Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
The Story of Ming Lan
Episode 20
Quickly go scrub the pail
and then bring the Young Master some sobering-up soup.
Go.
Young Master,
there's no big deal in leaving the Gu family.
How can we not live?
Living one's days happily is more important than anything.
That Marquis Manor of yours is like living in a circus every day.
So pretentious. Not fun at all.
In the future, even if you are penniless,
I'll go wash and sew clothes to provide for you.
Momo, we won't end up like that.
What if we really do?
Don't I have salt farms under my name?
The government only provides salt permits twice a year. (T/N Song Dynasty holds a monopoly on salt)
Selling salt without a permit is illegal.
If you're caught, you'll get executed.
Before, the local office gave considerations to the Marquis
and delivered you the salt permits without the need to talk to you.
Now you're no longer a member of the House of Gu.
Will that local official still be so eagerly attentive?
You must prepare yourself for future hardships.
Momo, no matter what my status is,
my position is,
the people who really love me are only you and Manniang.
For you two, even if I have to do hard labor on the docks, I can endure it.
Young Master, if you give me importance,
I have to say a few words.
That Manniang of yours isn't a good woman.
Momo.
It will be the three of us relying on each other from now on.
Don't say such things again.
Young Master, when you sought marriage with the Eldest Miss Yu,
she went there and foiled it.
Fortunately, the House of Yu endured it
and was willing to marry off Third Miss Yu to you instead. But don't know why,
it ended up like this today!
Are all of these matters just mere coincidences?
Momo.
Let's just talk some other time.
My head aches so much. I want to sleep.
Fine. Fine. Let me just ask you one question.
You didn't tell her about you inheriting the assets
of the Bai family, right?
I didn't. Why would I tell her?
I didn't even tell Changbai about it.
Anyway, let's just give Manniang whatever she wants.
If I tell her this, it's as if I'm deliberately showing off my wealth. I'll look bad.
That's good then.
Young Master, you can refuse to believe what I've just said.
Give it a try then. You can talk about anything
except the salt farms of the House of Bai in Yangzhou.
Just say that you don't have much money now.
If she's real gold that isn't afraid of the oven fire, (T/N a good person not afraid of hardship)
I'll shut my mouth from now on and raise your children in peace.
Darling Second, here.
Drink some sobering-up soup, then go rest.
Young Master, you haven't told me
why you fought with your family like this.
Just some unimportant matters.
Darling Second, is your head still painful?
If you can't sleep,
you can embrace me. I'll accompany you.
Are you willing to stay by my side forever?
I will.
No matter if I'm the legitimate child of the Marquis Manor?
When I met you, I didn't know
that you're a legitimate child of a marquis.
Manniang,
I might not be able to
extravagantly spend for you from now on.
In the future,
I might need to depend on doing manual labor to live by.
You must go wash and mend clothes.
Only this way can we have food to eat.
With this kind of life,
are you still willing to be with me?
Darling Second, for a person with such an awe-inspiring presence like yours,
how could you be doing manual labor to earn a living?
My civil examination path has been blocked off by the officials.
What else can I do?
I might really have to rely on manual labor to live out my days.
I'll still accompany you.
Manniang,
I only have you.
I only have this house left.
Our whole family...
will accompany you.
Greetings, Father.
If Father has no more instructions, I'll take my leave.
Bai'er.
Do you already know the matter about that rebellious son of the House of Gu?
You don't need to cover up for him.
He's famous all over the capital.
Yes.
I know that you two are good friends for so many years,
but you are a child who knows propriety.
You are even the legitimate son of our family.
Now the marriage talks with the House of Hai have been settled. You have a great future ahead of you.
Don't delay yourself, and the whole family,
just because of a moment of emotion.
Second Brother!
Second Brother.
I saw you frequently going out lately. You must be on your way to visit someone?
He's sick.
He...
He has always been very stable. I have never seen him get sick.
One's family breaking up like that, his parents now both dead.
Only a few people can go through that without collapsing.
It's all thanks to him before that I found a doctor.
