he was being overcautious
and just wanted to preserve his government position.
I became impatient and issued a decree
which led to this situation.
Aya...But the situation already reached this stage,
even if Royal Mother comes out now to tell the truth,
I'm afraid that not only no one will believe it
but people will even say that Royal Mother
is overly loving and favoring Bao Zheng.
Then it means that Your Majestydoesn't believe me either?
A truth that no one will believe
is no different from a lie.
Then it means that
this time...
Bao Zheng can't be saved?
Royal Mother, I didn't kill him.
What you did is no different from killing him!
There's still hope as long as you are alive.
What do you mean?
This Bao Zheng is definitely no ordinary person.
If this thing really doesn't have anything to do with him,
sooner or later, he'll be able to prove it.
But now he has no power or rights.
That is actually even better for him.
Mother, in future you should believe
that Bao Zheng has the necessary skill.
Madam, the Empress Dowager has already left the study
and is returning to her quarters.
Fine. You can go.
I will now go and speak to the Emperor.
I'll be waiting for you here, Your Highness.
Your concubine greets Your Majesty.
Please rise.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Take a seat.
What's the reason for you coming here today?
Your Majesty, I heard
that Bao Zheng committed a grave crime
but Your Majesty only
removed his position and made him a commoner.
I think that
Your Majesty is being overly benevolent.
Regardless,
this Bao Zheng has also made
countless merits for the Great Song dynasty.
I can' bear to kill him.
If Your Majesty won't kill Bao Zheng,
I'm afraid the other officials won't accept it.
He's only a commoner now.
While he's walking in the streets, anyone can pick a bamboo pole
and dispatch him.
What Your Majesty means is...
I don't mean anything. I was just saying.
I also didn't take
Your Majesty's words seriously.
Than that's good.
Your Majesty only punished Bao Zheng.
But all his men and allies
will remain here in the Eastern Capital.
I am really worried
that those savage bandits from the wilderness that haven't yet been eliminated
will use this chance to wreak havoc here in the Capital.
I already removed Zhang Long, Zhao Hu,
Wang Chao, and Ma Han's positions at the same time,
and told them to return to their provinces.
The most dangerous ones
must be those rats.
Do you still remember what I said to you
when I rewarded those three rats with official positions?
I never forget Your Majesty's words.
At the time, Your Majesty told me
that the reason you awarded those 3 rats official positions
was to catch the other two rats.
Then tell me. If tomorrow I have Xu Qing
dragged to the town's West Gate
to be beheaded in the afternoon,
what do you think that will lead to?
Those other 2 rats
will most likely come to the execution ground to save their brother?
Not only those 2 rats who are in the Eastern Capital.
The 2 in Chenzhou will probably hear of this and come over.
Your Majesty can then use this chance
to catch them all!
Sirs, Eunuch Wang from the palace is here. Please come to receive the Emperor's decree.
We know.
Everyone, let's go.
[Fair and Incorruptible]
With the mandate bestowed by Heaven, the Emperor decrees
that from this day on, the official positions of 6th rank, weapons-carrying, imperial guards
Wang Chao, Ma Han, Zhang Long, and Zhao Hu are removed.
You must leave the Capital at the same time as Bao Zheng.
Each going back to their province as a commoner. End of Edict.
We accept the decree and thank His Majesty's grace.
Long live the Emperor.
Master Bao, please rise.
Master Bao,
I heard that you still have some fields in your old province of Hefei.
You are unlikely to suffer hunger and cold when you go back home.
Yes.
I still have some not so fertile lands in my province.
Struggling, we can manage to make a living.
Wang Chao, before you started serving Master Bao,
all of you were homeless mountain bandits.
This time, you are being stripped of official positions at the same time,
what do you plan to do from now on?
Responding to Eunuch's question, I still don't have any ideas at present.
But don't you worry.
We're unlikely to return to the mountains to be bandits again.
Since it's like that, I have a suggestion.
May Eunuch share your suggestions with us.
You have served Master Bao for so many years.
Now, you all lost your positions, it'd be best if you went with Master Bao back to his old home at Hefei.
He after all has some fields. If he is able to eat a mouthful of rice,
he will surely give you a mouthful of porridge to drink.
Master Bao, isn't that right?
Yes.
As long as they are willing to go with me,
I will definitely treat them the same as my own family.
Look at that. Look at your Master Bao.
His face is dark and is quite scary,
but actually, he's just a harmless soft scholar.
Hefei is quite far. The journey there may not be peaceful.
What if jackals, wolves and tigers [also meaning evil people] suddenly appear?
If you're by his side, yelling a few shouts
and throwing a few stones will scare those beasts away.
If he was on his own,
I'm afraid that he'd soon become someone else's meal
We understand. Thank you for your concern, Eunuch.
I'm stupid.
What concern? That word is not related to me.
Yes. It's me who said the wrong words.Please don't get upset.
Eunuch Wang,
how about us?
- What you? us?- No.
Wang Chao and the others are guards. We are also guards.
How come you only removed their positions but not ours?
You're asking me? And whom do I ask?
Then what should we do?
Just do what you have to do.
Monks have to strike the bell each day. New officials who haven't yet taken office,
mustn't leave their posts.
Anyone who dares going against the established order, will have to bear the consequences.
Father-in-law, walk slowly.
Father-in-law has cleverly calculated each step.
Black Bao almost entered the Halls of Death already.
Our next step is...
I already sent men to take a letter to Chenzhou
telling Pang Yu to bring the real Bao Shirong to the Capital immediately.
In Court, we need a fake Bao Shirong,
But in the execution grounds, we need a real Bao Shirong.
So clever!
However, it's a long way from Chenzhou to here.
We can't have a situation as when the gold was stolen last time.
Last time, the gold was stolen because people from inside leaked it.
Those people forgot loyalty due to greed and connived with outsiders.
This time, what we are transporting is a live man.
Who will be interested in someone who's soon to die?
As long as we very strictly apply punishments and rewards with those who'll do the transport.
His Majesty is afraid that Thief Pang will harm Master,
that's why he sent Wang Chao and the others with Master back to the province.
His Majesty is still thinking about my safety at this time.
The Emperor's benevolence is indeed vast and his heart kind.
Master, I don't have any public position, I'm just your personal secretary.
If you are, then I can't stay either.
Allow me to accompany you and let's leave the capital together.
Alright.
Leave! All of you, leave.
All of you are leaving now.
Leaving us exceedingly sad.
Guard Jiang,
Guard Xu got in trouble because of me.
Other than being ashamed, I can't do anything now.
I hope that we can think of a perfect plan to get him out.
Master Bao,
I'll just say something that I shouldn't be saying. Right now,
the only one who can save our Third Brother is the Empress Dowager, nobody else.
Empress Dowager?
Can I can think of a perfect plan or not? --
- Master! - Why did you come?
Master, the Bao Shirong locked up in the main prison is fake.
Fake?
The real Bao Shirong has been locked up by Pang Yu
at the underground tunnelof the Imperial Family Garden.
What?
in the next episode