《长安的荔枝 The Litchi Road》EP08：郑平安得知父亲之死真相，李善德坚定运荔枝决心！ ｜雷佳音 岳云鹏｜古装 传奇 剧情｜KUKAN Drama
[The Litchi Road] Hold it still. Coming through. Your goods. Not bad. Thanks. Pull. Stop. [Episode 8] He won! He won! He won! The General indeed! The General! – Lan.
– Lan. Rooster Poppa. Lan, what took you so long? I’m sorry. I just got this Red-crested General. Take a look. See if it meets your standards. This rooster has a small head, large body, thin legs, and sharp claws. But… But what? Though it looks arrogant and overbearing, it feels deeply empty inside. In my opinion, it must’ve lived deep in the mountains and grown up following nature’s ways. Since it was its first time in battle, with the sudden change of environment, it started to feel lost inside. This mental state is a sign of restlessness. Its ferocity and competitiveness haven’t reached their peak yet. Should proceed step by step. Therefore, it shouldn’t enter
the battlefield again. What if I insist
on sending it to battle? It won’t last three rounds. Alright. Lan. Okay. I’ll let you be amazed today. Alright? My General is well-fed and rested, ready to go again. I’ll show you how it wins three rounds straight. Let’s go. Rooster Poppa. Rooster Poppa. It’s been confirmed. Li Shande isn’t
the Left Chancellor’s man. Ma Guiyun wants to trade urgently. Trade? No time. Mr. He, I even brought ink and a brush. Mr. Ma, you are here! Come on, join us! No. Wait. Business comes first. In the cockfighting den, cockfighting comes first. Right? Exactly! Why the rush? Delaying half a day is fine. No one’s pushing you anyway. I am being pushed. The Right Chancellor is right behind me. I need to report back. Even if the Nobel Consort was here, she’d have to wait
till I’m done gambling, let alone the Right Chancellor. Right? My General is ready to go. It can’t be delayed. That’s right. Listen up, which rooster dares to fight? Good! Bravo! What a great fight! Just as the poem goes, “The crimson rooster
adorned in splendor, spurs sharp as blades, eager to display its might in this grand arena. Jade-cleaving talons, eyes blazing with fire, wings startling the wind, feathers spread with strength. Swiftly it leaps
with hooked beak thrusting, strikes like lightning,
then soars again.” Nice! Anyone else? Come on. Bring it on. What? Mr. He. Mr. He. No… No opponents anymore. No more challengers. Victory without fighting. You’ve already won! What kind of victory is this? I already said it must complete three rounds. I’ll wait right here. I won’t go back until three rounds are done. Watch this. I’ll add 15 guan. Gou, bring the money. The stakes are raised! Another 15 guan! Another 15 guan! Any takers? I’ll do it. – Lan.
– Lan. Lend me your rooster. Wait. This one already fought and lost. My Red-crested General doesn’t fight losers. It’d insult my General. A huge, powerful jiao-loong, if it’s seriously sick, can’t beat a tiny grass carp. A mighty warrior, if drained of energy, couldn’t beat a three-year-old child. A spent gust can’t lift feathers. An arrow at its limit can’t pierce thin silk. Your rooster is fierce, but your stubbornness guarantees defeat. Enough rambling. I didn’t understand a word. Will you fight or not? Come on. Fight! Fight! Fight! Good. Go! Go! Go! One, two, three. [Memorial Tablet
of the Red-crested General] You died so tragically! General! How could you leave us so soon? General! My son was a noble fowl! Today my son fought three battles, slaying foes with its steel talons, crushing them with its sharp beak. Heaven envies talent! Fate plays cruel tricks! May my son rest in peace! My son will be in my belly soon. Let it serve as your coffin! Alas! Woe! Woe! Alas! General! Bring some salt. Aye. Seems some seasoning is missing. General! Alas! Woe! Woe! Alas! Enough. Stop already. General, rest in peace. You want the Military Fish Tally or not? I’ve humored you all morning. Why the rush? We’re not done yet. Mr. Zhao, go get paper and brush. Grind the ink. [Inspector’s Mansion] Mr. He. Mr. Zhao, how did I phrase it last time? Recite it for me. I’ll test you. Test me? Recite it. Recite it. “A fine bird chooses its tree. A wise vassal chooses his master. To miss the