MULTI SUB【The Litchi Road】EP34 | Mr.Yu cut trees recklessly, Shande brought back the litchi
[The Litchi Road] [Blood-sucking Flea] Left Chancellor. [The third month] Right Chancellor,
you’re in good spirits. The Leyou Garden is a royal garden. His Majesty is occupied
with state affairs and rarely visits, but you frequent it. I have my own reasons. I dedicate myself wholeheartedly to tending His Majesty’s favorite peony. It’d be my duty even if I stayed here every day. Your Excellency, did you come here just to say this to me? I came by His Majesty’s decree to apologize to you. As fellow court officials, you don’t need to kowtow to me. His Majesty said we are both pillars of the state. We should work together harmoniously. My disciple Song Wuji exploited my name to tyrannize Lingnan. He indulged in luxury and feathered his nest. I heard that the blood swiftlet nests he ate were even better than His Majesty’s. In the end, you had to clean house for me. I feel deeply ashamed. I came to apologize for failing to discern men’s character and supervise them effectively. Your Excellency, rise, please. Your Excellency, Song Wuji brought it upon himself. You bear no blame. But such humble postures of yours will harm your reputation if word gets out. Human hearts can be so deceitful! Had you not shown me this incident, I wouldn’t have believed that such treachery existed among all the core officials
of the ten circuits across the vast territory of Tang. Your Excellency, you’re erudite. I’ve long had a question to ask you. Every flower in the Leyou Garden blooms perfectly. Yet His Majesty only loves this old peony. If someone believes
that it overshadows others, clouding His Majesty’s judgment, so they seek to remove it, in your opinion, should His Majesty rejoice or not? I believe if it’s flowers vying in splendor and blooming together, then it’s totally acceptable. But if it’s a flea in Chang’an sucking Tang’s blood, that is a different matter. After all the realm belongs to His Majesty. Tang is vested in His Majesty. Should His Majesty discover the flea, other people wouldn’t even
need to take action. Your Excellency, you’re busy with imperial affairs.
I shall take my leave. Farewell. Farewell. I won’t see you out. [Episode 34] [Litchi Services Notice]
What does the post say? This is the Inspector’s decree and an imperial edict! The Inspector’s Mansion
is entrusted to handle the litchi feast celebrating Her Highness’s birthday. Therefore, we issue this decree calling upon all the people to serve the Court eagerly, rejoicing with His Majesty
and Her Highness. Serving His Majesty and Her Highness is Lingnan people’s blessing! Hope those with wealth contribute. – Contribute?
– What wealth? Please, don’t take my things. Officer! Officer! Please stop! Scram! Leave us something. Mr. Zhao. Honey. Honey, someone’s here for you. How do you feel now? Are you nauseous? Mr. Zhao. Someone seeks you. Ma’am, Mr. Zhao is here. Consultant Konglang. Mr. Zhao, are you looking for this pearl hairpin? So do you know why Mr. Yu fixates on it? I neither care about nor wish to probe into his past. Farewell. I’d like to tell you a story. You may reconsider after you hear it. Years ago, a wicked boy tried to seize this hairpin from a girl in his village. He even killed her to get it. His parents found out and punished him. So he set a fire to kill his own parents. He accidentally lost the hairpin while fleeing for his life. But he fabricated a tragic past and deceived a wealthy merchant
into taking him in. Coincidentally, that merchant bought an identical hairpin for his daughter. To reclaim it, the boy betrayed his savior. He colluded with pirates.
