Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
Story of Ming Lan
Episode 28
Duke of the State was only passing by Prince of Yong's manor.
But the door gate suddenly opened and Prince of Yong came out to welcome him.
He insisted on pulling him inside for wine and catching up.
The street was covered with people from the Prince manor.
We really couldn't leave so we had to be thick-scalped and enter.
And then?
I was only waiting in the corner.
Once it got dark, someone came to tell me to return to send word.
That the duke was a guest at the prince manor's feast,
and he drank too much and inconvenienced to move, so he won't come back.
May Princess and young lord self-care.
Inside the imperial fortress, under the feet of the emperor,
a noble prince,
commits act of kidnap?
They are too menacing.
Even if he does become the emperor.
Even the emperor doesn't dare to menace his subjects like this.
Get my carriage.- Yes.
Mother, what do you intend to do?
I will go to the palace to meet His Majesty.
Mother, didn't you say the emperor is gravely ill and unable to hold audience?
Even if I can't see him, I will still find a way to see him.
If it really won't work, I will just barge in.
If blame is to be cast, I will shoulder it all by myself.
I will come with you.
It's cold out and you're still sick. Just wait for my return.
How can I allow you to go alone to rescue my father? If I cannot enter the palace gate,
I will wait for you, Mother, outside the palace.
I have already sent someone to inquire at Prince of Yong's.
That Consort of Yong,
she is a bit tyranny usually,
but to kidnap a merit noble of the royal court in public?
That's indeed too . . .- Your Highness.
How is it?
I already sent someone.
Who did you send?
My foster son. My most trusted aid.
He's usually called by the name of Xiaosi.
He arrived at the Prince of Yong's manor and asked and the consort said Duke of Qi did indeed come,
but before it was dark, he already left and he wasn't there now.
She's lying! How can he not be at the manor?
My servant isn't blind or dumb.
He can't decipher whose manor the duke of the state went in?
It must be Princess Consort of Yong lying.
You didn't have him go in and look around?
Xiaosi offended the consort,
and looked around in detail in the manor and Duke of Qi was indeed not in the manor.
They must have hidden him.
In a grand prince manor, why wouldn't there be a secret chamber or an underground cellar?
Your Highness. I swear to Heaven.
Duke of State is indeed being kept hostage by Prince of Yong and remains unreturned to home.
Or else, may Your Highness find Prince of Yong and speak face-to-face with my servant.
If I am speaking half a false, may my Qi House be confiscated and exterminated.
Hurry and get up, Child.
I saw you grow up by me.
Why do you curse yourself like this?
You are anxious and I understand. But we're amid an auspicious time right now.
Prince of Yong is offering sacrifices to the gods and ancestors on behalf of His Majest and the gate is sealed.
No one can see him.
He schemed this in advance!
How about this then?
I will have Eunuch Zhu take my edict and search his manor personally.
He's my confidant and the consort will not delay him.
You go to the warm hall and rest.
And await for news. Hurry and go now.
Royal Mother.
I can only depend on you.
Go now.
Nonsense.
I don't believe it. I don't believe it.
I will see Her Highness. I will see Her Highness.
Her Highness has not sent order to summon you. You cannot barge in, Princess.
Duke of State is in danger.
I will see Her Highness.
Your Highness.
[ Imperial Palace ]
Mother.
It didn't work, Mother?
What?
His Majesty doesn't care if we live or die either?
His Majesty is gravely ill and I couldn't see him.
Her Highness is so busy too.
She doesn't have the time to worry about us.
Alright. Come. Let's go.
Prince of Yong calculated the timing perfectly.
He is said to be offering to the gods and ancestors on His Majesty's behalf to beg for blessing.
Consort of Yong will not admit no matter what.
So no matter what I say, I can't convince Her Highness.
Come, careful.
Qi Ducal Manor
Here.
You're still ill.
Hurry and rest up.
Tomorrow I will wait in the palace again and beg Her Highness.
