[English subtitles are available.]
Winter Begonia
Episode 6
♫Hope Your Majesty can leave me to die♫
♫To protect your Kingdom♫
♫Alas, Your Majesty♫
Once getting out of Palace of Eternal Life,
♫Since Her Highness is willing to die♫
everyone can see their own life
♫Please attach importance to the Kingdom♫
from it.
♫And leave your love here with her♫
What I see is only helplessness,
compromise,
and being ruled by fate
to live a life I don’t want to live.
The years I have experienced
and all the reluctance
have been expressed in Shang Xirui’s performance.
Cheng, why are you going home early?
My father passed away.
There are only my sisters in the family.
I have to go home.
Will you be back?
I don’t know.
I gave up the life I wanted to live
and went back home to do business.
But it’s not that easy.
I’m too young.
Father's creditors
took away all the valuable things in our house.
All our servants quitted their jobs.
My elder sister had to leave the man she loves
and married Commander Cao.
My wife comes from a tycoon’s family.
She was in charge of her family business
before getting married.
After she married me,
she can only stay in this small place
and take care of my family.
I know that
people’s life
has no choice.
It can only be lonely
and seek for the thing we can’t get.
♫This pear♫
♫Will be the last station of my life♫
♫Alas, Your Majesty♫
♫I, Yang Yuhuan♫
♫Appreciate your grace♫
♫From now on♫
♫We can’t see each other again♫
But Lady Yang told me that
she wouldn’t accept that.
She wouldn’t surrender.
She’d rather die.
This is your own life.
I can’t help you.
I don’t need your help.
I just want you to look at me.
You didn’t need to die,
as long as you can give up.
Give up on what?
Some people.
Some matters.
Learn to accept your fate.
Then it will be so boring to live.
Wait!
I can’t wait anymore.
If it’s any slower,
the regrets will catch up.
Regrets…
[Voice Shocks the Heaven]
After mother left the stage,
she lost herself.
She needs to go back
to find herself back.
Mom…
I finally understand
what you had been dreaming about
and left the family for.
The Lady Yang you performed
and the opera you love
turn out to be like this.
In the performance on the stage,
Shang Xirui carried Lady Yang’s soul,
singing and dancing,
walking alone and slowly.
The time seems to be in his sleeves.
I can hear the sign when he threw out sleeves.
Both the performer and the audience
are lost in it.
People on stage don’t know they are in the opera.
People under stage don’t know they are in a dream.
One dream for the whole life.
One life is all in a dream.
Fengtai?
Mr. Cheng!
What
happened to him?
I don’t know.
He has been like this since
I took him in.
How long has he been sitting there?
My Lady,
I think it’s more than half a day.
He’s been signing
and abstracted these days.
He even doesn’t play cards
or do his business.
He is interested in nothing.
Isn’t it good that he can be at home every day?
He won’t be seduced by the women outside.
The women outside are no big deal.
But I can’t see him being like this.
Why should I tell you this?
I hope he is fine.
What are these?
Fengtai?
-Awful. -What’s wrong?
It’s totally a disaster.
These are awful?
Then what else can be called good?
Shang Xirui.
Fengtai,
you are smart.
It’s easy.
I have his records.
I can give to you.
You can enjoy.
I think
Shang Xirui looks different
when he is on the stage.
He looks like the person in the book and opera.
In the past,
I gave him a praise when I judged his opera.
Body lives in the world
when soul lives in the opera.
Of course he is the top.
Or I would have already ignored him
since he disdains Chang Zhixin
and is beneath the human character.
But now I just
adore his talents indeed.
I didn’t mean his performance.
I don’t understand that.
I’m saying that
he has an excellent soul
which is exquisite,
colorful
and all-embracing.
He has something more than his performing skill.
Compared with him,
we are just gluttons
as good as dead.
Fengtai,
you can say that of yourself,
leave me alone.
It’s not us.
Fengtai,
you don’t look like yourself today.
What are you doing?
Mr. Cheng.
Tell the chef to make chicken porridge
for Fengtai to eat at night.
Yes.
You were always unhappy
if Fengtai went outside.
What’s going on now?
You changed your mind?
He was always not home before.
I was afraid that he would make mistakes.
But I feel uneasy now
since he hasn’t been outside for days.
How about
you go where he goes from now on?
