[MULTISUBup]EP6/33 嫁金釵 Where the Mask Ends |Tian Xi Wei/Yan An|杨龙执导|周末编剧|田曦薇、闫桉领衔主演|王一楠/尹文萱/毛林林/孔琳/恬妞/代高政/杨青/李佑川/潘珺雅等特别出演|优酷

‪ADAPTED FROM ‪JIA JIN CHAI‪, ORIGINAL NOVEL ‪BY XIAOJIAREN ON JINJIANG LITERATURE CITY Your injury… I leave everything else to you. Rest assured, My Lord. I will take good care of Madam. Bath water will be ready shortly. Please have some ginger soup to ward off the cold first, Madam. Bitao was also frightened. I wonder if she was hurt. I know. I had her check the wounds, bathe, and change her clothes. Once she gets cleaned up, I will have her come see you. My Lord has important matters to attend to tonight? Well… I shouldn't have pried. How is she? Let's talk business. HERITAGE PRESERVED, GOODNESS PROCLAIMED Just as you expected, sending assassins was merely a distraction meant to stall us on purpose. Those assassins were hired with heavy bribes through multiple intermediaries, and none of them know who is behind it. My Lord, Zhuang Qi, the servant responsible for sweeping Songyue Hall tonight, took advantage of the absence of the master and attendants to sneak into the study to steal. The study was left unguarded, allowing him to snatch the secret letter. He is now heading toward Guangji Street. This is a good chance to see who the master of this rat really is. MARQUIS OF XITING'S RESIDENCE HAN LIAO, HEIR TO THE MARQUIS OF XITING Sir. Please take a look, sir. Lu Zhuo was cautious. The secret letter was hidden under the floor tile. I managed to steal it while he was off guard and rushed to present it to you. I planted you as a pawn six years ago, yet you couldn't even enter Songyue Hall's Study. Today you finally proved useful. Yes, sir. See for yourself what this is. {\an8}"Traitorous servant, you are fed by your lord, {\an8}- so you should be loyal to him." - He… "How could you collude with foreigners and invite disaster?" "Your treachery is unforgivable." "Wash your neck, for I shall take your wretched head." Sir. Spare my life, sir. Sir, I… I didn't know that inside… - This is… - Sir, Lu Zhuo led a crowd and surrounded the main gate. Lu Zhuo? Sir. Spare my life, sir. - I knew nothing… - Fool! We fell into his trap. It is already past midnight. May I ask what brings you here at such an hour, Lord Lu? Pardon my intrusion, Lord Han. A servant in my residence stole a treasure and fled. Many witnesses saw him escape into your manor. Please accommodate me and allow me to catch this audacious thief. Lord Lu, you are making it clear that you want to search my residence. What if I insist on refusing? The stolen item is a jade-hilted dagger bestowed by the late Emperor. The thief is guilty of high treason. Harboring him will be punished as equal treason. Lord Han, you have always been prudent. You wouldn't be so foolish, would you? Lord Lu, this way, please. What is happening? Pull them apart quickly. NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED DURING FILMING FILMED UNDER PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION WITHOUT HARM {\an8}Could this be the thief {\an8}you were looking for, Lord Lu? I keep about twenty fierce hounds in this manor. Unluckily for this blind thief, he barged right in and became their midnight meal. I'm afraid you came for nothing, Lord Lu. Come help {\an8}check if this thief has any valuables on him. Zhao Song. Lord Han, what fine dogs you've raised. Not a single survivor was left. My hounds have always fed on raw meat. {\an8}Their ferocity is no less than that of wild wolves. Why don't I send extra men to help you thoroughly search along the way to see where he'd drop the treasure? It couldn't have vanished into thin air, right? It is getting late. No need to trouble yourself, Lord Han. I shall handle it myself. Until we meet again. Let's go. Take good care, Lord Lu. Forgive me for not seeing you off. Thanks to your clever scheme, Master, that Lu guy - found no witnesses. - Peak stupidity! Since he's certain it was me, this deadly feud is already sealed. Why would he still need witnesses? You are right, Master. Sir, I still have a great secret to tell. I snuck into the Study twice. The first time, I didn't find the secret letter, but under the pillow, I found a square handkerchief. Fearing I'd alert him, I didn't dare take it. I stuffed it back, sir. What secret could save your life? How laughable that Lu Zhuo came to pick a fight with me, totally unaware of the crisis brewing at home. Perhaps his fake wife could still be of use to me. XIANZHUANG