Now that he's in trouble, there's not much where I can be of help.
I... made some cakes and porridge.
I want to ask Second Brother to bring it to him
on my behalf.
Knowing to repay a debt of gratitude is one of the great righteousnesses of this world.
This is very good.
Go back now.
You're already this sick. How can you not eat?
When my Sixth Little Sister heard that I was going to visit you,
she especially had me bring some jade-leaf cake...
and fish porridge.
She made it very lightly-flavored. At least, eat a little.
I've paid my respects to the Marquis Manor on your behalf.
These past days, the whole of House of Gu is quite busy.
They've finally able to set up the funeral stage.
The whole house has white cloth hanging on it. They've also changed into funeral clothes.
Did they mention me?
Only when I bumped into your Third Younger Brother,
he asked me where you live and wants to come visit you.
Forget it.
You think I can still wear my filial funeral clothes?
I met an elder from your clan that especially traveled from your hometown.
He didn't say that your name has been removed from your clan.
That's strange.
They hated me so much.
They didn't erase me from our geneology book?
If they really erased my name,
wouldn't that save them a lot of trouble?
Maybe...
Eldest Young Master Sheng, just chat with Darling Second.
I'll go buy some food and make lunch later. Eldest Young Master Sheng, please stay to taste them.
My Sixth--
I've brought him some fish porridge.
No need for extra trouble.
It's still better that I make Eldest Young Master Sheng some delicious food.
Let me have a taste of that fish porridge.
Here.
The culinary skills of your Sixth Little Sister
are indeed outstanding.
Say, even though the House of Gu is a warrior clan,
they were still a very rule-abiding house.
They would rather die than let that lowly bitch enter their house.
- They would rather die than let that... - Madam Wang, you're here.
Last time, it was a white jade waist belt. What is it today?
This is quite a good item.
Oh, my.
Is this waist accessory made of red coral?
- You're right. - Selling it again?
I'm good with anything. I'm only concerned with the money.
- Okay. - Okay, this way please.
It was even she who asked for leniency to allow Second Young Master to pay his respect before leaving.
It was really hard on her.
It was really Momo Chang who called for you to come here.
She even said that you two must talk in a quiet place.
Isn't our house the most quiet place?
Young Master, we're here.
Young Master.
Momo, why did you make me come here to talk?
These past days, I kept asking for money from you.
I would ask in tens to hundreds of coins each time.
If I was unable to carry them myself, I would ask you to give them to me as paper money.
I'm sure Young Master has been puzzled by it for a long time.
These is the items I've bought.
What did you buy?
Aren't these my mother's accessories?
It almost wasn't yours!
The waist accessory was bought by me from the Hu Gold and Silver Shop.
For the rest,
I've bought them from the Shengping Pawnshop.
What do you mean?
Good thing you didn't tell that lowly bitch Zhu Manniang
about the Bai family matters.
Now that she believes that you are indeed penniless,
she has started to have disloyal intent. While there are a lot of things to be handled at home,
she has pawned the jewelry, farmlands, and shops that you owned.
I rushed to buy back a few of them.
But for the farmlands and shops,
the price being asked is too expensive. I'm unable to buy them back.
Once you've driven her away, you can just buy them back yourself.
This is impossible.
Young Master, look.
I've followed her for more than ten days.
Every day she would hide the items
in a concealed part of the kitchen every night.
And then in the morning, when she buys ingredients from the market, she would hand it to a man.
I wanted to tell it to you when I discovered it.
But you were sick then, so I was afraid you wouldn't be able to take it.
I could only hide those valuable ones first,
but the house is only so big! How long can I hide them?
She was able to find most of them.
Now you're better, but not many valuables
are left in our house!
Impossible...
- Impossible... - Young Master Ye!
Could it be that our servants our stealing from us and selling them outside?
I personally saw her enter the pawnshop!
Young Master Ye!
Has your heart been blinded by pig oil? (T/N idiom - unable to put the objectionable person/object away)
She's not a good person!
Young Master Ye!
Momo...
