Highlight EP34-35: Litchi orchard was cut down, Ping’an sacrificed for his niece! | The Litchi Road
Stop it… Stop it! Stop cutting! Sir, excuse me. Look. Do you have such urns? Sorry. I don’t know how to make these. I don’t have them. Is there a double-layered one? No. Sorry. Excuse me. Any such urns? Any such urns? No. Sorry. Do you have any urns like this one? Double-layered. No. I’ve never seen such urns in Lingnan. Sir, you’ve been gone for days. Shall I prepare food for you? Gou, leave me. I need solitude. Sir, you must eat. I will. I have some bamboo tube rice from Tong. Leave me. Surprisingly, it hasn’t gone bad. Sir, I’ll reheat it. Gou! What is it? Wait! One moment. Okay, let’s go. Careful. Good. Put it down. Come on. Thank you so much. Mr. Li. The thickest bamboo you requested. Will it do? Perfect. This is exactly what I want. What do you want the bamboo for? As litchis’ containers. Litchis’ containers? Bamboo retains
and keeps moisture inside. Cut it into tubes and soak them in water. Then take them out,
fill them with litchis, and seal the openings with clay. They will work like double-layered urns. Lan, can you help me cut them into bamboo tubes by joints? Come on. Help me. Let’s get started. Okay. [Inspector’s Mansion]
Three baskets of produce, two pieces of porcelain ware, three gold teeth, and a toiletry set. Lingnan’s humid heat limits stored goods. All official reserves are gathered here even including disaster relief grain. We’ve collected 52 horses, 625 dan of grain, and utensils still being inventoried. A new document from the Right Chancellor requests 30 more branches of litchis
to be delivered. Should we comply? I’ll handle this personally. Li Shande, I’m leaving Lingnan and returning to sea. My father longed for life ashore. But when I actually lived that life, I realized the “storms” on land were more dangerous than those at sea. My father lived honorably, yet he failed Lingnan’s people with that Sea Sail Share. I hope someday I can repay this debt for him. So that Lingnan’s people will remember his name “Havoc” with respect. Anyway, till fate reunites us. Take care. Mr. Li! I have bad news! It’s the litchi orchard! Why do you cut down our trees? Ignore her, keep cutting! Stop! Stop! Stop! Tell them to stop! Stop! All of you, stop! Mr. Yu, stop! Stop! Stop! Li Shande, see what they’ve done to me? They want to cut the litchi trees my parents planted! I saw it! What’s happening? Mr. Yu, why didn’t you just cut off branches
like we agreed? Mr. Li, the Right Chancellor demands
an extra 30 branches. Even if so, you don’t need to destroy the entire orchard! Mr. Li, thirty from the Right Chancellor becomes 100 at the ministry level. When the order’s passed down to us, they will require at least 200 branches just to be on the safe side. One demand from the Court, those who execute would add margins for safety. Piling on more requirements
down the hierarchy. This is an enduring rule in Chang’an. You’ve been an official for years, surely you know this rule. But this rule is wrong to begin with! Now you are harming others! If you cut down these trees, how will the Dong people live and survive next year? I’m the Chief Litchi Commissioner. I make the call. Don’t cut down the trees! I’ll bear the consequences! Mr. Li, failing this mission will cost us our heads. Think of your daughter! You want her to become an orphan? What are you still waiting for? Do it! What should we do? You can’t cut them down! Stop it… Stop it! Stop cutting! Stop it! Stop it! Li Shande, we’ve assisted you with your tests for months. We did the trial without rest. We trusted you as a close friend! Yet you brought with you so many disasters! We lost everything! It’s all over. You called this imperial orchard,
and now? Give me my orchard back! Give it back! Why are you drinking alone? Damned that turtle Yu Cheng’en. I trusted him. Damned turtle! He’s just a turtle. Everyone was so supportive, yet I broke their hearts. It’s not your fault. The root of these tragedies is the Right Chancellor. We can’t let them succeed! We won’t let them… Shande, don’t act rashly. Offending the Right Chancellor means death. I will return to Chang’an tonight. I’ve obtained what I needed. This time I’ll topple the Right Chancellor. Mr. Yu, Mr. Zhao reported. They didn’t find the hairpin. Attendants and maids on duty that night said they never saw it. Execute all on duty that night. If I can’t have it, no one else can. Aye. How’s Li Shande? Preparations for the transport are near completion. But Mr. Li will precede the transport convoy clearing obstacles ahead. Go pack up our stuff. We will go with him. No mishaps allowed during the transport. I’ll oversee it myself. I’m returning to Chang’an. I wish to speak to Tong. Ma’am said she wouldn’t see you. Can you tell Tong my promise? This time when I’m back, I’ll bring a satisfactory resolution. I won’t break my word. I offer all my wealth to fund your cause, Mr. Li. Win or lose, we will do it together. Let’s go to the mountains and pick the sturdiest trees. Cut their branches