You can play together.
Playing cards on the same table.
As for dancing,
you can put your arms around his waist.
Screw you.
It’s so inappropriate.
Then you won’t be worried in this way.
Actually,
he can go anywhere he wants,
as long as he will still come back.
What did you say?
I’m so sorry.
But we have told you before
that when Mr. Liu recovers,
you have to
make room.
I went to see him days ago.
He was so sick that his hand shook.
Did he get over it so quickly?
I didn’t expect that
he recovers so soon.
So sorry for this.
He still wants to perform in illness?
He must be afraid that
we will take away his popularity.
We are
losing our last stage to perform.
Leader,
you have to come up with an idea now.
Cigarettes!
Cigarettes for sell!
Cigarettes!
Wait for me at home.
Cigarettes!
How long have you been waiting here?
Why don’t you go backstage?
It’s so cold outside.
Where are we going?
Let me treat you afternoon tea.
What do you want to eat?
Something sweet.
Let’s go.
Why did you leave that day?
I didn’t find you.
Do you like my Palace of Eternal Life?
Yes!
It was so great!
By rights,
Lady Yang
was forced to die in Mawei.
But the Lady Yang you acted
looked to be generous to die.
It turned to be that beauty saved hero.
Especially the lines
“A hundred years leave in a moment,”
“a beauty one of a kind dies for the King.”
That was
really awesome!
I like that lines as well.
Every time I sang that,
I was about to cry.
You made the play not like
Palace of Eternal Life.
Then what is it like?
Maybe
it should be called Memoirist of Tang.
That’s novel.
Look,
Palace of Eternal Life is a love story.
But because of
the special identities of the two protagonists,
it can’t be a simple love story.
Except for separation,
it’s still about the rise and fall of the country.
The background of it it’s a flourishing age,
but you performed it with mourning.
It’s a prediction of the future.
Mr. Cheng,
I don’t understand the flourishing age
and mourning
you are talking about.
But you don’t know,
before the Palace of Eternal Life-Interment,
there are still two chapters, Hair and Recall.
They talk about
the story that Lady Yang’s being jealous
made the Emperor Xuanzong
angry and then they reconciled.
I was thinking about it when I performed it.
Emperor Xuanzong
already had Lady Yang,
why did he go to Jiang Caiping?
He made the swear
and then broke his words soon.
Isn’t he a bastard?
I really pity Lady Yang.
She paid her life to her love.
Does it remind you of Jiang Mengping?
Maybe you will laugh at me.
I always think that
every opera is talking about my story.
In the past,
if I like a role in an opera,
it’s because they performed it well.
But when I saw your performance that day,
you are not only Lady Yang,
you are her at all.
Because I was performing it with my soul.
Xiao Lai!
Heat the wine.
Yes!
Mr. Cheng, welcome.
-Mr. Cheng. -Mr. Cheng.
Mr. Cheng.
Look,
has leader really made up his mind?
If he gets along well with Commander Cao’s
brother-in-law, we will be saved.
It’s good that Mr. Cheng is here.
Mr. Shang, cheers.
Cheers,
Mr. Cheng.
I think that foreign castrato
is just like the eunuch of South troupes.
High pitch is not rare.
But why do foreign people
like the high pitch so much?
Why don’t they find a cat
and give it a kick?
It will raise its voice higher than anyone.
To sing,
they will be castrate in childhood.
What’s wrong with their parents?
What’s more,
whether your singing is well
has nothing to do with the pitch.
I once saw a kind of tobacco leaf
when I was working in Guangzhou.
After the man smoked it, he could pronounce
female voice, which was just like a woman.
But it’s useless to rely on
the voice you get from external force.
Have you ever tried that?
I’m capable.
I don’t need that.
It reminds me of something.
In the north of Changbai Mountain,
people need to sing when someone is buried.
In order to have a broad voice,
the singer must shout hard.
He has to break his voice.
Even his throat is bleeding.
Only after repeated practice can he succeed.
What kind of voice will that be?
It’s husky
and raucous.
But his voice is really broad after that.
It sounds like a big hammer
going straight into your heart.
Mr. Cheng, cheers.
I wonder what’s going on in there.
I can’t hear it.
I can’t hear.
What are they talking about?
Mr. Shang,
what are you doing?
Why are you standing there?
