♫ The far and long roads, ♫
♫ the man I miss is at a distant place ♫
♫ Seeking the truth in heaven and on earth, opening up the words deep in my heart, ♫
♫ not looking back ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful woman, if one's heart could be fragrant ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful woman, desolate like the moon ♫
♫ I worry, when can I appreciate the grasses and flowers with a beautiful woman ♫
♫ The ancient people didn't have time to leave some Yimoxiang (a type of plant) ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful lady, heart becoming fragrant on its own ♫
♫ Thinking of a beautiful lady, fragrant dreams ♫
♫ The whole world is drunk, one's whole life just follows the blue water ♫
♫ I'll drive and go away for an adventure, flying as I want to in the nine skies ♫
Song of Phoenix
Episode 18
I just have a grudge against my king for being so carefree and without worries. In the end, you were not able to understand my good intentions. - Li Sao (The Grievances), by Qu Yuan
Yong Ya Zi?
- Ghost! Ghost! - Why are you?
What is it?
- Hey!- Ghost!
Hey!
What's wrong with you all?
What is it?
Why is your face covered in blood?
Huh?
This...!
Here.
Why are there so many white wolves.
- Look out!- Look out!
Mo Chou! Mo Chou, look out!
Mo Chou, behind you!
Mo Chou!
Lan Niang?
-Come.-Thank you.
All along I believed you were harmed by the white wolf, how could I know...
Your Uncle Bai Lang was forced out by tax.
He had no way of living on in Quan County.
He could only hide in the mountains to live.
That's how he saved us.
Stop!
Hurry and get up!
-Run!-Hurry and get up!
Don't be afraid. I am human.
So you followed him and pretended to be ghosts to scare people.
That's right.
It's hard to live in the mountains,
but at least we can live on.
We'd rather live here as ghosts
than be found by those nobles!
Even if it's like this, why are you harming others?
Hearsay, hearsay, it's all hearsay!
This place has scarce resources in autumn and bitterly cold winters,
there is nothing here.
There was no other way. We can only go down
and look for things left as offerings to eat.
That year. That year!
Come with me.
Who are you?
So it was all a misunderstanding?
Lan Niang! Come back with me!
Go back?
Instead of living like a subhuman because of tax debt,
we'd rather live here as ghosts!
How is this land tax collected?
To actually force perfectly-fine people to become ghosts!
Do you know that to rent the noble's land, how much of your crop you have to give them?
Ninety percent!
I never thought that the land tax could be so much worse than the offerings. I had no way of knowing at all!
Stop putting on an act!
There are no good people among you nobles!
You're the REAL vengeful ghosts!
Lan Niang, the two of you, quick, tie this person up.
-Stop!-Mo Chou!
Are you going to stand on the noble's side?
Lan Niang, listen to me!
This person is the new magistrate! He will definitely find a way to help us!
Officials and thieves are from the same family!
If you all didn't support those thieves,
they wouldn't have dared!
Lock them up!
-What are you doing?-Be careful, don't hurt Mo Chou!
What are you doing?!
Do you know, after Magistrate Qu came to Quan County,
all the good things he's done for us?
I never thought that all these white wolves were forced into being by land taxes.
I always thought I was taking good care of Quan County.
I never imagined...what a joke, a joke!
Lord Magistrate, this isn't your fault. Why blame yourself?
The people's livelihoods have dwindled to such a state, as the County's magistrate,
if I'm not at fault, who is?
These tyrants, they only know how to extort and plunder the people. They should all be put to death.
Lord Magistrate, you're just forcing yourself on the path to death!
Last time, when you and Miss Mo Chou went picking herbs,
you ran into assassins. This time, more people are trying to harm you.
If this keeps going, I'm afraid you'll lose your life!
Do you want me to not do anything about it?
If that is the case, then what difference is there between me and those pest-like County Magistrates of the past!
But this piece of land belongs to Jing Yan and his gang.
If the magistrate interferes, that is inconsistent with the law!
Who says the land is theirs?
This land belongs to the State of Chu, it's the King's!
You say that I have no right to interfere in this matter.
Fine! I'll go to Yingdu right now and tell the King!
Lord Magistrate, please think again!
If I think again, the entire Quan County will become a ghost town!
Not only will I abolish the land tax, I will also make them spit out
all the taxes that they extorted previously!
Qu Yuan really said that?
How could I dare to lie to you?