Maternal Grandmother! Maternal Grandmother! It's me, Rao. Maternal Grandmother! - Do you know whose residence this is? - Grandmother. How dare you cause a disturbance at midnight? HUO JUE, ELDEST SON OF THE HUO FAMILY Rao. If Lu Zhuo knew the wife he married was a filthy, vile, and foul night-soil woman, he would be disgusted to death. Come, drink this ginger soup. Grandmother is cold-hearted and ignores me. Only Maternal Grandmother can stand up for me. Call her here. Call her here! Maternal Grandmother went back to honor our ancestors. My father and mother accompanied her. The round trip will take at least a month. I fear that before she returns, I'll be hounded to death by the evil woman! All of you, dismiss. She stole my place and made the lie reality. I have no way out left. What should I do? I've traveled far and wide for business and dealt with thousands of impostors. No need to disturb Grandmother. Leave everything to me. I will avenge your grievance. Really? Rest assured. First, tell me. What exactly is the woman's background? What's wrong, My Lady? My Lady, what are you… Go to the kitchen and quietly catch a chicken. - Hurry. - Alright. My Lady, what are you doing? The rooster crows thrice as day breaks. The first crow is at the third watch. The third crow is at the fifth watch. There isn't much time left. Before broad daylight, we must find a reliable person to send this bundle to a certain place. My godmother's family is also among the Wei family's dowry servants. My godbrother, Liangcai, grew up on my back and listens to me the most. Rest assured, you can rely on him. Who is it? What's this? How did this end up here? - What is it? - What's in there? - Quick. - What is it? Oh my, it's gold! - Yes, it's gold. - Shh. - Quiet. - It's gold. Keep quiet. Heaven has finally shown mercy - and sent food to us poor folk. - So much gold. There's blood on the wrapping. Some bandit must have stolen treasures from a rich family and thrown this thing in here in panic while being chased. The bandit will surely return for it later, and he'll silence us. - That's right. - We can't take it. Even if the bandit doesn't return, it will still bring legal trouble. We must not do this. We absolutely must not. What should we do? Listen to me. We'll take the gold and scatter so they have no way to trace it back to us. - Don't fight over it. - It's mine. It's mine. Don't fight over it! Search. My Lord, they left in a hurry. They even looted the chicken coop and left nothing behind. We're a step too late. Let's go. Oh no. Why are they back again? I almost forgot about you. What are you doing? I did nothing wrong. Why are you arresting people blindly? Gently. Be gentle. Liangcai said two groups went there. He recognized the first group. They were from the Huo family. Lady Rao's birth mother was the second daughter of the Zhou family. Lady Shou'an also had an eldest daughter who was miswed in her first marriage and remarried into the wealthy Huo family. Huo Jue is the eldest young master of the Huo Residence. So, he is considered Lady Rao's first cousin. What about the other group? Liangcai quietly followed them and found that those people took Madam Liu to the back gate of the Marquis of Xiting's Residence. He asked around through connections and learned that Madam Liu sold fake pearl strings and offended the Old Marquis's favorite concubine. It has nothing to do with you. Marquis of Xiting's Residence… Governess Miao said last night that Lu Zhuo had business to attend to, and Guanzhu said they were catching a spy in the residence. We can't worry about so much now. The banquet is what's important right now. Come. When taking the cup, reaching out too far ruins your grace. Pull back a bit. Lady Rao excels at playing the se and sheng, pity that the Dowager Lady scolded song and dance as frivolous and wouldn't let her indulge in them. In fact, Lady Rao's birth mother back then was also a grace-filled beauty of a dancer. Spy… Marquis of Xiting's Residence… The tenement… Bitao, tell me in detail again about the background of the Marquis of Xiting's Residence and its connection to the Duke's Residence. I heard Han Liao, the heir to the Marquis of Xiting, is Lord Lu's sworn enemy. Madam, His Lordship is here. My Lord. Open the door. I caught a cold from falling into the water last night, and I just took my medicine and lay down. You were frightened after falling into the water. If I ignore it, Grandmother will blame me. I'll leave once I see