for the cuttage Mr. Li needs, okay? Okay! Let’s go now! Go! [Foreign Trade Bureau] Elder Su, come on. Slowly. Careful. The forgery of transit documents won’t be pursued. Why did you have to do this? Wisdom lies in compliance. Great minds always adapt to change. Had you surrendered
the double-layered urns earlier, you’d have at least broken even. Now you’ve lost more than you’ve gained. It’s like to fish in the air and to fight windmills. See? That’s how you use idioms right. Stubbornness won’t help you. Go home. Study more Tang culture
and language, okay? Go. It’s not stubbornness. I bet on people’s conscience. Okay. A lost cause. Li Shande’s convoy departed. They should be near Chang’an by now. I can’t remember how long ago it was when I was tempted by a peacock plume to go across the seas to Tang. Fortune made me
the Leader of the Hu Merchants Guild. All the past seems like a dream
that I woke up from. Only this plume remains. It’s time for me to go home. Another serving, please. Okay. Mr. Li. We’ve passed the Shangzhou Circuit and are near Lantian now. We will reach Chang’an
early tomorrow morning. All the way from Lingnan, ninety-nine percent of the litchis have been spoiled en route
for various reasons. When we departed from Gaozhou, we were a grand convoy. But only a few riders can make it to Chang’an. I know you’re kind-hearted and you bonded with the Dong people. But we can’t defy the Right Chancellor’s orders. We’re not saints. Commoners’ woes aren’t our concern. Doing our duty is hard enough. Expenditure of time and effort on strangers, not to mention
we might be beheaded for it, is ridiculous. If I hadn’t cut down trees in the orchard, we would’ve doomed our mission. Mr. Li, I came upon your letter. Are these enough? Yes. Well done. Everyone, when we left Lingnan, the litchis were unripe to prevent spoilage on the way. Now Chang’an nears. We’ll use crabapples
to ripen the litchis. Place two crabapples in each bamboo tube, so His Majesty and Her Highness can taste sweeter litchis. Okay. Aye. Here. Let’s begin. Yazhuang. You ride hard to Chang’an. Deliver this to this address. Remember, you must arrive before us. Aye! Gou. Luotuo. Hyah, hyah! [In memory of my late mother Zhang
and father Zheng Fengzhen in Xingyang] When my father was murdered, the whole Zheng clan turned a blind eye. I’m not interested in being readmitted by such a “prominent” clan. Once the Right Chancellor falls, Father’s spirit will rest in peace. Rest assured. The Left Chancellor and Mr. Lu will punish the wicked. But the Right Chancellor
still holds power now. You remain at risk
in terms of your identity. Stay cautious. Who is it? Please announce me. I, Zheng Ping’an, seek Mr. Lu for an urgent matter. Wait here. [The first day of the sixth month] Congratulations, Your Excellency. I fulfilled the mission and brought the litchis. Excellent. Eleven days as promised. Well done. Open it. Aye. So fresh. Your Excellency, these are tributes for His Majesty and Her Highness. Please review. Splendid. Today all gifts from either Tang territory or tributary states will pale before this small fresh litchi. Yes, indeed! Brilliant. Cover it. You two succeeded in the transport. I’ve petitioned His Majesty to seat you at the feast. Thank you, His Majesty and Your Excellency. Thank you, Your Excellency. But I’ve traveled days and am unkempt, I might offend
His Majesty and Her Highness. It doesn’t matter. The travel-stained look
proves your devotion. Isn’t that so, Mr. Yu? Your Excellency, you speak wisely! Come on. Rise. Thank you. Knowing His Majesty
dislikes extravagance, Her Highness requested a simple birthday which is mainly a flower tour. Flowers bloom perfectly. But their true value
lies in flower lovers. This is the people’s fortune and the state’s fortune. Mr. Li, look. The Leyou Garden’s out of recognition today, right? Yes, it’s disfigured. Mr. Li! It’s an unhappy choice of words. His Excellency’s refined taste made the Leyou Garden so glorious. This feast shall become a celebrated event. Your Excellency, the imperial procession
has left the palace for the Leyou Garden. They’ll arrive soon. Good. Your Excellency, may I ask something? Mr. Li, you’re a practical man. Capable men won’t be overlooked under my watch. Since the fresh litchi transport will become an annual practice, henceforth you remain the Litchi Commissioner. I’ll have the Ministry of Personnel assign you to the Bureau of Equipment. You will be promoted gradually. Have patience. Good days are ahead of you. That’s not what I want to ask. Litchi transport costs immensely. Though funds aren’t my concern, I feel uneasy. So I seek your wisdom. His Majesty and Her Highness will be here soon. Must you demand answers now? Precisely. This transport trip cost 20,000 guan. Each litchi delivered costs one hundred guan. One hundred guan is a common family’s earnings for ten years. Thus at this feast, one litchi the nobles taste consumes ten families’ yearly toil. Where did this fund come from? I witnessed it myself. It was extorted
from Lingnan’s litchi orchard, seized from courier station staff’s
families en route, and squeezed drop by drop from Tang’s subjects. A chancellor should assist the emperor