The costume will be crumpled if I sit.
I need to stand to get sober.
Then,
you can just
take that off.
You can sit down
after you take it off.
What costume is that which is that precious?
It’s just a costume.
Precious?
Let me tell you.
This…
This is my…
My first costume…
After I finished...
my apprenticeship.
To you,
it’s just a normal costume.
To me,
it’s…
It’s my armor.
It’s…
It’s my courage.
Come on.
Show me…
Your courage.
Is it pretty?
These beads look beautiful.
They are real.
The strings are made of gold.
It’s far away from the audience.
Can anyone see it clearly?
The money is not worth spending.
It has to be real.
That’s what is called perfect
and irreproachable
to wear the real one.
If you wear a batch of junk,
you will only feel afraid.
Then how will the audience believe you?
That makes sense.
Mr. Shang,
you performed this today?
It… It occurs to me that
I wrote a play before.
Surprised?
I studied literature when I
was abroad.
It has something to do with opera.
I believe you.
If you know nothing
about opera,
you wouldn’t be here today.
The play I wrote
is also about a woman.
I have heard a lot of stories about women.
What kind of woman did you write?
This woman
eloped with the man she loves
and ran away from home.
Ms. Li.
Then
this man
went out to do business
and never come back.
So this woman
stayed in her home alone.
It’s kind of like…
That… That…
Qin Luofu.
And then,
she got a lot of lovers.
But her lovers came
and left.
And new lovers came.
And then,
the woman figured it out.
She thought that the love
of her lovers
is just like the clouds.
It’s…
It’s all unreliable.
Only herself can control her fate
and get happiness.
It starts to be interesting.
Then how…
How did she grasp her happiness?
She opened her own weaving workshop
and took in many widows and orphan girls.
And then paid all her attention
on weaving.
Then the weaving she made was really beautiful.
Even the robe of the Queen was made by her.
They asked her to make it.
Isn’t that…
That…
Royal Clothes?
I see.
You are saying that
women should
grasp their own fate.
They should become rich.
It’s OK if you want to
think of it like that.
But,
it’s a foreign woman.
If she lives in Peking Opera,
the woman
who has lovers
will be executed.
Human emotions
are interlinked.
And they are shared by both men and women.
Mr. Shang,
why are you so quiet now?
I really want to
play this kind of role.
It seems that they are talking about money.
That will be fine
if we can borrow some money from Mr. Cheng.
That’s it.
-Yes. -What should we do?
Excuse me.
Is Mr. Cheng here?
Who is he?
I don’t know.
Who are you?
I’m Mr. Cheng’s driver.
It’s late now.
I wonder when Mr. Cheng will go home.
He has never been here.
Miss,
are you kidding me?
I saw his walking in here with my own eyes.
I said he is not here.
Leave now.
OK? Leave now.
Leave now! Go.
You can go now.
Wait. This…
Go now. Go.
Keep an eye on it.
Finally we got Commander Cao’s brother-in- law here.
We can’t miss the chance.
Our hard work like this is of no use.
It still depends on Leader.
-Yes. -Right.
Right?
What is wrong?
Can’t they just wear a mask
to perform on the stage?
Is there any problem?
Japanese also do that if they play
as ghosts.
Is there any problem with that?
Wait,
wait, Mr. Cheng.
It’s totally different.
I…
I can’t explain it
to you, the outsiders.
This is Peking Opera.
What is the painted face of Peking Opera?
After you put up the makeup,
you have to wide open your eyes
and make expression.
That is painted face.
If you really
put on a mask,
that could only be a ghost.
Today
we had fun drinking.
Yes.
Fun.
Really fun.
Mr. Cheng,
you know what?
I have never been this happy
since I came to Peking.
I never…
I never expect that I could make friends
with Commander Cao’s brother-in-law.
What’s wrong with that?
Commander Cao’s brother-in-law.
At the beginning,
everyone thinks that you are
rich and powerful.
Just like the
Gao Yanei who took Lin Chong’s wife away.
But,
after I get in touch with you,
I found that you are really a nice one.
Then I have to thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Shang.
Actually,
I heard that you were imperious.
But now
I feel that
you have no other defect
except for your bad temper.
Mr. Shang?
-Mr. Cheng. -Mr. Cheng.
I won’t bother you anymore.