you're fine. Open the door. I'm too ill and lazy to dress up, and I do not wish to see anyone. Please forgive me, My Lord. Rest well, then. HERITAGE PRESERVED, GOODNESS PROCLAIMED Why didn't you see His Lordship, Young Lady? If I yield to him in everything, he will look down on me even more. Besides, I have more important things to do and can't be bothered with him. "A young girl"… I can't read the last character properly. I never even noticed there were characters here. "A young girl" refers to girls under six chi tall. Most of them started working in public or private workshops from the age of six, quietly carving their names on inconspicuous cup bottoms, foolishly hoping to be like experienced artisans, making a name for themselves to support their families. It was nothing but wishful thinking. How could the nobility ever notice such an insignificant gesture? Bitao, dangers lurk everywhere now, and everyone wants my life. To keep myself safe, I must find a way to make all of the capital know who I am and recognize me alone. What? You want to organize Mother's birthday banquet? That won't do. Why not? This is a gesture of filial piety from my granddaughter-in-law. Why wouldn't it be fine? What she means is, hosting a birthday banquet with many guests, where noble families gather, is not something to be taken lightly. In past years, my sister-in-law and I organized it together, and we barely managed without making a misstep. This year, the Duke specifically sent word that it must be grand, festive, lively, and respectable. Rao has only just married in. She is young and easily overwhelmed. If anything is overlooked or mismanaged, and she fails to hold her ground, and the gossips outside start talking, won't that hurt her sincere filial intentions? Exactly. Rao, you're young and inexperienced. If a birthday celebration like this turns into a laughingstock, it's no child's play. You should gain experience for a couple more years before taking charge. I know you are being considerate of me, Mother, but when the Lu Residence closed its doors before, a lot of groundless gossip started circulating outside. Some say my husband is gravely injured and that the Lu family will decline from now on. Some say that I, the new bride, am hideous and don't dare meet the guests. - This… - And those with ulterior motives fabricated rumors, claiming my husband failed at the front lines and lost His Majesty's favor. All sorts of unbearable rumors… That is precisely why the Duke wants a grand celebration. Is that really true? These rumors have even reached my ears. So I also agree that Rao should step up and make an appearance. Host the birthday according to tradition, with her two sisters-in-law guiding her, and take this opportunity to let her meet the guests to put an end to those outrageous rumors. - But… - What "but"? You are an elder. When asked to guide her, you're still making excuses here. - Mother… - Shut up. Listening to Mother in everything can never go wrong. I… Rao, then we'll do as you say. You really are too impetuous. How could you know the difficulties of organizing a birthday banquet? Back when I first married into the family, I was also naive and arrogant. I suffered so many schemes behind my back. Words can't describe those hardships. Wanniang. Rao. Fourth Aunt. What was the procedure for Grandmother's birthday in previous years? I still need to consult you, Mother and Fourth Aunt. Those are just outdated routines and unwritten traditions. The hard part is bringing new ideas to it. Let's talk as we walk. Come. Come. I thought she was easy to handle, never expecting she would silently steal the spotlight from hosting the banquet. The Wei family produced a vixen long ago. They were never a respectable home. The Dowager Lady just wouldn't listen. Sooner or later, she will stir up trouble and disgrace our family name. Why get angry at a young lady? Her mother-in-law became a laughingstock due to her ignorance. She didn't dare manage the household for years after. Now that she insists on hitting a wall, it's the first branch that loses face. It was unnecessary to stop her. Indeed. From the seating for male and female guests, to the millet for the Dowager Lady's charity porridge, and the taboos of each family in between, which of these can do without you? Her humble mother-in-law is a clear warning. Just watch. Once she makes a huge fool of herself, she will surely come begging you on her knees. Oh, you. Resign to Grandmother