That Prince of Yong, though he's swiped your father,
I don't imagine he'd dare to harm him.
So you be assured too.
Mother. You've drank the calming tonic so rest first.
After you're weakened energy is restored,
we can go find father.
Alright. Alright.
Good child. Go.
Young Lord, please rest.
I don't know if Buwei,
after getting on the Bridge of Helplessness, has he drank the Mengpo Soup (forgetness soup to reincarnate).
Brother Buwei was most loyal and devoted to you.
I imagine Heaven's pity him,
and in his next life, he will be born into a good family.
I hope Buwei's next life,
can be a lifetime of happiness and bliss.
Let him not befall into a house like ours again.
Young Master, do you deem the ducal manor not good?
People outside look at us.
They think we can have wind if we want and rain if we want.
We look to the palace.
And we also think Emperor is majestic and powerful.
But we are all just human.
We are not saints.
The Emperor has pain in his heart.
People like us.
We have pain in our hearts too.
This pain that cannot be mentioned.
This ache that words cannot stop.
Three thousand stars fall into the river.
Still not as bright as the moon.
Laughable.
It's too laughable.
For hundred of years, people
need only to do good deeds.
Do good deeds.
Young Lord, what urgent matter do you have
that you have to come here this late at night?
May Prince practice charity and allow me for an audience.
His Majesty is sick, so my husband went to pray for him. He's not inside the manor.
They may Princess Consort do good deeds
and let my father go.
Young Lord, what are you saying?
How come I couldn't understand?
I can then only leave my corpse behind
to marry the princess.
People all say that the Young Lord of Qi has temperament similar to his father.
Gentle and amicable. Easy to be manipulated.
Never thought that the people got it wrong.
I think that inside you,
there's still a sense of arrogance.
You indeed are the son of Princess Pingning.
Although my Qi Family only has me as their descendant,
is not as prestigious as it was before,
we still can't just do nothing and let others kill us.
Although I don't have any merit or noble title,
I still have shown my face to the emperor.
Even if the Royal House of Yong has power that can cover the heaven,
it still can't cover up such a huge case.
Young Lord, you're still too young.
We invited Duke of the State to be a guest in our house isn't a threat.
It's just that there are things that we clearly must discuss the pros and cons with him.
We both are royal relatives.
Saying some commoner words, we will see each other irregardless.
Why must we use violence and destroy our harmonious relationship?
You people abducted my father and kept him in your manor.
You still think that our harmonious relationship won't get affected?!
If we don't invite him over,
you...how could you come to our house?
There are some words that must be said to you personally for them to be effective.
I know that you persist on refusing to be married with my daughter,
because you love that illegitimate daughter of the Sheng family.
You...what are you planning to do?
Indeed. Just as you've said, if you insist on not obeying,
I can't really kill you and your father.
But the House of Sheng is different. With Prince's status and since it's still not known who the throne will belong to,
to have a five rank official move away his entire family and disappear
won't be that hard for us.
You really...think that this empire is already in your bag?!
Even if it's not in our bag, the House of Sheng is still just a five rank official.
Young Lord, if you die,
that Sheng lady must die too.
The House of Qi having no descendant, won't Princess Pingning and Duke Qi of the State
be guarding an empty house for the remainder of their live?
In this vast world, there are hundreds of talented men.
Why must you insist on choosing to kill our family?
If a family like yours who only has an empty position
can laugh at us openly, but curse us behind our back,
what then about the current empire?
If my daughter couldn't get the things that she wants,
and still couldn't get it until now,
I would have been a useless mother.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
What a good...
...a good and deep motherly affection.
Such a good showing of a benevolent mother and filial child.
Princess Consort,
if parents love their children, they should plan ahead.
You think...
...this is planning ahead?
Stupid. Stupid!
The heaven wants to harm His Majesty.
My dynasty's empire...
...will actually end up in the hands of people like this.
