01x32 - Episode 32

[bunniefuu]

=Against The Current=

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

=Episode 32=
[This drama does not correspond]

[to any real historical dynasty.]

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

I know

you surely can't accept

the wife of the Lin family
writing plays for performers.

If word gets out,

it won't reflect well on the family.

I might even be condemned
for corrupting public morals.

But this is what I want to do.

I decided on it before I married you.

Even if you and the elders
of the Lin family disapprove,

I'll still keep doing it.

However,

I'll use a pen name.

Mister Lu and Furong will also
help keep my identity hidden.

I won't let this damage
your reputation or the Lin family's.

Well...

What's the play called?

The Tale of the Feathered Immortal.

Is...

Is it good?

It should be quite good.

Many women pool their money to rent out
a theater and watch it together.

They cry as they watch.

Some ladies even invite the troupe
to perform at their residences

for their daughters
who are about to marry.

What's it about?

There's a girl named Tanniang

who saves an eagle
caught in a hunter's net.

The eagle gives her a feather.

Whenever she holds
the feather over a flame,

it causes her heart great pain,
but she can turn into a bird.

She can only use it three times.

If she uses it a fourth time,

she'll remain a bird forever

and can never become human again.

[Tanniang thinks
being human is wonderful.]

[Who would be foolish enough
to endure searing pain in their heart]

[just to turn themselves into a bird?]

[After Tanniang grows up,]

[when a marriage is arranged for her,]

[she can't understand
why she's the one getting married]

[when she doesn't even know
what the man looks like.]

Xiuwan.

[Tanniang can't resist.]

[She holds the feather over a flame.]

[Enduring the pain in her heart,]

[she turns into a lovely little thrush]

[and goes to secretly see]

[the man she's about
to spend her life with.]

Mother.

I've made

your favorite pastries.

Madam, push a little harder!

- Madam, push!
- Madam!

Push!

Young Lady!

Young Lady, hold on!

Push! Push harder!

[After marrying, Tanniang's baby is in
the wrong position during childbirth.]

Push! Keep pushing!

[She has no choice but to endure
the searing pain in her heart once more]

[and turn into a swallow.]

[She narrowly escapes death]

[and finally gives birth to her child.]

[Later,]

[the family goes to the market.]

[On their way home,]

[they encounter bandits.]

[To save her family,]

[Tanniang endures the searing pain
in her heart once more]

[and turns into a myna bird.]

[She goes to summon the constables]

[and saves the lives
of her husband and his parents.]

[Tanniang decides
to throw the feather away]

[and live a peaceful life from then on.]

[She'll never turn into a bird again.]

Tell me!

Where did you hide

all those valuable jewels?

You won't tell me, will you?

You still won't tell me?

- Father, please stop hitting Mother!
- I'll beat you until you talk!

Father!

Father!

[But her husband
and his parents bring constables...]

Father!

[To arrest her.]

Shut your mouth!

[They plan to burn her as a monster.]

[Sun Baozhu, Lu Jian's mother,
First Madam of the Lu family]

[Amid the flames,]

[Tanniang turns into an eagle]

[and flies away.]

After Tanniang flies away,

doesn't she miss her child?

Do you think
she'll fly back to see her child?

Of course she will.

I hope she doesn't go back.

But most women

probably wouldn't be able to resist
going back to see their children.

That's what leads to

the opening scene
of The Tale of the Feathered Immortal.

That eagle caught in the hunter's net...

So

that eagle

was once a woman, too?

Put the red dates on the left
and the longans on the right.

Nanxing.

The pattern on this vase is wrong.

Use the pair with children at play.

It symbolizes
many children and grandchildren.

Yes, Madam.

Xiuwan.

These mung bean cakes are very cooling.

A young lady like you should be careful,
or you'll have stomachaches later.

Wait. Hold on.

This double happiness character
is a little crooked.

Take a closer look.

My dear young lady,

these red date cakes are too warming.

It's already easy to get
a spring rash this time of year.

If you don't watch what you eat,
your face might break out.

Everything is either
too warming or too cooling.

Yuejian.

These dragon
and phoenix wedding candles...

Why do they look different
in thickness to me?

I'll get another one.

Hurry.

Second Madam.

Aunt Lingxiao.

You're just in time.

I truly can't figure out

what young ladies in the capital like.

There's something
I need you to take a look at.

This...

Don't hit my mother!

Don't hit my mother!

This child...

I...

Yingzhi.

Don't say such things.

Mother, be gentle.

You're hurting Xiulai.