While a person is alive, no matter how huge a problem is,
avoiding it is useless.
I know.
I know that you treat her as your heart's solace, hence you're refusing to admit it.
But are you willing
to be played with by others in the palm of their hands? (T/N made a fool, a puppet)
To say something that's overstepping my boundary,
I've treated you like my own child.
I know that in your heart,
you have a place for me.
I won't beg you to trust me now,
I only beg you to personally follow that woman tomorrow!
If she obediently comes home upon buying some food,
I will never mention this matter again!
Young Master.
Young Master, look.
He's actually alive.
Darling Second, you are back.
You were out for the whole day. You must be tired.
Come.
The meal is already cooked. I will get it for you later.
What's wrong?
Manniang, I have something to ask you.
What is it? Once we get done eating, you can ask me again later.
I'm asking now.
Okay, fine.
Darling Second, just ask if you have anything to ask.
I'm listening.
I promised Nanny Chang that I would give her a coffin.
Now I'm poor and frustrated,
but I can't break my promise to her.
I was thinking, we still have some money
and can make some advance preparations for her.
I found a carpenter
and gave him five taels in silver as deposit.
As for the balance, I will gradually pay it.
It's just that,
I'm a bit tight with money now.
I was thinking. I gave the children two gold locks.
Go look for them and bring it to me now.
I...
I don't know where they are.
I will look for them tomorrow and give them to you.
I need the money now.
It's dark now, and I can't see clearly.
I don't know where I put them.
Light the candle then.
Light every single candle in the house.
Darling Second... those golden locks,
I sold them.
Nanny Chang told me that we will be having hard times in the future.
I've gave it a lot of thought, and decided to sell the jewelry and antiques for money,
rather than just leaving them here in the house for display.
Running some small business is also a way to make a living.
It's not important that we have a hard time.
What's important is that we can still support our children.
Why did you hide this from me?
Before we were rich. Now we have to live our days by pawning valuables.
I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to take it. That's why I hid it from you.
The old Marquis just passed away.
Look at the way the Gu family treats you. There are many matters pressing on us.
Since young, I grew up in poverty and hardship.
I don't care about pawning anything.
But Darling Second, you grew up with a silver spoon.
I was afraid you wouldn't be able to take it.
That's why I thought of selling them first
and then tell you about it later.
Darling Second,
if you think that I tricked you,
you...
Just kill me with a sword!
I have been sincere and served you for many years.
If you kill me, I won't blame you either!
It's just that, before I die,
let me see the children first.
These two children are very pitiful.
As long as you can raise them well in the future,
I will die without any regrets.
Darling Second!
Stop being foolish.
This is Dongjing, under the feet of the Emperor. How can anyone be killed at random? (T/N idiom - capital)
You only sold some gold and silver jewelry.
How can this be an offense requiring death?
Darling Second.
Don't blame me, okay?
What else did you hide from me?
Nothing else.
There's nothing else.
Translation and Timing carefully crafted by the Mei Daxia Team at Viki
You are illiterate. I will read it to you.
"Four hundred twenty mu of fertile land in the Dongsan Village of Guojia Farm, western outskirts of Bianjing." (T/N 1 mu = 1/15 of a hectare, 28 hectare or 69 acres )
"Southern side of the Niu Farm in the eastern outskirts of Rongde in Sichuan...
four hundred mu of dry land." (T/N 26 hectares/64 acres)
This... what is this?
"Thirty salt shops on Yangzhou Road."
Manniang, I'm asking you one more time.
What else did you hide from me?
As long as you tell me, I will let bygones be bygones.
You are still asking me what else I have hidden from you?
I would like to ask you, Darling Second,
why did you trick me instead?
When did I trick you?
You are very cruel!
You caused me to think that we are running out of rice soon.
I didn't even want my dignity! (T/N abased herself)
I went out to pawn things so we could get on with our days. How many supercilious looks must I endure?
Who knew that
you would hide your personal assets that well?
You said you did this for our children's sake and my own. Why did you trick me?
So you're saying I should be apologetic toward you instead?