Qi Yuanruo,
you have no other choice.
If you sign this marriage contract,
your father can go home immediately.
The House of Sheng will also be in peace from now on.
Even if she's a princess of the first rank or a third rank,
I will never take her in as my wife.
The main wife that I'm marrying
can only be Sheng Minglan.
Sign it.
You have no other choice.
Big Madam, your face looks like spring.
Is there a joyous occasion at home?
You can say so. I'm inviting you
and these three ladies to be guests in my house.
These three daughters of mine
are crude and lacking in proper etiquette.
They might embarrass themselves once they reach your Count Manor.
You're being too humble.
Your three ladies even went to the Marquis Gu Manor already.
What more a measly Count Manor like mine?
Moreover, if you come this time,
you don't need to fear bumping into that tigress Princess Pingning.
Why?
Her only son Qi Heng will be marrying Princess Jiacheng soon.
Since she's busy preparing for the wedding, she won't have time to come out for social gatherings or finding his son a woman anymore.
Are you talking about the daughter of Prince of Yong?
Of course.
If you ask me, she can be considered one of the most noble lady here in the capital.
I fear that her future is very promising.
After picking here and there, Princess Pingning finally got the top prize.
But this matter mustn't be publicized too much. His Majesty is severely ill.
It isn't convenient for the Prince Manor and Ducal House to organize a grand celebration.
Hence, they only quietly invited some old friends.
There are a lot of families in Bianjing that still doesn't know about it.
Say, a marriage between royal families
is actually being done in such thief-like manner.
Don't you find that funny?
Funny. It is indeed funny.
From the looks of it, Prince of Yong most likely will get the position.
Princess Pingning is close with the people in the palace.
Maybe, she received some news
from the emperor.
Or else, why would she suddenly settle on the daughter of Prince of Yong?
That Big Madam Wu is clearly being happy in the disaster of another.
She was still laughing like that. Who does she think is stupid and couldn't get her meaning?
Isn't it just the Duke of the State House?
There are so many noble and highly ranked families in the capital.
There are ducal, count, and marquis houses everywhere.
I don't plan on hanging myself on just one tree.
Once I get splendidly married off to a higher ranking family,
I'll eventually come back to mock her.
- Miss, are you alright?- How are you?
What's wrong? Are you alright?
I'm fine. I'm fine.
Grandmother, why did you come?
The Wu and Kuaiji Commanderies are not my hometown.
How could I stay here for long?
Ming'er, where do you want to stay?
You all leave.
How old are you and you still trips on flat ground?
Come, let me see it.
I'm fine, grandmother. It's not painful anymore.
I've heard about what happened in the House of Qi.
He was quite a good child, just isn't fated to be with our family.
A person can't have everything go his way.
Just treat it as encountering a setback.
You tripped and got hurt, so just cry it out.
After crying, climb up again. You still have to live your days.
Stop drilling horns. (paying too much attention to unimportant matters)
Don't be sad. The marriage of children of aristocratic families are not for them to decide in the first place.
You've fought for yourself already.
There shouldn't be any regrets.
If you hurt your knees because of slipping, I can blow it for you.
If you hurt your heart,
I will find you a better man in the future.
Invite me?
On the outside, your General Xie wanted me to pay respect in his behalf.
But in reality, he wanted me to shut my self up and ponder on my actions.
I don't think I'm worthy of the word 'invite'.
No. No. No.
General, Marquis of Yu is a rare military talent.
You are able to defeat a hundred just by yourself. Always victorious in your battles.
Without you, won't we all just
be going to our death?
So in short, you people want me to become your stepping stone.
I've said the wrong words.
General is so good in strategizing.
To say that I'm superior than him in fighting battles,
I'm not worthy.
Rong'er, quickly come down.
Father has important matters to discuss. Don't disturb him.
Momo, I'm going to the front line soon.
While I still have time, let me teach Rong'er to write some more words.
So Marquis of Yu was just joking with us.