Go get your reward.
Thank you, Lord Jing.
Lord Jing, what should we do now?
Qu Yuan, that brat! He is too lucky!
You! You don't learn at all!
Do you think you haven't enough blood on your hands in these years.
Lord Jing! All these years have passed like this.
One more killed won't make a difference.
Some people, even if you kill them a thousand times,
it will still be useless!
But some people
you only have to hurt them a little,
and we'll be able to live a whole lot easier.
Now that it has come to this, we can only ask Official Jing to take action.
Your Majesty, Magistrate Qu is asking to see you.
-Qu Yuan?-Precisely.
Your Majesty, you said last night that you'd spend time with me!
Just let Qu Yuan wait outside.
Magistrate Qu rushed over from Quan County.
He must have an emergency. Official matters are more important.
You only have official matters in your heart!
I am the king of a country!
I don't care. In any case, in my heart,
Your Majesty only belongs to me!
Alright, then I'll bring you along, okay?
Beloved Official Qu, what is the emergency so early in the morning?
I came to give Your Majesty a gift.
Oh? You know how to give gifts too?
What I brought is a delicious cuisine that's unique in the world.
Could it better than the delicious cuisine that High Minister Jing presented before?
I then must see this cuisine.
Your Majesty. I'll help you open it.
You really have to interfere in everything.
Qu Yuan, are you joking with me?
Qu Yuan! You are very daring!
-Take it away, take it away!-Yes.
Your Majesty, these things,
you won't eat them, and neither will I.
But to some people, this is delicious.
During autumn and famine seasons, these things aren't even available to them.
Qu Yuan, what are you getting at?
Can people even eat that?
Oh, I forgot.
These things aren't for humans to eat.
It's for ghosts to eat.
What nonsense are you saying? What ghosts and humans?
That's right!
In this world, there aren't any ghosts!
There really are ghosts in this world!
Today, I brought one here.
Qu Yuan, I want to see what tricks you're using.
Where is your ghost?
Precisely outside the door.
Qu Yuan. This is the ghost you're talking about?
Precisely.
Qu Yuan! What kind of ghost is that?
Your Majesty, do not be alarmed. The ghost here
is just a sixty-year-old man.
Greetings, Your Majesty.
Why are you dressed like that?
Your Majesty, no one is willing to dress like that!
Then why is he dressed this way?
Does Your Majesty know how much is the land tax in Quan County?
Each person sets their own rent. How would I know?
Your Majesty sits high on your throne.
Naturally, you don't know the pain of the people.
Qu Yuan! Watch what you're saying.
Your Majesty, I've already watched my words. Or else,
I would have brought all the low-class citizens here to beg for food from you.
How ridiculous!
Under my governance, the citizens were willing to serve the government, the weather was favorable for crops.
You're trying to say that I'm being a bad ruler?
I do not dare to.
Just be frank.
That really happened?
Indeed.
In this world, where does such logic stand?
The land belonged to someone.
It's their own choice who to rent it to and how high the rent is.
Now this is just great.
Qu Yuan has interfered with someone's personal land.
Queen Dowager, you don't know.
Now the nobles in Quan County are suffering.
But I heard that this Qu Yuan is a bit popular in Quan County.
W-W-What popularity? Those are just some low-class citizens.
They are easily bought by just giving them some benefits.
When Qu Yuan arrived at Quan County, just because of his scheme to achieve achievements in his career,
he is thinking of every ways to win the people's hearts. It's the same thing with the land taxes.
But if Qu Yuan helps the people live better,
isn't that good for the State of Chu and the King?
We won't argue that it's for the good of Chu.
But the State of Chu still belongs to the nobles, not the lowborn commoners.
Those people below are just living off those taxes to begin with.
If we really will cut it off,
that wouldn't be very good.
Your Jing family also have bought quite a number of lands in Quan County.
The money you earn from land taxes also grows more and more.
Stop acting like you're poor in front of me.
Right now, Qu Yuan only reduced the land tax.
This is something that you all should be doing.
You are right, Queen Dowager.
If the nobles are living well,
it's indeed fine to share some wealth to those poor citizens.
But directly reducing it to half...
then the nobles can't even live well.
That wouldn't be very good.
This Qu Yuan is making too big of a fuss.
After all, this is a practice that has been going on for hundreds of years.
If you stop it,
it will cause great chaos.
This Qu Yuan is still too young.
