01x26 - Episode 26

[bunniefuu]

=Against The Current=

[Adapted from He Yanshan's novel,
Orchid Fragrance Fate]

=Episode 26=
[This drama does not correspond]

[to any real historical dynasty.]

[The systems, culture, attire and other
dynastic elements have been adapted.]

[Life is but a journey,
and I too am a traveler.]

I know

you have no feelings for me

and were only going along
with your parents' wishes.

I thought that since
we shared similar interests,

if we treated each other sincerely,

affection would surely grow with time.

Now, I'm actually glad

that this marriage

was only something I wanted.

Your heart

should be free.

♪My thoughts are like a red umbrella♪

♪Drifting through the rain♪

♪Held tightly in my hand,
shielding me from hidden currents♪

♪Yet fate stains my sleeves with blood♪

♪Raindrops fall,
one by one, into my dreams♪

Tomorrow,

I'll be returning to the academy.

Once I've finished
the provincial examination this fall,

I'll come back.

♪With guilt in my heart,
how could I ask to meet again?♪

♪May I be like
a firefly awakening in the dark♪

♪Even if I only cast light
on one cycle of bloom and decay♪

♪If only I could move someone's heart♪

♪I'd spend every dawn
and dusk to see it through♪

♪May I be like
a firefly awakening in the dark♪

♪Even if I
only illuminate a single corner♪

♪If I could bring light
to someone's eyes♪

[Heaven and earth are an endless
journey, and the fleeting years]

[but passing travelers.
How could I alone remain still?]

♪I'd spend this life
and call it courage♪

With a true friend anywhere
in the world,

any place can feel like home.

This is where we part.

Take care

of yourself.

♪May I be like
a firefly awakening in the dark♪

♪Even if I
only illuminate a single corner♪

♪If I could bring light
to someone's eyes♪

♪I'd spend this life
and call it courage♪

[This amulet is for Jinqi, isn't it?]

[Invite the Lin family over
on the pretext of a tea gathering.]

[Does the Lin family intend
to break off the engagement?]

[So you can meet with Jinqi.]



[Lin]
[to have you marry into their family.]

[Letter of Dissolution]
[Their birth dates are incompatible.]

[Forcing this union]

[may only breed resentment]

[and turn affection into bitterness.]

The Lin family has gone too far!

We hereby agree
to dissolve the engagement

and each seek a more suitable match.

From this day forward,

there shall be
no further ties between us.

May we never

bear resentment toward each other.

[One Month Later]

[Legacy and Glory]

Do you know what you did wrong?

I do.

What did you do wrong?

I petitioned His Majesty
for an imperial marriage decree.

My third son-in-law is now

Commander of the Rear Military Command,

and through him, my third daughter

has also received
a First-Rank honorary title.

You wretched fool!

What should have been
a tremendous achievement

was squandered on marrying a maid.

You've made us
the laughingstock of Jinling City

and utterly disgraced me.

I don't even dare show my face outside!

How can you face
the grandfather who raised you?

[Legacy and Glory]
How can you

face the ancestors of the Lin family?

You knew your mother
was arranging a marriage for you.

Why didn't you tell your parents
and elders how you felt?

I love Young Lady Xu

and want to marry her.

I knew parents and elders
would never agree,

so I came up with this plan

to bypass the elders of the family

and petition His Majesty
directly for an imperial decree.

You unfilial son.

Look at the unfilial son you've raised!

For your own selfish desires,

you arranged your marriage
without telling us,

disregarding the family's reputation

and everything
your parents have done for you.

This is a grave act of filial impiety!

If you're not severely punished today,

our descendants
will follow your example,

and the natural order and moral bonds
will surely be thrown into chaos.

Bring out the family rod!

♪The golden sunset♪

♪Sketches my thoughts♪

♪All things fall silent♪

♪Fearing to disturb this moment♪

♪My restless heart
seeks a place to anchor♪

Strike him!