What are you doing? Oh my God.
Look.
The pawnshop at Yongle street in Suzhou deed,
you burned it!
This one asset could have supported us for a lifetime!
Didn't you say you were illiterate?
How did you manage to understand every single word on this deed?
Manniang, I'm asking you for the last time.
What else did you hide from me?
N-Nothing. Nothing else.
Bring him in!
Brother?
You said that your older brother tricked you out of your savings
and later died on the way.
You had no one to rely on and took shelter with me.
I gave you money for shelter and bought a grave for you,
and personally witnessed your older brother's coffin being lowered in the ground!
I'm asking you now. What else are you hiding from me?
Isn't this the biggest joke?
Darling Second, Darling Second!
I was tricked by my older brother.
I was tricked by him!
Darling Second...
Manniang, if you didn't see that I was wealthy now,
I fear you and your older brother would have run away with the shop.
This is the thanks I get for always speaking up on your behalf in front of my nanny,
and insisting that I didn't misjudge you.
Darling Second!
Darling Second...
Take your so-called deceased older brother,
and get lost tomorrow morning.
Darling Second?
Darling Second! Darling Second!
Get in there!
Darling Second...
For the sake of the children,
forgive me this time.
Let me stay in the house.
Darling Second...
I don't want any title.
I'm fine not being an outside mistress either.
Just treat me...
as an additional female attendant in the house.
The two children can't lose their birth mother.
Darling Second, you are a kind person.
You gave me those funds,
but my hateful older brother lost them all in gambling.
He asked me to repeatedly fool you
to get him those items.
I was just forced to do it.
He said... that if I didn't give him that money,
he would abduct the two children.
He would kidnap them!
Erlang, I don't have any skills. (T/N "Darling Second" here, though it may mean "husband" in other context)
If I wander around, I won't have any family to rely on.
I really have no choice left!
If I were still penniless now,
would you still cry and shout like that so that you can stay?
I would.
Erlang...
Since you were little, you didn't have a mother that took care of you.
You know the hardship of two children not having a intimate family by their side.
I beg you that for the sake of the children,
forgive me this one time. Let me stay in this house!
Erlang...
It's exactly because of the children and because of you
that I sought the House of Yu for marriage.
But they repeatedly refused it.
What was the reason?
Their family... disliked my lowly background.
They wouldn't allow their legitimate daughter
to attend to you together with me.
The House of Yu is already like that. How much more the other noble families, Darling Second?
You're still lying to me!
I repeatedly gave you a chance.
In my heart, I still think kindly of you.
But did you tell me any truths?
Even one truth!
Erlang...
Manniang,
you said that you were left with no choice.
That you can only die.
So delicate. So bashful.
You cause people to pity you.
I then settled you down.
For you, I exerted all efforts.
I had children with you.
For you, I sought marriage with the House of Yu.
But you...
First, you caused Old Madam Yu to faint from anger.
Next, you fooled Xiaocui
so she brought the children to destroy my marriage plan.
Why did you do all these things?
Don't you just want to become the main wife of my Marquis Manor?
I'm now penniless.
You then thought of taking away all my wealth
and look for another rich man to make connections with.
I've seen through so many schemes and intrigues.
I never suspected you! Never once!
What's the use of killing you?
I'm the one who's stupid.
I got harmed by you.
I got fooled by you.
You were able to suck the blood from my neck.
You carried and played with me like some wooden puppet!
I'm the one who's dumb.
I admit it.
But if you...
if you don't pack your things now and leave the capital by tomorrow,
I'll make it unbearable for you to live here in the capital!
- Erlang! - Were you able
to hear clearly
every word I said?
Erlang...
What about there?
- Nothing. - Also nothing!
- Momo. - What about that room?
Nothing there!
What happened? Where did he go?
How come...
Young Master Chang is missing.
Manniang and her brother are both missing!
I want my mother!
What are you doing?
Sorry.
[ Information Wanted: Zhu Manniang, Gu Zhuchang (T/N the latter is the child's name) ]
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? ♫