He lacks proper considerations when doing things.
Enough.
I know. I will have my plans.
You are intelligent, Queen Dowager.
Go ask the King to come over here.
Yes.
Your Majesty, the nobles in Quan County are all in cahoots!
They collect land taxes as high as ninety percent from the citizens.
It's ninety percent!
The commoners work so hard, but they have
to give the nobles ninety percent of their proceeds!
The low-class citizens cannot bear such heavy burdens.
Some escaped from Quan County to other counties.
Some even left the State of Chu!
Also, some are like him!
Escaping to the mountains to be with wolves and leopards, competing for food with hawks and falcons.
They live not as humans or ghosts!
Is that all true?
Your Majesty, if even one word is false,
who would dare to dress like this?
Your Majesty, please save us! Please save us!
Get up first.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Qu Yuan. What do you want me to do?
- Reduce the land taxes.- Reduce the land taxes?
As long as the land taxes aren't reduced, the commoners will never live well.
Because the commoners do not live well,
there will be more people who escape to the forests, perhaps even leave the State of Chu!
They're all lowborn commoners.
Just let them leave.
Your Highness, you should know that the citizens are the foundation of a country.
Only if the foundation is stable can the country be at peace.
Your words make sense.
But do you know? The land belongs to the nobles.
So collecting land taxes is also what the nobles deserve.
The land belongs to the nobles.
But it even more so belongs to our State of Chu!
Your Majesty once said
that every person in the State of Chu are your people.
Since they are all your people,
how come those nobles can live an extravagant life
and these commoners can't even have one full meal?
Then is Your Majesty's favor
only to be given to those nobles?
You all think that this is disgusting and dirty.
Stop eating.
I'm telling you to stop eating!
Since Your Majesty won't let him eat this,
then please give him a mouthful of rice!
A mouthful of rice that a human can eat.
Qu Yuan, you're forcing me!
I do not dare to do that.
It's those nobles that are forcing you!
It's your conscience that is forcing you!
Your words truly do all pierce my chest!
Just do as you say!
I thank Your Majesty on behalf of the people of Quan County!
However, I have one more request.
Speak.
I ask Your Majesty to make those nobles
vomit out half of the taxes they collected before.
What? I cannot!
I can promise you to reduce the land taxes. But starting today, we won't go after the past.
Just forget about the old payments!
Your Majesty, you're just protecting them!
This isn't harboring. This is strategizing.
Your Majesty, those land taxes are their lives!
Do you want to see those nobles revolt?
-Your Majesty!-There's no need to keep talking!
For me, the stability of the country is more important than anything else.
Then how about just giving back half of the land taxes for the past three years?
With this amount of money, the citizens can live at ease and happily.
There won't be white wolves in the mountains.
Alright. However, I need to remind you.
If you insist on doing this, then you have to think of the consequences.
Qu Yuan thanks Your Majesty!
Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty. Why care about the survival of those lowborn commoners?
Remember.
No matter if it's a noble or a lowborn commoner,
in my eyes, they are all my people.
Yes.
Your Majesty is right.
Your Majesty, the Queen Dowager wants to see you.
You go back first.
From now on, if you're not by my side,
when I see this, it'll be like seeing you!
When I see this, it'll also be like seeing you.
Xia'er.
Mother.
I made you some ginseng soup. Hurry and drink some to nourish your body.
Look at your face. It looks awful.
I know you're sad that Cang Yun left without saying farewell.
But a man who can't even endure not being chosen as a Royal Scholar,
even if he stays, what use is there to that?
If he can't even take this sort of suffering,
can we still hope that he'll treat you well for life?
Caiwei. Keep an eye on your lady and make sure she drinks the soup.
Yes.
My lady, drink the soup while it's hot.
My lady, Madam is right. That Cang Yun isn't worth it.
After you're set on one person, what can be worth it or not worth it?
I know where Cang Yun is.
Let's go look for him!
Queen Mother, you needed me?
That Qu Yuan wants to cut the land taxes in half.
Indeed. I have already agreed. Queen Mother, you don't know.
Those nobles are so unruly. For the past years, the tax money kept increasing and increasing.
Those commoners cannot possibly live properly.
The land taxes grew day by day.
If you want to cut it, you must do it slowly.
Queen Mother.
Son, you are kind. You hope the people live well.
You also hope that the people always remember how good our state is.
I know all your intentions.
But, you have to walk step by step.