I...

I barely used any force at all.

How could it hurt this much?

First Young Lady.

[Jinrui, Lin Xiulai's first-class maid]

I accidentally fell yesterday.

It's not like I've never fallen before.

That doesn't look like
an injury from a fall.

It looks more like someone hit you.

Xiulai...

You really should have
been more careful.

I have

some excellent ointment for bruises.

Apply it when you get home.

You'll be fine once you do.

No.

No.

No...

There are some things
an unmarried young lady like you

shouldn't get involved in.

Mother, I...

Do you want Old Master
to confine you again?

Escort the Second Young Lady
back to her room to rest.

Take good care of her.

Yingzhi.

I'll take you to feed the goldfish.

Second Madam.

Please, save the Young Lady.

If this continues,

her husband will beat her to death.

Please save the Young Lady.

Aunt Lingxiao.

I want to separate from Lu Jian.

Your husband is a refined scholar.

Why would he ever hit you?

Did you disobey your parents-in-law

or do something wrong?

My husband wants an official post.

Jinqi told him to wait.

But my husband grew impatient,

so he wanted to take my dowry

and use the money to secure connections.

But over the years, he's already taken

everything valuable from my dowry.

He got angry and hit me again.

You two are still young.

After a few more years,

once you've been married longer,
things will be fine.

Second Madam.

Besides,

family troubles
shouldn't be made public.

We women

must stand by the men we marry.

Now that you're a wife of the Lu family,

no matter how many faults
Lu Jian may have,

he's still your husband

and the father of your children.

Aunt Lingxiao...

[Jinqiao is still rather playful.]



[and make sure the wedding
is properly arranged]

[so both the Lin and Cheng families
can hold their heads high.]

[Xiuwan truly knows she was wrong.]

[If this drags on any longer,]

[she really won't
be able to find a match.]

I know.

I know you've suffered.

But right now,

your third brother
is about to get married,

and your second sister
still needs to find a match.

Even if you won't consider
your younger siblings' marriages,

you should at least
think of your own children.

If you really separate from him,

what will happen to your two children?

For women like us,

our marriages
are arranged by our parents

and negotiated by matchmakers.

How many of us
ever marry the man we truly want?

Don't we all just endure it day by day?

Look no further

than your own mother.

Back then, while she
was pregnant with a son,

she was so distressed
that she lost the baby.

Didn't she still cry
until she had no tears left

and somehow endure it all?

We can't

let your elder brother
or younger siblings know about this.

After some time has passed,

I'll talk to Jinqi.

I'll ask him
to find your husband a good post.

Once your husband gets what he wants,

everything will be fine.

I understand.

Just endure it a little longer.

Once the children are older,

everything will be all right.

All right.

Lanxiang.

Lanxiang.

It's me.

Xiuwan?

You can go now.

I was young and foolish before

and often offended you.

I've changed now.

I hope you'll be generous enough

to forgive
my recklessness and ignorance.

Is there something you need from me?

I've thought it over and over,

and you're the only one
I can ask for help.

In this family,

you're the only one
who's both intelligent and capable,

as well as strong and decisive.

What is it?

Our eldest sister's husband...

That brute Lu Jian
has been beating Xiulai.

Not just once or twice.

He's beaten her countless times.

He's also spent all her dowry

and even tore up the dowry list.

How did you find out?

Mother tried to keep it from me.

I sent Yinxian to talk to Jinrui.

Jinrui broke down
and told her everything.

This is something

the family elders
should discuss with the Lu family.

What did Aunt Lingxiao say?

Mother is afraid it'll affect
Jinqiao's marriage and mine,

so she told Xiulai to endure it.

But Jinrui said

that brute thinks Xiulai
has no one to stand up for her,

so he's beating her
more and more severely.

If she keeps enduring it,
it'll cost her life.

I'd rather

never marry for the rest of my life

than let Xiulai suffer
at that brute's hands any longer.

Since Aunt Lingxiao refuses to step in,

and the eldest brother
is like a father,

only Jinqi can decide what to do.

Strictly speaking, as a junior,

I shouldn't be saying this.

When Uncle Changzheng was young, he
fancied himself quite the ladies' man.

Back then, Old Madam ran the household.

The woman who gave birth
to Xiulai was very calculating.

She won Uncle Changzheng's favor

and also charmed Old Madam
into thinking highly of her,

causing all kinds of trouble.

Aunt Shunhua was so distressed
that she miscarried

and nearly died along with the baby.