immediately. Just say you were young and foolish, accepted recklessly, and now regret it. Having promised an elder, how can I easily back out? You rashly accepted such an important task. If done well, Aunt gets credit for teaching you. If done poorly, it proves you are ignorant and unfit. Under everyone's watchful eyes, you will never recover. Mother was like that because… If you won't go, I will speak for you. Grandmother said that whether it turns out well or not, it shows my filial piety. With Mother and Fourth Aunt guiding me, and you helping me… When did I say I would help you? I belong to the first branch. Any honor or disgrace belongs to the first branch. Could you bear to leave me helpless and make a laughingstock? Please instruct everyone that starting today, all staff in the first branch are at my disposal. You are audacious. And stubborn. My Lord, what is done is done. It cannot be changed. SONGYUE HALL This is the arrangement for the hall and garden on the banquet day. Please review it, Young Lady. Young Lady, the Dowager Lady wants to set up a few extra tables in the garden to invite only close clan members and in-laws. The Zhuo family sent word that Old Madam Zhuo took a fall, has mobility issues, and won't join the bustle. The Ren family apologized, saying Lord Ren will soon take office in Qingzhou. Their household is in chaos, so not everyone can attend. Some relatives complain of the distance and ask for carriages to fetch them. Others are elderly and act too proud to come. The Dowager Lady releases captive animals for her birthday every year. Besides fish and birds, what else should be prepared? - It's urgent. How can we not be anxious? - We are so worried. What should we do? - How could we not worry? - Indeed. - What do we do now? - What now? The region producing the Duke's favorite Qiulubai liquor suffered a disaster. We can have Lansheng, Zihong or Huaying liquors, which one should substitute for it? Aunt, Rao invited you repeatedly. She must want to show off her abilities. You should go in and take a look. First Madam has arrived. Let me talk first! Mother, I have been waiting for you. Rao, we came to watch you manage the household. Aunt has never been used to scenes like this. It is better not to make her feel uneasy. Mother, I only married into the Duke's Residence a few days ago. How much experience could I have? I rely on you to decide for me. By sitting here, you give me your full support. Make a list of the furnishings in the hall and check it with Miss Qingtong in the Dowager Lady's courtyard. Ask her directly about anything to add, remove, or avoid. - Just ask her. - Yes. The Zhuo and Ren families are in-laws, so as a junior, I cannot make decisions. Tomorrow, at the Third Quarter of the Hour of Mao, I will go to Wanxiang Hall and report the replies from both families to the Dowager Lady in front of my two aunts. List any other relatives or in-laws who are not coming, and I will report them to her together. There is no need to trouble yourselves. Yes. As for spending money, tailoring clothes, raising birds, feeding fish, managing garden plants, and handling food and drinks, I thought you were all experienced with your tasks and would keep everything organized without mistakes. I even planned to pick two capable ones and report to the Dowager Lady to promote them to head stewardesses. I did not expect you all to be so incompetent. Even the tiniest tasks were brought to the one in charge. Either it was ill intent or it was sheer incapacity. If I used my overbearing temper from home, I would dismiss you without asking questions. However, I have not been here long, so I do not know your character well yet. I do not know who to replace or who to promote. So, please decide, Mother. Me? Governess Miao. Do not worry, Madam. My family has served in this residence for three generations. I know characters and abilities of the servants the best. Whether loyal or treacherous, honest or slick, no one can hide from my eyes. Aunt, aren't you most afraid of scenes like this? Why don't we… You are the mother of the heir and the proper First Madam of the Duke's Residence. Just sit here and take charge. Governess Miao will assign the tasks. If anyone dares to delay their work, feign compliance, or deliberately cause trouble, just have Zhao Song drag them out for a flogging. Lord Lu said he cannot manage a household, but he can lead an army. After twenty military flogging strikes tear their flesh open, every