I need to go now.
Please don’t!
Please stay longer with our leader.
That’s right.
Right.
-Mr. Cheng. -Don’t leave.
You know our leader well.
If you leave without telling him,
he will blame us when he wakes up.
He will beat us.
He can beat you?
Yes, Mr. Cheng.
Then I’ll wait for him.
Open the door.
Watch your steps.
Father!
What are you so anxious for?
I got the news today.
Shang Xirui can’t afford the rents.
So he pawned one of his costumes.
Is that so soon?
His troupe is not small.
They need a lot of money every day.
He can’t afford that.
And,
the worker of Yahong Theater told me
that Mr. Liu would be back tomorrow.
Shang Xirui has nowhere to go this time.
What’s the hardest
for Shang Xirui is not that.
He is
just an idiot.
He will finally be cheated by his own people.
He won’t survive
the Spring Festival in Peking.
He’d better leave early.
Father,
have a rest.
Leader,
you’re awake.
Come here.
Have a seat.
Sit here.
Well,
how was your talk with Mr. Cheng last night?
It was good.
Then our Shuiyun Theater will pass through it?
Through what?
Well, our theater…
I know what’s on your mind.
No way!
Let me tell you.
Mr. Cheng likes my performance sincerely.
He is my bosom friend.
Don’t try to get money from him.
Or I’ll punish you guys.
Heard that?
Leader, how could you do that?
We are running like this now…
-Mr. Cheng. -Mr. Cheng.
Good morning, Mr. Cheng.
-Mr. Cheng. -Mr. Cheng.
Have a seat.
Mr. Shang,
did you hear
any sound last night?
It’s so thundery.
What was that sound?
Did it hail last night?
No. No.
It must be leader’s snore.
-Really? -Nonsense!
I never snore!
Yes, yes.
You don’t.
Here.
Mr. Cheng,
please gargle.
Fried dough twist! Pancake!
Pancake! Fried cake!
That’s really a nice voice.
Just so-so.
Fried dough twist! Pancake!
♫Mr. Wang is like the bee♫
♫The flowers are in full bloom♫
No one can defeat
our Leader’s voice.
He is afraid
of no one.
-That’s true. -That’s true.
Of course.
Fried dough twist! Pancake!
Pancake! Fried cake!
Sir,
don’t you want money?
Save it to treat your leader’s voice.
Here you are.
Fresh pancake.
Mr. Cheng, here.
Be careful for the heat, Mr. Cheng.
Have a try.
Mr. Cheng,
if you don’t need to go home,
let me take you to an interesting place.
Where is it?
Yahong Theater
asked us to pack up things today
to make room.
How could you still want to go out to play?
Yes, Leader.
-Leader. -If there is no way,
we have nothing to live on.
No hurry.
Dasheng,
take people with you to take our things back.
We have new place to go.
Mr. Cheng,
please.
Mr. Cheng, see you.
Take care, Mr. Cheng.
Look him, he only knows to play.
Ladies and gentlemen,
today we came to your place.
Money or applause,
it’s up to you!
Thanks a lot!
Guys, come on!
Great!
Have you ever been here?
I heard of this.
But I had no chance to come.
Then
your life here is in vain.
All the interesting things in Peking
are all here, in Tianqiao.
It’s just like the Great World in Shanghai.
But the difference is
the Great World is a building.
But this is outdoor.
I used to perform in Great World.
It only has one roof
more than here.
They always say that put on the ground and busk.
This is really a good place to busk.
Their dried persimmons are great.
OK. Thank you.
No, thanks.
It’s rare that I got up so early.
I want buy cigarettes to refresh.
What kind of cigarettes do you need?
What’s wrong?
My money is lost.
It must be the one who hit you.
Stop there!
What are they doing?
He has great kung fu!
Stop fighting.
Call the police.
What did you steal?
Get out of my face.
Mr. Cheng, your money.
Why don’t you call the police?
It’s the rule here.
If you get beaten, it's a private affair.
We don’t need the police.
What kung fu did you use just now?
It looks great.
Shang’s Stick, it’s ancestral.
It’s different from the stage.
It can be used to fight.
Looks like you often
got beaten by this kung fu in your childhood.
Don’t mention it.
Or my butt will feel that pain again.
I almost forget it.
This way,
let me take you to a place.