Jinqi was only eight years old,

yet he picked up a wooden staff

and went after Uncle Changzheng
and that woman.

I'll beat you to death!

Someone!

Lin Jinqi, how dare you
strike your father? You unfilial son!

I'll beat you to death!

[Qiao Hongdou, Lin Xiulai's birth mother]
Someone!

- I'll beat you to death!
- Someone! This is outrageous!

What are you doing?

- I'll beat you to death!
- You unfilial son!

You unfilial son!

I'll beat you to death!

I'll beat you to death!

I'll beat you to death!

I'm bleeding!

I'll beat you to death!

I'll beat you to death!

Lin Jinqi!

His hand slipped,

and he accidentally
injured Uncle Changzheng.

His hand really did slip.

What happened after that?

After such a serious incident
in the family,

Old Master rushed back
to Jinling from the capital.

Some were beaten,
and some were sold off.

He stripped Old Madam
of her authority over the household

and put Aunt Shunhua in charge.

Then he took Jinqi under his wing

and taught him personally.

Do you think

your brother
won't intervene in Xiulai's situation?

No.

Xiulai didn't do
any of those bad things.

She's a good person.

Jinqi knows right from wrong.

It's just...

I was thinking

that brute Lu Jian is very calculating.

He always hits her where
no one can see the injuries.

It would be hard
for Jinqi to learn the truth.

Lanxiang.

I'm still being punished

and watched very closely.

Please think of a way

to save Xiulai.

But I...

only recently married into the family.

Xiulai is truly suffering.

If we don't help her,

she really has no one else to rely on.

Yingzhi is only five,

and that brute even hits her.

Lanxiang...

What are you doing?

Who do you people think you are?

How dare you hit me?

Do you know who I am?

Young Master!

Please spare me!

Let go!

You're too useless

to get an official post
without relying on a woman,

and you even beat her.

A worthless man like you
who shamelessly lives off a woman!

We'll beat you every time

we see you.

How do you know about my family affairs?

Who sent you?

Young Master!

Let's go.

Go!

Young Master!

Young Master!

Easy.

It hurts!

Are you all right?

Lin Jinqi.

You'll pay dearly for this!

He's been beaten so badly.

What if he never recovers?

Will he still be able to walk?

Lin Jinqi!

Look what you've done to my son!

I'm still a Seventh-Rank

Director of the Construction Office,
Ministry of Works.

Don't think that just because
you're an Assistant Commander

you can disregard
the law and attack people at will.

[Lu Ju, Seventh-Rank]
This is the capital!

[Director of the Construction Office, Ministry of Works]
The law still applies here!

Exactly!

Yes!

[Lu Family Relatives]
This is the capital!

Right under the Emperor's nose!

You broke his legs!

Look what you've done to his legs!

I truly know nothing about this.

Uncle, I'm afraid there must
be some misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding?

Look! You broke my son's legs,

and you still call it
a misunderstanding?

If you can't give the Lu family

an explanation today,

even if it costs me my life,

I'll seek justice
before the Emperor himself.

- Yes! We'll seek justice!
- Justice!

Why would I

send men to beat
my brother-in-law for no reason?

Father.

My chest hurts so much.

Son!

I'm afraid I don't have long to live.

Son!

Young Master!

He can barely breathe!

Young Master!

Lin Jinqi!

Even if my son disciplined his wife,

he still knew his limits,
like any good carpenter

knows his measurements!

How could you be so ruthless

and have him beaten nearly to death?

Jian!

Young Master!

He can barely breathe!

This is outrageous!

A carpenter beating his wife?

Young Master.

He knows how far to go?

Uncle, you truly are a Director
of the Construction Office.

A proper scholar indeed.

Even your every word is well crafted.

What... What do you mean?

Uncle, I'd like to ask you

what exactly you mean by all this today.

It's normal for family members

to have the occasional quarrel.

As long as you
can find my son a good post,

we'll let this matter go.

- Yes.
- Yes.

Just find him a good post,
and we'll let this go.

You make a good point, Uncle.

Why doesn't he
join the Shenji Battalion first

as a squad commander
and train for a couple of years?

Then perhaps

he can enter the Ministry of w*r.

That does make some sense.

However,

if he wants to join
the Shenji Battalion,

he'll have to follow its rules.

What rules?

His wrists

need to be strong.

Stop!

It's broken!

It's broken!

It hurts!

And his back

needs to be straight.

You... Why are you hitting him?

- Jian!
- Young Master!

No!

No!

No! I'm not joining
the Shenji Battalion!