single one of them will obey. - Well… - Goodness… Then, I will give it a try. Aunt, since my cousin has spoken, I will stay and help too. Zhao Song, stay to assist. Zhao Bai, follow me. I have important orders. - Yes. - Yes. Bring them all forward. One by one. Over here. Is that it? How many did you catch? I've got more. Over there. Don't let it get away. Gently. I caught it. After Lady Wei Rao fell into the water, I sent people repeatedly to inquire. Why didn't you reply to me? That night, the city guards searched the market, finding no major robbers or villains, though they did catch a few petty thieves. Did you confirm with Lady Wei Rao? What "Lady Wei Rao"? By etiquette, you should call her sister-in-law. Be gentle. They're all flying away. Right now, you should be busy with the Dowager Lady's birthday banquet. Yet you have time to catch butterflies here. It was my fault to suspect you without cause earlier. I hope you can forgive me, Lady Wei Rao. General Qi, your mistakes are more than just one. You scared away my butterfly. You got it? Thank you, My Lord. What are you doing? I specially caught some butterflies to release at the birthday hall, letting them flutter around the lamps and rest on flowers. We'll also prepare sweet melons for them to perch on, wishing for a long line of descendants and good fortune year after year. Lady Wei Rao, you really know how to please people. When the time comes, with flowers filling the hall and butterflies fluttering, the Dowager Lady will be overjoyed. Trying to steal the show at an elder's birthday defeats the main purpose. It's better to focus on the practical work. The garden is full of maids. My Lord, do you only see me? When everyone wears flowers in their hair, a display of blooms is nothing special. Instead, the one dressed most plainly stands out the most among the women. Following the same old routine for the birthday banquet, no matter how proper the details are, it's just mediocre and error-free. If you want to win full applause and make guests feel at home, you need a little clever ingenuity and add more lively topics. Why don't you help me catch a couple, My Lord? Catch them yourself. I don't have time for this. To show my apologies, I'll help you. - You don't have time either. - I do. - Jiede. - Don't… - Send more servants to help. - I'm free. - Yes. - I really am free. Slow down. - So rough. - Farewell, My Lord. Ouch, that hurts. Catch them quickly. A generous reward for whoever catches the most. - Yes. - Yes. Mother, when I arrived, I saw my second brother at the martial grounds. Over a dozen guards were beaten to pieces by him. He will surely be a fierce general in the future. I see Grandfather values him more and more, even choosing a new martial arts master for him. Though he says he treats everyone equally and loves every grandson just the same, deep down in his heart, it's crystal clear that only the eldest grandson of the first branch is his favorite. The rest are just afterthought extras. Mother, don't. If you make this move, you will lose. Quiet while watching a game. Second Madam, Her Ladyship is leading people from the first branch to catch butterflies everywhere, saying it's for the Dowager Lady's birthday. What an assertive Heir's Wife. She acts so wildly and recklessly. Who knows what scheme she is plotting behind our backs? Mother, don't let her get too complacent. She's too young after all. She's just eager to establish authority and claim credit. What's your hurry? The rafter that sticks out rots first. Sooner or later, she will learn her lesson. My Lady, you even know how to do this? I learned it all in the workshops in the past. Things I used to hate deeply. You wouldn't know I entered the lacquer workshop as a hard laborer at five. My whole body was covered in sores from the raw lacquer fumes. YOUNG A-CHOU At ten, I disguised as a boy up in the hills to make charcoal. Hurry up. - A landslide almost killed me. - Don't dawdle. Hurry! Keep up! Hurry up! Get up. Hurry up. When the suffering became unbearable, I often dreamed that my real parents were rich, and that one day, they would rescue me from the abyss. Isn't it ridiculous? I often fantasized that if I ever went back one day, how I would win my elders' favor and make a name for myself. Only later did I realize that no one was coming. My pa was just a rogue gambler. My ma had tuberculosis. And I was born in the mire. If I didn't fight with all my strength, I will only sink further, down