chance of serving a worthy lord is no man’s way.” Actually… “I…” Actually, it could be shorter. Ma Guiyun, why the rush today? I can’t wait to go back. I hope to depart early. I ruined this. I’ll rewrite it. Zhao, recite it again. Slower. Got it. “A fine…” Bird. How to spell it? Chooses… Chooses. Chooses. Chooses. Chooses. Chooses. Its… Its… Though thousands of li apart… Kowtows in reverence, He Youguang. Paying respects… Skip it. It’s good enough. My calligraphy has improved. Graceful. Take it. Graceful. I’m exhausted. Done. Mr. He. Guiyun. Here you go. Report! Report! Report! Report! Report what? We’re busy. Mr. He. You are in such a hurry. Is it an emergency? No emergency is more important than our trade. Then I’ll have
the Right Chancellor’s envoy wait outside. The Right Chancellor’s envoy? The Right Chancellor sent an envoy. Didn’t you know? The Right Chancellor never mentioned it. Probably fake. Sugar is sweet, while salt is salty. Taste it, and you’ll know. Real or fake, bring him here and let me see. Mr. He, it’s inappropriate. Mr. He, the Right Chancellor’s subordinates are all capable, each with their duties. If he’s real, I shall not see him to avoid a conflict of interest. Better complete our trade first. Agreed? Mr. He, that Right Chancellor’s envoy can’t wait any longer. Let him wait anyway! Mr. He, there’s competition among colleagues too. It’s not fair for him to take half the credit for the mission I’m about to complete. I completely understand. The meat is already at your lips, yet he snatches half away. It’s so unfair. But how’s that my concern? Let’s go take a look. Aye. Guiyun, let’s go take a look. Let’s go see if he’s fake. A real one can’t be fake. Where is he? Almost here. Arriving soon. There he is. Hurry. Hurry. Malaria! Let me see. What’s malaria? You may not know, Lingnan is humid and has mosquitoes year-round. The envoy must’ve been bitten and got malaria. He rushed here without timely treatment… What then? Enough talk. Come and see if he’s your colleague. Gui… Guiyun… I’m Guiyun. I am Guiyun. You aren’t… I’m not leaving for a reason. I can’t return just yet. Dead. Dead? How could he be dead? Any message from the Right Chancellor? Liang! Liang! Liang! Speak! – Speak!
– Mr. He. This is the Right Chancellor’s
secret letter to me. You can’t read it. You want the Military Fish Tally or not? Yes. We want it. Of course, we do. Zhao. Guiyun. Guiyun. In that case, I’ll take my leave now. When we meet in Chang’an, the three of us will meet for wine. Meet for wine. Please bury my colleague properly. Qilang [Silin Pharmacy] Sir. Sir. I’ve come for the medicine. Sir, you’ve finally come. Yesterday, I couldn’t stop you no matter how I called. Sir, why isn’t the ma’am selling baskets here today? She’ll come soon. She needs to sell baskets to earn medicine money for her son. Ma’am. It’s you, fellow townsman. I thought you wouldn’t come today. How could I not? You here to learn basket-weaving? I’ll buy a few baskets from you. Alright. I’ll take this one, that boat-shaped one, and the small one. Why would a man need so many baskets? The pharmacy owner told me. Since we are from the same place… I know you are both good people, taking pity on an old woman like me. But my son is still alive. This shows nothing in life is absolute. As long as I’m alive, I’ll fight for hope for my son. From Lantian
into the Shangzhou Circuit… Shangzhou Circuit. Cross the Han River from Xiangzhou. Then through Ezhou, cross the Yangtze River
and go downstream to Hongzhou, Jizhou, and Qianzhou. Cross the Five Ridges, pass Mei Pass to Shaozhou… To Shaozhou… To Shaozhou… Then… “Xiu, I wonder
if you’ve been eating well. I’ve grown quite plump lately. This morning, I had millet porridge
with minced meat, mixed with crushed almonds
and cane sugar powder, paired with three plates
of pickles drizzled with duck fat, a steamed egg with silver apricots, and a cup of seaweed wine. The courier boy brought the meal and asked me, ‘Lingnan has endless fruits year-round and flowers beyond counting. So between Chang’an and Lingnan, which is better?’ I told him. Eternal greenery grows dull. Only after autumn’s withering and winter’s bitterness does the first sprout of spring green become the world’s