in governing and balancing all matters. Your Excellency, how do you balance litchis against the nation? And to His Majesty, which one holds more weight? I’ve already explained the litchi transport’s merits. Why ask such foolish questions now? I have never been so clear-headed. To transport fresh litchis here, do you know how many trees have been cut down in the litchi orchard in Lingnan? How many riders
have braved dangers and toiled? How many horses have died? How many boats have shattered
on the rivers? And how many people
have lost their lives? To transport fresh litchis here, I not only lost my friends but also my conscience. And what have these sacrifice brought? They’ve brought you the chance
to flatter His Majesty and Her Highness. They’ve brought you the opportunity to flaunt your power in front of all the officials. We’re using the nation’s resources to satisfy one person’s selfish desires. We’re draining the blood
of the commoners to feed the appetites of the powerful! It’s only now, when I’ve brought
the fresh litchis here, that I realize what I’ve transported from Lingnan. It’s a mirror. Emperor Taizong once said mirrors show us how to dress, and people show us where we err. Today, these fresh litchis
have helped distinguish between the loyal and the treacherous! They let everyone in the world see clearly who is destabilizing the Court and who is blinding His Majesty! You scoundrel! Aren’t you afraid of being executed
for saying such things? If I die, my words will spread with this grand event! Your Excellency, would you make His Majesty a byword for tyranny? Li Shande! You ungrateful wretch! When you were in your plight, the Right Chancellor saved you. And yet you dare to say such treasonous words! Shut up, Turtle! You’re the type who spouts the sweetest words but does the filthiest deeds! Along the way, countless people like you have clung to others like leeches, squeezing out all they can for personal gain. You’re like high-and-mighty bark beetles! Like clusters of litchis that have been stored for too long, shiny on the outside but are already rotten and stinking within! I’ve been a coward all my life. I couldn’t assist the emperor or take care of my family. But I’ve got one thing that I’m most proud of. I’ve never harmed others or gone against my conscience! The litchi transport
is the biggest mistake of my life. Even if I can’t atone for my sins, I can’t help the wicked do evil! I’d rather quit this official post! I refuse to be remembered by history as a flattering courtier, a cruel official, or a sycophantic and oppressive villain! Get lost! Your Excellency, this man… Kill Li Shande. Uncle, where’s Father? He told us to wait here. Don’t worry. Xiu, this is for you. You can keep it to spend. Don’t let your father know. Hide it now. Master, Mr. Li is here! He’s here. Go on. Father! Xiu, Xiu! Father! Xiu. Let me look at you. Good, good. Ping’an. Were the litchis delivered? They were but… Don’t… Don’t worry about that. Come on, let’s leave here now. Where to? To Lingnan. I’m waiting for a result. Seriously, now? What result? Come with me! The result is very important to me. You go first. Xiu, listen to your father in Lingnan. I have many friends there. I’ll show you around there. You go. Go. Let’s go. Then take care. Go on. Don’t worry. Take care, Ping’an. I know. Go on. Come find us! Stay safe! Where has he run off to? His house is empty. I’m afraid my identity has been exposed. Let’s find a place to hide. Where to? Li Shande’s old house. Move quickly. Your Majesty, the Right Chancellor often says serving you and Her Highness is his duty. Difficult tasks demand only unwavering devotion to succeed. Lingnan is 5,447 li away from Chang’an. As the Litchi Overseer, I rode loyalty as my steed,
sailed on resolve, relayed with vigilance,
and carried all in sincerity. With these four qualities combined, I brought the fresh litchis to Chang’an. I ask no reward. Your joy and Her Highness’s delight are satisfaction enough. Your Majesty, if merits are to be rewarded, there should be no omissions. I remember there was a Litchi Commissioner who drafted the Litchi Transport Plan. To submit his memorial
and get approval, he pleaded with every ministry. This stirred public admiration. Surely he deserves recognition? Left Chancellor, you know one thing but not the other. That Litchi Commissioner had never been in charge
of procurement matters and had no experience at all. As for the so-called transport plan he wrote, it was all just empty talk and difficult to put into practice. Only the urgency prevented replacing him. Thus, Mr. Yu was appointed as the Overseer
to take over this matter. So, Right Chancellor, the successful transport of litchis was due to your meticulous planning and Mr. Yu’s valiant efforts. Your seamless cooperation has resulted in this feat, making today’s grand banquet possible. Truly an exemplary act. I admire it. Aye. You’ve done a great job. General Gao, reward them. Aye. Thank you, Your Majesty. Not at the embroidery workshop. Not at home either! Where could he have gone with his daughter? Sir! We’ve searched everywhere around.