We'll set out tomorrow.
Since you've decided to go back, why must you make things difficult for those two?
Before, I would use my own body to fight off anything, causing me to be badly battered.
Now, I've learned to be smarter from my older brother and his wife.
Once they are facing problems in battle, they would naturally come to beg me.
If I act to ignore them, they would then not dare belittle me when I go back.
What has the world come to?
Forcing the pure, loyal, and upright people
to continuously scheme just to get by.
Momo is just biased for me.
How am I a pure, loyal, and upright man? That would best describe Yuanruo.
Talking about the Young Lord of the Ducal House of Qi,
I heard that he's about to marry the daughter of Prince of Yong.
Young Master,
when will you get married?
Momo, did you hear it wrongly?
The House of Qi is really having a marriage alliance with Prince of Yong?
How can it be fake?
I heard it from idle servants of the marquis house gossiping in the market yesterday.
They said that the House of Qi has taken into consideration that the emperor is sick, hence, didn't publicized it too much.
They only invited close relatives and old friends to attend the wedding.
I'll go see Yuanruo.
I heard that Prince of Yong has prayed to the heaven in behalf of His Majesty.
Yes.
Then does Princess find this wedding
very suitable?
Second Uncle, if I don't agree,
even the House of Sheng will face a disaster.
If you're me, what would you do?
If I'm you,
enter the palace and have an audience with the emperor.
Sue the whole family of Prince of Yong in the Wende Hall.
If that won't work, imitate the method of Prince of Yong.
If he could kidnap the daughter of other people, I could also kidnap his.
Without a princess of the third rank, who will he marry off to you?
By then, because of the delays,
won't this matter eventually get foiled?
Taking a step back, no matter how unbridled and arrogant that princess is,
she wouldn't dare marry a husband as harsh and unreasonable like you, right?
This is a method of hurting him by a thousand, but hurting yourself by 800.
Prince of Yong will soon be named the crown prince.
Such an act might lead to clan annihilation.
Place him on a field of death and he will fight to live.
Since you want to live according to what you desire, you then must take risk.
Growing up, you were able to get whatever you want.
You never knew how to compete or struggle for something.
Of course, you also wouldn't know that in competing or fighting for something,
you need methods.
Second Uncle, you're saying that
it was my mistake?
Of course, it is.
From the start, you should have expressed your stand to your parents.
No matter how much Princess tried to hinder, you should be willing to die than to submit.
Aren't you married now?
But you kept pondering about it and kept feeling that it wasn't the right time.
I've wronged Minglan.
I now don't have the nerve
to enter the Sheng Manor anymore. Second Uncle.
Second Uncle.
This...
Please give it to her in my behalf.
We can still talk about this. Yuanruo, the House of Sheng doesn't have a very high rank.
Getting liked by you is already them climbing a very high branch.
This matter has spread all over the capital such that everyone now knows about it.
If you're going to marry the princess now,
won't Minglan have become a joke?
How could she still seek marriage in the future? Who would still give her any respect?
Have you thought for her sake?
I know that, but what can I do?!
You are now living on your own. You can ignore everything. But I'm different.
I...
I can't put the whole Qi Clan in danger
just to for self-happiness.
Yuanruo, if you dare fight for this lady,
there's no need for your House of Qi to act.
I'll go to the Prince of Yong Manor and abduct that lady for you.
We're now in critical times. Prince of Yong wouldn't dare publicize it.
This is your last chance. Think about it well.
Come, Yuanruo.
As long as you give the permission, I'll go through any kind of danger for you.
I don't think that Sheng lady deserves to suffer like this.
The remainder of her life all depends on your decision.
Yuanruo.
Say something.
What destiny makes fool of people?
While walking in this world, if you are afraid to take 3 steps forward,
and afraid to take 5 steps backward, don't even bother planning anything.
Sister Yanghao.
What does Second Brother actually want to gift me?
That he's put through this trouble of hiding it?
