Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
The Story of Minglan
Episode 47
Aunties, why did you think of sitting in our Zhaohui Hall today?
Seeing that it's about time for lunch, why don't we move to the Flower Hall to have some meal and tea?
I'll tell the kitchen to prepare some fresh vegetable dishes.
Hold on.
Do you plan to do a cicada shedding its carapace on us?
Are you looking for an excuse to hide from us?
- Aunt, you must be joking. I'm...- We were tricked by you once.
Forget about trying to escape this time.
Aunt, this is my home. Why would I hide from you?
Your home? This is the home of the Gu family.
Don't think that just because you married into the Gu family, you can be the main mother of the family?
Be careful of us exposing all your ugly matters before,
and let Brother Ye get rid of you.
Ugly matters? What ugly matters?
Tell her.
Sister-in-law, don't be anxious. If there's anything to say, let's take our time to talk.
- We are a family. If this ruckus gets out, we will lose our dignities. - No.
Aunties, stop beating around the bush.
Speak then. I will listen.
I would like to know why the General
wants to get rid of me.
Before you married our Brother Ye,
weren't you engaged to Physician He?
- I didn't. - You didn't?
How come your past interaction got exposed by other people?
Auntie, were you talking about our social interaction or marriage engagement?
These are two different matters.
If you're engaged to be married, won't you two naturally have interactions?
Of course, we have past interactions. It's all because our grandmothers are friends.
There wasn't any engagement.
You two think that because I'm just an illegitimate daughter of a lowly clan.
It's because I've accumulated enough good karma in my past life and that my ancestral tombs emitted blue smoke, that's why, I was able to marry into your family.
You think that loudly urging me would make my soul leave my body form extreme fear
and then be very submissive. Is that it?
She didn't mean that.
She's just afraid that other people will gossip a lot.
Whoever wants to gossip, let them do so.
No need to especially say them in front of me.
Look at the scene you created. How will she help us now?
Minglan.
She didn't pay attention to me. She didn't even look at me one bit.
- I've never seen this.- Xiatao did look at me. He ruthlessly dug into me with his gaze.
Just let her then.
- What are you happy about? - How could I not be happy? She has never done this to me.
Dug you with her gaze?
So, Aunt is here.
Do you know you have been tricked by someone?
Before your marriage, your wife got engaged with the He Family
behind your back. Do you know about this?
So, you are here to gossip.
There wasn't any engagement, but there are interactions.
- You knew about it? - I knew.
It was even me who employed some tricks
and snatched my wife away from the He family.
If I took action too late, I fear they would have gotten married.
Dear aunts, you must really dote on me.
Your family is already in deep trouble,
but still came here to seek justice for me for these old matters.
Thank you very much, Aunties.
Stop laughing.
Wife.
Wife, don't be angry.
I've already personally choked them back.
You didn't see their faces.
It was really so colorful! So nice to look at!
For them to come here and beg me is already in the wrong.
They even used this...
...this matter that can destroy a family to threaten me.
We are all wives. They surely know that this kind of matter isn't child's play.
If it wasn't handled properly, it will cause a person's reputation to be completely destroyed.
I'll inform the prison right now
to beat up those two cousins of mine, so as to vent anger in your behalf.
Don't go.
This won't do and that won't do.
What can I do if you are angry? I can only use this method.
If you're mad, just close the doors and curse a little. That will be enough.
If this goes out, it will become a laughing matter.
People will gossip.
You'll lose more than what you gained.
We mustn't do losing business like that.
What then must we do with those two women sitting in Zhaohui Hall and refusing to leave?
So what if they don't leave.
Our general manor surely can afford to feed them, right?
Naturally.
If they insist to stay here, let's not show our face to them starting now.
Let's just give them a cold shoulder. Let's see who will endure who.
This will be a good show to watch.
The duel between Madam Sheng and the Gu auntie-in-laws!
Exciting. It's exciting.
I'm helping you block the wind and rain!
Charging into the front line for you! And you still mock me?
I know, I know.
What can I do about this?
Just give find me a few people
who can write well, write decently.
What a great Sheng Minglan.
She dares to walk out on her elders?
She dares to make us wait like this?! So preposterous!
Sister-in-law, it's better that you calm down.
Since we've decided to grind away their patience,
this will surely take time. You better save your energy.
I'm angry. I should scold.
Sheng Minglan, come out!