Young Master!

I'm not joining
the Shenji Battalion! I'm not!

Move! Out of the way!

Son!

You... You've gone too far!

Young Master!

Wait for me, Young Master!

Quick, carry it away.

Why... why are they carrying it away?

I...

This...

Since when

did the Young Master's fists
become a miracle cure?

Just two punches,

and First Son-in-Law's legs
aren't broken anymore,

his chest doesn't hurt anymore,

and he runs faster than a rabbit.

A cure made especially
for the shameless.

You...

You...

Let's go!

All of you...

Lin Jinqi.

My son's injuries may not be serious,

but you did hire men to as*ault him.

Just you wait.

I'm going to report you
to the Ministry of Justice!

I'm going to report you!

You...

I refuse to believe
no one can deal with you!

Just you wait!

Who was it that secretly
had First Son-in-Law beaten?

How dare they make you take the blame?

Other than your Young Madam,

who else would dare make me

take the blame?

My lady fought violence with violence.

That was certainly swift and decisive.

Now that it's come to this,

what do you plan to do?

From the look of things,

you're clearly planning to bring Xiulai

back from the Lu family.

But will the Lu family agree?

Will they let her go?

Of course the Lu family
won't let her go.

They won't agree.

As Director Lu said,

this is right under the Emperor's nose,

where laws and decrees must be obeyed.

No matter
how well Jiugao and I can fight,

we can't openly

barge into a court official's
inner residence

and take away their daughter-in-law.

My lady,

what do you suggest?

As long as you keep Director Lu and
the men of the outer residence occupied,

I'll find a way into the inner residence

to visit Xiulai.

My lady,

since you already have a plan,

there's no time like the present.

Let's go.

We'll bring the Young Lady
back from the Lu family.

Jinqi is going to bring Xiulai home?

Xiulai is coming home!

Xiulai is coming home!

I'll blow on it.

I'll blow on it.

I'll blow on it for you, Mother.

It won't hurt anymore.

It won't hurt anymore.

Yingzhi is still hungry.

Take Yingzhi to eat first.

I'll do it myself.

All right.

I'll bring the Young Lady
back after she's eaten.

Let's go, Yingzhi.

[It's my fault for being so helpless.]

[From now on, you won't have
to live in fear with me anymore.]

[Arsenic]

What are you doing?

What?

[Arsenic]

Water!

Water!

Water!

Xiulai.

We're here to take you home.

It's all right now.

We're taking you home right now.

Don't let them leave the Lu family!

What do we do, Lanxiang?

Take good care of Xiulai.

I'll deal with the Lu family.

All right.

Let's go.

Don't let them leave the Lu family!

- They're inside!
- They're right inside!

Stop them!

Don't let them get away!

We have to teach them a lesson!

They can't leave!

How dare they bully the Lu family!
Don't let them leave!

No one is leaving!

Didn't you send away
the maid and your daughter

because you wanted to k*ll yourself?

And yet

you're still perfectly alive.

We barged in here
in a moment of desperation.

That was our fault.

You think you can threaten
the Lu family with your death?

Dream on!

My son already told me

that under the laws of our dynasty,

if a wife or concubine takes
her own life after being beaten

or berated by her husband,
the husband bears no responsibility.

I'm telling you, today,

even though Lin isn't dead,

even if she were, the Lu family

would still be in the right
if this went before the authorities.

Lin is a daughter-in-law
of the Lu family.

Without our permission,

she won't take
a single step out of here.

- She can't leave the Lu family!
- Don't even think about leaving!

Blood!

She's bleeding!

She's bleeding!

Xiulai!

Xiulai!

Xiulai!

Don't scare me!

Xiulai!

She could die!
What are you standing there for?

Hurry and take her
to an imperial physician!

Yuchan, go find Nanke and Jiugao.

Get the carriage
and find an imperial physician! Hurry!

Xiulai!

Xiulai!

Old Madam.
She isn't going to die, is she?

Why would she do something so foolish?

She isn't going to die, is she?

What do we do?

Old Madam, what do we do?

What do we do?

Old Madam, say something!

Yes, tell us what to do.

Well...

Where is Lin?

The Lin family took her away.

How could you let
the Lin family take her?

I was afraid she'd die here
if I tried to stop them.

Didn't you say you knew
how far to go when you hit her?

How did you beat Lin
until she lost consciousness?

Her chest was covered in blood.

She looked like she was about to die.

Impossible.

She must be pretending.

I saw it with my own eyes.