I don't really know either.
Second Young Master said, he didn't want it known,
and if Forth or Fifth Miss finds out, they will snatch from you.
Second Uncle Gu? Where's my second brother?
I wanted to borrow the border boundary map to see.
He went to get it from Uncle Sheng and asked me to wait.
Then please wait, Second Uncle.
I will come talk to my brother later.
Sixth Miss.
I wonder if you Sixth Miss has received any new calligraphy books lately?
Your second brother heard,
a great calligrapher appeared from Liaodong.
So he sought a sample from him,
to have me bring it to you to see.
Liaodong is a remote area. What great calligraphy can arise?
Perhaps, since your brother isn't here now,
you'd like to take a look first?
Danju and I will prepare a bowl of great tea for you.
I told your second brother.
If you don't want to see it, you needn't look for sure.
I can just bring it back to Liaodong.
Are there any message from Liaodong?
He said, a great calligraphy book, and he wrote it badly.
He owes you greatly.
What else did he say?
Not much.
He only feels, a great calligraphy and he's wrote it to this hap.
He is ashamed to face you.
And he doesn't want to give any excuse.
He just asked me to bring the book to you.
May you wait briefly, Second Uncle.
Xiaotao. bring me my clay doll and have it wrapped nicely.
This clay doll.
You said it looks a smiling me.
But looking similar is useless.
Young Lord went against his promise to you.
Miss, I'll go shatter this clay doll to pieces now.
Good Xiaotao. We don't blame him.
Though he doesn't say it, I know he has his painful reason.
What he hopes to achieve just can't be achieved.
We don't blame him.
Let's go now to return this to him.
To finish this.
Let's go.
♫Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me, not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫
♫Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫
♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫
♫Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫
♫Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫
♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫
♫ Don't you know? ♫
You will not keep it as a memento?
No need.
What's laughable?
Back then, I told you Manniang isn't a good person.
You wouldn't believe me and I lamented you as a fool.
That day at the marquis manor, you compared me and Qi Heng as Emperor Ming and Consort Yang.
And I also didn't believe you.
It seems now, we are just too dumb and too foolish.
We just wouldn't listen.
This world has always been full of mishaps and bad timings.
- You . . . - I understand.
Alright.
The war at southern frontier is pressing.
After I returned the book, I will leave.
The world is chaotic and tumultuous now.
Swords and spears in the battlefield have no eyes. May you, Gentleman, take care.
♫Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me, not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫
Thank you.
If there are too many idle gossips later on, or your marital talks don't fare smoothly,
you must not let it bother you.
Wait for me to return and I will teach those broken mouths!
We don't need to mention about marital talks again.
Why not?
The future is never predictable.
If it hadn't been your persuasion,
I fear I might still be at the canal gang surviving the world.
Look now, not long after,
I am already an important member of the army, heavily trusted.
Come now and you're acting foolish.
In all matters, look ahead.
Light yourself a good future.
♫There must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫
♫Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫
It's true. Our eyes are grown on the front.
So we should look forwardly.
You come to the world and suffer. You should try to live well.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
T/N In the following song, "Don't You Know, Don't You Know?", Lines 5 to the end are the poem by Li Qingzhao, a famous female poet of the Song Dynasty, the poem is titled "Spring Ends".
♫One morning, a flower opened and approached a willow tree, beautifully fragrant and mistaking him for her lord♫
♫Even if drinking in water in the morning, red clouds have half a day of sunshine, the wind and rain do not affect them completely♫
♫In the palace, you are constantly brave and growing thin, from on high, your cold tears of distress flow♫
♫Brocade letters delivered to me dismiss me, only suddenly to recall me, not for many years can I see you other than stealthily♫
♫Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫
♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫
♫Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫
♫Last night, gusty winds and rain during my deep slumber did not spoil the wine's lingering effect♫
♫When I asked someone, they rolled the blind up and told me that all the crab-apple trees are as before.♫