most breathtaking sight. No matter how fiercely winter freezes Chang’an, spring green will always
come as promised. That is Chang’an’s virtue. That boy found this profound and praised me as a great scholar. I laughed. How could he know
these were my Xiu’s thoughts on appreciating spring? I always keep them in mind. Xiu, I missed appreciating spring
with you this year. When the osmanthus blooms, I won’t miss it again.” Only this osmanthus tree hasn’t sprouted yet. Xiu, the rain’s heavier now. Let’s go back. We’ll come back another day. My father said every tree blooms in its own time. I guess father’s duties in Lingnan delayed him, so this osmanthus tree is waiting for him. Ma’am, Mr. Zheng is here. Seems your trip is successful. Yes. Guess what? That so-called Chang’an’s deadliest killer, the Right Chancellor’s
blade-wielding envoy, caught malaria and died without leaving a single word. Anyway, congratulations on achieving your goal. Same here. Ma’am. Who could have imagined just a month ago, I was merely an Assistant Minister
of Banquets in Chang’an? And now, within a single month, I’ve experienced life and death. As they say, fortune favors the bold. Tomorrow I can finally depart for Chang’an. Ma’am, this is the letter of fealty, and this is the secret letter that the short-lived envoy brought. I entrust both to you. [Whale-riding Tower] You’ve read it? No. No, ma’am. I know the rules. I don’t see what shouldn’t be seen, and I don’t ask what should be asked. I’ll completely forget this Lingnan journey too. But I will never forget your assistance. Should you ever come to Chang’an, I will surely host you at the finest tavern. Once back in Chang’an, you’ll be a Zheng clansman. I don’t wish to be associated with the Zheng clan. Our Zheng clan is among the Prominent Five Clans
and Seven Lineages with high social status. You are so refined that you refuse to curry favor
with power. Please don’t misunderstand. I merely speak objectively. Today’s Zheng clan in Chang’an, though eminent, have lost all integrity, just a bunch of cowards unworthy of their reputation. But returning to the Zheng clan
is your choice. As an outsider, it’s not my place to judge. I wonder what makes you so prejudiced against the Zheng clan. Partial understanding breeds prejudice. My assessment stems from thorough knowledge of your father’s wrongful death. You’re the one blinded
by the Zheng clan’s deceptive glory. Consultant Konglang, I deeply appreciate your help. But no matter how well-informed you are, none know about the Zheng clan’s affairs better
than I do. Back then, my father committed disgraceful acts. When investigated, he couldn’t bear the pressure,
so he took his own life, abandoning my sister and me. As orphans, my sister and I only had each other and had to bear his infamy. Without his disgrace, a noble scion like me wouldn’t have scraped by in Chang’an as an Assistant Minister of Banquets. And my sister wouldn’t have died because we couldn’t afford medicine. I can’t believe even you doubt your own father. Do you truly believe your father was guilty? Wasn’t he? Back then, your father was incorruptible. The Right Chancellor sought
his allegiance, but he flatly refused to collude with corruption. Enraged, the Right Chancellor had him killed, fabricated charges, destroyed his reputation, and claimed it was
“suicide from guilt.” If true, why would our elders expel my sister and me? Because the Zheng clan feared
offending the Right Chancellor. To save themselves, they surrendered the inn your father died protecting to the Right Chancellor. Then, they callously cast out you and your sister regardless of your young age just to show their determination
to sever ties with your father and end the investigation. None of the prestigious Zheng clan of Xingyang dared step up to seek the truth and clear his name. How lamentable. Why should I believe you? I know this because the Left Chancellor tried saving your father, so he sent men to find him. To my knowledge, your father died near a pastry shop in Pingkang Ward. Stop! Stop talking! Your father sacrificed himself to protect you, yet this is how you see him? You turn a blind eye