No trace. Useless! We’ve got some news! Someone saw Li Shande leaving the Qixia Gate
with his daughter and heading out of the city! Say that again. Li Shande was spotted heading out of the city. Mr. Yu said we must kill Li Shande. With a child in tow, he won’t get far. After them! Excuse me, sir. Who did you say you’re looking for? None of your concerns. Is it Li Shande? I’m also looking for him. He borrowed 20 guan from me. But he vanished without a trace. I’ve been hunting him for days. Have you found him? Who are you? I’m his brother-in-law. He really did borrow money from me. Look. It was really 20 guan. Look. Master. Master. How are you feeling? You’re injured. Master. Don’t be afraid. No one can harm Xiu now. Let’s get you to a physician. Too late. I can’t escape this. Save him! Please, save him! Master. Save… Save him. Gou. Please save… Go to Lingnan and find Li Shande. He’ll take good care of you. I don’t want to! Don’t leave me! Save him. Luotuo. I’m here. Tell Miss Yun Qing I was delayed. I’ve broken my promise. I won’t be able to drink
with her anymore. How it grieves me. Master. Mr. Zheng. Master. Master! Mr. Zheng. Master! Master! Master! Master. Why are you here? You were heading east and almost escaped this calamity. Why did you turn back? Master! Master! I forgot. Did you ever mention that? All I recall is the alternation of day and night. I even thought you were going to turn me into a fish. Gou! Master. You silly boy! Why are you here? Why did you do that? Master, I feared no one would serve you in heavens. I’ll beat you up! Why did you do that? Dear, the first fresh litchi is yours to taste. Thank you, Your Majesty. Let me. Your Majesty, none of these litchis are edible. All have oozed juice.
Their color and fragrance have changed. Not edible. Right Chancellor, if you couldn’t handle this task, you should have told His Majesty. His Majesty in his mercy would have pardoned you. But you made big promises, which led to today’s situation. Now instead of enhancing
our country’s prestige, we gift our critics to say we’re hollow braggarts! This was poorly handled. Your Majesty, Your Highness, please forgive me. These litchis were truly crimson when they arrived. Who could have known they’d spoiled from within? It’s my fault. I was negligent. I was deceived by their appearance and made this grave mistake. Yet Your Majesty, I think there’s something fishy
about this. Why add crabapples? Mr. Yu, Mr. Li said that using crabapples to hasten ripening would allow His Majesty and Her Highness to enjoy the sweetest litchis. Deliver this to this address. Make sure it arrives in Chang’an before we do. Ping’an, I stored litchis with crabapples to make litchis fresh-looking
but rotten inside. Tribute is precious. No one would dare to taste them first. This plan should reach
the Left Chancellor in secret. Please announce me. I, Zheng Ping’an, seek Mr. Lu for an urgent matter. At the litchi banquet, it might help him topple
the Right Chancellor. After it’s done, we’ll meet
at the Qixia Gate and leave Chang’an together. I see. I understand now! I get it. Your Majesty, there were villains who were jealous of our merits and tampered with the tribute. You just admitted that no one else was involved in the litchi transport, how could others have tampered with the litchis? Then the transport plan itself
was flawed. I just strictly followed it. You knew it was just empty talk, yet you still dared to carry it out. Is this how you handle your duties? Your Highness, I only followed commands. Followed commands. Your Majesty, I beg your discernment. Since the beginning of this year, I have been occupied with trade affairs with Tubo and Huihe. As these matters concern foreign states, I have attended to every detail personally, fearing that delegation
might lead to failure. With no time to spare, I entrusted the entire litchi transport to Mr. Yu. Yet this wretch has handled it with such negligence. Your Majesty, I have failed your grace. I beg to be punished for my oversight. Your Majesty, I beg your discernment. Litchis are perishable by nature. Transporting them all the way from Lingnan to Chang’an has exhausted the nation’s resources! Your Majesty, though I claim no merit, I have toiled diligently. Please have mercy. Your Majesty, with your permission, I must speak. Now Mr. Yu claims that delivering fresh litchis from Lingnan for my sake has exhausted the nation’s resources. Wouldn’t that make me a consort who disregards the people’s suffering and indulges in extravagance? If the litchi transport succeeds, it is your achievement. Yet if it fails, the blame falls upon my gluttony. Mr. Yu, what cunning calculations. I dare not. I deserve severe punishment. Your Highness, please spare my life. Look. Look at what you’ve done. You’ve turned this joyous occasion into a mess, ruining everyone’s mood! Your Majesty, I must speak. In my view, this may indeed be a good thing. I must congratulate Your Majesty. Left Chancellor, how so? Your Majesty, if all the litchis had been