Gu Tingye, come out too! The both of you,
are you trying to ride above the head of your relatives to show your imposing might?
You want to use the heads of your cousins to ask for merit, is that it?
You won't get any good retribution!
Let me tell you. If anything were to happen to my Tingbing,
I will die in your home!
Sister-in-law, you're looking worse the more you say it.
How are you like an official's wife?
Why are you acting like a good person here?
How come only I was interrogating her earlier?
What about you?!
As if your son is fine and only my son got arrested.
You are like that woman in the marquis manor, just letting me be the one to make all the noise.
Are you here waiting to eat the fruits of the labor?!
- This is not what I meant. - What did you mean then?!
This...what's the meaning of this?
Big Madam was afraid that you two will get hungry. She specially instructed the kitchen to cook a meal for you.
If you still don't leave after you have eaten, Big Madam said that
she'll have the rooms in the western courtyard cleaned up
so you two can live there as you like.
Even if your daughter-in-laws come, you all will still fit in there.
Are you people squandering time with us here?!
Fine. You are not afraid of anything, right?
Okay then. I'll accompany you people and continue stirring up trouble.
If these two children don't return, I won't leave your home!
Let's eat.
Let's eat. Why are you standing there?
This...what's the meaning of this?
I'm the accountant of the manor. Big Madam thinks that this matter is quite grave.
It's hard to explain things if news reach
the ears of His Majesty. Hence, he told me
Whatever you said, I will record them down.
If ever His Majesty or Her Highness calls anyone in the house for questioning,
they will know what to answer.
Sister-in-law.
Replying to Big Madam and General, both have left. Nanny Cui also said that they didn't even touch any of the food.
These uncles and aunts of mine haven't changed at all.
In the past, if there are any matters that we need to ask other people for favors about,
it will be my father who will do it.
They all have been pampered all their lives.
Till now, they are still the same.
Didn't you also like them begging you?
Why won't I?
I even increased the stake so they would beg me fiercely.
You don't want them to plead for favors.
You merely want them to admit their mistakes.
Wife, you really know me.
I'm also just putting my feet in your shoes.
Anyone who was aggrieved would want the truth to come out one day.
Hoping that everyone would understand his pain and grievances.
If it were me, I would be the same too.
If...those two cousins of mine committed a grave crime,
that if I don't intervene, they would surely die,
yet I still press them this hard,
aren't I still in the right?
While a person lives, he would only want a peaceful heart.
If one's heart is at ease, the world would be quiet and wonderful.
But if he has a grudge and hatred in his heart,
even if the sun is shining high up and there is a gentle breeze blowing across one's face,
that blade that's slicing his heart will not stop.
I understand this. I know.
[ Duke QI of the State Manor ]
It's late. Instruct the kitchen
to brew tea, make some snacks and deliver them to the study.
Didn't Sir said not to give him anything to eat?
He can refuse to eat but we must deliver them.
Or else, if my in-laws find out,
they would blame me for not knowing how to care for him again.
- Xiaoyu!- Yes.- Go!
Miss, about that.
Regarding that daughter of the Sheng family,
do I still continue to ask about her?
Forget it. After asking around, it was all just those measly things.
If husband really can't let her go, why didn't he ask for marriage when he became a widower?
It shows that it was just some young and insensible act.
Nothing to be suspicious about.
This is great.
Guye is a refined and upright man.
It's fine if he doesn't know to say sweet nothings.
Miss, don't think much about this.
You are right too.
It must be because my parents are too sweet with each other that I thought
all men
should be like my father, just circling around his wife.
Okay, it's late.
After cleaning up this chest, let's just do the rest tomorrow.
The weather will be changing soon.
By that time, just place the clothes that we tidied up out
and put them on the top.
They will be easier to find.
Miss.
[ Qi Xiao'er ]
Qi Xiao'er.
Is...that Young Lord?
This two other characters...
Who is that?
I'm sure that it isn't me.
Miss, don't be afraid.
At least, you now know everything.
You are right.
The stone in my heart has finally fallen to the ground.
What do you plan to do now?
Since I know that he has someone else in his heart,
I'm going to snatch him back.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
Prime Minister Han, a few days ago, you mentioned in your memorial
that there hasn't been no rain for a long time and His Majesty is getting worried.
You are wiling to go to Taiyi Palace
to light incenses and pray for the rain, to report this to the deities, and that you need the seal.
You then took the jade seal away. It's been so many days.
The jade seal should be returned already, right?