The blood slowly seeped out.

Lin's sister

was wailing as if she were at a funeral.

We saw it with our own eyes.

It's true. There was so much blood.

What are we going to do?

Judging from her pulse,

it's just chronic liver qi stagnation

and emotional distress

that have weakened
her spleen and stomach,

leaving her deficient in qi and blood.

[Imperial Physician Yao]
Fortunately, she's still young.

[Eighth-Rank,
from the Imperial Medical Service]

With proper care for two or three years,

she'll recover.

Her life is not in danger.

Her life isn't in danger?

When Xiulai came back,

her chest was covered in blood.

We changed her clothes and examined her

and found
many bruises and swollen areas,

as well as some broken skin.

But none of that could have
caused so much bleeding.

Could it be that she wasn't bleeding
from an external injury,

but coughed up blood because
her internal organs were injured?

Yes, she coughed up blood.

I was supporting
the Young Lady at the time

when I heard her cough

and saw blood all over her chest.

At present,
her life is indeed not in danger.

She merely coughed up
some stagnant blood.

If you're still worried,

I'll come back
in two days to check on her.

The First Young Lady said her arm hurt.

I learned a little about setting bones
when I was in Jinling,

so I felt her arm.

It was indeed broken.

I was anxious and couldn't wait for you,

so I set it for her.

Please take a look,
Imperial Physician Yao.

Absolutely not!

This is outrageous!

How could a woman's body
be examined so casually?

Imperial Physician Yao,

please sit down and explain.

Assistant Commander Lin obtained
an imperial order for me to come,

so naturally I'll do everything I can.

Madam Lin, I need
to write up the medical record,

so I need to ask you
a few more questions.

Please.

What did you find

when you examined her?

I found bruising and swelling

three finger-widths below the elbow.

I supported her elbow
and wrist and moved them gently.

Even while unconscious,

the First Young Lady

showed signs of pain.

Was there anything unusual
around the swollen bone?

Was anything protruding?

The shape looked normal.

But there seemed to be a grating sound.

It seems her arm is fractured.

Fortunately, there's no deformity,

so the bone doesn't need to be reset.

It only needs
to be secured with a splint.

Madam Lin handled it properly.

She just needs to rest.

I never imagined

that her husband would be so brutal.

Here's the prescription.
Have her take it for three days.

I'll take my leave.

Thank you, Imperial Physician.

What a terrible mess.

Jinqi! Jinlan!

Jinqi. Jinlan.

Didn't you hear the imperial physician
say that Xiulai's arm was broken?

That brute Lu Jian!

I'll go break his arm right now!

Didn't Jinqi
already break one of his arms?

Then I'll break his other arm

so he can never bully Xiulai again.

Come back.

You're getting married tomorrow.

Behave yourself.

Mother kept this from me,

and now even you say that, Jinqi.

If we don't give Lu Jian
a beating he'll remember

and teach him a lesson,

he'll keep beating Xiulai in the future.

Tomorrow,

just take your wife
back to Jinling without worrying.

There won't be a next time.

What do you mean?

Jinqi wants Xiulai to separate from him.

That's what I want, too.

Separate?

Right! Why didn't I think of that?

She can leave that brute.

I agree!

I don't!

Jinqi,

right now, it's not just Xiuwan
who hasn't found a match yet.

There's also Xiushu.

Once the new year passes,
she'll soon come of age.

As the saying goes,

a married daughter
is like water poured away.

If she separates from her husband
over a little hardship,

who will dare marry a daughter
of the Lin family in the future?

A married daughter
is like water poured away.

Mother, are you in such
a hurry to find me a husband

because you want
to pour me away like water?

No.

If I'm mistreated
by my husband's family one day,

I can only suffer
in silence and endure it,

and never come home
to ask my family for help?

That's not what I meant.

My dear young lady.

I didn't mean it that way.

You're my precious girl.

If anyone ever dares mistreat you,

your brothers and I

will never let him get away with it!

I...

Take your hand off.

Take it off.

Take it off!

You...

You're all making trouble for me!

Mother.

Yinxian found this in Xiulai's room.

[Arsenic]

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

Marriage is the foundation
of human relations.

First comes the duty
between husband and wife,

and then the affection
between parent and child.

Since Lu Jian refuses to separate,

Lin shall be returned
to the Lu family today

and remain a wife of the Lu family.

[Justice and Impartiality]

Lin.

As long as you live,
you belong to the Lu family.

Even in death, you'll still
belong to the Lu family.

♪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♪