And with his cooperation from within, the pirates killed
the merchant’s whole family. In the end, even the pirates despised his cruelty. They let the girl castrate him. But this result also granted him access to the palace and made him
the Overseer Mr. Yu today. The leader of those pirates was He Youguang. Consultant Konglang, this tale is too fantastical. Hearsay isn’t always reliable. Well, I didn’t hear it. I lived it. I am that merchant’s daughter. Mr. Yu killed He Youguang. But the fact is
he was settling private scores using the Right Chancellor
as his excuse. He’d never let the Right Chancellor know the full truth. You, on the other hand,
know the full truth. Do you think he’d spare your life? Remember, he murdered his own parents. Since he got your family killed, why not seize this chance to kill him for revenge while he’s in Lingnan? You must have sensed who I really am. So I won’t hide it. I spare him to avoid alerting the enemy and disrupting
our greater plan in Chang’an. And I believe in karma. You’ve long had great ambition. But crossing over to Mr. Yu is unwise. He’s more venomous than He Youguang. He’s vindictive without any principles. In these chaotic times, why not secure another way out for yourself? I’ll protect your family. Of course, you could also take the hairpin to Mr. Yu for reward. Since it was yours, keep it. What I owed
to Konglang Agency is waived. I was never here today. Farewell. I won’t see you out. 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. 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! Honey! I have bad news. Honey. What happened? Are you okay? I’m fine. I heard Mr. Yang’s whole family was killed, even infants! Don’t panic. Come on. Catch your breath. Sit here. You are not feeling unwell, right? No. Come on, sit down. Take a deep breath first. Follow me. It’s okay now. They said that not a single soul survived. There was blood everywhere! Whoever did this was brutal. The whole family was killed! Honey, didn’t Mr. Yu promise he wouldn’t call anyone to account? Relax. I know he killed He Youguang for vengeance. I expected he’d never spare He Youguang’s former staff. Trust me. I have a plan to solve it. Even if the sky falls now, I’ll shield you from it. Ting, it’s fine. Your mother was just playing with you. Oh, you get it? I am lucky to marry you. Hurry. Master, wait for me! She summoned us at this hour. It must be something urgent. Come on! Zhao Xinmin left a way out for himself. He sent He Youguang’s [Accounts]
ledgers over the years. Excellent! Truth is finally to be unveiled! We’ll succeed with the evidence. Depart immediately to deliver it to Chang’an. Remember, you must hand it to Mr. Lu in person. Luotuo will escort you. Aye. One request, ma’am. Sure. Since I arrived in Lingnan, I’ve wished to drink with you. But I never got the chance. After this is over and when I return to Lingnan, I won’t be the Right Chancellor’s envoy, and you won’t be Consultant Konglang. I won’t even bring him with me. Just you and me,
Zheng Ping’an and Yun Qing. Can we have a drink together? We have a deal. We have a deal. 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. [The Litchi Road] Kill Li Shande! As long as His Majesty delights and Her Highness rejoices, I am content. Someone saw Li Shande leave through the Qixia Gate
with his daughter. They headed outside the city. ♪The beauty-loving ruler
longed for a divine lady♪ ♪Yet through his reign,
none stirred his soul’s desires♪ ♪A maiden of the Yangs
now ripens in grace♪ ♪Raised in seclusion,
unseen by any face♪ ♪Endowed with heaven-sent beauty,
she is bound to be known♪ ♪Finally chosen to be
where the ruler goes♪ ♪A glance, a smile,
and all charms awake♪ ♪The glow of all ladies in the harem
fades in her wake♪ ♪In the spring chill, she was granted
a bath in the Huaqing Hot Spring♪ ♪Thermal waves
embraced her moonlit skin♪ ♪Arms held by her attendants,
delicate and weak♪ ♪This marked the dawn
of royal favor’s peak♪ ♪Cloud-like hair, floral visage
with a golden step-shaking hairpin♪ ♪Lotus-curtains drank
their shared breath♪ ♪Dawn always came too soon,
shearing the night too short♪ ♪Thus indulged in joy, the ruler
no longer joined the morning court♪ ♪Entertain the ruler and attend events
without a moment to spare♪ ♪Spring outings and night-long stays
all through the year♪ ♪Despite thousands
of beauties in the harem♪ ♪All the ruler’s favor rests on her♪