to the very depths. Moths are not butterflies. They have no pretty patterns. Yet their antennae are like rigid riding whips. They are born to travel far. Indeed. At this gambling table, others have wealth and family to help them. I only have myself. So I will stake my life on it, to see if I end up empty-handed or clean out the board. Invite Lord Lu for me. My Lady, are you planning to… Pardon my asking, but Lord Lu is the very model of propriety, following old rules in everything. Guanzhu said his routine and diet haven't changed for years. If even one new dish is added, he has it sent back. He usually despises novel or frivolous tricks. I doubt he'll agree. You make a good point. I should think of a way to leave him no choice but to agree. My Lord. Sorry for keeping you waiting, My Lord. Stop once you've caught the butterflies. Disregarding convention for novelty will lead to trouble sooner or later. I invited you here because I heard Miss Qingtong say the Dowager Lady often suffers from night terrors and struggles to sleep soundly. I am aware of that. After consultation, the physicians said it wasn't an illness, just that as people age, they sleep lightly and wake easily at night. I have something that can help her sleep well, but I need your help, My Lord. What can you do? This way, please. No foolishness. I mean no offense. You'll understand once you take a look, My Lord. It's drawing paper. Look, add a top cover above, and sew the four sides with fishing line. That makes a paper canopy. I thought of hanging lotus wall vases at the four corners, accompanied by moonlight and lotus fragrance, as if walking deep in a lotus pond. Then, I thought this paper canopy was too plain and bleak. Though real flowers are lovely, they don't bloom long, which might only make an elder feel sad. It would be better to paint them on. Actually, I preferred a silk canopy. On the sides, embroidering scriptures in seal script shows sincerity. But my embroidery skills are poor. I can only embroider two or three characters a day. I couldn't make it in time for the banquet. The Dowager Lady loves your paintings of flowers and birds, so I asked for your help. Lotuses are fine flowers, but they are just like you, chillingly cold, lacking a touch of vitality. The decorations in Wanxiang Hall are uniquely crafted, showing the Dowager Lady's love for nature. In my view… A few strokes on the grass leaves pictures a grasshopper. Dragonflies are dancing. That's a sign of vitality. Wei Rao, don't forget our agreement. I really regret making that one-year pact. I want to be a true wife to you in every sense. In your dreams. Careful. Don't ruin my paper canopy. Even if you use filial piety to pressure me, I will never take a scheming woman as my wife. If you haven't tried, how do you know it's no good? {\an8}What did you put in the incense burner? {\an8}Just a little mood enhancer to add fragrance to the room. Do you like it? If you suspect I drugged it, check it yourself. For a bit of calming incense, you ruined my birthday gift. It's just a paper canopy. We can just make another one. All the large paper in the storehouse is here. Where do we find more on short notice? It is you who tease me so. To match this bed-curtain, I gathered bulrush fluff everywhere for the mattress, steamed and dried it, working day and night, and even coughed for two nights from the floating fluff. Now the bed-curtain is gone, all for nothing. I am an decent girl of unsullied reputation. If the Dowager Lady hadn't begged me, hoping we'd make peace, and sent servants to check in, why would I force myself on you and get called shameless? We can find another birthday gift, but promises must be kept. We agreed to be a couple for just one year, and that won't change. Don't get your hopes up. Tonight, if it's Grandmother's wish… I won't blame you. Didn't you prepare other things? I'll have people make them for you. Ordinary craftsmen can't do it. I'll get the best palace artisans to make them. I'm afraid it will cost too much, cause a stir, attract attention, and go against your principles. Before Grandmother's birthday, I'll have them done and delivered. My Lord. {\an8}‪LAMP BLUEPRINT So after all that effort, this was your goal all along. Find the best craftsmen and have it finished before the birthday. Delay by a single day, and you will answer for it. What are you laughing at? Get out. ‪NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED ‪IN THE MAKING OF THIS SHOW