♪I wonder if the past
has ever been heard♪

♪Yesterday's brush and ink♪

♪Lightly traced cause and effect♪

♪Half a lifetime of longing
returns to this moment♪

♪Love and guilt intertwine♪

♪If the image isn't real,
what does it matter?♪

♪I still remember your name♪

♪I no longer blame the moon♪

♪For withholding its light♪

♪I only pray that those I've known♪

♪Still live and thrive♪

♪No longer let the world's
wind and snow fall♪

♪And leave the grass
and trees covered in frost♪

♪I only wish that
where the lights grow dim♪

♪You and I will walk there together♪

♪I no longer
search through old dreams♪

♪Leaving them buried
deep within the years♪

♪I only long to journey
through the night together♪

♪Toward where my heart leads♪

♪I no longer lament
that fate is hard to foresee♪

♪Accepting the unexpected as ordinary♪

♪I only wish the road
behind us would fade like mist♪

♪And we would share the road home♪

Third Young Lady is back!

Grandfather. Grandmother.

Father. Mother.

Uncle. Aunt.

May fortune
and blessings be yours today.

Third Young Lady
doesn't come home often.

Hurry and bring her some tea.

Please come inside and have a seat.

My fault.

I heard Jinqi was back,

and I rushed over

without even sending word first.

Let's go inside.

Everyone else may leave.

[Pride and Arrogance]

That scared me to death.

My legs are still weak.

I was terrified Jinqi would be beaten
so badly he'd be crippled.

Thank goodness Xiuru arrived...

Jinqi...

Jinqiao, be careful.

Even if Xiuru hadn't come,

Jinqi wouldn't have ended up crippled.

I already had a plan.

I'd pretend my stomach hurt

and roll around on the floor,
wailing at the top of my lungs.

Old Madam dotes on me.

She'd surely panic

and start crying and shouting.

That's a good plan.

It would definitely work.

That little head of yours

is pretty clever.

Go sit over there.

Jinlan,

you were about
to pretend to faint, weren't you?

I saw you put your hand over your chest.

I was frightened out of my wits, too.

I should have realized

Jinqi would have arranged
for someone to come to his rescue.

And the best person for that
was naturally Xiuru.

No wonder Xiuru
arrived at just the right time.

Right on cue.

So Xiuru was the one
Jinqi called in to save him?

You're only figuring that out now?

Third Young Lady.

I hadn't come through the door

when I heard Jinqiao
making a fuss about me.

Xiuru and Xiushu are here.

He's praising you for saving Jinqi.

Jinqi.

How is Mother?

Mother has always been proud
and cared deeply about her reputation.

She placed all her hopes on you.

You arranged your marriage
without telling her,

so naturally, she's upset.

But I've already tried to comfort her.

This marriage was bestowed
by His Majesty himself.

There's no other honor like it here.

If any gossip dares
wag their tongue about it,

they're questioning
His Majesty's decree.

They'll pay dearly for that.

It's only been a few days, and I already
have to see you in a whole new light.

Xiuru, you really are a Marchioness now.

Some of my drinking companions

made fun of me over this before.

I got so angry
that I got into a fight with them.

If I'd learned that line
from Xiuru sooner,

I wouldn't have needed to fight them.

Look what they did to me.

If you know they're just drinking
companions, why keep seeing them?

All right.

Jinqi, does it hurt?

No.

Jinqi, take good care
of yourself and recover.

Don't worry about Mother.

I'll study hard,

tell Mother jokes
and massage her legs every day,

and keep her in good spirits.

I also have a parrot

that's especially good at talking.

And lately, Mother has been making me
study for the exams,

so I haven't had time to play with it.

I'll take it to Rongzhang House.

I'm sure First Madam
will be delighted.

Xiushu.

I'll make faces for Aunt Shunhua.

Old Madam always laughs
when I make faces.

If she doesn't like this one,

then I'll do this one instead.