transported here fresh, it might have preserved the dignity of our Tang. Yet you would never have noticed how certain hearts have rotted as foully as these spoiled litchis. What are you trying to say? You might as well speak plainly. Though the litchis have rotted, Right Chancellor, on this transport, you’ve still managed to profit handsomely, haven’t you? Left Chancellor, I have already stated that the wretched eunuch was in full charge
of the litchi transport. Your clumsy attempt to sow discord will hardly convince His Majesty. Your Majesty, it seems that today’s incident might well be a trap set by the Left Chancellor. He tampered with the litchis first and then tried to frame me. What is this, Left Chancellor? Are you trying to destabilize the Court? Here’s the proof! Your Majesty, I have a ledger here. It records the embezzlement of He Youguang, the Inspector of Gaozhou, over the years. It also records the 30 million guan he funneled
to the Right Chancellor. Every entry, with the time, place, and the person involved, can be verified. Your Majesty, I beg your discernment. Your Majesty, I have always served
with absolute loyalty and have never associated
with provincial officials. The traitor He Youguang has already taken his own life in guilt. This matter is beyond proof! That’s why the Left Chancellor
is trying to make a big deal out of it. Your Majesty, you must not believe him! Coincidentally, I have a letter of fealty here. It was written by He Youguang to the Right Chancellor. For Your Majesty’s review. You’ve really opened my eyes. Jinniang, I’ve brought Xiu to see you. We’re leaving Chang’an. I thought that after completing
the litchi transport, [In Memory of My Late Wife Zheng Jinniang]
my official career would soar, and I’d be overjoyed. Yet the closer I came to success, the more disgust I felt. Still, this transport mission left me with no regrets. I did manage to transport the litchis here. Father, it’s really sweet. [Months later] ♪Red-skinned fruit weighs the branches♪ ♪Slender boughs bend low♪ ♪Picking fruits tires one out♪ ♪The sickle cuts whole clusters♪ ♪One bite brings sweetness♪ Write carefully. Are you still mad at my father? Not until he replants every single litchi tree he promised and their leaves sprout anew. Don’t trouble yourself over it. Focus on your writing. Liangyuan! Liangyuan! [To Li Shande]
A letter from Chang’an. I’ve got a letter. Thank you. Has Elder Su replied yet? Not yet. But don’t worry. I’ve already spoken to the merchants. If they see him, they’ll pass on your message. I’m sure he’ll forgive you. Then stay for a meal. No, thanks. My wife is due any day now. Remember to come
for the hundred-day celebration! I’m off! Take care. Liangyuan, for so many years you’ve been striving
to settle down in Chang’an. Just as your lifelong ambition
was within reach, you threw it all away. To your former colleagues, that must seem worse than death. Mr. Liu calls you a fool, saying you’ve walked away from the splendor of Chang’an. But I know you didn’t do it
for your official career, nor for your family, but merely for a principle. If you hadn’t done it, that would have been
the real pain for you. The whole matter began with a casual remark from Her Highness and ended with her sigh of regret. From start to finish, everyone has been
scrambling around for this, blind to everything else. As for the Court’s laws and regulations, they’re like a clumsy troupe, standing far away behind a thin veil, providing accompaniment for this grand Sogdian Whirl dance. Now everything
seems to have settled down, undercurrents are still surging. Some cling on, while others let go. It’s just jumping from one predicament to another. I envy you for being able to live a carefree life in Lingnan. To escape the whirlpool of Chang’an might be the greatest fortune
amidst misfortunes.