You must do things step by step as well.
If you have seen the white wolf, you probably will not say such words.
White wolf?
A perfectly good person was so forced by those bullies
that they could not go home. They have to hide in the mountain caves like a rat.
After they eat all the wild berries, they eat tree bark. After that, they eat wild grass.
In the end, they are forced
to compete with hawks and falcons for decaying animals.
It's all because of those land taxes that they live neither as human or ghost.
It was they
who turned the commoners into wolves and ghosts.
Queen Mother, are you willing to watch Quan County become a ghost town?
Whether or not Quan County will become a ghost town,
is not up to those white wolves or the nobles,
and it definitely isn't up to Qu Yuan and those lowborn commoners.
The State of Chu is okay. Yingdu is okay.
The more Quan County will be okay. The sky won't fall down.
Am I to watch those nobles bully the commoners?
Which noble family?
The noble families you talk about are working for you!
For so many years, the land taxes that they get, whether they reduce it or keep it high,
more or less, some will flow to you.
Son, the true biggest noble family of the State of Chu,
is your own.
If that is true, I would rather not be that noble!
My lady.
How could Master Cang Yun live in a place like this?
My lady, if you can find him, what do you intend to do?
Are you going to stay?
I don't know either.
If you stay, the Master definitely won't let you and Master Cang Yun go!
We'll just take it as it comes.
Does Master Cang Yun live here?
We are in a fishermen's village here. How could there be a "Master" here?
-There's no one here called Cang Yun?-No, no.
Let's keep going forward.
My lady, wait a second.
Excuse me, is there someone here called Cang Yun?
-Cang Yun? Have you ever heard of him?-No.
We don't have someone named Cang Yun here.
My lady, they all say there's no Cang Yun. Could you have remembered wrong?
Bixia, have you been to the opposite shore before?
That's true. The opposite shore is my home.
That is the poor people's place. How could you have gone there before?
Could Master Cang Yun have lied?
Nonsense!
Let's go. Even if we flip the fishermen village over, I must find Brother Yun.
My lady, wait for me!
Let's split up to ask.
Excuse me, is there someone here called Cang Yun?
I've never heard of that name.
-Excuse me, do you know someone called Cang Yun?-No.
Excuse me, is there someone called Cang Yun here?
No.
I don't know that person.
My lady.
♫ the night is hazy, causing the river waters to roll, over and over ♫
♫ Sending one paper of my years to send you off ♫
Lord Magistrate!
Looking at your face, you succeeded?
Sir, there are some things that aren't as difficult as we think!
He really succeeded?
Look! This...
-How is it? Does it fit well?-Thank you, thank you!
Mo Chou, Lan Niang, look!
Mo Chou.
I never even dared to dream that I could live like a human again.
Magistrate Qu said he wanted to change the entire Quan County.
He wants to make everyone live happily.
That's right. He also said that the magistrate's office has fixed up your old house.
You can move back whenever you want.
Also, he set aside some money for you.
This is wonderful!
Magistrate Qu really is a good person!
-I hit it, I hit it!-Hurry and look, I hit it!
We hit it!
Let's do it again!
There's an announcement, come take a look!
Come come come! Everyone come take a look!
Magistrate Qu has given an order!
Starting today, all farming citizens will pay their landlords half of the usual land taxes.
In three days, the nobles must return half of the taxes paid in three years to the citizens.
Those who dare disobey, will be punished ten times more.
If anyone will act nastily, their lands will be confiscated and returned to the country.
Good! Good!
Why is there still no news from Yingdu?
This...even the announcement has been put out.
This Minister Jing wasn't effective at all.
You!
-Hello Magistrate Qu.-Hello.
-How is business going?-Pretty good. Come, Magistrate.
-No no no.-Magistrate Qu.
-Hello Magistrate Qu.-Hello.
-Hello Magistrate Qu.-Hello, hello.
-Hello Lord Magistrate.-Hello Lord Magistrate.-Hello.
-You did another great thing for Quan County.-Hello.
Of course. I said that I'd change Quan County.
I will fulfill everything that I promised you.
You're saying it like you promised me a lot of things.
What is it that you want me to promise you the most?
That's your matter.
You!
- What is it?- You!
Let's go take a look.
Stop! Stop hitting him! Do you hear me?
What wild brat are you? Stop being nosy. Continue hitting him!
Stop!
Lord Qu is telling you to stop, do you hear me?