Informing Empress Dowager, since ascending to the throne, His Majesty has been diligent in governance, loving to his citizens, and is fully equipped with sage morals.
In the asking for rain ceremony, the citizens of the capital looked at His Majesty with reverence.
All were happily dancing and praising him.
I didn't ask you about this.
I'm talking about the jade seal.
There are too many matters to handle in governing the empire.
Just to make use of the jade seal, we have to keep disturbing you.
His Majesty really can't bear to keep doing that.
Hence, he has decided to keep the jade seal to himself
to avoid any more future troubles.
You!
You people are openly stealing it from me?
As the emperor, His Majesty holding the jade seal is within reason and logic.
How could you say that he stole it?
It was you who said before that you fear other imperial descendants will covet for the throne.
You then asked me to listen to the court meetings behind curtains,
- so it would be convenient to quell the court officials.- Yes.
How come now, you're going back against your words?
Now, the empire is in peace and the hearts of the people has returned to the government.
Won't it satisfy both parties if Empress Dowager withdraw at this time?
I will decide when I will withdraw! I won't get pressured by you people!
It's impossible for Han Zhang to have come up with an idea like that.
This is a market-like and lowly kind of idea.
Among the people around the emperor and Prince Huan,
other than Gu Tingye, no one else would think of this method.
Gu Tingye?
This rascal, Gu Tingye.
Since young, he's a swindler.
How many years have he lived among the brothels?
Other than him. Other than him, who else would think of such
shameless method!
Call him to come here. Summon Gu Tingye to come here.
At such young age, you didn't learn the good things
and just have to learn those lowly marketplace tricks!
You even dared to use it on me!
When you entered the palace at age 7, you shattered the lamp in Funing Palace.
If not because I covered it up for you,
when you went home, your father would have beaten you till you are full of bruises!
His Majesty wanted you to lead the Imperial Jin Army.
Do you know how many people in the government were against it?
It was me who went against public opinion!
I said lots of good things about you!
But what did you do?
You actually connived with a high official to swindle me.
Playing with an old widow like me.
I admit my mistake. Empress Dowager, please don't be angry.
If you know that you are wrong,
go and get the jade seal back for me!
I really can't obey your order!
Are you here to seek forgiveness
or to make me angry?
I have committed an unforgivable crime.
Empress Dowager, you can beat or scold me.
Even if you ask me to kneel here the whole night, I won't complain.
Stop playing your shameless tricks on me.
Do you think I dare not beat you?
Men! Get the punishment cane.
As long as Empress Dowager can vent your anger, it's fine even if you kill me.
Why did you retreat that far back?
When they do the punishment, it will surely be a bloody scene.
I fear that it might traumatize you, hence, I retreated a bit farther.
Why aren't you beating him?
General Gu has too many scars on his body. I don't know where to start?
Why can't you beat him?
Even if he's full of scars, he can't be allowed to be arrogant just because he's highly favored.
Give it to me.
Empress Dowager, it's best that you step back
or the blood will splash and dirty your clothes.
That time...
...you were covered in blood.
You were like an army sent by the heaven
and rescued His Majesty out of danger.
I thought you are a good and upright child that is loyal to his emperor.
I was loyal to the past emperor, is loyal to His Majesty. I will never change even in death.
What a good never changing until death.
I can't even hit you in a bold and confident manner.
Go now.
Official Gu.
Young Lord, you...
You actually came up with a rotten idea like that to offend the Empress Dowager?
How could you say that it's a rotten idea?
It's just being respectful first then bringing out the army after.
Empress Dowager was refusing to hand over her power and used that jade seal as an excuse.
If you reason out with her, she'll pretend to be muddled.
Only a shameless method like that
can work.
Won't she bear grudges against you?
Prince Huan and I have the same stand.
Prince Huan is the son of His Majesty. Empress Dowager has long disliked me.
Just one trifle matter like this won't really matter.
Trifle matter. The person you offended is the curren empress dowager, the legitimate mother of the emperor.
She has been in charge of the palace for so many years.
She has planted a tall and deep rotted tree in the imperial court. A lot of important minsters are her trusted aides.
She just need to say a few words if she want you eliminated.
If she's unhappy, at most, I'll just get hit and scolded,
so she can vent her anger. Anyway, my skin and flesh are thick and coarse. I won't feel pain even if I get hit.
This isn't a matter of just getting hit or scolded.