to irrefutable evidence. What an unfilial son. Just leave. May you achieve fame and fortune and regain your noble status. Qilang, Consultant Konglang only spoke hearsay. Perhaps Mr. Lu’s having trouble helping you return to the Zheng clan. Don’t take her word seriously. No. She spoke the truth. That day I threw a tantrum
for the Jade Dew pastries from Pingkang Ward. My sister, exasperated, slapped me. My father then left without a word. He died on his way to buy me the pastries. ♪Listen to the drizzle of the mountains,
a long way ahead♪ ♪When can I catch
the scent of old times again♪ ♪The shadow in the wind♪ ♪Rushes back and forth
at the bridge of fate♪ ♪The moon rises, the sun sets♪ ♪Let me recall the deep feelings again♪ ♪It’s just♪ ♪Green thrives
while vitality of us fades…♪ Mr. Li. Take this and go play. Drink less. I brought your medicine. Rest early. Shande, have a drink with me. Please? All these years in Chang’an, I drank so much wine and swallowed so many insults. I flattered the powerful, danced Sogdian Whirl to please others. I made others merry and retched in alleys. I clung to one hope that I must return to the Zheng clan. And now I know all my effort was for nothing. I want to get drunk. Shande, do you know how I grew up? I was so well-off that I was ignorant of hardship. At about six, I was quite heavy, yet I demanded Father carry me and circle around the yard. So, he carried me round and round, one circle after another, until he collapsed. He was bedridden for half a month. When I got older, I became mischievous and set our house on fire. Only then did I know it was my father’s life savings. Still, he never blamed me. I loved the Jade Dew pastries
from Pingkang Ward. Layered pastry with delicate pattern, white as jade, demanding triple folding. When finished, the crust has 36 flaky layers. My father couldn’t bear my sadness, so he went to buy them for me. Ping’an, why speak of this suddenly? I forbade others from mentioning it because I hated him. I hated him for our exile from the Zheng clan, and for abandoning us. Today I finally understand he was trying to keep us out of it. He was protecting me and my sister. If I don’t avenge him, I’ll be ashamed for life. Ping’an, all fathers would die for their children. Today, I meant to tell you my decision but feared you’d ask why I chose to stay. Now I think you’ll understand. If I leave, Xiu’s world would shatter. Shande, I’ve made up my mind. I won’t drive you away anymore. I won’t leave either. I’ll stay in Lingnan. I’ll avenge my father! Life blooms in every fleeting moment. No shortcuts, only perseverance. Only by balancing strength and grace can you dance a thousand forms. Heart follows the strings,
hands the drum. This is your swiftest spin. Keep planning the next step, how to sustain the motion. [The Litchi Road] Whale-riding Tower? I want to collect more evidence. I’ll take the Right Chancellor down. You? Bring him down? And you’re delivering litchis. Have I ever laughed at you? Go find a few horses and try transporting them for real. Dear brother! Rooster father! ♪The moon rises, the sun sets♪ ♪I recall the deep feelings again♪ ♪Dwelling on it♪ ♪Dawns to dusks,
a thousand miles apart we gaze♪ ♪Gatherings, partings,
rights and wrongs♪ ♪Wind and rain blur the sight♪ ♪My longing travels
through endless years♪ ♪The past is behind us,
and the future is ahead♪ ♪Our joy will fade with time♪ ♪I keep our old times in mind♪ ♪The sea turns into starlight♪ ♪We gather, scatter,
like clouds across the sky♪ ♪Winds hum through trembling leaves♪ ♪Achievements and faults
are all in vain♪ ♪No mountain too steep,
no journey too far♪ ♪It’s just♪ ♪Green thrives
while vitality of us fades♪ ♪Glitz and glamour vanish♪ ♪Carved into vicissitudes♪ ♪Throughout all time,
I have lived on ordinary♪ ♪Without knowing
if you are in sorrow or delight♪ ♪The chaos in the world has no end♪ ♪Alone I’ll stay in this yard
with osmanthus♪ ♪Waiting for your return,
watching new sprouts♪ ♪Appreciating the blossoms
all by myself♪ ♪Unharmed by seasons’ change♪ ♪Is Chang’an♪ ♪On the way to Lingnan?♪