Why are you beating him?
Lord Qu, he gambled at my place and won't pay back what he owes.
- How much does he owe you?- Not much, just one string.
Lord Qu, how could I take your money?
Hurry and go.
Let's go! Come on.
Stop gambling from now on.
I don't need you to care!
Cang Yun?!
- You're mistaken.- How could he look so similar?
Cang Yun!
It really is you?
Lord Qu, what lessons do you have now?
Do you know that Miss Bixia is very worried about you?
Stop putting on an act.
Don't be so rude!
Yes! He's an official, and I'm a commoner.
He decides if I live or die.
Cang Yun, how could you say that?
Lord Qu, you are the magistrate!
You are favored in front of the King. I'm just a commoner!
During the selection of Royal Scholars, you were the main judge.
But gambling is my private matter.
You can't interfere with that!
Miss Bixia will be very sad if you're like this!
Now you're worried for her?
Isn't that perfect? Without me, you can marry her!
What nonsense are you saying?
You've got another one?
Master Qu, you really have good fortune in women.
If you keep talking nonsense, I'm not going to be nice!
Come! Break my other leg too! I'm just a commoner anyway!
-Alright!-Mo Chou!
Thank you for not killing me, Lord Qu.
Thank you for saving me, Lord Qu.
I will always remember what you've done for me!
Don't go!
That person must be taught a good lesson!
He's partially like that because of me.
You're afraid Miss Bixia will be displeased?
If Bixia knew that he became like this, she surely will be in extreme grief.
Bixia, Bixia, you really are so concerned about her.
Mo Chou! Mo Chou!
Mo Chou! Mo Chou! Mo Chou, wait for me!
Mo Chou!
What are you chasing after me for?
Go find your Miss Bixia.
The one Miss Bixia likes is Cang Yun. I just feel guilty towards her!
Since you like her, you can go marry her.
Mo Chou, do you still not understand my heart?
How would I know what your heart is thinking about?
What my heart thinks about and misses, is only you.
I didn't hear that clearly.
I said,
the one I like is...
Miss Bixia!
What did you say?! That wasn't what you said just now!
Is that so? Then what did I say just now?
You said that "the one my heart thinks about
and misses, is only you!"
I know.
Alright, Qu Ling Jun!
-Don't run!-Come on!
-Don't run!-Come!
I'm home. You can leave.
I'll leave after you go in.
I want to see you leave before I go in.
Go on.
Father.
♫ Day and night, summer and winter, nonstop changes ♫
♫ Herbs and trees, prosperity and decline, would still depend on a beautiful woman ♫
♫ Rumors brought by wind from all over; ♫
♫ inciting ministers with different dreams ♫
♫ Asking Heaven if it can bear witness to one's loyalty ♫
♫ Muddy and clear, beautiful and ugly, overturning all living creatures ♫
♫ Angelica and magnolia, orchids and quan, have a hard time emitting their fragrance ♫
♫ Why must you proceed against the current? ♫
♫ Why must a lonely flower admire herself? ♫
♫ No one knew that one's birthplace has become someone else's territory ♫
♫ Outstanding in a chaotic world, ♫
♫ who can understand one's desire? ♫
♫ Going far to travel, yet one's heart is tied with one's home ♫
♫ Drinking one 'Li Sao', the pain of separation ♫
♫ Getting drunk for a lifetime of dedicating oneself for one's country ♫
♫ Coping with the long, long road; ♫
♫ hard to beg the heaven and the earth ♫
♫ I lamented the numerous sorrows in the life of the citizens ♫
♫ Singing one 'Li Sao', pain of separation ♫
♫ Sighing how hard it is to keep a bosom friend ♫
♫ For the ideal that I hold dear to my heart, I’d not regret a thousand times to die. ♫
♫ In the end, turning into ashes. ♫
♫ If this dream is difficult, let's just leave it to the next generations to ponder ♫
♫ Outstanding in a chaotic world, ♫
♫ who can understand one's desire? ♫
♫ Going far to travel, yet one's heart is tied with one's home ♫
♫ Drinking one 'Li Sao', the pain of separation ♫
♫ Sighing how hard it is to keep a bosom friend ♫
♫ For the ideal that I hold dear to my heart, I’d not regret a thousand times to die. ♫
♫ In the end, turning into ashes. ♫
♫ If this dream is difficult, let's just leave it to the next generations to ponder ♫