How many people in the government don't like you? The Qi family even...
What about the Qi Family?
Did you hear anything?
My father was the one who said it.
He said... Although Prince Yong is dead,
he still was the crown prince.
Those sons and grandchildren of his
are still highly favored by Empress Dowager.
Qi Heng not only has married the daughter of Prince Yong,
Duke Qi of the State and the older brother of Empress Dowager were even classmates once.
If the Qi Family sides with the Empress Dowager, then important officials of the court will surely follow.
I...am afraid that if you sharply stick out like this...
I fear...
Fear what?
You're afraid that I'll have a conflict with the Qi Family,
with Qi Heng?
Not only the Qi Family!
So many people are watching you.
Empress Dowager must return her governing power sooner or later.
If she doesn't hand over the jade seal today, she would still do in the future.
His Majesty isn't a child anymore.
He can't really rely on her mother to assist him forever, right?
This stepmother of His Majesty is similar to mine.
It's different. That stepmother of yours lied and deceived you.
She caused you to live such a miserable life.
His Majesty was able to stabilize the government
and sit on the empire's throne thanks to this stepmother of his sitting in during imperial court meetings.
If Empress Dowager mentions this in the future, you and the others would be in the wrong.
I just fear that those who stick out would be the first to rot.
Even if I don't stick out, you think Empress Dowager will easily let me off?
Since the moment I was born, I wasn't a person who can strike water left and right (fortunate).
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
I also am not teaching you on what to do.
It's just that I suffered because I stuck out when I was little, so I'm so afraid of it.
Wife, no need to worry.
No matter what happens, I will protect you.
No, I'm not afraid for myself.
I'm afraid that something bad might happen to you. I'm afraid for your sake.
- Really?- Really.
You treat me so well. I'm really afraid of something bad happening to you.
No need to fear. Everything is within my calculations.
Don't be afraid.
Nothing will happen.
- You must have gotten the wrong person!- Husband!
- I'm not going!- Let go!
Let go of me! I'm not going with you!
Mother! Mother! I'm not going!
Let go of me! Let go of me!
- Husband! Husband!- Mother! Mother!
Second Brother! Ask Second Brother to save me!
- Mother!- Tingwei! Tingwei!
What's going on? What's going on?
I don't know! Mother-in-law, quickly save him!
He still is alive. Why are you wailing in grief?
Talk. In the Fourth and Fifth Houses helping the rebel prince buy some women,
is Tingwei involved or not?
No.
Husband has always been a coward. He only likes to eat and drink, and didn't like socializing.
How could he be involved in such a matter?
Why then did the patrol guards arrest him?
Could it be...
Before, the Fourth and Fifth House gifted us two women.
Husband saw that they were quite beautiful so he accepted them.
These two are indeed very pretty.
It's as if they were meticulously chosen.
Muddled!
How could you dare take in such kind of women?
If they were clean, those two from the Fourth and Fifth Houses would have kept them for their own enjoyment.
How could it even be your turn?
They...wanted to drag us down with them?
They've calculated it from the start.
If that rebel prince obtained the throne,, they are meritorious subjects.
It has nothing to do with Tingwei.
If he fails,
just with those two women, it's enough to drag us down with them.
If we fall,
whether it's your duke father
or your older brother,
they all can't escape being implicated.
Since we can't escape,
we also can't just sit by and do nothing.
They are so ruthless.
How could husband endure that kind of torture?
Mother-in-law, I beg you to save my husband.
I beg you to save him, mother-in-law.
Mother-in-law, I beg you...
Save my husband.
Big Madam could this invitation by the House of Gu be a Hongmen Banquet? (a trap)
Xiaotao, you've improved.
You even know how to use the classical quotation 'Hongmen Banquet'.
This is strange, Miss.
They are the ones begging us, so why should we go to the marquis house?
Shouldn't they be coming to our manor with gifts and courtesy?
If the people in the marquis house understood this, then the case of rebelling wouldn't have dragged on till now.
That's true.
If it were me, having bullied and cast out by the entire lot back then like that.
I wouldn't even acknowledge them now.
My husband won't ignore.
But he will have his condition, that's all.
Second Brother, I beg you.
Tingwei is always thinking of you.
I don't know how he's been by hell's gate these last few days.
I beg you.
Sister-in-law, you needn't worry.
It's not a grave crime.
At worst, he will be found as having committed carelessness and social-climbing.
His head won't drop.