♪The wind blows past distant hills♪

♪The moon kisses the rising smoke♪

♪Whose oil lamp burns tonight?♪

♪Peace of heart in three places♪

♪The years are calluses in our palms♪

♪And the worries
etched between our brows♪

♪Birds carry twigs into the distance♪

♪While two pairs of eyes
watch from below♪

Let's go together.

I think you did well, too.

All right.

Jinqi needs some peace and quiet.

Why don't you all come to my place

and let your second sister-in-law
make you some fresh tea?

I've been thinking about her, too.

We haven't had a chance to talk in ages.

I'd like to go see her.

Jinqi,

we're leaving.

Get plenty of rest.

Jinqi, get plenty of rest.

Why are you still sitting here?

Go on.

Jinqi, I'll come see you later.

Remember to apply your medicine.

You'll recover more slowly if you don't.

I know.

All right, enough. Stop fussing.

Young Master.

Shall I put it here?

Are Jiugao and Nanke

still being punished?

Yes. They're kneeling outside
Old Master's room as punishment.

They'll be fine.

Uncle Geng will plead for them.

I wasn't worried about him.

By the way,

find a capable servant

to take the gifts
I brought back from the capital

to Lanxiang's family.

Tell them

they're for Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu.

And based on

what Lanxiang usually likes,

prepare some things she uses every day

and send them along as well.

Yes.

Yuchan.

What do you

make of all this?

As maids,

our fates are in our masters' hands.

When First Madam was arranging
a marriage for Young Master,

I was very nervous.

Now that I know it's settled
on Young Lady Xu,

after the initial shock,
I actually feel relieved.

Rather than serve a Young Madam whose
character I know nothing about,

I'd naturally prefer
Young Lady Xu to become our madam.

Don't worry, Young Master.

Young Lady Xu saved my life,

and she's the Young Madam you've chosen.

From now on,

I'll serve her faithfully.

Go on with your work.

Yuan...

Commander Yuan!

Commander Yuan!

Commander Yuan!

I lost my senses for a moment

and made a terrible mistake.

Please give me a chance
to redeem myself.

I want to expose Prince Han!

To maintain his troops,

he secretly colluded with the Wo people

and made enormous profits.

If you bring down Prince Han,

that would be
an extraordinary achievement.

All I ask is to live.

All the credit

will be yours, Commander.

Commander Yuan,

you are a magnanimous man.

I have nothing left
but this worthless life.

Please spare me.

Please spare me.

Spare me.

Have mercy, Commander!

- Have mercy!
- Have mercy!

Have mercy, My Lord!

Have mercy!

His Majesty has decreed.

The traitor Zheng Baichuan and his sons,

Zheng Qing

and Zheng Yun,

harbored treacherous intentions,

defied all proper order,

and disrupted the court.

The law and discipline must be upheld.

All male members

are to be ex*cuted immediately.

All female members

are to be consigned
to the Imperial Music Bureau.

My Lord, I'm innocent!

Commander, I'm innocent!

I've been falsely accused!

I'm innocent!

Prince Han deceived me!

I'm innocent!

I'm innocent!

I'm innocent!

It was all my father's idea!

Commander!

I'm innocent!

I've been falsely accused!

Let go of me!

Commander, I'm innocent!

Commander!

Commander!

Once we reach the Imperial Music Bureau,

with your beauty and talents,

you're sure to win someone's favor

and find a way for us both to survive.

You're the daughter of a duke's family,

pure and respectable.

You're nothing like those lowly

singers and dancers.

When the time comes, many men

will surely take an interest in you.

You must seize your chance.

Mother is right.

I'm the daughter of a duke's family,

pure and respectable.

Everyone out!

Move quickly!

Put down the sword!

Young Lady Zheng.

Put down your weapon.

Don't put up a pointless struggle.

Do you want to die?

I can give you a quick death, Mother.

Have you lost your mind?

No!

No!

No!

If we dared commit treason,

why should we fear death?

Move!

Move!

Ding Peng.