Then? Would he be banished to serve in the army?
Well that will depend on how many crimes he is found to have committed.
It must be your house!
Yelling out recklessly and dropping names in the jail and you had my husband implicated.
I will see to the end with you!
You already took in the people and reaped the benefit.
Now you say that your house isn't part of it?
If it hadn't been your instigating,
he's been so clean all these years and why would he suddenly take in two concubines?
Stop making others laugh.
If something happens to my man,
I will go to His Majesty and personally expose your bottom line!
And I will fight til the fish are dead and the net is broken and no one will be clean then!
Don't think you can be clean then!
I only ask you one question.
By your capacity and power today,
if you insist on trying to pull Gu family out,
can you accomplish it?
That's more proper.
Instead of push and pulling here and pointing fingers indirectly,
it's better to get to the main point.
It's possibly very difficult.
Having to beg in all directions and plead for favors.
You may even need to make your plea to His Majesty.
But you can accomplish it, is that right?
Correct. I can.
What does it take for you to be willing to save Gu House?
It's not to save Gu House.
It's to save you guys.
Alright.
It's to save us.
Speak your conditions.
Is it my life or is it someone else's life?
Why would I want Big Brother's life?
Then what do you want exactly?
I want you, as the marquis of Gu House,
to add another line to the clan register.
List the details of my mother, Bai Clanswoman, marrying into Gu House.
And announce to the entire clan how she saved the Gu House.
Embellish her into the shrine with a name tablet, and return justice to her.
Even if I am dead,
you can forget about it!
First.
Nanny Xiang, you may leave too.
Other than consenting to him, we have no other way.
We can only do so now.
I'll make the trip myself and pull out this old face.
I'll say we were all too emotional earlier.
And we spoke without filters.
I'll apologize.
And this matter will pass.
Apologize?
All these years, and all these compromises and resentments.
How do you apologize for it so he can get over it?
First son, look.
He's not asking for much.
Though the matter is a bit embarrassing.
It benefits us without costing us.
If come now and we lower our head to him,
from now on, we will be at his full disposal.
Today is to set the legacy of Bai in the clan register.
Tomorrow might be to chase fourth and fifth house out of the marquis manor.
This is why . . . - You can't talk like that.
Then you don't care about your brother?
Mother. You raised him for so long.
Why do you never understand?
No matter how scary his words are,
he can't pull the final draw. As long as we can keep standing,
he will go and speak for us in the end.
Everyone speaks of the glorious sepal palace of the splendid Tang Dynasty.
We don't have that luck to try it but I think the delicious food of Fan House,
are the true rarity of the world.
Do you think I am too oppressing too?
When I was at Gu House, you kept
either giving me the eye or a pull on my clothing.
I was afraid a discord in words could happen,
and a fight would break out, while they are the crowd.
And you and I would suffer a loss.
Bind that whole lot together and they still can't beat me.
I don't think so. Your eldest brother alone is enough to fight you.
What do you mean?
Your eldest brother.
He already knew you wouldn't be so cruel and cold-hearted.
He knew you wouldn't attack your own brother and clansmen and that's why stood his ground firmly.
I don't fear killing or dead bodies.
But that is all in the battlefield.
But we're at home now.
I had thought the misfortune ended and out came the bliss.
That I could finally shake off the marquis house and live my own life.
But I didn't imagine, I still can't.
What I promised you wasn't achieved either.
I don't blame you though, since they are your clan and blood.
Actually Prince Huan already told me way in advance.
That those in fourth and fifth house,
didn't really commit any grave crimes.
It's just a mater of being sent to exile.
Whether it's getting exiled to 800 or 3000 miles away,
that's something that can be negotiated too.
As for that third brother of mine, he's not committed any grave offense either.
He's definitely going to be alright.
But I am just not content.
My mother back then, saved Gu House, like water for fire.
But now, those in the Gu House can actually
lay atop of my mother's deceased bones and live in luxury.
Even if I were to throw a stone into the water,
it will at least splatter some water back out to me.
My mother, back then,
she married into the Gu House with full joy and bliss.
When she died, it was so soundless and without care.
I fear in this entire capital, not many even know
that a person like my mother once existed!
Now if I hadn't returned in glory,
I fear they would have thrown out my mother's tablet from the shrine long ago.
I just can't swallow this anger.
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.♫
♫Don't you know, don't you know, there must be flourishing leaves and fallen flowers?♫