Follow the Zheng family's women

to the Imperial Music Bureau.

Tell them to look after them.

Yes.

[When my sister took her own life,]

[she was about
the same age as Zheng Manyi,]

[a young lady in the prime of her life,]

[and just like that, she was gone.]

Justice always prevails.

Retribution never fails.

The Zheng family

has actually met the same fate as mine.

Back then,

when the late Emperor attacked Jinling,

my father and Zheng Baichuan
defended Jinling together.

Zheng Baichuan
betrayed the deposed Emperor

and surrendered the city.

My father refused to surrender.

The men in our family were k*lled,

and the women

were sent to the Imperial Music Bureau.

Don't touch my daughter!

Mother

and my sister

refused to suffer such humiliation

and threw themselves into the river.

The Shen family would rather break

than bend.

I have never regretted
marrying into the Shen family.

Let me see you off one last time.

I was young then

and somehow survived
in confusion until now.

It's been twenty-three years.

I can no longer remember

what Father, Mother,

or my brothers looked like.

I only vaguely remember

that my sister was very gentle.

At the Imperial Music Bureau,

we rarely got to have meat porridge.

My sister

would always pick out the meat

piece by piece

and put it in my bowl.

No more sadness.

No more sadness.

The late Emperor is dead.

Zheng Baichuan is dead, too.

That's a good thing.

We should be happy.

We should all be happy.

In the play,

the Mountain Deity
upholds justice for Tanniang

and punishes the corrupt official.

But what about real people like us?

My father and yours

were both loyal to the sovereign
and defended the city.

What did they do wrong?

And if they did nothing wrong,

then who will uphold justice for us

and punish the Emperor?

Lu Zongbai.

Everyone says you're learned.

Tell me,

why?

Lanxiang.

This master of yours

isn't learned enough.

He doesn't understand anything.

Furong is drunk.

Take her to your place for the night.

She'll be fine

once she sobers up tomorrow.

All right.

Sister.

[Sister.]

[Tonight, we sisters will sit
by the fire and talk into the night.]

[I promise you'll have your fill.]

[It's a promise.]

[We'll see each other tonight.]

[We will.]

Is she asleep?

She's asleep.

It's not even a festival
or special occasion.

How did she get so drunk?

We got carried away

and had a few extra drinks.

Perfect timing.

Try this on.

It's beautiful.

Do you like it?

Let me fasten it for you.

How could I possibly
wear so many clothes?

Mother, don't strain
your eyes sewing so late.

It's not worth it.

Silly girl.

This isn't just about the clothes.

It's about how you'll
be regarded in the Lin Residence.

There are so many people
in the Lin Residence,

and gossip is everywhere.

They flatter those above them
and look down on those below,

treating people
according to their status.

Second Young Madam
came from a humble family,

so her dowry was modest.

Not only did Concubine Zhou
look down on her,

but eventually even the servants

made trouble for her behind her back.

Don't worry, Mother.

If anyone mistreats me,

I'll make sure they answer for it.

I know you can handle yourself.

But when all is said and done,
this marriage

is between families of unequal standing.

Your father and I
have put you at a disadvantage.

I'm afraid that
once you enter the Lin Residence,

if you're ever mistreated,

you won't have anyone
to stand up for you.

If the Lin family
dares mistreat Lanxiang,

I'll fight them
with everything I've got.

There you go again,
always talking about risking your life.

How many lives do you have to risk?

You'll only end up
making things harder for Lanxiang,

forcing her to find
a way to save you again.

Father.

Mother.

I'm not in the same position
as Second Young Madam.

No one will dare mistreat me.

Lanxiang is right.

No one in the Lin family
will dare mistreat her.

Mister Lu.

Mister Lu.

In this world,

everything that brings
an advantage also has a drawback,

and every drawback
can also bring an advantage.

That imperial decree may be a cage

that binds Lanxiang to this life,

but if Lanxiang knows how to use it,

it can also be her armor and her sword,

protecting her from harm.

His Majesty chose me
to marry into the Lin family.

If anyone dares
make things difficult for me,

they'll be defying His Majesty.

To put it more seriously,

they'll be going
against His Majesty's will

and showing him disrespect.

Is... is that really true?

Wanquan,

I have a favor to ask.

I've spent half my life struggling,

with no son or daughter of my own.

Lanxiang is my only disciple.

On the day Lanxiang gets married,

may I sit beside you

as her master

and join you and Guihua

in seeing her off?

This...

Sir...

No,

how could you call that a favor?

You're helping us when we need it most.

All this time,

you've done so much for us.

We don't even know how to repay you.

Thank you, Mister Lu.

Thank you, Sir.

In this world,

we must give before we can receive,

and only by receiving can we give.

Wanquan,

who knows what I may gain in return?

Everyone knows

what kind of family we are,

and the Lin family knows as well.

Naturally, my dowry can't compare
with that of an official's daughter,

but there's no need to pretend
we're wealthier than we are

and make things difficult for ourselves.

Even if our families
aren't of equal standing,

this marriage
was bestowed by the Emperor,

so no one can say
I'm not a suitable match.

Father.

Mother.

Stop blaming yourselves
for not being more capable.

As long as you're both well,

that is the greatest support
I could ever have.

No matter when,

I know you'll always be behind me.

As long as

I always have a home to return to,

I'll feel secure.

All right.

We won't say such
discouraging things anymore.

[Glorify the Family Name]

[Legacy and Glory]

Bow.

Rise.

♪Yesterday's brush and ink♪

♪Lightly traced cause and effect♪

♪Half a lifetime of longing♪

♪Returns to this moment♪

♪Love and guilt intertwine♪

♪If the image isn't real,
what does it matter?♪

We respectfully welcome the bride.

May she bring harmony to the household.

I shall gladly obey.

The ceremony is complete.

Lead the way with lanterns.

Go forth to welcome the bride.

♪I only wish that
where the lights grow dim♪

♪You and I will walk there together♪

[Upholding the Virtue
of Generations Past]

=Against the Current=
[Next Episode's Preview]

Congratulations on placing first in
the provincial examination, Scholar Han.

I also studied at Qixia Academy,

so I know well that only after
ten years of diligent study

could you earn a place
on the honor roll today.

This is one of life's great joys,

and I shouldn't spoil the occasion.

But

a smooth bridal procession

is said to promise a smooth marriage.

So I ask you and your fellow scholars

to please make way.

I heard the bride was a maid.

I thought Commander Lin would say,

"The Emperor bestowed this marriage,

so I order you to make way."

♪Spring slips from the
branches once more♪

♪Flowers bloom unseen,
as they have before♪

♪All the joys and sorrows come and go♪

♪While loss leaves winter in the heart♪

♪Though all the world may fade♪

♪Time rolls on as
countless lives rush by♪

♪Night winds wander
through the halls of long ago♪

♪No page could hold the
longing words can never show♪

♪Every joy and sorrow
in this fleeting life♪

♪Fades into the past
as new wounds rise♪

♪While whispers of perfume
linger beneath the eaves♪

♪Let the cold wind rage,
let the wild rain fall♪

♪Let sorrow spill like shadows over all♪

♪Let love fall to pieces,
let old anger burn away♪

♪Let the past die with yesterday♪

♪One last fire, one last cup of wine♪

♪And silver moonlight to
guide me through the night♪

♪Let beginnings fade
as endings come to call♪

♪From this endless dream,
there's no return at all♪

♪Let the cold wind rage,
let the wild rain fall♪

♪Let sorrow spill like shadows over all♪

♪Let love fall to pieces,
let old anger burn away♪

♪Let the past die with yesterday♪

♪One last fire, one last cup of wine♪

♪And silver moonlight to
guide me through the night♪

♪Let beginnings fade
as endings come to call♪

♪From this endless dream,
there's no return at all♪